in several areas of england. it puts more pressure on emergency care — and a health service already under serious strain this winter because of covid and flu. we have more flu intensive care patients across the patch than we do covid at the moment. latest figures show that last week, a quarter of ambulances were delayed for more than an hour outside a&e. also in the programme... cheering and applause. shame on you! heated scenes in the scottish parliament as it passes controversial legislation,

making it easier for people to change their legal gender. bogged down in ukraine's winter war — we have a special report from the front—line. for all the sophisticated weaponry and all the ammunition, this is what it comes down to in the end — men, mud and an enemy which is within rifle range. and a drive down the highway of david hockney�*s inspirations — we speak to the artist about his new immersive exhibition. on about his new immersive exhibition. bbc news cha erling on bbc news channel, as you were for erling haaland as manchester city take a liverpool for a place in the lead cup quarterfinals. —— league cup. good evening.

two more 24—hour ambulance strikes in england have been announced for next month, after yesterday's walk out. new figures show that even before the industrial action about a quarter of ambulance patients in england last week waited more than an hour to be handed over to a&e. 16,000 ambulances were delayed outside a&e for over an hour — that's the highest number for a decade. and four in ten waited at least half an hour — the target is 15 minutes. it all adds up to around 16,000 ambulance working hours lost because of handover delays. our health editor hugh pym reports. flu is adding to all the rest of the pressure on the front line of the nhs. within the royal berks, we have around 90 inpatients with flu, which is a sharp increase from even two weeks ago. and this consultant is seeing the impact. i've been a clinician for an awfully long time so i've seen bad flu years and good flu years. i think we have to remember

that with the pandemic, particularly in children, theyjust haven't been exposed to flu in the same way as before, so for many this is their first exposure to it so we are starting to see increased numbers in that group. more sickness and more patients mean hospitals are nearly full, a&e units are crowded and that means ambulances are waiting longer to hand over patients. the stark figures today on ambulance delays highlight again the immense strain in the system. there were fears the strikes by ambulance staff yesterday could have created yet more problems for the nhs, but one service chief says call volumes were down and so more manageable. it's been very busy in the last week or so, up about 20% here in wales on this time last year, but yesterday was quieter, demand was certainly kinder to us, and it's possible of course that communities across wales have listened to the advice we've given. david called 999

because of chest pain. a vehicle arrived with a military driver who couldn't take him to hospital. another had to be sent. honestly, it's frightening. when that young lad came and the paramedic told me he couldn't drive the ambulance under blue light, i'm thinking to myself, well, why? why is he doing it? it's as though they're anticipating that you're not going to be needing to be taken to hospital under blue light. there are more strikes to come. today, unison announced two dates for action by ambulance staff in january. tomorrow, the royal college of nursing will unveil its plans for further strikes, and all this in a month which is usually the toughest and busiest for the nhs. and the gmb has already announced a one—day strike at ambulance services next wednesday in most areas of england and wales. that involves call—handlers as well as on—the—road teams. unison�*s next strikes will also cover all staff who are members. back at the hospital,

the immediate concern is rising sickness in the community. we need the public to help and play their part, for them to get vaccinated so they don't end up getting really sick when they have flu or covid and then needing to be managed as an inpatient or in intensive care. with covid, flu and other viruses, doctors are worried it will be a very difficult few months ahead. hugh pym, bbc news. well, ambulance workers are among many workers striking this month. royal mail staff begin another two—day strike tomorrow, disrupting christmas deliveries — their third this month. and rail workers begin their next strike on christmas eve, through till december the 27th. then there are more rail strikes injanuary — the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh. and there is disruption for people flying over christmas. border force staff begin eight days of strikes tomorrow over pay, pensions and jobs. gatwick, heathrow, manchester, glasgow, birmingham and cardiff are the main airports affected.

highway workers also began a four—day strike today. our political correspondent leila nathoo is in westminster. with ambulance workers now set to strike again in the new year, the unions are keeping up the pressure on the government. how likely is it ministers will give any ground? well, so far, there seems to be absolutely no sign that the government is prepared to move at all. the health secretary steve barclay maintains he is not going to talk to the unions about pay and the unions say that is the only way this dispute will come to an end. they say that a pay rise they've been given this year is nowhere near enough given where inflation is but the government insists it doesn't want to get into arguments about this year's pay, they say that's the job of the pay review body and instead it's urging the union is to focus on next year's pay review, but the unions are now deeply sceptical

of those pay review bodies and their processes and think they are discredited. so it really does appear that both sides are stuck. there are no further talks scheduled between the health secretary steve barclay and the unions representing health workers and actually it seems to me that both sides are getting more and more frustrated with each other. so now you have the union is pushing ahead with these new strikes in the new year with potentially more impact, further balance of members can be and while the government is digging in and of course ministers have a whole host of other strikes across various sectors to contend with. it looks as if the disruption and the disputes are going to go on for some time. thank you, layla nathoo, our political correspondent. railfares are to go up again next year, but the increase will be capped below inflation at 5.9% for fares regulated by the government. these include most commuters�* season tickets and some off—peak return fares. it will involve about half of all tickets sold. the rises take effect in march.

the scottish parliament has passed controversial legislation which makes it easierfor people to legally change gender. they'll no longer have to get a medical diagnosis before being allowed what's called a gender recognition certificate. the vote was greeted with cheers in the chamber from supporters of the bill, and cries of "shame on you" from opponents. here's our scotland editor, james cook. for years, this nation has been divided politically. now there's a social split too, on that hottest of topics — gender. not everyone in scotland is invested in this debate, but those who are tend to be fired up. and so, here at holyrood this afternoon, there was both delight and disgust. and the gender recognition reform scotland bill is passed. applause thank you.

shame on you! that followed days of delay and debate, not least about people born male accessing female—only spaces. i will do everything i can to protect women's rights for as long as i live, but i also think it's an important part of my responsibility to make life a little bit easier for stigmatised minorities in our country. while there may be a majority in this chamber later today to support this legislation, a majority of the public oppose the bill, including most snp, labour and liberal democrat voters. this bill reduces women's rights and potentially risks women's safety. but what is the new process for changing gender in scotland? well, it will be faster. instead of living for 2h months in your new gender before applying, adults will now have to wait only three months. younger people will also be able to apply — the age limit drops from 18 to 16, although the process will be slowerfor this group.

and it will be easier, because the requirement for medical reports to back up an application is being dropped. but will holyrood have the final say? the uk government says it's considering whether it can block the legislation or challenge it in court. if it does, expect yet another row. viewed from afar, some of history's great social upheavals look much less contentious. votes for women, gay rights. supporters of this change say that's going to happen here, that controversy will fade over time, but opponents say it will intensify as the impact of this new law becomes clear. either way, perspective often shifts with distance. james cook, bbc news, edinburgh. russia has criticised the visit to washington by ukraine's president volodymyr zelensky. moscow says it's evidence the united states is fighting what it calls an "indirect war" against russia. well, ten months on since the start

of the conflict, ukrainian forces have regained some areas taken by russia. tonight, we have a special report. since the start of the war, we've been following one ukrainian lieutenant who's fighting to defend his country. our correspondent quentin sommerville and camera—journalist darren conway sent this report from near kupiansk in the country's east, where fighting continues amid appalling winter conditions. when the enemy is on your doorstep, sacrifices must be made. this is home for a platoon from ukraine's 92nd brigade. they have a few small rooms in an abandoned house. they are crammed in tight. meals are eaten standing up. not that senior lieutenant eugene gromadskyi gets to spend much time here. he has had only two hours

sleep but again needs to head out to the front. there is a russian counterattack under way. this war has shaken the world and ukraine, but the 22—year—old lieutenant hasn't wavered. he has been fighting since the war�*s very beginning. when his army veteran father was killed in the first day of the invasion, he didn't falter. this was nine months ago, when i first met eugene, at the start of a conflict that would transform him and his country. he had just recently graduated. he and ukraine were ill—prepared. today, eugene and his country bear the scars of lessons learned. there have been a lot of casualties in this war. you have lost a lot of people. do you fear death?

translation: the person who is not afraid is already dead. _ if you meet death with open arms, it will avoid you because death loves the brave. that's why i don't think about death, i only think about life — the lives of my comrades and the lives of those in my unit. these are the men who have eugene's back. who stand at the ready in this winter wasteland. exposed to russian firepower and the elements. shouting. explosion. they are trying to halt a russian breakthrough. there is hardly any cover here so they move as fast as the cold allows. knowing that russian guns will soon find them. translation: the enemy's positions are being hit by fire. _

they are trying to advance. but our artillery is helping our infantry with a counteroffensive. and we will keep fighting until the end. it is our land, it is our blood. time is up. the russians are targeting them. their aim, for now, is off, but it's closing in. artillery strikes a nearby tree line. eugene's comrades hit the trenches. there is fierce fighting upper head. ukrainians have taken a lot of ground here. but for all the sophisticated weaponry and all the ammunition, this is what it comes down to in the end — men, mud, and an enemy which is within rifle range. ukraine is still advancing here, but winter is coming and the next

few months are going to be a slow, hard grind. but in these conditions, it is tough maintaining momentum. when ukrainian soil turns into soup... ..regaining every step of territory is a slog. translation: we need to work on that village over there. - it is one of only a couple of dozen villages still in mission control in kharkiv region. —— in russian control. every day is a battle for the upper hand. the road they must travel is dangerous, pitted with russian hits and misses. in the freezing cold, everything is an effort.

they have lost men on this route. and the bitterest months still lie ahead here. movement is spotted. translation: a little bit - to the right, on the corner over there, right behind the hangar. these are the daily battles the men face. today, some ground is won but tomorrow it may be lost. and so it repeats as the casualties mount on both sides. translation: to be honest, - there were many comrades who died, who i knew personally. they were ideological people who kept moving forward, who never stopped. but it is a war, so there

is no time to be sad. air raid sirens some 13,000 soldiers have already died defending ukraine. and away from the front, millions more will spend a freezing winter in darkness because of russian missile attacks. and this christmas it will be candles for the fallen that light the homes of ukrainians. natalia had two heroes in her life. her first, her husband. he was killed on the first day of the war as he defended the city. can you describe your husband to us? what kind of a man was he? translation: he was a patriot, a real patriot of our country. - he was a ukrainian.

and natalia's trials are far from over. her other hero is her only child. she is eugene's mother. the young lieutenant fighting at the front, seen here with oleg, his father, who died in battle. she has given everything for ukraine. nine months into this war, do you have a message for other ukrainian mothers? i want to wish them to always believe that everything will be ok with our children, and to always wait for them. mothers' love is a big power. we need to believe that everything will be fine. surely.

quentin sommerville, bbc news, kharkiv. the uk economy shrank by more than originally thought between july and september. revised figures from the office for national statistics show our economic output fell by 0.3% instead of the 0.2% first estimated. thousands of households in parts of south—east england are having to make christmas preparations without running water. parts of kent, sussex and hampshire have been affected. burst pipes after the recent thaw following freezing weather are being blamed. suppliers say they hope to have everyone reconnected by christmas. israel's longest—serving prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, has formed a new coalition government and is expecting to be it's set to be the most right—wing government in israel's history, with controversial plans to expand jewish settlements. israel occupied the west bank after the 1967 war

with its arab neighbours. after that, israeli jews started moving there to settle among the palestinians, with around 600,000 living there now. most of the international community considers these settlements illegal — israel disputes that. since the election, settler violence has spiked in the west bank city of hebron, from where our middle east correspondent tom bateman reports. this family say they feel under siege from israeli settlers. here we meet children far too familiar with fear and violence — as we found out. the settlers are attacking, in front of the house. in front? can we go out? young israelis storm into the garden, followed by the soldiers. "get out of here, leave," they tell the palestinian family. he is kicked. an activist tries

to help the family. and the soldiers, they do nothing to protect the palestinians. if a palestinian do that, you will take them to the jail or shoot him. in this city like no other, it's the ones who stormed in that seem protected and are soon gone, with a handshake. allahu akbar! in late november, the street faced an even worse attack. it was barely a month after an election which has empowered the settler movement and the ultranationalist far right. gunshots. days later, an israeli peace activist was beaten, while another soldier was filmed as he hailed the extreme right. he was laterjailed for several days. asked about the incidents of settler violence, the army said it acts to stop it and police carry out investigations. but human rights groups routinely dismiss those as a whitewash. after the election,

the coalition deal puts mr netanyahu back in power, but only by bringing in the ultranationalists. he says he'll be in control. however, many fear the extremism in a year already racked with violence. the national security minister will be itamar ben—gvir, a far right agitator whose party espouses racist anti—arab policies. and for the far right, hebron is a heartland. settlers here voted overwhelmingly for mr ben—gvir�*s alliance. he was the person who put a framed picture of a mass murderer on his wall at home, described him as a hero. doesn't that worry you? he's apologised for that and he said he's matured through that. but bottom line is people want anti—jihadism, pro—family and pro—god. your silence will bring you checkpoints all over. your silence will bring you division. a well—known palestinian activist speaks to a gathering of the israeli left.

they're a dwindling force, these days. and while they tour, undercover police watch them from the shadows. hebron is a city of checkpoints and a flashpoint of the conflict and occupation. that is my house. back with issa amro, the palestinian activist, i'm shown what life is like for him here. and you're not allowed to go there? i'm not allowed to walk from here. he's been arrested multiple times and then he's pulled away from us, detained again. the police accuse him of obstructing justice. the activists call it harassment. issa, what's happening to you now? i'm arrested. why? they fear a slide into more of this, and much worse, as israeli politics sees the far right takes centre stage. tom bateman, bbc news, hebron.

doctors treating the former brazilian football star pele say he will remain in hospital over christmas because his cancer has advanced. the three—time world cup winner at a tumour removed from his colon last year and has since been having regular chemotherapy and treatment. pele, who is 82, is also being treated for a respiratory infection. the world cup final may still be fresh in the memory but domestic football in england has already resumed. tonight in the carabao cup, two big names, manchester city and liverpool, met in the fourth round, with both teams having players not long off a plane from qatar, asjoe wilson reports. match day souvenir scarves! december football, north—west, not middle east. the world cup is rubbish! i like club footie better. feels like christmas day today, not on the 25th. this is what i call proper football, the animosity between the fans . and this and that, - i think it's overhyped. we don't like fighting,

we are too old for it, aren't we? we are too old for that. yeah. we just like to support us with a voice really. manchester city versus liverpool may be the fixture these days. both clubs had warned their fans here to support, not insult. the managers know they can set the tone. looked warm, pre—match. now, while others did the world cup, maybe norway's erling haaland had spent weeksjust imagining this moment. 1—0, tenth minute. by the 20th, liverpool were level. neat move, the finish from fabio carvalho. teams easing back into this season? forget it. riyad mahrez started the second half like this. back to you, liverpool. instant response to equalise again. you remember mo salah, don't you? there he is. kevin de bruyne delivered the kind of cross belgium had forgotten for nathan ake to win the game. city through to the quarterfinals. five goals, some yellow cards, at times it seemed both managers enjoyed it. welcome back.

joe wilson, bbc news. he's one of the most popular and influential artists of our time, and now, well into his 80s, david hockney is pushing the boundaries of art again. he's created a new immersive experience of his work, so visitors can see the world through his eyes. our culture editor katie razzall met him at the lightroom in london. david hockney gets a first glimpse of his new show. colour is a joyful thing. i want my art to be joyful. we're on an immersive journey, as the final tweaks are under way, with one of britain's best—loved artists. water is a surface that is elusive, in a way. all the patterns that you see are just on the surface.

the show�*s called bigger & closer, not smaller & further away — 60 years of his life and art. have you just always been better at looking than the rest of us? i do look closely at things. i can look at a puddle and get pleasure out of them. most people think it's just raining, don't they? hockney has been painting on his ipad in recent years, most famously the arrival of spring in his home in normandy. this year we discovered he was back painting on canvas when this self—portrait was revealed, and there's much more work still unseen. i have been doing paintings. how many? well, about a0. i painted my cook, the man who comes to do my feet, because he's a bit of a dandy. have you painted harry styles, is that right? yes.

in person? yes.