announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" Íy in washington and this is bbc Íy "world news america." serious new interim prime minister calls on syrians to return home as damascus airport prepares to reopen. fifa announces a controversial picked to host a future world cup -- saudi arabia. the bbc follows police in spain rescuing women from human trafficking. ♪ hello and welcome to "world news america." shops are reopening and people are returning to work in syria's capital of damascus three days after the fall of the assad regime. the new prime minister said he wants to provide stability. many people want to see revenge on the atrocities that happened under bashar al-assad's rule. people have set fire to the father of the ousted president -- people have set fire to the tomb of the father of the ousted president. this is footage from the town of qardaha in northwest syria. authorities have warned those who tortu

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" >> five from london, this is bbc news. israel carries out strikes on yemen, and the capital is among the targets. russia is accused of shooting down a plane over kazakhstan, killing 38 people. the kremlin said it is wrong to speculate. two sailors are killed in separate incidents in a yacht race. more than 450 people crossed the english channel and small boats on christmas day. the former indian prime minister dies at age 92. he governed the country for two terms. ♪ i am sarah campbell. our top story is israel has been carrying out airstrikes across yemen including on the international airport. the head of the world health organization, tedros adhanom ghebreyesus, was at the airport, about to board a flight, when it came under israeli attack. he was not injured. the israeli military said it has been targeting the who these --houthis. fighters have targeted israel and s

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" sumi: i am sumi somaskanda in washington and this is bbc "world news america." they work out the next steps. an american who disappeared after a trip to budapest is found in syria. joe commutes sentences for 1500 people. the largest single day act of clemency in modern history. thank you for joining us on "world news america." an american man has been found in syria after being held in prison for seven months. travis had been reportedly missing since maylast seen in budapest. he said he was on his way to jordan on a spiritual journey when he was detained. he was broken out of his cell by rebels. his family told that they did not know he was being held in prison. they denied reports they spoke to him three weeks ago and they said they did not know if he was dead or alive. are middle east correspondent sent us this report. >> prisoner of the old syria. poster child for t

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" >> live from london this is bbc news many azerbaijan airs says external experience brought down one of its planes that crashed in kazakhstan. new analysis shows fossil fuels super charging heat wavers. the climate crisis with six more weeks of extreme heat in 2024. one of the last functions hops in northern gaza is forbesably evacuated by the israel military and a spacecraft made history with the closest approach to the sun. welcome. azerbaijan airlines says the preliminary results of the investigation into the plane crash in kazakhstan found there was external physical and technical interference. but the report stops short of accusing any group or countries of being responsible. it originally tried to land at tkproz any airport ahead of russia's authority said it was unable to do so because of the ukrainian drone attack. pro government media in ari azerbaijan said the

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" s "bbc news." s the king in his christmas speech calls for peace in world conflict, unity after the summer riots, and reflects. pope francis has used his traditional christmas message to call for peace in ukraine and gaza calling the humanitarian situation there extremely grave. officials in kazakhstan say 38 passengers were killed in the crash landing of an azerbaijan airlines flight. protests have erupted in several cities across syria. full video shows an attack on a shrine belonging to a formerly powerful minority. hello. king charles has given his annual christmas day speech where he thanked doctors and nurses for the care they provided him and the princess of wales during cancer treatment's this year. he called for unity after summer riots in the u.k. and made a plea for peace in the middle east, central europe, and africa. the address was delivered in london, th

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ announcer: gethe free pbs app now and stream the best of pbs. wow, you get to watch all your favorite stuff. it's to die for. now you won't miss a thing. this is the way. xfinity internet. made for streaming. ♪ >> good evening. on the news hour tonight, u.s. supreme court case pushes gender affirming care for transgender minors back into the national spotlight. >> being

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" s america. s the french government collapses after prime minister michelle bowen yang -- the prime minister receives a vote of no confidence. the chief executive of a major u.s. health care company is shot dead on the streets of new york city. a manhunt is underway. welcome to world news america. hours ago, prime minister michel barnier was ousted. parliament united to vote in support of the motion toppling the government and making michel barnier the shortest serving prime minister in history. 331 mps voted to remove him. earlier in the day the prime minister defended himself at the end of a heated debate at the national assembly. he used special powers to push through a social security budget bill without. the approval of the assembly. now that mr. barnier has lost the vote, france faces uncertainty. anonymous sources tell reuters that president macron is looking to

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" bbc news. edinburgh's were non-new year's eve celebrations are canceled due to extreme weather forecasts in the scottish capital. relatives of those lost in sunday's plane crash in south korea demand answers from the government as the anxious wait continues for the recovery of their loved ones. also the white house confirms the state funeral for jimmy carter will take place on the ninth of january as tributes continue for the former president after his death at the age of 100. and five people are charged in argentina over the death of the former one direction star liam payne in october. hello and welcome to bbc news. high winds and extreme weather has forced the cancellation of edinburgh's world famous celebrations on new year's eve. tens of thousands of tickets had already been sold but organizers a high wind and extreme weather me and they have been unable to continu

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" n washington and this is "world n news america." house say they have reached a new deal to fund the government but it is unclear if they have enough votes to padgett. the husband of gisele pelicot is jailed in a rape trial that sent shockwaves across france. the bbc gains for access to stories of women inside a prison. ♪ welcome to "world news america." republicans in the u.s. house of representatives say they have reached a deal to avert a government shutdown and plan to vote on it tonight but if you republicans say they oppose the bill and it is unclear how democrats will vote. the president elect said speaker mike johnson and the house have come to a very good deal for the american people. the newly agreed to american relief act of 2024 will keep the government open, fund farmers and others and provide relief for those affected by the devastating hurricanes. he enco

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" . >> i'm katrina perry in . washington and this is "bbc world news america." israel says it has destroyed syria's naval fleet and carried out nearly 500 air strikes since the toppling of bashar al-assad. israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu takes the stand in his corruption trial slamming the charges against him as ridiculous. >> the american people! anchor: a suspect accused of killing a unitedhealthcare c.e.o. is denied bail. hello, you're welcome to world news america. israel says it has destroyed syria's naval fleet. it's been carrying out hundreds of strikes on military targets across the country since the fall of bashar al-assad's regime over the weekend. disunss -- dozens of military installation and air bases are reportedly hit. israel says it's trying to stop weapons falling into the hands of extremists and has ordered its military to create weapons-free

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" ♪ >> live from london, this is bbc news. israel carries out airstrikes on yemen. the international airport in the capital, sanaa, is among the targets fo russia is accused of shooting down a plane ever kazakhstan. former indian prime minister manmohan singh dies at age 9092. he governed for two terms and liberalize the economy. "kevin and stacy -- "gaivn and stacey' wins u.k. ratings battle. hello. i'm sarah campbell. we start this hour in the middle east. israel has been carrying out airstrikes across yemen, including on the international airport in the capital, sanaa. the head of the world health organization, tedros adhanom ghebreyesus, was about to board a flight when it came under attack that he has not been injured. the israeli military says it has been targeting the who these -- houthis, the rebel group backed by iran. houthi fighters have targeted in solidarity

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and nowbc news" chri. i'm christian fraser, and thisi. is the context. >> allegations, calling them baseless and saying china has always acted with honor in business dealings a barrage. christian: the case has now added a challenge to a political debate here. the government wants to reach out and engage with china, but that comes with risk. >> that it -- there is a chiasm of hostile activity by china, trying to influence not just in the u.k. but around the world. ♪ christian: the alleged chinese spy was linked to prince andrew is named. why did they takes a long to ban him from the u.k. he alleges he did nothing wrong. assad said he never intended to flee to russia. tonight, security brief. a very good evening. the alleged chinese spy links to the duke of york has been named after an order was lifted this afternoon. here's what we know about chinese national yang tengbo. he ran a consulti

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" >> hello, you're watching "the context." we cannot allow ourselves to be divided. that's what i would advise the prime minister in the coming days. >> he said i will stay the full course of my mandate, a full five-year mandate to 2027, despite those calling for me to resign. >> he was frustrated that he didn't seem to have been able to expand to the french people why he call the snap elections over the summer that fractured the french political system and delivered this impasse that france is facing. ♪ >> french president said he will announce a country's next prime minister in the coming days. the president accused opponents of choosing chaos and said they were not thinking of voters. we will have the latest for you, live from paris. also ahead in the program, the british prime minister sets out his plan for change with targets that cover the economy, housebuilding an

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for erica's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" 'n washington in this is bbc worldn news america. new video of the men who killed a top u.s. executive is released after officials say the men hunt is a multiate operation. syrian rebels reach of the third largest city. we speak to the family of american journalist austin tice who say he is still alive after being held hoffert -- old hostage for more than 12 years. ♪ hello and welcome to world news america. police in several u.s. states are searching for a person of interest in the killing of a u.s. health care company ceo in new york city. officials told the bbc's partners u.s. news the searches ongoing across new york state, etiquette and new jersey. local media reports the man sought by police have left the city on a bus to atlanta. video appears to show the suspt moments before he shot united health care chief executive brian thompson on wednesday. here is what we kn

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" 's bbc world news america. 's police in new york release new pictures of a suspect they want to question following the killing of a u.s. health insurance boss and french president says he will nominate a new prime minister in the days ahead. welcome to world news america. we start in the middle east where fighters in syria have made another breakthrough in the surprise offensive against the government. they seized the central city, the second major city in the country days after captioning the city of aleppo. this comes 13 years into a civil war that has devastated syria. this footage shows rebels entering apparently unopposed. you can see the fighters being welcomed by redents. the rebels then turn the cameras around and record themselves celebrating. the syrian army says has withdrawn forces from the area, effectively ceding control. earlier thursday in a televised s

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" >> hello, i'm lewis vaughan jones. you are watching "the context" on bbc news. >> very much still in the dark grip of the past era and the current horrors have to be dealt with if they want toove forward. >> there is a curfew from 5:00 in the evening until 5:00 in the morning but in the center of the city it was still a second day of celebrations. >> vladimir putin invested heavily in a side, determined to keep him in power. in the end, it wasn't enough. but what to do about hts when they are prescribed terrorist organization? ♪ lewis: in syria, a side is gone, decades of dictatorship are er. we look at what serious opposition rebels will do now with analysis from damascus, washington, dc, and westminster. also on the program, chcellor rachel reeves meet u.k. finance ministers and promises to reset the relationship between britain and the eu. google shows off its quant

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" katrina: i am caitriona perry in washington and this is bbc world news america. syrians take to the streets to celebrate the downfall of the assad regime. these -- the israeli military is investigating after a surgeon was shot and killed in gaza as the airsikes continue. the president of france picks a new prime minister, the fourth this year alone. hello and you are welcome to world news america. the u. military flew an american man and imprisoned in syria for several months out of the country. the u.s. official said that travis timmerman was brought to u.s. troops at a syrian base and then was flown to jordan. he was attempting to pass through syria after -- through a spiritual journey before he was detained. the 29-year-old was among thousands released by rebel forces after the fall of assad's regime. thousands of syrians have taken to the streets to celebrate the d

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" >> live from london, this is bbc news. protest breakout in syria are calling for the protection of minorities after the burning of a christmas tree. one of the worst starvation crises in modern times. on the report says famine in sudan has expanded to five areas and is likely to spread further next year. president-elect trump vows to pursue death penalties for violent criminals after president biden commutes 37 federal death sentences. american airlines has resumed u.s. flights after grounding all of its aircraft briefly due to a vendor technology issue. and pope francis hold a special christmas eve ceremony, lifting the door of the vatican to mark the start of the jubilee year. ♪ >> thanks for staying with us. protest have erupted in syria over the burning of a christmas tree in a christian majority town. demonstrators took to the streets of the capital damascus calli

announce funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. d peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected need ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ announcer: get the free pbs app now and stream the best of pbs ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ announcer: funding for presentation of this program is provided by... woman: a successful business owner sells his company and restores his father's historic jazz club with his son. a raymond james financial advisor get to know you,

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" christian: hello, i'm christian fraser. you are watching "the context." >> as we have been walking along the streets, more and more people are joining in, thousands now, everywhere we go, more people joining the march. >> the situation is a wound that will continue to bleed for the syrians until we can resolve it, answer the questions that remain unanswered. >> i want to avoid sparking any kind of additional conflicts inside syria at a time when we want to see this transition to an interim government enter a better way forward for syria. >> laser focus on the role that we can play with our allies to see a stable, peaceful transition so that t syrians get the government they need for the future. ♪ christian: 65 british nationals linked to islamic state are still detained in prisons and camps in northeast syria but the kurds who guard them are under regular assault from

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" d this is "the context." d >> the prime minister must present the resignation of the government to the president. >> of the first time that a friend prime minister has been brought down by a parliamentary vote in this country since 1962. his government mouth falls and he will have to tender his resignation to president emmanuel macron. >> be assured, i am not afraid. i have rarely been afraid in my life. what is important is that we will take steps towards each other. ♪ christian: no budget, no government and seemingly no way out, friends in crisis tonight with europe looking nervously on for a good friend prime minister michel barnier was ousted in a no-confidence vote and after just three months of the job. we will be the reaction from both sides. in manhunt on in new york city as the ceo of united health care is targeted and shot dead outside the hilton hotel in man

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" c news. c azerbaijan airlines says external interference brought down one of its planes that crashed in kazakhstan. mexico's government tests a panic button app allowing migrants to send an alert if the u.s. government tries to deport them. new analysis shows fossil fuels are supercharging heat waves. the climate crisis added six more weeks of extreme heat in 2024. the prime minister of nepal says there are too many tigers in his country and he wants to give some away. ♪ hello and welcome. the white house says it has seen early indications that suggest a plane that crashed in kazakhstan this week was possibly brought down by russian air defense systems. the kremlin has so far refused to comment on reports the plane was hit by russian weaponry. azerbaijan airlines says the parliamentary result of the investigation into the incident found that there was external physical

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" e gonda in washington. e this is bbc world news america. the de facto leader of syria says his country isn't a risk to the world. the cia director travels to the middle east to try to make a deal between hamas and israel with the cease-fire said to be within reach. the bbc goes on patrol with kenyan police in haiti dealing with escalating gang violence and we speak with one of the country's most notorious gang leaders. >> welcome to world news america. syria's de facto leader says syria is exhausted by war and isn't a threat to its neighbors or the west. in an interview with the bbc from damascus he called for sanctions on syria to be lifted. a sunni islamist group claims to have disavowed its isla past since splitting from al qaeda. saying they too are victims of the assad regime as the international organization for migration says the country is not yet stable enough

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" >> live from london this is bbc news. the king and his christmas message calls for peace in world conflicts. unity after the summer riots. and reflects on his cancer treatment. >> i offer special heartfelt thanks to the selfless doctors and nurses who, this year, have supported me and other members of my family. >> pope francis uses his traditional christmas message to call for peace in ukraine and gaza, and describes the humanitarian situations there as extremely grave. officials in kazakhstan say 38 passengers died in the crash landing of in azerbaijan airlines flight. and president zelenskyy condemns russia's last missile and drone attack against ukraine on christmas day as inhumane. ♪ hello. i'm sarah campbell. merry christmas. we start with king charles who has given his annual christmas day speech where he paid tribute to the doctors and nurses for the care they

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" >> i'm sumi somaskanda in washington, and this is bbc world news america. political chaos in south korea. the president declares he is lifting martial law after implementing it just hours earlier. uncertainty remains. and fears of the cease-fire between hezbollah and israel could collapse as both sides accused each other of reaching the truths -- breaching the truce. ♪ a very warm welcome to world news america. a dramatic turn of events in south korea. president yoon said he will lift in order to impose martial law that he declared just a few hours ago, throwing the country into political turmoil. he confirmed army forces have been withdrawn. protesters who gathered to demonstrate against the sudden introduction of military rule are now celebrating the sudden reversal. earlier, thousands of protesters clashed with police at they tried to get into the national assembly

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" ts america. ts bashar al-assad reportedly says he never believed to freed to russia. we have a special report on syria's streets with members of the rebel group now in charge. and a devastating cyclone rips through the french island territory leaving what residents call apocalyptic seas. ♪ sumi: welcome to world news america. syria's former president bashar al-assad said he never planned to step down as president and insist he left syria at russia's request, according to a statement on the telegram channel belonging to the syrian presidency offering his view of the rebel offensive that toppled him. it is unclear who currently controls that channel or whether mr. assad wrote the post but he claims he was besieged on a russian base where he was overseeing combat operations only to find that syrian troops abandoned their positions. he went on to defend his record serving

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" ♪ christian: hello. i'm christian fraser, and this is "the context." >> i want you to know that we share the same fight. >> he wanted to reduce her to an object, an obsession to be used for his satisfaction. then he could than the subject to the people, and to do that, he needed to drug her. >> all the guilty verdicts chemist no surprise, but it is the length or rather the shortness of some of the sentences that has provoked some consternation. christian: in france, the biggest mass rape trial has come to an end, dominique pelicot jailed for 20 years for raping his wife, gisÈle. luigi mangione, the man accused of shooting debbie health care ceo brian thompson, is flown to new york, where he is facing federal charges. we will get the latest from our correspondent outside the courthouse in new york. lord peter mendelson named as the u.k.'s new ambassador to the united st

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" c news. c an ethics report into matt gaetz says there is substantial evidence he paid for sex with a minor and used illicit drugs. in a rare move, israel acknowledges is what was behind the summer assassination of a hamas leader in iran. a break from tradition. the king christmas message will be delivered from a former hospital chapel rather than buckingham palace. for you can economy flat lines. revised figures show no growth at all the last quarter. and wallace and grommet make a return to our screens for a christmas special, the first in a decade. ♪ hello. a long-awaited report into the conduct of the former republican congressman matt gaetz has found substantial evidence that he paid women for sex or drugs on numerous occasions, including paying a 17-year-old girl for sex. according to a final draft of the report, the politician who was donald trump's initial pick

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" >> welcome to the program. i'm lewis vaughan jones. we start with breaking news from germany. these are the latest pictures we have. these are the scenes of a christmas market there in magdeburg. reports, a car has been driven into crowds of shoppers there at that christmas market. news agencies reporting potentially dozens of people injured. at least one person killed. we are getting details from broadcasters in germany as well as newsagencies. you can see the scale of the emergency response in these pictures, ambulance after ambulance taking people away to local hospital for treatment. with me is my colleague samantha simmonds. talk us through what we know so far, what has happened here. samantha: about an hour or so ago this news had broken that a car had broken through this christmas market in magdeburg, according to a german broadcaster, other local media. they sa

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for ame. announcer: and now, "bbc news" 'm christian fraser and this is the context. >>>> the conflict is not over yet. we need immediate humanitarian assistance. we need to make sure syria can be rebuilt. >> the country has suffered 13 years of war and its economy has collapsed. the assad regime, a corrupt regime, depleted the resources for its own benefit. >> the situation on the ground is very volatile. it is not clear it is safe for everyone to go back. that decision needs to be made on individual circumstances. ♪ >> the u.n. envoy to syria warns the conflict is far from over amid significant tensions in the north. calling on israel to withdraw from syrian territory which of the upper -- occupied in recent days. the security council is meeting tonight to discuss the situation. we will talk to one of the lawyers investigating the crimes of the assad regime. we will catch up with quentin sommerville who has been in a port city.

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" c news. c an ethics report into matt gaetz who was briefly donald trump's nominee for attorney general says there is substantial evidence he paid for sex with a minor and used innocent drugs. this year's kings christmas message will be delivered from a former hospital chapel. u.k. economy flatlined. revised figures show no growth at all in the last quarter. one of india's most respected filmmakers has died at the age of 90. ♪ a long-awaited report into the conduct of the former republican congressman matt gaetz has found substantial evidence he paid women for sex or drugs on numerous occasions including paying a 17-year-old girl for sex. according to a final draft reported by the house ethics committee, the politician who is dumb drums shall pick for attorney general is said to have been involved in prostitution, statutory rape and illicit drug use. the age of consent

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" ♪ christian: -- lewis: hello. i'm lewis vaughan jones. you are watching "the coext" on bbc news. >> he is one of the greatest men i know, and i stand by the jury decision, i would do that and not pardon him. >> you have republicans screaming about hypocrisy because he had said in public at least 10 times that he would not pardon his son hunter. and then you've got democrats also saying they think this is a mistake. lewis: welco to the program. strong criticism of joe biden as he grants his son hunter a legal pardon despite saying he wouldn't. in france, the government could collapse by wednesday. the far left and far-right say they will back a vote of no-confidence. what do countries need to do about climate change? the u.n.'s top court will try to answer that, and we will speak to a lawyer representing the most affected nations. we start in the u.s. the white house is

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" '. you are watching the context. '. >> the killing of a general here in moscow. that is a wake-up call. a sign that this war is very real and close to home. >> one of the questions that needs to be asked is whether the ukrainian intelligence and security services have russian agents in moscow helpingo carry out these attacks. >> probably the most senior russian general to be killed since the full-scale invasion of ukraine by russia in 2022. ♪ >> senior russian general killed by a bomb in moscow. less than 10 kilometers from the kremlin. kyiv claims responsibility. a warning to the russian leadership they will be hunted for war crimes committed in ukraine. we will look at the unit that is behind it and the tactics that are employed. tonight, a cease-fire in gaza is getting your but final details to be hammered out. the special relationship the british government is not

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" s bbc news. s mutated christmas celebrations at the church in bethlehem. protests breakout in syria, calling for the protection of minorities by islamist leaders after the burning of a christmas tree. president-elect trump vows to pursue the death penalty for violent criminals after president biden commutes 37 federal death sentences. and we are following santa's journey as he edges closer to the u.k. ♪ thanks for being with us. christians have been gathering at the church of the nativity in the holy city of bethlehem to mark christmas. the latin patriarch of jerusalem told worshipers to remain steadfast, saying he had witnessed destruction in gaza, but also life amidst the ruins. our correspondent joins us from bethlehem. describe the scene for us there tonight. correspondent: hello, and happy holidays from here in bethlehem, where the midnight mass has just started a

announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. udy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" c news. c the u.s. government says a chinese state sponsored actor hacked the u.s. treasury department earlier this month, gaining access to staff workstations and some unclassified documents. relatives of those killed in sunday's plane crash in south korea demand answers from the government, as the anxious waste continues for the recovery of their loved ones. u.s. congress and leadership say jimmy carter will lie in state u.s. capitol rotunda for two days before his state funeral, after the former president died at the age of 100. and edinburgh's world-renowned new year's eve celebrations are canceled due to extreme weather forecasted across scotland. ♪ >> hello and welcome to bbc. the u.s. government has said a state sponsored actor in china has hacked the treasury department, gaining access to staff workstations. a spokesperson set unclassified documents were compro