29/10/2011 BBC Weekend News


29/10/2011

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The Syrian government says it is confronting an armed insurrection.

:04:09.:04:13.

The opposition insist it is mostly unarmed protesters who are coming

:04:13.:04:22.

under attack. The violence certainly seems to be escalating.

:04:23.:04:27.

Opposition protesters have been out in ever greater numbers. This is

:04:27.:04:30.

now their epicentre of the series of uprisings sweeping the Arab

:04:30.:04:37.

world. They are pleading for international intervention, calling

:04:37.:04:40.

for a no-fly zone like in Libya. Perhaps more troubling for

:04:40.:04:44.

President Bashar al-Assad is the growing international pressure. A

:04:44.:04:47.

delegation of Arab foreign ministers has just issued one of

:04:47.:04:51.

their toughest calls to date for an end to the killing of protesters.

:04:51.:04:54.

If they do not get a response from the Syrian government by Monday,

:04:55.:05:00.

the company could be suspended from the Arab League. That would be a

:05:00.:05:05.

major blow. There is no doubt that the President does still command

:05:05.:05:10.

big respect at home. This was a massive rally staged by his

:05:10.:05:16.

followers on Thursday. A 70-year-old poet and veteran

:05:16.:05:22.

Irish Labour Party politician is said to be confirmed as Ireland's

:05:22.:05:27.

next president. Michael D Higgins is assured of victory after

:05:27.:05:34.

receiving 40% of first preference votes.

:05:34.:05:41.

The 9th president of violent - Michael D Higgins. A poet, a former

:05:41.:05:46.

Cabinet minister and soon to be the Irish head of state. He comfortably

:05:47.:05:56.
:05:57.:05:58.

beat his closest rival. His opponent's campaign nosedived in

:05:58.:06:04.

the final debate. If he gave me the cheque...

:06:04.:06:07.

He struggled under a question about political funding and never

:06:07.:06:12.

recovered. Martin McGuinness had a bruising campaign, with a constant

:06:12.:06:18.

focus on his time as an IRA leader. He still ended up third bout of

:06:18.:06:23.

seven candidates. Ivies Presidents do not have much power. It is a

:06:23.:06:27.

largely ceremonial role. It is more about shaking hands than making

:06:27.:06:34.

laws. But it is a high-profile job. The outgoing Irish president used

:06:35.:06:39.

the office to forge closer links with Britain. But what can we

:06:39.:06:42.

expect from Michael D Higgins? is a very cultured man, so I think

:06:42.:06:47.

we will probably have a lot of emphasis on promoting the arts in

:06:47.:06:52.

Ireland, which always goes well. He is very much into social inclusion

:06:52.:06:56.

and so on. At a time of economic austerity one of the tasks of the

:06:56.:07:02.

new president will be to give Ireland new hope. The Queen and the

:07:02.:07:06.

Duke of Edinburgh are on their way home after an 11 day tour of

:07:06.:07:08.

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