performance of about the numbers and performance of the company?— the company? they're not very good as ou the company? they're not very good as you guys — the company? they're not very good as you guys mentioned, _ the company? they're not very good as you guys mentioned, it _ the company? they're not very good as you guys mentioned, it is - the company? they're not very good as you guys mentioned, it is not - as you guys mentioned, it is not uncommon with a tech start—up but it is unclear that this company is growing at all. revenue actually declined in the last quarter of last year and that is extraordinary for what should be a growing tech start—up run by in theory someone who could be an ex—president of the states are normally no one would go near this stock. it is running on the fact that he could be president again. and as you mentioned they will not even promise not to share user numbers which again is a giant red flag. who is buying the shares? presumably a lot of retail ventures but if you are professional investor and see people flocking to a company like this it is a reasonable bet to take a fire in this and say donald trump has announced that he will run

to be next president and so this should be worth more money so let's take a flyer on it. eventually as the thing traits more frequently we will get a sense of who the major holders are but retail investors are buying this because they are donald trump fans. buying this because they are donald trum fans. ~ buying this because they are donald trump fene— trump fans. well it expressly says that donald _ trump fans. well it expressly says that donald trump, _ trump fans. well it expressly says that donald trump, he _ trump fans. well it expressly says that donald trump, he needs - trump fans. well it expressly says that donald trump, he needs to i trump fans. well it expressly says i that donald trump, he needs to bring over his followers from other social media networks onto truth social to make it work and this year he's tended to be president but also has a distinct financial interest in drumming up attention to truth social and getting people to sign up to it? �* ., ., , ., to it? and for donald trump he has been relatively _ to it? and for donald trump he has been relatively disciplined - to it? and for donald trump he has been relatively disciplined because| been relatively disciplined because as much as he loved twitter as his directorate of conduit to the us public specifically to journalists, that was the real connection that he would say something outrageous and mainstream journalists would amplify

that and then you had this cycle. but he has not gone back to twitter, only treated once since he was brought back by elon musk and he has done this now on truth social and this same cycle that i was talking about, it still exists. you will post something outrageous and if it is outrageous enough it will get us media attention that he did over the weekend when he published an image ofjoe biden. but it does not have the same resonance on truth social, it does not have the same hold on media consciousness as twitter once did. �* media consciousness as twitter once did. ~ , , ., ., did. and is this real money the value of the — did. and is this real money the value of the stake? _ did. and is this real money the value of the stake? can - did. and is this real money the value of the stake? can he - did. and is this real money the | value of the stake? can he exit this? , ~ , ., , this? he is locked up for six months. — this? he is locked up for six months, but _ this? he is locked up for six months, but as _ this? he is locked up for six months, but as soon - this? he is locked up for six months, but as soon as - this? he is locked up for six i months, but as soon as donald this? he is locked up for six _ months, but as soon as donald trump starts to sell stock that is the signal that the thing is over.

everyone will climb out of that stock. so it was difficult for him to extract the paper value into real world dollars but i'm sure he will try. world dollars but i'm sure he will t . ., ~ world dollars but i'm sure he will try. thank you very much for “oining us. that's all from us tonight. kirsty�*s here tomorrow. until then, goodbye.

the un secretary—general antonio guterres has condemned suspected israeli attack on iran's consulate building in damascus. mr guterres warned that any miscalculation could — in his words — lead to broader conflict in an already volatile region. iranian state media has reported

that 13 people are now confirmed to have been killed, including two senior commanders, in monday's attack. let's speak to amin saikal, emeritus professor of middle eastern, central asian and islamic studies. does this feel like a dangerous moment to you? i want to get your thoughts on if you think iran has the appetite to escalate direct conflict with israel. ., , escalate direct conflict with israel. . , �* , ., escalate direct conflict with israel. . , �*, ., , israel. certainly it's a very provocative _ israel. certainly it's a very provocative action - israel. certainly it's a very provocative action on - israel. certainly it's a very provocative action on the | israel. certainly it's a very - provocative action on the part of israel. i think the iranian leadership probably will take its time. if you go on the basis of their past actions, they do not react immediately and therefore they are very calculated and perhaps an appropriate time. we know when the general was assassinated that the

iranian authorities promised they were going to respond. but it took them quite a while. perhaps their response came through attacking in northern iraq. of course also using their aid whether in lebanon or syria or yemen to act indirectly. i don't expect an immediate response from the indians. but at the same time, they will be considering some actionjust for their own time, they will be considering some action just for their own regional and international standing and to their own domestic politics. iranian leadership has promised a " decisive response' —

we know their senior military are unhappy. how much pressure do you think the regime will be feeling from the street protests and from the anger in the military leadership? they are under pressure but they don't want to get into a direct war with israel, which would also bring the united states into action. from the united states into action. from the iranians perspective israel is doing everything possible to draw iran into conflict so the united states will support israel. of course israeli leaderships have said more than once that they want to get rid of all the threats to israel. not only from hamas but also from lebanon and also from iran starts in syria and also other iranian affiliates which have acted so far in solidarity with hamas in solidarity with the palestinian cause. ,, . , solidarity with the palestinian cause. ,, ., , , .,

cause. the us have been trying to de-escalate _ cause. the us have been trying to de-escalate the _ cause. the us have been trying to de-escalate the hostilities - cause. the us have been trying to de-escalate the hostilities but - de—escalate the hostilities but there is still the risk of accidental miscalculation. tony guterres seems to think so. absolutely. i think that's where the danger lies. i think both sides would have to be extremely careful that any miscalculation could dissolve into a major regional war. in her regional inferno that probably at the end nobody would be able to control. both sides of that the capability to cause huge damage to each other. of course any action on the part of the united states and support of israel against iran could also stimulate chinese and russian support for iran. we know that iran has got very close relationship and strategic and economic and trade relationship with russia as well as china. and those powers in a way

really forming part of an axis of resistance to the united states. we will leave it there. thank you for your thoughts professor of middle eastern and islamic studies, amin saikal. china's leaders are trying to find ways to battle what many economists have described as a demographic ticking time bomb. the country is ageing and shrinking — one in five people are over the age of 60 — which is the largest elderly population in the world. pension and health care systems are struggling to cope at a time when women are having fewer babies. so, can china afford to grow old? our china correspondent laura bicker has been finding out. this generation witnessed the birth of communist china. but while some are ending their lives in comfort.

many still have to work until they drop. 0k. i will follow you. grandma feng shows me her room in an elderly care home. you've got a little balcony out the front. she's decided to pay for long term care rather than rely on her son. translation: i'm more open minded. there are few people of the same age who think like us, and it seems we care more about enjoying life. but i thought it through. i gave my house to my son. all we need is our two pension cards. this home is touted as a model for china's future. young people also live here, rent free as volunteer caters. and while it's great for residents, it's not so great for profit margins. private companies have invested in this home, but it's currently running at a loss. so beijing does need other ideas.

these glamourous grannies in the city of hangzhou have found a new career in retirement as models and social media stars, they promote greying gracefully. china hopes more over sixties will continue working as the economy slows. i think that is the right time, especially for us, because i believe i am one of the generation that really benefit from the country's reform and open toward a policy. then maybe it is our obligation also to promote our image to the world. that image belies the harsh reality for millions in china. this couple in the rural northeast have no pension. they can't afford to stop

working or get sick. translation: i guess i will become a burden for my children. _ they will need to look after me. i'm 72 this year. i think i can only keep doing this for another four or five years. but if feeble and weak, then i might be confined to bed. that's it. ordinary people like us. or end up like this. like much of rural china, there are few young people left to look after the old, especially after decades of a policy allowing couples to have just one child. the rising ranks of the elderly are causing a dramatic imbalance, which threatens the future of the world's second largest economy. it means china may grow old before it gets rich. laura bicker, bbc news, liaoning province. police scotland says it won't take

any action againstjk rowling after she described a number of trans women as men — her comments were not assessed to be criminal. in a series of online posts, the author had challenged the police to use new hate crime laws to arrest her. prime minister, rishi sunak, earlier backed ms rowling's stance stating the uk had a proud tradition of free speech. taylor swift hasjoined elon musk as ranking among the world's wealthiest people. the american pop star entered the forbes world's billionaires list for the first time with a massive $1.1 billion — that's £877 million. it was her latest tour that catapulted her into the rankings of world riches. here's ellie price. welcome to the eras tour! they call it swiftonomics — the economic boost taylor swift brings to the places she plays. the ten studio albums and ia grammys made her popular,

this most recent tour has already made her lots of money. industry experts say the eras tour has earned more than $1 billion in ticket sales alone with some estimating it contributing nearly $6 billion to the us economy. she brings in the crowds, boosting the number to the millions who already watched the super bowl. | # we were both young when i first saw you... when she started making some serious cash from her music — just 16. now, nearly 20 years on, students are studying her at harvard. it starts and ends with the songs. she writes and co—writes songs that people want to hear. she also has a head for business, she understands money, she's a good manager. she is able to bounce back from public setbacks and she's connected, emotionally, to all of those fans. # i have this dream # my daughter—in—law kills me for the money. ..# taylor swift may

have no bad blood with her - modest $1.1 billion. but she is not one of the 1a centibillionaires on the rich list — that's people with 12 figures in their bank balance. forbes said the class of 2024 is now worth $14 trillion. # it's me, hi, i'm the problem, it's me... a truism, and they can't quite shake it off — the super rich keep getting richer. ellie price, bbc news. # ..stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror...# that's all for now — stay with bbc news. hello there. weather for the remainder of this week is going to stay very unsettled. it's going to be a frustrating week to try and make plans for those who have children off for the easter break. there will be some sunny intervals, but spells of wind and rain at times. and as we head into the weekend, it will turn windier but milder.

in fact, in east anglia, we could see a high of 20 celsius, 68 fahrenheit — way above the average for this time of year in that area. bear that in mind, but we are all starting to be aware that a warmer atmosphere means a wetter one. and you can see these areas of low pressure waiting in the wings to influence the weather story. so the first low is moving through on wednesday, bringing rain into northern ireland, southern scotland. behind it, there'll be a few sharp showers to come as well. so by the middle part of the afternoon, expect some sunny spells, perhaps more than we saw on tuesday. and temperatures will peak at highs of 15 celsius. some of the showers across northern england, though, could still be quite heavy. and that showery rain will start to drift out of northern ireland, improving here into central scotland. the far north and east of scotland will stay largely fine and dry with some showers, but a north—easterly wind will make it feel noticeably colder. temperatures a good ten degrees down on where they are further south. so that low pulls away, another one is going to replace it on thursday, and then another significant low

waiting in the wings for the start of the weekend. so on thursday, as that cloud and rain pushes its way steadily north through the night, it will be a mild start to thursday morning. we'll see showery outbreaks of rain pushing their way steadily eastwards throughout the day, so hopefully a slow improvement. but here's the next system already starting to show its hand across cornwall and south wales by the end of the day. ahead of it, with some brightness, we'll see highs of 16 degrees. but that north—easterly wind once again pegging those temperatures back — in aberdeenshire, a high ofjust 16. then, as we move towards the end of the week, this low could bring some very windy weather for a time, gales on exposed coasts, a spell of heavy rain moving its way steadily north. and it's this that will tap into that pretty mild air all the way down from the south—west, starting to push its way across scotland now as well. but don't expect anything prolonged, settled and sunny. there will continue to be showers, longer spells of rain. windy but warm.

this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines at the top of the hour at the top of the hour as newsday continues — straight after hardtalk. welcome to hardtalk. i'm stephen sackur.

when the us supreme court overturned the roe v wade decision, establishing a woman's right to an abortion, it looked like america's so—called right to life campaigners were winning. now? well, it's not so certain. the conservative movement is split on just how far anti—abortion legislation should go. opinion polls suggest most americans don't believe abortion should be outlawed, and some republicans fear this could be a vote loser. my guest is lila rose, described as one of the fiercest anti—abortion activists in america. are her absolutist views turning america off? lila rose, in southern california, welcome to hardtalk. thanks for having me, stephen.