some rain at times and feeling cooler, as well.

welcome to bbc news. figures reveal

that the uk has emerged from recession. the prime minister rishi sunak says he is positive. i’m sunak says he is positive. i'm confident _ sunak says he is positive. i'm confident that _ sunak says he is positive. in confident that today's figures show we have momentum, the economy has momentum. it is hard to argue with that when the figures show we have the joint highest growth rate that when the figures show we have thejoint highest growth rate in that when the figures show we have the joint highest growth rate in the g7. that is positive. fierce fighting in ukraine's kharkiv region, as russia launches a surprise attack. x prisoner, lee byer, who killed an elderly mobility scooter rider, is sentenced to an indefinite hospital order. �* ., ., order. and the entrant for the netherlands _ order. and the entrant for the netherlands in _ order. and the entrant for the netherlands in the _ order. and the entrant for the netherlands in the eurovision| order. and the entrant for the - netherlands in the eurovision song contest is stopped from performing. we will be in malmo contest is stopped from performing. we will be in malmo for contest is stopped from performing. we will be in malmo for the contest is stopped from performing. we will be in malmo for the latest. there was once a belief that whatever problems the global economy

was suffering, you could always rely on china to give it a bit. but asia's powerhouse has not bounced back from the pandemic. but china's tourism market has improved in a dramatic fashion. some 295 million trips were made there during the five—day made a break. up 28% compared to 2019 before the pandemic. however, beijing remains part of the international travellers have not returned to china in the same numbers and the government is now taking measures to attract foreigners once again. china's ancient towns and villages have for centuries been attracting visitors, from emperors with their trailing cohorts to adventurous travellers from overseas. now the country's policymakers are banking on this

kicking in once again. in this picturesque river town, it certainly looks like the tourists are back. and for a chinese economy that has not rebounded from the coronavirus pandemic as expected, it is a welcome sight. i asked this man if that has been an increase in international tourist. he says that not only an increase, but back to pre—pandemic levels. 0ther shopkeepers echoed the sentiment. translation: business is getting well and it will only get better. tourists here like to dress up in traditional clothing. they tell as their friends and family are all travelling postcode very. translation:— travelling postcode very. translation: , ., , ~ translation: yes, of course. after the pandemic— translation: yes, of course. after the pandemic we _ translation: yes, of course. after the pandemic we are _ translation: yes, of course. after the pandemic we are all _ translation: yes, of course. after the pandemic we are all visiting - the pandemic we are all visiting other places. the pandemic we are all visiting other places-— the pandemic we are all visiting other places. what you do notice these days _ other places. what you do notice these days is _ other places. what you do notice these days is that _ other places. what you do notice these days is that china's - other places. what you do notice | these days is that china's historic sites are plenty of travellers, but not many foreign faces. we have been hit all day and hardly seen anyone.

in years gone by, they would have been a lot of international travellers to a place like this, but not any more. a russian student based in china says she really loves it, but it is becoming more closed and its attitudes towards foreigners. mr; and its attitudes towards foreigners— and its attitudes towards foreigners. and its attitudes towards foreiuners. g , ., ., foreigners. my friends and all the stuff, they actually _ foreigners. my friends and all the stuff, they actually live _ foreigners. my friends and all the stuff, they actually live in - foreigners. my friends and all the stuff, they actually live in china. | stuff, they actually live in china. some things are really inconvenient, because chinese are not so open to you. because chinese are not so open to ou. ., ., , , ., , you. some foreign tourists a chinese electronic payment _ you. some foreign tourists a chinese electronic payment apps _ you. some foreign tourists a chinese electronic payment apps and - you. some foreign tourists a chinese electronic payment apps and the - you. some foreign tourists a chinese electronic payment apps and the like can be challenging, but not insurmountable. ., , insurmountable. foreigners might want to travel _ insurmountable. foreigners might want to travel to _ insurmountable. foreigners might want to travel to china _ insurmountable. foreigners might want to travel to china but - insurmountable. foreigners might want to travel to china but they i want to travel to china but they think_ want to travel to china but they think it — want to travel to china but they think it is — want to travel to china but they think it is a _ want to travel to china but they think it is a hassle because they don't _ think it is a hassle because they don't want — think it is a hassle because they don't want to do all these tickets and stuft— don't want to do all these tickets and stuff what would you say to that? _ and stuff what would you say to that? i— and stuff what would you say to that? i recommend to find a chinese friend. _ that? i recommend to find a chinese friend. like— that? i recommend to find a chinese friend, like we did. it that? i recommend to find a chinese friend, like we did.— friend, like we did. it makes it easier to _ friend, like we did. it makes it easier to have _ friend, like we did. it makes it easier to have a _ friend, like we did. it makes it easier to have a chinese - friend, like we did. it makes it i easier to have a chinese friend? much easier. china is offering these fees travel to more countries and attempt to attract visitors. but

local politics has also turns its reputation as a place to see. yet tourism companies believe because they're such incredible sights year, foreign travellers still return. a man has been detained in hospital indefinitely for stabbing to death and 87—year—old grandfatherjust and 87—year—old grandfather just days and 87—year—old grandfatherjust days after being released from prison. lee byer attacked and killed thomas o'halloran, who was riding a mobility scooter in august 2022. let's go to our home affairs correspondent at the old bailey. tell us more about the background to this case. this tell us more about the background to this case. , ., , ., tell us more about the background to this case. , .,, ., ., ' ., ., ., . ,, this case. this was an offal attack on a gentleman _ this case. this was an offal attack on a gentleman who _ this case. this was an offal attack on a gentleman who was - this case. this was an offal attack on a gentleman who was out - this case. this was an offal attack. on a gentleman who was out busking with his accordion, collecting money for charity. the grandfather on his way home for dinner when he came across lee byer in an underpass in

west london. lee byer had been sort of walking around the street with a bread knife for some time before this happened. when he came across thomas o'halloran on his mobility scooter in that bypass, he attacked him with the knife, stabbed him fatally. thomas o'halloran managed to get a little further on before losing consciousness and he died at the scene. the police arrested lee byer very quickly. he attempted to cover up what he had done, but he didn't do it very well. the police were able to tracking using cctv primarily. when the case came to court it turned out lee byer had been demonstrating pretty strong signs he had been suffering from a mental health condition. for example, he wrote to the court that he had believed that he was in a hunger games scenario where he had to defend himself and kill other people. doctors who were brought in to assess him said he was suffering

from a form of paranoid schizophrenia, which was directing him through voices in his head to be violent. thejudge him through voices in his head to be violent. the judge accepted a reduced plea of manslaughter, rather than the murders he was originally charged with. the day he has been sent to the high security special hospital, broadmoor, whether it is expected he will potentially spend entire life he has left being treated for his condition. the family of thomas o'halloran were in court today. in an impact statement they described him as a much loved man, gentle and loving, the head of an extended family. they also said that they were devastated and this had been a horrendous act of cowardice by the defendant. just tell us a little _ cowardice by the defendant. just tell us a little more about the fact that this was only days after being released from prison. that that this was only days after being released from prison.— released from prison. that is a crucial piece _ released from prison. that is a crucial piece of _ released from prison. that is a crucial piece of information. i released from prison. that is a l crucial piece of information. the judge went into this in a little bit

of detail. he said back in 2020, lee byer had been diagnosed as suffering from a form of paranoid schizophrenia, he had been given medication, he had been moved between prisons. he ended up back in wormwood scrubs, a prison in the news this week because concerns have been raised about the way it is being managed. he was released in august 2022, less than a week before this attack happened. when he was released, there were no notes about his mental health and he was not receiving any medication. i think thatis receiving any medication. i think that is contrary to some questions being asked about, again, somebody with a mental health condition being properly treated by the combined system of the health service potentially and prison staff. but the judge said very clearly that he had to be in a hospital, rather than a prison, simply to protect the people who work in prisons. thank ou, people who work in prisons. thank you. tom. — people who work in prisons. thank you. tom. from — people who work in prisons. thank you, tom, from the _ people who work in prisons. thank you, tom, from the old _

people who work in prisons. thank you, tom, from the old bailey. i people who work in prisons. thankl you, tom, from the old bailey. the labour leader, keir starmer, has beenin labour leader, keir starmer, has been in kent today setting out his plans to tackle is people smugglers and the migrants arriving on small boats. he said he wants to make britain's shaw's hostile territory by setting up a new border security command using some of the £75 million the amount for the government's land policy. it's a calm, warm day in the channel and already the crossings have started. the people you can see walking up the gangway there, migrants picked up by a border force ship. just as the labour leader wasn't far away, preparing to set out his plans to stop the crossings, with dover's mp, until wednesday, a tory, now here to support her new leader. under rishi sunak the conservatives have become a byword for incompetence and division. they have abandoned the centre ground and failed to deliver for the british people. when he took to the stage, sir keir promised action,

notjust tough talk, although there was that too. this problem must be tackled, these gangs must be stopped. our asylum system must be rebuilt, our borders must be secured. sir keir said he plans to use an approach he'd found successful in fighting another threat. these vile people smugglers are no better than terrorists. they are a threat to our national security and a threat to life and it's time we treated them as such. that means new powers, powers that will allow us to shut off internet access, close their bank accounts, trace their movements using information provided by the intelligence services. under labour the scheme to send asylum seekers to rwanda would be scrapped. £75 million would be diverted away from it to set up a new border security command. the unit would oversee hundreds of new dedicated intelligence agents,

investigators and police officers. the government already has a team that coordinates work on small boat crossings and the home secretary claimed labour was merely rebranding it. the conservatives have also criticised labour's confirmation that it would process, the claims of the tens of thousands of asylum seekers who have already arrived. sir keir said he wanted to drastically reduce the number of crossings but wouldn't put a figure on what would keir starmer�*s plan is to offer amnesty to illegal migrants. as far as i can tell, all the things you're talking about today are things we are already doing, crunching through the backlog, having more law enforcement officers doing more. that has already happened, we announced that more than a year ago. sir keir said he wanted to drastically reduce the number of crossings but wouldn't put a figure on what would mean he succeeded. he has though now given a clearer view on how he intends to do it. helen catt, bbc news. around the world and across the uk, you watching bbc news.

as we promise you in the headlines, let's get more on eurovision, because the netherlands's entrant for the eurovision song contest has reportedly been stopped from rehearsing by organisers. the european broadcasting union said it was investigating an incident involving the dutch artist. he will not be performed untilfurther notice. on thursday, joost klein had told the israeli entrant she should answer the question whether her appearance was compromising the safety of other participants. let's head back to malmo. slowly, it seems to be emerging what the difficulty is here. tell us more about what you are picking up where you are. hello from malmo- _ are picking up where you are. hello from malmo. if _ are picking up where you are. hello from malmo. if you _ are picking up where you are. hello from malmo. if you didn't - are picking up where you are. hello from malmo. if you didn't think there was enough controversy surrounding the eurovision song contest here in a mall move, think again. there was a lot of confusion

earlier on today.