after a wave of russian missile and drone attacks hits civilian infrastructure, leaving many without power. former football star oj simpson, who was acquitted of his ex—wife�*s murder in one of america's most high—profile trials, dies, at the age of 76. and we examine what voters in the battleground state of pennslyvania care about in the run—up to the 2024 us election. hello. i'm carl nasman. russia's bombardment of ukraine continues after more than 80 missiles and drones targeted critical infrastructure. five regions were hit thursday, leaving more than 200,000 people without power. almost a third of the strikes made it through ukraine's air defences. president volodmyr zelensky again called for more air defence supplies, urging the west not to turn a blind eye to russia's continuing attacks. russian president vladimir putin has hosted talks with the

belarusian leader, alexander lukashenko. putin said that the latest attacks on ukraine are part of an effort to demilitarise ukraine. 0ur eastern europe correspondent sarah rainsford, reports from kharkiv. here in kharkiv there was just another air raid. and those are happening almost every day now. we heard the sound of explosions and that's when metro stations like this one become a shelter for people. people head underground to hide from those missiles, because itjust takes a few seconds before they reach this city from russia, which is around about a0 kilometres away. now, we don't know what was targeted this time, but we do know over overnight here in ukraine, there was a massive attack by russia on the energy infrastructure right across the country, from west to here in the northeast. and here in kharkiv, $300 missiles were fired. they destroyed a power substation,

electricity substation, and they damaged yet another power plant here. and the city is struggling. you know, the metro is up and running, but there are long gaps between trains. people are facing blackouts in the electricity supply to their houses, shops, businesses. industrial production, of course, are all affected. the city is going on, though, you know, life is kind of normal. out and about on the streets between the air raids. it's a hugely sunny day here, lots of people around and about. but across ukraine, these attacks are becoming very serious. the energy infrastructure is under sustained and deliberate attack by russia. and just overnight in kiev, kiev region, an entire power plant was destroyed. i spoke to the boss there. he said 100% of their electricity generation has now been wiped out. they need parts, spare parts from western allies. but what they really need here in ukraine, he said, is air defence protection, because without that, he said, we can do the impossible, we can rebuild. but if we can't protect these energy power plants, these power plants, then russia will attack again and ukraine will be left without power.

sarah rainsford there. ukraine's parliament has approved an army mobilisation bill to boost troop numbers in the fight against russia. it toughens punishments for draft dodgers and is designed to boost recruitment. but the legislation also prompted some anger, in particular the removal of a clause that would allow long—serving troops on the frontline to return home. us secretary of state antony blinken has called on his counterparts in china and europe to help dissuade iran from launching a retaliatory strike against israel. mr blinken asked them to make it clear to tehran that an escalation of the conflict in gaza is in no one's interest. fears are growing that iran could launch reprisals for last week's attack on a diplomatic compound in syria that killed senior iranians. the un has condemned the strike, while syria calls it a "violation of international conventions." president biden says us support for israel is "ironclad".

us secretary of defense lloyd austin spoke with his israeli counterpart on thursday to reiterate their commitment. 0ur diplomatic correspondent james landale is injerusalem with this update. israel today is very much in a holding pattern. iran as promised to retaliate for the attack on the iranian consulate in damascus, the syrian capital, last week, with several generals, iranian generals, were killed in the attack. as a result of that, there are now serious concerns, particularly in the united states, that 0rion is serious what it says it will retaliate, and so the americans and the israelis are doing everything they can to try to deter that attack. so we have heard from the president saying look, if there is any attack, american support for israel is ironclad. there have been signals sent through allies in the gulf to tehran to say they must be

straight. we have also heard from the israeli prime minister today saying israel is still pursuing its war in gaza at full force, but is also prepared for conflict and challenges in other arenas widely interpreted to mean the threat from iran. mr netanyahu said very explicitly whoever harms us, we will harm them. that is the signalling, the messaging, to tehran. the question now is whether to run business of that, doesn't respond to it, doesn't change its calculus? —— whether iran listens to that, does it respond to it, does it change its calculus? now, to the unfolding humanitarian situation in gaza. on thursday, white house officials said that israel has made progress, but it's — quote —

"still not enough" and that famine is imminent. a day earlier, the top official at the us agency for international development told congress it is — quote — "credible" that famine is now already under way in northern gaza. israel says it's constructing a new direct land crossing into northern gaza, which will handle up to fifty aid trucks per day. idf spokesman daniel hagari said lessons were being implemented on how to better protect humanitarian agencies, following what he called the "tragic" killing of seven aid workers in an israeli strike. oj simpson, the american football star who was controversially acquitted of double murder, has died at the age of 76. using his account, the simpson family announced his passing on x, asking the public for "privacy and grace". in 1995, he was cleared of the murder of his ex—wife nicole brown and herfriend ron goldman, after a televised trial that became a global sensation. but he was later found liable for the deaths in a civil suit brought by the victims�* families. lets go live tojim newton, former editor at large of the los angeles times, who covered the 0.1. los angeles times, who covered the 0.j. simpson murder trial. great to have you here. i want to start with what has been called the trial of the

century. you were there and covered it. why was this trial such an important moment do you think in us history? fix, such an important moment do you think in us history?— think in us history? a good question — think in us history? a good question and _ think in us history? a good question and one _ think in us history? a good question and one i - think in us history? a good question and one i have - think in us history? a good - question and one i have thought about a lot in the last several decades. my best answer to that, i think, decades. my best answer to that, ithink, is decades. my best answer to that, i think, is that it combines so many elements that are so susceptible to analysis. we talked about race, class, celebrity and money. there was briefly debate over the death penalty in the case. 0bviously penalty in the case. obviously there were allegations of domestic violence, incidence of domestic violence, incidence of domestic violence. the swelling together of all of those important themes just somehow elevated to a point that it is really become something that people have talked about for decades. ., . ~' people have talked about for decades. ., ., ~ ., decades. you talked about race there. decades. you talked about race there- how _ decades. you talked about race there. how is _ decades. you talked about race there. how is that _ decades. you talked about race | there. how is that encapsulated in this trial? we even saw the reaction, didn't we, when 0.j. simpson was found not guilty of those two murders. the reaction

was different based on which community you were in in the united states.— community you were in in the united states. absolutely. what are the most — united states. absolutely. what are the most striking _ united states. absolutely. what are the most striking and - are the most striking and saddest outcomes of the case was the divergent reactions between white and black viewers of the trial. it is a bit poignant and ironic that simpson would be the object of that in the sense that he saw himself, i think, that in the sense that he saw himself, ithink, is that in the sense that he saw himself, i think, is a figure who had lifted off from race. the trial in a sense i think brought race to the fore in a way his own life did not. so there is an odd twist to that in that aspect of his life and of the trial itself.— of the trial itself. tell us more about _ of the trial itself. tell us more about 0.1. - of the trial itself. tell us l more about oj. simpson, of the trial itself. tell us - more about oj. simpson, the more about 0.j. simpson, the man, he was a football star, he was an actor and a sportscaster and in many ways a trailblazer. he was one of the first african—american men you might have seen on television as a spokesperson or a pitch man for an american company.—

spokesperson or a pitch man for an american company. yes, hence the notion — an american company. yes, hence the notion of— an american company. yes, hence the notion of transcending - the notion of transcending race, in some ways. listen, he was an utterly gifted athlete. i'm enough of a football fan to be able to appreciate the grace, thejust — be able to appreciate the grace, the just — the way he glided across the field. so thatis glided across the field. so that is where he established his fame. his second career, as a commentator, as a pitch man, as an actor, i think it is safe to say that he was less excellent at those things, but he projected a kind of affability. he seemed from the outside to be likeable and approachable. and i think for the most part people, at arms length, anyway, like two or thought they liked him. jim. thought they liked him. jim, ou are thought they liked him. jim, you are a — thought they liked him. jim, you are a long-time - thought they liked him. jim, you are a long—time journalist of the los angeles times and a communications professor at ucla. how did this trial which turned into a media circus change the way that we cover things like crime and courts

and trials, not only in the us, but around the world? i and trials, not only in the us, but around the world?- but around the world? i hope that the way _ but around the world? i hope that the way it _ but around the world? i hope that the way it changed - but around the world? i hope that the way it changed it, i but around the world? i hope l that the way it changed it, and i'm not sure it would be to remind those involved in covering events like this that at the core of it was something deeply serious and tragic. you mentioned the circus atmosphere and that is true, there was almost a kind of festive atmosphere around the courthouse itself around the trial. but this was also the deaths of two people stop this wasn't a curiosity orjust a cultural window into los angeles. it was a brutal, violent knife homicide, knifing homicide, in brentwood, which was unheard of, still unheard of. so it was all those things. it was a story about culture and race and state of race relations in america. it was also a murder and relations in america. it was also a murderand i relations in america. it was also a murder and i hope that those who cover cases like this

don't lose sight of that.- don't lose sight of that. when it comes to — don't lose sight of that. when it comes to the _ don't lose sight of that. when it comes to the two _ don't lose sight of that. when it comes to the two victims i don't lose sight of that. when it comes to the two victims in | it comes to the two victims in that case, nicole brown and ron goldman, did they and their families everfind goldman, did they and their families ever find justice, goldman, did they and their families everfind justice, do families ever find justice, do you families everfind justice, do you think? families ever find “ustice, do you which you think? good question. i don't know. _ you think? good question. i don't know. i _ you think? good question. i don't know. i haven't - you think? good question. i don't know. i haven't been. you think? good question. i l don't know. i haven't been in touch with them in recent years. our touch with them in recent years. 0urseat touch with them in recent years. our seat in the courtroom was a few over from the goldmans, so i was physically proximate to them during the trial, one of the most endurable members use for me is the day the vertex was —— verdicts were announced. they did get some vindication, i guess, at the civil trial, he was found legally liable and responsible for the deaths of ron goldman and nicole brown simpson. whether that brought them any measure of peace, i don't know. them any measure of peace, i don't know— them any measure of peace, i don't know. interesting to look back on those _ don't know. interesting to look back on those events - don't know. interesting to look back on those events from - don't know. interesting to look| back on those events from 1994 and 1995. jim newton, former editor at large of the los

angeles times, who covered that trial. thank you so much. his trial. thank you so much. no problem. _ trial. thank you so much. iiif? problem, thank you for having me. oj simpson was a divisive figure, but by the end of the last century, he was recognisable worldwide. 0ur north america correspondent john sudworth has been looking at the cultural impact of oj simpson in the us. oj simpson once personified the american dream — a black sporting star from the humblest of routes at the pinnacle of wealth and celebrity. but as that car chase came to an end, his arrest and trial held up a mirror to a different reality. i see no weapons drawn by the lapd. a country in which racial divisions and deep—rooted police discrimination were never far from the surface. the crowd is cheering. there he is. it took place in the shadow of the rodney king case, the acquittal of four white los angeles police officers for the beating of a black man. questions of racism in that same police force became a highly effective part of oj simpson's defence.

almost three decades later, reacting to news of his death, one of his lawyers are still questions the fairness of his eventual sentencing for robbery. the sentence that he received in that case was a payback for the acquittal that we obtained in los angeles. popular dramas have kept the story alive for a whole new generation of viewers, highlighting not only the issue of race, but of domestic violence, too. the star continued to receive lucrative media contracts despite the allegations and a conviction for the assault of his wife in the years before her murder. but perhaps the biggest legacy of the simpson trial is on the justice system itself, ushering in the era of the television trial. because it was televised, it became a national obsession. everybody watched it. i mean, i meta guy in hawaii who told me he changed his whole work schedule

so he could get up in the middle of the night hawaii time to watch the show. the boundary between entertainment and the law was blurring, and it could be exploited by those with access to the highest paid lawyers, sometimes regardless of the evidence. john sudworth, bbc news, new york. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at some uk stories making news. more than £34,000 of uk taxpayer money has been used to cover the cost of legal fees for the science secretary michelle donelan after she falsely accused an academic of extremism. the government defended using public money to pay the bill, claiming her comments had been made "in the course of her ministerial duties" but labour has called for her to pay the money back. a former uk sub—postmistress who was wrongly jailed while she was pregnant has rejected an apology by a former post office boss who congratulated the team behind her conviction. david smith apologised to seema misra at the inquiry into the post office scandal.

she was eight weeks pregnant and sentenced to 15 months in prison. baldur�*s gate iii has won big at this year's bafta games awards in london. the game, by larian studios, picked up five awards, including best game, best narrative, and players' choice. alan wake 2 and viewfinder won two awards each. 40 games were nominated across 17 categories, reflecting a gaming industry worth nearly £5 billion in the uk. you're live with bbc news. turning now to the race for the white house. vice president kamala harris and former president donald trump will be in pennsylvania in the coming days, trying to shore up support in the battleground state. presidentjoe biden won pennsylvania in 2020, while his likely opponent, mr trump, won there in 2016. polls this year have the candidates neck and neck. 0ur chief presenter caitriona perry has been traveling to some of the most critical battleground states in the country, and she is in

pennsylvania for us with more. thank you. we have been travelling through battleground states, taking the temperature of voters this removed from the election, what is important for them, what they feel about the candidates. we are in erie, pennsylvania, estate that is key to both candidates who would like to win the white house come november. they both care about the state, but we have been asking voters what care about. erie, pennsylvania, formerly a rustbelt hotspot as jobs left, so did the people. the population has declined by 40,000 since the 19705. the cost of living a problem as food prices have risen by almost 25% in four years. rising fa5ter almost 25% in four years. rising faster in pennsylvania than in any other state this

year. airy i5 than in any other state this year. airy is a swing county in this swing state. as presidents battle to win it, some local people battle to survive. == people battle to survive. -- erie. people battle to survive. -- erie- we — people battle to survive. -- erie. we had _ people battle to survive. » erie. we had hard times with president trump and we are still struggling with president biden as well.— biden as well. charities step in to help — biden as well. charities step in to help those _ biden as well. charities step in to help those struggling. | in to help those struggling. quite the ideal.— in to help those struggling. quite the ideal. megan is 31 and has eight _ quite the ideal. megan is 31 and has eight children. - quite the ideal. megan is 31 and has eight children. she| and has eight children. she comes to this food pantry several times a week and couldn't survive without it. —— ordeal. it couldn't survive without it. -- ordeal. , ., ., , ., ordeal. it is a godsend and we are blessed _ ordeal. it is a godsend and we are blessed to _ ordeal. it is a godsend and we are blessed to have _ ordeal. it is a godsend and we are blessed to have home - ordeal. it is a godsend and we i are blessed to have home house here. i get food stamps and medical, i don't get cash. so i just survive on that, work when you can, and it is hard to work a lot because of all the children and it is a struggle to stay afloat, but god has been buzzing us, we have been doing it.

been buzzing us, we have been doin: it. ,, , �* ., ., doing it. she isn't alone. the man has _ doing it. she isn't alone. the man has risen _ doing it. she isn't alone. the man has risen dramatically i doing it. she isn't alone. the | man has risen dramatically for the services of this home house of erie. , ,, .,, of erie. oh my goodness, it has increased _ of erie. oh my goodness, it has increased tremendously. - increased tremendously. particularly this year. and seen unemployment drop. however, there has been an increase when it comes to the food that is in the supermarkets and whatnot, the prices have gone up. it does matter. it does matter. who is in the white house. if you asked me to be personal, it will swing to the republicans. much of the food comes from the second harvest foodbank, serving 9.5 million meals each yearin serving 9.5 million meals each year in this area. latest government figures show one in eight people in erie don't have enough to eat. for children, thatis enough to eat. for children, that is one in six. a quarter of the people housed by this service our children. we have seen about —

service our children. we have seen about a _ service our children. we have seen about a 33% _ service our children. we have seen about a 33% increase i service our children. we have seen about a 33% increase in| seen about a 33% increase in neighbours in need, looking for assistance. in the last four years. the current time period we are in is the highest number we are in is the highest number we have seen needing assistance from our foodbank. during covid—19, people had food stamps and extra benefits that made it easier for them to stretch a dollar. those sorts of things have been removed and people have been really feeling the increase of inflation, the cost of gas, the cost of rent. erie is considered a bellwether county because of its mix of rural and urban, industry and agriculture, declining populations and immigrants embracing the community. joe biden one here byjust1% in 2020, donald trump by 1.5% in 2016. both parties agree will be close this year. joe shambala is the mayor. typically they say that

pennsylvania goes whichever way erie goes. i hope that we support president biden and get him in for another term. we were just — him in foranotherterm. we were just talking about... him in for another term. we i were just talking about... the trump operation _ were just talking about... tye: trump operation here is small. joe biden has been several campaign offices. the chair of the republican party says a recent law extending male —— mail in balance could boost that. , ., , mail in balance could boost that. , �* mail in balance could boost that. , ., , �* ., that. the democrats, i'm not sa in: that. the democrats, i'm not saying they _ that. the democrats, i'm not saying they are _ that. the democrats, i'm not saying they are bad - that. the democrats, i'm not saying they are bad people, | saying they are bad people, accepted it. most of our effort is to get republicans to realise that it is better to vote than not. and if it means you have to use the male invalid, use it.— invalid, use it. with such narrow— invalid, use it. with such narrow margins, - invalid, use it. with such narrow margins, every i invalid, use it. with such i narrow margins, every vote will count, as well every appearance. —— mail—in ballot. donald trump has already

visited twice, joe biden four times, and the key, keystone state in the rest of the white house. to discuss more about the state of play in erie and pennsylvania i am joined by the chair of the political science department at mercy host university. thank you forjoining us, joe. we heard the mayor of erie is a whichever way erie goes, pennsylvania goes.- whichever way erie goes, pennsylvania goes. they have voted for _ pennsylvania goes. they have voted for the _ pennsylvania goes. they have voted for the winner - pennsylvania goes. they have voted for the winner in - pennsylvania goes. they have voted for the winner in 20 i voted for the winner in 20 through the last 25 state elections. i don't know there is another county without record. we are in many ways exactly what you will find in communities across the great lakes, notjust in pennsylvania but across the great lakes. we are a community in the midst of this very long and at times painful transition away from an industrial manufacturing economy to a more diversified economy. i think in many ways

we are a bellwether notjust for pennsylvania but for the entire region. shill for pennsylvania but for the entire region.— for pennsylvania but for the entire region. all of the poles that we have _ entire region. all of the poles that we have seen _ entire region. all of the poles that we have seen across i that we have seen across pennsylvania so far and we haven't had one specifically from erie, but they have biden ahead in one, trump and another, and there are just a couple of percentage points between them. iousiiiiii couple of percentage points between them.— couple of percentage points between them. will it be that those? i think— between them. will it be that those? | think it _ between them. will it be that those? i think it well. - between them. will it be that those? | think it well. it - those? i think it well. it seems to be shaping up more like 2016 and 2020. we see that and howjoe biden and donald trump are executing their campaigns. we said in how voters are responding to poles. we have an incumbent president thatis we have an incumbent president that is very unpopular, even among democrats. people seem to feel only slightly more warm, maybe not even, with regard to donald trump. —— polls. we have two candidates that people don't like. ifeel this two candidates that people don't like. i feel this will come down to a close race. you said it feels _ come down to a close race. you said it feels like _ come down to a close race. you said it feels like 2016. - come down to a close race. you said it feels like 2016. in 2020 it was the covid—19 campaign and everything was done via zoom, more or less.

how will things be different in 2024? i how will things be different in 2024? 4' how will things be different in 2024? ~ ., , 2024? i think donald trump needs to — 2024? i think donald trump needs to execute _ 2024? i think donald trump needs to execute the i 2024? i think donald trump needs to execute the plan i 2024? i think donald trumpl needs to execute the plan he had in 2016 and that was not doing what most candidates do, travelling to philadelphia and pittsburgh, making a campaign stop in speech, saying hello, he had all the small communities, the ones on the far suburbs, communities, the ones on the farsuburbs, outside communities, the ones on the far suburbs, outside suburbs of philadelphia and pittsburgh. but also hitting places like harrisburg and erie. 0ne but also hitting places like harrisburg and erie. one thing we haven't forgotten here in erie is in 2016, hillary clinton didn't make a stop here, she flew over on her way to detroit but didn't stop in erie county. i think i would be a mistake tojoe biden and donald trump in this election. voters are expecting them to come right here to erie. pond voters are expecting them to come right here to erie. and i have every — come right here to erie. and i have every expectation i come right here to erie. and i have every expectation that i have every expectation that both well. have every expectation that both well-— have every expectation that both well. ~ ., both well. when we look at the issues, economic _ both well. when we look at the issues, economic issues, i both well. when we look at the issues, economic issues, the i issues, economic issues, the cost—of—living crisis, the affordability crisis, these are

issues across the state, across the country. what else matters? in many ways, the people of erie are no different to people of the united states. when they walk into the voting booth they are just doing a walk into the voting booth they arejust doing a simple arithmetic in their mind, it is arithmetic in their mind, it is a more complex calculus. talking to voters in erie county, yes immigration and the economy and abortion are important, but there are a host of other issues such as climate change, poverty, a whole host of them. i think what it will come down to four erie voters is which candidate can promise and actually execute their plans, and effective plan for dealing with these big issues but also recognising the other issues that voters are equally concerned about. —— for erie voters. concerned about. -- for erie voters. ~ ., , ., ,, voters. when will voters make u n voters. when will voters make u- their voters. when will voters make up their minds? _ voters. when will voters make up their minds? i _ voters. when will voters make up their minds? i think - voters. when will voters make up their minds? i think at i voters. when will voters make up their minds? i think at the | up their minds? i think at the end of the — up their minds? i think at the end of the day, _ up their minds? i think at the end of the day, we _ up their minds? i think at the end of the day, we will- up their minds? i think at the end of the day, we will have l end of the day, we will have voters making up their mind at the end, because neither

candidate is a barack 0bama, for example. candidate is a barack 0bama, for example-— for example. thank you for “oinino for example. thank you for joining us _ for example. thank you for joining us on _ for example. thank you for joining us on bbc- for example. thank you for joining us on bbc news. i for example. thank you for i joining us on bbc news. from here in erie, pennsylvania, back to you, carl. key cities and counties they could decide the 2024 election. caitriona perry, thank you very much. and finally, the excavation of a previously undiscovered part of pompeii has revealed a sumptuous villa with floor to ceiling frescoes and stunning mosaic floors beneath the volcanic debris. archeologists believe a rich, influential man who may have run for public office lived there. they say the frescos found are some of the finest ever discovered in the ruins of the ancient city in southern italy. they depict stories from mythology. discoveries like this are still being made because one third of pompeii remains covered in volcanic debris. iam carl i am carl nasman in washington. stay with us, plenty more coming up on bbc news. hello there. we still had the same south—westerly breeze

on thursday, but more sunshine led to a warmer day. the highest temperature in the sunshine was measured in norfolk, with temperatures reaching 20 degrees in northern ireland whilst it did cloud over later on and we got some rain as well. temperatures here reached 18 celsius, the warmest it's been in northern ireland so far this year. now, this is the temperature anomaly map. the red colour�*s showing that it's warmer than average across the whole of the uk. we'll get similar temperatures again on friday, but then, over the weekend, it gets cooler from the northwest. that cooler weather arrives in the southeast by sunday. now, heading into early friday, we've got some sunshine to begin with in scotland. we've got these showery bursts of rain coming back into northern ireland, into cumbria and showers pushing into scotland. for england and wales, though, the cloud should be breaking up. we'll get more sunshine more widely, although some western coasts could stay a bit grey and cloudy. but in the sunshine, it's going to feel warm. temperatures in the southeast and east anglia reaching 20 or 21 degrees and again, in the northeast of scotland, 18 degrees where we're missing those showers. but the weather starts to change into the weekend because we've got a few weather fronts coming down from the northwest, bringing more cloud, some rain and some cooler air, too.

first weather front here is bringing this cloud and patchy rain across northern england and wales, pushing into the midlands and southwest england later. and then, following on behind, a lot of showers for scotland and northern ireland, some of them heavy and thundery with some hail. the last of the warmth and some sunshine still across east anglia in the southeast — temperatures 20 degrees here. but elsewhere, those temperatures are going to be several degrees lower on saturday. now, we're replacing that warmer south—westerly wind with something much cooler — a westerly wind which will bring in more showers on sunday — and we'll see showers, particularly in scotland and northern ireland. and just for a while, there could be a bit of winter illness over the mountain tops. there'll be a few showers coming in over the irish sea to northwest england and north wales, but further south and east, it may well be dry, but it's certainly going to be cooler. we've got temperatures back down to 15 degrees, which is near normal for this time of the year, but struggling to 10 or 11 across much of scotland

and northern ireland. and here we're going to find a lot of showers overnight and into monday. low pressure moving down across the uk. that's going to bring a stronger northwesterly wind and make it feel chilly on monday. but after that, the weather should improve just a little with fewer showers and it won't be quite as windy.

a decade of weak growth — the international monetary fund sounds the alarm, as central banks consider when to start cutting rates. plus, vietnam's corruption crackdown — why a property tycoon has been sentenced to death. hello and welcome to asia business report. i'm steve lai. our top story today: the head of the international monetary fund has warned the global economy is set for a "sluggish and disappointing" decade, as many countries remainchallenged as many countries remain challenged by inflation and debt. but kristalina georgieva also said central banks should resist the pressure to cut rates too early. the bbc�*s north america business correspondent, michelle fleury has more. with interest rates in many richer countries now at their highest levels in years, the head of the imf, kristalina georgieva, urged caution when it comes to cutting interest rates. where necessary, policymakers

must resist calls for premature