of showery rain around, but broadly speaking does turn dry up brighter some spells of sunshine once any early morning mist has clear, but those temperatures 6—9 degrees at best. and as we look ahead to sunday, those temperatures may drop back even further. lots of dry weather after any early mist and fog and it stays mostly dry but chilly into next week.

this is bbc news. the headlines... more than 100 people die in iran — in two explosions near the grave of a top revolutionary guards commander. warnings of higher prices and a delay on goods as commercial ships avoid the red sea because of rebel attacks. on verified today, we have been investigating one hospital under attack in gaza in a series of health facilities which have been affected by the war. and this history—making teenager is on target for further glory. 16—year—old luke littler could tonight become the youngest player to win the world darts championship. returning to events in the red sea.

the governments of the uk, the us and ten other countries have released a joint statement warning yemen's houthi rebels that they will "bear the responsibility of the consequences" if they continue to attack ships travelling through the red sea. the governments warn that the attacks are "a direct threat to the freedom of navigation that serves as the bedrock of global trade" and "threaten innocent lives". the militant group has claimed responsibility for the latest attack on a container vessel, belonging to the french shipping firm cma—cgm. the ongoing threat has caused major shipping lines to take alternative, longer, more costly journeys to avoid the area. the international chamber of shipping says one in five commercial vessels is now bypassing the red sea, which accounts for 12% of global trade. it's led to a near doubling in the cost of container shipping. the houthis say they'll continue to target vessels until palestinians in gaza are allowed sufficient food and medicine. well, the houthis are an armed group from a division

of yemen's shia muslim minority, the zye—dis. they model themselves on his brother, the iranian—backed shia armed group in lebanon. hezbollah has been providing them with extensive military expertise and training since 2014, according to the us. iran is suspected of supplying the houthi rebels with weapons, and the us says iranian intelligence is critical in enabling them to target ships. iran denies involvement in attacks by the houthis in the red sea. stavros karamperidis is the head of the maritime transport research group and a lecturer in maritime economics. i asked him to describe the current state of the red sea route. at the moment, we're seeing that nearly 65% of the container vessels are taking the longer and more lengthy route that you mentioned earlier on. and of course, that cost money also for the remaining 35% that is still going through the red seas. it's also an additional cost because as you can imagine, the insurance cost has increased.

so both ways are having some pluses and minuses. and i think the biggest problem is that, you know, innocent vessels have been targeted with innocent seafarers suffering from all the kind of situation that's happening down there, which we really have to take care. yeah, people may be forgiven for looking at this and saying, well, how is this any different to those somali pirates that were threatening ships in in the area, too? but it is a very different situation, isn't it, because those rebels have pretty extensive military hardware. they are able to attack these ships rather than just try and board from a little skiff alongside. it causes severe problems not simply taking over the ship, but actually damaging or destroying the ship in its entirety. that's correct. and as you've probably seen from the videos the houthis have released, you know, they use helicopters, something that the pirates didn't have. and, you know, they're going to the next level.

and that's why i think is very important that the us and the rest of the countries are taking action as soon as possible to show that kind of issue before it escalates any further. because thankfully, if we're talking about the container sector at the moment, it's the quiet season. you know, most of the goods for christmas have been delivered. and between now and the chinese new year, there is kind of a reduced activity in the container sector. but unfortunately, if that situation continues or escalates, then we're going to have a serious problem. but we really have to tackle it. yes, and so, therefore, we talked about these supply chain issues, some of those delays in deliveries. but as you point out, not a particularly busy time. so some good news there. but there are other implications, aren't there? i'm thinking of things like insurance just to insure those ships passing through that area. and also we've seen oil prices spike. just explain that connection. yes, i can give you a very simple example. before the overall situation, the insurance for a vessel passing through the red sea was 0.02%, and that has increased to 0.7%. so you can imagine for a container

vessel that can can carry up to one billion worth of cargo. and the insurance premium was like before the situation was 200,000 usd. now we went up to seven million. so as you can imagine, that's a huge cost that is going to pass the final consumer. and that of course is going to lead to more expensive goods at the end of the day, because don't forget that 50% of whatever we're consuming in the uk especially comes from from china specifically, and 75% comes from the far east. so that is a vital artery for for us in the uk and that's why we have to maintain the freedom of navigation. yeah, and also a double whammy because most of those goods are also transported using fuel. so as oil prices rise, it raises the cost right across the board, doesn't it? and talk to me, too, about that, the timing of this, because at the start of january, the eu imposed new rules. and just to explain the significance of those for shipping, that's the environmental trading scheme, correct.

and it's also the ets, the environmental trading scheme that you mentioned earlier on. and that means that the vessels, they have to pay a tariff, an environmental tariff, a levy for the distance that they cover. and that's why the longer the distance, the more emissions they're emitting. and that's why they have to pay a higherfee in terms of for the environment. and also, as we're talking about the environment, we don't have to exclude from the equation the panama canal because of the el nino and the global warming has reduced its drought. and that means that a lot of vessels that they used to go through the panama canal are not able to fit any more through there. and they try to go through the suez, which unfortunately, as you see now, suez has problems. so they're going through the cape of good hope. so that is increasing addition and that's adding additional tone mileage, as we call it, in the overall transportation of the goods from various regions of the world. and stavros, briefly, if you will, what is the answer here?

what is the solution? a come back to normality as soon as possible, because if we combine mediterranean and red sea population, we're talking roughly about a billion people living there. and as you can imagine, those areas at the moment are having severe impact in terms of servicing them and of course the north europe as well. so we really have to bring the normality back. we have to take action as soon as possible and stop the overall operations of this. that is the situation right now in the red sea. those ripples say they will continue those attacks until more aid is able to get into gaza. they underline how interconnected the stories are right now, because at the same time, the israeli military says it has told civilians to leave a refugee camp in northern gaza, as intense battles with hamas continue across the territory. israel says its planes dropped leaflets on the al—nusseirat camp telling people to move out. gaza's hamas—run health ministry says nearly 22,500 people have now been killed by israeli forces.

a strike on the city of khan younis, in southern gaza, reportedly killed five people, including a newborn baby. it s one of a series of strikes on hospitals in gaza in recent weeks. bbc verify has been following the attacks and analysing the video. hospitals in gaza have continued to come under attack in recent weeks. this is one of them, al—ahmar hospital in khan yunis, in southern gaza. and this video was released yesterday by the palestinian red crescent society and it claims to show the aftermath of an israeli strike killing five people, including a newborn child. now, we know that this is this al—ahmar hospital from the distinctive red doors that you're about to see here, as well as the wide concrete steps leading to the hospital. and the video then follows people moving outside, where we get to the street, and we can see the shape

of the buildings and the placement of the trees outside, which match other images that are available online of that particular area. and the world health organization has also published their own video showing the damage to the hospital and have repeated the claim of the death of a five—day—old baby. al—ahmar hospital is one of two hospitals in khan yunis, along with nasser hospital, and they're just 600 metres apart and they've both been hit in the past few weeks. we've also verified at least six attacks in the vicinity of these two hospitals in the past month. these are some of those videos. now, over 12 weeks into the war in gaza, we'll continue to monitor all the footage coming out. the idf were contacted for a response, but they did not reply. thatis that is the conflict between israel and gaza, but there is also, of course, the war between russia and

ukraine. in what's thought to be the biggest prisoner exchange of the war, russia and ukraine have swapped hundreds of captives. the russian defence ministry says 248 prisoners of war, held by ukraine, have been returned. it said it was the result of "complex" negotiations and mediation by the united arab emirates. ukrainian president volodymyr zelenskiy said 230 ukrainian prisoners were released by russia. the countries have exchanged prisoners several times over the course of the war. the number of ukrainian civilians killed since russia s full—scale invasion in february 2022 — has risen to more than 10,000. 0ur senior international correspondent 0rla guerin tells the story of two young women — both civilians — killed last summer in zaphorizhiya. in the heart of kyiv, pride of place goes to those who died defending ukraine. grigori comes to show his wife some

of his fallen comrades. there are many. "he was a poet," he tells her. "and he was a banker." "the country has lost all these people," he says, "they were the best of ukraine, the bravest, maybe the most heroic." and ukraine has lost voices of the future, like kristina and svitlana. this was in august in the city of zaporizhzhia.

"our last song will be for her son," says kristina, who was 21. 20 minutes later, both were dead. they were having a rest at a playground around the corner when a russian rocket slammed to earth. kristina's mother, halyna spitsyna, doesn't know how to live without her. translation: you don't know i what plans to make for tomorrow. sometimes you are able to smile. but then you remember that she can't smile any more. i can't explain it. it's as if you have died, but can still speak. svitlana's family inhabit their own universe of grief. father yurii siemieikin, mother anna and 12—year—old sister sasha.

"i live in my own world," she says. "i feel safer now because i feel that svita is always with me." yurii tells me svitlana, who was 18, was musicalfrom childhood and wrote her own songs. he heard the explosion here at home and rushed to look for her. translation: police brought me | to the place, and i saw what i saw. svitlana was lying on the ground in front of me. how is it possible in the 21st century to do something like this completely unprovoked ?

i don't know. kristina and svitlana lie buried side by side. they sang to raise funds for troops and civilians and to raise morale. halyna finds cold comfort at the graveside. translation: you come - here to see or hear something. the winds blows and you think it's the soul of your child hugging you. her child and so many more are gone, killed on and off the battlefield. the hope of ukraine filling early graves. 0rla guerin, bbc news, zaporizhzhia.

around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. bbc news, bringing you different stories from across the uk. - sometimes a simple knock at the door and a friendly greeting mean more than we know. ronnie and paul first met through age uk's befriending scheme during lockdown. that meant phone calls at first, but face—to—face meetings soon followed. now they're firm friends, particularly since ronnie lost his wife earlier this year. he knows my circumstances, because we're both in the same situation, you know and he's very good to talk to. we can talk to each other about different stuff. we were just saying the other day, if age uk concerned folded, we'd still be friends. i don't think we've ever had a cross word. i genuinely look forward to seeing ronnie and there's no on the volunteer and befriending scheme and somebody feeling a bit vulnerable. so that has gone now.

0ur relationship is and with ronnie is on an equal standing. for more stories from across the uk, visit i the bbc news website. you're live with bbc news. last year — 2023 — was the most successful year ever forfemale musicians in the uk charts. data from the british phonographic industry revealed that women were at number one for 31 out of 52 weeks. i spoke to the body's chair yolanda brown, who said streaming has allowed female artists to broaden their reach. women have been making music for many a year and, you know, really impactful music. so it's just lovely to see this in the figures. i think due to streaming, you know, the streaming figures have doubled to double the figure of 2018. so you're seeing that people are finding music more, they're unearthing music more, and they're getting to enjoy it more, which we've seen just in the past year. yeah, that is the point, isn't it?

and you talk about streaming and access to music. it's about the democratisation — that you don't necessarily need a big label with massive distribution. if you're good enough, if your song and your music is what people want to listen to, they can find you and listen to your music. yeah, exactly that. i think, you know, it's really wonderful that you can listen to something that you might have heard, you know, in a film or a streaming series and straightaway find it. but as you started off the interview by saying, you know, the label investment also has helped for more investment into female artists and for them to be able to make the career that they've always wanted to build. i touched on some of those that have helped boost that number — dua lipa, miley cyrus — but who are your standouts? who have you been following closely this year? because there's been some new arrivals on the music scene that have really made a difference on it. there have been i think, you know, for me, raye been amazing what a year she had last year. i can't wait to see what 2024 does for her.

and 0livia dean is another artist that i absolutely loved, seeing her on stage and just enjoying those moments. she was a student at the brit school as well, which the bpi helped to fund, and they've had amazing, amazing results this year. and it's just lovely to see. and i think you can really see artists, especially female artists, just enjoying sort of this moment of representation. we can't rest on our laurels. i think we have to make sure that the whole industry and the ecosystem really keeps putting women at the forefront of music. buy the tickets to their concerts, keep on going to see them buy their music and let's continue to make this a norm. yeah, and you talked about streaming, meaning that more people can find this music and listen to it. and social media has also made a big difference, doesn't it? because marketing is maybe a bit easier, a bit less costly than it was in the past for people to know about these new artists. i think you're right. and you can speak directly to your listenership, which is amazing. you know, you see artists using social media so well in communicating with their audience, letting them know where they're going to be or even

testing the market. where should i go next, you know, as well as showing their life and their creative process. so i think social media has done a lot to represent artists in different ways. and quickly for agl, and there's still a lot of work to do with representation in other aspects of the industry as well. and i know it's something the industry is working on, but this is, you know, this isn't over. this battle is not over for representation and diversity. it's not over at all. and i think i would love to see a day where this is just normal and we're just talking how well uk music has done. yeah, but it's great to know that things are changing. appropriately enough, the dartboard in the back of that shot, because thatis in the back of that shot, because that is our next story. 16—year luke littler makes history in london tonight, as the youngest person to compete in the final of the pdc world darts championship. the previous record holder was kirk shepherd in 2008, when he was 21 years and 88 days.

the warrington teenager has won more than £180,000 so far on his journey to the final. £200,000, in fact. but tonight he's facing the world number one. let's speak to our sports reporter matt graveling who is at alexandra palace for the final. so much resting on tonight. but whether he does it or not, he has already made history. he whether he does it or not, he has already made history.— whether he does it or not, he has already made history. he has. i was wonderin: already made history. he has. i was wondering if — already made history. he has. i was wondering if you — already made history. he has. i was wondering if you would _ already made history. he has. i was wondering if you would get - already made history. he has. i was wondering if you would get 180 - already made history. he has. i was wondering if you would get 180 in l wondering if you would get 180 in your throat to me, but when he came here to alexandra palace in north london, he only needed to in his first game of the tournament to

become the youngest player ever to win a match chair. now, the current record holderfor the win a match chair. now, the current record holder for the youngest player to go on and when the hold thing is michael van gogh, the dutchman who is 24 years old, so that puts into contextjust how good luke lit letter has been. this is his seventh game in the run to the final. it's safe to say that he hasn't really been challenged. it's notjust hasn't really been challenged. it's not just that he's hasn't really been challenged. it's notjust that he's winning fast forward 12 years, and here he

is playing on the biggest stage of the mall. 12 is playing on the biggest stage of the mall. ' , . , is playing on the biggest stage of the mall. ' , ., , ., , the mall. 12 years, that is... he said he's— the mall. 12 years, that is... he said he's got — the mall. 12 years, that is... he said he's got nothing _ the mall. 12 years, that is... he said he's got nothing to - the mall. 12 years, that is... he said he's got nothing to lose - the mall. 12 years, that is... he said he's got nothing to lose on| the mall. 12 years, that is... he - said he's got nothing to lose on the stage. of course he wants to win it, but he says he's going to take a lot to stop him. he sounds pretty confident. he to stop him. he sounds pretty confident-— to stop him. he sounds pretty confident. . , , ., to stop him. he sounds pretty confident. ., , , ., , confident. he has every right to be confident. he has every right to be confident. he _ confident. he has every right to be confident. he is _ confident. he has every right to be confident. he is playing _ confident. he has every right to be confident. he is playing in - confident. he has every right to be confident. he is playing in our - confident. he has every right to be| confident. he is playing in our mess they well in front of all those people in there. most of them will be chairing his name. the other thing he has in his favour is he has no fear. last night, when he beat

the clap across, he went his debut tournament at 27 years old in 2018. his coming is a 16—year—old on his debut. he keeps winning. he's got no memories of near mrs to hunt and while he is during the last few darts, trying to get over the line so he can come here. his call that a free hit. i don't think that's quite right. i think there's a lot more writing on it. he will want to get over the line. but regardless of what happens tonight, he's already made so much history.— what happens tonight, he's already made so much history. everyone loves an underdog- — made so much history. everyone loves an underdog- can _ made so much history. everyone loves an underdog. can he _ made so much history. everyone loves an underdog. can he do _ made so much history. everyone loves an underdog. can he do it? _ made so much history. everyone loves an underdog. can he do it? well, - made so much history. everyone loves an underdog. can he do it? well, the. an underdog. can he do it? well, the last time these _ an underdog. can he do it? well, the last time these players _ an underdog. can he do it? well, the last time these players met - an underdog. can he do it? well, the last time these players met was - an underdog. can he do it? well, the last time these players met was back in 2019. playing in a pub, two and a £50 was the grand prize that day. tonight from an aeroplane for half £1 million. you've got your 180 in. i will get mine and. here it is, 898 of them at this tournament. that is a must record its out the steps of the tournament has been fantastic. this has been billed as the biggest final and darts history ever. he faces luke humphreys, after his win here last night, 6—0 against scott williams is the new world number one. if you know you're darts, he got an average three darts of 108 yesterday in his game in the semifinal. that is one of the best ever at this tournament. so it's not all going to go luke littler�*s way. we luke and and the fairy tonight? the real winner here, with all the

eyes put on this legacy and they sports, young players getting inspired, the real winner is the sport of darts. i5 inspired, the real winner is the sport of dam-— inspired, the real winner is the sport of darts. is not “ust? get to have ou sport of darts. is not “ust? get to have you there _ sport of darts. is not “ust? get to have you there and _ sport of darts. is notjust? get to have you there and thank- sport of darts. is notjust? get to have you there and thank you - sport of darts. is notjust? get to | have you there and thank you very much. enjoy your night. that all kicks off at 8pm you can follow it on the bbc news and bbc sports apps. time for the weather now. hello. after the wind and rain from storm henk on tuesday — wednesday brought more heavy downpours in places. not helping the ongoing flooding situation, check the latest flood warnings on our website or on your bbc local radio station. and there is some more rain to come as we head through tonight. still some showers around, but some clearer spells starting to spread from the south—west as the night wears on. temperatures will drop away down to around three, four or five degrees in quite a few spots. one or two places could get quite close to freezing. so we head in to thursday with low pressure still in charge to the north that will bring some showers. and then this little weather system here threatening to bring more unwanted rain into southern parts

of the uk. so across northern england, northern ireland and scotland, a lot of clouds and bits and pieces of showery rain still very windy in the northern isles. then a slice of sunshine across north wales, parts of northern england, the north midlands through the afternoon, but to the south of that cloud will be gathering and here comes our next area of rain. now, this is going to deal a glancing blow, really, but it is going to slide along the southern counties of england, perhaps getting into south—east wales and then moving up across the london area and into east anglia through thursday evening. this rain falling on saturated ground so could well cause furtherflooding issues. it may turn quite windy for a time down towards the south as well. that weather system swirling its way off into the near continent on friday. still some showery rain across eastern scotland and eastern england. sunshine and showers out towards the west. temperatures a little bit lower by this stage, 6—9 degrees. and then as we head into the weekend, low pressure will at long last loosen its grip. high pressure will be

building across the uk, still possibly one or two showers, but a lot more in the way of dry weather. i'm sure that'll be good news for many. however, we will also start to introduce some colder air. so saturday looks a little bit like this — still some areas of cloud, a few bits and pieces of showery rain around, but broadly speaking does turn dry up brighter some spells of sunshine once any early morning mist has clear, but those temperatures 6—9 degrees at best. and as we look ahead to sunday, those temperatures may drop back even further. lots of dry weather after any early mist and fog and it stays mostly dry but chilly into next week.

hello, i'm lewis vaughanjones. you're watching the context on bbc news. you can see the chaos after the explosion. some bodies, those who were wounded or killed, were carried on a stretcher, and ambulances rushed to the scene. it isn't israel's style and it's certainly not in israel's interest to do this right now. it's got its hands full. in gaza and the west bank... at the moment this major security incident is the worst in such attack is high ambiguity. no one expected that. inside or outside of that. more than a hundred people are killed in 2 explosions in iran. no—one has yet claimed responsibility.

we'll ask who could be behind it. also coming up...