The World Tonight

Allegations of 'family voting' in the Gorton and Denton by-election are to be raised in parliament on Monday. We speak to Lord Pickles, whose report into electoral fraud called for action a decade ago. We also look at where the by-election leaves Labour strategy: are Reform or the Greens their main opposition now? Also:Bill Clinton testifies in front of a Congressional committee; President Trump says he's "not happy" as concerns grow about a possible US attack. And 30 years of Pokemon.

It's expected to be a close race between Labour, Reform UK, and the Greens. We hear from the count and speak to political scientist Paula Keaveney about the apparent fragmentation of British politics.Also on programme: Democrats on the Republican-led House Oversight Committee have defended the former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton after her deposition about the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.And the television series Our Friends in the North is adapted for the stage. Writer Peter Flannery and actor Christopher Eccleston discuss the show's enduring success.

The government has said it is not pausing legislation that would see the Chagos Islands transferred to Mauritius. That's despite Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer telling Parliament that the process would be paused "for discussions with our American counterparts". A government spokesperson said Falconer had "misspoken".Also on the programme: as more shops use facial recognition technology to deter shoplifters, we find out what it's like to be falsely accused.And new research uncovers clues to the origin of the organ that gave Charles Darwin a "cold shudder": the eye.

Lord Mandelson was released in the early hours of Tuesday morning - and tonight lawyers for the former UK Ambassador and Labour minister have said he'd been arrested on "a baseless suggestion" that he was planning to leave the country.Also on the programme: As the government prepares to introduce its criminal justice reforms, a justice minister insists they won't back down on plans to reduce the number of jury trials. As the latest retail crime figures are released, the view from the frontline: our presenter visits Northampton to see how police are tackling shoplifting.And there has been a dog among the swans tonight - but a friendly one: the co-owner of Swansea City Football Club - the American rapper Snoop Dogg - attends a home game for the first time.

The investigation that led to the arrest was triggered by emails in the Epstein files which appeared to show Lord Mandelson allegedly communicating with Epstein, including one exchange about rumours of an EU bailout.Also on the programme: the government unveils plans to overhaul the special educational needs system in England. And lots of people say weasel words are great, but what do actually we mean when we use these evasive phrases?

With a 6-3 majority, the Supreme Court ruled President Trump exceeded his authority when he imposed tariffs via a law reserved for national emergencies. The president has used Nixon-era legislation to impose new, albeit temporary, tariffs. Also on the programme: the BBC understands the government is considering legislation to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the royal line of succession.And we hear from the scientist behind our ‘nature notes' series. What does the habit of observing the natural world give us in return?

He was arrested Thursday morning on suspicion of misconduct in public office. We hear from our correspondent outside Buckingham Palace, a former press chief in the Royal household, a former Minister who opposed Andrew becoming UK trade envoy, and we look at how the Royal family has recovered from previous crises. Also tonight: scientists have just announced that a unique vaccine they've developed could have universal application against colds, 'flu, bacterial infection and allergies.

The BBC has uncovered new evidence that vulnerable girls and young women in London are being groomed by gangs to carry drugs and have sex. We discuss the findings with the former head of the National Crime Agency's Child Exploitation Command.Also on the programme: the day after the US State Department approved the UK's Chagos Islands deal, President Trump launches a new attack on it.And the symphonic sounds hidden in the freezer aisle of a Sheffield supermarket.

Reverend Jesse Jackson, a giant of the civil rights movement, has died at the age of 84. As politicians from across the spectrum pay tribute to his legacy, we speak to his son, who was with him when he died. Also on the programme: Labour faces a mass resignation of councillors in Hartlepool over funding for children in care. The local Labour MP tells us he's “furious”. And as China celebrates the Lunar New Year, an astrologer tells us what to expect from the Year of the Fire Horse.

Parents in north London have been told their children could be excluded from school if they are not fully vaccinated against measles amid an outbreak of the highly contagious disease. We find out what's caused the latest outbreak.Also in the programme: In an interview with the BBC, Hillary Clinton accuses the Trump administration of a cover-up over Jeffrey Epstein. And musician Patrick Darling, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND), has returned to the stage after artificial intelligence (AI) gave him his voice back.

Two men have been given life sentences for planning a gun attack on Manchester's Jewish community. The plot was foiled by an undercover officer, and Greater Manchester Police said if it had gone ahead it could have been the deadliest terror attack in British history. Also on the programme: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz tells the Munich Security Conference the rules-based world order no longer exists, and that this has consequences for America, too.And Matt Weston triumphs in the skeleton to win Team GB's first gold medal at this year's Winter Olympics.

President Trump has repealed a key government scientific finding that carbon emissions endanger human health. The so-called “endangerment finding” of 2009 was the legal bedrock of efforts to rein in emissions and critics fear it is a major setback in the fight against climate change.Also on the programme: Sir Jim Ratcliffe has apologised for "offending some people" with his language after saying the UK had been "colonised by immigrants". We discuss the importance of the language we use in politics. And as the Berlin Film Festival opens, we speak to the director of one of the entrants, a rom-com set in Kabul.

US Attorney General Pam Bondi has been defending her department's handling of the release of millions of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. She's been giving evidence today to a committee in the US Congress. Meanwhile, the former prime minister, Gordon Brown, has called for detectives to interview Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor about allegations that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked women and girls through the UK. The former Prince Andrew has denied any wrongdoing - or that he derived any benefit - from his association with Jeffrey Epstein. Also in the programme: the UK Supreme Court rules the plant-based drink maker Oatly cannot use the word "milk" in its marketing; and how the latest Hollywood remake of Wuthering Heights is going down in the birthplace of its author Emily Brontë.

The Prime Minister may have won himself a reprieve after the departure of two of his top advisers, but many MPs will be looking for a radical reset of his government in order to maintain their support. But the fallout continued as two Labour figures were suspended for their association not with Jeffrey Epstein, but with a different sex offender. Also on the programme: The founder of independent Russian news organisation Meduza on the impact of new restrictions on the messaging app Telegram.And we speak to one of the Danes covering up statues of naked women with knitwear.

Sir Keir Starmer has told his MPs that he will not quit after the leader of his party in Scotland called on him to resign. We hear from two Labour backbenchers about the future of the party's leadership.Also on the programme: Buckingham Palace has released a statement saying it is ready to support the police as they consider allegations against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. And we travel to a field in south-west London to kick off our series about how interacting with the natural world affects our mental health.

The Winter Olympics has officially begun in Italy tonight - with, for the first time, two opening ceremonies, in Milan and in the Dolomites. One of the world's top skiers, Lindsey Vonn hopes to compete this weekend, despite badly injuring her knee ligament. We hear from another Winter Olympian why that bit of tissue is so important and speak to a British-born member of the world's most famous bobsleigh team. Also on the programme: A year after President Trump announced the suspension of US overseas aid, we hear about the effects on HIV treatment in South AfricaAnd we speak to the director of a BAFTA-nominated documentary, co-produced by Brad Pitt, looking at the influence of evangelical Christianity on far-right politics in Brazil.

The agreements include allowing Britons to enter China for up to 30 days without a visa, Downing Street has said. The government is seeking closer trade ties with Beijing to help boost economic growth. But Conservative MP Harriet Cross tells us she's concerned about the potential security implications of Chinese involvement in infrastructure projects.Also on the programme: We hear what life is like in Tehran after the government crackdown on protesters in Iran. And the organist and broadcaster Nigel Ogden has died at the age of 71 – we hear from his friend and fellow organist Phil Kelsall.

President Trump has warned Iran that time is running out to negotiate a nuclear deal, threatening Tehran with a ‘massive armada' headed to the Middle East. We assess the US military build up in the region and hear what protestors inside Iran think.Also on the programme: As Keir Starmer prepares to meet the Chinese President, we hear from the son of jailed British pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai.And the two-year-old snooker prodigy who has broken two world records with his trick shots.

As Keir Starmer prepares to fly to Beijing, can he sell his trip as an economic win - without selling out on human rights?We hear from a Labour MP - and we visit London's Elephant and Castle neighbourhood, where the links between UK and China are visible - and appear to be growing. Also on the programme: on Holocaust Memorial Day, we speak to Maurice Blik, the man who became a famous sculptor on the origins of his craft - in a concentration camp. And.. as MENSA turns eighty - can it stay relevant?

After another US citizen is killed by immigration agents in Minneapolis - will a change of tone from the White House alter the public mood?We'll speak to the former head of US Customs and Border Protection. Also on the programme: a turbulent 36-hours in British politics as Suella Braverman defects and Andy Burnham is blocked. So is it a double win for Reform UK?

Keir Starmer has hit back at Donald Trump's claim that NATO forces stayed away from the front line in Afghanistan, calling it “insulting and frankly appalling”. We hear from an American who served alongside British troops and later became a senior Pentagon official under Trump. Also on the programme: decision time for Andy Burnham, who has less than 24 hours to decide whether to plot a return to Parliament.And Minneapolis grinds to a halt as opponents of immigration enforcement raids hold a general strike in the city.

As Moscow says peace talks to end the war in Ukraine have begun, President Zelensky launched a strident attack against his European allies at Davos for being in ‘Greenland mode' and failing to take action independently of the US. We hear from a correspondent who's spent time on the front line in the Donbas. Also on the programme: Westminster is flung into speculation as a Manchester seat is to become vacant, potentially giving Andy Burnham a route back into parliament. And mysterious organisms that dominated the ancient landscape: once thought to be fungi, now scientists at the University of Edinburgh believe they are part of a distinct evolutionary branch of life.

The US President said a "very productive" meeting with the head of NATO has led to the framework of a potential deal covering Greenland and the Arctic regions. We speak to a member of the Greenland parliament and a Republican close to Trump. Also on the programme: the latest on the 'Board of Peace' for Gaza; the UK government announces a cash injection for the arts; driving test cheats; and Mel Brooks's son Max on a new documentary about his father.

While European leaders criticised President Trump's plan to acquire Greenland, he insisted there was "no going back". We speak to a former UK ambassador to the Trump administration.We hear about clashes between the Syrian government and the country's Kurdish minority, and the implications for Islamic State captives. And could a cancer screening scheme on the Shetland Islands become a model for preventative medicine?

Donald Trump has vowed to follow through on his threat to impose tariffs on European countries who oppose his demand to take control of Greenland. We hear from former US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel on whether his Republican Party colleagues in Congress are likely to support legislation curbing the President's ability to spend money on any potential US military action to secure Greenland.Also in the programme: The government will consult on whether social media should be banned for under-16s in the UK. But would such a measure actually make children safer online?And as American country music legend Dolly Parton turns 80, we explore why her songs have lasted the test of time.

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?