07/12/2013 BBC Weekend News

Hundreds of flights across the UK are cancelled or delayed due to a

technical fault in air traffic control. Thousands of passengers

have been affected, with disruption likely to continue into tomorrow.

-- it's chaos, it's queues, to come in and find my flight's cancelled.

Nelson Mandela's family greet mourners outside his home as they

thank South Africa and the wider world for their support.

A deal to boost global trade, but how much will it do to help

developed nations? And, another hard night ahead, can

England save the second Ashes Test? Good evening. Thousands of

passengers have spent the day stranded on planes and in airports

after a technical fault at an air traffic control centre. Tonight the

problem has been fixed, but delays could continue into tomorrow. The

disruption has not just been confined to the United Kingdom.

Across Europe 1,300 flights were severely delayed or cancelled as a

result of the problem caused when controllers were unable to switch

from night to day-time operations. That's a total of 8% of all

journeys. Our transport correspondent Richard Westcott

reports. Restriction to the number of flights

both to and from the UK this morning, hence the rolling delay...

It's the news no one wants to hear. This flight from Heathrow to Berlin

this morning was going nowhere. Just one of hundreds of flights delayed

or cancelled today after a technical problem at the air traffic control

service. As ever, it was the not knowing what was going on that

really got to people. We tried to check-in. It wouldn't let us, had to

wait a long time to find out the flight had been cancelled. Now we

have to wait hours for the next one. Come in from Trinidad, landed at

Gatwick, came in on the bus here, and it's Kayous. Queues -- chaos.

Queues everywhere and find out the flight is cancelled. It's a broken

phone system which meant there are people like these spending the night

here in a terminal. The controllers use this system to speak to each

other, to swap information about the aircraft but they couldn't get

enough phones working this morning so they couldn't open enough work

stations. As a result, they could only offer a reduced service. So, a

long frustrating day for passengers. It took until 7.30pm this evening to

get everything working again. Not soon enough for airline Ryanair

which had to delay more than 300 flights today. It's astonishing to

me that there wasn't a robust contingency in place and that's

regulated by the CAA and we feel they should take a stronger hand. At

the air traffic service they're promising to learn lessons for the

future. We are not 100% resilient as today has shown but every time we

have a glitch like this one of the things we do with great effort

afterwards is to look at exactly what happened and why and to make

sure we don't have that happen again. The problem might be fixed

but the delays will continue tomorrow.

Let's get more from Richard now. What advice for passengers or

potential passengers watching tonight? Dare I say it, there might

even be good news tonight. I have been speaking to Ryanair who are

hoping to get everything back to normal for the morning. Gatwick

Airport is tweeting there could be some problems fwu doesn't look like

it will be that bad. I have spoken to British Airways who equally say,

they can't guarantee there won't be any problems, but it won't be

catastrophic like today. We have fixed the problem. The delays will

iron themselves out and we get the repercussions, those passengers who

are spending a night here or delayed a long time will be wanting

compensation. The airlines will want to know why it took so long to fix

this problem. By the way, before we go, let's spare a thought for that

Swedish couple I spoke about in the film there, I have left them, they

were hoping to be with their family tonight, instead I have left them

trying to get to sleep in a seat. Thank you.

Vigils are continuing in South Africa to remember Nelson Mandela as

his family gave their first comments since his death on Thursday evening.

They thanked South Africa and the wider world for their support and

spoke of a difficult few days. Clive Myrie is in Soweto for us tonight.

So linked was Nelson Mandela's personal struggle against apartheid

with the hopes and aspirations of millions here that his death

actually feels like the loss of a relative for many people. Today the

Government announced the public will be able to pay their last respects

in person as his body is moved from the military hospital to the Union

Buildings in Pretoria where it will lie in state for three days next

week. People are actually being encouraged to line the route.

The former President's family today gave its first public statement

since his death. Here is our Africa correspondent Andrew Harding.

On the rough edges of Johannesburg a sombre mood today. A young Nelson

Mandela once lived on this corner before he went to prison. Signing a

book of condolence in the courtyard is Karla. When she was a schoolgirl

she met Nelson Mandela here and again years later when he returned

as an old man. He was a very good man. He was a man of passion. Today

this is still a poor, sometimes violent neighbourhood, but Mandela's

name prompts only gratitude and respect here. We are what we are

today, even though we don't have good houses and some of the others

have houses, we still struggle to get houses, but for him he has done

a lot for us. We love that man. The mood is down. Everyone is just

thinking of Mandela. Today, Mandela's grandson joined the crowds

still gathering outside the family home in Johannesburg. South Africa

is gearing up for a momentous week with va crowds gathering, thousands

lining the roads and every world leader heading to town. The mood

here, for now, waverring between sorer and celebration. If you look

at the crowds that are gathering, this is the South Africa that Nelson

Mandela created for us and so even though he is not with us, he

continues to unite this country. I believe our leaders currently and

future leaders must learn from this great man. Do you think they

learning? Not enough, honestly speaking.

Tomorrow there will be more singing as the first Remembrance services

begin. I am joined now by our correspondent

James. We had a few more details today about the arrangements for the

state funeral next week. It will be clearly a momentous occasion in the

life of this country. It will, this will surely be the largest gathering

of its kind ever seen on this continent of Africa, perhaps one of

the largest state funerals ever held in the world because I think so many

leaders of members of the United Nations want to be here in person to

add their weight to a global reflection of Nelson Mandela's

greatness. Several good strong clues from the Government and the ANC

today how it hopes to involve as many ordinary South Africans, too.

Tomorrow has been dubbed a day of national prayer and reflection and

churches, faith groups, are hoping that many people, not just in large

towns and cities like Soweto here where people are celebrating as well

as remembering, but in scattered communities, in a country which is

five times the size of Britain. They'll come together in small acts

of worship, prayer or reflection and get intimately involved in this

process. One other indication is what you have been talking about,

the fact that the Government is now saying Nelson Mandela's body when

it's taken three times to and from the Union Buildings on Wednesday,

Thursday and Friday, from the Military Hospital, for that process

of lying-in-state, it will give people more opportunities the

Government hopes to line that route and join in this process of national

mourning, but also of celebration. Thank you.

There will be much more from South Africa, of course, over the next few

days. Back to London now. The Prime Minister says a global

trade deal agreed today could be worth ?1 billion a year to British

businesses as well as providing a lifeline to the world's poorest

people. But the agreement - reached by nearly 160 countries - has been

criticised by some charities for doing too little to help the least

developed nations. Our business correspondent Joe Lynam has the

details. After 12 years of haggling without

an agreement this deal took almost everyone by surprise. The goal was

to cut the red tape which can hold up the free movement of goods in

some of the world's poorest countries. While it takes only five

days to import goods into Europe, it can take up to 100 days in

landlocked Chad. This was received rapturously by trade Ministers in

Bali. What we have done here is truly extra ordinary. We have

negotiated a package that will bring food security to billions of the

world's poorest. We have delivered an agreement on trade facilitation

that will inject up to a trillion into the world economy It will make

customs clearance at borders faster, from weeks to potentially a few

hours. The poorest countries will now pay fewer import taxes giving

them a better chance of selling goods abroad. Today's agreement is

also a tiny part of the original plan started 12 years ago in Doha to

slash agricultural subsidies so poorer farmers could better sell

their produce in wealthy countries. That proved impossible and now the

WTO has been accused of picking the low hanging fruit of dealing with

red tape. It's basically delivered nothing except more pain and

insecurity for the poorest and most vulnerable communities around the

world. That's why we believe the WTO has outlived its purpose. It should

be wound up and all of its functions should be taken away from it.

World trade continues to grow and the goal of lowering trade barriers

is welcomed by nearly everyone. Achieving is proving more elusive

than discussing it. Thousands of people are returning to

their homes on the east coast of Britain, to clean up after what the

Environment Agency described as the most serious tidal surge in 60

years. 1,400 homes were flooded including three hundred in Boston in

Lincolnshire, from where Ed Thomas sent this report.

Clearing up and bringing Boston back to life. The flood water have gone

but the mess hasn't. It's also been a day for businesses to assess the

damage and to try to move on. The staff are all here. They've turned

out in their own time, nobody's asked them to work. They've all got

families to feed. And Christmas presents to buy, they're going to be

just as concerned as anybody else. The bottom oven was filled with

water. Some here have had their lives turned upside down. Only last

week Rebecca won a business award. Now her home, car and cake shop have

been ruined by the floods. It feels like my heart's been ripped out

because everything from the past year I have put into this business.

It was a 48-hour battle for the Environment Agency, police, council

and firefighters, to hold the waters back here. Today, the Environment

Secretary came to Boston to thank them for their efforts. I would

really pay tribute to the Environment Agency, local councils,

the emergency services, who have been planning well in advance and

that work came to fruition and they moved very quickly. Here in Boston

there was a breach of the defences and the Environment Agency moved

rapidly and a number of properties were saved. We have to remember this

was really exceptional. It took minutes for this street to flood. It

will take weeks to clear up. This will give you some idea of how

ferocious the tidal surge was here. The height of the wet bricks gives

you clues about what the water did. Compare that to the flood defences

along this lane. Look at the height of the sandbags and it's clear homes

and businesses here didn't stand a chance.

Forecasters say the worst is over. But what isn't known is the cost of

repairing the homes and businesses battered by the waves and storms.

A charity race to the South Pole involving Prince Harry and wounded

soldiers has been suspended because of safety concerns. Organisers said

the tough terrain was taking its toll but they hoped the expedition

would continue. Opposition activists in Syria have

told the BBC they fear their revolution is being hijacked by

foreign fighters linked to al-Qaeda. Thousands of foreign Jihadists have

been pouring into Syria from around the world this year including a

large contingent from western Europe. Richard Galpin reports from

southern Turkey near the border with Syria.

The hills of northern Syria, in the region just beyond here the

revolution is being turned into a jihad or holy war, led by foreign

extremists. This group is behind this change. More extreme than

al-Qaeda, it's called on Muslims worldwide to join the Syrian jihad.

I met a jihadist from France who has been fighting alongside ISIS. He

rejects some of the extreme methods but shares their goal of an Islamic

state in Syria for Sunni Muslims only, not for the minority Shia

community. It is very, very important to fight in Syria. It has

more significance for Muslims than any other land on earth, apart from

Mecca. It is definitely a fight against the Shia. They are not part

of our religion. This is one of the busy border crossing points here in

southern Turkey that many jihadists use to reach Syria after travelling

down from Istanbul. And increasingly organised route. What we have

discovered here in this town, as in others along the border, is that

there is network of safe houses for foreign jihadists where they can

remain out of the sight of the Turkish authorities before they

cross into Syria. There are even some safe houses which are

exclusively for British jihadists. It was too dangerous to film the

safe house we went to see. But the man who runs it agreed to come to

our vehicle and be interviewed. I think more than 150 people stayed at

the house over the past three months. Between 15 and 20 were

British. They stay for a day or two before crossing into Syria. Most are

joining the extremist group which now controls several towns in

north-west Syria. It's also targeting the people who started the

revolution. Here, a local commander of the original armed opposition,

the Free Syrian Armiy is executed -- army is executed along with his men.

A former member of the FSA, now in exile in Turkey, told me he was

lucky to survive when his unit was captured by the foreign jihadists

who said they were not true Muslims. I saw how they beat my friends with

iron bars, smashed their faces with ammunition boxes, and then killed

them. We made the revolution for freedom and equality, but the

jihadists don't want this. They've come to destroy Syria. Like many

other Syrian activists in exile here, he now fears the revolution

and even his country could now be lost to the jihadists.

Time for the sport now. Thank you very much. Good evening.

England face an almost impossible task in attempting to save the

second Ashes Test when play resumes in a couple of hours' time. A

terrible batting performance saw England crumple yet again - all out

for 172. Australia will have a lead of 530 runs when they start day

four. Joe Wilson reports from Adelaide.

There is a famous tale about the band playing on while the ship

sinks, to jaunty Adelaide jazz England disappeared. Joe Root

withstood the pace only to throw his wicket away. Kevin Pietersen's

approach was one of those Pietersen shots. Australia predicted he would

play it. Was batting possible? Certainly for Michael Carberry. On

60 Carberry fell. A cuff catch from Warner -- a wonderful catch from

Warner. Now over to Mitchell sdwlon son -- Johnson. Prior lasted four

balls. Broad went to the first he faced. Swann stuck around for seven.

Anderson another first bowl duck. Broken stumps mean much more than

words about broken arms. No need to speak. In the middle of this Ian

Bell attacked. Monty Panesar showed courage, no disgrace for him.

England all out for 172, seven wickets for Mitchell Johnson. Do all

English batsmen have the stomach to face him?

Australia are under way in their second innings. They already lead by

530. At some point on the fourth day they'll make England bat again,

unleash Mitchell Johnson again, there's no hiding place.

Match of the Day follows us on BBC1 so if you don't want to know today's

Premier League results please pop out of the room. There were several

surprises for teams vying for the title. Manchester United suffered a

second defeat in four days, this time losing to Newcastle United. A

goal from Johan Cabaye gave Newcastle their first victory at Old

Trafford for over 40 years. Crystal Palace beat Cardiff City to

record a second victory in a row. Liverpool are back in second place

after a win over West Ham. In the Scottish Premiership:

Inverness Caledonian Thistle failed to make up ground on Celtic.

In Rugby Union's Heineken Cup Harlequins were impressive 32-8

winners over Racing Metro. Saracens and Ulster beat Italian sides to top

their groups. While Exeter and Scarlets were both defeated by

French opposition. Northampton are struggling in third place in Pool 3

after defeat to Leinster who top the group. Former Ireland captain Brian

O Driscoll scored the last of Leinster's six tries in a 40-7

victory. There was a special moment at the UK

Snooker Championship in York this evening when Mark Selby made the

100th 147 break in the history of the professional game. Selby, who is

the defending champion had to make two difficult final shots but

completed the maximum clearance and went on to beat Ricky Walden 9-5 to

book a place in the final. That's all the sport.

Thank you very much. That's all from me and the team here. Good night.