got very similar actually, they have got very similar party policy is now on things like the economy and budget, given that the economy and budget, given that the crossover between what labour have put forward in what the conservatives have put forward today. subbing the party of change is perhaps not such a mantra that will cut through. is is perhaps not such a mantra that will cut through.— is perhaps not such a mantra that will cut through. is labour offering enou:h will cut through. is labour offering enough change. — will cut through. is labour offering enough change, do _ will cut through. is labour offering enough change, do you _ will cut through. is labour offering enough change, do you to - will cut through. is labour offering enough change, do you to voters? i enough change, do you to voters? considering where they are in the polls, perhaps they do not need to offer that much more. i'm not an expert. what do you say? this offer that much more. i'm not an expert. what do you say?- offer that much more. i'm not an expert. what do you say? this is the bi risk, expert. what do you say? this is the big risk. broadly _ expert. what do you say? this is the big risk, broadly speaking, _ expert. what do you say? this is the big risk, broadly speaking, the - big risk, broadly speaking, the labour— big risk, broadly speaking, the labour party— big risk, broadly speaking, the labour party tends _ big risk, broadly speaking, the labour party tends to - big risk, broadly speaking, the labour party tends to lose - labour party tends to lose elections. _ labour party tends to lose elections, so _ labour party tends to lose elections, so the - labour party tends to lose| elections, so the approach labour party tends to lose - elections, so the approach keir starmer— elections, so the approach keir starmer is _ elections, so the approach keir starmer is taking _ elections, so the approach keir starmer is taking is _ elections, so the approach keir starmer is taking is minimisingi elections, so the approach keir- starmer is taking is minimising the skill of— starmer is taking is minimising the skill of the — starmer is taking is minimising the skill of the risk, _ starmer is taking is minimising the skill of the risk, minimise - starmer is taking is minimising the skill of the risk, minimise the - skill of the risk, minimise the extent, — skill of the risk, minimise the extent, minimise— skill of the risk, minimise the extent, minimise how- skill of the risk, minimise the extent, minimise how much i skill of the risk, minimise the l extent, minimise how much of skill of the risk, minimise the i extent, minimise how much of a skill of the risk, minimise the - extent, minimise how much of a chain she sounds_ extent, minimise how much of a chain she sounds like — extent, minimise how much of a chain she sounds like. if— extent, minimise how much of a chain she sounds like. if you _ extent, minimise how much of a chain she sounds like. if you look— extent, minimise how much of a chain she sounds like. if you look at - extent, minimise how much of a chain she sounds like. if you look at some l she sounds like. if you look at some of the _ she sounds like. if you look at some of the things — she sounds like. if you look at some of the things they're _ she sounds like. if you look at some of the things they're proposing - she sounds like. if you look at some of the things they're proposing to i of the things they're proposing to do, of the things they're proposing to do. on _ of the things they're proposing to do. on the — of the things they're proposing to do, on the labour— of the things they're proposing to do, on the labour market - of the things they're proposing to do, on the labour market there . of the things they're proposing to i do, on the labour market there are some _ do, on the labour market there are some big _ do, on the labour market there are some big changes— do, on the labour market there are some big changes there, _ do, on the labour market there are some big changes there, but - do, on the labour market there are some big changes there, but wait i some big changes there, but wait they want— some big changes there, but wait they want to _ some big changes there, but wait they want to go _ some big changes there, but wait they want to go into _ some big changes there, but wait they want to go into the - some big changes there, but wait they want to go into the next - they want to go into the next election— they want to go into the next election promising _ they want to go into the next - election promising nonthreatening change _ election promising nonthreatening change the — election promising nonthreatening change the risk— election promising nonthreatening change. the risk is— election promising nonthreatening change. the risk is where - election promising nonthreatening change. the risk is where people i election promising nonthreatening i change. the risk is where people go youhe _ change. the risk is where people go youhe no— change. the risk is where people go you're no change _ change. the risk is where people go you're no change at _ change. the risk is where people go you're no change at all— change. the risk is where people go you're no change at all and - change. the risk is where people go you're no change at all and the - you're no change at all and the incumbents— you're no change at all and the incumbents having _ you're no change at all and the incumbents having killed - you're no change at all and the

incumbents having killed is- you're no change at all and the incumbents having killed is yet you're no change at all and the i incumbents having killed is yet so we might— incumbents having killed is yet so we might as — incumbents having killed is yet so we might as well _ incumbents having killed is yet so we might as well stick _ incumbents having killed is yet so we might as well stick with - incumbents having killed is yet so we might as well stick with them. that is— we might as well stick with them. that is what— we might as well stick with them. that is what this _ we might as well stick with them. that is what this budget - we might as well stick with them. that is what this budget is - we might as well stick with them. . that is what this budget is designed to try— that is what this budget is designed to try to— that is what this budget is designed to try to mechanise _ that is what this budget is designed to try to mechanise the _ that is what this budget is designed to try to mechanise the chances - that is what this budget is designed to try to mechanise the chances of. to try to mechanise the chances of his people — to try to mechanise the chances of his people looking _ to try to mechanise the chances of his people looking at— to try to mechanise the chances of his people looking at the - to try to mechanise the chances of his people looking at the labour. his people looking at the labour party— his people looking at the labour party going. _ his people looking at the labour party going. no, _ his people looking at the labour party going, no, not _ his people looking at the labour party going, no, not worth - his people looking at the labour. party going, no, not worth getting into bed _ party going, no, not worth getting into bed for~ — party going, no, not worth getting into bed for. find _ party going, no, not worth getting into bed for-— party going, no, not worth getting into bed for. and whoever wins the next election. _ into bed for. and whoever wins the next election, that _ into bed for. and whoever wins the next election, that government - into bed for. and whoever wins the next election, that government is i next election, that government is going _ next election, that government is going to — next election, that government is going to have to raise a lot more money — going to have to raise a lot more money. even if we see economic indicators — money. even if we see economic indicators continuing, and because there _ indicators continuing, and because there are — indicators continuing, and because there are so marginal and we have no guarantees _ there are so marginal and we have no guarantees they will be set in, that is a guarantee for anyone who takes over or— is a guarantee for anyone who takes over or stays — is a guarantee for anyone who takes over or stays in place. so is a guarantee for anyone who takes over or stays in place.— over or stays in place. so that his raising taxes. _ over or stays in place. so that his raising taxes, big _ over or stays in place. so that his raising taxes, big spending - over or stays in place. so that his raising taxes, big spending cuts, | over or stays in place. so that his l raising taxes, big spending cuts, or changing the borrowing rose? thafie changing the borrowing rose? those are the options, _ changing the borrowing rose? those are the options, essentially. - changing the borrowing rose? those are the options, essentially. and i think— are the options, essentially. and i think both — are the options, essentially. and i think both parties are probably looking — think both parties are probably looking at this as an interim, knowing _ looking at this as an interim, knowing they will have to start from a blank— knowing they will have to start from a blank sheet of paper after the next _ a blank sheet of paper after the next election with the economy, as we say— next election with the economy, as we say to— next election with the economy, as we say to that point. fire next election with the economy, as we say to that point.— we say to that point. are you going janua 25 we say to that point. are you going january 25 for _ we say to that point. are you going january 25 for the _ we say to that point. are you going january 25 for the election? - we say to that point. are you going january 25 for the election? i'm - january 25 for the election? i'm hoinu january 25 for the election? i'm honing for _ january 25 for the election? i'm hoping for november, but i think it will he _ hoping for november, but i think it will he as— hoping for november, but i think it will he as late _ hoping for november, but i think it will be as late as _ hoping for november, but i think it will be as late as the _ hoping for november, but i think it will be as late as the machinery - hoping for november, but i think it will be as late as the machinery ofl will be as late as the machinery of the conservative _ will be as late as the machinery of the conservative campaign - will be as late as the machinery of the conservative campaign feels l will be as late as the machinery of the conservative campaign feels it can get— the conservative campaign feels it can get away— the conservative campaign feels it can get away with. _ the conservative campaign feels it can get away with. i— the conservative campaign feels it can get away with. i think - the conservative campaign feels it can get away with. i thinkjanuaryi can get away with. i thinkjanuary would _ can get away with. i thinkjanuary would he — can get away with. i thinkjanuary would he so — can get away with. i thinkjanuary would be so horrible, _ can get away with. i thinkjanuary would be so horrible, i— can get away with. i thinkjanuary would be so horrible, i think- can get away with. i thinkjanuary would be so horrible, i think it. would be so horrible, i think it will he — would be so horrible, i think it will be november. _ would be so horrible, i think it will be november. 0k, - would be so horrible, i think it will be november. 0k. november? early autumn _ will be november. ok. november? early autumn if— will be november. 0k. november? early autumn if the _ will be november. 0k. november? early autumn if the economic - early autumn if the economic indicators _

early autumn if the economic indicators do not like it before then — indicators do not like it before then l — indicators do not like it before then. ., ., , , then. i would say it would be very rare for government _ then. i would say it would be very rare for government to _ then. i would say it would be very rare for government to go - then. i would say it would be very rare for government to go with i then. i would say it would be very| rare for government to go with the polling as it stands today in may. there is also a lot of the journalistic community who have booked a holiday so would be very disappointed if it did happen in may! disappointed if it did happen in ma ! ., ~ disappointed if it did happen in ma ! . ~' disappointed if it did happen in ma ! ., ~ , . may! 0k, thank you very much. i would just _ may! 0k, thank you very much. i would just give — may! 0k, thank you very much. i would just give you _ may! 0k, thank you very much. i would just give you some - may! 0k, thank you very much. i would just give you some front i may! 0k, thank you very much. i i would just give you some front page any minute. i when i got my passcode in. it is six zero, if you want to guess. jeremy hunt and rishi sunak smiling at each other very contentedly, it would appear. hunter leaves the door open to more tax cuts and the front page of the guardian, i quote from keir starmer, his response to the budget today, a last desperate act. that is all from us tonight. here tomorrow. till then, good night.

the national credit cards maxed out and despite the measures taken at the highest tax burden for 70 years. the textbook definition of decline. that is the record. an income after

14 years, how do they actually think feels better off?— 14 years, how do they actually think feels better off? other parties were re feels better off? other parties were pretty scathing _ feels better off? other parties were pretty scathing too. _ feels better off? other parties were pretty scathing too. this _ feels better off? other parties were pretty scathing too. this is, - feels better off? other parties were pretty scathing too. this is, let's . pretty scathing too. this is, let's face it, a pretty scathing too. this is, let's face it. a last — pretty scathing too. this is, let's face it, a last ditch, _ pretty scathing too. this is, let's face it, a last ditch, tone - pretty scathing too. this is, let's face it, a last ditch, tone deaf. face it, a last ditch, tone deaf approach _ face it, a last ditch, tone deaf approach to desperately try to recover— approach to desperately try to recover in _ approach to desperately try to recover in the polls. it is the embodiment of the tory party before the people. a bottom of the barrel budget, _ the people. a bottom of the barrel budget, nothing to make families truly better off of the catastrophic living _ truly better off of the catastrophic living standards fall we have seen from _ living standards fall we have seen from the — living standards fall we have seen from the conservatives. this afternoon i had the chance to put questions to the chancellor on your behalf. i pointed out to him he is taking £20 billion more in tax in five years' time, even with today's cuts in national insurance. people are being clobbered, aren't they? for all of this talk about cuts, that's baloney, people are paying more. 0ne one of the reasons that receipts are higher is that the economy is trying

to get back to growth. if you look at the thresholds, they are frozen as peoples incomes are rising, they are paying more. even if you take account of the thresholds what you will see next year is a big cut in taxation forfamilies earning, the average income, it is a significant cut. tonight, jackets off, the battle lines for the general election are becoming clearer. the economy centre stage. chris mason, bbc news, westminster. let's turn to sudan now because the world food programme has warned that the war there could lead to the world's largest hunger crisis. more than ten months of conflict between rival military forces has left thousands of people dead and more than eight million displaced. during a visit to a camp in neighbouring south sudan, the head of the wfp, cindy mccain, said the victims of the war had been forgotten. 0ur senior africa correspondent, anne soy, explained some of the background to the conflict. it's an incredibly challenging

situation for civilians who have been caught up in this war that has been described as "senseless" between two military forces, the national army, the scaf and the rsf, the rapid support forces who fell out in april of last year. there have been rounds of talks brokered by regional governments in the horn of africa, as well as arab states and backed by western nations like the united states. but still they haven't yielded lasting peace. we have heard from one of the regional directors of the world food programme who accompanied cindy mccain on her trip to sudan. he explained what the country desperately needs now. what we need is an end to the conflict. we need humanitarian access and ultimately, access and, ultimately, we need to have a political solution that will allow populations to go home and meet their own needs without support from the world food programme and others.

a un representative has described seeing dead bodies on the streets of haiti and hearing accounts of sexual violence. ulrika richardson, the un's humanitarian co—ordinator in haiti, says tension remains high. while one of the most powerful gang leaders has warned there will be civil war unless the prime minister gives up power. violence in haiti has spiralled over the past few days. on tuesday, armed gangs who control most of the haitian capital, attacked the airport, just 48 hours after storming a jail and freeing thousands of prisoners. the un's human rights chief has called for the international community to do more. i urge the international community to act swiftly and decisively to prevent haiti's further descent into chaos. the situation is beyond untenable for the people of haiti. the gang leader behind much of the violence — jimmy "barbecue" cherizier — has demanded that prime minister ariel henry step down.

translation: if ariel henry doesn't resign, if the international _ community continues to support him, we will be heading straight for a civil war that will lead to genocide. romain le cour — a senior expert for the global intiative against transnational organised crime — gave us his analysis on rising gang crime in haiti. i think what we're seeing this week is the continuing of a very, very worrying situation that started probably three to five years ago. and that led to, as you said, a very high social, economic, territorial and violent control of the gangs imposed on probably 80% to 85% of the territory of the capital today. and that allowed them to launch these kind of attacks six days ago. i think they have been able to actually transform their territorial control into much more economic and political power.

the gangs control very strategic areas. of course, they control a huge part of the capital, which is already strategic, but they also control access to the port, for example, which is the main assets in the hands ofjimmy barbecue, the gang leader that you were mentioning. not a single drop of oil or goods actually enter the country without his gangs and other gangs actually receiving a tax out of it, and that has been the case for almost 18 months now. so they have been able to control legal markets, illicit markets, run checkpoints and extortion, kidnapping to an industrial level, drug trafficking to an industrial level as well. arms trafficking is in the hands of the gangs of haiti today. so i think this is part of them having very strong territorial control and their ability to make it political. and i think it's part of what's happening right now.

we do have some use just in regarding the rust with alec baldwin where he was accused of shooting someone. the armour was found guilty of manslaughter but not with witness tampering. we will keep you up—to—date with news from that story. also in the entertainment world... a k—pop star has felt the need to issue an apology to her fans after they discovered she had a boyfriend. karina, whose real name is yu ji—min, is the frontwoman grip of the group aespa. grace harbage reports.

this is k—pop singer karina, one part of the south korean girl group aespa, whose found out the reality of trying to have a relationship when you're a k—pop superstar. the reaction from fans has been extreme. trucks have appeared outside karina's management with electronic billboards that displayed these words — "is the love given to you by your fans not enough? and you must apologise, otherwise you'll see a decrease in album sales and empty concert seats". this is the man in the spotlight, actor lee jae—wook. the two met last year and his agency have asked for warm respect regarding the relationship. karina's posted to her almost 13 million instagram followers apologising for surprising fans with the new relationship. in a post, she's vowed to heal the wounds that she's inflicted. this isn't uncommon for pop stars in south korea and japan, where the industry makes personal revelations tricky to navigate. injapan, some stars are even bound by no dating clauses in their contracts. last year, blackpink�*s lead singer

jisoo's relationship with actor ahn bo—hyun rocked the k—pop world, until the relationship broke up just a few months later. not every fan is unhappy about karina's new relationship. 0ne wrote, "you don't need to apologise for feeling. i will always root for your happiness. you deserve all the love and all good things". grace putting that together for us. joining me now isjeff benjamin, he is a k—pop columnist for billboard magazine. jeff, tell us more about the reaction to karina announcing her relationship. as we saw from grace, it's quite extreme but not uncommon? that's correct in what is really at play here is definitely a cultural difference. whether it is the uk or america here on the side, we kind of think about celebrity relationships a bit differently. sometimes they are used as marketing tools, girl

group member dates by band member, whatever it may be. but in south korea and the k—pop ideal world, thatis korea and the k—pop ideal world, that is not the case. and they refer to their stars as idols because they are meant to be focused on this their careers, fans, not to explore personal relationships do things beyond the scope of their career. it is a high—pressure situation and i really feel for the situation in general, but also i'm very much comforted by some of those fun messages that did support her in that way. messages that did support her in that wa . , ., , messages that did support her in thatwa. , ., ,, ., messages that did support her in thatwa. , ., ., that way. yes, does put an awful lot of pressure — that way. yes, does put an awful lot of pressure on _ that way. yes, does put an awful lot of pressure on these _ that way. yes, does put an awful lot of pressure on these artists - that way. yes, does put an awful lot of pressure on these artists when i that way. yes, does put an awful lot of pressure on these artists when it | of pressure on these artists when it comes to trying to have a personal beyond the k—pop scene. will it impact her career? what about the group as a whole, aespa?-

impact her career? what about the group as a whole, aespa? aespa is a big international _ group as a whole, aespa? aespa is a big international rename _ group as a whole, aespa? aespa is a big international rename and - group as a whole, aespa? aespa is a big international rename and on - big international rename and on friday they released a new collaboration trap featured alongside chris martin from coldplay and they have a really strong international fan base, and they have a really strong internationalfan base, and the international fans internationalfan base, and the internationalfans in particular are international fans in particular are the internationalfans in particular are the ones that are really supportive when changing the narrative around idol relationships being so controversial or difficult or heart—wrenching for an idol career. we will have to see what the future holds, i think karina's message was amazing and the fact she handled it very maturely, she said she wants to keep working hard, she will show a better side of herself, meet fans any brighter way. but it is really tough to say because on one hand, karina, like some of those fans,

threatened, her career is sorry, we will have to leave it there. thank _ sorry, we will have to leave it there. thank you _ sorry, we will have to leave it there. thank you very _ sorry, we will have to leave it there. thank you very much - sorry, we will have to leave it there. thank you very much for l sorry, we will have to leave it. there. thank you very much for your time here on bbc news. hello there. over the next few days, the winds going to be picking up from the east or south—east. it's going to be particularly windy on friday. we'll have more of the cloud affecting eastern parts of the country. i think western areas will see most of the sunshine. that's because high pressure over scandinavia will be pushing westwards against this low pressure system, so we'll start to see the isobars squeezing together. so for thursday, it's a bright start across northern and western areas. quite a chilly start, mind you — early mist and fog will clear as the wind begins to pick up. eastern areas seeing thicker cloud at times. it will stay rather grey here, maybe some spots of drizzle. a few showers into the afternoon across the midlands, into east wales. 0therwise, many places should stay dry and we should see sunny spells. top temperatures 11 degrees

but cooler along north sea coasts with that increasing onshore breeze. the winds continue to pick up through thursday night, pushing more cloud into the midlands, northern england, large parts of scotland. but there will still be some clearer skies, particularly through southern and central areas. so where the skies are clear, it's going to be cold. where we have the cloud, the breeze, then less cold — generally, i think two to five degrees. now, more isobars on the charts for friday. a strong east, south—easterly wind picking up as this low pressure system starts to push back against the area of high pressure, so a blustery day for all. there will be quite a bit of sunshine around, we think for, england and wales. more clouds for northern england, certainly central and eastern scotland, and some good spells of sunshine for western scotland, northern ireland. but the winds a feature for all areas, particularly so along north sea coast. so that will peg the temperatures back. although we're looking at single digits on the north sea, it could feel even colder than that. further west in the sunshine, ten or ii celsius. into saturday, this area of low pressure sideswipes the south and south—west of the country. again, it stays quite blustery, quite a few isobars

on the charts for saturday. and we'll see showers or longer spells of rain affecting parts of the west and the south—west. some sunshine around too. it's not going to be a wash—out. a lot of cloud, though, for northern england and large parts of central and eastern scotland. a bit of drizzle on the hills there. feeling quite chilly in the north, but 11 to 13 in the south, some milder air being pulled into this area of low pressure which will — by sunday into monday — pull out into the near continent. you'll see the isobars opening out. so we should start to see some drier weather, lighter winds as we head through sunday, certainly into monday and tuesday. but east—facing coasts will always see more in the way of cloud, perhaps still with a little bit of drizzle over the higher ground.

this is bbc news, we will have the headlines at the top of the hour as newsday continued straight after hardtalk. welcome to hardtalk. i'm stephen sackur. how can we understand the present without interrogating the past? history matters to our sense of ourselves, the place we live in, and the world beyond. so believes my guest today, the writer and historian sathnam sanghera, whose own family story, indian sikhs migrating to the english midlands prompted him to look afresh at the impact of the british empire, both on britain and the vast territories colonised

and controlled from london. did the british empire really do so much to shape the world of today? sathnam sanghera, welcome to hardtalk. it's nice to be back. it's great to have you back, and you are back with a new book, which i have here — empireworld. it's your take on just how massive the impact of the british empire was and still is on the world. you certainly don't undersell your idea, it's subtitled how british imperialism has shaped the globe.