BBC News Briefing

12 October, 2026

Sofia has shoulder-length brown hair and brown eyes.

Sofia Lotto Persio

Hello. Ukraine has reported Russian strikes on power plants after the US president announced an energy ceasefire - we have the latest. Our correspondents look at the impact of recent attacks on an airport in Saudi Arabia. And finally, watch orangutans return to the wild in Borneo.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

Blackouts reported in Ukraine after strikes

Several emergency workers can be seen standing amidst rubble and smoke, in north-eastern Kharkiv following a strike. There is smoke in the air and damaged metal all over the ground.

Ukraine and Russia have been exchanging strikes on energy infrastructure for months. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

Russian attacks targeted energy infrastructure in western Ukraine overnight, according to a local official, and Ukraine's state-owned grid operator has reported "new power cuts" in Kharkiv, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia in the aftermath of recent strikes. It comes after President Donald Trump announced an energy ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. The Kremlin has not responded. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said such a deal would be "good news". Addressing the Warsaw Security Forum on Monday, Zelensky said he learned about the ceasefire "from the media". The US president has been urging Ukraine to stop strikes on Russian oil infrastructure so Moscow can fulfil a deal to release diesel to the US.

Get the latest

Diesel deal: Trump is facing a growing backlash over plans to import fuel from Russia, as the Iran war continues to impact global energy prices.

On Zelensky: Trump said he thought "it's time for Ukraine to get a new president" as he responded to Kyiv's criticism of the diesel deal on Saturday.

‌

Watch: Correspondent Joe Inwood explains what the announcements might mean for the president ahead of the midterm elections.

WORLD HEADLINES

Donald Tusk, who wears a suit and has thinning blonde hair, talks to the press in Tirana, Albania, last year.

Man held over alleged plot to assassinate Poland's PM

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said a man accused of planning to attack him and his defence minister had been arrested.

What happened >

Main opposition leader Rahul Gandhi holds up a copy of India's Constitution at a press conference on Monday

Indian opposition leaders to march to top court

Demonstrators in Delhi are calling for the resignation of the election chief over alleged voter fraud.

What to know >

A composite image with four sections showing Chateau de la Croe, a white neo-classical villa surrounded by cypress and other trees; the Pelorus, a white super-yacht; the Fyning Hill estate viewed from the air, showing a large mansion with half-timbering; and Le Grand Bleu, another superyacht with a navy blue hull.

Docs falsified to evade tax on Abramovich's wealth

Accountancy firm Deloitte helped hide the oligarch's wealth and evade tax, BBC Panorama has found.

Find out more >

Three French police officers in uniform arrive at Lakanal school on motorbikes.

Pupil arrested after two teachers shot in France

The 14-year-old was reportedly detained after the incident at Lakanal middle school in Aubagne, southern France.

Read more >

A building complex with green roofs is swamped with black flood water.

Homes swept away as fresh floods hit Nepal

A video shows the moment raging waters rushed down a valley and washed away an entire building complex.

Watch now >

NEWS FROM THE UK

Brexit: The PM said Russia had interfered with the 2016 vote and warned that similar activities were taking place in France and Germany.

Tiger attack: Police are investigating the death of a man who entered an enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, which remains closed.

Sacha Baron Cohen: The Borat actor will star in a new play in London's West End written by Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino.

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Riyadh airport attacks escalate tense conflict

Smoke and flames seen at King Khalid airport in Riyadh on 8 October

The Iran-backed Houthis have stepped up their attacks on Saudi Arabian soil in recent weeks. Credit: Reuters

Saudi Arabia's King Khalid Airport in Riyadh has been hit by two Houthi strikes in two days. Saturday's attack killed 13 people and hurt more than 300. On Sunday, the Saudi-led coalition that's been fighting the Houthis in Yemen's more than decade-long civil war said an "unknown projectile" had hit a passenger hall, killing one person and injuring 11. The latest attacks represent an escalation in the conflict, shaking Saudi's reputation as a haven of stability, our correspondents write.

Read now

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

AI fears on screen

A new film about OpenAI and its co-founders offers a stark warning.

Our critic's review