The World Tonight

Former rugby union and league players claim not enough was done to prevent brain injuries. Governing bodies argue robust systems are in place to minimise the risks to players. We hear from former Wales international rugby player Alix Popham, who’s been diagnosed with early onset dementia and probable CTE.

Also in the programme: the Panama Canal's operator is to cut the number of vessels passing through the key waterway due to low rainfall caused by El Niño. And we speak to the cast and director of a play exploring the relationship between former prime ministers Winston Churchill and David Lloyd George.

The UK, France, Germany, Italy and Canada say the project to build 1,200 settlement homes is “unacceptable”. Labour MP Zubir Ahmed tells us there should be sanctions against companies trading with settlers.
Also in the programme: the mother and brother of a murdered American student give their reaction to a growing trend of school shooters’ parents being prosecuted. And could new underwater drones help British paramedics save the lives of those who’ve gotten into difficulty swimming?

There have been encouraging results in melanoma vaccine trials run by US drug companies Moderna and Merck. The results are preliminary, but experts say they are the first positive late stage results for a cancer vaccine of this type.
Also on the programme: the Duke and Duchess of Sussex plan to return to the UK; and the British pensioners, resident in Sweden for decades, threatened with deportation.

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?