this is bbc news. i'm lewis vaughanjones and these are the latest headlines in the uk and around the world... more drone attacks in crimea as sevastopol, the home of russia's black sea fleet, comes underfire. mexico's former attorney—general is arrested in connection with the disappearance of 43 students eight years ago. human rights campaigners call for the immediate release of a saudi student jailed for 3h years over critical tweets. more travel disruption on train lines across the uk as thousands of rail workers go on strike for the second time in three days over pay and working conditions. despite a year—long family feud, preparations are under way in south africa for the coronation

of a new king of the zulu nation in the first such event in 50 years. and museums in glasgow agree to return looted artefacts back to india which were taken from temples and shrines during british rule in the 19th century. hello and welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the world. a couple of big developments from ukraine to bring you. the home of russia's black sea fleet in crimea — sevastopol — has once again come under drone attack. the russian—installed regional head said a ukrainian drone had been shot down over a naval headquarters and fell onto the roof of the building. he said no damage had been done. several other drone attacks

were reported overnight in crimea, including one at an airbase. meanwhile, russian president vladimir putin says un officials will be granted permission to visit and inspect the zaporizhzhia nuclear complex. the kremlin made the announcement after a call between mr putin and french president emmanuel macron late on friday. it came as claims of fighting near the plant continued, with four civilians reportedly injured by russian shelling. the plant at zaporizhzhia has been under russian occupation since early march. our correspondent hugo bachega has more from odesa. we haven't heard any details about how a possible visit from inspectors is likely to be organised, any timeline, but it seems russia has dropped its demand that inspectors should travel through russian —controlled territory. a proposal the ukrainians had rejected. rafael

grossi, the head of the international atomic energy agency, has welcomed the news of a possible visit, and he said he was willing to lead a delegation himself. here in odesa, antonio guterres, the un chief, told me yesterday that it was a priority to allow international inspectors into the russian —controlled zaporizhzhia nuclear complex and also hinted at discrete diplomacy has perhaps the way forward to de—escalate temperatures around this facility. yesterday more reports of shelling around the complex, the ukrainians say at least four civilians were injured after russian shelling. the ukrainians for days have accused the russians of turning this nuclear facility into a military base, using it as a shield to launch attacks against ukrainian targets, perhaps knowing the ukrainians are not likely to retaliate. russia rejects these allegations and says russian troops are protecting the plant. at this level of military activity has raised fears of a nuclear

catastrophe, so any indication that international monitors will be allowed into the facility could suggest a de—escalation in this crisis. suggest a de-escalation in this crisis. ., suggest a de-escalation in this crisis. . ., ., ., crisis. thanks to hugo for the latest from — crisis. thanks to hugo for the latest from ukraine. - reports from the somali capital, mogadishu, say at least ten people have been killed during the ongoing occupation of a hotel by islamist militants. the assault on the hayat began with the detonation of at least two car bombs followed by a fierce gunfight. the islamist militant group, al—shabaab, says it is carrying out the attack. it's not clear how many gunmen are alive. dozens of people, including many children, were earlier rescued from the hotel. it is popular with government officials and politicians, and several are reported to have been wounded in the attack. a former british member of an islamic state terror cell is beginning a life sentence in the united states for his role in the murder

of western hostages in syria. el shafee elsheikh was part of a group of is members — nicknamed the beatles — involved in torturing, beating and executing prisoners. his actions are said to have resulted in the deaths of four american hostages. the authorities in mexico have arrested the man who was serving as attorney—general when one of the country's worst human rights atrocities took place. jesus murillo is accused of forced disappearance, torture, and obstruction ofjustice in relation to the case of 43 student teachers who went missing eight years ago. tim allman has this report. even in a country steeped in violence, this was a crime that shocked the nation. dozens of young men heading to a demonstration in mexico city simply vanished. all that was ever found was a few bone fragments from three of the student teachers.

now the man who was, at one point, ultimately responsible for the investigation into their disappearance has himself been arrested. jesus murillo, attorney general under the former president, enrique pena nieto, had already faced criticism for errors in an earlier inquiry. he had blamed police and the drugs cartel, but not the armed forces. now he faces charges including torture and obstruction ofjustice. this comes only a day after a new truth commission set up to investigate the disappearance pointed the finger of blame at military personnel. the disappearance of the 43 students "constituted a state crime," said alejandro encinas, the head of the commission.

"a crime which agents from various state institutions participated in." when the current president, andres manuel lopez obrador, took office four years ago, he promised to uncover the truth about what happened. now more than ever he still wants justice to be done. translation: punishment of those responsible helps to ensure that it l does not happen again. that such regrettable acts do not happen again in our country. for the families of the missing, the pain of the last eight years has been unimaginable. they will hope the truth is now closer than ever before. tim allman, bbc news. concerns are growing over a student from the university of leeds who's beenjailed for 34 years in saudi arabia for the way she used twitter. salma al—shehab — who is also a mother of two young children — was charged for following and retweeting dissidents when she returned to her home country for a holiday in 2021.

she was initially sentenced to serve six years in prison but an appeals court later handed down the new sentence of 34 years. i'm joined now by the labour mp for leeds central hilary benn, whose constituency was the home of salma's studies. thank you for coming on the programme. so 34 years, this new sentence. what is your reaction to that? it sentence. what is your reaction to that? , , ~ �*, that? it is shocking, it's outrageous, _ that? it is shocking, it's outrageous, it - that? it is shocking, it's outrageous, it is - that? it is shocking, it's - outrageous, it is unbelievable, it is unjust. this is you say is a mother of two, she had been doing her phd at leeds university looking at how to improve dentistry for people with disabilities. she goes home to see her family, gets arrested, and what is her supposed it crime? she has used twitter to support imprisoned activists to stand up for women's rights in saudi arabia and to call for greater

freedom. it's completely outrageous and i think it's really important that people who share that concern at her case speak out, and that's why i have written to the foreign secretary, liz truss, to ask her to make representations to the saudi authorities so that salma can return to herfamily, her children who authorities so that salma can return to her family, her children who are four and six, two young boys who must have been out of their minds with worry as to what has happened to her, and come back to leeds and complete her studies if that's what she wants to do. find complete her studies if that's what she wants to do.— she wants to do. and make representations _ she wants to do. and make representations is - she wants to do. and make i representations is diplomatic she wants to do. and make - representations is diplomatic speak, what does that actually mean? what can be done to try and help her? in the normal course of things, diplomats and ministers will say to other diplomats and ministers in other diplomats and ministers in other countries, what is going on here? it will be expressed in diplomatic language but can you explain why a mother of two has been

sent to prison for 34 years for using twitter, because it is inexplicable. and i'm afraid it reflects the attitude of the authorities in saudi arabia that they are that worried about one individual using twitter to like posts to express a view, including she has supported the woman who led the campaign to allow women in saudi arabia to be able to drive. in the end, that campaign was successful and i welcome the change which the saudi authorities made. women can now drive in saudi arabia and i think that shows that expressing concern and raising matters, putting pressure on can have an impact, and i hope very much it will have an impact in this case. because 34 years is completely unjustifiable. her children will be nearly 40 by the time she gets out if this sentence stands. it the time she gets out if this sentence stands.— the time she gets out if this sentence stands. if this sentence does stand. _

sentence stands. if this sentence does stand, is _ sentence stands. if this sentence does stand, is there _ sentence stands. if this sentence does stand, is there any - does stand, is there any justification then for having any kind of relations with saudi arabia? how can the uk continue business as usual with the regime that has a justice system like that? you have also got sporting events, a big boxing match in the country this evening. does it for you question our relations with that country? the thin i our relations with that country? the thing i think— our relations with that country? tue: thing i think to our relations with that country? tte: thing i think to remember and understand about diplomacy is it is possible to have more than one conversation at any given time with another country, and diplomacy, foreign affairs is about balancing all of those interests. so we may be talking about energy, there is the boxing match of course that is taking place today. i think it is important that countries use what influence they have, and we may not have influence on other countries, but that is not an argument for not trying to raise the point and saying, "what is going on here?"

because it's impossible for us to understand how someone has simply done this that would not be a crime in most of the countries of the world has been sentenced to such a long period in prison. she is a saudi national of course, not a british national, but we have a standing in this as a country because she has been a student at the university of leeds and that gives us i think the right to say to the saudi authorities, what on earth is going on?— is going on? hilary benn mp, thank ou for is going on? hilary benn mp, thank you for coming _ is going on? hilary benn mp, thank you for coming on _ is going on? hilary benn mp, thank you for coming on the _ is going on? hilary benn mp, thank you for coming on the programme. | is going on? hilary benn mp, thank i you for coming on the programme. we have to leave it there. thank you. the widow of the basketball star kobe bryant, who was killed in a helicopter crash in 2020, has told a los angeles court how she was left devastated after discovering that photos of the accident had been taken and circulated. kobe bryant, his 13—year—old daughter gianna, and six family friends died in the crash. vanessa bryant is suing los angeles county for alleged negligence and invasion of privacy.

0ur correspondent in la, peter bowes, has been following the story. it was a short time afterwards that it emerged the los angeles times did a story about the fact these photographs, particularly gruesome photographs, particularly gruesome photographs, had apparently been taken at the crash scene by members of the sheriffs department and also firefighters, los angeles county employees. and it is through the media coverage of that that vanessa bryant found out about the existence of these photographs. last november, she and another family member were offered a sun of money, $2.5 million in compensation for the distress caused, but she turned that down, preferring instead to bring this federal case, an invasion of privacy case, and we are now roughly about 50% of the way through that case. it was very emotional testimony, she was very emotional testimony, she was sobbing as she appeared, she

said she was blindsided and devastated, she said she was hurt and betrayed by the fact that these photographs had apparently not only been taken but distributed amongst the colleagues of those people who took them. she says she lives in fear that one day they will pop up in social media. so far in this case we haven't heard the defence for los angeles county, but i understand one of their arguments may well be that this was an accident scene and during the normal course of events of an investigation, photographs are taken. and that in fact none have appeared in social media, none have appeared in social media, none have appeared on the internet. we will get more detail about that when the defence presents its case through its lawyers next week.— its lawyers next week. thanks to peter for talking _ its lawyers next week. thanks to peter for talking us _ its lawyers next week. thanks to peter for talking us through - its lawyers next week. thanks to peter for talking us through that| peter for talking us through that case. we will stay in the us. writers have gathered in new york in solidarity with the author sir salman rushdie, who was seriously injured when he was stabbed

on stage one week ago. the 75—year—old has faced death threats for many years over his novel "the satanic verses". 0ur north america correspondent, nada tawfik, has the latest. new york has been sir salman rushdie's home for the past decade and a half. as he lies in hospital on the road to recovery, the literary community here is still reeling from the attack on his life and the attack on his freedom to write. salman, my dear old friend... in a show of support, authors gathered on the steps of the public library to read aloud passages from his body of work, including the controversial novel the satanic verses, viewed by some muslims as blasphemous, as well as books such as midnight's children, his memoir, joseph anton, and the golden house. i crawled before i could walk. i walked before i could run. the organisers hope this rally raises sir salman's spirits. they say he knows it has taken place and intended to watch. equally, they hope this

is a galvanising moment and that others stand up to fight for freedom of speech. amanda foreman, a british biographer and historian, wasn't surprised to hear that the suspected attacker hadn't read the satanic verses beyond a page or two. freedom of expression isn't easy, it's not simple. it's highly problematic. people do get offended. terrible things are sometimes said. this is not a perfect society, and freedom of expression is not a perfect principle, but it's the best one we have, and if we are frightened, if we are silent, then the bullies and the silencers have won. chanting: censorship has got to go! the demonstration today is reminiscent of another held in 1989 after iran's ayatollah issued a religious ruling calling for sir salman's death. writers then also stood up for the indian—born british author and criticised stores that refused to carry his novel. but how much has changed since then? so much of our public discourse now

happens in the digital arena. we face online harassment, the viral spread of disinformation. here in the united states, we're dealing with a pandemic of book bans and curriculum bans in higher education across the country. so, it's a different environment. it's also the case, i think, in 1989, you would have thought an attack like this on us soil was really unheard of. sir salman's friends and colleagues hope this will be a watershed moment for free speech, and they say they look forward to hearing his voice again soon. nada tawfik, bbc news, new york. chanting: stand with salman! michael gove has announced his support for rishi sunak in the conservative leadership contest. writing in the times newspaper, the former cabinet minister criticised mr sunak�*s rival, liz truss, saying she appeared to be taking a "holiday from reality" with her plans to cut tax, rather than give direct payments to struggling households. she has previously argued that high taxes are "potentially choking

off economic growth". i'm joined by our political correspondent, helen catt. fairly critical then of liz truss's policies? fairly critical then of liz truss's olicies? , , ., fairly critical then of liz truss's olicies? , i. , fairly critical then of liz truss's olicies? , , ., policies? yes, you picked out the key phrase _ policies? yes, you picked out the key phrase that _ policies? yes, you picked out the key phrase that michael- policies? yes, you picked out the key phrase that michael gove - policies? yes, you picked out the| key phrase that michael gove says policies? yes, you picked out the - key phrase that michael gove says he is deeply concerned the framing of the leadership debate by many has been a holiday from reality, that the answer to the cost of living crisis cannot be simply to reject further hand—outs and contacts. he says he believes rishi sunak has the right approach to tackling the cost of living. this is certainly helpful intervention for rishi sunak. michael gove is a big figure in politics and has been for more than a decade now. he seen as a serious thinker, so for him to come out and back rishi sunak�*s policies is certainly helpful, and helpful at this point too because we have seen in recent weeks people who were

backing rishi sunak publicly switch their support away to liz truss. it is good for rishi sunak�*s campaign in those terms that they have got a big figure coming out for them now. however, i don't think it is really a surprise to anyone that michael gove is backing rishi sunak over liz truss. in terms of this being one of those things that can shift a contest and move it in a different direction, this is not one of those interventions, i don't think. to be clear, interventions, i don't think. to be clear. that _ interventions, i don't think. to be clear. that is _ interventions, i don't think. to be clear, that is because _ interventions, i don't think. to be clear, that is because at - interventions, i don't think. to be clear, that is because at the - interventions, i don't think. to be . clear, that is because at the moment liz truss in the polls as far as we know is way ahead. find liz truss in the polls as far as we know is way ahead.— liz truss in the polls as far as we know is way ahead. and has been consistently _ know is way ahead. and has been consistently throughout _ know is way ahead. and has been consistently throughout the - know is way ahead. and has been i consistently throughout the contest. there have been a series of polls now. usual caveats apply, it is tricky because you are looking at a small group comparatively of conservative members, not the whole electorate, so that said, the polls have consistently given her a large lead, the most recent 132 points ahead of rishi sunak —— the most

recent one 32 points ahead. so the feeling is it is most likely to be liz truss. �* feeling is it is most likely to be liz truss-_ feeling is it is most likely to be liz truss. �* ~ ., ., liz truss. and we will know who the new leader — liz truss. and we will know who the new leader of _ liz truss. and we will know who the new leader of the _ liz truss. and we will know who the new leader of the conservative - liz truss. and we will know who the | new leader of the conservative party is and therefore the new british prime minister at the beginning of september. helen, thank you for that. passengers are being warned of more severe disruption across the uk's rail network today as more than 40,000 workers go on strike. it's the sixth day of walk—outs so far this summer, in an ongoing dispute over pay, jobs and conditions. network rail says only a fifth of its services will be running as normal. 0ur correspondent sanchia berg is at euston station. a miserable day if you are trying to get anywhere, i suppose sanchia? tt is far more difficult for people to get to their destinations than usual but people i have been speaking to inside the station said they did see ways they can get two to liverpool

or scotland, and the services. sooner than usual. people were pretty supportive of the strikers though, even though their own day, their own journey had been severely disrupted. as you are saying, this is a familiar sight across a railway stations in the uk, as the rmt strike days go on and on. there are negotiations scheduled for next week, they will be sitting down with their employers again, but the union say they are ready for more strikes and certainly the mood here, people joining the picket line seem ready to strike again. as i say, it is different from the first days of the strike because trains are leaving, there just aren't as many of them and they will be stopping earlier. sanchia, thank you for that. the insolvency service says it

won't take criminal action against p&0 ferries after the company fired nearly 800 workers in march. p&0's actions sparked outrage from politicians and the unions as some staff found out they no longer had a job via a pre—recorded video message. they were replaced by cheaper agency staff, paid below the uk minimum wage. a civil investigation is ongoing. the coronation of the new king of the zulu people will take place in the royal palace in the south african town of nongoma on saturday. but the ceremony may not bring to an end seventeen months of infighting in the royalfamily. three factions each put forward a preferred successor following the death of goodwill zwelithini in march last year. thousands of guests are expected to attend the ceremony. 0ur correspondent nomsa maseko is there. there has been a lot of legal challenges, public spats, some even embarrassing in the lead up to today's traditional coronation, but

three different factions will have been putting up their preferred candidates about who they think deserves to be heir to the throne. but today the man known as king misuzulu ka zwelithini will be officially chlorinated at —— chlorinated. the significance is even though the king does not hold any political powers, he does have a lot of influence because a fifth of a south african citizens are zulus. about 11 million of those. so it means that if anything happens, he needs to be involved in whatever government decisions are made so that he is able to speak to his people so that they can be making sure there is social cohesion in this country. he is not the only king though that is recognised. there are others including some in

the north of africa.— the north of africa. thank you for that. glasgow life museums will become the first museum service in the uk to return objects stolen from india centuries ago. following an agreement signed with the high commission of india, the relics will be returned to the indian government later this year, as gail maclellan reports. singing a song to celebrate stolen artefacts going home. some of the items like this sword date back to the 14th century and were looted from northern india almost 200 years ago during britain's colonial rule. we are sending seven artefacts back home, the seven artefacts will be restituted and will occupy their rightful place in our cultural heritage. so, i am really on top of the world, cloud nine. many artefacts in museums and collections have been looted from sacred places such as temples and shrines and it's not often that they're returned. a highly significant process,

the first repatriation to india from a uk museum. by no means the first repatriation in glasgow's situation. our first repatriation from the collection was in 1998. the glasgow museums also aim to repatriate stolen artworks from nigeria and the sioux tribes of south dakota. it is, they say, part of the city's commitment to addressing past wrongs. and in the process, build relationships with those countries whose art was stolen so long ago. gail maclellan, bbc news. it sounds like something out of a children's book — a seal taking up residence in a family's home — but that's what happened in new zealand. this is the moment the creature was discovered exploring the house, which is about 150 metres from the sea, after squeezing through the cat flap. after posing for some photos, the seal — who's been named 0scar — was collected by conservation officers and returned to the ocean.

where i presume he's much happier. you are watching bbc news. rivalry can be fierce on the rugby pitch, but you'd never expect a team to become involved in mafia warfare. when a rugby club in sicily became a target for organised criminals, the players found unlikely allies hundreds of miles away in bolton. richard askam has the story. divided by 2,000 miles, but very much united by a common cause — to keep a rugby club threatened by organised crime afloat. what they does there, it's unbelievable. unbelievable, amazing. they try to help kids they take off the street and they give them an opportunity with sport. briganti is a rugby club from a poor

district in sicily�*s second biggest city, and it has been successful in turning youngsters away from crime and out of the hands of the local mafia, who many believe have tried to shut the club down. the clubhouse was burnt down and a minibus set on fire. this was impossible like one year ago, one year and a half ago. so we know that if we work together, we can reach important goal. bolton rugby club heard about briganti's plight and as well as offering to buy a new bus, raised money to bring dozens of players and staff over from sicily to the north west. these are pictures of them being welcomed by bolton's families. we offered to buy them a minibus. we didn't know how we were going to pay for it at the time, but we knew that we could do, we had the means to do it. but then they really wanted to get the kids out of the city to give to open their eyes,

really, to a different way of life. and the rest is history. a welcome that's also been extended by sale sharks, who invited the sicilians to watch them train, with a couple of stars on hand to offer tips and an arm around the shoulder. it's a pleasure and an honour for the club and especially for me to be able to do that. and for briganti's players, many haven't been outside their own district, never mind sicily. it's been an experience they will treasure. yes, when we started, we never thought that we could be here or achieve this. so it's huge, it's huge. it's a dream come true. wearing shirts created by bolton for the occasion, the two clubs will play each other in a series of matches later today. richard askham, bbc news.

it's almost ten years since the remains of king richard iii were found in a car park in leicester, putting the city on the tourism map. archaeologists uncovered the leg bone of the controversial royal in august 2012 and this weekend, leicester's richard iii visitor centre is marking the occasion with a programme of talks about the discovery. amy payne reports. these turned out to be the remains of richard iii and ten years on the dig site is on proud display at the city's visitor centre where matthew reflects on an incredible find. coming down exactly on top of richard iii i —— was i want to say a stroke of genius but it was pure luck. there was no way of knowing looking at the knees that that was

richard iii. it took another week of excavation and another five months of research after that and analysis to prove it was him. but of research after that and analysis to prove it was him.— to prove it was him. but for those in the richard _ to prove it was him. but for those in the richard iii _ to prove it was him. but for those in the richard iii society, - to prove it was him. but for those in the richard iii society, the - to prove it was him. but for those j in the richard iii society, the date of that very first date is significant. everybody was so keen that this would happen, so i think when it finally did, it was a momentous occasion, it really meant something to, notjust to leicester, but to the world at large. the tenth anniversary of the uncovering of the remains of one of england's most controversial kings is being marked here at the visitors' centre this weekend with talks about the discovery kicking off a programme of events. it was really important to mark the tenth anniversary of what is a significant moment for leicester. you know, we didn't know it at that time, but richard was found this week ten years ago, and the story of king richard iii visitor centre and the re—internment of richard iii started. a decade on, there will be celebration and reflection on the start of a remarkable story that put leicester well and truly on the tourism map.