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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Even before he flew to the Gulf, the focus in American media was on the billions of dollars of new investments Donald Trump was eyeing. The US President has since signed mega deals, making his 'America first' goal as much a part of economic strategy as foreign policy. One of the biggest was in Qatar, where Boeing secured its largest ever order of wide-body jets from Qatar Airways. Doha also promised to invest more than $10bn in the Al Udeid air base, one of America's biggest military facilities in the world. Trump says he's forging a future with the Middle East defined by commerce, not chaos -- but does it mean regional stability and security are now taking a back seat? And how likely is it that the US President would throw America's weight behind ending the devastating war in Gaza?

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Syrians are describing it as a turning point -- "the second joy, since the fall of Assad". US President Donald Trump has announced he will lift all sanctions on Syria--as a way to help the country rebuild after years of civil war. The UN estimates half of the Syrian population is displaced, and nearly 75% need humanitarian aid. It says, at its current rate of growth, Syria will take at least half a century to achieve its pre-war economic level. President Ahmed Al Sharaa has already called on the US to invest in the nation's oil and gas sector. But can he capitalise on the removal of US restrictions and transform the fragmented and devastated country? And what about Syria's fragile security situation?

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The world's two biggest economies have stepped back from the brink. After imposing retaliatory tariff hikes at rates never seen before, the US and China have agreed to a truce. Extra US taxes on Chinese goods will now fall to from 145 percent to 30, and China will cut them from 125 percent to 10 percent. Some of the levies have been scrapped altogether, while others have been put on hold. After weeks of considerable strain, many people are looking to see how global supply chains will be affected. Is it the end of the global trade war, triggered last month by President Donald Trump? And what does it mean for those countries that were eyeing big investments due to steep duties on China?

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The United States and China have surprisingly agreed to a dramatic de-escalation in their trade war. Under the agreement, the world's two largest economies have paused their respective tariffs for 90 days. That breaks an impasse which has brought much of the commerce between the two nations to a halt. Critics say the talks in Geneva did not appear to yield any meaningful concessions. The two sides aim to reach a broader deal, but this takes too long to negotiate. Also in this episode, we examine whether the US-UK trade pact will deliver real benefits, or is it symbolism over substance?

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Khalid Abdalla, a British-Egyptian actor who starred in The Crown, joins the show to discuss Israel’s genocide in Gaza and the critical role of public figures in condemning it. Recently questioned by British police after attending a Palestine rally in London, Abdalla explains why this intimidation won’t silence him– or the growing global movement demanding justice for Palestine.

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