china's military encircles taiwan in large—scale drills. beijing is calling it �*punishment�* for china has launched two days of military exercises around taiwan, describing the exercises as "strong punishment" for the self—ruled island's "separatist acts". china sees taiwan as a breakaway province that will eventually be under beijing's control — but the island sees itself as distinct. china's military released these images of the drills. they began just three days after the inauguration of president william lai, who won taiwan's election on a pro—independence platform. taiwan's defence ministry

condemned the chinese drills as "irrational provocations", and released these images of mr lai inspecting the troops for the first time as taiwan president. mr lai called on china to stop threatening the island and accept the existence of its democracy. what is the difference between this exercise and previous drills? you can see they ratcheted up a little bit. overall it is still about posturing. if you look at it, the overall land over two days compared to last time when nancy pelosi the us congressional leader who went and visited taiwan triggered nearly a week of self by the chinese in terms of military

drill. this time it is still more of posturing. we will seak more of posturing. we will speak to. _ more of posturing. we will speak to, joining _ more of posturing. we will speak to, joining us - more of posturing. we will speak to, joining us now . more of posturing. we will. speak to, joining us now from taipei. he said on social media this round of military drills feels like a prelude to something more bigger to come. can you elaborate?— can you elaborate? yes. if you look at the _ can you elaborate? yes. if you look at the military _ can you elaborate? yes. if you look at the military agreement itself codename, it tells you this is the first round and you may be expecting round b, round seed to come down the road as well. which is why i think at this point rather than seeing it as china's punishment against taiwan per se it is more a signal basing is trying to send to set international

narratives. what is the narrative? for example, they will want to show basing is certainly unhappy —— beijing and will want to do something unmistakable at the moment. if they do not act soon, they emerge a new narrative that beijing is somehow ok with the speeches and would be looking soft to their own international audience. ., ., , ., soft to their own international audience-— audience. the authors of the real punishment _ audience. the authors of the real punishment against - audience. the authors of the i real punishment against taiwan may be to come and takes time. what form could that take? why will it take time?— will it take time? bei'ing has all the tools * will it take time? bei'ing has all the tools it h will it take time? beijing has all the tools it intends - will it take time? beijing has all the tools it intends to - will it take time? beijing has| all the tools it intends to use against taiwan. this could come in the form of oracle from taiwan criticising speech for support the dramatic isolation. we are seeing a few countries recently in the last couple of days try to believe it was

austria that suddenly decide to stop recognising taiwanese drivers licence. military drills to hyper pressure and they will be more to come. an economic sanctions against targeted economic sanctions against taiwanese exports to china. all these are meant to show a full—court press against taiwan in many dimensions of policy. oli . ., . ., ., oli . ., . . ., ., policy. you are in taiwan at the moment _ policy. you are in taiwan at the moment was _ policy. you are in taiwan at the moment was any - policy. you are in taiwan at - the moment was any indication of how people are reacting to these drills?— of how people are reacting to these drills? taiwanese people so far are _ these drills? taiwanese people so far are alerted. _ these drills? taiwanese people so far are alerted. not - these drills? taiwanese people so far are alerted. not overly l so far are alerted. not overly alarmed just yet. the main reason taiwan has been living for this for easily over a quarter of a century, while people are concerned and envious a heightened level, people are going on with their lives as usual and really for now there is no level of

concern in terms of their ways into one compared to domestic issues at the moment. the into one compared to domestic issues at the moment.- into one compared to domestic issues at the moment. the us is a key ally _ issues at the moment. the us is a key ally of _ issues at the moment. the us is a key ally of taiwan. _ issues at the moment. the us is a key ally of taiwan. what - a key ally of taiwan. what reaction are you expecting to hear from them?— reaction are you expecting to hear from them? us, you would see if he was — hear from them? us, you would see if he was making _ hear from them? us, you would | see if he was making statements of support. an endorsement of how taiwan is new government even though beijing did not like it, us will be calling on china to respect that. also taiwan and the us are not going to comment directly to much. however, we will be seeing lines of communication which are important for regional comres. i think the us would be making statements about the integrity of ceiling medication and how china should be a

little and be intensity and scope of military exercises as to not interrupt international commerce. to not interrupt international commerce-— to not interrupt international commerce. ., , . commerce. thank you very much for our commerce. thank you very much foryourtime- — we have breaking news story from spain — where a building in majorca has collapsed, killing several people. people are still trapped. 16 people are injured at the scene. we have seen firefighters, local police and psychologists on location. more developments can be found on our website. the uk has seen its first full day of campaigning for the upcoming general election, and the leaders have hit the ground running. prime minister rishi sunak clocked up the miles in england, wales, and scotland.

the opposition leader sir keir starmer headed to labour—target territory in kent. the economy and immigration emerged as the main early battle lines — with mr sunak confirming that flights to rwanda carrying people who arrive on small boats won't take off before polling day. here's our political editor chris mason. cheering placards and cheers, and babies getting attention from politicians. keir starmer is quite the fan of visiting lower—league football grounds in places he hopes labour can win. he was in gillingham, in kent this morning — his deputy with him, too. thank you. whatever service people try and access these days, they find it's like wading through treacle. red cards aren't usually welcome for folk on a football pitch, but expect to see plenty of these in the next month or so, spelling out labour's core message. we've had 1a years of going round and round in circles, getting absolutely nowhere. chaos and division feeding chaos and division.

if you want change, you have to vote for it. and if you vote labour, it's a vote to stop the chaos. it's a vote to turn the page, and it's a vote to rebuild our country together. thank you very much, thank you! a general election is about winning seats and staying in them. rishi sunakjust about managed that in ilkeston, in derbyshire, as he made the case the economy is on the up. inflation down from 11% when i got thisjob, down back to normal, just over 2%. energy bills now falling by hundreds of pounds. wages have been rising by faster than prices for almost ten months now. the conservatives and labour have a very different approach to dealing with people crossing the channel in small boats. labour would scrap the tory plan to send some migrants to rwanda, which rishi sunak claims could make

a big difference. how do we stop the boats? well, i'm very clear, it requires bold solutions. that's why we need rwanda. got to make it crystal clear to everybody. if you come to our country illegally, you won't get to stay. but the prime minister told us today he didn't expect anyone to be sent to rwanda before the election. within hours, mr sunak was at a brewery in barry, in south wales, having a go with the kit. there was then an awkward moment when he said this... are you looking forward to all the football? not so much my bag. wales have not qualified for the euros, the football tournament starting next month. england and scotland have. and talking of scotland, rishi sunak completed his three nation dash today by flying to the highlands. and having a catch up with the scottish conservative

leader at the port of nigg, north of inverness. meanwhile, in edinburgh today, the new look scottish national party had their general election launch. on july fourth, independence day, make sure your voice is heard. i expect over the next six weeks, we'll see the tories and labour really going at it. they'll be going hammer and tongs to discredit each other. i'll also be going hammer and tongs, but not against anyone. i'll be going hammer and tongs to put scotland first. ready? right, cheering — let's go! cheering and in cheltenham, in gloucestershire, the liberal democrats were sorting out their choreography — some in party colours from head to toe. leader ed davey has a phrase we'll hear a fair bit of. a fair deal where everyone can have a decent home that is secure and clean, and affordable, comfortable retirement when the time comes.

a fair deal where every child has a decent school, where they can have the opportunity to realise their potential. the next six weeks will involve a fair bit of ticker tape and assorted electioneering paraphernalia. luckily, there are those keen to pick it up. chris mason, bbc news. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

as much as two—thirds of me and my may not be under the control of the resistance. some people have taken up arms

against the military, but others — doctors and teachers — are supporting the insurgency with skills of their own. access to the country is difficult — but our correspondent quentin sommerville has managed to get inside and spent a month with the young revolutionaries at theirjungle hideouts and on frontlines. like a beacon in the night, a jungle base has become a sanctuary. the final stop on a journey to freedom for young burmese who refuse to serve in the army. they were spirited here from cities by an underground railroad of agents and safe houses. to escape a new conscription law that would see them fight against the insurgency. instead, they've joined its ranks. why don't you want to fight for the military government? translation: the military is terrorising people. - they bomb using planes and they burn villages. i will never fight for their side. i will help and fight alongside

the revolutionary forces. and they aren't the only ones fleeing. across karenni state, hundreds of camps for the displaced have sprung up. young and old, they live in fear. it's a hardscrabble existence. heartbreak is a way of life here. some 2.5 million people have been forced to say goodbye to their homes since the military coup. they've left their farms and rice paddies to avoid the hundreds of army air strikes that target opposition—held territory. a relentless air campaign has civilians running for their lives. tens of thousands have been killed since the coup, many of them children.

the bombs fall daily. the state capital, loikaw, is now a ruin. go, go. come, come. we follow cobra and his best buddy sam on patrol. they were national karate champs who have taken up arms. go. move, move. peaceful protests failed, so they've been in a stand—off here with the army since november. end of this street, the burmese army there, so we need to — we have to run. this is the heart of loikaw, downtown. look at the state of it though.

there is destruction everywhere. if we just look over here, look at the destruction of the buildings. this is... incendiary drones were dropped here, artillery, air strikes. we know this was the military junta because the rebels don't have that kind of weaponry. and something else — silence. because there are no civilians here, they've fled because the junta doesn't distinguish between rebel fighters, between resistance fighters and civilians. it has labelled them all as terrorists. in fact, eight kilometres from here, just yesterday, a military air strike killed a family of six, including two children. so, wherever they attack, they turn these places into ghost towns. cobra and sam will defend these front lines whatever the cost.

this is a struggle of the young against the old, a new generation battling a military elite and it's myanmar�*s youth that's sacrificing most. this man isjust 23. he took shrapnel to his femoral artery in an attack on a military base. his comrades comfort him as much as they can. not all revolutionaries carry a gun. dr yuri was in his last year of medical school and abandoned his studies to help in this secret hospital, treating fighters and civilians alike. i just don't want to give away our location for security measures.

so this is our operation theatre room. it is underground. they take every precaution here. the reason the operating theatre is underground is because if we are over ground, they can see us and if they see us, they will bomb us, so we have to go underground. in the light blue is his fiancee, dr tracy. she, too, didn't graduate. now she's performing surgery. we've met some of the wounded here today. they are young men. very young, with their whole lives ahead of them, and they have horrible injuries. how do you both cope with that mentally? we can cry the whole day, it's ok. let it cry, let me cry, it's ok, but we have to stand up again because if we are not here, who will treat those patients?

children, too, have been forced to seek shelter from the military�*s warplanes under the jungle canopy. despite the war, songs are still heard and ballads still played by these students at the golden flower music school. this teacher's violin drowns out the din of war. some of her students are as young as 1a. this is their refuge for now. we have met a lot of young people here today, some of them very young, but soon they'll have to go and fight. how does that make you feel? translation: they have to sacrifice their bodies, l their limbs, their lives. and they have to leave their girlfriends and boyfriends behind to go to the front line. that shows their dedicated heart and how strong their beliefs are. i will always respect and honour the comrades.

and some might never come back. and this is the toll that myanmar�*s fight for freedom takes on her and the young. for cobra and sam, it's a price they have to pay now. they're fighting the same battles their parents fought against military rule. and tracy and yori hope it's for the last time. that their revolution means future generations, their children, might live together in a free myanmar. quentin sommerville, bbc news, karenni state, myanmar. president macron says he will delay contentious voting reform plans for the french pacific

territory of new caledonia that have led to several days of deadly unrest. speaking at news conference on the main island, the french leader promised more dialogue. translation: i've pledged that this reform will not be | forced through in the current context, and that we will allow some weeks to allow a calming of tensions and resumption of dialogue to find a broad consensus. his role when visit with the result of some of the country �*s worst violence in decades. he met leaders of the indigenous community whose members are opposed to the voting reform which they say will reduce their political power. they want independence from france. some bridesmaid by protesters and he had to travel around by helicopter. for the latest we can bring in katy watson watching developments from sydney. emanuel mike rann is all we on his way home after

some long meetings. can you get us up to speed with the situation at the moment? b, us up to speed with the situation at the moment? a very lona situation at the moment? a very long meeting — situation at the moment? a very long meeting but _ situation at the moment? a very long meeting but very _ situation at the moment? a very long meeting but very short - long meeting but very short visit to new caledonia. many people wanted —— wondered what could be achieved in a short amount of time for the meetings with both sides, assurances he won't be pushing through a voting reform. this voting reform was the spark for the protests which were just over a week ago. although both sides have passed the reform, it is to be ratified and that is expected to be the end ofjune. emanuel mike rann has said he will not be rushing through. the question is now, it is about dialogue and bring two sides together and whether or not they gets rushed through or voted at a different date, it is still going to be an issue.

especially for the population that say about voting reform will they let their political influence. coming up with an alternative plan or are coming up alternative plan or are coming up with assurances is what is needed to move the country forward. ~ ., needed to move the country forward. ~ . ., , , , ., ., forward. what happens now that mr metrone _ forward. what happens now that mr mccrone has _ forward. what happens now that mr mccrone has left? _ forward. what happens now that mr mccrone has left? -- - forward. what happens now thatj mr mccrone has left? -- macron mr mccrone has left? —— macron for parties come together to find a path forward and that is what is it is important about listening. what is it is important about listening-— listening. also about rebuilding _ listening. also about rebuilding he - listening. also about rebuilding he talked | listening. also about - rebuilding he talked about the devastation over the past week or so. and support for businesses. it is a country that has been hit hard in recent years. it is nickel industry, the third biggest miner of nickel in the world. these protests that the back and before that it was struggling with competition

from the likes of indonesia. it is about giving support to a country about to move forward economically and also politically. there is a lot of concern about yes, emanuel macron came to be shot both sides but i don't think the nerves and concern over where france was to go is certainly haveis france was to go is certainly have is for those that want more independence and autonomy. thank very much. an update on the injuries suffered by passengers on board singapore airlines struck by severe turbulence on tuesday. passengers and crew were flung around the cabin with some slammed into the ceiling. the plane was debited to bangkok where the injured were hospitalised. translation: of the 41 | patients, we found that 22 sustained spinal and spinal cord injuries, six sustained skull and brain injuries, and 13 have injuries to their bones, muscles,

and other organs. some of the patients may have more than one injury — but we count the more severe injury as base. that's all for now — stay with bbc news. hello there. conditions look a lot better for the next couple of days. we should see more sunshine around, lighter winds, so it should feel a bit warmer as well. friday, it's an improving picture — we should see sunshine breaking through across many areas. and for most areas, it should be dry, just a few showers across northern areas. now, this area of low pressure is continuing to weaken, and the rain is fizzling out, so there'll be barely anything on this weather fronts across scotland, northern england, as we move through friday morning. should see plenty of sunshine developing across southern areas, and some holes appearing in that cloud further north. just the odd shower dotted around,

but many places will stay dry. temperatures responding, as well — lighter winds, more sunshine, 19 celsius, maybe 20 celsius, in the south, high teens further north. as we head through friday night, it looks like skies will clear pretty widely, so it will turn chillier. just the odd shower across scotland, a bit more cloud here — so i think double figure—values in much of scotland and northern ireland, single figures for large parts of england and wales. so, into the bank holiday weekend, it's starting off fine and settled on saturday for most areas, and then, we'll start to see sunshine and showers through sunday and bank holiday monday. we've got this weather front encroaching in slowly during the weekend — but ahead of it, plenty of sunshine around. will be a chilly start, little bit of mist and fog around. this feature moving in from the continent could bring some cloud and rains east anglia, eastern england, and then, later in the day, this weather front moves its way into southwest england. but plenty of sunshine across the country, just the chance of an odd shower. a much warmer 20 celsius for many areas, up to 22 in the southeast. now, as we head into sunday, this weather front starts to cross the country, destabilising the atmosphere. it'll be one of sunshine and showers, i think —

and through the afternoon, some of these showers could turn out to be heavy and thundery, some local torrential downpours in places. temperature—wise, because a bit more cloud around and some showers, i think we're looking at highs of 18—19 celsius. and then, through bank holiday monday, again, sunshine and showers — probably the heaviest of the showers on monday will be across the northern half of the country, a bit more of a breeze as well coming in from the west. so, temperatures 16—17 celsius i think for many places. and then, for the upcoming week, i think it stays fairly unsettled — low pressure always close by, showers or longer spells of rain. however, there will still be some decent spells of sunshine at times. take care.

the usjustice department is suing live nation, alleging the ticketmaster parent is suffocating competition. formula e, the f1 of electric cars, returns to china this weekend. we speak to the ceo just ahead. hello and a warm welcome to business today. i'm steve lai. to our top story today — entertainment company live nation's stock slipped nearly 8% on wall street after the us department

ofjustice sued the parent company of ticketmaster, calling it a monopoly and accusing it of violating antitrust laws. our north america business correspondent erin delmore has all the details. 1a years ago, us government approved the merger with ticketmaster. since then, live nation has grown into a powerhouse, but the government is calling it a monopoly to squash competition. ina in a press conference on thursday the attorney general marek garland pointed to the exorbitant fees and technological failures that have angered concert—goers and artists and cold the company's conduct anti—competitive and illegal saying it is time to break it up.— illegal saying it is time to break it up. illegal saying it is time to break itu. , .,~ , break it up. our complete makes it clear what _ break it up. our complete makes it clear what happens _ break it up. our complete makes it clear what happens when - break it up. our complete makes it clear what happens when a - it clear what happens when a monopolist dedicates resources to entrenching monopoly power and insulating itself from competition rather than investing in better products and services. we investing in better products and services.— investing in better products and services. we allege that

live nation _ and services. we allege that live nation has _ and services. we allege that live nation has illegally -