The World Tonight

The Conservative MP Danny Kruger has become the first sitting Conservative MP to defect to Reform UK. Lord Soames, Winston Churchill's grandson, tells us that his former colleague's claim that the Conservatives are "over" is "absolute nonsense".On the eve of President Trump's second state visit, we examine how free speech has become an area of tension between the UK and US governments.And we look at the other big winner at last night's Emmys - medical drama The Pitt, which has been lauded by both critics and doctors alike.

A suspect in the murder of US conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been arrested. Tyler Robinson is 22. He was confronted by his father, who recognised pictures of him released by the FBI and, with the help of a pastor, persuaded him to hand himself in.Sir Keir Starmer is facing growing criticism from within the Labour Party after he sacked Lord Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US, with one backbencher saying he "doesn't seem up to the job".And are we too reliant on potentially vulnerable global satellite positioning systems? An industry leader says near misses are more common than you may think.

Lord Mandelson has been sacked as Ambassador to Washington over his ties to the sex offender Jeffery Epstein, just days before President Trump's state visit to the UK. We ask what questions this raises about the Prime Minister's own judgement.Also on the programme:The killer of Charlie Kirk - the American right-wing political activist and ally of President Trump - is still at large. We speak to a British student who debated him at Oxford earlier this year.And as the sequel to This is Spinal Tap is released - we ask whether it'll strike a chord, 40 years on from the iconic original.

Charlie Kirk, the US conservative activist and major ally of President Donald Trump, has been shot dead while speaking at a university campus event in Utah. Police are still looking for the attacker. On social media, Trump wrote, "The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie".Pressure continues to mount on the government over the future of Lord Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US, as more revelations emerge about his past association with Jeffrey Epstein. We speak to one Labour MP who says Mandelson should be sacked.And a defence of the much-maligned author of the Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown - as his first novel in eight years is released.

There's been a dramatic escalation today in Israel's war against Hamas, as a strike on the Hamas leadership in Qatar drew widespread condemnation. Has it killed off any hope of a diplomatic solution to the war in Gaza?Also:France's President Macron has announced his new pick for Prime Minister - 24 hours after losing his last one. We're live in Paris.And we hear about the impact of a recording studio for young people in Nottingham - where Prince Harry announced a £1 million donation to Children in Need.

A no-confidence vote in France has led to the ousting of the country's Prime Minister Francois Bayrou just nine months after he took office. It now means President Emmanuel Macron has lost his third prime minister in just over a year. We explore how opposition parties are reacting to the news and how the crisis might be resolved.Also: A BBC exclusive interview with the comedian Graham Linehan, after he was arrested at Heathrow airport for his social media posts. And the remarkable story of one man who survived six days with a broken leg on the edge of a Norwegian glacier.

As Sir Keir Starmer delivers a sweeping cabinet reshuffle at the end of perhaps the most bruising week of his premiership so far, we ask his authorised biographer whether he can still turn it around. Also:The Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage, has told his party's conference to be ready for a general election in 2027. And the Duchess of Kent, the oldest member of the royal family, has died at 92.

The political future of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner hangs in the balance as Westminster awaits a report into her tax affairs by Keir Starmer's independent adviser on ministerial standards. Rayner has admitted under-paying stamp duty on a second home in Hove, but says she was acting on incorrect legal advice. Also on the programme: an icon of fashion, Italian designer Georgio Armani, has died at the age of 91; and we visit the modern-day almshouse shortlisted for the Stirling Prize for architecture.

Members of the opposition have called for Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner to resign after she admitted she didn't pay enough stamp duty on a flat she purchased in Hove. She denied she had tried to dodge the extra tax, blaming the "mistake" on initial legal advice that failed to "properly take account" of the situation. Sir Keir Starmer stood by his deputy at Prime Minister's Questions, saying he was "very proud to sit alongside" her. We look at public perceptions of her and hear from Sir Keir Starmer's former political director.The Portuguese government has declared a day of national mourning tomorrow - after an accident on Lisbon's famous funicular railway this evening left at least fifteen people - including foreigners - dead.And Melvyn Bragg has stepped down as host of BBC Radio 4's In Our Time after 26 years. We hear from frequent guest Angie Hobbs and superfan Sir Simon Schama.

China is preparing to host a massive military parade in Beijing to mark 80 years since the end of WWII. World leaders including Russia's Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un will be looking on, but most Western leaders will not be there. We explore what the display of military might means for the world and speak to the man dubbed the "architect" of Trump's China policy in his first term.Comedy writer and co-creator of Father Ted, Graham Linehan, has been arrested in London over social media posts concerning trans issues. Tomorrow Nigel Farage will speak to the US Congress about the issue about free speech in the UK and promised to raise the issue. We speak to one of the Congressman Farage will be addressing.And as a review finds Scotland's police need better uniforms, we ask a fashion designer to lend his expertise.

The Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced the government will suspend family reunion for refugees, as part of an overhaul of the asylum system and Downing Street's attempt to "reset" at the start of a new parliamentary term. Also in the programme: the spiralling cost of transport for school pupils in England with special educational needs; and the Premier League's eye-watering sums on the final day for player transfers.

The government has won an appeal against a bid by Epping Forest District Council to block the housing of asylum seekers in a local hotel. We hear from a local councillor and a Labour MP on the Home Affairs Committee. Also on the programme: we debate whether the handling of Covid is behind growing vaccine hesitancy and a mistrust of health experts in the United States; and why are seven American warships and thousands of marines heading to the Caribbean, off the coast of Venezuela?

Twenty-one people were killed in the overnight strikes on the Ukrainian capital, which also damaged buildings used by the British Council, the European Union and the Embassy of Azerbaijan. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said US President Donald Trump “was not happy” about the bombardment. Also on the programme: Britain, France and Germany begin the process of reimposing sanctions against Iran, saying it's in breach of the 2015 deal to limit its nuclear activities; and we hear from an exhibition showcasing the work of artist Ralph Steadman.

President Trump is hosting a meeting in the White House to discuss post-war plans for Gaza - and Sir Tony Blair is among those attending. We ask what influence the former prime minister might have over the current US President - and whether an end to the war is any closer.Also on the programme:New figures show the birth rate in England and Wales has reached a record low. We speak to politicians from left and right who fear we're heading for a demographic catastrophe.And 20 years after Hurricane Katrina, James Coomarasamy catches up with two people he met in New Orleans following the devastation.

As Nigel Farage unveils plans to deport more than half a million illegal immigrants, we ask if it will hit home politically. Are voters more interested in policies, rhetoric, or data?Also on the programme:The French government is teetering on the edge - as the finance minister warns that France could need an IMF bail-out.And we discuss the role of sensitivity readers.

There's been international condemnation as five Palestinian journalists were among those killed in a double Israeli air strike on a Gaza hospital. Israel has called it a "tragic mishap". A friend of one of the victims tells us about the choices facing colleagues left behind.Also on the programme:As Reform UK leader Nigel Farage prepares to unveil his plan for mass deportations of asylum seekers - we ask what political and legal challenges it might face.And we speak to the conductor of today's CBeebies Prom - where an "informal environment" was encouraged.

A major UN-backed report has confirmed that there is a famine in Gaza City and the surrounding area, calling the crisis ‘entirely man-made'. The report was labelled an "outright lie" by Israel.We speak to a doctor in one of the city's last remaining hospitals, and former Foreign Secretary and President of the International Rescue Committee David Miliband.Also in the programme: How Sweden drastically reduced the number of asylum applications; and the Nobel Peace Prize winning Russian historian on opposition to Putin.

More than 80 Palestinian students have received offers from UK universities. For some there is uncertainty over whether they can come, but we'll speak to one, Mohamed, who has been told that he will soon be evacuated.

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are holding talks in Alaska on ending the war in Ukraine. We get the latest from Anchorage and ask: does being in the room with the Russian president make the difference?A Conservative MP accuses the prime minister of putting the British bioethanol industry at the mercy of the US. And why the Australian film Picnic at Hanging Rock is still unsettling audiences half a century on.

As Alaska awaits the arrival tomorrow of the US and Russian Presidents, we're in Anchorage for a preview of their summit - and hear what one Ukrainian woman in the north-eastern city of Kharkiv expects from it.Also on the programme:Why has the pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly decided to hike the price of the weight loss drug Mounjaro in the UK?Israel says it will push ahead with plans to build more settlements in the West Bank. We have Palestinian reaction.And the A-level student spending results day evening at her local pub - because she runs it. We speak to the UK's youngest pub landlady.

US President Donald Trump said he'd like to organise a second meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin if the first one on Friday goes well, adding that a second meeting would include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump also threatened "severe consequences" if Russia didn't end the war after the meeting. We hear from former director of the CIA General David Petraeus.As more police forces get access to live facial recognition technology, we consider the impact on crime-fighting and society.And as Ellie Goldstein waltzes into the Strictly ballroom, we hear about the difference that dancing has made to another woman with Down's Syndrome.

As President Zelensky says he won't agree to hand over Ukrainian territory, we hear about Russia's latest push to capture more of it before Friday's summit between presidents Trump and Putin. Also on the programme:As the fourth heatwave of the summer kicks in, we hear from the farmers crying out for water. Why cats brains could help to find new treatments for Alzheimer's in humans.And a new sound at The Proms: we speak to the Nigerian brothers bringing "highlife" music to the Royal Albert Hall.

There's been widespread intenrational condemnation after five Al Jazeera journalists were killed in a targeted Israeli strike in Gaza. A fellow Gazan journalist - a friend of one of those killed - tells us why she's carrying on reporting. Also on the programme:Ahead of what he's called Friday's "feel-out" meeting with Vladimir Putin over Ukraine - Donald Trump has set out what he hopes to achieve. We have a report on a lesser known aspect of the war in Ukraine: the Indian men fighting for Russia. Two leading education thinkers tell us how England's special educational needs policy should change.And we're live in one of the UK's darkest regions with a spotters' guide to shooting-stars.

US President Donald Trump says he'll meet Vladimir Putin in the coming days. Speaking in Washington DC, Trump said any ceasefire deal might involve territorial swaps between Ukraine and Russia. We hear from former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who saw Trump and Putin interact in person during the former's first term in office.Following the death of the astronaut, Jim Lovell, aged 97, we hear from two people who knew him about what he contributed to space travel.Also: is it annoying to overuse the word "like"? We hear from author of new book on the subject.

As Israel's security cabinet meets, Benjamin Netanyahu says he wants to occupy Gaza temporarily. The father of an IDF soldier held hostage by Hamas insists the plan puts his son in more danger.Rushanara Ali resigns as Homelessness Minister amid accusations of hypocrisy over a rental property she owns.And a tribute to the pioneering pianist of Latin jazz, Eddie Palmieri.

US President Trump said his envoy made "great progress" in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. He says he's willing to meet President Putin as well as President Zelensky of Ukraine. However the Trump administration is also threatening to slap secondary tariffs of 50% on India due to its continued purchase of Russian oil.As international pressure grows, how are the Israeli media portraying the war in Gaza? One Israeli journalist tells us many people aren't getting the whole story.And a conversation with an MP's AI chatbot. A Labour MP has created a digital version of himself to answer queries from constituents.

As Japan prepares to mark the anniversary of a turning point in history, we ask whether the doctrine of nuclear non-proliferation is at risk. We look at aid agency reports of a worsening famine in Sudan. And we speak to one of the Democratic representatives on the run from the Texas state legislature.

Reports out of Israel suggest Benjamin Netanyahu is considering expanding military operations in Gaza, despite growing opposition to the war. Hundreds of Israeli security officials have signed a letter to US President Trump urging him to intervene and stop the war. We speak to one of them, former head of the Israeli Secret Service Shin Bet.Nigel Farage has called on the police to release the immigration status of suspects charged with crimes following the arrest of two men in connection with the alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl in Warwickshire.And after a spell-binding last test match, we'll ask where this summer's series between England and India sit in the cricketing pantheon.

The US envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff says he had a "productive" meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today, as international concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza grows. Witkoff will visit Gaza tomorrow alongside US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, to inspect food distribution sites. We speak to a conservative pundit in the US about growing unease over US support for Israel in Trump's MAGA base.The first Gazan child to be treated in the UK for war injuries has arrived in London from Egypt. Majid Al-Shagnoobi's mother says his lower face was blown off by an Israeli tank shell in February last year whilst he was out searching for food. His treatment will be funded by private donors.And the children's author Allan Ahlberg has died aged 87. Michael Rosen tells us what made his writing so special.

A difficult day for airline passengers, after a technical fault at the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) led to dozens of flights being cancelled and many others being diverted. We hear from passengers and the managing director of Skybus.Also on the programme: A man whose sister and two nieces were killed in the October the seventh attacks - and who has a relative still being held by Hamas - on Keir Starmer's recognition of a Palestinian State.And a tale of love below stairs, charted - in unusual detail - through dozens of objects donated by the grandson of two servants who met in a stately home. We speak to him.

After the UK says it is prepared to recognise Palestinian statehood, we hear from the co-chair of the Labour Friends of Palestine as well as a former Conservative foreign secretary. Should there be a “right to the riverbank” in England? And the Las Vegas of Europe: why are thousands of foreigners choosing Copenhagen city hall for their weddings?

As Keir Starmer presents Donald Trump with a European-led peace plan for Gaza, what is Britain's role and influence in shaping a peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians?England's star player Chloe Kelly attributes her skill to playing 'cage football' - we go to one of those cages in West London.Also on the programme: how the global charity Cycling Without Age gives the feeling of wind in your hair to elderly people no longer able to ride a bike.

More than one third of MPs, drawn from across the political parties, have signed a letter urging the Prime Minister to give official recognition to a Palestinian state.The letter piles pressure on Sir Keir Starmer after France committed to recognising a Palestinian state within months.Thailand warns two days of border clashes with Cambodia could 'move towards war'And as it gets ready to celebrate its 200th birthday, we take a look at preparations for a street party outside the National Gallery.

President Macron of France says he will recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September. Macron says the move will fulfil France's "historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East". Israel denounced the move but, speaking to us, the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations called it "an investment in peace".Resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, will begin their five-day strike action in a few hours. The Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer used an article in The Times to say doctors should break with the British Medical Association and not go out on strike.And the famous health target of 10,000 steps a day has been revised by one study to 7,000.

The World Health Organisation has warned that Gaza is in the midst of a “deadly surge in malnutrition-related deaths.” More than a hundred aid agencies also warned that starvation is spreading and called on Israel to allow aid into the enclave. An Israeli government spokesman said hunger was “engineered by Hamas”. We hear from doctors, aid workers and civilians inside Gaza. Also on the programme: a second night of protests in Ukraine over a controversial law that limits the independence of anti-corruption agencies; and the revolutionary AI tool that can fill in the missing words in ancient texts.

Ozzy Osbourne, the frontman of heavy metal band Black Sabbath, has died in the UK at the age of 76. The band's co-founder and guitarist Tony Iommi said Black Sabbath "have lost our brother". Osbourne's death comes just weeks after the band played their farewell gig in his home city of Birmingham. We hear from two other musical legends who knew and performed with Ozzy.The Syrian government has promised to investigate killings carried out in Sweida. As a ceasefire in the region holds, the BBC's Jon Donnison has visited and spoken to worried Druze.And as the Edinburgh Fringe scraps its "Funniest Joke" award, we speak to a former winner about how it helped her career.

A joint statement says Israel's aid delivery model is dangerous and “deprives Gazans of human dignity". Israel's foreign ministry rejected the statement, saying it was "disconnected from reality and sends the wrong message to Hamas". Chair of the International Development Committee Sarah Champion tells us the UK could be doing more to pressure Israel.Chinese authorities have begun constructing what will be the world's largest hydropower dam in Tibetan territory, in a project that has sparked concerns from India and Bangladesh.And how the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 tournament is encouraging the spread of women's sports bars.

Sectarian fighting has resumed in southern Syria, prompting the government to redeploy forces to the region, which had pulled out after a ceasefire was brokered. Bedouin tribesmen and other militias have clashed with the Druze minority and hundreds are reported dead. The UN says it has credible evidence of summary executions and killings. We heard from a Druze woman who described how her family was killed.US President Donald Trump has sued Rupert Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal after the newspaper reported allegations that Trump's name appeared on a "bawdy" 2003 birthday card to Epstein, who died by suicide in jail in 2019.And as a Russian conductor who is close to Vladimir Putin is invited to a music festival in Italy, we discuss whether culture can be separated from those who promote it.

Child dies in Somerset bush crashDiane Abbott has been suspended by the Labour party for a second time President Trump says he wants Coca-cola to replace high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar and we speak to two teenagers about the government's plans to lower the voting age to 16

The former Conservative leader, Sir Iain Duncan-Smith has described a leak by the Ministry of Defence - which made public the personal data of thousands of Afghans who worked with British Forces - as "a complete screw up". We also speak to an Afghan man, now in the UK, whose name was on the leaked list. Also: Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivers Mansion House speech; and the two men who cut down the Sycamore Gap tree are sentenced.

Major shift by Trump on Ukraine war. Russia and trading partners threatened with "very severe" tariffsEd Miliband's plays the patriotism card in his fight for net zero and is Prince Harry offering an olive branch to the King?

Labour's biggest union backer Unite has suspended Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner as a member, and threatened to pull the plug on party funding over the Birmingham bin strike. We get reaction from a local Labour MP.Also on the programme:The preliminary report into the Air India plane crash last month has just been released. We find out what's in it.A new book recreates the day Joe Biden lost his temper and Donald Trump nearly lost his life. One year on from that failed assassination attempt, we hear from one of the authors of a new insider account of the campaign.And it's 40 years since two billion people tuned in for Live Aid. We discuss the complex legacy of the "concert of the century".