This report. Distant Artillery Fire the situation in Soledar Depends On who you ask. Its under control as of this morning according to this ukrainian commander. They will never break us, says his injured comrade. We are winning. But if you ask these two, wagner are clearing the city, they say. Russian, yes, but not from the regular army. Theyre from a private Military Group called wagner, a network of mercenaries who do a lot of russias fighting. Its boss, yevgeny prigozhin, has recently recruited convicts from russianjails, and theyve been spearheading the attack on soledar, claiming to now be in full control. We chat to one ukrainian soldier on the front to see if thats the case. Dont believe russian propaganda. Its not true. Bakhmut and soledar have ukrainian control. Kyiv has described the Battle For Soledar and bakhmut as the bloodiest scenario yet. And thats all we can say with real certainty. Small amounts of territory are being fiercely fought over and the human cost is huge. But the kremlin is less keen to acknowledge that, instead accusing ukraine of exaggerating the situation to secure more military support, which is continuing to arrive. On a visit to western ukraine, polands president duda is the latest to announce the supply of tanks. Volodymyr zelensky wants more to follow suit. In russia, there seems to be division. The kremlin claims there is still fighting in soledar, at odds with wagners take. Translation i understand that the situation in the new entities is difficult and hostilities continue in some territories. Peaceful life has not been restored everywhere, and the safety of people has not been ensured. Moscow is continuing to claim everything is going to plan in its quest to occupy the Eastern Donbas region. You wonder what will be left, whether it succeeds or not. James waterhouse, bbc news, kyiv. Now to the United States and california. A cyclone off the Californian Coast has continued to pour rain onto the already soaked american state, which has now seen at least 18 flood related deaths. A series of storms since christmas has toppled power lines and sent rockslides onto highways. Homes have been inundated and more Severe Weather is expected, especially in northern california. From los angeles, heres sophie long. A Brief Respite from the rain, but water surrounds sacramento. This landslide caused chaos in the Central Valley. There were countless others like it across california. Workers rushed to repair this sinkhole that swallowed to cars in los angeles. This cleanup crew in a farm in Ventura County they know the next deluge is just days away. It know the next deluge is ust days awayi days away. It was up to our knees running days away. It was up to our knees running over days away. It was up to our knees running over the days away. It was up to our. Knees running over the road. Days away. It was up to our knees running over the road. No waterfor knees running over the road. No water for two years and then more water than we got into macro using 2a hours. The macro using 24 hours. The extensive macro using 24 hours. The extensive flooding macro using 24 hours. The extensive flooding has been caused by a series of atmospheric rivers that behave like Conveyor Belts of water in the sky. This is the result, entire neighbourhoods turned into lakes. Fire crews flew in to rescue a person trapped by The Venture River which hit its highest level ever. Iee The Venture River which hit its highest level ever. Highest level ever. Ive never seen anything highest level ever. Ive never seen anything like highest level ever. Ive never seen anything like this highest level ever. Ive never seen anything like this in highest level ever. Ive never seen anything like this in alll seen anything like this in all my 41 years living in the city. We have lost our home and all of our we have lost our home and all of our belongings that we had. In the of our belongings that we had. In the Central Valley the floodwater overwhelmed the vehicles and homes. As the current store moves north towards the pacific northwest, a brief break in the extreme weather in california has meant Evacuation Orders in Santa Barbara have been lifted. But rivers still rage in the run off from the mountains keeps coming fast. There is one Silver Lining the several feet of snow that has fallen in the Sierra Nevadas should run off into the reservoirs when it melts, helping to lift their levels after years of drought. But more punishing storms are expected to pound the west coast this weekend. Sophie long, bbc news, los angeles. Lets now speak to noah diffenbaugh, a climate scientist of Stanford Doerr school of sustainability at stanford university. It is great to have your on the programme. Just hearing from sophie there, there is some huge devastation, millions of households impacted, what more can you tell us . It households impacted, what more can you tell us . Can you tell us . It has been a lot of water can you tell us . It has been a lot of water in can you tell us . It has been a lot of water in a can you tell us . It has been a lot of water in a short can you tell us . It has been a| lot of water in a short amount of time with this parade of storms, were still in very severe drought and, you know, this is a lot of water to be infiltrating into the ground and running off and we are seeing the impacts of that. And this is, first and foremost, lives have been some people have lost their homes and it the biggest concern, in the long term this is what has been pretty did for california in a clientjust pretty did for california in a client just mccrow changing Clientjust Mccrow Changing Climate Client Just mccrow changing climate and it is what were dealing with now. It climate and it is what were dealing with now. Dealing with now. It is extremely dealing with now. It is extremely challenging dealing with now. It is extremely challenging and dealing with now. It is extremely challenging and there is moorang to come climate. What is the outlook in terms of the weather in the coming days . We are expecting additional atmospheric rivers storms. We really had an accumulation, so there were many reservoirs that, you know, were very, very low during the drought, a big Water Supply Reservoirs in the state are below average for the state are below average for the most part, but there are a lot of small reservoirs is for Flood Control that have filled up. The soils are very saturated. There are trees and vegetation that have been stressed from years of drought. Now we are at a point where as the storms come through, even if they are less severe in terms of how much precipitation they deliver, the landscapes are really saturated and that means our flood risk continues for the storms that are coming in in the coming days. In in the coming days. Now, california. In in the coming days. Now, california, as we in in the coming days. Now, california, as we are in in the coming days. Now, california, as we are all in in the coming days. Now, | california, as we are all very aware, has been impacted by the Climate Crisis on so many levels, as you mentioned, drought, incredible fires we have seen in recent years during the summer months, and now this flooding as well. As a state, california is trying to prepare and think ahead, isnt it, when it comes to these events happening . Absolutely. California has events happening . Absolutely. California has been events happening . Absolutely. California has been very california has been very proactive, not only in measures to reduce our Greenhouse Gas emissions within the state but also for updating our infrastructure and Disaster Preparation Response and also environmentaljustice for Environmental Justice for ensuring that environmentaljustice for ensuring that communities that are most vulnerable to Climate Change are adapt doing. And its a big challenge and water, in particular, is a big challenge. We have a very sophisticated Water Infrastructure and Management System and that was designed and built 50 400 or even in some cases more than 100 years ago and it was designed and built in an old climate, we are ina new built in an old climate, we are in a new climate where the hot and dry periods are more likely but still punctuated by extreme weather conditions and these extra wet conditions that we are experiencing because of the added water vapour in the atmosphere that really delivers more precipitation when storms happen, you know, the declining reliability of snowpack, were fortunate we have gotten a lot of Snow Accumulation in the storms. In recent years al snow has been melting earlier and earlier. So it remains to be seenin earlier. So it remains to be seen in the coming weeks and months how this plays out, but certainly this is all very consistent with what we know from the science of Climate Change. From the science of climate chance. , change. 0k, noah diffenbaugh, kle n change. 0k, noah diffenbaugh, kleyn sohm change. 0k, noah diffenbaugh, kleyn sohm change. 0k, noah diffenbaugh, kleyn sohm Climate Change. 0k, noah diffenbaugh,j kleyn sohm climate scientist kleyn sohm climate scientist at stanford university, we appreciate your expertise on this. Theres been no comment from the white house following us media reports that another batch of classified documents has been found, linked to president biden. It follows the revelation that papers with classified markings, dating back to mr bidens time as Vice President , were discovered in a private office hed used on leaving the post. The Justice Department is currently investigating former President Trumps possession of classified documents that were found at his home in florida. Heres our North America correspondent peter bowes. This is the second batch of documents relating tojoe biden during his time as Vice President under barack 0bama. And it follows the initial discovery that the white house acknowledged earlier this week that an initial batch of documents were found as a separate location. This was a think tank Wherejoe Biden had a private office in the time after he left office and he worked there for some time. Now, joe biden himself said he was surprised at that discovery. He didnt know what was in those documents. In the white house was cooperating with the investigation. The white house, indeed, the Justice Department, have had nothing to say about the reports of the second batch of documents being discovered. Now, this is potentially politically sensitive, perhaps even awkward for the Biden Administration and the white house given the fact that former President Trump is still under investigation over a very similar scenario, although different, because many, many more documents were involved with those documents found at his mar a lago estate in florida. That investigation continues. There is the possibility that criminal charges could be brought against former President Trump and thats why this is growing into an issue that is, indeed, clinically sensitive. Peter bowes with the latest on that story. The rock musicianjeff beck, known as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, has died at the age of 78. Beck, who played with The Yardbirds in the 1960s and led Thejeff Beck Group, died suddenly after contracting bacterial meningitis on tuesday. He won eight grammys. His fingers and thumbs were famously insured for more than 8 million. Another rock legend gene simmons from kiss has been leading tributes tojeff beck. Its difficult. I learned aboutjeff� s passing not too long ago, just a few hours ago, if you can hear it in my voice, it is a little much. First, more importantly than the bbc and all the accolades and all that is my heart goes out to his family, to his fans, to everybody. He. Voice waivers ill tell you a good story Above And Beyond his god given, the miracle that wasjeff beck as a musician. I was proud to be able to host the classic rock awards, and in the room were, i was going on and on about all the Guitar Players and the drummers, the room was filled with all these giant figures, and my son nick was with me, he was sitting at the table with me and goes dad, dad, itsjeff beck yes, thatsjeff beck. Oh, my god. I go, do you want to say hello to him. Do i want to . yeah, yeah i walked over. I said, jeff, my son is a big fan of yours. He goes, all right, nick, how are you . Nice to see you. My son was so overtaken, the words that came out of him, he was a blithering idiot, he couldnt even form the words. I will tell you that and all the Guitar Players will tell you that the classics, the greats, the claptons, jimmy pages, the brian mays, Amazing Talents Onlyjeff Beck had the ability, the god given blessing to be able to easily be an icon injazz, in fusion, in rock, blues, he could do it all. You want to hear something classic . Listen tojeff becks version of nessun dorma with a symphony orchestra. It if nobody� s around, you will cry. Its beyond anything. I will tell you that Above And Beyond the words, every day when we do shows, we put a little music on in the background. Unfailing, every single pre show because it takes me two hours to do the make up and all that nonsense every day that were about to go do a show, what fires me up is the same thing that fired uinmmy page and led zeppelin. Before there was the zeppelin, you put on the firstjeff beck record, truth, and then beck ola, the second one. Its just undeniable, nothing like it has been done before, during or since. In fact, its fair to say Thejeff Beck Group begat led zeppelin, i listen to it all the time. When it plays Guitar Players, i hum along with the solos, thats the sound of greatness. Tributes have been pouring in for many members of the musical scene after the announcement of jeff becks death. Including the Actorjohnny Depp who said he was devastated by the news and he had been working with jeff beck and performing with him recently. Triggers coming in from all corners in response to that news. The Sri Lankan Government is planning big spending cuts, saying it barely has enough money to pay salaries and pensions of public servants. All Government Departments have been ordered to make a 5 reduction in spending. That is right across the board. The International Monetary fund has agreed a bailout loan of nearly 3 billion, but it wants sri lanka to raise taxes and cut public services. Ben chu reports. Cheering six months ago in sri lanka, amid sovereign debt default and economic chaos, there was a revolution. A new president has since been installed. An International Monetary fund bailout has been agreed. But half a year on, are the lives of ordinary sri lankans actually any better . Is a new day dawning for the countrys agricultural sector, on which a quarter of the population depends . Sri lankan tea pickers like these earn a day rate of around 1,000 rupees, a little less than three usd. And though inflation in the country has eased slightly since last year, food prices in sri lanka last month were still 65 higher than a year earlier. Translation rice, sugar and Everything Else is expensive. Even bus fares are expensive. Everything is a problem now. I cant say we have enough food. Im afraid for my childs future. More than eight Million People, more than a third of sri lankas population, are today estimated to be food insecure by the united nations. The fuel queues that snaked around this country six months ago have gone thanks to a digital rationing system. Tourists are returning. A different world from the capital colombo can be found a two hour drive south down the coast. A Million People in sri lanka are estimated to be reliant on fishing for their living. The cost of boat fuel for these fisherfolk in beruwala is still four times higher than before the crisis struck last year, making each trip into an economic gamble. Places like this feel like the sharp end of sri lankas economic crisis at the moment. Its clear that in some parts of the country, life has got somewhat better in recent months, but in places like this, its reallyjust as painful as it was before the fall of the government. After a bad storm, theres often an extensive repairjob. This is a lesson a still economically broken sri lanka knows well. Ben chu reporting. The economic challenges in sri lanka. Lets take you to germany next. In germany, the operation to evacuate a site earmarked for new coal mining is entering a second day. Officers had clashed with protesters near the village of lutzerath, in the west of the country. Germanys Coalition Government has delayed plans to reduce reliance on coal, following russias invasion of ukraine. The bbc� s tim allman explains. As darkness fell, the Police Operation continued. Protested had set up camp and after descending from the rafters, several were arrested and taken away. Protesters. All in all, police seemed happy with that days work. Translation it was possible to set up the fence around the village, the material work has been completed. Officers have succeeded in limiting the occupiers freedom of movement. We have started to clear the first barnes so in this respect it was a successful day. This was the scene it was a successful day. This was the scene earlier, it was a successful day. This was the scene earlier, as i was the scene earlier, as dozens of officers moved in, light of them in rate here with shields and patterns at the ready. The entire village has been abandoned and is due to be demolished. In its place, the expansion of an opencast coal mine. The german government, in the wake of the Energy Crisis says the country still needs coal. Translation everyone to kee coal. Translation everyone to kee to coal. Translation everyone to keep to the coal. Translation everyone to keep to the paris coal. Translation everyone to keep to the paris climate keep to the paris climate agreement, we have to act here and now and we have to show we cannot rely on politics because, at the end of the day, it is up to us to use our bodies to stop the police from clearing lutzerath. The operation clearing lutzerath. The operation to clearing lutzerath. The operation to clear clearing lutzerath. The operation to clear lutzerath has onlyjust begun. Many protesters have been here for months. Removing all of them could take some time. Germanys energy needs apparently coming into conflict with its Climate Change commitments. Tim allman, bbc news. Lets catch up with all the latest sports news. Hello, im tulsen tollett, and this is your sports news where we start with football and Manchester City whove won six of the last nine efl cups have been knocked out in the Quarter Finals by southampton. The saints were 2 0 winners on the south coast with both goals coming in the first half through sekou mara and moussa djenepo. Despite sitting bottom of the premier league, nathanjoness side had too much for the eight time winners and theyll now face Newcastle United over two legs for a place in the final. While Nottingham Forest are also though to the last four, after a Penalty Shootout Win away to wolves. The game finished 1 1 at the end of the 90 minutes and dean henderson made the crucial save as forest won 4 3 on spot kicks, and theyll now take on Manchester United in the semi finals. Later on thursday, 7th placed fulham host 10th placed chelsea in the premier league, in a battle of west london. Fulham will be without serbian striker Alexander Mitrovic whos serving a ban after picking up a 5th yellow card. While its not been confirmed as to whether new signing joao felix is eligible for the blues after the portuguese Strikerjoined On Loan from atletico madrid, but his new manager was a full of praise. I look at it him and icy a confident person, a confident player, a player able to impose himself on the game, his personality is attributes are he can attack the ball and make a difference in the final third and make some passes and i think he compliments what we have as well so he is a nice addition and were looking forward working with him. The second of the spanish super cup semi finals will be played in the Saudi Arabian capital of riyadh, with Barcelona Up Against real betis. Barcelona are the most Successful Team in the history of this tournament, with 13 titles, while betis are aiming to win the competition for the first time. The winner will play holders real madrid in the final who on wednesday Beat Valencia on penalties. Thered been a lot of speculation as to whether former Australian Open champion naomi osaka would feature at this years tournament and osaka has confirmed she wont be as shes pregnant. In a statement on social media, the 25 year old said she was looking forward to her child watching one of her matches in the future and confirmed she hopes to play in melbourne next year. Judd trump survived a big scare to book his place in the Quarter Finals of the masters snooker in london. The 2019 winner was 5 3 down to wales ryan day in the best off 11 contest, before fighting back to win the last three frames. Hell now face last years beaten finalist Barry Hawkins in the last eight. It has been a difficult season but i had to just it has been a difficult season but i had tojust dig in. I had some tremendous support and that helped me a lot. The brown was a very important shot. I was a very important shot. I was a very important shot. I was a bit nervous at the start, to be honest. It took me 5 three behind to fill the weight was lifted off and i could go from my shot. I dont know what happened when the ball bounced off the table but i cannot believe it. Also through to the last eight is 2020 champion Stuart Bingham who despite going 5 frames to nil up against kyren wilson, struggled late on, eventually winning 6 3 to set up a quarter final against shaun murphy. You can get all the latest sports news at our website thats bbc. Com sport but from me, tulsen tollett, and the rest of the team thats your sports news for now. But is ended. There is so much more detail on our website on all the stories we have covered today, including the lovely news from naomi osaka, the tennis star, that she is expecting a baby, which is really, really exciting. Plenty more to come on bbc news. In a moment, all the latest ology news and weather but also just having a look at this morning papers which are really dominated by the Strike Action we have seen certainly in the uk that has been taking place across the country. Ambulance workers today staging their second day of Strike Action and now use that Civil Servants could be conducting Strike Action from early next month as well. A lot of this is being debated in this mornings newspapers which again is summarised in our website. There is an update on all todays front pages. I will see you soon. Hello there. We are stuck in repeat mode, im afraid, which means yet more wet and windy weather to come. In actual fact, to close out this week, its going to be a case of showers, longer spells of rain at times and the winds will always be a feature. Now, for the time being, weve got some wet weather pushing its way across england and wales, with the heaviest pulses of rain across south wales and parts of south west england. It could lead to some localised flooding here, accompanied by Gale Force Gusts of winds as well. So that Weather Front will linger first thing thursday morning. Another area of low pressure nudging into the far north west of scotland. As we go through the morning it will gradually bring wetter and increasingly windy weather here as well. Sandwiched in between the two, there will be some drier, brighter interludes, and eventually that rain in the south will start to pull away. Wind gusts, though, quite a feature, in excess of 40mph, close to 50 mph on exposed coasts at times, so a blustery afternoon. A south westerly wind direction, so on your thermometer, temperatures will peak at about 12 13 degrees, but it may well feel a bit cooler if youre caught in the cloud, the wind and the rain. As we go through the night, we could see strengthening winds for a time, as that low pressure drifts its way eastwards, so severe gales not out of the question along the southern flank of that low. With the cloud and the rain around, temperatures will hold up above freezing, but that low pressure will start to pull away on friday, over to scandinavia. And we start to see the isobars open up. This little bump, this ridge of High Pressure will quieten things down for friday, although the wind directions swinging back around to more of a northerly or north westerly, so a slightly cooler source. But there will be some sunshine around on friday. It will be a drier day, just a few scattered showers driven along the coast by the strength of those winds. Top temperatures in scotland between 5 and 8 degrees. Highest values further south, Perhapsjust Scraping into double figures once again. More wet and windy weather arrives, though, in time for the weekend. Once again, a low centred to the far north will introduce some cooler weather as well, some wintry showers to higher ground, but there is a chance that we are going to see some pretty wet weather on saturday. Fingers crossed, something just that little bit drier as we move into sunday. Hello again. You are with bbc news, i am sally bundock. Britain moculta minister has said the disputed Parthenon Marbles belong to the uk culture minister. They should not be returned to greece where they had been removed way back in the 19th century. The comments in a bbc interview followed reports that the British Museum is close to agreeing a deal to return the ancient works. Our culture editor Katie Russell has the story. Greece has long demanded the return of the classical sculptures which have been in the Jewish Museum sculptures which have been in theJewish Museum for more than two centuries. For months now there have been reports that there have been reports that the museum j, there have been reports that the museumj, George Osborne, is close to making a deal with the greg government. The culture secretary, though, so the marbles belong in the uk. Greek. I think you opens a complete can of worms. It would be a slippery slope. In interview Michelle Donelan so she will not allow a permanent return. I think sending the backis return. I think sending the back is a dangerous road to go down, but also one that is prohibited in law. We down, but also one that is prohibited in law. Down, but also one that is prohibited in law. We are not about to change prohibited in law. We are not about to change the prohibited in law. We are not about to change the law prohibited in law. We are not about to change the law to l about to change the law to facilitate that. It is important that we stand up and protect our culture. Has important that we stand up and protect our culture. Protect our culture. As George Osborne approached protect our culture. As George Osborne approached you protect our culture. As george | osborne approached you about this . I osborne approached you about this . ,. ,. , this . I have had several conversations this . I have had several conversations with this . I have had several. Conversations with George Osborne. I think� s view has been misinterpreted and, certainly, portrayed wrongly. In what way . He certainly, portrayed wrongly. In what way . Certainly, portrayed wrongly. In what way . He is not about to send them in what way . He is not about to send them back, in what way . He is not about to send them back, that in what way . He is not about to send them back, that is in what way . He is not about to send them back, that is not in what way . He is not about to send them back, that is not his| send them back, that is not his intention, he has no desire to do that. 50 intention, he has no desire to do that. ,. ,. ,. , do that. So is a deal of the table . The do that. So is a deal of the table . The british do that. So is a deal of the | table . The British Museum do that. So is a deal of the table . The British Museum told the bbc. Those who support returning this culture is some flexibility in the culture secretarys stance even a