helen catt in westminster, thankl ministerjess phillips. en defending its handling of the economy after a turbulent day on the markets on thursday saw the pound drop to its lowest level in more than a year and government borrowing cost surge to a 16 year high. the chancellor rachel reeves is on her way to china with a delegation of city executives, as labour seeks closer economic links with beijing as part of its quest for growth. 0ur asia business reporter sura njana tewari has more. rachel reeves under quite a bit of pressure over this trip to china given what is going on in the uk markets, but the goal could ultimately benefit the uk economy, with her defenders saying the trip is important for uk trade & investment. china is a uk's fifth largest trading partner with $68 billion worth of trade going from china to the uk last year. miss reeves will be the most senior british official to visit beijing in seven years and as you mentioned there is a concerted effort by labour to build bridges with china. ties have been strained in recent years

helen catt, bbc news, westminster.re about how the government sees ai in terms of changing how we live. i the government sees ai in terms of changing how we live.- of changing how we live. i was at the speech _ of changing how we live. i was at the speech sir _ of changing how we live. i was at the speech sir keir- of changing how we live. i was at the speech sir keir starmer| at the speech sir keir starmer made earlier and he outlined the government's strategy for al. last year they commissioned ai. last year they commissioned ai. last year they commissioned ai entrepreneur matt clifford was nowjoining the number ten ai team to come up with an action plan and there are 50 recommendations on the action plan. the government says it's moving forward with single one of them. some of the headlines are things like ai growth sales, these will be areas of the country where they will have enhanced access to the power grid and streamlined planning permissions so that they can build things like data centres. data centres are vit

helen catt, bbc news, westminster. ceasefire and hostage release deal to end the war in gaza — that�*s according to the reuters news agency. a breakthrough was reportedly reached in doha after midnight following talks between israel s spy chiefs, president—elect trump�*s middle east envoy and qatar s prime minister. it comes as president biden and israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu held talks over the phone for the first time in 3 months. our middle east correspondent emir nader is injerusalem. he gave us the latest details on the ongoing ceasefire negotiations in qatar. it's it�*s quite hard to see exactly what�*s happening behind closed doors in qatar that we are receiving positive signals. it seems like from all parties. as you mentioned the phone between president biden and benjamin netanyahu last night has been seen as a positive development. there is reallyjust —— intelligence chiefs stayed in qatar over the weekend to continue the negotiations and again that was seen as a positive development. and we hear

helen catt reports.electric car—maker tesla, and soon to be part of the us government. but elon musk has also been weighing in on uk politics. he has backed nigel farage, snapped here together at donald trump's mar—a—lago resort last month, with reports he is considering donating a sizeable sum to reform uk. but he has also been highly critical of keir starmer�*s government in increasingly provocative social media posts. speaking to the bbc�*s laura kuenssberg, mr farage defended mr musk�*s right to say what he chooses. you know, in public life, tough things get said. they get said by both sides of the debate. you're right, this man happens to be the richest man in the world. but equally. ..equally, the fact that he's bought twitter now actually gives us a place where we have a proper, open debate about many things. and hey, even facebook, even meta, are adjusting to the modern world. free speech is back. we may find it offensive, but it's a good thing, not a bad thing. in recent days, mr musk has accuse

helen catt, bbc news. i've been getting a little look at how the celebrities get ready. but first, the runners and riders. here we go. you're green. iam. wicked, the wizard of oz reimagined, has been spellbinding audiences as a stage show for two decades. now, as one of the biggest films of the year, it could win best musical or comedy at the globes with cynthia erivo and ariana grande up for acting awards. are you...english? no, no, i'm not english...why? but the surprise stand—out with the most nominations is emilia perez, a film about a transgender mexican drug lord. kate winslet is nominated for her roles in the film lee and tv�*s the regime, while daniel craig and ralph fiennes are both up for best actor. denzel washington has his 11th golden globes nomination for gladiator 2. but awards season is about much more than the accolades. it's a chance for celebrities and designers to make their mark on the red carpet. so stylists like ceren are busy behind the scenes. how you look, the appearance is the mo

helen catt reports.rt he's had from the world's richest man. here they were photographed together last month. there had been talk that mr musk was considering donating money to reform uk. in a broadcast this morning, mr farage said his backing had brought other benefits. he may well give us money. whether he does or not, i'll tell you what he gives us. with huge numbers of young people, he makes us look cool. is the reason you hope he's going to give you money... is that why don't want to criticise him? i made it perfectly clear that i don't agree with everything he stands for, but i do believe in free speech. i think he's a hero, and i said that well before any potential money was offered. but this afternoon, the tech billionaire appears to have turned on mr farage, posting on his social media site x: the rift seems to have come over mr musk�*s support for far right activist stephen yaxley—lennon, also known as tommy robinson. responding to mr musk�*s post this afternoon, mr farage said... mr musk has i

well, a short time ago, our political correspondent helen catt who is in westminster, told us a bit moreken by the mirror newspaper this morning, and it's understood that there are officials within a team inside the home office known as the homeland security group, which are looking at elon musk�*s tweets and those of other accounts which have large numbers of followers, as you said. now, this team is responsible for reducing national security risks and, according to its website, focuses on the highest harm risks to the homeland. now, what they're looking at is notjust the tweets themselves, but the reach, how far they're going, who is seeing them and also who is engaging with them. so the home office isn't commenting on this, but a source said it was being done to make sure that they were on top of whatever challenges were being posed by non—state actors. and as to when all this started, well, it's understood that the monitoring of mr musk�*s tweets began after he made comments about the safeguarding minister, jess phillips. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. in the u

helen catt reports.rt that he has had from the world's richest man. there had been talk that elon musk was considering donating money to reform uk, mr farage said these backing had bought other benefits. what farage said these backing had bought other benefits. what he aives us bought other benefits. what he gives us is _ bought other benefits. what he gives us is huge _ bought other benefits. what he gives us is huge numbers - bought other benefits. what he gives us is huge numbers of. gives us is huge numbers of young people, he makes us look cool young people, he makes us look cool. i5 young people, he makes us look cool. , ., young people, he makes us look cool. , . ., �* young people, he makes us look cool. , ., ., �* ., young people, he makes us look cool. , ., ., ., cool. is that way don't want to criticise him? _ cool. is that way don't want to criticise him? the _ cool. is that way don't want to criticise him? the money? - cool. is that way don't want to criticise him? the money? i. criticise hi

helen catt, bbc news.low more patients in england to book treatments and appointments will be part of a package of measures unveiled by the government on monday. the changes will allow patients who need non—emergency elective treatment to choose from a range of providers, including the private sector. ministers and nhs leaders are due to publish what's been described as an elective reform plan, designed to speed up planned treatment. but the doctors' union, the british medical association, says there is a risk the policy would "discriminate or alienate" patients without access to technology. let's go to east asia now. us secretary of state antony blinken is due in south korea after authorities tried and failed to arrest impeached president yoon suk yeol. after a dramatic six—hour stand—off, police called off an attempt to arrest the suspended president. mr yoon�*s security team formed a human wall and used vehicles to block the arrest team's path. it has been an unprecedented month for south korean politic

helen catt, bbc news.more patients in england to book treatments and appointments. the changes will also make it easier for people to exercise their right to choose a private provider for operations. tomorrow the government will explain how it plans to hit its target of almost all patients being seen or treated within 18 weeks by the end of the parliament. a vigil has been held in new orleans in memory of the ia people killed in an attack on new year's day. a 42—year—old us army veteran drove a truck into crowds before being shot dead by police. at least 39 people were also injured. six days of funeral events to honour the former us presidentjimmy carter have started with a procession from his home in plains in georgia. carter's body was transported to atlanta for a private service where mourners gathered to pay their respects following his death last month. carl nasman followed the events. a sombre celebration, americans are beginning to honour the life of a man who went from peanut farmer to commander—in

we can get more on this with our political correspondent helen catt. understood they are looking at how many people are seeing these posts and who is engaging with them. the daily mirror newspaper discovered this monitoring was happening, it is understood to be carried out by a team in the home office... surrey, 18 within the homeland security group within the homeland security group within the home office which according to a government website is responsible for reducing national security risks. the home office says it routinely uses open source monitoring to be informed of what is being shared and discussed online. mr musk, who hasjust shy being shared and discussed online. mr musk, who has just shy of 212 million followers on his social media sites x, has been attacking the government after it declined to hold a fresh national inquiry into grooming gangs. it is understood his comments about home office minister jess phillips triggered this monitoring. she has told the bbc his threats jo monitoring. she has told the bbc his threatsjo comments increas

our political correspondent helen catt is in westminster. good morning.if she stays. if she stays how big a problem is there with the economy that she needs to stay? this problem is there with the economy that she needs to stay?— that she needs to stay? this is the arc ument that she needs to stay? this is the argument the _ that she needs to stay? this is the argument the government - that she needs to stay? this is the argument the government gives i that she needs to stay? this is the | argument the government gives for her going up with the conservative saying yesterday we saw movements in the markets that saw government borrowing rates hit the highest level in years and at the same time we are seeing the value of the pound drop which economists say is unusual for them both to happen together. conservatives say she should stay to sort it out. the government argument is there is no need for emergency intervention and this trip is important and that is why she should go. the government has been clear it wants to reset relations with china, and this is p

our political correspondent helen catt reports.e prime minister seeing artificial intelligence in action. in this lab in london, it is used to manufacture pharmaceuticals. at the government has big plans for al across the uk and says it is throwing its full weight behind the tech. , , ., throwing its full weight behind the tech. , , throwing its full weight behind the tech. ,, ., ., tech. this is the global race of our lives. tech. this is the global race of our lives- now. _ tech. this is the global race of our lives. now, some _ tech. this is the global race of our lives. now, some countries - tech. this is the global race of our lives. now, some countries are i tech. this is the global race of our i lives. now, some countries are going to make ai breakthroughs and export them. others will end up buying those breakthroughs and importing them. the question is, which of those will britain be? and ai maker oran those will britain be? and ai maker or an ai taker? de those will britain be? and ai maker or an ai taker?— those will brit