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The World Tonight

BBC Radio 4
The World Tonight
Latest episode

314 episodes

  • The World Tonight

    Polls close in Clacton by-election triggered by Nigel Farage

    2026/08/13 | 38 mins.
    Counting is underway – but will Nigel Farage win, or Count Binface? We speak to the satirical alter ego of comedian Jon Harvey.
    Also in the programme: Nurses complain of "inhumane" conditions in hospitals as the heatwave results in NHS staff dripping in sweat from "head to toe". And luxury department store Harvey Nichols has been bought by the owner of Sports Direct, Mike Ashley – but can he resurrect the ailing business?
  • The World Tonight

    Millions gather to view solar eclipse

    2026/08/12 | 38 mins.
    On a day when amateur eclipse chasers gaze toward the sky across Iceland and Spain, we join enthusiasts enjoying the spectacle in a packed London park. 
    Also in the programme: two Palestinian families are besieged by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. And with much of the UK on high alert for fire, one MP urges Andy Burnham to consider a national ban on the sale of disposable barbecues.
  • The World Tonight

    Prime Minister's dilemma on early release of prisoners

    2026/08/11 | 37 mins.
    The Prime Minister says he wants the killers of PC Andrew Harper to stay behind bars. How will he do it? We ask a senior law professor who advised the government on how to manage early prisoner releases.
    As Simon Levy is set to be sentenced tomorrow, the BBC has spoken to a victim who asks why her own case wasn't enough to stop the rapist and murderer from committing further crimes.
    Just how unprecedented was President Trump's Air Force One sleight of hand as he left the NATO summit in Turkey?
    And the Hallmark Channel has been tugging heartstrings for 25 years. We'll explore the secret of its longevity.
  • The World Tonight

    Over 100 dead after Colombia earthquake

    2026/08/10 | 37 mins.
    At least 111 people have been killed and dozens more are injured after a powerful earthquake hit western Colombia, according to local officials. Dozens of buildings have collapsed. It comes less than two months after a double earthquake killed thousands in neighbouring Venezuela.
    French lifeboat crews have described how a boat carrying a record 230 migrants across the Channel was "buckling" and could have led to a tragedy. The previous record for a single vessel of 165 was set last month. We hear why migrant boats are getting bigger.
    And 40 years on from the release of Paul Simon's celebrated album 'Graceland'; did it raise up, or rip off, the South African artists he collaborated with?
  • The World Tonight

    Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan sign new defence pact

    2026/08/07 | 38 mins.
    Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have signed a major defence pact in Mecca, saying an attack on one is an attack on all three. A former advisor to Turkey's president tells us what he thinks his country gets out of such an agreement.
    Also in the programme: after the London-based head of Google DeepMind decides to step back, what does his move mean for the UK AI sector? We hear the views of the regulars in Soho about Westminster Council's plan to reduce 'vertical drinking', and we remember the life of William Orbit, groundbreaking producer behind the music of Madonna, Blur and U2.
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About The World Tonight
In depth reporting, intelligent analysis and major breaking news from a global perspective
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