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The dollar is normally seen as the ultimate safe haven, it's the currency most other currencies benchmark themselves against – so why is it taking a downward spiral?

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been in Beijing meeting President Xi and says steps have been taken to improve trade with China.

And Germany is experiencing a potato glut, we find out why.

Here are 4 phrases with 'stop'. Stop at nothing to learn them.

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The military government in Guinea-Bissau has suspended a scientific trial for the hepatitis B vaccine administered to newborns. The trial is funded by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the tune of $1.6 million and conducted by scientists from the University of Southern Denmark. The Bissau government says the study will be subjected to a technical and ethical review.

And, almost three decades after his death, Nigeria's Fela Kuti, who pioneered the Afrobeats music genre, is set to be feted with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna

Producers: Bella Twine, Blessing Aderogba and Mark Wilberforce

Technical Producer: Terry Chege

Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga

Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

The British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer says "good progress" was made in his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping of China. Our China correspondent will give us her assessment.

Also on the programme: as President Trump steps up the rhetoric on Iran, what could happen if the US strikes it? And the musical director who stood in for Puccini’s challenging Turandot when the star tenor suddenly fell ill.

(Photo: UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer shakes hands with President Xi Jinping of China ahead of a bilateral meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing during his visit to China. Credit: PA)

Also, should all schools in NI give girls the choice to wear trousers as uniform?

While you wait for the new season of In Our Time with Misha Glenny, we’re introducing you to The Global Story, a new daily podcast from the BBC.

In this episode, writer and voracious reader James Marriott discusses the so-called 'death of reading'. He argues that we may be entering a post literate age – shaped by addictive screen culture, fragmented attention, and an overflow of trivial or unreliable information. The conversation traces how the 18th century 'reading revolution' helped shape the modern world, and what its decline could mean for education, culture, and democracy today.

If you enjoy this episode, you can find new instalments of The Global Story every day wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Donald Trump has warned Iran that "time is running out" to negotiate a deal on its nuclear programme following the steady build-up of US military forces in the Gulf. The US president said a "massive armada" was "moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose" towards Iran, referring to a large US naval force. Iran insists its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful, but warned that a new US attack would prompt a response "like never before". Also: We report from Mozambique where an intense clear-up operation is underway following weeks of severe flooding. The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has made a robust defence of the Trump administration's Venezuela policy, weeks after US special forces seized President Nicolás Maduro. And could dementia be diagnosed earlier by looking at changes in the way people use language?

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.

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In April 2026, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban faces fresh parliamentary elections. He has been in power since 2010, and his party's grip on the Hungarian media and civil society means many felt his place in office was permanently secure. However, discontent over allegations of corruption and his brand of "illiberal democracy" has been growing, led by a new challenger, Peter Magyar. His growing party, Tisza, has shown signs of being able to unite wide swathes of Hungary's disjointed opposition, and Orban is suddenly well behind in the polls. Magyar himself is a former member member of Orban's party, Fidesz. Nick Thorpe travels across Hungary meeting activists and voters mobilising for the contest.

President Trump has warned Iran that time is running out to negotiate a nuclear deal, threatening Tehran with a ‘massive armada’ headed to the Middle East. We assess the US military build up in the region and hear what protestors inside Iran think.

Also on the programme: As Keir Starmer prepares to meet the Chinese President, we hear from the son of jailed British pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai.

And the two-year-old snooker prodigy who has broken two world records with his trick shots.

US technology giant Amazon has confirmed it will cut 16,000 jobs around the world. Andrew Peach hears from former Amazon workers and AI experts.

Also, why the German authorities have searched Deutsche Bank buildings in Berlin and Frankfurt.

And how Harry Styles will overtake Taylor Swift by adding more London gigs this summer.

(PHOTO: An Amazon employee delivers packages in downtown San Francisco, California, U.S., January 26, 2026. REUTERS/Carlos Barria)