this is bbc news, the headlines the rebel advance in syria continues at pace. with president sib toppled? bbc verify takes a look. a new leader in romania after the top court demands new elections. the search for the government in new york includes new jersey and connecticut. warnings a severe storm could put lives at risk. the uk met office is forecasting extreme winds of up to 90 mph. beatles legend sir paul mccartney is honoured

in a specially minted coin collection — the first of its kind. those collection — the first of its kind. stories coming up, the those stories coming up, first all the sport with gavin, good evening. as you may have seen in the weather forecast — storm darragh is heading for the uk this weekend — and that means domestic football matches in wales scheduled for tomorrow have been postponed. the welsh rugby union have also opted to postpone all domestic rugby matches, so the english football league game between cardiff city and watford in the championship is off. the football association of wales took the decision after consultation with the met office, which has issued red, amber, and yellow weather warnings for the vast majority of wales and is forecasting damaging winds and heavy rain. plymouth have also called off their game against oxford. the merseyside derby between liverpool and everton on saturday lunchtime is still scheduled to go ahead. it'll be arne slot�*s first since taking over at anfield from jurgen klopp in the summer. his side are seven points clear at the top of the premier league, but he says this derby has even more importance than usual.

with it being the last one at goodison park. it is going to be special for everyone, for all the fines involved and the players involved and as well as the managers, to be part of this game is already be special, but then to be part of the last one at goodison park makes it a nice experience if the result goes your way. so that is what we are focusing on most for this game. ruben amorim suffered his first defeat as manchester united manager against arsenal on wednesday. they're currently 13th in the premier league table, but could move into the top half with a win against nottingham forest on saturday. despite this amorim says he is seeing improvement. sometimes when we are doing progress. _ sometimes when we are doing progress, you do so much, and then you see _ progress, you do so much, and then you see it_ progress, you do so much, and then you see itjust this kind of results. _ you see itjust this kind of results, and we have to pass this phase, _ results, and we have to pass this phase, so — results, and we have to pass this phase, so i — results, and we have to pass this phase, so i can feel it the same way

because _ phase, so i can feel it the same way because before this arsenal game, you guys— because before this arsenal game, you guys were asking about the top four, _ you guys were asking about the top four, and _ you guys were asking about the top four, and now, we have returned to this position. — four, and now, we have returned to this position, so it nowadays it is like that — this position, so it nowadays it is like that. you have that manage expectation, and on the same time when _ expectation, and on the same time when you're — expectation, and on the same time when you're having a bad result, you have to _ when you're having a bad result, you have to be _ when you're having a bad result, you have to be calm and continue to the 'ob have to be calm and continue to the job that _ have to be calm and continue to the job that we — have to be calm and continue to the job that we are doing. there has been plenty of drama ahead of the final formula one race of the season already. the latest, charles leclerc has been given a io—place grid penalty at the abu dhabi grand prix. the ferrari driver was quickest in first practice, but he had to have a new battery pack fitted, taking them beyond their permitted allowance for the season. it is a major blow to ferrari, who trail mclaren by 21 points in the constructors' championship with a maximum of 44 points available. lando norris was quickest in second practice. two days after leaving ineos grenadiers, great britain's tom pidcock hasjoined the 036.5 pro cycling team. he's signed a three—year contract and willjoin his new team for a preseason training camp in spain injanuary.

the double olympic champion, who retained his mountain bike title in paris this summer, left ineos despite signing a five—year contract in 2022. and day two of the second test between new zealand and england gets under way at around ten o'clock this evening. a harry brook century gave england the upper hand on day one. the tourists lost early wickets, but brook then took control, continuing his excellent form, on overseas pitches, hitting 123 from just 115 deliveries. ollie pope also made 66 as england were bowled out for 280. new zealand struggled in reply — brydon carse taking two wickets. and that's all the sport for now. thank you. government forces in syria appear to be struggling on several fronts as rebel groups advance. footage shows islamist— led units are within kilometres of the country's third largest city, homs. in the east, kurdish—led forces say they've entered the government—

controlled western side of deir ezzor, which has reportedly been abandoned after government soldiers were redeployed towards the centre of syria. russia — whose support has kept president bashar al assad in power throughout the civil war — has appealed to its nationals to leave. bbc verify has been tracking the territory captured by syrian rebels. here's merlyn thomas. rebel forces in syria say they have taken full control of a second major city, hama. it appears they are approaching the city of homs, likely the next target for rebel forces. rebels launched a surprise offensive on november the 27th by an alliance of groups led by the islamist militant group hayat tahrir al—sham. at bbc verify, we've been tracking rebel movement through analysis of footage on social media. rebels have continued to capture territory swiftly after launching a rapid offensive, taking aleppo within a day with apparently very little resistance from the syrian army. on the 5th of december, rebel forces entered the city of hama following clashes on its outskirts. they freed prisoners from the city's central prison. the syrian army promptly announced its withdrawal in order to preserve the lives of civilians. hama represents a strategic and symbolic gain for the rebels. in 1982, an uprising against president assad's father, hafez, was brutally suppressed there, with at least 10,000

people killed, according to rights groups estimates. now we've seen men and women celebrating as they pull down a statue in the same city. we've verified footage of rebel forces in several towns south of the city. it appears they are approaching the city of homs, likely the next target for rebel forces, and it seems people aren't waiting around to see what might happen. verified footage from homs shows trafficjams as people leave the city, and rebel forces say they won't stop there. the leader of the main group of rebels, abu mohammad al—julani, said that the ultimate goal is to reach damascus and overthrow president bashar al—assad.

to prevent sucking smuggling of arms of the syrian border into lebanon. it is not certain who exactly was verify that, and they would try to operate to continue to make that happen. it's more difficult with syria and i worked on, and islamic rebels backed by the church gained control of the northern passage, in the short term it might mean that iran is less free to transfer arms through their but over time i think the stability of syria would allow all the bad actors to find opportunities and to use whatever they can as strongholds. let opportunities and to use whatever they can as strongholds.— opportunities and to use whatever they can as strongholds. let me ask ou about they can as strongholds. let me ask you about that. _ they can as strongholds. let me ask you about that, because _ they can as strongholds. let me ask you about that, because he - they can as strongholds. let me ask you about that, because he said - they can as strongholds. let me ask you about that, because he said to i you about that, because he said to

our producer, to have an entity like ice is controlled in syria, if they were to topple a side is a big deal, in a big deal how and your principal concerns about that?— concerns about that? there is a scene an enemy _ concerns about that? there is a scene an enemy of— concerns about that? there is a scene an enemy of your - concerns about that? there is a scene an enemy of your enemy| concerns about that? there is a i scene an enemy of your enemy is concerns about that? there is a - scene an enemy of your enemy is your friend, it's not true when it comes to syria, everyone in syria at the moment are bad actors, especially the islamists trying to gain control over syria. if they do, just think what would happen if isis, and the height of isis control. it is not good for syrians or their neighbours or stability, good for syrians or their neighbours orstability, it good for syrians or their neighbours or stability, it would have a spill—over onto israel, and the fact of what we're seeing now is the idf putting more forces, focusing on the syrian border trying to make sure it does not spill—over. i think it's a good thing to do at the moment. israel will not intervene, it is not for us to play with. it is syria, of course, but will mean need to be careful to make sure those strong

fours do not fall into the wrong hands. syria has chemical weapons, one of the countries with the most expensive chemical weapon industry, in the region, and just think what would happen if the falls into the hands of islamists backed by no one, trying to control and caliphate on the border of lebanon or israel, i don't want to wish that person or regains control, because he is a bad actor himself, but i hope it stabilise, so that the strategic weapon and capabilities do not fall into the wrong hands. that story movin: into the wrong hands. that story moving quickly. _ into the wrong hands. that story moving quickly, going _ into the wrong hands. that story moving quickly, going to - into the wrong hands. that story moving quickly, going to the - into the wrong hands. that story - moving quickly, going to the website for the latest from our team underground. the sale of the world's oldest sunday newspaper has been approved. the boards of the guardian media group and its owner the scott trust have approved the sale of the observer to tortoise media. the weekly is changing hands despite repeated strikes by staff. with me is our media and arts correspondent, david sillito. tell us more. the observer, 1791,

one of its — tell us more. the observer, 1791, one of its first _ tell us more. the observer, 1791, one of its first stories, _ tell us more. the observer, 1791, one of its first stories, i - tell us more. the observer, 1791, one of its first stories, i think - tell us more. the observer, 1791, one of its first stories, i think on | one of its first stories, i think on christmas day, 1791, the death of mozart, there are a few genderless legacies like that. it said on the beginning unbiased by prejudice, uninfluenced by a party, it was always essentially going to be what it became which was essentially a liberal voice in britishjournalism, and its owners, essentially the trust that owns the guardian decided they would effectively do a bit of brand housekeeping. why have two brands when you want to concentrate on one? so the phrase is, selling to tortoise but i think the money is going more from the scott trust to tortoise, i think £5 billion —— £5 million to help this transition, so in new owner, james harding, former editor of the times, former boss of bbc news, a new startup, a smaller

organisation, turnover of about £6 million from its last accounts, lost about 4 million, but it would be running the observer is a sunday newspaper, still being printed for the next five years, they say, and will be investing it among her £25 million. ~ , , will be investing it among her £25 million. , , ., million. why has this move evoked so man -- million. why has this move evoked so many -- so — million. why has this move evoked so many -- so much _ million. why has this move evoked so many -- so much fury? _ million. why has this move evoked so many -- so much fury? about- million. why has this move evoked so many -- so much fury? about 70 - million. why has this move evoked so| many -- so much fury? about 70 staff ofthe many -- so much fury? about 70 staff of the observer _ many -- so much fury? about 70 staff of the observer inside _ many -- so much fury? about 70 staff of the observer inside the _ many -- so much fury? about 70 staff of the observer inside the building - of the observer inside the building thatis of the observer inside the building that is alsojointly of the observer inside the building that is also jointly the guardian, and their view is if you are in the headwinds of difficult times for journalists am a man all this is the massive decrease in sales that has gone on for all newspapers struggling financially. if you're going to be parked somewhere, the scott trust which owns it at the moment effectively has a war chest of about a billion, tortoise much less, where would you want to be if you wanted a custodian to look after you? and they're feeling is that especially as they are so

intermingled, that once you separate the observer into a smaller thing, much more difficult to keep it going, and its place as one of the great sunday newspapers may be in jeopardy and becomes a website behind a pay wall, a much smaller thing, just essentially why the staff is so upset, but the guardian says quote michael look, someone is now committing to this as a brand, will put money into it, it would probably be a better future than maybe an unloved sibling of the guardian what michael.- guardian what michael. david sillito, guardian what michael. david sauna, thank _ guardian what michael. david sillito, thank you _ guardian what michael. david sillito, thank you for - guardian what michael. david sillito, thank you for taking i guardian what michael. david | sillito, thank you for taking us through that. a man who used so—called slapping therapy as an alternative treatment for serious illnesses has been jailed for 15 years for the gross negligence manslaughter of a woman from sussex. 71—year—old danielle carr—gomm, went into a diabetic coma at his slapping therapy workshop in wiltshire in 2016. duncan kennedy reports.

it's called paida lajin — meaning slapping or stretching — and supposedly clears the body of everything from back pain to cancer. but the prosecution said there was little scientific or medical evidence to back up those claims. yet followers around the world are willing to endure these sessions, even if it leaves some covered in bruises. one of them was danielle carr—gomm, from lewes in east sussex. she suffered from type 1 diabetes but feared the daily injections of insulin. thank you all for coming here. so in 2016, she turned to hongchi xiao, who ran slapping therapy workshops. but his only training was in finance. i find that i've been able to reduce my insulin by half. danielle, here at one of his workshops, was convinced he could help. you can see the bruises on her arm from the slapping, and she praises hongchi xiao with an almost religious devotion.

you're definitely a messenger sent by god — that i'm sure of. but four days into a slapping workshop at this retreat in wiltshire, danielle died. she had stopped taking the insulin for her diabetes, believing everything that hongchi xiao had claimed. in previous interviews, he'd always maintained his methods worked. it has a healing effect, number one, on diabetic one, diabetic two, and also on all the heart diseases, all kinds of... also high blood pressure. it works. it works so well that people love it. hongchi xiao admitted to the court that he wasn't medically trained and that he wasn't a doctor, but that slapping was all about self—healing. but the prosecution said that he had a responsibility towards danielle when she was at one of his slapping workshops, and that he had a duty to take care of her. injuly, hongchi xiao was convicted of her gross

negligence manslaughter. today, he was sentenced. the result is that the total sentence is 15 years. this comprises a determinate sentence of ten years and an extended licence period of five years. you will be released from custody no later than two thirds of the way through the determinate sentence, namely six years and eight months. hongchi xiao's brand of alternative therapy clearly attracted many desperately seeking solutions to their serious medical conditions. but he now stands convicted and sentenced, responsible for the death of a woman who put her trust in him and his questionable practices. duncan kennedy, bbc news, at winchester crown court.

the archbishop of canterbury has apologised for his farewell speech to the house of lords, after accusations he had caused further distress to abuse survivors. (oov)in explaining why he has resigned, justin welby told the house of lords that a review that in explaining why he has resigned, justin welby told the house of lords that a review that found serious safeguarding failures within the church of england meant a head had had to roll. he made light—hearted references to a 14th century archbishop who was beheaded, drawing some laughter. three bishops said the speech was �*utterly insensitive'. mr welby said he �*apologised wholeheartedly�* for any hurt caused. sir keir starmer insists many want change after was a crease —— accused of trumping language. preminger said too many people in whitehall are comfortable in the tobacco manage decline, but speaking today he rejected suggestions he was picking a fight with civil servants. i rejected suggestions he was picking a fight with civil servants.— a fight with civil servants. i work with civil servants _ a fight with civil servants. i work with civil servants when - a fight with civil servants. i work with civil servants when i - a fight with civil servants. i work with civil servants when i was i a fight with civil servants. i work| with civil servants when i was the chief prosecutor and working with them again now, and i know what they bring a strong sense of public service to everything they do, but

at the same time, i also know that we have to press through reform, with the delivered government in a better way, and talking to civil servants, they know that�*s, what they really need here is leadership, and so when i set out the milestones in my speech this week about what the government is going to do to change the lives of people across the country that they want to be measured by, at the same time i made it clear that there will be used to drive through the change in the way that government over there is action and i think lots of civil servants will take what michael grates, give us a leadership we want that change. there are warnings that the nhs in england is under more pressure going into winter than ever before. a sharp rise in cases of flu and norovirus are seemingly to blame. our correspondent steve knibbs has more the nhs under strain in the winter isn�*t unusual, but this year the pressure

is hitting harder and earlier than before, and there are now warnings of a potential quad—demic. the first nhs figures for the winter show that the average number of patients taking up beds in hospitals in england last week with flu were almost 1,100 — that�*s four times higher than this time last year. 751 beds were occupied with patients with norovirus—like symptoms. more than 140 children were in hospital with a respiratory condition — rsv. and nearly 1,400 beds had covid patients in them — which is lower than last year. and, out of a total of 100,000 beds, 95,000 are already occupied. staff at one hospital in nottinghamshire say they�*re already experiencing extreme pressure on services. there�*s a 92—year—old gentleman who�*s been in ed now for 2h hours waiting for a medicine bed. now, that�*s almost unheard of here. with increasing admissions across the uk, the national medical directorfor the nhs, professor sir stephen powis, warned that the next few months will be difficult.

with cases of flu — and norovirus, in particular — rising sharply, there are concerns that the extra pressure caused by the huge number of patients will lead to many hospitals declaring critical incidents. the nhs says that one of the ways the public can help is that for those who are eligible for vaccinations, to get theirjabs as soon as possible. 27 million people have already had jabs for flu, rsv and covid, but there are many that haven�*t. applause. this all comes the day after the prime minister said one of his six long—term priorities for government was hitting the 18—week target for non—urgent hospital care. but, as it stands, pressure on the service is mounting earlier than ever before. steve knibbs, bbc news. so much what�*s in windy weather you might be tempted to fly across for

winter. with so much wet and windy weather, you might be tempted to fly abroad for christmas — but there�*s still an appetite for uk breaks at this t