martine croxall, thank you very much. martine croxall there at the old bailey.ults 7 urfan sharif, sara s father, beinash batool, her stepmother, faisal malik, her uncle and five of sara s siblings 7 were the subject of a police hunt in pakistan that spread across the country. when the adults left pakistan, there were still questions about how they had remained hidden for so long. 0ur pakistan correspondent caroline davies and her team spent months tracking down the man who says he hid them. punjab�*s rural heartland. more than 6000km away from woking, the route, the roads the sharif family took. but where and how did they stay undiscovered? we're off to meet a man who's related to urfan sharif by marriage. and through the conversations we've been having, we think he might know more about how the three adults stayed hidden for so long in pakistan. months of searching, tip offs and leads led us to this door in a one track village. during the hunt, police suspected rasik munir of helping hide sara's father, urfan sharif, stepmother beinash batool and uncle faisal

martine croxall, live at the i'm martine croxall, live at the old bailey. and again and suffered a campaign of torture. after months of deadlock, reports that israel and hamas could be moving closer to a gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. ukrainian security sources say they were behind a remotely controlled bomb attack that's killed a top russian general. the killing of a general here in moscow, that is a wake—up call and a sign that this war is very real and very to home. chaos and panic in vanuatu, as a major earthquake strikes the pacific island nation, leaving toppled buildings and landslides in its wake. and how art is notjust uplifting — a new report says it can be good for your mental and physical health. hello and welcome to bbc news. a judge at the old bailey in london has sentenced the father and stepmother of 10—year—old sara sharif to life in prison for her murder. the judge described the crimes as being "of almost

martine croxall is with you next.president emmanuel macron has appointed his new prime minister francois bayrou, the centrist leader. there had been speculation mounting over who he would choose in an effort to try to end months of political turmoil. of course his government fell last week after the french mps as prime minister in a no—confidence vote. emmanuel macron has said that a replacement would be appointed by the end of thursday. however, as the hours pass there was no confirmation that francois bayrou was being given the job. we that francois bayrou was being given thejob. we now have news that the 73—year—old centrist leader francois bayrou has been appointed. let's speak to our correspondent. how popular will this be? , . ., ., this be? this will come down with a lot _ this be? this will come down with a lot of _ this be? this will come down with a lot of questions. i this be? this will come down with a lot of questions. he i this be? this will come down l with a lot of questions. he was the main contenderf

hello and welcome — i'm martine croxall. and a merry christmas to you if you're celebrating today.

i'm martine croxall. damning report, released by the us house ethics committee, says the former congressman, matt gaetz, paid numerous women forsex, including a 17—year—old girl, and regularly used cocaine, marijuana and ecstasy. mr gaetz was donald trump's initial choice to run the justice department. the report concluded there was substantial evidence he broke standards of conduct. he denies wrongdoing, and had tried to block the report's publication. mr gaetz is taking on a new role as a political tv talk show host in the new year, but at a conservative conference, he hinted at a bid for the us senate. it seems i may not have had enough support in the united states senate — maybe i'lljust run for marco rubio�*s vacant seat in the united states senate, and join some of those folks! our correspondent tom bateman has more on the fallout from the house ethics report. well, this was a searing set of findings from the house ethics committee, and ultimately, it puts the spotlight back on to the decision by do

i'm martine croxall. the other main stories this hour... the new head of nato is calling for the alliance to shift to a wartime mindset and turbo—charge its spending to prepare for the threat of a conflict with russia. and the french president emmanuel macron is expected to name a new prime minister today, after the collapse of his government last week. thank you forjoining us here on bbc news. we are alive today from the heart of the syrian capital, damascus. we arejust above the main square in the city and you can see the roundabout just city and you can see the roundaboutjust behind me. it is quiet now. but it will be filled hour after hour as syrians will come here to celebrate the end of 50 years of president assad's authoritarian rule of his —— and his father before him. here last sunday damascus fell to his rebels and syrians rushed waving the flags of the opposition, some waving guns in the air, to say syria is now free. in the last hour, a statement has been released by the leader of the main islamist group, military commander, now

i'm martine croxall.ormer congressman, matt gaetz, paid numerous women forsex, including a 17—year—old girl, and regularly used cocaine, marijuana and ecstasy.

i am martine croxall. the other main story is this our... —— stories this our...es showed a 0.1% drop and the french president emmanuel macron is expected to name a new prime minister today, after the collapse welcome to damascus. you join here at our position overlooking the main square in damascus. let me step aside and you can see the crowds hour by

. —— i'm martine croxall. other main stories this hour: the uk economy shrank for the second month in a row in october, after official figures showed a 0.1% drop. the french president emmanuel macron is expected to name a new prime minister today, after the collapse of his government last week. scientists discover how neanderthals played a key role in the survival of early humans a8,000 year ago. welcome to damascus to our special coverage of the first friday since the toppling of 50 years of the assad family's oppressive rule. the day being called victory day by the new authorities. it is a harkening back to the first months of the peaceful uprisings in 2011 when syrians first took to the streets calling for greater freedoms and democracy. and now just look at the square behind me, where syrians are gathering, crowds here and across the country growing bigger by the minute. as syrians gather right across syrians gather right across syria to celebrate the end of this regime of president bashar al—assad and the

let's cross live to the old bailey and to our correspondent martine croxall.horrifying case, and that was reflected by the sentences and the judge's comments, wasn't it? very much so. courtrooms _ comments, wasn't it? very much so. courtrooms are _ comments, wasn't it? very much so. courtrooms are usually - so. courtrooms are usually places where there is no room for passionate language. everything has to be immensely measured. but in setting out the details of this case, the facts of the case and of sara sharif�*s murder, thejudge, mr justice cavanaugh, used some really extraordinary language. he said that the treatment that she had received was despicable. it was no exaggeration to describe it as a campaign of torture. he then went on to share some very harrowing medical details of the 71 fresh injuries that were found on sara's body after she died. there were other order injuries, some of which had certainly healed, only to be repeated. he said, this poor child was battered with great force, again and again, and he highlighted the fact that she suffered one

hello, i'm martine croxall. breaking news from syria, where the situation is developing rapidly.ith reports a group of rebels are just ten kilometres from the southern gates of damascus, the syrian state news agency is denying reports president bashar al—assad has left the city, insisting he is carrying out his work from damascus. but these are pictures obtained by the news agency afp, which the bbc has verified, of a bust of the president's father hafez al—asad being toppled in president's square in the damascus neighbourhood of jaramana. meanwhile, the group of rebels are advancing on the capital after snatching the southern province of daraa from government control. these latest pictures show rebels driving in a seized military vehicle in the region of daraa. news agency reuters says other rebels from hts have advanced from the north and are inside the city of homs with the syrian army, loyal to president assad, simply falling away. the civil war began in 2011, but the rebels outside homs were forced into retreat five years later. now, in just ten days, rebels have taken the w

i am martine croxall. the other main story is this our... —— stories this our...k economy shrank for the second month in a row in october after official figures showed a 0.1% drop and the french president emmanuel macron is expected to name a new prime minister today, after the collapse welcome to damascus. you join here at our position overlooking the main square in damascus. let me step aside and you can see the crowds hour by hour growing ever larger. this is where people of the city rushed last sunday when damascus fell to the rebels which rushed into the city and president bashar al—assad was reported to have been on a plane for the russian capital. this is where we are expecting even greater crowds here today. it has been called victory day right across syria, syrians gather to celebrate the end of more than 50 year—long rule of the assad family, including bashar who succeeded his father in the year 2000. this is when syrians want to celebrate the opening of a new chapter as a new interim government puts in place with every day that passes the elements of a

hello and welcome — i'm martine croxall. and a merry christmas to you if you're celebrating today.i negotiation team returned to israel on tuesday night for internal consultations after a significant week of negotiations in qatar. that's according to prime minister benjamin netanyahu's office. officials say that both sides have shown a greater willingness to reach a deal but that key details must still be worked out. well, the war in gaza led to heavily muted christmas celebrations in bethlehem for a second consecutive year. festivities in the historic square of the church of the nativity were reduced to a prayer service, with no christmas lights or the famous christmas tree, in the place of jesus christ's birth. it comes as israel intensifies its attacks in gaza. the territory's health ministry reports three hospitals in the north were targeted earlier on tuesday — forcing patients to evaucate. and sirens could be heard overnight in tel aviv as the israeli military reports intercepting a missile fired from yemen. there are no reports that anyone was injured. the bbc�*s shaimaa kha

. —— i'm martine croxall.th in a row in october, after official figures showed a 0.1% drop. the french president emmanuel macron is expected to name a new prime minister today, after the collapse of his government last week. scientists discover how neanderthals played a key role in the survival of early humans 118,000 year ago. welcome to damascus to our special coverage of the first friday since the toppling of 50 years of the assad family's oppressive rule. the day being called victory

hello, i'm martine croxall. breaking news from syria where the situation is developing rapidly.one group of rebels claiming to have reached the suburbs of damascus in what they describe as the �*final stage�* of their offensive. the syrian state news agency is denying reports president bashar al—assad has left the city, insisting he is carrying out his work from damascus. but in pictures obtained by the news agency afp, which the bbc has verified, protesters can be seen toppling a bust of the president's father hafez al—asad in president's square in the damascus neighbourhood ofjaramana, about ten kilometres from the centre. the rebel group advanced rapidly on the capital after snatching the southern province of daraa from government control. these latest pictures show rebels driving in a seized military vehicle in the region of daraa. news agency reuters says other rebels from hts have advanced from the north and are inside the third city of homs with the syrian army, loyal to president assad, simply falling away. the news agency reports around 2,000 syrian troops, many wounded

hello, i'm martine croxall. breaking news from syria. rebel groups eitherjust ten rebel groups either just ten kilometres rebel groups eitherjust ten kilometres from the centre of damascus after gaining control. it shows them driving in a seized vehicle. others are advancing from the north to the city of homs. the civil war began in 2011 but the rebels outside homs were forced into retreat five years later. now, in just ten days, rebels have taken the whole of syria's second largest city, aleppo. another major city hama fell to hts. fighting there is said to be intense. the uk—based war monitor site air strikes have killed 21 civilians. let's get more with our correspondence. it's hard to stress just how fast things are changing on the ground there.— fast things are changing on the ground there. yeah, i think the seed ground there. yeah, i think the speed with _ ground there. yeah, i think the speed with which _ ground there. yeah, i think the speed with which they - ground there. yeah, i think the speed with which they saw - speed with

top up i'm martine croxall alive from the old bailey where we hear that sara was subjected to a lifeure. chaos and panic in vanuatu — as a major earthquake strikes the pacific island nation — leaving toppled buildings and landslides in its wake. hello, and welcome to bbc news. we start this hour with breaking news from the middle east — and potential progress in efforts to bring about a ceasefire in the current conflict in gaza — between israel and hamas — which has been waging, since the attacks on israel on october the 7th last year. the reuters news agency reports that israel's prime minister benjamin netanyahu is on his way to cairo — that is a extraordinary signal that is a extraordinary signal that a deal is on the way. at that a deal is on the way. at the that a deal is on the way. git the moment you're being told that he is not in those reports came out of washington, not jerusalem, and the from israel suggests he is not on the way and this morning prime minister benjamin netanyahu was up on mount helm on reviewing the situation on the golan heights. at his one vision of the