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The Donetsk theatre in the city of Mariupol was supposed to be a place of safety for hundreds of civilians sheltering during the first few weeks of Russia’s invasion in Ukraine. A sign bearing the word “children” was marked on the ground outside, visible from the air.

On 16 March 2022, the building was bombed. Authorities at the time said about 300 people had died, although some estimates were higher.

The stories of survivors are now being recounted by actors who were among those sheltering in the theatre at the time. Mariupol Drama, a play which opens in the UK this week, features real video footage captured on their phones, and personal items saved from the rubble.

A warning that children were sheltering inside the theatre was visible from space. Pic: Maxar Technologies
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A warning that children were sheltering inside the theatre was visible from the skies. Pic: Maxar Technologies

Olena Bila and her partner Ihor Kytrysh, who have acted at the theatre since 2003, managed to escape the devastation with their son, Matvii.

“This is a story with a lot of memories from a previous life,” Olena tells Sky News from Ukraine, speaking through a translator. “We worked and lived in Mariupol and did what we loved. In a few days, we lost everything.”

The family also lost their home. Olena says she hopes the play shows that material possessions are not what’s important.

“We lost the material side of our lives. We want to show for everybody that all items around you, the material side of your life, doesn’t matter… it’s your mind, it’s your soul, it’s your heart [that does].”

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Mariupol Theatre 
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The theatre was bombed in March 2022

The couple also hope the production will remind people, almost three years on from the start of Russia’s invasion, that the war is still ongoing.

“We are still at war,” Olena says. “It’s our stories, real stories. Not Hollywood fiction, but a story of real people in Ukraine.

“It’s very hard to see that this war is still continuing. We still have no room for our plans for the future.”

After the start of Russia’s invasion in February 2022, the theatre, in the city’s Tsentralnyi district, became a hub for the distribution of medicine, food and water, and a designated gathering point for people hoping to be evacuated from Mariupol via humanitarian corridors.

Personal items saved from the theatre in Mariupol, Ukraine, which was bombed by Russia in 2022, are used on stage in the play, Mariupol Drama. Pic: Tiberi Shiutiv
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Personal items saved from the theatre are used on stage in the play. Pic: Tiberi Shiutiv

The building was attacked after weeks of Russian fire on Mariupol.

Vira Lebedynska, the theatre’s head of music and drama, is also one of the performers in Mariupol Drama. When the bombs hit, she was sheltering in an underground room used for music recording which remained mostly untouched, she says.

It saved her.

Russia denied bombing the building deliberately. Following their own investigation, Amnesty International described the attack as a war crime.

British actor David MacCreedy heard about Mariupol Drama and met the actors during an aid trip to Ukraine and says he was struck “by just how powerful it was”. He has been instrumental in bringing the story to the UK.

“It needed to be seen here,” he says.

The play’s actors want to show that despite the destruction of the building, Mariupol’s theatre is still alive.

“Our theatre is fighting,” says Olena.”It is restored not to cry, but to fight.”

Mariupol Drama is on at the Home performing arts centre in Manchester from today until Saturday.

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Robin Kaye: American Idol TV executive and her husband shot dead inside their Los Angeles home

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Robin Kaye: American Idol TV executive and her husband shot dead inside their Los Angeles home

An American Idol TV executive and her husband have been found dead in their LA home.

Robin Kaye was a music supervisor on the long-running reality TV series.

The bodies of the 70-year-old and her husband Thomas were discovered after officers conducted a welfare check at their home.

Both had died from gunshot wounds.

Robin Kaye and her husband Thomas. Pic: Facebook
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Robin Kaye and her husband Thomas. Pic: Facebook

Detectives say Raymond Boodarian has been arrested in connection with their deaths.

It is alleged the 22-year-old had burgled their property while they were away on 10 July – killing the couple upon their return.

According to Los Angeles Police, there were “no signs of forced entry or trouble” at the property.

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Ms Kaye was an industry veteran – and had previously worked on shows including Lip Sync Battle and The Singing Bee, as well as several Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants.

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Pic: ABC7 Los Angeles
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Pic: ABC7 Los Angeles

In a statement, an American Idol spokesperson said: “Robin has been a cornerstone of the Idol family since 2009 and was truly loved and respected by all who came in contact with her.

“Robin will remain in our hearts forever and we share our deepest sympathy with her family and friends during this difficult time.”

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Action taken to stop ticketless Oasis fans from watching this week’s shows in Manchester

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Action taken to stop ticketless Oasis fans from watching this week's shows in Manchester

Huge steel fences have been erected to prevent ticketless fans from watching the Oasis reunion tour in Manchester.

Liam and Noel Gallagher will resume their sold-out run of shows – their first since 2009 – with a performance at Heaton Park tonight, and two more on Saturday and Sunday.

While tens of thousands bought tickets for Oasis’s first two shows last weekend, crowds gathered to glimpse the large screens above the stage in the distance – in an area dubbed “Gallagher Hill” by some on social media.

People walk past a temporary security fence erected ahead of concerts by Oasis in Heaton Park on 1 July. File pic: Reuters
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People walk past a temporary security fence erected ahead of concerts by Oasis in Heaton Park on 1 July. Reuters file pic

Manchester City Council has now said more steel fences have been erected around parts of the park to prevent ticketless fans from watching the gigs, and to protect nature in the park.

“After taking stock of how the first two nights went, additional measures have now been deemed necessary and will be in place for the next three concerts,” it said.

“The erection of the fencing has a dual purpose – both to protect the environment from further damage and to dissuade people from gathering there.

“The necessary measure means the concert will no longer be visible from this area.”

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The fences will cover a large area of the hill within the park’s cattle field, which is being developed as a new woodland area with around 300 young trees planted.

The council added that there would be no facilities for people without a ticket, and said the event area is “double-walled with solid high security fencing all the way round”.

More than 2,000 event security staff and police officers will also be on duty around the site “to ensure both the safety and wellbeing of ticket-holders and that only those who have tickets access the concert”, it said.

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John Hacking, the council’s executive member for employment, skills and leisure, also said in a statement that “unfortunately our hand has been forced in having to put these additional measures in place”.

He added: “Our advice to music fans who don’t have tickets for the concerts is to head into the city centre instead.

“The whole city is going all out to celebrate and help everyone have a good time.

“We’ve got some fantastic things going on with a real party atmosphere for everyone to enjoy, whether they’ve got tickets for the Oasis gigs or not.”

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MasterChef presenter John Torode sacked

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MasterChef presenter John Torode sacked

MasterChef presenter John Torode will no longer work on the show after an allegation he used an “extremely offensive racist term” was upheld, the BBC has said.

His co-host Gregg Wallace was also sacked last week after claims of inappropriate behaviour.

On Monday, Torode said an allegation he used racist language was upheld in a report into the behaviour of Wallace. The report found more than half of 83 allegations against Wallace were substantiated.

Torode, 59, insisted he had “absolutely no recollection” of the alleged incident involving him and he “did not believe that it happened,” adding “racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment”.

John Torode and Gregg Wallace in 2008. Pic:PA
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John Torode and Gregg Wallace in 2008. Pic: PA

In a statement on Tuesday, a BBC spokesperson said the allegation “involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace”.

The claim was “investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm Lewis Silkin”, they added.

“The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously,” the spokesperson said.

“We will not tolerate racist language of any kind… we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken.

“John Torode’s contract on MasterChef will not be renewed.”

Australian-born Torode started presenting MasterChef alongside Wallace, 60, in 2005.

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Why Gregg Wallace says he ‘will not go quietly’

A statement from Banijay UK said it “takes this matter incredibly seriously” and Lewis Silkin “substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against John Torode which occurred in 2018”.

“This matter has been formally discussed with John Torode by Banijay UK, and whilst we note that John says he does not recall the incident, Lewis Silkin have upheld the very serious complaint,” the TV production company added.

“Banijay UK and the BBC are agreed that we will not renew his contract on MasterChef.”

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Earlier, as the BBC released its annual report, its director-general Tim Davie addressed MasterChef’s future, saying it can survive as it is “much bigger than individuals”.

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BBC annual report findings

Speaking to BBC News after Torode was sacked, Mr Davie said a decision is yet to be taken over whether an unseen MasterChef series – filmed with both Wallace and Torode last year – will be aired.

“It’s a difficult one because… those amateur chefs gave a lot to take part – it means a lot, it can be an enormous break if you come through the show,” he added.

“I want to just reflect on that with the team and make a decision, and we’ll communicate that in due course.”

Mr Davie refused to say what the “seriously racist term” Torode was alleged to have used but said: “I certainly think we’ve drawn a line in the sand.”

In 2022, Torode was made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, for services to food and charity.

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