good to have you with us. ukraine has carried out a series of deadly air strikes on targets in south—west russia over the past 2a hours. one russian official has called it the most "severe" shelling since its full—scale invasion of ukraine began. these pictures show smoke rising above the city of belgorod where russia's emergency ministry says 20 people, including three children , have been killed, with more than 100 injured. kyiv says only military facilities were targeted. the city is located approximately a0 kilometres north of the border with ukraine. this dash—cam video has been verified by the bbc. it shows an explosion on a street in the city, and people running from the scene. other pictures show damage to buildings and vehicles gutted by fire. if the numbers of dead are confirmed, it would be one of the deadliest strikes on russia of the war so far, after nearly two years of fighting. it comes a day after friday's massive bombardment of ukraine, the biggest of the war so far. ukraine's president zelensky says at least 39 people were killed when 150 russian

missiles and drones were launched at cities across ukraine. here's our russia editor steve rosenberg. explosion. caught on dash—cam, a giant explosion in the centre of belgorod. there was panic as people ran for cover — not everyone could. russia says at least 20 civilians were killed and more than 100 injured after a series of ukrainian strikes on the heart of the city. although the russian military claimed it had shot down most of the missiles as emergency crews rushed to the scene, the scale of the damage became clear. billowing smoke making belgorod look more than ever like a front—line city. ukraine's border is

just 20 miles away. the local governor said these were the deadliest consequences of ukrainian shelling that his region had experienced. the attack came just a day after russia had carried out a huge wave of strikes across ukraine with missiles and with drones. at least 39 people, kyiv said, were killed. belgorod has come under attack before... ..with explosions like this one at the airport and at a power station. this kind of thing never happened before russia launched its full scale invasion of ukraine. now a deadly new strike on the eve of the new year holiday. russia has already hit back with new attacks of its own. steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow.

meanwhile, there have been more exchanges of fire in just the last few hours. ukraine's military says its air defence system has been activated in kyiv to repel a russian drone attack. at least one person has been killed in kherson by russian shelling. these are the latest images coming in from the ukrainian city of kharkiv. officials there say russian strikes hit a hotel and residential building. 21 people were injured, no fatalities have been reported. let's turn now to the middle east, where israel says its forces have raided hamas sites in the city of khan younis as it extends its offensive in the south of gaza. the idf says it's recovered what it called "very valuable intelligence material". health officials in gaza say 165 palestinians have been killed in the last day. a representative from the un relief agency for palestinian

refugees told the bbc that displaced gazans are living in the open and in the parks. meanwhile, there are reports that in recent days at least 100,000 people have fled to rafah, which borders egypt in southern gaza. amid the deepening humanitarian crisis israeli prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, gave a defiant tv address saying israel would continue fighting on �*all fronts�* and that the war would last many more months until victory is achieved. yolande knell sent this report from jerusalem. a giant campsite for the displaced. crammed into an ever shrinking area, tens of thousands of gazans who fled the fighting have set up makeshift tents and shacks by the egyptian border. israel says it's not restricting aid for gaza, but the un complains the amount getting in is woefully inadequate. it's a very long and convoluted process with numerous checks before the aid actually gets into gaza, and then once the aid is in gaza it's very difficult to get aid to people. essentially we're delivering aid under fire.

gaza streets have been turned into battlegrounds as hamas fighters try to block the advance of israeli soldiers. a main focus for israel's ground troops is now the southern city of khan younis and the central urban refugee camps. translation: we arrested dozens of terrorists in a school. _ they were hiding amongst civilians, hamas and the islamicjihad. we took them to israel to continue their interrogation. large numbers of gazans have been detained by israel. the men here were picked up near their homes in the north. they claim they were beaten, stripped to their underwear, and mistreated, even burnt with cigarettes. we can't independently verify their accounts. "they used obscene words," says this man. "they'd hold you like a dog and make you crawl, then there would be five soldiers who'd hit you alternately on the head and body." israel insists it treats detainees according to international law. for now there's no sign that israel is lowering the intensity of its attacks on gaza.

it says its aim remains to dismantle hamas. hamas says it won't give up the remaining israeli hostages its holding unless there's a full ceasefire. and with a new year about to begin, for those living close to gaza's front—line, the suffering continues. yolande knell, bbc news, jerusalem. in tel aviv, thousands of people have gathered at a rally demanding the immediate release of hostages still held captive in gaza. some also called for a ceasefire. former hostage — moran stela ya—nai — spoke at the demonstration. she was released 32 days ago. translation: i have no way to explain the intensity - of hope that arises from a few hours of silence and the abyss of disappointment when the bombings return and you realise there is no cease—fire and a plan for a release. in the closed room you realise you have a reservoir of hope and faith in your soul. but this reservoir is not

infinite, and as the hours pass and the days pass, this reservoir is depleted. that's why there is no time. they have no time. here in the us — the 2024 presidential election is around the corner and women's reproductive rights will be of major importance to voters. but there is an under—reported crisis where black mothers are far times more likely to die in childbirth than any other race. according to the centers for disease control, for every 100,000 live births for black women — there are 69.9 deaths. that's nearly three times higher than white and hispanic or latina women. the cdc says that 84% of these deaths were preventable. the us has the highest rate of maternal deaths overall, despite being one of the wealthiest nations in the world. congessional leaders have sought to pass legislation to end the crisis, but advocacy groups and health leaders

say more should be done to bring structural change. a short while ago i spoke to the global race and justice editor at reuters, kat stafford. i appreciate your time. when we spoke earlier this year, you've just done an investigative deep dive into health disparities impacting black americans, all the way through the life course from birth to death, in particular as well, why so many more black women die in oregon say. ijust wonder, do you think that started a conversation in this country? i think a lot of people were already discussing black maternal mortality and this long—standing impact that it's had on black women for decades. but i think what my project did at the time was really layout and explain how this is something that is a generational problem, this isn't something that just started recently. and i think

the project was really able to show the causes of this, the effects of this, and what a black baby experiences at the start of its life lays the foundation for health inequities they encounter over the course of their life. i think right now, this conversation is really taking off. we are seeing a lot of people on the ground saying we know it need more attention on this, we need more action on this, we need more action on this, the publication of that project. figs this, the publication of that ro'ect. ~ , this, the publication of that ro'ect, m this, the publication of that ro'ect. a project. as you said, your reporting _ project. as you said, your reporting was _ project. as you said, your reporting was very - project. as you said, your reporting was very clear l project. as you said, your - reporting was very clear when it comes to the cause and effects. that conversation continues. have we seen any concrete steps, though, coming out of that? i concrete steps, though, coming out of that?— out of that? i think one alarming _ out of that? i think one alarming thing - out of that? i think one alarming thing that - out of that? i think one - alarming thing that happened was when the cdc, the centers for disease control, released their most recent stats earlier this year, we saw another increase in terms of maternal mortality across the country. and those numbers made a particular emphasis on how black women were being

disparately impacted. while the conversation has taken off, while we are seeing a lot of folks still discussing this, demanding for this to be at the forefront, people are saying right now that we are just not seeing a real change and people are demanding that we see lawmakers whether that's on a state and local level, or in a federal level, all the way up to the presidency, people, and when a state people, i mean advocates, doctors, experts. people who have had these disparate outcomes, they really want to see notjust money and resources going toward this, but they want to see some of the structural issues i've reported about along the way such as structural racism, biases, this termination, all of these things that black women encounter throughout the course of their health care, they want to see these things actually addressed. figs they want to see these things actually addressed.— actually addressed. as you oint actually addressed. as you point out. _ actually addressed. as you point out, we _ actually addressed. as you point out, we had - actually addressed. as you point out, we had those i actually addressed. as you i point out, we had those stark statistics coming out from the cdc, and with all of that in mind, 2024 as well just around the corner, do you think that

this is an issue that will come up this is an issue that will come up in the election, especially if we look as well, this will be the first presidential election since the dobbs decision as well?- election since the dobbs decision as well? when you thing about _ decision as well? when you thing about reproductive i decision as well? when you i thing about reproductive rights in this country, a lot of people have been pointing to the fact that black women and other women of colour are going to be the ones that are most impacted by the dobbs decision. when you see less access to reproductive rights, when they're talking about abortions, a lot of experts are sounding the alarm are ready that you may continue to see another increase in terms of black maternal mortality. specifically, black women already are almost three times more likely to die during childbirth than white women. so we already have some pretty startling statistics, so people are looking at what's happening with abortion rights in this country and raising the question right now, could we potentially see that rate increase yet again because of

what's happening? so we were seeing a lot of advocates and i would say, right now, looking ahead to 2024, they are looking at the presidential candidates and trying to understand where they stand on this. is itjust lip service or are we actually going to see resources being devoted to this? are we actually going to see the care that black women have been receiving, are we going to see this being disrupted? and i think people are willing to vote in regards to who they believe it shows that they are actually caring about this issue. that is really been in place for such a long time in this country.— this country. and one thing that is striking, i _ this country. and one thing that is striking, i guess, i this country. and one thing that is striking, i guess, to | that is striking, i guess, to protect perhaps people outside the united states, how precarious health services can be outside the country, outside their employment status, their employment opportunities, do you see the future of the affordable care act coming up for discussion once again

through the the presidential election? i through the the presidential election? ., ., �* , election? i think that's something _ election? i think that's something that i election? i think that's something that people election? i think that's i something that people really want to see discussed, right? when you think about some of the critical issues that americans care about right now, health care is at the top of that. and if you think about the inequities and how black people across the board are more likely to experience a lot of these issues throughout the course of their lifetime, do it thatis course of their lifetime, do it that is something voters really care about right now. but one thing that i think is particularly interesting about the black mortality crisis, that for black women, regardless of their socioeconomic status, regardless of how much money they made, regardless of how much education they receive, they are still more likely to die and that includes whether they had the best insurance. this is indicative of a serious issue. this is something that, again, doctors have been raising for quite a long time and they are saying this isn't about black women, something being wrong with them. this is about something being wrong with our nation's health care

system. in terms of providing equitable care across the board for everyone. black women across the course of time that i've been reporting on the subject, they've told me and many other reporters when they enter the health care system, they feel their concerns aren't heard, they are and listen to. so yes, i think the affordable care act is something that people come as something they really care about, they are also saying that right now we need to deal with these rude and structural issues that have caused these long—standing inequities. caused these long-standing inequities-_ caused these long-standing ineuuities. ., , inequities. thank you, 'ust as editor at reuters, i inequities. thank you, just as editor at reuters, always i inequities. thank you, just as i editor at reuters, always great to hear from you.— in the uk, opposition parties have strongly criticised the former prime minister, liz truss' resignation honours list, which includes peerages for a conservative party donor and a former special adviser. labour says the honours are a slap in the face for working people. all prime ministers are allowed to release an honours list on leaving office. but as ms truss served just 49 days, her list

has been controversial. iain watson has that story. in september 2022, liz truss became prime minister but she spent less time in number ten than any of her predecessors. iam resigning... after six weeks she quit as conservative leader and after serving as prime minister she was entitled to a resignation honours list. she made 11 nominations — one for about every four days she spent in office and three of them are given seats in the house of lords. matthew elliott, a long—time supporter of tax cuts. join moynihan, a business man who donated to her leadership campaign, and ruth porter, an adviser who previously worked for a free market think tank. in a statement liz truss said... liz truss faced opposition from her own mps after a mini budget pushed up borrowing and scrap the top rate of tax.

opposition parties say her time in office should not be honoured. families across the country pay more on their mortgage, more in tax, more on credit cards is a consequences cards as a consequences of decisions taken by liz truss and these are rewards for failure. some campaigners say prime minister shouldn't automatically be able to put their nominees into the house of lords. this isn't the only peerages that she has made, she made 29 earlier while serving as prime minister so it really highlights the problems we have in the system at large. this former minister said she was only following convention. liz truss took on the most senior politicaljob - in the country, of being prime minister, which i is a role that comes _ with enormous responsibilities. but privately, some of her colleagues wonder whether it was responsible to remind people of her time in number ten. while there is controversy around the honours selected by the former prime minister,

there have been a number of positive surprise stories of people named on the new years honours list. actress emilia clarke and her motherjenny have been appointed mbes for their work in setting up a charity to help people with brain injuries. the game of thrones star suffered two brain haemorrhages in her 20s. she said the honour was an amazing suprise. also on the list, gymnastics stars becky and ellie downie, who spoke publicly about the deep culture of abuse in the sport. they said that being appointed mbes proved that they made the right decision to speak out. and atjust nine years old, tony hudgell is the youngest ever recipient of a british new year's honour. he's been given a british empire medal for services to prevent child abuse, and has raised well over a million pounds for charities. lizo mzimba has more on his remarkable story. tony hudgell�*s adoptive family described him as an inspiration.

they are not the only ones. at nine years old, he is believed to be the youngest ever recipient of an honour — thanks to his incredible fundraising efforts over the past three years. tony was so severely physically abused by his birth parents, both his legs had to be amputated. go, tony, go! he initially set out to raise £500 for the hospital that saved his life, by walking ten kilometres. it is fair to say he has overshot that target. so far, he has raised £1.8 million. his inspirationaljourney has taken him to downing street, to meetings with royalty, and now to the awarding of a british empire medal. i am feeling really happy, and really excited. so proud of him. i mean, he absolutely deserves it. everything he does, he is always thinking of others. he has just done so much in such a short time.

next year, tony will have to slow down a little, as he is due to have a major operation. but he is aiming to be back fundraising in 2025. lizo mzimba, bbc news. a wrench was thrown in the new years plans of thousands of eurostar passenger after the train system cancelled all of its services to and from london on saturday. a burst pipe feeding the fire safety system was believed to be behind the disruption stranding travellers. eurostar said the issue has since been solved, and its train services linking london with paris, brussels and amsterdam will fully resume on sunday. the company said in a statement...

police in australia are warning people not to go looking for packages of cocaine that have been washing up on beaches in new south wales over the past week. officers have been searching a huge stretch of coastline after more than 260 pounds of plastic—wrapped packages containing the drug began to appear shortly before christmas. our reporter in sydney, phil mercer, reports. before christmas the first of these packages was discovered in the central coast region of new south wales, an hour or so to the north of sydney, and since then many beaches between here and the port city of newcastle — that's about two hours' drive to the north — have been washed up, this cocaine washing up on those beaches in between the two cities. now, the police estimate that 124kg of cocaine has been found by members of the public.

and there is an overriding theory that this illicit haul was almost certainly strapped to a cargo vessel and was dislodged during wild seas, the aftermath of a tropical cyclone in queensland. so, certainly not the flotsam and jetsam that people on holiday or walking their dogs along the beach would expect to find here in sydney and further to the north. but a considerable amount of this class a drug has been discovered. this is not a time to be a freelance bounty hunter, according to australian authorities. they do believe that all of the drugs have now been recovered, but they do caution that a single block of this illicit substance, weighing a kilogram, if anyone is caught with that, potentially there is a prison term of between 25 years and life. so certainly some harsh penalties for anyone involved

in this particular trade. but the authorities believe that all of the drugs have now been washed up and recovered. the british actor tom wilkinson has died aged 75. he won a bafta for his portrayal of a steel works foreman in the full monty. in total, mr wilkinson received six bafta nominations and two oscar nominations for the films michael clayton and in the bedroom. colin paterson looks back at his life. this was the role which changed tom wilkinson's life forever. he was about to turn 50 when he was cast in the full monty as gerald, the former steel mill foreman, hiding his unemployment from his wife and turning to male stripping for money. it won him a bafta while the full monty beats titanic to best film. suddenly, after a career almost entirely on tv, hollywood was calling. actors are ten a penny, and i, hugh finnerman,

hold your nuts in my hand. the following year, he played a financier in shakespeare in love. it would win best picture at the oscars. american directors started to use him to add gravitas to theirfilms, with both his oscar nominations coming for roles in which he had an american accent. can't you find something? you know, like some piece of evidence? that happens. doesn't that happen? there was in the bedroom playing a doctor whose son falls in love with an older woman. you think you got the horses for that? well, good luck and god bless. and michael clayton, starring opposite george clooney as an attorney struggling with his mental health. indeed, many of his stand out roles would be characters dealing with inner turmoil. there were also blockbusters. and you look in the tabloids, mrwayne... christopher nolan casting him as gotham city mafia boss carmine falcone in the blockbuster batman begins. and for more than a decade, he has been a christmas tv staple...

where are you going, little brown mouse? ..as the voice of the fox in the gruffalo. come and have lunch in my underground house. he once summed up his profession by saying, "all good actors are easy "to work with. "it's the ones that aren't very good "who tend to be very difficult." tom wilkinson was very, very easy to work with. and before we go, a british army officer is believed to have become the fastest woman to ever complete a solo ski expedition, to the south pole. captain preet chandi or "polar preet" as she's become known, covered the 1,130 kilometres in a record time of just over 31 days. this was her third trip to the antarctic region,

a braver and faster woman than me. ask for your company, a braver and faster woman than me. ask foryour company, i'll me. ask for your company, i'll have me. ask foryour company, i'll have more at the top of the hour, join me if you can, bye—bye for now. hello. the weather's been continuing to cause some disruption through the final few days of 2023. we've had heavy rain, heavy snow across parts of scotland on saturday. for new year's eve on sunday, still some strong winds and heavy showers, especially in the south and the west. generally, a bit drier and less windy across the north—east of the uk, away from the northern isles. that is where we'll have this lingering weather front. but low pressure very much with us drifting its way gradually eastwards and there'll be a rash of showers rotating around that area of low pressure, blown in on these brisk west or south—westerly winds. so the strongest of the winds probably for the south—west of england, the channel isles could be gusting 60 miles an hour. similar for the northern isles, too. 50 mile per hour gusts possible through the davis

straits, for instance. and plenty of those heavy showers really across southern and western parts of england, wales, northern ireland and south west scotland, 6—10 degrees cooler than recent days, some drier conditions for central parts of scotland, perhaps the east of the pennines in in northern england as well. but if you're planning on heading out to see some fireworks new year's eve, let's look at what the weather is doing around about midnight. and there are still some showers across southern england and wales, but they will, i think, tend to ease a little bit in frequency. so you may miss them. they are still blowing in on these fairly brisk winds, though. i think most of the showers will be across northern england, perhaps northern ireland as well, and a few of them across the north east of scotland where they could be wintry but some clearer and drier weather. the central and western scotland as well. so really is going to be a mixed picture around midnight with a scattering of showers almost anywhere. moving through into the early hours of monday, new year's day. and the winds will start to ease a little bit, but most of us it'll be frost free, but some frost and some icy conditions, particularly if you've got that lying snow across the north

east of scotland. new year's day itself, still some showers around, but they're going to tend to ease for northern ireland, parts of southern scotland, northern england as well. so some drier, brighter, less windy weather for many of us. but heavy rain close to the south coast here just could push in for the likes of the isle of wight, perhaps sussex and kent, for instance, as well. and then more persistent rain will rattle its way through later on monday into tuesday as well. so a spell of wetter weather, i think, later in the day and more of the same to come over the next week or so. it's still unsettled. further spells of rain, perhaps a little bit cooler and drier towards the end of next week. bye— bye.

this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, which is straight after this programme. i've been an opera fan for decades, and i want to share my passion with you. so i'm on a mission to find out how opera is trying to attract new audiences and reinvent itself. this time, i'm in athens to celebrate the centenary of the birth of one of the most famous opera singers of all time — the greek—american soprano maria callas.

music: carmen by bizet. she's the most important opera star of the 20th century. when she was singing, you are spellbound. this is stuff legends are made of. but despite the fame and fortune, she died a tragic, lonely figure. why her singing and life story continue to fascinate. the body is not there any more, but her voice is immortal. i how the world of opera was changed by maria callas, the ultimate diva. let me take you to the opera. # vissi d'arte # vissi d'amore...