welcome to bbc news. i'm rich preston. our top stories: a speaker has not been elected. the longest race in more than 150 years — kevin mccarthy repeatedly loses the vote to be elected speaker of the house. deadly violence in mexico follows the arrest of a leader of an infamous drugs gang. the battle to protect forests in the philippines, devastated by illegal logging and mining. and prince harry alleges in his new memoir that his brother prince william physically attacked him.

welcome to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe. paralysis continues in the us congress — the republican leader in the us house of representatives, kevin mccarthy, has failed in his 11th attempt to get elected speaker of the house. the session has now been adjourned and voting will continue on friday. a small group within kevin mccarthy's own party has been derailing attempts to elect him. republicans took control of the house in november's midterm elections, but the deadlock has left the chamber unable to swear in members or pass legislation. gary o'donoghue reports. the total number of votes cast is 434. it hasn't taken this long to elect a speaker in more than 160 years, and that was before

the american civil war. now, into a third day, the deadlock remains. the republican leader still unable to get enough votes within his own party but nor can anyone else. we are just going to keep working until we solve it. or maybe not. a speaker has not been elected. and while there is no speaker, the house can't do a thing — no committees, no legislation, no rules. a chamber utterly paralysed and locked into a seemingly endless loop. well, it's groundhog day. democrats who have voted for their leader solidly on every ballot have been quietly enjoying the spectacle. some rebels are even voting for people who aren't members of the house. donald john trump. for two nights, negotiations have gone long with little outcome. the 20 or so rebels have extracted multiple concessions during this process.

every one of them weakening the position for whoever ends up as speaker. that means this wafer—thin republican majority in the house will be hard to manage and the internal strife is set to continue for the next two years. eventually, pressure will go for some kind of compromise candidate among republicans, but no one has any idea how long that could take. gary o'donoghue, bbc news, washington. let's talk now to mollyjong—fast, special correspondent for vanity fair and host of the fast politics podcast. she's been watching this like a hawk. good to what on you know, kevin all of us thought, this is he does not have the votes but

sort party and— does not have the votes but sort party and condition still have them _ sort party and condition still have them do _ sort party and condition still have them do what - sort party and condition still have them do what they - sort party and condition still. have them do what they want. sort party and condition still- have them do what they want. at the end _ have them do what they want. at the end of— have them do what they want. at the end of the day, they are really— the end of the day, they are really enjoying this.- really enjoying this. these congresspeople _ really enjoying this. these congresspeople you - really enjoying this. these congresspeople you never| really enjoying this. these - congresspeople you never hear

about them, some of these people are famous, but some of them you would never hear about, and they are real backbenchers and they are going on television being famous and have these sort of mini trump types. have these sort of mini trump es. ~ . ., , , types. meanwhile the house is in limbo, can't _ types. meanwhile the house is in limbo, can't put— types. meanwhile the house is in limbo, can't put new - types. meanwhile the house is i in limbo, can't put new members into their seats, can't pass legislation are damaging is this politically for the republican party. i this politically for the republican party. this politically for the reublican pa . ., �* ~ republican party. i don't think the voters _ republican party. i don't think the voters like _ republican party. i don't think the voters like to _ republican party. i don't think the voters like to watch - the voters like to watch dysfunction. it's like the government shutdown. voters put you in the house to do government. it's like schrodinger �*s house, there is no house, it's not in session, it's either not in session or in, there is no—one running it. i don't think voters like this and it's also undermining the whole republican party, and the way the politics works. in the longer it goes on, the less powerful kevin mccarthy �*s if you become speaker, and ultimately i think you won't.

many republicans would just say this is ordinary politics of play, wheeling and dealing and coming up to agreements. what do the democrats make of this? i mean, i don't think, this is not happened in 100 years, and the fact that it is dysfunctional, and the republican party has been very dysfunctional. and i don't think this is the way to do it and it's really a testament to nancy pelosi and how she was trying to, you never saw her bringing up a vote was going to win, but especially in the house of reps, it's much harder thanit house of reps, it's much harder than it looks. i don't think this is doing republicans any favours. how do you see this ending? i think, favours. how do you see this ending? ithink, again i favours. how do you see this ending? i think, again i could be wrong, please holdouts are not going to go along and eventually, it would go to

steve scalise, this number to republican and he will ultimately speaker, he quietly positioned himself as number two, and these freedom caucus quys two, and these freedom caucus guys will get sick of this and decide finally they want to make a deal and will make a deal with steve scalise. thank ou ve deal with steve scalise. thank you very much _ deal with steve scalise. thank you very much for _ deal with steve scalise. thank you very much forjoining - deal with steve scalise. thank you very much forjoining us. | let's cross the border to mexico now, where three members of the country's security forces have died in the northwestern state of sinaloa in violence that's broken out following the arrest one of the leaders of an infamous criminal gang. 0vidio guzman—lopez is the son of the notorious drug lord dubbed �*el chapo'. the arrest comes just days before us presidentjoe biden is due to visit mexico for a summit next week. azadeh moshiri reports. el chapo's drug cartel is fighting back another state of sinaloa is locked in battle. the notorious drug lord is

serving a life sentence in the united states. and now, after six months of careful surveillance, exco's armed forces have captured his son, 0visio guzman—lopez. translation: after repelling a direct attack, the security forces identified a video among the members of the criminal group. they were arrested while carrying weapons that belonged exclusively to the mexican army and the air force. moments after his arrest, cells that are part of his criminal group set up19 are part of his criminal group set up 19 roadblocks and armed attacks in different parts in the city of culiacan. the governor _ the city of culiacan. the governor 's _ the city of culiacan. the governor 's warning - the city of culiacan. the governor 's warning residents governor �*s warning residents to shelter in place, warning there is a danger across the city of culiacan. even a plane scheduled to fly from the city was hit by bullets before taking off. the mexican defence minister has said us officials assisted with the surveillance

operation. el chapo's son has been on america's radar for some time stop the state department claims he and his brotherjoquin have seen over 11 methamphetamine labs and sinaloa. he also oversaw the murder of informants, a drug cracked trafficker and even a popular mexican singer who had refused to sing at his wedding. we have course at been following the violence in parts of mexico, namely and sinaloa, over the past few days, there have been reports of gunfire roadblocks, and fires throughout the cities of culiacan, los mochis in sinaloa, mexico. this is in the first time the cartel has taken hold of the area. he was arrested before in october 2019 but the president ordered his release to put an end to the violence that broke out. this time, the same question hovers over officials. how far are

they willing to go to keep hold of el chapo's some? azadeh moshiri, bbc news. let's get some of the day's other news: ukraine has dismissed an announcement by president putin of a 36 hour ceasefire to coincide with russian orthdox christmas. president zelensky said the truce was an attempt to stop ukraine's military advances and allow russian forces and equipment to move closer to ukrainian positions. the ceasefire is due to come into effect at midday on friday. a new study says around half of the world's glaciers are likely to disappear by the end of the century because of climate change. it estimates 49% will vanish even if global temperature rise is limited to 1—and—a—half degrees celsius above pre—industrial levels —— the ambitious goal set at the paris climate conference in 2015. now there have been further revelations

by prince harry about his life in britain's royalfamily. his new book isn't due out until next week — but parts of it have already been made public after it was accidentally put on sale early in parts of spain. it contains a series of claims and deeply personal stories about his family — including an allegation his brother prince william physically attacked harry in 2019. here's our royal correspondent, nicholas witchell. i don't know how staying silent is ever going to make things better. so says harry, in the latest trailer for the interview he's given to itv, setting out his grievances against his family — grievances which are to be set out in startling detail in his book, spare, to be published worldwide next tuesday. the guardian's new york correspondent has obtained a leaked copy of the book and in it, he says, harry gives details of a physical attack on him by his elder brother. it evidently happened in 2019 at harry's home inside kensington palace. according to this account, the brothers had an angry confrontation.

william called meghan "difficult", "rude" and "abrasive". harry said william was "parroting the press narrative." then, according to the guardian account... harry, it appears, has no regrets about sharing private family moments. he is challenged by tom bradby in the itv interview. wouldn't your brother say to you, harry, how could you do this to me, after everything, after everything we went through, wouldn't that be what he would say? he'd probably say all sorts of different things. some people will say you have railed against invasions of your privacy all your life, but the accusation will be, here are you invading the privacy of your most nearest

and dearest without permission. that will be the accusation. that will be the accusation from the people that don't understand or don't want to believe that my family have been briefing the press. so amid all these attacks on his family, what does harry see as his future? if you are invited to the coronation, will you come? there is a lot that can happen between now and then, but, you know, the door is always open. the ball is in their court. there's a lot to be discussed and i really hope they are willing to sit down and talk about it. for now neither buckingham palace nor kensington palace are making any comment. i'm joined now by autumn brewington, opinions editor and former royal blogger at the washington post. lots of stories coming out now. of this lots of stories coming out now. of this altercation with william, stories of him experimenting with different drugs, what is your take? we're

caettin a drugs, what is your take? we're getting a number— drugs, what is your take? we're getting a number personal - getting a number personal details and he is saying this much about family members. what much about family members. what kinds of things _ much about family members. what kinds of things surprised you the most?— kinds of things surprised you the most? . , , ., ., the most? really 'ust more of the most? really 'ust more of the details h the most? really 'ust more of the details for — the most? reallyjust more of the details for instance - the most? reallyjust more of the details for instance this i the details for instance this was the back story to meghan and kate's crying over the dress. or the exchange he had with his brother which has been in reported as william involving him in a physical fight. involving him in a physical fiuht. ., .., ., fight. no comment from buckingham _ fight. no comment from buckingham or- fight. no comment from l buckingham or kensington palace, but behind the scenes, what would be going on, what would people be thinking? behind the scenes, they want this story to go away as fast as possible so commenting would just give it more life and potentially opens the door by

saying this allegation was not true, over here may have been true, over here may have been true, what more can you tell us and do not want to under that slippery slope. and do not want to under that slippery slope-— slippery slope. and what they see as hypocrisy _ slippery slope. and what they see as hypocrisy from - slippery slope. and what they see as hypocrisy from prince | see as hypocrisy from prince harry, one hand he says he does not like the media, the intrusion on his private life and on the other hand he signs and on the other hand he signs a netflix deal, writes a book. harry and meghan have said they want to be in control of their narrative and what we are seeing here is a little bit in congress, seeing that they are willing to say things and talk about personal, private family exchanges but some of their public engagement, they had a lot of problems of wanting more control. ——in congress. it is unclear how all this publicity,

after they had their documentary series and interviews, that they would want to go on with their personal lives, what will they be going to say later. unsurprisingly, this is dominating a lot of the discussion in the uk, things like, if you pardon my language, shut up harry. how is this going down into the united states? bi; this going down into the united states? �* , . , . states? by large they were much more sympathetic _ states? by large they were much more sympathetic for _ states? by large they were much more sympathetic for harry - states? by large they were much more sympathetic for harry and i more sympathetic for harry and meghan. americans are very excited when meghan married into the royal family and then they said, if you don't want to be in britain, come here. americans do not see the same distinctions as the british do between celebrities and royalty. most americans, royalty. most americans, royalty is just a form of celebrity. on the one hand you have this kind of, oh, it is a tell all, have this kind of, oh, it is a

tellall, people have this kind of, oh, it is a tell all, people interested in what they have to say for themselves and on the other hand, you're starting to see people reaching a tipping point, how much will they tell us the same story, when will they start moving forward as opposed to looking back. thank ou ve opposed to looking back. thank you very much- _ stay with us on bbc news, still to come: we'll bring you the fishy tale of the unusual rescue of a four—legged swimmer in the pacific. the japanese people are in mourning following the death of emperor hirohito. thousands converged on the imperial palace to pay their respects when it was announced he was dead. "good grief" — after half a century of delighting fans around the world, charlie brown and the rest of the gang are calling it quits. the singer, paul simon, starts his tour of south africa

tomorrow _ in spite of protests and violence - from some _ black activist groups. they say international artists should continue to boycott south africa _ until majority rule is established. . around the world people have been paying tribute to the iconic rock star, david bowie, who sold 140 million albums in a career that spanned half a century. his family announced overnight that he died of cancer at the age of 69. the world's tallest skyscraper opens later today. the burj dubai has easily overtaken its nearest rivals. this is bbc news. the latest headline: the longest race in more than 150 years — kevin mccarthy repeatedly loses the vote to be elected speaker of the house. deadly violence in mexico follows the arrest of a leader of an infamous drugs gang.

let's go to south—east asia now, and the philippines is ranked as one of the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. it's regularly hit by powerful storms, landslides and flooding. on the country's largest island, luzon, one of its natural defences against extreme weather is at risk. the sierra madre mountain range was originally covered in rainforest, helping absorb heavy rains from typhoons that form in the pacific. but mining, quarrying and illegal logging have devastated much of the forest. our correspondent, laura bicker, has this special report on those fighting to protect the remaining forest and those who want to exploit it. many believe these mist—covered mountains help save lives. that the uneven peaks offer protection from powerful storms. but the vast sierra

madre is in peril. mining, quarrying and illegal logging have already stripped away around 90% of the original rainforest. now, among those living under the remaining canopies, there is conflict. between those desperate to make a living and those desperate to preserve life. mark sold his cow for this chainsaw nearly a decade ago. he and his wife grace hide from the authorities as they make money from selling wood for houses and construction projects. he knows it's dangerous but he says they will catch him when he's dead. translation: my message | for people is not to get angry at us because we do not actually want this. we can only get our money for basic necessities from here. they can afford to be mad because they have other sources of livelihood, but for us, we have none.

they chop and dry the wood and transport it in the dark via the river. a big order can take up to a month, but will earn them around $300. translation: they said illegal logging is destroying nature. i god gave all this to us so we can use it. others have turned their back on illegal logging. forest ranger francisco leads us and his volunteers through dense woodland to show off his latest planting site. he once made a living chopping down these trees, until a deadly landslide killed thousands. did you feel an element of guilt, is that why you became a forest ranger? translation: yes, i had trauma back then because i saw - lifeless children all lined up on the streets while the houses were all destroyed.

there weren't any houses left, even ours was gone. when i remember the things we did, i feel helpless. but this job comes with risks. 270 people have been killed in the last ten years defending filipino rainforests. translation: once we called out someone to stop cutting trees, i they told us that they might kill us. i told them that we weren't there to pick a fight and werejust explaining what will happen to all of us if they continue what they do. you won't be the only one affected, it's all of us. this is why francisco and others want to save the sierra madre.

strong typhoons and floods are becoming more frequent in the philippines. experts believe these mountains shield against the strongest winds and their dense rainforests absorb the worst of the rainfall. replanting is a long and difficult process. volunteers walk miles with saplings. but the bigger challenge will be persuading others that this land is a precious resource in the battle against climate change. and that growing new life now may save human lives in the future. laura bicker, bbc news, quezon. thousands of people gathered in the vatican on thursday to pay their respects and say their final farewell to the former pope benedict xvi. pope francisjoined pilgrims in st peter's square

to preside over the funeral of his predecessor, who resigned from the papacy in 2013. a theological conservative, he stunned the world in 2013 by resigning as head of the catholic church, saying he no longer had the "strength of mind and body" needed. he was laid to rest in the crypt of st peter's basilica. a daring rescue operation has been taking place off the coast of chile. firefighters and navy personnel were alerted to a dog — stuck on a rocky out—crop near the city of concepcion. the bbc�*s tim allman takes up the story. it's a grey leak januaryj it's a grey leakjanuaryj in the stormy waters of the south pacific. look carefully at this black rock on the moving object scampering across its surface. a dog has somehow got stranded as the wind and rain lashes down around it. rescue teams look on as the animal is slowly forced into the water. once there, as it cuddles for its life, one of the rescuers approaches from behind, trying

his best to soothe and reassure. finally, is able to grab hold of the dog and eventually it's pulled up into one of the boats. mission accomplished, although it wasn't entirely straightforward. wasn't entirely straiuhtforward. �* straightforward. translation: the rescue _ straightforward. translation: the rescue was _ straightforward. translation: the rescue was a _ straightforward. translation: the rescue was a little - the rescue was a little complicated due to the rocks, because of the steepness, but thank god we could do it successfully.— thank god we could do it successfully. thank god we could do it successfull . . . ,, ., , successfully. once back on dry land, the _ successfully. once back on dry land. the dog. _ successfully. once back on dry land, the dog, she _ successfully. once back on dry land, the dog, she by - successfully. once back on dry land, the dog, she by the i successfully. once back on dry| land, the dog, she by the way, was taken to a navy base and give it a bit of tlc. who should belonged to and how she got out on your own remains a mystery. she will now be put up for adoption. mystery. she will now be put up foradoption. her mystery. she will now be put up for adoption. her new home will hopefully be a bit more hospitable and a little less damp. tim allman, bbc news. less, i would adopt her in a heartbeat. much more of those stories on the bbc news website or the bbc news app.

you can reach me on twitter — i'm @richpreston. hello there. the weather's going to calm down a bit on friday, but we've got more wet and windy weather to come this weekend. another area of low pressure, weather fronts to eventually push in from the west. this weather front has brought some heavy rain and gusty winds. that area of low pressure is where we've got the strongest of the winds in scotland. even first thing in the morning, it's very windy through the central belt of scotland, but the strongest winds will be in northern parts of the country, gusting 60 or 70 miles an hour. and we've also got a lot of showers coming into scotland. that band of rain sweeping away from england and wales will be followed by clear skies and temperatures early in the morning, 6—7 degrees. lots of showers, though, to begin with in scotland,

very windy start, but the winds do moderate. the showers become fewer and we'll see some sunshine. other parts of the uk seeing some sunshine, especially in the morning, but tending to cloud over a bit more in western areas in the afternoon. a little bit of rain coming into the south—west of england and south wales as well. a breezy day, a mild day, temperatures 9—12 degrees on friday afternoon. but there is this band of rain here coming into western areas during the evening. itjust gets wetter and maybe windier again during the evening. and that band of rain pushes its way eastwards overnight. strong southerly winds are likely. it's going to be a very mild night, of course, with that cloud and rain. temperatures in southern parts of the uk, perhaps no lower than 11 degrees. but we start the weekend with some rain. it's going to be a very unsettled weekend. quite windy as well. blustery winds to come, bringing some rain or some showers as well. and we've got that rain to start with, then, across much of scotland, england and wales. it's going to shuffle its way eastwards, it's going to hang around into the morning, perhaps into the afternoon across east anglia and the south—east. following that, the winds pick up again around these western coasts. we're going to find lots of showers feeding in. some of those will be heavy.

some sunshine in between the showers and temperatures still on the mild side, 8—11 degrees. second half of the weekend, we're dominated, really, by this low pressure. it's going to hang around for a while. it's approaching the north—west of scotland. it will be very windy here saturday night into sunday morning, and around that area of low pressure, we've got these strong and blustery winds. that's going to feed in some sunshine, but we're also going to find quite a few showers. some of those could be heavy and thundery and it's just about cold enough for a little bit of snow over the tops of the mountains in scotland. temperatures will be a shade lower on sunday, around 7—9 celsius.

this is bbc news, the headlines: paralysis continues in the us congress with the republican leader in the house, kevin mccarthy, faling in his 11th attempt to get elected speaker — the session has now been adjourned and voting will continue on friday. a small group of republicans has been derailing attempts to elect him. three mexican security personnel have died following the arrest of 0vidio guzman—lopez, the son of 'el chapo'.