03/01/2016 BBC Weekend News

The so-called Islamic State is still fighting in Ramadi -

a week after the Iraqi government said it had been liberated.

We have a special report from the front line in the heart

of the city - where thousands of civilians are trapped

IS militants still control parts of the centre,

their flags are still flying just a few hundred yards from here,

At the same time - IS extremists release

a new propaganda video, threatening attacks on the UK.

The government pledges an extra ?40 million for flood defences

in Yorkshire - but its approach is criticised as inadequate.

Pupils in England are to face a new test on their times tables

And in South Africa - Ben Stokes hits the fastest ever

Nearly a week after Iraqi government forces claimed to have liberated

the key city of Ramadi from so-called Islamic State,

large parts of it remain under the extremists' control

Thousands of civilians are trapped in Ramadi,

and the BBC's become the first international broadcaster to reach

Our correspondent Thomas Fessy travelled into the heart of the city

This is what the fight against Islamic State has done to Ramadi.

Six months of brutal jihadi rule. A government offensive and coalition

air strikes have devastated government offensive and coalition

city. We set off with Iraqi special forces to see what the victory they

claimed a week ago looks like. As we push into the centre, it is clear

that the battle for Ramadi is far from over. This is the front line in

Iraq's war against IS. The building used to be a school. But guns have

replaced students. The soldiers say they regained much of the city, but

the fight is still going on and IS militants still control parts of the

centre. Their flags are still flying a few hundred yards from here.

Resistance is stiff. If you peer through the sniper's window, you can

see the Iraqi flag. But look to the right, the black banners of Islamic

State flying, defiant. The west has trained Iraqi soldiers for this

fight. The US, Britain and their partners are conducting air strikes

in support. An air strike is called in as

families emerge from the front lines. Iraqi troops take them to

safety. This woman says her house was blown up -- blown up. She told

me she and her husband were taken by the jihadists and used as human

shields. TRANSLATION: We were stuck for ten

days, each time there was bombing our homes would shake. We had no

food, no water. We were terrified. A warm meal and a first taste of

freedom. This woman escaped with her children, still traumatised. Their

mother tells me how IS ruled their lives.

TRANSLATION: What they did was terrible. We were not allowed

without a man and we were forced to wear the niqab. We were not even

allowed to use mobile phones. The war against Islamic State in Iraq is

not ending. It has only just begun. There will be more destruction, more

families to save. Meanwhile in neighbouring Syria,

IS has released a new propaganda video which appears to show

the killing of five men, who it claims were spies working

for the British government. The video shows a man with a British

accent who appears to have carried Our security correspondent

Gordon Corera is here. What should we make of this video?

It is another IS propaganda video, clearly directed at Britain. The

person in the video addresses David Cameron, talks about air strikes and

says, one day, IS will invade Britain. It features the execution

of five people, alleged to be spies passing people to Britain. There are

not from Britain themselves, they look like they come from the Middle

East. They make supposed confessions in Arabic. It is hard what to make

of those, they may have been coerced. We have seen videos before

in which alleged spies are executed. Two things make this video it stand

out. You remember Jihadi John, Mohammed Emwazi, killed a couple of

months ago. In this video, we have a new individual who appears to want

to take up the mantle of Jihadi John as executioner and propagandist in

cheap when it comes to Britain. -- in chief. He speaks with a British

accent. The British say they are aware of the video and are trying to

work out who he is. The second notable feature is, chillingly, at

the end of the video, a short section of a child, perhaps about

five, talking briefly, apparently again in a British accent. We know

that some families have taken children out to Syria, so no doubt

the authorities will be trying to identify that child.

The government's pledged an extra ?40 million for flood defences

in Yorkshire, after it was battered by storms over Christmas.

But concerns have been raised about nationwide levels of funding.

Drainage experts have warned that the number of homes at risk

of flooding could almost double within 20 years,

unless there's a significant increase in spending.

A week on from the deluge in York. Look beyond the water and you find

resentment, even funerary, that more wasn't done. -- fury. We need

governments for preparation. We were let down. There is quite a lot of

anger. Now the government is promising ?10 million to prepare and

improve the barrier on the River Foss that failed, leading to 600

homes being flooded. The problem here was that the barrier on the

river, the electrics were in danger of failing. If the barrier had been

stabbed in the down position without the pumps operating, we would

probably have seen 1800 houses flooded, which is 300 more than we

did see flooded. Flooding is far from a new problem. Remember the

Somerset levels two years ago, and familiar arguments about flood

defences and their maintenance. The Association of drainage authorities

points out that the annual cost of flood and storm damage is estimated

at just over ?1 billion. It also says the number of households across

the country at significant risk of flood damage could increase from

330,000 currently to 570,000 in 2035, as a result of what it calls a

reduction in our capacity to manage water levels. This is a row about

more than just money. Crises like flooding can help shake the

perception of a government as competent or not. Ministers are very

proud of trying to create what they describe as a northern powerhouse,

but opposition MPs to returning to Westminster this week will suggest

that is an empty slogan. We have seen year-on-year cuts from this

government since 2010, apart from a brief blip where they were shamed

into action by the Somerset floods. All we are getting now is ?40

million only spent in Yorkshire, nowhere near enough money to make up

for the backlog of repairs which have accumulated. Ministers insist

flood defence spending is going up. They say that no other government

has ever made such a long-term commitment to fight floods, but

today the rain kept coming. In Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, and the

Aberdeenshire village of Ballater, with more people asking whether

their homes and businesses will be next.

Well, further flood defences have been put up in Scottish regions

where the authorities are preparing for more prolonged rain.

Let's go live now to Aberdeenshire and our correspondent there,

It is not so much that the rain has been heavy but it has been

relentless in the last day, and that is the concern, more rain falling on

already saturated ground and a swollen River Dee. At the heart of

Storm Frank last Wednesday, the River Dee burst its banks and came

through the golf course behind me, damaging around 200 houses,

including the one behind me, where the owner told me he was about two

feet of water on the bottom floor. That clear rock is still taking

place. People have a nervous eye on what is happening. -- that clear up.

That is where these sandbags come in, there are 800 here, and the hope

is, should the worst happen again, they will be able to mitigate that.

There is a tonne of sand in each. There are 27 flood warnings across

the north-east of Scotland and Perthshire and the amber warning is

in place until 11:55pm tomorrow. People in the areas affected around

30 hours left to wait and see what the worst of the weather will bring

them. Every pupil in England is to be

tested on their times tables before Under government plans,

pupils aged 11 will be expected to know their tables up to 12 x

12, and will be tested Many of us can still remember

learning times tables at school. Nine times for... Some of us still

struggle with multiplication. Studies show that past economic

success starts in the classroom and knowing your maths is at the heart

of that journey. Now the government wants to test every 11-year-old on

their times tables as part of its so-called war on in numerous C. Like

these children at the transport Museum, children will be tested on

their tables up to 12 times 12. Pilots will start in 80 primary

schools this summer before being rolled out across England in 2017.

The best performing countries when it comes to education systems are in

Asia with Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea topping the list.

Britain came in 20th, America 28th. One in five youngsters leave British

schools without reaching a basic level of education. The government

says these tests will help teachers recognise those pupils at risk of

falling behind, but some experts are not sure. Children won't find this

enjoying. They will find it a fearful thing that they worry about,

the tests, and there will be a lot of teaching for the tests. It is not

a test of thinking in numbers but because of memory was that it is not

a maths test. International studies have shown there is a direct link

between educational standards and future economic prosperity. If that

is true, improving maths skills as early as possible is vital for

Britain's skills base, for it not to become obsolete.

With all the sport, here's Olly Foster at the BBC Sport Centre.

Records tumbled at the Second Test today.

England are in complete control against South Africa,

He scored the fastest Test double century by an Englishman and his 399

run partnership with Jonny Bairstow for the sixth wicket

England declared on 629 for six and they also took two South African

wickets by the close to cap an exhilarating second day in Cape

Test cricket is often about waiting, not when Ben Stokes goes to the

crease. And 74 overnight, it took in three deliveries to hit his first

four. In less than a quarter of an hour, he had gone past 100, Stokes

batting like a man who believed he could stick one on top of there.

Against a team officially still at Test cricket's Summit. Some see in

Stokes shades of Ian Botham or Freddie Flintoff, but this was an

original. No Englishman has got their quick in Test cricket. Simply

breathtaking. Jonny Bairstow had been operating in the shadows by

comparison but, on a personal crusade. He had waited a long time

for his first test century. No English pair have scored this many

together in nearly six years of Test matches. When he was eventually run

out, Alistair Cook declared shortly afterwards. There was no following

that. If your opponents have scored 629, there can be a tendency to

force the pace, but there is a time for patience as well as power.

England pounced, South Africa 7-1. Wickets wouldn't come that easily

again. Dean Elgar had 44 before Nick Compton caught him. The bowler, who

else. South Africa resisted any further heroics. Their captain,

Hashim Amla, led them to the clothes. Tomorrow, they will need

guts and a bit of genius. -- led them to the close.

England players were wearing black armbands today in memory

of the Sussex bowler Matthew Hobden whose death

The 22-year-old was part of the England performance programme

and was due to travel to South Africa later this month.

The cause of his death has not been disclosed.

There were two matches in the Premier League today,

Chelsea are on the up after beating Crystal Palace 3-0 at Selhurst Park.

Tottenham have finished the weekend six points off the top of the table

There was a time when it was as much as you could do to just shelter and

protect yourself when Chelsea came to visit. Those times, it seemed had

gone, at least on field. Such are the changeable conditions of this

season, now it was Crystal Palace threatening from above. But, as

their fans sang you are not special any more, the Blues were quick to

remind them they perhaps could be again. Oscar's goal separating the

sides at half-time, it was left to Willian to show just how special.

Too early to say whether Chelsea have now weathered their stormy

season. The Blues first win on away since August, secured by Diego

Costa. A man of the match performance from him. How Chelsea

have missed those. Amidst the downpour, things finally looking

rather blighter -- brighter for the reigning champions. At Goodison

Park, a close affair. For Harry Kane, it doesn't get any closer than

that. It was Everton who took the lead, Erin Lennon scoring against

his former club. -- Aaron Lennon. If he is part of the past four Spurs,

they have plenty of hope for the future, Ben Davies going close

before Dele Alli finally found the net, a goal worth the wait. For both

sides, plenty to look forward to. Harlequins are up to third

in the Rugby Union Premiership after beating Worcester

at the Sixways Stadium. Their winger Charlie Walker scored

two of their three tries and at one Worcester rallied but Quins hung

on for the victory 24-20. Finally, to mark the 40th

anniversary of the Prince's Trust - the Prince of Wales has been talking

about the difficulties he faced In an interview for an ITV

documentary, the Prince said that at first people didn't see

the point of the Trust. Our Royal Correspondent

Peter Hunt reports. Not an audition for

Royals' Got Talent - rather, an Ant and Dec documentary

about the future King, focusing on the Prince's Trust

which, for 40 years, has helped disadvantaged

young people. A lot of people thought

you were pretty mad, that a Prince of the Realm

was going to go out and help disadvantaged children

and youngsters and get them No - story of my life, really -

you have to overcome all of these In their quest to understand

the Trust, which has helped hundreds of thousands of people,

Ant and Dec also quizzed Charles's son about his father

and the impact of fatherhood. A lot more emotional than I used

to be, weirdly. I never used to get too wound up

or worried about things, but now the smallest little things,

you well up a bit more. You get affected by the sort

of things that happen around the world or whatever a lot more

as a father. During filming, Charles became

a grandad for the second time. He is delighted that his doting

doesn't yet extend to some duties. It's very nice having

a granddaughter. You'd better go to the gym

after all the food There's more throughout the evening

on the BBC News Channel. We are back with the

late news at 10pm.