this is bbc news. the headlines. an historic win. sinn fein becomes the largest party in the northern ireland assembly for the first time. but the issue of the post—brexit protocol could hinder the way forward. if the eu do not show flexibility we will take the action as the uk government that northern ireland's a place in part of the internal market and protecting the good friday agreement is absolutely there. i'm annita mcveigh, live here in northern ireland with the latest developments. questions are what happens next and what will it take to get politicians back here in a power—sharing government. president zelensky says diplomatic efforts are continuing to try to rescue wounded soldiers from the besieged steelworks in mariupol. more questions for the uk opposition leader sir keir starmer over whether he broke lockdown rules.

a leaked memo suggests a meal he attended was planned, despite covid restrictions. and a former security chief known for his loyalty to beijing is confirmed as hong kong's new chief executive. hello and welcome if you re watching in the uk or around the world. the northern ireland secretary is to meet the main party leaders in northern ireland in the coming days — after sinn fein secured an historic victory in elections for the stormont assembly. brandon lewis will urge them to restore the power—sharing executive, which is currently suspended after a breakdown over the northern ireland protocol and the brexit deal. for the first time, sinn fein claimed the most seats and pushed the democratic unionist party

into second place. sinn fein president michelle o'neill says it's a new era in northern ireland and that there should be �*no timewasting or excuses�*, as she put it, in coperating to bring back the assembly. annita mcveigh is at stormont for us now over to you. hello, thank you very much. welcome to stormont, home of the northern ireland assembly and it is a beautiful day here in belfast and the dog walkers and the joggers are out in force but the going question for today after those elections is what happens next and when will politicians get back to a power—sharing government here, what will it take to achieve that. looking at the results, the final two results came in around 1am after that long count at three centres across northern ireland and a majority, around two thirds of the politicians who were voted in it say

that they want to return to a working, power—sharing executive immediately. of course, the dup, which emerged from the selection with the second largest number of seats, they say they do not want to do that until there are concerns around the northern ireland protocol are sorted out. the protocol is the part of the brexit agreement that covers post brexit aid in northern ireland, the dup say that it really concerns them not only because of trade but primarily because of the constitutional question, they say it undermines their position within the uk. what will they do next? to discuss that i am joined by the journalist amanda ferguson, good to have you with us. those questions i posed, let us deal with what happens next. we posed, let us deal with what happens next. ~ ~' ., , posed, let us deal with what happens next. ~ ~ ., , ., ., next. we know there is a period of eiuht da s next. we know there is a period of eight days for _ next. we know there is a period of eight days for the _ next. we know there is a period of eight days for the parties - next. we know there is a period of eight days for the parties to - eight days for the parties to nominate for the first minister role and we know that the majority of political parties want to get back to devolved government and i imagine

that there will be talking between the party leaders to see if they can form a government but because the dup is signalling it does not want to reform power—sharing until the brexit protocol is resolved, it could be many weeks or months until we get stormont back.— we get stormont back. amanda, stay with us, i we get stormont back. amanda, stay with us. i want— we get stormont back. amanda, stay with us, i want to _ we get stormont back. amanda, stay with us, i want to bring _ we get stormont back. amanda, stay with us, i want to bring insight - we get stormont back. amanda, stay with us, i want to bring insight at - with us, i want to bring insight at that point the northern ireland secretary brandon lewis and this is a clip of what he had to say about what happens next, because tomorrow he will begin conversations with the party leaders. now it is notjust about jeffrey donaldson and the dup, resolving the protocol is about everybody in northern ireland, but i can be very clear, if the eu do not show flexibility, we have always said, we will take the action we need to take, as the uk government, to ensure that northern ireland's place as part of the uk internal market and protecting the good friday agreement is absolutely there. brandon lewis saying that if the eu does not show flexibility, then the uk government will do what it needs to do to protect the good friday agreement. certainly, from a

westminster perspective there has been a lot of talk about the eu showing flexibility, do you think the westminster government will have to show flexibility as well the deal was agreed between the eu and the uk and it is up to them to fix the protocol. and it is up to them to fix the protocol-— protocol. all of the parties in northern _ protocol. all of the parties in northern ireland _ protocol. all of the parties in northern ireland understand| protocol. all of the parties in - northern ireland understand that the protocol needs to be finessed, but unionist politicians will indicate that it unionist politicians will indicate thatitis unionist politicians will indicate that it is damaging to the place of northern ireland in the uk were as everyone knows that the only way the constitutional position of northern ireland changes is a people vote for it, the non—unionist parties would indicate that the protocol mitigates against some of the worst impacts of brexit and that it needs to perhaps be exploited so that businesses in northern ireland can take advantage of dual market access. what northern ireland can take advantage of dual market access.— of dual market access. what do you think they dup _ of dual market access. what do you think they dup will— of dual market access. what do you think they dup will ultimately - of dual market access. what do you think they dup will ultimately do, l think they dup will ultimately do, thatis think they dup will ultimately do, that is the big question, jeffrey donaldson has said he is going to wait until the queen's speech next week to decide whether or not to re—enter the power—sharing government, is that a sign of some sort of movement? or could be be in

a position that six months from now, there are six months of space available to the parties to talk about this, we could be facing yet another election? it is about this, we could be facing yet another election?— another election? it is one of the o tions another election? it is one of the options and _ another election? it is one of the options and i _ another election? it is one of the options and i would _ another election? it is one of the options and i would not - another election? it is one of the options and i would not rule - options and i would not rule anything in or out, but power—sharing between people of different identities is the only show in town and if the dup want to wield its power, it needs to be part of the stormont government and i think all of the parties will come under pressure from the public who are concerned about the cost of living crisis that is unfolding and we know that the big stories from this election as it is a landmark for sinn fein to be an irish republican party at the top for the first time but sinn fein and the dup have shared a for 15 years and another story that has come out is the surge in support for the cross community alliance party and all of thatis community alliance party and all of that is going to play into what happens next and alliance will be looking for reform around the structures of government which perhaps suited in the 1998 good friday agreement peace accord was

put together, but perhaps does not necessarily reflect the changing political landscape in northern ireland. {iii political landscape in northern ireland. , ., ireland. of course, we heard three out of the election _ ireland. of course, we heard three out of the election campaign - ireland. of course, we heard three out of the election campaign from | out of the election campaign from voters, politicians said they were hearing about the cost of living crisis, from getting decisions made on health care, that was a really big topic. i think the majority of voters here clearly want those issues addressed and it is hard to see how they are going to be unless the government is functioning. we do not have a budget _ the government is functioning. we do not have a budget and _ the government is functioning. we do not have a budget and ministers - the government is functioning. , if not have a budget and ministers are in a caretaker capacity and can only do so much. we know in all of the manifestos that were released ahead of the election, they all promise to put money in the pockets of people and we need a fully functioning government to do that. it was always going to be complicated to get government on the other side of this election and i am not sure if the public will forgive the dup for holding this up for six months especially with concerns of energy, fuel and nhs waiting lists. sinn fein, a fuel and nhs waiting lists. sinn fein. a lot _ fuel and nhs waiting lists. sinn fein, a lot of _ fuel and nhs waiting lists. sinn fein, a lot of the _ fuel and nhs waiting lists. sinn fein, a lot of the headlines around

the seat tally from this election around that discussion of a possible border poll, a poll or a referendum on the question of a united ireland. realistically in the days and weeks ahead, do you think we will hear much more about that or is the focus going to be on getting politicians back here is to mark the focus will be on the immediate return to government, i think people know we are divided in northern ireland into different groups of irish republicans, british unionist and others. ,., republicans, british unionist and others. ., , , others. the border poll will happen but it will not — others. the border poll will happen but it will not happen _ others. the border poll will happen but it will not happen in _ others. the border poll will happen but it will not happen in the - but it will not happen in the immediate term.— but it will not happen in the immediate term. ~' ., ., immediate term. like you for that. amanda ferguson _ immediate term. like you for that. amanda ferguson a _ immediate term. like you for that. amanda ferguson a journalist - immediate term. like you for that. i amanda ferguson a journalist working in northern ireland. the votes, dup on 25, the second largest party, they were the largest party in the last election, sinn fein getting 27 seats, they are at the top of the poll, the largest number of seats for sinn fein. the same as 2017 but it puts them in the first minister position or at least the ability to

designate for michelle o'neill, the leader, to become the first minister, to be nominated as first minister, to be nominated as first minister, but because of the power—sharing arrangements, designed to protect both the nationalist and unionist traditions, that can only happen if the dup agree to nominate to the position of deputy first minister and so far, there is no indication from them that they are going to do that. back to you, joanna. we will be back for more reaction later. 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 three hundred people. their departure comes after heavy russian bombardment of the plant in recent weeks. azaday moshiri has this report. it's the longest seige of the war. bombed for weeks, azovstal steel plant has been the target for russia as it takes aim at the azov battalion holding out

there. but according to both ukraine and russia there is finally a glimmer of hope. all women, children and elderly taking shelter in its dark bunkers and tunnels have finally been evacuated. this adds to the thousands of other residents who have already fled. translation: we were | surviving all of this time. for two weeks we have been living in a basement. then russians came and helped us leave. then we heard about an evacuation to zaporizhzhia and we came to the mall in the mariupol and got on this bus. eight children were sitting in a basement for two weeks without water, bread, nothing. it's a milestone for the united nations and the red cross, given how many evacuations have failed in recent weeks. mariupol will still be a prime battleground for the war as capturing it is one of russia's main goals.

more than 90% of the port city has been pummelled by rockets, missiles and other artillery. translation: without doubt we work on getting out our military. _ all the heroes who defend mariupol. it is very difficult but important. i'm sure everybody understands the reason for the difficulty and where this reason resides but we don't give up hope, we don't stop. every day we keep looking for such a diplomatic solution which could work. with about 2000 ukrainian fighters thought to still be in the plant, vowing to defend the city, the challenge for the ukraine's government is how to help them. in the last few hours ukraine's president zelenskiy has made an address for victory day, when europe commemorates the formal surrender of germany to the allies in world war two. he said evil had returned to the continent.

translation: we have not withstood a centu , it translation: we have not withstood a century. it lasted _ translation: we have not withstood a century, it lasted only _ translation: we have not withstood a century, it lasted only 77 _ translation: we have not withstood a century, it lasted only 77 years. - translation: we have not withstood a century, it lasted only 77 years. we - century, it lasted only 77 years. we missed the evil, it was reborn again and now. this is understood by all countries and nations who support ukraine today. no evil can escape responsibility. it cannot hide in a bunker. there will be no stone left to it. so, we will overcome everything and we know this for sure because our military and our people are descendants of those who overcame nazism. so they will win again and there will be peace again. pressure is growing on the labour leader sir keir starmer, as police continue to investigate whether he broke covid rules a year ago — when he was filmed drinking a beer with colleagues in an mp s office in durham. a sunday newspaper has published an internal labour document showing time was set aside in advance for those there to have a takeaway curry, but sir keir maintains no rules were broken. our political correspondent chris mason reports.

this is what this row is about — sir keir starmer having a beer. his deputy, angela rayner, was also there in an mp�*s office in durham a year ago and a takeaway curry was ordered. the latest revelation in the mail on sunday is a memo circulated within the labour party which shows the curry was planned rather than spontaneous. it's for durham police to decide if this matters. what we do know is the force had already decided there was enough new evidence to look again at what happened, having cleared sir keir of wrongdoing in february. but the real reason all this matters is not what happened a year ago, but what sir keir starmer has said since. he has repeatedly expressed his outrage, shared by millions, about the covid lawbreaking within government, including from borisjohnson. and he's repeatedly called for the prime minister to resign. but his critics now say if you climb aboard a moral high horse,

it will turn into a bucking bronco if it turns out that you have also broken the rules. after the prime minister was fined, sir keir said this... this is the first time in the history of our country that a prime minister has been found to be in breach of the law. and then he lied repeatedly to the public about it. britain deserves better. they have to go. since durham police announced they were re—examining what happened last year, it's questions about it that have followed sir keir starmer from cumbria to loch lomond. and he insists... as i've explained a number of times, i was working in the office, we stopped for something to eat. there was no party, there was no breach of the rules. i'm confident about that. police have obviously got to do theirjob. this is a perilous moment for keir starmer. he may not be fined, but if he is, his time as labour leader might be up. chris mason, bbc news.

the headlines on bbc news... sinn fein has become the largest party in the northern ireland assembly for the first time. but the issue of the post—brexit protocol could get in the way of restoring a devolved administration president zelensky says diplomatic efforts are continuing to try to rescue wounded soldiers from the besieged steelworks in mariupol. uk opposition leader sir keir starmer faces more questions over whether he broke lockdown rules, after a leaked memo suggests a meal he attended was planned, despite covid restrictions. the man who oversaw the crackdown on protesters in hong kong during demonstrations over a controversial extradition bill in 2019 has become the territory's new leader. john lee, a staunch beijing supporter, was the sole candidate in the closed voting process, and his appointment is widely being seen as a move by the chinese government to tighten its grip on the city. he replaces carrie lam after she announced she would not be seeking a second term in office.

the bbc�*s danny vincent has been monitoring all the developments and has more now on the man who is set to lead hong kong for the next five years. john lee has a background in the police force. he quietly rose to a position of power in the police force and then eventually became the secretary for security. here, he became well known in hong kong for cracking down against the 2019 protest movement and overseeing the crackdown and implementation of the national security law, which is seen widely, at least by activists, as essentially a weapon against people that choose to speak out against beijing and against the authorities here. so, we see that a staunch supporter, a person who is backed by beijing has been selected to lead the city for the next five years. many people, especially activists and demonstrators, they would say thatjohn lee's association with the police force

and his background suggest that hong kong is becoming a police state. the authorities would criticise that, they call this an election, a closed circle election, they call it, but many critics and activists say this was simply a selection process. let's go live now to hong kong where we can speak to businessman and pro—democracy activist herbert chow. welcome, thank you forjoining us, what is your reaction to the vote and the result?— and the result? you mean, this election. _ and the result? you mean, this election, i— and the result? you mean, this election, i think _ and the result? you mean, this election, i think that _ and the result? you mean, this election, i think that is - and the result? you mean, this election, i think that is what. and the result? you mean, this| election, i think that is what you are referring to. ok. i think most of my friends are laughing about who are the eight people who did not vote for him, that is our only reaction. vote for him, that is our only reaction-— vote for him, that is our only reaction. ~ ., , ., ., , ., reaction. where does it, what do you feel it will mean _ reaction. where does it, what do you feel it will mean for _ reaction. where does it, what do you feel it will mean for hong _ reaction. where does it, what do you feel it will mean for hong kong - feel it will mean for hong kong going forward?—

feel it will mean for hong kong auoin forward? ~ ., , ., going forward? well, to start with, i watch his speech _ going forward? well, to start with, i watch his speech just _ going forward? well, to start with, i watch his speech just now - going forward? well, to start with, i watch his speech just now after i i watch his speech just now after he, after the election process, and please bear with me, me and my friends do not like to call it an election, because usually an election, because usually an election is of more than one person. after the election process he made a speech, which i think personally, i feel that they should have been the speech that he made after he became the only candidate in this election. instead of going through the last two weeks of what he calls a campaign. i would like to call it what it is, it is a selection process and it is an appointment. going forward, i think my expectation tojohn lee, as he has promised to improve the business environment, is that he would do something about the polarisation of the business world, because people like me are really unwelcome today. i have lost all my stores in the

shopping mall because the land owner needs to pledge allegiance to the power and i hopejohn lee, our new chief executive is going to do something about it, to make business returning to more of a fair play. [30 returning to more of a fair play. do ou returning to more of a fair play. do you have hope that he will be open to that, that that will change? personally, 50%, at best. we all know his role during the extradition treaty, in protest, for him to do this, i think treaty, in protest, for him to do this, ithink it treaty, in protest, for him to do this, i think it is a solution. but it is quite, in a contradiction to his previous role, before he was chief executive, so i would give it 50%, i would try to remain as optimistic as possible, because it is the only way that he will be able

to solve the polarisation of hong kong. needless to say, the need to stamp the outflow of art talents in hong kong, if he is able to solve the housing problem. is hong kong, if he is able to solve the housing problem.— hong kong, if he is able to solve the housing problem. is there the opportunity _ the housing problem. is there the opportunity for— the housing problem. is there the opportunity for the _ the housing problem. is there the opportunity for the views - the housing problem. is there the opportunity for the views that - opportunity for the views that you are talking about to be articulated, put forward in a way that will be, you know, part of a debate? well, i would say no _ you know, part of a debate? well, i would say no and _ you know, part of a debate? well, i would say no and that _ you know, part of a debate? well, i would say no and that is _ you know, part of a debate? well, i would say no and that is why - would say no and that is why i am accepting injuries from anyone who would like to hear our voices, because people like me who actually ran for an election in 2020 before it was being delayed using covid as an excuse, we are literally being stripped of our political rights, because based on the current electoral reform, a person like me would never be able to go past the

five steps that are supposed to give us our nominations. i doubt if our voices would be heard directly in a forum with him or one on one with him and that is why i am hoping to go through the media, so that he can hear people like us, our views. you know, our views, the definition of hour, is close to 5 million people in hong kong, as we can see with evidence, based on actual election, hong kong is polarised, 70% of the people are on one side, 30% of the people are on one side, 30% of the people on the other side. our media has been shut down and now it is very difficult to be heard. i guess i hope that answers your question. i think it is very unlikely that i will get an audience with him. thank ou for will get an audience with him. thank you forjoining _ will get an audience with him. thank you forjoining us. _ it's been 60 years since the last royal navy submarine built in chatham, in kent, was launched from its dockyard. hms ocelot carried out top secret surveillance missions during the cold war, before being decommissioned in 1991. chrissie reidy has been

talking to some of those who served onboard. launched in 1962, hms ocelot was one of 57 submarines built here at chatham dockyard. controller. chris reynolds spent a year on board ocelot. back then, he was a 25—year—old torpedo officer. we're standing at the moment where all the torpedoes were stowed, all the weapons. i was responsible for the welfare of all the sailors that operated up here. if i was asked to go on a submarine again, i'd leap at the opportunity. during her first three years of commission, ocelot sailed more than 90,000 miles. she carried advanced technology, which meant she could remain submerged for weeks at a time. powered by admiralty diesel engines that were built here at chatham, and they were used on the surface and also to charge the batteries. when ocelot submerged,

they actually switched over to electric batteries, and then they could remain undetected, very quiet. after being decommissioned from active service, she returned to the historic dockyard in chatham, where she's been on display to the public since 1992. it's about the men and women that built these vessels here at the dockyard. this story of people and their involvement. this wasn't a naval dockyard — it wasn't the navy who built the ships, it was the people of chatham that built these vessels. and this weekend, she'll celebrate her 60th birthday here — another chance for the public to delve into the cold war history of this secretive warship. chrissie reidy, bbc news. let's return now to my colleague annita mcveigh who is at stormont for us now. thank you. the day after the big

vote concluded and the big question is of course for today are what happens next in the immediate days ahead and whether politicians will return here to stormont and the power—sharing agreement at any time soon and what it will take to achieve that. let me put some of these questions to the alliance party. i'm joined by nuala mcallister, was elected for the alliance party in north belfast. one ofa one of a record number of women elected this time around. your party had a huge success, more than doubling the number of seats, how would you use that vote, that mandate, to try and ensure that the power—sharing government returns? i might also add that almost half of our representatives are women, a strong team of women who will be fantastic and already are showing great signs of leadership. we have great signs of leadership. we have great faith in naomi long, she puts forward that fantastic message and when it comes to negotiations, ngaio is the right woman to lead us and i believe that vision she has of the positive and progressive northern ireland is something that the people

of northern ireland bought into, because they believe that delivery works, they want the delivery and thatis works, they want the delivery and that is something that the alliance are willing to do, we will get stuck in on monday morning reaching out to party leaders making sure we have everything on the table to make sure that that executive are set up, that is something the public indoors, they won the executive to work, how do you think the government can reassure the unionist community while at the same time not creating issues for sinn fein, the national sporting that won the largest number of seats? democracy work the past few days and democracy answered, we have notjust nationalist and unionist, but we also have others in northern ireland, it is notjust about simply making it work from one section of the community, but for everyone and what i would say, the issue of the protocol, of which the dup are saying is the reason they may not get back into the executive is not the issue that people have been bringing up at the doors right across northern ireland. we have set it to them before and we will say it

again, democracy told us that people want the executive to work. timid want the executive to work. nuala mcallister from _ want the executive to work. nuala mcallister from the _ want the executive to work. nuala mcallister from the alliance - want the executive to work. nuala | mcallister from the alliance party, thank you for your time. it is that tension i suppose between constitutional questions and those bread and butter issues that we are going to be hearing more about in the days ahead. we will have more reaction from stormont to the vote over the last couple of days to the northern ireland assembly elections. you are watching bbc news. now it's time for a look at the weather with darren bett. hello there. we're going to find some changes in the weather as we start the new week, but really threw the rest of the day, a lot of fine and dry weather around. we are likely to see some more cloud just bubbling up through the afternoon but it should stay dry just about everywhere. warm spells of sunshine, temperatures widely 18 or 19 degrees, a little bit cooler perhaps around some north sea coast. that cloud that does develop this afternoon, melting away during this evening, a lovely end to the day,

then we start to see some changes coming in. the cloud arrives in western scotland and northern ireland, the wind picks up, rainjust waiting in the wings, much milder here than it would be in the clear skies across england and wales, could start monday, three or four micro degrees across rural parts of the south—east. scotland and northern ireland, stronger southerly winds, the clouds there, the rain develops more widely, it takes a long time to reach england and wales where it should be a dry day, increasing cloud from the north west, we keep the sunshine in the south—east, that is where it is going to be a warm day, quite a bit warmer than in scotland and in northern ireland.

hello this is bbc news. the headlines: sinn fein becomes the largest party in the northern ireland assembly for the first time. governments have called on political parties to re—establish the devolved administration, but the issue of the post—brexit protocol could hinder the way forward. president zelensky says diplomatic efforts are continuing to try and rescue wounded soldiers from the besieged azovstal steelworks in mariupol. more questions for the uk opposition leader sir keir starmer over whether he broke lockdown rules. a leaked memo suggests a meal he attended was planned, despite covid restrictions. the official who oversaw the crackdown on pro—democracy protests in hong kong in 2019 has become the territory's new leader. john lee was the only candidate to replace carrie lam.

now on bbc news, dateline london with shaun ley. hello and welcome to the programme which brings together leading uk columnists with the foreign correspondents who write, blog and broadcast to audiences back home from the dateline london. joining us at the end of a busy week of uk electioneering, and ofjudicial controversy in the united states, are camilla cavendish from the financial times. she was head of the prime minister's policy unit when david cameron was in downing street. as baroness cavendish, she is in the house of lords, but doesn't sit for any political party. isabel hilton is the founder of china dialogue, which seeks to promote understanding

of china's environmental challenges. isabel has been a foreign correspondent and is a regular columnist in british newspapers. henry chu is the london—based editorfor the la times, a role he has also performed for variety magazine. whilst the us west coast sleeps, he helps to edit the newspaper. welcome to all of you, thanks very much for being with us. now, in a democracy, who is thejudge? well, in much of the uk this week, it has been the voters. so what sort of verdict has been delivered on boris johnson? the united states is a democracy too, but one where the supreme courtjustices get to decide whether or or not a law is constitutional. are they about to declare that the nationwide right to abortion is not? and monday's victory day in russia, a day country where vladimir putin is thejudge. what will his speech to crowds in moscow tell us about the war in ukraine? isabel, let's start there if we can. how do you think this year's victory parade is likely to be? well, one of the difficulties

about this year's victory