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Western countries, Arab countries and Syria's new authority are all attending. We'll also have a special report from the areas of Syria affected by last week's massacres. Also on the programme: the first official call between the US and Russia on the Ukraine conflict is confirmed to be taking place; and we hear the story of an art critic turned thief, whose theft of a painting by the Flemish artis...

Officials say more than 155 have been injured in the blaze, which broke out at the Pulse club in Kočani, a town around 100km east of the capital, Skopje. We speak to a surgeon treating some of those injured, and a spokesperson for the State Public Prosecutors Office about the status of the investigation into the fire. Also on the programme: A significant conflict in the Middle East seems to be on...

Iran says it will retaliate if President Trump carries out his threat to hold the country accountable for the actions of the Houthi group in Yemen. The Houthis - who are backed by Iran - have been targeting shipping in the Red Sea in solidarity with Gaza. Mr Trump issued his threat as US forces launched massive air strikes against Houthi targets, killing more than thirty people. We speak to a Hout...

An online meeting of world leaders has just ended here in London, hosted by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, to discuss concrete commitments to strengthen Ukraine's security. Also on the programme: huge crowds are demonstrating in the centre of Serbia's capital denouncing government corruption; and can a rocket rescue two astronauts who have been unable to leave the International Space Station? (P...

The British prime minister Keir Starmer says an online summit with twenty-five fellow leaders has built momentum towards setting up a peacekeeping force in Ukraine in the event of a peace deal. We speak to an Italian MP on why his country is not ready to send troops. Also in the programme: Tens of thousands march against alleged government corruption in Serbia’s capital Belgrade; and Sri Lanka con...

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said he is "cautiously optimistic" about a Ukraine ceasefire, but admitted a deal wouldn’t be easy or straightforward. Meanwhile, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused President Putin of deliberately setting conditions that drag out talks. We get the assessment of a former senior US intelligence officer. Also on the programme: Canada's new prime m...

The Kremlin has said Russian President Vladimir Putin has passed on what it called information for Donald Trump at a late-night meeting in Moscow with US special envoy Steve Witkoff. In a conference call with reporters, the Kremlin’s spokesperson added that a phone call between US President Trump and Putin was expected. A Russia analyst take us through the likelihood that the country’s leader trul...

President Trump has welcomed what he called a very promising statement from Vladimir Putin on a possible ceasefire with Ukraine, but said the deal was not yet complete. President Putin said fighting must end in Ukraine, but said there were elements of the American ceasefire proposal that need further discussion. We speak to a former US diplomat in Europe. Also on the programme: southern African le...

A senior aide to President Putin has indicated that Russia does not want a temporary ceasefire with Ukraine -- saying it would only give the Ukrainians an opportunity to regroup. Also, a UN report has accused the Israeli military of systematic sexual violence against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. Israel has rejected the report as unfounded. And a special report from the frontlines of Mex...

Donald Trump has confirmed that US officials are travelling to Russia, to discuss a proposed 30 day ceasefire with Ukraine. Kyiv accepted the proposals during a meeting in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, led by the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. Mr Trump said an agreement from Moscow would go "eighty per cent" towards ending what he described as "a bloodbath". The Kremlin earlier said it would wait...

The US will speak to Russia today about the plan for a ceasefire in the Ukraine war, its top dplomat Marco Rubio says. He said "the ball is now in Russia's court" after Ukraine accepted American proposals for an initial ceasefire. Earlier, Russia said it would wait to be briefed by American officials before commenting - and that it was "studying statements". So what might the Russian response be?...

Ukraine has backed a US proposal for a 30 day ceasefire in the war with Russia, subject to the agreement of Moscow. The announcement follows eight hours of talks between Ukrainian and US delegations in Saudi Arabia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (who wasn't at the talks) said the proposal included a truce along the entire front line, not just in the air and at sea. The US Secretary of Sta...

Ukraine has launched its biggest drone attack yet on Moscow as its diplomats are meeting the US to discuss how to end the war. Also on the programme: gunmen in Pakistan seize a passenger train with hundreds on board; and the police in the Philippines arrest the former president Rodrigo Duterte over his seven year war on drugs. (Photo: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio greets well-wishers upon arri...

Canada's most populous province has imposed a twenty-five percent surcharge on electricity exports to the United States in response to tariffs imposed by Washington. The premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, said he would be prepared to cut off power supplies altogether unless the US changed course. He said the surcharge would raise a total of up to four hundred thousand dollars a day from the states of...

Canada's next PM, former central bank governor Mark Carney, has swapped his former persona as a central bank governor for fighting talk against the US administration led by Donald Trump and the tariffs its seeking to impose on trade partners. Mr Carney has very little political experience - he has never been elected as an MP, let alone served in a cabinet post. But as Governor of the Bank of Canad...

Last week, US President Donald Trump threatened Hamas with “hell” to pay if hostages from the October 7th attack on Israel were not released. Today, Israel’s energy minister, Eli Cohen, says the country will now cut its electricity supply to Gaza “immediately.”Also in the programme: Canada’s governing Liberal Party prepares to elect a new leader following the resignation announcement of PM Justin...

Syrian state media say there have been clashes between the security forces and followers of former President Assad in the country's coastal region, after interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa claimed the area was under control. More than a thousand people are reported to have keen killed in several days of violence. We speak to a Syrian woman from the minority Alawite sect in the region and hear from...

Over 500 people have been killed in violent clashes between gunmen loyal to ousted President Bashar al Assad and the authorities. Assad is from the Alawite religious minority and there are reports suggesting that the community is being targeted - with many civilians being killed. We speak to a Syrian woman trying to contact her family from abroad and an expert helps us understand Syria's new gover...

The attacks came hours after the United States confirmed that it had limited Ukraine's access to commercial satellite imagery, on top of pausing military and intelligence aid. Also on the programme: we'll have more on reports that the minority Alawite community has been targeted by government troops in Latakia, Syria; and did illegal drugs, taken by some at the Nova festival in Israel attacked by...

A war monitoring group says the number of people summarily executed by Syrian security forces in former president Bashar al-Assad's Latakia stronghold has risen to 134. We speak to a Syrian Alawite in the area. Also on the programme: President Trump seems to give his backing to an overnight Russian bombardment of Ukraine; a call to arms in Poland to counter the threat from Russia - military traini...

Syrian security forces are reported to have carried out a mass execution of fifty-two people of the Alawite minority in the coastal province of Latakia. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says activists have released footage showing dozens of bodies in civilian clothing piled in the yard of a house. The incident follows clashes in the province between government forces and supporters of the f...

European leaders met today in Brussels as part of an emergency defence summit, as Ukraine continues its war against Russia. The Polish President had previously announced plans to spend more than 4.7% of its GDP on defence. Spain, however, recently defended its target of spending only 2% of its GDP on defence. We speak to a former Spanish foreign minister about why it spends so little on protection...

European leaders are meeting in Brussels at what's being described as a turning point in history. They're discussing a large increase in defence spending following Washington's decision to suspend assistance to Ukraine. But can they agree? Also in the programme: Turning the garbage can of our immune system into a powerful source of antibiotics; and the man with all the vibes - jazz-funk pioneer Ro...

Mr Trump questioned President Zelensky's commitment to peace following the spat at the White House on Friday. Also on the programme: scientists in Britain say they have discovered how the drug aspirin may help stop some cancers from spreading; and Lebron James becomes the first ever basketball player to score more the 50,000 points in his career.(Picture: President Trump addresses the US Congress...

US President Donald Trump addressed a joint session of Congress six weeks after beginning his second term in office. In addition to listing his achievements while in office, he made a teenager a US Secret Service agent and reaffirmed his desire for Greenland to become part of the US. Also on the programme, Arab leaders have agreed on a post-war reconstruction plan for Gaza that would allow around...