years for violating a state secrecy law. wa lone and kyaw see 00 said they were framed by the military for reporting on the massacre of rohingya people. two malaysian women convicted of attempting to have sex have been caned in a religious court. it's prompted outrage from gay rights activists. and this story is trending on bbc.com. the government of gujarat state in india is close to completing what will be the world's tallest statue. it's planned to be a 182—metre high tribute to independence hero sardar vallabhbhai patel. the figure has cost $430 million and will be inaugurated on the 31st of october. you're up to date. stay with us, more to come. and the top story in the uk: big technology companies have been warned that they face the prospect of new legislation if they don't do more to prevent child abuse online. home secretary sajid javid said some were refusing to take

the issue seriously enough. now on bbc news, live to singapore for asia business report. china pledges 60 billion us dollars in new investments in africa, even as beijing is accused of being saddled in debt in overseas projects. and making will cool again. we'll ask new zealand's minister for agriculture about plans to revive an industry in crisis —— wool. good morning, asia. hello, world. it is tuesday, guide you could join us for another exciting edition of asia business report cash glad you. i'm rico hizon. we start with china/

africa business nations and leaders from more than 50 african nations are in beijing to talk trade with their chinese counterparts —— business relations. the government on the mainland isn't underselling it. the foreign minister has called it. the foreign minister has called it the biggest summit of that's quite a it the biggest summit of that's quitea claim, it the biggest summit of that's quite a claim, but when you consider the extent of trade between the two sides, you can see the importance. let's look at the numbers, trade came to 170 billion us dollars last year, with africa selling commodities and buying chinese goods. that's up on the previous year. but most african countries run large trade deficits with beijing, meaning they buy more from the chinese than they buy more from the chinese than they sell. and there are concerns about the $130 billion african countries have borrowed from china since the year 2000, with fears that some could actually default on these loa ns. some could actually default on these loans. beijing says it's a

responsible investor and has just announced a new $60 billion package of development financing for the continent. the forum on china—africa cooperation provides a high profile chance for president xi jingping to defend his signature initiative, the belt and road. while some have called it a new version of colonialism. the package said china doesn't invest in vanity projects. moving on to south africa, where the argentinian pair so took another dip despite the government's promised to accelerate the austerity programme. argentina's president said he is slashing the government bureaucracy in halfand slashing the government bureaucracy in half and restoring taxes on grain exporters. i admitted in half and restoring taxes on grain exporters. iadmitted in in half and restoring taxes on grain exporters. i admitted in a speech to the nation yesterday that argentina was facing an emergency after the pairso was facing an emergency after the pair so lost half its dollar value this year. in the meantime, the country is lobbying for a fast track

imfloan of country is lobbying for a fast track imf loan of $50 billion. latin american political analyst says argentina is going through a boom and bust cycle. the last government is just, of course, the last experience of price controls, currency controls, export controls, currency controls, export controls, so this is what gets us here. no one wants an austerity plan but it's what the country needs and what investors are looking for to see that these measures will be sustained over time. now turning our attention towards australia, the country with the most expensive electricity prices in the world. the new conservative prime minister, scott morrison, has said the culprit for the high energy costs isn't emissions targets but the problem may lie with the power companies. he says he's open to a royal commission to look at potential misconduct by companies, much like the one into banks last year. but resource analyst david lennon said he doesn't believe

that's the right course of action. we would rather see a royal commission being held on how to go forward in terms of what energy policy australia should adopt. that would take out the political eyes asian of the energy sector that we're seeing at the moment. this decision should have been made probably 15 years ago, not right on top of when we're seeing our power stations coming to the end of their life stoppila sunzu royal commission, yes, but not on the misconduct of what was a normal business decision by the utilities, but on the policies going forward —— of their life. let's have a royal commission, yes... why our power prices so high? we have power stations coming to the end of their life. they have to be replaced. it's going to cost billions of dollars to do those. that capital has to be returned and it's just being worked out now by the players in that market that they've got to collect that money and power prices are

going up. david lennox on australia's energy scene. in new scene. in new zealand, meat and wool form the largest private—sector employer in the country and according to research company westpac, in 2016 both accounted for $8 billion in exports, that's around 4% of gdp. but two years on, the wool industry is in crisis, hit by falling demand and lower sales. 0ne business group tried to raise new awareness for wool by making it cool again by holding an annual fashion event, but it's a tough time for farmers as exports are expected to fall to its lowest volume in nearly 100 years since the first world war. new zealand's ministerfor since the first world war. new zealand's minister for the raid since the first world war. new zealand's ministerfor the raid and export growth david 0'connor zealand's ministerfor the raid and export growth david o'connor said pa rt export growth david o'connor said part of the problem is they've done a poorjob of promoting wool in the country —— for trade. it's a natural product at a time when people are trying to wean themselves off petrochemical based

products, we will... it's been an old—fashioned product, many see that, but with new technologies there are new opportunities to utilise wool across the spectrum. 0ne utilise wool across the spectrum. one of your biggest markets in asia is china, exports there year to date are down 47%. are you also losing to cheaper alternatives and cheaper manufacturers? we are. there's been too much focus on china. we haven't maintained our contact with other global markets. as people have moved away from wool, we've focused more on china as the main purchaser of the raw material. that's not been smart strategy, we need to get out and sell the story and build demand for the raw material and quality products wool cambridges around other parts of the world. what kind of support, minister, is needed to make wool fashionable again? -- can produce.

we've had a focus with sheep farming on meat and the production has gone off quality wool, we can get that back if we bring better co—ordination and structure to the wool sector. many layers in the industry have been clipping the ticket, but the gap between the farmer producing and the person buying the final product is a big gap, and we've got to close that and see what people are seeking. new technology will make some of the course wool more softer with many opportunities. are absolutely. has the drought in australia brought in more business for sheep farmers in new zealand? -- absolutely. there's been a temporary blip in the price for wool but new zealand and australia have to co—operate to build demand for the wrong that a real. the absence of wool from australia doesn't help us in the long—term. we've got to build the volume and the demand from both countries —— in the volume. david 0'connorfrom countries —— in the volume. david 0'connor from wellington. this week we're looking at the

biggest start—ups springing up in latin america, and today we are going to introduce you to palace gomez, one of brazil's top tech entrepreneurs. in 2011 he took to the streets to convince taxi drivers to use his app long before uber. a few years later, he sold easy taxi for millions of dollars and he's founded a new company with even more ambitious plans for the future. my colleague daniel gallas spoke to him in sao paulo. if you look at the bureau sector, the biggest end intervention we can see is serving champagne. nothing co m pa res see is serving champagne. nothing compares with the real innovation we've talked about with our business model. —— biggest innovation. basically we are carrying many

m essa 9 es basically we are carrying many messages and whatever you want in brazil. we are growing fast in brazil. we are growing fast in brazil because we invert the market. normally be charged 70% from the service provider. we converted this logic and we tried 30% and we paid another 70%, which allows us to have another 70%, which allows us to have a lower price and increase our ability to work. my my family went through really tough times. my mother was a hairdresser. when i looked at the situation i thought there should be a better way to give these artists, as we call

them, an opportunity to make money. and how can we give an artist and opportunity to make money? just give them clients. give them a platform to manage their money. daniel gallas reporting from sao paulo. let's look at the markets. thin trading basically pushing down most of the asian bourses in early trade as us markets were closed overnight for the labour day holiday. the nikkei 225 opening 80 points down and the or 0rdinaries losing 12 points at the open. thanks so losing 12 points at the open. thanks so much forjoining us. i'm rico hizon. sport today is up next. —— albury is. —— all 0rdinaries. this is bbc news. the top stories this hour: there's been condemnation from the un and western countries after two myanmar journalists were jailed for violating a state secrecy law. two women convicted of attempting to have sex, have been caned in an islamic court in northern malaysia. chris evans, one of

the bbc‘s highest—paid presenters, has announced he's leaving bbc radio 2 at the end of the year. he's returning to virgin radio's breakfast show, which he first presented in 1997. 0ur entertainment correspondent lizo mzimba has this report. britain's biggest radio personality, minutes after telling fans he was quitting the breakfast show, swamped by media outside his studio. why is the show so special, the radio 2 breakfast show? well, because it was sir terry's show. it was very important. it's an important show. it's a useful show. it can do many great things and i'm sure it will continue to do that. this is how he told listeners. i'm going to leave radio 2 and i have loved every single minute of it. but the thing is, you know, some of us are mountain climbers and if you get to the top of your favourite mountain, and you just stay there, then you become a mountain observer. and i need to keep climbing, i've gotta keep climbing.

perhaps other things might be climbing. he's paid around £1.6 million by the bbc. he's unlikely to be taking a pay cut. and, of course, he's always been one of broadcasting's most sought—after stars. so that was u2 and this... is a bafta. when he left the radio1 breakfast show in 1997, he went to virgin radio. that's since been rebranded as absolute radio, but he is returning to the virgin brand, this time on their relatively new digital station. so, who's likely to take overfrom him behind the breakfast microphone? perhaps sara cox, who's often filled in for chris evans and has a late evening show on the station. maybe zoe ball, who presents on saturday afternoons there. 0r there are options outside of the bbc. jamie theakston and emma bunton currently co—host heart fm's breakfast show. many people say they're hoping a female presenter will take on the high—profile role. there are many women

who work across radio 2 and bbc radio and indeed the bbc and beyond. they're very able and of course we will be considering them. there are many able men. the most important thing that we do is to select the best and the right person and that is what we will do in the fullness of time. in the meantime, chris evans will still be on radio 2 until the end of the year, so listeners still have a few months before they have to say goodbye. lizo mzimba, bbc news. plenty on the bbc news website if you want to keep in touch with what we've been reporting in the last few hours. mike embley‘s here in 15 minutes' time with the rest of the day's news. you can get in touch with me and the team on twitter, i'm @babitabbc. we would love to hear from you. that's it, back on newsday same time, same place tomorrow. now on bbc news, sport today. hello, i'm tulsen tollett, and this is sport today, live from the bbc sport centre. coming up on this programme:

former england captain alastair cook announces his retirement from international cricket. novak djokovic is through to the quarter finals of the us open and could be set for a last eight clash with roger federer. and bryson de chambeau makes it back to back wins on the pga tour as he heads well clear at the top of the fed ex cup standings. hello and welcome to the programme. we start with the cricketing news that alastair cook has announced he'll retire from international cricket at the end of the ongoing series with india. the 33—year—old is england's all—time leading test run scorer, while his run of 159 consecutive test appearances is a world record. the former england captain has struggled for runs recently and will line up for the final time for his country when they face india in the fifth and final test at the oval starting on friday.