delegation from hamas, egypt, qatar, and the americans talk about the stability of a six or seven week ceasefire in gaza. but israel decided not to send a delegation. israel's says the preconditions it insisted upon that hamas should provide a list of the hostages who remain alive, and those who might be exchanged in a prison swap, or hostage swap, with the palestinians, that wasn't forthcoming. so israel has decided not to send a delegation to cairo. that has been criticised in many parts of the israeli media, and the israeli public, as an understandable position. that isn't to say that had israel gone, there would be others stumbling blocks. —— unsustainable position. hamas wants the withdrawal of israeli troops from populated areas of gaza and the citizens of gaza to be allowed to return to their home areas in northern gaza. and those are significant issues that israel might have objected to. meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in gaza is said to be increasingly dire. the israeli attacks on positions, hamas, and other positions, hamas, and other positions in gaza continue, and people continue today. according to the hamas run health industry, over 30,000 people have been killed in gaza, most or many women and children. according to the un and other aid agencies, the humanitarian situation, particularly in northern parts of gaza, is increasingly dire, with some people facing starvation with a lack of food, lack of basic medicine. the americans, the british, and other international countries and agencies are putting increasing pressure on israel and hamas to agree to a ceasefire and for more aid to be allowed in.— be allowed in. meanwhile in gaza israel _ be allowed in. meanwhile in gaza israel and _ be allowed in. meanwhile in gaza israel and hamas - be allowed in. meanwhile in - gaza israel and hamas continued to exchange attacks. they hamas run health industry is more than 30,000 palestinians have been killed since october. although the bbc is unable to report from inside gaza, erbakan sent us this update from jerusalem, and a warning that his report contained some distressing images. a grief so calamitous it is deaf to the rumours of peace. this is the 150th day of war. and each day the images of the grieving and of the dead are beamed to the world. this woman was shutting with 45 family members when a rocket struck. were killed, including two children. —— sheltering. a ceasefire might save the living. it won't bring back the dead. this man has lived and worked among the dead since the war began. he is a shrouder. he cleans and wraps the dead for burial that of them. yes, but theirfamilies don't get know they are dead. 30,000 deaths have created many widows and orphans. now rougher, they stayed together in a camp of the widows. within a larger camp. new structures are being built. the un estimates 3000 women have been widowed by war. this woman, aged 26, has four children. one is disabled and another suffered severe burns. her husband mahmoud was killed when he went to find food for the family a month ago. she found him dying in hospital. 0ften him dying in hospital. often these days there is nothing to eat. like the bereaved of all wars, this family clings to fragments of a world broken beyond repair. the children are her life now. the living world she holds in her arms. fergal keane, bbc news, jerusalem. joining me now to discuss ongoing talks in both the us and middle east is former us representative game harman, also chair of the bipartisan national defence strategy commission. thank you for being here. ——jane harman. i want to ask you about the meeting with vice president kamala harris and benny gantz. what do you make of it? how much influence do you think the vice president can have now on israeli policy? well, i think the meeting is quite significant. the fact that he came to the us was welcomed by the biden administration, the second most senior level. there is no way that she would have taken that meeting without the blessing of the president. he is in the war cabinet but he also was the prime minister of israel and is looked to as someone who might succeed beating netanyahu in new elections. 0n the face of it was a big deal. the fact that she is out there, on the airways, calling for a pause in fighting, not a permanent ceasefire, but at least a temporary ceasefire, speaks directly to me that the us strategy is to put a lot of pressure on the israeli government. i think properly. to do this. but there are some issues. i'm sure you will asked me about them. it issues. i'm sure you will asked me about them.— me about them. it was interesting _ me about them. it was interesting to - me about them. it was interesting to see - me about them. it was interesting to see this| me about them. it was - interesting to see this was a speech on sunday from the vice president, who was in alabama. very forceful words. she called for an immediate ceasefire. she also said, to quote, "the israeli government must do more to increase the flow of aid — no excuses". what you make of that sort of language coming from the vice president? doesn't seem to you that they are ramping up the pressure? i think they have been doing that for a while and i think it is the right strategy. but i want to make the point that israel's request that the list of hostages who are still alive and the list of those who would be least and some specific terms about how many palestinian present is have to be released in exchange for one is hostage are reasonable requests. and they have been satisfied. so that is one point. but the other point at the air drops i think you're a good thing. thanks tojordan. by good thing. thanks tojordan. by helping with that. thanks to egypt for helping and hosting some of the negotiations. the neighbours are now getting more involved. as i hear it, they and the us are speaking with one voice about the need to reduce the impact on innocent civilians in gaza. but i would also say israel's demands at this point seemed to me to be quite reasonable.— quite reasonable. let's talk about the _ quite reasonable. let's talk about the ad _ quite reasonable. let's talk about the ad drops. - quite reasonable. let's talk about the ad drops. there l quite reasonable. let's talk. about the ad drops. there has been some criticism about our jobs themselves, that it isn't a very efficient way of getting aid into a zone or a territory that needs it. is the us doing enough? we saw in the report the die humanitarian situation. we had from the world health organization today seen the 0rganization today seen the children in the north of gaza are to death. i5 children in the north of gaza are to death.— children in the north of gaza are to death. is there enough bein: are to death. is there enough being done? _ are to death. is there enough being done? no. _ are to death. is there enough being done? no. is— are to death. is there enough being done? no. is the - are to death. is there enough being done? no. is the us i are to death. is there enough i being done? no. is the us doing more? yes. with the neighbours. should there be more trucks coming in through rougher, i think so. but they need to be inspected for weapons. this would not be a good look if hamas were able to regroup and continue attacks. let's understand an international investigation today just understand an international investigation todayjust prove that there were not only rapes and mutilations, but gang rapes of the israelis during october seven, the october seven brutal attack by hamas. there are equities on the other side. what would i like? i would like there to be a temporary ceasefire and an exchange, a full return of the hostages, then a concrete work on the governance of gaza, plus the path to a two state solution. i have said repeatedly that is the only way that israel's security will be truly guaranteed, and that the palestinian dream of a homeland, which is the correct dream, underthe homeland, which is the correct dream, under the circumstances, will be honoured. you dream, under the circumstances, will be honoured.— will be honoured. you are a lona will be honoured. you are a long democratic _ will be honoured. you are a - long democratic congresswoman. i want to ask you about president biden. the issue of gaza has been hanging over his head, especially from the left. there is increasing pressure for a ceasefire. do you think this is now a political necessity for the president? there is a lot of pressure on the president but i also think the president but i also think the us position over decades since the us was the first country to recognise israel, is to support the country of israel. and i think you can do both at the same time and the president is trying to do it. the pressure is intense. michigan showed how many people are upset with the president. but it is early days. eight months until the election. i am very hopeful there will be a short and longer term resolution of this problem well before the election. it will be a time for people to reassess what they think, maybe, for some of the anger, on both sides, to calm down. good news would be if those hostages were returned and at least those who were surviving, and i hope it is a lot of them, bill be realised with the families, including six us hostages. the negotiations _ including six us hostages. the negotiations we will continue to watch very closely. jane harman, former us representative and chair of the bipartisan national defence strategy commission, thank you very much. strategy commission, thank you very much-— strategy commission, thank you very much._ parts - strategy commission, thank you very much._ parts of| very much. thank you. parts of haiti are under— very much. thank you. parts of haiti are under a _ very much. thank you. parts of haiti are under a state - very much. thank you. parts of haiti are under a state of- haiti are under a state of emergency and a curfew has been imposed as gang violence risks spiralling out of control. in the past few days i'm going to have stormed their two largest prisons, freeing thousands of inmates. the un says gangs control more than 80% of the haitian capital, port—au—prince, and are asking for the resignation of prime minister ariel henry. gang violence isn't a new problem in haiti but groups that once called each other enemies are nowjoining forces.— now “oining forces. here is will nowjoining forces. here is wau grant. — nowjoining forces. here is will grant. as _ nowjoining forces. here is will grant. as the - nowjoining forces. here is will grant. as the hours i nowjoining forces. here is i will grant. as the hours class in this state of emergency in the haitian capital, so does the haitian capital, so does the uncertainty grow on the streets. barricades have been erected around certain gang control areas to stop the security forces encroaching on their territories. so, too, police have set up checkpoints and, of course, there is a nighttime curfew in place. throughout it all, despite the fact that so many inmates managed to escape in the present break over the weekend, still there is no clarity on the whereabouts of the prime minister, ariel henry. that is adding to the stress of ordinary people who simply don't know when some semblance of normality will return to their communities. schools remained closed. businesses are shuttered. there is still sporadic looting taking place in some neighbourhoods. is there any kind of diplomatic or strategic way out of this? the white house have already talked about the importance of free and fair elections, saying that violence does nothing but our band lies. but while that lofty talk is all well and good, the truth of the matter, the idea of free and fair elections is still a way away. —— upend. the gangs don't want to see prime minister ariel henry involved in the politics or any future election, and they are taking this moment of a breakdown in law and order, the vacuum in his absence, to exert their authority and make sure he doesn't come back. imilli authority and make sure he doesn't come back. will grant there. earlier, _ doesn't come back. will grant there. earlier, i— doesn't come back. will grant there. earlier, i spoke- doesn't come back. will grant there. earlier, i spoke with i there. earlier, i spoke with harold issak, an independent journalist on the ground in haiti, to get the latest from port—au—prince. thank you for joining us. parts of haiti under a state of emergency. gangs now control large parts of the capital city. can you describe for us what life feels like right now in haiti's a bit suspended. like right now in haiti's a bit susnended-_ suspended. since thursday, folks expected _ suspended. since thursday, folks expected the - suspended. since thursday, folks expected the week i suspended. since thursday, folks expected the week to | suspended. since thursday, l folks expected the week to be disrupted but now we're a state of emergency and a curfew that is in effect right now. do of emergency and a curfew that is in effect right now.— is in effect right now. do you feel safe _ is in effect right now. do you feel safe there? _ is in effect right now. do you feel safe there? to - is in effect right now. do you feel safe there? to people . is in effect right now. do you i feel safe there? to people feel safe? ~ . . . safe? well, it is a chequered reality and — safe? well, it is a chequered reality and chequered - safe? well, it is a chequered reality and chequered life. i safe? well, it is a chequered l reality and chequered life. you need to figure out your commute, where you will go, how you are going, how you are coming back. you always need to be on the lookout. and try to stay put as much as possible. but, in reality, you are either in a situation where you are exposed to the direct reality, or you may be at risk of being exposed to the reality.- exposed to the reality. where heafina exposed to the reality. where hearing gang _ exposed to the reality. where hearing gang leaders - exposed to the reality. where hearing gang leaders are i hearing gang leaders are calling for the prime minister, ariel henry, to stand down. how stable do you think his position is at the top of the government there in haiti? well, his situation is certainly complicated. haiti is currently facing both an institutional crisis and a constitutional crisis that has been aggravated since the death by assassination of the president in 2021. mr henry was tapped two days before the death of the president. he essentially inherited a situation which he had promised that he would essentially deliver on elections and retire, but that didn't happen. why is that? we have been hearing the elections have been delayed. i know there is some worry that this could be an attempt to hold onto power, but, on the other hand, this doesn't exactly seem like a perfect environment to hold elections in haiti.— elections in haiti. well, this is art elections in haiti. well, this is part one _ elections in haiti. well, this is part one - _ elections in haiti. well, this is part one - one _ elections in haiti. well, this is part one - one of- elections in haiti. well, this is part one - one of the i elections in haiti. well, this is part one - one of the big| is part one — one of the big question most, one of the big issues, that the prime minister himself in his current standing would have two entities that could fire him, either the president or the parliament, which are both gone now. there is no president and the parliament's terms expired years ago. essentially he is caught in this sort of suspended situation and he basically plays on that and the security situation. to say, well, i'm unable to deliver on elections, but as soon as the situation in the security is restored, i will be able to have elections and had overpowered. abs, have elections and had overpowered.- have elections and had overpowered. have elections and had overowered. �* ., ., overpowered. a few days ago haiti finalised _ overpowered. a few days ago haiti finalised the _ overpowered. a few days ago haiti finalised the security i haiti finalised the security deal with kenya that would send several 100, after 1000 police officers, to try to bolster the security situation there. what is a fairly underground? how confident are people the plan could get things under control? the haitian government requested formally from the international community troops or police officers, specialised police officers to come in since october 2022. ever since, people have been expecting something to happen and we have been clinging on to any hope we could find. haiti had been in a situation since of international process to go gather support, funding, and the units that would be coming to haiti. this is as part of this process that ariel henry travelled to kenya last week to try to sign an agreement with the canyon authorities to have canyon troops, canyon police officers being deployed in haiti. , ., , , haiti. -- kenyan. there seems to be a lot _ haiti. -- kenyan. there seems to be a lot of— haiti. -- kenyan. there seems to be a lot of power _ haiti. -- kenyan. there seems to be a lot of power being i to be a lot of power being consolidated by the gang leader known as barbecue. what is he up known as barbecue. what is he up to? known as barbecue. what is he u. to? , , ., , known as barbecue. what is he u . to? , , ., , . , up to? essentially, jimmy cherizier— up to? essentially, jimmy cherizier is _ up to? essentially, jimmy cherizier is a _ up to? essentially, jimmy cherizier is a former i up to? essentially, jimmy | cherizier is a former police officer and has been in the gang environment for the last few years. the last time he made the headlines was in 2022, precisely in september and october where the country 0ctober where the country essentially grounded to a halt when he blocked access to the main oil terminal of the country for nearly seven weeks. essentially bringing back cholera, putting the economy on its knees. and ever since, now, he claims, as of last week, that he has managed to unite all the rival gangs in the metropolitan area, with the objective to top of the current government. objective to top of the current government-— government. thank you for takin: government. thank you for taking the _ government. thank you for taking the time _ government. thank you for taking the time to - government. thank you for taking the time to speak. government. thank you for i taking the time to speak with us. . ~' taking the time to speak with us. . ~ , ., taking the time to speak with us. ., ~' i., ., taking the time to speak with us. ., ~ i. ., ., us. thank you for having me. around the — us. thank you for having me. around the world _ us. thank you for having me. around the world and - us. thank you for having me. around the world and across| us. thank you for having me. i around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at the major story in the uk. the british government has suffered five defeats in the house of lords over its plans to send some asylum—seekers to rwanda. they relate to issues such as whether the country is safe enough for asylum—seekers, among other matters. but the government is likely to overturn this when it returns to the commons as chris mason tells us. there is an expectation that a lot of these defeats for the government in the house of lords will be overturned in the next couple of weeks when it returns to the house of commons. possible act of parliament, becomes exactly that, the law of the land, before the month is out. then the big question, how long from then until planes are on their way to rwanda. almost two years since ministers first announced the plan to send some migrants to rwanda. they argued it would deter people from travelling in small boats of the uk. in november, the supreme court ruled that the plan was unlawful. no asylum—seeker has yet been sent to rwanda. you are live with bbc news. the us supreme court has unanimously regret did a collar what a ruling that would have removed donald trump from the state of the primary ballot over his role in the january six, 2021 attack on the us capitol. the decision will also apply to similar challenges to his candidacy. the rulings as individual states cannot bar candidates for the presidency under section three of the 14th amendment in the us constitution. that provision prohibits anyone who previously pledged to support the constitution as an officer of the united states from returning to office if they betrayed their oath by engaging in insurrection. section three doesn't specify who enforces it or when it should be invoked, but the conservative majority in the supreme court said that congress must act for it to take effect. nomia iqbal was outside the supreme court with more. this ruling by the supreme court isn't a huge surprise. in the oral arguments last month, alljustices across the ideological spectrum expressed scepticism about how this post— civil war amendment was being applied. chiefjudge cistron roberts said the point of the amendment was to restrict the power of states. ——john restrict the power of states. —— john roberts. restrict the power of states. ——john roberts. so restrict the power of states. —— john roberts. so why would you allow one state, in this case, colorado, to have the power to kick a presidential candidate of the ballot? if they had upheld the ruling, many other states would have followed suit. 0ther many other states would have followed suit. other states were looking to kick him of the ballot. then conservative state said they would try to keep president biden of the primary ballot. you would have seen this chaos in the run—up to the elections. this is a big victory for donald trump. but it comes in a consequential week for him as far as his criminal trials go. we will find out at some point this week if his classified documents trial in florida will go ahead and when. that has been delayed. as far as the georgia installation interference, also due to find out if the district attorney will be disqualified. —— georgia election interference. the ruling has improved donald trump's legal problems but his legal problems haven't gone away. france has become the first country in the world to explicitly include the right to abortion in its constitution. france's national assembly overwhelmingly voted 780 — 72 to enshrine" women's guaranteed freedom to abort". the french president said it sent a universal message. following the vote the eiffel tower in paris lit up in celebration, with the message "my body, my choice." hugh schofield was there. people recognise where i am, at the trocadero, the mood was exhilaration. a cheer went up was exhilaration. a cheer went up and the eiffel tower started sparkling with lights that had been arranged by the socialist maia of paris. —— mayor. people said it is a very symbolic occasion. they say this is a moment where france stood firm for female moment where france stood firm forfemale reproduction rights for female reproduction rights which forfemale reproduction rights which they sarah risk of erosion following the american decision two years ago to end the federal protection of abortion rates there. —— which they say are at risk of erosion. there is no similar threat to abortion rights in france, but people here would say, you know, not now, maybe, but babson and the future. that is how the debate has been framed. the need to preserve the rights for women to be able to dispose of their reproductive rights as they see it. —— maybe, but perhaps in the future. back on his weight behind it and the opposition then did too. it has been pretty much unanimous in his country. even the far right voted in the majority for the change. some might say what difference does it make? abortion is here in france and there is no threat to it. but for activists here, nonetheless, a historic and symbolic day, today that friends can be what it says it should be, a light, showing the way to feminism around the world that this can happen in the hope that feminists in countries where abortion is under threat will look at what has happened in france and be hardened. that is also now. stay with us for more on bbc. hello. there may be a hiccup along the way, but by and large, for the rest of this week, it's looking better than it has done in recent weeks, with the tendency for most of us to be a good deal drier. things will become windier again as we go through the week, and that's because we're stuck in a bit of a tussle between high pressure building across scandinavia — high generally means dry weather — and low pressure out in the atlantic. and, whilst they try to get closer, high pressure will be the dominant feature. tuesday, however, will be a bit of a transition day of sorts. now, we start with a bit of frost across central, western england and wales, certainly frost free towards the east — and that's because we've got a weatherfrontier, which has become stranded as we go into the start of the day. cloud, outbreaks of rain, quite misty around hills and coasts, too. it'll sit there all day long around some coastal districts. it may brighten up a touch inland, chance of a few heavier showers and a rumble of thunder towards the far southeast, and some showers in the morning in northern ireland will work through into western scotland. elsewhere, most of you will be dry — the odd shower can't be ruled out, but it'll be quite pleasant in the sunny spells that develop. now, as we go through into tuesday night, that weather front is still there in some form. so plenty of clouds, still the chance of some light rain or drizzle, and a bit of a breeze blowing across the north and east of scotland, as we'll see through tuesday itself. but into wednesday morning, it's a case of the frost will be quite extensive again in western parts of england and wales, as well as western scotland, and maybe a bit in northern ireland. it's here we start wednesday with the sunshine. a few showers, maybe, towards the far west of cornwall later on. always more cloud in northeastern england, eastern scotland, with the tendency for some drizzle on the hills. a brighter day and drier day for some other parts of eastern england, and temperatures creeping a little bit above where we should be for this stage in the year. now, as we go into wednesday night and thursday, high pressure builds a bit more and low pressure gets closer. we squeeze the isobars together more, so there'll be more of a breeze by the time we hit thursday. that will bring a bit more cloud across northern and eastern areas — the greater chance of 1—2 showers drifting in, as well. many, though, to the south and west will stay dry — and, because that wind coming in from the south easterly direction, it's these areas most favoured for the best of the sunshine. feeling a little bit cooler, especially in the cloudier spots, compared with wednesday. into friday and the weekend — a lot of dry weather to begin with, but there's a greater chance of a bit of rain developing here and there as we go into saturday and sunday. take care. china's national people's congress has kicked off with premier li qiang outlining measures to get the world's number two economy back on track, setting a growth target of around 5% for the year. hello and welcome to asia business report. i'm steve lai. now, we begin in beijing, where china's national people's congress has begun. china's official work report states the country is targeting growth of around 5%. last year, the economy grew by 5.2%. we arejoined by we are joined by our reporter. you are following premier li qiang's speech. what was the main thing to note? the qiang's speech. what was the main thing to note?— main thing to note? the main thing tonight _ main thing to note? the main thing tonight was _ main thing to note? the main thing tonight was it _ main thing to note? the main thing tonight was it was i main thing to note? the main thing tonight was it was an i thing tonight was it was an exercise in morale boosting. that 5% figure you mentioned, some economists predicted that would be quite a challenge potentially for the current situation china faces itself in but they did not dip into the flaws in their growth market and for many that might be seen as a morale booster. consumption, people's confidence to go out and spend it was a positive. it is an exercise to improve that. he said there were