this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. president biden visits the city of tulsa on the centenary of one of the worst incidents of racial violence in american history. for in american history. much too long, the history of for much too long, the history of what took place here was told in silence. some injustices are so heinous, so horrific, so grievous they can't be bedded, no matter how hard people try. —— can't be buried. a special report from jordan where we go back to meet two syrian refugees — victims of the terrible conflict in their homeland. pope francis issues the most comprehensive overhaul of laws in the roman catholic

church for nearly a0 years. organisers of the grand slam tennis tournaments promise to address players�* concerns about mental health after naomi osaka withdraws from the french open. and the spetacular last pictures from a drone as it crashes into an erupting volcano. hello and welcome to audiences in the uk and around the world. president biden has been visiting the city of tulsa in oklahoma to mark a century since a white mob attacked a black district, killing as many as 300 people. the attack on an affluent black community, known as black wall street, followed an alleged assault on a white teenage girl.

president biden has called on all americans to reflect on what he described as the "deep roots of racial terror" in the country's history. our correspondent gary o'donoghue reports from tulsa. this is the first time an american president has come to tulsa to acknowledge the horror of the massacre. local residents showed him around the greenwood cultural centre where he got to meet the only known survivors of that murderous night in 1921 — america's worst single act of racial violence in its history. some injustices are so heinous, so horrific, so grievous they can't be varied.

—— buried centre where he got to meet the only known survivors of and there is little such help for greenwood after 1921. in for greenwood after 1921. in fact, the city purposely passed rules and regulations that would make it harderfor black businesses to rebuild. it took decades for greenwood to recover, though. it never regained its former glory. now local entrepreneurs want to capture that past and they are looking to local, state and federal government to help. the black wall street liquid lounge is one place trying to revitalise the area, but why there is optimism but its future, they owner still believes the city is divided.

i'm more of a bootstrap kind of guy. so i think that the movement starts here with the citizens and the small business owners working together. if some are thinking about greenwood's future, others are praying for answers about its past. archaeologists now believe that dozens, if not hundreds, of victims of the massacre were buried in mass graves, and the work to find them begins in earnest today. i feel a sense of pride, because right now we are opening up the ground where there is hidden history, a dark history. this is a murder investigation right here. a murder investigation... the work excavating the graves will take months, if not years. proof, if needed, that the past is rarely over. gary o'donoghue, bbc news, tulsa. we can now speak to dr rashawn ray who's a fellow at the brookings institution and a regular commentator on matters of historical importance to the african

american story in the united states. very good to have you with us. where does this sit in at the grand scheme of things, in the bigger context of the history of african—american rights in the us and the effect that incident has on people today? thank you for having me on as always. it is monumental. and it is monumentalfor a couple of reasons. black wall street, tulsa, greenwood, what it represented was a 35 blocks of a black excellence, of people who had pulled themselves up from the bootstraps will stop there are a dentist, small businesses, movie theatres, homes that were all burned to the ground where not only people lost their lives, but people lost their lives, but people also lost wealth and the ability to accumulate generational wealth, so black wall street is what society,

what the united states had told the black people that they should do and it is monumental today, being 100 years, but also the fact that president biden went there as one of the first sitting president to do so. it is monumental. and i think the pathway that he has laid out in terms of legislation can help to amend at the wrong here. just explain that pathway — at the wrong here. just explain that pathway for _ at the wrong here. just explain that pathway for hours - at the wrong here. just explain that pathway for hours and - at the wrong here. just explain | that pathway for hours and why it matters so much. part that pathway for hours and why it matters so much.— it matters so much. part of what peeple _ it matters so much. part of what people have - it matters so much. part of what people have to - it matters so much. part of. what people have to recognise is after black wall street was decimated, it was not only that particular city, but there are several around the united states that were similar to greenwood that were also decimated in a similar way is by the kkk, white supremacists and by the time —— at a time, law enforcement and the government were playing composite roles in his axe. —— complicit roles. they are trying to... jim crow, housing

segregation and business ownership, which is often times prevented like businesses from being able to gain the financial backing to be able to grow and help out communities. biden is hoping to address both of those gaps when it comes to the wealth gap in terms of entrepreneurship and homeownership —— grow and help black communities. it was almost like it had been hidden, almost like it had been hidden, almost extracted from the history books.— almost extracted from the history books. almost extracted from the histo books. ., ., , history books. how important is it that it is _ history books. how important is it that it is now _ history books. how important is it that it is now being _ history books. how important is it that it is now being marked i it that it is now being marked and, in particular, descendants of the people who were affected by that mob attack? look, it is vitally important. we know there are a few people who were literally there on that day 100 years ago who had been hoping for this particular moment. we also have _ for this particular moment. we also have to — for this particular moment. - also have to recognise that when you look at papers from that particular incident 100 years ago, they talk about the few white people who were actually the instigators, some of whom also ended up being

killed. with very little mention of black people, of the 300 like people who are decimated. and of course, upwardly mobile and affluent black people and it highlights the legacy that we cannot outclass racism that often times the threat of upwardly mobile, affluent black people is even more so to individuals who are living a more downtrodden life, so tulsa, greenwood, black wall street, they represent the best of what america and the world has to offer, but it also highlights the way systemic racism and white supremacy continues to unfold on american soil. ok. unfold on american soil. 0k, many thanks _ unfold on american soil. 0k, many thanks indeed. - in the last hour, the african union has said it is suspending mali's membership of the organisation in response to last week's military coup. members of the groups had already threatened sanctions if a civilian—led government was not restored. the decision comes two days after the economic community of west african states, known as ecowas, also halted mali's membership of its group

demanding the country stick to a timetable to restore democracy. one of the most senseless consequences of war is its impact on children, and in syria, the lives and futures of a whole generation have been badly hit. it's now more than ten years since syria descended into civil war, our world affairs correspondent caroline hawley reports from jordan where she's been back to meet again children who've already paid a very heavy price. mustapha and his little sister survived a bombing raid by the syrian regime seven years ago. both their parents were killed in the explosion that nearly took his life too. mustapha broke both his hips and still has shrapnel in his brain which doctors have told him they can't remove. we first met mustapha when he was five. over the years, the one thing that has never changed

is his irrepressible smile. right now, mustapha has good reason to be happy. he and his sister and grandma are about to be given a new home on the other side of the world. it's time for the last play with his cousins before he goes. as always, he does his best to keep up but his injuries seem to affect him more than when we saw him last. his grandmother has looked after him for the last few years as if she was his own mum. she is frail now

and can barely walk. for her, it won't be an easy move. but in the final hours before their departure when the children are too excited to get to sleep, there is a last—minute hitch. so they should actually be in the air right now but when you are a refugee you don't have much control over events and there has been some kind of delay. the bureaucratic bungle means it will be weeks at least before he can fly. rahaf and mustapha don't know each other but they would recognise each other�*s pain. when she was three, her home in syria was hit by government shelling, setting her bedclothes on fire. her sister amma's burns were more severe.

in 2012, we filmed amma having surgery on herface. she had so many operations over the years, so many medical procedures, herfamily have literally lost count. rahaf herself has had 12, one for every year of her life, but nothing she has been through can match the agony of losing her sister, who was also her best friend. this was the last photo taken of amma before she got ill last year with an infection her body couldn't fight.

rahaf is getting ready to visit her sister's grave. when i first met them, neither girl would look at themselves in the mirror but both had grown hugely in self—confidence before amma died. a casualty of serious conflict years after the rocket fell. so much surgery on amma's injuries had taken a massive toll. her family took her from doctor to doctor to try to save her and after all that she had been through and survived, theyjust can't believe that now she is gone. the long reach of syria's war. for mustapha, there is still a new life in australia to look forward to, but that small piece of shrapnel buried in his brain that causes so much trouble will be

with him wherever he goes. there's outrage in italy after a notorious sicilian mafia boss — dubbed the slayer — was released from prison after 25 years. 64—year—old giovanni brusca — who was freed from jail in rome — detonated the bomb that killed italy's most renowned anti—mafia judge, giovanni falcone, in 1992. he also dissolved a boy's body in acid after his father turned state witness. brusca was first arrested in 1996 as one of the leaders of the notorious cosa nostra. stay with us on bbc news, still to come — the tennis star whose honesty about living with depression has drawn worldwide praise. the queen and her husband began their royal progress to westminster. the moment of crowning,

in accordance with the order of service, via a signal given with the great guns of the tower. tributes have been paid around the world to muhammad ali who has died at the age of 7a. outspoken but rarely out—fought, ali transcended the sport of boxing of which he was three times world champion. he was a good fighter, he fought all the way to the end — even through his illness. yes, he did. uefa imposes an indefinite ban on english clubs playing in europe. today is the 20th anniversary of the release of the beatles lp sgt peppers lonely hearts club band, a record described as the album of the century.

this is bbc news, the latest headlines: president biden visits the city of tulsa on the centenary of one of the worst incidents of racial violence in american history. pope francis has issued the most comprehensive overhaul of roman catholic church laws for nearly a0 years the new laws criminalise the grooming of children for sex and possessing images of child abuse. the pope reminded bishops to follow the letter of the law rather than leaving it to their own discretion. it's his latest attempt to tackle the problem of child abuse that continues to dog the global church. the changes come into effect in december. jeff anderson is an attorney who has represented thousands of sexual abuse survivors over four decades. he's in st paul, minnesota. just explain how significant

this is for the people you represent and others out there as well. ~ ., as well. well, when we look at what the papacy _ as well. well, when we look at what the papacy has _ as well. well, when we look at what the papacy has done - as well. well, when we look at j what the papacy has done here in making the rape by a priest of a child by a priest a crime, it really is incrementalism and shocking nominalism. in other words, it amounts to nothing when it comes to cleaning up the cover—up worldwide of children being abused by priests. it is public relations. and it is more pledges, promises, protocols and public relations by the

papacy, and there is no action. what action is required is the pgpgcy what action is required is the papacy to definitively, number one, remove immediately any priest that rapes a child from the priesthood. number two, any bishop that has concealed or covered it up or given a safe harbour to a perpetrator should also be punished by the pub. and number three, the simple action of coming clean and identifying to law enforcement across the globe, all the offenders who have raped and pillaged... and are turning over all the identities of those offenders are known only to the papacy to law enforcement authorities across

the globe. and numberfour, identifying all of the bishops who have been complicit in these crimes and to say that they are going to call it a crime and on the perpetrator who rates the child is really a diversion. who rates the child is really a diversion-— diversion. 0k. just briefly, is that not a — diversion. 0k. just briefly, is that not a big _ diversion. 0k. just briefly, is that not a big step _ diversion. 0k. just briefly, is that not a big step in - diversion. 0k. just briefly, is that not a big step in the - that not a big step in the right direction? and in, these are things a massive step so that you're talking about and at least this is a move in this direction, is it not?— direction, is it not? well, a move connotes _ direction, is it not? well, a move connotes this - direction, is it not? well, a move connotes this is - direction, is it not? well, a l move connotes this is words, not action, so i would not consider it to move forward in any meaningful way. the reality is that the pope is still adhering to the law that these —— requires that these crimes and the bishop's role in them remains secret.—

and the bishop's role in them remains secret. 0k. jeff, many thanks indeed. _ remains secret. 0k. jeff, many thanks indeed. jeff _ remains secret. 0k. jeff, many thanks indeed. jeff anderson i thanks indeed. jeff anderson joining as they are from st paul, minnesota. doctors at the charity medecins sans frontieres say more than half a million people in eastern congo have lost their supply of drinking water as a result of the recent volcanic eruption. a reservoir and pipes were damaged when mount nyiragongo erupted ten days ago. the organisers of the four grand slams tennis tournaments have pledged to "create meaningful improvements" after world number two naomi osaka withdrew from the french open. she pulled out on monday after the controversy over her refusal to speak to the media at the tournament in a bid to protect her mental health. she said she wanted to protect herself after suffering "long bouts of depression" after winning herfirst grand slam in 2018. katy gornall reports. naomi osaka is one of her sport's biggest and most marketable stars, and yet all the talk in tennis has been about her not talking.

last week, she said she wouldn't speak to the media at the french open — to protect her mental health. and then, 2k hours after winning herfirst match, pulled out of the tournament altogether, posting this on twitter. she said... "the best thing for the tournament, and my well—being, is that i withdraw. i never wanted to be a distraction." osaka revealed she'd suffered long bouts of depression since winning the us open three years ago and gets huge waves of anxiety before speaking to the world's media. now she says she'll take some time away from the court. as much as it can be difficult and challenging at times, and i've experienced that myself, it's part of the job. to have not been able to reach any sort of conclusion with the organisers and be able to move forward because of the press commitments is, you know... it's sent shockwaves through the sport. all of the thoughts go to her and make sure that she's looking after her mental health, which it's good that that's what she's doing. as the tournament continued today without the world number two, players in paris offered their support.

i feel for naomi. i feel like i wish i could give her a hug, because i know what it's like. like i said, i've been in those positions. you know, you just have to let her handle it the way she wants to, in the best way that she thinks she can. osaka can be engaging and outspoken, but her refusal to talk on this occasion has come at a cost. the 23—year—old was fined by the tennis authorities and threatened with expulsion for failing to fulfil her contractual duties. following her withdrawal, the head of the french tennis federation had this to say. we are sorry and sad for naomi osaka. - the outcome of naomi - withdrawing from roland—garros is unfortunate. he then left, without taking questions. it was left to others to ask if lessons could be learned. because of covid, you know, the landscape's changed somewhat, so i think, perhaps, we need to look at psychological assessments before grand slams.

we're only in the second grand slam of the year here and, clearly, top players are suffering and are feeling very vulnerable. osaka has put no timeframe on her return, but the issues are delicate and complicated, as the sport now tries to find a way forward with one of its greatest players. katie gornall, bbc news. as the pressure pushes on dissidents to president lukashenko's regime, a an activist stabbed himself in the neck during a court an activist stabbed himself in the neck appearance in the capital, minsk. footage appears to show him collapsing after using what looked like a pen as a weapon on tuesday.

mr latypov was taken to hospital and was reportedly ok after surgery. he is accused of setting up opposition social media and resisting police during his arrest last september. he has denied all the charges. mark lobel reports. this man moments after reportedly stabbing himself in the neck after addressing the court. translation: he the neck after addressing the court. tuna/mom- the neck after addressing the court. translation: he got up and said police _ court. translation: he got up and said police officers - court. translation: he got up and said police officers told - and said police officers told me i would be put in the confinement cell and my relatives and neighbours away to be prosecuted under criminal law if i did not confess. then he took something waiting his teeth had literally started to cut his throat. everyone started screaming. police officers could not open the defendant's cage for a while. eventually he was rushed to hospital. as the pressure on political prisoners grows, the prominent opposition leader svetlana tikhonovskaya met austria's leader. he pledged more action if things don't improve. translation: we should be open for further - sanctions if necessary. i think it's important

that the sanctions should be as precisely targeted as possible, to target the regime and not the civil society, not the people. meanwhile, belarus's ally russia says it is planning to conduct 4,000 military training exercises, like these ones in 2017, over the summer. translation: the main efforts will be directed at improving - individual performance and maintaining the intensity of combat training. the main outcome of the academic year will be the joint russian—belarusian strategic exercises, zapad 2021. meanwhile, back in belarus, its health ministry said stsiapan�*s condition is stable and non—life—threatening. but president lukashenko has now added a travel ban for most citizens following his harsh crackdown on opposition activists since his heavily contested election victory last august.

as he seeks to strengthen his grip on his disputed rule, intent on providing little escape for those unwilling to accept it. before we go, there's just time to show this footage from a drone meeting a fiery end over a volcanco in iceland. the american youtuberjoey helms sent the aircraft up over the lava flow to try and get as close as possible to the source, but the potent gases and extreme heat caused the device to become unstable and fly straight into the molten rock. you're watching bbc news. hello again. tuesday was the hottest day of the year so far. a title that will last until, well, later today when temperatures are expected to get a little higher still. most of us had skies like this, then, plenty of sunshine around and it was warm widely. 26.1 celsius was the highest temperature —

that was in cardiff where we have the heat as far north as northern at 25 celsius. here, just 11 celsius. here we had low clouds and fog. there is another batch waiting to move across the north sea over the next few hours. meanwhile, over in france, we have some thunderstorms beginning to spread their way northwards. now, most thunderstorms coming from a cloud called altocumulus castellanus. you quite often don't get much rain from it, what falls can be big blobs, but you can get pretty dazzling lightning displays and lots of thunder. you might see that in the channel islands in the next few hours, before those downpours spread into southwest england, where we could get heavier rain mixed in. now, as that kind of air comes up from france, it'll start to feel much more humid across southern areas. eastern coastal areas of both england and scotland starting the day sunny, but late morning, i think we probably will see some areas of low clouds and fog move back in, particularly from about north yorkshire northwards, so it will be a lot cooler for these areas. temperatures, 27 celsius,

wouldn't be surprised if we saw 28, just depends how much sunshine we get. on into thursday's forecast, well, the low pressure bringing the showers is still with us. this cold front�*s important — to the east of that, we could see some showers break out just about anywhere. now, there certainly will be some showers going across northern england and into scotland. but across england, well, this is with a cold front is, so we could get storms breaking out just about any time as we go through thursday, some of them could be really heavy as well. temperatures, still pretty high, 211—25 celsius across eastern areas of england, but otherwise, those temperatures coming back down closer to average. now, thursday night, even into friday, we could still see some storms affecting parts of eastern england, but eventually, the whole of the uk will get into that fresher air that's come off the atlantic. so temperatures will be coming back closer to average. still, though, with some spells of sunshine around, it's not going to feel cold at all. it's going to be pleasant in the sunshine. temperatures about 19 celsius in cardiff,

23 celsius in london, 18 celsius in glasgow. that's your weather.

a this is bbc news, the headlines: joe biden has become the first sitting us president to visit the city of tulsa in oklahoma, where a century ago, hundreds of black americans were massacred by a white mob. mr biden met the handful of surviving members of the affluent greenwood neighborhood where the killings took place. aid agencies have issued a warning about the plight of syria's refugee children, a decade after the nation descended into civil war. the conflict has cost the lives of hundreds

of thousands of people, and seen millions more displaced inside syria or forced to flee.