live from singapore this is bbc news. syria's new rulers are asked to preserve evidence of atrocities. joe biden commutes the death sentences have all but three federal prisoners on death row. they will now spend the rest of their lives in prison. and less than one month before donald trump returns to the white house, we speak to francis fugger yama. where does the author of the end of history think the world could go under trompe 2.0? —— francis fukiyama. good to have you with

us on newsday. rights groups in syria are appealing to the country's new leaders to preserve evidence of atrocities committed underformer committed under former president regime. committed underformer president regime. investigators from organisations like amnesty international and human rights watch have been visiting detention facilities in mass graves after rebels took over the capital. they say that evidence in the presence is essential for prosecuting those who helped in the detainment and disappearance of tens of thousands of people under the rule of al assad. it comes eu countries pours applications for syrians seeking asylum. international human rights groups have criticised the move is premature. our special correspondent has returned to some of those he met fleeing the war in syria in its early days and has sent this report.

it contains distressing testimony. i never imagined that i will witness something like that in my life. and i'm so happy. very happy. they hit you and they said, "confess. confess. " we first met 12 years ago. he'd just escaped syria. gay, pro—democracy, raped by assad's police. they raping me, one by one. i start to say, "please don't do this. please don't do that." then he'd asked to remain nameless, faceless, a voice. but no longer. today, living in holland, rene shevan celebrates assad's fall by showing his face. you've decided to appear on camera today. why is that?

because the fear is gone. because i'm... i'm not scared of them anymore. because assad is a refugee in moscow. watching the release of prisoners triggered traumatic memories. i witnessed this, and i saw people are free. i was so happy for them, but i saw myself there. i saw when they raped me. when they tortured me. i saw everything. it's a flashback. several hours away, i met another refugee i'd known

in the days of the war. one who'd never lost hope. i was certain nothing lasts forever. darkness is followed by dawn. it's nearly ten years since nujeen fled the kurdish region of syria, and ifirst met her among hundreds of thousands of refugees heading into europe. 15 years old with big dreams. i'd love to be an astronaut, to go out and see and find an alien. nujeen is safe in germany, but berlin has paused syrian asylum claims. assad's fall is welcome, but not the end of the struggle, she says. i knew that we would not... i would never come back to syria that has assad

as the president and that we would never have the chance to be better. and now with that, with that chapter over, i think the real challenge begins. what is the big challenge? we can and will be a better nation. we are a nation of love, acceptance and peace. not one of chaos, fear and destruction. there are many good hearts in syria and beyond hoping she's right. fergal keane, bbc news, cologne. oxfa m oxfam has accused israel of systematically using starvation as a weapon of war in gaza. the middle east and north african director described the situation as apocalyptic with

the humanitarian effort now on its knees due to a lack of support from israel on the ground. israel has denied the claims from oxfam saying it is doing everything it can to get humanitarian aid into the region. our correspondent has more. another thing that we've heard today is a report from oxfam — and again, it paints a really grim picture — that is the shortage of aid to gaza, especially in northern gaza. so, areas like jabalia, beit lahia, beit hanoun — these areas have been besieged with ongoing fighting and relentless shelling because, yet again, the israeli army is going after hamas fighters who they say have regrouped in that area. what oxfam is telling us is that,in two—and—a—half months, of the 334 trucks of food and water that have been given permission to enter gaza, and the deliberate — what they what they describe as the deliberate and systematic — obstruction by the israeli army meant that only 12 were able to distribute food and water. now, they also give this detail — of those three trucks were at a school, and

after the food and water was distributed, the school was cleared from where people were sheltering, and then it was shelled. this blame game has been going on for months and months since the beginning of the war between the israeli forces who say, "we're doing all we can, we're not obstructing aid," to aid agencies who say that legally, the occupying force — that is israel — should not only make aid available, but to facilitate the safe distribution of aid. and they say that israel hasn't done that. the man accused of killing the us healthcare insurance chief executive brian thomson has pleaded not guilty to state—level murder and terrorism charges. luigi mangione appeared in court in new york to face 11 state criminal counts he also faces federal stalking and murder charges that could lead to a death penalty. his lawyer told the judge that she was very concerned about her client's

rights to a fair trial. he concerned about her client's rights to a fair trial.- rights to a fair trial. he has been prejudiced _ rights to a fair trial. he has been prejudiced by - rights to a fair trial. he has - been prejudiced by statements being made by government officials. like every other defendant is entitled to a presumption of innocence but unfortunately the way this has been handled so far, his rights are being violated. fill" been handled so far, his rights are being violated.— are being violated. our north american _ are being violated. our north american chorus _ are being violated. our north american chorus warmed - are being violated. our north american chorus warmed and are being violated. our north - american chorus warmed and has more. he was flanked as he was brought into the courthouse and wore a burgundy sweatshirt and beige pants. inside court he was asked how he pleaded to the 11 count indictment brought by the new york state prosecutors which includes first—degree murder and murder is an act of terrorism for the killing of brian thomson, the boss of the american insurance company united healthcare. the united healthca re. the 26—year—old united healthcare. the 26—year—old leaned into the microphone and said not guilty. these are charges separate to the federal charges that he was

in court for when he first arrived in new york on thursday. if convicted in he could technically face the death penalty in the federal case if prosecutors seek it. the lead prosecutor in the state case said in court that he had never seen a case with such a high volume of evidence. remember, investigators collected fingerprints, images and other evidence during their five—day manhunt and say that they recovered in the possession of mangione, a ghost gun, notebook the detailed plans and a letter. mangione �*s lawyer said that simultaneous cases were highly unusual and today she raised concerns that he could not receive a fair trial questioning, for example, why the new york mayor had been present when he was brought of

a police helicopter at the manhattan helipad last week. she complained that officials are treating him like he is some sort of political fodder. staying in the united states are reporting to the conduct of the former republican congressman matt gates who had been the initial pics by donald trump attorney general has found substantial evidence that he paid tens of thousands of dollars for sex with women. including a 17—year—old girl. a report by the house ethics committee accused the florida congressman of taking several state laws including illicit drug use, statutory rape and prostitution. mr gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and resigned from congress in november. president biden decided to save 37 federal prisoners from execution, commuting the death sentences. they will now spend the rest of their lives in prison without parole. in a statement mr biden said he condemned there ats but he was guided by his conscience. three executions

are still due to go ahead including that of the boston marathon bombings. our correspondent reports. this is a significant — correspondent reports. this is a significant act _ correspondent reports. this is a significant act of _ correspondent reports. this is a significant act of clemency, | a significant act of clemency, first of all. as you mentioned he says he was guided by his conscience but also by determination. he says, to end the death penalty at a federal level. that said, this is 37 of the 40 level. that said, this is 37 of the a0 men currently on death row for federal offences. the other three will remain with those death sentences hanging over them, and they include the 2013 boston marathon bombings and also the gunman convicted of killing 11 jewish of killing iijewish worshippers at of killing 11 jewish worshippers at the tree of life synagogue in 2018. mr biden is doing this because he wants to tie the hands of the trump administration as it comes in being able to enact these death sentences at a federal level.

mr trump campaigned during the election saying frequently that he would expand the use of the death penalty to include drug traffickers and migrants who kill americans. tonight he has responded to mr biden's move describing it as a slap in the face for the victims and their families and he says a clear political row already over this but it is worth finally saying that the numbers convicted in federal courts for a death sentence are relatively small and despite the decrease in the use of executions in the united states there remain on death row would state—level more than 2000 prisoners across the us today. 2000 prisoners across the us toda . ~ ., today. meanwhile, the prime minister of — today. meanwhile, the prime minister of greenland - today. meanwhile, the prime minister of greenland has - minister of greenland has insisted the arctic island is not for sale after donald trump said he wanted to take control of the territory. greenland, which is the side of a strategically important us

airbases and autonomous territory of denmark. this comes a day after the president—elect said he wants to control take control, rather, of the panama canal. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's take a look at some other stories making use in the uk. the chancellor says she faces a huge challenge in fixing the economy after figures showed it flatlined in the first few months of the labour government. it is the latest in disappointing series of statistics for ministers with inflation rising at its fastest rate for eight months. search here starmer and volodymyr zelensky have agreed on the importance of refining the uk training of ukrainian forces to bolster the country's defence. that comes after it emerged the ministry of defence was considering the possibility of sending british troops to ukraine to help train its armed forces. and for the first time

in almost 20 years the monarch�*s christmas day message is not being broadcast from a royal residence. instead, king charles has chosen a former hospital chapel. the fit through the chapel in london. the traditional speech from the monarch will be broadcast at 1500 gmt on christmas day. you alive with bbc news. 202a was a big year for artificial intelligence big yearfor artificial intelligence companies and almost every field have been looking full ways to incorporate ai into their business models. in some cases just to speed up workflow and in others to find whole new ways of working. amid the excitement there is also caution from experts about what rapidly improving artificial intelligence systems could mean and whether governments can be quick enough to keep up with the new technology will advances. to talk about what is coming next for all unjointed

now by margaret mitchell, the chief ethics scientist and she was formerly at google where she founded and co— led its ethical ai group. thank you for your time on the programme. as we mentioned we have seen aic been to many aspects of the lives of people this year. what are the ethical issues that people should most be worried about? ., people should most be worried about? . u, people should most be worried about? . , , , about? there are ethical issues and things _ about? there are ethical issues and things people _ about? there are ethical issues and things people should - about? there are ethical issues and things people should be . and things people should be worried about. they are not necessarily the same. 0n the ethical side one of the things that has really emerged over the past year is around consent. when we put out things online is it ok for companies to use that to train 1533 00:15:4