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tv   BBC News  BBC News  December 1, 2024 12:00am-12:31am GMT

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the pro—western president of georgia has told the bbc she'll stay in her post, amid a crisis over the government's decision to suspend accession talks with the european union. salome zoura—bichvili's term is due to end in two weeks�* time. but she says she will not stand down because the current parliament is what she calls "illegitimate". the ruling georgia dream party announced on thursday that it will put talks with the eu on hold until 2028. a quick warning these pictures coming up may have some flashing images. this is the scene now live in tbilisi. earlier police used water cannon and tier gas against demonstrators who turned out in their thousands near the parliament building in the capital for a third night running.
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it's 4am they are in tbilisi. the protests continue. thousands of people turned out. police say someone hundred and seven people have been arrested. our russia editor, steve rosenberg sent this report from tbilisi, and a warning it contains distressing images. as night fell in tbilisi, they were building barricades, using anything they could find. people here are angry that the ruling party have suspended georgia's bid tojoin the european union. they believe that russia is pulling the strings. i am protesting against our government who is pro—russian and they don't want to have any relationship to europe or usa. and i am here for my freedom, for my future. suddenly, fireworks,
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aimed right at the parliament building. we could see a room inside ablaze, and figures who climbed up to the windows. looking, perhaps, for a way in. most of the protesters i have spoken to here say they won't give up, they will keep coming out onto the streets until they can secure georgia's future in europe. the authorities are clearly under pressure, but so far there is no sign of any u—turn by the government. it seems determined to crack down. defiance on the streets, and from one of the government's fiercest critics — georgia's pro—eu president. her role is largely ceremonial and her term due to end in december. but today she refused to step down, dubbing the government illegitimate. do you fear for your safety? i mean, do you think
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you could be arrested? i think i am defended by the people out on the streets so i don't think so. i think that today the ruling party is very isolated, and it will be more and more so. in recent days, some protesters have been beaten by police. georgian journalist guram rogava was live on tv when this happened. guram told me he'd been hit so hard he blacked out. translation: ithink our citizens are now i being forced to think, do they want to live in a country where peaceful protest is being punished and where journalists are being attacked from behind when they're speaking about what's really going on? if we want to live in a country like this, so be it. georgia's government blames what it calls violent protests on european politicians and local agents. on the streets, they say they are fighting for georgia's future. steve rosenberg, bbc news, tbilisi.
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back live now, the scene in tbilisi, you conceive more fireworks being used by those demonstrators as they fired towards that line of police in the distance. looking at a couple of other angles. earlier you can see some fires in the streets as well. you see those laser beams likely being used by protesters to try to harass some of the authorities there in the streets. this is for the morning, those protests are continuing. smaller crowd than what we saw earlier but another night of unrest they in tbilisi after that decision by the georgia dream party to suspend talks with the european union. earlier, i was speaking with tengiz thaladze, a senior fellow at european centre for international political economy, and a former presidential foreign relations adviser.
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he joined me from tbilisi to discuss the situation. thank you forjoining us, georgia's president saying today that the country's parliaments and prime minister are not legitimate. she says she won't be stepping down until there are new parliamentary elections. what do you make of the way that the georgia's president is approaching this? she is the head of state and, of course, in such a critical situation. her attitude means a lot, and today she is the only elected official in the country because the legitimacy of the election and also this amendment after those elections, a new president will be elected by the special coalition with parliaments as part of it. so consequently, president's logic is the parliament
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is legitimate said, they can't elect it neither president nor nominated approved government and so on and so on. this is quite a strong political message, but also along this, the president has quite intense conversations and communications with the civil society of georgia, with political parties and i do believe that she got support from society. we are seeing protesters for another night here also spurring in other cities across the country. already the word has been thrown around here referring to what happened in ukraine a few years ago, where do you think this ends? could we see some sort of mass movement in georgia to overthrow what many there see as a government that came with some
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serious irregularities during the election? yes, of course. the election was the trigger of the process, but i would say that the main detonator was the statement of the, just two days ago, about special european integration process, you are absolutely right talking about manifestations not only in the capital of georgia, but in the other big cities. and i would say that this is once again proving how strong its commitment of georgia nation is with european integration. this is written in our constitution. so this process, this is the main question today when asking, i would say that this will strengthen
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georgian democracy in georgia gets back georgia as soon as possible on the euro atlantic path and restoration of strategy in partnership with the european union and with the united states. you mentioned that statements coming today from the us state department condemning violence against protesters and suspending its strategic partnership. what you make of the role of the international community here? would you like to see countries doing more? yes. this is extremely important and the statement from the international community that though they don't recognise the election, questioning the legitimacy of the election they still support and will support democracy in georgia. today, the united states considers its senate and congress two very important bills _ so it is very important to see actions supporting georgian democracy, not just statements.
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and i do believe that with supportive international community, democracy will prevail and democracy will win. you can see those live pictures in tbilisi, and increasingly unstable situation in the streets. we are keeping on top of that story here on bbc news. syria's president, bashar al—assad, is facing his biggest crisis in years as rebel groups take control of much of the country's second largest city, aleppo. islamist forces are on their fourth day of a lightning offensive through several towns and villages. they are now sweeping south towards syria's fourth biggest city, hama, on the road to the capital, damascus. rebels celebrated in the streets of aleppo. they reportedly met little resistance, though the army says dozens of its soldiers have been killed or injured. president assad — who hasn't been seen in public since the offensive began — has promised to defeat the opposition fighters, describing them as terrorists. he said he would do
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so with help from his allies, which include russia, iran, and his brother. the london—based syrian observatory for human rights says more than 300 people, including at least 20 civilians, have been killed since wednesday. our correspondent, barbara plett usher, is monitoring developments from neighbouring lebanon. a stunning victory for the rebels. even they overcome with its swiftness and success. just three days after launching a surprise offensive from their stronghold in north—west syria. this is the most serious challenge to president assad in years. a carefully planned attack. they stormed back into aleppo for the first time since assad's army forced them out assad's army forced them out at the height of the war, at the height of the war, this time meeting this time meeting almost no resistance. translation: after hard workj almost no resistance. translation: after hard workj and patience from the fighters, and patience from the fighters, the city of aleppo has been completely liberated, thank god. thank god.
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and by god's will, we will and by god's will, we will reach horns and damascus too. this is a joint force reach horns and damascus too. of rebel groups, led by the islamist hayat tahrir by the islamist hayat tahrir al—sham, or hts. al—sham, or hts. it used to be linked it used to be linked to al-qaeda but cut ties to al-qaeda but cut ties from the group years ago. from the group years ago. hts is listed as a hts is listed as a terrorist organisation terrorist organisation by the us and others. by the us and others. it controls most of it controls most of the north—western province the north—western province of idlib, the last remaining of idlib, the last remaining opposition stronghold opposition stronghold after more than a after more than a decade of civil war. decade of civil war. that war began in 2011, that war began in 2011, triggered by popular protests triggered by popular protests against assad's rule. against assad's rule. russia intervened in 2015, russia intervened in 2015, turning the tide against turning the tide against the advancing rebels. the advancing rebels. the battle for aleppo in 2016 the battle for aleppo in 2016 was a crucial point. was a crucial point. syrian and russian forces gained control syrian and russian forces gained control after a gruelling siege. after a gruelling siege. the war�*s mostly gone the war�*s mostly gone quiet since, with occasional eruptions. quiet since, with the last major one in 2020 the last major one in 2020 when syria and its russian when syria and its russian allies attacked idlib. now, again, russian warplanes now, again, russian warplanes are bombing aleppo. are bombing aleppo. the syrian army says it has the syrian army says it has
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made a tactical retreat made a tactical retreat to prepare a counteroffensive. to prepare a counteroffensive. the kremlin is assad's most important ally, but it is now also fighting a war in ukraine. iran and the lebanese hezbollah are also sending fighters to syria, but they have been weakened by israeli attacks in the region. that is one reason the rebels were able to advance so quickly. reviving a simmering conflict at a time when the middle east is in turmoil. barbara plett usher, bbc news, beirut. earlier i asked firas maksad, a syrian expert from the middle east institute, if he was surprised by the speed of the rebel advance. yes, i think the rebels themselves are surprised at the lightning speed that they've been able to make these advances into syria's second largest city in aleppo with very little resistance. that said, the timing here has been crucial. launching this attack, this strike when iran has
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bogged down, his brother weakend, and russia distracted here with the war in ukraine. the timing has been crucial. the transition in washington also plays in the rebel�*s favour. i think we are in day three, may be the day for now i think we are in day three, may be the day four now since the offensive has been launched very little from washington, dc surprisingly in terms of commentary on this, the timing is crucial. how far these rebels are going to be able to push is going to come up against some hard realities. not only on the ground but also the geopolitical regional situation where perhaps israel and washington are not going to want turkey to have so much power in syria, so much power that there could be much leverage in future negotiations over the fate of the country and also the balance of power in the region. can you expand on what you mean about turkey? what role is turkey playing here? they are backing the rebels, so with that give them a foothold in syria?
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absolutely. syria as part of a regional powerplay here we have a transition of power in washington with the trump administration coming into office onjanuary 20. trump in the past had spoken his mind, wanting to pull us troops out of syria. that would create a vacuum and the turkish president who supports these rebels have in the past also tried to extend overture, a fig leaf that was refuted and this is the turkish strike to perhaps set the table for the future of syria, the negotiations that are to come. russia playing a role here. we know russian strikes have been hitting aleppo, how important is russia's backing of syria? it's absolutely crucial. but unfortunately for the asad regime, the coalition that was there that turned the tide in his favour in 2015 is no longer there.
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at the time, the head of the forest, the uranian irgc flew to moscow and reportedly met with president putin. so the asad regime was fighting with the russian air force and with the militias as a ground force. the uranian militias are not there because hezbollah is so we can with their war with israel, the russian air force is consumed in ukraine, so it's a very precarious about the geopolitical implications here, what about for syrians themselves, just people living there. how will this affect the humanitarian situation of the country? it is absolutely miserable. for many syrians it's a choice of the lesser evil. there is no democracy here in the output for syria. we are talking about islamist rebels, certain sections of them which was affiliated
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with al-qaeda at some point has since broken with them but islamist rebels nonetheless and authority and tarrying regimes in the past that have used met weapons of mass destruction against its people. israel's former defence minister and chief of staff
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seventh attacks. seventh attacks. world central kitchen says it world central kitchen says it has no knowledge that any has no knowledge that any individual in the vehicle individual in the vehicle had alleged ties had alleged ties to the hamas attacks. to the hamas attacks. seven members of its staff seven members of its staff were killed in idf strikes were killed in idf strikes on their convoy in gaza on their convoy in gaza in april, in what the israeli in april, in what the israeli military described as a "grave mistake". military described as a "grave mistake". and in the last few hours, and in the last few hours, the international aid the international aid agency, save the children, says agency, save the children, says a staff member has also been a staff member has also been killed in an israeli air strike killed in an israeli air strike in khan younis on saturday. in khan younis on saturday. the organisation said it was the organisation said it was devastated and outraged , as only 26 of the 174 devastated and outraged , and demanded an investigation. and demanded an investigation. votes cast in ireland's general votes cast in ireland's general election are being counted election are being counted across the country. across the country. figures from one exit figures from one exit poll suggest a dead heat poll suggest a dead heat between the three main parties. between the three main parties. the left—wing opposition party the left—wing opposition party sinn fein says it's hopeful sinn fein says it's hopeful of winning the most seats of winning the most seats in the parliament in dublin in the parliament in dublin for the first time. for the first time. but fianna fail and fine gael — but fianna fail and fine gael — which led the outgoing which led the outgoing coalition government, say they're also performing coalition government, say they're also performing well in early tellers. well in early tellers.
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it's still early in the process it's still early in the process as only 26 of the 174 parliamentary seats have been filled so far. a final result isn't expected until at least the end of this weekend. 0ur chief presenter caitriona perry has the latest from dublin. the way the electoral system works in ireland, of course, candidates are ranked in order of preference in each constituency. there are three, four or five seats to be allocated, so counting can take some time, first preference, second preference are allocated. some constituencies have actually finished counting for the night and will resume again tomorrow. but at this point in time, the three biggest parties are all claiming that they can form some sort of coalition government, sinn fein itself and each of those groupings looking to add some of the smaller parties come into government with them. the other
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party in government, the green party looks like being wiped out, it currently has 12 seats it may end up with zero orjust one or two by the end of the count. the main parties themselves have all been reelected. let's talk some more about what has happened so far. i'm joined by paul, the deputy political editor of the irish examiner. what do you make of what we are seeing so far? it is hard to read into it because we don't _ is hard to read into it because we don't know yet. we know roughly— we don't know yet. we know roughly what kind of vote we will find, _ roughly what kind of vote we will find, and sinn fein will come — will find, and sinn fein will come third of those three large parties — come third of those three large parties. what is interesting that— parties. what is interesting that sinn fein will look at this— that sinn fein will look at this back in 2020, a huge wave and they— this back in 2020, a huge wave and they finished first in first_ and they finished first in first preferences but they were actually — first preferences but they were actually the third largest of the three medium—sized parties because — the three medium—sized parties because they didn't run enough candidates. they ran about 40 candidates. they ran about 40 candidates. this time they run 71 candidates, they've gone down — 71 candidates, they've gone down in _ 71 candidates, they've gone down in vote share, as you were
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saying. — down in vote share, as you were saying, they are saying they can put _ saying, they are saying they can put to gather a coalition government that looks like it will end _ government that looks like it will end somewhere between 35-40 — will end somewhere between 35—40 seats. that will
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will end somewhere between 35—40 seat short. will will end somewhere between 35—40 seat short. you put them somewhere short. you put them together, — somewhere short. you put them together, you are up around 82. you want — together, you are up around 82. you want your majority to be way — you want your majority to be way above. he wanted to be as bil way above. he wanted to be as big as — way above. he wanted to be as big as possible. 88 is the bare minimum _ big as possible. 88 is the bare minimum. it's not really workable, you are going to lose a td_ workable, you are going to lose a td overboard on some vote at some _ a td overboard on some vote at some point. if you've got to labour, _ some point. if you've got to labour, if_ some point. if you've got to labour, if they come back with tendency— labour, if they come back with tendency to our 92. all of a sudden _ tendency to our 92. all of a sudden it's a little bit more work — sudden it's a little bit more work it_ sudden it's a little bit more work. it becomesjust a little bit more _ work. it becomesjust a little bit more workable. but, again, you've — bit more workable. but, again, you've got _ bit more workable. but, again, you've got to have those negotiations. what we have had in ireland — negotiations. what we have had in ireland over the last few years— in ireland over the last few years as _ in ireland over the last few years as a rotating taoiseach office — years as a rotating taoiseach office where finne fail split the prime minister '5 office where _ the prime minister '5 office where you have two and half years — where you have two and half years. will that be possible if finne — years. will that be possible if finne fail are ahead? years. will that be possible if finne failare ahead? i years. will that be possible if finne fail are ahead? i don't finne fail are ahead? idon't know— finne fail are ahead? idon't know if— finne fail are ahead? i don't know if that is possible. we could — know if that is possible. we could have weeks and weeks of negotiations ahead. ijust
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negotiations ahead. i just briefly. _ negotiations ahead. ijust briefly, is there a chance that those — briefly, is there a chance that those negotiations won't result in a government and we might have _ in a government and we might have to — in a government and we might have to have another general election? _ have to have another general election? my mental health hopes— election? my mental health hopes not. there is a possibility. i think once you ret possibility. i think once you get into— possibility. i think once you get into the negotiations, i think— get into the negotiations, i think things change, things can happen — think things change, things can happen. the breakdown of cabinet _ happen. the breakdown of cabinet seats will be important. the best case scenario— important. the best case scenario would be to be slightly closer, 456 seats apart _ slightly closer, 456 seats apart because you can negotiate, but if not, we could be back— negotiate, but if not, we could be back here in the next two or three _ be back here in the next two or three months.— be back here in the next two or three months. some news coming into us here _ three months. some news coming into us here in _ three months. some news coming into us here in washington. - us president—elect donald trump says he will sack the director of the federal bureau of investigation and replace him with one of his most loyal staffers, when he begins his term in january. in a post on social media, mr trump says he intends to fire the current fbi director, christopher wray, and nominate lawyer and former national security official kash patel as his replacement mr patel has been a vociferous critic of the agency and the investigations
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it has held into mr trump's alleged links to russia, his handling of classified documents, and his attempts to overturn the result of the 2020 election.mr patel has also spoken about using the criminal justice system to punish members of the media and government who he alleges lied about mr trump and helped joe biden supposedly "rig" while mr trump has announced many other nominations since the election, this one stands out — because the director of the fbi does not normally change when a new president enters the white house. the position requires senate approval. us president—elect donald trump says he's had a "productive" meeting with canada's prime minister, justin trudeau. the two met at trump's mar—a—lago estate , where they reportedly discussed trade deals, immigration and illegal drugs. mr trump said mr trudeau had committed to work with the us to end a drugs epidemic. but there was no word on any agreement over tariffs.
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mr trump has pledged to impose taxes on canadian imports on the first day of his administration, leading to fears of a trade war. also on saturday, mr trump also took aim at brics, the bloc of nations that includes brazil, russia, india and china — saying he would cut them off from us trade if they challenge the supremacy of the us dollar. the loose grouping of countries has long said it wants to establish an international payments system to wean its members off their reliance on the dollar. but in a social media post on saturday, mrtrump said quote... mr trump said he would impose 100% tariffs on brics members if they didn't comply. of course, most experts say the bloc�*s ambition to move away from the us dollar would be difficult for economic and political reasons. we leave you now with a quick look back there in georgia. we can take a look at those
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protesters happening there in tbilisi as the situation continues to play out around 430 in the morning now. can see some people still in the streets, smoke in the distance from some fires we've seen. we also saw earlier tear gas being used against protesters. driving them a bit further away. they seem to have returned now, a bit of game of cat and mouse tonight there in tbilisi. we will continue to track that situation for you right here on bbc news. hello. meteorologically speaking, saturday was the last day of autumn. it was bright enough across many eastern areas of the uk, in the west, though, we had thicker cloud and a bit of drizzle at times. wherever you were, though, it was very mild with temperatures six degrees above average in the highlands, achnagart seeing a high of 15 degrees. the average at this time of the year is nine. and these mild south south—westerly winds continuing to blow a band of rain across from scotland and northern ireland, moving it into wales and western areas of england over the next few hours. these are the kind of temperatures you'll have
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to start your breezy sunday morning, as our band of rain continues to push its way eastwards with time. now, behind that, actually, we should get some brighter weather, so sunny spells are in the forecast for western areas. there will be some scattered showers though at times, so not entirely dry. it will, however, continue to be very mild, and for the first day of winter, temperatures could reach around 14—15, maybe even 16 degrees in the mildest spots. but that milder weather isn't going to hang around for very long, because heading into monday, behind this weather front here, we get a flow of much colder north westerly winds heading in, and that will be dropping the temperatures across northern areas as we go through the course of monday. so, mild enough start to the day on monday for many areas, a band of rain pushes across northern england, reaches north wales
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and north midlands. behind that, sunshine comes out with some scattered showers, gusty winds through the irish sea and the north sea, reaching gale force at times and making it feel a little on the chilly side. temperatures not doing too badly across much of england and wales, but through the afternoon, further northwards, temperatures will be dropping through the afternoon, and it will start to get colder and colder. then, through monday night, that colder air surges its way southwards — a real turnaround in weather fortunes. we get a widespread frost, a much colder night on the cards. well, that takes us on into tuesday, and it's a dry, sunny start to the day, if cold for most of us. the exception is northern ireland, where we get this band of rain. the rain starts to move into that colder air, we start to see a little bit of snow on its leading edge, initially falling across parts of scotland. and it's across the hills of northern scotland that that lasts longest could cause one or two issues, but eventually milder air will mean that the snow all turns back to rain, and then later in the week, yes, it is set to turn a good deal milder. with that milder weather comes thicker cloud and rain at times. that's your weather.
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bye— bye.
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