Thanks Jerry you're listening to news day with Nami Rick bell and Alan to C.J. Let's start with our top story Syria a final distress call to the world save Aleppo that's the headline in one newspaper this morning and here's why. That's the sound of the bombardment of the city by Syrian and Russian forces as Syrian state television is reporting that victory is imminent in that coverage crowds can be seen coming ahead Comey heard cheering as they are liberated. Iverson 528-0000 civilians are still believed to be trapped in an ever diminishing space along with rebels the U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon as expressed grave concern over reports of atrocities accused those residents and over the past 12 hours who have been trying to reach people in the city many of those we've been speaking to over the last few months and many of them appear to not longer be contactable but we did receive a few messages from those who see this as their final chance to speak and that includes I hung student but 1st let's listen to this teacher the situation inside that is about the Bible is the doomsday are everywhere we were running they don't know where just running people are injured in the street no one can say you're going to help them some of the people are under the rubble no one can help them they just could they die under the rubble these houses * as they did their grades to everyone who can hear me we are here exposed to genocide in the besieged city of Aleppo this may be my last video more than 50 thousands of civilians who would have voted against a dictator I thought I threatened would feel if the huge and I die and under bombing the civilians are stuck in a very small area that doesn't exceed just like kilometers with no safe don't know like everybody even you my soccer said only 30 humanity now some were only able to send this text messages one father in the city writes guess it's goodbye Thanks to all who stand for us and pray for us but it's almost over and they're just hours away from killing us and another father he we regularly spoken to over the past year tweeted this the last message thanks for everything we shared many moments these alas tweets from an emotional father while Aleppo and this reporter has also spoken to us frequently he too felt that this could be his last message to someone he could play but it could. This is B. Not have to carry. Around news and I am not coming to you at this time as a representative of the news and coming. Average person. To see. We may not be able to see this is as regime forces push closer and closer strikes become. It is even such a thing is that and so this might be. Close to if not the last communication I ended up to create to someone who might know what I can't speak to on but. She's from The New York Times she's a Beirut Bureau Chief good morning and welcome to the program on what could you tell us a bit about what's happened with the latest you have well over night I think for many people in Colombo actually the Internet was going in and out and. People were scrambling to find shelter and basically they said they were just waiting with their families hunkering down to see what would happen to the next you know the people who did not want to meet and offer the government during the past or to be because they really believe that they would take the danger of arrest or death because they are fighting against the government or protesting or doing other activities that have been defined terrorism under the law such as providing medical care to protesters or fighters and you know we've been hearing that actually very close to falling. To give us a sense of how close this is. Well it's it's hard to tell exactly because we're not on the ground but I think you are hearing from people inside and outside that the government is extremely close to controlling the whole city actually in Western the rest of Aleppo which is government controlled there were already some celebrations taking place last night and it was really just the few neighborhoods left over inside what used to be a rebel enclave that took up half the city so people were describing crowding they were worried that so many people were doesn't worry in small areas that a single shell could do a lot of damage there's not medical care there's not really any organized services anymore left inside and they were just hoping that a deal would be made at the last minute to vaccinate the remaining civilians and we've also had some pretty high right messages and she wanted some of them as you're waiting to do this interview people were trapped just a little I wonder if you've been from anyone. Yes I'm hearing from a lot of contact people that played in touch with her even in some cases many years . During the vents that have been unfolding in Syria so people are debating whether it's more with it to stay under the bombs or to cross to the government side and risk what they see as the danger of torture or they were hearing rumors of summary killings that were happening in areas that had recently been taken over and they were afraid that that happened to them we haven't been able to independently confirm those events but that was something we're really afraid of and if they stay of course they they are. Just waiting for advancing troops and under continuing bombs. OK thank you very much for giving us a sense of what's going on there the New York Times Beirut bureau chief Bernard and we will keep you up to date on what's happening in Aleppo and here on the wealth of us now the former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has told the B.B.C. That the dissolution of the Soviet Union 25 years ago was a crime and a kid who he'd step down a Soviet president he said to avoid a bloody civil war today go which of em's himself accuses the west of provoking Russia and of plotting to oust President Putin and the 2nd of his special series of reports in the fall of the U.S.S.R. Moscow correspondent Steve Rosenberg talks to go but Gorbachev about Russia's past and present. Asked me which of gives few interviews these days he's 85 and in failing health but his sense of humor is indestructible when we meet he points to his walking stick look he says now I need 3 legs to get around. Us Mr Gorbachev has agreed to talk to me about the day the Soviet superpower fell apart. And what happened to the Soviet Union is minor and the drama for everyone who lived there. And. Be a 25 years ago Russian television began its news bulletin with a short and shocking announcement that we're here to better serve bushing in the U.S.S.R. No longer exists the newsreader declared a few days earlier the leaders of Russia below Russia and Ukraine had met to dissolve the Soviet Union and form a Commonwealth of Independent States now 8 other Soviet republics had joined them together they had to fight me how go bitch off he'd been struggling to keep the republics together in a single state spinor. It was pressuring behind our backs behind my back what they were doing was like burning down the whole house just to light a cigarette just so they could get power and they committed the crime he too was a kook and a person appears to bully the world a few days later Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as Soviet president. You know. We were well on the way to a civil war and I wanted to avoid that a split and a struggle in a country like ours overflowing with weapons including nuclear weapons could have killed so many people I couldn't let that happen just to cling on to power stepping down was my victory he. Asked when you made your resignation speech you said that in the perestroika here is the country had acquired freedom what happened to that freedom afterwards do you believe that that freedom is under threat but. Neither from the process is still unfinished we need to speak openly about this there are some people who for whom freedom is an annoyance do you mean President Putin ordered a case you have to guess who I mean this is one question the you will have to answer Mr Gorbachev avoids direct criticism of that image Putin but he is scathing of modern Russia bureaucrats he says have stolen the nation's riches he accuses one of President Putin's closest associates egocentric head of the oil giant Russian eft of trying to influence affairs of state he criticizes the West too for provoking Russia with its own will. It come pretty cute for you and I'm sure that Western press and that includes you have been given special instructions to discredit Putin and get rid of him to make sure he steps aside but as a result his popularity rating here is now 8 to 6 percent soon it will be 120 percent. Not worth it for example away from Russia. Many people see you as a hero as the man who ended the Cold War who gave freedom to Eastern Europe who were allowed the reunification of Germany many people in your own country see you as the man who lost the country do you accept any responsibility for the loss of the U.S.S.R. . Your piece you were showing it for you when you do. What upsets me is that in the Russian people don't sufficiently understand what I set out to achieve and what are good for the country and for the world because opened the way to cooperation and peace and only a story or a label to see it through to the end. After means it's time for some fun. I'm playing and go bitch off the singing Soviet hits these impromptu sing songs have become a curious but lovely tradition after a goal which of interview the man who ended the Cold War loves to croon here we are here. Between the past and the future is a blink of an eye he sings and that instant is what we call life. The Soviet Union passed in the blink of an eye what are 70 years compared to the Roman of the Ottoman Empire but it's unfair I think to blame go bitch off all the breakaway republics for destroying the Soviet empire the U.S.S.R. May have been flawed from the start economically and ideologically perhaps this was fated to be a short lived superpower. That music is trying to disagree of driven wall after all though Mr Gorbachev thinking that what Mr Goble Szell talking about the music itself that. Thought Moscow correspondent Steve Rosenberg that talking to Mikhail Gorbachev about Russia's past and present just to let you know a few headlines this morning on NEW DAY the United Nations has expressed alarm at reports of widespread atrocities against civilians in Aleppo as government forces are on the verge of defeating a full rebellion the campaign group Human Rights Watch has accused the Burmese army of setting fighter range of Muslim villages Venezuela is shutting its border with Colombia for 72 hours to tackle smuggling and scientists say the world's largest wild rate reindeer head is rapidly shrinking due to global warming. It's really. I thank you very much if you've been listening to us already are full. Of a brilliant brilliant morning it's 19 minutes after 5 o'clock. It's Tuesday and it's not. Joe with you let's get some business news now Donald Trump has been tweeting that he will be revealing the identity of his new secretary of state today Alex Ritson is here and Alec's there's been so many names attached to this job and it looks like that the person that's going to get it is someone from the business well apparently the smart money is on Rex Tillerson the C.E.O. Of Exxon Mobil the oil giant He's been with Exxon for more than 40 years been in charge of Exxon since 2006 a man who earns a reported $40000000.00 a year yes yes even more than you Alan what would he make a good secretary of state what some people have said 30 he would have to be a pretty good diplomat to run a company like Exxon and cut deals around the world with people who may or may not like the United States of America with some people or he's going to be a controversial choice if he is the person that Donald Trump goes for oil executives particularly not loved by environmentalists the oceanographer and environmental expert Margaret lean and from the University of California is reserving judgment Rex Tillerson is a different kind of person and one who has recently said very clearly in his speeches and on the X. On website that climate is changing that people are paying out a major role in making that happen and that they favor a carbon tax so I think that's a wait and see to see how it plays out if he is appointed or if he is nominated and confirmed as secretary of state and if so how do these views he's had as the C.E.O. Of Exxon play out that energy also exists there's a fat X. And has major business links with Russia so some people suggesting they could be a conflict of interest or I don't know possibly an advantage as far as Mr Trump is concerned well Exxon has been active in. In Russia 1st 20 years continuously including work at Sakhalin Island in the very very far east of Russia which is one of the least hospitable places on earth cause after the Ukraine crisis the U.S. Introduced sanctions against Russia are next on last year of forces $1000000.00 as a result of those sanctions Rex Tillerson has been one of the people really leading the cools for those sanctions to be lifted in 2030 and there are extraordinary photos of President Putin that I'm a HUGE in presenting Rex Tillerson with the order of friendship which is pretty much the highest on of that a foreigner can be awarded in Russia a few Wilson professor of political science at the Southern Methodist University says Donald Trump may see Mr Thompson's Russia links as an advantage he's made extensive oil and gas deals with Russia that's the main area I make an honest interchange between Russia and the United States centers on the energy sector so the fact that tell us one has negotiated those sorts of energy deals with Russia I think speak to some of the things that Trump would like to do that he would like to build that partnership that is very much open to energy and other deals between American companies and Russia and the fact that tell us that has done that as negotiated those sorts of deals looks really good to Donald Trump That's Matthew Wilson from the Southern Methodist University as you said Donald Trump says he's going to be making this announcement in the next few hours and he made that statement as normal with a tweet Well we should all be waiting to see that official announcement on Twitter I imagine Thank you Alex. Let's have a little sports news ball drop possums Good morning good morning thank you all and it's been a night of celebrations for footballers Riyad Morris and Christiane Arnaldo the Algeria unless the City player Maurice was voted B.B.C.'s African football of the year by fans from around the globe coming ahead to fellow nominees Yaya Toure a city a money Emerick a balmy young and Andre I. Picked up his for the door trophy after winning a poll of 173 journalists you know messy came 2nd and hungry Xmen 3rd. Business Day bars finally being crowned winner of the 2014 Boston Marathon double finished 2nd in the race to Kenya's reach object to you 2 months ago was disqualified for doping and a number of the world's leading winter sports competitors are considering a boycott of the bobsleigh and skeleton World Championships in Russia next year Latvia have already announced they'll skip the event after the 2nd part of the McLaren report outlined the scale of state sponsored doping in Russia. Thanks Joe and Joe took that about the Ballon d'Or Cristiana Rinaldo has been awarded it so it's the 4th time that he's got this and it was either going to be him or his great rival Lino Messi the strikers had a standout season winning both the Champions League with Real Madrid and caps caps in his national side European Championship victory football Genest Andy Brazill told me why the Real Madrid man won Interestingly for the man he's seen as the ultimate individual it was his contributions team efforts that want to him the fact that he was European champion with Real Madrid for the 2nd time in 3 is also that you want a 1st trophy with Porsche who is European national level with Portugal in the summer so to get both of those in the same year of think probably has most people feeling that he's a worthy winner So what about Leno Messi then the mean he's the other person that that could have got this award he's had a good season he has think the standards that they've set for themselves in this only ever been a competition between them since last one of course for the last 67 years it's been let out on Messi only the absolute best is good enough I suppose some people would say Well Christiane a rebel those had some form he's had moments when he's been out injured but the fact is he's always come back to the table he's contributed when he has been playing and as much as it's about individual excellence it has to break in the context of the team's success as well so I think those those 3 trophies made a machine and you mentioned before that this is always been between Messi and Ronaldo the standard this a high even and one Griezmann He was also up for the award said well you know it's unlikely that someone like him or anyone else will ever win while Messi and Ronaldo of still playing so it's almost like what's the point. Valen the bottom 2 will always be between those 2 wealth that still playing it must seem like that's what everyone else is involved and everyone else has come close you know you look at some messy teammates like Johnny Oh and then I seen yesterday who in any other era would have at least one each but that is rebel or mess if done change the face of world football they've changed the face of the Ballon d'Or competition because it's become about numbers because their numbers supernatural absolutely from another planet is going to play out of all the other people that was shortlisted he taking Messi and Ronaldo House of it he think could have got it well I think Suarez not finishing top 3 is unbelievable but it just shows that you know we're very lucky to have a lot of great players in the world that are and hungry has been we talked about his team prizes if it hadn't been for him taking the crossbar with a penalty in the Champions League final and his team. In the post with a shot in the last minute as the Euro final between France and force through he might have had those 2 trophies we let's carry Madrid and France rather than read all that was wrong in Portugal and that would have changed the face I think there's I think that would have been really interesting that would have meant you know there would have been a real contend that wasn't run out on Messi So the very very fun. Which is what you thing to feel when you Alan the Ballon d'Or I that goes to Christian around one although a little messy it seems absolutely absolutely and they may as well keep it well now we've been talking about Aleppo quite a bit and in a few moments we'll be talking to someone from the UN just to get a sense of what can be done and what is being done but you know the message is coming out of the shocking there's no other way of looking at it I am waiting to die Syrians in Aleppo posting final goodbyes That's according to Vice News and I'm just looking at the Mirror newspaper here a graphic graphic story reports of chilled. And bombed alive and mass executions of the streets of Aleppo as it falls to the Syrian army there is a tweet here from someone called Huda who says this is not a scene from a movie this is real just try to close your eyes and imagine yourself in the clip the video clip is unbelievable. It's of a scene where cars are being Bunton there's a lot of rubble all over the place I just kept as what many people have been telling us as adults in the siege as it city Muhammad Abu are jobless that is the final distress call to the wells Save the Children and women and old man we will be speaking or will be to someone from the U.N. Like from I wonder if anybody is listening this is the B.B.C. World Serv