——in tokyo, while honda's stock is down around 3%. for more on all of this, let's bring in suranjana tewari live from the newsroom. it was a busy morning for you. what more can you tell us? the discussion between these two were first reported by japan's nikaev newspaper. but now the bbc understands that honda and nissan are discussing a potential merger. the discussions are understood to be in the very early stages and there is no guarantee that a deal will be struck. but this is the clearest sign yet of some sort of reorganisation injapan's auto industry. in the face of immense challenges posed by both tesla and chinese ev makers. the manufacturers had already agreed to collaborate on some aspects of making electric vehicles, with that announcement coming back in march. undersaying announcement coming back in march. under saying this time

around nothing has been decided yet but it is clear that any tie—up of the number two and three automakers would create a formidable domestic rival to toyota which, of course, is japan's largest automaker. some analysts say this is good news. putting together a very significant japanese car manufacturer is extremely strong _ manufacturer is extremely strong in hybrids with honda and not _ strong in hybrids with honda and not particularly strong in electrics _ and not particularly strong in electrics with one of the first companies that actually bring electrics _ companies that actually bring electrics in the market nissan is good — electrics in the market nissan is good for the pair of them. you — is good for the pair of them. you wiii— is good for the pair of them. you will see this stuff reaction to the share prices and — reaction to the share prices and in _ reaction to the share prices and in the long—term it is very beneficiai— and in the long—term it is very beneficial both companies. we have seen _ beneficial both companies. - have seen quite a lot of reaction on the stock market, shares in nissan submerging more than 20% was shares of honda were down 1.6%. that gives us some indication about the optimism around the smaller

company nissan and how it will cope with all those pressures from electronic vehicle makers and also increase costs and low demand in multiple markets. some analysts say if a merger does come through it might be too little, too late.— too little, too late. nissan has been _ too little, too late. nissan has been a _ too little, too late. nissan has been a bombed - too little, too late. nissan has been a bombed out i too little, too late. nissan - has been a bombed out because the company does not have a future — the company does not have a future strategy, ever since carlos _ future strategy, ever since carlos was ousted and so you have — carlos was ousted and so you have a — carlos was ousted and so you have a huge discount that now if a white _ have a huge discount that now if a white knight to come in and — if a white knight to come in and save _ if a white knight to come in and save nissan, that would be and save nissan, that would be a good — and save nissan, that would be a good thing. however, is this realty— a good thing. however, is this reaityiust_ a good thing. however, is this reallyjust rearranging the really just rearranging the chairs _ reallyjust rearranging the chairs on the titanic in the sense _ chairs on the titanic in the sense that neither honda or nissen— sense that neither honda or nissan really have any product tend _ nissan really have any product tend or— nissan really have any product land or any technology that global— land or any technology that global consumers want? from that perspective a nice rescue but not — that perspective a nice rescue but not creating a new national champion _ but not creating a new national champion. it but not creating a new national champion-— champion. it is not 'ust japanesei champion. it is notjust japanese carmakers . champion. it is notjust. japanese carmakers that champion. it is notjust - japanese carmakers that feel the heat, global automakers

like general motors and ford have slowed investments in electric vehicles as high borrowing costs and poor charging infrastructure have affected the take—up of electric vehicles despite government incentives in a number of countries. in september global motors that it was in talks with a south korean company to explore ways to collaborate in order to cut costs. the europe car sector is also n—terminal with thousands of jobs also n—terminal with thousands ofjobs on also n—terminal with thousands of jobs on the also n—terminal with thousands ofjobs on the line as automakers there suffer from a weakening market as well as high cost and a slower than expected take—up of electric vehicles plus the increasing competition from chinese markets. unfortunately there are more threats looming on the horizon with president—elect donald trump opposing a potential rollback of electric vehicle friendly policies and tariffs as well and we're just one away from him taking office. ., ~' , ., one away from him taking office. . ,, i. ., one away from him taking office. . ~' i., ., i. office. thank you for your

reporting- _ for more on this developing story and updates throughout the day, do log onto bbc.com. boeing has an asset has resumed reduction of all european programmes. they were previously crippled by a strike by is union with more than 30,000 members, that's strike endedin 30,000 members, that's strike ended in novemberfollowing a new wage contract that includes more than 40% pay rise for workers over four years. china has approved the latest treatments for early onset alzheimer's disease which means the drug is now available in major markets including the us, japan and the uk. according to the late stage trial, the drug is that you slow the progression of memory and thinking problems by about 30%. turn into one of the big risk events this week, the last policy decision for the year from the federal reserve. most analysts price in a third interest rate cut but what will the policy part look like in the policy part look like in the new year?

the bbc�*s ritika gupta has the details. the federal reserve is set to announce a decision on wednesday with a quarter point cut 18 from the market which would lower the rate to 4.25 down to 4.5% and mark a full percentage point reduction in september. what is uncertain is the path of future policy and whether this cut will be the last, investors looking at the new economic projections released decision for more clues and expected to be somewhat hawkish with perhaps closer to a pause in future rate because are at least reluctant to commit to more reductions than it was just a few months ago. some of the factors they will consider include inflation which is still well above the 2% target, signs of strong consumer demand and a robust labour market. in september the fed was more focused on the employment picture than progress on inflation and perhaps that dynamic could decide to flip. there was also the case of

incoming president donald trump policy proposals including a fresh run of tariffs and renew tax cuts and how that will ultimately impact the economy. many anticipate fewer rate cuts in 2025 as a result of those policies. in 2025 as a result of those olicies. in 2025 as a result of those policies— in 2025 as a result of those olicies. _, ., , ., , policies. the economist has released — policies. the economist has released a _ policies. the economist has released a list _ policies. the economist has released a list of _ policies. the economist has released a list of trending l released a list of trending stories are following 2035. the events in the top ten include the repercussions of sweeping victory by donald trump, a boom in the clean intake industry led by china and the future of artificial intelligence. after more than $1 trillion spent on data centres for artificial intelligence. tom is the deputy editor and the editor of the world ahead and he said it is hard to forecast this year's trends this upcoming trump presidency. irate trends this upcoming trump presidency-— trends this upcoming trump residen . ~ . , ., presidency. we have this whole scenario where _ presidency. we have this whole scenario where what _ presidency. we have this whole scenario where what will - presidency. we have this whole | scenario where what will happen in 2035 depended on the outcome of the election and albino donald trump has one and whistled on what will happen in 2025 as a result because the

promises he made are extremely broad and varied in a somewhat contradictory and we do not know what promises he will focus on but probably get a version of some of the things he said he will do from tariffs to deportation to tax cuts to slash the bureaucracy but we do know which one. there is an enormous amount of uncertainty both in a foreign policy and economic policy and that is not just affect the us, it affects the whole world.— just affect the us, it affects the whole world. what do you see as being _ the whole world. what do you see as being next _ the whole world. what do you see as being next for- the whole world. what do you see as being next for the - see as being next for the budgets especially with these two administrations?- two administrations? donald trum - 's two administrations? donald trump's tariffs _ two administrations? donald trump's tariffs would, - two administrations? donald trump's tariffs would, if - two administrations? donald trump's tariffs would, if you | trump's tariffs would, if you go through with it, reduce growth around the world so that would mean people will cut interest rates at the same time they would prices because tariffs are essentially a sales tax on consumers and not a way of taking money out of the chinese pocket, the other way over raising prices for american consumers and that would stoke inflation. if other parts of the world have retaliatory tariffs because the

inflation start to come back as well so that would put central banks in a difficult position because you would have both an inflationary effect and slower growth. that is why there are so much uncertainty about what will happen and why everyone is waiting to see whether donald trump is serious or not about these tariffs. turning to a rags—to—riches story that not many people know about — dean forbes is a british businessman who has done just that. as a child from a single parent family in a run—down part of london, he experienced homelessness as a teenager. but today, he is chief executive of the swedish software firm forterro, and this year was placed top of the power list, which celebrates influential black britons. the bbc�*s theo leggett has more on how he got there. you need resilience. especially at the beginning. you are having more bad days and good days at the beginning so i have been in an environment, i grew up in an environment where resilience was a survival mechanism. it wasn't about developing your career or making money, it was about surviving so you had to be

resilient. my resilience is built on a different factory than most of my counterparts. as you were on your way up, did you find your background lead people to take you less seriously estimate i can ——i can remember lots of times in my career where i was sat in a meeting or a room where the time nor the treatment towards me didn't seem consistent with what i had observed, my peers, my colleagues get, sometimes there was an element of a lack of professionalism around it but i never contribute that to anything around race or lack of education. but primarily race. because racism is such an abhorrent thing that i never want to attribute that to somebody without certainty, i would never want to put that on somebody without certainty. i was young, a lot of the time i was in these rooms and i was young and i was in these rooms early on, i was probably nervous and saying mistakes

and saying things i shouldn't have said so there are a whole host of reasons why some of that tone and treatment would have been coming my way. a lovely story there. the chief executive of a suite software form. thank you for watching bbc news.

hey. it's lucy with the catch up. tonight: a young syrian woman's story, an update from wisconsin, and a dog rescue. we're starting tonight with baraa's story. she's 20 and lives in homs, a city in syria. she spoke to the bbc about ten years ago when syria was first at war. baraa was a little girl and described how, at that

time, people were so starving that some of them had to eat animals like cats and rats. last week, she and many other people celebrated the end of president assad's rule. translation: even now, . when i think back, i wonder - "how did we survive?" it was a nightmare and it ended, thank god. i always thought that i'd go to europe to work. but now, there's a chance to live here with dignity. if you want to read that full story, it's on the bbc news website. some other stories now: the father and stepmother of ten—year—old sara sharif have beenjailed for life for her murder. she was abused for years before her body was found at their home in surrey. if you've been affected by anything in that story, there's support at bbc action line. an update on the school shooting we told you about in wisconsin yesterday. a 15—year—old female student has been identified as the person who opened fire, killing a teacher and a teenager, and injuring six others.

the attacker was found dead when police arrived. we know the news can be a lot, so we want to leave you with ten seconds of something a bit lighter. jordan north was out running when hejumped into the river thames to save a dog. members of the public held up their phone lights to help the rnli rescue the dj and the dog. and that's us for tonight. have a good one.

hello there, and welcome along to sportsday. i'm gavin ramjaun. ending the year with defeat: england's cricketers are humbled by new zealand — who ease to a huge victory in the third and final test. number one: fifa name vinicius junior and aitana bonmati as the best men's and women's footballers in the world. and the perfect record: chelsea women make it six wins from six in the group stages of the champions league — and extend their unbeaten run to 16 matches.

hello there, and welcome along to the programme. while they'd already clinched the series against new zealand, england's men will perhaps feel glad the year is almost over after capping off their busiest year of test cricket with a humiliating and humbling defeat in hamilton. needing a very unlikely 658 runs to win, the tourists resumed day 4 on 18/2 but lost wickets at regular intervals, eventually bowled out for 234, giving the home side a huge 423—run win. a disappointing test, but a 2—1 victory for england in the three—match series. we know we just didn't play anywhere near our capability. it's a disappointing way to end the tour and end the year with a loss. but, look, what we came here to achieve, we've managed to achieve and it's no mean feat coming

to new zealand and defeating