The World Tonight

The families of Israeli hostages killed in Gaza have expressed frustration and anger at the delays in the return of remains to Israel. Hamas agreed to return the bodies of 28 people under the terms of the ceasefire agreement. While all 20 living hostages have been returned, only four bodies have been sent back. Hamas officials have warned that some of the hostages’ bodies remain trapped under the rubble of buildings destroyed by Israeli bombardment. Also on the programme: we speak to a Palestinian man freed yesterday after two decades in an Israeli prison; and the winner of philosophy’s most prestigious prize tells us about his optimism for the future of political discourse.

In a speech to the Knesset the US President hailed a ‘historic dawn’ in the Middle East as Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees return home under the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. We hear from voices on the ground and the BBC’s Tim Franks in Jerusalem to assess what the chances are of a lasting peace.

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Israeli ministers are meeting to discuss a deal brokered by US President Donald Trump which would see a ceasefire implemented in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages by Hamas. They are widely expected to approve the plan. In this special episode of The World Tonight we speak to a former Israeli Prime Minister as well as a mother in Gaza who lost her husband at the beginning of the war, but speaks of her hope for the future. Also on the programme: the chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee says if the Gaza plan works in bringing peace to the Middle East then US President Trump should "of course" get a Nobel Peace Prize. And an historian and veteran Middle East journalist discuss how significant this ceasefire agreement might be in the history of Israel and Palestine.

US President Donald Trump says "we are very close to a deal" to end the war in Gaza, after officials reported progress after a third day of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in Egypt. The Times of Israel earlier reported a deal to release Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners could be imminent. Also on the programme: as the number of people who died while homeless reached the highest on record last year, we hear from one mother on the loss of her son. And 40 years on from its debut, the cast of Les Miserables unite for an anniversary that makes it the longest-running West End musical.

Israel has marked the second anniversary of the 7 October attacks. We speak to two parents - one Israeli, one Palestinian - about the impact that day has had on their families Also on the programme: We visit a school that scores high marks for its inclusive approach to special educational needs. And the musicologist who has found previously unheard music by Henry Purcell in a local archive.

Sébastien Lecornu was appointed France's prime minister less than four weeks ago. We explore what the political turmoil means for the country’s relationship with Europe and the world. Also in the programme: The Nobel Prize for Medicine is awarded to three researchers for groundbreaking discoveries on the human immune system. And novelist Dame Jilly Cooper has died at the age of 88 – we speak to her friend, writer Rachel Johnson.

The group agrees to release hostages but wants further talks on a number of points. We hear from President Trump’s former Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt. Also in the programme: After yesterday’s Manchester synagogue attack, joint deputy leader of the Green Party Mothin Ali discusses his response and the debate in the UK over the conflict in Gaza. Plus actor Dominic Monaghan talks about working with Dame Patricia Routledge, who’s died at the age of 96.

Manchester police have named the man they say attacked a synagogue in the city as 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie, a British citizen of Syrian descent. The car ramming and stabbing attack left two Jewish men dead. We hear some of the shock and fear in Europe's biggest Jewish neighbourhood and ask if counter-terrorism legislation is up to date. Also on the programme: A former chief of staff for Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May says the pledge by new leader Kemi Badenoch to scrap the 2008 Climate Change Act if she gets into office is "bad policy and bad politics". And 75 years since the first edition of Peanuts, with its lovable main character Charlie Brown, we speak to artist and fan Andy Holden.

A BBC reporter working for the Panorama programme has spent seven months undercover at a major police station in London to find out how much the Metropolitan police force has changed, since a highly critical report into its culture more than two years ago. Rory Bibb got a job at Charing Cross police station and filmed some of what he witnessed during his time there. His footage reveals racism, officers bragging about the use of force and misogyny. The Metropolitan Police Commissioner called the footage "horrific". As a result of the investigation eleven people - most of them serving officers - are under investigation for potential gross misconduct. Also on the programme: Chris Packham remembers fellow naturalist and world-renowned expert on chimpanzees Jane Goodall, who has died aged 91. And as Sir Keir Starmer says he'll change the way international law is interpreted in order to make it easier to deport illegal immigrants, we speak to the former President of Belgium's Constitutional Court who has become the go-to legal expert for European countries who believe the European Convention on Human Rights is hindering deportation efforts.

In his closing speech at the Labour Party Conference, Keir Starmer attacked Reform and Nigel Farage for pushing what he called the ‘politics of grievance’. The Prime Minister also said that Reform’s plans to end Indefinite Leave to Remain were racist. We ask Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper if this approach could alienate Reform supporters. Also on the programme: the Taliban cuts off the internet, isolating millions of Afghan women; and as The Rocky Horror Picture Show celebrates its 50th anniversary we speak to the son of its creator on its enduring appeal.

President Trump says Netanyahu will have his backing to "do what he has to do" if Hamas does not agree to the plan. Also on the programme: Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood says migrants will have to prove they are contributing to society to earn the right to remain in the UK. We hear from fellow cabinet minister Emma Reynolds. And we look back at the career of Sir Terry Farrell, the leading British architect behind London's MI6 building, who's died at the age of 87.

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the United Nations General Assembly that the IDF offensive into Gaza City would continue. But shortly after his speech US President Trump said he was "close to a deal" on the Palestinian enclave. The deal is reported to include the potential for former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair to head up a transition administration in the Gaza Strip. We speak to a US diplomat who worked with Sir Tony in the Middle East. Also on the programme: former director of the FBI James Comey says he's paying the price for standing up to Donald Trump as he is criminally indicted for perjury. We hear from a former federal prosecutor. And 200 years on from the first railway journey from Stockton to Darlington, we reflect on the music inspired by trains.

The prime minister is to announce a new national scheme of compulsory digital ID for all adults, to crack down on illegal working. We'll debate whether the proposals can stop small boat crossings. Also on the programme: Sensitive data about children, and their parents, has been stolen by hackers targetting a chain of nurseries. How alarmed should we be? France's former president Nicolas Sarkozy becomes its first head of state to be handed a prison sentence in 80 years. And it's 200 years since Louis Braille invented his tactile rreading system for people with sight loss. We hear about his remarkable work that helps blind musicians.

The government is holding off on announcing plans for high-speed rail across northern England due to concerns over long-term costs, the BBC has learned. The already-delayed announcement of the scheme was expected at next week's Labour Party conference, but that will not now happen. A Labour MP told us the news is "extremely disappointing" and that Britain risked being "left behind comparable nations". The President of Syria has become the first leader of the country to address the UN General Assembly since 1967. We hear from former CIA director General David Petraeus, who as a general in Iraq had Ahmed al-Sharaa detained for fighting with the insurgency, and now calls himself a "fan". And 30 years after the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice was released, we look back at its cultural legacy with the man who wrote it and woman who starred in it.

President Trump has suggested Ukraine is in a position to win back all of the territory it has lost since Moscow's invasion. Earlier, he told the UN General Assembly in New York that European countries were "going to hell" because of mass immigration. In a long - and uncompromising - speech that took aim at the institution where it was being delivered, Mr Trump also falsely claimed Sharia law could be introduced in London - we get reaction from an MP from the capital. Also on the programme: The mother of a British dual national killed while fighting for Ukraine on her fight to get his body back - and how she found out her son was dead. And as the cricket world mourns the legendary umpire Dickie Bird, the former England cricketer Allan Lamb remembers him.

Standing alongside Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. the US president said the drug, commonly sold under the brand name Tylenol in the US, was to blame for a rise in autism diagnoses. Also on the programme: Reform UK leader Nigel Farage says he will overhaul the rights of migrants to remain in the UK; and seven decades after the first British TV ad we explore the medium that formed some top Hollywood directors.

Nato aircraft have intercepted three Russian warplanes after they entered Estonia's airspace without permission. A top politician in Tallin gives us his reaction - and we ask how Nato should respond to this latest escalation. Also on the programme: A special report hearing from people who attended Saturday's rally organised by the far right activist Tommy Robinson. And why this year's autumn leaves are set to be more spectacular than ever.

In a joint press conference with Keir Starmer President Trump said he had been let down by Vladimir Putin and advised the Prime Minister to use the military to curb irregular migration across the English Channel. Also on the programme: we hear how on-air remarks about Charlie Kirk are costing some American broadcasters their jobs; and as Meta’s latest product launch is derailed by an embarrassing malfunction, we hear how tech events are becoming more risk averse.

At a lavish state banquet at Windsor Castle, day one of President Trump's second state visit ends with speeches celebrating the special relationship. The King also had pointed words on supporting Ukraine. We ask how good a friend the US is to the UK. Also on the programme: Still rock and rolling after all these years: the legendary DJ Pete Murray celebrates his 100th birthday.