this is the briefing. i'm sally bundock. from the last piece of syrian territory still held by the extremist group, our top stories: the so—called islamic state. the region on the border with iraq president macron of france is now surrounded by us backed promises new measures to tackle anti—semitism, warning attacks syrian and kurdish forces. onjewish targets are at the highest they say is is now close to defeat. level since the second world war. almost 70 people have died in a fire bangladesh has dismissed suggestions in the bangladeshi capital, dhaka. that shamima begum might be allowed to enter the country, now britain several other injured people has removed her uk citizenship. officials there say have been taken to hospital. the future of the teenager — who fled london to join rock band the 1975 is in syria four years ago, are the big winners is entirely a matter on british pop's biggest night, for the british government. taking home brit awards for a huge fire in a densely—populated area of the bangladeshi capital, best uk group and album of the year. dhaka, has killed almost 70 people. many others have been injured. fire chiefs fire say it broke out coming up in the business briefing, in a multi—storey residential flexible thinking — building in the old town — samsung unfolds its secret weapon where the ground floor was used to store chemicals. there's about half past four in the

morning. you are up—to—date with the headlines. now on bbc news it's time for hardtalk. welcome to hardtalk, with me, zeinab badawi. the ongoing urban protest in sudan have been amongst the most widespread and consistent demonstrations against president omar al—bashir and his rural in national congress party will stop after nearly 30 years in power, protesters in major cities in sudan have said enough and are calling on him to resign. at least 30 civilians have been killed, although the government insists its security forces have not opened fire on peaceful demonstrators. my guess is the long—time opposition figure yasir arman. he is the external affairs secretary of the umbrella group of the main sudanese opposition parties. he is travelling around western countries to step up the present —— campaign against

president omar al—bashir. are these protests are president omar al—bashir. are these protests a re really president omar al—bashir. are these protests are really different this time, can they add will they dislodge omar al—bashir from power? —— can they and will they? yasir arman, welcome to hardtalk. thank you so much for having me today. how far would you describe is current protest in sudan as representing the biggest threat to the rule of omar al—bashir? representing the biggest threat to the rule of omar al-bashir? first of all, this is the biggest demonstration ever president ——

sudan has witnessed. it is unique in terms, it is everywhere in sudan, in the rural areas and the urban areas. also there is heavy participation of women and news. and, again, also it has a taste new generations of views into the political life. you cannot describe it as a revolution. it is not such a widespread nationwide movement. it is largely led by professionals, associations of doctors, lawyers, journalists. at its heart it is an elite urban protest. actually, it did start in a rural area. and then it went over to the deep part of a real places in

sudan. and then the professionals, they came into the scene on the 25th of december and they gave it a qualitative movement. now it is everywhere in sudan. and it involves the ruler and —— rural and urban populations. in late january to assert we do not claim there is no problem, but it is not the size all day mentions that some of the media portray. the numbers are diminishing, aren't they? that is untrue. it has been said, in december, it tended to be more stronger in january. .. december, it tended to be more stronger in january. .. he said that late january. stronger in january. .. he said that late january. yeah. he said it. the more important thing is the issues that led to this demonstration has not been resolved. and president bashir will not be able to resolve them. one of the problems after

ruling sudan for 30 years. but the government has acknowledged that there are problems and they know this started off as a protest against the costs of living, the cost of bread, fuel, inflation is about 70%. they say, look, there are problems, but they condemn the fact that some of the protesters are turning towards violence. the problems did not start today. omar al—bashir and his group know that. they killed 100,000 in guffaw because they are protesting. and earlier before the independents. because they are protesting. and earlier before the independentsm 2013... earlier before the independentsm 2013. .. let's just earlier before the independentsm 2013... let'sjust check. let us dicuss what is going on now. human rights watch say about 50 people have been killed, 50 revol rateable deaths, vickerman says more than 30 —— regrettable that is. the head of the national intelligence and security service has said "we

recognise that we must have self restraint and manage things wisely, and take care of the lives of people and take care of the lives of people and property, we are not bothered by demonstrations but we are upset by the lapse in security." on february 15, a policeman, who happen to be passing by in his vehicle by chance, somebody threw a stone in his direction, he is dead. you can't condone that kind of action. no, this is actually a fabrication of the security. those who killed are more than 59. those who are in the presence, more than 2000, 300 women. this very security, they have tortured to death four peaceful demonstrators, including a teacher who was raped and tortured to death. how could they say what they are saying? well, i mean, he has said that he condemns the violence used against protesters and he says we

wa nt to against protesters and he says we want to maintain security, we want the police to do that by using less force. he acknowledges, he says, but there have been cases received in hospitals over the past week that showed gunshot wounds to the head, neck, and chest, and he does not wa nt to neck, and chest, and he does not want to see peaceful protest is being targeted. this is what he is saying. but this is a man who ruled sudan for 30 years. it is the only person new generation knows. this is the man who is wanted by the icc, the man who is wanted by the icc, the international criminal court. and this is a man who committed genocide and he committed war crimes. i believe omar al—bashir is, if you want to do anything, he has to down and let the sudanese people decide. we will talk about what you in the opposition want to see done. just to continue with the protest that have been going on. isn't there political opposition, such as yours,

you are a member of the splm—n, which is one of the opposition parties, part of the umbrella group, aren't you jumping on the momentum of the street, you are not leading these protests yourselves, your being quite opportunistic. no, that is not true. we are organic to the mass movement. not only is the professional consensus group, this protest is it is a culmination of a long struggle of the sudanese people. it is true it has been started by this. they are part of the society. the political parties have been in the front line for yea rs. have been in the front line for years. they not members, necessarily, of the political parties which are a real mishmash in sudan. a government spokesman said some political parties have emerged in an attempt to exploit these conditions to shake security in order to achieve their political

agenda. i put it to you that parties such as yours agenda. i put it to you that parties such as yours are agenda. i put it to you that parties such as yours are being opportunistic try to jump on this bandwagon that has been set up by what has been set in motion. bandwagon that has been set up by what has been set in motionlj bandwagon that has been set up by what has been set in motion. i don't think this is a correct assessment. these vertical parties have against this regime and looking for peace and democratisation for a long time. and now most of the political leaders are in prison. how could they possibly be opportunist? they are in the present. they paid a heavy price. i believe those in the street and the political parties, there aim and objective is one and what they are asking for is one, they are asking for peace and democratisation and the renewal of the country. so they issued a charter calling the end of omar al—bashir‘s role, a four—year transition period. you also calling on the army to back what you call a revolution. but omar al—bashir has

spent 30 years making the army cooper. you will not be able to get the army to back your durmaz —— to prove. the situation is complex. the army is not one group. the rank and file of the army, they are poor, they are below those in the street. it takes more people to go into the street so as to put pressure on the army to move it. it is true that president bashir is trying hard for the army not to move. in the revolution of 1964. .. the army not to move. in the revolution of 1964. . . crosstalk. when we remove the generally 1985, this is not new. i am sure that with more pressure the army will take the side of the people. what evidence have you got that the rank and file, the footsoldiers, as it were, to support the aspirations... more than 13 army officers, some of them are

lieutenant colonels in the army, there is information that there is a wider discontent within the army itself. because the leaders in the army, the generals, like the chief of staff, have said at a recent gathering attended by the minister of defence and other armyjeeps, "i affirm our military commitment to guarding our homeland and standing behind its leadership to protect sudan's national security and its citizens." i mean, you are not going to be able to get the army to move against omar al—bashir with state m e nts against omar al—bashir with statements like that. they will move. the senior army generals want just to protect themselves and they wa nt to just to protect themselves and they want to show allegiance to president bashir. but the army as part of society. and the more society as against bashir and the more people are going into the street the army will move, i am sure about that. are going into the street the army will move, i am sure about thatm is not just

will move, i am sure about thatm is notjust the army, omar al—bashir has also built up an effective security and intelligence sector, which kind of service as a second arm for him, a way of keeping an eye on the army and the population in general as well as the politicians. sudan is not exceptional. we have seen sudan is not exceptional. we have seen it in romania, in many other countries, and even in egypt, tunisia, it is the same situation. the army, eventually, they moved on the side of the people. you know, one of the world's leading experts one of the world's leading experts on sedan, omar al—bashir alex duval, said this about, "he began hisjewel by throwing virtually the elected —— certainly all of the elected government of civil servants into prison. was glad he has been careful to manage the political elite of khartoum. the president has the

reputation of never sacrificing one of his own. he has been very astute at making sure that he doesn't create too many enemies that really threaten him, hasn't he? that is long ago. it needs to be updated. but he has just said that. long ago. it needs to be updated. but he hasjust said that. that is long ago. but now the national islamic front, islam is now divided. bashir‘s through so many of them out. which met with the approval of many people, including pro—democracy supporters, actually, when that happened. because they didn't want the islamist. i believe the islamist now, they want to remove. but the difference is that they wanted to use their system. you have been here

before, having to? in 2013 when we saw protest against omar al—bashir. 200 people died at that time. this umbrella opposition group came together, calling for a new democracy in sudan. you said we have come together to remove the 1—party regime. sue dan tribune newspaper hailed it as a breakthrough. what happens? nothing. omar al—bashir was still in power 60s later. why would it be different this time? as you know, it is a process. it is not an event. it is accumulations of what happened in 2013. it produced what is taking place now. this one is wider. the regime is bankrupt. the regime economically is not like it was in 2013. and there are many new factors. i believe the sudanese this time we'll get a new social

political dispensation that they deserve. what are you going around asking the international community to do, because you are visiting various countries, saying disengage with omar al—bashir. what is it you are saying? well, number one, in europe we are saying to the europeans there isa we are saying to the europeans there is a new situation. we have to consider this new situation. business as usual will not work. you have to disengage the strategic dialogue that the uk and europe is having with al—bashir. it will not work, it will not bear fruits, and we are saying that bashir is a danger to everybody, because bashir is denying 6 million sudanese space in their own country, that is why we are looking for europe. internally displaced people? internally displaced, they are potential immigrants. if you want to resolve

it, let us fix our country, let us give those guys an opportunity within a country, and the sudanese, they never expect to go outside sudan. it is only because of the dictatorship, because of genocide, because of war crimes, aggression that bashir is inflicting on them. as well as internally displaced people and refugees themselves, sadhana is also a key transit country for african migrants, and indeedin country for african migrants, and indeed in 2016 was apparently the fifth biggest source of refugees globally, and therefore the european union gives sudan tens of millions of euros every year because it wants it to help them with their migration policy, and also counter terrorism. they are still co—operating with saddam, regardless of what you say to them. i believe the strategic solution is to remove this regime, this dictatorship, and to have a democratic government in sudan that will allow sudanese to have their own life within their own space.

again, the security of bashir are trading, and they are using those immigrants asa trading, and they are using those immigrants as a business. actually they are sending them to europe. meanwhile, they are covering it up with the co—operation they have with some of the european countries. what europe is doing is not a solution. europe is doing is not a solution. europe need to seek a new solution, to help the people themselves to fix their life and you have a democratic system. all right, it is notjust europe, though, is it? united states, we saw in 2017 how the united states lifted some of the sanctions against sudan. it is still on the list of states that sponsor to terrorism, but the united states says their removal from that list work in progress and they expect that to happen sometime soon. the americans are still core operating a great deal with the sudanese, for example, the foreign minister said in november last year the level of cooperation that sadha na in november last year the level of cooperation that sadhana is happening with the united states in

particular and with the region at large, encountering terrorism, is exemplary. the americans, the commander of the us combined joint task force in the horn of africa, james craig, praised saddam's effo rts james craig, praised saddam's efforts to achieve regional security and stability. that is the kind of mood music that is going on. well, they know very well sudan is organic to terrorism, and they will never change because they are cooperating now with the united states. what is needed for america and europe to change their policy. this is as usual will not ring an end to terrorism, or the end immigration in sudan, because this government is the same government that hosted ben martin, it is the same government thatis martin, it is the same government that is involved in many incidents in destroying the american embassy in kenya and tanzania, and other

incidents. —— bin laden. so the americans need to rely on other directions, for that reason we welcome the statement by the secretary of state in his interview, mike pompeo, that there is a need for a new policy, the consider the situation of the sudanese people. so those guys who are ruling sudan, they base their rule in a very narrow social base. they need to appeal to the spirit of democratisation, of peace in sudan. but, i mean, the sudanese government, of course, would say that it doesn't in any way sponsor terrorism, some of the act that you have mentioned, the tragedies such as the one in kenya, they will say, look, you know, we didn't have any involvement in that. and so that is the view that you propound. but i put it to you that it is falling on deaf ears. i have told you how the

europeans are still co—operating, the americans still co—operating with sudan, and look at sudan's membership of the arab league. you know, as an arab country it has excellent relations with the united arab emirates, key allies, saudi arabia, the saudi minister of commerce and investment, on 24 january, said the king of saudi arabia has confirmed that saudi arabia has confirmed that saudi arabia would not hesitate to support sudan until it overcomes the current situation. the government in sudan has also said russia and turkey have offered assistance to it, economically. the united arab emirates is giving sudan $300 million as well as 1.1 2 million in tons of fuel. i could just go on and on. sudan has got friends and allies. that they should ask themselves one question. why this system has no impact. this is a corrupt government, this government politically is dead, and what they need, they need to reconsider that they are helping the very government that stood for decades against saudi

arabia, and the emirates, and is loved, political islam distro sudan and it is going to destroy africa because political islam, they do not recognise the diversity of africa. really, because it, at kenya. it has problems with the islamist culture bug jihadist. when the minister visited kenya, the president said on six february i am happy to know that saddam is handling matters well and that situation in the country is under control. he praised saddam as a pillar of stability in the region. well, the status quo will not bring stability. it is not going to bring peace or democracy. sudan is highly involved in central africa, in south sudan, in libya. it is a source of instability in these countries. the political islam discourse will destroy africa, will cause the fabric —— because the fabric of

africa is based on diversity. again, bashir has rules sudan for 30 years. this fact has to be considered. ok, so this fact has to be considered. ok, so he is wanted an international criminal court over his dealings, his attacks in the four, allegedly. and there are those now in sudan, like the chairman of your group —— darfur. there are those who say the icc should freeze the case against bashir as a kind of exit deal for him. we have also had a very prominent sudanese businessman saying the same thing, that left the charges if it means that omar al—bashir goes from power. is that something you would support? well, before we go into all this, did bashir ever expressed that he wants to step down? did bashir ever say in what he is doing, he is killing more

sudanese... but would you support the icc freezing or lifting its case against omar al—bashir as part of an exit deal? your chairman says yes. first of all, bashir is not ready to leave power, so i am not going into hypothetical issues. and to give bashir a deal when he is not ready, even to say, after 30 years, that he wa nts to even to say, after 30 years, that he wants to leave power, but he wants to stay in power. 30 years in june, it will be. but look, there are elections due in sudan april 2020. as things stand in the constitution, omar al—bashir cannot stand again. they had been talk of the constitution being changed so that he could run again. but, because of what has gone now, these protests, do you think there is no chance that the constitution will be changed, and that therefore omar al—bashir cannot stand again in april next year, and that will be the end of his rule? the political landscape in sudan has changed. bashir has no

chance to stand, i am very sure the sudanese people will change this regime, and there are new social forces that have come into the political scene, and i think the story of bashir has ended, he is politically dead. politically dead. yes, he is politically dead, and is a matter of time, whatever. and it depends on the sudanese people. we talked about the united states, about europe. we need their assistance to stand by their very values that they are talking about. but again, it is we, the sudanese, we will change bashir, we will change his system. there is a new social force, using change his system. there is a new socialforce, using women, and with non—violent, and like what happened in —— unlike what happened in syria, unlike what happened in yemen, the sudanese people, they have experience in overthrowing a dictatorship. they did before 1964

and in 1985, dictatorship. they did before 1964 and in1985, and dictatorship. they did before 1964 and in 1985, and i am sure they will this time manage equally to overthrow the regime of omar al—bashir. overthrow the regime of omar al-bashir. thank you very much indeed for coming on hardtalk. thank you. hello. as advertised for several days, temperatures are now on the up and there will be sunnier days to come, but we're not there yet. for thursday, expect a good deal of cloud around. it's reallyjust later in the day it starts to brighten up. regardless of cloud or sunshine, though, it will be milder. it's all about where the air is coming from. there's a bit of caribbean air coming our way on through thursday.

by the end of the week, the start of the weekend, looking to north—west africa, the canaries, for the source of our mild air, but temperatures will be several degrees above normal for the time of year. nowhere particularly cold as thursday begins, but this chart gives you an indication ofjust how much cloud there's going to be. damp and drizzly as well in places, to begin the day. could still see a bit of patchy rain in western scotland and north—west england into the first part of the afternoon, before it eases away. now, you canjust pick out more of the land appearing among the cloud into the afternoon. these are gradually some sunny spells developing. now, we've established this is a feed of mild air coming from the south. it's fairly breezy. these are average speeds, there'll be a few stronger gusts the further west you are, you're closer to low pressure out in the atlantic. but again, it is a feed of mild air, temperatures are above normal, and with some decent sunshine in north—east scotland, 16, 17, maybe 18 degrees is possible, but widely temperatures in the mid—teens. clear spells around on thursday night, although this weather front

just edges closer to northern ireland and western scotland, with a strengthening wind. so you could start to see a few spots of rain out of that, and this is fog developing across parts of east anglia, the midlands, southern, especially south—east england. as ever, it'll be patchy in nature, but some of it could well be quite dense as we start the day on friday. of course, there isn't much wind here because you're closer to this area of high pressure. still, though, this weatherfront close to northern ireland and western scotland, so here more cloud around at times on friday, maybe a few showers, more breeze in the west as well compared with elsewhere. some of the fog towards the south—east may linger into the first half of the afternoon in some spots, but for many on friday, for more places, it's blue sky and sunshine, and of course, when you've got the sunshine, it willjust contribute to that very mild feel to the weather. some snow affecting parts of south—east europe, with low pressure close by. elsewhere, for many, it's dry, with high pressure notjust here but elsewhere in europe, and there's your feed of air coming from the canaries, from north—west africa into the uk over the weekend.

and, whilst most will be fine and dry, could be some rain affecting parts of northern ireland and western scotland at times, and still some dense fog patches across parts of england to start the day.