The World Tonight

The chief constable of West Midlands Police, Craig Guildford, one of the country's most senior police officers, has retired after damning criticism of a decision to ban Israeli fans from a match against Aston Villa. A crossbench peer, Lord Austin, who is the government's trade envoy to Israel, welcomes the departure, but local MP Ayoub Khan defends Mr Guildford, saying he acted in good faith.Also on the programme: we speak to the lawyer for the family of Renee Good, who was shot and killed in Minnesota by a US immigration agent; and we hear how a new Game of Thrones spin off could bring a boost to tourism in Northern Ireland.

In a hastily arranged press conference, Robert Jenrick said the Conservatives had failed so badly he couldn't remain one of them. We hear from Conservative former chief whip Lord Hart - and our political editor Chris Mason analyses what today means for British politics.Also on the programme: President Trump still has his sights set on Greenland, despite the arrival of a contingent of European troops on the territory. But members of Congress are trying to block President Trump's ambitions - we're joined by one of them, Democrat Bill Keating.And why there's a campaign for English Evensong to be recognised with world heritage status.

The countries are reducing the number of personnel at the Al-Udeid air base in Qatar, as US President Donald Trump considers whether to take action against Iran over its crackdown on anti-government protests.Also on the programme: Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood says she has lost confidence in West Midlands Police's chief constable after Israeli football fans were banned from a match against Aston Villa. The government's independent adviser on antisemitism, Lord Mann, responds to a "damning" review from the policing watchdog over the intelligence that led to Maccabi Tel Aviv fans being banned.And as members of the band The Police battle it out in court over royalties, we explore what happens when musical groups fall out.

More than 2,000 people have been killed during the violent crackdown by security forces on protests in Iran, a human rights group has said, as President Trump promised Iranians that help was "on its way". Also on the programme, the government performs yet another U-turn - as its drops its requirement for mandatory digital ID cards to work in the UK. We remember the controversial Dilbert cartoonist Scott Adams who has died aged 68. And the Oscar-nominated documentary about the impact of pro-war propaganda on Russia's schoolchildren - and a teacher who tried to resist it.

President Trump has said that any country doing business with Iran will pay a tariff of 25 per cent on all business with the US. We also hear from an Iranian living in the UK who has just returned from Tehran, where she joined protestors on the streets. And as the UK government says it's concerned about the amount of time under fives are spending on screens, we look at how the content they're seeing and its impact on them is changing.

Some people have used Grok to create sexualised images of children and women, and Downing Street has today accused social media site X, which runs the AI tool, of "insulting the victims of misogyny and sexual violence" with its response to criticism. The company said it has now limited the use of this image function to those who pay a monthly fee.We hear from the mother of one of Elon Musk's children who claims the AI tool was used to create sexual images of her as a child.Also on the programme: President Trump warns Iran's regime against violently suppressing protests; NASA astronauts forced to return home due to medical issue on board the International Space Station.

Protests are taking place in the city of Minneapolis, where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot dead 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good on Wednesday. Vice President JD Vance today called the dead woman a ‘deranged leftist'. Minnesota governor Tim Walz has said state officials are being frozen out of the investigation by the FBI. Also on the programme: as Storm Goretti hits the UK and prompts a red warning for "danger to life", we hear live from an emergency responder in the Midlands. And Baby Elsa, found abandoned in east London two years ago, has been adopted and will see her siblings. A man who was a foundling passes on his lessons for her adoptive parents.

The governor of the US state of Minnesota, Tim Walz, has accused the Trump administration of having immigration policies designed to generate fear and headlines. It comes after a US federal agent shot dead a woman in the city of Minneapolis. The homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, claimed the woman had tried to use her car to run over officers and called it an act of domestic terrorism. Also in the programme: the United States says it has seized two tankers linked to Venezuelan oil - one in the Caribbean and a Russian flagged vessel in the North Atlantic. We speak to Vice Admiral Kevin Donegan, former commander of the US Fifth Fleet between 2015 and 2017, and to Stephanie Baker, an expert on the "shadow" oil fleet; and the wildcard entrant at an International Tennis Federation event who struggled to even hit a serve.

Nicolas Maduro has insisted he's still the president of Venezuela as he pleaded not guilty to four charges of drug trafficking and terrorism. He told a court in New York that he was kidnapped by the US military. We speak to a journalist in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, and hear from a former US ambassador to Venezuela. We also hear from the former Labour leader, now interim leader of the left-wing Your Party, Jeremy Corbyn, who protested tonight against the capture of Maduro.Also on the programme: new research by the Resolution Foundation suggests deaths could outnumber births in the UK in 2026; and we speak to the photographer who spotted the fake rear admiral at a Remembrance Day parade in Wales.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned President Trump against interference after he said the US would come to the rescue if protesters were killed. We speak to an Iranian academic supportive of the government and hear from a protestor who wants a return of the country's monarchy that was deposed in 1979.Also on the programme: we hear from the South Atlantic from a team trying to preserve the legacy of the explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton; and to mark the 50th anniversary of the children's show Rentaghost we speak two members of the cast, Lynda La Plante and Christopher Biggins.

Swiss authorities say about forty people are known to have died in a fire that ripped through a bar packed with young people celebrating the New Year in the ski resort of Crans-Montana. At least 115 were injured - many with severe burns. We speak to a doctor who's treated many of the victims, and one of the UK's leading fire safety experts.Also on the programme:leaked details of the government's upcoming special needs reforms have prompted concern that some pupils may no longer get specialist provision. The Labour chair of the education select committee says any changes mustn't remove an entitlement.And as the King prepares to release a documentary about his environmental activism on a major streaming network, we'll discuss how Charles is reshaping the role of the monarchy.

Israel is revoking the licences of 37 aid organisations working in Gaza, saying they failed to meet the requirements of new registration rules. The UK government is among those warning of the humanitarian impact the move could have. One resident of Gaza tells us of her fears. Also on the programme: With drones increasingly lighting up the skies at New Year's celebrations, we hear a defence of the old-fashioned firework.And looking back as punk turns 50.

The protests began on Sunday after shopkeepers in Tehran's Grand Bazaar staged a strike over the plunging value of the Iranian currency. Now demonstrators are taking to the streets in an increasing number of cities across the country. Ali Rahmani, the son of Narges Mohammadi - a human rights activist who won the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize - tells us he hopes the demonstrations will lead to the collapse of the government. Also on the programme: we relive the disastrous speech that saw Tony Blair heckled by 10,000 Women's Institute members; and division in France over the legacy of film legend Brigitte Bardot.

China has begun military drills around Taiwan - weeks after Washington announced one of its biggest-ever arms sales to the island. We hear from a senior US congressman.Also on the programme: President Trump says he's unhappy after Russia accuses Ukraine of mounting a drone attack on one of President Putin's homes. But did they? We speak to our Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg.And we hear from the actor Warwick Davis who's just been awarded an OBE.

A US judge has temporarily blocked the detention of British social media campaigner Imran Ahmed, who took legal action against the US government over having his visa removed. The Center for Countering Digital Hate founder was among five people denied US visas after the Trump administration accused them of seeking to "coerce" tech platforms into censoring free speech. He told us he is being targeted for his work monitoring social media giants.Also on the programme: as the US carries out missile strikes against alleged Islamist targets in northern Nigeria we hear from a BBC reporter on the ground; and research finds women were more likely to be portrayed performing traditional roles in TV adverts this year, we ask why.

Two British campaigners are among those US has denied visas for being 'radical activists'. We have reaction from a Labour MP. Also: Bethlehem and Ukraine on Christmas Eve, diplomatic gifts, Winnie The Pooh.at 100, and the Colorado military base that tracks Santa.

Pro-Palestinian remand prisoners staging the largest organised hunger strike in over 40 years are to continue, after the government refused a meeting. We hear from the sister of one of them - and ask whether the government should now intervene.Also on the programme:The latest Epstein files include an email from Balmoral in which Ghislaine Maxwell is asked if she's found some new "inappropriate friends". We have the latest.And what do Christmas cracker jokes do to our brains?

The government says it will prohibit trail hunting too as part of its Animal Welfare Strategy, 21 years after banning fox hunting. We hear from a former Conservative minister and a Labour MP on a tradition that divides the country - and ask whether Labour's relationship with farmers is terminally broken.Also:Remembering Chris Rea, the self-effacing singer-songwriter from Middlesbrough whose deep gravelly voice beguiled millions, though not always himself.And amid calls for every school to have a choir, we hear what impact regular singing has had in one primary school in London.

The US justice department has released some of the so-called Epstein files - the long-awaited documents related to its investigations into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The justice department faced a legal deadline to release the files by Friday, following months of pressure on Trump from both inside and outside his party. A number of famous faces are pictured - including former US President Bill Clinton, and musicians Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson, and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.Also on the programme: Two Palestinian men have told the BBC they were beaten and sexually abused by prison guards while in Israeli detention.And we hear live from Miami ahead of the controversial boxing bout between influencer Jake Paul and former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.

European leaders are locked in to negotiations tonight about seizing frozen Russian assets to help fund a major loan for Ukraine. But opposition remains, including from Hungary's Prime Minister Victor Orban.Also on the programme: The bookmakers favourite, Rory McIlroy, is the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year. We'll have reaction from a former Irish golfing champion.Why are younger people the most lonely in the UK? We put that question to three people in their 20s and 30s. And English Heritage draws flak from historians - for promoting an erroneous theory about Christmas.

Police have arrested two people "for racially aggravated public order offences" after they allegedly "shouted slogans involving calls for intifada" at a pro-Palestinian protest in central London. The arrests came hours after the Met and Greater Manchester Police said they would arrest people holding placards and chanting the phrase "globalise the intifada" - a reference to an uprising in the Palestinian territories in which thousands of Israelis and Palestinians died.Also on the programme: Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer says Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich must "pay up now" to victims of the war in Ukraine or face court action. Mr Abramovich, the former owner of Chelsea Football Club, pledged in 2022 that the £2.5bn he made from the sale of the club would be used to benefit victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.And three white-tailed eagles, recently reintroduced to the United Kingdom, have gone missing, prompting concern from conservationists.

British-born Rabbi Eli Schlanger and Rabbi Yaakov Levitan are to be buried on Wednesday, the Chabad of Bondi has confirmed. Australian officials are investigating claims that the two gunmen took part in military-style training in the Philippines.Also on the programme: The BBC understands that the UK is set to rejoin the EU's Erasmus student exchange scheme, five years after leaving it as part of the post-Brexit deal with the European Union. Water voles have been spotted for the first time in almost two decades by conservationists in Oxfordshire. And, we speak to the Welsh couple who have defied odds of more than 24 trillion to one, and won the National Lottery for a second time.

Germany's Chancellor says "huge progress" has been made in Berlin during negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. His optimism was echoed by US President Donald Trump who said, "we're closer now than we have been, ever." But questions remain over security guarantees for Kyiv and whether they'll be asked to surrender territory. We hear from a Foreign Office minister and a senior Ukrainian MP.Also on the programme: a day after the deadly attack on a Jewish celebration in Sydney, we discuss the security implications and hear from a survivor.And a BBC investigation finds nearly 90 flights linked to Jeffrey Epstein flew to and from UK airports, some with British women on board, who may have been trafficked.

The King said in a personal message that his cancer treatment will be reduced next year, thanks to early diagnosis, effective intervention and an adherence to doctors' orders.   Also on the programme: the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, has said he is not 'comfortable' with a puberty blockers clinical trial that's set to go ahead in January, even though the clinical advice was to proceed with it. We hear from Gazans who having survived war and mass displacement, now face a winter storm and flooding. And, we reflect on the life and legacy of Scottish comedian Stanley Baxter, who has died at the age of 99.

A UK-based Hong Kong pro-democracy activist tells us fake, sexually-explicit images were sent to her neighbours.Also on the programme: As the Trump administration ramps up its campaign against Venezuela's president, it has also been helping the opposition leader leave the country. Encouraging news about efforts to slow climate change. And, a new documentary that looks at the legacy of the reality TV show To Catch A Predator.

Next week's strike by resident doctors in England may be averted after ministers offered the British Medical Association a fresh deal. Wes Streeting's offer includes a rapid expansion of specialist training posts as well as covering out-of-pocket expenses such as exam fees. The doctors' union has agreed to put the offer to members over the coming days, we hear from one resident doctor.Also on the programme: The United States has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, in an escalation of the Trump administration's pressure campaign on Nicolas Maduro.And Israeli pop star and actress Noa Kirel condemns a decision by European broadcasters to pull out of next year's Eurovision Song Contest due to Israel's participation.

President Zelensky says he will seek to change the law to allow Ukraine elections to be held. Donald Trump has doubled down on his criticism of how European countries are being changed by immigration. And an artistic glass ceiling has been broken - as the Turner Prize goes to a sculptor with a learning disability.

Syrians are out on the streets across the country, celebrating a year on from the end of a fifty-year dictatorship. But with economic issues and sectarian violence persisting, how can Syria move onto a brighter future?Also in the programme: A new gene therapy proves promising for blood cancer patients; President Trump announces a $12bn support package for US farmers; and Paramount battles Netflix with a new bid to buy Warner Bros.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino presented Donald Trump with a newly created FIFA Peace Prize at the World Cup draw in Washington DC. The 2026 tournament will be held in the US, Canada and Mexico.Also on the programme: Netflix has agreed to buy Warner Bros' streaming and studio business, potentially paving the way for a radical reshaping of the entertainment industry; and the BBC finds that more than 250 LGBT people were subjected to electric shock aversion therapy by the NHS in the 1960s and 70s. We hear from a survivor.

Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and the Netherlands have all said they won't send acts to the Eurovision Song Contest next May in protest at Israel's participation. There have been calls for Israel to be excluded because of the war in Gaza, but members of the European Broadcasting Union, which organises the contest, rejected a push for a vote on the issue. Also on the programme: an Inquiry finds the Russian President Vladimir Putin "morally responsible" for the death by poisoning of Dawn Sturgess in Salisbury; and we remember Steve Cropper, the legendary guitarist who's died at the age of 84.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen, has set out revised plans to use frozen Russian assets to loan money to Ukraine. Meanwhile, a German arms manufacturer invests in a drone manufacturing plant in Swindon to boost Europe's defence. Also on the programme, Somali Americans in Minnesota react to president Trump's attack on their community; and the chance discovery of one of the world's largest species of octopus in Aberdeenshire.

Two of US President Donald Trump's closest envoys, Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, today met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin used the meeting to warn that Russia was not planning for war with Ukraine's European backers but was 'ready' for that eventuality. Also on the programme: we debate Justice Secretary David Lammy proposes scrapping jury trials for some cases; and we hear about the snake-handling church that's inspired a new piece of music.

UK-US agree zero tariffs deal on pharmaceutical products. The agreement means that the NHS will have to pay more for new medicines. We speak to a leading member of pharmaceutical industry. Also: The chairman of the Office for Budget Responsibility resigns after the body mistakenly released its assessment of the budget early. We hear from one MP supportive of the chairman's decision to quit. And Zootropolis, the new Disney animation that is breaking records.

As a BBC investigation reveals how many adoptions break down, we ask whether the system gives adoptive parents enough support. Also:We ask a Labour MP whether the Chancellor misled the country over the state of the public finances - and ask our live political panel where her budget has left her authority.And the composer looking beyond the solar system for inspiration.

The government has U-turned on its manifesto commitment to offer all workers the right to claim unfair dismissal from their first day in a job. Ministers now plan to introduce the right after six months instead, after business groups voiced concerns it would discourage firms from hiring. The government argued it was making the climbdown to stop its employment legislation being delayed in the House of Lords, where it has run into opposition. But Labour MP Andy McDonald, who helped to write the New Deal for Workers on which the legislation is based, told us of his "immense disappointment".Also on the programme: the US Department of Homeland Security says it's reviewing all asylum cases approved under former president Joe Biden after the suspect in the shooting of two National Guard soldiers in Washington DC yesterday was revealed to be an Afghan man who worked alongside the CIA in Afghanistan.And an Oxford University botanical scientist told us of the moment his colleague broke down at the sight of a rare flower blossoming in Indonesia, in a moment that has now gone viral online.

The Chancellor announced major tax increases amounting to £26 billion in her second Budget, as well as ending the two-child benefit cap from April next year. We broadcast from the political bellwether town of Northampton, to get local reaction from business and townspeople, as well as the local MP Lucy Rigby, who is also Economic Secretary to the Treasury.Also on the programme: two national guardsmen have been critically injured after being shot in Washington DC.

Millions of people are set to get a pay rise from April due to an increase in the minimum wage, the government has announced ahead of Wednesday's Budget. The hourly rate for over-21s will rise by 50p to £12.71, with workers aged 18-20 seeing an 85p rise to £10.85, and under-18s and apprentices getting 45p more to £8 an hour. However, businesses have warned that further increases to the minimum wages could result in hiring freezes. We hear from the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.Also on the programme: US President Donald Trump is sending his envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin, amid continuing talks to end the war in Ukraine.And a new BBC documentary recounts a little-known water contamination scandal that rocked communities in Cornwall in the 1980s.

Vladimir Putin says the White House plan can “form the basis of a final peace settlement”. President Trump believes Thursday is an appropriate deadline for Kyiv to accept the proposals. But Democratic Congressman Mike Quigley tells us “if this is what the President is really proposing, I'm honestly embarrassed for my country".Also on the programme: the family of a missing Colombian man seek answers after the US strikes a boat alleged to have been involved in drug-trafficking.And proposed regulations governing wood from an endangered tree could spell trouble for musicians who use bows made from brazilwood, also known as pernambuco.

The UK response to Covid was "too little, too late" and led to thousands more deaths in the first wave, an inquiry into government decision-making has found. The report said lockdown may have been avoided if voluntary steps such as social distancing and isolating those with symptoms along with household members had been brought in earlier than 16 March 2020. A minister during the pandemic years tells us some of the criticism is "unfair".Also on the programme: as Spain marks 50 years since the death of dictator Francisco Franco, a leading historian of the country on why some young people are growing more favourable towards him.Broadcaster Terry Christian reflects on the passing of his friend, The Stone Roses bassist Gary "Mani" Mounfield, who has died aged 63.And turning a tennis match into opera. Shaun Ley visits the set of 'Balls', an musical rendition of the famous 1973 Battle of the Sexes tennis match between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King.

The White House and Moscow have reportedly drawn up a 28-point peace plan that crosses many of Ukraine's stated red lines. Could Kyiv ever accept it? Also on the programme: the Oxfordshire fly-tipping scandal is raised at Prime Minister's Questions - we ask how big the problem is nationwide; and eighty years on, a verdict on the Nuremberg trials from the son of a Nazi war criminal and the grandson of a British prosecutor.

During a visit to the White House, Donald Trump said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ‘knew nothing' about the 2018 murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. We hear reaction from Khashoggi's former editor, Marty Baron. Also on the programme: Poland's foreign minister on suspected Russian sabotage of his country's railways. And crouching woman, draped goose - we hear about the earliest known depiction of interaction between a human and an animal.

The Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood laid out a string of reforms to the asylum system that would see refugee status become temporary, guaranteed housing support for asylum seekers end and new capped "safe and legal routes" into the UK created. Speaking in the House of Commons, Mahmood told MPs the current system is "out of control and unfair", and said: "If we fail to deal with this crisis, we will draw more people down a path that starts with anger and ends in hatred."Also on the programme: as Syrians search for those who disappeared during the 13-year civil war, questions remain over missing American Austin Tice.And an off-duty pilot who tried to cut off the engines of an Alaska Airlines passenger flight with more than 80 people on board, after having taken psychedelic mushrooms, has been sentenced.