and millions of us use wearable technology to track exercise and sleep routines, but doctors say they are cautious about how useful that kind of technology actually is. hello, i'm matthew amroliwala. let's start with the breaking development over the last 15 minutes. the bbc has confirmed that to make�*s episode of masterchef will still be shown, despite the pressure to pull the programme from its schedules after multiple allegations against presenter gregg wallace. a bbc source said masterchef is life changing for the chefs that take part, and the show is about more than one individual.

earlier, mr wallace apologised for suggesting allegations against him came from "a handful of middle—class women of a certain age". he posted a video on instagram saying he was not in a good head space when he spoke out yesterday. i want to apologise for any offence i caused with my post yesterday and any upset i may 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 yesterday 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? masterchef presenter gregg wallace has been under pressure after bbc news

revealed a string of misconduct allegations against him, which he denies. today, the bbc is facing calls to pause the show while he is investigated. there is an argument for pausing while this investigation takes its course and maybe not airing it tonight. i mean, it could be massive the triggering for the women involved, in fact any women involved in any type of similar incident. i know you are saying that he has stopped presenting, but to the casual viewer, there is not going to be any difference — if it's on tv tonight, it looks like he got 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. in 2011's celebrity masterchef, kirsty wark said wallace used sexualised language.

on impossible celebrities in 2018, two workers raised a formal complaint about his behaviour. next year, a woman working at channel 5 show set was asked how she had sex as a lesbian. then two women said he came out topless in front of them. another woman working on masterchef says wallace stared at her chest and asked for a massage. i can see coming from a handful of middle—class women of a certain age. on sunday, gregg wallace posted this video hitting back at his critics. this isn't right. the video has prompted an angry backlash. we spoke to gemma, not her real name, who worked on a show with wallace. she says he made her and her colleagues feel uneasy. 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. of course, since that report, we have had the answer about certainly one of those episodes. that is to make�*s episodes. that is to make�*s episodes. let's get more on that. we know now that to make�*s episode will be broadcast, but a number have been filmed, a christmas special as well. any word of those? ., �* ., , .,

those? no, we've only had confirmation _ those? no, we've only had confirmation that - those? no, we've only had confirmation that an - those? no, we've only had| confirmation that an eight's episodes will go out. this is masterchef: the professionals, the series that is currently airing. there are two further episodes to go out this week. all three of the episodes are already on the bbc iplayer, people in the uk can already watch it, so although the bbc have confirmed tonight's will go out, i have a feeling that the other two will probably go out as well, because they are already on iplayer. then, as you mention, there is a christmas special scheduled for later this month. this was only released in a press release by the bbc about its christmas programming on friday. they said in that press release that viewers could expect fireworks, great christmas banter and good food. no word on what will happen, but being christmas, there is a few weeks before the bbc has to make that decision. there has been pressure on the bbc to pull these programmes. you mentioned rupa hoch, the mp, talking about how it might be triggering for some of the

women who have made the complaints, but the bbc have made the point that masterchef itself is life changing for the chefs that take part, and there is a huge process where hundreds of chefs want to take part in this programme, and therefore the bbc see this show is more than just about one individual, gregg wallace. just individual, gregg wallace. just in the peace — individual, gregg wallace. just in the peace we _ individual, gregg wallace. just in the peace we were watching there, a number of allegations against gregg wallace for a number of years and a number of programmes, but it begs the question about how the bbc deals with complaints like this. �* , ., this. absolutely, there are questions _ this. absolutely, there are questions for _ this. absolutely, there are questions for the - this. absolutely, there are questions for the bbc. - this. absolutely, there are. questions for the bbc. even this. absolutely, there are - questions for the bbc. even the bbc admit that there were interventions in 2017 and 2018 when they say action was taken, but interestingly, one of the unions that represents a lot of their workers in the industry, bectu, the head of that union, fill childs, saying reports of the bbc investigating complaints about wallace and including that aspects of his

behaviour was unacceptable or deeply troubling. is it any wonder that film and tv freelancers, many worrying about the nextjob, and twice about the nextjob, and twice about sticking their head above the parapet? there is definitely, from the unions that represent these workers, questions about the bbc�*s hr processes. we should, of course, say that gregg wallace has denied behaviour of a sexually harassing nature, and he himself hasn't responded to any request from the bbc to have an interview.— any request from the bbc to have an interview. thank you for taking — have an interview. thank you for taking us _ have an interview. thank you for taking us through - have an interview. thank you for taking us through that. i 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 crossfire. the surprise offensive by opposition forces, which began on wednesday, marks the most significant fighting in syria's civil war in recent years. 0ur international editor jeremy bowen explained why the conflict in syria has suddenly exploded again now. in the words of one senior diplomat i spoke to, he said, look, this is astonishing what's look, this is astonishing, what's happened. this only started last wednesday. they went on the offensive, within two days, they'd taken aleppo. in the course of about four years of fighting

ten years ago, aleppo was cut in half and neither side could could take it. could take it. so that is a sign of the way in which the regime's troops collapsed. so, i mean, ithink 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 october last year. and since then, everything has been churning and changing. one thing, actions somewhere, affects a situation somewhere else. and in this case, what's happened, i think, is that the attacks, the successful attacks that israel has made against hezbollah and its allies, patron iran, who are very important allies of assad, have made assad's enemies think, "hang on a minute, "we've got a chance here. "we can do something," because his best friends have got bigger fish to fry somewhere else. yes, because throw into the mix that russia is totally distracted militarily with ukraine,

and you can see that kaleidoscope exactly as you describe it. you talked about the extraordinary last few days just for viewers watching around the world. the rebels are led by a group called hts. tell people more about them. well, they are led by a man called abu mohammad al—julani, called abu mohammad al—jawlani, who actually has a long history as a radicaljihadist leader, until2016, when he broke with al-qaeda. and he has been trying to re—orientate that particular group, the one he's head of, hts, as it's known, to make it less overtly jihadist in its outlook. what he says is he, you know, he's an islamist. he wants to have religious law in syria, but he says he's just thinking about syria. he's not an international jihadist who wants to somehow recreate the caliphate, that islamic state, of course, managed to start doing in syria and in iraq, resulting in, you know, a massive and bloody war. so that's the sort of man that he is. he's heading an alliance.

it's a very split up situation of rebel groups. and they have found as far as the syrian arab army, assad's forces are concerned that they're pushing on an open door. let's speak to rahaf aldoughli, lecturer in middle east and north african studies, lancaster university. how surprised if you mean by this offensive?— this offensive? i've been surprised _ this offensive? i've been surprised not _ this offensive? i've been surprised not only - this offensive? i've been surprised not only as - this offensive? i've been surprised not only as an | surprised not only as an academic, but given my researches on syrian rebel groups, i have heard about this operation for the last six months, that will happen soon, but to be honest, because these rebel groups are backed up militias by turkey, i have always thought that turkey has hindered these rebel groups from advancing to regime —controlled areas. i think the timing is very important here. as mentioned, i think turkey now has not orchestrated directly these operations, but it was taken, because there was certain, assad has kind of

plugged the initiative by turkey, and rebel groups led also by hts have taken that opportunity to retake aleppo. let's be quite significant here, even the rebel groups themselves were taken by surprise by the weakening of assad's regime forces, and the orderfor the regime forces assad's regime forces, and the order for the regime forces to withdraw. order for the regime forces to withdraw— withdraw. they are clearly weakened. _ withdraw. they are clearly weakened, the _ withdraw. they are clearly weakened, the assad - withdraw. they are clearly i weakened, the assad forces, withdraw. they are clearly - weakened, the assad forces, but how much is there a danger of the whole regime following? do you think there is a significant risk of that, or do you anticipate, with russian and iranian support again, they can push the rebels back? i think this iranian regime would have fallen into thousand and 14, have fallen into thousand and 1a, and if it was not for allies like iran, russia, supporting the regime in covering its airforce. covering its air force. however, i covering its airforce. however, i think the regime is

very much weakened, we are talking of a threat of a very authoritarian regime here. we're talking about security something led by nepotism and patrimonial us. it is not easy for that kind of regime to fall in a second like what happened in a second like what happened in aleppo, and we have to think about the geopolitical order here. like what has been rightly said before me about the timing, we have israel attacking iranian militias in syria for more than the last few years, specifically in the and few months after the 7th of october, and i think that was part... ithink october, and i think that was part... i think neither israel or russia wants the full overthrow of the regime, but certain weakening of the iranian militias and hezbollah forces was what they were hoping for. i think the current control of aleppo has taken all

of us by surprise, and i think what is really waiting for all of us to see over the next few weeks is to see how the government will go and how these rebel groups will be governing a large city such as aleppo. here is the challenge here. ~ ., ., , ., , here. we have to be that they are, but you're _ here. we have to be that they are, but you're absolutely - are, but you're absolutely right, a critical next few days and weeks. thanks for coming on the programme. around the world and across the uk, you are watching bbc news.

you are watching bbc news. france s government looks close to collapse after several of the main opposition parties said they would vote against the prime minister, michel barnier, in a motion of confidence. that vote has been triggered after he used parliamentary procedure to force through legislation on the budget

for social security — without allowing mps to vote on it. both the left—wing france unbowed party, and also the hard right national rally have said they will censure mr barnier. he was appointed by president macron to lead a minority government — the motion of confidence is expected to be held later this week. let's speak to our correspondent in paris, hugh schofield. indeed. it looks very likely that michel barnier will fall on wednesday, and that france will once again be without a prime minister, or at least a functioning one. he will properly remain as a caretaker prime ministerfor a properly remain as a caretaker prime minister for a while. properly remain as a caretaker prime ministerfor a while. we will be plunged back into the same crisis that we had in the beginning of this. the background is the election disastrously called by emmanuel macron back injuly after the european elections, which resulted in this split house three ways, in which none of the three blocks, the centre,

the three blocks, the centre, the left, and the populist right, could command a majority. the other two blocks would always unite against it. we have a government under a michel barnier which represents the centre, but it has always been there from the start, and it only takes a combination of the two other blocks to come together and bring him down. bring penn, who has backed down for all this time, and does not pushed her opposition into a kind of outright challenge is now saying she will do that, and the point of issue is this budget. michel barnier has spent the last few months, basically as all time in office, drawing up this budget. the bit that matters is the holding that looks like it will fall apart. ii holding that looks like it will fall a art. holding that looks like it will fall apart-— fall apart. if it goes exactly as ou fall apart. if it goes exactly as you have _ fall apart. if it goes exactly as you have described, - fall apart. if it goes exactly. as you have described, what happens next? we have a new prime minister foot forward, do we have new elections? what is the most likely cause of action. . . .

the most likely cause of action. , ., , , action. there is a big problem, which is that _ action. there is a big problem, which is that there _ action. there is a big problem, which is that there can - action. there is a big problem, which is that there can be - action. there is a big problem, which is that there can be no . which is that there can be no new election until nextjuly, little constitution says there has to be a year between votes. that is ruled out, and whatever happens will have the same kind of badly functioning upper chamber in the national assembly. what'll happen is probably that michel barnier will be asked by the president macron to stay in office simply to sign cheques and keep things going while he goes about the task, once again, trying to find a prime minister. if you remember find a prime minister. if y