hello, i'm matthew amroliwala, welcome to verified live — three hours of breaking stories, and checking out the truth behind them. we start with that expansion of oil and gas production in the north sea. the uk government is offering hundreds of new licences for drilling. the prime minister says, it will boost britain's energy independence, but environmental campaigners say more drilling for fossil fuels flies in the face of the science around climate change. the government has also announced up to £20 billion worth of backing for two new carbon capture projects. more on that in a moment from our climate editorjustin rowlatt — but first, our political correspondent ione wells reports. july saw the world heating up. now political debates around

energy and climate change are hotting up too. the government has said it will back hundreds of new licences for oil and gas production sites like this in the north sea. it's also confirmed it will support two new carbon capture and storage projects in northeast scotland and the humber. these would capture carbon dioxide where fossil fuels are burned and pipe it under the sea to store it. climate campaigners fear it is a tactic to keep the fossil fuel industry in business. the prime minister on a visit to aberdeenshire argued today's announcements would help the uk reach its net—zero target by 2050 while still backing new oil and gas. even in 2050, when we are at net zero, it is forecast that around a quarter of our energy needs will still come from oil and gas. that's why technologies like carbon capture and storage are important. but what is important is that we get the oil and gas in the best possible way, and that means getting it from here at home. the conservatives have been keen to draw a dividing line with the labour party. labour say it wouldn't back

a new oil and gas licences, arguing they would be bad for the climate, not cut bills or create long—term jobs, and would instead focus on investing in renewable alternatives. quite frankly, i am astonished that rishi sunak is doubling down on his failing and weak policy on climate action. businesses and individuals and families have suffered 13 years of failing tory energy policy. that has left us the worst hit of any western european country during this energy crisis. the snp said it is important to keep the oil and gas workforce in scotland employed but have called for a just transition towards greenerjobs. this is a nuanced discussion, it needs a grown—up approach, not the drill, baby, drill approach the westminster government is taking at this point in time, which ignores the reality of energy security in the years to come and lack of investment they are putting into renewables, but also ignores the reality of the climate crisis that we face. the prime minister faces tensions in his own party too, with some tory mps calling

on the prime minister to water down the net—zero target and others accusing him of being on the wrong side of history by backing more oil and gas. dividing lines that are only set to grow as the next election nears. ione wells, bbc news. so, would those carbon capture projects announced by the government be enough to offset the new push to drill more oil and gas? here's our climate editorjustin rowlatt. "powering up britain, from britain" is the prime minister's slogan. he says he wants to "max out" oil and gas production from uk reserves. many climate scientists and environmentalists say the carbon dioxide emissions from these new projects will bust through the uk's climate targets. so, will the carbon capture and storage projects he has announced today offset the emissions? carbon capture and storage plants are designed to trap that planet—warming c02 — or take it directly from the atmosphere — and store it underground.

take this gas—fired power station, for example. as the natural gas is burned to generate electricity, the carbon dioxide is separated out. it's pumped underground to be stored in empty gas and oil reservoirs. the government has announced investments in a plant at st fergus on the north east coast of scotland and another in the humber. it has already announced plans for two other such plants. government advisors say this technology is vital to meet net zero climate targets. most sectors we can get to zero emissions, but there's a few where we still expect to have emissions in the future, so think of the steel sector, for example, or the cement sector, possibly aviation, even farming, so emissions continuing, actually, past 2050 and beyond. so we need carbon capture to reduce emissions to zero in those sectors, or close to zero, and actually to remove greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere and store those away too. we also need that carbon capture technology.

some environmentalists and climate scientists say carbon capture and storage is a "dangerous distraction" that could give polluters a licence to carry on polluting. and the cash the government is announcing is to try and kick—start a new industry. it will be many years before it will be capable of trapping the millions of tonnes of c02 these new oil and gas fields will produce. and there is another issue — the uk's ability to lead on the climate. why would other countries listen if the uk urges them to scale back oil and gas production when it is chasing down its last reserves of oil and gas? so is the uk right to, asjustin said, "chase down the last reserves" of oil and gas in the north sea? let's ask lord deben, the former chair of the independent committee on climate change which advises parliament on progress on emissions targets.

welcome to our programme. welcome to our programme. so welcome to our programme. so your welcome to our programme. so your reaction to these new oil and gas licenses? �* , , ., , ., licenses? i'm very pleased about the carbon capture _ licenses? i'm very pleased about the carbon capture and _ licenses? i'm very pleased about the carbon capture and storage - licenses? i'm very pleased about the carbon capture and storage becausel carbon capture and storage because we've been pushing for this. the government has to get on with it, and i'm very pleased particularly that it has agreed to one in scotland, because that one we were very surprised to see left out of the first two that were announced. and the one in humberside is crucially important as well. but those two together, very good decision. but really, having more oiland decision. but really, having more oil and gas, decision. but really, having more oiland gas, but decision. but really, having more oil and gas, but particularly oil from the north sea going ahead for ten years' time is really not sensible economically because by the time we get to 2030, there will be a world which will be awash with oil because all the countries in the world now are signed up to reduce theirfossilfuel world now are signed up to reduce their fossil fuel use. world now are signed up to reduce theirfossilfuel use. so world now are signed up to reduce their fossil fuel use. so we will find ourselves being able to buy

whatever we want, the oil that we need to. but in the meantime, we will have lost our leadership — how on earth can we ask african and asian countries to move directly from fossil fuels to renewables and not do their own exploration for oil and gas? if we do it, we have lost our leadership by making this choice. i’iiii our leadership by making this choice. �* . ., our leadership by making this choice. �* our leadership by making this choice. ., ., ., choice. i'll come back to that final oint in a choice. i'll come back to that final point in a moment, _ choice. i'll come back to that final point in a moment, but— choice. i'll come back to that final point in a moment, but the - point in a moment, but the government says that this is about energy security, it won't detract from their net zero targets — do you by either of those things? weill. from their net zero targets - do you by either of those things?— by either of those things? well, it reall isn't by either of those things? well, it really isn't needed _ by either of those things? well, it really isn't needed for _ by either of those things? well, it really isn't needed for energy - really isn't needed for energy security because we will be able to buy from all over the world. and we are not talking about dependence on gas for imprudent, we are talking about countries all over the world that produce oil. —— gas from putin.

so i don't think it steps up the security argument, but it may be british oil, but we will have to buy it at the world price. we won't get any cheaper because the people producing oil in britain sell it at the oil price —— world price. but producing oil in britain sell it at the oil price -- world price. but do ou think the oil price -- world price. but do you think we _ the oil price -- world price. but do you think we can _ the oil price -- world price. but do you think we can have _ the oil price -- world price. but do you think we can have these - the oil price -- world price. but do l you think we can have these licenses but still meet the net zero targets? is not fundamentally at collision? it is a collision because the britain has world —— because britain has led the world to net zero. we were the first country with a conservative government to go towards net zero. at the great cop26 meeting in glasgow, we led the rest of the world to the sign—up, even though china and india, who have neverjoined in before, have signed up neverjoined in before, have signed up to net zero. but what is happening now is that we have said, even though we sought at glasgow to get a deal to cut the amount of oil

that we produced, we won't do that, and we will agree with the international energy agency which says that we should take no more new oil out. we won't do that, we will do what has been proposed today — and that, i'm afraid, it means other countries won't listen to us when we say "you should move directly to renewable energy." just say "you should move directly to renewable energy."— say "you should move directly to renewable energy." just briefly on that oint, renewable energy." just briefly on that point, that's _ renewable energy." just briefly on that point, that's the _ renewable energy." just briefly on that point, that's the exact - renewable energy." just briefly on that point, that's the exact point i that point, that's the exact point of global leadership, losing that reputation that your committee made in that report only last month or so — do you understand briefly why the government is pursuing the policies they have that so contradicts where you say they should be going with yellow i don't know why they are doing it except that that is an alternative view, but it's not one that the climate change committee uphold dutch upholds. it said it was perfectly reasonable to take out some more gas whilst fighting the

war with the invader vladimir putin. perfectly reasonable for temporary geopolitical reasons to do that. but to go forward and say we want to produce oil in 10—14 years' time is not either sensible nor a leadership role. could it be explained byjust raw politics? because you'll have seen the debate in the last week or so about watering down green policies, the pressure on rishi sunakfrom some in his party to push back net zero targets, we saw what happened in borisjohnson�*s former constituency with lower emissions proving to be a useful wedge issue with the opposition labour party — is that the solution to this new direction? i is that the solution to this new direction?— direction? i don't go into party olitics, direction? i don't go into party politics. i— direction? i don't go into party politics, i was _ direction? i don't go into party politics, i was the _ direction? i don't go into party| politics, i was the independent chairman of the climate change committee. but if people think that there is a connection between a

badly introduced scheme and the major issues of climate change, i don't think there is. but this government has re—committed itself to all the major climate change decisions. it's committed itself again to stopping both petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to be sold, its committed itself again to be it's committed itself again to be giving the money that's necessary to developing countries to move renewable energy. so on the big things, it's committed itself... but environmental policies, sorry to interrupt you, but environmental policies became a dividing line because we've got an election in the uk coming up in the next little while. if it became a crucial dividing line, would that be poor politics basically?— politics basically? well, my own view is that _ politics basically? well, my own view is that you _ politics basically? well, my own view is that you must _ politics basically? well, my own view is that you must be - politics basically? well, my own i view is that you must be extremely careful about playing politics with

climate change. we are very fortunate to have a common view amongst all political parties that the conservative party has led the way. we ought to stick to that, because that is what will save us all and our children from the devastating effects of climate change. let's not kid ourselves, we are in an x essential threat, and we can see that by all the fires around the world and the terrible floods all over the world. and if we just don't understand how serious it is, we really have to rethink — and after all, when a party has led the way, it's a pity if it steps back from it. ~ , ., way, it's a pity if it steps back from it. ~ , . , from it. we must leave it there, but thank ou from it. we must leave it there, but thank you so — from it. we must leave it there, but thank you so much _ from it. we must leave it there, but thank you so much for— from it. we must leave it there, but thank you so much for your - from it. we must leave it there, but thank you so much for your time in l thank you so much for your time in joining us on bbc news, thank you. thank you. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's take a look now at some stories developing in the uk. rail passengers are facing more disruption this week, because of a ban on overtime

by train drivers. aslef union members at 15 train companies in england are refusing to work extra hours from today until saturday. they're involved in a long—running dispute over their pay offer, which train companies say is fair and reasonable. banks offering unjustifiably low savings rates to their customers will face "robust action", the uk's financial watchdog has said. the financial conduct authority's has now set out a ill—point plan to make sure that providers are communicating with savers more effectively — and interest rates are passed on appropriately. threejust stop 0il protesters who threw orange powder onto the pitch during an ashes test at lord's cricket ground have denied aggravated trespass. judit murray, daniel knorr, and jacob bourne are accused of running onto the pitch during the second test match between england and australia onjune 28th. they pleaded not guilty at westminster magistrates' court. you're live with bbc news. to ukraine now — where kyiv�*s forces have been praised

by president zelensky, for their advances around bakhmut — a city of huge symbolic importance in the conflict. russia captured bakhmut earlier this year, after almost 12 months of intense fighting. the bbc has been given exclusive access to a team of elite snipers, the ghosts of bakhmut, who are conducting night raids close to the city. 0ur defence correspondent jonathan bealejoined them — on a journey — to the front line. we're on our way to a secret location, a place they call the edge of existence. behind the wheel, the man simply known as ghost. he tells me his team of snipers are all known as the ghosts of bakhmut because they silently bring death. their base is already well within range of russian artillery.

rumble that was close. but they'll be going even closer towards enemy lines. translation: you can hide from artillery, - but not from snipers. and their work is more precise than the shelling. do you know how many russians your team have killed? translation: yes, - the confirmed number is 524. 76 of those are mine. the ghosts have been operating on the edges of bakhmut for the past six months, often looking for high—value russian targets. they record every kill through their sights. kusia will be the marksman for tonight's mission. before the war, he worked in a factory. translation: when i was a civilian, i didn't like weapons, _

but now i've had to take up arms to defend my country. of course i'm scared. only a fool wouldn't be. a quick blessing. music plays we leave with dusk approaching. the music to lift the mood and mask the sound of artillery. several times, the driver, kuz, warns "incoming". they wear british—supplied uniforms. the insertion of the team can often be the most dangerous part of the mission. from here, they'll have to walk another mile to reach their target. explosion and that's a big explosion. we soon discover that shrapnel has torn through one of the back tyres.

it's a long, nerve—racking limp home. metallic clunking now the anxious wait for the team's return. ghost says he hand—picked each man for their patriotism. while he waits for news, he calls his seven—year—old daughter. he's already taught her how to strip a gun. seven hours later, the two—man team are extracted. early morning, just before the shelling resumes. the relief is palpable. kusia, the sniper, says the mission was a success. just one shot. "one shot, one target," he says. the commander, ghost, is just relieved they're safe. translation: every trip could be our last. - but we are doing a noble deed.

it's also part of ukraine's psychological warfare — killing from a place that can't be seen and with a sound that can't be heard. jonathan beale, bbc news, bakhmut. ukraine's president zelensky has warned war is coming back to russia after a drone attack on moscow. mr zelensky said attacks on russian territory were an "inevitable, natural and absolutely fair pocess" of the war between the two countries. russia's defence ministry said three ukrainian drones were downed on sunday, with two crashing into office buildings. earlier, i spoke to the former nato commander — retired rear admiral chris parry. he gave us his assessment of the drone strikes in moscow. they're reallyjust pinpricks. if ukraine were able to actually use the weapons they want to use against russia, like cruise and ballistic missiles,

then we would see far more damage, of course. these drones don't actually have a very big payload, they're more symbolic than destructive. when we see wider attacks, i think on st petersburg and other russian cities, then i think we will see them counting. but it's ukraine's way ofjust showing they are fighting back and that they can actually get at the russian population when they want to. will there be any unease within nato? because all along in this process, the weaponry that's been handed over has been expressly to be used on the battlefield within the borders. i know these are drones, but will there be any unease, do you think? i don't think so. these drones are homemade, as i said, they are very light payloads, and they aren't doing very much damage at all. and when you compare it with the devastation that's been visited on ukraine, i think most free world countries' sympathies will be with any country that's trying to get its own back.

where do you think we are generally with the counteroffensive? because we've had this stretching and probing that's been going on for weeks, what's your assessment of where we are currently? as we know, i think ukraine has been probing away for a couple months now to find weaknesses in these very heavy russian defensive fortifications — there's three lines of trenches, about three times as many mines as you would expect to see, and the artillery of course is cued into attacking anything that approaches the minefield. so, it's quite difficult. any army in the world wold find that hard—going. but we are seeing signs of breakthroughs — just south of zaporizhzhia, you yourself mentioned bakhmut — i think if the ukrainians can force a passage down to the black sea by the end of august, then i think we will see a real game change in the campaign, because it'll mean they're attacking the russians in crimea.

looking at pictures coming into the bbc from donetsk, some of the fighting around the villages there, everyone is anticipating big reinforcements being used at some stage, if they break through, what does that actually enable you to do militarily? it splits the russian forces, that's the first thing. it cuts crimea off from the reinforcements that can come from the donbas region and russia, it puts crimea directly under threat from medium—range strikes, and it may even induce the collapse of the russian army in ukraine. it's vital, the russians know that. what the ukrainians have to look out for is if they drive through to the sea of azov, they will expose their flanks to attacks by the russian air force, and indeed any reconstituted units that russia can put around the back and into the rear areas of them.

the first pictures have emerged of the ousted president of niger, mohamud bazoum, since last week's military coup. photos were published online shortly after mr bazoum met the chadian leader, mahamat idriss deby, who's on a mission to resolve the crisis. mr deby also held talks with the leader of the military junta who led the takeover. the coup leaders are continuing to claim they're about to be attacked — alleging without evidence that france has been considering an assault on the presidential palace to try to free mr bazoum. our correspondent chris ewokor is monitoring developments from neighbouring nigeria, and he gave us this update a short while ago. today, what we're hearing right now is that more than 130 members of the ruling party, officials of the ruling party, including those in government, have been arrested by the leaders of the junta. and this could be as a result

of the allegation from the junta that they are about to be attacked by france, which of course there has been no evidence. but yesterday, protesters tried to breach the security of the french embassy. some of them were burning, vandalising, and setting fire to anything in their way until they were dispersed through tear gas by security forces. what we understand is that the chadian president has visited, he said he held in—depth discussions with the coup leaders as well as meeting with the detained president and the former president. however, many people are looking at what potentially having issued the ultimatum, giving seven days to reinstate the detained president.

members of the largest teaching union have accepted a 6.5% pay rise for teachers in england and voted to end strikes. the national education union had staged seven days of strikes — in state schools since february. both sides in the dispute said the pay offer was "properly funded" and would not come from existing school budgets. our education correspondent, hazel shearing has more details. so it's summer holidays, so its quiet outside this secondary school here in leeds. but back in february here, teachers were holding banners and donning woolly hats on those strike days you mentioned. the four teaching unions involved in this dispute have been going back to members to ask whether or not they would accept the government's pay offer. the national education union is the second to have come back. it's an overwhelming "yes" and says that it won't be holding more strikes next term. this is the result that many parents, pupils, and teachers have been anxious

to find out — and that is because the national education union is the only one to have actually held strikes during this dispute. the union said it will continue to fight for more funding and education, but for now, there is a collective sigh of relief for many that children are likely to be able to go back to school in a few weeks's time without further disruption. more on that story in the next edition of our programme in about an hour's time. i'm back with more in a moment. hello there. it looks like summer is going to remain on hold for the rest of this week with low pressure always nearby. it is going to stay unsettled bringing spells of cloud, rain, even strong winds around for the time of year. it has been a wetjuly, many places have seen more than double what we expect in a normal month. parts of northwest england, preston, have seen three times what we expect in a normaljuly. it will stay unsettled into the start of august. this low pressure sitting

on top of the country bringing a lot of cloud, outbreaks of patchy rain. there will be a few glimmers of brightness, the best in northern scotland again. some of the rain across scotland, northern england and northern ireland later will pep up. further south we could see something drier. the winds will be a feature across southern britain. lighter further north. that combination of cloud, rain and stronger winds will make it feel cool, 18—21 celsius. this evening and overnight, it stays cloudy. some clear spells across england and wales, northern scotland seeing the best. patchy rain across northern ireland, southern scotland, and northern england. temperatures on the mild side. cooler further north. tuesday is quieter, in between weather systems. more sunshine across england and wales. northern ireland and far south of scotland, and northern england could see cloud with patchy rain. generally, a bit better on tuesday,

up to 22 in the southeast. it goes downhill rapidly into wednesday. this deep area of low pressure will spread across the country. bringing heavy rain and also strong winds with gales, 50mph gusts, and heavy downpours, maybe thundery. the best of the weather in northern scotland. that will impact the temperatures. 16—20 celsius in the south. staying unsettled for the rest of the week. sunny spells, scattered showers, turning unsettled at the weekend, sunday looks pretty wet.

this is bbc news. the headlines: north sea oil and gas production is to expand — as the uk government — says it will grant hundreds of new licences for drilling. the government also confirms up to £20 billion worth of backing, for two new carbon capture projects. new claims that china is pressurising uyghur muslims living

aboard to spy on human rights campaigners. we bring you a special bbc investigation. a british man who killed his seriously ill wife at their home in cyprus — is released from custody. we will have more on all of those stories here in the moment. time for a look at the business news now with ben thompson. good afternoon. what you have for us? good afternoon. we begin with climate change and the net zero debate — the uk's prime minister rishi sunak has announced plans to expand carbon capture and storage in the north sea. speaking to the bbc in scotland this morning, mr sunak confirmed that his government will invest millions of pounds in a carbon capture projects, and confirmed 100 new north sea oil and gas licences. critics have accused the government of backing fossil fuels — but the prime minister said the plans are �*entirely consistent�* with the uk's climate commitments. it's really important for everyone to recognise that even in 2050

when we are at net zero, it is forecast that around