america's top diplomat makes a surprise visit to ukraine, reaffirming us support for the country. and in donald trump's hush money trial, his former attorney michael cohen returns to the witness stand. i'm sumi somaskanda. thank you forjoining us. riot police have now moved in, clashing with protestors in the georgian capital of tbilisi, as parliament passed a divisive foreign agent law that has already sparked weeks of mass protests. the law would force civil society and media organisations to register if they receive foreign funding. on tuesday, georgia's parliament passed the third and final reading of the bill, clearing a major hurdle before it can become law. it's likely to be vetoed by georgia's president, but parliament can override the veto with an additional vote. critics are dubbing it "the russia law". they say that it's similar to legislation russia uses

to suppress certain opinions and silence critics of the kremlin. those who oppose the bill also argue that the legislation could negatively affect georgia's chances ofjoining the european union. the bbc�*s rayhan demytrie has been on the ground in tbilisi and sent this report. they marched in with a warning against the protesters who have been demonstrating outside parliament for weeks. protesters stood defiantly, refusing to move away... ..and then violence... ..all in the name of a contentious law, which protesters fear will mark the end of georgia's democracy. you get a sense, now, they are moving more intensely, and the protesters are beginning to boo. they're being pushed away from the square.

we will be in the eu. we will be in the eu! freedom to the georgians! georgian people are standing for their rights, to make a decision, which is to be against this law. we do not wish it. it is dragging us back into the same hole that we finally crawled out of. a similarforeign agents law exists in russia, used there to crack down on the government's critics. georgians worry the same thing might happen here. they are liars, they are putin's guys, you know? they are doing russian work here. earlier, mps from the governing party passed the law after a debate turned into a brawl. authorities defended the bill, saying it would help protect georgia from foreign interference. critics suspect the government is trying to defend the interests of one man, bidzina ivanishvili, a billionaire who made his fortune in russia.

that is also intrinsically very russian — to defend the interests of one man against the interests of one nation. these mass protests have been driven by georgia's youth, standing up to defend the national dream of a future in europe. here in the us, white house press secretary, said "we are deeply troubled by georgia's kremlin—style "foreign agents legislation". she then said, "if this legislation passes, it "will compel us to fundamentally reassess our "relationship with georgia". i talked about the demonstrations with ambassador william courtney. he served as us ambassador to georgia, and to kazakhstsan, and is currently a senior fellow at rand.

it is clear that popular support is opposed to the government. the key is will the security forces break or will they continue to impose fairly brutal treatment on demonstrators? in 2014 ukraine security forces broke, there was a fleeing of the country, we don't know what will happen in georgia but there is a lot of pressure on the security forces now and a lot of people in georgia are upset. the biden administration informed congress its moving forward with more than $1 billion in new weapons for israel. the announcement — first reported by the wall streetjourrnal — comes less than a week after the white house paused an arms shipment to israel, over concerns about israel's planned invasion of rafah in southern gaza. alerting congress triggers a review period, which could allow lawmakers to try and halt the deal. meanwhile, in gaza, the un says almost 450,000 people have fled rafah in the past week, as israeli forces step up their military campaign against hamas in the southern gazan city. that's about one third of the population that was sheltering there, while in the north of gaza, thousands are feeling israeli bombardment around jabalia. critical supplies, like fuel, medicine, and other aid, are running out,

with both major aid crossings into gaza closed for more than a week, much like the stalled talks for a ceasefire, which have reached an impasse, with both sides trading blame. 0ur correspondent paul adams has more. the prime minister of qatar today said that the latest fighting had really damaged efforts to get another ceasefire, that the chances of a breakthrough were diminishing. about a week ago, it did seem there were hopes of a breakthrough. now those hopes appear to have been dashed. donald trump's defence team cross—examined michael cohen, trump's former lawyer, on tuesday, attacking his credibility as a witness. mr cohen claimed that mr trump approved a plan to reimburse him for a hush money payment made to adult film actress, stormy daniels, and that he kept mr trump

informed at each stage. on his way out at the end of the day, mr trump spoke to the media, saying he would "love to not be under "the gag order", and mentioned he would rather be out on the campaign trail. 0ur north american correspondentjohn sudworth was at the court house, where mr trump was joined by several republican supporters. donald trump's defence team has, as expected, gone in pretty hard, attempting to question michael cohen's integrity in front of the jury. it was mr cohen who made the hush money payment to stormy daniels, the prosecution tried to use his evidence to tie the hush money payment, not only donald trump but to show that donald trump knew that it had been improperly disguised as legal fees. but on the stand, under some pretty tough questioning, the defence attempted to portray mr cohen not only as a liar but somebody motivated by bitterness and a financial interest, somebody now interested in securing donald trump's conviction in this trial. we should say that this is an approach the prosecution

had anticipated, they got their retaliation in early, if you like, because during their questioning of mr cohen in the earlier parts of his evidence, they had him freely admit that he had told lies, that he had that criminal conviction. but the purpose, he was always clear to say, was in defence of his boss, and at his boss's behest. so in the end it will really come down to whether the jury believes the prosecution or the defence in their betrayal of michael cohen's character and his motives. we should also say the other thing that was significant about today was the large amount of support on display for donald trump, with some senior republican figures here at the courthouse, most notably mikejohnson, the house speaker, and critics have said that it is remarkable, not to have him here in support of donald trump but to hear him criticising the process itself, calling the trial "corrupt".

some people will say that that is a dangerous undermining of us democratic institutions, coming of course on behalf of a man who stands accused himself of having attempted to subvert the transfer of democratic power back in 2021. with me is lanny davis, an attorney, who has previously served as a spokesperson for, and represented, michael cohen. really good to have you with us. there were a lot of questions asked about whether michael cohen would be able to keep his call on the stand. how do you think you did? —— keep his cool. i do you think you did? -- keep his cool-— his cool. i was not in the court room _ his cool. i was not in the court room but - his cool. i was not in the court room but my - his cool. i was not in the j court room but my name his cool. i was not in the i court room but my name is his cool. i was not in the - court room but my name is used in vain by one of the trump lawyers, so that's one of the reasons i didn't want to be there as a distraction. he was under great pressure from his family that really was very upset with his lying for donald trump for ten years, as i was. so he went to a congressional hearing, in public, under oath, on american and international television, live, with

republicans haranguing him about being a liar. there was a sign on the wall, liar, liar, pants on fire, and for a full day he sat there and take these insults, and harangues, by the republicans on the committee. so he's been there done that. he's been that we saw donald trump's lawyers of course trying to discredit him today, pointing to his character. they zeroed in on some of the comments he has made during the trial, calling trump names "dictator". do you think the comments he has may take away from his credibility? it comments he has may take away from his credibility?— from his credibility? it would if the trial— from his credibility? it would if the trial were _ from his credibility? it would if the trial were about - from his credibility? it would if the trial were about his - if the trial were about his credibility, but this is a distraction, a strategy to change the subject, which... wait a change the subject, which... waita minute, change the subject, which... wait a minute, but his credibility as a prime witness in making this payment is of course important, isn't it? 0rdinarily, it would be, but the way this case was constructed, and i was there step—by—step, everything he testifies to is corroborated by documents, text messages, e—mails. if it was just his word, then yes, of course the

attacks on his credibility. he still has to pass the test of credibility of course, and i gave him the only way. he has to own his lies, admit to his lies, and express contrition, and whether people believe that contrition or not, there will be scepticism, but that's the only way. he's got to own his lies and says he wants to tell the truth and then see whether the truth and then see whether the jury believes him. the truth and then see whether thejury believes him. that the truth and then see whether the jury believes him.— the “my believes him. that is the jury believes him. that is the big question, _ the jury believes him. that is the big question, whether. the jury believes him. that is| the big question, whether the jury the big question, whether the jury believes in. he talked about wanting to get donald trump thrown in jail. about wanting to get donald trump thrown injail. this is something donald trump brought up something donald trump brought up today. are you concerned the jury up today. are you concerned the jury could see he has a panel of personal vendetta of against donald trump?— donald trump? again, if it was 'ust as donald trump? again, if it was just as well _ donald trump? again, if it was just as well against _ donald trump? again, if it was just as well against front's - just as well against front's than his understandable anger towards trump would be hurtful. but every step of the way, i was there for two years behind closed doors as they constructed the case you saw the prosecutors layout, everything he says is backed up multiple times. for example

david pecker of the national enquirer, i think similar tabloids in the uk, the national enquirer in the us, every single thing david pecker said corroborated what michael cohen testify to, so it is not just michael cohen, somebody him up, so that is really the key element here. yes, his credibility has too i think through to thejury credibility has too i think through to the jury as sincere, but he is backed up by documents. this but he is backed up by documents.— but he is backed up by documents. a ~ ., , , documents. as you know, this is not 'ust documents. as you know, this is not just a _ documents. as you know, this is notjust a question _ documents. as you know, this is notjust a question of _ documents. as you know, this is notjust a question of whether. not just a question of whether a hush money payment was made, it is a case within a case. it is not easy. do you think the prosecution has made a strong case here? i prosecution has made a strong case here?— case here? i think it is as stron: case here? i think it is as strong a _ case here? i think it is as strong a case _ case here? i think it is as strong a case you - case here? i think it is as strong a case you can - case here? i think it is as i strong a case you can make without saying donald trump personally wrote the books the false ledger that said these were legal expenses when they were legal expenses when they were repayments to michael cohen for illegal political donations that thwarted the american people from knowing the truth right before the election. and the case on his being directly writing the

ledger is really not necessary, either in the uk or any other democratic legal system. for example, if you have a jury, and they go to sleep at night and they go to sleep at night and there is no snow on the ground, and the next morning they wake up and there is snow on the ground, they can connect beyond a reasonable doubt that it snowed, even though they didn't see it snowed. that is what this case is about, logic and common sense.- what this case is about, logic and common sense. what do you antici ate and common sense. what do you anticipate will _ and common sense. what do you anticipate will happen _ and common sense. what do you anticipate will happen next - and common sense. what do you anticipate will happen next in - anticipate will happen next in this trial? we are anticipating it could conclude very soon. the one thing i am anticipating is that donald trump lied when he said i would testify. you don't think— he said i would testify. you don't think you _ he said i would testify. you don't think you will? - he said i would testify. you don't think you will? i - he said i would testify. you| don't think you will? i don't think s0- — don't think you will? i don't think so. he _ don't think you will? i don't think so. he will— don't think you will? i don't think so. he will not - don't think you will? i don't think so. he will not make | don't think you will? i don't| think so. he will not make a good witness for the defence, so after telling all his supporters, bravely, iwould testify, michael cohen stands up testify, michael cohen stands up to all the heat, and guess who are sitting in his chair with his eyes close he will not testify? so my guess is that the case is over, by trying to destroy michael cohen, changing the subject, as to what do the facts and documents show that

are bolstered by michael cohen's testimony. irate are bolstered by michael cohen's testimony. we will have to live a babet _ cohen's testimony. we will have to live a babet thank _ cohen's testimony. we will have to live a babet thank you - cohen's testimony. we will have to live a babet thank you for - to live a babet thank you for sharing your insights. good to have you sharing your insights. good to have ou ., ~ sharing your insights. good to have ou . ~ around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at another story making the headlines. it is finally open — the uk's biggest indoor arena — co—op live — has staged its first performance, after weeks of last—minute cancellations and chaos. the manchester band, elbow, opened the arena in their home city. the new £365 million venue has been blighted by setbacks. shows by peter kay, 0livia rodrigo, take that, and other acts, had to be cancelled or moved. but as colin paterson reports, those problems ended tonight. after opening night being cancelled on three previous occasions, a gig was actually going ahead. you go through something like this, you go to bed at night with the demons. this morning, the boss of co—op live showed us around. as much as i love doing these interviews with you, and i think

this is our third one, i don't think we will be doing a fourth. and although the manchester venue has now finally opened, parts of the venue are still not finished. dozens of construction workers were on the site on tuesday morning, and its boss has said it could take another six months before it is fully completed. the next shows include the black keys, eric clapton and barry manilow. you're live with bbc news. us secretary of state antony blinken made a surprise visit to kyiv at what he called a "critical moment" for the country, amid a fresh russian offensive. the top us diplomat sought to reassure ukrainians of american support. the coming weeks and months will demand a great deal of ukrainians, who have already sacrificed so much. but i have come to ukraine with the message: you are not alone. the united states has been by your side from day one. we are with you today, and we will stay by your side until ukraine's

security, its sovereignty, its ability to choose its own path, is guaranteed. mr blinken also met with ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky, who, in response to mr blinken�*s assurances, emphasised ukraine's need for fresh military aid. since friday, ukrainian troops have been struggling to push back against a new russian offensive in the north of the country. this, here, is the map of the battlefield. areas in red show what is now under russian occupation. but heavy fighting has opened a new front in the northeast, near kharkiv. the area has already changed hands in this war, and moscow seeks to take kharkiv again. thousands of civilians are trying to flee the area, as our defence correspondent jonathan beale reports. gunfire there was some ukrainian resistance when russian troops first crossed the border. this video shows ukrainian border guards trying to stop that advance. but others simply walked in, and russia's taken more than 50 square miles of ukrainian territory in a matter of days.

russian troops have now entered vovchansk. this recent drone feed shows a fierce fight for the town. even ukraine's most senior commanders admit the situation is critical and tense. one reason why they're now restricting access to the front. people living close to the fighting taking everything they can, by any means possible, are leaving in their hundreds. though local officials are trying to dispel any sense of panic. translation: no, i we were not surprised by this attack. we just didn't know where exactly it would happen. we knew that some kind of attack was expected and that they would look for a place to find the weakness. he said the situation had stabilised, but that's not how it felt to valentina, who had to be rescued from her home.

translation: it wasn't 'ust loud, it was very loud. h we hardly had time to get out. the russians were already close. really close. yana had already packed her belongings before this latest russian attack. yes, we were ready, - because all the warnings were just clear- that that could happen. and do you think the ukrainian army was ready? i don't think so. this is what the russians left behind the first time they were here, in 2022 — a village completely destroyed and deserted — and just a few miles up there, the russians are doing exactly the same again in this latest assault. kharkiv city is where thousands are taking refuge, but it, too, is only 20 miles from the russian border. many here have already endured occupation, then liberation, and they're having to live

through the trauma once again. the white house is unveiling new tariffs, targeting china, saying beijing's unfair trading practices harm american jobs and key industries, such as clean energy and electric vehicles. under president biden�*s new policy, tariffs on chinese electric cars will quadruple from 25% to 100%. levies on steel will triple, and the rate on semiconductors will double. china criticized the move, warning that it would, china criticised the move, warning that it would "seriously affect the atmosphere of bilateral "cooperation." the levies are the latest escalation in a trade war between the world's two largest economies that has roots in former president donald trump's administration. earlier, president biden contrasted his policies with those of mr trump. my my predecessor promised to increase productivity and boost manufacture but he didn't

either, he failed. he signed a trade deal with china, supposed to buy more than $200 million of american goods, instead chinese imports barely budged. while in office, mr trump favoured broad tariffs on american goods. 0n the campaign trail, the former president has proposed higher tariffs on foreign imports and investment restrictions between the us and china. president biden says he's taking a more targeted approach, increasing tariffs in emerging high—tech industries, like clean energy and semiconductors. but the biden white house will maintain trump—era tariffs on an estimated $360 billion chinese imports. i spoke about the us—china trade relationship with manisha singh, former assistant secretary of state for the bureau of economics and business affairs in the trump administration. let's talk about these tariffs. they focus on critical technologies, things like semiconductors and electric vehicles, and the white house national economic council director said china's trade practices have "harmed

communities in michigan and pennsylvania and around the country that are now having the opportunity to come back, due to president biden�*s investment agenda". what impact do you think these tariffs will actually have here in the us? well, thank you so much for the opportunity to talk to you about these tariffs. i think what we've been looking at is a slow decline of us industries over the last several decades, so the industries that you mentioned when it comes to critical technologies, everything from electric vehicles, all of the things that have been tariffs, we've been watching this go on for several decades, and in the last administration, the posture towards china finally changed. instead ofjust having a conversation, the trump administration decided that we needed to actually take action, and the biden administration is continuing that. we are seeing this new policy towards china. we need to be able to do things so that our domestic industries can regain their strength. when

american workers and companies have a level playing field, they can compete and win, but we've seen over the decades that china has stacked the deck and is not proceeding to the rules of the world trade organisation, so the biden 0rganisation, so the biden administration is trying to level the playing field —— not acceding. levelthe playing field -- not acceding-— levelthe playing field -- not accedinu. . , ., ., acceding. that is what we heard from the biden _ acceding. that is what we heard from the biden administration l from the biden administration in introducing these tariffs today, but there are many business groups who want to see some relief on tariffs, including those put in place by the trump administration, and the trump administration, and the national retail federation said today this is the last thing the biden administration should be doing, because inflation is still high. so is this ultimately going to hit consumers here in the us heart? well, i think you raised a great point about the tariffs and the effect on the consumers, and we have to remember that tariffs on these products are one part of the equation. i think that the

biden administration needs to look at the complete picture. you will recall today we saw very high inflation data coming in. inflation is still hot, it hasn't cooled. that affects the fed's decision on rates. so tariffs are one part of the equation. i think the biden administration needs to look at keeping the trump tax cuts in place. we need to look at deregulation, in order to regain our energy independence, so how i would characterise thatis so how i would characterise that is let's look at the big picture. tariffs are one part of the equation, and if they are instituted correctly, if the biden administration takes a look at how to phase in these tariffs, it can have a negligible effect on the economy. but i would really emphasise the broader picture. you talked about a new relationship with china, and of course we have had from china as well, saying this is political manipulation that will seriously affect the atmosphere of bilateral

cooperation. china does remain one of the us�*s biggest trading partners, that's a reality, what kind of retaliation do you anticipate from china? i would no back anticipate from china? i would go back to _ anticipate from china? i would go back to the _ anticipate from china? i would go back to the fact _ anticipate from china? i would go back to the fact that - anticipate from china? i would go back to the fact that when l go back to the fact that when china acceded to the world trade organisation in 2021, we supported it, we granted permanent trade relations but that agreement was for the chinese to adhere to the global rules of trade, just as we do. so i think that what the us under both the trump administration and the biden administration and the biden administration is asking for is for china to adhere to these global rules of trade, and certainly it is within their purview to decide what their reactions are. but our response from the us side should be that we are following rules of trade, we are playing fair. i want to ask you, as we mentioned a course can be usurped during the trump administration, and these tariffs to build, as you said, on what we saw president trump do during his time in office.

president biden was asked today about this comment from president trump, who said that china is eating our lunch, and in response president biden said he's been feeding them a long time. what do you think of that? ~ ., ., that? well, somi, what i would sa is in that? well, somi, what i would say is in the — that? well, somi, what i would say is in the trump _ say is in the trump administration it was in the first administration where we changed the posture towards china. rememberthe biden china. remember the biden administration china. rememberthe biden administration is continuing those policies. prior to the trump administration —— biden administration, we have the strategic economic dialogue, we have the strategic and economic dialogue, kept having conversations. it was president trump who finally came in and said we are going to take action, we are going to level the playing field, we are going to create a fairer set of circumstances where american workers can compete and win, and it is president biden�*s administration that is continuing the posture and a new relationship carved out in

the trump administration. irate the trump administration. we have to leave _ the trump administration. we have to leave it there, but really interesting conversation. thank you for joining us today.— conversation. thank you for joining us today. thank you, sumi. joining us today. thank you, sumi- an — joining us today. thank you, sumi. an update _ joining us today. thank you, sumi. an update from - joining us today. thank you, i sumi. an update from france. a huge manhunt is underway after two french prison officers were killed and three others injured when a heavily armed gang ambushed their prison van. the brazen attack took place in incarville near the city of rouen in normandy. three other prison guards were injured when their van inside the van was a drug dealer, mohammed amra, known as "the fly", who was being taken from court to prison when the ambush took place at a toll booth. nasa says the sun produced its largest solar fare tuesday in its 11—year solar cycle that began in 2020. last week, other similar giant solar explosions were responsible for dazzling northern lights displays around the world. but nasa says the latest huge solar flare is not expected to have a geomagnetic impact on earth. thank you for watching bbc news. hello. we've some damp weather out there at the moment, and there's also some rain

in the forecast for wednesday — not an awful lot. here's the outlook for the rest of the week — a bit of a mixed bag, a little bit of sunshine, some scattered showers, but at least it'll be relatively warm. now, on the satellite picture, you'll notice this swirl of cloud — that's an area of low pressure. this is the weather front, and this low pressure will stick around really for the rest of the week. so, actually, the overall weather pattern won't change an awful lot across the uk, but there will be some regional differences from day to day, of course. here's the morning, then — around 7am, we will have had temperatures between 12—14 celsius, some damp, if not at times wet, weather from east anglia into lincolnshire and along these eastern counties. but elsewhere, it's a bright and even sunny start to the day, and through the afternoon, i think our best weather will be in the north of scotland. some sunshine there in the highlands, and temperatures could reach 23 celsius. that's the exception, though — for most of us, it'll be in the range of 18—20 celsius. now, with this low pressure not really moving away anywhere, the weather front's still in the same place,

so thicker cloud and, at times, outbreaks of rain from east anglia and across northern england, and elsewhere, we'll see some clear spells, and here's thursday morning — again, the weather front still in the same place, at least roughly. there'll be some glimmers of brightness between the layers of cloud, but also some rain at times — or at least showers — coming and going, and again, temperatures between around 18—20 celsius — maybe a little bit cooler where the clouds thicker and the rain's just that little bit heavier. into friday, then — you can see the distribution of showers in slightly different places in scotland, maybe the north—west of england, too. i think further south, it should be brighter, and again, temperatures don't really change — it's because that area of low pressure is basically carrying the same atmosphere, and the temperatures won't be changing. high pressure is starting to push in through the weekend, but it'll be a very slow process, so don't expect major changes. so here's the summary for the rest of the week, and the forecast into

the weekend — notice that actually more northern parts of the uk fare better, as we head into the weekend, with some sunshine on the way for belfast, and really quite warm. bye— bye.

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