and dramatic sea temperature rises are to blame. it comes as labour is ditching the party's promise to spend £28 billi a year on environmental projects, if they win the next election. (boxed it's a major u—turn for opposition leader, sir keir starmer. in recent weeks, some senior figures within labour have refused to use the £28 billion figure in interviews, while others, including sir keir, continued to do so. sources insist the party's green prosperity plan, which includes creating a publicly—owned green power company, is not being dropped altogether. an official announcement is expected today. let's hear what prime minister rishi sunak had to say about labour's apparent policy change. i've seen these reports. this is a serious moment, this was the flagship plank of labour's economic policy and it now looks like he's trying

to wriggle out of it. i think it demonstrates exactly what i've been saying, that he u—turns on major things. he can't see what he will do differently because he doesn't have a plan, and if you don't have a plan, then you can't deliver change for our country. live now to tim bale, professor of politics at the queen mary university of london. thanks so much forjoining us. this seems to be a significant u—turn. what does that mean for labour's it means that they are hopefully going to remove what has become a bit of an albatross around their necks, the conservatives.— an albatross around their necks, the conservatives. have been drumming this 28 billion _ conservatives. have been drumming this 28 billion figure _ conservatives. have been drumming this 28 billion figure into _ conservatives. have been drumming this 28 billion figure into people's i this 28 billion figure into people's heads for weeks if not months now and i'm afraid for a labour party thatis and i'm afraid for a labour party that is hoping to reassure people that is hoping to reassure people that it's not going to be profligate with public finances, that had become a problem. you

with public finances, that had become a problem. with public finances, that had become a roblem. ., ~ �*, become a problem. you think there's an benefit become a problem. you think there's any benefit to — become a problem. you think there's any benefit to labour _ become a problem. you think there's any benefit to labour making - become a problem. you think there's any benefit to labour making this - any benefit to labour making this announcement now, rather than closer to a general election? it announcement now, rather than closer to a general election?— to a general election? it does get the embarrassment _ to a general election? it does get the embarrassment out _ to a general election? it does get the embarrassment out of - to a general election? it does get the embarrassment out of the - to a general election? it does get l the embarrassment out of the way, to a general election? it does get - the embarrassment out of the way, if indeed it is an embarrassment because as you are hinting, it's possible that this is a way of labour once again signalling to the electorate that the economy and public finances are safe in their hands and that they are realistic about their ambitions. rishi sunak, we heard him _ about their ambitions. rishi sunak, we heard him calling _ about their ambitions. rishi sunak, we heard him calling it— about their ambitions. rishi sunak, we heard him calling it a _ about their ambitions. rishi sunak, we heard him calling it a serious i we heard him calling it a serious moment and accusing keir starmer of wriggling out of this key promise. do you think this is good news for the conservative party?— the conservative party? well, in some ways _ the conservative party? well, in some ways it — the conservative party? well, in some ways it does _ the conservative party? well, in some ways it does allow - the conservative party? well, in some ways it does allow them i the conservative party? well, in| some ways it does allow them to carry on with the narrative that they have also been developing such as that is keir starmer exact flip—flop but i'm not so sure that it's always the case that u—turns are a bad thing. the government has

done enough of them labour would argue. and that's often the case that most people don't pay a great deal of attention to politics and simply think that it's a realistic decision on the part of whoever is doing the ut earnings, given changed circumstances and this was a promise made back in september 2021 when you could argue the economic circumstances and public finances were quite different and perhaps labour's mistake was to put a figure on their plans quite so early, a long time before a general election and i think maybe it's an object lesson for political parties that they're going to give a precise figure they really ought to leave it on to a manifesto before they do that. ~ , , i, i, on to a manifesto before they do that. ~' , , i, i, i, that. think this is a need to do with labour— that. think this is a need to do with labour reading _ that. think this is a need to do with labour reading into - that. think this is a need to do with labour reading into the i that. think this is a need to do i with labour reading into the fact that the voters are not too worried about environmental policies? there is some evidence _ about environmental policies? there is some evidence that _ about environmental policies? there is some evidence that people - about environmental policies? ii—ii” is some evidence that people are concerned with the cost of environmental policies but if you look at the polls people are also

concerned about climate change as well. i'm guessing that labour hopes is that while they might in the short term lose people to the greens and liberal democrats, when the election rolls around, for most of those people, getting rid of the tory government is the most important thing and they will come back to labour.— important thing and they will come back to labour. ., ~ , i, , i back to labour. thank you very much, tim. police looking for the clapham chemical attack suspect have raided two addresses in north tyneside, in the north east of england officers have been searching for abdul shokoor ezedi for nearly eight days since the attack in south london. 0ur north east correspondent mark denton is at the scene for us. mark, can you tell us more about these rights today?— these rights today? yes, the metropolitan _ these rights today? yes, the metropolitan police - these rights today? yes, the metropolitan police tell - these rights today? yes, the metropolitan police tell us . these rights today? yes, the i metropolitan police tell us that these rights today? yes, the - metropolitan police tell us that in the early hours of this morning, armed police carried out to raids on properties in north tyneside and addresses associated with the

attacker, including his place of work. they tell us this was a joint operation between the joint operation between the joint operation between the metropolitan police in north cumbria police. they say no arrests were made but inquiries and a search which is now inquiries and a search which is now in its five day continues. people living near the scene on this road here in north tyneside say the road was cordoned off last night. they say police and police dogs were on the scene for around a couple of hours and local people say the best —— the takeaway behind me and a flat above that business were part of the search operation. 0ne resident told us that officers left after two hours of the scene and did not appear to be taking anything away and the search for ezedi continues into its eighth day.—

into its eighth day. briefly, mark, we know the _ into its eighth day. briefly, mark, we know the search _ into its eighth day. briefly, mark, we know the search is _ into its eighth day. briefly, mark, we know the search is continuing | into its eighth day. briefly, mark, i we know the search is continuing but we know the search is continuing but we know the search is continuing but we know anything more about police operation? we we know anything more about police oeration? ~ , i, , i, , operation? we usually get details later but what _ operation? we usually get details later but what we _ operation? we usually get details later but what we know _ operation? we usually get details later but what we know is - operation? we usually get details later but what we know is that i later but what we know is that operation has been focused on london, in the last confirmed sighting of the third this week was around about nine o'clock but is more detail has come through and we know the police have been searching hundreds of hours of cctv footage, we now know that the last site was just after 11 o'clock last wednesday evening. the police say the operation is continuing and they are confident they will find this man. thank you very much. the prince of wales has spoken publicly for the first time since king charles was diagnosed with cancer. prince william thanked the well—wishers as he arrived at a charity gala dinner in central london. 0ur royal correspondent daniela relph has more. this report contains flashing images. returning to royal duty — the prince of wales

was at a fundraising dinner last night for the london air ambulance. and a first comment from prince william to the bbc during what is a challenging time for the family. your royal highness, how grateful are you for the public support you've received in recent weeks? we really appreciate all the messages. thank you. prince william is a former air ambulance pilot himself, so this event had personal meaning to him. and there was a touch of top gun glamour, too. tom cruise, the star guest and another experienced pilot in the room. the prince gave a speech to guests at the fundraiser — his first since his wife had surgery and news of his father's cancer diagnosis was made public. i'd like to take this opportunity to say thank you also for the kind messages of support for catherine and for my father, especially in recent days. it means a great deal to us all. it's fair to say the past few weeks have had a rather medical focus, so i thought i'd come to an air ambulance function to

get away from it all. laughter. while one prince was on duty, the other is already back home in the united states. prince harry spent around 45 minutes with his father at clarence house after the king's cancer diagnosis. he didn't meet his brother during his flying visit to the uk. the king is now on his sandringham estate in norfolk, away from the public gaze, where he'll spend much of the coming weeks. for his son, this will be a steady and managed return to royal duty. his priority remains supporting his wife as she recovers from surgery. but after the intensity of recent weeks, last night, there were some light—hearted moments. i should also take this opportunity to give a mention to my — our — fellow pilot tom cruise. tom, huge thanks for supporting us tonight. applause. and, tom, if you wouldn't mind

not borrowing either of the new helicopters for the next mission impossible, it would be appreciated. it was a glamorous end to the prince of wales' first day back on royal duty. not all engagements are as glitzy as this one. but with the king and the princess of wales stepping back, the royal family need the profile and the pull of prince william. daniella relph, bbc news, central london. let's bring you some pictures now from iceland where a volcano has erupted for the second time this year. thus the reykjanes peninsular. that is in south—west iceland. to give you scale on this, the icelandic meteorological office has said the fisher —— fisher was around three, long but is not known how the

fishing town would be affected. 4000 people were evacuated after an average the fishing town in the middle of last month. icelandic officials began construction on bikes to channel lava flows away from homes in november. wartime conditions in the uk. —— much more calm conditions. snow is falling across parts of the uk, with forecasters warning it could become much heavier later this afternoon. that is shetland and there is a dusting of snow on the roofs and have been snow closures. the heaviest snow is expected in the north—west shropshire and south pennines and north wales and between ten and 15 centimetres of snow is forecast with up to 25 centimetres possible on higher ground. this taken these pictures in flintshire

earlier today. all schools in the county are closed due to the weather warnings. slow and ice is expected in central england —— snow and ice in central england —— snow and ice in north and scotland and northern ireland and forecasters warned it could be travel disruption. they may also be power cuts and rural communities could be cut off. to take a look at what's in store for us, with all the weather and details, here is thomas. thanks forjoining me. the weather has been so unpleasant for many of us today. heavy rain, a dismal picture out there and of course we have had snow across the hills of northern ireland and it's been snowing in northern parts of wales, northern england as well and into southern scotland. this is the radar from into southern scotland. this is the radarfrom earlier on. but it's mostly hills know, at were falling heaviest come not exclusively. we have a wet covering of snow on lower ground as well but let's focus on

the amber warnings from the met office which is valid from this afternoon across northern parts of wales and into this evening across the pennines so some of the higher roots could get as much as 20 five centimetres of snow, the trans pennine routes can be tricky so take it steady during the rush hour. 0n it steady during the rush hour. on top of that we have strong winds blowing out of the east and this is the picture around for pm will stop temperatures a few degrees above freezing but to the south, much milder at 12 in london. but as the rain in the south is causing problems. it could bring 45 millimetres as this next weather front moves into parts of that england and wales. the night is going to be messy, particularly in the north, a mixture of rain, sleet and snow, temperatures and bigger towns and cities are to 2 degrees but what's left of that wintry weather will transfer further nobody could be significant snowfalls

across the scottish hills, particularly in central and more eastern part of scotland. rain in the north east of england and to the south we are talking but extensive cloud, showers, some of them heavy but mild at 12 in plymouth, 13 in london and 11 in hull and there is much colder as we get into the north of scotland is where the colder air suits and you can see wintry weather there to the south of that, it is much milder there into friday night and saturday. 0n the low pressure is still with us for the weekend but i think there is a cloud or broken so perhaps sunshine coming through but at times, heavy showers are expected as well. and the outlook, is going to be mild or cold? what it looks like it's going to stay on the mild side, the weather could be settling down as we head into tuesday. goodbye.

live from london, this is bbc news.

polls close in pakistan after millions vote in general and provincial elections. the government is criticised for temporarily suspending mobile phone services. a us drone strike kills an iran—backed militia leader in baghdad. iraq says the strike is a threat to regional stability. this is the scene live in iceland where a volcano erupts for the second time this year. for the first time, global temperatures exceed 1.5 degrees celsius across an entire year. new figures show last month was the hottest january on record. hello, i'm sarah campbell, welcome to bbc news now, three hours of fast—moving news, interviews and reaction. polling stations have closed in pakistan where people have been voting in general and provincial elections — after a campaign period frequently disturbed by violence.