live from singapore, this is bbc news. president biden has pardoned his son hunter, and tax convictions. talks to join the eu. syria's president meets the iranian foreign minister that's taken large

parts of the country. welcome to newsday, i'm steve lai. presidentjoe biden has pardoned his son hunter ahead of his sentencing for firearms and tax offences. the president said his son had been selectively and unfairly prosecuted to try to break him and argued that raw politics had led to a miscarriage ofjustice. to interfere with thejustice department's decision—making, saying:

and adds: i'm joined now by seema mehta, i'm joined now by seema mehta, politics reporterfor politics reporterfor the la times. the la times. thank you forjoining me today thank you forjoining me today to talk about this. did the to talk about this. did the pardon a surprise? it pardon a surprise? it to talk about this. did the pardon a surprise?- pardon a surprise? it was surprising _ to talk about this. did the pardon a surprise?- pardon a surprise? it was surprising _ pardon a surprise? it was surprising but _ pardon a surprise? it was surprising but not - pardon a surprise? it was i surprising but not surprising pardon a surprise? it was surprising but _ pardon a surprise? it was surprising but not - pardon a surprise? it was i surprising but not surprising if that makes any sense, we if that makes any sense, we to this from both democrats know president biden loves his know president biden loves his son and has stood by him son and has stood by him through his many struggles. through his many struggles. there are a number of things there are a number of things that made it easier for him to that made it easier for him to do that including the president do that including the president not seeking re—election not seeking re—election democrats not getting the white democrats not getting the white house, if he had sought house, if he had sought re—election and one and kamala re—election and one and kamala harris had one her presidential harris had one her presidential campaign i question if this campaign i question if this would have been happening right would have been happening right now. , now. ,

would have been happening right now. u ., would have been happening right now. u ., now. those circumstances now. those circumstances aside- - - — aside- - - — when a president pardons when a president pardons his son, there will be his son, there will be accusations of nepotism. accusations of nepotism. what's been the reaction what's been the reaction to this from both democrats republicans? it is just starting to spell out with thanksgiving weekend being a couple of weeks ago, there was a holiday new strap, there was a holiday new strap, the reactions are coming out and predictable but we have seen the presidents of both parties use their powers in this way for many years, donald trump as well, given how polarised the nation is there are politicians on both sides of the aisle that will seize upon this. does this set an uncomfortable or awkward precedent for the us and its premise that it's a nation of laws? watching from outside does present a rather awkward scenario? i present a rather awkward scenario?—

scenario? i would argue strangely _ scenario? i would argue strangely president - scenario? i would argue i strangely president biden scenario? i would argue - strangely president biden and former president trump are making some of the same argument with ourjustice system in different ways but both former

comes at a time as the former president trump and president elect is naming his appointees including robert f kennedy junior who was arrested over heroin and other things back in the day although social media didn't exist back in the day a lot of american families have people and their families who have struggled with addiction. it is something people can sort of relate to. probably it can —— of candidate aligns with their political views. with the opec crisis this is not something that hasn't touched the lives of many families. —— opiate. the lives of many families. -- oiate. ., . , the lives of many families. -- oiate. ., ., ., opiate. politics reporter for the los angeles _ opiate. politics reporter for the los angeles times. - opiate. politics reporter for i the los angeles times. thank you. the los angeles times. thank ou. ., ~' the los angeles times. thank ou. ., ~ , ., y the los angeles times. thank ou. ., ~' , ., , . thousands of protesters are on the streets of georgia for a fourth night, in response to the government suspending talks tojoin

the european union. these are the live pictures from the capital tblisi where demonstrators are outside parliament. many of them have been chanting and holding georgian flags. throughout the night, we have seen some protesters throwing fireworks towards police officers crouching behind shields. the latest protests come after georgia's prime minister seemed to contradict the very comments that sparked this week's demonstrations. he denied that his government is suspending moves to join the european union. our russia editor steve rosenberg is in tbilisi and spoke to the prime minister. he sent this report. fireworks explode. in tbilisi, now, every night is fireworks night. a fourth night of protests outside parliament, while inside, police try to keep protesters at bay. a brolly helps at moments like these. so the police right now are firing streams of water from inside the parliament, and going the other way, fireworks hurled by the protesters.

it is the most surreal stand—off. the crowds are huge. so is the disappointment that the government here has frozen accession talks with the eu. but people are still hoping. every single day, there is more and more people coming. and it gives me hope that this government will finally go away. no sign of that. earlier, the head of the government praised the police and condemned the protests. many of the protesters have said to me that by suspending until the end of 2028 georgia's bid tojoin the european union, you have stolen, your government has stolen their european dream, their european future. people feel betrayed. can you understand that? the response is very clear. so, we have not suspended anything related to the european integration. it'sjust a lie. and there are the opposition leaders, there are the media outlets linked

with the opposition, who are just lying to these people. you suspended this until 2028. no, it's not true, it's not true. really? here's what he said three days ago. translation: today, we have decided i not to put the issue of opening negotiations with the european union on the agenda until the end of 2028. we also refuse any budgetary grants from the european union until the end of 2028. it was that announcement that sparked the protests and violence. here, a makeshift firework gun fires at police, while police officers have been accused of assaulting protesters. you must have seen videos of the brutal way in which the police have treated some of the protesters in the last few days. what is your reaction to that? an investigation will happen against this kind of incidents, but also, in this case, it's important to have a clear

position with regard to the violence from both sides. the protesters accuse the government of selling out to russia, which the authorities deny. neither side shows any sign of backing down. steve rosenberg, bbc news, tbilisi. i'm joined now by malkhaz toria georgian studies at harvard university. we have seen some striking images from the capital tbilisi about these protests are not restricted to the capital, what does that tell us?— does that tell us? thank you for having — does that tell us? thank you for having me, _ does that tell us? thank you for having me, this - does that tell us? thank you for having me, this is - does that tell us? thank you for having me, this is kind . does that tell us? thank you | for having me, this is kind of a point of no return the current protests really have escalated beyond the scope of previous demonstrations, you may have seen the protest

demonstrations in the spring, against the so—called foreign agent law called the russian law, which restricted civil society in georgia but now we are having more nationwide resistance. which is fuelled by collective rejection of the ruling georgian dream parties not only perceived by already documented, well articulated retreat from the western aspiration, and democratic backsliding, just to give some description of the historical context of what it is so important for georgian people. since independence george's nationbuilding project was enshrined in the promise of modernisation and distancing

from the soviet past. and this trajectory became more political identity, political memory if you would like to say so, kind of established the consensus georgia's european and western aspiration. but now we have now profound fundamental shift from this promise. we followed the origin of democracy, the liberal terms i mentioned already the legal issues and the legal initiatives of the government, to kind of undermine the democracy, and undermine also the symbolic imagining of georgian society which was kind of aspiring towards the west and the old struggles georgia head. , , ., r'

and the old struggles georgia head. , , . ,, and the old struggles georgia head. , ., head. just ask you about the prime minister. _ head. just ask you about the prime minister. he - head. just ask you about the prime minister. he is - head. just ask you about the i prime minister. he is seemingly backtracking on his words about joining the eu?— joining the eu? yes, i mean so until now. _ joining the eu? yes, i mean so until now, the _ joining the eu? yes, i mean so until now, the georgian - until now, the georgian government never acknowledged they are abandoning the eu aspiration. this is of the rhetoric but there are a myriad of empirical facts which shows, now that this is not true. and this decision on suspending the eu accession negotiation, it is a clear manifestation of this recent tendency. so, i heard the last interview with the prime minister about they are not abandoning nothing, but political reality is dramatically different. so,

there are other signs like showing this tendency, like growing authoritarian tendency, warmer relations with moscow. we don't have diplomatic relationship with moscow as you are well aware of, discourse is increasingly permitting with this russian disinformation style propaganda against the western values. and all this has culminated by the decision a couple of days ago to suspend eu negotiation, accession to the eu. so...— eu negotiation, accession to the eu. so... the eu. 50... inaudible. we will the eu. so... inaudible. we will have — the eu. so... inaudible. we will have to — the eu. so... inaudible. we will have to leave _ the eu. so... inaudible. we will have to leave it _ the eu. so... inaudible. we will have to leave it there i will have to leave it there thank you for giving us that context and helping us to understand what is happening in georgia a lot better. malkhaz toria georgian studies at harvard university. around the world

and across the uk. this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news in the uk. more allegations have been made about inappropriate behaviour by the masterchef presenter gregg wallace. it comes after he hit out in a statement on social media, saying claims about him have been made by "a handful of middle—class women of a certain age". his lawyers previously said the allegations are false. 13 women have complained about him to a bbc news investigation. figures show more than 20,000 migrants have arrived in the uk by crossing the channel in small boats since sir keir starmer became prime minister. he said ministers had inherited an utter mess in the home office. it comes after the pm announced a major overhaul of the immigration system and accused the conservatives of running "a one—nation experiment in open borders". former world snooker champion terry griffiths has died at age of 77, after a long battle with dementia. from south wales, he came through the qualifying rounds to win the 1979 crucible title as a qualifier, and also won the masters

and the uk championship to complete the sport's illustrious triple crown. you're live with bbc news. syria's president, bashar al—assad, is turning to his allies, iran and russia, for aid after opposition fighters took control of large parts of the country. on sunday, mr assad welcomed iran's foreign minister to the syrian capital, damascus. in his first public appearance since the rebels�* offensive began, the president welcomed iran's support. russia, mr assad's other major ally, is carrying out intensive airstrikes on opposition forces: this is the aftermath of a strike on the rebel—held city of idlib. the syrian defence ministry said dozens of rival fighters had been killed. monitors say civilian casualties have also been reported, including in aleppo, which has fallen to the rebels. the syrian army says it's preparing a counteroffensive. barbara plett usher has more, and a warning — her report contains images of

children in distress. they are alive. rescued from the wreckage moments after the bombs struck. footage posted by the syrian civil defence group, the white helmets, shows the aftermath of an attack on the rebel stronghold of idlib, southwest of aleppo. the regime is fighting back. thousands of people had been displaced, fleeing aleppo and areas around idlib. their lives certainly upended by this escalation in syria's civil war. translation: we are - following the news and god willing the regime will fall. we count night and day to return as the kids are tired and shocked. we left and came here in our clothes and nothing else. the speedy capture of aleppo took everyone by surprise, a devastating blow to the regime. the rebels continued theiradvance, but here the city is coming

to terms with a new normal. early signs that daily life goes on as before. and for those driven out by previous battles, chance to return. translation: i returned to aleppo after it was liberated, after we were driven out, i came back to experience thisjoy, to witness its greatness, its old neighbourhoods cleaned up after being desecrated by the assad regime and the collaborators. it isn't clear if the insurgents can hold on to the territory captured, but they have exposed the weakness of bashar al—assad's rule and his dependence on foreign powers to prop it up. russia and iran are trying to bring the situation back under control, but consumed by their own conflicts. the front lines of syria's civil war have been redrawn and nobody knows what comes next. i'm joined now by mattew sussex.

from the strategic defence centre at the australian national university. how do you excess the current situation including the success of bashar al—assad's regime? it including the success of bashar al-assad's regime?— including the success of bashar al-assad's regime? it has taken us b a al-assad's regime? it has taken us by a significant _ al-assad's regime? it has taken us by a significant amount i al-assad's regime? it has taken us by a significant amount of. us by a significant amount of surprise the conflict had been more or less frozen for three orfour years, more or less frozen for three orfouryears, and more or less frozen for three orfour years, and the or four years, and the swiftness orfour years, and the swiftness with which the rebel alliance has managed to capture aleppo is something that would certainly have bashar al—assad pause as well as his military and given he has had to rely on and given he has had to rely on a rainy and support, and russian airpower, in the past, and both those countries now have their own problems they have their own problems they have to deal with. it might be quite difficult for assad to be able to roll back and dislodge this new incursion outside of idlib province.— idlib province. how

co-ordinated i idlib province. how co-ordinated are i idlib province. howl co-ordinated are the idlib province. how - co-ordinated are the rebel co—ordinated are the rebel forces that are now taking the fight to assad? it forces that are now taking the fight to assad?— fight to assad? it seems they are fairly well _ fight to assad? it seems they are fairly well co-ordinated, i fight to assad? it seems they | are fairly well co-ordinated, a are fairly well co—ordinated, a variety of different groups taking part, some of them are secular, supported mainly by turkiye. others are offshoots of radical islamist �*s, including the old al-qaeda formation. it seems to me they are working together relatively cohesively. and i think that has always been a problem for assad, in that a union of the hostile forces ranged against him, is something is constant he tried to avoid, and certainly actively used his proxies to try and prevent stop you mentioned turkiye. fiend proxies to try and prevent stop you mentioned turkiye. and the fact the rebel _ you mentioned turkiye. and the fact the rebel groups _ you mentioned turkiye. and the fact the rebel groups there i you mentioned turkiye. and the fact the rebel groups there are i fact the rebel groups there are a number of them they seem to be working in a co—ordinated manner. where are they getting their backing from, military equipment and the like? some of

it of course _ equipment and the like? some of it of course they _ equipment and the like? some of it of course they have _ equipment and the like? some of it of course they have taken i it of course they have taken from the syrian armed forces, given they have been in control of idlib for a number of years now. also by managing to seize aleppo, they have taken control of a couple of army bases, which has provided them with doubtless small arms ammunition, but in addition to that also some helicopters as well. of course, doesn't mean assad still controls the air, given that you can't use helicopters to shoot down jet planes, fighters but it does give them an aerial capability that previously they had not had. so this is in fact quite significant in terms of their ability to inflict damage on the syrian armed forces. you mentioned — the syrian armed forces. you mentioned iran _ the syrian armed forces. you mentioned iran and _ the syrian armed forces. you mentioned iran and russia, the backers of assad, given they have other conflicts they had to deal with as well, how do

you see this playing out? it’s you see this playing out? it's a ve you see this playing out? it�*s a very interesting question is to how much support both iran and russia are able to provide. i think on the russian side at least, an awful lot of its combat power is tied up for in ukraine in continuing to prosecute that. in fact the russian armed forces have been attempting to throw everything attempting to throw everything at their offensive in ukraine in order to keep moving forward. first of all, before the winter and second before the winter and second before the inauguration of donald trump to maximise their territorial games there. so if the ask from assad is in fact more than simply the airpower that russia has there in existence already, moscow is going to perhaps struggle to be able to provide it. especially if it takes the form of things like ground truth, and you would think that with this rebel formation, alliance

group, in charge of a really large city now, airpower alone is not going to be sufficient. they are going to have to use significant ground forces in order to dislodge them. thank you very much for your thoughts. matthew sussex from the australian national university in canberra. meanwhile. the un agency for palestinian refugees says it's halting aid deliveries through kerem shalom, the main crossing between israel and gaza. the head of unrwa, philippe lazzarini, said the decision had been taken because two convoys had recently been held up by armed gangs. he added that obstacles by israeli authorities and israel's ongoing siege are also making humanitarian operations impossible. israel says only a small amount of aid into gaza last month was coordinated by unrwa, under a law passed by the israeli parliament in october, israel's civil servants must cut contact with the organisation in less than a month's time. after two years of discussions,

attempts to secure the world's first—ever global treaty to limit plastic production in an effort to stop it polluting the planet, have collapsed in south korea. the world currently makes far more plastic than it can recycle, with much of it ending up in the oceans. it comes two years after countries agreed that a global treaty was needed to tackle the issue of plastic pollution, our environment correspondent jonah fisher has more. this was supposed to be the moment the world came together to tackle its addiction to plastic. but after two years of talks, the last week of it in south korea, there was no sign of a global plastics treaty. a few critical issues still prevent us from reaching a comprehensive agreement. the key one, whether we need to reduce the amount of plastic we make. this year, the world made 430 million tonnes of plastic and that figure could triple by 2060.

just 9% of it ends up being recycled, with the rest going to landfill, being burnt or dumped at sea. plastic is mostly made from fossil fuels and at the talks it was oil—producing countries who blocked any attempt to put cutting production in the treaty. there should be no problem with producing plastics, because the problem is the pollution, not the plastics. attempting to phase out plastic and material rather than addressing the issue of plastic pollution risks undermining the global— pollution risks undermining the global progress and exacerbating economic inequality. those who wanted action were left wondering if there was time to move ahead without the oil producers. high ambition countries need to step up and prevent a minority of groups from holding the rest of the world hostage from achieving the type of agreement that we

all know we need to. the only way to end plastic pollution is to reduce plastic production. this could have been a turning point for plastic pollution. it is nowjust another missed opportunity. jonah fisher, bbc news. thank you for your company on newsday. back in a few moments for business today. see you again soon. hello. meteorologically speaking, sunday was the first day of winter. now, there were a number of showers around, but it was a pretty mild day. indeed, across wales, we had temperatures of 15.4 celsius recorded at both hawarden, in flintshire, and also in cardiff — those temperatures way above the december average. and those mild weather conditions were brought to us by these southwesterly winds, which are still across a good part of the country. however, look at this band of rain sinking south across scotland.

behind that, we start to see the winds turn more to a northerly direction — and it's those northerly winds that, through monday, will push this zone of colder air southwards. so, it will feel much colder as we go through the day, across northern areas in particular. so, the rain starts today — southern scotland, pushes southwards across northern england, reaches north wales and the midlands through the afternoon. brighter conditions follow, but it will be gusty around irish sea and north sea coasts, gusts of around 40—50mph. temperatures in england and wales about 8—11 celsius, so still relatively mild. through the afternoon, it turns colder for scotland and northern ireland — temperatures here around 4—6 celsius. and then, that cold air surges southwards — monday night, a much colder night than we've been used to, with a widespread frost. so, a frosty and cold start to your day on tuesday, but with plenty of sunshine for most areas. however, band of rain is going to move in off the atlantic, so it turns wet in northern ireland, and eventually, the rain reaches western scotland, as well.

temperatures really struggle — 4—7 celsius — it will be a chilly day on tuesday for most. then tuesday night, the rain starts to turn to snow — and that's especially the case in scotland, and especially for eastern areas, we could have some accumulations of snow, potentially bringing some localised disruption. but ultimately, the snow will turn back to rain, as milder air works its way in. and, as we head through wednesday, that milder weather pushes in from the west, we'll have a lot of low cloud, some mist and fog. quite a murky—looking day, perhaps turning a bit brighter as we head into the afternoon for some. but it's another day with struggling temperatures, particularly for central and eastern areas. starts to turn a bit milder in the west. and then, thursday and friday, areas of low pressure on the way could bring some very strong gusts of wind, but certainly will be bringing some pretty wet weather our way.

executive of global auto giant are still a dozen immediate effect. and the challenging time for australia's live music industry. more on what has been going wrong. hello and a warm welcome to business today. let's begin with the auto sector and the

shock resignation of carlos tavares, the ceo of the lantus. the car drive has been facing declining sales causing its shares to lose around 40% of their value this year. for more on this, let's cross to our reporter. tell us how significant this development is. carlos tava res is carlos tavares is known as one of the most respected executives in the auto industries, so this is news he would step down and with immediate effect seems very significant. and they very abrupt exit as well. still lantus is a massive auto company and has some of the world's most well—known brands under its banner. jeep, fiat, peugeot, chrysler to name a few. 14 in total. so he was seen as one of the most powerful people in the global motor industry. stellantis says that different views have emerged in recent weeks among major shareholders, the board

and mr tavares, resulting in a ceo's resignation. some clues there perhaps. do we