to early for speculation. earlier i put that to victoria scholar is head of investment at interactive investor. the uk money markets, they are anticipating rate cuts next year but not untiljune, that is when the first rate cut is pencilled in. that was actually pushed back after today's decision, from the previous estimation that the bank of england would cut rates in may. financial markets are pricing in a one percentage point move of rate cuts in 2024, that would get down to 4.25% from where it is now. but the governor was a lot more cautious than the markets, he says the markets have their own view and he thinks it is too early to speculate about rate cuts. clearly, he's been about rate cuts. clearly, he's been a lot more dependent on the data. i think this main takeaway is that the bank of england is being more cautious in its outlook than the fed. it cautious in its outlook than the fed. , , . fed. it is interesting that the lan . ua . e fed. it is interesting that the language we _ fed. it is interesting that the language we are _ fed. it is interesting that the language we are hearing, - fed. it is interesting that the language we are hearing, it i fed. it is interesting that the | language we are hearing, it is fed. it is interesting that the - language we are hearing, it is quite robust, isn't it? normally we would get a bit of guidance, a hint here or there but he is keen to point out that rates will not be coming down quickly, that is because in the uk, inflation is still a problem, it is a similar picture in the euro zone and we have had similar comments from the ecb, we want to bring rates down but now it is not the time to down but now it is not the time to do so. . �* , , do so. that's right, there is definitely — do so. that's right, there is definitely a _ do so. that's right, there is definitely a clear— do so. that's right, there is definitely a clear difference | do so. that's right, there is l definitely a clear difference in messaging between the fed and bank of england and the ecb. here in the uk, the message is that interest rates will remain higher for an extended period, sticking at these 15 year highs. andrew bailey has said that there is a lot more to do to bring inflation back down to target, i think that the final stretch down to 2% can be quite tricky. interest rates are a broad brush tool, they are good at making sweeping changes but when it comes to tinkering around the edges, that will be a lot more difficult. when we look at the vote split it was 6—3 in favour of a halt, that shows that three policy members agree that interest rates should have gone up. again, a big difference from the fed which has switched its language, signalling that it is at the peak of the cycle and there are rate cuts to come in the states. as i said, this comes on the back of the federal reserve also keeping it's main rate on hold wednesday for the third month in a row and said it's now talking about when to cut rates. shares hit a new record high last night and the us markets havejust opened for today's trading. let's go to michelle fleury in our new york bureau. michelle, how is it looking? lets just say, it is letsjust say, it is beginning lets just say, it is beginning to look like a lot like christmas on wall street. you have the major indexes up, in the case of the dow jones industrial, yet again at a record high. becausejerome powell, the chair of the federal reserve is essentially playing santa claus, giving investors what they wanted, in this case that is the comments that suggested that interest rates are at or near the peak. he even went so far as to suggest they were three possible quarter point rate cuts in the cards next year. this was music to the ear of investors and that is why we have seen this huge pop in stocks in the united states. ., , huge pop in stocks in the united states. . , . . , ., states. the fed was criticised for not bein: states. the fed was criticised for not being proactive _ states. the fed was criticised for not being proactive when - states. the fed was criticised for not being proactive when it - states. the fed was criticised for not being proactive when it came states. the fed was criticised for i not being proactive when it came to raising rates, a sort of feels they don't want to make the same mistake twice. but in reverse. they want to stay ahead of the curve and get things back to normal. that stay ahead of the curve and get things back to normal.- things back to normal. that is certainly the _ things back to normal. that is certainly the note _ things back to normal. that is certainly the note of - things back to normal. that is certainly the note of caution l things back to normal. that is i certainly the note of caution you heard jerome powell trying to inject in the press conference yesterday. he said, look, we are not taking the possibility of a rate hike off the table but the reality is if you look at the data at the moment, you have inflation easing, signs that the job market is beginning to soften, they mayjust have done enough. so, the talk now is you have hit your peak, then the next question is when you start to cut rates. that is the question that investors are asking at the moment, that is where they think the fed is moving towards. the reason they are happy right now is because rate cuts for them means cuts in the cost of borrowing, it is easier for companies, cuts in the cost of borrowing, it is easierfor companies, and easier for companies, and individuals to easierfor companies, and individuals to borrow, the other thing is that the idea that the federal reserve has succeeded in may be taming inflation without doing real considerable damage to the economy. in other words, real considerable damage to the economy. in otherwords, it real considerable damage to the economy. in other words, it hasn't tipped into a recession, and there doesn't seem to be the forecast from economists. that is where you are seeing this cheer from the markets. thank you forjoining us from new york. we know the pandemic sparked a revolution in working from home. many people are now returning to the office for at least part of the week. but for those still working remotely — avoiding the daily commute — many have found home working isolating and less productive. so now, there's a new alternative. it's called "working near home" as dougal shaw explains. does a place like this represent the future of office were? this is a co—working space, the kind made popular by we work. it is small scale and not in the city centre, it is in the suburbs where commuters live, in this case took in them. members pay to have a desk or small office here. ~ ., ~ ., , office here. working new home is in new category _ office here. working new home is in new category where _ office here. working new home is in new category where you _ office here. working new home is in new category where you can - office here. working new home is in new category where you can go - office here. working new home is in | new category where you can go down to your local high street and have a productive work day. we have a ground floor that is open to the public, we have bakery sales, ceramics classes. fit, public, we have bakery sales, ceramics classes.— public, we have bakery sales, ceramics classes. a lot of people were office _ ceramics classes. a lot of people were office workers _ ceramics classes. a lot of people were office workers who - ceramics classes. a lot of people were office workers who were . ceramics classes. a lot of people - were office workers who were allowed to work from home but were finding that lonely or too distracting. we live in quite small apartment and i am sharing — live in quite small apartment and i am sharing the working space with my husband _ am sharing the working space with my husband because he is also a working hybrid _ husband because he is also a working hybrid. sometimes that can be a little _ hybrid. sometimes that can be a little bit — hybrid. sometimes that can be a little bit fraught. it lets me focus without _ little bit fraught. it lets me focus without being interrupted by the washing — without being interrupted by the washing machine going or doing varlous— washing machine going or doing various tasks like in the house. and also my— various tasks like in the house. and also my husband. the various tasks like in the house. and also my husband.— various tasks like in the house. and also my husband. the number of these local co-working _ also my husband. the number of these local co-working hubs _ also my husband. the number of these local co-working hubs is _ also my husband. the number of these local co-working hubs is on _ also my husband. the number of these local co-working hubs is on the - local co—working hubs is on the rise, many are backed by local government funding, they are seen as a way of regenerating high streets. this one in south—east london has a restaurant and ate yoga classes open to the public. the entrepreneur behind it as another one just outside london and is planning further expansion. the fact that this space isn't in the city centre, how does that affect you? taste this space isn't in the city centre, how does that affect you? we are interested in _ how does that affect you? we are interested in developing - how does that affect you? we are interested in developing a - how does that affect you? we are interested in developing a local. interested in developing a local co—working space to allow people to not have to commute into city centres and spent time amongst their neighbours, reinvest their money within the local economy.- within the local economy. some employers _ within the local economy. some employers are _ within the local economy. some employers are subsidising - within the local economy. some employers are subsidising workers to come to places like this because they think they will be more productive than at home. many employers now simply want workers backin employers now simply want workers back in the office. so commuter lifestyle may not be overjust yet. former bp boss bernard looney will forfeit up to 52.4 million pounds after the oil giant found he committed "serious misconduct" in failing to disclose relationships with colleagues. bp says mr looney is to be dismissed without notice and will receive no further salary or benefits energy suppliers in the uk will have to help customers struggling with bills after new rules come into effect today. the regulator 0fgem now requires companies to contact vulnerable customers if they miss two monthly or one quarterly payment and check to see if they are having financial problems. they must help by offering affordable payment plans or repayment holidays if appropriate. etsy — the online marketplace for home—made goods — is cutting about 225jobs, or ii% of its workforce. chief executivejosh silverman has told staff the cuts are needed as sales have been "essentially flat" for two years. etsy�*s shares are trading at well under a third of their peak during the covid pandemic. you're watching bbc news. new research from shelter shows an increase of 10% since last year with hastings having the highest number, followed by brighton and hove. every homeless person, what they want is a normal life. you are live with bbc news. universities and student unions could be named and shamed, and even fined, if they fail to uphold new rules on free speech in england. the higher education watchdog, the office for students, has announced the results of a consultation on how it will apply laws which came into force in may. it says that, from august, an institution might have to pay money to a complainant if their grievance is upheld. dr arif ahmed is the new directorfor freedom of speech and academic freedom of the office for students. the independent regulator of higher education. thank you for coming in. naming and shaming, finds potentially, is that the way forward? ~ potentially, is that the way forward?— potentially, is that the way forward? ~ ~ ., ., ., forward? we think that freedom of seech is forward? we think that freedom of speech is absolutely _ forward? we think that freedom of speech is absolutely fundamental. forward? we think that freedom of. speech is absolutely fundamental to higher education, it is fundamental to the extending of knowledge itself. we think it is very important to take a serious approach to protecting freedom of speech. following our proposals which we are consulting on, there will be a complaints scheme open to students, visiting speakers, academics if they think freedom of speech has been constrained. if we think there is an issue we will act.— constrained. if we think there is an issue we will act. how do you define freedom of— issue we will act. how do you define freedom of speech _ issue we will act. how do you define freedom of speech and _ issue we will act. how do you define freedom of speech and what - issue we will act. how do you define freedom of speech and what in - issue we will act. how do you define freedom of speech and what in your| freedom of speech and what in your view are the limits of that? freedom of seech view are the limits of that? freedom of speech as — view are the limits of that? freedom of speech as we _ view are the limits of that? freedom of speech as we understand - view are the limits of that? freedom of speech as we understand it - view are the limits of that? freedom of speech as we understand it is - of speech as we understand it is this freedom of speech within the law. what that means is you can say something if your speech is legal. it does not include speech outside the law, for example inciting to violence, stirring up racial hatred or harassment. d0 violence, stirring up racial hatred or harassment.— violence, stirring up racial hatred or harassment. do you accept that these definitions, _ or harassment. do you accept that these definitions, these _ or harassment. do you accept that these definitions, these laws - or harassment. do you accept that| these definitions, these laws exist, defining it may be your problem? freedom of speech as we understand it is defined by the law, and any particular case, the way we will test if something is a violation of the duty of universities is if that is within the law or not. the point is within the law or not. the point is interpreting _ is within the law or not. the point is interpreting the _ is within the law or not. the point is interpreting the law, _ is within the law or not. the point is interpreting the law, that - is within the law or not. the point is interpreting the law, that is - is interpreting the law, that is where the grey area is. are you sure that you are going to be as arbiters?— that you are going to be as arbiters? ~ , ., ., ., ~ arbiters? we will be having to make finely balanced _ arbiters? we will be having to make finely balanced judgments. - arbiters? we will be having to make finely balanced judgments. the - arbiters? we will be having to make| finely balanced judgments. the thing i want to emphasise, i can't stress this enough, we will be approaching this enough, we will be approaching this an impartial and neutral way, there is no political side being taken, we are trying to protect free speech for everyone. you taken, we are trying to protect free speech for everyone.— taken, we are trying to protect free speech for everyone. you don't want to talk about — speech for everyone. you don't want to talk about specifics _ speech for everyone. you don't want to talk about specifics but _ speech for everyone. you don't want to talk about specifics but is - speech for everyone. you don't want to talk about specifics but is it - to talk about specifics but is it fair to say that tensions are much heightened at university campuses right across the country. we have seen it right across the world, many cases in the us with this war between hamas and israel. brute cases in the us with this war between hamas and israel. we have seen freedom _ between hamas and israel. we have seen freedom of— between hamas and israel. we have seen freedom of speech _ between hamas and israel. we have seen freedom of speech is _ between hamas and israel. we have seen freedom of speech is there - seen freedom of speech is there important issue all over the world, as you would expect, freedom of speech becomes an issue when there are matters of political controversy, things that really matter to people, those are the areas where freedom of speech can seem to be under threat. we think thatis seem to be under threat. we think that is where it is especially important to foster tolerant and open dialogue. important to foster tolerant and open dialogue-— important to foster tolerant and open dialogue. how do you protect ourself open dialogue. how do you protect yourself from _ open dialogue. how do you protect yourself from this _ open dialogue. how do you protect yourself from this being _ open dialogue. how do you protect yourself from this being used - open dialogue. how do you protect yourself from this being used as i open dialogue. how do you protect yourself from this being used as a| yourself from this being used as a political football in such strained conditions? it political football in such strained conditions?— conditions? it is vital, we are determined _ conditions? it is vital, we are determined to _ conditions? it is vital, we are determined to approach - conditions? it is vital, we are| determined to approach every conditions? it is vital, we are - determined to approach every case in impartial and neutral way. as a regulator we're used to approaching things in impartial way, we are independent from government and that will be central to our approach, we will be central to our approach, we will approach it on the basis of facts. it won't be relevant the political views as long as their speech is within the law. abs, political views as long as their speech is within the law. a final thou . ht, speech is within the law. a final thought. we _ speech is within the law. a final thought, we mentioned - speech is within the law. a final thought, we mentioned fines i speech is within the law. a final. thought, we mentioned fines and complainants potentially being paid by an academic institution, what sort of sums are you talking about? with regard to the regulation i wouldn't want to speculate, our relational student unions, the right levels of finds will be laid down by the secretary of state. still levels of finds will be laid down by the secretary of state.— the secretary of state. still to be decided? yes, _ the secretary of state. still to be decided? yes, these _ the secretary of state. still to be decided? yes, these are - the secretary of state. still to be i decided? yes, these are proposals the secretary of state. still to be - decided? yes, these are proposals we are consulting. _ decided? yes, these are proposals we are consulting, we _ decided? yes, these are proposals we are consulting, we would _ decided? yes, these are proposals we are consulting, we would encourage i are consulting, we would encourage everyone who has an interest in freedom of speech and higher education to take part in the consultation because we want to hear your views. consultation because we want to hear our views. . ~ consultation because we want to hear our views. ., ~ , ., ., consultation because we want to hear our views. ., ~ i. ., _, alex batty from 0ldham, near manchester, disappeared along with his mother and grandfather while on holiday. alex's grandmother told police that she believed the three had gone to live with "a spiritual community in morocco". police in a town near toulouse, said a boy answering to the name �*alex batty�* and matching his description was brought to them on wednesday morning. greater manchester police say they are in contact with french authorities and british consulate staff are on their way. 0ur paris correspondent, hugh schofield has the latest on what police and local media are reporting. we can confirm this is alex batty, it's been confirmed by the local prosecutor who say they've spoken to the family back in the uk. and so it's the end of an extraordinary tale. the boy went missing in 2017 in southern spain, where he'd gone with his mother and his grandfather. now, we just need to establish straightaway that his mother was not his legal guardian at that point. that had been removed from her because of something that had happened before. they were going to a commune. and in fact, his grandmother, a woman called susan caruana back in britain, was his legal guardian. but he was taken on holiday to southern spain and then disappeared. and the suspicion was clear and certainly voiced by his legal guardian, his grandmother, that the mother and the grandfather had taken him to morocco to rejoin a commune of some kind. there was an official warrant, put out, a search. an international search started, but it led nowhere. and now, suddenly, six years later, out of the blue walks this young man down a mountain road in southern france in the early dark morning of of wednesday, with a night light and a head lamp and a skateboard and a backpack looking like an ordinary young man. he's picked up by a kindly young delivery guy. and for three hours they drive down through the mountains, down to a police station. and in that period, this boy, alex batty, as we now know who he is, tells his story. and he says that, yes, for the last two years in france, he's been living in a kind of itinerant commune up in the hills, the high hills near the spanish border, but that recently he's grown dissatisfied. he's realised he's growing older, he's unhappy with the lifestyle, and he wants to get out. so a week or so ago, he decided to put his plans into action and just walked out. and he'd spent the last few days and nights walking down the roads until yesterday morning, wednesday morning, when he came back closer to civilisation and was met by this driver. and they agreed that the best thing was to take him to a police station where he identified himself and where he is now ,or near there now, and will soon be returning to the uk. and what are they saying about the condition he's in, his health, and what happens now? well, he's absolutely fine, by all accounts. i mean, there was no complaint on his part about what had happened. i mean, hejust said that it was not for him. i mean, i'm quoting thejournalist who's quoting the driver. so it's all slightly second—hand. but i mean, you get the picture. everyone says he's in perfectly good health. there's no sort of suggestion of abuse or anything like that. but he wanted to get away from the community and from and felt that he was old enough now to do that. and one of the most touching things in the story was how he borrowed the phone from this driver and said, "look, i've got to call my grandmother," his legal legal guardian, and put put sent a message to her on facebook saying, gran or nan, "i'm well, i'm fine." and he's still not sure whether she's got that message. she's called susan caruana. that was hugh in paris. the prosecutors office say that british police and consular staff are heading to toulouse to bring the boy back as the grandmother is to sick to travel. the judge said that if the boy is in loose now but kept in a centre for minors. that is some of the latest details on that story. now if you think taking part in a marathon is tough, take a look at this. 68 runners have taken part in the annual antarctic ice marathon. it takes place just a few hundred kilometres from the south pole at the union glacier. no shorts for this race as the participants faced sub—zero temperatures and strong winds. american michael higgins won the men's race in a time of 4 hours i minute and 45 seconds. the women's race was won by fellow american stephanie estridge in 5 hours 4 minutes and 13 seconds. you were watching bbc news. thousands of school children from around the country are being given puzzles to solve — and notjust any puzzles. it's part of the annual christmas challenge set by the uk intelligence agency, gchq. the brain teasers include codebreaking, maths and analysis. the idea is to inspire children to study science and — in the longer term — to broaden recruitment to the spy agency. tim muffett reports. we have been granted rare access to the manchester base of gchq - the uk's intelligent security and cyber agency. they're looking out for who can think outside the box. since 2015, it's included a brainteaser on its christmas cards. for the third year running, it's also set a festive mind—bending challenge for school pupils. it is interesting because it's not just like a normal maths question, it is different. how are you finding it? very difficult. as well as students from sale high school, also having a go is 100—year—old betty webb. ti plus ti equals ra? betty worked at bletchley park during world war ii, as part of the top—secret team that cracked nazi codes. it took a certain type of brain to deal with it, bearing in mind that all the messages were in groups of five letters or five figures. these clocks show a four—letter word, can you work it out? this could well be a letter cipher. that's when numbers relate to a letter in the alphabet. what breaks but cannot fall, can leap but never crawl? can be seized but never gripped? often present, never skipped ? quite cryptic, isn't it? maybe if i get a strong gin and tonic... is that the key to cracking a code? a strong gin and tonic. pass. when it comes to recruitment, gchq has been widening the net. for example, it's keen for neurodiverse candidates to apply for jobs. so people with conditions like autism, adhd or dyslexia. foreign language skills are also highly valued. betty's ability to speak german was key to her posting at bletchley park. for me, it was an opportunity to meet people i would otherwise not have met. i had not been to university or anything like that. i always used to do the code word in the telegraph. i haven't done it lately. i'm too busy. how was it? when you first look at it, it's quite daunting. you have no idea what all these things are. after working a few of them out, it gets easier. it looks really fun to work with this type of stuff. . it doesn't look like as boring | as some otherjobs could be. with perseverance, lateral thinking and ingenuity, mission impossible can become mission accomplished. tim muffett, bbc news. for decades, football fans have collected stickers of famous players and put them into albums. now, for the first time, the women's super league has a dedicated sticker collection of its own. the fa has joined forces with the italian sticker company panini to produce an album of nearly 350 stickers of stars. here's our sports correspondent, sarah dawkins. got, got, need. sticker collecting has been a staple of football culture since the 1970s. but now there are new faces on the page. yeah, i look decent! hit there are new faces on the page. yeah, i look decent!— yeah, i look decent! hit all the riaht yeah, i look decent! hit all the right angles- — yeah, i look decent! hit all the right angles. a _ yeah, i look decent! hit all the right angles. a bit _ yeah, i look decent! hit all the right angles. a bit surreal. - yeah, i look decent! hit all the right angles. a bit surreal. i i right angles. a bit surreal. i alwa s right angles. a bit surreal. i always had _ right angles. a bit surreal. i always had a _ right angles. a bit surreal. i always had a sticker - right angles. a bit surreal. i always had a sticker book. i right angles. a bit surreal. i - always had a sticker book. there are nearl 350 always had a sticker book. there are nearly 350 cards _ always had a sticker book. there are nearly 350 cards to _ always had a sticker book. there are nearly 350 cards to collect _ nearly 350 cards to collect including 12 of these shiny cards, one for each team. 0ne down, 348 to go. it took 41 years for them to launch a woman's collection, they are now making up for lost time. the im ortant are now making up for lost time. the important thing is that it is happening and everybody isjumping on board _ happening and everybody isjumping on board. that will go from strength to strength — on board. that will go from strength to strenuth. .., on board. that will go from strength to strenuth. _, . ~ on board. that will go from strength to strength-— to strength. record pack of 60,000 acked into to strength. record pack of 60,000 packed into the _ to strength. record pack of 60,000 packed into the stadium, _ to strength. record pack of 60,000 packed into the stadium, it - to strength. record pack of 60,000 packed into the stadium, it seems l packed into the stadium, it seems that the sticker books will keep feeding the fan frenzy. i that the sticker books will keep feeding the fan frenzy.- that the sticker books will keep feeding the fan frenzy. i think it is aood feeding the fan frenzy. i think it is good because _ feeding the fan frenzy. i think it is good because it _ feeding the fan frenzy. i think it is good because it gives - feeding the fan frenzy. i think it is good because it gives women j feeding the fan frenzy. i think it i is good because it gives women a chance to express themselves with football. i chance to express themselves with football. ., ., ., , ., ., football. i would love to be on a sticker and _ football. i would love to be on a sticker and be _ football. i would love to be on a sticker and be stuck _ football. i would love to be on a sticker and be stuck on - football. i would love to be on a sticker and be stuck on a book. | football. i would love to be on a i sticker and be stuck on a book. for these girls — sticker and be stuck on a book. fr?" these girls they can dream and they can be in the sticker books one day. whose card are you desperate to get hold of? ., ., whose card are you desperate to get hold of?_ chinese - whose card are you desperate to get hold of?_ chinese and - whose card are you desperate to get. hold of?_ chinese and swaps hold of? that one! chinese and swaps are here to stay. _ hold of? that one! chinese and swaps are here to stay, sticking _ hold of? that one! chinese and swaps are here to stay, sticking the - hold of? that one! chinese and swaps are here to stay, sticking the stars i are here to stay, sticking the stars into the history books. back with more of those main stories here on a moment that is after the weather. across parts of east anglia through much of the day temperatures struggled in places to reach much above four celsius, and there was some drizzle round too. 0vernight route will stay pretty cloudy, parts of the midlands and southern counties, northern ireland and probably western scotland. the clearest skies in eastern scotland and north—east england, that is where we'll see the lowest temperatures. tomorrow, a lot of cloud in wales in the southern counties, northern ireland is cloudy, western scotland cloud thickens, there will be some sunny spells across the eastern side of england but agreed the east of the pennines and parts of east of scotland. mild across the west, tempt is reaching 12 degrees but across the east of england not quite so mild with temp is around eight celsius. into the weekend, we get a weather front stopped across the north west of scotland bringing very large falls of rain critically focused on the highlands where over the high ground we could see around 125 millimetres of rain. that is a huge amount, it could bring flooding issues and may be true that some landslips. apart from that weekend will be dominated by south—westerly winds that will bring mild air across the uk, mild it may be, but it is also likely to be grey and cloudy on saturday and across these western areas the cloud with the can for drizzle, mist and fog patches around. heavy rain in the north—west of scotland, some breaks in the cloud, the best across parts of north—east england and eastern scotland although any sunshine is likely to be very hazy there. sunday, the rain becomes a bit more extensive in scotland, the rain infringing to northern ireland for a time. england and wales are largely dry and a better chance of seeing cloud break with some spells of sunshine coming through. mild, with temperatures between 12 and 14 celsius. the mild air wants to use all that long because next week we swap to north—westerly winds and download the temperatures. as was that cold air arriving, there will be plenty of showers and is a cold air digs in some of those will start to turn wintry. live from london. this is bbc news. the us national security adviser is in tel aviv with a warning over civilian casualties in gaza as israel continues its bombardment. president putin warns that the war with ukraine will continue until russia achieves its aims — in his first major news conference since the war started. tension in brussels — as eu leaders wrangle over further funding for kyiv. a former british soldier is to stand trial over bloody sunday deaths. he is charged with two murders and five attempted murders. hello, i'm matthew amroliwala, welcome to verified live, three hours of breaking stories, and checking out president biden's national security adviser is in israel — to repeat us calls for restraint in the war against hamas. he's meeting the israeli prime minister benjamin neta nyahu in tel aviv. there was no let—up in israel's bombing of the gaza strip in the hours before his visit. the fighting has once again cut off internet and telephone services across the strip. this is the aftermath of a strike in rafah in the south of the gaza strip. the hamas—run health ministry says, at least 24 people have been killed in air strikes on two houses in rafah today. this was mr sullivan meeting israel's defence minister yoav gallant a short while ago. us officials say, mr sullivan is expected to discuss a timetable for ending the fighting and call for �*greater precision' in future israeli targeting of hamas. it follows mounting international criticism of israel over the number of civilian casualties, and the un general assembly overwhelmingly voting in support of a ceasefire. mr gallant told him that the war would take many more months.