gaetz is not the gaetz is net the next matt gaetz is not the next attorney general of the united states — reverberations continue around washington, following donald trump's controversial nomination of matt gaetz as attorney general. we'll be live in washington and in florida, where the president—elect is hosting a gathering of conservatives. also on the programme: the bank of england governor andrew bailey will say in a speech shortly that the consequence of a brexit is a weaker uk economy. we will get a reaction from a former government economic adviser. also coming up... ai decoded takes you on a digital tour of the vatican and st peter's basilica. donald trump's controversial nomination of florida politician matt gaetz as his attorney general is continuing to dominate discussions today

about the future shape and direction of the united states government. matt gaetz was investigated over sex trafficking and drug use allegations, which he denies, and was told last year he wouldn't face criminal charges. but a report on gaetz by the house ethics committe is due to be published in the next couple of days and republicans in congress are warning donald trump that he faces an uphill struggle to get some of his top picks confirmed. another controversial pick is tulsi gabbard, who's been put forward as the administration's new intelligence chief — she's been accused of peddling pro—putin positions. the republicans have overall control of congress butjust a three—seat majority in the senate currently. they're projected to secure a slim majority in the house of representatives. on matt gaetz�*s nomination, trump ally representative max millerfrom ohio describes it as a "reckless pick", telling

politico: "i think he has a 0% shot of getting through the senate". maine senator susan collins says she is "shocked" by gaetz�*s nomination and warns "there will be a lot of questions" raised at his senate confirmation hearing, about his suitability for the role. not everyone agrees. here's republican lawmaker matt rosendale. mike gaetz has done an incrediblejob. he has served onjudiciary for the last ten years, he has shown that he is able to construct a way to propose questions to people that brought before him to make sure that he can bring out the information and the evidence that it is necessary in order to find out what exactly is going on and get to the bottom of exactly what is going on a lot of the situation. i have complete confidence in him. in the next couple of hours a gathering of conservative activists and elected officials from across the united states will kick off at donald trump's mar—a—lago estate in florida. it's been suggested

the argentine president javier milei could be among the speakers. since his election late last year, milei has sought close ties with the us and, since donald trump's victory in the presidential election, has stressed his support for mr trump. we can cross live to florida and our correspondent jessica parker, who's in west palm beach: jessica, good to see you. before we get onto the subject of those nominations, just tell us what we can expect their over the next couple of hours. as you say, conservative activists are descending on this part of south florida for this part of south florida for this investors summit. it's going on behind closed doors at the mar—a—lago resort, donald trump's florida home. it's become a mission control for its transition team. as you mentioned, among those people expected to attend, javier

milei, the argentinian president who has been expressing his pleasure that donald trump was elected to the elite mount —— white house. it will be the first meeting that donald trump has had with a foreign leader since last week's election result. a huge amount of discussion about the people that donald trump has picked. a few of them particularly controversial. what are you hearing about those pics in florida? that's very much a trump stronghold. yes, quite a few of those pics from florida, too. people are talking about a florida wave heading towards washington, dc. i think that particularly the appointment or the selection of matt gaetz, he has to go through process, of course, has raised some eyebrows and criticism as you have been reflecting. those around here

who are loyal to donald trump and major supporters of donald trump, say he has one of the right through the election results to a point who he wants. and to appoint people who that can do that sort of things he talked about on the campaign trail. for critics and opponents donald trump they are about some of these pics, they think that maybe some of the guardrails they would see is in donald trump's worst excesses of falling way and there is a concern for them.— of falling way and there is a concern for them. jessica roth, thank you _ concern for them. jessica roth, thank you very _ concern for them. jessica roth, thank you very much. _ concern for them. jessica roth, thank you very much. let's - concern for them. jessica roth, thank you very much. let's talk| thank you very much. let's talk to the co—author of even worse thanit to the co—author of even worse than it looks, a book that looks at the american constitutional system how it collided with the new politics of extremism. norman, gaddafi with us on of the programme. —— norman good to have you with us on the programme. this has

attracted criticism, as you might expect from the democrats but has also attracted criticism from republican party itself so is this a loyalty test for donald trump? it absolutely is. think of donald trump as the cult leader telling others in his cult who the boss really is. this will be a test obviously for the senate and whether we have any remaining checks and balances. matt gaetz is can singularly unqualified for the position. donald trump has already says that he'd want to weaponisation politicised to you growth to his enemies. matt gaetz is a slap at everything involved in a process of senate confirmation of checks and balances. there are so many other pics that he has already made that are even more chilling in some respects. for your viewers and from around the world. tulsi gabbard who

the world. tulsi gabbard who the russians are saying is one of their own. it is effectively an agent to head up the intelligence services. john radcliffe, who almost decimated our intelligence when he was there in the first term to head up there in the first term to head up the cia. pete exit, a white nationalists and christian nationalists and christian nationalist acolyte who was drummed out of their military for extremism to head up the department for defence. we can hollow out our intelligence capabilities and make it impossible for our allies to share any intelligence and see our defence establishment obliterated as well. fir our defence establishment obliterated as well. of course, some peeple _ obliterated as well. of course, some people are _ obliterated as well. of course, some people are saying, - obliterated as well. of course, some people are saying, we i obliterated as well. of course, i some people are saying, we need a shake—up and that characterisation of people around a and supporting donald trump as being members of a cult is exactly what led kamala harris to her loss in the presidential election. they are saying that this is not a cult

around donald trump but on that question of checks and balances which you mentioned, where does this put that system of checks and balances which has been absolutely intrinsic and integral part of american government? in integral part of american government?— government? in serious jeopardy- _ government? in serious jeopardy- to _ government? in serious jeopardy. to those - government? in serious jeopardy. to those who | government? in serious - jeopardy. to those who would question whether it's a cult, remember that donald trump right after the election said we don't need the senate to go through this normal confirmation process, we can use a way out, a recess appointment, where you will go into adjournment and i could just make appointments that could last for one year without any hearings. while his choice for senate majority leader failed, rick scott, who immediately says sure let's do that, the other two candidates including the winner said that they are open to that too. there is real question about whether we will have the kind of hearings and vetting that normally occurs for a president

with his top positions. remember as well, that there are some of these posts that he is putting enormous power in place that don't require confirmation. he has a health tsar in robert kennedyjunior who traffics in conspiracy theories and vaccine denial. we have immigration and deportation czars, tom homan, operating out of the white house, no senate confirmation who was the creator of the child separation in the first term and said we won't have child separation, we will deport the american citizens with along with the rest of their undocumented families. we must apologise please make... apologies were out of time. we will keep a close eye on what happens with regards to confirmation hearings or otherwise. norman holstein, thank you very much for your time today. now to the cop29 climate conference in azerbaijan, where delegates have been told that developing countries will need at least a trillion dollars

a year by the end of the decade to cope with the impact of climate change. but there's concern at the meeting in baku about what donald trump's return to the white house will mean for financing the fight against global warming. negotiators for argentina's government have withdrawn from the talks. it's thought the argentine president javier milei — who has previously called global warming a hoax — will meet donald trump this week. let's get reaction to that news from some there's also a row between the host country and both france and the netherlands after azerbaijan's president accused the two countries of what he called colonial "crimes" and "human rights violations" in their overseas territories. posting on x, eu foreign policy chiefjosep borrell says: "these unacceptable statements risk undermining the conference's vital climate objectives

joining me is paul bodnar, who served under barack obama as senior director for energy and climate change at the national security council and is now director of sustainable finance, industry, and diplomacy at the bezos earth fund. paul, great to have you with us on the world today and thank you forjoining us. pretty much all conversations all seem to lead to donald trump, we will begin there, lots to talk about, how concerned are you about, how concerned are you about where climate financing goes and this cop is described as the finance corp, where does financing go with donald trump in the white house?— financing go with donald trump in the white house? there is no cuestion in the white house? there is no question that — in the white house? there is no question that donald _ in the white house? there is no question that donald trump's i question that donald trump's election is going to be a blow to the forward momentum of the march to net to zero. momentum is very important because every country, every major economy, needs to be moving forward with maximum power. but what i would say about this and climate

finance is that 2024 is not 2016 and you see this in baku, in 2016 when donald trump was elected people wandering around in shock and now they are getting on with business. i think this result was priced in for a lot of people. in 2016, it was the era of climate negotiations and the world needed the us to take the lead with china in getting the paris agreement done. now we are getting on with implementing the paris agreement. so this issue of climate finance were like many others, what the world needs most from the united states is not a couple of billion dollars to push through aid budgets or development finance but the world needs the us to be an engine for driving towards net zero and driving the technologies, the development and deployment of these technologies, which will benefit the rest of the world. on that point, we are notjust talking about funding from

wealthier countries, from developed countries, we are talking about private finance to. last year bay is also foundation talked about private finance are working more creatively to fund the sort of initiatives that help developing countries cope with the effect of climate change and mitigate those impacts. are you seeing that creativity coming to the fore in baku and what would that look like? yes so here what would that look like? yes so here negotiators are what would that look like? is; so here negotiators are arguing about what government should be doing. as you say, the key will be creative collaboration between private and public sectors. a new study out a couple of days ago that estimates you need $1 trillion a year external finance to developing countries, about half of which needs to be private and half public sector. private capital does not necessarily flow by itself into these countries because they are considered high risk and some of the technologies

involved are considered to be novel. i do see a lot of creativity happening at the moment is at that intersection whether it's the fault developed —— developing foreign exchange tools. it's not happening fast enough and it's very important that this negotiation yields a result that boosts the amount of public finance that countries are willing to put on the table not just are willing to put on the table notjust rich countries but also emerging powers like china because that is the kind of precious concessional money that will really attract private investment. that will really attract rivate investment. ., , private investment. paul, very aood to private investment. paul, very good to hear— private investment. paul, very good to hear your _ private investment. paul, very good to hear your thoughts. i good to hear your thoughts. thank you very much for your time again. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.

the bbc can revealfor the first time, serious allegations of abuse against mohamed al fayed's younger brother, salah fayed. three former harrods employees

allege that he abused them between 1989 and 1997. he died in 2010. it comes after a bbc investigation in september exposed decades of serious sexual abuse allegations against mohamed al fayed — the metropolitan police say they've now had more than 80 complaints against him. you may find some of the details in helena wilkinson's report distressing. right behind you... 1989, and salah fayed helping launch a book by the former first lady, nancy reagan, with his brother, mohamed al fayed. helen is one of three women who have, for the first time, spoken about shocking abuse at the hands of salah fayed. in the same year as this event, helen says she was abused by both mohamed al fayed and by his brother salah. in february 1989, helen went on a business trip with mohamed al fayed and was told to stay

in the same hotel suite as him. i was taking off my makeup in front of the mirror, and in the mirror saw fayed walking in, walked into my bathroom. and no knocking, no saying anything. i mean, it's like... i mean, it's like... it was like out of a horror film. it was like out of a horror film. it was, like, so frightening. it was, like, so frightening. he decided he was going he decided he was going to take me into his room. to take me into his room. you know, he was pulling me you know, he was pulling me all the way up the corridor, all the way up the corridor, and i was saying, "no, and i was saying, "no, no, let me go." no, let me go." and ijust hadn't got the... and ijust hadn't got the... i knew i couldn't stop him. i knew i couldn't stop him. so, yeah, he raped me so, yeah, he raped me that night. that night. months later, she was sent task, helen says she was months later, she was sent by mohamed al fayed to do some by mohamed al fayed to do some personal assistant work personal assistant work for his brother salah, for his brother salah, here on the left. here on the left. helen saw it helen saw it as a way to escape. as a way to escape. i'd met salah. i'd met salah. he seemed really nice he seemed really nice and friendly, and he didn't and friendly, and he didn't seem in the slightest bit seem in the slightest bit like his brother, a totally like his brother, a totally different character. different character. you know, that's how i felt. you know, that's how i felt.

but on completing the two—day but on completing the two—day task, helen says she was drugged by salah and believes she was then raped by him while unconscious. i woke up the next morning in a completely different

she says it's partly because of that that she's felt unable to speak out for 35 years. the bbc has also spoken to two other former harrods employees, who don't want to be identified, and who say they experienced a range of abuse by both salah and mohamed, including trafficking and sexual assault. for helen, what was meant to be a dream job has left her with lifelong trauma. it's affected my life, it really has. i know it's affected my life badly, all of these things i've talked about. and we need to speak up to stop it happening to other people. 0ur correspondent helena wilkinson told us more about the investigation.

well, harrods has tonight released a statement in response to this bbc news investigation. in that statement, it says harrods supports the bravery of these women in coming forward. it says that these new claims reveal...claims point to the breadth of abuse by mohamed al fayed and also raise serious allegations about his brother, salah fayed. the statement goes on to say, "we encourage these survivors to come forward and make their claims to the harrods scheme." and harrods also says this evening, "we also hope that they are looking at every appropriate avenue to them in their pursuit ofjustice, whether that be harrods, the police or the fayed family and estate." and if you've been affected by anything in helena's report there are details of organisations offering information and support at bbc.co.uk/actionline, or call for free, at any time to hear recorded

information on 0800 077 077 the governor of the bank of england, andrew bailey, says brexit has slowed growth in the uk, and in a speech in the city of london shortly, he'll say the uk must "welcome opportunities to rebuild relations" with the eu. 0ur economics editor, faisal islam, told us more about mr bailey's speech. he will say that there have been consequences to brexit that have particularly affected goods trade, and that britain must be alert to and welcome opportunities to rebuild relations with the european union. now, in a way, that is a statement of what is the government policy, but this comes at an extraordinary time in extraordinary time in world trade diplomacy. world trade diplomacy. obviously, the election obviously, the election of donald trump as president of donald trump as president of the us has raised fears of the us has raised fears and concerns about the and concerns about the application of trade tariffs application of trade tariffs of all trade into the us. of all trade into the us.

and that is a scenario — and that is a scenario — i've heard it myself i've heard it myself from donald trump's advisors from donald trump's advisors over the past few years — over the past few years — that a country like that a country like the united kingdom sort of has the united kingdom sort of has to choose whether it needs to choose whether it needs to be closer to the us to be closer to the us or closer to the eu. or closer to the eu. so, that is some so, that is some of the context in the of the context in the background of all of this. background of all of this. we can speak to vicky pryce, we can speak to vicky pryce, chief economic adviser chief economic adviser to the centre for economics to the centre for economics and and business research. business research. good to have you with us. thank good to have you with us. thank you for your time. i think many you for your time. i think many people would acknowledge that people would acknowledge that conversations around brexit and conversations around brexit and its economic impact on the uk its economic impact on the uk are tricky at times. perhaps are tricky at times. perhaps need to be handled need to be handled diplomatically so why is the diplomatically so why is the governor of the bank of england governor of the bank of england making this statement at this making this statement at this time? it time? it making this statement at this time? , , ., , , , making this statement at this time? , , ., , , , making this statement at this time? ,, ., time? it is possible because of the election — making this statement at this time? ,, ., time? it is possible because of the election — time? it is possible because of the election of— time? it is possible because of the election of donald - time? it is possible because of time? it is possible because of the election of— time? it is possible because of the election of donald - time? it is possible because of the election of donald trump. | the election of donald trump. the election of donald trump. | the election of donald trump. as we have heard from the as we have heard from the economics reporter people are economics reporter people are beginning to wonder how to beginning to wonder how to react to this. there is a react to this. there is a discussion right now in discussion right now in relation to perhaps the uk can relation to perhaps the uk can

have a special arrangement with have a special arrangement with the us because we have a special relationship and let the eu have those tariffs imposed upon it which is what donald trump has said he's going to do. either 5% or 10% on all goods coming from countries outside china and china's 60% extra terrace. if that were to happen, and europe was subject to that, it is actually quite questionable whether the uk could have a special relationship with the us when it still trades quite substantially with europe. that's one of the issues and the second one is that given that we already have indications of growth in the uk economy boast budget and prebudget as well it isn't with

compete very aggressively with what is produced in europe. 0ne what is produced in europe. one has to watch that because obviously if there is a differential tariff... obviously if there is a differential tariff. .. vicky, i'm so sorry _ differential tariff. .. vicky, i'm so sorry to _ differential tariff. .. vicky, i'm so sorry to instruct . differential tariff. .. vicky, | i'm so sorry to instruct you but we're out of time. thank you very much for your thoughts today. if you are watching in the uk, we will have live coverage of that speech from a 9pm here on bbc news. do stay with us on the context. hello. this relatively calm weather's with us for another 24 hours. beyond that, it's all change. we'll have screaming cold winds this time next week, but as far as friday's 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 in one or two spots early in the morning on friday, it really could be quite nippy,

perhaps 2—3 degrees, but out in the north—west 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 north—western 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 a weather front sweeping in from the north. you can see the high pressure's gone now, and instead we've got a cold stream of air from the arctic. so here's our weak cold front 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 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 from me.

hello, i'm annita mcveigh. you're watching the context on bbc news. with each new upgrade, ai becomes a little smarter and a lot more efficient— but our fear that al could mimic feelings are valid and should we be concerned? sport and for a full round—up, from the bbc sport centre, here's jane.

hello from the bbc sport centre. we start with football. there are eight matches in the nations league on thursday — two of them have finished, six are under way on matchday five. england are playing greece in athens — it's1—0 at half time, 0llie watkins with the goal. france are hosting israel — it's goaless. belgium are taking on italy — the visitors leading 1—0 — newcastle's sandro tonali with his first goal for italy. you can keep up to date with the rest of the matches on the website. but speaking of italy — italian coach claudio ranieri has come out of retirement at the age of 73 to take charge of as roma until the end of the season after they sacked croatian ivan juric. ranieri retired in may, ending a career in which he famously led leicester city to the premier league title in 2016 and coached a host of teams from europe's top leagues. he was born in rome, and returns to the club where he began his playing career in 1973. golf — and rory mcilroy holds a share of the lead on 5

under par after the first round of the season—ending