Last Friday, US President Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss the war in Ukraine. While no ceasefire was announced, Trump said major issues were agreed on. Today ahead of a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart and European leaders, Trump declared that Ukraine must give up territory and rule out NATO membership. We speak to Alexey Muraviev, associate professor of National Security and Strategic Studies from Curtin University for his assessment of the optics and options involved.

Other stories we covered:

• Do we need a Coroner's Act?: Calls for a Coroner's Act comes after the reported mismanagement of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir’s death in Sabah. The act would put coroners at the head of forensic investigations without needing to wait for police or inquests. M. Jay Ray, Executive Director of Gegar, and former Bar Council President Salim Bashir shares what the Coroners Act, if enacted, would entail.
• Doctor’s contract system on its way out the door?: Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad has recently indicated that his ministry is looking to abolish the system. Azrul Mohamad Khalib, CEO of the Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy weighs in on why this might not be the best idea. We also hear from Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii, who had earlier pushed for the contract system to be axed.
• Global Plastics treaty tethers: Activists at the Geneva talks have reported that the talks have ended on a disappointing note: No agreement was struck on how to tackle the global plastic pollution problem. We speak to Wong Pui Yi, a researcher with the Basel Action Network who attended the Genevan talks, for a better idea of what happened, and what to expect next.
• Government wellness hubs: This is the Ministry of Health’s latest move in trying to make Malaysians healthier, by opening 48 more of these hubs all over the country by 2033. So, think free exercise classes to affordable health screenings, all of which have apparently boosted good results. We get into it.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

Produced by: Sudais Ferhard, Sneha Harikannan, Alia Zefri, Juliet Jacobs, Susan Tam

Presented by: Sharaad Kuttan, Lim Sue Ann

This and more than 60,000 other podcasts in your hand. Download the all new BFM mobile app.

Categories:  health policy,  wellness,  government,  environment,  Law/Activism,  international,  controversies,  politics

Tags:  Geneva,  ministry of health,  wellness,  Global Plastics Treaty,  dr dzulkefly ahmad,  zara qairina,  coroner's act,  donald trump,  vladimir putin,  Volodymyr Zelenskyy,  Russia-Ukraine conflict,