hello and welcome to bbc news. the vatican says pope francis has spent a good night in hospital after being admitted with a respiratory infection. a spokesman said he had been experiencing breathing difficulties, but they also confirmed he was not suffering from covid. the bbc s davide ghiglione is outside the hospital in rome. a spokesperson informed journalists that he spent a peaceful night at the hospital. so his condition remains stable at the moment. the vatican is trying to reassure journalists, people and catholics all over the world. according to italian news agency ansa, the pope should be discharged within the next couple of days. and he should be able to celebrate next sunday s mass. everybody knows at the vatican that the pope has been particularly weak over the last couple of months. we do know already that he was forced to use a wheelchair. so it could be quite tiring for him even if he is able to attend all the ceremonies and easter celebrations. we can get mo
from the heart of sri lanka s capital, colombo. i m outside the presidential office, and today, its pristine exterior is well guarded. but six months ago, angry antigovernment protesters stormed this building, as well as the presidential palace, forcing the president to flee the country. they were angry at just how desperate their economic situation had become, and they blamed government corruption and mismanagement for it. sri lanka is saddled with heavy debt, soaring inflation and impossibly high food and fuel costs. and it s become something of a bellwether for other lower income countries. world leaders are looking to see whether sri lanka can overcome its worst economic crisis for more than 70 years, and whether its experience marks a growing trend of civil unrest. applause welcome to the magnificent national museum here in colombo, which charts the history of this beautiful island, as it marks 75 years of independence from britain, and we ve got a top panel here from sr
they say they don t plan to leave. and takeaways, restaurants, and cafes in england will have to stop using plastic cutlery, plates, and bowls from october as part of a new government plan to tackle plastic pollution. you re watching bbc news. now it s time for talking business. hello, everybody. a very warm welcome to talking business weekly with me, aaron heslehurst. let s go take a look at what s on the very first show for 2023. a new year has dawned, but is there any change for the deep problems facing the global economy? the war in europe continues to rage, driving up prices, interest rates, food scarcity and hardening divisions between the global economic superpowers. the imf, the international monetary fund, says a third of the world will be driven into recession this year. its big boss there she is, managing director kristalina georgieva, joins me for an exclusive interview about the year in front of us. also on the show, as the fashion world mourns the loss of iconic
germany, as one of the biggest polluters in the world, has an enormous responsibility. brazil s supreme court will investigate the role of the former president, jair bolsonaro, in the storming of government buildings by his supporters last weekend. takeaways, restaurants, and cafes in england will have to stop using plastic cutlery, plates, and bowls from october as part of a new government plan to tackle plastic pollution. hello and welcome. iran has executed a british iranian man on charges of spying for the uk. alireza akbari, who was iran s deputy defence minister, was detained in 2019. he d denied passing sensitive information to the british government, and said he was forced to confess after being tortured. our diplomatic correspondent, caroline hawley, reports. news of the execution came on state run television early this morning despite repeated last minute appeals from the uk. alireza akbari is thought to have acquired british citizenship after investing here and to