13/11/2015 World News Today

This is BBC World News Today with me Tim Willcox.

'We're pretty sure we got him' - The Islamist militant known

as Jihadi John is targeted in a US drone strike.

The Pentagon says the death of Mohammed Emwazi would be

We are reasonably certain that we killed the target that we intended

At the same time, Kurdish fighters regain control of

the strategic Iraqi town of Sinjar which had been held by Islamic State

A rock star style appearance by Indian Prime Minister Narendra

Modi at London's Wembley Stadium - where thousands have gathered to

And we meet some of Russia's top athletes who - as

their country faces allegations of state sponsored doping - are already

We need to fight doping, but that doesn't mean the whole team should

suffer. I don't think all athletes should be banned.

He became the face of a gruesome propaganda campaign by the Islamic

State group - today US sources say there is a "high degree of

certainty" that Mohammed Emwazi, known as Jihadi John, has been

killed in an airstrike. The Kuwaiti-born British militant had

appeared in several videos of the beheadings of hostages. British

Prime Minister David Cameron said the UK had been working with the US

over the strike. Here's our Security Correspondent Frank Gardner.

Tucker 's officials said suspected associate had been detained in

Turkey. Mohammed Emwazi, dubbed Jihadi

John. He has appeared in numerous Islamic state videos, threatening

the West. I'm back, Obama. appeared to show him murdering

his Western hostages in cold blood. Alan Henning a taxi driver from

Salford, David Haynes, an aid worker from Perth, James Foley, a US

journalist. Another American journalist, Steven Sotloff and

a US aid worker who Today, David Cameron announced a

joint operation involving British and American drones had probably

killed This was a

combined effort and the contribution

of both our forces was essential. He is a barbaric murder and he was

shown in the sickening videos with the beheading of British aid

workers. He posed an ongoing series on to innocent civilians, not only

in Syria, but around the world. The airstrike on rising took place

a night in Syria. It's believed he was tracked

from the air. The US unmanned drones a fired a

precision guided missile at the vehicle is thought to contain

Mohammed Emwazi, and another than a year trying to pin down his

location. Verifying his death has been taking some time. We are

reasonably certain we killed the target that we intended to kill,

Jihadi John. It will take some time to be able to finally say we have

had success. the Kurdish offensive has

begun pushing an Islamic state forces out of the town of Sinjar

captured last year. Mohammed Emwazi, was never a front-line soldier. His

job was killing prisoners. Now, if the former London student's death

is confirmed, there will be some who regret can never be

brought to trial. The White House says families of

victims were contacted before the dawn straight. The mother of victim

James Foley gave her reaction. It saddens me that here in America

here we are celebrating and the killing of this deranged,

pathetic young man. Had

the circumstances been different, Jim probably would have befriended

him and tried to help him. It is just so sad that

our precious resources have been concentrated to seek revenge if you

will, or kill this man when if a bit of them had been utilised to save

our young Americans, that's what our Protecting our citizens

and the vulnerable, Not trying to seek revenge

and bomb and... Jim would have been devastated

that with the whole thing. He wanted to know how

he could figure a why. For you there was no sense

of justice in this strike? And I think we have to be careful

as an American media not to glorify David Cameron said it was an act of

self-defence, but how much of a blow with his death be too Islamic

state? As a battlefield, and, he was

utterly irrelevant, but as the public face, the recruiting

Sergeant, the celebrity, even, of Islamic state he was very important.

His appearance in those grotesque videos were we saw those hostages

murdered is what changed American policy towards Islamic state. The

other striking thing is how closely they had been monitoring him for the

past few days. We have also learnt that a British drone was also

involved in the operation, there were three drones, it was an

American drawl that fired but the British were also involved. Barack

Obama said a year ago the mission was to degrade and destroy Islamic

state. Destroy? Not yet, but it seems to be underway.

There's been another set-back for Islamic State, this time across the

border in northern Iraq. Kurdish officials say their forces have

taken the strategic town of Sinjar from the militant group. It was

seized by Islamic State fighters 15 months ago. Local televison has

shown pictures of a giant Kurdish flag being raised to mark the

recapture of the town, and celebratory gunfire has been heard.

The head of Kurdistan Regional Security Council says the battle

would pave the way for future successes.

Without doubt, any victory in any area will have a big impact on

achieving victory in the remaining areas. The liberation of Sinjar will

have a big impact on liberating morsel to stop -- Mosul.

Our correspondent Jim Muir is travelling with the Kurdish forces,

and we'll be bringing you his first-hand report

in the coming hours. Tens of thousands of people, mainly

British Indians or Indians resident in the UK, are at Wembley stadium in

London for a speech by the visiting Indian Prime Minister, Narendra

Modi. A massive fireworks display is planned for the rally which many are

comparing to a rock concert. At the stadium, security is tight; all the

food is vegetarian. Wembley today was a family day out

and a political rally all rolled into one. Narendra Modi is a

controversial figure back home, but listening to this audience you would

not know it. Why are you here today? Too sure how important it is

to me as a young person in Britain to be Indian and what it means to be

Indian and understand a bit more about our nation and culture. I want

to support Modi because he is doing a good job. He has raised the entire

national image of India to a high degree. It is an honour to see

someone from my background come to the UK and embrace diversity. With

the air are heavy with feel-good factor, you warm up act 's went down

well. The biggest roar of the afternoon was inevitably preserved

for Narendra Modi himself. His British counterpart, with whom ?10

billion of trade deals have been done, played host. But it was

Narendra Modi who stole the show. This is a historic day. You are the

heartbeat. Earlier ended day, a more sedate encounter, as Modi had lunch

with the Queen. For a man who in the last decade was banned from the UK

it is quite a turnaround in fortunes. Some of the controversy

still sticks to him. Protests have dogged his visit. Critics say he

only chapping is quite a turnaround in fortunes. Some of the controversy

still sticks to him. Protests have dogged his visit. Critics say he

only chapping the basically Hindu and passion to. This is not what

India stands for FP came here to milk it, he certainly succeeded. It

rocks that setting for the leader of an emerging power. He could have

wished for nothing more. Africa's most populous nation -

Nigeria - has sworn in a new cabinet - more than six months

after its presidential election. One of the biggest challenges facing

President Mohammudu Buhari is defeating the Islamic insurgency

in the north east of the country. Boko Haram militants have killed

thousands and more than two million Our correspondent -

Martin Patience - has gained rare access to the city of Maiduguri

at the heart of the insurgency. The children grab what

respite they can. Maiduguri is traumatised

by a brutal insurgency. It markets bombed so frequently that

people shop late to avoid attacks. Every so often,

you catch a military convoy heading out to the countryside where

the insurgency is at its strongest. These young men know that

violence first-hand. They are the sons

of Baker's killed by Boko Haram. There village was attacked

by the insurgents and they fled with Now,

they have turned to their fathers' They have been taken in by this man,

a baker in the city. TRANSLATION:

I had to help, he said. What happened to them

could happen to me. Among his recruits, Mohammed,

who can't forget the morning TRANSLATION:

We were woken up by gunshots. At first,

I thought it was the military. But then I realised it was

an attack. We all ran from the house

in different directions. It was only

when I reached the city that I It is just past dawn,

and the curfew has ended in the city and, outside the bakery, crowds Stat

of children have gathered, among int Then they along with their families

at risk are going hungry. This is what desperation does. You fight to

be fed. They have bought the death and destruction and its pursuit of

an Islamic state. It gained international notoriety after

kidnapping more than 200 schoolgirls, shown here after they

were forced to convert to Islam. The insurgents killed or kidnapped

anyone they consider an unbeliever. That includes this woman and her

three daughters who fled their village before they could be

captain. We were sitting -- this lot are you, when you're eating food

they it away. For her, it is a miserable life and until she feels

safe to return to normal this insurgency will not be over.

Dozens of judges in Ghana are being investigated following the release

of a documentary by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

of a documentary by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw

The film captured the judges on tape allegedly taking bribes.

Over 30 judges and 170 judicial officers were

implicated in the country's biggest corruption scandal.

Today the undercover reporter Anas has been speaking to the

BBC's Sammy Darko for the first time since the judicial scandal broke.

I must put on record that I have triggered the necessary

constitutional processes that would ensure that if these judges are

guilty they are properly dealt with in accordance with the law. I have

triggered the process. My commitment is to the Constitution. My second

commitment, and perhaps most important commitment is to the

people of Ghana. The work I did it for the people of Ghana. I trust in

what I did and I felt it would be unfair to keep that information to

myself and that's why I made it public. I am confident of the

investigations I have done. The judges on the gods in the guise of

men. If anything happens, everybody was Mac last resort is in the court.

I have done a lot of investigation across the African continent and I

think Africa has been, the problems in Africa, are a result of the

problems you have with our judiciary and if we will be courageous enough

to stand toe to toe and investigate some of these issues in our

judiciary am sure Africans can only have a better life. This mask your

wedding all the time has become symbolic. You will find many people

and Ghana winning this mask. Why can't we see your face? Over the

years, I have had this symbol on. I don't take it off because it helps

when it comes to my anonymity. Are you ready to sit my face? We really

want to see your face. And going to do it gradually. This is my hat. And

then... I paid off... Bash -- I take off my hat, my beads, and. For those

who want to see my face, this is my face. You said you wanted to see my

face, so I have given you my face. So, you see, you never know what you

will find. For me the important thing is focus. It is not about a

mask, it is about all of us putting our hands together and ensuring we

have a better continent. I think that anonymity has always been my

secret weapon and I have always used it to the benefit of society.

Police in Germany say they have found the remains of at least eight

babies in an apartment in the southern state of Bavaria.

The remains were discovered in the small town of Wallenfels,

near the Czech border, in what could be one of the country's worst

Forensic investigators are trying to establish whether

Police are trying to interview the previous occupant of the apartment -

a 45 year old woman - as the possible mother of the dead babies.

Well, the BBC's Jenny Hill is in Wallenfels.

She says local people have reacted with shock and sadness to the news

that discovery. In a small town like this there is

considerable shock, and sadness, too, you can probably see behind me

that people who live here have come out this evening and placed lit

candles on the windowsill of the apartment block where, last night,

police were called by a member They found the bodies

of eight babies. In such a poor state of

decomposition that forensic experts who examined them today say it will

be several days before they are able to determine when and, more

importantly, how the children died. The police say that they are still

searching for a 45-year-old woman. She is believed to be the mother

of the infants. She is believed, too, to have

lived at the property behind me. The police say they have no idea

where she is but they are desperately trying to find her,

as they try to build a picture All day, forensic teams have been

in and out of the house, Medical experts have been examining

the babies' bodies but, at the moment, they haven't got any

conclusive results. Germany has, in recent years,

been shocked as a country, by a series of multiple

infanticides. We don't know what happened here

but some people fear that this could Just last year,

a German woman was convicted of killing two of her own babies

and hiding their bodies in freezer. In another case,

and there have been at least ten over the last ten years, perhaps one

of the worst of its kind, a woman killed nine of her own infants

and hid their bodies in flowerpots. The TV producer punched by

Jeremy Clarkson is suing the former Top Gear host - and the

BBC - for racial discrimination. The case brought by Oisin Tymon -

who is Irish - centres on "verbal abuse" that accompanied Clarkson's

physical attack in March. Clarkson was dropped by the BBC

following an internal inquiry. Clarkson lashed out after being told

there was no hot food available The BBC motoring show he presented

has millions of worldwide fans. World athletics chiefs are in talks

right now to decide whether Russia should be banned from all

international competition, which accused Russia of widespread

state sponsored doping, and Russia's elite athletes are

already training But it is a dream that is now

in doubt. Everyone I spoke to denied

using drugs to boost But claims of a doping culture

could still see them banned. Maxim's trainer says he was tested

constantly as soon as he began throwing well

and he was always clean. We need to fight doping, maybe,

but that doesn't mean I don't think all athletes

should be banned. And yet, in this German documentary,

it was former team-mates who claimed that athletes

and coaches were using drugs The investigation by the anti-doping

agency, Wada, that followed found a culture of winning at all

costs. Here, people question the word

of whistle-blowers and deny that any For every one of the athletes

training here, competing And the fear that that could be

snatched from them has upset Many people here say that they don't

believe this is all about sport, President Putin has avoided talk

of a Western plot He has pledged to cooperate with

Wada and ensure that sport is Some senior figures have

already been removed. Russia is clearly battling to

stay in the running for Rio. Here, they say a ban could be

as devastating as the Olympic What happened through the 1980s was

a tragedy for all the athletes. I really don't want

to see that again. It was bad for the team,

the country and for sport. So I hope that common

sense will prevail. In the meantime, for the athletes,

it is a nervous wait. You may remember

the film, Goodfellas. Martin Scorsese's award-winning

story of the life and times A real-life crime that helped

inspire the film was a robbery Now a man who was accused

of being involved in that raid Reputed mobster,

charged with murder, extortion and the armed robbery

that inspired the film, Goodfellas. I would like to thank my two

lawyers. Without my two lawyers

I would not be here now. And I thank you

for treating me great. He intends to go home

and spend Thanksgiving... I have got two years

and I am dying to get home. He was arrested three decades

after one of America's Armed robbers stole $6 million worth

of money and jewels from Members of the mob testified against

him, painting a picture of revenge Mafia-style murders, bodies buried

in cement, racketeering and robbery. His lawyers raised doubts about

the witnesses and their credibility, Martin Scorsese's mafia classic,

Goodfellas, Robert De Niro played the man long

believed to be the mastermind, most of the other suspects

disappeared, died, or were killed. But for now from me

and the rest of the team, goodbye. As storm Abigail news away all eyes

are on the next weather system coming to the UK for the weekend.

And look how far this area of rain trills across the Atlantic. It

includes some tropical