usa us a speaker kevin mccarthy orders an enquiry into president biden. and we hear from dana white a's attorney general about why the pacific island nation is taking bigger countries to court over carbon emissions. as newsday. hello and welcome to the programme. we begin in libya whether nations has called the

devastating floods that hit on sunday a calamity of epic proportions. more than 2000 people are known to have died at least 10,000 more are still missing. in the port city of donor a pair of dams burst leading to a massive surge of water. libya has been torn apart by civil war and has two governments which is hampered relief efforts as well. a torrent of water that was where everything in its path. the devastation is clear to see. the death toll is harder to quantify. the red crescents and red cross say as many as 10,000 people are missing. in the street, lines of bodies lengthened by the hour. mass graves are beginning to fill. many people struggle to find out if their families were still alive.

out if their families were stillalive. like out if their families were still alive. like this woman. they are in a shelter place but there is a shortage of food and medical aid, a shortage of clothes and this situation is not the best. but at least they are still alive. i have one aren't still missing with her son. we don't have any news about her. and we still couldn't reach out to her or get any news about her. but in a country _ get any news about her. but in a country without _ get any news about her. but in a country without a _ get any news about her. but in a country without a single - a country without a single functioning government getting accurate information is hard. libya has effectively been stuck in a political quagmire now for at least eight or nine years and really even though there has been no major outbreak of violence since 2020, sporadic violence has taken place. but there has been no settlement really to that conflict. , . no settlement really to that conflict. _ ., ., ., no settlement really to that conflict. ,_, ., ., _, , conflict. libyame too competing rime conflict. libyame too competing prime ministers _ conflict. libyame too competing prime ministers are _ conflict. libyame too competing prime ministers are both - prime ministers are both promising to help their people, but neither commands the capacity this disaster needs.

translation: we capacity this disaster needs. translation:— capacity this disaster needs. translation: ~ ., ., , translation: we have a problem in retrieving _ translation: we have a problem in retrieving the _ translation: we have a problem in retrieving the bodies _ translation: we have a problem in retrieving the bodies from - in retrieving the bodies from the sea. the libyan navy, divers, and robin are putting all their efforts into retrieving the bodies. —— fragment. it retrieving the bodies. -- fragment-— retrieving the bodies. -- fragment. it is more than risin: fragment. it is more than rising waters _ fragment. it is more than rising waters and - fragment. it is more than rising waters and flooded j rising waters and flooded streets, two demspey is sending water through the city. homes and cars were picked up and carried away by the force. at this early stage we still don't know exactly how many people have been killed. the lack of internationally recognised government sources makes it difficult to know which details to trust. what is crucial now is trying to work out exactly what has happened on the ground. that is what bbc verify have been doing particularly with landmark welding is like this mosque. some of the videos that have been posted on social media so that torrent of water but we know where they are we know are real because of the mosque. again, in this picture,

film from a slightly different angle, you can see the water and you can see that building right in the centre of the shot stop when we look at videos like this one that really show some of the destruction, the aftermath of the water that poured through, we can see the rubble in the streets, we can see the buildings that have been damaged, but we know where it is and we know it's real because, once again, we can see that mosque. now the authorities need to get help to the people who filmed those pictures, but the ongoing conflict makes access to libya difficult and dangerous and any aid that arrives will be far slower than its desperate survivors need. anna foster, bbc news. the bbc has been trying to reach out to voices on the ground. 0ne trying to reach out to voices on the ground. one of them was the director of a chest hospital in benghazi and he travelled when he heard about the floods managed to send us the floods managed to send us the short update from there. it is splitting, divided by the floods to two parts. when we

arrived to hospital, a huge number of doctors, and we ask about our colleague, i remember we studied medicine together, unfortunately my close friends have been dying. the other students and other new doctors also died. what a surprise, i see the people, most of them they didn't cry. the didn't leave. in derna there is no contact, no communication, no lights, everything has been lost. we have no experience before four people after a disaster like flood or others. we need international suppliers. we need international suwliers-_ we need international su--liers. ., ,, suppliers. the doctor speaking was a short — suppliers. the doctor speaking was a short while _ suppliers. the doctor speaking was a short while back - suppliers. the doctor speaking was a short while back giving l was a short while back giving us the latest of what he saw on

the ground in derna in libya. this story in libya and the developments are a big focus on the bbc and you can find much more on the developing story only bbc news website so do logon for regular updates on that story. the other developing story that could throw up headlines in the day ahead is in russia where the north korean leader kimjong—un is and hasjust north korean leader kimjong—un is and has just said his meeting with president putin is a full strategic importance. he travelled to the far east into town of hazzard where it is believed both leaders will hold talks but there is still no confirmation on when or exactly where that meeting might take days. there is speculation on another possible meeting point thatis another possible meeting point that is for a space centre. russian president putin is already in the city of vladivostok, around 200 kilometres from the north korean border. remember this is kimjong—un�*s first korean border. remember this is kim jong—un�*s first trip abroad in four years since he met putin in 2019, again

incidentally in the city of vladivostok. according to the us, which is watching the possible meeting, moscow wants to buy north korean ammunition for the war in ukraine and the new york times, along with other media, is reporting that mr kim wants in return advanced satellite technology, nuclear—powered submarines, and also food aid as the country continues to battle a massive economic crisis. president putin has given a speech in vladivostok stop he was speaking yesterday where he accused the west of having no limits and of not caring about the ukrainians. translation: ~ , translation: the western countries push _ translation: the western countries push the - translation: the western | countries push the ukrainians to continue the fighting, despite what they publicly say, because simply they don't care for the ukrainians. just like a strange as it is ukraine's leadership doesn't care for their people. theyjust throw them in the fire. so will be wasn't suppliers of military equipment change anything? i don't think so. i'm convinced

it won't. will it prolong the conflict? yes, it will. and worried about something else, simply they don't have any limits. ~ ., simply they don't have any limits. ~ . _, ., ., limits. we are counting down to that possible — limits. we are counting down to that possible meeting _ limits. we are counting down to that possible meeting betweenl that possible meeting between kim jong—un and vladimir that possible meeting between kimjong—un and vladimir putin and ahead of that, for more perspective, with boag with a wilson reis mid distinguished professor at thejohn hopkins professor at the john hopkins school and he told me what both leaders might get out of there meeting. it leaders might get out of there meetinu. , , ., , meeting. it seems that putin is hoinr to meeting. it seems that putin is hoping to get — meeting. it seems that putin is hoping to get military - hoping to get military equipment, supplies of ammunition from north korea. this has been in the making for some months. russian defence minister visited pyongyang, he was taken around to a military expo where kim jong—un himself served as his guide. they think that reflects that russia badly needs north korean ammunition, perhaps because it is running out of its own. north korea has not only plenty of ammunition,

but large military industry able to plug into the russian war effort in ukraine so that is all very important for mr putin. ., ., ., putin. you have called it an act of desperation - putin. you have called it an act of desperation on - putin. you have called it an act of desperation on the l putin. you have called it an i act of desperation on the part of russia, what does it say about russia in a country that claims military might have to depend on a country like north korea for this type of possible military aid. korea for this type of possible military aid-— military aid. well, it does show that _ military aid. well, it does show that russia - military aid. well, it does show that russia faces i military aid. well, it does i show that russia faces some serious, serious problems. north korea was a sylvia dalais throughout the cold war, but it was a client of state. the soviets would always supply technology, military supplies do north korea and of course it was at this stage were it would always come across as equal partners of a kind, that of course is something kim jong—un must be very happy about —— client state. for once he is

coming to russia as an equal partner of mr putin, a partner in crime, hasten to add. find in crime, hasten to add. and this is going _ in crime, hasten to add. and this is going to _ in crime, hasten to add. and this is going to come - in crime, hasten to add. and this is going to come at the cost of russia's existing relations with south korea, isn't it? is russia not concerned about that? it is fascinating. _ concerned about that? it is fascinating. russian - concerned about that? it 3 fascinating. russian trade with north korea is negligible. it is in the tens of millions of dollars. it has been so far, maybe if they conclude a massive arms agreement which would be in violation of un sanctions which russia has supported and brought about previously, perhaps their mutual trade would increase. however, the russian main partner on the korean peninsula has been a long time south korea with whom a trade turnover re— something like $30 billion per year before western sanctions. now, south korea is still very important to russia and we have to wonder what is going through putin's head. perhaps he is thinking that

south korea willjust kind of swallow this and go along with whatever happens ian russia's relationship with north korea, whether this is a viable calculation remains to be seen. in a recent opinion piece you wrote in the guardian you mentioned that russia is starting to look more and more like north korea. why do you say that? like north korea. why do you sa that? ~ like north korea. why do you say that?— like north korea. why do you sa that? ~ , ., say that? well, you can 'ust to see this innocence h say that? well, you can 'ust to see this innocence that h say that? well, you can just to see this innocence that russia | see this innocence that russia is becoming more and more authoritarian, people are jailed for, in some cases, for tens of years, you know, decades for political activities. freedom of press is virtually non—existent in russia now. so basically russia is rolling back towards and autocracy. it is not like north korea is becoming like russia, it is russia that is becoming more and more like north korea, it is moving in that direction. there is a wide gap between russia which remains a relatively open society and

north korea, but there is clearly a meeting of minds between mr putin and mr kim jong—unin between mr putin and mr kim jong—un in terms of how to run a country and how to maintain their hold on power.— their hold on power. once arain, their hold on power. once again. we're _ their hold on power. once again, we're waiting - their hold on power. once again, we're waiting for i again, we're waiting for confirmation on when and where that meeting take place later on. we will keep a close watch on. we will keep a close watch on developments there. meanwhile, let us look at more stories in the headlines. the chief executive of the oil giant bp has resigned with immediate effect it follows allegations about his personal relationships with colleagues. bp says he has said he was not fully transparent about those relationships when the company held an investigation. google is on trial this week after the us justice is on trial this week after the usjustice department brought a claim against the company stating they use their power to monopolise online search services. the trail is seen as a battle over the future of the internet and whether governments can rein in the power of edtech. a federal

government will decide the case, which is likely to last around ten weeks. to one of our other big stories in the past week, the deadly earthquake in morocco. volunteers are leading the effort to get aid to survivors, but hopes are fading. an international emergency appeal has been launched for the vic terms with the red cross and red crescent hoping to raise more than $100 million to meet the international needs like water and shelter. more than 2900 people are known to have died in that earthquake. nick kickstarts this report. morocco's young are powering their country's desperate relief effort. volunteers delivering aid faster than officials. ., , . officials. people are in danger- _ officials. people are in danger. if _ officials. people are in danger. if we - officials. people are in danger. if we didn't i officials. people are in i danger. if we didn't work so quickly a lot of people are going to die. quickly a lot of people are going to die-— quickly a lot of people are going to die. the moroccan government _ going to die. the moroccan government has _ going to die. the moroccan government has accepted l going to die. the moroccan i government has accepted help from four outside countries,

but rejected others. aminah, a volunteer, says she respects the decision.— volunteer, says she respects the decision. , ~ ., , the decision. our country knows what she needs. _ the decision. our country knows what she needs. so _ the decision. our country knows what she needs. so we - the decision. our country knows what she needs. so we she i the decision. our country knows i what she needs. so we she needs help she will ask for it and the way the government will know more. the way the government will know more-— the way the government will know more. , ., ., know more. they need to get all of this out _ know more. they need to get all of this out of _ know more. they need to get all of this out of the _ know more. they need to get all of this out of the city _ know more. they need to get all of this out of the city as - of this out of the city as rapidly as possible. and up to the atlas mountains, to the faraway homes hardest hit the earthquake. it feels like another planet. help can't come soon enough to this village. the village of a0 families was crossed by the earthquake. seven people were killed, including this man's two teenage sons. he tells us that people lose their loved ones and lots of countries. it has happened here too. this is god's will. this community, like so many in the atlas mountains, has lived hand to

mouth, day to day for centuries. but now the earthquake is taken away everything that's just their livestock, their ovens, their way of living, and so this aid arriving here is absolutely vital, in the short term and to their long—term survival. mina lived in america for 17 years but had been back here for the past four years looking after her parents.— past four years looking after her parents. the future is very concerning- — her parents. the future is very concerning. i _ her parents. the future is very concerning. i mean, _ her parents. the future is very concerning. i mean, if- her parents. the future is very concerning. i mean, if you i her parents. the future is very | concerning. i mean, if you look at the houses, isjust... their life is over. i don't think anybody wants to live under the mountains anymore. they are still very traumatised. they are not thinking long—term just yet. are not thinking long-term 'ust et. ., are not thinking long-term 'ust et. . ., , ., yet. immediate relief has now come to this _ yet. immediate relief has now come to this village, - yet. immediate relief has now come to this village, a - yet. immediate relief has now come to this village, a place l come to this village, a place that was already out of immediate relief has now come to this village. a place that was already out of sight and out of mind. and as attention fades away from morocco's catastrophe, they don't want to be forgotten. nick beake, bbc news,

in the atlas mountains. five days ago, early on tuesday, when the team arrived. when this window smashed and all the shelves inside stolen. they simply have nothing left to give. look at it now. the volunteers set up an online shopping wish list and the community set about making those wishes come true. over two or three _ those wishes come true. over two or three days, _ those wishes come true. over two or three days, we - those wishes come true. over two or three days, we were i those wishes come true. over i two or three days, we were just blown away by the number of people that turned up to help, the number of people that came to pick the windows, the number of people that came to donate. everybody�*s just astounded by everybody's just astounded by what — everybody's just astounded by what everyone in the village has done, it's been absolutely amazing, _ has done, it's been absolutely amazing, the support has been fantastic — amazing, the support has been fantastic. from young to old, everyone _ fantastic. from young to old, everyone has been fantastic. absolutely amazing, we couldn't believe — absolutely amazing, we couldn't believe it — absolutely amazing, we couldn't

believe it when _ absolutely amazing, we couldn't believe it when we _ absolutely amazing, we couldn't believe it when we were - believe it when we were unpacking _ the most senior republican in the us congress has ordered house committees to begin an impeachment inquiry into president biden. kevin mccarthy said his party had uncovered serious and credible corruption allegations. the white house has dismissed the inquiry as "extreme politics." here's what mr mccarthy had to say. that's why today i am directing our house committee to open a formal impeachment inquiry into presidentjoe biden. this logical next step will give our committees the full power to gather all the facts and answers for the american public. that's exactly what we want to know. the answers. i believe the president would want to answer these questions and allegations as well.

now, i would encourage the president and his team to fully cooperate with this investigation in the interests of transparency. we're committed to getting the answers for the american public. nothing more, nothing less. we will go wherever the evidence takes us. 0ur north america correspondent sean dilley says the impeachment process is seen as highly partisan and likely to fail. this is political grandstanding by kevin mccarthy. it's political grandstanding because he knows that no president has ever been successfully removed from office by way of impeachment. but what he's doing is he's pointing to three republican led subcommittee inquiries by the oversight, the judiciary and also the ways and means committees within the house, within congress. they've taken evidence from witnesses who claim to have seenjoe biden on telephone calls with his son, hunter biden.

questions in and around how involved joe biden was then as vice president. in and around how involved joe biden was then as vice president in that time under barack 0bama, he had a role as vice president in overseeing efforts to combat corruption that existed very much in ukraine at the time. and there have been allegations since then, particularly from republican party supporters, that he was very, very involved within this. now, each of these committees, they've looked at this, they've heard, according to kevin mccarthy, evidence suggesting that $20 million was piped through shell companies, both to the biden family and indeed their associates. now, these are things that would obviously have needed to be looked into. the white house have already responded. they've said this is, as they call it, "extreme politics" because each of these inquiries haven't found any evidence of wrongdoing. now, that's actually true, and this is important. they haven't found anything conclusive at all. the republican party argument is that it's for the house generally, the inquiry to look at this, but very academic when you

consider that the democratic party has a 51 to a9 majority in the senate, and that's important because that upper house would need to vote in favour of removal in the event that an inquiry did impeach him by two—thirds majority. that is not going to happen. leaders of nine small island nations have brought a case to the un maritime court to protect the world's oceans and themselves from catastrophic climate from catastrophic climate climate change. vanuatu in the pacific is among the countries which wants carbon emissions absorbed by the oceans to be considered as pollution. this would force big nations to cut emissions more sharply. i spoke with vanuatu's attorney general arnold loughman. 0ur homes are being affected.

sea levels rising, we're losing land. cyclones are becoming more frequent and severe. if we think its business as usual, small island states are going to be affected. it's really serious for us in the island. you've also said in your arguments that your good faith has been exploited and your voices ignored. why do you feel that? because negotiation have been going on for many years.

we've had discussions and nothing concrete came out of it in terms of protecting the small islands. we come to it in good faith and we are not seeing results. shire we are not seeing results. are ou we are not seeing results. are you concerned _ we are not seeing results. are you concerned that the damage already done will be hard to reverse, in a sense?- already done will be hard to reverse, in a sense? some of the damage _ reverse, in a sense? some of the damage that _ reverse, in a sense? some of the damage that has - reverse, in a sense? some of the damage that has already| the damage that has already been done... that is gone. but what we hope to achieve is, you know, maybe we can look at it in a way that it's not business as usual, but maybe we can do it in a much more environmentally friendly way, rather than, you know, just going the usual way and not having regard to preservation, protection of the environment, especially the marine environment. the land environment. the land environment. yes. that is where

we are coming from. find environment. yes. that is where we are coming from.— we are coming from. and very briefl , we are coming from. and very briefly, developed _ we are coming from. and very briefly, developed countries i briefly, developed countries have talked about cutting carbon emissions, they have announced net zero targets on world forums, do you think that has not been enough?- has not been enough? making announcements is _ has not been enough? making announcements is something, acting on it and implementing it is another thing. you walk the talk, that's what we want to see. the owner of poundland has agreed to take on the leases of dozens of wilko shops. pepco group, which owns poundland in the uk, is expected to convert up to 71 wilko stores to the poundland brand. a masterpiece by vincent van gogh is at the centre of a remarkable story of theft and recovery. it was stolen in 2020 from a museum in the netherlands, but then — three and a half years later — handed back in a pillow and an ikea bag to a dutch art detective, because the criminal underworld decided it was too hot to handle. jon donnison takes up the story. it's amazing what you can pick

up at ikea these days. for art detective arthur brand, it's a big moment. bundled up in the famous blue and yellow bag, a pillowcase and a bit of bubble wrap is the stolen treasure he's been hunting for for more than three and a half years. hopefully this is it, he says. and it is — vincent van gogh's 188a masterpiece parsonage garden at nuenen in spring. vincent van gogh. "he's back," he says. "what a day." the work was stolen in 2020 during covid lockdown when a thief used a sledgehammer to smash into the singer laren museum near amsterdam, making off with the painting under his arm. he was arrested a year later and eventuallyjailed, but the painting was never

recovered — until now. arthur brand says the piece was perhaps too well known to be of any value to criminals wanting to try and sell it on. and after three and a half years of trying to track it down, he was contacted by a man who wanted to give it back. it took 1,300 days, but here it is, and i will hand it over in a few moments to the museum director and i think he will be happy. i'm sure he will. the painting, thought to be worth up to £5 million, is expected to be back on display next year. john donnison, bbc news. you can find that story and many others on the bbc news website. thanks for watching and stay with bbc news.

hello. for at least part of wednesday, we can expect a window of fine weather overhead. if we take a look at the satellite picture. we can see the rain—bearing clouds that affected parts of england and wales during tuesday. behind me, there is another weather system that will be working into the north—west later on wednesday. but in between, a slice of clear skies, quite a cool, in fact, chilly start for some on wednesday morning, but some spells of sunshine. starting the day then across the highlands, very close to freezing with a touch of frost in places. compare that with 16—17 around some coasts of eastern and south—eastern england, where we start the day with a bit more cloud, still some humid air in place, but it will turn fresher and brighter here as the day wears on. a big slice of sunshine, but then by lunchtime we'll see rain splashing into northern ireland and then that will get into western scotland by the middle of the afternoon with a strengthening wind. temperatures north to south, 1a—21 degrees. and then as we head

through wednesday evening, we'll see very wet weather for northern ireland, western scotland. that rain overnight getting down into parts of northern england, eventually parts of wales turning very windy in the north—west of scotland with gales for a time. it is going to be a mild start to thursday, certainly much milder in the highlands, but generally 11—1a degrees. thursday, this area of low pressure to the north—west of scotland bringing some very strong winds. this dangling weather front bringing a band of cloud and rain. that front�*s to start off sitting across parts of mid—wales and into the midlands. it may well be that the rain peps up again as we head into the afternoon. to the south of that, some sunshine and some warmth. to the north of our weatherfront, a mix of sunny spells and showers. and then for friday, it looks as if our weather front will start to move northwards again. so some heavy and persistent rain for parts of northern ireland and perhaps most likely southern and central parts of scotland. feeling pretty disappointing

in glasgow and edinburgh underneath that rain. further south with some sunshine, temperatures up to 25 degrees. and then as we head into the weekend, well, it looks like low pressure will try to push up from the south and that will bring showers or longer spells of rain in our direction. there could be some pretty intense downpours, maybe some thunderstorms and turning a little warmer and a little more humid.

a legal case under way. welcome to asia business report with me. let's start with some breaking news coming in this hour. the high court of australia has dismissed an appeal against a ruling that found the airline had breached the law by firing 1700 at their employees during the pandemic. thejobs of baggage employees during the pandemic. the jobs of baggage handlers and cleaners at ten airports were outsourced at the airports faced a dramatic decline in

business. they maintain they made that decision