18/11/2017 BBC Weekend News

Unprecedented scenes in Zimbabwe,

as tens of thousands march,

demanding the resignation

of their President of four decades.

As crowds fill the streets

of Harare and Bulawayo,

the pressure's on Robert Mugabe,

who's meeting military

commanders tomorrow.

This is a new beginning

for the people of Zimbabwe.

What I am seeing is

the death of a dynasty.

It is so special.

We have been waiting

for this for 37 years.

Amid reports Mr Mugabe

is refusing to stand down,

it's believed his own party

will consider sacking him

as leader tomorrow.

We'll have the latest

live from Harare.

Also tonight...

A body's found in the search

for the missing teenager Gaia Pope.

Tonight, her sister

paid this tribute.

She is, I'm not going to say

"was" and I never will,

she is the absolute light

of my life.

A generational change for Sinn Fein.

Gerry Adams announces he's standing

down as the party's President.

And a fifth successive victory

for England over Australia

in their rugby union

International at Twickenham.

Good evening.

Tens of thousands of people marched

in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare,

and the second city of Bulawayo,

calling on their President

for almost four

decades to stand down.

Crowds have been singing

at the gates of Robert Mugabe's

official residence,

urging him to go.

He's been under virtual house arrest

since the army took control

of the country four days ago.

The country's ruling party, Zanu-PF,

has said it'll dismiss Mr Mugabe

as its leader tomorrow and reinstate

the ousted Vice-President.

Our Africa editor, Fergal Keane,

reports from Harare.

Something happened inside the people

today. The shared energy that swept

them along the streets. They were

there on the big streets and small.

A common purpose, in a place so long

divided. Voices that would not have

dared speak of Robert Mugabe a few

days ago now sank his political

requiem.

It is so special, we have

waited for this for 37 years.

You

have come back from England, you are

happy to see this, I am sure.

Indeed, I am very happy. This is a

new beginning for the people of

Zimbabwe. What I am seeing here is

the death of a dynasty.

All the faces of the nation came

into Harare. Joy was unrestrained.

And exuberantly expressed. We

watched passing soldiers being

enveloped by eager hands and arms.

Who knows what freedom the military

coup will deliver? But an army that

was once an instrument of oppression

is now celebrated. This tells you

everything. This is what the people

feel about the Army. It may not

last, these moments of genuine

liberation. Seeing the soldiers as

their saviours. Fear has been cast

off and expectations awakened.

Watching the march, I met this man,

a paramedic with a young family. Do

you believe that the Army will

really allow you to be free now?

Yes, they will. And if they don't?

Well, it is kind of difficult for

them not to allow us to be free

because of late, we have been free,

we just never exercised our freedom.

The people of Zimbabwe! Those who

force this moment included many who

were once ardent supporters of

Robert Mugabe. Now they called for

the departure of the President and

his wife.

The people of Zimbabwe

have spoken and the people of

Zimbabwe have said, you and your

husband should go today and not

tomorrow!

Robert Mugabe is under intense

pressure, yet this afternoon was

refusing to stand down. At one of

his official residence, the Army was

pushing back demonstrators. But they

would not leave the area. So people

are very angry and they want to get

through. Past these Army lines to

this official residence. One of the

President's official residences. A

man told me, we want to get in there

and tell these people what we think

of them. The Army will remain on the

streets. And tomorrow, the generals

will meet President Mugabe to tell

them that their guns and the

people's sympathies have turned

against him. But there is no more

time to play for. Everybody here now

is certain the moment of Robert

Mugabe's departure is drawing close.

And Fergal is live

in Harare tonight.

Your assessment, then, Fergal,

of what's likely to happen tomorrow?

Well, basically, you have got three

processors now running in parallel.

The people have been on the streets,

they have shown that anger to

Mugabe. You have got the generals to

meet him in the morning telling him

again that time is up. And

critically come his own party

preparing to vote on a notion which

would see him expelled. Robert

Mugabe always said down the years

that if the people wanted him to go,

then he would not stand in the way.

Today, and you can still hear horns

blaring in the background of people

who are angry about the situation,

today, he got a very loud message

and that is what he was reflecting

on in his official residence just

across the city tonight.

Thank you,

from Harare.

The family of Gaia Pope have said

they are absolutely devastated

after police searching

for the missing teenager tonight

said the body of a young woman had

been found and they were confident

it was that of the 19 year old.

The discovery, in Dorset,

was made by specialist search

teams close to a coastal

path near Swanage.

Edina Campbell reports.

The search for Gaia Pope has been

going on for 11 days.

But tonight, that search

has come to an end.

She is...

I'm not going to say

was and I never will,

she is the absolute light

of my life.

So beautiful.

So emotionally wise and intelligent.

And, erm...

So passionate.

And artistic, and creative,

and understanding.

The teenager's body was found around

three o'clock this afternoon,

near the coastal path and field

where some of her clothes

were discovered earlier this week.

Just hours before the body

was found, hundreds of volunteers

took part in mass searches,

in three areas around Swanage.

We want to thank each and every one

of you for everything you've done.

If there is one ray of light in this

nightmare, it is the compassion,

humanity and community spirit that

you've shown over the last ten days.

Your dedication and selflessness

for a girl who many of you don't

even know has been staggering,

and one of the few things

that kept us going.

Three people arrested

on suspicion of murder

earlier this week have all been

released under investigation.

Police say for the time being,

Gaia Pope's death is being

treated as unexplained.

Edina Campbell, BBC News.

He's led Sinn Fein for 34 years but,

tonight, Gerry Adams announced he's

to stand down as the party's

President.

The veteran republican made

the announcement at his party's

conference in Dublin this evening.

From there, Chris Buckler

sent this report.

Tonight, Sinn Fein paid

tribute to one of the men

who built the party.

Martin McGuinness was a key figure

in its divisive leadership.

Martin was a proud

member of the IRA.

But that was a generation ago.

And Sinn Fein's other key figure,

who has been party President

for three and a half decades,

announced this evening

he'd stand down next year.

I've complete confidence

in the leaders we elected this

weekend and in the next

generation of years.

And I want to thank everyone who has

welcomed me into their homes

and communities, and have made me

part of countless campaigns.

Gerry Adams was the leader

of Sinn Fein when the party was seen

primarily as the political face

of the IRA.

And he was a hate figure

for unionists, who saw him simply

as an apologist for violence.

They haven't gone away, you know.

But the IRA has now gone away.

And with a rise in electoral

support in the Republic,

Sinn Fein's new ambition is to be

part of government in Dublin.

Not if Gerry Adams is still

leader, I would think.

That makes a difference?

I think so.

Why?

To a lot of people.

Because he is tainted.

People do believe that he was

the leader of the IRA.

He has always denied that.

But Sinn Fein's IRA past

still hangs over the party,

both North and South

of the Irish border.

Sinn Fein's new Stormont leader,

Michelle O'Neill, has been unable

to agree a deal to go back

into power sharing with unionists

in Northern Ireland.

And there is a challenge

for the next generation of leaders

of leaders here in Dublin,

like Mary Lou McDonald.

In order to go into

Coalition Government,

they have to build relationships

with parties that have been keen

to distance themselves

from Sinn Fein in the past.

Chris Buckler, BBC News, Dublin.

The colleagues of a helicopter pilot

who died in a crash with a light

aircraft in Buckinghamshire

yesterday have paid tribute to him.

Captain Mike Green was conducting

a flight instructor course

with a student when they both died.

Two other men were also killed

in the collision, which happened

near the village of Waddesdon.

Air Accident Investigators

are still trying to establish

the cause of the crash.

The Lebanese politician Saad Hariri,

who shocked his country

when he resigned as Prime Minister,

says he will return

to Beirut within days.

Mr Hariri announced he was standing

down while in Saudi Arabia

a fortnight ago, and he hasn't

been home since.

He was speaking in Paris today,

after talks with President Macron.

Here's our Paris correspondent,

Lucy Williamson.

Having the President greet you at

the Elysee Palace sends a message.

In this case, that Mr Hariri

is for France still

Lebanon's Prime Minister -

not, as some would have it,

a political exile, fleeing

Saudi-Arabian control.

It was a show of support both

political and personal.

After the meeting, Elysee

sources said France would

continue direct contacts

with the Middle East's key players.

Mr Hariri said he was

finally going home.

TRANSLATION:

I will return

to Beirut in the coming

days and will take part

in our Independence

Day celebrations.

I will make my position

known on all subjects,

after talking to our President,

Monsieur Aoun.

President Macron wants France

to have greater global influence.

Old colonial ties to Lebanon

no doubt played a role

in his invitation to Mr Hariri,

but he's also stepping

in to a delicate situation

between Saudi Arabia and Iran -

two regional powers

with conflicting ties to Lebanon.

Mr Hariri had been in Saudi Arabia

for two weeks since announcing his

surprise resignation,

accusing Iran and its ally,

Hezbollah, of threatening

stability in Lebanon,

and saying he feared for his life.

Mr Macron's invitation

to the Hariri family offered

a way out of the impasse,

but not a solution.

This was like, you know,

a very important meeting,

but no solution because anyway,

the solution are among the Lebanese

and not with France.

France can play a role,

definitely, in the Middle East.

Er...

Between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and

also perhaps between the Lebanese.

But I think that the main issues

are going to happen in Lebanon

in the next few weeks.

Mr Hariri left the Elysee Place

with his family today, having tasted

French diplomatic power.

He's about to test his own.

Lucy Williamson, BBC News, Paris.

With all the sport, here's

Lizzie Greenwood-Hughes,

at the BBC Sport Centre.

Good evening.

Thanks very much.

Good evening.

Well, today's Autumn Internationals

had everything for home

nations' rugby union fans.

There was a record-breaking win

for England over Australia.

A brave Scotland pushed world

champions New Zealand all the way.

Wales survived some nervous

moments on their way

to victory over Georgia.

And Ireland had to dig deep

to overcome an enterprising Fiji.

Our correspondent, Joe Wilson,

reports from Twickenham.

At Twickenham, there

was one Australian smiling.

England's coach Eddie Jones

could grin in the end.

Second half, an England clearance

kick turned into attack.

Rugby's eternal unpredictable

is the bounce of the ball.

Australia Curly Beale

waited for it to go out.

Elliot Daly kept it in.

And the England player had just

enough energy to finish

it all off.

From one end to the other.

With the match in

the balance, Australia

crossed the line, officials decided

the bald-headed Moore was offside.

In the way.

No score.

Australia's coach

Michael Cheika choked.

And then England ran away with it.

Slid away with it.

Jonathan Joseph

using the conditions.

Wet grass was made for this.

Jonny May scored a try

and then made one for Danny

Care.

Suddenly, England had 30 points.

To win in this style

would make anyone smile.

Sometimes, you have to wait

until the final minutes and

earn the right to make

an impact on the try line.

These Autumn Internationals

are meant to be a

test against the best.

And that was certainly

the task for Scotland.

New Zealand needed some

exceptional performances

from their elite players

to get past Scotland.

Barrett scoring here.

Even when the All Blacks led,

how the home side reacted, Scotland

played some scintillating stuff.

Here comes Huw Jones.

In the end, the difference

was just five points.

To be so near can be hard to bear.

Ireland were close to

being humbled by Fiji.

This penalty gave them victory

by just three points.

In Cardiff,

an experimental Welsh side

had to cling on against Georgia,

in white, who were attacking

until the whistle.

13-6, a day of if onlys

for rugby's underdogs.

There were 26 goals in today's eight

Premier League games.

Match of the Day follows the news,

so if you want to wait

for the results, please

avert your attention now.

In the early kick-off...

The North London derby went the way

of Arsenal for the first

time in three years,

as they comfortably

beat Tottenham 2-0.

Mustafi and Sanchez

the scorers at the Emirates.

Elsewhere, there were wins

for Bournemouth, Burnley,

leaders Manchester City,

Liverpool, Chelsea

and Manchester United.

Celtic's unbeaten domestic

run is now 64 games

after the Scottish Premiership

leaders won at Ross County

from an outstanding

Leigh Griffiths free kick.

There were also wins for Motherwell,

St Johnstone and Hamilton.

Roger Federer has been

sensationally knocked out

of the World Tour Finals in London.

The Swiss favourite and six-time

champion was beaten in the semis

by David Goffin, from Belgium,

for the first time.

Britain's Jamie Murray also

lost in the last four

of the men's doubles.

And there's news of Justin Rose's

late charge for golf's Race

To Dubai on the BBC Sport website.

But from me for now, goodnight.

Back to you, Kate.

Thank you very much.

You can see more on all of today's

stories on the BBC News Channel.

That's all from me.

Goodnight.

Goodnight.