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French President Emmanuel Macron has addressed the nation following days of violent protest. He claims his country feels ‘anger and shame’ and vows ‘full transparency’ over the disorder. We get the latest from a BBC journalist on the ground.

Also in the programme: A rare look at the frontline in Ukraine; the new project aiming to reduce sports clothing waste; and we head to Canada to get a preview of Alberta’s non-binding independence referendum.

(Photo: French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a press conference of the European Council summit in Brussels, Belgium, October 2026. Credit:Olivier Mattheys. EPA/Shutterstock)

A rare glimpse into life in Russian occupied Ukraine. We hear about the dire conditions in the town of Oleshky near the city of Kherson. Also in the programme: we speak to a left-wing French MP after 1,800 people were arrested in France during protests and rioting on Saturday; and the musicians who blend Celtic folk music with singing from Cameroon.

(Photo: Aerial image of ruined buildings in Oleshky, Kherson. Credit: Reuters)

There's been violent disorder in Paris and other French cities during a day of mass protests over the cost of living.

Also in the programme: President Zelensky says restrictions on Starlink systems over Ukraine were a planned operation rather than a technical issue, so how is the US using Elon Musk's technology to limit Ukraine's ability to fight? And a rare pink diamond goes on display in France for the first time, 100 years after an amateur heist.

(Photo: French firefighters work to extinguish burning car amid clashes during a day of demonstrations against the cost of living and rising fuel prices in Paris. Credit: Reuters)

Two days before they were due to take effect, US President Donald Trump has blocked several sanctions on Russia. The news comes as the rift between him and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky deepens, following Ukrainian strikes on a Russian oil refinery during the week. We speak to an official from the first Trump administration, who has publicly supported the sanctions.

Also in the programme: we explore why youth protests have been happening across Europe; and Brazil records its lowest deforestation rate in the Amazon, according to government figures.

(Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Brussels, Belgium October 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Yves Herman)

French president Emmanuel Macron has vowed Europe will continue to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia, at a time in which tensions are growing between Kyiv and Washington. We get the latest news from the EU summit in Brussels.

Also in the programme: we hear from the occupied West Bank, where Israeli settlers continue to violently attack local Palestinians; and we look at Elon Musk's newly unveiled flying car: is he a boy with a toy or is this the start of something new? A futurist weighs in.

(Photo: French President Emmanuel Macron speaking at the second day of the European Council summit in Brussels. Credit: O. Matthys / EPA / Shutterstock).

Dozens of masked Israeli settlers have attacked Palestinians harvesting olives in the village of Abu Falah in the occupied West Bank.

The settlers beat and threw stones at villagers and burned olive trees and cars, while two people were taken to hospital. We'll hear from a Palestinian olive farmer who has suffered an attack.

Also in the programme: Donald Trump hits out again at Volodomyr Zelensky, while the Ukrainian president praises what he calls the "real leaders" of Europe; we'll hear from a student protester in Albania, as violence rocks the streets of the capital; and will Tesla's new flying car really get off the ground?

(Photo shows Palestinian families harvesting their olive trees following a settlers' attack in Abu Falah in the West Bank. 16 October 2026. Credit: Atef Safadi/EPA)

Romania has accused Russia of carrying out an attack on an oil tanker in the Black Sea. Seven crew members remain missing in the latest of a spate of drone attacks on merchant shipping off the coasts of Bulgaria and Romania. We hear from the Romanian foreign minister, Oana Țoiu.

Also on the programme: we speak to the lawyer of one of the seven Cornell University students accused of sexually assaulting a classmate; and we go to a Republican heartland in Iowa, where there is speculation the state could flip to the Democrats in the upcoming midterm elections.

(Picture: The tanker Wine Trader that caught fire in Romanian territorial waters, released October 15, 2026. Credit: Romanian Interior Ministry/Handout via REUTERS)

Russia has made fresh claims of Ukraine attacking Russian infrastructure, after the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said that strikes on the country would resume. Ukraine had previously paused strikes at the request of US president Donald Trump. We will also hear how Starshield works after the security network faced restrictions in its activity inside Ukraine.

Also in the programme: Retired US generals call for the planned live-streamed execution of Nidal Hasan to be cancelled; and why have garbage trucks in one part of the Netherlands been granted special cultural status?

(Photo: Volodymyr Zelensky during a meeting with Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Credit: Henry Nicholls/Reuters)

Britain's prime minister, Andy Burnham, has promised to speed up the delivery of British-made air defence missiles to Ukraine. Kyiv has expressed concern that it did not get advance warning from allies ahead of a wave of missile strikes coming from Russia. It said it also experienced restrictions on its access to the Starlink communications network.

Also, a British orthopaedic surgeon currently supporting medics in Gaza tells us there isn't enough basic medical equipment,including dressings. She says people are still coming into the hospital with fresh gun shot wounds, a year after a ceasefire was agreed.

And award-winning Turkish writer, Elif Shafak tells us about her new novel, set in 19th century France

Plus how in China you can hire-a-friend for a chat!

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

and the oldest ship wreck in the world - at more than 4 thousand years old

Ukraine says another major attack on its energy infrastructure has left six hundred thousand people without power. At least six people were killed in the overnight bombardment, which targeted the greater Kyiv area and Kharkiv in the northeast. President Zelensky has said that for a second night, his forces received no warning of the attacks from its allies.

Also on the programme: the trial has begun of a Ukrainian man accused of blowing up the Nord Stream pipeline in 2022; and the new plan to protect the endangered Emperor penguin.

(Picture: A worker cuts branches of a tree in front of an apartment building which was damaged by a late evening Russian missile strike in Kyiv. Credit: REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko)

The head of Britain's intelligence agency, MI5, has warned of the growing threat posed by extremists and artificial intelligence. We hear from biological weapons expert Nikki Teran.

Also in the programme: Breaking Bad's casting director remembers RJ Mitte who has died aged 34; and the magnetic millirobots aiming to cure heart infections.

(Picture: Director General of MI5 Sir Ken McCallum speaking at Thames House, the headquarters of the UK's Security Service in London. Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire)

Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi made the comments in an exclusive interview, his first since he was dramatically forced from his post in the summer. He addressed his sacking, disagreeing with his critics who declared him too "old school" to command Ukraine's new, technologically advanced forces.

Also on the programme: The International Monetary Fund says the global economy is doing better than expected - but may soon be "tested"; and if A-lister Tom Cruise can't even sell movie tickets, is Hollywood in trouble?

(Photo: Ukrainian servicemen ride an APC on a road in the Sumy region near the border with Russia. Credit: George Ivanchenko/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Flights across Saudi Arabia have been heavily disrupted as Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement have fired missiles. There's been a series of deadly attacks on airports and energy facilities across the peninsula over the last few days. We hear from the vice minister of foreign affairs from Yemen's internationally recognised government.

Also on the programme: a major cyber attack overheats fridges and freezers in hundreds of supermarkets across France; and we feature the winners of two Nobel Prizes – peace and economics.

Photo: Houthi fighters in Sanaa; Credit: European Photopress Agency

How are the Houthis able to launch these attacks and how far might they go?

Also on the programme: This year's Nobel Peace Prize winner, Navi Pillay tells Newshour that international law is 'under attack'; and did the world's biggest accountancy firm help the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich to evade tax?

(Photo: Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea delivers a televised statement as Yemen's Houthis claim responsibility for four missile-drone attacks on Saudi positions Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

Another Houthi strike has hit King Khalid International airport in Saudi Arabia raising questions about the kingdom's ability to defend its key military and civilian sites. We hear from a journalist in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

Also on the programme: India's prime minister comes under criticism after brutal police force is used against protesters; and how did a valuable Chinese artifact smash itself at the British Museum?

Photo: Smoke and flames rise from King Khalid Airport, after Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis said they attacked the airport, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Credit: Reuters

At least 12 people have been killed and 309 injured in an attack on Saturday at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

A statement from Yemen's Houthis statement on Sunday warned all airline companies not to use Saudi airports, without referencing Saturday's attack. The Iran-backed group said they were behind separate strikes on the same airport on Thursday. How will the Saudi authorities respond? And what does it tell us about Houthi tactics?

Also in the programme: The Cockroach Janta Party protests have resumed in India after arrests yesterday; the Pope, the church, and the ethics of AI; and Man City's first game after they were found guilty of financial rules - which they maintain their innocence from - is in Liverpool today - is it a grudge match for the ages?

(Photo shows smoke and flames rising from King Khalid Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 8October 2026, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. Credit: Social Media via Reuters)

President Trump has said it's time for a new leader in Ukraine, blaming Volodymyr Zelensky for high diesel prices.

We get a response from Sviatoslav Yurash, a member of the Ukrainian parliament in President Zelensky's party.

Also on the programme: India's cockroach movement is back demanding the resignation of the election commissioner; and we hear about a tattoo ink that you can turn on and off.

Photo : US President Trump meets Ukraine's President Zelensky in New York, USA - 22 Sep 2026; Credit : EPA/Shutterstock

There's a massive security operation in Delhi to try to prevent a protest by the youth- led Cockroach Janta Party. Its leader was detained as he flew into the Indian capital.

Also in the programme: Latvia moves to expel Russian journalist Leonid Ragozin; President Zelensky says deadly overnight attacks on Zaporizhzhia are Russia's way of saying thanks for Donald Trump lifting sanctions on diesel exports; and a biographical reevaluation of Whitney Houston.

(Photo: Prem Boominathan/BBC)

This year's Nobel Peace Prize has gone to Navi Pillay - a former UN human rights chief and International Criminal Court judge.

The chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee said the South African had been instrumental in ensuring that war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide were prosecuted. We'll hear from a friend and colleague who was with her when the news came through.

Also in the programme: The US defence secretary says the execution of an Army officer convicted of killing several soldiers will be livestreamed; a giant wine heist in Italy; and a giant waterlily from Colombia.

(File photo from 2022 of Navanethem Pillay, at a meeting of the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. Credit: Jean Marc Ferré/UN Photo)

At least 30 people have been killed in a Russian glide bomb attack on two civilian buses in the eastern front line city of Kramatorsk, rescue officials say.

Also on the programme, the Nobel Prize for literature has been awarded to the Canadian author, Anne Carson; and what can a 194-year old tortoise tell us about living a long life

(Photo: Russian strike on buses kills at least 30, Kramatorsk, Ukraine - 08 Oct 2026. Maria Senovilla EPA/Shutterstock)

A large number of people have been killed in a Russian strike on buses in the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, not far from the frontlines.

Also in the programme: French students take back to the streets to protest against the state of their education system; and we remember the trailblazing computer scientist Margaret Hamilton, who helped put men on the Moon.

(IMAGE: Russian strike in Kramatorsk, Donetsk, Ukraine - 08 Oct 2026. At least 30 people died as a result of a Russian attack on a civilian bus, according to the State Emergency Service / CREDIT: Ukrainian National Police handout)

People across Israel and around the world have been marking the third anniversary of the October the seventh attacks -- which saw Hamas- led fighters kill around twelve- hundred people. Hamas officials say Israel's subsequent offensive in Gaza has killed more than seventy- five- thousand people.

Also in the programme: The World Health Organisation has warned against using surgery and weight loss drugs to tackle the rising obesity rates in children; commuters in Kyiv talk about living under the daily threat of attack, as Russian strikes intensify; and we look back the nine-decade career of Hollywood star, Eva Marie Saint.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

People across Israel and around the world have been marking the third anniversary of the October 7th attacks which saw Hamas-led fighters kill almost 1200 people and take 251 hostages. Israel responded by launching a military offensive in Gaza that Hamas officials say has killed more than 75,000 Palestinians. We'll get reflections on the anniversary from Israel and Gaza.

Also on the programme: Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi scores in his final game for his country; why a film enthusiast believes cinema's first 'talkie' was made in Scotland; and we speak to the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa on her new book which is part autobiography, part manifesto.

(Photo: Israeli family members visit a memorial site for victims of the Nova music festival on the third anniversary of the 7 October attack. Credit: Atef Safadi/EPA/Shuttershock)

The French government has denied it ordered police repression against students, after hundreds of young people were injured in nationwide protests. The Interior Ministry said more than a quarter of a million people took part today.

Also on the programme: our reporter meets Yemeni civilians determined to defeat the Houthis; and hundreds of items from the personal archive of the influential American film director Stanley Kubrick are going to auction for the first time.

(Riot police run past garbage bins and object set on fire amid clashes with protesters during a demonstration by high school and university students. October 6. Credit: Reuters)

There have been clashes between protesters and police in several French cities, as demonstrators call for more investment in schools. Police fired teargas in the southern city of Toulouse, while in Lyon police say they responded when missiles were thrown at officers. The student protests - over a lack of teachers, overcrowded classrooms and run-down buildings - started last month in Paris then spread. Hundreds of schools have been closed.

Also in the programme: OpenAI apologises to the Australian government, but is it enough? Germany's former intelligence chief has been arrested on suspicion of espionage; and a Nobel Prize for the Belgian scientist who discovered ghost particles at the South Pole.

(Photo: French police officers pictured with a burning street barricade in Lyon. Credit: Reuters)

Downing Street says it won't comment on foreign nations' military operations - after the US removed twelve bombers from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire - which has been the subject of an investigation into a suspected terror plot. But officials insist the base is safe. Six men have been arrested by counter-terrorism police, but they've all been released on bail. The US Vice President JD Vance said the move was a precaution.

Also in the programme: The Saudi backed government in Yemen says it's launched an offensive to retake the capital, Sanaa, from the Iran-backed Houthi movement; Spanish PM Sánchez calls early election after housing protests; and an American neuroscientist and two German biophysicists have been awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Medicine for revealing how nerve cells shape memories and feelings.

(File photo dated 29/09/26 of a United States Air Force Rockwell B-1 Lancer Bomber at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. Credit: PA)

Spain's prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, has announced a snap election in November - saying he needs the support of the people to push through reforms. Also on the programme, Brazil's presidential election is going to a run-off in three weeks, with the challenger Flavio Bolsonaro leading President Lula; and the humble Australian phone box that's been granted heritage status.

(Photo: Spain's Prime Minister calls early elections for November 29, Madrid - 05 Oct 2026. Office of the Prime Minister of Spain/HANDOUT/EPA/Shutterstock)

A woman who froze pieces of Ovarian tissue at the age of 19, after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, gave birth to a baby boy 25 years later. We speak with Kassandra Bacon, whose tissue was frozen for 23 years ago.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, is in Ukraine today on a surprise visit. And we hear from Frances Haugen, who exposed how Facebook’s algorithms fostered hate and triggered depression and suicidal feelings among teenagers by leaking internal documents to the Wall Street Journal in 2021. Her testimony is the basis of an new movie by Aaron Sorkin called, The Social Reckoning.

(Photo: A doctor holds a stethoscope, August 15, 2014. CREDIT: Lynne Cameron/PA Wire)

The pilot of the FlyDubai plane has told Isareli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu how he was repeatedly hit on the back of the head by his co-pilot on Wednesday. We also hear a former pilot explain how disaster was averted after the plane went into a nosedive.

Also in the programme: TPLF rebel forces move out of Tigray's regional capital, Mekelle, as Ethiopian government troops move in. We ask what it means and how strong the TPLF is now; and a special report on how some traumatised children in Gaza are finding solace in swimming.

Demonstrations are taking place in Spain over the national housing crisis, after parliament rejected the government's proposals to protect tenants. Also on the programme, one scientific researcher has reportedly died of pneumonic plague in Siberia and hundreds are now being monitored there; and in Gaza, the story of one group that's offering a special experience to children that have been traumatised by war.

(Photo: Protesters hold placards as they demand political action to stop evictions and alleviate the housing crisis, in Madrid, Spain, October 3, 2026. REUTERS/Alejandro Martinez Velez)

There have been violent scenes outside schools across France as a dispute over learning conditions continues. The French government has accused left-wing party La France Insoumise of stoking up the disturbances. One of the party’s MPs tells us that the accusation is “absurd” and reflects the government’s disdain for young people.

Also on the programme: we hear from the lawyer of Renee Good's family as they file a lawsuit against the Trump administration over her killing during a Minneapolis immigration crackdown; and the Beatles album Rubber Soul is re-released with previously unheard studio tracks.

(Picture: A protest over conditions in the education system in Montpellier, 02 October 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

More colleges have been damaged by fire in France as student protests continue, demanding more investment in education. Hundreds of high schools and colleges are closed. The French government has condemned what it called urban violence.

Also, the hero Fly-Dubai pilot - who survived being stabbed by his colleague - describes how he fought to save the lives of all on board.

And will Europe release diesel reserves as requested by the US? And what are the possible consequences?

(Photo: French CRS riot police apprehend a protester during clashes outside the Lycee Deodat-de-Severac high school as part of nationwide protests by high school students to demand the hiring of substitute teachers, increased resources and better learning conditions, in Toulouse as more than 400 schools remain closed following days of student protests that have escalated into violence in some places, France, October 2, 2026. Credit: Reuters)

An investigation is underway by Israel into the apparent attempt by the co-pilot of a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv to bring it down. The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says it's too early to say if Iran is involved in the attack

We'll speak to one of the passengers, Adam Polovincik, about what happened, when the plane suddenly lost height.

Also in the programme: Tennessee has called a temporary halt to executions after a female convict survives two doses of lethal injection; thousnads of French high school students are taking part in protests which are becoming increasingly unrul; and why do many Russians seem to want to pretend that the war in Ukraine isn't happening?

(Photo shows a FlyDubai plane in the air near Tel Aviv on 30 September 2026. Credit: Ammar Awad/Reuters)

The Israeli prime minister says the co-pilot attacked his the pilot of an on board an Israel-bound flight from Dubai and attempted to deliberately crash the plane. Passengers are believed to have helped overpower and restrain the attacker. There were jubilant scenes at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport as passengers landed safely.

Also in the programme: Britain's Prime Minister says there are "strong indications" that Iran played a part in the security incident at Fairford airbase. Plus a last-minute stay of execution for Christa Pike in Tennessee - but what next?

And would Greta Garbo really want to be re-animated by AI?

(Picture: FlyDubai passengers are greeted by their friends and family at the Ben Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv, September 30, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Ammar Awad)

A passenger plane flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv had to land in Saudi Arabia after a fight reportedly broke out between the pilots. Two Israeli officials have said the co-pilot is believed to have stabbed the captain of the plane. Both pilots are being treated in hospital. Israeli and Saudi jets were scrambled after the FlyDubai flight transmitted a code used to report a hijacking.

Also, a BBC investigation tracks how children in Gaza are still falling victim to the conflict there.

And researchers convinced a Chinese AI tool to tell them how to make biological weapons and carry out assassinations. What went wrong?

(Photo: A Flydubai plane waiting at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on 30 September. Credit: EPA)

Spain's coalition government has approved new housing measures following protests over the country's housing crisis, sparked by the eviction of an 87-year-old woman from her home in Madrid last week. Also on the programme, a man held on death row for 41 years in Utah finally gets a retrial; and the 'fat dogs of Delhi' have gone viral - but can they become the 'fit dogs of Delhi'?

(Photo: Madrid housing protesters camp at Puerta del Sol, Spain - 29 Sep 2026. Rodrigo Jimenez EPA/Shutterstock)

Malaysia starts sending thousands of refugees back to war-torn Myanmar. Human rights groups say it risks returning Rohingya muslims to danger. We hear from a fearful refugee.

Also in the programme: Israel's military says more than a hundred settlers have attacked a village in the occupied West Bank; we hear from Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich who was held in a Russian prison for more than 400 days; and how the youngest ever female chess grandmaster learnt to play.

(IMAGE: Myanmar nationals due to be repatriated from Malaysia sit inside a bus at Lumut, Malaysia September 29, 2026 / REUTERS/Hasnoor Hussain)

The men were arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. The base has been used by the US Air Force to attack Iran.

Also on the programme: our reporter is on the front line in Yemen as government forces take on the Houthis. And 100 years of stories as we celebrate the centenary of Route 66.

(Picture: Police at RAF Fairford Air Base, England. Credit: Getty Images)

In Yemen, fighting is intensifying around the Yemeni city of Taiz, where government forces are trying to halt a new advance by Houthi fighters closing in on the city. We have a frontline report from the BBC's international investigations correspondent.

Also on the programme: investigations continue into a suspected terror plot at an air force base in southern England; and a potential breakthrough in the storage of mRNA vaccines, which could revolutionise rural healthcare.

(Photo: A displaced Yemeni woman, Fatma Mohammed Saleh, speaks to the BBC. Credit: Liam Weir/BBC)

Counter terrorism police in Britain are investigating a major incident near a Royal Air Force base that's used by the United States as a forward operating location - including to launch strikes on Iran. Five men have been arrested on explosives and terror charges. We ask why the base might be a target.

Also on the programme: who's really in charge in Uganda after the head of the armed forces tells a minister he can't leave the country? and is panda diplomacy effective at selling China's image abroad?

(Photo: B‑1B Lancer bomber parked at the RAF Fairford airbase which hosts United States Air Force personnel. Credit: Reuters/Toby Shepheard)

In Northern Ireland, Roman Catholic protesters have blocked a road in the town of Portadown along which members of the pro-British Orange Order were planning to march. It's the first time they've been granted permission to go ahead with the march along the Garvaghy Road for nearly 30 years. But Roman Catholic residents oppose it and have refused police orders to disperse. The road was a major flashpoint of the conflict between largely Catholic, pro-Irish republicans and Protestant, pro-UK unionists in the late 1990s. Also in the programme: British police declare a major incident near an air base used by the US air force; and how trees shaped Russian history and people. (Photo: A member of the Portadown District Loyal Orange Lodge No 1 outside Drumcree Church ahead of the planned march. Picture date: Sunday September 27, 2026. Credit: Peter Morrison/PA Wire)

Police in South Africa say that they have discovered another body in a Johannesburg suburb, bringing the number of women found dead there in recent months to ten. The deaths have increased pressure on the national government less than a year after ministers declared gender-based violence a national disaster.

Also in the programme: President Trump reject's Iran's offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz; and has the Pope with a grandfather born in France mastered the French accent?

(Photo: Residents of Cape Town in an awareness walk denouncing gender-based violence. Credit: Reuters)

The US artificial intelligence giant OpenAI says it has alerted governments, universities and other global institutions that their websites may have been accessed improperly by rogue autonomous models. We hear from the head of a group called METR, which checks AI for threats. Also in the programme: How are Manchester City fans reacting to the news that their football club has been found guilty of more than 100 financial misdemeanours? Plus- from schoolboy band to rock super-stardom: the band U2 at 50. (Photo: An OpenAI logo. Credit: Reuters/Carlos Barria)

As fighting escalates between federal government forces and an alliance of armed groups including the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front, we ask what's behind it and hear from a former TPLF spokesperson.

Also in the programme: as the Pope warns we are in danger of “losing our humanity” to AI machines, how can we make AI safe? Could President Xi's wife Peng Liyuan be China's "soft power super-weapon"? And Manchester City football club is found guilty of breaking financial rules.

(IMAGE: TPLF forces sit along a street in Mekelle, capital of Tigray Region, Ethiopia, September 24, 2026 / CREDIT: Obtained by REUTERS)

US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping have exchanged warm words at a lavish White House state dinner but gave little indication of progress on pressing issues. Xi stressed that they should ensure artificial intelligence remains "under human control", while Trump toasted a future of "harmony, peace and success" for both nations.

Also in the programme: As the Tigrayans go on the offensive in Ethiopia, where is that conflict headed? And a new test for brain tumours that can slash diagnosis time to just two hours.

(Photo: Presidents Xi and Trump in Washington DC. Credit: Reuters)

Xi Jinping -- on a visit to Washington -- has called for China and the United States to cooperate despite their differences, and to ensure AI remains under human control. Newshour hears from Republican Congressman Michael Baumgartner.

Also in the programme: the FBI investigates a major cyber hack; and a new study on the origin of bats.

(Picture: US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping walk back to the White House in Washington, D.C., US, September 24, 2026. Credit: Reuters)

A OpenAI agent has hacked an Australian government website, its prime minister Anthony Albanese said.

The agent hacked a statistics portal containing private data from Australia's universal healthcare scheme, Medicare. We'll be looking at why OpenAI took so long to notice. The Australian government has launched an urgent review into the situation

Also in the programme: A US judge has overturned a White house ban on several media organisation by the Trump administration; today sees the launch of a new version of Meta's controversial glasses - this time, they're audio-only; and a veteran of Poland's jazz scene on emerging from behind the "Iron Curtain".

(Photo shows the OpenAI logo at the Dreamforce 2026 technology summit in San Francisco, California, US on 17 September 2026. Carlos Barria/Reuters)

Could there be a return to full-scale civil war in the Horn of Africa, where fresh fighting has broken out in Ethiopia?

Also in the programme: President Trump's Board of Peace for Gaza announces a $2.45bn recovery plan for the territory. We speak to one of the board's members and get the view of a Palestinian; and French archaeologists find new evidence of the origins of the city of Paris.

(Picture: Rickshaw taxis and motorists drive along the street near the Tigray Martyrs monument in Mekelle, Tigray Region, Ethiopia, September 23, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Stringer)

The White House is rolling out the red carpet for a rare state visit by the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping. The two leaders are expected to discuss a number of issues, including the development of artificial intelligence.

Also in the programme: President Trump has signed a new defence agreement with Denmark and Greenland after months of crisis; the rare first edition that turned up at a charity shop in London; and we'll hear from the tennis champion Andre Agassi on getting to the top, despite hating the sport.

[Photo shows US president Donald Trump at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City on 22 September 2026. Credit: Kylie Cooper/Reuters]

Donald Trump says his officials have had a long meeting with senior Iranians on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, while in his speech the US president threatened Iran with "annihilation".

Also in the programme: Mahmoud Khalil, the Syrian-Palestinian graduate student detained by ICE agents at Columbia University for leading pro-Palestinian protests on campus, speaks to Newshour; and a 6-year-old Chinese girl has broken the women's world record for solving a Rubik's cube - does the skill come from innate genius or practice?

(Photo: US President Donald Trump addresses the 81st United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City, US, 22 September 2026. Credit: Reuters/Mike Segar)