World Service

Protesters in Iran defied a deadly government crackdown, with reports suggesting hundreds have been killed or injured by security forces. Hospital staff say they’ve been overwhelmed. Meanwhile, US media report that President Trump has been briefed on possible military strike options against Iran in response to the killings. Also in the programme: Myanmar holds the second phase of a tightly controlled election. Voting is restricted in many areas, most major opposition parties have been dissolved, and turnout is expected to be low. And a week after the dramatic capture of Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, debate continues over the global implications of recent US military actions. The BBC speaks with veteran Washington figure John Bolton about America’s role in the world under President Trump. Joining our presenter Julian Worricker to discuss these stories are Gaia Vince, science writer and author and James Rodgers, reader in international journalism at City University in London and a specialist on Russia and the Soviet Union. (PHOTO CREDIT: Rally in support of nationwide demonstration in Iran, outside the White House, in Washington on January 10th, 2026. Credit: Reuters)