Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 7 Feb 2017

1. John Bercow criticised for vetoing Donald Trump speech

John Bercow has been criticised by senior Tories for using his veto as Commons Speaker to stop Donald Trump addressing MPs and Lords in Westminster Hall on his state visit. Bercow said Trump's "racism and sexism" meant he should not be invited. A former cabinet member told the BBC the Speaker "must be close to standing down",

2. First proposed amendments to Brexit bill defeated

Labour's first attempts to modify the Brexit bill have been defeated. Their amendment, which would have forced the Prime Minister to regularly update parliament on her progress, was defeated 333 to 284. Another calling for the leaders of the Scottish and Welsh parliaments to have a say on leaving the EU failed by 333 to 276.

3. Assad 'secretly hanged 13,000 in Damascus jail'

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s security forces executed as many as 13,000 people in secret mass hangings at a prison near Damascus, says Amnesty International. A report from the group says the victims "are overwhelmingly ordinary civilians who are thought to oppose the government".

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4. Hungary submits plans to detain all asylum-seekers

Hungary's right-wing government is to submit plans to the EU to detain all asylum-seekers inside its borders in "shelters". The proposals involve stopping refugees from moving freely until a decision has been taken on their request for asylum. Hungary has refused to accept EU migration quotas.

5. Javid vows to fix Britain's 'broken' housing market

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid will today say that Britain's housing market is "broken" as he unveils plans to order councils to build new homes "in the places that people want to live", with an emphasis on high-rise blocks and city-centre developments. Javid will also force developers with planning permission to build quickly.

6. New male contraceptive one step closer

A new male contraceptive could be on the way after a successful trial on monkeys. The technique involves injecting a gel into the sperm-carrying tubes to create a long-lasting barrier, acting like a vasectomy but, it is thought, easier to reverse than surgery. The company behind Vasalgel hope to carry out human tests in the near future.

7. Rail passengers could pay via their fingerprints

Britain's private rail operators have proposed swapping tickets for iris and fingerprint-scanning. The move would be the next step from using smartphone Bluetooth signals to open ticket gates, which will be trialled on Chiltern Railways services in a few months. It is claimed the technology will help cut delays.

8. Kylie vs Kylie trademark battle ends

It appears Australian singer Kylie Minogue's legal battle with US reality TV star Kylie Jenner over their shared first name has been resolved. Minogue opposed the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star's attempt to trademark her name in the US, but legal opposition to the plan has now been withdrawn, suggesting the two have settled.

9. Call to let police dog retire with her handler

An online petition has been started to allow a police dog to retire with her handler. Sergeant David Evans, from Shropshire, says he is "heartbroken" after being told he must pass Ivy on to another officer. He has offered to buy the animal and cover the cost of replacing her - which could cost £24,000.

10. Briefing: the Shannon Matthews case

A two-part BBC drama will delve into the search for Shannon Matthews, the nine-year-old who went missing from her home in West Yorkshire in 2008, and the shocking truth about her abduction. The Moorside, which starts this evening, stars Gemma Whelan as Karen Matthews, who turned from anguished mother of a "missing" child only to one of the most vilified women in the country.

What happened in the Shannon Matthews case?