Plus: Heavy pollution brings terrible sense of déjà vu to Delhi. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
|
| Hello. Today we’re following the latest developments in the war in Ukraine, after a US official said President Joe Biden had approved the supply of anti-personnel mines to Kyiv. We're also catching up with Vikas Pandey in Delhi, where the city is covered in thick smog. He tells us about the frustrating inevitability of winter pollution in the Indian capital. Also in your newsletter: Hong Kong, Wicked and New York oysters. | |
|
|
|
|
TOP OF THE AGENDA | US steps up aid to slow Russian advance | | Non-persistent landmines become inert after a pre-set period of time - anywhere from four hours to two weeks. Credit: EPA | The outgoing President Joe Biden is once again stepping up military aid to Ukraine by agreeing to give the country anti-personnel landmines, a US defence official told the BBC. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said the mines would be delivered soon and Washington expected they would be used on Ukraine’s territory. The official added that Ukraine had committed to not using mines in densely populated areas, and only using mines that remained active for a limited period of time. "Mines are vital" to halt "Russia’s overwhelming might, in terms of manpower and artillery", our diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams writes from Dnipro. The move, which follows the recent authorisation of US long-range missiles to strike Russian territory, comes at a time of heightened uncertainty for Ukraine. The Russian military is accelerating its advance, while the inauguration of Donald Trump next January is fuelling Ukrainian fears that the upcoming president could cut military aid, in a bid to force Kyiv to negotiate a peace deal. Russia's advances would only make its position stronger at the negotiating table.
Air attack warning: The US embassy in Kyiv has temporarily closed "out of an abundance of caution" after receiving "specific information of a potential significant air attack on 20 November". Follow our live page for more updates.
The frontline in maps: My BBC Verify colleagues expand on the latest Russian gains, and what they mean for the future of the war.
In case you missed it: Vladimir Putin approved changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine on Tuesday. An attack from a non-nuclear state, if backed by a nuclear power, will now be treated as a joint assault on Russia. | |
|
|
|
|
|
| Delhi’s struggle to fight the smog | | Many people still brave the poisonous air to go on walks. Credit: Getty Images | There is a thick, visible blanket of smog over India's capital, shutting down schools and preventing outdoor work as an increasing number of people attend hospitals reporting respiratory problems. Vikas Pandey explains why covering the pollution feels like watching the same dystopian film on repeat, where the outcome never changes. |
|
| | | If you stay outdoors for more than a few minutes, you can almost taste ash. You will feel breathless within minutes if you try to run or even walk at a brisk pace in the smog. Along with the gloom, there is a strong sense of déjà vu. We have covered every twist and turn of this story in the past two decades. We have reported on how pollution is making people sick and reducing their life expectancy here, here and here, and how it affects children here, here and here. The crisis affects the poor the most but they mostly don’t have a choice but to go out and work in the smog, as we have covered here, here and here. And amid all this, we are back to the same question again - why does nothing change? |
|
| |
|
|
BEYOND THE HEADLINES | How is the world doing on climate change? |
|
| | | Scientists say the recent floods in Valencia, Spain, were made worse by climate change. Credit: EPA | Scientists, politicians and world leaders are meeting at the annual UN climate summit, COP29, in Azerbaijan, which wraps up on Friday. But what progress have countries already made to tackle climate change? From fossil fuels to deforestation, Mark Poynting and Georgina Rannard share their 2024 reporting card. |
|
| |
|
|
SOMETHING DIFFERENT | The Billion Oyster Project | Over the past 10 years, New York has sought to revive its once-famous oysters. | |
|
| |
|
|
And finally... | March, an English town near Cambridge that made global headlines last year for its wonky Christmas tree, has received this year's festive foliage delivery – and, to local residents' delight, it is a wonky one again. | |
|
|
|
|
Six Steps to Calm | Discover a calmer future with this course of six science-backed techniques, weekly to your inbox. | |
|
| |
|
|
MORE BBC NEWSLETTERS | | US Election Unspun: Cut through the noise in the US presidential election and its global impact, every Wednesday and Friday. Subscribe. | | World of Business: Gain the leading edge with global insights for the boardroom and beyond, every Wednesday. Subscribe. | | The Essential List: The best of the BBC, handpicked by our editors, in your inbox every Tuesday and Friday. Subscribe. | |
|
|
|
|
Thank you, as ever, for reading. Send us suggestions for topics or areas of the world to cover in this newsletter. Tell your friends and family about it! They can sign up here. You can take a look at all our newsletters here.
By the way, you can add [email protected] to your contacts list and, if you're on Gmail, pop the email into your “Primary” tab for uninterrupted service. Thanks for reading!
– Jules | | | | |
|
| | You've received this email because you've signed up to the BBC News Briefing newsletter.
Click here to unsubscribe
To find out how we use your data, see the BBC Privacy Policy.
BBC Studios Distribution Limited.
Registered Number: 01420028 England
Registered office: 1 Television Centre, 101 Wood Lane, London, W12 7FA, United Kingdom | |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
