the chief executive of the british bank natwest resigns after admitting she was the source of an inaccurate bbc story about high—profile client, nigel farage. frankly, because of how they behave, i think they should all go. hello, welcome to bbc news now. i met lucy hockings. —— i am lucy hockings. three hours of fast—moving news, interviews and reaction. we start in yemen, where after eight years of civil war, 21 million people, that's two thirds of the population, are in need of humanitarian assistance. but international aid is shrinking, with the united nations only raising a quarter of the funds it needs for yemen this year.

hunger has always a problem in yemen and has been compounded by the conflict. nearly 500,000 yemeni children under the age of five are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition this year. unicef also estimates that around 10 million children live without adequate access to healthcare. 0ur senior international correspondent 0rla guerin has been reporting on yemen for the past decade. this is her second report for us this week on the country's "forgotten war". this report comes?from hodeidah province in south—west yemen. and a warning that some viewers may find 0rla's report, on the impact of extreme hunger on young children, distressing. imagine if this was where you had to turn for help, if this was your local clinic. every child here is in need, like safa, wasting away a 13 months. war, hunger and poverty are intertwined here.

this is a room full of desperation. mothers have come here to show us how sick, how thin their children are. but this clinic is normally closed. it's been open todayjust because we are here. and doctors say they'll be able to do nothing for these children except send them home. tell me, doctor, why is the clinic normally closed? doctor ali bin ali says the staff are on strike because they haven't been paid for the past four months and can't feed their own children. neither can safa's worried mother. her baby girl is severely malnourished and has a liver complaint. translation: some days she doesn't have any food. — translation: some days she doesn't have any food, when _ translation: some days she doesn't have any food, when her— translation: some days she doesn't have any food, when her father - translation: some days she doesn't have any food, when her father is - translation: some days she doesn't have any food, when her father is at i have any food, when her father is at sea. when he comes back, we buy food for her. i'm very worried about her illness. i'm afraid for her. i want

to get help for hard, but our situation is hard. the mothers drift away, left to fend for themselves. increasingly, this is the story of yemen. there are deep cuts in aid across the country. and as foreign donors hesitate, safa and many more fight for life. her mother knows where this road can lead. she has already buried four of her nine children because of disease and malnutrition. back home, safa is in the arms of herfather, anwar taleb. he's a third generation fisherman whose life is overshadowed by war. he tells me he can no longer send his children to school, and it's a battle to feed them.

translation: i don't work every day. i no to sea translation: i don't work every day. i go to sea for— translation: i don't work every day. i go to sea for 15. _ translation: i don't work every day. i go to sea for 15, 20 _ translation: i don't work every day. i go to sea for 15, 20 days, _ translation: i don't work every day. i go to sea for 15, 20 days, and - translation: i don't work every day. i go to sea for 15, 20 days, and i - i go to sea for 15, 20 days, and i catch what i can. god willing. sometimes, ifind fish. sometimes i don't. forthe sometimes, ifind fish. sometimes i don't. for the past three months, i had no work. he says he has already married off two of his older daughters because he couldn't provide for them. the girls are 14 and 15. for safa, there is some hope. we bring her parents to a local clinic that is functioning. her tiny body is wracked with pain. doctors say she needs to go to a specialist hospital in aden, a five—hour drive away. that's a journey her parents can't afford.

later, we learn they have taken safa back home. 0rla guerin, bbc news, hodeidah, yemen. let's speak to fatma jaffar, 0xfam's policy lead based in yemen. just watching little safa and the suffering she is going through would have been very distressing for many of our viewers. ifound it of our viewers. i found it difficult to watch. you are a yemeni, but it must be really difficult to know every day what is happening to children in your country, particularly. how do you explain what is happening there?- particularly. how do you explain what is happening there? thank you so much. i think, _ what is happening there? thank you so much. i think, seeing _ what is happening there? thank you so much. i think, seeing safa - so much. i think, seeing safa reflects on the daily suffering of yemenis. for us, as you just yemenis come as humanitarians, this is reality that we have on daily basis. this is something that goes beyond foreign security, this goes

beyond... we believe it is linked, so many factors on the ground, as the conflict drags on, we see more displacement, as the climate change crisis continues, flooding continues, we see more displacement and we see people being pushed into higher—level food insecurity. this is also coming as a result of the continuous deterioration of the economic situation in the country. people do not have the means to buy food, to access health services, and this also reflects on the families and children, families are now turning into negative coping mechanisms, where you see a lot of children begging on the streets, you see lots of children forced into child labour, you see lots of families reducing their daily portion of meals. this is something we get, while we interact with our beneficiaries. how do you deal with

the situation when you do not have the situation when you do not have the means. the situation when you do not have the mean— the means. so, fatma, how frustrating _ the means. so, fatma, how frustrating is _ the means. so, fatma, how frustrating is it, _ the means. so, fatma, how frustrating is it, that - the means. so, fatma, how frustrating is it, that there l the means. so, fatma, how| frustrating is it, that there is such a frightening —— funding gap right now? it such a frightening -- funding gap riaht now? , , ., ., ., such a frightening -- funding gap riaht now? , ,., ., ., , ,, right now? it puts a lot of pressure on us as unitarians, _ right now? it puts a lot of pressure on us as unitarians, of _ right now? it puts a lot of pressure on us as unitarians, of how- right now? it puts a lot of pressure on us as unitarians, of how we - on us as unitarians, of how we respond to the impact on the ground, we can see the impacts in front of us. now we're about the humanitarian response plan, which is only funded by 29%. we believe the gaps of us not having enough resources to add to those massive needs, and we also see that on the longer term, we are anticipating that more children will be pushed into hunger, will see that there are lots of sectors that are severely underfunded, when it comes to human, we're talking about food insecurity, protection, health, the health system was already fragile, even before the conflict, so after the conflict, it got even worse.

with the decreasing funding, we are seeing more health facilities are pushed into closure. we are seeing more people, due to the lack of wages and salary payments, we see more people are leaving health facilities, exposing more children and more yemenis to more risks. we really believe that if the country has a sustainable, inclusive peace agreement, then maybe, the problem will be solved, but also, we had to deal with the impact that this country had enjoyed for eight years, the previous eight years. a peace agreement will not necessarily solve all of the humanitarian, civil impacts we are dealing with, but urging the international community to fund and pay attention to who yemenis, because for the past eight years, yemenis have managed to survive and we rely a lot on the social coherence of the community,

where family members are relying on each other, friends, neighbours, and this is how the country kept going with the absence of salaries, with the absence of basic health facilities and basic services. we feel the pressure, now, as humanitarians because we are reducing the amount of support we are offering it to those impacted communities. it are offering it to those impacted communities.— communities. it is a desperate icture communities. it is a desperate picture that — communities. it is a desperate picture that you _ communities. it is a desperate picture that you paint, - communities. it is a desperate picture that you paint, fatma, | communities. it is a desperate - picture that you paint, fatma, and something that has been forgotten by something that has been forgotten by so many and we thank you for coming on, explaining your work and what is neededin on, explaining your work and what is needed in yemen. thank you. you might think you, thank you. == needed in yemen. thank you. you might think you, thank you. -- thank ou, might think you, thank you. -- thank you. thank— might think you, thank you. -- thank you. thank yon _ the former leader of the brexit party, nigel farage has called for the entire natwest board to resign over leaked information about him. it relates to farage's status as a customer of coutts — a private bank for wealthy people — owned by natwest. farage says he was effectively "de—banked" for his political views and that he is "far from alone". and that it's happened to lots of other people as well.

natwest boss dame alison rose resigned in the early hours of wednesday after admitting to being the source of an inaccurate bbc news story. the bbc has apologised for its initial report which said farage had fallen below the financial threshold needed for an account. natwest is part—owned, by the taxpayer after being bailed out by the british government as a result of the financial crisis of 2008. and since the news broke, natwest�*s share price has fallen by nearly 3%. with me is ben thompson. just explain why this is such a significant story?— just explain why this is such a significant story? there are two stories going — significant story? there are two stories going on, _ significant story? there are two stories going on, one _ significant story? there are two stories going on, one is - significant story? there are two stories going on, one is a - significant story? there are two stories going on, one is a bank| stories going on, one is a bank deciding that it does not want to offer a bank account to a customer and that is because suitability as a mac customer. as you said, this is the brexiteer, nigel farage. a a0 page document was put together and not only flagging concerns about whether he would be a suitable customer. they came to the decision that he was not consistent with coutts's position, as an inclusive position, based on what they said were his publicly stated views. 0n

the upside here, is a problem with the upside here, is a problem with the boss of the bank, talking about private affairs, with a journalist, in this case, the bbc business editor, simonjack. it is entirely within the powers of the bank to close the account of a customer, but i think the issue here is not only talking publicly, but also the reputational damage that this now does to the wider organisation, as you said, nigel farage is now calling for the entire board of the bank to resign. he has raised the privacy issue. this is one of the things you do not do not discuss private banking affairs with journalists. that is why he says dame alison rose had to leave. this is what nigel farage had to say. the most extraordinary thing is a statement from the board at six last night defending her position. the first rule of banking is client confidentiality. and she, over a sociable dinner with simonjack, bbc business editor, said things that were not wise. the bbc were belt and braces

on this and this was confirmed by the ceo of bbc news in a letter to me. they rang her the next morning and said, are you ok with this information being published? she said yes. simonjack put it out. you cannot do that, you cannot be in banking at any level, from cashier right through to the boss of natwest, you cannot breach confidentiality. it is right she has gone. however, it brings into question the whole of the board. the chairman of the natwest group, ceo of coutts, the subsidiary. because of how they behave, i think they should all go. that was nigel farage speaking about his concerns, calling for the entire board to go. this narrated some serious questions about banks being able to close the accounts of customers that they do not like, regardless of who they are. what has

happened today, the city minister has been speaking with the bosses of the big banks to try and get some clarity. that is andrew griffith. he has been saying it is not down to the banks to tell us what to think. he says the government has been extremely clear, he says, in a democracy that provides dutchmen relies on freedom of expression, freedom of thought, it is not a legitimate thing for banks to be able to remove access to a bank account. they say that is a really important building block of society. therein lies the problem. at the moment, banks have the power to do so. they say that because of reputational set reputational or commercial risk, or being at the threat of extortion, which would threaten the bank down the line. the city minister has said it is not for banks to decide, customers, for example, to decide. firstly, it was right that the chief executive — firstly, it was right that the chief executive of natwest, allison rose resigned~ _ executive of natwest, allison rose resigned. the government has been clear throughout that it is wrong to remove _ clear throughout that it is wrong to remove someone's bank account

because — remove someone's bank account because of— remove someone's bank account because of their political views, or something — because of their political views, or something that they have said. we have reiterated on the meeting this morning. _ have reiterated on the meeting this morning, with representatives across the banking _ morning, with representatives across the banking and building society sector— the banking and building society sector that it is wrong to do that, it is not— sector that it is wrong to do that, it is not what the government expects _ it is not what the government expects. we are bringing forward new regulations— expects. we are bringing forward new regulations to make that even clearer, — regulations to make that even clearer, and give customers greater ability— clearer, and give customers greater ability to— challenge that. and there is a stron: challenge that. and there is a strong political _ challenge that. and there is a strong political arguments - challenge that. and there is a strong political arguments to | challenge that. and there is a - strong political arguments to this as well, because natwest is partly owned by the taxpayer, after being bailed out by the government. keir starmer, the leader of the opposition was asked about this as well. i'm surprised to hear- the stories of banks taking into account political views, if indeed they are. - i don't know if we have got to the bottom of this, - save in extreme circumstances, terrorism. — save in extreme circumstances, terrorism. for— save in extreme circumstances, terrorism, for example, - save in extreme circumstances, terrorism, for example, but- save in extreme circumstances, terrorism, for example, but asl

terrorism, for example, but as abroad — terrorism, for example, but as abroad answer. _ terrorism, for example, but as abroad answer, they _ terrorism, for example, but as abroad answer, they should i terrorism, for example, but asi abroad answer, they should not terrorism, for example, but as - abroad answer, they should not be removed _ abroad answer, they should not be removed just — abroad answer, they should not be removed just because _ abroad answer, they should not be removed just because of— abroad answer, they should not be removed just because of their- removed just because of their political— removed just because of their political views. _ removed just because of their political views. i'm _ removed just because of their political views. i'm surprisedl removed just because of their. political views. i'm surprised to hear— political views. i'm surprised to hear these _ political views. i'm surprised to hear these stories— political views. i'm surprised to hear these stories of— political views. i'm surprised to hear these stories of banks - political views. i'm surprised to. hear these stories of banks taking into account — hear these stories of banks taking into account political... _ hear these stories of banks taking into account political... if - hear these stories of banks taking into account political... if indeed i into account political... if indeed they— into account political... if indeed they are, — into account political... if indeed they are, i— into account political... if indeed they are, i don't _ into account political... if indeed they are, idon't think— into account political... if indeed they are, i don't think we've - into account political... if indeed they are, i don't think we've got| into account political... if indeed l they are, i don't think we've got to they are, i don't think we've got to the bottom — they are, idon't think we've got to the bottom of— they are, i don't think we've got to the bottom of this, _ they are, i don't think we've got to the bottom of this, but _ they are, i don't think we've got to the bottom of this, but you - they are, i don't think we've got to the bottom of this, but you know, | the bottom of this, but you know, that shouldn't _ the bottom of this, but you know, that shouldn't happen _ the bottom of this, but you know, that shouldn't happen and - the bottom of this, but you know, that shouldn't happen and it - that shouldn't happen and it certainly— that shouldn't happen and it certainly shouldn't- that shouldn't happen and it certainly shouldn't be - that shouldn't happen and it certainly shouldn't be a - that shouldn't happen and it. certainly shouldn't be a reason that shouldn't happen and it - certainly shouldn't be a reason for refusing _ certainly shouldn't be a reason for refusing someone _ certainly shouldn't be a reason for refusing someone banking - certainly shouldn't be a reason for. refusing someone banking services. they say they are politically exposed personnel, they say that is that the bank putting them at the high risk of bribery and corruption. the first mp said this problem was absolutely right in banking, that they had no joy trying to open a bank account, and this really speaks to a wider problem. the power of banks to close accounts, why they are doing so, and why, quite clearly, a separate issue is the fact that one of the biggest banks in the uk, the boss, has spoken to a

journalist about what is fundamentally a deeply private affair. ., ~ fundamentally a deeply private affair. ., ,, , ., around the world, and across the uk, this is easy in the news. —— bbc news. let's take a look at some other stories making news across the uk. a public consultation into the proposed closure of hundreds of ticket offices in england is set to be extended. that's according to the chairman of network rail. train companies have faced legal challenges over the process with concerns that closures will affect disabled people. but the train operating companies' body — the rail delivery group — has defended the proposals. police officers in england will no longer respond to concerns about mental health if there is no risk to life or a crime being committed. the government says the policy could save a million hours of police time every year. senior officers admit forces have "lost their way" by dealing with less serious mental—health problems. but mental—health charities have expressed concern over the changes.

trying to secure rental accommodaton is becoming more competitive. that's according to new data seen by the bbc. there are around 20 requests to view each available property. and the number of requests to see each home has tripled since 2019. rising interest rates have made it more difficult for people to get your life with bbc news. in london, a man who spent 17 years in prison for a rape he did not commit... in the uk, a man who spent 17 years in prison for a rape he says he did not commit has suffered a historic injustice, the court of appeal has been told. andy malkinson has been fighting for 20 years to clear his name following a 2003 investigation by greater manchester police. live now to our reporter frances read outside of the court of appeal in london. been watching all morning, cameras have been allowed into the court of appeal. it is interesting to see justice being delivered in that way. explain to us what has been happening today. it

explain to us what has been happening today.— explain to us what has been happening today. it really is. and he malkinson _ happening today. it really is. and he malkinson it _ happening today. it really is. and he malkinson it spent _ happening today. it really is. and he malkinson it spent 17 - happening today. it really is. and he malkinson it spent 17 years - happening today. it really is. and he malkinson it spent 17 years in | he malkinson it spent 17 years in jailfor a crime that he malkinson it spent 17 years in jail for a crime that he says he simply did not commit. in 200a, mr malkinson was jailed after being found guilty of raping a mother of two in salford in greater manchester, back in 2003. andrew malkinson has always denied committing the crime, saying it was a case of mistaken identity, and that he was an innocent man. his convictions were referred here from the court of the appeal, which has now linked another man, with dna evidence, and greater manchester police confirmed it had arrested another man on suspicion of rape before releasing him, pending further investigations. what have we heard in court this morning? they said that this is an historic case and an historicjustice which has wide implications for the criminal

justice system. andrew malkinson's criminal defence team say that there was never a dna match for him, and we heard how previously undisclosed evidence showed the jury were misled into taking the honesty of two witnesses for granted, when they both actually had multiple convictions for dishonesty. we also heard that mr malkinson had been arrested by greater manchester police simply as a hunch, after they had seen him riding on the back of a moated, even though he did not have a scratch on his face, as the victim had potentially described that she had potentially described that she had scratched her attacker, when this attack took place. andrew malkinson said he is now hoping that today's hearing will prove that he's innocent and if this conviction is quashed, it will be the longest miscarriage of injustice in the 21st century. a very significant moment, thank

you, frances. it is another day of searing, and potentially deadly, heat for many people across southern europe. wildfires are burning in at least nine countries around the mediterranean. amongst the hardest hit is greece. plumes of smoke can be seen approaching this village on the island of rhodes. the greek armed forces are observing three days of mourning after two pilots died battling the flames. their aircraft crashed on tuesday. this is the italian island of sicily, where fires raged near the ancient sanctuary of tindari — a popular tourist attraction. palermo airport also had to close for several hours. but the worst—affected areas are the islands of rhodes and evia where the fires have been burning for days. it's also bad in algeria, at least 3a people, icluding 10 soldiers, have died in huge wildfires. these pictures are from bejaia, east of the capital algiers. bejaia is the worst—hit area, accounting for 23 deaths,

according to local media. algerian authorities said 80% of the blazes had been put out since sunday, but a massive firefighting effort continues, involving about 8,000 personnel, hundreds of fire engines and some aircraft. let's speak to yamina saheb. she's from algeria and is a member of the intergovernmental panel on climate change at the united nations. shejoins me now from paris. how are your family cabling back at home? mr; how are your family cabling back at home? ~ , ., , how are your family cabling back at home? g . , ., ~ , home? my family are in algiers, which is not _ home? my family are in algiers, which is not where _ home? my family are in algiers, which is not where the _ home? my family are in algiers, which is not where the fire - home? my family are in algiers, which is not where the fire is - which is not where the fire is happening but my mother earlier told me it is like hell on earth what is happening. me it is like hell on earth what is happening-— me it is like hell on earth what is ha eninu. �* . ., , happening. and what we have 'ust outlined, happening. and what we have 'ust outlined. and fi happening. and what we have 'ust outlined, and sadly i happening. and what we have 'ust outlined, and sadly also i happening. and what we have 'ust outlined, and sadly also the h happening. and what we have just l outlined, and sadly also the people who may have died, what is it like? it is likely that the figures that we see today, that we have from the government about the number of people who died, and who have died, the number of injured people, because more than 152 people have been injured. more than 1500 people have been displaced. it is likely

that those figures will go up when we have more accurate data in the future. just to give you an idea, this is not the first fire, this is the second one, which started in 2021. that was with the number of people that died, around 200 people already died in algeria, unofficially, because of fire. 50 unofficially, because of fire. so riven unofficially, because of fire. so given that, given that there is a long history of fires at this time of the year, in algeria, how well resourced are the various services that are used to tackle the fires and deal with this?— that are used to tackle the fires and deal with this? after the deaths that happened _ and deal with this? after the deaths that happened in — and deal with this? after the deaths that happened in 2021, _ and deal with this? after the deaths that happened in 2021, there - and deal with this? after the deaths that happened in 2021, there were l that happened in 2021, there were few in 2022, the government prepared the plan, to address this issue, however, algeria does not have enough... as i told you, the number of people who died is likely to be

much higher, we may never know because we don't even have the capacity to monitor this kind of data. i know that the government tried to buy aeroplanes to work against the fire, but they ordered these to russia. given the restrictions of russia since the war, only one arrived to algeria. four are war, only one arrived to algeria. fourare missing, so war, only one arrived to algeria. four are missing, so we have to rent these aeroplanes from latin america, and so, the government... there is no capacity to fight this, and in addition to this, keep in mind that the mediterranean is extremely sensitive to climate change and these fires are a combination of three important things accelerated by climate change, the drought, the heatwaves and the wind. just a by climate change, the drought, the heatwaves and the wind.— heatwaves and the wind. just a final ruestion, heatwaves and the wind. just a final question. really. — heatwaves and the wind. just a final question, really, and _ heatwaves and the wind. just a final question, really, and how— heatwaves and the wind. just a final question, really, and how people i heatwaves and the wind. just a final| question, really, and how people are feeling, yamina, knowing that we are

only injuly, there are a couple more months to come, that are hot, they are ongoing, there is more hot weather to come, is there still —— despair? weather to come, is there still -- desair? ., , weather to come, is there still -- desair? .,, ., ., , despair? people are scared, and they don't really understand _ despair? people are scared, and they don't really understand why - despair? people are scared, and they don't really understand why there - despair? people are scared, and they don't really understand why there is l don't really understand why there is no international help. i spoke to colleagues and friends this morning and it is very difficult for them to understand that they aren't so close to europe but there is no european help. they are scared and they don't know what to do. when i try to explain the beginning of the climate impacts, they save the situation gets worse, they ask what they are going to do, are they going to die? is africa going to die because of climate change? and europe willjust be watching, not doing anything? scary so many. yamina, thank you for joining us, from paris. those are the wildfires affecting people in the wildfires affecting people in

the mediterranean. the attorney general of ecuador says that inmates are now said to have died after clashes in prison. an emergency effort is under way to save dozens of wales, stranded on the western australian coast after 51 others were confirmed dead. the pod of long finned pilot whales came ashore, close to a beach south of perth. heavy lifting equipment and experts from perth zoo have joined efforts to rescue the marine mammals. a big rescue operation there, underway. hello. july 2023 is shaping up to be a pretty wet month across parts of the country, particularly northern ireland, northern england we have already had more than twice the

expected july rainfall and you guessed it, more rain on the way, for the finalfew days guessed it, more rain on the way, for the final few days of the month. for the rest of this afternoon, some sunshine here and there, but an area of rain is spreading gradually eastward, so soggy for northern ireland, wales, western parts of britain, but across north—eastern scotland and eastern parts of england, they will hold on to the bright and dry weather into the early evening. temperatures out there about 16—2a , still cooler in there about 16—2a , still cooler in the north, 1a degrees in lowick. this evening and overnight, that area of rain tracks its way eastwards. some are brisk winds in the south, as well, and a spell of wet and blustery weather for many of us this evening and tonight, once the rain gradually close towards the east, it is still making out there, and temperatures 1a—16 for many of us, quite a humid feel. we have the area of low pressure not far away into thursday. the lingering front across scotland, parts of england, down to the channel islands, that is where we will see the rain through

most of the part of the day. slowly lifting across parts of scotland, but elsewhere, lots of low cloud, mr and mark. sunshine is breaking through, and a few mists and showers. certainly not dry everywhere. temperatures 16—2a, it will be the start of the fifth and final ashes series at the oval. we think we will have lots of cloud, it could bring the odd shower, but not that persistent rain, so there will be some play for the first day. i think a be some play for the first day. i thinka similar be some play for the first day. i think a similar picture for much of the uk, not a think a similar picture for much of the uk, nota bad think a similar picture for much of the uk, not a bad day on friday, so we are looking at sunny spells, could be some showers moving through, in that breeze, and temperatures around 18—2a for most of us, so still cooler up towards the north, just 15 foot lowick. this is when the area of low pressure tracked eastward, across the northern half of the uk, on sunday, bringing the showers which will be the most frequent across scotland. northern ireland, and north—west

england is well where it has already quite wet. quite breezy in the south and temperatures remain a little bit lower than we would expect into the start of august.

this is bbc news, the headlines: a special report from yemen where 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance after eight years of brutal civil war. wildfires rage in at least nine

mediterranean countries amid another day of intense heat. russia's defence minister, sergei shoigu, arrives in north korea as part of the first foreign delegation to visit since covid. the british government has been sharply criticised by the foreign affairs committee for underestimating the growth of rush—hour's that zero missing in the group. in a scathing report, the committee mps the conservative party of having a dismal lack of lack of understanding of wagner's holed beyond europe. the report outlined seven states where wagner has been active and concludes that for nearly active and concludes that for nearly a decade that the british government had a dangerous misunderstanding of his activities across africa and europe. let's get more on that report with the committee. —— the

chair of the committee. can you