24/12/2017 BBC Weekend News

Good evening.

Tens of thousands of people have

been left homeless after a tropical

storm in the Philippines

that's left more than 200

dead and dozens missing.

Authorities are trying to provide

food and shelter to those

who've been displaced,

with rescue teams struggling

to reach some of the affected areas.

Our World Affairs Correspondent,

Richard Galpin, reports.

At last, some aid now getting

to those most in need,

after this latest storm to hit

the Philippines begins to subside.

Troops helping deliver supplies here

in the southern region of Mindanao,

which lay right in the path

of the storm.

Reaching these impoverished

areas has not been easy.

They were hit by landslides or

mudslides, caused by an inordinate

amount of rainfall that caused

the ground to move and killed

people innocently,

as well as surging currents

from swollen rivers that

overtopped their banks

and swept people out of their homes

and killed many others as well.

The speed with which the rivers

were turned into lethal torrents

over the weekend caught

people here by surprise.

Many drowning in their own homes,

others buried under mudslides,

including children.

The call for people to evacuate

in good time before the storm

didn't have an effect.

The storm passed over some

of the poorest areas

in the whole Philippines.

At least 200 people

are known to have died.

Large numbers are still missing,

and tens of thousands have been

forced to move away,

in search of emergency shelter.

In Rome today, Pope Francis offered

prayers for the people of Mindanao

in his weekly blessing to the crowd

on St Peter's Square.

TRANSLATION:

Merciful Lord,

take in the souls of the dead

and comfort those who are suffering

as a result of this calamity.

Let's pray for these people.

At least Tropical Storm Tembin has

now been moving away

from the Philippines.

It's currently over

the South China Sea,

where it's picking up strength again

and has been categorised

as a typhoon.

It's expected to hit

Vietnam later this week.

Meanwhile, the people

of the southern Philippines continue

the search for loved ones.

They will be hoping for much

more help to reach them

in the coming days.

Richard Galpin, BBC News.

North Korea has described

the latest United Nations

sanctions as an act of war,

and tantamount to a complete

economic blockade.

The UN Security Council

imposed the measures -

drafted by the US -

on Friday in response to Pyongyang's

ballistic missile tests.

North Korea has vowed

to strengthen its nuclear deterrent

to frustrate America.

Sophie Long sent this report

from the South Korean capital Seoul.

North Korean state television

broadcast the first

reaction to the sanctions.

It described the UN resolution

as an act of war that

violates peace and stability

on the Korean peninsula.

Please raise their hand.

Pyongyang promised to punish

those that voted for

the US-drafted resolution.

That includes China,

North Korea's main ally

and trading partner.

Beijing urged restraint

on all sides.

It's previously called

for an end to joint US-South

Korean military drills,

like this one, in exchange

for a halt to North Korea's

weapons programme.

A so-called freeze for freeze.

There is little hope either

side will agree to that.

Instead, the toughest sanctions yet.

The Americans had wanted to go

further, but they were pleased

with the support they got.

I am grateful to my colleagues

for the serious measures

we have enacted on behalf

of the North Korean people,

and I ask you keep them

in your thoughts and prayers this

holiday season, as we continue

to fight against this,

the most tragic example of evil

in the modern world.

The new sanctions include a ban

on the import of nearly 90% of oil

supplies to North Korea,

vital to its missile

and nuclear programmes.

They demand the deportation

of North Koreans working abroad,

to stop them funding the regime.

There will also be a ban on exports

of some North Korean goods.

The sanctions come

in response to this.

Pyongyang's launch of

an intercontinental ballistic

missile at the end of November.

One, it said, could

reach the US mainland.

The resolution is intended to push

Pyongyang to the negotiating table

and towards a diplomatic solution.

But instead, it's vowed

to strengthen its nuclear

capability, and it's got form.

This is the third set of UN

sanctions to be imposed

on North Korea this year.

Within weeks of the previous

two rounds, it carried

out its biggest nuclear test

and fired its most powerful missile.

Today's response shows little sign

it is willing to stop now.

Sophie Long, BBC News, Seoul.

Police are appealing for witnesses

after two men died and several

people were injured in a crash

on the M40 involving

a number of vehicles.

Emergency services were

called to the scene,

just before midnight yesterday,

on the northbound stretch

of the motorway in Oxfordshire.

The motorway reopened this morning.

Opponents of President Putin have

held a series of mass rallies

in cities across Russia in support

of a candidate to challenge him

in elections early next year.

The opposition politician

Alexei Navalny, who's been jailed

in the past for criticising

the president, told supporters

he will stand against Mr Putin.

But it's not yet certain

if he'll be able to run

as he is officially disqualified.

Plans to ditch the Army's slogan,

'Be the Best', have been stopped

by the new Defence Secretary,

Gavin Williamson.

Half a million pounds had been spent

on a re-branding exercise that

would have got rid of the slogan

because it was felt to be elitist.

Andy Moore reports.

A well-known slogan at the heart

of army recruiting for

more than two decades.

There's more than one

way to be the best.

The army spent more than £500,000

on market research and found that

message wasn't getting

through to many in

its target audience.

It's not clear when the new Defence

Secretary, Gavin Williamson,

saw these plans for a rebrand,

but he clearly didn't like them.

The research reportedly

showed that the "Be

the Best" slogan was dated,

elitist and non-inclusive.

These plans for a rebrand were well

advanced at a senior level

here at the Ministry of Defence,

then there was a sudden about turn.

A statement was issued last night,

saying the Defence Secretary

believes the British Army

is the best of the best, and these

proposals have been put on hold.

Colonel Richard Kemp

was the commander of British

troops in Afghanistan.

He says a lot can be improved

in the recruitment process

but there is nothing wrong

with the slogan.

If the army is not an elite,

it is hardly likely

to defeat our enemies.

If it is not better than our

enemies, all of our enemies,

then again it is not going to win,

it is not going to win in the war.

It has to be the best.

Young people who are

thinking about joining,

they want to join the best,

they don't want to join anything

that is second rate.

This rebranding exercise was said

to have the support of the army's

most senior officer,

but now his authority has

been publicly undermined

by the Defence Secretary.

Whatever the argument on tactics,

the crisis in recruiting remains.

Every year for seven years now,

more soldiers have left

the army than signed up.

Andy Moore, BBC News.

Pope Francis has held

midnight mass in Rome.

He carried out the service

in St Peter's Basilica.

His sermon included a condemnation

of human traffickers,

who were described as modern day

Herods.

Meanwhile, pilgrims are celebrating

Midnight Mass, in Bethlehem.

This year's celebration

takes place amid rising

tensions in the region,

following the US decision

to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's

capital earlier this month.

Our Religion Editor Martin Bashir

is in Manger Square for us.

Is there something of a different

atmosphere there this year?

Well,

despite the inclement weather, as

you can see, there are no spaces in

the pews of the church behind me for

midnight mass which started a few

minutes ago. Donald Trump is matter

decision to recognise jury slimmers

the capital city of Israel has had a

stark effect across the city. Many

hotels which are generally

oversubscribed are closed and empty

for the traders complained of a lack

of business. The threat of violence

has had a great effect on pilgrims

who might normally have wanted to be

here to mark the birth of Christ and

Christmas Eve. Instead the fear of

violence has kept them away.

Thank

you. Apologies for the sound of that

that was the rain causing that.

That's it from us.

From everyone here at BBC News,

have a very happy Christmas.