high up has been held accountable. is that coming? at the end of the public inquiry potentially. think so. the public inquiry potentially. think s0- the inquiry _ public inquiry potentially. think so. the inquiry seem _ public inquiry potentially. think so. the inquiry seem to - public inquiry potentially. think so. the inquiry seem to be - public inquiry potentially. “m “if. so. the inquiry seem to be doing a terrificjob, they have an excellent team, the chairman is fantastic, he he has the trust of the sub—postmaster, they are looking at every issue they should be looking at i would say and they are putting extremely difficult questions to lawyers, and investigators and senior executives will come to see that in the coming months and those people are struggling to answer the questions as you saw today in your earlier report. questions as you saw today in your earlier report-— earlier report. yeah. when i read our earlier report. yeah. when i read your witness— earlier report. yeah. when i read your witness statement - earlier report. yeah. when i read your witness statement shazia, l earlier report. yeah. when i read i your witness statement shazia, you were on the programme last night, but it wasn't until i went onto detail of it today, you also had a mental break down.— mental break down. yes, that is correct. yeah. _ mental break down. yes, that is correct. yeah. fleeing _ mental break down. yes, that is correct. yeah. fleeing thought l mental break down. yes, that is| correct. yeah. fleeing thought of suicide _ correct. yeah. fleeing thought of suicide as— correct. yeah. fleeing thought of suicide as well because i did not see any— suicide as well because i did not see any way out. it was a fleeting thought. — see any way out. it was a fleeting thought, but yes, i had a total break— thought, but yes, i had a total break down, because it was something outside _ break down, because it was something outside of— break down, because it was something outside of my control. and i was

being _ outside of my control. and i was being accused of something that was totally— being accused of something that was totally outside of my control victoria _ totally outside of my control victoria. ., , totally outside of my control victoria. . , , ., totally outside of my control victoria. ., , , ., ., totally outside of my control victoria. . , , ., ., , victoria. last night you told us, we knew that you _ victoria. last night you told us, we knew that you were _ victoria. last night you told us, we knew that you were eligible - victoria. last night you told us, we knew that you were eligible for - victoria. last night you told us, wei knew that you were eligible for this up knew that you were eligible for this up front £75,000 fee, which would mean that is your sort of final pay off, that is it and you said because it was so early the government only made the announcement yesterday you were thinking about it but you told us last night i doesn't touch the surface. you have made a decision about what you will do about that. yes, absolutely, no way does 75,000 cover_ yes, absolutely, no way does 75,000 cover even_ yes, absolutely, no way does 75,000 cover even a — yes, absolutely, no way does 75,000 cover even a bit of what not only i have _ cover even a bit of what not only i have went — cover even a bit of what not only i have went through, the losses i have had and _ have went through, the losses i have had and all— have went through, the losses i have had and all of the consequential loss as — had and all of the consequential loss as well victoria.— loss as well victoria. because it wasn't just _ loss as well victoria. because it wasn'tjust your _ loss as well victoria. because it wasn'tjust your business, - loss as well victoria. because it wasn't just your business, it - loss as well victoria. because it| wasn't just your business, it was your home as well. it wasn't just your business, it was your home as well.— wasn't just your business, it was your home as well.- the | wasn't just your business, it was . your home as well.- the post your home as well. it was. the post office took — your home as well. it was. the post office took the _ your home as well. it was. the post office took the keys _ your home as well. it was. the post office took the keys to _ your home as well. it was. the post office took the keys to where - your home as well. it was. the post office took the keys to where you . 0ffice took the keys to where you lived? office took the keys to where you lived? , , ., ., , , so lived? yes. yes. that happened. so when ou lived? yes. yes. that happened. so when you add _ lived? yes. yes. that happened. so when you add that _ lived? yes. yes. that happened. so when you add that to _ lived? yes. yes. that happened. so when you add that to what - lived? yes. yes. that happened. so when you add that to what your - when you add that to what your salary was every year, your pension, i mean, we are talking hundreds of thousands of pounds.—

thousands of pounds. hundreds of thousands. _ thousands of pounds. hundreds of thousands, absolutelyer _ thousands of pounds. hundreds of thousands, absolutelyer i - thousands of pounds. hundreds of thousands, absolutelyer i would . thousands of pounds. hundreds of l thousands, absolutelyer i would like to say— thousands, absolutelyer i would like to say to _ thousands, absolutelyer i would like to say to kevin, would it be ok for me to _ to say to kevin, would it be ok for me to remove his keys then write him a cheque _ me to remove his keys then write him a cheque for— me to remove his keys then write him a cheque for 75,000? it is me to remove his keys then write him a cheque for 75,000?— a cheque for 75,000? it is not enou:h. a cheque for 75,000? it is not enough- it's — a cheque for 75,000? it is not enough. it's not _ a cheque for 75,000? it is not enough. it's not enough. - a cheque for 75,000? it is not enough. it's not enough. no. | a cheque for 75,000? it is noti enough. it's not enough. no. i a cheque for 75,000? it is not - enough. it's not enough. no. iasked ou if ou enough. it's not enough. no. iasked you if you would _ enough. it's not enough. no. iasked you if you would feel— enough. it's not enough. no. i asked you if you would feel comfortable - enough. it's not enough. no. i asked you if you would feel comfortable in l you if you would feel comfortable in reading the last part of your witness statement for our audience, you said you were happy to do that. absolutely. i you said you were happy to do that. absolutel . ,, you said you were happy to do that. absolutel . , , ., you said you were happy to do that. absolutely-— absolutely. i will pass that to you. thank you- — absolutely. i will pass that to you. thank you- so _ absolutely. i will pass that to you. thank you. so this _ absolutely. i will pass that to you. thank you. so this is _ absolutely. i will pass that to you. thank you. so this is my _ absolutely. i will pass that to you. thank you. so this is my witness l thank you. so this is my witness statement, _ thank you. so this is my witness statement, the last paragraph. i am an ordinary— statement, the last paragraph. i am an ordinary honest and very hard—working woman. i have always tried to _ hard—working woman. i have always tried to he _ hard—working woman. i have always tried to he a — hard—working woman. i have always tried to be a good mother, and a good _ tried to be a good mother, and a good person. ifeel like i was tried to be a good mother, and a good person. i feel like i was raped in public— good person. i feel like i was raped in public by— good person. i feel like i was raped in public by the post office, and no-one — in public by the post office, and no-one in — in public by the post office, and no—one in authority has done anything _ no—one in authority has done anything about it. | no-one in authority has done anything about it.— no-one in authority has done anything about it. i mean that is so distressinq- — anything about it. i mean that is so distressing. and _ anything about it. i mean that is so distressing. and that _ anything about it. i mean that is so distressing. and that is _ anything about it. i mean that is so distressing. and that is how- anything about it. i mean that is so distressing. and that is how you i distressing. and that is how you felt. �* , ., do distressing. and that is how you i felt-— do you? distressing. and that is how you felt-— do you?

felt. and still feel now. do you? i mean today _ felt. and still feel now. do you? i mean today has _ felt. and still feel now. do you? i mean today has gone _ felt. and still feel now. do you? i mean today has gone some - felt. and still feel now. do you? i mean today has gone some way l felt. and still feel now. do you? i | mean today has gone some way of somebody— mean today has gone some way of somebody listening to me and the nation's _ somebody listening to me and the nation's listened, and so the tormenters i was up against and that wasiust_ tormenters i was up against and that wasiust a _ tormenters i was up against and that wasjust a glimpse of it tormenters i was up against and that was just a glimpse of it today. when wasjust a glimpse of it today. when when ou wasjust a glimpse of it today. when when you hear— wasjust a glimpse of it today. when when you hear those _ wasjust a glimpse of it today. when when you hear those words, - was just a glimpse of it today. lumen when you hear those words, what was just a glimpse of it today. wieri when you hear those words, what do you think? i when you hear those words, what do ou think? ., , ., you think? i met lots of the sub-postmasters _ you think? i met lots of the sub-postmasters as - you think? i met lots of the sub-postmasters as they i you think? i met lots of the | sub-postmasters as they all you think? i met lots of the - sub-postmasters as they all have sub—postmasters as they all have these stories, they have tremendous levels of anxiety and depression, they have post—traumatic stress, they have post—traumatic stress, they lives have been ruined. you meet people like this in your home towns and you can't belief this sort of thing could happen to them, then you sort of think, well, organisations do sometimes do bad things and then, you start to understand the sorts of things the post office have done. it is, this is why people support the sub—postmasters because they can see the central truth of their story. thank you both. thank you again. you can come on every night shazia if you want. i'm not evenjoking. thank

you want. i'm not evenjoking. thank you for being with us richard. thank you. thank you. that's all from us tonight. faisal�*s here tomorrow. breaking news from around the world, 24 breaking news from around the world, 2a hours a day. this is bbc news. she had been out riding - and come across some silver tents in a hedgerow ditch line. she's hopped off to have a look and it was the remains - of a cannabis grove. there was also a large box with cannabis in it. - the 20 riders are vetted and recruited and will work alongside rural policing teams to be their eyes and ears along quiet country lanes.

voice-over: for more - stories from across the uk, head to the bbc news website. you're watching newsday. i'm steve lai live from taiwan. we'll hear more about saturday election shortly, but first, the uk is on the brink of military action with the us against houthi rebels in yemen. rishi sunak held an evening briefing with cabinet ministers, and the opposition labour leader sir keir starmer has also been informed of the situation. the houthis, who are backed by iran, have launched a series of strikes against ships in the red sea, disrupting trade and adding to fears that the conflict between israel and hamas could escalate throughout the region. the bbc�*s political editor chris mason has the latest. this moment has been looking increasingly likely in the coming days. let me talk you through the choreography of this evening

and what it is reasonable for us to deduce from it, in addition to the conversations privately that so, at a little before eight o'clock this evening, the prime minister held a conference call, a briefing for his cabinet, which you would expect prior to uk military action if time were to allow that. in addition to that, we saw the shadow defence secretary for labour, john healey, and the speaker of the commons, the house of commons, sir lindsay hoyle, arriving at 70 whitehalljust down the road from here. i understand they were briefed by senior government officials and sir keir starmer, the labour leader, also joined those conversations remotely. now a government, the uk government by convention can act militarily without wider consultation. but where possible, the convention is to speak to senior figures like the leader of the opposition and the speaker of the house of commons.

those conversations have concluded this evening and the expectation is that the uk government is poised with international allies to be involved in military action as soon as tonight. the us says there've been 27 attacks in the red sea since mid—november by houthis who say they support hamas and are targetting ships headed to israel. let's get more now from our security correspondent frank gardner on who the houthis are, and what the effect of their attacks has been. armed, angry and defiant — yemen's houthi rebels. a tribal mountain militia that controls much of yemen and its red sea coast. they've declared their support for hamas in gaza and, since november,

they've been attacking ships in the red sea. britain, the us and the un have all demanded a stop to the attacks. we cannot have a situation where a major sea route, a major ability to move goods around the world, is being cut off by terrorists and thugs, and we therefore must act. this was a heli—borne raid they did on a container ship in november, seizing the vessel and its crew and steering it back to yemen. the houthis have defied all warnings to stop targeting shipping. translation: we are more determined - to continue to target ships linked - linked to israel and we will not back down from that. our position stems from our faith. the americans should know what that means. the houthi attacks are having a global effect. around 15% of world trade passes through the nearby bab—el—mandeb strait, but now major shipping companies like bp and mersk are having to avoid the red sea altogether. as this computer tracking shows,

they're re—routing round the far the far side of africa, adding days to thejourney, driving up costs in europe and elsewhere. a us—led task force, including the royal navy's hms diamond, has been in action. they shot down 21 houthi drones and missiles on tuesday. but the houthis, helped by iran, have got plenty more missiles and have vowed to use them, which is why the us and britain say they must now bear the consequences. frank gardner, bbc news. let's get the view from washington now. sarah smith is our north america editor. here, officials will not speculate in public about what they describe as potential future military operations. that's what we heard from the white house and the pentagon today. but the us administration has been talking tough for days about this warning that there would be consequences,

as they call it, if the houthis didn't stop their attacks on ships in the red sea. and we heard that again from the white house today, saying these attacks have to stop or the houthis will bear the consequences. now, right now, the us secretary of state, their equivalent of the foreign secretary, antony blinken, is on his way back from a really extensive trip around the middle east. and one of his key objectives there was to try and stop the israel—gaza war from escalating. right from the beginning, the us has been most worried about this conflict spreading and drawing in other countries. yet at the same time, whilst he was there, antony blinken also said, "it is particularly important "that we respond when we are faced with aggression like that "that we are seeing from the houthis". so, he is drawing a clear line there and saying america isn't going to be provoked to the point where they will not act. israel's prime minister has described accusations of genocide against his government as being based

on hypocrisy and lies. benjamin netanyahu was speaking after south africa began a case at the international court ofjustice, alleging that israel was attempting to destroy gaza. mr netanyahu said listening to the first day of arguments was like being in "an upside—down world". he insisted that his country was in fact battling genocide by hamas. israel will outline its defence at the court in the hague on friday. back to saturday's crucial poll in taiwan. there's a new party involved this year — the taiwan people's party, or tpp. i caught up with cynthia wu, the tpp's vice presidential candidate and asked her how they plan to differentiate themselves from taiwan's two biggest parties. like the kmt, we favour stronger economic development for taiwan, and we are open to having ties with china economically. but on the other hand, we're unlike the dpp because we're not seeking to provoke

china and proclaiming independence. if we could talk about defense for a moment. the dpp has plans to increase the budget for defence from 2.5 to 3% of gdp. why is that necessary if you're also pushing to have closer relationships with china? tpp's policy is that dialogue and deterrence are equally important. and so, while we want to be able to maintain dialogue and open discussions with china, we also believe that we should be better armed to be prepared in case something happens. but we do not want to be the one provoking war, and we do not want to seek war as the ultimate solution. but we need to make china understand that our desire to preserve our way of life is real and serious. let's talk more about the tpp and the fact that it is such a young party. how do you go about solidifying credibility amongst the electorate? the reality is we're sort

of adjusting and rolling with the punches and kind of making things up as we go along, because it is a start—up kind of party situation. and it also can be quite complicated because we have young people like myself who have had no political experience prior, but obviously with some industry experience. and then you've got also other people from other political parties that have come to join us. so, what i think is great about dr ko's party is that he has an open application process which allows anybody who's interested to see change and to shape taiwan's future to comejoin with him. and i was one of the many fortunate people who was able to do so. that was cynthia wu, the tpp's vice presidential candidate. we'll be speaking to representatives of the dpp and kmt later today on bbc news. let's bring in our asia digital reporter, tessa wong again.

the youth vote is an important one. i understand you've been looking into that. in i understand you've been looking into that. .. ., i understand you've been looking into that. ., ., into that. in fact i went to a tpp rall that into that. in fact i went to a tpp rally that this _ into that. in fact i went to a tpp rally that this week. _ into that. in fact i went to a tpp rally that this week. the - into that. in fact i went to a tpp rally that this week. the crowd l into that. in fact | went to a tppi rally that this week. the crowd at the tpp rally is quite young and energetic and really kind of on board this message called smashing the blue and green, which is a political message that the tpp is pushing. they're putting themselves as an alternative to the two main parties. as an alternative to the two main arties. �* , ., ., as an alternative to the two main arties. �* i. ., , , parties. and the youth vote plays in art, parties. and the youth vote plays in part, 1,000,001st-time _ parties. and the youth vote plays in part, 1,000,001st-time voters - parties. and the youth vote plays in part, 1,000,001st-time voters for. part, i,000,00ist—time voters for this election. there's 19.5 million voters part this election. there's19.5 million voters part of the electric, and that could tip the balance. some are

sa in: the that could tip the balance. some are saying the youth _ that could tip the balance. some are saying the youth vote _ that could tip the balance. some are saying the youth vote could - that could tip the balance. some are saying the youth vote could be - that could tip the balance. some are saying the youth vote could be split | saying the youth vote could be split between the dpp. that could spell trouble for them.— between the dpp. that could spell trouble for them. thanks very much, tessa. the sun is continuing to rise in the morning in taipei. campaign rallying will continue. we'll have coverage live on bbc news. as we continue ahead of the election, here in taiwan, i'll be back with more. bye for now. hello there. it was another day where some of us had sunshine, some of us had cloudy skies on thursday. the cloud, again, was coming in from the north sea, bringing with it some patches of drizzle for east scotland, eastern areas of england. but as the cloud came around the area of high pressure that's dominating to the northwest, it actually mixed in some slightly slightly drier airjust above the cloud layer as those winds went

across the mountains and that drier air evaporated the cloud. and so, what a glorious day it was across parts of the highlands, with not a cloud in the sky. we're going to have a similar kind of weather prospects, really, over the next day or so. with these clear skies in place in scotland, it's very cold night in places, yemperatures getting down into minus double figures, —10, —12 degrees, something like that. whereas where we keep the cloud, that is across large parts of england, wales and northern ireland, it'll stay largely frost—free. and so, for friday morning, it's another day where cloud will vary quite a lot. the cloud thick enough across eastern areas of england to bring us a few patches of drizzle at times, particularly during the morning, the afternoon tending to become a little bit drier. the best of the sunshine — well, scotland, cloud might break in northern ireland, and the north west of both england and wales could also see some breaks in the cloud. now, temperatures give or take around about six degrees, bit colder than that, though, in the sunshine in scotland. 0n into the weekend's weather prospects, we start to get prospects — we start to get a northwesterly

wind moving in. thicker cloud brings the threat of a few showers for northern scotland, maybe an odd spit of rain for northern ireland, too. still quite cloudy across england, wales, but probably a better chance of seeing a few cloud breaks, a little bit of sunshine coming through, and it continues to be cold for the time of year. but then, as we get into the second half of the weekend and into monday, across northern areas of scotland, northerly winds start to blow harder and we start to get showers turning to snow. some accumulations are quite likely, so we could start to see some disruption across one and two routes. elsewhere, though, through sunday and monday, little overall change in the weather picture. some sharp frosts, a lot of dry weather, some spells of sunshine. beyond that, though, into next week, we could see some areas of snow affecting northern areas of the uk early in the week and maybe a system coming up from the south later in the week. there is still quite a bit of uncertainty about those kind of features, but the potential for seeing some disruption is certainly there. the highest risk initially across parts of northern scotland. bye for now.

this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines at the top of the hour as newsday continues, straight after hardtalk. welcome to hardtalk. i'm stephen sackur. one of the key drivers of human thought and behaviour throughout history has been knowledge of our own mortality. from childhood, each

of us knows we will die. religion, philosophy and science all wrestle with that fact and have, in different ways, embraced the quest for immortality. my guest today, stephen cave, director of the cambridge institute for humanity and technology, is at the centre of a growing debate about the merits of extending human longevity. is it wise to seek to live forever? stephen cave, welcome to hardtalk. thank you for having me. it's a great pleasure. you believe that our human awareness

of our own mortality is absolutely central to the human story.