the leading kremlin critic, alexei navalny, is in berlin receiving emergency treatment after a suspected attempt to poison him in russia. mr navalny‘s supporters have described his condition as very worrying, and say he's been the target of an assassination bid. russia denies any involvement. nato has dismissed claims by the president of belarus of a troop build—up on its border as baseless. nato said it posed no threat to belarus or any other country. president alexander lukashenko has been facing mass protests since claiming victory in a contested election earlier this month. firefighters in california are struggling to contain some of the state's largest ever blazes as forecasters warn that more lightning strikes on sunday could spark new wildfires. more than 500 separate fires have burned more than 4,000 square kilometres in a week. six people have been killed. six years ago, the life of the pakistan schoolboy,

ahmad nawaz, changed forever when his school was targeted by taliban gunmen. the attack left more than 130 children dead. ahmad, then aged 1a, only survived by playing dead. the road to recovery has been long, but ahmad's life is about to change again. he's accepted a place to study at oxford university. the bbc asian network's shabnam mahmood reports. that was a horrible day. i will never be able to forget the things that happened on that day. december 2014, over 130 children and their teachers died in an attack by the taliban on a school in peshawar in pakistan. my friends being killed, of course, in front of my eyes, and that's one of the pictures that i will never be able to forget. ahmad nawaz, who also lost his younger brother in the massacre, was shot in the arm. it shattered the bone at that time, and i had to go through 11 surgeries.

so severe were his injuries, he was flown to a birmingham hospital, which specialises in trauma surgery. i met him shortly after his operation. he explained how he'd played dead to stay alive. i keet quiet and show myself dead to them, because the blood was so much, and my shirt was fully red and my face also was fully red, so, therefore, they think he has died. having made the uk his home, ahmad is determined to do well. now, he has secured a place at oxford university to study philosophy. i feel extremely proud having come from such an atrocity that happened a few years ago. i feel like this is a success, not only for myself, but also, all the people who got shot in that attack. i want to see all child go to school... like his friend,

nobel peace prize winner malala yousafzai, who also survived a taliban attack ahmad is no less ambitious. i would also like to help people through my own organisation, which i am setting up now, to try and empower people to eradicate this problem of extremism from the world. this is the confirmation. going to oxford university is a dream come true for the teenager who lived through one of the deadliest terror attacks. i think my survival was a miracle in a sense, and now i am just trying my best to make sure that i can do something in the second chance that i have been given. shabnam mahmood, bbc news. now on bbc news, it's time for the travel show. i'm on a voyage through the heart of the balkans, exploring the places that have grown up along the route of the river sava. it's a journey through four countries that just over 25 years ago were at war.

my trip started at the source in slovenia and continued through to the wetlands of croatia. watch out! this week, i'll be following the river to bosnia and herzegovina, and then east into serbia. i'm meeting those who live along the river banks who want to move on from the conflicts of the ‘90s and show us what their part of the world is really like. the cascading waterfalls and historic cities of bosnia and herzegovina, now gaining more international attention. and here in gradiska in the north of the country, the river sava

is on the tourist agenda too. it's here that the river takes on a new and important role as an internationally recognised border. because over there is croatia, and on this side of the river is bosnia and herzegovina, where i will be continuing my journey. it's a far cry from the beleaguered war—torn image some might have of bosnia and herzegovina. during the 1990s, the river here was the scene of some of the fiercest inter—ethnic fighting. sparked by the break—up of yugoslavia. but today, the people who live here are recognising the river's potential.

during the war, the river was a physical barrier, separating opposing sides. attitudes towards the river might have changed since the war, but the natural environment is still feeling the effects. landmines and munitions were used extensively in the sava basin, which not only proved to be deadly, but also polluted the water and the problem has been compounded by industrial waste. but this group of young people are determined that their natural heritage will not be placed

in any further jeopardy. there are people who think it's a war still in our country, but it's not. it's finished. thank you. when we were at war, or after the war, older generations didn't have time to think about nature, but now it has ended and i am the new generation that came with that sense that we need to help our nature, so that that same nature can help us. why is it important for you that the nature around here is protected 7 we have an unused nature that tourists can... the potential. yes, potential that tourists can help us with that, because we need money. so tourism could be the answer to unemployment amongst young people? yes, of course. like everywhere.

how bad is unemployment? ah, very bad. so tourism may say that? yes. i think it's the only choice we have. just outside gradiska, on the flood plains of the sava, is the wetland. it's been recognised as an area of international importance because it supports a range of endangered species. but it's also under threat as some of the lakes have been drained and ploughed overforfarmland. it's an issue the collective want to bring worldwide attention to by holding a music festival here. mirko was one of the djs. what is it about the land here that worries you, and what's happening to it? the thing that worries me is it will all disappear, all the lake — it was 11, now it's only two. la kes ? yeah. so tell me then — what is so special about this area that makes you

and your friends want to come here and relax? nature, nature, especially nature because it is breathtaking. when you look at the sunrise and everything, it's beautiful. so we wanted to check, let's do a festival. maybe someone will, with the money, come and say, "stop that." more than 500 people from across the region came to the festival, and the eco—collective plan to hold more events here in the future. some people might say, how is playing music with a dj sound system helping the nature? because that's in right now. the festivals are in. but i suppose what i'm saying is people might comejust for the party, 0k. they go, yeah, great party! and they might go, not even knowing... when they come, when they see this beautiful place, they will stay. we are campaigning for saving this land. that is all.

just the two. and the eco—collective aren't the only ones hoping to encourage people to visit this region. i'm heading through lush countryside to meet a man who wants to link up the whole of the sava route by bike. what is your grand plan for the whole stretch of this river? well, the grand plan is actually to connect first, to connect people along the sava river. it's connecting a few important cities. well, once you know sava river was a war line, we want to change this, to become more or less like a lifeline. he thinks the plan could unite all four countries with a common purpose, and he cycled the entire 850—kilometre route

with his team to show it can be done. there are hurdles to overcome, like areas with undetonated landmines. but he says if the route succeeds, the rewards will be immense. this is just one of the answers that really could help people to think about a mutual future, not divided future. we finish our cycle ride in riverside city of brcko. brcko's position on the river near the croatian and serbian borders means it's been strategically important for centuries. its location also made it a huge sticking point in the 1995 peace talks that sought to end bosnia and herzegovina's ethnic conflict by setting up two political entities within the country — one representing bosnian muslims and croats, the other, serbs. no—one could agree which region brcko should be part of —

the federation of bosnia and herzegovina or the serb republic. and so, they made a decision. it would be neither. brcko's been called europe's only free city. in official terms, it is a semi—autonomous district with its own multi—ethnic government and education system. but achieving harmony hasn't been straightforward. for example, the local assembly couldn't agree on a shared memorial for those killed in the country's war. so they built three. brcko is a fascinating place to visit. it's been called a microcosm of the country as a whole because here you can experience the culture of all the different groups that make up this complex nation. and that diversity is

reflected in the music too. singing this band specialise in performing folk songs from all the ethnic backgrounds that make up brcko. clapping really, really good. fantastic. how do you do? thank you so much. that was brilliant. and tonight, i'm joining the band. can i ask you, first of all — how much of the music that you play is a combination of all the different cultures that are in this district? singing

of course, no—one‘s pretending that brcko is a utopia. it has a fiendishly complicated government structure and there is lingering resentment about which community effectively has the most power. but on nights like this, harmony reigns. singing all of us are mixed. there are serbians, croatians, bosnians. we are all the same. i don't even remember if someone is that way or this way or anything. it doesn't feel... the atmosphere is very nice. and life goes on, and music goes on. yes. absolutely. well, in that case, shall we have a go?

not good. power! wow! that's such a nice feeling! clapping next on myjourney, i'm heading east along the sava route to serbia. my endpoint will be the country's biggest city, and its grand capital, belgrade. but first, it's the city of sremska mitrovica on the river's northern bank. now, on the face of it, this city centre is much like any other in serbia, but what's intriguing and surprising is that beneath my feet, beneath these streets are the ruins of a former capital of the roman empire. it was called sirmium then. the romans chose this spot because of its location on the sava.

the word ‘sirmium' means flowing water. most of the roman city, including a hippodrome, still lies beneath a modern metropolis, but some remains, like this huge imperial palace complex, have been excavated. it was 1957 when the workers starting to make an apartment building and then these walls appeared. some historians think as many as 18 roman emperors were born in the territory of modern—day serbia, and that five of those were born here in sirmium itself. it's a heritage this archaeologist thinks is little known outside of the balkans, largely due to the period in the late ‘90s when serbia was seen by some as a political pariah because of the conflict in kosovo. do you think people

are surprised that serbia had such a roman history? ah, i think that it is not so much now, and for a long time, we were isolated and we did a lot during that time, according to the protection of archaeological heritage. and the archaeologists want the world to know about the incredible remains they found here. they're using new 3—d reconstruction techniques so that people can digitally explore what parts of this ancient city might have looked like. these things which connect people, like roman heritage, like these things which are similar and central to all of us, which makes us a part of europe. and this is ourjoint past. and sirmium's incredible

history isn'tjust linking present—day sremska mitrovica with the rest of europe, it's bringing the region global attention. beneath this field just outside the city is a roman palace. australian archaeologists from the university of sydney have joined with serbian colleagues to start the mammoth task of excavation. stefan is one of the people coordinating the dig. potentially, we are excavating the palace of roman emperor maximianus herculius and if it turns out to be emperor maximianus herculius, it definitely is one of the most exciting finds in the world of european roman archaeology. the plan is to excavate the palace and find out more. but it's going to take years. anything i can help with here? anything i can do?

yes. you may, in fact, you may use this thing. what does this do? shall i show you? yeah. it sprays the water, so you can clean the mosaic stones. incredible. this is really pleasurable to literally uncover and expose works of building and art that, you know, were literally thousands of years old. incredible. and thousands of years ago, the romans continued down the river to build the ancient city of singidunum — known today as serbia's capital belgrade. this is belgrade‘s most famous landmark, its fortress, the scene of many a battle during the last 2,000 years.

and if you look over here, you can see exactly why. it's where our companion for the last 900km, the river sava, meets the danube, making it the most strategic point on our entire journey. but today, the fortress grounds are the venue for more peaceful, if still fiercely contested, combat. and today, for some premier league stars. lazar. how are you doing? hi. now, you guys are professionals, but what you're playing is a different kind of basketball, right? it's street basketball? yeah, street basketball. it looks like basketball, but it's a completely different sport, you know? how is it different? it's different because you play in half a court, you play with a smaller ball, and play three on three. 0k. you get 12 seconds to try and score and after each goal, the opposing team drives the ball out beyond the arc

on the court and begins their attack. and i show them how it's done. 0h! well done! i've got a height disadvantage, but it doesn't mean i'm worse because i can nip through underneath — well, that's the theory, anyway. serbia is ranked number one in the world at the sport, which has just been added to the line—up for the 2020 olympic games in tokyo. and if you want to catch a match at this venue, the season runs from august untiljune and you can buy tickets at the courts. yes! come on! the fortress grounds date back through two millennia of military history, but also bear witness to the more recent turbulence in serbia. this weaponry was used against nato air forces in the war over kosovan

independence in 1999. there's evidence, too, in the city centre of buildings bombed in that same conflict. but the capital is not the war—ravaged, depressed city that some people might expect it to be. in fact, belgrade has picked up quite a reputation for its hedonistic night life and cafe—lined boulevards. the centre is a blend of neo—renaissance architecture intermingled with the brutalist blocks built when this was yugoslavia's capital. but perhaps the most distinctive features of the city are these things — floating jetties called splavs — that sit along the banks of the sava. dina tells me how important the river is to the city. i think it looks more like the riviera than a river. well, yeah. basically, i mean, given that belgrade is in this amazing geographical place, like, on the confluence of the sava and danube, like, two

great european rivers, this city basically lives by the river. dina works at a pioneering cultural centre in the artistic riverside neighbourhood of savamala, and feels the creative side of the city is often underestimated. i think, it's in my opinion, i believe that the stereotype surrounding belgrade kind of moves between two bipolar stereotypes. the first one, i would say, is the old type of belgrade and serbia being this war—stricken country. and the other is that belgrade is basically this new berlin, eastern berlin after the cold war, so kind of like the newly found utopia for the all clubbers. and honestly, i don't think that belgrade kind of applies to either of those. because the city is specific in its own way. dina hopes the city can start to shake the perception held

by some in the international community that belgrade, and serbia as a whole, are intolerant to minorities. we do have this legacy of retrograde attitudes towards minorities but we must all keep in mind that all those things were in the past. in recent years, we have had successful gay prides in belgrade — although with huge support from police security — but comparing to the first years of organising gay pride, when it was almost impossible to imagine that it would be held, the things have changed a lot. and the face of the city is changing too. 3 billion euros have been pumped into regenerating belgrade‘s waterfront. it's a project that's been controversial with some locals,

but that it's hoped will bring investment and tourism to the capital. it's clear that whatever the future holds for belgrade, the river will still be at its very heart. and so, my near—1,000km voyage down the river sava, through the balkans, is complete. and what a trip it's been. sings in serbian i've seen how the river has been a crucial artery stretching all the way back to roman times. and how, more recently, it was the backdrop to some of the most brutal fighting of the 1990s. both sing in serbian for me, it's been truly incredible to see how the river is now helping to heal the wounds of that conflict. and let's hope it continues

to make new friends out of old enemies. both sing in serbian hello there. at the moment, the weather doesn't feel much like late summer. over this weekend, we have seen

of sunshine and showers. we have got more showers to come during the second half of the weekend. the big cricket match of course is taking place at southampton, england, on top, hoping for some more wickets. and generally speaking, the day should be dry. there are not going to be many showers across this part of the country. many places will start sunday dry with some sunshine. showers coming into northern ireland, spilling now into southern scotland, northern england, moving into the midlands and into the afternoon down towards the south—east. some of those showers could be happy, possibly thundery. more showers for wales in the south—west, the winds will be lighter on sunday, turning north—westerly in scotland, but there should be very few showers away from the far south. it will be quite cool air, temperatures only 14—16 degrees. we could make 22—23 in the south—east ahead of those heavy showers. those will move away fairly quickly in the evening, lingering a little bit longer across northern england and then later in the night, we will see some rain coming into wales and the south—west, but some clearer spells

elsewhere. a little bit cooler, though, i think, by monday morning, particularly in scotland. and quite chilly in the glens of scotland for this time of year. monday is a messy day, i think we have got more cloud and patchy rain in the morning moving eastwards across england and wales and then some sunny spells, a few showers around here and there. the winds will be quite late on monday, again, temperatures may be making 17 in the central belt of scotland to a high of 21 in the south—east of england. a fairly quiet day, but the changes overnight into tuesday, perhaps lingering into wednesday. we've got more gales arriving across the uk, particularly in the south, and this is where we are more likely to have some further trouble disruption. another dose of very windy weather, and usually windy for this time of year as a deep area of low pressure again sweeps its way across the uk. when arriving overnight, the wind is picking up by the morning in the south—west in particular, blowing it northwards, probably not reaching northern scotland, the winds really picking up across wales, the midlands, southern england, gusts of 50—60mph along some of exposed coastal areas.

a bumpy ride again on tuesday, temperatures probably don't mean a great deal in that rain, it is going to be pretty cold for most of the day, highs 21 again in the south—east.

welcome to bbc news. i'm james reynolds. our top stories: the russian opposition leader, alexei navalny, remains in hospital in germany. his supporters say his condition is very worrying. the us house of representatives votes to pass an emergency bill to inject $25 billion into america's cash—strapped postal service. lithuania and poland deny claims that nato is building up its forces along their borders with belarus. tiktok takes on trump. the chinese company behind the social media app says it will sue the us government.