hello, i'm christian fraser. you're watching the context on bbc news. the result of the voting is as follows — 1a votes in favour. zero votes against. one abstention. applause. the draught resolution has been adopted as resolution 2728. we did not agree with everything in the resolution. for that reason, we were unfortunately not able to vote yes. however, as i've said before, we fully support some of the critical objectives in this non—binding resolution. we call for this resolution to be implemented immediately. - | president, we need to focus on how| we chart the way from an immediate humanitarian pause to a lasting,

sustainable peace without - a return to fighting. the un security council votes for an immediate ceasefire in gaza at the fifth time of asking. there's a furious reaction from benjamin netenyahu, as the us abstains, allowing it to pass. in the next hour we will get the reaction from the french ambassador to the security council. the chinese state was behind a cyber attack on british parliamentary emails and another attack three years ago which targeted the electoral register. the british government has announced fresh sanctions. but does the response go far enough? three weeks today, donald trump will become the first american president to go on trial in a criminal court. his trial date in the stormy daniels affair has been set for the 15th april, well ahead of novembers election. of november's election.

and we will hear tonight from the foreign minister of the dominican republic, on what measures his government is taking to secure a shared border with haiti. the un security council has passed its first resolution calling for a gaza ceasefire. the united states abstained this afternoon, allowing it to pass. the resolution was backed by m nations including the uk, china and russia. it is legally binding in international law. the draught calls for an immediate ceasefire during the islamic holy month of ramadan and the release of all hostages. the result of the voting is as follows — 1a votes in favour. zero votes against. one abstention. applause. the draught resolution has been adopted as resolution 2728. four previous ceasefire resolutions have failed, including one proposed by the united states on friday. today, the us ambassador to the security council,

linda thomas—greenfield, said a ceasefire can begin immediately, but only with the release of the first hostage. certain key edits were ignored, including the inclusion - of the condemnation of hamas. and we did not agree _ with everything in the resolution. for that reason, we were - unfortunately not able to vote yes. however, as i've said before, we fully support some - of the critical objectives in this non—binding resolution, - and we believe it was important for the council to speak out - and make clear that our ceasefire must — any ceasefire — _ must come with the release of all hostages. _ but this us abstention will further strain already tense relations between israel and washington. a delegation of israeli security officials that was supposed to travel to the us this week will now stay at home. the israeli defence minister yoav gallant was already in washington to discuss israel's planned

offensive in rafah. from the white house this afternoon — outside, not within the gates. translation: we have no moral right to stop the war _ in gaza until we return all the hostages home. if we do not reach a clear and decisive decision in gaza, it may bring us closer to war in the north. there are reports from israel that the netenyahu government has agreed to a us proposal on a prisoner—hostage exchange. the plan has been sent to hamas for approval. it would mean the release of around 700 palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of a0 israeli hostages held in gaza. among the palestinian prisoners around 100 that are serving life sentences for killing israelis. the israelis say today's resolution puts that proposal at risk. but the vice president kamala harris said on sunday a prisoner swap and a humanitarian pause must take

priority over and above israel's ambitions in rafah. we have been clear in multiple conversations and in every way that any major military operation in rafah would be a huge mistake. let me tell you something. i have studied the maps. there's nowhere for those folks to go. and we're looking at about a million and a half people in rafah who are there because they were told to go there, most of them. and so we've been very clear that it would be a mistake to move into rafah with any type of military operation. let's get reaction now from jerusalem from our correspondent hugo bachega. so many moving parts, where would you say we are, given the angry response from the israeli government? i response from the israeli government?— response from the israeli government? response from the israeli covernment? ., �* ~ , government? i don't think it is really surprising _ government? i don't think it is really surprising that - government? i don't think it is really surprising that we - government? i don't think it is really surprising that we had i government? i don't think it is i really surprising that we had this angry reaction from israel following that vote right after the resolution was approved we have this angry statement from prime minister

netanyahu, criticising the american abstention in this fault, saying it marked a departure from the american position. the point the israelis are making is that any kind of ceasefire in gaza should be based on the condition that the israeli hostages who remain in captivity in gaza should be released. in reaction to this vote, the prime minister announced that this high—level delegation of israeli officials who are going to washington later this week to explain to american officials the plans that the israeli military has for this ground invasion into rougher, this has been cancelled. it shows the divisions and differences between what the israelis want to do and what the americans want to see happening in gaza continues to stop they are withdrawing. it also shows the

international isolation of the israelis. we are seeing many countries around the world not only opposing and criticising the way the israelis have been conducting this war, but they are extremely frustrated with what is happening in gaza, the communitarian crisis that continues —— humanitarian crisis that continues, and we see these warnings of famine in the coming weeks if there is no change in terms of the distribution of humanitarian assistance into gaza. it is a key diplomatic moment. right now, it is the first time the united nations is calling for a ceasefire in gaza, and the israeli reaction is very angry following this vote.— the israeli reaction is very angry following this vote. thank you for that. let's now speak to gina abercrombie—winstanley. she's the former us ambassador to malta and president of the middle east policy council. thank you for being with us. the israeli delegation won't travel to washington. mr netanyahu says this is compromise the war effort. it would seem relations are as bad as

they have ever been? we would seem relations are as bad as they have ever been?— they have ever been? we have had troubled times _ they have ever been? we have had troubled times before. _ they have ever been? we have had troubled times before. i _ they have ever been? we have had troubled times before. i don't - troubled times before. i don't believe anyone should underestimate the commitment of the united states to the nation of israel, to the israeli people. the president said from the very beginning, he warned the leadership of israel about how to conduct this conflict. after six months of watching how it is going, two things are very clear. number one, diplomacy, negotiations, our water saving the lives of hostages. israel may place other things in priority above hostages, but the us government does not, and we have seen when hostages have been released it has been primarily through negotiations, the vast majority. numbertwo, civilian life is important, all across the board, and the way this is being conducted

puts civilian life at risk. we have seen these numbers, and the president have made clear that it is no longer acceptable. the international community has made clear it is not acceptable. the international community has made clear it is not acceptable.— clear it is not acceptable. the us sponsored _ clear it is not acceptable. the us sponsored proposal— clear it is not acceptable. the us sponsored proposal that - clear it is not acceptable. the us sponsored proposal that is - clear it is not acceptable. the us sponsored proposal that is now. sponsored proposal that is now before hamas would release a0 hostages from gaza. where is the leveraged now if the fighting stops? the leverages always with negotiations, and of course, a0 hostages from the israeli side, 700 from hamas side, that is not all on either side. the negotiations would have to continue the devastation in the gaza strip is such that is still very much on the israeli side. —— leveraged is still very much on the israeli side. we have seen reports

and poles of gazans losing support for hamas, even though we know there have not been elections in the gaza strip for 17 years. gauging support for hamas has always been very difficult. they do not have the freedom to vote to express what they wanted. both sites have significant pressure on them still. the reasons we have got — pressure on them still. the reasons we have got to _ pressure on them still. the reasons we have got to where _ pressure on them still. the reasons we have got to where we _ pressure on them still. the reasons we have got to where we are - pressure on them still. the reasons we have got to where we are today | pressure on them still. the reasons. we have got to where we are today is because israel's credibility problem is also that of the united states. it is doing extreme damage to the position of the us in the global south, and also as you know in the middle east. that probably explains why there has been a shift in policy, whatever the white house has this afternoon?— this afternoon? there are two ways of lookin: this afternoon? there are two ways of looking at _ this afternoon? there are two ways of looking at this. _ this afternoon? there are two ways of looking at this. i _ this afternoon? there are two ways of looking at this. i would - this afternoon? there are two ways of looking at this. i would argue - of looking at this. i would argue that the pressure domestically has been more important than the pressure from the region, quite frankly. it is americans saying on various media what is happening in

the gaza strip, it is americans asking our leadership, how are we countenancing, how are we actively enabling the destruction of the entire gaza strip infrastructure, education, health, housing, that we are participating in this when civilians are paying the cost of this? this is collective punishment, even as the government of israel says it is going after hamas, you cannot ignore the results of the way it has been conducted. domestic pressure, particularly with an election coming forward, is what is moving our leaders to shift the position here. the pressure on the region, the position of people around the world as they see this destruction in hamas is one of dismay, but the united states is not alone in being able to send diplomatic messages with what they do. each nation has diplomatic relationships, and can alter, modify

those relationships that will. we have to look around and see what others are going. —— modify those relationships at will. this others are going. -- modify those relationships at will.— relationships at will. this call for a ceasefire _ relationships at will. this call for a ceasefire is _ relationships at will. this call for a ceasefire is not _ relationships at will. this call for a ceasefire is not optional, - relationships at will. this call for a ceasefire is not optional, it - relationships at will. this call for a ceasefire is not optional, it is i a ceasefire is not optional, it is legally binding and enforced under international law. if the israelis don't stop fighting, what does the white house do?— don't stop fighting, what does the white house do? well, there have been over 200 _ white house do? well, there have been over 200 resolutions - white house do? well, there have l been over 200 resolutions regarding israel, over100 been over 200 resolutions regarding israel, over 100 regarding palestine, the state of palestine, the palestinian authority, etc, and there are un cup resolutions on conflicts around the world. unfortunately, we have many examples of nations not fully adhering or following through on what the resolutions call for, or ignoring them altogether. there is a track record that anyone can look at with regard to un resolutions. that said, it will add to the pressure that the us government feels in sharing

weapons and military systems with israel. there are us laws that have an impact on if these things are not implemented, whether we are allowed to provide aid. the complication there of course is that the conflict that israel is engaged in is not confined simply to the gaza strip. we have to keep in mind there is an active exchange of attacks between hezbollah and israel from the israeli northern border. the houthis have sent rockets from the north. islamic resistance from iraq and syria are also engaged in conflict with israel. to cut off weapons is not a simple thing, it must be new ones, because gaza is not the only part of the war that israel is fighting at this time.- fighting at this time. very interesting, _ fighting at this time. very interesting, thank - fighting at this time. very interesting, thank you - fighting at this time. very l interesting, thank you very fighting at this time. very interesting, thank you very much indeed for your thoughts. around the world and across the uk.

this is bbc news. let's look at some of the other stories making headlines today in the uk. prosecutors were right to accept manslaughter pleas from the nottingham attackers, but could have handled the case better, a review has found. barnaby webber and grace o'malley—kumar, both 19, and ian coates, 65, were stabbed to death on 13june. valdo calocane was given a hospital order injanuary for manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility. two men have been found guilty of murdering a footballer who was stabbed to death on the dance floor of a nightclub over a petty incident two days earlier. cody fisher, 23, was attacked by a masked group at the crane club in birmingham, with more than 2,000 people inside, on 26 december 2022. shamima begum has lost an initial bid to challenge the removal of her british citizenship at the supreme court. the 2a—year—old had requested permission from the court of appeal to take her case

to the uk's highest court. the government stripped her citizenship on national security grounds in 2019, after she left london nine years ago. you're watching bbc news. chinese hackers working for state backed companies were responsible for a prolonged cyber attack on the electoral commission and four british parliamentarians who were critical of beijing. attempted access to the parliamentary accounts were identified before any systems were compromised. two individuals and a front company linked to chinese state security have been sanctioned today as a result. the deputy prime minister oliver dowden said the foreign office would summon china's ambassador to account for its actions. our political editor chris mason has the details. who is watching? who is listening? china, an economic powerhouse, a one—party state, a world view a world away from our own. right honourable oliver dowden... beijing's buying and meddling.

beijing's spying and meddling. a cyberattack on the elections watchdog the electoral commission. and now the government response. this is the latest in a clear pattern of hostile activity originating in china. including the targeting of democratic institutions and parliamentarians in the united kingdom and beyond. two people and a company linked to the chinese state are to face sanctions, banned from travelling to the uk and their assets here frozen. on questions of national security we will support the government in efforts to counter attempts by china or any other state to interfere with or undermine the democratic process. america is accusing china of a vast and brash illegal hacking operation. it is bringing criminal charges

against seven chinese nationals. from beijing, dripping contempt. translation: one should not pin the blame on certain countries - without any factual basis. they have politicised this issue. back in westminster a campaign group gathers. the chinese state media says this alliance, which has members in more than 30 countries, is sinister, extremist. this is a challenge to the very way we live our lives, to our belief in democracy, human rights, freedom of expression, freedom of worship. these are the things we hold dear. sir iain reckons the uk is still too soft on china and plenty of mps on all sides agree. but things have changed. it is less than ten years ago the man who is now foreign secretary, david cameron, was swigging a pint with the chinese president in oxfordshire. there is much more scepticism now,

but there was one key question i wanted to ask for you when i spoke to this former secret service official. i wonder how worried we should be as individuals, maybe scared even, about china? the overwhelming majority of the british people probably have nothing to be worried about but if you are engaged in politics or in areas such as human rights promotion, then you can safely assume that china is going to want to be on your case. cybercrime in the shadows, the world's newest superpower. dealing with china, one of the challenges of our age. chris mason reporting. joining me tonight baroness helena kennedy kc, who is the co—chair of ipac the inter—parliamentary alliance on china. it is an international cross—party group of legislators that represent democratic countries concerned with this issue. you are very welcome to the

programme. can ijust read you some of the reactions from those in your group tonight? iain duncan smith said the sanctions, the welcome, are like an elephant giving birth to a mouse. another representative said it was like turning up to a gunfight with a wooden spoon. your reaction to that? , ., ., , ., to that? the truth is that i was one ofthe to that? the truth is that i was one of the people _ to that? the truth is that i was one of the people who _ to that? the truth is that i was one of the people who was _ to that? the truth is that i was one of the people who was sanctioned l to that? the truth is that i was one i of the people who was sanctioned by the chinese, and you have to go back to why it was that a number of parliamentarians, five in the house of commons and two of us in the house of lords, were sanctioned by the chinese. and it was because we were putting a spotlight on the conduct of china in relation to its uyghur population. they are a muslim minority who live in a province of china, and in the past certainly

decade, it has become heightened the extent to which china has been facing, many of them, millions of them, in concentration camps. there has been the taking of children and putting them into reformatory is to try and make them less muslim. basically, women have been sterilised, and there has been a destruction of mosques and burial grounds in the province. it is a province which produces a huge amount of cotton, one of the finest in the world, and many of the garments we buy inexpensively come from there. unfortunately, what has come to light from any human rights organisation that has been working on these things, is that forced labour inside these camps is

producing many of these goods, and many other things. we know that some of the electronic goods that we use daily are being produced in this state. it daily are being produced in this state. , . . , daily are being produced in this state. ., , , ., , daily are being produced in this state. ., i, ., , ,, state. it is a really serious issue, our state. it is a really serious issue, your right — state. it is a really serious issue, your right to _ state. it is a really serious issue, your right to highlight _ state. it is a really serious issue, your right to highlight it. - state. it is a really serious issue, your right to highlight it. do - state. it is a really serious issue, your right to highlight it. do you | your right to highlight it. do you think they tried to hack your account as a result? i think they tried to hack your account as a result?- think they tried to hack your account as a result? i know they did. you have _ account as a result? i know they did. you have to _ account as a result? i know they did. you have to understand - account as a result? i know they| did. you have to understand that account as a result? i know they l did. you have to understand that i am a human rights lawyer, i run an institute of human rights, and when institute of human rights, and when i stand up in the house of lords, i bring my expertise to the debates. i have been in touch with many of the people who are exiled from this part of china, and who are living in fear for their wives because of the long arm of the states —— fear for their lives. i was targeted by the chinese, as was lord alton, a crossbencher who also speaks on human rights. we were drawing attention to these issues, and then found herself on the receiving end

of sanctions from the chinese to shut us up. of course, we didn't. we kept on referring to the way in which china, for example... just to be clear, which china, for example. .. just to be clear. after— which china, for example... just to be clear, after everything - which china, for example... just to be clear, after everything you - which china, for example... just to be clear, after everything you justl be clear, after everything you just highlighted and everything we know about their hacking campaign, we have sanctioned until todayjust have sanctioned until today just three have sanctioned until todayjust three people in that province and nonein three people in that province and none in hong kong, and we used to run the place! the us is preparing sanctions against nearly 50 people, judges and officials in hong kong, and we're sanction, what, six? five in the company. and we're sanction, what, six? five in the company-— in the company. that is our complaint. _ in the company. that is our complaint, that _ in the company. that is our complaint, that is - in the company. that is our complaint, that is the - in the company. that is our - complaint, that is the complaint of parliamentarians, and iain duncan smith and i co—chair ipac, a group of parliamentarians, and we are described as extremists, and mike politics could not be more different from ian's on many issues, but on this we are clear about the abuses china is prepared to be involved in.

the chinese people are fine people, but they are light by a totalitarian government. we are complaining about the way in which government, for too long wanting to cosy to china for trading reasons... hat long wanting to cosy to china for trading reasons. . ._ long wanting to cosy to china for trading reasons... not 'ust anybody, ou sit in trading reasons... not 'ust anybody, you sit in the — trading reasons... not 'ust anybody, you sit in the chamber — trading reasons... notjust anybody, you sit in the chamber and _ trading reasons... notjust anybody, you sit in the chamber and house i trading reasons... notjust anybody, you sit in the chamber and house of| you sit in the chamber and house of lords with the foreign secretary, who cosied up to them for quite a long time, until november when he got thejob, he long time, until november when he got the job, he was promoting chinese projects in sri lanka? does he need to take a firmer stance? i do think, i hope a light switch has gone on in the exposures that he has had spelt out to him in recent times, because it is serious. for example, i had my own twitter account, a twitter account was made in my name by the chinese, and suddenly my views were turned on their head and i was denouncing lawyers from my own set of chambers who act in human rights cases, and i

find myself denouncing and criticising them, and it wasn't my twitter account at all. it was made, undoubtedly, given the content, it is obvious it was emanating from china. that has happened to others too. we find e—mail sent from accounts that bear our names that were messaging not what we would be messaging to people. that sort of interference, that is news and stuff. ~' interference, that is news and stuff. ~ ., , ., stuff. do think china, sorry to hur , i stuff. do think china, sorry to hurry. i am — stuff. do think china, sorry to hurry. i amjust _ stuff. do think china, sorry to hurry, i am just a _ stuff. do think china, sorry to hurry, i am just a bit - stuff. do think china, sorry to hurry, i am just a bit short . stuff. do think china, sorry to hurry, i am just a bit short of| hurry, i am just a bit short of time, but do think it should be put on the foreign registration scheme, which they are not at the moment, people register rating —— of people registering chinese interest should be... ? i registering chinese interest should be... ? ~ ., , registering chinese interest should be...? ~ ., registering chinese interest should be... ? ~' ., ,., ., be... ? i think that is a threat that will— be... ? i think that is a threat that will be — be... ? i think that is a threat that will be made _ be... ? i think that is a threat that will be made to - be... ? i think that is a threat that will be made to china - be... ? i think that is a threat that will be made to china if. be... ? i think that is a threat i that will be made to china if this doesn't stop.

that will be made to china if this doesn't stop-— that will be made to china if this doesn't sto. ., ., , ., ., , doesn't stop. how many more warnings doesn't stop. how many more warnings do we need? — doesn't stop. how many more warnings do we need? it — doesn't stop. how many more warnings do we need? it seems _ doesn't stop. how many more warnings do we need? it seems there _ doesn't stop. how many more warnings do we need? it seems there is - doesn't stop. how many more warnings do we need? it seems there is a - do we need? it seems there is a litany of these problems and we never take action?— litany of these problems and we never take action? yes, except i don't accept _ never take action? yes, except i don't accept that _ never take action? yes, except i don't accept that we _ never take action? yes, except i don't accept that we talk - never take action? yes, except i don't accept that we talk tough i don't accept that we talk tough enough to them when we actually meet with them, because we are so anxious to trade. i don't mind the idea, talking about trade, but it has to be we will only trade if you start cleaning up your act. i'm afraid that interference in our democracy is something we shouldn't worry about, not because as your security chief said to you, it is not that they are going to be going after regular citizens, that they will go after politicians, they will go after politicians, they will go after opinion formers, people exposing some of the stuff china is doing, and that engages the political discourse, and we should know it is taking place. that in many ways will undermine democracy, and we should be concerned about it. i'm very grateful for your time this evening, thank you for coming on. we will take a short break. after

the break we will talk to the foreign minister of the dominican republic. stay with us. hello there. good evening. it's looking a little bit more settled as we head into the bank holiday weekend with lighter winds, a lot of dry weather around and it could feel a bit warmer, too, but lots of wet and windy weather to get to before then. this was northern ireland earlier on today, freshening southeasterly wind. there'll be further spells of rain as we head through the rest of the working week. it's going to be blustery and temperatures will be at or below the seasonal average. some of the showers could even turn out to be wintry over the tops of the hills. and we've seen some winteriness today across the hills of scotland there and this warm front gradually pushing further northwards and eastwards. a cold front pretty much stationary, giving some further outbreaks of rain across devon and cornwall and into southern and western wales through the night. most of that rain cools off into the north sea. still some wintry showers across northern and eastern scotland. watch out for some icy stretches

here into tomorrow morning is going to be a cold night. blustery up towards the north of scotland, the northern isles. further south, a mixture of cloud and clear spells, temperatures at between five and seven celsius. so frost—free start to the day here. now, on tuesday, a lot of dry weather around. we see most of that rain clear off into the north sea. there will still be some wintry showers across northern and eastern scotland, windy across the northern hours. windy across the northern isles. our cold front brings further outbreaks of rain into central southern england, stretching up to the west midlands perhaps and into eastern wales. temperatures peaking between five and 12 degrees celsius north to south. and then on wednesday, perhaps some early brightness across parts of east anglia. it's a very windy day with low pressure out towards the west, strong, gusty winds for irish sea coast, more organised bands of showers tracking northwards and eastwards. some of the showers possibly wintry over the higher ground. wales and the south west of england. some of the showers possibly wintry over the higher ground of wales and the south west of england. it's a bit milder across scotland on wednesday, but a bit cooler further south and at low

pressure dominant too. further south and low pressure dominant too. on thursday, there'll be further heavy rain as we head through the small hours across much of england and wales. again, bands of organised showers and brisk south—westerly winds too, particularly towards english channel coast, possibly severe gales here. so a very windy day on thursday. by the time we get to good friday, though, it should turn drier, especially in the afternoon. some showers at first and temperatures will start to rise. so for the easter bank holiday weekend, a lot of dry weather around, maybe some mist and fog. it will be feeling a little warmer.

hello, i'm christian fraser. you're watching the context on bbc news. donald trump will stand trial next month over hush money he's accused of paying an adult film star, the first former us president to face a criminal trial. more on that in a few minutes. but first, its time for some sport and for a full round—up, from the bbc sport centre, here's will perry. hello from the bbc sport centre nottingham forest have lodged an appeal against their four—point deduction for breaching premier league profit and sustainability rules. they are the second top—flight team to be penalised for psr breaches after everton lost ten points in november, which was reduced to six on appeal. the deduction put forest

into the relegation zone in 18th place, one point behind luton.