welcome to newsday. i'm katie silver. the head of the rebel group which now controls large parts of syria has told the bbc the country is exhausted by war, and poses no threat. the un estimates 100,000 refugees have already returned to the country. ahmed al—sharaa said western sanctions had to be lifted for more syrians to come back. in one of his first television interviews since his forces toppled president assad two weeks ago, ahmed al—sharaa also called for the west to stop designating his group, hayat tahrir al—sham or hts, hayat tahrir al—sham or hts, as a terrorist organisation. as a terrorist organisation. hts, which split from al-qaeda hts, which split from al-qaeda in 2016, in 2016, says it is no longer a jihadist says it is no longer a jihadist or extremist group. or extremist group. he says they do not target he says they do not target civilians, civilians, and consider themselves victims and consider themselves victims of the assad regime. of the assad regime.

our international editor, our international editor, jeremy bowen, jeremy bowen, sat down with ahmad al—shaara sat down with ahmad al—shaara in damascus. in damascus. the de facto leader of syria, the de facto leader of syria, ahmed al—sharaa, ahmed al—sharaa, chose to do the interview in chose to do the interview in the presidential palace the presidential palace built by the assads. built by the assads. he told me he wasn't he told me he wasn't surprised that the old regime surprised that the old regime collapsed so quickly. collapsed so quickly. syrians, he said, syrians, he said, needed to keep calm needed to keep calm to tackle all the problems kind of a caliphate, to tackle all the problems they face. they face. you've made a lot of promises, you've made a lot of promises, you've said you will respect you've said you will respect the mosaic of different the mosaic of different sectarian groups here in syria sectarian groups here in syria — minorities as well. — minorities as well. are you going to keep are you going to keep those promises? those promises? translation: the syrian . translation: the syrian . population has lived together population has lived together for thousands of years. for thousands of years. we're going to we're going to discuss all of it. discuss all of it. we're going to have we're going to have dialogue and make sure dialogue and make sure everyone is represented. everyone is represented. the old regime always played the old regime always played on sectarian divisions, on sectarian divisions, but we won't. but we won't. we were welcomed in all the big we were welcomed in all the big cities by all the sects. cities by all the sects. i think the revolution i think the revolution can contain everybody. can contain everybody.

so this isn't going to be some so this isn't going to be some kind of a caliphate, or you're not going to make syria into a country like afghanistan? because you know there are people who say that maybe you want to behave like the taliban. translation: there are many differences between syria - and the taliban. the way we govern is different. afghanistan is a tribal community. syria is completely different. the peoplejust don't think in the same way. the syrian government and their ruling system will be in line with syria's history and culture.

around the world and the united nations say that you are the leader of a terrorist group? that's a political

classification. we haven't committed any crimes thatjustify calling us a terrorist group. a terrorist group. in the last 14 years, in the last 1a years, we haven't targeted any we haven't targeted any civilians or civilian areas civilians or civilian areas or civilian targets. or civilian targets. i understand some countries i understand some countries will be worried by that will be worried by that designation, but it's not true. designation, but it's not true. now, after all that has now, after all that has happened, sanctions must be happened, sanctions must be lifted, because they were lifted, because they were targeted at the old regime. targeted at the old regime. the victim and the oppressor the victim and the oppressor should not be treated after the country accused should not be treated in the same way. in the same way. police in moscow say they have police in moscow say they have detained the man suspected detained the man suspected of killing a senior of killing a senior russian general. russian general. russian officials claim russian officials claim the 29—year—old from uzbekistan the 29—year—old from uzbekistan said he was recruited said he was recruited by ukrainian special services. by ukrainian special services. in an interrogation in an interrogation video released on wednesday, video released on wednesday, the suspect said he was offered the suspect said he was offered a european passport a european passport and $100,000 in return. and $100,000 in return. russian general igor kirillov was killed on tuesday by an explosive device installed in a scooter that was detonated remotely.

ukraine claimed responsibility for the assassination which took place just one day

the military support of down on the military support of russia? ., . , russia? unfortunately, i foresee _ russia? unfortunately, i foresee that _ russia? unfortunately, i foresee that the - russia? unfortunately, i| foresee that the russians russia? unfortunately, i- foresee that the russians and the north koreans will establish a new relationship that will last way beyond the ukraine—russian conflict. yes, i do see them doubling down and increasing their involvement not only the ukrainian front, but here in korea. interesting. i auess but here in korea. interesting. i guess - _ but here in korea. interesting. i guess - how _ but here in korea. interesting. i guess - how do _ but here in korea. interesting. i guess - how do you - but here in korea. interesting. i guess - how do you imagine l i guess — how do you imagine all of this is going to be viewed by seoul, particularly all of this is going to be viewed by seoul, particularly the experience that these north the experience that these north korean soldiers will be gaining korean soldiers will be gaining on the battlefield? it’s on the battlefield? it’s korean soldiers will be gaining on the battlefield?— on the battlefield? it's a significant _ on the battlefield? it's a significant problem - on the battlefield? it's a korean soldiers will be gaining on the battlefield?— on the battlefield? it's a significant _ on the battlefield? it's a significant problem - on the battlefield? it's a significant problem for l on the battlefield? it's a l significant problem for l on the battlefield? it's a l significant problem for us. significant problem for us. right now, the north koreans right now, the north koreans are showing, step—by—step are showing, step—by—step development and involvement in this war. as you said, they're development and involvement in this war. as you said, they're

gaining first—hand experience. gaining first—hand experience. they're going to come back. they're going to come back. they're going to come back. they're going to come back. they're going to use this they're going to use this first—hand experience, as well first—hand experience, as well as the technical aspects of the as the technical aspects of the war. we will do centre to do a war. we will do centre to do a lot of catching up —— we will lot of catching up —— we will have to do a lot of catching have to do a lot of catching up. have to do a lot of catching u n . ., ., up. have to do a lot of catching u n i ., ., have to do a lot of catching have to do a lot of catching up. how do you imagine seoul is re arina up. how do you imagine seoul is re arina up. how do you imagine seoul is preparing for _ up. how do you imagine seoul is preparing for that _ up. how do you imagine seoul is preparing for that advancement, i preparing for that advancement, up. how do you imagine seoul is preparing for _ up. how do you imagine seoul is preparing for that _ up. how do you imagine seoul is preparing for that advancement, i preparing for that advancement, that gaining of knowledge, that that gaining of knowledge, that gaining of experience? what do gaining of experience? what do you imagine seoul is doing to you imagine seoul is doing to prepare? figs prepare? figs you imagine seoul is doing to --reare? a , ., ., you imagine seoul is doing to --reare? a , ., ., prepare? as you might be aware, we're in a — prepare? as you might be aware, we're in a — prepare? as you might be aware, we're in a little _ prepare? as you might be aware, we're in a little bit _ prepare? as you might be aware, we're in a little bit of _ prepare? as you might be aware, prepare? as you might be aware, we're in a little _ prepare? as you might be aware, we're in a little bit _ prepare? as you might be aware, we're in a little bit of _ prepare? as you might be aware, we're in a little bit of a _ we're in a little bit of a _ prepare? as you might be aware, we're in a little bit of a jam - we're in a little bit of a jam right now. but our people who prepare? as you might be aware, we're in a little bit of a jam - we're in a little bit of a jam right now. but our people who are responsible for these kind are responsible for these kind of things are doing theirjob. of things are doing theirjob. so i'm sure that they will be so i'm sure that they will be on their toes to ensure that on their toes to ensure that the latest information that can the latest information that can be obtained and shared will be be obtained and shared will be collected. also, we are closely collected. also, we are closely following north korean developments, and we will do following north korean developments, and we will do our best to prepare. i our best to prepare. i developments, and we will do developments, and we will do

our best to prepare.— our best to prepare. i want to net to our best to prepare.— our best to prepare. i want to net to our best to prepare. i want to get to that — our best to prepare. i want to get to that jam _ our best to prepare. i want to get to that jam you _ our best to prepare. i want to get to that jam you alluded i our best to prepare. i want to get to that — our best to prepare. i want to get to that jam _ our best to prepare. i want to get to that jam you _ our best to prepare. i want to get to that jam you alluded i our best to prepare. i want to i get to that jam you alluded to get to thatjam you alluded to injust a going to be our best to prepare. i want to i get to that jam you alluded to get to thatjam you alluded to injust a moment. first get to thatjam you alluded to in just a moment. first of all, though, i wanted to ask you about the north korean troops that are being sent. what do we know about them? i'm reading conflicting reports. some say they'rejunior conflicting reports. some say they're junior infantrymen. 0thers they're junior infantrymen. others say they're more sophisticated and actually engaging in espionage. do you have any further insights? yes. i believe that _ have any further insights? yes. i believe that they _ have any further insights? yes. i believe that they are - have any further insights? yes i believe that they are better than your average north koreans. they're better—trained koreans. they�* re better—trained and koreans. they're better—trained and what they would term as "elite" troops. ijust want and what they would term as "elite" troops. i just want to point out that we have not seen the mass defections that some people have predicted at the

the mass defections that some people have i: retired at the the mass defections that some people have i: retired south your insights. retired south korean army lieutenant general, thank you very much forjoining us on the bbc. thank you very much for “oining us on the bbc.�* around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news in the uk: inflation has risen to an eight—month high of 2.6%. the rate is still well down on recent highs during the energy crisis. but it's thought it will go up further in the new year, which could mean interest rates are cut more slowly than had been expected. a 19—year—old man who killed three of his friends in a car crash, after inhaling nitrous oxide, has beenjailed for more than nine years. daniel hancock and ethan goddard — who were both 18 — and elliot pullen, who was 17, died in marcham last summer. thomasjohnson, from shrivenham, had been driving at almost 100mph.

gregg wallace will be replaced by the restaurant critic grace dent in the next series of the bbc�*s celebrity masterchef. the guardian columnist willjoin the regular masterchef presenter john torode next year. wallace has been accused of inappropriate behaviour and faces a review into his conduct. plenty more on all those stories on our website — bbc.co/news. you're live with bbc news. haiti is one of the poorest and most dangerous countries in the world. gangs control over 85% of the capital, port au prince, and the violence has escalated following the recent resignation of the country's third prime minister this year. there are now 700,000 internally displaced people. 0ur senior investigations correspondent nawal al—maghafi and her team are the first to enter the country since the latest escalation. a warning, you might find their report upsetting. downtown port—au—prince — now the scene of daily street fighting between gangs vying for control.

once one of the city's most populated areas, it's now a ghost town. we're with the kenyan police on a patrol. they're here to support the haitian forces, as part of a multinational response to restore law and order. it's not long before we come under fire. gunfire we're being shot at by a gang member from that direction, so the guys... ..are just retaliating. and then this. a human body burning in the middle of the street. we're on our way to meet the leader of one of the most prominent gangs here, filming ourjourney under cover. reynold estina, notorious for kidnapping, is wanted by the fbi. your gang and gangs like yours have spread terror

across the city. you have raped people, you have killed people. translation: when we capture an enemy, we are celebrating i a victory, so sometimes the group gets excited. they capture somebody and they do things they weren't supposed to do with them, because when it's been the other way round, they would have done the same to us. gang warfare has driven 700,000 people out of their homes, to overcrowded schools like these where sexual violence and drug use is rife. this is the third place negosiat has had to make home. she tells me she's too afraid to sleep here. she stays up to watch over her five children. translation: my neighbourhood was taken over by gangs. - i left and went to live in solino for safety. today, again, i'm on the run to save my life and my children. the violence is escalating, a clear sign the kenyan strategy is failing. 2,500 personnel were due to be deployed, but only 400 are here.

they tell us they're making progress and take us to see a former police station that they've now retaken. but the area is still surrounded by gang snipers. the police fire some warning shots. they can shoot from here. so just that building over there, the red with the blue, is where the snipers are shooting at you? you heard the shot? yeah. stay down now. the violence permeates every stage of life here. shayna is two years old. she, like 760,000 children in haiti, is starving. translation: i would like my kids to be able to eat bread, . even if i can't. i would like to get proper care for my child, too. i don't want to lose her. but as the situation here continues to deteriorate, haiti risks losing an entire generation.

nawal al—maghafi, bbc news, port—au—prince, haiti. tens of thousands of people are without access to water four days after a devastating cyclone struck the french indian ocean island of mayotte. french authorities say they aim to deliver more than 100 tonnes of food to the territory by the end of the day. officials say the water system has been partially restored to half of the population — but half of the territory remains without power. rescue teams continue to search for survivors. france says 22 people are known to have died, but local officials warn the toll could rise significantly. france's president emmanuel macron is expected to visit on thursday. in france, the trial of 50 men accused of raping a 72—year—old woman at the behest of her husband who had drugged her with prescription sleeping pills is expected to end tomorrow. dominique pelicot has admitted that, over ten years, he recruited men online to rape his wife while

she was unconscious. gisele pelicot has been praised for waiving her right to anonymity and standing up to her abusers in court. 0ur paris correspondent, andrew harding, has been speaking to the daughter of one of the men who've been on trial. it all happened here, in a quiet village in southern france. a retired electrician, dominique pelicot, was experimenting with drugging his wife gisele, putting her to sleep. over the years, the drugs made her increasingly sick. she believed that she had a brain tumour and, for ten years, she's been going from one doctor to the other without knowing what was happening to her. in fact, her husband was contacting local men online, inviting these strangers at night into the couple's bedroom and filming them as they abused gisele's drugged

and unconscious body. it is possibly one of the most shocking aspects of this case, how easily he found 50, maybe 100 men in the neighbouring area, willing to participate in these scenarios. it's harrowing to think about. because it suggests that it's everywhere? yes. so, who were these local men? we've seen them in masks outside the court. the french police eventually identified 50 of them and put them on trial alongside dominique pelicot. one man hasjust agreed to meet me anonymously, his daughter speaking here on his behalf, arguing that her father thought the couple had both consented. translation: he did not understand how this - could have happened. he was tricked by dominique pelicot.

but your father admits that he raped her, translation: yes, | but not intentionally. maybe he should be punished. he should have realised, but ten years is too much. it's unfair. but in court, dominique pelicot said the others were as guilty as him. i'm a rapist, like the others in this courtroom. they knew everything. and then, crucially, came the grotesque videos filmed by dominique pelicot, hard evidence that is so rare in rape trials. in the video, you can hear gisele pelicot snoring, so it's absolutely obvious that she is sleeping. and for the defendants, it's very complicated for them to defend themselves and to pretend, "well, i didn't rape her," with this kind of proof. it is here in this courtroom that dominique pelicot will soon learn his fate.

he'll be sitting in the blue chair there, as usual, surrounded by all the other accused. the prosecution is asking for 20 years for pelicot and ten for many of the other men. but, in so many ways, this trial is really no longer about the accused. instead, it is gisele pelicot who has quietly taken centrestage, an inspiration to so many women. it doesn't take, you know, a lawyer. it doesn't take a minister, it doesn't take a government official to make an impact for women's rights. it just takes a woman with guts. gisele pelicot could have remained anonymous. instead, she embraced a public role, the victim who refused to feel shame. andrew harding, bbc news, avignon. for hundreds of years, residents in one town in northern canada have lived alongside their polar bear neighbours — but scientists are warning that climate change could spell danger.

as the temperature rises and melts the ice, polar bears need to hunt seals — they are being forced to spend more time on land, bringing them closer to people. victoria gill has been in churchill, along with a team of polar bear researchers. there's a polar bear under our tundra buggy right now. he's very curious about us. 0h, oh, my word... at the height of polar bear season in churchill, manitoba, conservation scientists are out on the tundra, monitoring one of the most southerly polar bear populations in the world. yeah, the bears want to stay with the ice. the bears are waiting for the bay to freeze, so that they can use it as a platform to hunt seals. but as the climate warms up here, the bears are having to wait for longer. we had about 1,200 polar bears here in the 1980s. now, we have closer to about 618. we've lost almost about 50% of those polar

bears in the last several decades. we've tied that to these bears are on land about a month longer than their grandparents were. in the long—term, this threatens the survival of this polar bear population, but in the short—term, it means these bears are getting hungrier. the longer they're onshore, the longer they're fasting, and the longer they might need to start looking for alternative sources of energy and food. and sometimes, those sources are us. that poses a particular challenge for churchuill and the team of polar bear alert rangers who patrol and protect churchill. i came down this trail, and i caught him up on this deck. it was testing the door. what did you do? so, at that point, you chase him in a desirable direction, so, at that point, you haze them, chase them in a desirable direction, which in this case would be away from town. this is a place that takes pride in setting an example for how humans can coexist

with these big predators, and... everyone here that we've spoken to is very aware of it all the time, and... oh, should we go? ican hearcracker time, and... oh, should we go? i can hear cracker shots over there. that means that they may be moving a bear. there's a bear there. be moving a bear. there's a bearthere. it's be moving a bear. there's a bear there. it's crossing the road...! get in the car! we heard crackers going off. now, the polar bear alert team are moving around. so, we're going to get back in the car. you canjust see it going to get back in the car. you can just see it through the trees there. we could see the polar bear teams and the quad bikes and their trucks moving the bear along. mr;

bikes and their trucks moving the bear along.— bikes and their trucks moving the bear along. my colleague is workin: the bear along. my colleague is working specifically _ the bear along. my colleague is working specifically on - working specifically on improving the projection of ice conditions working specifically on improving the projection of ice conditions to working specifically on improving the projection of ice conditions to facilitate, working specifically on improving the projection of ice conditions to facilitate, to help better make better decisions on the shipping season. this is a town preparing for a future without sea ice in the bay. the town's mayor, mike spence, says that could present opportunities. what do you think this place could look like in ten years' time? it’ll like in ten years' time? it'll be a bustling _ like in ten years' time? it'll be a bustling port. - like in ten years' time? it�*ii be a bustling port. the future looks bright. be a bustling port. the future looks bright-— looks bright. the fate of the olar looks bright. the fate of the polar bears. _ looks bright. the fate of the polar bears, of— looks bright. the fate of the polar bears, of the - looks bright. the fate of the polar bears, of the polar- looks bright. the fate of the l polar bears, of the polar bear capital of the world, though, depends on us — and whether we can rein in rising temperatures and preserve the ice that they depend on. we and preserve the ice that they depend om— and preserve the ice that they depend on. and preserve the ice that they deend on. ~ ,, , depend on. we can keep them in the north and — depend on. we can keep them in the north and protect _ depend on. we can keep them in the north and protect our - the north and protect our species as a whole. the ice is much more than frozen ocean. it really is. it's a garden. it's a platform. it's access to food. it's life, really.

victoria gill, bbc news, in churchill, manitoba. before we 90, churchill, manitoba. before we go, other news in the headlines: 11 people have died in a fire in a karaoke bar in hanoi on wednesday night. police have arrested a man who confessed to lighting the blaze with gasoline after an argument with staff. police say they are not looking for any other suspects at this time. andrew and tristan tate failed to pay taxes on their business, and face charges of rape, human trafficking, and criminal gain. andrew tate said the case was outright theft. at least 13 people have died after a crowded passengerferry capsized off the indian coast near mumbai. the vessel was en route

to elephanta island — a popular tourist site — when it was hit by a navy speedboat that was conducting engine trials. 99 people have been rescued, many have been taken to nearby hospitals. the indian navy said the speedboat experienced an engine malfunction, adding that it regretted the tragic loss of lives. that's all we have time for on this edition of newsday. stay with bbc news. business today is up next. hello. after the overnight rain across england and wales, thursday promises to bring lengthy spells of sunshine. it'll be a little on the chilly side, particularly across the north of the uk with a noticeable breeze, but overall, not a bad day. now, here's the satellite picture of that weather system earlier on, spreading across the uk. the rain has been mostly across the southern half of the country — in the north, we've had showers and clear spells. by the middle of thursday, that weather front is way towards the east of us — and in its wake, we're in that north westerly airstream. so, this is what it looks like early in the morning — still the remnants of the rain there across east anglia, but 1—2 showers also

further towards the west. frost—free for england and wales, typically five celsius, closer to freezing in northern ireland and scotland. so here's that weather, then, on thursday — sunshine, particularly across eastern and central england, but notice a few showers in scotland, and 1—2 elsewhere. but on the whole, a fine day. the temperatures — around eight for cardiff and for london, about that for liverpool. in edinburgh and belfast, it'll be a shade cooler than that. and then, friday, we're expecting more rain to sweep in. this next weather front crosses the country — middle of the day, it'll be in central areas of england. gusty winds for a time, too, before it clears away and the skies turn clear, as well. now, let's have a look at the forecast for the weekend, because it will be very blustery. a nasty area of low pressure is expected to sweep just to the north of us — it'll introduce really strong winds to northern and western scotland, and really blustery elsewhere. 60—70mph gusts there in the north of scotland, 50mph across many central parts of the uk. a nasty area of low pressure is expected to sweep just to the north of us — it'll introduce really strong winds to northern and western scotland, and really blustery elsewhere.

60—70mph gusts there in the north of scotland, 50mph across many central parts of the uk. the temperatures may reach 12—13 in some spots — but, because it'll be windy and there'll be showers, some of them wintry over the hills, it won't feel particularly warm. and it's notjust saturday that'll be windy, another very blustery day on sunday to come — look at that, gusts approaching 50mph further south, too. but it will be colder on sunday, you really will feel that wind chill. those temperatures will dip to six celsius — add on those 40—50mph gusts, and you'll need your thick coats. now, here's christmas week — it turns out that christmas day will be about the mildest day, but it is going to be generally settled. bye— bye.

the us fed cuts rates again — but markets plunge on a cautious outlook for 2025. as a huge year of live music wraps up — we take a look at the big business of concerts. we ask ceo what retail investors can expect. hello and welcome to business today. i'm katie silver. it's a big day for central banks with the bank ofjapan set to release its final interest rate decision for the year in a few hours. we'll be keeping an eye on that. first, let's turn to the us where the fed has delivered

its third rate cut for the year. but despite that — the s&p 500 and the nasdaq tumbling around 3%, as you can see here. the dow slipped over a thousand points. bbc�*s ritika gupta says the central bank's cautious outlook for 2025 rattled wall street. i was a bit surprised because they made a very clear that they would cut, that they were concerned that inflation is not coming down as rapidly as they would like, economy still strong and robust so that suggest that they were going to revise the number of cuts that they had forecast. less than the september forecast, they would do a four quarter point cuts, now they said they will do two of those. it doesn't surprise me at all given what they said, i'm surprised the market said, gosh, what are they talking about? even though i think that's what they've been saying

in the last few weeks. how are you weighing up the inflation, potentials