this is bbc news. the headlines: towns and cities are set to receive more than £2 billion worth of funding to reduce regional inequality. rishi sunak insists it's the north of england and wales who will benefit the most. if you look at the funding and you compare it to the number of people that live in each region, the region that has done the best in the amount of funding per person is the north. this is not the right way to allocate money, creating winners and losers around the country, and ministers playing favourites with the projects that they like the look of. another ambulance strike — this time in wales — as nurses in england also stage more industrial action.

the father of an aristocrat who's gone missing with her newborn baby and her partner — appeals for her to get in touch with the police. shock in new zealand as the prime ministerjacinda ardern unexpectedly stands down — she says she doesn't have enough left in the tank. and the harrowing anti—war epic all quiet on the western front leads the nominations for this year's bafta film awards. good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news. levelling up has been one of the government's key policies — the idea of spreading public money more evenly across the uk. well, today ministers have announced more than £2 billion worth of projects acoss the country.

they say the north of england and wales will do best, per head of population. but labour claim the system for allocating money is unfair. here's our political correspondent david wallace lockhart blackpool, one area that was a winner in today's levelling up allocation announcement, with £40 million for a new education campus. levelling up is a relatively new political phrase whose meaning is still not entirely clear. at a nearby warm bank last night where people go to get a hot meal and some company, it's not a term everybody is familiar with. the trust that runs this service hope levelling up can address geographical disparities. i think we have seen an awful lot of support to areas in the past where we almost looked and said, "don't forget about us up north." if this is a genuine opportunity for that type of support to come, then we are in the north of the country,

we are where the need is, so let's level up and make sure the support is appropriate right across the country. some have questioned how today's money has been allocated. more is going to the south—east of england than the north—east, though it's important to stress there are deprived areas in every region of the uk. the chancellor and the prime minister were spending their own cash in accrington this morning and defending how the government spent its money. we are investing hundreds of millions of pounds across the north in dozens of projects. i'm here talking to from accrington, i'm off to morecambe after listening to the north—east. and the thing you need to know actually, if you look at the funding, and you compare it to the number of people who live in each region, the region that has done the best in the amount of funding per person is the north. that's where we are today. that's why we are here talking to you in accrington market, these other the place is benefiting from the funding. we are investing in local communities, this is levelling up in action. many are sceptical about the entire levelling up process overseen

by government departments in whitehall, that essentially sees councils compete against one another for money. labour wants to see power moved out of westminster and are critical of the geographical spread of today's funding announcements. i don't think it's fair. i think it's completely wrong that the north—east for example is one of the biggest losers today when there is huge potential in the north—east and also huge need. i don't think anyone looking at this process, tory mps up in arms today, lots of people around the country who lost out completely, i don't think anyone thinks this system is fair. one think tank based in the north of england says levelling up needs to be more ambitious if it is to fundamentally change the country. the challenge is the amount of money involved for- most of these bids are relatively - marginal and so the long—term impact on productivity in the north of- england in resolving that inequality between north and south which sees people in- the north of england paid on average £8,000 less than those down south, j this will do almost nothing to deal

| with that and i'm afraid the prime j minister's claim it's— transformational is misleading. from projects in shetland, to gateshead, to dover. this funding allocation touches many parts of the uk but plenty parts of the country aren't getting extra cash and many remain doubtful that this funding can truly reshape the country. david joins me now from westminster. what are the critics are saying about how this money gets apportioned? it is based on who bids for what and how well you bid? councils essentially put forward their case for a certain project in their case for a certain project in their area that they think deserves funding and it comes to whitehall where civil servants and some elements of government have a look at what has been submitted and they decide which bids are successful and which are not. many would argue that is a fair and open way of doing it where the people who put forward the best case get the money, but there are plenty of critics of how these

so called levelling up allocations work. including the labour party. and we heard from lisa nandy in that report, not only are labour sceptical about where the money has gone, they have pointed out london at the south is getting more than the north—east of england, although there are deprived areas in every region across the uk and worthy causes that have made bids in even prosperous areas of the country, but the complaint from labour is that it is too centralised, the system, and that it should be communities that are making these decisions for themselves, ratherthan are making these decisions for themselves, rather than essentially asking whitehall for the money and putting the case there and that is something the former permanent secretary in the department or exiting the eu, that was once a government department, philip rycroft talked about this at an event and he said it was completely crackers that civil servants who may

not have actually been to an area where making decisions about whether or not it should receive funding. £2.i or not it should receive funding. £2.1 billion might sound like a lot of money that has been allocated for individual projects like, a0 million for an education campus in blackpool, for example, that may make a difference but there are so many areas that do not get the money they were looking for and cannot make the changes that they had hoped simply because their bid which may have cost them a lot of money has not been successful.— have cost them a lot of money has not been successful. david, for the moment, thanks _ not been successful. david, for the moment, thanks for _ not been successful. david, for the moment, thanks forjoining - not been successful. david, for the moment, thanks forjoining us. - earlier our correspondents danjohnson and nick garnett sent us these reports about how weston—super—mare in somerset and morecambe in lancashire how faired with the announcement.

first, danjohnson is in somersert which has been given some £20 million. they are very pleased here because that £20 million will be spent on improving the seafront here, also a new community park, and they will invest in improving the tropicana, a seafront venue, which will become a new event space. there is a sense the south—west has done well out of these bids that have been successfully announced today. there is £20 million for bridgwater to rejuvenate an abandoned hospital there, and turn that into a new medical training facility. £50 million for bristol where an old abandoned cinema will be cleared away for new homes and businesses and the biggest pot of money for the south—west is £50 million that will be spent improving the rail links in cornwall they are lengthening the platforms, introducing longer trains and making the services better

so people can get more easily across that rural patch, but the nature of this process is there are winners and losers. swindon didn't get £8 million it wanted to rejuvenate an abandoned swimming pool. sea defence is going to be improved in ilfracombe, for that they wanted £5 million to spend on that and town centre improvements. it's worth bearing in mind it sounds like across the country around 20% of these bids were successful but that means there are plenty of places that have lost out. this is one of the big winners. £50 million coming to morecambe. it's a huge amount of money and basically it equates to half the cost for eden project north. you may have been to the one in cornwall, well, the same sort of thing is planned for here in morecambe bay, which is behind me. this is the land where it's going to be and it will transform things. 300 jobs. as i say, it's a £100 million programme and without the government money it was going to be very, very hard for them to raise the actual money they need to get this up and built. this means that it will be, so £2 billion across 100 projects across the uk, some criticism as you heard, it's being spent on some of the wrong areas, in london and the south—east, but in the north—east of england, for instance, only £108 million has been earmarked, half the price

ofjust what you got here in morecambe itself. in the north—west, there's been a lot of investment. £350 million. labour has called it a "hunger games strategy," putting one region against another. it's 18 months since the first round of funding was handed out for levelling up round one, and some of those projects still haven't got off the ground. the question is, will this one, will eden project north, finally be up and running? let's talk more about this with antonia jennings, associate director at the centre for local economic strategies. that is a charity. thanks for joining us. how adequate do you believe this project is and the process by which money has been allocated? we process by which money has been allocated? ~ .., ., process by which money has been allocated? ~ .. ., ., ., allocated? we can all agree that addressing _ allocated? we can all agree that addressing regional— allocated? we can all agree that addressing regional inequality i allocated? we can all agree that addressing regional inequality isj allocated? we can all agree that i addressing regional inequality is a desperately needed aspiration but what we have seen in the levelling up what we have seen in the levelling up round two allocations is that the government is not committed to

delivering the funding at the scale and pace that is needed and there are a few reasons i say that, but primarily because we have to see the funding in the context of council funding in the context of council funding overall, this is one pot of funding overall, this is one pot of funding amongst numerous which is available to local government and what we have seen since 2010 is that cuts in annual government funding to councils has been to the tune of £15 billion, so to put that in terms, thatis billion, so to put that in terms, that is around 60p in every pound, that is around 60p in every pound, that does not even adjust for inflation, so when we adjust for inflation, so when we adjust for inflation at £15 billion figure rises to £a0 billion and we also know austerity has massively increased the demand for council services which is compounding the problem further. in that context i would say levelling up funding is a pitiful compensation for a decade that has resulted in cuts and austerity which have played out on across the country with the poorest areas suffering the most. frankly i

would finish by saying a competitive funding pot of £2 billion is not going to make up for the years of underinvestment.— going to make up for the years of underinvestment. those regions and towns and cities _ underinvestment. those regions and towns and cities which _ underinvestment. those regions and towns and cities which are _ underinvestment. those regions and towns and cities which are receiving | towns and cities which are receiving the money are delighted but how possible would it be to apportion that money differently in the way you describe whereby more people benefit from it? if you diluting it too much it becomes meaningless presumably?— too much it becomes meaningless resumabl ? ~ , ., presumably? absolutely. i would say it doesn't need _ presumably? absolutely. i would say it doesn't need to _ presumably? absolutely. i would say it doesn't need to be _ presumably? absolutely. i would say it doesn't need to be diluted - presumably? absolutely. i would say it doesn't need to be diluted at - presumably? absolutely. i would say it doesn't need to be diluted at all. it doesn't need to be diluted at all and it needs to be scaled up, so there is a wider point here around how the fund is structured, and essentially it is a competition between councils and inevitably what we see through our work is that it is the better resourced councils who have the capacity to write stronger bids to central government and in turn bids and we that out of the successful funding turn bids and we that out of the successfulfunding bids turn bids and we that out of the successful funding bids today, turn bids and we that out of the successfulfunding bids today, one in five was successful which means that four in five were not and that was a huge waste of bid writing time

for councils are already incredibly under resourced. essentially we know it's more competition style funding parts are no substitute for good means tested secure funding and we also know that levelling up in some government ministers eyes were supposed to replace the eu structural funds and they were to the tune of 9 billion but so far we have seen 5 billion apportioned to levelling up so it is still no substitute. if levelling up so it is still no substitute.— levelling up so it is still no substitute. ., , , substitute. if it was means tested as a system. _ substitute. if it was means tested as a system, which _ substitute. if it was means tested as a system, which kind - substitute. if it was means tested as a system, which kind of - substitute. if it was means tested as a system, which kind of areasl as a system, which kind of areas would be getting money that are not seeing it at the moment? the commentary _ seeing it at the moment? the commentary to _ seeing it at the moment? the commentary to date seeing it at the moment? tta: commentary to date has seeing it at the moment? tt2 commentary to date has rightly pointed out the fact that in all regions across the uk, unfortunately we do have levels of deprivation, so the first job we do have levels of deprivation, so the firstjob for any government that wants to address this issue is to figure out what a levelled up region actually looks like and i would argue that a levelled up region is not necessarily a region with high growth figures, and i am

sitting here in london i can see canary wharf but the area i live in has one into kids child poverty. i think a good means test model should look at what constitutes a good society and a healthy and happy community so i would look at things like child poverty, housing, wealth inequality, health inequality. antonia jennings, thanks for joining us. thank you very much. more nhs staff are on strike today. nurses in england are beginning the second day of their industrial action. and more than 1,000 ambulance workers across wales are also taking action over pay and conditions. they are members of the unite union and it's the first day of strike action by them. 0ur correspondent hywel griffith has more on the reasons why the ambulance

strikes are happening in wales. what they are demanding is fair pay and that is the central issue in this dispute. it is the third ambulance strike we had in wales this winter. the first by the gmb. this one held by the unite union, who get a quarter of the membership in wales. there was an offer last week made by labour, which is in charge of nhs pay in wales, and the offer was of a one—off cash settlement, not of a substantive pay rise that would be available year on year. it was turned down by this union, all ambulance workers in fact, in fact all the health unions within wales including representatives of nurses and physiotherapists and midwives, all of whom are involved in industrial action, so as things stand, we are no closer to a settlement.

the welsh labour government says it wants to continue the dialogue. it has tried to offer every single penny it can find in its budget but it claims ultimately it can't offer a long—term pay rise because it doesn't have enough money handed down from westminster, but it does have a crisis on its hands. the latest nhs performance figures today show that in december, ambulance response times to the most urgent calls in wales were the slowest ever, and demand is at its highest ever. 0ur heath reporter katharine dacosta is in brighton speaking to nurses about how they're feeling on day two of the strikes. their the action is escalating with plans for more walk—outs next month and we could see the biggest strike yet on the 6th of february if coordinated strikes with ambulance workers from the gmb union go ahead. the nurses i have spoken to have said they are doing this for their patients to highlight the crisis in the nhs and they say too many of

their colleagues are leaving to find higher paid jobs and i have been speaking to a senior nurse, tina, in a&e. it speaking to a senior nurse, tina, in a&e. , , , _ a&e. it is extremely busy, unprecedented _ a&e. it is extremely busy, unprecedented and - a&e. it is extremely busy, unprecedented and at - a&e. it is extremely busy, l unprecedented and at worst a&e. it is extremely busy, . unprecedented and at worst it a&e. it is extremely busy, - unprecedented and at worst it has been _ unprecedented and at worst it has been in _ unprecedented and at worst it has been in 40 — unprecedented and at worst it has been in 40 years, the worst i have ever_ been in 40 years, the worst i have ever seen — been in 40 years, the worst i have ever seen in— been in 40 years, the worst i have ever seen-— been in 40 years, the worst i have ever seen._ lack - been in 40 years, the worst i have ever seen._ lack of l ever seen. in what way? lack of staff, the _ ever seen. in what way? lack of staff, the patients, _ ever seen. in what way? lack of staff, the patients, they - ever seen. in what way? lack of staff, the patients, they keep i staff, the patients, they keep coming, — staff, the patients, they keep coming, there's no exit out of the department, the beds are full, so in the emergency department we keep those _ the emergency department we keep those patients in the corridors, which _ those patients in the corridors, which obviously is not good for patient — which obviously is not good for patient care. we which obviously is not good for patient care-— which obviously is not good for patient care. which obviously is not good for atientcare. ., , . ., , ., patient care. we have secretary and the prime minister _ patient care. we have secretary and the prime minister have _ patient care. we have secretary and the prime minister have said - patient care. we have secretary and the prime minister have said that i the prime minister have said that constructive talks have been happening but they are talking about the next financial year beginning in april and in the last few minutes the rcn general secretary pat cullen has arrived here to give her support to those on strike today and she has offered to meet the government halfway with a 10% pay rise for this

current year but so far there has been no improved offer made and health leaders are immensely concerned that great disruption to an even more fragile nhs, so they are urging both sides to get together and find a solution. mass strikes and protests are underway in france in response to president's macron's plan to raise the age of retirement by two years to ga. public transport has been badly hit and many schools are closed. large demonstrations drawing tens of thousands — like this in marseilles — are expected across the country. p&0 ferry services to and from calais and dover have been suspended until 2pm today because of the strikes in france. a new report from leading climate experts says that technology to remove carbon dioxide from our atmosphere must be urgently ramped up. scientists say big cuts in co2 emissions won't be enough to limit global warming. and nature alone will not remove enough of it from the air.

now let's talk with dr steve smith from the university of oxford, where the smith school of enterprise and the environment is leading this year's report. thanks forjoining us. how does the technology work and what does it do? we know that to fix the kind of problem we are in the obvious thing to do is to stop adding to the problem so we need clear deep reductions and very quickly, and this report does not change that but what it points to is the fact that increasingly we have a number of ways of taking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere that we put in, lock it away, and we are doing a certain amount of that at the moment but our study is the first attempt to gather good data on what is happening and how much is happening and how much do we need to meet these pathways to stay below 2 degrees of global warming and whether we are on track to do that and of course some things are happening but we are not currently on track to do the amount of removals we need as well as cutting emissions.—

of removals we need as well as cutting emissions. you say remove it and lock away. _ cutting emissions. you say remove it and lock away. so — cutting emissions. you say remove it and lock away, so where _ cutting emissions. you say remove it and lock away, so where do - cutting emissions. you say remove it and lock away, so where do you - cutting emissions. you say remove it and lock away, so where do you lock| and lock away, so where do you lock it? abs, and lock away, so where do you lock it? �* ., ., ., , ., it? a wind range of methods and some other well known, _ it? a wind range of methods and some other well known, so _ it? a wind range of methods and some other well known, so planting - it? a wind range of methods and some other well known, so planting trees . other well known, so planting trees is the one everyone knows about and we can use timber in construction and use other carbon negative materials in what we build. and then there is a span of methods which can be used in agriculture and we can apply certain minerals to improve its oils and also lock up c02 and then you go through to the more newer technologies like direct air capture and storage so there is a wide range of different methods. we know how to do it, so why are we not doing more of it, where does the impetus need to come from? fiur doing more of it, where does the impetus need to come from? our study is the first to — impetus need to come from? our study is the first to show _ impetus need to come from? our study is the first to show we _ impetus need to come from? our study is the first to show we are _ impetus need to come from? our study is the first to show we are doing - is the first to show we are doing about 2 billion tonnes of carbon removal through our activities already which is more than people realise but it pales into comparison to the a0 billion talents we are dumping into the atmosphere every year —— a0 billion tonnes. we are

planting new forests and improving soils in certain parts of the world which is more than offset by the fact we are chopping down trees in other parts of the world but we are doing that and a lot of the newer technologies are just starting, they are at the stage of the renew businesses and research ideas and only 0.1% of that 2 billion tonnes is from the more novel technologies. they are at a smaller scale and some are more expensive but what we need to do is support those and help bring the cost down while we reduce emissions so that in 20 or 30 years' time when emissions are lower these removals can also be at a scale where we can get to net zero emissions and beyond. sounds like once aaain emissions and beyond. sounds like once again it _ emissions and beyond. sounds like once again it is _ emissions and beyond. sounds like once again it is up _ emissions and beyond. sounds like once again it is up to _ emissions and beyond. sounds like once again it is up to the _ once again it is up to the politicians and the governments around the world to commit to this? governments have a key role to play and one of the key things that we find is that in the pages they are putting forward in the climate negotiations, the commitments to actions, they are pledging to do a bit more removal but not nearly

enough and very little to support these new technologies. they hardly get a mention at all, these pledges, so there is a role of government to support these. 0ne so there is a role of government to support these. one of the interesting thing, also a lot of innovation, there are companies investing in removals and we find about $200 million of investment in new removal technologies but that is still a small fraction of overall climate spending and where we need to be. fit climate spending and where we need to be. �* . ., ., , to be. at the micro level, as individuals, _ to be. at the micro level, as individuals, what _ to be. at the micro level, as individuals, what can - to be. at the micro level, as individuals, what can we - to be. at the micro level, as individuals, what can we do | to be. at the micro level, as| individuals, what can we do if to be. at the micro level, as - individuals, what can we do if we are lucky enough to have gardens or if people who are farmers watching? a great thing to do is to stop emissions in the first place. do not chop down trees and encourage soils and they are often healthy and you get other benefits to biodiversity. people are looking at using materials like biochar where you take biomass and turn it into a charcoal and if you plan that into

—— plant that into soils you get certain benefits. planting more trees is a great thing but also being aware it is possible to cut emissions and also take the carbon are back out of the atmosphere and make sure the government takes it seriously as well. dr make sure the government takes it seriously as well.— seriously as well. dr steve smith, from the university _ seriously as well. dr steve smith, from the university of— seriously as well. dr steve smith, from the university of oxford, - from the university of oxford, thanks forjoining us. i love the idea that farmers might be watching but they are probably driving a tractor, i do realise that! new zealand's prime minister, jacinda ardern, is stepping down next month. in a surprise announcement, said she no longer has "enough in the tank" after what she called five—and—a—half "challenging" years in charge. she says a "fresh set of shoulders" are needed to lead her party into 0ctober�*s general election. shaimaa khalil�*s report from wellington contains some flashing images. holding back tears as she made this announcement. i will not be seeking re—election. in an emotional press conference that shocked the nation, jacinda ardern said there was no

secret scandal behind her resignation, only that she no longer had the energy to go on as leader. i know what this job takes, and i know that i no longer have enough in the tank to do itjustice. this resignation was delivered in her trademark jacinda ardern style, personal, heartfelt, the prime minister said while the last five and half years have been the most fulfilling of her life, she admitted that for her it was now time. "i'm human," she said. at her peak she was extremely popular here but that has changed recently the public trust in government steadily declining as the economy deteriorated. there have been questions about whether she could actually win the next election. am i sad that she has resigned? no, not really. she did everything she could during the pandemic and kept people safe. yeah, i think she will have a great legacy. i internationally, it will be good, i locally, her reputation has gone.

i'm devastated that she is going, is resigning. she was the youngest head of government in the world when she was elected prime minister in 2017. just 37 years old at the time. her premiership has been tested time and time again. sirens wail especially by the christchurch terror attacks. the worst in new zealand's modern history. she also steered the country through the covid—19 pandemic. thanks to an early and strict lockdown, new zealand has had one of the lowest death rates globally. she has positioned us internationally, and led us through significant crises in new zealand, she's got a major economic social policy legacy. it's a sad day for me to see her go. jacinda ardern will be remembered for steering her country through a tough times and, as a head of state, who led with kindness and compassion. shaimaa khalil, bbc news.

police in california say a man who went missing last week while hiking in mountains is the british actor, julian sands. the 65—year—old star has appeared in films including �*a room with a view�* and �*leaving las vegas'. conditions in the mountains have been treacherous recently, with torrential rain and freezing temperatures. last year, the government promised to prioritise dementia care and create a "seismic shift" in how the condition is tackled. eight months on, campaigners say that commitment has "fallen by the wayside". today, they've delivered an open letter to the prime minister urging him to keep dementia on the political agenda. tim muffett has been to meet one couple learning to live with the disease. i was so happy that day. i think i was crying most of the time because i was so happy. i thought how lucky i was. ananga and joanna, married for a8 years. you had hair! a lot of hair.

it's four years since ananga was diagnosed with alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia in the uk. i'm losing him, inch by inch, day by day. and there will come a day when he won't know me. he won't know who i am or who his family is. he'll know i love him. before i got alzheimer's i was very outgoing. but now all i want to do is to stay at home. ananga and joanna say they've relied on support from the alzheimer's society. but apart from help from that charity, they feel abandoned. being married to my husband is a life choice. that doesn't mean to say i don't need a bit of help every now and then. last may, the government said that by the end of 2022, it would publish a ten—year plan to tackle dementia, spelling out ways to improve care,

research and diagnosis, and ways to avoid preventable cases. when a visionary plan comes together with powerful partners and proper funding, and we couple it with care and compassion, that combination can be unbeatable. but it's now 2023 and there's still no plan. # hands up, baby, hands up...# young at heart in luton, where music, song and exercise gives people with dementia a weekly boost. # all your love #. it's run by maria, who's exasperated by delays to the government's dementia plan. organisations don't feel they know where dementia services should be going, where the support is coming from, where funding is coming from. the alzheimer's society has delivered a letter to the prime minister today, calling on the government to publish its dementia plan and to honour its commitments

on research and diagnosis. the department of health says it wants to offer high quality and compassionate care to everyone with the condition. £17 million was spent last year tackling dementia waiting lists and diagnosis. funding for research, will, it says, double to £160 million a year by 202a. but for ananga, his family and many others with the condition, dementia isn't getting the attention it urgently needs. tim muffett, bbc news. now it's time for a look at the weather with alex. after some early morning snow showers — after some early morning snow showers cause _ after some early morning snow showers cause disruption - after some early morning snow showers cause disruption for. after some early morning snow- showers cause disruption for some, the good _ showers cause disruption for some, the good news _ showers cause disruption for some, the good news is _ showers cause disruption for some, the good news is these _ showers cause disruption for some, the good news is these wintry- the good news is these wintry showers — the good news is these wintry showers will— the good news is these wintry showers will start _ the good news is these wintry showers will start to - the good news is these wintry showers will start to peter- the good news is these wintryj showers will start to peter out the good news is these wintry- showers will start to peter out and it will _ showers will start to peter out and it will be _ showers will start to peter out and it will be drier— showers will start to peter out and it will be drier for— showers will start to peter out and it will be drier for the _ showers will start to peter out and it will be drier for the rest - showers will start to peter out and it will be drier for the rest of- showers will start to peter out and it will be drier for the rest of the i it will be drier for the rest of the day but — it will be drier for the rest of the day but it— it will be drier for the rest of the day but it will— it will be drier for the rest of the day but it will be _ it will be drier for the rest of the day but it will be staying - it will be drier for the rest of the day but it will be staying cold. i day but it will be staying cold. some — day but it will be staying cold. some areas _ day but it will be staying cold. some areas will— day but it will be staying cold. some areas will be _ day but it will be staying cold. some areas will be seeing - day but it will be staying cold. i some areas will be seeing some wintriness — some areas will be seeing some wintriness today, _ some areas will be seeing some wintriness today, mainly - some areas will be seeing some wintriness today, mainly in - some areas will be seeing some - wintriness today, mainly in scotland but elsewhere — wintriness today, mainly in scotland but elsewhere wintry— wintriness today, mainly in scotland but elsewhere wintry showers - wintriness today, mainly in scotland but elsewhere wintry showers will. but elsewhere wintry showers will look more — but elsewhere wintry showers will look more like _ but elsewhere wintry showers will look more like sleet— but elsewhere wintry showers will look more like sleet and - but elsewhere wintry showers will look more like sleet and rain- but elsewhere wintry showers will look more like sleet and rain to i look more like sleet and rain to lower— look more like sleet and rain to lower levels _ look more like sleet and rain to lower levels although _

look more like sleet and rain to lower levels although a - look more like sleet and rain to lower levels although a bit - look more like sleet and rain to lower levels although a bit of i lower levels although a bit of wintriness _ lower levels although a bit of wintriness and _ lower levels although a bit of wintriness and snow - lower levels although a bit of wintriness and snow maybe l lower levels although a bit of - wintriness and snow maybe along the north york— wintriness and snow maybe along the north york moors. _ wintriness and snow maybe along the north york moors. strong _ wintriness and snow maybe along the north york moors. strong winds - wintriness and snow maybe along the north york moors. strong winds as i north york moors. strong winds as well in _ north york moors. strong winds as well in scotland _ north york moors. strong winds as well in scotland and _ north york moors. strong winds as well in scotland and across - north york moors. strong winds as well in scotland and across the - well in scotland and across the north— well in scotland and across the north sea _ well in scotland and across the north sea coast _ well in scotland and across the north sea coast but— well in scotland and across the north sea coast but elsewhere j well in scotland and across the - north sea coast but elsewhere the winds _ north sea coast but elsewhere the winds will— north sea coast but elsewhere the winds will ease _ north sea coast but elsewhere the winds will ease with _ north sea coast but elsewhere the winds will ease with top _ winds will ease with top temperatures _ winds will ease with top temperatures betweenl winds will ease with top - temperatures between 3—7. into tonight, _ temperatures between 3—7. into tonight, plenty— temperatures between 3—7. into tonight. plenty of— temperatures between 3—7. into tonight, plenty of dry— temperatures between 3—7. into tonight, plenty of dry weather. temperatures between 3—7. into i tonight, plenty of dry weather and clear skies. — tonight, plenty of dry weather and clear skies, although _ tonight, plenty of dry weather and clear skies, although it— tonight, plenty of dry weather and clear skies, although it will- tonight, plenty of dry weather and clear skies, although it will be - tonight, plenty of dry weather and clear skies, although it will be icyl clear skies, although it will be icy in parts _ clear skies, although it will be icy in parts of— clear skies, although it will be icy in parts of scotland _ clear skies, although it will be icy in parts of scotland and - clear skies, although it will be icy in parts of scotland and the - clear skies, although it will be icy| in parts of scotland and the west. temperatures _ in parts of scotland and the west. temperatures dipping _ in parts of scotland and the west. temperatures dipping down- in parts of scotland and the west. temperatures dipping down to . in parts of scotland and the west. i temperatures dipping down to below freezing, _ temperatures dipping down to below freezing, -5— temperatures dipping down to below freezing, -5 in — temperatures dipping down to below freezing, —5 in some _ temperatures dipping down to below freezing, —5 in some parts— temperatures dipping down to below freezing, —5 in some parts of- freezing, —5 in some parts of scotland _ freezing, —5 in some parts of scotland and _ freezing, —5 in some parts of scotland and those - freezing, —5 in some parts of scotland and those winds - freezing, —5 in some parts of scotland and those winds do| freezing, —5 in some parts of- scotland and those winds do steal ease although _ scotland and those winds do steal ease although staying _ scotland and those winds do steal ease although staying quite - scotland and those winds do steal| ease although staying quite strong tomorrow — ease although staying quite strong tomorrow across _ ease although staying quite strong tomorrow across the _ ease although staying quite strong tomorrow across the north - ease although staying quite strong tomorrow across the north sea - ease although staying quite strong. tomorrow across the north sea coast. into tomorrow across the north sea coast. into friday— tomorrow across the north sea coast. into friday a _ tomorrow across the north sea coast. into friday a bit— tomorrow across the north sea coast. into friday a bit of— tomorrow across the north sea coast. into friday a bit of mist— tomorrow across the north sea coast. into friday a bit of mist and _ tomorrow across the north sea coast. into friday a bit of mist and fog - into friday a bit of mist and fog first thing. _ into friday a bit of mist and fog first thing, and _ into friday a bit of mist and fog first thing, and a _ into friday a bit of mist and fog first thing, and a frost, - into friday a bit of mist and fog first thing, and a frost, as- into friday a bit of mist and fog j first thing, and a frost, as well, but turning _ first thing, and a frost, as well, but turning milder— first thing, and a frost, as well, but turning milder over- first thing, and a frost, as well, but turning milder over the - first thing, and a frost, as well, | but turning milder over the next first thing, and a frost, as well, - but turning milder over the next few days _

hello this is bbc news. the headlines... towns and cities are set to receive more than £2 billion worth of funding in an attempt to reduce regional inequality. rishi sunak insists it's the north of england and wales who will benefit the most. another ambulance strike, this time in wales, as nurses in england also stage more industrial action. an aristocrat whose estranged daughter has gone missing with her partner and their newborn baby has appealed for her to contact police. shock in new zealand as the prime ministerjacinda ardern unexpectedly stands down. she says she doesn't have enough left in the tank.

and the german drama, a harrowing anti—war epic, all quiet on the western front, leads the nominations for this year's bafta film awards. this years bafta nominees have been announced. the remake of the classic all quiet on the western front led the nominations. the all quiet on the western front team will be celebrating. the drama, which contrasts the youthful fervour of a young recruit with the reality of war leads the way with 1a nominations, including best film, best director, and best supporting actor for albrecht schuch. there are ten nominations for the multi—universe fantasy everything everywhere all at 0nce. it's up for best film and best director, and its stars michelle yeoh and ke huy quan are also recognised.

ijust don't like you no more. brendan gleeson and colin farrell are among the ten nominations for the banshees 0f inisherin, a film about two close friends falling out, a situation that perhaps mirrors... you do like me. ..widening disagreements... i don't. ..between the views of awards voters and audiences. take top gun maverick, one of the box office smashes of 2022, but a reminder of the way that opinion has split between the public and the baftas. it's nominated in four technical categories but not best film or best actor. let's try not to get fired on the first day. and while the original avatar had thejoint most bafta nominations back in 2010, its massively successful sequel is only up for best sound and best effects. in other areas where awards shows are striving to stay relevant, bafta will be pleased. mandy walker is only the second woman ever to be nominated for cinematography, for elvis.

and ten of the 2a acting nominees belong to ethnic minorities including black panther: wakanda forever�*s angela bassett and triangle 0f sadness's dolly de leon. this is really, really bad. lizo mzimba, bbc news. let talk to the film producer and presenter jason solomon whojoins me now. it's lovely to see you. all quiet on the western front really has done very well in the nominations. amazingly. it's a record for any foreign language film to garner those nominations, only gandhi has ever had more, 16, and actually, all quiet on the western front is unlucky not to get 15. my favourite thing of the movie is the lead performer who didn't get nominated, about the only thing in the movie he didn't. it's interesting because sam mendez, who many people fancied this year this year for his film empire

of light didn't get nominated for this. very interesting to see one now told from the german point of view, i think that's a wholesale shift in taste. we don't really see war movies from what is traditionally seen as the enemy point of view and we do with this because i think people's view of the world war i drama is that it's a female two futile drama, and he will, i say, female two futile drama, and he will, isay, not female two futile drama, and he will, i say, not that we want to see a pro—war movie, but it is about the insanity that sets these young men who are thrust into the trenches. it's amazing to see it from the german side, never seen that before, never been shown to us before. it's a book that all german schoolchildren read, they all know it, so it's a bit like world war poetry for our school kits. we all know it, but it's fantastic to see, very well done, that's why it's got so many nominations, in the craft categories, the sets, the sound design. categories, the sets, the sound desian. . ~ categories, the sets, the sound desian. ., ~ ., , categories, the sets, the sound desian. ., ~ ., categories, the sets, the sound desiun. ., ~' ., ., design. talk to us about the tar, with cate blanchett. _ design. talk to us about the tar, with cate blanchett. |— design. talk to us about the tar, with cate blanchett. i think -

design. talk to us about the tar, with cate blanchett. i think it's | with cate blanchett. i think it's terrific. great _ with cate blanchett. i think it's terrific. great to _ with cate blanchett. i think it's terrific. great to see _ with cate blanchett. i think it's terrific. great to see that - with cate blanchett. i think it's terrific. great to see that it's i terrific. great to see that it's been nominated. even in the category of best actress nominees, i think cate blanchett is probably the front runner. she is magnificent, always. she's particular magnificent as this conductor of this orchestra who is accused of, people sort of say she's accused of, people sort of say she's a victim of cancel culture but she's also sort of betrayed by social media. in fact, also sort of betrayed by social media. infact, the also sort of betrayed by social media. in fact, the film is so... i don't know, sort of, chiselling away at the veneer of this brilliant woman, this brilliant artist. we see her unravelling. i think it's a magnificent movie and a magnificent performance. it would be a real steal if she went to win best actress because she speaks german in it, she speaks french in it, she's got control, the music is gorgeous, see it in the cinema because it sounds fantastic. tt’s see it in the cinema because it sounds fantastic.— sounds fantastic. it's a very arresting — sounds fantastic. it's a very arresting a _ sounds fantastic. it's a very arresting a poster- sounds fantastic. it's a very arresting a poster either . sounds fantastic. it's a very i arresting a poster either when sounds fantastic. it's a very - arresting a poster either when you see that on the hoardings. that's what attracted my attention. elvis? elvis. nine nominations for elvis. a

great hole for baszler men, he is obviously a very popular director, a great showman, a circus ringleader in his own mulan rouge. he does it here in elvis. i think it is a wild film, tom hanks as the kernel, and austin buttler as elvis does a very good job. austin buttler as elvis does a very goodjob. it's austin buttler as elvis does a very good job. it's a film that is hit the headlines, lisa marie presley dying just days after its a at the golden globes. it's a story that lives were so many people. elvis has got, even you in impression, everyone has got their own version of elvis and his music caught... this does a lot to put the young elvis into the picture and understand where this person came from, the soulful, church music of the south coming into rock and roll. i think that's what's really interesting about it. also, it never rest, for a minute. every scene is about a minute long and you're

always thinking what's next. it's wild and whirling, i don't think it's best picture but it's good to see it's in the mix. t it's best picture but it's good to see it's in the mix.— see it's in the mix. i told you in confidence! _ see it's in the mix. i told you in confidence! this _ see it's in the mix. i told you in confidence! this is _ see it's in the mix. i told you in confidence! this is a _ see it's in the mix. i told you in confidence! this is a very - see it's in the mix. i told you in confidence! this is a very good | see it's in the mix. i told you in - confidence! this is a very good year for irish actors, an irish films... amazing year. the banshees of inisherin got ten nominations, directed by martin mcdonagh, great performances by colin farrell, who might be a favourite, as is brendan gleeson. they play to friends, you see this, who don't want to be friends any more. they want to break up. people break up with their spouses and partners, but you never break up with your friends. it's very difficult to do especially if you live on an small island in ireland in the 1920s. very good, brilliant performances, everyone is nominated, barry keegan, kerry condon for best supporting actress, also, in this irish celebration, a film called the quiet girl, the first in irish language has been nominated in the foreign film category and that's brilliant i'm delighted for the film. it's

excellent. plus you've got to pull my scale who is the irish actor people know from format normal people. he stars in a british film called after son. it's a british film. he is the start of that movie, people love it when they see it, it's in very well in the cinema, a small, british, indie movie. paul mescal got a best actor nomination and i saw him last night in a streetcar named desire and he was jolly good on that. abs, streetcar named desire and he was jolly good on that.— streetcar named desire and he was jolly good on that. a proper talent. we do aet jolly good on that. a proper talent. we do get the _ jolly good on that. a proper talent. we do get the sense _ jolly good on that. a proper talent. we do get the sense that - jolly good on that. a proper talent. we do get the sense that this - jolly good on that. a proper talent. we do get the sense that this is . jolly good on that. a proper talent. | we do get the sense that this is the year when we are really properly returning to something like normal after several years of disruption? i think what we are seeing is the tail end of the movies made during covert restrictions. they say they had to do it under covid restrictions. we are seeing a different set of films, those that didn't get made because of covert that had to stop because it added lots to their budget, some

mainstream films got through because they could absorb the financial pressures of the extra covid protocol is that it's taken. we are seeing a slightly skewed version but people are coming back to the cinema, wanting to see these movies, elvis to grey to the box office, i hope tar does, difficult film though it is, though smaller films like after son are doing really well at the box office at enticing audiences back. if you don't see saka in the cinema, you are losing out. if you don't see all quiet on the western front you are losing out on the experience. that is the difference. that's what we are getting things like avatar and top gun which brought loads of people back to the cinema, frankly it would have been in my top film as it is fantastic hollywood escapism and brilliant, and nominated justly. what hollywood escapism and brilliant, and nominated justly.— hollywood escapism and brilliant, and nominated justly. and nominated 'ustly. what film are ou and nominated justly. what film are you producing? _ and nominated justly. what film are you producing? can _ and nominated justly. what film are you producing? can you _ and nominated justly. what film are you producing? can you tell- and nominated justly. what film are you producing? can you tell us - and nominated justly. what film are you producing? can you tell us any. you producing? can you tell us any more? �* . you producing? can you tell us any more? �*, ., ., you producing? can you tell us any more? �* , more? it's about a young british boy who nets a more? it's about a young british boy who gets a job _ more? it's about a young british boy who gets a job in _ more? it's about a young british boy who gets a job in a _ more? it's about a young british boy who gets a job in a cut-throat - who gets a job in a cut—throat pricing and battery and becomes an

authentic parisian to survive. tit authentic parisian to survive. if you need a newsreader you know to come. . ~' you need a newsreader you know to come. ., ~ i. you need a newsreader you know to come-_ you _ you need a newsreader you know to come-_ you are - you need a newsreader you know to come._ you are watchingj come. thank you. you are watching bbc news- — an aristocrat whose estranged daughter has gone missing with her partner and their newborn baby has appealed for her to contact police. constance marten has been missing for almost two weeks with her partner who served 20 years injail in the us for rape. sean dilley has the details have you seen mark gordon or constance marten? police say they could be anywhere in the uk. 35—year—old constance, also known as toots, was raised in a wealthy family, but relations with them have been strained since she met mark in 2016. mark gordon is a convicted sex offender. he was deported back to the uk from the usa in 2010 after serving 20 years for rape and kidnap

when he was 1a. police have been trying to find both of them since they abandoned their burning car on a motorway in bolton on the 5th of january. 0fficers believe that constance may have given birth in the car two days earlier. constance's father wants her to make contact. darling constance, even though we remain estranged at the moment, i stand by, as i have always done and as the family has always done, to do whatever is necessary for your safe return to us. i beseech you to find a way to turn yourself and your wee one into the police as soon as possible. the couple are believed to have travelled to liverpool, harwich, london and colchester between the fifth and the 7th of january. they were last seen here in east london 12 days ago. it's a puzzling case with more questions than answers. but for police, the most urgent are where are they now and where is their newborn baby? sean dilley, bbc news.

joining me is the author and former scotland yard detective peter bleksley. thank you forjoining us. the family are clearly hugely concerned about constance and her child and partner. that will be shared, no doubt, by the officers involved in what has to be a very delicate investigation. clearly. the amount of resources being put into the search for them shows just how concerned law enforcement are. because, shows just how concerned law enforcementare. because, of shows just how concerned law enforcement are. because, of course, the protection of life is a fundamental principle of policing. and so they want to find these people, they want to ensure that they are safe, and of course, this child, that apparently has not been subjected to any medical examination since its birth, will also be causing huge cause for concern. there is clearly publicity. we are reporting it. but to what extent does the concern you have described drive the nature of the inquiry? the

olice will drive the nature of the inquiry? tt2 police will be concerned that there is not, for example, going to be a tragedy coming out of this very worrying situation. that is why we have seen the police are appealing as widely as they have been throughout the media for people to come forward. if you have seen constance or marc gordon and the baby, perhaps you may have seen three people concealing their faces like we have seen on cctv, if that allows you, if you see them, then please pick up the phone and speak to the police. and if you have some reluctance about speaking to the police these days, in times of catastrophic levels of lack of trust in the police, then that admirable charity, crimestoppers, whose telephone number is 0800, 555, 111, will happily receive your information anonymously. they won't want to know details about you

whatsoever. let'sjust want to know details about you whatsoever. let's just see if we can have these people found and made safe. tt have these people found and made safe. ., ., , , ., �* safe. it would appear, we can't assume. _ safe. it would appear, we can't assume. it _ safe. it would appear, we can't assume, it appears _ safe. it would appear, we can't assume, it appears from - safe. it would appear, we can't assume, it appears from the i safe. it would appear, we can't - assume, it appears from the fetish that we have seen of them concealing their faces that they don't want to be found. —— from the footage that we have seen. be found. -- from the footage that we have seen-— we have seen. know, quite rightly not. we have seen. know, quite rightly not- there — we have seen. know, quite rightly not. there are _ we have seen. know, quite rightly not. there are going _ we have seen. know, quite rightly not. there are going to _ we have seen. know, quite rightly not. there are going to be - we have seen. know, quite rightly not. there are going to be some l not. there are going to be some questions because we know that mark gordon has some criminal convictions in the us. there are going to be questions asked about did law enforcement liaise? did theyjoin enforcement liaise? did they join up? enforcement liaise? did theyjoin up? was mr gordon subject to any subsequent kind of monitoring? which somebody convicted of those sort of offenses in the uk would be subject to very tight monitoring by the police post release. for many years, if not ever. so there will, of course, be questions in turnabout with a law enforcement both at home and abroad actually spoke to one another. ., ' . , .,

another. how difficult is it for eo - le another. how difficult is it for people to _ another. how difficult is it for people to evade _ another. how difficult is it for people to evade recognition? j another. how difficult is it for - people to evade recognition? we are not talking about them being captured, are we, other than on cctv footage. there are plenty of those networks around these days, you would think it would be fairly easy to spot them. the would think it would be fairly easy to spot them-— would think it would be fairly easy to spot them. the language coming out of the police _ to spot them. the language coming out of the police and _ to spot them. the language coming out of the police and the _ to spot them. the language coming out of the police and the language i j out of the police and the language i will use is that these people need to be found. i think this is quite clear and distinct from somebody who is being flagged up as a wanted fugitive for example. this is not the situation we have here at the moment. cctv is everywhere, particularly in our major cities where the most nation on earth, many people argue. because we know the details of their travel, including liverpool and london and harwich and other places, if they have travelled on taxis, which we think they have, then those vehicles will have been picked up on automatic number plate recognition systems. they have a network of cameras dotted around the country. so in that regard, it's

often easier to map the movements of a car than it can be an individual. if somebody has got some element of awareness about cctv, where its place, where you are likely to be picked up and seen, and you therefore try and avoid that, then it can be done although it's an increasingly difficult thing to do increasingly difficult thing to do in 2023. me increasingly difficult thing to do in 2023. ~ ., ., ., ., , in 2023. we have heard that napier marten, in 2023. we have heard that napier marten. who _ in 2023. we have heard that napier marten, who was _ in 2023. we have heard that napier marten, who was estranged - in 2023. we have heard that napier marten, who was estranged from i in 2023. we have heard that napierl marten, who was estranged from his daughter constance, has said that they have had concerns for some time. if she were to present herself to the police, what would happen? t to the police, what would happen? i would imagine that they would be taken to a place of would imagine that they would be ta ken to a place of safety, primarily, it's about keeping people safe and protecting life. so in the very first instance, the police would want to ensure that they are safe, that any necessary medical examinations and treatments are carried out, both on constance and the baby, they are going to be their priority is at the moment. goad the baby, they are going to be their priority is at the moment.— priority is at the moment. good to talk to you. _ priority is at the moment. good to talk to you, thank _ priority is at the moment. good to talk to you, thank you _ priority is at the moment. good to talk to you, thank you for - priority is at the moment. good to talk to you, thank you for coming l talk to you, thank you for coming in. 15 projects in the north west have

been given the go—ahead with £355 million in the government's levelling—up funding. one of them is the eden project, which marks a new chapter for morecambe. dave guest reports. it was an age of simple pleasures. a time when children amuse themselves without a smartphone. this was morecambe at the height of its powers in the 1960s. the morecambe of my childhood. viewed with 21st century eyes, of course, this looks so wrong. but back then, the so called bathing beauties brought huge crowds to morecambe's superswimming stadium. that swimming stadium stood on this very side. i spent many a happy, long summer holiday with my mates splashing about in that 0lympic sized pool. so many of us shed a tear the day that they decided to demolish it to make way for a new fangled bubbles leisure pool that eventually also met its end. and now eden is due to rise on this site. mike wallis, seeing many exciting

new dawns for morecambe, turned to disappointing discs. he edited the morecambe visitor for years and masterminded the campaign to immortalise the resort�*s most famous son in bronze. it's still a major draw for tourists, but does he think eden will be the same? the greatest asset morecambe always had, even when it was a fishing village, the bay itself. the eden project will make the most of that, and i think it can only be good for not just morecambe, north of england. this is weston primary school, my old school. so what does the next generation of son grandsons hope eden will mean for their futures? i hope the eden will bring more people and the morecambe will get more popular. time and tide never standstill. morecambe camp at hope that eden creates an exciting new chapter in its history. dave guest bbc north west today morecambe.

king charles has asked that a surge in crown estate profits — as a result of deals for six offshore wind farms — be kept by the treasury for the "wider public good". the sovereign grant, which pays for the costs of working royals, is based on a quarter of crown estate profits — but king charles is proposing to reduce that proportion. (read 0ur royal correspondent sarah campbell explains... in order for the sovereign grant, that being the amount of tax payer funding that is given to cover the running costs of working members of the royal family and also palace refurbishments, the upkeep of palaces, so 25% of the profits from the crown estate currently go towards making up the sovereign grant — if that makes any sense? if you can imagine, these six leases for these wind farms are generated to fees of billions per year — so that would be a huge upsurge in their profits, which would mean a huge upsurge in the sovereign grant. so, the detail today is that buckingham palace has made it clear

that as the king's wish that rather than those profits going to fund the working members of the royal family, he instead wants us to go back to the treasury and effectively to be distributed, in his words, for the public good. if you think back to the christmas speech was very much the theme of a christmas speech about the cost of living crisis and understanding the difficulties that families are undergoing at the moment. in his succession speech, which was in september, he talked about the fact that he pledged his willingness to surrender the income from the crown estate again for the public good and this phrase the public good, and this is his perhaps a first opportunity to put his money where his mouth is. i think, contrary to that, and i think the statement from the anti—monarchy group, republic, says this cynical pr to pre—empt a government decision to reduce the percentage calculation and i think their perspective is that the pr would be awful if all this came out that the king had had this massive influx of money from this windfall from the wind farm so he is pre—empting that

in a way because that would be very difficult i think and people find it difficult to understand. some breaking news to bring you regarding to retired metropolitan police officers who have been charged with child six offenses as part of an investigation into a serving police officer who was found dead before he could also be charged. the matter said in a statement today that chargers follow a lengthy and complex investigation into richard watkins and he was a9, serving chief inspector for neighbourhoods in the west area command unit. he was found dead in buckinghamshire onjanuary the 12th, buckinghamshire on january the 12th, the same day he was buckinghamshire onjanuary the 12th, the same day he was due to answer bail to be charged with conspiracy

to distribute and show indecent images of children. with three counts of making indecent photos of a child, voyeurism, and two counts of misconduct in a public office, but he was found dead as we have just expired. his death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious, an inquest has been opened and adjourned. the two retired metropolitan police officers who have been charged art jack addis who have been charged art jack addis who is 63 and of no fixed address but from perthshire in scotland and jeremy laxton who is 62 and from lincolnshire. they will appear at westminster magistrates�* court on the 9th of february. there will no doubt, be more detail about those chargers later in the day. imran khan, the former prime minister of pakistan has warned that the country could face collapse if that isn�*t a general election soon. imran khan was ousted in a vote of no confidence last april, since then he

has pushed the government to bring the elections forward but critics say his adding to the countries problems. he has been speaking to our reporter. you might get under way pakistan to get economic stability is through free and fair elections. ., ., . ., , elections. free and fair elections with the government _ elections. free and fair elections with the government backed - elections. free and fair elections with the government backed by. elections. free and fair elections| with the government backed by a popular mandate is the beginning of getting stability. popular mandate is the beginning of getting stability-— getting stability. those elections are due to happen _ getting stability. those elections are due to happen this _ getting stability. those elections are due to happen this year- getting stability. those elections are due to happen this year what getting stability. those elections - are due to happen this year what you are due to happen this year what you are calling for is to have them earlier. what is the difference? it's earlier. what is the difference? it�*s just a few months but the fact that you are doing this could cause further economic damage, will you acknowledge that?— acknowledge that? actually, the dama . e acknowledge that? actually, the damage has _ acknowledge that? actually, the damage has been _ acknowledge that? actually, the damage has been done. - acknowledge that? actually, the damage has been done. it's - acknowledge that? actually, thej damage has been done. it's only damage has been done. it�*s only going to get worse, the longer this government stays, the worry in pakistan is we could have a surreal situation. ~ ., , ., , , ., , situation. would you bring people out to protest if _ situation. would you bring people out to protest if you _ situation. would you bring people out to protest if you don't - situation. would you bring people out to protest if you don't get - situation. would you bring people out to protest if you don't get the j out to protest if you don�*t get the agenda that you want to happen? we will agenda that you want to happen? 2 will do at public rallies, of course, we already, in an election year so we will do public rallies,

which is what political parties do. there are still a threat hanging over the new that you could be dis— qualified. what would you do if you are? . qualified. what would you do if you are? , ., , , ., qualified. what would you do if you are? , are? there is absolutely no case that can disqualify _ are? there is absolutely no case that can disqualify me. - are? there is absolutely no case that can disqualify me. you - are? there is absolutely no case | that can disqualify me. you don't think it will _ that can disqualify me. you don't think it will happen? _ that can disqualify me. you don't think it will happen? they - that can disqualify me. you don't think it will happen? they are - think it will happen? they are t in: think it will happen? they are trying their— think it will happen? they are trying their best, _ think it will happen? they are trying their best, because, i l think it will happen? they are - trying their best, because, i have so many court cases, they come up every other day, there is a new case against me, and i keep making appearances in courts. ithiha against me, and i keep making appearances in courts. who would run the -a appearances in courts. who would run the party because _ appearances in courts. who would run the party because my _ appearances in courts. who would run the party because my cowardice - the party because my cowardice operate if you would have qualified? we will cross the bridge when we come to it. we will cross the bridge when we come to it— come to it. there will be an election _ come to it. there will be an election this _ come to it. there will be an election this year _ come to it. there will be an election this year at - come to it. there will be an election this year at some l come to it. there will be an - election this year at some point, how you currently feel? t election this year at some point, how you currently feel?— election this year at some point, how you currently feel? i don't feel safe. the answer _ how you currently feel? i don't feel safe. the answer is _ how you currently feel? i don't feel safe. the answer is no, _ how you currently feel? i don't feel safe. the answer is no, i _ how you currently feel? i don't feel safe. the answer is no, i don't - how you currently feel? i don't feel safe. the answer is no, i don't feel| safe. the answer is no, i don�*t feel safe. the answer is no, i don�*t feel safe. yes, iwill safe. the answer is no, i don�*t feel safe. yes, i will be a little bit more careful, i will have a bullet—proof screen now giving rallies but i will have two... there is no question of me sitting inside. i will go out campaigning.- is no question of me sitting inside. i will go out campaigning. thank you very much- —

imran khan speaking to caroline davies. now it�*s time for a look at the weather with alex humphreys these wintry showers will be easing. more dry weather for the rest of the day, sunny spells as well but it will take all. we are on an arctic airflow at the will take all. we are on an arctic air flow at the moment, these wins come and go as you can see, things are changing over the next few days it is getting milder with this yellow colour sweeping across the uk but it is slower to move across the whole of the country. for the rest of the day, sunny spells, although wintriness does continue mainly for parts of scotland. elsewhere, wintriness will start to look like sleet and rain to lower levels although some snow possible across the north york moors. the winds are strong in scotland and across the east coast as well but elsewhere will be easing, temperatures between 3-7 , it is will be easing, temperatures between 3—7 , it is still cold up there. wrap out one. in the evening, the focus shifts from snow to ice. i see

areas in north the west, there will be plenty of dry, clear weather overnight which means those temperatures will drop off to below freezing, minus five celsius in some parts of scotland. the winds will continue to ease although tomorrow, fresh winds will continue across the north sea coast. easing for the rest of us, a bit of mist and fog first thing, to the west, it will clear, as will the frost tomorrow, widespread phosphorus all, but that will lift to leave a dry, bright day. plenty of sunny spots for many of us. those winter easing. temperatures between five and seven celsius. into friday, high pressure is in control for much of the country. we�*ve got the system of low pressure to the north that is moving in and is affecting us slowly over the next few days. you can see this affecting us on saturday. this milder air is affecting us on saturday. this milderair is bringing affecting us on saturday. this milder air is bringing cloud and bits of rain into parts of the north and the west. further south, a bit of mist and fog first thing, that will create to leave a dry, cold day. plenty of sunshine for the

south west and south east. the top temperature is between four and eight celsius, they are starting to creep up. the reason is this milder air moving in from the atlantic. it is sweeping across much of the uk although the very far south—east will hold onto that colder weather for longer. northwest, the next few days, will be more unsettled and cloudy but for the south east it�*s cold and dry.

this is bbc news. the headlines: towns and cities are set to receive more than £2 billion worth of funding in an attempt to reduce regional inequality. rishi sunak insists it�*s the north of england and wales who will benefit the most. if you look at the funding and you compare it to the number of people that live in each region, the region that has done the best in the amount of funding per person is the north. this is not the right way to allocate money, creating winners and losers around the country, and ministers playing favourites with the projects that they like the look of. two retired metropolitan police officers have been charged with child sex offences as part of an investigation into a serving met chief inspector who was found dead before he was also charged. another ambulance strike — this time in wales — as nurses in england also stage

more industrial action the uk plans to send 600 brimstone missiles to ukraine to support the country in its fight against russia. shock in new zealand as the prime ministerjacinda ardern unexpectedly stands down — she says she doesn�*t have enough left in the tank. good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news. levelling up has been one of the government�*s key policies — the idea of spreading public money more evenly across the uk. well, today ministers have announced more than £2 billion worth of projects acoss the country. they say the north of england and wales will do best, per head of population. but labour claim the sytem for allocating money is unfair.

here�*s our political correspondent david wallace lockhart blackpool, one area that was a winner in today�*s levelling up allocation announcement, with £a0 million for a new education campus. levelling up is a relatively new political phrase whose meaning is still not entirely clear. at a nearby warm bank last night where people go to get a hot meal and some company, it�*s not a term everybody is familiar with. the trust that runs this service hope levelling up can address geographical disparities. i think we have seen an awful lot of support to areas in the past where we almost looked and said, "don�*t forget about us up north." if this is a genuine opportunity for that type of support to come, then we are in the north of the country, we are where the need is, so let�*s level up and make sure the support is appropriate right across the country. some have questioned how today�*s money has been allocated.

more is going to the south—east of england than the north—east, though it�*s important to stress there are deprived areas in every region of the uk. the chancellor and the prime minister were spending their own cash in accrington this morning and defending how the government spent its money. we are investing hundreds of millions of pounds across the north in dozens of projects. i�*m here talking to from accrington, i�*m off to morecambe after this and then off to the north—east. and the thing you need to know, actually, if you look at the funding, and you compare it to the number of people who live in each region, the region that has done the best in the amount of funding per person is the north. that�*s where we are today. that�*s why we are here talking to you in accrington market, these are the places benefiting from the funding. we are investing in local communities, this is levelling up in action. many are sceptical about the entire levelling up process overseen by government departments in whitehall, that essentially sees councils compete against one another for money. labour wants to see power moved out

of westminster and are critical of the geographical spread of today�*s funding announcements. i don't think it's fair. i think it's completely wrong that the north—east, for example, is one of the biggest losers today when there is huge potential in the north—east and also huge need. i don't think anyone looking at this process, tory mps are up in arms today, lots of people around the country who lost out completely, i don't think anyone thinks this system is fair. 0ne think tank based in the north of england says levelling up needs to be more ambitious if it is to fundamentally change the country. the challenge is the amount of money involved for most of these bids - are relatively marginal- and so their long—term impact on productivity in the north of england in resolving that inequality between north and south which sees people in the north - of england paid on average £8,000 less than those down south, - this will do almost nothing to deal with that and i'm afraid _ ithe prime minister's claim it'si transformational is misleading. from projects in shetland, to gateshead, to dover. this funding allocation touches many

parts of the uk but plenty parts of the country aren�*t getting extra cash and many remain doubtful that this funding can truly reshape the country. let�*s hear now from correspondents in two towns getting money — in a moment nick garnet in morcambe in lancashire but first, danjohnson is in weston—super—mare in somerset which has been given some £20 million. they are very pleased here because that £20 million will be spent on improving the seafront here, also a new community park, and they will invest in improving the tropicana, a seafront venue, which will become a new event space. there is a sense the south—west has done well out of these bids that have been successfully announced today. there is £20 million for bridgwater to rejuvenate an abandoned hospital there, and turn that into a new medical training facility. £50 million for bristol where an old abandoned cinema will be cleared away for new homes and businesses and the biggest pot of money for the south—west

is £50 million that will be spent improving the rail links in cornwall. they are lengthening the platforms, introducing longer trains and making the services better so people can get more easily across that rural patch, but the nature of this process is that there are winners and losers. swindon didn�*t get £8 million it wanted to rejuvenate an abandoned swimming pool. sea defences won�*t be improved in ilfracombe, they wanted £5 million to spend on that and town centre improvements. it�*s worth bearing in mind it sounds like across the country around 20% of these bids were successful but that means there are plenty of places that have lost out. this is one of the big winners. £50 million coming to morecambe. it's a huge amount of money and equates to half the cost for eden project north. you may have been to the one in cornwall, well, the same sort of thing is planned for here in morecambe bay, which is behind me. this is the land where it's going

to be and it will transform things. 300 jobs. as i say, it's a £100 million programme and without the government money it was going to be very, very hard for them to raise the actual money they need to get this up and built. this means that it will be. so, £2 billion across 100 projects across the uk, some criticism as you heard, that it's being spent on some of the wrong areas, in london and the south—east, but in the north—east of england, for instance, only £108 million has been earmarked, half the price ofjust what you got here in morecambe itself. in the north—west, there's been a lot of investment. £350 million. labour has called it a "hunger games strategy," putting one region against another. it's 18 months since the first round of funding was handed out for levelling up round one, and some of those projects still haven't got off the ground. the question is, will this one, will eden project north, finally be up and running?

i spoke to our political correspondent david wallace—lockhart, who explained us the process for councils to succeed in developing projects. councils essentially put forward their case for a certain project in their area that they think deserves funding and it comes to whitehall where civil servants and some elements of government have a look at what has been submitted and they decide which bids are successful and which are not. many would argue that is a fair and open way of doing it where the people who put forward the best case get the money, but there are plenty of critics of how these so called levelling up allocations work. including the labour party. and we heard from lisa nandy in that report, not only are labour sceptical about where the money has gone, they pointed out london and the south east getting more than the north—east of england,

although there are deprived areas in every region across the uk and worthy causes that have made bids in even prosperous areas of the country. but the complaint from labour is that it is too centralised, the system, and that it should be communities that are making these decisions for themselves, rather than essentially asking whitehall for the money and putting the case there. that is something the former permanent secretary in the department for exiting the eu, that was once a government department, philip rycroft talked about this at an event and he said it was "completely crackers" that civil servants who may not have actually been to an area were making decisions about whether or not it should receive funding. £2.1 billion might sound like a lot of money, that has been allocated for individual projects like, a0 million for an education campus in blackpool, for example,

that may make a difference but there are so many areas that do not get the money they were looking for and cannot make the changes that they had hoped simply because their bid which may have cost them a lot of money has not been successful. the associate director at the centre for local economic strategies, antonia jennings, told us more about it. we can all agree that addressing regional inequality is a desperately needed aspiration but what we have seen in the levelling up round two allocations is that the government is not committed to delivering the funding at the scale and pace that is needed. there are a few reasons i say that, but primarily because we have to see the funding pot in the context of council funding overall, this is one pot of funding amongst numerous which is available to local government but what we have seen since 2010 is that cuts in annual government funding to councils has been to the tune of £15 billion.

so, to put that in terms, that is around 60p in every pound, that does not even adjust for inflation, so when we adjust for inflation that £15 billion figure rises to £a0 billion and we also know austerity has massively increased the demand for council services which is compounding the problem further. in that context i would say levelling up funding is a pitiful compensation for a decade that has resulted in cuts and austerity which have played out unevenly across the country with the poorest areas suffering the most. frankly, i would finish by saying a competitive funding pot of £2 billion is not going to make up for the years of underinvestment. those regions and towns and cities which are receiving the money are delighted but how possible would it be to apportion that money differently in the way you describe whereby more people benefit from it? if you dilute it too much it becomes

meaningless, presumably? yes, absolutely. i would say it doesn�*t need to be diluted at all and it needs to be scaled up, so there is a wider point here around how the fund is structured as essentially it is a competition between councils and inevitably what we see through our work is that it is the better resourced councils who have the capacity to write stronger bids to central government and in turn win bids. we know that out of the successful funding bids today, one in five was successful which means that four in five were not and that is a huge waste of bid writing time for councils who are already incredibly under resourced. essentially we know competition style funding pots are no substitute for good means tested secure funding and we also know that levelling up in some government ministers�* eyes was supposed to replace the eu structural funds and they were to the tune of 9 billion but so far we have seen

5 billion apportioned to levelling up so it is still no substitute. if it was means tested as a system, which kind of areas would be getting money that are not seeing it at the moment? all the commentary today has rightly pointed out the fact that in all regions across the uk, unfortunately we do have levels of deprivation, so the firstjob for any government that wants to address this issue is to figure out what a levelled up region actually looks like and i would argue that a levelled up region is not necessarily a region with high growth figures. i am sitting here in london and i can see canary wharf but the area i live in has one in two kids in child poverty. i think a good means tested model should look at what constitutes a good society and a healthy and happy community so i would look at things like child poverty, housing, wealth

inequality, health inequality etc. antonia jennings, there. some breaking news regarding the rail strikes. we are hearing from the rail delivery group that is representing train companies in these talks which are about paid —— pay, jobs and working conditions, they have received a mandate from they have received a mandate from the government to make a better offer to the rmt union and they save the offer has improved from a% —— they say the offer has improved from a% last year and this year, so now 5% and a%, making 9%, but there are still conditions attached and the no compulsory redundancy guarantee has been extended until the 31st of september 202a. the rmt will now take this offer to the national executive committee to consider the detail and decide what to do next. i don�*t need to remind you they have been 16 days of strikes involving

rmt members sincejune last year. there are other strikes still to come on the first and 3rd of february in which aslef, the drivers union, will also take part. so an increased offer being made to the rmt and we await news from the union in response. more nhs staff are on strike today. nurses in england are beginning the second day of their industrial action. and more than 1,000 ambulance workers across wales are also taking action over pay and conditions. they�*re members of the unite union and it�*s the first day of strike action by them. 0ur correspondent hywel griffith has more on the reasons why the ambulance strikes are happening in wales. what they are demanding is fair pay and that is the central issue in this dispute.

it is the third ambulance strike we�*ve had in wales this winter. the first by the gmb. this one held by the unite union, who get a quarter of the membership here in wales. there was an offer last week made by labour, which is in charge of nhs pay in wales, and the offer was of a one—off cash settlement, not of a substantive pay rise that would be available year on year. it was turned down by this union, all ambulance workers, in fact, all the health unions within wales including representatives of nurses and physiotherapists and midwives, all of whom are involved in industrial action, so as things stand, we are no closer to a settlement. the welsh labour government says it wants to continue the dialogue. it has tried to offer every single penny it can find in its budget but it claims ultimately it can�*t offer a long—term pay rise because it doesn�*t have enough money handed down from westminster, but it does have a crisis on its hands. the latest nhs performance figures today show that in december, ambulance response times to the most urgent calls in wales were the slowest ever,

and demand is at its highest ever. 0ur heath reporter katharine dacosta is in brighton speaking to nurses about how they�*re feeling on day two of the strikes. there is a large and very loud turnout once again at the royal sussex hospital in brighten. around 300 also nurses have turned out on a bitterly cold picket line and their action is escalating with plans for two more walk—outs in england and wales next month. and we could see the biggest strike yet on the 6th of february if coordinated strikes with ambulance workers from the gmb union go ahead. the nurses i have spoken to have said they are doing this for their patients to highlight the crisis in the nhs and they say too many of their colleagues are leaving to find higher paid jobs. i�*ve been speaking to a senior nurse, tina, in a&e. it is extremely busy, unprecedented and the worst it

has been in 40 years, the worst i have ever seen. in what way? lack of staff, the patients, they keep coming, there's no exit out of the department, the beds are full, so in the emergency department we then keep those patients in the corridors, which obviously is not good for patient care. the health secretary and the prime minister have said that constructive talks have been happening but they are talking about the next financial year beginning in april. in the last few minutes the rcn general secretary pat cullen has arrived here to give her support to those on strike today and she has offered to meet the government halfway with a 10% pay rise for this current year but so far there has been no improved offers made. health leaders are immensely concerned that greater disruption to an even more fragile nhs,

so they are urging both sides to get together and find a resolution. let�*s speak to helen whyley, director of the royal college of nursing. how difficult is it for your members to decide to go on strike? you have to decide to go on strike? you have to create sufficient disruption for people to take notice but your members are drawn to a caring profession? t members are drawn to a caring profession?— members are drawn to a caring rofession? ~ , .,, profession? i think it is the most difficult profession? ! think it is the most difficult professional— profession? i think it is the most difficult professional decision - profession? i think it is the most difficult professional decision a l difficult professional decision a registered nurse and the support workers have to make, and our history of 106 years of no strikes in england, wales and scotland, it speaks for itself. nurses, members of the royal college of nursing, they want to be doing what they do so well, and that is looking after people and they do not want to be out on picket lines. it has been an

immensely difficult decision for each and every one of them. iloathed each and every one of them. what im act is each and every one of them. what impact is the _ each and every one of them. what impact is the action _ each and every one of them. what impact is the action having - each and every one of them. what impact is the action having on the services that patients are getting? strike action is all about causing disruption and there is a significant amount of disruption happening in hospitals across england and in care settings across england and in care settings across england today. staffing levels are at a basic level and operations are being cancelled and patient interactions are being cancelled and outpatient appointments are all having to be cancelled, because all the services that the nhs run rely heavily on nurses and nursing in order to provide them. we are doing this because there�*s not enough of us, and these things are not only happening on strike days but they are happening all the time. the public is waiting for far too long because there are not enough nurses in the system at the current time and the reason for that is because

they are not being fairly rewarded and they are not being listened to and they are not being listened to and their issues being acted on. given that this is partly about pay but also about the fact that you don�*t have enough people to do the jobs, how likely is it that you can reach a meaningful resolution to this dispute before the next set of strikes on the sixth and 7th of february? tote strikes on the sixth and 7th of february?— strikes on the sixth and 7th of februa ? ~ ., , . ., . february? we have been clear. when the government _ february? we have been clear. when the government wants _ february? we have been clear. when the government wants to _ february? we have been clear. when the government wants to get - february? we have been clear. when the government wants to get into - february? we have been clear. when the government wants to get into a l the government wants to get into a serious discussion, for a substantive and restorative settlement, for our members, we are ready to do it. my general secretary has been out today and you just heard in your report talking about her being in brighton and she has been really clear, we are not digging ourfeet in anywhere, we are ready to negotiate, we understand the economic conditions, but what we want is resolution. come on, government, when you are ready, we are ready to meet you and discuss our issues. are ready to meet you and discuss our issues-— are ready to meet you and discuss our issues. ., ., , our issues. the government has said that some of —

our issues. the government has said that some of the _ our issues. the government has said that some of the demands _ our issues. the government has said that some of the demands that - our issues. the government has said that some of the demands that are l that some of the demands that are being made by public sector unions arejust too great being made by public sector unions are just too great and we should be looking ahead to the future pay settlement rather than looking backwards to previous ones. that may be their view— backwards to previous ones. that may be their view but _ backwards to previous ones. that may be their view but look _ backwards to previous ones. that may be their view but look at _ backwards to previous ones. that may be their view but look at the _ be their view but look at the strength of feeling that royal couege strength of feeling that royal college of nursing members have got, this mandate is phenomenal, the turnout of the vote is the highest we have ever seen in the number of people voting for strike action is well into the upper 80s and 90s. the government has got to listen to that. and for me they cannot afford not to. so when we do not have enough staff people get harmed and that costs money, billions of pounds of money, on clinical negligence claims, and then of course billions of pounds of money on temporary workers, agency nurses, which could be converted and used appropriately to find substantive pay rises for our substantive star. the government needs to get round the table and talk about this, and our members are

clear, they are serious about this, they are saying that addressing pay is about addressing patient safety and that you have to do that in the short, medium and long term, and thatis short, medium and long term, and that is what we want the government to do, come around the table and talk with us about a substantive and restorative approach to the pay of nurses in order to make sure that we can attract nurses back into the profession and do so immediately and keep the ones that are there and stop the haemorrhage that is happening at the moment across the nhs and also have a profession that is valued that people want to come into and therefore will be fit for the future. there are a7,000 vacancies for registered nurses in nhs england which is shocking and it has to change. nhs england which is shocking and it has to change-— has to change. helen from the royal colleae of has to change. helen from the royal college of nursing, _ has to change. helen from the royal college of nursing, thanks _ has to change. helen from the royal college of nursing, thanks for- college of nursing, thanks for joining us.

world leaders have been reacting to the shock resignation of new zealand�*s prime minister, jacinda ardern. ms ardern will step down next month, after saying she no longer has "enough in the tank" to continue. she became the world�*s youngest female head of government in 2017 — but will leave her post at the start of february — and won�*t lead her party into 0ctober�*s general election. shaimaa khalil�*s report from wellington contains some flashing images. holding back tears as she made this announcement. i will not be seeking re—election. in an emotional press conference that shocked the nation, jacinda ardern said there was no secret scandal behind her resignation, only that she no longer had the energy to go on as leader. i know what this job takes, and i know that i no longer have enough in the tank to do itjustice. this resignation was delivered in her trademark jacinda ardern style, personal, heartfelt, the prime minister said while the last five and half years have been the most fulfilling of her life, she admitted that for her it was now time. "i�*m human," she said.

at her peak she was extremely popular here but that has changed recently with the public�*s trust in government steadily declining as the economy deteriorated. there have been questions about whether she could actually win the next election. am i sad that she has resigned? not really. she did everything she could during the pandemic and kept people safe. yeah, i think she will have a great legacy. internationally, it will be good, locally, her reputation's gone. i i�*m devastated that she is going, is resigning. ardern was the youngest head of government in the world when she was elected prime minister in 2017. just 37 years old at the time. her premiership has been tested time and time again. sirens wail especially by the christchurch terror attacks. the worst in new zealand�*s modern history. she also steered the country through the covid—19 pandemic. thanks to an early and strict lockdown, new zealand has had one of the lowest death rates globally.

she has positioned us internationally, and led us through significant crises in new zealand, she�*s got a major economic and social policy legacy. it�*s a sad day for me to see her go. jacinda ardern will be remembered for steering her country through a tough times and, as a head of state, who led with kindness and compassion. shaimaa khalil, bbc news, wellington. i�*m joined now by professor hilde coffe, who specialises in gender politics at the university of bath — and was living in new zealand at the time of jacinda ardern�*s election. thanks forjoining us. what did you make of the way that she made this announcement and to what extent was it keeping with the way she has governed? t it keeping with the way she has coverned? ~ it keeping with the way she has coverned? .. ,., it keeping with the way she has coverned? ~ ,., , , , governed? i think so. it resembles the way that _ governed? i think so. it resembles the way that she _ governed? i think so. it resembles the way that she has _ governed? i think so. it resembles the way that she has been - governed? i think so. it resembles the way that she has been leading | the way that she has been leading the way that she has been leading the country and her leadership, really highlighting the empathetic and compassionate, how she said she

is human, politicians are human, so really highlighting the human aspect of being a politician and policy—making, which was characteristic of her leadership and the way that she ran the country. what impact has she made on politics generally outside new zealand as well as within new zealand? $5 a well as within new zealand? as a leadership and — well as within new zealand? as a leadership and the _ well as within new zealand? is a. leadership and the style well as within new zealand? .th 2 leadership and the style of leadership and the style of leadership that she had, it was very different in a time when we see populist parties across the world, and then her style of leadership was very different from the more populist style, the compassion and kindness. when asked how she would like to be remembered as a leader she also highlighted as someone who tried to be kind. we saw that after the shooting in christchurch and the terror event, the way she handled that. n. ,

terror event, the way she handled that. , ., ., , ., ., that. many commentators and female oliticians that. many commentators and female politicians themselves _ that. many commentators and female politicians themselves will _ that. many commentators and female politicians themselves will often - politicians themselves will often say, that women are held to different levels of account, to what extent do you think that might have featured in her decision to step down now? t featured in her decision to step down now?— featured in her decision to step down now? ~ , ., ., down now? i think she did get a lot of criti . ue down now? i think she did get a lot of critique and _ down now? i think she did get a lot of critique and a _ down now? i think she did get a lot of critique and a lot _ down now? i think she did get a lot of critique and a lot of _ down now? i think she did get a lot of critique and a lot of comments l of critique and a lot of comments especially as we see with many politicians, and in particular women politicians, and in particular women politicians online, so i think that has been something which makes it a hard job and we can expect a lot from politicians, of course, but the way it is often said online is not kind and friendly, so that must be hard on top of governing a country in times of a pandemic and a terrorist attack or example. —— for example. terrorist attack or example. -- for examle. ., ,,., terrorist attack or example. -- for examle. ., , ., terrorist attack or example. -- for examle. ., ., ., example. professor, thanks for joining us- _ now it�*s time for a look at the weather with alex. after some early morning snow

showers caused disruption for some, the good news is these wintry showers will start to peter out and it will be drier for the rest of the day but it will be staying cold. some areas will be seeing some wintriness today, mainly in scotland but elsewhere wintry showers will look more like sleet and rain to lower levels although a bit of wintriness and snow maybe along the north york moors. strong winds as well in scotland and across the north sea coast but elsewhere the winds will ease with top temperatures between 3—7c. into tonight, plenty of dry weather and clear skies, although it will be icy in parts of scotland and the west. temperatures dipping down to below freezing, —5c in some parts of scotland. those winds do still ease although staying quite strong tomorrow across the north sea coast. into friday a bit of mist and fog first thing, and a frost, as well, but turning milder over the next few days.

hello, this is bbc news. the headlines... towns and cities are set to receive more than two billion pounds worth of funding in an attempt to reduce regional inequality. rishi sunak insists it�*s the north of england and wales who will benefit the most. two retired metropolitan police officers have been charged with child sex offences as part of an investigation into a serving met chief inspector who was found dead before he was also charged. another ambulance strike — this time in wales — as nurses in england also stage more industrial action sport and for a full round—up, from the bbc sport centre, here�*s holly hamilton. good afternoon. let me paint the picture in melbourne at the australian open. it�*s 2:30 in the morning...

andy murray has battled from 2 sets down to win the third set. we are now into that fourth set and it is 2-2. he�*s facing thanansi kokkinakis... who took the opening set 6—a.. the second was a mammoth effort from murray to take it to a tie break, eventually won by the young australian. but in the third, again, it went to a tie—break — this time, it was murray who clinched it 7—6. into the fourth we go, you can follow all of that drama online and you can get reaction to... meanwhile, novak djokovic battled through an injury to make it through to the third round once again. he beat french qualifier enzo couacaud despite losing the second set and struggling with an existing hamstring injury. he came through 6—1,6—7,6—2,6—0. he�*ll face grigor dmitrov next. britain�*s dan evans is also through — in part, helped by a bizarre point that left his opponent

jeremy chardy furious. it all got a bit heated between the frenchman and the umpire at one point after she didn�*t call let on a break point in the first set when a ball fell out of his pocket, as rules dictate she should. evans won that point and the first set before taking it in three sets — the pocket incident was the big talking point after the match. i think the rule should be if the ball comes out of your pocket, you lose the point. i don't know why we give them... you're giving people the chance. he missed the ball. i'm using this as an example because it obviously happened today, but if you serve and the ball comes out of your pocket, why is it a let? i think it's the worst rule ever. more than half of the world�*s richest football clubs by revenue are from the premier league,

that�*s according to analysis published today. eleven of the top 20 teams on deloitte�*s money league study play in the english top flight. manchester city again are top, with liverpool rising to third from seventh, while manchester united, chelsea, tottenham and arsenal also make the top 10. ireland have named their squad for the upcoming six nations with munster fly—halfjoey carbery a notable absentee. ulster�*s jacob stockdale is back in the squad. he was six nations player of the tournament in 2018, but has not featured for ireland since the summer test againstjapan back in 2021, having been ruled out for nearly all last season because of injury. meanwhile, eddiejones has confirmed he did hold talks with australia about becoming their head coach whilst still under contract with england. jones became australia head coach last week after being sacked by the rugby football union. but, speaking to the bbc, jones says he doesn�*t see a problem with that.

we had discussions about the job, post the world cup, which is quite normal, i don�*t know of anyone who doesn�*t think about their future, so that happens, it is not being disloyal or whatever people want to try to say. staying with rugby and the rfu has made one of the biggest law changes in the sport�*s history. the tackle height has been lowered to the waist from next season. it will apply to all levels below the championship, in a bid to improve player safety. the community game covers clubs, schools, colleges and universities and the change will impact age—grade and adult levels. at the men�*s hockey world cup, england have beaten spain to all but secure top spot in pool d. they won a—0. liam ansell among the goal scorers — it�*s their second comprehesive win of the tournament after thrashing wales 5—0 in their opener.

meanwhile, wales are heading for their third defeat in their first world cup. they were 2—0 down to india but two penalty corners in the second quarter had given them hope. it�*s currently 3—2. that�*s all the sport for now. have a look on the bbc sport website to pick— have a look on the bbc sport website to pick up— have a look on the bbc sport website to pick up on what is happening with andy at the australian open. be back in an hour�*s time. let�*s talk about football now — and the wealth of the premier league. according to analysis by the deloitte money league, more than half of the world�*s 20 richest clubs are based in england�*s top league. manchester city retain the top spot, whilst liverpool and manchester united are part of the top five richest clubs. lets talk now with zal waadia,

the assistant director at deloitte�*s sports business group, to tell us more about the report. what surprised you? i think the key surrise what surprised you? i think the key surprise for — what surprised you? i think the key surprise for me _ what surprised you? i think the key surprise for me was _ what surprised you? i think the key surprise for me was that _ what surprised you? i think the key surprise for me was that for - what surprised you? i think the key surprise for me was that for the - surprise for me was that for the first time in many league history we have had over half of our clubs come from a single leak and that is the premier league. it�*s really highlighting the financial superiority and dominance of the league. and really lays out the challenge to the rest of the big five to try and close the gap to the premier league.— five to try and close the gap to the premier league. i premier league. have they done it? i think a lot of — premier league. have they done it? i think a lot of it is _ premier league. have they done it? i think a lot of it is driven _ premier league. have they done it? i think a lot of it is driven by _ premier league. have they done it? i think a lot of it is driven by the - think a lot of it is driven by the global appeal of the league. you�*ve got some of the worlds best players playing in the league as well as the value of the broadcast rights at the premier league is able to generate. so it is international broadcast rights in the next cycle are going up rights in the next cycle are going up close to or over 20% which will only increase dominance. up close to or over 2096 which will only increase dominance.- only increase dominance. often success breeds _ only increase dominance. often success breeds success. - only increase dominance. often success breeds success. this i only increase dominance. often - success breeds success. this might mean that they are going to attract even more investment. how likely is it that other clubs could try to

catch up? t it that other clubs could try to catch op?— it that other clubs could try to catch u - ? ~' , ., catch up? i think investment into sort and catch up? i think investment into sport and football _ catch up? i think investment into sport and football in _ catch up? i think investment into sport and football in particular i catch up? i think investment into sport and football in particular is| sport and football in particular is really at an all—time high. you are seeing high levels of investor confidence across european football. investor is banking on the future growth of different football clubs and really that could be one of the means clubs seek or leaves even seek to use when it comes to trying to bridge that gap. t to use when it comes to trying to bridge that gap-— bridge that gap. i wonder what it means for fans, _ bridge that gap. i wonder what it means for fans, because - bridge that gap. i wonder what it means for fans, because if - bridge that gap. i wonder what it means for fans, because if these clubs become richer and richer and richer, how well and how much better can they serve their fans? is it proportionate?— can they serve their fans? is it proportionate? absolutely, great . uestion. proportionate? absolutely, great question- i— proportionate? absolutely, great question. ithink— proportionate? absolutely, great question. i think for only - proportionate? absolutely, great question. i think for only as - proportionate? absolutely, great question. i think for only as of. question. i think for only as of four clubs you are really custodians. you are there to serve the fans and the fans interest and make sure that you are giving fans the best possible experience so it�*s really important that clubs don�*t lose touch with their fan base as they continue to grow.— lose touch with their fan base as they continue to grow. what do you think the difference _ they continue to grow. what do you think the difference is _ they continue to grow. what do you think the difference is between -

they continue to grow. what do you think the difference is between thisj think the difference is between this english league and those overseas? there are some huge clubs in europe and other parts of the world, and yet they are not dominating like english clubs are.— yet they are not dominating like english clubs are. you've had some of our traditional _ english clubs are. you've had some of our traditional many _ english clubs are. you've had some of our traditional many league - of our traditional many league powerhouses like real madrid and barcelona, for instance, you haven�*t quite recovered from the pandemic in the same way that the english clubs have and they are both on their own journey to recovery so barcelona for example have triggered a number of the economic levers looking at selling off a percentage of their merchandising and licensing business and you have got real madrid if you are investing heavily in infrastructure, redevelopment at the stadium to try and cause long—term sustainable growth. iloathed stadium to try and cause long-term sustainable growth.— sustainable growth. what can those other leaks really _ sustainable growth. what can those other leaks really do _ sustainable growth. what can those other leaks really do because - sustainable growth. what can those other leaks really do because the i other leaks really do because the money follows the success? that's ri . ht. money follows the success? that's right- you've _ money follows the success? that's right. you've really _ money follows the success? that's right. you've really got _ money follows the success? that's right. you've really got to - money follows the success? that's right. you've really got to feel- right. you�*ve really got to feel that other big fight leaks have got to try something really innovative or both to try and bridge that gap.

it could be looking at new internationalisation strategies, the way they approach and monetise funds who are going direct to consumer for example and it�*s going to be which league has first mover advantage when it comes to new technology. first instance that could try and bridge that gap. first instance that could try and bridge that gap-— bridge that gap. thank you for 'oinin: bridge that gap. thank you for joining us- _ two retired metropolitan police officers have been arrested as part officers have been arrested as part of an investigation into a serving met police officer who was found dead before any chargers could be brought. an aristocrat who up a strange daughter has appealed for her to contact police. constance

marten has been missing for almost two weeks with her partner who served 20 years in jail two weeks with her partner who served 20 years injail in two weeks with her partner who served 20 years in jail in the two weeks with her partner who served 20 years injail in the us for eight. sean daily reports. have you seen mark gordon or constance marten? police say they could be anywhere in the uk. 35—year—old constance was raised in a wealthy family but relations with them have been strained since she met mark in 2016. mark gordon is a convicted sex offender, deported back to the uk from the usa in 2010 after serving 20 years for rape and kidnap when he was 1a. the police have been trying to find both of them since they abandoned their burning car on a motorway in bolton on the 5th of january. 0fficers believe constance may have given birth in the car two days earlier. herfather wants her to make contact.

darling constance, even though we remain estranged at the moment, i stand by, as i have always done, and as the family has always done, to do whatever is necessary for your safe return to us. i beseech you to find a way to turn yourself and your little one into the police as soon as possible. the couple are believed to travel to liverpool, harwich, london and colchester between the fifth and the 7th of january. they were last seen here in east london 12 days ago. it�*s a puzzling case with more questions than answers but for police, the most urgent are where are they now and where is their newborn baby? i�*v e i�*ve been speaking to author who told me what steps might be being taken. . , taken. cctv is everywhere, particularly _ taken. cctv is everywhere, particularly in _ taken. cctv is everywhere, particularly in our - taken. cctv is everywhere, particularly in our major - taken. cctv is everywhere, i particularly in our major cities taken. cctv is everywhere, - particularly in our major cities way are the most watched nation on earth, many people argue. 0f are the most watched nation on earth, many people argue. of course, because we know the details of their travel, including liverpool and

london and harwich and other places, if they have travelled in taxis, which we think they have, then those vehicles will have been picked up on automatic number plate recognition systems who have a network of cameras dotted around the country. in that regard, it�*s often easier to map the movements of a car then it can be an individual. if somebody has got some element of awareness about cctv, where its place, where you are likely to be picked up and seen, and you therefore try and avoid that, then it can be done although it is an increasingly difficult thing to do in 2023. me difficult thing to do in 2023. we have heard that napier marten who is a strain from his daughter constance has said that they have had concerns for quite some time. if she were to present herself to the police, what would happen? t present herself to the police, what would happen?— present herself to the police, what would happen? i would imagine that the would would happen? i would imagine that they would be _ would happen? i would imagine that they would be taken _ would happen? i would imagine that they would be taken to _ would happen? i would imagine that they would be taken to a _ would happen? i would imagine that they would be taken to a place - would happen? i would imagine that they would be taken to a place of. they would be taken to a place of safety, primarily, it�*s about keeping people safe and protecting

life here. so in the very first instance, the police would want to ensure that they are safe, that any necessary medical examinations and treatments are carried out both on constance and the baby, they are going to be their priority is at the moment. the defence secretary, ben wallace, has announced the uk brimstone missiles to ukraine to help further support the country�*s fight against russia. it comes as multiple reports suggest that germany , the manufacturer of the leopard 2 tank, would only approve a delivery of those tanks to ukraine if the us does the same with american—made tanks. today the us secretary of defence met his german counterpart in berlin to try and break the deadlock. let�*s talk more about this. joining me now is the former commander with the us army in europe, the retired general ben hodges. thank you forjoining us. we had the other day that the ukraine was

making a plea to the us to some more tax. to what extent does this meet the demands? the tax. to what extent does this meet the demands?— tax. to what extent does this meet the demands? the leopard two, 'ust like the challengeri the demands? the leopard two, 'ust like the challenger or i the demands? the leopard two, 'ust like the challenger or the i the demands? the leopard two, just like the challenger or the american | like the challenger or the american abrams, this is the top tier of tanks in the world. it would be a real capability which is of course why the ukraine is asking at least for that capability. whichever brand it is. ~ , ., , . ., it is. why do they need them? what is auoin on it is. why do they need them? what is going on in _ it is. why do they need them? what is going on in the — it is. why do they need them? what is going on in the conflict _ it is. why do they need them? what is going on in the conflict that - is going on in the conflict that necessitates them? tt�*s is going on in the conflict that necessitates them?— is going on in the conflict that necessitates them? it's a perfect cuestion. necessitates them? it's a perfect question- they — necessitates them? it's a perfect question. they don't _ necessitates them? it's a perfect question. they don't need - necessitates them? it's a perfect question. they don't need them l question. they don�*t need them today. they need this armoured capability for the spring. i think the general staff recognises that they can pretty much stop russian offensive operations with what they have in hand and so they are thinking about what is really decisive, here? what is decisive is it crimea. i anticipate that in the springtime, the general staff is

going to launch a new mobile phase of their counter offensive aimed probably at marry a pole or zaporizhzhia or elsewhere in an effort to sever the land bridge that connects it crimea to the rest of occupied territory because crimea is the part that has to be liberated the part that has to be liberated the rest will follow so tanks will be part of a large armoured formation that will be used sometime in the spring. itruth? formation that will be used sometime in the spring-— in the spring. why do you believe the germans _ in the spring. why do you believe the germans are _ in the spring. why do you believe the germans are so _ in the spring. why do you believe the germans are so reluctant - in the spring. why do you believe the germans are so reluctant to l in the spring. why do you believe - the germans are so reluctant to send the germans are so reluctant to send the leopard twos unless the americans go along by sending their abrahams? tt�*s americans go along by sending their abrahams? �* , , , ., abrahams? it's inexplicable to me but i have abrahams? it's inexplicable to me but i have to _ abrahams? it's inexplicable to me but i have to say _ abrahams? it's inexplicable to me but i have to say it _ abrahams? it's inexplicable to me but i have to say it is _ abrahams? it's inexplicable to me but i have to say it is also - abrahams? it's inexplicable to me but i have to say it is also the - but i have to say it is also the first running to my own country, still balks at the idea of providing abrahams tanks. i hear different reasoning but none of them sound like actual justification for the

important policy decision. germany has behind them, even though they have done so much other stuff, i don�*t know why they are drawing the line at a leopard tank, at least, allow finland, poland, norway, others who want to give their leopards, give them the permission to do that. i haven�*t heard a good explanation that makes any sense to me. ~ . . explanation that makes any sense to me, ~ ., , ., explanation that makes any sense to me. 2 ., , ., ., , me. we are 'ust hearing via reuters a 'oint me. we are just hearing via reuters a joint statement _ me. we are just hearing via reuters a joint statement by _ me. we are just hearing via reuters a joint statement by the _ me. we are just hearing via reuters a joint statement by the uk, - a joint statement by the uk, estonia, and other allies, we commit to collectively pursuing delivery of an unprecedented set of donations including main battle tanks for ukraine. but us officials have said that in their view, the abraham is inappropriate for ukraine because it runs on turbine engines and they use too much fuel. do you see the sense in what they are saying? tia. too much fuel. do you see the sense in what they are saying?— in what they are saying? no. that is exactly what — in what they are saying? no. that is exactly what i'm _ in what they are saying? no. that is exactly what i'm saying. _ in what they are saying? no. that is exactly what i'm saying. there - in what they are saying? no. that is exactly what i'm saying. there are l exactly what i�*m saying. there are excuses that come out, to be candid, i think our condescending, that

somehow, ukrainians couldn�*t figure out how to deal with the fuel. actually, abrahams tank can run on several different types of fuel. but that ukrainians will figure that out just the way they figured out everything else. i mean these guys are like macgyver, they can take anything and they can make it work. inside are patronising or speaking to them in a condescending manner about the fuel problems or it so much maintenance or it will take too long to train, stop that, give them the capability that they need and they will figure out the rest of it. what they need is, what they are trying to do, is to create a large, armoured formation. probably a division using their own equipment, captured russian equipment, and then what the west is providing. to create three, four, five different armoured brigades that would be the spearhead in the spring that would help create a decisive breakthrough

towards isolating crimea. and then, using long—range weapons, the ukrainians will be able to make crimea untenable. the russians would have to leave because ukrainians will be hitting critical sites around the peninsula. will be hitting critical sites around the eninsula. . ~ ., around the peninsula. thank you for talkin: to around the peninsula. thank you for talking to us- _ around the peninsula. thank you for talking to us. good _ around the peninsula. thank you for talking to us. good to _ around the peninsula. thank you for talking to us. good to have - around the peninsula. thank you for talking to us. good to have your - talking to us. good to have your insight. a new report from leading climate experts says that technology to remove carbon dioxide from our atmosphere must be urgently ramped up. scientists say big cuts in co2 emissions won�*t be enough to limit global warming. and nature alone will not remove enough of it from the air. earlier, dr steve smith from the university of oxford, where the smith school of enterprise and the environment led this year�*s report, gave us his views. well, we know that to fix the climate problem we�*re in, the obvious thing to do is stop adding to the problem. so we need clear, deep emissions reductions. and very quickly and this report doesn�*t change that.

but what it points to is the fact that increasingly we have a number of ways of taking carbon dioxide back out of the atmosphere that we put in and lock it away. and we�*re doing a certain amount of that at the moment. but our study is really the first attempt to gather good data on what�*s happening, how much is happening, how much do we need to meet these kind of pathways to stay below one and a half or two degrees of global warming? and whether we�*re on track to do that and of course, some things are happening, but we are not currently on track to do the amount of removals we need to do as well as cutting emissions. you say remove it and lock it away. how do you remove it and where do you lock it? so there�*s actually a really wide range of of methods and some are very well known and we�*ve been doing for a while. so planting trees is the one that everybody knows about and we can use timber in construction, we can use other carbon negative materials in what we build. and then there�*s a span of methods which can be used in agriculture. we can apply biochar or certain minerals to improve soils,

enhance yields and also lock up c02. and then you go right through to the more kind of newer technologies like direct air capture with storage. so there�*s actually a really wide range of different methods. so we know how to do it. why aren�*t we doing more of it? where does the impetus need to come from? well, our study is the first to show that we�*re doing about 2 billion tonnes of carbon removal through our activities already. that�*s maybe more than people realise. it pales into comparison to the a0 billion tonnes we�*re dumping into the atmosphere every year, but we are doing 2 billion tonnes and that�*s mainly through planting new forests and improving soils in certain parts of the world. now sadly, that�*s more than offset by the fact that we�*re chopping down trees in other parts of the world. but we�*re doing that. a lot of the newer technologies are just starting. they�*re at the stage of very new businesses or research ideas, and only 0.1% of that 2 billion tonnes we�*re doing now is actually from these more novel technologies. they�*re just a smaller scale. some of them are more expensive. but what we really need to do is support those and help bring the costs down while we�*re reducing emissions so that in 20 or 30 years�* time, hopefully when emissions are much lower,

these removals can also be scaled and we can get to net zero emissions and beyond. sounds to me though, like once again, it�*s up to the politicians and governments around the world to commit to this. governments definitely have a key role to play. and one of the one of the key things that we find really is that in the pledges that they�*re putting forward in the climate negotiations, they�*re commitments of action to 2030. they�*re pledging to do a bit more removal, but not not nearly enough and very little to support these new technologies. they hardly get a mention at all, actually, in these pledges.

this year�*s british academy film and television awards nominees have been announced. a remake of the anti—war classic "all quiet on the western front" led nominations. here�*s lizo mzimba. the all quiet on the western front team will be celebrating. the drama, which contrasts the youthful fervour of a young recruit with the reality of war leads the way with 1a nominations, including best film, best director, and best supporting actor for albrecht schuch. there are ten nominations for the multi—universe fantasy everything everywhere all at 0nce. it�*s up for best film and best director, and its stars michelle yeoh and ke huy quan are also recognised. ijust don�*t like you no more. brendan gleeson and colin farrell are among the ten nominations for the banshees 0f inisherin, a film about two close friends falling out, a situation that perhaps mirrors... you do like me. ..widening disagreements... i don�*t. ..between the views of awards voters and audiences. take top gun maverick, one of the box office smashes of 2022, but a reminder of the way that opinion has split between the public and the baftas. it�*s nominated in four technical categories but not best film or best actor. let�*s try not to get fired on the first day. and while the original avatar had thejoint most bafta nominations back in 2010, its massively successful sequel is only up for best sound and best effects. in other areas where awards shows

are striving to stay relevant, bafta will be pleased. mandy walker is only the second woman ever to be nominated for cinematography, for elvis. and ten of the 2a acting nominees belong to ethnic minorities including black panther: wakanda forever�*s angela bassett and triangle 0f sadness�*s dolly de leon. this is really, really bad. lizo mzimba, bbc news. it�*s like a giantjigsaw puzzle: the remains of a medieval ship found in the river usk in newport are about to be put back together. it follows 20 years of painstaking restoration work on a ship that experts believe is as significant a find as the mary rose. tomos morgan reports.

this is a 1:10 scale model. this is a same scale person, about a six foot tall person, so this gives you an idea of the size. at 30 metres long, weighing 25 tonnes, when it�*s fully rebuilt, newport will have the only 15th century ship on exhibit anywhere in the world. but with 2,500 individual pieces, the challenge now will be putting it back together. this one is basically like a huge flatpackjigsaw puzzle without instructions. we have a big challenge here in that this is, really, as far as i know, the largest attempt to reconstruct a wooden archaeological ship. back in 2002, the original wreck was found by chance seven metres deep in mud. and toby and his team believe it looked like this. launched around 1aa9, and involved in the lucrative wine trade between portugal and bristol. it fell into the water whilst

being repaired in newport dock. restoring the wood has taken the best part of two decades. the timbers split between south wales and here in portsmouth, the home of the mary rose, due to time, expertise and capacity restraints. each individual piece has got a lengthy process of restoration. the first being soaking to get rid of any impurities in the wood. second, the waxing to strengthen it up. and thirdly, the final process, which was in this freeze dryer for a number of months to harden it up. all in all, this process can take up to a year, if not longer, for any individual piece. this unique ship, there's only one place in the world you can come and see a ship from this period now and it's going to be newport, so it sits alongside mary rose, celebrating its 40th anniversary of its recovery this year. it sits alongside the mighty vasa from sweden. this is such an amazing project and i�*ve got to see it through, so even if it takes decades, i�*ll see this through and that�*ll be... i don�*t think i have another one in me.

i�*lljust finish this and retire. as the final pieces are shipped back home today, the world�*s largest 3d jigsaw can finally begin to be rebuilt. tomos morgan, bbc news, portsmouth. police in california say a man who went missing last week while hiking was a 65—year—old actor who has appeared in films such as leaving las vegas. conditions in the mountains have been treacherous recently with torrential rain and freezing temperatures. a brazilian woman has become the first person to run up the tallest mountain in antarctica. fernanda marcy al reached the summit of mount vincent which is nearly 5000 metres. despite the condition she said the experience was so much fun. different definition from mine.

we�*re going to leave you with these images that will you notjust bird—lovers — one of nature�*s greatest spectacles, a murmuration of starlings. at this time of year, they happen nightly on the banks of the humber in the uk. these images were filmed at the far ings nature reserve in barton—upon—humber this week. they do this because grouping together offers safety in numbers — against predators, to keep warm at night and to exchange information, such as good feeding areas. that looks like fun. now it�*s time for a look at the weather with alex humphreys. hello. after some early morning snow showers caused disruption across parts of the uk. the good news for many is that these wintry showers will be easing more dry weather for the rest of the day. sunny spells as well, but it will stay cold. mainly but it will stay cold. in scotland, elsewhere, those showers mainly in scotland, elsewhere, those showers will look like sleet and rain although a little bit of wintriness, snow may be along the

north york moors. it�*s going to be strong winds as well in scotland and across the north sea coast. elsewhere, those winds will ease, top temperatures between three and seven celsius. into tonight, plenty of dry weather and clear skies, although it will be icy in parts of scotland and the west. temperatures dipping down to below freezing, —5c in some parts of scotland. those winds do still ease although staying quite strong tomorrow across the north sea coast. into friday a bit of mist and fog first thing, and a frost, as well, but turning milder over the next few days.

this is bbc news. the headlines: towns and cities are set to receive more than £2 billion worth of funding in an attempt to reduce regional inequality. rishi sunak insists it�*s the north of england and wales who will benefit the most. train operating companies make their "best and final offer" to the rmt union in a bid to break the deadlocked dispute over pay, jobs and working conditions. another ambulance strike, this time in wales, as nurses in england also stage more industrial action. two retired metropolitan police officers have been charged with child sex offences as part of an investigation into a serving met chief inspector who was found dead before he was also charged. it�*s 3am in melbourne, and andy murray is still playing tennis, and he�*s come from two sets down to draw level in the australian open.

good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news. levelling up has been one of the government�*s key policies — the idea of spreading public money more evenly across the uk. well, today ministers have announced more than £2 billion worth of projects acoss the country. they say the north of england and wales will do best per head of population. but labour claim the sytem for allocating money is unfair. here�*s our political correspondent david wallace lockhart. blackpool — one area that was a winner in today�*s levelling up allocation announcement, with £a0 million for a new education campus.

levelling up is a relatively new political phrase whose meaning is still not entirely clear. at a nearby warm bank last night, where people go to get a hot meal and some company, it�*s not a term everybody is familiar with. the trust that runs this service hope levelling up can address geographical disparities. i think we have seen an awful lot of support to areas in the past where we almost looked and said, "don�*t forget about us up north." if this is a genuine opportunity for that type of support to come, then we are in the north of the country, we are where the need is, so let�*s level up and make sure the support is appropriate right across the country. some have questioned how today�*s money has been allocated. more is going to the south east of england than the north east, though it�*s important to stress there are deprived areas in every region of the uk. the chancellor and the prime minister were spending their own cash in accrington this morning and defending how the government spent its money.

we are investing hundreds of millions of pounds across the north in dozens of projects. i�*m here talking to from accrington, i�*m off to morecambe after this and then off to the north east. and the thing you need to know, actually, if you look at the funding, and you compare it to the number of people who live in each region, the region that has done the best in the amount of funding per person is the north. that�*s where we are today. that�*s why we are here talking to you in accrington market, these are the places benefiting from the funding. we are investing in local communities, this is levelling up in action. many are sceptical about the entire levelling up process overseen by government departments in whitehall that essentially sees councils compete against one another for money. labour wants to see power moved out of westminster and are critical of the geographical spread of today�*s funding announcements. i don't think it's fair. i think it's completely wrong that the north east, for example, is one of the biggest losers today when there is huge potential in the north east and also huge need. i don't think anyone looking at this process, tory mps are up in arms today, lots of people around the country who lost out completely,

i don't think anyone thinks this system is fair. 0ne think tank based in the north of england says levelling up needs to be more ambitious if it is to fundamentally change the country. the challenge is the amount of money involved for most of these bids - are relatively marginal, - and so their long—term impact on productivity in the north of england in resolving that inequality between north and south which sees people in the north - of england paid on average £8,000 less than those down south, - this will do almost nothing to deal with that and i'm afraid _ ithe prime minister's claim it'si transformational is misleading. from projects in shetland, to gateshead, to dover, this funding allocation touches many parts of the uk, but plenty parts of the country aren�*t getting extra cash, and many remain doubtful that this funding can truly reshape the country. david wallace lockhart, bbc news.

some breaking news now regarding the death of halyna hutchins, who you may recall died on the site of a film being made in santa fe county in 2021. we are hearing now that the actor and producer of the film, alec baldwin, and the armour on the set, hannah gutierrez rate, will each be charged with two macro counts of involuntary manslaughter relating to the death. we are told that the new mexico firstjudicial district attorneys said that in keeping with her commitment to pursue justice for all the victims and to hold everyone accountable under the law, the office would, before the end of the month, file criminal charges because of the film set shooting. you will recall that the death of halyna hutchins work was because a firearm being used in the film went off, it

was thought to be unexpected, it was not supposed to be a live firearm. the assistant director signed a plea agreement for the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon, and the terms include a suspended sentence and six months of probation for him. however, the producer and actor alec baldwin, and the armour, and a gutierrez read, will each be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter —— hannah guitierrez—reed. 26—year—old beth matthews ordered a poisonous substance from russia, had it delivered to her psychiatric unit, it in front of staff and died shortly afterwards. angus crawford has the background to the case.

beth matthews struggled with her mental health and a suicide attempt led to life changing injuries. against the odds, she became a mental health campaigner, gaining tens of thousands of followers. but she struggled with the pain and her condition deteriorated. in 2021, she was admitted to a specialist psychiatric unit here in cheadle in greater manchester. it seems extraordinary, beth matthews was able to order a toxic substance online, have it delivered by post to her unit, and then swallow it in front of staff. she died shortly afterwards. ifeel let front of staff. she died shortly afterwards. i feel let down, front of staff. she died shortly afterwards. ifeel let down, i know beth felt let down.— beth felt let down. something occurred in — beth felt let down. something occurred in a _ beth felt let down. something occurred in a place _ beth felt let down. something occurred in a place she - beth felt let down. something occurred in a place she should j beth felt let down. something - occurred in a place she should have been _ occurred in a place she should have been safe _ occurred in a place she should have been safe that should never have been _ been safe that should never have been allowed to happen. the inquest heard she bought _ been allowed to happen. the inquest heard she bought the _ been allowed to happen. the inquest heard she bought the substance - been allowed to happen. the inquest| heard she bought the substance from russia and should never have been allowed to open the parcel himself.

today, the priory group said... how blog and twitter feed helped thousands of people. mental health campaigners say it is that we should focus on. ., . , s, campaigners say it is that we should focus on. ., . , ., , campaigners say it is that we should focus on. ., .y ., , ., focus on. the legacy that lives on is that sopport — focus on. the legacy that lives on is that support and _ focus on. the legacy that lives on i is that support and encouragement that she gave to people, that relate ability that somebody who was willing to share what it was like to have the toughest possible moments, i think, tragic though it is to have lost, all the lives that have been saved as a result of that willingness to share is something we should hold on to now. for willingness to share is something we should hold on to now.— should hold on to now. for friends and family. _ should hold on to now. for friends and family. i— should hold on to now. for friends and family, i live _ should hold on to now. for friends and family, i live to _ should hold on to now. for friends and family, i live to be _ should hold on to now. for friends| and family, i live to be celebrated. for the priory, serious questions about how beth died. angus crawford,

bbc news. let�*s return to the levelling up agenda. we�*re nowjoined by david morris. he is the conservative mp for morecambe and lunesdale. well, his constituency has received £50 million in levelling up funding in support of the eden project, the proposed eco—tourism attraction in lancashire. thank you forjoining us, and congratulations to your constituency. what difference will this moneymaker? tt constituency. what difference will this moneymaker?— this moneymaker? it will be fantastic- — this moneymaker? it will be fantastic. what _ this moneymaker? it will be fantastic. what this - this moneymaker? it will be fantastic. what this is - this moneymaker? it will be fantastic. what this is done | this moneymaker? it will be i fantastic. what this is done is given us notjust an attraction to come to, it has interfaced with educational facilities come to, it has interfaced with educationalfacilities in come to, it has interfaced with educational facilities in our area, the universities and colleges, the school curriculum programme, and our youngsters will be the future workforce for the eden project, and we will be training up the future workforce for the eden project here in morecambe. itruth? workforce for the eden pro'ect here in morecambafi workforce for the eden pro'ect here in morecambe. why is morecambe a lace that in morecambe. why is morecambe a place that really _ in morecambe. why is morecambe a place that really deserves _ in morecambe. why is morecambe a place that really deserves this - place that really deserves this levelling up funding? it is of

course, supposed to mean that there was places in greatest need to get this kind of money.— was places in greatest need to get this kind of money. well, the place went into terminal— this kind of money. well, the place went into terminal decline, - this kind of money. well, the place went into terminal decline, i - this kind of money. well, the place went into terminal decline, i camel went into terminal decline, i came here in 2010, and at the end of the road—building process, even though it brought business to the area, we needed something at the end of that road, and because we are the quickest route from the m6 to the seaside anywhere in the country, the eden project decided to look at us and, you know, ten years of talking about this, the first time i asked the question about the process was on the ofjuly 2012, and here we are now, so this isn�*tjust something that has happened overnight, this has been a long haul, and now, you know, we are on the up again. the office of national statistics say that deprivation in the area has declined by ten years, and i�*m absolutely certain this will now

rocket in the right direction, not just for the local economy, but also the youngsters here that traditionally leave school and then go living elsewhere. you traditionally leave school and then go living elsewhere.— traditionally leave school and then go living elsewhere. you mention to the labour go living elsewhere. you mention to the labour party. — go living elsewhere. you mention to the labour party, they _ go living elsewhere. you mention to the labour party, they are _ go living elsewhere. you mention to the labour party, they are saying i the labour party, they are saying that they are not convinced that the way these beds are assessed is fair, and that london and the south east are still receiving more money than you would expect. i mean, admittedly there are pockets of deprivation in all parts of the country.— all parts of the country. well, i can't comment _ all parts of the country. well, i can't comment on _ all parts of the country. well, i can't comment on the - all parts of the country. well, i can't comment on the list i all parts of the country. well, i i can't comment on the list itself, can�*t comment on the list itself, because i have not seen it, i was only privy to us winning our bid 2a hours ago. you know, at 10:30pm last night, every outward have got a letter or be notified that their bid was successful, so i can�*t comment on that. but what i can comment on is this, you know, morecambe is now in pole position to accelerate going forward. we have already got more tourism coming to the area than we had in recent years, and we have got

more investment on the back of the eden project coming. now it has happened, after a very long process, bearin happened, after a very long process, bear in mind that we are part of the bidding process, like everybody else, on this occasion, and it has been very successful for us, we will make it a success, and it is ok for other political parties saying that, but what would they have done differently at the time? t but what would they have done differently at the time? i wonder if ou have differently at the time? i wonder if you have slightly — differently at the time? i wonder if you have slightly contradicted i differently at the time? i wonder if you have slightly contradicted the l you have slightly contradicted the purpose of levelling up, i�*m just exploring this with you, if you are saying that morecambe is already succeeding in reducing deprivation by 10%, why does morecambe need money when there are other areas that haven�*t managed to do that over time, and mightarguably that haven�*t managed to do that over time, and might arguably be more needy causes?— time, and might arguably be more needy causes? because labour did leave morecambe _ needy causes? because labour did leave morecambe behind, - needy causes? because labour did leave morecambe behind, the... i needy causes? because labour did i leave morecambe behind, the... that is so lona leave morecambe behind, the... that is so long ago. _ leave morecambe behind, the. .. that is so long ago. mr— leave morecambe behind, the... that is so long ago, mr morris, we are talking about... you is so long ago, mr morris, we are talking about. . .— talking about... you asked me to come in and _ talking about... you asked me to

come in and talk _ talking about... you asked me to come in and talk about _ talking about... you asked me to come in and talk about the i talking about... you asked me to come in and talk about the eden | come in and talk about the eden project in morecambe, it is not my issue to talk about everywhere else. i�*m explaining why we needed. but you are part of a conservative government that is deciding on this levelling up money, and therefore can hopefully give us an insight into your party�*s policy. t�*m can hopefully give us an insight into your party's policy. i'm very surrised into your party's policy. i'm very surprised at _ into your party's policy. i'm very surprised at that, _ into your party's policy. i'm very surprised at that, because i i into your party's policy. i'm very surprised at that, because i am | into your party's policy. i'm very i surprised at that, because i am not part of the conservative government, i am part of... but part of the conservative government, i am part of---— i am part of... but your party is in ower, i am part of... but your party is in power. you _ i am part of... but your party is in power. you are — i am part of... but your party is in power. you are privy _ i am part of... but your party is in power, you are privy to _ i am part of... but your party is in power, you are privy to these i power, you are privy to these discussions.— power, you are privy to these discussions. may i say, this is absolutely — discussions. may i say, this is absolutely astonishing - discussions. may i say, this is absolutely astonishing from i discussions. may i say, this is i absolutely astonishing from national bbc to talk like this! you have got me on to talk about a project in my constituency. i can�*t comment on anywhere else, i am not part of the government, i have come on to talk about white morecambe deserves it, and i can tell you. please carry on. yes! the reason we deserve it is because we were left behind, that is a fact, and it has got better since 2010, and it will get better in the future, and the fact that it has got better is because of the link road

coming here that, put it bluntly, i got money for, was built five years ago, and it has put our economy into ago, and it has put our economy into a better position. now, you know, if labour want to talk to be about that, i do not think that is the business of the bbc.- that, i do not think that is the business of the bbc. well, it is art of business of the bbc. well, it is part of my _ business of the bbc. well, it is part of my job _ business of the bbc. well, it is part of my job to _ business of the bbc. well, it is part of my job to explore i business of the bbc. well, it is i part of my job to explore different part of myjob to explore different aspects of this policy that is one of the main planks of your party�*s manifesto. can i ask you... find of the main planks of your party's manifesto. can i ask you... and it is art manifesto. can i ask you... and it is part of— manifesto. can i ask you... and it is part of your _ manifesto. can i ask you... and it is part of yourjob _ manifesto. can i ask you... and it is part of yourjob to _ manifesto. can i ask you... and it is part of yourjob to listen - manifesto. can i ask you... and it is part of yourjob to listen to i is part of yourjob to listen to what you are asking me about. find is part of yourjob to listen to what you are asking me about. and my final question — what you are asking me about. and my final question is _ what you are asking me about. and my final question is about _ what you are asking me about. and my final question is about the _ what you are asking me about. and my final question is about the eden - final question is about the eden project. final question is about the eden pro'ect. , . ~' , ., final question is about the eden proiect-_ the i final question is about the eden i project._ the eden project. yes, thank you. the eden pro'ect in project. yes, thank you. the eden project in cornwall, _ project. yes, thank you. the eden project in cornwall, as _ project. yes, thank you. the eden project in cornwall, as we - project. yes, thank you. the eden project in cornwall, as we know, l project. yes, thank you. the eden| project in cornwall, as we know, is a huge attraction, millions of people have enjoyed visiting it. what is the timescale for the morecambe version of it to actually get up and running so that we can come and visit?—

come and visit? yes, well, it is auoin to come and visit? yes, well, it is going to be _ come and visit? yes, well, it is going to be two _ come and visit? yes, well, it is going to be two years, - come and visit? yes, well, it is going to be two years, i - come and visit? yes, well, it is going to be two years, i am - come and visit? yes, well, it is| going to be two years, i am not come and visit? yes, well, it is - going to be two years, i am not the engineer, i would love to tell you an exact date when it will open, but we will start to see it coming to fruition within it you period. find we will start to see it coming to fruition within it you period. and i am sure it — fruition within it you period. and i am sure it will _ fruition within it you period. and i am sure it will be _ fruition within it you period. and i am sure it will be hugely - fruition within it you period. and i am sure it will be hugely well- am sure it will be hugely well visited. david morris, mp for war command lunesdale, thank you very much for talking to us. thank you. let's now go to mason boycott—owen. he is the westminister correspondent at the yorkshire post. talk to us about the winners and losers in this levelling up process today. i losers in this levelling up process toda . , , ., , ~' , today. i guess that is the key thin , today. i guess that is the key thing. there _ today. i guess that is the key thing, there are _ today. i guess that is the key thing, there are winners - today. i guess that is the key thing, there are winners and | today. i guess that is the key - thing, there are winners and there are losers, a £2 million pot, which might seem like quite a lot of money, but when you narrow it down to 100 different projects, it is not that money for each individual area. if you want to talk about the regions that are getting the most,

yorkshire is getting 120 million, and if you compare that to other areas, such as the south east of england, which is getting about double that, so in terms of that, a lot of people in yorkshire feel they have missed out in comparison to other parts of the country. regardless of, you know, whereabouts this is, if you want to talk about the beds that have won, we have about 100 winners, but far more have lost, local councils that have spent time, money and resources putting together big b that they have not got. £2 together big b that they have not not. , ., ,., , together big b that they have not not. , ., , ~ . together big b that they have not got. £2 billion sounds like a lot of mone , got. £2 billion sounds like a lot of money. but _ got. £2 billion sounds like a lot of money, but what _ got. £2 billion sounds like a lot of money, but what is _ got. £2 billion sounds like a lot of money, but what is the _ got. £2 billion sounds like a lot of money, but what is the danger i got. £2 billion sounds like a lot of money, but what is the danger of| money, but what is the danger of spreading it too thinly so that everyone benefits but not sufficiently to make a real difference?— sufficiently to make a real difference? . . , difference? yeah, that is the thing, if ou

difference? yeah, that is the thing, if you spread _ difference? yeah, that is the thing, if you spread it _ difference? yeah, that is the thing, if you spread it too _ difference? yeah, that is the thing, if you spread it too thinly, - difference? yeah, that is the thing, if you spread it too thinly, in - if you spread it too thinly, in terms of how much money is needed, thatis terms of how much money is needed, that is something that is up for debate, right? in a time of, you know, tight public spending, how much money can we give to regions and areas to kind of transform them, the government may not think that much, the labour party might think more, but there's still a conversation to be had about how much money should be in terms of where the future of this goes now, you have basically the biggest two devolution project that we have got are in greater manchester and in the west midlands. you have got andy street and andy burnham who are negotiating with the government for what will be the future settlements of those regions, where you have got, hopefully, for people living in those regions, more fiscal devolution, which is essentially greater power over taxation, greater power over making sure that money

thatis power over making sure that money that is raised locally is kept in the area. basically, what they are trying to get away from is people who are paying quite a high tax burden at the moment, paying their taxes and the money going out of these areas to westminster and not being transferred back. so it is not just a question of money, it is also a question of powers, and this is something that the government, to its credit, is also looking into. but all of this is set against a backdrop of local authorities saying they don't have enough money to meet their statutory expectations, the services that they provide. yeah, i think that is _ services that they provide. yeah, i think that is the _ services that they provide. yeah, i think that is the thing. _ services that they provide. yeah, i think that is the thing. in - services that they provide. yeah, i think that is the thing. in terms i services that they provide. yeah, i think that is the thing. in terms ofj think that is the thing. in terms of the amount of money that has gone out of local authorities over the years, it is a lot, it is billions of pounds that has been, you know, that local authorities used to have which, overyears that local authorities used to have which, over years of cuts and change, notjust from the conservative government but, you

know, a long line of successive governments have seen, you know, the focus move away from regions, away from local councils, more to a far more london centric model. you know, london and places like the city make a lot of money, and areas that used to be real proper powerhouses in terms of driving the economy, in areas of the north, are not any more. now, the problem is that these have not had the funding replaced for them, so even if you want to go back as far back as, you know, the 19705 and 19805, you know, things like, you know, mining communities, you know, places that used to produce a lot of steel. these places used to produce a lot for the economy, and now that these industries are not what they were, there is not as much investment or money in the areas, and part of what levelling up was meant to do, or what we were led to believe it was meant to do, was bring back, firstly, the money back into those areas, but also the industries, and

thatis areas, but also the industries, and that is something that both parties are grappling with the moment. thank ou ve are grappling with the moment. thank you very much — are grappling with the moment. thank you very much for _ are grappling with the moment. thank you very much for your— are grappling with the moment. thank you very much for your time _ are grappling with the moment. thank you very much for your time this afternoon. let's return to our breaking news, thejury at afternoon. let's return to our breaking news, the jury at the inquest of a young woman has concluded she died from suicide contributed to by neglect. 26—year—old beth matthews ordered a poisonous substance from russia and had it delivered to a psychiatric unit. we arejoined by had it delivered to a psychiatric unit. we are joined by angus crawford, who is at stockport coroner's court. just remind us of the conclusion and the circumstances surrounding this case, angus. melt. surrounding this case, angus. well, let's remind — surrounding this case, angus. well, let's remind you _ surrounding this case, angus. well, let's remind you all _ surrounding this case, angus. well, let's remind you all is _ surrounding this case, angus. well, let's remind you all is about - surrounding this case, angus. ejj let's remind you all is about who this is about, beth matthews, a 26—year—old young woman, an expert sailor, herfamily describe her as charismatic, bright, vivacious, but she had very serious mental health problems, and in november 2021, she was sectioned and admitted to the

priory cheadle royal hospital, and she managed to order a poisonous substance online from russia, have it delivered to her secure ward, was able to open it in front of staff and consume the powder inside. she then died in hospital shortly afterwards. and we heard through the inquest that the care plan drawn up by the hospital said specifically she shouldn't have been allowed to open her own parcels because of a previous history of his secreting dangerous items. now, thejury spent a day and i have considering their conclusions, and today they came back and were absolutely clear — they said that there were serious inconsistencies across all levels of management at the priory, there was inadequate care of a highly vulnerable patient, and they concluded, as you said, that it was suicide contributed to by neglect. that sounds like a fairly benign word, but in an inquest, this means

there were gross failures. the priory has responded, says it apologises unreservedly for shortcomings in care, and the safety of patients, it says, are our utmost priority and we immediately took action to address the issues raised. angus, for the moment, thank you very much, angus crawford at stockton coroner's court. let's re—break the news that we brought you a few moments ago regarding the actor alec baldwin and anne —— an armourer called hannah guitierrez—reed, both working on a film called rust, when cinematographer halyna hutchins was killed by a fatal shot fired by alec baldwin. he and hannah guitierrez—reed are to be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter relating to the death

of halyna hutchins in the santa fe county. the new mexico first judicial district attorney has said that, in keeping with her commitment to pursuejustice for all that, in keeping with her commitment to pursue justice for all of the victims and told everybody accountable, her office, before the end of the month, will file criminal charges against alec baldwin and hannah guitierrez—reed. now, alec baldwin has always maintained he was not aware that the gun he fired during that rehearsal on the film set contained a live round. we understand that this particular charge means that a jury would be able to decide not simply whether alec baldwin and hannah guitierrez—reed were guilty, but they would be able to define which form of involuntary manslaughter they were guilty of, so clearly some latitude being permitted in the way

that they are going to be charged. it has been a long time and waiting for whether these people were going to face charges or not. the assistant director david hawes has signed a plea agreement for the negligent use of a deadly weapon, and under the terms of that, he faces a suspended sentence in six months probation. the body representing train companies has increased its offer to striking rail workers. the rail delivery group says it is prepared to increase pay this year by 5%, describing it as a "best and final offer". the new proposal comes with conditions and follows the latest round of talks with the rmt. members of the union are in dispute with the train companies over pay, jobs and working conditions. the rmt says it will consider the offer. nurses in england have been striking for a second consecutive day. and more than 1,000 ambulance workers across wales are also taking action over pay and conditions. they're members of the unite union, and it's the first day of strike action for them.

let's go live to hastings and speak to antonia berelson, a nurse who has participated in the strikes yesterday and today. thank you very much forjoining us. how reluctant were you to have to take the strike action?— take the strike action? obviously, as nurses. — take the strike action? obviously, as nurses. we _ take the strike action? obviously, as nurses, we are _ take the strike action? obviously, as nurses, we are not— take the strike action? obviously, as nurses, we are not used - take the strike action? obviously, as nurses, we are not used to i take the strike action? obviously, i as nurses, we are not used to taking this kind of action, and we did it with heavy hearts, but we were seeing what was happening on wards, the towel and our colleagues, and we decided that we just couldn't stand by any more. as nurses, we are natural advocates for our patients, and it breaks our heart to see what is happening to the nhs, we are watching the destruction of the nhs in real time, watching the destruction of the nhs in realtime, and watching the destruction of the nhs in real time, and that is why we are out here, and we have had great support from the public, horns beeping, people dropping off supplies, and it is undoubted that the public are behind us. what

supplies, and it is undoubted that the public are behind us. what would ou sa to the public are behind us. what would you say to patients _ the public are behind us. what would you say to patients who _ the public are behind us. what would you say to patients who have - the public are behind us. what would you say to patients who have been i you say to patients who have been waiting long enough and are facing an even longer wait because of action like this?— an even longer wait because of action like this? you know, there are over 47,000 _ action like this? you know, there are over 47,000 nurses - action like this? you know, there are over 47,000 nurses short. i action like this? you know, there i are over 47,000 nurses short. the only way to tackle waiting lists, the only way to tackle the ambulance is backed up, is to get the nurses in, and i think patients understand that. i had a lovely lady who had just had a routine mammogram who said, what can we do, tea or coffee? i said, no, said, what can we do, tea or coffee? isaid, no, wejust said, what can we do, tea or coffee? i said, no, wejust need to hear from the patients, because the patients are behind us, we have everyone backing us, and the solution is simple, the government needs to talk to us, and the only way to get the nurses in is to have a good pay rise and, you know, ensure we are retaining nurses on wards that are struggling. it is wards that are struggling. it is auoin to wards that are struggling. it is going to take _ wards that are struggling. it is going to take years to recruit a number of nurses you are talking about, so we going to see endless days of strikes like this?—

days of strikes like this? patrick allen... the days of strikes like this? patrick the government _ days of strikes like this? patrick the government needs - days of strikes like this? patrick the government needs to - days of strikes like this? patrick - the government needs to negotiate, and until they are sitting at the table, nothing is going to change. we need to have an adequate pay rise and long—term planning. we are having agency nurses being paid far more money than staff, something has to change, and that is to pay the nurses adequately. the government has invested — nurses adequately. the government has invested something _ nurses adequately. the government has invested something like - nurses adequately. the government has invested something like £500 . has invested something like £500 million to try to ease the bed blocking issue, those people who are, thousands of people, who are in hospital and do not need to be because they need support when they get home, and i is £500 million being spent on doing that. to what extent are you saying that making a difference at the moment? it is extent are you saying that making a difference at the moment?- difference at the moment? it is not makin: a difference at the moment? it is not making a difference, _ difference at the moment? it is not making a difference, because - difference at the moment? it is not making a difference, because what| making a difference, because what the government is doing is looking for accommodation, putting patients

in hotel rooms. we are missing the carers. most of our carers are mothers who struggle with childcare, so it is notjust about nurses, the government needs to address that and make it a role that is respected, because during covid, they were being applauded on the doorstep. you can hear how the public are behind us, they cut needs to listen to the nurses, the government needs to listen to the workers. we need to ensure that we can pay our bills, it is simply not right in the world's fifth biggest economy, that nurses are relying on foodbanks. the government needs to listen and reward us appropriately. thank you for talking to us. h0 reward us appropriately. thank you for talking to us.— for talking to us. no let's return to the breaking _ for talking to us. no let's return to the breaking news _ for talking to us. no let's return to the breaking news that - for talking to us. no let's return to the breaking news that alec i to the breaking news that alec baldwin will be charged over the

death of cinematographer halyna hutchins, who died on a film set when he fired a prop gun. nomia iqbal is in washington, it has been a while coming, but the new mexico authorities have decided that he will be charged along with the armourer. will be charged along with the armourer-— will be charged along with the armourer. . , . . , armourer. that is correct, and they released the _ armourer. that is correct, and they released the charges _ armourer. that is correct, and they released the charges in _ armourer. that is correct, and they released the charges in a _ armourer. that is correct, and they i released the charges in a statement, and he will be officially charged by the end of the month. let me go through exactly what these charges mean. so the first charge can be referred to simply as in voluntary manslaughter, so basically for that to be proved, there must be underlying negligence. under new mexico law, it is punishable with 18 months injail and a $5,000 fine. the other charges in voluntary manslaughter in the commission of a lawful act, and that requires proof that there was more than simple negligence involved, and that is punishable by up to 18 months in jail and also punishable by up to 18 months in jailand also up punishable by up to 18 months in jail and also up to a $5,000 fine.

so alec baldwin has been charged with there two charges, but so has hannah guitierrez—reed, who was an assistant on the site, and ijust want to quote to you what the special prosecutor in this case said, if any one of these three people, alec baldwin, hannah guitierrez—reed, or david hollas, i will come to him in a second, had done the lead, halyna hutchins would be alive today, it is that simple. he was the assistant director who has already signed a plea agreement for the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon. these charges will be officially made at the end of the month. so far, alec baldwin has not commented. in the past he has said he had no idea it was a live round. just in the past he has said he had no idea it was a live round.- idea it was a live round. just a reminder. _ idea it was a live round. just a reminder, according _ idea it was a live round. just a reminder, according to - idea it was a live round. just a reminder, according to a - idea it was a live round. just a i reminder, according to a search warrant, the director of the movie, who was also injured in the suit, joel sousa, he sold investigators

that alec baldwin was sitting in the church area and was practising his cross draw with the revolver when the shooting occurred. they say that they had handed the gun to him and it was a cold gun, which means there are no live rounds, but as we know, from the authorities, hutchins was killed by a live round inside the gun. alec baldwin, he did various interviews in which he said that he didn't even pull the trigger. the incident led to several lawsuits, including one filed by alec baldwin himself, who alleged that was negligence of his crew members. thank you very much. let's take a look at the weather with alex. hello. after some early morning snow showers cause disruption for some, the good news for many is that these wintry showers will start to peter out, it will be drier for the rest of the day, but it will be staying cold. now, some areas will be seeing some wintriness today, mainly in scotland. elsewhere, those wintry showers will look more like sleet and rain to lower levels,

although a bit of wintriness and snow maybe along the north york moors. there's going to be strong winds as well in scotland and across the north sea coast. elsewhere, the winds will ease, top temperatures between 3—7. into tonight, then, plenty of dry weather and clear skies, although it is going to be icy in parts of scotland and the west as well. temperatures dipping down to below freezing, minus 5 celsius in some parts of scotland, and those winds do still ease, although staying quite strong tomorrow across the north sea coast. into friday, then, a bit of mist and fog first thing, and a widespread frost as well, but it will be turning milder over the next few days. hello, this is bbc news. the headlines. towns and cities are set to receive more than £2 billion worth of funding in an attempt to reduce regional inequality. rishi sunak insists it's the north of england and wales who will benefit the most.

actor alec baldwin is to be charged with involuntary manslaughter over a fatal film set shooting. train operating companies make their "best and final offer" to the rmt union in a bid to break the deadlocked dispute over pay, jobs and working conditions. another ambulance strike — this time in wales — as nurses in england also stage more industrial action. two retired metropolitan police officers have been charged with child sex offences as part of an investigation into a serving met chief inspector who was found dead before he was also charged. sport and for a full round—up from the bbc sport centre, here's holly hamilton. good afternoon. it's now 3:30 in the morning in melbourne... we're into the fifth and deciding set in this incredible

showdown between andy murray and thanasi kokkinakis it's been another rollercoaster for murray who has battled from 2 sets down after the austrlaian took the opening set 6—4. and the second on a tie break, before murray fought back in trademark fashion in the third and fourth, now into the fifth set, i think it's been three break points and it is 3-3 been three break points and it is 3—3 in that last game. it's going to be a tight one. you can follow this on the bbc sport website as andy murray bids to reach the third round for the first time in six years. meanwhile, novak djokovic battled through an injury to make it through to the third round once again. he beat french qualifier enzo couacaud despite losing the second set and struggling with an existing hamstring injury. he came through 6—1,6—7,6—2,6—0. he'll face grigor dmitrov next. britain's dan evans

is also through — in part, helped by a bizarre point that left his opponentjeremy chardy furious. it all got a bit heated between the frenchman and the umpire at one point after she didn't call let on a break point in the first set when a ball fell out of his pocket, as rules dictate she should. evans won that point and the first set before taking it in three sets. i think the rule should be if the ball comes out of your pocket, you lose the point. i don't know why we give them... you're giving people the chance. he missed the ball. i'm using this as an example because it obviously happened today, but if you serve and the ball comes out of your pocket, why is it a let? i think it's the worst rule ever. 0ns jabeur was one of five seeds in the women's draw to be knocked out on day four in melbourne. the tunisian second seed, who is still searching for a first major title

after reaching back—to—back finals last year, was beaten in three sets by marketa vondrousova. jabeur collapsed in tears after the loss. more than half of the world's richest football clubs by revenue are from the premier league, thats according to analysis published today. eleven of the top 20 teams on deloitte's money league study play in the english top flight. manchester city again are top, with liverpool rising to third from seventh, while manchester united, chelsea, tottenham and arsenal also make the top 10. rugby and the rfu has made one of the biggest law changes in the sport's history. the tackle height has been lowered to the waist from next season. it will apply to all levels below the championship, in a bid to improve player safety. the community game covers clubs, schools, colleges and universities and the change will impact age—grade and adult levels.

at the men's hockey world cup, england have beaten spain to secure top spot in pool d. they won 4—0. liam ansell among the goal scorers — it's their second comprehesive win of the tournament after thrashing wales 5—0 in their opener. it means they are comfortbaly through to the quarter final stage. keeper ollie payne is confident about how far they'll go. all the way. why not. they do have a good record without quite getting over the semifinal and third, fourth, so, hopefully we are looking to go further but yeah... it's a cliche but we are pretty driven on the one game at a time mantra so we will be looking forward to the quarterfinals. meanwhile... wales have suffered their third defeat in this their first world cup. they were beaten 4—2 by india

who also progerss to hte last 8. that's all the sport for now. you can find more on all those stories on the bbc sport website. a new report from leading climate experts says that technology to remove carbon dioxide from our atmosphere must be urgently ramped up. scientists say big cuts in co2 emissions won't be enough to limit global warming. and nature alone will not remove enough of it from the air. earlier, dr steve smith from the university of oxford, where the smith school of enterprise and the environment led this year's report, gave us his views. well, we know that to fix the climate problem we're in, the obvious thing to do is stop adding to the problem. so we need clear, deep emissions reductions. and very quickly and this report doesn't change that. but what it points to is the fact that increasingly we have a number of ways of taking carbon dioxide back out of the atmosphere that we put in and lock it away.

and we're doing a certain amount of that at the moment. but our study is really the first attempt to gather good data on what's happening, how much is happening, how much do we need to meet these kind of pathways to stay below one and a half or two degrees of global warming? and whether we're on track to do that and of course, some things are happening, but we are not currently on track to do the amount of removals we need to do as well as cutting emissions. you say remove it and lock it away. how do you remove it and where do you lock it? so there's actually a really wide range of of methods and some are very well known and we've been doing for a while. so planting trees is the one that everybody knows about and we can use timber in construction, we can use other carbon negative materials in what we build. and then there's a span of methods which can be used in agriculture. we can apply biochar or certain minerals to improve soils, enhance yields and also lock up c02. and then you go right through to the more kind of newer technologies like direct air capture with storage. so there's actually a really wide range of different methods.

so we know how to do it. why aren't we doing more of it? where does the impetus need to come from? well, our study is the first to show that we're doing about 2 billion tonnes of carbon removal through our activities already. that's maybe more than people realise. it pales into comparison to the 40 billion tonnes we're dumping into the atmosphere every year, but we are doing 2 billion tonnes and that's mainly through planting new forests and improving soils in certain parts of the world. now sadly, that's more than offset by the fact that we're chopping down trees in other parts of the world. but we're doing that. a lot of the newer technologies are just starting. they're at the stage of very new businesses or research ideas, and only 0.1% of that 2 billion tonnes we're doing now is actually from these more novel technologies. they're just a smaller scale. some of them are more expensive. but what we really need to do is support those and help bring the costs down while we're reducing emissions so that in 20 or 30 years' time, hopefully when emissions are much lower, these removals can also be scaled and we can get to net zero emissions and beyond.

sounds to me though, like once again, it's up to the politicians and governments around the world to commit to this. governments definitely have a key role to play. and one of the one of the key things that we find really is that in the pledges that they're putting forward in the climate negotiations, they're commitments of action to 2030. they're pledging to do a bit more removal, but not not nearly enough and very little to support these new technologies. they hardly get a mention at all, actually, in these pledges. sweeping reporting that a verdict of suicide with also elements of neglect has been recorded following the death of the mental health blog at beth matthews who was able to buy at beth matthews who was able to buy a poisonous substance that she'd ordered online from rusher and she ingested it while she was in a

psychiatric unit. the inquest has concluded today. stephenjones, the solicitor acting for her family has been speaking outside the inquest in stockport. i’d been speaking outside the inquest in stockort. �* .. been speaking outside the inquest in stockort. �* ~ ., .«r been speaking outside the inquest in stockort. �* ~ ., ., been speaking outside the inquest in stockort. ~ ., ., ., ., stockport. i'd like to make a formal statement on _ stockport. i'd like to make a formal statement on behalf _ stockport. i'd like to make a formal statement on behalf of _ stockport. i'd like to make a formal statement on behalf of beth's - statement on behalf of beth's family. it comes from all of the family. it comes from all of the family. we'd like to thank the coroner, durie, we'd like to thank the coroner, durie and our legal representatives for their diligence in ensuring there was a thorough investigation. the passing of beth that day was wholly avoidable and her death was completely unnecessary. we have been tragically let down by the priory who we believed were providing a safe place for beth and the care that she needed. mental health care providers must listen to and act on the findings of this inquest. it is incumbent on them to keep their patients say. we do not wish to see

or hear of other families having to endure the grief, unimaginable loss, and anguish that we have been through. not only was beth bright and vivacious, she was intelligent, she had a can do attitude, and her infectious smile would brighten anyone. she was an accomplished yacht and dinghy sailor who was always full of energy and had a wonderful sense of humour. better try to help others through describing her own mental health experiences in a highly graphic but articulate way. doing so she was able to touch and help countless others. we know for a fact that she saved at least one person through her social media presence. that is a huge legacy for a young lady to leave behind. beth gave a bright light of hope to those who are struggling to see any light at all. may she rest in peace. i'd like to add as a family's solicitor, from a

legal perspective, beth's death came about because of a very simple and straightforward instruction in her care plan, that staff should open parcels for her, was not followed. had the care plan been followed, beth would not have died. we hope that the jury will find that beth's death was contributed to by neglect and that will help find a light on what happened and find a need for improvements to be made. stephen jones acting — improvements to be made. stephen jones acting as _ improvements to be made. stephen jones acting as a — improvements to be made. stephen jones acting as a solicitor— improvements to be made. stephen jones acting as a solicitor of- improvements to be made. stephen jones acting as a solicitor of the i jones acting as a solicitor of the family for beth matthews. stephen jones we are seeing it next to beth matthews�*s family crest. there has been a statement issued by the priory hospital, at cheadle royal on. , in whose care beth matthews was interested. it says we want to extend our deepest condolences to beth's family and friends for her

loss. best attempts to overcome her challenges had been an inspiration for many although an expected deaths are extremely rare we recognise that every [055 of life in our care is a tragedy. we fully accept the jury's findings and acknowledge that far greater attention should be given to back up plan. at the time of her death, we took immediate steps to address the issues of how we document risk and communicate patient care plans alongside our processes for receiving an opening post. patient safety is our utmost priority and we will now review the coroners comment in detail and make all necessary additional changes to our policies and procedures. the statement from the priory hospital cheadle royal. the defence secretary has announced that the uk will provide missiles to ukraine. it comes as the manufacturer of leopard

tanks in germany will only approve those deliveries if the us does the same with american—made abrams tanks. today, the us secretary of defence met his german counterpart in berlin to try to break the deadlock. we've been speaking to a former commanding with europe. the leopard 2, just like the challenger or the american abrams, this is the top tier of tanks in the world. it would be a real capability which is of course why the ukraine is asking at least for that capability. whichever brand it is. why do they need them? what is going on in the conflict that necessitates them? it's a perfect question. they don't need them today. they need this armoured capability for the spring. i think the general staff recognises that they can pretty much stop russian offensive operations with what they have in hand and so they are thinking about what is really decisive, here? what is decisive is it crimea.

i anticipate that in the springtime, the general staff is going to launch a new mobile phase of their counteroffensive aimed probably at mariupol or zaporizhzhia or elsewhere in an effort to sever the land bridge that connects it crimea to the rest of occupied territory because crimea is the part that has to be liberated the rest will follow so tanks will be part of a large armoured formation that will be used sometime in the spring. why do you believe the germans are so reluctant to send the leopard 25 unless the americans go along by sending their abrams? it's inexplicable to me, but i have to say it is also frustrating that my own country, still balks at the idea

of providing abrahams tanks. i hear different reasoning but none of them sound like actual justification for the important policy decision. germany has behind them, even though they have done so much other stuff, i don't know why they are drawing the line at a leopard tank, at least, allow finland, poland, norway, others who want to give their leopards, give them the permission to do that. i haven't heard a good explanation that makes any sense to me. two retired metropolitan police officers have been charged with child sex offences. 63—year—old jack addis from perthshire in scotland, and jeremy laxton aged 62 and from lincolnshire will appear at westminster magistrates�* court next month. the charges came as part of an investigation into a serving met chief inspector, richard watkinson, who was found dead before any charges could be brought.

this year's british academy film and television awards nominees have been announced. a remake of the anti—war classic "all quiet on the western front" led nominations. here's lizo mzimba. the all quiet on the western front team will be celebrating. the drama, which contrasts the youthful fervour of a young recruit with the reality of war leads the way with 14 nominations, including best film, best director, and best supporting actor for albrecht schuch. there are ten nominations for the multi—universe fantasy everything everywhere all at once. it's up for best film and best director, and its stars michelle yeoh and ke huy quan are also recognised. ijust don't like you no more. brendan gleeson and colin farrell are among the ten nominations for the banshees 0f inisherin, a film about two close friends falling out, a situation that perhaps mirrors... you do like me. ..widening disagreements... i don't. ..between the views of awards

voters and audiences. take top gun: maverick, one of the box office smashes of 2022, but a reminder of the way that opinion has split between the public and the baftas. it's nominated in four technical categories but not best film or best actor. let's try not to get fired on the first day. and while the original avatar had thejoint most bafta nominations back in 2010, its massively successful sequel is only up for best sound and best effects. in other areas where awards shows are striving to stay relevant, bafta will be pleased. mandy walker is only the second woman ever to be nominated for cinematography, for elvis. and ten of the 24 acting nominees belong to ethnic minorities including black panther: wakanda forever�*s angela bassett and triangle 0f sadness's dolly de leon. this is really, really bad. lizo mzimba, bbc news.

earlier i was joined by film producer and presenter jason solomons, who gave us a breakdown of the nominations... only gandhi has ever had more at this stage, 16, all quiet on the western front is unlucky not to get 15. my favourite thing of the movie is the lead performer who didn't get nominated, about the only thing in the movie that didn't. it's interesting because sam mendez, who many people fancied this year this year for his film empire of light, didn't get nominated for this. very interesting to see one now told from the german point of view, i think that's a wholesale shift in taste. we don't really see war movies from what is traditionally seen as the enemy point of view and we do with this because i think people's view of the world war i drama is that it's a futile exercise, it's anti—war as you say, not that we want to see a pro—war movie, but it is about the insanity that besets these young men who are thrust into the trenches.

it's amazing to see it from the german side, never seen that before, never been shown to us before. it's a book that all german schoolchildren read, they all know it, so it's a bit like world war i poetry for our school kids. we all know it, but it's fantastic to see, very well done, that's why it's got so many nominations, in the craft categories, the sets, the sound design. talk to us about the film tar, with cate blanchett. i think it's magnificent. great to see that it's been nominated. even in the great category of best actress nominees, i think cate blanchett is probably the front runner. she is magnificent, always. she's particularly magnificent as this conductor of this orchestra who is accused of... she's a victim of cancel culture but she's also sort of betrayed by social media. the film is so... i don't know, sort of, chiselling away at the veneer of this brilliant woman, this brilliant artist. we see her unravelling.

i think it's a magnificent movie and a magnificent performance. it would be a real steal if she weren't to win best actress because she speaks german in it, she speaks french in it, she's got control, the music is gorgeous, see it in the cinema because it sounds fantastic. it's a very arresting poster even when you see that on the hoardings. that's what attracted my attention. elvis? elvis. nine nominations for elvis. a great haul for baz lurhmann, he is obviously a very popular director, a great showman, a circus ringleader in his own mulan rouge. he does it here in elvis. i think it is a wild film, tom hanks as the colonel, and austin buttler as elvis does a very good job. it's a film that hit the headlines, lisa marie presley dying just days after its triumph at the golden globes. it's a story that lives

with so many people. elvis has got... even you do an impression, everyone has got their own version of elvis and his music caught... this does a lot to put the young elvis into the picture and understand where this person came from, the soulful, church music of the south coming into rock and roll. i think that's what's really interesting about it. also, it never rest, for a minute. every scene is about a minute long and you're always thinking, what's next? it's wild and whirling, i don't think it's best picture but it's good to see it's in the mix. i told you that in confidence! this is a very good year for irish actors, and irish films... amazing year. the banshees of inisherin got ten nominations, directed by martin mcdonagh, great performances by colin farrell, who might be a favourite for best actor as is brendan gleeson. they play two friends, you never see this, who don't want to be friends any more. they want to break up. people break up with their spouses and partners, but you never break

up with your friends. it's very difficult to do especially if you live on an small island in ireland in the 19205. very good, brilliant performances, everyone is nominated, barry keegan, kerry condon for best supporting actress. also, in this irish celebration, a film called the quiet girl, the first in irish language has been nominated in the foreign film category and that's brilliant i'm delighted for the film. it's excellent. plus you've got paul mescal who is the irish actor people know from normal people. he stars in a british film called aftersun. it's a british film. he is the star of that movie, people love it when they see it, it's done very well in the cinema, a small, british, indie movie. paul mescal got a best actor nomination and i saw him last night in streetcar named desire and he was jolly good in that. a proper talent.

do you get the sense that this is the year when we are really properly returning to something like normal after several years of disruption? i think what we are seeing is the tail end of the movies made during covid restrictions. directors say they had to do it under covid restrictions. we are seeing a different set of films, some that didn't get made because of covid that had to stop because it added lots to their budget, some mainstream films got through because they could absorb the financial pressures of the extra covid protocols that it's taken. we are seeing a slightly skewed version but people are coming back to the cinema wanting to see these movies, elvis did great the box office, i hope tar does, difficult film though it is, though smallerfilms like aftersun are doing really well at the box office at enticing audiences back. if you don't see tar in the cinema, you are losing out. if you don't see all quiet on the western front you are losing out on the experience. that is the difference.

that's what we are getting things like avatar and top gun which brought loads of people back to the cinema, frankly it would have been in my top film as it is fantastic hollywood escapism and brilliant, and nominated justly. what film are you producing? can you tell us any more? a waiter in paris. it's about a young british boy who gets a job in a cut—throat parisian brasserie and becomes an authentic parisian to survive. hello. after some early morning snow showers caused disruption across parts of the uk. the good news for many is that these wintry showers will be easing more dry weather for the rest of the day. sunny spells as well, but it will stay cold. and this is because we are in an arctic airflow at the moment. these winds coming from the north, although as you can see, things are changing over the next few days.

it is getting milder with this yellow colour sweeping across the uk, but it is slow to move across the whole of the country for the rest of the day. then sunny spells, although wintry, does continue mainly for parts of scotland. elsewhere across the uk, any wintriness will start to look like sleet and rain to lower levels, although some snow possible across the north york moors. the winds are strong in scotland and across the east coast as well. but elsewhere will be easing temperatures between three and seven degrees celsius. so it is still cold out there. wrap up warm and into this evening. then the focus shifts from snow to ice, icy areas in the north and the west. that would be plenty of dry, clear weather overnight, which means those temperatures will drop off to below freezing minus five degrees celsius in some parts of scotland. and the winds will continue to ease, although tomorrow fresh winds will continue across the north sea coast, easing for the rest of us. a bit of mis and fog first thing to the west, it will clear, as will the frost tomorrow. widespread frost drizzle. but that will lift to leave a dry, bright day.

plenty of sunny spells for many of us. those winds still easing. temperatures between five and seven degrees celsius now into friday. high pressure is in control for much of the country, but we've got this system of low pressure to the north that is moving in and it's affecting us slowly over the next few days. and you can see this affecting us on saturday. now this milder air is bringing cloud and bits of rain for parts of the north and the west. further south, a bit of mist and fog. first thing that will clear to leave a dry, cold day. plenty of sunshine for the south, west, south, east. now the top temperatures between four and eight degrees celsius. so they are starting to creep up. and this is the reason this milder air moving in from the atlantic and it is sweeping across much of the uk, although the very far southeast will hold on to that colder weather for longer. so north west over the next few days will be more uncertain and cloudy. but for the southeast, it's cold and dry.

this is bbc news. the headlines... actor alec baldwin is to be charged with involuntary manslaughter over a fatal film shooting on set. an inquest finds neglect of a psychiatric unit contributed to the death of 26—year—old mental health blogger beth matthews. the lawyer spoke outside the corner�*s court. the lawyer spoke outside the corner's court.— corner's court. we've been tragically— corner's court. we've been tragically let _ corner's court. we've been tragically let let _ corner's court. we've been tragically let let -- - corner's court. we've been i tragically let let -- tragically corner's court. we've been - tragically let let -- tragically let tragically let let —— tragically let down and we believe it providing a safe place for beth. towns and cities are set to receive more than £2 billion worth of funding in an attempt to reduce regional inequality. rishi sunak insists it's the north of england and wales who will benefit the most. train operating companies

make their "best and final offer" to the rmt union in a bid to break the deadlocked dispute over pay,