BBC News Briefing

1 October, 2025

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

Alex Binley

Hello. As the first working day of the US government shutdown looks set to draw to a close with no funding breakthrough, North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher examines the various ways it could end. We hear what life is like in the Sudanese city of el-Fasher after 17 months under a deadly siege. And finally, spare a thought for the man who got a bit more than he bargained for when buying a replica rocket.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

How the US government shutdown could end

A black sign says: 'The US Capitol Visitor Centre is closed due to a lapse in appropriations' and the white US Capitol building can be seen in the background.

Thousands of federal employees are facing unpaid leave amidst the closure. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

Federal workers could start losing their jobs within two days, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt has said, as the US government shutdown continues. Speaking alongside her at a news briefing, Vice-President JD Vance said he didn't know how long it would last and blamed Democrats for the funding gap, who in turn accuse Republicans for the impasse. We'll bring you the latest shutdown developments here. While it could be days or even weeks before the government reopens, eventually, as public pressure and political pain grows, one side or the other will yield. North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher takes a look at the four possible ways the situation could play out, and who the winners and losers could be.

Read Anthony's analysis

GET UP TO SPEED

An aerial view looking down on a high-rise block of flats shows a large chunk of the building missing, all down one corner. A road with cars on and trees can be seen on the ground around it.

No injuries after NY high-rise partially collapses

Officials said a "major disaster" had been avoided as many people were out and children were at school.

Watch the video >

A man wearing a brown shirt with an olive green sleeveless jacket over the top stands behind a cart covered in blue plastic and topped with lots of brightly coloured toys. The man has a beard and wears sunglasses and a white cap and is sepaking into a microphone. He is standing in a street outside a brightly-lit shop.

Afghanistan internet back after Taliban blackout

It's not known why the blackout was imposed or lifted, but Afghans rejoiced when connectivity returned.

Read more >

A woman with long grey hair in a ponytail wears a blue shirt and holds a baby chimpanzee in her arms. She is looking at it and pursing her lips. She is surrounded by trees and bushes.

Chimpanzee expert Dame Jane Goodall dies age 91

Goodall's discoveries not only changed our understanding of animal behaviour but reshaped the way we define ourselves.

Latest updates >

Snapchat to charge for storing photos and videos

The announcement prompted a backlash from users who have built up a large archive of old posts.

What's the cost? >

AT THE SCENE

El-Fasher, Sudan

'I have nothing': Inside the Sudanese city under siege

Hamida Adam Ali, in black clothes and a blue shawl is on the floor, with a blanket wrapped over her. She looks sad.

Hamida Adam Ali and her children have escaped death, but she does not know the fate of her husband.

For 17 months, civilians in the besieged Sudanese city of el-Fasher have been paying the price, as paramilitary fighters try to take control of the Army-held area. Due to the siege, the BBC cannot report from inside el-Fasher, but freelance journalists have sent information out to give an insight into life for those trapped inside.

Barbara has long brown hair and is looking straight ahead at the camera. Only her head and neck can be seen but she appears to be inside an office.

Barbara Plett Usher, Africa correspondent

Hamida Adam Ali is unable to move, her leg is badly injured. She lay on the road for five days after being hit by shell fire, before she was carried to the camp for people displaced by the conflict.

‌

"I don't know if my husband is dead or alive," she says. "My children have been crying for days because there is no food. Sometimes they find something to eat and sometimes they go to bed without food. My leg is rotting - it smells foul now. I am just lying down. I have nothing." With hospitals coming under fire and running out of supplies, medical care is scarce.

Keep reading

Simple guide: Here's everything you need to know about Sudan's civil war, including who's fighting who.

Crimes against humanity: The UN has accused paramilitaries of murder, torture, enslavement and rape, during the siege.

Watch: "Our children are dying": Rare footage shows the plight of civilians in besieged el-Fasher.

A black and white image of John Logie Baird with the large disks and equipment that created moving picture (Credit: Alamy)