is for gaza. israel faces global backlash over the deaths of more than 100 palestinians killed while trying to get much—needed aid in northern gaza. and russian officials have been accused of hindering preparations for alexei navalny�*s burial, taking place later today. hello. welcome. i'm tadhg enright. we start with news that has broken overnight here in the uk and that's the left—wing maverick george galloway has won the rochdale by—election. applause chanting: galloway, galloway! mr galloway, who won by almost 6000 votes, made his support for the palestinian cause his dominant campaign theme

in the constituency, which has a large asian muslim community. the seat�*s traditionally been a stronghold for the opposition labour party, but two weeks ago, labour withdrew support for its own candidate after he made anti—israel remarks. this the moment the declaration was made. george galloway, workers party of britain candidate, 12,000... cheering and applause12,335. britain candidate, 12,000... cheering and applause 12,335. 1 do cheering and applause 12,335. i do hereb cheering and applause 12,335. 1 cf hereby declare cheering and applause12,335. 1 cf hereby declare that george galloway is duly elected... hereby declare that george galloway is duly elected. . ._ is duly elected... cheering and applause in his victory speech, mr galloway criticised his former party, labour, and especially its leader sir keir starmer. this is going to spark a movement, a

landslide, shifting of the tectonic plates in scores of parliamentary constituencies, beginning here in the north—west. in the west midlands. in london. from ilford to bethnal green and bow. labour is on notice that they have lost the confidence of millions of their voters who loyally and traditionally voted for them generation after generation. i have heard some of the narrative being spun around the selection result this evening. yes, it's true that every muslim is bitterly angry at keir starmer and his misnamed labour party. but you would be very foolish if you didn't

realise that millions of other citizens of our country are, too. keir starmer and rishi sunak are two cheeks of the same backside, and they both got well and truly spanked tonight here in rochdale. george galloway�*s victory came at the end of a fractious campaign and the end of a fractious campaign and the cows continued on stage during that victory speech that we just saw there with a box of orange confetti thrown in galloway�*s direction as he began addressing the hall. a grand alliance. george _ addressing the hall. a grand alliance. george galloway! | addressing the hall. a grand i alliance. george galloway! you addressing the hall. a grand - alliance. george galloway! you want to burn _ alliance. george galloway! you want to burn our — alliance. george galloway! you want to burn our future. you are a climate — to burn our future. you are a climate change denier. you said in the hustings that you want to extract— the hustings that you want to extract oil and gas from the north sea and _ extract oil and gas from the north sea and all— extract oil and gas from the north

sea and all the coal from under our feet _ sea and all the coal from under our feet. ~ . . sea and all the coal from under our feet. ~ ., ., ., polling expertjoe twyman, the co—founder of deltapol, summed up the night saying the circumstances were unusual but for british politics in the by—election. this was unusual even for a by—election, and they are usually weird and wonderful in their own ways. it was unprecedented to have george galloway win and win comfortably but do have local business owner david tulley come second is an unprecedented situation in modern british political history. we were searching back through the history books earlier we found that the last time a similar circumstances occurred was in the combined scottish universities constituency in the 1945 general election. so very much back in the past for that. but where do we go from here? i imagine this will be a

problem for all parties and, indeed, phone mainstream politics generally. but it will be of particular concern to labour and keir starmer. we see george galloway returning to the house of commons and basking, no doubt, in the publicity that all that were presented with. he has been a constant thorn in labour's side over many, many years now. and this will provide him an opportunity to return to the very public role of agent provocateur within the commons. and i'm sure the questions about gaza, palestine, israel, they will be raised, causing discomfort for labour and keir starmer at a time that they particularly don't want to focus on that.— time that they particularly don't want to focus on that. posted joe t man want to focus on that. posted joe twyman there- — want to focus on that. posted joe twyman there. some _ want to focus on that. posted joe twyman there. some say - want to focus on that. posted joe - twyman there. some say by-elections twyman there. some say by—elections boring boring — this one certainly wasn't. —— pollsterjoe. let's speak to our political

correspondent rob watson. george galloway set to return to parliament yet again. a prominent supporter of palestinian rights, and rochdale and its large muslim population. is itfairto is it fair to say that won him the election? fix, is it fair to say that won him the election? �* ., ., , ., election? a tight one. one wants to be careful with _ election? a tight one. one wants to be careful with by-elections - election? a tight one. one wants to | be careful with by-elections because be careful with by—elections because there aren't any exit polls so people aren't asked why exactly they voted the way they did and "how much do you know about the broader backgrounds of the candidates? " but all that have been said, given that rochdale has a muslim population, about a third of the voters are muslim, given that george galloway absolutely and unapologetically made gaza front and centre of his campaign, ithink gaza front and centre of his campaign, i think it wouldn't be an entirely fanciful assumption to say that that wasn't a huge factor. indeed. a general election is around the corner so george galloway�*s return to parliament could be short lived. what is he likely to do with this time, do you think?-

this time, do you think? well, i don't think— this time, do you think? well, i don't think you _ this time, do you think? well, i don't think you need _ this time, do you think? well, i don't think you need to - this time, do you think? well, i don't think you need to be - this time, do you think? well, i don't think you need to be the i don't think you need to be the sharpest political analyst to figure that one out. he is always eager to use this sort of platform that parliament gives, even a backbench member of parliament, somebody with no—one else in his party in there, it does give them a platform to raise issues as they see fit. clearly, george galloway has made no secret that he will use the platform of parliament to raise the question of parliament to raise the question of gaza whenever and however often he can. that is clearly going to be quite uncomfortable for sir keir starmer and the labour party. {131 starmer and the labour party. of course the problem — or one of the problem is the labour was that it had to withdraw support from its own candidate at a stage when it was too late to change that candidate because of comments he had made about israel. a by—election, you could save. i wonder, though, looking at the results, are there any lessons in that notjust for labour but for the conservatives, the two main parties?—

labour but for the conservatives, the two main parties? again, you know, i think _ the two main parties? again, you know, i think you _ the two main parties? again, you know, i think you need _ the two main parties? again, you know, i think you need to - the two main parties? again, you know, i think you need to be - know, i think you need to be incredibly careful. 0n the face of it there are particular issues i think the conservatives, for labour rather than the conservatives. to what extent is with this expose divisions in the labour party? how worried should they be about the drop in their normally stratospheric support from britain's was in community. and would serve as a distraction from labour wanting to carry out attacks on the conservatives? but most political scientists think that when you come to a general election, coming to an issue like gaza, it might be less important than domestic issues like inflation. some pollsters have done the numbers and said if there was a big drop in support of the labour, it might not matter so much because in this is where there is a large level population that i was in population, labour tends to hold the

seats, anyway. —— where there is a large wasn't population. but it will be a couple for next hours and days where they would rather be attacking the conservatives.— the conservatives. thank you for 'oinin: us the conservatives. thank you for joining us with — the conservatives. thank you for joining us with that _ the conservatives. thank you for joining us with that analysis, - the conservatives. thank you for| joining us with that analysis, rob watson. international criticism of israel is mounting over the deaths of dozens of palestinians desperately seeking aid from a rare convoy in gaza city. israel admits its soldiers had opened fire, saying they were concerned about security, but that most of the deaths happened in an ensuing crush. some palestinians say israeli troops fired directly at them. france said that firing on civilians trying to access food is "unjustifiable". un secretary—general antonio guterres said he was shocked to learn that 100 people had been killed. he's called for an independent investigation to identify those responsible. president biden called the incident tragic and alarming. he's also expressed concern that efforts to broke a temporary ceasefire between israel and hamas

may now be in jeopardy. 0ur middle east correspondent paul adams sent this update from jerusalem. quite how this aid mission went so badly wrong isn't completely clear, but after a day of claim and counterclaim, we have a pretty good idea of how events unfolded. this was a convoy of 30 trucks carrying egyptian humanitarian aid that was entering gaza city, in the northern part of the gaza strip, an area that has received almost no aid in recent weeks. it entered in the presence of israeli tanks. people were waiting. they had been waiting all night. they had been waiting all night. they knew the convoy was coming. when it arrived, hundreds, perhaps thousands, descended on the trucks, to try to grab whatever food they could. at some point the israelis say that some of the crowd

approached the israeli troops in a way that the israelis thought represented a threat. israelis say they fired in the air and that they didn't fired directly at the convoy. palestinians say that they were directly fired at. the result was chaos. the truck drivers tried to move forward, surrounded by this huge crowd of people. a palestinian we spoke to said in his view most of those who died, and we think the death toll is in excess of 110, was who died were run over by the trucks themselves. a handful, it seems, were also shot, by the israelis. the israelis say they are trying to do their utmost to bring aid to the president is most needed. they say they have run for convoys in the last four nights. but i think the whole episode is indicative of the fact that after five months of war,

the situation in the gaza strip is so chaotic, with such a breakdown of law and order, that something like the tragedy which happened in gaza is almost inevitable. it also has potentially political consequences. joe biden has already said that he could complicate the negotiations, in looking to arrange a ceasefire. the other dayjoe biden said that could happen as early as monday. today he said that he thought monday was looking less likely. whether negotiations have reached, we don't exactly know. paul negotiations have reached, we don't exactly know— exactly know. paul adams reporting from jerusalem. _ benjamin radd, who's a seniorfellow at the university of california burkle center for international relations, and a lecturer in middle east studies. thank you forjoining us today. israel's allies have been calling for restraint. joe biden said it went over the top. what do you think

this says about israel's response to those warnings? irate this says about israel's response to those warnings?— this says about israel's response to those warnings? we have conflicting resonse, those warnings? we have conflicting resnonse. but _ those warnings? we have conflicting resnonse. but it _ those warnings? we have conflicting response, but it underscores - those warnings? we have conflicting response, but it underscores the - response, but it underscores the dire civilian need and the suffering of civilians trying to make their way out of areas of the israeli military is going into, the incursions near rafah, in pursuit of hamas leadership. we are seeing a situation that is tragic like this where lots of innocent people in dire need of food and suppliers, and a general state of lawlessness that the un has indicated existing much of gaza as a result of the collapse of gaza as a result of the collapse of any kind of regional authority to keep order. i think that is what this underscores more than anything. for now, israel is doing what it feels it is to do to conduct the operation, whether without united

states approval. the operation, whether without united states approval.— operation, whether without united states approval. the finger of blame is pinpointed — states approval. the finger of blame is pinpointed in _ states approval. the finger of blame is pinpointed in both _ states approval. the finger of blame is pinpointed in both directions - states approval. the finger of blame is pinpointed in both directions by i is pinpointed in both directions by either side. is pinpointed in both directions by eitherside. but is pinpointed in both directions by either side. but in the background they have been renewed talks trying to achieve a ceasefire between armas and israel. do you see this incident having any impact on the likelihood of success there?— of success there? hamas officials have indicated _ of success there? hamas officials have indicated that _ of success there? hamas officials have indicated that from - of success there? hamas officials have indicated that from that - have indicated that from that perspective the likelihood of success there? hamas officials have indicated that from that perspective this sixpack attempts at reaching a negotiated deal for the return of hostages and an extended ceasefire. but hamas benefits from civilian casualties. it isn't something they care much about. from their perspective, it is what can be done to put international pressure on israel. in situations like this do bring greater international condemnation on the israeli government. for hamas this is a win in that sense, and gives them perhaps greater leverage that they would lack otherwise. it doesn't make the israeli job any easier and the increased international pressure

within limits what netanyahu can do without risking further alienation. we hear the un security council will meet behind closed doors to discuss this particular incident. what more could the us do to try to end the bloodshed in gaza? what more is a likely to do?— likely to do? what complicates the us osition likely to do? what complicates the us position is _ likely to do? what complicates the us position is the _ likely to do? what complicates the us position is the fact _ likely to do? what complicates the us position is the fact that - likely to do? what complicates the us position is the fact that this - likely to do? what complicates the us position is the fact that this is l us position is the fact that this is an election year. anything joe biden tries to do risk having the republican party capitalise on that, seize the moment, and claim that the president and his party are not doing enough to support the us main ally in the middle east. this limits whatjoe biden can do. we have seen results. we saw the recent primary in the state of michigan with a large number of arab american voters essentially declining to vote for joe biden. there is pressure from within the constituency and from the opposing party. it makes it difficult to operate in that area

acting independent of domestic international pressure. ben'amin radd from ucla, * thank you. you are welcome. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. an inquiry has concluded sarah everard's killer wayne couzens should never have been a police officer and opportunities were missed to stop him. the independent review found a radical overhaul of police vetting and recruitment is needed. sarah everard vanished from south london after visiting a friend. it emerged couzens used his authority as a police officer to trick her. tributes have been paid to hairy bikers star dave myers following his death from cancer at the age of 66. his wife liliana, who he met while filming the hairy bikers' first series in romania, called him a "wonderful, brave man." his cooking partner, si king, said he would miss him every day.

and wealth inequality between the north and south of england is set to grow, according to the institute for public policy research. their report finds a gap of annual wealth per person reaching nearly £223,000 between the south—east and the north by 2030. you're live with bbc news. with hours to go until alexei navalny�*s funeral, his team has said they continue to face difficulties in organising the farewell ceremony. his spokeswoman said they had been unable to find a hearse to drive the body to church nor a venue to hold a wake. she added that there was a heavy police presence around the church and cemetery. alexei navalny�*s supporters have accused president putin of ordering his murder in a siberian jail nearly two weeks ago. the kremlin says the accusations are unfounded. lets speak now to joanne lets speak now tojoanne stocker, who is a geopolitical analyst and

assistant editor at storyful. thank you forjoining us today, joanne. this will be a political moment as well as a farewell. what you think well as a farewell. what you think we can expect from it? i well as a farewell. what you think we can expect from it?— we can expect from it? i think we can expect _ we can expect from it? i think we can expect to _ we can expect from it? i think we can expect to see _ we can expect from it? i think we can expect to see officials - we can expect from it? i think we | can expect to see officials allowing people to come out because it can act as a pressure valve. and so if they allow people to come out in smaller groups, it prevents a build up smaller groups, it prevents a build up later, and two weeks before the russian they really need to keep ati on cognitions and things that would embarrass vladimir putin before the election. ., ., , election. one thing we have heard is that alexei navalny's _ election. one thing we have heard is that alexei navalny's family - election. one thing we have heard is that alexei navalny's family wanted | that alexei navalny's family wanted open casket. that could create a powerful image ahead of those elections. ., , , ., , elections. there are still questions about how navalny _ elections. there are still questions about how navalny died. _ elections. there are still questions about how navalny died. we - elections. there are still questions about how navalny died. we don't| about how navalny died. we don't know for sure. prison officials have said that it was natural causes. 0bviously his team says that he has

been murdered. his widow, yulia, says the government is responsible. having a powerful image of people filing by the casket is going to put a lot of pressure on the government if they don't allow people to go. it has been two weeks since his death. how would you say the kremlin has performed to contained the fallout and limit interests?— and limit interests? yulia navalny is in europe. _ and limit interests? yulia navalny is in europe, not— and limit interests? yulia navalny is in europe, not russia, - and limit interests? yulia navalny is in europe, not russia, so - and limit interests? yulia navalny is in europe, not russia, so has i is in europe, not russia, so has been able to speak on a global stage about not only her husband's death but carrying on his work. we also saw that people who just tried to come out and lay flowers at ad hoc memorials were arrested by the hundreds. there is a real concern about the outpouring that is going to be happening for alexei navalny. what impact do you see this having

on the forthcoming russian election which we always put in inverted commas? is there a risk that the funeral draws a line under the particular story? it funeral draws a line under the particular story?— particular story? it is possible because we — particular story? it is possible because we have _ particular story? it is possible because we have seen - particular story? it is possible because we have seen in - particular story? it is possible because we have seen in the l particular story? it is possible i because we have seen in the last few days that journalists and because we have seen in the last few days thatjournalists and opposition figures have been arrested and they have been accused of discrediting the armed forces. sometimes i think they posted over eight years ago after the full—scale invasion of ukraine began. these are a message to the opposition and the press do not give navalny and his death too much publicity right now.— much publicity right now. joanne stocker from _ much publicity right now. joanne stocker from storyful, _ much publicity right now. joanne stocker from storyful, thank i much publicity right now. joanne stocker from storyful, thank you much publicity right now. joanne i stocker from storyful, thank you for joining us with that analysis today. at least 43 people have died in a fire in a commercial building in dhaka in bangladesh. it's said to have started in a restaurant. many of those injured jumped from the building to escape the flames.

here's an update from our south asia regional editor, anbarasan ethirajan. right in the heart of the capital, dhaka, when this fire started, trapping dozens of people. this seven story building housed a clothing shops and several mobile phone shops as well. people suspect that the fire could have started in one of the restaurants because they all used gas cylinders, and then it spread very rapidly through the building. 0ne eyewitness was saying how panicked people ran towards the rooftop and there was no emergency exit, which meant that they were really trapped because of the single staircase. and that was one of the reasons according to one fire department official, and many try to jump department official, and many try to jump in the building because they couldn't get down and they were seriously injured, and according to the health minister, more than 40 people have been killed, and some of the injured are said to be in a critical condition. so people are

really evaluating what really happened, but the fire department officials say now the fire has been brought under control. in officials say now the fire has been brought under control.— officials say now the fire has been brought under control. in the united states, president _ brought under control. in the united states, president biden _ brought under control. in the united states, president biden has - brought under control. in the united states, president biden has called l states, president biden has called on his likely republican election challenger donald trump to join him in telling congress to pass a border security bill. —— a multi—billion dollar border security bill. both the president and mr trump have been addressing the surge in illegal crossings — a key theme for voters in the november election. the number of undocumented people entering the us across its southern border reached 2.5 million last year. tom bateman sent this update from texas. what we heard from donald trump was very much the language of invasion. that isn't new. we have heard from him before when it comes to immigration. but this was really pushing the rhetoric. without evidence, he said there were warriors fighting aged men from countries hostile to the united

states coming across the border, which is why he wanted to be photographed in front of the texas state guard troops, based there by the republican governor of texas greg abbott in what has been a stand—off between the state of texas and the federal government. as for mr biden, in brownsville, talking about the need for compromise, for congress to give him the powers he is asking for, he says, to secure the border. but implicit in that it his blame of allies of mr trump in congress, that they are effectively holding all this up. the reality remains that in the minds of voters they are blaming the brighton administration very much for what they see is a significant failure to prevent this record number of people crossing the sudden us border. i think it increasingly dominates things as we head to the election. —— southern us border. polls are increasingly suggesting that voters

are putting the issue in the top two. it is only the economy that outranks it as one of the big concerns that americans have as they go into november's presidential vote. ., ., when you think of winter sports you probably think of traditional destinations like val d'isere and kitzbuhel. but have a look at this. but this is riyadh, in saudi arabia, which has been hosting its first—ever skiing competition. it took place in an outdoor venue with over 500 tonnes of artificial snow. dozens of elite freestyle skiers took part in the snow blast event. saudi arabia is hosting the 2029 asian winter games, and is reportedly eyeing a future bid to host the winter olympics. this is the definitely the first of its kind, bringing snow to the desert. ~ ., desert. when i got the invite, i said "no. _ desert. when i got the invite, i said "no, this _ desert. when i got the invite, i said "no, this can't _ desert. when i got the invite, i said "no, this can't be - desert. when i got the invite, i said "no, this can't be real. i desert. when i got the invite, i l said "no, this can't be real. how desert. when i got the invite, i i said "no, this can't be real. how is it possible? —

said "no, this can't be real. how is it possible? " — said "no, this can't be real. how is it possible? " we are late 15 minutes _ it possible? " we are late 15 minutes from the desert. this used to be _ minutes from the desert. this used to be the _ minutes from the desert. this used to be the desert. stay with us here on bbc news. hello there. well, february was mild on the whole, and it was also very wet for many of us, particularly across parts of east anglia, where some spots saw as much as three times the average february rainfall. now, as we head into march and the start of the meteorological spring, well, it's all about to turn colder. there'll be some frosty nights and the possibility of some of that rain, the showers turn into snow over the higher ground.

now, mostly any snow will be over 200 metres elevation. so that does include the high ground of northern ireland, the welsh mountains, the pennines and the cumbrian fells. and some of that rain and snow will be pushing towards the southern uplands as we head towards the end of the day where the snow levels could start to drop a little bit. but there will be a lot of heavy rain as we head through the morning across england, wales and northern ireland. it's all clearing its way northwards and eastwards showers, brighter spells following on behind for many of us, blustery winds up through the channel and for north sea facing coast as well. some of that rain clearing away from northern ireland. it's going to be feeling cold, largely dry across much of scotland until we get to the end of the day when we could start to see some snow just feeding its way in from the south and then gradually pushing northwards as we head throughout the night. the snow levels starting to drop. it's another cold night on friday into saturday. there will be a frost out there for many sheltered spots.

temperatures down to low single figures. watch out for some icy stretches, of course, as we start off the weekend. now, on saturday, a low pressure is very much centred right across the uk and it's just spiralling around all of these showers. there could be showers just about anywhere as we head throughout the day on saturday. still brisk northerly winds blowing across the northwest of scotland, down through northern ireland. but elsewhere, the winds will fall a little lighter. there will be some showers again, wintry over the high ground. it's still feeling cold as well, with temperatures peaking only between seven and nine degrees celsius. that's a little below the seasonal average, of course, feeling colder and exposure to the wind and underneath the rain. it's the same again on sunday, but it looks drier for most of us. so fewer showers around. but the showers that we do see again could turn wintry over the higher ground. the winds will be lighter as that low tends to fill. as we head through into the start of next week, another area of low pressure swings in from the southwest. so again, it's looking wet and it's looking windy at times. but after we get to tuesday and wednesday, things will start to settle down. it could turn a bit milder. bye— bye.

live from london, this is bbc news. wall street's bull run charges on. new record highs for the nasdaq and s&p 500 as ai fever grips investors and inflation continues its downward trend. also in the us: shutdown averted for now. congress approves a last—minute deal to stop the government running out of money, but it only buys a few

days' breathing space. so, why can't washington sort out its finances? plus: from a terrace in blackburn to a £5 billion fortune, the issa brothers are one of the uk's biggest business success stories. mohsin issa speaks exclusively to the bbc. we start in the us — where the bull run on wall street continues to charge ahead. the tech—dominated nasdaq index closed at a new record high — finally bouncing back from losses made during the pandemic — as optimism about profits from artificial intelligence continues to grip investors. there was also a record close for the s&p 500 index of america's biggest firms.