10/12/2011 BBC Weekend News

Tens of thousands take to the streets in Russia in the biggest

anti-Government protest for 20 years. They want to re-run of last

week's parliamentary elections, claiming they were rigged in favour

of Vladimir Putin's party. The biggest protests were in Moscow

and St Petersburg, where there were 100 arrests. Russia has found a new

generation of protestors - the internet generation. They are young

and well informed. They are fed up with corruption and lies.

The Chancellor insists David Cameron's decision to veto a new EU

Treaty does not mean Britain is isolated in Europe.

The confrontation that got Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie

disqualified at the sailing World Good evening. Tens of thousands of

people have taken part in demonstrations across Russia in

what are the largest anti- Government protests there since the

fall of the Soviet Union. They are demanding a re-run of last

weekend's parliamentary elections, arguing the polls were rigged in

favour of the Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin.

The largest rally took place in Moscow.

They came from every corner of Moscow in their tens of thousands.

They came to protest on an island overlooking the Kremlin. The usual

opposition groups were there, but they were far outnumbered by

ordinary middle-class Muscovites, furious at a Government that they

believe cheated outrageously at last week's election. I was really

shocked at how big the falsification was. I'm not OK with

that. Among the crowd the opposition deputy who had won a

seat in the controversial election. It does not respect the results of

real people-power. That is why we are here and not only we, but tens

of thousands of people. From early on, it was clear this

was going to be a significant moment in Russian politics. The

numbers so large that it was the biggest anti-Government rally in

Moscow since the heady days when the Soviet Union fell apart.

Although this protest was about the election results, the Prime

Minister, Vladimir Putin, who has ruled Russia for 12 years was the

focus for much of the anger. Russia without Putin - they cried.

Russia has found a new generation of protestors. The internet

generation. They are young and well informed and they are fed up of

corruption and lies. Many of those there had never been

on a demonstration until this week. They felt impeled to take to the

streets by stories and Internet videos of wholesale election fraud.

Ballot papers filled out in advance. People voting in other people's

names and official results being changed after the count. We just

want new elections. They are shouting - new elections. That's

all. At protests elsewhere in Russia,

there were scuffles with police, like these in St Petersburg.

This was not a day about revolution. It was just a day when some people

in Russia stood up and said stop treating us like idiots.

The protests are a difficult challenge for Vladimir Putin to

face as he prepares for Presidential elections in three

months' time. Our diplomat correspondent reports. Ever since

he became Kremlin leader in 2000, Vladimir Putin has been Russia's

most popular politician. Given the credit for raising the nation from

its knees after a decade of turmoil. Even if his style also meant heavy

control over state TV, a rubber- stamp Parliament and opposition

parties sidelined, even if the PR stunts to show off his strength and

vigour are sometimes almost Komial. Even when he handed over the

presidency to Dmitry Medvedev still most Russians said their favourite

politician was Putin. What Mr Putin failed to realise is

that nonetheless Russia is changing. Those who took to the streets this

week in protest at suspected fraud were a new generation, young,

educated and outraged at corruption and stagnation. Mr Putin's response

on Thursday was to blame outsiders. It was Hillary Clinton who had

given the signal to start the protests, he said, in an

extraordinary claim of American meddling. Other weighty voices are

siding with the demonstrators. Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet's

last President today reported his call for an inquiry and if

necessary a new election. It all needs investigation, he said, to

see if the falsifications were deliberate. For the first time, Mr

Putin's grip on Russian politics no longer looks secure. On paper he

may be the preferred politician, but on the streets now they are

calling on him to resign. He can no longer count on an easy ride.

Well, our correspondent is in Moscow. He joins us from there now.

Daniel, it's a long time since Russia has seen protests like this.

How significant are they? Well, it is a very significant moment. For

12 years many have been prepared to put politics on the back burner

after the chaos of the 1990s. They just wanted to stabilise their

lives, get a new car, get a new job. They left politics to the

politicians N that time they have travelled overseas. They have

become better informed about the world through the internet. This

year, they decided they wanted to get some control over their country.

They went out in the election, voted in large numbers against

United Russia. Now they feel cheated. This has been a kind of

political reawakening. That is very dangerous for those at the top.

Vladimir Putin specifically. Where does it leave him? Well, it is a

difficult moment for him. He is easily the biggest beast in the

Russian politic -- pollal jungle. It is possible he will not be able

to win the Presidential elections outright in the first round. That

will force him into a run-off. Although it is hard to see who can

beat him, for the first time he and his advisers must be feeling

worried tonight. Here the Chancellor, George Osborne, has

insisted David Cameron has protected Britain's economic

interests by rejecting EU changes designed to tackle the debt crisis

in the eurozone. He denied Britain would be isolated in Europe as a

result. Saturday in the City of London is

quiet. It's a far cry from the working week when it is brimming

with suits spilling out on to the streets. David Cameron feared the

plan for a new Europe would have made this a daily scene in its

biggest financial hub. He refused to go their way and sign up to a

deal. It has left some wondering if the UK is facing a future outside

of Europe. We are not exiting the European Union. We are protecting

the European Union as an institution that serves all 27

members, including Britain. What we've done is made sure that the

things which are relevant to Britain have to be discussed when

Britain is at the table. It was the City of London with its bankers and

investors that David Cameron was seeking to protect when he wielded

that veto. Now there are serious doubts about what Britain can do as

it stands alone in a club of one to protect this place from Europe's

new rules and regulations F the rest of the EU comes one a new

transaction tax it could be hard for UK firms to avoid it, unless

they avoid all business in all 26 countries. One veteran Tory with

close ties to Downing Street is worried about the threat of

isolation. Britain has done extraordinary well up to now. We

have to be very clear that we don't become the wrong end of the policy-

making of the 26 who are now, and as we know, an essential part of

the marketplace that the City serves. Just hours after that veto,

David Cameron hosted a private dinner at Chequers - his official

country home. MPs toasted his success. Some in his party want

more now, maybe a referendum. Tonight, there are reports that

Nick Clegg was privately furious with the Prime Minister. One

newspaper has been told by sources close to the Deputy Prime Minister

he was dismayed at the outcome in Brussels. We have to make sure that

we don't lose friends within Europe and we don't sound as if we are

happy to be going our own way. To the Euro-sceptics I would say, I

don't think this is the beginning of us pulling out of Europe. It is

not. For now, the UK stands alone. David Cameron said it was worth it

to protect the national interest. The test will be what influence he

has around the table in the future. Or is it the beginning of the end

for Britain in Europe? A lodger has been charged with the

murders of his landlady and her mother. The bodies of Angela

Holgate, who was 54 and her 75- year-old mother, Alice Huyton were

found at Mrs Holgate's house a week ago. They had been strangled. Barry

Morrow, who is 51, is due to appear before magistrates on Monday. There

is no deal tonight at a key UN climate change conference in South

Africa, despite ministers staying on for an extra day. It was hoped

agreement would be reached on a timetable for cutting emissions.

Warn out, confused, deadlocked. Negotiators at the annual talks on

climate change have been struggling to reach any kind of agreement.

People are talking. It's good. When people stop talking, then that is

the problem. What they are talking about is who should cut greenhouse

gases and when. The delegation from China is resisting, so is America's

chief negotiator, unsure of the outcome.

A bunch of issues. There's now a stand-off. It boils down to this -

the European Union is offering to extend the Kyoto protocol, that is

the treaty limiting greenhouse gases. In exchange China, America

and India, the three biggest polluters are expected to join a

new global treaty by 2015. This, their they are reluctant to do,

especially if the new treaty is legally-binding, a real stumbling

block. Rumours the talks might collapse were circulating. There

are some steps to take. We are not there yet. Not everyone has taken

steps. The British Climate Change Secretary said any new treaty had

to be legal. I think we are very close to a

consensus. The issue of watering down the legal form would be, for

us, a deal-breaker. It's absolutely crucial that this is a treaty that

is genuinely going to appeal to all the parties. The South Africans,

hosting this event, appealed for compromise. I think that we all

realise that we should not let the perfect become the enemy of the

good and the possible. For America, a legally-binding treaty would be a

tough sell at home, especially in tough economic times. For key

countries, global warming is not a priority. This is the result.

Astronomers around the world have been enjoying the last hundred nor

eclipse to occur before 2014. This was the scene in Shetland. The only

place in the UK which was visible. The earth casts its shadow over the

moon. It was viewed in Asia, Australia and North America. Now

time for the sport. We start with today's action in the Premier

League. It's time to look away if you don't want to know the results

as Match Of The Day follows this programme.

Manchester United put their champion league agonies to one side

as they outclassed Wolves at Old Trafford. Wayne Rooney scored twice.

Robin Van Persie was on target for Arsenal as they moved into fourth

spot with a 1-0 victory over Everton. Liverpool also won by the

same score line. Luis Suarez heading in for them

against QPR. Grant Holt scored twice in Norwich

City's 4-2 win over Newcastle. Bolton went to the bottom of the

league with a 2-1 defeat at home by Rangers maintained their four-point

lead at the top of the Scottish Premier League, with a 2-0 win at

Hibernian. Gregg Wylde set up Rangers' seconds of the game with

Nikica Jelavic with a corner from the left. Jelavic got both goals in

the game having scored a penalty on the hour-mark. Second place Celtic

took all three points with a 1-0 win over Hearts.

Victor Wanyama broke the deadlock. Motherwell stayed third after

The match between dun fer lin and Kilmarnock was called off because

of fog. Ben Ainslie t three-time Olympic gold medallist has been

disqualified from sailing World Championships in Perth after a

confrontation with a TV crew on board another boat. Ainslie said he

felt impeded by the wake from the other vessel.

In Perth, on Australia's West coast they celebrate the breeze.

The famous wind attracted the best sailors on the planet to compete in

the World Championships. It did nothing to calm the mood of Ben

Ainslie. During Saturday's racing he felt he had been impeded by the

media boat following the action. So strong were his feelings, Ainslie

wearing a yellow top climbed aboard the boat and confronted two men,

clearly making physical contact with them. He dived from the boat

to return to his dinghy and was subsequently disqualified. In a

Ben Ainslie is widely considered to be one of the best Olympic sail yrs

ever. He won gold in the last Olympic Games. He fought off major

competition within Britain to be selected for next year's Olympics.

The Australian argument revealed his passion. Next year he will need

to lead by example and leave the sea to make the waves.

Last year's beaten finalist Northampton Saints have crashed out

of the European Heineken Cup. They suffered their third successive

defeat. There were victories for Gloucester and Munster and Treviso.

Luke Donald is on the threshold of achieving a unique golfing double

at the Dubai World Championship by landing Order of Merit titles on

both sides of the Atlantic. He is fourth after the third round of 10

under. Rory McIlroy needed to win to claim

the same honour. It is six off the lead, which is held by Spain's

Alvaro Quiros. You are right up-to-date. Some news

coming in to us to bring you before we go. We are hearing 143 people