Newshour

Is the United Kingdom on the verge of replacing another Prime Minister? The incumbent Sir Keir Starmer faces fresh challenges to his leadership today, beginning with the resignation of his Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who has already called on the Prime Minister to step down after disastrous local election results last week. Meanwhile, the Mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham, says he's going to stand for election to return to Parliament, and he could challenge Mr Starmer if he wins that by-election.Also in the programme: reflections on the meeting between Presidents Trump and Xi in Beijing; and we look at the dinosaur with the tiny brain, said to be as heavy as nine elephants.(Photo: Prime Minister Keir Starmer and MP Wes Streeting who has just resigned as Health Minister. Credit: Associated Press)

President Xi Jinping described US-Chinese relations as "the most important" in the world and stressed to President Trump that the US and China should be partners and not rivals. Also, in the programme; the dental tools used by Neanderthals and we hear from an exiled Venezuelan politician on how his country is five months after Maduro's capture.(Photo: President Trump and Xi walking in the Great Hall of the People. Credit: Reuters)

President Trump has been given a lavish welcome to Beijing where he and American business leaders will hold talks with their Chinese counterparts on Thursday. Also on the programme, is the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, about to be forced out of office? And, we hear from Alex Batty, the British boy who sparked a high-profile international missing person investigation. He tells us what happened.(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump walks with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng during an arrival ceremony at Beijing Capital International Airport, in Beijing, China, May 13, 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci)

President Trump arrives in China, the first US president to go there in nearly a decade. We'll look at how the balance of power has shifted since then and how Chinese perceptions of America have also changed.Also in the programme: on the day of the King's Speech to Parliament setting out the next legislative programme, speculation mounts that a senior minister will challenge Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the leadership; and the stricken love letters of the English romantic poet John Keats, now up for auction.

Keir Starmer's position as Britain's Prime Minister is looking increasingly uncertain. He's said it's business as usual, but a succession of his junior ministers have now resigned.Also on the programme: A suggestion of a huge breakthrough in the treatment of H.I.V; and the crime writer Patricia Cornwell on why she felt compelled to write a memoir.(Photo: Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets construction apprentices in London. Credit: Reuters/Toby Melville/Pool)

The UK's Prime Minister Keir Starmer is still fighting for his political life amid open revolt in his own party; do the rebels have the numbers to oust him - or can he hang on?Also in the programme: a special report from Khartoum three years into Sudan's civil war, where land mines are hampering aid efforts; how enjoying cultural activities can help slow down biological ageing; and - a propos - we have an appreciation of Shostakovich's first symphony, 100 years after its premiere in Leningrad.

The US president voices scepticism over the latest Iranian demands. Donald Trump says the month-long ceasefire between the US and Iran is on "massive life support" and insists he's in no hurry to reach a peace deal. So how fragile is the Iran-US ceasefire?Also on the programme: As the final Hantavirus cruise passengers disembark, we hear from the medical facility in the US where sixteen of them are being quarantined; and the comedian who's donning the persona of Alex Jones, conspiracy theorist extraordinaire - to help compensate the victims he's defamed. (Photo: An Iranian person walks next to an anti-US and Israel mural in a street in Tehran, Iran following an exchange of fire in the Strait of Hormuz amid a ceasefire. Credit: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA/Shutterstock)

President Donald Trump has dismissed Iran's response to US proposals to end the war as "totally unacceptable". Iran's semi-official news agency, Tasnim, said Tehran's proposal included an immediate end to the war on all fronts and a halt to the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and guarantees of no further attacks on Iran. We speak to a former Australian prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, about the conflict and what role China could play in ending it.Also in the programme: we report on the origins of the Hantavirus; a relative of Syria's Bashar al-Asad is on trial in Damascus for torture and massacres; and why are so many World Cup football teams doing their preparations in Kansas City.(Photo shows US president Donald J. Trump giving remarks to the media in Washington, DC, USA on 8 May 2026. Credit: Aaron Schwartz/EPA]

France's Prime Minister says that one of the passengers repatriated from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship in the Atlantic has shown symptoms. The individual was among five French nationals flown back on Sunday from the MV Hondius, currently moored off Tenerife in Spain.Also in the programme: Iran says it has sent a response via Pakistan to the latest US plan to end the war with counter-proposals reported to include a separation of talks on the immediate conflict and Tehran's nuclear programme; the story of a criminal underworld in Brazil; and the choir, here in the UK, singing music based on whale song!(Photo: They were pictured boarding buses to Tenerife's airport after reaching land. Credit: Reuters)

The passengers of a cruise ship at the centre of a deadly hantavirus outbreak have started leaving the vessel off the Spanish island of Tenerife. Five people were seen boarding a small boat, socially distanced from each other and wearing protective clothing and face masks. They were met by officials in white hazmat suits, then boarded a coach to take them to the airport. They'll be flown out on charter flights. Three people died and several others become infected in the outbreak. Also in the programme: Police in Pakistan say militants have detonated a car bomb at a police checkpoint and opened fire, killing 15 officers; and 35 years after the film was released, we look at the legacy of The Silence of the Lambs. (Photo: Passengers were evacuated from the ship dressed in hazmat suits. They were hosed down before boarding a plane in Tenerife. Credit: Reuters)

The new Hungarian prime minister, Péter Magyar, has given his first speech after being sworn into office. Addressing a square full of supporters waving Hungarian and EU flags, he vowed to 'change the government and the system', and end what he called 'decades of drifting'.Also in the programme: Russia celebrates Victory Day; and a novel set during a turbulent time in Taiwanese history is shortlisted for the International Booker Prize. (Photo: Newly sworn-in Prime Minister Peter Magyar (C) attends the Tisza Party's all-day 'regime change public celebration' event in Budapest, Hungary, 09 May 2026. CREDIT: TAMAS VASVARI/EPA/Shutterstock)

Russia's annual Victory Day parade in Moscow coincided with a three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, announced by President Trump. President Zelensky ordered his forces not to target the event, which commemorates the defeat of Nazi Germany. It was much scaled back this year because of the war, with no armoured vehicles or ballistic missiles on display. Also in the programme: Hungary's new parliament is meeting, heralding a shift in direction under the new prime minister; and the Venice Biennale art exhibition starts today, with calls for boycotts of artists from Russia and Israel - but not everyone agrees. (Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a ceremony as the country marks the 81st anniversary of the victory in World War II. Credit: Alexander Nemenov/ EPA/Shuttershock)

Britain's Labour Party has suffered a historic defeat in local elections, with the right-wing Reform UK making big gains. Despite the loss, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer says he will not step down. We get reaction to the results from both a Labour MP and a Reform politician.Also in the programme: why did Saudi Arabia prevent the US from using Saudi airspace and bases to launch operations to try to reopen the Strait of Hormuz? And on the 100th birthday of the naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, we hear about the impact Sir David has had on the world.(Photo: Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer speaks during a visit to south London, 7th May 2026. Credit: Ben Whitley/PA Wire)

Britain's governing Labour party and main opposition Conservatives have suffered heavy losses as the populist right wing Reform surges ahead in early results from English local elections. We look at what this means for the country's traditional party system and how long the current prime minister can last in light of these results.Also in the programme: President Trump says the ceasefire with Iran is still in place despite a series of clashes in the Strait of Hormuz; we mark the 100th birthday of the documentary maker David Attenborough; and we'll look at how the war in Iran is causing a shortage of saffron in Italy.(Photo shows the UK's prime minister Keir Starmer speaking at a meeting with Labour Party members in Ealing, West London on 8 May 2026. Credit: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)

Eight cases connected to the cruise ship have been identified, but authorities fear that the dozens of passengers who disembarked on St Helena two weeks ago could be carriers of the virus. The World Health Organisation, however, has said that it does not believe this is the beginning of a pandemic. Also on the programme: in the UK two men are convicted of spying for China, one of them an immigration official; and the AI fitness instructors selling unreal gains.(Picture: The cruise ship MV Hondius leaves Praia, Cape Verde, May 6, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Stringer)

Three women with links to the jihadist Islamic State group have been arrested on returning home to Australia following years in detention in Syria. Also on the programme, Newshour goes to Baltimore to speak to families affected by the 2024 bridge collapse and now avoiding deportation, and protests against the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine rock the Venice Biennale.(Photo: Islamic State-linked families return to Australia, Melbourne, 7 May, 2026. Credit: Joel Carrett/EPA-EFE)

With important midterm elections happening later this year, we look at immigration in Baltimore. It's a defining domestic issue in President Trump's second term. One of his boldest pledges was for mass deportations - to send anyone who'd entered the US illegally back to their home country. We meet one Guatemalan woman facing that prospect.Also in the programme: how some of Baltimore's derelict housing is being spruced up; and the US broadcasting mogul Ted Turner has died at the age of 87.(Photo: Zoila Guerra Sandoval, living in Baltimore but facing deportation to Guatemala. Credit: BBC)

The World Health Organisation has confirmed that the strain of hantavirus that's killed three people on board a cruise ship from Argentina can be passed between humans.The ship, currently off Cape Verde, is sailing to the Canary Islands after Spain gave it permission to dock. We'll speak to someone who was on board when the outbreak began.Also in the programme: We'll have a special report into what happened when Israeli unleashed a barrage of airstrikes on Lebanon last month; and hard rock and existential angst from the lead singer of Iron Maiden.(Photo shows the cruise ship MV Hondius docked off Cape Verde port on 4 May 2026. Credit: Reuters)

The US is working to get ships through the Strait of Hormuz as a "favour to the world," The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said in the news conference.Also in the programme: Why staff at Google DeepMind in Britain are unionising over Google's policies on artificial intelligence; and the frontman of the band Iron Maiden opens up about the future of heavy metal and life on tour.(Photo: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefs reporters on Iran war at White House, Washington, USA - 05 May 2026. Credit: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/)

US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth says the ceasefire in the Gulf is 'not over' despite attacks in Strait of HormuzAlso in the programme: Son of last and only Lebanese leader to meet an Israeli premier, says current Lebanese President Joseph Aoun should meet with Benjamin Netanyahu, despite the risks; and Chinese Wu Yize becomes second youngest winner of snooker's world championship.(Photo: U.S. Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth holds briefing on the Iran war, at the Pentagon in Washington. Credit: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)

There's been an escalation of the conflict in the Gulf after the US said it had sailed two destroyers through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran said it had fired warning shots at one warship and denied US claims that two US-flagged merchant ships had transited the waterway. Iran has retaliated. The UAE says four cruise missiles were fired towards its territory and a drone hit the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone.Also, Cape Verde has refused docking permission to a cruise ship with a suspected outbreak of hantavirus; and Samsung pays a massive inheritance tax bill in South Korea - but do some super-rich companies dodge tax bills?(Photo: Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz near Bandar Abbas, Iran, 4th May, 2026. Credit: Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA/WANA via Reuters)

The US military's Central Command says two US-flagged merchant ships have passed through the Hormuz strait with its assistance.But a huge number of vessels and crew remain stranded. Can Donald Trump deliver on his promise to break the Iranian blockade?Also in the programme: The leaders of Europe and Canada stress a new unified approach to security, amid strained relations with the US; pet rescue scammers in Uganda; and the multi-billion dollar bid to buy eBay.(Photo shows vessels in the Strait of Hormuz near Bandar Abbas, Iran on 4 May 2026. Credit: Amirhosein KhorgooiWest Asia News Agency via Reuters)

Iran says US has responded to its latest peace proposal. Iran says President Trump must now choose between an impossible military operation and a bad deal if he wants to end the war. We hear from the brother of the jailed Iranian Nobel peace laureate Narges Mohammadi. He says she and other prisoners are dying as a result of deliberate medical neglect.Also on the programme: Ukraine's been stepping up its offensive against Russia's oil infrastructure in recent days; and ahead of the 2026 Met Gala, British fashion designer Zandra Rhodes and Elizabeth Way, curator at the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, discuss if fashion is art. (Photo: Iranians walk past a huge anti-US billboard referring to US president Donald Trump and Strait of Hormuz at Valiasr square in Tehran, Iran, 02 May 2026. Credit: ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH/EPA/Shutterstock)

The Nobel Peace Prize Committee has urged the Iranian authorities to release the jailed human rights campaigner, Narges Mohammadi, to her dedicated medical team. Her health has deteriorated sharply and she has been moved to a prison hospital. We speak to her brother, Hamidreza Mohammadi. Also in the programme: Ukraine says it has struck two oil tankers off Russia's Black Sea coast, as it continues its campaign against the energy exports that fund Moscow's war effort; a manufacturer of the United States' most widely used abortion pill has asked the Supreme Court to allow postal deliveries of the medication, a day after a lower court halted them; and Chinese-Icelandic singer, Laufey, on making jazz cool again!(Photo: Narges Mohammad. Credit: Getty Images)

The Republican chairmen of the US congressional armed services committees have said they're very concerned about the Pentagon's decision to withdraw five thousand troops from Germany. Senator Roger Wicker and Representative Mike Rogers warned that prematurely reducing America's forward presence in Europe risked undermining deterrence and sending the wrong signal to Vladimir Putin. NATO says it's seeking clarification from Washington about the plan.Also in the programme: FIFA will allow a team of Afghan women refugees to represent their country in international tournaments; and we look back on the life of a former racing driver and Paralympian.(Photo: A soldier pilots a drone during the 'Combined Resolve' exercise at 7th Army Training Command's Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels. More than 3,800 personnel participate in the exercise series, which is a reoccurring U.S. Army Europe and Africa exercise held several times throughout the year for its rotationally deployed troops. US-led army exercise 'Combined Resolve' - media day, Hohenfels, Germany - 30 Apr 2026. CREDIT: ANNA SZILAGYI/EPA/Shutterstock)

The US says it will withdraw five thousand of its troops from Germany, as a rift widens between the two countries over the war in Iran. The German Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, says Washington's decision was foreseeable, but that the continuing presence of American forces was in German and US interests. We speak to a German member of the European parliament. Also on the programme: British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer tells the BBC that he wants tougher policing of protests in the UK after the stabbing of two Jewish men in London; and we hear from two Afghan female footballers about their hopes of competing internationally. (Photo: Badge of a soldier is seen during the 'Combined Resolve' exercise at 7th Army Training Command's Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, 30 April 2026. Credit: Photo by ANNA SZILAGYI/EPA/Shutterstock)

The interruption to supplies of fertiliser and its key ingredients due to the war in Iran could cost up to 10 billion meals a week globally and will hit poorest countries hardest, according to the boss of one of the world's biggest fertiliser producers. Svein Tore Holsether, chief executive of Yara, told the BBC that hostilities in the Gulf, which have blocked shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, are jeopardising global food production.Also in the programme: Ukraine has been stepping up its campaign against Russia's oil industry; and is fish fraud affecting one of Britain's national dishes?(Picture: Workers carry fertiliser bags to be mixed with water at a farm's irrigation centre. Credit: REUTERS/Rula Rouhana/File Photo)

The head of one of the world's biggest fertiliser manufacturers has warned that the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz - as a result of the war on Iran - could cost the world up to ten billion meals a week. Svein Holsether, who runs Yara, said farmers in the poorest countries would be hit first by the interruption to production and supply caused by the ongoing hostilities. We hear from two countries particularly affected by the shortage in industrial fertiliser.Also in the programme: despair then relief for the Oscar winner who thought an airline had lost his award; and for the first time the nose of a mouse has been mapped showing us more about the way mammals smell.(Photo: Farmers in Aceh labour amid possible fertilizer shortage due to war in Middle East. Indonesia, 28 March 2026. Credit 2026 Shutterstock Editorial. EPA/Shutterstock )

The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, has said the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is strangling the global economy. He said that even if the restrictions were lifted immediately, supply chains would take months to recover. We ask what options the US has now and what it's likely to cost. Also in the programme; two coins dating from the reign of English King Ethelred, known as the Unready for his failure to defend his country against the Vikings, come to light in Denmark; and why Saudi Arabia needs to cut its costs, by pulling out of LIV Golf. (Photo: A ship in the Strait of Hormuz, Oman Credit: REUTERS/Stringer)

Following reports that President Trump is to be briefed on new plans for further strikes on Iran, Brent crude reached more than $126 a barrel.Also in the programme, an Australian inquiry has said a Jewish group warned of a 'terrorist attack' before last year's antisemitic mass shooting at Bondi Beach, and how barbaric were the Barbarians?(Photo: A display shows fuel prices in euro at a petrol station in Berlin, Germany, 30 April 2026. Credit: Filip Singer/EPA-EFE)

A man's been arrested after two Jewish men were stabbed in London, in what the police are calling a terrorist attack. It's the latest in a series of violent antisemitic attacks in the UK. We hear some reaction from a local resident.Also in the programme: the US defense secretary faces questions on the cost of the war against Iran, when it'll end, and about the investigation into the bombing of a school; plus how filling the sticker album for this expanded World Cup might be expensive - but could pay dividends down the line.(IMAGE: Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Sir Mark Peter Rowley (C) gives a statement at the scene where two Jewish men are seriously injured after being stabbed in Golders Green, north London, Britain, 29 April 2026. / CREDIT: Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/EPA/Shutterstock (16851496bd))

The British government has for the first time formally acknowledged that a woman abused by the late owner of the luxury London department store, Harrods, was a victim of modern slavery. Rachael Louw was trafficked by the Egyptian businessman, Mohamed al-Fayed, and his brother Salah.Also on the programme, former US officials criticise the Pentagon for not releasing more information about the US attack in Iran that hit a school, and why temperatures are rising faster in Europe than any other part of the world. (Photo: Mohamed Al Fayed, Owner and Chairman of Harrods department store from 1985-2010)

Britain's King Charles III has delivered a historic address to the US Congress, saying the partnership between the UK and the United States is more important than ever. He also condemned political violence in a rare address to a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress in honor of the 250th anniversary of American independence.Also in the programme: the United Arab Emirates says it is leaving the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries; and the plan to ship Pablo Escobar's hippos from Colombia to India.(Picture: King Charles III addresses US Congress. Credit: BBC)

On his US state visit, King Charles III will address both houses of congress later. He will be the first British monarch to do so since Queen Elizabeth did the same in 1991. We hear from a congressman about whether the visit could help warm UK-US relations amid tension due to the Iran war.Also on the programme: The latest on Mali as violence there continues to spread between jihadist militants and separatists; the United Arab Emirates is set to quit the oil cartel Opec on 1st May; and we hear from the parents of Kenyan runner Sabastian Sawe - who broke the world record at this weekend's London Marathon.(Photo: Britain's King Charles III walks during a state visit to the United States at a Garden Party in the British Embassy in DC, 27th April 2026. Credit: Ian Vogler, Pool via Reuters)

A court in Washington DC has charged a Los Angeles man with attempting to assassinate the US president. The White House hit out after what it says was the third attempt on Donald Trump's life in as many years. We hear from one of America's foremost experts on political violence.Also in the programme: insurgents make dramatic advances in Mali; can a new political party in Israel really unseat Binyamin Netanyahu? And as the naturalist and broadcaster David Attenborough approaches his century, we look back at one of his defining moments.(IMAGE: U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro speaks, flanked by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel during a press conference about the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner where U.S. President Donald Trump was present, at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 27, 2026 / CREDIT: ReutersKylie Cooper)

The suspect detained in connection with the attack at the hotel where President Trump was attending the White House correspondents' dinner in Washington over the weekend is expected in court. Also on the programme: Ukraine's drone forces commander tells us they are killing 30,000 Russian soldiers a month and will continue to attack Russia's oil exports; and we hear from the man who came second in the London Marathon - but who also broke the iconic sub-two-hour barrier.(Photo: Law enforcement personnel patrol the venue, following a shooting incident during the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner, in Washington DC, US, 26 April, 2026. Credit: Ken Cedeno/Reuters)

The acting US attorney general says the gunman at the White House Correspondents' Dinner was believed to be targeting Trump administration officials, having travelled to Washington from Los Angeles by train.Also in the programme: A man described as having chronicled the soul of India, the photographer Raghu Rai, has died aged eighty-three; Sabastian Sawe made history at the London Marathon by becoming the first athlete to run a sub-two-hour marathon in a competitive race; BBC visits Chernobyl ghost city 40 years after world's worst nuclear accident; and an update on the violence in Mali.(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump is escorted out of the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dinner in Washington. Credit: Reuters)

US President Donald Trump is unharmed after shots were fired at the White House correspondents' dinner he attended. A 31-year-old suspect has been arrested and a security agent who was shot is now reportedly out of hospital. We speak to US mentalist Oz Pearlman who was with the president when the event unfolded.Also in the programme: The Iranian foreign minister meets with Oman's sultan to discuss peace with the US; and why some board game are becoming more popular.(Photo: US President Donald Trump salutes during the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington DC, 25th April 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)

Militant groups in Mali have launched a wave of coordinated attacks across the country. The ruling junta says they've been repulsed and has urged people to stay calm. We hear from a former US ambassador to Mali. Also on the programme: how five schoolchildren stepped in to stop a runaway school bus in Mississippi after the driver had an asthma attack; and English football honours its first overseas football star. (Picture: A Malian soldier stands in position with his weapon during an attack on Mali's main military outside the capital Bamako. Credit: REUTERS/Stringer)

Iranian foreign minister Arras Araghchi is in Islamabad today to discuss peace between his country and the US. Donald Trump's foreign policy advisors Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are travelling to Pakistan's capital later to do the same. The Iranian foreign ministry, however, has said no direct talks with the US are planned. The BBC's Pakistan correspondent gives us the latest.Also in the programme: Explosions and gunfire in Mali as armed groups launch coordinated attacks.(Photo: Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, 17th February 2026. Credit: Reuters/Pierre Albouy TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

The White House says President Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and son in law, Jared Kushner will travel to Pakistan for peace talks with Iran. Also on the programme, from inside Russia, a look at the Kremlin's tightening grip on the internet; and, Ringo Starr on his new country album.(Photo: Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy for Peace Missions listen as Vice President JD Vance speaks during a news conference after meeting with representatives from Pakistan and Iran, Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Islamabad, Pakistan. Jacquelyn Martin/Pool via REUTERS)

A leaked Pentagon email reportedly outlines options to punish allies over a perceived lack of support for the Iran war. The email also suggested reviewing the US position on the UK's claim to the Falklands islands in the south Atlantic, which are also claimed by Argentina. We get reaction from Spain. Also on the programme: representatives from dozens of countries are gathering in Colombia to discuss moving away from fossil fuels; and as the ceasefire in Lebanon is extended for another three weeks, we talk to one family who've just returned to their flat in Beirut.(Credit: Reuters)