The World Tonight

A court in Damascus has handed down a death sentence to Wassim al-Assad, a cousin of deposed Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad. Wassim, an enforcer for the former regime, was found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The verdict is of symbolic importance in Syria as it is the first conviction of a member of the Assad family still in the country. 
Also on the programme: 29 US states seek damages from the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, Meta, in a case that could change social media as we know it; and we speak to music video director Tim Pope, about his work and what it was like to dress Freddie Mercury as a prawn.

Meta denies claims it "chose to exploit" young people to hook them on its platforms. The trial, which begins this week, stems from a lawsuit filed in 2023 by 30 US states. California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta explains why they brought to case against the tech giant.
Also in the programme: Virgin's plan to run a rival rail service to Eurostar through the Channel Tunnel moves a step closer. And Reform UK says it has plans to save more than £50bn a year from the welfare bill - but will the plans be popular with those currently supporting the party?

Friends of Jason Arday have spoken of their shock, following the death of the academic.
Also on the programme: a South Wales fire chief tells us why he needed to call in support from the army; five years after the Taliban swept back into Afghanistan's capital, one journalist tells us why she fled to Britain; and we discuss 'Tony', the new film about chef turned broadcaster, Anthony Bourdain.

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?

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.