this is bbc news, the headlines. taiwanese electronics firm denies any involvement saying the pages were made by a hungarian firm it signed a deal with. the post office says its chief executive will step down from the role in march next year. he had moved back from front line duty is to prepare for the next phase of the inquiry into the horizon it scandal. the covid inquiry continues today. yesterday dame ruth may said

nurses bore the brunt of the pandemic with low staffing levels. and the princess of wales returns to work following her cancer treatment earlier this year. hello, i'm azadeh moshiri. welcome back. let's turn our attention now to the covid inquiry which is continuing today. yesterday it heard from the former chief nurse, dame ruth may, who said that nurses bore the brunt of the pandemic with low staffing levels and difficulties accessing protective equipment. with me is our health reporterjim reed. the inquiry has been going on, this phase of it, for about a week. what have been the standout moments to you? this art of standout moments to you? this part of the _ standout moments to you? this part of the inquiry _ standout moments to you? ti 3 part of the inquiry looks just at the impact on the nhs and the health service across the whole of the uk, and it started actually by speaking to those directly affected, so patients and family members of people who sadly lost their lives to

covid. last week we heard for example from john sullivan whose daughter susan was 56 years old and living with down syndrome. during the pandemic she was diagnosed with covid, brought into hospital. all sorts of problems we heard from mr sullivan about communicating with her because she was nonverbal, whetherfamily members could be with her. there were notes on her medical records saying she would not be eligible to be stepped up to intensive care because of her condition, because she lived with down syndrome. we heard yesterday from ruth may that there was blanket do not did —— do not resuscitate orders were in her words completely incorrect. lots of other families have said the same thing so this is an issue the inquiry will have to look into, exactly how patients during the prioritised for treatment whether the recite — during the qubit of the pandemic were exactly how patients during the qubit of the pandemic were

prioritised for treatment whether the recite —— prioritised for treatment whether the recite —— the right decisions were made at the time. , , ., time. the nurses were the front line of the _ time. the nurses were the front line of the pandemic. _ time. the nurses were the front line of the pandemic. what - time. the nurses were the front | line of the pandemic. what have we heard in terms of the impact on these workers? irate we heard in terms of the impact on these workers?— we heard in terms of the impact on these workers? we have heard some emotional _ on these workers? we have heard some emotional evidence - on these workers? we have heard some emotional evidence over - some emotional evidence over the last two days, so we have heard from the former chief nurse, the top nurses in the country in england, scotland, wales and northern ireland. dame ruth may gave an example about having to make a decision about having to make a decision about staffing and intensive care. if you are a highly skilled nurse in intensive care, normally the staffing ratios would be 1:1. during the pandemic they had to be downloaded and at one point up to six patients were being cared for by one nurse. you heard her voice breaking down when she talked about this, she spoke about how it is a decision that will live with her forever, decision that will live with herforever, so decision that will live with her forever, so you are getting a sense of how these made

decisions that had to be made in covid were affecting people on the front line. fix, in covid were affecting people on the front line.— on the front line. a very difficult _ on the front line. a very difficult task _ on the front line. a very difficult task there. - on the front line. a veryj difficult task there. jim, thank you for that update. when it comes to our next story, we are going to move to somalia. it's been hit hard by climate change. easternmost country in continental africa, and has had its worst drought in a0 years followed by torrential rain and floods. our climate editor, justin rowlatt, has travelled to somalia for this special report on? how climate change can fuel existing conflicts. ? i'm in somalia — one of the most dangerous

countries in the world — to report on how climate change is making conflict in places like this even worse. but we've got to stay safe, and that means bringing some serious security. out in the dry scrub that covers much of the country, the climate challenge is clear. singing. climate change is disrupting the patterns of rain that have kept water holes like this full. somalia recently experienced its worst drought for a0 years — an event scientists estimate was made 100 times more likely by human—caused climate change. it has left farmers and herders fighting for access to water and to pasture. translation: there is no respect if you i don't have a gun. the herders who lead their animals into the farm stay back when they see my weapon — they get scared of you. for the last 30 years, somalia has been experiencing a brutal islamist insurgency, a civil war, and a whole series of regional and clan conflicts.

it means these local disputes easily spiral into full—blown battles. and somalia doesn't just face drought. we have come way down to the south of somalia. this place, kismayo, is a port town. it has been bitterly fought over. at one stage, islamist militants from the lethal al-qaeda affiliate al—shabaab overran the place. al—shabaab forces still surround the town. the front line is just 60km away. it means the town is like an island, cut off from the rest of the country, but not from the weather. the year after the drought, somalia was hit with terrible floods — caused by rains made twice as intense by human—caused global warming.

the floods killed hundreds, and displaced 1 million people. the most vulnerable bear the brunt. the un has developed a special classification for different degrees of hunger. it says four million somalis — one in five — of the population, face either acute or emergency food insecurity. it says 1.5 million children under the age of five are acutely malnourished. this humanitarian crisis means there's no shortage of people willing to fight. the impacts of climate change and conflict have driven around four million somalis into vast, makeshift refugee camps. there's little international help. residents here pay rent, and for their food and water. it is why halima's husband and four of her five sons have taken up the only opportunities open to them as fighters

in a local militia. translation: they are rural people with no skills, - so the only work they could get was in the army. translation: they are rural people with no skills, - so the only work they could get was in the army. they were desperate. and when you are without food long enough, and your children are looking at you, you will do anything. now, the people of somalia cannot be held responsible for climate change. i'vejust been doing the numbers on my phone, and the entire country has emitted as much carbon dioxide since the 1950s as americans have in — wait for it — the last three days. but somalia is taking action. this power station is moving over to wind and solar power, and training up a new generation of renewable energy engineers. i found entrepreneurs setting up new businesses, including this makeshift cafe in the refugee camp.

i don't subscribe to the notion that somalia is unfixable. i think it's fixable, and it's showing significant progress on pretty much every front that you can look into. so there is hope. but with climate change turbo—charging the conflict in somalia, the country will need continued international help in the effort to find peace, and to build resilience against our changing climate. justin rowlatt, bbc news, somalia. justinjoins me now here on set. what you really highlighted in that report is how this vicious cycle is affecting some of the most vulnerable countries around the world.- most vulnerable countries around the world. yes, and we had the statistics _ around the world. yes, and we had the statistics that - around the world. yes, and we had the statistics that all - around the world. yes, and we had the statistics that all of. had the statistics that all of somalia's fossil fuel emissions since the 1950s are equivalent to just three days of american

emissions so you cannot hold the somali people responsible for the climate change doing this damage. people often say climate change is exacerbating conflict around the world but it is really difficult to find ways to tell it, and i was delighted that we could get into somalia and meet the people who brought us the story themselves. it was extraordinary how the stories that people said were repeated by so many people, so this idea that the competition for resources then creates conflict thatis resources then creates conflict that is part of wider conflicts that is part of wider conflicts that already exist so it can accelerate existing conflicts. and of course that huge reservoir of people desperate for work, and often the only work they can get is as a fighter so then you have the people you need to sustain the conflict. so really difficult, but it was great to come away with a sense of optimism about the country. you come away

feeling there are people making a difference, making real change, optimistic about the country just change, optimistic about the countryjust hoping they will get support from the international community to bring change.— international community to brin: chance. ., , bring change. one of the people ou soke bring change. one of the people you spoke to — bring change. one of the people you spoke to said _ bring change. one of the people you spoke to said he _ bring change. one of the people you spoke to said he didn't - you spoke to said he didn't believe somalia was not fixable. what work can be done to recover?— to recover? again, though numbers _ to recover? again, though numbers are _ to recover? again, though numbers are really - to recover? again, though numbers are really stark. | numbers are really stark. somalia has had 30 years of war, of almost continuous war. all sorts of different overlapping conflicts. i think the world has kind of lost interest in somalia and thinks it's a difficult country to find any resolution in, so the un has estimated its humanitarian needs just for this year are £1.6 billion, meeting the needs for food and water of the people we saw in those camps. so far this year, $600 million have been raised towards that from countries around the world so they are a billion shortjust on

humanitarian needs. ideally you begin to address climate change, making it better able to withstand these kind of impacts. so it is a depressing picture, but i come back to the fact that at the end of the day i came out feeling there's loads of people in somalia trying hard to make a change in their country, making an effort, setting up small businesses, installing wind turbines and solar panels etc. i came away much more optimistic, so that says a lot. if you want to hear more about some of those businesses that justin witnessed, you will be able to watch the full programme here on bbc news this weekend. the princess of wales has carried out her first work meeting since her chemotherapy treatment began earlier in the year. the meeting, related to the princess s work on families and early childhood, was held at windsor castle.

it's another sign of the recovery and what kensington palace describe as her return to a light schedule of engagements. our senior royal correspondent daniela relph reports. this time has, above all, reminded william and me to reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life. the princess's return to public life is being carefully managed. last week's release of the intimate family video narrated by the princess, a sign that things were beginning to feel more positive. i am, however, looking forward to being back at work and undertaking a few more public engagements in the coming months when i can. the princess's first work meeting was held at windsor castle yesterday afternoon. few details have been released, but it was related to her families and early childhood project. early years has been a focus of much of the princess's public work in recent years, but kensington palace say she won't be returning to full—time royal duties for now, and instead plan a light

schedule for her. on the balcony for trooping the colour injune, one ofjust two official engagements for the princess in the past nine months. she has described this year as incredibly tough for her and her family. it's hoped she mayjoin the royalfamily again for engagements around remembrance sunday and in the run—up to christmas. daniela relph, bbc news. former prime minister sirjohn major has criticised the previous government's rwanda asylum plan, branding it "un—conservative and un—british". speaking to the bbc�*s amol rajan, sirjohn, who was tory pm from 1990 to 1997, said he thought the plan was "odious". it's a rare interview in which he was also very open about what he thinks has gone wrong for his party. let's take a listen. i can't help but note that you don't often do tv interviews these days,

so i must start by asking why you've agreed to do this one. well, it's a rather unusual question, but i'll give you a strictly truthful answer. there were two reasons, really. one, because it was a lengthy interview, and i do think a large number of the short interviews i see merely produce soundbite answers. they don't really inform the public. and secondly, though i probably shouldn't say this, it's 65 years since i joined the conservative party. i was, am, and always will be a conservative. but in recent months, little longer than a few months, there's not been a great deal i could say that i would wish to say in favour of what the previous government were doing. that being so, i thought it better just to stay off the air. now, of course, the election is behind us. the party is looking again to the future, and i can return to speaking out. did your party, the conservatives, deserve to lose? i think there's a time when democracy needs a change of government. i could see that in 1997. we had been in government

for 18 years, and it was perfectly true to say that we were tired and that we were running out of fresh ideas, and we were running out of fresh people to make ministers and reinject the government with vigour. and of course, the same thing applies, although it was only 1a years on this occasion. are you glad to see the back of the rwanda scheme? absolutely. why? well, if you really wish to know, i thought it was un—conservative, un—british, if one dare say it in a secular society un—christian and unconscionable. and i thought that really, this is not the way to treat people. we used to transport people nearly 300 years ago from our country, felons who at least had had a trial and been found guilty of something, albeit that the trial might have been cursory. i don't think transportation, for that is what it is, is a policy suitable for the 21st century. what has brexit done to and for your party?

well, brexit has been the most divisive thing that has happened in our party in my lifetime. and it is less important what it has done to our party than what it has done to our country. that was going to be my next question. what do you think it has done? well, i don't think it's done anything good. if i mayjust reflect on it for a moment, it's made our country weaker, poorer. and that is emphatically not in the interests of our country. the world saw us as a member of the european union. it was a megaphone to magnify our power in the world. so instead, we are isolated and outside. did it have to be thus? i mean, could brexit not have, if delivered in a different way, could it not have fulfilled the promise of those who advocated it, which is that it would make us richer and more free? well, it's done exactly the reverse, hasn't it? what has happened to all the benefits of brexit that we heard about? maybe they are yet to come.

well, i don't recall people saying during the election campaign in ten or 15 years' time, maybe 20, we'll have some benefits of brexit. but do you not... no, no, stop a minute. it was going to be milk and honey straight away. and it wasn't milk and honey. and brexit was sold to the nation on the basis of things that haven't happened and couldn't have happened. there was a great degree of misapplication of reality, if i can put it in that delicate way. do you mean lies? that's another way of putting it. let's turn to the new world order. how would you describe britain's standing in the world today compared with, say, 20 years ago? well, it's obviously a little less than it was. and that's not because we have particularly failed. it's because it's the way the world has changed. america looks as though it may not be the america that would pay any price, bear any burden to protect the success of human rights. china has been marching into

the world in a phenomenal way. what's your biggest regret with your time in power? it wasn't long enough. how would you like to be remembered? fondly. what do you fear most? autocracy and dictatorship, which is what it merges into. what would you still like to achieve? i think i'd like to live long enough to see my country at ease with itself. sirjohn major, thank you very, very much indeed for your time. thank you. in 201a, 50 5% of scottish

voters said no to the question should scotland be an independent country? just under a5% voted for scottish independence. todayjohn swinney is marking the anniversary by giving a speech to pro—independent activists in edinburgh. let's have a listen. i was back in front of the camera is talking about scotland's future. as parliament returned, i spoke to many leading figures in the no campaign, they were gracious and understanding that lifelong independence campaigners like me were truly hurting at that moment. if the result had gone the other way, i know i would have shown the same courtesy that they extended to me. but when i think about those days after the referendum, i tell you what else i remember. it was how quickly people in the yes campaign dusted themselves down and looked to the future with renewed determination.

many of the grassroots campaign groups didn't melt away, they stuck together and they continued working in and for their communities. new friendships had been forged and a new sense of possibility planted in the minds of thousands of people. that sense of empowerment resonates to this day. and that's why even though i was devastated by the result, i am though i was devastated by the result, iam in though i was devastated by the result, i am in no doubt that scotland's independence referendum has left an overwhelmingly positive legacy on our country and we, the scottish national party, should be incredibly proud that together we made that happen. applause friend's, ten years on, where stands scotland today? after the referendum, new powers came

to our parliament and new institutions, institutions that are neededin needed in an independent country were created. what does that mean? it means the scottish child payment helping to keep 100,000 children in scotland out of poverty, it means a social security system with fairness and compassion at its heart, a world away from the dwp�*s often shameful processes... the dwp's often shameful processes. . ._ processes... we are interrupting - processes... we are interrupting that - processes... we are interrupting that for| processes... we are - interrupting that for some processes... we are _ interrupting that for some more on our breaking business news this hour, the post office boss nick reed is to step down from the role next year. he previously announced his intention to temporarily step back from the role to give his entire attention to the next stage of the horizon it inquiry. let's go to our business correspondent, ben king. his tenure has been dominated by the inquiry, hasn't it.

dominated by the inquiry, hasn't it— dominated by the inquiry, hasn't it. . �* , ., , hasn't it. that's right, he has called it an — hasn't it. that's right, he has called it an extraordinarily i called it an extraordinarily challenging time at the post office. he took over in 2019 just as the post office was in the process of losing the bates versus the post office litigation. not only did he have that to deal with in the subsequent inquiry which has dominated headlines this year but has been going on for years previously, he also had to deal with the business situation which was also extremely challenging. here was a business losing money and seeing its revenue streams disappearing as services shift to online. not only did he have these difficult things to deal with, he also had a couple of unforced errors on his tenure in the business. first of all at the end of last year, there was this row about a bonus pay to him and other senior post office executives for completing the inquiry when it hadn't been completed. the post office says there was a way of justifying that, but nevertheless he did voluntarily

pay that back. also this year, he was in a big row with the chairman who said he had twice asked to increase his pay. this was an extremely bad look at a time when many of the postmasters who had been victims of the scandal was struggling to get the compensation they were entitled to. , , ., compensation they were entitled to. , ,., , compensation they were entitled to. , , ., to. they will both be appearing at the next _ to. they will both be appearing at the next phase _ to. they will both be appearing at the next phase of _ to. they will both be appearing at the next phase of the - to. they will both be appearing at the next phase of the public| at the next phase of the public inquiry which will start shortly. when it comes to nick read, what have we heard from him when it comes to the current culture at the post office? . ~ current culture at the post office? w' ., , current culture at the post office? . , ., ,, ., office? nick read is appearing for three days _ office? nick read is appearing for three days in _ office? nick read is appearing for three days in the _ office? nick read is appearing for three days in the next - for three days in the next phase of the inquiry which is meant to look at lessons learned from the post office scandal. he has always said he is on the side of the postmasters effectively and has turned up at the inquiry to support them, even when not giving evidence. but i think lots of the postmasters themselves were distrusting of him and of the post office as

an institution too, so it will be interesting to hear what he has to say about the way the post office is being run and about the way the inquiry has been unfolding. but i think for now he says his focus will be on the inquiry for the rest of his tenure and the post office and the business department will be looking for a new incumbent for that very difficultjob of running the business. difficult job of running the business-_ difficult job of running the business. ~ , , . business. absolutely, and there is a bit more — business. absolutely, and there is a bit more from _ business. absolutely, and there is a bit more from the _ is a bit more from the statement we have received within the last few minutes. he has said that there remains much to be done for this great uk institution but thejourney to reset the relationship with postmasters is well under way and our work to supportjustice and our work to supportjustice and redress for sub—postmasters will continue. when it comes to the public inquiry, could you just remind us in terms of what this inquiry can actually achieve and the long road ahead when it comes to sub—postmasters, compensation, the justice they are looking

for. the 'ustice they are looking for. , ., . , for. first of all, the inquiry has another _ for. first of all, the inquiry has another phase - for. first of all, the inquiry has another phase that - has another phase that continues during this autumn which will look at lessons learned and the way forward. then the judge will produce a report and that will hopefully produce some recommendations that the business department can look at, the business department of course which owns the post office can look at, improving and fixing it. but the problem of compensation continues. there are still many postmasters who haven't been paid the compensation they are owed. then in various different groups within the different extremely complicated situation, so that is something the post office itself is currently having to administer. lots of postmasters think that should be handed over to an alternative organisation to supervise those payments. nonetheless, it remains a very unresolved issue and that is something the post office will have to look at in the coming

years. have to look at in the coming ears. , , , , years. our business correspondent - years. our business correspondent ben | years. our business - correspondent ben king years. our business _ correspondent ben king there, thank you for those updates. for now, let's go to the weather with matt taylor. whilst we will continue to see more cloud by night across many areas in the next few days, a lot of that will break up, and sunshine and warmth will develop quite widely. out there today, we have high pressure in charge for the next few days, but as it slips away we get more of a southerly breeze. that is helping to generate the cloud and push it westwards. as we go through the day with the strength of the sun out there, a lot of the cloud dissipates. long spells of sunshine for most to go through the afternoon and it will feel warmer for this stage in september. up to 26 in the north of scotland, 25 to the south—east of england. fresher along the coast with the breeze off the sea, which helps to

generate the cloud and push it westwards. clearer skies for scotla nd westwards. clearer skies for scotland and northern ireland again, where like this morning we will see some mist and fog patches form, and temperatures down into single figures where this skies remain clearest. it's going to take until early afternoon for some of the fog patches to go but unlike today's eastern coast will see some low cloud linger and turning cold in the far north later on. high temperatures tomorrow are pushed towards the west where the clearest skies will be but we could hit 26 to the west of london. as we go into friday, we do it all over again but this time more cloud through central and eastern scotland to begin with, taking a while to shift and clear. a chance particularly to the west of london of showers

developing, some of those across the midlands and later into wales and the south—west could become heavy and thundery. most of that will be dry but temperatures for all dropping closer to where we should be for this stage of the year. and that continues into the weekend, but with low pressures developing to the south, the focus for showers are going to be mainly across parts of england and wales, particularly the further south you are. some of those could be heavy and thundery at times. further north and west, always the better chance of some sunshine. parts of northern ireland, western scotland especially, but rather cloudy along some east coasts. take care.

live from london, this is bbc news reports say israel's spy agency planted explosives in thousands of pagers used by the armed group hezbollah — the devices exploded simultaneously in lebanon. israel hasn't commented. a taiwanese electronics firm denies any involvement. as the white house calls for calm and restraint, america's top diplomat, antony blinken is back in the region to try to revive stalled ceasefire talks. we'll have the latest, live. the bbc understands that overnight a ukrainian drone hit a warehouse storing ammunition in russia. intense storms battering central europe are heading for italy — with weather warnings issued across the country.