And we find out what these adelie and Gentoo Penguins in antarctica have to tell us about global warming. Hello and welcome. We begin in beijing where the Winter Olympics torch relay has just got under way. Over the next three days, 1,000 people will carry the torch past chinese landmarks, including the Summer Palace and great wall. Its a scaled down event with very few spectators because of coronavirus restrictions. But despite the governments commitment to a zero covid strategy, the Omicron Variant is spreading. The Beijing Olympics organiser says 32 new cases have been detected among games related personnel in the last 2a hours. Lets go to beijing and our china correspondent stephen mcdonell. You are covering every twist and turn as these games are about to begin. Talk us through todays torch relay. This about to begin. Talk us through todays torch relay. Todays torch relay. This is nothina todays torch relay. This is nothing like todays torch relay. This is nothing like the todays torch relay. This is nothing like the torch todays torch relay. This is| nothing like the torch relay todays torch relay. This is. Nothing like the torch relay of years gone by. People will remember there was a time when the Olympic Torch would travel all Around The World and arrive in a country, and for many weeks ago from city to city through the streets with people cheering. This is a much more modest torch relay. The Olympic Flame has already been in beijing, on display in cities in the north east and various parts of the country, but in terms of the country, but in terms of the actual relay. It is only over three days, starting today leading up to the opening ceremony, and even on those three days, it is not all day, it is just the discrete sections of the day, a couple of little bits of torch relay every day. We saw today for example is being carried by the likes of a former chinese astronaut, olympians, basket although seen passing the torch to the greek ambassador basketball. They are trying to get some flavour with different people and an International Community vibe if you like. There have not been big crowds gathered along the streets to welcome the torch or anything like that. Even on television here, it hasnt been given massive prominence. Like i say, it is much more of a modest torch relay, but a relay nonetheless. As you mentioned, what will be interesting is to see it go past to these Historic Sites over the next couple of days, the Summer Palace or tomorrow at the great wall. That will no doubt and those people seeing those types of images. But what we wont see is a huge crowd gathered in beijing and the torch moving down the main street or anything like that. Down the main street or anything like that. And that is for obvious anything like that. And that is for obvious reasons. Anything like that. And that is for obvious reasons. They anything like that. And that is for obvious reasons. They are | for obvious reasons. They are trying as much as possible to limit the spread of the Omicron Variant, but it sounds like is there and it is spreading along both working in the run up to the olympics. Both working in the runup to the olympia both working in the runup to the olympics. Yes, so in order to host these the olympics. Yes, so in order to host these games, the olympics. Yes, so in order to host these games, in the olympics. Yes, so in order to host these games, in a to host these games, in a country still officially committed to a zero covid i9 strategy, that is every outbreak in china is now crushed, if i can put it that way, with tough measures, and life can only go back to normal once we are back to zero official places. Then you have the olympics with people arriving from All Over The World from places where the Omicron Variant is spreading very rapidly, so there are these huge isolation bubbles. Those coming in, arriving at the airport, they dont have any contact with the general public, straight into the olympic bubble, and that will be the case for the entire games. Within that bubble system, 32 people were detected today, and there have been dozens every day. The interesting thing is that only half of those are people arriving at the airport, so it means that within the bubble, for example around the bird � s nest are what have you, were athletes and officials are being tested every day, there are those who i guess have either arrived carrying the Omicron Variant, which hasnt pepped up Omicron Variant, which hasnt popped up at the airport, tested a couple of days later, or that covid is spreading within the olympic bubble system. Now, that could be the case. As i say, they are finding dozens of people every day. If you are inside the bubble, you have to do daily tests, and that is how they are finding them. It will be interesting to see how this will be controlled throughout the game is over the next few weeks. , ~ ,. , the game is over the next few weeks. , ~ i. The game is over the next few weeks. , ~. , weeks. Thank you so much for the latest weeks. Thank you so much for the latest on weeks. Thank you so much for the latest on the weeks. Thank you so much for the latest on the olympics, i the latest on the olympics, which officially get under way on friday. Now to the us. The white house has condemned a spate of bomb threats against a number of historically black colleges. The threats, made to more than a dozen universities and schools in cities from baltimore to new orleans, began on the first day of black History Month in the United States. Patrice bell is Vice President and Chief Of Staff at Xavier University of louisiana. She explained what her institution and others are doing in response. We Work Together as a collective, all of the different hbcus consider ourselves sibling institutions. We collaborate together to support each other, we advocate for investments and Security Infrastructure for our campuses and we actually, as an hbcu, as a black and catholic institution, xavier specifically has been on the forefront of reconciliatory conversations and we have to approach all of this with the spirit of love and healing and reaching out to those actors who have some ill intent against us while continuing our work, continuing to stay the course, continuing to do the things we need to do with alert systems, with securing, with surveilling our campus, and with preparing our community members, faculty staff and students to certainly see something and Say Something and make certain that we can always respond to these in the most conscientious manner. Lets get some of the days other news. Tonga is imposing a covid lockdown after the Pacific Island nation, which had been virus free, recorded two cases. The Prime Minister said the measures would be reviewed every two days. The two men who tested positive had been working in the capitals port where humanitarian aid has been pouring in after last months volcanic eruption and tsunami. The norwegian mass murderer Anders Brevik has lost his bid for parole after a court decided he remains a risk to society. He was jailed for killing 77 people in oslo and utoya injuly 2011, but applied for parole last month. After a 3 day hearing, the court decided it did not trust his claim that he would now only promote his ideology through peaceful means. Lionel richie has pulled out of his forthcoming European Tour due to his concerns over covid. The 72 year old, currently performing in las vegas, said the well being of his fans, band and crew were uppermost in his mind. As well as gigs in several european cities, he was also due to perform at the isle of Wight Festival this summer, a commitment he originally agreed to do in 2020. The uk government will today set out its long delayed manifesto plan to level up the lives of millions of people across the uk. The proposals include a series of pledges to improve education, Public Transport and housing in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the country. The Opposition Labour Party has dismissed the project as more slogans and strategies. Our Political Correspondent Jessica Parker reports. We area we are a government committed to levelling up. It is absolutely to levelling up. It is absolutely what to levelling up. It is absolutely what levelling up is all about. ~. , absolutely what levelling up is all about. ~. ,. , all about. What we are doing is levellin all about. What we are doing is levelling un all about. What we are doing is levelling up. Level all about. What we are doing is levelling up. Level up all about. What we are doing is levelling up. Level up across i levelling up. Level up across the whole levelling up. Level up across the whole of levelling up. Level up across the whole of the levelling up. Level up across the whole of the uk. Levelling up. Level up across l the whole of the uk. Ministers have talked the whole of the uk. Ministers have talked about the whole of the uk. Ministers have talked about it the whole of the uk. Ministers have talked about it a the whole of the uk. Ministers have talked about it a lot. The whole of the uk. Ministers have talked about it a lot. I have talked about it a lot. I am here to talk about levelling up. Am here to talk about levelling u. ~. ,. , am here to talk about levelling up. Michael gove will talk about it more up. Michael gove will talk about it more today. Up. Michael gove will talk about it more today. Levelling up about it more today. Levelling up was at the heart of the conservatives 2019 election campaign. Here in wolverhampton, what do they make of it . Wolverhampton, what do they make of it . ,. , make of it . The town used to be really busy. Make of it . The town used to be really busy, who make of it . The town used to be really busy, who used make of it . The town used to be really busy, who used to make of it . The town used to be really busy, who used to be really busy, who used to be able to buy Shoes Wolverhampton market. Wolverhampton town. Now you cant. There are no shoe shops. There is nothing. Go into town, you have to go somewhere bigger. The younger ouths, somewhere bigger. The younger youths. The somewhere bigger. The younger youths, the violence somewhere bigger. The younger youths, the violence and somewhere bigger. The younger youths, the violence and stuff. Youths, the violence and stuff like that youths, the violence and stuff like that. You have to try to get like that. You have to try to get them like that. You have to try to get them involved in more skills get them involved in more skills and stuff like that. Plans skills and stuff like that. Plans to be outlined today include creating more regional mayors with london style powers in areas of england, bringing Public Transport closer to london standards, giving the large majority of the Country Access to 5g broadband, and eliminating illiteracy in Primary School leavers. Many of these ideas might sound familiar, but labour says it amounts to shuffling the deck chairs. While a report by the National Audit Office Spending watchdog says the government hasnt always properly monitored how well its local Spending Plans have worked. We look Spending Plans have worked. Look quite a lot into the town funds and anything goes. You can bid for whatever you want, but the department as it always got a good grasp on what it is trying to deliver with the money pouring in, and this is taxpayers money, we want to see outcomes. Outcomes mean in economic termsjobs and economic terms jobs and thriving business areas, and we are not really clear if that will happen, so there is a lot way to go to prove the money is being spent as well as the government tells it is. The lans government tells it is. The plans to government tells it is. The plans to give government tells it is. The plans to give these government tells it is. The plans to give these National Missions status in law with a system to measure progress, and says it wants to work with devolved governments to achieve its aims across the uk. For borisjohnson, who has been fighting for hisjob, he may want to show he still has an eye on a longer term agenda. Jessica parker, bbc news in westminster. Much debate about levelling up, how effective it will be. It is our lead story on bbc online today. In 20 minutes will have a lot more on that analysis in our business coverage, which is later in this programme. Stay with us on bbc news. Still to come, an American Football great retires 44 year old tom brady quits at the top. This is the moment that millions in iran have been waiting for. After his long years in exile, the first hesitant steps of Ayatollah Khomeini on iranian soil. South africas white government has offered its black opponents concessions unparalleled in the history of apartheid, and the anc leader Nelson Mandela is to be set free unconditionally. Mission control three, two, one. A countdown to a critical moment the worlds most powerful rocket ignited all 27 of its engines at once. And apart from its power, its this recycling of the rocket, slashing the cost of a launch, that makes this a breakthrough in the business of space travel. Two americans have become the first humans to walk in space without any lifeline to their spaceship. One of them called it a piece of cake. Thousands of people have given l the yachtswoman Ellen Macarthur a spectacular homecoming in the cornish port of falmouth after she smashed the world record. For sailing solo Around The World, non stop. This is bbc news. The latest headlines the Winter Olympics torch relay gets under way in beijing in a scaled down event with very few spectators because of coronavirus restrictions. The white house has condemned a spate of bomb threats made to several historically black us colleges and universities as america begins to mark black History Month. President putin has accused the United States of using ukraine to try to limit russias development, and even to drag it into a conflict. In his first Public Comments on the crisis in weeks, mr putin said washington was still failing to address his security concerns, including his request that ukraine would neverjoin nato. A phone call between the british Prime Minister borisjohnson, whos on a visit to kyiv, and mr putin is due to take place later on wednesday. We can now speak to peter zalmayev, whos director of the eurasia democracy initiative. He joins us from kyiv. Good to see you again. Since we last talked, there has been high levels of diplomacy with several western leaders either visiting kyiv or on the phone to Vladimir Putin. The latest is the uk Prime Minister, boris johnson, your thoughts on his presence now in conversation later with the russian president . Later with the russian resident . , later with the russian resident . , president . Boris johnson visit is happening president . Boris johnson visit is happening with president . Boris johnson visit is happening with the is happening with the background of a total of 80 high level visitors of dignitaries from International Organisations and western leaders and senior ukraine is expecting to be visited by the dutch Prime Minister and turkish president. It is shock and all Revolving Door Policy by western leaders trying to shore up the ukraines government and demonstrate the unwavering support and behind the Czech Republic to send weapons. And the us is picking up shipments to the ukraine by sending 500 tons of American Military equipment and there is a bill now winding its way through the us senate which would put in place sanctions now, tough economic sanctions. It seems like the momentum may be slipping from Vladimir Putin to order his strike in the ukraine with his diplomacy we are seeing. Ukraine with his diplomacy we are seeing ukraine with his diplomacy we are seeing. Interesting that he should speak are seeing. Interesting that he should speak for are seeing. Interesting that he should speak for the are seeing. Interesting that he should speak for the first are seeing. Interesting that he should speak for the first time | should speak for the first time in over a month, should speak for the first time in overa month, pointing should speak for the first time in over a month, pointing the finger at the us In Particular, saying you are talking us into war, pretty much. Your thoughts on why he chose to speak publicly yesterday . I think because he publicly yesterday . I think because he understands. Publicly yesterday . I think i because he understands that publicly yesterday . I think because he understands that he needs to ratchet down and if he has indeed decided that there will not be war. You cannot take Vladimir Putin at his word and the russian arsenal of potentials tricks and ways to meddle remains quite wide. Just this week, a high level us official on Cyber Security is visiting the ukraine because america and everyone understands that russia can really crash ukraine in internet and create chaos overnight but it seems that there is a chance here now that we we could see Vladimir Putin ratcheting it down, especially in the view of the Beijing Olympics coming up and Vladimir Putin do not want to mark the occasion for his friend president xijinping but occasion for his friend president xi jinping but once again, there is potentialfor limited military action in the Eastern Ukraine and also Cyber Attacks etc. Once again, i think the calculation of Vladimir Putin may be changing because maintaining all the trips around ukraines borders is becoming expensive, politically and economically. Interesting. Good to speak to you again on your take on what is happening on the russian ukraine border. Experts assessing south Africas Parliament buildings, which burnt down at the start of january, say it could cost up to 65 million to repair. This has opened up a debate around whether the country should restore the colonial and apartheid era building, or whether it should be reconstructed with an architecture more representative of the current day south africa. The bbc� s Southern Africa correspondent, pumza fihlani, reports from cape town. Firefighters raised to save south Africas Parliament after a suspected arson attack. They were able to contain the blaze did just one building but the National Assembly could not be saved and is now unusable. A man has been charged with terrorism over the incident and investigation will continue. Now plans to rebuild parliament has sparked a debate about its future. Its estimated that restoring parliament can cost up restoring parliament can cost up to 1 restoring parliament can cost up to1 billion restoring parliament can cost up to 1 billion g, restoring parliament can cost up to1 billion g, 65 restoring parliament can cost up to 1 billion g, 65 million, in a country where there is a complex legacy of colonialism and apartheid reflected in architecture, some have asked is it not a chance to rebuild a National Site more reflective of todays south africa, and what would it look like . Something like this, perhaps . This is one of the memorials at a park, Heritage Site in the capital, pretoria. It was built to celebrate the new south africa and has an afro infused contemporary design. Africa and has an afro infused contemporary design. Water is an important contemporary design. Water is an important feature contemporary design. Water is an important feature in an important feature in cleansing and healing. This man is one of the cleansing and healing. This man is one of the Architects Cleansing and healing. This man is one of the architects behind l is one of the architects behind the project. Is one of the architects behind the project the project. Because architecture the project. Because architecture tells the project. Because architecture tells stories on those buildings you not tell our story so i think it would be an opportunity for us to look at the space where people make the laws of the country. What kind of mindset to the have to be in . Something that would kind of make us feel the sense of belonging, that this is really a space that belongs to the people of south africa. But more than modernising parliaments architecture, some are pushing for it to move altogether to this township, amongst ordinary south africans. This area covers the old vista compass, the first black university. This local activist says a move he would be a boost for the township and its economy. There is not much that has been done in our townships, especially in the infrastructure development. We believe infrastructure development. Believe that if in building a precinct of parliament, it would also represent the other townships plight. 50 would also represent the other townships plight. Townships plight. So its a historical townships plight. So its a historical document, townships plight. So its a i historical document, building as a historical document, building as a document. As a document. Relocating it would be as a document. Relocating it would be no as a document. Relocating it would be no easy as a document. Relocating it would be no easy task. As a document. Relocating it would be no easy task. The i as a document. Relocating it would be no easy task. The laws that protect the countrys Heritage Site and what happens to them. It Heritage Site and what happens to them. ,. , Heritage Site and what happens tothem. ,. , to them. It always happens with herita. E to them. It always happens with Heritage Buildings to them. It always happens with Heritage Buildings that to them. It always happens with Heritage Buildings that only Heritage Buildings that only when they are gone, or destroyed, do we actually acknowledge them. It destroyed, do we actually acknowledge them. It will be months until acknowledge them. It will be months until any acknowledge them. It will be months until any building months until any building happens. Whatever is decided about parliament, many agree that, ultimately, it would take a great vision, great expertise, and a lot of patients. , patience. Pumza fihlani, bbc news. Time now for the sport. For many, hes the undisputed goat, the greatest of all time. Tom bradys achievements in the nfl are legendary and may never be surpassed but after an astonishing career spanning 22 seasons, the seven time super bowl winner has decided to hang up his cleats. There was a little bit of misinformation over the weekend about his future, but the 44 year old officially announced his retirement on tuesday. It comes off the back of a heartbreaking Playoff Defeat to the la rams. Brady won six titles with the new England Patriots before his final triumph with the buccaneers last year. And as you can imagine the messages have been pouring in from all corners of the celebrity world, lebron james saying dwayne � the rock� johnson from American Football to the original football and south korea have booked their place at World Cup Finals in qatar thanks to a 2 nil victory over syria in their afc qualification group. Both goals coming after the break, kim jin su with the opener and the second finished beautifully by kwon chang hoon. Itll be south koreas 11th appearance at the World Cup Finals, they memorably beat the reigning champions at the time, germany, in the last edition in 2018. Were at the business end of the africa cup of nations. Just four teams left with senegal preparing to play burkino faso in the first semifinal on wednesday. The senegalese squad will be looking to write their names in the history books. Theyve twice reached the afcon final but are yet to lift the trophy. In 2002, they lost on penalties to cameroon and then in 2019 it was 1 0 to algeria. The Asian Golf Tour is set to stage an event in the uk as part of a new 10 Event International series. The Centurion Club in hertfordshire not far from london is set to host a tournament injune. The new series will be sanctioned by The Asia Tour and with huge prize money it looks likely to tempt players away from the american based pga tour and european based dp world tour. Former world number one greg norman is behind the 300 million venture, which is funded by the saudi arabia governments private investment fund. We have identified a new opportunity out of a lost opportunity, and i mean that in all sincerity, and the lost opportunity, people should be embracing. Other institutions should be embracing that we are very, very respectful and always be open and always be a healthy, friendly competitor. And a lovely comeback story for you. 2008 aussie open runner up Jo Wilfried Tsonga has picked up his first win in nearly a year after beating polands Kacper Zuk At The Open Sud De France in montpellier. Its actually only a Second Tour Level victory since 2019 for the former world number 5, having missed much of the last two years on tour due to the pandemic and a chronic back condition. He took the match in straight sets and will play Serbias Filip Krajinovic in the next round. You can get all the latest sports news at our website thats bbc. Com sport but from me and the rest of the sport team, goodbye. One of the challenges of tackling Climate Change is compiling accurate data. How does the rise in temperature affect plant life and Animal Numbers . A group of scientists have spent time in the antarctic hoping to find some answers and one animal In Particular has proven to be a big help, as the bbc� s tim allman explains. Cute and, so it turns out, pretty crucial too, the adelie and Gentoo Penguins are native to this part of the antarctic. Unlike other animals around here, they live mostly on the land rather than the ocean, which makes them easier to track. Penguins conveniently come to the same nesting sites over and over and over, year after year, and so we have this reliable signature of, you know, how many individuals are there from one year to the next and how does this play out over decades or even longer time scales. Researchers came here to monitor the penguin population, collecting data from 21 different sites. Parts of the antarctic have seen a big decline in Animal Numbers but at least around here, those figures are relatively stable. This is obviously really good news but really underlines why governments need to put in place urgent protection so that we can safeguard these healthy penguin populations and make sure they do not suffer the expansion of industrial fishing which could cause them to decline in future. Until fairly recently, scientists knew very little about this cold and remote environment. Satellite imagery has helped but boots on the ground have made all the difference. Understanding the lives of these penguins may help safeguard their future. Tim allman, bbc news. From penguins to business, i will see you in a minute hello there. It was another windy day for many on tuesday, but the winds will be a notch down for the day ahead, as will the amounts of sunshine actually, its been the sunniest january on record for england. And we did have a fair deal of sunshine during tuesday. But through the overnight period, weve introduced a Weather Front and that Weather Front will mean a cloudier day for many and, in fact, its giving us some patchy rain and drizzle as well. Now, its this Weather Front that im talking about the rain most significant in the north, but i think its just because its introduced that milder air, well notice that difference. Still a cold start in the far north east of scotland and the northern isles. But, as i say, its the change in Wind Direction weve lost the north westerly, were picking up this south westerly air, coming in off the atlantic. It will be with us for a couple of days now and so therefore, there will be more cloud around and some patchy rain and drizzle. The cloud sitting on the hills and the coasts in northern and western areas, giving some hill fog. But inland, theres a good chance of some Brightness Developing for parts of wales, the midlands, southern england, perhaps east of the pennines. It wont be as windy, but therell still be a fair breeze blowing through the day. As you can see, a steady brisk breeze but its milder temperatures of 11 12 celsius above where they should be for this time of year except in the north of scotland, where we stay in the chilly air. And we continue to feed in that rain and that drizzle, and then, as we go through the night, something perhaps a little bit more significant across scotland, as you can see. And temperatures also held up because of all that cloud, and still that breeze at 7s and 8s. Now, as we go through thursday, we do have that more significant Weather Front moving in. So, again, ahead of it, still quite unsettled, showery outbreaks of rain, some brightness, but this is looking more significant, isnt it . And behind it, it could turn to snow, some cold air digging back in. But for many, the day bringing stronger winds in the north, but a lot of drier weather, cloudier weather, milder weather further south. Theres that mild air. But its transient because, as i say, its with us through today and tomorrow, and then, behind it on friday, we sweep in with that north westerly wind once again coming up from the arctic. So, perhaps some snow on the Trailing Edge of this Weather Front, particularly over the hills, and then, plenty of wintry showers, rain, hail, sleet, yes, snow mostly over the hills following, but a much colder feeling day by the time we get to friday. As ever, theres more on the website. This is bbc news, with the latest Business Headlines for viewers in the uk and Around The World. The price of the black stuff is at a seven year high, but will some of the worlds biggest producers agree to pump more to prevent oil hitting a new peak . Looking to the cloud, alphabet reports sky high earnings as it searches for growth beyond google. Taking it to the next level, the uk government launches a multi billion dollar plan to boost prosperity in some of the countrys poorer areas, but will it work . And something smells fishy, or does it . We look at the growing market for whats known as � faux fish