Its iraqs second city, as 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 arab correspondence and Cameraman A Re Close 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. Cou ntless 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 nearbyjust 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 id 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 its 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 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 didnt manage to use. At dusk, troops gather for the belts they didnt manage to use. At dusk, troops gatherfor the next push forward. Increasingly they strike under cover of partners. Hunting for the extremists who Wa Nted 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 oui victims of a mortar attack. We got our freedom, victims of a mortar attack. We got ourfreedom, she says. But victims of a mortar attack. We got our freedom, she says. But it cost us our freedom, she says. But it cost usa 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. Lets stay in the region because the Turkish Military said troops and 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 by a kurdish led rebel alliance. 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. 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 Military Operations in syria. It follows talks in moscow with turkish president erdogan. But as olga ivshina now reports the to countries priorities differ when it comes to syria. 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 Park geun hye from office. 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 and a woman named choi soon sil. Ms choi is accused of using her president ial connections to Pressure Companies to give millions of dollars in donations to foundations she controlled. She is now on trial. 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 In Return for political favours. His trial started on thursday. So on friday came the final episode the Constitutional Court ruled to uphold the impeachment, and President Park was ousted from power. Stephen evans reports. The moment a president was ousted. President park committed a grave breach of the law. It was against the constitution and the trust of the people. Outside the court, pro park protesters clashed with police. Two protesters died. Tonight, and the park protesters have been holding a victory rally. They have pushed a president from office anti park. They have pushed a president from office antipark. I felt shivers going down my spine and im sure im 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 president ial palace. She may yet end up president ial 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 injanuary. Lets go to the State Department we re lets 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. Whyd you think this visit has been announced now . |j expect visit has been announced now . expect because mr trump called mr abbas now. We dont really know about the timing of what mr com has in mind forany 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 ofjordan and the number of other arab leaders who have given their input into what they see as 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 gaugedin 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 mrtrump has 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. Thejudge said it had been a mercy he had not killed somebody that they. The education Secretaryjustin 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 uks 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. Lets 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 worlds rulers have been killed by ebola in the last 30 yea rs 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 were 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. Lets get some spot the youth the former formula i 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 dont 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 of this time with ferrari. The man taking first isjohn surtees. 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. his talent won him a unique place in motor racing history. I think by the timel motor racing history. I think by the time i was retiring, and i still probably hadnt 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 wont be playing in next weeks 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 obrien has been to have a look. Its 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 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. Im 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. ultimate selfie. But not so fast, says the museum director. If you are in this in Trinity Mirror room and you dont 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 isa cosmos in one of these pieces, and it is a very compelling kind of poignant experience. Get past the show stopping Infinity Rooms, and theres plenty more to tickle the senses. Philip chua sculptures, dots, appendages, bots and more dots. Voluptuous. She is arguably japans most important contemporary artist. This show reveals why her appeal is global. Stunning, isnt it . Now a appeal is global. Stunning, isnt it . Nowa reminder appeal is global. Stunning, isnt 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 presenterjames things can happen. Earlier today, our presenter james may things can happen. Earlier today, our Presenterjames 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 koreas Policy Choices on north korea have been severely limited in the last x months. Talk about being completely upstaged, thatisit about being completely upstaged, that is it from me and the team, goodbye for now. Hello, thank you forjoining me. I will be giving you a flavour of the uk weather prospects in just a couple of minutes or so but first i wa nt to ta ke 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 no apologies for it to the islands of new zealand, especially the north island, where we are expecting another 140 millimetres of rain there before it stops raining. That would be any time soon. Further flooding expected, and the rain will continue right on through the weekend. There you see the scale of the low pressure that has been driving these were the fans down and across new zealand. In fact it is tapping into the warm, moist air from the topics that have tropics. The ground was already saturated, already flooding, and we have seen extraordinary amounts of rain, anyway from the northlands to the Bay Of Plenty and it looks like even as far ahead as sunday, ok, auckland might then start to dry up but elsewhere across north island, the top end of south island, there will still be some wet weather to come. We will keep a close eye on that. There will be further episodes of flooding. Here is The Big Picture from the usa and canada. This has turned out to be a very active system indeed. We have had thunder storm activity. Because the moisture has run into some colder there has been quite a conversion of snow, disruptively slow in some places will stop them as that moves on, we tap into some very cold air from the north of canada. The Thunder Storm Intensity causes concern across some of the gulf states but further north that run of Cold Air Sets in on saturday and is their right to the start of the new week. Southerly is an southeast and these are causing a bit of a concern across the Arabian Peninsula at the moment because we they converge and go out in the atmosphere, that is where we begin to see thunderstorms and they will be liberally scattered across the heart of south arabia saudi arabia. Some of the disturbed weather in the middle east will be coming from a massive area of low pressure. The middle part of the week and the rest of fridays through the weekend. This slow moving system will take its very gusty winds and thunderstorms ever further towards the east. You will see that that system sits around for the greater pa rt system sits around for the greater part of saturday and pretty much the same sort of locations, the islands and turkey also at risk of that combination of weather. Further west, it is fine and settled for the most part. I would urge you to make the most of it if you are anywhere near iberia or Southern Parts of france, a big area of low pressure churns in as we move to the start of next week, 16 or 17 degrees. Will it last . Sarah keith lucas has the rest of the story in a few minutes. It is the latest headlines. Iraqi Security Forces are closing in on the heavily populated city of mosul. The fight to dislodge Islamic State continues, thousands are trying to escape. President trump has invited the Palestinian Leader to the white house. The invitation was made during a phone call. It was the First Contact between them since mr Trump Took Office. Volkswagen has pleaded guilty in an American Court of three criminal charges linked to the diesel emissions scandal. The plea is part of a deal which means the company will pay fines of more than 4. 3 billion. Tens of thousands of south koreans have come out on the streets of the capital to celebrate a co decision to remove the president from office. The impeachment comes