>> we need help now. >> you're watching al jazeera america. a landmark accord, a proposal to curb climate change has been presented. next step? approval by almost 200 nations. i'm richelle carey and you're watching al jazeera life from doha. also on the program, reports of dozens of people being shot in burundi's capital. historic election. women in odd rab are taking part in elections for the first time both as voters and as candidates. i'm andrew thomas in as i

understand knee on how the cruise industry is growing so fast that this city is running out of harbor spots to berth the ships. a landmark climate accord has been outlined at u.n. talks in paris. leaders and delegates from 195 countries are now studying what's hope to be the final draft. it calls climate change an urnlt and potentially irreversible threat to human society. french foreign minister urged countries to seize the momentum and sign the deal. >> translator: we need to show the world that our collective effort is worth more than the sum of individual actions. we all believe the time has come to focus not on red lines but on the green lines of universal agreements. >> they're sending signals that

people in countries are threatened as never before. we have to do as science dictates and protect the planet that sustains us. for that, we need all our hands on deck. >> our environment editor nick clark joins us from paris where the deadline was extended by one day. it's been a busy day, nick. >> reporter: yeah, history in the making. that was a message from ban ki-moon and francois hollande trying to drive this agreement over the finishing lines to encourage all the differing parties to come together at last and get this paris agreement done. this is the final draft. it is a little bit better than the previous draft. it's over 30 pages long, and the question is, what's in there to prevent this agreement from happening? let's get straight to someone here from greenpeace.

what do you make from this draft? >> the overall assessment is that, you know, the wheels of climate action have turned very, very slowly over the last 21 years. yeah, we can see that. however, there's no guarantee that it would past through it. it would appear that they have sufficient contention for people in the lower one countries stand up and say they disagree with it forever. we see that 1.5 degrees is in play for the warming. it shows that a lot of countries have done a great job in trying to fight this and keep it at a safe level, but we are -- the disagreement doesn't -- the agreement doesn't get out of the hole of the climate crisis. there's much to be worked on in the coming months and years. >> the plenary has been called for at 4:00 local time.

so is that going to happen? is that still on the agenda as far as you know? >> as far as i know, it's on the agenda to start at that time. however, the different negotiating blocks in the group in these developed countries and so on meet in their groups now and discuss it with the eu and so on. any of those groups can ask for more time. if they ask for more time, it will be delayed. right now we haven't heard of a delay. once they get into the conversation, all it takes is one or two countries to get up and raise concerns, and then they have to allow it to go through. gavelling it through is where the chair even if people have got up -- it has happened before with an objection. they say, i don't see any ends for it, and that will be done. right now i think the pressure that you saw from those three speeches you referred to was to make it difficult for countries

that feel comfortable to stand up for the deal as it stands at the moment. >> we have to say what happens as it it is. if it goes through as it is. i know you have reservations about it. is it nevertheless still a good launchpad from which we can move on and try and deal with climate change? >> well, essentially it gives us a chance for survival. there's a good starting point to actually do the difficult things that we need to to try to decor bonize and move to 100% in 2050. it allows you -- us to review every five years built into the agreementment the biggest problem on one end the safe level is 1.5 degrees in the period for warming, but when you add it up, it's 3.5 degrees. so it's crucial to come back first in 2018, which they have done now, to review the commitment and ratchet up the ambition if it's necessary.

so people should understand that this is an important moment because there's acceptance throughout the world that the climate crisis needs urgent attention, but there's solutions and the detail of how we actually address it far from agreed in the level of detail that we would feel comfortable with. >> it's great to get your perspective. thank you very much. we've got over a half hour to go before it is due to start, that plenary is due to start. we'll see if it starts on time and how things develop from there. >> nick clark live in paris. indian is one of the world's largest carbon emitters. let's check in with the indian capital of new delhi for reaction there. really just more on the role that india has been playing and will play, plans to play in making a difference when it comes to climate change. nitti.

let's go to the negotiations in paris suggesting that india was not part of the problem but it wants to be part of the solution. that's to suggest that india is one of the countries that did not contribute to the kind of scenarios that we're seeing at the moment, but it's also a country that is just beginning the growth story. therein lies the big sticking point. at the present times the developed countries to show more of the responsibilities so countries like india reach their potential. in terms of renewable energy, india is suggesting that it wants to generation 40% of its power from renewable energy sources and wants it to happen within the next 15 years. as many people are asking, what is the infrastructure on the ground in countries like india. what's the political and economic will like to make sure it happens. in terms of negotiations, there

are suggestions, of course, that some countries may be disappointed. the big question is will india be one of them given the history that india has in terms of negotiations of this level, it's taken global negotiations down to the wire. i cite inks like the world trade organization to get what it wants. will it do that this time or make the compromise the global community is looking for? >> all right. reporting to you from new deli. thank you so much. some have dismissed the climate draft as too weak and they're not enough to protect the planet. hundreds of people hold umbrella to make a red line with their bodies. protesters call for an end to the use of fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal. we're getting reports that at least 40 people have been killed in burundi's capital. eyewitnesses say the victims

appear to have been shot at close range. their bodies were found the morning after a series of coordinated attacks on military installations, which killed 15 people. malcolm webb reports on what eyewitnesses have told him. >> reporter: residents say it's people wearing police uniforms of a nut called api, which is local to the provides that came into some residential neighborhoods, which have been hotbeds against protests of the president ever since april when he announced he wanted to run. he got that in july in the disputed election. there were attacks in nearby areas on military bases by what we believe to be rebels who were trying to take arms.

they say the only people killed were attackers of the military camps. >> malcolm webb is report thering. there's plenty more ahead on jazic. alibaba buys the oldest english newspaper raising questions over press freedom. many killed in afghanistan's capital.

here's a quick rundown on the top stories on al jazeera right now. the french foreign minister has presented what he calls an ambitious global agreement at the u.n. climate talks in paris. delegates from 195 nations now need to give their approval. more than 40 people have reportedly been found shot dead in burundi. the discovery was made 24 hours after a series of coordinated attacks on military installations killed 15 people. saudi arabia women have took place for the first time as candidates and voters in municipal elections. around 900 women and 6,000 men are running for election to local councils. these counciling are the country's only elected public bodies. the legal voting age has been lowered from 21 to 18. many young people welcome the

changes. >> it's my first time to at least vote in our country. actually, i'm coming here to support one of my friends. we believed in here. we believe in her ideas. i wanted to start a new point that i'm supporting someone. >> jamal joins us live from riyadh. what does voting look like there? what's the scene been like today? >> reporter: richelle, ballot boxes have just been closed a few minutes ago as soon as the clock hit 5:00 p.m. local time. voting was over. throughout the day it's been pretty smooth in terms of security and the process and of things -- how thing have unfolted. the turnout has been weak when you look at voter registration and turnout. it hasn't been representative of what you expected in other countries. however, officials say that they

expected a low turnout in the sense this is still relatively new. not only for saudi arabia's female populations but it's also new to many of the male population because these are only the third time that the kingdom has witnessed any form of elections. for a lot of young or even hilgd middle-aged saab rabian men they have been given a chance to vote. that culture is still instilled in society here, richelle. >> what prompted these changes, jamal? what brought this about? >> well, there has been a growing civil movement in the kingdom for well over a decade that has been calling for more inclusive society particularly with regards to women. this is the only country, for example, that doesn't allow women to drive. there is a struggle between the kind of old guard that runs this

country and from our religious and conservative background and there are those that believe that the country needs to move forward and embrace and welcome new realities in the world. because this country is so significant geopolitically, any kind of sudden change, there's a fear it could have what they would say ripple effect that would be unwelcomed. even the opponents that agreed to the change like the late king abdullah was a believer that this change has to come gradually. critics say it's too little too late but the authorities say we're on the right track. we need to do things our way. yes, maybe it's come a bit late, but things have to be done in a gradual respect regardless of that. you can't underestimate how significant it is in this society that women are now allowed to vote and they can now stand in these elections.

that's going to have human implications and many analysts predict this will be the step before, the pen nauaultment ste before women are allowed to drive. >> when will the results of the elections be known? >> they're expected to announce the results at 1:00 p.m. local time on sunday, so that's 11:00 gmf, if my math doesn't fail me tomorrow. however, the results will be known sooner than that. the turnout hasn't been that great at this polling station. there weren't that many ballot papers inside the ballot box here. i expect they know the results by the end of today or in the next couple of hours, but officials they will anoups them at 1300 local time on sunday. >> okay, reporting from riyadh. thank you. the she's a saudi arabiian

business woman and a co-founder to help women win positions in public office. she said the election is about accountability. >> once the door is open, it's very difficult to close it. i remember when hillary clinton said like she had more million cracks in the glass ceiling, right now this is exactly what's happening. we have over 280 municipal counties that open the doors weather as voters or candidates and then the urban to the rural to the city level and so at this stage you're having a big awakening happening and a big desire to contribute to the local decisions. so definitely, definitely, there's a big impact and you have the whole communities kingdom wide now mobilized for this. it will definitely have an impact. whether women get elected or not, there is an impact. this is a start. once women get the foot in that

position, it's -- it's more historic than the parliament, because at that level it's more strategic and policy-making, but at this level it's policy-making and budget controlling and having also access to execution and supervision and accountability. when you're holding your local representatives account built and you have the right to do so, then i think that's very powerful. in afghanistan seven people have been killed in a taliban siege. four afghan policemen and two spaniards died in the attack at a guest house for foreigners in kabul. jennifer glasse has more from kabul. >> reporter: the attack started with a car bomb explosion that could be heard around the city. it went off just by the spanish embassy. >> translator: at first i thought it was a gas balloon explosion. then i saw the dust coming from the back of a bakery. i don't know where the explosion was, but i saw two wounded.

>> they exchanged gunfire with afghan police and security forces. the at that time ban says the target was a guesthouse for foreigners. they claim to have them trapped in the building. >> reporter: a car was blown up. our night operations special forces searched the vicinity and nearby houses. >> reporter: the area is heavily guarded. home to senior government officials, ngos and medical clinics. the blast was closest to the spanish embassy. >> translator: we can all be targets of terrorist attacks, all of us, any western country. in this case it was not an attack against the spanish embassy. >> reporter: this was the taliban's third high profile attack in four days, jennifer glasse, al jazeera, kabul. houthi rebels say they will observe a ceasefire from december 14th. that's been announced by the

head of the delegation of houthi rebels. he'll be going to switzerland next week for talks to end the fighting. he made this announcement at a press conference in the yemen capital of sanaa. >> translator: we managed to pave the way for the ten-point document and will air the seven-point document. the message sent to the united nations is now solid ground for political dialogue. we have report was of a suicide bomb attack in syria in the city of homs. at least 40 civilians reportedly killed or injured. that's all we know right now. when we get more information, we'll bring it to you. an iraqi army commander and six soldiers have been killed in a suicide bomb attack. he detonated his suicide vest at a border post near saudi arabia and anbar. no one has claimed responsibility. iraqi troops are fighting isil fighters who have captured large

swaths of territory in anbar including its provincial capital of ramadi. technology is on its way to help combat the campaign by isil fighters to destroy the cultural heritage of the middle east. british volunteer archaeologists are photographing ancient tell me pems and shrines so they can be rebuilt. from oxford, jessica baldwin reports. >> reporter: packing up 3d cameras and all the materials volunteers in syria will need to photograph important sites of cultural heritage. we can't show the simple, low-cost cameras they'll use because it might engage the photographers. it's a race against time to send the cameras to syria. they're trying to keep one step ahead of isil fighters and their destruction of ancient sites including the 2,000-year-old temple at palmyra that destroyed in august, looting the site for valuable antiquities.

>> isis leaves rubble behind. we can come in and in very short order put these structures back the way they were and people can get on with their lives. when they walk down the street, they see the familiar vistas and go about their business as usual. that's the promise these images hold. >> reporter: each represents a photograph. >> the photos are rendered into architectural drawing. if in the future the syrians decide to rebuild the towers, colon anywayeds and structures, the printer takes over. they have have finishing touches with local artisans aon the stoe structures. >> it has a fair bit of surface detail. we can go from the photographs to an actual physical structure in a period of about three months. it's a much shorter time than it would take to start from scratch with a solid block of stone and whittle away by hand.

>> reporter: the antiquities and cultural heritage of the region can't be underestimated. palmyra integrated elements of rome and middle eastern styles. >> it's what it should become and not what it is today. a unified region where cultures live together in a harmonious fashion. the fact isis destroys it, it represents this disunity, fractures, if you will, and the sort of symbolic representation of the problems we see in syria. >> reporter: being around beautiful architecture and a rich cultural hartage is part of a person. when that's gone, they lose a little identity. that's why this project is important, they're preserves ing history for the next generation. jessica baldwin, al jazeera, oxford. the son of gaddafi has been

handed over to security forces in lebanon after being kidnapped. the pictures show gaddafi in captivity. he was held by a group demanding information about the fate of the shia muslim cleric. he went missing in tripoli in the 1970s and they blame gaddafi for his disappearance. alibaba is buying "the south china morning post." it's one of the most respected publications and oldest in asia. rob mcbride has hour pr hong kong. >> reporter: not surprisingly the news was front page of the newspaper itself. with its 112-year history, "the post" is considered by many the paper of record in its china coverage. in an open letter to readers, the alba ba group pledges to up hold the independence, but when it comes to china coverage, it

adds that the world needs a plur plurality of shoes with western bias in the mainstream media. the fear for many is under the alibaba founder it will translate into a self-censorship of china stories. >> he's also very close to the party and state leaders of china, so it is most unlikely that he would want his newspaper to run critical articles about individual leaders or major policies. >> reporter: willie lamb is a former china editor of the post who says many colleagues at the paper are unhappy with what they see as an erosion of hong kong's press freedom. >> the propoganda is very important. so they figure if they can control the mass media in hong kong, then it will facilitate their effort to enhance a political control over hong

kong. >> reporter: the post joins other media entities acquired by mainland owners, but the trend is also leading to a rise in online news alternatives in both cantonese and english. >> if you look at what we intend to do and the overwhelming response we got, record-breaking crowd funding and traffic, and i think the appetite for this this hong kong is still there. >> reporter: changing technology opening up new fronts in the developing battle for the control of hong kong's media. rob mcbride, al jazeera, hong kong. with christmas and new year's just around the corner, many are looking forward to smooth sailing at the peak summer season in australia for summer cruise holidays. it's a tough vacation. >> every day during summer a monster nudges through sydney's city center.

in fact, most days there are more than one. the smaller cruise ships fit under the harbor bridge and berth just to the west. the giants get the prime berths spot right opposite the opera house. overall space in sydney is running out. the two cruise terminals handle three ships at a time but there's enough demand for more berths. >> there's a lot of discussions around the needs of the cruise industry in terms of insfra structure in sydney. >> the reason is cruising popularity. more and more people want to get on board. to describe a ship like this as a floating hotel is too underplay its size. the vessels in and out of sydney harbor are huge and get bigger all the time. cruising among australians has never been more popular with 20% market growth every year for more than a decade. 3.6% of all australians take a cruise each year, a higher

percentage than in any other country. >> suck you can pauk for the next couple of days and you can do what you want on your ship. >> straightaway you're relaxed. >> on board the megaships are swimming pools, bars and lots of restaurants and crew from all over the world. >> you see russian, but they can bring their friends and maybe the tension is back home but not here. >> four years ago they suffered the worst disaster when the costa concordia hit a rong and sank and 32 people died. even that didn't put people off cruising. the share price of carnival is almost 50% higher than it was before the accident. as an industry, then, cruising is cruising. andrew thomas, al jazeera.

sydney. >> keep it here. there is plenty more to come on al jazeera. of course, we have an eye on paris where climate change talks appear to possibly be winding down. they presented a final draft that is yet to be voted on. once that happens we'll let you know. keep it here. warming temperatures are warming ice at historic rates... adding to its distress, man's unquenchable desire for fossil fuel. the quest to retrieve arctic oil is underway, but how prepared is the world to handle a catastrophic spill.