and fay weldon, the writer best known for her 1983 novel, the life and loves of a she devil has died at the age of 91. the prime minister, rishi sunak, has set out his programme for the year ahead, outlining five promises he says he wants the public tojudge his premiership on. they are halving inflation to ease the cost of living whilst also growing the economy, creating better paid jobs and opportunities across the country. he wants to ensure the national debt is falling to secure the future of public services whilst also cutting nhs waiting lists so that people get the care they need more quickly and passing new laws to stop small boats crossing the channel. he asked voters to judge his premiership on whether the goals were achieved. on the current wave of strikes in britain, he said he hugely valued public service employees and wants a reasonable discussion on what is fair for the country . let s have a listen to some of the prime minister s speech. i want to make five
the sound of artillery fire. you can tell every minute that this is a city that is being intensely fought over. we start here in the uk, where the prime minister rishi sunak has set out his priorities for 2023 in his first major speech of the year. let s have a listen to some of what he had to say. first, we will have inflation this year to ease the cost of living and give people financial security. second, we will grow the economy, creating better paid jobs and opportunity right across the country. third, we will make sure our national debt is falling so that we can secure the future of public services. fourth, nhs waiting lists will fall, and people will get the kjaer they need more quickly. fifth, we will pass new laws to stop small boats, sunak making sure that if you come to this country sunak illegally, you are detained and swiftly removed. rishi sunak spent the first few weeks of his premiership last autumn trying to restore stability after the turmoil of liz truss go
and our other main story tonight. a special report from bakhmut in eastern ukraine the site of fierce fighting from which almost all the city s residents have fled. we are walking over shards of glass. pretty much every second you hear the sound of artillery fire. you can tell every minute this city is being intensely fought over. sir. tell every minute this city is being intensely fought over. intensely fought over. sir, you do not have the intensely fought over. sir, you do not have the votes intensely fought over. sir, you do not have the votes and intensely fought over. sir, you do not have the votes and it s - intensely fought over. sir, you do not have the votes and it s time l intensely fought over. sir, you do| not have the votes and it s time to withdraw not have the votes and it s time to withdraw. ., ., , ,, ., , , withdraw. chaos in the us congress as republican withdraw. chaos in the us congress as republican rebels withdraw. chaos in the us congress
paid their last respects to the former pope benedict 16th before his funeral at the vatican on thursday. it s seven in the morning in singapore, and one in the morning in ukraine, where a ukrainian battlefield commander in the eastern town of bakhmut has told the bbc that the fighting there is ferocious. a us official has said russian forces have made incremental advances around the town, with mercenaries from the russian paramilitary wagner group heavily involved in the assault. the battle has been described as a meat grinder with high numbers of casualties on both sides. almost all of the city s 70 thousand occupants have fled. russia is working hard to capture bakhmut in the hope it could lead to the fall of sloviansk and krama torsk as well the two most important cities in the donbas still under ukrainian control. but ukrainian forces are holding firm. the bbc s yogita limaye reports from the city. this is what the merciless bombardment of a city looks like. a