environmental groups criticise the approval for new oil and gas fields off the coast of scotland. at least 115 people die in a fire at an iraqi wedding party. it's thought it might have been caused by indoor fireworks. a quarter of nagorno—karabakh�*s population has left the disputed territory. armenia says more than 40,000 people have crossed its border. a 15—year—old schoolgirl is stabbed to death in south london — a teenage boy has been arrested. hello, i'm rich preston. welcome to bbc news now, three hours of fast—moving news, interviews and reaction. the uk government has given

the green light to develop one of the largest untapped oil and gas fields in british waters. rosebank lies in the north sea, about 80 miles west of shetland. experts say it contains about 350 million barrels of oil. production could start in 2026, with extraction continuing until at least 2030. it's thought that about 69,000 barrels of oil could be produced every day. that would equate to about 8% of the uk's total output. there would also be natural gas, with about 44 million cubic feet produced per day during the project's lifetime. the energy secretary clare coutinho says... the news has not gone down well with climate campaigners. here's tessa khan, executive

director of uplift, a group that has been working to stop rosebank being opened up for oil and gas production. i think we need to be clear that this is a huge mistake on economic grounds, on energy security grounds and on climate grounds and the uk public do not stand to benefit from this field. with me is our business editor simonjack and our political correspondent hannah miller. hannah, iwant hannah, i want to start with you. affirm statements from the conservative party committing to this oil and gas field. what has been reaction from other parties? really the reaction from many of the main parties on this has been quite muted today. real political tensions as they try to balance energy security, job security and net zero pledges. it was noticeable last week when we had a big climate story, the conservative party pushing back some of its net zero pledges. there were

really a number of conservative mps who were particularly up in arms about it. that has not really been the case today and that is because many conservatives and of course the government believe that oil and gas are going to be part of the energy mix while we transition to cleaner solutions. that is obviously a claim thatis solutions. that is obviously a claim that is contested by the snp and unsurprisingly by the green party. what is interesting is they are really trying to put the pressure here onto labour and they say if labour were to turn around now and say in government they would revoke this license, that would make the project simply unviable, so they want the labour party to be taking a much stronger position. that is not something we are seeing from the labour party today. their position is they would not allow new oil and gas licenses if they were to get

into government but they will not be revoking this one either. that is because they're big focus is on stability and providing businesses with some certainty. they say that is what the country needs and stopping this would go against the pledge that they would be credible if they were to get into government. we have the liberal democrats who have previously said they are against this develop but they actually hold the seat in shetland and their reaction has also been quite muted today, they have not particularly said anything.- particularly said anything. mixed reaction amongst _ particularly said anything. mixed reaction amongst politicians. - particularly said anything. mixed reaction amongst politicians. simon, what is the business case for this going ahead? the what is the business case for this going ahead?— what is the business case for this going ahead? the business case is the fact the _ going ahead? the business case is the fact the uk — going ahead? the business case is the fact the uk is _ going ahead? the business case is the fact the uk is a _ going ahead? the business case is the fact the uk is a net _ going ahead? the business case is the fact the uk is a net importer. going ahead? the business case is| the fact the uk is a net importer of oil and _ the fact the uk is a net importer of oil and gas — the fact the uk is a net importer of oil and gas and the north sea has been _ oil and gas and the north sea has been dwindling resources and it is now not— been dwindling resources and it is now not sufficient to supply the uk's _ now not sufficient to supply the uk's own — now not sufficient to supply the uk's own needs, so the argument is if you _ uk's own needs, so the argument is if you are _ uk's own needs, so the argument is if you are going to import oil and gas, _ if you are going to import oil and gas, a _ if you are going to import oil and gas, a net — if you are going to import oil and gas, a net importer anyway, it is better_ gas, a net importer anyway, it is better to — gas, a net importer anyway, it is better to have it on our own doorstep _ better to have it on our own doorstep rather than bring it in

from _ doorstep rather than bring it in from qatar, better to have it here. others _ from qatar, better to have it here. others say — from qatar, better to have it here. others say it is a bit of a myth 0thers say it is a bit of a myth ahout— others say it is a bit of a myth about energy security because the reality— about energy security because the reality is, — about energy security because the reality is, and equinor, one of the partners _ reality is, and equinor, one of the partners here, say 80% of this oil will he _ partners here, say 80% of this oil will be exported. it is going to be refined _ will be exported. it is going to be refined abroad, and when you send it, refined abroad, and when you send it. some _ refined abroad, and when you send it, some may come back but at that point _ it, some may come back but at that point it— it, some may come back but at that point it is— it, some may come back but at that point it is on— it, some may come back but at that point it is on the international market — point it is on the international market it _ point it is on the international market. it gets sold to the highest bidder— market. it gets sold to the highest bidder on— market. it gets sold to the highest bidder on the market and even though 3 million _ bidder on the market and even though 3 million barrels a sound like a lot, compared to others as it does not do _ lot, compared to others as it does not do a _ lot, compared to others as it does not do a lot— lot, compared to others as it does not do a lot to. the parties involved _ not do a lot to. the parties involved say it will be £8 billion boost _ involved say it will be £8 billion boost for — involved say it will be £8 billion boost for the economy, produced 2000 'obs boost for the economy, produced 2000 jobs and _ boost for the economy, produced 2000 jobs and there will be tax revenue down _ jobs and there will be tax revenue down the — jobs and there will be tax revenue down the line for this, so if you are going — down the line for this, so if you are going to have to need oil and even _ are going to have to need oil and even the — are going to have to need oil and

even the committee on climate change concedes _ even the committee on climate change concedes that even by 2050, 20 5% of our energy— concedes that even by 2050, 20 5% of our energy will still come from oil and gas _ our energy will still come from oil and gas and so it makes sense to have _ and gas and so it makes sense to have some — and gas and so it makes sense to have some here but as i say, people saying _ have some here but as i say, people saying this _ have some here but as i say, people saying this will make a big price to energy— saying this will make a big price to energy security, that is simply not true _ energy security, that is simply not true -- _ energy security, that is simply not true -- a — energy security, that is simply not true -- a big _ energy security, that is simply not true. —— a big change to price or energy— true. —— a big change to price or energy security. i think it is at least — energy security. i think it is at least a — energy security. i think it is at least a decade you would expect this to -o least a decade you would expect this to go on— least a decade you would expect this to go on for. what hannah was saying there _ to go on for. what hannah was saying there about _ to go on for. what hannah was saying there about labour saying they will not revoke — there about labour saying they will not revoke any licenses granted by this government, it looks like come what may, — this government, it looks like come what may, rosebank will be producing for many _ what may, rosebank will be producing for many years to come. won what may, rosebank will be producing for many years to come.— for many years to come. won a brief one to you. — for many years to come. won a brief one to you, hannah, _ for many years to come. won a brief one to you, hannah, at _ for many years to come. won a brief one to you, hannah, at westminster for us. as this entirely a decision for us. as this entirely a decision for westminster? what is holyrood pots role in this? this for westminster? what is holyrood pots role in this?— pots role in this? this is not an area where _ pots role in this? this is not an area where holyrood _ pots role in this? this is not an area where holyrood have - pots role in this? this is not an area where holyrood have a - pots role in this? this is not an l

area where holyrood have a huge amount of control. the snp have suggested they would prefer to be seeing a transition to cleaner forms of energy, they said they are investing money in trying to help workers transition to jobs in cleaner forms of energy but it is very much a uk government decision. 0k, thank you very much. a fire at a wedding party in northern iraq has killed at least 115 people. people were celebrating in al—hamdaniya, about 60km, or a0 miles, west of the regional capital erbil, when fire tore through the venue late on tuesday evening. pictures from the scene show emergency crews picking through the charred remains of the building. state media quoted civil defence officials as saying fireworks were lit during the celebration inside a hall. it's thought the venue was built with highly flammable materials, had only one exit, and no fire extinguishers.

outside the hall, relatives and survivors of the fire mourned those missing. this man was clutching the remains of the decorative clothing his daughter had been wearing. translation: l was in - the hall when it happened. my mother was in the bathroom. i couldn't find her afterwards. i searched for my daughter, my son, my wife, my father. i couldn't find them. they are all gone. i dressed my daughter with these clothes myself. i curse the gold i dressed my daughter in. with more on this is bbc arabic special correspondent feras kilani. tell us more about what happened. the fire started from inside the hall, not from outside. claims of fireworks are used in the hall as a

decoration and quickly the flames went to the roof and started there, moved quickly to the materials which covered the hall, notjust the wool spent the whole ceiling and there were a lot of other reasons, safety regulations that caused this disaster. we can hearfrom regulations that caused this disaster. we can hear from a journalist who spent a lot of time there about the circumstances. the area itself, al—hamdaniya, it was reconstructed slightly. it wasn't quite as damaged as sort of central areas of mosul during the war against the islamic state, but there's been a lot of ad hoc reconstruction there, particularly it's south of mosul. it also borders very much on the krg region. so the actual distribution of funds and the reconstruction and the rebuilding there has been very much by locals, which hasn't really followed any sort of regulator standard. i mean, it does have a historic church, but a lot of the oversight

of it is not there by the government to sort of really enforce any sort of standards in terms of building regulation, in terms of fire regulations. that being said, in general in iraq, to be honest, you know, the fire regulations and the fire security, you know, it's very lax. you may have remembered during the covid pandemic there was a horrific fire in baghdad that ripped through a hospital, killing, you know, over 80 people. this fire seems much more extensive and much more worse. you know, it seems that it's been in a very much enclosed place and also it looks like there has been some logistical issues of actually getting to this area. it's within the federal area's remit, but it's not within their central, you know, response remit where the civil defence can get there very much quickly, it's still got to go through multiple checkpoints and it's not a completely easily accessible area.

really horrific pictures coming from the scene there. are we expecting the scene there. are we expecting the death toll to rise? what have officials been saying? iikla the death toll to rise? what have officials been saying?— officials been saying? no official statements. _ officials been saying? no official statements, saying _ officials been saying? no official statements, saying 100 - officials been saying? no official statements, saying 100 killed, l officials been saying? no official i statements, saying 100 killed, but there are a huge number injured badly and we expect it to rise. we are listening from eyewitnesses from the area and it is a huge disaster for this small town community, whole families last in this fire. 0ne eyewitness was talking about 20 people from his family killed in this accident and he has no idea if there is anyone who survived from this. in the next few hours we expect the death toll to rise sharply sadly. expect the death toll to rise sharply sadly-— expect the death toll to rise sharply sadly. expect the death toll to rise sharl sadl . ., ~' , sharply sadly. 0k, thank you very

much. a 15—year—old girl has been stabbed to death in croydon, in south london. police say the incident happened this morning, at around 8.30. paramedics attended the incident, but the girl was pronounced dead at the scene. a teenager was arrested in connection with the incident about an hour later. police say they are investigating whether the victim knew her attacker, and have appealed for witnesses. asi as i said, that happened this morning on a bus in croydon in south london. the girl was pronounced dead at the scene at 9:21am. the metropolitan police has said its thoughts are with this young girl's family who are facing the most tragic of news and said a specially trained officers are there to support her and they are working with british transport police to work out what happened. north korea says it

will deport travis king — the us soldier who ran into the country across the demilitarized zone injuly. private king had been due to be flown to the us to face military disciplinary proceedings, when he escaped his escort. north korea had earlier said he had sought refuge after experiencing racism and inhuman treatment. but in a statement, the official news agency simply said he was being deported for illegally entering north korean territory. what was particularly interesting about this story if you cast your minds back, travis king went over the border injuly and it was not until early august any official announcement came in from north korea about him being within the country. american officials also at the time at relatively slow to react, highly unusualfor the time at relatively slow to react, highly unusual for people to flee into north korea. there is much more on that story of course on the bbc news website and on the bbc news app, bbc news website and on the bbc news app, it is all there for you.

around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. five labour regional mayors have urged the government not to scrap the hs2 rail line between birmingham and manchester, saying such a move would be an international embarrassment. there's speculation the prime minister is considering cancelling the northern leg because of soaring costs. the government says no decision has been made. the actor and television host laurence fox has been suspended by gb news over comments he made about a female journalist. he'd been speaking about ava evans, the political correspondent for thejoe website. gb news says his remarks were completely unacceptable. in a statement, they said, "we have formally suspended laurence fox, while we continue our investigation". the first named storm of the season

is expected to hit the uk today. storm agnes is likely to bring disruption from strong winds of up to 80 miles per hour and heavy rain. severe weather warnings are in force from wednesday afternoon until thursday morning. you're live with bbc news. armenia says more than 40,000 people have fled from nagorno—karabakh since azerbaijan seized the area last week. that's around a third of the population there. azerbaijan says people in the area will be safe, but armenia's prime minister, nikol pashinyan, says that "ethnic cleansing" is taking place. sarah rainsford is in goris in armenia and sent this update. well, the flow of refugees from nagorno—karabakh is not only continuing, it's increasing and intensifying. you can see behind me here, just one car, but there's streets full of cars like this piled up with people's possessions, roof racks piled high,

boots jammed full, and the cars themselves full of families. we've seen seven or eight people squeezed into some cars. we even saw a dumper truck yesterday with children on board, a couple of dozen children peering over the top of that truck, because people are using any transport and any means they can to leave nagorno—karabakh and come here to armenia. because what they're telling me, when they get here, is that they don't feel safe to stay in that enclave now. they have been told by the azerbaijani authorities that they would be protected, that their human rights are guaranteed, but nobody i've spoken to believes that information. they can't trust that there have been so many wars between armenia and azerbaijan and in nagorno—karabakh specifically, that the people who have lived there for decades, now say they have to leave. and there have been a lot of tears — it's a really depressed mood as people flood over into armenia. these are people who don't believe they're ever going back to nagorno—karabakh. and a lot of them have said it's kind of like it's an exodus. you know, it's not a temporary evacuation — they don't believe they'll

see their homes again. and that means a huge amount, people have left their graves behind of their loved ones, they've left some of them, the graves of people who died fighting for nagorno—karabakh. this is a piece of land that means a huge amount to armenians. of course, it means a lot to azerbaijanis too, around about a million azerbaijanis were actually forcibly displaced from that same territory back in the early 1990s. it is a hotly disputed piece of land, but it is now the armenians who are being forced to leave. and this area where we are now is struggling to cope with the exodus. there are refugees staying in all of the hotels here, in some of the other facilities too, and even people sleeping in their cars overnight. and there's now another town that's opened up for refugees, a couple of hours from here, because the intensity of that flow now is so huge. 0ur reporter 0lga ivshina is in the azerbaijan capital, baku.

what is the response from azerbaijan officials? what is the response from azerbai'an officials? �* . what is the response from azerbai'an officials? . ., , what is the response from azerbai'an officials? . ., . ., , ., officials? azerbai'an officials are read to officials? azerbai'an officials are ready to provide — officials? azerbaijan officials are ready to provide security - officials? azerbaijan officials are i ready to provide security guarantee and are not forcing anyone to leave, they say, but there is a lack of trust on both sides, so it is understandable why the population is not trusting those promises and is choosing to leave. at the same time azerbaijan says it reserves its right to detain and target first of all armed militants and secondly those who they view as separatists and separatist officials and that is exactly the case today when one of the separatist leaders as they are called here, or one of the ministers, was detained at a checkpoint trying to leave nagorno—karabakh and they say they have quite a long list of those who

they see as related to war crimes and they say they reserve the right to detain them. i have spoken to officials and challenged them on what their actions, especially their control and the blockade of nagorno—karabakh, what this may have meant for the civilian population. we tried to make our best in order not to have any collateral civilian damages during this operation, which actually lasted like lightning. it was less than one day and it was a very, you know, it was like a surge and precision type of action which addressed or tried to neutralise the legitimate military targets. that is the outposts of armenian armed forces inside the karabakh region of azerbaijan. and the speed with which it was achieved and also the number

of casualties among the civilian residents in karabakh, which we, of course, regret. but the numbers are dismal if you compare this to any similar other situations. so that shows that it was our intention to have this action last as shortly as possible. and then, of course, by doing so, to convince the other side that there is no way that this continued illegal presence and these fake state structures could continue to exist in the sovereign azerbaijani territory. 0urteam our team has been on the ground in nagorno—karabakhjust a our team has been on the ground in nagorno—karabakh just a few days ago, amongst the first journalist allowed in, and there are still in military presence on the ground, a lot of military vehicles, so the situation that remains a tense but stable. they have not been reports of fighting in the past few days.

thank you very much. a new york court has ruled that donald trump committed fraud by repeatedly overstating the value of his business assets. the judge said the former president exaggerated his wealth, sometimes by billions of dollars, to get cheaper loans and insurance. he cancelled some of the licences that allow mr trump's businesses to operate in new york. in a statement, mr trump denounced thejudge as deranged and the state's attorney general as corrupt. 0ur north america correspondent peter bowes reports. another legal blow for the former president. in a civil lawsuit, he and his two sons, along with the trump organisation, have been accused of staggering levels of fraud. 0ne claim is that mr trump inflated the value of his properties — hotels, golf clubs and apartment buildings — and exaggerated the size of his luxury flat in trump tower. the case is due to go to trial next week, but the judge has already ruled on part of it, and determined that the former

president repeatedly lied about his financial affairs. in a post on his social media platform truth social, donald trump called the judge deranged and said the claim he committed fraud was both ridiculous and untrue. it was, he said, another attempt by his opponents to try to prevent him from winning the next presidential election. the new york ruling means some of the trump organisation's licences to operate will be cancelled. the civil case is in addition to the four major criminal trials donald trump is facing. while some opinion polls now show him edging in front ofjoe biden in the race to regain the white house. live now to cbs correspondent, scott macfarlane, in new york. how is this being received by mr trump's supporters? his political

su ort trump's supporters? his political sunport seems — trump's supporters? his political support seems impenetrable - trump's supporters? his political support seems impenetrable by l trump's supporters? his political| support seems impenetrable by a criminal case, so much so his lead in the polls are so overwhelming among republican candidates he is not even going to show up tonight as a planned national republican presidential debate in california. he has this trial which begins monday, a civil trial against his company forfraud, which monday, a civil trial against his company for fraud, which the judge has already determined happened, he has already determined happened, he has criminal trials in washington, new york and miami all coming in the next few months. none of this damage is his political support among republican voters to view the department ofjustice in washington and other prosecutors as weapon icing their power to try to take him down. —— weapon arising their power. his supporters believe it very much to be true. ., ., , , his supporters believe it very much to be true-— his supporters believe it very much to be true. ., ., , ,.,' . to be true. how does this affect the trial he is facing _ to be true. how does this affect the trial he is facing next _ to be true. how does this affect the trial he is facing next week? - to be true. how does this affect the trial he is facing next week? next l trial he is facing next week? next week he has _ trial he is facing next week? next week he has a _ trial he is facing next week? next week he has a number— trial he is facing next week? next week he has a number of- trial he is facing next week? tier week he has a number of issues sets in, the trial in new york begins

monday that wejust in, the trial in new york begins monday that we just referred to, he also has in washington, dc this fight to try to stop an audit to overturn the 2020 election and there are still those classifying documents which is on a trajectory towards a may start date. documents which is on a tra'ectory towards a may start date._ towards a may start date. scott, thank ou towards a may start date. scott, thank you very _ towards a may start date. scott, thank you very much _ towards a may start date. scott, thank you very much for - towards a may start date. scott, thank you very much for your - towards a may start date. scott, i thank you very much for your time, appreciate it. now to germany, where members of a neo—nazi extremist group — regarded as one of the country's most dangerous — have been targeted in a series of police raids. officers entered dozens of homes and offices linked to the racist and anti—semitic group on wednesday. the network use nazi—era literature to promote

theories of racial superiority. stay with us here on bbc news. more on these stories, including a 15—year—old girl has been stabbed to death in croydon. the metropolitan police said it is investigating the incident and this happened on a bus incident and this happened on a bus in south london, a 15—year—old girl stabbed to death and pronounced dead at the scene at 9:21am. the metropolitan police says specialist officers are working with the girl's family to support them through this difficult time and that their thoughts are with them. we will bring you much more on this story when we have it and as you can see, there is a page up on the bbc news website as well and on the bbc news app website as well and on the bbc news app to get the very latest. will also bring you more on the situation in nagorno—karabakh where armenian forces say even more people have crossed the border. do stick with us, more still to come.

hello again. some of us are already feeling the effects of storm agnes, which has been coming in from the southwest. and it's going to continue to push north eastwards through the rest of the day. it's bringing rain, but also very strong winds, gales, even severe gales for some of us. now, the strongest winds as we go through the rest of the morning, into the afternoon, will be in areas adjacent to the irish sea. and as the storm pushes north eastwards later, the winds will strengthen across eastern scotland and also northeast england. so potential for some disruption to travel and also the potential for some damage. a lot of rain coming out of this storm as well as it moves steadily north eastwards. northern ireland could well have as much as 50 millimetres of rain. falling on already saturated ground, there's the risk of localised flooding, but the south eastern parts of the midlands having a dry day with some sunshine and also the north of scotland not seeing that rain till this evening

when storm agnes continues to push northwards, continues to weaken. but it will still be a windy night. but it's going to be a very mild night for the time of year, with overnight lows between 13 and 15 degrees. now, as we head on into tomorrow, here's the remnants of storm agnes pushing into the norwegian sea. the isobars tell their own story. it's going to be windy, particularly in the northern half of the country. this cold front coming into northern ireland later will introduce some rain. so a lot of dry weather to start with as the remnants of storm agnes pushes away. and we've got the weather front coming in with some rain to northern ireland. the winds could be squally around this through the course of the afternoon as well. temperatures down a touch on today, m to about 20 degrees north to south. then as we head on into friday, we've got the remnants of an overnight front taking its patchy rain with it away into the new continent. into the near continent. some heavy showers in the north and the west, heaviest in northern scotland, but a lot of dry weather, a fair bit of sunshine

during the course of friday and temperatures 13 to about 21 degrees. it'll still be windy, though, across the north of scotland. then as we head on into the weekend, it's a bit of a mixture. there'll be showers at times, will be some longer spells of rain, particularly in the north and the west. but it's going to be mild and especially so on sunday for the 1st of october.

this is bbc news. the headlines... green anger over the green light. environmental groups criticise the approval for new oil and gas fields off the coast of scotland. at least 115 people die in a fire at an iraqi wedding party. it's thought it might have been caused by indoor fireworks. a quarter of nagorno—karabakh's population leaves the disputed territory. armenia says more than 40,000 people have crossed its border. north korea will expel an american soldier who crossed the dmz, after saying he claimed �*inhuman' treatment in the us army. let's go back to our top story. the approval of the uk's largest untapped oil field north of scotland has intensified debate about how exactly we chart a path to net zero emissions by 2050. the rosebank project could realease more than 155 million tonnes of c02 over its lifetime —

a figure the greens say would be more than the combined emissions