BBC News Briefing

12 November, 2025

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Alex Binley

Hello. US President Donald Trump has said he has an "obligation" to sue the BBC over the way a speech he made on the day of the Capitol riot was edited. In the Middle East, satellite images analysed by BBC Verify show that Israel has destroyed more than 1,500 buildings in Gaza since a ceasefire was agreed a month ago. And finally, watch as a brand new bridge collapses in a huge cloud of dust in China.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

Trump speaks publicly for first time about BBC legal action threat

Donald Trumo is sat in a brown leather chair. Only his head and shoulders can be seen in this close-up shot. He has white hair. He is facing forwards but his eyes are looking to the side. He wears a navy blue suit, white shirt and red tie.

Trump's lawyers have given the BBC a deadline of Friday to respond. Credit: Getty Images

President Trump has indicated he'll go ahead with a threatened $1bn (£759m) lawsuit against the BBC over the way a section of his speech on 6 January 2021 was edited in a documentary. Trump said the speech had been "butchered" and the BBC "defrauded the public". He told Fox News's The Ingraham Angle he has an "obligation" to go ahead with the threatened lawsuit. The BBC's chair has apologised for an "error of judgement" over the edit, while a spokesperson for the corporation said it is "reviewing the letter [from Trump's legal team] and will respond directly in due course".

Trump vs the BBC: Experts assess how strong the US president's case is, and the legal hurdles it faces.

Watch: Analysis editor Ros Atkins explains how and why the inner workings of the BBC are central to this story.

Explained: Here's everything you need to know about Trump's threat to sue the BBC.

WORLD HEADLINES

A protester, wearing a traditional featered headdress, a coloured wristband and with a line of tattoos across his face, raises his arm. He is surrounded by other protesters who all appear angry.

Protesters break into COP30 venue in Brazil

Protesters carrying signs reading "our forests are not for sale" broke through security lines at the climate talks in Brazil.

Watch the video >

A large grey plane sits on the deck of an aircaraft carrier. The ships radar tower is seen behind the plane, which is grey.

US aircraft carrier group arrives in Caribbean

The arrival of the world's largest warship comes amid tensions with Venezuela and ongoing strikes against alleged drug boats.

Read more >

A person wearing a long white burkha over a black dress walks alongside a brown stone wall.

Taliban 'order women to wear burkas to hospitals'

Medical charity MSF said it had seen some admissions fall after the order was made in Herat. The Taliban has denied the rule.

More on this >

A man with short black hair wears a blue shirt and is stood in front of a tree. He has scarring on his cheek below his left eye.

Biologist bitten on head by shark hopes to see it again

Mauricio Hoyos was tagging a shark off the coast of Costa Rica when it lunged at him but then let him go.

What happened >

A generated image shows a crocodile sitting on a nest with two eggs in it, in a swamp. Plants, birds and a rodent-like creature can also be seen.

Evidence of ancient tree-climbing 'drop crocs' found

Scientists in Australia say the crocodiles hunted like leopards by climbing trees and then dropping onto prey below.

What we know >

NEWS FROM THE UK

Keir Starmer: The health secretary has denied reports that he is plotting a leadership challenge against the PM.

NHS cuts: Thousands of NHS England staff are to be made redundant, resulting in a £1bn ($1.31bn) pay-off bill.

AI painting: Take a look at an AI-generated print that was sneaked into a Welsh gallery.

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Israel has destroyed more than 1,500 buildings in Gaza since ceasefire

The actual number of destroyed buildings could be higher, as satellite imagery for all areas was not available.

Israel has destroyed more than 1,500 buildings in areas of Gaza that have remained under its control since the ceasefire with Hamas started on 10 October, BBC Verify has found after analysing satellite images. Some experts have argued the demolitions may violate the terms of the ceasefire, but a spokesperson for the Israeli military told Verify that it was acting "in accordance with the ceasefire framework".

See the evidence

An image shows the aftermath of a tsunami. And industrial area is flooded with brown water and is seen from high above