09/12/2017 BBC Weekend News

Good evening.

The Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson

has held talks in Tehran where he's

pressed for the release

of Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe.

The British Iranian has been held

in prison there since April last

year accused of working

against the regime,

which she denies.

A spokesman for Mr Johnson said

the discussions had been "frank"

and also "constructive."

Our Diplomatic Correspondent

James Robbins reports.

It could look routine. Boris Johnson

and his Iranians counterpart shake

hands on their way into talks. But

there is nothing routine about this

encounter. The Foreign Secretary

looking uncharacteristically tends,

and with good reason. He wants to

improve relations but also criticise

some of Iran's actions while arguing

for Iranians prison releases,

including of Nazanin

Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a case many

accuse him of damaging by loose talk

last month. Watching anxiously with

me in London, her husband Richard

Ratcliffe. His campaign today in,

day out for her freedom since

Nazanin 's arrest in April last

year.

I'm sure it'll make a

difference, him being there, in

raising her case, raising her case

in the context of lots of other

stuff can only help improve

relations and can only help improve

relations can only lead to a better

case for us. I think that's right,

I'm not expecting on Monday morning

he comes back with her on the plane.

Boris Johnson is saying nothing at

all publicly while in Iran. Instead

the Foreign Office issued a

statement after two hours of what

they call a constructive meeting.

They discussed the full range

of bilateral issues and they both

spoke frankly about the obstacles

in their

relationship, including the Foreign

Secretary's concerns about the

consular cases of British Iranian

dual nationals, both emphasised

their commitment to continuing

to work together to improve the

bilateral relationship.

One good sign, Iran's Foreign

Minister confirmed Boris Johnson

should be able to meet President

Rouhani tomorrow. Something that is

not automatic on a visit like this.

The talks went on for two hours. It

seems there was a genuine

discussion, not a mere pre-scripted

exchange. Positives and negatives in

relations were fully aired. We

shouldn't expect immediate

consequences, but Iran is in no

doubt how much importance the

British side attaches to getting

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe home.

James Robbins, BBC News.

At least two people have been killed

in Israeli air strikes in Gaza.

The Israeli authorities say

they were targeting Hamas military

positions after rockets were fired

from there into southern Israel.

Four people are now known

to have died in violence

since President Trump announced

the United States would recognise

Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Our correspondent Tom Bateman has

just sent this report.

A display of grief and of anger.

Funerals were held in Gaza for two

people killed in Israeli air strikes

last night. The Islamist group Hamas

said the men belong to their armed

wing. Weapons stores and database

run by the militant group were

targeted, said Israel. A new round

of hostilities between old enemies.

Israel said three rockets were fired

from Gaza last night. One landed in

this southern Israeli town. There

was minor damage but no casualties.

Further disruption took place in

Jerusalem as Palestinians continued

to vent their anger at President

Trump. Police broke up protests

before they gained momentum. And for

a third day in the occupied West

Bank, protesters threw stones and

burned tyres. Israeli troops

responded with tear gas in

Bethlehem, and Palestinians answered

back. The clashes since Mr Trump's

statement on Jerusalem have so far

not matched this tale of previous

aspirations in violence this year.

-- the scale. People here remain

wary and the dramatic relations

between the Palestinian leadership

and the White House are under severe

strain. President Trump appealed for

calm and moderation. His critics

point to what happened here in the

three days since its announcement

and say he has stoked precisely the

opposite. Many Israelis continue to

praise his move, but it comes at the

cost of increased tensions. Tom

Bateman, BBC News, Jerusalem.

Weather warnings are in place

for large parts of the UK as heavy

snow and icy conditions continue

to affect Scotland,

Northern Ireland, Wales,

northern England and parts

of the Midlands.

It's thought 20cm of snow could fall

in some areas overnight tonight.

Olivia Richwald reports.

Layers of thick snow,

a scene of beauty in Shropshire,

but the first heavy snowfall

of the winter is

bringing disruption to parts

of the United Kingdom.

Motorists are being told

to avoid driving unless

absolutely necessary in parts

of the North because of the icy

because of the icy conditions,

as temperatures plummet- down to -6

tonight in parts of

Scotland and Wales.

In Oldham, greater Manchester,

this depot has been

working 24 hours

a day since Thursday.

The drivers here grit more

than 300 kilometres of road.

From busy urban centres to remote

routes through moorland.

With heavy snow showers forecast

overnight in this area, they say

they're prepared.

We've just had the forecast

in, temperatures are

going to drop significantly.

Subzero.

What we're doing this afternoon now

is we'll pre-grit or our primary

gritting routes and then overnight

we'll carry on treating and

treating.

Through the night.

Getting as much salt

on the ground as

possible.

Its trans-Pennine routes like this

which can quickly become

hazardous if they're

not well maintained.

Oldham council alone expects

to use 600 tonnes of grit

this weekend alone.

And there's still no

guarantee these roads will

stay open.

Although power was out at some

properties in the Midlands and

Scotland, in Belfast

it was sledges out instead.

More scenes like this are forecast

tomorrow as heavy snow

is expected across central areas.

But both the North

and South may miss out.

Olivia Richwald, BBC News, Oldham.

Tens of thousands of people have

filled the streets of Paris

for the funeral of the singer

Johnny Hallyday - who died

on Wednesday at the age of 74.

His coffin was driven in a cortege

down the Champs-Elysees,

followed by hundreds

of leather-clad bikers.

From Paris, Hugh Schofield

sent this report.

For nearly 60 years, Johnny Hallyday

sang his songs to the French, and

today in Paris they came to bid him

goodbye. Tens of thousands of fans,

many from the older generation,

people who grew up to his sounds in

the happy optimistic days of the

60s. For France, Johnny was le rock

and roll. He was the first to open

their ears to the thrilling new

music coming from the United States.

America was his obsession. America

and motorbikes. Hence the escort of

hundreds of bikers for his funeral

cortege down Bichon Frise.

TRANSLATION:

Let him rest in peace

and be covered up there. Let him

sing, let him get it going, and let

him open his heart up there

surrounded by family and friends.

Stars of music and screen, political

leaders past and present, they were

all there for the funeral service

inside the madeleine church. For the

French, Johnny was their rock hero.

The man who for half a century was

always there with new songs, more

performances. With his death, people

really do feel that part of a

nation's life has gone. Hugh

Schofield, BBC News, Paris.

England reserve batsman Ben Duckett

was dropped from today's Ashes

tour game in Australia -

after pouring a drink over the head

of his team mate James Anderson.

Duckett was withdrawn from playing

in the 2-day tour match

against a Cricket Australia 11,

following the incident at a bar

in Perth on Thursday.

England coach Trevor Bayliss has

called the behaviour "unacceptable".

Football now - and West Ham recorded

one of the surprise wins

of the season with victory over

Premier League Champions Chelsea.

Adam Wild was watching.

It may only be December but

Chelsea's hopes of retaining their

Premier League title

are already beginning to cool.

For West Ham, their struggle

to stay up is very

real.

Change is needed.

The first game in goal,

England's Joe Hart

left out in the cold.

But the difference

on the pitch is what

really matters and it

needs to come quickly.

A fact lost on no one,

least of all Marko Arnautovic, his

early goal bringing with it a scream

of celebration as much as a sigh of

relief.

But like their battle

there remained a long way to go.

Chelsea threatening.

In the first half frozen out.

And clearly beginning

to feel that cold.

The second half brought

more Chelsea chances.

But with those came

further frustration.

Alvaro Morata and then Eden Hazard

both going close and adding to those

West Ham nerves.

They needn't have worried,

holding on for an

invaluable win and offering promise

of better times ahead.