BBC News Briefing

15 October, 2024

Graeme Baker

Hello. The US is sending Israel a sophisticated anti-missile defence system and the troops to operate it, following an Iranian strike earlier this month. Tom Bateman looks at what the deployment means. In Ukraine, Sarah Rainsford visits the women volunteers defending against Russia's deadly drones. Elsewhere, Elon Musk faces flak over his robots, and Godfather actor Al Pacino reflects on becoming a dad at 84. If the thought of all that keeps you awake at night, read on for our tips on sleeping better.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

Why the US is giving Israel a powerful anti-missile system

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America's Thaad anti-missile system can defend against high-altitude threats. Credit: Getty

America's decision to send Israel one of its most sophisticated missile defence systems also commits around 100 troops to operate it. That's a large increase in the US military presence in Israel. Tom Bateman, our State Department correspondent, looks at why President Joe Biden has sent the weapon, known as Thaad, and what it means. Meanwhile the UN says its peacekeeping soldiers in Lebanon's south will stay in their positions despite repeated demands from Israel to move out of the way of its forces, reports Jonathan Head from Beirut. Join our live coverage, running through the day.

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Cheap, slow and small drones have become a deadly problem for Israel in its year-long war, and its Iron Dome missile defence system has struggled to tackle them. Jonah Fisher looks at the system, and what might replace it.

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Israel has said it will listen to the US but make final decisions based on its own national interest, as speculation over its response to a major Iranian missile attack continues.

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Two Gazans, Khalid and Aya, have been filming their daily lives for the BBCX during a year under Israeli bombardment. Khalid tells the BBC that every night, "I say bye to my kids, in case we don’t wake up."

WORLD HEADLINES

US election: Kamala Harris is ramping up efforts to court black and Latino voters, as Democrats warn she needs to do more to energise her supporters to actually vote in November's presidential election.

Big offer: Britain's government has floated the idea of offering weight loss jabs to unemployed people who are obese, to help get them back into work. Wes Streeting, the health secretary, says the plan could be "lifechanging".

Diplomatic row: India and Canada have expelled their top envoys and other diplomats as a row intensifies over last year's murder of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil, which Ottawa claims involved Indian agents.

New father: Al Pacino says "it's fun" to be a new dad at 84. The actor tells the BBC that he wants to be around for his fourth child, Roman, who is now 16 months old. "And I hope I am," he says. "I hope I stay healthy."

My robot: The director of 2004 sci-fi film I, Robot has accused Elon Musk of copying his designs for his "Optimus" robots. "Hey Elon, can I have my designs back please," Alex Proyas said on X. Musk has yet to respond.

AT THE SCENE

Bucha, Ukraine

The Ukrainian women taking on Russia's drones

Inna, of the Witches of Bucha. Credit: BBC

It’s when dark falls over Bucha that the witches come out, because that’s when the Russian drones start swarming. The Witches of Bucha, as they call themselves, are a volunteer air defence unit made up almost entirely of women, helping to protect Ukraine's skies as men fight on the front.

Sarah Rainsford, Eastern Europe Correspondent

“I’m 51, I weigh 100kg (220lb), I can’t run. I thought they'd send me packing, but they took me on,” says Valentyna, a veterinarian who signed up this summer and now goes by the callsign Valkyrie. She talks about friends deployed to the front, and others who have died in the fighting, as part of what brought her to this role. “I can do this work. The kit’s heavy, but we women can do it.”

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Her friend Inna, callsign Cherry, a maths teacher in her early 50s, is on one of her first deployments. “The guys have gone, but we’re here", she tells me. "What can’t Ukrainian women do? We can do everything.”

Read in full

Ukrainians have recovered wreckage of Russia's latest weapon, the S-70 stealth drone, after it was destroyed by its own side over the eastern front. Abdujalil Abdurasulov looks at the latest menace from Moscow.

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Hurricane recovery disrupted by threats to relief workers

A man enters a Federal Emergency Management Agency station in North Carolina. Credit: Reuters

As conspiracy theories continue to swirl around Hurricanes Milton and Helena, and Federal Emergency Management Agency staff say they are "making changes" to operations in North Carolina after threats against their lives. Mike Wendling tackles the disinformation, and explores what effect it has had on recovery.

Read now

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Sleeping on it

Need a good night's rest? Try changing how you think about it.

And finally...

A spacecraft that will hunt for signs of alien life on one of Jupiter’s icy moons has blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida. We'll have to wait for a bit, however, to see what it finds... Europa Clipper is not expected to reach its destination before 2030. Take a look at the lift-off.

Six Steps to Calm

Discover a calmer future with this course of six science-backed techniques, weekly to your inbox.

Subscribe here

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