BBC News

The terms of a deal between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages are being finalised, a Palestinian official familiar with the negotiations has told the BBC.

It comes as US President Joe Biden said a deal was "on the brink" of coming to fruition, and that his administration was working urgently on the matter.

An Israeli official also told news agency Reuters that negotiations were in "advanced stages", with a deal possible in "hours, days or more".

Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, and with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar, who is mediating the negotiations.

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Today, we look at the announcement of a new AI Action Plan and the UK government’s hope that it will make the UK a world leader in AI.

In a speech, the UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer laid out the government's plans to use AI across the UK to boost growth and deliver public services more efficiently. Adam and Chris are joined by the BBC’s AI Correspondent, Marc Cieslak.

Plus, we look at what today’s announcements mean for the NHS. Adam speaks to Dr Maxine Mackintosh, AI and health expert and Sana Khareghani, former head of the UK government office for AI about how AI could transform the NHS.

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Three wildfires are still burning in the LA area - the largest, the Palisades Fire, is just 14% contained.

LA City mayor Karen Bass said "urgent preparations" are being made, with close to hurricane-force winds forecast which could spark new fires across the region.

US President Joe Biden said he is "deeply saddened by the devastation" caused by the ongoing wildfires across Los Angeles.

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Three wildfires are still burning in the Los Angeles area and the largest, the Palisades Fire, is just 14% contained.

LA City mayor Karen Bass said "urgent preparations" are being made after the National Weather Service forecasted close to hurricane force winds this week.

Some 24 people have been killed by the fires, with at least 23 still unaccounted for and authorities said the death toll is expected to increase.

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In recent weeks, US President-elect Donald Trump has shown renewed interest in taking control of Greenland, a largely autonomous territory of Denmark in the Arctic and the world's largest island.

When asked if he would rule out using military or economic force in order to take over the island, as well as the Panama Canal, he responded: "No, I can't assure you on either of those two.

"But I can say this, we need them for economic security," he told reporters during a wide-ranging news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida last week.

So, how do people living in Greenland feel about Trump’s plans?

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One of the world's largest religious festivals kicks off today in India, the Maha Kumbh Mela – which happens every 12 years.

Over the next 45 days, officials are expecting 400 million Hindus to make their way to where the three rivers, the Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati meet.

By bathing in the waters, devotees believe their sins will be washed away.

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Artificial intelligence (AI) presents a "vast potential" for rejuvenating UK public services, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said.

In a speech setting out the government's plans to use AI across the UK to boost growth and deliver services more efficiently, the prime minister said the government had a responsibility to make AI "work for working people".

But the announcement has prompted questions from critics over how much time and money will be needed to make the government's vision a reality, after concerns over current borrowing costs and the pound falling to a recent low.

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The launch of Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin rocket has been postponed due to a “vehicle subsystem issue”.

The reusable rocket had been due to set off from Florida, but was delayed multiple times.

Bezos has plans for his company to become a rival to Elon Musk's SpaceX and the rocket, New Glenn, is named after John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth.

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US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have spoken by phone - in Biden's final week in office - as momentum builds towards a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.

Israel and Hamas are understood to be making progress but uncertainty remains over key aspects of the potential agreement.

The White House said Biden discussed the "fundamentally changed regional circumstances" following Israel's ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon, the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, and the weakening of Iran's power in the region.

Netanyahu's office said he had updated Biden on instructions he had given to senior negotiators in Doha "in order to advance the release of the hostages".

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The BBC visited the so-called Shein village in Guangzhou, China, and found workers making clothes for the fast fashion giant were labouring for around 75 hours a week - which breaks the country's labour laws.

Shein said it is committed to the welfare of all employees in its supply chain.

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