today at six, bumper profits for energy firm bp — nearly £7 billion, as fuel prices soar. it's the second highest quarterly profit in the firm's history, coming as millions struggle with the rising cost of living. i can't afford the energy now, so i won't be able to afford it when it goes up in october and january. i don't know what i am going to do. there's a warning energy bills could hit more than £3,500 a year this winter. also on the programme... a man's charged under the treason act after an incident involving an offensive weapon at windsor castle, on christmas day.

a u—turn for tory leadership contender liz truss, dropping regional pay plans for millions of public sector workers. one of america's most wanted man, ayman al—zawahiri, an architect of the 9/11 attacks is killed in a us drone strike. needs a good solid dismount, double front somersault with a half turn. what a performance from joe fraser. and the 23—year—old hometown favourite takes his third gold medal at the commonwealth in birmingham. and coming up on sportsday on the bbc news channel... an emotional win for wales at the commonwealth games here in birmingham as they beat england to gold in a thrilling final of the men's pair bowls. good evening and welcome to the bbc news at six. the energy company bp has reported its second highest quarterly profit in its history.

between april and june, the firm made a profit of £6.9 billion, that's three times the amount for the same period last year. the company says its oil trading performance was exceptional and that it expects to pay more than a billion pounds in uk tax this year. the news comes as domestic energy bills are predicted to hit more than £3,500 a year this winter. our business editor, simonjack, has all the details. the contrast is stark — the same high oil and gas prices creating hardship for millions of families is fuelling a profit bonanza for the companies that sell it. the boss of bp said today he acknowledged the challenges facing consumers. in terms of cost of living, it's a very, very difficult place for people, notjust, by the way, in the uk, but right across the world right now. that's something that is absolutely... we understand that, we get it, our people

inside the company get it. they want to help. bp also said that in the next three months, it would pay out £3 billion to its shareholders, which do include pension funds, but those most vulnerable to the energy crisis are least likely to have private pensions, people like graham... this is what i get from the food bank. ..living on a state pension, using food banks and forced to ration his use of appliances. i'm not using hardly anything because i don't have the oven on with the hub on, because it costs too much. i'm just using the microwave and the electric cattle. that's it. oh, and the shower. that's all, because i can't afford to have anything else on. he fears what's coming this winter. i can't afford the energy now, i won't be able to afford it when it goes up in october, and when it goes up again injanuary, i won't be able to afford it. i don't know what i'm going to do. it's not hard to see why companies like bp are making bumper profits. since the beginning of last year, demand for oil surged,

as the world began to emerge from the coated pandemic. the war in ukraine then saw russian oil exports shunned with the effect on gas prices even more extreme and volatile, as european countries have tried to reduce their heavy reliance on russian gas supplies. the net result for energy bill payers is this — annual bills estimated to hit over £3,700 by next april, a quadrupling within two and a half years. bumper profits for companies like bp sit uncomfortably next to those grim price forecasts. bp says it will be paying more into government coffers with taxes on uk profits now at 65% given the additional 25% windfall tax. but the government will be under enormous pressure to increase support for struggling families, as the package and announced so far will be entirely swallowed up — and then some — by future price increases. bp has plans to invest £18 billion in the uk by 2030,

mostly on low carbon energy sources, reducing our reliance on oil and gas in the years to come, but that won't come soon enough to head off the crisis coming in the months to come. simon jack, bbc news. the supreme court has rejected another attempt by the parents of archie battersbee to appeal against the decision to withdraw his life—support treatment. a panel ofjudges decided yesterday's court of appeal judgement to allow doctors to end the 12—year—old's care was sound. archie was found unconscious at his home in essex in april. let's speak to our legal correspondent, dominic casciani. one wonders now where archie's parents go. it one wonders now where archie's parents 90-— parents go. it is looking very likely this — parents go. it is looking very likely this could _ parents go. it is looking very likely this could be _ parents go. it is looking very likely this could be the - parents go. it is looking very likely this could be the end | parents go. it is looking very| likely this could be the end of parents go. it is looking very - likely this could be the end of the legal route here in the uk even if there is hope for the family elsewhere. what this case was about

as the court of appeal yesterday said this case should not be referred to a united nations committee for review because that un committee for review because that un committee has no legal role in the uk. it said doctors could withdraw life support from noon today, but that was delayed to allow the supreme court to consider effectively one last attempt by the parents today. the justices have said there is nothing they can do. they put out quite a sympathetic statement, saying this is every parent was my worst nightmare, that when you look at the evidence in this case where archie was my body according to all the medical evidence is closing down slowly, it is a matter of weeks before he dies, and to maintain treatment would be to protract his death rather than to prolong any hope of life. all the way through this we have had seven judgments and rulings and a judge is involved, all the way through this, and it has been about the legal principle of the best interest of the child. in this case, archie battersbee's case, as the judges see

it, his interests do not coincide with the parents. it is very difficult to see where they will go from here. the conservative leadership candidate liz truss has dropped a plan to introduce regional pay for civil servants after criticism that it would mean lower salaries for millions of people employed outside london. supporters of her rival, rishi sunak, claimed the pay of public sector workers like nurses and police officers would be cut. here's our political correspondent, ben wright. she had promised a war on whitehall waste, a plan to pay new civil servants in line with local living costs that could eventually be rolled out to all public sector workers. but while out glad handing tory activists in dorset, it was her own policy liz truss was throwing in the bin. my policy on this has been misrepresented. i never had any intention of changing the terms and conditions of teachers and nurses. but what i want to be clear about is i will not be going ahead with the regional pay boards.

that is no longer my policy. contrast that with this — last night her campaign said... the campaign said almost £9 billion a year could be saved if the system was adopted for all public sector workers in the long term. and this morning, truss supporters fanned out to trumpet the idea. anyone who currently works for civil service will remain on their current terms, but new people will be paid the market rate in the area in which they live, and that's quite rightly taking care of taxpayers' money because civil servants aren't paid out of thin air, they are paid on the earnings of the private sector. the truss campaign argued the plan would boost economic growth outside the southeast, but several rishi sunak supporting tory mps were horrified, saying it was a terrible idea that would harm recruitment and clobber

efforts to level up the country. a prominent sunak backing tory mayor piled in too. the policy of cutting the pay for northern teachers, police officers and civil servants seems like a sure—fire way to lose the next general election, and the idea that people in the north should somehow be paid less compared to counterparts in the southeast for doing the same job is completely counterintuitive to the leveling up agenda. only hours after the policy was launched, it was junked by lunch time, a big misstep by the assumed front runner in this tory leadership race, just as ballot papers go out to party members. a gift too for rishi sunak�*s campaign team. you have to be able to get these judgment calls right. and by their own admission, this was the wrong judgment call, and we are very fortunate that this didn't happen in the context of a general election because i think the conservative party could've paid dearly for it. liz truss's team has accused her rival of doing u—turns on tax, and by ditching this idea quickly, they hoped to have limited the damage done. ben wright, bbc news, westminster.

a man has been charged under the treason act after an incident at windsor castle on christmas day. the metropolitan police sayjaswad singh chail, was arrested after allegedly making threats to kill and being in possession of an offensive weapon. our correspondent, daniel sandford, is at windsor for us this evening. daniel. it is the treason act involved in this incident?— this incident? that is right. on christmas _ this incident? that is right. on christmas day _ this incident? that is right. on christmas day instead - this incident? that is right. on christmas day instead of- this incident? that is right. onj christmas day instead of being this incident? that is right. on i christmas day instead of being on her sandringham estate as usually is, because of the pandemic the queen was here at windsor castle with some of her family. at 8:30am, jaswant singh chail was arrested just inside the windsor castle grounds. police said he did not get into any buildings and after a medical assessment he was sectioned under the mental health act. but now, after an investigation by the metropolitan police counter terrorism command, he has been charged under section two of the treason act with producing a loaded

crossbow with the intent to injure her majesty. he has also been charged with possessing an offensive weapon and making threats to kill. he is in custody and he will make his first court appearance at the westminster magistrates�* court on the 17th of august. the last time section two of the treason act was used was in 1981 when marcus sargent admitted opening fire with a black pistol at the trooping the colour and just near the queen and he was sentenced to five years in prison. daniel, thank you, daniel sanford live at windsor. the leader of al qaeda has been killed by an american drone strike in the afghan capital kabul. ayman al—zawahiri had been osama bin laden�*s deputy and was one of the figures behind the september the 11th attacks. president biden says his death would help bring closure to the families of the thousands of people killed that day. our afghanistan correspondent, secunder kermani, has sent us this report.

one of america�*s most wanted. ayman al—zawahiri, right—hand man and successor to osama bin laden. this was the drone strike that american officials say killed him. as he stood on the balcony at this family home in an upmarket kabul neighbourhood. we can hear debris still being cleared up, but then we are told to stop filming. we are in the centre of the city. the house that was targeted in the drone strike is just a few minutes away, but the taliban are not allowing anyone to fill nearby, insisting there is nothing to see. one even pointing his gun threateningly towards is a little earlier on. senior taliban figures must have agreed to al-qaeda�*s leader living here, but they have insisted in public the group no longer exists in

afghanistan, so his death poses difficult questions. afghanistan, so his death poses difficult cuestions. �* ,, �* difficult questions. translation: he had trained as — difficult questions. translation: he had trained as a _ difficult questions. translation: he had trained as a doctor _ difficult questions. translation: he had trained as a doctor in _ difficult questions. translation: he had trained as a doctor in egypt - difficult questions. translation: he had trained as a doctor in egypt but i had trained as a doctor in egypt but became involved with radical circles. , ' " ., circles. he helped the 9/11 attacks in which 2000 — circles. he helped the 9/11 attacks in which 2000 american - circles. he helped the 9/11 attacks in which 2000 american people . circles. he helped the 9/11 attacks i in which 2000 american people were killed. america placed a 2000 million dollar bounty on his head. president biden was in the command centre when osama bin laden was killed. and here he is being briefed on this we can my operation, a major success after criticism of last year�*s chaotic troop withdrawal from afghanistan. h0 year's chaotic troop withdrawal from afghanistan-— afghanistan. no matter how long it takes, no matter— afghanistan. no matter how long it takes, no matter where _ afghanistan. no matter how long it takes, no matter where you - afghanistan. no matter how long it takes, no matter where you hide, i afghanistan. no matter how long it| takes, no matter where you hide, if you are a threat to our people, the united states will find you and take

you out. united states will find you and take ou out. ~' ~ ,, ., ., you out. unlike al-qaeda, the taliban have _ you out. unlike al-qaeda, the taliban have a _ you out. unlike al-qaeda, the taliban have a national, - you out. unlike al-qaeda, the taliban have a national, not i you out. unlike al-qaeda, the - taliban have a national, not global, agenda, and they have been close allies of al-qaeda for years. recently they played down their links, promising not to allow foreign attacks being planned on afghan soil. al-qaeda is no longer the global threat it once was, but this drone strike will further deepen the mistrust between the taliban and the west. for president biden the opportunity to kill one of america�*s most wanted men was fraught with risk. our security correspondent, gordon corera, has more analysis on how the operation was carried out. gordon. so after years on his trail, did the us finally find the al-qaeda leader? the us appear to have first tracked his family to kabul. then by this spring they established al—zawahiri himself

was in a particular building, which he never seemed to leave. they spent months monitoring his movements, establishing what is called pattern of life. even building small—scale models of the compound. after previous disastrous mistakes in the afghan capital, washington wanted to make sure they had the right target. eventually, the decision was to launch two missiles from a cia drone when he was out on the balcony. some reports say these may have used blades rather than explosives to minimise the risk of other casualties. so why was he there? after the september 11th 2001 attacks, the us and allies went into afghanistan to remove the taliban from power because it had been sheltering al qaeda. al qaeda�*s leadership fled to the wild tribal areas along the afg hanistan—pakistan border. but then last august, the us left afghanistan in a hasty and chaotic withdrawal, allowing the taliban to return to power.

and now we know that soon after, al qaeda�*s leader moved to the afghan capital believing, wrongly, he once again had found a safe haven. so what does his death mean? it has real symbolic and emotional powerfor the us — the hunting down one of the key planners of the 9/11 attacks. but al qaeda is not what it was. its ability to plan attacks abroad is enormously reduced, it�*s been eclipsed by other groups like isis and its leaders like zawahiri receiving less attention. al—zawahiri�*s presence in afghanistan will raise questions about whether that country is once again becoming a sanctuary for those planning attacks and whether the us will be able to maintain the capability to go after its targets as it managed to in this case. our top story this evening...

analysts warn domestic energy bills could hit more than £3,500 a year this winter on the same day energy giant bp reports its biggest profit in 1a years. still to come, we are live from the alexander stadium, ready for the first night of track and field finals at the commonwealth games. coming up on sportsday on the bbc news channel. can adam peaty bounce back from sunday�*s disappointment. he�*s going for gold in the 50 metres breaststroke final. the most senior member of the lower house of the us congress, the speaker, nancy pelosi, has arrived in taiwan, on one of the most high profile visits by an american politician. her visit isn�*t supported by the white house, and china has warned that the us will pay a price, with threats of military manouvers.

taiwan is a self ruled island, but is claimed by china, lying roughly a hundred miles from the coast. at the end of world war two, china assumed control from japan, but when mao�*s communists took over beijing in 19119, the defeated nationalist forces fled to taiwan, beginning a rift that�*s lasted ever since. only 13 nations recognise taiwan as sovereign, with china exerting diplomatic pressure on other countries over the island�*s independence. our asia pacific correspondent, rupert wingfield hayes has more details. the speculation has been swirling for days, but it wasn�*t until this moment with her plane on final approach that we were sure nancy pelosi would defy beijing and become the most senior us politician to visit taiwan in a quarter of a century. for days, china has been making ominous threats that it would not stand by and allow it to happen. taiwan is now braced to see how

beijing might respond, although the rhetoric from china�*s foreign ministry today was less aggressive. translation: if the us continues down the wrong path, _ we will take strong and resolute measures to ensure our sovereignty and security interests. in taipei, the mood remains calm but defiant, the island�*s tallest skyscraper was lit up tonight with a message of welcome. i think this time if speaker pelosi can come to taiwan, it would be a crucial time for the united states to show their support to taiwan, to taiwan's democracy. you can see that not everybody in taiwan is delighted by nancy pelosi�*s arrival here, but on the whole, most people welcome a visit by such a senior us politician. in fact, the taiwanese government would like more such visits, not one every 25 years. but ms pelosi coming here does not by itself change

the grim calculus now facing taiwan, which is a serious and growing threat from china which since the russia�*s invasion of ukraine, suddenly looks a lot more real. gunfire. half an hour outside taipei in this disused factory, young taiwanese are learning basic gun skills. since the invasion of ukraine, enrolment on these courses has jumped by 50%. many of the new recruits are women. next door, this man and his friends are undergoing more advanced training. learning to work as a team and to evacuate the wounded. they used to do this for fun, but now it is much more serious. this is my home country, this is all i want, to protect it. i want to live here with my family, that�*s all. some critics say if taiwan wants america or any other country to help it fend off the threat from china,

then it has to show that it is willing to fight. that is exactly what these young taiwanese men and women want to show nancy pelosi and anyone else who will listen. rupert wingfield hayes, bbc news, taiwan. you can find out more on us/china tensions, and why taiwan matters, on bbcwebsite. go to bbc.co.uk/news, or use the bbc news app. the ministry of defence says close to 700 migrants were intercepted trying to reach the uk in small boats yesterday. that�*s the highest daily figure this year. so far more than 17,000 have arrived from france in 2022, that�*s compared to just around 9,500 at the same point last year. let�*s get more from our correspondent, simonjones, who�*s on the coast at ramsgate for us this evening. with all of the good weather we have had recently, more crossings were

inevitable, weren�*t they? yes. had recently, more crossings were inevitable, weren't they?— inevitable, weren't they? yes, 14 boats were _ inevitable, weren't they? yes, 14 boats were brought _ inevitable, weren't they? yes, 14 boats were brought into - inevitable, weren't they? yes, 14. boats were brought into ramsgate yesterday on an average each boat was carrying around 50 people so the boats are certainly getting bigger. the government had been hoping its plan to send some asylum seekers to rwanda would already be acting as a deterrent, but the first flight was grounded and the policy is now facing a legal challenge. the big increases now partly due to the weather but unlike today, yesterday was incredibly calm in the channel but one group supporting refugees in calais has told me they believe the people smugglers over there are starting to reduce their prices to gain a dominant position in this cross—channel market. the french authorities said yesterday they stopped to boats in difficulty at sea carrying around 70 people and the home office insisted its partnership with france is working, preventing thousands of crossings already so far this year.— already so far this year. simon, thank yom _ bbc news has learned that more

than 16,000 companies which took out government bounce back loans during the coronavirus pandemic have gone bust, owing as much as half a billion pounds. our investigation has found some of those companies were never eligible to receive the money in the first place. the government says it "won�*t tolerate" the behaviour of "a minority who abused the system for personal gain". here�*s angus crawford. they should have been rehearsing for the biggest gig of their lives, booked to play at a festival in perth, but with just weeks to go, it was cancelled. yeah, i had family members and friends buying tickets, booking hotel rooms, all to get cancelled. there is a whole plan, flights in place, tickets bought, but that is all completely up in flames, waiting on refunds. that festival — party at the park — was run by this man, peter ferguson. he is behind a number of

entertainment and events companies. and through one of those companies, based here in edinburgh, he took out a £50,000 bounce back loan. but the authorities say he exaggerated the turnover and then bought himself two cars. the thing is, the business went bust, so he doesn�*t have to pay the money back. mr ferguson was banned from being a company director, but his other businesses are still trading. after two years of staying in, it�*s time for the biggest party ever... one of them is putting on another festival, party at the palace. and a visitor from scotland goes home with a big jackpot... and look at this. a stroke of luck. in april this year, on holiday in las vegas, mr ferguson won £200,000 playing poker. we catch him as he gets home, about to get out of the car. hello, mr ferguson. how are you? or, maybe not. hello. i am angus from the bbc. bbc news. i wanted to ask you about your bounce back loan. i�*m not interested in speaking

about that, i�*m sorry. but you owe the taxpayer £50,000. but you also still owe the taxpayer £50,000. well, you also won £200,000 in vegas. are you going to use that, maybe? don�*t you think you should pay back the taxpayer? mr ferguson? later he told us it was a source of deep sorrow his business went under. he had always been willing to pay the money back, but had been advised to liquidate the company by an insolvency practitioner. the bounce back loan scheme is designed to support... small firms could claim up to £50,000, and 47 billion was eventually handed out, but in the rush to save the economy, checks on borrowers were limited. sir david green used to run the serious fraud office. well, it�*s pretty shocking, isn�*t it? the priority at the time was to get money out of the treasury to businesses and jobs to protect and save them, but simply

because you�*ve got to get money out of the door doesn�*t mean that you throw ordinary prudence and ordinary checks, sensible checks, out of the window. and here is another one. ritos zerkalis, or dj ritos. banned from being a director, over a £40,000 bounce back loan he was not entitled to, but he�*s still working, busy djing. hi, mr zerkalis. i�*m angus from the bbc. i want to talk to you about your bounce back loan. no, no, no. what did you spend it on? dj equipment? i think it was. so, mr zerkalis does not want to talk to me about what he spent that £40,000 on. he certainly didn�*t pay it back. a festival cancelled, and a big break lost. billions of pounds in bounce back loans have gone for good. the band, like the rest of us, will bear the cost for years to come. angus crawford, bbc news.

england have won three more gold medals in gymnastics at the commonwealth games while wales was top of the podium in lawn bowls. scotland claimed bronze. some things look even better in slow motion. another day and another gold medal, victory in the men�*s volta making him the first english male gymnast to win four gold medals at the commonwealth games. and how you do you celebrate an achievement like that? �* ., ., ., ,., do you celebrate an achievement like that? �* ., ., ., ., ., that? i'm going to have some mango sorbet. my favourite. _ that? i'm going to have some mango sorbet. my favourite. i— that? i'm going to have some mango sorbet. my favourite. i love - that? i'm going to have some mango sorbet. my favourite. i love it - that? i'm going to have some mango sorbet. my favourite. i love it so - sorbet. my favourite. i love it so much. in sorbet. my favourite. i love it so much. , , . much. in less than the time it will take the sorbet _ much. in less than the time it will take the sorbet to _ much. in less than the time it will take the sorbet to melt, - much. in less than the time it will take the sorbet to melt, the - much. in less than the time it will take the sorbet to melt, the host| take the sorbet to melt, the host nation had another gold medal, this time birmingham�*s ownjoe fraser taking his tally to three. shortly after, more successful england as three royal guests watched on, alice

kinsella was crowned queen of the floor. ~ ., ~ . ., floor. well done, alice, great performance _ floor. well done, alice, great performance there. _ floor. well done, alice, great performance there. the - floor. well done, alice, great performance there. the firstl floor. well done, alice, great- performance there. the first gold medal of the _ performance there. the first gold medal of the day _ performance there. the first gold medal of the day was _ performance there. the first gold medal of the day was in - performance there. the first gold medal of the day was in the - performance there. the first gold medal of the day was in the lawn | medal of the day was in the lawn bowls men�*s pairs. a gripping game, full of tension. wales worked 16—5 up full of tension. wales worked 16—5 up before england evened it up at 16-16. in the up before england evened it up at 16—16. in the end it was the welsh who held their nerves to win19—18. this is three times three basketball, a new sport introduced this year. it�*s also been one of the most popular to watch. basketball is normally a full court, and this is half, and there is one hoop instead of two and this version is fast stop link, and you might miss it. this game is for the women�*s wheelchair bronze medal and it�*s between england and scotland. the action here comes to a close tonight with the england men�*s and women�*s teams involved in gold medal matches.

let�*s get more on tonight�*s events from kate grey at the athletics stadium. kate. what can we expect tonight? yes, the stands are starting _ what can we expect tonight? yes, the stands are starting to _ what can we expect tonight? yes, the stands are starting to fill _ what can we expect tonight? yes, the stands are starting to fill up _ what can we expect tonight? yes, the stands are starting to fill up at - stands are starting to fill up at the alexander stadium and it is likely that the home nation medals will come from the para—athletes this evening. there�*s lots of events to look forward to, but it is likely that the highlight will be an english head to head, paralympic champion hannah cockroft versus the local girl from coventry in the t34100 metres and definitely going to be a crowd pleaser and will lift off the roof again. earlier today we saw katarina johnson—thompson begin her campaign to defend her title in the heptathlon and she currently leads byjust 17 points after the first two events and she will go in the 200 metres on the shot put, hoping to redeem a disappointing performance in finishing eighth at the world championships and away from the stadium, adam peaty will be

going for gold in the 50 metres breaststroke, hoping to redeem the loss of the medal in the 100 metres earlier this week so another busy night at the commonwealth games. kate, thank you very much. the weather looked a bit grey but matt taylor has the details. a fairly parched landscape, and this was the view from space looking rather brown on a day that the met office, the french met office, announced it was their driestjuly on record, notjust dry but also very hot as well. the heat is there and the red colours are above where we should be this year and it could be 40 degrees in the next few days i noticed a blue colour is arriving on the uk shores. something fresher later this week compared with the weak and fresh air in the north—west slowly pushing end up at the time being, it brings outbreaks of rain and drizzle for some but staying very humid as well. the biggest changes will not be until