What would the end of US sanctions mean for Syria? The handshake between US President Donald Trump and interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa was a dramatic shift, signaling the end of 46 years of US sanctions against Syria. Now, the door is opening to more investment and international aid, and Syrians poured into the streets in celebration. How did the deal come together, and what might it mean for Syria's future?

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Forensic experts in Iraq meticulously work to identify the remains from mass graves, uncovering the fates of thousands who disappeared during decades of conflict. With rare access to excavation sites, the unfolding story reveals the tireless efforts of DNA specialists and the emotional journeys of families seeking closure.

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A world dangerously off course - the stark warning from the United Nations after finding more than 295 million people faced acute hunger in 2024. And fears are growing for its future, as major donor countries reduce funding this year. Climate change and economic crises affected 96 million people and 18 countries, including Syria and Yemen. Conflict and violence are the leading causes of the world’s largest humanitarian crisis in Sudan, after two years of civil war. In Gaza, Israel's blockade of all food, water and medicine has entered a third month, creating a manufactured crisis. So is global food hunger a failure of systems, or a failure of humanity?

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The US-Israeli plan to get humanitarian aid into Gaza, amid the use of starvation as a weapon of war, enables Israel to "force the ethnic cleansing of a huge part of Gaza’s population”, argues Matt Duss, the executive vice president of the Center for International Policy. United States President Donald Trump visited the Middle East, which saw a shift in US policy on Yemen, Iran, and Syria.

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It took three years to get officials from Ukraine and Russia in the same room. But president Vladimir Putin who proposed the meeting, didn’t go to Istanbul and the talks ended in less than 90 minutes.The result: an agreement for a large-scale prisoner exchange, talks about their presidents meeting, and both sides pushing their vision of a future ceasefire. Yet, diplomacy isn't narrowing the great gap between Russia and Ukraine. So, is president Putin agreeing to further talks to avoid more sanctions? And with Russia steadily advancing on the battlefield can president Zelenskky afford to push for peace, without further compromise?

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United States President Donald Trump's tour of the Middle East this week is his first international trip since he started his second term. Conspicuously absent from his itinerary, however, was Washington’s closest ally in the region: Israel.

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Trillions of dollars were pledged during the US president’s three-nation tour of the Gulf this week. The US is preparing to lift decades-long sanctions on Syria, and could be close to a nuclear deal with Iran. Previous presidents might have been expected to make a stop in Egypt, Jordan or Israel. But notably Trump's deal-making tour did not include those countries. So, are the Gulf nations now in sync with the US on some of the biggest challenges in the region? And is Trump re-shaping the Middle East or is it the Gulf states that will dictate future US foreign policy?

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A hundred years after the birth of Malcolm X, and in the shadow of a second Trump presidency, Ibram X. Kendi – author of the international bestseller How to Be an Antiracist – returns to the meaning of Malcolm’s legacy in his newest book. What does it reveal about where the US is now, and what still needs to be said about race in America?

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The rise of artificial intelligence has schools racing to respond to tools like ChatGPT. While some fear it may replace teachers and erode human connection, others see it as a chance to transform and improve education.

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How will history judge the West’s complicity in the Gaza genocide? With Israel’s assault nearing its second year, the divide between those condemning the violence and those remaining silent continues to widen.

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