welcome to bbc news — i'm david eades. our top stories: the worst drought in a0 years leaves hundreds of thousands of somalian is facing extreme hunger. somalian is facing extreme hunaer. x; :: :: :: :: :: somalian is facing extreme huner.,':1iii 11:11: , somalian is facing extreme hunuer, ,':ifi :: i: i: i: , a, hunger. 300,000 people are livina hunger. 300,000 people are livin: in hunger. 300,000 people are living in famine _ hunger. 300,000 people are living in famine conditions . living in famine conditions with another 2 million on the brink of famine. so it is hard to imaginea brink of famine. so it is hard to imagine a situation more desperate, more urgent, more compelling. ukrainian forces retake yet more territory abandoned by russian troops. we have an extended report on the high price being paid. russian army uniforms and boots, all of this cast aside by russian troops. what happened here wasn'tjust a defeat for president putin. it was a complete humiliation.

twitter confirms that the world's richest man, elon musk, is going through with his bid to buy the company. australia announces plans to halt its extinction crisis to save more than 100 endangered species. # when i was born a coalminer�*s daughter. and musicians and fans pay tribute to the american country music star loretta lynn, who's died at the age of 90. it is one of the most severe humanitarian crises anywhere in the world right now. somalia is in the grip of the worst drought since the 1980's. hundreds of thousands of people, many trapped by conflict,

are facing extreme hunger and death. a full blown famine where households have no food, children suffer acute malnutrition and people die every day from starvation is likely within a matter of weeks, we are told. 0ur africa correspondent, andrew harding, reported on somalia's last famine in 2011, in which 250,000 people died. he sent this report from baidoa in the southwest of somalia, it's a city at the heart of the current crisis. baby cries. in a crowded hospital in baidoa, 2—year—old mohammed clings to life, week with hunger. "this is the worst drought we've ever been through," says his mother. "i worry for all my children." another child is brought in with swollen limbs, a sign of severe malnutrition. two of his sisters have died in the past fortnight. and already, in this unfolding catastrophe, the hospital is already

struggling to cope. sometimes we lack supplies. you lack supplies? that must be incredibly frustrating. sure, sure. when it happens, it's actually terrifying because people are dying and we cannot support them. 0n the dusty plains around the city, more families arrive each hour and set up camp. bringing little with them but stories of dead cattle, dead crops and a rural way of life that a changing climate will no longer tolerate. officially, no famine has been declared yet here in somalia. but today, right now, 300,000 people are living in famine conditions with another 2 million on the brink of famine, so it is hard to imagine a situation more desperate, more urgent, more compelling. there is help arriving here in baidoa and plans for much more support.

but it is too slow. the things we do now, we needed to do three months ago. so in reality, we are behind. i think something catastrophic will happen in this area. by catastrophic, you meanfamine spreading? famine spreading. but drought is not the only challenge. somalia is at war. a long fight against an islamist insurgency is limiting access to many vulnerable communities. fatima 0mar managed to escape from the conflict but her ten—year—old son died of hunger soon after reaching baidoa. he is buried here beside the family's makeshift camp. "i cannot grieve for my son." "there is no time," she says. "i need to find work and food to keep my "other children alive." listening to her is her 11—year—old son. the mention of his brother is too much for him. 0ne family among millions are now wrestling with drought, war and our climate emergency.

andrew harding, bbc news, baidoa, somalia. ukraine's forces have retaken more territory from the russians in the south. the focus is near the city of kherson, in one of the regions unlawfully annexed by russia last week. ukraine's president volodymyr zelensky says his troops are making rapid and powerful advances against russian forces and dozens of settlements had been recaptured from the russian military in the south and east. over the weekend, ukraine retook the strategic eastern town of lyman — which the russians had been using as a logistics base. but both sides paid a heavy price for the fighting there. 0ur senior international correspondent 0rla guerin sent this report which includes some distressing images. driving into lyman — now liberated soil.

ukraine is clawing back territory. it has the momentum. but among the ruins, victory can look bleak. further in, the wreckage of war. and among the pines, there is death. along the roadside, evidence of the human cost of russia's defeat. the bodies of fallen soldiers, still lying where they fell. ukrainian volunteers keep watch over the dead, trying to help identify the remains. unknown soldiers in vladimir putin's war. left behind when his forces retreated. once, they were someone's husband or someone's son. a few steps away, a soviet book for teenagers entitled

"adventure library". and something else russian troops left behind. anti—tank mines — barely visible. what happened here wasn'tjust a defeat for president putin. it was a complete humiliation. back at the edge of town, ukrainian forces head for new battles. they know they need to move fast. soon, freezing winter weather could slow their advance. 0rla guerin, bbc news, lyman. elon musk says he is willing to purchase twitter after all after months of trying to back out of the $aa billion deal to acquire the platform. mist musk sent twitter a letter in which he said he would buy it at the agreed—upon price. that could bring to end a very bitter legal dispute and allow both sides to avoid a messy public

trial said to begin in a couple of weeks. following the announcement in the last few hours the world's richest man tweeted buying twitter is an accelerant tweeted buying twitter is an accelera nt to tweeted buying twitter is an accelerant to creating acts, the everything app. 0ur accelerant to creating acts, the everything app. our process —— our reporter has the latest. elon musk has spent the last few months saying twitter far more fake accounts in the company is publicly acknowledged. he has reduced the reputation of twitter so it was surprising when we learn today that elon musk does in fact want to buy twitter and for the price agreed. twitter have had their fingers for the price agreed. twitter have had theirfingers burned by elon musk before. he is wanted by the company then he did not know it does and you can see from the statement that they put out that they are nervous. they are pretty much set —— said that they will force musk to purchase the company whether he likes it or not. and there was nothing particularly celebratory about the statement from twitter. elon musk has said on twitter

that he wants to create and everything app out of tweet cold acts. i don't know what that means, perhaps only elon musk knows what that potentially be like. but what this means for twitter going forward is less moderation meaning more free speech but also more hate speech and, crucially for the chief executive of twitter, it does not get on well with elon musk and if the deal goes through he will have to look for a new job. will have to look for a new “ob. �* , , , ., ., , job. let's bring you the latest on this, job. let's bring you the latest on this. the _ job. let's bring you the latest on this, the north _ job. let's bring you the latest on this, the north korean - on this, the north korean launch of a ballistic missile overjapan on tuesday. it has elicited a robust response, as promised, from the us and south korea. both countries have fired missiles of their own off the japanese coast. seoul said four short range weapons were used in the exercise, in a demonstration designed to deter further provocations from pyongyang. washington and seoul also

carried out a precision air bombing exercise. the missile itself was the fifth in the last few days, following military exercises involving the us, south korea and japan. it travelled about a,500 kilometres before falling into the pacific ocean. it's believed to have been the longest distance ever travelled for a north korean test flight. let's go live to chicago and speak to karl freedhoff, korea expert at the chicago council on global affairs. thank you forjoining us. i don't know who is putting out a stronger message here but what did you make, first of all, of the decision by north korea to send a missile directly over japan. send a missile directly over ja an. ,, send a missile directly over jaan, ., ., send a missile directly over 13.3", ,, ., ., send a missile directly over jaan. ,, ., ., .,, japan. quite a long way, as well. there _ japan. quite a long way, as well. there are _ japan. quite a long way, as well. there are three - japan. quite a long way, as well. there are three key i well. there are three key points here in the first is that this is not new, north korea has done this before in 2017. the second point is that this is not over. north korea will continue to test its icbms or they may step —— its

intermediate rain or they may step up to an icbm but the third point is that this is not stoppable. no matter what the united states, south korea and japan do there is little they can do to stop north korea from climbing up that ladder and continuing to consume new weapons and technology. dissing the exercise _ weapons and technology. dissing the exercise recently _ weapons and technology. dissing the exercise recently carried - the exercise recently carried out by career —— south korea japan and the us is a public relations exercise doesn't make no difference?— no difference? north korea will see it as a _ no difference? north korea will see it as a provocation - no difference? north korea will see it as a provocation but - no difference? north korea will see it as a provocation but the | see it as a provocation but the reality is north korea wants to test these missile systems no matter what happens. they were testing in january and february, this is the busiest year of testing on record for north korea. so in direct response towards the united states and japan are doing but the reality is that north korea does not need a reason to test and at least not that provided

by the us. it is most likely testing systems and weapons. you mentioned by the end of the month that could be a nuclear test. how much more disconcerting is that than the sort of thing we are seeing, it is almost a daily basis at the moment. fix, is almost a daily basis at the moment-— moment. a nuclear test certainly _ moment. a nuclear test certainly races - moment. a nuclear test certainly races the - moment. a nuclear test certainly races the anti- certainly races the anti— especially if they parent with smaller nuclear testing and develop tactical nuclear weapons. that will certainly be a concern. if you look around the world, the media is less concerned about it and country seemed less concerned at least on the short range and intermediate range ballistic missiles and i think this is part of a process that north korea is carrying out to try and normalise their weapons programmes overall. will they be able to do that? probably not. but they are making progress on the missile programmes.— progress on the missile programmes.

progress on the missile rourammes. ., ~ ., , programmes. thank you for being with us here _ programmes. thank you for being with us here on _ programmes. thank you for being with us here on bbc _ programmes. thank you for being with us here on bbc news. - programmes. thank you for being with us here on bbc news. still. with us here on bbc news. still to come on the programme, tributes coming in from around the world for the country music star loretta lynn who has passed away at the air of 90. —— the age of 90. this was a celebration by people who were relishing their freedom. they believe everything's going to be different from now on, they think their country will be respected in the world once more, as it used to be, before slobodan milosevic took power. the dalai lama, the exiled spiritual leader of tibet, has won this year's nobel peace prize. as the parade _ was reaching its climax, two grenades exploded and a group of soldiersjumped from a military truck _ taking part in the parade and run towards the president, firing from — kalashnikov automatic rifles. after a37 years, the skeletal ribs of henry viii�*s tragic warship emerged. but even as divers worked to buoy her up, the mary rose went through another heart—stopping drama.

i want to be the people's governor. i want to represent everybody. i believe in the people of california. cheering and applause this is bbc news, the latest headlines: ukrainian authorities say fighting is continuing in a number of areas in the east as the country's forces re—take more territory from the russians in the south. both sides have suffered heavy losses. twitter has confirmed the world's richest man, elon musk, is going through with his bid to buy the company. australia has announced plans to halt its extinction crisis and save more than 100 species. they include iconic species like the koala.

it's the first time a federal government has announced a zero extinctions target for australia's plants and animals. the 10—year plan also aims to protect an additional 50 million hectares of land and sea area by 2027. let's hear from australia's environment minister, tanya plibersek. threatened species action plan is ambitious and specific plan to stop further extensions in australia. we learned from the state of the environmental report, which i released some months ago, that the state of the australian environment is bad, and getting worse. we are the mammal extinction capital of the world. we have seen around 100 species lost in the time since colonisation and we absolutely have to turn that around. if we keep doing what we are doing, we will keep getting the same results. and i

believe that _ getting the same results. and i believe that is _ getting the same results. and i believe that is the _ getting the same results. and i believe that is the definition i believe that is the definition of lunacy! conservationists have welcomed aspects of the plan, but were critical that australia identified only 110 species when almost 2,000 are listed as threatened under national laws. this state of the environment report published in july found that australia has lost more species to extinction than any other continent. i'm joined by the conservation director by the evasive species council from canberra. director by the evasive species councilfrom canberra. thank council from canberra. thank you councilfrom canberra. thank you forjoining us. first of all, what is your response to the government announcement? thank you for having me. look, it is very welcome. it is a really strong statement to say that a federal government and national government will drawn a line in the sand when it comes to a loss of native wildlife and ecosystems and say no more extinctions. that is a

bold move. as you outlined, the proof will be in the putting. and what the policies, reforms and funding that follow this goal, and how they deliver, on zero extinction, is what will be the key test.— zero extinction, is what will be the key test. seem to have marked out — be the key test. seem to have marked out this _ be the key test. seem to have marked out this number, - be the key test. seem to have l marked out this number, about 100, 110 marked out this number, about 100,110 different marked out this number, about 100, 110 different species. what is your feeling about that in terms of its ambition, i suppose? it in terms of its ambition, i moose?— in terms of its ambition, i suppose? in terms of its ambition, i sun-ose? ,., , ., ~ ., suppose? it is a start. we have almost 2000 — suppose? it is a start. we have almost 2000 nationally - almost 2000 nationally threatened species and ecosystems in australia. we lead the world when it comes to mammal extinctions and fourth overall when it comes to the extinction of all types of animals. so we have some really horrific global titles, and making a start towards investing the resources and co—ordinated recovery actions and threat abatement actions, and threat abatement actions, and that is the key thing,

tackling the key threats, because they are well understood in australia, and thatis understood in australia, and that is a start. there are 1900 other species that sit on the brink and we need to make sure we are tackling those as well. the state of the environment report, which this has been drawn off talked about a shocking decline in the plant and animal life within australia. can you give us an idea as to what is the main cause of this, though. is it about mining and big industry destroying parts of the landscape? is it about climate change? is it about these invasive species which is actually in your title of nonindigenous animals that are basically carving up the rest? to be frank, it is all of the above. four major drivers of biodiesel — destruction, climate damage, pollution, and

fire and other species. when we talk about invasive species, which is, which mice perspective on this issue, australia loses 1.5 billion native animals every year, just to the impacts of feral cats. cats were introduced to australia when it was colonised and our native wildlife here have not evolved the techniques to avoid the predation impacts of cats. cats have been responsible for the majority of australia's mammal extinctions and tackling the feral cat issue in australia is a really top priority. issue in australia is a really top priority-— issue in australia is a really top priority. huge numbers. briefl , top priority. huge numbers. briefly, regulating - top priority. huge numbers. briefly, regulating this - top priority. huge numbers. briefly, regulating this and l briefly, regulating this and making it happen, i mean, how do you do that? the making it happen, i mean, how do you do that?— do you do that? the federal government _ do you do that? the federal government has _ do you do that? the federal government has also - do you do that? the federal - government has also committed to responding to a landmark review of our national environment laws, which are well out of date, 22 years old now. they are in dire need of

updating. we will see that play out next year. the challenge really now rests on the environment minister and the albanese government to deliver on its commitment to zero commit, strengthening laws to make sure we have the co—ordinated action — — zero extinction, and investing money to tackle some of the greatest threats. as you said it is a start in your view and thank you very much forjoining us. now to a potential breakthrough in getting rid of plastic in the environment. researchers in spain have found that saliva from the larvae of wax worms can break down some of the toughest types of plastic. tom brada reports. plastic pollution is one of the great environmental crises of our time. great environmental crises of ourtime. could great environmental crises of our time. could the humble worm potentially provide a solution? this specific worm, you can see

wriggling away, is the wax worms, and spanish researchers say they have discovered chemicals in the wax worms's drawl that can break down polyethylene, one of the most widely used plastics in the world. ., ., ., ., , world. now we found that worms can do that _ world. now we found that worms can do that through _ world. now we found that worms can do that through their - can do that through their saliva and in the saliva there are two enzymes that can actually oxidise the polyethylene. actually oxidise the ol eth lene. ., polyethylene. according to the scientist, who _ polyethylene. according to the scientist, who carried - polyethylene. according to the scientist, who carried out - polyethylene. according to the scientist, who carried out the l scientist, who carried out the research, just one hours exposure to the saliva can break down the plastic is effective as years of weathering, and it could be crucial. polyethylene is an extremely useful, but durable, material. first created in 1933, it is cheap to produce and does not interact with food. that means it can be particularly useful for things like food packaging but it can also be very hard to get rid of. ., ., . ., . , also be very hard to get rid of. ., ., . , of. the original concept about in the environment, -

of. the original concept about in the environment, it - of. the original concept about in the environment, it is - in the environment, it is physical and didn't much offence. with a controlled involvement, we can see it bigger than smaller that it was and you can imagine we have to collect the plastic and then we poor leeches of a solution of the enzymes in there.- poor leeches of a solution of the enzymes in there. wax worms currently have _ the enzymes in there. wax worms currently have a _ the enzymes in there. wax worms currently have a tricky _ currently have a tricky reputation. they are actually considered pests by beekeepers but if they preferred a useful weapon for tackling plastic problems we may have to rethink their reputation! tom brada, bbc news. the american country music singer and songwriter loretta lynn has died at the age of ninety. # well i was born a coalminer�*s daughter... known as the queen of country, her songs were rooted in real—life experience, daughter. 0ther hits included don't come home a—drinkin',

honky tonk girl and the feminist anthem, the pill. her career spanned six decades during which she received more awards than any other female country recording artist. charlie mattos is a presenter at wsm radio and an announcer at the famous grand ole 0pry. hejoins us now from nashville. i guess loretta len, looking at it, she is the archetypal country singer, isn't she? she think about what she lived? absolutely and a pleasure to be with you this morning. yeah i think it was the honesty in the lyrics that connected her with so many generations of country music fans. from coal mine daughter which she mentioned, don't come home a drinking, there was a feisty nurse, and honesty in her, in her lyrics and singing thatjust made her so relatable to so many people. there were a couple of things

that struck me, charlie. 0ne that struck me, charlie. one was how she made her mark. she was how she made her mark. she was unrelenting in the early days, wasn't she? pushing herself forward, along with a husband but as a duo, they were determined to make it?- determined to make it? yeah, and i think— determined to make it? yeah, and i think when _ determined to make it? yeah, and i think when you - determined to make it? yeah, and i think when you are - determined to make it? yeah, and i think when you are in - determined to make it? yeah, | and i think when you are in the process of being a child blazer, you don't really realise that you are being a child blazer and you do what you do to survive — trailblazer. the best compliment you could give to her is this series of great singer songwriters who would use her as inspiration to this day. there are so many young artists who will quote loretta lynn or use her as inspiration for the legacy continues. yeah, it was not easy back in the day. and she paved the path for an awful lot of people. she day. and she paved the path for an awful lot of people.— an awful lot of people. she was married quite _ an awful lot of people. she was married quite young. _ an awful lot of people. she was married quite young. a - an awful lot of people. she was married quite young. a very - married quite young. a very tempestuous marriage as well from what i've been reading!

perhaps it was part of the success, for the best part of 50 years she had so much, dare i say, raw material to draw on! the beauty of loretta lynn, she was unapologetically loretto. she did not get herfame winning a game show, she was not auto tune or vocally corrected in the studio. she was exactly who she appeared to be and i think that if people loved. there is something about someone being honest and putting themselves out there. she maybe was not everybody�*s cup of tea but those who loved her, truly loved herfor cup of tea but those who loved her, truly loved her for who she was and there is an honesty there that i think, to this day, is very much appreciated. authenticity is hard to beat, isn't it? thank you very much indeed for sharing your

recollections. just to say, if you want more on that, it is on their website and i am on twitter. hello. wednesday gets off to a windy start, a wet start in northern and western areas. got an area of low pressure which is spinning up across the uk and will quickly move on towards scandinavia, there'll be a trailing weather front from it though that'll rain southwards which will begin wednesday dry and following on behind, it'll be sunshine and blustery showers. this is how things look at 6:00 in the morning. bit of a wet night in northern ireland and across much of scotland, heavier rain for wales and north—west england. look how mild it is, though, through wales and england in particular as the day begins. quite quickly the rain out of northern ireland, it'll be out of much of scotland by end of morning, brighter skies following on behind with scattered showers, some heavy and maybe thundery, moving through quickly on gusty winds. wales and northern and western

england turning drier into the afternoon, sunny spells, chance of a shower, and through the afternoon, spell a brief spell of rain moving through east anglia and the south—east after what is a dry start to the day here, maybe a few sunny spells. it is a windy day, these are some wind gusts, there'll be stronger ones through irish sea coasts, particularly north wales and north—west england, very windy to begin the day and temperatures actually come down a bit once the rain has moved on through so it will feel cooler and particularly fresher into the afternoon. of course, that's helped by that gusty wind. we continue with some showers moving in overnight, wednesday into thursday, particularly towards the north—west of the uk mayjust merge to give a longer spell of rain moving in here. it will become mainly dry the further south you are through wales and england, lower temperatures, so a cooler start to the day on thursday. high pressure to the south keeping many southern areas essentially dry on thursday. whereas another set of weather fronts are coming close to northern ireland and scotland so here, there'll be a few showers around to begin the day but the idea will be that it'll tend to cloud over and we will see some outbreaks of rain coming into northern ireland and push in parts of scotland. by the end of the day, some of this could be quite heavy in places, notice further south,

though, it is mainly dry and a quite bit of sunshine around here. more heavy rain in parts of northern ireland and scotland, overnight and into friday, then pushing through wales and england on friday, very slowly, mind you. behind it, so further north you are, you're back into the sunnier skies, brisk winds still, there'll be showers around, some of them could be heavy, maybe with a rumble of thunder. an area of high pressure nosing in across the uk to give many places a dry start to the weekend before we see further outbreaks of rain, mainly to the north and west as we go on through sunday.

hello again you are watching bbc news. these are the headlines. president zelensky says that ukrainian troops are making rapid and powerful advances against russian forces. in his nightly video address he asserted that in the last week ago dozens of settlements have been recaptured in the south and east and acknowledged also that both sides had suffered losses. twitter has confirmed that the world's richest man, elon musk, is going through with his bid to purchase the company. mr musk previously tried to break out of the deal citing an unexpectedly high number of fake accounts. twitter shares have been suspended following the news of the reactivated proposal. musicians and fans

will pay their tributes to the american country music star loretta lynn was passed away at the age of 90. she enjoyed a six decade long career. those other headlines. time now for panorama. tonight on panorama... he's braking, and he's indicating left. ..we expose an environmental scandal. so clearly, we've tracked the logs all the way back to the pellet plant. how precious forests are used to make electricity in the uk. can you see what's going on there when you look through? the conveyor is feeding the logs through a chipper. we reveal how britain's supposedly green power station is harming the planet. you very publicly say that you avoid damage or disturbance to high carbon forests. that's a lie.

we don't take whole trees.