  Recent progress in the theory of fission of hot nuclei is reported. We
discuss in particular the properties of the friction formfactor as function of
the deformation (and possibly of the temperature) which are necessary to
reproduce data concerning fission of hot nuclei and its accompanying light
particle and $\gamma$-ray emission. Recent theoretical work gives support to a
phenomenological friction form factor (proposed some time ago), which is weak
for compact shapes and increases on the way to scission.
