This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service.

I'm Jackie Leonard and at 13 hours GMT on Thursday the 23rd of May,

these are our main stories. The Taiwanese president has promised to defend his country

after China launched military drills around the island. A purge of the Russian military is continuing with the arrest of the deputy chief of general staff and in northern

Mexico a stage has collapsed at an election rally killing at least nine people.

Also in this podcast President Emmanuel Macron on a visit to the riot hit

territory of New Caledonia says French police will remain for as long as

necessary and as the UK gets into general election campaign

mode we'll hear from our political correspondent Rob Watson. The politicians are

now criss-crossing the country for votes.

They face a weary and sceptical electorate, many of whom think Britain isn't working.

And we begin in Taiwan where President William Lye has promised to defend freedom and democracy

as China conducts military exercises around the island. I will stand on the front line with all the brothers and sisters from the National Army to defend peace.

We will continue to defend the values of democracy, protecting regional peace and

stability.

Well China holding military drills around Taiwan is nothing new, but the latest ones appear

to have an added touch of menace. is for what it calls Taiwan's separatist acts. The two-day drills come three days

after the inauguration of Taiwan's new president. China regards Taiwan as a

breakaway province. Sun Li Feng is a spokesman for the Taiwanese Defence Ministry.

This original production has jeopardized regional peace and stability.

PRC's dispatch of aircraft and vessels harassing its neighbors in recent

years has threatened global peace and stability.

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