Israel has changed since Trump's last t erm – has he?

Hello. Discussions are underway in Israel, with the government expected to formally approve a ceasefire deal with Hamas. International editor Jeremy Bowen assesses the impact Donald Trump's impending presidency has had on the agreement, and his record in the Middle East. In the US, thousands of people have taken to a Chinese social media app ahead of a ruling on a potential TikTok ban, expected later today. And in the UK, a race so brutal that around half the competitors dropped out, saw participants wade through chest-deep snow and scale the equivalent of Mount Everest.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

Trump's impact on the Middle East

Trump is yet to take up the presidency but his shadow loomed large over the ceasefire talks. Credit: Getty Images

Even before Donald Trump starts his second term in office he is able to claim some credit, with reasonable justification, for getting the ceasefire deal in Gaza over the line, writes international editor Jeremy Bowen. He and his team cut through the delaying tactics that Israel's PM, in alliance with his ultra-nationalist coalition partners, had used to avoid accepting the ceasefire deal that President Joe Biden put on the negotiating table last May. However, this deal is yet to be formally approved by the Israeli government. Should this happen, as it is expected to, a number of hurdles still remain - not least fears that one or both sides could renege at any moment. As the discussions continue, more than 100 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli strikes in Gaza, according to the enclave's civil defence agency, since the deal was announced by negotiators on both sides on Wednesday.

WORLD HEADLINES

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Americans and Chinese share jokes on 'alternative TikTok'

Thousands of TikTok users have migrated to popular Chinese social media app RedNote. Credit: Getty Images

Social media is connecting China and America, as self-professed US "TikTok refugees" seek a new home on the internet ahead of a potential ban on the platform. Unlike many other apps, RedNote, or Xiaohongshu (literally translates as Little Red Book), doesn't have the usual internet firewall that separates China from the rest of the world.

And finally... in the UK

Chest-high snow drifts and freezing temperatures made this year's 268-mile (430km) Montane Spine Race amongst the toughest in its short history. Around half of the 150 starters in Britain’s most brutal endurance race dropped out by midway. The ultra-marathon also involves more than 10,000m (32,000ft) of climbing - 1,500m more than Mount Everest - with participants snatching short amounts of sleep literally wherever they can. Watch the scenes of elation and exhaustion as the winners finish.