Briefing you on all you need to know in global news, business and sport. And you can be part of the conversation. Police in china have started using sunglasses featuring facial Recognition Technology it allows officers to scan crowds looking for suspects. A modern tool in the fight against crime . Or does it smack of big brother surveillance . Tell us what you think just use the hashtag bbc the briefing. The recent apparent thaw in relations between north and south korea looks to be taking a backwards step. The North Koreans have now said they have no intention of using the Winter Olympics as a chance to meet american delegates and they are also preparing a huge parade of their military prowess. But the us Vice President mike pence reiterated that all options are on the table. In a speech at a us air base injapan he said his country and its allies were striving to peacefully dismantle north Koreas Nuclear programme and alleviate the suffering of its people. Hes already said the us will soon impose its harshest sanctions ever against north korea. Hes now heading to pyeongchang for the winter games, which will be officially opened on friday. Joining me now is the bbcs Stephen Mcdonell in pyeongchang. A little bit of a change in terms of some of the words coming out from government. How significant is that . The North Koreans are saying that under no circumstances are they going to meet the us delegation here. People had hoped that there could be something of a winter olympic miracle, if you like, that the administrations of donald trump and kimjong un, via their respective delegations, could be sitting down and talking to one another. But, officially at least, it seems that wont be going ahead. It is interesting, kimjong uns sister is coming here and she could end up meeting with, for example, the south korean leader. That would also be quite a remarkable thing and there is some speculation as to whether or not she is utterly carrying messages from the north korean leader. And while they might not be meeting with the us delegation, if the north and south korean delegations were to meet at these games, it would be something. It is difficult to judge what a Political Tool these winter Olympic Games are going to be. There seems to bea games are going to be. There seems to be a lot of new ground being broken here. It is a fullscale propaganda showdown between the us and north korea. The us Vice President mike pence is due to arrive here very soon. He is taking north korean defectors are long with him and saying he will challenge everything that North Koreans do. There is even talk of Otto Warmbiers father going along with him to the Opening Ceremony. Some south koreans think they are not so happy with that. They might not like the north korean government but they feel a little bit like that is a bit demeaning for the Trump Administration to be coming here and telling everybody how they should be thinking about north korea. Whatever happens will be interesting here in the coming days. I hope you get to enjoy some of the sport at least. I believe that curling has already started. A senior eu official has welcomed the Coalition Agreement reached in germany between chancellor Angela Merkel and the social democrats, or spd. The economy commissioner, pierre moscovici, says the deal was good news for europe. The deal ends months of uncertainty after inconclusive elections in september. But as andrew plant reports, the deal will still need to be approved. Marathon talks that began on tuesday and continued through the night, to try to end more than four months of stalemate at the top of europes largest economy. Now, news that chancellor merkels party has reached a deal tojoin forces in a ruling coalition. Translation i am convinced that the Coalition Contract we have worked out can lay down the foundations for the stable government that our country needs, and that many in the world are waiting to see. It has been called a marriage of convenience, but the deals made to make a coalition bring widespread criticism from members on both sides, who feel their core values have been compromised too far. So what could the new Coalition Look Like . The implications of that are widespread, on major issues in germany, like migration and workers rights, but also on the brexit negotiations, as chancellor merkel looks set to enter her fourth term politically far weaker than before. But the deal is not yet done. Martin schulz has promised his members a vote, and the results will not be in until 2 march. Lets brief you on some of the other stories making the news. Party leaders in the us senate have struck a two year budget deal that should avoid any repeat of last months federal government shutdown. But it still needs approval from the house of representatives, and many are questioning a 300 billion increase to the federal deficit. The australian prime minister, malcolm turnbull, says he will issue a National Apology to survivors of child abuse. It follows an inquiry into the treatment of thousands of children who were abused in the care of churches, schools and homes across australia. Lets turn to our Main Business story the growing backlash against social Media Companies over their role in the spread of fake news. Today top us executives from Facebook Youtube which is owned by google and twitter will be questioned about the issue by british members of parliament at a public hearing in washington. Alpesh patel is from praefinium partners. This is an interesting story, isnt it . The proliferation of fake news. The terms they fake news didnt really exist back then and now you have the biggest bosses of the Biggest Companies having to represent themselves. Biggest companies having to represent themselveslj Biggest Companies having to represent themselves. I want to see the ceos. Britain is still bigger than facebook and why did they have to fly all the way over to washington to be taken seriously . They are not even than being taken seriously because until you haul out the ceos of those companies, they are the ceos of those companies, they a re utterly the ceos of those companies, they are utterly making a mockery of democracy because it is their platform which is being used for all of this and these are elected politicians, after all full is top dont think that that companies are taking any of this seriously. After role. I dont think. After all. What they can do in terms of technology and dragging their feet, they are worried about revenue. They dont want to be seen as clapping down on anything that might hurt advertising. Not that they are getting advertising russia that anything that is possible to clamp down on fake news would also make it very difficult for other people to advertise. Surely this isjust an extension of advertising, they can use, advertorials . Now we have they can use. Use, advertorials . Now we have they can use. They are trying to clamp down and monitor what you can call fa ke down and monitor what you can call fake news. Facebook isnt there to be moving very quickly on clamping down any kind of restrictions on advertising at all. Go into get yourself a coffee and we will see yourself a coffee and we will see you back for the rest of the papers. Stay with us on the briefing. When the ravers met the astronauts. Theres mr mandela. Mr nelson mandela, a free man, taking his first steps into a new south africa. Irans spiritual leader Ayatollah Khomeini has said hes passed a death sentence on salman rushdie, the british author of a book which many muslims say is blasphemous. The people of haiti have flocked to church to give thanks for the ousting of their former president , baby doc duvalier. Because of his considerable value as a stallion, shergar was kept in a special secure box in the stud farms central block. Shergar was driven away in a horse box the thieves had brought with them. There stepped down from the plane a figure in mourning. Elizabeth ii, queen of this realm and of all her other realms and territories. Head of the commonwealth, defender of the faith. Stay with us on the briefing. Youre watching the briefing. Our headlines north korea has ruled out talks with us officials attending the Winter Olympics in the south and is holding a military parade on the eve of the games. A senior eu official has welcomed the Coalition Agreement reached in germany between chancellor Angela Merkel and the social democrats as a move towards stability. Rescuers in taiwan are still searching for people trapped in the city of hualien, struck by an earthquake on tuesday. At least nine people were killed and 250 injured but more than 60 are still unaccounted for. Aftershocks are still rattling the country the strongest, magnitude 5. 7. Rescue teams are focusing their efforts on buildings tilting precariously. For more lets go to cindy sui who is in tapei for us. What more do we know, 60 missing, thatis what more do we know, 60 missing, that is quite a total. What we are hearing from the rescuers at the scene is that most of the 60 people we re scene is that most of the 60 people were not in the building at the time. They were simply residents who we re time. They were simply residents who were registered as living there. They have checked all the upper floors of the building and those flaws are empty. They believe these people are simply people they were unable to contact by phone. They are trying to reach them. There were also about ten people who were living in a bed and breakfast or a Backpackers Hotel on the second floor of this building and the second floor, along with four other lower floors, were crushed second floor, along with four other lowerfloors, were crushed by second floor, along with four other lower floors, were crushed by this earthquake. There are people who we re earthquake. There are people who were tourists mainly from Mainland China who are still believed to be trapped inside the Backpackers Hotel on the second floor. What of after shocks where you are . Does it feel like a place that is over the worst of it or is there more to come . No, i am afraid we cant say the worst is over because you never know, it is mother nature. We are feeling so many after shocks since the big earthquake on tuesday night. Even last night, we had a 5. 7 magnitude earthquake that was felt throughout taiwan. The Authorities Say that in the next 1 2 weeks, we will get a lot of earthquakes and a lot of after shocks. People are quite worried about what will happen especially as Lunar New Year holiday is coming up next week. Absolutely. Thank you for keeping us updated. The us and japan have come to an agreement that Nuclear Armed north korea cannot be accepted. So, what lies ahead for the relationship between the two countries . The bbcs tokyo correspondent has been speaking to the Japanese Foreign minister. For weeks, rumours have been swirling that the Trump Administration is preparing a military strike against north korea, a so called bloody nose, to force pyeongyang to the negotiating table. Last month, these b2 stealth bombers arrived at a us base on the island of guam. But japans foreign minister, taro kono, told me such speculation should not be taken seriously. A military strike on north korea is far too risky. South koreas capital, seoul, is situated just 30 kilometres from the border. And, if any military actions taken, the repercussion is outrageous. So i dont think anyones seriously considering taking a military method. But, in order to get north korea to come to the dialogue, i think we need to increase the pressure on them. In his new year message, north korean dictator kim jong un described the latest sanctions against his country as life threatening. They include a ban on north korean exports of coal, iron and seafood, and a cut on the import of oil. Mr kono says that shows they are starting to work. Well, sanctions are biting. Now, we have a lot of indications the sanction is actually biting. What do you think is going on with this sudden rapprochement over the Winter Olympics . Thats one of the indications the sanction is working. They wanted to do something, and they wanted to do a sort of Charm Offensive to south korea. I think north korea wants, probably, more, but i dont think the International Community are ready to give them anything. On friday, north and south korean athletes will walk side by side, as the Winter Olympics opens in pyeongchang. But mr kono says the world must not be taken in by pyongyangs Charm Offensive, or intimidated by its growing missile threat. If they use their missile or nuclear capability, theres going to be no more north korea, and they know it. So they are just making a threat, but theyre just sitting in the middle of the sanction, and eventually theyll run out of their resources. So youre prepared to play a long game on this . Yes, it is, yes. The sanction is not going to work in days or weeks, it takes months. We just have to be patient, and we just have to be well co ordinated, and thats the only way. The alternative is some kind of military action, which no one wants. Lets have a quick look at some of the other events happening later. At the hague, dutch mps will debate a proposal to scrap royal defamation laws, which make it illegal to insult the dutch king. The netherlands remains one of the few countries that still maintains such laws, and they date back to 1830. Over to america designers will be showcasing their latest collections at new york fashion week. That kicks off the global fall winter 2018 season. And lastly, in cologne, theyre celebrating their week long street festival called the crazy days, kicking off with the weiberfastnacht festival, or womens carnival, where its traditional for revellers to go around cutting mens ties. Now its time to get all the latest from the bbc sports centre. Hello there, im tulsen tollett. Coming up in your thursday sport briefing. Holders barcelona will be hoping to make it back to the copa del rey final when they face valencia. The New York Knicks will be hoping for a change of luck when they take on the Toronto Raptors. And a Different Social Media take on announcing a player by west ham united. 22 matches into the season and still, barcelona are undefeated. The catalan giants are nine points clear at the top of the Spanish League and a massive 19 ahead of great rivals, real madrid. Air Ernesto Valverde and his side now turn their attentions to the copa del rey, and their first chance for silverware this season. To the to the coaches and everybody else here see it the finals as something that belongs in the past. The players, the coaches and everybody else here. I know that valencia will be motivated because it isa valencia will be motivated because it is a great opportunity for them in front of their own supporters, but we are not any less motivated than them. After a four year wait, the 2018 Winter Olympics are under way in pyeongchang. The Opening Ceremony may still be a day away but the first action has already begun. Mixed curling is under way and injust a few hours, athletes will take on the mighty ski jump for the first time. There are two rounds of mens qualifying before the event starts properly on saturday. The Toronto Raptors have enjoyed a top fourfinish in the nbas eastern conference in each of the last four years, and theyre looking set for another this season. Second at the moment, on a three game winning streak, theyll have plenty of confidence when they welcome the New York Knicks to canada on thursday. As for the knicks, their confidence is running thin. Last time out, they were ahead against the milwaukee bucks, before star Centre Kristaps Porzingis fell awkwardly and injured his knee, ruling him out for the season. The knicks seemed to lose their confidence from there and went on to lose 103 89. The berlin wall was yet to come down the last time Eintracht Frankfurt won the german cup that was back in 1988. The bundesliga side are through to the semi finals after a 3 0 win over mainz. All three goals scored though came from defensive errors by the visitors, this back pass causing difficulties as ante rebic slotted home for frankfurts opener. In the english fa cup, tottenham are through to the last 16 after a 2 0 victory in their fourth round replay against newport county. Mauricio pochettinos side coasted through at wembley against the fourth tier side, after an own goal and then an erik lamela score both in the first half, and theyll now face rochdale from the third tier of the english game in the next round. Now, football clubs announcing a new signing on social media seems to be a growing trend in professional football. And this one mightjust be one of the best we have seen. The transfer window may be over but that hasnt stopped west ham signing free agent, patrice evra. The former Manchester United ma