World Today

① Israel carries out deadliest attacks on Gaza since the Jan. ceasefire. (00:44)

② Indian PM Modi calls for strengthening ties with China. (11:49)

③ Chinese cities strengthen policy efforts to help stabilize real estate markets. (24:20)

④ New Canadian PM picks France over U.S. for his first foreign visit. (34:40)

⑤ U.S. consumer sentiment declined following economic uncertainty and inflation concerns. (44:28)

① China's economy maintained steady growth in the first two months, supported by strong performances in the industrial and service sectors. (00:50)

② China unveils a plan featuring special initiatives to boost consumer spending. (13:14)

③ China’s central authorities have identified key figures of Taiwan cyber-attacks. (26:50)

④ U.S. launches large-scale airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. (37:24)

⑤ OpenAI attacks its fast-rising Chinese competitor, DeepSeek. (44:12)

Three months after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Syria's interim President has been struggling to unite the country.

In a landmark breakthrough, the government struck a deal to merge the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces into state institutions.

While Syrian Kurds celebrate the deal, residents on the northwestern coast remain wary after days of sectarian violence that killed over 1,000 people. The government blamed pro-Assad groups for instigating the violence, and said the security threats had already been neutralized, but will the fragmented country be able to achieve peace and unity after 13 years of civil war?

Host Zhao Ying is joined by Wang Jin, Associate Professor with Northwest University in Xi'an, China; Joseph Siracusa, Professor of Global Futures with Curtin University; Steven Wright, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Hamad Bin Khalifa University.

① China has announced a meeting with Russia and Iran in Beijing to discuss Iran’s nuclear program. We explore how it might create conditions for the resumption of nuclear talks? (00:51)

② How is Lao Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane’s visit to China cementing bilateral ties? (12:56)

③ How should we understand China’s statement that it has never exported fentanyl-related medications to North America? (24:23)

④ Why is Ukraine losing ground to Russian forces in Kursk region? How might the battlefield situation in the region play a role in determining if Moscow will accept the US ceasefire proposal? (33:13)

⑤ We take a look at a legal case in China where the court has ruled that an AI-generated image should have copyright protection. Can China’s legal system keep pace with AI’s development in the digital era? (43:32)

① US President Donald Trump’s additional tariffs on steel and aluminum have taken effect after prior exemptions and duty-free quotas expired. How will they hurt the US itself? (00:54)

② We explore how Trump’s move to plow ahead on tariffs has made US equities lose trillions of dollars in value. (13:55)

③ The US has agreed to resume military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine after Kyiv showed readiness to accept a 30-day ceasefire with Russia. Does Ukraine genuinely share Trump’s vision for peace? (25:00)

④ We take a look at Greenland’s elections which have been dominated by independence and Trump’s interest. (34:43)

⑤ Angola has announced a plan to act as a mediator in the conflict between Congo and the rebel group M23. What leverage does Angola hold? (44:06)

① We take a look at China’s newly announced high-tech fund and how it can help the country’s emerging industries grow. (00:54)

② SDF, a Kurdish-led militia alliance, has agreed a deal to integrate all military and civilian institutions into the Syrian state. How big of a step forward does the deal represent in Syria’s political process? (13:15)

③ We explore why Citi analysts have upgraded their recommendation for China equities from “neutral” to “overweight”. (26:00)

④ Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a visit to Mauritius, with a major issue at stake: New Delhi’s stance on Mauritius’ claims over the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. (34:42)

⑤ Data compiled by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute shows that the war in Ukraine has helped grow US dominance of the global arms industry. Will this finding alter President Donald Trump’s thinking on whether to withdraw military support for Ukraine? (45:07)

① China’s minister of human resources and social security has pledged to step up resources to support employment. How can China stabilize its job market this year? (00:50)

② Mark Carney, Canada’s next prime minister, is vowing to win the trade war against US President Donald Trump. Can he translate his determination into real actions when in office? (14:25)

③ Over 1,300 people in Syria have been killed amid intense fighting between forces associated with the country’s new government and those loyal to former leader Bashar al-Assad. What does the fighting tell us about the political situation in Syria? (24:59)

④ European Central Bank cuts eurozone interest rates again amid trade war fears. (33:46)

⑤ ASPI, an anti-China think tank based in Australia, is suspending some so-called research on China after the Trump administration paused grants. We explore how US government money has driven ASPI’s fabrication of a negative narrative about China. (44:01)

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has highlighted China's role as a source of stability in a turbulent world. On Friday, Wang answered more than 20 questions on the sidelines of the annual session of China's national legislature.

In this edition of the program, we delve into Wang's key messages on Beijing's foreign policy. Host Ding Heng is joined by Warwick Powell, Senior Fellow at Taihe Institute and Adjunct Professor at Queensland University of Technology; Professor Yao Shujie from Chongqing University; Professor Wang Zhengxu from the School of Public Administration with Zhejiang University.

①Two Sessions: An interview with CPPCC member, former WHO chief Margaret Chan (00:33)

②The United States has paused intelligence sharing with Ukraine. (14:28)

③France considers protecting European allies with its nuclear arsenal. (24:59)

④Arab leaders have approved a 53-billion-US-dollar plan for Gaza's reconstruction. Can the plan become reality? (34:09)

⑤Panama president says "Trump is lying" about reclaiming canal. (43:17)

①China targets economic growth of around 5% in 2025. How achievable is this goal? (00:35)

②How can tech innovations help improve senior wellbeing? (25:00)

③European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed an 800 billion euro plan to "rearm" Europe. Does this mark a turning point in transatlantic relations? (35:07)

④The Mobile World Congress is underway in Barcelona. What trends will shape the future mobile economy? (41:55)