to a big screen near you. welcome to asia business report with me, mariko oi. we began with one of the gaming sector's most valuable and also most contentious deals. microsoft has been wanting to buy activision, which is the publisher of major titles like call of duty and candy crush. it is worth almost $70 billion and it was approved by regulators in the eu but opposed by those in the uk. it has now got a huge boost. aus a usjudge rejected a request to block it. activision's shares jumping more than 10%. analyst dan ives says this could be a major breakthrough. i think this is a done deal and ultimately the trophy case in redmond, from microsoft. this was a big hurdle they had to clear. i think next week this is on the glide path to get

done, probably a carveout for the uk and ultimately i think they pop the champagne after this battle that this deal gets done. what is going to happen in the uk? are they going to come up with some kind of a compromise to meet the regulator's demand? yeah, we think they carveout, there is a piece on the subscription side they carveout, to ultimately give the uk regulators what they want and i think this is all a game of poker and i think microsoft recognises if they beat ftc and they thought they had and they thought they had a strong case, i think ultimately it is a black eye for lina khan and the ftc. and it is now on a glide path to finally get done. a significant deal for microsoft. a significant deal for tech, especially with the ftc�*s significant loss right there. you do not think the ftc will appeal? they can appeal but ultimately i think there is a better chance of me playing the premier league than them winning. i think this is just a winning. i think this isjust a huge winning. i think this is just a huge win for microsoft and for big tech.

i think next week it ultimately gets closed. you never know, you might actually win in the premier league! i want to ask about ftc chair lina khan's vision of anti—trust enforcement. what does this ruling say about her vision and fighting for those views? it is a disaster. it is a disaster. i think this is a black eye lina khan, a black eye for the ftc and i think right now there are more questions than answers. it never felt it had credibility within the industry, within wall street. i think microsoft knew that. they went, it is a flecks to muscles moment for big tech. it could be now more mna on the arise and with the ftc losing this battle. dan ives speaking to me earlier. let's turn to golf and the mega merger between the pga tour and the saudi—run liv golf. we do not know how much of the deal is worth but expected to

be in the billions of dollars. us lawmakers have raised concerns about saudi arabia trying to improve its image through international spot. samira hussain has more from new york. the decision rocked the world of golf. two bitter rivals, saudi—backed liv golf and the us pga tourjoining forces. now although there is only an agreement in principle, the details still need to be ironed out, lawmakers on capitol hill have concerns about the merger. saying it is merely a way for saudi arabia to improve its reputation as it faces criticism on its records on human rights, women's rights and the rights of the lbgtq community. pga board member, jimmy dunn, said the deal was necessary to preserve the game of golf. some players had left the _ some players had left the pga tour to joint some players had left the pga tour tojoint liv, others _ the pga tour tojoint liv, others were under pleasure to do the same. the — pleasure to do the same. the pga _ pleasure to do the same. the pga tour and liv were _ the pga tour and liv were facing each other in litigation. there is division and tension among — there is division and tension among players, you can feel it spreading to fans and sponsors.

my concern was that it all— my concern was that it all continued, expensive legal— it all continued, expensive legal fights, it all continued, expensive legalfights, every it all continued, expensive legal fights, every day wondering which player was going — wondering which player was going to leave next. a fan— going to leave next. a fan base tired of— a fan base tired of hearing about it. sponsors nervous. sponsoi’s i'iei’vous. golf _ sponsors nervous. golf as we know it would be damaged forever. us— be damaged forever. us lawmakers are not the only ones concerned about the merger between these two giants in the golf world. the us justice in the golf world. the usjustice department has already said it will be looking closely at the deal for any anti—trust concerns. now, that could set up a massive regulatory hurdle for a merger that was meant to bring a bitter rivalry to bring a bitter rivalry to an end in an increasingly divided sport. it appears that china's economy has caught a cold and its neighbours are sneezing as well. beijing's usual playbook of stimulating domestic consumption is not being felt by its

regional trading partners. some, like taiwan, now facing a recession. stephen cochrane explains. taiwan is one of the few economies within the asia—pacific region that actually appears to be in recession right now, largely because of its very high concentration or exposure to the tech industry, semiconductor and cheap making industries. demand has softened from china and actually from all over the world, particularly as consumer demand in developed economies and in europe and north america has shifted from goods to services and the chinese manufacturing economy has really slowed down so demand for those tech products is weak and for taiwan, i think it will be cyclical. i think it will be cyclical. i think it will be cyclical. i think we will see some improved demand towards the end of the year, next year, particularly because ai, artificial intelligence is the topic of the day in terms of the economy

and the increasing use of ai is going to create a lot of demand for high—end chips and a lot of them will come from taiwan so there is a cycle going on right now, of a period of weakness at the moment. it should be better by the end of the year into next year. how concerned should these asian economies be about china's economic growth because 5% growth target is not bad at all but at the same time we have been getting quite a lot of week data and some expressing concerns that china could actually be in a deflationary falling prices stage. there is no consumer price inflation in china at the moment. it reflects the weakness in the consumer side of the economy. policy makers in china have expressed an interest in focusing on the consumer economy rather than on a manufacturing or the export based economy. so much of the region depends on trade with china. china is the largest trading partner for most economies

in asia and export trade right now is down by anywhere from 10%, 15%, sometimes 20% across the region so it really does effect regional economy and adds weight to the prospects of the next of the year. the new barbie movie is getting its premiere later today and for those of you who cannot wait to see, guess what, there are 45 more toy movies in the works. it is in the summer of barbie. by by these men looking at me? they are also staring at me. a chance to relive childhood with one of the most hotly anticipated movies of the season. my of the season. my heels are on the ground! gasps). at the star—studded premier, there was surprise expressed at the warm reception. and every barbie needs a ken,

this one played by ryan gosling. i look around, this is pretty unique. i look around, this is pretty uniuue. ., �*, , unique. not if mattel's plans succeed- _ mattel reportedly has 45 films in development based on its huge catalogue of ties, like hot wheels, barney the dinosaur and polly pockets. increasingly, studios are looking for existing intellectual property, concepts and characters. as incentive and assurance that people come and watch the film. marvel cinematic universe is the most successful movie franchise in the world, followed by star wars, both owned by disney. what marvel has done with superheroes, mattel wants to do for toys. but can it pull it off? it is an aspirational model and look into it and say, we want to have this franchising potential, they are hoping that can yield many films and tv shows

and all of the rest of it but i do not think you're going to see a crossover between barbie and polly pocket any time soon. the hype, the merch and pink is everywhere this summer. in manhattan, anyone can take their turn in manhattan, anyone can take theirturn in in manhattan, anyone can take their turn in barbie land, thanks to this p°p�*up thanks to this pop—up barbie cafe. it is all part of mattel's strategy to turn a company that makes toys into a company that manages a film franchises. we have tickets for opening night. so what do these fans think? would you see a hot wheels movie? i would. i would. i have two little boys that we would be there at opening night. if they keep on with the way they— if they keep on with the way they have been going. the track they have been on, they— the track they have been on, they have _ the track they have been on, they have definitely a good opportunity to make other— opportunity to make other successful movies. what _ other successful movies. what is _ other successful movies. what is your advice?

keep the core, keep the heart of it, broaden it but do not lose sight of why this is so successful. but mattel has been here before. max the 2016 superhero movie bombed. the toymaker is hoping for a happier ending this time around. the nikkei not doing so well. and also watching the us inflation data coming out later today. that is it for the programme. we will be back tomorrow. thank you so much for watching. bringing you different stories from across the uk. they are society's places of punishment and rehabilitation but one mp has described our prisons as a timebomb. the daily pressure prison officers say creating a descending

spiral that's see staff numbers following an disorder rising. prison officers have been slashed up and down the country. they are threatening almost on a daily basis. figures obtained by the bbc have shown that in england and wales over a five—year period a number of staff taking days off a mental health reasons rose from 1556 — a mental health reasons rose from 1556 - 2879. a mental health reasons rose from 1556 — 2879. in the southeast, the rise in the same period was sharper still. from 147- 309. tom hill period was sharper still. from 1&7— 309. tom hill was in the prison service for 32 years and says austerity cards source ways of experienced staff leave the service and the impact was clear. ~ ., ., , clear. when i “oined the “ob in the 80s, clear. when i “oined the “ob in the 80s. «b clear. when ijoined the “ob in the 80s, if you i clear. when ijoined the “ob in the 80s, if you had h clear. when ijoined the “ob in the 80s, if you had an h clear. when ijoined the job in the 80s, if you had an alarm i the 805, if you had an alarm bell, 40-50 the 805, if you had an alarm bell, 40—50 officers would respond. now a handful. and that handful, a lot did not know what to do.- that handful, a lot did not know what to do. prisons are too full and _ know what to do. prisons are too full and lower _ know what to do. prisons are

too full and lower staff - know what to do. prisons are too full and lower staff ratios increa5e too full and lower staff ratios increase both problems and pressure. for more stories from across the uk, head to the bbc news website. hello. i'm jack with the catch up. tonight: the latest on allegations against a male bbc presenter. the highest mortgage rates in a long time. and we will have a bit of good news, too. we'll start with those reports of really serious allegations against a male bbc presenter who allegedly paid a young person for explicit photos. now, bbc news has spoken to another person in their early 205, who says they felt threatened by the same presenter, after they were contacted by them anonymously on a dating app. in regards to the first allegation, earlier today, the bbc published a timeline of actions which shows a seven—week gap between the original complaint from the young person's parents to the bbc and managers speaking to the presenter. the bbc director—general defended that earlier. i think you need to balance

the concerns of duty of care, privacy, all those things i have talked about. i do not think you take that complaint direct to a presenter. well, the police have asked the bbc to pause its investigation while it establishes whether there is evidence of a crime being committed. let's look at the rising cost of getting on the housing ladder, because mortgage rates are at their highest levels for 15 years. the average rate on a two—year fixed deal is now is over 6.5%. we have not seen them that high since the huge financial crisis in 2008. loads more on that and the rest of today's stories on the bbc news app. just search bbc news. time now to leave you with ten seconds of conservation. and i want to show you these pictures of this rare sumatran tiger cub born at the west midlands safari park. it has not been named yet it has not been named yet but it is the first but it is the first to be born there in to be born there in the park's 50—year history. the park's 50—year history. the tigers are the tigers are critically endangered with only 400 left in the wild. critically endangered with only 400 left in the wild. a bit of good news. a bit of good news. see you later. see you later.

sportsday, i'mjane dougal. hello and welcome to