BBC News Briefing

17 January, 2025

Sofia has long brown hair and brown eyes. She is wearing a green top and is angled slightly away from the camera.

Sofia Lotto Persio

Hello. Social media app TikTok faces a ban in the US following a Supreme Court decision. Anthony Zurcher looks into what this means for incoming President Donald Trump. From Ukraine, Orla Guerin reports on hopes and concerns ahead of Trump's inauguration. And in Italy, a new discovery unearths Pompeii's spectacular luxury. Plus, I finally scored full marks in this week's news quiz - give it a go.

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TOP OF THE AGENDA

TikTok ban first test of Trump presidency

A man wearing a beige hoodie and a colourful jacket holds a phone in front of his face to either take a picture or film a video as he stands in front of the Supreme Court building.

The court's decision highlighted TikTok's alleged links to China's government - which TikTok has always denied. Credit: Getty Images

The US Supreme Court has upheld a law banning TikTok if the social media app isn't sold to a US-approved buyer by 19 January. Incoming US President Donald Trump may once have sought a ban, but ultimately opposed the law. Dealing with TikTok's future is a chance to test his deal-making skills, writes North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher. Trump said he will consider the issue. "My decision on TikTok will be made in the not too distant future, but I must have time to review the situation. Stay tuned!" he wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.

Read Anthony's analysis

GET UP TO SPEED

A young child wearing a camouflage tracksuit sits atop a pile of rubble, looking above his shoulder into the camera. A crowd of people is gathered below,

Gazans anxiously await ceasefire

For Palestinians, the joy of the long-awaited end to the fighting is tempered by the scale of the death and destruction.

Read now >

Donald Trump has short blond hair with streaks of white. He is wearing a shit and tie, with a US flag pinned to his lapel.

Trump inauguration moved indoors

Extreme cold has been forecast in Washington DC on Monday, forcing a partial change of plans.

Here's how >

Nepal's leader worries about tigers

The country's tiger population has tripled in a decade. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli thinks that's a problem.

What to know >

AT THE SCENE

Kyiv and Dnipro, Ukraine

Victory hopes fade as Trump returns

Anastasiia is a woman in her mid 30s. She is sat looking down on her hands, held over her pregnant belly. she is wearing a blue padded coat, and orange sweater and black trousers. Her left hand is holding a white tissue. Several other people stand around her.

Anastasiia is pregnant with her first child, a baby girl, who will never know her father. Credit: BBC/Xavier Vanpevenaege

Donald Trump famously claimed he could end the war between Russia and Ukraine in a day. With his return to the White House in a matter of days, he is already pushing for peace talks. As Ukraine battles through its third winter of war, the prospect of victory feels more elusive than ever.

Orla has shoukder-length dark blond hair and green eyes.

Orla Guerin, senior international correspondent

As funeral prayers come to an end, Anastasiia leans forward and gives "the love of her life" one last kiss. Outside the cathedral she pays tribute to her husband, who died for his country. "This war will last as long as Russia does. I truly fear our children will inherit it from us and will have to go and fight."

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Like Anastasiia, plenty here believe that far too many Ukrainians have been killed to try to do a deal with Russia. But public opinion is shifting, and others believe there is too much death and destruction not to do a deal.

Keep reading

View from Israel: Those with sights on the West Bank, where Israeli settlements are deemed illegal by the UN's top court and other countries, see Trump's win as a chance to lay claim on the territory.

View from Somaliland: Many hope the US under Trump will become the first country in the world to recognise the self-declared republic.

PICK OF THE WEEK

New discovery reveals Pompeii's luxury

A pair of golden earrings is diplayed against a soft white fabric. Each earring has a round shape over a short bar. At each end of the bar there is a pendant with a pearl at the end.

A pair of gold and natural pearl earrings were found close to the female skeleton. Credit: BBC/Tony Jolliffe

A "once-in-a-century" find has been unearthed in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii in Italy - a sumptuous private bathhouse complete with hot, warm and cold rooms, exquisite artwork, and a huge plunge pool. Analysis of two skeletons discovered in the house also shows the horror faced by Pompeii's inhabitants when Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD79.

Explore the site

A composite image of three people. Demi Moore, in the centre, holds the Golden Globe award and is giving a speech. On her right there is a smiling John Travolta, and on her left Ke Huy Quan kisses the Oscars golden statuette.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Top Hollywood comebacks

Faded stars have revitalised their careers with one breathtaking role.

Here's how

And finally... in France

A woman in France is celebrating after a court ruled that her "best friend" - a wild boar named Rillette - can stay with her after fighting the threat of euthanasia. Elodie Cappé has nurtured the animal since she was a piglet, found abandoned near a rubbish bin. Take a look at the size of Rillette now, as she shares a cuddle with Elodie.

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– Sofia

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