hello again. you are watching bbc news with me, david eades. the headlines call in a —— the headlines: the russian leader vladimir putin has addressed the huge victory day military parade in moscow — saying the invasion of ukraine had been provoked by the west, and that russian troops fighting there, were "defending the motherland". but he didn't say how or when the war might end. with more than eighty per cent of the votes counted in the philippines presidential election, ferdinand marcosjunior is heading for a landslide win. unofficial results indicate mr marcos — known locally as �*bongbong', has more than twice the votes than his main rival, the outgoing vice president, leni robredo.

the queen has pulled out of tuesday's state opening of parliament in london. it will be the first time since 1963 the queen will have missed the annual ceremony which sets out the british government's legislative agenda for the year ahead. prince charles will deliver the speech instead. now to a tale of birthday generosity designed to cheer people up after the events of the past few years. the singer paul heaton, who formed the band the housemartins in hull in the 1980s, decided his 60th birthday was a good moment to do something different. so he put money behind the bar, at 60 pubs around britain, so that regulars could have a drink on him, as our correspondent, danny savage, reports. he sang about happy hour. now

he sang about happy hour. now he is creating one for real. # it's happy hour again., paul heaton today put £1000 behind the bar of 60 pubs to mark his 60th birthday. it's been really, really good, it's been really busy, and it's really good for the community. one of them was the whalebone in hull. it a privilege to be one of the pubs in hull, never mind the country, to be able to represent paul heaton, give out the drinks that he's bought. the gratitude was clear. it's just, like, just a lovely thing to do, isn't it? happy birthday, paul, cheers! it's almost like an alternative jubilee, where people canjust take a day, spend it together and have a drink, get to know each other. sharing all this money with everybody, it's a great community spirit, really, to give everyone, after the covid pandemic as well. he's a good lad, is paul, he's an old school socialist, and it's wonderful that he remembers people like us, on a day like today, after two years of absolute penury can't afford a pint, and so god bless him and thank you very much for this

cider, going down well! he says he's done this to say thank you to people who bought his records and shown support to him over the years. cheers, paul! happy birthday, paul! # they could never be blue., and in 60 pubs across the uk and ireland tomorrow, they could be feeling it. as paul heaton sang, old red eyes might be back. danny savage, bbc news, hull. they are probably still going. now on bbc news: the travel show. coming up on this week's travel show: making ancient greece more accessible. i mean, this is an extra part of the trip. this is a part that only we get. we meet the woman who helped the famous stray cats of athens survive through the pandemic. ps—ps—ps. she's so cute.

and we're off to spain for a taste of the sun. oh, my god. that crushing sound. and back. wow! look at that. history and accessibility can sometimes feel like they're at odds with each other. i love a historical site as much as the next person, but with narrow walkways,

flights of stone steps and worn—away surfaces, a visit can feel like a herculean task. it's a bit of a mission. i'm making my way up to the acropolis — which in greek means high city — which doesn't look nor sound very wheelchair—friendly. so before covid, it was a proper mission to get up to the acropolis if you had any sort of mobility issues. basically, you had a 15—minute hike up a load of steep stairs and loads of steep ramps before you came to any sort of accessible pathway. but since then, things have changed. the acropolis is greece's number—one tourist attraction and, pre—pandemic, over3.5 million people climbed to the top each year. one good thing to come out of the lockdowns was there was finally the time and the space to make the site more accessible to those

with mobility issues. just seen a sign for a disabled entrance, i think. yeah. know what? it's still a mission to get up here. i can see why the ancient greeks were so fit. you have to be a god to get up this ramp. let's do it! which way am i going? this way? thank you. remember when i said it was a is—minute hike up some stairs to get to the acropolis? those are the stairs i'm talking about. wow! i'd never make it up there. hello. but help is at hand. all i have to do is catch my breath and admire the scenery as i wait for the brand—new lift, built to comfortably accommodate two wheelchairs at a time. but not everyone sees it as an improvement — with some critics calling it

a modernist eyesore. well, i think it beats climbing flights of steps any day of the week. this is all right. look at this view. this isjust... i mean, this is an extra part of the trip. this is a part that only we get. all the other good old—fashioned two—leggers have to go up the stairs! and this is what i'm talking about. after just a0 seconds in the lift, and using the acropolis' new accessible paths, i get to experience all of this. the acropolis has a long history, and over its time it's been used as a fortress, a mosque, and it's even been blown up. but its headliner has got to be the parthenon —

a temple dedicated to the ancient greek goddess athena, who gave the city of athens its name. wow! i have never been so happy to see concrete. that is amazing. i've actually been here before, and the last time i was here this was all rough and gravelly and really hard to push along. but now i get to experience the acropolis, and i get this wonderful view of the parthenon. this is brilliant. i want to take these concrete slabs home! but improvement is not a word some would use when describing the work carried out at the site. not everyone is happy with the renovations that have gone on here at the acropolis. now, some people have complained about the concrete slabs being laid down, saying that it's hiding the original features of the acropolis, and even wounding the stone here. but i've been told that these slabs can be raised, and you'll still have the original features, and actually, look —

this is some of the original stone, and it's smooth anyway. rival historians claim the work carried out is a means to get more tourists to visit, and is disrespectful to the site's diverse past. i'm heading down to the acropolis museum to meet a man who knows a thing or two about ancient history, and he believes the ancient greeks themselves would have been ok with this upgrade. ancient greek civilisation, culture is an anthropocentric culture. that means they created their gods in the image of themselves. zeus, hera, aphrodite, and so on. and between them they had hephaestus, a very hard—working metal smith, and very powerful god.

and he was lame. wow! that's incredible. disabled gods, or gods with disabilities. i'm learning so many new things. this is amazing. and i'm also told that accessibility at the acropolis is not a new thing. even in the archaic period — that means 6th century bc — there were ramps leading up to the temple of athena. not the parthenon, because the parthenon didn't exist until the 5th century. but even earlier, there is evidence for this ramp, as well. and many times it has been interpreted that it was for the animals to be sacrificed. but it is not only that — it is also for all the people, helping disabled people and older people or pregnant women and so on, so that they have a good and easy accessibility towards

the temple of the goddess. and the conversation has got quite heated. you know, people have said that it's the disneyfication of the monuments here. it's wounding the rock. it's barbaric. yeah. what are your thoughts on that? come on. these are politics, and politics... it is actually, democratically speaking, different options of different people. you cannot look with my eyes and i cannot look with yours. there are plans in place to make the site even more accessible, with the installation of further paths.

i, for one, think this attraction is setting a good example to historic monuments throughout the world. and i'm really happy that i get to experience the acropolis now. well, if you're planning on visiting athens any time soon, here's a rundown of things to maybe look out for. you might find yourself paying through the nose to get onto one of athens' many beaches. entry fees can push up into the hundreds of euros at somewhere like astir beach during peak season. vouliagmeni lake is a good alternative. it has sunbeds, hot springs and limestone caves for about 15 euros each. athens' open—air amphitheatres are a really special place to go and see a concert or play.

patti smith and diana krall are both appearing this summer at the 0deon herodes atticus at the foot of the acropolis. if you're a fan of the classics, plays by aeschylus, sophocles and euripides are on at the ancient theatre of epidaurus, with full english subtitles. i think i'll need �*em! many visitors pass through the vast and ancient piraeus port on their way to the greek islands. while you're there, check out the old workshops and warehouses in surrounding streets. in recent times, the buildings have become a hub for contemporary art galleries. a brand—new metro line can whisk you there from central athens in around 50 minutes. and athens is known for its open—air cinemas. throughoutjune, july and august, you can catch classic films and new releases in some beautiful outdoor

spots. the screenings take place under starry skies in the city's squares, museums and parks, and some are totally free of charge. right, stay with us, because still to come on the programme... ps—ps—ps. she's so cute! i meet the woman who helped hundreds of her four—legged friends survive the pandemic here in athens. and kate is off to malaga in spain, to take on another culinary challenge. and take another one. the olive oil is going to be totally different. they look identical to me. yeah, but, you know, i promise, it's going to be a totally different taste. so don't go away. these are just some of the cats of athens.

if you've ever visited greece, then there's a good chance a feline friend has made a cameo appearance in your trip outside a taverna or at an ancient ruin. these guys are everywhere. ps—ps—ps. she's so cute! i'm meeting sam beaker, a volunteer at athens—based cat charity nine lives. we are a team, nine lives, and we feed every day here in acropolis and in many other places around the centre of athens. wow. i mean, that's a big job. there are many, many cats in athens. yes. we feed around over 500 cats around the centre. the team at nine lives definitely have their work cut out. so i've decided to help sam beaker with the dinner—time shift and get some grub out to these furry athenians. they are always together. these two? yes. best friends.

how did the pandemic affect the work that you were doing, and also the welfare of the cats? well, suddenly, because the town was empty, you could see... ..so many, many cats, revealed a lot of cats we didn't know that there were around and we had to feed more because probably some of them were eating around tavernas who were not any more open. hello, diego. this is diego. you recognised because of the eye? yeah, he lost his eye... ..er, recently. hello, baby. baby, come here. this isn'tjust about keeping these cats' bellies full. feeding them breeds trust and allows nine lives volunteers to carry out important health checks.

it's not so, so much food for them. town is not the physical environment for the animals. they don't have enough food and they wouldn't be so healthy. they would be a little bit skinny, sick, and if we didn't sterilise them, there would be thousands. yeah. so they would die. yeah. they wouldn't survive. no tourists meant no tavernas. and if it wasn't for volunteers, these guys would have gone hungry. mewing. but as athens opens up again, should we all be sharing our meals with the local cats? 0k, they can give them a treat, as, er, as far is not problem for the owner.

i do it also when i eat in a tavern! she chuckles. animals mustn't eat, actually, ourfood. and sometimes it can be dangerous for them because usually they give the bones of the fish. i always carry now with me cat food so i don't have to take from my plate and give to the animals if i am outside. i have something always. right, next time i'm in athens, i'll be packing cat biscuits for sure! well, to finish up this week, we're leaving the cat food behind and heading off to spain, where kate hardy buckley is on the lookout for something far more enticing to add to her menu.

i'm in malaga, a sun—kissed port city in southern spain. now, every summer, i normally pass straight through here to another town further along the costa del sol. but this time i'm sticking around. with its fertile soil, the sea air, and over 300 days of sunshine a year, this region is perfect forfinding the best produce. jose carlos garcia is one of malaga's finest ambassadors of gastronomy. he suggested we meet at the mercado central to explore some local produce that inspired his michelin—starred restaurant. what are we going to cook together?

before i leave the market, i pick up the almonds for our ajo blanco soup. first up, i visit finca la torre — producers of one of the world's most premium extra virgin olive oils. these are like 100—year—old trees. ja, ja. wow. even more. wow. victor perez tends to his 3a,000 olive trees with such care, his olive oil receives the perfect score at competitions. we take, you know, one olive, and take another one. the olive oil is going to be totally different. they look identical! yeah, but, you know, i promise it's going to be total different taste. in a few weeks, they will

become a little bit yellow and they will be more tender. it's the signal that the olive oil content, it is full now. that means harvest time, and victor prioritises quality, not quantity. from this tree, we will get around 30, a0 kilos. so that's only three or four bottles. it is, yeah, three or four bottles. from the moment the olive leaves the tree to the bottle, how long does that take? the whole process, it takes around two hours. two hours?! since we have to be really, really, really, really fast. there's no other way. this estate dates back to roman times, and today we're pressing the olives the old—fashioned way. oh, my god. that crushing sound! and back? yeah. wow. look at that! unlike wine, which often improves with age, olive oil is best fresh. it's delicious. i'm going to go back to london now and start drinking olive oil in a wine glass! they chuckle.

i've also got to bring chef jose carlos something from the sea. and i'm just in time for the fishermen coming in from their night trawl. i've seen sardines, i've seen anchovies, boquerones. it doesn't get much fresher than this. this is absolutely amazing. the noise, the pace, all the chatter. literally, yourfish is off the boat, into auction, and in a matter of hours onto a plate. i pick up some sardines — a fish synonymous with this city. last on my list is the pitaya — the dragonfruit. it's beautiful. this cactus fruit, often associated with southeast asia, originates from southern mexico. its production in spain has grown exponentially in the last few years.

and now tojose carlos garcia's michelin—starred restaurant at the marina. the easy stuff for me, the difficult stuff for you. 0k! we grind the almonds to create the base of ajo blanco soup. it's totally changed colour. it's a magnificent creamy white. jose carlos takes the freshest ingredients and turns them into something beautiful.

wow. she sighs dreamily. oh, my god! it's beautiful. mm! so fresh. the crunch of the fruit and then the sweet sliminess of the sardine — absolutely fenomenal! well, that's your lot for this week. just before we go, a quick word about next week. wow! there's so many mummies here, vivian. carmen's back in chile —

where this time she comes face—to—face with the ancient civilisation that's been given new unesco recognition for humanity's oldest examples of mummification. oh, wow! it's quite small. what can you tell me about this mummy? so make sure you catch that if you can, and also check us out on social media. but for now, from me, ade adepitan, and the rest of the travel show team here in athens — where it's so good to finally be out on the road again together with you guys — it's goodbye, and see you next time.

hello, there. there is a bit more rainfall in the forecast for this upcoming week. most of it's across the north and the west of the country, very little affecting the south and the east, and it will be quite breezy over the next few days, as low pressure will stick close by — in fact, quite windy at times across northern and western scotland. it's all down to this area of low pressure, sitting to the north of the uk. plenty of isobars on the charts, so that's why it'll be windy, and there'll be lots of showers packing into northern and western areas pretty much from the word "go" on tuesday. the overnight weather front through central parts of england will be pushing across east anglia and the south—east, barely anything on it as it moves its way eastwards. eventually, it'll clear away, and then it's a bright day, plenty of sunshine around, but scattered showers pretty much anywhere, most of them in the north and the west, where some of them could be heavy, with some rumbles

of thunder. these are the mean wind speeds — it's going to be a fairly gusty day across the board, but very windy across the north—west of scotland, and temperatures will range from around the mid—to—high teens for many, we could see 20 celsius across the south—east. so pollen levels, again, will be quite high, especially across the south east, where it will be driest. but further north, it should be a little bit lower than what we've had the last few days. now, as we head through tuesday night, we'll hold onto the showers across northern and western areas. they will continue to be blustery, and some of them merging together to produce longer spells of rain. a new weather front will start to push into the south—west of england and wales by the end of the night. this promises to bring some more persistent rain across southern areas, although, again, it'll be a fairly mild night. so we'll have low pressure to the north of the uk, with scattered showers here. this weather front will be bringing outbreaks of rain to parts of england and wales. so we start wednesday off on quite a wet note for southwest england and wales — this rain pushing into the midlands, and then, across into eastern england, and some of it will be pretty good rainfall for the gardens. however, it could be, again,

the south—east of england escapes and stays rather dry, so we'lljust have to wait and see, a bit closer to the time. but further north, there'll be sunshine and showers, and those temperatures range from around 14—18 celsius. that weather front clears away, a bit more rain across the north of the uk to end the week, and then, into the weekend, a new area of high pressure starts to build in, and that'll start to draw up some warm air from the south. so, in the short term, we'll continue with the strong winds and further outbreaks of rain. by the end of the week, into the weekend, it'll start to turn very warm — in fact, the mid—20s celsius in one or two places by the time we reach sunday.

welcome to bbc news — i'm david eades. our top stories: president putin uses russia's victory day parade tojustify his invasion of ukraine but no indication of any change of course. is ferdinand marcosjunior — the son of a former dictator — heading for a landslide win in the philippines presidential election? for the first time in nearly 60 years, queen elizabeth will not attend one of her most important ceremonial duties — the state opening of the british parliament. and the moment andy warhol became the most bankable artist of them all as his iconic portrait of marilyn monroe is sold at auction.