hello, i'm... annita mcveigh. you're watching verified live on bbc news.

my my colleague, caitriona perry, is in drogheda. the opinion polls are showing that the three biggest parties — sinn fein, fianna fail and fine gael — are more or less around equal levels of support, but when you are out and about talking to people, it is exactly that, people say they are undecided, they're not really enthused by any of the parties, really, by any of the local politicians and that they have a lot of things they want addressed that haven't been addressed so far. but there is just a general sense of waiting until the last minute, nearly, to going into the polling booth on friday to make those decisions. the main issues of concern

for people here are the same as they are across ireland and in many countries in the world now — the cost of living crisis, a housing crisis, employment here in ireland, the unemployment rate at a record low, around 4%, which is considered full employment here, but the problem is peoplejust can't afford anywhere to live, they cannot afford to live anywhere near to where they work, which brings in extra costs in relation to commuting and so on, so lots of issues on the doorstep for politicians around that. you were mentioning first—time voters. i am joined now by some first—time voters here in drogheda in county louth. they are students at dundalk it and have travelled up the mi to be with us here today. thank you for braving the cold to be here with us, i know it is very chilly today. so we have rosheen, tobi, and victor. rosheen, to you first, what for you are the biggest issues when you are thinking about who to vote

for on friday? have you made your mind up? i think one of the big issues we have to look at is housing and renting because alone i am paying 180 just to rent a single room, and i share with four other people. i think that is a big thing people are not really looking, people are not really looking at because there are young adults, students, crying out for help, trying to get housing and it is falling on deaf ears, they're not listening to anyone and i think it is so important that young people look at this to make up their mind who they are going to vote for. personally i have made up my mind who i am going to vote for — people who are actually coming out to me and telling me they are going to help the housing crisis, that is what is going to help with winning my vote. it is very personal, you don't have to tell me, it's private, but do you want to say who you have made up your mind to vote for? i think sinn fein is definitely going to have my vote, just because they have reached out to me and they have helped my mam with housing, they have helped other people in my family with housing and i think that is a big thing, and they are coming around to young people and are telling young people

that they can help us with housing. 0k. and for you, tobi, have you made your mind up? what are you thinking about when you're thinking about politicians? yes, i have definitely made . up my mind because i believe housing should be onei of the main things they prioritise when they are | going for the campaigns i and that is what we as citizens| should look forward to and look at, what their policies - are surrounding the housing, especially for students. myself, when i was renting, it was very expensive. - the grant i was receiving was less than my rent, l so it was tough for me, working, finding a job, i even, and paying my rent, so housing is one thing - i would definitely look out for. - caitriona perry talking to first—time voters there in the irish election. bbc presenter mishal husain is to leave the corporation in the new year after more than 25 years, she has confirmed. she has worked for the bbc since 1998 and was

previously a presenter on bbc world news and has also presented the news at 6pm and a ten p. this year she fronted the news that several general election debates and is recognised on radio four�*s today programme. she willjoin bloomberg and be it editor at large in its weekend edition. the shortlist for the wildlife photographer of the year people's choice award have been announced. they include pictures from around the world of all sorts of wildlife — from big cats, to birds, whales and frogs. the contest aims to show of earth's wildlife in its full glory, but also show some of the threats and challenges animals face, too. the photos were selected from nearly 60,000 entries by the natural history museum in london, and by an internationaljudging panel. now the public can have their say on the images, voting for their favourite picture online or at the wildlife photographer of the year exhibition at the museum in london. you are watching bbc news. the

uk's foreign secretary, david lammy, has been facing questions for the first time from the foreign affairs select committee. david lammy has been outlining his strategy for britain's future relationship with a new us administration, as well as china. he also welcomed the ceasefire that has come into force in lebanon. i was the first g7 foreign minister and we were the first country to call for a ceasefire. we have been working very closely with the us and french colleagues, right behind the amies hochstein plan. i am delighted that a ceasefire has now happened and that was indicated in the g7 meeting i had in rome on monday. so very pleased, you would expect us to be supporting the... as they try and secure the self, particularly, i do want to be in a situation where the lebanese can move back south

and the israelis can move back north and we see the end of fighting and gunshots and the deaf told that we have seen, particularly of civilians. would you be happy to also commit _ would you be happy to also commit today to increase our contribution to unifil? because at the _ contribution to unifil? because at the moment we only have one soldier_ at the moment we only have one soldier on— at the moment we only have one soldier on the line with a blue helmet— soldier on the line with a blue helmet on, whereas most of the european — helmet on, whereas most of the european countries have hundreds within unifil. sol know— hundreds within unifil. sol know we _ hundreds within unifil. sol know we give support to the lebanese army, but can we also play _ lebanese army, but can we also play an— lebanese army, but can we also play an important increased role — play an important increased role in _ play an important increased role in the blue line in lebanon on?- role in the blue line in lebanon on? y .., role in the blue line in lebanon on? g _, , lebanon on? my commitment is for us to stand _ lebanon on? my commitment is for us to stand by _ lebanon on? my commitment is for us to stand by lebanon - lebanon on? my commitment is for us to stand by lebanon and i for us to stand by lebanon and that means increased support, going forward, and we play an important role.— important role. david lammy. the association _ important role. david lammy. the association of _ important role. david lammy. l the association of optometrists says one in four people are concerned about someone they know driving with poor vision and they are calling for a change in the law which dates to 1937. our correspondence

will vernon has more. he is the kingpin of our family — somebody you can always go to for advice. he was the biggest champion of my two children at every football match, netball match. one of life's genuinely lovely people. he's a really, really nice gentleman. emma is coming to terms with spending another christmas without her dad. jim was a fit 70—year—old who loved to cycle. but three and a half years ago, emma's dad was knocked off his bike. the injuries that dad had had to his brain were catastrophic. he never reacted to our voices, to anything that the consultants and the doctors were trying to do, and his life support was switched off five days later. and unfortunately, he passed away. the 82—year—old man who hit emma's dad had poor vision and was unable to clearly see more than three metres in front of him. we're just so angry because he has chosen to drive a car. having been told by the optician his eyesight was so poor he needed

to have a follow—up appointment, he chose not to make that follow—up appointment. he chose to continue driving, knowing how bad his eyesight was. and that's something that... itjust makes me so angry because it shouldn't have happened. my dad should be here with us, still part of our family, and he's not. the driver of the car was later jailed for six months for causing death by careless driving after pleading guilty. currently, there is no legal requirement for drivers to take an eye test at any age. people with poor vision are expected to self—report when renewing their licence. campaigners say the rules, which date from 1937, are dangerously out of date. so what are the family calling for now?

i truly believe you should go and get your eyesight checked. it doesn't cost you anything, you'd need to be able to prove that you meet the minimum standards of eyesight to be able to drive in this country. in a statement it was said that tests are recommended every three years and the society of optometrists say that they continue to explore ways to remove barriers to road safety. the association of optometrists is calling for the law to be changed so that all drivers have no vision checked when first applying for a licence, when renewing it and checks every three years for those over 70. ii every three years for those over 70-— if you worried about anyone, your mum, your brother, anyone then please encourage them to get an eyesight check because it could be fine, but if you're not sure then please get it checked. an appeal, it's hoped, that will be enough to prevent another family being left bereft at christmas.

will vernon, bbc news, hampshire. it's time for a look at the weather forecast now. chris fawkes has the details. hello. for many parts of the uk, wednesday was a bright and sunny day, but it was cold for many of us — some sparkling for many of us — some sparkling visibility here in scotland. for others, though, flooding continued to be of concern, particularly in the passage of this area of low pressure. storm conall, named by the authorities in the netherlands, where gusts of wind could reach 80 miles an hour, bringing some disruption. for us, it brought some quite heavy rain across southern coastal counties of england. across the flood—hit midlands, there was less rain from that — about 10—12mm — and so the flooding across the midlands didn't really worsen. and i'm pleased to say the severe flood warning that we did have around northampton has now lifted. these flood warnings in central southern england, they were new warnings as a result of the passage of storm conall. but over the next few days this area of high pressure is going to keep many of the weather fronts

at bay from the midlands and central southern england, and so there's going to be time for those flood waters to ebb away. there will be a significant reduction in the number of flood warnings over the next couple of days. now, overnight tonight, we've got clear skies, a widespread frost in the forecast, temperatures —1 to —8 c. and given there'll be some seepage coming off those wet fields onto roads, we could have icy stretches just about anywhere to start the day thursday — as well as that, some dense patches of fog, particularly running up through the severn valley. i think as we go on through the rest of the day, most areas will have a dry day with plenty of sunshine once we've lost the early morning mist and fog. the breeze picks up in northern ireland, and here we'll start to see some rain moving in through the afternoon. 10 degrees in northern ireland, it'll be one of the warmest places in the country. otherwise, it's another cold day, with temperatures typically about 4—6 c, well below average. heading into friday, well, we should have a lot of dry weather for east wales, much of england and eastern areas of scotland, with some sunny spells around

after a cool—ish start to the day with a few patches of frost. in the west, though, we'll start to get increasingly mild air moving in. the threat of some rain, yes, but 13 degrees in northern ireland, temperatures not too far off that in stornoway. and into the weekend that milder air will push across the whole of the uk. we do have weather fronts on the way, though, particularly for the second half of the weekend. that said, on saturday, with brisk southwesterly winds, expect drizzle around western coasts and hills, some hill fog patches, more general rain, and mild weather for sunday.

live from london.

this is bbc news israel issues a curfew for thousands of people returning to southern lebanon following the ceasefire agreement. president biden says the ceasefire shows peace is possible — and vows to �*make another push�* for a truce in gaza. we'll have the latest from our correspondents in beirut, jerusalem and washington dc we'll be live in ireland where the main three parties are neck and neck ahead of friday's general election. and from honey badgers to beluga whales — now�*s your chance to pick which snap should win the prestigous wildlife photographer of the year peoples choice award. hello, iam hello, i am annita mcveigh and welcome to verified live.

israel has issued a curfew to people seeking to return to southern lebanon following the agreement of a ceasefire between israel and hezbollah. thousands of displaced people in southern lebanon have been defying warnings from the israeli military and lebanese authorities telling them not to return to their homes yet. the israeli military said residents were forbidden to move south of the litani river between 5pm and seven am.