as the anxious wait continues, for the recovery of their loved ones. i'm helena humphrey. glad you could join me. a state funeral will be held for former us presidentjimmy carter on the 9th of january at the washington national cathedral as part of a national day of mourning for america's longest living president. mr carter, the georgia peanut farmer turned naval officer served as a one—term president from 1977 to 1981. he would later go on to expand his legacy after his presidency as a leading voice for peace around the world, being awarded the nobel peace prize in 2002. he died on sunday at 100 years old. and world leaders have been paying their tributes — including presidentjoe biden and president—elect donald trump, with biden saying that mr carter,

"embodied the very best of america". flags are flying at half mast at the white house in honour of the former president's life and legacy. the bbc�*s tom bateman reports. tributes forjimmy carter from the heart of american democracy to the traders on wall street who paused in his honour this morning. and at the white house, joe biden ordered the flag at half—staff for 30 days to remember america's longest—living president. whatjimmy carter's an example of is just simple decency. simple decency. and i think that's what the rest of the world looks to america for. i, jimmy carter, do solemnly swear... jimmy carter's one—term presidency was marked by inflation at home and crises abroad, but his landmark achievement was brokering a peace deal between israel and egypt. president—elect donald trump said while he disagreed with mr carter politically...

former president former president barack 0bama said.. barack 0bama said.. he was so prompt, that he was so prompt, that the airport onlyjust - the airport onlyjust - had time to give him - had time to give him - the red carpet treatment. the red carpet treatment. president carter visited the uk president carter visited the uk in 1997, touring tyneside in 1997, touring tyneside and bringing a message and bringing a message of economic revival. of economic revival. howay, the lads! howay, the lads! news, washington. cheering. cheering. today, king charles recalled today, king charles recalled the visit and expressed the visit and expressed great sadness, great sadness, saying mr carter... saying mr carter... jimmy carter will be given jimmy carter will be given a state funeral next week. a state funeral next week. it will be a final goodbye it will be a final goodbye to the southerner from humble to the southerner from humble origins who won the most origins who won the most powerful office on earth, powerful office on earth, but whose legacy was forged from his work well beyond but whose legacy was forged from his work well beyond the white house. the white house. tom bateman, bbc

definition of one who had tremendous, unyielding, not just courage, but character and integrity, you would find the picture probably ofjimmy carter. my family had a very long relationship with him, particularly my mother and my grandfather. they were very close when he ran in 1976. they both worked to help them get elected. my grandfather knew him when he was governor of the state of georgia as well as my mum, he didn't get to meet my father, but he had tremendous respect for what he did throughout his life. and tells more about _ throughout his life. and tells more about what _ throughout his life. and tells more about what that - more about what that endorsement, that endorsement from yourfamily, why did endorsement, that endorsement from your family, why did they give president carter before he was president that backing? well, having been our governor in the state of georgia, and i remember being a youngster and youngster and i was involved in the first remember being a youngster and i was involved in the first campaign, iwas i was involved in the first campaign, i was in college at campaign, iwas i was involved in the first campaign, i was in college at

the time. the second campaign the time. the second campaign in 1980, i was extensively in 1980, i was extensively involved. i would say because involved. i would say because we knew who he was, his we knew who he was, his morality, his character, he morality, his character, he always stood up for that which always stood up for that which was good and right. as was good and right. as president, i don't believe a president, i don't believe a shot was fired in the four shot was fired in the four years that... although there years that... although there were terminal at times, i don't were terminal at times, i don't think a shot was fired in think a shot was fired in relationship to the us being relationship to the us being involved in a conflict. this involved in a conflict. this man is beyond phenomenal as a man is beyond phenomenal as a human being. i should say he human being. i should say he and his wife together, and then and his wife together, and then after he served, anyone who after he served, anyone who serves as a president i believe serves as a president i believe deserves to rest. he didn't deserves to rest. he didn't have to do anything else! have to do anything else! anyone who is blessed and anyone who is blessed and fortunate to a sale to that fortunate to a sale to that position certainly could do position certainly could do that. but he chose to build that. but he chose to build houses for the poor with houses for the poor with habitat for humanity. he chose habitat for humanity. he chose to travel the world observing to travel the world observing

elections, hundreds of elections, hundreds of elections around the country. he chose to continue to work with the welder health organisation to help eradicate diseases like anywhere in —— the world health organization, and provide treatment for this kind of things. —— like guinea worm. when we came to the king centre which my mother founded, president carter was responsible for that becoming a national park as president. going back to his early life, his belief and commitment to civil rights, and came at a time when that differed from many of his neighbours when it came to racial issues particularly in the south of the united states. i particularly in the south of the united states.- particularly in the south of the united states. i think that certainly. _ the united states. i think that certainly, number _ the united states. i think that certainly, number one, - the united states. i think that certainly, number one, first i the united states. i think that certainly, number one, first itj certainly, number one, first it was who he was. as a human being who saw all people as eople and wanted to create conditions, taking positions

that may not have been popular. my that may not have been popular. my dad would say the ultimate measure of being is not with a standard time in convenience, but where one stands in times of challenge. president carter always took positions that may not be safe, or popular, but they were the correct positions, the moral position, the position with the greatest amount of integrity. because he was from the south, he understood issues. interestingly enough, much that happen around civil rights happened because of president lyndonjohnson, another lyndon johnson, another southerner. lyndonjohnson, another southerner. certainly, because of president bill clinton and the southerner.— the southerner. martin, of pleasure — the southerner. martin, of pleasure to _ the southerner. martin, of pleasure to talk _ the southerner. martin, of pleasure to talk to - the southerner. martin, of pleasure to talk to and - the southerner. martin, of. pleasure to talk to and thank you very much indeed. thank ou. in what it describes

as a major incident, the us treasury says it's been hacked by chinese state—sponsored actors, gaining access to staff workstations. a spokesperson said unclassified documents were also compromised in the attack earlier this month. the treasury said the compromised service had been taken offline and there's no indication the hackers have continued to access its information. 0ur correspondent rowan bridge has more. what appears to have happened is that these hackers got hold of the security key which gave them access to a cloud computing service used by the treasury and from that, they were able to bypass security measures and access workstations of a number of employees in the us department of treasury. they've been accessing classified... 0n classified documents, but it's not clear is what the scale is. the authorities say they are now working with law enforcement to try and establish the scale of this

hack, and they say the system that was a affected was taken off—line. the thing is this comes after the back of —— off the back of the salt — half, discovered by microsoft in the summer, which was an assent by hackers linked to china to penetrate us to mellow acute occasions, and he �*s. —— telecommunications companies. they were also able to access a justice department list of people that they have been authorised to tap the phones of people who were thought to have potentially been involved in espionage. r0 potentially been involved in espionage-_ and in the last hour — china has responded. chinese embassy spokesperson liu pengyu says...

the statement went on to say the us needs to stop using cyber—security to smear and slander china, and stop spreading all kinds of disinformation about the so—called chinese hacking threats. south korea has ordered a complete review of airline

shouting. the bereaved are at breaking point. these outbursts come every few minutes. a day on from the crash, they're still at the airport, waiting to be reunited with their loved ones�* bodies. "why have only five bodies been released," this woman yells. "you're useless!" a police official spares her no details. "they're too badly damaged," he says. "forensic teams are still piecing them together." it's disturbing to hear. and for shin gyu—ho, it's even worse. his two teenage grandsons haven't even been identified. translation: i've been sitting here all day, hoping for news. i i'm so frustrated. i feel like i'm waiting without an end. the plane was carrying koreans back from christmas holidays in thailand when it landed at

speed without its wheels down. as it crashed, every as it crashed, every passenger was killed. passenger was killed. investigators are now trying investigators are now trying to work out why the landing to work out why the landing gear seemed to fail, gear seemed to fail, but the flight but but the flight but the flight recorder is damaged. the flight recorder is damaged. it'll take time it'll take time to decipher the data. to decipher the data. so, today, the attention so, today, the attention has turned to what has turned to what happened on the runway. happened on the runway. when the plane made when the plane made its emergency landing, its emergency landing, it was still intact, it was still intact, but because it couldn't but because it couldn't stop, it then overshot the runway here. stop, it then overshot the runway here. and we now know that it hit and we now know that it hit this concrete and orange this concrete and orange structure that has been raised structure that has been raised up on this grassy mound. up on this grassy mound. this is a guidance system this is a guidance system that is supposed to help planes don't know who to blame. that is supposed to help planes land, but this is the point land, but this is the point at which the plane exploded at which the plane exploded into this fireball and into this fireball and fractured into many pieces. fractured into many pieces. and aviation experts are now and aviation experts are now questioning why this was positioned in this way, questioning why this was positioned in this way, so raised up and so close so raised up and so close to the end of the runway. to the end of the runway. the acting president has ordered an investigation the acting president has ordered an investigation of the country's entire of the country's entire aviation industry. aviation industry. without answers, the families without answers, the families don't know who to blame. don't know who to blame. for now, the only place for now, the only place they can direct their anger they can direct their anger is at the forensic teams, is at the forensic teams, who are still searching, who are still searching, yet to complete their yet to complete their gruelling, unenviable task. gruelling, unenviable task. the acting president has ordered an investigation of the country's entire aviation industry.

without answers, the families

an 18—year—old british man has begun a year—long prison sentence in dubai after he was convicted of having sex with a 17—year—old british girl who he met on holiday. both from london, marcus fakana and the girl who is now 18, began their romance while on holiday with theirfamilies. the girl's mother reported the relationship to dubai police, who arrested the teenager at his hotel. three afghan members of a human smuggling gang will be extradited to belgium following their arrests in the uk. the gang was responsible for trafficking thousands of migrants from afghanistan into europe. gang members also sexually abused young boys making the journey, filming the abuse to blackmail their victims. members of the gang are facing up to 23 years in prison. paddy hill, one of the six men wrongly convicted of the birmingham pub bombings by the ira in 1974, has died at the ago of 80. the explosions killed 21 people. the men who became known as the birmingham six, spent 17 years in prison before their convictions were quashed in 1991.

you're live with bbc news. president zelensky has announced one of the largest prisoner exchanges since full scale war began with russia prisoner exchanges since full—scale war began with russia nearly three years ago. 189 ukrainian troops are being returned home from captivity, and 150 russian soldiers are being returned in the deal, which was brokered by the united arab emirates. will vernon is in northern ukraine where and has been speaking to some of those who were released. the wait is finally over. sobbing. ukrainian families overcome with emotion as they greet their loved ones. the first time they've seen or spoken to them for years. i'm very happy to return to my own country, to my own land. i have no words to...to say what i feel.

now we're going to support ukraine with for those unable to make it, the phone call they've been waiting for. "i'm coming home," says this man. "yes, i'll be home soon." how does it feel to be home? translation: i'm - overwhelmed by feelings. thank god this day has come. we're home. now we're going to support ukraine with everything we've got. well, some of these men have been in captivity for more than two and a half years. you can just see the emotion on their faces, to finally return to their homeland, ukraine, to theirfamilies, just in time for the new year holidays. the russian authorities said 150 of their citizens had returned from ukrainian captivity and were given medical treatment. back in ukraine, for some families the wait continues. these women show photos of their loved ones to those

released, hoping someone will recognise them. "we want to know he's alive," says marianna, who's looking for her nephew. "we're asking everyone we see." with thousands of ukrainians still in captivity or missing, the desperate search for many families will go on. will vernon, bbc news, northern ukraine. the world health organization says hospitals in gaza have become battlegrounds and that the health system is under severe threat. the un health body has condemned a raid on the kamal adwan hospital as appalling. gazan authorities say it came after an air strike there which killed 50 people including medical staff. israel has arrested the director of the hospital and released this footage of what it says are civilians leaving the building complex. the who said the attack and enforced evacuation had closed the area's last major health facility. israel says the hospital

has been used by hamas. earlier, i spoke to dr zaher sahloul, who is the president of a medical charity which works in gaza. thank you very much for being back with us here in bbc news. i would like to start by talking about the director of the hospital, a close colleague of yours arrested on friday, along with dozens of other stuff. have you heard any updates about him —— other staff, or the others? updates about him -- other staff, or the others?- staff, or the others? thank ou, staff, or the others? thank you. and — staff, or the others? thank you. and it's _ staff, or the others? thank you, and it's really - you, and it's really heartbreaking news. ispoke with his wife and son earlier today and they told me that they got some information from eyewitnesses that he was detained in one of the prisons in the desert. some people said

he bore signs of torture on his face. i hope it's not true. this is humanitarian... one of the best physicians in gaza. i got to know him since 2019. he cares about his patients, about his hospital, his community. he had the option to leave gaza as he has dual citizenship with wife and family, but he's chosen to stay in sir. it's very important after he's detained in this ordeal under siege for any ford age. —— 84 days. he himself was injured and is unfortunately was killed and is unfortunately was killed a couple months ago, and he's detained —— his son was killed. no evidence has been provided to substantiate this claim. how do you respond when you are this allegation?—

this allegation? no-one believes _ this allegation? no-one believes these - this allegation? no-one i believes these accusations this allegation? no-one - believes these accusations any more. we are talking about more than 300 will be detained. i visited the hospital before this war. i colleagues visited the hospital. the world health organization visited the hospital. they found nothing. the idf themselves went into hospital four times and interrogated the representatives, and found nothing. now we are hearing these accusations. practising medicine in time of conflict is not a crime. that's what they have been doing. it's serving his community. attacking hospitals and attending physicians is a war crime against humanitarian law. it should stop. what's happening in gaza is heartbreaking, and these attacks on hospitals, especially in the north of the three hospitals closed, is creating an atmosphere of intimidation and fear. most the

population have been displaced. 275,000 before this war, and no less than 50,000 remain. d0 less than 50,000 remain. do these people in the north have anywhere to go if they need medical treatment now? now. that's a tragedy _ medical treatment now? now. that's a tragedy in _ medical treatment now? now. that's a tragedy in gaza -- - medical treatment now? now. | that's a tragedy in gaza -- no. that's a tragedy in gaza —— no. it looks like it's becoming a war against children hospitals. major hospitals have been close, including al—shifa. 27 of 39 hospitals are functioning at cafe cassidy in gaza. that means five out of six hospitals are out of service. that means people who don't have access to health care any more can i have access to hospitals if they have to deliver in the middle of the night. children do not have access to a doctor who can treat them. patients will require surgery will ask it ——

surgical access to a hospital. thus creating undeliverable situations in gaza. i understand you have just returned from a ten—day humanitarian mission following the fall of the assad regime. what was your impression of the situation on the ground? i what was your impression of the situation on the ground?- situation on the ground? i was pleasantly _ situation on the ground? i was pleasantly surprised. - situation on the ground? i was pleasantly surprised. i - situation on the ground? i was pleasantly surprised. i went i situation on the ground? i was pleasantly surprised. i went to damascus for the first time since the beginning of the crisis in 2011. things are stable, peaceful in these cities. people are very happy. they are jubilant. cities. people are very happy. they arejubilant. it cities. people are very happy. they are jubilant. it looks like they had this nightmare for more than 50 years and now they're able to breathe. they are hopeful of the future. people are planning to rebuild what has been destroyed. that's the good news. bad news that the good news. bad news that the economy is suffering, the health care system is near collapse because the war and

because of sanchez. there's a need for international effort to rebuild syria. without without the sanctions, you will continue to suffer —— because of sanctions. 130,000 people disappeared in the presence and most likely, they were tortured to death. i think the community, the uk in the united states and un, they can make it a priority to stabilise the situation by removing the sanctions and supporting the people have suffered enough. edinburgh's world famous new year's eve celebrations, known as hogmanay, have been cancelled due to bad weather. tens of thousands of tickets had already been sold. but organisers say high winds and extreme weather mean they've been unable to continue with preparations for the outdoor events both today and tomorrow. among the events called off — a concert by the rock band texas — and the traditional midnight fireworks display to see in 2025. rain, snow and strong winds will hit large parts of the uk this week, with a series of weather warnings coming into force between monday and thursday. an amber alert for rain has

been issued for parts of scotland on new year's eve, and stormy conditions are expected to spread to the rest of the uk. more than 1,200 people from sport, business, entertainment and politics have been recognised in the new year's honours list. the king awards the honours after recommendations from the government and members of the public. the former england football manager gareth southgate has been knighted. sir gareth, as he is now, is recognised for guiding the team to back—to—back euros finals. the actor stephen fry, now sir stephen, is cited for his work on mental health awareness and the environment. he said he was "startled and enchanted" to receive the knighthood. the mayor of london, sadiq khan, said he was "truly humbled" to be awarded a knighthood. while the labour mp emily thornberry said she was "honoured and surprised" to be made a dame. one of the rarest awards goes to the novelist

sir kazuo ishiguro. he is made a companion of honour, a select group which is limited to 65 people at any one time. before we go... india has launched a rocket to carry out its first space—docking mission. the rocket blasted off with two small spacecrafts to test the docking manoeuvre. india hopes to become only the fourth country with such technology, after russia, the us and china. prime minister narendra modi has previously announced plans to send a person to the moon by twenty—forty. to the moon by 2040. stay with us here on bbc news. i'll have more for you at the top the hour. see you then. hello there. there's going to be a lot of wet, windy and cold weather to come over the new year, but the focus today remains on this amber rain warning that we have from the met office. and within this area, there are already a number of severe flood warnings on rivers. it's been very wet in scotland, some snow melt adding to that as well. the rain turns more showery in mainland scotland. some wetter weather heads to the northern isles with snow in shetland,

and this band of rain clears through southern scotland, northern ireland into england and wales. to the south it's dry. windier day though, particularly across this part of the country, but it is a south—westerly wind so it's lifting the temperatures to 11—12 degrees, except in the far north of scotland, where it's going to stay cold here. now, if you are going to be celebrating new year in wales and northern england, there's a good chance you're going to have some wet weather. that rain will be heavy over the hills and it may well lead to some flooding as well. that band of rain is going to move southwards on new year's day, but on it and just ahead of it, it's going to be very windy. and then to the north, following the rain, snow and ice continues across northern scotland and a wintry mix of rain and hill snow moves down across northern ireland, southern scotland, eventually into northern england as things get colder. temperatures are going to be dropping through the day for most of us, the last of any mild air is in the far south east of england, where we end the day wet and windy. that weather front, then, does move away, and then we chase our weather

all the way up to the north. it's a north to northwesterly wind that's coming down, and that's going to bring cold air across the whole of the country. and by the time we get to thursday morning, there'll be a widespread frost this time. there could be some icy patches from earlier showers too — most of the snow showers will continue to affect northern parts of scotland. there could be one or two wintry showers for northern ireland, getting close to these north sea coasts, but for large parts of the country it will be dry on thursday. and it'll be sunny as well, but it is going to feel an awful lot colder. we've got temperatures typically only 3—5 degrees. at least it's not that windy and the winds will be a bit lighter, ithink, heading into friday, but it's still cold air. widespread frost, some icy patches, a few more wintry showers for northern ireland over the irish sea near some north sea coasts, and most of the snow falling in northern of the snow falling in northern scotland. but, again, it is going to be cold after that frosty start — highs of 3—5 celsius.

this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, which is straight after this programme. welcome to hardtalk. i'm stephen sackur. the thing about showbiz stars — think the famous names of rock

and roll or stand—up comedy — is that they age and grow old just like the rest of us. they change. they write different stuff. but for their die—hard fans, well, they want to wallow in nostalgia and hear a rerun of the old hits. so, what to do? well, my guest today — stand—up comedian, writer and broadcaster frank skinner — has faced that challenge and responded by heading down multiple different paths. what does that tell us about the real frank skinner?