protests have been held overnight in several cities in iran in response to the execution of three men on friday, who were convicted in connection with the recent wave of mass anti government demonstrations. the executions have been condemned internationally. those are the latest headlines here on bbc news. now on bbc news, it s unspun world withjohn simpson. hello. it is good to see you again at the start of a new season of unspun world. we have been off air since december, and a lot has happened since then. the ukraine walk first. back in december, the optimism of the ukrainian forces was fading, there were fears it would be a bad winter, and the russians were targeting generating stations and heating plants. but, ukrainian engineers worked like crazy to restore power, and anyway, the winter was not that bad. now, some military experts in the west are even daring to suggest that the russian army might soon collapse over the next few months. who knows. president xijinping of
unspun world. we have been off air since december, and a lot has happened since then. the ukraine walk first. back in december, the optimism of the ukrainian forces was fading, there were fears it would be a bad winter, and the russians were targeting generating stations and heating plants. but, ukrainian engineers worked like crazy to restore power, and anyway, the winter was not that bad. now, some military experts in the west are even daring to suggest that the russian army might soon collapse over the next few months. who knows. president xijinping of over the next few months. who knows. president xi jinping of china has presented himself as a deal maker in the war, but his proposals have so far been pretty vague, and perhaps unsurprisingly, much more favourable
important developments. | it? this is one of the most i important developments. when launching his attack on ukraine, president putin said that one of his key objectives was to make russia safer, more secure. and he said he was acting plaintively, as it were. now, more than a year into this war, it is obvious to russians as well, that russia has become less secure. president erdogan of turkey is a difficult party for the west, and he has led his country much closer to dictatorship than many turks would like. but it looks as though he will win the run off presidential election in a week or so, even though the polls had seemed to favourite his main rival, kemal kilicdaroglu. in the end, erdogan
many diplomats and officials who met him, where he gives promises and then, at the same moment, his forces are doing the opposite on the ground. it is a very critical situation, but that is why also, i would say, he is not the man who is going to deliver on any aspirations of the arab leaders are looking for. and what about the effect on the people of syria themselves? although technicall , people of syria themselves? although technically. it people of syria themselves? although technically, it may people of syria themselves? although technically, it may be people of syria themselves? although technically, it may be the people of syria themselves? although technically, it may be the war - people of syria themselves? although technically, it may be the war has i technically, it may be the war has ended, we don t hear a report about make flying or barrel bonds, or iis. but, the people are struggling. syrians in damascus, you have visited several times, people are looking for bins
end of the year. his voters, people i at home, i denning they would accept anything less. it has been a while now since president zelensky went from talking about peace and talking about victory. anything other than that would be seen as defeatist in ukraine. one aspect in which he is absolutely right when talking about ukraine having to secure some sort of victory, whatever it looks like, this year, is because time is on president putin s side for now. the longer this goes on, the more chance there is for western governments to be tired of all this. be tired of all this. especially in the us, be tired of all this. especially in the us, if be tired of all this. especially in the us, if trump be tired of all this. especially in the us, if trump comes - be tired of all this. especially in the us, if trump comes back, l be tired of all this. especially in l the us, if trump comes back, he be tired of all this. especially in i the us, if trump comes back, he will do a deal and walk awa