Plus: The Chinese factories behind Shein's fast fashion ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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| Hello. As wildfires continue to rage across Los Angeles, a fire chief in the city is warning that forecast high winds could further fan the flames. On the other side of the world, our China correspondent Laura Bicker visits the 'Shein village' to understand the working conditions powering the world's largest fast fashion retailer. And in Brazil, an Olympic kitesurfer testing out a new camera captured the moment he saved a drowning woman. | |
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TOP OF THE AGENDA | Warning LA fires could 'take off' again |
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| | The fires have burnt through tens of thousands of acres. Credit: Reuters. | The fires in Los Angeles could "take off" again, an LA fire chief is warning, as crews continue to battle to bring three separate blazes under control. High winds - which have been fanning the flames - are forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday, Pasadena fire chief Chad Augustin told the BBC. He said the situation is at a "fork in the road" and the new few days will see how it develops. The forecast means that more than 100,000 people are barred from returning to their homes and others remain poised to leave. So far, 24 people have been confirmed dead in the fires, with another 16 missing. |
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| | | - Story of a street: Lifelong neighbours of West Las Flores Drive told the BBC their stories of what happened as fire bore down on their homes.
- Meghan show delayed: The Duchess of Sussex's new series - filmed in southern California - has been postponed until March due to the LA wildfires, Netflix has announced.
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| Biden and Netanyahu discuss Gaza ceasefire | Israel and Hamas are understood to be making progress but uncertainty remains over key aspects of a potential agreement. | Read more > |
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| Apple board hits out at diversity rollback call | It comes after a conservative group called on Apple to abolish its diversity policies, saying they expose firms to "risks". | Get the latest > |
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| Millions bathe in holy rivers for Hindu festival | Kumbh Mela - described as humanity's biggest gathering - is held every 12 years and sees the devout bathe in sacred water. | Take a look > |
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| Norway on track to be first to go all-electric | Nine in 10 new cars in the country are now battery-powered, and it aims to hit 100% later this year. | Find out more > |
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BEYOND THE HEADLINES | Shein and the truth behind fast fashion |
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| | | Workers are paid per piece. A basic t-shirt earns them less than a dollar. Credit: Xiqing Wang/BBC | Once a little-known Chinese clothing company, Shein has become a global behemoth in five years, now worth about $66bn (£54bn). Its meteoric rise, however, has been dogged with controversy about its treatment of workers and allegations of forced labour. Shein says it is committed to ensuring the fair and dignified treatment of all workers, but when China correspondent Laura Bicker visited the 'Shein village', she found a workforce sitting behind sewing machines for 75 hours a week. |
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SOMETHING DIFFERENT | Best books of 2025 | If your new year's resolution was to read more, look no further than this list. | |
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And finally... in Brazil | The moment an Olympic kitesurfer rescued a woman who appears to be drowning in the sea has been caught on video. Bruno Lobo was trying out a new camera when he heard someone screaming in the waters off São Luís in Brazil. Lobo helped the woman onto his back and used his kite to carry her to the shore and safety. | |
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Six Steps to Calm | Discover a calmer future with this course of six science-backed techniques, weekly to your inbox. | |
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