ah ah ah, ah ah, this is d, w. new is alive from berlin. miss al, strike in ukraine's odessa region. ukraine says at least 20 people are dead after russian aircraft fired missiles that hit an apartment building and other targets or so on at the show. owning off to germany's colonial past for lin, formally recognizes certain african artifacts looted in the 19th century as

property of nigeria. and china celebrates 25 years since the united kingdom handed back hong kong president. she pang insists hong kong can maintain its own laws. as a beijing hardliner takes over as the territories new liter. ah. hello, i'm claire richardson, thanks much for joining us. ukrainian officials a say at least 20 people are dead after russian missiles hit. the region of odessa, missiles fired from russian aircraft hit an apartment building in the town of saint give her some 70 kilometers south west of odessa. rescuers have been searching for people burried in the rubble. another missile hit a nearby recreation center. russia has intensified strikes on ukraine in the last 2 weeks. it has also withdrawn from the strategically important snake island in the

black sea, which could make it possible to restore c access to odessa as port our correspondent and manuel shares is covering developments for us from odessa and earlier i asked her about this latest attack. well, claire does misses, fell on a residential area, endo village or city of car and at least 20 people died during the shelling. there are 20 people, including 2 children over 30 people are injured also pregnant women. it was injured. we know at this stage a doctor, for example, one of the victims, one of the deceased. he's a 6th year old man. he was a, are, you know, a, he was a man, was his wife and child. none of them survived is just those show you the tall di swore is taking on and tire of families. first responders have no indeed the search

or in the rubble for survivors. they might steal this to one person missing as we are talking. and of course, here in odessa, people are in shock, in fact, in the whole region tomorrow, the 2nd of july has been declared a day of morning. it was terrible to hear of those casualties. i want to ask you, at this stage in the war, how well ukraine is able to defend the odessa region. well, you know, claire, the odessa region is just by the black sea. in fact, the reason why you don't see to see where we're standing is that we, as journalists are not allowed to fail, made for the simple reason that the ukrainian all tore teeth are afraid that we might show something that would give away a strategic position. and that might a, you know, make it an easy target for a russian for the russian army that just shows you just hold dire. the situation is also the fact that a desa either by the sea, by the black sea, when it makes it more vulnerable to me, solid tax,

because most miss eyes are fired by the black sea does at that there's also less time for b. bill wants the air read the lads, you know, resume does less time for people to take shelter simply because of me. size are closer. and speaking of the black sea, are russian troops have withdrawn from snake island. i strategic island located south of odessa. how do you think that is going to change the situation in the black sea? i'd new thing is that a game changer, clara, because the snake snake island was actually seized, captured by 2 russian war ships on the very onset of the war. and it became both a symbolic or ireland and a very strategic won strategic. why? well, because it's just off the coast here of odessa and he gives control to the entire maritime region. so the fact that ukrainian troops re captured this island is very important. we know that on this island, they were also me size launchers from russia. so at this is also very important and

of course, symbolic because remember at the very beginning of the war there were, does border guards have told russian or russian sailors where to go? they did a wants a surrender, and these made them a symbol of ukrainian resilience. so both as strategic and a symbolic victory here for ukraine and manuel shes in odessa. thank you so much for your reporting. let's turn our attention now to some other world news headlines which prices have dropped 27 percent close to rates available before the war in ukraine. cent price is to record high levels. analysts believe this is due to recent comments by russia and turkey, who said they are willing to discuss the safe passage of ukrainian grain from g walked ports. heads of stage scientists and n g. i was at a un conference in portugal or calling for an international treaty to protect the oceans. of protesters say,

world leaders aren't acting fast enough. un secretary general, antonio hotel has declared an ocean emergency in italy. a heat warning has been issued for some 20 cities, with people being urged to avoid the afternoon sun. the heat wave is likely to worse in the country. severe drought in rome, the tiber river has fallen to low levels, exposing the remains of a bridge built nearly 2000 years ago. in switzerland, the 1st same sex weddings have taken place. voters approved the expansion of marriage rights in a referendum last year. switzerland is one of the last western european nations to legalize same sex marriage and 4 years germany has struggled to reconcile. it's colonial history in africa. and one aspect of that is stolen cultural artifacts, such as the been in bronze us on display at several german museums. now though,

the path has been cleared for their return to nigeria with the foreign and culture ministers from both countries, signing an agreement at a ceremony a short time ago. the deal formerly recognizes the pieces as the property of nigeria. at the center of the colonialism debate in germany that benning bruncess in 1897 british forces looted thousands of the art treasures from the royal palace in benign mutton de nigeria. many ended up in german museums. more than 400 or in berlin's humbled forum. a long battle over the looted art is now ending both germany and nigeria had to care nigeria, the rightful owner of the plagues and sculptures. the breakthrough means the objects can return to their homeland. it's also a radical change in perspective for germany's museums thus benoit.

it is i what does change of ownership means? bowdoin? it? it means that we western museums in the northern hemisphere and cannot simply determine the narrative of these beneath bronzes any longer. a decent being home belongs to mere attain, couldn't nigeria will decide which artworks will return. the government wants to build a new museum to house the bronzes, partly financed by germany. so us is up professionals. it is important for us to discuss one issues and areas of collaboration. so that would be able to benefit from this, you know, of toddler, patricia museums across europe are starting to opt for collaboration after years of confrontation. but the british museum has refused to give back. it's $900.00 bruncess. the issue has also become a bigger public debate in france. in germany,

negotiations are ongoing to keep at least some of the works in the country on permanent loan. and we asked our d, w correspondent, florist shaquira in legos, how this agreement was received in nigeria. 2 this agreement is being received, of course, with a lot of excitement, and many people are saying that this is a 1st that's, this is a 1st that's in healing. the very painful colonial history that nigeria and many of the african countries have. and so many, especially in the arts community, i've seen this as a very important 1st step as to what could you know, be possibly mending the relationship between africa, between nigeria and europe. okay, so a 1st step toward healing. can we take a step back and can help us understand exactly why it is so important for many nigerians that germany has admitted that these artifacts were stolen in the 1st

place? well these artifacts are not just we call them artifacts, but many people would argue that they are not just artifacts. they are the instrument of spirituality for a lot of people in be mean. now those things are, you know, they are like, mark has of be mean history of, of that the life of, of the been in mind like it tells the story. one artifact tells so many stories that you know, it goes beyond just admiring the beauty of the art work. there's a lot that goes behind it. and so a lot of people, especially from the been in kingdom, have seen this as not just feeling artwork, but also stealing part of the spiritual heritage. and so it goes beyond just just ordinary arts is actually something that has a very deep meaning to

a lot of people from be mean. and so germany actually admit, seen that these ad works west stolen after so many years, holds a very, very euro it's, it's very important for nigeria as because it then means that we can again take another step towards restitution. like i said before, this is just a very, very big step, a very huge step in the right direction. and it's very much welcome amongst people, especially in the been kingdom. ok, thank you for helping us understand that emotional and cultural significance as flourish. to clear our correspondent in nigeria, i really appreciate your time and china's president, she jan hang, has concluded a visit to hong kong to mark 25 years since the united kingdom handed over control of the territory during the visit. she praised the one country to systems policy, which has allowed hong kong to have its own laws. he said the policy was

a success and would remain in place. but that hong kong must respect chinese leadership. she oversaw the swearing and of hong kong, new chief executive john league a she, loyalist and former security chief, who helped crack down on pro democracy protests the data key. beijing has been a tightening its grip on the city. let's take a look at how hong kong has changed since the british hand over. ah, hong kong enters a new era. more than a 150 years of british colonial rule came to an end at the stroke of midnight on july 1st 1997. the sun set on an empire and rose to a new age under chinese rule. it was a moment long in the making. in 1984 after years of talks, london and beijing signed a hand over agreement for hong kong. china agreed to rule the

region for 50 years, according to the principle of one country to systems. although part of china, it was to be granted greater autonomy and allowed to preserve the freedoms and rights awarded under british rule. while beijing honored this arrangement at 1st, it soon began chipping away at hong kong special status. first in 2003, when china tried to pass a security law to limit descent and protests. more than half a 1000000 people turned out to oppose it. forcing authorities to back down jar then in 2014, beijing proposed allowing hong kong or to vote for their chief executive hadn't changed, but only from a short list of approved candidates. while young cookie can come young. in response, thousands marched to demand real democracy. when police tried to clear the streets,

people started carrying umbrellas to use as shields against the pepper spray. the pro democracy protests became known as the umbrella movement. in 2020 beijing imposed a sweeping security law. curbing voting rights and limiting freedom of the press and free speech. hong kong has continued to hit the streets and protest, but in rapidly dwindling numbers. as hundreds of pro democracy activists, lawmakers and journalists were arrested ah, the british consulate, a rallying point for hong kong, ers who want china to keep its promises? 25 years after the hand over the new formula is one country, one system and their city. now, just like any other city, mainland china. oh. before we go, let's take

a quick look at our top story. at this hour. ukraine says at least 20 people have been killed in russian missile strikes outside the port city of odessa. it's the latest in a series of intensified russian attacks across ukraine. update at the sour stay tuned for date of the news asia coming up next with my colleague of the rash banner g. he's going to have more on that historic cong anniversary. and a friend is always more on our website, d to leap, dot com, and choir richards. and thanks so much for joining us. with secrets lie behind these was discover new adventures in 360 degrees and explore fascinating world heritage sites d. w world heritage 360.