BBC News Briefing

5 December, 2025

Alex Binley

Hello. In the US, the testimony of the admiral who ordered a military double strike on an alleged drugs boat alleviates some of the pressure on US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, writes North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher. Russia's president has insisted his country will continue to supply India with oil, despite objections from the US. And the parents of the last remaining dead hostage in Gaza have spoken to the BBC about their desperate wait for his body to be returned.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

Boat strike briefings help Hegseth - but shipwreck video release may hurt

Hegseth has grey hair that is slicked back and is talking, with his hand making an 'OK' symbol in front of him. He is wearing a navy blue suit, light blue shirt and blue tie with red stripes on it. He is standing in front of a red and white striped background.

Republicans and Democrats agreed Hegseth didn't order the killing of everyone on an alleged drug boat, but that's where the consensus ended. Credit: Reuters

In recent days, two potentially damaging stories concerning Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth "have been defused", writes Anthony Zurcher, but possibly just "for now". First, a report found Hegseth did not transmit classified information about a strike against the Houthis via the Signal app. Now, the admiral in charge of the US's controversial double strike on an alleged Venezuelan drugs boat in the Caribbean has told lawmakers Hegseth did not give the order to "kill them all". Yet if the strike video is released to the public and it is "as disturbing as some Democrats say", the defence secretary "may be in the spotlight once again", Anthony notes.

Anthony's analysis

Explained: How the White House account of the Venezuela boat strike has evolved.

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Verify: Several legal experts have told the BBC that there was no legal basis for the second strike.

Nicolás Maduro: Why is US President Donald Trump threatening his Venezuelan counterpart and what's the link to the alleged drugs boats?

WORLD HEADLINES

Putin and Modi shake hands and face each other. Putin wears a black suit and Modi wears a white shirt and a navy blue waistcoat. Modi has white hair and a beard while Putin has greying hair. They stand surrounded by flowers, lags and podiums.

Russia will keep supplying fuel to India, says Putin

Delhi is under pressure from the US to stop buying Moscow's oil, which Washington says funds Russia's war in Ukraine.

Latest updates >

A woman and a man sit next to each other. The woman has brown hair that is tied back. She wears a dark green silky shirt, glasses and red ipstick. The man has grey hair and a beard and wears a black T-shirt with a picture on it that says 'Ran Gvili lumim's shield'.

'All Israelis are with us', last dead hostage's parents say

The body of Ran Gvili, a 24-year-old Israeli police officer, has not yet been returned by Hamas from Gaza.

Read more >

An aerial view of the Faroe Islands. It shows lots of brigtly coloured homes which sit around an inslet of water.

Faroe Islands scraps strict abortion laws

From July, abortion will be legal up to the end of the 12th week of pregnancy. It was previously banned in almost all cases.

More on law change >

Mark Carney, Claudia Sheinbaum and Donald Trump are pictured. Carney is on the left and is smiling. He has grey hair and wears a navy blue suit, white shirt and purple tie. Sheinbaum is in the centre and has dark hair that is tied back and wears a red dress. Trump is on the right and wears a navy blue suit, white shirt and pink tie.

Tensions between World Cup hosts remain

With the leaders of Canada, Mexico and the US set to meet for the tournament's draw, these are the frictions between them.

Watch the video >

Two men in black suits stand in a TV studio with trees that appear to be covered in snow behind them. One of the men is looking up to the ceiling.

Did Harry reference Trump in Late Show joke?

Prince Harry appeared in a sketch with Stephen Colbert, auditioning for a "Christmas prince" film role.

What he said >

NEWS FROM THE UK

Post Office scandal: The widow of a sub-postmaster who died at 58 alleges "the constant cycle" of stress he was under took its toll on his health.

Artificial intelligence: Waterstones would stock books created using AI, the company's boss, who's also head of Barnes & Noble, has said.

'Fertility gap': There has been a rise in the number of one-child families since 2000. But what implications might this have?

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

They contracted hepatitis before the jab was given at birth. Now it may be delayed again

John Ellis has long curly brown hair and a beard. He is wearing a blue cap, green parka with an orange lining and a checked shirt. He looks serious.

Medication helps John manage his illness, lowering his viral count and allowing him to live without symptoms and complications. Credit: John Ellis

John Ellis was 16 when stomach pains led to a diagnosis of hepatitis B. Born in 1990, a year before the US began vaccinating newborns against it, John had contracted the virus before he got the jab aged 12. He's speaking out ahead of a vote by an advisory panel on delaying the immunisation, as US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr questions the vaccine's safety.