This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service.

I'm Alex Ritzen and in the early hours of Thursday the 21st of December,

these are our main stories. The U.S. strikes a hopeful note despite a further delay

to a crucial UN vote on a ceasefire in Gaza.

We're engaged in very good faith with other countries. We've been working this intensely. I've been

on the phones about this for the last couple of days, so I hope we can get to a good place.

That crunch vote is now expected on Thursday. Meanwhile, Hamas says the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza since

the war began has passed 20,000. The US Freeze a top ally of Venezuelan President Nicholas

Maduro in exchange for the release of dozens of prisoners. and the people's life chances. We actually look at the outcome for each single person's

and it's not quite life expectancy but rather is this person going to

die within the next four years.

Also in the next four years. Also in this podcast, Ireland takes a case against the UK government to the European

Court of Human Rights and we speak to the head of the Santa Claus Postal Service.

Every child's letter is read.

We try very hard to personalize the letter that we send out.

How many letters are we talking about?

At the present moment, we're up to about 21,000 this year.

We start in New York where despite another day of intense diplomacy at the United Nations

a crucial Security Council vote on a suspension of fighting in Gaza has been delayed for

a third time. Negotiations are continuing

in the hope that the US will finally back a resolution which would also see more humanitarian

aid reaching the people who desperately needed.

...