the bbc uncovers a report showing the post office spent £100 million of public money fighting postmasters in court despite knowing their defence was untrue. the un's highest court orders israel to take urgent humanitarian assistance in gaza as famine sets in. jailed for 25 years. the former billionaire crypto boss sam bankman freed, who was convicted for one of the biggest financial frauds in us history. also coming up on the world today: tackling homelessness through football, we take a look at a new netflix movie hoping to make a change. welcome to the world today an hour of international news from the bbc.

some breaking news to come from south africa were at least 45 people have died in a bus crash. the department for transport says the vehicle travelling from botswana to a province plunged off a high bridge into a ravine after collating with a crash barrier. it then burst into flames when it hit the ground. local media is reporting that an eight—year—old girl was the only survivor. the precise cause of the crash is currently being investigated. just to reiterate what we have to said, there has been a serious bus crash in south africa. the transportation authority have been informing us that we believe 45 people at least have been killed in this crash. this vehicle plunged off a high bridge into a ravine after collating with a crash barrier. we will bring you more on that when we get it here. a special bbc report.

it's been described as the uk's most widespread miscarriage ofjustice the post office scandal, where hundreds of sub postmasters and postmistresses were prosecuted for stealing money because of incorrect information provided by a computer system called horizon. the scandal has made headlines across the world and now, a draft report uncovered by the bbc shows the post office spent 100 million pounds of public money fighting sub postmasters in court despite knowing its defence was untrue. the draft report from 2017, found the horizon software used in branches could be accessed remotely. but the post office pressed on with its legal battle, arguing that only theft or mistakes by staff were to blame. the case was portrayed in the recent itv drama mr bates vs the post office. the lead barrister for the sub postmasters in the case said the bbc�*s findings were shocking, and that the report shows that the case need not have happened at all. the post office said it would be

"inappropriate" to comment. zoe conway has this exclusive report. in howey, mid—wales, there is something missing. for years this house was the village post office, but not any more. there was a counter that went from that wall, all the way across. this was all part the shop and then the post office is at the end. customers use to sit down and have a cup of tea with us. joan bailey and her husband had to give up the jobs they loved after being accused of stealing thousands of pounds. in the beginning, joan blamed herself for the £40,000 shortfall. tell me about the scale of losses. in total and worked it out about roughly £110,000. i was thinking that, well, it must be me that's doing something wrong.

you blamed yourself? yes i did. but she came to realise the horizon system was at fault. how else to explain that the numbers on her computer screen dramatically changed overnight? we were in bed! nobody else can get in the house. it just itjust did not make sense. when they were suspended from running the post office, some villagers assumed they'd stolen the money. we were just pariahs. to be thought of as a thief. as someone you cannot trust. we always worked hard. it just seems wrong that we should be treated this way. whatjoan couldn't have known and what this secret 2017 report makes clear, is that her account could be accessed remotely without her knowledge. commissioned by the post office,

it said fujitsu employees had the ability to amend or delete transactions entered by branch staff. the system wouldn't flag up to a postmaster a change had been made, and those changes could cause a shortfall in branch accounts. it also said a malicious actor could potentially change data. ron was hired by the post office to investigate concerns about the horizon system. when he started uncovering problems, he was sacked. why does this report matter? it is unbelievably _ why does this report matter? it is unbelievably damning. every person has been _ unbelievably damning. every person has been hoodwinked into believing that nobody else was meddling with that nobody else was meddling with that person's numbers. this report shows_ that person's numbers. this report shows that, — that person's numbers. this report shows that, yes, it was happening on an industrial— shows that, yes, it was happening on an industrial scale. going to law will force _ the post office to open their files. so finally, we'll get to know-

everything the post office knows. the truth. the subpostmasters took the post office to court in 2018. by then, post office management, lawyers and investigators knew about findings within the report. but instead of coming clean, they kept it secret. despite knowing their defence was false, they continued to discredit the postmasters. i'm shocked. i really am shocked. the barrister who acted for the subpostmasters has never seen the report before. this is exactly the sort of thing that we would have wanted to have, and to analyse, and put in front of thejudge. it's them admitting that they could do in 2017 something they were still denying that they could do in 2019. the case dragged on for two years. it cost the taxpayer more than £100 million. i don't think the case

should have happened. it should have been settled. and it's a great shame some of the people have died since then without having their names cleared. it's tragic and very, very sad. when victory came, it was bittersweet. the vast majority of the postmasters' compensation was swallowed up in legal fees. ina in a statement the post office said it was deeply sorry for the impact of the scandal has had on people and told the bbc the public inquiry�*s next phase will look at the issues raised. to said that, it records the matter with the utmost seriousness. and offers its deepest apologies to the sub—postmasters and their families.

the sub-postmasters and their families. �* , the sub-postmasters and their families. 3 , , the sub-postmasters and their families._ joan l families. it's disgusting. joan alonu families. it's disgusting. joan along with — families. it's disgusting. joan along with many _ families. it's disgusting. joan along with many other- families. it's disgusting. joan - along with many other postmasters is still fighting for compensation. justice is about so much more than money. dignity is something you can't buy with any amount of money. it's got to be there for people to think, "i've got my dignity back now and i'm not going to be called a liar any more." zoe conway, bbc news, howey. the united nations' highest court has ordered israel to ensure urgent humanitarian assistance" in gaza without delay, saying "famine has set in". since its original order issued injanuary, the international court ofjustice noted that "the catastrophic living conditions of the palestinians in the gaza strip have deteriorated further, in particular in view of the prolonged and widespread deprivation of food and other basic necessities..." this latest development follows the comments made by the un's most senior human rights official volker turk, who told the bbc there is a �*plausible case' that israel is using �*starvation as a weapon of war�*.

he was speaking to our international editor, jeremy bowen. israel is an occupying power and has an obligation to provide humanitarian assistance. if that humanitarian assistance. if that humanitarian assistance. if that humanitarian assistance does not come in and the scale, speed and predictability that is required, yes, very serious questions are raised. the collective punishment that was declared as a siege is indeed amounts to a work crime and needs to be dealt with as such. israel's economy minister, nir barkat, a senior politician in benjamin netanyahu's likud party, dismissed mr turk�*s warnings again speaking withjeremy bowen. total nonsense. totally responsible thin- total nonsense. totally responsible thing to _ total nonsense. totally responsible thing to say. israel is accepting all of— thing to say. israel is accepting all of the — thing to say. israel is accepting all of the eight and to let the us and the — all of the eight and to let the us and the world is giving to the gaza,

innocent _ and the world is giving to the gaza, innocent people, which a lot goes to extend _ innocent people, which a lot goes to extend the _ innocent people, which a lot goes to extend the war. how innocent people, which a lot goes to extend the war.— extend the war. how many innocent eo - le extend the war. how many innocent --eole are extend the war. how many innocent peeple are in _ extend the war. how many innocent people are in gaza _ extend the war. how many innocent people are in gaza in _ extend the war. how many innocent people are in gaza in your _ extend the war. how many innocent people are in gaza in your opinion? | people are in gaza in your opinion? i will not call any number. i will say over— i will not call any number. i will say over 70% of gazans support the october _ say over 70% of gazans support the october the 7th massacre.- october the 7th massacre. so they are not innocent? _ october the 7th massacre. so they are not innocent? people - october the 7th massacre. so they are not innocent? people who - october the 7th massacre. so they are not innocent? people who are| are not innocent? people who are sunporting _ are not innocent? people who are sunporting blames— are not innocent? people who are supporting hamas have _ are not innocent? people who are supporting hamas have a - are not innocent? people who are| supporting hamas have a different thought. _ supporting hamas have a different thought, they are enemy. a reminder the un says famine is imminent in northern gaza, and could occur any time between march and may 202a. it follows months of conflict between israel and gaza after the 7 october hamas attacks. currently half the population about 1.1m people are starving, according to the ipc classification. the entire population of gaza will be in famine byjuly 202a. the un said gaza had the "highest share of people facing high levels of acute food insecurity that the ipc initiative has ever classified for any given area or country". next let's hear from jeremy bowen who's been looking at cases of starvation inside gaza.

gazais gaza is no place to be. she had lung and liver problems before the war, now after months of starvation and without the right medical care, she is deteriorating fast. she can't move says her mother, she is anaemic and always sleeping and there is nothing nutritious to eat. the evidence of gaza's humanitarian catastrophe is overwhelming and it is deepening international pressure on israel. swollenjoints, wasted legs and dermatitis are classic symptoms of acute malnutrition. these children reached hospital. most of just over these children reached hospital. most ofjust over 1 these children reached hospital. most ofjust over1 million gazans considered to be in acute need will not have that option. there is aid rather to be delivered

backed up on the egyptian side of the border but they are stuck unable to get through. countries have resorted to each drops there have been reports of palestinians killed after parachutes holding the packages have failed to open. on monday, 12 people drowned trying to get aid to drop by a plane off a gaza beach. james elderfrom the un's children's agency, unicef spoke to us a short time ago from inside gaza. in the first three weeks of march one quarter of requests for aid convoys were denied. we had to take aid from the south it is on a coastal road tens of thousands of people there. we need an access point in the north. where i have beenin point in the north. where i have been in the north and i see tens of thousands of people hand to mouth at universal cigna for hunger, with people in the north say, food, food, food and revealing why they say that, they say that because they assume the world is not known. because of the world knew, how would they be in that position. of course

they be in that position. of course the world doesn't know. so when i see those people, mothers hunched over paper—thin babies given the nutritional crisis there is an access point, a crossing 15 minutes away. when unicef has a convoy from our warehouse to wherever it is reach people, we the load and unload trucks four times. so it is monumentally difficult. this unnecessarily so, if you want to be optimistic, this eminent famine can be turned around if is a willingness to make the right decisions. decisions for civilians here. still to come on the world today — we ask why there has been a rise in levels of violence and abuse from pupils in england in england since the pandemic. where access to the war in ukraine as the soldiers film dangerous missions from releasing drones to hiding from enemy fire. around the world and across the uk. this is the world today on bbc news.

more on that breaking news story. 45 people have been believed to died after a bus crashed in the south african province, and person seriously injured up the bus travelling from botswana plunged off a high bridge before exploding on the floor of a ravine. let's speak live now to a journalist at the south african news organisation e and ca. good to talk to you. what more do we know about what happened. we understand that 45 people have been killed in a bus crash. we know it was 46 people on board and an eight—year—old survive the crash. in a girl. we also understand that somebody was airlifted to a nearby hospital but unfortunately she did not survive. late hospital but unfortunately she did not survive-— not survive. we are not sure what caused this _ not survive. we are not sure what caused this accident, _ not survive. we are not sure what caused this accident, what - not survive. we are not sure what caused this accident, what we - not survive. we are not sure what caused this accident, what we do | caused this accident, what we do know is that the bus was travelling

from botswana to an area where a church gathering happens every single year for easter with thousands gather. the bus had a trailer it seems as though it was struggling to turn with the bend of the road and it hit the barrier and subsequently drove over the barrier down a 50 metre bridge. we know the bus then caught fire and most of the people inside the bus are believed to have perished. taste people inside the bus are believed to have perished.— to have perished. we are 'ust now seeinu to have perished. we are 'ust now seeing pictures * to have perished. we are 'ust now seeing pictures oft to have perished. we are 'ust now seeing pictures of the h to have perished. we are just now seeing pictures of the crash - to have perished. we are just now seeing pictures of the crash site. | seeing pictures of the crash site. you can see a firefighter with a water hose, presumably which was used to douse the flames you just spoke about. crashes, road safety in south africa as long as i can remember has been a big issue, has it not? fix. remember has been a big issue, has it not? �* , , remember has been a big issue, has itnot? ,, ,, it not? a very big issue especially durin: the

it not? a very big issue especially during the easter. _ it not? a very big issue especially during the easter. where - it not? a very big issue especially during the easter. where people | during the easter. where people decide to go to these church gatherings or various provinces for short break for the easter period. it is a big problem and it is uncertain as to why this particular bus decided to use this route because it is not a common route, it is not a national highway that is normally use to travel. as you can see in the video in the moment, it just shows you how high this bridge actually is. what is even more alarming and horrific having been on the scene is the fact that pathologists have to wait for the fire to be doused, no smoke at all for them to start retrieving the bodies. also believed to be more mothers and children that were on this bus. taste mothers and children that were on this bus. ~ ., ., , , this bus. we are not 'ust seeing ictures this bus. we are not 'ust seeing pictures that h this bus. we are not 'ust seeing pictures that are _ this bus. we are notjust seeing pictures that are filmed - this bus. we are notjust seeing pictures that are filmed by - this bus. we are notjust seeing pictures that are filmed by you, j this bus. we are notjust seeingl pictures that are filmed by you, i believe of that ravine, it looks really high. we are curing not only

from you but from authorities that an eight—year—old child survived. do we know how? an eight-year-old child survived. do we know how?— we know how? preliminary reports sut test we know how? preliminary reports suggest she _ we know how? preliminary reports suggest she did — we know how? preliminary reports suggest she did not _ we know how? preliminary reports suggest she did not fall— we know how? preliminary reports suggest she did not fall when - we know how? preliminary reports suggest she did not fall when the l suggest she did not fall when the bus hit the barrier and then crashed into this very bushy, rocky area. it is believed that she actually was outside of the bus on the actual bridge and that is how she survived. how she got out, when she got out, was the bus hanging over before it plunged into the area and caught fire, we are not sure will stop the paramedics and those on scene found her on the actual bridge and she was actually engaging with someone else who was on the bridge, but we do believe that individual unfortunately passed away. but very calm and all she wanted, she kept asking for her aunt who is also

believed to be on that bus. thank ou ve believed to be on that bus. thank you very much — believed to be on that bus. thank you very much for _ believed to be on that bus. thank you very much forjoining - believed to be on that bus. thank you very much forjoining me - believed to be on that bus. thank. you very much forjoining me there. just to reiterate, 45 people to believed to have died after a bus crashed in south africa. those are pictures of by heidi which were provided to us. we'll bring you as much information on the story as we cure on the programme. new york now, where the so called crypto king sam bankman—fried has been sentenced to 25 years for what's been called, one of the biggest financial crimes in us history. the 32—year—old founded the crypto currency exchange ftx which made him a billionaire before it collapsed in spectacularfashion. he was found guilty of fraud and money laundering last year. this was the scene outside the manhattan court house, where he was sentenced, you can see his parents arriving at the court there. our new york business correspondent, erin delmore is outside the courthouse.

one of the big moments during the sentencing proceedings today is when judge lewis kaplan said he projected entirely the defendant's asser tatian that no one was harmed in the fall of ftx. that was the crypto currency exchange founded by sam bankman—fried. he pointed to $8 billion of customer losses totalling losses to customers investors and creditors more than $11 billion. judge kaplan said that that informs how he made his sentencing decision. as he said, sam bankman—fried sentenced to 25 years in jail, that is far shy of the 40—50 years —— sentencing guidelines provided to thejudge for the crimes sentencing guidelines provided to the judge for the crimes that sam bankman—fried was found guilty of totalled more than hundred years which is easily tense about to a life sentence for the 32—year—old bankman—fried. its, life sentence for the 32-year-old bankman-fried.— life sentence for the 32-year-old bankman-fried. a crypto “ournalist followin t bankman-fried. a crypto “ournalist feiiewingttefi bankman-fried. a crypto “ournalist following the case h

bankman-fried. a crypto journalist following the case extensively - bankman-fried. a crypto journalist j following the case extensively joins following the case extensivelyjoins me now. first let's talk about about sam bankman—fried as a person. i've given a bit of background to him but explained to viewers who he was and what happened. it explained to viewers who he was and what happened-— explained to viewers who he was and what happened. it was incredible. he tositioned what happened. it was incredible. he positioned himself _ what happened. it was incredible. he positioned himself as _ what happened. it was incredible. he positioned himself as an _ what happened. it was incredible. he positioned himself as an effective - positioned himself as an effective altruist making as much money as possible then giving all of it away. he was the subject of flattering media profiles and one man's eczema said the next warren buffett but in interview he effectively admitted it was a pr stunt and lost 94% of his net worth in a single day. when his company collapsed. 25 net worth in a single day. when his company collapsed.— company collapsed. 25 years for what, company collapsed. 25 years for what. who _ company collapsed. 25 years for what, who was _ company collapsed. 25 years for what, who was harmed - company collapsed. 25 years for what, who was harmed in - company collapsed. 25 years for what, who was harmed in this . company collapsed. 25 years for - what, who was harmed in this whole process? what, who was harmed in this whole trocess? a , what, who was harmed in this whole trocess? ,~ , process? mainly customers. so he ran, 2 process? mainly customers. so he ran. 2 and — process? mainly customers. so he ran, 2 and what _ process? mainly customers. so he ran, 2 and what happening - ran, 2 and what happening behind—the—scenes was that a sister company to ftx was customer money without the customer knowledge. $1 billion in total and then when these risky bets did not pay off,

effectively customers lost everything. effectively customers lost everything-— effectively customers lost eve hint. ., , everything. tell me a bit about the damate everything. tell me a bit about the damage you _ everything. tell me a bit about the damage you think— everything. tell me a bit about the damage you think he _ everything. tell me a bit about the damage you think he has _ everything. tell me a bit about the damage you think he has done - everything. tell me a bit about the damage you think he has done to l everything. tell me a bit about the i damage you think he has done to the crypto industry as a whole? it is significant _ crypto industry as a whole? it 3 significant because there are now millions of people who invested in ftx who have had their fingers millions of people who invested in ftx who have had theirfingers burnt and will not want to touch crypto again and of course media coverage around this case in other cases in crypto especially around the volatility of the currencies do not make the space all that appealing to everyday investors? has make the space all that appealing to everyday investors?— make the space all that appealing to everyday investors? has that changed now that we — everyday investors? has that changed now that we have _ everyday investors? has that changed now that we have seen _ everyday investors? has that changed now that we have seen fraudsters - now that we have seen fraudsters like sam bankman—fried convicted in people going to jail, is there more trust out there or not? i people going to jail, is there more trust out there or not?— trust out there or not? i think that we are seeing _ trust out there or not? i think that we are seeing crypto _ trust out there or not? i think that we are seeing crypto currency - trust out there or not? i think that we are seeing crypto currency bad | we are seeing crypto currency bad actors being held two accounts. my worry is with bit coin surging over the past year, greed starts to set in the market and people make bad decisions. it in the market and people make bad decisions. ., , , ., ., ,, decisions. it has been good to talk to ou decisions. it has been good to talk to you and — decisions. it has been good to talk to you and thank _ decisions. it has been good to talk to you and thank you. _ decisions. it has been good to talk to you and thank you. if— decisions. it has been good to talk to you and thank you. if you - decisions. it has been good to talk to you and thank you. if you are i to you and thank you. if you are in the uk you can watch the full programme. available now on bbc iplayer. but don't watch it right now because you want to watch me,

don't you? king charles has spoken of great sadness of missing the traditional maundy service, the king is not attending public events as he receives cancer treatment but recorded a message played at the service today. cheering and applause. more than 1,000 people braved the cold to greet the queen today. many had been waiting hours to grab the best spots. archive footage: it has been the custom since - the time of queen elizabeth for his majesty the king to give alms on maundy thursday. the annual service is an ancient tradition. historically, it usually took place in or near london. here are some of the recipients with the special maundy money. queen elizabeth changed that and during her reign it was held around the country. this was the last time it happened in worcester. the crowds then may have been slightly bigger than today, but that may have been down to the absence of the king. the news about the cancer treatment that both the king and princess catherine are receiving is very much on the minds

of the people who turned up to see the queen today. it's incredibly difficult and i think more important than ever that we support the royal family at this time. and this is a great way to show it. important to show support forl the crown in this difficult time. they are stoic and true to their country, true to their people, and we need to be true to them. although the king said his absence had caused him great sadness, he sent a recorded message. in this country, we are blessed by all the different services that exist for our welfare, but over and above these organisations and their selfless staff, we need and benefit greatly from those who extend the hand of friendship to us, especially in a time of need. welcome to st barnabas. john has devoted his life to the church and to service in his parish of st barnabas in worcester. he was one of 150 people given maundy money today. an enormous sense of honour, really. i never expected anything like that to happen to me. what are you going

to do with the money? keep it and treasure it. keep it and show it off! we are here to protest against the monarchy... a small but noisy anti—monarchy protest outside, but it was drowned out by well—wishers. # god save our king...# and the queen rewarded them for their patience as she left the cathedral. stay with us, plenty more to come after this short break. hello there. good evening.

plenty of wet and very windy weather around today with some squally showers pushing northwards, longer spells of rain, some of the rain falling as snow to low levels and settling for a while in northern ireland. all of the showers just swirling around this deep area of low pressure out towards the west and it'll stay windy, really rather showery overnight tonight. so still some wet weather to come, but we'll see the skies clear for a while across parts of wales and the midlands, maybe through the small hours and some clear skies developing across northern ireland as well. the ground pretty saturated here. expect to see some mist and fog develop and we'll see some icy stretches, perhaps with temperatures dipping really quite close to freezing. it's mildest underneath the cloud in the south east of england. as we head through a good friday then there will be some rain, i think to start the day off in northwest scotland and the western isles that will clear away and plenty of sunshine to start the day, but not too long before we see the showers get going again. some of the showers heavy and thundery. there could be some hail in the mix, but generally fewer showers, more sunshine than we've seen today. still windy for england and wales,

but it's warmer 11 to 14 degrees celsius with the south—westerly wind pushing us that milder feeling air. now the low pushes further westwards as we head through saturday. so the winds will lighten. there's another low, though, just spinning off the near continent that could bring increased amounts of cloud across parts of east anglia and southeast england. there's a lot of dry weather around on saturday, plenty of sunshine, too. but again, watch out for some showers there. most likely to develop further north and west you are temperatures will be above the seasonal average, 11 to 15 degrees celsius and it's more of the same again on sunday. i think we should see a largely dry start to the day with plenty of sunshine around not too long before there'll be some showers and again, the most likely out towards the west, perhaps pushing into northern england, but perhaps largely dry across scotland and towards the south and the east. again, temperatures above the seasonal average. now, as we go into bank holiday monday, low pressure remains out towards the west of the uk, but there's another low just spinning off the near continent once

again that could bring some more significant rainfall and then that is likely to track further northward. so some more reliable rainfall i think for bank holiday monday. and as we head into next week, it turns a bit cooler again and stays unsettled by.

this is the world today from bbc news, the headlines. a passenger bus plunge of a ravine in south africa killing at least 45 people. a court in new yorkjails the former billionaire crypto boss — sam bankman freed for 25 years. unions say there's been a significant rise in violence and abuse in schools towards teachers, since covid. and — why we're all being urged — to clean out our drawers and stop hoarding old tech. a teaching union in england says its members have reported a sharp rise in levels of violence and abuse from pupils since the pandemic. nearly one in five teachers who responded to a survey commissioned by the bbc said they had been hit by a student this year. the same number said they'd also experienced verbal or online abuse from a parent

or guardian since september.