Meloni meets Trump; scientists detect possible signs of life beyond our solar system
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Greg Swenson - Chairman of Republicans Overseas UK
Denis Macshane - Former Minister for Europe under Tony Blair
Dr David Whitehouse - Space Expert
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Al Arabiya
7 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Trump wants to prevent WWIII, says former US ambassador
In this episode of Global News Today, presented by Tom Burges Watson, we bring you in-depth coverage of a pivotal moment in international diplomacy with all eyes firmly fixed on Ukraine. Following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's high-stakes meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington DC, we get the very latest and ask whether a breakthrough is possible when it comes to a peace deal in Ukraine. We speak exclusively with a former NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General, who shares her insights into what peace could realistically look like and we speak to a former US ambassador under President Trump.
Saudi Gazette
14 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Burkina Faso expels top UN official over child rights report
NAIROBI — Burkina Faso's junta has expelled the UN's top official to the West African nation over a report about children caught up in the militant conflict. Carol Flore-Smereczniak was declared "persona non grata" because of her role in drafting the report that came out in March. Covering a two-year period, the study detailed more than 2,000 cases of reported child recruitment, killings, sexual violence and abuse — blaming insurgents, government soldiers and civilian defense forces. The military government, which came to power in September 2022 and is led by Capt Ibrahim Traoré, said it had not been consulted by the UN, saying the report contained unfounded allegations. It did not cite any documentation "or court rulings to support the alleged cases of violations against children attributed to the valiant Burkinabé fighters", the government's statement said. Since 2015, rebels affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group have waged an insurgency that has killed thousands of people and forced millions to flee their homes. It has prompted political instability, with two military coups in 2022. Capt Traoré took power promising to deal with the dire security situation within "two to three months". Ms Flore-Smereczniak was appointed in July 2024 — more than 18 months after her predecessor was expelled. From Mauritius, she has worked in areas experiencing or recovering from conflict for more than two decades, holding posts in Ivory Coast, Chad and Malawi, according to the UN. The UN representative before her, Italian Barbara Manzi, was declared "persona non grata" by the junta in December 2022 not long after publishing a blog post describing how the crisis was affecting education and health services, forcing many to close down. The UN has not yet officially commented on the latest expulsion, but the UN chief had expressed his regret over the decision to expel Ms Manzi whilst reiterating the UN's desire to engage with the junta to support Burkinabés. There have been concerns over the effectiveness of Capt Traoré's operation to quash the militants — with the junta rejecting the assistance of former colonial power France in favor of Russia. In the first half of 2025, militant group JNIM said it had carried out over 280 attacks in Burkina Faso — double the number for the same period in 2024, according to data verified by the BBC Rights groups have also accused the army of targeting civilians as well as suppressing political activity and the freedom of expression. Last year, the military government announced it was extending junta rule for another five years. It also said that Capt Traoré, who has built up the persona of a pan-Africanist leader, would be allowed to run for president in 2029. — BBC
Saudi Gazette
2 days ago
- Saudi Gazette
European leaders stress unity with Ukraine ahead of Washington summit
BRUSSELS — Ahead of a landmark meeting of the 'Coalition of the Willing' in Washington on Monday, European leaders reiterated the need for a united front with Ukraine to achieve a robust peace. These European leaders took part in a video call with Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday ahead of Monday's talks with US President Donald Trump. Discussions reportedly focused on key matters such as the need to stop the fighting in Ukraine, the commitment to maintain full pressure on Russia through sanctions, the principle that it is up to Ukraine to take decisions on its territory and the need for strong security guarantees to protect both Ukraine and Europe's security interests. Addressing journalists on Sunday evening, French President Emmanuel Macron said: 'The situation ahead of tomorrow's talks in Washington is extremely serious, not only for Ukraine, but also for Europe.' 'If we show weakness today in front of Russia, we are laying the ground for future conflicts,' he said, adding that Ukraine's allies want a strong and lasting peace in Ukraine and for its territorial integrity to be respected. Macron said he supported Trump's desire for peace and underlined that Ukraine must be represented in any talks on Ukraine's future. This sentiment was reaffirmed by Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who said there was 'strong consensus among the Coalition countries on the need to continue supporting Ukraine.' Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also reiterated her support for Ukrainian security on the eve of the summit in Washington. She said that 'only Ukraine can discuss conditions on its territory.' Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said the leaders of the 'Coalition of the Willing' countries agreed that 'clear security guarantees for Ukraine from the United States and Europe will be absolutely essential for further negotiations.' Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Sunday praised the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other European leaders planning to accompany Zelenskyy to the White House. "This shows, first, that Germany is playing a leading, moderating and unifying role in this conflict, and second, that Germany stands firmly with Ukraine," he said. "We will not leave President Zelensky alone on this difficult path of upcoming negotiations," Wadephul added. The demonstrations of European support come against the backdrop of remarks by US envoy Steve Witkoff, who said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had signalled new flexibility in Alaska talks with Trump. Witkoff said that Putin agreed to allow the US and its European allies to offer Ukraine a security guarantee resembling NATO's collective defence mandate as part of an eventual deal to end Moscow's ongoing, full-scale invasion. Article 5, at the heart of the 32-member military alliance, states that an armed attack against one or more of the members shall be considered an attack against all members. Though Witkoff offered few details on how such an agreement would work, the news appeared to be a major shift for Putin. — Euronews
