welcome to bbc news. i'm david eades. our top stories: russian attacks resume on mariupol�*s steel works, despite hundreds of ukrainian civilians remaining trapped inside. those who've escaped tell their story. translation: for a month we were eating - _ over a0 of us — six food tins. we boiled two buckets of soup out of them, and that was it for the whole day. a special report from the balkans on beijing's big european investment push, with accusations some chinese firms are treating workers like slaves. an alarming rise in executions in iran since the hardline cleric ebrahim raisi was elected president. and broadway is back with its busiest season in more than a decade, but covid is still

proving a challenge. welcome to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe. the attempts to evacuate more civilians from the devastated city of mariupol have stalled. ukrainian officials say russia has ended a ceasefire and it's now blocking humanitarian corridors. hundreds of women and children are still trapped in bunkers beneath the city's huge azovstal steelworks, the azovstal plant is surrounded by russian troops. on sunday, about a hundred people were evacuated to nearby zaporizhzhia, from where our correspondent laura bicker reports. a short break to feel grass under theirfeet, after weeks of only concrete. the survivors from mariupol are allowed a break in their long—awaited journey away

from the front line. translation: for a month we were eating - _ over a0 of us — six food tins. we boiled two buckets of soup out of them and that was it for the whole day. weeping translation: there | is no house any more. of course there isn't. this is mariupol after two months of war. homes, play parks, cafes are now charred in blasted ruins. tens of thousands of people are thought to have died. many of the survivors came here, the azovstal steel plant. as the city fell, pounded into smouldering ashes, ukrainian fighters used the underground chambers to stay and fight. translation: there were five very powerful bomb shelters that,

according to soviet standards at the time, could withstand a direct nuclear strike. all people, if they were injured during the bombing and shelling, could come to us. we thought it was possible we'd be shelled, but we did not expect such a genocide and such an inhumane war. for weeks, women and children lived in these maze—like tunnels — they used them as a refuge. appeals to get them out of the plant were ignored — until now. yesterday, for the first time in more than 60 days, they clambered out of their dark refuge and were led through the rubble out of what many have described as hell. this is where they will come. others have made it out of mariupol today after scrambling for parts to rebuild their wrecked car. daniel was living on a tug boat. translation: we were bringing food from the tug boat. - the russians had been assaulting the port for ten days and we had been sheltering. we couldn't even raise our heads.

it was scary to be there. after days of terror and chaos, there is help, but the lives and city each one of these people once knew is now gone. mariupol officials told us that russia bombed the steel plant not long after they civilians left. it is not clear what the hold—up is. meanwhile, talks to get out the remaining several hundred people in the steel plant, including, we understand, 20 children, are continuing but those negotiations are proving difficult. laura bicker, bbc news, zaporizhzhia. let's bring you some more of the latest developments on ukraine. the strategically important port city of odesa has been hit by another missile strike. details of injuries are still emerging, but the city council has confirmed a 15—year—old boy was killed. it's the second attack there in just a few days. on saturday, authorities said the runway at odesa's airport had been targeted.

european union energy ministers have held an emergency summit on whether to ban supplies from russia. they've held back from banning the purchase of oil and gas, but emphasised there would be sanctions on member nations who paid for russian natural gas in roubles. the european football governing body, uefa, has banned russia's national team and club sides from its competitions for next season. that extends the current ban, which affected this current season. uefa also said russia's bid to host the euro 2028 or the euro 2032 tournaments have also been declared ineligible. israel has summoned the russian ambassador after the country's foreign minister suggested hitler had jewish roots. israeli prime minister naftali bennett said the comments were in effect accusing jews of the most awful crimes in history. sergei lavrov made the comments on italian television to try to justify russia's portrayal of ukraine as nazi, despite the fact that

its president isjewish. translation: he makes the argument. — translation: he makes the argument, what _ translation: he makes the argument, what kind - translation: he makes the argument, what kind of- argument, what kind of notification can ukraine have if he himself isjewish. why could be wrong, but hitler also had jewish blood. it means absolutely nothing. why is jewish people say that the most ardent anti—semites are usually dues. we can now speak to walter reich, who is the yitzhak rabin memorial professor of international affairs at george washington university and a former director of the united states holocaust memorial museum. thank you forjoining us. i wonder, personable, what you make of the extent to which mr lavrov is pushing this?- lavrov is pushing this? well, his main _ lavrov is pushing this? well, his main goal— lavrov is pushing this? well,

his main goal is _ lavrov is pushing this? well, his main goal is to support i lavrov is pushing this? well, | his main goal is to support the narrative, russia's narrative that it has invaded or, as it says, engaged in a special military operation against ukraine on the basis of the need to denazify ukraine. and there is an awkward issue here that the president of ukraine isjewish. so he has to deal with that and the way he deals with that and the way he deals with it, both putin and the foreign minister, lavrov, is to say that zelensky, the president, is also a nazi and jews can be nazis and the greatest anti—semites, jews can

be the greatest anti—semites. hitler himself... be the greatest anti-semites. hitler himself. . ._ hitler himself... sorry to interrupt- _ hitler himself... sorry to interrupt. he _ hitler himself. .. sorry to interrupt. he has- hitler himself... sorry to interrupt. he has addedl hitler himself... sorry to - interrupt. he has added that hitler himself _ interrupt. he has added that hitler himself had _ interrupt. he has added that hitler himself had jewish - interrupt. he has added that i hitler himself had jewish blood to support his position. i hitler himself had jewish blood to support his position.- to support his position. i have had is described _ to support his position. i have had is described within - to support his position. i have had is described within israel| had is described within israel and among various sources as preposterous. we have heard what naftali bennett has had to say as well. what can or might israel do about this, do you think? ~ ., ., ., think? well, in addition to callin: think? well, in addition to calling in _ think? well, in addition to calling in the _ think? well, in addition to calling in the russian - calling in the russian ambassador, it's not going to change russia's narrative, because that is the central basis for invading ukraine and trying to grab as much of it as possible and possibly beyond ukraine. so there is little that israel can do. israel can be more clear that it had been before, it has been much more clear very recently that it

stands on ukraine's side, not on russia's side. there was a complication in that in syria, they were trying to see conflict there air force is inviting in syria, but at this point they have really clearly stated, especially the foreign minister, that israel is on ukraine's side and doing everything possible to support ukraine. ,, ., everything possible to support ukraine. , , ., ., ~ everything possible to support ukraine. ,, ., ., ~ ukraine. 0k, russia, thank you very much _ ukraine. ok, russia, thank you very much for— ukraine. 0k, russia, thank you very much forjoining _ ukraine. 0k, russia, thank you very much forjoining us. - ukraine. 0k, russia, thank you very much forjoining us. thankj very much forjoining us. thank you. very much for “oining us. thank ou. . ~' very much for “oining us. thank ou. . ~ , ., to iran now, where executions rose alarmingly by 25% last year and surged after hardline cleric ebrahim raisi was elected president. that's according to a report by two human rights groups. this comes as the west is currently in difficult negotiations with the iranian government on a new nuclear deal. let's take a look at the figures. in 2020, 267 people were executed in iran. that spiked up to at least 333 people last year. there was also a big leap in executions

for drug—related offences. 25 people were executed in 2020. that number then climbed five times higher, to 126 last year. with me to discuss is the bbc�*s azadeh moshiri. they are alarming, think that is the right word there, but why do the ngos think this is happening? the why do the ngos think this is happening?— why do the ngos think this is haueninu? , _, happening? the ngos are saying this directly _ happening? the ngos are saying this directly to _ happening? the ngos are saying this directly to president - this directly to president ebrahim raisi's election last june, that is because when you look at the numbers they doubled after his election, so they were at 111 611 and jump to 222 afterwards. it has to be said that the president isn't

directly involved in executions in iran, that is thejudiciary, this is a hard—line character put into place a hard—line government and ngos point directly to his own human rights record, he is sanctioned by the united states for human rights abuses and he is a leisurely link to one of the most notorious episodes in iran, the mass execution of political prisoners in the 19805. political prisoners in the 1980s. so ngos argue that when you look at his record that seems to be reflected in his leadership. seems to be reflected in his leadership-— leadership. right. that hard-line _ leadership. right. that hard-line approach - leadership. right. that i hard-line approach leads leadership. right. that - hard-line approach leads to hard—line approach leads to executions, we entered at them for drugs offences, but for some other offences as well, rather particular.— rather particular. that's ri . ht. rather particular. that's right- the _ rather particular. that's right. the judges - rather particular. that's - right. the judges themselves are an area of concern. the un says that some of these charges tend to be arbitrary and the government uses executions as a political tool. government uses executions as a politicaltool. now, government uses executions as a political tool. now, aside from that there also seems to be a concerted targeting of minority communities, the ballouchy community, for example, represents up to 6% of iran's

population, yet they made up 21% of executions in 2021, according to this report. there is also a concern away these —— in the way these executions are taking place, there is one of a medically devastating anecdote of a woman sentenced to be executed and she had a heart attack as she watched several men executed before her, but according to her lawyer authorities then hangs her body anyway. so there is a concern around the number of executions, it also the way they are taking place. it executions, it also the way they are taking place.- they are taking place. it is not a pretty _ they are taking place. it is not a pretty picture - they are taking place. it is not a pretty picture at - they are taking place. it is not a pretty picture at all. | not a pretty picture at all. let's just ask you, we have this ongoing discussion, negotiation about potentially sorting out the nuclear deal, the diplomatic language seems to be suggesting that hope is sliding away here.— sliding away here. that's ri . ht. sliding away here. that's right. ngos _ sliding away here. that's right. ngos have - sliding away here. that's i right. ngos have regularly sliding away here. that's - right. ngos have regularly been asking world powers to address the death penalty in these negotiations and that's because iran executes more people every year than any other country other than china. now, the

issueis other than china. now, the issue is that in those initial negotiations in 20 ten, for the first nuclear deal, this didn't get address, now, as you say, the language does not look good around these negotiations and there is a stalemate, this is one of several obstacles. {lilia one of several obstacles. 0k, azadeh moshiri, _ one of several obstacles. 0k, azadeh moshiri, thank - one of several obstacles. 0k, azadeh moshiri, thank you very much indeed. thanks for that. thank you for being with us on bbc news. still to come: the return of �*the blob'. we find out why scientists in belgium are allowing people to adopt a mysterious slimy organism with no brain or nervous system. i, nelson rolihlahla mandela, do hereby swear to be faithful to the republic of south africa. after six years of construction and numerous delays, the channel tunnel has been formally opened by the queen and president mitterand. but the tunnel is still not yet

ready for passengers and freight services to begin. for centuries, christianity and i islam struggled for supremacy. now, the pope's visit - symbolises their willingness to coexist. roger bannister became the first man in the world to run a mile in underfour minutes. memories of victory as the ve celebrations reach their climax. this night is dedicated to everyone who believes in the future of peace and freedom. this is bbc news. the main story this hour... attempts to evacuate more civilians from the devastated city of mariupol have stalled. ukrainian officials say russia has ended a ceasefire and it's now blocking

humanitarian corridors. the war in ukraine is forcing countries across europe to reconsider doing business with russia. it comes at a time when moscow's most powerful ally, china, continues to expand its economic interests across european countries. but there are allegations of worker exploitation, environmental damage and so—called "debt traps" where beijing has stepped in to lend billions of dollars. china denies the accusations and insists it's a reliable partner and offers investment where others are unwilling. our europe correspondent nick beake has visited key chinese project across the balkans and southern europe and has this special report. it's an unmistakably chinese scene... ..from the workers to the offices. beijing is pouring money into this copper mine, hoping it's a golden gateway to further economic expansion.

but this is not china — it's serbia, on the edge of the eu, where the red of the communist party is leaving its mark. translation: the chinese company treats us terribly. | we tracked down this vietnamese man, who said he'd paid $1,600 to come here for a constructionjob. they forced us to work more, but they did not provide enough supplies. there are 20 or 30 workers living together in each container. they treat us like slaves. after half a year, the father of three tried to leave, but was stranded. shortly after we met, he did manage to return home, only after taking out a $2,000 loan. this is the linglong tyre factory where he worked. employment contracts we've seen appear to be copied and pasted from the middle east. if you're caught stealing,

your hand is chopped off. if you were to murder someone, you're beheaded. the company did not respond to the various allegations made against them. this is the most visible case of labour exploitation we had in the country so far. human rights groups say it's a warning, as chinese business expands further into europe. if you're actually having chinese companies coming to other countries and not having institutions who are strong enough to prevent human rights violations, or labour standards violations, or any other violations, you will have probably the race to the bottom with other companies. from serbia to neighbouring croatia. this former yugoslav country is in the european union, and the eu is paying for its biggest infrastructure project — the peljesac bridge — but it is beijing—built, down to the last bolt.

the tender from the chinese state—owned company was 20% cheaper than its nearest competitor. european rivals called foul, but couldn't stop the deal. croatia and all other european countries face a delicate balancing act in dealing with beijing. concerns remain over alleged debt traps, cyber security, not to mention human rights, but there is a general reluctance to side exclusively with the united states, and to reject all future chinese investment and big infrastructure projects. so, in croatia, we don't. have fears about chinese influence... this academic argues that, if european governments are smart and selective, they can benefit from partnerships with beijing. so if we exclude critical- technologies, if we cooperate on physical things, - like railways, infrastructure projects, i don't thinkl there is much problem in satisfying both the eu, nato, the us and china.

we asked five chinese ambassadors in europe for an interview about beijing's vision for the continent, but none was available. but european countries are reassessing doing business with beijing, which has failed to condemn ally russia's attack on ukraine. it could mean europe watching more big chinese investment opportunities pass by. nick beake, bbc news, croatia. here's a jolly picture for you. this month in new york has proven to be among the busiest on broadway in recent memory, and in fact, it's been a decade since so many new shows opened in april. it's a positive sign of the theatre district's revival, after a pandemic shutdown that lasted more than 18 months however challenges remain. some of theatre's biggest stars have been sidelined due to positive covid tests and there are concerns whether there are enough tourists and theatre—loving

locals to sustain so many new broadway shows. we can now speak to broadway writer and producer, lee seymour, who also covers theatre and live entertainment as a senior contributor for forbes magazine. he joins us from new york. very good to see you. we have done so many stories about the virtual bust of broadway over the last couple of years. this sounds like boom time. it sounds like boom time. it sounds like boom time. it sounds like it, and, in some ways, it is. i think there is a real strong desire to feel the sense that broadway is back, and i think that there is a deeper story under that, where broadway is back for a lot of people, but not for everybody. right. how cautious are the theatre—goers at the moment, and what is it like? if you go to a show on broadway, are there any restrictions? there

are, there any restrictions? there are. yes- _ there any restrictions? there are. yes- so _ there any restrictions? there are, yes. so this _ there any restrictions? there are, yes. so this sort - there any restrictions? there are, yes. so this sort of - there any restrictions? there are, yes. so this sort of ties| are, yes. so this sort of ties into a larger point that i always make in my coverage, which is that broadway is an ecosystem, it is not a monolith, it is 41 theatres and each theatre has its own independent companies, its own start—up basically. so they all have their own protocols. you have their own protocols. you have a show like wicked and lion king, which is a billion global property setting up shop next to a three person play that has never been performed outside new york. those are both broadway shows but they are very different. up until this past weekend, they had been an industrywide mandate for showing proof of your covid vaccine at the door. that has now been dropped and it is sort of up to individual shows whether they want to keep that going or not. there continues to be an indoor masking mandate, so regardless of vaccination status can go into a broadway theatre you wear a mask. i have seen 16 shows open

this month and i have seen most of them already, it is fantastic, it is live theatre, it really is back in that way. but can they all survive? can they coexist? i mean, that is a huge number to be throwing out there. ., ., huge number to be throwing out there. . ., , ., there. yeah, that is the tough bit. the short _ there. yeah, that is the tough bit. the short answer - there. yeah, that is the tough bit. the short answer is - there. yeah, that is the tough bit. the short answer is no, . bit. the short answer is no, no, they can't, and the longer answer is that there never is enough of an audience to support every show that has ever opened on broadway, because that nothing would have a close, but what we are seeing now... so there has or has been a spring, that was been hits and flops, there has or has been that gap between the haves and have—nots. if you look at the sales data, if you look at the sales data, if you look at the average price people are paying per ticket to see different shows, you are seeing that 21 of the 36 shows that are running now, those average tickets are going for about $100 each, and that is a really good sign of strong demand, it means that more than half the shows on broadway, the market

is saying they are really worth paying for. of those 21 shows, only two are brand—new, as in they have opened since the pandemic and one of those is about michaeljackson, the world's biggest pop star on the other one is starring billy crystal, a movie star. so that tells you something about established hits, revivals, versus new work that is trying to make it. versus new work that is trying to make it-— to make it. briefly, that is the business _ to make it. briefly, that is the business of _ to make it. briefly, that is the business of broadwayl to make it. briefly, that is| the business of broadway if to make it. briefly, that is - the business of broadway if you like, it is not as if covid has disappeared, is it? there is a bit of an uplift at the moment in new york. are we seeing a sort of reflection in attendances?- sort of reflection in attendances? , ., attendances? only in so far as i have attendances? only in so far as i have said- — attendances? only in so far as i have said. some _ attendances? only in so far as i have said. some shows - i have said. some shows are packed and sold out. there are plenty of shows that have been running for decades that have huge fan bases and they have been selling better than they were, pre—pandemic. it really is the situation where new material, new work that doesn't have a movie star in it or a fan base to it, that is the one that people are not showing up

to in the way they are showing up to in the way they are showing up to hamilton, lion king, music man, daniel craig in macbeth. music man, daniel craig in macbeth-— music man, daniel craig in macbeth. . . ,, ., macbeth. the classics. good luck to them _ macbeth. the classics. good luck to them all _ macbeth. the classics. good luck to them all but - macbeth. the classics. good luck to them all but nice - macbeth. the classics. good luck to them all but nice to i macbeth. the classics. good i luck to them all but nice to be talking at least on the upside of a broadway story for a change. lee, good to see you. thank you so much. it sounds like something out of a 1950s sci—fi horror film, a mysterious yellow slime, called the blob. it has no brain or nervous system, but it can make decisions, and even solve puzzles. now, scientists in belgium are allowing families to adopt a blob of their own. the bbc�*s tim allman explains. it looks a bit like scrambled eggs gone wrong, but this yellow substance is, in its own way, a scientific marvel. it is a mix so my seat, a type of slimy mould. but when it comes to the blob, it is easier to say what it isn't, rather than what it is. translation: the blob is neither _

what it is. translation: the blob is neither a _ what it is. translation: tue: blob is neither a plant nor an animal nor a fungus. its nucleus will divide every eight hours, and that is why it doubles or even tripled in size every day. doubles or even tripled in size every day-— doubles or even tripled in size eve da. ., , every day. the blob fascinates, because it _ every day. the blob fascinates, because it seems _ every day. the blob fascinates, because it seems to _ every day. the blob fascinates, because it seems to break - every day. the blob fascinates, because it seems to break all i because it seems to break all the normal rules. the doesn't have a mouth, stomach or eyes, but it can detect and consume food. it doesn't have a brain, but it seems to be able to think. looking for answers, a team of young scientists are being recruited to experiment with the blob at home. here is the precious — with the blob at home. here is the precious envelope - with the blob at home. here is the precious envelope in - with the blob at home. here is the precious envelope in which j the precious envelope in which the precious envelope in which the blob is stored. the blob is asleep. when you have decided which day you are going to start, you are going to wake the blob up by soaking it in water. : . . the blob up by soaking it in water. �* , , , �* ., water. assuming it isn't an alien invader _ water. assuming it isn't an alien invader secretly - water. assuming it isn't an - alien invader secretly planning to take over the world, some sort of scientific breakthrough may occur. and, finally, we might discover the secrets of

the blob. tim allman, bbc news. the return, that is, of the blob. you are watching bbc news. hello, there. cloud was the main weather feature for many places on bank holiday monday, and we take lots of that cloud with us into tuesday. the cloud showing up here on our earlier satellite picture. it is low cloud. it's turning things quite misty and murky in places, and there are some weak frontal systems, just providing enough impetus to give a little bit of rain and drizzle, here and there. but a mostly cloudy start to tuesday, some spots of rain and drizzle around, and where things brighten up, perhaps most especially in southern england and wales, where we see some sunshine, we will also see some scattered heavy showers and the odd thunderstorm breaking out into the afternoon. many spots will stay quite cloudy. rather cool for some north sea coasts. ten degrees for aberdeen and newcastle, 16 for cardiff, 17 in london, and we see some showery rain into northern ireland through the afternoon. that will push across a good part of scotland through the evening, and then getting down into parts of england

and wales through the early hours of wednesday. but the rain, quite fragmented, quite hit and miss. there'll still be some lengthy dry spells, a mild start to wednesday morning. those outbreaks of rain brought about by this very weak frontal system. it's running into relatively high pressure, so that means it's certainly not going to be a wash—out. the rain, very hit and miss, very sporadic. some showery bursts of rain, tending to clear eastwards. then we'll see some sunshine on wednesday, some brighter skies, generally, but quite a few showers, some of which will be heavy and thundery. it will be a warmer day, highs, for many, between 15—19 degrees. and that theme continues, as we head towards the end of the week. high pressure building to the south, frontal systems running to the north—west of the uk, and this broadly south—westerly flow of air bringing some rather warm conditions in our direction. so, thursday looks like this. much of england and wales will be dry, with some sunny spells and just the odd shower. northern ireland and scotland seeing more cloud and some splashes of rain at times,

but not all the time. but the temperatures, 15 degrees there for glasgow, 16 for belfast, but 21 in london, maybe somewhere towards the south east getting to 22 degrees. now, on friday, there'll some warmth once again towards the south east of the uk. but this band of rain looks like it will make some progress southwards, and behind that, something just a little bit cooler and fresher. so, temperatures of 12 degrees for stornoway, but 20 the high in london.

this is bbc news. the headlines: attempts to evacuate more civilians from the devastated city of mariupol have stalled. ukrainian officials say russia has ended a ceasefire and it's now blocking humanitarian corridors. ukrainian fighters inside the azovstal steel plant say russian troops are using planes, tanks, and warship missiles to pound the sprawling industrial site. the strategically important port city of odesa has been hit by another missile strike. details of injuries are still emerging, but the city council has confirmed a 15—year—old boy was killed. it's the second attack there in just a few days after odesa's airport was targeted on saturday. and israel has some in moscow's

ambassadorfor and israel has some in moscow's ambassador for what