this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. irish nationalists celebrate a watershed moment in northern ireland — the nationalist sinn fein party wins the most seats in the election for the devolved assembly. today i she's in a new era which i believe presents us all with an opportunity to reimagine relationships in their society. the result is a huge breakthrough for a party once linked with the ira and has implications for the future of the united kingdom. also on the programme: ukraine says all women, children and the elderly have now been evacuated from azovstal steel plant in the city of mariupol.

rights in afghanistan under a new attack — the taliban order women to wear the full face veil. today, they decreed that all women must cover their places with a veil in public and they laid out an escalating series of punishments for any woman not complying. i'll be speaking to an afghan artist who uses photography to challenge the burqa. hello and welcome if you re watching in the uk or around the world. the united states has called for northern ireland leaders to return to power sharing. it follows sinn fein�*s historic victory in the election to the northern ireland assembly.

as the final counting continues, sinn fein has 27 assembly members, while the democratic unionist party have 24. the cross—community alliance party has 17 seats, the ulster unionist party has 9, and the social democratic and labour party has seven.it is the first time a nationalist party in northern ireland has won the most seats — with sinn fein�*s ultimate goal being for northern ireland to leave the uk and become one country with the republic of ireland. our correspondent chris page reports, and a warning — there is some flash photography. smiles, flashes and cheers, were the sure—fire signs of sinn fein�*s success. cheering the party has retained its 27 seats, and that is enough to top the table. for the first time, a party which is dedicated to taking northern ireland out of the uk is the biggest political force here.

it's a huge historic moment for irish nationalism and a massively symbolic shift. sinn fein�*s vice president, michelle o'neill, is in line to become the first minister. no nationalist has ever won the post before. today ushers in a new era, which i believe presents us all with an opportunity to reimagine relationships in this society on the basis of fairness, on the basis of equality, and on the basis of socialjustice. irrespective of religious, political or social backgrounds, my commitment is to make politics work. cheering another major indication of change is the surge of the party which is neither unionist nor nationalist. alliance has more than doubled its number of seats, moving from fifth place to third in the assembly. its leaders said the breakthrough had come after many years�* work. people wrote us off and said that there was no future for a shared future in northern ireland, and we've proven them wrong.

it's taken us a while to get here, but we're here now, and i think we have proven there is a third way in politics here. but the democratic unionist party has lost about a fifth of its support. a strong focus of its campaign was its opposition to the brexit trade border with the rest of the uk, known as the northern ireland protocol. the dup says it'll block the formation of a devolved government until checks on goods are scrapped. but it's shed votes to a more hard—line party — the traditional unionist voice, which claims the dup has been too weak on the issue. we will accept the outcome of the election. however, our position remains that we need to remove the long shadow of the protocol that is inhibiting our ability to operate and function properly within the political institutions, and the sooner that happens, the sooner we'll be in a position to move forward. under the power—sharing rules at stormont, unionists and nationalists have to agree to run northern ireland jointly before ministers can take up their positions. but the politicians who've been

elected are unlikely to get to govern any time soon. the dup is even less likely to go into a coalition now that sinn fein is in front. after the disappointment and delight of today, the future is an unclear picture. chris page, bbc news. at celtic park they come in expectation rather than hope, in the years before its rise, sinn fein was a party ostracised by many in the political sphere. during the 30 year conflict in northern ireland known as the "troubles" it was seen as being associated with a campaign of violence. but once the party decided on a way forward through politics, and in the 1980s had members elected as mps, it began to gain popularity. our ireland correspondent emma vardy looks back — her report contains flashing images. a steeped in the violence

of the past, sinn fein�*s political aims were born out of a northern ireland's darkest days. the freedom fighters of the ira are now continuing the struggle against foreign occupation and domination! during the 30 year conflict here, sinn fein were the voice of the paramilitary group the ira... explosions ..who fought an armed campaign to try to break british rule in northern ireland. gerry adams, the leader of sinn fein during some of the worst of the ira violence, became both a hated and revered figure. i haven't gone away, you know! today, the ira dead are remembered at the republican plot in milltown cemetery. many who served time in prison on their release became involved in the political movement to achieve a united ireland through peaceful means. those were very, very formative days and clearly the idea that we have

to move forward politically is very much entrenched now in republican ideology. sinn fein sees the conflict as having been a legitimate armed struggle but the party now strongly advocates peace. what's been key to their success, do you think? there's that organic link. sinn fein republican activists were part of the community. in the 1990s, sinn fein played a key role in bringing about the good friday agreement, which largely ended the violence. in the years after, their support at the ballot box grew. martin mcguinness, a former commander in the ira, became deputy first minister, sharing power with the dup. for those who remember the past, sinn fein still deeply divide opinion but in the party today, there are far fewer elected representatives who were involved in the armed conflict and their electoral success is a new milestone in what has been a remarkable political journey. if we look back to the good friday agreement, they would have been ex—prisoners, they would have been people who would have had links to that

sort of republican wing of sinn fein/the ira. what we see now is a very young party, a very progressive party. it's full of young women — the two leaders are women, both of whom have no connection to that sort of previous past. but sinn fein�*s successes a blow for unionism. the immediate challenge for the party's current leaders will be to form a new power—sharing executive at stormont and governing in the first minister role may yet be some way off. annita mcveigh has been in belfast as the results came in today, and gave us her reaction. couple of hours ago, we got to the point where no other patchy could overtake sinn fein. that is the nationalist patchy that want to see a united ireland and that means that they are the largest patchy in the northern ireland assembly for the first time and their leader in northern ireland, michelle o'neill, is entitled to be nominated to the

position of first minister in the power—sharing assembly but because of the way the power—sharing structures are set up here to take account of traditions the democratic unionist party which is the second—largest party here at the end of these elections has to nominate to the position of deputy first minister so one post can't exist without the other. that is the whole point of power—sharing and it is unclear as to whether the democratic unionist party will actually take that step. but largely because of their opposition to the northern ireland protocol which governs the post breaks at trading arrangements here. they say that it undermines northern ireland's position, constitutional position within the united kingdom. but it is a hugely historic and significant day, but sinn fein have emerged as the

largest party here for the first time. i should also mention the rise of the centre ground, the cross community alliance party. they don't identify as either unionist or nationalist. and as someone born and brought up here, i can tell you that is really quite significant because, for so long, politics in northern ireland has boxed people into one of two traditions. nationalist or unionist. as one of my guest earlier said to me it is quite clear now that northern ireland is about more than two tribes. and just beefy at this point how do we know about whether an executive will be formed? well, ijust want whether an executive will be formed? well, i just want to read for you whether an executive will be formed? well, ijust want to read for you in a statement that has come from the northern ireland secretary brandon lewis. he has congratulated everyone elected and he is saying, i encourage the parties to form an executive as soon possible foot of the people of northern ireland deserve a stable and unaccountable local government that delivers on issues that matter most to them, he says. he went on, let me read a little bit more of his message was

that the electorate delivered a number of messages on thursday. they were clear that they want a fully functioning devolved government in northern ireland. they want the issues around the protocol which i mentioned to you addressed and they want politics to work better. so he is going to be meeting with the party leaders over the coming days. there is a eight days in which the first and deputy first ministers can be nominated. if that doesn't happen then there is another period described as the stormont safety net of six months in which the parties can talk to try to resolve the issues. beyond that period of six months, there could be another election. ukraine and russia say a humanitarian operation to evacuate civilians from the besieged azovstal steelworks in the southern port city of mariupol has been completed. ukraine said that all elderly people, women and children had

been taken to safety , a total of more than 300 people. their departure comes after heavy russian bombardment of the plant in recent weeks. ukrainian fighters — holed up inside — have prevented russian forces from taking complete control of the strategically—importa nt city. many civilians have gone to the city of zaporizhzhia. 0ur correspondent, laura bicker has the latest. we've heard from ukrainian officials that women and children have been allowed out and they say that all of them have made it out of the steel plant. rememberthese them have made it out of the steel plant. remember these are people who have been inside in the dark in these maze—like tunnels for more than 60 days. they finally got out, they say. and we've heard from ukrainian fighters who said on social media they given an idea of how this work. they say they were white flags used to signal that civilians were on their way and the russian signalled back. that would imply a degree of coordination between these two sides. however, over the last few days there are reports that russia has continued to

she“ reports that russia has continued to shell the steel plant and certainly when you've seen some of the pictures we've seen smoke still rising from this plan. there are still around 2000, thought to be 2000 ukrainian fighters inside. hiding in these tunnels, who have vowed not to surrender. we've had from their families who have pleaded for them to get out alive. president zelensky said today that he was negotiating for their release. but now there are fears that the civilians are out, what is russia going to do. there is no doubt that winning the entire port of mariupol ahead of the year may the 9th victory celebrations would be hugely symbolic for vladimir putin so some are wondering, now that the civilians are out, what will happen to that plant and what happens to these fighters? and it may be that any negotiations that are under way are a race against time. we have a

seat that confirmation that women and children have been able to leave. do if all the people left behind are fighters, could there be mail civilian still left behind caught up in this? it mail civilian still left behind caught up in this?— mail civilian still left behind caught up in this? it is hard to know because _ caught up in this? it is hard to know because this _ caught up in this? it is hard to know because this operation l caught up in this? it is hard to| know because this operation is caught up in this? it is hard to - know because this operation is been shrouded in secrecy. even the united nations and red cross are still not confirming that this operation has been a success yet. they will want to know that the civilians are on buses and on their way here before they confirm this. we have had a confirmation from ukrainian officials and from the russian defence ministry. it is not known if everybody is out. we've only heard so far from ukrainian officials that they say women and children have made their way out and now it is just a fighting force left so i think we will have to wait and see exactly what happens over the next few days and who is left in the but thatis few days and who is left in the but that is the information we have from ukrainian officials that women and children are now out.

the headlines on bbc news: sinn fein have secured an historic victory in the northern ireland assembly election. it's the first time a party in northern ireland that designates as nationalist has won the most seats. ukraine says all women, children and the elderly have now been evacuated from azovstal steel plant in the city of mariupol. in afghanistan, the taliban have ordered women to cover their faces with a veil when in public, warning that if they fail to do so, their male relatives could be jailed for three days. women's rights activists have reacted with dismay. it's the latest hard line edict to be issued by the department known as the ministry for the prevention of vice and promotion of virtue. 0ur afghanistan correspondent, secunder kermani, sent this report from kabul. the clothes afghan women wear have been fiercely debated and fought over. this is a conservative country and many wear the blue burqa

or cover their face. but in big cities, like in this market in kabul, many others choose just to cover their hair. translation: humans are born free. no—one has the right to talk about women's clothes. at the ministry of prevention of vice and promotion of virtue, the taliban announced the veil would be compulsory. any woman repeatedly not complying could see their male relatives jailed. many women in afghanistan do wear the burqa already, but many others don't — theyjust cover their hair — and they see that as being perfectly in accordance with islamic and afghan values. so, who are you to tell them how they should be dressing? translation: in afghanistan, 99% of women follow the correct hijab. l the other i%, we request them to implement this decree. this is not our order, but the order of god.

when they took power last august, it initially appeared as if the taliban were much less strict than they were 20 years ago. but in recent weeks, their ministry of vice and virtue has been issuing more and more hardline decrees, governing in particular the lives of afghan women. the schools need to be open, there is famine all over this country. there are suicide bombings. there are so many other problems. instead of looking after that, they are always after women. teenage girls have still not been allowed back to school. many worry that the fragile progress made on women's rights here is now unravelling. secunder kermani, bbc news, kabul. well, for more, on this i'm now joined by fatimah hossaini who is an afghan artist. her work has focused on the burqa

and women's identity. it is more generally about women breaking taboos in afghanistan. what is your response to this new edit to the taliban which essentially faces more restrictions on women in afghanistan?— more restrictions on women in afghanistan? more restrictions on women in afuhanistan? ., ~ . ., afghanistan? thank you so much for havin: me afghanistan? thank you so much for having me now _ afghanistan? thank you so much for having me now on _ afghanistan? thank you so much for having me now on the _ afghanistan? thank you so much for having me now on the programme. l having me now on the programme. actually, it is exhausting. and now i am so emotional. i don't know what to say. how fast we are back to 20 years ago again and we just went back to the burqa. all the women of afghanistan worked to say that it is not our identity but now the taliban announcement, wejust not our identity but now the taliban announcement, we just lost our everything. all of this achievement

in the past 20 years and i think all the things that international community have done in these 20 years and whatever women of afghanistan have done it was just a joke and it is a disaster. it is a real disaster.— joke and it is a disaster. it is a real disaster. well, the taliban government — real disaster. well, the taliban government would _ real disaster. well, the taliban government would say - real disaster. well, the taliban government would say that - real disaster. well, the taliban | government would say that they real disaster. well, the taliban - government would say that they are upholding cultural and religious values. to what extent are they supported in that view by people in afghanistan? i supported in that view by people in afghanistan?— afghanistan? i mean, of course, afuhan afghanistan? i mean, of course, afghan women _ afghanistan? i mean, of course, afghan women are _ afghanistan? i mean, of course, afghan women are so _ afghanistan? i mean, of course, afghan women are so religious. | afghanistan? i mean, of course, | afghan women are so religious. i mean, the majority. i mean, i lived there and i can see and i can say that all the women of afghanistan in the last actually past 20 years they had the hijab and they respect the islamic rules but afghan women have always dressed with islamic principles but not an imposed hijab like the burqa. the burqa is an

individual choice but it is not something that the taliban announce and teach women in afghanistan have to wear in the streets or how to cover their face. to wear in the streets or how to covertheirface. i mean, the problem is not about clothing, actually, she see how they stop women from working or stop women and girls from going back to school or whatever. this is targeting women in afghanistan. this is a problem and the hijab or whatever they are imposing, it can be another thing. in your art, imposing, it can be another thing. in yourart, and imposing, it can be another thing. in your art, and specifically in your series burqa behind the steering wheel, you are showing women in a way that they are not able to really be in afghanistan. what with those women want from the international community at a time like this? i international community at a time like this? ., international community at a time like this? . . ~ like this? i mean, with the back behind the _ like this? i mean, with the back behind the steering _ like this? i mean, with the back behind the steering wheel - like this? i mean, with the back behind the steering wheel or. like this? i mean, with the back| behind the steering wheel or the last photograph project that i did

in afghanistan the thing that me and all the women that i tried to talk on behalf of them was that the barker or the restrictions on our identity, the women of afghanistan are not always victims. but, i mean, i can say that with this thing, i just want to say that women in, at this after these 20 years, theyjust don't want to go back to 20 years ago and the desire to have the freedom. they are individual now and they are educated and they are free. they want to be free and they want to be educated. so this is the problem that we really want the international community to pay attention to.— international community to pay attention to. ., ~ . ., attention to. thank you so much for shafinu attention to. thank you so much for sharing your — attention to. thank you so much for sharing your thoughts _ attention to. thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with - attention to. thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us - attention to. thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us and i sharing your thoughts with us and your art. injust two days, the philippines will elect their president and vice president — on a 6 year term. leading the polls on a joint ticket, is ferdinand "bongbong" marcoer,

son of a late dictator — and sara duterte, daughter of the outgoing president, who's running for vice—president. howard johnson, is in the philippine capital, manila with the latest philippine elections are a fun and lively affair, as you can see. lots of music, entertainment. at the moment, there are people coming on the stage in support of leni robredo, the vice president, currently second place in opinion polls for this election. you can see her supporters have come out in huge numbers, 300,000 is the estimate. kevin here is one of them. why are you supporting leni robredo? i am supporting leni robredo because because she has no corruption issues. she is a lawyer, an economist, and she has a good platform and good governance record. how about her chief opponent, bongbong marcos, currently the front runner in this election? well, i am not fake news, i am not for disinformation. he has been staying in the government for long, but results were not that significant. that's why i am not going further.

when kevin says fake news there, bongbong marcos�* critics say that he has used social media to whitewash the history of his father, using tiktok to make videos that glorify the family, and erase the human rights abuses and the plundering of up to $10 billion of public money and commercial money during that time. his supporters say that he is going to bring unity to the country, bongbong marcos, and that he can bring together the north and the south with sara duterte as his vice president. and that they can make the country rise again. now, filipinos will go to the polls on monday morning. 6am they will open, they will close at 7pm. they have been extended this time around because of the covid—i9 pandemic, giving basically more time to queue up, get into those polling booths. we can expect results to come as early as monday night.

a new exhibition has been launched to showcase the works of a photographer who spent years documenting the lives of south asian immigrants in coventry in england. meganbhai patel popularly known as masterji was the city's first first indian photographer in the 1950's. gaggan sabherwal tells his story. masterji was a popular figure masterji was a popularfigure in coventry and england and was the city's first indian photographer in the1950s. g . ., , city's first indian photographer in the1950s. g ., a, ., the 1950s. my dad actually came to en . land in the 1950s. my dad actually came to england in 1951 _ the 1950s. my dad actually came to england in 1951 and _ the 1950s. my dad actually came to england in 1951 and he _ the 1950s. my dad actually came to england in 1951 and he immigratedl england in 1951 and he immigrated here and as other immigrants he actually started work at the general electric company in coventry and he saved up his own money and tea parties first camera. he has fully documented the very beginning of, i guess, people coming to coventry and making their lives in coventry. find

making their lives in coventry. and to celebrate _ making their lives in coventry. and to celebrate masterji's works a recent exhibition has been lodged in the uk. as demand for photographic services increased in 1939 masterji left his factoryjob and set up his very own studio. the left his factoryjob and set up his very own studio.— left his factoryjob and set up his very own studio. the studio itself and i was growing _ very own studio. the studio itself and i was growing up _ very own studio. the studio itself and i was growing up were - very own studio. the studio itself and i was growing up were so - very own studio. the studio itself. and i was growing up were so busy with semi—different people and you hear so many accents. it was such a wonderful busy period. i used to help my dad out and i think this is something, with all the kids, i used to help the albums and as i got older i used to help with taking photographs in the studio or helping out with wedding photographs. masterji's wife played a huge role in the success and even took photographs of customers some of which are part of the exhibition. i became good at taking photographs and i knew how and where to take the lights. it was easy. use this camera to take photographs and it cost is around £1000. i really enjoy taking

photographs and i was proud of being a photographer. but what to the visitors have to say about the exhibition? i visitors have to say about the exhibition?— visitors have to say about the exhibition? ~' ., ., ,., exhibition? i knew nothing about master'i exhibition? i knew nothing about masterji before _ exhibition? i knew nothing about masterji before so _ exhibition? i knew nothing about masterji before so this _ exhibition? i knew nothing about masterji before so this is - exhibition? i knew nothing about masterji before so this is a - masterji before so this is a revelation. remarkably died photographs of the children. you'll make _ photographs of the children. you'll make my— photographs of the children. you'll make my vivid work on the show is the one _ make my vivid work on the show is the one behind me. the inclusion of his daughter. the one behind me. the inclusion of his daughter-— the one behind me. the inclusion of his daughter. they hope that through the exhibition. _ his daughter. they hope that through the exhibition, they _ his daughter. they hope that through the exhibition, they can _ his daughter. they hope that through the exhibition, they can help - his daughter. they hope that through the exhibition, they can help us - the exhibition, they can help us there further�*s memories and legacy to the future generation. —— their father. —— their father. now it's time for a look at the weather with sarah keith lucas. hello there. we'll be heading through the remainder of the weekend on a largely dry and settled note before more rain works in from the north—west by monday. for the here and now, this is how we ended saturday evening. beautiful sunset in east ayrshire there, and through the course of sunday, we're looking at another largely dry settled day

with some sunny spells around just one or two isolated showers. we've got a weak weather front just trying to nudge in from the north—west, but not really making inroads because high pressure is in charge and that's sitting out to the east. the lowest temperatures first thing sunday morning will be across eastern scotland and eastern england, mid—single figures, but further west most places starting off the dayjust about in double figures. any early morning mist and fog will lift fairly quickly and the day will warm up as the sunshine spreads across the uk, a little bit cloudier across the far north—west of the western isles, the northern isles as well. but through the day, fair—weather cloud bubbles up and that mayjust be enough to produce one or two isolated showers for wales, parts of south—west england, northern england into southern scotland. but most places are going to avoid any of those showers, temperatures in the mid teens around the east coast, but we could see 20 degrees inland. sunday evening and overnight into monday now and things remain largely dry and clear again some mist and some fog patches. but you'll notice the cloud thickening from the northwest as this weather front spread some

rain into northern ireland and north—west scotland to start off monday morning. mild, breezy and rather damp in the northwest cooler, clearer conditions down towards the south—east. so monday's weather then will be dominated still by high pressure sitting out to the east. but these more active weather fronts are starting to move in from the atlantic. they're going to bring more cloud to northern ireland and scotland with outbreaks of rain really from the word go, heaviest over coasts and hills in the west, slightly more patchy further east. but much of england and wales keeping the dry weather with some sunny spells. it'll be a little bit warmer, particularly for eastern england, compared to recent days, 20—22 degrees here. but typically the mid teens across scotland and northern ireland. into tuesday and the front tends to make its way further towards the south and the east and then a return to sunny spells and scattered, blustery showers from the northwest. temperatures coming down a little bit in the south, still about 20 degrees or so. typically the mid teens across the north—west of the uk. through the week ahead, then some showers around, especially towards the north and the west. things looking drier, though, further south and east for now.

hello and welcome to our look ahead to what the papers will be bringing us tomorrow. with me arejoe twyman, the director of deltapoll, and lucy beresford, psychotherapist and broadcaster. the observer features the historic victory in northern ireland, as sinn fein become the largest nationalist party in the stormont assembly for the first time. its party leaders mark the occasion with a selfie. the sunday times say the result has reawakened brexit tensions with the northern ireland protocol, a policy which requires checks on imports from mainland britain. the sunday telegraph quotes michael gove, who blames the housing crisis for the loss of support for the conservative party

in england's local elections. the tories lost almost 500 council seats on thursday.