BBC News Briefing

17 October, 2025

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. For the third time this year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has met his US counterpart, Donald Trump, in Washington to push for more support to end Russia's invasion. We'll bring you the latest. In Syria, 10 months after the fall of the Assad regime, we hear from some of the thousands of families searching for their missing loved ones. Plus, test your news knowledge with our quiz of the week.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

Zelensky makes case for Tomahawk missiles in White House meeting with Trump

Trump and Zelensky stand side-by-sde. Zelensky is wearing a black suit and shirt and has short brown hair and a beard. He is smiling. Trump is wearing a navy blue suit, white shirt and pink tie and has a fist raised in the air. wo members of the military stand either side of a door and look straight ahead. A US and a Ukrainian flag are either side of the door.

Zelensky said he and Trump are 'starting to understand each other'. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

The use of long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles by Ukraine could escalate its war against Russia, Trump has said, as he and Zelensky took questions from the media ahead of their meeting. Just days ago, the US president had signalled he might be willing to supply the US-made weapons to Ukraine, but after speaking to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, he appeared to row back on this. Seeking the Tomahawks was one of the reasons behind Zelensky's White House visit, as the weapons would allow Ukraine to strike deep into Russia. Defence correspondent Jonathan Beale explains whether they could change the war's course.

Latest from meeting

GET UP TO SPEED

A man wears a very dark blue, almost black suit, light blue shirt and dark red tie. He appears to be walking up some steps outside an a large black car is parked behind him. The man has white hair and a moustache.

Bolton pleads not guilty in court appearance

Trump's ex-national security adviser is accused of using personal messaging apps and email to share sensitive information.

Read more >

The head and shoulders of Prince Andrew can be seen. He is looking to the side and has grey hair. He is frowning slightly and wearing a navy blue suit, white shirt and pale green shirt. A green bush can be seen behind him

Prince Andrew gives up royal titles

He will remain a prince but will cease to be the Duke of York, following a "discussion with the King", who is his brother.

Latest updates >

An aerial shot shows a large boat with many coloured shipping containers on its deck.

Global shipping deal in tatters after US pressure

Trump called the plan to cut emissions a "green scam" and representatives of his administration had threatened tariffs.

More on the deal >

A young woman with curly black hair and a fringe pushed to the side, rests her head in one hand. She is sat outside with autumn trees behind her and is wearing a dark grey sweatshirt.

Bestselling author Baek Se-hee dies aged 35

Her 2018 memoir, I Want To Die But I Want To Eat Tteokbokki, was lauded for its honest portrayal of mental health.

Read more >

AT THE SCENE

Syria

Months after fall of Assad, families of Syria's missing still seeking justice

A man with short grey hair, with sunglasses on his head wears a grey top, dusty jeans and white trainers. Close to him is a man in military fatigues with a gun on his back. The man wearing grey is stood on a pile of rubble in a field, looking at the remains of a pieces of brown clothing.

Kasim's three nephews were killed along with his brother as they fled a blockade. Credit: BBC/Goktay Koraltan

More than 181,000 people were forcibly disappeared or arbitrarily detained during the 14 years of Syria's civil war, according to a monitoring group. It says 90% were taken by Bashar al-Assad's regime. Ten months after he was ousted, mass graves are still being discovered.

Orla has long brown hair and blue eyes and is looking up at the camera. Only her face can be seen

Orla Guerin, senior international correspondent

A burly bearded man in a blue tunic moves swiftly through grassy stubble on a windswept road in rural Damascus, collecting bones with his bare hands. He adds a jaw to the pile, before gently picking up a skull. Briefly, he kisses it - a moment of tenderness for one of the many victims of Assad.

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We also find Kasim Hamami digging at the mass grave site, pulling secrets from the soil. As we watch, he uncovers a frayed, brownish jumper covered in dirt. It is a last trace of Samer, his brother, who disappeared aged 21. "Samer was a civilian," Kasim says softly, "and newly-wed. He had nothing to do with armed groups".

Keep reading

'The work of years': Teams of medics across Syria are identifying the thousands of bodies found in mass graves across the country.

Missing children: The Assad regime used a global child welfare charity to 'disappear' children, many of who have never been found.

'Overjoyed to be back': Half of Syria's population was displaced by the war. Many have now returned home but face a huge task of rebuilding.

PICK OF THE WEEK

I asked AI to plan my dream summer holiday. Here's how it turned out

Alan Smith stands with his wife and their daughter's boyfriend on the pier at Castro Urdiales. The pier can be seen stretching out behind them with fishing boats and hills seen in the background. Alan and his wife both have short grey hair. Alan wears glasses and a pink hift over a dark blue top. His wife wears a black and white stripped top and behind them is a young man with short black hair.

Alan Smith had never heard of Castro Urdiales in northern Spain until ChatGPT suggested it to him. Credit: Alan Smith

Going on holiday is meant to be a break from the demands of everyday life, yet often the planning of the trip can be such a headache it takes the shine off it. So, what if it could all be sorted for you? A growing number of people are turning to artificial intelligence to do just that, but sometimes things really are too good to be true.