BBC

The BBC gains access to Iran for the first time since anti-government protests were brutally crushed. The country is marking the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in the shadow of last month's deadly crackdown and looming threats of US military action. Also: nine people are killed in a school shooting in Canada; Russia limits access to Telegram; England returns some of the bronzes looted from Benin; how to train your brain to reduce the risk of getting dementia; and what to watch at the Berlin Film Festival.

Why does President Trump really want Greenland? The Arctic territory is rich in vital minerals and oil. And it hosts an important American military base as the race for dominance in the Arctic heats up between China, Russia and the USA. But drill down beneath Trump's stated reasons and the true picture is less clear. A financier-turned-MAGA operative and his Greenlandic protégé, the small print of right-wing wish list Project 2025, and a penchant for big places on maps might better explain the recent diplomatic crisis. Lucy Proctor delves into the backstory to Trump's insistence on acquiring Greenland.

There's a topic that often appears in the Money Box inbox, inheritance tax.

It's money paid by the estate of someone once they die, as long as the total value of all their property, possessions, cash and soon pensions are worth more than a fixed threshold set by the government.

At the moment Government figures say just 5% of estates actually pay the tax, so relatively low, but there are changes coming in this year and next which could increase that number.

Questions around who pays it and how much it is as well as the rules around passing on wealth to loved ones are never far away from the top of our in tray. So, today we'll answer as many as we can.

Joining presenter Felicity Hannah this week is Clare Moffat, pension and tax specialist at the mutual life, pensions and investment company Royal London and Nina Sperring, wealth protection solicitor and partner at the law firm Price, Slater, Gawne.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah

Producer: Sarah Rogers

Editor: Jess Quayle

Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson

(This episode was first broadcast at 3pm on Wednesday the 14th of January 2026)

The Prime Minister may have won himself a reprieve after the departure of two of his top advisers, but many MPs will be looking for a radical reset of his government in order to maintain their support. But the fallout continued as two Labour figures were suspended for their association not with Jeffrey Epstein, but with a different sex offender.

Also on the programme: The founder of independent Russian news organisation Meduza on the impact of new restrictions on the messaging app Telegram.

And we speak to one of the Danes covering up statues of naked women with knitwear.

Cuba has warned international airlines that jet fuel will no longer be available, signalling a deepening energy crunch as the US seeks to squeeze Cuba’s oil supply. We find out what this means for tourism.

Transparency International says corruption is worsening worldwide, with the global average score in its Corruption Perceptions Index at its lowest level in more than a decade. Our International Business Correspondent Theo Leggett explains what is driving the deterioration - and why it matters for investment and growth.

And one Insurance company says it has launched the first insurance comparison app built on ChatGPT, letting customers shop for cover by “chatting” rather than filling in forms. The move has unsettled investors, knocking shares in comparison and insurance sites amid fears AI could disrupt the sector. We hear from one Insurance CEO on how AI could change the way people buy insurance.

(Picture: Airplane on a runway in Cuba. Credit: Getty Images).

The BBC's chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet is reporting from Tehran for the first time since the crackdown by security forces on nationwide anti-government protests last month. Iran's leaders are marking 47 years since the Islamic Revolution, with bunting and flags decorating the streets of Tehran. But the pain is still raw after unprecedented force was used to put down the protests.

Also in the programme: we speak to US Congressman on viewing the underacted Epstein files; and we look at new research which suggests brain exercises could help delay the onset of dementia.

(Photo: People walk next to a mural with a picture of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on a street in Tehran. Credit: Majid Asgaripour/WANA/Reuters)

Chelsea’s full of excitement, and Emma’s left wondering.

Oil giant BP is pulling back billions that had been earmarked for shareholders as it looks to steady its finances after a fall in profits. Leanna Byrne asks what it means for BP’s longer-term strategy in energy?

Also, how unusual is it for a major artist to walk away from a powerful talent agency?

And Spotify wraps its fourth quarter with good numbers.

The head of New South Wales police says officers "did what they needed to do" at a pro-Palestinian rally in Sydney. Video shows police punching protestors at the event, held to oppose a visit by Israeli President Isaac Herzog in the wake of the antisemitic Bondi Beach attack. Also, the watchdog Transparency International says public sector corruption is worsening around the world, with the US and UK getting their worst-ever ratings in the group's annual Corruption Perceptions Index. Nairobi condemns Russia for recruiting Kenyan citizens to fight in the war in Ukraine. And the British Museum pays $4.8m for a piece of jewellery from the reign of Henry VIII, found by a metal detectorist.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight.

Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Over 200 cases of the Foot and Mouth Disease have been confirmed in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province. The highly contagious viral disease that affects cows, sheep, goats and other split hoofed animals has also been confirmed in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Eswatini and Mozambique. We hear what this means for farmers and the economy.

Also - between Morocco and Algeria, who really owns the caftan?

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna

Producers: Keikantse Shumba and Basma El Atti

Technical Producer: David Nzau

Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga

Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla