debt ceiling debacle. the battle continues to strike a deal before the world's biggest economy runs out of cash. and if you are a tiny country, do you still have room for nature? we take a look at the wildlife being squeezed out of singapore. hi there, welcome to asia business report with me, mariko oi. we begin in washington where the battle is continuing as democrats and republicans negotiate a deal to raise the debt limit. congress

must approve raising the debt ceiling or the country could default on its financial obligations. it has until the first ofjune to sign an agreement or the us could face an economic catastrophe. in an economic catastrophe. in “ust an economic catastrophe. in just over two weeks the united states could run out of money to pay its debts. the consequences of breaching the debt limit would be catastrophic for the country. and there is pressure on democrats and republicans to make a deal beforejune first. us presidentjoe biden spoke about the debt ceiling negotiations before leaving for the g7 summit injapan, a trip he is cutting short to get back to washington to continue the talk. i to washington to continue the talk. . . . to washington to continue the talk. ., . ., ., talk. i made clear that enable sad again. — talk. i made clear that enable sad again, america _ talk. i made clear that enable sad again, america is - talk. i made clear that enable sad again, america is not - talk. i made clear that enable sad again, america is not a i sad again, america is not a deadbeat_ sad again, america is not a deadbeat nation, we pay our bills — deadbeat nation, we pay our bills the _ deadbeat nation, we pay our bills. the nation has never defaulted on its debt and it never— defaulted on its debt and it never well. we're going to continue _ never well. we're going to continue these discussions with congressional leaders in the coming _ congressional leaders in the coming days until reach an

agreement. coming days until reach an agreement-— coming days until reach an agreement. coming days until reach an aareement. , �* ., agreement. president biden and congressional— agreement. president biden and congressional leaders _ agreement. president biden and congressional leaders have - congressional leaders have agreed the country will not default but the consequences would be dire for the american economy and all sides are common wouldn't that they will be able to get a deal done. but negotiations are getting down to the wire and that kind of uncertainty is never good for financial market.— uncertainty is never good for financial market. that us debt ceilinu financial market. that us debt ceiling may — financial market. that us debt ceiling may be _ financial market. that us debt ceiling may be part— financial market. that us debt ceiling may be part of- financial market. that us debt ceiling may be part of the - ceiling may be part of the discussion as the leaders of some of the world's richest nations meet for the g7 summit in the japanese city of hiroshima this friday. along with the us economy, the war in ukraine, the global recession and issues of artificial intelligence are likely to feature as well.- intelligence are likely to feature as well. this is an interesting _ feature as well. this is an interesting grouping - feature as well. this is an interesting grouping of. feature as well. this is an - interesting grouping of course as we know it has no permanent secretariat but it is a really key grouping that has been meeting since the 1970s to tackle the key issues of the day, geopolitical as well as economic so on the economic

side of the agenda, i think all nations are concerned, this represents half of gdp, about $40 trillion, we've got inflation issues, we have still got some climate change disruptions in the wake of covid. we have got as you just mentioned earlier president biden having to tackle really serious concerns about the us debt default citing the agenda looms large. look for some agreements, bilaterally and as groupings related to things like supply chain resilience and course eyes are also on the us with the potential regional banking crisis.— banking crisis. what about al because fumio _ banking crisis. what about al because fumio kishida - banking crisis. what about al l because fumio kishida recently met with the founder of czech gpt who was an us congress yesterday. i gpt who was an us congress yesterday-— yesterday. i think there is a lot of concern _ yesterday. i think there is a lot of concern for _ yesterday. i think there is a lot of concern for the - lot of concern for the potential of chatgpt as it relates to business and elections, the ceo was recently in congress discussing potential impacts to the

upcoming election which, the us could be considered one of the biggest local risks of the economic global agenda depending on what happens in the local election —— the next election, what comes out of a. but i think the aa issues are critical and it is challenging because a lot of people in these positions don't really understand the technology. find understand the technology. and other issue _ understand the technology. and other issue is _ understand the technology. and other issue is climate change. clearly climate change is top of the agenda, within some new data coming up which is positive even in the recent days. watch forjoint agreements on things like research and technology into green supply chains, clean energy. that is a really hard one to tackle, always has been but hopefully with this group together and again some of the agenda items being able to move past covid, there is more airtime so to speak and the countries can focus on really tackling this and this could be an area that really affects

everyone to bring those countries together on a common issue. ., ., ._ , issue. later today china's e-commerce _ issue. later today china's e-commerce giant - issue. later today china's| e-commerce giant alibaba issue. later today china's i e-commerce giant alibaba is issue. later today china's - e-commerce giant alibaba is due e—commerce giant alibaba is due to report its latest earnings. analysts from writers expect to see a jump in the final quarter and also looking for details of this spin—off platform which will see the tech giants split into six different business groups including one for its online shopping plate. a short while ago i got predictions of alibaba's results. i while ago i got predictions of alibaba's results.— while ago i got predictions of alibaba's results. i am expect alibaba's results. i am expect alibaba to _ alibaba's results. i am expect alibaba to report _ alibaba's results. i am expect alibaba to report a _ alibaba's results. i am expect alibaba to report a strong - alibaba to report a strong earning for today. i'm personally on a mission to share more business content to folks outside china so overall environment is resilient, is consumer market is recovering and numbertwo, our data

consumer market is recovering and number two, our data show that the growth of alibaba and other e—commerce platform is getting back to a faster pace and thirdly, we are seeing that cross different business units of alibaba they are expanding the number ofjob openings, so that shows a confidence from the management that they want to expand the business, so we are expect in a strong earnings report from alibaba.— report from alibaba. timor has alwa s report from alibaba. timor has always been — report from alibaba. timor has always been one _ report from alibaba. timor has always been one of _ report from alibaba. timor has always been one of its - report from alibaba. timor has always been one of its biggest| always been one of its biggest earners but it is now seeing more competition and even though consumer spending has seen a spike we have a very high youth unemployment rate as well so is this spending spike sustainable? we well so is this spending spike sustainable?— sustainable? we believe that the recovery _ sustainable? we believe that the recovery of _ sustainable? we believe that the recovery of the _ sustainable? we believe thatj the recovery of the consumer spending is continuous, and we are seeing different pockets going back and recovering at a different pace, so as china is getting further into the year,

consumers pending will cover a different age groups, that is what we are expecting, and in terms of the e—commerce platform, because both the conventional e—commerce platform like alibaba is recovering and what is interesting also to highlight is that live streaming e—commerce is even growing at a faster speed. e-commerce is even growing at a faster speed-— faster speed. speaking of chinese tech _ faster speed. speaking of chinese tech in _ faster speed. speaking of chinese tech in the - faster speed. speaking of chinese tech in the us . faster speed. speaking of i chinese tech in the us state faster speed. speaking of - chinese tech in the us state of montana the governor has now signed a law to and from operating there. the legislation makes it the first state to ban the chinese owned short video app as well as prohibiting app stores from offering it there. tiktok faces growing calls from many in washington to ban the app across the country over concerns that data provided to the app might be fed back to the app might be fed back to the chinese government. to said in a statement that the ban infringed the first amendment rights of the people of tanner stopping the company also denies it shares data with the chinese government. singapore

which is less than half the size of london has a population of nearly 6 million people and that number is rising by more than 3% every year which means there is a big push to develop more housing and quickly, but one consequence of converting forests into residential high—rises is that it has pushed the wildlife out of their natural habitat. wild bores, otters, monkeys, even pathans have been spotted out of the wood and increasingly in residential district.— residential district. when habitats get _ residential district. when habitats get fragmented | residential district. when - habitats get fragmented these wild animals who occupy small in pockets are forced to use man—made barriers such as roads or expressways to get to other habitat pockets.— or expressways to get to other habitat pockets. nature groups are also concerned _ habitat pockets. nature groups are also concerned about - habitat pockets. nature groups are also concerned about the i are also concerned about the loss of green spaces and its impact on biodiversity. the

government's answer? an urban development plan it calls city in nature. that plan includes restoring nature into urban areas and can in green spaces with structures like this highway bridge for animals. singapore is very small. whatever we have is the silent, i think it is very important that our people also understand that our people also understand that there is biodiversity to be conserved. but that there is biodiversity to be conserved.— that there is biodiversity to be conserved. but critics are not convinced _ be conserved. but critics are not convinced about - be conserved. but critics are not convinced about the - not convinced about the government's plan. “flit?r not convinced about the government's plan. city in nature as _ government's plan. city in nature as little _ government's plan. city in nature as little more - government's plan. city in nature as little more than | government's plan. city in l nature as little more than a government's plan. city in - nature as little more than a pr plate, a marketing slogan to attract overseas visitors, overseas investment. people are questioning that growth mandate. do we really need to grow beyond 6 million people? do we really need to build more residential areas?— residential areas? more exnansion _ residential areas? more expansion would - residential areas? more expansion would lead i residential areas? more | expansion would lead to residential areas? more - expansion would lead to more displacement of wildlife. this is one of the last two forests left in singapore and as you can see it is right now in the process of being cut down for a new development this is meant

to be singapore's first housing estate within nature but here is the catch. 90% of this forest will be cleared for the project. it forest will be cleared for the ro'ect. , , project. it will be bringing ourselves _ project. it will be bringing ourselves closer - project. it will be bringing ourselves closer to - project. it will be bringingj ourselves closer to nature project. it will be bringing - ourselves closer to nature and nature closer to us so are we ready to encounter wild animals? do we know what to do and what not to do? when we come across wild animals. are we ok with a beautiful thunderbird chipping away but if we see a garden snake are we 0k if we see a garden snake are we ok with a garden snake cited in our garden?— ok with a garden snake cited in our garden? urban development with nature _ our garden? urban development with nature is _ our garden? urban development with nature is clearly _ our garden? urban development with nature is clearly no - our garden? urban development with nature is clearly no walk- with nature is clearly no walk in the park. in fact, singapore's ltd land space is not only squeezing out its animal population but people too if you are renting because rents have been on the rise for more than two years with some of them rising by 50%, 60%, so find out more on that story by going to our website or of course you can also get that on

our bbc news app. that is it for the addition of asia business report, thank you so much for watching. my name's shirley robinson. i'm 90, and i have just done a skydive. well, my children offered to give me an event for my birthday, so i settled for a skydive. i was diagnosed with leukemia, i suppose, about eight months ago, and it's chronic, so, i mean, i shall have it till idie. ajust a just thought the silence up there would be lovely and it

would be wonderful to just float above the clouds. and it was. and although it will never get better, they've told me, ijust go plodding along. i've done this skydive to raise money for crisis because imagine what it's like sleeping rough. on cold nights. and i don't think any child should go to bed without its own home over its head. i didn't go out with the idea of raising vast amounts, but i have i've raised over 5000. and it's just wonderful how generous people have been. it's lovely. i'm rachel with the catch up. tonight, new rules for renters, scientists give a warning and

beyonce's in cardiff. the first up, if you live in england, and for big changes to be the idea to ban landlords for kicking people out without a good reason. all still have to vote on the plan and rules are different for the rest of the uk. some other stories now, and a warning that the next five years could be the hottest ever on record, leaders agreed to try and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, scientists now say will probably pass that on peripherally by 2027 meaning more extreme storms and heatwaves. at least eight people have died and 5000 have been evacuated after major floods in italy stopping the grand prix that was meant to be held there this weekend has been cancelled. next, and there will be some flashing pictures he prince harry says he, megan and her mum were in a near catastrophic touch chase while being followed by paparazzi in new york. their spokesperson

said the incident lasted more than two hours and there were near collisions. i than two hours and there were near collisions.— near collisions. i would find it hard to — near collisions. i would find it hard to believe _ near collisions. i would find it hard to believe that - near collisions. i would find j it hard to believe that there was a two—hour high—speed chase, but if it's a ten minutes, ten minute chase is extremely dangerous.- minutes, ten minute chase is extremely dangerous. time now to leave you _ extremely dangerous. time now to leave you with _ extremely dangerous. time now to leave you with ten _ extremely dangerous. time now to leave you with ten seconds i to leave you with ten seconds of super fan. beyonce to leave you with ten seconds of superfan. beyonce is in cardiff tonight and thousands of these guys are here to see her kickoff her uk to a. she is also going to edinburgh, sunderland and london. you are all caught up now, have a good night.

hello, i'm chtan pathak from the bbc sport centre. coming up on the programme: is this finally their year? manchester city thrash real madrid to reach the champions league final. formula one says it's the "right and responsible thing to do" after cancelling this weekend's grand prix at imola because of severe flooding in italy. novak djokovic suffers his earliest exit at the rome masters since 2013.