da kota this is bbc news. i'm lukwesa burak. the headlines: two men accused of carrying out beheadings for the so—called islamic state, complain that they won't get a fair trial after losing their british citizenship. the daughter of one of their victims — david haines — says they should be left to rot in guantanamo bay. more british diplomats have been ordered to leave moscow by the kremlin — in the continuing row over the use of a nerve agent in salisbury. daring, fearless and one of life's characters. tributes are paid to sergeant matt tonroe — the british soldier killed on operations in syria. as funerals are held for 16 palestinians killed on the gaza—israeli border — the un calls for an independent investigation. also in the next hour, the funeral for professor stephen hawking is held in cambridge. mourners at the service heard that the physicist‘s legacy will live on forever.

the actor eddie redmayne was among the speakers. and coming up later, we'll have the latest from cardiff, where anthonyjoshua hopes to unify his heavyweight world title againstjoseph parker. good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. there's a warning that two british men detained in syria, accused of being members of an islamic state gang that murdered dozens of hostages, could escape justice. alexanda kotey and el shafee elsheikh — who were captured by kurdish fighters in january — say they've been stripped of their british citizenship. relatives of some of their victims have said britain and america must quickly reach agreement on bringing the men tojustice. duncan kennedy reports.

the two men were picked up by kurdish forces in northern syria injanuary and have been part of a sadistic gang of british is fighters that tortured and beheaded dozens of hostages. four of them stood out for their brutality. mohammed emwazi, known asjihadijohn, now dead, aine davis, now in jail and the newly captured pair, alexanda kotey and el shafee elsheikh. they're accused of the beheadings of alan henning, an aide driver from eccles, and david haines, a former raf engineer from perth now, in comments which have outraged their victims‘ families, kotey and elsheikh have called the murders of their hostages regrettable. they also say the uk has illegally

withdrawn their citizenship. one of their victims was james foley, an american tv journalist in the helmet, who was beheaded. his mother says she is worried any delay in deciding their future could risk them escaping. if somebody doesn't take the leadership and take them to trial, i fear they'll get away or something else. i'm concerned that the international community and our government, the us government and uk, need to work together to hold them accountable. tonight, the home office wouldn't say whether alexanda kotey and el shafee elsheikh had been stripped of their british citizenship but said the uk was working with its allies to ensure justice was carried out, which for some could mean an international court ofjustice. one option might be that they could be put on trial in front of an international criminal court and that isn't impossible, and indeed, i think there may be some argument is that the international community should be working together to see if individuals who have committed these crimes can be

brought tojustice. the british is fighters are believed to have beheaded at least 27 hostages amid appalling brutality, which is why some legal experts believe britain should take responsibility for the captured men. we have a duty, i think, to try them fairly, as we will, and to punish them heavily, and to show the world just how british justice works. they stand accused of the most barbaric crimes. where and when they answer for them is now the subject of intense international debate. duncan kennedy, bbc news. the daughter of the aid worker david haines who was killed by the cell said alexanda kotey and el shafee elsheikh had showed no remorse.

with me is our political correspondent, chris mason. picking up on a point wings they there, hold dear, why would they hold bridges and citizen ship so hold bridges and citizen ship so dear? the ugly is likely to be that it is something that amounts to a birth right. they were dual nationals so they held british citizenship and the citizenship of another state. that doesn't allow oui’ another state. that doesn't allow our government to take away one of those citizenships, one of those nationalities, you can never leave somebody stateless but if you are a

dual nationalfirm somebody stateless but if you are a dual national firm that is something thatis dual national firm that is something that is a possibility. the maintenance of british citizenship would have increased the likelihood of them potentially facing trial in the uk. it could have been the argument that they think they would have faced a fairer trial here than would be available elsewhere. the arguable —— the argument from people in government is there will be no public appetite for these men being brought back to the uk, the uk would have to shoulder the burden and the cost of their trial and imprisonment. we heard last month the defence secretary say they should not be allowed into the uk, that they had flouted british values and norms. but the big question arises, what on earth should happen to them? the west was to be seen to see as championing the rule of law and justice and that it is done openly and publicly but at the same time, there is a tussle going on

about who is responsible at ea should be to administer that justice. can you add any clarity as to why the us has been thrown into this as well? it could be that james foley, whose mother we heard from, as an american citizen, may mean that america feels it is duty bound to step in. some ask what will america do, instinctively, because of the historic role bad america has played as a local policeman, bob and at the trump administration there has been less appetite to do that. —— under the has been less appetite to do that. —— underthe trump has been less appetite to do that. —— under the trump administration. tobias ellwood said they would be very concerned to find themselves in one time an outbreak and that the hague would be a suitable place for the court case to take both. we have a recognition of acceptance and

agreement that these men should face justice and should face execution but there is no agreement on the specifics, but how underwear underwent and into that, therefore there is a real concern that this limbo could mean these men escape and that very justice limbo could mean these men escape and that veryjustice that limbo could mean these men escape and that very justice that so limbo could mean these men escape and that veryjustice that so many are seen desperate to be delivered doesn't happen. and we'll find out how this story — and many others — are covered in tomorrow's front pages at 10:30 and 11:30pm this evening in the papers — our guests joining me tonight arejohn rentoul, chief political commentator at the independent and the broadcaster, john stapleton. some breaking news coming from the russian embassy. the spokesman bear has responded to western —— questions from the press about the

search of an aeroflot plane last night at heathrow. let me bring you an update. the statement says that this is a clear attempt by the minister to divert attention from the provocative actions by british law enforcement officers who have tried to search the aircraft without the captain present in by—election of the existing laws. mr wallace's wallace —— logic is difficult to comprehend. aeroflot and bush —— the statement says more over, it is quite strange to search for drugs and firearms intended to be bought into the country in an attempt in an empty aeroplane ready to welcome departing passengers. this official! only aggravate our touts as to the tea m only aggravate our touts as to the team that has tried to perform an

unlawful search. that coming from the russian embassy spokesman. we are going to stay with russia. russia has told britain it must cut a further 27 staff working in the country, in a further worsening of relations following the salisbury nerve agent attack — on a former russian spy and his daughter. it's not clear whether the people affected are diplomats or local workers. more than 100 russian diplomats have been expelled by dozens of countries in response to the poisoning. our news correspondent simon jones has been following developments in salisbury. given that the british authorities we re given that the british authorities were soaked big to point the finger at russia in the wake of the attack here for being responsible, it might seem extraordinary that the british government is now considering a request from russia to be granted access to yulia skripal in hospital.

the key thing here is going to be what yulia skripal herself once. the big question, is she going to want any big question, is she going to want a ny co nta ct big question, is she going to want any contact with the russian authorities and even if she did, issue likely to be well enough anytime soon for that to happen? the rational parities say it is their right to have contact with her, and they have also listed 27 questions that they would like to ask the british government about the attack here and also about the treatment that she is receiving in hospital alongside herfather. they want that she is receiving in hospital alongside her father. they want to know why the treatment she is getting seems to be getting off greater effect than on her father who remains in a critical condition. they have also asked to see photos of them both in hospital to prove they are indeed here in salisbury and that they are indeed alive. there hasn't been a response to that from the foreign office but what

they say is they will consider russia's request under international law but they are stressing yulia skripal‘s rights will be the number one priority. we have led further details about expulsions of adjusted formats from moscow. we already knew 23 had been kicked out of the country yesterday. we were told there were going to be even more who would have to leave. now we have led it is likely to be extra 27 diplomats or possibly administrative workers who are going to have to leave moscow workers who are going to have to leave moscow once workers who are going to have to leave moscow once again. what we're not sure of is whether the british government will take any direct action following that. they say they are aware of what is happening, they are aware of what is happening, they are monitoring the situation but they say it is regrettable that it was to be expected. simonjones in salisbury earlier. the former uk ambassador ro russia — sir tony brenton said that that demand by moscow for consular access is a right that russian citizens, such as yulia skripal,

are entitled to. the geneva convention is pretty clear that we have to grant access. so the foreign office will be very cautious about not finally going along with that, because they know very well, and we all do, that the russians operate on a basis of strict reciprocity. if we interpret it strictly, they will do the same in a future case, and some unfortunate briton in trouble in russia will have trouble getting consular access himself. and this issue about a russian plane, which is a side bar story, but a aeroflot flight that was searched, russians the ministry of defence has released the name of the british soldier who was killed on thursday in syria, while fighting islamic state militants. 33—year—old sergeant matt tonroe was from the parachute regiment. his commanding officer paid tribute to him, saying he was ‘a caring and considerate soul, a loving and dutiful son, and a friend to many.‘ the united nations is calling for an independent inquiry, following the shooting dead

of at least 15 palestinian protesters by israeli security forces yesterday. hundreds of people were wounded when soldiers opened fire on palestinians demonstrating on gaza's border with israel. yolande knell reports from jerusalem. israeli drones dropped tear gas as huge palestinian crowds massed this was a day of mourning. distraught relatives and defied militants. yesterday, palestinians said they landed peaceful march on the israel gaza border but israel's military said demonstrators threw stones and tried to breach the perimeterfence. stones and tried to breach the perimeter fence. that is when the soldiers opened fire and the result was deadly. at least 15 killed and hundreds wounded. the un is calling

foran hundreds wounded. the un is calling for an investigation but israeli officials named gaza's leaders bolster bring up and rest. they are allowed to protest but this wasn't a protest, this was an attempt of thousands of people to cross over into israel. any state in the world would have taken measures to stop people infiltrating its territory. palestinians here are demanding the right to return to land they lost 70 yea rs right to return to land they lost 70 years ago w011 right to return to land they lost 70 years ago won the state of israel was created. they say they won't give up although israel has long rejected their claim. they are hoping that the old will die and the young will forget. but the young are oui’ young will forget. but the young are our children sitting here now saying they want to go back to their family's lands. the lands of their fathers and their grandfathers. for the next 60 weeks, palestinians say they will stay in these camps near they will stay in these camps near the israeli border. the headlines on bbc news: two men — believed to have been

from the islamic state cell known as "the beatles" — complain they can't get a fair trial after losing their british citizenship. russia has more than doubled the number of british diplomats it plans to expel, in the continuing row over the salisbury poisoning. the british soldier killed while on operations syria has been named as sergeant matt tonroe from the parachute regiment. teachers have moved a step closer towards allowing strike action if they don't receive substantial pay rises next year. it follows lengthy debate over pay and conditions at the annual national education union conference in brighton. our correspondent marc ashdown was at the conference in brighton. the conference was told that has

fallen by 20% in the past few years. we heard delegates sharing holiday —— horrors tories, teachers teaching subjects they're not won a specialists in, one teacher saying after she pays all her bills, she only has six t—town is allowed —— a month's only has six t—town is allowed —— a months to live on. up the road, the nas uwt in birmingham also voted to back a possible rolling strike so what now? they go away, the executive committees, they will put up executive committees, they will put upa dealto executive committees, they will put up a deal to the government, we understand they will demand a 5% pay rise this september. if that is not forthcoming, they have the option forthcoming, they have the option for a ballot on strike. the last time that happened was 2016, we saw thousands of schools close. it is a difficult one for the front, schools have been saying they've got no money, head they their budget are

under intense pressure. the medically, the government certified extra money. the nhs hasjust had a pay rise agreed, 2%, or 6% over three years, 2% per year. it will be interesting to see what happens. we area interesting to see what happens. we are a long way from strikes, this can best be described as salt on the battlefield. they are given the executive the ammunition. teachers here today have taken a significant step towards possible industrial action over teacher pay. britain's most senior police officer, the metropolitan commissioner cressida dick, has suggested that social media is partly to blame for some violent crime, including a rising number of knife attacks. in an interview with the times, ms dick said the websites were being used by gangs to glamorise violence and they allowed trivial disputes to escalate quickly. the trump administration has said it wants to start collecting the social media history of nearly everyone seeking a visa to enter the us. the proposal would require most visa applicants to give details of their facebook and twitter

accounts and disclose all social media identities used in the past five years. it follows a promise by president trump to introduce "extreme vetting" of those entering the united states to help improve security. hundreds of people gathered on the streets of cambridge this afternoon for the funeral of professor stephen hawking — the renowned theoretical physicist who died two weeks ago. as the funeral cortege arrived at the university church, the bells were rung 76 times — once for each year of his life. the actor eddie redmayne, who portrayed professor hawking in the film the theory of everything, was among those who gave a reading at the service. our correspondentjo black was in cambridge. we know professor hawking was this

international icon, bringing science to the masses but home was always cambridge, the city and the university. so his family say it was fitting that his funeral service should take days here so he we are standing outside st mary is church where the funeral took days earlier today just after two o'clock this afternoon. 500 mourners attended this service. it was a private service for his friends, his family, of course, and those invited guest which included former colleagues. thousands of people lined the route, members of the public who didn't even know him said they wanted to come and be part of this historic moment, this man with a magnificent mind. they said they wanted to say their goodbyes. after the service, we spoke to a professor from harvard university who knew professor hawking. the service was very heartfelt. we heard remembrances about his work, as well as his

family, how he worked as a man, and how he was as a physicist, and how he was as a wonderful human being. so, as well as that fso, and the family, there were some celebrities here today. eddie redmayne, the actor who played professor hawking in the film the theory of everything, astrophysicist brian may with his wife anita dobson, and a comedian who is also a size presenter and enthusiastic. like i say, many people attending, celebrities, families and friends. the people who were here outside the church remained really quiet and respectful but when the coffin was taken out of the house and went into the church, they burst into spontaneous applause. that also happen when the coffin was brought out of the church and put back into the hearse and driven away.

professor hawking's first wife jane stood with the rest of the family who looked very solemn but very proud and as the coffin drew away, she gave it a little wave. kimjong un has commited to sending a north korean team to the tokyo olympics in 2020 and the beijing winter games two years later. following a rare meeting with the north korean leader, the olympics president thomas bach said north korea will definitely participate in the showpiece events after what he called ‘fruitful‘ talks. (sot next) the national olympic committee have announced that they will definitely participate in the olympic games in tokyo 2020, as well as in the olympic winter games in beijing in 2022. this commitment was fully supported by the supreme leader of

dprk ina supported by the supreme leader of dprk in a very open and fruitful discussion. i had with him yesterday. malala yousafzai has returned to her hometown in pakistan for the first time since she was shot there by islamist militants. a helicopter carrying ms yousafzai landed not far from herfamily home in mingora amid a tight security operation. the nobel peace prize winner was attacked by the taliban in 2012, for campaigning on behalf of girls‘ education. mining students from around the world are being put through their paces in cornwall this weekend, in a challenge designed to test their strength and technique. competition is fierce at the international mining games, which are an opportunity for students to learn traditional methods and share new skills. dan johnson has been for a look around. go, go, go. it is the toughest test in a difficult, dirty business. the mining games is all about

teamwork, skill and strength. come on! getting stuck in, definitely. hard graft, you have to be willing to get dirty, get involved, make sure you do all the hard work before you can climb the ladder. there are seven different events — everything from laying tracks, panning for gold, digging and hammering. it is about keeping traditional mining skills alive. drill a hole fill of explosives to blast the rock out. before you had mechanical air drills. you had to do it by hand. there are a0 teams here from mining schools around the globe. competition certainly is fierce. these montana mining students have been training for months. the important skills are communication, a an abiliity not to get in each other‘s way. stay in good spirits.

so inevitably, the time has come for me to have a go. 25 metres then back. tip it, fill it as fast as you can, then run it again full. they call this mucking and they are not mucking about. the support from the crowd is helpful, i think. that is hard work. music: "can you dig it?" by the mock turtles # can you understand me now? # i‘ll get it through somehow # you won‘t ever get me down # can you dig it? oh, yeah... # he‘s not doing badly, to be honest.

keep that weight on! it is competitive. it is. absolutely. i think with the girls, we‘re just trying to support each other. more encouraging. this is tough. and it is technical. if there was ever any doubt, mining is a toughjob. it has to be time for a cornish pasty. we arejust going we are just going to bring you some breaking news coming to ask here at

bbc news. it concerns the anti—semitism row that has been developing over the last few days within the labour party. you remember christine shaw crossed, there had been a lot of criticism about her reaction to a peter borough council candidate, alan ball, she has stepped down as chair of labour disputes panel on wednesday, she questioned the suspension of an alleged holocaust denier, using a facebook post on friday. she said the issue was being stirred up to attackjeremy. we are just learning now she has resigned from labour‘s ruling body. she says, it has been a privilege to serve on the labour party national executive committee, also known as the nac, for the last 19 years. i was standing down in september in any

event but i have decided to resign with immediate effect. it is clear that my continued member ship of the nec has become a distraction for the party and endless intrusive media harassment of myself, my family and my friends. the statement basically and that, i pledge my full energy to six during for our country the labour government underjeremy corbyn that is so desperately needed. we understand her places to be taken by eddie is a hard, the actor, the campaigner, the campaign is well. we‘ll have more on this shortly. in the meantime, let‘s find out how the weather is looking. it has been a has out how the weather is looking. it has been a bit of a damp, i‘ll day. there have been some good holes in the cloud, allowing some sunny spells here and there. the north and the west of scotland has had a rory

estate, lots of sunshine, despite it being chilly. the reason for the cloud and the outbreaks of rain, this weather front here, which you can see slowly moving eastwards into the north sea, will take its time to go but you can see a ridge of high pressure building in. through the course of the night, it will stay cloudy, central and eastern parts of the country, still a few spells of rain around. there is going to be a chilly night across scotland and northern ireland and wales and south—west of england. a hard frost developing across scotland. we are in between weather systems for easter day so it will be a finer largely dry day for most of us before this feature moves in for easter monday. we start on a cold and frosty note, predicted for scotla nd and frosty note, predicted for scotland and northern ireland, till some cloud across the eastern side of the country, few showers on through the day as well. foremost, it will be dry, fairly cool day, the

sunshine, and later, wet and windy weather across cornwall and devon. low pressure will bring problematic weather during easter monday, wet and windy but at the time we reached the morning it will be across central parts of the country, a mixture of rain, sleet, and snow. snow chelation on the high ground and lower levels across central england and across the peak district and the pennines and central and southern scotland. turning my ardour for england and wales later on with a few heavy showers and a few sunny spells. if you have travel plans, bear this in spells. if you have travel plans, bearthis in mind, a risk spells. if you have travel plans, bear this in mind, a risk of smoke could cause travel problems. —— a risk of snow. tuesday, a very different day for most of us. a very mild day, brisk, breezy day. heavy april showers in england and