we will return to the fifa congress for the i to the fifa congress for the announcement but want to updateur viewers on other stories happening around the world and take you to california to just near los angeles. live pictures of what they are calling the franklin fire. this massive fire sweeping across malibu, a very wealthy area just outside of los angeles. an evacuation order in place for many people. homes already destroyed. no reports so far of any serious injuries but people have been told to leave and high winds are making the flame is much worse. here is emma vardy. the fire started in the santa monica mountains and spread very quickly due to the winds that were blowing and move down to malibu on the coast. we understand houses have been destroyed, no exact number yet, but malibu is home to very expensive and exclusive neighbourhoods in the fire appears to have reached about a mile away from the malibu pier and all the iconic beaches. we understand a large part of malibu has been evacuated, about 6000 people at the moment. there is also a university in the area and it has its stud

at the disposal of the delegates of this— the disposal of the delegates of this extraordinary fifa congresshave effectively cast their votes prior to the congress. with the congress now duly convened, it should be noted — duly convened, it should be noted that fifa has received letters _ noted that fifa has received letters from two member associations on the 9th of december requesting their views to be _ december requesting their views to be expressed today at the congress. firstly, these received a letter from the norwegian football federation, who have requested that a statement from them be read out and be _ statement from them be read out and be included in the minutes as follows. i opened the guotem _ as follows. i opened the quote... fifa has received a letter— quote... fifa has received a letter from the norwegian member associations, letter from the norwegian memberassociations, raising member associations, raising concerns— member associations, raising concerns about memberassociations, raising concerns about the bidding process— concerns about the bidding process for the 2030 and

earlier, in a highly controlled virtual meeting, members of fifa's congress encouraged to vote by acclamation moment for the growth of the sport in saudi arabia and the world. saudi arabia's ambitious plans involve 11 new stadia, including one 350 metres above the ground in the futuristic and still to be built desert city of neom. but with the world cup, like neighbouring qatar's two years ago, set to be staged in winter to avoid the extreme summer heat, there are concerns over its impact on a congested football calendar, on the environment and on human rights. workers will be exploited. many will die. activists may be put in prison for criticising what is happening. fans risk discrimination. the saudis deny they're sportswashing the country's human rights record — last year, its sports minister telling me the world cup would help it diversify its economy and to modernise. every country around the world has room for improvement. no—one�*s perfect and we acknowledge that, and we are reforming, and these events help us reform. norway's football federation abstained from today's acclamation, but

the fifa congress meeting will see two unopposed bids handled together with confirmation seemingly comingortugal and spain are set to be confirmed as co—hosts of the 2030 world cup, but in reality the tournament will take place across three continents and six countries, with three matches in uruguay, argentina and paraguay to mark 100 years since south america hosted the first world cup. four years later it will then be the turn of saudi arabia. their plans include building 11 new stadiums, including one set 350 metres above the ground in the futuristic desert city neom, which is yet to be built. but one country, norway, plans to take a stand on what they call a flawed bidding process. it's very easy for us to be critical of different cultures than our own, and we know that the bigger risk generally, in a country, for example, the lack of freedom of speech, the bigger risk it will be around big, mega—events. our criticism now is on the lack of clarity, and what fifa asked from the bidding nations, on the risk on the ground. there has been outcry from campaigners over the medium—risk ratin

in front of this wall of 200 soccer chiefs from around the world in this virtual, extraordinary fifa congressound of applause for any vote to be counted as both of the world cups were approved so it was not competitive but it was contentious when it comes to the 2034 fifa world cup in saudi arabia. caitriona: football is heading for saudi arabia. what will this mean for the game itself? we remember qatar, it had to be held in the winter because of the extreme heat and what that meant for domestic leagues in europe. what will happen this time around? >> a huge disruption. unless something spectacular changes or the weather patterns -- it is blisteringly hot in that region, in the middle east, in the gulf states. you can only see this 2034 world cup moving to the winter months. will it move to the end of 2034? that could be problematic because ramadan in 2034 would take place then. earlier in the year 2034, that could impact the winter olympics. the ioc would not like that. there was conversation it could be shifted into early 2035. you cannot see it taking place in the summer in saudi arabia.

earlier, in a highly controlled virtual meeting, members of fifa's congress encouraged to vote with applauseious plans involve 11 new stadia, including one 350 metres above the ground in the futuristic and still to be built desert city of neom. but with the world cup, like neighbouring qatar's two years ago, set to be staged in winter to avoid the extreme summer heat, there are concerns over its impact on a congested football calendar, on the environment and on human rights. workers will be exploited. many will die. activists may be put in prison for criticising what is happening. fans risk discrimination. the saudis deny they're sportswashing the country's human rights record — last year, its sports minister telling me the world cup would help it diversify its economy and to modernise. every country around the world has room for improvement. no—one's perfect and we acknowledge that, and we are reforming, and these events help us reform. norway's football federation abstained from today's acclamation, but the fa were among many others to support the saudis, saying it had assurances that gay

earlier, in a highly controlled virtual meeting members of fifa's congress encouraged to vote with applause futuristic and still to be built desert city of neom. but with the world cup, like neighbouring qatar's two years ago, set to be staged in winter to avoid the extreme summer heat, there are concerns over its impact on a congested football calendar, on the environment and on human rights. workers will be exploited. many will die. activists may be put in prison for criticising what is happening. fans risk discrimination. the saudis deny they're sportswashing the country's human rights record, last year its sports minister telling me the world cup would help it diversify its economy and to modernise. every country around the world has room for improvement. no one is perfect and we acknowledge that and we are reforming, and these events help us reform. norway's football federation abstained from today's acclamation, but the fa were among many others to support the saudis, saying it had assurances that gay fans would be welcome at the world cup. despite the controversy, saudi's sporting re

earlier, in a highly controlled virtual meeting, at its zurich headquarters, members of fifa's congresstadia, including one 350 metres above the ground in the futuristic and still to be built desert city of neom. but with the world cup, like neighbouring qatar's, two years ago, set to be staged in winter to avoid the extreme summer heat, there are concerns over its impact on a congested football calendar, on the environment and on human rights. workers will be exploited. many will die. activists may be put in prison for criticising what is happening. fans risk discrimination. the saudis deny they're sportswashing the country's human rights record. any country around the world has room for improvement. no—one's perfect and we acknowledge that, and we are reforming, and these events help us reform. norway's football federation abstained from today's acclamation, but the fa were among many others to support the saudis, saying it had assurances that gay fans would be welcome at the world cup. despite the controversy, saudi's sporting revolution gathers pace. dan roan, bbc news. human traffi

earlier, and a highly controlled virtual meeting, members of the fifa congress were encouraged to voteion in favour. this is such a historic moment not only— this is such a historic moment not only for— this is such a historic moment not only for our football federation, not only for the children_ federation, not only for the children behind me, but for our sport— children behind me, but for our sport across the world.- sport across the world. these lans sport across the world. these plans involve _ sport across the world. these plans involve 11 _ sport across the world. these plans involve 11 new - sport across the world. these plans involve 11 new stadia, . plans involve 11 new stadia, include one 350 metres above the ground in the futuristic desert city of neon. but with the cup set to be stage in winter to avoid extreme heat, there is on the calendar human rights. there is on the calendar human riahts. �* . , , there is on the calendar human riahts. a ,, , rights. activists may be put in rison, rights. activists may be put in prison. fans — rights. activists may be put in prison, f

fifa's extraordinary congress today was, its fair to say, extraordinary in so many ways.volving nations giving their votes by "acclamation", lasting for more than three hours, it was confirmed that the 2030 men's world cup will be hosted across three continents. and in ten years�* time, saudi arabia's multi—billion pound offering will play host to what they're describing as a football festival. the ambitious saudi plans involve 11 new stadia, including one 350 metres above the ground in the futuristic and still—to—be—built desert city of neom. let's take a look at the moment fifa president gianni infantino gave the green light to the second nation from the middle east, to host the world cup. it isa it is a great pleasure that i can confirm — it is a great pleasure that i can confirm that the hosts of the fifa world _ confirm that the hosts of the fifa world cup — confirm that the hosts of the fifa world cup 2034 will be... saudi arabia — world cup 2034 will be... saudi arabia to— world cup 2034 will be... saudi arabia. to our friends in so, there we are — the news not too

earlier, in a highly controlled virtual meeting at its zurich headquarters, members of fifa�*s congressly for these children behind me, but for the growth of our sport in asia and across the world. saudi arabia�*s ambitious plans involve 11 new stadia, including one 350 metres above the ground in the futuristic and still to be built desert city of neom. but with the world cup, like neighbouring qatar�*s two years ago, set to be staged in winter to avoid the extreme summer heat, there are concerns over its impact on a congested football calendar, on the environment and on human rights. workers will be exploited. many will die. activists may be put in prison for criticising what is happening. fans risk discrimination. the saudis deny they�*re sportswashing the country�*s human rights record, last year its sports minister telling me the world cup would help it diversify its economy and to modernise. every country around the world has room for improvement. no one is perfect and we acknowledge that and we are reforming, and these events help us perform. and these events help us reform. norwa

for 203a, so saudi arabia are unopposed and we are expecting this vote, as fifa have called it, during this extraordinary congressis going to be more than acclamation. there will be a couple of dissenting nations, notably the norwegian federation, who have said this whole process is flawed because of transparency and also we expect a lot of outcry, as there has been from various human rights and lower case labour unions as well about the choice of saudi arabia and it's pretty abysmal human rights record, they say, for decades. they say it is going to be a moment of great danger, accusing wieffer of discarding its own human rights policies and calling them effectively a sham by choosing saudi arabia for 203a. sham by choosing saudi arabia for 2034. , ., ., ., for 2034. yes, we are going to be picking _ for 2034. yes, we are going to be picking up _ for 2034. yes, we are going to be picking up on _ for 2034. yes, we are going to be picking up on those - for 2034. yes, we are going to be picking up on those points i be picking up on those points you make a little late in the programme, but for the time being, olly f

congress held in person. this one will be all held virtually and fifa have said that the federations will instead endorse the, that has got a lot of criticism from the norwegian football federation and its president said she will be abstaining from that process of acclamation because she says that it is a flawed process by fifa. she said that the bidding process undermines fifa's own 2016 reforms for good governance and transparent world cup allocations. so for her, it isn't really about criticising the host countries for both those tournaments, but the way that fifa has reached the point where there are two unopposed bids. given the recent criticism around saudi arabia, specifically around its human rights record and that 11 of the 15 stadiums or its world cup will need to be built i asked her she felt that saudi arabia was a suitable host? well, i'm just very careful of saying that we are now criticising the process and its very easy for us to be critical of different cultures than our own and we know that the bigger risk generally in a country, for example, lack of freedom of speech, the bigger the risk w

congress meeting earlier. the decision to allow saudi to host in 2034 is a contentious one. fifald serve as a catalyst for change and contribute to positive human rights outcomes for people across the region. the kingdom says it will be a tournament for everyone — but amnestry international is among those that are critical, calling it sportswashing and reckless. at the moment and you vent us, where arsenal is 0—0 at home to monaco. all of those matches, roughly half an hour played. the men's football world cup will be held in saudi arabia in ten years time — while spain, portugal and morocco will be joint hosts for the tournament before that in 2030. football's world governing body made the announcement at a congress meeting earlier. the decision to allow saudi to host in 2034 is a contentious one. fifa says it could serve as a catalyst for change and contribute to positive human rights outcomes for people across the region. the kingdom says it will be a tournament for everyone — but amnestry international is among those that are critical, calling it sportswashing and reckless. w

yes, and the l actual extraordinary congress itself was running about half an hour late and they did drag it out. that is because they were notjust voting, as fifawasn't really a vote because there was no jeopardy at all because the bids for be 2030 world cup, that was on the table as well today, and the 2034 saudi arabia cop was also being affirmed, and acclamation. we had this extraordinary spectacle of gianni infantino standing in front of a wall. it was a virtual congress and it is actually still going on. they haven't got to the saudi arabian is yet to the saudi arabians yet getting their official certificate that they will be hosting the world cup in ten years' time. but 2ii in ten years' time. but 211 member in ten years' time. but 2ii memberfederations or in ten years' time. but 211 member federations or giving an acclamation, it wasn't particularly scientific, but it was just a round particularly scientific, but it wasjust a round of particularly scientific, but it was just a round of applause for fifa's choice of 2030, going to portugal, spain and morocco, and just a week before it also the centenary games, three of them taking place i

congress in accordance with the voting procedure. three _ with the voting procedure. three beds are eligible for the designation of host association for the — designation of host association for the final competitions of the fifaingle bed from the uruguayan football association, argentinian football association and the paraguayan football association for the — paraguayan football association for the centenary celebration nratches— for the centenary celebration matches as part of fifa world cup 2030. asa as a second step, i would like to provide _ as a second step, i would like to provide you with a brief summary of the proceedings for this agenda item. to begin, each — this agenda item. to begin, each bed _ this agenda item. to begin, each bed will have the opportunity to introduce their bid for— opportunity to introduce their bid for that by sharing a pre—recorded video. following this, _ pre—recorded video. following this, the — pre—recorded video. following this, the congress will be presented with a video summarising the evaluation of the bids — summarising the evaluation of the bids as outlined in the voting _ the bids as outlined in the voting procedure along with a statement by the independent external

football very much on the agenda today and with all the bed videos and presentations made the fifa congress the vital announcement of the world cup in 2030 and 2034. continuing coverage from zurich right here on bbc news but that's it for now. you can scan the qr code, we are streaming that announcement, still waiting for that announcement, but the moment that does get confirmed we will bring that to you. we have been waiting for a while and have had all those glossy videos but still if you moments away. while we await for that, we will turn to the situation in syria. while syrians slowly adjust to life without bashir al—assad there are many minority and marginalised groups wondering what this new syria will look like 7 and how inclusive it will be? khaled ales—mael is a syrian writer and journalist. kaled, you've lived under the assad regime. you left syria in 2012. give us an insight into what it was like. . ., , like. that time, when i was born i always _ like. that time, when i was born i always felt _ like. that time, when i was born i always felt like, - like. that time, when i was bo