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couple weeks ago could have got you arrested, jailed time or even able what. -- even a bullet. >> hopefully a democracy. it does so in a way that protects all the minorities in syria, produces an exclusive nonsectarian government. >> syrians are waiting to see how good they will -- how quickly they will make good on their promises to put in place a government for all syrians. y♪ >> the assad regime possessed massive quantities of nerve agents and deadly chemicals. how much of that has been destroyed? the international inspectors say they need immediate access to sites where those chemicals were produced fearful it could be sold to the highest bidder.

we will speak to the highest assistant for arms control. and the humble crumble cookie that went from a simple idea to a billion-dollar franchise. th agency that oversees the monitoring and destruction of chemical weapons worldwide says it is concerned as to the whereabouts of syria's toxic chemicals. . it is planning to send inspectors to damascus as soon as connections can be made with the interim government. the organization for the prohibition of chemical weapons. says syria is a signatory to the convention and is under an international obligation to safeguard and destroy dangerous substances. that include stockpiles of chlorine and sarin gas which of the assad regime used in at least two large-scale attacks. joining us tonight is the assistant secretary of state for the bureau of arms control, deterrence and stability at the u.s. department of state.

good to have you with us. how much do you think we knew towards the end about assad's chemical weapons program? >> thank you for having me. we knew about the declared program and in january 20 15, the organization for the prohibition of chemical weapons was able to confirm the destruction of 1300 tons of the declared chemical weapons stockpile of the assad regime should since that time and even throughout to the process of the syrian government joining the chemical weapons convention, we have been concerned remaing stock piles, remaining facilities and equipment were not declared and that was born out through the course of the syrian civil war in nine confirmed cases of continuing chemical weapons use by the assad regime. the organization for the prohibition 19 outstanding

questions with respect to that declared stockpile. we know there is existing stockpile material not declared. we know there is existing equipment and that is a deep concern for the u.s. government and international community. >> the list of the missing is long. the washington post has seen an audit from the opcw. it includes over 360 tons of mustard gas and five tons of missing precursors for sarin gas. that is enough to fill a small swimming pool. we don't need much of that. do you worry if that gets away from the site it is produced a could fall into the wrong hands? >> the proliferation concerns are of the highest degree for the u.s. government and all of our partners in the chemical weapons nvention and the international community should be concerned if any of the remaining wmd materials

including chemical weapons or radiological weapons fall into the hands of those that would wish to use it against civilians or otherwise that would be a huge problem for international security. we all need to start working closely and intensely with the opcw to prevent that proliferation from happening. or know israel and united states have had hundreds of sites across the country. do you think they have had enough sites to reduce the risk? >> i am not aware of all the sites or any of the targeting that has happened by the israeli government. the concern is how we need the opcw to confirm destruction should need verification of the remaining stockpile to be overseen in its elimination and it is very important the new leadership in syria come forward and openly declare as they are required to do under the chemical weapons convention any

remitting chemicals, facilities or equipment. >> we did have a choice in 2013. the syrian government launched rockets carrying sarin into damascus. they killed over 1000 people. the obama administration which joe biden was part of and the british parliament decided against intervention at that moment. with hindsight do you think that was a mistake not to go in harder than we did? >> i don't believe it was a mistake. it resulted in the assad regime being forced to join the chemical weapons convention and admit to chemical arsenal, a stockpile they denied for years and years and allowing the opcw to have oversight and insight into the stockpile and into that program was more infected is more effective than any military activity could have been because in addition to the 1300 tons of chemical weapons declared and destrod with international verification, having the syrian

regime be part of the chemical weapons convention allowed for inspectors, allowed for oversight and access to facilities -- >> as you said, they continue to produce these materials and used it again in 2017 which is why donald trump home to the sites where it was being produced. to an extent it did not work should >> i understand your point that of the other is an amount of continuing capacity that proceeded beyond their joining the chemical weapons convention. even with military intervention, chemical weapons are able to be stored in hidden often from military exercise, military bombing and otherwise. the chemical weapons that were declared, the program that is allowed to be exposed provided the opcw an international community access to raising flags allowing the international

community to inform the broader public this was still a concern we had to address and allowed for resources to flow into the white helmets and other civilian capacity on the ground to protect individuals. while additional use has happened, the only way to destroy 1300 tons of chemical weapons and to keep the spotlight on the assad regime's chemical arsenal was to allow the community to get in under the chemical weapons convention. >> it is a big concern for all syria's neighbors and it was part of the conversation secretary blinken has had with some of the leaders in those countries in recent days. you sit within the national security framework. has there been any discussion about tying aid to access for the inspectors? >> there has been discussion of working with the organizations and our partners and regional allies and partners to help provide resources to address the

challenge of the remaining stockpile and that is something that is ongoing and is the highest priority to the u.s. government. we are continuing these discussions. we will work closely with the opcw. that is very much at the top of our discussion topics. >> good to talk to you this evening. thank you for being with us. we will get plenty of reaction to that interview from our guest tonight, our panel coming up at 9:00 but we will take a short break. around the world and across the u.k., you are watching bbc news. ♪

>> it has been a day of celebration in syria. tens of thousands were on the streets of the capital damascus and across cities in the country to mark the overthrow of the brutal regime, scenes that would have been unthinkable a week ago . it was the first friday prayer

since the rebel groups took power in the country. jeremy bowen sent of this report. >> this ancient city has seen countless up evils over five millennia. for modern syria with its old flag restored, nothing matches the fall of the assads. the end of the first week without an aside in charge since 1970 brought thousands of syrians into the mosque to thank god for their deliverance. the chant is the people want the execution of bashar. the regime's collapse and liberation from assad's poodle security state empowering a sense of great optimism. for all the people here, this puts the seal on it. this is proof they have won and the regime has gone. just flying one of these black,

white and green flags a couple weeks ago could have got you arrested, jail time or even a bullet. the fighters, hts, are still basking in their achievement. that white flag used by syrian islamist fighters was also behind the new prime minister in broadcast. hts insists it has renounced its former extremist ideology. some syrians do not believe them. samir back from britain over 44 years is hoping for a teller the future. > this is our country. he is gone now. i don't know how we are going to rebuild it. he has been collapsing the country for 50 years but these are the people who are going to build the country so wish us the look. leave us alone, ok? we appreciate your support but we don't want anyone to interfere with our decisions.

this is their decision. >> syria's future is full of challenges. hts is an islamist group. what will that mean for girls and for women? how do syrians get justice for the regime's crimes? they meant it when they called for a bashar execution before the prayer. the new rulers told them to celebrate the revolution so they d. syrians understand it want to easy to overcome 50 years of dictatorship and 14 years of war. this was a day to seize and enjoy. thousands converged on the square in the center of damascus. it is as if an enormous weight has been lifted off a nation. i have never seen so many smiling people in syria. >> we are for you. we are feeling the feelings we are free. we never feel like this. >> we are free now.

>> north we are free >> the fighters are the heroes now inging their kids, posing for photos with other people's but when the party is over, people need to eat in an economy smashed by war and corruption. i asked this woman what her and her daughters need. >> just need freedom. no stolen money taken from us. >> we want to be independent. we want to be independent people. syria is an independent country. nobody controls us. nobody can rule us. just the syrians. >> it is too soon for firm answers to the serious problems but the pluckers set an agenda. bring the assads to justice, civil rights for all in syria is for every syrian no matter who they are. jeremy bowen, bbc news, damascus. >> plenty of outside parties with interest in the stability

of syria. we will talk to someone in the program who advised the turkish president. let's talk about some breaking news in the last hour which has come from the palace. the duke of york insists he stopped all contact with a businessman accused of being a chinese spy after receiving advice from the government should chris andrew said he met the individual through official channels with nothing of a sensitive nature discussed. the businessman described as a close confidant of the prince lost an appeal yesterday after previous home secretary suella braverman barred him from entering the u.k. on national security grounds. judges heard the businessman had formed a close working relationship with prince andrew, receiving an intro -- an invitation to his birthday party in 20. he was told he could act on the prince's behalf when dealing with attentional investors in china.

>> the prince under pressure and advisers standing by him and a mystery businessman we cannot name. an extraordinary court document the moment the chinese state targeted the royal family. for 10 years prince andrew promoted the uk's relationship with china as a trade envoy. >> i believe china is a very important country. it is one the u.k. needs to continue to have a good relationship with. >> from state dinners to business talks, he helped forge closer ties. this business event nine years ago with china's president xi jinping. a judgment from the special immigration appeals commission has revealed the chinese man known only as hc has been banned from the u.k. because he is a threat to national security. duke advisor told h six he could act for the duke in talks with potential chinese investors.

in the security services searched age six phone in 2021 they found evidence he might be deceiving the prince to gain influence in the chinese communist party. the court found h six had been in position to generate relationships with prominent u.k. figures which could be leverage for political interference purposes. it was a letter from dominic hampshire on the phone. he told h six outside of the prince's closest internal confidants, you sit at the top of a tree many people would like to be on. hc had a note of how to handle the duke himself. it said important. manage expectations. really important to not set too high expectaons. he is in desperate situation and will grab onto anything. my five concluded h six was working for beijing. there is no suggestion mr. hampshire was aware. the bbc has approached him for comment. counterespionage investigators feared the duke had been target

of elite capture, the operation to seek influence across british life. home secretary used her exceptional powers reserved for the most serious national security cases to ban the businessman from the u.k. the chinese embassy has called the allegations a baseless smear but experts are not surprised. >> typically they would go for members of the house of lords or prominent business people or people who have a voice in a community. it is ambitious to target a member of the royal family and quite unwise for a member of the royal family to allow himself to be carpeted -- to be targeted. >> prince andrew withdrew from public life over the aftermath of his relationship with jeffrey epstein. that relationship raised questions of judgment. there are now thanks to this astonishing case questions of judgment again.

>> a number of unexplained drones have been spotted in the skies of new jersey and pennsylvania have residents and lawmakers concerned. speaking at a briefing today, the white house national security spokesperson john kirby said the u.s. government has no evidence the drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat. >> we have no evidence the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat or have a foreign nexus. the department of homeland security and fbi are investigating these sightings and they are working closely with state and local law enforcement to provide resources using numerous detection methods to better understand their origin using very sophisticated electronic detection technologies provided by federal thorities. we have not been able to and neither have state or local law enforcement authorities corroborate any of the reported

visual sightings. to the contrary, upon review of available imagery, it appears many of the reported sightings are manned aircraft being operated lawfully. the united states coast guard is providing state to the -- providing support to the state of new jersey and has confirmed there is no evidence of any foreign-based involvement from coastal vessels. there were no reported or confirmed drone sightings and any restricted airspace. >> very much part of the political debate at the moment in washington and it will be fueled by reports today over ramps nine airbase confirmed by the u.s. air force saying there were drones flying over the airbase earlier in december similar to the drones spotted over the u.k. u.s. bases -- here in the u.k. last month. we will get more views on that later in the program. it's turned back to syria because the u.s. secretary of state antony blinken is taking

soundings from countries who share a border. he has been to jordan. he has been to turkey. he was on a previously unannounced visit to iraq. >> the conviction of so many other countries in the region and beyond that as syria transitions from the assad dictatorship to hopefully a democracy, it does so in a way that protects all of the minorities in syria that produces an inclusive nonsectarian gernment and does not become in any way a platform for terrorism. certainly pressure on the new interim government in damascus. our chief international correspondent is in damascus. >> the heart of the syrian capital. listen to the noise around us. theyere just a moment ago firing red tracer fire into the air even though the main leader of the interim coalition now

known by his real name. urged us to celebrate peacefully today, not to fire guns in the air with our been fireworks in the sky. the square even though it is 9:00 in the evening, it is bitterly cold, it is still alive with light. this is a day of celebration although syrians know that the road ahead will be difficult. there will be reversals and it may not work out the way they wish but they are not allowing themselves to think that today, a day they have waited so long for. a day they have suffered long for. many tell us they never believed they would see a day like this. >> william pictures from syria today. -- brilliant pictures from syria today. it is a top podcast with a huge audience but to bbc world service investigation has found stephen bartlett's show diary of a ceo is amplifying harmful

health misinformation. it started as a business podcast but there has en a noticeable shift toward health issues. over 15 recent episodes, an average of 14 harmful claims were shared with the guest with little challenge from bartlett leading health experts to tell the bbc the claims made on his podcast could so distrust in medicine and harm patients. >> stephen bartlett is one of the most famous entrepreneurs in the u.k. and host of one of the biggest is podcasts in the u.k. quote -- podcasts globally diary of a ceo. over the last 18 months, there has been a noticeable change in its guests and subject matter. we track to the podcast episodes from the last 18 months then we analyzed the health related once shared we fact-check to claims with the advice of 14 experts.

we found 14 potential harmful claims per episode. one of the guests he hosted was dr. mark hyman, and alternative medicine dr.. >> gluten can cause anything from osteoporosis to autism. > another guest claimed a keno genic diet was a solution without chemotherapy. >> to manage cancer without toxicity is to simultaneously restrict the two fuels that are needed to drive the dis-regulated growth well transitioning the whole body off to a few of the tumor cells can't use which is fatty acids and ketone bodies. >> at no point does stephen challenge the suggestion the diet could treat cancer. when we next hear from him he says -- >> what could really learn from our ancestors about cancer? >> if you are a cancer patient who took some of this advice and maybe change your dietary patterns and became very restrictive when you were undergoing treatment, you could

potentially and very realistically get very sick. >> will could have motivated the shift to health? it is a very health related click bait content with scary titles, with this thing is toxic, this thing is going to kill you and we know that does really well online with the algorithm. >> a spokesperson for the production company said the diary of a ceo is in open-minded longform conversation with individuals identified for their distinguished and eminent career and consequential life experience. they said each guest is thoroughly researched, they hear a range of voices not just those stephen the diary of a ceo team necessarily agree with. dr. thomas seifert says he stands by the statement he made in the interview. dr. mark hyman did not respond to requests for comment. >> is there a risk in having too much meat products? >> the shift to health be great

for the reach of his podcast but what is the line to hosting contrarian views versus allowing them to go unchallenged? what is stephen bartlett's responsibilities as the host of one of the worlds biggest podcasts? >> most read story on the bbc. have a look at it on the bbc website. that me show you a live picture of the paris night sky. the eiffel tower shining. a big day in paris today. the fourth prime minister this year taking over from michelle barney a. we will talk under the next half-hour about the challenge he announcer: funding for presentation of this program is provided by... financial services firm, raymond james.

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