another political headlight —— headache for the prime minister here as one of his ministers quit criticising the government's environmental policies. oscar pistorius, the former paralympian convicted of murdering his girlfriend reeva steenkamp, is released on parole in south africa. hello, i'm rajini vaidyanathan. welcome to the daily global, where we'll bring you the top stories from around the world. we begin this hour with news of significant flooding here in the uk as well as across northern europe. first, a look at the situation here in england. hundreds more homes in england have been flooded after a week of relentless rainfall and the impact of storm henk. it was the eighth storm to hit the uk since september,

and that is the highest number in a season since the met office started naming them in 2015. roads and train lines have also been affected. navteonhal is in nottinghamshire, where a major incident was declared after rising water from the river trent flooded more than 100 properties. driving into an island. this is worse than the year 2000. simon lives in gunthorpe. it's one of the worst—affected places by the flooding in nottinghamshire. the situation is so bad that most vehicles can't get through the floodwater, so he's using his modified four—by—four to help transport people and supplies. he's agreed to let us join him. we shouldn't have to do this, but you can'tjust stand by and let people struggle and let people miss doctors appointments. there's a lot of elderly people and vulnerable people around here, so you've got to do your bit. there are only two routes in and out of gunthorpe. one is up there, and it's underwater. and then there's this one,

which is even worse. so you can see why people living in this village are saying it's now effectively an island. it's because of scenes like these that nottinghamshire county council yesterday declared a major incident. it says this is one of seven areas where multi—agency support is being provided. 0vernight, the river trent reached its highest level in the county for more than 20 years. this is the scene in the village of farndon. right, here we go into the house. julia and dave have lived here for more than 25 years and say it's never been this bad. grin and bear it, you know? we're insured. it's not easy. let's be honest, it's not easy, but as you say, there's people worse off than what we are. as soon as it starts to recede, they're going to start - to work out what they're - going to do with everything. until that point, we're underwater. they say it's going to be many months before they're able to live here again,

but the impact of what this flooding has left behind could be felt for years. navteonhal, bbc news. let's speak to andrew brown, who is a wheat farmer at fairchilds lodge farm in rutland. thanks very much forjoining us. first of all, just tell us how you have been impacted by the severe flooding. have been impacted by the severe floodinu. ~ ., ., ., , flooding. well, about a third of my farm has been _ flooding. well, about a third of my farm has been underwater- flooding. well, about a third of my farm has been underwater for- farm has been underwaterfor the last two or three days. the river that runs through the valley that my farm is in, normally about five metres wide. for the last couple of days, it's been a kilometre wide, and the water's probably been about and the water's probably been about a metre deep across that. so we've had huge, huge volumes of water across the farm.— had huge, huge volumes of water across the farm. now where you are is more low-lying — across the farm. now where you are is more low-lying than _ across the farm. now where you are is more low-lying than other - across the farm. now where you are is more low-lying than other parts l is more low—lying than other parts of the uk perhaps. but how bad is this flooding compared with previous

years where your land has been flooded? ~ ., ., , ., flooded? well, normally it would get a floodin: flooded? well, normally it would get a flooding incident _ flooded? well, normally it would get a flooding incident probably - flooded? well, normally it would get a flooding incident probably once - a flooding incident probably once every two years, some years maybe twice a year in the may be a break of two or three years with nothing. we have had four flooding of two or three years with nothing. we have had fourflooding incidents in the last month or so. this last one was definitely the worst. if the worst i've seen it and i've been firming here for nearly a0 years. is the worst one i've seen. find firming here for nearly 40 years. is the worst one i've seen.— the worst one i've seen. and what has happened _ the worst one i've seen. and what has happened to _ the worst one i've seen. and what has happened to your— the worst one i've seen. and what has happened to your livestock? l the worst one i've seen. and what| has happened to your livestock? if you manage to move them to safer ground? you manage to move them to safer round? . ~ you manage to move them to safer round? ., ~ ., ., you manage to move them to safer round? ., ~' ., ., ., ground? the life talk on the form of been taken — ground? the life talk on the form of been taken to _ ground? the life talk on the form of been taken to higher _ ground? the life talk on the form of been taken to higher ground - ground? the life talk on the form of been taken to higher ground or - ground? the life talk on the form of| been taken to higher ground or been moved inside, but a major problem we've had is because it was so wet in the autumn that when we were planting the crops, a lot of them did not establish. so they basically just rotted in the ground, so that's going to have a big impact on that yields next summer time. and that obviously is going to have an impact on my profit and any margin i'm going to make. on my profit and any margin i'm going to make-— going to make. what do you think needs to be _

going to make. what do you think needs to be done _ going to make. what do you think needs to be done to _ going to make. what do you think needs to be done to help - needs to be done to help farmers like yourself who are really bearing the brunt of this severe flooding? 0bviously the brunt of this severe flooding? obviously no one can control the weather, and this to be honest is predicted by the climate scientists for many years now, saying we are going to get warmer and wetter winters. and to be honest, i think there is a cold snap coming but it has not been very cold this winter but it has been very wet. historically when we were members of the eu, we had the common agricultural policy which gave us support payments which meant that we had that back up to smooth out these difficult times. so that we can keep going but obviously to produce the food the country needs. and without those support payments, that can be of a problem going forward because without them of course we have not got that back—up and then farmers eventually, if this happens on a regular basis, will have to think exactly what they are going to grow and whether it's worth grabbing it. before we let you go, andrew, how

are you doing? it can really take its toll when everything around you is submerged by metres and metres of water. difficult to get around, difficult to do anything, really. it is, you have also i've been doing paperwork and administration for the last couple of days, but we are nowhere near a dire situation is those poor people who have had their house was flooded. so i really do feel sorry for them. at least i've got dry eight feet in my house. indeed. andrew brown, do stay israel if you can and we hope that the water does subside somewhat and that you are able to rescue some of your crops. thank you very much for joining us here on the bbc. i should just say that the flood minister robbie moore said earlier today that the government had absently provided enough money for flood the government had absently provided enough money forflood prevention when he was asked about this earlier, and he said the government was absolutely looking at what measures we can put in place.

flooding has also hit several countries in northern europe. meghan 0wen has the details. storm henk has swept across northern europe, and heavy rainfall has caused widespread flooding in many countries such as the uk, the netherlands, germany, belgium and france. so let's just take a look at some of those scenes. here we see the pas—de—calais region of france, which has a coastline on the english channel. now greenhouses and fields have flooded, many for the second time in two months, and they're obviously flat, low—lying areas. so once they've flooded, dredging is difficult. a french minister's even considering declaring some of the areas uninhabitable in the future. translation: we've entered a period in which the effects of climate - disruptions are becoming more and more numerous. there was the drought in 2022. there were the exceptional fires we experienced in that same period. there was the flooding in the south a few weeks ago, these other floods. well, if you listen to the scientists, they'll also tell you that we're going to see more of these episodes. in germany, this was the scene in lower saxony.

efforts were made to put artificial dikes in place as rivers burst their banks. now, german chancellor olaf scholz has promised to help flood—hit parts of germany. translation: nobody's watching the clock. - everyone is doing the best they can to avert the consequences of flooding should they not be constant building of dike defences, defence of specific villages and everyone working hard. in the netherlands, rising river waters led to a houseboat being torn from its moorings. it hit a bridge near maastricht, damaging the structure. now local officials say the bridge is at risk of collapse and a nearby dam was washed away by the flooding. and in belgium, the semois river burst its banks, bringing flooding to some areas for the first time in three decades. several homes and businesses were affected. emergency teams said it could be several days before the waters recede to their normal levels. it's not the first time that many of these areas have been affected,

which is leading to real concerns. they're low—lying, they're flat, so recovering from the flooding is proving quite difficult. but many of the european countries are sharing resources. here we see czech firefighters packing aid to send to france, so actually there's a sense of solidarity in europe in the face of flooding. breaking news coming into us from the us. wayne lapierre, the long—time head of the national rifle association, the very powerful gun lobby in the us, has announced he is to step down from that position. he was a big figure in the wake of mass shootings, speaking up for gun rights. a statement that is being shared in the media says that with pride and all that we've accomplished, i'm announcing my resignation. i've been a card

carrying memberfor most resignation. i've been a card carrying member for most of my adult life and i will never stop supporting the nra and its fight to defend the second amendment. the resignation, is understood it will take effect at the end of this month, and it is important to announce that it comes as wayne lapierre was set to face trial in a corruption case brought by the democratic new york attorney general. and so the nra, though, hit back at that suit, saying it was an attempt to silence the second amendment rights and wayne lapierre had worked for the nra since 1977. he became the ceo and executive vice president in 1991, and as i say, he was a big figure in american politics because of the role he played with the nra, the gun rights lobby. we will bring you more on that story when we get it. now back

to british politics. the prime minister is facing another by election challenge. former minister chris skidmore says he will resign the conservative whip and stand down as an mp as soon as possible. it's over new legislation to issue more oil and gas licences. ian watsonjoins ian watson joins us from westminster. what can you tell us? i think it's interesting for this reason because chris skidmore, a former government minister and energy minister, had already announced he was standing down at the next election so he is really ratcheting up opposition to what was his own government, resigning the conservative wet but now he will be causing a by election and indeed a new year headache for the prime minister, already facing a difficult by election as well in the east midlands. now this seat, which was held by chris skidmore, who would

actually being in the hands of the opposition labour party for 18 years between 19812010. a majority of 11000 and they have recently overturned bigger majorities than that at buy elections this will be a big challenge for the prime minister, which i don't think he was necessarily expecting. but beyond that there is this clinical challenge for rishi sunak as well because he was trying to have a go at the liberal party because they were saying they would not revoke licenses issued by the government for licenses in the north sea but they would not issue any more to an rishi sunak thought this would be a winning policy for him to be able to say he can have more of the licenses. the issue comes up for parliament on monday but now i former energy minister who wrote into law the government's net zero pledge as design for the party, his resigning from parliament and is denouncing rishi sunak�*s plans by suggesting that he was investing in the industries of the past into the

future and was putting in danger the government's limit to reaching net zero by 2050 and saying that history willjudge harshly those mps who backed rishi sunak on monday. that does create a big political problem for rishi sunak. does it create a big political problem for that legislation, that attempt to grant more oil and gas licenses? i don't think it does for my conversations did not. there are lots of people who are very much in favour of the green agenda on the conservative side of the house of commons, many of them in the conservative environment network, but i'm told that they are not particularly kicking off about the legislation and we are not expecting any big rebellions or anyone else to follow suit. one person suggested that chris skidmore was something of a lone wolf, and interestingly another former cabinet minister, simon clark, who very much takes similar views to chris skidmore on the environment, he said that chris skidmore was a friend of his but this was a green conservative

government and he said he did not see any particular merit in joining chris skidmore down that particular row. this is a spectacular departure, but not so much because it will undermine rishi sunak�*s policy busily because it gives the opposition another opportunity to challenge the government at the ballot box and already with rishi sunak any that would not be an election until the second half of this year, it does give a focus for the opposition parties and also makes the so—called dividing line that rishi sunak wanted to have a labour on the environment and climate change canada a a lot hazy here and not quite so robustly drawn. ., ., ~ , ., , . drawn. 0k, ian, thank you very much for bringing — drawn. 0k, ian, thank you very much for bringing us _ drawn. 0k, ian, thank you very much for bringing us op _ drawn. 0k, ian, thank you very much for bringing us up to _ drawn. 0k, ian, thank you very much for bringing us up to date _ drawn. 0k, ian, thank you very much for bringing us up to date from - for bringing us up to date from westminster. the us secretary of state, antony blinken, has arrived in turkey on the first leg of a regional tour that will also see him visit israel and several arab nations. the state department says mr blinken will stress the need to increase humanitarian aid to civilians in gaza and to ensure

they are not forcibly displaced from the territory. his visit comes a day after the israeli defense minister, yoav gallant, outlined proposals for the future governance of gaza once the war between israel and hamas is over. mr gallant said palestinian groups would be in charge, though israel will retain overall security control. hamas — which is designated a terror organisation by a number of western governments — currently runs gaza, but the ruling party in the occupied west bank — fatah, its political rival — says palestinians will not accept israel's proposals. there's also been criticism from germany, with the foreign minister, annalena baerbock, warning against any attempt to occupy gaza. translation: israel must do more to protect the civilian _ population in its actions. opposition on the so—called "day after" is very clear. there must be no occupation of the gaza strip. at the same time, there must be no more threats to israel from the gaza strip. this is what we stand for together and what the european union stands for.

health officials in gaza say 162 people have been killed in the past 2a hours as israel's offensive grinds on. the israeli army said this morning that it had carried out more than 100 strikes on hamas targets over the past day. wyre davies told me more from jerusalem. southern cities were hit as well as a small coastal strip where israel had told gazans they would be safe. wyre davies told me more from jerusalem. this is the seventh... ..i think the fourth trip now by the secretary of state to the region since the start of this conflict three months ago, and the fact he's taking in so many countries this time is a real indication of the united states' concern, but also the concern of many countries in the region that this conflict, which has largely been confined to gaza and also the border between lebanon and israel, that it could expand into a much wider regional conflict. we saw the assassination, presumably by israel, of the hamas number two in beirut,

the lebanese capital, earlier this week. there's also the action from houthis in yemen attacking shipping going through the gulf. so there there's a lot of concern that this could expand into a much wider regional conflict, and that is why secretary blinken is visiting so many countries. he'll be coming to israel and to the palestinian territories last on the tour, having visited many other countries and capitals in the region first. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. london underground strikes are to go ahead after talks with transport for london failed to make progress. earlier this week, tfl warned there would be "severe disruption" across the tube network from the evening of sunday, the 7th of january until the morning of friday, the 12th of january. workers are walking out over pay, grading structures and travel facilities. two teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a 16—year—old boy was killed

on new year's eve. harry pitman was fatally stabbed as people gathered near a viewing platform in primrose hill in north london to watch the fireworks. earlier this week, three teenagers were released on bail pending further inquiries. a man has been given a suspended sentence for a homophobic attack on a drag star in a fast food restaurant in liverpool in june last year. alan whitfield, who's 51 and from everton, punched james lee williams, who performs under the name the vivienne and was the winner of the first series of rupaul�*s drag race uk. you're live with bbc news. here in the uk, 50 potential new victims of the post office it scandal have contacted solicitors since the broadcast of a tv drama about the case this week. around 700 subpostmasters and postmistresses were convicted over a period of 15 years linked to the faulty horizon computer

system, which made it look as if money was missing from branch accounts. some were wrongfully imprisoned, but so far, only 93 convictions have been overturned. our business correspondent emma simpson reports. sorry! it's one of the most powerful stories in this drama. jo hamilton's prosecution for huge losses in her post office branch account. i've declared my cash. i've declared my stock. here's the realjo at home in hampshire today, who's had quite a week seeing her darkest moments broadcast to the country. i haven't got that money, and i don't know where it's gone! she'd no idea the faulty horizon computer system was to blame. jo pleaded guilty to false accounting to avoid jail. it wasjust basically fighting for survival. i did, at one point, i had about ten cleaning jobs on the go, trying to keep the mortgage paid. and it really is a true story.

yeah, i don't think the public realise just quite what we've all been through. what do you hope the impact of this drama will be? the public are behind us now, and i think if there's enough outrage out there, i mean, it may become an election issue. who knows? it was a question for the prime minister today. it's important that all. those who suffered get the justice they deserve. and that's why we have set up three different compensation schemes. i we've paid out almost £150 million to over 2500 people, _ and we're keen to work through that as quickly as possible. _ this isjo's old village shop, which she was forced to sell. there's still a post office sign here. the service, though, has all but disappeared. this terrible scandal has been going on for more than 20 years, but this prime—time drama has now put it firmly in the national spotlight. jo's solicitor represents many victims. he told me 50 potential new ones have now been in touch, including three former sub—postmasters with criminal convictions.

i had one lady describe it to me as something that she parked in a dark place at the back of her mind that she simply couldn't face. but because of the drama, has now managed to find the courage to come forward. i guess you just wish there were more? ourjob isn't done until everybody that has been tainted by horizon comes forward and clears their name. so the real drama is farfrom over. victims still fighting for financial redress and wanting those responsible to be held accountable. emma simpson, bbc news. live now to humberside, where i'm joined by tom hedges, who ran the post office in hogsthorpe in lincolnshire until he was wrongly convivted of stealing £23,000 as part of the horizon scandal. his conviction has since been quashed.

thanks forjoining us here on bbc news, tom. iwatched thanks forjoining us here on bbc news, tom. i watched every episode of that drama, and i could not believe what i was saying, and it's been widely described as one of the largest miscarriages ofjustice here in the uk. how did you feel when you watched that drama go out? film. it watched that drama go out? oh, it all brou:ht watched that drama go out? oh, it all brought it _ watched that drama go out? oh, it all brought it all _ watched that drama go out? oh, it all brought it all back _ watched that drama go out? oh, it all brought it all back to _ watched that drama go out? oh, it all brought it all back to me. - watched that drama go out? oh, it all brought it all back to me. it - all brought it all back to me. it was so true. they did a wonderful job with that drama. if anybody thinks anything was exaggerated in it, believe you me, it was not. my wife and i sat in the lounge watching these programmes, when goose bumps cap racing on our arms and the backs of our necks. we were constantly going, yeah, that was us, thatis constantly going, yeah, that was us, that is exactly that to us, especially the business about you are the only one, which was the lie that they seemed to trot out to everybody. that they seemed to trot out to everybody-— that they seemed to trot out to everybody. that they seemed to trot out to eve bod . �* ~ ., , ., ., everybody. and, you know, this drama has heled everybody. and, you know, this drama has helped put — everybody. and, you know, this drama has helped put the _ everybody. and, you know, this drama has helped put the plight _ everybody. and, you know, this drama

has helped put the plight of— everybody. and, you know, this drama has helped put the plight of so - has helped put the plight of so many sub postmasters like yourself in the spotlight. are you frustrated that it's taken a television drama to get people to talk about this once again? people to talk about this once auain? people to talk about this once aiain? ., , , people to talk about this once auain? , ., again? oh, absolutely. having said that, again? oh, absolutely. having said that. we've — again? oh, absolutely. having said that, we've been _ again? oh, absolutely. having said that, we've been campaigning - again? oh, absolutely. having said that, we've been campaigning for. that, we've been campaigning for years and years. i mean, the last time i sat doing this was about a year ago when something had happened, i think, year ago when something had happened, ithink, at year ago when something had happened, i think, at the inquiry that's coming on. and we keep banging on about it. i've been writing a lots and lots of letters to all sorts of different people, trying to put the thing in the context and bring attention to us. but, yeah, i'm very pleased that this drama has come along, because it certainly has brought it to the fore, and i've had several text messages and e—mails from various people saying, oh, we are so sorry

you are part of that ordeal. it must�*ve been dreadful. you are part of that ordeal. it must've been dreadful. indeed, and it come a time _ must've been dreadful. indeed, and it come a time to _ must've been dreadful. indeed, and it come a time to mammoth - must've been dreadful. indeed, and it come a time to mammoth when i it come a time to mammoth when he did you lose and how much did you get in compensation if any? i still have not had _ get in compensation if any? i still have not had the _ get in compensation if any? i still have not had the major part - get in compensation if any? i sit ii. have not had the major part of my compensation. i've had some money on accounts. i had an e—mailfrom neil, who you interviewed before, who was also my lawyerjust before christmas, sort of telling me where we are and what's happening. and i had a very dominant and the account by the summer, i will have my full compensation. but i had an almost identical e—mail from compensation. but i had an almost identical e—mailfrom him 12 months ago saying much the same. to me, it seems that the post office not only wrecked my life and my family's life, 13 years ago, they are still

trying to do it by taking so long that they only have two speeds. that's slow and stop and most of the time of their own stop.— time of their own stop. time, we've onl not time of their own stop. time, we've only got about _ time of their own stop. time, we've only got about two _ time of their own stop. time, we've only got about two 20 _ time of their own stop. time, we've only got about two 20 seconds - time of their own stop. time, we've only got about two 20 seconds if. time of their own stop. time, we'vel only got about two 20 seconds if you can answer really quickly, what do you think should happen in terms of accountability when it comes to the post office? at the end of the drama, is as no one was taken to task within the post of us for what happened. task within the post of us for what ha ened. ~ �* , task within the post of us for what hauened. ~ �* , ., , happened. well, i'm pinning all my hoes happened. well, i'm pinning all my ho es on happened. well, i'm pinning all my hopes on the _ happened. well, i'm pinning all my hopes on the public— happened. well, i'm pinning all my hopes on the public inquiry. - happened. well, i'm pinning all my hopes on the public inquiry. the i hopes on the public inquiry. the bigwigs are yet to be interviewed, and under caution at that. and i'm hoping beyond hope that once the report is issued, that will do the job. report is issued, that will do the 'ob. ., ., ., ~' report is issued, that will do the 'ob. ., ., ., report is issued, that will do the 'ob. ., ., .mg . report is issued, that will do the 'ob. ., ., .mg, . ., job. tom had thank you so much for shafinu job. tom had thank you so much for sharing your — job. tom had thank you so much for sharing your story — job. tom had thank you so much for sharing your story with _ job. tom had thank you so much for sharing your story with us _ job. tom had thank you so much for sharing your story with us and - job. tom had thank you so much for sharing your story with us and we i sharing your story with us and we hope you are doing well. they with us on bbc news.

good evening. i'm sure you really don't need me to stand here and tell you just how wet and miserable it's been for the start of 202a, butjust take a look at these statistics. some of us have seen close to orjust above the average monthly rainfall already, and we're only five days into the month. but there is a glimmer of good news because high pressure is set to build as we look ahead, and that will quieten the weather story down. there is likely to be little significant rainfall for the foreseeable future. and we can see the first signs of that as we move into the weekend. yes, it's going to be a drier weekend. it will be a colder one as well. and with clear skies developing through the night, we could have some mist and fog first thing in the morning. favoured spots out to the west. a few scattered coastal showers through northern ireland, running down through the cheshire gap into west wales, and some nuisance cloud to the east of the pennines as well. now, we'll have some more significant showers across the northern isles and a stronger wind here, but not looking too bad into scotland generally. 5—9 degrees our afternoon highs,

so the real cold air not arriving quite just yet. now, as we move through saturday evening, that nuisance cloud will start to break up a little. we'll see a freshening north—easterly breeze driving in a few showers across the essex and kent coast. clearer skies further west. that's where we'll see the lowest of the values and some frost and fog to greet us first thing on sunday morning. but that's where we'll start off with the best of the sunshine. this nuisance breeze could continue to drift in some cloud through east yorkshire, east anglia, down through the south—east. but further west, it'll be a dry, settled day with some sunshine coming through, but you might need a couple of extra layers as those temperatures are going to be just below the average for the time of year. so we're looking at highs of 3—6 degrees. now, as we look further ahead, the high pressure is set to establish itself as we go through the week, and it will drift its way a little bit further north—west. the isobars always slightly tighter packed south of that high.

that's where the freshest of the winds are likely to be. but there'll be a good deal of dry weather with our week ahead once we've got rid of early morning frost and fog and we're chasing a little bit of cloud around, but there will also be some sunshine. take care.

this is bbc news, the headlines israel's defence minister outlines proposals for rishi sunak, former minister announces he is quitting as an mp criticising the government environmental policies. released on parole in south africa. america's most come right advocates as quit as leader of the national rifle association days before the start of a corruption trial involving the group. another by election challenge in the former minister says he will resign over the web and standouts in tempe next week criticising the prime ministers mental stance is wrong saying he cannot vote for legislation to boost oil and gas. and go live now to the conservative

mp who sits on