just seems like a strange point, we just need to tell you the time. it's 8.59. we just needed to allow that to happen so we can carry on with the story now. this is bbc news with the latest headlines. the government puts nuclear power at the heart of its new energy strategy — it wants eight new reactors approved by the end of the decade. the business secretary says it'll boost our energy independence and lower prices. what we've launched today is a strategy. so what it does is that it brings a measure of energy independence, security of supply to the uk. there's a boost for offshore wind energy too, but critics say the government's plan fails to tackle the key issues. the government has rejected moving on a sprint on the key things that would have made the difference. onshore wind, solar and energy efficiency.

ukraine's foreign minister calls on nato for more help. my agenda is very simple. it has only three items in it. it's weapons, weapons, and weapons. more pressure on the chancellor, rishi sunak, as his wife confirms she has non—domiciled status — which means she doesn't have to pay uk tax on income earned outside britain. and the day the dinosaurs died — scientists say they've found fossils of creatures killed when a giant asteroid hit the earth and led to the mass extinction.

good morning. the government has unveiled its much—delayed energy strategy, which seeks to reduce the uk's reliance on imported fuel by boosting domestic power generation. it says up to eight nuclear reactors could be approved by the end of the decade, with the aim of meeting a quarter of demand. there's also an "ambition" for offshore wind — to produce enough energy to power every british home by 2030. borisjohnson said the strategy would help the uk enjoy greater self—sufficiency, with cheaper bills. opposition parties have warned there's nothing to help families who are struggling with rising energy costs now. our political correspondent ione wells looks at the main details. where will we get our energy from in future? nuclear power stations like this? the government want 25% of our electricity to come from them by 2050. from the wind out at sea, ministers want turbines like this, by 2030, to make enough power for every home in the uk.

their onshore counterparts, though, have divided government ministers. planning rules in england were made tougher in 2015, making it hard for these to get approval. some ministers want those rules relaxed, but others — and some tory activists — have criticised their impact on the landscape. step by step, with some pushing and pulling behind the scenes, they've now come up with a compromise. they say they'll consult local communities around england and find places where people want to host new onshore wind turbines like these, in exchange for cheaper energy bills. that benefit would also apply in scotland and wales, where onshore wind rules are already looser. a similar scheme is already run by the energy company 0ctopus, in market weighton, in yorkshire. this is the view from their customer james laing's window. because it's wind, we actually do look at whether the wind

is blowing hard or not and use the electrical appliances accordingly, because it makes sense. if it's definitely 50% electricity, switch on the washing machine or the dishwasher. 0pposition parties have criticised ministers for not relaxing the planning laws for onshore wind and solar, arguing they are the cheapest and quickest types of renewable energy. but the government say they will consult on developing more of both, while still giving communities a say. and they've announced a review on fracking, extracting shale gas from the ground. it's currently banned, given its safety concerns, but some tory mps want that lifted. ministers say that won't happen, unless the science changes. most of this plan focuses on how to increase the uk's supply of energy, not decrease the demand, through things like insulation.

the government hopes this plan will make the uk less vulnerable to energy shocks in future. but with energy bills rising, and set to go up again in the autumn, critics say more is needed to help people cut their bills now. ione wells bbc news. the energy secretary, kwasi kwarteng, said the government was determined to help tackle the cost of rising energy bills. what we've launched today is a strategy. so what it does is that it brings a measure of energy independence, security of supply to the uk. but you're quite right to say that a strategy takes maybe three, four or five years, more years really to land. so in terms of this year, what we've done is, we've announced a package of measures. for example, the £150 off council tax cut to people in bands a to d. £200 off people's bills later in the year. we've increased the warm home discount, so 3 million customers, as opposed to 2 million, receive it. so, really, for short—term pressure,

we've announced money support support for those customers. it's still a difficult time... yes. ..but i think that we are focused on the short—term but, also, in terms of the strategy, making sure that we're less dependent. labour's shadow climate change and net zero secretary ed miliband says the government's energy plans are in disarray. how will this make a difference to me and my energy bill in the years ahead? and the answer is, it won't. and the reason it won't is because the government has rejected moving on a sprint on the key things that would have made the difference. onshore wind, solar and energy efficiency. take onshore wind, which was talked about in that package. it's been blocked since 2015 because of government rules. not because of the views of the population because, actually, there is broad majority support for onshore wind, but because a few

tory backbenchers are holding the government's energy policy to ransom. they're still holding it to ransom, and people are paying higher bills as a result. planning rules for onshore windfarms will be loosened — but only if local communities want them. ben boulos is at a wind farm this morning — he explained what the government is hoping wind farms will provide. it would help to lower carbon emissions, as well as making the uk more energy independent. less reliant on imports of gas and oil. as we've seen, global supplies have come under real pressure, that's pushed prices up and meant higher household bills for millions of people all around the country. so how is the government going to do that? well, it wants to build more onshore wind farms just like this one. to encourage that, it said communities that agree to have them in their areas will be guaranteed lower energy bills. and the point with onshore wind is that it's controversial, some people don't

like the impact that these turbines have on the landscape. so the government is also looking at building more offshore sites. by 2030, it wants offshore wind farms, those at sea, to generate enough electricity for every home in the uk. now, it is a big ambition and critics point out that renewable energy like wind is a bit inconsistent, it is unreliable. last year, for example, low levels of wind meant less generosity —— less electricity was generated than had been forecast. hazel gulliver is from scottishpower. would these plans for more wind farms mean lower bills for people watching at home? what is really important about today's — what is really important about today's plan as it breaks that link with volatile gas prices and that is what _ with volatile gas prices and that is what is _ with volatile gas prices and that is what is pushing people's builds up. we are _ what is pushing people's builds up. we are a _ what is pushing people's builds up. we are a renewable energy company and we _ we are a renewable energy company and we are _ we are a renewable energy company and we are focused on those renewables projects to give us the energy— renewables projects to give us the energy security in the uk we need to bring _ energy security in the uk we need to bring those — energy security in the uk we need to bring those bills down over the

longer— bring those bills down over the longer term. sis bring those bills down over the longer term-— bring those bills down over the longer term. bring those bills down over the lonuerterm. a ., , longer term. as part of bringing the ener: longer term. as part of bringing the energy bills — longer term. as part of bringing the energy bills down, _ longer term. as part of bringing the energy bills down, it _ longer term. as part of bringing the energy bills down, it is _ longer term. as part of bringing the energy bills down, it is about - energy bills down, it is about making the uk energy independent, less reliant on imports of gas and oil. how quickly would that happen, given the plan the government has set out to say for wind power? it set out to say for wind power? it takes us one year to build a wind farm _ takes us one year to build a wind farm like — takes us one year to build a wind farm like this, it takes us five years— farm like this, it takes us five years to — farm like this, it takes us five years to get it through the planning process— years to get it through the planning process and it is a similar situation _ process and it is a similar situation offshore so we need to speed _ situation offshore so we need to speed up— situation offshore so we need to speed up the planning processes around _ speed up the planning processes around these developments. i am not saying _ around these developments. i am not saying we _ around these developments. i am not saying we need to rip up the rule book_ saying we need to rip up the rule book or— saying we need to rip up the rule book or cut— saying we need to rip up the rule book or cut red tape to the extent it is not— book or cut red tape to the extent it is not taking account of all the things— it is not taking account of all the things we — it is not taking account of all the things we need to take account of. but we _ things we need to take account of. but we need to speed up decision—making to get these projecls— decision—making to get these projects built faster. it is all well— projects built faster. it is all well and _ projects built faster. it is all well and good on a day like this where — well and good on a day like this where the — well and good on a day like this where the turbines are going at a decent _ where the turbines are going at a decent speed, it is fairly windy. critics. — decent speed, it is fairly windy. critics, though, say that actually, wind _ critics, though, say that actually, wind power— critics, though, say that actually, wind power is inconsistent, it is unreliable _ wind power is inconsistent, it is unreliable-— wind power is inconsistent, it is unreliable. �* , ., unreliable. and if we rely on it too much, unreliable. and if we rely on it too much. we — unreliable. and if we rely on it too much. we will _ unreliable. and if we rely on it too much, we will be _ unreliable. and if we rely on it too much, we will be more _ unreliable. and if we rely on it too much, we will be more reliable i unreliable. and if we rely on it too much, we will be more reliable to| much, we will be more reliable to price spikes when it doesn't generate as much electricity. the government's _ generate as much electricity. the government's announcement today talks about a low carbon energy mix and that _ talks about a low carbon energy mix and that is— talks about a low carbon energy mix

and that is really important. this is not _ and that is really important. this is notiust— and that is really important. this is notiust a _ and that is really important. this is notjust a wind farm, this amazing _ is notjust a wind farm, this amazing site has a huge battery store _ amazing site has a huge battery store energy in the battery to release — store energy in the battery to release it _ store energy in the battery to release it to the grid when it is needed — release it to the grid when it is needed most. when the wind is not blowing, _ needed most. when the wind is not blowing, it— needed most. when the wind is not blowing, it is often sunny here believe — blowing, it is often sunny here believe it _ blowing, it is often sunny here believe it or not, so we are also looking — believe it or not, so we are also looking to — believe it or not, so we are also looking to install solar panels here to make _ looking to install solar panels here to make the most of our resource. in developed _ to make the most of our resource. in developed green hydrogen, the government talked about that in the plan today, and that is really unreliable.— plan today, and that is really unreliable. �* , ., unreliable. and if we rely on it too much, unreliable. and if we rely on it too much. we — unreliable. and if we rely on it too much. we will _ unreliable. and if we rely on it too much, we will be _ unreliable. and if we rely on it too much, we will be more _ unreliable. and if we rely on it too much, we will be more reliable i unreliable. and if we rely on it too much, we will be more reliable to| much, we will be more reliable to price spikes when it doesn't generate as much electricity. the government's announcement today talks about a low carbon energy mix and that is really important. this is notjust and that is really important. this is not just a and that is really important. this is notjust a wind farm, this amazing site has a huge battery which can store energy in the battery to release it to the grid when it is needed most. when the wind is not blowing, it is often sunny here believe it or not, so we are also looking to install solar panels here to make the most of our resource. in developed green hydrogen, the government talked about that in the plan today, and thatis about that in the plan today, and that is really important to decarbonise the heavy electricity is desperate. things like buses and bin

lorries and those areas we need cracking on as well. hazel, thank you very much. 0ne cracking on as well. hazel, thank you very much. one thing i have learnt while i have is if you want to build spots in scotland is apparently the windiest part of europe. so what better place than this to build wind you need to build the windiest spots in scotland is apparently the windiest part of europe. so what better place than this to build wind farms?. let's talk to our energy and environment analyst, roger harrabin. the government had batted this away saying this needs to be a long—term strategy and environmentalists have welcomed the commitment to a substantial amount more of offshore wind and investment in hydrogen. environmentalists are split about this, some of them have also welcomed the commitment to nuclear because it does provide low carbon energy, even though there are lots of problems with it, particularly on cost. but there has been a real outpouring of anger that the government has done nothing at the moment to reduce bills or reduce carbon emissions in the short term. so this whole strategy was kicked off by the war in ukraine and the problems with the global gas prices. and it was thought originally that it would deliver help for people in the short term, to help with bills

and help cut carbon emissions, but that simply has not been the case. it looks like a lot of progressive measures have just been killed off, possibly or largely because of cabinet politics and borisjohnson's problems with his own backbenchers. and how far does it go in terms of the renewables such as looking in particular at wind and solar energy? well, it does an awful lot for offshore wind, but onshore wind. i mean, there is talk about dealing with local community groups to incentivise them, but the document makes it clear that they will only be a few of them and there has been no attempt to revise planning for onshore wind. now, at the moment, the government has a de—facto ban on onshore wind, not a real bad, but effectively, that is what it results in. it means few as one person objecting to a scheme can actually block a scheme. now, originally, the government was talking about easing

that planning rule, which is unique for onshore wind. it gives a massive amount of power to individuals. it was talking about easing that. but there have been arguments kicking off from backbenchers and within cabinet and it looks like they have shied away from that. and likewise with solar, there are warm words about solar and talk about possible large increase, this is another thing that could bring energy bills down in the short term because like onshore wind, it is very quick to build, but there is no actual specific target for solar and no mechanism on how more solar might be achieved. so there is a lot of disappointment more than disappointment, anger, among campaign groups that nothing has been done on energy efficiency in people's homes, which is the real quick, easy think that actually makes life better for people, reduces bills and reduces emissions in the short term. == reduces bills and reduces emissions in the short term.— reduces bills and reduces emissions in the short term. -- make the easy thin. in the short term. -- make the easy thing- thank— in the short term. -- make the easy thing. thank you. _

let's talk to nick wyath, chief executive of the energy institute, which is a not—for—profit group that brings together expertise to tackle climate and energy challenges. thanks so much forjoining us. so as we heard there, a lot of criticism from people who say itjust doesn't go far enough and there is nothing there in the short term. what do you make of that strategy?— make of that strategy? well, we are in a tri - le make of that strategy? well, we are in a triple energy — make of that strategy? well, we are in a triple energy crisis _ make of that strategy? well, we are in a triple energy crisis right - make of that strategy? well, we are in a triple energy crisis right now, i in a triple energy crisis right now, a climate crisis, price crisis and now a supply crisis with the events in ukraine. the good news is the uk is well—placed. we don't rely much on russian gas, around 4%. and we are already on a pathway towards net zero. the bad news is that we are still heavily dependent on international commodity prices and, unfortunately, there are very few immediate options that are going to make a difference. find immediate options that are going to make a difference.— immediate options that are going to make a difference. and how far does this strategy — make a difference. and how far does this strategy help — make a difference. and how far does this strategy help us _

make a difference. and how far does this strategy help us reach _ make a difference. and how far does this strategy help us reach those - this strategy help us reach those net zero targets?— this strategy help us reach those net zero targets? well, i think it's treat to net zero targets? well, i think it's great to see _ net zero targets? well, i think it's great to see the _ net zero targets? well, i think it's great to see the ambition, - net zero targets? well, i think it's great to see the ambition, the - net zero targets? well, i think it's l great to see the ambition, the scale and the diversity. there is no single silver bullet that is going to solve this crisis. but i think what is perhaps less good news today is the lack of a concerted focus on energy efficiency. and really, the single thing that will make an impact today and in the long—term is a greater focus on that energy efficiency, and it is a bit disappointing not to see more on that today. the disappointing not to see more on that today-— disappointing not to see more on that toda . , that today. the government responded b sa in: that today. the government responded by saying that — that today. the government responded by saying that this _ that today. the government responded by saying that this is _ that today. the government responded by saying that this is an _ that today. the government responded by saying that this is an energy - by saying that this is an energy supply strategy, rather than an energy strategy. why do you think there wasn't that focus and hasn't been that focus more broadly up till now anyway?— now anyway? well, i think, i mean, we need to — now anyway? well, i think, i mean, we need to look— now anyway? well, i think, i mean, we need to look at _ now anyway? well, i think, i mean, we need to look at both _ now anyway? well, i think, i mean, we need to look at both sides - now anyway? well, i think, i mean, we need to look at both sides of- now anyway? well, i think, i mean, i we need to look at both sides of the equation. clearly, we need supplies, but also a greater focus on demand is a critical part of how we are going to address this issue. i can't speakfor why the going to address this issue. i can't speak for why the government has focused more on the supply side

today. clearly, we need supply to keep the lights on, but i think there's so much more we can do around energy efficiency. just the simple act of replacing a halogen bulb with an led bulb can pay back in a matter of months, if not weeks. and of course, longer term, we need to ensure that our housing stock which, by the way, is the least efficient in europe, is more efficient. efficient in europe, is more efficient-— efficient in europe, is more efficient. �* ., ., efficient. and if we do look at the su- -l efficient. and if we do look at the supply side _ efficient. and if we do look at the supply side of— efficient. and if we do look at the supply side of things _ efficient. and if we do look at the supply side of things laid - efficient. and if we do look at the supply side of things laid out - efficient. and if we do look at the supply side of things laid out in i supply side of things laid out in the strategy, do you feel the focus is on the right areas? for example, there has been concern about the fact that it doesn't really do much with the onshore wind farm side of things. with the onshore wind farm side of thins. ~ , ., ., ., with the onshore wind farm side of thins. ~ , ., , things. well, it is good to see the continued growth _ things. well, it is good to see the continued growth of— things. well, it is good to see the continued growth of offshore - things. well, it is good to see the| continued growth of offshore wind and that really is a huge uk success story and we are the world leader in offshore wind and we should capitalise on that position. nuclear clearly needs to be part of the mix and, of course, much of that nuclear growth is replacing ageing nuclear fleet that will be turned off over the course of the next decade. i

think clearly, there is disappointment about onshore wind. onshore wind on a kilowatt hour basis is the cheaper source of supply we have in the uk. 80% of people announced from the government's phone numbers support further development of onshore wind and i think we need stronger support, and it is disappointing and the industry is disappointed not to see more progress on onshore wind today —— the government's phone numbers. today -- the government's phone numbers. . ~ today -- the government's phone numbers. ., ,, , ., today -- the government's phone numbers. ., ,, y., a today -- the government's phone numbers. ., ,, ., numbers. thank you. nick wyath, of the enera numbers. thank you. nick wyath, of the energy institute. _ the headlines on bbc news... the government puts nuclear power at the heart of its new energy strategy — it wants eight new reactors approved by the end of the decade. but critics say the government's plan fails to tackle the key issues

ukraine warns that russia is preparing a fresh offensive on the east of the country — its foreign minister calls on nato for more weapons. thousands of people are trying to escape the donbas region, ahead of russia's expected offensive. let's go through some of the main developments. ukrainian officials are appealing to people in the donbas. russian troops are regrouping for an offensive in donbas — which is made up of the regions of donetsk and luhansk. the us says that russia's withdrawal from the regions outside kyiv and chernihiv is now complete,

as the war shifts focus to eastern ukraine. meanwhile, nato foreign ministers are resuming discussions in brussels this morning on how best to arm ukraine. the uk and the us have announced more sanctions which they hope will stem the funds flowing to moscow. the foreign secretary, liz truss, has told nato colleagues there is "no time for false comfort" over the russian offensive in ukraine, warning its forces are regrouping rather than retreating. this is the reality of life under constant russian shelling. in donetsk, in the east of ukraine, it's taking its toll. bomb blast translation: it�*s commonplace at the moment. there was also shelling here before, and the house there was hit. my neighbour's house was hit. of course, i am scared. people in the east of the country are being urged to flee now — while they still can — by the ukrainian government, with russia expected to intensify its attacks there. residents told this is a matter of life and death. the red cross has helped evacuate

people from the besieged city of mariupol, though it's thought 130,000 remain trapped there. as you can see, we have made it to zaporizhzhia with seven other buses and more than 500 civilians that were coming out of mariupol. we hope that we'll be back and continue to provide the safe passage to the civilians. in areas around the capital, kyiv, the ukrainian forces are now back in control. the russian withdrawal is now complete, according to the pentagon. that's allowing residents who have fled the fighting to return, but it's a painful homecoming when your home's been destroyed and the horror of what's happened sinks in. the us is targeting president putin's daughters,

including katerina tikhonova. her work is said to support russia's defence industry, as growing evidence emerges of atrocities by russian troops. there's nothing less happening than major war crimes. responsible nations have to come together to hold these perpetrators accountable, and together with our allies and our partners, we're going to keep raising the economic cost and ratchet up the pain for putin and further increase russia's economic isolation. russia has described the sanctions as "absolutely unlawful and unprecedented", but the ukrainian president says they don't go far enough. translation: if there's not a really painful package - of sanctions against russia, and if we don't get the supply of weapons that we really need, which we've asked for many times, it will be considered by russia as permission. permission to go further, permission to attack, permission to start a new bloody wave in the donbas. as nato resumes discussions on how best to arm ukraine against the renewed russian attack, the foreign secretary, liz truss, says the age of engagement with the kremlin is over.

simon jones, bbc news. ukraine's foreign minister has again urged western countries to provide his country with more weapons to fight russian forces. dmytro kuleba also insisted on imposing the toughest sanctions on moscow. he was speaking in brussels, ahead of a meeting of nato foreign ministers, who have been discussing how best to arm ukraine against a renewed russian attack in the east. my agenda is very simple. it has only three items on it. it's weapons, weapons, and weapons. we are confident that the best way to help ukraine now is to provide it with all necessary to contain putin and to defeat the russian army in ukraine, in the territory of ukraine, so that the war does not spill over for them. in the recent months, in the recent weeks,

the ukrainian army and the entire ukrainian nation has demonstrated that we know how to fight, we know how to win, but without sustainable and sufficient supplies of all weapons requested by ukraine, these wins will be accompanied with enormous sacrifices. ukraine's foreign minister, dmytro kuleba. let's get the latest now and go live to lviv, in western ukraine, and our correspondent emma vardy. the us says troops are withdrawing, what things looking on the ground, is reflecting that?— is reflecting that? yes, the attention — is reflecting that? yes, the attention really _ is reflecting that? yes, the attention really is - is reflecting that? yes, the attention really is turning l is reflecting that? yes, the i attention really is turning now is reflecting that? yes, the - attention really is turning now to what comes next. every expectation is that means an increased focus on attacks in eastern ukraine. we are already seeing russian military and supplies moving to the donbas region in the east and there, ukrainian troops are braced really for increased attacks. they are getting ready, they say, to defend the area.

eastern ukraine in the donbas region, some of it is held by russian—backed separatists and it is understood pretty widely now the kremlin's aim is to take that entire region. it would portray that is liberating it and we understand the kremlin would see that as a victory which would show achievement, progress in ukraine. but the ukrainian president has vowed to fight from every metre of territory here. he says they are not going to just hand over parts of ukraine to russian forces. for people living in these areas in eastern ukraine, well, there is a big exodus now because ukrainian officials are warning people, get out now, while you can. the danger is coming, there will be increased attacks in this area, and they are telling people to get to safety. now, there have been some train lines still operating out of this area, we are seeing people starting to move away using these routes. some train lines are already cut off. don't forget, there is increased nervousness now because the world has seen those horrific pictures coming out of towns like

bucha where russian forces have seemingly been responsible for such brutality and there is nervousness now about what comes next. of course, there are still other towns and cities still under russian occupation, with ukrainian officials saying some of the horrors of bucha are really only the tip of the iceberg. we are now seeing thousands of people leave the donbas region. emma vardy in lviv, thank you. the chancellor's wife, akshata murthy, has revealed that she has non—domiciled status for uk tax purposes — which means legally, she does not have to pay uk tax on any foreign income. it's understood mr sunak made the cabinet office aware of his wife's tax status when he became a minister in 2018, and the treasury was also informed. let's talk now to our political correspondent, iain watson, who's in westminster. iain, what more can you tell us about this? this is about the optics, rather than any wrong doing, isn't it? yes.

than any wrong doing, isn't it? yes, i than any wrong doing, isn't it? yes, i certainly. — than any wrong doing, isn't it? yes, i certainly. as— than any wrong doing, isn't it? yes, i certainly, as is _ than any wrong doing, isn't it? yes, i certainly, as is often _ than any wrong doing, isn't it? yes, i certainly, as is often the _ than any wrong doing, isn't it? yes i certainly, as is often the case in politics, it is more about perception than reality, it is not a question of wrong doing, but 2a hours ago, much of the workforce, small businesses, large businesses, self—employed people, were faced with a tax rise, a national insurance increase. the health and social care act levy, as the government would call it. but people were noticing higher taxes in their pay packets this month. and within 24 pay packets this month. and within 2a hours of that tax rise being imposed, the spotlight moved on to the tax affairs of rishi sunak, the chancellor's family. in particular, effectively this question of non—dom status as we call it, non—domiciled for tax purposes. in the case of his wife, miss murthy, herspokeswoman makes it very clear that she was born in india, herfather was born in india. and if you look at the tax rules of this country, it says that usually, your domicile is where your

father was born. so it is perfectly legitimate for her to have this tax status. now, what does that mean in practice? it mean she wouldn't pay for example tax on dividends from the company which she has a share income of the it company founded by her father. income of the it company founded by herfather. she income of the it company founded by her father. she wouldn't pay tax on that in the uk. but her spokeswoman as saying that she does pay tax abroad and any tax owed in the uk is paid in the uk. effectively, they are saying, there is nothing to see here. but the opposition are asking more questions. ed miliband, the shadow cabinet minister, said today that he wanted to know whether she was sheltering any of her wealth from uk tax. labour more widely have been asking whether she has had any tax advantages from this particular arrangement. and at the moment, as far as the chancellor is concerned, as you were mentioning, he said he has made declarations to all the relevant authorities, to the cabinet office, treasury, to check if there is a conflict—of—interest, and that

is a conflict—of—interest, and that is not the case. nonetheless, what people will be asking is, of course, is whether there is more —— it is more advantageous for the family of the chancellors then people facing themselves when they notice their wage packet has decreased because of the tax increase he has imposed. so this becomes a political question, rather than a legal question. there is no question that what the tax arrangements are completely above board, the business secretary kwasi kwarteng insisted that was the case again today and said there was no question of wrongdoing.— again today and said there was no question of wrongdoing. thank you, iain question of wrongdoing. thank you, iain watson. — question of wrongdoing. thank you, iain watson, our _ question of wrongdoing. thank you, iain watson, our political _ iain watson, our political correspondent. let's ta ke let's take a look at the whether with matt, when will we see spring weather? something warmer next weekend into the start of next week, i can't guarantee it will be completely dry and not dry out there today, but the

common story is a blustery and cold day. gusts a0 to 50 mph. showers in wales, the midlands. a mixture of hale, sleet and snow and more sunshine between the showers in scotland and northern ireland this afternoon and very few showers across southern counties of england and the channel islands after a very wet night. some of you here stay dry throughout. temperatures dropping so it will feel chilly as those winds go more northerly. tonight, showers continue for a while and certainly into the morning, parts of northern scotland, northern ireland and around the north coast of wales. mostly becoming dry and clear. regardless, i hate to tell you this, the frost is back more widely tonight and it will again be on friday night. not so much to the south. here, we will see outbreaks of rain pushing through the english channel. brightening up later on and for most tomorrow, story of sunshine and showers, but fewer showers, more of you dry with some sunshine and feeling a little less chilly. goodbye for now.

hello this is bbc news. the headlines... the government puts nuclear power at the heart of its new energy strategy. it wants eight new reactors approved by the end of the decade. there's a boost for offshore wind energy too, but critics say the government's plan fails to tackle the key issues. ukraine warns that russia is preparing a fresh offensive on the east of the country. its foreign minister calls on nato for more weapons. more pressure on the chancellor rishi sunak, as his wife confirms she has non—domiciled status, which means she doesn't have to pay uk tax on income earned outside britain. and the day the dinosaurs died — scientists say they've found fossils of creatures killed when a giant asteroid hit the earth and led to the mass extinction.

the government has unveiled its much delayed energy strategy which seeks to end the uk reliance on imported fuel bided boosting domestic power generation. let's speak now to dr simon cran—mcgreehin, head of analysis at the energy and climate intelligence unit, which is a non—profit organisation that supports informed debate on energy and climate change issues in the uk. 0ne one of the criticisms has been that this energy strategy doesn't go far enough on renewables and also that it doesn't really do much in the short term, in the immediate term. do you agree with that? yes. do you agree with that? yes, absolutely- — do you agree with that? yes, absolutely. this _ do you agree with that? yes, absolutely. this strategy - do you agree with that? ye: absolutely. this strategy makes some steps forward in terms of our future energy security and increasing use

of renewables for example, but it does nothing for the immediate cost of living crisis to actually cut heating bills.— of living crisis to actually cut heatin: bills. ., . ., , ., ~' heating bills. how much do you think it does for meeting _ heating bills. how much do you think it does for meeting net _ heating bills. how much do you think it does for meeting net zero - heating bills. how much do you think it does for meeting net zero targetsl it does for meeting net zero targets and on the supply side of things, because the government has said in response to the criticism you mentioned that this is an energy supply strategy. if we look at the supply strategy. if we look at the supply side of things, how far do you think that goes? the supply side of things, how far do you think that goes?— supply side of things, how far do you think that goes? the boost for offshore wind _ you think that goes? the boost for offshore wind is _ you think that goes? the boost for offshore wind is definitely - you think that goes? the boost for offshore wind is definitely a - you think that goes? the boost for offshore wind is definitely a step l offshore wind is definitely a step forward, increasing that target. the more offshore wind power we have, the more we displace gas from the electricity system and the lower the bills go because renewables are the cheapest form of electricity we have. there are some concerns around onshore wind and that could be a missed opportunity. it's also a very cheap form, very quick and easy to install, and it's remarkably popular with the public. 80% of people support onshore wind and 87% would

support onshore wind and 87% would support it in their local area if it would help cut bills.— support it in their local area if it would help cut bills. does it seem then from what _ would help cut bills. does it seem then from what you _ would help cut bills. does it seem then from what you are _ would help cut bills. does it seem then from what you are saying - would help cut bills. does it seem | then from what you are saying that perhaps the government seems slightly out of step with public opinion on what people would welcome?— opinion on what people would welcome? , ., , ., ,, ., opinion on what people would welcome? , ., , ., , , ., welcome? yes, it does appear so in the case welcome? yes, it does appear so in the ease of — welcome? yes, it does appear so in the case of onshore _ welcome? yes, it does appear so in the case of onshore wind _ welcome? yes, it does appear so in the case of onshore wind and - welcome? yes, it does appear so in the case of onshore wind and also l welcome? yes, it does appear so in the case of onshore wind and also i | the case of onshore wind and also i would say with insulation, on the demand side, i know the government says it's a security of supply strategy, but there is not much point in having secure energy of people can't afford it. the way to cut heating bills is to insulate homes and the uk has done this very successfully in the past. in 2012 we installed over 2 million items of insulation in the uk but that fell 90% when there were changes to the levies that support them. there have been some successful schemes since then, the equals scheme helps people in fuel poverty and in poor quality housing and these schemes save people £1.2 billion on heating bills this year alone, however there are

suggestions in the press earlier this week that the government wants to boost their ego scheme by 20% and that could have helped another 90,000 homes, we estimate, over the next four years. but if the rumours are to be believed, chancellor rishi sunak blocked the move, so these households will carry on paying hundreds of pounds a year more in heating and gas than they need to. looking at the focus on nuclear as part of the strategy, what do you of that? part of the issue is, that's not a fast solution. it will take years before we see any of that actually in action.— actually in action. absolutely. nuclear has _ actually in action. absolutely. nuclear has a _ actually in action. absolutely. nuclear has a history - actually in action. absolutely. nuclear has a history of - actually in action. absolutely. nuclear has a history of cost i nuclear has a history of cost overruns and delays. it's a very risky investment. the government was trying to play it slow with nuclear, finishing the current plant and then moving onto the next one, but with this crisis they have decided to really speed things up and that poses risks. they have tried to reduce that by also looking at a

smaller size reactors that will cost less and be a bit cheaper for the electricity they produce, but still those are not proven and ready for the market yet, those technologies stop going back to energy efficiency, in the immediate term people's priorities are how to control their heating bills over the next summer and winter. looking ahead over the next couple of years, when we might have a general election, of the a0 most marginal seats in england, 37 have worse than average household energy ratings and are paying more than average for the heating bills. this is a hot topic at the moment for households. simon, thank ou at the moment for households. simon, thank you for— at the moment for households. simon, thank you forjoining _ at the moment for households. simon, thank you forjoining us. _ sport, and for a full round up, from the bbc sport centre here's mike bushell, who's in aintree. looking lovely there. good morning...

yourtiming is your timing is perfect because the sun has poked its face out after a windy and rainy morning. not a day to wear a hat that can fly off easily, hold onto your hats if you are coming along but a perfect day for racing because of a special day, because the day crowds return to aintree for the first day of the grand national meeting. some a0,000 coming along. remember, two years ago the race itself was cancelled for the first time since the second world war and last year it was run behind closed doors. this is the first time the fans can cheer on the runners and riders since 2019. amongst those fans, around a0,000 we think will be here today. some 10,000 given free tickets and they are all nhs staff. this has been renamed, this day, liverpool nhs day in tribute to all the work of the nhs during the pandemic, which is why we haven't been here in three years with crowds. a special day on one of the star shows will be

rachael blackmore, riding the first race of the day. for organisers, the whole meeting being back with crowds will be a significant moment in the history of this course because the grand national itself is seen as the people's race. we all know from over history, people having family parties and watching at home, but we also see it when people come here as well, great big groups of friends and family coming along, racing, having a really good day out. it very much as the people's race and it's so important for us at aintree, these three days are really important for us. notjust us but for liverpool and the wider economy as well, the impact an event such as this has on hotels, restaurants, etc. so it's massive, massive benefits for everyone. elswhere in sport, chelsea, the champions league holders, saw their grip on the title slipping away last night. they were beaten 3—1 by real madrid in the home leg of their quarterfinal. our sports correspondent natalie

pirks was at stamford bridge. in the pouring london rain, the winds of change are blowing through stamford bridge. but as the search for new owners intensifies, old friends are in town. ancelotti's real madrid are much improved since defeat to chelsea last season, and when the blues failed to capitalise on their chances, karim benzema pounced with feeling. what a goal. it was about to get worse. chelsea undone again mere moments later. he's there again. he guided another one in. benzema maturing like a fine wine. chelsea needed to shake off this hangover and fast. you couldn't take your eyes off this one. it's a chance, it's a goal. laying the foundations of the second—half comeback? no, chelsea were instead architects of their own downfall. and there's the hat—trick. karim benzema. chances of redemption came and went. a masterclass, then, from an old pro means the champions have a mountain to climb. representatives from the four

prospective new owners were here watching and they will know chelsea will need to mount a comeback of comebacks to be in the semifinals. 0n the 18th of april, the club will name its preferred bidder to end two decades of russian ownership. a huge two weeks, then, that will shape chelsea's fate both on and off the pitch. natalie pirks, bbc news, stamford bridge. turf moor was a happier place last night. burnley improved their chances of staying in the premier league last night. they came from behind at home to everton, maxwel cornet with a late winner to make it 3—2. burnley are still in the relegation zone but they're nowjust a point behind everton in the last safe spot. we've got nine games now and we are just above the zone. if we didn't know we were in a fight before we

certainly know now and there are nine games we have to give everything, absolutely every ounce we have. i certainly will do that and everyone has to do the same. everton don't have long to recover. they are in action again at home to manchester united on saturday lunchtime. as for the racing here at aintree, the grand national meeting with crowds back gets under way with the opening ceremony and the first race of the day at 1.a5, thundering down the famous course to the winning post, including rachael blackmore on one of the favourites, gin 0nline. a close ally of president zelensky has accused western countries of "cowardice" for not giving more military support to the ukrainian army. as russian troops are repositioning in the east to launch a new attack, there's growing frustration among ukrainians over the stance of some of its allies. our world affairs editor, john simpson, reports from lviv.

at an orthodox church in lviv, there is a double funeral. both soldiers were in their a05, both died fighting with the ukrainian forces in the east of the country. nato estimates that ukraine's losses are something like a third of russia's. in this bitter war the ukrainians have two advantages. a ferocious determination to drive the russians out. and the weaponry that they are getting from nato. but the ukrainian government want more weapons, urgently. maksym kozytskyy is the governor of lviv, and a close ally of president zelensky. what does ukraine need most? is it medical supplies, is it clothes, food or weapons? translation: what we needi

the most is modern weapons. anti—ship systems, anti—aircraft systems, systems with which we can fight against tanks and aircraft, as well as heavy weapons, because we have to stop the enemy. but our goal is not to stop the enemy. it is to oust them from ukrainian land. like his president, kozytskyy believes nato isn't giving ukraine nearly enough weapons. he is pretty scathing. translation: in my opinion, | from the west there is a policy of double standards and cowardice. it is cowardice not to call a spade a spade and cowardice not to take any position, and cowardice leads to tragedies. ukraine is starting to get tanks from nato. elderly soviet—made ones from the czech republic.

but what ukraine really wants is more heavy guns and more missile systems. nato insists it is supplying them as fast as possible, but it is not as much or as quickly as ukraine says it needs. john simpson, bbc news, lviv. the headlines on bbc news... the government puts nuclear power at the heart of its new energy strategy. it wants eight new reactors approved by the end of the decade. there's a boost for offshore wind energy too, but critics say the government's plan fails to tackle the key issues. ukraine warns that russia is preparing a fresh offensive on the east of the country. its foreign minister calls on nato for more weapons. it's widely believed

that the dinosaurs were wiped out after a huge asteroid crashed into the earth 66 million years ago. but no one's ever found the remains of a dinosaur killed in the impact — until now. scientists may have uncovered direct evidence which tells them much more about what happened on the day of the collision. our science editor rebecca morelle has more. it was the most cataclysmic day in our planet's history. 66 million years ago, an asteroid, seven miles across, slammed into the earth. the age of the dinosaurs was over. now, at a secret site in north dakota, nicknamed tanis, a mass graveyard could contain the first evidence of creatures killed on that day. oh, wow! oh, my god, look at that! look, the scales are preserved. in the crumbling rock, animals, plants and trees are tangled together, frozen in time like a prehistoric pompeii. we've got so many details with this site that tell us

what happened moment by moment. it's almost like watching it play out in the movies. you know, you actually look at the rock column, you look at the fossils there, and it brings you back to that day. we're able to see what happened within that first hour or so after impact. and that's the front row seat to one of the most amazing events of the cretaceous. and here we are looking at it. despite all of the dinosaurs discovered and displayed in museums, they don't tell the full story. the dinosaurs here were found all around the world, and they span their entire 180—million—year reign on the planet. it's widely accepted that this domination came to an end when the asteroid struck. but there's a mystery. no one's ever found direct evidence of a dinosaur killed by the impact, or even a fossil dinosaur that died within 1,000 years of it. now, though, a discovery at tanis may have changed that. there's something here. that's hard.

that's bone right next to the skin. this is the moment a dinosaur�*s leg was discovered. it was captured by a bbc crew for a documentary called dinosaurs, the final day. the fossil part is remarkably well preserved. it belongs to a small plant eating dinosaur called a thescelosaur, and scientists think it died in a huge flash flood, set off by shock waves from the asteroid strike. this looks like an animal whose leg has simply been ripped off really quickly. there's no evidence on the leg of disease. there are no obvious pathologies. there's no trace of the leg being scavenged. so the best idea that we have is that this is an animal that died more or less instantaneously. this could be the first bit of dinosaur ever found that died as a direct result of being involved in the cataclysm that occurred after the meteorite hit in the gulf of mexico. it's not the only discovery at tanis. other finds include a triceratops in stunning condition, a pterosaur egg that has an embryo inside, and the remains of a small mammal that tried to hide away in a burrow. the documentary is presented

by sir david attenborough, who reveals the dinosaurs' last day, minute by minute. billions of tonnes of sulphur were ejected into the atmosphere, blocking the sunlight. a small piece of rock from the site is being studied at the university of manchester. this thin band of clay represents the moment when the dinosaurs became extinct. and you can see — i mean, this is really clear and obvious to see, isn't it? absolutely clear. and above it we've got these very typical coals that we find, associated with this post—impact apocalyptic world, almost. so, this — you're holding a snapshot of time. in fact, you're holding the last mass extinction event to occur on earth. but there's even stronger evidence of a connection to the impact. tanis is 2,000 miles away from where the asteroid hit. but what links the two of these — tiny beads scattered

amongst the fossils. they're remnants of molten rock hurled high into the sky by the impact. they fell back down to earth across thousands of miles as these tiny glass balls. inside one may be something even more remarkable — a small fragment of the asteroid itself. we were able to pull apart the chemistry and identify the composition of that material. all the evidence, all of the chemical data from that study, suggests strongly that we're looking at a piece of the impactor, the asteroid, that ended it for the dinosaurs. these discoveries could help us to understand the extinction of the largest beasts ever to roam the earth. the paleontologists now need to submit their findings to the scientific community to scrutinise the claims. but they've only just scratched the surface of what lies in these rocks, and there is much of this lost world waiting to be discovered. rebecca morelle, bbc news.

a british man who died in a landslide, alongside his nine—year—old son, in australia's blue mountains has been named. mehraab nazir, who was a9, worked as a lawyer for a firm in singapore. his wife and another son are in hospital. phil mercer reports. mehraab nazir and his family were in australia on a holiday of a lifetime. but in a few horrifying moments lives were taken and others changed forever. the singapore—based lawyer died alongside his nine—year—old son. they were crushed by falling rocks on a hiking trail in the blue mountains, west of sydney. his wife and an older boy were seriously hurt. they were airlifted to hospital in a critical condition. a teenage girl is being treated for shock.

this is a classic case of this beautifulfamily from england, were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. it's just so sad. and maybe another 50 metres either side or a delay during the day, this wouldn't have happened. torrential rain in recent months is likely to be a key factor in what's being described as an unspeakable tragedy. the ground is sodden and in some areas it's become dangerously unstable. as a precaution, many hiking trails have been closed because of fears of further landslides. the track where the father and son died had been inspected just a few days before the accident. landslides in the mountains are said to be common but injuries and fatalities are rare. while the risk is very small, this is a world heritage area. people are walking into wilderness. and the australian bush,

while beautiful, can also be unforgiving. part of its beauty is the fact that it is really very wild, and it's unchanged. what visitors need to remember is that this is a dynamic landscape. national parks officials have said they have a world class programme to assess the risk of landslides in this part of eastern australia. but they've stressed that it's not possible to predict and eliminate the danger. phil mercer, bbc news, in the blue mountains of new south wales. in the us, judge ketanji brown jackson will make history as the first african—american woman to be appointed to the nine—member us supreme court. the 51—year—old will replace stephen breyer, who retires later this year. she is expected to be confirmed by a narrow majority in the senate. here's our washington correspondent nomia iqbal.

the highest court in america has had 110 men, five women, and now, for the first time, a black woman. this is president biden's first supreme court nomination, and fulfils his 2020 campaign promise to put an african—american woman on the bench, which is a lifetime appointment. i am truly humbled by the extraordinary honour of this nomination. 0ver four days, judgejackson was vetted and sat through hours and hours of questions during her senate judiciary hearings. as with many previous nominees, she gave very little away when asked about her views on some of the most controversial subjects affecting america. no one suggests that a 20—week—old foetus can live independently outside the mother's womb. do they? senator, i am not a biologist, i haven't studied this. i don't know. how important is your faith to you? senator, personally my

faith is very important. but as you know, there is no religious test in the constitution. the 51—year—old is a harvard graduate and started her career in law in 1996. when confirmed, judgejackson will be the onlyjustice on this current court with significant experience as a criminal defence lawyer, working on behalf of poor defendants. but prominent republicans say they will not support her, claiming she has been weak on crime. in every case, in each of these seven, judge jackson handed down a lenient sentence that was below what the federal guidelines recommended, and below what prosecutors requested. so i think there's a lot to talk about there. she was praised by democrats for remaining calm and patient whilst facing a hostile grilling. you have earned this| spot, you are worthy. you are a great american. and so you faced insults here that

were shocking to me. _ well, actually, not shocking. but you are here because of that kind of love. - ketanji brown jackson will take up herjob inside the court this summer. she can expect to spend decades making decisions on abortion rights, gun control, religious freedom — some of the most fundamental issues in american life. judgejackson will be making history, but she joins a court which has a solid conservative majority. it may remain that way for years, so she will be a minority in more ways than one. as an african—american woman, but also a liberaljustice. nomia iqbal, bbc news, washington. lets get the weather forecast now from matt taylor. good news for us? hmm... maybe hmm. .. maybe not.

hmm... maybe not. you are asking about spring earlier, certainly not in the scottish highlands. this was the scene a short while ago, just south of inverness. we have seen colder air push in through the night giving a coating of snow. 0n the lower edge of this low—pressure system, that is starting to pull away but as it does we drank in northerly winds and pretty blustery wind at that. winds gusting at a0, 50 mph across parts of the uk today, may be causing a bit of travel impact. certainly pushing the showers through as well. wales, the midlands, into northern good, lots of cloud and frequent showers, some heavy with frequent hail and thunder. a bit more sunshine between them across scotland and northern ireland. in southernmost counties of england, after that horrendous rain through the night it is a drier day with one or two showers cropping up but many of you will spend the bulk of the day dry. for all it will start to feel colder through the day even with temperatures peaking earlier at 6—13. cold night, showers out of the way, exposed areas will

see further showers, could be the risk of ice as temperatures drop widely to freezing across the uk. the biggest exception in southernmost counties because of this area of low pressure pushing through. meteo—france have called it storm diego because of the impact it will have on france. for us it will throw some heavy rain up to the channel islands and potentially the southernmost counties of england as we go through the first part of friday and eventually clearing. elsewhere, sunshine and showers, but fewer showers and more of you spending friday drier and with more than trying to stop where we see showers, the potentialfor hail and sleet mixed in. a cool day even though it's not as chilly as today with lighter wind. showers fading through friday night and into saturday morning for the start of the weekend, blue colours appearing widely on the chart indicating a more widespread frost for saturday morning. the southern areas could see that frost develop. temperatures as low as —3 in some areas will have as low as —3 in some areas will have a crisp and fresh start to saturday.

plenty of sunshine. wintry showers in northern scotland, down to the eastern coast. more of you will spend saturday dry and with the lighter wind, spend saturday dry and with the lighterwind, maybe spend saturday dry and with the lighter wind, maybe not feeling as chilly as it does out there today. high pressure into saturday night and the frost returns but on sunday we start to switch the wind to a southerly direction of these weather fronts approach, pushing cloud in through the day across westerly areas. the further east you are, should stay dry with spells of hazy sunshine and turning milder.

this is bbc news. these are the latest headlines in the uk and around the world. ukraine warns that russia is preparing a fresh offensive in the donbas region, in the east of the country. its foreign minister calls on nato for more help. my agenda is very simple. it has only three items in it. it's weapons, weapons, and weapons. going nuclear — the uk government puts nuclear power at the heart of its new energy strategy. it wants eight new reactors approved by the end of the decade. what we've launched today is a strategy. so what it does is that it brings a measure of energy independence, security of supply to the uk. stephen breyer