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says there is substantial evidence he paid for sex with a minor and used illicit drugs. in a rare move, israel acknowledges is what was behind the summer assassination of a hamas leader in iran. a break from tradition. the king christmas message will be delivered from a former hospital chapel rather than buckingham palace. for you can economy flat lines. revised figures show no growth at all the last quarter. and wallace and grommet make a return to our screens for a christmas special, the first in a decade. ♪ hello. a long-awaited report into the conduct of the former republican congressman matt gaetz has found substantial evidence that he paid women for sex or drugs on numerous occasions, including paying a 17-year-old girl for

sex. according to a final draft of the report, the politician who was donald trump's initial pick for attorney general, is said to be involved in prostitution, statutory rape and illicit drug use. the age of consent in florida is 18. mr. gaetz denies any improper conduct and mounted a legal challenge to try to block the report's publication. our correspondent in washington explains the seriousness of these allegations and how damaging they will be. tom: this amounts to a searing set of findings against matt gaetz by the house ethics committee. concluding there was, in their words, substantial evidence that mr. gaetz paid numerous women for sex, including a 17-year-old girl. also, he repeatedly used and purchased illegal drugs, including using his office in capitol hill to buy marijuana

online, among other findings. but as you say, highly damaging for the former congressman. and given the fact that he had only last month was picked by donald trump to be the attorney general, to be the most senior law officer in the u.s. he withdrew from that nomination amid the groundswell of controversy over this. he's quite an incendiary figure in capitol hill, divisive even among his own republican colleagues. mr. gaetz himself has categorically denied any wrongdoing both in the run-up to this and after today's run-up of the report. the has been very active on over the last few hours, saying that giving funds to women that he was dating, that they didn't ask for is not in his words prostitution. and also accusing the ethics

committee and others of what he calls a smear campaign, saying this has been done by his enemies to damage him politically. >> he's no longer the nominee for attorney general but does this cause any blowback for mr. trump at all? >> that's right. he withdrew in the weeks after, as it was very clear he was not going to get the support you need -- he needs from republican colleagues to get through the nomination process. in terms of damage to mr. trump, there are a couple of things to say. donald trump knew about these swirling allegations. there was already a criminal probe by the justice department that had been stopped, but the house ethics committee report had been ongoing when mr. trump made this decision. i think of all the picks mr. trump made, among republicans, many of them were aghast of this

decision. it became clear it was going to be untenable, so some of the political damage has already been done and is now baked in. we have to remember that mr. trump is not a conventional politician and it won't damage him to the extent that it might a more conventional politician. that said, mr. trump is having some trouble at the moment, particulate among his republican colleagues. there has been a vote which nearly closed down, shut down the american government over the holiday period, largely instigated by mr. trump as he pulled support for the budgetary arrangements. he saw a significant number of his own republican colleagues defy him in the course of all that over the last few days. it is becoming clear that the degree to which he might want to ram things through the republican party is not proving quite as easily as he might have hoped. i think this adds to a sense that there will be questions of

his judgment and decision-making. that said, he still feels he goes into the presidency with a significant mandate. it has to be said, still very significant control over both the party and all the levers of power in washington. lauren: israel's defense minister has confirmed for the first time that israel was behind the assassination of a hamas leader haniyeh. when hamas attacked israel in october 7, he was the group's main leader. benjamin netanyahu says progress in negotiations to secure a hostage release and cease-fire deal in gaza have been made. officials say a deal is the closest it has ever been after months of deadlock. it comes as israel continues its military campaign in gaza with palestinian officials say israeli attacks have killed more than 50 people in the past when he four hours, including in the southern -- 24 hours, including in a southern safe zone. oxfam accused israel of

systematically using starvation as a weapon of war. israel has denied these claims, saying it is doing everything you can to get humanitarian aid into the region. our middle east correspondent has the latest. >> many on the gaza story, one of those with the prime minister benjamin netanyahu as an saying in his address to the knesset. benjamin netanyahu talked about the cease-fire deal and he said i can carefully say there has been certain progress -- some progress in the cease-fire deal, returning the hostages home is our top priority. the problem has always been in the final stages. we've been hearing about the three stages that could seat 20 palestinian prisoners release for every female soldier, for example, that could see many of the hostages come home, that could see a big buffer zone several kilometers wide between israel and gaza. it could potentially see people

back in the north of gaza with an e egyptian-qatari oversight. the prime minister could not give a timeline. did the thing we heard today was a report from oxfam, and it paints a grim picture that is the shortage of aid to gaza especially northern gaza. these areas that have been besieged with ongoing fighting and relentless shelling because, yet again, the israeli army is going after hamas fighters who they say have regrouped in the area. what oxfam was telling us that in 2.5 months of the 34 trucks of food and water that have been given permission to enter gaza, they describe the deliberate and systematic obstruction by the israeli government, meaning that only 12 were able to distribute food and water. they also give this detail, of those three trucks were at a school and after the food and

water was distributed, the school was cleared and then it was shelled. this blame game has been going on for months and months since the beginning of the war. between the israeli forces were saying we are doing all we can, we are not obstructing aid, to aid agencies that say legally, the occupying force, israel, is obligated to not only make aid available but to facilitate the distribution of aid. they say that israel has not done that. lauren: for the first time in almost 20 years, the monarch's christmas day message is not being broadcast from a royal residence. king charles has chosen a chapel in london which was used by staff and patients of the middlesex hospital before it closed in 2005. it is now used for community events. our senior correspondent has more. >> an image taken from this year's christmas day broadcast after a turbulent year for the king with a cancer diagnosis and treatment.

to reflect that, he wanted his christmas message to come from a location connected to health care and used by the community. he chose here, the chapel in central london. the chapel is tucked away, amongst a modern block of flats and offices near oxford circus. a small, intimate space that will this your host a piece of royal history. the king is said to have been bowled over by the chapel's beauty. it was once a place of solace and reflection for patients, staff and families using the middlesex hospital before the hospital was demolished in 2008. >> i assume that this space being one of kind of calm reflection but also thinking about health, about care, about the medical profession would make it pretty apt. we did feel very privileged. >> the chapel is not consecrated and open to people of all faiths.

it is now used for community events. there are royal connections, too. in 1934, the king's great-grandfather george v was at middlesex hospital to honor dorothy thomas for her bravery in a hospital fire. she is now remembered on the chapel walls as a heroic colleague. the king wanted to do something different this year. to make his message more personal and delivered from a space used the community. but, taking a christmas broadcast out of a royal residence is highly unusual. >> i usually make my christmas broadcast to the commonwealth from windsor. >> this was queen elizabeth in 1989 at the royal albert hall for christmas broadcast that focused on young people. in 2003, she took the message to a barracks in windsor during the iraq war where she thanked servicemen and women and their families.

virtually every other christmas broadcast has come from a royal residence. to choose this peaceful space in central london is a significant break from convention. for making who this year -- for a king who this year once the christmas broadcast to reflect the experiences and challenges he has faced. bbc news, fitzrovia chapel. lauren: staying in the u.k., the chancellor says the challenge to fix the economy is huge after revised figures show there was no economic growth between july and september. the office for national statistics originally estimated small growth of 1% over the past three months. rachel reeves says the plan will deliver long-term sustainable growth. >> a bleak midwinter for a government that has made the economy is top priority. the latest figures show zero growth between july and september. businesses say they are losing confidence and prices are rising. this is how the economy's been

performing the past three years. as you can see, it was a fairly steady decline throughout 2022. into 2023 and the last year, it went into recession. then, a rally in the first half of 2024, but no growth between july and september. then, this inflation. a steep rise peaking at more than 11% in late 2022, within falling steadily. now, it seems to be taking up once again. the government insists the future is bright. >> this labour government is going into 2025 with absolute resolve to work with investors, wealth creators and workers across the country to stimulate economic growth and improve living standards for workers across the country. this is our number one mission as a government. >> businesses say changes to national insurance and the minimum wage introduced in the budget are pushing up their costs. the confederation of british industry says many are tightening their belts.

>> what firms expect over the next quarter is to have falling output to reduce employment, and also, we are going to have pressure on prices increasing as well. >> the british retail consortium says consumers are also losing confidence. these shoppers in manchester today were certainly feeling the pinch. >> i think i am asking people, buying what they want them and the things that they want are affordable because everyone understands it is a very tight year. >> it is quite expensive this year. everything has gone up. >> things are definitely getting more expensive. >> the conservatives said today warning lights were flashing on the u.k. economy and the government should revisit what they called a disastrous budget to push for growth rather than decline. the government's gamble is that short-term pain will lead to long-term gain, but in the meantime, many businesses except to be feeling chilly economic

winds well into the new year. lauren: three hollywood stars have publicly backed the american actress blake lively after she filed a legal complaint against her costar in the film "it ends with us." her complaint against jason baldoni alleges sexual harassment as well as a campaign to destroy her reputation. his legal team say the allegations are categorically false. >> tension between blake lively and jason baldoni overshadowed the promotion of the film over the summer. on the red carpet, their creative differences were apparent. >> it is not a story about domestic violence, it is woman story about her life. >> it is an intersection of wanting to make the flowery movie because all the time, studios think that is what's best. and then the artistic choice. >> it is clear that a drama onset went deeper. lively has accused baldoni of inappropriate behavior and sexual harassment.

a legal complaint details the alleged demands she made at the time, including no more showing of new videos or images of women, including the producers wife. no more descriptions of their own genitalia. no more mention by mr. baldoni of him speaking to blake lively's dead father. afterwards, she alleges he hired a pr crisis firm to launch a smear campaign against her. >> who else is engaged in paid for higher, online manipulation on behalf of powerful clients to manipulate public opinion and do damage to people's reputations? >> justin baldoni's legal team says the claims are salacious but the reaction has been swift in hollywood. his talent agency dropped him and some of her costars were quick to support her with this statement. we saw her some the courage to

ask for a safe workplace and we are appalled through the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive effort that ensued to discredit her voice. once again, behavior in hollywood is back in the spotlight, and what lengths some will go to protect their image. bbc news, new york. lauren: now an achievement for ugandan runner who lives in london. he set out from cape town last july. after crossing two continents and more than 8000 miles later, he's made it back home after an extraordinary run. he ran across nine countries in africa, 11 more countries in europe, and finally reaching west london yesterday. we went to find out why he did it. [cheering] >> reunited with his mother, just in time for christmas. this was the moment he finally crossed the finish line in his home city of london yesterday after running the equivalent of more than 300 marathons in just

under a year and a half. >> incredibly relieved to have finished. it was overwhelming to see my mom there. she want to do a kilometer to go to the finish line with me. doing that with her was beyond my expectations. >> he wanted to raise awareness about racism by highlighting the history of human migration from africa, in his words, to show that we all come from the same place. his journey took him through africa, across europe, and along the way, he endured racist abuse and several weeks in a south sudan jail. he says the support he received along the way got him through it. >> some of the most proudest moments is me running with kids. i had the most incredible kids join me in kenya. i had to stop them when we reached their school.

guys, you have to go to school. >> what is next for you? sleep? >> sleep is definitely on the schedule. lauren: amazing achievement. 35 years since they first appeared on our screens, but the animated duo of wallace and gromit are back this premise . they were turned in a new vengeance called vengeance most foul. our entertainment correspondent meets the creators. >> i am live outside the west wall of the house. >> people? >> wallace's inventions have got them both into trouble. in their first major event your and more than a decade -- adventure in more than a decade. >> the last question is when is the next wallace and gromit film? the last time we did that, i came home just burning with this idea that has been around for years actually about what if

wallace created an automated gnome? >> hi, i am your robot. call me gno-bot. >> this new story has the return of an old villain and the pair last encountered back in 1993's "the wrong trousers." >> whenever we are talking about wallace and gromit, the single most asked question is when will feathers be back? it seemed the perfect opportunity to bring feathers back for the story. >> sadly, one person who is not back is the original voice of wallace, peter salas. >> it has been quite emotional since we lost peter, but we've been blessed with a young-ish actor who was known for many years. peter knew him actually. who could do a fantastic wallace impersonation. ben whitehead. >> he says he's honored to take on the role. >> animation takes time.

you kind of have to do this -- definitely the elongation of the valves. -- vowels. >> put him through his little paces. you will have to wait until christmas day to see if the duo defeat feathers mcgraw. if they do, the team says they are sure that wallace and gromit will be back for more adventures in the future but it might take a while. bbc news, bristol. lauren: burt, cro crocodile dunde, has died. the huge reptile is said to be over 90 years old. this is a rubberized version of the real crocodile which was used for understandable reasons for close-ups with the film's stars. marriage matchmaking and government organized speed dating in south korea. the search for love has taken an unusual turn.

it comes as the country battles a truly low fertility and marriage rates, but will these unusual ways to meet a partner helped boost them? ♪ >> fairytale weddings are expected in south korea, but they don't all begin with meet-cutes or dating apps. some couples are embracing new ways to meet. these newlyweds are unpacking their new life and business together. their story started when they met through a marriage matchmaking agency. >> i signed up because i wanted to meet someone who also wanted to get married. lots of people don't want to these days. >> working in, construction there were not many chances to meet new people. it was time effective to have an expert find a good partner. >> the pandemic made it

difficult to meet people in person and because they were surgeons in marriage m matchmaking. >> the industry has grown by 30% to 40%. perceptions have changed. in the past, young people thought these agencies were for those who have failed to get married, but now it is a way to find someone who matches their specific needs. >> matchmaking is not always successful and not everyone agrees with this method of finding a partner. >> using a marriage matching agency is not always viewed very positively. it can seem like people are being judged by their profiles and are getting married without love. it felt a bit embarrassing to tell friends and family that i signed up with an agency. >> despite the increased popularity of marriage matchmaking, south korea has extremely low marriage and fertility rates. they've been falling steadily for the past decade. the fertility rate here is the lowest in the world. this is a huge challenge for the government who is committed to

tackling this issue. they too are playing matchmaker, organizing speed dating events and marriage is the theme. they say they are providing young singles with an opportunity to meet and mingle. >> young people today lack opportunities to meet new people. so, i really appreciate that the city is providing a venue for this. >> but, critics say they should be tackling high living costs and supporting women returning to work after children. the government says these events work with two marriages and many more on the horizon. as young people search for love, they are also seeking stability and security. something the country needs, too, as it battles this demographic crisis. rachel lee, bbc news. lauren: now, did you write a letter to santa with your gift

requests this year? well, it is now official. santa is coming to a town near you after he left this evening to deliver christmas presents. children and adults cheered as father christmas boarded his sleigh at santa claus village in finland in this annual tradition. this area has become a big hub for all things to do with christmas. it attracts thousands of visitors, especially this time of year. santa setting off there. we reckon there's probably a tracker that you can find online to follow santa's progress. i think norad has one. there is santa claus setting off with all the presents. do stay with us on bbc news.

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announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. and by judy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ announcer: get the free pbs app now and stream the best of pbs.

william: good evening. i'm william brangham. geoff bennett and amna nawaz are away. on the "newshour" tonight, the house ethics committee report on former congressman matt gaetz - president elect trump's first pick for attorney general - reveals alleged rampant illegal sexual misconduct and drug use.