this is bbc news with the latest headlines. police say nine people have been killed in an explosion at a petrol station in county donegal in the republic of ireland. lam i am alive in the village of creesh where the emergency services are continuing a search operation but they don't expect to find anyone else alive. a massive fire has severely damaged the strategically important road and rail bridge connecting occupied crimea to russia. ukrainian officials say they've found two mass burial sites in the recently liberated town of lyman — one with around 200 graves. strike action leaves just 20% of regular rail services running across england, scotland and wales today, as workers walk out

for the 11th time this year. energy bosses warn the government's plan to cap the price of electricity produced by older renewable facilities is risky. at least nine people are now confirmed to have died, after a huge explosion at a petrol station in county donegal in ireland. a search operation is continuing as some people are still thought to be missing. eight people were also taken to hospital. the explosion happened at an applegreen service station in the village of creeslough yesterday afternoon. from there, our ireland correspondent chris page reports.

a rescue effort has now become a recovery operation. a sad sign that the emergency services don't expect to find anyone else alive. blown out walls, a crumpled roof and rubble showed this was a lethal explosion. it triggered a wave of devastation. people hurried to what was left of the petrol station, who see who may have been caught up in the incident. there were several flats above the garage shop, which largely collapsed. farmers brought tractors and diggers to start removing the debris. a coastguard helicopter helped airlift the injured to hospital. paramedics and firefighters searched through the remains of the building. at times they asked for silence,

so they could hear if anyone was calling out. creeslough is a small village, never would the community have imagined facing such horror. today at church there was a sense of disbelief. i was in the house and my house is only 150 yards and i heard an explosion about half three. i knew it was something, the bang sounded like a bomb going off. you know? i knew there was something tragic happened. the leader of the irish government said it was the darkest of days for the country. i think the entire nation is shocked at what has happened. it is an unspeakable tragedy. it is difficult to comprehend as people go about their daily lives something like this could happen. the singer brian mcfadden is from creeslough and said his heart was broken by the news. the cause of explosion is being investigated. it is thought it may have been a gas leak. nine deaths are confirmed

so far, but people here expect that already tragic figure to rise. and chris is live for us now in creeslough. chris, the search operation is continuing, is there any hope of finding more survivors? we've moved from search and rescue to search and recovery. that we've moved from search and rescue to search and recovery.— to search and recovery. that is riuht. to search and recovery. that is right- just _ to search and recovery. that is right- just in — to search and recovery. that is right. just in the _ to search and recovery. that is right. just in the last _ to search and recovery. that is right. just in the last half- to search and recovery. that is right. just in the last half hour| to search and recovery. that is i right. just in the last half hour or so, we have seen emergency service vehicles leaving the scene here, another sign that the operation is moving into a different phase at the petrol station there are still the memos of the emergency services who have been here ever since the explosion happened at 315 are still searching, though they don't believe they will find anyone else alive. this now is sadly a search for

bodies. as regards the mood in the community, what is really striking here is just the quietness, the silence, there are people here at the police gordon, a few dozen have come and gone through the last hours. they are watching, they are waiting for news, but really, people cannot take in what has happened, that some people and its local community popped into the local shop on a friday afternoon and lost their lives so suddenly. fix, on a friday afternoon and lost their lives so suddenly.— lives so suddenly. a lot of support cominu lives so suddenly. a lot of support coming from _ lives so suddenly. a lot of support coming from the _ lives so suddenly. a lot of support coming from the local— lives so suddenly. a lot of support coming from the local church - lives so suddenly. a lot of support coming from the local church as i coming from the local church as well. , . , coming from the local church as well. , ., , well. yes, that is right. there was a secial well. yes, that is right. there was a special service _ well. yes, that is right. there was a special service held _ well. yes, that is right. there was a special service held at _ well. yes, that is right. there was a special service held at the - well. yes, that is right. there was a special service held at the locall a special service held at the local church this morning, which gave people the opportunity to come together, to pray, to remember, to contemplate what had happened so unexpectedly in their midst. also, from political leaders in ireland, they have been words of condolences, words of encouragement for the

emergency services, the irish president, michael d higgins, and the leader of the irish government taoiseach michael martin, all have paid tribute, they have made clear their thoughts and prayers are with their thoughts and prayers are with the community here. the taoiseach is expected to visit county donegal two passes condolences on personally. —— to pass his condolences on personally. and we're expecting a news conference from the police of creeslough at about 2.30. we'll bring that to you live here on bbc news. the only road bridge linking russia with the crimean peninsula has collapsed following an explosion. russia annexed crimea from ukraine in 2014. the bridge was a main route for russian troops and artillery into ukraine. the explosion is a huge defeat

for russia in what has been a humilating week for the kremlin as our russia editor, steve rosenberg, reports. the images are dramatic and they are worrying for moscow. this is the bridge the kremlin built, linking russia to annexed crimea. it was supposed to have been heavily protected. an explosion at dawn sparked a major fire and serious damage. at least three people were killed. russian officials claim a lorry was blown up and the flames spread to fuel tanks on a train. parts of road collapsed into the water. both car and rail traffic has been suspended across the bridge. russian investigators announced they were opening a criminal case. and the kremlin has set up a government commission to look

into the incident. the 12 mile long bridge is not only strategically important to the kremlin, a crucial supply route to annexed territory. it is also a symbol of the russian annexation of crimea. vladimir putin opened it in 2018. by building it, he was trying to show that as far as he is concerned, russia and crimea are joined forever. in crimea, pro—kremlin officials blamed the blast on ukrainian vandals. kyiv has not claimed responsibility for the explosion. whatever happened here, it is more bad news for moscow. russia's so—called special military operation in ukraine has not been going to plan. it has been losing land it occupied and now this. it increases the pressure on the kremlin and it is unclear how vladimir putin will respond.

the head of the un nuclear watchdog says the zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southeastern ukraine must be protected urgently, after shelling again cut all external power. rafael grossi said diesel generators were having to be used to provide power for vital cooling functions at the plant, which is controlled by russian forces but operated by ukrainian staff. the facility's six reactors are currently shut down. petro kotin is the head of energoatom — ukraine's state nuclear power agency and has been telling me about how serious the situation at the plant is. this is very worrying situation and actually today one minutes before 1pm, actually, it was cut off all

the power supply cut off to zaporizhzhia power plant and that meant there was a blackout. and all the wee generators will start up and provide power to very important functions so coolants of feel. these are providing emergency arms which are providing emergency arms which are now in operation. and this is not an accident but it is an emergency situation and what we need to do is just immediately to restore external power supply. 0ur correspondent hugo bachega is in kyiv. how much concern is that on the ground about what is taking place at zaporizhzhia? four ground about what is taking place at zaporizhzhia?— zaporizhzhia? four weeks, this nuclear power _ zaporizhzhia? four weeks, this nuclear power station -

zaporizhzhia? four weeks, this nuclear power station has - zaporizhzhia? four weeks, thisj nuclear power station has been zaporizhzhia? four weeks, this i nuclear power station has been at the centre of concerns because of the centre of concerns because of the level of military activity hack event —— happening around it. the russian invaded it at the beginning of the war and the ukrainians have been saying that russian troops have essentially turned this nuclear facility into a military base, using it as a nuclear shield to launch attacks, knowing ukrainian forces are unlikely to retaliate. president asleigh said more than 500 russian troops, heavily armed, are positioned in this complex and the nuclear operators, the ukrainian staff are still operating this facility, working under very stressful, difficult conditions. rafael grossi, the head of the international atomic energy agency released a statement in the last hour or so, saying that the station must be protected urgently. he has been calling for the creation of a safety zone around this facility. he

was here in kyiv earlier this week, he is due to visit moscow to try to push ahead with this plan to try to create this safety zone around the nuclear facility, create this safety zone around the nuclearfacility, and he said in a tweet that after this visit to moscow, he will return to kyiv to try to create this safety area around the zaporizhzhia nuclear facility. around the zaporizhzhia nuclear facili . ., ., ., ., ,, around the zaporizhzhia nuclear facili . ., ., ., ., facility. hugo, another mass grave has been found _ facility. hugo, another mass grave has been found in _ facility. hugo, another mass grave has been found in the _ facility. hugo, another mass grave has been found in the eastern - facility. hugo, another mass gravel has been found in the eastern town of lyman? has been found in the eastern town of l man? , , , ., has been found in the eastern town ofl man? , , ,., ., of lyman? yes, this is a town in east of the _ of lyman? yes, this is a town in east of the country _ of lyman? yes, this is a town in east of the country that - of lyman? yes, this is a town in east of the country that was - east of the country that was liberated by the ukrainian forces week and the ukrainian authorities say that two mass burial sites have been found and the governor of the region internet said that at least one of those locations it is believed at least 200 graves had been found so the authorities are going ahead with the expert —— investigation, they are going to assume the bodies in those grades and they say a second location has

been found, a second mass burial site has been found. also in a city of lyman, they don't have details about who may be there, they believe that some soldiers have been buried in this location, but the investigations are still ongoing. lyman was a major town that was used by the russian forces is a key logistics hub in the east of the country, the ukrainians recaptured this town as part of this counteroffensive and as we have seen in other towns and villages that have been liberated, the ukrainian authorities have been accusing the russian forces of carrying out some atrocities in those occupied areas, they believe this could have been they believe this could have been the case also in lyman, although some of those people buried in their sights could have died because of lack of access to health care or as a result of attacks during this war. and, again, ithink a result of attacks during this war. and, again, i think the authorities are now returning to lyman, they say that half of the houses in this town have been damaged because of the

conflict and they are trying now to restore services to the residence there, there is no electricity, no heating, and obviously the investigation is ongoing to try to determine what happened to those people who had been buried in those mass graves. people who had been buried in those mass gram-— people who had been buried in those mass craves. . ~ , ., ., ., mass graves. thank you, hugo bachega in k iv. let's get more on the explosions on the kirch bridge — and the impact this will have on russia. dr samuel ramani teaches international relations at the university of oxford, and is currently writing a book: "putin's war on ukraine" — russia's campaign for global counter—revolution. thank you forjoining us here on bbc news. we werejust thank you forjoining us here on bbc news. we were just listening to a report from our correspondent steve rosenberg from russia and he said this attack on the bridge represented mainly two aspects, one is obviously strategic, but also symbolic. in your view, just how

significant is this attack?- significant is this attack? i think it is a very _ significant is this attack? i think it is a very significant _ significant is this attack? i think it is a very significant attack - significant is this attack? i think. it is a very significant attack from both those perspectives, symbolic, the annexation of crimea was the success of a foreign policy, and an integral sign that crimea was a part of russia. it also reasserts russia as a great power on the black sea which during the cold war was considered to be a soviet link. but it is also strategic as well. they have lost access to bridges, and they desperately need ammunition, food and supplies in crimea and the only alternative routes are relatively an accessible, through mariupol or donetsk so i think it is in more dire situation than it was. i am looking at the title of your book, a global counterrevolution, how then do you see what is going on in ukraine, the actions of president

putin, how does that fit into the title of your book? fix, putin, how does that fit into the title of your book?— title of your book? a global revolution _ title of your book? a global revolution is _ title of your book? a global revolution is the _ title of your book? a global revolution is the goal - title of your book? a global revolution is the goal of - title of your book? a global| revolution is the goal of this scale, it was to overthrow zelensky�*s element and replace it with pro—russian regime. that maximum goal has dramatically failed and now they're more incremental goals of destabilising ukraine's revolutionary government have failed even more. my book title refers to what russia sought out to achieve, but what they have achieved is pretty much the opposite. president zelensky has — pretty much the opposite. president zelensky has only _ pretty much the opposite. president zelensky has onlyjust _ pretty much the opposite. president zelensky has onlyjust been - pretty much the opposite. president zelensky has onlyjust been saying l zelensky has onlyjust been saying that ukrainian forces have recaptured some 2500 square kilometres, about 905 square miles of territory from russia, how are things going for russia at the moment? they have lost their access

via this bridge, they are losing territory, what are your thoughts on that? it territory, what are your thoughts on that? , ., , , ., ., that? it is a very dire situation, the loss of _ that? it is a very dire situation, the loss of kharkiv _ that? it is a very dire situation, the loss of kharkiv is _ that? it is a very dire situation, the loss of kharkiv is a - that? it is a very dire situation, the loss of kharkiv is a major . the loss of kharkiv is a major morale setback, and logistical setback, and the loss of lyman after that, that has dealt them a serious blow. ukrainians have been able to advance offences on multiple axes which is not what russia has been able to do. ukraine has been able to sustain events in luhansk, debts, and they might now be opening up a new one on zaporizhzhia. and that is a big concern for russia because russia has 200,000 mobilised troops that are coming but by the time they arrive on the front lines, ukraine will have more territory than it had on the 24th and the new troops may not have the supply lines to feed and equip themselves so russia has big problems going forward. fine

and equip themselves so russia has big problems going forward.- big problems going forward. one of the big questions _ big problems going forward. one of the big questions is _ big problems going forward. one of the big questions is how _ big problems going forward. one of the big questions is how putin - big problems going forward. one of the big questions is how putin will. the big questions is how putin will react to those big problems you are talking about going forward. in terms of escalation, what are your thoughts on the likelihood of nuclear weapons being used by president putin? certainly, the us are saying it is not entirely impossible.— are saying it is not entirely im ossible. . , ., , impossible. certainly not entirely im ossible impossible. certainly not entirely impossible but _ impossible. certainly not entirely impossible but i _ impossible. certainly not entirely impossible but i also _ impossible. certainly not entirely impossible but i also think- impossible. certainly not entirely impossible but i also think it - impossible. certainly not entirely impossible but i also think it is i impossible but i also think it is unlikely at the present time. vladimir putin had a choice after the kyiv setback, either he would redraw or gamble with nuclear weapons or try mobilisation. in the short—term he has tried mobilisation as the primary way to turn the tide of the war and as long as that remains true, and i think he will necessarily use nuclear weapons. and it could see russian�*s partners in the non—west, china and india, cut off their ties over this and a clear weapon, it may much —— not do much for them militarily,

weapon, it may much —— not do much forthem militarily, it weapon, it may much —— not do much for them militarily, it may create a demilitarised zone but equally on their own regions and territory, so given all that, a strike that is nuclear is unlikely in the short term but cannot be ruled out if they don't get their short—term objectives. don't get their short-term objectives-— rail workers across the country have walked out today in another day of strike action. it's part of an ongoing row over jobs, pay and conditions. our business correspondent marc ashdown is at euston station for us now. marc, another day of disruption?. yes, it does, a second consecutive saturday with a widespread rail strike. there aren't many parts of england, scotland, and wales which will be untouched by this action. to give you an idea of the impact how far it reaches, one in five trains today will be running, so it is a

hugely reduced timetable, about half of the entire network is complete shutdown of those trains which are running, well, they started a lot later, about 7:30am, and they will finish much earlier, so don't expect many trains after 6:30pm. i have just been inside here at euston and there are a couple of trains running to watford, preston, and manchester, but they are pretty few and far between. this involves about 40,000 members of the rmt union, their guards and signallers, they have walked out at eye, but also members of the tssa union, they run ticket offices and do on—board operations as well, they have walked out as well but in much smaller numbers. network rail, the staff working there, they operate the tracks and signals, the plumbing of the whole system, if you like, and they are crucial, that is why there are so much disruption today.- crucial, that is why there are so much disruption today. mark, we'll leave it there _ much disruption today. mark, we'll leave it there for _ much disruption today. mark, we'll leave it there for now, _ much disruption today. mark, we'll leave it there for now, thank - much disruption today. mark, we'll leave it there for now, thank you i leave it there for now, thank you imagined it.

major electricity producers are urging the government not to cap the price of power produced at older renewable facilities. the earliest wind, solar and nuclear plants receive government subsidies and benefit from the rising cost of gas, even though they don't use it. ministers are expected to intervene as early as next week to make such renewable electricity cheaper, in a scheme similar to one already announced in the eu. i'm joined now by dr lawrence haar, an expert in renewable energy finance at the university of brighton. i wonder if you could just start off by explaining exactly how the cap works. it by explaining exactly how the cap works. , , . ., , works. it is very nice to be here toda . works. it is very nice to be here today- the _ works. it is very nice to be here today- the cap _ works. it is very nice to be here today. the cap would _ works. it is very nice to be here today. the cap would limit - works. it is very nice to be here today. the cap would limit the l today. the cap would limit the prices which older renewables and nuclear would receive. they were given incentive prizes when they were first built because the market price now is way above the incentive

prices, they are earning quite a nice windfall.— prices, they are earning quite a nice windfall. ok, so in terms of the regulation _ nice windfall. ok, so in terms of the regulation via _ nice windfall. ok, so in terms of the regulation via the _ nice windfall. ok, so in terms of i the regulation via the government, is there are different between what they do for renewables and oil and gas? they do for renewables and oil and as? , ., ' . , gas? there is a difference but the oint is gas? there is a difference but the point is that _ gas? there is a difference but the point is that for _ gas? there is a difference but the point is that for the _ gas? there is a difference but the point is that for the critical - point is that for the critical infrastructure of gas—fired turbines, which back—up the entire uk electricity system and they back up uk electricity system and they back up all the renewables as well, their costs are very high, they are using natural gas, and so the difference between their costs and the wholesale supply of gas and the wholesale supply of gas and the wholesale price, it is not huge. it is the renewable energy producers who were building anywhere from 22010 onwards, who are enjoying a

huge windfall now. —— from 2010. find huge windfall now. -- from 2010. and how much of — huge windfall now. -- from 2010. and how much of the _ huge windfall now. —— from 2010. and how much of the market are there, what is the figure? in how much of the market are there, what is the figure?— what is the figure? in the uk, the entire production _ what is the figure? in the uk, the entire production of— what is the figure? in the uk, the entire production of renewable i entire production of renewable energy is only around 13% of the entire market, of our actual power. many people confuse the capacity we invested in, but renewable energy doesn't work very much. at our latitude, salaries getting 18% of the hours a year, unsure when gets about a quarter a year, and offshore about a quarter a year, and offshore a third of the time, whereas a modern gas turbine, like the many once we have built since the 1990s, they are operating 90% of the time. why is that, professor? is itjust that gas is a more profitable for the companies? why aren't they renewables being used more? it isn't that i don't want _ renewables being used more? it isn't that i don't want to _ renewables being used more? it isn't that i don't want to use _ renewables being used more? it isn't that i don't want to use them, - renewables being used more? it isn't that i don't want to use them, the i that i don't want to use them, the trouble is that the sun doesn't shine. we have 8.760 hours a year

and we only get roughly at our latitude, we only get sunshine, sufficient sunshine about 18% of the hours. and what about wind? went, it depends, onshore wind, you are getting a quarter of the time and offshore it is a third of the time, often offshore it is too strong to be used, it sounds strange but that is how it is. be used, it sounds strange but that is how it is— is how it is. then there doesn't seem to be _ is how it is. then there doesn't seem to be a _ is how it is. then there doesn't seem to be a very _ is how it is. then there doesn't seem to be a very good - is how it is. then there doesn't i seem to be a very good business case for renewables in the uk? we seem to be a very good business case for renewables in the uk?— for renewables in the uk? we have invested in — for renewables in the uk? we have invested in renewable _ for renewables in the uk? we have invested in renewable energy i for renewables in the uk? we have i invested in renewable energy because there was a commitment to reduce our greenhouse gases. the business case for renewables was incentivised through offering great, great prices for both feeling terrible is feeding tariff on renewables and also these prices, they also remind us that the cost of intermittency. it is a bit like, you know, you have a very

cheap car to run but it is unreliable, and you leave it idling in the drive so every time you build renewables, you need to have a gas turbine backing it up. 0k. the problem is that if i open a pub it is my risk that customers don't show up, if you built an onshore wind or solar fields, up, if you built an onshore wind or solarfields, the risk that up, if you built an onshore wind or solar fields, the risk that the sun won't shine or the wind won't blow falls on everybody else and that is paid for by retail consumers like you and me. unfortunately, who is making the prospects? large hedge funds. if you look at bloomberg, they are running 18% returns. qm. they are running 18% returns. ok, fascinatin: they are running 18% returns. 0k, fascinating conversation. they are running 18% returns. ok, fascinating conversation. thank i they are running 18% returns. ok, | fascinating conversation. thank you very much- — thank you. the scottish national party has accused the uk government of chaos and confusion when it opened its conference in aberdeen this morning.

the party's deputy leader, keith brown, told delegates that their homes, pensions and incomes aren't safe under westminster control. he also said that independence is the only way for scotland, to get rid of the tories for good. sirjeffrey donaldson has addressed his first democratic unionist party conference as party leader in belfast today. in his speech, the dup leader said that the latest assembly election in may, which saw sinn fein emerge for the first time as the largest party, was a "wake—up call to unionists across northern ireland." 0ur correspondent charlotte gallagher is in belfast. what was said today, charlotte? hi, there was a real focus, as you expect, on the union, northern ireland was my place in the united kingdom, the importance of northern ireland remaining in the union and sirjeffrey donaldson tried to reach

out to people that perhaps don't vote for the dup but want northern ireland to remain part of the united kingdom, saying he wanted to build a broad coalition. but, of course, the protocol was never far from any of the conversations, any of the speeches. the dup load the northern ireland protocol, they think it really cuts them off from the rest of the uk, these checks that have to be made on goods coming from the mainland uk anti—northern ireland, they hate, and they say they will not return to power sharing at stormont until the protocol is at. so, there was an ultimatum, really, for the westminster government, saying we will not be coming back until you get rid of the protocol. there was no sign from sirjeffrey donaldson that the dup were ready to return to stormont anytime soon. and why that is important is because this deadline, the 28th of october,

in the dup have not returned to power sharing by then, fresh elections in northern ireland will need to be called. sirjeffrey donaldson said he had no fear a new vote but how will his hard—line stance and the hardline stance of his party go down with voters who want the politicians they voted for to be doing things about the cost of living, health care, transport. and the dup remains solely focused on the dup remains solely focused on the protocol. the dup remains solely focused on the protocol-— the protocol. thank you. just let it brina the protocol. thank you. just let it brin: ou the protocol. thank you. just let it bring you some — the protocol. thank you. just let it bring you some breaking - the protocol. thank you. just let it bring you some breaking news i the protocol. thank you. just let it i bring you some breaking news coming into us here at the bbc news. concerning peter tobin, you may remember the story that just to remind you, the serial killer has died, petertobin, it is remind you, the serial killer has died, peter tobin, it is reported he became unwell whilst in prison, he was there serving three life sentences. he was serving one of those life sentencing for raping and murdering the polish student, she

was 23, her body, if you can remember, was hidden under the floor of a church in glasgow back in 2006. he was also in prison for the murders of 15—year—old schoolgirl, vicky hamilton, she came from redding near falkirk in 1991 but also dena mccall, and she was 18 years old at the time. their bodies were found some 17 years later and had been buried in the garden of his own home, his former home in margate and kent. it is reported he was taken to hospital in edinburgh, the royal infirmary in hospital from taken to hospital in edinburgh, the royal infirmary in hospitalfrom hmp edinburgh and he died on wednesday after becoming ill. news there on the serial killer peter tobin. we

are going to catch up with the weather now, here is nick miller. wet a windier weather. the thickest cloud is in western scotland. still on the breeze, you may encounter one or two showers, patchy rain moving on towards a northern isles but the vast majority continue to be dry, some good sunny spells around and temperatures mainly in the range of 14 to 17 celsius. the breeze will pick up over western areas overnight, cloud moving through producing little bit of drizzle. whether winds are lightest, east anglia, south—east england, in the countryside there will be some spots close to freezing by morning but a chilly start but a bright start to sunday. a different day on the way in northern ireland, the rain moves across to scotland, severe gales, the western isles, that's up to 70 miles an hour, is that in the first half of the day. rain