BBC News Briefing

24 March, 2026

Sofia has shoulder-length light brown hair and brown eyes and wears a green blouse.

Sofia Lotto Persio

Hello. As the Philippines declares an energy emergency over the Iran war, my colleagues look at how the conflict is affecting everyday life in Asia. To mark 80 years since the first-ever BBC Russian broadcast, editor Jenny Norton reflects on the service's successes and struggles. And finally, a shop owner receives a belated apology and compensation from a mystery culprit.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

Fuel crisis shockwaves affect Asia

A man sits on a plastic chair at a white table holding IDs and driver's licence in each of his hands, while a white helmet rests on his lap. On the other side of the table, a man is taking a picture of his ID, a wad of cash resting n the table. The same scene can be seen at a table nearby. At least two rows of people are sat behind the tables, holding documents, waiting for their turn to claim the subsidy.

Drivers of Transportation Network Vehicle Service receive a government subsidy in the Philippines. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

The Philippines, which imports 98% of its oil from the Gulf, has become the first country in the world to declare a state of national energy emergency in response to the conflict in the Middle East. The country is not alone in feeling the impact of the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for fuel imports to Asia. At the moment, only a handful of ships make it through the strait each day, while attacks on energy infrastructure in the Gulf have pushed prices higher. Koh Ewe and Flora Drury hear from people across Asia how their lives have been affected.

Read now

GET UP TO SPEED

AirCanada pilots killed in LaGuardia crash named

The two Air Canada pilots killed in the crash have been identified as Antoine Forest and Mackenzie Gunther.

Read more >

FCC chairman Brendan Carr speaking at a wooden podium wearing a navy suit, white shirt and red and blue checked tie.

US bans new foreign-made consumer internet routers

While people will still be able to use foreign-made routers they already own, the ban applies to all "new device models."

What to know >

Dennis Coyle with former US ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad shortly after his release by Taliban authorities.

Taliban release US detainee Dennis Coyle

According to Coyle's family, he was working as a language researcher when he was arrested in Afghanistan in 2025.

What happened >

NEWS FROM THE UK

Footing the bill: A police force has been told it will not receive reimbursement for more than £900,000 ($1.2m) spent policing President Trump's visit.

Green energy: The government is requiring developers to install solar panels and heat pumps in all new homes in England.

Mel Schilling: Tributes have poured in for Married at First Sight's dating coach, who has died of cancer at the age of 54.

AT THE SCENE

Riga, Latvia

The BBC Russian Service turns 80

A black and white image shows Paul McCartney speaking on the Russian service in 1989, when it was broadcasting from Bush House in London.

Notable guests have hit the waves since the first-ever Russian Service radio news bulletin on 24 March 1946.

From Our Own Correspondent: From its early days as a short-wave radio service, the BBC's Russian Service now reaches more than six million Russian speakers per week across multiple platforms. With freedom of speech under attack both in Russia and in many surrounding countries, the team have had to find ways to adapt.

Jenny has short grey hair and blue eyes and is smiling.

Jenny Norton, head of BBC News Russian

We had to leave Russia in 2022 because it was no longer safe for our staff to continue doing their jobs there. Even calling [Russian President] Putin's "special military operation" in Ukraine a war was against the law. Getting nearly 50 shell-shocked BBC Russian journalists, their families and their pets out of Russia and into Latvia now feels like the easy bit.

‌

Building new lives, learning a new language, and finding new ways to keep reporting Russia from the outside has been a much tougher challenge. No-one can travel safely back to Russia. Home and family have become unreachable. Reunions have to happen in third countries. And even in exile our staff are still being pursued.

Listen from the 12' mark

Propaganda machine: What Russian children learn in schools like the one featured in the Mr Nobody Against Putin documentary.

948 drones: Russia has launched the largest aerial attack on Ukraine over a 24-hour period since the war began.

Bucha explosion: Two police officers have been injured in an explosion that authorities described as a "terrorist act".