An extra hour in school for some pupils in wales as heads try out changes to the Academic Year. The Winter Olympics torch relay kicks off in beijing as chinas capital gears up for the games. Good morning. Quite a lot of Cloud Producing Light Rain in the north and east. Not as windy as it has been but it is still going to be mild. Details later in the programme. Good morning. Its wednesday, the 2nd of february. The 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. Labour have dismissed the project as more slogans and strategies. Our Political Correspondent Jessica Parker reports. We are a government committed to levelling up. It is absolutely what levelling up is all about. What were doing is levelling up. Level up across the whole of the uk. Ministers have talked about
Secured their biggest pay rise since 1991, giving the central bank the confidence to make its move. One that puts decades of deflation in the rear view mirror. Lets go live to shizuoka in japan and Seijiro Takeshita professor at the univesity of shizuoka. Good to have you on the programme. We knew this was coming, it has happened, give us your reaction. Us your reaction. Well, as you said, it us your reaction. Well, as you said. It was us your reaction. Well, as you said, it was expected us your reaction. Well, as you said, it was expected because of the Pre Requisites were set, basically, 5. 2 increase by Larger Companies, pay rise. We expected only form per sense of that history very well. We have the Inflation Target which is to present a morejust been fulfilled so basically, prerequisites for lifting off from this secure operation of negative Interest Rate is finally here. It negative Interest Rate is finally here. Finally here. It is finally here, finally here. It is finally here.
The truth behind them. We start in brazil and a crucial summit to protect the amazon rain forest. The leaders of eight South American countries that share the amazon are gathering the first time in 45 years theres been a meeting like this. Scientists are concerned that deforestation in the amazon may be approaching an irreversible Tipping Point. Brazils president Lula Da Silva is hoping for a co ordinated regional approach, to tackle illegal mining and logging as well as other environmental crimes. The amazon rainforest, is a crucial buffer against Climate Change and 60 of it is located in brazil. It acts as a major carbon sink absorbing Carbon Dioxide emissions. President lula has already promised to end deforestation by 2030. Rainforest destruction had surged under his predecessor, jair bolsonaro. And it appears some progress is already being made. Injuly of this year, 500 Square Kilometres of rainforest was cleared in brazil 66 less than injuly of last year. The rainforest is home
We speak to the mayor of freetown in sierra leone, subject of a new bbc documentary. Well hear from Award Winning actress and activist Nazanin Boniadi on whats next for irans women led protests. And iranian female djs use music to defy the islamic republic. Hello, im Azadeh Moshiri and welcome to our bbc news special programme on International Womens day. Im standing in front of the Millicent Fawcett statue, here in parliament square. She was a suffragist in the 20th century, protesting to secure the right to vote for women. Its by the artist Gillian Wearing and it was made after a campaign by a feminist writer, Caroline Criado perez, who wanted to see a womans statue here in the square. Now, of course, what were about to look at for the next half hour are just some of the issues affecting women today. Theres plenty more coverage from the uk and Around The World on the bbc news website and app. So lets begin with ukraine. And after more than two years of war in ukraine, the un says mor