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In this special edition of the Global News Podcast, BBC correspondents answer your questions about the anti-government protests that spread across Iran. Can the Iranian regime survive? Will Donald Trump intervene? How would regime change affect the world? Matthew Amroliwala speaks to two of the BBC's diplomatic correspondents - Caroline Hawley in London and Paul Adams in Washington - as well as Siavash Ardalan, from BBC Persian.

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.

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Alice receives a surprising request, and Akram has a dilemma on his hands.

As protests in Iran continue into their third week, the country's foreign minister claims the situation is "under total control". President Donald Trump has warned that the US could intervene and has "very strong options". In response, Iran says it's "prepared" for war, but "does not seek" it. Also: Myanmar is accused of genocide over attacks on the Muslim Rohingya minority in 2017. The chairman of the US Federal Reserve is facing legal action. He claims it's a political attack. Hamas says it's prepared to hand over power in Gaza -- but is it? We hear how the campaign to end child marriage in the US has some powerful opponents. And, the chimpanzee who beat humans at a memory test has died.

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 Chair of the US Federal Bank Jerome Powell has released a statement in which he says a criminal investigation is about whether the bank can change interest rates based on what will serve the public rather than what the President wants. Donald Trump has denied he knows anything about the investigation which is focused on testimonies given to Congress last year on building work being carried out at the Fed's HQ.

Also we hear from a shopkeeper who's been protesting over economic conditions in Iran.

The X-owned AI platform Grok has been banned in Malaysia and Indonesia

And the boss of beer giant Heineken is stepping down as the Dutch based multi-national faces falling sales.

Presenter: Leanna Byrne

Editor: Justin Bones

In his first interview since taking office on 1 Jan, the new head of the UN refugee agency, Dr Barham Salih, speaks to the BBC about US concerns over the organisation’s effectiveness and his push for reform. Speaking during his first working visit to Kenya’s Kakuma refugee camp, he stresses the continuing scale of global civilian displacement and the need for more efficient humanitarian responses. We also look at how social media platforms are helping young people across Africa use running to build community, connection and wellbeing in cities including Abuja and Nairobi.

Presenter: Charles Gitonga

Producers: Blessing Aderogba, Ayuba Iliya, Keikantse Shumba, Bella Twine, Priya Sippy

Senior Producer: Daniel Dadzie

Technical Producer: Terry Chege

Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

President Donald Trump says the US military is considering "very strong options" in Iran, as anti-government protests enter a third week. We'll hear from the organisation Iran Human Rights about how they are trying to find out how many people have been killed and injured amidst a government crackdown and communications blackout across the country.

Also on the programme: Jerome Powell, the chair of the US Federal Reservice, hits out at "unprecedented" probe by the US justice department; and we meet some domestic robots designed to take the drudgery out of housework.

(Photo: President Donald Trump looks on as he meets with members of the media aboard Air Force One en route from Florida to Washington on 11th of January, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Nathan Howard)

'Start by lighting a candle every morning.’ In other words, pray. That’s the advice on one social media platform to those looking for a rented property in the Netherlands. The pressure on housing is immense: an estimated shortage of 400,000 homes. It was the number one issue in the recent Dutch general election, with the winning D66 party promising to build '10 new cities'.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Squatting was made a criminal offence over a decade ago, but with an estimated 90,000 homes standing empty, the squatters – krakers – are back. And there are thousands of people breaking the law by living year-round in holiday or recreation parks deep in the Netherlands’ countryside.

The authorities are trying to change the dynamics. The city of Amsterdam is cracking down on second homes and owners who leave a property vacant. And last year, in an effort to cool an overheated market and limit the exploitation of tenants, the national government strengthened rent controls. But this has only encouraged landlords to throw in the towel and put their properties up for sale.

There’s also a question mark over plans to build thousands of homes - and new cities - because of an obstacle few seem to have foreseen... Electricity. The Netherlands has enough power, but it doesn’t have the infrastructure to transport it to proposed new developments.

Of course, the Dutch are known for innovation – especially in their management of water. Could floating apartment blocks be one of the answers?

For Assignment, Linda Pressly meets both those at the sharp end of the Dutch housing crisis, and those working to mitigate its fallout.

This episode of The Documentary comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.

We talk about words with the prefixes re, pre and pro.

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Stephen Watson in the presenter's seat, also the Assembly's proposed multi-year budget.

Videos verified by the BBC and eyewitness accounts appear to show security forces in Iran ramping up their response to protests that have spread across the country. Activists say dozens of bodies seen piled up in black bags outside a morgue near Tehran are dead protesters. US President Donald Trump says Iran's leadership is seeking to negotiate following his threat of military intervention, but warns that he "may have to act before a meeting".

Also: President Trump tells Cuba to "make a deal" with Washington or face consequences, warning the flow of Venezuelan oil and money to the country will stop. The UK government has paid "substantial" compensation to a man who was tortured by the CIA before being shipped to Guantanamo Bay where he is still imprisoned. Greenland residents tell the BBC they want to be left alone, as their island becomes embroiled in a geopolitical storm. Six skiers have been killed in a series of avalanches across the Alps. Doctors say they have achieved the previously impossible - restoring sight and preventing blindness in people with a rare but dangerous eye condition. Timothée Chalamet, Jessie Buckley and Seth Rogen were among the winners at this year's Golden Globe Awards. And how soon could humanoid robots carry out our household chores?

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]