militants unexpectedly left mogadishu overnight. violent years, acc1: accomplish sa called al shabaab has been hated here. it banned music and gold and imposed harsh islamic law, but when they banned foreign food relief it was too much for this woman. she lost two of her children to the famine. al shabaab denied food access to our region. shecc1: said.or that, africankeepers were stunned to out of the city.1: they could do suicide attack, but the prime minister told me it's nonetheless a victory for his government which yesterday only controlled half of mogadishu. >> i think they left our city because they lost the fight. >> reporter: we traveled by convoy with the african peacekeepers through newly taken land, to the old soccer stadium. this was the main al shabaab training camp in mogadishu. xplosive, snipers, where thecc: militants made almost all of their videos. now al shabaab has left. finally, in somalia, this won't: stop, but denying food to starving people may have cost them a key stronghold in mogadishu that could be diffi

here in mogadishu. what a day we have seen. we're going to take you tonight inside a children's hospital, not far from where i'm standing, a children's hospital where many parents are coming every single day with their desperately ill children, children suffering from severe malnutrition. they come to the hospital hoping that they will find medical supplies there and relief there, but all too often they find doctors who are simply overwhelmed, doctor whose don't have the equipment, who don't have resources to adequately care for the children. so many of these kids are dying. it shouldn't happen on any day but it does, it happens every single day. we saw it for ourselves and you're going to see it tonight. aa. cording to the united nations, 600,000 children on the brink of starvation, 600,000. the world food program now has less than three weeks of food aid left. we're going to talk to u-2's singer bono. how you can help, how you can make a difference. 600,000, we're telling their stories tonight. >>> breaking news back home. je

she was born here in somalia, mogadishu. we'll talk to her. >>> breaking news in london where 16,000 police are on the streets trying to put an end to the riots. the problem is not just in london, it's in manchester. details ahead. you give us your information once, online... [ whirring and beeping ] [ ding! ] and we give you a discount on both. sort of like two in one. how did you guys think of that? it just came to us. what? bundling and saving made easy. now, that's progressive. call or click today. but not in my neighborhood. ♪ [ female announcer ] we're throwing away misperceptions about natural gas vehicles. more of the vehicles that fuel our lives use clean american natural gas today. it costs about 40 percent less than gasoline, so why aren't we using it even more? start a conversation about using more natural gas vehicles in your community. [ martin luther king jr. ] i still have a dream that one day on the red hills of georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down

we're coming to you live from mogadishu. so many people have been sounding the alarm about what is happening here. they've been sounding the alarm for a month. this was -- this was -- this was preventible. this was predictable. it was predicted in fact. they've known about the drought for a long time. they've known about the danger of famine here. the war here, the conflict has certainly contributed to it but there's so much that needs to be done right now. for weeks now u2 front man bono has been sounding the alarm. about the famine here and now we can stop it, we can do something about it, lives can be saved. kids are going to die, there's no doubt about it, in the next or two or the coming weeks but it's a question of how many kids are going to die and we can make a big impact on that. bono has teamed up with a somali born hip-hop artist named k'naan. to urge the world to take action. i spoke with bono tonight. it's tonight's big 360 interview. bono i was at a hospital today in mogadishu. i mean there are kids die, tens o

here in mogadishu, they just left. that left an opportunity for the people here to change the future of this country. i was here in 1992 in a town where 100 people were dying every day from malnutrition and fighting. >> to call it a city is not accurate. it's a wild west town. no law, no order, power comes

and super model iman who was born here in somalia, in mogadishu. she's an ambassador to save the children. >> to hear about the population of orphans and the children, millions of them dying is beyond heart breaking, and especially as a mother. the eagle flies at dawn. the monkey eats custard. price-line ne-go-ti-a-tor. so, you've been double crossed by other travel sites and now you want to try the real deal. yes, is it true that name your own price... ...got even easier? affirmative. we'll show you other people's winning hotel bids. so i'll know how much to bid... ...and save up to 60% i'm in i know the lady in leather travels on three wheels. wait, is that code? that's my secret weapon... ...naomi pryce see winning hotel bids now at priceline. [ kate ] can't believe i have high blood pressure. what's that thing? another medication. ♪ i really should have taken my shoes off before i got weighed. [ female announcer ] you've got a lot on your mind. that's why every walgreens prescription goes through a 10 point safeguard check that reviews your c

the view of mogadishu through bullet-proof glass. we ride with a military convoy as soldiers protect the routes for desperately needed aid here, food that's just begun to arrive. it is the worst famine in a generation, and it's brought deadly fighting to the capital. they are threatening the food getting to the people who need it. >> absolutely. >> reporter: a group linked to al qaeda, al shabab, already controls much of the south in somalia, now moving into mogadishu. they have tried to block the aid. and while driving through the capital with that convoy, a firefight erupts. you can hear the gunfire just over our shoulder here, around this wall. this is the reality here in mogadishu as they continue to try to push al shabab to the outskirts of this city, all in an effort to get the food in. as we leave, our convoy is hit with bullets. no one was hurt. but this, the soldiers say, is the danger here. in a city swelling with families needing food and medicine. through barbed wire, a makeshift clinic. so they wait in line here, even in

and super model iman who was born here in somalia, in mogadishu. she's an ambassador to save the children. >> to hear about the population of orphans and the children, millions of them dying is beyond heart breaking, and especially as a mother. ends against occasil constipation, diarrhea, gas and bloating. with three strains of good bacteria to help balance your colon. you had me at "probiotic." [ female announcer ] phillips' colon health. agents, these crustaceans are like gold to a restaurant owner. so? water damage can spell disaster for a small business. and restaurants have over 4 million slip and falls every year. that's why we work with our clients and help them find coverage for stuff like this. oh! hey, what are you going to do with these guys? we'll release them into the wild so they can live long, fulfilling lives. aw, really? no. [ male announcer ] we are insurance. ♪ we are farmers ♪ bum, ba-da-bum, bum, bum, bum ♪ >>> four people living in here, a mom and three kids. it's a very small face, maybe five and a half to six feet in d

we're coming to you live from mogadishu. so many people have been sounding the alarm about what is happening here. they've been sounding the alarm for a month. this was -- this was -- this was preventible. this was predictable. it was predicted in fact. they've known about the drought for a long time. they've known about the danger of famine here. the war here, the conflict has certainly contributed to it but there's so much that needs to be done right now. for weeks now u2 front man bono has been sounding the alarm. about the famine here and now we can stop it, we can do something about it, lives can be saved. kids are going to die, there's no doubt about it, in the next or two or the coming weeks but it's a question of how many kids are going to die and we can make a big impact on that. bono has teamed up with a somali born hip-hop artist named k'naan. to urge the world to take action. i spoke with bono tonight. it's tonight's big 360 interview. bono i was at a hospital today in mogadishu. i mean there are kids die, tens o

this is where new arrivals come at the only hospital for children in mogadishu. there is no running water, no electricity, no operating room or toilets even, yet people still come here, looking for medical help. 11 days ago, halima arrived at this hospital, after traveling 120 miles to get here. she survived the journey, looking strong, taking care of her children. but the green and yellow dress she wore then, today wrapped her body. she contracted cholera in the hospital. she died last night. but what may be most tragic of all, the famine here is largely man made. somalia is a failed state and a war zone. peacekeepers from uganda and burundi are fighting to drive out al qaeda-backed militants called al shabab. the militants control half the country. we visited the peacekeepers' front line positions where gunfire is so regular, the commanders hardly notice it anymore. where are the shabab right now? >> the shabab is 15 meters. >> reporter: 15 meters behind this building. >> yes. no problem. >> reporter: there are only 9,000 african peacekeepers here. they're poor

. >> reporter: for millions of people mogadishu's front line separates hope from despair. in recent days, african peacekeepers say they are winning this battle for the city, seizing territory from the al qaeda supported forces from of al-shabaab. some of the fiercest battles were fought from this high ground from which african soldiers can see over a wide area to keep al-shabaab pushed back. just yesterday the peacekeepers also scored another critical victory taking an al-shabaab bomb factory. as our cameras were given the first glimpse inside, munitions experts were still making the facility safe, collecting evidence to be processed by the fbi. all for improvised bombs, potentially deadly to peacekeepers and civilians. as the peacekeepers gain new territory, they are making it possible for aid workers to reach more people in need. mogadishu's central hospital is overwhelmed with victims of the famine. 1-year-old fatima's life hangs in the balance. her mother says she and her husband walked eight days with their five children to flee al-shabaab terror. millions of children

from mogadishu, andrew harding reports. >> this is in mogadishu. it is best to be prepared. we are heading into a city that has forgotten and meaning of safety. near the front lines, we find the famine's latest fugitives, tens of thousands who have come seeking food and helping -- hoping for security. they are in bad shape. the familiar images are as shocking as ever. twins are both fighting for life. their mothers have fled from territory controlled by the islamist group al-shahbab. she says the militants killed her son. they tied him up, then shot him, because he was carrying a bag of food aid and they said it came from the infidels. the world is getting more supplies into mogadishu now. soup kitchens are in every district. but it is not hear the famine must be defeated. this is an almost impossibly difficult, dangerous place for foreigners to operate. you can see much -- how much security we need to move around. the real battle is to find a way to move across the lines and get the aid to where it is needed most. here is one way. un food blocked by al-shabab is handed over

from the capital of mogadishu, we report. >> visiting mogadishu, it is best to be prepared. we're heading into a city that has forgotten the meaning of safety. it is our gunman against the rest. near the front lines, we find the fugitives, tens of thousands, who have come seeking future and hoping for security. they are in bad shape -- seeking ford and hoping o security. they are in bad shape. their mothers have fled from territory controlled by al- shabab. >> the militants killed her son. they tied him up, then shot him, she said, because he was carrying a bag of food. >> the world is getting more supplies in the mogadishu now, soup kitchens in every district, but it is not here that somalia's famine must be defeated. this is almost an impossibly difficult and dangerous place for foreigners to operate. you can see how much security we need just to move around the center of mogadishu. we need to move across the front lines and get the aid to where it is needed most. here is one way -- un food, blocked by al-shabab, is handed over to trusted local charities. >> we are confide

andrew harding, bbc news, mogadishu. >> difficult pictures to watch. you're watching bbc world news america. still to come. hitting the center. president obama turns 50 and we'll see why the celebration may be short lived. >> the japanese government has sent three nuclear power chiefs to fend off criticism for the poor handling of the crisis. the nuclear plants is leaking radiation after being destroyed in the tsunami in march. these are the men japan's government is forcing to take responsibility for mishandling the disaster at the nuclear plant. the most senior civil servant in the trade ministry and the nuk loor energy agency. the government says regulators were too close to the power industry and the men must go. >> there will be a large shake-up and we'll head toward a brand-new mindset. >> at the plant, workers are still trying to cool the reactors nearly five months after they were crippled by the earthquake and tsunami. this week they find hot spots at the highest levels of radiation so far. 80,000 people who live near the power station still h

food program confirmed some of the food is being sold in the markets in the capital mogadishu. bags imprinted with japan's national flag can be seen piled up inside a store along with nutritional supplements for children. thieves apparently stole the transport. half of somalia's population is believed to the at risk of starvation, about 3.7 million people. the u.n. says mogadishu and four other regions are in a state of famine, calling for international assistance. but somali is a dangerous place and the security situation has made distributing relief supplies difficult. >>> somalia isn't just dealing with drought and famine. it's been ravaged by civil war for years. human rights watch released a report on the conflict. it says the government is being careless with its battle with an armed islamic group and civilians are paying the price. the new york based organization released the report sunday detailing abuse and crimes in somalia. it based its findings on accounts by refugees and other sources. human rights watch says civilians have suffered the most from the fighting betwe

he arrived in mogadishu today. give us a sense of the situation on the ground there. >> reporter: john, this is probably one of the strangest cities in the world. i mean, there has been now 21 years of conflict in this city. there is not a street, there is not a building in this city that did not bear the marks of bullet holes in the buildings, destroyed homes and buildings and nothing has been untouched by war. it's an extraordinary situation. somalis have come here to this war-attorn wa war-t war-torn city looking for aid and food, and they may be out of food supplies, food stocks, in about three weeks given the current level of donations, given the current level of international aid promised by countries around the world. that's an extremely serious situation because the drought here is expected to last not just three weeks but several more months, and famine is believed to be spreading in the south of somalia, where you have this group al shabaab, an extremist terrorist group according to the united states, a g

he arrived in mogadishu today. give us a sense of the situation on the ground there. >> reporter: john, this is probably one of the strangest cities in the world. i mean, there has been now 21 years of conflict in this city. there is not a street, there is not a building in this city that does not bear the mark of a bullet hole on all the walls. destroyed homes and buildings and nothing has been untouched by war. it's an extraordinary situation. somalis have come here to th war-torn city looking for aid and food, and they may be out of food supplies, food stocks, in about three weeks given the current level of donations, given the current level of international aid promised by countries around the world. that's an extremely serious situation because the drought here is expected to last not just three weeks but several more months, and famine is believed to be spreading in the south of somalia, where you have this group al shabaab, an extremist terrorist group according to the united states, a group of militants sti

the danger of mogadishu. >>etter than where they are. >> they think it's the only hope for food. al-shabaab is nervous about it, because if they move to the south al-shabaab loses its group. >> rose: it's people as a weapo. >> it's absolutely scandalous. we're talking about the children, butadults too. we're talking about 2.8 million people in the uth and the center, which are the al-shabaab areas, and none of us wanted to see these kinds of pictures, this kind of famine ever again in our world. we have to raise over a billion dollars to try to get help and support to people who are in absolutely desrate need. that what we're trying to do. >> rose: and will you be able t? >> well, i have to be hopeful and positive about it, because it's my job with the secretary-general and my colleagues to try to raise that money. we need to health department organizations that -- help the organizations that are hp to able to erate in that territory. there are a few of them. we have to help with the resources to really ramp

i'll go with my team to mogadishu to see the situation there. both the security situation and the food situation. also tomorrow, you don't want to miss my interview with super model iman. she was born in somalia and has a very personal perspective on what's happening here. here's some of what she had to say. >> regardless of the conflict and regardless of the political issue happening in somalia, what is happening for a fact, for a fact, it is a humanitarian catastrophe and this famine will be remembered as a famine that has destroyed generations of children. and we have i think we are in a place now that we can actually turn it around. >> she has a lot more to say

i'll go with my team to mogadishu to see the situation there. both the security situation and the food situation. also tomorrow, you don't want to miss my interview with super model iman. she was born in somalia and has a very personal perspective on what's happening here. here's some of what she had to say. >> regardless of the conflict and regardless of the political issue happening in somalia, what is happening for a fact, for a fact, it is a humanitarian catastrophe and this famine will be remembered as a famine that has destroyed generations of children. and we have i think we are in a place now that we can actually turn it around.

after 20 years of fighting in mogadishu, there is not much left at all. the country, which is the epicenter of a famine now. there is a catastrophe happening here. you could expect there to be more medicine, kids getting fortified milk, but you don't see any of that. it is just mothers sitting with their kids and many of the kids end up dying. mothers trying to keep the flies at bay, fathers soothe their sickly kids. the worry, the fear is the same the world over. what parent can stand it when their child is in pain? many kids are able to bounce back, with quick intervention, they gain weight day after day. for others, however, malnutrition is too far along. cnn's namele abagbir introduced us to this man. he lost a daughter. you must be worried about your child. how long has your child been sick? for the last six months, he's been ill, he says. but as the famine tightened around us, no one has been able to help us, so then we came here and now we're just hopeful. in the corner of the room, muhammad and his wife sit in silence. between them, we notice a sm

. >> the visiting mogadishu, it is best to be prepared. we're heading into a city that has forgotten the meaning of safety. it is us against the rest. near the front lines, we find the famine's latest fugitives. tens of thousands have come here seeking food and hoping for security. they are in bad shape. the familiar image is a shocking as ever. they are fighting for life. their mothers have fled from territory controlled by the islamist group al-shahbab. she says the militants killed her son. they tied him up, then shot him, because he was carrying a bag of food aid and they said it came from the infidels. the world is getting more supplies into mogadishu now. soup kitchens are in every district. but it is not here somalia's famine must be defeated. this is an almost impossibly difficult, dangerous place for foreigners to operate. you've seen how much security it took to move around the center of mogadishu. the real battle is to find a way to move across nearby frontlines and get aid to where it is needed most. >> un food blocked by al-sh

i'll go with my team to mogadishu to see the situation there. both the security situation and the food situation. also tomorrow, you don't want to miss my interview with super model iman. she was born in somalia and has a very personal perspective on what's happening here. here's some of what she had to say. >> regardless of the conflict and regardless of the political issue happening in somalia, what is happening for a fact, for a fact, it is a humanitarian catastrophe and this famine will be remembered as a famine that has destroyed generations of children. and we have i think we are in a place now that we can actually turn it around. >> she has a lot more to say about the famine and the need to put an end to the destruction in smal yax we'll have her on the program tomorrow. we'll run

thousands are fleeing famine in the south, desperate to reach camps in mogadishu. but now there's famine here, too. in one filthy camp we see a boy in his father's arms, so weak he can barely keep his head up. we follow kalthum, she wants to show us her neighbor's sick boy. he has a fever, his mother says. he vomits whenever he eats. he's not able to eat? he can't eat? another neighbor aisha has already lost six children. only her 4-year-old daughter survive. as we speak, more women approach with more malnourished children. when you hold these children's hands and you look in their eyes, they truly seem and feel exhausted. they don't squeeze back. they're just listless, so tired. but they're victims not just of drought and famine, but somalia's political divisions. there's been no real government here for 20 years. relief efforts are severely limited by the political instability here. the worst-affected areas are controlled by al shabab, an al qaeda-linked group, and people here say the militants aren't letting humanitarian supplies into those areas or letting star

ann curry has an extraordinary look tonight at the capital of somalia tonight, mogadishu, the danger, the high stakes and how it got this way. >> reporter: mogadishu, somalia, is the capital of chaos, torn to ruins by decades of war and anarchy. it is filled with weapons and suffocated by fear. this is where "black hawk down" happened, where somali pirates operate. it's considered by many the most dangerous place in the world, even by the battle-hardened. >> i think no one nation anywhere, no one place in the world anywhere, like somalia. >> reporter: lieutenant colonel paddy unkunda takes us through the front line of just the latest fighting. our armored personnel carrier at the ready for any sign of attack. we keep moving. ieds and suicide bombs an ever-present threat. at one stop, seconds after an ak-47 sounds off, we move quickly out of the area. peacekeepers at the moment are winning the battle for territory against al qaeda-supported islamists called al shabaab. you are saying this is the training ground for al qaeda? the spread of islamic terrorism has turned a drought into a f

richard engle joins us now from mogadishu, the capital of somalia. what have you seen over there that you can tell us about? >> what we were able to see today is there's starting to be a cholera outbreak. the only children's hospital, the conditions are appalling. no electricity, no water, no operating room, no toilets even, and you can imagine in a hospital where there's now a cholera outbreak and no toilets. people are just withering away, they are dying. we saw one woman about a week and a half ago, she had walked over 100 kilometers, 100 miles, excuse me, to get to this hospital and today she died of cholera and they took her body outside. so people are still coming to mogadishu, escaping some of the even harder-hit famine areas, but once they get here they are finding the situation is not much better. >> what is the government doing? is there even a government now in part of somalia? >> there is a government, but i think you can also say the government is so weak that it is almost not a government. there is a central authority that is backed up

guest: no, aid is reaching mogadishu, but mogadishu is a small part of the country. only people who can get access to the area controlled by the transitional national government, protected by peacekeeping force there, limited peacekeeping force there, the people can get into an indoor area control. but it is a tiny portion of the territory, only 5% of the territory up somalia. host: once it gets to mogadishu, what happens to it? guest: we have local community- based organizations, directly buy control of making sure hte the aid reaches the right people. outside the area's control, it is more difficult. host: why? guest: because you cannot bring a lot of supplies there. there are logistical issues, and there is always a risk that it can attract attention, being manipulated by some of the armed groups around. the distribution outside this area controlled by the transitional national government has to be done on a low scale, using a community-based organizations. past be quite discreet. -- it has to be quite discreet. host: for safety reasons? guest: for safety reasons.

cnn, mogadishu. >>> the numbers run imaginable. nearly 30,000 children have died in somalia in the last month alone. let's listen as they explain the trip. >> reporter: when you're talking about this part of the world, you're talking about a primarily agricultural community. they live off the land them grow cops. now you have lack of rain and several thing started to unfold. the crops obviously die off. the livestock living off the crops die off. now you have hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people without food and without water. it is as simple as that. they walk dozens of miles trying to get some sort of help. but so many are not able to make the journey. >> sanjay will be tweeting updates from the field during his trip. you can get information on the many agencies trying to assist the people affected by the famine. logon to cnn.com/impact. >>> the federal government's debt deal is done. so what should you do with your money? our financial fix is next. heime. she needs help from me. and her medication. the exelon patch -

guest: no, aid is reaching mogadishu, but mogadishu is a small part of the country. only people who can get access to the area controlled by the transitional national governnt, protected by peacekeeping force there, limited peacekeeping force there, the people can get into an indoor area control. but it is a tiny portion of the territory, only 5% of the territory up somalia. host: once it gets to mogadishu, what happens to it? guest: we have local community- based organizations, directly buy control of making sure hte the aid reaches the right people outside the area's control, it is more difficult. host: why? guest: because you cannot bring a lot of supplies there. there are logistical issues, and there is always a risk that it can attract attention, being manipulad by some of the armed groups around. the distribution outside this area controlled by the transitional nional government has to be done on aow scale, using a community-based organizations. past be quite discreet. -- it has to be quite discreet. host: for safety reasons? guest: for safety reasons. there ar

this was mogadishu less than a fortnight ago. the last exchange of fire before islamist fighters fled the city. african union peacekeepers regained control, but half of the country still remains in the hands of the militants. these are the victims of violence, failed government, and now severe drought, a lethal combination could it has led to famine on an alarming scale. so i has a fear of suicide attacks. >> she will walk with her six children? >> people have risked life and limb to go to these camps. >> some malia is an example of a failed state, which, -- saa is an example of a failed state. there are more for british nationals here engaged in terrorism in one form or another been in pakistan. this country is a threat to the united kingdom. >> to save one is to save lives. in the coming weeks, you could see fewer people dying of starvation. measles are already being reported. the actor fact -- the aftereffects of famine, things are likely to get worse before they get better. many are now questioning how long will the attention

they too two tons of plumpy to mogadishu. syad in a month goes through 65 tons just in mogadishu alone. four tons is helpful but it really -- it was more for the cameras than anything else, frankly. >> one of the reasons for some of the restrictions is from them getting in the terrorist hands. when you do reach a crisis point in a humanitarian crisis like this there seems to be expedited procedures or else the people you are trying to help are going to be dead. and that's the comment that i was trying to get to because many of them are affiliated with al qaeda and our nefarious groups around the world. we need to have an expedited procedure to the maximum extent as possible. i noted that bob was supposed to testify today but you are in his place. it causes me to make an observation for the people here today. mr. lapred with care international, he suffers from malaria. it reminded me that my first trip with care to ethiopia that the care representative that i worked with also had malaria. i want to thank you for the risk that

live in mogadishu, somalia, where famine and death are spreading. nima, i want to warn the people watching that some of these images are truly heartbreaking. it's hard to watch. give us a sense of what is beginning on there and just how bad it is. >> reporter: ali, last time we were speaking we were talking about the impact of the edict banning foreign work groups, an affiliated group called al shabaab. even here in mogadishu where aid groups have been able to work there is a famine. they are calling the somali capital a famine zone. this sin credibly heartbreaking here, ali. the u.n. have told us they put out an appeal for $1 billion. they say that's what they need to try and make a difference to people here. only over 40%, just over 40% of that, i should say, has been received. there are 2.8 million people that no aid is reaching whatsoever in this country. 1.25 million of those are children. what makes it worse, it's difficult to assess how many people are even dying here, ali. >> nima, give us a sense, it almost seems like history is repeating i

the only team to take you to mogadishu. and tonight, the unbelievable generosity from all of you. >>> buried alive. a heart-stopping rescue on the beach. and tonight, a warning about the dangers in the sand. >>> and goodnight moons? what we never knew about the moon, and this evening, it will have you seeing double. what's going on? >>> and good evening on this thursday night. diane is on assignment. and we begin here with the dizzying drop on wall street. we have not seen a day this bad in three years. ugly from the start, and it just kept getting worse. fueled by new fears about jobs and another recession. by the closing bell, the dow plunged 512 points, down more than 4%. the dow off more than 1300 points in just two weeks. tonight, what this means for your 401(k)s and where is this going with the jobs report coming tomorrow? abc's bianna golodryga leads us off at the new york stock exchange tonight where she has been all day. bianna, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, david. and there is real fear on the street to

we went to the only hospital in mogadishu. there is no electricity, no water, no operating room, no toilets even, and you can imagine what it is like in a hospital where there is now a collara outbreak and now no toilet. people are whithering away and dying. we saw one woman about a week and a half ago. she walked over a hundred kilometers, a hundred miles, excuse me within to get to this hospital. and today she died of collera. they took her body outside. people are still coming to mogadishu. hitting the harder hit areas. but once they get here, they are finding that the situation is not much better. >> what's the government doing? or is the government being there? is there even a government in that part of somalia? >> there is a government but i think you can also say that government is so weak that it is almost not a government. there is a central authority that is backed up by the united states. some international donors. it is backed on the ground by africa n peacekeepers. i'm not far from the airport. there are 9,000 pea

this was mogadishu less than a forte night ago. african european peacekeepers regained control but half of the country still remains in the hands of the militants. these are the victims of violence, failed government and now severe drought, a lethal combination has led to famine so is the fear of suicide attacks. >> how long did it take you? and you have six children? >> people have risked life and limb and britain has promised more help, 129 million pounds. >> somalia is an capital of a failed state which quite apart of the threat it poses to its own people, poses a threat to the wider world and to britain. there are more foreign british nationals here engaged in trim of one sort or another than in pakistan. this country is potentially a threat to the united kingdom. >> priority number one is to save lives. in the coming weeks, we can expect fewer people dying of starvation and more dying of disease. cholera is the major disease. things are likely to get worse before they improve. moments like these may help to keep somalia in the

guest: no, aid is reaching mogadishu, but mogadishu is a small part of the country. only people who can get access to the area controlled by the transitional national government, protected by peacekeeping force there, limited peacekeeping force there, the people can get into an indoor area control. but it is a tiny portion of the territory, only 5% of the territory up somalia. host: once it gets to mogadishu, what happens to it? guest: we have local community- based organizations, directly buy control of making sure hte the aid reaches the right people. outside the area's control, it is more difficult. host: why? guest: because you cannot bring a lot of supplies there. there are logistical issues, and there is always a risk that it can attract attention, being manipulated by some of the armed groups around. the distribution outside this area controlled by the transitional national government has to be done on a low scale, using a community-based organizations. past be quite discreet. -- it has to be quite discreet. host: for safety reasons? guest: for safety reasons.

five who died as they made their way to the capital of mogadishu. but the situation in that city reportedly not much better. one of our producers spoke by phone to a contact who is working in mogadishu. and we're told the sick and dying are everywhere. there are reports up to half million people have already poured across the border into kenya. which is now home to the world's largest refugee camp. and making matters worse, gangs of criminals and militants have reportedly been killing, raping, and robbing those in need. david lee miller in our new york city newsroom. it's worse by the day. >> unfortunately it does. so far the u.n. has raised about $1 billion to fight the famine in africa with roughly half the donations coming from u.s. taxpayers. some critics though argue that the world body did too little too late. somalia's former prime minister said the famine caused by drought was entirely predictable. he also criticizes the u.n. for not grasping the full scope of disaster. basis of operations is into robe buy nairobi. >> one of the reasons to a

the united nations says the first airlift in five years has landed in the somali capital of mogadishu. 100,000 somalis have fled to the city due to the famine in the south of the country. more than 1 million people are affected by the severe drought in the region. >> flying aid into mogadishu is the relatively easy part of the job. distributing it is a far harder task in this volatile city. over the weekend, the islamist insurgents -- insurgent group al-shabab withdrew from its positions in the somali capital, and surprise move. here u.n. peacekeepers and somali government troops patrol parts of the city that had been held by ash about. eight agencies have returned to areas that they have -- international aid agencies have returned to areas they have for years not been able to reach. the guns may be silent for now, but few people expect the silence to last for long. the al qaeda-linked al-shabab fighters have launched offensives to hear. in recent weeks, tens of thousands have come to the capital. they come in search of food. agencies are managing to reach them, but supplies are limit

the rods that lead to front line of mogadishu looks deserted. this is the new front line here in mogadishu. it's quite far from the northeast of the city. the last time we were here two years ago they controlled only a triangle of territory, the port, the airport, and the state house. today out of the. the expansion of the secured zone has given them the courage to seek refuge and aid in the capital and the au says given the resources it could do even more. >> the african countries need to do more. we cannot wait for anyone to come and do this job here. somalia is part of after ka. it's safer. we need more troops. we need more troops. of course, the entire world being affected by terrorism that. will do the job. >> reporter: after they left the front line, two au soldiers were killed in gun battle with two would-be suicide bombers. as they wait for that much needed support. getting job done here will continue to come at a high price. >>> nima elbagir live. first. i think it's point to point out that t crisis in the horn of africa, it's not new.

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they moved into mogadishu to expand their reach. now comes word they pulled out of most of the capital, opening up hope food will reach the refugee camps we found sprouting up all over the city. just today, this image, a woman joyful they're gone, cleaning up the neighborhood where they had a firm grip. when you hear the militants have left the city -- >> i hope what this means is we can really get the aid to the people who need it. >> there is always that concern that this move could simply be a tactical one. >> security remains a major issue. you saw that yourself, david, last week, when you were there. what we need is to get help to those people quickly. >> why on earth would these militants want to stop the aid? what's in it for them to do that? >> i guess ultimately, it's about control and power. i think for us, it's very hard to get into the minds of people who do this kind of terrible thing. >> and the children who would come up to me in the street with the smiles on their faces. >> it's the children. we, in the last month, h

hive from mogadishu. more from piers morgan in a moment. >>> t. boone pickens made his fortune in the oil business. i don't think anyone would consider him unfred friendly to drilling was right when he said this is one emergency we can't drill our way out of. >> president obama giving a shoutout to my guest in march. t. boone pickens says the man is thankful for the tea party and says the trouble in washington is a lack of leadership. boone pickens joins me now. you like being called j.r. yuing through or not. but needs a little bit of j.r. action. >> we need action. no question. if i was asked my opinion by the white house i would say get on your own resources. we have resources in america. and every day, we're spending a million, 200 million for foreign oil. totally unnecessary. getting on their own resources. get off of foreign oil, creates a tremendous amount of jobs. it would be good. >> but you have an interest in that. you have a company that's the alternative to oil, many would say. do you feel slightly compromised when you stand up for so

. >> reporter: she and her two little girls left their home in mogadishu a year ago fleeing the violence of a weak temporary government and an islamic insurgent group. when the drought made it even worse, they headed here. it is not perfect but at least her children are fed and safe. >> translator: at the moment, she says, we found peace. >> reporter: in the city she fled, somalia's capital, mogadishu, government troops have been fighting to open up aid roots. they made a show of thanking troop for gaining some ground but even today, reports that a member of parliament was gunned down. many of the most drought-stricken regions of somalia are still under rebel control. the fear is the aid just isn't getting through. the fear is by the u.n., that the famine in somalia could grow cox spread to other area. it is worth noting that 12 million people across four countries now have been severely affected by this massive drought. >> thank you. kate snow again who has just arrived. er reporting will begin tomorrow morning on "today." we'll have more on "nbc nightly news." for those of you wanting

and the fact that they're actually coming into mogadishu, one of the most unsafe cities in the entire world, says a lot about the condition of what they're experiencing in their villages. and how desperate they have to be. >> pelley: one of your photographs is particularly striking, it's a photograph of a child lying in a fetal position, clearly starving to death. i wonder if you could tell us the story of that picture. >> this particular child really struck me how skinny this child was. and the position of how the child was laying on the table, was just really striking, and i thought really got that point across of how desperate it is there. >> pelley: you were in mogadishu for four days, i wonder in the time that you were there, any signs of improvement, any hopeful signs? >> not at all. if anything it happened that this would probably get worse before it gets better. they're arriving literally with nothing, and it's a very desperate situation for them. >> pelley: tyler hicks, photo journalist for the "new york times", thank you very much for your help. >> thank you. >> pelley: for

nelson from mercy corps, an american based aid group, she's in kenya after visiting refugee camps in mogadishu. i asked her about a new threat, the outbreak of disease. >> reporter: the living conditions have, are absolutely terrible for these people. they don't have access to clean water. they don't have access to any kind of sanitation facilities or toilets, and what that has created is an absolute health crisis. i was in the hospitals and i saw them completely overrun and in the 45-minute period i was there i actually saw three children die that had cholera. so that is a huge crisis. and the other major issue that we're very concerned about is measles, the conditions in the camps because it's so crowded is really a huge incubator for measles because it's a highly infectious and contagious disease. and the situation to be hon nest the hospitals isn't much better. these children that are lying on these tables all getting ivs, they are also not being separated from children who have measles or other diseases, cholera, and so the diseases are so easily transfered from one to the next. >> pelley

food shipment arrived today in mogadishu, a gun fight broke out. at least seven people were killed. hundreds of thousands of somalis have fled across the border into kenya. the region is suffering through its worst drought in 60 years and rebel groups are preventing aid from reaching the people who need it. earlier today, i spoke with william spindler, who is with the u.n. high commissioner for refugees. william, i understand the refugee camp at dabaad was built for 90,000 refugees. how many do you have there now? >> there are over 400,000, so more than four times the number for which it was built. and that number increases every day because some 1,500 tired, frightened, exhausted refugees arrive from somalia. >> pelley: what is that trip like for them, coming from somalia to the refugee camp there in kenya? >> we have heard horrific stories from refugees. we have heard stories of women being attacked and raped by militiamen or bandits. we have heard stories of children dying on the way, or being left behind because they are too weak to walk. so really dramatic, terrible stories of

we're coming to you live from mogadishu. so many people have been sounding the alarm about what is happening here. they've been sounding the alarm for a month. this was preventible. this was predictable. it was predicted in fact. they've known about the drought for a long time. they've known about the danger of famine here. the war here. the conflict has certainly contributed to it but there's so much that needs to be done right now. for weeks now yu2 front man bon has been sounding the alarm. he said kids are going to die in the coming weeks but it's a question of how many kids are going to die and we can make a big impact on that. bono has teamed up with a somali born hip-hop artist named k'naan. i spoke with bono tonight. >> i was at a hospital today in mogadishu. there are kids dying. tens of thousands of children have died in the last few weeks, last few months, many more are likely to die unless more aid and more money gets in the pipeline. they need $2 billion. they have only had $1 billion sent so there's a big short

eager structure that is going to back to united states out of mogadishu or from southern somalia this is completely ridiculous and there are a lot of five hundred fighters at it off course he when they see that foreign intervention be a very leery of international aid mechanisms that are trying to go to somalia now to alleviate offended because they don't trust these people just like they don't trust any sort of intervention and they know because the americans are pretty intervening for over twenty years in fact and some of the weeping anchors that you've mentioned were anderson cooper of c.n.n. of course who was wearing a bulletproof vest as poor innocent starving children were in a shopping high and unfortunate we're out of time but as of our thank you so much for your time as always for that have public enemy number one summit in london does not seem to have brought this country any closer to the end of the war on terror but it does seem to have given kollywood plenty of fodder for yet another blockbuster film and the same team that's behind heart lock arms actually scheduled to re