0:00:08 > 0:00:10This is BBC World News.
0:00:10 > 0:00:11Our top stories.
0:00:11 > 0:00:13Ukraine and Russian-backed rebels carry out what's being described
0:00:13 > 0:00:16as the biggest prisoner exchange since the conflict began.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18In Syria, the first evacuations begin from a rebel-held
0:00:18 > 0:00:21suburb near Damascus.
0:00:21 > 0:00:23But there's no relief for the hundreds more
0:00:23 > 0:00:27trapped in Ghouta.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30An arctic cold snap brings heavy snow falls to large parts
0:00:30 > 0:00:33of north-east America and Canada.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35Meanwhile, in the UK, snow and ice cause widespread
0:00:35 > 0:00:38disruption to travel on the roads and in the air.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Also in the programme: The military-style tactics
0:00:40 > 0:00:42to protect Chad's elephant population against ivory poachers.
0:00:42 > 0:00:51We have a special report.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05The Ukrainian government and Russian-backed rebels have
0:01:05 > 0:01:07completed the biggest prisoner exchange since the conflict began
0:01:08 > 0:01:09nearly four years ago.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12The Red Cross says more than 230 people have now crossed a checkpoint
0:01:12 > 0:01:13back to rebel held territory.
0:01:13 > 0:01:22Andrew Plant reports.
0:01:22 > 0:01:27In the war-torn east of Ukrainian, carried on buses, hundreds of
0:01:27 > 0:01:32prisoners are headed home, some after years of captivity. More than
0:01:32 > 0:01:37300 people, in one of the biggest prisoner swaps since the Ukrainian
0:01:37 > 0:01:43conflict began, the first such swap in September last year, arriving
0:01:43 > 0:01:46with no belongings, shivering in temperatures close to freezing, but
0:01:46 > 0:01:51glad to be finally free so be TRANSLATION:I am very happy that I
0:01:51 > 0:01:55am going back to Ukraine, and I thank everyone for the work that has
0:01:55 > 0:02:02been done to be able to see my loved ones again.TRANSLATION:I want to
0:02:02 > 0:02:07believe people are tired of all this.They must find strength to
0:02:07 > 0:02:11engage in a dialogue, because without that, we will be in a
0:02:11 > 0:02:16deadlock with no way out.The prisoner trust boards arrived in the
0:02:16 > 0:02:21early hours in the east of Ukrainian. -- transports. It
0:02:21 > 0:02:26happened watched by tight security. Ukrainian armed forces on one side,
0:02:26 > 0:02:30on the other, the Russian backed eastern militia. The conflict began
0:02:30 > 0:02:35more than three years ago soon after Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea
0:02:35 > 0:02:42peninsula in 2014. The UN estimates more than 10,000 have since died to
0:02:42 > 0:02:45be the latest on Wednesday, a soldier, the first death since Chris
0:02:45 > 0:02:53the ceasefire started last Saturday. -- Christmas. A late present for
0:02:53 > 0:02:56families and loved ones who have spent many months campaigning to
0:02:56 > 0:03:01have them set three. But this exchange has been smaller than many
0:03:01 > 0:03:07had four. -- free. Hundreds more prisoners are still held by both
0:03:07 > 0:03:09sides. -- hoped for.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11Michael Bociurkiw is a Global Affairs Analyst and former
0:03:11 > 0:03:13spokesperson for the Organization for Security and Co-operation
0:03:13 > 0:03:16in Europe or OSCE's Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18He's near Santa Barbara in California.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22You have just recently got back from Ukrainian. You know the region very
0:03:22 > 0:03:27well. I am sure many people gave up their Christmas to make this
0:03:27 > 0:03:30exchange happened. How significant would you say it is?It is good to
0:03:30 > 0:03:35be with you. It is a very positive development in an otherwise very
0:03:35 > 0:03:41bleak situation. Do not forget, this conflict has gone on for four years,
0:03:41 > 0:03:46one of the longest running complex in Europe the Second World War. --
0:03:46 > 0:03:51conflicts. Even though the Christmas ceasefire did not hold for more than
0:03:51 > 0:03:57a few hours, the exchange showed the two sides could make their guns
0:03:57 > 0:04:02silent enough for this swap to happen. There are others behind both
0:04:02 > 0:04:07lines that need to be treated. And also, this is an important component
0:04:07 > 0:04:11of the Minsk agreement, that prisoners are swapped. The most
0:04:11 > 0:04:15important thing at the end of the day is that the ceasefire takes old.
0:04:15 > 0:04:25Very important to that Donald Trump has provided lethal weapons to
0:04:25 > 0:04:28Ukraine, which deepens their involvement. It may strain relations
0:04:28 > 0:04:35with Russia. Is it a game-changer? Not yet. Do not forget, the amount
0:04:35 > 0:04:42of weapons are limited, a lot of training will be needed to use them,
0:04:42 > 0:04:47especially for anti-tank weapons. You can see Russia is taking this
0:04:47 > 0:04:52seriously. The attack on the Poroshenko administration and Donald
0:04:52 > 0:04:55Trump administration took place. Buddy gives them the ability to
0:04:55 > 0:05:02secure positions and not let the Russian backed separatist take more
0:05:02 > 0:05:10down the ground.-- but it. All of this rhetoric coming from Russia
0:05:10 > 0:05:14happens in the context of the elections in Russia. President Putin
0:05:14 > 0:05:20needs to show himself, he has not much to show, as a strong man,
0:05:20 > 0:05:25having the ability to fight and get more territory from Russia.There
0:05:25 > 0:05:29has been a lot of bloodshed in Eastern Ukraine in recent days. I do
0:05:29 > 0:05:34not think the Christmas ceasefire last that long. Is any movement on
0:05:34 > 0:05:40anything good news?Absolutely. The death toll is well over 10,000 now.
0:05:40 > 0:05:48Several million displaced, including some in Ukraine. It has been bad.
0:05:48 > 0:05:53The busy Christmas season right now, many people cross the long contact
0:05:53 > 0:06:00line to visit friends and relatives. That is important. One more thing,
0:06:00 > 0:06:08all indications are that the rebels are weaponising for more conflict.
0:06:08 > 0:06:14Early surveillance is detected, believe it or not, aerial military
0:06:14 > 0:06:17schools the rebels can activate at any time. That indicates to me at
0:06:17 > 0:06:23least they are willing to use new ways to show the Ukrainians,
0:06:23 > 0:06:29including from the air possibly. Thank you very much.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32In Syria, aid workers have started to move critically ill children
0:06:32 > 0:06:34from a rebel held suburb near the capital, Damascus.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37Four patients were taken out of Ghouta on Tuesday night.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40Another 25 are expected to be moved in the coming days,
0:06:40 > 0:06:42although hundreds more are in urgent need of treatment.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45Some 400,000 residents have been under siege by government
0:06:45 > 0:06:46forces since 2013.
0:06:46 > 0:06:55From Beirut, our correspondent Martin Patience sent this report.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59Seven-year-old Imjy is preparing for a short journey,
0:07:00 > 0:07:02and it will almost certainly end up saving her life.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05She is suffering from haemophilia, but last night she was among four
0:07:06 > 0:07:07critically-ill patients to be evacuated to Damascus
0:07:07 > 0:07:08for life-saving treatment.
0:07:08 > 0:07:20This is what she's leaving behind.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23Eastern Ghouta is one of the last remaining rebel strongholds,
0:07:23 > 0:07:31fighting the government of Bashar al-Assad.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34It's been bombed and besieged for four years, with fighting
0:07:34 > 0:07:35intensifing in recent weeks.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37I think it's a combination of everybody's efforts,
0:07:37 > 0:07:41that at this really low time in Syria there is a ray of light,
0:07:41 > 0:07:42and it's the children.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45It's the children who are missing growing up in Syria -
0:07:46 > 0:07:48we must sort them out, to give Syria a chance
0:07:48 > 0:07:51of a prosperous and peaceful future.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53But food is hard to come by.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55Malnutrition is now widespread.
0:07:55 > 0:07:56Human rights groups accuse the Syrian government
0:07:57 > 0:08:01of trying to starve the rebels into submission.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03This evacuation may have the appearances
0:08:03 > 0:08:06of a humanitarian gesture, but that's simply not the case.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08We've been told by two sources that the Syrian government
0:08:08 > 0:08:17only agreed to it as part of a prisoner exchange.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20The main rebel faction in Eastern Ghouta agreed to free 29
0:08:20 > 0:08:23Syrian government hostages, and in return the same number
0:08:23 > 0:08:28of critically ill patients are being allowed to receive
0:08:28 > 0:08:29urgent medical care.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32But the United Nations says hundreds of others need to be evacuated.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34Among them, three-month-old Karim, who was injured
0:08:34 > 0:08:35by government shelling.
0:08:35 > 0:08:36He lost his left eye.
0:08:36 > 0:08:51His mother was killed.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54Despite a prominent social media campaign, he is not being allowed
0:08:54 > 0:08:55to leave Eastern Ghouta.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58TRANSLATION:Karim is injured, he's going to lose his sight.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00Here in the Ghouta he can't get treated.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03The doctor wants to perform an operation, so that he doesn't
0:09:03 > 0:09:11lose the sight in his other eye.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14For some there is now hope, but for most, help is not
0:09:15 > 0:09:16coming any time soon.
0:09:16 > 0:09:23Martin Patience, BBC News, Beirut.
0:09:23 > 0:09:30We will keep on following that story for you, of course.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Let's take a look at some of the other stories
0:09:33 > 0:09:33making the news.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36Peru's culture minister has resigned as the controversy continues over
0:09:36 > 0:09:39the president's decision to pardon the country's former leader,
0:09:39 > 0:09:39Alberto Fujimori.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42It's not clear why the minister, Salvador del Solar, a former actor
0:09:42 > 0:09:44and film director, left his post.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47But he had been under pressure from Peruvian artists and opposition
0:09:47 > 0:09:52leaders, to stand up for human rights.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54A court in Bosnia has sentenced a Croat woman,
0:09:54 > 0:09:57known to her victims as the "mistress of life and death,"
0:09:57 > 0:10:01to 14 years in prison for atrocities committed during the Bosnian war
0:10:01 > 0:10:01in the 1990s.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04Azra Basic, a former member of the Bosnian-Croat forces,
0:10:04 > 0:10:07was found guilty of war crimes, including murder and the torture
0:10:07 > 0:10:08of ethnic Serb civilians.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11There's been another day of protests in the Moroccan city of Jerada
0:10:11 > 0:10:14following the deaths of two brothers in a disused coal mine.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18The mine had been closed for years, but the protesters said many young
0:10:18 > 0:10:21people have no option but to carry on working below ground.
0:10:21 > 0:10:22They demanded action against unemployment
0:10:22 > 0:10:23and rising living costs.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26An arctic cold snap is bringing sub-zero temperatures and heavy snow
0:10:26 > 0:10:28to large parts of north-east America and Canada.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31Temperatures have been reported as low as -15 in Toronto.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35While the US lakeside city of Erie, in Pennsylvania, has had a record
0:10:35 > 0:10:381.5 metres of snow in 48 horus, with more on the way.
0:10:38 > 0:10:43Laura Podesta from CBS News reports from New York Times Square.
0:10:43 > 0:10:48Residents of New York started digging after three feet of snow
0:10:48 > 0:10:54fell overnight leading officials to declare it a state emergency. It
0:10:54 > 0:10:58continued on the Wednesday.I have lived here my whole life and have
0:10:58 > 0:11:06not seen for a few years. It got bigger this year.Records were
0:11:06 > 0:11:10broken in Erie, Pennsylvania. Five feet fell over the past few days.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13Snow has given way to bitter cold. In Minneapolis, single-digit
0:11:13 > 0:11:20temperatures froze this area. A bridge in Green Bay became stuck
0:11:20 > 0:11:28because of the cold. And this is pancake ice in Michigan. People are
0:11:28 > 0:11:39bundled up in York Square. They are getting ready to watch the ball
0:11:39 > 0:11:47drop. How many layers will you were? A lot. Two pairs of pants, two pairs
0:11:47 > 0:11:51of socks, thermal.Preparations are under way to make sure it goes
0:11:51 > 0:12:07smoothly. It is built to withstand extreme weather. CBS News, New York.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10The BBC's weather presenter, Ben Rich, explained why this particular
0:12:10 > 0:12:11snow storm has been so severe.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14North America is used to cold winters but they rarely bite quite
0:12:15 > 0:12:16as hard as this.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18Temperatures are well below average and some places,
0:12:18 > 0:12:20particularly on the eastern shores of the Great Lakes,
0:12:20 > 0:12:23have seen a huge amounts of snow courtesy of something we call
0:12:24 > 0:12:26lake-effect snow, it happens when cold winds from the Arctic blow
0:12:27 > 0:12:29across the slightly less cold waters of the Great Lakes.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32That slightly less cold moist air rises, it forms clouds
0:12:32 > 0:12:34which are then blown into the eastern shores
0:12:34 > 0:12:38of the Great Lakes and that moisture in the cloud is released not as rain
0:12:38 > 0:12:40but as huge amounts of snow.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44Over the next few days we can expect more of this because of the cold air
0:12:44 > 0:12:48that is sitting in place is not going anywhere fast and the winds
0:12:48 > 0:12:51will still be blowing down across the Great Lakes picking up
0:12:51 > 0:12:54that moist and slightly warmer air and delivering it in the form
0:12:54 > 0:12:56of snow fall across the eastern shores.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00Perhaps not in the huge amounts that we've been seeing over the last few
0:13:00 > 0:13:03days but any further snow across this part of the world
0:13:03 > 0:13:14will not be welcomed.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17Snow and ice have also been causing disruption in many parts of the UK,
0:13:18 > 0:13:20with thousands of homes without power and dangerous
0:13:20 > 0:13:21conditions on the roads.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23The runway at Stansted Airport was closed twice on Wednesday
0:13:23 > 0:13:25with a number of flights cancelled.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27Our correspondent, Phil Mackie, reports from Warwickshire.
0:13:27 > 0:13:33HORN BLASTS.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35The motorway at a standstill.
0:13:35 > 0:13:41It's always busy here anyway, but throw in five centimetres
0:13:41 > 0:13:43of snow and you've got chaos.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45On the A14 things were even worse.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47This lorry span out of control, leaving drivers stranded.
0:13:47 > 0:13:48Good morning.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50It's just gone past 10 o'clock in the morning.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53As you can see, we're stationary here on the A14,
0:13:53 > 0:13:54not going anywhere.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56I've been here for five hours, and...
0:13:56 > 0:14:02..so have these!
0:14:02 > 0:14:05My name is Tara, I'm on the A14 trying to go
0:14:05 > 0:14:06eastbound to Northampton.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09I set off from my house in Hinckley at 6am this morning,
0:14:09 > 0:14:12I've been on the A14 for three hours now.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15As you can see, there's nothing going in the other direction.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18I'm a bit cross, I'm Canadian so I'm used to this kind of weather.
0:14:18 > 0:14:30I know you guys aren't.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33In the end, they were stuck for seven hours before
0:14:33 > 0:14:34the road was cleared.
0:14:34 > 0:14:35And it wasn't just the roads.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39Stansted Airport had to close twice to clear snow from the runway.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42Birmingham Airport had to do the same for a short while too.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45And the weather kept ground crews busy, as planes had
0:14:45 > 0:14:46to be constantly de-iced.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48A swathe of central and southern England was worst affected,
0:14:48 > 0:14:50from Gloucestershire, to Warwickshire, to the Chilterns.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53And it didn't just lead to hazardous driving conditions.
0:14:53 > 0:15:02Thousands of homes lost power, too.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05Obviously the snow came in, it settles on our overhead conductor.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08Then, with the cold wind chill, that freezes into ice and therefore
0:15:08 > 0:15:09that takes the conductors down.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11Likewise, it's the same with tree branches.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14Normally they would not be near the line but they've
0:15:14 > 0:15:15taken our conductors down.
0:15:15 > 0:15:27As the snow started to melt, there was a new danger...
0:15:27 > 0:15:30Flood warnings followed the thaw as streams became swollen and rivers
0:15:30 > 0:15:30started to rise.
0:15:30 > 0:15:37That meant more hazards to negotiate, and not
0:15:37 > 0:15:37everyone made it...
0:15:38 > 0:15:39Another warning tonight as temperatures are falling.
0:15:39 > 0:15:40Snow and slush beginning to freeze.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48Stay with us on BBC World News, still to come:
0:15:49 > 0:15:51This crocodile was found wandering the streets of Melbourne
0:15:51 > 0:15:55at Christmas and now the hunt is on to find its owner.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03The most ambitious financial and political change ever attempted
0:16:03 > 0:16:08has gotten under way with the introduction of the euro.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12Tomorrow in Holland we will use money we picked up in Belgium today
0:16:12 > 0:16:14and we will use the same money in France.
0:16:14 > 0:16:25It has got to be the way to go.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27George Harrison, the former Beatle is recovering in hospital
0:16:27 > 0:16:31after being stabbed at his Oxfordshire home.
0:16:31 > 0:16:38A 33-year-old man from Liverpool is being interviewed by police
0:16:38 > 0:16:40on suspicion of attempted murder.
0:16:40 > 0:16:41I think it was good.
0:16:41 > 0:16:42Just good?
0:16:42 > 0:16:42No, fantastic!
0:16:42 > 0:16:53That's better.
0:17:07 > 0:17:08This is BBC News.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12The latest headlines:
0:17:12 > 0:17:15The Ukrainian government and Russian-backed rebels have
0:17:15 > 0:17:18carried out the biggest prisoner exchange since the conflict began
0:17:18 > 0:17:19nearly four years ago.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22Syrian volunteers have evacuated the first group of critically-ill
0:17:22 > 0:17:25children from a rebel-held suburb near Damascus.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28How do you stop poachers from devastating wildlife in
0:17:28 > 0:17:32remote parts of Africa?
0:17:32 > 0:17:37One solution is military-style training and tactics.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40It's being used in the vulnerable state of Chad.
0:17:40 > 0:17:50Zakouma National Park has lost 90% of its elephants over the past 40
0:17:50 > 0:17:53years, at one point there were less than 500 elephants left.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55Alastair Leithead travelled to the remote park where
0:17:55 > 0:17:58the population is finally recovering and tourists are now helping fund
0:17:58 > 0:17:59the conservation work.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01They were the herd heading for extinction.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03But the elephants of Zakouma National Park have made
0:18:03 > 0:18:06a dramatic recovery.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08TRANSLATION:Before, there used to be elephant
0:18:08 > 0:18:13carcasses everywhere.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16So what has been the difference, since African Parks took over?
0:18:16 > 0:18:18TRANSLATION:Since African Parks arrived here, we no longer see
0:18:19 > 0:18:23carcasses of elephants in the park.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25Across the continent, a private, not-for-profit conservation group
0:18:26 > 0:18:28called African Parks believes it has the answer to saving Africa's
0:18:28 > 0:18:32disappearing wildlife.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36And it's controversial.
0:18:36 > 0:18:44They are arming rangers and giving them military-style training.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47In some places, it's become a war against poachers.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51Adoum Allam is a sniper with fast response unit Mamba Number Two.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53His father was killed by poachers in this park.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56He jumped at the chance to join.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58"It's a very dangerous job but I love doing
0:18:58 > 0:19:00it", he said.
0:19:00 > 0:19:01It's a good income.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05But it's also personal.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09This was Zakouma, ten years ago.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11Decades of poaching killed 90% of the park's elephants
0:19:11 > 0:19:16and many rangers as well.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19But, today, it's a much healthier picture.
0:19:19 > 0:19:27They haven't lost an elephant in two years or a ranger since 2012.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30And last year, the population started to grow again.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33There were more than 20,000 elephants in this park just
0:19:33 > 0:19:3940 years ago, but now there are just over 500.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42What's encouraging, though, is that they've now got babies,
0:19:42 > 0:19:44they're reproducing, their numbers are starting to go up.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47And if the poachers can be kept at bay, the population
0:19:47 > 0:19:48is going to recover.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51This is the best way to counter raids from the heavily
0:19:51 > 0:19:53armed Sudanese horsemen.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57The main perpetrators who've been poaching ivory here for centuries.
0:19:57 > 0:20:06But now, both sides have automatic weapons.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08And local communities are a key to success.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10Schools are being built, kids are learning about conservation.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12Villagers now often tip off the rangers,
0:20:12 > 0:20:18if poachers are seen nearby.
0:20:18 > 0:20:19African Parks take on delegated management
0:20:19 > 0:20:21of protected areas in Africa.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23Normally where public sector has failed, African Parks will step
0:20:23 > 0:20:31in and, with donor funding, will then manage protected areas.
0:20:31 > 0:20:32But eventually it should pay for itself.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35Zakouma is now attracting high-end adventure tourists who cover one
0:20:35 > 0:20:39third of the park's budget.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42Other, marginal reserves in Africa will never make money.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44Animals have to be worth more alive than dead,
0:20:44 > 0:20:50not just to rich Westerners, but to local people as well.
0:20:50 > 0:20:59Alastair Leithead, BBC News, Zakouma National Park, in Chad.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02The former US president Barack Obama has issued a warning
0:21:02 > 0:21:04about the irresponsible use of social media.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06In an interview with the BBC by Britain's Prince Harry,
0:21:07 > 0:21:09Mr Obama said such actions were distorting people's
0:21:09 > 0:21:10understanding of complex issues.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12He did not mention Donald Trump, his successor, by name.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15But he emphasised that people in positions of leadership should
0:21:15 > 0:21:16exercise care when posting messages.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19Our Royal Correspondent, Nicholas Witchell has the story.
0:21:19 > 0:21:20Prince Harry, first of all.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22You are very welcome to our studio.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24Good morning.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27Joining the Today programme for the day had been
0:21:27 > 0:21:29a big learning curve, Harry said, but he had enjoyed
0:21:29 > 0:21:31being the interviewer rather than the interviewed.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33It was quite fun, especially interviewing President Obama.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36His principal scoop had been to persuade Barack Obama
0:21:36 > 0:21:43to give his first interview since standing down as US president.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47The word "Trump" was never mentioned but may have been in Mr Obama's mind
0:21:47 > 0:21:51when he warned about the use of social media.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54All of us in leadership have to find ways in which we can recreate
0:21:54 > 0:22:00a common space on the Internet.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04One of the dangers of the Internet is that people can have entirely
0:22:04 > 0:22:04different realities.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07They can be just cocooned in the information that
0:22:07 > 0:22:10reinforces their current biases.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12Harry had also interviewed his father -
0:22:12 > 0:22:14the main focus had been on climate change.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16The issue Prince Charles has championed for decades
0:22:17 > 0:22:20and for which he was sometimes derided.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23Maybe now, some years later, they are beginning to realise
0:22:23 > 0:22:26that what I was trying to say may not
0:22:26 > 0:22:28have been quite as dotty as they thought.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31I mean, the issue really that has to go on being focused on,
0:22:31 > 0:22:33big time, I think, is this one around
0:22:34 > 0:22:37the whole issue of climate change which now, whether we like it
0:22:37 > 0:22:41or not, is the biggest threat multiplier we face.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44And then, at the end of the programme,
0:22:44 > 0:22:49it was time to face questions rather than ask them.
0:22:50 > 0:22:51First about his fiancee, Meghan Markle,
0:22:51 > 0:22:55and her first Christmas at Sandringham.
0:22:55 > 0:22:56She really enjoyed it.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58The family loved having her there.
0:22:58 > 0:22:59And yeah, it's...
0:22:59 > 0:23:00There's always that family part of Christmas.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03There's always that work element as well and I think,
0:23:03 > 0:23:05you know, together we have an amazing time.
0:23:05 > 0:23:10Great fun, staying with my brother and sister in law.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13Harry's commitment to issues he cares about like the Armed Forces
0:23:13 > 0:23:15and mental health had come through strongly.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17So how does he see his future?
0:23:17 > 0:23:21Part of my role and part of my job is to shine a spotlight on issues
0:23:21 > 0:23:23that need that spotlight, whether it's people,
0:23:23 > 0:23:25whether its causes, whether its issues, whatever it is.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29So I will continue to play my part in society and do my job
0:23:29 > 0:23:33to the best of my ability, so I can wake up in the morning
0:23:33 > 0:23:37and feel energised, and go to bed hopefully knowing I've done the best
0:23:37 > 0:23:38that I can.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42Not so long ago, Harry admitted to having doubts about a royal role.
0:23:42 > 0:23:42Clearly no longer.
0:23:43 > 0:23:52Nicholas Witchell, BBC News.
0:23:52 > 0:23:53Police in Melbourne, Australia are searching
0:23:53 > 0:23:56for the owner of a one-metre-long freshwater crocodile,
0:23:56 > 0:24:01found wandering the footpaths on Christmas Day.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03Authorities are unsure exactly where it came from,
0:24:03 > 0:24:04but are presuming it's a pet.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07Alyse Edwards reports.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09Working off Christmas dinner with an evening stroll
0:24:09 > 0:24:11through the streets of Melbourne.
0:24:11 > 0:24:12But this freshwater crocodile's festive frolic
0:24:12 > 0:24:17did not last for long.
0:24:17 > 0:24:309:20pm, I had a call from the police saying there was a crocodile walking
0:24:30 > 0:24:33through the streets of Heidelberg and If i could get there ASAP.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36Getting some alone time can be difficult at this time of year.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39This escapee was cornered and he was caught.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41I attended and found five Victoria police members
0:24:41 > 0:24:42with a freshwater crocodile.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44We presume it was a pet at some stage.
0:24:44 > 0:24:45It's a long way from any bodies of water.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49You can legally keep a crocodile as a pet in Victoria
0:24:49 > 0:24:50and other parts of Australia.
0:24:50 > 0:24:56I saw it on Facebook, 50% off and I thought, cool.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59A Northern Territory crocodile farm sold about 100 crocodiles
0:24:59 > 0:25:01as Christmas presents this year.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05But with no information about where this runaway reptile
0:25:05 > 0:25:08came from, it may be a very lonely New Year unless the owner
0:25:08 > 0:25:24snaps it up soon.
0:25:24 > 0:25:29As a hero to pulling a woman out the river on his later works of the US
0:25:29 > 0:25:33helped by another man with his bare hands, he broke a path through the
0:25:33 > 0:25:38ice and the jump into the freezing water himself to haul the woman out.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42We are told she had a sharp and hot drink and returned to work. We
0:25:42 > 0:25:46understand that the woman is recovering well.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49Don't forget you can get in touch with me and some of the team
0:25:49 > 0:25:54on Twitter - I'm @BBCMikeEmbley.
0:25:54 > 0:25:59Thank you to much for watching. Come again. -- very much.