10/03/2017 World News Today

This is BBC World News Today, broadcasting in the UK and around

the world. Here are the headlines. The fight for the western half of

those all intensifies, as Iraqi forces close in on the work

thousands are trapped in the fighting -- Mosul. Our

correspondence beats the people who has managed to escape. TRANSLATION:

We got our freedom, but it cost us a lot. I lost my house, my children

were injured. Donald Trump speaks to the Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas

by phone, and invites him to the White House. The deadly impact of

Ebola on the rollers. A third of the world's population had been killed

by the disease has not and the pitfalls of live TV. See the moment

a guest is upstaged by his children while giving an interview to BBC

World News. Hello and welcome to the programme.

It's Iraq's second city, a's also the last major stronghold for the

so-called Islamic state in the country. Now Iraqi forces say they

are within weeks of driving the extremists out of Mosul. The battle

to retake the city began five months ago. Government forces are now in

control of the east of the city, seen here in green, but in the west

of the city, IS are still very much in control, and there are

significant concerns hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped, in

particular for those in the old city, which is heavily populated.

Arab correspondence and cameraman are close to the front line, and

sent this -- our correspondence and cameraman are close to the front

line and sent this report. Escaping the battle ground, they are fleeing

on foot for Western Mosul, even those who struggle to walk.

Countless numbers are likely to follow. And imagine if this was all

you could bring with you. Many waited until the fight came right to

their door, like Abdul Razak. At 76, forced to leave home for the first

time in his life. He told us a mortar landed nearby just moments

before. His ten-year-old grandson and namesake clutching his

schoolbag, though his only lessons here were in war. TRANSLATION: I'd

like to go back to school right this minute, he said. So-called Islamic

State stopped him going years ago. Now, back in Iraqi hands, for what

it's worth, several more neighbourhoods. Troops remain

watchful. The militants are about a mile away. It was just four days ago

they were driven from here. This is the engineering department of Mosul

University. On the IS curriculum, how to make chemical weapons. This

was a place of learning, a source of pride for the people of Mosul, and

you can see what has become of it. It was also a key strategic location

for the so-called Islamic State. It gave them high ground to dominate

the area. It was heavily dominated by Uzbek fighters, and this is just

one of the areas that will have to be rebuilt Wembley battle for Mosul

is finally over. Some Uzbek militants are still lying where they

fell. No decent burial for those who terrorised a city. Nearby, a suicide

belts they didn't manage to use. At dusk, troops gather for the next

push forward. Increasingly they strike under cover of partners.

Hunting for the extremists who wanted nearly a third of Iraq. Some

of the hardest fighting may be ahead in the narrow streets of the old

city. They will need to move on foot. Beneath a sky lit only by

embers of battle. On the pitch back streets, few signs of life, but

hundreds of thousands remain in Western Mosul. Running low on food

and water. This lady and her family are sheltering in an abandoned house

because theirs was destroyed. Three of her loved ones are in hospital,

victims of a mortar attack. We got our freedom, she says. But it cost

us a lot. I lost my house, and my children were injured. Her beloved

Mosul will never recover, she believes, not even in 30 years. What

future for a broken city in a fractured nation, even after the

extremists are pushed out? There are fears that when Iraq is finish

writing IS, they may begin fighting each other. -- finish writing IS.

Let's stay in the region because the Turkish military said troops and

Turkish backed rebels have killed more than 70 Kurdish fighters in

northern Syria just of the past week.

Turkey has threatened to attack the town of Manbij that is held

The group is supported by the US, which sees it

as the most effective force - against IS when it comes

to launching an attack on Raqqa, the I-S de facto capital in Syria.

to launching an attack on Raqqa, the IS de facto capital in Syria.

Well, it comes as the Russian president, Vladimir Putin praised -

the co-operation developing between Russia and Turkey over

It follows talks in Moscow with Turkish President Erdogan.

But as Olga Ivshina now reports - the to countries priorities differ

Moscow and Ankara, considering the future of Syria is very much

different but it is also very much difference from the one that the

United States have. It seems for Putin and Erdogan being two

ambitious leaders, it is way easier to talk to each other rather than

the Triangle communities, Turkey and Moscow. They also have their own

plans which seem to contradict those of the United States. Usher has

already taken the grounds it needs. They have the help to recover

Aleppo, and Palmyra and Turkey tries to secure a buffer zone between

Syria and its own borders. On that, they have much more grounds for

Corporation and talks, rather than each of these sides have together

with the United States, because the United States such a powerful.

Tens of thousands of South Koreans have come out on the streets

of Seoul to celebrate a court decision to remove president

The court upheld a parliamentary vote to impeach Ms Park -

over her role in a corruption scandal.

At the heart of the drama lies the close friendship

between President Park - who took office in 2013 -

Ms Choi is accused of using her presidential connections to pressure

companies to give millions of dollars in donations

In December, parliament voted to impeach president Park,

with the final decision moving to the constitutional court.

In February, Samsung boss Jay Y Lee became embroiled in the scandal -

he was arrested and accused of making donations to Ms Choi

So on Friday came the final episode - the constitutional court ruled

to uphold the impeachment, and President Park

President Park committed a grave breach of the law.

It was against the constitution and the trust of

Outside the court, pro-Park protesters clashed with police.

Tonight, and the Park protesters have been holding a victory rally.

They have pushed a president from office -- anti-Park. I felt shivers

going down my spine and I'm sure I'm not the only one to feel this way.

It is such an extraordinary thing in the history of the country, to see

your president removed through a democratic constitutional mechanism.

There will be a collection within the next two months that may end up

with a left-wing government, which may be more accommodating to North

Korea and more antagonistic towards the United States. For three months,

protesters have chanted that President Park Moscow. The night she

spent her last night in the presidential Palace. She may yet end

up behind bars. Stephen Evans, BBC News, South Korea.

President Donald Trump has spoken to the Palestinian leader,

Mahmoud Abbas, by phone - in the first contact

between the pair since Mr Trump took office in January.

Let's go to the State Department were our correspondent is following

events. We have heard from the Palestinians on this but has the

White House said anything about this visit? Only to confirm that it is

going to happen and I suppose we could have expected it would have

happened at some point because Mr Trump has talked about wanting to be

able to facilitate a Middle East peace deal and in order to do that

it would have to take into consideration the Palestinian views

at some point. Palestinians have been very concerned by his stance so

far. He came into office promising to be the most pro-Israel US

president ever and Mr Netanyahu the Prime Minister of Israel is one of

the first foreign visitors to the White House. Since then Mr Trump has

taken positions that seem to favour the right wing in Israel. He has

been ambivalent about a two state solution. He has chosen as his

ambassador somebody on the far right of the political spectrum, as well

as one of his key advisers in the White House he has tasked and envoy

for Middle East peace, his son-in-law, an Orthodox due. Dump --

an Orthodox Orthodox due. He says if you want to make that deal, and that

is what he said the telephone call, then he would have to meet Mr Abbas.

It sounds like that will happen. -- Orthodox due. Why'd you think this

visit has been announced now? I expect because Mr Trump called Mr

Abbas now. We don't really know about the timing of what Mr Com has

in mind for any initiative in the Middle East but he certainly wanted

to get the view of the Israelis first, which he has done, fulsomely.

He has also got the view of some Arab leaders who have spoken to the

president of Egypt, he has spoken to the king of Jordan and the number of

other Arab leaders who have given their input into what they see as

the way forward on the possibilities of some kind of resolution of the

dispute or the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians. At least

they would have told them what not to do. He has taken stock of these

viewpoints but he has been very slow to get to the Palestinians. Having

said that, when George W Bush came into office, he followed the Clinton

administration, which was very in gauged in peace process. When Mr

Bush came into office, that stopped while they figure that what they

would do so there is some precedent for this although George W Bush was

not as overtly strongly pro-Israel as Mr Trump has been. Thank you very

much. So with us here on BBC News, still to come. Casting the spotlight

on infinity with the poke about Japanese artist. Flo -- polka-dot.

Joshua Dobbie crashed the car in Penge during a police chase. The Old

Bailey heard he had been pursued by police in Kent five days earlier.

The judge said it had been a mercy he had not killed somebody that

they. The Education Secretary Justin Greening has been heckled by some

headteachers after she defended government plans for more government

grammar schools in England. She insisted that grammar schools

help disadvantaged children but the union 's general said there was no

evidence that they rise standards of improved social mobility. The

telecoms regulator Ofcom has announced that BT will be legally

separated from its Openreach surface, which runs the UK's

broadband infrastructure. This is BBC World News Today. Here

are the latest headlines. As Iraqi security forces close in on the city

of Mosul, civilians are trying to escape the old city, still under the

control of IS. In a telephone conversation, President Trump has

invited the Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, to the White House.

Let's go to West Africa where the outbreak of Ebola centred on the

devastating impact on humans. But the disease has also had a huge

impact on the gorilla population. A third of the world's rulers have

been killed by Ebola in the last 30 years alone. It is because when a

group is infected, around 95% of them die. With all four species of

gorilla clean endangered, researchers from Cambridge

University here in the UK wants to immunise them in the wild. Rebecca

Morelle has this report. In the African forests, an animal at

risk of vanishing forever. Google is already face many threats, from

poaching -- gorillas. The deadly disease of Ebola is thought to have

wiped out many thousands of these great apes. Now a vaccine could be

the answer. We have put it on the site, now all going to the tongue.

This scientist has carried out a small trial on captive chimps, the

last before biometric research on these animals was banned in the US

study found a vaccine protected against the virus and now he wants

to use it on gorillas in the wild. Ebola and other diseases are a huge

threat. We vaccinate our children, our pets, domestic livestock, and

wildlife in the developed world. Why are we not vaccinating our closest

relatives in Africa? The deadly toll of Ebola instruments is only too to

well-known. There is an effective human vaccine. Ebola in humans and

gorillas is closely linked. The virus can cross between species.

Some argue that gorillas should be immunised too. And Ebola vaccine

does offer some much-needed hope. But there could be significant

risks. Finding a method to get a dose of the vaccine into every

gorilla would be difficult. There is also a risk it could harm the

animals, instead of helping them. We are concerned about any unintended

impact on the health of the target apes, such as introduction of other

disease that might spread among the intended population that we're

trying to protect. The future of these animals is hanging in the

balance. The forests are currently free of Ebola but it is inevitable

that will strike again. Conservationists need to decide

whether the risk of vaccinating or not vaccinating is one they are

willing to take. Rebecca Morelle, BBC News. Stunning creatures. Let's

get some spot the youth the former Formula 1 and

motorcycling world champion, John Surtees, has died at the age of 83.

He is still the only man to become world champion on two wheels and

four. Andy Swiss looks back on his life. Hot favourite after wins in 58

and 59, three, John Surtees, rocketing away. He was a natural

racer, and determined. Just as fast on two wheels as he later became an

four. In his Ferrari, John Surtees, number seven, going like a bomb and

eventually leaving the ten cars in the race. Encouraged by his father,

a motorcycle dealer and former Sidecar champion, Young John won his

first race at the age of 17. With British motorbikes dominating

racing, his future looked secure with Norton, but they refused to

back him for the 1950s 60s and, so he went to Italy to join in the

August. Between 1956 and 60, so too is dominated the 500 cc class. The

master has done it again. Winning seven World Championships. John

Surtees is the hero with a double in the first classic region of the

year. On his way to win his sixth TT and his third successive senior TT.

He became the first man to win the senior Isle of Man TT three years

running. Is this your life 's ambition now achieved? Not really, I

suppose. I don't set out with definite ambitions, I just try and

do my best whatever I do. He switched to cars full-time in 1961,

driving a Cooper. But once again he had to go to Italy to find success

of this time with Ferrari. The man taking first is John Surtees. Second

place in Mexico clinched the 1964 World Championships. A year later,

the almost died when his Lola closed -- crashed in Canada. Flown back to

London he eventually made a four recovery. I am not attaching too

much importance to this, although I think it is important that in time I

do sort of manage to fit in the four movements. His last Grand Prix

victory was at Monza in 1967. Single-minded and deeply committed,

his talent won him a unique place in motor racing history. I think by the

time I was retiring, and I still probably hadn't reached my absolute

peak, but I have achieved my main ambition is, because the most

important thing I had to do in life is not satisfy other people but

satisfy myself. John Surtees, who died on Friday at the age of 83.

There is one match in the six Nations on Friday. Wales are playing

Ireland in Cardiff. The current score is 15-6 to the Welsh, wind

George North getting both tries so far, the only two tries of the game,

they are around 15 minutes into the match for stop Tiger Woods says he

won't be playing in next week's Arnold Palmer Invitational. He has

done not recovered from the back spasms that forced him to withdraw

from the Dubai Desert classic at the start of February. He is now a doubt

for the Masters next month, and that is all the sport for now.

Think you very much. Have you ever wondered what Infinity might look

like? One Japanese artist has tried to catch it at this expedition an

exhibition in Washington, DC. Her Infinity rooms coving to be very

popular. Jane O'Brien has been to have a look. It's easy to get lost

in one of these Infinity rooms. Even though they are physically quite

tiny. Mirrors, lights warped perception of what is real and what

is illusion. We are living in a time when almost everything that we see

and experience is through digital technology, social media, e-mailing.

That is so much a part of our lives and our perception that she reminds

us that there is this other aspect of experiencing space that sometimes

is more tactile. To understand how she reached Infinity, you need to

step into her white room. As a child, she had a vision of polka

dots. It led to an acute neurosis, which she confronted by focusing on

dots in her art. Visitors are encouraged to stick them everywhere

in this room, eventually obliterating the white and leading

to oblivion, which brings us back to infinity. At first, being in this

room makes me feel incredibly happy. I'm surrounded by glow-in-the-dark

pumpkins, for goodness sake. But after a couple of seconds it

actually becomes quite disturbing, because this is probably the closest

any of us will come to seeing what Infinity must look like. And once

you grasp that, you realise how utterly insignificant you really

are. Most people inside these rooms image of the rich for their

cellphones. This is, after all, the ultimate selfie. But not so fast,

says the museum director. If you are in this in Trinity Mirror room and

you don't stop and put down your phone, you are not truly

experiencing it, because it is this moment where you are alone in the

cosmos in one of these pieces, and it is a very compelling kind of

poignant experience. Get past the show stopping Infinity rooms, and

there's plenty more to tickle the senses. Philip Chua sculptures,

dots, appendages, BOTS and more dots. -- voluptuous. She is arguably

Japan's most important contemporary artist. This show reveals why her

appeal is global. Stunning, isn't it? Now a reminder that BBC World

News is brought to you live every day. That means that unexpected

things can happen. Earlier today, our presenter James May Mendez was

interviewing Professor Robert Kelly at his home in South Korea about the

dramatic events there. He had some very important points today, but was

overshadowed by his two young children. Take a look at this. These

scandals happen all the time, the question is how do democracies

respond to those scandals? What will it mean for the wider region? I

think one of your children has just walked in. I would be surprised if

they do. Pardon me. My apologies! What is this going to mean for the

region? My apologies. North... Sorry. South Korea's policy choices

on North Korea have been severely limited in the last X months... Talk

about being completely upstaged, that is it from me and the team,

goodbye for now. Hello, thank you for joining me. I

will be giving you a flavour of the UK weather prospects in just a

couple of minutes or so but first I want to take you around the world to

show you a couple of the weather stories that have caught my eye for

stop we return and I make