this is bbc news, with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. i'm sally bundock. gunfire. as ukrainian troops apparently reclaim lost ground, we report from the small town that's facing the might of the russian forces, and pushing them back. this war is only a few weeks old and the russians will almost certainly be back with more soldiers and a lot more firepower. nothing left but the ruins. ukraine says russian air strikes are turning the besieged port of mariupol to dust.survivors tell of children starving to death. the women's world number one, australia's ash barty, says she's hanging up her tennis racket.

we'll have the latest from sydney. and welcome for william and kate injamaica. but they could face protests over the british monarchy�*s past links with slavery. hello and welcome. ukraine's president says there is nothing left of the port city of mariupol as it remains under constant russian bombardment. in his nightly address, he said 100,000 civilians remain there with no food, water or medicine. heavy fighting is continuing in many parts of the country. but the pentagon says ukrainian soldiers are successfully reversing battlefield momentum against invading russian forces to reclaim ground in some

parts of the country. this report comes from southern town of voznesensk, where troops and a small population ofjust 35,000 have seen off an attack by the russian army. 0ur correspondent andrew harding has been there. in war, a single bridge can sometimes make all the difference. a bridge and a town determined to keep it from the enemy. and that's what happened here in voznesensk, a quiet farming community that stood its ground. security cameras captured the moment russian tanks roared into town, determined to seize the bridge, and beyond it, a clear road across southern ukraine. but the locals were already setting a trap. all hands on deck. blocking off roads, guiding

the russians into an ambush. gunfire. a local shopkeeper, alexander, filmed himself on the front lines. "you little beauties!" he shouts. "it was a colossal effort by the whole town," he says. "we used hunting rifles, people threw bricks, "old women loaded sandbags, the russians didn't know "where to look. "i've never seen the community come together like that." as the invaders approached the bridge, the locals blew it up — at which point these british anti—tank weapons played a decisive role. the ukrainians destroyed almost every russian vehicle, denying them the chance to seize the town and to rebuild the bridge. tank tracks still mark

svetlana nikolajevna's garden. her outhouse took a direct hit. she says the russians took two ukrainian soldiers prisoner in there, and she feared they were going to kill them, but then the battle got out of hand. that's the blood of russian soldiers who were sheltering in her house. while she hid in a cellar, her cottage became a russian field hospital. translation: they left at night in such a hurry. | they left almost everything behind. theyjust took their dead and wounded. it may be russia's heaviest defeat so far, their troops retreating far to the east. this town, this community achieved something remarkable here, but we need to put it in perspective. this war is only a few weeks old, and the russians will almost certainly be back with more soldiers and a lot more firepower.

not surprisingly, the town hall is crowded with people wanting help getting out of voznesensk. 0thers go straight to the 32—year—old mayor. he's well guarded these days, brimming with confidence, but realistic about what lies ahead. "we know we can't win here without more anti—tank "weapons," says yevheni velichko. "we're grateful for western supplies, but we need more. "we know the russians will be back." back for the bridge and back for the town that stood its ground. southern ukraine. andrew harding, bbc news, in voznesensk, the southern port city of mariupol is a key strategic target for russia. many have fled but around 300,000 people are believed to be trapped there, with food and water running out.

0ur correspondent wyre davies sent this report from zaporizhzhia, where some people from mariupol have managed to flee. afteri70 miles, mined roads and 15 russian army checkpoints — freedom. their ordeal is by no means over, but for these families who have escaped from mariupol in a motley convoy of bomb—damaged vehicles, the last month has been as close to hell as any human should ever get. it was bombing every ten, five minutes and we haven't any central heating, gas, electricity, food or water, nothing. before leaving, katya grabbed her obstinate dog jesse. but this isn't the first time she's fled war. i passed through war in 2014. i'm from donetsk.

but it was light variant, really. and now, it's my second war, but it is harder. this van, filled with 25 people, also made it through today. all occupants of the same bunker in mariupol escaping together — from ages 2 to 75. 0vercome with emotion, �*babushka', or grandmother, anna, says, "it's all too much for me at my age." some of those arriving today gave us videos, a snapshot of the nightmare in which they've been living and the perils of their journey out. around 300,000 people are still thought to be trapped inside the besieged city, much of which has been destroyed by the russian bombardment. from the sky in particular, russia is causing real damage to mariupol�*s civilian and industrial infrastructure. it was a bombardment that almost took the life

of two—month—old volodymyr. when a shell landed near their apartment, his father instinctively threw himself over the baby. dad alexei was hit by shrapnel and glass. his son, born only a month before the war, bears no injuries. "after that we lived in the shelter, cooking "with wood and just trying to survive," says alexei. ukrainians have their differences, but the war has brought people together in adversity. volunteers provide anything those escaping mariupol need for their onward journeys, knowing full well that their town could be next. wyre davies, bbc news, zaporizhzhia. as we've been hearing, much of the focus of the current fighting is in the south of the country, where cities of key strategic importance lie along the coastline. 0ur security correspondent, gordon corera, has this assessment of russia's military tactics, almost one month on from the invasion.

russia invaded ukraine from a number of directions, but it's the south where the fighting has been fiercest and which looks to be strategically most important. russian forces entered through crimea, which they had already seized in 2014. we've just seen details of some of the fighting around voznesensk. it is one of a number of places where russia has met much tougher resistance than it expected. this is a strategically important place. the reason is, if russia seized it it would offer them a land route towards the historic city of 0desa. the port of 0desa has already been preparing its defences. 0ne western official today said it remains a prime military objective for moscow. there has been concern there could even be an amphibious assault from the sea where russia has assembled dozens of vessels but an attack from the sea would be hard,

unless there was also a move from land towards the city. so let's look at the south—east now. we have heard a lot about mariupol. you can see the importance of the city because it would give russia a land bridge between the east and crimea if they were able to seize it. russian forces, seen here in red, have encircled the city and have started to go in. and the devastation has been pretty terrible, with some estimates putting up to 90% of mariupol destroyed. so the russian ambition may be to seize the whole of the south, leaving ukraine landlocked. that would impose economic as well as military costs. but russia has faced fierce resistance, its forces are spread thin, and it's not always been able to keep territory it has taken, so that may be an ambition too far. at the age ofjust 25, the world number one tennis

you can creep you can creep across you can creep across all of the developments regarding the rush new korean war on our website. i live pages updated. —— regarding the russian—ukraine war on our website. stay up—to—date on what is happening on ukraine. take a look. at the age ofjust 25, the world number one tennis player ash barty has announced her retirement from the sport. one of the most marketable stars of the game, she insisted she was leaving the sport proud and fulfilled. she's the current wimbledon champion and earlier this year won her home grand slam event in australia, to the delight of her legions of fans back home. i'll be retiring from tennis. and it's the first time i've actually said that out loud, and, yes it's hard to say, but i'm so happy, and i'm so ready, and ijust know

at the moment, in my heart, for me as a person, this is right. and i know i've done this before, but in a very different feeling. and i'm so grateful to everything that tennis has given me, it's given me all of my dreams possible, but i know that the time is right now for me to step away and chase other dreams. and, yeah, to put the rackets down. you can hear in her voice it wasn't an easy decision. one of those people who was very happy at the time she won the australian open was journalist tanya dendrinos who is in sydney. shejoins us now. it is she joins us now. it is so lovely to see you. i must admit that i am gutted to know she won't be defending her wimbledon title this summer here in london. talk is through

the reaction where you are. absolute shock waves here in australia, and they have been right around the world, i think. we were hoping to hold onto ash barty for many years to come. she is also of course just 25 years old, world number one, a pre— time at grand slam champion. we were hoping for many more australian open is to come that we would be cheering her on. i am actually here at my local tennis court. i have angie here with me, she is 11 and has been playing tennis since she was format. what influence did ash barty avenue? �* , , ., what influence did ash barty avenue? a , ., ., ., , avenue? ash barty had a really big influence, _ avenue? ash barty had a really big influence, and _ avenue? ash barty had a really big influence, and many - big influence, and many children around my age. were you shocked to see her announce her retirement today? yes, i was very shocked because she is retiring at such a young age. do you think it leaves a gap though for other young women to follow her footsteps was two yes, i think she has inspired a

lot of young children, women to continue her dream. wonderful. we may be cheering you on entered the open as well one day. as you can see there, they are fans right around the world from my age right down to the young ones. it is sad to see her go, she has been such a great role model. why do you think she has made this decision now? you would argue she is at the height of her career. i think that is why it is such a shock. everyone thinks that she is 25, she has a lot on her. ash made the announcement with an interview with her friend. she was very emotional in making that decision. the problem, i guess, in making that decision. the problem, iguess, is in making that decision. the problem, i guess, is that being a tennis player — ash barty reference this — it takes a toll on you physically, emotionally. she knows how hard

it is, how much work she has to put in. she says she is spent, she is ready to be ash —— ash a person. thank you very much for giving us reaction to that story, which was a big shock, coming to ours in the early hours of the morning. there's confusion over whether girls�* secondary schools in afghanistan are re—opening on thursday or not. teenage girls across most of the country were expected to be returning to the classroom, but at a kabul school visited by the bbc teachers were told by local taliban officials girls from grade seven and above would not be allowed back yet. local media channels have reported the same happening in other kabul schools too. something we will be keeping a very close eye on here at bbc news.

still to come on the programme: william and kate arrive injamaica on their royal tour of the caribbean, but they could face protests over the british monarchy�*s past links with slavery. applause i'm so proud of both of you. let there be no more wars or bloodshed between arabs and israelis. with great regret, _ the committee have decided that south africa be excluded . from the 1970 competition. singing in own language

streaking across the sky, the white—hot wreckage from mir drew gasps from onlookers on fiji. this is bbc news. the latest headlines: ukraine's president says there's a chance of surviving the war, as his military stops the russian advance on some key targets. leaving with pride — why the women's world number one, ash barty, says it's time to retire. poland has welcomed more than two million refugees over the last four weeks, and shown unprecedented generosity, but there is also a sense of anxiety growing in the country.

the government has announced an increase in defence spending, their prime minister travelled to kyiv to show support for ukraine, and he's also taken steps to reduce russian influence in poland's economy. danjohnson has been talking to people there to assess the mood in the country. a new generation isjoining the ranks. volunteers for pollen�*s territorial defence force, hundreds of them, signing up in response to russian aggression just across the border. translation: iii just across the border. translation: ,., translation: if something ha--ens translation: if something happens in _ translation: if something happens in poland, - translation: if something happens in poland, i- translation: if something happens in poland, i don't. translation: if something . happens in poland, i don't want to feel helpless. translation: , ., ., translation: evry men and women should fiuht translation: evry men and women should fight for _ translation: evry men and women should fight for their _ translation: evry men and women should fight for their country - should fight for their country because _ should fight for their country because it is our home. applications are up sevenfold across the country. translation: , ., , translation: there is a surge of patriotism. _ translation: there is a surge of patriotism, it _ translation: there is a surge of patriotism, it is _ translation: there is a surge of patriotism, it is a _ translation: there is a surge of patriotism, it is a new- of patriotism, it is a new feeling for some people and the

situation on the border is fuelling their decision to join up. fuelling their decision to 'oin u -. �* fuelling their decision to 'oin u . _ �* ., fuelling their decision to 'oin u -. �* ., .., fuelling their decision to 'oin u -. �* ., .. ., up. i've got the car full of petrol- -- _ up. i've got the car full of petrol... michael's - up. i've got the car full of| petrol... michael's instinct up. i've got the car full of i petrol... michael's instinct is flight not fight. petrol. .. michael's instinct is flight not fight.— flight not fight. picks of water, flight not fight. picks of water. a _ flight not fight. picks of water, a rucksack - flight not fight. picks of water, a rucksack ready flight not fight. picks of. water, a rucksack ready to flight not fight. picks of- water, a rucksack ready to go. ready to go west if he feels his family is at risk.- his family is at risk. putin is clearly out _ his family is at risk. putin is clearly out for _ his family is at risk. putin is clearly out for something i his family is at risk. putin is clearly out for something it | clearly out for something it makes you worried what is going to happen next. i was here in poland when he invaded georgia. i was here in poland when he invaded crimea, so i have seen it escalate and it doesn't look like it is necessarily going to stop with ukraine.— stop with ukraine. krakow's main square. _ stop with ukraine. krakow's main square, beautiful- stop with ukraine. krakow's main square, beautiful and | stop with ukraine. krakow's - main square, beautiful and busy and only hence of these uncertain times. translation: i'm rather terrified by the situation. i'm afraid that the war could spell over to other countries like poland and i and

getting prepared stop blue—eyed don't know what they should think about it because there's many, many information, fake news and i'm a bit confused. lou yeah, ifeel news and i'm a bit confused. lou yeah, i feel really safe here because poland is in nato so i think i'm protected. you can see everywhere american soldiers so that is cool. this abandoned bunker beneath the krakow hospital as a reminder of layers of troubled history just beneath the surface. poland has been pulled east and west through world war ii, soviet subjugation and cold war tension. people thought this sort of thing was way behind them, but better national experience means this country's honeys is deep—rooted and despite the reassurance of being a native country, a european union member, the anxiety here is genuine and it is rising. in the lines of new

recruits, we found this woman, a pacifist. translation: you never know — a pacifist. translation: you never know how _ a pacifist. translation: you never know how you - a pacifist. translation: 7m, never know how you will react when the circumstances change. russia's resurgent aggression and its reality in ukraine is already prompting poles into action and putting this country on high alert. danjohnson, bbc news, krakow. let's get some of the day's other news. the uk home office says more than 850 migrants tried to reach britain by boat on tuesday. nearly 400 people on 11 boats succeeded in getting into uk waters and were brought to dover. it means more than 2,300 people have arrived so far this month. that's almost three times the number in the whole of march last year. new zealand is to significantly loosen its covid—19 rules, as prime minister jacinda ardern announced �*a new beginning'. the country has had some of the toughest restrictions in the world.

it's seen a huge surge in infections since the 0micron variant took hold, with almost 2,100 new daily cases recorded. -- 21,000. a cut in fuel duty could be on the cards when the uk's chancellor of the exchequer, rishi sunak, delivers his spring statement in the commons later today. he'll promise more help with the rising cost of living while stressing the need to shore up public finances. we'll have more on this later in the business news. the duke and duchess of cambridge have arrived injamaica, for the second leg of their week—long caribbean tour. activists there have been calling on the uk to pay reparations for slavery, an issue prince william is expected to address in a speech later. the couple began their visit in the centre of the capital, kingston. 0ur royal correspondent, jonny dymond is there, and sent this report. a rather formal start to what

would become a pretty informal day. just before their arrival, a demonstration outside britain's high commission, its embassy to jamaica. a protest against britain's use of slaves here whenjamaica was its colony and a demand for financial compensation. prince william is expected to discuss slavery in the same sort of frank terms that is rather prince charles used in barbados. talked about it being a stain on history. but that will come later. first, there was a visit to downtown kingston, the crowds were waiting. the royals can still

pull a crowd injamaica. and they pull celebrities, too. manchester city's raheem sterling and aston villa's leon bailey then it was down to business, setting up a goalfor raheem sterling. but it was the couple's of pitch walkabout that sent the crowd wild. down the street they swept, surrounded by a sharing sarong. and then, into one ofjamaica's cultural shrines. a place where bob marley once lived and hung out with other musicians. this was a musical celebration. and

a chance to kick back and relax. the royals got stuck in and the beat went on. here was and the beat went on. here was a couple enjoying life together. all good things come together. all good things come to an end. eventually, they said their goodbyes. trench town will remember their visit for a long time to come. now, it is a really busy day here in the uk for rishi sunak, here in the uk for rishi sunak, he will deliver his spring statement at the dispatch box later on annexed on the bbc we

will discuss what is possibly up will discuss what is possibly up his sleeve to ease the cost of living crisis stopping all that and more injust of living crisis stopping all that and more in just a of living crisis stopping all that and more injust a moment. hello there. at this time of year, warm days are often followed by decidedly chilly nights. and tuesday was certainly a warm day, with temperatures in northwest wales getting close to 21 degrees, the warmest day of the year so far. plenty of other places not too far behind. but as soon as the sun went down, the temperatures followed. it has been turning quite chilly out there. high pressure still close by on wednesday. it stays mostly dry, but with those clear skies overhead, quite a chilly start to the morning, with temperatures down around freezing, below freezing in a few places. one or two early fog patches around as well. they should tend to lift and clear by the middle part of the morning. and then it is another beautiful spring day, with lengthy spells of sunshine. the vast majority will stay dry. there's just a small chance of one or two showers popping up in northeast scotland and maybe

across eastern counties of england. not as breezy as it was on tuesday across western areas and every bit as warm. top temperatures between 16 and 20, maybe 21 degrees. but as we head through wednesday night, again, the sun goes down, the orange colours drain away from the map, replaced by blues and greens, with temperatures again dropping down to around freezing. those are the values for the towns and the cities. out in the countryside, i think there will be a touch of frost, and again potentially some fog patches on thursday morning. now, england and wales will once again have a mostly sunny day, with just the odd rogue shower. for scotland and northern ireland, expect more cloud creeping in from the northwest, with some spots of light rain and drizzle. top temperatures through thursday between 16 and 19 degrees in most places. now, for friday, again, the further north you are, there will be a bit more in the way of cloud. some rain for the northern isles. further south, more in the way of sunshine, a bit more of a breeze through the english channel at this stage, and temperatures maybe down just a fraction but still getting up

to between 15 and 19 degrees. and then we head into weekend, and some of that cloud in the north associated with a weak frontal system will try to work a little further southwards, but high pressure continues to hold firm, so despite that extra cloud and the greater chance of a bit of fog, it is going to stay fine and dry with some spells of sunshine. into next week, though, we develop a northerly wind. it'll start to feel quite a lot colder and there could even be some wintry showers.

this is bbc news, with the latest business headlines, for viewers in the uk and around the world. i'm sally bundock. the spring statement — rishi sunak gets reading to present at the dispatch box later today, but what has the chancellor got up his sleeve for cash strapped households and businesses? the us confirms it will drop trump—era tariffs on british steel and aluminium in return for the uk dumping tariffs on jeans and whiskey. is this the start of a new trade relationship? and, game on, as the 2022 game developers�* conference in san francisco begins, we take look closer at the $175—billion industry.