BBC

The US Justice Department releases millions more pages of files in its Epstein investigation. Victims of the late sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, have promised to fight on, after they accused the US Department of Justice of protecting abusers. Also: Mexico's president warns that US tariffs on countries helping Cuba could trigger a humanitarian crisis. Claudia Sheinbaum's comments come after President Trump signed an executive order threatening additional tariffs on countries that sell oil to Cuba. Iran’s foreign minister insists his country is ready to discuss its nuclear programme with the US. Anti-ICE protests take place across the US following fatal shootings in Minneapolis. We look back at the life of the Emmy-winning actress, comedian and screenwriter Catherine O'Hara who has died at the age of 71. And, Bridgerton season four is on our screens. The Regency era drama is number 1 on the streaming platform, Netflix.

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 the past year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have become a visible force on American streets. Accused of using aggressive tactics, they often cover their faces and have cast a shadow of fear over migrant communities. In the city of Minneapolis, some 3000 agents have made hundreds of arrests, and two US citizens have been shot dead. We hear from migrants in the city, including a man arrested by ICE agents, and bring together people in the local community. President Trump was elected on a platform of cutting illegal immigration and, with efforts in recent days to reduce tensions in the State, we also get the perspective from Republican party supporters.

This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from BBC OS Conversations, bringing together people from around the world to discuss how major news stories are affecting their lives.

"A big change" - that's how HMRC has described a major transformation starting in April, which affects the way sole traders and landlords report their income and expenses. The tax office has told Money Box that self assessment has to be modernised to reduce errors and allow them to collect more of what's owed to the Treasury.

It's called Making Tax Digital and this first wave is going to affect about a million people who have a turnover above £50,000 a year. At the moment, self-employed people put the details of their business accounts into their tax return once a year on the Government's own website or on paper. But from April the new system will force them to use commercial software which sends quarterly summaries to HMRC and then repeats all that information in their end of year tax return to which they must add any other taxable income details. We'll speak to HMRC about that.

According to the financial data firm Moneyfacts, since the Bank of England cut the interest rate to 3.75% in December around a third of providers have dropped their rates on their savings products. Where are the best deals?

As energy prices rise, there's a warning about the scammers trying to trick you into giving away your data.

And new research suggests only 1 in 4 people know about a big change coming for pensions and inheritance tax. We'll answer listener questions.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah

Reporter: Dan Whitworth and Jo Krasner

Researcher: Eimear Devlin

Editor: Jess Quayle

(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 3rd January 2026)

US President Donald Trump has nominated Kevin Warsh to lead the US central bank, the Federal Reserve, when the four-year-term of current chairman Jerome Powell's ends in May. Rahul Tandon hears from people who worked closely with Warsh.

Also, the BBC visits Maracaibo, once the heart of Venezuela's booming oil industry.

And silver and gold prices plummet after their recent rise.

(Photo: Kevin Warsh, speaking during the Sohn Investment Conference in New York City, U.S., May 8, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan Mcdermid/File Photo)

The US Justice Department has released more than three million pages of documents related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. BBC North America Editor Sarah Smith explains what some of the documents say.

Also on the programme: Labour peer Baroness Helena Kennedy KC reacts to the news that China has lifted sanctions on her after PM Sir Keir Starmer’s visit to Beijing this week. And the late Fela Kuti will become the first African to be honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys – we hear from his son, fellow musician Seun Kuti.

The United States Department of Justice has released 3 million pages of documents as part of its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. The latest release is the largest to date and includes emails, 2,000 videos, and over 180,000 images. What do we know so far?

Also in the programme: who is Kevin Warsh, the man appointed by Donald Trump as next chair of the Federal Reserve? And Nigerian musician Fela Kuti becomes the first African artist to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys.

(Photo: Jeffrey Epstein in a photograph taken for the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services' sex offender registry in 2017, Credit:

New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services sex offender registry)

Writer: Liz John

Director: Peter Leslie Wild

Editor: Jeremy Howe

25th - 30th January

Ben Archer.... Ben Norris

David Archer.... Timothy Bentinck

Ruth Archer.... Felicity Finch

Lilian Bellamy.... Sunny Ormonde

Neil Carter.... Brian Hewlett

Susan Carter.... Charlotte Martin

Justin Elliott.... Simon Williams

Mick Fadmoor.... Martin Barrass

Rex Fairbrother.... Nick Barber

Amber Gordon.... Olivia Bernstone

George Grundy ... Angus Stobie

Joy Horville.... Jackie Lye

Akram Malik.... Asif Khan

Azra Malik.... Yasmin Wilde

Jazzer McCreary.... Ryan Kelly

Kirsty Miller.... Annabelle Dowler

Esme Mulligan.... Ellie Pawsey

This week we'll be looking at Trump's Board of Peace and asking whether Trump is bored of peace. We'll be working out how China managed to afford to get on the central London property ladder with their new mega-embassy, and hoping that a clever cow who can use a tool to scratch its back can up its game and sort out global diplomacy before it's too late. Joining Andy to help make sense of all the madness is Lucy Porter, Alasdair Beckett-King, Stephen Bush and Shappi Khorsandi.

Written by Andy Zaltzman.

With additional material by: Christina Riggs, Cameron Loxdale, Ruth Husko and Dee Allum.

Producer: Georgia Keating

Executive Producer: James Robinson

Production Coordinator: Giulia Lopes Mazzu

Sound Editor: Marc Willcox

A BBC Studios Production for Radio 4.

US President Donald Trump is again threatening military strikes on Iran, saying he has sent a ‘huge armada’ to the Middle East while signalling he is open to negotiations. Meanwhile, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has been holding talks in Turkey, where President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has offered to mediate. Also: during a visit to China, the UK prime minister Keir Starmer announces that Beijing has lifted sanctions on a group of British MPs who criticised its treatment of Uyghur Muslims; President Trump declares a national emergency on Cuba and imposes punitive tariffs on countries supplying oil to the island; a major study finds that our genes may be just as important as lifestyle and environment in determining lifespan; Kurdish-led forces in Syria say they’ve agreed a deal to integrate their fighters into the Syrian army; in New York, a man is arrested for allegedly impersonating an FBI agent in a bid to free a high-profile murder suspect, Luigi Mangione.

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]

The Iranian foreign minister has again said Tehran is ready for talks with Washington on the basis of mutual respect -- as the US continues to threaten military action over Iran's nuclear programme. Newshour speaks to former US national security advisor Nate Swanson.

Also in the programme: Inside the Roj prison camp in Syria; and forty years of Poems on the Underground.

(Picture: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visits Turkey, Istanbul. Credit: EPA)