The World Tonight

The World Tonight

By BBC Radio 4News
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The World Tonight episodes

  • The search for Assad's last suriving prisoners

    Thousands of people have taken to the streets of the capital Damascus, for the funeral of a well-known activist, tortured and then killed in one of Assad's prisons. We speak to live to one of his friends.

    Also tonight:

    A huge increase in the number of children being home schooled in England. As the government draws up new rules, we debate whether more regulation of home education is needed.

    38 min
  • What lessons can be learnt from Sara Sharif murder case?

    The father and stepmother of 10-year-old Sara Sharif have been convicted of her murder. She died after years of physical abuse. We examine the lessons the authorites should learn from the case - and ask a clinical psychologist what drives parents to harm their children.

    The UN secretary general has described the overthrow of the Assad regime as a moment of hope - while his envoy to Syria has called for an inclusive transition to avoid a new civil war. We hear how ordinary Syrians are feeling about the future - and ask whether a new government in Damascus can hold together the country's different factions.

    And the Government's plan to abolish hereditary peers is debated - in the House of Lords.

    38 min
  • Syrians call for justice as political transition continues

    13 years after the Syrian Civil War began, and with Assad now removed from power, people in the country are finally able to ask questions about the atrocities that took place in that time and what became of their loved ones. We speak to two women, cousins, who are searching for a male relative who disappeared into the Assad regime's prison complex. We also ask about the risk of an ISIS resurgence amid the uncertainty of Syria's political transition.

    "Completely unjust and an insult to the intelligence of the American people", the words shouted out by the man charged with murdering the CEO of UnitedHealthcare as he was escorted into court.

    And have we misunderstood Munch? The Norwegian painter known for works like The Scream had a more sociable side, which we explore with one of his biographers, whose godmother became one of his subjects.

    38 min
  • Syria's political prisoners are freed after Assad deposed

    The leader of the main Islamist rebel group in Syria has met the former prime minister to coordinate the transfer of power, a day after President Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia. At the same time, desperate families of political prisoners detained in one of Syria's most notorious prisons flooded the facility to find their loved ones. The BBC's Barbara Plett Usher was among them.

    The British government says it'll follow the lead of European countries and pause asylum applications for Syrians.

    And police in the United States have arrested a man in connection with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

    38 min
  • Syrian rebels on outskirts of Homs as advance continues

    Syria's rebels claim to have reached the city limits of Homs in their lightning offensive south from Idlib which has already seen them capture the country's second city Aleppo as well as Hama. Capturing Homs would isolate the regime stronghold of Latakia on the Mediterranean coast. Meanwhile the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says an uprising of militias in the south of the country has forced President Assad's forces to withdraw from Daraa.

    In Romania, the constitutional court has annulled the first round of the Presidential elections, which saw an outsider claim the most votes amid allegations of a foreign-backed influence campaign.

    And as France prepares to reopen a restored Notre Dame cathedral, we hear some of the music that has resonated within its walls throughout its more than 800-year history.

    38 min
  • President Macron refuses to step down

    A defiant President Emmanuel Macron has told the French people that he won't stand down - and has blamed an "anti-republican front" for toppling the government. We're live in Paris with reaction to the his prime-time TV address.

    Also tonight:

    Rebels in Syria have been celebrating the capture of the key city of Hama, in a fresh blow to President Assad. We ask whether the rebels are one step closer to bringing down his regime.

    After Sir Keir Starmer accuses Whitehall of becoming comfortable with failure - we hear how his comments are going down with civil servants.

    And we talk to the amateur fossil hunter who's made a remarkable discovery - which has shown that a cousin of the T-rex roamed southern England more than 100 million years ago.

    48 min
  • French government collapses after no-confidence vote

    French MPs have voted to oust the government of Michel Barnier. The left-wing coalition of parties labelled the New Popular Front joined forces with Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally to vote through a motion of no-confidence. It follows Prime Minister Barnier forcing through a social security budget without a vote earlier in the week.

    Here in the UK, the Scottish government pledged to end the two-child benefit cap north of the border in a move that would require coordination with the Labour government in London.

    And we explore the rise of “trad wives” in the egalitarian culture of Sweden.

    39 min
  • A night of chaos in South Korea

    There's been a night of chaos - and confusion - in South Korea. Over the space of a few hours, the country's president declared - then lifted - martial law. We're live in Seoul with the latest.

    Also tonight:

    The French prime minister has insisted he can survive tomorrow's no-confidence vote. We ask a former European Central Bank chief how serious the crisis is for the French economy - and what it means for Europe.

    We hear some rare voices of Israeli soldiers who are refusing to serve in Gaza.

    And a teacher-turned-TikTok star on the platform's pedagogical strengths.

    38 min
  • French government on the brink after budget forced through

    French opposition parties say they'll back a no-confidence motion in the government of Michel Barnier, after the Prime Minister forced through a social-security budget without a parliamentary vote. Barnier was appointed less than three months ago by President Macron, but his government relies on votes from both the far-right National Rally of Marine Le Pen as well as a coalition of left-wing parties.

    In Syria, there are signs the government of Bashar al-Assad is gathering forces to push back a rebel offensive that captured the city of Aleppo. Russian and Syrian jets have launched air strikes against rebel-held areas and there are reports of Iranian-backed militias from Iraq crossing the border into Syria.

    And a new absurdist comedy set at the G7 summit stars Cate Blanchett as a Merkel-like German Chancellor, we spoke to the Oscar-winning actress about her new film alongside director Guy Maddin.

    38 min
  • MPs vote to progress Bill to legalise assisted dying

    MPs have voted in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill at second reading, meaning it will advance to being scrutinised in Parliamentary committees. In this special edition of The World Tonight we explore what it means for the House of Commons to back the principle of assisted dying, what happens to the Bill next, and what changes it could lead to in society.

    39 min

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