the headlines: this is the israel—gaza border this morning. the hamas—run health ministry says israeli strikes on the jabalia refugee camp killed 110 palestinians. international pressure for a ceasefire intensifies, as us defence secretary lloyd austin lands in israel for talks. ukraine admits artillery ammunition shortages, but a leading government official remains optimistic that international funding will continue. the bbc understands northern ireland's democratic unionist party has ruled out any deal to restore devolution before christmas. the us defence secretary, lloyd austin, has met his israeli counterpart and is also due to talk to prime minister benjamin netanyahu with a focus on how israel plans to move to the next phase of the war. the visit is seen as a test for the biden administration's unwavering support for israel.

washington is facing increasing pressure to urge israel to do more to reduce civilian casualties, with its key western allies, including the uk, france and germany, having all stepped up calls for a ceasefire. i am nowjoined by aaron david miller, a senior fellow at the carnegie endowment for international peace and former state department middle east analyst and negotiator in republican and democratic administrations. good to talk to you, as always. how unwavering is washington's support going to continue to be given the pressure from international allies and the pictures we are all seeing coming out of gaza? i and the pictures we are all seeing coming out of gaza?— coming out of gaza? i don't think either prime _ coming out of gaza? i don't think either prime minister _ coming out of gaza? i don't think either prime minister benjamin l either prime minister benjamin netanyahu orjoe biden is looking for a breach in their relationship. his administration obviously has huge concerns over its tactics, not its war aims, but its tactics and

its war aims, but its tactics and its opposition to the two state solution. it will be interesting to see what lloyd austin has to say, he is going with the new head of the joint chiefs as well, as to whether the israelis will agree with the administration's view that by january the military campaign has to transition from a comprehensive set of tactics choosing the air strikes, artillery and large numbers of ground forces to a more intelligent strip and, more focused campaign. that presumably is a consensus that was reached last week with the national security adviserjake sullivan. we will have to wait and see in january. sullivan. we will have to wait and see injanuary. i have read the pads by david cameron, the former prime minister. it does not argue the fact

for a permanent ceasefire, what they want is a series of humanitarian pulses and also a change in israeli tactics. again, with respect to the united states, i don't think that either washington orjerusalem are looking for a major breach. but looking for a ma'or breach. but there is a _ looking for a ma'or breach. but there is a lot _ looking for a ma'or breach. but there is a lot of — looking for a major breach. but there is a lot of pressure from other international allies. how important is that to the us as to how it compares israel pots macro? the us doesn't want to alienate its international partners. the president personally is committed to finding a way to end hamas's sovereignty in gaza. you probably will not hear him use the word indiscriminate again because it has

consequences, i think the president will be pushing the israelis again to show a demonstrable change in their tactics by january, to show a demonstrable change in their tactics byjanuary, so you can get eight surging into gaza and the beginnings of a reconstruction. this will be a long and painful process and i think that the israelis will continue to operate at some level in gaza for months to come. let’s continue to operate at some level in gaza for months to come.— gaza for months to come. let's talk about the reconstruction. _ gaza for months to come. let's talk about the reconstruction. looking l about the reconstruction. looking way forward, the expectation i assume will be that the arab states will be helping with the reconstruction in the future. talk to me about the us relationship with arab states and how that has changed over the last few months. the arab states and how that has changed over the last few months.— over the last few months. the idea of an israeli- _ over the last few months. the idea of an israeli- saudi _ over the last few months. the idea of an israeli- saudi normalisation, | of an israeli— saudi normalisation, that has clearly had a chilling impact. i don't think it is dead, but i think those arab states that have relations with israel particularly in the gulf, as well as the two treaty partners are going to

stiffen up their conditions for participation and reconstruction. i suspect they will demand that gaza first cannot be gaza only. whatever security efforts that the regional partners are prepared to financially support will have to be tethered to a serious effort to create a political horizon, to states for two people, and at the diplomatic process with steps in an effort to see whether an environment where negotiations can be created. you can't do that frankly with this israeli government. there will have to be a political reckoning in israel and the government will have to change. nor can you do that with the weak and feckless palestinian authority. mahmoud abbas is now 87. he has no credibility. not in the west bank or in gaza. you will have to see the leadership change and

that will take time. it will coincide with 2024, which is presidential election year in this country, perhaps one of the most consequential presidential elections in american history. the biden administration will not be looking at risk ready strategies or to pick public fight tooth and israeli prime minister, which could be politically costly at home. this will take time and high in the end it will sort itself out, i wouldn't even venture to guess. it itself out, i wouldn't even venture to cuess. , . , ., to guess. it is always good to get our to guess. it is always good to get your analysis- — to guess. it is always good to get your analysis. thank _ to guess. it is always good to get your analysis. thank you - to guess. it is always good to get your analysis. thank you for - to guess. it is always good to get l your analysis. thank you forjoining us, as always. there are reports from ukraine that some frontline military operations are having to be scaled back because of a shortage of artillery shells. there is continuing doubt over funding from international allies, but the deputy defence minister has told the bbc.. he is confident that funding will carry on. general ivan gavryliuk told

abujalil abdurasulov that ukraine is making plans to increase its domestic military production. translation: the problem of ammunition shortages, i particularly with artillery rounds will not go away. in the short term, ukraine has decided to address this issue by increasing the production of kamikaze drones. next year, we have an agreement with the netherlands and they plan to provide two billion euros in support. as for the us, the congress is supposed to approve new funds. they haven't gone on a winter break yet and are staying to solve the issue. so we're confident that our partners will continue to assist ukraine. 0verseas care home staff have told the bbc they feel exploited and trapped by the firm that brought them to the uk to work. an undercover investigation into a residential and nursing home near newcastle also saw low staffing levels, which health professionals say

was putting vulnerable residents at risk. prestwick care, the company that operates the home, denies any suggestion of systematic bad practice. the home office has since revoked its licence to recruit overseas. here's our social affairs editor, alison holt. an undercover panorama reporter spent eight weeks working as a care assistant here at addison court residential and nursing homejust outside newcastle. more than 50 residents live here, paying an average of £1,100 a week. the reporter is soon told they're short of nurses. prestwick care, which runs the home, says one nurse on duty is adequate as they're backed up by a team of care staff. but this nurse is struggling. i'm not superman.

she's from india and says she needs the visa, which is sponsored by prestwick care. and panorama has seen evidence of why some overseas staff might feel trapped. this contract from a nurse who used to work at the home shows he was told he'd have to pay more than £4,000 if he left, including home office and legal fees. the government says employers should pay this. prestwick care says it is reviewing repayment clauses in staff contracts. analysis of the accounts of the home's parent company suggests it's making high profits from its 15 care homes, but has a lower number of staff per bed than some of its competitors. aesthetically, addison court was beautiful, but the care wasn't. tracey�*s 79—year—old mother, joyce bird, used to live at the home. there had been concerns about unexplained bruises. she had alzheimer's and died last may. althouthoyce was meant

to have one—to—one care, a postmortem concluded she was alone when she died. the social worker would always say to me your mum should never have a single bruise on her. so my thoughts were that there were numerous times that she had been left unattended and that's why she was falling as much as she did. katie is an nhs nurse who used to train staff at the home weekly. over two years, she made 33 safeguarding alerts, including about unexplained bruises and injuries to residents. families think their loved ones go into 24—hour care. because they get around the clock care and they're getting looked after. and that's not what i witnessed. prestwick care is run by bunty malhotra. at a meeting for his indian staff, he makes it clear loyalty is two—way. all nurses have to be registered with the nursing and midwifery council. it's known as their pin.

and if you work for an english company, if you work for nhs, one mistake — reported to nmc straightaway. in here in 37 years, touch wood, not a single nurse has lost pin. not one. you think you don't make mistakes, you don't make mistakes, you don't make mistakes. but we will always protect our staff. this protection isn't allowed outside. oh, my god. he's almost justifying that if you make mistakes, we're going to cover it up. prestwick care says any suggestion of systematic wrongdoing or bad practice would be unfair and inaccurate, and that the safety and wellbeing of staff and residents is paramount. alison holt, bbc news. afghanistan is experiencing its third winter since the taliban takeover and it is expected to be the worst in recent decades, because of staggering cuts

in humanitarian aid. donations are falling because of difficult global economic conditions, and international sanctions on the taliban government. but the taliban's harsh restrictions on women have also played a role. for those relying on international handouts, it means millions are now going hungry. nearly all the people in this country live on less than $2 a day. half of those are women, but you wouldn't know it if you stood on a kabul street. women have all but disappeared from public life under the taliban government. denied the right to work outside their homes, they were most reliant on charity and are now hardest—hit by aid cuts. we went up the hills surrounding the city where some of the most vulnerable communities live. crude homes dot the landscape. sewage flows by the

side of mud tracks. sohaila niyazi's husband was killed in fighting during the taliban takeover. baset and baby husna are two of her six children. she's one of 10 million afghans who've stopped receiving aid from the world food programme this year. translation: it's been two months since i was able - to buy milk for my baby. i give her green tea in a feeding bottle and i give her medicine which makes her sleep from one morning to another, because if she wakes up and asks for food, i have nothing to give her. that medicine is an anti—allergy drug that sohaila is using as a sedative. now she relies entirely on food donated by her relatives and neighbours.

aid has so far also prevented healthcare from collapsing. but that's now being withdrawn, too, including from here, where zubaydah has brought her malnourished baby habisa. it's afghanistan's only children's hospital. in a corner is somaya. at 14 months, she weighs as much as a newborn. they are among the more than 3 million malnourished children in the country. it's an unprecedented ravaging of afghanistan's youngest. both of mohamed shafy�*s parents are dead. he weighs less than half of what he should at 18 months. his grandmother, hayat bibi, said the taliban helped her bring the boy here, but doesn't know how

she will get by now. "i'm relying on the mercy of god, i have nowhere else to turn to, i'm totally lost", she told us. at this hospital, doctors and nurses have already had their pay cut by half. over the past two years, we have seen firsthand the situation deteriorating all across this country. we've witnessed how aid agencies are providing the only humanitarian link, keeping people away from famine, keeping the barebones of hospitals up and running, and now, they're facing significant cuts because of a lack of funding from a world that's distracted by so much else, but which also doesn't want to give money to a country where the taliban government is imposing restrictions on women. i asked the taliban's main spokesman zabihullah mujahid, who's now based in their seat of power, kandahar, about their policies.

do you recognise, though, that it's your government's policies, especially your restrictions on women, that is a part of the problem, that is a part of the reason why donors do not want to give funds for afghanistan? translation: if aid is being used as a toolto pressure us, - then the islamic emirate has its own values which it will safeguard at any cost. afghans have made big sacrifices in the past to protect our values and will endure the cutting of aid, too. those words offer no comfort for this mother. her husband died and she must provide for her children. she told us she's been stopped multiple times by the taliban from selling fruit on the street, and even detained once. she doesn't want to be named, but she wants to be seen and heard.

translation: i'm tired of this life. they should at least allow us to go out and earn an honest living. - we are not going out to do anything bad. i if i don't work, what will my four children eat? i her 12—year—old boy now has to work to earn for the family. like most nights, they'll go to bed on bread and water, with millions of other afghans. yogita limaye, bbc news, kabul. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. bringing you different stories from across the uk. this is a place that loads of people in our area have and beyond have been drawn to. in the past, it's meant such a lot to people. i decided i wanted to paint the piece as a nighttime scene because that area is very well known for its dark skies.

and also the nighttime scene was a perfect way to say goodnight to the tree. lucy never planned to do the painting, but she was inundated with requests after the tree was felled. lucy and her team made a pledge. they plant a tree for every print sold, but they were amazed by the response. with the money from the prints lucy is going to buy 1500 trees now. she's looking for somewhere to plant them. centre stage would ultimately be the sycamore tree. a replica of it. it's my dream to create this beautiful woodland that's very natural space. a beautiful space for people to come and visit and enjoy. for more stories from across the uk, head to the bbc news website. you're live with bbc news. the serbian president says his party won a resounding victory in sunday's snap general election. final results are not due until later on monday,

but within hours of polls closing, aleksandar vucic said he was confident his serbian progressive party had secured more than half of the 250 seats. a loose coalition of 15 opposition groups had united to challenge the party, which has been in power for more than a decade. live now to our balkans correspondent guy de launey, who's in belgrade. for those who don't know a lot about serbian politics, why was this election held and what is the difference between those 15 parties who joined difference between those 15 parties whojoined in a coalition difference between those 15 parties who joined in a coalition and the governing party? the progressive -a of governing party? the progressive party of aleksandar _ governing party? the progressive party of aleksandar vucic - governing party? the progressive party of aleksandar vucic has - party of aleksandar vucic has dominated serbian politics since 2012 and the opposition, to be frank, has been in disarray for most of those years. the main opposition party splintered into smaller parties. so even if you wanted to go for an opposition party between 2012 and now you didn't have much in the way of an attractive proposition. in

the serbia against violence coalition came together that attracted more possible alternative for voters. their impetus for getting together was the two mass shootings that happened on consecutive days in may in serbia, including one at a school in which nine schoolchildren and a staff member were killed. the shooting is horrified the country, caused a great outburst about rage and the opposition parties are that is a chance to get together, to claim aleksandar vucic and the progressives for implementing what they called a culture of violence and they demanded ministerial resignations, the cancellation of the licenses of some tv stations with a said were culpable in this culture of violence. the government didn't need to demand so they asked for our election, and knowing that they had a well oiled electoral

machine, they decided to do it. find machine, they decided to do it. and the opposition parties failed. what is the real story? it is the opposition parties failed. what is the real story?— is the real story? it is a pretty aood is the real story? it is a pretty good claim of— is the real story? it is a pretty good claim of victory, - is the real story? it is a pretty good claim of victory, to - is the real story? it is a pretty good claim of victory, to be i is the real story? it is a pretty - good claim of victory, to be honest with you. any of the projections we are getting from reliable election monitors, which are based on samples of the actual votes from polling stations around the country, are telling us that the progressives have got something like 46% to 47% of the vote, serbia against violence 23% to 24% of the vote, suitable for the progressives. what the opposition is contesting is what has happened here in belgrade with the result to a municipal election. this capital of 2 million people in a country of 6.5 million people, there is a lot of power and importance attached to belgrade and the opposition were hopeful they could

win here and the opposition came within 3% uptake in victory, the protections —— projections of sad. the opposition wants a re—election because of what they call irregularities, saying thousands of people were bussed in to vote in belgrade saying that could have swung the election here, so they are going to hold a protest this evening. here in the uk, the old copper telephone network is due to be turned off at the end of 2025. calls will then need to be made using a broadband internet service, called digital voice. but the old style phone won't work without a specific adaptor. and now, the government has told phone companies to stop forcing elderly people to have digital telephone lines installed. there is concern as a result that some personal health alarms may not operate. for more on that, we are joined now by dennis reed, director of silver voices, that's a campaign group for the over 60s.

talk me through why this is an issue, why is it a bad thing that we are going digital, not only in this country, but across europe in 2025. all of us to use the internet know it is not as reliable as the traditional landline and that is the root of the problem. there are big reliability issues and also when there is a power cuts, which there often is, then the internet goes down, as we know aren't landlines generally don't go down. anybody who needs to make an emergency call, whether or not they are on the telly care type of system is struggling in those circumstances, particularly if there is a weak or nonexistent mobile signal. the whole problem is that the programme of switchover is being rushed. it is supposed to finish by the end of 2025. millions

of people are supposed to be transferred over by that time and we think it is completely unrealistic and the government needs to agree an extended timetable. what more do you want to see from the government? i believe it is engaging now with telephone companies to talk to your way of doing this that will allow both to run concurrently, is that correct? well, i don't know that. that is what we would like to see. all that has happened so far is that the government has given the telecom companies are big ticking off about people being forced to switch to the new system and they have said there is a pulse in the roll—out. i don't know what the pose means because if anybody needs to change their contract with bt or one of the other telecom giants, then they find with the new contract they are forced to go over to the new system, so it is still happening and i don't quite know what this post means. they did have a pulse last year so they can

sort these problems out. they agreed with us that they would be very careful and cautious with vulnerable people, but they haven't been doing that, and then i have to pause again. this throws the whole project into some doubt. again. this throws the whole pro'ect into some doubt.�* into some doubt. thank you for talkin: into some doubt. thank you for talking to _ into some doubt. thank you for talking to us — into some doubt. thank you for talking to us today. _ talking to us today. on the bbc website you can read this 0n the bbc website you can read this wonderful story about a dress worn ljy wonderful story about a dress worn by princess diana, which has been sold at auction for 11 times its estimated price. it sold for over $1 million.

the big day isjust a the big day is just a week away, but the weather is not currently looking particularly festive. a lot of cloud out there, some outbreaks of rain. it will become very windy over the next few days. as colder air dries to tuck in from the north there is a chance for some snow in some places later in the week. we find ourselves in something of a battleground. cold out to the north of us trying to to gain, mildertrying out to the north of us trying to to gain, milder trying to take in from the site. in between you find the jet stream of very strong winds hired in the atmosphere spinning up various areas of low pressure. we end monday on a pretty mild note in most places with of cloud, still some patchy rain across england and wales. this weather front is pushing its way southwards. 0vernight we seek light and heavy rain developing across england and wales. clear skies for northern ireland and scotland. some showers which could

be wintering over higher ground in scotland. furthersouth be wintering over higher ground in scotland. further south it remains very mild into tuesday morning with some outbreaks of heavy and persistent rain. that men will to clear southward through the day. behind that this case will brighten. we will see some spells of sunshine but scattered showers rushing in on brisk winds. some of the showers will be when upper high ground in scotland. temperatures dropping away with colder air pushing its way down from the north. by wednesday we get back into milder air. wednesday will be a windy day, cloudy day with bits and pieces of rain around, some heavy rain across some parts of western and northern scotland, and temperatures back up into double digits for many. into thursday, we are looking at potentially quite katy perry of low pressure passenger the north the uk. as the cold front slips southward to preparing a return of colder air. there will be snow showers to quite low levels in

scotland, coupled with very strong or gale force winds that could give blistered positions —— blizzard conditions. the south will hold onto some mild air, something colder further north. into the christmas period, some uncertainty aboutjust how long the cold air will stick around. it may be cold and offer some of us to see snow in the to christmas. —— run—up to christmas.

today at one — growing pressure

for a ceasefire in gaza. fierce fighting is still raging but the un security council is set to vote on another call for a ceasefire. talks are under way between parties in northern ireland in an attempt to restore power—sharing. care home workers tell the bbc they feel exploited and trapped by the firm that brought them to work in the uk. and we meet the shop owners taking matters into their own hands to protect their business this christmas. and coming up in the sport later in the hour on bbc news: we've had the draw for the last 16 in the champions league, and holders manchester city will face fc copenhagen. good afternoon.