this is bbc news. the headlines: in the aftermath of intense fighting in ukraine, the bbc has uncovered evidence of civilian killings that could amount to war cimes. meanwhile, russian forces near kyiv have been forced to pull back from positions they held at the start of the invasion five weeks ago. a convoy of buses carrying residents of the besieged southern ukrainian city of mariupol has reached the relative safety of the nearby city of zaporyzhzhia. the convoy travelled from the occupied port of berd—yansk with about 2000 people, who had managed to make their own way out of mariupol. for the first time, workers at an amazon warehouse in the us have voted to set up a trade union. staff at the site in new york

started to campaign for a union two years ago. the online retailer has always fiercely opposed unionisation of its million— strong workforce. the biggest rise in energy prices in living memory, has come into effect in britian, just as millions of households are dealing with a surge in the overrall cost of living. the energy price cap has risen by 5a%, the maximum suppliers in england, wales and scotland can charge, for each unit of gas and electricity we all use. that means an average increase in bills, of nearly £700 a year, or around £60 a month, for a typical household, taking the total tojust under £2000 a year. and those on pre—payment meters, face an even bigger rise, £708 a year, taking the average bill tojust over £2,000. but it's notjust the rising cost of energy. car and council taxes, as well as water bills, for many, have also gone up today.however, there has been a rise in the national living wage. by 59p, up to £9.50 an hour. 0ur consumer affairs correspondent, colletta smith, has been finding out how some households are trying to cope, with the rising cost of living. it's costing me so much money. i'm scared to see how that's going to go.

so am i going to be able to afford to eat, wash my pots, and also have my heating on? winston doesn't spend big. his state pension has been enough until now. but charges for his prepayment meter are leaping up, while his pension is not. that's going to cost me £20 a weekjust for gas. and where are you getting that money from? well, i'm not. that's the whole point, i'm not. you know, the state pension that we get at the moment does not cover what i need. you know, i was stood here the other day washing up and i was thinking about my grandchildren, and i'm going to tell you the truth, tears came to my eyes about how the future's going to be for these children. if we don't try and save some money for our grandchildren now, if we can, you know, then they're going to have nothing. at westminster primary school in bradford, they've now started collecting blankets, dressing gowns and hot water bottles to give out to pupils. we're totally expecting that as the energy crisis really bites, that more of our families will be pushed

into a poverty situation and, therefore, the children will be coming to us having maybe not eaten a warm meal every day, that may be coming from a cold home or not slept properly, and the impact on that then for us with their education is quite extreme. one, two, three, four, five... the government are offering some help — by knocking £150 off most council tax bills in england, and then lending an extra £200 in october, which will be paid back through your energy bills over the next five years. but that still only covers half of the increase in a typical household's energy bill. energy prices are going to affect everybody, but the people for whom it's worst are the people on low incomes, on fixed incomes. academics crunching the numbers are worried about the long—term impact. so, the government say they have offered some help to people and they have done what they can. i think it's fair to say that the council tax

rebate will help people. these energy price rises come in a context. they come in a context where it's going to mean less money available for other goods, but the prices of those are going up too. so people on the lowest incomes definitely needed some support and it's regrettable that the chancellor chose not to do so in his spring statement. the government say they'll monitor bills into the autumn and will consider further support, if needed. although the minimum wage is increasing today, for this mum of three, lots of her other bills are increasing as well. there's more chances of us going into debt with the rises of all the electricity, water bill, the council tax. everything is having a rise, plus the petrol. if you're struggling to pay, then it's important to contact your supplier straight away and get help from a debt advice charity. in homes across the country, lights are going off to keep the costs down. colletta smith, bbc news.

just over four years just overfour years ago just over four years ago i drove to e—mail a titan of stage and screen he was starring as king the and a local theatre and told me it would be his last big shakespearean role. i shouldn't have believed a word he said because last year, the age of 82, amidst a because last year, the age of 82, amidsta pandemic because last year, the age of 82, amidst a pandemic and some five decades after his first public turn in the role, sir ian mckellen played hamlet in an age blind production. it was typical of him. surprising, mischievous, pure thespian charisma. above all, it showed that in his ninth decade, he seems indefatigable. undoubtedly one of the grace this country has produced, he is a pioneer. a game changer who rewrote the rules of acting and helped britain confront the

truth about itself. known to a global audience for his betrayal of gandalf in the lord of the rings, it has been quite a journey for a boy from burnley born before the war. 0ver six decades, he's been called the heir to laurence olivier, sturgeon hundreds of 0livier, sturgeon hundreds of productions and eliminated screen small and large. haw screen small and large. how could you — screen small and large. how could you think— screen small and large. how could you think you - screen small and large. how could you think you are? - could you think you are? whenever i start rehearsing a play — whenever i start rehearsing a play and _ whenever i start rehearsing a play and i _ whenever i start rehearsing a play and i tell myself the fact that i'm — play and i tell myself the fact that i'm the best actor in the world — that i'm the best actor in the world to _ that i'm the best actor in the world to play that part. along the wa , world to play that part. along the way. his _ world to play that part. along the way, his championing - world to play that part. along the way, his championing ofi world to play that part. along i the way, his championing of gay rights has and ten the ire of many in the respect of many more. our conversation covered everything from this life story to weather, for instance, non—jewish actors who'd play jewish roles and the story

behind the first same—sex kiss and the bbc. he has invited me in to explore, if not explained, a life that charts the story of post—war britain. at the simple quest, to find out who really is ian mckellen? , a. b, out who really is ian mckellen? , a, b, cand out who really is ian mckellen? , a, b, c and d. out who really is ian mckellen? .a. b. c and 0-— , a, b, c and d. ok, let's do it. so , a, b, c and d. ok, let's do it- so lan- — , a, b, c and d. ok, let's do it. so ian. 0h, _ , a, b, c and d. ok, let's do it. so ian. 0h, don't- , a, b, c and d. ok, let's do it. so ian. 0h, don't call- , a, b, c and d. ok, let's do it. so ian. 0h, don't call me| it. so ian. 0h, don't call me sir. it. so ian. 0h, don't call me sir- why _ it. so ian. 0h, don't call me sir. why not? _ it. so ian. 0h, don't call me sir. why not? i _ it. so ian. 0h, don't call me sir. why not? i thought - it. so ian. 0h, don't call me sir. why not? i thought you | sir. why not? i thought you were rather _ sir. why not? i thought you were rather proud - sir. why not? i thought you were rather proud of- sir. why not? i thought you were rather proud of your l were rather proud of your knighthood. you map out, of course. but i did want to be separated out from other people. i don't really like titles. anyway, there we are. thank you for talking to me. then i would have to call you missed it. then i would have to call you missed it— then i would have to call you missed it. ., ., , missed it. that would be really weird. missed it. that would be really weird- do _ missed it. that would be really weird- do you _ missed it. that would be really weird. do you remember - missed it. that would be really weird. do you remember what| missed it. that would be really l weird. do you remember what it was like as an eight or nine—year—old falling in love the theatre because you got

amazing access to, partly via your family, amazing access to, partly via yourfamily, to amazing access to, partly via your family, to the amazing access to, partly via yourfamily, to the backstage that there was this wonderful contrast between the sheen and glory of what you saw on stage and the sort of, dare i sit, the sexy of this it, not quite seedy but this underworld element of what was going on backstage and you fell in love with all that, didn't you? i was most intrigued, not by what i saw, but to wonder how it had been achieved.— i saw, but to wonder how it had been achieved. how did they do that? how _ been achieved. how did they do that? how did _ been achieved. how did they do that? how did that _ been achieved. how did they do that? how did that curtain - been achieved. how did they do that? how did that curtain go i that? how did that curtain go up? how did that they are to go through that curtain so we could see beyond? how much do they get paid? do they know each other well? i wanted to know what it was like. as an amateur actor i could discover that. acting at school, primary school and secondary school, i find out what happened, how you put a play on. my fate was sealed then because ijust wanted to be living in this world. , ., . ., .,

world. the production, how it actually got _ world. the production, how it actually got made _ world. the production, how it actually got made had - world. the production, how it actually got made had a - world. the production, how it| actually got made had a magic to you. and the sense of it as a profession, something you could own a living with and you could own a living with and you could phone from all these other people and be embedded in a community. the other man these people, when you from the audience, were very special. hast thou, according to thy oath — hast thou, according to thy oath and _ hast thou, according to thy oath and banned brought to heather headley hereford diebold son?— heather headley hereford diebold son? they have that secial. diebold son? they have that special- they _ diebold son? they have that special. they will _ diebold son? they have that special. they will make - diebold son? they have that special. they will make up. | diebold son? they have that. special. they will make up. the men painted their faces. because the lights were so was intriguing. there are not like us and they were visitors to the town. where did they go to? i started feeding the stage newspaper then i began to understand something about, oh my god, all these theatres all over the place. i think if you had to define what these little towns will lie in the north, and elsewhere in the country, theatre would have to be a part of it. and notjust

professional theatre. there was the built—in little theatre where i did some acting. school, of course. it was all available to you and although to be an actor it is an odd thing, my family would think, to do, as a profession, my mother told her sister before she died too young and that if ian became an actor she would be happy because actors brought such joy to peoples lives. but i've held onto that.— i've held onto that. that you found a sense _ i've held onto that. that you found a sense of _ i've held onto that. that you found a sense of belonging l i've held onto that. that you i found a sense of belonging and a freedom to be yourself as an undergraduate at cambridge and you are part of this extraordinary generation who have gone on to great things in the theatre and on screen. although there is no drama faculty at cambridge i spent most of my time acting. we had our own amateur theatre where we acted and itjust seems a natural progression that had begun as a hobby, a fondness of

going to the theatre, by the time i was 20 i am ready to earn a living, my hubby had tended to my profession and then my life. before you could act professionally in 1961, when i started out, you had to become a member of the union. equity. and equity's will what you would only become a provisional member until you had completed 44 weeks of work as an actor. it had completed 44 weeks of work as an actor-— as an actor. it was a real trade. — as an actor. it was a real trade, wasn't _ as an actor. it was a real trade, wasn't it? - as an actor. it was a real trade, wasn't it? in - as an actor. it was a real trade, wasn't it? in the l as an actor. it was a real- trade, wasn't it? in the market was a trade and, you take this seriously, young person? white, 44 weeks and will see how you get on and until you were a full member you can work on television, in film or in london. that meant going out of london. that meant going out of london and working in a regional theatre which is what i did, which is what derek did, thatis i did, which is what derek did, that is whatjudi dench did. it is what wielded and expected to do and wanted to do because we

knew, whether we had been to drama school though not, i didn't go there. that is where you would learn your trade was that that is where you would discover your strengths and your weaknesses and attend to them. ijust learned how to act. so you did these hard yards of theatre for decades, really, before you had this transformative moment in tv and film. it is one of the real reason she spent so long theatre than going for it on tv and film that your first adventures in tv and film were tricky? do you remember your first ever tv? voted it was 1964 that you have a up a up a tree could you remember where you were? i tree could you remember where you were?— you were? i think i was on the bbc television _ you were? i think i was on the bbc television centre - bbc television centre pretending to be in india, i think. there was the tiger. they looked after it, to the single shot, fired and that was that.

how big was he? i shot, fired and that was that. how big was he?— shot, fired and that was that. how big was he? i would say 11 feet. 11 feet. _ how big was he? i would say 11 feet. 11 feet. did _ how big was he? i would say 11 feet. 11 feet. did these - how big was he? i would say 11 feet. 11 feet. did these early i feet. 11 feet. did these early fora s feet. 11 feet. did these early forays on — feet. 11 feet. did these early forays on tv _ feet. 11 feet. did these early forays on tv convicted - feet. 11 feet. did these early forays on tv convicted tv i feet. 11 feet. did these early i forays on tv convicted tv was the future?— the future? television? i had no idea- _ the future? television? i had no idea- in — the future? television? i had no idea. in those _ the future? television? i had no idea. in those days - the future? television? i had no idea. in those days you i no idea. in those days you would be recorded by four camisole on move and the actor, if he was wise, and knew which camera he was on him, so that he could respond to it. you work my — he could respond to it. you work my thing, _ he could respond to it. you work my thing, pushing the boundaries of what people thought you could do a bit into your work in the theatre. your case on stage in edward the second, was it? the milo play. the bbc put that on tv, of course. and that was the first gay kiss. course. and that was the first aa kiss. ., gay kiss. therefore with the dumb embracement - gay kiss. therefore with the dumb embracement let - gay kiss. therefore with the dumb embracement let as i gay kiss. therefore with the - dumb embracement let as part. and that was quite a remarkable

moment of cultural transgression. did you think of it at the time? you didn't think? because i know that back at that time again, goodness me, it was 1967 that homosexuality was decriminalised in this country and that was a remarkable moment. you might guess, well we had a kiss, james and i, for which i am always grateful. and we, yes, it was broadcast by the bbc. the bbc was not out to shock people or to educate them. it shock people or to educate them. ., , , shock people or to educate them. . , , ., shock people or to educate them. ., , ., ., shock people or to educate them. , ., ., , them. it was 'ust doing a play that had a — them. it wasjust doing a play that had a big _ them. it wasjust doing a play that had a big success - them. it wasjust doing a play that had a big success at - them. it wasjust doing a play that had a big success at thel that had a big success at the edinburgh festival and had two seasons in london. christopher marlowe vote that play, he was a direct can pent to contemporary and respond the same year as shakespeare. it was not a play about and i think it was the first play ever with a gay hero. nevertheless, there it was. and i don't remember anyone complaining and of course, since, i have heard from people i shall never meet saying i am so grateful to you for that kiss which i was watching with

my parents and we had a good conversation about it afterwards and i am a happily married gay man. that was wonderful but i wasn't, i did not do that play because i was on a mission to tell people about homosexuality. certainly not about my own because i was closeted, that is the world. i was not on s. if} closeted, that is the world. i was not on s.— was not on s. 20 years from cominu was not on s. 20 years from coming out _ was not on s. 20 years from coming out publicly. - was not on s. 20 years from coming out publicly. you i coming out publicly. you actually suffer the consequences of being gay because a bigger 1979 you were due to star in an adaptation of harold pinter but that betrayal and the producer who i don't know much better when i won't judge him, but he said you, why do you come to america with your wife? do you come to america with yourwife? i do you come to america with your wife?— do you come to america with your wife? i went to meet him with carol _ your wife? i went to meet him with carol too _ your wife? i went to meet him with carol too had _ your wife? i went to meet him with carol too had to - your wife? i went to meet him with carol too had to leave - your wife? i went to meet him with carol too had to leave to | with carol too had to leave to go to a dental appointment so i was left with this producer and

we had nothing in common but we were to take chattering and visit to america and he said, are you taking the family? are you taking your wife? and i said, no, iam not worried. i'm gay. i think you might be the first person i was ever come out to. a no—show on the door. lee. and of course, i wasn't in the film. the interesting thing to me now is not that it happened, where was harold pinter? harold pinter, a great humanitarian, nobel prizewinner. fearlessly honest, open, aggressive in his critical views. went along with thisjudgment. the tie critical views. went along with this judgment. the tie was inappropriate because i was gay, a mask he must have known

i was gay. and it was 30 years later, i think, i was gay. and it was 30 years later, ithink, shortly i was gay. and it was 30 years later, i think, shortly before harold died that i was in a restaurant and he came by, slightly tottering and tested up slightly tottering and tested up to greet him and he leaned in to my ear and he said, i am sorry about betrayal. did in to my ear and he said, i am sorry about betrayal.- sorry about betrayal. did he? was it a premeditated - sorry about betrayal. did he? | was it a premeditated decision when you went on a radio three show think it was called the third ear with a famous publisher associated with the sunday telegraph and used two words, like myself, in reference to homosexuality. was it a premeditated decision that that would be the moment? the mac i don't no. it probably was. it probably was. i think the manager used those two words, like myself, was actually a very significant moment in post—war british history because i think it sent a signal which gave a lot of other people confidence and i

think it is a very important clip. injanuary1988 think it is a very important clip. injanuary 1988 were clip. in january 1988 were taken clip. injanuary1988 were taken by the radio debate about the thatcher government's controversial section 28 bill folk which inhibited schools and local authorities from promoting homosexuality he went public in his characteristically nuanced way. you would just like to seek for 28 disappear altogether? give them a go, yes i said in a bid, yes. is offensive to anyone who is, like myself, homosexual. apart from the whole business of what can and cannot be taught to children.- taught to children. well, i probably _ taught to children. well, i probably thought, - taught to children. well, i probably thought, this - taught to children. well, i i probably thought, this would taught to children. well, i - probably thought, this would be a good debating point, which it was. because that, seem to remember, that he shut up, really. 0h, remember, that he shut up, really. oh, dear, oh dear. we were both knighted on the same day. we stood next to each other. ., .., . day. we stood next to each other. ., . �* �* other. to collect the bbc has been an important _ other. to collect the bbc has been an important part - other. to collect the bbc has been an important part of. other. to collect the bbc has i been an important part of your life? get the mac i can

remember seeing my first television, the boat race, in a shop window in wycombe. so it was radio that i listened to as a kid and we as a family listened to. we sat down to listened to. we sat down to listen to the programme and i first met anton chekhov and henrik ibsen and bernard shaw not in the theatre but on saturday night theatre which was the saturday night play. every week. whatever people think about the policies and activities of this country, the bbc is the calling card. i want to go back to some of your acting. why is it you often play secondary roles? back in 1974 when you've talked of as the answer to laurence olivier in the starting king the n wimbledon and elsewhere but as edgar and paul tom. we had a tiny role in uncle viney in

small roles in iris murdoch plays. what is this paradox about ian mckellen that is both at the front and at the back? well by viewing a company of actors doing a different play every month or so you don't want to play the main part every time and anyway, sometimes it is not appropriate for you to play. that it is built into how i think companies work and if everyone can be paid the same. i companies work and if everyone can be paid the same.— can be paid the same. i want to ask about _ can be paid the same. i want to ask about x-men _ can be paid the same. i want to ask about x-men because - can be paid the same. i want to| ask about x-men because there ask about x—men because there is this fascinating thing about magneto, the character you play in x—men alongside professor by played by your great friend patrick stewart. they have these different approaches to civil rights movements. 0ne these different approaches to civil rights movements. one of them is magneto who says, we've got to be aggressive, because we want to push the boundaries and take people on foot up a bit like malcolm by. and the other is professor by, much

more let's assimilate, let's work with people, let's come together with the main current of opinion. and when you came out as gay, when you are knighted, there was a push back against you by the likes of someone who said you were selling out because she joined the establishment and i wonder, as you reflect 30 years on, if you feel like you have decided which way is better to approach these things? magneto are professor by? if i feel that professor by? if i feel that professor by�*s side was that they would deliver the design to make people consider the two points of view when it came to changing society. yes, well,... my changing society. yes, well,... my dad was a pacifist and i'm not going out with a gun or a steak or stone.— steak or stone. there was violence _ steak or stone. there was violence against - steak or stone. there was violence against gay - steak or stone. there was i violence against gay people steak or stone. there was - violence against gay people who have been killed and are still, in dreadful occasions. being killed for what they are. but

that did not compromise. stonewall was set up, co—founded by you to fight prejudice and bigotry. today, 93)’ prejudice and bigotry. today, gay marriage is legal in this country. deflate the majority of what you set out to do you have actually done? get the mac which is a remarkable thing. it seems to have been totally successful. i am not the only one who thinks that the laws in this country are superior to any other country in the world, i think. there is nothing now in the law that may hold back a young gay man or woman. ii in the law that may hold back a young gay man or woman. if they said come — young gay man or woman. if they said come back _ young gay man or woman. if they said come back as _ young gay man or woman. if they said come back as gandalf, - said come back as gandalf, would you do it? 0bama sounded at the bbc did or... i would you do it? 0bama sounded at the bbc did or...— at the bbc did or... i have been waiting _ at the bbc did or... i have been waiting for— at the bbc did or... i have been waiting for the - at the bbc did or... i have been waiting for the call. at the bbc did or... i have l been waiting for the call and it hasn't come. and there are going to be new stories from toll clean under the title, i think, lord of the rings, television. but i gather gandalf won't be a part of

them. ., , ., gandalf won't be a part of them. . , . , . gandalf won't be a part of them-_ iti gandalf won't be a part of. thtath-_ it is them. that is a shame. it is one part — them. that is a shame. it is one part that _ them. that is a shame. it is one part that you _ them. that is a shame. it is one part that you cannot i them. that is a shame. it is one part that you cannot be| them. that is a shame. it is - one part that you cannot be too old for. he 7000 years old. no, that was 20 years ago, you know. what i want to do now, professionally, is treat every job as if it is the last that i'll ever do. i'd make you tell me when i interviewed you for the integer said that you would ever play shakespeare again and i went and voted up on the bbc news website. i i went and voted up on the bbc news website.— news website. i still think it is there- — news website. i still think it is there. you _ news website. i still think it is there. you hamlet - news website. i still think it is there. you hamlet since. | news website. i still think it i is there. you hamlet since. let me ask you one last philosophical question. helen mirren, there's been this very interesting discussion about whether or not you need to have a jewish actor play a jewish icon. magneto who you played in the x—men universe isjewish other you are not ofjewish heritage cell. what you think

of that idea that you should have jewish people of that idea that you should havejewish people playjewish characters? 0r indeed whether in other words you need gay people to play gay characters? the mac there are two things. is the argument that a gentile cannot play due? and if the argument therefore that edge you cannot play a gentile? is the argument that straight men cannot play a key part? and if so, does that mean i cannot play straight parts and i'm not to explore the fascinating subject of heterosexuality in macbeth? surely not. we are acting. we are pretending. now, i would capable of understanding what it is to be jewish? are we going to convince ajewish jewish? are we going to convince a jewish audience that we arejewish? well, perhaps we don't need to because just

acting. let me ask you some quickfire questions. what technology do you find dispensable? i think the gas stove. which social media platforms you favour? i don't know what that means without favourite sportsmen or women? dickens or shakespeare? what do you mean? if you had to choose? what you mean, choose? the literature of one bird than the other. prefer reading i prefer playing. not a sensible question. most people get bad answers. rolling or choking? toki with gratitude. how much tea and coffee do you think? i haven't drank tea ever in my life at coffee i drinking 13 months ago along with alcohol. do eat meat? no, apart from

bacon pork pies and sausages. 0n bacon pork pies and sausages. on occasion. would you like to go into space? no, i've been into space in my imagination. i don't need to. when did you last cry? probably when i was rehearsing or in a performance. i can get myself into it, i could do it now. but it is not a big part of my ordinary life. for almost 70 years ian mckellen has delivered either defining performances across the globe. it strikes me he is far from finished but, the globe. it strikes me he is farfrom finished but, as he looks back at his game changing life and times, i have one less thing to ask him. final question. what advice would you give to that young boy in the north west of england fascinated by theatre and wedding where he fits in the world? ~ ., ~ wedding where he fits in the world? a ~ , wedding where he fits in the world? ,, , i. world? make sure you en'oy ourself world? make sure you en'oy yourself and d world? make sure you en'oy yourself and that i world? make sure you en'oy yourself and that does i world? make sure you enjoy yourself and that does not l world? make sure you enjoy - yourself and that does not mean yourself and that does not mean you don't have to work hard or do things you don't like in

order to get better but finds your enjoyment in working hard, and make sure, before you go on stage, you do up yourflies. ian mckellen, sir ian mckellen, ian mckellen, sir ian mckellen, i have not to say sir. thank you so much for your time. i really appreciate it. i really appreciate it.

a number of showers around. heavy rain grazing areas of wales. snow on the western hills. but otherwise it is a cold and frosty start to saturday and, there is of eye is just about anywhere. to set a date is a day of sunshine and showers. the majority of the showers will start towards the east coast but will migrate inland as temperatures begin to rise. many of the showers will be a rain but there could be an odd wintry one and perhaps soft hail around and temperatures coming up an odds degree. highs of 7-10. coming up an odds degree. highs of 7—10. anotherfussy coming up an odds degree. highs of 7—10. another fussy start on sunday. lots of morning sunshine but then cloud builds up sunshine but then cloud builds up across the sky and then for scotland and northern ireland, sunday afternoon, weather front moves in and we will start to see the breeze pick up and west with heavy rain in the west.

this is bbc world news. our top stories... in the aftermath of intense fighting in ukraine, the bbc uncovers evidence of civilian killings, that could amount to war crimes. 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. we report from the battle—scarred town of irpin, just 13 miles from kyiv — now a symbol of ukrainian resistance. this was a key battleground, and ukraine's victory here was critical. if the russians had been able to push through here, they would've been on that way to kyiv. cheering. celebrations by union workers in new york as amazon is dealt a major defeat — being forced

to recognise a trade union for the first time.