try to avert climate disaster. scientists say rapid cuts to fossil fuels could still make a difference, but time is running out. the climate time—barred is taking. ella mack humanity is on thin ice and that ice is melting fast. we will be bringing you all the details of that report. also on the programme tonight...

"my dearfriend," says president putin as he welcomes china's president to moscow at the start of a and coming up on the bbc news channel... calls for fulham's aleksander mitrovic to face a lengthy ban, after his red card for pushing the referee during their fa cup exit at manchester united. the reappearing bubbling pools close to where hs to tunnelling good evening and welcome to the bbc news at six. the head of the united nations, antonio guterres, says humanity is on thin ice and that thin ice is melting quickly. he has called the un's major new report on climate change a "survival guide for humanity". it sets out the deadly risk from a warming planet,

heatwaves, flooding, rising sea levels. it warns that by the next decade the world is likely to miss a key target to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees celsius above pre—industrial levels. but it says that rapid cuts to carbon emissions now could still make a difference. and it calls for the adoption of new technology to remove carbon from the atmosphere and greater use of clean energy. our climate editorjustin rowlatt. storms. floods. heatwaves. all these weather extremes are likely to intensify as the world continues to warm, un scientists warned today. their report was published at a un conference in the swiss town of interla ken. the document released here today draws together eight years work town of interla ken. the document released here today draws together eight years work and it will be crucial — the basis for future global negotiations on climate for probably the next decade. and the key message,

says the un chief, is that all is not quite yet lost. says the un chief, is that this report is a clarion call to massively fasttrack climate efforts by every country and every sector and on every timeframe. in short, our world needs climate action on all fronts — everything, everywhere, all at once. the glaciers in the mountains above where the scientists are meeting lost 6% of their volume last year alone — evidence of the impact climate change is already having. at this weather station in the alps, they have been collecting climate records for decades. today we got the strongest warning yet that, in the next few years, we are likely to bust through the 1.5 degree boundary that avoids the worst impacts of global warming. the future really is in our hands. we will, in all probability, reach around 1.5 degrees early next decade but after that it really is our choices. this is why the rest of this decade is key.

the report says the decisions we make now will determine our climate future for thousands of years to come. just look how animal species are affected as temperatures rise. the darker the colour, the more species face dangerous heat, and the more likely we are to lose them. there is some good news, though. the cost of key low—carbon technologies — electric vehicles and solar and wind power — has already fallen very rapidly. that will help because only a massive effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions can slow the global temperature rise, the scientists say. it is those with political power and with decision power in the big fuels, stop everything to burn fossil fuels as fast as possible. the high alps show how climate change is already

reshaping our world. there is still a window to keep it within manageable limits, today's report says, but it warns that, without dramatic global action, that window will soon slam shut. justin rowlatt, bbc news, interlaken. so what about the uk? the government has set ambitious targets to reduce all emissions to zero by 2035. can it be achieved? and how? here's our science editor, rebecca morelle. it is the great challenge — changing the way we power every part of the uk. a secure supply of electricity that is cheaper and green. so what do we use now and how will that change? this is how the uk generated its electricity in 2022. fossilfuels, mainly gas, made up nearly 44%. nuclear accounted for about 15%. wind and solar power

made nearly 29%. while for hydropower and bio energy, it was about 13%. so if you add up all of these low—carbon sources, they generated 56.2% of the uk's electricity. the government says by 2030 they want that to be 95%, and by 2035 all of it. the plan is for more wind and solar, and nuclear too, with some hydrogen in the mix. so what are the challenges? the demand for electricity will increase, a lot. the future is electric. but one problem with wind and solar is they don't produce power all of the time. injuly and august we went long periods of time, weeks at a time, where it wasn't just not windy here in britain, it wasn't windy across northern europe. you need to have something to do when, you know, when it's not windy. and if, in november, obviously you haven't

really got any solar. nuclear, hydrogen and better batteries could plug these gaps but there are other challenges too, like planning. that's typically where you get gummed up, that's where the big delays have come from in the past. otherwise we're going to miss those targets, and we'll miss out on the opportunity, i suppose, of cleaner electricity and cheaper electricity that comes with that too. so what does this mean for consumers? this is how the production costs have changed for different kinds of fuel. for nuclear, between 2009 and 2021, the price has increased by 36%. but over the same period the cost of wind has fallen a lot — by 72%. and the cost of solar has dropped even more — by a huge 90%. so if renewables are getting cheaper, why are our bills are still going up? the price will be set based - on the cost of the most expensive

power plant, and at the moment, currently, that is the gas- plants, and that is why- even if you are on a renewable contract that price will go up. but a new energy mix means new infrastructure and that comes at a price. it is going to be expensive. we should pay it but we should tell the truth. we're doing this because it is important. and when you see your bill march upwards, as it will for the next 10, 15 years or more, it is because we are carrying out this huge investment challenge in an incredibly concentrated period of time. the uk's energy targets are tough, but scientists say this is more critical than ever. rebecca morelle, bbc news, cardiff. let's get more from our climate editorjustin rowlatt in switzerland now. where that report was unveiled today. what was the reaction like when people heard what it contained? you could sense a deep frustration amongst the scientists here in

switzerland. they have been warning for decades that deep emissions cuts are necessary and today of course we had their warning that we are likely to crash through that 1.5 degrees boundary. they do say we can drive temperatures back down again. it would take a massive reduction in emissions and the use of new and currently very expensive technologies, but they also say that evenif technologies, but they also say that even if we do achieve that those high temperatures will have damaged the health of millions of people and vulnerable ecosystems. coral reefs, rainforests and those in the mountains behind me, and as the un chief said today the report shows that keeping climate change manageable now means doing everything, everywhere, all at once. justin, thank you. after nine months of severe disruption on britain's railways because of strike action, there has finally been a major breakthrough. thousands of signal workers and maintenance staff have accepted a new pay offer from network rail. but it won't mean the end to train strikes just yet. the rmt�*s dispute with train

operating companies hasn't been resolved. 0ur transport correpsondent katy austin reports. nine months after this series of national rail strikes began, a breakthrough. the deal accepted by signal workers and maintenance staff in the rmt union includes a headline payrise of 5% for last year and 4% for this year. the rmt says some of the lowest paid workers will actually see their salaries rise by much more than that. and this year's pay rise will be backdated, meaning a bigger lump sum upfront. there are other benefits too, like discounted travel. the rmt leader, though, was not celebrating today. it is way below inflation and it's not as far as we would have wanted it to go. it's not as far we hoped at the beginning of the dispute. but we have taken a lot of action. our members have shown their commitment to the cause. we have taken some of the worst aspects of the company's proposals off the table. but we're not saying it is a great pay offer.

we think it's very modest — that is the best that can be said of it. does that mean these strikes have failed then, if it's not the offer you wanted? no, they haven't failed. at the start of the dispute they offered 2%. for passengers, hope that the end of walk—outs could be approaching. i do a lot of train travel so, very good, yeah. due to that, we were not able to travel with the train, - we had to travel on the motorway i so it was very difficult for us. . if they are happy with the deal then that's brilliant. strikes by rmt members who work for train operating companies — guards, for example — are still due to go ahead, on the 30th of march and the 1st of april. their dispute carries on. the industry and government have repeated their calls for those workers to get a vote too. they haven't had the chance to consider this pay offer and i hope their union gives them the chance to consider it and decide whether, like their network rail workers, whether they want to settle this dispute as well. the union says that will only happen if a better offer is put on the table, but with the network rail dispute solved a path

has clearly been laid. mick lynch told me he expects to meet with the train companies group tomorrow. what it took for the network rail dispute to be result wasn't again the government putting on mun like more money. it was enough changes being found to the offer that had been rejected within the existing boundaries by the rmt to accept giving members a vote on it —— it was not the government putting in more money. it does offer a model for the train companies dispute to be resolved, and raises a question of whether that can be done in time to prevent the next strikes. thank you. the rail operator avanti west coast has had its contract extended for a further six months. its current deal had been due to expire at the end of march, but the government decided to renew it, saying avanti has shown improvement. the firm has previously been heavily criticised over reliability and punctuality. labour says the decision is a "reward for failure".

china's president is in moscow at the start of a three—day visit to russia. xijinping has been holding talks with vladimir putin at the kremlin — the first since russia invaded ukraine a year ago. the russian president — who just days ago was accused of war crimes by international prosecutors — said he was looking forward to discussing china's plans to end the war in ukraine. from moscow here's our russia editor, steve rosenberg. just three days ago vladimir putin was named as a war crimes suspect by the international criminal court. but that didn't stop china's president flying in and shaking his hand. putin and xi have met many times before, but never before has russia's president been under such pressure. his war in ukraine not going at all according to plan. xijinping called vladimir putin his "dear friend", his "strategic partner". the kremlin leader said they would

discuss china's peace initiative. but there is no detailed chinese plan to end the war in ukraine. what moscow would like from beijing is lethal aid to help it when. is lethal aid to help it win. beijing's been reluctant to provide that to prevent secondary sanctions against chinese companies, but it has been supplying dual—use technology, like semiconductor chips that the russian military can use. the kremlin also wants to expand trade with china. with russia under heavy international sanctions, economic ties with beijing are proving a lifeline. if you burn bridges with the west, as vladimir putin has, what do you do then? you look east. and that's exactly what the kremlin leader has done. recent events have accelerated russia's dependency on china. putin and xi may speak about mutually beneficial cooperation, but beijing looks increasingly like the senior partner. but moscow hasn'tjust

partnered with beijing. last week, russia held joint naval exercises with china and iran. there are signs the kremlin is looking to forge an anti—western alliance. translation: putin is building his own bloc. l he doesn't trust the west any more. he's looking for allies and trying to make russia part of a common fortress with china, as well as with india, latin america and africa. putin is building his own anti—western world. now, with xijinping here, russia can claim that it's not isolated, that moscow has powerful allies who view the world through a similar lens, that it doesn't need the west if it has friends in the east. but experience shows china always puts china first.

those talks between the presidents of russia and china have been going on for several hours now. we don't know whether what is being discussed will have any effects or consequences for the war in ukraine but what struck me today with how things have turned around. back in soviet times, under communism, must often referred to beijing as its younger brother or the younger comrades. in their relationship today, you are really starting to feel as if china is the senior partner here. steve rosenberg, thank you. the time is 16 minutes past six. our top story this evening... the most comprehensive assessment yet of the impact of climate change, published by un scientists, says humanity is fast running out of time to secure a sustainable future for all. and it's revealed that almost 400 hotels across the uk are now £6 million a day, the cost of housing asylum

coming up on the bbc news channel... carlos alcaraz returns to world no 1 in tennis after victory at indian wells. but contrasting fortunes for one of the game's big names, who drops out of the top ten. helped the country during world war ii. and up high on the london eye as the famous landmark gets a big spring clean. it's exactly 20 years ago tonight that this happened — the skyline in baghdad ablaze in what was called shock and awe. it was the start of the iraq war — the us and british invasion to rid the country's leader saddam hussein of his weapons of mass destruction — weapons that in the end were never found. a month after the invasion, saddam hussain�*s government collapsed. president bush declared iraq to be free. it the beginning of many years of turbulence and bloodshed for iraq and wider region. it led to the rise of the so—called islamic state.

0ur international editor, jeremy bowen, who's in the northern city of mosul, looks now at what the invasion 20 years ago has meant for iraq and the world. a lot of the old city of mosul hasn't been rebuilt yet. it was destroyed in 2017, during the war to eradicate the jihadists of the caliphate of islamic state. it was really nasty, house—to—house fighting... explosions ..and it went on for months. i was here at the time and a lot of civilians, as well as fighters, were killed. the rise and fall of islamic state, also known as isis, was part of an unfolding catastrophe that engulfed iraq and was felt right across the middle east. now, a lot of it goes back to march 2003. that was when the americans and the british and their allies invaded iraq.

the americans called the massive air raids with which they opened the war "shock and awe". they claimed, wrongly, that this was the way to make the middle east safer for everyone. shouting within weeks, they'd removed the iraqi dictator saddam hussein. another false claim was that he had weapons of mass destruction. the us navy flew president george w bush out to an aircraft carrier, where he declared victory. the tyrant has fallen and iraq is free. cheering he could not have been more wrong. the americans hadn't worked out how they were going to replace saddam hussein's regime. in the end, they imposed a system that turned sectarian and ethnic groups against each other.

gunfire in the years of chaos and violence that followed... sirens wail ..hundreds of thousands of iraqis were killed — no—one knows how many, exactly — as armed groups fought each other, fought the americans and killed each other�*s civilians. much of mosul, and other cities, has been rebuilt. there are bright spots. as for the west, the americans and the british — the invaders — a lot of the world just laughs when they talk about "peace" or "international law" because of what happened here. but what matters most is the effect on the lives of millions of people notjust in iraq, but across the wider middle east, who suffered and died because of the invasion and its consequences.

jeremy bowen, bbc news, mosul. and you can seejeremy bowen's full report tonight on the news at ten. the democratic unionist party says it will vote against a key part of the government's new deal with brussels about post—brexit trade rules. its leader, sirjeffrey donaldson, said while the windsor framework represented progress, it didn't deal with some of the "fundamental" concerns. the framework aims to significantly reduce the number of post—brexit checks on goods entering northern ireland from great britain. it includes the stormont brake — a mechanism that gives the northern ireland assembly the power to object to changes to eu rules that apply there. 0ur ireland correspondent, emma vardy, is in westminster. tell us more about the concerns. after that new deal with the eu was hailed as a success by rishi sunak last month, it has been backed by

some major business leaders in northern ireland and also backed by a majority of politicians here as well but the dup was never expected to come out and get its immediate blessing to this and nor was the party ever expected to make a very quick returns to the stormont government which it has been boycotting over this. instead, what the dup is saying is it wants greater guarantees in uk law that if the stormont break—up was used to oppose a new eu law in northern ireland, the uk government would be able to act on it and have some teeth and would not later turn out to feel a bit weak —— the stormont brake. they also want more reassurances for unionists while northern ireland will remain aligned to the eu that over time it will not end up diverging from the uk market. the dup says there is definitely room for the uk government to provide these greater guarantees, it will vote against this on wednesday but it is not closing the door entirely, saying it is a know for now. members of the royal college

of nursing have voted to accept a new pay offer from the scottish government. the union had recommended its members back the deal which would see a 6.5% increase from april, coupled with a promise of other changes. a narrow majority voted for the proposal, which ends the immediate threat of strike action. the online retail giant amazon has announced plans to cut another 9,000 jobs to save costs. the firm, which employs 1.5 million people worldwide, said the cuts would fall mainly in areas including cloud computing and advertising. it hasn't specified which countries would be affected, but says positions will be closed in the next few weeks. the firm already axed 8,000 jobs injanuary. almost 400 hotels — most of them in england — are being used by the government to house more than 50,000 asylum seekers. seaside resorts, airports and even retirement villages are among the locations being used, as part of a home office scheme. it is costing more than £6 million every day. our home affairs correspondent,

daniel sandford, reports. welcome to the wiltshire, a hotel, golf course and retirement village set in rolling hills and royal wootton bassett, home to more than 100 mostly older residents and now mostly billy mckay home to more than 80 asylum seekers who moved in in december. the ledger visit. they have had to enter by the fact since the asylum seekers moved input in the village i found resident and former tb presenter christopher morris, now 84 years old, and quietly fuming. irate morris, now 84 years old, and quietly fuming-— morris, now 84 years old, and quietly fuming. we find it difficult now to access _ quietly fuming. we find it difficult now to access the _ quietly fuming. we find it difficult now to access the facilities, - quietly fuming. we find it difficult now to access the facilities, we i now to access the facilities, we can't go in the front door, it is blocked, there are security men shooing us away and we had to go around the back and the facilities are reduced, and people don't bother to go any more. the are reduced, and people don't bother to go any more-— to go any more. the retired residents — to go any more. the retired residents are unnerved - to go any more. the retired residents are unnerved by l to go any more. the retired l residents are unnerved by the arrival of a lot of young men who mill around at night but they are not the only ones who say the hotel

is completely unsuitable for asylum seekers. ifound is completely unsuitable for asylum seekers. i found 25—year—old is completely unsuitable for asylum seekers. ifound 25—year—old simpay from sudan, who's been in the hotel for three months and says the isolated location means there is no way of learning about british society. way of learning about british socie . , ., ., ., society. there is nothing to do here, nothing. _ society. there is nothing to do here, nothing. we _ society. there is nothing to do here, nothing. we stay - society. there is nothing to do here, nothing. we stay the - society. there is nothing to do i here, nothing. we stay the whole society. there is nothing to do - here, nothing. we stay the whole day at the room doing nothing. what here, nothing. we stay the whole day at the room doing nothing.— at the room doing nothing. what do ou do? at the room doing nothing. what do you do? nothing. — at the room doing nothing. what do you do? nothing, nothing. - at the room doing nothing. what do you do? nothing, nothing. we - at the room doing nothing. what do i you do? nothing, nothing. we started caettin you do? nothing, nothing. we started getting depressed- — you do? nothing, nothing. we started getting depressed. i _ you do? nothing, nothing. we started getting depressed. i have _ you do? nothing, nothing. we started getting depressed. i have been - getting depressed. i have been talking with them to see some therapist. talking with them to see some thera - ist. ., talking with them to see some theraist. ., , . talking with them to see some theraist. ., ' . ., , therapist. the home office has rented hundreds _ therapist. the home office has rented hundreds of— therapist. the home office has rented hundreds of hotels - therapist. the home office has rented hundreds of hotels to i therapist. the home office has - rented hundreds of hotels to house tens of thousands of asylum seekers but if you can be as strangely located as this, wedged as it is between eight retirement village and a golf course. to provide beds for more than 51,000 asylum seekers and rising, the home office has booked out hotels in seaside resorts and cities, villages and the countryside at airports and on golf courses.

anywhere they can find willing hotel owners. there are 395 hotels in all, 363 in england and 20 in northern ireland, but farfewer 363 in england and 20 in northern ireland, but far fewer in the other two nations, ten in scotland and only two in wales. the leicestershire village of kegworth is one of the latest places to have the local hotel's business model changed overnight to housing asylum seekers. yew tree lodge was the local wedding venue, swimming pool and gym, as well as bringing in business for the nearby east midlands airport but that all changed last month. fredricka reynolds is to do the flowers for the weddings but in an incident that key part of a business was snatched away. key part of a business was snatched awa . , ., ., , ._ away. they rang me on the thursday before the asylum _ away. they rang me on the thursday before the asylum seekers _ away. they rang me on the thursday before the asylum seekers came - away. they rang me on the thursday before the asylum seekers came on | before the asylum seekers came on the monday and cancelled all my weddings for the foreseeable. that is a huge amount of work and income for me. �* , ., , ., for me. and she told me it is not 'ust the for me. and she told me it is not just the loss _ for me. and she told me it is not just the loss of _ for me. and she told me it is not just the loss of thousands - for me. and she told me it is not just the loss of thousands of - just the loss of thousands of

pounds. just the loss of thousands of ounds. ~ ., , just the loss of thousands of ounds. ~ . , ., . , just the loss of thousands of ounds. ~ . , , ., ., pounds. me and my voice is to go swimming — pounds. me and my voice is to go swimming every _ pounds. me and my voice is to go swimming every saturday - pounds. me and my voice is to go swimming every saturday there. l pounds. me and my voice is to goj swimming every saturday there. i pounds. me and my voice is to go - swimming every saturday there. i had to make your little ones and every time i drive past, they want to go swimming and unfortunately that is closed now. swimming and unfortunately that is closed nova— closed now. because of the small boats crossing _ closed now. because of the small boats crossing the _ closed now. because of the small boats crossing the channel, - closed now. because of the small boats crossing the channel, the l boats crossing the channel, the number of asylum seekers in hotels has gone from 3000 up to 51,000 in just three years. it is the government policy that almost no one is in favour of, not even the government, but it is costing the taxpayer £6 million a day. daniel sandford with that report. there's a hunt on in the south of england for a shark's head. it's being led by the tv historian dan snow. and it began after a dead shark was washed up on a beach near his home in hampshire at the weekend. it turns out that shark is not normally seen in our waters, and now scientists want to study it. but the problem is someone got there first, and took its head and tail. duncan kennedy reports on the efforts to get it back. the people who found the shark couldn't believe it.

alicia, it is a shark so be careful. they tried pulling it into deeper waters... come on, mr. ..and thought they had succeeded. let it go then. let it go. but later, the two—metre—long smalltooth sand tiger shark was found dead on the beach. the broadcaster dan snow, who lives nearby, went to salvage the carcass so scientists could examine it but when he got there, the shark's head, tail and fin had been removed. people can have it, they can keep the head, but if we can just get access for scientists before they boil it or mount it or something, that would be great. the scientists want to have a quick look, do some tests, and then the person with the head can go and enjoy it for the rest of their lives. smalltooth sand tiger sharks rarely venture into northern waters and usually swim at depths of more than 200 metres. which is why scientists

are so excited about seeing one of these sharks here in the solent, and why they would also like all the parts of this shark handed back in. it is really sad and somewhat disappointing that the shark was taken apartjust as the scientists were rushing to it so it would be great to have all of those pieces to be able to stitch together some sort of a story about this particular animal. a story about a creature we would never normally see here, from the coasts of spain to the shores of the solent, and now a mystery that shark experts would love to explore. duncan kennedy, bbc news. if you know where it is, let us know. time for a look at the weather. here's chris fawkes. todayit today it has been pretty cloudy and grey, stormy skies in western scotland, this was argyll and bute. and so far this month it has been a really wet month, looking at the stats, this is to the west of

belfast, old—growth, and we have seen 1.5 times the monthly rainfall and there is loads more to come because here is the satellite picture from the wet weather today but if i zoom into the atlantic you can see where that system after weather system lining up waiting to come in. if we look at the rainfall accumulations, you can see through the week ahead there will be a lot more to come, particularly in western areas. eastern england, the rain will be a little bit lighter at times. 0vernight, outbreaks of rain turning quite heavy, some cloud quite low so some mist and fog forming on the western coasts and hills and temperatures are not really changing that much from where they are at the moment, nine or 10 celsius so a mild night and a mild start tomorrow. rain to start with in north—east scotland but otherwise brighter but they will be some heavy showers and thunderstorms and then we see rain returning to northern ireland in the afternoon. despite the cloud and rain, it will be mild,

temperate is widely around 14 or 15 degrees. in the middle