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Two days of talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States aimed at ending Moscow's war on its neighbour have ended with the exchange of more prisoners - but there's been no word on a peace agreement. The US envoy, Steve Witkoff, said the negotiations had been productive, but that "significant work" remained. Also: the UN human rights chief has appealed for hundreds of millions of dollars in funding, with the agency warning that it's currently operating in survival mode. China's leader, Xi Jinping, holds calls with his American and Russian counterparts in the space of a few hours, as he exerts his influence on the world stage. Savannah Guthrie, one of the best-known television news anchors in the US, makes a tearful appeal on behalf of her mother, whose disappearance is being treated by police as a kidnap. And the town in Japan that's cancelled a cherry blossom festival to try to stop thousands of tourists disturbing the peace.

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.

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Almost $1 trillion has been knocked off the value of software and services companies as investors weigh whether artificial intelligence has been hit particularly hard, so we ask: what does that mean for the profession itself.

We also look at why interest rates in Europe and the UK are on hold

And why Kenya’s central bank has banned the use of banknotes in decorative bouquets.

Britain's Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has apologised to the victims of the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, saying he is 'sorry for having believed' his former US ambassador Peter Mandelson. Emails released in the US suggest Mandelson forwarded market-sensitive information to Epstein. The prime minister accused Mandelson of lying during the vetting process, saying he gave the impression he 'barely knew' the disgraced financier.

Also in the programme: The second day of peace talks over the Russia-Ukraine war conclude with no sign of agreement; and a sketch of a lion by the Dutch grand master Rembrandt has sold at auction for $18 million.

(Picture: Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer speaking during a visit to East Sussex. Credit: Peter Nicholls/PA Wire)

In Nigeria's commercial capital Lagos, authorities have demolished Makoko - the country's biggest informal waterfront settlement. The Lagos state government says some structures built beneath high-tension power lines pose a serious safety risk. But the scale of demolitions has left thousands of residents displaced and families say they were given little warning and no clear relocation plan.

And in Sierra Leone, President Julius Maada Bio has announced January 18th as Remembrance Day for victims of the civil war. Between 1991 and 2002 the west African country's military alongside UN peacekeeping troops fought against rebel groups, resulting in the killing of thousands of people and displacement of more than half of Sierra Leone's population at the time.

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna

Producers: Bella Twine, Keikantse Shumba, Chiamaka Dike and Ayuba Iliya

Technical Producer: David Nzau

Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga

Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

Ex-senior police officer Alan Mains and political commentator Mick Fealty give analysis

Misha Glenny introduces himself to you ahead of his first episode on 15th January, answering some questions from producer Simon Tillotson and sharing what's coming up in the first few weeks.

In Our Time is a BBC Studios production

President Trump orders the withdrawal of hundreds of federal agents involved in the contentious immigration crackdown in Minnesota. In an interview with NBC, he says that "maybe we could use a little bit of a softer touch" but insists the enforcement effort will remain "tough".

Also: the last nuclear weapons treaty between Russia and the United States expires, leaving the world without a framework designed to prevent nuclear war for the first time in decades. We meet the Ukrainian war widow who moved her husband's grave, fearing Russian forces would seize their hometown in the eastern Donbas. Saudi Arabia introduces passports for camels to better manage the country's prized herds. The British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces scrutiny over his former ambassador Peter Mandelson's ties to Jeffrey Epstein. The BBC launches emergency radio programming to help Iranians access information more easily. Colombia's largest drug cartel suspends peace talks with the government after President Gustavo Petro agreed with Donald Trump to attack its leader. And why all Olympic curling stones originate from an uninhabited Scottish island.

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]

In Argentina, cloning polo horses is transforming the sport. There are big companies, big profits and big ambitions. Against the backdrop of the Argentine Open, (the crown jewel of the Polo season,) presenter Marnie Chesterton talks to scientists and key figures in this tale of how cloning conquered Polo, and where the genetic interventions are heading.

The US is ramping up efforts to secure its supplies of critical minerals. Vice-president JD Vance has proposed creating a new critical mineral trading bloc to loosen China’s control over the sector. The approach could reshape global supply chains for materials essential to electric vehicles, semiconductors and defence systems. Ed Butler finds out more.

Shares of Ozempic manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, dropped as nuch as 17% in the face of strong competition. Meanwhile its rival Eli Lilly, is forecasting strong growth. What's the outlook for weight-loss jabs?

Elsewhere, the US has renewed an agreement that gives 32 African countries access to the US market. The African Growth and Opportunity Act was allowed to expire last September, after 25 years. It's now been re-authorised until the end of 2026, although Washington has warned it may reshape the deal after that.

A plan to release documents about Lord Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador is approved, after anger from Labour MPs forced the government into a climbdown. We'll ask how much danger the Prime Minister is in and speak to the head of the parliamentary committee that will determine which documents - related to the appointment - will be released.

Also on the programme: As a US-Russia nuclear treaty expires, can we expect another arms race? And humour from a Briton who suffered terrible injuries after a shark attack in the Caribbean.