us days could spark new fires. us presidentjoe biden says israel and hamas are on the brink of a ceasefire deal in gaza. and sir keir starmer unveils his plan to boost growth, by making the uk an ai superpower. iam i am caitriona perry. you're very welcome. nearly all public schools across the los angeles area have reopened after almost a week of wildfires. but the city is bracing for further blazes with forecasters warning that strong winds are set to return. the strongest winds are expected to be on tuesday, in ventura county, north of la. while they're not expected to match last week's intensity, wind gusts could reach 70 miles per hour, about the force of a categoryi hurricane. three major fires are still burning. the palisades fire has burned more than 23,000 acres

and is now 14% contained. the eaton fire remains the second largest. the la county district attorney announced several prosecutions to do with the fires, seeking those charged were seeking to exploit this tragedy for their own benefit. the debris still smoulders. thousands of acres of damage still untouched by recovery tea ms. today, road blocks and patrols by the national guard have visibly increased. there have now been more than 60 arrests in evacuated areas, mainly for looting and burglary. 0ne offender caught was disguised as a firefighter. the criminals have decided this is an opportunity, and i am here to tell you, that this is not an opportunity. you will be arrested, you will be prosecuted, and you will be punished to the full extent of the law.

some have lost more than possessions. one of the victims of the palisades fire was 32—year—old rory sykes, a child actor from the �*90s british tv show, kiddy kapers. he lived with cerebral palsy, and his mother says she escaped but could not save him. the biggest fear i had was that it might burn and hurt, because i think burning must be the most painful death, and the fire department chiefs said "no, "he will have died of carbon monoxide poisoning first." ijust can't believe my baby's not going to be here. the clean—up task is so vast, it will stretch on for months. there have been promises by officials that the rebuilding process will be made as quick as possible, by cutting red tape, to help people put their lives back together. but there is frustration that in many places it is still too dangerous to start, and the job of rehousing

people will take time. it will take months, if not years. i know that in hawaii it took at least temporary housing for a year, so we don't know what the situation will be here. all around, signs of the trauma the city has suffered, as the fires overwhelmed communities. as people tried to escape from the oncoming flames, in this part of pacific palisades manyjust abandoned their cars, and you can imagine the sense of panic, manyjust appearing to have crashed into each other as they tried to flee. and you can see why they ran. because here is what's left, after the fire reached this spot not long after. 23 people are still missing, and many addresses are still to be searched for human remains. help continues to arrive. today, the national guard set up a base for incoming troops

on the seafront. they'll provide security and logistical support to the city, as it reels from disaster. emma vardy, bbc news, los angeles. helena humphrey is sent to this update from arcadia. we are here at a donation centre and you can see the scale of the need. more and more people coming to donate items, as well as for people collecting items they may need. this is one of the charities thatis this is one of the charities that is here, muslims for humanity, you can see a line of people picking up essentials, groceries, water and so on. 0ver groceries, water and so on. over in this direction people picking up the likes of clothes, shoes, anything they may need to get them through the coming days, perhaps even weeks, because you have to keep in mind that currently 90,000 people right now are under evacuation orders. we don't fully know the half of those wildfires, whether they stand

to be impacted, and of course many people here losing everything, losing their homes. now, in terms of the response from authorities, we have had confirmation sadly today that 24 confirmation sadly today that 2a people have been confirmed as being killed in this crisis, 23 people still missing, and authorities calling on people not to go into impacted areas, as they continue to search the rubble for the remains of some of those people who are still missing. in terms of the federal response, confirmation today from president elect donald trump that once he is inaugurated as president, he will be visiting this estate here in california, but the road ahead is long and i think you could just see that from the number of people who are here today, clearly still very much in need. president biden says rebuilding after the fires will cost tens of billions of dollars. with more than 12,000 structures destroyed, thousands of residents who have lost their homes are turning to evacuation

centres. some people had their insurance policies cancelled before the fires, but a temporary ban on cancellations has now been issued in california. hopes are growing there will be an imminent breakthrough for a ceasefire in gaza. and the release of israeli hostages. joe biden said a deal was "on the brink of finally "coming to fruition". but israel is divided. ten members of israel's governing coalition sent the prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, a letter opposing the ceasefire deal — some of them are members of the pm's own likud party. angry relatives of israelis held hostage by hamas confronted the country's far—right finance minister, bezalel smotrich, at a knesset commitee hearing on monday, for his opposition to an agreement. but the former defence minister, benny gantz, said his party would give its full backing to a deal, and that failing to free the hostages would be a "catastrophe." 0pposition leader yair lapid also said he supports an agreement. hamas is sending positive signals.

0na on a statement on monday, it said it was keen to reach a deal. i have been speaking to a former adviser to president biden. we heard those words from president biden, and national security adviserjake sullivan saying there is a distinct possibility that a deal could be done this week. it feels like we have been here this week. do you think it's something different now? yes, i think there _ something different now? yes, i think there are _ something different now? yes, i think there are several- something different now? yes, i think there are several things i think there are several things that are different now. circumstances, both for israel and for her mass, have changed, the imperative, the interest involved in reaching a deal are all stronger than they have been since december of 2023. that was when the last hostage release concluded, but the other factor is the extraordinarily close coordination collaboration

between the current administration, the biden administration, the biden administration, and the incoming administration. there is a common goal here, to see a hostage deal and a ceasefire as part of the process of all hostages coming out, and both administrations are working exceptionally closely together on this, all of which leads me to share the broad hopefulness that indeed a deal is closer thanit that indeed a deal is closer than it has been some 13 months. than it has been some 13 months-_ than it has been some 13 months-— than it has been some 13 months. ., �* , , months. so that's interesting, ou months. so that's interesting, you think _ months. so that's interesting, you think that _ months. so that's interesting, you think that change - months. so that's interesting, | you think that change between the administration is really giving a focus at this time? well, the current administration has been working tirelessly on this issue. there has been no sudden initiation of efforts. there had been proposals put forward in may of last year, 2a, by president biden that formed the basis of the deal which is under consideration right now, and the diplomacy has been intense. not successful to date, but intense. now, with a new

administration coming in, i think there is a clear imperative for both the government of israel and hamas to reach this deal, to initiate the ceasefire to see that first tranche of hostages released. now, all the while humanitarian situation of course continues to be dire in gaza with not enough food, water, medical supplies and no safe place for civilians there. what happens if this deal is not done now, it is not imminent, as we are being told it is?— being told it is? then the misery. _ being told it is? then the misery. the _ being told it is? then the misery, the hell- being told it is? then the misery, the hell on - being told it is? then the | misery, the hell on earth, being told it is? then the - misery, the hell on earth, as president biden has described it, which is life in gaza right now, will notjust continue, it will grow worse. now, that is an unacceptable situation, not just for the international community, but it's unacceptable, should be unacceptable, should be unacceptable for israel as well. a ceasefire is critical, notjust well. a ceasefire is critical, not just for the release well. a ceasefire is critical, notjust for the release of hostages, important as that is, but also as a means and perhaps the only means now flooding the

necessary levels of humanitarian assistance into gaza. �* , ., ., humanitarian assistance into gaza. , ., ., ., gaza. and this deal we are told is to net gaza. and this deal we are told is to get to _ gaza. and this deal we are told is to get to the _ gaza. and this deal we are told is to get to the first _ gaza. and this deal we are told is to get to the first stage - gaza. and this deal we are told is to get to the first stage of i is to get to the first stage of a 3—point plan that president biden outlined in may. do you think it is enough to get to that point or do the conditions exist as you have described them there, to leave the stage two and stage iii as well? the lan two and stage iii as well? the plan embeds _ two and stage iii as well? tue: plan embeds within two and stage iii as well? he plan embeds within it two and stage iii as well? tt2 plan embeds within it a indication into the first phase, and the thinking has always been that as long as the ceasefire is being adhered to, as long as there is a serious negotiation under way, time would continue to permit that second phase for the release is to go on. is that a guarantee? no, but is it part and parcel of what has been negotiated? absolutely it is. we

of what has been negotiated? absolutely it is.— absolutely it is. we have s - oken absolutely it is. we have spoken to _ absolutely it is. we have spoken to so _ absolutely it is. we have spoken to so many - absolutely it is. we have j spoken to so many times absolutely it is. we have - spoken to so many times over the last year and a half so about this, but it sounds like you are more hopeful now than ever. t you are more hopeful now than ever. ., ., you are more hopeful now than ever. . ., ., ever. i am, and that hopefulness - ever. i am, and that hopefulness is - ever. i am, and that hopefulness is not l ever. i am, and that - hopefulness is not based on assessment, it is based on looking at the factors involved, the pressures on both parties here, and the extraordinary conjoined diplomacy being exercised by the present administration and the present administration and the incoming team. i asked the senior scholar whether the upcoming us administration change had anything to do with this latest push in the ceasefire talks. well, the threats from donald trump, no, because they are empty bluster, he says he is going to unleash all hell, well, gaza is hell, what's going to do, what more can be done? i think that is really empty rhetoric. at the same time it is true that the interregnum us administrations,

even between the two terms of a successful president, like between 0bama's first and second terms times when international actors can decide to cite us pressure to justify making recommendations to ramp up making recommendations to ramp up conflict and score points with the us broadly. i think that may be a factor. from's threats are empty threats but the transition in washington is a real thing, and the transition in washington is a realthing, and it is a tertiary factor of some note, but it's not driving either hamas israel. these are internal factors that are pretty clear—cut, and in fact the only thing the incoming trump administration can do to make life more difficult for the palestinians in gaza, and therefore for hamas i suppose indirectly, would be to strangle the public even more. he says he would unleash the israelis even more, that's kind of meaningless, because they are not holding back, but you

can interdict more aid. i don't know if you want to cause a man—made famine there beyond what has only happened, you could make matters worse, but i don't think that's going to help anybody. presidentjoe biden gave his finalforeign policy address presidentjoe biden gave his final foreign policy address to us diplomats today and he also spoke about ukraine. he stressed the united states and its allies could not walk away from the country, as he prepares to step down. president biden said he had forged alliances across the world to aid the us in pushing back against china, iran and russia. he also claimed some credit for the continued survival of ukraine in the face of the invasion of vladimir putin. let's hear a little of what mr biden had to say. compared to four years ago, america is stronger, our alliances are stronger, our adversaries and competitors are weaker. we have not gone to water make these things happen. during my presidency i have increased america's power in

every dimension, increased our diplomatic power, created more allies than the united states has ever had in the history of our nation. we've our military power, making the most significant defence right invents of the defence industrial base. leading artificial intelligence and other technologies of the future. we have increased the economic power, building the most dynamic economy in the world from the bottom up and the middle out not, the top down. in short, when kamala harris and i took office, our nation has become strong at home, stronger in the world, and now america is more capable and now america is more capable and i would argue better prepared than we have been in a long, long time.— long, long time. around the world and — long, long time. around the world and across _ long, long time. around the world and across the - long, long time. around the world and across the uk, i long, long time. around the l world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making the news. downing street has insisted rachel reeves will be chancellor for the whole of this parliament, as she faces

criticism over the falling pound and rising government borrowing costs. those costs are rising for many countries across the world, but the chancellor critics argue that decision she made in the budget appear to have made the uk more vulnerable. activists from the environmental protest group just stop 0il have spray—painted 1.5 is dead on the grave of the scientist child star when in westminster abbey. the graffiti appears to reference the confirmation that last year was the first to breach a key global warming threshold. two women have been arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage. the former world heavyweight champion tyson fury has announced his retirement from boxing. thierry, who is 36, last fought in december when he lost his rematch against alexander houska. he previously announced his retirement after beating dillian whyte in april 22, but returned six months later. you are alive with bbc

news. chinese officials are reportedly considering selling tiktok to elon musk. the company is trying to delay a law that would force the sale or ban of the us branch of the social media company. it is due to come into effect next week. bloomberg news reports that one option would be for mask�*s company x formally twitter to take control of tiktok us, but the outlet said beijing would prepare for the company to remain under the control of the chinese bytedance. bloomberg also reports no firm decision has been reached and neither elon musk nor tiktok could be reached for comment. uk prime minister sir keir starmer unveiled a plan on monday to make britain an ai superpower. the scheme, dubbed the ai opportunities action plan, will include a £14 billion investment from leading tech firms in various projects. the plan includes proposals for growth zones where development would be focused, and suggests the technology will be used to

help tackle issues, such as improving medical treatment and filling potholes. however, there is concern over how much time and money will be needed to make this vision a reality. chris mason has been taking a look at the plan and sent this report. artificial intelligence in our hands, helping with our travel plans, in ourlabs, exploring treatments for cancer quicker than any human could, and on our streets. and on our streets. well, one or two well, one or two driverless cars. driverless cars. when a political lectern meets when a political lectern meets a robot, you can expect a prime a robot, you can expect a prime minister not far away. minister not far away. the thing is al is one of those the thing is al is one of those things we hear a lot about. things we hear a lot about. it has an impact here and there it has an impact here and there butjust how big butjust how big a deal will it be? a deal will it be? this is absolutely another industrial revolution. this is absolutely another industrial revolution. ai is going to transform ai is going to transform not just any industry, not just any industry, but all industries, but all industries, all human endeavours. all human endeavours. economics, finance, economics, finance,

health, health, medicine, medicine, politics. politics. talking of which, sir keir starmer, consciously leaning away from talk of its threats, leaning in to talk

and we will stay in control of the data. but it's very important, whether it's jobs or data, to see these as great opportunities. if you have a touch of digital deja—vu, yes, the last prime yes, the last prime minister talked up ai, minister talked up ai, too, hosting a safety summit. too, hosting a safety summit. so what is the conservative so what is the conservative critique of all this? critique of all this? let's be clear if the labour let's be clear if the labour party are serious about growing party are serious about growing the economy, the economy, they need to improve they need to improve investment sentiment, which is dire investment sentiment, which is dire at the moment, at the moment, and if ai is going to grow and if ai is going to grow the economy, they're the economy, they're going to need a lot more going to need a lot more investment because labour investment because labour pulled out the £1.3 billion pulled out the £1.3 billion for the supercomputer. for the supercomputer. so they say one thing, but frankly, so they say one thing, but frankly, they�* re doing another. they�* re doing another. the government says there wasn't the government says there wasn't the money for that computer. the money for that computer. ai will be central ai will be central to the economy to the economy society of tomorrow. society of tomorrow. but what about today, but what about today, as the markets charge as the markets charge the government more to borrow the government more to borrow and the economy flatlines? and the economy flatlines? the country is in the country is in a hole economically. a hole economically. bluntly, the government bluntly, the government looks to be in a hole economically. looks to be in a hole economically.

are we looking increasingly are we looking increasingly inevitably at further inevitably at further government spending cuts? yes, we've inherited a real mess in the economy by the last government. same with public services. we've got to turn it around. mm. not really an answer. so sky and itv had a go at similar questions. and he said.... we do have in place fiscal rules, which we will absolutely stick to. translation — yes, ministers are likely to be told they'll have less to spend, and as for the chancellor... rachel reeves is doing a fantasticjob. she has my full confidence, and she has the full confidence of the entire party. a stuttering economy, spiralling government borrowing costs, plummeting approval ratings. little wonder smiles in government take a bit more work these days. peru's president has given testimony to the country's attorney—general about a nose surgery operation she had kept secret from congress for more

than a year. prosecutors say she in effect abandoned her role as head of state while she had the procedure in 2023, and some politicians are calling for her to resign. she admits she had the surgery but insists it was for health reasons and didn't affect her performance in office. she has been described as the world's least popular president with approval numbers in the low single figures. to learn more about this i've been speaking with simeon tagore, a journalist based in lima, peru. for being with us on bbc news. talk us through briefly, what is the background to this story, how did the peruvian president and “p did the peruvian president and up in the situation? 50 did the peruvian president and up in the situation?— up in the situation? so back in may 2023. _ up in the situation? so back in may 2023. she _ up in the situation? so back in may 2023, she very _ up in the situation? so back in may 2023, she very quietly . may 2023, she very quietly without announcing it or telling anyone just kind of withdrew from her official duties for a couple of weeks. there was no announcement, her various official presidential social media feeds kept putting

out content that made it seem as though she were still on the job than it was afterwards by a peruvian newspaper that actually, no, she had gone and had a nosejob, and they were saying that this was a cosmetic procedure, and for well over a year, she didn't respond to that allegation. she didn't even acknowledge it, never mind deny it, and then, as she's been getting into more and more political trouble, been getting into more and more politicaltrouble, in been getting into more and more political trouble, in december she suddenly gave atv address, in which she admitted she had had surgery on her nose, but insisted it was necessary, she was having breathing issues, but she is now accused of abandoning her post. she was talking, being interrogated really by the attorney general here for four hours this morning, and she is in, i think, deep political trouble. it is probably worth saying this is just one of a laundry list of ethical scandals that she is facing, and she really

is deeply, deeply unpopular. it is deeply, deeply unpopular. it is very difficult to find any peruvian who actually supports her or has a good way to save her. ~ ., �* , her or has a good way to save her. 2 . �* , . her or has a good way to save her. ~ . �* , ., ., , her. well, that's what i was coin: her. well, that's what i was going to — her. well, that's what i was going to ask _ her. well, that's what i was going to ask you _ her. well, that's what i was going to ask you next, - her. well, that's what i was going to ask you next, i - her. well, that's what i was| going to ask you next, i was looking and her current approval rating is about 3% or so. how have people reacted to this latest event? t so. how have people reacted to this latest event?— this latest event? i think most --eole this latest event? i think most people wrote _ this latest event? i think most people wrote her _ this latest event? i think most people wrote her off _ this latest event? i think most people wrote her off a - this latest event? i think most people wrote her off a long .

rolex gate on what she is accused of accumulating or acquiring a jewelry collection worth £100,000 on a £40,000 salary, and this is all in a country which has all kinds of problems. half of peruvians experience food insecurity, 40% of toddlers in peru have anaemia, so there is really urgent pressing problem is that the president, most peruvians would argue, is not interested in. let's look at some other news from around the world. a federaljudge has cleared the way for the us justice way for the usjustice department to way for the us justice department to release part of former special counseljack smith's report on download trumpet�*s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. donald trump was charged with intellectual appearance hull interference was not the president of lebanon has confirmed the new prime minister. he is currently the

topjudge at the minister. he is currently the top judge at the international court ofjustice. as big brother said it appeared to be ended excluding it from power. china has reported its biggest ever trade surplus just a week before the inauguration of donald trump who has promised to impose tariffs on chinese goods. the largest gathering in the world is taking place in india, millions of pilgrims are amassing in the north of the country, to the beat of drums and honking of horns millions have already plunged into the cold waters of the river ganges, saying they feel blessed to take a holy dip. it is expected to attract a staggering 400 million people over the six weeks. those are live pictures. that is it for the moment. thank you for watching. stay with us on bbc news. hello. we had really big contrasts in weather across the uk on monday. in highland scotland, here in plockton, there was a lot of cloud, outbreaks

of rain, but it was very mild, and just along the road from here, we had temperatures up to 14 degrees in achnagart. so a real contrast, then, to the 3 celsius that was recorded in fylingdales in north yorkshire. the reason for this? well, the cold air that we had last week hasn't entirely gone away from eastern areas, and the winds were blowing over the snow covered north york moors, keeping those temperatures well suppressed in our coldest parts. now, over the next few hours, there's a little bit of rain to come across parts of southern scotland, northern ireland into northern england, the north midlands and north wales, as well. for most, it's going to be a mild start to the day on tuesday, but you mightjust see an odd nip of frost, if we keep those skies clearest long enough over the next few hours. now, next few days, high pressure dominates our weather picture, and the high pressure is going to be feeding in a lot of mild air, often with these south—westerly winds. so temperatures will be running above average for most areas over the next few days. quite a spell of weather, then, coming up for most, but there will be some rain around to start the day

across north—west england, the north midlands and across western wales. a damp start to the to the day here. there will be some breaks in the cloud. northern and eastern scotland looking pretty good for some sunshine, and those sunnier skies should push into north—east england as the day goes by. a few breaks as well quite likely across parts of the south east. high pressure then stays with us, as we head towards the middle part of the week, and as that high pressure becomes more centred over england and wales, the winds start to fall light, and that's a recipe for some fog to develop, as we head into wednesday morning, and some of that fog will be with us all day. where that happens, yes, it could be quite cool, but for most of the uk, should see some bright or sunny spells coming through, a bit of rain from another weather frontjust edges into the far north—west of scotland. heading into thursday, again, we could see a few mist and fog patches around. the feed of south—westerly winds continuing to bring in some pretty mild weather. most of us should stay dry, with some sunshine at times, and our temperatures, above average for the time of year, typically between

around 8—10 celsius. this relatively quiet spell of weather then lasts, for most of us, through the rest of this week and into the weekend, but then we've got another weather front bringing some rain to western areas, as we head into sunday. bye for now.

voice-over: this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, which is straight after this programme. iceland, a country of wild beauty and dramatic contrasts. less known is its increasingly equal society. i think it's in her blood, yeah. it's the only country in the world to have closed more than 90% of its gender gap.

from education, to child care, to equal pay, women and girls enjoy a progressive lifestyle... iceland's most important role is to be a lighthouse for the rest of the world. ..but is everything as perfect as it seems? we have been marketed as this feminist paradise, which we are not. we want to hear from women about the challenges they still face... these women are coming from domestic abuse where the main focus is isolation. ..and how they continue to fight to improve their country even further. we're here to empower our participants to be a bigger part of the world. the only way to fix it is to be prepared to fight. we believe that we are changing the world. i