to defeat putin and to build this beautiful russia of the future. georgia's president vetoes a controversial "foreign agents" law that's caused mass protests, but she will almost certainly be overruled by parliament. and a boil water notice has been lifted for most residents after a parasite outbreak in devon. hello and welcome to bbc news. i'm lukwesa burak. we begin this hour in ukraine, where president zelensky says his country only has about a quarter of the amount of air defences it needs to fight off russian attacks. he said ukraine needed up to 130 of the western f—16 fighter jets. dozens are due to arrive

sometime this yearfrom european donor countries — and ukrainian pilots are currently being trained. mr zelensky also said the military was still short of manpower and russia could increase its attacks in ukraine's north east following its recent gains near the city of kharkiv. translation: we need to staff the reserve. - there are a serious number of brigrades which a large number of them are empty. we need to do this so the guys can have a normal rotation, then their morale will be improved. our ukraine correspondent james waterhouse outlined how desperate this need is for air defences. well, he always plonks air defences at the top of his wish list, that's been the case for the last year or so, because of two things — russia has continued to launch

missile attacks on cities across ukraine, but russia has become more dominant in the air, right across the front line. so that means that when you have exhausted, thinly stretched ukrainian troops trying to defend cities, you have russian fighter jets flying in and dropping missiles and glide bombs, and as in the situation in the north—east with this incursion, we hearfrom authorities around the town of vovchansk on the border, they are saying thousands of glide bombs have been dropped, which reflects, i think, russia's ability to mount these strikes unchallenged. so president zelensky has been quite specific on what he needs and lacks. he wants more air defence systems, he says he's only got a quarter of what he needs. he's also specified how many f—16 fighterjets he would like. despite ukrainian pilots being trained and thejets being promised,

not one has been used operationally by ukraine. it has not happened, we are halfway through 2024 and no fighterjets, but he's not giving up on that, clearly. the former chief of staff to the russian opposition leader alexei navalny has vowed to never give up fighting against president putin. mr navalny died in february in a russian prison. leonid volkov said the fight to change the country must go ahead despite his death. mr volkov was badly beaten in a hammer attack in march in lithuania which he believes was ordered by president putin's regime. in his first interview since that attack, he also backed mr navalny�*s widow yulia to lead the opposition campaign against mr putin. he was speaking to the bbc�*s laura kuensberg.

he was a close friend, a great guy, an inspiring personality, a true hero, and a great and very capable political leader. there is no substitution for him, and this loss will always be just like an open wound in our hearts, in the hearts of his colleagues and friends. but we also know that he asked us to never give up and to continue our work and to build this to defeat putin and to build this beautiful russia of the future that alexei dreamed of for so many years, is the only practical way to preserve his legacy and to make his ultimate sacrifice not to be in vain. yulia is also a very strong personality and a charismatic leader. she never wanted to be in this public role,

and she was always a very close political advisor to alexei, and for us, as navalny�*s organisation, the teams that navalny organised, gather together, it's very clear and natural that our task in this situation is just to support yulia and all her endeavours in everything that she does. and that's what we are doing now, of course. leonid volkov. just to brief and breaking news. the afp news agency has said that the israeli army has retrieved another hostage body from gaza. so the israeli army has said that the body

of one hostage has been retrieved from gaza, there is off the back of three others that were retrieved on the 17th which was yesterday. and they were shiny look, ammeter bis killer and its lack, we have no information of the identity of this hostage. when we get those details, we will. just add, we have had more information that has just come in. the idf has said that the body of the hostage is retrieved in gaza, and has now been returned to israel

for burial. that is the fourth body in just over 24—hour is. that the idf has retrieved from the un—clave of gaza. we are going to return to one of our top stories and that is ukraine. let's return to our top story — the war in ukraine, and speak to member of ukrainian parliament, lesia vasylenko. i want to talk first of about some of the challenges that have been faced by president zelensky and straight off the back of the new law that has come into force today in terms of mobilisation. do you understand why a lot of people are wary and there has been criticism of these new laws? it is wary and there has been criticism of these new laws?— these new laws? it is one of the most debated _ these new laws? it is one of the most debated laws _ these new laws? it is one of the most debated laws in _ these new laws? it is one of the most debated laws in ukraine i these new laws? it is one of the | most debated laws in ukraine as these new laws? it is one of the i most debated laws in ukraine as of today. the biggest issue was this

law mobilisation, that it doesn't have provisions on demobilisation, that means letting go of the people who have been since 2022 or even earlier than that. essentially, giving them a break, giving them some time with their families, the possibility to recover properly from the wins, then non—visible winds which might be mental health winds. why is that? surely mr zelensky has addressed this point. what reason has he given for not allowing his troops to recuperate? this has he given for not allowing his troops to recuperate?— troops to recuperate? this is a comlex troops to recuperate? this is a complex question, _ troops to recuperate? this is a complex question, but - troops to recuperate? this is a complex question, but the - troops to recuperate? this is a i complex question, but the simple answer is that another law is on the way that will allow the demobilisation of the existing soldiers. right now, ukraine is in such a position that we need as many men and women who can fight and can

hold ukrainian defences. so this law mobilisation actually does exactly that, making sure that the army will not be short of resources. it doesn't mean that all of a sudden, tomorrow there will be military on the street, sending men of the front lines. that is not the way it will work. the troops that are fighting today for ukraine freedom, they are well trained troops who need to go through training centres and education centres for them to be able to properly do theirjob. that is exactly the reason why it is not possible all of a sudden to let go of the men and women who are well—trained, well skilled, to counter russia's offences in the battlefield. this is to be done in a systemic way and that is to make way it is exactly what is being prepared by the legislators today. at it is exactly what is being prepared by the legislators today.— by the legislators today. at those the incentives _ by the legislators today. at those the incentives that _ by the legislators today. at those the incentives that have - by the legislators today. at those the incentives that have been - the incentives that have been included as part of this new law, is

that enough to recruit soldiers? it is a step in the right direction. definitely, they need to be incentives within the army itself. these are dependent largely on the military aid that you actually gets, not only gets pledged or promised, but actually arrives in ukraine and that depends on the financial cave abilities of the budget of ukraine. we understand that we cannot have, for example, financial motivation and incentives, if there is no investments into the economy and if the economy is at a standstill. also, there is no way of guaranteeing that you will have all the equipment that you need to carry out a job in the army, if that equipment is not coming because the aid is not coming. i equipment is not coming because the aid is not coming.— aid is not coming. i want if we could return _ aid is not coming. i want if we could return to _ aid is not coming. i want if we could return to this _ aid is not coming. i want if we could return to this problem l aid is not coming. i want if we | could return to this problem of mobilisation getting enough troops on the ground. last year, we spoke

to a number of people who had serving soldiers, who had returned home for a break or to visit their families. they said one of the biggest problems they were facing were dental issues. aside from that, i'm not being allowed to have a proper break or knowing when your end time would be come on, what sort of resources are in place for soldiers to support them, both mentally and medically? again, it is not an easy — mentally and medically? again, it is not an easy question _ mentally and medically? again, it is not an easy question to _ mentally and medically? again, it is not an easy question to answer - not an easy question to answer because it all depends where the soldier serving. because it all depends where the soldierserving. if because it all depends where the soldier serving. if you are serving on the battlefield, on the kharkiv direction, and all the regions where there is active fighting, then there is no way to guarantee the proper medical aid, for example, tell your teeth checked or cared for on a

regular basis. there are a number of medical pub and i can go on listing, these are problems, severe back problems, because you are literally living in your body armour 24/7 and for safety reasons, you cannot take it off and you will not take it off. if you take that of after one or two eggs, obviously you're back will collapse. there are illnesses that get accelerated because you are living in stressful environments because you do not have proper access to food, like diabetes, for example, like all sorts of blood pressure length problems. so all of that gets accelerated. on the front line, you are on the front line, there is no way to get the proper treatment and the proper access to that treatment. once you are out, that treatment. once you are out, thatis that treatment. once you are out, that is a different story.— that is a different story. lesia vasylenko. — that is a different story. lesia vasylenko, thank _ that is a different story. lesia vasylenko, thank you - that is a different story. lesia vasylenko, thank you so - that is a different story. lesia | vasylenko, thank you so much that is a different story. lesia - vasylenko, thank you so much for taking a fuller picture there of

ukraine's troops and the challenges they are facing on the ground. thank you. georgia's president has vetoed a controversial new law on foreign funding that's sparked weeks of mass protests. salome zourabichvili says the legislation was an obstacle on georgia's path to eu membership. here she is speaking a short time ago. today i vetoed the rational. this law, in its essence, is it spirit is irrational that contradicts our standards and thus represents an obstacle on the european path. the veto is legally correct and will be submitted to parliament. however, salome zourabichvili acknowleged her veto was merely symbolic, as the governing party can overturn it with a simple majority in parliament. critics say the �*foreign agent�* law, which was passed on tuesday, will stifle democracy. it would oblige ngos and media organisations to register if they receive more then 20%

of their funding from abroad. our correspondent rayhan demytrie is in tbilisi. she spoke with us earlier and said that protesters are gathering, following the president's announcement. and these protesters favour their president, salome zourabichvili, who has been campaigning relentlessly last year to make sure that georgia gets its candidate status with the eu, and georgia did indeed receive this candidate status, but the problem now that these people see, that their adoption of this law may derail the country from its chosen path tojoin the eu. that is why we have seen such a huge reaction here from the youth — these protests have been driven by georgia's youth, students, schoolchildren and they believe that georgia's european future is at stake.

thousands of people who were having to boil their water in devon due to a parasite outbreak are being told they no longer have to. south west water said it was no longer advising some households in part of brixham to boil their water, after a parasite in the local supply left at least 46 people sick with cryptosporidiosis, an infection that causes diarrohea. the water company said around 14,500 households in the alston supply area can now use their tap water safely, although some 2,500 properties in hillhead, upper parts of brixham and kingswear should continue to boil their supply before drinking it. local mp anthony mangnall says the company's response has been "contemptible". our climate and science reporter esme stallard is in paignton, devon and shared this update.

it will be a massive relief for those living here in paignton behind me and the surrounding areas. for those living in upper brixham over there, obviously, as you said, they'll still be boiling their water for at least a few days. so they'll still be coming to water collection points like this to pick up. there are people that are still sick here in the community and are angry by the response from south west water and the lack of communication earlier in the week when they denied there was any contamination to worry about. part of their statement, in which they explained what happened, they said "a damaged valve on private land in the hillhead supply area has been identified as a possible cause of contamination and has since been isolated from the network and repaired." of cryptosporidium came from, but they are going to continue investigations to make sure that the rest of the network is clean. local mp anthony mangnall says the response by south west water to the outbreak has been "contemptible" and "incompetent". here he is speaking a short time ago.

this is a very difficult one and people have led own views and i must say when i was told on wednesday there would be £15 compensation to each household, i thought that was a ridiculous number and asked that eight to be increased and increased it to £115. i think i have huge concern that many residents are still paying a water bill for a service they are not receiving and indeed, a service that has made them ill. i would like to see everyone given back the money they have paid for their water this month. of the sea, the hillhead residents are still under that bill your water notice and have received £215. but we shouldn't be in this place. cctv footage has emerged of the rapper sean �*diddy�* combs physically assaulting his then—girlfriend cassie ventura in the corridor of a hotel in 2016. ms ventura made allegations of rape and physical abuse against him in a lawsuit that was settled last year.

combs is at the centre of several civil lawsuits accusing him of sex offences. this report from emma vardy has some distressing images. cassie ventura claims she suffered years of abuse in her relationship with p diddy, one of the most influential artists in hip—hop. in the cctv footage, she is seen leaving a hotel room. sean combs appears to run after her, before carrying out a violent assault. the full tape shows her being kicked as she lies on the ground. after taking her items, next, the rapper seems to be seen throwing an object towards her. the video — obtained by the american news channel, cnn, has not been independently verified, but lawyers for cassie ventura, who has not objected to it being shown, say it confirms p diddy�*s disturbing and predatory behaviour.

last month, homes linked with sean combs were raided by police in what they said was an ongoing investigation into sex trafficking. officers searched properties in beverly hills, new york and miami associated with his production company. cassie ventura had previously brought a lawsuit against sean combs in relation to the incident in the video, said to be at a los angeles hotel. she settled out of court, but since then, several others have come forward, accusing him of sexual abuse. sean combs has previously denied all the allegations. in march, his lawyer called it a witch—hunt. today those lawyers said they no longer represent him. the video appears to corroborate one of the incidents described in cassie ventura's case. her accusations and others against p diddy — a self—proclaimed bad boy — now part of a dramatic downfall for one of hip—hop's biggest names. emma vardy, bbc news, los angeles.

amid worsening inflation, scarcity of goods and a decades long economic embargo. an unexpected move, the country's economy minister was arrested in march for corruption but many think it will take more than one ministerial head to roll. our correspondent, will grant, travelled to the heartland of one of cuba's most quintessential industries — sugar — to see how tough the situation has become. sugar is in the dna of cuba. there is a saying on the island, without sugar there is no country but this year the harvest will be one of the poorest on record. sugar, supposed to be the mainstay of the cuban economy, is as emblematic to the island

as its tobacco but a series of factors, principally the lack of available fuel and years of underinvestment have made cuban sugar an industry in near terminal decline. there are not enough trucks and the fuel shortages mean that sometimes we cannot work four days, says this man. it is a situation made worse by the decades—long us sanctions on the island. still, cuba needs the sugar. it certainly does. in part because of the famous rum. but the problems are notjust the fault of the us embargo. they are from mismanagement of the centralised economy. this 19th—century sugar mill runs on rusting, obsolete technology, and it is one ofjust two dozen working sugar mills on the island. once unthinkable, cuba now imports sugar to meet domestic demand, a far cry from the glory days when cuban sugar was exported to the world. one man who cannot get his hands on and off you get is martin,

one man who cannot get his hands on enough sugar is martin, part of a new breed of cuban entrepreneurs. his business produces yoghurt and ice cream. the production of foodstuffs in private hands is a big change in cuba but it is being hailed by the cuban president as a model for the future. this is capitalism, pure and simple, no matter how much the businessmen behind it display their revolutionary credentials. translation: the government has never promoted anything that - benefits me economically, it treats me like a private entrepreneur with no special privileges whatsoever. amid spiralling inflation the government announced a fivefold increase on levies at petrol pumps. ordinary cubans say they are suffering more than at any time since the cold war. cuba's problems extend beyond the race for the white house. with its sugar plants barely operational, the island is in danger of losing part of its soul — its once iconic trade

now a ghost industry, and a shadow of its former self. will grant, bbc news, cuba. the allied troops who fought german forces in italy were known as the d—day dodgers — mocked for sunbathing on beaches and missing the normandy landings in 1944. yet the battles for catholic monastery of monte cassino situated above the hill town of cassino — were some of the most bitter and brutal of the second world war. they took place over four months in appalling conditions, with the allies sustaining 55,000 casualties. this weekend, commemorations taking place mark the last milestone anniversary for the few remaining veterans well enough to take part. for more on this, let's speak to peter caddick—adams. he�*s an historian and author of �*monte cassino: ten armies in hell.�* thank you and welcome to the programme. first off, the

significance of this battle because many people will not be aware of the battle. it won�*t be part of their knowledge of history. just put it in the context for us. it knowledge of history. just put it in the context for us.— the context for us. it has largely been lost because _ the context for us. it has largely been lost because it _ the context for us. it has largely been lost because it is - the context for us. it has largelyl been lost because it is happening just before the d—day landings in june 1944. so this is not one but four battles that took part in central italy, about an hour�*s drive south of rome, and the confluence of several valleys overlooked by a mountain and on top of that mountain was an abbey which was about 1500 years old, founded by saint benedict. it has been stuffed full of art treasures and the germans are occupying the hilltop and all around us. we occupying the hilltop and all around us. ~ . ., ., ., us. we are running out of time, i do apologise- — us. we are running out of time, i do apologise- this _ us. we are running out of time, i do apologise. this battle, _ us. we are running out of time, i do apologise. this battle, one - us. we are running out of time, i do apologise. this battle, one of - us. we are running out of time, i do apologise. this battle, one of the i apologise. this battle, one of the lessons learnt was coalitions. absolutely. the coalition that was

fighting a battle in central italy was about 21 nations, very similar to what we have seen in afghanistan and iraq and bosnia and so on. so that lessons come through loud and clear to us that you have got to get cooperating. clear to us that you have got to get cementing-— clear to us that you have got to get cooperating. again, i do apologise, so short on — cooperating. again, i do apologise, so short on time _ cooperating. again, i do apologise, so short on time for— cooperating. again, i do apologise, so short on time for such _ cooperating. again, i do apologise, so short on time for such an - so short on time for such an important anniversary. particularly for those last veterans. thank you. this is bbc news, do stay with us. good afternoon. there�*ll still be a lot of dry weather to be enjoyed throughout the rest of the weekend, but there are complications. we�*ve got low pressure close by. this weather front has brought some patchy rain, and now we�*re seeing some storm development. and we�*ve got a weak weatherfront towards the north—west as well. now those storms will bring the majority of the rainfall throughout the rest of this afternoon and this evening. slow—moving, because there�*s little wind to move them on.

so certainly, the possibility of flooding, and there is a warning out for it. you can find more detail on the website. most likely, though, those storms across the south—west and wales, but also through the central highlands, the south—west of scotland. one or two elsewhere, perhaps, later on across east anglia and the south—east. so those, obviously, will bring the temperatures down. but for most of us, it�*s another pleasantly warm day, away from the sea fog, which is around in some eastern areas and around the irish sea coast. and there�*s more cloud, anyway, in the north—west of scotland today and for northern ireland, and that creeps further in overnight. the storms ease away. the sea fog returns quite widely to central and eastern areas. one or two patches still for the irish sea coast. so a fresher night, i think, and a rather murky start to our sunday morning. but again, that mist and that murk should clear away quite readily. and i think it looks like there�*ll be a lot of dry and sunny weather for many and fewer showers. probably more cloud, on balance, across scotland, and again, across the west of northern ireland. we start with lots of mist and fog and even some

lowland fog elsewhere, which will take a while to clear away. and it mightjust persist for some parts of north—east england and eastern scotland. sea haar and sea fret. but you can see elsewhere, fewer showers. there will be the odd one, particularly as the sun�*s strong, and we�*ll get temperatures perhaps a little higher than today across england and wales as a result, still in eastern parts of northern ireland. the central belt a little bit lower than today as well. same sort of story as we get into monday. the misty, murky weatherfirst thing slow to clear away. just very isolated showers. just a bit of a northerly drift coming in, so temperatures won�*t be quite so high. but do bear in mind, even if it isn�*t quite as warm, it�*s still strong. the sunshine is just as strong. and then as we head towards the middle of next week, well, this low pressure mightjust bring in something more significant wind and rain—wise. but obviously, the devil�*s going to be in the detail that far away. but it does look as if, at that stage, it will turn more unsettled once again, after today�*s storms, and a bit windier too.

this is bbc news a reminder of the headlines for the israeli military say they recovered the body of a fourth hostage from cows. the body of 53—year—old has been returned to israel for burial for the up the military believes he was killed in

the october seven attack. president zelensky says ukraine only has about a quarter of the air defences that it needs to fight off russian attacks. warning that russia could increase strikes in the northeast of the country following recent gains near kharkiv. also, a close ally of the russian opposition leader tells the russian opposition leader tells the bbc he will never give up fighting mr putin months after a brutal hammer attack outside his home in lithuania where he now lives in exile. now on bbc news, it is sportsday. hello and welcome to sportsday with me, olly foster. chelsea make it five in a row as they pip manchester city to the title on goal difference.