this is bbc world news today. i'm karin giannone. our top stories. israel's prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, faces his biggest political challenge in a decade as his likud party holds a leadership contest— voting has just closed. police fear skiers could be buried in the snow as a series of avalanches hits resorts in the european alps. the search for survivors in the philippines after a powerful typhoon sweeps through the country killing at least 16 people. a close—up look at the man—made underwater farm in the seychelles, set up to save the world's coral. so the next step is to grow corals on land, tinker around with them until they become resilient to climate change and plant them back. and — catching a glimpse

of a rare eclipse — from the middle east to asia — people have been marvelling at the "ring of fire". hello and welcome to world news today. voting has now ended for the leadership of israel's governing likud party which, for 20 years, benjamin netanyahu has led with an iron grip. mr netanyahu and his rival made last—minute appeals to likud members for their support. more than 100,000 party members were eligible to vote on whether the veteran prime minister should lead them into the next election. barbara plett usher reports from jerusalem. the man who would be king. gideon saar has issued the most serious challenge to the party in a decade. translation: i feel a great awakening on the ground.

people understand that a change has to come today. with the help of god, together we will make that change today. he wants party members to vote for change because he says the prime minister failed to form a government after two general elections and has no chance of doing so in a third. there is a growing sense of disquiet. this is an important day because there hasn't been any voting for this party for the past five years. there is a feeling of decay in the democracy from within the party. generally in israel. mr netanyahu is not expected to lose, he has a dedicated base and solid support even though he has been indicted on corruption charges. there is a party tradition fierce loyalty to the leader. otherwise it may look like his grip

on power is weakening. he campaigned hard and develop to the ballot and continue to press for votes during the day. translation: we brought great things to this country, and to continue bringing this country great things we have to go and vote for me. for you. gideon saar is an inspiration to some, nothing like the adoration showered on mr netanyahu by the party faithful, but his challenge has opened a crack in likud's united front. gil hoffman, the jerusalem post's chief political correspondent, says mr netanyahu is unlikely to be in political danger from this election. this from this election. is the first election where someone this is the first election where someone in likud is challenging benjamin netanyahu in a serious way inili

benjamin netanyahu in a serious way in“; years, benjamin netanyahu in a serious way in 14 years, but not serious enough to pose a threat that could make benjamin netanyahu to pose a threat that could make benjamin neta nyahu actually to pose a threat that could make benjamin netanyahu actually use. we are only hearing about a0 per 6% turnout and that's due to the advantage of an underdog and he's an underdog, the rain you might be hearing in the background of your that sounds like london is also so that sounds like london is also so that it does not work in his favour. if benjamin netanyahu does when how critical is the sides of that victory, if it is not resounding will that we can him was yellow yes, if he does not get 70% of the vote. it would show that he is vulnerable evenin it would show that he is vulnerable even in his own party and have been saying that benjamin that yahoo has blocked from forming a government after trying and failing twice and that's a message that his opponents in the election are going to be highlighting between now and march two. that is possible because

benjamin netanyahu is facing three criminal indictments, there are people who support them and agree with his policies into believe that the cases against him are there but end up voting against him just because they want political instability and it would result in more elections which the last thing we wa nt more elections which the last thing we want after having three and under a year. you mentioned the corruption charges and that he has failed twice to form a government and another election coming soon and some looking at this may be wondering what is it about benjamin that yahoo that has allowed him to survive this long was yellow there's three a nswe i’s , long was yellow there's three answers, security, economy, diplomacy. three issues that people vote on in israel and around the world, and the economic situation is very high commit the security situation it could be a lot worse in

the diplomatic situation has improved with countries around the world. rescuers have been looking for possible victims of four avalanches that have hit ski resorts in austria and switzerland. authorities say there were no casualties found from the three avalanches in ankogel in austria. swiss rescue workers in andermatt managed to free several people from the snow. two people were taken to hospital, but their injuries were not said to be severe. the bbc‘s imogen foulkes is in bern, switzerland — and gave this update. we've been listening to that of swiss police the rescue services from late this afternoon and they said that they are continuing to search the snowmass there. they did that six people were caught up in the avalanche of two were rescued and taken to hospital, for managed to free themselves, they don't have reports of anyone missing but they say that they want to keep looking and look right through the snow that

came downjust and look right through the snow that came down just to make sure, because one of the worrying things of course is that this avalanche came down on an actual marked ski run, as did one of the three that came down today in austria. that will be worrying rescue services and winter sports resorts because they're supposed to be planned so that they are really out with the path. let's take a look at some of the other stories making the news. turkey's constitutional court has ruled that the ban on wikipedia in the country is illegal. the court said it violated rights of freedom of expression, and ordered that it be lifted. the turkish government barred the online encycolpedia in 2017, because of entries suggesting that turkey cooperated with what it called terrorist organisations in syria. an eu official has written a love letter to britain, saying he feels ‘deep hurt‘ over brexit. writing in the uk's guardian newspaper, the vice—president of the european commission frans

timmermans said it broke his heart to see britain leaving the eu. but the dutch national concluded that britain would always be welcome to come back. the uk is due to leave the european union on 31 january 2020. alexei navalny, russia's main opposition leader, has been briefly arrested by police. mr navalny — a persistent critic of president putin — said he was led away from his offices by police, and then let go. the raid comes a day after he accused the authorities of kidnapping an activist who works for his foundation. a recovery operation is beginning in the philippines after typhoon panphone hit islands in the centre of the country leaving at least 16 people dead. winds of up to 190 kilometres an hour left tens of thousands of people stranded at ports, many unable to join their families for christmas. the pope has prayed for the victims. james waterhouse reports. typhoon phanfone first

arrived on tuesday night. with it came winds of almost 120 mph, causing devastation and fear. the storm then worked its way over the islands of the central philippines. 0nly today is there a sense of the damage caused. buildings were reduced to rubble. villages were devastated as the typhoon swept through, leaving residents to pick through the debris left behind. it was so powerful, even large boats were overturned. the philippines is no stranger to tropical storms and typhoons, with around 20 arriving each year. the most powerful one to hit land ever in the world, typhoon haiyan, struck in 2013, leaving more than 6,000 people dead. today, as a country rebuilds, the red cross warns it could take weeks to bring back power

and running water. not only that. many people are still missing. james waterhouse, bbc news. firefighting teams in australia, have had some respite over the past few days with lower temperatures but that's about to end with the intense heat returning. since september, close to 3,000 firefighters have been out — nearly every day — battling blazes. almost 90% of those on the ground, are unpaid volunteers. many families in new south wales are spending the holiday season in shelters 7 their villages and towns, still smouldering from last week s fires. i'm joined now from sydney by ben shepherd who works for the new south wales rural fire service. thank you very much for talking to us. thank you very much for talking to us. you and many, many people have not had much of a christmas at all, how are you all holding up? as you said many of our volunteers have been out there on the fire line

trying to get some level of containment on these fires before we see the onset of another heatwave, we are expecting temperatures to climb into the a0 degrees and colour with very strong winds this dry winch and the centre of the consonant which tend to drive these fires and so we are doing what they can, they understand that this is going to be another difficult time in the real thing we obviously need is rain, and there'sjust none in the real thing we obviously need is rain, and there's just none of that really on the horizon so it's going to be a difficult few days in a difficult few weeks whilst we continue to deal with more than 70 fires burning across new south wales. what difference has the slightly cooler temperatures made of the last few days? it's enabled us to get some containment lines built and then actually undertake some back burning, that's when we actually liked fires to remove the fuel ahead of the fire front, that it's going to continue as conditions can it's going to continue as conditions ca n allow it's going to continue as conditions can allow but as we move into the weekend and new week those

opportunities will be limited so we have to move very much and to a firefighting mode but great work done around communities ahead of that deteriorating weather but there's no doubt of the complete of days and weeks we will see further property threatened and homes lost. i left sports you a couple of weeks ago, how relentless has it been and what's more like you say so many you are volunteers. it's no doubt been an extraordinary long season, well over 3 million hectares now being burned approaching 900 homes being lost and most tragically age lives. but fortunately at this time of year many of our members do take leave and then using that leave to go out on the fire ground and actually assist where they can. the committee response this year has been amazing as well. to see people preparing their own homes ensuring that they are well prepared for any impact of fire makes our job are well prepared for any impact of fire makes ourjob easier as

firefighters but we've had the support of fire and rescue and national parks and also from other states but with this heatwave now gripping a number of states across australia that assistance from the interstate is going to start to diminisha interstate is going to start to diminish a little bit but as i said they are in good spirits and continue to throw up their hand to go and help but we've got a long way to go before the fire season is finally over. thank you very much for sparing a little bit of your time, such a busy time and thank you very much indeed. joining us from sydney. stay with us on bbc world news — still to come — we'll have the latest sporting news, including. an update on one of the world's most famous yacht races, and why this year's sydney to hobart event is special.

this is bbc world news today. the latest headlines.

israel's prime minister — benjamin netanyahu — is facing his biggest political challenge in years, as the likud party holds a leadership vote. rescuers search for possible victims of four avalanches that have hit ski resorts in austria and switzerland. people across certain parts of the middle east, india and south east asia have witnessed the last solar eclipse of the decade. the annular solar eclipse, is also known as a "ring of fire". the path of the eclipse allowed millions of people to see it. but for a different take on the eclipse, we're looking to the stars with vogue's resident astrologer alice bell. thank you very much forjoining us. how significant an event is a solar eclipse in astrology? a solar eclipse in astrology? a solar eclipse is very significant. it's

similartoa new eclipse is very significant. it's similar to a new moon except its influence lasts for six months rather than just the usual four weeks. it's kind of a time of setting new goals and intentions for the first half of 2020. and by the eclipses in july you will see the first half of 2020. and by the eclipses injuly you will see the results of whatever it is you are starting right now. is it possible to say if a solar eclipse is a good or bad thing in astrological terms? it's a good thing, it's kind of a new start work as a full moon or the degree eclipse is a time of letting go and releasing, a new moon and a solar eclipse is a time of beginning. this has got nothing to do with anyone's individual time or place of birth, this is your advice across the board to everybody? yes ata across the board to everybody? yes at a place for everyone. tell us about the life event that a solar eclipse can be influential in triggering according to astrology. sometimes it causes people to leave theirjobs or start a new business, form relationships or kind of leave

in the past a negative relationship orany in the past a negative relationship or any negative habits they had been holding onto. because it's in capricorn specifically this year it's more likely to be related to work and taking on increased responsibilities and commitment in your life. and this does not affect people any more than others? it's not capricorns that are affected more than other star signs, i'm a capricorn, just asking. if you have eight capricorn moon rising or signed it would affect you more just because it's probably going to be closer to your son or moon and affect you more emotionally. what is your advice to everybody on making the most out of a solar eclipse and you say the six months that it influences afterwards?” you say the six months that it influences afterwards? i would just get clear on where you want to be in the next six months and practice patients and put in the hard effort now because it will take a while to see results from where you want to be. alice bell, thank you very much.

we really appreciate talking to you, thank you. he cannot bring you your future but it does have all the support. i do. the top two are currently in action in the english premier league, the leaders liverpool are en course to go 13 points clear. they lead leicester city by a goal to nil with close to an hour played thanks to roberto firmino. earlier chelsea were beaten 2—0 by southampton at stamford bridge. it's the first time they've lost consecutive home games in the league since 2011 as southampton moved three points clear of the relegation zone. it moves southampton up to 1ath. elsewhere carlo ancelotti made a winning start at everton boss as they beat burnley1—0. tottenham were 2—1winners over brighton, manchester united came from behind to beat newcastle a—1 at old trafford whilst mikel arteta's first match in charge of arsenal finished in a one all draw at bournemouth.

arteta was happy afterwards with the attitude his side showed having gone behind: there are no negotiables of this clu b there are no negotiables of this club and summary standards that have to be done in that football pitch. and today i think we have done them, and all the things i want to start requiring from now on because we have to keep improving they were there on the pitch today as well. how we control the transitions and everything, this period and the reaction at half—time, the character they showed at the moment it's tough because of a difficult run. i really liked all of that. sam curran's been the star bowler on the opening day of the first test against south africa taking a wickets as the hosts were left on 277 for 9 at stumps at centurion. a promising start for england who had south africa 111 for 5 at one stage after some indifferent batting. quinton de kock mounted a recovery before curran stopped him just 5 runs short of a century. curran with a for 57.

earlierjames anderson struck with his first ball and three wickets for stuart broad. it was a hot and gruelling day with ben stokes out of action for much of it due to dehydration. we probably would have had delectable them up for the close but hopefully we can get there last wicket quickly in the morning. i think if we get them under 300 we've been betting pretty nicely and got big scores in the warm—up game so we re pretty big scores in the warm—up game so were pretty confident we can batch big and get a first inning lead. we just need to play beautifully and it's nice to get early but a better place nicely and is the way cricket works. 0verall place nicely and is the way cricket works. overall we will be pretty pleased. australia had the better of the opening day of their second test against new zealand in melbourne. in front of a crowd of nearly 80,000 at the mcg the home

side will resume day two on 257 forfour... steve smith not out on 77. marnus labuschagne also made 63... colin de grandhomme was the pick of the black cap bowlers taking 2 wickets for a8... and finally to the 75th sydney to hobart yacht race. the fleet set off with the biggest line—up of boats since 199a, 157 in total heading to tasmania. there were blue skies when they left from sydney harbour earlier, with little smoke from the bushfires that have been raging in new south wales. scallywag and comanche currently neck and neck with the winner set to be crowned late tomorrow night or early saturday morning. that's all the sport for now. thank you. mexico is threatening to take bolivia to the international court ofjustice over what it calls harassment of its diplomatic mission in la paz. the bolivian government is demanding that mexico denies asylum to nine bolivian officials who've taken refuge at the mexican embassy. the two countries have been in a diplomatic spat since mexico granted asylum to bolivian

ex—president evo morales after he resigned in the face of mass protests. the mexican foreign minister insists they will protect the interests of their people in bolivia. translation: we have 10,000 mexican men and women living in bolivia that we need to protect. also at our embassy now, nine people are seeking asylu m embassy now, nine people are seeking asylum under international law so we are not going to withdraw our staff. the seychelles — off the coast of east africa — is setting itself up as a hub for marine preservation. with over half of the world s reefs already lost because of rising sea temperatures ? could this tiny archipelago hold the key to saving these animals from extinction? bbc africa s catherine byaruhanga has been finding out. they're called the reef rescuers. tina and chloe work in the indian ocean trying to find ways of saving the world's dying coral. today, they're checking on their nursery.

it's a manmade coralfarm and one of the biggest in the world. so this is a large—scale coral reef restoration project. the nursery that we use is a rope nursery. so our coral fragments are actually placed inside a rope and then they are hung mid—water. over half the world's reefs have already been lost because of climate change. coral gets its colour and its energy from the algae which live inside it. as the water gets warmer, though, the algae becomes toxic, so the coral evicts it. this is called bleaching. with its food source expelled, the coral often die. from the nursery. the small coral are brought down and cemented to the ocean floor. within minutes. fish swim to what the reef rescuers call super coral. 0ur coral gardening methodology

identifies resilient colonies by visiting reefs shortly after bleaching events and looking at which colonies have survived and have some level of confidence that they are resilient and will make our restoration site resilient forfurther climate change events. the nursery is also an open water classroom. from the surface, i can see hundreds of coral beneath me. scientists have come from all over the world to learn how it's done here. this technique has already been taken to countries like colombia and the maldives and next are kenya, tanzania and mauritius. the reef rescuers‘ project was born here on cousin ireland, a thriving world class nature reserve. cousin island was the desired prize... it was set up by nirmal shah. he's been running conservation projects here for over three decades and he's already thinking

about the next big idea. so all these experiences we've learned from scratch. we know the entire technique now. so the next step is to grow corals on land, tinker around with them until they become resilient to climate change and plant them back. scientists predict most of the world's coral will be gone by 2050. innovation might be the only way to preserve them. catherine byaru hanga, bbc news, the seychelles. now how about this to wake you up... these swimmers in northeast china are limbering up for their big challenge — and no better way to do it like with an ice—bucket challenge in the extreme coldness of minus 20 degrees celsius. then it's into the freezing cold water. more than 200 swimmers from china, russia, the us and south africa took part in the first winter swimming tournament. the water was less

than three celsius good evening. many of us swapped out a dry and often sunny christmas day for a great and often soggy boxing day. despite mahout look to the southeast of london from one of our weather watches, but to surround shortly some dry weather for a time across the far north of scotland and i think more of us over the next few days will see drier weather, with that there will be quite a lot of clout and it will start to turn a little bit more mild. ran across western areas as her go through tonight, the rain across wells in the southwest tending to pull away the southwest tending to pull away the ring continuing through northern ireland perhaps some rain getting into northwest england as well. pretty milder into western areas and further east particularly for northern england and parts of scotla nd northern england and parts of scotland we will get cold enough just for a touch of frost in one or

two places. into tomorrow this warm front porch and use rates that will bring patchy rain and other frontal system bringing rain to the northwest of the uk but between those two weather fronts a southwest wind sucking some increasingly mild air in ourdirection. wind sucking some increasingly mild air in our direction. so here's friday's weather in a bit more detail, that one front i showed you bring patchy rain eastwards across parts of scotland and northern england, or next frontal system bringing rain into western scotland and northern ireland. elsewhere a of dry weather and fair amounts of cloud but glimmers of sunshine breaking through. particularly for western parts quite a lot milder and 12 degrees from belfast to plymouth for example. very still for the time being. this frontal system surrendering to the northwest of the uk in rain here in brisk winds as well but for the south and east we're looking at a lot of dry weather, so certainly across england and wales largely dry on saturday. some sunny breaks and largely fine for northern ireland just a bit of rain clipping into the northwest and east of scotland stays dry. a

preserver and at times but all of us just about by this stage in double digits. and it stays very mild as we get sunday but at this stage i think more sunshine developing across england and wales in the south and east of scotland. still some outbreaks of rain at times and those temperatures of 11 to maybe 1a degrees and one or two places. as we head into the last couple of days of 2019 most of us will see drier weather and summary to the northwestern it will stay fairly mild.

this is bbc world news.

the headlines... voting has ended in israel, where prime minister benjamin netanyahu is being challenged for the leadership of his party. he is facing long—term rival gideon sa'ar in the likud party elections. rescue workers in austria and switzerland are searching for possible victims after avalanches hit ski resorts in the alps. swiss police say several people were freed from the snow at a piste in andermatt. a powerful typhoon has caused major destruction in the philippines, killing at least 16 people. it's left tens of thousands stranded with many spending the night inside improvised shelters. wikipedia has welcomed a ruling from turkey's constitutional court declaring its ban unconstitutional. the court said the ban contravened the right to freedom of expression and ordered it be lifted.