live from washington. this is bbc news, several countries have condemned the us for veto—ing the latest un resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in gaza. instead, the us offered its own draft. alexei navalny�*s mother has demanded the return of her son's remains, the family of the russian opposition leader have been told his body won't be released for two weeks. two major parties in pakistan agree to form a coalition government, nearly two weeks after a contested vote failed to deliver a clear winner. hello, i'm sumi somaskanda. the us is facing widespread condemnation at the un security council in new york, after it vetoed a resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in gaza. it's the third time washington has blocked the move.

13 out of the 15 council members voted in favour, while britain abstained. france, a us ally, expressed regret that the measure had failed to pass, given what it called "the disastrous situation on the ground". the us argued the text would jeopardise sensitive talks to end the war between hamas and israel, and proposed a temporary ceasefire instead. washington's resolution opposes israel's plans to invade the overcrowded city of rafah, saying it would harm civilians and push them into neighbouring countries. it also rejects any actions leading to the systematic demolition of civilian infrastructure and condemns calls by some israeli government ministers forjewish settlers to move to gaza. as a condition of the truce, it calls for the release of all hostages still being held by hamas. it's not clear when or if the text will be put to a vote. our north america editor, sarah smith, has more. it sarah smith, has more. is significant you have the white it is significant you have the

white house for the first time using the word ceasefire a sign of how concerned they are at the white house of what could happen with a ground offensive and how frustrated they are with the israeli government, the president has said in public he thinks the israeli conduct of the boys been over the top and it is watered behind closed doors he uses much stronger language. until now it has been private conversations between president biden and president netanyahu when they have been discussing this. recently mr biden told him he would oppose any ground operation in rafah unless israel came up the credible and to evacuate palestinian civilians and white house officials told us today they have seen no evidence of any such plan, one of the reasons you are seeing american see playing out what public, and this proposed motion going to the un, where they are talking not about an immediate ceasefire about a temporary ceasefire, not to happen immediately but as soon as is

practicable, but exactly with the rest of the community are but it is moving a lot closer to it because the white house say israel does have a right to go to rafah to go after hamas fighters there but they want to avoid what they say could be a disaster with that ground offensive. in the last hour, i spoke with luis moreno ocampo, former prosecutor of the international criminal court. states vetoed calls for a permanent ceasefire. instead of putting forward a resolution for a temporary ceasefire because they said the former would jeopardise sensitive negotiations happening at the moment. what you make of that? i think weekly it is valid but i feel

the us very, legally it is valid. that is what is happening. because in this, the us voted in favour in december for a different solution. ordering exactly to provide humanitarian assistance and creating the condition for a ceasefire. that resolution was adopted in december, not veto. there was the first to know veto. now almost two months later, the us is back in a very weird position, they cannot stop benjamin netanyahu. the problem is now, 2 million people are dying, starving and this in the international court says is genocide. civilisation is dying. the us is needs to support the law but is supporting benjamin netanyahu who is destroying israel. i want tojump in there. i'll come back to the icj in a moment, you mentioned the political aspect

in thatjoe biden is in a weak position and cannot stop mr netanyahu to but i want to come back to the argument that we saw at the un. they need to let negotiations plough right now rather than calling for a ceasefire. do you think that could be a valid point? no. when i was a chief prosecutor i saw that, no, don't indict them now because there is a provision coming. after you indict them to arrest him. it's all the same, they belief we need to stop everything and it will fail because benjamin netanyahu is very clear that there is no return. he knows that if he stops the war, he's not the prime minister anymore and will properly go to jail. that's why he has no option. that is destroying israel. let me be clear on that.

i want to ask you one more question before going onto the icj, you say the us is in a weak position, do you see this body is being capable of doing anything right now to stop fighting either temporarily or permanently? well, 90% of the world is asking for an urgent ceasefire to protect 2 million people living in gaza. that is important. 90% of the world is saying stop this and joe biden is saying no, i will not stop it, but i will try to stop benjamin netanyahu and he's not able to do it. that's the problem. let's come to the icj which you mentioned as well, it has... as we were touching on there, the international court ofjustice has held its second day of public

hearings on the legality of israel's occupation of palestinian territories. south africa and saudi arabia were among countries to address the court on tuesday. a south african ambassador told the court that israel is applying a more extreme version of apartheid in the palestinian territories than was seen in his own country. the legal conclusion will be on an advisory basis only. we saw one by one nation by nation lawyers for countries including south africa, saudi arabia the netherlands and bangladesh telljudges inside the great hall ofjustice the great hall of justice the great hall ofjustice israel's baby amounted to a violation of the palestinian people's right to self—determination and many of them characterised that is tantamount to apartheid including south africa's ambassador who said the situation in the palestinian territories was worse, more extreme than south africa during apartheid. we will be hearing from an unprecedented number of countries, 51 in total, each will have 30 minutes to answer the question posed by the un general assembly to this court which is what are the legal consequences

arising from israel's occupation. israel has decided not to take part in these hearings but it has made a written submission, 5—page statement in which it says "this process is unhelpful for resolving the conflict because the question posed by the un is prejudiced. 0n the question posed by the un is prejudiced. on wednesday we will hear from russia and the united states, they are among the country seeking to answer that question, look at the situation and also the legal consequences that arise from it. the world food programme said it will pause aid deliveries to northern gaza until conditions allow for safe distribution. the agency says its crews have faced crowds, gunfire and looting. the un has been warning of looming famine in the north since december. and in the south, more than 30 patients, including children have been evacuated, from gaza's nasser hospital. the hospital stopped functioning last week after an israeli raid — which israel described

as a �*precise and limited' operation. the world health organization says the hospital has no electricity or running water, and conditions inside are ripe for the spread of disease. 0ur diplomatic correspondent paul adams reports. you had in has conducted two evacuation missions to the nasa hospital and khan younis removing 30 of the most seriously ill and most vulnerable patients, the un. went to nasa hospital were clearly shocked at what they saw, they had to go in with head torches, the corridors were dark, the place was filthy, they found the staff there utterly exhausted and clearly they were determined to get as many people out as they could and they want to get more. the israelis are still in charge of that hospital and everything has to be co—ordinated with them as they conduct these missions. the israelis are saying nasa hospital are still basically functional. but that is definitely not the view of the

un. since the attacks by hamas on october 7th, roughly 200 thousand people have been displaced from israel's northern and southern boundaries. now, a small number of israelis are starting to move back into communities bordering the gaza strip — many of which still bear the scars of those attacks four months ago. 0ur middle east correspondent lucy williamson travelled from israel's south to the tense northern frontier with lebanon, to look at the growing pressures from israel's displaced communities. we are to call home is what the conflict here is all about. much harder to destroy than buildings or streets. income partners are a museum to the violence of the hamas attacks, the first residents have returned. in the first residents have returned.— the first residents have returned. , ., , returned. in this house... these people _ returned. in this house... these people say - returned. in this house... these people say it - returned. in this house... these people say it gets i returned. in this house... - these people say it gets lonely here at night.— here at night. they were not successful— here at night. they were not successful in _ here at night. they were not successful in getting - here at night. they were not successful in getting us - here at night. they were not successful in getting us so i successful in getting us so they burn the house down.

dozens were killed and taken hostage here when hamas gunman overran the kibbutz on the seventh of october. the war in gaza, a mile away, now the backdrop to life. no—one else has come back to live here full—time. faith in israel's ability to protect left in tatters. , tatters. maybe the call themselves _ tatters. maybe the call themselves and - tatters. maybe the call. themselves and convince themselves and convince themselves what they are saying is the truth, but obviously, it wasn't. it was a lie and we all bought into it, definitely. a lot will have to change. bi; bought into it, definitely. a lot will have to change. by the sea of galilee _ lot will have to change. by the sea of galilee we _ lot will have to change. by the sea of galilee we met - lot will have to change. by the l sea of galilee we met residents from a kibbutz evacuated from israel's northern frontier. their village targeted by missiles from the lebanese group hezbollah a hamas ally.

lunchis group hezbollah a hamas ally. lunch is brought in from the village each day, costs and frustrations are rising. but conditions for living on the frontline have changed. the situation — frontline have changed. the situation has _ frontline have changed. tue: situation has changed frontline have changed. tte: situation has changed since we have been evacuated. suddenly we realised that going back to something that we used to live that way is no longer an option. it is no longer an option. it is no longer an option that we be under the threat of some guy in beirut that would like to pull the trigger in time he likes. hostility along the northern border is mounting. war with hamas is the way to restore security in the south, israelis prime minister says but here at the northern front, metres from lebanon on they face a better equipped, better trained enemy, so what is a solution here? the israeli defence minister has said the diplomatic hourglass is running out, the israeli war

hamas has led some to say it should take on hezbollah as well but hezbollah is a different kind of enemy and this would be a different kind of war. israel says hezbollah must retreat from the border before residents can return but neither time nor diplomacy has moved the dial. empty homes, domestic hostages in this conflict, for which israel's government is paying a rising price. one day after alexei navalny�*s widow, yulia, posted a video blaming russian president vladimir putin for her husband's death, alexei's mother has posted a video of her own, in a direct appeal to putin. lyudmila navalnaya says that she just wants to bury her son with dignity. take a listen. translation: behind my back is a colony where on february 16, my son alexei navalny died. it's the fifth day

that i cannot see him. they won't hand over his body to me, and they won't even tell me where he is. i speak to you, vladimir putin — the decision on the question depends only on you. let me finally see my son. i demand you immediately hand over the body of alexei so that i can bury him. the kremlin on tuesday rejected a call by the council of the european union for an independent examination of navalny�*s remains. president biden said tuesday the us will announce a �*major sanctions package' against russia in response to navalny�*s death. the white house has offered limited details but said the sanctions will target a range of different elements of russia's defense industrial base, sources of revenue for russia's economy, as well as actions to hold putin accountable for two years of war in ukraine. the white house said the sanctions will be unveiled on friday, which marks the eve of the two—year anniversary of russia's invasion. the uk's foreign secretary david cameron also vowed that the uk will punish russia

for navalny�*s death. there will be consequences, what we do in these situations as we look at how someone's human rights have been damaged in the individual people that caused that and were able to go after those people with particular measures. meanwhile, russian authorities are now actively searching for alexei navalny�*s brother, 0leg navalny, that according to a russian state—owned media report. the report said russia has opened a new criminal case against 0leg, but did not say why he is being investigated. he was already on russia's wanted list for charges that critics have compared to those placed on his brother. in pakistan, two major parties have reached an agreement to form a coalition government after days of negotiations. the deal will see asif ali zardari of the pakistan people's party become the main candidate for the presidency. and shehbaz sharif, the younger brother of former prime minister nawaz sharif, will be the coalition�*s pick for prime minister. the agreement ends days of uncertainty, following the february 8th vote, in which candidates backed by the party of former

prime minister, imran khan, won the largest number of seats in parliament. but they did not win enough for an outright majority. farhat javed with bbc urdu has more. these two parties have a long history of building cases against each other, corruption cases that both have been calling politically motivated cases in the last four years we have seen have been sitting together, for example these two parties were two major parties to oust the former prime minister imran khan from his office in 2022, and then for the next two years they successfully ruled the country and i once again there is this alliance. running the government will not be easy for pakistan because for the last two years there has been political turmoil and then there is economic instability in the country, the pakistan economy has been on the verge of default and with that there is rising internal security

situation, there have been terrorist attacks across the country so these are the challenges in coalition that forms the government and pakistan will be facing and these are not easy to tackle. the process for electing the prime minister involves a parliamentary vote, which is expected by the end of february. a separate election to decide the next president will be held in the coming weeks. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at some top stories in the uk. police in london say a body has been found in the river thames by officers searching for the chemical attack suspect abdul shokoor ezedi. the suspect had been on the run following an attack on a woman and her two children in south london injanuary. authorities said distinctive clothing on the body led them to believe it is ezedi. but they have not made any official confirmation. britain's prime minister announced plans to help british farmers. in a speech to the national farmers union annual conference, rishi sunak outlined details of how to boost the uk's food security. the union largely welcomed the news, but said the scheme includes no new actual money. farming groups say more needs

to be done to protect the sector from overseas competition. the body shop has started to shut almost half of its 198 stores in the uk, after it went into administration last week. the move will lead to hundreds ofjob losses. the company's administrators say the cuts would "help "re—energise" the brand. the stores immediately affected include four in london, where rents and other overheads are highest. you're live with bbc news. the wikileaks founder julian assange began his latest attempt to fight his extradition from the uk to the united states. he's wanted in the us for disclosing secret military files more than a decade ago. assange's lawyers accuse the us of "state retaliation" over its bid to prosecute the wikileaks founder. speaking to the bbc earlier, assange's brother gabriel shipton discussed what he sees as the dangers involved with being sent to the us. if he were to be extradited, his life would be at risk and it could lead to his death.

there's also a chance that if he is extradited, his prosecution is changed to include the death penalty which exists under the espionage act. there is a very real risk that him being extradited could lead even to him being executed under the espionage act if his prosecution is looked at again. it's a real risk. julian assange's brother gabriel also told the bbc that the wikileaks founder was unable to attend the hearing due to his poor health. if this latest plea by assange's legal team fails, he will have exhausted all appeal routes in the uk and will enter the process of extradition. the bbc also spoke about the case with jamil n jaffer, who formerly served as senior counsel to the us house permanent select committee on intelligence. he discussed what he expects to happen. i think what will end up happening if he is returned he he will come to us custody in

england handed over to us authorities and owing to the states and held in eddie royal is an pending his charges, as lawyers well filed similar claims in us courts they have filed a broad including his rights as a journalist, if he has rights of free speech is not a us citizen he has been prosecuted in the units types he will be tried if he is not able to get out of court, then question if he is convicted where he should serve that sentence, australians have said he could serve a sentence in australia that will be another issue for the government to deal with and when he is convicted of the charges and held accountable. let's turn to some important news around the world. a prosecutor in the us charged two men with murderfor last week's deadly shooting at the super bowl victory parade in kansas city. a woman died and 22 others were injured. police say the men were arguing and that led to the gunfire. they've been identified as dominic miller and lyndell mays. both men were wounded during the incident. a former fbi informant charged with fabricating claims

about a bribery scheme involving presidentjoe biden and his son hunter has �*extensive' contacts with russian intelligence agencies. that's according to the justice department. alexander smirnov was arrested last week and charged with making false statements about alleged corruption involving a ukrainian energy company. his claim became central to the republican impeachment inquiry of president biden in congress. an appeals court in chile has ordered the re—opening of an investigation into the death of poet pablo neruda. the nobel laureate was a prominent member of chile's communist party when the dictator, augusto pinochet, seized power in 1973. relatives of the poet said last week that forensic tests had revealed he'd been poisoned while in a hospital for cancer treatment. in the us, reactions to an alabama supreme court ruling on embryos continue to pour in — with the white house criticizing the decision that considers frozen, fertilized eggs to be children. on friday, alabama's top court ruled that fertilized eggs created for in—vitro

fertilization, or ivf, can be considered children under state law — and that individuals can be held liable for destroying them. the verdict allows three couples to sue for wrongful death after their frozen embryos were destroyed in an accident at a fertility clinic. in the majority ruling, justice jay mitchell says, the national infertility association calls the ruling, quote: meanwhile in the uk, an unprecedented number of women are being investigated by police on suspicion of illegally ending their pregnancy — that's according to two of britain's biggest abortion providers. the bbc has found evidence that women who have had natural pregnancy losses have also come under investigation. divya talwar reports. sammy was seven months pregnant when she says she started feeling unwell. t

when she says she started feeling unwell.— feeling unwell. i had a backache. _ feeling unwell. i had a backache. i— feeling unwell. i had a backache. i thought i feeling unwell. i had a backache. ithought ll feeling unwell. i had a i backache. ithought i am feeling unwell. i had a - backache. i thought i am having the baby. then 1015 minutes later, he is here. he was blue and lifeless. the paramedic on the phone talked me through cpr. ,, ., _ cpr. she and her baby were taken to hospitals _ cpr. she and her baby were taken to hospitals she - cpr. she and her baby were taken to hospitals she said l cpr. she and her baby were i taken to hospitals she said the next thing she remembers as the police arresting her husband. both of them are placed under investigation suspected of trying to illegally enter the pregnancy. we trying to illegally enter the pregnancy-— trying to illegally enter the re . nan . ~ , . pregnancy. we were 'ust treated like criminals h pregnancy. we were 'ust treated like criminals from _ pregnancy. we were just treated like criminals from the _ pregnancy. we were just treated like criminals from the get - pregnancy. we were just treated like criminals from the get go. i like criminals from the get go. when she found out she was pregnant she had initially wanted a termination, abortion is legal in britain before 2a weeks of pregnancy, she thought she was well within the legal limit but say stuff at the abortion clinic told her she was over the cut of. t abortion clinic told her she was over the cut of. i broke down i couldn't _ was over the cut of. i broke down i couldn't believe - was over the cut of. i broke down i couldn't believe i. was over the cut of. i broke l down i couldn't believe i was near enough 26.— down i couldn't believe i was near enough 26. she says she was honest — near enough 26. she says she was honest with _ near enough 26. she says she was honest with police - near enough 26. she says she was honest with police and i was honest with police and hospital staff about wanting an abortion, even told them she looked for bills but never

bought or took them. but after the premature delivery police suspected an illegal abortion might have been though her baby survived she has faced a year—long investigation. mental health has declined in the last year. abortion provider say since 2020 a growing number of women are facing criminal investigations on suspicion of illegally ending a pregnancy. we are probably talking about 50 - 60 we are probably talking about 50 — 60 falling under active criminal investigation. but that compares to pretty well zero before 2018.— that compares to pretty well zero before 2018. they want to see abortion — zero before 2018. they want to see abortion fully _ see abortion fully decriminalised, there is space opposition to that. if decriminalised, there is space opposition to that.— opposition to that. if you don't have _ opposition to that. if you don't have the _ opposition to that. if you j don't have the possibility opposition to that. if you i don't have the possibility of prosecution, and you don't have the possibility of some sort of sentence, you are in danger of having more of these cases and not fewer. we do need a deterrent.— not fewer. we do need a deterrent. ,,., , . not fewer. we do need a deterrent. .. , . ., deterrent. sammy received a call from _

deterrent. sammy received a call from police _ deterrent. sammy received a call from police told - deterrent. sammy received a call from police told her - deterrent. sammy received a call from police told her the l call from police told her the investigation had been dropped off the force who handled her case told us a thorough investigation was necessary to safeguard all involved. she said no further action would be taken against sammy or her partner. t taken against sammy or her artner. , , ., ., ., , partner. i burst out into tears i could partner. i burst out into tears i could not — partner. i burst out into tears i could not believe _ partner. i burst out into tears i could not believe what - partner. i burst out into tears i could not believe what i - partner. i burst out into tears i could not believe what i was hearing after all these months and weeks of not knowing. i would not wish it upon anybody. and before we go, the fab four are making another appearance on the silver screen. or rather, four appearances, to be precise. oscar—winning director sam mendes is set to make a series of films about the beatles, each from the perspective of a different band member. it's the first time paul mccartney, ringo starr and the families ofjohn lennon and george harrison have granted permission to make a scripted film about the legendary group. mendes will also have access to their famous music. mendes says he's honored to be telling their stories. the movies are due to hit cinemas in 2027. thank you for watching. i'm sumi somaskanda. i'll be back in half an hour with more.

stay with us here on bbc news. hello. with the ground saturated across most parts of the uk right now, the prospect of more rain is only going to enhance the risk of flooding over the next few days. and rain it will be, also accompanied by some stronger winds as well. now, rainfall totals for the next two days shows that all of us will see that wetter weather. but it's these darker colors and the bright greens in the west, which shows the highest rainfall totals on the hills — over 50 millimetres — and where it is actually linked into this strip of cloud which stretches all the way from the caribbean towards us, bringing up airfrom the mid—atlantic. so it's again mild air. so even after that initial dip in temperatures, by the start of wednesday morning, it is going to be milder there but a pretty wet, miserable rush hourfor many. driest and brightest weather across 0rkney and shetland, rain's with you through the afternoon, but it's a day for some of you where the second half

of the day is much better than the first. northern ireland brightening up by lunchtime. bright conditions developing across scotland, northern and western england and wales will stay cloudy. east anglia, the south east and in the channel it will stay pretty wet. a windy day across the board. winds touching gale force. and even though it will be mild on the face of it, 11—13 degrees, it's that wind which will temper the feel. now that first batch of rain gets out of the way, but it still links into some more persistent rain around the english channel through the night and into thursday morning. another batch of pretty lively downpours will work the way in from the west, and that will be dividing line between the milder air that sits there through the night in the southeast and something colder to the north and west with some frost and ice. and that colder air will gradually push its way in as we go through into thursday, pushing across all parts of the uk as rain gradually clears its way eastwards and it'll push us back really to the way february should feel now. it's a mild start for much of england wales, outbreaks of rain heavy at times strong winds developing through the english channel. the rain does edge

out of the way british skies showers will develop and there'll be a mixture of rain, hail and also a bit of sleet and snow over the hills, too, with temperatures by the end of the afternoon in mid to high single figures. cold start to friday as well compared to what we've been used to. but again, it'll be a day of sunshine and showers. some of you have a better chance of staying dry than you will do over the next few days. but when the showers form again, they'll be on the heavy side, quite lively and it will be wintry over the hills just about anywhere. stay with the cooler conditions into the weekend. there will be some dry and bright weather. there'll be a few showers scattered around too. take care.

the us promises more major sanctions on russia. we'll look at what this could mean for the economy. and how climate change is hitting the panama canal, this exacerbating the supply chain crisis. welcome to asia business report. lets begin in the us where presidentjoe biden hasjust presidentjoe biden has just announced presidentjoe biden hasjust announced plans to impose major sanctions on russia. officials say the measures will target a range of items, including sources of revenue for the economy. the move follows the death of prominent russian opposition leader alexei navalny,

and comes as the war in ukraine rages on. more from new york.