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BBC news 2015-09-01

Hello, I am Jonathan Izard with the BBC news.

Islamic State militants have reportedly blown up parts of another temple in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra. British-based activists and a resident of the city say the militants blew up the Roman temple of Bell with large amounts of explosives. The unnamed resident said the damage was extensive. Joseph Taha reports. IS took control of Palmyra in May, sparking fears for the site. The Islamic State group has destroyed several ancient sites in neighbouring Iraq. The militants believe any shrines or statues implying the existence of another deity are sacrilegious and idolatrous, and should be destroyed. Last week, IS released footage, showing its militants blowing up Palmyra's 2,000-year-old temple of Baalshamin. UNESCO described the destruction as a war crime.

A diplomatic row has broken out between Hungary and France over the construction by Hungary of a razor-wire fence along its border with Serbia to deter migrants. The French Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabius, said the fence went against Europe's common values. But his Hungarian counterpart, Peter Szijjarto, said he was shocked by this accusation. George, a Hungarian Member of the European Parliament, said the fence was a necessary step. The fact is that the frontier is unguarded. People just come in over illegally. Very often, they refuse to be registered. And I think this is the step the government has been obliged to take in order, if you like, to funnel them towards the official entry points.

Nigerian security officials say the jihadist group, Boko Haram, is trying to spread its operations beyond the mainly-Muslim north of the country. The Security Service says 12 suspected Boko Haram militants have been arrested in the commercial capital, Lagos. From there, Weir Rose reports. Nigeria's Secret Police says other self-confessed members were picked up in the city of Enugu in the southeast, as well as in parts of central and northern Nigeria. It goes on to say that some of them admitted to preparing explosives, and even striping the devices to suicide bombers. It's not possible to independently verify the information in the statement. It concluded that a southern influx of Boko Haram members into Lagos State pointed to the group's determination to expand its area of operation to include the commercial capital.

Fiji's Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, has warned that long prison sentences for those he says are plotting to overthrow his government. Around 70 people have been arrested in recent weeks, and are due in court charged with sedition. Suspected dissidents living overseas have also been prevented from returning to Fiji.

A muezzin in Egypt is facing disciplinary action for his attempts to keep up with the times. The Ministry of Religious Affairs is taking legal action against Mahmoud al-Moghazi for altering the wording of the Call to Dawn prayers. Instead of chanting Praying is better than sleeping, the cleric of the Nile Delta town of Kafr al-Dawar has been saying Praying is better than spending time on Facebook. Local worshippers have not been impressed, and launched complaints against him. World news from the BBC.

The Malaysian Prime Minister, Najib Razak, has rejected calls for him to resign. Tens of thousands of people joined street protests at the weekend, urging him to step down over a financial scandal. Jennifer Pat reports from Kuala Lumpur. Prime Minister Razak says he rejects street protests, because they are not a mature way to air grievances and can cause public disorder. In his address for Independence Day celebrations, he said the weekend rallies reflected a shallow mind and poor national spirit. Protesters took to the streets, defying a police ban, after close to 700 million dollars was traced to the Prime Minister's personal bank account.

North America's tallest mountain, Mount McKinley, is to be renamed. President Obama has announced it will be, in future, called Denali, its historical native name in Alaska. The mountain was called x in 1896, after the Republican politician and later President, William McKinley. But politicians in Alaska have long campaigned for the name change.

The American film director, Wes Craven, famous for some of the best-known horror films, has died at the age of 76. Reports say he'd been suffering from brain cancer. Peter Bow reports from Los Angeles. Wes Craven, iconic Freddy Krueger character, terrified audiences in the Nightmare on Elm Street in 1984. The film, which Craven wrote and directed, went on to be a hugely popular and lucrative franchise. The screen series, which spoofed the teenage horror genre, was also a box office sensation. Wes Craven was equally at home away from horror, directing Meryl Streep in Music of the Heart. In recent years, he'd been working in television, including a new screen series for MTV.

And British scientists say they have discovered how to keep ice-cream frozen for longer in hot weather. They found a naturally occurring protein, which not only makes ice-cream melt more slowly, but gives it finer and smoother texture. Mm, lovely. BBC News.