this is bbc news. the headlines: a curfew is in place in the ukrainian capital, kyiv. it comes after residential areas were attacked by russia, killing eight people. russian forces are trying to encircle and cut off the city, but large areas around kyiv remain under ukrainian control, especially in the south. president biden has warned that there are clear signs his russian counterpart, vladimir putin, may be preparing to use chemical and biological weapons in ukraine. mr biden said the russian leader "had his back to the wall." he also warned that russia may be preparing a cyber attack. the ukrainian president has again called for direct talks with vladimir putin to try to put an end to the fighting. but volodymyr zelenksy said

that such a meeting would be unlikely to lead to agreement on longer term issues such as security guarantees or constitutional changes. now on bbc news, we are england: fighting for me. you won't get this day back again, alright? keep the pressure on her. boxing actually is my life. it gives me my confidence, it gives me my purpose in life.

i got took off team gb, which it felt like my whole world had ended, because that was my dream since a kid. i went from being where i'd always dreamed of, to these things going on like an abusive relationship, feeling like a failure. i felt like there was no sort of hope for me. it means everything to me, like if i was to lose, i couldn't even imagine. look at me, i'm stood there in a pair of barbie pyjamas and a cowboy hat, just making myself look an idiot. i don't think anyone would think i'd be able to box. come on, ebonie!

music: these boots are made for walkin�* by nancy sinatra # you've been messing where they shouldn't be messing... # these boots are made for walking # and that's just what they'll do # one of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you... i've lived in portsmouth all my life, ijust love it. the only time i've been away from it is when i was in the army for six years. # are you ready, boots? you know when you walk to the ring, nan? yeah. and people have a song on, that's gonna be the song i'm having. 0h, right. yeah, when i fight. 0h, bless ya. that's my first fight

in three years. what have i done with my life in three years to not box? like, for me, boxing is my purpose in life. so, i'd say it's a bit like a comeback. are you ready? start walking, then! my nan doesn't really know much about my boxing, she just sees me as her lovely granddaughter. she probably preferred it if i didn't box because she probably finds it horrible, the thought of me getting punched. 0h, bless your heart. there you go. you are a good girl to me. hi, eb! you alright, mate? alright? alright, jill? hello, mum. with boxing, it's a lonely sport. you're on your own, but you sort of, like, forget you actually, you need your family around you. hello, dad. alright, mum? how's training going? yeah, alright. i think everyone's got something in them,

what they're good at. but, you know, 95% of people never find that. i got this out of the storage today — scrapbook. and with ebonie, it was boxing. how old was you there when you won the europeans? 15. you looks younger than that. i really wanted to box when i was younger. we watched a documentary of these kids doing, like, kickboxing on the telly and i was saying, "dad, dad, i want to go, i wanna go there." straightaway he was on the computer searching where to go, took me along with my brother. so it was kickboxing first and then i got into boxing from then. she liked the dolls and all that, but also, she liked hitting a punch bag. my dollies in the background. she was always beating her brothers up. laughs my aim is to be in the olympics one day. this is what i want to do

for the rest of my life is box — boxing. we used to get up 6:00 every morning before school. come on, we got to go out running, you got to carry on, mate, with your fitness and that. how far can ebonie go, she's still at a young age? she's boxed for- england three times and medalled every time. that's it, last one, here we go. - then, obviously we would take her down the boxing gym in the evening where i'd sit in the gym for her for over three hours. she's just returned from winning gold at the european under 22 championships. yeah, i seen nicola adams and i sparred her in preparation for the world championships. i do feel proud representing portsmouth, just making my family proud. i remember the year when you lot was all getting ready to walk over to watch the fireworks and you'd done sausages, butternut squash soup and all that, do you remember that, nan? yeah, there was lots of things you had to sacrifice and missed out on. and i had to stay at home and go for a run. i can remember a few years when she didn't even have her birthday cake.

she'd cut it, freeze it, and then after like obviously she's finished her tournament, then she would get her cake out of the freezer, defrost it and then eat it. this is the sacrifices you gotta make. if you want to be the best, you got to do these things, haven't you? numberone! the champ, ebonie! obviously, i wouldn't have won the things i've won or been the best if my dad didn't just push me that bit. then from behind. yeah! once you're in that ring, it's just you and the other opponent, so, you know, and i know what they gotta go through to get in that ring. it's the most probably — i reckon it's the hardest sport in the world. for me to see her boxing, i love it, you know, to see something, like, i'm proud of her basically. i bet you lot are nervous for my fight? i used to be nervous but i think... dad, don't try and lie and say you ain't gonna be nervous. no, no... no, no, i'll tell you the reason why i won't be nervous this time is because three years ago you didn't even think you was going to be boxing for a while again, so i'm happy you're just back doing what you love.

yeah, i've had a lot of support from my family in the boxing. they're all... my dad's really supportive of it, and so is my mum. whatever outcome, i'm still proud of you anyway. i don't get nervous hoping that you're going to win, but not that i don't care... yeah, well, that's where dad gets nervous doesn't he, �*cause he cares about that. i'm just happy whatever the outcome as long as you're happy afterwards. what day are you going up to wembley arena? tuesday just for the day for a photoshoot, thursday, and then from thursday, thursday press conference, friday weigh in. who else gets to say that their debut is going to be wembley arena on sky sports? i'm just over the moon like that's a dream for me. are you nervous, annette? my chest is killing me. is it? yeah. got your scarf ready, loge? yeah, is that the right way? yes. she's been for a rough time, she's had people say to her, like, ex—boyfriends, "you're not going to be nothing, "you're not going to achieve anything,"

but, well, we'll see, won't we? went to watch the olympics in 2012, coaches from the gym took us, and that was the first year female boxing was ever in the olympics, but ijust thought, right, that's what i want to do, and then as i got older, i got selected to be on team gb, so close to going to the olympic qualifiers. i was that weight when i was probably about 12, so trying to keep that weight to the age of 21 was so unhealthy. you're not drinking water, you're dehydrating yourself, you're not eating, you're basically, like, starving yourself to try and get to a weight. i felt drained, walking to the scales, like, the weigh—in, i struggled to even walk up the stairs, that's just the way it was. i wanted to go to the olympics

so i was willing to do anything. and in the end, theyjust sort of said, "look, ebonie, it's obvious you're killing yourself "to make this weight. "you'rejust going to do yourself damage." so i got took off team gb, which it felt like my whole world had ended because that was my dream since a kid. but also, at this time, i'd been going through an abusive relationship. i remember one day when i was in the pub, and i was obviously really enjoying myself and he'd always wanna ruin it and i remember that day he dragged me up the road by my hair and it was that bad, that he was picking me up and rugby tackling me to the floor. people in the van stopped and said, "look, leave her alone." i had to get in a van with a random man. i actually felt safer in a van with a random man than being there with him at the time.

so a lot of people would say, "oh, well, you're a boxer, "why don't you just knock him out?" what i'd say is it's not as simple as that. how i am in boxing or in the ring isn't. . . isn't the way i actually am. notjust the physical side of it, but the mental side of it is what done the most. i've never had lots of friends because of my boxing, but, say, iwould make a friend, he was veryjealous, so ijust would sort of not see my family as much, not see friends as much. i'd be kept on, like, a location app. he'd wait outside in the car outside places. at first you think, oh, �*cause they love me, that's. . .they care. but, really, when it starts to get into things like that, you know something isn't right. these people are good at mind games and mentally breaking you down. i didn't see the point in anything. ijust felt like

i was a failure, my confidence just got knocked. well, i had no confidence, i couldn't handle any sort of pressure. so, yeah, i completely changed. i don't like to say a reason why i stopped boxing for them years was because of the abusive relationship because probably hurts for me to say that that person managed to do that to me, that badly, that i couldn't... ..that i stopped boxing. my purpose in life was boxing and ifelt like that had gone, i didn't really know how to handle that. keep it sharp, keep it clever. good. turn on them ropes.

good. guildford city is a home for anyone, from anywhere, from any background, everyone here is like a family. i'm seven and i wanna be a champion boxer when i'm older. when i'm boxing, i feel, | like, good about myself. it's kinda therapeutic in its own sense. - yeah, boxingjust makes me feel powerful. you're all chasing the same thing. you all want to become a champion, otherwise you wouldn't be in here. good! let's come back with something, come on. guildford city boxing club is a massive part of the community. we're known all over great britain and soon to be known all over the world with the likes of eboniejones here. i found this gym at the worst time in my life. i just sort of forced myself to start coming here. so, ijust felt, like, safe at this gym, you know,

and just that i was gonna be looked after. yeah, yeah. how you feeling after all the hard training? yeah, good. it's good you're still smiling, the main thing. yeah, you got all the gear like laura pain, then. ok, girls, you ready? as a coach, i looked at the female boxing, you know, going back 10 years, 12 years, did i really like it? ah...i�*m not sure, but now i love it. keep your feet nice and wide. girls are no different to the guys, but they're more disciplined, they learn the skill better, and they give you more. nice, what a combination. training is like my therapy, mentally ijust feel... i feel strong.

i've come such a long way, like a completely different person. i've got so much hope for the future. unreal, just do the same again, alright? yeah. unreal. obviously, ifjohn wouldn't have welcomed me with such, like, open arms or, like, helped me out, listened to me, yeah, it probably wouldn't have been the same, no. edge in, don't bomb in. in women's boxing it's really important to have like an advocate and a role model. ebonie sort of has always given me really good advice on how to keep yourself like mentally healthy and that it's okay to speak up about your mental health and how you're feeling and that it's not the end of the world if you think that you're in the lowest point of your life. body, go for the body. it's really nice to see her so happy, ijust don't think the world understands how... how big a sensation she's gonna be. hopefully ebonie can inspire

the next generation of females. she's definitely inspiring the young ones here. so hopefully she can do that all over the country and all over the world, you know cos she is going to be a big star. i think women's boxing isjust getting bigger and bigger, now people are wanting to watch it. it's... it's getting more and more popular. good. oh, what a shot on that front hand. good. i can make a career out of something that i love to do and i think i'm so lucky to be able to do that. that's the one, magic. ebonie is a first—class boxer, won medals all over the world, but the professional game is totally different. she's fighting with no head—guard, little eight—ounce gloves, you know, longer round duration.

yeah, she'll rise to the occasion. cream always comes to the top. there's still a little part of me that will worry about the way i look and when i weigh in for this fight it's gotta be like it's in front of a lot of people and stuff like that, but i think you've just got to remember there's... you're there to show your talent, your boxing, there's more to it than like the way you look. this is part of your fight now, alright? so you got to be the best at everything, everything you got to be ioo%. okay? deep breaths and do your job, this is yourjob. so the weigh—in is the day before for safety reasons. the opponent will weigh in first. and her weight 127 lbs and four ounces. ebonie will weigh—in after.

go on, ebonie. so obviously the day of the weigh—in you never really want to eat or drink much anyway because i mean, do you know what i mean? it's even a sip of water could put you over. so obviously i had my food last night cos... but before obviously when i had to make weight, which was really hard, i wouldn't have ate even the day before hardly. and weighing in officially at 127 lbs and five ounces. and then they'll have a face off. a face off�*s a part of the drama, part of the — part of the game. professional boxing's a business and it's also entertainment, so that's part of the entertainment. job done. let's get thatjacket on. it'sjust weird innit being half like naked in front of that many people, but it's what, what's got to be done. it's like having a bikini on down the beach,

that's what i was thinking of. well done, mate, on the weight. hmm, lightest i've been in a long time. long time innit, strong at it. ok, relax a little bit now, alright, well done. cheers, john. see you in a bit. as i love a bit of country music. got my hat for tomorrow. i'm going to walk in with this, look, let me show you. obviously, my hair will be braided tomorrow, but i would actually wear this normally i think. i would wear this normally but, yeah, i'm going to wear it into the ring. urm, not so much nervous yet, i'm more excited. it's more ijust want to get in there and perform

to be honest so all the training i've done leading up to it, urm, just want to get in there and sort of show people what i'm about. look at me, i'm stood here in a pair of barbie pajamas and a cowboy hat making— just making myself look an idiot i don't think anyone would be able to think i'd be able to box. it means everything to me. like if i was to lose, i couldn't even imagine. i couldn't even imagine that. i don't think i'd wanna leave my room. it is all or nothing. and when the action begins, your referee in charge is charles coakley. got them scissors ready, please? every boxer in the changing rooms before a fight will think

to themself why the hell do i put myself through this. you think why do i it? this is what i've been wanting, in them years that i haven't been boxing, in them years i've been down this is what i ve been dreaming of doing, so i m thinking ebonie don t start getting nervous now and thinking oh i don t want to do it because this is all i wanted. i've never wanted something to be over so fast in all my life. i just want it to be fast forwarded to her being — like her hand being put up in the air and all that and just done. and now set to make her way into the arena, ebonie jones. go on, ebonie! go on, girl!

she's talented, she's got an eye—catching style as she enjoys her first ring walk avec the cowboy hat in a prime tv slot, some entrance. come on, eb, come on baby. okay ladies, i've already spoke to you both, keep those punches up, no putting the heads in. touch gloves, good luck. the only real opponent is yourself and the mental challenges in yourwill to win yourself y'know. .. she's quick. you can be coached, but if you don't haven't got the will to win then, goodbye. loved up at team gb, didn't quite work out

in the weight categories for the olympics. oh big shot. listen, everything in your life happens for a reason. so these things what happened for her were bad, but then what happens in life is you take the bad and you make it good. bit of a swelling on the forehead of ebonie jones. you know i think these things what have happened, you know, is going to make ebonie really really really strong in the mind. that's better from maisoke, using the jab, trying to use her range there, she's having a bit of success now. you never knows, she might even take all that aggression out in the ring, so you might see a new ebjones in the ring. no and especially when you re boxing someone like ebonie jones who's as aggressive and as full of energy and a real spirited performer, she comes out of the trap so fast, good right hand to the body there from her. so i've been knocked down to absolute rock bottom, notjust one thing but things

pile on top of each other... you're overloading, you're leading off to the right hand, she s a tall girl, we can't do that. and i managed to come up from that. you won't get this day back again, alright? and from that obviously i've learnt, i've learnt that yeah i can come up from anything. seconds out, sixth and final round final session, ebonie jones in with the more experienced vaida masiokaite, 11 years older. this performance from ebonie jones, who announces herself on the professional scene, and the family and friends are all there for her. eb, she came in with the old hat, the western hat, matt wanted a performance and he got one, well done, ebonie. oh, ebonie jones,

oh eboniejones. this bout goes - the distance and it goes to our referee, | scoring the bout 59 — 55, declaring the - winner ebonie jones! it's the best buzz, when your hand gets raised and you've won the fight there's no feeling in the world like it — all the hard blood, sweat, and tears, all the hard training — yeah, this is why i do this. it's just like quite overwhelming really, especially like the amount of support, all my family and friends being there. i could never have imagined it would have been like that. ijust think it's nice if other people can look at me and wanna do something, do something different. if they're going through a tough time,

it makes them feel better by seeing say my story. there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, sounds like a clich, and stuff like that, people can tell you that when you feel like that and you won't listen to them but it does always get better, it does always turn around. they say success is the biggest revenge but i've done it for me. yeah, you've got to fight— fight for yourself. the big dream is to be a world champion, yeah one day yeah.

it's very settled on the weather front right now, and that's how it's going stay generally over the next few days. how about the details? and there are a few to talk about — just the chance of catching a shower on tuesday. some of these fairweather clouds will build into shower clouds, but i think the vast majority of us will miss them. now this is the high pressure that's dominating the weather across europe — it really is an extensive high, and so many towns and cities enjoying that spring sunshine. so the forecast, then, through the early hours shows a little bit of cloud here and there, perhaps some mist and murk forming through the early hours. generally frost—free with temperatures of around 3—6 celsius, but in northern parts of england, in the northeast and also in scotland, just a touch of frost, particularly in rural areas. so we wake up to lots of sunshine, and again,

these shower clouds may develop across parts of wales, central england, and the north here. i mean, you could hardly see them on the weather map here, so again, for most of us, it's a dry day. temperatures typically 15—18 degrees, but some of us will warm up to around 20 or so, particularly across southern parts of england, the usual spots. so the forecast into wednesday, then, and light winds, again, lots of sunshine, again, just the outside chance of those showers being sparked off by the higher temperatures. and i think widely in the high teens across england, and certainly in the lowlands of scotland easily 16 or even 17. and pleasant enough for northern ireland too, the mid—teens. now the high pressure is right over the uk on thursday. that means very light winds across central areas of the country. so even though the temperatures may be not quite as high on thursday in some areas, it's still going to feel every bit as warm because the winds will be light,

and we'll have so much sunshine around, as well. now, friday and the weekend, the high pressure is going to wobble a little bit — all that means is that the winds will start to sort of change in direction. but on the whole, it means very little change in the weather overall. so here's the outlook, then, for the next few days — a lot of fine weather, it really is a cracking week of weather. i think the next spell of more unsettled weather won't arrive until around the end of the month. that's it for me, bye—bye.

this is bbc news. i'm lewis vaughan jones. our top stories: a fresh curfew's declared in the ukrainain capital, kyiv, after a series of russian strikes on civilian targets. —— ukrainian. you can see here that the scale of the destruction is absolutely immense, and spread over a wide area, surrounded by apartment blocks. there could be a lot more of this ahead. president biden says vladimir putin's back is against the wall, and he may be preparing the use of unconventional weapons. my my administration administered new warnings are based on intelligence, russia may be planning a cyber attack against

us. rescuers in china are still searching for survivors