us. ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky is back in washington ahead of high—stakes meetings on tuesday with hopes to unlock more us aid for the war in ukraine. this is mr zelensky�*s third trip to the us since the war began. it comes as the aid package that would include funding for ukraine has stalled in congress. his first stop monday was to the international monetary fund, which announced it would disburse another $900 million under its ukraine program. mr zelensky is set to meet with leaders in the senate, the house of representatives speaker mikejohnson and president biden with a message that aid to ukraine is urgent. let me be frank with you, friends. if there's anyone inspired by unresolved issues on capitol hill, it is just putin and his sick cliche. but it's not clear if that message will resonate with republicans. senate republicans are delaying

the bill, hoping to secure tougher policies on the us—mexico border to curb immigration in exchange for their cooperation. the us military aid package that's stalled would include $61 bllion for ukraine as part of a larger package. congress has approved more than $111 billion since the war began, but the biden administration is warning that money is running out as the war in ukraine ticks closer to its two—year mark. our correspondentjess parker has the view from kyiv. he's here on a rescue mission to liberate billions of dollars in defence aid for ukraine, money that's become ensnared in arguments amongst us lawmakers. overnight, a fresh wave of russian missile strikes crushed buildings in kyiv and blew craters in the earth. ukraine's war is with russia, but officials must battle sceptics in the west who ask, "what's the endgame? " after ukraine's faltering counteroffensive.

it is widely seen to have not delivered hoped—for gains. what, in your view, went wrong? translation: indeed, for us, it is very difficult today, - but it doesn't mean that victory won't be on our side. in may, everyone in our country wanted the war to end quickly. there were hopes, but they didn't come true. but it's not a tragedy. there is now a big question of "what next", even with ukraine's obvious will to endure. but days aren't without joy, even for the sons of soldiers. macar�*s dad is away fighting. his mother has this plea. the russians are too much and they do have a lot of weapons, so we need more and more and more. like, without the support of the united states, i don't know what would happen here. people here aren't talking about giving up hope or, indeed,

the frontline fight, but those firm promises from some western leaders that they'd be with ukraine for the long haul suddenly feel far more fragile. a commander from russia's red army is sawn down from public view. also in peril this week are hopes forfresh eu economic aid and progressing membership talks as ukraine tries to forge a path to europe by severing the past. jessica parker, bbc news, in kyiv. israeli tanks are moving further into southern gaza as intense air strikes bombard the north. israel is ordering civilians to flee the centre of khan younis as the huminatarian situation there worsens. a hospital director in the city says staff is struggling to cope with the volume of casualites as medical supplies, food, water and fuel are all running low. the un's palestinian refugee agency says there is "almost a total breakdown of civil order" around its aid deliveries in southern gaza. israel's prime minister,

benjamin netanayu, says dozens of hamas members have surrendered, calling it "the beginning of the end" for the group. amid renewed calls for a ceasefire, hamas has threatened that not a single hostage will be allowed to leave gaza unless its demands for a prisoner exchange are met. well, more details are coming to light on what the released israeli hostages faced during their time being held by hamas. a doctor treating them says they have proof of severe sexual abuse and drugging of children, women and men that came back from captivity. there are people that came back and told us they were given psychiatric medications and other drugs to children in large dose, and over time, and they came back here drugged with those drugs. it took us time to realise why the kids didn't fall asleep. there is no reason to give healthy children such medications, and i'm sure that

that was purposely made in order to torture them and to hurt them. our correspondent hugo bachega has more on what's happening in gaza right, now. forces are intensifying operations in gaza, and most of the fighting is happening in three areas of the territory. in the north injabalia and sharjah. this is where the israeli military says they're fighting hamas members in strongholds of the group. he says battalions considered invincible were now on the verge of being dismantled. in the south, khan younis continues to be a key target of this military operation. this is gaza's second largest city in the israeli authorities believe members of the leadership are hiding in the city. residents of central part of khan younis have been told

to evacuate as this ground offensive continues. across gaza, the humanitarian situation is getting worse amid widespread shortages of basic supplies, and there is a lot of international pressure on israel to protect the civilian population of gaza and to do more to allow more humanitarian aid into the territory. but there is also domestic pressure on the israeli authorities for more to be done to guarantee the release of the hostages who will remain in captivity in gaza. more than 130 hostages remain in gaza, and in a new message, a hamas spokesman said no hostages would be released alive from gaza unless israel met the group's demands for prisoner exchanges. and reacting to this message, an israeli official said this was psychological pressure and that the only way to guarantee the release of hostages was by putting more military pressure on hamas.

the un's humanitarian chief has appealed to donors to help fund its 2024 global aid fund as the organization says it is facing "a severe funding crisis". martin griffiths says new and resurging conflicts across the world have forced the united nations to cut its global aid appeal and will target fewer people in need. the un says in 2024, it will appeal to $46 billion to help 180 million people in need around the globe. this comes after recieiving just over one—third of the $57 billion, about $19 billion, that it sought to help 2115 million people in need. 0ur geneva correspondent imogen foulkes has more details. something of a surprise from the united nations and its humanitarian organisations today, they asked for $41; billion to fund their work next year. it sounds like a lot but it is actually quite a significant drop on what they

asked for last year. then, it was 56 billion. so, why the reduction? does it mean the world is getting better? if you watch the news, you know that is not actually the case. the un has had to take a long, hard look at its funding asks for 56 million —— billion last year, it is december and it has received so far 20 billion. so, instead of asking for more and more and more, the un has decided to target and help fewer people for the 180 million instead of 230 million. sounds like efficiencies, actually means cuts. already we see in yemen and in syria food distribution is being cut back, there is a gender violence prevention programme in northern nigeria, also being cut back. so i know that many perhaps in the wealthy donor countries, taxpayers will be

saying, great to see the un not asking us for so much money because we are quite hard pressed ourselves, but aid agencies, many of whom worked consistently in war zones, will tell you poverty leads to instability, leads to conflict, leads to migration crises. so, 0k, leads to migration crises. so, ok, the un is asking for less money next year, they are hoping they get a bigger proportion of what they asked for them this year, and they are trying to say to those donor countries, invest in these programmes, if a good investment towards global investment towards global investment and stability. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's take a look at what's making news in the uk. 0n the eve of a crucial vote for britain's prime minister and his plan to send illegal migrants to rwanda, rishi sunak�*s party remains divided. some mps have given it their backing. others say it has to change or be scrapped altogether.

0ur political editor chris mason has the latest. there are few more awkward places for a prime minister to find themselves than one where they are transparently and very publicly at the mercy of their own mps. clumps of conservatives who have been meeting to decide the fate of this bill and deciding precisely how they might vote or whether they will vote, and the prime minister and his senior team trying to do a huge persuasionjob. the prime minister making calls. this evening he will host a breakfast at downing street for some conservative mps in the hope that, i don't know, a bacon sandwich might make a difference. so every technique possible is being used. also on monday, mr sunak gave evidence at the covid inquiry. he said he was sorry for those who lost loved ones, but otherwise defended his actions during the pandemic. you're watching bbc news. an eu minister says the bloc will walk away from climate talks happening

at the cop28 summit in dubai after the body published its latest draft of a deal. key nations are outraged at the scrapping of what they say is important language to keep global warming within 1.5 degrees celsius. the latest draft says that countries could reduce production and consumption of fossil fuels. it scraps previous calls to "phase out" coal, oil, and gas use. the us and eu have called for the draft to be strengthened, and some island states have called the new draft "completely insufficient". representatives from almost 200 countries are at the summit, and the deal needs support from all of them or else, it will collapse. for more on this, my colleague, caitriona perry spoke with gina mccarthy — former white house climate advisor under president biden. is this the text that you were expecting to see come out of this? ~ , . .,, expecting to see come out of this? ~ , . , ., expecting to see come out of this? ~ , . ., ., this? well, it is close to what i assumed — this? well, it is close to what i assumed would _ this? well, it is close to what i assumed would be - this? well, it is close to what i assumed would be coming l this? well, it is close to what l i assumed would be coming out at this stage. my hopes are that it will improve a little bit over the next day. there

has been — bit over the next day. there has been much _ bit over the next day. there has been much witticism . bit over the next day. there l has been much witticism that the phrase the phasing out of fossil fuels is absent from the text at this point. do you consider that to be a failure, that the absence of that phrase? it that the absence of that phrase?— phrase? it certainly is a disappointment, - phrase? it certainly is a . disappointment, especially phrase? it certainly is a - disappointment, especially the framing that is in their is reallyjust framing that is in their is really just about what happens in 2050. we need to reconcile the fact that we have two fossil fuels the fact that we have two fossilfuels beginning now, and make significant progress in 2030. so the phrase of not having the phase—out climate change is a challenge, it is not what the world expects, and i think most of the world wants. i have been working with a woman who has put out a letter and has signatures now from well over 1700 of us who know that we actually have two reduce both the consumption, as well as the production of fossil fuels.

well as the production of fossilfuels. that well as the production of fossil fuels. that is what they say, but what we need to do is simply phase out fossil fuels and adjust in an equitable way. that is what christiana figueira �*s is putting on the table and we have to do it in a way where we scale up public and private sector investments, particularly in the developing world, and we have two halt and reverse the deforestation and other challenges that we are facing as a result of climate change. those other three things that i would like to see in this document. it mentions of those, but the language is not yet there to say that it is time to phase down and phase out equitably and in a just way the challenge of fossil fuels. look, we all know what caused the greenhouse gas emissions. we know now what has to be diminished, and that is the phase—out of fossil fuels and our commitment internationally

to get that done.— to get that done. gina, one of the eu's lead _ to get that done. gina, one of the eu's lead negotiator- to get that done. gina, one of the eu's lead negotiator that l the eu's lead negotiator that this cop28, ireland's lime administrator, has said the eu may walk away from the talks entirely if the document is unchanged stop does the us feel at that, is an approach the us may take as well? i at that, is an approach the us may take as well?— may take as well? i can reference _ may take as well? i can reference the _ may take as well? i can reference the fact - may take as well? i can reference the fact that l reference the fact that secretary carrie, who is clearly the lead negotiator for the us, has strongly pushed that it the us, has strongly pushed thatitis the us, has strongly pushed that it is time to have language that phases out fossil fuels, so i think it is very clear that there are countries, clearly the eu has been very vocal on this for quite some time, the us isjoining in that effort. we cannot now, i think, be satisfied with the language thatis be satisfied with the language that is in here, that is so wish as to be meaningless on fossil fuels. wish as to be meaningless on fossilfuels. and it looks to say, yes, we will fix it all with carbon capture and

sequestration. look, we cannot be relying on the carbon capture technology. that is putting it in the ground. it is never going to be the answer. it is just the opportunity for them to stick our heads in the sand. if we think that the best we can do is to continue with fossil fuels, we can do is to continue with fossilfuels, not demand we can do is to continue with fossil fuels, not demand that phase—out and look for technologies that then we are not the answer, and i think secretary carrie has been very clear about that. just secretary carrie has been very clear about that.— clear about that. just on that, ou clear about that. just on that, you think _ clear about that. just on that, you think had _ clear about that. just on that, you think had president - clear about that. just on that, you think had president biden attended in person himself, would that have made a difference, would he have brought a greater leverage? i think president biden made the choice he needed to make given international challenges that were all facing. i international challenges that were all facing.— were all facing. i am very confident _ were all facing. i am very confident that _ were all facing. i am very confident that secretary i were all facing. i am very - confident that secretary kerry is the spokesperson for president biden. they have a close relationship and they

talk all the time.— talk all the time. sorry for interrupting _ talk all the time. sorry for interrupting you, - talk all the time. sorry for interrupting you, but - talk all the time. sorry for interrupting you, but it. talk all the time. sorry for interrupting you, but it is | talk all the time. sorry for i interrupting you, but it is the visual, though, for the rest of the world, for the president of the world, for the president of the united states, and the president of china to be there, and they aren't. i president of china to be there, and they aren't.— and they aren't. i don't know what the _ and they aren't. i don't know what the entire _ and they aren't. i don't know what the entire world - and they aren't. i don't know| what the entire world expects to see, but what i expect to see is strong leadership from secretary kerry and i expect to see fossil fuel language see fossilfuel language phasing down. if see fossil fuel language phasing down. if that doesn't come, we will deserve to keep pushing. come, we will deserve to keep ”ushin. ~ ., ., come, we will deserve to keep hushin _ . ., ., ., come, we will deserve to keep ”ushin. ~ ., ., ., ., pushing. we are out of time for the moment- — pushing. we are out of time for the moment. plenty— pushing. we are out of time for the moment. plenty more - pushing. we are out of time for the moment. plenty more to i the moment. plenty more to discuss but we will leave it there. gina mccarthy, thank you so much forjoining us great to be with you. so much for “oining us great to be with you.— special counseljack smith asked the supreme court to rule quickly on whether former president donald trump can be prosecuted for an alleged plot to overturn the 2020 election results. the rare request by smith is an attempt to keep the trial on track. it's currently scheduled for early march, but mr trump has sought to delay it until after the 2024 presidential election.

mr trump has denied any wrongdoing and his lawyers have argued that his alleged actions were part of his official duties at the time — saying he's protected by presidential immunity. the supreme court gave mr trump's lawyers a december 20 deadline to respond. this all comes as the iowa caucuses are nowjust 35 days away. they kick off the republican presidential primary season on january 15. iowa is followed by new hampshire onjanuary 23. they�* re two of the first big votes of the 2024 presidential campaign as republican candidates are vying to win in a bid to gain momentum in the hope of securing the republican nomination in a race that donald trump still leads. joining me to discuss all this are sarah krissoff, former federal prosecutor, and david weigel, politics reporter for semafor. we said this was rare, how unusual is it forjack smith to be to ask the supreme court to

rule on the trump immunity? this is a really interesting move he has made here, that is he is on one hand asking the appeals court to rule on this issue is, very quickly on an expedited manner and at the same time simultaneously telling the supreme court they can take it up even without a judgement from the appellate court, that glides between the district court in the supreme court here. it district court in the supreme court here-— district court in the supreme court here. , .,, court here. it took some people by surprise _ court here. it took some people by surprise dave _ court here. it took some people by surprise dave you _ court here. it took some people by surprise dave you are - court here. it took some people by surprise dave you are in - court here. it took some people by surprise dave you are in one | by surprise dave you are in one of those important primary states, new hampshire, what is the trump team saying about all of this? , ., the trump team saying about all of this? , . ,_ the trump team saying about all of this? , . _ , , of this? they are saying pretty brazenly that _ of this? they are saying pretty brazenly that this _ of this? they are saying pretty brazenly that this series - of this? they are saying pretty brazenly that this series of - brazenly that this series of indictments, these trials have been good for him when it comes to winning the nomination. after the first indictment allen bright's case in new york early in the year every time he

has gotten into criminal trouble the entire republican party whether or not members endorsed him have denounced these investigations, these trials as champs, they've agreed with the attorneys which will be tested at the supreme court whatever he did in 2020 it was within his power to do so, any attempt to bring him to justice if you want to use that term is an attempt to deny people the right to vote for him in 2024. they have stuck to that message and polling it has been a while since the you hampshire one in iowa it shows he is gaining with most republican voters most of these charges are going to stay. we will come _ charges are going to stay. we will come back to the polling in iowa in a moment, sarah this will be complex for the supreme court, tell us what the court has to weigh up here? there are two immunity — has to weigh up here? there are two immunity argues _ has to weigh up here? there are two immunity argues donald - two immunity argues donald trump made before the district

court, relates to immunity, double jeopardy immunity arising out of the impeachment process, since he was already impeachment charges were already abroad, then he is immune from further prosecution related to these activities, and then separately saying there is full presidential immunity for this type of activity and it is simply not the proper subject of a criminal charge, charges, plural. it is going to be a complex issue for both the appellate court to wrangle with and also the supreme court that gets to it but it gets to the supreme court by bypassing the appellate court or the appellate court or the appellate court or the appellate court takes it up first in the supreme court looks at it afterwards. how are the trumu _ looks at it afterwards. how are the trump lawyers _ looks at it afterwards. how are the trump lawyers handling i the trump lawyers handling this? i the trump lawyers handling this? ~ ., , the trump lawyers handling this? ~' ., , ., the trump lawyers handling this? ~' ., ., this? i think it was laid out re this? i think it was laid out pretty well— this? i think it was laid out pretty well there, - this? i think it was laid out pretty well there, they - this? i think it was laid out pretty well there, they are j pretty well there, they are counting on what they have seen

in cases across the country, colorado, minnesota, where citizens and liberal groups have sued to keep them off the ballot saying his actions in 2020, 21 violated the 14th amendment of the constitution, the entire insurrection, the courts are planted on this exception excepting the judgement of the trump campaign and its attorneys, is accepting this idea would be untoward for them to intervene the election, evenif them to intervene the election, even if anyone else in the country does the same thing, they would be held accountable and go to jail, they would not be able to run for office. there has been content from democratic appointees and trump appointees they are talking on that. they seem flimsy to a lot of people and it has not mattered in these courts, they do not want to judge no—one wants to be the judge that says donald trump is guilty and he cannot run for president even the facts are paraded before

them so that is likely the way to go. them so that is likely the way to to. g , them so that is likely the way to .o_ g , ., ., them so that is likely the way to no, , ., ., , to go. just following up with the question _ to go. just following up with the question about - to go. just following up with the question about the - to go. just following up with the question about the pole| the question about the pole teed up earlier, the new poll out from the des register of nbc news showing another big lead for donald trump. it also shows ron desantis the florida governor and second place and nikki haley on the screen in third place with 16%. none of this seems to affect the former president, does it? ida. this seems to affect the former president, does it?— president, does it? no, he is u . president, does it? no, he is u- eiuht president, does it? no, he is up eight points _ president, does it? no, he is up eight points since - president, does it? no, he is up eight points since october and since october scott a senator for south carolina dropped out, doug berg dropped out, neither endorsed trump but their support went to donald trump. i will one thing that has been striking in the if you look at the pole his favourable rating among republicans as art, in the 70s, more incentives for republicans to

view him positively soppy decreasing 43 and nikki haley, not badly but down a bit because they're spending on super pacs they have been attacking each other, not really attacking donald trump at all soppy there is a battle to become the second place candidate in iowa for nikki haley that would mean getting a boost going into new hampshire and she is much more competitive facing donald trump as close as she can get to one—on—one. that is the strategy soppy ron desantis says he wants to when i but there are two candidates competing for the best second place showing they can get and that has drained the butt of the drama out of this race without stopping the spending, a lot of money is being spent for those two candidate to come second place. for those two candidate to come second place-— second place. one more quick auestion second place. one more quick question to — second place. one more quick question to you, _ second place. one more quick question to you, sarah, - second place. one more quick question to you, sarah, do - second place. one more quick| question to you, sarah, do you thinkjack smith will be able to get the trial started as he had hoped and much? listen, i'm

not especially _ had hoped and much? listen, i'm not especially optimistic - had hoped and much? listen, i'm not especially optimistic on - not especially optimistic on that, that is a very aggressive trial date for this expansive trial date for this expansive trial and now we have these issues that rtw for the appellate court and ultimately the supreme court will have to weigh in, i am the supreme court will have to weigh in, iam not the supreme court will have to weigh in, i am not optimistic. is doing everything he can to try to get this trial to happen in march but we will see. really interesting to get your perspectives tonight, sarah and dave, thank you so much. we will leave you one more story. travellers at london's st pancras station were treated to a surprise musical performance on monday from a global superstar. # you're in new york... that is 15—time grammy winner alicia keys serenading the crowd with her hit empire state of mind.

0ver ten minutes, the star performed four of her biggest songs. and it was all on a piano donated by sir eltonjohn. that's the show for the sour. thank you for watching bbc news. stay with us. hello. tuesday is going to bring a lot of cloud and the skies will look rather like the picture behind me. on top of that, shower clouds are expected as well. some of the showers could be heavy, the odd crack of thunder and additionally it will be quite windy around southwestern parts of the uk, but it's going to be relatively mild first thing. now, the satellite picture shows fairly clear weather as we're in between weather systems, or we were during monday. but now the clear skies are giving way to this area of low pressure, which will be moving across the uk during the course of tuesday and will continue to affect our weather at least for

a time on wednesday. so the forecast then through the early hours, we will have had some rain across northern ireland, southwestern scotland, the north of england too rain elsewhere, but also one or two clear spells and really quite mild in the south. 11 degrees in plymouth, about that in london. but for the most part, it's about 5 to 8 degrees. so certainly no frost first thing. and the forecast then for tuesday. so here's that area of low pressure as it slowly barrels across the uk. here's the weather front spiralling into the centre of the low where the winds are actually really light. so any showers that circle within this low right in the middle could last for quite some time. they'll be slow—moving, very little wind to push them around. but just to the south, around the southwestern approaches cornwall, devon, central southern england, the winds really could be quite gusty, 40—50mph winds around coasts. on top of that, an onshore wind here around eastern scotland and the northeast of england will make things really wet and it could last right until wednesday. now, on wednesday, finally, that low pressure pulls away out towards the west,

high pressure builds. and that means there'll be some sunshine, for example, in glasgow, liverpool and in cardiff. but the east coasts could stay quite cloudy, gloomy and feel chilly in that breeze off the north sea. here's a look at thursday and into the weekend, really. eventually, all weather fronts clear, high pressure starts to build from the southwest. but there is a lot of cloud stuck in this area of high pressure. so not necessarily all that sunny. and in fact, the northwest of the uk may continue to be brushed by weather fronts coming off the atlantic. so, yes, for the majority of us, the weather settles down come friday and should stay dry and bright with a bit of luck into the weekend. but the north could be wet at times. bye— bye.

strengthening ties: chinese president xijinping heads to vietnam. his first visit to the southeast asian country in six years. and high—end brands set up shop in the world's most populous country as india's luxury market takes off. hello and welcome to asia business report with me, mariko 0i. we have some breaking news:

fortnite maker epic games has won in an anti—trust trial over alphabet�*s google play app marketplace. i say today's verdict is a win for all app developers and consumers around the world. the case focused on google's dominant position in the market for apps on mobile devices, running the country's android —— company's android software. they also challenge the fees for developers on its play store. google, though, has told the bbc that they are planning to challenge the verdict. we will get more on this from washington, dc. thank you so much forjoining us on the programme. firstly, talk us through what this case was about and how significant this victory is. about and how significant this victo is. , , ., about and how significant this victo is. , , ., , ., ., victory is. this is a blow to goo . le victory is. this is a blow to google in _

victory is. this is a blow to google in terms _ victory is. this is a blow to google in terms of- victory is. this is a blow to | google in terms of fighting epic. this is really about