unitedhealth group is one of the ud's largest corporations, providing health insurance and pharmacy services. our north america business correspondent ritika gupta has been following this story. a shocking development this morning, what is the latest? well, the press are by the new york police department is about to take place, this is about brian thompson the ceo of unitedhealthcare was fatally unitedhealthca re was fatally shot unitedhealthcare was fatally shot this morning, before 7.00am eastern time. this was outside the new york hilton hotel where the company was holding its investor day, that has been called off. reports suggest that the attack was targeted, because upon thompson's arrival the alleged shooter was waiting outside for him. he shot him about 20 feet away before fleeing and he remains at large. thompson was

rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead. the nypd say there are no arrests at this time and the investigation is downgoings and active. the suspect was december cribed as a white male wearing a cream coloured coat and black facemask, according to the police, there are so many questions, regarding this investigation, but investigations are combing through the scene. in terms of thompson's background, he was a veteran with united health. he has been with them for 20 year u is one of the most senior executives, he regularly presented at these days and the insurance unit he oversaw was one of the biggest in the country and expected to bring in $280 billion in revenue this year, the company has yet to comment on these tragic events today. we know you will be following that closely for us. that press conference is

expected by the nypd in the next few minutes. more now on the political crisis in france where once more the country could be without a government later today. french lawmakers will vote later today on a no—confidence motion that is widely expected to oust the government of prime minister michel barnier, as the country grapples with a deepening political crisis and massive budget deficit. the move comes after barnier attempted on monday to ram through part of his government's budget for 2025, which included measures to fill the large hole in france's public finances and bring the deficit back in line with european union rules by the end of the decade. some of the measures are hugely unpopular with opposition parties, such as delaying matching pension increases to inflation. let's speak now to andrew kenningham, chief europe economist at capital economics. thank you forjoining us. in terms of why mr barnier is trying to push this through, he sees this as imperative to solving france's financial problems, is that the case, is

this budget the solution to all their economic woes? i this budget the solution to all their economic woes?- their economic woes? i think there is no — their economic woes? i think there is no doubt _ their economic woes? i think there is no doubt that - their economic woes? i thinki there is no doubt that france needs to tighten its fiscal policy, reduce its deficit. it turned out the deficit is going to be much larger this year than originally expected and it was originally planned to be about 4.16 of gdp. so the debt has been rising steadily. so they need to bring it down. it didn't need to be exactly this budget, there are different ways of doing it but somebody will have do that difficult task. it looks as if that is going to be postponed. we will get�* technocratic government for sixth monthses which will have a mandate to do not much. what happens in the interim, in terms of the economy, markets? so markets have basically adjusted or repriced in terms of the risk of france. it was trading round, the debt was trading round, the debt was trading round, the debt was trading round 0.5% more than

germany, that is borrowing cost, that has gone up to nearly i%, a bit below, there hasn't been much movement today, because this fall of the government was expected, but i think looking forward it is unlikely that will come back down again, so france listen have to pay more than it otherwise would have done, and there is a growing risk some point there might be a bigger sell off, along the lines of what we saw during the liz truss episodes, particularly if one of the two major opposition parties were to get into power both advocated loosening fiscal policy. in both advocated loosening fiscal oli . , ., policy. in terms of the situation _ policy. in terms of the situation in _ policy. in terms of the situation in europe - policy. in terms of the situation in europe as| policy. in terms of the l situation in europe as a policy. in terms of the - situation in europe as a whole, germany are having troubles, we have had a budget here in the uk that has had a divided reaction as well.- uk that has had a divided reaction as well. yes, germany is an interesting _ reaction as well. yes, germany is an interesting one _ reaction as well. yes, germany is an interesting one because i is an interesting one because they are the opposite problem, they are the opposite problem, they have run very tight fiscal policy in many, many people's

opinion and the idea is for them to spend mother, it looks as though they will do that but it takes time imthey have an election coming and then they will have to have coalition negotiations, only then might they spend a bit more, that will be helpful but the overall economic outlook for the continental europe is pretty poon continental europe is pretty poor. some of the southern countries are doing better, spain, portugal, greece. there has not been any contagion from france's problem to the south. that is an encouraging thing but there are concerns about the outlook for europe. thank ou ve the outlook for europe. thank you very much _ the outlook for europe. thank you very much for _ the outlook for europe. thank you very much forjoining - the outlook for europe. thank you very much forjoining us. | you very much forjoining us. alongside andrew we have live pictures of the french parliament where that vote is about to take place in a few hours' time. let's turn our attention to the uk, where supermarkets have been under the spotlight in parliament today. it follows a bbc investigation that found that four leading uk supermarkets asda, morrisons, tesco and waitrose appeared to contain tomatoes

produced using harsh and coercive forced labour in xinjiang in china. all the supermarkets named in the investigation disputed the bbc�*s findings however today mp sarah champion, who is chair of the international development select committee, called for an urgent question over the matter. she accused the retailers of putting profits above human rights. and shejoins us now. sarah, firstly, thank you for joining us today, in terms of what the government can do, what the government can do, what exactly is the plan of action, what would you you like to see happen?— to see happen? well, there a number of— to see happen? well, there a number of things _ to see happen? well, there a number of things the - to see happen? well, there a - number of things the government and supermarkets can do. supermarkets could be more transparent about where the country is sourced from, because what they are doing is they are saying where it originated, that is a clever way to say where it was produced but not where the goods it came from, and that is how we think they have got away with misleading customers for so long over tomato purees,

what the could could do is bring in more robust legislation so consumers have real confidence in where their products are coming from, knots just where they are produced. we are seen the us and the eu bringing strong legislation rend their supply chains, that is where the problem is, the supply chain bes are going to places in china where we know there is forced labour and what they are doing there, is through their legislation is basically stopping this supply chain because the source companies have to say where the products have come from and been transparent about it but the consequence of the us and the consequence of the us and the eu having such strong legislation is because we haven't got that, we have become a dumping ground it is notjust tomatoes, that is one example. we know clothes are

coming from there, solar panels for example. pare coming from there, solar panels for example-— for example. are uk controls not nigel _ for example. are uk controls not nigel clough. _ for example. are uk controls - not nigel clough. fundamentally that is it. when _ not nigel clough. fundamentally that is it. when we _ not nigel clough. fundamentally that is it. when we brought - that is it. when we brought nugget the modern slavery act, it was ground—breaking, that was 2 o 015. what we need is rather than as it currently stands for the companies to self—regulate we need to have actual mandating for people to be 100% transparent about their supply chains to put human rights at the heart of purchasing and that is something that the government needs to do with real urgency, at the moment by us being an outlier when it comes to the sup ply chain transparency we are getting the goods no—one wants. are getting the goods no-one wants. �* , , , , wants. but they deny this is the case- — wants. but they deny this is the case. they _ wants. but they deny this is the case. they have - wants. but they deny this is the case. they have denied| the case. they have denied evidence the case. they have denied evidenc �* the case. they have denied evidenc— the case. they have denied evidenc �* , ., �* evidence and said they don't source back. _

evidence and said they don't source back. how— evidence and said they don't source back. how are - evidence and said they don't source back. how are you, i evidence and said they don't i source back. how are you, how are governments able to force companies to do that self policing, it seems expensive at a time — policing, it seems expensive at a time where a lot of lizes are failing — a time where a lot of lizes are failing costs. | a time where a lot of lizes are failing costs.— failing costs. i dispute that. i sa to failing costs. i dispute that. i say to the _ failing costs. i dispute that. i say to the supermarkets i failing costs. i dispute that. - i say to the supermarkets where is your professional curiosity, are notre—damejust is your professional curiosity, are notre—dame just going is your professional curiosity, are notre—damejust going back to your producer but checking where its sip ply chain is, thatis where its sip ply chain is, that is what has broken down, what the bbc did was it used forensic evidence and that is what is happening in the us, they have a company will test where a product is coming from and because of that is able to say, yes this has come from a region that is known to have scottish labour party zploifrgetsds —— and what happen it is doing, is it is forcing those countries to bring in the human rights that we would expect to be in our sip ply chains, so what we are doing by being black—and—white

about what we will ant won't accept we are raising everybody�*s both wages but also living and human rights up round the world and we haven't seenin round the world and we haven't seen in those countries an increase in costs as a consequence of that so i am afraid i am not buying that. does the government needs to put more money into checks and controls to help companies do the job you are wanting them to do? i the 'ob you are wanting them to do? . �* the 'ob you are wanting them to do? ., �* ., ., do? i haven't, i mean that he hasn't been _ do? i haven't, i mean that he hasn't been the _ do? i haven't, i mean that he hasn't been the case - do? i haven't, i mean that he hasn't been the case in - do? i haven't, i mean that he hasn't been the case in the i hasn't been the case in the countries i have cited. it becomes a responsibility of the supply chain to pout those in place and to show whether it is to waitrose or which ever supermarket, whoever it is that is buying they are being robust about checking every stage of their supply chain. they have their supply chain. they have the facile the is to do that already, it isjust the facile the is to do that already, it is just they are not mandated to do it. when you ask people to do the right thing the good companies do but the ones trying to make more

profit tend to turn a blind eye, i say to the supermarkets find your professional curiosity and be transparent, what is going to happen with me, i am what is going to happen with me, iam not what is going to happen with me, i am not going to be buying products unless i know where they are sourced and i uldhest would urge everyone listening to this to do the samele. we have purchasing power, let us tart moving it more. general motors has taken a $5 billion charge against its businesses in china, a country that was once the us carmaker�*s largest market. gm said it would write down the value of its interest in its chinese joint ventures by as much as $2.9 billion, and record an additional $2.7 billion in restructuring charges. gm is facing rising competition from local manufacturers. on his visit to angola, presidentjoe biden has met the presidents of zambia and the democratic republic of congo two countries which are due to benefit from a us funded railway line.

the proposed project aims to make it easier to export minerals via a port in angola. mr biden's trip is seen as an effort to counter china's influence in africa. stay with us here on bbc news. straight to that news conference that has just started in new york after the shooting of a prominent health care executive. that shooting of a prominent health care executive.— care executive. at least one in the riaht care executive. at least one in the right calf. _ care executive. at least one in the right calf. many _ care executive. at least one in the right calf. many people - the right calf. many people pass the suspect but he appeared to wait for his

intended target. the suspect fled first on foot, then on an e—bike and was last seen in central park, on centre drive early this morning. the victim wasry moved to rose vettel hospital where he was pronounced. we have been in touch with his family, his friends and colleagues and they are very much in our thoughts and prayers. investigations are well under way and we will not rest until we identify and apprehend the shooter in this case, the women and mend of the nypd take enormous pride... to drive down crime, and violence in our city. right now, we are asking... if you have any information about this case, call crimestoppers.

i want to be clear, at this time, every... millions of people will be enjoying the tree lighting tonight among other... problem with sound about tail�*s tragic incident. i pass it over to our chief of detectives. thank you. the information i am about_ thank you. the information i am about to — thank you. the information i am about to give is preliminary as our investigation is continuing. this morning at 646m _ continuing. this morning at 6.46am patrol officers from mid town_ 6.46am patrol officers from mid town north price sing responded town north price sing responded to a 911— town north price sing responded to a 911 call of a person shot. this— to a 911 call of a person shot. this is— to a 911 call of a person shot. this is between west 53rd street_ this is between west 53rd street and west 54th street.

officers _ street and west 54th street. officers found the victim brian thompson an 50—year—old male on the side _ thompson an 50—year—old male on the side walk in front of the hitton— the side walk in front of the hilton with gunshot wound to his back_ hilton with gunshot wound to his back and leg, mr thompson was reproveded by ems to hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7.112am. he is the _ pronounced dead at 7.112am. he is the ceo — pronounced dead at 7.112am. he is the ceo of unitedhealthcare and resides in minnesota. detectives from night watch and a and _ detectives from night watch and a and elsewhere bethan their investigation, we know the shooter arrived on foot about five minutes prior to the victirn's_ five minutes prior to the victim's arrival. he stands alongside the building line as numerous other people and pedestrians pass him by. from hid owe — pedestrians pass him by. from hid owe we see at 6.44am the victim — hid owe we see at 6.44am the victim is— hid owe we see at 6.44am the victim is walking alone, towards _ victim is walking alone, towards the hilton after exiting his hotel. we believe the victim was headed to the hitton— the victim was headed to the hilton hotel to attend the unitedhealth group. the shooter appears — unitedhealth group. the shooter appears to be a light skinned mate — appears to be a light skinned mate he _ appears to be a light skinned male. he is wearing a light brown _ male. he is wearing a light brown or— male. he is wearing a light brown or cream coloured jacket, a black—

brown or cream coloured jacket, a black facemask, black and white — a black facemask, black and white sneakers and a