The World Tonight

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned President Trump against interference after he said the US would come to the rescue if protesters were killed. We speak to an Iranian academic supportive of the government and hear from a protestor who wants a return of the country's monarchy that was deposed in 1979.

Also on the programme: we hear from the South Atlantic from a team trying to preserve the legacy of the explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton; and to mark the 50th anniversary of the children's show Rentaghost we speak two members of the cast, Lynda La Plante and Christopher Biggins.

Swiss authorities say about forty people are known to have died in a fire that ripped through a bar packed with young people celebrating the New Year in the ski resort of Crans-Montana. At least 115 were injured - many with severe burns. We speak to a doctor who's treated many of the victims, and one of the UK's leading fire safety experts.

Also on the programme:

leaked details of the government's upcoming special needs reforms have prompted concern that some pupils may no longer get specialist provision. The Labour chair of the education select committee says any changes mustn't remove an entitlement.

And as the King prepares to release a documentary about his environmental activism on a major streaming network, we'll discuss how Charles is

Israel is revoking the licences of 37 aid organisations working in Gaza, saying they failed to meet the requirements of new registration rules. The UK government is among those warning of the humanitarian impact the move could have. One resident of Gaza tells us of her fears.

Also on the programme:

With drones increasingly lighting up the skies at New Year’s celebrations, we hear a defence of the old-fashioned firework.

And looking back as punk turns 50.

The protests began on Sunday after shopkeepers in Tehran's Grand Bazaar staged a strike over the plunging value of the Iranian currency.

Also on the programme: we relive the disastrous speech that saw Tony Blair heckled by 10,000 Women’s Institute members; and division in France over the legacy of film legend Brigitte Bardot.

China has begun military drills around Taiwan - weeks after Washington announced one of its biggest-ever arms sales to the island. We hear from a senior US congressman.

Also on the programme:

President Trump says he's unhappy after Russia accuses Ukraine of mounting a drone attack on one of President Putin's homes. But did they? We speak to our Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg.

And we hear from the actor Warwick Davis who's just been awarded an OBE.

A US judge has temporarily blocked the detention of British social media campaigner Imran Ahmed, who took legal action against the US government over having his visa removed. The Center for Countering Digital Hate founder was among five people denied US visas after the Trump administration accused them of seeking to "coerce" tech platforms into censoring free speech. He told us he is being targeted for his work monitoring social media giants.

Also on the programme: as the US carries out missile strikes against alleged Islamist targets in northern Nigeria we hear from a BBC reporter on the ground; and research finds women were more likely to be portrayed performing traditional roles in TV adverts this year, we ask why.

Two British campaigners are among those US has denied visas for being 'radical activists'. We have reaction from a Labour MP. Also: Bethlehem and Ukraine on Christmas Eve, diplomatic gifts, Winnie The Pooh.at 100, and the Colorado military base that tracks Santa.

Pro-Palestinian remand prisoners staging the largest organised hunger strike in over 40 years are to continue, after the government refused a meeting. We hear from the sister of one of them - and ask whether the government should now intervene.

Also on the programme:

The latest Epstein files include an email from Balmoral in which Ghislaine Maxwell is asked if she's found some new "inappropriate friends". We have the latest.

And what do Christmas cracker jokes do to our brains?

The government says it will prohibit trail hunting too as part of its Animal Welfare Strategy, 21 years after banning fox hunting. We hear from a former Conservative minister and a Labour MP on a tradition that divides the country - and ask whether Labour's relationship with farmers is terminally broken.

Also:

Remembering Chris Rea, the self-effacing singer-songwriter from Middlesbrough whose deep gravelly voice beguiled millions, though not always himself.

And amid calls for every school to have a choir, we hear what impact regular singing has had in one primary school in London.

The US justice department has released some of the so-called Epstein files - the long-awaited documents related to its investigations into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The justice department faced a legal deadline to release the files by Friday, following months of pressure on Trump from both inside and outside his party. A number of famous faces are pictured - including former US President Bill Clinton, and musicians Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson, and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

Also on the programme: Two Palestinian men have told the BBC they were beaten and sexually abused by prison guards while in Israeli detention.

And we hear live from Miami ahead of the controversial boxing bout between influencer Jake Paul and former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.