12/12/2015 BBC Weekend News

A historic agreement is hailed, at the international climate change

France's Foreign Minister finally seals a deal,

after two weeks of talks and years of negotiations.

195 countries agree to a pact that means temperature rises should be

The world has come together around an agreement that will empower us to

chart a new path for our planet, a smart and responsible path, a

sustainable path. We'll be asking whether it may be

difficult be for some countries Also tonight: First time voters -

women are finally allowed to cast their ballot

in elections in Saudi Arabia. One week after floods hit Cumbria -

we visit communities trying And Wales are drawn in the same

group as England for next summer's After years of negotiations,

and at the end of two weeks of intense talks in Paris,

195 nations tonight signed an international agreement

to tackle climate change. It's been hailed as the first truly

global climate deal - the US Secretary of State John Kerry

describing it as a victory for all of the planet

and for future generations. The final document includes measures

to try to limit global temperature rises to less than two degrees,

and there's a pledge by rich nations to provide $100 billion a year

to help developing countries follow Our science editor, David Shukman,

is in Paris. For too long weeks Paris has been

the focus a global effort to achieve what's never been possible before, a

worldwide deal to tackle climate change. When this historic day

began, as delegates gathered, there were doubts about securing an

agreement. As the French president, Francois Hollande, reminded everyone

of the terror attacks last month, he appealed for compromise.

TRANSLATION: Ladies and gentleman, friends ask you, friends call upon

you to adopt the first universal agreement on climate, the first such

agreement in our history. Negotiations over global warming are

always difficult and this exhausting process rolled on for three nights

running, until a breakthrough this evening.

CHEERING The moment the new Paris agreement

was approved. The hall erupted. There was a mix of relief, surprise

and a sense of the significance of getting 195 countries to act

together. We can leave behind on earth a legacy for our children and

grandchildren, generations to come. I know that we will, all of us, be

better off for the agreement that we have finalised here today. Sometimes

when you want to make a change, then it is necessary to turn the world

upside down, because it is not for the better, but it is simply for the

best. This agreement should be the turning point in our story, a

turning point for all of us. Thank you. This deal is all about trying

to slow the rise in global temperatures, setting a tough target

to limit the scale of warning, though meeting it will be

challenging. Do you think this deal means something? It does mean a lot

in that we will all now act together. How we address climate

change is that you need all countries to move together. A

controversial question is how to help the poorest countries cope with

the impact of global warming. There's now a promise of $100

billion a year for them. At the root of it all are the greenhouse gases

blamed for rising temperatures. A new system will review the pledges

have made to cut their emissions. But a few here said none of this was

enough. We have to break climate change up front. This is kicking the

can down the road. This is postponing the problem rather than

solving the problem. The bargaining over this agreement has been far

more cooperative than in previous negotiations that I've witnessed.

Inevitably not everyone is getting what they want out of it. The key

thing is whether it really marks a shift to a cleaner, low carbon

world. Ultimately what matters is the signal that this event sends to

businesses. Will the big financial funds now pull out of coal? It's a

main stay of power generation in major economies, but also the

dirtiest fuel. Will the drive for renewable energy see a real leap in

scale? A lot depends on exactly what's agreed here and whether it's

then delivered. We have an agreement. It's a good agreement.

You should all be proud. Now we must stay united. You don't often get

scenes like this in climate talks, but there's now a plan that could

start to tackle a global problem. Let's talk to David in Paris

tonight. Clearly, an achievement to get the deal, to get this far. Is

there anyone there who is raising questions about implementation.

That's a key question. Any agreement like this is only as good as the, if

you like, goodwill of the governments that are supporting it.

There are questions tonight about how readily some of the promises

made here will be put into action and various speakers have raised

that as a serious concern. There's a couple of ways in which we can judge

the significance of the Paris agreement. One of them is if you

rewind six years, to an infamous summit in Copenhagen in 2009, which

failed to do anything about global warming, has this process come on at

all? Has the Paris agreement improved things in terms of

international action on climate change? The answer, despite a whole

host of weaknesses in the document has to be a resounding yes. That's

the opinion of a great many people here. The other judgment that we can

apply, not immediately, but over coming weeks and months, is if you

picture yourself around the table of a boardroom, of a pension fund or

investment bank, or a major car company, is now the moment when you

just start to think - it's time to get out of fossil fuels, not to go

for the new coal mine or the new oil rig or to push more for electric

cars? We're not going to know the answer to that for some time to

come. But if there is the start of a shift, as many here want, to a low

carbon world, it may be possible, as we look back, to see that this day

in Paris was the day that started. David, thank you.

In Saudi Arabia counting is under way, after a landmark election

in which women were allowed to vote, and stand as candidates,

Many activists say the ballot, for local councils, is a step

forward in the ultra conservative country,

but critics argue it's a fraction of what's needed.

From Riyadh, Orla Guerin sent this report.

Buttoning up before leaving home, this historian heads for the door at

around 8. She's been campaigning for this day for over a decade. Finally

she can vote. Though, like all women here, she still can't drive. Filming

was not allowed in her polling station, but outside afterwards, she

shared her joy. So, how did that feel? It feels just great. A whole

citizen, a whole woman as well. I'm very excited. I speak in the name of

all Saudi women. We are really, this is the historical moment that we are

talking about. I'm really, I just thank God that I'm living it. At

another polling station nearby, we captured that historic moment. It

was women only, voting is segregated here, like almost everything else.

And those who came were covered from head to toe. The women coming here

to vote today will be choosing municipal councils. They are local

bodies with limited powers, but they are the only bodies in Saudi Arabia

that are directly elected and today, for the first time, across this

kingdom women are having their say at the ballot box. Some candidates

are making big plans beyond this election. I think that this is a

starting point for me, where I really establish myself in my

country. I'm looking forward to the near future and my plan is to be a

minister of education. So hopefully I'm going to be there one day. Even

for Saudi men, all this is quite new. They're still getting to grips

with participating in politics. It's only ten years since they started

voting in these elections. Campaigners predict that few, if any

women, will win this time. Being allowed to take part, they say, is

already a victory, but in this ultraconservative Islamic kingdom

Willoughby face many -- women will face many more battles.

It's one week since floods brought devastation to parts of north-west

In Cumbria, river levels remain high and more rain is forecast.

But communities are showing their resilience, as Olivia Richwald

Cumbria put on a brave face today, despite the rain continuing to fall.

This time a week ago, Cockermouth's main street was under

Up to 700 homes and businesses flooded.

Among them mother and daughter Sheila and Claire Rayment,

They lost thousands of pounds of stock and face huge repair bills.

At the same time, we're starting to feel more positive,

because everybody's pulling together.

Everybody's telling us they're going to support us and be

They won't be back open until February.

Today, at least, a chance to do a little business.

This time last week, Cockermouth's Christmas festival

But instead the organisers doubled its size.

They invited flooded businesses from across the county to come

This charity from Blackburn have been volunteering all week.

Today they made house calls giving food to flood victims.

Further north in Carlisle, the boxer Amir Khan was also helping out.

I didn't think it was going to be as bad as it is, coming here today

So, we have to definitely show our support and try to put our

hand in and see what we can do for them.

The Army too have lent strength and resources,

removing ruined possessions from Carlisle's worst hit areas.

Today was about Cumbria getting back to normal,

but in reality, with shops still shut and thousands out

of their homes, that will take many months.

Olivia Richwald, BBC News, Cockermouth.

87 people have died in Burundi, in East Africa, after clashes

between government forces and their opponents.

It's the worst violence the country has seen since May,

when protests first erupted following the president's decision

This report from our Africa correspondent, Alastair Leithead,

contains some images you may find upsetting from the start.

The dead have been appearing nearly every day on the streets

of Burundi's capital for weeks now, but never in these numbers.

At least 30 were found the day after the worst violence

since anti-government protests were crushed in May.

The bullets were flying, as a well armed, well organised

opposition militia attacked three military bases.

TRANSLATION: On the side of the enemy 79 of them died and 45

On our side, we lost eight soldiers, four of them from the army and four

The police rounded people up in the brutal crackdown which followed.

They paraded those captured and the guns which had been recovered.

Police and security forces had gone house to house using deadly force.

This woman said she was trying to close the door when police

challenged a group of men in the street.

They got scared, they ran, and the police opened fire.

Our son was just trying to shut the door when they shot him

The crisis began in April when President Pierre Nkurunziza

said he was planning a third term in office, something critics

There was a failed coup attempt and then street protests

Gradually the opposition has become more violent.

Burundi's terrible Civil War is still a raw memory.

Like neighbouring Rwanda, it was ethnic Hutus versus Tutsis.

So far this crisis is political, but there's a real fear it

Alastair Leithead, BBC News, Nairobi.

Prosecutors in Switzerland say two people of Syrian origin have been

arrested on suspicion of making, hiding and transporting explosives.

They're being held under anti-terrorism laws,

which ban extremist organisations such as so-called Islamic State.

Finally, in sport, England and Wales will face each other in the group

stages of next year's Euro 2016 football championships.

Northern Ireland, the other home nation in today's draw,

face a tricky ride, with Germany among their opponents.

Our sports news correspondent, Richard Conway, has all

England and Wales first played one another 136 years ago, but now

they'll go head to head in a major tournament for the very first time.

Wales. So while there's no sense of deja vu for their respective

managers, there is plenty of mutual respect.. It's such a lottery

really, when the guy takes a ball out of the poll and twirlz it around

and your name comes out or doesn't, you take what you get really. We're

more than happy. Chris and I have been friends for a long time.

Whatever happens, we'll be friends after the game as well. We're in a

group with some hot competition. We know that. We know all about

England, of course. We know they're going to be very strong. The

showdown will take place in the French city of Lens on June 16. Both

teams will have to dole successfully with Slovakia and Russia to progress

to the knockout stage of the competition. England and Wales have

grabbed all the headlines but Northern Ireland, well they want to

progress to the later stages of this tournament too. To do so they will

have to beat Poland, Ukraine and the world champions, Germany, who

they'll play here in Paris. It's a tough group that we've got. We

expected that regardless. In many ways, it's a good challenge for us.

Our strongest options in our team are at centre back. So they're going

to be tested in this tournament. After a dazzling ceremony, French

organisers want euro 2016 to be safe and friendly. It appears the

managers are already heeding that call. Good luck. Thanks Chris, good

to see you. You can see more about that story and all today's news of

course throughout the evening on the BBC News channel. That is it from me

and the team for tonight, good night.

Good evening. A frosty and in places icy night to come. Especially where

you saw snowfall today as captured by a weather watcher in County

Durham. Snow was only part of the story today. More heavy rain around.

Over 70 flood warnings in force, one severe in Lancashire. The flood line