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volcano erupts in a peninsula in iceland after weeks of intense seismic activity. as aid agencies voiced frustration on worsening conditions for civilians in gaza that the un security council prepares to vote on a new ceasefire resolution. this is the scene live in new york where members of the council are grappling with the language they can agree on. ukrainian president apology ms zelensky is holding an end of year news conference and he thanks ukrainian soldiers for black sea victory against russian navy. —— volodymyr zelensky. aid workers say that the situation in sudan is a humanitarian catastrophe. time for a look at the business news now with ben thompson. will start with news in shipping because there are problems in one

part of the world. "a lot more transport time and a lot more fuel." the words from the shipping firm hapag lloyd who havejoined a number of other major carriers to re—route some of their vessels away from the red sea. this is in the wake of attacks on their ships in the region by houthi rebels from yemen. the us has announced a new international task force to protect those ships in an area vital for international trade. with around 12% of global trade passing through the red sea, that's around 17,000 ships a year. but as we've said, several major freight companies have now stopped passing through here. instead they are taking the much longer route all the way around africa via the cape of good hope. earlier i spoke to richard meade — editor of shipping publication — lloyds list. he explained how the situation will affect global trade. we've seen an immediate uptake in terms of the freight rates for the container carriers. and let's be clear, it's mainly the container carriers that we've seen re—routing so far. you mentioned hapag—lloyd,

but other names like msc, maersk, cma, cgm, all of the big carriers now are either pausing their shipments on a case—by—case basis or have already re—routed. that adds about 10—12 days on a journey. it's going to soak up about 5%—6% of global capacity now. that's not good. it's added 20% on spot rates, but it's probably not as bad as it could have been. you know, many of your listeners are going to remember what happened when the ever given did a u—turn in the suez canal two years ago. that caused significant chaos in terms of the supply chains. we're looking at a very different market right now. there's been a lot of ships ordered since then. we're actually in a period of overcapacity. so, i mean, as far as the operators are concerned, this is actually a welcome uptick on rates that were otherwise looking pretty grim right now. i would say probably the bigger concern is going to be in the oil market because the tanker market is much more finely balanced in terms of the supply and demand dynamics right now. interesting, you say that out of every crisis comes an opportunity, certainly forfreight. it's fascinating,

isn't it, how it works. talk to me about alternatives, though, and what other routes, we highlighted one of them, about where ships may go instead. they do add time and cost, but it's not like this, as you touched on the suez canal, that absolutely choked up trade. there are alternatives. yeah. as i say, the long way round through the cape of good hope, that adds, depending on how fast you're going to run the ships, 10—12 days, but as you've already pointed out, that is going to increase the cost of the bunker fuels that they require in order to get there. it's going to increase the distance. it takes out capacity from the market. so things take longer. you know, there will be already an impact on goods. but i think we have to differentiate between the types of ships that are re—routing and the types of trades. we will keep an eye on how that develops in the coming days but now for something different.

let's talk cannabis. until now, the cannabis sold in dutch coffeeshops has been illegally grown and supplied, unregulated and undercover, the authorities simply turn a blind eye. this week, for the first—time, cannabis is being legally cultivated as part of a small experiment that could eventually be rolled out across the country. 0ur reporter anna holligan was the only foreign journalist invited to a top—secret location in the netherlands. this is the first ever legally produced cannabis for recreational purposes within the eu, but it's about more than just a single plant. it's about enhancing the traceability and transparency of an entire industry. the biggest challenge to get here was regulation. all the paperwork that we have to fill in to get a bank account, to get all the rules back from illegality to legality. so, we'rejust packaging here. first of all, we put it in glass and then second, we put it into labelling. so, this is the consumer packaging. you see the flower in there.

and on the other side is a lot of information and a lot of rules and regulation from the government. and then there's a track and trace. so, there's a system. the government can see where it's coming from. and here is another qr code where information for the consumer is there. there's test information and there's also consumer information. way too long? no, i'm shaking my head because it's like, "wow!" it's, like, gone full circle from a completely, like, opaque industry to following every tiny step. it's mind blowing. in the end, it's all about trust. can we trust the existing industry to take care of cannabis production and distribution and do it in a transparent and fair and honest way? that's it. we work together with laboratories to analyse our soil, our flowers, and our environment and monitor...

and quality, these get tested, like, three times. so these, of course, are three major points that in the black market is not happening. and because we are doing this, we can ensure a high—quality product without residue, pesticides, or chemicals. we have lots of experience. i think with all the people walking around here, we have more than 100 years of experience. so is that because you were doing it before it became legal? yes, a big change indeed. like, in the black market, you had pressure of the police and the neighbours and in this environment, you have the pressure to perform. well, this box is going to be our first legal delivery to the coffee shop. and there it is, symbolically unsealed by the dutch health minister, europe's first ever legal batch of commercially cultivated cannabis. this box taking the country a step closer to eventual decriminalisation. anna holligan, bbc news in the netherlands. we will follow that story for you

pretty closely. to the us now where the tech giant google — owned by alphabet — is to pay up $700 million dollars and allow for greater competition in its app interface, known as the play store. google has been accused of overcharging consumers. it has not admitted wrongdoing. i got the details from michelle fleury in new york. this is a sign that all these big legal actions against big attack are starting to bite and you can see in this case that google with the settlement are going to pay millions of dollars into a consumer fund so those that bought items from google�*s play store from a certain time may receive a small amount back like $2. there will also be the $70 million remaining that will go to the 50 states that brought this case and i think that what was found here is that the app store kind of maintained a sort of unfair commission system where developers were charged between 15 to 30%, and

in the future, they will have to develop a different system and may be offer an alternative so that consumers can buy directly from developers, and in app options, they will have to develop alternative payment systems. this is a huge win for developers who have been pushing for developers who have been pushing for this for a while and it shows that these companies face increasing legal challenges.— legal challenges. yes, and it is not the case that _ legal challenges. yes, and it is not the case that has _ legal challenges. yes, and it is not the case that has been _ legal challenges. yes, and it is not the case that has been brought - the case that has been brought lately. —— it is not the first case. i wonder if this is part of a wider clampdown on some monopolistic, anti competition practices, because you know that the industry is dominated by a few very big players. yes. know that the industry is dominated by a few very big players.— by a few very big players. yes, if ou stick by a few very big players. yes, if you stick with — by a few very big players. yes, if you stick with google _ by a few very big players. yes, if you stick with google pop - by a few very big players. yes, if - you stick with google pop moments, we are talking about this particular case but they lost another battle the other week involving maker of the other week involving maker of the fortnight game company epic. we are waiting to see about the damages in that case. —— if you stick with

google for a moment. and then you have this case brought by the justice department which looks about monopoly search. there is another case looking at its dominance in advertising. so big take is facing scrutiny like it never has done before and you are starting to see the jeopardy at stake, but also, the contours of what settlements might look like for these companies as they try to figure out how to resolve these issues. michelle fleury there — resolve these issues. michelle fleury there in _ resolve these issues. michelle fleury there in new _ resolve these issues. michelle fleury there in new york. - resolve these issues. michelle i fleury there in new york. those resolve these issues. michelle - fleury there in new york. those are your top business stories. you are watching bbc news. bbc news, bringing you different stories from across the uk. all uni people, they all sit and stroke him, pet him and talk to him. he usually sits outside my boat every day, just on the corner there, sunbathing with his little friend pi down there. he's missing him as well. pi is pining for him. they're special to the

lady that bred them. they're special to me. they're special to lots of people around here that like to see them. i haven't seen the duck and we've been working here since monday morning. we've seen mallards, we've seen canada geese, and we've seen the swans. but not your duck. i'm not sure whether it's been done as malicious thing. either or, he needs to come back. he's not here any more. it's, you know, it's nice to see him every day and say hello and pet him and nice to be around him. for more stories from across the uk, head to the bbc news website. you're live with bbc news. volodymyr zelensky is holding his end of near news conference as his country's war with russia approaches the two—year mark.

let's listen back in. translation: let's listen back in. tuna/mom- let's listen back in. translation: , , ., , let's listen back in. translation: , , translation: the first story was whether we _ translation: the first story was whether we will _ translation: the first story was whether we will be _ translation: the first story was whether we will be transferring i translation: the first story wasl whether we will be transferring the government to the military planning. what happened to be done? i'm talking about the whole system of the statement. what do you mean, could you be specific, because we are always failing to do something in a timely manner. you are talking a lot, and that is why you can't do that in due time, but i am taking very seriously your questions, i mean, today we are reducing the expenditures of the government officials and i am working in order to have further reductions in the government but if we won't have any people there it will be difficult for us to govern the country and as for us to govern the country and as for the, for us to govern the country and as forthe, combining for us to govern the country and as

for the, combining the elements, we have some questions to raise with many representatives of different parties, so whenever you are saying to change them to technocrats, can you offer... ? thank you for underlining that i am somehow dealing with this international relations. i am dealing with this international relations. iam not dealing with this international relations. i am not only one. we had a great team. —— we have a great team. this is a very good diplomatic team. this is a very good diplomatic team and thank you for mentioning this. i think there is a result, there are certain specifics, not rhetoric but is very specific international achievements, the support, the weapons, the eu. let's stop on that. support, the weapons, the eu. let's step on that-— support, the weapons, the eu. let's stop on that. lets get some analysis of what president _ stop on that. lets get some analysis of what president zelensky - stop on that. lets get some analysis of what president zelensky has - stop on that. lets get some analysis of what president zelensky has had l of what president zelensky has had to say and speak to a former nato analyst and senior lecturer in security at the university of bath.

welcome to you. in the past be moments, there has been a question from the bbc�*sjessica parker to president zelensky whether or not there is a danger of ukraine starting to lose this war. he said no but the country is in a very difficult situation and last year when the country was occupied by russian forces it was the same yet they block through the blockade. what is your assessment of the state of this war? i what is your assessment of the state of this war? ~ , what is your assessment of the state of this war?— of this war? i think in terms of big war often of this war? i think in terms of big war eften add _ of this war? i think in terms of big war often add and _ of this war? i think in terms of big war often add and flow _ of this war? i think in terms of big war often add and flow and - of this war? i think in terms of big war often add and flow and we - of this war? i think in terms of big war often add and flow and we are of this war? i think in terms of big i war often add and flow and we are in an ad for the ukrainians at the moment and this is a difficult moment. it is driven by a number of factors, like the lack of forthcoming aid from the us and the eu although some nations like denmark and norway have been very forthcoming with aids packages with weapons coming in and missiles etc. that is one. i think the other one is the mobilisation question ukraine is the mobilisation question ukraine is facing an president zelensky mentions that the first question

from the ukrainian media was abuzz mobilisation and the president said that they had recommended mobilisation of up to 400,000 which is massive, larger than the russian army at the moment. i doubt they can pull that off, and we're also seeing thatis pull that off, and we're also seeing that is growing reticence to enlist, or the military are having go further to fill their quotas and lifting people off the streets. there is a question there about how big the ukrainian army needs to be and what the mobilisation will look like. and then there are still issues a potential copper option which also affects mobilisation —— potential corruption. and finally the ukrainian army attempts to advance, there is a big operation going on behind russian attacks at the moment across the line and it is putting pressure on the ukrainians and one of the things which is halting the ukrainians is their lack of artillery. halting the ukrainians is their lack of artille . , �* , halting the ukrainians is their lack of artille . , �*, , halting the ukrainians is their lack ofartille . , �*, , of artillery. yes, let's 'ust pick u . of artillery. yes, let's 'ust pick u- on of artillery. yes, let's 'ust pick up on the h of artillery. yes, let's 'ust pick up on the eight h of artillery. yes, let'sjust pick up on the eight picture. - of artillery. yes, let'sjust pick up on the eight picture. he - of artillery. yes, let's just pick| up on the eight picture. he said of artillery. yes, let's just pick - up on the eight picture. he said he is confident the us at the eu will continue their aid and we have seen

this aid package still in the us. the republicans in congress are blocking the aid package. do you share his confidence this aid will continue and carry on injanuary? {iii continue and carry on injanuary? of the past predicts the future, and it doesn't always, but in ukrainian case it has been difficult to get these packages through, increasingly difficult for the us as the war has gone on, but they have increasingly come. —— they have eventually come. this is as much about internal and domestic politics in the us and the border situation there as it is about ukraine. nevertheless, we are seeing increasing republicans questioning the extent of the aids to ukraine. i would hope it will get through in some shape or form, to ukraine. i would hope it will get through in some shape orform, but the problem is that all these packages are... they come later, whether it is weapons or age, it tends to come too late for ukraine, so the delay giving them tanks and f-i6s,

so the delay giving them tanks and f—i6s, and before that, even high mars, it has an effect on the battlefield and it is essentially the same going on with the eu where you have had victor 0rban hold back or even delay 15 because of his veto delay. —— himars. almost $50 billion from the eu in aid to ukraine. i think the real problem then is if you can't have a resourced and very clear strategy out to probably the end of 2025 or how ukraine will sustain, train and fight this war, it becomes very difficult to one signal to vladimir putin that the west is in this for the long run and ukraine were not to lose and two, it becomes very difficult but you koreans know where they are and what they can plan. koreans know where they are and what they can plan-— they can plan. let's pick up on that toint, to they can plan. let's pick up on that point. to what _ they can plan. let's pick up on that point, to what extent _ they can plan. let's pick up on that point, to what extent vladimir - they can plan. let's pick up on that| point, to what extent vladimir putin is going to use what appears to be cracks in support of ukraine. —— very difficult for you ukrainians. we had from last week saying that russia's dolls have not changed when it comes to ukraine. would you think a strategy is going to be over the

next 12 months or so? i a strategy is going to be over the next 12 months or so?— a strategy is going to be over the next 12 months or so? i think he is feelint next 12 months or so? i think he is feeling particularly _ next 12 months or so? i think he is feeling particularly confident - next 12 months or so? i think he is feeling particularly confident at. feeling particularly confident at the moment and they have weathered their ebutt right after the invasion and the sort of botched a way that it went off, and a lot of pressure on their military and the ukrainian counter events of the summer of 2022. i think 2023 has shown that actually the defence of —— the defensive form of war is easier because of the nature ofjoint and surveillance and he thinks he can grind this out. you certainly thinking at the moment is that ukrainians will struggle to take any more of their territory back in the short term. but the strategy is essentially that that he thinks i will stay in this fight longer, that plays to my strengths of manpower, artillery and resources in a way that the west, because of its political nature and the turnaround of its political systems, brings divisions of every few years, at

least, and maybe even sooner. that is the strategy they are abducting and we have to come up with a strategy that is resourced and matches that goes even beyond it to show we are in this for the long run. —— the strategy they are adopting. the implications for the west in particular of the ukraine is to lose more territory, considering the way things are gone and the last few years. i the way things are gone and the last few ears. ~ ., few years. i think vladimir putin -- veledymyr — few years. i think vladimir putin -- volodymyr zelensky _ few years. i think vladimir putin -- volodymyr zelensky surprise - few years. i think vladimir putin -- volodymyr zelensky surprise the i volodymyr zelensky surprise the world to have the level of resistance he showed when russia invaded ukraine. how important do you think it is for the war efforts that he stays in position with the upcoming elections. i that he stays in position with the upcoming elections.— upcoming elections. i think it is very important _ upcoming elections. i think it is very important and _ upcoming elections. i think it is very important and i _ upcoming elections. i think it is very important and i don't - upcoming elections. i think it is| very important and i don't know upcoming elections. i think it is i very important and i don't know if

those elections will actually take place because there is debate about whether it is the right time in the middle of war to hold elections and usually you have a government of national unity and you bring in the best brains to support you a new role with that until the end of the war and what i would say is, yes, he was brilliant and showed such leadership standing up at the start of the war, but it is naturally going to ebb and flow, and this is a smaller country taking on what has traditionally been one of the global superpowers, less so now, but it is still a seriously big and strong adversary. so it was going to ebb away from ukraine at some point and i think what you have seen is the national euphoria that met with the heroic resistance and a counter offensive and then the holding on of bakhmut and that has waned somewhat and that is understandable. again, i think this is why... irate and that is understandable. again, i think this is why. . ._ think this is why... we will leave it there. think this is why. .. we will leave it there. thank—

think this is why... we will leave it there. thank you _ think this is why... we will leave it there. thank you very - think this is why... we will leave it there. thank you very much i think this is why... we will leave | it there. thank you very much for your analysis. the british prime minister has faced one final grilling from mps before christmas, as he answered questions from the liaison committee of senior mps. the liaison committee is a group made up of the chairs of all the other committees, and its job is to scrutinise the prime minister's work. it's been a testing couple of weeks for mr sunak, and the pressure will continue to build next year as a general election looms. he defended the foreign secretary's recent call for a ceasefire in gaza. ever ceasefire is going to be sustainable, it is to ask what are the condition so it doesn't collapse. i the condition so it doesn't collapse-— the condition so it doesn't colla-se. . ., ., the condition so it doesn't colla-se. . . ., ., collapse. i can clearly say that a ceasefire isn't _ collapse. i can clearly say that a ceasefire isn't going _ collapse. i can clearly say that a ceasefire isn't going to - collapse. i can clearly say that a ceasefire isn't going to last - ceasefire isn't going to last postures are still being held and that was your first question, and also if hamas, whose stated aim is to destroy israel is still able to operate in underground tunnels and

launch rocket attacks into israel, so those are important facets we need to grapple with and ahead of a permanent ceasefire, was we would like to see our immediate and sustained humanitarian causes which allow the release of more hostages and more aids to enter gaza and in particular, to go to the previous question about leadership, i think we were the first country to say to israelis they had to open the crossings in order to get more ageing and that is something i spoke to prime minister netanyahu about myself and i'm pleased that is now happening, but in the quantities we want, but it is improvement and that is the uk showing initiative on this issue. —— showing leadership. questioned by his conservative colleague alicia kearns about the role of the uk in the israel and hamas war, this is what the prime minister said. from the beginning of this, from my first visit to israel, we have made repeated calls for israel to adhere to international humanitarian law, to take every practical... where have we achieved restraint

or a change in their behaviors? because that's the goal of raising it with them, is to achieve an actual effect. i mean, i'm obviously not the one making operational decisions on the ground, but we have consistently urged israel where they can to avoid harming innocent civilians. far too many have died and it's about providing notice, providing safe areas, safe passage during the early phases of the conflict, but also about making sure that aid reaches those people who need it. we spoke earlier with geri scott who's senior political correspondent at the times. she said this of the uk prime minister's performance. i think it is clear that not all of them have been met yet and that inflation one has, and there is a question mark over others. but of course, that big one we heard about today is stopping the boats and what rishi sunak said is that there is no firm date on that and there were various other points

made about the money spent on the rwanda scheme and things like that, but i think that is the one that will be the key issue at the election next year and it is what the tories will probably focus on and it really seems that rishi sunak didn't want to put a deadline on when he might achieve that. how much does his ability to deliver on these promises determine when he might call that the next election, which has to be pretty much within the next 12 months, doesn't it? it does, the latest date it can be is january 2025 but last night rishi sunak did said it would be next year and it will really be the economy which will dictate when that will be held. the debates being had about whether if you wait till longer until say 0ctober, giving the economy more time to recover, more money in peoples pockets and ability to meet those pledges, or do you go earlier in sometime like may so you don't suffer embarrassing defeats maybe in the local elections. so there are a lot of

different matters at play. the question is whether he thinks things will get better or worse and that will dictate the timings. what you think about the prime minister's position now? just a few days ago we were talking about how it might not be able to hold on as prime minister because of the whole rwanda conversation. are you confident now he will be the leader of the conservative party that will take us into the next general election? i think he will and i think any suggestion that won't be the case is a bit for birds because there is no clear candidate to take over from rishi sunak at the moment and anyone we talk about in terms of potential leadership bids, we are really talking about after the next election, not really this side of it, and those that i speak to, both in the centre and on the right of the party, say that if they wanted to change the leader again, they don't

think the public would have the kind of appetite for it and there is not actually much appetite in the party either, so i think rishi sunak will be the conservative leader that takes the party into the next election, but he may not be the conservative leader for much longer afterwards. what does that suggest then? are you implying there is not really much of a chance of them winning that election? i think the polls really imply that, and with labour's leader it isn't looking great for the conservatives and the prime minister. never count chickens, there is a long time to go potentially for voters to go to the polls and a lot of things can change, but if we look at the polls currently, labour look like they will win. what comes after that for the tories is really a search for the soul of the party and what will be interesting is to see whether they lurch to the right or whether those centrist moderate tory mps cling on to control. time for a look at the weather now.

it has been quite a poor day today across southern england but further north we saw some sunshine and we saw a mixture of sunshine and showers earlier in scotland. this was the shield of cloud that stretched across england and wales and you can see how it has been shifting south eastwards and the rain is getting taken away at long last and following on from that, we have clear spells through the night and showers continuing in the north and showers continuing in the north and may be a bit wintry over the hills in scotland with some so further rain coming into western scotland is by the end of the night. typical temperatures around six or 7 degrees. there may not be a lot of sunshine around for tomorrow, we have this rain coming in from the north—west, and most of it will continue to affect the hills in the west where it will be very misty and murky with some health fog. there will be a lot of cloud but a lot drier in the south and south—east and a milder day on the whole of temperatures of ten or 11 degrees

but it will turn windy through the day but the winds will strengthen further on wednesday night and into thursday as during this period we had a greater risk of travel disruption. it is getting windier because this deep low pressure here, possibly a named storm, will sweep across the north of scotland and head into scandinavia with really strong winds wrapped around that and it will be a windy day everywhere on thursday with whiteley gusts of 50 or 60 mph but it is across northern parts of scotland where we are more likely to get gusts of 80 miles an hour. a very windy day in scotland, but sunshine and showers across other areas, but sunshine and showers across otherareas, but but sunshine and showers across other areas, but further south may well hang on to cloud and some patchy rain as well. temperatures will reach 12 or 13 down here, but i think the day gets colder as there is one to be showers and strong winds in scotland. as the low pressure moves away, we get this push up strong winds south through the north sea, bringing some big

waves and rough seas and a bit of a storm surge going on and the risk of coastal flooding storm surge going on and the risk of coastalflooding but storm surge going on and the risk of coastal flooding but things could be a lot worse if we had some spring tides. the winds to gradually ease down a bit on friday, most of us are in some colder air, more wintry showers in scotland, milder air trying to come into the west. live from london. this is bbc news.

gas pollution warnings for ice and's capital after a volcano eruption. this is the scene live — as jets of molten lava continue to spew from the ground. as aid agencies voice frustration on worsening conditions for civilians in gaza, the un security council prepares to vote on a new ceasefire resolution. ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky prepares to hold an end of year news conference, as the war in his country grinds towards the two—year mark. the british prime ministerfaces one final grilling before he prepares for the liaison committee and senior mps. hello, i'm samantha simmonds. welcome to verified live, three hours of breaking stories, and checking out the truth behind them.