Returning on asian markets. We start with the rise of electric vehicles, because on wednesday, britains transport minister suggested a ban on new petrol and diesel cars could bejust 12 years away. Some chinese cities want to do it by 2030, and norway has set a deadline of 2025. But is the Auto Industry moving fast enough . Ford is now taking orders for its mustang mach e, the longest range electric suv on the market. It can travel up to 370 miles on a single charge. Ford is also electrifying all the models in its range, from the fiesta to the transit van. It is part of a wave of investment by carmakers. Last year, the Auto Industry spent 225 billion developing electric vehicles, but at the moment, the impact is tiny. Barely more than 2 of vehicles sold globally last year were electric, and according to one estimate, in five years time that figure will still be less than 8 . The pressure to change is taking its toll on some of the giants of the industry. This week, mercedes owner daimler revealed the worst annual results in a decade, hit by costs of the diesel emissions scandal and investment in electric. The boss is pledging a major shake up of the company. Translation shake up of the company. We have flexed our mental translation we have flexed our mental switch towards sustainable mobility for Mercedes Benz. We talk about modern luxury becoming sustainable modern luxury, and this is the promise of the Mercedes Benz brand, a promise for a better future. It Mercedes Benz brand, a promise for a betterfuture. It is not just about our products. We are tackling the issue holistically, from the supply chain through to our own production, and the way our products use energy, that is produced, where possible, with renewables. Anjan kumar looks at the electric Vehicles Market for the Research Firm frost sullivan. Good morning. So what do you make of this new deadline set by the uk government . Well, i think its quite challenging to achieve the deadline, because when you are looking to impose ioo when you are looking to impose 100 renewables, it is notjust the sales of electric cars. You need to look at infrastructure, you need to look at the supply chain, you need to look at, you know, the phase out of the existing engine cars, and the retooling of a lot of factories that needs to be happening, and what will happen to the jobs as well, that are there in place. A new skill set needs to be brought in, and most importantly, infrastructure should be ready. They should be enough infrastructure, and also the customer should be ready to buy an electric car by then. So do you think this deadline, as it were, will move, it will become later and later, really . Because it is unrealistic . It isa because it is unrealistic . It is a bit challenging, is what i would say. But if you want to meet the deadline, there are a lot of aspects that you need to look at. But if you do not do that, then of course it has to move. I mean, the uk government looked at 2040, and then they pushed it back to 2035. Now it could possibly be 2030 or 2032. Asi could possibly be 2030 or 2032. As i said, it isjust 22 of electric cars in the uk. Norway has a deadline of 2025, but about 30 of the cars in norway that are selling are electric, so that are selling are electric, so they have a head start over there. So i would say it would be challenging. A lot of things, if the ecosystem is not built, they will have to move it forward. We have to leave it there, im afraid. Because were out of time. Thank you for sharing your opinions on that. And let us know what you think as well, if you are switching, you have already switched to electric vehicles, what is the experience like for you, and what are the challenges. Do get in touch. Lets go to Silicon Valley now, where a representative from the World Health Organization has been speaking to tech firms about misinformation on the coronavirus. As the outbreak has grown, so have the number of links for fake treatment and false information about how the disease spreads. The who said it needs the help of social media firms if it going to prevent this misinformation from causing more damage. From san francisco, the bbcs Technology Reporter zoe thomas has more. Caused caused by bat soup, cured by garlic, and cases as far away as fargo, north da kota, far away as fargo, north dakota, these are some of the lies about coronavirus that have spread on social media. The World Health Organization has referred to it as an infodemic. Tens of thousands of people have been affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The who says false information is making that situation worse. Andrew patterson travelled to Silicon Valley to ask tech giants for their help tackling the crisis. Actually, the spread of misinformation and false information about the virus itself has spread faster than the virus, and has got into more peoples lives and infected more people. Companies including google, facebook and air b b will meet with him to hear what additional steps the who would like them to take. Hear what additional steps the who would like them to takelj think what would be very exciting is to see this emergency changed into a long term, sustainable model where we can have responsible content on these platforms, and Standard Operating Procedures which will take away misinformation. Facebook has said it is using its network of Third Party Fact checkers to fight false claims, and google said ina fight false claims, and google said in a statement it was committed to providing timely and helpful information stop battling fake news is not a new challenge for social media firms, but the Health Risks Associated with the coronavirus outbreak have added a new sense of urgency. The battle against false information isnt limited to us based sites. Social Media Companies in india and china are battling it as well. Mr patterson said he planned to travel there next to talk about how tackling the challenge of this infodemic can help limit the damage of the coronavirus epidemic. Lets go to india now, where inflation has soared to its highest in almost six years. Prices in shops were rising at an annual rate of 7. 59 in january, despite faltering economic growth. So what is going on . Arunoday mukharji is in delhi. Tell us more about this issue with prices going up. Well, theseissues with prices going up. Well, these issues have breached the mid term estimates of about 4 , and this is the fourth consecutive month that these figures have breached their estimate, so it is certainly not looking very good. Vegetable prices since last year have gone up by about 50 , and essential commodities that are very critical to indian households have gone up drastically. So for instance, the price of pulses over the last one year have gone up by 16 , eggs have gone up by 10 . You also have spaces going up by 10 , you also have spaces going up by10 , and you also have spaces going up by 10 , and the big key commodity, that is onions, very important for the indian diet, has gone up by 247 . What this does is reduces the flexibility for the reserve bank of india to go ahead and cut lending rates to try and boost consumption at a time in the Indian Economy is growing at a dismal 4. 5 , the lowest in six yea rs. Dismal 4. 5 , the lowest in six years. So that is the larger dismal picture when it comes to the economy. All right, thank you so much. Really interesting situation in india there. Now lets brief you on some other business stories the Worlds Largest mobile phone showcase, mobile World Congress, has been cancelled over coronavirus concerns. Organisers said it had become impossible for the annual event to go ahead as planned later this month in barcelona. Bt, facebook, lg, nokia, sony and vodafone were among the high profile exhibitors to have pulled out, citing coronavirus fears. More than 100,000 people usually attend, about 6,000 of whom travel from china. Food giant unilever has vowed to stop marketing its products to children by the end of this year in order to tackle rising obesity rates. The firm, which owns walls ice cream, says it will limit the use of cartoon characters in its advertising and stop using social media stars or celebrities who primarily appeal to children under 12. Tesla is recalling 15,000 of its model x suvs in the us and canada because of a potential issue with corroding bolts that can lead to a loss of power steering. The recall affects most model xs built before mid october 2016, but not cars built after that date. Us regulators say there have been no crashes or injuries. Thats it for the Business Briefing this hour. A British Asian singer who has had millions of views on youtube is warning young people about heart attacks. Arjuns wife died suddenly and unexpectedly six months into their marriage. He is now organising a concert to raise awareness of the risk of Heart Disease to young people. The bbc Asian Networks Shabnam Mahmood has his story. Singer arjun has notched up millions of views on youtube, including his latest video, dedicated to his wife ofjust six months. My baby girl, can you see me down here . It was the first time i was able to directly put my feelings onto paper after about a year and a half, im trying to work out how to deal with things. Part of my therapy was to write it down ina of my therapy was to write it down in a song. The first time i had seen a footage from the wedding was actually in the video. Weirdly enough, so that was quite painful. Natasha passed away due to a sudden cardiac arrest in september 2018. She just collapsed, cardiac arrest in september 2018. Shejust collapsed, she just collapsed, and we called 999, and was doing cpr, for, like, a long time. That was quite a harrowing process, and then that was it. She was declared dead on the spot. Nice to meet you. For the First Time Since his wifes death, arjun has agreed to have a heart checkup. Every week, over12 young people aged under 35 in the uk die from heart related conditions. In 80 of cases, there are no prior symptoms. And, on what should have been his second wedding anniversary, he is organising a concert with a host of stars in memory of his late wife. He is hoping the show will raise money for the charity cry, cardiac arrest and the young, which offers screening tests to those at risk. This is the briefing from bbc news. The latest headlines chinas Ruling Communist Party has sacked two top officials in the province at the centre of the coronavirus epidemic. The announcement was made shortly after hubei reported a huge increase in the number of cases and deaths. The italian far right leader Matteo Salvini has responded defiantly after he was stripped of his parliamentary immunity. Mr salvini now faces a trial for illegally detaining migrants at sea when he was interior minister last year. Now its time to look at the stories that are making the headlines in the media across the world. We begin in spain, where the front pages are dominated by a coronavirus cancellation. The mobile World Congress wont go ahead in barcelona. And its not the only event falling victim to the virus. As the bangkok post reports, the chinese grand prix is also being postponed to try and stop its spread. Onto the financial times, and a big pledge by bp. It says itll become Carbon Neutral by 2050, and for a Company Whose annual emissions roughly match a country like the uk, its no mean feat. The i paper says british plans for a web watchdog are being watered down after a backlash by the tech giants. And finally, fast company among the sites covering new thinking at the body shop, where its first come, first served for their job applicants. Of course, a well known retailer on the uk high street. With me is andrew tuck, editor of monocle, a global news and business magazine. We picked out one of the main daily papers in spain but all of the papers in spain have this on theirfront of the papers in spain have this on their front page. The mobile World Congress cancelled. If you did not know what the event was before today you do know. It is an important industry event began with mobile phones but all take players come to barcelona every year. 110,000 people rock up in the city so it is vital for barcelona. 500 Million Euros of wealth is generated during the event and it is suddenly cancelled. The people and the authorities in barcelona, the mayor, they say they have had a couple of cases, nothing to be concerned about. And that is of coronavirus . Exactly. But the pressure is coming from big corporations saying they do not feel comfortable sending stuff there. They have responsibility to their staff and they say we cannot put you in this environment. Big Chinese Companies had already pull back numbers of people coming and begun to wonder whether it was sensible for them to be
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