bye for now. hello, i'm annita mcveigh. you're watching the context on bbc news there are still four fires burning, zero containment of those, so very dangerous situation continues for los angeles. together, these fires are stretching the capacity of emergency services to their maximum limits. the scope and scale of the loss | is just absolutely devastating. | joining me tonight are nathalie tocci, italian political scientist and international relations expert and chris bruce, policy director for the american civil liberties union of georgia first, the latest headlines the head of the los angeles

fire department says all residents are in danger from a series of devastating wildfires raging around the city. at least two people are known to have died. a thousand buildings have been destroyed and at least 70,000 people ordered to leave their homes. france and germany have warned that borders must not be altered by force, after donald trump refused to rule out military action to take greenland — which is controlled by denmark. the president—elect reiterated his desire to make the territory part of the united states. a body found in the search for two british men who went missing in italy's dolomite mountains is believed to be that of 35—year—old samuel harris. he and aziz ziriat, who's 36, were last heard from on new year's day after sending messages home from the region. israel says it has recovered the body of one of the hostages taken by hamas 15 months ago. the remains of 53—year—old bedouin arab youssef al—ziyadne

were found in a tunnel in southern gaza. the israeli military says evidence suggests that another hostage, his son hamza, may also be dead. let's return to those huge wildfires. the chief of the los angeles fire department says emergency services are stretched to their absolute limit as they battle four huge wildfires. at least two people have known to have died, along with dozens injured, and at least a thousand buildings destroyed in at least one area alone, as we look at the live pictures coming into us, the wealthy palisades area where the largest fire is seems so spread has lost many homes, at least 70,000 people have been ordered to leave their homes, tens of thousands more are being ordered to pack and be prepared to go. kristin crowley is warning that

all residents are in danger as strong winds drive the flames — in some cases burning through an area equivalent to five football pitches in a minute. together, these fires are stretching the capacity of emergency services to their maximum limits. the los angeles city fire department is battling these two major fires while also maintaining, i want to focus on this as well, 911 services for the cities approximate 4 million residents. now, despite the severity of the conditions, our department remains fully committed to safeguarding lives and property. i spoke a little while ago to jacob rabbie, a captain and paramedic with the la fire department. he is just north of the palisades fires. he told me that in the past few hours, the service had been able to get firefighter planes in the air, which had not been possbile earlier, due to the strong winds. we were able. the winds came down to a level where we were able to get our fixed wing aircraft, which are our large planes,

our heavy retardant droppers. we're able to get ahead of the fire and begin, you know, preparing to drop and dropping large volumes of retardant so the fire would burn up to that retardant and prevent it hopefully from extending past that. so we're able to get a significant number of air assets in the air to do that this morning. and we're very fortunate the winds died down well enough recently that we're able to also get our helicopters, which are water dropping helicopters that drop water directly on the fire itself. and the winds were low enough where they were able to be effective, and all of our helicopters were able to provide a safe, um, water drop to protect all the lives and the property that we're working on here. president biden has done a major disaster declaration for california allowing for resources to be delivered. he was speaking in santa monica

where he was briefed on efforts to contain the laces. the fire in that a person palisades area has in three areas, i fire in that a person palisades area has in three areas, ifire in altadena is burning, 50 fires where an evacuation has been ordered for the cinemark suburbs and smaller blaze has been reported in california, and the last couple of hours another fire has woken and the last couple of hours anotherfire has woken him in the woodley area. 0ur correspondent david willis joins me from los angeles. tell us more about what the situation is like around where you are. situation is like around where ou are. ' ~ . , situation is like around where ouare. a. , . situation is like around where ou are, ' . ., , ., ., you are. officials are not sa in: you are. officials are not saying they're _ you are. officials are not saying they're about - you are. officials are not i saying they're about 5000 you are. officials are not - saying they're about 5000 acres of land in this area near the coast and pacific palisades have been raised to the ground, and you can see some of them just behind me here is on this rage, what used to be a mobile

home park there is absolutely no sight of it right now, it has been completely destroyed by the fire, as have hundreds of multi—million dollar homes. just behind that ridge. there about 1000 plus structures that have been completely destroyed by this voracious fire, which is still burning and has involve the evacuation of her own 37,000 people, some of whom will not have anywhere to go home to, clearly. this is a situation which the authorities fear it could get worse in the next two days as the winds pick up next two days as the winds pick up again. they are blowing very fiercely as you can probably tell, right now, and that is preventing fire officials from getting up in air, getting those up there to dump water from the pacific ocean onto the flames in an attempt to quell

them. one bit of good news is that the wind does not seem to be blowing towards the close rather than inland —— worth the cost, and towards the city of los angeles. cost, and towards the city of los angeles-_ cost, and towards the city of los angeles. and david, until the winds _ los angeles. and david, until the winds died _ los angeles. and david, until the winds died down, - los angeles. and david, until the winds died down, are - los angeles. and david, until the winds died down, are we | los angeles. and david, until. the winds died down, are we to assume, according to what fire authorities are saying, that it is difficult for them to properly tackle these blazes, and that the focus therefore is on the evacuation orders, getting people to safety? very much so, getting people to safety? very much so. and _ getting people to safety? very much so, and fire _ getting people to safety? very much so, and fire officials - much so, and fire officials conceded that that news conference this morning that basically, they are outnumbered, and they are calling for additional resources from neighbouring states, they have appealed as well or off duty fire officers, firefighters, and to report for duty, so stretch are the fire lines here, and of course there is that prospect that this could go on for many days.

these high winds are expected to continue until the weekend at least, so it is a very perilous situation. we awoke this morning, i live in hollywood, i have done for the last 25 years, to a blackened sky, and the very eerie streets, it was a layer of ash on my car, and i lived 20 miles away from here, the epicentre of this, the worst place, so this is a very disconcerting time for people who live here, a very uncertain time as well, and each other. [30 a very uncertain time as well, and each other.— and each other. do take care thomas david _ and each other. do take care thomas david and _ and each other. do take care thomas david and stacy. - caitlin doran — along with her grandparents and animals — including her giant tortoise tiptoe have been forced to evacuate. she told me about the speed at which the flames approached: we sat on the patio of our house for three or four hours just watching the smoke, but the fire was going

the opposite direction so there was not like lots of water coming on the other side so we were not too worried about it, fire is fire, but while, fire is fire, but wow, that changed very quickly we started to get worried around 3pm orfour pm., got the tortoise out of there and got him down to the 800 block, we are up the 1100 block so close to the trees in everything, but once we got him out, we were able to get my grandparents out of their house but that is always a challenging thing to do when you left the home. let's talk to the panel,. joining me tonight are nathalie tocci, italian political scientist and international relations expert and chris bruce, policy director for the american civil liberties union of georgia live up or the vortex on one because of the united states

and the horrendous fires on the other coast, it must be hard to watch as an american. it is hard, i have _ watch as an american. it is hard, i have friends - watch as an american. it is hard, i have friends in - watch as an american. it 3 hard, i have friends in both areas, i have friends in new york and friends in la, all across america, we have seen theissues across america, we have seen the issues dealing with climate change, and this is what really needs a ticket effects, fema, or federal emergency agency has already been stretched to the limits with budgetary items coming up in congress that have not been addressed. here is a thing, this is going to continue to happen, we have ignored climate change for far too long, and unless we can actually do something about it, the acting of it is going to cost even more, as you've seen before, people are seen emergency management has been stretched to its limit my heart goes also all the people who have been affected by this current storm and welfare, but unfortunately it is going to get worse before it gets better, we need to act and we need to ask now and her torch.

and hard to watch of course, nathalie, i'm sure you will agree, whether in america or anywhere you see any of these future disasters related to climate change, and on that point of a political action, how difficult do you think you'll be for america specifically to tackle these sort of questions and whether this happens again, which is likely will, when you've got an incoming president who is known to be sceptical about climate change? i to be sceptical about climate chance? . . ., change? i mean, and -- i mean, indeed, change? i mean, and -- i mean, indeed. any _ change? i mean, and -- i mean, indeed, any tech, _ change? i mean, and -- i mean, indeed, any tech, chris - change? i mean, and -- i mean, indeed, any tech, chris was - change? i mean, and -- i mean, indeed, any tech, chris was in, l indeed, any tech, chris was in, states— indeed, any tech, chris was in, states like _ indeed, any tech, chris was in, states like california have known _ states like california have known wildfires for a long time, _ known wildfires for a long time, the severity of this fire, _ time, the severity of this fire, as _ time, the severity of this fire, as well as how it has been _ fire, as well as how it has been unpredictable, is really something which is clearly connected to climate change, and i— connected to climate change, and i he — connected to climate change, and i he was said, here we are atthe— and i he was said, here we are at the time_ and i he was said, here we are at the time in which not only are these _ at the time in which not only are these incidents increasing, and they— are these incidents increasing, and they will continue to grow over_ and they will continue to grow over time, and they will continue to grow overtime, but not and they will continue to grow over time, but not only in america _ over time, but not only in america but also europe is

facing _ america but also europe is facing a _ america but also europe is facing a green clash politically, so the kinds of actions _ politically, so the kinds of actions to actually reverse the trends — actions to actually reverse the trends are not happening, right? _ trends are not happening, right? the had started to happen, both in the united states— happen, both in the united states with the inflation reduction act and in europe with— reduction act and in europe with the _ reduction act and in europe with the european green deal, but on — with the european green deal, but on both sides of the atlantic, the political forces that— atlantic, the political forces that are _ atlantic, the political forces that are on the right now —— rise — that are on the right now —— rise now— that are on the right now —— rise now our inventory rule about _ rise now our inventory rule about these measures. let's move on _ about these measures. let's move on to _ about these measures. let's move on to our _ about these measures. let's move on to our next - about these measures. let's move on to our next topic. l european nations have warned that borders must not be altered by force after donald trump refused to rule out military action to take greenland, an autonomous danish territory. without specifically naming mr trump, german chancellor 0laf scholz said eu leaders were baffled: "in my discussions with our european partners" — he said — "there has been notable incomprehension when it comes to current statements from the usa regarding the principle of the inviolability of borders". this was reaction from the french foreign ministry.

translation: greenland i is a territory of the european union, it is a european territory, and so of course it is out of the question for the eu it in a nation in the world, which ever it is, let me say, starting with russia, to attack its sovereign borders. we are a strong continent. we have the keep on strengthening ourselves, and we should wake up. president biden stock diplomat on one of his last overseas trips at this reaction. the idea expressed about greenland is obviously not a good one. but maybe more important, it's obviously one that's not going to happen. so we probably shouldn't waste a lot of time talking about. a brief response from antony blinken. this return to nathalie and chris, and nathalie, how do you feel that people deal with the sort of posturing that wishing

from the president elect given that the eu has its own internal issues at the moments, as you already reflected. chancellor scholz in political difficulty and president emmanuel macron, the two picketers in the eu was to mark i think the problem here is? i ithink the problem here is? i think the problem here is the as is— think the problem here is the as is been— think the problem here is the as is been suggested, the question is not only green than in and — question is not only green than in and of— question is not only green than in and of itself, and the threats— in and of itself, and the threats of the use of force of 7 uzz'fsé aaz�*éfgtstl�*f’f 7 ’ ’ " ’ ’ of the uzz'fsé aaz�*éfztstl�*f’f 7 ’ ’ " ’ ’ of the use uzz'fsé aaz�*éfgtstl�*ff 7 ’ ’ 7 ’ 7 of the use of uzz'fsé aaz�*éfztstl�*f?�* 7 ’ ’ 7 ’ 7 of the use of force towards _ threats of the use of force threats of the use of force towards _ threats of the use of force towards any new territory, but it is the wider question, which towards any new territory, but it is the wider question, which really— really— it is the wider question, which really kind _ it is the wider question, which really kind of, regardless of it is the wider question, which really kind _ it is the wider question, which really kind of, regardless of whether— really kind of, regardless of whether it happens or not, whether— really kind of, regardless of whether it happens or not, there — whether it happens or not, there is— whether it happens or not, there is a _ whether it happens or not, there is a wider question of there — whether it happens or not, there is— whether it happens or not, there is a _ whether it happens or not, there is a wider question of what — there is a wider question of what the signals to the likes what — there is a wider question of what the signals to the likes of putin. _ of putin. _ what the signals to the likes of putin, and others, so in a what the signals to the likes of putin, and others, so in a sense— of putin, and others, so in a sense europe is in that double sense— of putin, and others, so in a sense europe is in that double bind, — sense europe is in that double bind, — sense europe is in that double bind, both because of the bind, both because of the direct— direct— bind, both because of the direct threat that comes from bind, both because of the direct threat that comes from the president—elect, but also the president—elect, but also because _ the president—elect, but also because of the way in which because _ the president—elect, but also because of the way in which this— this— because of the way in which this will— because of the way in which this will involve other players because of the way in which this will— because of the way in which this will involve other players which — this will involve other players which are _ this will involve other players which are also threatening which — this will involve other players which are _ this will involve other players which are also threatening european territory. how should european territory. how should

we be — european territory. how should we be reacting to this, on the we be — european territory. how should we be reacting to this, on the one _ we be reacting to this, on the one hand. _ we be reacting to this, on the one hand, in which we've seen about— one hand, in which we've seen about by— one hand, in which we've seen about by expressing solidarity, by saying we stand together and there _ by saying we stand together and there is— by saying we stand together and there is a — by saying we stand together and there is a question of unity which _ there is a question of unity which of— there is a question of unity which of course is going to be imperiled _ which of course is going to be imperiled to the extent to which _ imperiled to the extent to which the far right and continues to make inroads in england _ continues to make inroads in england where nationalism and pauperism is on the rise of stump— pauperism is on the rise of stump but

pauperism is on the rise of stum but ., ,, ., --? i suggest someone take a microphone — --? i suggest someone take a microphone away _ --? i suggest someone take a microphone away from - --? i suggest someone take a microphone away from donaldj microphone away from donald trump, he is still the president—elect, he is not making policy at this time, and that this is how he is a tactic that this is how he is a tactic that times, he tried to scaremongering to a certain extent to meet people negotiate. i can tell you personally that the 1537 00:16:20,328