18/12/2011 BBC Weekend News

Vaclav Havel has died. President Obama leads the tributes saying he

shook the houn locations of the Soviet empire. The US completes its

pull out from Iraq as the last convoy of troops leaves. The

biggest reforms of the banking system in a generation get the

Government's seal of approval. will make you well happy. God

really really bless you. Christmas as you have never heard

it before from the Jamaican patois Good evening. Vaclav Havel a

leading figure in the fall of Communism has died. He led the

Velvet Revolution in which the Government was overthrown without

bloodshed. A ply right, and activist he became the country's

first Postcommist President overseeing the transition to

democracy and freedom. President Obama said his actions had shaken

the foundations of the society yet empire. David Cameron said that

Europe owed him a profound debt. Our world affairs editor looks back

at his life. Tonight in Prague, there is a real feeling of loss.

The man who led the country out of dictatorship, and made it a western

democracy again was the most popular Czech politician of modern

times. There was nothing grand about him. He felt out of place

with all the pomp and ceremony. He didn't even like wearing a suit. In

terms of intellect, he was way ahead of most other political

leaders. The revolution in Czechoslovakia in 1989 would have

happened without him, Communism simply collapsed under the vast

weight of public disapproval. What he brought to it was a powerful

moral force, everything from now on would have to be done according to

the law. Gnawing rated as President, a political prisoner hoiked into

power with scarcely a pause, he felt, he said absurd. In the 1968

Prague Spring, Alexander Dubcek, the Communist leader allowed far

greater freedom, Vaclav Havel's work became known internationally.

The The BBC's Joan Bakewell went to interview him. The inspiration came

of course from my experience in our country. But Soviet tanks smashed

the Prague Spring. His work was banned and he was jailed. When I

went to see him in 1983 the secret police were harassing him

constantly. Yet again, he was arrested. No-one imagined that six

years later he would be President. But it wasn't always to be a happy

time. Under his presidency, the Czechs and Slovaks split and he

became President of the Czech Republic only. He was more

important as a is a dista than a President. Playing are frequently

subversive. Somewhere under the surface was steel. It was no

accident that he was not only a world famous writer, but also

became the acknowledged leader of the charter 77 movement and then of

the revolution. Lech Walesa, who did in Poland what Vaclav Havel did

in Czechoslovakia called him a great man. May he rest in peace he

said. Vaclav Havel was tough and courageous, but people loved him

because he didn't take himself too seriously. John Simpson is with me

now. You have interviewed him several time, he didn't take

himself too seriously. What was he like? He was a delight to be with.

He was ironic, he was witty, gave you insights into what he was doing,

and what he felt about things, after all those dreadful stodgy

corrupt frightening years of pro Soviet rule under Communism he was

a breath of fresh air. When he got to the Palace, the Presidential

palace full of immensely long corridors he got himself a pair of

roller skates and used to go along. When the word went wrong round,

people loved it. It was just a sense that everything, a page had

been turned. A new book all together. And speaking of book, I

think one of the only things in any way good about the fact he is dead

is that we might now think about his work again, and his plays and

writings. They have been overshadowed over the year, by the

man himself. Thank you. Nearly nine years the invasion which toppled

Saddam Hussein the last US troops arrived in Kuwait this morning. It

brings to an end a campaign in which nearly 4,500 US troops died.

They rolled down through southern Iraq in the night. The last few

hundred American troops, making their way home over land through

Kuwait. Even now on their way out, they couldn't be sure they wouldn't

be attacked. So as they arrived at the border the main feeling was one

of sheer relief. Feeling good. I'm happy. Oh yeah. This was the very

end of a campaign that once saw 170,000 American troops spread all

over Iraq. After crossing the border into Kuwait, they were taken

to a big US military base, named Camp Virginia, just starting to

come to terms with the fact that it really is all over. These troops

are coming from Iraq, it signifys the end of Operation New Dawn and

the beginning of the next step in the future for the country of Iraq.

In fact, even as the last soldiers were crossing the border the

Government back in Baghdad was plunging deep into crisis. The

political bloc representing the Sunnis pulled out of Parliament.

The key challenge is to maintain the political consensus, that

created the new Iraq, the new regime after 2003. Especially the

relations between the three key communities, that have built this.

But back at camp Virginia, Iraqi political crisis and the bombs and

bullets are a thing of the past. For most of them, it is back to

America, with any luck, in time for Christmas with the family.

really truly were the last soldiers in Iraq, so it is pretty awesome.

For Iraq, a new chapter is already beginning. But for the Americans,

the military adventure in Iraq is over. In the third day of violence

protestors have clashed with security forces in Egypt. Today's

skirmishes focused on the Parliament in Cairo, at least ten

people have been killed during tonne rest. Activists claim most of

those killed were shot by military police. Plans to shake-up the city

of London and bring about the biggest reform of Britain's banks

in a generation have been accepted by the Government. The Business

Secretary has confirmed new regulations that make British bank

separate riskier operation from their high street branches will go

ahead. The Independent Commission on Banking chaired by Sir John

Vickers was set up to prevent a repeat of these scenes three years

ago. A financial crisis which drove Britain and the world into

recession. And ahead of the Government's official response

tomorrow, the Business Secretary said there would be no backslideing

on reform. Our big banks were at the centre of the financial crisis,

what the Europeans call Anglo-Saxon financial capitalism. That is why

tomorrow, the Government is going to launch this initiative on the

banks, accepting in full the Vickers commission. Last

September's report recommended far more competition between banks on

the high street and switching bank accounts should be easier as well.

The most controversial change is the partial separation or

ringfencing of ordinary banking from riskier investment banking but

Labour says the reforms may not go far enough. Overall, welcome, but

very important it is implemented in full. We need to make sure it is

sno not watered-down. That is one of the reasons we have said the

Chancellor should ask Sir John Vickers to come back and report on

progress of impletion plemtaition. The banks aren't talk bug they got

plenty of support from the mayor of London today All those great

glistening towers of Mammon I can see behind you, they produce 53

billion quids worth of tax. What do you need to see tomorrow? Don't

kill the goose. A lot of the people in the banks here in the city of

London have spent a lot of time and money over the summer trying to

water down the impact of the Vicer's report and they have

succeeded in delaying at least the implementation until 2019. But make

no mistake wholesale change to the way banks are set up and structured

is on its way. That change will be painful for the banks and some of

their customers. But will hopefully consign these scenes to

documentarys and the history books. The Conservative MP Aidan burly has

been sacked as a ministerial aide. It comes after he was pictured

attending a stag party in France where the groom dressed as a Nazi.

Mr Burly has been placed under investigation by David Cameron, he

is already expressing edeep regret for the inappropriate actions of

some guests. A man in his 30s has fallen 500 feet to his death while

walking in Snowdonia. The incident happened yesterday when he joined

two other climbers as they headed down from the summit of Y Garn. It

is believed the group mistook a snowy ridge for solid ground. When

it gave way the man was swept away. The death toll from floods caused

by a tropical storm in the Philippines has risen o more than

650. Coastal communities on the island of Mindanao have been

devastated. More than 800 people are missing. As the floodwaters

recede the full extent of damage is becoming clear. Some of the more

fortunate survives began returning to what was left of their homes.

Searching through whatever mud covered belongings could be saved.

We will start from scratch this man say, we thought we were going the

die. Look, this is how we escaped. The corner of that roof, that is

how we got out of the house. In other places entire villages have

been washed away. The Government has mounted a massive rescue and

clear up operation, involving some 20,000 members of the armed forces.

Rescue workers scouring the coastline, looking for people who

may have been swept out to sea and survived. We sent all of the

available armed forces to help, in fact we even chartered helicopters

yesterday. That is why we have three helicopters here assisting us.

But hundreds of people are still missing. One official said he

suspected that in some cases entire families had been swept away.

Bodies are beginning to pile up in the morgues uncorrect collected.

Increasing the risk of waterborne diseases spreading. Tropical storm

Washi has passed over the island but it leaves behind tens of

thousands of people dependent on the Government or aid agencies for

food and shelter and struggling to rebuild their lives. Prince Harry

has helped police with an investigation after hearing a

friend being mugged while he spoke to him on his mobile phone in south

London. The Prince searched for Thomas van Straubenzee in Battersea

after hearing the incident on November 30th. He found his friend

at the local police station where he was giving a statement. A man

has been arrested in connection with the incident. Let us get a

look at the storts news now. A tussle for the top of Premier

League took centre stage with four matches on offer. Highlights are on

match of day 2 now. It is Manchester City who top the table,

after they beat inform Arsenal 1-0. Silva with their goal. Manchester

United had overtaken city temporarily to sit at the top of

the table after their win at QPR. Wayne Rooney scored in the first

minute. When you rup against the champion, what you really need is a

calm nerve settling start. Not this. As Queen's Park Rangers hopes of

beating Manchester United lasted just 52 seconds. A flying Wayne

Rooney getting United off to a flyer. The only question now seemed

how many. Johnny Evans denied by the cross bar, Phil Jones by the

keeper. QPR were scrambling to stay in it. Yet at the other end there

might have been an unlikely equaliserment after the break

Michael Carrick picked up the ball and never looked back. A direct

approach, and an equally direct finish. It was his first goal for

almost two years. And United might have had more. Jones this time,

testing the woodwork. Still, it was a win which briefly took United top.

While City later leapfrogged them Sir Alex has them firmly in his

sights. Elsewhere Liverpool are up to sixth after a 2-0 win at Aston

Villa. Pavlyuchenko came off the bench to score Spurs winner against

Sunderland. That result lifts Harry Redknapp's side up to third in the

table. There is only one game in the SPL. Celtic were away at St

Johnstone and beat them 2-0. That takes them within four points of

the leaders Rangers. British golfers continue to dominate the

world game, with two more titles. Ian Poulter clinched the Australian

Masters and Lee Westwood will end the year on a high. He replaced

Rory McIlroy as world number two, after victory at the Thailand

Championship. He finished seven shots clear of the rest of the

field. Carl Froch says he is devastated after losing his Super

Middleweight title to Andre Ward. The Nottingham fighter spent two

years getting to the final of the Super Six Tournament but was on the

back foot from the off. His opponent took the fight on a points

decision. Ward has now unified the two world titles. And finally there

were wins for Harlequin, Northampton and Munster in the

Heineken Cup games. Thank you. The Christian message of Christmas is

being spread in a new way this year. In Jamaica the Bible is being

published in patois for the first time. But the rewriting of the good

book is proving controversial as our religious affairs correspondent

reports. At the same time that John, Zachariah get a message from God.

The gospel of St Luke as you have never heard it before. They are

hearing the Christmas Story in the language of the street. The patois

they say is their mother tongue. The translators say the new Bible

demonstrates the power of patois, take for example the Bible's

account of the Angel Gabriel telling Mary she will give birth to

Jesus. In our translation, the Angel goes to Mary and says to her

Mary, we have news that will make you well happy. God really really

bless you and he will walk with you all the time. You don't have to

think about that. It is clear. It is obvious. A few miles away

however, the Portmore Holiness Christian Church regards it adds

poor substitute for England. There is fierce opposition who regard it

as a corrupted form of English. Many traditionalists Christians

believe that patois is simply inadequate as a means conveying the

complex narratives of the Bible. The church's leader claims patois

has to resort to vulgar expressions to get its meaning across. I don't

think the patois words can communicate some of what the

English words have communicated. Even words that are present in the

patois we would want to use, to fully explain what is really meant

in the original, are words that are vulgar. African slaves developed

pat a wa from English in Jamaica's sugar cane plantations. Linguists

insist it is an authentic language. Most children speak little except

patois, at schools they are under pressure from the Government to

replace it with English. The new Bible supporters face a long fight