BBC News Briefing

5 September, 2025

Sofia has long brown hair and brown eyes and is wearing a green top.

Jemma Crew

Hello. Russia's President Vladimir Putin has rejected Western proposals for a "reassurance force" in Ukraine the day after any ceasefire comes in. In the US, President Donald Trump plans to rechristen the Pentagon as the Department of War. And finally, we lift the lid on the secret project David Bowie was working on before he died.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

Putin warns any troops deployed to Ukraine would be 'legitimate targets'

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during the plenary session of the 10th Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok

Russia has said its military is pressing forward in Ukraine on all fronts. Credit: VLADIMIR SMIRNOV/TASS/HANDOUT

The Russian leader has sought to quash an initiative from the West, after France said 26 of Ukraine’s allies had formally committed to deploying troops "by land, sea or air" to help provide security in Ukraine after any ceasefire is agreed. Putin warned any troops deployed to Ukraine would be "legitimate targets". There seems little hope of a ceasefire currently, after Putin said on Friday he was ready for contact with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “but I do not see much point. Why? Because it is nearly impossible to reach agreement with the Ukrainian side on key issues".

Read the latest

Allied support: UK defence secretary says allies will "help make the skies safe, to make the seas safe, and to secure the land" after a peace deal.

GPS jamming: Sweden accuses Russia of being behind a significant rise GPS signal jamming recorded over the Baltic Sea.

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Peace deal: Putin says Russia will achieve all aims militarily if Ukraine does not agree deal

WORLD HEADLINES

Wreckage after the Lisbon funicular crash

Nationalities of Lisbon crash victims revealed

Some 16 people died and more than 20 were also injured when the Glória funicular derailed on Wednesday.

More here >

People in Afghanistan sitting on the ground by a wall

Third earthquake in days strikes Afghanistan

The first quake - on Sunday - killed 1,368 people and wounded 2,180 others, according to the latest toll from the UN.

What happened >

Melania Trump, dressed in a white jacket, speaking at a microphone at a table in the East Room of the White House on 4 September.

Melania warns ‘robots are here’ in rare public outing

The elusive and influential first lady said America must prepare its children for the AI-driven decades ahead.

What she said >

Woman killed and seven injured in Canada stabbing

The suspect also died attack at a First Nations community in the province of Manitoba, police say.

Read the story >

Donald Trump wearing a dark blue suit stands in front of a microphone

Trump seeks to rebrand the Pentagon

The US president will sign an executive order on Friday for the defence department to be known as the Department of War.

What we know >

NEWS FROM THE UK

National security: UK is safe "for now and for the next few years", the outgoing head of the British armed forces tells the BBC.

Diabetes: At least 55,000 people in England will need further blood tests after errors by NHS diagnostic machines.

Reform UK: Politics professor Sir John Curtice unpacks how Reform’s capture of the Brexit vote could could win an election.

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Indonesia protests spark support from Asian neighbours

A male Indonesian delivery driver holds up a poster during a protest with policemen wearing shields and helmets standing in the background.

Delivery riders are a key group taking part in the protests. Credit: Getty Images

Protests in Indonesia have been escalating following the killing of a delivery rider Affan Kurniawan, sparking a drive among South East Asians to show their support. Some in neighbouring Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines and Thailand are using the popular Grab and Gojek apps to order food in Indonesia for delivery riders, a key group taking part in the protests.

Find out more

A woman in a long cream-coloured dress, with long blonde hair walks across some grass next to a white house, with a large silver barbecue next to it. There are trees in the background and she is carrying flowers.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Nostalgia in fashion