in the uk police are investigating alleged racist comments made by a top tory donor, frank hester — who's given £10 million to the conservative party. and hope for thousands of patients with suspected lung cancer being offered a blood test which can show if they can get early access to alternative therapies. hello. welcome to verified live, welcome to verified live. we start with the drama at the un security council — where russia and china have blocked a us draft resolution, that tied an immediate ceasefire in gaza to the release of hostages held by hamas. it was the first time america had supported calls for an immediate ceasefire in the region, having previously used its own veto to block such demands. the draft us resolution also called for more aid to enter gaza and voiced us objections

to an israeli offensive in rafah. the us ambassador called russia and china's vetos notjust cynical — but petty. russia and china simply did not want to vote for a resolution that was penned by the united states because it would rather see us fail than to see this council succeed. even after inclusive consultations over weeks and weeks. even after negotiations and edits produced a draft that received overwhelming council support. and as you saw today, nearly every council member voted to put the full weight of this body behind the diplomatic efforts to secure an immediate and sustained ceasefire as part of a deal that leads to the release of all hostages, that will allow much more humanitarian aid to get into gaza. but once again russia put politics over progress. russia, who has carried out

an unprovoked war on its neighbour, has the audacity and hypocrisy to throw stones when it lives in a glass house itself. so let's be honest, for all the fiery rhetoric, we all know that russia and china are not doing anything diplomatically to advance lasting peace or to meaningfully contribute to the humanitarian response effort. let's hearfrom riyad mansour, palestinian ambassador to the un who gave his reaction to the resolution and said that it wasn't adequate enough in the first place. actually, it is not calling for a ceasefire. it expresses the urgencies of a ceasefire connected with negotiation and the release of the hostages. so, therefore, it is not a crystal clear call for a ceasefire, as it is reflected in the resolution

of the countries from the e10. so, we need to speak about these things with clarity, not to add spin to that. our correspondent in new york nada tawfik gave us her analysis of the us draft resolution being blocked. we have seen kind of, despite international calls for a ceasefire, different iterations of wording, either calling for a pause in the fighting or creating conditions for a sustainable ceasefire or a temporary ceasefire, as soon as practicable. and what the united states did here with its draft is it very much tied an immediate ceasefire to the hostage deal. and what russia and china, in their criticism and in blocking this draft, along with algeria, which voted against it, and guiana, which

abstained, they all made a point that they felt this resolution actually put conditions on an immediate ceasefire and therefore didn't really call 41. they were also concerned the draft, while it expressed concerns about a military operation in rafah, could have been stronger in outright opposing it because there is real concern about how that would impact civilians and increase the death toll, how many palestinian civilians would be killed in an offensive in rafah, so that was the reason given by russia and china for blocking this resolution. now, the resolution did get 11 members to vote in favour of it, that is because many members thought any attempt here to get something was better than nothing. but they did also very pointedly expressed support for a rival draft resolution that is on the table by the elected seven members of the security council, which does have an

outright demand for an immediate ceasefire, calls for the unconditional release of hostages, and for more humanitarian aid into gaza. let's latest events in new york, let's cross over to israel. —— that is the latest events in new york. benjamin netanyahu has told america's most senior diplomat that israel remains determined to send troops into rafah — regardless of us opposition. the defiant message came during talks between mr netanyahu and antony blinken in tel aviv. translation: i met with antony bfinken translation: i met with antony blinken today _ translation: i met with antony blinken today and _ translation: i met with antony blinken today and told _ translation: i met with antony blinken today and told him - translation: i met with antony blinken today and told him i - translation: i met with antony i blinken today and told him i greatly appreciate the fact that for more than five months we have been standing together in the war against hamas. i also told him we recognise the need to evacuate the civilian publishing from the war zones and of course also take care of the humanitarian needs and we are working to that end is. but i also said we have no way to defeat hamas without going into rafah and eliminating the rest of the battalions there and i told him i hope we will do it with the support of the united states but if we have

to we will do it alone. it was israel pellagra prime minister, the us secretary state andrew blinken has also been speaking just before departing from israel. he said an offensive on the city of rafah would risk further isolating israel and damaging its long—term security. we isolating israel and damaging its long-term security.— isolating israel and damaging its long-term security. we are trying to show the international _ long-term security. we are trying to show the international community's| show the international community's sense _ show the international community's sense of— show the international community's sense of urgency about getting a ceasefire — sense of urgency about getting a ceasefire tied to the release of hostages, something everyone including the countries that vetoed the resolution, should have been able to— the resolution, should have been able to get behind those of the resolution of course also condemned hamas _ resolution of course also condemned hamas it's — resolution of course also condemned hamas. it's unimaginable why countries _ hamas. it's unimaginable why countries wouldn't be able to do that _ countries wouldn't be able to do that but — countries wouldn't be able to do that but i — countries wouldn't be able to do that. but i think the fact that we -ot that. but i think the fact that we got such— that. but i think the fact that we got such a — that. but i think the fact that we got such a strong vote despite the veto hy— got such a strong vote despite the veto by two of the permanent members of the _ veto by two of the permanent members of the security council again as evidence, _ of the security council again as evidence, a demonstration of the commitment and conviction of countries _ commitment and conviction of countries around the world, beyond the security council, to see about getting _ the security council, to see about getting the ceasefire, getting the

release _ getting the ceasefire, getting the release of hostages, now. let's talk to our correspondent injerusalem mark lowen. fascinating what we've been listening to in the last hour, the israeli prime minister at the secretary of state, but those comments from benjamin netanyahu that rafah would go ahead even if there was resistance and objections from america, the strain in this relationship is out in the open now, isn't it? ~ , , ~' relationship is out in the open now, isn't it? ~ , , ,, �*, isn't it? absolutely, i think it's -robabl isn't it? absolutely, i think it's probably the — isn't it? absolutely, i think it's probably the most _ isn't it? absolutely, i think it's probably the most overtly - probably the most overtly acrimonious moment in the relationship between the us and israel in living memory. you know, last week you had the president of the us endorsing remarks by the senate majority leader coin for net on �*s river placement, calling him an obstacle to peace —— calling for netanyahu's replacement. and now in is meeting, dribbling and saying, we will not support you if you push the

military to rafah —— antony blinken saying that. and they have some of the delegation to washington next week to explain themselves, in effect, say what they intend to do in rafah, and for the americans to say, we have an alternative plan, we think this is how you should conduct an operation and not send the military in, but there is an alternative way to do meet hamas in the eyes of the americans. clearly the eyes of the americans. clearly the relationship is extremely poor at the moment but, you know, like it or not the americans have to work with benjamin netanyahu for the time being. there is a view here which is forming which is that benjamin netanyahu is trying to push an offensive in rafah, talk about stringing amps the war, because he knows that when this war ends in gaza, so to cut his political career, that there could well be elections, that he could well lose his position as prime minister. he is intensely unpopular now. he is extremely vulnerable. but, you know,

we are five and a half months into this war with a 32,000 people dead according to local officials in gaza, and they have to find a way of bringing this to an end, and clearly expanding and is in the rafah would not be a way of doing that. mark, thanks a lot for that. mark, thanks a lot for that. away from the diplomacy and politics — let's turn to the human stories this war has produced. this is 12—year—old alma, whose parents were killed along with four of her siblings. more than 13,000 children have been killed in gaza, since israel's bombardment began five months ago, according to the un children's agency, unicef. the assault on gaza was sparked by the hamas attacks on israel on october 7th 7 which killed around 1200 israelis, most of them civilians. 0rla guerin, our senior international correspondent, brings us this special report — and a warning — it contains accounts viewers may find distressing. at times alma jaroor can

forgetjust for a moment, especially when she's playing with her cousins. here they fashion a kite from scraps and imagination. she now lives with her aunt and uncle in a tent in rafah, a 12—year—old who has seen and lost far too much. a shout from under the rubble — "i'm alma." "can you see my light?" asks mahmoud, the rescue worker. "i swear i'll get to you." alma asks for her sister and brothers. "bravo, alma," he says as she emerges after three hours buried alive. "where are your brothers and sister?"

he asks. "they're over here," she says. "and my mum is over there." translation: i am 12 years old and the only| survivor of my family. the first place we fled to was bombed. and the second. and in the third place, the bomb hit us. they were all killed. we were happy together as a family, though we were scared. we used to hug each other tightly out of fear. this was her baby brother, tarazan. translation: i hoped my brother tarazan would still be alive. - i was calling out to him. ifound him in an unimaginable state. his head severed.

what a memory for a child to carry. translation: | wish for death | after seeing my brother like that. he was only 18 months old. what has he done in this war? this is what war has done to gaza. neighbourhoods flattened by israel as if by an earthquake, and countless families like alma's entombed as they slept. their building was hit by an israeli air strike, relatives say. israel says it tries to minimize civilian casualties. alma's mother, father, sister and brothers are still buried under this mound of concrete. 0nly tarazan�*s body was recovered.

translation: there were 140 refugees in the building, including us. _ and only some of the bodies have been found. it has been three months and their bodies are decomposing under the rubble. i long to see them and give them a proper burial. alma is the only child in this photo still alive. all of the cousins around her were killed in the attack. she has found comfort with her uncle's family, but like every child in gaza, she could be killed at any moment. what alma wants now is to reach her grandmother, who lives abroad. "i want to hug her," she says, "and feel safe." 0rla guerin, bbc news, jerusalem.

we will talk live tour or the gear and in the next hour here on today's verified life. —— live to 0rla guerin. in the last hour of the hamas run health ministry has released figures on casualties since the invasion began, or military offensive began, we are told 32,070 palestinians have been killed with 74,000 palestinians have been killed with 7a,000 being injured since october the 7th, so those figures just coming into us. we will speak live on the programme to james elder, spokesperson for unicef, who started the day by saying that a ceasefire was gaza's last chance, he talked to me just after that resolution was rejected at the un. probably best to share the reaction of palestinians. i mean, yesterday when i was in a hospital in the north, a large number of women

were in tears to me, simply saying, "ceasefire," over and over. this is notjust the language of the security council. this is the language of gaza, right now. so it's devastating news. it's a serious blow, of course, and we have called at the highest levels of the un and unicef for a ceasefire for a long, long time. people in the north with imminent famine, people in the south with the relentless bombardments and1.3,1.1i million people now in this city of children, they are holding on by a thread. this really was what we hoped, what they hoped would be a defining day for them. and you would have heard that interview i was doing with danny danon, asking about the potential for an offensive in rafah. the israeli prime minister saying in the last hour and a half that it would go ahead, that it's still the plan even in the face of america saying they should not. how alarmed are you at the prospect of any sort of ground offensive in rafah? terrified, like everyone is. i mean, we know the numbers,

it's a city of children. there used to be 200,00 or 300,00 people, now there are 600,000 ——there used to be 200,000 or 300,000 people, now there are 600,000 or 700,000 children here. the idea that they can move somewhere else, rafah is the last place with most of the functioning hospitals, the functioning water points. the neighbouring city khan younis, i was in a few days ago, i have not seen devastation, annihilation of the city like that in my 20 years. gaza city, not very different. there is nowhere quite to go. and so the numbers are so clear. the lack of water systems, sanitation, anywhere else. i was in a hospital a few hours ago, and so many people, mother and a father, both with amputations, a very seriously wounded child, where do they go? a brother and sister, he has lost his eye, she's got terrible injuries to her face, where do they go? thousands of people in that hospital taking shelter. where do they go? there is nowhere for them to go. it beggars belief that there is still discussion on a military

offensive in what is a city of children. for people, as i say, who arejust hanging on, just the last little bit of food they've got, water, to think that you would have a military offensive go through there, well, catastrophe upon catastrophe for children here. that was james elder talking to me a short while ago. around the world and across the uk this is bbc news.

you are alive at bbc news —— you are live with bbc news. russia has attacked ukraine's power infrastructure — with drones and missiles overnight — in one of the most intensive wave of attacks in months. it's left around a million people without power and at least five people dead. ukraine's state hydropower company said a russian strike hit ukraine's largest dam in zaporizhzhia, but there was no risk of a breach. russia says the air strikes were to avenge ukrainian attacks on russian territory.

0ur eastern europe correspondent sarah rainsford, in kyiv for us. she gave me latest. certainly this was a massive attack right across the country. there were targets in every corner of ukraine overnight. massive barrage of both missiles and drones fired, as you said. and i was just speaking to somebody in kharkiv, in ukraine's second city, they were saying there was a total blackout since the first missiles hit this morning. they said in fact there was a record number of missiles fired at kharkiv city's power infrastructure since the beginning of this war, so a huge attack. they say, though, that the city goes on. they say if you walk around the city today, generators are working, even cafes and restaurant are open, this is an extremely resilient country and kharkiv in particular has come under so many attacks in the last two years it has learned to be resilient.

but still this was a devastating attack, as you mentioned, the main hydroelectric power station in ukraine, which is in zaporizhzhia in the south—east, that was also attacked, several missiles hit there. we also know about residential buildings which were destroyed. two people were killed and found under the ruins of their home. so really a devastating attack. russia saying this is about retaliation and retribution for ukrainian strikes, attacks on belgorod inside russia, but of course ukraine would say this of vladimir putin's war, he launched a it years ago, and now has found himself back in power for another six years, has vowed to carry on prosecuting that war and that war means devastation for ukraine every single day. police in west yorkshire have opened an investigation into whether one of the conservative party's biggest donors committed a crime when he allegedly made racist comments about britain's longest—serving black mp diane abbott. frank hester reportedly said diane abbott made him "want to hate all black women"..

"want to hate all black women". and that she should be shot. earlier, the prime minister was asked about those comments. 0bviously obviously it would not be right for me to comment on police matters but as i have said, what he said was wrong and racist and he has rightfully apologised for it. 0ur political correspondent helen catt has the latest on this. it's a statement issued this morning by west yorkshire police that said they are investigating the comments allegedly made by the conservative donor frank hester, actually, i should be cleared, the police did not name him. what they set in their statement was that they are investigating what they described as racist comments which were allegedly made at a meeting in leeds in 2019, and it's the location of the meeting which is why west yorkshire is investigating. it comes after an initial complaint had been made to the metropolitan police's parliamentary and investigation team. but because it took place in leeds, that's why they're investigating.

the force said that officers had been working to establish the facts and ultimately ascertain whether a crime has been committed. the statement also went on to say that it recognises the strong reaction to these allegations and appreciated everyone who had contacted us since the initial article in the guardian, which is where those comments were first reported, was published. data obtained by bbc news shows the highest outstanding student debt in the uk is almost £250,000, the student involved is known to have taken multiple courses and now owes £231,000 in student debt, more than five times the average. is the cost of going to university too much? are students leaving burdened with unmanageable debt? new figures acquired by the bbc from freedom of information request show one person who had done multiple degrees had a student debt of £231,000. another has a community

interest alone of £55,000. 0n interest alone of £55,000. on average, a student in england will leave university with a debt of around £45,000. the figures in wales and northern ireland. in scotland, tuition fees are paid by the scottish government. this doctor has a debt of £103,000. the scottish government. this doctor has a debt of £103,000.— a debt of £103,000. the amount of mone i a debt of £103,000. the amount of money i will — a debt of £103,000. the amount of money i will end _ a debt of £103,000. the amount of money i will end up _ a debt of £103,000. the amount of money i will end up paying - a debt of £103,000. the amount of money i will end up paying over- a debt of £103,000. the amount of money i will end up paying over thej money i will end up paying over the 30 year period that the loan is outstanding for will be, i think, in the sum of five times how much i actually borrowed from the government. and considering that three years earlier, i would have paid a third less in tuition fees, you know, itjust becomes a bit of a joke, that generation after generation, theyjust make things worse. generation, they 'ust make things worse. , ., , generation, they 'ust make things worse. , ., worse. this land i was 'ust over £80,000. * worse. this land i was 'ust over £80,000. the t worse. this land i was 'ust over £80,000. the worst _ worse. this land i wasjust over £80,000. the worst thing - worse. this land i wasjust over £80,000. the worst thing is i worse. this land i wasjust over. £80,000. the worst thing is the interest, £80,000. the worst thing is the interest. i _ £80,000. the worst thing is the interest, i know _ £80,000. the worst thing is the interest, i know over _ £80,000. the worst thing is the interest, i know over the - £80,000. the worst thing is the interest, i know over the course | £80,000. the worst thing is the | interest, i know over the course of my interest, i know over the course of niy career— interest, i know over the course of niy career at— interest, i know over the course of my career at the interest will keep going _ my career at the interest will keep going up— my career at the interest will keep going up and i think eventually i did a _ going up and i think eventually i did a little calculation, it works

out to — did a little calculation, it works out to be — did a little calculation, it works out to be about 250 k that i'm sopposed _ out to be about 250 k that i'm supposed end up paying back, and that number scares me even more! students _ that number scares me even more! students leaving university today will pay 9% of their income once they earn £27,000. the balance is cancelled after 30 years. it’s they earn £27,000. the balance is cancelled after 30 years.— cancelled after 30 years. it's not that in the _ cancelled after 30 years. it's not that in the traditional _ cancelled after 30 years. it's not that in the traditional sense, - cancelled after 30 years. it's not that in the traditional sense, it l that in the traditional sense, it won't — that in the traditional sense, it won't affect _ that in the traditional sense, it won't affect your— that in the traditional sense, it won't affect your credit - that in the traditional sense, it won't affect your credit score, i that in the traditional sense, it. won't affect your credit score, you won't _ won't affect your credit score, you won't have — won't affect your credit score, you won't have bailiffs— won't affect your credit score, you won't have bailiffs coming - won't affect your credit score, you won't have bailiffs coming to - won't affect your credit score, you won't have bailiffs coming to your| won't have bailiffs coming to your dooi’r _ won't have bailiffs coming to your door, it _ won't have bailiffs coming to your door, it in — won't have bailiffs coming to your door, it in niany_ won't have bailiffs coming to your door, it in many ways— won't have bailiffs coming to your door, it in many ways operates i won't have bailiffs coming to your. door, it in many ways operates more like attacks — door, it in many ways operates more like attacks. the _ door, it in many ways operates more like attacks— like attacks. the department for education in _ like attacks. the department for education in england _ like attacks. the department for education in england said - like attacks. the department for education in england said no - like attacks. the department for| education in england said no new graduates will pay back more than they originally borrowed when inflation is taken into account. at the national union of students said the national union of students said the figures were eye watering and it was time for a fully funded system, free at the point of use. let's end this front half hour by turning to a story that's proving to be really controversial here in the uk. it's all around the england football

kit, let me point due to the website, that colour, you can see the england colours, the flag there on the colour, that is what is causing all of the controversy. the prime minister has been dragged into it, saying leave the kit, don't mess with the kit. a lot about the colours used rather than the saint george's cross, that is normally on the england kit. and the fa having to put out a statement in the last little while, talking about the kit, saying it has a number of design elements which were meant to be a tribute to the 1966 world cup winning team, and talking about the trim there. the nikkei, who have produced this kit will have no plan to recall it or change it, but certainly lots of football fans having their say and politicians go to —— nike, who produced this kit, have no plan to record it or change it. hello, if you've been out and about

today, you may have noticed a change in the feel of the weather, certainly compared to what some of us had a couple of days ago, when temperatures in england got close to 19. tomorrow we will see afternoon highs of more like nine celsius, colder air digging down from the north, behind a weather front, colder air digging down from the north, behind a weatherfront, which you can see here on our earlier satellite image, this line of cloud has been bringing some outbreaks of rain. behind that, speckle shower close racing in, it's quite windy up towards the north—west of the uk, gales and the far north, plenty of showers, some heavy with hail and thunder, some wintry over high ground, particularly in scotland. temperatures if anything coming down, as we head towards the end of the day through the evening and tonight we will lose the last of the weather front, tonight we will lose the last of the weatherfront, see tonight we will lose the last of the weather front, see some clear skies, but plenty more showers, some heavy thundery ones, and some wintry over the high ground is in the north of the high ground is in the north of the uk. staying fairly when the overnight but despite that temperatures will drop quite close to freezing, so on some roads out of the countryside across northern england, northern ireland and scotland there may be one or two icy

patches. into tomorrow, low pressure in charge, passing to the north of the uk. lots of isobars on that chart, showing it will be windy, and we will see plenty of showers pushing across many areas. perhaps a line of more organised, heavy, thundery showers drifting south was, some of those will continue to be wintry over high ground in the north. why the windy day, gusts of 40 or 50 mph in northern and western parts. temperatures on the thermometer nine or ten, not unusual for the time of year but certainly don't know where we have been, and when you factor in the wind chill, these early feels like temperatures, we can knock a few degrees of those tempter values, five or 6 degrees the like numbers for saturday afternoon —— temperature values. saturday night the winds will ease a bit of a staying bluster, i think before eastern coasts of scotland and england, where we could still see some showers, then a slice of drier, clearer, calmerweather before band of cloud and rain pushed

on from the westerley from the day. temperatures up a little bit, 9—13, but it looks very unsettled as we head into next week, showers are longer spells of rain at times, and nothing particularly warm in the offing for the coming days.

this is bbc news. the headlines: drama at the un as russia and china

veto a us draught resolution which tied an immediate ceasefire in gaza to hostage releases. russia and china simply did not want to vote for a resolution that was penned by the united states because it would rather see us fail than to see this council succeed. russia has launched massive drone and missile attacks against ukraine. we have a special report of our eastern europe correspondent from an area along the border with russia that has seen intense bombardments in recent days. haiti continues to spiral into violence and a humanitarian crisis. education is increasingly one of the biggest casualties as young people are forced to choose between their studies and surviving the chaos. we will have a report from our central america and caribbean correspondent, will grant. red, white, or multicoloured — does it matter? nike thinks not, while rishi sunak warns "don't mess" with flag on england's football kit. we have the latest.