this is bbc news 7 welcome if you re watching here in the uk or around the world. i'm ben mundy. our top stories... borisjohnson is holding face to face talks with the ukrainian president, volodymyr zelensky, during a visit to kyiv. downing street says they are discussing the uk s long term support to ukraine and the prime minister will set out a new package of financial and military aid. escaping mariupol — which has been described as "hell on earth". ten humanitarian corridors are agreed, as an urgent appeal is made for people to leave luhansk.ten humanitarian corridors are agreed to help thousands of ukrainians flee the war. one is providing an escape from mariupol, which has been moscow re—organises its military leadership in ukraine. general alexander dvornikov — who commanded russian forces in syria — is given overall charge. elsewhere... and angry scenes in pakistan's parliament between supporters and opponents of the prime minister, imran khan, ahead of a vote of no confidence.

campaigning has ended in the first round of france's presidential election, which takes place on sunday. and mission accomplished — as the first all private astronaut team ever launched to the international space station — completes docking. hello. thanks forjoining us. borisjohnson has travelled to kyiv — to hold face to face talks with the ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky. downing street says they are discussing the uk s long term support to ukraine and the prime minister will set out a new package of financial and military aid. it comes as ukrainian officials say ten humanitarian corridors to evacuate people from regions besieged by russian forces have been agreed for today. it's thought around 10 thousand

people have escaped from cities in the south and east through humanitarian corridors over the past two days. president zelensky says a "firm global response" is needed after yesterday's missile strike on a railway station in kramatorsk, which killed at least 50 people. danjohnson reports from lviv. access to chernobyl has onlyjust opened up on an off—road track. ukrainian railways have been the escape route for so many refugees and everyday this stations is more arrivals from the east like victoria who told me she stayed as long as possible in her home before deciding to get to safety. tells possible in her home before deciding to get to safety-— to get to safety. tells me i don't want to take _ to get to safety. tells me i don't want to take ukraine, _ to get to safety. tells me i don't want to take ukraine, he - to get to safety. tells me i don't want to take ukraine, he said, i to get to safety. tells me i don't i want to take ukraine, he said, are we leaving home? i said yes but it is temporary. i will take revenge. the child is just four. malaria

is temporary. i will take revenge. the child isjust four. malaria is 20, she is a student herfamily have stayed at home. what is most upsetting? translation: it is my relatives. i don't _ upsetting? translation: it is my relatives. i don't know— upsetting? translation: it is my relatives. i don't know when - upsetting? translation: it is my relatives. i don't know when we i upsetting? translation: it is my| relatives. i don't know when we are going to meet again. the relatives. i don't know when we are going to meet again.— relatives. i don't know when we are going to meet again. the number of --eole going to meet again. the number of peeple arriving _ going to meet again. the number of people arriving today _ going to meet again. the number of people arriving today is _ going to meet again. the number of people arriving today is much - going to meet again. the number of people arriving today is much lower| people arriving today is much lower than tours in the first weeks of the war but the intensifying conflict in the east means more people are likely to head this way. what happened yesterday or the station concourse very much like this has underlined to everyone the risks people face making the journey to safety. 5c! people face making the “ourney to safe . :: , safety. 50 people died when he rocketed crouch _ safety. 50 people died when he rocketed crouch trying - safety. 50 people died when he rocketed crouch trying to - safety. 50 people died when he rocketed crouch trying to get i safety. 50 people died when he| rocketed crouch trying to get on evacuation training. russia denies responsibility and there has been western condemnation and are apparent war crime.—

western condemnation and are apparent war crime. what did we do to the russians _ apparent war crime. what did we do to the russians to _ apparent war crime. what did we do to the russians to deserve - apparent war crime. what did we do to the russians to deserve this? - apparent war crime. what did we do j to the russians to deserve this? we are civilians. he is on people are returning home to find not much left after the russians with. this lady has lived in the spotlight for 25 years. she cries, why are we being punished like this? russian military hardware is on the move with a new general running the military operation in ukraine and another military focus in use. but they are also enforcing with more heavy weapons. translation: russia's war a . ainst weapons. translation: russia's war auainst our weapons. translation: russia's war against our nation _ weapons. translation: russia's war against our nation may _ weapons. translation: russia's war against our nation may end _ weapons. translation: russia's war against our nation may end in - against our nation may end in victory and freedom much sooner than we will think if we simply receive the weapons we have asked for. white america's military funeralfor america's military funeral for alexander, a america's military funeralfor alexander, a volunteer who got his mother to safety before signing up. ukraine is mourning its fallen soldiers, there have been heavy losses on both sides. —— this military funeral.

we're joined from lviv by our correspondent, danjohnson. a meeting earlierfor president zelensky. yes, borisjohnson appearing on kyivjust one day after the eu commission president ursula von der leyen was there yesterday with the slovakian prime minister so president zelensky having a few face—to—face meetings but this will not be announced, we did not know borisjohnson will appear but boris johnson will appear but downing borisjohnson will appear but downing street confirmed he has been to give today, saying he travel meet president zelensky in person. the statement says it will discuss the long—term support to ukraine and the pmo set out a new package of financial and military aid and we knowjosh yesterday uk government announced £100 million package of anti—tank weapons and air defence systems to be shipped to ukraine, and the eu also announcing more

support today, 1 million euros —— 1 billion euros being announced in the last half hour or so. it appears that president zelensky was like a fuel source of water having an effect with european leaders coming to see him, bringing cash and weapons and that has been his priority in the last few days saying to keep up the ukrainian effective defence required more more weapons, weapons, weapons. cash defence required more more weapons, weapons. weapons-_ weapons, weapons. cash and weapons aside, we weapons, weapons. cash and weapons aside. we also — weapons, weapons. cash and weapons aside, we also have _ weapons, weapons. cash and weapons aside, we also have these _ aside, we also have these humanitarian corridors, we have seen the before and you've seen them fall down, are they holding, are they likely to hold ya like it does appear that some people are able to reach safety today through the latest safe passage rules that have been agreed. and complexity, difficulty and risk has been underlined yesterday with the attack on the railway station. roots have been agreed and whether they are successful at the moment, we don't

know, we know some people are able to leave those busy cities in the south and the east, the areas where russian forces made all the advances and those at the same areas where russian forces were building again and that could be really focused a new offensive, that is why people particularly in regions like luhansk and bonnet have had get out immediately. —— luhansk and donetsk. but no doubt it is a difficult dilemma, whether to leave your place of safety, whether the route will be safe, i was speaking to be glad to station today who had made the decision to leave finally having waited and waited, and they said they were reluctant to leave but that they felt they had no choice given the expected increase in russian military activity in the east under the control of a new general in charge there now.

it is described as a global pledging event. people in the polish capital warsaw are gathering to support ukraine in the war against russia. the stand up for ukraine initiative is described as a global pledging event.... how much pledging has been done so far? you like it hasjust ended and ursula von der leyen who co—host streamed event at 10.1 billion euros had been pledged to support ukraine from countries around the world, businesses around the world, thanks and she said the european commission itself has pledged 1 billion euros in support for ukraine, 600 million of that will go to ukraine itself and the united nations, and 400 million will go to the front line states, poland, slovakia, hungary and elsewhere that have taken on refugees. ukraine was my president zelensky addressed the pledging event, saying, make a call for

sanctions on all russian banks and also making a call for an embargo on russian bank oil because he said thatis russian bank oil because he said that is what he said is fuelling the war machine of the kremlin. thanks. you're watching bbc news. and staying in ukraine because medical staff in the eastern city of kramatorsk are battling to save the lives of people who were injured in a railway attack on friday. if you see correspond that he was in kramatorsk said many victims needed surgery to remove shrapnel. some were taken by ambulance to bigger hospitals further west than ukraine said of the two missiles were fired in the direction of the railway station where crowds had crammed onto platforms to flee the war and russia denies it was behind the attack. after more than a month of occupation by russian solders,

ukraininan forces reclaimed the city of chernihiv and uncovered scenes of devastation left behind. the city sits to the north of the ukrainian capital, kyiv. its mayor said more than 400 people had died there, and called it hard to endure . our correspondent anna foster has met one woman whose daughter and husband were brutally killed as they tried to escape from the city. a warning her report does include some graphic details. veronika kutz, a 12—year—old girl full of energy and promise. a life cruelly ended by a russian shell. nine days into the war, viktoria kovalenko experienced unimaginable horror. as herfamily fled chernihiv, their car was fired on. viktoria's daughter, veronika, and husband, petro, were killed instantly. translation: my daughter got out i of the car and i went to follow. i as i got out, my daughterfell. and then i looked

and her head was gone. she was bleeding from her neck like a fountain. i was holding my baby and i needed to get her to safety. viktoria held her baby daughter close and ran for her life, but that wasn't the end of the ordeal, because she was found by russian soldiers, who took her to the basement of a school and held her there with more than 300 other people for 24 days. viktoria watched people die around her as they struggled without medical help. translation: there were 40 people in my room. - mostly we didn't even move because there was no space to move or walk. just too many people. the lack of movement made people ill. seven days after veronika and petro were killed, viktoria asked her russian captors to bring their remains to the school so she could bury them. there were two graves. one box was bigger, one box was smaller.

and two crosses with signs. i started to cover the boxes with earth, but new shelling started, so we ran away before we had finished burying them. if i had the possibility of shooting putin, i would do it. my hand would not shake. this ring has become viktoria's most treasured possession — a gift from her beloved daughter and all she has left of her. anna foster, bbc news, lviv. let's stay with the situation in ukraine. as russia concentrates its forces in the east, ukraine is retaking more territory north of kyiv — like the chernobyl nuclear power plant. russian forces took it in the first days of the war and there were huge concerns that the plant could be accidentally damaged or used as a weapon. our correspondent, yogita limaye, is one of the first journalists to reach the facility since it was retaken.

access to chernobyl has onlyjust opened up on an off—road track. the bridge to it was destroyed to stop the russian advance. this is the site of the world's worst nuclear disaster, among the first parts of ukraine to be captured when russia invaded. "they surrounded us with tanks and there were aircraft flying overhead", security officer petro says. russian forces broke into monitoring and control stations. electricity was cut off for a few days — a major threat. translation: we store nuclear waste. if we'd lost power, it would have been catastrophic. radioactive material could have been released. i wasn't really worried for my life, i was scared of what would happen if i wasn't here.

it's not possible for us to go any further because it could be risky but, if you walk down here, in that direction is an area of very high levels of contamination known as the red forest. and drone video has now come out which officials here have seen and they've confirmed to us the russian soldiers not only built trenches there, but they appear to have stayed there as well. this is evidence of how little they knew about nuclear safety. the soldiers were exposed to significant doses of radiation, ukraine says. below the plant is a basement, where 170 members of the national guard securing chornobyl were held captive. no—one still knows where they are. they were taken by russian forces. former ukrainian president petro poroshenko visited chornobyl today, with a warning for the world. are we sure that tomorrow, russian troops cannot appear here? my answer would be no. putin is completely unpredictable. and nuclear, the nuclear smoke can reach eastern europe, central europe and even

great britain. for now, there's relief here, but also a sense of unease. the threat is just ten miles away, across the border. yogita limaye, bbc news, chornobyl. pakistan's parliament has still not yet held a no confidence vote on the prime minister imran khan, which was due today. earlier, there were angry clashes in parliament between his supporters and opponents, leading the speaker to adjourn proceedings. mr khan — who's been in dispute with senior military figures — is expected to lose the no confidence vote. legal experts say the vote must be held today, or the government will be held in contempt of the supreme court. the prime minister has called

for his cabinet to meet shortly. our correspondent, secunder kermani, is following all the development in islamabad. and seems like it's reaching its climax but we have been beset by so many twists, turns and delays and who could rule out more of them down the line in parliament today, seeming like imran khan was my party have tried to further push back as vote of no confidence by giving deliberately long, meandering speeches, that is angering opposition members of parliament who have said any delay to the vote of no confidence with the in contravention to the orders of the supreme court. this vote of no confidence was originally meant to take place last sunday but was blocked at the last minute by imran khan's allies and the supreme court said it should take place today, we'll have to wait and see if that happens with some suggestion it would take place this evening after the meal marking the end of the day of fasting,

the holy month of ramadan here and around the muslim world of course, and imran khan and his allies, they say that they are the victim of a us led international conspiracy, trying to affect regime change in pakistan, because of imran khan's foreign policy decisions, including recently visiting russia. his opponents year and american officials have completely dismissed that and most analysts do not believe the claim but it is resonating with the supporters and imran khan has said we will not accept any government that comes out of this process. it's a busy day for sport, let's get the latest round—up. hello. let's start with a huge win for everton, they've increased their chances of premier league survival with a 1—0 victory over manchester unitedfrank lampard's side are now four points clear of the relegation zone —

after anthony gordon's first half strike, which did take a big deflection off united captain harry maguire. it was a game low on quality, and is another blow to united's hopes of making the premier league's top four. the reality is clear, you can hear it in the stadium. we've been good here, we've won five out of seven games, we don't concede like we do and that away from home, which is another question but the fighting spirit we showed, the qualities we showed a big dealfor us and we need to replicate that, just three points, one win, we need more. we are confident. we drew a game that we do not start so well, we get a goal that is a deflection and a show reel spirit. it is important that the performance went that way for us

today to show the players what it takes to dig in and find ways to win games and we absolutely did it. as long as we don't win our own games it doesn't make sense to go for a good result from other teams and as i said, especially in the first half hour, we should have scored a goal to out of that first half hour but we did not end all of a sudden, being one goal down change the whole game. three games underway right now in the premier league — chelsea running amok against southampton — off the back of two losses, they're 6 nil up at st. mary's. a win for arsenal would see them leapfrog tottenham into fourth for the moment — losing 1 nil to brighton. and watford, in the relegation zone — losing 1 nil to leeds, who are just three places above them. in the scottish premiership, leaders celtic are in cruise control — 3 nil up at home against st.

johnstone. in the championship, second placed bournemouth have moved one step closer to promotion to the premier league, but had to settle for a point away to sheffield united with a goalless draw. the home side will be disappointed though that they didn't win all three points with filip uremovic missing a glorious chance in injury time. sheffield united stay in fifth for now. to champions cup rugby union now, the first legs of the round of 16 ties are taking place. and it's a very slight advantage to bristol, they beat sale sharks by 10 points to 9 in their all—english encounter in manchester. in a game that never really burst into life, it was a moment of magic from substitue semi radradra that sealed the win. that the only try of the game to give the bears a one point lead ahead of the second leg

in bristol on friday. —— to the champions cup now, the first legs of the round of 16 ties are taking place. defending champions toulouse are leading ulster by 13 points to 7 in france at half time. st helens have beaten catalans dragons in the challenge cup quarter—finals. the final whistle has just gone in france, st helens with a dominant victory. they scored six tries altogether— joe batchelor rounding things off for his side. it was a rematch of the super league's grand final — st helens wining again, this time by 36 points to 20. the early starters are out on the course at augusta national for the third round of the masters — scottie scheffler is five shots clear of the field on 8 under par, he'll tee offjust before 8 o clock. before him all eyes will be on tiger woodsto see how his body is holding up, this his first competitive event since a horrific car crash last year, he's one over par — some moments of magic still there. ireland's shane lowry is one of four

players tied in 2nd place, all on 3 under par, but world number one scheffler is the man to catch, after tieing the tournament record for the largest 36—hole lead. that's all the sport for now. the grand national is on the way shortly. thank you. looking forward to the grand national a little later. thanks. the first all—private mission to the international space station has docked. the crew — consisting of a pilot and three passengers have been welcomed inside the international space station. they are due to spend eight days orbiting the earth. the flight is being hailed as a milestone in the commercialisation of space flight. the wife of the british finance minister, rishi sunak, says she will pay uk taxes on her world—wide income — which she had legally avoided until now.

it follows days of questions about the financial arrangements of akshata murthy — who is a multimillionaire. mr sunak is also facing criticism after he admited holding a type of us residency while chancellor. our political correspondent, rajdeep sandhu, reports. reporter: is there more pain to come, chancellor? - he's in charge of our taxes, but questions have been raised about his taxes — and his wife's. akshata murty owns shares in an indian company founded by her father. last year, she received more than £11 million from it. because she has a special non—dom tax status she was not required by law to pay uk taxes on her overseas income. but, after criticism, she's going to pay more uk tax, adding millions to the treasury every year, all so her finances don't cause a distraction for her husband. and it's notjust her affairs but his own. it's emerged that the chancellor had a us green card, giving him the right to live permanently in america, where he also had to pay taxes. he gave it up about six months ago, but even in the united states, there's questions

about the arrangement. does the president see it as a problem that it's possible for someone to serve at a high level in a foreign government and maintain lawful permanent resident status in the us? i mean, what if this were someone who was serving in the russian duma? it wasn't, but i would also, again, point you to the portions of the government that oversee green cards. labour say the chancellor needs to be transparent. the chancellor has told people that they've got to have this tax hike at the moment, and it sounds like him and his immediate family have been using whatever tax ways they can to, you know, not pay as much as they possibly should do, and this is a moral issue more than anything. despite the bad headlines, the prime minister said he was backing his chancellor. i would just stress that the chancellor rishi is doing an absolutely outstanding job and, as far as possible, as i think i said yesterday, i don't think people's families should be brought, should be dragged into things. scrutiny of the chancellor's

personal finances comes in the week he raised taxes and everyone is watching the pennies. rajdeep sandhu, bbc news, westminster. campaigning has ended in the first round of france's presidential election, which takes place on sunday. most polls are suggesting this election could be more tightly contested than in 2017. the incumbent emmanuel macron is likely to come out on top, but his closest rival marine le pen is gaining ground. if no candidate wins a majority in this first round, a second round runoff will be held on 24th april. the bbc�*s tim wilcox is in paris and has been explaining what is diffrent for marie le pen at her third run for the presidency. marine le pen is tried really hard over the past ten or so years to basic de—demonise the national rally party, you will remember it was her fatherjeanmarie le pen who said the excess the national frontier which was associated with very extreme views on immigration, and they are

aware of supporters. she has worked very hard to focus on other areas. but the economy still has policies there which are anti—immigrant. she has been helped a lot this time by another, far more extreme far right candidate, who is a pundit on tv channels here and he has helped detoxify some of the marine le pen message, and it's interesting also that immanuel macron, who came to this place very late —— emmanuel macron, just at the beginning of the ukraine war, was 20 points ahead of marine le pen and then delete has now dwindled to maybe three or four points, and if she does get through to the second round, which is what happened in 2017, a lot of under have said it could be tight and let me explain why it not only you have a far right much of the far left here, a 70—year—old in his third attempt at it as well and it's believed that if he does not make

the second round, me saying publicly he thinks we will but if he does not, is he saying to his supporters, which you can understand, do not vote —— make which we understand he is, do not vote for emmanuel macron, give it to marine le pen. that might make things much tighter this time than when emmanuel macron smashed marine le pen in the second round. we will have extensive coverage from the first round with tim tomorrow. now for the weather. hello there.

many parts of the country staying dry around a weekend, typical damp it is a 9—10 c this afternoon, some sunny spells, scattering of showers in england and wales, most of the heavier ones across northern parts of scotland, wintry in the hills, showers here and for other parts of the uk, clear skies and light winds, called again, widespread frost, down 2-4 called again, widespread frost, down 2—4 minus five celsius, not so cold around western coast of northern ireland where we have more cloud arriving here by the morning and the breeze picking up as well. western areas turning breezy with the crowd increasing. further east, sunny start with the crowd bubbling up across parts of scotland in the eastern side of england, few if any showers around at all, cloud increases through the day, western areas and breezy with temperature is higher than today, typically 12 celsius. some significant changes early next week, the chance of some rain but it looks like it will be turning warmer.

more from me a little later. now on bbc news — the media show. hello. have you listened to a podcast series recently, or tuned into radio 4 to a series, like intrigue tunnel 29 or this coming storm? in so many ways, they owe a huge debt to our guest today. ira glass is the man behind the long—running this american life,

the first journalism podcast to win a pulitzer prize.