this is bbc news. the headlines at 8pm. at least 58 people are dead, after a suspected chemical attack in rebel—held syria. what we understood it was a chemical attack and it came from the air. as urgent medical help is summoned, the government here says the attack bears the hallmarks of the syrian regime. we condemn the use of chemical weapons in all circumstances. if proven, this will be further evidence of the barbarism of the syrian regime. russian investigators say the explosion on the st petersburg metro, was the result of a suicide bombing. contingency plans are in place at a kent hospital, where agency doctors are threatening to not work — over changes that could cut pay by a fifth. on her saudi arabia visit, theresa may says it's in britain's interest to maintain good relations, despite the kingdom's human rights record. also in the next hour, the french presidential candidates

go head to head on television. as campaigning enters its final stage, all 11 candidates are taking pa rt stage, all 11 candidates are taking part ina stage, all 11 candidates are taking part in a bid to swaby swing voters of france. —— to sway the swing voters of france. good evening and welcome to bbc news. at least 58 people have died, with many more injured, in a suspected chemical weapons attack in syria. eyewitnesses say victims were left choking, fainting and frothing at the mouth, and many of the dead are children. the un claims the attack came from the air, and the foreign secretary borisjohnson says if chemical weapons were used, then president assad is guilty of a war crime. syria and russia deny any involvement. the attack happened in the north west of the country, in the rebel held province of idlib.

un war crimes investigators, say they've opened an inquiry. our diplomatic correspondent james robbins reports. there are distressing images from the start. he is alive but he is struggling to breathe. around him, other children are already on oxygen, all of them victims of gas. other pictures, too graphic to broadcast, show fire crews in the streets of khan sheikhoun spraying adults and children where they fell, many of them clearly among the dead. translation: i lost my son, my children, my neighbours, my daughter. they are all gone. i only have god left. translation: all are wounded, some are dead, there are many suffocation cases. we couldn't enter khan sheikhoun city because of the systematic shelling. then, as a syrian activist was filming in one hospital treating

victims, this happened. an apparent air strike. this whole rebel—held area in north—west syria, a last opposition stronghold, has been under heavy bombardment by pro—government forces. there is a history of chemical attacks in syria's six—year—long civil war. president assad's government had known stocks and was widely accused of this attack in august 2013. that appeared to cross a red line which had been drawn by president obama but britain and the us pulled back from military action. instead, the assad regime, under pressure, agreed to surrender its known stocks by the middle of 2014. but later, a un commission found evidence of chemical weapons being used in attacks in idlib, both in 2014 and 2015. government supporters are blaming today's poisoning on the rebels, accusing them of storing gas in a factory which exploded

close to the town. but the un's syria envoy, while cautious, did not appear to back that account. what we have understood, it was a chemical attack and it came from the air. we have been and we will be stimulating all those who have the capacity of finding out technically what happened. efforts are already being made to gather forensic evidence in the hospitals where today's victims are being treated but it seems clear a war crime has been committed. the use of chemical weapons is completely banned under international law, a law which appears to have been violated once again in syria today. james robbins, bbc news. with me is doctor abulkareem ekzayez, a syrian doctor who has just something else that has been happening in the last few moments. ken livingstone, former mayo of

london has said that he has been suspended from the labour party for one year over controversial comments he made about adolf hitler and zionism. this is following a disciplinary hearing in london. there had been a suggestion that ken livingstone might be expelled from the party altogether. that has not happened, but he has been suspended for one year. we will bring you more on that as we get further details. in the meantime, let's get back to the situation in syria. with me is doctor abulkareem ekzayez, a syrian doctor who has worked in the idlib region where the suspected chemical attack has taken place. thank you for speaking to us. what do you make of what has happened today? we were shocked by this terrible news and the photos coming from the field. i have contacted some local doctors working there in the area. they have reported that around 7:30am there were air

strikes, with some sort of gas. as a result, there were more than 100 deaths. and more than 500 injuries. that's many more than we had been reporting. absolutely. actually there are no accurate numbers because all the injuries were being referred to surrounding hospitals. after just four hours from the first attack, there have been more than three air strikes targeting the main hospital or the only hospital in this village. two hospitals in the surrounding area as well. it seems there was an attempt to target this hospital and the surrounding areas, to block patients from arrival. that isa to block patients from arrival. that is a shocking business altogether. from what you say, this was notjust one attack but several in a row. and an enormous number of people killed already, more will die presumably from the fx. is that right?

absolutely. especially when the nearest hospital was at least 50 to 60 kilometres away. in the last week, there were lots of air strikes targeting these hospitals in the area. just three days ago there was area. just three days ago there was a report by msf about an attack... that's doctors without borders? yes. this attack used chlorine gas as well. one orthopaedic surgeon has been killed in this attack. another one happened just two days ago where the main hospital was destroyed and went out of service and was reported by the turkish cluster. there have been a lot of attacks in the area. that's why the hospital was not able, the medical staff, were not able, the medical staff, were not able to do with these cases. what about the supply of medical cookman

a nyway about the supply of medical cookman anyway in this part of the world? bringing some help to these people, how difficult is that? even if they have slightly safer places to offer their services, but if they do not have access to services. especially if we are talking about nerve agents, it's really hard to find the required equipment and supplies to deal with such cases. we are showing pictures at the moment. chaotic scenes. from what you have seen, what sort of agents do you think has been used? what sort of agents do you think has been used ? could what sort of agents do you think has been used? could it be sarin gas? the symptoms that have been reported related to the activation of something called the autonomic nervous system. some systems like mouth foaming and something related to consciousness. it's related to the activation of this nervous

system, which is most likely to be caused by nerve agents like sarin. that was supported by most patients, who responded positively to the use of atropine which is a medicine used to contradict the activation of this nervous system. that's why it's most likely that nerve agents were used in this attack. we are told it is the syrian regime behind this. what would you like the world to do about this? it's a terribly difficult situation, red lines were talked about by president obama some years ago. nothing seems be changing. that's really our ask. as syrians. and as all people that have some humanity, watching these crimes against syria. the international community should act now, because we have been witnessing since august 2013, more than 11100 people killed

by chemical attacks. the un investigation pointed out that the syrian regime is to blame, and nothing happened after that resolution by the security council in 2013. it seems it did not work. the international community should act now. we clearly ask the un agencies to set up an immediate identification now, to go to the affected area, not to wait months to lose all evidence. then all responsible party should be punished. a lot of procedures need to be put in place to prevent this from happening again. thank you very much. more on the news will breaking the last few moments. former mayo of london cannabis and has been suspended from the labour party after controversial comments —— format layer —— format layer of

london ken livingstone has been suspended. the panel have since decided i should be suspended for one more year. i expected them to expel me so i will now consider whether i'd challenge this legally orjust whether i'd challenge this legally or just live with it. whether i'd challenge this legally orjust live with it. you've just been suspended for another year, how do you feel? as i am not seeking to return to parliament. follow co—counsel, it does not make a great deal of change. you expected to be expelled, so this is quite lenient? it felt rather like being in north korea. no one was listening to what we we re korea. no one was listening to what we were saying. chanting. why did you get this suspension instead...

because i did this interview. and in defending nat sian saying she was an anti—semitic. they've dropped all the charges that i am anti—semitic andi the charges that i am anti—semitic and i hate the zionists and all that nonsense. they say you bought the party into disrepute. that's the logic behind it. do you accept that mrmark —— logic behind it. do you accept that mr mark —— do you accept that?|j would mr mark —— do you accept that?” would make an immediate decision, i have to sit around and think about it. have they asked you to retract your comments? how do you feel?” would have been angry if i had been expelled. but i don't think anyone expected this result. that's the simple reality of it. what's next for you? on the assumption i was going to be expelled we were planning an immediate judicial review. i think it is still a question that nobody should be

suspended for stating the truth. let me finish. i have been suspended for stating the truth, labour mps who tweeted that i was anti—semitic, i had said hitler was a zionist, i had been a nazi apologist and all that. no disciplinary action against them. i think that sent unacceptable double standard, when mps can't be treated the same. you've just about stopped short of career suicide. he had a long time to say sorry. you've been found guilty of bringing the party into disrepute. are you ready to say sorry now? if i had said hitler was a zionist i would say sorry, but i never said that. you can't apologise for telling the truth. my problem is, when i left school i spent eight years as a council research technician. i worked with scientists who had to find the truth. then i moved into politics than those not basic rules.

contest orients dispute your version of the truth? will you apologise for the offence you cause?” of the truth? will you apologise for the offence you cause? i apologise for the offence caused by those labour mps who lied. that was the former mayo of london —— mayor of london. he said there was widespread expectation he might be expelled. after remarks he made about adolf hitler. a child is in hospital tonight after being bitten by a dog in kent. these people —— two people have been arrested. the child is in critical condition and the dog was shot dead. russian investigators say yesterday's explosion on the metro

was possibly caused by a suicide bomber. this is what chaos looks like underground. this mobile phone footage was shot seconds after the bomb. there was a mad scramble to get out of the train alive. smash it! break it down! says a voice. passengers are helped to safety. at that moment, someone cries. mum, ma'am. the injured are pulled away. i was just sitting there, she says. he is the station today. wreckage cleared, service back. saint petersburg trying to be normal. it chaos scene. over here a

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doing hisjob. investigators now say that yesterday's attack was carried out by a 22—year—old man from central asia who had been living in saint petersburg. they are searching for clues to explain