this was the view across the israel lebanon border earlier today where we ve seen a thick plume of black smoke in the sky as hostilities continue in that border area. so, let s start this hour by hearing from israel s prime minister. translation: last night, - i talked again with president biden. i do appreciate us steadfast position at the security council a position which backs our war effort. yesterday, i told president biden that we will fight until total victory, as long as it takes. the us understands this. i saw false reports that claimed the united states has prevented us from operational activities in the region. this is not true. israel is a sovereign country. our war decisions are based on our operational considerations. this is the live scene over the israel gaza border, where we ve seen continued bombardement this weekend. an israel military spokesman says it s expanding its ground operations in the southern and northern parts of the gaza strip. reuters is
has christmas come early for manchester united fans or not? a deal is finally agreed for british billionaire sirjim ratcliffe to buy a stake in the club. no festive joy for chelsea beaten for the eighth time in the premier league this season but it s all smiles for wolves. and rangers win at motherwell to close in on cetlic and the top of the scottish premierhship. welcome along, thank you forjoining us. so much for a quiet sporting christmas eve. it s been announced in the last few hours that british billionaire sirjim ratcliffe has agreed to buy a 25% worth a little over £1.25 billion in manchester united. the news comes over a year after the club s owners, the glazers, stated they were considering selling. ratcliffe s ineos group will take control of united s football operations and provide over £230 million in future investement into old trafford. our sports editor dan roan reports. when sirjim ratcliffe toured old trafford earlier this year, the british billion
which, pending approval, will see him take control of football operations. he is also promising over £200 million of new investment. the multi billionaire founder of the ineos petro chemicals group, is a lifelong fan of the club. it s hoped by many supporters that it might mean the end of the controlling interest of the glazer family. our sports editor, dan roan, reports. when sirjim ratcliffe toured old trafford earlier this year, the british billionaire was hoping to buy manchester united. instead he will become a minority shareholder of the club he says he has always supported. the founder of petrochemicals giant ineos, ratcliffe has already invested in sailing and cycling teams and owns a third of mercedes in formula 1. the owner of two football clubs, including nice in france, manchester born ratcliffe last year failed in a bid to buy chelsea, at the time hinting to me united was his real goal. some would argue you should be trying to buy the club that you grew up suppo
so, we have been waiting for this for a long time. how much of a surprise as this? i for a long time. how much of a surprise as this? for a long time. how much of a surprise as this? i think that this is the christmas surprise as this? i think that this is the christmas present - surprise as this? i think that this is the christmas present that - surprise as this? i think that this| is the christmas present that lots of manchester united fans would have wanted. you pose the question how big of a surprise. this deal has been potentially 13 months in the making, there have been times we have been told it was imminent, that would happen a week from now, two weeks from now, and it hasn t done so. so perhaps a surprise and not as a prize at the same time. sarahjim ratcliffe, one of the richest men in britain, a boyhood manchester united fan, has acquired a 25% minority share in the club. i think the important part of the statement is that his ineos group will be in charge of fo
central gaza. the israeli military says its forces have killed around 8,000 palestinian fighters in the war so far. the hamas run health ministry in gaza says the total number of dead since october 7 is now more than 20 thousand 400. speaking at a weekly cabinet meeting, israel s prime minister benjamin netanyahu said the war had come at a very heavy price for israel. the israeli military says 14 more soldiers have been killed in gaza since friday, bringing the total during the ground assault to 153. these are israel defence forces pictures from operations in khan younis. saturday was one of its deadliest days, but mr netanyahu said his forces had no choice but to press ahead. translation: the war has | taken its toll, but we have no option but keep fighting. 0ur troops have eliminated thousands of terrorists so far. we are fighting with full force until the end, until the victory, until we fulfil our goals. those are the elimination of hamas, the return of our hostages,