02/07/2011 BBC Weekend News

A radical shakeup of guidelines governing school trips in England.

Ministers call for a more "common sense approach" to health and

safety. Some teachers, though, urge caution.

Activists say anti-government protests in Syria are growing,

following more deaths during demonstrations against President

Assad. Concerns over welfare reform. New

claims that Downing Street was warned that government policy could

leave thousands homeless. And move over Sharapova,.as Petra

Kvitova takes the women's title at Wimbledon. Good evening. Guidelines

goning school rips in England are being given a radical shake-up,

ministers say they want a more commonsense approach to health and

safety, and Tay want schools and Local Authorities to ditch what

they call unnecessary paperwork. The move has drawn criticism from

one teaching union. These exciting school trips for youngsters are

often viewed with trepidation by teachers, struggling to comply with

regulations. But the Government has now torn up the health and safety

guidelines and said it is cutting the red tape. We have a crazy

situation at the moment, where we have schools and teachers up and

down the country who feel reluctant to organise school trips to plan

courses because they think that health and safety red tape means

they are in danger of being in trouble, even if the slightest

thing goes wrong. Mr The The new guidelines underline risk

assessments do not need completing for each activity outside school.

They also aim to dispel myths about teachers being sued. Something that

has been a real concern. I have had members of staff when I was head of

department, who have been screaming at me, worried that they will get

sued, because of, you know, they haven't got the right permission

slips in. You know, some staff get very very worried about it. The new

guidelines for teachers are part of a wider debate about children's

experience both in and outside of school. And whether the overzealous

application of safety laws is taking the fun out of growing up.

Today, the health watchdog insisted some bureaucrats were using health

and safety rules as a feeble excuse to stop people enjoying themselves.

People in all walks of life, and in a number of schools have become

very risk averse for a whole range of reason, but it seems that they

have landed on a convenient excuse, in the form of health and safety,

and we think it is about time that we blue this ou blew this myth

apart. They want pans to realise life can't be risk free but one

teaching unions has criticised the new approach and warned it could

make parents and teachers more nervous. Syria's President has

sacked one of the condition tri's most important regional governors,

the gov nar of hm ma after his region saw the biggest demvaitions

against Presidential rule yesterday. As many as 500,000 protestors have

said to have marched. Activists say at least 24 people were shot dead

by the security forces, across Syria. Our correspondent sent this

report from neighbouring Lebanon. The Syrian opposition once again

mourning its dead. Activists say over 1300 protestors have been

killed since anti-Government demonstrations began, three-and-a-

half months ago. These are unverified picture, posted on the

internet by the opposition. -- pictures. Week after week and all

across the country, people have turned out to demand change. These

protests were after yesterday's Friday prayers. But the Government

has shown it is -- its determination to stay in power.

State TV has been showing some of the anti-Government demonstrators,

or as it calls them armed criminal gangs. Four civilians and policemen

were killed as armed groups... And in this English language programme

on Syria's international channel, there were images of Government

supporters, of all ages. I want to live peacefully in my country.

neighbouring Lebanon, people are watching, and waiting, with some

expecting that eventually Syria's President will have to step down.

The more the international community and the Arab community

let Assad stay in power, the more bloodshed we will witness, but in

the end of the day, as sad will not enact any considerable reforms, he

cannot lead the transition, the nature of his regime is does not

allow him to lead the transition, and he cannot stop the killing

either. But for now, it is a stalemate. The Government's

willingness to use force fully matched by the opposition's re---

refusal to back down. Downing Street was warned by a Government

department that thousands of people could be made homeless by the

coalition's welfare reforms, that is according to a Sunday newspaper.

A letter leaked from the Department for Communities and Local

Government also warned that the policy could cost money, rather

than save it. Our political correspondent is in Downing Street

for us. Talk us through the details. And indeed the significance of

this? This is a letter that has been leaked to the Observer

newspaper from Eric Pickles's communities department. To an

official here in Downing Street. What it says is that the benefits

cap, the policy of capping benefits recipients' money at �500 a week on

the average income for even else, that could cost money at the end of

the day, rather than save it, because Local Authorities would

have to pick up of the tab of those made homeless as a result. It could

end up putting 40,000 people out of their properties, and it also says

that it could end up undermining the policy of developing more

social housing, now, a Whitehall source I have poke to spresed this

was written six months ago, stresses it wasn't written by the

Communities Secretary himself, Eric Pickles, and says he is fully

supportive of the policy. Labour have seized on this. They say

ministers have denied the policy would lead to homelessness p they

will be putting down an urgent question on this in Parliament on

Monday. The Foreign Office says it remains deeply concerned about the

arrest and trial of dozen of doctors and nurse in Bahrain

following an account by a medic. The hospital doctor has just been

freed after being arrested earlier this year. The Gulf state has

launched what it called a national dialogue, months after a brutal

crackdown on protestors. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are

continuing their first overseas tour, as husband and wive. They

spent the morning in Ottawa helping to plant a tree and meeting war

veterans, as well as,contemplating the secret to a long and happy

marriage. And so to another essential part of royal life. Tree

planting. Something which it must be said, the Canadians, with all

that lumberjack heritage of theirs take very seriously. William, who

has some experience in these matter, went first. A firm grip, and a

smooth action, and two shovel loads were de-- deposited. Then the spade

was passed to Kate. Not dressed for the occasion, but eager as ever to

play her part. The grip was daintier than her husband's but the

earth was soon flying, and the planting, that is to say, the

ceremonial part of it was accomplished. Watching it all, a

number of Canadian kubls who have had long and successful marriages.

-- couples. Willial and Kate were introduced to a couple who have

been mar froird 70 years so the inevitable question. Any tips? --

married for. The answer appeared to be to do whatever your wife tells

you. Advice which it sounded as though William has already accepted.

The arguments haven't started yet. They went on to the Canadian war

museum to meet veterans from the Second World War to Afghanistanment

at one point Kate recalled her grand father who died last year. He

has been a Second World War pilot who trained airmen in Canada I am

very proud. He wanted me to come to Cana -- Canada. Hopefully he is

watching somewhere. So far, so good then, for William and Kate, from

Ottawa, the couple have moved on the their next destination, the

city of Montreal. And then they step on to rather less certain

ground. The French speaking city of Quebec. Now, Quebec hasn't always

made members of the Royal Family very welcome in the past. OK. Time

now to get news from Wimbledon, and the rest of the sport. We start of

course with tennis where there is a new Ladies' Singless champion,

possible a new star in the making. That is because Petra Kvitova

defeated sharp harp and in straight sets. He becomes the first Czech

player to win the Ladies' Singless since Jana Novotna in 1998. One

thing was certain, before the women walked out. Wimbledon was have its

youngest women's champion sing 2004 when Maria Sharapova won the

tournament at the age of 17. Since then, injuries left her career with

more bleak passages than a Russian nol. She started quickly, breaking

her Czech opponent in the first game. The question immediately

asked, would the 21-year-old Kvitova in her first Grand Slam

final be overawed. She fizzed the answer right back. The vastly more

experienced Maria Sharapova began making mistake, looking tentative.

Kvitova in contrast was a picture of unblinking focus. She ran away

with the set 6-3. The Czech extended her run of games at the

start of the second set. Passing Maria Sharapova even when she was

standing next to the ball. The doubts began to swirl. But Maria

Sharapova wasn't finished. She managed a break of her own. Her

fiance was doing the sweating for both of them. Kvitova kept hitting

back, blowing her opponent off court, the commentator off her

chair. And then it was the moment to deliver her first ace. On match

point. It is hard to find some words if I am standing here with

the trophy, and I see the great players in the Royal Box. Is that

the best match you have played? Well, I think so, of course. In the

final of Wimbledon, so..., yes. Sporting predictions are easily

made, and all too often turn out to be wrong, but here is one, on this

afternoon's display you would imagine Wimbledon would be the

first of several Grand Slam titles for Petra Kvitova. Here, the young

Czech champion displayed poise and grace, her family and friends

showed no such inhibitions, they may have more celebrations to come.

Well there was British interest today because 17-year-old Liam

Broady contested the boys ee singles final. He took the first

set against Luke Saville of Australia. He was 4-3 up in the

second set, but then fell away to lose the second set and also the

third. The Tour de France started today and it was a bad day for

defending champion Alberto Contador, and a few other, that is because

nine kilometres from the finish there was one almighty crash,

halting more than half the main pack, while some 40 riders who had

already passed the spot were left to battle for victory. Contador was

delayed by for than a minute. The stage was won by the bell January

Phillipe Gilbert. And David Haye is giegting Vitali Klitschko, one of

the biggest heavyweight bouts for years the fight is in Hamburg, a

home bout for Klitschko in his adopted country of Germany. As

usual there have been insults traded ahead of the bout, now they

are trading blows in the ring. There is full coverage of BBC Radio

5 Live. That is all the sport for now. Finally, Prince Abert of

Monaco has exchanged vows with his South African bride Charlene

Wittstock in a star-studded wedding in Monte Carlo. The service

followed a civil ceremony and reports in the French press that Ms

Wittstock had had second thoughts. The new Princess in a stunning silk

ar -- armarn any gown studded with crystals. Among the 800 guests at

the Palace were heads of state, royalty and stars of cinema and

fashion. Music and song in homage to Princess's -- char lean's roots.

The pren ses barely managed a smile. Although she waved to onlookers at

the couple were driven along. Behind the glitz, are rumours of

scandal. Prince Albert is 20 years older than his bride. And he has

two children by different women, whom he never married. French media

reported she tried to run away days before the wedding. This was denied

by the Palace, but it is withdrawn a threat to sue. After the ceremony,

a Gala dinner, where the Prince made this admission in a sometimes

hesitant speech. Thank you for putting up with, with my very busy

schedule, with my absences, sometimes, with my...

Inconsistenciess and my... Idyo sin contrasis, And he said it hads had

taken a long time to get married but that he was very happy to have