BBC News Briefing

12 March, 2026

Alex has short blonde hair and blue eyes. She is smiling and wearing a black turtleneck

Alex Binley

Hello. As the war in the Middle East continues, many Iranians are facing a dilemma - weighing up the risks of pushing for regime change, whilst facing threats from authorities. In Brazil, my colleagues have spoken to two women who claim a modelling agent used his businesses to recruit girls for Jeffrey Epstein. And finally, find out what will be on the menu at Sunday's Oscars.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

The deadly dilemma facing Iranians

A figure dressed all in black with their face covered wears a black helmet and holds a large gun. They are standing on a large metal object, with faces of Iran's supreme leaderson it.

Iran's police chief warned protesters: "All our forces have their fingers on the trigger." Credit: AFP

US President Donald Trump has urged Iranians to "take over your government", and warned it would likely be their "only chance for generations". But inside Iran, reports of an increased security and police presence have emerged. The country's police chief said demonstrators would be classed as the "enemy", while a state TV presenter warned protesters: "We will come after you." International editor Jeremy Bowen warns that the lessons of the first Gulf War in 1991 still loom large - when thousands of Iraqis were killed after rising up against Saddam Hussein following a call by then-US President George HW Bush.

Cyber operations: This is the role that cyber warfare has played in Iran.

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Justified or not?: US military families share what they think about the conflict.

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Pete Hegseth: The veteran and ex-TV host turned defence secretary projects an image of unapologetic frontman, writes reporter Lisa Lambert.

WORLD HEADLINES

Orban and Zelensky stand in front of the Ukrainian, EU and Hungarian flags and are shaking hands. Orban has short grey hair and wears a navy blue suit. Zelensky has short brown hair and is wearing a black top.

Ukraine war spills into Hungarian election

Ukraine will "stop at nothing" to prevent Prime Minister Viktor Orbán winning the election, the Hungarian government claims.

Correspondent analysis >

A man with short brown hair and stubble stands in a doorway with his arms folded. He is wearing a blue T-shirt with a blue apron on top. Behind him a wooden wall can be seen.

Noma head chef resigns amid abuse allegations

Ex-employees had accused René Redzepi of creating a toxic environment at one of the world's top restaurants, according to reports.

What happened >

A road bridge passes over a river. Two men in black tops are stood in the river and a white 4x4 is parked at the start of the bridge.

Backpackers' bodies found in Australian floodwaters

Police said the bodies of two Chinese tourists were found in a car which was submerged in floodwaters.

Read more >

Two huge jets of larva and being fired up into the air, coming out of a barren landscape. A hill is seen in the background.

Volcanic fragments rain down as volcano erupts

Kilauea's plume reached 1,300ft (400m) into the air, and rained down glassy volcanic fragments in Hawaii.

Watch the video >

Kanye West is seen from the side and is partly silhouetted. He appears to be on stage. He has short black hair and a beard and is raising an arm up in front of him, with a finger pointing in the air. He is wearing a black T-shirt with a khaki-coloured vest over the top.

Kanye West ordered to pay $140K in renovation lawsuit

A handyman alleged the rapper didn't pay him properly for work on his Malibu mansion and fired him unjustly.

More on the case >

NEWS FROM THE UK

Sick notes: Hundreds of GPs tell the BBC they've never refused to sign a patient off work over mental health concerns.

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Zack Polanski: A 2013 interview casts doubt on the Green Party leader's claim to have apologised for saying that hypnosis could increase breast size.

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Catfish: A woman whose identity was stolen and used to build online relationships with men shares the "terrifying" experience.

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Epstein used modelling agent to recruit girls, Brazilian women tell BBC

Two men stand next to each other outdoors, smiling at the camera. The landscape behind them is dry with bits of scattered vegetation. Esptein has short grey hair and a grey hoodie. Brunel has short dark hair and a yellow top. He is holding a pair of sunglasses.

Epstein provided financial backing to Brunel when he set up a modelling agency in the US. Credit: US Department of Justice

A modelling agent used companies linked to him to seek out young women and girls from South America for Jeffrey Epstein, evidence uncovered by BBC News suggests, procuring US visas for them to travel to be with the late financier. Jean-Luc Brunel killed himself in prison in 2022, accused of rape, sexual assault and recruiting girls for the convicted sex offender. The BBC spoke to two women about their experiences.

Their stories