sparking a major backlash. millions of us use wearable technology to track exercise regimes and sleep, but doctors say they are conscious, cautious of how useful that data is. syria's president assad has blamed the us and other western countries for a rebel offensive that has reignited the civil war. the rebels seized aleppo, the country's second largest city, in a surprise attack last week. government troops now say they're preparing a counter—offensive and have welcomed support from iran and russia in the fight against the rebels. syria's military says air strikes by russian and syrian warplanes have killed hundreds of rebels in the past day, but it's reported that many ordinary people have

been caught in the the surprise offensive by opposition forces, which began on wednesday, marks the most significant fighting in syria's civil war in recent years. with me is our international editor, jeremy bowen. as promised, he is here with me in the studio. welcome to the programme. start off by giving us your explanation as to why this has exploded now. to start within the _ this has exploded now. to start within the words _ this has exploded now. to start within the words of— this has exploded now. to start within the words of a _ this has exploded now. to start within the words of a senior - within the words of a senior diplomat i spoke to, he said this is astonishing, what has happened. it only started last wednesday that they went on the offensive. within two days, they have taken aleppo. in the course of but four years of fighting ten years ago, aleppo was cut in half and neither side could take it. that is a sign of the way in which the regime's troops collapsed. i think what is going on is another result of the way in which, if you like, the kaleidoscope in the middle east was shaken in a very deadly way

by the hamas attacks on israel in october last year. since then, everything has been churning and changing, and one action somewhere affects the situation somewhere else, and in this case, what has happened is the attacks, the successful attacks that have been made, very important allies to assure al—assad has made them think that their enemies can do something, because his big friends have biggerfish to something, because his big friends have bigger fish to fry somewhere else. it friends have bigger fish to fry somewhere else.— friends have bigger fish to fry somewhere else. it has thrown into the next _ somewhere else. it has thrown into the next rush _ somewhere else. it has thrown into the next rush i _ somewhere else. it has thrown into the next rush i was - into the next rush i was totally distracted militarily with ukraine, and you can see that kaleidoscope, exactly as you described it. he talked about the extraordinary last few days. for viewers watching around the world, the rebels, they are led by a group called hts. tell people more about them. , . _ ., ., .,

them. they are led by a man who has a long _ them. they are led by a man who has a long history _ them. they are led by a man who has a long history as _ them. they are led by a man who has a long history as a _ them. they are led by a man who has a long history as a radical- has a long history as a radical jihadist leader until 2016 when he broke with al-anda, and has been trying to reorientate that particular group, the one he is head off, hts, as it is known. to make it less overtly jihadist in its outlook. he is an islamist, he wants to have religious law in syria, but he says he is just religious law in syria, but he says he isjust thinking religious law in syria, but he says he is just thinking about syria, he is not an internationaljihadist syria, he is not an international jihadist who wants to somehow recreate the caliphate that islamic state managed to start doing in syria and iraq, resulting in a massive and bloody war. that is the sort of man that abu mohammed al—jawlani is. he is heading an alliance, a very split up situation of rebel groups, and they have found, as far as the syrian army, assad's

forces go, an open door. i want to ut a forces go, an open door. i want to put a map — forces go, an open door. i want to put a map of _ forces go, an open door. i want to put a map of the _ forces go, an open door. i want to put a map of the reactor - to put a map of the reactor lets you will see some of the geography, because if you throw into the mix the north—east kurdish groups, the significance of that, you don't need to reference too much of the map, but those kurdish groups, why they important? if you look at the map, there is not a great deal of territory between aleppo and the turkish border. that's the first thing. the political situation in northern syria is very splintered. the turks control part of the ground with their own malicious. there is also another kurdish militia which the american support, which the turks absolutely are against, and the control section of ground as well. there are even, in different parts of syria, remnants of islamic state, sleeper cells, and sometimes in the desert you read about them setting up a checkpoint, topping a military bus, killing

everybody on board. that kind of thing still goes on as well. it is a really broken up picture there.- it is a really broken up icture there. 1, . ~ ., , ., picture there. back to basics, how close _ picture there. back to basics, how close is _ picture there. back to basics, how close is the _ picture there. back to basics, how close is the assad - picture there. back to basics, | how close is the assad regime to actually following here —— following here, is that realistic as might be, because i had a lot of time between 2012 and 2018, the last time i got these are to go to the that make the _ got these are to go to the that make the last _ got these are to go to the that make the last time _ got these are to go to the that make the last time i _ got these are to go to the ii�*ué�*ii make the last time i got a visa to go to the region, and assad went through a period then where a lot of people thought he was about to go. i would be cautious about it. in the end, he will get organised. he is very ruthless, it doesn't matter who he kills, and iran might help them and russia might help them and russia might help. i think hezbollah are out of it for the time being. are out of it for the time beinu. ~ ., ., are out of it for the time beinu. ~ . ., ., being. we had a line from the kremlin around _ being. we had a line from the kremlin around exactly - being. we had a line from the kremlin around exactly that i being. we had a line from the| kremlin around exactly that in the last hour or so. if you was to fall, take me through the ramifications. even if he doesn't, the major ramifications through a set of

what we have seen? if ramifications through a set of what we have seen?- ramifications through a set of what we have seen? if he did, a big renewed _ what we have seen? if he did, a big renewed civil _ what we have seen? if he did, a big renewed civil war, _ big renewed civil war, undoubtedly. a lot of different groups turning on each other. when islamic state were pushing to go for them, un officials feared that the islamic state people actually wanted to commit genocide against the community, some massive chaos, bloodshed, if you went, if he stays, possibly also chaos and bloodshed. stays, possibly also chaos and bloodshed-— stays, possibly also chaos and bloodshed. either way, do you think there — bloodshed. either way, do you think there is _ bloodshed. either way, do you think there is a _ bloodshed. either way, do you think there is a significant - think there is a significant chance of a major refugee crisis emerging from what we see? ,,. , see? sadly, whenever fighting itself, civilians _ see? sadly, whenever fighting itself, civilians who _ see? sadly, whenever fighting itself, civilians who have - see? sadly, whenever fighting itself, civilians who have had l itself, civilians who have had a long experience of these situations want to get out of the way, and that means crossing a border.- the way, and that means crossing a border. thank you for taking — crossing a border. thank you for taking us _ crossing a border. thank you for taking us through - crossing a border. thank you for taking us through all - crossing a border. thank you for taking us through all the | for taking us through all the key planks for that story as it continues to emerge over recent days.

masterchef presenter gregg wallace has apologised for suggesting allegations against him came from "a handful of middle—class women of a certain age". it comes as there's increasing pressure on the bbc to pull the programme from its schedules. in the last hour, mr wallace posted a video on instagram saying he was not in a good head space when he spoke out yesterday. have a look. i want to apologise for any offence i caused with my post yesterday and any upset i may have caused to people. have caused to a lot of people. i wasn't in a good headspace when i posted it. i have been under a huge amount of stress, a lot of emotion, i felt very alone and under siege when i posted it. it is obvious to me that i need to take some time out now this investigation is under way. i hope you understand and i do hope that you will accept this apology.

that follows an extraordinary weekend of headlines on the story — noor nanji has more on the last 48 hours it is one of the bbc�*s most loved programmes but will it be on tonight? but will it be on tonight? masterchef presenter masterchef presenter gregg wallace has been under gregg wallace has been under pressure after bbc news pressure after bbc news revealed a string of revealed a string of misconduct allegations misconduct allegations against him which he denies. against him which he denies. today, the bbc is facing today, the bbc is facing calls to pause the show calls to pause the show while he is investigated. while he is investigated. there is an argument there is an argument for pausing while this for pausing while this investigation investigation takes its course and maybe not takes its course and maybe not airing it tonight. airing it tonight. i mean, it could be massive i mean, it could be massive the triggering for the women the triggering for the women involved, in fact any women involved, in fact any women involved in any type involved in any type of similar incident. of similar incident. i know you are saying i know you are saying that he has stopped presenting, that he has stopped presenting, but to the casual viewer, but to the casual viewer, there is not going to be any there is not going to be any difference — if it's on tv difference — if it's on tv

tonight, it looks like he got tonight, it looks like he got away with it. away with it. the bbc news investigation heard from 13 people across a range of ages who worked across five different shows. the allegations began in 2005 with a crewmember saying wallace said sexually explicit things on set.

working with gregg was tricky. he was constantly making sexually inappropriate jokes and comments. his behaviour was unacceptable in any kind of workplace. what do you make of this video? i was mortified when i saw it this morning. it is so dismissive of the people that have come forward, especially the younger girls, and about their experiences. i don't know what class and age have to do with it. gregg wallace remains one of the most recognisable faces on tv. and for now, he is still on our screens, with the remaining episodes of this season's masterchef still due to go out. noor nanji, bbc news. boots these owners but as with

me. we have had comments today from all editions, from number ten downing street,...- ten downing street, . .. what he's apologising _ ten downing street, . .. what he's apologising for- ten downing street, . .. what he's apologising for is - ten downing street, . .. what he's apologising for is his - he's apologising for is his choice of language from when he defended himself at the weekend. the phrase that everybody has picked up on is that this came from a handful of middle—class women of a certain age, and people have attacked that as being defensive, misogynistic, and as you say, 10 downing street, the prime minister official�*s spokesperson said clearly the comments we have seen from the individual over the weekend were completely inappropriate and misogynistic. the broadcasting union put out a statement saying that misogyny, intimidation, ageism, and sexual harassment should have no place in modern workplaces. as you say, this is him apologising for his choice of language at the weekend. as for the original allegations, he absolutely denies those, and he says he is now waiting for the investigation to play out. in

terms of what was said in that report, herfinal line terms of what was said in that report, her final line about that the bbc is under pressure to pull the programme, as one is due to be broadcast tonight, there will also be a christmas special and the remainder of the episodes that have already been recorded, what is the bbc�*s current position on that? the current position appears to be there are still in the schedule. as you say, masterchef the professionals is due to go out tonight, to other additions later in the week. those programmes are already available to viewers in the uk and on iplayer, and they are still in the schedule at the moment. christmas is a bit further off, so no doubt the bbc are still mulling though is over, but they have a bit more time to play with. as you say, there has been pressure from there has been pressure from the world of politics. mp rupert hoc who speaks for the culture and sport select committee has said the abuse he should at least consider pulling those episodes because

she says they may be triggering for people who have made accusations against gregg wallace, accusations which he has denied, and his lawyers say it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature. aha, sexually harassing nature. a couple of sentences, is there any indication of how long this investigation will take?- investigation will take? non-. we don't know— investigation will take? non-. we don't know if— investigation will take? non-. we don't know if the - investigation will take? non-. we don't know if the results i we don't know if the results will be made public. these things tend to take another longer than people expect. i would say, speculatively, .25 of the priory earliest. —— 2025 at the very earliest.

there's a political storm in the united states, over president biden's controversial decision, to pardon his son, hunter biden, who had been facing years in prison over firearms offences and tax violations.

president biden claimed his son had been convicted of charges that were politically motivated, but president—elect donald trump said the pardon was an abuse and a miscarriage ofjustice, and one republican congressman called it a �*brazen display of nepotism'. alison freeman has the latest. it was an unexpected announcement from the us president. last nightjoe biden issued an official pardon for his son hunter who was waiting to be sentenced over two criminal cases despite having repeatedly said before that it would not happen. i am satisfied that are not going to do anything i said i would abide by thejury decision, i will do that and i will not pardon him. this apparent about turn has raised eyebrows. what's notable is this is an action that the white house have repeatedly said over the course of many weeks that the president did not intend to take.

president—elect donald trump was quick to react. he asked if the pardon would apply to his supporters who stormed the us capitol on the 6th of january 2021, describing it as an abuse and a miscarriage ofjustice. hunter's addiction issues have been well documented. he started drinking as a teenager, acknowledged abusing cocaine as a college student and has been in and out of rehab. in 2013 he signed up for the us navy reserve, but on his very first day he tested positive for cocaine and was discharged. it was reported that he drank excessively after the death of his older brother beau from brain cancer in 2015. and in 2018 he bought a handgun. prosecutors said he lied on the final publication by claiming he was not using drugs at the time. injune of this year, hunter biden became the first child of a sitting president to be convicted of a crime. he was found guilty of being an illegal drug use are in possession of a gun. he was found guilty of being

an illegal drug user in possession of a gun. in september he admitted tax charges. joe biden has yet to speak about the decision. in a statement he said his son had been singled out and called his case is a miscarriage ofjustice.s a miscarriage ofjustice. he also said he had wrestled with the decision to pardon his son and he hoped americans would understand and a president would come to this decision. alison freeman, bbc news. let's speak tojoe walsh, who is a former congressman and republican presidential candidate in 2020 and a vocal critic of donald trump. welcome to the programme again. your reaction to this part in? it is deflating, it is demoralising. it helps donald trump. look, donald trump, it is no surprise what i'm going to say, he is the most corrupt, lawless, dishonest person to ever serve in the white house.

whatjoe biden did yesterday helps trump, because it normalises trump. we have been screaming for months and a few years now that no one 1528 00:18:12,800