Twitter rolls out an increase in the length of its messages, but will help the Company Finally post a profit . Hello and welcome to bbc news. First, an exclusive report on the final stages of the battle for the syrian city of raqqa, last major stronghold of the Extremist Group the so called Islamic State. The current offensive by arab and kurdish fighters, with american and british support, started in june. Then, is controlled most of raqqa. Now, only a few hundred militants hold the centre of the city. The bbc is the only broadcaster to gain access to it. Our middle east correspondent Quentin Sommerville and cameraman Darren Conway sent this. You may find some of the images distressing. This is a war of annihilation, says the united states. Raqqa is the battleground, and the victim. These are western coalition bombs, targeting the fighters of the so called Islamic State. More than 5,000 hit raqqa last month alone. An entire city has become a no mans land. Mile after mile, there is no
Hello and welcome im peter double youre watching aljazeera live from doha also coming up the latest twist in thailands political infighting is about to unfold the Supreme Court prepares to announce its corruption verdict against the former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. A landmark decision saudi arabia will allow women to drive for the first Time Starting next year. Plus well look at how a chance discovery has revealed a brand new work by one of the worlds most popular authors more than a century after his death. Top story iraq demanding the Kurdish Regional government surrender control of its airports or face a ban on International Flights baghdad is increasing the pressure on the kurdish leadership of a monday secession referendum the vote went ahead despite objections from iraq iran syria the u. S. And turkey shall stratford is in bill. The rhetoric and threats continue and from both sides. Iraq to me that i still is still occupying some parts of kirkuk and some parts of iraq i
Hello again im peter w. Watching al jazeera live from doha also coming up the verdict is guilty local media in thailand say the former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has been sentenced to five years in prison for corruption. A landmark decision in saudi arabia will allow women to drive for the first Time Starting next june plus. Its a Welcome Break from the fear of a Nuclear Attack south korea holds a Film Festival to call for peace. Russia and france have called on kurdish leaders not to pursue actions that may further destabilize the region they are the latest International Powers to call on the bill to remain part of iraq in the wake of mondays session referendum moscow called for talks between baghdad and the courteously. The ship the French Foreign minister says a declaration of independence would trigger a new crisis meanwhile iraq is demanding the Kurdish Regional government surrender control of its airports or face a ban of International Flights Charles Stratford reports fr
And again im peter w. Watching al jazeera live from doha also coming up verdict guilty the former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has been sentenced to five years in prison for corruption. A landmark decision saudi arabia will allow women to drive for the first Time Starting next. Plus well look at how a chance discovery revealed a brand new work by one of the worlds most popular authors more than a century after he died. The Kurdish Regional government transport minister has rejected a demand from iraq to relinquish control of its ports baghdad has threatened to ban International Flights from landing unless a bill agrees to that measure it follows mondays kurdish independence vote unofficial estimates say the referendum has been passed although russia and france upholding kurdish leaders to avoid pursuing actions that me that d. Stabilize the region shall stratford from. The rhetoric and threats continue and from both sides iraq and that there are still is still occupying some part
Been sentenced to five years in prison shes fled into exile. And how the push to defeat the hottest is taking a heavy toll on the people of somalia will have an exclusive report. Plus a long and winding road towards forming a new government germanys general election last weekend means chancellor merkel has been swayed to other parties to join her conservatives now that could take months. Im brian thomas welcome to the show saudi arabia says it will begin allowing women to drive now it is a big leap for the old truck conservative nation the only one to bar women from getting behind the wheel a royal decree announced on state t. V. Says the ban would be lifted in june now in the meantime a committee will be formed to work out how to implement that royal decree. The streets of saudi arabia have long been a battleground on one hand women wanting to drive on the other the religious conservatives who have called them too stupid their mobility a threat to society now it is the women who have