The World Tonight

Pakistan's Prime Minister says the country has responded to India's air strikes by downing Indian jets during the operation. New Delhi has yet to respond to the claims that its planes were shot down. Diplomats are asking whether Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's remarks mean Pakistan will desist from responding directly to the attack. We explore whether other countries can temper the conflict.

The first vote has taken place in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new Pope, but no choice has been made.

And researchers have used AI and scanning technology to "digitally unfurl" an ancient scroll that was burnt by the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius almost 2,000 years ago.

The UK and India have finalised a major trade agreement, reducing tariffs on UK exports including gin, whisky and cars. The government says the agreement will eventually add £4.8bn per year to the UK economy, but the Conservatives say a National Insurance exemption for temporary workers from India is ‘two tier’ taxation.

Also on the programme: India carries out air strikes on what it called ‘terrorist targets’ in Pakistan and Pakistani administered Kashmir; and we hear from Syria where families are trying to find the remains of their loved ones killed by the Assad regime.

Syria sits at a figurative crossroads - five months after an Islamist-led rebellion brought an unexpectedly swift end to the long, dynastic dictatorship of the Assad family. The former rebel leader who now rules Syria - Ahmed Al Sharaa – has been trying to convince the world of his efforts to pursue a path of peace and reconciliation. But a recent upsurge of sectarian violence, which has seen the deaths of hundreds of civilians, mainly from the Alawite minority, has called that into question. All this week we hear from our correspondent who has been in the country’s capital, Damascus.

Also on the programme: 80 years since the end of World War Two in Europe; and US President Donald Trump says he wants to reopen Alcatraz prison after more than 60 years.

The Reform UK party has made huge gains in local elections across England. Nigel Farage's party took control of ten council areas including in Labour heartlands like Durham. The party also clinched the Runcorn and Helsby by-election by six votes. We speak to Reform's Ann Widdecombe and explore the full range of election results, including successes for the Lib Dems.

Prince Harry has said his father, The King, has stopped speaking to him in an exclusive interview with the BBC. The Prince was speaking after losing a legal challenge in the UK over his security arrangements.

And the Trump administration has weighed into German politics again, criticising the country's domestic intelligence agency after they labelled the far-right AfD party as "extremists", allowing German authorities to intensify surveillance, including the use of undercover informants and monitoring communications, under judicial oversight.

President Trump says US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz will leave his post and be nominated to serve as ambassador to the United Nations - we get reaction from Washington DC.

Also on the programme: polls have just closed in local elections across parts of England; Stoke-on-Trent’s Moorcroft Pottery goes bust after more than 100 years of trading; and we speak to the daughter of the man who created Thomas the Tank Engine, 80 years after the character first appeared in print.

Sharpies at the ready? Are the Americans and Ukrainians about to sign the much-anticipated minerals deal? We hear from a top Ukrainian politician - and ask a leading Republican whether Donald Trump is softening his stance towards Kyiv.

Also tonight:

As the US economy shrinks for the first time in three years, we hear how President Trump's tariffs are going down in China.

And as Slade's foray into film - "Slade In Flame" - returns to the big screen on its 50th anniversary, we remember a cult classic that's been called the "Citizen Kane of British Rock Movies".

As Donald Trump marks his first hundred days back in office with a rally in Michigan - we hear what Americans make of Trump 2.0.

Also on the programme: we hear from an old friend and colleague of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on how he’ll approach his role; and as Tony Blair says phasing out fossil fuels is ‘doomed to fail’, we speak to his foundation’s director of climate policy.

Spain has declared a state of emergency after a massive power cut hit the country as well as Portugal. Tonight the Spanish Prime Minister says the cause of the blackout is still not known but nothing is being ruled out. Traffic lights, cash machines and street lights all switched off when the blackout hit.

As voters prepare to take part in local elections, we head to Staffordshire to hear what’s on their mind.

And can reading a book a day keep the upheaval of Donald Trump’s second term at bay? While President Trump’s first 100 days has delighted many of his supporters, we speak to a woman who has distracted herself from the tumult by reading a new book every day.

US envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin had "constructive" talks in Moscow on Friday lasting three hours, according to an aide of Putin's. Ukraine and the US disagree over whether peace talks should encompass formally recognising Russian sovereignty over occupied Ukrainian territory, we explore the appetite of Ukrainians for conceding land to Russia.

As we came on air the UK's Equality and Human Rights Commission released interim guidance to highlight what it says are "the main consequences" of the recent Supreme Court judgement that in the 2010 Equality Act references to a person's sex must be taken to mean their biological sex. The guidance says workplaces and services open to the public should only permit people to use toilet facilities according to their biological sex.

And what's behind the unlikely controversy surrounding the Bayeux Tapestry?

President Donald Trump insisted his administration is “putting a lot of pressure” on Russia to reach a peace deal with Ukraine, after an overnight rocket attack on Kyiv killed 12 people. In a post on Truth Social earlier, the US President wrote “Vladimir, STOP!” and called the attack “bad timing”. But differences between the US and Ukrainian positions continue, particularly over the future of the Crimean peninsula.

The National Autistic Society rounded on Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage after he said doctors were “massively over-diagnosing those with mental illness problems”. We ask what’s behind the spike in diagnosis of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

And as the Liberal Democrats propose fining people for playing music out loud on their phone aboard public transport, we ask how the issue should be dealt with.