:00:20. > :00:23.There are fresh hopes that the end of the war in Syria
:00:24. > :00:26.Last night a peace plan got the unanimous backing
:00:27. > :00:28.of the United Nations Security Council.
:00:29. > :00:30.It calls for a nationwide ceasefire and formal talks
:00:31. > :00:34.But there is no mention of what to do about President Assad.
:00:35. > :00:44.Our chief international correspondent, Lyse Doucet, reports.
:00:45. > :00:51.Nearly five years of fighting have left Syria in ruin. Torn between a
:00:52. > :00:56.vast array of rebel forces, battling President Assad's army.
:00:57. > :01:01.The so-called Islamic State has taken territory too. And that is
:01:02. > :01:05.widened the war even further. The bitter battle over Syria's
:01:06. > :01:10.future blocked the UN Security Council for years, but now at last,
:01:11. > :01:16.the deadlock here was broken. The time is now, to stop the killing
:01:17. > :01:18.in Syria, lay the ground work for a government that the long suffering
:01:19. > :01:22.people of that bat evered land can support.
:01:23. > :01:28.The new road map is hugely ambitious. Syria talks are set for
:01:29. > :01:32.January. Along with efforts to reach a ceasefire. The goal is a
:01:33. > :01:38.transitional national unity Government, within six months.
:01:39. > :01:43.And UN supervises elections a year later. To achieve this they had to
:01:44. > :01:47.put aside the biggest dispute. President Assad's political future.
:01:48. > :01:52.Not only for moral reasons because of the destruction he has unleashed
:01:53. > :01:56.on his own people, but also for practical reasons, because it will
:01:57. > :02:01.never be possible to bring peace and unity to Syria, as long as he is
:02:02. > :02:09.remains. But Russia's new military
:02:10. > :02:12.intervention in Syria is strengthening President Assad's
:02:13. > :02:16.forces, on the front line and Security Council. My counterparts
:02:17. > :02:20.say let's start a political process that those who went to oust Assad
:02:21. > :02:26.are getting some hope that might happen. It is very sad that once
:02:27. > :02:31.again, our common task, that is putting an end to terrorism, has
:02:32. > :02:37.become hostage to one personality. This is no longer just Syria's war.
:02:38. > :02:43.But millions of Syrians are paying a terrible price. That is why millions
:02:44. > :02:47.have fled. Syria has been called the humanitarian test of our time. Now
:02:48. > :02:51.it is the greatest of political challenges.
:02:52. > :02:53.President Obama has praised the strength of the families
:02:54. > :02:55.of the San Bernardino massacre victims, after spending an evening
:02:56. > :02:58.He said he was moved by the relatives' emphasis
:02:59. > :03:02.14 people were murdered in the shootings which is being
:03:03. > :03:10.On Air Force One, en route to their regular Christmas holiday
:03:11. > :03:12.in Hawaii, the President and First Lady stopped
:03:13. > :03:19.The Presidential motorcade took them to the library
:03:20. > :03:22.of the Indian Springs High School in San Bernadino, where Barack
:03:23. > :03:24.and Michelle Obama spent nearly three hours talking to the relatives
:03:25. > :03:30.It was a wearily familiar experience for the President,
:03:31. > :03:34.who spoke of the families' strength, unity and love.
:03:35. > :03:38.Despite the pain and the heartache they are feeling, they could not
:03:39. > :03:40.have been more inspiring, and more proud of their loved ones,
:03:41. > :03:49.and more insistent that something good comes out of of this tragedy.
:03:50. > :03:51.14 people were killed on December 2nd.
:03:52. > :03:53.They had been at their office Christmas party when
:03:54. > :04:00.They worked at the San Bernadino County Public Health Department.
:04:01. > :04:05.As did Syed Farook, who has been identified as one of the attackers,
:04:06. > :04:12.The FBI is investigating their action as an act of terrorism.
:04:13. > :04:19.Both died in a gun fight with police in the aftermath of the shootings.
:04:20. > :04:21.The authorities say the couple pledged their allegiance
:04:22. > :04:23.to Islamic State, moments before carrying out the shootings.
:04:24. > :04:26.In this community, where the shock and upset is raw, the Presidential
:04:27. > :04:34.The families have been through so much, and the whole city,
:04:35. > :04:38.For the President of the United States to come
:04:39. > :04:43.As the President left to begin his family holiday,
:04:44. > :04:50.he said the visit had given him a sense of pride and hope.
:04:51. > :04:53.The management company representing Jose Mourinho says the former
:04:54. > :04:56.Chelsea boss - who was sacked by the club on Thursday -
:04:57. > :04:58.will not be taking a sabbatical from football.
:04:59. > :05:00.In a statement it says he is "very positive
:05:01. > :05:04.Straight now to our sports correspondent, David Ornstein,
:05:05. > :05:12.David, this is suggesting an imminent return to top flight
:05:13. > :05:21.Very interesting, Gavin. Life after Jose Mourinho starts here for
:05:22. > :05:25.Chelsea today against Sunderland. It is a 3.00 kick off. It is expected
:05:26. > :05:30.that Guus Hiddink will be in charge on a temporary basis. He maybe in
:05:31. > :05:32.the stands with Steve Holland and Eddie Newton on the bench. Jose
:05:33. > :05:36.Mourinho remains the talk of Stamford Bridge because of this
:05:37. > :05:42.statement from his management company, in which he thanks, the
:05:43. > :05:45.fans, he makes no mention the hierarchy, the staff or players, he
:05:46. > :05:50.says he will not be looking to take a sabbatical. He isn't tired. He
:05:51. > :05:53.doesn't need it. He is very positive and is looking forward so could he
:05:54. > :05:56.be set for an immediate return to management? There are suggestions
:05:57. > :06:01.that could be at Manchester United, if Louis van Gaal is sacked. So,
:06:02. > :06:04.Jose Mourinho maybe gone, but he certainly is not forgotten. We will
:06:05. > :06:08.Weather experts believe that the record for the mildest
:06:09. > :06:10.December night in England may have been broken.
:06:11. > :06:12.Unconfirmed data suggests that the lowest temperature last
:06:13. > :06:15.night was 14.2 Celsius at Chivenor, in North Devon, beating the 13.7
:06:16. > :06:19.The warmer weather has encouraged many more swimmers to dive
:06:20. > :06:27.into the Serpentine in central London.
:06:28. > :06:30.Today is expected to be the busiest shopping day of the year,
:06:31. > :06:32.as retailers kick off their sales early on the last Saturday before
:06:33. > :06:36.Experts are predicting a rush of last minute bargain hunters,
:06:37. > :06:38.with more than 12.5 million Britons expected on the high street
:06:39. > :06:44.for what's become known as "Panic Saturday".
:06:45. > :06:47.You can see more on all of today's stories on the BBC News Channel.
:06:48. > :06:49.The next news on BBC One is at 5.25.
:06:50. > :07:08.Hello again. Last night we saw temperatures rising through the
:07:09. > :07:11.night in a number of places and it has been an exceptionally mild start
:07:12. > :07:16.to day. It feels like the start to a summer day. In the last hour,
:07:17. > :07:20.Gravesend has popped up to 17 degrees, now the English maximum
:07:21. > :07:21.temperature record for this time of year is 17.7 so we