BBC News Briefing

30 December, 2025

Sofia has long brown hair and brown eyes. She is looking at the camera and is wearing a green top.

Sofia Lotto Persio

Hello. A BBC analysis suggests Russian losses in the war with Ukraine have been growing faster in the past 10 months than at any other point in the conflict. BBC News Russian's Olga Ivshina explains the data. In China, correspondent Laura Bicker witnesses a man's efforts to fight songbird poachers. And finally, watch as the Spanish town of Ibi hosts its annual food fight festival.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

Spike in obituaries for Russian soldiers

A black and white composite image shows a man with short dark hair and dark eyes. The image of a cemetery with flowers laid on dozens of graves appears behind him.

Kremlin critic Murat Mukashev signed up for the army after he started serving a 10-year jail term. He died in combat in June.

As efforts to agree a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine intensified in 2025 under pressure from US President Donald Trump, 40% more obituaries of soldiers were published in Russian sources compared with the previous year. The number of obituaries is a preliminary estimate of the confirmed losses, but it can indicate how the intensity of fighting is changing over time. BBC figures also show the majority of Russians killed at the front in 2025 were not part of the military at the start of the full-scale war. A year ago, 15% of Russian military deaths were volunteers. In 2025, it was one in three.

Keep reading

Drone attack: Ukraine has accused Russia of trying to derail peace talks after Moscow claimed Kyiv targeted a state residence.

Alexander Butyagin: The detention of a Russian archaeologist in Poland has sparked a debate over the role of researchers in war propaganda.

Children of war: Special correspondent Fergal Keane looks at the research into helping children overcome war-related trauma.

WORLD HEADLINES

US President Donald Trump attends a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (not pictured)

Trump says US hit 'big facility' in Venezuela

The US president said a "dock area" linked to alleged Venezuelan drug boats was hit. Venezuela's government is yet to respond.

What to know >

Khaleda Zia, in pink, waves as she leaves after a court appearance in Dhaka in 2016

Bangladesh's first female leader dies aged 80

Khaleda Zia, an arch-rival of ousted leader Sheikh Hasina, had been planning to run in the country's upcoming election.

More details >

Latif Ayodele, Anthony Joshua and Sina Ghami pictured outside in exercise gear

Anthony Joshua in stable condition after car crash

Two friends of the British boxer, who were members of his team, were killed in the crash on an expressway in Nigeria.

What happened >

A blonde-haired woman in police uniform speaks while two men in suits stand in the background

Police give update on Bondi attack investigation

The two alleged gunmen were not part of a wider terror cell and did not train in the Philippines, Australian police have said.

Read more >

A photograph of Cecilia Giménez's restoration of Elias Garcia Martinez's Ecce Homo painting with a church visible in the background.

Spanish woman behind viral restoration dies

Cecilia Giménez, who became known for her botched restoration of a prized fresco at her local church, has died aged 94.

Read the tributes >

NEWS FROM THE UK

Redacted files: The Cabinet Office has blamed an "administrative error" for mistakenly sharing papers referring to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

New Year Honours: This year's list counts 1,157 recipients, including actor Idris Elba and England women's football coach Sarina Wiegman.

Torchlight procession: Thousands of people have marched through the Meadows in Edinburgh to kick off the Hogmanay celebrations.

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Catching China's songbird hunters

A yellow bird with shots of grey in its plumage is perched inside a round metal cage.

Owning a pet bird was - and for some generations in China, still is - a status symbol that dates back to the Qing dynasty.

Each year, tens of thousands of birds are caught in nets across China for the pet trade, or for meat. Laura Bicker joins bird lover Silva Gu on a hunt for the hunters - and sees him successfully detain a poacher.

Read now

A black-and-white image of Mercury partly in shadow captured by the Messenger spacecraft