welcome to newsday, reporting live from singapore, i'm mariko oi. the headlines: as the war in ukraine enters its second month, the country's president calls for a show of support around the world. come from your offices, your homes, your schools and universities. come in the name of peace become with ukrainian symbols to support ukraine, to support freedom, to support life. nato says it'll double the number of battlegroups deployed on its eastern flank, in response to russia's invasion. a siege without end, we talk to one of the survivors of mariupol, the ukrainian city under relentless russian shelling.

the other main stories in this edition of newsday: no return to class for the girls of afghanistan. the taliban orders secondary schools to remain closed. the head teacher got a whatsapp message from the local taliban and in charge saying that actually teenage girls can't come back to class just yet, and the girls are just devastated. and, tributes are paid to madeline albright, america's first female secretary of state, who's died at the age of 8a.

hello and welcome to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe. exactly a month ago, in the early hours of february the 24th, just before the war in ukraine started, president zelensky spoke in russian to the people of russia urging them to stop the invasion. he told them he had initiated a call to president putin but it was met by silence. now, in a speech marking one month, he's made a direct appeal in english to people around the world, asking them to come out on the streets on thursday to show their support for ukraine. show you're standing. come from your offices, your homes, your schools and universities stop in the name of peace. become with ukrainian symbols to support ukraine, to support freedom, to support life. come to your squares, your streets, make yourself visible and heard. say that people matter, freedom matters, peace matters,

ukraine matters. well, mr zelensky was speaking on the eve of a special summit of nato leaders in brussels on thursday. its secretary—general has already announced that nato will approve major increases in the forces deployed on its eastern flank. jens stoltenberg said four new battlegroups would be sent to eastern europe to counter the threat from russia. president putin's brutal invasion of ukraine is causing death and destruction every day. allies stand united in support for the brave people of ukraine and against the kremlin�*s cruelty. putin must end this war, allow aid and safe passage of civilians and engage in real diplomacy. nato allies have responded to this crisis with strong support for ukraine and unprecedented costs for russia.

in a moment, we'll speak to a former us ambassador to the un, to get her views on the announcement, first let's take a look at the situation on the ground in ukraine. the port city of mariupol is still under intense russian bombardment. around 100,000 civilians are now trapped there without food, water or power. 0ur correspondent wyre davies has been speaking to a survivor of the attack on the city's theatre, where hundreds of civilians including children had been taking shelter. maria walked for four days to escape mariupol. without money, a car orfamily, she has nothing. she's the first known survivor of the mariupol theatre attack to speak about what happened.

translation: the theatre was j completely packed with people. there was no space to lie down. people were just sitting. it was clear that this was a shelter, people knew this. also there was massive signs saying "children" that were made on both sides of the theatre. where were you at the exact time of the attack? translation: we were getting our breakfast, and by breakfast, i mean we were getting some boiled water. someone brought me some pieces of fish, i think, to feed the dogs. when they finished eating, i went outside to the water tank to get a bowl of waterfor them. this is when the shell landed. i saw that it landed just where i had been sitting. i was outside and survived only because there was some man nearby. he heard the shell falling, grabbed me by the collar, pinned me between the ground and the wall and covered me with his body. we were sprayed with broken

glass and concrete. i was stunned, probably even concussed, because i fell unconscious several times since. when the dust settled a bit, i cleared my eyes. i saw injured people around. i tried to make my way inside. the dogs were the family for me. they were everything i had left. i could not find a way to get inside, to at least find out whether they are alive or dead. i sincerely hope they died instantly. maria says there were at least a thousand people inside the theatre. while russia denies targeting civilians and says it wasn't responsible, what maria saw suggests otherwise. translation: i don't know how many people died, sorry. - there were some rooms in there. those were allocated for families with children. that part of the theatre

is completely gone. partially deafened by the blast, her back in pain, maria now relies on the kindness of friends. she worries for her grandmother in mariupol and mourns her dead pets. atjust 27, it's difficult to stay strong. wyre davies, bbc news, zaporizhzhia. i'm joined now by kay bailey hutchison, she served as us ambassador to nato from 2017 to 2021. thank you so much forjoining us on newsday today. president biden will push allies to impose more aggressive sanctions on russia, is this the best way to stop the conflict from worsening? i think we are trying everything in our toolbox to stop this heinous aggression against a sovereign nation that is a democracy, as you have just seen, you have shown to

your viewers, just seen, you have shown to yourviewers, it just seen, you have shown to your viewers, it isjust just seen, you have shown to your viewers, it is just a horrible devastation of a free country. so we are going to talk, i know, to our allies about what more we can do, certainly more sanctions. we would like to cut off the oil thatis would like to cut off the oil that is flowing out of russia because that is paying for the killing of ukrainian civilians, and that will be discussed. it is very hard for europe because they have more reliance on that russian oil but we want europe to have more reliance on us and on our allies and on our middle eastern partners that are willing to step up and provide more options for oil and natural gas to fuel europe. more than that, i think the whole group, heads of state that our meeting tomorrow in russell's will talk about what we need to do to build

deterrence now. for instance, more troops, we are talking about double the numbers in the perimeter around russia that is in our alliance but also, a more permanent base. a more long—term presence because we now see that this could be a long—term problem and we don't know where putin will stop. nato says it's doubling the number of battlegroups on its eastern flank, could russia see this as an escalation? and make the situation even worse? it and make the situation even worse? , , ., ., , worse? it is very hard to see that russia _ worse? it is very hard to see that russia will _ worse? it is very hard to see that russia will see - worse? it is very hard to see that russia will see this - worse? it is very hard to see that russia will see this as l worse? it is very hard to seel that russia will see this as an escalation with all that they are doing that is so criminal in nature, and i think that the only thing that putin will

understand is how unity, our strength and our capabilities, and we cannot look weak, we cannot look like we are afraid that we might do something that would provoke him. what more could he do? well, there is more he could do and we certainly want to assure that he is not able to use chemical weapons on the ukrainian people, because that would make a difference, of course, and i'm sure our leaders will talk about that when they are meeting together, they have to look at the worst possible circumstances, but to say that we would provoke russia anymore, i think is now an obsolete kind of risk factor. i think putin is all out and he

has the set there, look at the set backs being suffered by the russian forces, that comes as a senior adviser to president putin has quit his post as a kremlin special envoy because of the war. all those details on bbc news online or of course you can download the bbc news app, as well.

the taliban has abruptly ordered girls' secondary schools in afghanistan to remain closed, on the day they were due to re—open. many had been shut since last august, when the taliban retook control of the country. a spokesman says more time's needed, to decide what uniforms female students should wear. our correspondent, secunder kermani, has more from kabul. dusting the desks. the morning began full of smiles and hope. for these students in the west of kabul, returning to school felt particularly poignant. last year, more than 90 were killed here in an attack by the local branch of the islamic state group. "we want to be successful so we can fulfil the dreams of our martyred classmates," says zikina. "that will be our revenge on those who were responsible." not long after they've arrived,

there's unexpected bad news. the girls that literally just sat down at their desks and the head teacher got a whatsapp message from the local taliban in charge saying that, actually, teenage girls can't come back to class just yet. and the girls are just devastated. "we just want to learn and to serve our country, " says fatima. "what is our sin?" she asks the taliban. "you're always talking about islam. "does islam say to harm women like this? "it doesn't. "i want to address the girls of afghanistan. "please don't give up fighting for your rights." the taliban's ministry of education pressed ahead with a ceremony marking the start of the new academic year, but seemed at a loss to explain what had gone wrong. "the central leadership has said, until a plan is developed "on the basis of sharia

and afghan culture, girls' secondary schools "will remain closed," a spokesman told us. we were at a school in the west of kabul today. there were teenage girls in tears because they have been told that they have to go home again. who should they blame for this? "i work for the ministry of education," he says. "we made our preparations. "you need to ask someone representing the leadership." the students filed home, just an hour or so after having arrived. in private, taliban members admit hardline elements within the group still find the idea of female education controversial, even though schools are already segregated. that leaves these young women deeply worried for the future. secunder kermani, bbc news, kabul. you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme: jamaica's prime minister

tells his royal visitors the country is moving on, and intends to become a republic. 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 newsday on the bbc. i'm mariko 0i in singapore. 0ur headlines: as the war in ukraine enters its second month, the country's president calls for demonstrations of support around the world. nato says it'll double the number of battlegroups deployed on its eastern flank, in response to russia's invasion of ukraine. madeleine albright, the first woman to serve as us secretary of state, has died. she was eighty—four. a czech refugee, albright served in the clinton administration as the un ambassador, before becoming the first female secretary of state.

president biden said she was a force for goodness, grace, decency and freedom. herformer special her former special assistant in the clinton administration, ben chang described working closely with her. it chang described working closely with her. ., , ., ., with her. it was wonderful to work with — with her. it was wonderful to work with her. _ with her. it was wonderful to work with her. they - with her. it was wonderful to work with her. they in - with her. it was wonderful to work with her. they in and i with her. it was wonderful to i work with her. they in and day out she modelled the values that she represented and it was an inspiration for all of us in the state department team who also like to have fun and make sure that even in the mid—of difficult issues and challenges, challenging scenarios, to remember the higher virtues and higher calling we were trying to follow and that she represented in her life. ., follow and that she represented in her life-— in her life. you spoke about havin: in her life. you spoke about having fun _ in her life. you spoke about having fun and _ in her life. you spoke about having fun and i _ in her life. you spoke about having fun and i understand in her life. you spoke about - having fun and i understand she loved to dance. tell me about your special memory of her. thank you. indeed. 0ne your special memory of her. thank you. indeed. one of the

cultural highlights for the state department and her was hosting the kennedy centre honours dinner and after this very formal ceremony during the dinner there was entertainment and two of the honourees in 2000 were chuck berry and herbie hancock and so they took the stage and started to perform and i saw her standing by this stage, standing there alone for a brief moment and i went up to her and asked if she wanted to dance and we had that captured on film, a photograph thatis captured on film, a photograph that is close to my heart and it reminds me of the joy that she bought to the job as well and her commitment to the power of cultural diplomacy and the fact that she always believed that the arts and music, artists and literature could also form bridges to different cultures. . , �* also form bridges to different cultures. . , ~ , cultures. incredible. and she ins - ired cultures. incredible. and she insnired many _ cultures. incredible. and she inspired many people - cultures. incredible. and she | inspired many people through her story of the american dream. ., , ,., .,

dream. indeed. on a personal note, dream. indeed. on a personal note. as _ dream. indeed. on a personal note. as the _ dream. indeed. on a personal note, as the son _ dream. indeed. on a personal note, as the son of— dream. indeed. on a personal note, as the son of an - note, as the son of an immigrant who was raised by a single mom and interested in public service, when i first met then professor albright at georgetown university it could not have been more of an inspiring figure for someone like me to enter government and to serve for more than two decades in the state department and i know that when i travelled with her from uzbekistan to burma to mali and across the united states she inspired so many generations of people from diverse ranges and backgrounds including and importantly, women and girls, you are talking about what was happening in afghanistan, that legacy will move on and pay for generations, the figure on the inspiration that she was and thatis inspiration that she was and that is such an important of her legacy. that is such an important of her legacy-— that is such an important of herlea . . �* . her legacy. that was ben chang s-ueakin her legacy. that was ben chang speaking to _ her legacy. that was ben chang speaking to me _ her legacy. that was ben chang speaking to me earlier. -

the uk chancellor, rishi sunak has set out his plans to address the cost of living crisis, in his spring statement to the house of commons. 0ur political editor, laura kuenssberg has the details. is there more pain to come, chancellor? rishi sunak is the man who has to manage the economy through to the other side. are you doing enough to help working people, chancellor? yet can every step be certain, when our world is anything but? i now call the chancellor of the exchequer, rishi sunak. in the next half hour, he had the power to change what's in the country's pockets. the invasion of ukraine presents a risk to our recovery, as it does to countries around the world. the war�*s most significant impact domestically is on the cost of living. people should know that we should stand by them, as we have throughout the last two years. standing by is not the same as supporting everyone's income, and help for drivers was first. i want to help people now. today, i can announce, for only the second time in 20

years, fuel duty will be cut. not by one, not even by two, but by 5p per litre. with the cost of fuel for your tank and heating your home spiralling, vat will disappear on ways of making your home energy efficient and there's an extra £500 million for those who struggle most to pay the bills. yet these weren't drastic moves. the chancellor holding back because... we should be prepared for the economy and public finances to worsen, possibly significantly. interest on debt will tip £80 billion, more than the government spends day to day on schools, courts, prisons and borders put together. yet, although money is tight, rishi sunak vowed to undo some tax rises he's already put in place. from thisjuly, people will be able to earn £12,570 a year

without paying a single penny of income tax or national insurance. and then to more cheers on his own side, he promised a penny off income tax, but not now, in time for the next election, still two years away. my tax plan delivers the biggest net cut for personal taxes in over a quarter of a century, and i commend it to this house! shadow chancellor of the exchequer, rachel reeves. for labour, the ups and downs of tax vows miss the point. today was the day that the chancellor could have put a windfall tax on oil and gas producers to provide real help to families, but he didn't. today was the day the chancellor could have set out a proper plan to support businesses and create good jobs, but he didn't. today was the day that he could have properly scrapped

his national insurance hike — he didn't. people are worried sick. for all his words, it is clear that the chancellor does not understand the scale of the challenge. he talks about providing security for working families, but his choices are making the cost—of—living crisis worse, not better. his focus, for now, though, is at the pump and the promise and reality of some tax cuts. for rishi sunak, for the government, the taxpayer cannot and should not pick up everyone's tab. laura kuenssberg, bbc news, westminster. jamaica's prime minister has warned the duke and duchess of cambridge that his nation is �*moving on' and intends to pursue independence. 0ur royal correspondentjonny

dymond has sent this report from kingston. today looked like business as usual. the duke and duchess at a teacher training college, pursuing kate's passion for early years learning. but first, from the jamaican prime minister, a public reminder that he wants an end to the british monarch's role as head of state. this won't have been what the duke and duchess were expecting. the prime minister did campaign on a pledge to make jamaica a republic, but to speak to the couple like this in front

of the cameras is really strong stuff. if offence was taken, they certainly weren't showing it. but the prime minister's words are a reminder that the ties between britain and the far flung realms depend on present—day politics, as much as the long links of history. jonny dymond, bbc news, kingston, jamaica. a reminder of our top story before we go. in a speech to mark one month since the russian invasion of his country, president zelensky has urged people worldwide to show their support for ukraine, speaking in english here feel for rallies to be held in the cause for peace and another development in the last few minutes, google has now confirmed that users in russia

are having difficulty accessing its websites, after the countries media regulator accused google of promoting false information. hello there. this fine, settled spell of spring weather is set to go on for several more days, with some warm sunshine by day. the nights still rather chilly with some frost and fog in places. 0ne subtle change, a bit more cloud in the north of the uk thanks to this weather front, a very weak affair. for the most part, high pressure is holding firm, and that is what's keeping things fine. but we are going to get off to quite a chilly start to the morning with those clear skies overhead, one or two fog patches around, some general mistiness here and there. that should tend to lift, and then we will see a lot of sunshine across england and wales, just the small chance for a shower, especially over high ground in northern england. more cloud for scotland and northern ireland, the odd spot of rain,

but even here, there will be some sunny spells. temperatures north to south, well, maybe 12 degrees for stornoway, but 18, 19, possibly 20 further south. but with that stagnant air, high pressure in charge, very light winds, air pollution is likely to be a problem. high levels of air pollution, particularly across eastern parts of england. as we go through thursday night, again, temperatures will drop away under the clear skies. there will be some fog patches here and there, more cloud rolling into northern ireland and parts of western scotland. towns and cities typically staying just above freezing, but one or two places in the countryside will drop below, and then for friday, well, more of the same. more sunshine and just a little patchy cloud for england and wales. northern ireland and scotland tending to see a little more cloud, especially up to the northwest. some rain for the northern isles, temperatures getting up to highs of 19, maybe 20 degrees in the sunniest spots. and high pressure is set to stay with us into the weekend. this front up to the north always bringing a bit more cloud, maybe some showery rain for shetland and for 0rkney. there will be some patches of low cloud and fog elsewhere as well, particularly around some of the coasts, but some good spells of sunshine. temperatures dropping back maybe a little

bit, 15 to 18 degrees. sunday morning could well start with some areas of low cloud and fog, perhaps most especially towards the southeast of england, tending to burn back towards the coasts. lots of sunshine, temperatures of 13 to 17 degrees. but into next week, quite a big change on the way. we will develop northerly winds and we will bring some much colder air southwards across the uk, so the temperatures will be much, much lower than they have been, and there could even be some wintry showers in places.

this is bbc news. we will have the headlines and all the main stories for you at the top of the hour, straight after this programme. you won't get this day back again, alright? keep the pressure on her. boxing actually is my life.