0:00:05 > 0:00:07This is BBC World News Today.
0:00:07 > 0:00:12I'm Sharanjit Leyl.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15Our top stories: respite at last for some of the critically-ill
0:00:15 > 0:00:17Syrian children, trapped by a four-year government
0:00:17 > 0:00:18siege of Ghouta.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20The first evacuations begin from the rebel-held
0:00:20 > 0:00:21suburb near Damascus.
0:00:21 > 0:00:26But hundreds more in need of treatment remain.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29Record snow falls on the US city of Erie, burying homes
0:00:29 > 0:00:37and cars under deep drifts.
0:00:37 > 0:00:42It is a bit ridiculous but I keep picking away at it.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44Meanwhile in the UK, snow and ice cause widespread
0:00:44 > 0:00:47disruption to travel, on the roads and in the air.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49Barack Obama urges the responsible use of social media,
0:00:49 > 0:00:52in his first interview since leaving office.
0:00:52 > 0:01:02He's been speaking to Britain's Prince Harry here on the BBC.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11Hello and welcome to World News Today.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15Aid workers and Syrian volunteers have begun to evacuate dozens
0:01:15 > 0:01:17of critically-ill patients from a rebel-held
0:01:17 > 0:01:19suburb near Damascus.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22Last week, international aid agencies made an appeal
0:01:22 > 0:01:25to President Assad to allow the evacuation of seven
0:01:25 > 0:01:27children with cancer.
0:01:27 > 0:01:33The first of the patients were taken out of Eastern Ghouta
0:01:33 > 0:01:36overnight by the Red Cross and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40More patients should be evacuated in the coming days as part of a deal
0:01:40 > 0:01:42between the government and rebels.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44But hundreds more are in need of treatment.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46The medical situation for people living in eastern Ghouta
0:01:46 > 0:01:48is desperate after four years under siege.
0:01:48 > 0:01:53Martin Patience reports from Beirut.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57Seven-year-old Imjy is preparing for a short journey,
0:01:57 > 0:02:03and it will almost certainly end up saving her life.
0:02:03 > 0:02:09She is suffering from haemophilia, but last night she was among four
0:02:09 > 0:02:10critically-ill patients to be evacuated to Damascus
0:02:10 > 0:02:12for life-saving treatment.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16This is what she's leaving behind.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19Eastern Ghouta is one of the last remaining rebel strongholds,
0:02:19 > 0:02:25fighting the government of Bashar al-Assad.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27It's been bombed and besieged for four years, with fighting
0:02:27 > 0:02:29intensifing in recent weeks.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33I think it's a combination of everybody's efforts,
0:02:33 > 0:02:36that at this really low time in Syria there is a ray of light,
0:02:36 > 0:02:39and it's the children.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41It's the children who are missing growing up in Syria -
0:02:41 > 0:02:46we must sort them out, to give Syria a chance
0:02:46 > 0:02:48of a prosperous and peaceful future.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50But food is hard to come by.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53Malnutrition is now widespread.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55Human rights groups accuse the Syrian government
0:02:55 > 0:02:59of trying to starve the rebels into submission.
0:02:59 > 0:03:00This evacuation may have the appearances
0:03:00 > 0:03:10of a humanitarian gesture, but that's simply not the case.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14We've been told by two sources that the Syrian government only
0:03:14 > 0:03:16agreed to it as part of a prisoner exchange.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19The main rebel faction in Eastern Ghouta agreed to free 29
0:03:19 > 0:03:29Syrian government hostages, and in return the same number
0:03:29 > 0:03:31of critically ill patients are being allowed to receive
0:03:31 > 0:03:32urgent medical care.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35But the United Nations says hundreds of others need to be evacuated.
0:03:35 > 0:03:36Among them, three-month-old Karim, who was injured
0:03:36 > 0:03:46by government shelling.
0:03:52 > 0:03:53His mother was killed.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Despite a prominent social media campaign, he is not being allowed
0:03:55 > 0:03:56to leave Eastern Ghouta.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59TRANSLATION:Karim is injured, he's going to lose his sight.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01Here in Ghouta he can't get treated.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03The doctor wants to perform an operation, so that he doesn't
0:04:03 > 0:04:09lose the sight in his other eye.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12For some there is now hope, but for most, help is not
0:04:12 > 0:04:13coming any time soon.
0:04:13 > 0:04:22Martin Patience, BBC News, Beirut.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26We spoke to a spokesperson from the
0:04:26 > 0:04:27ICRS and
0:04:27 > 0:04:27We spoke to a spokesperson from the ICRS and we spoke about the
0:04:27 > 0:04:34challenge that they are facing.It is very difficult as you can
0:04:34 > 0:04:41imagine. In November it was clear that the situation was deteriorating
0:04:41 > 0:04:44and people were angry and frustrated. Mothers had to leave and
0:04:44 > 0:04:49look for food for their children on a daily basis. Now the weather has
0:04:49 > 0:04:56gone worse. With a lack of food and medical supplies the situation is
0:04:56 > 0:05:03practically impossible for the people there. The current operation
0:05:03 > 0:05:13being carried out by the Syrian red Crescent and my colleagues, it is in
0:05:13 > 0:05:20early stages and we realise it cannot solve all the issues. We hope
0:05:20 > 0:05:23it continues but first and foremost people in Eastern Ghouta need access
0:05:23 > 0:05:30to regular aid and they need unimpeded supplies of basic items.
0:05:30 > 0:05:36How much of a challenge is it to get these patients out, in terms of
0:05:36 > 0:05:43access to ambulances and aid convoys etc?Last night we've just started
0:05:43 > 0:05:48this operation with colleagues from the Syrian red Crescent and it's
0:05:48 > 0:05:53been a long process and finally agreement was reached by parties to
0:05:53 > 0:06:00the agreement. We hope that in the coming hours and days that we are
0:06:00 > 0:06:04able to hold to the agreement that has been reached so far and in the
0:06:04 > 0:06:07coming weeks we hope we can do more.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09The former US president Barack Obama has issued a warning
0:06:09 > 0:06:14about the irresponsible use of social media.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17In an interview with the BBC by Britain's Prince Harry
0:06:17 > 0:06:19Mr Obama said such actions were distorting people's
0:06:19 > 0:06:22understanding of complex issues.
0:06:22 > 0:06:27He did not mention Donald Trump, his successor, by name.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30But he emphasised that people in positions of leadership should
0:06:30 > 0:06:32exercise care when posting messages.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35Our Royal Correspondent, Nicholas Witchell has the story.
0:06:35 > 0:06:36Prince Harry, first of all.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38You are very welcome to our studio.
0:06:38 > 0:06:39Good morning.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Joining the Today programme for the day had been
0:06:42 > 0:06:44a big learning curve, Harry said, but he had enjoyed
0:06:44 > 0:06:46being the interviewer rather than the interviewed.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49It was quite fun, especially interviewing President Obama.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53His principal scoop had been to persuade Barack Obama
0:06:53 > 0:06:56to give his first interview since standing down as US president.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59The word "Trump" was never mentioned but may have been in Mr Obama's mind
0:06:59 > 0:07:05when he warned about the use of social media.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09All of us in leadership have to find ways in which we can recreate
0:07:09 > 0:07:12a common space on the Internet.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15One of the dangers of the Internet is that people can have entirely
0:07:15 > 0:07:17different realities.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20They can be just cocooned in the information that
0:07:20 > 0:07:24reinforces their current biases.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27Harry had also interviewed his father - the main focus had
0:07:27 > 0:07:28been on climate change.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30The issue Prince Charles has championed for decades and for
0:07:30 > 0:07:35which he was sometimes derided.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38Maybe now, some years later, they are beginning to realise that
0:07:38 > 0:07:41what I was trying to say may not have been quite as dotty
0:07:41 > 0:07:42as they thought.
0:07:42 > 0:07:48I mean, the issue really that has to go on being focused on, big time,
0:07:48 > 0:07:51I think, is this one around the whole issue of climate change
0:07:51 > 0:07:54which now, whether we like it or not, is the biggest threat
0:07:54 > 0:07:57multiplier we face.
0:07:57 > 0:08:02And then, at the end of the programme, it was time
0:08:02 > 0:08:04to face questions rather than ask them.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08First about his fiancee, Meghan Markle, and her first
0:08:08 > 0:08:09Christmas at Sandringham.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11She really enjoyed it.
0:08:11 > 0:08:12The family loved having her there.
0:08:12 > 0:08:13And yeah, it's...
0:08:13 > 0:08:18There's always that family part of Christmas.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21There's always that work element as well and I think, you know,
0:08:21 > 0:08:23together we have an amazing time.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25Great fun, staying with my brother and sister in law.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Harry's commitment to issues he cares about like the Armed Forces
0:08:28 > 0:08:34and mental health had come through strongly.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37So how does he see his future?
0:08:37 > 0:08:41Part of my role and part of my job is to shine a spotlight on issues
0:08:41 > 0:08:43that need that spotlight, whether it's people,
0:08:43 > 0:08:45whether its causes, whether its issues, whatever it is.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48So I will continue to play my part in society and do my job
0:08:48 > 0:08:51to the best of my ability, so I can wake up in the morning
0:08:51 > 0:08:54and feel energised, and go to bed hopefully knowing I've done the best
0:08:55 > 0:08:56that I can.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00Not so long ago, Harry admitted to having doubts about a royal role.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03Clearly no longer.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05Nicholas Witchell, BBC News.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07Stay with us for some analysis on how the interview
0:09:07 > 0:09:09is going down in the US.
0:09:09 > 0:09:10We'll be crossing live to Orlando, Florida.
0:09:10 > 0:09:15Let's take a look at some of the other stories making the news.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17An improvised explosive device has gone off in a supermarket
0:09:17 > 0:09:22in the Russian city of St Petersburg.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25The city governor's office says ten people are in hospital, one
0:09:25 > 0:09:26of whom is in a serious condition.
0:09:26 > 0:09:36They say the incident is being investigated as attempted
0:09:43 > 0:09:46The Ukrainian authorities are transferring more than 260 people
0:09:46 > 0:09:52back to rebel held territory and in return 74 prisoners being detained
0:09:52 > 0:09:54by rebels are being freed.
0:09:54 > 0:10:00A court in Bosnia has sentenced a Croat woman -
0:10:00 > 0:10:03known to her victims as the "mistress of life and death" -
0:10:03 > 0:10:05to 14 years in prison for atrocities committed
0:10:05 > 0:10:06during the Bosnian war in the 1990s.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09Azra Basic, a former member of the Bosnian-Croat forces,
0:10:09 > 0:10:11was found guilty of war crimes, including murder and the torture
0:10:11 > 0:10:15of ethnic Serb civilians.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18An arctic cold snap is bringing sub-zero temperatures and heavy snow
0:10:18 > 0:10:24to large parts of north-east America and Canada.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27Temperatures have been reported as low minus 15 in Toronto.
0:10:27 > 0:10:34While the US lakeside city of Erie, in Pennsylvania, has had a record
0:10:35 > 0:10:361.5 metres of snow in 48 hours,
0:10:36 > 0:10:37with more on the way.
0:10:37 > 0:10:46DeMarco Morgan from CBS News has the story.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50Eight snow emergency is in effect in Erie after a record 53 inches of
0:10:50 > 0:10:56snow in less than 36 hours.You can't even tell how bad it is.Snow
0:10:56 > 0:11:01is piling up on the roads, burying cars and bringing traffic to a halt.
0:11:01 > 0:11:06All I could do was laugh, it's a bit ridiculous. I keep picking away at
0:11:06 > 0:11:13it.As people try and dig out, more snow is building up over the lakes.
0:11:13 > 0:11:19More snow is coming. Emergency management coordinators and says
0:11:19 > 0:11:23that plough drivers are working around the clock to clear the
0:11:23 > 0:11:27streets.They've been doing a fantastic job with the elements,
0:11:27 > 0:11:30it's hard to keep up with this amount of snow.It is a tough
0:11:30 > 0:11:38commute.I could only do about 20 mph.Snow and ice led to about 40
0:11:38 > 0:11:41accidents in the Zurich on Tuesday and six people were killed in three
0:11:41 > 0:11:48separate crashes. -- in Missouri. The wind chill could reach 40 below
0:11:48 > 0:11:52zero in some parts of the region today.The wind is the worst part,
0:11:52 > 0:11:57you can't do anything.Officials aren't sure when they will be out of
0:11:57 > 0:12:00a state of emergency but they are asking everyone to stay inside until
0:12:00 > 0:12:11crews clear the streets.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16Snow and ice are also causing disruption in many parts of the UK,
0:12:16 > 0:12:17with thousands of homes without power and dangerous
0:12:17 > 0:12:19conditions on the roads.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21The runway at Stansted Airport was closed twice during the day
0:12:21 > 0:12:23with a number of flights cancelled.
0:12:23 > 0:12:24Phil Mackie reports from Kenilworth, Warwickshire
0:12:24 > 0:12:25in the English Midlands.
0:12:25 > 0:12:26HORN BLASTS.
0:12:26 > 0:12:27The motorway at a standstill.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30It's always busy here anyway, but throw in five centimetres
0:12:30 > 0:12:33of snow and you've got chaos.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36On the A14 things were even worse.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38This lorry span out of control, leaving drivers stranded.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40Good morning.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43It's just gone past ten o'clock in the morning.
0:12:43 > 0:12:49As you can see, we're stationary here on the A14, not going anywhere.
0:12:49 > 0:12:54I've been here for five hours, and...
0:12:54 > 0:12:57So have these!
0:12:57 > 0:13:00My name is Tara, I'm on the A14 trying to go
0:13:00 > 0:13:03eastbound to Northampton.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06I set off from my house in Hinckley at 6am this morning,
0:13:06 > 0:13:08I've been on the A14 for three hours now.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11As you can see, there's nothing going in the other direction.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14I'm a bit cross, I'm Canadian so I'm used to this kind of weather.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16I know you guys are not.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18In the end, they were stuck for seven hours before
0:13:18 > 0:13:19the road was cleared.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22There have been problems all day here at this interchange,
0:13:22 > 0:13:27which is where the M6, the M1 and the A14 all join.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30It's the snow that has caused accidents and jackknifed lorries
0:13:30 > 0:13:32which has led to long delays, not just here but elsewhere
0:13:32 > 0:13:33on the motorway network.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37And it wasn't just the roads.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40Stansted Airport had to close twice to clear snow from the runway.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43Birmingham Airport had to do the same for a short while too.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45And the weather kept ground crews busy, as planes had
0:13:45 > 0:13:49to be constantly de-iced.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51A swathe of central and southern England was worst affected,
0:13:51 > 0:13:56from Gloucestershire, to Warwickshire, to the Chilterns.
0:13:56 > 0:14:02And it didn't just lead to hazardous driving conditions.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04Thousands of homes lost power, too.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06Obviously the snow came in, it settles on our overhead conductor.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10Then, with the cold wind chill, it freezes into ice and therefore
0:14:10 > 0:14:12that takes the conductors down.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15Likewise, it's the same with tree branches.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17Normally they would not be near the line but they've
0:14:17 > 0:14:19taken our conductors down.
0:14:19 > 0:14:24As the snow started to melt, there was a new danger...
0:14:24 > 0:14:26Flood warnings followed the thaw as streams became swollen
0:14:26 > 0:14:30and rivers started to rise.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33That meant more hazards to negotiate, and not
0:14:33 > 0:14:36everyone made it...
0:14:36 > 0:14:44And tonight, there's another warning as temperatures have fallen, snow
0:14:44 > 0:14:51and slush is beginning to freeze.
0:14:51 > 0:14:59Coming up: Berto van Dijk -- Virgil van Dijk moving to Liverpool in a
0:14:59 > 0:15:05deal that makes him the world's most expensive defender.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12We saw this enormous tidal wave approaching the beach and people
0:15:12 > 0:15:20started to run. It was complete chaos.US troops have been trying to
0:15:20 > 0:15:23overthrow the dictatorship of Manuel Neuer Jaeger. The Pentagon said the
0:15:23 > 0:15:28operation was 90% successful but failed to capture General Noriega
0:15:28 > 0:15:32and taking to the US to drug charges.The hammer and sickle were
0:15:32 > 0:15:37taken away, the Russian flag was hoisted over what is no longer the
0:15:37 > 0:15:40Soviet Union but the Commonwealth of Independent States.They broke
0:15:40 > 0:15:47slowly over Lockerbie, over the cockpit of the Pan Am flight. You
0:15:47 > 0:15:56can see what happens when a plane falls from 35,000 feet.Prisoners
0:15:56 > 0:16:00return to Albania after a coming is banned lasting many years. Thousands
0:16:00 > 0:16:04went to midnight Mass where there were anti-Communist riots ten days
0:16:04 > 0:16:09ago.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Syrian volunteers have evacuated the first group of critically-ill
0:16:31 > 0:16:35children from a rebel-held suburb near Damascus.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37Snow has fallen on the US city of Erie,
0:16:37 > 0:16:39burying homes and cars under deep drifts.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41More now on Barack Obama's first interview
0:16:41 > 0:16:42since leaving office.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45He spoke to Britain's Prince Harry here on the BBC.
0:16:45 > 0:16:51For some analysis of how is being perceived I'm joined from Orlando by
0:16:51 > 0:16:57Julia Manchester from the Hill. They spoke about many different things
0:16:57 > 0:17:01but the focus has been on the president, the former President's
0:17:01 > 0:17:07comments about social media, specifically about misinformation.
0:17:07 > 0:17:12How significant an issue is it and even though Obama never mentioned
0:17:12 > 0:17:17him, how much of those comments are targeted at the current president?
0:17:17 > 0:17:22It's very notable that he didn't mention Trump. We've heard President
0:17:22 > 0:17:25Obama say this in the past since he's left office, constantly warning
0:17:25 > 0:17:30about the dangers of social media and people staying in their own
0:17:30 > 0:17:37microcosm and not looking at outside information. It is safe to say that
0:17:37 > 0:17:41it was clearly focused on president Trump. President Obama talked about
0:17:41 > 0:17:46people staying in their own social media niche, and he warned about the
0:17:46 > 0:17:50danger of that. That is something that President Trump has done in his
0:17:50 > 0:17:54presidency, we see him constantly tweeting about a programme in
0:17:54 > 0:18:01America called Fox and Friends, which is quite favourable to him,
0:18:01 > 0:18:05constantly mentioning stories they put up there. That is an example.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09How many Americans have watched this interview between the Prince and the
0:18:09 > 0:18:14former president? What has the reaction been committed there I say,
0:18:14 > 0:18:18on social media and otherwise?I think Americans were very interested
0:18:18 > 0:18:25given the upcoming royal wedding with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29Americans were interested in Obama's comments, I think a lot of Americans
0:18:29 > 0:18:35look to President Obama's comments which seems to be geared towards
0:18:35 > 0:18:41Trump as interesting. There is a bit of a former Presidents club and
0:18:41 > 0:18:44former Presidents tend not to talk about the current president in
0:18:44 > 0:18:54office. It is seen as a ticket -- it is etiquette. George W Bush did not
0:18:54 > 0:18:57say anything about Barack Obama even though Obama man against his
0:18:57 > 0:19:03platform in 2008. However this rule seems to have been broken because so
0:19:03 > 0:19:07many personal things have been set between Obama and Trump.You hinted
0:19:07 > 0:19:12at it, this fixation with Meghan Markle, Prince Harry's fiance. We
0:19:12 > 0:19:19know that this is Obama's first interview since leaving office but
0:19:19 > 0:19:25how much interest is there from Americans on Meghan Markle and
0:19:25 > 0:19:28Prince Harry.There obviously is, Americans are fascinated with the
0:19:28 > 0:19:32world family, it's something we don't have and I think a lot of
0:19:32 > 0:19:37Americans probably wish we had something like that. However with
0:19:37 > 0:19:43Meghan Markle it is interesting because she is American. The
0:19:43 > 0:19:47political side of things, before her relationship with the Prince became
0:19:47 > 0:19:51public she was very critical of President Trump. She said in an
0:19:51 > 0:19:56interview over a year ago that he was Mr Jinnah stick and divisive.
0:19:56 > 0:20:05She obviously won't be able to say that -- saying he was a misogynist.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07That is getting some attention in the country.Thank you for joining
0:20:07 > 0:20:10us.
0:20:10 > 0:20:15Mark Edwards has all the sport.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17Well, we've got one game on in the English Premier
0:20:17 > 0:20:19League on Wednesday.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Newcastle welcoming Manchester City to St James's Park.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25Pep Guardiola's league leaders, on the hunt for an unprecedented
0:20:25 > 0:20:2818th straight win in the League.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30They're currently 1-0 up, courtesy of a Raheem Sterling
0:20:30 > 0:20:33goal after half an hour.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35A win for City would see them go 15 points clear
0:20:36 > 0:20:40of Manchester United at the top.
0:20:40 > 0:20:45It is 1-0 with just over ten minutes to play.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48Meanwhile it's the Milan derby in the quarter final
0:20:48 > 0:20:50of the Coppa Italia at the San Siro.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54AC Milan on an appalling run of form with just 1 win in 6 matches
0:20:54 > 0:20:58in Serie A while Inter are challenging for the title.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02There is no reprieve for AC Milan, it is currently goalless with just
0:21:02 > 0:21:04over 15 minutes left.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06Liverpool have finally got their man
0:21:06 > 0:21:08after announcing this evening that Southampton's Virgil Van Dijk
0:21:08 > 0:21:12is joining the club at the beginning of the year in what will be a world
0:21:12 > 0:21:14record deal for a defender at £75 million.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16The Dutch international was expected to make the move to Anfield
0:21:16 > 0:21:20last summer after he handed in a transfer request.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23But a move eventually collapsed when Liverpool had to apologise
0:21:23 > 0:21:28for making an alleged illegal approach for the 26-year-old.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32Vitaly Mutko has stepped down
0:21:32 > 0:21:41from his role as chief organiser for next summer's
0:21:41 > 0:21:43World Cup in Russia to concentrate
0:21:43 > 0:21:44on government work.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46It's been a turbulent month for Russia's deputy prime minister,
0:21:46 > 0:21:49he temporarily left his post as the Russian Football Union
0:21:49 > 0:21:52president just two days ago, this comes off the back of his life ban
0:21:52 > 0:21:55from the Olympics at the start of December after having been
0:21:55 > 0:21:58accused of running a huge "state-directed" doping programme.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00Finally, a bit of Christmas cheer for England
0:22:00 > 0:22:02as former captain Alastair Cook made his first Ashes century
0:22:02 > 0:22:04for almost seven years.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07The visitors finishing on top after day 2 of the fourth test.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09Cook's knock helping England close on 192-2,
0:22:09 > 0:22:11after Stuart Broad had earlier returned his best figures of 2017
0:22:11 > 0:22:13taking 4-51 to spark an Australia collapse.
0:22:13 > 0:22:21Patrick Gearey was in Melbourne for us.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25This wasn't the day we were expecting.
0:22:25 > 0:22:35We thought we'd come to the MCG to see Steve Smith get a huge score.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38He hadn't been dismissed at this ground in a Test
0:22:38 > 0:22:39match in three years
0:22:39 > 0:22:42so imagine the surprise when he played one onto his stumps
0:22:42 > 0:22:46after half an hour, giving Tom Curran his first Test wicket.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49Mitchell Marsh went next in the same way to Chris Woakes and then
0:22:49 > 0:22:51Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson, England's most successful
0:22:51 > 0:23:00bowling partnership of all time, took charge.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02Broad particularly bowling with great skill for four wickets,
0:23:02 > 0:23:05answering those asking to have him dropped.
0:23:05 > 0:23:11Australia lost their last seven wickets for 83 runs.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13Mark Stoneman was caught and bowled by Nathan Lyon.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16James Vince went to LBW which he should have reviewed.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20The evening session was all about Alastair Cook,
0:23:20 > 0:23:24getting his first 50 of the series, he was dropped by Steve Smith on 66
0:23:24 > 0:23:30and scored his century in the last over of the day.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32He finished alongside the Captain Joe Root.
0:23:32 > 0:23:33Australia, frustrated in the sweltering heat.
0:23:33 > 0:23:37It may be too little and too late for the Ashes but England
0:23:37 > 0:23:39have had their best day of the series so far.
0:23:39 > 0:23:40They are still fighting.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42We created quite a lot of pressure yesterday
0:23:42 > 0:23:45and we were rewarded with wickets today.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48We were very patient yesterday.
0:23:48 > 0:23:53When it reversed a bit things could have gone differently for us.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56Today we got lucky with a couple of chop ons and a couple of wickets
0:23:56 > 0:23:59that Australia were probably disappointed
0:23:59 > 0:24:04with but we are delighted with.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07It's been a tough couple of weeks but it makes playing and taking
0:24:07 > 0:24:16wickets very rewarding.
0:24:16 > 0:24:23That's the sport for now.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26Police in Australia are searching for the owner of a one-metre long
0:24:26 > 0:24:27freshwater crocodile, which was found wandering
0:24:27 > 0:24:29the footpaths of Melbourne on Christmas day.
0:24:29 > 0:24:30Authorities are unsure where the reptile came
0:24:31 > 0:24:32from and are presuming it's a pet.
0:24:32 > 0:24:39Alyse Edwards reports.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41Working off Christmas dinner with an evening stroll through the streets
0:24:41 > 0:24:47of Melbourne. But this freshwater crocodile's festive frolic did not
0:24:47 > 0:24:53last for long.9:20pm, I had a call from the police saying there was a
0:24:53 > 0:24:57crocodile walking through the streets of Hoejbjerg.Getting some
0:24:57 > 0:25:01alone time can be difficult at this time of year. This escapee was
0:25:01 > 0:25:05cornered and he was caught.I attended and found five Victoria
0:25:05 > 0:25:11police members with a freshwater crocodile.We presume it was a pet
0:25:11 > 0:25:18at some stage. It's a long way from any bodies of water.You can legally
0:25:18 > 0:25:21keep a crocodile is a pet in Victoria and other parts of
0:25:21 > 0:25:27Australia.I saw it on Facebook, 50% off and I thought, cool.A crocodile
0:25:27 > 0:25:33farm sold about 100 crocodiles as Christmas presents this year. But
0:25:33 > 0:25:38with no information about where this runaway reptile came from it may be
0:25:38 > 0:25:47a very lonely New Year unless the owner snaps it up soon.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51Very unusual choice of pet! We have the headlines coming up. Stay with
0:25:51 > 0:25:54us.