this company has just shown, that this company cannot be trusted. let's not forget the damage that they have done to people like balvinder gill and so many other postmasters. it has taken me around 15 years to apologise. what we need is we need to see people held to account within the post office, but also within fujitsu. and if necessary, we need to see people go to prison on the same way that they sent postmasters and post—mistresses to present. i and post—mistresses to present. i just wonder how feasible or realistic it would be to remove the company from the public sector. ben gave the example of the police national computer. it has been run by fujitsu for many years, there were no other private sector bidders when the contract came up for renewal in 2022.— when the contract came up for renewal in 2022. ., ., ., ., renewal in 2022. you have to wonder, certainl i renewal in 2022. you have to wonder, certainly i wonder, _ renewal in 2022. you have to wonder, certainly i wonder, when _ renewal in 2022. you have to wonder, certainly i wonder, when you - renewal in 2022. you have to wonder, certainly i wonder, when you have - certainly i wonder, when you have got somebody very senior in fujitsu

given the conservative party over a quarter of £8 million, whether that plays a part into this full stop we need a proper procurement process —— a quarter of a million. you need a proper procurement process -- a quarter of a million.— a quarter of a million. you are talkin: a quarter of a million. you are talking about _ a quarter of a million. you are talking about simon _ a quarter of a million. you are talking about simon blagden, | a quarter of a million. you are - talking about simon blagden, who it is reported gave the tory party £376,000 from him and firms associated with him over... since 2005. afterward he got a job in the dcms advising on broadband. that is correct. dcms advising on broadband. that is correct why — dcms advising on broadband. that is correct. why isn't _ dcms advising on broadband. that is correct. why isn't there _ dcms advising on broadband. that is correct. why isn't there a _ dcms advising on broadband. that is correct. why isn't there a proper - correct. why isn't there a proper procurement process? how are these contracts just being handed to companies like fujitsu? what contractsjust being handed to companies like fujitsu? companies like fu'itsu? what would ou think, companies like fujitsu? what would you think, balvinder, _ companies like fujitsu? what would you think, balvinder, about - companies like fujitsu? what would you think, balvinder, about either. you think, balvinder, about either of the suggestions, pausing contracts or stripping the current contracts or stripping the current contract away? if contracts or stripping the current contract away?— contracts or stripping the current contract away? if everything is so embedded into _ contract away? if everything is so embedded into the _ contract away? if everything is so embedded into the infrastructure| contract away? if everything is so i embedded into the infrastructure of the country... i worked a lot about any software — the country... i worked a lot about any software house, and with that dogs _ any software house, and with that dogs do _ any software house, and with that

dogs do occur when you do live updates— dogs do occur when you do live updates and enhancements, add bits on, i updates and enhancements, add bits on. i do _ updates and enhancements, add bits on. i do not — updates and enhancements, add bits on, i do not know how easy it would be to— on, i do not know how easy it would be to do— on, i do not know how easy it would be to do that — on, i do not know how easy it would be to do that transformation. certainty— be to do that transformation. certainly i think the main thing above — certainly i think the main thing above everything is there is a human cost to— above everything is there is a human cost to it _ above everything is there is a human cost to it. ultimately, there needs to be _ cost to it. ultimately, there needs to be a _ cost to it. ultimately, there needs to be a mindset change generally. when _ to be a mindset change generally. when these systems are designed and put when these systems are designed and put in, _ when these systems are designed and out in. it— when these systems are designed and put in, it should be centred around the human — put in, it should be centred around the human. education systems, how are they— the human. education systems, how are they set— the human. education systems, how are they set up and what is the flow of this? _ are they set up and what is the flow of this? likewise for post office, for horizon — of this? likewise for post office, for horizon system, the focus has to be from _ for horizon system, the focus has to be from the — for horizon system, the focus has to be from the postmaster adverts, not about _ be from the postmaster adverts, not about the _ be from the postmaster adverts, not about the user—friendliness, about the consequence of what they do. we are out the consequence of what they do. are out of the consequence of what they do. - are out of time. i am so sorry. thank you so much for being with us. thank you so much for being with us. thank you so much for being with us. thank you for your contributions. good to see you again. that's it from us tonight. i'm back tomorrow. we'll bring you reaction and analysis to the crunch vote on the rwanda legislation. see you then.

ron desantis came a second behind trump in iowa. that is a bad look after sinking time, money and most of his hopes into this state. he says he will fight on, for now. we have a lot of work to do, but i can tell you this. as the next president of the united states, i am going to get the job done for this country. the scale of his victory left donald trump feeling unusually magnanimous toward his rivals. i want to thank you very much, congratulate ron and nikki for having a good time together, we are all having a good time together. i think they both actually did very well, i really do. we don't even know what the outcome of second place is.

but do remember, he is not the outright victor yet. the outright victor yet. this mood will definitely not last. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. let's take a look at some of the stories in the headlines in the uk. jersey's first female chief minister — the island's equivalent of a prime minister — has lost her role following a vote of no confidence. deputy kristina moore was elected in july 2022 but lost to a vote of no confidence brought by a former minister, who said he was unhappy with the way decisions were being made. the covid inquiry has heard there were significant differences between the uk and scottish governments' handling of advice during the pandemic. in the first day of hearings in edinburgh, the lead council for this section of the inquiry said it would seek to find out

whether holyrood could have acted sooner to affect the spread of coronavirus. travellers are facing disruption following snowfall across parts of the uk. weather conditions led to more than 100 school closures in scotland and dozens in merseyside. sub—zero temperatures are to stay until the weekend with further snow warnings in place. you're live with bbc news. the global chief executive of fujitsu, takahito tokita, has apologised to british postmasters who were wrongly prosecuted for fraud, because of it faults in fujitsu's horizon software. speaking to the bbc at the world economic forum at davos in switzerland, mr tokita said the company was sorry for the impact it has had on the postmasters and theirfamilies, and insisted the company took the issue "very seriously". he spoke to a bbc producer between events at the swiss ski resort.

would you like to apologise? yes, of course. fujitsu has apologised... has apologised for the impact on the lives of the people involved, and their families. what do you think about fujitsu returning the money? - the government has suggested you return the money. - please understand, there is the ongoing public inquiry. i'm sorry, i cannot comment furthermore about these topics.

there was also an apology from the head of fujitsu in europe for the company's role in the post office scandal. answering mps' questions in a select committee session, paul patterson said the company had fallen below its own standards of conduct and had a "moral obligation" to contribute to compensation for the victims. fujitsu would like to apologise for our part in this appalling miscarriage of justice. we were involved from the very start, we did have bugs and errors in the system and we did help the post office in their prosecutions of the sub—postmasters. for that we are truly sorry. the bbc�*s mariko oi is in the studio with me.

i hesitate and it so long for fujitsu to give an apology? brute i hesitate and it so long for fujitsu to give an apology? we don't know for sure _ fujitsu to give an apology? we don't know for sure but _ fujitsu to give an apology? we don't know for sure but there _ fujitsu to give an apology? we don't know for sure but there are - know for sure but there are several factors, firstly the crisis happened decades ago in the end of the executives we are hearing today were in charge at the time. but also from the japanese headquarters point of view because the software was developed by the british company, icl that fujitsu bought in the 90s it appears not many injapan were aware of all the prosecutions and convictions including a former president injapan that we spoke to two years ago. he had no idea what horizon was even though he remembers about the icl takeover. i did not necessarily believe him in the first instance but after speaking to some of the uk fujitsu former employees it does appear that fujitsu headquarters injapan allowed the subsidiary to do their thing and apparently even keepjapan out was one of the slogans of the former bossin one of the slogans of the former boss in the uk. and some injapan

were saying yesterday that fujitsu was unlucky to have bought icl but of course as pressure mounted, we heard there are two apologies which is a definite shift in tone. the next question is would they really chip in for compensation fund. ghee chip in for compensation fund. give assistance of _ chip in for compensation fund. give assistance of what _ chip in for compensation fund. give assistance of what the corporate governance culture injapan is like, is it common for companies to apologise for errors made? yes and no. so apologise for errors made? yes and no- so going _ apologise for errors made? yes and no. so going silent _ apologise for errors made? yes and no. so going silent when _ apologise for errors made? yes and no. so going silent when faced - apologise for errors made? yes and no. so going silent when faced with | no. so going silent when faced with bad news is a typical pr strategy in japan. at the same time, takahito tokita the global president actually issued an apology when it software glitches when the tokyo stock exchange is dependent its trade all day back in 2020 so he has been quite open about in the past and interestingly, that in other glitches in japan, interestingly, that in other glitches injapan, that have been way more well—known in white or japanese public because the post

office scandal has hardly got any local media coverage into recently. interesting to see some public reaction after some found out about the rising scandal that they were saying, see, fujitsu, it's got issues injapan and in the uk. whether that is a fair assessment is not up to us, but it was very interesting to see that reaction in japan. interesting to see that reaction in ja an. , japan. interesting getting the context from _ japan. interesting getting the context from japan. - japan. interesting getting the context from japan. many - japan. interesting getting the - context from japan. many thanks. let's take a look at some other stories in the headlines. ukraine's president volodymyr zelensky has warned that western nations may have to fight russia themselves if they don't give ukraine the support it needs to win the war. mr zelensky was speaking at the world economic forum in davos and asked for more help — including fighterjets. president putin has said ukraine's statehood could be irreparably damaged if the conflict continues. health officials in the tigray region of ethiopia say 209 people, including

children, have died of hunger in the town of edga arbi. they've renewed their warnings about mass starvation induced by drought and a recent civil war. french president emmanuel macron has outlined a series of measures he says will improve the life of children including better paid parental leave, regulating children's screen time, and a pilot scheme introducing school uniforms. he was speaking at a news conference to launch the government he's just appointed — he also promised more reforms to boost the economy. venice has launched its day passes for tourists today via online booking. officials are hoping to limit excessive visitor numbers to the famed italian city on peak days. there are 29 days from late april to mid—july where the day pass — costing 5 euros

will be required for entrance. now to the world's biggest iceberg in what's likely to be the final months of its existence. take a look at this erosion carving dramatic features into the iceberg — known as a23a. it's being ground down by the warmer air and water it's encountering as it drifts slowly away from the antarctic. but it's not seen as a consequence of climate change — and as it melts, it will have benefits, asjonathan amos reports. after three decades confined to the freezer in antarctica, a23a is on the move, travelling north into warmer waters. the berg is now melting — and fast. an expedition this week saw waves gouging huge caves and arches in its walls. only a23a's enormous scale is keeping it in existence. satellite images show the frozen block to have a width of 65 kilometres, or a0 miles.

that's like the distance from manchester to sheffield. a23a has an area of 3900 square kilometres — that's more than twice the size of greater london. and its average thickness is about 280 metres, nearly as tall as the eiffel tower. and it weighs close to a trillion tonnes. but these dimensions are shrinking all the time. now that it's moved off from its relatively cooler position in the southern area of the weddell sea, it's being exposed to much warmer water temperatures, much stronger currents and much warmer air temperatures as well. so all of these forces will combine to attack the integrity of that iceberg, and it will eventually begin to calve off, and break up into smaller pieces. the production and melting of these big icebergs is part of a natural cycle, not an obvious consequence of climate change. and, as this one melts,

there are upsides. it'll be dropping mineral dust in the ocean. this is a fertiliser, stimulating the growth of the very smallest organisms, like plankton, all the way up to the biggest creatures on the planet, the blue whales. a23a may eventually wither to nothing, but its legacy will be long felt. jonathan amos, bbc news. stay with us. plenty more on all of the stories we have been covering on our website. details of that deal reached by qatar in france on the conflict in israel delivering aid to gaza later on today. more on the donald trump case as well. stay with bbc news.

that is all for now. many thanks for watching. hello there. tuesday brought some fresh snowfall to parts of northern ireland and northern england, although here the snow did tend to turn back to rain through the day, but nevertheless it left a thick covering here in grasmere in cumbria. further northwards, though, in scotland it was here that the snow stayed as snow, particularly across the northern half of the country. a snowy pitlochry here. we have had some very large accumulations of snow, then building in. really the result of a few days worth of snowfall. lerwick — 18 centimetres of thick snow there on the ground and there is morejust around the corner because these shower clouds you can see here. very heavy snow showers heading into northern scotland. this cloud further southwards, well that's storm irene. its be named by the french forecasters at meteo—france. it will be bringing some disruptive snowfall here,

some freezing rain mixed in as well. and in parts of belgium, germany, we could see 20 or 30 centimetres of snow. now, the precipitation from that just about stays offshore. you'll get very close and there will be a veil of cloud working into southern most counties of england over the next few hours. at the same time, there will be some showers around working southwards across england and wales, mostly rain, maybe one or two flurries. but that will leave a legacy of icy conditions pretty much nationwide as we start the day on wednesday. now, wednesday, there will be further snow showers in northern ireland, so a few more centimeters here, but the heaviest snow will once again be affecting northern scotland. another 5 to 10 centimetres expected on top of what's already fallen. so, yes, there will be some further disruption here. more heavy snow to come as well for northern scotland through thursday. a few more centimeters possible for northern ireland. thursday, a lot of dry and sunny weather elsewhere. but again, there could be some wintry showers working down the north sea coast affect parts of eastern england and late in the day, as the winds start to turn to a north—westerly direction, you might see some wintry showers turn up across north wales, cheshire, merseyside and the north—west midlands.

by friday, although for the majority of the uk it continues to be cold and sunny, the showers that will be affecting scotland could be really prolonged, but the air is turning very slightly less cold and so the snow should tend to become confined to the hills. that process of the weather rurning milder, then continues into the weekend, with south—westerly winds blowing much milder weather conditions across the country. however, there will be some very strong winds, maybe even disruptive winds around on sunday into the early part of next week. and spells of heavy rain, well, that could see areas of flooding return.

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. since hamas's assault on southern israel on october 7th and israel's massive military response in gaza, there has been one ever—present fear — escalation of conflict across the middle east. the spill—over potential is obvious — in the west bank, across israel's northern border with lebanon, and right now in the red sea shipping

lanes and in yemen. all of these theatres have one factor in common — significant iranian influence. my guest is mohammad marandi, an iranian academic who has advised his government during nuclear negotiations. how far will tehran go in its strategy of regional resistance? mohammad marandi in tehran, welcome to hardtalk. thank you for having me. it's a pleasure to have you on the show, professor marandi. now, viewed from where you are, the iranian capital,