Ros Atkins on… The US climate conundrum

A virtual summit of 40 world leaders is discussing ways of fulfilling the 2015 Paris climate agreement. US President Biden has pledged to cut carbon emissions by 50-52% below 2005 levels by the end of this decade. Speaking ahead of the summit, Prof Lord Nicholas Stern told BBC World News that it was important that…

A leading campaigner for women’s rights in Afghanistan was evacuated from Kabul last week, after going into hiding.

India has seen more Covid cases in the last seven days than any other country as it battles its second wave. Hospitals have been overwhelmed with relatives begging for beds and oxygen for loved ones – now crematoriums are also running out of space. One man who lost his wife and unborn child on the…

A meeting between UK and Ukrainian officials has been held at the Ministry of Defence to discuss the growing crisis over Russian troop movements near Ukraine’s border. Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK, Vadym Prystaiko, said it was part of a regular dialogue between UK and Ukraine but today’s meeting had been very much influenced by…

The pre-COP26 meeting is taking place in Milan where climate ministers are discussing key issues that will be addressed at the upcoming UN conference COP26. At the Youth4Climate conference, which finished on Thursday and was also in Milan, climate activist Greta Thunberg spoke of the “empty words and promises” of politicians, but also urged people…

Armed forces minister James Heappey has said that British soldiers in Afghanistan are facing “extraordinary circumstances” at Kabul airport. UK troops were deployed to Kabul airport to aid the evacuation of people from the country, following the Taliban’s total takeover of Afghanistan. Mr Heappey told the BBC that while soldiers are helping with the evacuation,…