an unprecedented case — whether to kick donald trump off the 2024 presidential ballot. lawyers will argue the former president's actions onjanuary 6th bars him from standing under the 14th amendment of the constitution. and i'm gary donahue outside the supreme court where there was arguments arejust supreme court where there was arguments are just getting underweight —— gary o'donoghue. the last eight months were the hottest on record, and scientists say cutting carbon emissions can still slow the effects of global warming. labour is ditching its policy of spending £28 billion a year on its green investment plan in a major u—turn. polls have closed in pakistan's general election, which has been marred by violence. a volcano in iceland erupts for the third time since december.

hello, i'm matthew amroliwala, welcome to verified live. we start in washington — and high stakes — because the us supreme court is about to start hearing a case which could potentially stop donald trump running in the 2024 presidential election. it is a legal first — those bringing the case are using the 14th amendment of the constitution, arguing he is disqualified from standing because he commited insurrection onjanuary 6th, trying to overturn the result of the 2020 election. that was successfully argued in the state of colorado in december — where he's been removed from the ballot. donald trump and his attorneys will argue that any effort to stop him running is anti—democratic. the us supreme court will hear 80 minutes of oral argument today. we have our correspondent inside the court listening to proceedings. thejustices have given little

indication over the last few weeks where they stand on this, so it will be fascinating in the coming hours to hear the sort of questions they put to the lawyers for both sides. the ramifications of their decision obviously are huge. live now to our washington correspondent, gary 0'donoghue. potentially, this is huge. it is uncharted territory, legally, so set the scene for us. this uncharted territory, legally, so set the scene for us.— the scene for us. this part of the constitution, _ the scene for us. this part of the constitution, as _ the scene for us. this part of the constitution, as it _ the scene for us. this part of the constitution, as it applies - the scene for us. this part of the constitution, as it applies to - constitution, as it applies to presidents, has simply never been argued before the supreme court before. no one has ever tried to use this part, the 14th amendment, section three of the constitution, to prevent someone from becoming president, so we are in completely uncharted legal territory. we must talk about colorado

today, but make no mistake, if donald trump loses this case and is not on the ballot in colorado, that will have repercussions right across the country, notjust in the primaries for the republican nomination, but also for the general election. that could throw this whole year, this whole electoral process into absolute chaos. and i think we would have no idea where that might end up. so it really is that might end up. so it really is that important today. we will hear the arguments on both sides, we will hear donald trump's lawyers say this part of the constitution does not apply to the presidency, that donald trump that did not engage in insurrection in any case, that free speech protected what he did when he did speak at that rally ahead of january six. all those arguments will be set out before the nine justices today. colorado will simply say, look, it is pretty clear, we are able to make a judgment that he engaged in insurrection, if you did that, you're barred from running for office. those will be the arguments set out today and at the justices

will be under enormous pressure to come to a decision quickly. yes, they have to come to a decision quickly because colorado's primaries on fifth march. quickly because colorado's primaries on fifth march-— on fifth march. everything has become telescope, _ on fifth march. everything has become telescope, hasn't - on fifth march. everything has become telescope, hasn't it? | on fifth march. everything has. become telescope, hasn't it? it on fifth march. everything has - become telescope, hasn't it? it will become telescope, hasn't it? it will be fascinating. this is a massive hot potato and the supreme court justices, we do not know where they stand on any of it, so listening to these oral arguments, about 80 minutes of it, will be really interesting because it will give us a point of what their initial inclinations are here. i a point of what their initial inclinations are here. i think that is riuht. inclinations are here. i think that is right- you _ inclinations are here. i think that is right. you will _ inclinations are here. i think that is right. you will also _ inclinations are here. i think that is right. you will also get - inclinations are here. i think that is right. you will also get an - is right. you will also get an indication of where these justices are coming from more generally. but bearin are coming from more generally. but bear in mind, politics is absolutely interwoven with the judicial system interwoven with the judicial system in this country. people are very aware of which presidents from which party is nominated which justices to this court. we know that there is a

6-3 this court. we know that there is a 6—3 majority on behalf of conservatives on this court. three of those justices will be hearing this argument were nominated by donald trump. you cannot strip out the politics from the judicial decision—making this, whatever people say, whatever the chief justice says. so people will be looking for clues in the line of questioning that the justices take, in the things they challenge, the things they appear to let go. and some of them will be perhaps looking for ways to take the supreme court out of this argument. there is an option here for this court to say, look, actually, this should be down to congress. effectively, that would punt the decision without taking a substantive year. a lot of commentators think this court simply does not want to get its fingers burned in the politics and may try to do that. , ,., burned in the politics and may try to do that-— burned in the politics and may try to do that. , ., , ., to do that. yes, so many potential 0 tions to do that. yes, so many potential options here- _ to do that. yes, so many potential options here. gary, _ to do that. yes, so many potential options here. gary, i— to do that. yes, so many potential options here. gary, iwill- to do that. yes, so many potential options here. gary, i will let- to do that. yes, so many potential options here. gary, i will let you i options here. gary, i will let you go away. i think you're going inside

to listen to some of that argument. i want to show you this picture, a slight picture, but on this feed, we will actually hear the oral argument put forward over the next 80 minutes, so we will keep across that and bring you the significant bits here and the programme and will talk to gary again in terms of what he has been listening to all en today's verified alive in the coming hours. an important story we will keep across and keep returning to —— andre �*s verified live. and to another story! —— and to another important story... the earth has hit another significant and worrying milestone — for the first time, global temperatures have exceeded 1.5 degrees above pre—industrial levels, across an entire year. the european union's climate service released new evidence — measuring temperatures between february 2023 and january 2024 to record the highest i2—month global temperature average on record. this year—long breach doesn't break the 2015 paris agreement to limit long—term temperature rise to 1.5 degrees but it does bring

the world closer to doing so. let's go live now to cardiff and speak to our climate editorjustin rowlatt. just take us through more of the data published. figs just take us through more of the data published.— data published. as you say, the first ear data published. as you say, the first year ever, _ data published. as you say, the first year ever, well, _ data published. as you say, the first year ever, well, the - data published. as you say, the first year ever, well, the first i data published. as you say, thej first year ever, well, the first 12 month period ever where temperatures have exceeded 1.5 degrees above preindustrial levels. that 1.5 figure we hear a lot, it is an important boundary. there was a landmark un report back in 2018 that found in a climate impact at 2 degrees was significantly greater than 1.5 degrees, and it is that increasing risk of every of temperature increase that is the reason why there is such pressure to try to hold the temperature rise to 1.5, if at all possible. but that was the commitment made by world leaders back in 2015 at the paris climate conference. that is why there is so much focus on 1.5 and

why people are so worried about this when your breach, which as you say does not undermine the long—term commitment made over ten years would have to see it happen to breach the paris guidelines. drilling down into the figures today, we get a sense of how exceptionally temperatures are. every single one of the last eight months has been a record month for that period. a record july, august, october all the way through to 0ctober all the way through to january. that is very dramatic. sea temperatures have been even more acceptable —— exceptional. everyday has set a new record for that day, record sea surface temperature for that day since late april last year. so really extraordinary things happening. in fact, so really extraordinary things happening. infact, the so really extraordinary things happening. in fact, the current global sea surface temperature is a record, we have never had sea temperatures as warm as they are now, and we are not at the normal peak, we would expect temperatures to peak in late march, so we are expecting temperatures to continue to rise at an even higher global record, so really worrying thing is

happening in the global climate and being indicated by this new dataset we have got today. just being indicated by this new dataset we have got today.— we have got today. just then, briefl , we have got today. just then, briefly. what _ we have got today. just then, briefly, what saying _ we have got today. just then, briefly, what saying is - we have got today. just then, briefly, what saying is at - we have got today. just then, briefly, what saying is at the l briefly, what saying is at the critical edge here in terms of temperatures and the trends in terms of this report we are seeing today, can it be reverse? in of this report we are seeing today, can it be reverse?— can it be reverse? in theory, but that would _ can it be reverse? in theory, but that would mean _ can it be reverse? in theory, but that would mean taking - can it be reverse? in theory, but that would mean taking huge - that would mean taking huge quantities of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, which is very unlikely to happen. what we can do is if we were to dramatically reduce carbon dioxide emissions get them down to net zero as we had about all the time, and if we were at that, we could stop temperatures rising. every bit of carbon dioxide that we sufferfrom being released into the atmosphere should moderate temperatures a little bit, so we can moderate temperatures. we probably can't reverse what has happened, but that would take a huge effort. we had a long way to go in terms of tackling climate change, and that is something that has a constant source of discussion around the world, how to get the dramatic cuts we need.

just in role that they are in cardiff, thank you very much. now —— justin rowlatt there in cardiff. now to a big political story in the uk — with the main opposition labour party being accused of a major u—turn. the party is to announce, that it will no longer spend £28 billion a year on environmental projects if it wins the general election. the party made the pledge two and a half years ago. sir keir starmer is expected to say it's making the change, because the economic outlook is different now. here's our political correspondent peter saull. rachel. applause and cheering this was the labour conference of 2021. back then, the party was trailing in the polls. so step forward the shadow chancellor with a policy to grab the headlines. i can announce today labour's climate investment pledge. an additional £28 billion of capital investment in our country's green transition for each and every year of this decade. applause it became a central plank of labour's offer, with the money earmarked to bring

about a green industrial revolution. but last summer, the spending promise was watered down, with rachel reeves saying that they wouldn't spend £28 billion a year immediately. and that officially has been the policy ever since. for months, though, senior figures have been far from consistent in their messaging. they've been stressing that their number one priority is the nation's finances and they won't spend what they can't afford. this afternoon, though, this slow motion u—turn will finally be complete when the £28 billion figure is dropped altogether. i think if the facts change, you have to change and adapt your policy to suit that, otherwise you're just dogmatically baking policy in, and then you try to drive it through, you're going to come a cropper. and when we're talking about the public finances, you just can't play fast and loose with that. the move is designed to blunt his attacks on labour's spending plans, but the prime minister still believes he has plenty to go on.

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 say what he _ would do differently, _ because he doesn't have a plan. the climbdown has also drawn criticism from within the labour party. if you make it so bland that you stand for nothing, then the opposition, the government, will actually write your policies for you and they will say, "you see? "labour is not telling you what they're going to do, "it is going to be this, it's going to be that," and they can paint their own picture. so i think politically it's strategically incompetent. labour has made a series of green pledges, chief among them a target for 100% clean energy by the end of the decade. the party is adamant there was promises remain in tact, but how will they pay for them, now that there is less cash available? peter saull, bbc news.

as you heard there, labour have been pressed for days and weeks about whether the policy was going to change. this was bridget philipson, a senior figure in the shadow cabinet talking to mejust last week. can you, as you talk to me, reaffirm that pledge that has been made multiple times by your party, that that is the plan to spend £28 billion on green investment if you get into power? we are committed to our plan to make sure that we are world leading where it comes to those newjobs and technologies of the future... £28 billion, is the critical question that's being asked. are you going to drop that yes or no? we want to ramp up that figure during the parliament if we were to win the next election. but of course, that does have to be in line with our fiscal rules. that is the most important thing.

so you're sticking with that pledge, 28 billion or not sticking with it? we are determined to deliver on our green prosperity plan. we will ramp up that figure throughout the course of the parliament. if we secure the trust of the... 28 billion — you committed within a five year parliament to get to that 28 billion. we do want that figure to rise. we want to get to that figure. but it has to be consistent and in line with our fiscal rules. we've seen in recent years what comes when governments play fast and loose with the economy and we won't take that kind of reckless approach. we will take a serious long term view about what our economy needs. that was last week on the programme. live now to steve richards, former political editor for the new statesman. we will talk about policy any moment, but it reminds me of the days before rishi sunak made that decision scrapping the second leg of h52. decision scrapping the second leg of hs2. everyone knew the decision was coming, but for days we hung on a form of holding pattern in terms of words. it is bad politics, isn't it? and that is the same. what they have been struggling with is the sort of messaging strategic issue throughout this whole period. it is in the context of the slightly mad tax and

spend a debate that the uk stages before elections where kind of fantasy figures are bandied around all over the place. and they had to decide what to do with this one, having an end state. and it has taken them a long time to work out what to do. and i'm not sure if they have reached the right conclusion in the sense that when you were picked to be on a retreat, when you're 20 points ahead in polls, it is a tribute really for the tory party which is in its deepest crisis in its history, but also the attacks do not stop. it is a myth the attacks stop when you concede ground. the tory party and the media will move on to fresh terrain when they sense weakness and defensiveness. but i think there are problems in appearing to take the safe route. i will come back to that point because i wanted to flesh that out a bit

more. in terms of your assessment of the political riskier, what is it? is it about the u—turn and multiple u—turns? 0r is it about the u—turn and multiple u—turns? or is it, as critics within the labour party have said, and we heard one or two in that piece, that if you do not stand for the big idea, what do you actually stand for? ~ , , ., for? well it is partly that, although _ for? well it is partly that, although i _ for? well it is partly that, although i think _ for? well it is partly that, although i think they - for? well it is partly that, although i think they can | for? well it is partly that, - although i think they can generate for? well it is partly that, _ although i think they can generate a sense that they still do stand for it without the figure. although they have announced the figures, that is the problem. the other thing is this, british elections are about means to ends, so labour have some quite ambitious ends, the highest growing economy in the g7, for example, and ambitious ends on green economics. but the issue now will be about the means, the policies are so cautious and incremental and at the end is quite big that this will be the new target. it will be about credibility, do labour�*s tack sums add up? which was one of the slogans

in 1992, the election they dread and fear which they lost when many thought they would win. so they are trying to avoid those 1992 traps, but could fall into others as a result. really briefly, because they will all argue pragmatism, getting it out of the way... will all argue pragmatism, getting it out of the way. . ._ will all argue pragmatism, getting it out of the way... even before the bud . et it out of the way... even before the budget coming _ it out of the way... even before the budget coming up. _ it out of the way... even before the budget coming up, but _ it out of the way... even before the budget coming up, but does - it out of the way... even before the budget coming up, but does it - budget coming up, but does it suggest to you a timidity still even so far ahead suggest to you a timidity still even so farahead in suggest to you a timidity still even so far ahead in the polls? the auestion so far ahead in the polls? the question is — so far ahead in the polls? the question is what _ so far ahead in the polls? the question is what is _ so far ahead in the polls? iie: question is what is pragmatic? because i would argue that to be pragmatic, sometimes to be distinctive and stick to a line and appear to be standing firm is the pragmatic course. and conceding ground is the risky course, but these are tough calls because this tax and spend debate before an election is a business and real one. thank you so much forjoining us on the programme. around the world and

across the uk, you're watching bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. cancer waiting times for 2023 in england where the worst on record. 0nly england where the worst on record. only 64% of patient started treatment within 62 days of cancer being suspected, meaning nearly 100,000 people waited longerfor life—saving care than they should have. the waiting periods have worsened every year for the past 11 years. the co—op retail chain is urging mps to make assaulting or abusing a shop worker a specific criminal offence in england and wales. the company said there'd been a 44% increase in incidents of shoplifting and violence in its stores within the past year. it's already a criminal offence in scotland. the prime suspect in the disappearance of three—year—old madeleine mccann is expected to stay silent at his forthcoming trial in germany on unrelated sexual offences. christian bruckner is due in court next week, accused of five offences between 2000 and 2017 in portugal.

he is already serving a jail sentence for rape. bruckner has denied any involvement with mccann's disappearance. you're live with bbc news. iraq's army has said an american drone strike in baghdad last night has threatened security and stability in the region. the target was the leader of a powerful iranian—backed militia. an interior ministry official said a total of three people, two kataeb hezbollah leaders and their driver, died in the strike, which was carried out by a drone in the east baghdad neighbourhood of machtal. before the funeral began our correspondent, hugo bachega, sent this report from baghdad. evening rush hour in baghdad — this was when the us chose to strike. this car was carrying three members of a top iranian—backed militia, kataib hezbollah.

all three were killed instantly when a us drone hit their car last night. as news spread of who was behind the explosion, people began to arrive and the protests soon became angry. "america is the biggest devil," the crowd chanted. after the relative calm of the last few years in iraq, a strike in the heart of the capital is a huge escalation and brings back painful memories. this man was the main target of the strike — abu baqiral—saadi, a majorfigure in kataib hezbollah, in charge of the group's operations in syria. the pentagon said the target was a high—value individual and that they were responsible for directly planning and participating in attacks on us forces in the region. the most high—profile of those attacks came two weeks ago, when a drone hit a us base injordan, killing three american soldiers. the us has vowed to hit back at those responsible. iran has a wide network of allies and proxy groups across the region. they are all opposed to israel

and the united states. iran calls them the axis of resistance. pro—iranian militias operate in lebanon, gaza in the west bank plus iraq and syria. and far to the south, there is also the houthis in yemen. the us faces a balancing act between responding to attacks on its troops, while also not widening the conflict in the region. we are in this sort of tit—for—tat world. neither the iranians nor the americans particularly want this to escalate to a major conflagration between the two, but whether it... and it probably won't happen, but it's very difficult to actually contain these exchanges, so at some point everybody decides that honour is served. here in central baghdad, we heard the blast echo across the city last night. to strike during rush hour is a step that surprised many. now the world is watching to see how, or if, the iranians will respond. hugo bachega, bbc news, baghdad.

let's turn to pakistan. polling stations have closed there where people have been voting in general and provincial elections — after a campaign period frequently disturbed by violence. less than 24 hours before the polls opened, 28 people were killed in balochistan, with the islamic state group saying it carried out two bombings. 0n election day, five security personnel were killed in an attack while patrolling in the north—west of the country. security was therefore tight and while some polling stations were largely empty — because of security threats and cold weather — in other areas of the country people turned out in large numbers — leading to queues at polling stations as people headed in to vote. let's go straight to samir hussein. the polls have closed, when do we

expect the first results to emerge —— samira hussain. the expect the first results to emerge -- samira hussain.— expect the first results to emerge -- samira hussain. the first results will be released _ -- samira hussain. the first results will be released by _ -- samira hussain. the first results will be released by the _ -- samira hussain. the first results will be released by the electoral - will be released by the electoral commission in about four hours from now, the preliminary results, but those by and large translate into the official results and those are supposed to come out within the next few days. everyone right now is just sort of waiting to see what we will hear from the electoral commission and what the voter turnout was like. that was very key in terms of these elections. a lot of how it would go and in which direction in favour of which party depended largely on that voter turnout and how many people they were able to get out to the polls. a part of that was certainly hampered by the widespread internet shutdown that happened from the moment the polls open at atm this morning. internet services have been completely cut off, making it really difficult for people to —— polls

opened at 8am this morning. it has made it difficult for people to get their voters out to polling stations get messages out about the candidates or the safety of particular polling stations, so that really hampered efforts in terms of trying to get people out to vote. critics say it was really an attempt by the caretaker government to have an influence on these elections. ahshd an influence on these elections. and we went through some of the latest violence over the last 24 hours in the introduction. give me a sense of how tense it is there.— how tense it is there. security has been a major _ how tense it is there. security has been a major problem _ how tense it is there. security has been a major problem in - how tense it is there. security has been a major problem in pakistan| how tense it is there. security has . been a major problem in pakistan not just over the election period, but the past several months, particularly in the balochistan and kp provinces. that is part of the backdrop in which these elections are taking place and security is something which really has to be addressed. along with the economic

crisis in the country and the political instability. the hope is these elections can actually get the country one step further to trying to rain some of these crises in. samira hussain, life as they and a lot of that, thank you very much. as samir i was just finishing the last part of her answer, just wide from the afp news agency saying pakistan's mobile network has now been restored after a daylong election blackout. as samira was describing. we are edging to the moments when we get those first initial results. we will talk to samira again in the next hour or so. we should have a clearer picture in terms of those initial results in pakistan's general election. we will talk to an expert here in the next ten minutes in terms of the importance of these elections, both regionally and internationally. let's bring you some pictures now from iceland where a volcano has erupted for the second

time this year. the around three kilometres long. it is not clear if it will affect grindavik, that small town where 4000 residents were evacuated after lover reach the fishing town in the middle of last month. in november, icelandic officials began construction on dykes to channel lava flows away from homes. and other areas, not just and other areas, notjust that fishing time popular with tourists have been cleared after this latest eruption, so amazing pictures overnight, but there was the live pictures are still coming in. we will keep an eye on that and bring you any more. just in terms of something to watch out for on this programme in the next half an hour or so, we will be speaking to this

man, we will be speaking to boris nadezydin, the opposition candidate who has been banned from taking part in my shop as my collections and we will get an update to that in about half an hour's time. hello. thanks forjoining me. the weather's been so unpleasant for many of us today. heavy rain, a really dismal picture out there and, of course, we've had the snow across the hills of northern ireland. it's been snowing across northern parts of wales, northern england, too, and into southern scotland. this is the radarfrom earlier on, but it is mostly hill snow, at least where it's falling heaviest, but not exclusively. we've had a wet covering of snow on lower ground as well. but let's focus on the amber warnings from the met office valid for this afternoon across northern parts of wales and into this evening

across the pennines. so some of the higher routes could get as much as 25 centimetres of snow. the transpennine routes could be very tricky, so take it steady during the rush hour. on top of that, we've got some quite strong winds blowing out of the east and this is the picture around 4:00 in the afternoon. temperatures just a couple of degrees above freezing here. but to the south, much milder, 12 in london, similar values there. but it's the rain in the south that's causing the problems. it could bring around 45 millimetres as this next weather front moves into parts of england and wales. now, the night is going to be quite a messy picture, particularly in the north, a mixture of rain, sleet and some snow temperatures in bigger towns and cities around two or three degrees, further south a lot milder. and then i think as we head through friday, what's left of that wintry weather really does transfer further north. but there could be some significant snowfalls across the scottish hills,

particularly central and eastern parts of scotland, rain in the north—east of england and then to the south we're talking about extensive cloud, showers, some of them heavy. but mild, 12 in plymouth, 13 in london, around 11 in hull. and then it's much colder as you get into the north of scotland. so this is where the colder air is sitting. you can see hints of wintry weather there to the south of that. it's much milder into friday night and into saturday. and the low pressure is still with us for the weekend. but i think the areas of cloud a little more broken, so perhaps some sunshine coming through, but at times heavy showers are expected as well. and the outlook, is it going to be mild? is it going to be cold? well, it does look as though it's going to stay on the mild side, the weather could be settling down as we head into tuesday. bye— bye.