Russian military instructors have finally entered Niger less than a year after the army overthrew the western-backed president, Bazoum. The Kremlin has now consolidated the Sahel where the jihadist insurgency continues to surge and military rule is increasingly mainstream.

This week's episode of The Briefing Room is available to download now from BBC Sounds - bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00… - David Aaronovitch with Jennifer Jefferis GU Security Studies Michael Clarke Khalil Shikaki Gershon Baskin🟣 جرشون باسكين גרשון בסקין. You can also listen at our new time on BBC Radio 4 - 16.00 today.

Deadly Israeli attack on Hamas leader's family, Eid al-Fitr in Gaza & Israeli soldiers' views of the war. Plus warnings of Iranian attack on Israel. team is Kathy Long Oren Rosenfeld on insta you'll find cameraman @frederickbscott

youtu.be/8SepfTHRJ3U?si… via YouTube

This is a great read - a good example of how the right digital presentation (using imagination/great photos/maps etc) can really elevate a piece

Just before I leave the Post Office Inquiry hearing ante-room, a quick note about this QR code, Wendy Buffrey asked me to share this more widely. It’s an initiative by The Post Office Horizon IT enquiry to get more experiences on the record.

“Why should voters care if prison’s really awful, where not much education, rehabilitation happens?”

“Our reoffending rate in this country costs about £18bn a year.”
David Shipley, in prison 2020-2021 says reoffending makes up around a third of the cost of total crime.

Heading into a big summer of sport in Europe, there are security concerns for France and Germany who are bolstering security and training troops as ⁦andrew harding⁩ reports from Paris bbc.com/news/world-eur…

Strong positive effects of SureStart on GCSE results for poorer children. More strong evidence that well designed early intervention can be very effective.

Also shows importance of high quality evaluation. Great work by my colleagues.

Policymakers take note.

Johnson’s refusal to meet David Cameron, who was going to lobby him for more aid for Ukraine, is also pretty telling

Thirty years on from the genocide that killed an estimated 800,000 people, Rwandans share their stories of survival - and reconciliation.

🎧 From Our Own Correspondent on BBC Sounds.

bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00…

bbc.com/news/world-mid… Lina Sinjab لينا سنجاب reflects on present day Damascus - where among other changes, she an increased resentment of the now substantial Iranian presence in the city.

I accompanied BBC presenter & reporter Victoria Uwonkunda as she returned home 30 years after Rwanda's genocide - BBC Africa youtu.be/NGfpJRIH4No?si… via YouTube #RwandanGenocide #rwanda genocide #rwanda

And so it begins…

Have I got this right… there isn’t enough money for structural repair of the bridge but there will be enough for a cycle lane?

Picture of the day #hammersmith

On pain, endurance - and the healing power of flowers

A despatch from Bucha bbc.co.uk/news/world-eur…

I am proud to be a member of Speakers for Schools, and during my talks, I illustrate the work we do in Broadcast Media with a series of videos. My last 'What does a director do' video was made in 2019 - so may I present the 2024 version - directing the BBC Six O'Clock News

Covering the hualien quake the last few days two things have stood out, the impressive resilience of the built environment (compared to 25 years ago) and the amazing speed of the rescue and recovery effort. Truly impressive

bbc.com/news/world-asi…