President Trump has named the members of his 'Board of Peace' that will oversee the second phase of the Gaza peace plan. Among them are the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and the former British prime minister, Sir Tony Blair. But no Palestinian or Arab has been appointed. Also, two tiny fragments of one of mediaeval Europe's greatest artworks, the Bayeux Tapestry, have been returned to France from Germany years after they were stolen. Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the late Shah of Iran, has called on the international community to protect the Iranian people by degrading the Islamic regime's capacity for repression. A group of British parents take TikTok to court, saying their children died after taking part in dangerous viral trends. And the story of rare drawings by a prisoner at the Dachau concentration camp which are being sold in New York.
Newshour - ‘The Islamic Republic will fall’, says exiled crown prince
Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran's last shah (king), has pledged to return and lead his country into democracy. We speak to one of his supporters.
Also on the programme: Ugandan opposition leader and presidential candidate Bobi Wine has been forcibly removed from his house and taken to an unknown location in an army helicopter, according to his party; and there is growing excitement in Morocco, as the hosts approach the final of the football Africa Cup of Nations.
(Photo: Reza Pahlavi calls for regime change in Iran at the National Press Club in Washington. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)
CrowdScience - Why do I find silence unbearable?
Is silence blood-curdling or blissful? CrowdScience listener Ziqi finds it intolerable and thinks that there’s a good reason for it – silence is so rare in nature that it could be a signal for danger.
Presenter Marnie Chesterton is on a mission to test Ziqi’s theory, starting with her own tolerance for silence.
She meets acoustic engineer Trevor Cox in the UK to find out whether silence is something we can measure. To do that she steps into an anechoic chamber, a place that’s designed to absorb all sound. In this most silent of silent places, what does silence actually sound like?
Marnie also talks to researcher Eric Pfeifer in Germany, who is exploring the impact of spending time in silence and has evidence to suggest that it could be a positive experience.
And neuroscientist Marta Moita in Portugal tells Marnie about how rats use silence to detect a threat in their environment. Her discoveries may hold the answer to Ziqi’s question.
Presenter Marnie Chesterton
Producer Jo Glanville
Editor Ben Motley (Photo:Young woman covering ears ignoring loud noise, plugging ears with fingers annoyed by noisy neighbours - stock photo- Credit: Mariia Vitkovska via Getty Images)
Global News Podcast - China makes trade deal with Canada amid US tariffs
Against the backdrop of Donald Trump's tariffs, America's closest ally, Canada, has struck a trade agreement with its rival, China. Speaking in Beijing, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the relationship with China had been "more predictable" than the one with the US. Is President Trump pushing his allies into Beijing's orbit? Also: Taiwan's tech firms will invest $250 billion in the US in exchange for lower tariffs. The government of Myanmar has begun its defence at the International Court of Justice against charges that it committed a genocide of the Rohingya people. South Korea's former president Yoon Suk Yeol is sentenced to prison for his 2024 attempt to impose martial law. And we take a look at the Africa Cup of Nations football tournament, as host nation Morocco prepares to face Senegal in the final.
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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk
Focus on Africa - “TikToking my way to millions”
Think back to when you were younger, what did you want to do when you grew up? A recent study in Kenya found that many young people would choose to be a TikToker or a YouTuber over a more conventional career, like a doctor or a lawyer.
Nowadays, content creators have become as influential as athletes and artists, but while Africa’s content creator ecosystem is growing rapidly, more than half of the continent’s creators earn less than $70 a month.
Focus on Africa: The Conversation host Charles Gitonga sat down with Chef Abbys - a Ghanaian TikToker with millions of followers - to find out what it takes to make it big in the industry.
Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers: Fana Negash and Carolyne Kiambo Senior Producer: Priya Sippy Technical Producer: Terry Chege Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla
Newshour - China-Canada trade deal announced
President Xi Jinping stressed that both sides should respect each other's sovereignty and integrity. Canadian PM Mark Carney described China as a realistic and respectful trading partner. He added that it was also more predictable than Washington. We explore what this signifies for the world.
Also on the programme: Iran's most prominent historian, Ervand Abrahamian, assesses the current wave of protests which have engulfed the country. And Helen Macdonald, the author of the much-loved memoir, and forthcoming movie, "H Is For Hawk," discusses nature, mourning and the difficulties of seeing yourself portrayed onscreen.
(Picture: Canada's PM Mark Carney and China's President Xi Jinping. Credit: Reuters)
Unexpected Elements - Science down under
This week the Unexpected Elements team has travelled Down Under to sunny Sydney where we discover some wonderfully Australian science with the help of some wonderfully Australian panellists.
First, we discuss the surprising American origins of Australia’s iconic marsupials and Marnie gets up close and personal with Pez the Tasmanian Devil.
We also talk to Andy Flies from the University of Tasmania who is working on a vaccine to combat a deadly contagious cancer spreading through Australia’s Devil population.
Next, we’re joined by Susan Sawyer from the University of Melbourne as we delve into the debate surrounding Australia’s social media ban for under 16-year-olds. Are the kids alright? Plus, we find out about the tree that seems to be adding fuel to the country’s recent wildfires.
All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.
Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Katie Silver and Jonathan Webb Producers: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins, with Ella Hubber, Sophie Ormiston and Lucy Davies
Global News Podcast - Machado gives Trump her Nobel Peace Prize medal
Venezuela’s opposition leader Maria Corina Machado gave her Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Trump at a private White House meeting, calling it a recognition of his “unique commitment” to Venezuelan freedom. Mr Trump posted on social media that it was a gesture of mutual respect, and thanked her. The talks come weeks after US forces seized Nicolas Maduro in Caracas and charged him with drug trafficking. Also: President Trump threatens to deploy military personnel to Minnesota as tensions grow over the deployment of ICE officers in the city of Minneapolis. Families of protestors killed in Iran say they are being charged large sums of money to retrieve the bodies of their loved ones. Scientists unveil a detailed new map of the landscape beneath Antarctica’s ice. Canada’s prime minister Mark Carney meets China’s President Xi Jinping in Beijing as both countries seek to forge closer ties. We hear why more people are cutting out alcohol all year round, and how naturally mummified cheetahs found in a Saudi cave are yielding rare DNA from an extinct population.
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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk
Newshour - Nato soldiers arrive in Greenland
Nato soldiers are arriving in Greenland as the Trump administration continues to insist that the US must own the island. We hear from a former senior French Nato official.
Also in the programme: Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado meets President Trump; and Rome's new speed limit comes into force.
(Picture: A Royal Danish Air Force plane carrying personnel in military fatigues lands at Nuuk airport Greenland, January 14, 2026. Credit: Reuters)
Global News Podcast - BBC reveals rift at top of Taliban regime
A year-long investigation by the BBC Afghan Service has found that two groups are competing for power within the Taliban leadership. One is aligned to the supreme leader and his hardline policies. The other is said to favour more international engagement and giving women wider access to education. Also: Elon Musk's social media platform X has announced new measures to stop its AI chatbot, Grok, creating sexualised images of real people. This function will now be blocked, including for paying subscribers, if local laws demand it. Election officials in Uganda say logistical problems have delayed voting in presidential and parliamentary polls. Delays were blamed on failures in biometric identification kits and lack of equipment. And astronauts splash down to Earth after medical evacuation from the International Space Station. 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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk