This is the BBC news. Hello, I'm Nick Kelly.
The American defense secretary Ash Carter has hailed the recapture of the Iraqi city of Ramadi by government troops as a significant step forward in the campaign to
defeat IS. The BBC's TF is in Ramadi.
He sent this report on the extent of the damage inflicted on the city. Iraqi forces have cleared the main street but no one dares to step unto the rubble or enter the
shattered buildings. Boobytraps are everywhere. Operations are still under way in the city center and in the northern quarters where Iraqi troops supported by
coalition war planes are hunting retreating IS militants. But in the neighborhoods that we visited, there was no sign of life except for the soldiers standing guard.
Iraqi troops are close to victory in Ramadi but this is a city that has been sacrificed in battle. Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi has said that the coming year
will see the total defeat of IS in Iraq. Mr al-Abadi said Iraqi forces would now go on to liberate Mosul, the main city in Northern Iraq which is by far the most
populous center under IS control.
The US secretary of state John Kerry says Iran has taken a significant step toward fulfilling its nuclear commitments by sending a large quantity of uranium abroad. Mr
Kerry was speaking after Iran dispatched a shipment of more than 11 tons of low enriched uranium to Russia. As part of a deal made in July with six international
powers, Iran agreed to have no more than 300 kilograms of low enriched uranium.
Saudi Arabia says it will cut fuel and utility subsidies in the country as part of measures to deal with the record budget deficit. The Saudi press agency reported
that the price of petrol would rise by at least 50 percent. The government registered a budget deficit of 98 billion dollars for 2015. It's the first budget under the
rule of king Salman. This budget represents the beginning of an integrated and comprehensive programme to build a stronger economy based on solid foundations, which has multiple sources of income, and where savings are growing and jobs are many.
Some of the relatives of Alan Kurdi, the Syrian boy whose body was photographed washed up on a Turkish beach have arrived in Canada. The three year old died with his mother and brothers trying to reach Greece in September. Alan's father has refused to go to Canada while the boy's uncle, wife and five children were met in Vancouver by Alan's aunt.
Thank you Canadian people. Thank you to our prime minster Justin Trudeau for opening the door and show the world how everyone should welcome and save life. Thank you so much for doing this.
BBC news.
A US grand jury has decided not to bring charges against two white policemen over the killing of a 12-year-old black boy armed with a toy gun. Deaths of black men at
the hands of police have spotted a national debate. LB reports.
Tamir Rice was carrying a toy pellet gun in Cleveland, Ohio when he was spotted by police. They were responding to an emergency call reporting a man waving and
pointing a gun at people. The caller did say the weapon might not be real but that information was not passed on. The officers urged Rice to raise his hands three
times. He was shot twice after he pulled the toy gun from his waistband. Ohio prosecutor Timothy McGinty called the events a perfect storm of human errors but he said
it was not unreasonable for officers to fear for his life.
Central American nations have reached an agreement to allow at least 8000 Cuban migrants stranded in Costa Rica to continue their journey towards the US. The migrants will be airlifted to El Salvador and put on buses which will take them to the US. American legislation gives Cuban citizens preferential treatment. If they arrive by
land, they are allowed to enter the country and apply for residence. The current crisis began in November when Ecuador, a close ally of Cuba, denied access to
thousands of migrants arriving from Costa Rica.
And Lemmy Kilmister, a found member and front man of the British heavy metal rock band Motorhead has died. He was 70. Lemmy was known for his fast and furious bass guitar playing in gravelly voice. Among their best-knwon songs were Killed by Death and Ace of Spades. The cause of death was reported on the band's Facebook page has been an aggressive form of cancer.