good morning, welcome to breakfast with luxmy gopal and ben thompson. our headlines today: the bbc is facing more questions about its handling of allegations against the masterchef presenter, gregg wallace, after emails show it was warned about him in 2017. the most intense escalation of syria's civil war in years. islamist rebels seize control of the country's second largest city aleppo, and are now sweeping south.

against the masterchef presenter, gregg wallace, after emails emerged showing it was warned about him in 2017. according to the sunday times, the broadcaster aasmah mir complained to the corporation about inappropriate comments he'd allegedly made during the filming

of celebrity masterchef. mr wallace's lawyers have strongly denied he engages in sexually harassing behaviour. the bbc said it would "always listen if people want to make us aware of something directly". here's our culture reporter, noor nanji. as some are taking part in celebrity masterchef in 2017. but she has now revealed she complained to the bbc about remarks allegedly made by the show �*s presenter, gregg wallace. in an e—mail seen by the sunday times a bbc executive kate phillips said... as matt lent —— later sent an e—mail copy to kate phillips that said this not —— must not happen again to another woman. not —— must not happen again to anotherwoman. but not —— must not happen again to another woman. but this week a bbc news investigation has revealed a string of misconduct allegations against gregg wallace some relating

to events after asma's complaint. separately the observer says a letter containing claims of inappropriate behaviour by gregg wallace was sent to the bbc in 2022 but the not result in further investigation at the time. on thursday masterchef �*s production company said mr wallace would step away from presenting the show while allegations of historical misconduct were investigated. last night a cryptic post is gregg wallace wrote on instagram we are all different. his lawyers say it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature. while the bbc says it has robust processes in place to deal with issues if they are raised. noor nanji, bbc news. we will talk more about that later in the program. luxmy has the rest of the day �*s stories, starting with

syria. syria's president, bashar al assad, has vowed to defeat islamist rebels after they captured the second city of aleppo. the fighters, who began their offensive on wednesday, are now reportedly in control of parts of the city of hama as they continue to move towards the capital damascus. the syrian army says dozens of its soldiers have been killed. 0ur reporter greg mckenzie has more. smouldering buildings in syria's second—largest city aleppo tells of an unpredictable new chapter. the city, once a symbol of resilience, is now reeling from a fresh wave of destruction following a series of russian air strikes. the escalation comes as syrian forces withdrew their troops from the city. that retreat in response to a surprise offensive launched by rebel fractions five days ago. this is the most serious challenge yet to president bashar al—assad in years.

it was a carefully planned attack. the rebels stormed back into aleppo for the first time since assad's army forced them out at the height of the war in 2011. this time, meeting almost no resistance. translation: i am the son of aleppo. i i returned to my city and my land and my home by the will of god, and we will not give up a single inch of the lands of syria. the rebel group hayat tahrir al—sham or hts, is listed as a terrorist organisation by the us and others. it controls most of the northwestern province of idlib, the last remaining opposition stronghold after more than a decade of civil war. the war began in 2011, triggered by pro—democracy protests against assad's rule. russia intervened in 2015, turning the tide against 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 syrian and russian forces gained control after a gruelling siege. gained control after a gruelling siege. 2020, the last major offensive, 2020, the last major offensive, when syria and its russian when syria and its russian allies attacked idlib. 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 made a tactical retreat made a tactical retreat to prepare a counteroffensive. to prepare a counteroffensive. that is one reason the rebels that is one reason the rebels were able to advance were able to advance so quickly, reviving so quickly, reviving a simmering conflict at a time a simmering conflict at a time when the middle east when the middle east is in turmoil. is in turmoil. as for the president, as for the president, it's not clear where he is. it's not clear where he is. speaking yesterday from speaking yesterday from an undisclosed location, an undisclosed location, he vowed to defend syria's he vowed to defend syria's stability and territorial

stability and territorial the world is drowning and it is under discarded plastic. we can carry on if we are things will only get worse. at the moment united

nations estimates about 20 million tons of waste plastic ends up in our oceans and seas every year. and it's getting everywhere. tiny fragments, micro plastics have been found from the top of everest to the antarctic ice. and that's why negotiators have spent the last week in south korea trying to finalise a global treaty to tackle plastic pollution. the thorniest issue — whether the agreement should include cut and how much plastic we make. according to the united nations, that's 430 million tons a year. and on track to treble by 2016. —— 2060. just 9% of our plastic waste ends up recycled with most of it heading to landfill or being burned. it is not hard to

see why many of those at the tour insist turning off the tap of plastic production has to be the starting point for any treaty. mopping the floor when the tap is open is useless. we love plastic itself sell cars and planes to be lighter but we got to get rid of the polluting plastic that is basically choking the oceans and ruining our health. but choking the oceans and ruining our health. �* ., , ., ., , health. but not everyone agrees - most plastics _ health. but not everyone agrees - most plastics are _ health. but not everyone agrees - most plastics are made _ health. but not everyone agrees - most plastics are made from - health. but not everyone agrees - | most plastics are made from fossil fuels. and a group of oil producing countries have been blocking efforts to put cutting production in the agreements. with activists bearing a compromise and a weak treaty, it may be that a line is drawn in the sand. and in what would be a rare move for you in talks, a tougher treaty is put to a vote. you in talks, a tougher treaty is put to a vote-— you in talks, a tougher treaty is put to a vote. you in talks, a tougher treaty is ut to a vote. , ., ., ., put to a vote. there is more than a hundred countries _

put to a vote. there is more than a hundred countries including - put to a vote. there is more than a hundred countries including some l hundred countries including some that are tremendously important plastic producers that are ready to take the actions that are required. what would be meaningless as if we do a fake agreement built on the lie that we can recycle our way out of this crisis. the science is clear we need to step up and it will be up to political leadership as to whether we get a good deal or a bad deal. will this be the day the world finally gets serious about its damaging addiction to plastic. jonah fisher, bbc news. some victims of the infected blood scandal have been told interim compensation payments of £100,000 due to be made before christmas have been put on hold. it is thought at least 10 families have received letters saying applications approved this month cannot move forward until they submit new paperwork. the cabinet office minister, nick thomas—symonds, said civil servants have been told to work as quickly as possible to make payments. large—scale anti—government protests have continued in georgia as a political crisis in the country deepens.

there have been days of demonstrations in the capital, tbilisi, with some protesters tear gassed and beaten up. 0ur russia editor, steve rosenberg, has this report. 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 here 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, 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've 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 now, she's refusing to step down, dubbing the government illegitimate. do you fear for your safety? i mean, do you think you could be arrested? i think that i'm defended by the people that are out there 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. georgia's government blames what it calls violent protests on european politicians and local agents. 0n the streets, they say they're fighting for georgia's future. and the battles are daily now. police have once again used water cannon and tear gas to disperse the protesters. steve rosenberg, bbc news, tbilisi. counting is set to resume in ireland's general election later. the results so far indicate a tight race between the country's three largest political parties, but there could still be a long wait for the full results. catrina perry is in dublin. catrina, what's the state of play at the moment? any indication of when a picture of the results might start to appear? no is the short answer to that. 41 c of the 174 seats in the new parliament have been assigned based

on the counting yesterday. the pace of counting will pick up now we have moved into second and third and fourth preference votes and many of the constituencies. we will have a better idea by late tonight and early tomorrow morning. it is a tight race as you say between the three bigger parties there but it looks like one of the current government parties will have the most seats, it won't have enough seats to form a government on its own so most likely to have the three current government parties will seek to form a coalition themselves with some of the smaller parties with some of the smaller parties with some independent candidates. 0n the other hand sinn fein the other third biggest party that has been an opposition we spoke to the leader mary lou mcdonald last night she said she is intending to try to put a coalition government together with the smaller, left—leaning parties. with her party of government at the moment the green party looks like being totally wiped out. it will be a long way before we have a

government, while we might have all the seats by tomorrow morning the view is there will not be a government in place until christmas. a way to go yet. government in place until christmas. a way to 90 yet-— a way to go yet. rest up your voice and we will — a way to go yet. rest up your voice and we will speak— a way to go yet. rest up your voice and we will speak to _ a way to go yet. rest up your voice and we will speak to you _ a way to go yet. rest up your voice and we will speak to you later. - and there will be special coverage of the election results on bbc one northern ireland from 10am. the princess of wales will deliver a christmas message about the importance of �*love in the darkest of times' at her annual carol service at westminster abbey this week. among those invited are the families of the children killed in the southport attack injuly. catherine is returning to public duties after being treated for cancer. simonjones reports. it has become an annual tradition. the princess of wales's christmas carol service stop much has changed for catherine over the past year. in march she revealed she had been diagnosed with cancer and has now completed a course of chemotherapy and is returning to work. a chance

to take stock of the importance of loved ones especially during difficult times. in a letter written to the 1600 people who will attend friday's together at christmas service, catherine delivers a personal message. she says that we must all shine for each other because in times ofjoy and sadness we are all each other�*s light. love is the light that can shine bright evenin is the light that can shine bright even in our darkest times. on social media the prince and princess of wales posted pictures of the invitations for the service being printed in the traditional way. catherine's letter to the congregation will appear in the order of service. the olympic cycling champion sir chris hoy, who has terminal prostate cancer, will light a candle as will lindsey borrow, the wife of the former rugby league star and motor neuron style campaigner who died league star and motor neuron style campaignerwho died in league star and motor neuron style campaigner who died injune. league star and motor neuron style campaignerwho died injune. her first official engagement was a visit to southport to visit the bereaved families of three children killed in a knife attack. those families have been invited to the service. kensington palace is

christmas a chance to mark the many people have work to support those in need. here's sarah with a look at the weather. that is a glorious sunrise. good morning to you both and good morning to you at home. this is the sunset from last night, not quite up yet but i will get you sunrise in the next hour or so. this morning as december one, the start of winter, meteorological speaking, but not filling wintry out there today. while for this time of year once again and a bit of rain in the forecast as well. it will not rain all day. we have a weather front that a slow—moving pushing its way from west to east so we will see a bit of rain at some point followed by clear skies from the west and a few showers as well stop a breezy day for some of us especially towards the north. there is the rain crossing through central parts of england and it will sit across east

anglia and a south—east as well. for the rest of us we look at a turn for sunny skies pursue sharp showers coming in on the breeze from the west. coming in o