20/02/2017 Outside Source

Hello, I'm Ros Atkins, this is Outside Source.

city has intensified - the BBC is on the front lines.

just two miles, three kilometres or so... You can hear the helicopters

firing again. Donald Trump's Defence Secretary has

been in Baghdad meeting troops, and promised the US was not in Iraq

to seize the country's oil. Speaking to the BBC,

Iran's Foreign Minister has defended the nuclear deal his country made

with the Obama administration - and had a warning for

the current one. Our people have shown that hostility

doesn't receive a positive response Here in the UK the House of Lords is

debating the bill that will eventually lead to Brexit that has

already been passed by the House of Commons.

A famine is declared in parts of South Sudan.

More than a hundred-thousand people are facing starvation

And if you want to get in touch at any time # BBCOS.

Iraqi forces have resumed their push to retake

IS has controlled Mosul for over two years.

The effort to take it back began in October.

A live if we look at a more detailed graphic of the city, you can see

large chunks of the city are controlled by Iraqi troops

particularly in the east, but it is the West that is now the focus. We

have recently heard that the airport is close to being seized.

The BBC's Quentin Sommerville is embedded with Iraqi forces.

He tweeted this yesterday morning: "the battle

He is also posting pictures online. This is a picture of a strike on the

weapons factory and this is an Iraqi vehicle that was hit by an ISO

rocket propelled grenade. In record time Iraq's Federal police

have made it to within sight of most will city, that is the south-east of

the city you can see there and the river just in the foreground. It

really was a very fast assault to get here. And now behind me, perhaps

if we just move the camera over there, you might be able to pick out

the helicopter, the gunship, which is launching an attack against the

town. It's a very important town because all that lies between the

federal police and most all is that town, and ISO stronghold. All

morning we have watched as the helicopters attacked the time and

the Iraqi police have fired their own home-made rockets deep inside

that town, and it is very important for them because just two miles,

three kilometres or so, you can hear the helicopters firing again. Just

beyond that town, two miles or so, is Iraq's, most will's I should say,

airport, and that Apple is mostly of symbolic value because taking that

would be very important because it would be a symbolic victory and

after that there would be in postal. US Defence Secretary James Mattis

is in Baghdad to assess Bear in mind the President Trump has

said in the past that America should have seized the oil.

General Mattis said "All of us in America have generally paid

for gas and oil all along, and I am sure

that we will continue to do so in the future...We are not

Earlier I spoke to BBC Arabic's Edgard Jallad who began

by explaining how the American's were supporting Iraqi forces.

The technology and providing them with satellite maps and important

monitoring technology that will help them limit the casualties and be

more surgical in their attacks. What information do we have about their

foe, the Islamic State group? Anthony fighters to we think I now

involved in most all? We don't know exactly but there is an estimation

in the Iraqi media that there are in the region of 3000 fighters inside

but the problem is they are melting in a big pot of civilians which

could reach 700 and 50,000 people. Many of them are children and that

is making the battle complicated and different and difficult and

different from others. The Iraqi Government has made some bold

expectations public about what is going to happen in most will. Is it

putting a time frame on when it thinks it can get the city back?

This time they are quite aware and making everybody aware that this is

a very difficult battle because the streets are narrow and now the all

the information coming is saying that so-called Islamic State

fighters are trying to dig tunnels to plants devices and booby-traps

around. And with the civilians around them it is going to be very

difficult and challenging for the forces. So if the first part of the

most will battle took three months nobody is expecting this battle to

be less unless there is a big surprise or a big collapse in the

Islamic State forces defences. In Westminster, the upper house of

parliament has begun debating the bill which have passed would allow

the Government to formally begin the process of leaving the EU. Bearing

mount the highs of Cummins has audio voted this through with no

amendments. Its member 's are elected and the Government has a

majority there. The House of Lords is not elected and the Government

does not have a majority. Here is some of what we heard. Yes, they did

want to leave the European Union, but they did not want to turn

Britain into a poorer, politically isolated, offshore tax haven,

without reach or influence in the world. Brexit is the most important

single issue which has faced the country the decades. For many of us

the approach being adopted by the Government is little short of

disastrous. I voted to remain in the European Union. But I support this

bill because I believe the referendum was decisive. Lets talk

to Chris Mason. It's always interesting to hear these issues

thrashed out but where do they fit into the process, the

decision-making that goes into Brexit? That is the key question

because what we have had today and will continue to have for another

three hours until midnight in the UK, then the same again tomorrow, is

a battalion of blasts from the past in the upper chamber, the House of

Lords, people who have served in the upper reaches of Government or high

up in industry or science or academia or broadcasting, are all

offering their perspectives on Brexit. But crucially as you say the

upper chamber is not elected, it is appointed. So effectively its hands

are tied. Earlier today the British Prime Minister went in to go and

watch the proceedings of a Lords. We were told by her officials that this

was not in an attempt to intimidate, but clearly it was a to say, you

know what the people said and you know what the House of Commons said

so don't hold this up because I want to get on with triggering Article 50

of the European Union treaty to start the process of leaving by the

end of next month. That has been the Prime Minister's mantra for some

time. She did not have to say that to articulate that sort by perching

herself in the House of Lords earlier. Can you help those viewers

who while we are talking, especially those outside the UK, who look at

the parliament, look at the upper house not being elected and wonder

why this isn't a big political issue at the moment? It's a perfectly fair

question. There are plenty who make the argument that it is an oddity

that the British Parliament, which so often talks itself up as the

mother of all parliaments and something that is copied in many

other countries around the world, has as its revising chamber

something that is full of people who have been appointed, often political

appointees signed off by the Prime Minister or recommended by the

Leader of the Opposition. Why does it continue to be the case? I guess,

simply, because no Government has ever regarded it as a sufficient

priority to do something about it and replace it with something else,

not least because plenty of MPs sitting in the elected House of

Commons are very conscious that if you had a House of Lords that

required some element of election or was totally elected, that would

certainly challenge the House of Commons. At the moment it is seen

somewhere that can tweak legislation, that can ask the

Government to think again, without overreaching itself because it is

not elected. I suppose even the biggest Democrat in the House of

Commons who would like to see change in the House of Lords might think

twice when you think, that could place could have nearly as much

power as asked if people were elected to it. That said, the debate

rumbles on. It is possible they could amend it, try to tweak the

legislation, but because they are not elected, in all likelihood the

Government will push ahead anyway, the timetable won't slip and the

process of Brexit will start within the next month or so. Thank you.

Those of you watching, if you want background on the process behind

Brexit, you can access it online whenever you want it from BBC News.

Now, an important announcement, Donald Trump has named General HR

McMaster as his new national security adviser. He was Donald

Trump making the announcement. He is a man of tremendous talent and

traders experience. I watched and read a lot over the last two days.

He is highly respected by everybody in the military. And we are very

honoured to have him. He also is known for a long time General Keith

Kellogg, who I also have gotten to know and he is a terrific man. They

are going to be working together. And Keith is going to be chief of

staff, and I think that combination is something very, very special. Mr

McMaster is going to replace the former national security adviser,

Mike Flynn, who revived resigned last week. He'd only been on the job

three weeks and three days and was asked to resign by the President

because of misleading the Mike pence over conversations he'd had with

Russia's ambassador to the US. For those watching, encountering Mr

McMaster for the first time, tell us about him. He does have tremendous

experience, as Mr Trump said. He served in Afghanistan. He is serving

general. He is known as a strategist, a thinker, when it comes

to the military as well. Given what happened to Mike Flynn, the question

a lot of people have is, does this man, and I suppose it is a question

for anyone appointed by Donald Trump now, does this man have linked with

Russia? On the face of it P2P is not, but he was looking into why the

Russian literary had made such advances, as he felt it, over the

last decade or so and how the American military could catch up.

But from everything I have read and heard from people who have served

with him, it seems he commands a great deal of respect in the

military. Very different of course to Barack Obama's last adviser. She

came from a diplomatic background. This is a military man. There is a

question, with this new NSA using colleagues will see changes in

policy given his background? Is it possible to describe an attitude he

has towards foreign policy? We're not sure but in terms of moving the

military forward that has been his goal. He has been very much involved

in training on the ground, very recently. But also in devising a

strategy for moving forward the American military. I think that is

what he is known for. In terms of how he will be able to get involved

in diplomacy that he will have to be involved in with foreign

governments, that is the unknown. That is the thing he hasn't

necessarily been involved in as much, although he was involved as

you say in anti-corruption drives in the local areas that he was based on

in Afghanistan and Iraq. But if you are talking about a change to what

we have seen in terms of approach from the Obama administration, Susan

Rice came from a very different background, a diplomatic background,

and very much someone who was experienced in negotiations with

foreign governments. So this man is one who will certainly be learning

on the job, but clearly Donald Trump has a great deal of faith in him.

But it was important I think four double Donald Trump that this

appointment happened quickly because when general Flynn was asked to

resign there was this sense, and there is still a sense among many

Americans, as if there is chaos in the White House ranks. Certainly

Donald Trump will want to put an end to that address to move forward.

Thank you. We will be flipping to the other side of the states to talk

about Lubo. Police are searching the former home

of Christopher Halliwell. Our correspondent is at the scene in

Swindon. This is the latest information. Behind me security

guards are guarding the alleyway between this row of terraced houses.

It has been completely sealed off here. Broad Street near the centre

of Swindon. Behind the tarpaulin there it is a police scenes of crime

quite tent along with some other vehicles down the alleyway.

Wiltshire Police have given us a statement tonight. They say

specialist officers are currently carrying out excavation work within

the gardens of two properties on broad Street as part of an ongoing

investigation being carried out by the major investigations crime team.

This is Outside Source, live from the BBC newsroom.

Iraqi Government forces are continuing their advance

on western Mosul, on the second day of their latest offensive

Time for Outside Source Business. Uber is investigating sexual

harassment allegations. Someone has published a blog post detailing a

list of sexism and harassment including inappropriate messages she

was sent by one of her managers who told her he was in an open

relationship. She claims other women had similar experience. The chief

executive of Uber has said what is described here is abhorrent and

against everything we believe in. Anyone who behaves this way or

thinks this is OK will be fired. If the allegations are true, those

involved weren't fired. Here is our tech correspondence on what more

details on this blog post. Set out very clearly and without a lot of

emotion a year in an atmosphere which can only be described as

toxic. As well as talking about the sexual harassment allegations and

the fact that the man who she accused of this was not fired, not

disciplined in any way, because, he was seen as a high performer, a top

performer, she talks about the general infighting going on she

talks about a game of thrones political war raging within the

ranks of upper management. Management is trying to get each

other's jobs and people suffering in the process. And the ratio of men

women engineers in her division going down in her time from 25% to

6%. She said it had a clear effect on women, they did not want to work

for the company. Many of us who read this were perhaps not surprised that

this woman experienced this. I was surprised and American corporate

culture had failed to respond to it. What are they saying about it? Uber

are saying they are going to investigate it. Critics of it say

this is consistent with what they are seen before. It's very

aggressive company, we know how it battles with regulators around the

world, how it is not very keen on responding to local laws, and the

critics say that is very consistent with the hard-charging culture

within the firm and a certain kind of culture within silicon valley,

kind of boyish in a way, where young men are put in charge of companies

at a very young age and don't really know how to behave. He was a treat.

We have ketchup news for you. Here's our Science

Correspondent Pallab Ghosh. It's always an effort, and everyone

has their own technique. Well, you put it on its side,

and you just karate chop it. You have to really shake it

up a ton beforehand. I try to give it a good shake, kind

of like just go like that a lot. It's something we've

all struggled with - how to get that last drop

of ketchup out of the bottle. Well, scientists have come

up with an invention It can work for toothpaste, make-up,

hand cream, even glue. Here at MIT, they've developed this

clever new technology. What I have here is our patented of

super-slippery coating technology. You'll see that the toothpaste

glides very easily. And you can do that with food

as well, can't you? So here I have mayonnaise

in a regular bottle. You will see that mayonnaise

is stuck, sticky. Here is our liquid glide-coated

bottle, and you will see that the mayonnaise slides

very easily as well. The container has been specially

engineered to enable the ketchup, or any other sticky liquid,

to slip out easily. Scientists coat the inside

with a rough surface. They then put a thin layer over it,

and they cover that with a liquid which fills in the troughs and forms

a very slippery surface, The ketchup hovers on top,

and just glides out of the bottle. This coating process

could cut huge amounts of waste. We dispose of

40 billion containers that The technology is already

being used for paint. Look how the untreated tin compares

with the coated one on the right. 200 million gallons of material

is thrown away by industry each year when the super-slippery bottle

is available in a few years' time, mealtimes will be

a little less tricky. And you can find that report online

if you would like to show it to someone else. News came through a

few hours ago that the ambassador has died unexpectedly. He was one of

Russia's most... He had many clashes with the US ambassador to the UN.

Here they are discussing Aleppo. This will be their model for

tempting to retake cities and towns across Syria. It will not end with

Aleppo. And it will not focus on terrorists.

TRANSLATION: Please remember your own country's track record and then

you can start pining from the position of Monza Gramercy who is to

blame. Let's bring in Nick Bryant from New York. Is it overstating it

to say this man was one of the main linchpins between America and the

rest of the world? They call you when ambassador 's permanent

representatives and none seemed more permanent than him. He was a giant

here at the UN. It is hard to imagine that horseshoe table at the

Security Council without him. He had been here more than a decade, seen

many US and British and French ambassadors come and go, but he was

there, seemingly an immutable presence. There has been shock and

disbelief that he is no long with us. It is a measure of the respect

within the UN for his diplomatic skills. People like Samantha Power

have come out and paid tribute to him in a very full some way. She

called him a diplomatic maestro, a very caring man, someone who helped

bridge the divisions between Russia and the US. Britain's ambassador

called him a great diplomat and a wonderful character. I suppose some

critics would say he was using those diplomatic skills to defend in some

cases the indefensible. He was a master of UN rules and often he used

those UN real roles to thwart the Western countries on the Security

Council. Russia is a veto wielding power and he used that repeatedly to

block resolutions particularly in recent years on the Syria conflict,

things like granting Trinitarian access. It was offered his hand in

the air to block those resolutions by invoking Russia's veto. Two men

only people he was the face of Russian obstructionism. One of the

people who made the Security Council unworkable on things like Syria, but

there was still respect for him as a professional diplomat and he was a

much respected figure here and he will be much missed. Thank you. Here

is the UK's representative at the UN saying he was a pillar of the

security council for over a decade. Hello. The UK had its warmest day of

winter today. We'll look at the main weather stories around the world

from warmth to wet. More wet in