US makes contact with group that controls Syria

Also in the programme: there is growing concern about the scale of devastation on the Indian Ocean islands of Mayotte after a powerful cyclone ripped through the French overseas territory on Saturday morning; and we hear about Laapataa Ladies, India’s official pick for the best international feature film category for the Oscars. Our guests today: Wa'el Alzayat, CEO of Emgage Foundation, an NGO for Muslim Americans, and Jacquelin Magnay, European correspondent for The Australian newspaper. PHOTO CREDIT: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Aqaba, Jordan. / EPA