this is bbc news. the headlines: us presidentjoe biden appears on television from the white house, to explain his decision to exit the presidential race. as the eu tighten economic pressure on the kremlin, we will bring you a special report as we travel with a ukrainian unit on the front line of the battle. the uk government launches its new green power scheme,

great british energy, but admits it won't reduce bills "overnight". hello. i'm anita mcvey. the international community in the west remain united, for now, on the plight of ukraine. finance ministers from across europe have called for the tightening of economic screws against the kremlin, they say to prevent the possibility of future attacks on the west. on the frontline, there appears to be stalemate with russia making very limited gains in small pockets in the east. drones have changed the way war is fought. quentin sommerville and camera journalist darren conway have been with one ukranian drone unit on the front. russia's invasion has cast ukraine into darkness. a new deadly threat from above has thrown its people deep into war�*s bleak future. hidden in underground command centres in kharkiv,

the national guard's drone teams battle day and night to keep the threat at bay. an fp drone can take 1kg or 2kg bomb that hits it directly to the enemy shelter, enemy infantry and enemy armoured vehicle. they are cheap and devastatingly precise. here, aeneas�*s team hunts a russian soldier. there is no way to be alive, after fp drone hitting. and another threat — glide bombs, fitted with guidance systems, allow russian aircraft to attack from beyond the battlefield, literally gliding onto their target. they are turning lyptsi to dust. with drone jamming equipment on their vehicle, aeneas takes us to lyptsi for a closer look. aeneas, we're going very fast.

why is that? is it because it's safer? because of the drones. because of the drones? because of drones, yes. it's dangerous here? there is a lot of russian fp drones. a lot of russian fpv drones? a lot of them. that's why we're using now ourjamming system. but it doesn't stop all drones. and once out in the open, they're exposed. ten metres between us. yeah? so we have to move fast. this is what drones and glide bombs have done to lyptsi. crossing open ground can be deadly. getting to shelter, moving deep underground, is the only protection against these weapons. what kind of mission is this today? is it surveillance? is it attack? no, it's attacking on probable positions of the russian army in the forest. command centre. yeah. drone after drone is

sent forward to attack. we should go to the safe place. go, go, go, go, go. go, go, go, go, go! we watch in real time. they have a russian vehicle in their sights. every day, about 100 enemy die because of these drones, only in ourfront line. this is a battlefield, a war, being transformed by technology. automated female voice: detection, one drone. multiple pilots. high signal strength. unseen, but identified above, a russian drone. it's time to head for cover. so...that�*s outgoing fire. so, along these front lines, the ukrainians have gained about 500m of territory from the russians. it's not a lot, and it's

been hard fought over. the current commander here says that when it comes to drone warfare, the ukrainians have the advantage. but as far as glide bombs are concerned, well, russia has a serious upper hand. but now we can hear the drone directly above us. everyone freezes. it's looking for any kind of movement before it strikes. eventually, we get the all clear. so that drone we heard has passed overhead, so we need to get out of here fast. drones were barely a factor in this war a year ago. now they are everywhere, always. automated female voice: detection, multiple drones. multiple pilots. high signal strength. any journey overground is nerve—racking, a game of chance.

but here, even closer to the front, russian glide bombs are a greater threat. ten kilograms bomb. russian calls it "boogeyman drone". the boogeyman is big enough to take out an armoured vehicle or a command post. it has to be launched fast, before the russians find their position. drones whir they fly manually, while keeping watch for russian glide bombardments. and soon they come. this is a glider bomb. you can see it in the camera. it's on the battlefield now. they are hitting the trenches with soldiers. now we can hear the sound. explosion i felt that. the window shook. what happens if russian glide bombs strike this area?

hmm, i think we will die. ok, let's go. and now russia responds with drones too. fast, fast, fast, fast, fast! should move fast, because drone is coming back. on ukraine's battlefield, the rules of war are being rewritten. and here they say all wars will soon be fought this way. go, go, go. quentin sommerville, bbc news, lyptsi, northeastern ukraine. energy bills, especially as a result of the ukraine war, continue to be a concern in many countries. here in the uk, the new labout government says a major energy plan , which was at the heart of their election manifesto, will not reduce bills overnight. details of the first major plan from the new great british energy company are being announced and include building new wind farms on areas of sea bed owned by the royal family, whcih is part of what is called the crown estate. here's the prime minister keir starmer speaking a short time ago, announcing a partnership between great british energy

and the uk's crown estate. now, this partnership will deliver and it will deliver big. on the one hand, great british energy at the heart of our industrial policy, with its own resources and £8.3 billion to invest in the technologies of the future — floating wind, tidal power, nuclear and clean—power projects across the uk. and, on the other hand, the expertise of the crown estate, their ownership of the seabed, their £16 billion asset base and the new borrowing and investment powers that we will give them. together, they will work with the market, exploiting capabilities that only the government has and crowding in the very best from the private sector, because this government isn't driven by ideology, but by our determination to deliver for the british people. so we will be pro—business, pro—worker and pro—wealth creation for all.

eleanor shearer is a researcher at the common wealth think tank, which first proposed the idea of a public energy company in 2022, prior to labour adopting the idea. shejoins me now. and i thank you very much for your time today. second i can start talking about this relationship, this partnership between the great british energy company and the crown estate delivery are big in his words. do you agree that the potential is there for delivery on this? absolutely think it's a great first step and it is great to see the government moving fast on rolling out a great british energy. i think what is missing here is a bit of the detail on what exactly great british energy will get out of this partnership in terms of ownership and coordination is project. two. we have had that great but it energy in the crown estate will be working together on the development of wind farms and at the moment, though

private sector as many do not work on things like structure of the scene bed and shipping lanes and connection to the green to work as well when farms are most feasible. but who want to know whether british energy showed some of that but the private sector and what it will get your return. the second thing to say is the point of is about losing the sea bed and it is not about the building of the wind farms and hit 0k, building of the wind farms and hit ok, that has been one of the big hurdles where they have falling down. so what kind of power great british energy will have at that final had little to say we have got everything in place, which is going to make this went from get built on what we would say at commonwealth is that the critical thinking is that genuine public ownership. we said it back we had a case two k sharma —— back we had a case two k sharma —— back we had keir starmer took about a partnership of the market. it can take a number of forms. we have the time time ago, the public service has not delivered in this area. we need is public ownership and public

coordination.— coordination. deliver this. so ou're coordination. deliver this. so you're making _ coordination. deliver this. so you're making this _ coordination. deliver this. so you're making this clear, - coordination. deliver this. so i you're making this clear, while public ownership is so important as far as you can said. as a about the potential impact on energy bills which is the way we introduce is because two conversation because clearly, the cost of living crisis like so many countries have been driven by is high energy bills and labour committee is warning that change will not happen overnight but do you have any estimate about when this will make a significant estimate to build? irate this will make a significant estimate to build?- this will make a significant estimate to build? ~ . ., estimate to build? we had labour fiuures estimate to build? we had labour figures talk _ estimate to build? we had labour figures talk about _ estimate to build? we had labour figures talk about this _ estimate to build? we had labour figures talk about this morning i figures talk about this morning about bills coming down over the course of the parliament. i think the current proposals for great british energy there is reason to be a little bit cautious about that. it is worth stepping back to noted that greater british energy is a really popular policy, about 75% during the campaign and election supported it and that is about half of voters. right which energy such as about logos, it is also much lower bills

and a bicycle ownership of our natural resources and it is about meeting the ambitious power targets. it is really clear that when a lot of people say they support with which energy, they are expecting to feel the material benefit of it. as a day, the cost of living writers have missed a kid these last four years and what we would say is that with the current scope of ambition for we might see those bills coming down over the course of the by lament two parliament. what we need is a retail mark, part of great british energy should be about translating it cotton clean power directly into bills by people be able to buy those bills from great british energy. able to buy those bills from great british energy-— able to buy those bills from great british energy. thank you so much, and shearer- _ typhoon gaemi is moving towards southern china after pummelling taiwan and the philippines with torrential rain and strong winds. the authorities in mainland china have issued this year's

first red alert for parts of the southeastern coast. the storm hit taiwan on wednesday, killing three people and forcing thousands to evacuate. officials said a cargo ship with nine burmese nationals on board had sunk off with no response from the crew. our correspondent rupert wingfield hayes is in the taiwanese capital, taipei. it is still raining here in taipei and many businesses, schools, offices are still closed today. flights are still grounded for most domestic flights in taiwan, but the storm has now passed and life here in the capital is, as you can see, starting to get back to normal. the same cannot be said for other parts of taiwan, particularly the east and the very south of the island. there we have now got data for how much rainfall there has been over the last 12 to 18 hours. and they're really extraordinary figures. in some areas, we've seen between 1,000 and 1,300 millimetres of rain falling, particularly over yilan and the big southern port city of kaohsiung,

and there that has caused extensive flooding. we've seen pictures of flooding up to people's waists in the streets of kaohsiung. and i've also seen video of flooding in tainan county, which has come up to people's chests. really, really extraordinary scenes. those waters are now starting to recede, but there are still many other problems. the winds from the typhoon have forced several ships. we understand six ships have run aground along the west coast of taiwan. and we've also... we know about another ship that has sunk in the taiwan straits. we believe the crew of that ship did abandon ship. there is now a rescue operation ongoing. there are helicopters in the air searching for the nine crew members of that freighter. they have not been found yet. meanwhile, the typhoon itself has now moved on to the coast of fujian in southern china, and around 150,000 people have been ordered, evacuated from low lying areas there as the typhoon comes ashore.

around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

charli xcx and the last dinner party are among the nominees competing to win the 2024 mercury prize album of the year award. the shortlisted albums were announced today by radio presenter tom ravenscroft on bbc radio 6 music. let's speak to our music correspondent mark savage. mark, hello to youth and tell us first of all who are the other contenders on the list? —— mark, hello to you. it contenders on the list? -- mark, hello to vow— contenders on the list? -- mark, hello to yew— contenders on the list? -- mark, hello to vow— hello to you. it is a very eclectic list we have _ hello to you. it is a very eclectic list we have artists _ hello to you. it is a very eclectic list we have artists like - hello to you. it is a very eclectic list we have artists like anne i list we have artists like anne jasper musician from scotland, an indian rock band from scotland, and charlie x yes, —— charlie xcx. we

have someone nominated for a solo album, we also have corinne raley bay. we have the wrapper ghetts from london. this is your second time for the old wood, what is it like. it is the old wood, what is it like. it is amazinu. the old wood, what is it like. it is amazing- i— the old wood, what is it like. it is amazing. ithink— the old wood, what is it like. it is amazing. i think for— the old wood, what is it like. it is amazing. i think for me, the best part of— amazing. i think for me, the best part of it — amazing. i think for me, the best part of it was performing i think doing _ part of it was performing i think doing being a doing what i do. that is the bi doing being a doing what i do. trisgt is the big thing about this award because it does not do so was the commercial success it is about turning the spotlight on albers people should pay attention to. is that when is put it to you? who; people should pay attention to. is that when is put it to you?- that when is put it to you? why is it important _ that when is put it to you? why is it important to — that when is put it to you? why is it important to me? _ that when is put it to you? why is it important to me? it _ that when is put it to you? why is it important to me? it is - that when is put it to you? why is| it important to me? it is important to me _ it important to me? it is important to me because coming from our culture, — to me because coming from our culture, we _ to me because coming from our culture, we can remember we weren't inthe— culture, we can remember we weren't in the corner— culture, we can remember we weren't in the corner many years ago, dizzy rascal _ in the corner many years ago, dizzy rascal that — in the corner many years ago, dizzy rascal. that is when i noticed with

a battery— rascal. that is when i noticed with a battery was. rascal. that is when i noticed with a battery was-— rascal. that is when i noticed with a battery was. sick award. and since then, the a battery was. sick award. and since then. the uk — a battery was. sick award. and since then, the uk has _ a battery was. sick award. and since then, the uk has had _ a battery was. sick award. and since then, the uk has had many - a battery was. sick award. and since then, the uk has had many other . then, the uk has had many other rappers. then, the uk has had many other ra ers. ., ,, then, the uk has had many other rappers-_ may i then, the uk has had many other i rappers-_ may be- then, the uk has had many other - rappers-_ may be- a rappers. could you win it? may be. a tell us about — rappers. could you win it? may be. a tell us about the _ rappers. could you win it? may be. a tell us about the album, _ rappers. could you win it? may be. a tell us about the album, it _ rappers. could you win it? may be. a tell us about the album, it is - rappers. could you win it? may be. a tell us about the album, it is good i tell us about the album, it is good from purpose with purpose. tell us about that- — from purpose with purpose. tell us about that- i— from purpose with purpose. tell us about that. i think _ from purpose with purpose. tell us about that. l think it _ from purpose with purpose. tell us about that. i think it is _ from purpose with purpose. tell us about that. i think it is about - about that. i think it is about adults— about that. i think it is about adults whose talk about so much about _ adults whose talk about so much about bills, making money and so many— about bills, making money and so many other— about bills, making money and so many other things that are more fulfilling — many other things that are more fulfilling but don't forget to pay your bills and make money. it is interesting _ your bills and make money. it 3 interesting because the rap scene has matured over the last 20 years so you are rapping about different things and you were. that so you are rapping about different things and you were.— things and you were. that is not because the _ things and you were. that is not because the rap _ things and you were. that is not because the rap has _ things and you were. that is not because the rap has assured - things and you were. that is not - because the rap has assured because i because the rap has assured because i was _ because the rap has assured because i was 18, _ because the rap has assured because i was 18, -- — because the rap has assured because iwas 18, —— because because the rap has assured because iwas18, —— because i was because the rap has assured because i was 18, —— because i was a teenager. — i was 18, —— because i was a teenager. i_ i was 18, —— because i was a teenager. i am i was 18, —— because i was a teenager. lam rapping i was 18, —— because i was a teenager. i am rapping about two to my lives— teenager. i am rapping about two to my lives then and now i up in about due to _ my lives then and now i up in about due to life — my lives then and now i up in about due to life now. it is still being a true _ due to life now. it is still being a

true reflection of my life and what i true reflection of my life and what i do _ true reflection of my life and what ido. ., ., ., ., ,., i do. congratulations on the nomination. _ i do. congratulations on the nomination. we _ i do. congratulations on the nomination. we find - i do. congratulations on the nomination. we find out. i do. congratulations on the nomination. we find out if l i do. congratulations on the i nomination. we find out if that turnsit nomination. we find out if that turns it september who has one price, other contenders include the arid country singer and charlie x e x. in the run up to the olympic games, one of the most loved french films of all time, amelie, is being re—released. it's a romantic comedy, which first arrived in cinemas in 2001. it stars audrey tatou and it certainly shows off the wonders of paris, so much so that it's credited with boosting tourism to the french capital. tom brook reports. with the summer olympics and paralympics taking place in paris, international attention has been turning to france. so we've been looking at the wonders of a much—loved french cultural export, the country's cinema,

including a film that became a worldwide hit when it was released in 2001. amelie, starring audrey tautou, presents paris as audiences often want to see it, as a romantic, idyllic city of love. it's a favourite film of my talking movies colleague emma jones, and she visited the paris neighbourhood where the movie was set. amelie, played by audrey tautou, is a young woman, she works as a waitress in montmartre. she lives this vivid interior life. and it leads her to try and do good deeds for people and make other people's lives better.

but because of her shyness she is unable to tackle the big things in her own life, and one of those is a crush that she's got on a young man who she collides with one day in paris. this is very much a film about amelie's interior life. audrey tautou, so young, so beautiful, embodies this parisian amelie with her short—cut blunt bob. i love the wayjeunet is always dressing amelie in red. it's a colour that suits her complexion beautifully, yet it's such a vivid colour for cinema.

you've got this convergence of a genius, like a director, jean—pierrejeunet, and an actress like audrey tautou. jean—pierrejeunet is a master of the whimsical and the fantastical. he studied animation and i think that's really, really evident in his body of work. so much of montmartre has become famous because of amelie, including here. montmartre has always been an artistic quarter but amelie, set at the beginning of the 21st century, in these dazzling hot sunny parisian days, all these scenes set around sacre coeur, and i think in cinema it gave paris a whole new lease of life, just because of the romantic,

idyllic, idealistic way that jean—pierrejeunet filmed amelie. it does belong to a different era, even though it still feels contemporary enough for us all to relate to. that is one to watch again, i think. the world's largest platypus conservation centre has welcomed its first residents as part of a project to protect the semi—aquatic mammal found only in australia. four platypuses have been released into the custom—built research centre at the zoo. it features multi—tiered streams, waterfalls, pools and earth banks. the facility will help researchers understand more about the species which is under threat from extreme weather and humans. since 1943, there's only been 23 platypus born in zoos. and a lot of those we don't have to day, a lot of them haven't survived. so for us to better understand how

to breed platypus in a zoo environment is key to their survival because right now we don't know how many platypus we even have in the country, it's an unknown number. let's bring you back to paris, was a glorious shot. but a report on amberley. this is the quintessential bluish view of the eiffel tower. this is —— will be back there, you are watching bbc news. hello again. if you're not a fan of the humid weather that we've been having of late, it's going to change through tonight and especially so into tomorrow. but today, it still is going to feel humid, it is already, and for some of us, we are looking at some rain topping and tailing the country. rain pushing across southern areas

into the south—east, some of this could be heavy. and we've also got some showery rain coming in across western scotland and also northern ireland. in—between, a lot of cloud, producing the odd shower, but equally, some brighter spells, some sunshine, and brisk winds, more especially in the south. now, in this sunshine, around lincolnshire, for example, we could reach 23 or 2a degrees. through this evening and overnight, more rain comes in across the south and south—east. there will be some clear skies, a few showers knocking around as well, but one thing you will notice is it's going to feel fresher for the bulk of the country. the exception to that is the far south—east, where we've got the dregs of a weather front, and here, it will still feel quite humid. but tomorrow, early doors, this weather front producing that will move away and we are into some fresher conditions across the board and westerly breezes. so there goes the cloud early doors, a lot of dry weather and a lot of sunshine, but through the day in the northern half of the country, we could well see those showers develop. one or two could be heavy and possibly thundery. we won't all see them, of course, and temperatures, 15 to about 23 degrees. as we head on through the weekend, then, with saturday first of all, again, a lot of dry weather,

some sunshine, fairweather cloud bubbling up through the day. again, we will see some showers across the northern half of the country, but fewer than we are going to see on friday. temperatures, 15 to about 22 degrees. and then on sunday, high pressure establishes itself across the uk, even into the beginning of next week as well. we've got areas producing fronts coming in from the atlantic at times, which could produce some rain at the beginning of the week for some, but on sunday, a lot of dry weather, fairweather cloud, the odd isolated shower, and feeling very warm in the south, with highs up to 25. 20 degrees in aberdeen. that high pressure will be with us as we go into next week. with the weather fronts coming into the north—west at times, we could see showers, even some rain and breezy conditions. but come further south, it's drier, it's sunnier and it's warmer.

today at 1:00pm, a police officer is suspended from all duties after footage which showed a man at manchester airport being kicked in the head and stamped on. an investigation into what happened is underway and greater manchester police have said they understand the concern and worry of the public.

chanting shame on you! last night 200 people gathered outside rochdale police station to protest about the footage. the mp who repesents the man who was kicked says the incident he will be meeting his family today. police face a difficultjob every day keeping us safe. they themselves know they have to expect the highest standards of conduct in their duties. also on the programme this lunchtime... thousands of offshore windfarms to be built on parts of the british seabed owned by the king's crown estate. three more top tories enter the race to be the next conservative party leader. and andy murray pulls out of the singles in the paris olympics. it means the doubles there will be the last event of his career. and coming up on bbc news, team gb choose two olympic legends to carry the flag at tomorrow's opening ceremony, the honourfalling to tom daley and helen glover.