i'm mariko oi. the headlines: as warnings grow about china's threat to taiwan, we have a special report from the island's front line. this, across here is the chinese city and this is the chinese city and this is the chinese military outpost called lion rock. the future of the british prime minster hangs in the balance, as liz truss prepares for a bruising encounter in the commons on wednesday. president biden promises a national law on abortion rights, if democrats keep control of congress

in the mid—term elections. will sign a law codifying roe in january. together, will sign a law codifying roe injanuary. together, let's remember who we are. we are the united states of america, there is nothing beyond our capacity. fears for the safety of an iranian athlete, who took part in a climbing competition, without a hijab. and, as the bbc celebrates its 100th anniversary, we look ahead at the challenges it faces. hello and welcome to the programe. in taiwan a retired

military commander has told the bbc the island would be unable resist the use of force by an increasingly assertive china. it follows a warning by the us secretary of state, anthony blinken that beijing is pursuing unification on a much faster timeline than previously thought. our correspondent rupert wingfield—hayes has been to front line taiwanese island ofjinmen, just a few kilometres off the chinese coast, to assess the growing threat. assignment is so close to china it used to blast propaganda from these speakers to those living on the coast. at all looks peaceful today, a tourist curiosity. but twice in the last 70 years, china has tried to cross these narrow strait. the island are still a fortress

covered in tunnels, bunkers and lookout. so the main island of taiwan is 150 kilometres away from here across the taiwan strait but this is the real frontline between taiwan and mainland china, because take a look at this. this across here is one of the wealthiest cities in china. in the series the chinese military outpost called lion rock and it's from here that a chinese drone flew over the top of this outpost on september the first and they shut it down. the last time chinese troops tried to come up these beaches they were no match for taiwan's forces. but this retired colonel says today it would be completely different. translation: now it's the opposite. _ different. translation: now it's the opposite. to _ different. translation: now it's the opposite. to get - it's the opposite. to get between china's military power and taiwan is getting bigger and taiwan is getting bigger and bigger stopping their military power is getting stronger and stronger. if xi

jinping is determined to use military force, then taiwan cannot stop them. in military force, then taiwan cannot stop them.- cannot stop them. in july taiwan put _ cannot stop them. in july taiwan put on _ cannot stop them. in july taiwan put on this - cannot stop them. in july taiwan put on this huge i taiwan put on this huge military drill, it aimed to show how well—prepared the island is to fend off a chinese attack. instead critics showed how vulnerable taiwan's forces are two of you, more modern, more heavily armed foe. one of the fiercest critics as the man who used to command taiwan's armed forces. we who used to command taiwan's armed forces.— armed forces. we will be defeated. _ armed forces. we will be defeated, certainly - armed forces. we will be i defeated, certainly stopping armed forces. we will be - defeated, certainly stopping no doubt about it. a urge the government, you've got to take action. you have to take action right now. we don't have time to concede or research or study again and again.— again and again. admiral lee is not the only — again and again. admiral lee is not the only one _ again and again. admiral lee is not the only one to _ again and again. admiral lee is not the only one to feel - again and again. admiral lee is not the only one to feel the - not the only one to feel the sense of urgency. thousands of civilians are joining training programmes like this one to learn how to fight if more

comes. like all the young men here, he has done his military service and he says it taught him nothing about real fighting. him nothing about real fighting-— him nothing about real fiuuhtin. ., �* ., fighting. no, we didn't learn an hinu fighting. no, we didn't learn anything about _ fighting. no, we didn't learn anything about a _ fighting. no, we didn't learn anything about a rifle - fighting. no, we didn't learn anything about a rifle or- fighting. no, we didn't learn| anything about a rifle or gun, no. but you learn about concepts, but i never touched a gun in 11 months.— concepts, but i never touched a gun in 11 months. when you live with a threat _ gun in 11 months. when you live with a threat so _ gun in 11 months. when you live with a threat so close _ gun in 11 months. when you live with a threat so close for - gun in 11 months. when you live with a threat so close for so - with a threat so close for so long, it is easy to become complacent, to believe it won't happen. but as admiral lee put it to me, no country can rely on the kindness of its enemy. as china builds its military strength, its emerged the country is employing former british military pilots for training. up to 30 ex—uk military staff are believed to have travelled to china for salaries of up to 240,000 pounds.

it doesn't break any british laws but the government in london is considering legislation to stop it happening. ian black is a former raf fighter pilot for more than 20 years. i asked him why some pilots might take up this offer? it's a very difficult question to answer. obviously the money as you said is a huge draw. perhaps covid had a part in it when so many pilots were laid off in the far east, that could have attracted them and i guess because fighter pilot always want to go and flyjet fighters the way suppose it doesn't matter where in the world they are doing it, however if you are doing it, however if you are a british pilot and you fly with the royal air force, going and teaching a non—friendly nation like china all your tactics and skills is definitely not as we say in the uk, cricket. definitely not as we say in the uk. cricket-— uk, cricket. but i understand those former _

uk, cricket. but i understand those former pilots _ uk, cricket. but i understand those former pilots are - uk, cricket. but i understand those former pilots are still l those former pilots are still bound by official secret at so what are the chinese hoping to learn from them?— learn from them? there is obviously _ learn from them? there is obviously a _ learn from them? there is obviously a huge - learn from them? there is obviously a huge cultural i obviously a huge cultural difference between the way the chinese pilots fly and the british pilots fly. what would worry me now is with artificial intelligence on the way that computers can work so clear now, is, you would think before that may be the language barrier would be a difficulty of having an english pilot in the front or back of an aircraft and a chinese pilot in the front or back of an aircraft but with google translate now you can talk to somebody in english and it will translate into chinese very quickly. so they could impart all their knowledge and i guess what the chinese will be looking for is how western air forces fly, how they train, how they engage their enemy and the worrying thing of course would be that if these pilots have flown what are known as fifth—generation fighters like the typhoon, the f—22 and the f

35, then they could actually tell the chinese how to defeat those aircraft, so that is the big worry is that they would be maybe not consciously but surreptitiously telling the chinese this is the best way to engage and this is the best way to defeat the f 35 and that is a huge worry. 50 to defeat the f 35 and that is a huge worry-— a huge worry. so the british government _ a huge worry. so the british government is _ a huge worry. so the british government is now - a huge worry. so the british government is now talking i a huge worry. so the british - government is now talking about changing a law trying to stop this, is that a good idea then, in your view?— in your view? certainly it is a aood in your view? certainly it is a good idea- — in your view? certainly it is a good idea. you _ in your view? certainly it is a good idea. you can't - in your view? certainly it is a good idea. you can't have, i good idea. you can't have, pilots have a shelflife, so we have a fairly limited shelflife stopping for example i haven't flown a jet fighter for maybe ten of the ten years to my knowledge is very limited but the people that they would be targeting are the pilots who are maybe one or two years out of the pit, and those are the people who have got a very in depth knowledge of current tactics, missile doctrines, rules of engagement and so those are the people so perhaps

of the government that after you leave the british royal air force or the us air force or the french air force, for five years you are not allowed to go and each chinese or russian air forces, and i think that would be everything will thing to do because after five years, as you well know, the world is changing so rapidly and technology changes so rapidly in the information they possess is probably going to be meaningless anyway. let's take a look at some of the stories around the world. russia's new military commander in ukraine has said he's preparing to evacuate people from the occupied city of kherson. general sergey surovikin has been put in charge of trying to hold back ukraine's counter—offensive, but has admitted that the situation on the ground is difficult. a new york court has ordered a french cement company to pay

nearly $780 million for its payouts to the so—called islamic state group during the war in syria. la farge admitted that it had paid the terrorist organisation and other armed groups money, in exchange for protection of its staff at its plant in kobane. aid workers in somalia say children suffering from severe malnutrition are being admitted for medical treatment at the rate of one a minute. stoppage.

full focus is on the challenges facing the country rather than any attempts to replace her. as liz truss battles to save her premiership, she's been meeting more mps from her own party to try and get them on side. our political editor, chris mason, has more details. conservative mps have been into downing street to see liz truss to try to be reassured by what she has to say. a couple of other things, she has to say. a couple of otherthings, graham she has to say. a couple of other things, graham brady who was basically in charge of working out of a prime minister has the confidence of the party has the confidence of the party has not only is the prime minister but also the chancellor. that is described as routine and yes these meetings do happen routinely but routinely the building along time ago and hasn't been seen since. i think we have to seen since. i think we have to see it in that context stopping then there the next of

cuts and about spending cuts and where they happen. one idea is that pensions won't increase perhaps pensions won't increase in line with prices. even the prospect of that is unnerving some conservative mps and there's plenty more examples where that came from in the coming weeks and then his ongoing conversations about who might replace liz truss were she to go. one backbencher saying to me, rishi sunak should part up or shut up. he was seen to be the guy to help bring down the last trimester so to be the guy said to be bringing down this one as well seems unlikely. penny mordant and ben wallace also there so how do they deal with all of this. dodging together an answer to who comes next is very difficult to pull off. talking of very difficult, at premises questions tomorrow, i suspected could be humiliating for her. you're watching newsday on the bbc.

still to come on the programme: it's three weeks to the crucial us midterm elections and the battle for power in capitol hill is heating up. we'll have the latest on the campaign trail. a historic moment that many of his victims have waited for for decades — the former dictator in the dock, older, slimmer and, as he sat down, obedient enough. dawn, and as the sun breaks through the piercing chill of night on the plain outside korem, it lights up a biblical famine now, in the 20th century. the depressing conclusion — in argentina today, - it is actually cheaper— to paper your walls with money. we've had controversies in the past with great britain but as good friends, we have always found

a good and lasting solution. concorde bows out in style. after almost three decades in service, an aircraft that has enthralled its many admirers for so long taxis home one last time. this is newsday on the bbc. i'm mariko oi in singapore. our headlines: a retired military commander has told the bbc that taiwan would be unable resist the use of force by an increasingly assertive china. the future of the british prime minster hangs in the balance, as liz truss prepares for a bruising encounter in the commons on wednesday. it's just three weeks to go till the crucial us midterm elections — which could see the balance of power change in washington.

republicans are hoping to retake both the house and the senate. president biden has been out in the last few hours talking about an issue the democratic party see as key to getting people to vote for them — abortion. your right to choose rests with you and if you do your part and vote, democratic leaders in congress, i promise you, we'll do our part. i will do my part. and we all support, i will sign a law codify roe injanuary. together, let's remember who we are, we are the united states of america and there is nothing beyond our capacity so vote, vote, vote. so is president biden focusing on the abortion issue because of his currently less than favourable approval ratings? here's our north america correspondent peter bowes.

his approval rating isn't great, and it hasn't been for some time, but the president is doing everything he can to get voters to help his party, the democrats, retain congress. because that is crucial to him as president for the next two years, to achieve his agenda. abortion is close to the top of that agenda. it is one of those issues that traditionally isn't an election issue, elections are generally fought on the economy, and probably will be this time. a lot of people in the country are hurting because of the cost of living crisis, because of rising inflation, and the battle, the challenge for the president and for democrats is to get people to balance their concerns, and clearly abortion is a big concern for many women in this country. what the president is promising to do, as hejust said, is to codify or to enshrine into law the rights of women to have an abortion if they choose,

across this country. it will be an uphill task to get the votes in november but this is why he is doing it, three weeks ahead of polling day, to focus minds on that issue. you mentioned inflation, the cost of living crisis and so on. how big of an issue is that for the voters, compared to issues like abortion? i think it's a very big issue. people are hurting every day. you've only got to drive past a petrol station and look at the price of a gallon of gas in this country. it continues to rise. there was a bit of a lull a few weeks ago but prices seem to be rising again. those kinds of concerns, "can i pay the rent at the end of the month, can i reach the mortgage payment?" those issues motivate people traditionally at elections. it's got to be said,

for an incumbent democrat in the white house, it would be expected that that party would probably lose seats in congress at that year's mid—term elections. and the same applies to republicans. so it is challenge for the democrats. but it's interesting that this country continues to be so divided. and i am speaking to you from california, there is a race here where an incumbent republican in an area who is battling to keep his seat from a democrat who has been campaigning strongly on the abortion issue. an iranian athlete who competed in a climbing event in south korea — without her hijab — says it dropped off by mistake. some saw the move as a gesture of solidarity with the recent protests against the compulsory hijab laws in iran. a post on elnaz rekabi's instagram account says it was "unintentional" and that she is on her way back to iran with the rest of the team. bbc persian's rana rahimpour reports. this iranian climber has become

a symbol for the protest movement, for not wearing the mandatory headscarf. elnaz rekabi was representing her country in south korea, when she made what appears to be a very public show of support for women back home, who are fighting against the compulsory hijab. to the alarm of her family and friends, elnaz rekabi then vanished from her hotel. there are reports her phone was confiscated. this post then appeared on her instagram. "i, elnaz rekabi, apologise for getting everybody worried. bbc persian understands she was sent home early, with one theory that the authorities in 2020, iranian chess umpire shohreh bayat also refused to cover her hair at

an international competition. i was asked exactly to write an apology letter on my instagram, and to apologise publicly and i was given a list of things to do. she later sought asylum in the uk. the biggest anti—government protests in more than a0 years started after the death of a young kurdish woman in morality police custody, for allegedly not wearing her headscarf properly. human rights groups say at least 200 people have been killed and thousands detained. women continue to protest, whatever the risks. rani rahimpour, bbc news. the bbc is celebrating its 100th birthday. it began in 1922 as the british broadcasting company — with just four employees and a promise that there would be no news broadcasts before 7pm. our media editor amol rajan reports.

2lo, marconi house, london, calling. a century ago this country did a curious thing. it set up a company that would use wireless communication to engage the public. and so the bbc was born. put the statement in. get everything off. ten seconds. over that century it has faced few bigger tests than the death of her majesty queen elizabeth ii. yeah. we can go, chris. let's do it. yeah. a few moments ago, buckingham palace l announced the death of - her majesty queen elizabeth ii. bbc is interrupting normal programmes. opt in. for 100 years now, the bbc has been a mirror to the nation. from the announcement of war... this country is at war with germany. ..reflecting every

aspect of our lives... from sporting glory... they think it's all over. it is now. it's four. ..to the birth of local radio... we've had the postmaster general to open the station. the lord mayor of leicester... after hours of shooting... gunfire. ..and the unfolding of world history. i'm going to give you i a damn good thrashing! the corporation has created countless smaller cultural institutions, from shows across genres such as comedy... laughter. dr who theme. ..and programmes in drama... there is more.. ..to national treasures. ..meaning and mutual understanding in exchanging a glance. along the way, the bbc has made a habit of annoying usual form, will tonight describe as a hostile reception. laughter.

..and been responsible for some appalling scandals. throughout its century, technological innovation has powered the bbc, from the birth of collective collective eavesdropping, known as radio, to alexandra palace here in north london where the first public television transmissions were made, new technologies allow the bbc to reach ever bigger audiences and secure its emotional contract with the people. but today's new technologies — the internet, smartphones, social media — have weakened the bbc�*s grip on our culture, and, together with political pressure, threaten its future. in an age of super—abundant choice, there is a generational divide in consumption of bbc shows. older people remain deeply attached and, mostly, willing to pay. young people, less so. now we bid you tonight. and the next tonight will be tomorrow night. goodnight. britain has changed almost beyond recognition over a century, and so has the bbc.

this is the bbc television service. to remain relevant, vital and loved, it needs to use the latest technology to secure a new contract with the people, and persuade them that it is worth paying for. across the nations and the regions for the news where you are, goodbye. amol rajan, bbc news. now, if you've got a sweet tooth, we've found something that you will absolutely adore. an art gallery in los angeles offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy a massive amount of cake, without putting on an ounce. wendy urquhart reports. everywhere you look, there is lavishly decorated cakes with lashings of frosting and huge dollops of whipped cream. it may make your mouth water, but none of it is real. everything is fake, it needs to look beautiful. i can't go around maintaining everything, i've got to use acrylic instead of sugar,

otherwise it'll be ant land, there will be bugs everywhere and we don't want that. the exhibition contains 3,000 cherries and around 250 gallons of frosting, which has been lovingly piped onto the cakes. and the walls are dripping with thousands and thousands of swarovski crystals. scott has never baked a cake in his life, but his childhood obsession with artificial food has led to the creation of one of the strangest installations ever. i love how weird it is, i love the dark rooms and the creepy things mixed with the happy pastel aesthetic of this room. it's bizarre. it's awesome, there is so much detail, the experience is immersive, and it'sjust beautiful experience. cakeland was founded in 2020 and its creator keeps adding more and more pieces. some are stunningly beautiful, others are creepy and bizarre, and locals and tourists are lapping it up. wendy urquhart, bbc news.

with that, we end this edition of newsday. thank you for watching and stay with abc world — watching and stay with abc world news. -- watching and stay with abc world news.— watching and stay with abc world news. �* �* ~ ., , world news. -- bbc world news. hello again- _ world news. -- bbc world news. hello again. yesterday, _ world news. -- bbc world news. hello again. yesterday, once - hello again. yesterday, once the early morning mist and fog patches had cleared out of the way, most parts of the uk have plenty of sunshine but there were some big contrasts and the temperatures from north to south. across england and wales, very mild weather. in parts of sussex, temperatures a size 20 degrees but even that we had sunshine across the north of the uk in scotland, here, it was much cooler, temperatures in shetland just reaching 10 degrees. the reason, this cooler air mass under this area of high pressure and that will be slipping eastwards over the next few days in this area of low pressure to the south—west really is going to dominate and will be very slow moving so we will be very slow moving so we

will transition to even more unsettled weather conditions, really, and the transition is taking place right now. we are seeing outbreaks of rain right now with strengthening winds and look at this, towards the start of wednesday morning, the end of the night, looking at temperatures of 16 degrees in plymouth and while those two bridges are higher than they should be during the middle of the afternoon, let alone at the end of the night. through the west of wednesday, these bands of rain will radically work their way northwards and a little bit further eastwards as we go through the day. i suspect parts of east anglia, north—east england and scotland will stay dry but there will be more cloud around, a few bright orsunny more cloud around, a few bright or sunny spells and a windier kind of day, gusts running into 30 miles per hour still very mild, 15-19 30 miles per hour still very mild, 15—19 for england and wales, to be disclosed to orbit below average for scotland and northern ireland. for those date another band of rain comes up date another band of rain comes up this one is going to be heavier, perhaps with some numbers are funded as it swings across all of the country. just tending to clear, the skies brighten up there could be certain hefty showers arriving late in the day from further

south. temperatures are still miles, 16—19 for england and wales, temperatures rising a bit and northern ireland but still close to average really in scotland. on friday, low pressure is still firmly in charge. there will be plenty of showers around, potentially merging to give some lengthier spells of rain towards parts of wales, western england and northern ireland, closest to that centre of low pressure but it smiled again, temperatures are starting to rise a little bit in scotland with highs heading to 15 degrees or so to the central belt. that low pressure though is stuck with us through the weekend so it's a case of further rain or showers but it does stay on the mild side. that's your latest. by mild side. that's your latest. by by. bye— bye.

taxis home one last time. this is bbc news. we will have the headlines and all the main news stories for you at the top of the hour straight after this programme. this week, we are celebrating 100 years of the bbc in 23 minutes. we will look at the secrets behind the broadcasting technologies that

changed the world. a radio legend talks about legendary radio.