hello, i'm helena humphrey. 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 twenty towns and villages in the region are also reported to have captured. 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 airstrikes on the city and other areas controlled by the islamist group, hts — hayat tahrir al—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. earlier, a seniorfellow at the middle east institute, dr ibrahim al—assil, told me it was a major development. it is an earthquake of what is happening in the geopolitical scene in syria and the region. of course the attack itself was expected. there was a buildup from hts for not only weeks and

months for years. but the rapid collapse of the regime forces around aleppo and now in the city of aleppo was not only a surprise it was a shock for many including hts them self because it is easier to take control of cities over governing those cities and now hts may find itself in front of a huge challenge. if hts may find itself in front of a huge challenge.— hts may find itself in front of a huge challenge. if there was a huge challenge. if there was a buildu a huge challenge. if there was a buildup why _ a huge challenge. if there was a buildup why do _ a huge challenge. if there was a buildup why do you - a huge challenge. if there was a buildup why do you think- a buildup why do you think there was a significant push back from government forces? multiple reasons and the major reason behind that is the weakness of the regime's lies. when we talk about the iranians militia and hezbollah in particular who propped up the syrian regime, they have been degraded in this war against israel and lebanon. degraded in this war against israeland lebanon. different israel and lebanon. different sides israeland lebanon. different sides inside syria controlled by hezbollah have been targeted

by hezbollah have been targeted by israel and then they damaged many of the roads that transfer fighters and weapons. i would add to that also russia which intervened in 2015, september 2015 on the side of our side and it has also been overwhelmed and busy in the war in ukraine. are overwhelmed and busy in the war in ukraine-— in ukraine. are there any indications _ in ukraine. are there any indications this _ in ukraine. are there any indications this could - in ukraine. are there any - indications this could spread? it could spread further. the dynamics, the unintended consequences of this attack may unfold over the next few days and weeks. we may see other parts of syria where opposition armed groups start to attack aside in the south and because assad may move forces from around syria to send support to aleppo, other groups like isis, perhaps, there are some remaining pockets of isis in

syria, they may take advantage of that to also 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 themselves. and if we see other players in the region become involved and re—engaged once again, what could this mean for the area at a time when we are seeing conflict on multiple fronts in the middle east?— the middle east? that is a treat 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 really 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 and many now feel it is impossible. what has happened over the last few days is a renewing cycle of

conflict. i don't think it gets us any closer to solving this conflict in any way. what it actually highlights is that this conflict needs more international focus for a framework to enter it rather than just waiting for the cycle to renew itself after pauses here and there.— to renew itself after pauses here and there. how do you think the — here and there. how do you think the biden _ here and there. how do you i think the biden administration and the trump administration, when it comes in, will be looking at this? they are also very concerned about what is happening in israel, gaza, lebanon and ukraine at the moment. i lebanon and ukraine at the moment-— moment. i think the ma'or oints moment. i think the ma'or points here i moment. i think the ma'or points here are i moment. i think the ma'or points here are also i moment. i think the major points here are also that l points here are also that american forces in the north—east, this shows what happened over the last month. whenever there is a vacuum, whenever one of these actors is getting weaker, other actors will try to come and fill in that vacuum. and if the united states withdraws its services from the north—east without co—ordination with the kurdish forces and other actors on the

ground and in the region, that may leave a vacuum that iran or isis or assad or other actors may try to fill in by renewing the fight inside syria and the region and of course that will increase the cost on the civilians themselves inside syria. 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 quote, "divine victory over israel". people have been back on the streets of georgia's

capital demonstrating against government plans to delay talks to join the european union. earlier, thousands of protesters gathered at the parliament building in tbilisi, waving eu flags. they 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. 0ur 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, we want a better future, and we don't want to be part and we don't want to be part of russia anymore. of russia anymore. you see what is happening. you see what is happening. you can totally see how you can totally see how they are treating us, i they are treating us, i how they are treating how they are treating the people who has l the people who has l a free will to be in europe. a free will to be in europe. seems to be on hold. unfortunately, this - is really disappointing. unfortunately, this - is really disappointing. and the government who are and the government who are making the decisions for us, | making the decisions for us, | especially when they are not representing _ especially when they are not representing _ a georgian people's will, a georgian people's will, it is really disappointing. it is really disappointing. this feels like a crucial this feels like a crucial moment for georgia because moment for georgia because for more than 20 years, for more than 20 years, this country has been on a path this country has been on a path to western integration to western integration towardsjoining nato towardsjoining nato and the eu, but that now and the eu, but that now

seems to be on hold. 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. so which other countries have assisted dying and what are the rules there? here's our medical editor fergus walsh. since mps last voted to reject assisted dying in 2015, there's been a dramatic rise globally in the number of countries changing the law. now, more than 300 million people live in jurisdictions where the state will help eligible people to end their lives.

one of the first was oregon in the united states in 1997, where it's available to terminally ill, mentally competent adults expected to die within six months. it must be approved by two doctors. patients self—administer the lethal dose. so it's very like the system being proposed for england and wales. but here, a high courtjudge would also need to approve it. two thirds of patients who die have cancer, around one in 10 have a neurological condition and one in ten heart disease. asked about their end of life concerns, nine in ten worry about losing autonomy. two thirds cite loss of dignity. four in ten worry about being a burden on family and friends. around one in three prescribed

a lethal dose, don't use it. across the united states, assisted dying has spread to ten states, more than double the number a decade ago. in 2016, canada introduced medical assistance in dying, initiallyjust for the terminally ill. in 2021, it was extended to those experiencing unbearable suffering.

patients can self—administer the lethal dose or ask a health professional to do it. campaigners here who want assisted dying promise that the safeguards in england and wales will be the tightest in the world. but opponents say the experience of other countries show it will be a slippery slope, putting the vulnerable at risk. 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 11l 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 countries in different jurisdictions to understand what their laws were, and paid a visit to oregon as well to have a look at what was happening there, and then put a 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 would like to get your reaction to mps voting in favour of assisted dying today. i am tremendously 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 a life as possible. why should we not have as good a 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 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 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. talking about that life force in your words, the people did not give up on life easily, there are people who feel their voices are not heard in society as it is, people who may be disabled, for example, who feel they are not listened to. what would you say to them? this bill will not _ would you say to them? this bill will not affect _ would you say to them? this bill will not affect them - would you say to them? ti 3 bill will not affect them in the least. it is deliberately,

deliberately termed the terminal illness bill. in other words being disabled does not qualify you at all. if you are disabled you can have a difficult life and you can also have an enriching and long life as we saw in the paralympics. so it will not affect anyone who is disabled or marginalised unless they are already terminally ill. so it is not really about shortening life, it is about shortening death. kind of safeguards do you think are necessary to be implemented?- are necessary to be implemented? are necessary to be imlemented? ., , , implemented? the ones being ro osed implemented? the ones being preposed are _ implemented? the ones being proposed are tough. _ implemented? the ones being proposed are tough. it - implemented? the ones being proposed are tough. it is - implemented? the ones being proposed are tough. it is one i proposed are tough. it is one of the things that persuaded me that this was a very good to offer people. the person concerned, for a start, has to be terminally ill which is defined as less than six months to go. they have to be interviewed by two independent doctors at two separate times.

they also then have to have the whole procedure overseen by a high courtjudge and of course they administer the medication itself so they can decide not to do so at any point, right up to do so at any point, right up to the very last moment. so i am pretty sure that this is a good system as possible and as i said there is another one in oregon which has worked very 0regon which has worked very well and nobody has called for it to be changed or repealed and i am sure that once we have this system implemented in britain we will look back and think why did it take so long. do you ultimately anticipate that the bill will pass? i do you ultimately anticipate that the bill will pass?- that the bill will pass? i am ho eful that the bill will pass? i am hopeful because _ that the bill will pass? i am hopeful because it - that the bill will pass? i am hopeful because it had - that the bill will pass? i am hopeful because it had a i hopeful because it had a sizeable majority and 55 votes and it is now going to the committee stage where mps may have had some reservations and they will have a chance to amend it and perhaps strengthen, perhaps add an additional clause. so while

there is no guarantee there is a good likelihood that it will then actually pass and become law and give a lot of people hope that they do not have to suffer in pain because, unfortunately, although hospitals and hospices try valiantly and often do magnificently, most people listening to the broadcast will know somebody who died badly and we want to try to stop that. an explosion that damaged a canal in kosovo is now said by the prime minister to be an act of terrorism. there were no immediate reports of injuries and the cause of the blast was not clear. kosovo president vjosa 0smani blamed "serbian criminal gangs" for the attack, without providing evidence. the head of a water company told local news that an explosive device was thrown into the canal. the canal supplies water to two coal—fired power plants that provide nearly all kosovo's electricity. polls have closed in ireland's general election after a three—week campaign. an exit poll suggests

a very tight race between the three main parties. the outgoing government is a three party coalition of fianna fail, fine gael, and sinn fein for more here's our ireland correspondent chris page the general election count starts at 9 in the morning and the exit polls suggest it will be tight, tense and very unpredictable. the poll indicates that sinn fein has a very narrow lead but it's very close indeed between the three main parties to be the prime minister or taoiseach. simon harris who's been in the job forjust seven months, his main coalition partner, also taoiseach earlier in the government term, her party has been the main opposition group since the last general election, during that

time, and it will push hard for a referendum on irish unity by 2030 if it did take power here in dublin. but even if sinn fein were to win the most seats in the irish parliament for the first time, it could well still have an uphill task in assembling a coalition of other left—wing parties which would, and a overall majority. and trinity college dublin put sinn fein on 21.1% and fina gael on 19.5%. we should get the actual first preference, the total number maybe by tomorrow evening but then the accounting will move on into sunday transfers will come into play on the margins between victory and defeat for these 174 seats could be very small indeed. five and a half years ago,

flames ripped through paris's notre—dame cathedral devastating the historic building. now, the gothic icon has been revealed to the public once more — after hundreds of thousands of euros of restoration work. french president emmanuel macron toured the building live on tv, giving people the first look inside since much of it was destroyed or damaged in the blaze. the cathedral has been completely renovated — years of soot were cleaned up, giving the space a brand new look. andrew harding sent this report. the scaffolding has come down. and like a burns patient shedding her bandages, notre dame is revealed today — whole again after years of delicate surgery. inside, the cathedral is a dazzle of light. the ash, debris and centuries of accumulated grime all gone. france's president, emmanuel macron, ushering in the cameras

this morning for the first time since the fire and revelling in a risky promise kept — to rebuild this broken miracle of stone, glass and timber in just five years. macron thanked the team responsible for saving the soul of france. translation: we were told it wasn't possible, that it was crazy. we'd do it wrong. but you came together with determination and you achieved what seemed impossible. it was late on april 15, 2019, that notre dame burst into flames. it's still not clear if a cigarette or an electrical fault was to blame. the spire's collapse, prompting a global groan of anguish and then a collective flood of generosity. the french state, which owns the cathedral, hired 2,000 craftsmen

using new and ancient technologies to patch up the gargoyles, restore the famous bells, clean acres of stained glass, and carve 1,200 oak trees to replace notre dame's mediaeval roof beams. the grand opening may be a week away, but for the workers, this is the time to celebrate. for all of us, we are very proud today to have been lucky enough to work on this cathedral. for france, it's the symbol of france, of paris. of all the french people that were crying in 2019. and now this is a new way for all the french people. this is a profound, rousing moment for all of france at a time of deepening political polarisation. the rebirth of notre dame is a reminder of what this society can achieve when it pulls together, and when the money is right.

the tourists are now waiting for their chance to see the inside of a building not only rescued but transformed. andrew harding, bbc news, paris. you can find out more about the restoration details on our website. we do have a special article there.— article there. many thanks for our article there. many thanks for your company- _ article there. many thanks for your company- i _ article there. many thanks for your company. i will- article there. many thanks for your company. i will see - article there. many thanks for your company. i will see you | your company. i will see you soon. hello. this is the weekend when november turns into december, but it's not going to feel like it weather—wise. in fact, it is going to feel very mild, often cloudy. there will be some rain, equally a little bit of sunshine. now, we've got a frontal system that has been pushing its way eastwards. behind that, a south—westerly flow, a very mild but moist south—westerly flow, so, yes,

there will be a lot of clouds, some mist and murk in places, but this very mild air is working its way northwards across all parts of the uk. so a mild start to saturday morning, but with a lot of cloud, some mist and murk, particularly for coasts and hills in the west, few spots of rain through the day, parts of northern england, northern ireland and scotland, equally a few brighter spells northeast wales, northeast england, north—east scotland, areas with some shelter from the breeze. but look at the temperatures — 13—15 degrees, very mild indeed for the last day of november. it will be quite windy out there, those winds actually strengthening across western parts as we head into the evening ahead of the arrival of this frontal system that will push its way eastwards overnight. bit of showery rain running ahead of that. so, some outbreaks of rain through the early hours of sunday morning. again, it's going to be really very mild, temperatures holding up in double digits for most as we head into the second half of the weekend. so here goes our frontal system, pushing its way eastwards during sunday. that is going to bring some outbreaks of rain. sunday, probably the wetter of the two weekend days for england and wales, as these outbreaks of

rain push eastwards. scotland and northern ireland seeing sunny spells and showers, that brighter but showery regime spreading to most areas before sunday afternoon is done. still very mild, 12—14 degrees. but we will see a bit of a change as we move out of sunday and into monday. we do start to pick up these northerly winds, which for a time, will bring something colder southwards across the uk, but that is unlikely to last all that long. we see frontal systems returning from the atlantic. from midweek onwards, things will turn milder, but they will also turn quite a lot more unsettled, with some wet and potentially very windy weather to end the week. so next week looks like this, briefly turning a bit colder, milder again later, but more unsettled.

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my name is william lee adams, and i'm a vietnamese—american journalist and an author. i was born six years after the vietnam war ended. i'm here to explore a country that's helped shape me. for me, it all flows from the war that brought my parents together. two people, born 12 time zones apart, thrust together to build a life. my family lived in america and my big brother, john, was my best friend. speaks vietnamese but two years ago, he passed away. i have a lot of unfinished business. i want to bring him home, essentially.