paris's notre—dame cathedral emerges from the ashes. hello. i'm helena humphrey. good to have you with us. rebel forces in syria have been advancing further into aleppo, the country's second biggest city, on the third day of their surprise offensive. they have taken control of several districts, despite efforts by president assad's army to hold them off. around 20 towns and villages in the region are also reported to have captured. —— have been. monitoring group the syrian observatory for human rights says half of aleppo is now under rebel control. a civil war has been grinding on since government forces put down pro—democracy protests in 2011, but it's the first time in eight years the city hasn't been under the control

of the syrian government, which is backed by russia. in the city of idlib, which is an opposition stronghold, people set off fireworks to celebrate the advance of rebel groups. syria and russia launched intense air strikes on the city and other areas controlled by the islamist group, hts, hayat tahriral—sham, and other opposition groups. sources in the syrian military have told the reuters news agency that the army has closed the main roads in and out of the city, as well as the airport. they've also told the news agency that moscow has promised bashar al—assad's forces extra military aid to thwart the attempted takeover, which they say will arrive in the next few days. we can go to dr ibrahim al—assil, senior fellow at the middle east institute. what do you make of what we're seeing in aleppo? thank you for having me. it is a major develop and in the geopolitical scene in syria and the region. the attack itself was expected, there was a

buildup for not only weeks and months but almost for about two years. but the rapid collapse of the regime forces around aleppo and now in the city of aleppo and now in the city of aleppo was not only a surprise, it was a shock for many, probably including (unknown term) because it is easy to take control of cities and to govern and now it might find itself with a huge challenge they have not prepared for. if there was that built up, why wasn't there more significant pushback from government forces? ~ , , forces? multiple reasons. the ma'or forces? multiple reasons. the major one _ forces? multiple reasons. the major one is _ forces? multiple reasons. the major one is the _ forces? multiple reasons. the major one is the weakness - forces? multiple reasons. the major one is the weakness of| major one is the weakness of the regime's allies. when we are talking about the malicious and hezbollah in particular who intervene to prop up the syrian regime, different sides inside

syria controlled by hezbollah have been targeted by israel and then also they have been all the damage many of the roads to transfer fighters and weapons and i would add to that also russia, which intervened in 2015, september 2015, also russia, which intervened in 2015, september2015, on also russia, which intervened in 2015, september 2015, on the side of president us out, has been also overwhelmed and busy in the war in ukraine. could this spread further? absolutely. i think it had everything it could take for this to spread further because the dynamics or unintended consequences of this attack might unfold over the next few days and weeks. we might see other parts of syria where opposition armed group start to attack has cida in the south. also because assad might move forces from around syria to send support to aleppo, other

armed groups like isis probably, there are still remaining pockets around syria, they might take advantage to regroup and launch new attacks and finally at some point we might see the kurdish forces that are supported by the united states also facing some of those opposition groups or assad's groups themselves. if we see other players become involved in re—engage, what could this mean for the area in a time where we are seeing conflict on multiple fronts in the middle east?— the middle east? that is a ureat the middle east? that is a great question. _ the middle east? that is a great question. this - the middle east? that is a great question. this could j great question. this could cause another wave of refugees and displaced people. many people inside syria and neighbouring countries, all they want to do is go back home and be safe at home but that has been a distant dream that many now feel it is impossible. what has happened over the last few days is renewing cycle of

this conflict. i don't think it gets us any closer to solving this conflict or what is actually being highlighted is this conflict needs more international focus for a framework to end it rather than just inaudible here and there and we wait for the cycle to renew itself at some point. haw renew itself at some point. how do ou renew itself at some point. how do you think _ renew itself at some point. how do you think the _ renew itself at some point. how do you think the biden administration and in turn trump administration when it comes in will be looking at this because they are concerned with what is happening in israel, gaza, lebanon, ukraine at the moment? i israel, gaza, lebanon, ukraine at the moment?— at the moment? i think the ma'or at the moment? i think the major point _ at the moment? i think the major point here _ at the moment? i think the major point here is - at the moment? i think the l major point here is american forces in the northeast, this shows what happened over the last month that when ever there is a vacuum, whenever one of these actors is getting weaker, other actors will try to come and fill in the vacuum and if the united states withdraws its forces from the northeast

without co—ordination with the kurdish forces and other actors on the ground and in the region, that might leave a vacuum that iran or isis or assad or either actors may try to fill in by renewing the fight inside syria and the region and that will of course increase the cost to the civilians themselves inside syria. very good to have you with us. thank you for having me. the current conflicts in the middle east are tied together, so let's turn to lebanon, where a ceasefire between israel and hezbollah seems to be largely holding into a third day, though both sides have accused each other of minor violations. israel's military has warned lebanese residents not to return home to 60 villages near the israel—lebanon border. the leader of hezbollah, naim qassem, said on friday that the group is ready to help the lebanese army build up its defences.

army troops are set to deploy across southern lebanon as part of the truce deal. in his first televised address since the ceasefire took effect on wednesday, qassem said hezbollah had won a "divine victory over israel". meanwhile, israel is continuing to hit targets in gaza as part of its stated aim to eliminate hamas. people across gaza have mixed feelings on what the ceasefire in lebanon will mean for them. while some think the truce may be a step towards ending israel's bombardment where they are. others are worried that israel will in fact double down on gaza, with dire implications for civilians on the ground. i spoke tojoseph belliveau, the executive director of medglobal, a humanitarian non—governmental organisation providing emergency response and health programs around the world, including in gaza. and i asked about the situation facing medical workers in the north of the strip. metglobal has about 300 medical workers in gaza right

now running a number of different health outposts, nutritional sites and supporting hospitals, but the conditions under which they are working are extreme. it is hard to continue to find words to describe how horrible the situation is. just a few days ago, my metglobal colleague was hit in an airstrike my metglobal colleague was hit in an air strike on a hospital in an air strike on a hospital in northern gaza. he, as the hospital director, was in charge of the huge number of staff and trying to treat patients under such violent and extreme conditions and then he himself gets struck. he had severe bleeding, had to undergo surgery himself. luckily, now, he is in a stable condition, but i've just now learned just a few hours ago we lost tragically another colleague, a medical workerfrom the hospital, was hit in a strike just a few hours ago today and died from his injuries.

so again, it isjust almost impossible to describe how horrible, almost minute by minute the conditions are, and i can describe the day before the doctor was hit in that air strike, the doctor was hit in that airstrike, he the doctor was hit in that air strike, he wrote a message to me and other colleagues at metglobal and said, "i want you to understand how severe and horrible this is." and he described the situation of a helicopter gunship attack thing the emergency ward of the hospital. four staff members and several patients were injured in the strike and still in the icu at the hospital at this moment, so itjust gives you

a sense of how violent and are full the circumstances are. people are back on the streets of georgia's capital, demonstrating against government plans to delay talks tojoin the european union. these are live pictures from tblisi, where it's just past 6am. as you can see prose testers still pounce on the streets, brocades burning in some parts. earlier, thousands of protesters gathered at the parliament building in tbilisi, waving eu flags. they have refused a police order to disperse. critics say the ruling georgia dream party has tried to move the country away from the eu and closer to russia. our russia editor steve rosenberg has more. i'm outside the georgian parliament building in the centre of tbilisi. there are thousands of anti—government protesters here setting off fireworks. protesters a re here. the other side, down the road, are the police. lots of police. long lines of police and water cannon, too. a few minutes ago, we saw the water cannon being used to try to disperse the crowds.

people here are furious that this week their government suspended, they say until the end of 2028, georgia's bid tojoin the european union. and people here are angry because the aspiration to join the eu is enshrined in this country's constitution. so the protesters have been accusing the government of kowtowing to moscow, being in the pay of the kremlin. it is very important for all the georgians to be here, for everyone to see, the whole international world, to see that georgians are europeans and we want europe. we want a better future, and we don't want to be part of russia anymore. you see what is happening. you can totally see how they are treating us, i how they are treating the people who has l a free will to be in europe. unfortunately, this - is really disappointing. and the government who are making the decisions for us, | especially when they are not representing _ a georgian people's will, it is really disappointing. this feels like a crucial moment for georgia because

for more than 20 years, this country has been on a path to western integration towardsjoining nato and the eu, but that now seems to be on hold. canadian prime ministerjustin trudeau has arrived in florida for a dinner with president—elect donald trump as the incoming us leader promised tariffs on canadian imports. mr trudeau was seen exiting a hotel in west palm beach before rolling out in a motorcade later seen entering mar—a—lago. the trip comes after donald trump sent shock waves across canada when he announced pending import tariffs against neighbours canada and mexico, and also rival china, in social media posts on monday. more than three—quarters of canadian exports, worth $423 billion, went to the united states last year. mps have backed proposals to legalise assisted dying in england and wales in a historic vote that could pave the way for a change in the law.

it is the first step in giving terminally ill people the right to choose to end their own life. highlighting the magnitude of their decision, the result was met by mps not with cheers of approval, but with complete silence. it was a free vote, meaning lawmakers could vote with their conscience as opposed to following party orders. the bill passed with 330 mps in favour, and 275 against, a majority of 55. it'll now go to further rounds of debate. rachael maskel is the labour mp for york central, and chairs a parliamentary group against assisted dying. she also worked as a care worker and physiotherapist in the nhs for 20 years and explained why she voted against the bill. first of all, i had spent 14 months on the health select committee inquiry in looking at assisted dying, assisted suicide

as we called our inquiry, and we took a look at the detail that was happening globally. we zoomed in and then paid a visit to oregon as well to have a look at what was happening there, and then play report together which we presented to parliament in the spring. and i think what really stood out for me and i saw that legislation just 17 days ago, was that the legislation itself has so many places where the law could be expanded or such a broad scope that i'm really concerned about what happens to the vulnerable and what happens if people are coerced and then where is the security? because clearly doctors who would be administering the assisted dying, they will be proponents of assisting dying themselves and theyjust do not believe there is enough scrutiny and safeguards over the process. rabbijonathan romain is a campaigner for assisted dying. i spoke to him earlier. many thanks for being with us here on bbc news. i

many thanks for being with us here on bbc news.— many thanks for being with us here on bbc news. i would like to net here on bbc news. i would like to get your _ here on bbc news. i would like to get your reaction _ here on bbc news. i would like to get your reaction to - here on bbc news. i would like to get your reaction to mps - to get your reaction to mps voting in favour of assisted dying today. i voting in favour of assisted dying today-— voting in favour of assisted d in: toda. ., ., _ dying today. i am tremendously leased, dying today. i am tremendously pleased. not — dying today. i am tremendously pleased, not for _ dying today. i am tremendously pleased, not for myself - dying today. i am tremendously pleased, not for myself but - dying today. i am tremendously pleased, not for myself but all. pleased, not for myself but all those suffering a ghastly death and want the option of letting go if they find the pain unbearable but also for those who may yet face a pretty awful and through motor neurone disease, parkinson's disease or whatever and it gives them hope that they do not have to suffer to the very and if they do not wish to and for me this is a compassionate response, also very religious response. if we can help people avoid suffering and the very end of their lives, that is all for the good. hopefully we all want as good. hopefully we all want as good a life as possible. why should we not have as good a death as possible? this should we not have as good a death as possible?— death as possible? this is clearly very _ death as possible? this is clearly very emotive. - death as possible? this is. clearly very emotive. some death as possible? this is - clearly very emotive. some are asking questions about the timing, where that this is the

right time. people in the uk often refer to a postcode lottery in healthcare, palliative care access. do you think the nhs is in the right state its the state to ensure access to healthca re state its the state to ensure access to healthcare does not influence people's decisions if they feel those care options are not available? —— state. i don't think it is a new issue. the first assisted dying bill was in 1938, so it goes back a long way and many recent bills are the last few decades. it is nothing new, nothing sudden and yes, the nhs always has problems, frankly, people who are terminally ill are already being looked after by the nhs so it is not as if they will suddenly be a burden on the nhs, very often having intense care and i'm not worried people would give up life easily and there is nothing stronger than there is nothing stronger than the life force within us and as you may know, in oregon, where

it has been almost exactly the same system in operation for the last 27 years, one in three of all people who apply for an assisted death and get the medication, get the prescription actually take it because they can carry on. it is almost like an emotional safety net so if things go horrible, they can take it but actually, the life force impels them to carry on until the last breath. that is what happens with most people but for those few who are suffering unbearably, they now have a way to ease it that they did not have before. to south america, where colombia has intercepted a semi—submersible packed with drugs in the pacific ocean in what the country's president has described as "perhaps "colombia's largest—ever seizure of cocaine in transit". it is one of several vessels intercepted at sea during a six—week operation which uncovered a new pacific trafficking route from south america to australia. more than 400 people were arrested in the operation, which involved security

agencies in the us, brazil, spain, and other countries. the colombian navy says the seizures have deprived drug cartels of more than 8.4 billion. here's orlando grisales of the colombian navy: a semisubmersible intercepted was en route to australia, carrying 5000 kg of cocaine hydrochloride and had enough fuel to get from colombia to australia at sea. it is the third one we found, the first within colombian waters third one we found, the first within co