live from london. this is bbc news. almost 60 mps call on the house of commons speaker to quit after wednesday's voting chaos over a ceasefire in gaza. aid agencies say hunger and disease are spreading in gaza — we have rare access to a uk—funded flight air—dropping fuel and food into the strip. there are about to open the door. this is one of the few remaining ways to get help to the people trapped there. some fertility treatments are paused at alabama's main hospital after a court rules that frozen embryos will be classified as children. and in the uk — a watchdog says employers should make reasonable adjustments for women experiencing menopausal symptoms — orface being sued.

hello, i'm lewis vaughanjones, welcome to bbc news now, we are going to start in the uk with events in parliament and the last 2a hours or so. calls for the speaker to resign. accusations of the labour party put pressure on the speaker to break with usual practices. the leader of the snp in westminster has come out with some strong comments. we will get to those in just a moment. all of this was about a debate on the israel gaza war, calling for a ceasefire, and the way the debate was run was seen pretty universally as chaotic by the end of it. 59 mp5 universally as chaotic by the end of it. 59 mps now say they have no confidence in the speaker, lindsay hoyle, the person in charge of running debates in parliament. on

wednesday, take a look at this. this was of the debate and we had mps appearing to walk out from the snp opposition party, the conservatives, and the speaker apologised and apologised again in the last hour or so so we will take a look at what actually happened. the row centres around the role of the speaker said lindsay hoyle and his decisions about what were to be debated in house of commons. a speaker he is not elected mp but doesn't represent any political party. his main role is to impartially enforce the rules which govern mps at westminster. on wednesday it was the scottish national party's turn to put forward the subject for debate and they chose gaza and calls for a ceasefire. other parties can put forward amendments and the labour party dead. it is rare for one opposition party to try to amend another opposition party's motion. lindsay hoyle affected the —— accepted the labour amendment for debate infuriating the snp and some

conservatives. lindsay hoyle says he regrets what happened and will hold meeting with all those concerned. also angry the snp. also angry — the snp — here's their westminster leader, stephen flynn. iam i am utterly exasperated. yesterday was supposed to be about the dire situation in palestine and due to the procedural decision, a politically motivated procedural decision made by the speaker of the house of commons following discussions he had with keir starmer, the snp proposal was not able to be voted upon. we have three days a year allocated to vote and the speaker took that opportunity away from us and did so following discussions with keir starmer and raises a huge number of questions and calls into question his impartiality as the chair that we all rely on on a daily basis. that was the snp — all rely on on a daily basis. that was the snp response. - for the conservatives — it's a chance to give labour a bit of a bashing.

here's leader of the house, penny mordaunt. it fell to the government benches to defend _ it fell to the government benches to defend the rights of a minority party— defend the rights of a minority party in — defend the rights of a minority party in this house. if the honourable lady opposite cannot bring _ honourable lady opposite cannot bring herself to reflect on the appalling consequences of her party's — appalling consequences of her party's actions yesterday, if she cannot— party's actions yesterday, if she cannot rise _ party's actions yesterday, if she cannot rise above the narrow and immediate — cannot rise above the narrow and immediate needs of her weak and fickle _ immediate needs of her weak and fickle leader, to fulfil her duties to this _ fickle leader, to fulfil her duties to this house as its shadow leader, perhaps— to this house as its shadow leader, perhaps you might like to reflect on the damage her party has done to the office of— the damage her party has done to the office of the speaker. i would never have done — office of the speaker. i would never have done to him what the labour party— have done to him what the labour party have — have done to him what the labour party have done to him. so — both the conservatives and the snp pointing the finger at labour — and the snp calling for the speaker, lindsay hoyle, to resign. here's sir keir starmer, being asked about his role

in yesterday's events. of course i had conversations with the speaker, all political leaders had conversations.— the speaker, all political leaders had conversations. what pressure did ou ut on had conversations. what pressure did you put on the _ had conversations. what pressure did you put on the speaker? _ had conversations. what pressure did you put on the speaker? i _ had conversations. what pressure did you put on the speaker? i simply - you put on the speaker? i simply urue the you put on the speaker? i simply urge the speaker— you put on the speaker? i simply urge the speaker to _ you put on the speaker? i simply urge the speaker to ensure - you put on the speaker? i simply urge the speaker to ensure that l you put on the speaker? i simply i urge the speaker to ensure that the debate could be as broad as possible and that mps could vote for the proposition that they believed. we are talking here about whether there was one amendment or two amendments before parliament. the real issue is to have that proper debate and that didn't happen, because of the snp walked off because all they were interested in doing was dividing the labour party and once they saw they couldn't do that they walked off under the government then walked off, the government walked out of the debate on gaza because they thought they were going to lose a vote. i think that we should have continued with that debate, had

attacked the right level, and for parliament to be able to speak on one of the most important issues of the day. one of the most important issues of the da . �* , ., one of the most important issues of theda .�* ., ., the day. are you able to say that ou and the day. are you able to say that you and your _ the day. are you able to say that you and your labour _ the day. are you able to say that you and your labour mps - you and your labour mps categorically did not put that pressure on the speaker, didn't threaten to withdraw your support after the election? i threaten to withdraw your support after the election?— after the election? i can categorically _ after the election? i can categorically tell - after the election? i can categorically tell you - after the election? i can l categorically tell you that after the election? i can i categorically tell you that i after the election? i can - categorically tell you that i did not threaten the speaker in any way whatsoever. not threaten the speaker in any way whatsoever-— whatsoever. that was the labour leader. live now to the central lobby at the houses of parliament in westminster and our political correspondent hannah miller. so, no shortage of reaction. just talk us through where we are right now. ~ , ,., y talk us through where we are right now. ~ , ,., , ~ , talk us through where we are right now. u, , ~ , , ., now. absolutely. the key question and central — now. absolutely. the key question and central lobby _ now. absolutely. the key question and central lobby right _ now. absolutely. the key question and central lobby right now - now. absolutely. the key question and central lobby right now is - and central lobby right now is really about the future of the speaker, so lindsay hoyle. the snp have as you have just heard suggested they have no confidence in him and the snp are the third largest party in the house of commons. his wholejob is largest party in the house of commons. his whole job is to largest party in the house of commons. his wholejob is to preside over proceedings. he is someone who has seen to have taken that

extremely seriously and to have maintained his impartiality throughout his time as speaker until this moment last night that clearly has led to the chaos that we end up in now. lindsay hoyle has said that he made a mistake and he has apologised now more than once and offered to meet with the party and those meetings have already happened. the question mark over whether he can continue in his role without the confidence of the third largest party in westminster is one that will trouble him personally and is one that if it can't be resolved, it is difficult to see how he remains in his post.- it is difficult to see how he remains in his ost. , , ., remains in his post. pretty unusual, all this, with — remains in his post. pretty unusual, all this, with regards _ remains in his post. pretty unusual, all this, with regards to _ remains in his post. pretty unusual, all this, with regards to the - all this, with regards to the speaker, we don't often see events like this. and normally when an mp becomes speaker they serve the term of parliament. find becomes speaker they serve the term of parliament-— of parliament. and there is no kind of parliament. and there is no kind of wa for of parliament. and there is no kind of way for mp5 _ of parliament. and there is no kind of way for mps to _ of parliament. and there is no kind of way for mps to force _ of parliament. and there is no kind of way for mps to force him - of parliament. and there is no kind

of way for mps to force him out. of way for mps to force him out officially, it would be over to the speaker to resign if he feels like thatis speaker to resign if he feels like that is the best course of action, but there have been a number of mps now, more than 60, calling for him to go, from the snp and from the conservative party. the other thing that labour mps have been suggesting to me is that while a lot of the heat is on the speaker at the moment, he would say that he went into the situation expecting the labour amendment to fall and for they are then to be a vote on the snp motion. that of course is not what happened but the labour party are really trying to place the blame on the conservatives for withdrawing from the whole procedure. while lindsay hoyle has apologised and said he made a mistake it is pretty clear things didn't play out in the way he had anticipated when he made the decisions he made yesterday. talk to me about what he said because he talked about this issue

of safety of mps, and part of his reasoning even though he made a mistake, part of his reasoning was about a duty of care to the house. explain that to us. this about a duty of care to the house. explain that to us.— explain that to us. this is something _ explain that to us. this is something that _ explain that to us. this is something that sir - explain that to us. this is l something that sir lindsay explain that to us. this is - something that sir lindsay hoyle explain that to us. this is _ something that sir lindsay hoyle has taken really seriously since day one of being speaker, this issue of mp safety in the context of a number of mps being murdered in recent years at times of deep controversy. it is absolutely something that has been previously said to keep him awake at night, making sure that the safety of notjust mps but their staff and the people who work here in the house of commons. so part of his rationale for the decision made yesterday was to try to get the broadest number of views heard in the house of commons. there was a context, a protest going on outside

of the house of commons at the time when all of this happened. there are a number of particularly labour mps who have faced protests outside their office about the issues in gaza. there are labour mps who have been confronted in the street and the extent to which that is intimidating and the younger on the streets over this particular issue is causing some real concern so lindsay hoyle suggesting that kind of issue around mp safety is one that was paramount for him in making that was paramount for him in making that decision. there are conservatives who have argued in the house of commons today that taking that sort of safety issue in the context he has has left the house of commons open to intimidation, the idea that it is being influenced by people's anger. that is a line we have heard from some conservatives today but clearly for sir lindsay hoyle, the issue of not wanting to

have violence or another murder on his watch is something that he takes really seriously.— really seriously. thank you so much for that. great _ really seriously. thank you so much for that. great to _ really seriously. thank you so much for that. great to talk _ really seriously. thank you so much for that. great to talk to _ really seriously. thank you so much for that. great to talk to you - really seriously. thank you so much for that. great to talk to you and i for that. great to talk to you and you will have noticed the qr code on the screen, a good way to continue following live coverage of those twists and turns. we are going to head to gaza and the issue of aid and how to get aid into the north of gaza, which is challenging to say the least. for the first time the uk has airdropped eight out of a plane. it was a jordan air force plane, the aid was british and on that plane was our correspondent quentin somerville. it isa it is a slight knock for the faint—hearted, 17,000 feet directly above gaza. the royaljordanian air force get their oxygen ready before the doors open. the payload is vital aid desperately needed in the drop

zone below, northern gaza. some last—minute adjustments to the parachutes and gps trackers which will deliver it to a tiny clear patch of land below them, supply is veryjordanian run hospital. that patch of land below them, supply is very jordanian run hospital.- very jordanian run hospital. that is the field hospital. _ very jordanian run hospital. that is the field hospital. very _ very jordanian run hospital. that is the field hospital. very precise. i the field hospital. very precise. they have done that this mission a dozen times, but for the first time it is a british aid that is being launched into the strip. inside these pallets, fuel, medical supplies and ration packs all paid for by the uk. the supplies and ration packs all paid for by the uk-_ supplies and ration packs all paid for by the uk. the last two tonnes of british aid — for by the uk. the last two tonnes of british aid on _ for by the uk. the last two tonnes of british aid on its _ for by the uk. the last two tonnes of british aid on its way, _ of british aid on its way, airdropped into northern gaza. the area below me has been turned into a wasteland. there are still 300,000 palestinians remaining there. the un

says the situation is too dangerous on the ground and it can no longer offer help. it on the ground and it can no longer offer hel. , . , . on the ground and it can no longer offer help-— offer help. it is a small drop in the chasm _ offer help. it is a small drop in the chasm of _ offer help. it is a small drop in the chasm of gaza's _ offer help. it is a small drop in the chasm of gaza's need i offer help. it is a small drop in the chasm of gaza's need but. offer help. it is a small drop in i the chasm of gaza's need but this aid at least managed to get through. it landed right on target. earlier on thursday there was a shooting in the west bank settlement of maale adumim, east ofjerusalem. israeli police say one person has been killed and eight wounded. casualties have been taken to a hospital injerusalem. the attacks come ahead of the latest visit to israel by a senior us official seeking a ceasefire deal for gaza. our correspondent, jenny hill who is injerusalem gave us this update. three palestinian gunmen targeted early morning commuters as they sat waiting on their cars to cross the checkpoint on the road into jerusalem. this stretch of road is well known for being prone to trafficjams. the three men attacked

the lines of cars using automatic weapons. two of the men have been killed, killed on the scene and one other arrested, said to come from villages close to bethlehem. two of the men were brothers according to police a year. israel's wore on gaza has intensified existing volatility in the west bank and indeed across the region. it is one of the reason is that foreign governments are so keen to bring a resolution to war launched in response by israel to the attacks of october the 7th. there is a growing international alarm about the humanitarian cost of that military operation. on the issue of the release of hostages, of negotiations with us diplomats, where are we? talks are ongoing. joe biden's most senior middle east adviser was in israel today, he was

in egypt yesterday holding talks. the political head of hamas was in cairo where he met with egyptian officials so talks are ongoing aimed at brokering a temporary ceasefire and the return of those israeli hostages. there was a very cautiously optimistic note sounded in israel. a member of the war cabinet, and listen to the language, he said the preliminary signs were that there was the possibility of progress towards a deal but the pressure is on, not least because israel has insisted that if those hostages are not returned before the beginning of the muslim holy month of ramadan which begins on march the 10th then it will launch a planned ground offensive in the southern city of rafah which is sheltering well over 1 city of rafah which is sheltering well over1 million displaced palestinian civilians. that gives the negotiators just under a fortnight to get that deal done.

around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. an inquest has heard that a grandmother attacked by xl bully dogs died from a bite wound to her upper right limb. 68—year—old esther martin was visiting her grandson at a house near clacton—on—sea in essex, when she was injured earlier this month. an inquest opening in chelmsford was told police found her with "unsurvivable injuries". epilepsy charities are warning that ongoing shortages in the supply of life—saving medication are putting patients at a higher risk of seizures. they say many more people are calling their helplines, after struggling to get hold of the drugs they need. industry experts say there are also problems with the supply of many other medicines. police chiefs are warning that an increasing number of people are getting behind the wheel after using drugs such as cannabis and cocaine. merseyside police say they're now catching more drivers under the influence of illegal drugs than of alcohol. the home office said it was clamping down on the behaviour.

you're live with bbc news. the largest hospital in the american state of alabama has paused ivf procedures after its top court ruled that frozen embryos could be legally considered children — and that a person could be held liable for accidentally destroying them. the hospital says it is concerned it could be prosecuted. simonjones reports. around 100,000 babies are born each yearin around 100,000 babies are born each year in the us as a result of ivf treatments. the procedure can help people with fertility treatments have children, by removing eggs from a women's ovaries and impregnating them in a laboratory. but this ruling from the supreme court of alabama says that frozen embryos are ruled children and people could be held liable for destroying them. now couples undergoing the treatment

face being left in limbo. iliiui’heh couples undergoing the treatment face being left in limbo.— couples undergoing the treatment face being left in limbo. when i saw this rulin: face being left in limbo. when i saw this ruling i— face being left in limbo. when i saw this ruling i got— face being left in limbo. when i saw this ruling i got very _ face being left in limbo. when i saw this ruling i got very angry - face being left in limbo. when i saw this ruling i got very angry and i this ruling i got very angry and very heart that it could potentially stop my cycle and ijust said, people need to know that this is affecting couples, real—life couples who are trying to start families and are just trying to live the quote and quote american dream and your stopping us from having the trial. alabama's largest hospital has stopped its services feeling twit—mac fearing it could be prone to prosecutions. this twit-mac fearing it could be prone to prosecutions.— to prosecutions. this is unprecedented, - to prosecutions. this is unprecedented, it i to prosecutions. this is unprecedented, it has. to prosecutions. this is i unprecedented, it has never to prosecutions. this is _ unprecedented, it has never happened before. we have a situation where we are saying that a fertilised egg as are saying that a fertilised egg as a child and all of the things that we do as part of the ivf cycle are called into question. but conservative _ called into question. but conservative christian groups have described the ruling is a tremendous victory for life. we described the ruling is a tremendous victory for life-— victory for life. we know that there are hundreds _ victory for life. we know that there are hundreds of _ victory for life. we know that there are hundreds of thousands - victory for life. we know that there are hundreds of thousands of- victory for life. we know that there i are hundreds of thousands of embryos that are _ are hundreds of thousands of embryos that are discarded through the ivf

process, _ that are discarded through the ivf process, killed and lost, and as pro-lifers— process, killed and lost, and as pro—lifers we believe that it is an unethical— pro—lifers we believe that it is an unethical treatment of human life and so _ unethical treatment of human life and so hopefully through this decision— and so hopefully through this decision people can begin to examine that and _ decision people can begin to examine that and to _ decision people can begin to examine that and to make changes in the industry — that and to make changes in the indust . , , industry. the ruling is being watched closely _ industry. the ruling is being watched closely by - industry. the ruling is being i watched closely by campaigners on both sides of the abortion debate. there is the question of when an embryo is considered a person is a factor in many state abortion restrictions. sarah norcross, who is the director of the progress educational trust and commissioning editor of bionews, told me earlier it's devastating news to patients and fertility clinics. to have embryos regarded as children, it seems nonsensical in some ways to us in the uk, that this could even happen. and the

implications for people undergoing fertility treatment are huge because in the process of fertility treatment, multiple embryos are usually created and then patients have those embryos transferred back into the uterus, usually one embryo at a time, and people have any ideas about how many children they would like to have and if multiple embryos are created and people are in effect by this ruling, by this judgment, forced to have them put back, then what sort of reproductive choices that? �* , ., that? and this ruling, we heard there is no _ that? and this ruling, we heard there is no implication - that? and this ruling, we heard there is no implication at i that? and this ruling, we heard there is no implication at the i there is no implication at the moment for any other state so there isn't any immediate ramification, but if this ruling were to stand, what would be your concerns? mi; what would be your concerns? m

concerns would what would be your concerns? m1: concerns would be what would be your concerns? m1 concerns would be that for people in alabama who can't afford to travel on to state to have their treatment, they are then forced into this really suboptimal fertility treatment pathway, and whether fertility treatments will still be prepared to treat people if a patient says to the doctor, i don't want any more embryos transferred, and the clinic then has to dispose of those embryos by allowing them to perish, could then face a manslaughter or murder charge. how can a clinic operate on that basis and how can a patient make decisions about theirfamily on and how can a patient make decisions about their family on that basis, that if they don't want to use all the embryos created then they too could potentially be charged with murder or manslaughter. let s get some of the day s other news now

at least five people have been killed, and two others injured, after a container ship hit a bridge in china. it happened on the pearl river, near qung—joe city. several vehicles are reported to have fallen from the bridge. the cause of the incident is still being investigated. thousands of people in australia have been told to leave their homes, with wildfires threatening to engulf populated areas in victoria. the worst of the fires is near raglan — about 200 kilometres west of melbourne. the eiffel tower in paris remains closed — after unions extended their strike. the tourist attraction has been hit by the stoppage for four days. staff say there has been insufficient investment for the building — and are concerned that funds will be diverted away from wages. here in the uk, companies have been told they should make workplace adjustments for women going through the menopause, including relaxing uniform policies and offering working from home on warm days. the equality and human rights commission guidance also states that using language that ridicules someone because of their menopausal symptoms

could be harassment. kate muir is an author and a women s health campaigner, and producer of both davina mccall documentaries on the menopause. she told me that the new measures risk the menopause being seen as a disability. it happens to every single women and some non—binary people too and we should be doing something about the health aspect of it and not making reasonable adjustments all the time for some symptoms. what we know now with the new research around the menopause is the majority of us do not need to suffer from symptoms of the menopause if we take the new body identical hrt which is a copy of our own hormones topping up our own hormones and not the scary stuff which had a risk of breast cancer in the past, so we have solutions and answers for all sorts of women on the medicalfront and answers for all sorts of women on the medical front and somehow we are now putting this into law and telling employers we are going to

sue them if they don't put a fan in the room or give someone a quiet place let them work from home. i think we are making what should be an opportunity for women changing into a kind of disability and i don't think it needs to be that way. interesting, what about the people who will say these are perfectly reasonable and sensible measures, let today stigmatise them, let's introduce them and have that guidance and people can follow it? i guidance and people can follow it? i think it is useful that this is out there and it is suggested it should be part of discrimination. it is useful but i feel we are missing the big point looking at the tiny legal detail, and the big point is that women have now realised that they can do something about menopause. the conversation about menopause in the uk is magnificent in a sense and in the last four years 1 million more women have gone on the safer hormone replacement therapy which

has absolutely changed what's happening because one in ten women were leaving theirjobs because of menopause symptoms and that was in a big poll we did 4000 diverse women across the uk. women do not want to leave theirjobs, they don't want to be sitting in a room dealing with a fan and hot flushes. if possible they want to be in the best health they want to be in the best health they can be to do the job of the best way they can end the very best employers are telling women about their medical options and also saying, this is part of our medical insurance policy or we will give you time off to visit your nhs doctor, and i think this is a conversation that will come out of the uk and go across europe and the world and women are increasingly realising this is an opportunity for them. stay with us here on bbc news. business headlines coming up injust a moment, iwill business headlines coming up injust a moment, i will be back in a few minutes after that. this is bbc news, goodbye.

hello. our weather is turning a lot colder and it is all down to a change in the wind direction. we have had mild south—westerly winds for ages and they are moving out of the way to be replaced by colder north—westerly winds and they are really dropping the temperature in a big way. yesterday we had a top temperature of 15 whereas this afternoon we are looking at the temperature around eight celsius lower and as the cold front pushes eastwards, this band of rain, we have seen the temperature dropped by five celsius in the space ofjust dropped by five celsius in the space of just one dropped by five celsius in the space ofjust one hour. wettest weather across southern england in the afternoon, quite windy but the channel islands up to 60—70 mph gusts. scotland and northern ireland having a day of sunshine and showers, coming through with snow in them above 400 metres elevation in

them above 400 metres elevation in the scottish mountains so you will notice a bit of snow on the tops of the scottish mountains. a colder feeling day and through this evening and overnight we are looking at further showers piling on particularly frequently across western areas of the uk and it is a frost free night for most areas and were the ones for light we will see a few patches of froth developing in some areas. a cold start to the day on friday, colder than it has been for a number of mornings. should be bright enough with plenty of centring around, showers developing elsewhere as the day goes on. some snow across the hills of northern england and northern ireland and scotland but quite high up. for saturday, looks like we could see some rain skirting into southernmost areas of england, may some mist and fog patches. fewer showers, slightly less cold so the snow pushing into the tops of the scottish mountains by this stage, the temperature around about 8—9, close to average

for the time of year. sunday we should see the winds pick up again across southern areas of england, made to be a bit of rain into the south coast itself, a few showers for northern ireland. temperature still around about average, 8—9 pretty widely but then we are looking at this unsettled run of weather continuing well into next week with further accumulations of rain. already eight very wet month so we could see some further localised flooding issues.

has ai hit the tipping point? the boss of nvidia says so, as soaring demand for its chips sends profits up over 700%. japan's stock index, the nikkei, closes at an all—time high. the previous record was back in 1989. and as boeing replaces the head of its 737 max programme, at the singapore airshow, a company exec comes out fighting. the aeroplane is the most, by far the most scrutinised aeroplane in the most scrutinised aeroplane in the world, in the history of aviation. ifully the world, in the history of aviation. i fully wondered just last week with my family. ==

aviation. i fully wondered 'ust last week with my family.i aviation. i fully wondered 'ust last week with my family.