01/07/2017 BBC Weekend News

Iraqi forces say they've captured so-called Islamic State's main base

in Mosul, and a final victory is in sight.

After eight months of intense fighting, they have IS in retreat,

but the battle for the militants' last stronghold in Iraq isn't over.

After the Grenfell Tower fire, Ministers promise to keep a close

eye on the local council, but won't appoint independent

The Lions win a thrilling battle against the All Blacks

to tie the Test series, with one to play.

And tributes to the film critic Barry Norman,

Iraqi forces say they've taken control of the main base

of the so-called Islamic State group in the city of Mosul after days

The militants have been driven from a hospital compound

where several senior IS leaders were thought to have been hiding.

Fighting continues in the Old City area, but commanders say they're

confident a final victory is in sight.

Our correspondent, Orla Guerin, reports from Mosul.

A symbol of victory, planted this morning

in what was the main base of IS in Mosul.

Troops, weary after driving the militants from this

vast medical complex, but vowing to hunt down

"We will keep chasing them and those who support them," says this man,

"and we will throw them in the garbage."

Commanders say they have removed a cancer here,

"Our message is Daesh is not only an Iraqi problem," says

He was interrupted by a booby-trapped bomb.

The militants may have gone from here, but they left

And plenty of wreckage in Iraq's second largest city.

Well, this is what victory looks like in Mosul after more

The remaining IS militants have been driven from here,

This hospital complex, which was a place of healing,

now lies in ruins, like many other parts of Mosul.

The city may be regaining its freedom, but there will be

Some of those who fought to reclaim this territory will never go home,

including four soldiers killed yesterday by another booby-trap.

The body of one of them was found this morning by his friend.

TRANSLATION: Yesterday, we were together,

He said, "I am not afraid of Daesh, and you should not be either."

Then he went into the hospital and was mortared.

Commanders admit that even when it is, there is a real

The Government says it has no plans at the moment to send independent

commissioners to Kensington and Chelsea, following criticism

of the council's handling of the Grenfell Tower fire disaster.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, had urged ministers to intervene,

following the resignation yesterday of the leader of the council.

But the government says it will keep a close eye on the situation.

As tributes continue to be made, and the missing posters line

many of the streets, the anger towards the

Things were bad enough before this happened but the vacuum

that they left afterwards has made everything very difficult because

It needs not just a few people to change but a real

And a shift in the culture of what they think is important

and their understanding of what is needed in this area.

It was the breakdown of the council's first Cabinet

meeting since the fire at Grenfell Tower that led

Is this the first good decision you have made, Mr Paget-Brown?

Pressure had been mounting on Nicholas Paget-Brown

following intense criticism of the way the disaster had been

The resignation has been welcomed by many, including

the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who has urged

the Prime Minister to appoint commissioners to run the borough.

Commissioners who are untainted should take over the running

of the council to act in the best interests of residents.

But the government says it's keeping its options open.

Nothing is off the table in making sure that the local residents -

especially the victims, their families and friends -

Clearly, there is a role for the local council,

there is a role for government and many others.

But where anyone is not stepping up and doing what is expected of them,

then nothing should be off the table.

The council now needs a new leader and that person will have to be

elected by the council itself, not by the people.

Some residents here say they are not happy with that.

They want a bigger say on who is going to be making

And some are sceptical of the selection process itself.

They need to stay in constant engagement with us.

They cannot just impose their old boy network

and their friends and family scheme that they seem to operate elsewhere.

There needs to be a proper process for the selection.

It is understood a new council leader will be elected next week.

Their priority - to rebuild the trust with those whose lives

have been torn apart by this tragedy.

Thousands of people have been protesting in central

London, calling for an end to government cuts.

The demonstrators marched to Parliament Square,

where they were addressed by the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn.

The economic arguments of austerity are in retreat.

It's those of social justice, of unity, of people coming together,

to oppose racism and all those that would divide us that are the ones

This is the age in which we will achieve that decency and social

That is what brings us here together today.

Our political correspondent, Iain Watson, is here.

More calls for an end to cuts and the public sector pay cap. Is there

any sign of a shift in the government's linking? Generally, I

have been told the Cabinet is split on the principle of lifting the 1%

pay cut and there is pressure, never mind from Jeremy Corbyn, from

Conservative MPs to do so. There was an assumption that this could not be

done until the Chancellor delivers his autumn budget but this is not

the case, there is a range of pay review bodies covering different

professions in a structure that would allow the government to

increase the pay of nurses but not necessarily doctors and two of those

pay review bodies are due to report very soon later this month and a

government minister told me this evening that the government will

honour of the recommendations of those committees and, crucially,

will honour those recommendations even if they say that page should go

up by more than 1%. What we could see is at least the phased end of

the public sector pay cap very soon. Many thanks. Iain Watson, there.

Pro-democracy protests have taken place on the 20th anniversary

of the handover of the former British colony of

Several activists were arrested after clashing with police

The Chinese President, who was visiting the territory,

warned against any challenge to his government's authority.

Our China editor, Carrie Gracie, reports.

Not the images China wanted for the 20th anniversary

Democracy activists trying to gate-crash the party.

Swearing in a new government and delivering stern words

TRANSLATION: Any attempt to endanger China's sovereignty and security,

challenge the power of the central government is an act that

Tough love was the message throughout his tour of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong may be special but it must learn to love the motherland.

But sorry, we are the ones who asked for democracy and we will not

show our loyalty to the one party dictatorship leader.

No sooner had President Xi left, the streets filled with protesters.

Marking the anniversary of the handover in their usual style.

Shouting at China patriots to go back to the mainland.

Taiwan flags among countless ways to defy one-party China.

China controls the hard power in Hong Kong but this illustrates

They didn't come out to welcome President Xi,

they didn't come out to celebrate 20 years since the handover

They are here on the street to demand democracy and to cherish

20 years since the handover and tacking between two masters

The Hong Kong public want more say in their lives.

But this city is profoundly uncertain about what the next 20

The funeral has taken place of the former

He was honoured in a special ceremony at the European Parliament,

attended by several world leaders, and then buried in his home town.

He died last month at the age 87 and was instrumental in Germany's

reunification and also a major driving force behind

Huge crowds have been celebrating Canada's 150th birthday.

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, said

he was proud his nation was known for its compassion and diversity.

Prince Charles told the crowds that Canada was an example to many.

From Ottawa, our chief correspondent,

Prince Charles was driven in a coach flanked by

Royal Canadian Mounted Police through the capital,

Ottawa, as the country celebrated its 150th anniversary.

He was representing the Queen, who remains Canadian head of state.

The Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, introduced

There was recognition that the celebrations were taking

place on the ancestral lands of the Algonquin people -

Also among the performers was Bono, with his own message.

When others build walls, we'll open doors.

It was a message expanded on by Prime Minister Trudeau.

We don't care where you are from or what religion

Justin Trudeau defined Canada as a country built on diversity,

A country where tackling climate change was an

Prince Charles didn't mention Canada's British ties but he paid

Around the world, Canada is recognised

And as a powerful and consistent example of diversity.

This was a day that underlined that in North America,

Canada's voice is distinctive and increasingly different

In rugby, the British and Irish Lions have recorded one

of their greatest victories, beating New Zealand in Wellington

They won by 24 points to 21, the first Lions win

against New Zealand in almost a quarter of a century.

All eyes will be on next week's final, deciding test.

From Wellington, here's Katie Gornall.

Weather in rugby can be a great leveller and when you're up

against the All Blacks, it all helps.

Defeat here and any dreams of the Lions making

For 12 years New Zealand has waited for the return of the Lions

and these fans know their team is going to have to produce the game

of their careers in the wind and rain at Wellington

if they are to keep the series alive.

Up against the most fearsome winning machine in sport,

the Lions the Lions had been set up for a bruising encounter.

But it takes more than brute force to knock

The conditions made even the basics a challenge.

But if there was tension, it certainly wasn't in the mind

of Owen Farrell, who finished this as if he was playing in the park.

In such a cauldron, cool heads were needed.

Sonny Bill Williams becoming the first All Black to be

Often much of what Toby Faletau does goes unnoticed.

Any lion will tell you it is better to be the hunter than the hunted

and with their tails up, Conor Murray seized his chance.

With the scores level in the final minutes,

A final kick, a final roar, a penalty that

I didn't even celebrate when the final whistle went,

They won the first half and we won the second half and we have got

This'll be a victory that lives long in the memory.

Britain's Geraint Thomas has won the first Tour de France stage

of his career with a surprise victory on the opening

Defending champion Chris Froome finished sixth in the time

Thomas becomes the first Welshman ever to wear

The film critic and journalist Barry Norman has died.

For more than 25 years he hosted a film show for the BBC,

which was regarded by many as essential viewing.

He'd been suffering from lung cancer.

David Sillito looks back at his life.

Tonight, Joseph Losey talks about the assassination of

A slightly stiff and nervous new TV presenter, Barry Norman.

Who then went on to 26 years of The Film

His father was the producer and director, Leslie Norman, and his

relaxed style, shrewd opinions and comfy

jumpers were perfect for the

Is this superstardom you now have, is is

To meet you, I just have to make another movie!

I just have to go out and spend $65 million!

Good evening, or rather, where you are,

He could be witty and waspish but off-screen he was rather

less serious, according to one of his close friends.

He came over on the screen, quite rightly, as a man

And somebody said this very day, a very serious man?

He liked people, he was gregarious, he loved to laugh.

That, in a sense, is why it is there.

He even had the honour of a Spitting Image puppet,

but that alleged catchphrase - "and why not?"

But by 1998, frustrated at being bounced around

the schedules, he left the BBC for Sky.

He was for more than a quarter of a century TV's

Barry Norman, who has died at the age of 83.

You can see more on all of today's stories on the BBC News Channel.