for a presidential poll, beijing ramps up the pressure. these taiwanese fighter jets being scrambled behind me here are heading out into the taiwan strait to confront chinese aircraft. this is now happening every day. hello, i'm sarah campbell. there's growing concern about a widening of the conflict in the middle east after an intensification in fighting across the israel—lebanon border in recent days. a member of israel's war cabinet has warned that the military will take matters into its own hands if the lebanese government and the world don't stop cross—border attacks by the hezbollah militant group. benny gantz said time for a diplomatic solution was running out.

meanwhile, in gaza, thousands of palestinian families are trying to find shelter as israel broadens its ground offensive across the centre and south of the territory. the hamas—run health ministry in gaza has says more than 21,100 people have been killed during 11 weeks of fighting. live now to yolande knell, our middle east correspondent. hello to you duration at the escalation in northern israel between northern israel and lebanon. this is a situation with an international and diplomatic effort trying to resolve for months now since october the 7th, but those efforts don't appear to be working. since october the 7th of course much attention has been focused on the gaza strip and what has been happening there, but at the other end of israel on the northern border with lebanon we have seen the worst

cross—border violence since the devastating 2006 war between israel and the powerful iran backed lebanese militant group hezbollah. just yesterday we saw something like a barrage of more than 30 rockets fired across that border by hezbollah, israel's iron dome system being used to intercept some of them. nobody was hurt but this is partly because a lot of those northern towns in israel have already been evacuated. this came a day after three people were killed in an israeli strike on southern lebanon said to have been a hezbollah fighter and two of his relatives. we had then warnings from the israeli army's chief of staff who was visiting that border area that the army was ready for any scenario. we also had politically the member of the war cabinet benny gantz himself, a former israeli military chief of staff, coming out

telling the world that if the lebanese government and other international players don't get more involved here to stop hezbollah�*s attacks and to move them away from its positions along the border in the israeli military would act and we could see a further escalation of. ~ . . ., , ., we could see a further escalation of. . , we could see a further escalation of. which countries do you think benny gantz _ of. which countries do you think benny gantz is _ of. which countries do you think benny gantz is directing - of. which countries do you think benny gantz is directing those l benny gantz is directing those comments at specifically? he knows there are different _ comments at specifically? he knows there are different countries - comments at specifically? he knows there are different countries around| there are different countries around there are different countries around the region that will have some influence over iran because arab countries themselves are very worried about what is happening here and this idea of regional escalation. also israel's western allies he is hoping will put some pressure on iran if they can, also on the lebanese government which is relatively weak and has found it difficult itself to rein in his brother —— hezbollah which is a big military and political force brother —— hezbollah which is a big military and politicalforce in lebanon.

military and political force in lebanon. . ~ military and political force in lebanon. a' , military and political force in lebanon-— military and political force in lebanon. , ., , ., ., lebanon. take us through situation in gaza at the _ lebanon. take us through situation in gaza at the moment, _ lebanon. take us through situation in gaza at the moment, today - lebanon. take us through situation | in gaza at the moment, today israel military action continues in the central area of the strip. yes and we have seen — central area of the strip. yes and we have seen in _ central area of the strip. yes and we have seen in the _ central area of the strip. yes and we have seen in the south - central area of the strip. yes and we have seen in the south in - central area of the strip. yes and l we have seen in the south in khan younis, a stronghold of hamas, the ground offensive continuing bear and bombardment continuing there, we are hearing about a deadly strike that has resulted in ten people killed there. but in the centre of the strip a big urban refugee camp has been the focus of a new part tip israel's ground offensive and there has been heavy bombardment as israeli troops have pushed in there. as a result we are saying thousands of people who have been fleeing from their in the past couple of days, they have been heading to a big town in the centre of the gaza strip but it is already overwhelmed with displaced people. there is no room in the un shelters there so that has resulted in many peoplejust in the un shelters there so that has resulted in many people just setting up resulted in many people just setting up tents where they can. some people

even sleeping rough on the streets. thank you very much. joining me now from tel aviv is dahlia scheindlin, who's an israeli political analyst. thank you for your time and for joining us. we are hearing this morning benny gantz effectively warning that if international efforts don't increase and continue that there could be an escalation of this war, a regional escalation, i am just wondering what the political support is for benjamin netanyahu because my covenant in israel at the moment looking at potentially having a war on two fronts.— a war on two fronts. there are two es of a war on two fronts. there are two types of political — a war on two fronts. there are two types of political support. - a war on two fronts. there are two types of political support. polling l types of political support. polling with relation to the government itself and his leadership which is very poor. we knew the israeli public support for the government and for netanyahu and for his coalition pledged quite dramatically after october the 7th. however the israeli public and in general i

would say the social environment is pretty belligerent right now certainly with relation to gaza. there is however i think significant concern for regional escalation even as at the very same time we do here numerous voices legitimising the idea of a war on the northern front, some even support pre—emptive strike, one post of the vast majority of israelis would support its, it certainly is reallyjews would support a pre—emptive strike on hezbollah but at the same time, it may sound contradictory but there is grave concern for opening up another front considering that israelis are also becoming somewhat sceptical and what we are paying increasing questions and doubts about the achievements of the israeli military campaign in gaza, alongside growing international pressure, i don't think too many are talking about the humanitarian crisis but the government does well aware of it and certain pockets of israeli society, there is great concern about the very severe

situation in gaza and i think with all of that there is i think difficulty accepting the idea of opening another front and at the very same time a sense of urgency and fear that if israel doesn't do it hezbollah might attack on some. presumably remembering that there are more than 100 hostages still being held and that obviously preying on the minds of the entire population in israel.— population in israel. absolutely. the entire _ population in israel. absolutely. the entire population _ population in israel. absolutely. the entire population is - population in israel. absolutely. the entire population is really i the entire population is really quite emotionally and psychologically busy with numerous aspects of this. coping with the trauma of october the 7th and the fact there is still a great urgency surrounding the demand for release of hostages. we see demonstrations, certainly weekly and generally throughout the week as, israelis appealing to the security, they were cabinet to try to advance some sort of a deal in order to have the hostages released and at the very same time many of those same israelis are not supportive of a long—term ceasefire. we have to

understand these are often seen as contradictory aims but they want to have some sort of a deal and i expect the government to advance a deal to help release the hostages who are still in gaza. the deal to help release the hostages who are still in gaza.— who are still in gaza. the israeli military warning _ who are still in gaza. the israeli military warning in _ who are still in gaza. the israeli military warning in the - who are still in gaza. the israeli military warning in the last - who are still in gaza. the israeli l military warning in the last couple of days that the fighting in gaza is likely to continue potentially for months. ., , likely to continue potentially for months. . , ., ., months. that is true and i would sa , i months. that is true and i would say. i can't _ months. that is true and i would say, i can't make _ months. that is true and i would say, i can't make it _ months. that is true and i would say, i can't make it a _ months. that is true and i would say, i can't make it a simpler, i say, i can't make it a simpler, there is support for the ongoing campaign, at the same time increasing questions about whether a number of months further down the line we will see, israelis will see the kinds of achievement to government has been promising and the government's stated aims of this war or toppling the hamas government, incapacitating them in terms of military and governing power and release of the hostages was top over the course of nearly three months those aims have not been achieved. israelis are not even sure how to measure the first aim of incapacitating hamas so there are questions being raised about whether the increasing toll every morning, there is a death toll of israeli

soldiers were killed, the increased risk to the hostages, and i think we are starting see doubts about whether double the time will create significant achievements along the lines of the government promising and whether those aims can even be accomplished. and whether those aims can even be accomplished-— there's disruption on the roads and rails today after storm gerrit battered many parts of the uk — with scotland badly affected, and dozens of houses in greater manchester damaged by what the police are calling a localised tornado. engineers in the north of scotland are working to reconnect up to 16,000 properties which lost power but some residents in remote areas may be cut off for 48 hours. aruna iyengar has the latest. storm gerrit swept across much of scotland, bringing heavy snow, flooding homes, causing power cuts and travel misery for many. the major a9 route has reopened after it closed in the highlands for several hours.

meanwhile, thousands of homes across scotland have suffered power cuts. scottish and southern electricity networks said they'd restored power to more than 25,000 homes — but at least 16,000 are still cut off. for some customers — especially those in rural areas — it could be up until friday before power supplies are reconnected. but it is far too early for us to say at the moment, with storm gerrit continuing to cause damage to the power network. on the railways, lner — which runs services up the east coast from london to scotland — is warning of major disruption this morning, with some services arriving several hours late. this tree fell on the line at dumbarton, but has now been cleared. in bowling, the lines were flooded. customers stranded by the disruption were told to book hotels, which they can claim back. the west coast has also been badly affected. avanti west coast said its route

to scotland was impassable. it stopped services north of preston yesterday and put on coaches. this couple got stuck in preston after getting on a train at euston. supposed to go all the way through to glasgow, but unfortunately we're here. my granddaughter's birthday tomorrow, so i need to get up there. there was widespread flooding. this was cupar in fife. and in the north of england there was significant damage to homes across stalybridge, after what greater manchester police called a localised tornado. trees and walls came down in what police described as a major incident. ooh! air travel has been affected, too, with these american airlines passengers experiencing a particularly bumpy landing at heathrow. other flights had to be cancelled. and the rnli is urging people visiting coastal areas to be careful along exposed cliffs, seafronts and piers. aruna iyengar, bbc news.

live now to our reporter — richard stead in stalybridge. good morning. looking like a lot of damage in the background. take us through it at this potential talk of a tornado. ., . ., ,. , a tornado. police are describing it as a localised _ a tornado. police are describing it as a localised tornado. _ a tornado. police are describing it as a localised tornado. it - a tornado. police are describing it as a localised tornado. it tore - as a localised tornado. it tore through the villages of millbrook just goes to stalybridge at about 11:30pm last night and the damage is everywhere. dozens and dozens of homes with their roof tiles all fallen off, i am looking inside the rim cavity of homes in front of me now as well. smashed into people's gardens, as you can see behind me at three has been operated and she meant to be able to see there. roots

have lifted up the tarmac from the pavement as well. there are dozens of houses affected here causing significant damage. police say around 100 homes have been affected but i reckon several more than that in the villages of millbrook and carrboro,. in the villages of millbrook and carrboro. -_ in the villages of millbrook and carrboro,. ., ._ ., ., ., in the villages of millbrook and carrboro,. ., ., ., ., ., carrboro,. you may not have had a chance to — carrboro,. you may not have had a chance to chat _ carrboro,. you may not have had a chance to chat to _ carrboro,. you may not have had a chance to chat to anyone _ carrboro,. you may not have had a chance to chat to anyone there - carrboro,. you may not have had a chance to chat to anyone there butj carrboro,. you may not have had a l chance to chat to anyone there but i wonder if you have had heard from anyone about what it was like and how sudden and how the damage felt, as this tornado was going through. i have been here since six o'clock this morning speaking to dozens of people already, dog walkers, some said it was absolutely terrifying when the storm hit last night. they described it as being like a freight train outside their home. rattling upvc windows in their homes. the noise generated when this tree came down, one neighbour told me absolutely like it was nothing else they had heard. looking at the

pennine moors in the background behind me, neighbours described this tornado like wind sweeping down the valley from car broker here in millbrook, down huddersfield road towards stalybridge. there is devastation right down huddersfield road, trees down everywhere in the local park, several trees have come down as well. you can see what is behind me as well. people terrified. thankfully though, we have been told there have been no reports of anyone being injured and some people have been evacuated to a nearby town hall in dukinfield because their homes have been left uninhabitable as a result of the storm last night. thank you. thankfully looking a lot calmer there this morning. i'm joined by matt taylor. tornadoes, i know we get very excited about any vaguely extreme weather we get here in the uk but how serious potentially is this and

how serious potentially is this and how common are tornadoes in the uk? we won't be surprised to learn tornadoes per square mile and spare kilometre are actually highest in the uk than anywhere else in the world. the difference with the us and bangladesh where you get these massive tornadoes that because sees much of damage, here they are usually much smaller and the as a short space of time so you rarely see the damage we saw there in manchester. this one the met office saying was likely a tornado, they are analysing radar imagery and also what is happening on the ground there. i wish we were top unjustly. we saw a clutch of severe storms initially across north wales, whence close to 90 miles an hour in north—west wales but they put across manchester with intense rain, we saw the tension tornado occur. haw manchester with intense rain, we saw the tension tornado occur.— the tension tornado occur. how do the tension tornado occur. how do they actually _ the tension tornado occur. how do they actually form _ the tension tornado occur. how do they actually form on _ the tension tornado occur. how do they actually form on the - the tension tornado occur. how do they actually form on the ground, | they actually form on the ground, went as a tornado, went as it become a tornado? , ' , , , ., , ., a tornado? different types of strong winds, a tornado? different types of strong winds. straight _ a tornado? different types of strong winds, straight line _ a tornado? different types of strong winds, straight line can _ a tornado? different types of strong winds, straight line can cause - a tornado? different types of strong winds, straight line can cause some| winds, straight line can cause some

sort of damage but when you start to get the rotation on severe thunderstorms which we saw yesterday is when you get tornadoes to form. it is all down to the rotation and how the air starts to move in the base of those tornadoes. quite we have had some fairly extreme weather particularly in scotland with lots of people stranded on roads with this now and how are things looking with extra hours? a lot quieter today. yesterday we saw 80 or 90 mph across many parts of the uk. that has now eased but i have a little bit of bad news for those in the uk and parts of northern europe. the next area of low pressure moves in, saturday into new year's eve. more rain and wind and more snow. maybe not quite as strong or severe as storm gerrit.— not quite as strong or severe as storm gerrit. ,., ., ., ., _, this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. a 46—year—old man has died after a car hit a crowd of people outside a property in the burngreave area in sheffield.

another person is also seriously injured. two men, aged 23 and 55, are being held by south yorkshire police — and the authorities are appealing for witnesses. more than 86,000 nhs appointments, including hospital check—ups and operations, had to be cancelled because of last week's junior doctor strike in england. 1500 community and mental health appointments were also affected. next weekjunior doctors will take part in a six—day walk—out — the longest in the history of the nhs. uk sales of vinyl music albums increased by almost 12% this year, with sales returning to levels last seen in 1990. taylor swift's 1989 was the best—selling lp, followed by the rolling stones�* hackney diamonds. while the vast majority of recorded music is consumed via streaming, fans are choosing vinyl for its better sound quality and its collectible status. you're live with bbc news.

the taiwanese government has accused china of mounting a huge misinformation campaign to try and influence the outcome of the island's presidential election in a little over two weeks' time. china though says these claims are being �*hyped up.�* taiwan's ruling democratic progressive party is attempting to win an unprecedented third consecutive term. the party is disliked by beijing which claims taiwan as its own. from taiwan, rupert wingfield—hayes reports. it's 6am. and this fighter base on the coast of taiwan is already a hive of activity. on the mirage, 2000 fighter jets from taiwan's rapid reaction squadrons. theirjob to meet any incoming threat to taiwan's airspace. these taiwanese fighter jets being scrambled behind me here are heading out into the taiwan strait to confront chinese aircraft that are coming across the strait and probing taiwan's airspace.

this is now happening multiple times every day. these pictures are from chinese television showing their fighter jets and that down below is the coast of taiwan. just over the horizon, there is another game of cat and mouse. this man puts up a long antenna to eavesdrop on the radio traffic coming from china's navy. radio chatter that's the chinese navy talking to the taiwanese navy saying, "your territorial waters that you claim do not exist," that the people's republic of china is the only legitimate government of china, and that taiwan is an inseparable part of china. "they tell us that the taiwan strait is peaceful," he says. "then why are there chinese ships and aircraft harassing us all the time? how is that peaceful?"

back in taipei, the former head of taiwan's armed forces says china's tactics are designed to intimidate the island's voters and send a warning to its allies. i think the china is sending a very strong signal to the united states, even to japan. "this is our area, our territorial area. so i can do whatever i want." but also in the meantime, they can use this kind of aggression to make taiwanese people scared and make taiwanese people capitulate. as polling day approaches, there is little sign the intimidation is working. at this rally, supporters of the frontrunner to win taiwan's presidency told me they would rather fight than capitulate to beijing. i'm very worried, but i'm not afraid, because i will volunteer to be a soldier if they invade our beautiful country. someday, we may be at

war or something else. i'm not afraid because i think i'm taiwanese. i need to protect my country. on the coast the jets are returning from yet another patrol. taiwan has fewer than 300 fighterjets. china, more than 2000. whoever wins taiwan's presidential race will face a military balance tipping ever more in china's favour. the labour party is reportedly drawing up plans to create thousands of new nursery places for children under five. the times newspaper says sir keir starmer is looking to create new nurseries in primary schools to provide continuity of education. with more on this let's speak to our political correspondent henry zeffman. hello. take us through the plan. we

have hello. take us through the plan. - have known for some time that the issue of childcare is a huge issue forfamilies up and down issue of childcare is a huge issue for families up and down the country but also politically. we have seen both parties, the conservative party in government and the labour party talking about ways to make childcare cheaper. but you know how the labour party talking about here is not necessarily the cost of childcare but the availability of childcare. there are 20,000 fewer registered childcare providers in england now than there were eight years ago. the labour party has commissioned a review by a former chief inspector of schools to look at ways to increase childcare provision and one of the things they are looking at is finding ways to incentivise nurseries or incentivise memory skills i should say to have nurseries or expands nurseries if they already have them so that a child would be at the same educational setting from the start of nursery right through to the age

of nursery right through to the age of 11 before they move on to secondary school.— of 11 before they move on to secondary school. of 11 before they move on to seconda school. , ., , secondary school. has been any sort of reaction from _ secondary school. has been any sort of reaction from teaching _ secondary school. has been any sort of reaction from teaching unions - of reaction from teaching unions about this because presumably this would have an impact on schools? yes, it certainly would and that is one of the questions about the way in which the labour party might incentivise this. these plants by the sounds of things are at a pretty early stage. there is nothing that developed especially because it would cost money and we know that notjust would cost money and we know that not just on would cost money and we know that notjust on this issue but across the piece the labour party is determined to show that it is fiscally cautious, that it is responsible, but it is not going to splurge what kyah simon himself has called the big government cheque book. so i think that is one of the key questions, what is in it, for schools, and how do you find a way to make this work for parents because at the moment the school day runs from roughly 8:30am to 3:30pm, perhaps it would vary a little bit

at each end but what some parents look for perturbed care is much longer period of time for the child to be looked after but then that again gets back to the question of money and whether schools would be paid enough to be able to provide that. we paid enough to be able to provide that. ~ . paid enough to be able to provide that. . . paid enough to be able to provide that. ~ ., ., ., , that. we are looking at potentially a aeneral that. we are looking at potentially a general election _ that. we are looking at potentially a general election next _ that. we are looking at potentially a general election next year. - that. we are looking at potentially a general election next year. is . that. we are looking at potentially a general election next year. is it| a general election next year. is it too cynical to say that this is something the labour party will be putting forward now because they knew it would appeal to voters? hat knew it would appeal to voters? not nical in knew it would appeal to voters? iirrt cynical in the slightest. perhaps i am heartened by the time i spent in westminster but absolutely not. this is a key election battleground, child care. it is worth saying? and his shadow education secretary bridget phillipson have been looking very closely about what they have been going on childcare. bridget philipson has visited ireland, estonia and australia and childcare was at the heart of the australian election campaign last year in 2022

and what happened there, a labour party returned from years in opposition to reclaim a position in government. opposition to reclaim a position in government-— opposition to reclaim a position in covernment. ., ~ , ., . , government. thank you. we will be exectin: government. thank you. we will be exnecting lots _ government. thank you. we will be exnecting lots of — government. thank you. we will be expecting lots of policies _ government. thank you. we will be expecting lots of policies and - expecting lots of policies and things that might appeal to voters to be announced over the next few months. stay with us here on bbc news. hello. after a wild wednesday courtesy of storm gerrit, thursday a little bit quieter, but still a blustery day out there with a mixture of some sunshine, hazy in places, but also some showers, even some longer spells of rain. this is the area of low pressure, which is still with us and will be with us as we go through into friday, keeping the winds quite strong across the country, but shoving batches of showers across the uk. and through this afternoon there could be a longer spell of rain in a band which stretches through eastern scotland, moving away from northern england, north wales, through the midlands towards the south west. doesn't quite reach east anglia and the south east, and some longer spells of rain and hill snow

in the west of scotland. your wind gusts today 40, 50 miles an hour, maybe a little bit more, down on yesterday's values, but still a blustery day and still quite mild for late december — temperatures seven to around 13 degrees, of course tempered by that wind. this evening, east anglia, the south east, a batch of heavy rain for a time, that could linger in the channel islands through the night. and then another area of cloud, rain and hill snow pushes through scotland into parts of northern ireland and the far north of england as we head into friday morning. north of that, we'll see some wintry showers and the risk of some ice. so, the country into almost three tomorrow, one zone through parts of northern ireland and southern scotland, northern england, cloudy. outbreaks of rain on and off, some hill snow. to the south of it, hazy sunshine and blustery showers, most frequent in the west. to the north of that band, some more in the way of sunshine, but a few wintry showers. a colder feel here. temperatures only five or six degrees. frost then to take us through into saturday morning. but the next batch of wet and windy weather pushing its way in could cause some travel problems for the start of the weekend. brief spell of snow

in northern ireland and on the hills of northern england, quickly turning back to rain early in the day, but heavy rain across many areas, more snow across scotland, and more strong winds. the snow and the winds won't be quite as significant as they were with storm gerrit, but certainly through saturday, saturday night and into sunday, as this area of low pressure pushes its way eastwards, the winds will remain a keen feature, with gales in many places. sunday, at the moment, the winds lightest across parts of scotland, but more in the way of rain, sleet and snow in the north. and temperatures starting to drop as the winds go more into a north westerly direction. new year's eve itself, as the bells toll in 2024, could be driest across southern areas. and then, for the first week of 2024, it will start to feel a bit cooler again with a mixture of sunshine and potentially some wintry showers.

israel has warned that it will take military action to push lebanese hezbollah militants away from its northern frontier if cross— border fire does not stop. it sparked concern about a possible wider conflict in the middle east. storm gerrit has brought widespread disruption across scotland, with much of the country battered by snow, high winds and heavy rain. and in greater manchester police say homes were damaged by a localised tornado. a trial of a new treatment

for babies with a common winter respiratory virus has shown an 83% reduction in hospital admission for rsv. the trial involved children in the uk, france and germany. the world's tallest wind turbine made of wood has started supplying electricity to the grid in sweden. it's built from thousands of pieces of spruce — held together by glue — and it's more than 100 metres tall. now on bbc news: the travel show: winter wonderland adventures.