Illegally. And rising from the ruins. Three years after the battle for mosul, a un project helps residents of all faiths rebuild the old city. Hello and welcome. We begin in the us where President Biden has pledged to rebuild americas alliances and re engage with the world, in his first major Foreign Policy speech. Its a markedly different tone to the America First approach of the trump administration. Mr biden said solutions to problems such as Armed Conflicts and Climate Change could be solved only by working with other nations. Our washington correspondent lebo diseko reports. This lebo diseko reports. Wasjoe biden� s First Official this wasjoe biden� s First Official visit to a Government Department as president. He chose the agency that is home to the nations diplomats is significant. He had a clear message about his countrys role on the world stage. America is back. Diplomacy is back at the centre of our Foreign Policy. Foreign policy. This is a return to Foreign Policy. This is a i return to multilateralism Foreign Policy. This is a return to multilateralism after four years of America First. America and its alliances are its greatest asset and leading with diplomacy means Standing Shoulder to shoulder with our allies and key partners once again. By leading with diplomacy we must also mean engaging our adverse areas and our competitors diplomatically. The most serious of those competitors that make competitors that make competitors is china. He said it proposes a direct threat to American Values and he promised to push back on what he called beijings attack on human rights, Intellectual Property and global governance. Russia was also singled out for undermining democracy both at home and abroad. Mr biden criticised the jailing of the Opposition Leader alexi navalny. He said he would work with moscow where it was in the interest of the us but when it was not he would take a tougher approach. I was not he would take a tougher a roach. , was not he would take a tougher a roach. , was not he would take a tougher a roach. ,. , approach. I made it clear to president approach. I made it clear to President Putin approach. I made it clear to President Putin in approach. I made it clear to President Putin in a approach. I made it clear to j President Putin in a manner different to my predecessor that the days of the United States rolling over in the face of russias aggressive actions, interfering with our elections, cyber attacks, poisoning its citizens, are over. fin cyber attacks, poisoning its citizens, are over. Citizens, are over. On the conflict citizens, are over. On the conflict that citizens, are over. On the conflict that has citizens, are over. On the conflict that has led citizens, are over. On the conflict that has led to i citizens, are over. On the i conflict that has led to what the un called the Worlds Largest humanitarian crisis, a key announcement. The us will end its support for saudi arabias Military Offensive in yemen. It is a sharp change from the policy of donald trump who had increased backing of the coalition. Millions of eumenes are facing starvation and many are thought to have died in the war that began six years ago. President biden said he will hold withdrawal of us from us troops in germany. Donald trump ordered the withdrawal last year although it had not yet begun. Again and again, joe biden stressed that america is ready to resume its Leadership Role on the world stage. No doubt us allies will be pleased about the re engagement but, equally, doubts are likely to remain about whether they can trust that america is back to stay. The us House Of Representatives has voted to remove the republican Marjorie Taylor greene from two influential congressional committees. Democrats argued the newly elected congresswoman was not fit to serve after remarks she made before being elected, including calling for the us speaker to be assassinated and saying september 11 was staged. At the start of the debate Marjorie Taylor greene said she regretted her past comments but stopped short of apologising. You see, School Shootings are absolutely real. I also want to tell you 9 11 absolutely happened. I remember that day, crying all day long. These were words of the past, and these things do not represent me, they do not represent my district and they do not represent my values. That was Marjorie Taylor greene trying to distance herself from some of these past remarks, saying they were made before she ran for office. But what did she actually say to deserve this punishment . Well, mrs greene has supported the qanon Conspiracy Theory that donald trump is waging a secret war against satan worshipping paedophiles. Shes encouraged false Conspiracy Theories on issues such as the september 11 terror attacks. She has claimed that School Shootings in the past have been staged. And thatjustice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was replaced by a body double before her death. She has also claimed the 2018 California Wildfires were ignited by jewish space lasers. Our senior north america reporter, anthony zurcher, said taking away Marjorie Taylor greenes Committee Seats will reduce her influence in Lawmaking Committees are where the nuts and bolts of Policy Making Take place, where legislation is introduced and wrangled over and legislators have input on the shape of legislation before it gets to a full vote in the House Of Representatives. So by stripping Marjorie Taylor greene of her Committee Seats, taking away her ability to have any kind of influence in Committee Hearings and in markup of bills, that is significant even for a relativelyjunior member of the House Of Representatives. Democrats have been outspoken in their condemnation of greene and votes indicated that the democrats were sticking together. I think that because of what happened on capitol hill onjanuary 6 with the insurrection, i think her comments and likes on social media that threaten democratic politicians, i think that hit home with them and they felt as if they had to do something here. The House Republicans did not police their own, essentially. House republicans including Kevin Mccarthy are saying well if we go back and look over past comments of this particular member of congress, what is to stop us from doing that with democrats . They have said controversial things before theyjoined the House Of Representatives, going back over their entire previous career. So it does, they view, set a dangerous precedent for that as well as a precedent where a simple majority in the House Of Representatives can step in and tell the minority party, which traditionally has been able to decide who sits on the committee as a representative, to tell them who to and not to have on the committee. Lets get some of the days other news. Donald trump has said he will not testify at his Senate Impeachment trial next week. A statement from his lawyers dismissed the request for him to appear as a Public Relations stunt. Democrats accuse the former president of inciting insurrection. The Brazilian Mining Firm Vale has agreed to pay 7 billion in compensation after the collapse of a dam two years ago. 270 people died, when the brumadinho dam gave way, unleashing a torrent of toxic mud. This uk residents returning from Coronavirus Hot spots this virus hot spots abroad will have to quarantine in hotels from the middle of this month. Theyre expected to be set up near airports including heathrow and gatwick. Hotel owners will be asked to provide rooms for more than a thousand people a day. Days of torrential rain have caused rivers across france to burst their banks. Some roads and parts of villages are underwater, with many others put on high alert. Areas in the countrys south west are worst affected, as mark lobel reports. South western france submerged, riverbanks breached, vast swathes under up to ten metres of water. Translation the fact j that the water has risen so high up on the trees like that, you dont realise it but its really something. Translation in 34 years, ive never seen anything. Like this, this is really exceptional. The deputy mayor surveys the damage the only way he can. Some have nowhere to go. A shopfront now a waterfront. This tomato producing town normally hosts an internationally renowned pop festival, now it welcomes in rescuers to help overcome this road to nowhere. Translation noone is missing or hurt and the residents expect this kind of event. But this flood is actually exceptional as we havent had one of this magnitude since 1981. It caught many people off guard as they evacuated homes. Storm justine has sent rivers between this area between bordeaux and toulouse to levels not seen since the 1870s. Paris was affected, too. The river seine burst its banks, proving quite an eyeful for even regular river watchers. Mark lobel, bbc news. Famous names including rihanna and Greta Thunberg have been making the headlines in india for showing their support for the farmers who are protesting across the country. The farmers have been demonstrating over plans to give the private sector a greater say in agriculture even though the government insists it will leave them better off. Rajini vaidyanathan has the story. Fighting for their future the people who help feed this nation. More than half of indians are farmers. Tens of thousands have been camped here for months. A busy road into the capital. Now, a place of resistance, as they protest new laws they fear will destroy their livelihoods. As this site has grown, so, too, the police presence. Farmers accuse the government of trying to silence them. For two months, devilal has been sleeping on the back of this truck with seven others. Translation we are fighting for our land, we are fighting i for our rights. We wont go back until these laws are repealed, even if we have to give our lives for the cause. And he believes those new laws will drive him out of business. He took me to his farm to explain why. At 30 years old, hes the future of indian farming, but the government says that for farming to have a future, the Industry Needs to be reformed. It says its new laws will benefit farmers by allowing them to sell directly to supermarkets and online retailers. Translation we get a fixed price from the government. For our crops. Im worried once the big corporations enter the market, we will have to sell at a price they want. Passions are running high. Last week, hundreds of police and protesters were injured after a March Into Delhi turned violent. Demonstrators scaled the citys iconic red fort, leaving many wondering whether the countrys Prime Minister has lost control on this issue. Known as indias strongman, he has weakened his resolve, offering to suspend the laws for 18 months. What started here at the end of last year has now grown into a mass movement, one that has become about more than just the agriculture laws. Many farmers i have spoken to here who voted for Prime Minister modi say theyre now increasingly concerned about his governments handling of other issues, including freedom of speech, high unemployment and the right to protest. The farmers remained defiant, even after officials suspended Internet Access at protest sites, social media accounts were blocked and journalists were detained. The farmers say theyre not going anywhere until the laws are scrapped. Rajini vaidyanathan, bbc news, delhi. Stay with us on bbc news, still to come scientist news, still to come warn about the Cacophony Scientist warn about the cacophony of human and Liberty Thatis Cacophony Of Human and liberty that is drowning out the natural ocean soundscape. Cacophony of humanity. This is the moment that millions in iran had been waiting for. After his long years in exile, the first hesitant steps of Ayatollah Khomeini on iranian soil. South africas white government has offered its black opponents concessions unparalleled in the history of apartheid. And the anc leader, nelson mandela, is to be set free unconditionally. Three, two, one. A countdown to a critical moment. The worlds most powerful rocket ignited all 27 of its engines at once. And apart from its power, its this recycling of the rocket, l slashing the cost of a launch, l that makes this a breakthrough in the business| of space travel. Two americans have become the first humans to walk in space without any lifeline to their spaceship. One of them called it a piece of cake. Thousands of people have given the yachtswoman Ellen Macarthur a spectacular homecoming in the cornish port of falmouth after she smashed the world record for sailing solo Around The World non stop. This is bbc news, the latest headlines in his first major Foreign Policy speech, President Biden promises america will re engage with the world including stepping up efforts to end the war in yemen. The European Union has called on israel to halt any further demolition of palestinian property. Nearly 20 eu and british diplomats visited a Bedouin Village in the occupied west bank, after Israeli Forces demolished homes there for the third time, in one of the biggest actions of its kind in years. Israel says the structures were built illegally heres our middle east correspondent tom bateman. We are here in Thejordan Valley in the west bank and here you can see a delegation of europeans and british Heads Of Mission they are effectively like ambassadors to the palestinian authority. We also had the palestinian Prime Minister here as well. They have come because what you can see here are these tents. This is where several palestinian families living in tents. Their living here because the structures they were living in were demolished and then seized by the israelis. Mohammeds family have been around here for generations. Translation imagine you are sitting safe in your house, and they come suddenly. The trucks and the bulldozers and jeeps and a lot of security forces. They enter into your house and they destroy it in front your kids. They leave you out in the cold weather like you see. Our soul was destroyed. But this is actually a return for the european and british diplomats, they had come in november after israels biggest delegation in years. Demolition. The country is then paid to rehouse people here. And now the structures have been seized again. This is occupied palestinian territory, its not possible for people to get planning permission. This the largest or second largest demolition since 2016. So, it has been a very large scale demolition in terms which we think is very regrettable. Soldiers watched on. Israels military built illegally on a firing range and was dangerous for people. It says the residents rejected their offer to move to a nearby area. As the palestinian Prime Ministers spoke, a show of solidarity from the europeans. While the world says matters for the west bank. I hope with the new administration in washington, with this enthusiasm of our european diplomats who are present here, i think there would be things different. There is no american representative here today. Well, due to some logistics, they have said they will not be able to do it, but they promised they would be with us next time. There was a spiking in demolitions by israel at the end of the trump years. But for people here today, things dont feel much different. Israel says the residents had agreed to leave, but changed their minds. Tom bateman, bbc news, in the occupied west bank. More than three years after the devastating battle to reclaim mosul from so called islamic state, its old city still lies in ruins. A unesco led project called Reviving The Spirit Of Mosul has hired locals of all faiths to Work Together to rebuild historic mosques and churches in the city. Pope francis plans to visit all three sites during his much anticipated visit to iraq in march. Nawal al maghafi reports. This is what is left of mosul� s old city. For centuries, the mosques and churches here stood as a testament to religious tolerance in the city, destroyed three years ago in the battle for mosul. Today, the battle for mosul. Today, the citys people, christians and muslims, have returned together to rebuild and reclaim their ancient history. Amongst their ancient history. Amongst the efforts, a Project Hiring locals of all faiths to start the restoration. Two the decorations are important to start now because there are seven layers of decorations. This is just a single layer. It was a scene of total devastation. Everyones old city was turned to dust, its people displaced, entire livelihoods destroyed. These pictures from 2017 show the extent of the damage caused during the battle to reclaim the city from the Group Calling itself the islamic state. It was from the mosque that the leader of 0|s declared its caliphate. In 2017, when i retreating, they destroyed the mosques ancient leaning minaret, once a symbol of mosul. We removed about 5600 tons of rubble and about 20 ieds, which were put inside the walls of the mosque. As restoration begins, it is not just the physical challenges that locals have to deal with. Isu is this monastery as a base during their occupation. The writing they left on its walls is a constant reminder of the trauma the people here have endured. , endured. You can see here some robes. Endured. You can see here some robes we endured. You can see here some robes. We heard endured. You can see here some robes. We heard that endured. You can see here some robes. We heard that they endured. You can see here some robes. We heard that they had i robes. We heard that they had been hanging people from their. Mosul is now healing. It is going back to normal. Life is going back to normal. Life is going back to normal. Life is going back as it was before. In 2014, this priests church was taken over by is. As soon as the fighting ended, he returned to start rebuilding. Now that the restoration of his church is now complete, he welcomes guests of all faiths, something that was unthinkable for so long. Translation sunni, shia and use any long. Translation sunni, shia and use any muslims, long. Translation sunni, shia| and use any muslims, is welcome to everyone. We welcome everyone in peace. To everyone. We welcome everyone in peace. For the peeple there. Everyone in peace. For the people there, is everyone in peace. For the people there, is not everyone in peace. For the people there, is notjust i everyone in peace. For the people there, is notjust about destroying buildings that were destroyed but healing and entire community wounded by war. Nawal al maghafi, bbc news. According to a report in science magazine, a National Ocean soundscape is fundamental to marine life but it is being drowned out by an increasingly large cacophony of noise from us, humans. It includes drilling for oil and noise from ships� s engines for example. If you listen to this, you can hear the types of sounds transmitted underwater. The sounds were recorded by an artist who is also the author of the report. Lets get more on all of this from Professor Ben Halpin who is an expert in Marine Ecology at the university of california. He joins us from santa barbara. Thank you forjoining us professor. If you can explain to us first, in what ways is noise harmful to marine life . Well, there are many ways it can affect marine life. Some of it can disrupt the eardrums and the sound sensors for many of the sound sensors for many of the organisms that they use just like we do, for hearing and finding things, finding mates. But it can also disrupt their ability to navigate, to find food, to avoid predators and find their homes because they use sound in a very important way to find their way around the ocean, much like we use our eyes to see around where we go. Animals use noise to find their way around in a very important way to find their way around the ocean, much like we use our eyes to see around where we go. Animals use noise to find their way around the ocean. 0cea Ns 0ceans are 0cea ns are naturally very 0ceans are naturally very noisy environment is it noise from Human Activities that are particularly detrimental to marine life . Particularly detrimental to marine life . , , marine life . Mainly because it asks all of marine life . Mainly because it asks all of that marine life . Mainly because it asks all of that noise marine life . Mainly because it asks all of that noise they asks all of that noise they used to hearing. So yes it is a noisy place naturally, from the earth and underwater volcanoes, waves, the rain falling on the surface, ice up in the arctic. And there is natural noise from animals who are singing, snapping, crunching food on the surface of the floor of the ocean. All of this is natural noise and they use those cues to help them find what they are, where they need to go, where their mates are, whether food is. When you have human noise, which is now getting noisy and noisier, it covers that all up and then they cant find the things they need to because they cant hear them. Human activity has been greatly limited, of course, since the covid pandemic, have we seen any evidence of an ocean recovery during this period . We havin recovery during this period . Having lots of ways. It is difficult to know whether it is connected to a decrease in the noise or the many other things that have been changed. There are fewer people in the ocean, fewer fishing are fewer people in the ocean, Fewerfishing Boats in the ocean, a lot fewer everything in the ocean just like we have seen on land. So yes, marine animals are recovering and returning to places they havent been before. We dont know exactly for sure whether thatis know exactly for sure whether that is related to the change in noise or all of the other factors that are affecting the ocean during this pandemic. {lilia ocean during this pandemic. Ok, were going ocean during this pandemic. Ok, were going to ocean during this pandemic. 0k, were going to leave it there for the moment. Really interesting. Thank you very much professor. Interesting. Thank you very much professor. Before we go, german scientists have found what could be the worlds smallest reptile. So small it can fit on yourfingertip. Discovered in madagascar, the Nano Chameleon is less than 30 millimetres long, making it the smallest of all the roughly 11,500 known species of its kind. Scientists say the Nano Chameleons natural habitat is under threat due to defortestation, but have now placed the area under protection in the hope that the species will survive. Wow, i love doing this shift. You never know what youre going to see when you come in in the morning. Fantastic. Lots more news coming up. I have got the business coming up in five minutes time. I will see them. See you then. You can reach me on twitter im vfritznews. Hello. Cold and snow on the way. For now, for many of us, its just yet more rain with an ongoing risk of flooding. But as you know, in northern scotland, the snow has arrived. Heavy snow, at that, where the met office has an Amber Warning in force throughout friday. Still snowing here, and even into the weekend within that amber zone so significant disruption as a result, as those snow totals mount. Now all the wet weather, snow or rain, is from this area of low pressure only very slowly moving away over the weekend. As it does so, rain turns to snow as an increasingly strong and bitterly cold easterly wind sets in across the uk. And as that continues into next week, we will continue to see some snow coming in, particularly but not exclusively to Eastern Parts of the uk. This is how we start off on friday morning most of us are above freezing. Most of us seeing rain rather than snow, but the snow very much still there across northern scotland. Wet, too, in northern ireland, especially to the Eastern Parts of northeast england both areas with the risk of flooding from the persistent rain. Showers moving into wales, southwest england, the West Midlands as we go through the afternoon. East midlands, east anglia, southeast england, and parts of Northern England away from that rain towards the far north east. Drier and brighterfor a time, a few sunny spells, and still that big range of temperatures from north to south across the uk. Now, the overall pattern doesnt change very much as we go through friday night into saturday morning. Still the showers or bands of Rain Circulating around an area of low pressure, and still very wet for some of us in north east england, along the east coast and especially into the hills still snowing, perhaps for some of us, even into the start of the weekend. For all this weekend, it turns much colder and that snow becomes more widespread. Plenty of cloud around on saturday, showers or spells of rain especially in the east with the wind starting to pick up, as well. I think deeper on into saturday, more of that rain turning into snow in Northern England initially on the hills. Looks to be a drier day though in northern ireland. 0vernight and into sunday, the cold air really starts to dig in. Rain turning to snow across Eastern Parts, could be a prolonged spell of snow across parts of east anglia and south east england, then further snow showers in the east some may push further west. Regardless, though, for all of us, it is much colder by then. This is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and Around The World. New record highs for Wall Street Shares as Company Earnings impress, jobless claims fall again and bidens 1. 9 trillion stimulus inches closer. Brexit and the city. The boss of Barclays Says londons financial rivals are now new york and singapore rather than frankfurt and paris. Brexit gives the uk the opportunity to define its own agenda. On that new agenda the uks betting on free ports to drive trade and investment. Todays the deadline for bids to set one up we hearfrom one of the applicants. Plus airborne transmission. Drone maker wingcopter gears up to deliver vaccines to remote areas