World leaders, veterans, commemorate D-Day's 80th anniversary in Normandy

Veterans and world leaders gathered in Normandy on Thursday to mark the 80th anniversary of the June 6, 1944 D-Day landings, when more than 150,000 Allied soldiers arrived in France by sea and air to drive out the forces of Nazi Germany.

With war raging in Ukraine, on Europe's borders, this year's commemoration of this major turning point in World War Two will carry special resonance.

The anniversary takes place in a year of many elections, including for the European Parliament this week and in the U.S. in November. Leaders are set to draw parallels with World War Two and warn of the dangers of isolationism and the far-right.

"Democracy is literally on the ballot this year," U.S. President Joe Biden said before traveling to France, saying sacrifices from D-Day must not be given up.

As the sun rose in Arromanches-les-Bains, one of the beaches where Allied troops came ashore 80 years ago, small crowds filtered onto the beach as the tide withdrew. Under glorious blue skies, they were joined by a collection of Second World War jeeps. Later, an amphibious vehicle came ashore carrying a bagpiper blasting a somber tune.

With the numbers of veterans, many aged 100 or more, fast dwindling, this is likely to be the last major ceremony in Normandy honouring them in their presence.

Some 200 veterans, most of them American or British, are set to take part in ceremonies throughout the day on windswept beaches that still bear the scars of the fighting that erupted on D-Day, history's largest amphibious invasion, in which thousands of Allied soldiers died.

Among those who will take part is 101-year old Bob Gibson, who was in the second wave of soldiers to land on Normandy's Utah beach.

"It's like it happened yesterday. You wouldn't believe