Ukraine crisis: Macron and Putin to pursue diplomatic solution

France says Vladimir Putin told President Macron he intends to withdraw Russian forces from Belarus once the military exercises are over - apparently contradicting the Belarusian authorities. The French presidency says the two men agreed to pursue a diplomatic solution to the crisis over Ukraine.

Also in the programme: Ethiopia’s Blue Nile mega-dam starts generating electricity; and Mosul Central Library - destroyed in the battle to retake the Iraqi city from Islamic State militants nearly five years ago - has reopened after restoration.

Photo: Russian and Belarusian soldiers have been training together. Credit: AFP)