BBC News Briefing

27 March, 2026

Jules has dark hair and brown eyes. He is wearing glasses and a white shirt

Jules Darmanin

Hello. Today we're focusing on how Americans perceive US President Donald Trump's handling of the war in Iran. The head of Germany's military tells the BBC why he's working to make it Europe's most powerful force. And we end with a positive tale of a rescue mission to save a stranded whale in Germany.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

The impact of the Iran war on Trump's domestic popularity

Close-up shot of Trump sitting down in front of a US flag.

Trump's approval ratings have declined since the start of the war in Iran. Credit: Reuters

Donald Trump said on Thursday that talks with Tehran were going "really well" as he postponed once again his plans to escalate the conflict by striking Iranian energy plants. But as the war nears the four-week mark, there is little to suggest its end is imminent. With midterm elections looming in the US, our North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher explains explains why domestic perception of the war and rising fuel prices may be a cause for worry for Trump as he looks ahead to the vote. "The longer the Iran war stretches on, the greater the risk may be," Anthony writes.

See the charts

Worldwide: Australian authorities try to temper fears of fuel shortages, while some African nations are rationing energy and diluting petrol.

Beyond fuel: The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is also likely to increase prices of food, electronics, medicines and more, BBC Verify reports.

Your voice: Our live page is taking your questions on the conflict, alongside the latest updates on the Middle East.

WORLD HEADLINES

A young woman in a wheelchair being interviewed in a living room.

Spanish woman dies by euthanasia after legal fight

Noelia Castillo conducted a legal battle with her father to end her life. He argued a personality disorder affected her judgement.

More on the case >

Trump orders airport security staff to be paid

Airport queues have increased as a US government shutdown which left security workers unpaid, with many quitting.

Legal expert raises doubts >

Kim Jong-Un holding a rifle next to Alexander Lukashenko, who is speaking to him. A North Korean aide is standing behind the two men. All are standing in a meeting room.

Belarus and North Korea sign friendship treaty

In Pyongyang, Alexander Lukashenko gifted Kim Jong-Un a rifle "just in case enemies appear", state media said.

Read more >

Close up photo of Balendra Shah before he is sworn in as prime minister of Nepal. He is wearing a traditional black hat and sunglasses.

Nepal swears in ex-rapper as new prime minister

Balendra Shah, the 35-year-old former mayor of Kathmandu, won Nepal's first elections following youth-led protests.

More on Nepal's new PM >

NEWS FROM THE UK

Screen time: Children under five should not spend more than one hour a day on screens, the UK government tells parents in its new guidance.

Sarah Ferguson: A US lawmaker asked the former duchess to testify about her "close" ties to Jeffrey Epstein, in a letter seen by the BBC. Read it here.

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Benefits case: A 33-year-old woman must pay back £23,000 ($30,600) in benefits she claimed after she was caught ziplining in Mexico.

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

How Russia's threat forced Germany to rethink its military

General Carsten Breuer wears glasses and a camouflage military jacket. He is sat in front of German flags.

'I've never experienced a situation which is as dangerous,' General Carsten Breuer said.

For decades, Germany suppressed its military to atone for the devastating wars it waged in the first half of the 20th Century. But Russia's invasion of Ukraine has changed Berlin's thinking. General Carsten Breuer, the head of Germany's armed forces, tells senior correspondent Allan Little why he seeks to turn it into Europe's most powerful force.

Read Allan's analysis

The fruits of a cultivated golden oyster mushroom

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Fungi invader

Enthusiasts are rescuing native fungi in North America from a rogue mushroom.