BBC News Briefing

11 September, 2026

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

Sofia Lotto Persio

Hello. The Houthis' increasing control of Yemen's Red Sea coast might impact oil prices - BBC Verify explains how. In India, we speak to the leader of the "cockroach" protests to learn what's next. Try the weekly news quiz, and finally, hear visitors' opinions of the Bayeux Tapestry.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

Significance of Houthis' Red Sea advance

A satellite image highlighting the Bab al-Mandab Strait. There is blue and green BBC Verify branding in the top left.

The Houthis escalated fighting last week and have now reportedly taken over a strategic island in the Red Sea.

The Iran-backed Houthi group has seized territory close to the Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea - a key trade gateway that links Asia and Europe. Houthis have said they pose no threat to international shipping, but have reiterated their intention to target vessels from Saudi Arabia, which backs Yemen's government against the rebels. The waterway is of key importance to Saudi Arabia. The country has increasingly relied on its western Red Sea route for oil exports, since down its eastern coast, the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed after the US and Israel began strikes against Iran six months ago. That disruption has already had an impact on trade and oil prices - in the US, fuel costs hit a new all-time high this week. What could happen if another shipping route becomes too dangerous to sail?

Watch the explainer

Marking 25 years since the 9/11 attacks

US presidents past and present have attended ceremonies of remembrance for the lives lost after hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field. President Donald Trump spoke at the Pentagon, while a large memorial took place in New York City. Other events have taken place around the world, while those who were not yet born in 2001 have told us how they have learnt about what happened.

See images from ceremonies

GET UP TO SPEED

McKenna West walks into court. She wears glasses, a black suit and a white top. She wears a small cross as a necklace. Other people walk by her.

Surrogate in US custody case asks top court opinion

The woman who denied a couple's request for her to have an abortion has asked the US Supreme Court to intervene in the case.

What to know >

Seized assets, including gold, jewellery, watches and Thai Baht bank notes

Buddhist monk arrested in alleged embezzlement case

Thai police accuse Phra Wachirayan Wi of pocketing $3m (£2.2m) in donations meant for his monastery over two years.

More details >

Princess Astrid wears a thick white fur coat aged 93 in May 2025. She has short white curly hair, blue eyes, and wears glasses and a pearl necklace.

King Harald's sister Princess Astrid dies at 94

The last surviving child of Norway's King Olav V has died, two days after attending her brother's funeral.

Read more >

NEWS FROM THE UK

Assisted dying: MPs have voted against proposals to legalise the practice in England and Wales, ending the latest effort to change the law.

Crime: An ex-millionaire who had tried to have his former partner killed has been found guilty of attacking a woman sat next to him at a theatre.

Royal visit: The Princess of Wales has met patients and staff at the hospital for which she raised funds after she was treated for cancer.

AT THE SCENE

India

The 'cockroach' protests leader who started a youth movement

The CJP protests were among the biggest the Indian government had seen in recent years. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

Abhijeet Dipke sparked a movement via a social media post. Protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) he helped launch ultimately led to the education minister's resignation over exam paper leaks. Now, the challenge is whether the CJP can convert its current momentum into long-lasting change.

Yogiya has long brown hair and brown eyes

Yogita Limaye, international correspondent

"What I'm hoping to accomplish is that children in rural India should at least get a dignified education," said Dipke during a visit to a school in Maharashtra's Hingoli district. The school had no toilet for female students and expired food packets were being used to prepare lunches. At another, cracks ran through the floors, walls and ceiling.

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The campaign has gained some traction, but feels more ad-hoc than a planned national movement, and the CJP still resembles a loose pressure group - something Dipke says is deliberate. "People have limited politics just to elections and political parties. We want to move beyond that," he said.

Keep reading

TOP PICKS FOR THE WEEKEND

We've given this section a makeover - at the end of the week, we'll tell you which stories the team has been enjoying and why.

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My selection deals with a topic man