BBC News Briefing

20 November, 2024

Jules Darmanin

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

A soldier is touching an anti-personnel landmine in a field.

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.

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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.

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The frontline in maps: My BBC Verify colleagues expand on the latest Russian gains, and what they mean for the future of the war.

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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.

WORLD HEADLINES

Jimmy Lai: One of Hong Kong's most influential pro-democracy figures has denied foreign collusion during a national security trial that may see him sentenced to life in jail.

Trump administration: The president-elect has picked Linda McMahon, his transition co-chair and the co-founder of World Wrestling Entertainment, as his nominee for education secretary.

In Haiti: The humanitarian medical organisation Médecins Sans Frontières has suspended its operations in the capital Port-au-Prince, following a violent attack on its staff and the alleged killing of two patients they were treating by Haitian police officers.

Alledged abduction: The wife of Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye says he has been kidnapped in neighbouring Kenya and sent back home where he is being held in a military jail.

Wicked: Ariana Grande has told the BBC that she channelled her personal feelings of loss when filming the adaptation of the hugely successful stage musical based on the Wizard of Oz universe.
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AT THE SCENE

Delhi, India

Delhi’s struggle to fight the smog

A man is walking on the road through thick 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.

Vikas Pandey, BBC News

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?

Keep reading

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

How is the world doing on climate change?

A man wearing jeans covered in mud is walking on top of piled up cars in the street in Spain.

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.

Read the story

An illustration shows two oysters against a blue background and a d

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

The Billion Oyster Project

Over the past 10 years, New York has sought to revive its once-famous oysters.

How it went

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.