BBC News Briefing

19 June, 2024

Jules Darmanin

Hello. Details are emerging on the agreement signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. If you're looking for the full picture, our live page is chock-full of analysis. Elsewhere, we're reporting on worries around extreme heat for the upcoming Paris Olympics. Also in your newsletter: quaint English countryside, video-game glass ceilings, and a Spanish embarrassment of riches.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

Kim and Putin get ever closer

Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un are walking on a red carpet, welcomed by children holding North Korean and Russian flags.

Kim Jong Un has also called Russia "the most honest friend and ally" to North Korea. Credit: Sputnik

North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un has said he "fully supports" Russia's invasion of Ukraine, after lavishly welcoming President Vladimir Putin to Pyongyang with roses, balloons and ceremonial gunfire. Mr Kim appears to be sparing no resources for Mr Putin’s visit - parading through brightly-lit neighbourhoods while the country is plagued by power shortages. According to Russian state media, the two leaders have signed a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" agreement, providing for "mutual help" in the event of "aggression". Analysts say the countries’ relationship is on a level not seen since the time of the Soviet Union. But any talk of a "bromance" is premature, our correspondent in China Laura Bicker writes. Until the war in Ukraine, Russia wasn't a priority for North Korea. And although Mr Kim can provide ammunition to Moscow he will need to keep some supplies as he has a front of his own to maintain.

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Red carpet welcome: State media footage showed tens of thousands of people lining the avenues of Pyongyang - but in totalitarian North Korea, it's hard to say how many of them were there by choice.

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Marriage of convenience: The Kremlin has much to gain in getting closer to North Korea and its armament capabilities, Russia editor Steve Rosenberg wrote in a piece last year.

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Travel logistics: Mr Putin has invited his counterpart to Moscow. But if he accepts, how will Kim Jong Un get there?

WORLD HEADLINES

In Chad: A huge fire broke out at an ammunition depot in N'Djamena, causing deadly explosions, senior government ministers have said.

Tech giant: Chip designer Nvidia has become the world’s most valuable company after its share price climbed to an all-time high.

In Russia: A US soldier was sentenced to three years and nine months in jail on charges of theft and threatening to kill his girlfriend, state news agencies have reported.

Wealth redistribution: An Austrian citizens group was set up to figure out how the fortune of a 32-year-old heiress should be given away. Here's what they have decided.

I don't need a man: After decades of being saved by video-game protagonist Link, Princess Zelda is to star in her own game, Nintendo has announced.

UK ELECTION LATEST

The Scottish National Party – which had the third-largest number of MPs in Westminster before Parliament was dissolved – is pledging "major investment" in the NHS, as it launches its manifesto. Our Scotland editor explains why the way Scotland votes matters for the entire UK. There'll be analysis of party commitments, as well as the latest news lines, on our live page.

AT THE SCENE

Central Spain

Energy transition's next challenge

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For countries that have rapidly built green energy capacity in the past few years, finding the right balance of supply and demand can be difficult if not enough economic sectors are using electricity. This is the challenge Spain currently faces.

Guy Hedgecoe, BBC News

Miguel de la Torre Rodríguez is the head of system development at Red Eléctrica (REE), the company that operates Spain's national grid. He says that when solar energy output is particularly strong, the supply-demand balance can be pushed out of kilter, having an impact on prices. "During certain hours, the prices have been zero or even negative," he says. While such low prices are welcome for consumers, they are potentially a problem when it comes to attracting investment to the industry.

Read in full

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Extreme weather concerns for Olympics

An Olympic runner is laying on the ground exhausted, surrounded by a coach and medical staff at the Tokyo Olympics.

Extreme heat made the last Tokyo Olympics "torturous" for athletes and volunteers. Credit: Getty Images

As spring comes to an end in the northern hemisphere, extreme heat is making headlines from Chicago to Delhi. And ahead of the Paris Olympics in the height of summer, soaring temperatures are worrying athletes. France’s national weather service is forecasting a warmer than average summer.

Read the story

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

In love with the Cotswolds

The countryside idyll in the English county of Oxfordshire is having a moment.

Here's why

And finally...

A mysterious monolith has appeared in the Nevada desert, sparking speculation as to what it may be and who is behind it. Sounds familiar? Indeed, the monolith is similar to other similarly puzzling structures that appeared around the globe in 2020.

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– Jules

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