and scientists have discovered the largest single known piece of coral in the southwest pacific ocean. hello and welcome to bbc news. the republican party has retained its majority in the us house of representatives — giving donald trump a clean sweep of both chambers of congress. but there's been shock in washington after more of mr trump's picks for his new cabinet became public. matt gaetz is the president elect�*s choice for attorney general — he's been facing accusations of sexual misconduct and drug use. a report on that was due to be published in the next two days. tulsi gabbard has been put forward as the administration's new intelligence chief.

she's been accused of peddling pro—putin positions. for more on that, here's our correspondent in florida, jessica parker. yes. i think we've probably had the announcement over the last 2a hours that has caused the most shock and the most jaws to be dropped on the floor and that is matt gaetz, proposed as the attorney general. that is a position that means you are the top prosecutor in the us, you give legal advice directly to the president and heads of other government departments, so an extremely powerful position. as you were saying, matt gaetz has been facing an ongoing inquiry, house inquiry, ethics inquiry into alleged financial misconduct, alleged sexual misconduct. he has denied wrongdoing. what seems to have happened as well is that he has resigned his position

in the house and there was a suggestion from the speaker that that wrapped things up because they wouldn't really have any power over that individual any more, but i see reports now in us media floating the idea that somehow that report could still emerge into the public domain. it's not really clear if that's going to happen at the moment. but certainly his appointment by donald trump looks set to potentially be a rocky ride because technically he should have to seek senate approval process. donald trump has talked about bypassing the process through something known as a recess appointment. we don't know if he will be successful in doing that. there has been a bit of speculation that maybe the selection of matt gaetz as a shock appointment helps those other appointments that donald trump wants to get through proceed. it is a bit of a distraction. but it gives you a sense of the frantic discussions going on at the moment as donald trump announces people in this top team.

some of whom have been more expected and more conventional and some of them who have not been. let's speak to jamie miller in florida, the republican consultant. welcome to the programme. i will talk about marco rubio in a moment a lot of tension around matt gaetz. let me read you at the republican senator john colling has just told reporters, that he absolutely wants to review the unreleased congressional ethics report on matt gaetz after we heard from donald trump his pick for attorney general. do you think that lawmakers and the public should see that ethics report before there is any progression in all of this? i before there is any progression in all of this?— in all of this? i think voters soke in all of this? i think voters spoke loud _ in all of this? i think voters spoke loud and _ in all of this? i think voters spoke loud and clear - in all of this? i think voters spoke loud and clear last .

in all of this? i think voters - spoke loud and clear last week in america that these political prosecutions need to end. whether it is matt gaetz or donald trump. these political impeachment is, americans had the information and said you were not guilty president trump. it's important to know that matt gaetz is not under investigation or indictment of any law enforcement agency right now. any law enforcement agency right nova— any law enforcement agency riahtnow. ,, ., , , , right now. senior republicans have voiced _ right now. senior republicans have voiced their _ right now. senior republicans have voiced their concern - have voiced their concern publicly over the last months about all of those allegations. you don't think those are relevant? there has been an ethics committee and they have conducted the report. you don't think the public should feel that before we make this man attorney general? the that before we make this man attorney general?— attorney general? the public can do it- _ attorney general? the public can do it- it _ attorney general? the public can do it. it is— attorney general? the public can do it. it is good - attorney general? the public can do it. it is good for- can do it. it is good for gossip. i don't know if it means anything. six. gossip. i don't know if it means an hina. ,, means anything. six trafficking allegations- — means anything. six trafficking allegations. you _ means anything. six trafficking allegations. you think - means anything. six trafficking allegations. you think that's i allegations. you think that's aossi - ? allegations. you think that's gossip? no- _ allegations. you think that's gossip? no- i—

allegations. you think that's gossip? no. ithink- allegations. you think that's gossip? no. i think what - allegations. you think that's gossip? no. i think what it | allegations. you think that's| gossip? no. ithink what it is gossip? no. i think what it is is that we have political prosecutions that have happened under the department ofjustice and certainly in the house of representatives we had the political impeachment and i think the public will see this as a political prosecution within the ethics committee in the house of representatives. let's talk about marco rubio because you have known him for a long time. in terms of donald trump's pick as a secretary of state potentially, what are your thoughts and what are his positions on the big areas like ukraine and china and iran? there is not going to be about american to serve in this role than marco rubio. he has come from a background of what a lot of americans have come his parents were blue—collar workers, he worked his way through law school. i like to tell the story of when he was a young man in the house of

representatives and you have to put your net without the and his net worth at the time because of student loans was a -$250,000. because of student loans was a —$250,000. peopleas network 01 reporters confronted him and he answered a tongue in cheek saying i refuse to believe any human being is worth less than zero. so he has that kind of humour but he also has a realistic view of looking at all of the problems we are going to be facing. in all of the problems we are going to be facing. in terms of basic positions _ going to be facing. in terms of basic positions on _ going to be facing. in terms of basic positions on ukraine, - going to be facing. in terms of basic positions on ukraine, is| basic positions on ukraine, is he in lock step with donald trump, that he thinks that war should end almost immediately? i think so. he is one of those guys, one of the conversations i had with him was about the berlin wall coming down back in the day and one of his good friends, and he was like

anywhere communism falls i want to be there. anywhere communism falls i want to be there-— to be there. berlin wall fell because the _ to be there. berlin wall fell because the west - to be there. berlin wall fell because the west stood - to be there. berlin wall fell - because the west stood resolute and opponents would say that the polar opposite of the position being put forward here by the incoming trump administration which is basically to say to russia you have invaded and you can keep the territory you've invaded. we will see if that comes to fruition or not. i know donald trump and marco rubio are both master negotiators. they do want the war to end. they do not want it to escalate like it has in the last three weeks with north korea sending 10,000 troops to help russia and ukraine. i think it's a very dangerous time and a great time to have a steady hand on the wheel like marco rubio. let me read ou wheel like marco rubio. let me read you a _ wheel like marco rubio. let me read you a quote _ wheel like marco rubio. let me read you a quote from - wheel like marco rubio. let me read you a quote from marco i read you a quote from marco rubio from march 2016, four years to come there are many people in the right in the media and voters at large that

are going to have to explain and justify how they fell into the trap of supporting donald trump. how has he somersaulted in terms of from that view to being his secretary of state? 0ne being his secretary of state? one thing we have seen from donald trump in this campaign that we haven't seen in the pastis that we haven't seen in the past is he practised the politics of subtraction in the past where if you were against him he would slice you out of the inner circle. in this campaign he practised the politics of addition. i campaign he practised the politics of addition.- politics of addition. i am askin: politics of addition. i am asking you _ politics of addition. i am asking you about - politics of addition. i am asking you about marco | politics of addition. i am - asking you about marco rubio changing his mind not donald trump. i changing his mind not donald trum. ~ trump. i think marco rubio, he went with... _ trump. i think marco rubio, he went with... in _ trump. i think marco rubio, he went with... in the _ trump. i think marco rubio, he went with... in the united - went with... in the united states donald trump win the nomination and marco rubio supported that nomination. we have to leave it there but we are grateful for your time. thank you for talking to us.

joe walsh, the former republican presidential candidate and congressman, says that donald trump had committed to making specific appointments to his team even before he was elected. (tx sot) not at all shocked and not at all surprised. i want the world to pay attention. eight days ago donald trump told us he was going to do this. eight days ago, america elected a lawless, authoritarian person to put back in the white house who was going to spend four years seeking retribution. period. against our intelligence community, against ourjustice department, who he feels wrongly investigated him. none of this is surprising. it's scary. the world should be scared, america should be scared. but this is what we elected. let's talk about matt gaetz first of all.

it is two days before the ethics committee was due to publish that report, the allegations of sex trafficking, do you think that report will see the light of day? somehow i think it will. i have no doubt that this was part of donald trump's calculation, was to appoint him now before that report comes out. but this is the deal. donald trump committed crimes trying to overthrow an american election. the justice department indicted him for those crimes. he has not been put on trial yet, he should have been put on trial. but what donald trump did was he picked matt gaetz to declare war on ourjustice department, ourtop law enforcement agency in the country. the attorney general is

supposed to be an independent person who's duty is to the constitution and the law. what donald trump did here was he picked somebody, matt gaetz, who will be his personal lawyer. that is frightening. let me turn to tulsi gabbard. i will read a quote from the atlantic that said, "she has every right to her personal views, however she is a walking christmas tree of warning lights. " is that an assessment you would share in terms of all of those positions she has taken around vladimir putin? matt gaetz is a danger to this country domestically. tulsi gabbard in charge of america's intelligence? that is a danger to the world. i can't emphasise this enough. to the point where if i am one of america's allies

comejanuary, france, the uk, i am thinking twice about sharing intelligence with america. think about what i just said. but that is how questionable and compromised somebody like tulsi gabbard is. she is privately and publicly with vladimir putin. if i am one of our allies, i am not sharing intelligence with her. that is an incredible thing to actually say. in terms of donald trump, he seems to somehow want to short circuit the senate's oversight in terms of some of these appointments. do you think he will find a way of doing that? yes because right now donald trump owns the republican party. his election eight days ago pretty much made every republican now bow at his feet. and what we know, because donald trump promised to do this,

america did not walk into this blind, donald trump told us he was going to be an authoritarian. he told us he wanted to turn the presidency, the american presidency, into a dictatorship. so he is going to do his best to weaken the other branches of government and he is going to do his best to strengthen the power of the presidency and he has a republican party now in the palm of his hand. a turkish man has been arrested in the netherlands on suspicion of supplying significant quantities of small boats and equipment to people smugglers. the 44—year—old was detained at schipol airport on wednesday, following an international operation. britain's national crime agency said he's suspected of importing engines and boats from turkey and storing them in germany, before

they're brought to northern france when needed. 0ur hague correpondent anna holligan has more. this arrest is as a result of combined action by belgian and uk authorities working as part of a joint investigation team set up by eurojust here in the hague. the man who was arrested was a 44—year—old turkish national, he was detained at amsterdam's schipol airport and he is suspected of moving small inflatable boats and engines from turkey to germany where they were stored in warehouses before being transported down to the beaches of northern france. then they were used to take people illegally across the english channel to the uk. we have heard from the british prime minister who said this was a significant piece of the jigsaw, but that he was not pretending it was the silver bullet.

earlier this month he announced an extra £75 million to police the uk's borders. he said people smugglers would be treated like terrorists. we've also heard from the national crime agency director who said the man is thought to be a major supplier of highly dangerous boats. these boats are not designed for the open waters and more than 50 people have already died this year trying to make that treacherous voyage. approximately 32,000 people have been transported across the english channel in these inflatable boats by people smugglers so far this year. a higher number than in 2023. the director—general for the national crime agency, robjones, has also said this arrest is a milestone in one

of the agency's most significant investigations into organised immigration crime ever. the suspect will be extradited to belgium where he will face those people smuggling charges. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

here, the prison officers association has warned there is a �*very real�* threat of corruption in britishjails after the number of officers sacked for misconduct rose by more than a third. there have been several high profile cases which have seen prison officers convicted of having sexual relationships with inmates, or selling them drugs and phones. 0ur senior uk correspondent sima kotecha has the story. last year, beatrice was convicted of money—laundering

and served 1a months in prison before being released in september. she says while inside hmp bruntsfield in surrey a prison officer made passes at her and other inmates. he commented on my appearance a lot will stop he suggested he wanted to come into my cell. what did he want you to do? ifeel if i had been up for it, he would have wanted sexual favours. i spoke to several of the women since then have all experienced the same thing from the same guy will stop comments about the size of their breasts. i was away with one girl that he told her to hold out your hands and close her eyes and he went in for a kiss. sorry. it upsets me because there are a lot of vulnerable women in there.

bruntsfield is a private prison run by sodexo. it said... we managed to speak to a serving prison officer in one of england's largest jails. they said beatrice's story is not surprising. there is a power dynamic and prison officers feel like they can do what they want like asking for six. they can make life difficult for those inside and they know that. and then there are those staff selling phones and drugs, lucrative business behind bars. they know better than anyone how to get drugs and phones and because the nova checks we have to go through. it's easy money making and it's got worse. i have just come off the phone from speaking to former prison governor who used to be in charge of an anti—corruption unit in prisons and he says the drug trade inside is worth up to £1 billion per year.

with prison officers playing a significant part in making it happen. lee used to be a prison officer. he was caught delivering cannabis, steroids and phones to inmates and served two years injail. you were a corrupt prison officer. yes i was. i let a lot of people down and it did take its toll on me. how much money are you making? in simple terms, for a package in the prison you would be looking at around £400 of £500 per package. that is what you were making per package? yes. the snowball effect from when i agreed to take a package the first time, it then became two and then three and after package for it was purely about the money. there has got to be a bigger scope. they have to search officers going in. iwas they have to search officers going in. i was searched twice in three years. that is not good. we need to stop it at the gates. good. we need to stop it at the ates. ~ , , .,

good. we need to stop it at the cates.~ , ,. good. we need to stop it at the ates. ~ ,_ ,. gates. ministry ofjustice said the majority _ gates. ministry ofjustice said the majority of _ gates. ministry ofjustice said the majority of jail _ gates. ministry ofjustice said the majority of jail staff- gates. ministry ofjustice said the majority of jail staff are i the majority ofjail staff are hard—working and honest and they are catching the small minority will break the rules. it said its bolstered its corruption unit and is strengthening its vetting. the way things — strengthening its vetting. the way things are _ strengthening its vetting. iie: way things are in strengthening its vetting. "iie: way things are in prisons strengthening its vetting. iie: way things are in prisons at the moment is not going to make people better. it's making people better. it's making people worse if anything. and it's a hopeless place. human rights watch says israel's forced displacement of palestinians in gaza has been so widespread and systematic that it amounts to a war crime, and a crime against humanity. in a report, the new york based human rights group says the diplacement is likely planned to be permanent, to make way for buffer zones and security corridors. this — it says — amounts

to ethnic cleansing. israel has previously rejected such accusations. there's been no comment on the report so far from the military or foreign ministry. joe inwood has more from jerusalem. this is a report they released this morning looking at the situation in gaza and the consequences of the israeli military operation and the have some strong language about the consequences of the displacement of palestinians. about 90% of the publishing of gaza has been forced to leave the home more than once. human rights watch says the consequences of this are crimes against humanity and their war crimes. quite often people are moved in order to create roads or buffer zones which human rights watch say they fear are going to be permanent and they say this displacement is an abuse of the human rights of these people. 0bviously abuse of the human rights of these people. obviously this is something that israel is denied. they have not commented specifically on this report yet but they have said these buffer zones are not going to be permanent. and that obviously they have a right to defend themselves. but for human rights watch, very group, they

say there is clear evidence of war crimes. the largest single known piece of coral has been discovered by scientists on a research trip in the southwest pacific ocean. the national geographic expedition went to explore the remotest parts of the oceans and find out how many coral reefs are being damaged by climate change. the discovery comes as nations met at the un climate talks in azerbaijan. 0ur climate reporter, georgina rannard, has the details. this isn't a reef. it's one single piece of coral, seen for the first time. it's lived down here in the pacific ocean for perhaps 500 years, growing uninterrupted from the time that henry viii ruled england. and it's mega. measuring 34m long, it is bigger than a blue whale. it was found by accident. 0n the map its location used to be marked as a shipwreck. manu saint—felix was diving with his son in yago in the solomon islands when he discovered it. well, i have behind me...

speaking from his research ship, he told me he is in awe of the coral. to be there and looking at it i was blown away, fascinated and looking to this amazing coral and with a big smile and excited and thinking, wow, this is really special. this discovery has happened at the same time as the un climate talks in baku in azerbaijan. this virtual background and these people here are all part of small island nations and their governments coming here to say that coral reefs and their communities are at real risk from the ocean warming caused by climate change. coral reefs is very important. our economy depends very much on marine and fisheries for its survival. we take heart from it. we take pride from it. and it's important for the world to know that we. it's a special place and it needs to be protected. in shallower waters, nearby reefs are dying

because of climate change, but this centuries old coral has managed to survive. scientists call it a beacon of hope that they want to learn from. georgina rannard, bbc news in baku. to stay with us. we will have more from cop 29 and more from washington but next up it's time for the business news. hello. this relatively calm weather is with us for another 2a hours. beyond that, it's all change. we'll have screaming cold winds this time next week, but as far as friday is concerned, mist and fog in the morning in a few places and then with a bit of luck, some sunshine in the afternoon. now the high pressure'sjust about with us, but the weather is changing way to the north. it'll take a few days for that high pressure to shift. now through the early hours, we'll see some clear spells developing across parts of scotland and elsewhere across england and wales,

and one or two spots early in the morning on friday. it really could be quite nippy, perhaps two or three degrees, but out in the northwest with a south—westerly breeze, a little bit milder in the morning for belfast and also glasgow. and that's because a weather front is approaching ahead of the front. winds tend to pick up a little bit. that also means some rain for a time in northwestern and western scotland around 13 here, but further east and south, i think it's going to be drier, brighter, even some sunshine. and then it's all change gradually through the course of the weekend. those northerly winds will develop initially in northern scotland and on along the north sea coast. so here's the forecast map for saturday shows weather fronts sweeping in from the north. you can see the high pressure is gone now. and instead we've got a cold stream of air from the arctic. so here's our weak cold front fronts moving across the country, bringing some spots of rain for a time. to the north, we've got some late sunshine, increasingly showery in the north, some of the showers turning to sleet and snow across the mountains, and temperatures around single figures. and then by the time we get to sunday, it really is a cold wind blowing from the north across scotland, five degrees

in aberdeen with chilly, that chilly breeze. but temporarily we could see just an incursion of some moisture, some rain into parts of ireland, wales and also central england. but beyond that it's going to turn cold. in fact, the nights next week most nights will bring a frost, whether you're north or south, but generally away from the coast, and you can see this cold air stream it originates from the arctic, spreads across the norwegian sea, across the uk and further south. and while this happens, we'll also see low pressures crossing the country. and that could spell some snow more, especially for the hills of northern england and also scotland. the mountains for sure will get some snow, but we'll find out just how much of it will fall. it's very tricky to forecast that at this stage. that's it for me.

blockbuster hits at the movies helps disney beat market expectations with its fourth quarter earnings. the uk finance minister unveils the "biggest pension reform in decades" — designed to boost the country's economy. and back in fashion.

shares in burberry soar as investors try on its turnaround plan. welcome to business today. i'm tadhg enright. let's start with disney, whose blockbuster hits such as deadpool & wolverine and alien romulus have helped the media giant beat market expectations with its fourth quarter results. revenues at disney's entertainment unit, which includes film, television and streaming, more than doubled to $1.1 billion during july, august and september. the streaming video service, disney plus, has now got more than 122 million subscribers, exluding india. that's a gain of 4.4 million from the previous quarter. the subscriber numbers were boosted by increased efforts to crackdown on password sharing. 0ur north america business correspondent, michelle fleury, joins us now. always worth remembering, disney accounts for so many different parts of the

entertainment industry, whether it