BBC News Briefing

1 April, 2026

Alex has dark blonde, bobbed hair and is smiling. She is wearing a dark grey, high-necked top with a pink jumper on top.

Alex Binley

Hello. US President Donald Trump has said he is strongly considering pulling the US out of Nato, but could he? Chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet provides her analysis. Business reporter Sylvia Chang explains why Hong Kong is becoming popular for Chinese tech firms. And you can follow live as Nasa's Artemis II mission gets underway.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

What do Trump's latest comments on leaving Nato mean for the alliance?

Two military personnel stand on an aircraft carrier. Both are wearing blue camoflauge outfits with black vests on top, white gloves and grey helmets. One is looking through a pair of binoculars and the other holds a pair and holds their hand forward as if indicating a direction. The grey sea can be seen next to them.

The US's military budget now makes up some 62% of Nato's total defence spending. Credit: EPA

As questions continue to swirl over the US president's next move in Iran, he's set to give a primetime update on the war, leaving many wondering if his "remarks will mark the beginning of the end of the conflict or a potentially bloody escalation", writes White House reporter Bernd Debusmann Jr. While little is known about about the speech, Bernd notes it's likely Trump will mention Nato, after earlier threatening to pull the US out of the military alliance. It's not the first time we've heard this warning from Trump, writes Lyse Doucet, who notes that once again it leaves leaders within the alliance trying to keep the "coalition intact as it confronts growing threats in Ukraine, the Middle East – and the White House".

Read Lyse's analysis

GET UP TO SPEED

Four astronauts wearing orange spacecuit stand in a row and are waving and smiling. There are three men and a woman.

Nasa prepares to launch Artemis II mission

The launch window opens at 18:24 local time (23:24 BST) at the Kennedy Space Center, but the weather could be a factor.

Latest updates >

Three people waving banners and flags are seen outside the Supreme Court. It is a large, white, Greek-style building with lots of columns out the front of it. Two of the people out the front are dressed normally and hold signs, while a person dressed in green like the Statue of Liberty waves a US flag.

Trump attends birthright citizenship hearing

The Supreme Court heard arguments on whether some children born in the US have a right to citizenship.

Read more >

An image shows Sugar Loaf Mountain. It looks like a huge brown rock pokingout the top of a forest. Cables with cable cars on them reach between the mountain and a green station in the foreground.

Brazil judge blocks Sugarloaf Mountain zipline

The developer said it would allow visitors to descend from Sugarloaf Mountain at speeds of almost 100km/h (62mph).

More on this >

NEWS FROM THE UK

Officers probed: Six police officers are being investigated after a black child suffered a broken knee during a search in London, the watchdog said.

Sanfilippo syndrome: The father of a 15-year-old who has a rare condition that causes childhood dementia tells of how she may not live beyond 16.

£1m jackpot: 15 former colleagues will each take home £66,666 ($88,831) after their syndicate won the lottery. Here's what they'll spend their money on.

AT THE SCENE

Hong Kong

Why Chinese tech companies are racing to set up in Hong Kong

A small grey robot is compromised of what looks like two boxes, one on top of the other, both with a blue strip light on it. It is in a hotel lobby with the walls and floor made of a polished grey stone or marble look, and brown doors seen in the background.

Yunji hopes its delivery robots will 'succeed in Hong Kong and then expand outwards'. Credit: Yunji

At a time when western nations are growing increasingly wary of mainland Chinese tech companies over fears of state-led espionage and excessive domination of the sector, Hong Kong is becoming increasingly important. The special administrative region offers mainland firms a place to test products with international clients and build credibility. But as Beijing's grip on Hong Kong tightens, there are questions over just how much it can act as a launch pad for overseas expansion.

Sylvia Chang, business reporter

In a hotel lobby, a delivery robot pauses outside a lift as the doors open, and a guest steps out. The robot waits, and then rolls neatly inside. The move looks simple, but it isn't. To work in the busy hotel, the robot must navigate a building that won't slow down for it. People are often getting in the way, and it must be able to take the lift to the correct floor, and then find the right room.

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The company behind the robot is a mainland Chinese tech business aiming to use Hong Kong as a springboard for successful overseas expansion. But as one expert explains: "Many mainland companies remain bound by evolving rules set in Beijing", and Hong Kong "only partially mitigates" their risks.

Keep reading

Spending push: Amid a slowing economy, China's leaders are trying to encourage people to spend more in a bid to revive it. But will it work?

Baby boost: With an ageing population and sluggish economy, China is trying to boost its birth rate with measures such as taxing condoms.

Trump tariffs: In the first two months of this year, China's exports surged despite trade tensions with the US.