this is bbc news, i'm nancy kacungira with the headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. in ukraine, evidence of intense fighting, as russian troops retreat, with civilians killed in the fighting. this is more thanjust a collection of terrible deaths, this is a crime scene because under the laws of war, civilians are supposed to be protected. for a second consecutive day, aid workers are unable to get vital supplies into the besieged city of mariupol and rescue civilians trapped there. amazon is beaten by workers in new york, as they vote in favour of a trade union — a first for amazon in the us. a state of emergency is declared in sri lanka after hundreds of people tried to storm the president's home in colombo.

and the draw is announced for the 2022 world cup in qatar. we'll bring you news of the groups in the next half hour. in ukraine, the bbc has found evidence that russian forces have been forced to pull back from positions they held at the start of their invasion, five weeks ago. russian armour has been heading west out of the capital kyiv, and a bbc team gained access to one area, just hours after their retreat. a stretch of the e—ao highway was where shocking images from the early days of the war emerged — showing russian troops firing on civilians trying to escape. jeremy bowen and his team have now reached the scene of the attack,

and found evidence that raises the possibility that war crimes may have occurred. a warning, his report contains some graphic and distressing images. on a stretch of road that runs between two villages with names that translate as "dream" and "sweetheart" is all the savagery and waste of war. ukrainian forces had just recaptured it, their troops moving in after a heavy bombardment from their artillery. this was only a few hours after the russian retreat. in the early hours of this morning, this was recaptured? absolutely correct. so, basically, around 2am today, our reconnaissance team report that they start to see movement. oleksandr, a ukrainian volunteer who is back home from england to fight, showed a position where a russian tank had been dug in. so that is where the russian tank was and that is exactly where he... this is the line of fire,

that's how they shoot. on the 7th of march, oleksandr's drone unit filmed the tank in action. the drone showed civilians trying to get to kyiv to escape the russians. and then, they saw the tank. one of the cars was forced to stop. the driver tried to show he was harmless. and the russians shot him dead. they also killed his wife. the dead couple were maksim and his wife, ksenya. they were travelling with their six—year—old son and a friend, who both survived. she said maksim had been shouting they were with a child when he was killed. almost four weeks later, maksim's badly burned body still lies next to the hulk of their car. ksenya's remains are inside. her mouth is open, as if in a scream. the car and the back seat are riddled with bullets.

the vehicle and their bodies were not burnt when they were killed. the hypothesis is that russian soldiers tried to destroy the evidence of what they had done. the drone operator who filmed their death said the russians must have known maksim's car was not a threat. so they were trying to say that they were civilians? yes, yes, they know it. you can see it, the whole car is civilians, not an army car, and they shoot it. in the woods near the road, there is evidence the russians left in a hurry. you can see the place where, in the trees, the russians were living. there is a dug—out. there's beer bottles. it's like the marie celeste, half—finished meals. they were here for a month. the camp is full of the soldiers�* rubbish. on a front line, that is usually the sign of an ill—disciplined unit. they tried, unsuccessfully, to hide another tank in the trees.

that was punished by the ukrainians, who destroyed it. a much bigger question is whether there will be a reckoning for what happened on the highway. maksim and ksenya were not the only ones who were killed near the tank, dug into the roadside. more bodies here? yes. one, two, three bodies, ithink. yes. you're absolutely right. in a couple of hundred yards, with oleksandr from the ukrainian army, we counted 11 other dead bodies. it's ukrainian. three were wearing recognisable ukrainian military uniform. the others wore civilian clothes. some of the dead were piled up and surrounded by tyres. they deliberately burned them. they set on fire to hide their... to hide what they did. in the desolation are a mass of questions about who they were

and how they were killed. it's hard to imagine the fear these people must have gone through in the last few moments of their lives or, indeed, the anguish survivors, families, must be feeling now. but this is more than just a collection of terrible deaths. it's a crime scene. because under the laws of war, civilians are supposed to be protected. we drove to the next village to confirm a ukrainian claim that they had destroyed more russian tanks. the russian armour was broken and, except for soldiers, the village was deserted and still. the russians could be redeploying to the eastern battlefields, butjust a few hours after they had left this strategic area close to the capital, it was clear they were being forced out. many civilians are mourning relatives and friends they say were killed by russian troops. as and when they retreat,

they might leave behind more evidence that could add up to war crimes. jeremy bowen, bbc news, outside kyiv. ukraine's top security official has denied accusations by russia that ukraine was behind an attack on an oil depot in the russian city of belgorod. the governor of the belgorod region, close to the border with ukraine — said ukrainian helicopters have attacked the oil depot in the early hours of friday. russia claims it was caused by missiles from two ukrainian helicopters. but ukrainie�*s security council secretary oleksiy danilov said that, according to his information, this claim does not correspond to reality. the kremlin says the incident won't help the ongoing peace negotiations. aid workers have once again failed to take vital supplies into the besieged ukrainian city of mariupol and rescue civilians trapped there.

the international committee of the red cross said several vehicles had been on their way but couldn't enter the port because conditions made it impossible. they will try again tomorrow. tens of thousands of people are trapped there, following weeks of russian bombardment. joining me now is alyona synenko, a spokesperson for the international committee of the red cross who is currently working in kyiv. thanks for making time to talk to us. now, earlier, a short while earlier, we did hearfrom an ukrainian mp who was rather critical of the progress or rather lack thereof of the icrc having in ukraine, your response to that? i think we are always ready to accept criticism but we should all remember that the icrc can act in its traditional role as a neutral intermediary but it is not our

response vanity and we cannot stop the bullets. it is up to parties to find concrete and precise agreements and then respect these agreements on the ground for us to be able to do our work. . , the ground for us to be able to do our work. ., , , .,, ., our work. so, many people are wondering _ our work. so, many people are wondering why _ our work. so, many people are wondering why it _ our work. so, many people are wondering why it has _ our work. so, many people are wondering why it has been - our work. so, many people are wondering why it has been so i wondering why it has been so difficult to evacuate people out of places like mariupol, humanitarian corridors are agreed on, that falls apart. from what you have seen, what is the stumbling block there? the stumblin: is the stumbling block there? iie: stumbling block is the stumbling block there? tie: stumbling block is the lack of very precise and very concrete agreements and the respect of these agreements on all levels. they have to be respected and to be communicated through the chain of command and everyone must be aware. and it is notjust everyone must be aware. and it is not just a everyone must be aware. and it is notjust a choice, this is the responsibility on both sides of this conflict under international

humanitarian law. there has been a lot of disillusionment and disappointment and it hurts me to think about people in mariupol who are waiting for this convoy and were hoping to leave the nightmare that they have trapped in for the past weeks and they were unable to, i just can't imagine how it feels like and what they are going through. but, again, we can facilitate the passage, the safe passage for civilians once both parties come to agreement. and, unfortunately, until now this has not materialised. find now this has not materialised. and in terms of — now this has not materialised. and in terms of the _ now this has not materialised. and in terms of the role that the icrc is able to currently play, we did hear from is able to currently play, we did hearfrom ukrainian mp talking or suggesting rather that the icrc was involved in evacuating people to russia. what is your response to some of those rumours, allegations, or other accusations? irate

some of those rumours, allegations, or other accusations?— or other accusations? we have resnonded _ or other accusations? we have resnonded to _ or other accusations? we have responded to these _ or other accusations? we have | responded to these accusations or other accusations? we have - responded to these accusations and to this allegation a number of times. we have said a number of times. we have said a number of times that the icrc has never and will never evacuate people anywhere at all against their will. and the icrc has never evacuated any civilians from ukraine to russia and is not planning to do so. ijust don't know how many times we will repeat it. but unfortunately these claims, this misinformation has spread online and even through some of the media and this is extremely dangerous because i was... i went today to id pain and we had to drive along the route that was heavily mined with many... i along the route that was heavily mined with many. . ._ along the route that was heavily mined with many... i think we have some pictures _ mined with many... i think we have some pictures that _ mined with many... i think we have some pictures that you _ mined with many... i think we have some pictures that you took - mined with many... i think we have some pictures that you took there l some pictures that you took there that we have seen. yes, go ahead. ==

that we have seen. yes, go ahead. -- ear ain. that we have seen. yes, go ahead. » ear pain. we have seen in the city of irpin. while we were driving there, people were coming out in the streets and asking us to come and provide medical assistance and to evacuate the most vulnerable, the homeless people, the elderly, too, because they live in the places where the ambulances cannot reach because it is too dangerous. and the spreading of misinformation and false rumours is going to make our work even more dangerous than it already is and it is going to make the civilians who are trapped in the cities like mariupol, like irpin and chernihiv even more desperate because it is putting life—saving humanitarian assistance even further out of reach for them. trier? out of reach for them. very important _ out of reach for them. very important but _ out of reach for them. very important but difficult - out of reach for them. very important but difficult to i out of reach for them. very l important but difficult to get out of reach for them. very - important but difficult to get to the exact facts in these situations. going back to what is happening —— happening in mariupol, we hear that

a bus has been able to make it out as separate shh. irate a bus has been able to make it out as separate shh.— a bus has been able to make it out as separate shh. we are continuing talkin: to as separate shh. we are continuing talking to both _ as separate shh. we are continuing talking to both sides _ as separate shh. we are continuing talking to both sides and _ as separate shh. we are continuing talking to both sides and insisting l talking to both sides and insisting and reminding them again that this is not a choice, this is their obligation under the international humanitarian law so first and foremost they must fulfil their obligation and then when they do so we can work and we can comply with our traditional role and facilitate this passage as a neutral intermediary. we will continue trying tomorrow and we will continue trying tomorrow and we will continue trying until the last civilian is still trapped in mariupol and in other places where people are desperate and trying to reach safety. mil desperate and trying to reach safe . �* _, safety. all right, we will continue to follow up _ safety. all right, we will continue to follow up on _ safety. all right, we will continue to follow up on those _ safety. all right, we will continue i to follow up on those developments and just to mention that the report

we are getting there from one of our correspondents that for buses have managed to make it out from mariupol to zaporizhzhia so we will continue to zaporizhzhia so we will continue to update on that. so thank you for joining us and sharing your views, alyona synenko from the icrc. president biden says he's glad that the voices of amazon workers are being heard, after they voted to form the first ever trade union at tone of the biggest employers in the us. the union at an amazon warehouse in staten island in new york a significant moment for a company that has strongly resisted efforts to unionise. our business correspondent samira hussain has more. amazon is an absolute juggernaut in terms of its retailing might, and its overall economic might. in america, amazon employs more thani million people, and since the company's inception in 1994, it has strongly pushed against any organised labour unions.

but, you know, during the covid—i9 pandemic, you know, the plight of workers had really been exacerbated, and so this one individual started a union and pushed to have a union in one amazon warehouse in staten island, new york, and today he managed to clinch a victory, something that other amazon warehouses have not been able to do. in sri lanka, president rajapaksa has declared a state of emergency giving security forces sweeping powers after hundreds of people tried to storm his residence in colombo. the country is suffering an unprecedented economic crisis with acute shortages of essentials such food, power and medicines. the bbc�*s archana shukla has more on the latest protests from colombo. their patience is running out.

angry sri lankans tried to storm the president's house late on thursday night. but they were met with water cannon. and tear gas shells. scenes quickly turned wild with multiple rounds of tear gas fired and stones pelted in retaliation. injuries on both sides, but protests continued. it is very obvious. the people are here distressed. the people who actually can do something. and just leave the country. because it is enough. translation: people are in the queue for gas, for milk powder, and for fuel. we have never been this unhappy. they chant. this is right outside president gotabaya rajapaksa's house. a crowd of about a thousand people have gathered here, protesting prolonged power cuts in the country, the economic crisis, rising prices, and demanding that the government stepped down.

the desperation has been palpable, as sri lankans have spent their days on the street, in queues to buy for life's daily essentials at sky—high prices. translation: i haven't had cooking gas for the last two weeks. my husband is sick, i have to leave work to wait here. if i lose myjob, it is all over. i am so tired. a dire shortage of food, fuel, and even medicines have caused prolonged power cuts and prices to skyrocket as the government, with negligible foreign reserves and a massive debt burden, is unable to pay for imports of even the essentials. vegetable prices have increased 2.5 times since december. rice now costs double, and milk powder is four times more expensive than before, forcing many families to even skip meals. the government has promised $17 per family for the new year's celebration next month.

but with no supplies to buy, citizens are uncertain if the new year will be spent in another queue. archana shukla, bbc news, columbo, sri lanka. we can speak now to alan keenan, an expert on sri lanka based with the international crisis group which works to prevent conflict and wars around the world. we saw some very charged scenes there outside the prison�*s residents, how unusual is this level of protest in sri lanka?— of protest in sri lanka? well, i think it is _ of protest in sri lanka? well, i think it is pretty _ of protest in sri lanka? well, i i think it is pretty unprecedented. there have been protests slowly building all over the country but potentially in columbo and increasingly in upscale middle—class professional areas where people are just completed fed up with a complete collapse of the economy but also the complete collapse of governance. but i think what is the tikki striking about the protest

last night is that they were at gotabaya rajapaksa's private gota baya rajapa ksa's private residence, gotabaya rajapaksa's private residence, the president, filled with angry chance asking him to go, demanding he and his family leave the country. months ago, people were terrified of gotabaya, his reputation as the ruthless commander in the military, his connections with brutal counterinsurgency campaigns, and his repression of dissent, all that has meant that until recently people have been often too scared to call out and challenge him publicly, do so to have crowds of people chanting his name and demanding he goes is a real sea in sri lankan politics. that name and demanding he goes is a real sea in sri lankan politics.— sea in sri lankan politics. that is . uite sea in sri lankan politics. that is uuite a sea in sri lankan politics. that is quite a big _ sea in sri lankan politics. that is quite a big change _ sea in sri lankan politics. that is quite a big change and _ sea in sri lankan politics. that is quite a big change and what - sea in sri lankan politics. that is quite a big change and what ledl sea in sri lankan politics. that is i quite a big change and what led to those seen as the economic conditions, tell us what has led to the economic conditions. sri lanka has had long-term _ the economic conditions. sri lanka has had long-term structural - has had long—term structural

problems with debt, with having an economy that doesn't produce enough and relies on credit to buy the imported goods that fuel the economy, both literally, that feel the power plants, and feel people's cars, the imported goods, medicines, food, that people rely on. that it has slowly been rising over the years, particularly after the end of the war in 2009 when the previous regime under the present�*s brother borrowed extensively, expressly from china for a large infrastructure projects which did not produce a lot of benefits in the end so slowly that it has been mounting. the previous government that was in power from 2015 to 2019 made a little progress in balancing the box but went gotabaya was elected at the end of 2019 and took power, he immediately cut taxes. soon there

after, the pandemic hit, which killed tourism, tourism being one of the main earners of hard currency for sri lanka, and then there was basically the government resisted from that point on doing what everyone knew it had to do which was to call in the international monetary fund to help right and get credit is on—board for restructuring the debt which is the only way to rank will ever be able to pay. the government finally accepted they would have to call in the imf but by this point they had run out of money so they really literally don't have the money to import the medicines, the money to import the medicines, the food, the fuel, and as a result, people are standing in long queues throughout the country for basically anything of any value and power cuts are dashed have gone on for up to 13 hours a day is that it is really a disaster for everyone.- disaster for everyone. very difficult situation _ disaster for everyone. very difficult situation for - disaster for everyone. very - difficult situation for everyone. thank you forjoining.

new figures suggest covid—19 infections in the uk, have hit a record high. the office for national statistics says it estimates nearly 5 million people had the virus, in the week ending to the 26th march, compared with 11.3 million the week before. the new data comes as free covid testing ends, for most people in england. the draw for this year's men's world cup has been made in doha, and it's thrown up some fascinating fixtures. england has drawn iran and the usa in group b — the other place could be either scotland or wales. and former winners germany and spain have both been drawn together in group e withjapan. let's cross to doha now and speak to martin lipton, chief sports reporter for the sun newspaper. thanks very much for talking to us. what is your immediate reaction to some of the draw is that we have learnt about? i

some of the draw is that we have learnt about?— some of the draw is that we have learnt about? i think the highlight is from a domestic _ learnt about? i think the highlight is from a domestic position - learnt about? i think the highlight is from a domestic position in - is from a domestic position in england, they have got a pretty good draw entry. the sort of draw that you would probably have picked. not only an initial phase but also the likelihood of playing one of qatar, ecuador, and senegal in the second round, before it gets serious in a matchup with france. the other games, interesting draw, spain, germany, quite a good one, portugal and uruguay who played in the knockout rounds of the last world cup when uruguay knocked portugal out in the same group, belgium in a difficult group as well as with croatia, two of the last four semifinalists in the same group in the first round. but you do think that the timing of the event will favour the bigger teams, that they will be less tired in the middle of the season than at the end of the season, and it would be seven of the

last eight teams european again. that is an interesting point. what group would you say is the grip of death? there isn't one.— group would you say is the grip of death? there isn't one. there isn't? if there death? there isn't one. there isn't? if there was. — death? there isn't one. there isn't? if there was, you _ death? there isn't one. there isn't? if there was, you would _ death? there isn't one. there isn't? if there was, you would say - death? there isn't one. there isn't?| if there was, you would say portugal and uruguay but realistically there is not. the bottom half of the draw is not. the bottom half of the draw is stronger than the top half. because you have got brazil and germany and spain and belgium and uruguay and portugal all in at bottom half whereas in the top half, england, holland, argentina, and france look the four strongest teams at this stage. i think it is a slightly lopsided draw in that regard but i don't think there is a group that hits you in the face and you think, crikey, that is tough. it is not like england, italy and uruguay in 2014, which stood out straightaway is the toughest group.

lionel messi and ronaldo are big stores, will this be the last time we see them at the last —— at the world cup? we see them at the last -- at the world cup?— we see them at the last -- at the world cop?— world cup? they are over 40 and re world cup? they are over 40 and pretty close _ world cup? they are over 40 and pretty close to — world cup? they are over 40 and pretty close to it _ world cup? they are over 40 and pretty close to it so _ world cup? they are over 40 and pretty close to it so i _ world cup? they are over 40 and pretty close to it so i think- world cup? they are over 40 and pretty close to it so i think this i pretty close to it so i think this will be the last one for them by. lionel messi finally won that much wanted international tournament when argentina won the cup a day america last summer. ronaldo one in a final but i think we are looking at the next generation of players, all eyes again on kylian mbappe, he is a sensational challenger. i would say the best player on the planet. you have strikers like levandovski. mi have strikers like levandovski. all the more reason to keep an eye on it. thank you forjoining us. this

is bbc news, thank —— stay with us. hello there. it'll still be on the cold side this weekend, not quite as cold as it has been. and we should have fewer showers around, as well. now we've still a wintry look to the weather in some parts of the country, particularly here in kent, mostly from the snow that we had much earlier in the day and from overnight. most of the showers have been falling as rain, sleet, or some hail, there hasn't been as much snow falling today. seeing some snow over the hills of western scotland, and we could see a mixture of rain and snow coming into wales and the far southwest of england. still some showers for northern ireland. elsewhere, though, clearer skies with fewer showers dying back towards the north sea coast, where we could have icy patches. so a frost tonight scotland, much of england — nowhere near as cold as it was last night, though, for northern ireland and wales. here we should see the back of that wet weather first thing, and then, a fair bit of sunshine

to start the day. we will see the cloud bubbling up again, and that will lead to a scattering of showers — most of those, i think, will be across england and wales, not as many as we had today, probably not as heavy either. the winds will be lighter everywhere, temperatures just sneaking up a little bit higher to around 9—10 celsius. now we're seeing fewer showers because we've got higher pressure across the uk, and it's changing the wind direction a bit, as well. that weather system, though, will change the weather for scotland and northern ireland. early sunday will start frosty widely, could be down to minus 4—5 in quite a few places. we'll see the cloud increasing in scotland and northern ireland, rain coming down from the north later on. cloud will tend to increase across england and wales, probably spread out a little bit. there could be 1—2 showers, but not as many showers on sunday. many places in england and wales will be dry with some sunshine at times, and those temperatures continuing to climb a little bit higher to around 10—11 celsius. that weather system, though, bringing the rain into scotland and northern ireland,

pushes south overnight. and on monday, we're in between those two fronts. we're in what we call a warm sector — that's warmer air, soft and cloudy air — and certainly looks cloudy on monday. we've got rain and drizzle at times, and it will be windy, winds could be touching gale force in scotland for a while. we should start frost—free, though, actually on monday morning, and temperatures are hovering at around 13—14 celsius for much of the day. looking further into next week, it's still not particularly warm, just not as cold as it has been. more unsettled, though, often windy with some rain or some showers.

this is bbc world news, the headlines: in ukraine, the bbc has found evidence that russian forces have been forced to pull back from positions they held at the start of their invasion, five weeks ago. for a second consecutive day, aid workers have been unable to get vital supplies into the besieged city of mariupol and rescue civilians trapped there. the regional governor has accused russia of breaking its promises to allow a humanitarian corridor. a state of emergency has been declared in sri lanka after hundreds of people tried to storm the president's home in colombo. the country is suffering an unprecedented economic crisis with acute shortages of essentials. for the first time, workers at an amazon warehouse in the united states have voted to set up a trade union. staff at the site in staten island

in new york started to campaign for a union two years ago.