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Negotiations are due to begin in Cairo, which US President Donald Trump says may bring an end to Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip.

Hamas has partially agreed to Trump’s plan to end the war, but with major caveats.

So has Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

But the details have yet to be agreed upon, including how Israeli forces withdraw and who will govern the Strip after the war ends.

So, is it possible to draw up a plan that all sides can agree to?

What would an interim government look like?

And what does all of this mean for the Palestinian people?

Presenter: Dareen Abughaida

Guests:

Mouin Rabbani – Researcher, Analyst and Co-Editor of Jadaliyya

Yossi Mekelberg – Political Analyst and Senior Consulting Fellow at Chatham House.

Muhammad Shehada – Analyst and Senior Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations

President Trump has released a Gaza “peace” plan that would put Gaza under a Trump-chaired “Board of Peace”. While some in the international community have welcomed the move, some question the fact that it bypasses Palestinians and offers no path to statehood. So, with Netanyahu pledging not to fully withdraw from Gaza, will this deal bring genuine peace or cement the status quo?

This week on an UpFront special, Marc Lamont Hill speaks with one of the world’s foremost experts on the Israel-Palestine conflict, Norman Finkelstein.

The United States government has shut down after Democrats voted down a bill that would have cut healthcare funding, saying it would be damaging to the US public.

Republicans say the Democrats are damaging the economy.

President Donald Trump says this is a chance for him to save money by firing federal government workers and cutting spending.

He is targeting what he calls the Democrats’ special projects that include environmental initiatives, housing services and infrastructure.

So are the cuts being made in the public interest?

Who is being worst affected by the shutdown? And what does this all mean for the US economy?

Presenter: Dareen Abughaida

Guests:

Eric Ham – Political Analyst

Drew Friedman – Reporter at Federal News Network

Rina Shah – Political Strategist

A year after his huge election win, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday faced the daunting task of trying to rally his party amid dismal ratings.

His most serious challenge comes from the right-wing Reform UK Party, helmed by Nigel Farage. Its hardline stance on immigration is adding pressure for more border security from Labour.

Starmer’s address at the Labour Party conference showed energy and passion — things he’s been criticized for lacking in recent months.

But will it be enough to help Starmer overcome his challenges, or are his days in office numbered?

Presenter: Nick Clark

Guests:

Patrick Diamond – Professor in public policy at Queen Mary University of London, former policy adviser to Labour governments led by Tony Blair and Gordon Brown

Jennifer Nadel – Political communications strategist and co-founder of Compassion in Politics, a cross-party think tank that works towards legislative change and ethical governance

Michael Walker – Contributing editor at Novara Media, an independent outlet, a former Labour Party member who left in 2020

Despite Western sanctions, Russia’s military spending has fuelled its war economy. Three years into the war in Ukraine, growth is stalling, energy revenues are plunging, and the budget deficit is widening.

To shore up state coffers, Russia is raising the value-added tax from 20 percent to 22 percent, among other measures. The Ministry of Finance says funds will mainly cover defence and security spending.

The plan came a day after United States President Donald Trump said Russia was in “big economic trouble”, but is it?

Can the United Kingdom’s Labour Party deliver on its economic promises?

Plus, will the Africa-US trade pact, AGOA, be renewed?

Iran is facing new pressure due to its nuclear programme.

European powers have re-imposed sanctions that were lifted as part of a landmark 2015 nuclear agreement.

They target Iran’s banking, oil, and other crucial sectors. There is also an embargo on arms imports.

Western allies say Iran has not been cooperating with the United Nations nuclear watchdog, and that its nuclear programme poses a threat to international security.

Tehran has always maintained that its nuclear programme is for civilian use, and says it is ready to weather the storm.

So, is there still room for diplomacy?

Presenter: Nick Clark

Guests:

Ellie Geranmayeh – senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, and a specialist in Europe-Iran relations

Mark Fitzpatrick – former US diplomat, and associate fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies

Marzie Khalilian – Iranian political analyst and researcher at Carleton University, focusing on US-Middle East relations.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof joins Talk to Al Jazeera at a pivotal moment for Europe and the Middle East. After his coalition collapsed, he reflects on leading the Netherlands through crises at home and abroad.

From the war in Gaza and sanctions on Israel to NATO, migration and United States President Donald Trump’s stance on Ukraine, Schoof gives rare insight into how the Netherlands navigates global fault lines. A politically unaffiliated leader and former intelligence chief, he speaks candidly about power, justice and Europe’s future.

US tech giant Microsoft says it has stopped the Israeli military from accessing its cloud computing and AI technology.

The move follows an investigation that found that Israeli forces had been using Microsoft’s powerful Azure services for mass surveillance and attacks in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

But has Microsoft’s decision come too late? And what can be done to stop Israel from simply finding a replacement from another powerful software supplier?

Presenter: Neave Barker

Guests:

Rob Pegoraro – Technology journalist and analyst

Taghreed El-Khodary – Palestinian journalist and analyst

Kenneth Roth – Former executive director of Human Rights Watch and author of Righting Wrongs: My Life in Human Rights

US President Donald Trump has proposed a 21-point peace plan to end Israel’s war in Gaza.

The plan, shared with Arab and Muslim leaders in New York on Tuesday, reportedly sees Hamas barred from any future role in governing Gaza, potential military involvement from Arab and Muslim countries to guarantee security and a promise from Trump that Israel will not annex the occupied West Bank.

But how can the countries involved deliver on their part in any deal?

And how could President Trump push his plan through, in practice?

Presenter: Bernard Smith

Guests:

Thomas Warrick – Former deputy assistant secretary for counterterrorism policy at the US Department of Homeland Security, and currently a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council

Daoud Kuttab – Journalist and columnist, director of the Community Media Network, and a contributing writer to outlets including Al-Monitor and Foreign Policy

Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka – Editor-in-chief of the Gulf Times and a Qatari journalist and commentator specialising in public diplomacy and communications

A mosque bombed in Sudan is the latest atrocity in a conflict that has led to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, says the United Nations.

Meanwhile, a new US-led political initiative gets a cool response from Khartoum.

What’s happening in the conflict – and what are the hopes for peace?

Presenter: Tom McRae

Guests:

Amgad Fareid Eltayeb – executive director of Fikra for Studies and Development

Kholood Khair – Sudanese political analyst

Cameron Hudson – senior associate in the Africa programme at the Center for Strategic and International Studies

Millions of TikTok users in the United States will be relieved to hear President Donald Trump say that China had agreed to approve a deal on the future of the social media platform in the US.

With US politicians worried that TikTok poses a national security threat and spreads propaganda, Congress passed a bill last year that banned the short video app unless its Chinese owner, ByteDance, sold its US business.

But Trump had extended the deadline by which ByteDance was to divest from the platform or face the promised ban, and even went so far as to raise the matter with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a call on Friday.

So, why does a deal on this app matter so much to Trump?

Presenter: Tom McRae

Guests:

Richard Weitz – senior non-resident associate fellow at the NATO Defense College

Einar Tangen – senior fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation

Maria Curi – technology policy reporter for Axios, focusing on government oversight of social media platforms

The United States has blocked yet another United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and for Israel to lift all restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid.

Under the UN charter, the Security Council is responsible for maintaining international peace and security.

It’s made up of 15 members – 10 elected and five permanent, which have the power to veto resolutions.

This time, the 10 elected members plus the United Kingdom, France, Russia and China supported the resolution.

But Israel’s biggest ally – the US – refused, saying it did not condemn Hamas or recognise Israel’s right to defend itself.

Does it mean the UN Security Council is unable to carry out its mandate?

Presenter: Sami Zeidan

Guests:

William Lawrence – Professor of political science and international affairs at American University

Ardi Imseis – Associate professor of law at Queen’s University and a former UN legal officer

Xavier Abu Eid – Political scientist and former adviser to the Palestine Liberation Organization

Curfews imposed. Soldiers on the streets. A prime minister forced to resign. After a social media blackout and years of corruption charges, the protests turned violent, leaving dozens dead.

Nepal’s army is now in talks with demonstrators to decide on an interim leader after KP Sharma Oli stepped down during the unrest. Why are so many young people angry — and what comes next for Nepal?

Presenter: Stefanie Dekker

Guests:
Birat Bijay Ojha – Writer
Sahana Bajracharya – Journalist
Subina Shrestha – Journalist and filmmaker

Between 100,000 and 150,000 people have demonstrated in London against immigration, with arrests made after violent clashes with police.

The rally was organised by Tommy Robinson – a far-right activist with criminal convictions – backed by billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk.

What are the implications?

Presenter: Adrian Finighan

Guests:

Peter Geoghegan – Editor of the investigative news site Democracy for Sale

Jennifer Nadel – Director and co-founder of cross-party UK think tank Compassion in Politics

Tariq Ali – Political writer and historian

Social media’s influence and society’s pressure for the “perfect” wedding often push couples into debt before they even say “I do”. We’re breaking down whether a budget-friendly wedding is still truly possible – and examining the heavy financial burden that comes with a lavish celebration.

Presenter: Stefanie Dekker

Guests:
Claudia Sokolova – Wedding planner and content creator
Kiara Brokenbrough – Content creator
Sumera Batool – Associate professor at Lahore College for Women University

In the aftermath of an Israeli attack on Qatar targeting the leadership of Hamas, American political scientist John Mearsheimer argues, “The Israelis are interested in making sure there are no negotiations that settle the conflict in Gaza.”

Mearsheimer tells host Steve Clemons that the United States and Israel “basically act as a tag team”, and despite a mild rebuke by President Donald Trump, “the US supports Israel unconditionally”.

He adds that Israel has three main strategic goals: expand territory, move the Palestinians out of all conquered territory, and ensure that all countries in the region are weak.

This week, Israel launched an unprecedented airstrike on Qatar’s capital, Doha, claiming it was targeting senior Hamas leaders. Qatar, a key mediator between Hamas and Israel, condemned the strike as a violation of international law and branded it an act of “state terrorism.”

How has Israel been able to act with such impunity? And what does this attack mean for the future of ceasefire negotiations in Gaza?

In this UpFront special, Marc Lamont Hill speaks with former Israeli negotiator – Daniel Levy, fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies – Phyllis Bennis, and Palestine Project coordinator at the Arab Center in Washington, DC – Hanna Alshaikh.

The once rock-solid relationship between Washington and Seoul is being rocked by the detention of South Korean workers in a United States immigration swoop.

The controversy is the latest jolt in the alliance. There has been turbulence over tariffs and military spending as well.

Is the raid a one-off, or a sign of deeper trouble between the two nations?

Presenter:

Adrian Finighan

Guests:

Se-Woong Koo – founder of Korea Expose, an online magazine based in Seoul, specialising in Korean news

Jenny Town – senior fellow at the Stimson Center in Washington, DC, and director of its Korea programme and 38 North

Youngshik Bong – visiting professor at Yonsei University, Seoul

On the 80th anniversary of the end of the second world war, President Xi Jinping told the world, China does not fear violence, and showed them its weapons: Sophisticated military hardware, ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons filled Tiananmen Square, along with thousands of soldiers.

The Russian President Vladimir Putin and the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un also took centre stage.

So, was Xi showing there is an alternative to a US-led world order?

If so, how was this message received? And what does it mean for global politics?

Presenter: James Bays

Guests: 

• Richard Weitz – Senior non-resident associate fellow the NATO Defense College
• Andy Mok – Senior research fellow at the Center for China and Globalization in Beijing
• Fraser Howie – Writer and commentator and co-author of Red Capitalism and Privatizing China

Israel has engaged in systematic crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide in Gaza, according to a resolution by members of the International Association of Genocide Scholars.

The group says there is clear intent to expel Palestinians from the Gaza Strip – by bombardment, starvation and forced displacement.

The assessment comes months after the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes.

And there’s a case at the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of genocide.

So what tangible results can come from this new accusation?

Presenter:

James Bays

Guests:

Andrew Gilmour – Former United Nations assistant secretary-general for human rights

Ori Goldberg – Political analyst specialising in the Middle East

Jonathan Kuttab – Palestinian human rights lawyer