issue a biden's decision to issue a presidential biden�*s decision to issue a presidential pardon to his son, hunter. lam i am helena lam helena humphrey, get iam helena humphrey, get heavy with us. in georgia, thousands of protesters in the capital tbilisi for a fifth night in a row. a warning that there may be some flashing images in the live pictures coming to us from georgian television. you can see protesters have been clashing with riot police, throwing fireworks at officers who have been shooting tear gas and water cannon. the protesters are furious about what they see as the government's increasing ties russia, a country that currently occupy some 20% of their land. the earlier bear this year, the prime minister's party georgian dream, passed a law that critics say are similar to a piece of russian that suppresses independent journalism and targets dissidents. the prime minister said he put european talks on

hold — make the european union talks on hold, despite support for it sparking this latest round of demonstration. the president is on the side of protesters and says the current parliament is illegitimate and has vowed to stay in herjob when her term ends in a couple of weeks. my colleague spoke to her earlier before two because my protest turned violent. you are callin: protest turned violent. you are calling on _ protest turned violent. you are calling on western _ protest turned violent. you are calling on western countries i protest turned violent. you are calling on western countries to back what you are calling a national movement in your country, referring to the protesters on the street. what exactly are you asking the eu and the us today?— and the us today? well, the same thing _ and the us today? well, the same thing they _ and the us today? well, the same thing they have - and the us today? well, the same thing they have been i and the us today? well, the - same thing they have been doing now for— same thing they have been doing now for more than 30 years since — now for more than 30 years since the _ now for more than 30 years since the independence of georgia, which is to support us in our— georgia, which is to support us in our past _ georgia, which is to support us in our past towards european integration, atlantic integration, atlantic integration, which is enshrined integration, which is enshrined in our— integration, which is enshrined in our constitution and has been — in our constitution and has been supported by our partners and also — been supported by our partners and also the georgian population, more than 80% of them — population, more than 80% of

them all— population, more than 80% of them all over this year, whatever was happening, including the war or the occupation of our territories. that — occupation of our territories. that determination has never flinched~ _ that determination has never flinched. and today also we see on the — flinched. and today also we see on the streets that the georgian population wants nothing else and nothing more than _ nothing else and nothing more than its — nothing else and nothing more than its independence and its european past. that's what the people — european past. that's what the pe0ple on— european past. that's what the people on the streets are very calmly, — people on the streets are very calmly, very peacefully demanding. our calmly, very peacefully demanding. 0urvote back, our european— demanding. 0urvote back, our european future back. so demanding. our vote back, our european future back. so madam president. _ european future back. so madam president, your _ european future back. so madam president, your minister - european future back. so madam president, your minister has - president, your minister has said... ., ., ., �*, said... not mine, no, no. it's not my— said... not mine, no, no. it's not my prime _ said... not mine, no, no. it's not my prime minister, - said... not mine, no, no. it's not my prime minister, and l said... not mine, no, no. it'sl not my prime minister, and he is not — not my prime minister, and he is not the _ not my prime minister, and he is not the prime minister of the georgian population, because the elections were rigged~ _ because the elections were rigged. the elections have not been — rigged. the elections have not been recognised by any of the democratic countries. so here's his prime — democratic countries. so here's his prime minister. nonetheless, he said we are continuing on our path to the european dream. he says he is

reflecting the wishes of people, as you have said the majority in georgia do want to see more european integration. what you think of that? i see more european integration. what you think of that?- what you think of that? i think what the georgian _ what you think of that? i think what the georgian population l what the georgian population thinks, — what the georgian population thinks, that nobody believes that, — thinks, that nobody believes that, it — thinks, that nobody believes that, it is _ thinks, that nobody believes that, it is no longer a dream. after— that, it is no longer a dream. after the _ that, it is no longer a dream. after the russian law, after the russian elections we have had, _ the russian elections we have had, and _ the russian elections we have had, and after the statement by the prime — had, and after the statement by the prime minister once elected when _ the prime minister once elected when he — the prime minister once elected when he said that he was going to suspend the accession negotiations, nobody believes he has — negotiations, nobody believes he has suddenly turned around saying — he has suddenly turned around saying that he still wants a european future. what is true is that— european future. what is true is that the very vast majority of the — is that the very vast majority of the georgian population, more — of the georgian population, more than 80%, has wanted, once and will_ more than 80%, has wanted, once and will want in the future to stay — and will want in the future to stay on — and will want in the future to stay on this european path.

that— stay on this european path. that is— stay on this european path. that is where dave urges the population and this one rule, one — population and this one rule, one man _ population and this one rule, one man party. population and this one rule, one man party-— population and this one rule, one man party. you call these russian elections, _ one man party. you call these russian elections, thereby - one man party. you call these| russian elections, thereby you are accusing the current prime minister, you say he is not the prime minister, of ties to the kremlin. that is something he has denied, and in fact the former russian president dmitry mejia has called you in the past a puppet president. he said on telegram that georgia was "moving rapidly along the ukrainian path into the dark abyss" and he said it would "end very badly". what do you think of that?— think of that? well, i think that is exactly _ think of that? well, i think that is exactly the - think of that? well, i think that is exactly the proof i think of that? well, i think that is exactly the proof of| that is exactly the proof of the links between the current one—party rule and the kremlin, is that— one—party rule and the kremlin, is that each— one—party rule and the kremlin, is that each time they move further— is that each time they move further away from the european path _ further away from the european path and — further away from the european path and closer to the russians. they receive compliments. and lately the statement of the prime minister saying _ statement of the prime minister saying he — statement of the prime minister saying he was going to suspend the path —

saying he was going to suspend the path towards european accession negotiations was vehemently complimented by mr putin. _ vehemently complimented by mr putin. hy— vehemently complimented by mr putin, by mr medio and... what about the _ putin, by mr medio and... what about the comparisons - putin, by mr medio and... what about the comparisons we - putin, by mr medio and... minuet about the comparisons we saw in ukraine, the comparison... indie ukraine, the comparison... we see russian — ukraine, the comparison... we see russian propaganda, which we do — see russian propaganda, which we do not — see russian propaganda, which we do not have to get in, russian _ we do not have to get in, russian propaganda, but everything has to be revolution, everything has to be prepared by the west. there is nothing — be prepared by the west. there is nothing of that kind. there is nothing of that kind. there is a _ is nothing of that kind. there is a very— is nothing of that kind. there is a very calm, very peaceful population that wants to have its voice — population that wants to have its voice heard, that it's well is to— its voice heard, that it's well is to go— its voice heard, that it's well is to go towards europe and this— is to go towards europe and this has— is to go towards europe and this has been the case for centuries for georgia. we will not accept that a foreign power deters — not accept that a foreign power deters it— not accept that a foreign power deters it from its destiny, which _ deters it from its destiny, which is _ deters it from its destiny, which is the european community... which is the european community. . .- which is the european community... which is the european communi ., , ., , community... you set a peaceful movement. _ community... you set a peaceful movement, madam _ community... you set a peaceful movement, madam president, i| movement, madam president, i just wanted to ask you about this because we can come you have said this is not your prime minister, he has criticised, he said "despite the heaviest systematic violence applied yesterday by the violent groups and foreign

instructors, the police acted at a higher standard than the american and european ones". he is to criticism from the us... why do you want me to commend the weight— why do you want me to commend the weight of the prime minister... the weight of the prime minister. . ._ the weight of the prime minister... ., , , minister... your response... you have — minister... your response... you have pictures, - minister... your response... you have pictures, and - minister... your response... you have pictures, and you i minister... your response... - you have pictures, and you have the reactions of the partners and you _ the reactions of the partners and you have the reactions of amnesty— and you have the reactions of amnesty international, so why should — amnesty international, so why should i— amnesty international, so why should i be the president of the country commenting on the prime _ the country commenting on the prime minister that like in any dictatorship is trying to justify— dictatorship is trying to justify the use of repression and — justify the use of repression and the _ justify the use of repression and the use of force against a peaceful— and the use of force against a peaceful population? i don't understand your questions and i'm not— understand your questions and i'm not going to continue on that— i'm not going to continue on that path _ i'm not going to continue on that path-— i'm not going to continue on that ath. �* , ., ., that path. but i 'ust wanted to ask ou that path. but i 'ust wanted to ask you about — that path. but ijust wanted to ask you about his _ that path. but ijust wanted to ask you about his accusation l that path. but ijust wanted to | ask you about his accusation of foreign interference, what your response to that would be. i do not respond — response to that would be. i do not respond to _ response to that would be. i do not respond to the _ response to that would be. i do not respond to the accusation of a _ not respond to the accusation of a prime _ not respond to the accusation of a prime minister that is talking _ of a prime minister that is talking the words that should be the — talking the words that should be the words in putin's mouth

and medvedev's now. the georgian population demand new elections — georgian population demand new elections because the last elections because the last elections were rigged, there was — elections were rigged, there was interference by russia in these — was interference by russia in these elections, as there was in moldova, as there is today in moldova, as there is today in romania and that is something that will be happening in other countries if it is not— happening in other countries if it is not stopped. here in georgia, _ it is not stopped. here in georgia, if we are not supported, and if there is no understanding by the western partners _ understanding by the western partners of what is happening, and if— partners of what is happening, and if you _ partners of what is happening, and if you want to understand, you are — and if you want to understand, you are not going to understand by listening to the prime minister or to the so—called prime — minister or to the so—called prime minister, or by trying to have _ prime minister, or by trying to have me — prime minister, or by trying to have me comment on his words. there _ have me comment on his words. there are — have me comment on his words. there are many places all around _ there are many places all around the televisions of the world — around the televisions of the world where you can see exactly what _ world where you can see exactly what is — world where you can see exactly what is happening in tbilisi tonight, _ what is happening in tbilisi tonight, and the days before. indeed. — tonight, and the days before. indeed, and these protesters have been out in force every

night. are you confident they will be able to change the decision to suspend these eu accession talks?— accession talks? well, i am confident — accession talks? well, i am confident that _ accession talks? well, i am confident that it _ accession talks? well, i am confident that it is - accession talks? well, i am confident that it is what - accession talks? well, i am confident that it is what the georgian population wants and georgia — georgian population wants and georgia is a country that has been — georgia is a country that has been resilient for centuries to all the — been resilient for centuries to all the empires that were trying _ all the empires that were trying to subdue it. and it has come — trying to subdue it. and it has come a — trying to subdue it. and it has come a very small country in a very— come a very small country in a very difficult region, it has come _ very difficult region, it has come to— very difficult region, it has come to this day, so i don't think— come to this day, so i don't think that _ come to this day, so i don't think that the small group of people — think that the small group of people that is now trying to take — people that is now trying to take georgia away from what it has gained in the first independence, in the second independence, in the second independence, will succeed. so i don't — independence, will succeed. so i don't know how that will be done — i don't know how that will be done but _ i don't know how that will be done but i am sure that the will— done but i am sure that the will of— done but i am sure that the will of the people will finally overcome. of the georgian president thayer. syria's president bashar al—assad says the us is behind a rebel offensive that has reignited the country civil

war. he claims washington and its allies want to redraw the map of the middle east but the us denies events this week in syria. syria and its ally russia are bombarding rebel held positions. the syrian army say they have killed hundreds of rebels, while rebel groups independent observers say many of the dead are civilians. rebel groups seized aleppo's syria's second city in a surprise attack last week and he is jeremy surprise attack last week and he isjeremy bowen. the syrian regime is striking back. in the last two days, the un humanitarian office says more than 50 air strikes hit idlib, the province that is the powerhouse of the rebels. the hospital in idlib city was among several health care facilities targeted. the un says at least tilt civilians have been killed in airstrikes. air raids, body bags, civilians in another middle eastern country grieving. middle eastern country are grieving. a renewed syrian war will pour

a lot more fuel on the fire that is consuming the middle east. it is the regime's response to the lightning offensive that swept up aleppo, including its ancient citadel. during years of war, the citadel was an impregnable regime fortress, but these men, from hts, took it almost without a fight. back injanuary 2017, i was in aleppo, in the days after the assad regime recaptured the east of the city from rebels who had held it since the war in aleppo started in 2012. there was massive destruction from russian and regime air strikes. this was all a huge victory for the regime, but in the years that followed, the war gradually froze, but it never ended. once again, president bashar al—assad is beleaguered. he had an emergency meeting in damascus with the iranian foreign minister.

assad's survival will depend again on his allies, who are worrying about their own futures. in aleppo, hts fighters are pulling down portraits of assad, the enemy. they are considered terrorists by his regime, and by the un, the us, the uk and the eu, because their roots are in al-qaeda. mina followsjihadist media for bbc monitoring. she's seen hts changing its image, as the syrians are mostly repelled by extremist religious rhetoric. in their messaging, they have been trying to portray themselves as more of nationalist rebel group and basically trying to shake off theirjihadist past and prove that they don't have any lasting links with al-qaeda orjihadist groups, and that they are simply after a toppling of the government of bashar al—assad. some food is getting

through to civilians in aleppo, but this is another humanitarian crisis in the making. the people of this city live at one of the historic crossroads of the middle east, connected to all the regions, political and sectarian fault lines. if the offensive leads to protracted fighting, it will be a major escalation in the middle east crisis. that is bad news for the whole region, notjust the hungry and frightened people on aleppo's streets. kurdish rebels are reportedly pulling out of aleppo along with tens of thousands of civilians. it comes after proxy forces held —— seized a key kurdish held city nearby. the arab islamist rebel group that sees most of aleppo on friday has now taken the remaining kurdish held strongholds there as well. the

observatory for human rights is a large convoy of syrian kurds is now fleeing to another kurdish held area about 180 kilometres, 150 miles, to the east. elsewhere in the region there has been signs of a break and the ceasefire between israel and lebanon. and the ceasefire between israeland lebanon. israel israel and lebanon. israel launched israeland lebanon. israel launched a wave of a