Newshour

Ukraine sent nearly 600 drones into Russia overnight, the biggest single attack on the country since the start of the war. Targets in Moscow and a patrol ship in the Caspian Sea were hit, with at least four killed in the offensive.

We hear from The Economist's Shashank Joshi about the significance of the strikes, and from Russia analyst Professor Nina Khrushcheva about how President Putin might respond.

Also in the programme: The Democratic Republic of the Congo fights to contain a deadly Ebola outbreak; and what does Che Guevara's daughter make of recent US hostility towards Cuba?

(Photo: A man inspects a damaged apartment building following a drone attack outside Moscow on May 17, 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo a public health emergency of international concern. The WHO said the outbreak in DR Congo's eastern Ituri province, which has seen around 246 suspected cases and 80 deaths reported, does not yet meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency. We hear from the man who first identified the virus.

Also in the programme: will the US and China come to an agreement on artificial intelligence?; and the Iranian family saga in the running for the International Booker Prize.

(Photo: Ugandan doctors wear their personal protective equipment at the Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital Isolation Centre in Entebbe, Uganda, 20 October 2022. Credit: ISAAC KASAMANI/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

A rescue diver from the Maldives has died after searching for the bodies of five Italians who were exploring an underwater cave. The team from Italy were diving at depths that are not permitted for recreational divers. We hear from a government spokesperson about the rescue operation and from a former military diver about the conditions in the cave.

Also on the programme: more than 50 children have been abducted in Nigeria; and the Eurovision 2026 finals take place in Vienna.

(Photo: A police boat joins a search and recovery operation in the Vaavu Atoll, Maldives. Credit: SOPHIA NASIF/EPA/Shutterstock)

Nigeria and the United States say they have killed a senior Islamic State leader in a joint operation. Abu-Bilal al-Minuki oversaw IS-linked activities across Africa and was declared a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by Washington in 2023. We speak to a spokesperson for the Nigerian president and a regional security expert.

Also on the programme: where has this week's US-China summit left Taiwan?; and the Swiss bus service on the road to nowhere.

(Photo: Nigerian soldiers walk past military tanks prepared for deployment during a tour of the Theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole by Nigeria's Chief of Army Staff at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria, November 7, 2025 Credit: REUTERS/Ahmed Kingimi/File Photo)

CIA chief makes rare trip to Cuba as oil terminals run dry, meanwhile US media reports say Washington is preparing criminal charges against its former leader Raul Castro.

Also in the programme: why nationalist vigilante groups are spreading across Russia; and a French museum holds a display of famous art works from the Second World War in order to reunite them with their rightful owners.

(Image: A vintage car passes by images of late Cuban President Fidel Castro, Cuba's former President Raul Castro and Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel displayed on a billboard in Havana. Credit: REUTERS/Norlys Perez)

US President Donald Trump left Beijing after a two-day summit saying he had struck "fantastic trade deals, great for both countries", but few details have emerged on what the two superpowers agreed. President Trump, who's flying back from a summit in Beijing, says he doesn't think there's a risk of conflict between the US and China over Taiwan.

(Photo: Trump said the meeting was "very successful, world-renowned, and unforgettable", while Xi called it a "historic and landmark" visit, according to Chinese state media. Credit: Reuters)

Is the United Kingdom on the verge of replacing another Prime Minister? The incumbent Sir Keir Starmer faces fresh challenges to his leadership today, beginning with the resignation of his Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who has already called on the Prime Minister to step down after disastrous local election results last week. Meanwhile, the Mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham, says he's going to stand for election to return to Parliament, and he could challenge Mr Starmer if he wins that by-election.

Also in the programme: reflections on the meeting between Presidents Trump and Xi in Beijing; and we look at the dinosaur with the tiny brain, said to be as heavy as nine elephants.

(Photo: Prime Minister Keir Starmer and MP Wes Streeting who has just resigned as Health Minister. Credit: Associated Press)

President Xi Jinping described US-Chinese relations as "the most important" in the world and stressed to President Trump that the US and China should be partners and not rivals. Also, in the programme; the dental tools used by Neanderthals and we hear from an exiled Venezuelan politician on how his country is five months after Maduro's capture.

(Photo: President Trump and Xi walking in the Great Hall of the People. Credit: Reuters)

President Trump has been given a lavish welcome to Beijing where he and American business leaders will hold talks with their Chinese counterparts on Thursday. Also on the programme, is the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, about to be forced out of office? And, we hear from Alex Batty, the British boy who sparked a high-profile international missing person investigation. He tells us what happened.

(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump walks with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng during an arrival ceremony at Beijing Capital International Airport, in Beijing, China, May 13, 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci)

President Trump arrives in China, the first US president to go there in nearly a decade. We'll look at how the balance of power has shifted since then and how Chinese perceptions of America have also changed.

Also in the programme: on the day of the King’s Speech to Parliament setting out the next legislative programme, speculation mounts that a senior minister will challenge Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the leadership; and the stricken love letters of the English romantic poet John Keats, now up for auction.

(IMAGE: U.S. President Donald Trump participates in an arrival ceremony at Beijing Capital International Airport during his visit to the country, in Beijing, China, May 13, 2026 / CREDIT: Reuters/Evan Vucci)