the question on the minds of many economists, consumers and businesses was when the central bank might start cutting rates. but the guidance offered by the fed chairjerome powell disappointed those on wall street who were hoping for a rate cut as soon as march.. powell's warning that it is unlikely the central bank will be in a position to lower borrowing costs at its next meeting sent shares lower, with the dow losing more than 300 points and the nasdaq down by more than 2—percent. from new york, here s the bbc s north america business correspondent michelle fleury. the fourth meeting in a row, the federal reserve did not raise interest rates. this is the longest pies since policymakers began their aggressive rate campaign to tame inflation back in march of 2022. but for rate weary americans, well, they will likely have to wait a few more months to see any relief,

getting these comments by the federal chair.— federal chair. based on the meetin: federal chair. based on the meeting today, _ federal chair. based on the meeting today, i _ federal chair. based on the meeting today, i would - federal chair. based on thei meeting today, i would tell federal chair. based on the - meeting today, i would tell you that i don't think it's likely that i don't think it's likely that the committee will reach a level of confidence by the time of the march meeting to identify march as the time to do that. but that is to be seen stop at mr powell's words disappointed us on wall street who believed that the first cut would potentially happen in march. this is after policymakers back in december hinted at rate cuts in 202a. however, mr powell said officials wanted greater confidence that inflation was falling back to its 2% goal first. with prices coming down but still high and with the economy doing well, david ross let believes that this is the right call let believes that this is the ri . ht cal ., right call telling me that jerome powell - right call telling me that jerome powell has - right call telling me that jerome powell has no i right call telling me that - jerome powell has no reason to jerome powell has no reason to show his hand at this point. the rate decision comes after fresh data showing us economic growth slowed down in the last quarter, but performed much better than forecasters expected.

now to other stories making headlines.. boeing boss dave calhoun has admitted that the plane maker faces a "serious challenge" as it seeks to restore confidence after one of its 737 max nine jets broke off in mid—air. he was announcing the firm's latest financial results... which showed revenue growing 10% in the last quarter of 2023. boeing says it will not offer guidance for its earnings this year. trust in the firm has been shaken afterjanuary�*s alaska airlines blow out. let's turn our focus now to social media because the bosses of companies likes meta, tiktok and x have faced a grilling from us senators. at the heart of the fiery hearing was the companies' attitudes to legislation currently going through congress which aim to hold them to account for material posted on their platforms. meta ceo mark zuckerberg ended up apologising to families who say their children had been harmed by social media. let's have a listen. i'm sorry for everything you have all been through.

our guest, mitch prinstein from the american pshychological association has done clinical work on teenagers and social media. he told me if social media companies are doing enough to protect young people. the it's not nearly enough, i'm afraid. it's very clear that it is notjust the access to the platform but it is the way that these platforms are built, the functions that are a part of them. the endless scroll, the like button, the followers, the artificial intelligence, they are designed to keep kids engaged for as long as possible and more and more research is showing that that affects kids development, it affects their mental health and it's actually changing the way that their brains are growing.-

changing the way that their brains are growing. could you elaborate _ brains are growing. could you elaborate on _ brains are growing. could you elaborate on that _ brains are growing. could you elaborate on that about - brains are growing. could you elaborate on that about how. elaborate on that about how their brains are going and how it changes from adults who have come to social media later in life? ~ , y come to social media later in life? ~ , ., ~ ., life? absolutely. you know, it is important _ life? absolutely. you know, it is important to _ life? absolutely. you know, it is important to remember - life? absolutely. you know, it| is important to remember that after the first year of life, adolescence is the next most important time for brain development the same time those kids get their device, they have a vulnerability, a part of their brain that makes them super sensitive to getting social feedback and not yet fully developed area of the brain to keep them from following their every single impulse. so it's kind of a perfect storm where kids are getting access to a device that gives them notifications and likes and encourages them to stay on for hours at a time, research is showing that that actually is leading to kids brains going to be smaller and also to work in ways that they are not supposed to to maintain being hypersensitive to those kinds of social cues. truth? kinds of social cues. why should parents _ kinds of social cues. why should parents be - kinds of social cues. why | should parents be looking kinds of social cues. why should parents be looking out to safeguard their children against these things and how

can they mitigate the impacts of too much social media? unfortunately there's nothing going on in these companies to make sure these products are safe. so until legislators or tech companies make some very necessary changes, and sadly falls on parents to force those devices out of their kids hands to make sure that they are going to sleep and getting eight hours of sleep. that's so important for brain growth. novo nordisk, the danish pharmaceuticalfirm behind the obesity and diabetes jabs, wegovy and ozempic, has revealed record earnings driven by surging sales of the popular drugs. the firm saw net profits rise by 50% in 2023, to more than 12 billion dollars. considered by some as a holy grail of weight—loss medication, wegovy is now in six countries including the uk and launches later this month in japan. but novo nordisk s rise is also having a big impact at home in denmark. as adrienne murray reports from copenhagen. if you thought lego or a maersk

were the biggest companies from denmark, you would be wrong. torquing them all is novo nordisk, the pharmaceutical firm behind blockbuster drugs was on deck. the first of a new generation of treatments expected to turbo—charge weight loss. it's an injection for those severely overweight. while it was peak treats diabetes and both contain the drugs chemically tied, which lowers appetite. it drugs chemically tied, which lowers appetite.— lowers appetite. it was in 2018, three _ lowers appetite. it was in 2018, three years - lowers appetite. it was in l 2018, three years before... might this 45—year—old says he's lost more than 60 kilos over two years. it comes with four dosages. he over two years. it comes with four dosages.— over two years. it comes with four dosages. he spends on mus $300 a month _ four dosages. he spends on mus $300 a month on _ four dosages. he spends on mus $300 a month on his _ $300 a month on his description, but says it's been life changing. i description, but says it's been life changing-— life changing. i have tried all ofthe life changing. i have tried all of the different _ life changing. i have tried all of the different kinds - life changing. i have tried all of the different kinds of- life changing. i have tried all| of the different kinds of diets and reprogramming my way of eating and all of that a million times. before i looked at the future in a dark way. i

thought maybe i'm not getting to be 60 years, maybe i'm not seeing my grandkids. the biggest change for me is that i'm looking at the future way brighter than before. research su: nests brighter than before. research suggests that _ brighter than before. research suggests that patients - brighter than before. research suggests that patients can - brighter than before. research | suggests that patients can shed more than 10% of their body weight. however, after stopping treatment, users often put weight back on and there can be side effects. weight back on and there can be side effects-— side effects. side effects like nausea, vomiting, _ side effects. side effects like l nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea... for almost a century, they have focused on insulin production, but it's focused on insulin production, but its recently shifted track, believed by social media buzz, the drugs have flown our pharmacy shelves, especially in the biggest market, the united states. those soaring sales have rent to record earnings. however, the runway demand initially, the company off guard. it's now revealed that the profits of more than $12 billion in 2023. in the profits of more than $12 billion in 2023.— billion in 2023. in obesity can i don't think— billion in 2023. in obesity can i don't think we _ billion in 2023. in obesity can i don't think we will _

billion in 2023. in obesity can i don't think we will be - billion in 2023. in obesity can i don't think we will be able l i don't think we will be able to meet demand any soon because we are on the serving to the tune of i we are on the serving to the tune ofi million patients on an annual basis out of more than 800 million people. so this is a very long runway and we are investing significantly in that. ,, ., , we are investing significantly inthat. ,, ., , ., in that. shares have skyrocketed, - in that. shares have i skyrocketed, becoming in that. shares have - skyrocketed, becoming your's biggest company. in denmark, a small country of less than 6 million people, that means an outsized impact stop denmark's economy is basically like all the other european economies right now, stagnating or going back slightly, but then we have that's on top of that, and if you add them in, then there is quite decent economic growth. is also investing heavily in new production to boost supplies after a string of drug shortages. at home, local authorities complained that the high cost of patients on was on deckis high cost of patients on was on deck is becoming a burden. there is also a sharp debate about the affordability and

social impact. it about the affordability and social impact.— about the affordability and social impact. it is only the --eole social impact. it is only the peeple who _ social impact. it is only the people who can _ social impact. it is only the people who can afford - social impact. it is only the people who can afford it i social impact. it is only the i people who can afford it that take — people who can afford it that take this medication, and the patient — take this medication, and the patient who are really struggling with their weight and maybe cannot work and maybe have physical disabilities, many— have physical disabilities, many of them cannot afford this drug _ many of them cannot afford this dru~. , ., many of them cannot afford this dru~. , . ., ., ., drug. they have had a head start, drug. they have had a head start. but — drug. they have had a head start, but this _ drug. they have had a head start, but this is _ drug. they have had a head start, but this is only - drug. they have had a head start, but this is only the i start, but this is only the beginning. in the coming years, a wave of new weight loss drugs are expected to come on sale. a few more stories before we go... a usjudge has sided with florida governor ron desantis in his fight with disney. the media giant had accused the republican of organising a "campaign of government retaliation" when state officials voided a development deal involving disney's florida theme park. this came after disney criticised a state law that restricted the teaching of sexuality in schools. in dismissing disney's lawsuit, judge allen winsor said the actions the governor took were legal. adidas says it will not write—off its remaining inventory of yeezy shoes, despite the end of its partnership with kayne west.

the sportswear giant was previously unsure of what to do with the over 300—million dollars worth adidas said in a statement that it plans to sell the collector's item "at least" at cost. and that's it for this edition of asia business report. thanks for watching. voiceover: bbc news - bringing you different - stories from across the uk. it's a trip down memory lane. howden's vintage fair not only attracts the local community, but hundreds from across the country. but the growing health and safety regulations to comply with means volunteer organisers simply don't have the funds to go ahead with the event this year. the increased legislation we've got to meet, some of which we're aware of, some we weren't.

a lot of that comes with additional cost, which we would have to raise. and some of this, a lot of it has come to light following the issues at the recent christmas market, which the town council held and have obviously cancelled their event for this year. the town councillors say they took that decision to cancel the christmas market because traffic management, medical, electrical and anti—terrorism teams are needed, all of which costs money. in woodhall spa, the 1940s festival has also been cancelled this year. organisers say operating fees have become too high. meanwhile, back in howdon, the vintage fair will be back in 2025, but the community are gutted to miss out this year. voiceover: for more stories from across the uk, head - to the bbc news website. hey. i'm zof with the catch up! tonight — more on vapes, universal rows with tiktok, and an unexpected commuter.

you've probably heard this phrase a lot recently — dry january. one in five drinkers gave up alcohol for the month, and a charity that looks at drinking habits said it saved people around £118 on average! pubs have reported a drop in drinks sales, but the price ——one bbc reporter decided one month wasn't enough and has stopped drinking for a whole year! for me i am just curious. what happens in 12 months? am i experiencing big changes? has transformed my life or is it the same without alcohol? you can followjess's journey through her �*sober diaries' on the bbc news app or website. some other stories now... the person who made decisions in scotland during the pandemic says she sometimes wishes she hadn't been in charge. yes — nicola sturgeon told the covid inquiry she was overwhelmed at times. she also admitted deleting some whatsapp messages but said everything relevant was made available. next — a headteacher in wales says kids as young as seven are being caught with vapes in school and some are taking up to 15 toilet breaks a day to vape. last week the government said

they'll ban disposable vapes to protect kids' health. and universal music is set to pull millions of its songs from tiktok after a disagreement over payments. this move would mean lots of your favourite tracks from the likes of taylor swift, the weeknd and drake could no longer be on the app. universal accused tiktok of bullying and said it didn't pay as well as other social media sites. tiktok said universal was presenting a "false narrative". ——and time to leave you with ten seconds of an unexpected commuter on the train tracks at bishop's stortford station, delaying trains for as long as 15 minutes! ijust love how unbothered it is. just cleaning its feathers. you're all caught up now — see ya!

hello and welcome to sportsday — i'm olly foster. conor bradley is the toast of anfield as he helps liverpool restore their five point premier league lead the favourites are firing at the asian cup — japan are through to the quarterfinals. just over two years since her olympic dream was taken away, we meet faye rogers on the brink of her first paralympics in the pool

hello there, the pressure was on liverpool at anfield as they looked to regain that five point lead at the top of the table, and they came through with flying colours against chelsea with their inspiration coming from an unlikely source, 20—year—old northern irishman, conor bradley, deputising for trent alexander arnold, he scored his first goal for the club and also set assisted two others as they beat mauricio pochettino's chelsea 4—1. bradley set up diogojota before scoring their second of the night by half—time. darwin nunez also missed a penalty, he hit the woodwork four times during the game. bradley then crossed for liverpool's third, a dominik szoboszlai header and though nkunku pulled one back, luis diaz added a fourth for liverpool,

a comfortable night for liverpool and a memorable