Event: Emir NaderandSamuel Owers

The administration of United States President Donald Trump has broadened its prosecution of the protesters involved in a church demonstration to 39 people, up from nine.The demonstration was part of a backlash to Trump’s deadly immigration surge in the Midwestern state of Minnesota, but officials have sought to frame the protest as an attack on religious freedom.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3US border chief says Trump agrees to end deportation surge in Minnesotalist 2 of 3US border chief says ending ICE deportation surge in Minnesotalist 3 of 3Trump says lawmakers Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib should be removed from USend of listAttorney General Pam Bondi announced the expanded indictment on Friday in a message posted to social media.“Today, [the Justice Department] unsealed an indictment charging 30 more people who took part in the attack on Cities Church in Minnesota,” Bondi wrote. “At my direction, federal agents have already arrested 25 of them, with more to come throughout the day.”She added a warning to other protesters who might seek to disrupt a religious service.“YOU CANNOT ATTACK A HOUSE OF WORSHIP,” Bondi said. “If you do so, you cannot hide from us — we will find you, arrest you, and prosecute you. This Department of Justice STANDS for Christians and all Americans of faith.”Appealing to Christian votersSince taking office for a second term, Trump has sought to appeal to Christian conservatives by launching initiatives, for example, to root out anti-Christian bias and prevent alleged acts of Christian persecution, both domestically and in countries like Nigeria.But critics have accused his administration of attempting to stifle opposition through its prosecution of the Minnesota protest attendees.Some of those indicted deny even being a part of the January 18 protest. Defendants like former CNN anchor Don Lemon and reporter Georgia Fort say they attended…

Head to HeadMehdi Hasan debates ex-Venezuelan opposition envoy Vanessa Neumann on US regime change, oil and the fight for democracy.In January 2026, Venezuela entered a deeply contested chapter after the US removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. While the operation was hailed by some as the end of a brutal dictatorship, critics argue it violated international law and replaced one crisis with another.US President Donald Trump now boasts of controlling Venezuela’s oil, as the country’s interim leadership strikes deals with Washington. Some call this a necessary transition. Opponents say it looks dangerously colonial.So, has Venezuela moved closer to democracy, and will Venezuela’s future be decided by Venezuelans or by the US?Mehdi Hasan goes head-to-head with Vanessa Neumann, who served as the Venezuelan opposition’s ambassador to the UK and Ireland. She defends Trump’s intervention and argues Maduro’s fall was long overdue.Joining the discussion are: Alejandro Velasco – Associate professor of history at New York University Estefanía Melendez – Former diplomatic envoy for the Venezuelan opposition and associate fellow at the Centre for the Study of Democracy Oscar Guardiola-Rivera – Professor of international law at Birkbeck College, University of London

Inside StoryIraq is in a political deadlock. It still has no government, though general elections were held in November.At the heart of the crisis is the former prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, who was picked by the majority coalition in parliament as its candidate to take over the role again.But that choice has been met with strong opposition from United States President Donald Trump.And that warning has further polarised the political landscape in the country.So, what’s really behind Washington’s strong stance against al-Maliki? And what role does the US still play in Iraq?Presenter: James BaysGuestsMuhanad Seloom – Assistant professor of international politics at the Doha Institute for Graduate StudiesAhmed Rushdi – President of the House of Iraqi Expertise Foundation, and a former foreign policy adviser in the Iraqi parliament.Kenneth Katzman – Senior Fellow at The Soufan Center

Emir NaderandSamuel Owers,BBC Eye Investigations US Department of JusticeBin Ennakhil, located in the luxury Palmeraie neighbourhood of Marrakech, has been described as an architectural masterpieceJeffrey Epstein tried to buy a multimillion-dollar palace in Morocco the day before his arrest in 2019, according to documents released by the US Department of Justice last month.Epstein had pursued acquiring Bin Ennakhil since 2011, but disputes with the seller over the price and purchase arrangement dragged on for years.The grand palace in the luxury Palmeraie neighbourhood of Marrakech has been described as an architectural masterpiece, built by 1,300 craftsmen and featuring ornate carvings and mosaics.Epstein signed a $14.95m (£11m) wire transfer on 5 July 2019, the day before his arrest, following an agreement to buy the offshore company that owned the property for €18m (£13.3m).ReutersEpstein had pursued acquiring Bin Ennakhil since 2011, but disputes over the price and purchase arrangement dragged on for yearsHe signed a $14.95m wire transfer for the property on 5 July 2019, the day before his arrest According to the released documents, the transfer was Epstein's last major financial transaction in the period before his arrest by US authorities on sex trafficking charges upon his return to New York. Three days after the arrest, Epstein's accountant Richard Kahn cancelled the wire transfer and the purchase was ultimately never completed. Morocco has no extradition treaty with the US and local media has speculated that one of Epstein's motivations to purchase the property may have been to retreat to the country to avoid arrest, if new charges were brought against him.However, a former associate of Epstein, who preferred not to be named, said the transaction showed Epstein "had no clue" about his imminent arrest.They added that "it would make sense if he was thinking of a potential sanctuary where he could still…

After the latest release of the Epstein files, the US Department of Justice is being accused of withholding some files relating to US President Donald Trump. The BBC's Tom Bateman explains that what's missing from the files includes accounts from a woman who told federal agents that Epstein raped her as a minor in the early 1980s. That same woman alleged she was also sexually abused by Trump. Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. In a statement to the BBC, the Justice Department said, "Some of the documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election." The DOJ also said on social media, "Should any document be found to have been improperly tagged in the review process and is responsive to the Act, the Department will of course publish it, consistent with the law."Read more about the missing files here.