Business Daily

Skincare used to appeal to an older demographic, often with the aim of slowing down visible signs of ageing. But as trends in skincare have evolved, with ever more products on the market, the audience has grown too. Children as young as eight are now saving up their pocket money to buy different creams, serums and moisturizers. But some of these products contain active ingredients, not designed for their young skin - and this can lead to problems. Dermatologists have told the BBC they're seeing children with dermatitis and other skin conditions who have used certain products. Today, we take a look at why young people are becoming obsessed with skincare, and what could be done to protect these young consumers from buying unsuitable products.

(Picture: 11 year-old Tilly, from the UK, sitting at her vanity desk. Credit: BBC)

Presented and produced by Hannah Mullane

We’re in snowy Skellefteå in northern Sweden, where hundreds of people are looking for work after losing their jobs at Europe’s largest electric battery factory.

Will the crisis at green tech company Northvolt impact future investments in the region — and damage Sweden’s reputation?

Produced and presented by Maddy Savage

(Image: Northvolt workers at the factory. Credit: Northvolt)

Upasana Taku is the co-founder of an app that changed the way millions of Indians use digital technology to make payments. Mobikwik now has more than a 150 million registered users.

When Upasana set up the business in 2009 with her co-founder Bipin Preet Singh, India was still a cash-dependant society, but having worked for big tech companies in the US, Upasana knew there was a gap in the market.

Devina Gupta asks her about her decision to leave a high-powered job in the US to move back to India to start a fintech company, and how she convinced both investors and her family that it was a smart business move.

Presenter/producer: Devina Gupta

(Photo: Upasana Taku. Credit: Mobikwik)

It was hailed as a wonder material that would transform industry – and all our lives.

But 20 years on, companies are still racing to commercialise it.

We speak to the people working with graphene and find out what sort of products their developing.

Produced and presented by James Graham

(Image: Graphene slurry, containing graphene and polymer binders, sits in a beaker inside a laboratory at the National Graphene Institute facility, part of the The University of Manchester. Credit: Getty Images)

In July, South Africa unveiled a new coalition government, after the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party lost its majority in May's elections.

The coalition was welcomed by the business community who said it would ensure economic stability.

So what's happened since? And will any optimism last?

We hear about a reduction in power cuts - also known as loadshedding - and positivity on the stock market, as well as young people who are looking forward to the future.

Produced and presented by Rob Young

(Image: A worker connects a diesel generator to supply power to a sports complex during loadshedding in Frankfort, South Africa, in June 2023)

How do online platforms profit from our anger? In this episode, we explore the business of 'rage-baiting' – content designed to provoke outrage and drive engagement.

We hear from creators who thrive on stirring emotions, critics warning of its societal impact, and academics explaining why anger is such a powerful tool online.

From its role in content algorithms, to the dangers it poses offline, we uncover the economics behind the clicks.

(Picture: A man dramatically gestures towards his laptop, conveying surprise. Credit: Getty Images)

Presenter: Megan Lawton Producer: Sam Gruet

Donald Trump's return to the White House has raised big questions about what he'll do to the US' growing green energy sector. On the campaign trail he promised to undo Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, the biggest piece of climate legislation in US history. The IRA gives incentives and tax breaks for green industries and has created hundreds of thousands of jobs, many of those in Republican voting states.

President-elect Trump also pledged to end offshore wind "on day one" and reverse emissions rules aimed at increasing the number of electric cars on America's roads.

Will he keep those promises? And what of the influence of Elon Musk, the world's richest man, now in Donald Trump's inner circle? Is he worrying about what a Trump presidency might mean for his car company Tesla and will he be lobbying behind the scenes on behalf of electric vehicles?

We hear what people in those sectors think will happen under Trump 2.0. Can the renewables industry survive or even grow over the next four years?

Produced and presented by Lexy O'Connor

(Image: President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk talk during a UFC event in New York. Credit Chris Unger / Getty Images)

The Japanese billionaire is the founder and president of Fast Retailing, parent company of Uniqlo.

He's the richest man in Japan, and despite being in his 70's, has big plans to grow the company even further.

We speak to Tadashi Yanai about fast fashion, Chinese manufacturing, and global expansion.

And we find out how Japan's richest man spends his leisure time.

Produced and presented by Mariko Oi

(Image: Tadashi Yanai in 2017. Credit: Getty Images)

Earlier this year, Manchester City midfielder Rodri issued a warning that players were "close" to taking strike action over their increased workload.

Rodri played 63 competitive games for club and country last season. But a recent report found that a player welfare 'red line' was a maximum of between 50 and 60 matches per season, depending on a player's age.

Some of the game's biggest names have joined Rodri in threatening to walk out, and the union that represents them is launching legal action against the sport's governing body, FIFA.

But there's a lot of money invested in football, so what's the likelihood the sport might change to stop players feeling over-stretched? And is strike action likely or even possible?

(Picture: Empty stadium with floodlights shining down on a football on the pitch. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Matt Lines

We find out why, in a country famous for championing gender equality, some women are choosing to become stay-at-home wives and girlfriends.

The social media #softgirl trend is a small but growing minority, who say they do not want the stress of juggling family and work. They want a 'softer' life - with more balance and not having to focus on a career. It has triggered cultural and political debates across Sweden where feminism has been a part of mainstream politics since the 1950s.

Producer/presenter: Maddy Savage

(Image: Vilma Larsson)

Ghana is a global gold mining powerhouse and Africa's biggest producer.

The informal mining sector of gold – known locally as “galamsey” - is a big election issue here. There have been recent marches demanding tougher action against illegal miners in Accra. But illegal mining is also a major source of employment. More than a million Ghanaians make their living from galamsey.

We hear from local galamsey miners and look at the negative impact this industry is having on both the workers in terms of health, the environment, and the wider community.

(Picture: Man holding a bucket in an open-pit gold mine in Ghana.)

Presented and produced by Ed Butler

In the first of a two part series ahead of Ghana’s presidential election, we are in Accra asking how much the economy is influencing how people vote.

The country has faced one of Africa’s worst financial crises in recent years, and the recovery seems to be underway, but is this translating to how workers and business owners feel?

There are 13 presidential candidates, and we hear from representatives of the two front runners. We find out about their plans for the economy.

Produced and presented by Ed Butler

We speak to the great-grandson of the Italian coffee legend, about growing a family business into a global brand, balancing tradition with innovation, and even a light-hearted clash with Emily in Paris.

(Picture: Giuseppe Lavazza at the company's coffee production and training facility in Turin, Italy. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Leanna Byrne

Advent calendars have evolved from the simple cardboard doors or chocolate treats to a multimillion-dollar premium industry; with major companies using them as a powerful brand awareness tool.

We find out why the design of an advent calendar is more important than ever, with many retailers investing in appearance and reusability; and we hear from environmental groups who are still concerned about the amount of waste.

Plus - are the products in these more extravagant calendars actually worth the money?

(Picture: An apartment window decorated with advent calendar and traditional electric Christmas candlestick. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Deborah Weitzmann

In the run up to the US election, prices of food, gas and housing were never far from voter’s minds.

We head to Pennsylvania where food prices have risen faster than anywhere in the US to find out what it’s like for people day-to-day.

And we look at what President-elect Donald Trump has said he could do to help people.

Will it work?

Presented and produced by Monica Miller

We’re in Delhi, looking at the impact of extreme pollution levels on workers and businesses in recent weeks.

Non-essential trucks have been banned from going into the city, and offices have asked 50% of staff to work from home.

Local markets, cafes and restaurants, as well as shopping malls, have seen a 20-30% decline in foot traffic.

Meanwhile labourers, rickshaw pullers, delivery riders and other workers paid a daily wage, have no choice but to go outside to earn a living.

In neighbouring Pakistan, air pollution has also far exceeded safe levels. We hear how people in Lahore are coping.

Presented and produced by Devina Gupta

We look at England and Wales' new cricket format - which is now up for sale.

The one hundred ball format was designed to attract news fans to the game. Each team is tied to a UK city or region and the first tournament was held in 2021.

Now the organisers are selling a 49% stake in each of the teams, and they're hoping to attract Indian investment, liked to the IPL.

So will it pay off?

Produced and presented by Alex Capstick

(Image: Jofra Archer bowling during The Hundred Men's Final at Lord's, London in August 2024. Credit: Steven Paston/PA Wire)

The legendary sprinter revolutionised athletics with his unique running style and record-breaking performances.

Michael Johnson is a four-time Olympic gold medallist who earned millions of dollars through prize money and sponsorships.

Now he's back with a plan to transform athletics with the Grand Slam Track league — a new competition featuring a $12.6 million prize fund.

He's hoping it will elevate financial opportunities for today's athletes and ignite inspiration for future generations.

Produced and presented by Sam Fenwick.

(Image: Michael Johnson carries the American Flag after winning gold in the Men's 200m during the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. Credit: Mike Hewitt /Allsport/Getty Images)

It’s a place where people meet to network and make connections - and most people have never set foot in one.

These exclusive establishments, in cities around the world, are reportedly more popular than ever.

So what goes on behind those hallowed doors? And how can people get in?

We look at the history of these exclusive clubs, find out how to join, and ask whether they have a future.

If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected]

Produced and presented by Elizabeth Hotson

(Image: Members of the Harvard Club use the lounge to read and socialise in 2022, in the midtown neighborhood of New York City. Credit: Getty Images)

We’re in Madrid to discover a new way to power urban electric vehicles. No longer charging but swapping your batteries, or charging at your desk.

We meet the people trying it out, and speak to leading motor journalists to see if this really is a game changer in electric vehicle driving in cities.

(Picture: Black Electric SUV swapping battery pack in battery swap station. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Rick Kelsey

A year ago, the Commonwealth Games looked dead and buried. The Australian state of Victoria had pulled out of hosting the 2026 edition due to spiralling costs, and in Canada, the province of Alberta had stepped back from bidding for the 2030 edition.

But now Scotland’s biggest city, Glasgow, has ridden to the rescue, agreeing to host the 2026 Games. It says its scaled back, lower-budget model for doing so could encourage poorer countries to do the same in the future.

How realistic is that? Is Glasgow 2026 the last hurrah for an anachronistic sporting event, inextricably tied to the British empire, or does it really represent a fresh start?

(Picture: A Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2026 delegation in Glasgow, UK. Credit: BBC)

Presented and produced by Gideon Long

The Suez Canal was once one of the busiest global shipping routes – a third of the world's shipping containers normally pass through it.

Since the Houthis began to attack passing ships last year, the volume of vessels going through has declined rapidly.

The canal is run by the Egyptian government, and fewer ships means less foreign currency coming into the economy.

And it’s not just revenue from ships that Egypt is losing, it’s also losing tourists, as many people cancel their trips and spend their dollars elsewhere.

We speak to businesses in Cairo to see how they’re being impacted by these changes, and ask, as Egypt loses out, are other countries winning? Presented and produced by Hannah Mullane (Image: A ship transits the Suez Canal towards the Red Sea on November 3, 2024 in Egypt. Credit: Getty Images)

It was on a university trip that Kenyan entrepreneur Joseph Nguthiru first came across water hyacinth in Lake Naivasha.

It is an incredibly harmful and invasive weed that is currently blocking waterways and devastating fish populations all over the world.

Joseph, who was an engineering student at the time, tells us how he came up with a solution to use the plant as a material for making packaging - and how he's founded a successful business, HyaPak Ecotech, as a result.

Produced and presented by Zawadi Mudibo

(Image: Fishermen removing water hyacinth from the net in Lake Victoria in Kisumu, western Kenya in 2018)

From spiced lattes to scented candles, autumn has become a staple in marketing calendars and on social media. We speak to businesses who thrive at this time of year; hear from content creators fuelling fall fever; and look at how the season is embraced in parts of the world without autumnal temperatures.

(Picture: Friends Amina, Ayesha and Noor in front of some pumpkins at Downey’s Farm, near Toronto, Canada. Every year they go to recreate a photo in the pumpkin patch. Credit: Megan Lawton/BBC)

Presenter: Megan Lawton Producer: Sam Gruet

We look at the issues facing two of Europe’s major economies.

Germany’s downturn has deepened with existential fears about its major export industries. And now, political turmoil means industry leaders are calling for a snap election as soon as possible.

Meanwhile in France, there is weak growth as consumers feel poorer and politicians can’t agree on spending.

(Picture: French and German flags waving next to each other. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Rob Young

Climate change is changing the way winemakers plan, harvest and make their product.

On the Greek island of Santorini we find out how new techniques of vine planting are helping to preserve water amid more frequent drought conditions.

Investors in England have realised areas in the south of country have similar weather conditions to Champagne in France, 30 years ago.

Plus we hear from experts in France and Australia to discover different methods the industry is using, and find out how new businesses are advising the global wine industry to ensure its survival in a changing world.

Produced and presented by Daniel Rosney

(Image: A picker throws the collected grapes from the vine in a tank at the Gusbourne Estate, Appledore near Ashford, England on October 28, 2022. Credit: Getty Images)

Attracted by Argentina’s right-wing libertarian president Javier Milei, and fearful of political breakdown and even the prospect of a widescale war in the northern hemisphere, some US citizens say they are planning to move to the South American nation to start afresh.

We speak to a few of them, and to an Argentine tech entrepreneur who left his country years ago due to its political and economic instability, but who is now spending more time there – attracted by Milei’s promises to slash the state.

What will these converts to Argentina find there, and will it match their expectations?

(Picture: Argentina's president, Javier Milei, on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Natalio Cosoy

Colonel Chris Hadfield is a former fighter pilot who became an astronaut and served as a commander of the International Space Station (ISS).

While in orbit he became a social media star, posting breath-taking pictures of earth, as well as videos demonstrating practical science and playing his guitar. These days, the Canadian invests in businesses and has written several best-selling fiction and non-fiction books.

In this programme, Chris Hadfield tells Russell Padmore how he was influenced by Star Trek, and the Apollo missions to the moon, as a child. He outlines why he welcomes private investment in space and he explains how he has become known for being the musical star in orbit.

(Picture: Chris Hadfield with a night sky in the background. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Russell Padmore

They’re the kind of mega vessels which only a handful of people on the planet can afford.

We go to the Netherlands, where building and maintaining the most expensive yachts in the world is big business.

We visit Dutch yacht builder Heesen to look at the intricate design of these vessels, their opulence, and the huge amounts of money involved in building and selling them.

Plus we hear from those who actually help put the boats together.

And we get an expert view on the importance of the Superyacht sector to the country's overall maritime industry, and hear how politics, public perceptions, regulation and international sanctions have impacted the industry in recent years.

Presented and produced by Matthew Kenyon

(Image: Vida superyacht 55m built by Heesen Yachts and owned by Brooks Smith moored in Malaga, Spain in April 2023 (Photo by John Keeble/Getty Images)

It's a familiar feature of our oceans and beaches and yet its environmental impact has largely been overlooked.

Now supporters say seaweed can help us address climate change by reducing our reliance on fertilisers, and by reducing the methane emissions produced by cows. On top of that, proponents say a new material produced from the sugars in seaweed could provide a biodegradable alternative to the millions of tonnes of single-use plastic we throw away each year.

No wonder the World Bank is predicting a global seaweed boom worth $12bn this decade.

We hear from scientists and entrepreneurs from Australia to Zanzibar who say we are only just beginning to understand the exciting possibilities posed by this ubiquitous underwater species.

The Irish folk tune Dúlamán, about the island’s traditional seaweed gatherers, is used with the permission of musician Seoirse Ó Dochartaigh.

Produced and presented by Vivienne Nunis.

(Picture: Seaweed farm. Sumbawa. Indonesia. Credit: Getty Images)

We explore the largest infrastructure project in the history of the Baltic states - a new high-speed line connecting Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania with their Western allies.

The project is supposed to be an economic boost to the region, and yet getting it on track hasn't been straightforward.

We speak to those in charge of the project, and to businesses in the cities en-route.

Produced and presented by Lisa Louis.

(Image: The partly-built Rail Baltica Riga central hub in Riga, Latvia, in June 2024. Credit: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

In this programme, we look at some of the key issues for voters in the crucial, so-called ‘swing states’ in the 2024 US Presidential Election.

From Pennsylvania and the battle for blue-collar workers’ votes in Pittsburgh, to the cost of living in Nevada and the auto industry in Michigan. While for voters in Georgia, housing is proving to be a key issue.

We hear from people in each of these states about what matters to them and what could bring in those crucial votes for each candidate.

Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Hannah Mullane

(Picture: A 'Welcome to Nevada' road sign next to a Nevada State boundary sign. Credit: Getty Images)

On the character's 50th birthday, we hear from the boss of the Japanese company which created her.

Sanrio CEO Tomokuni Tsuji took over from his grandfather who founded the company in Japan.

The company struggled to be profitable for years - we find out how under the leadership of Tomokuni Tsuji, the brand has grown to a trillion yen company, and speak about some of the challenges around counterfeits.

Produced and presented by Mariko Oi

(Image: A woman poses with Hello Kitty plushies at the exhibition CUTE in London, United Kingdom on January 24, 2024. Credit: Getty Images)

Once difficult to find outside of Japan, the green tea has made it onto the menus of major coffee chains.

The matcha tea industry is projected to reach US$5bn in revenue by 2031.

We look at the role TikTok, celebrity and wellness endorsements have played, and ask whether the matcha we drink in the west is healthy.

Plus we hear from producers who say the industry needs regulation.

Presented and produced by Megan Lawton

(Image: Matcha tea in a cup. Credit: Getty Images)

They’re the interactive games where players race against the clock to solve puzzles and break free.

And now major brands are tapping into the trend.

Companies are investing in escape rooms to enhance internal communications and team-building, and they’re now being seen as a powerful external communication tool too.

And we learn how escape rooms are being used to engage customers and showcase their products, crafting unusual marketing experiences.

Presented and produced by Deborah Weitzmann

It has already inspired the hit HBO television series Succession, but now Rupert Murdoch’s family drama is playing out in real life in a courtroom in the US state of Nevada.

The 93-year-old media mogul is trying to change the terms of a family trust he made years ago that states that after his death, his four eldest children should get equal voting rights in his empire. Murdoch wants to alter it to give his eldest son Lachlan greater control.

We hear from outside the courtroom, look back at Murdoch’s extraordinary career, and talk to two people who know the Murdoch family story well. And we reflect on what the court case might mean for one of the world’s most powerful media empires.

(Picture: Rupert Murdoch arriving at a courthouse in Reno, Nevada. Credit: Reuters)

Presented and produced by Gideon Long

We look at how some leaders in the battleground state of Pennsylvania are fighting for the approval of a deal for a Japanese company to purchase US Steel Corporation. That’s despite strong opposition from the unions and both presidential candidates.

(Picture: Edgar Thompson Plant in Braddock, PA. Credit: Getty Images/Washington Post)

Presented and produced by Monica Miller

From growing up as a refugee to leading the most recognised sustainability label in the world, Sandra Uwera talks about the challenges she's faced, and her drive to improve the lives of around two million farmers and workers around the world, through Fairtrade International.

(Picture: Sandra Uwera. Credit: Fairtrade International)

Presented and produced by Devina Gupta

In today’s episode we look at some ingenious solutions to water related problems.

We start our aquatic journey by going on a tour of one of Victorian England’s most important feats of engineering.

We discover a cheap and easy way to test for water quality, and learn about one of the biggest and most ambitious flood defence and general infrastructure projects in the world.

And we hear how a water and sanitation engineer in Nairobi, Kenya, is trying to prevent huge volumes of H2O being wasted in leaks.

(Image: The Octagon at Crossness Pumping Station, London. Credit: P. Scrimshaw)

Presented and produced by Elizabeth Hotson

In the second of a two-part series, we travel to the US-Canada border to find out what people, businesses and industries are thinking ahead of the US election. From one of North America’s busiest border crossings, to Canada’s energy capital, we hear from those who might be impacted by November’s result.

South of the border, in Mexico, we hear how tension with China is benefitting America’s closest neighbours.

Presenter: Sam Gruet Producer: Megan Lawton

(Photo:: A road sign in Fort Erie, Ontario points in the direction of the Peace Bridge crossing to New York. Credit: Getty Images)

The US presidential election on 5 November 2024 will have major consequences for its neighbours, Canada and Mexico. Trade, immigration, and diplomatic relations all hinge on the election's outcome.

This episode explores how the two countries are preparing for either a Donald Trump or Kamala Harris presidency. From business owners and farmers to international trade specialists, we learn what is at stake for North America’s economies.

Presenter: Sam Gruet Production: Sam Gruet and Megan Lawton

(Photo: Canadian farmer Dave Braden who produces organic grass-fed beef from his 50-acre Ontario farm. Credit: Megan Lawton)

Theo Leggett reports on the latest trends and concerns preoccupying the automobile industry at this year’s Paris Motor Show. Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers have established that they can manufacture vehicles more cheaply than their European counterparts, and now they are looking to move into that market. Theo hears from Chinese and French car manufacturers about what this will mean for consumers.

China is not the only country selling EVs to European consumers, a big American name is reviving a classic brand with a new electric offering. And in a city where driving and parking is always a challenge, Theo checks out the latest solution – a tiny car produced by a toy manufacturer.

Producer/presenter: Theo Leggett

(Photo: visitors browsing the manufacturer displays at the Paris Motor Show 2024. Credit: Nathan Laine/Getty Images)

We meet the Team Principal at Williams Racing - who says he's determined to restore one of Formula 1’s most historic teams to its former glory.

From facing rejection early in his career to working with Honda, Brawn GP and Mercedes, James Vowles recounts his journey in the sport.

He is now focussed on transforming Williams, who have not claimed a championship since the late 1990’s.

Presenter: Theo Leggett Producer: Amber Mehmood

(Image: James Vowles at Williams Racing HQ in Oxfordshire. Credit: Amber Mehmood)

We look at a growing trend using artificial intelligence (AI) to 'connect' people to loved ones who have died.

The grief tech sector, also called "death tech", is now valued at more than £100bn globally, according to tech news website TechRound.

We hear from the people using technology, from the businesses building it, and we find out about the ethical challenges they face.

Is it going too far?

Produced and presented by Isabel Woodford

(Image: Woman looking at her phone in the dark. Credit: Getty Images)

We get the views of three American retailers - how do they see the economy and what do they want from the next US president?

We hear from a department store owner in Indiana, a bookshop owner in Texas and a snack company based in New York City.

Produced and presented by Ed Butler Additional production by Matt Lines

(Image: A shop owner holding an open sign. Credit: Getty Images)

We look into the implications of what has been described as sport's 'trial of the century'

If Manchester City are found guilty of breaching the English Premier League's financial rules - allegations Manchester City and the club strongly deny - the team could face relegation, while the Premier League risks serious reputational damage.

Produced and presented by Alex Capstick

(Manchester City celebrate winning the 2023/24 Premier League title. Credit: Getty Images)

People have been participating in mass rallies in India seeking justice for a young medical trainee who was raped and murdered in a hospital.

It’s put a spotlight once again on women’s safety at work - particularly for those women doing night shifts.

There are laws to protect women from sexual harassment in the workplace, but campaigners say it can be slow to get justice.

So what more can be done to improve women's safety and encourage female participation in the workforce? We talk to some night shift workers about their experiences.

(Picture: Activists and medical professionals shout slogans during a protest march to condemn the rape and murder of a doctor. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Devina Gupta

Ruth Alexander talks to Nagi Maehashi, founder of the hit food site, RecipeTin Eats.

Back in 2014, Nagi gave up a high-flying job in corporate finance to start her blog. The gamble paid off and her blog now gets half a billion hits a year. She is also the author of two cookery books.

Nagi tells Ruth what those early days were like, how she built the business, and what mistakes she made along the way.

Plus - we hear about the crucial role of the blog's co-star Dozer, Nagi's much-loved Golden Retriever.

(Picture: Nagi Maehashi with her dog Dozer, surrounded by print-outs of her recipes. Credit: Rob Palmer)

Presenter: Ruth Alexander Producer: Lexy O'Connor

We look at the impact of a new 10 year deal with Madrid - does it mean one of the longest-serving venues - Barcelona - will lose out?

We speak to businesses and hotels in Barcelona who are looking to the future.

Is it really sustainable for one country to host two F1 events each year?

Produced and presented by Ashish Sharma.

(Image: Max Verstappen drives by the crowd during the 2024 Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit De Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. Image: Getty Images)

The minimalist, flat-packed furniture company has revolutionised living spaces globally.

Originating from a small Swedish farm in the 1940s, it quickly grew and gained household recognition in the 1970s and 1980s.

Today, Ikea stands as the world's largest furniture retailer.

We speak to CEO Jesper Brodin to explore Ikea's brand evolution and its ability to adapt to consumer trends over the span of eight decades.

And how realistic are its sustainability targets?

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer Amber Mehmood

(Image: Jesper Brodin. Credit: Getty Images/ Archive Credit: British Pathé, Homes Limited 1945)

Islands around the world rely on ships as their lifeline service - for everything from their domestic supplies, to making hospital visits, as well as supporting vital industries like tourism. When the services go down, for weather or technical reasons, these remote communities are cut off from the mainland, with no back-up option.

We hear from opposite sides of the world - Scotland and New Zealand - where unreliable car ferries disrupt the daily lives of residents and visitors.

And we hear from a company running one island ferry service that's working to improve its reliability.

(Picture: Caledonian MacBrayne ferry coming into Brodick harbour, Scotland.)

Presented and produced by Neil Morrow

Is selling off abandoned homes for a dollar or a pound the answer to invigorating a city?

We meet some of the people in the port cities of Baltimore in the US and Liverpool in the UK who have taken part in similar housing revival schemes. Is it an easy win, or is solving a city's problems more complicated?

(Picture: Maxine Sharples, who bought a house in Liverpool for a £1, holding a photo showing her undertaking renovation work in her home.)

Presented and produced by Rowan Bridge

Carl Allen is a multi-millionaire former businessman who ran a trash bag company in the US.

He's now the owner of an island in the Bahamas, a philanthropist and deep-sea treasure hunter, scouring the seabed for sunken Spanish galleons, slave ships and long-lost treasure. He tells us about his relentless search for one Spanish galleon that’s fired his imagination for the past 40 years. We discuss the ethics of treasure hunting and his belief that the best way to bring up relics from the bottom of the ocean is through PPPs - public-private partnerships. Produced and presented by Gideon Long

(Image: Carl Allen on a boat with some treasure. Image credit: Brendan Chavez at Allen Exploration)

There are more than three million vessels on the world's sea beds, and plenty of explorers looking for them.

But if they find something valuable, do they get to keep it? We talk to an arbitration lawyer about the laws governing the sea, and hear from maritime archaeologists about the perils of rummaging around on the ocean floor, disturbing long-sunken wrecks that offer a priceless glimpse into history. Some say we should leave these ships be, especially when they’re graveyards. Others say we should bring them to the surface, put them in museums to educate people, make money from them and perhaps even sell off some of their treasure.

Produced and presented by Gideon Long

(Image: A diver looks at a shipwreck. Credit: Getty Images)

In the first of our three part series looking at the money behind shipwrecks, we start with what's been called "the most valuable shipwreck in the world".

The San José is a Spanish galleon sunk by the British off the Colombian coast more than 300 years ago.

The treasure onboard is estimated to be worth $18bn, which means plenty of people are looking for it, and trying to lay claim to it.

A salvage company, the Colombians, the Spanish and a Bolivian indigenous community all say the shipwreck and treasure is theirs.

We hear their claims and find out more about this "holy grail of shipwrecks".

Presented and produced by Gideon Long.

(Image: Wagner's action of Cartagena (depicting the moment the San Jose exploded) by Samuel Scott. Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London)

It’s the second largest landmass in the world, famous for its lakes and spectacular forests, yet Canada’s travel industry has faced challenges since the Covid pandemic hit in 2020.

International visitor numbers still haven't recovered, and extreme weather events like wildfires have destroyed some of its best-known resorts. Plus difficult diplomatic relations have meant a reduction in tourists from a key market - China.

But Canada’s government says it has a plan for the sector which is worth $38bn CAD to Canada’s GDP.

We’ll hear about it from the country’s tourism minister and from business owners and tourists too.

Presenter/producer: Megan Lawton

(Photo: Jack Rivers is an indigenous cultural guide on Manitoulin Island, he runs tours around the Wiikwemkoong Reserve)

As the world gradually adopts 5G, there’s already talk of the next generation.

It’ll be around 2030 before 6G arrives, but network operators in Japan and South Korea are gearing up.

Meanwhile, some predict that 6G will render smartphones obsolete within a decade.

Devices like sensors, displays, drones and electronics in vehicles will spontaneously create their own networks, sending and receiving at super-fast data rates and low latency.

So, why the early excitement over 6G? How should businesses be preparing and what difference will it make to our lives?

Presenter: Gareth Mitchell Reporter: Michael Kaloki Producer: Izzy Greenfield

(Image: A person holds a mobile phone next to a cell tower. Credit: Getty Images)

Ever been stuck in a meeting drowning in buzzwords? Terms like "synergies", "low-hanging fruit" or "deliverables"?

They're just a few examples of corporate jargon. A lexicon of colourful metaphors, buzzwords and acronyms that you’d never use with friends or family but have become common parlance in the world of international business.

Workplace lingo might serve as a useful industry short-hand, or a way to gel with colleagues, but it can also irritate, obscure meaning or even hide unpleasant truths. And it's more prevalent than ever.

In this episode, we team up with our colleagues at BBC Learning English to explore the origins and purpose of corporate language and why we love to hate it; hearing from workplace culture and linguistics experts, professionals in the City of London, a plain-talking CEO, and some of you - the BBC World Service audience.

(Picture: Business people looking at sticky notes on a glass board as part of an upskill workshop. Credit: Getty Images.)

Presenters: Ed Butler and Pippa Smith Producer: Elisabeth Mahy

Want to learn more about this topic? Click on Related links or go to: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/business-jargon/240925

Former fund manager Ruchir Sharma spent most of his career as a money manager on Wall Street. Lately though, he’s become a fierce critic of modern capitalism – arguing that the economic system is less fair and less efficient than it has ever been.

What’s the fix?

Produced and presented by Vivienne Nunis

(Image: Ruchir Sharma)

We visit an archaeological dig and meet the heritage consultants who ‘rescue history’ before the developers move in.

In wealthy countries, these consultants are paid in advance, and this has led to a growing industry. In lower income countries that’s not the case – so what’s happening there?

Plus - we look at how the very definition of heritage is fundamentally shifting.

(Picture: Archaeologist excavating part of human skeleton and skull from the ground. Credit: Getty Images.)

Presented and produced by David Reid

Billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, as well companies like Boeing, believe a future where more satellites are put in orbit, alongside new space stations, as well as plans for bases on the moon, will prove very profitable.

But it is not proving easy for Boeing in particular, following problems with its Starliner space craft on its maiden flight to the International Space Station.

We hear from astrophysicists, companies that advise on space investment, and former astronaut Cady Coleman.

Produced and presented by Russell Padmore

(Image: Artist's concept of the Boeing Starliner craft travelling in Earth orbit. Credit: Boeing)

Vietnam has enjoyed more than 6% annual growth every year for the last thirty years or more, a staggering growth path, transforming one of Asia’s poorest economies into a major global trading hub. It's now one of the world’s top twenty economies.

But are there challenges ahead. A high-profile anti-corruption drive, extreme weather events, and the death of its long-term leader have raised questions about the country’s path to prosperity.

(Picture: Aerial view of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, at night, showing high-rise buildings, the Landmark 81 supertall skyscraper, and transport networks. Credit: Getty Images.)

Presented and produced by Ed Butler

From experiencing a stroke at the age of 17, to various corporate jobs that never quite fit, we hear about Glenn Fogel's journey to becoming CEO of Booking Holdings, the parent company of online travel site Booking.com.

We learn why the EU-based company is in the sites of competition authorities having been dubbed a “gatekeeper” in the travel market, and we hear what Glenn thinks about the impacts of mass tourism.

(Image: Glenn Fogel. Credit: Getty Images)

Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Amber Mehmood

Tech titan Elon Musk says he’s backing Donald Trump to win the US election this November. But is he representative of what the wider industry thinks? And what does Silicon Valley, traditionally a Democratic heartland, want from either a Kamala Harris or a Donald Trump presidency? We explore what the two presidential candidates are offering this important sector of the US economy.

(Picture: A smartphone screen shows the live broadcast of the presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. A hand painted sign above it says ‘Trump or Harris?’ Credit: VCG/VCG via Getty Images.)

Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Lexy O'Connor

The 2024 women's basketball season has broken records from attendances at matches, to points scored by rookie Caitlin Clark.

As it draws to a close, we look at whether success on the court is leading to profitability off it.

Despite some major media deals, the WNBA is still struggling to turn a profit.

So is it really a major player in the sports industry?

Produced and presented by Izzy Greenfield

(Photo: A'ja Wilson, on court for the Las Vegas Aces. Credit: Getty Images)

From Paraguay to Portugal, Tokyo to Tel Aviv, more than 80 cities and countries around the world have introduced a ‘mayor for the night’. Several more are trying to introduce 24-hour zones to their nightlife – allowing alcohol to be served all day and night.

But what are the benefits?

We take you to the dancefloors of Montreal, Canada’s largest French-speaking city, where the local government is introducing a 24-hour zone.

We travel to Berlin, the club capital of the world, where all-nighters have been the order of business since 1949.

And we stop by Amsterdam to find out how electing a night mayor has boosted tourism and led to a drop in anti-social behaviour.

(Image: Montreal at night. Credit: Catrine Daoust)

Presented and produced by Sam Gruet

We use global positioning systems (GPS) for our sat navs and our mobile phones, and it's used extensively in aviation and shipping navigation.

But what happens when it's disrupted?

GPS jamming, when the signal isn't able to get through - and spoofing - which tricks the receiver into calculating a false position, is happening more and more.

We look into the impact on the transportation sector - and on our everyday lives.

Produced and presented by Gareth Mitchell

(Image: An airline cockpit. Credit: Getty Images)

One of the world's biggest logistics firms sits down with us to talk about freight costs, the German economy and his route to success.

DHL employs more than half a million people globally. It was as US-based logistics firm when it started out, but by 2001 was owned by Deutsche Post.

So how is the now German-based company navigating global economic challenges, including political tensions and conflicts?

Produced and presented by Leanna Byrne

(Image: Tobias Meyer. Credit: Getty Images)

What links the lightsabre, Scream mask and Wilson the volleyball?

They’re all film props - objects that help bring stories to life on screen. Behind the scenes, they support a whole industry of specialist expertise.

We speak to prop masters about the pressures on budgets and safety, following the death of Halyna Hutchins, who was killed on set by a prop gun.

Produced and presented by Laura Heighton-Ginns

(Image: Harry Potter's glasses on display in June 2021 at Prop Store in California, US. Credit: Getty Images)

RMS Titanic sank on 15 April 1912 claiming the lives of more than 1500 people. Just over 700 survived the disaster.

The events surrounding the sinking of the luxury ocean liner, the identities of those on board, plus the stories of heroism and heartbreak on the night have generated global fascination in the vessel, which continues to this day. And that interest in Titanic has generated huge commercial appeal and revenue - for writers, film and documentary makers, museums and auction houses.

We examine how some mysteries surrounding the doomed ship continue to spawn so many, varied business ventures around the world - and the ethical questions that arise from the continued fascination in the Titanic story.

(Picture: Woman looking down at some binoculars inside a glass case at a Titanic exhibition in Paris, France. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Russell Padmore

2023 was a record year of live music, with an all-time high in worldwide ticket sales.

Beyoncé and Taylor Swift’s world tours broke records, however fans trying to get tickets faced big problems.

We hear from musicians, fans and global ticket selling giant Live Nation (of which Ticketmaster is a part) to find out what’s happening, and if it is broken, what is being done to fix it?

Produced and presented by Sam Gruet

(Image: Beyoncé performs onstage during the Renaissance World Tour in October 2023, Kansas City, Missouri. Credit: Getty Images)

The campaign teams supporting Donald Trump and Kamala Harris in the race to the White House are expected to spend a total of more than $10 billion.

A journalist with the CBS network, Larry Magid, explains why most of the money will be spent on political advertising on television.

Professor Natasha Lindstaedt, from the University of Essex explains analyses why spending on American political campaigns continues to escalate.

The marketing expert, Allyson Stewart Allen, explains how the creative teams behind the political messages have learned lessons from advertising products like a new brand of drink.

We also hear from Robin Porter, the Head of Political at Loop Me on how the company’s artificial intelligence is helping to target voters, notably in swing states.

Produced and presented by Russell Padmore

(Image: Voters in Santa Monica. Credit: Getty Images)

They’re the 300 dollar subscription fitness bands being worn by a host of celebrity-backers in 2024. But who is the business leader behind the billion-dollar Whoop brand?

The son of an Egyptian migrant to the US, Will Ahmed was always interested in sports. During his college years he started to notice the dangers of doing too much sports training. He describes this as a ‘rabbit hole’ as he began researching sleep and recovery patterns in professional athletes.

This led him to create a fitness tracker company that is a 3.4 billion dollar venture today, attracting famous athlete-investors like Michael Phelps and Cristiano Ronaldo and taking on established names in fitness tech like Apple, Google, Garmin and Fitbit.

We hear how he did it, and what challenges he’s faced along the way.

(Picture: Will Ahmed in his office, wearing a Whoop device. Credit: Whoop)

Presented and produced by Devina Gupta

After protests and political turmoil, we look at the challenges facing the new interim government.

We'll hear from the biggest suppliers to global fast fashion brands and talk to students about their hopes and anxieties.

Plus we have an exclusive interview with the country’s new central bank governor.

Presenter: Nikhil Inamdar Producer: Jaltson Akkanath Chummar

(Image: A garment worker at a sewing machine in Bangladesh)

Dua Lipa, Ariana Grande and even Donald Trump have signed up to the manifesting philosophy - the trend in believing that dreams can come true if you envision a positive outcome.

But does it hold the secret to financial and professional success or is it a pseudoscientific fad? And what's behind the meteoric rise of this new-age practice?

From books and podcasts to thousands of creators and videos on social media, Megan Lawton traces the history, investigates the methods and explores the latest wave of this 'positive mindset phenomenon'.

Presented and produced by Megan Lawton

(Picture: Alicia Tghlian runs manifesting platform, Growth for Girlies, from her condo in Toronto, Canada.)

As many countries and cities around the world rally against over tourism, we're in Albania which is investing huge sums in growing its infrastructure to welcome visitors in.

The UN ranks Albania 4th globally for tourism growth and it places top spot in the European list of countries. Around 14 million visitors are expected in 2024 but with a tourism boom comes huge investment, construction and a changing economy, but at what cost to the environment? We hear about plans to build a luxury resort - funded by Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner - and travel to a construction site for a new airport serving the coastal resorts.

Produced and presented by Daniel Rosney

(Image: Aerial view of a crowded sand beach with umbrellas and lots of people at sunset in Ksamil, southern Albania. Credit: Getty Images)

We hear from farmers in Montana, Iowa and Georgia.

What do they want to hear from the presidential candidates ahead of the US election?

Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: David Cann

(Image: A farmer using a combine in the US. Credit: Getty Images)

It is transfer deadline day for football's most competitive league - the Premier League - when clubs can add players to their squad who were previously under contract with another club.

In the cut and thrust of football's transfer market are the agents. Among them, Kees Vos - who has been described as one of the most influential figures in world football. As agent to Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, he is said to control the ins and outs of the club.

Matt Lines talks to him about the stories behind the headline transfer sagas and how the industry has changed during his 20 years in the business.

(Photo: Kees Vos. Credit: SEG Entertainment)

Presented/produced by Matt Lines

As temperatures rise, productivity falls.

Extreme global temperatures are draining tens of billions of dollars in economic productivity every year from some of the world’s biggest cities. It’s not just outdoor jobs that are impacted, but office work too.

In this episode, we ask work leaders, economists and employees what can be done to work around hot weather. From changing working hours to introducing heatwave insurance.

(Picture: Labourer drinking from a water bottle, in the sunshine. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Megan Lawton

Cities and countries across the world are bringing in measures to restrict the type of lets popularised by companies like Airbnb and Vrbo.

The regulations are to address concerns that homes in tourist areas are being used by visitors rather than being available for local people to rent on a long-term basis.

We hear from Barcelona where its hoped thousands of flats will now be available for local people, and we're also in Halifax in Canada, where restrictions been in place for nearly a year.

Produced and presented by Rick Kelsey

(Image: A couple pressing a doorbell on a street in Spain. Credit: Getty Images)

Chocolate is very important to Switzerland’s economy: with more than 200,000 metric tonnes produced each year, sales are worth almost $2 billion.

But there are challenges – not just over sustainability, but over exploitation. And the volatile price of cacao.

We meet the researchers who are coming up with solutions – including new, and potentially healthier, types of a favourite indulgence.

And ask: Is this enough to secure the future of chocolate?

Produced and presented by Imogen Foulkes

(Image: A scientist developing a new chocolate product)

The US-based lawyer and managing partner at litigation firm Wisner Baum, in Los Angeles, has made his name taking on large pharmaceutical companies in high-stakes legal battles. He is the youngest attorney in US history to win a multi-billion dollar jury verdict.

We hear how Brent transitioned from child actor, to successful lawyer, and how one ground-breaking case has now caught the attention of film-makers.

(Picture: Brent Wisner delivers opening remarks in the Monsanto trial in San Francisco, California on July, 09, 2018. Credit: Getty Images)

Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Amber Mehmood

We’re in Manisa on Turkey’s west coast.

It’s one of the country’s manufacturing centres for home appliances like washers, dryers, and refrigerators.

But soon, thanks to a $1bn investment deal, it will also be a local factory hub for China’s BYD - the world’s second biggest maker of electric vehicles.

The Turkish government is desperate for international investment to turn around its economy, and the region would benefit from 5,000 jobs. China is keen to get another foothold into the European market. So is it win-win?

Produced and presented by: Victoria Craig

(Image: BYD vehicles in Istanbul as the Chinese automotive giant announced a huge factory investment. Credit: Getty Images)

Each year millions of Indians go abroad to study and work. A lot of them end up sending money back home, a transfer known as remittances.

The money is a crucial source of household income in low and middle-income countries, according to the World Bank. India is the only country to have received more than 100 billion dollars through this route - but it comes at a loss of its human capital. We speak to Indian expats and economists to explore the effect of remittances on the Indian economy.

Presenter/ producer: Devina Gupta

(Photo: Closeup view of a man counting Indian currency. Credit: Getty Images)

In February 2024, huge forest fires destroyed 90% of the land and plant species. Workers were killed and homes destroyed.

We travel to the seaside town of Vina del Mar to find out how the country’s oldest and most important botanical garden is recovering.

The garden’s described as the green lung of the region, and used to be home to hundreds of different plant species, many of them native to Chile.

We’ve follow the gardens as they try to reopen and get visitors and tourists back through the gates.

Produced and presented by Jane Chambers

(Image: Park rangers clean roads after the fires in February 2024. Image: Getty Images)

We catch up on the ongoing disruption to the shipping industry after Houthi attacks on commercial vessels.

The Iran-backed group said it was targeting ships linked to Israel, the US and the UK in support of Hamas.

We look at the cost of diverting cargo away from the Red Sea, and hear about the impact of months of disruption.

Plus a new remote shipping route is getting more traffic, as ships travel over the top of the world via the Arctic.

Produced and presented by Rick Kelsey

(Image: A Houthi military helicopter flies over a ship in the Red Sea. Credit: Reuters)

Ginny Gilder won silver as a US Olympic rower in 1984. Today, she's a multimillionaire owner of a women's professional basketball team.

How did success in the water inspire Ginny's breakthrough to the board room?

We look at a life given to sport and business - and what drives her.

(Image: Ginny Gilder. Credit: Getty Images)

Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Amber Mehmood

As Spain's La Liga gets underway, we explore the global advertising appeal and earning potential of one of its newest football stars.

Jude Bellingham is a 21-year-old midfielder from England who plays for Real Madrid, and he's hitting the peak of his career.

The face of several brands, with major endorsement deals and more courting his attention, we explore his global advertising appeal, and how he might manage these partnerships while still focusing on his game.

Presented and produced by Matt Lines

(Image: Jude Bellingham holding the UEFA Champion's League trophy on 1 June 2024. Credit: Getty Images)

We explore professional dog-walking around the world. We hear from walkers from the United States, Argentina and Europe about how they operate, the growing market, and the challenges of making a career from taking other people's pets on daily walks - sometimes several at a time.

And we join a dog walker in Paris, Caroline, to find out why the relationship between walker and dog is the most important when securing clients.

Expect plenty of barks.

(Image: Caroline, a professional dog-walker in Paris, with three dogs)

Presented and produced by Sean Allsop

From Instagram-famous dogs to viral kittens, pet influencers are revolutionising brand marketing with viral content and endorsements.

It's a lucrative market in which companies are leveraging these furry celebrities to drive engagement and sales.

We'll uncover why this trend is proving to be so profitable.

(Image: Tika, an Italian greyhound, modelling canine fashion. Credit: Thomas Shapiro)

Presented and produced by Deborah Weitzmann

With animal adoptions skyrocketing during the pandemic, pet care has evolved dramatically.

From self-cleaning cat litter trays to smart feeding bowls, interactive toys, and pet cameras, we'll hear from some of the brands reshaping the way we care for our furry friends.

But are we missing out on the meaningful connections our pets need as automation becomes more prevalent?

(Picture: Rupert the British Shorthair cat, inside his litter robot. Credit: Deborah Weitzmann/BBC)

Presented and produced by Deborah Weitzmann

As prices for homes and rents continue to rise in many towns and cities, it's one of the key issues for voters.

In 2023 the average price of a home in the United States was $495,100, six per cent higher than a year earlier, though the signs are prices may now be starting to fall.

That’s partly because mortgage rates have spiralled as high as 7% for many new buyers – making repayments prohibitive.

We ask business owners working in housing to tell us why, and what’s the fix?

Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: David Cann

(Image: A "Now Leasing" sign outside the Willows at Valley Run, an affordable housing development, in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Credit: Getty Images)

Have you decided when you'd like to retire? Will it be your choice, or is there a set age in your country or profession?

More than a million people took part in protests in France last year when the government proposed an increase to the retirement age without a vote.

Age has also played a big factor in the replacement of Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential candidate.

So is a fixed retirement age a good idea – or workplace outdated? Should it be more fluid – a matter of personal choice?

Presenter: David Harper Producer: Victoria Hastings

(Image: Two women holding up placards that read, '64years it's no' march during a nation wide strike called for by French trade unions, in Rennes, northwest France on January 19, 2023. Credit: Damien Meyer/AFP via Getty Images)

Four sportsmen have reached 10 figures according to financial magazine Forbes.

However the wealthiest sportswoman, tennis star Serena Williams, could triple her wealth and not get there.

We speak to agent Stuart Duguid, who looks after four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka, who tells us how elite sportswomen are investing their money and what barriers there are to growing their fortunes.

We ask if, and when it might happen, and what that would mean for women’s sport.

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Matt Lines

(Serena Williams playing in the 2022 US Open. Credit: Al Bello/Getty Images)

The sudden closure of the huge open pit copper mine, Cobre Panamá, has created a dramatic economic fallout, with its loss of jobs and damage to the country’s reputation for investors.

It was shut down by Panama's Supreme Court after months of protests against it.

We look at the impact, and also ask what could happen next?

Produced and presented by Jane Chambers Additional sound mixing by Grant Cassidy

(Image: The Cobre Panama mine. Credit: Reuters)

The founder of one of Ireland's largest recruitment agencies, Staffline, shares how her upbringing during one of the most politically tumultuous periods in Northern Ireland's history, known as 'The Troubles', shaped her career path.

From working in her parent's taxi firm, to the probation service to recruitment. And even a foray into politics.

So what does Tina McKenzie MBE envision for the future of the country?

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Amber Mehmood

(Image: Tina McKenzie. Credit: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Football clubs must work under a strict policy of Financial Fair Play - or FFP - but what does it mean? And how does it work?

With the summer transfer window now open, clubs are in business, buying and selling players. But football’s governing bodies are keeping a close eye on how much they spend.

We take a look at how top-flight clubs in the Spanish league, La Liga, are managing the financial constraints.

(Image: Real Madrid unveils new signing, Kylian Mbappe, at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Spain, in July 2024. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Ashish Sharma.

More than 25 years after the Kosovo war, a music festival in the capital Pristina is hoping to change the image of the country around the world by inviting international artists and fans to learn more about the country’s cultural scene. Sunny Hill Festival is organised by global pop star Dua Lipa and her dad Dugi, who’s from Pristina.

They are using their industry contacts to bring acts like Bebe Rexha, Stormzy and Burna Boy to party with tens of thousands of people, as well as inviting top industry experts. But more than 15 years after Kosovo declared independence, could politicians be doing more to help boost the country’s music scene rather than relying on the Lipa family? Produced and presented by Daniel Rosney

(Dua Lipa performs on stage with her father Dukagjin Lipa during her first concert held in her hometown Pristina in 2016)

We look at Japan's policy to boost its economy by getting more women into the workforce.

It was announced back in 2013 by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and dubbed 'Womenomics'.

Mr Abe gave a deadline of 2020 to significantly increase the number of women in leadership roles. But that date quietly came and went without the target even getting close.

However could things could be starting to change? Japan Airlines new CEO Mitsuko Tottori is a woman, and that has restarted conversations. We hear from her, and from young women in the country about their hopes for the future.

Produced and presented by Mariko Oi

(Image: Mitsuko Tottori, chief executive officer of Japan Airlines Co. Credit: Getty Images)

We hear from 4-time Olympic gold medallist Libby Trickett and her entrepreneurial husband Liam.

Libby Trickett (Lenton) competed for Australia at the highest level, winning gold in the pool in Beijing and London.

At the height of her swimming career she married fellow swimmer Luke Trickett, who had left the sport and was using the skills he'd learnt as an athlete to enter the business world.

We hear how the Global Financial Crisis inspired Luke’s entrepreneurial spirit. And through it all, how teamwork has been their ultimate key to success in transitioning to new careers after retiring from competitive sports.

Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Amber Mehmood Editor: Lis Mahy

(Photo: Libby and Luke Trickett. Credit: Getty Images)

Paris 2024 will see the debut of the competitive street dance, Breaking.

From the streets of the Bronx in the 70s to sport's biggest stage, we hear from the pioneers and the athletes hoping to turn their passion into a lucrative career.

Breaking isn’t currently on the list for the next games in LA in 2028, so could it be a one-hit wonder?

(Image: Man doing a headstand outside with his crew cheering in the background. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Matt Lines

The running shoe industry is worth around $50bn across the world, with more and more of us taking part in the sport.

With more popularity comes more competition, so what are brands doing to keep consumers interested? We ask the chief marketing officer at Swiss sportswear company, ON, and find out how it helps sales when a top athlete wears their shoes.

And as the debate around 'super shoes' rumbles on, are they really worth the expensive price tag? US marathon winner Kellyn Taylor tells us about the pros and cons of carbon plated shoes - which played a big role in marathon records being smashed in 2023.

Presented and produced by Izzy Greenfield.

(This programme was first broadcast in January 2024. Picture: Runners on a race track. Credit: Getty Images)

We’re used to fashion giants like adidas and Nike designing athlete uniforms for the Olympics and Paralympics.

This year however, it’s likely we’ll see smaller labels on the podium.

In this programme we hear from the diverse list of designers and learn why the fashion industry is so keen to work with sports stars.

Presented and produced by Megan Lawton

(Image: Portugal's Gabriel Ribeiro competes during the Skateboarding Men's Street Preliminaries of the Olympic Qualifier Series 2024.Image: Getty Images)

People arriving at Paris’s Orly Airport for the 2024 Olympic games will be able to take an underground train straight to Saint-Denis where most of the Olympic action is taking place.

It's thanks to a line extension that opened on June 24. And that is just the ‘hors d’oeuvre’. The Grand Paris Express is a metro expansion on a massive scale whose aim is to transform the city from a normal-sized European capital to a metropolis the size of London.

What could it do for the Parisian, and French, economies?

(Image: Saint-Denis–Pleyel station in Paris, France. Copyright: Société des grands projets / Kengo Kuma & Associates / Sylvain Cambon)

Presented and produced by John Laurenson

We go to India to find out what it takes to manage one of the country's most iconic brands – Bisleri.

It is so popular that it has become synonymous with the product itself - bottled mineral water.

We hear from CEO Angelo George about the ethics of paying for water, plastic pollution and the challenges of shrinking water resources.

Produced and presented by Devina Gupta

Sound mixing by Wayne Parkes

(Image: Angelo George. Credit: Angelo George)

For decades, Nigeria has struggled to grow its domestic automotive industry while vehicles made by manufacturers from Japan, Korea, Europe and the US have dominated. But critics say many of those cars are not suitable for Nigeria’s roads.

Lately, there has been a surge of “made in Nigeria” brands, of vehicles manufactured and assembled locally, which have been designed with the country’s challenging road conditions in mind.

But as Nigerians are gearing up to the idea of replacing their trusted foreign brands with local alternatives, China has introduced a range of vehicles tailored to the Nigerian market - but cheaper.

(Image: A Nord Tank SUV. Credit: Tobi Ajayi)

Presented and produced by Peter Macjob

Love them or loathe them, retailers across the world are installing more automated checkouts, as they aim to reduce staff costs.

But the loss of personal service and the unreliable technology has prompted complaints from customers.

And supermarkets are also facing a significant increase in theft from self-scan checkouts.

We're in Ireland, where shops only installed the technology in recent years. Plus we hear from experts in Australia, China, the UK and United States.

(Image: A man scans some bread through a self checkout. Credit: Getty Images)

Produced and presented by Russell Padmore

We head to Montreal, host city of the Canadian F1 Grand Prix.

It's the country's largest tourist event, with an estimated 345,000 fans attending in 2023.

And the sport is growing in popularity, thanks in part to the Netflix series, Drive to Survive.

So how valuable is a Grand Prix to a country's economy? And which other cities are trying to get in on the action?

Produced and presented by Megan Lawton

(Image: The start of the Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec on 9 June 2024. Credit: Getty Images)

Some cities around the world have decided to make public transport free. Services can range from local bus routes to shopping malls to city-wide transit. We're in the rich nation of Luxembourg which became the first country to introduce free public transport nationally, as well as in Delhi where women can travel for free in an effort to boost the numbers of women in the workforce. We're also hearing from Kansas City where the funding model is running out for a scheme introduced four years ago. Produced and presented by Daniel Rosney

Image:A woman boards a bus in New Delhi in October 2019, following a Delhi goverment travel scheme distributing free bus tickets for women. (Photo by Sajjad HUSSAIN/AFP via Getty Images)

We hear from Democrat fundraisers who are divided over whether he should pull out of the campaign for re-election.

In the past week, since Joe Biden's disastrous debate performance, a number of donors have publicly warned they will withhold funds unless Mr Biden is replaced as the Democratic party candidate.

Pressure on Mr Biden, 81, to step aside has grown, including from Hollywood celebrities George Clooney and Michael Douglas.

However he has vowed to stay on, taking on Donald Trump, 78, in the November presidential election.

Produced and presented by Ed Butler

(Image: President Joe Biden speaks during a 4th of July event on the South Lawn of the White House on July 4, 2024 in Washington, DC. Credit: Getty Images)

Two football mad continents, Europe and South America, are competing in international tournaments at the moment.

Fans are all decked out in their teams shirts - but they’re not all wearing the latest versions.

In fact, sales of retro or vintage shirts are booming.

Be it the iconic Italian kits of the 90s, the classic sky blue of Argentina or Nigeria’s viral world cup kit - we look into this trend and speak to the fans who are buying, and the companies cashing in.

Produced and presented by Imran Rahman-Jones.

Image: A fan wears a retro Eric Cantona shirt before a Manchester United match in April 2024. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

It's the biggest operation of its kind in US history, as the state tries to save its coastline which is vanishing at an alarming rate.

We travel to the Mississippi River and the city of New Orleans to see how billions of dollars are being spent to fix the rapid land loss.

The project to revert the Mississippi to its land-making pathways could restore ecosystems destroyed by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and create buffers to protect against sea level rise and hurricanes.

The Louisiana coastline is disappearing due to human-made and natural factors, such as leveeing the Mississippi for oil and gas infrastructure, erosion, and sea-level rises.

And this is having an impact on local wetlands which are eroding, leaving communities vulnerable to storm surges and flooding.

Produced and presented by Beth Timmins

(Image: Oyster shells painted by members of the community as part of the shorelines project )

The global alcohol industry is worth just over one and a half trillion US dollars, and celebrities want a part of it.

Famous faces and their drinks brands are filling up the shelves, from model Kendall Jenner’s tequila to actor Ryan Reynolds’s gin. And it’s not just alcohol: the energy drink market is in the sights of celebrities, too. How much more are customers willing to pay for these products?

In today’s episode of Business Daily, we'll ask those who stock the drinks, and those who serve them, how much difference - if any - a famous name makes, and we'll hear why celebrities and brands benefit from mutual association.

(Picture: David Beckham and Kendall Jenner. Credit: Getty Images/BBC)

Presented and produced by Izzy Greenfield

Ghana’s parliament has recently passed a tough new anti-LGBT bill.

President Nana Akufo-Addo hasn't yet signed it in to law, after warnings that it could threaten Ghana’s much needed donor funding from places like the World Bank and IMF.

Ghana is suffering a major economic crisis and last year had a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Other African countries have also brought in similar laws. But is it fair for international financial institutions to get involved in politics in this way?

Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Immie Rhodes

(Image credit: AFP)

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being applied in multiple industries all around the world, and in travel, the technology has made big strides.

We travel to Spain to find out how the airline Iberia and the hotel chain Iberostar are using AI to change the way they operate.

At Iberostar, AI applications can analyse and predict the amount of food that restaurants will need, and hopefully reduce food waste as a result.

Meanwhile, Iberia is using the tool as a personal assistant to help high-end travellers plan their trips.

And we hear about some of the limitations of the technology if it's not applied properly.

(Picture: Business woman with an open suitcase, preparing for a trip, while looking at her phone. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Ashish Sharma

In the midst of a snap general election, we take the opportunity to look at the state of the country’s economy.

France has a huge debt burden and some business leaders are worried that the economy could worsen if Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party get into power. The French stock market has been falling since the parliamentary election was announced - although it has recovered slightly after Sunday's result. Meanwhile the parties on the left have formed a new alliance, The New Popular Front, with radical policies like increasing tax on high earners and reducing the pension age.

Although we are fixated on the rise of the far right, the parties of the left formed a united block to fight RN and they have made gains in the first round of voting.

We hear from a solar panel manufacturer in Paris, plus a former UK Ambassador to Paris who knows President Emmanuel Macron. And economic experts in Brussels and Frankfurt discuss the EU perspective.

Presented and produced by Russell Padmore

(Image: Supporters of the far-right National Rally wave French flags at the party headquarters following voting during the first round of legislative elections on 30 June 2024)

It is the biggest sporting event on the planet based on the millions of spectators who line roads for a fleeting view, but this year a shake up will mean the loss of the iconic Champs Elysees finish.

We look at how a cycling race became a global money spinner - particularly for its owners, the Amaurys, one of the richest families in sport.

We also visit the Maurienne valley, a regular stop off for the Tour, to find out what’s in it for sponsors and hosts.

And with a new final stage ending in Nice to steer clear of the Paris Olympics, and a date clash with the French election, could 2024 see a change in fortunes for the Tour de France?

Producer/presenter: Laura Heighton-Ginns

(Photo: Mark Cavendish, Davide Ballerini, Elmar Reinders, Michael Morkov Dylan Groenewegen and Cees Bol competing during the 111th Tour de France 2024, Stage 2. Credit: Getty Images)

After tackling its security problem, can the smallest country in Central America get its finances under control too?

We hear from street sellers, economists and locals about the issues they're still facing, and visit a surf town where tourism is having a big economic impact.

Produced and presented by Jane Chambers

(Image: A street market in San Salvador, El Salvador, on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. Credit: Getty Images)

The CEO of Vue International started out as a high school drop out as he wanted to concentrate on a snowsports career.

We hear how, when that didn't work out, Tim Richards ended up entering the film industry and eventually starting his own cinema chain in his garage.

Vue is now Europe's largest privately owned cinema chain but it hasn't been an easy ride - Tim tells us how the company has weathered both the Covid pandemic and the Hollywood writer's strikes. Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Amber Mehmood

(Image: Tim Richards. Credit: Getty Images)

With just over a week to go until the UK General Election, we head to the seaside town of Southport in the north west of England.

We speak to students and young entrepreneurs who live in the area to find out how they are feeling.

We ask about the impact of inflation and a rising cost of living, and see which issues they'd like to hear the politicians talking about.

It's far from a British problem - Southport could really be a microcosm of the changes and challenges facing young people in a community near you.

Presenter: Will Bain Producers: Izzy Greenfield and Lexy O'Connor

(Image: Business owner Leanne and manager Alex behind the till at the their shop Cake Corner)

Ever needed to put your stuff in a storage unit?

Recent research predicts the global self-storage market will be worth around $70bn by 2031 and the UK’s self-storage industry made more than £1bn last year for the first time ever.

But what’s behind this rapid growth? What are people putting into these units? And what does it have to do with Gen Z and internet shoppers?

We also hear from critics on what the growing industry says about housing around the world.

Presented and produced by Sam Gruet

(Image: A young woman loads storage boxes into a unit. Credit: Getty Images)

A shadow fleet of old and poorly maintained ships is cruising the high seas, often hiding their true identities through a series of shell companies.

Their numbers have grown massively since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Lloyd’s List estimates as many as 12% of tankers are part of the dark fleet.

There’s increasing concern about the danger to the environment, and to ship’s crews. But how effective at tackling the problem is the regulator, the International Maritime Organisation?

Presenter: Lesley Curwen Producer: Clare Williamson

(Image: Sea and ship at sunset. Credit: Getty Images)

Senegalese international and former Chelsea goalkeeper Édouard Mendy is considered a legend of football.

Becoming the first African to be awarded both the UEFA and FIFA goalkeeper of the year in 2021, followed by a big money transfer deal to Saudi Arabia, Mendy has reached the very heights of the game.

But football careers don't last forever, so he is diversifying, and can now add a new line on his CV - as an investor in Francophone Africa.

We hear about his work on the pitch to date, what’s motivated a move into fintech, and why he thinks footballers need to plan for their future after they give up the professional game.

(Image: Edouard Mendy looks on in the paddock during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia, 2024. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Peter Macjob

The social shopping industry is estimated to reach around $8.5 trillion in global sales by 2030. So what are the big tech giants doing to win over a generation of teenagers hooked onto shopping on social media?

We find out what makes shopping social and find out what happens when a country bans social shopping on the world’s fastest growing platform.

We speak to Gen Z shoppers, social media experts and an Indonesian business owner who almost had to let his staff go after the government changed the law around selling on social media.

Presented and produced by Sam Gruet

(Image:Livestream seller Evo Syah. Image credit: Evo Syah)

As prize money gaps between men and women begin to close in many sports, in golf, the pay disparity is still very large.

Nelly Korda, winner of five consecutive tournaments, earned less than Scottie Scheffler, who won four. And although current and former players like Korda and Mel Reid have made strides in the game, there's a significant difference in the prize money they receive.

A lot of the disparity has been linked to the level of investment in the game. The men’s game has seen major cash injections, such as the $2 billion from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund into LIV Golf. Sam Fenwick explores what could boost investment in the women’s game and asks current player Mel Reid and former player, Nancy Lopez, how the game can attract more funding and TV time.

(Picture: A montage of Nelly Korda and Scottie Scheffler, swinging their golf clubs, against a background of a green. Credit: PA/USA Today Sports/BBC)

Presented and produced by Sam Fenwick

Summer tourism in the Mediterranean is not only already in full swing but set for another bumper season.

In Rhodes, "the more the merrier” is the mantra on this famed Greek isle, which is economically reliant on tourism. But the growing influx of arrivals each year alongside increasing frequency and ferocity of the annual wildfire season is posing some hard questions for locals about the need for more environmentally-friendly forms of tourism. Now, an ambitious five-year programme is underway, aimed at transforming the fourth-largest Greek island into “a beacon for sustainable tourism.” We head to Rhodes to take a look at how it is progressing, how businesses are adapting, and the way tourists are responding.

Presenter/producer: Victoria Craig

(Photo: Anda Karayanni of the Irene Palace Hotel, Rhodes, tending to some plants. Credit: Victoria Craig/BBC)

When is tourism good tourism, and when is it just too much?

Current projections suggest global travel is going to carry on rising for the foreseeable future, as low-cost air travel and budget rentals make package holidays ever more affordable for ever more people.

But from Tenerife to Venice, more and more tourist destinations are feeling the pressure of these rising visitor numbers. In holiday hotspots, local people are complaining of congested streets, rising housing costs, and environmental degradation. And some have even taken to the streets to protest about the issue. So what’s to be done?

(Image: Thousands of people demonstrate against tourism policies on the island of Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain in 2024)

Presented and produced by Ed Butler

23 years ago, the US multi-millionaire Dennis Tito became the world’s first-ever space tourist, funding his own trip into orbit.

There was clearly money to be made, and now the lure of making space tourism more accessible to the masses is even greater - with several private companies jockeying for position.

Jane Poynter’s firm is among them.

It’s an industry experiencing dramatic growth – but the price of any of these trips is out of reach of most of us.

We explore whether this firm could achieve its aim of launching more of us into stratospheric heights.

And we hear how Jane went on her own journey: from ecologist working in the famous Biosphere 2 experiment in the early 1990s, to looking skywards and the possibilities of a career in space tourism.

Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Amber Mehmood

The European country is known for its late night eating culture, the average time for an evening meal is past 9PM.

One of the reasons for that is the working day across Spain which has a history of going on way into the evening.

But recently the second deputy minister of Spain called this ‘madness’, saying eating so late and working late isn’t good for work-life balance.

We speak to a restaurant owner and the CEO of digital agency that offers flexible working to talk about working culture and discuss how likely it is that Spain will change its habits.

(Picture: Mikel López de Viñaspre, the co-founder and chief executive of the Sagardi Group of Basque restaurants. Credit: Sagardi Group)

Presented and produced by Hannah Mullane

Why does being on your own seem so expensive?

The number of unmarried, divorced, widowed or unattached people is growing worldwide. But figures suggest it is more financial costly to be single, while couples and families benefit from paying less per person.

Whether it is the packaging supermarkets use, streaming service tariffs, hotel rooms - you often get a much better deal being coupled-up than not. Governments are in on the act too: offering tax breaks to couples.

In this programme, we take apart the personal finances of singles; hearing from World Service listeners and financial analysts.

Is it just economies of scale or are we really living in a world that penalises people on their own? And are there any financial advantages to being solo?

(Picture: Senior woman looking concerned, paying bills at home on her laptop. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by David Reid

We look at how soaring food and fuel prices are affecting the tiny island nation in the western Pacific Ocean.

Like much of the world, the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have led to supply chain issues, and rising costs.

And with limited opportunities, young people are facing the question, should they stay or leave and chase careers elsewhere?

Produced and presented by Frey Lindsay

(Image: People gathered under the Japan-Palau Friendship bridge in Koror, Palau. Credit: Frey Lindsay/BBC)

We travel to the tiny pacific nation which wants to shrink its marine sanctuary, and open it up once more to commercial fishing.

The President says it’s costing too much in lost revenue, when Palauans are already struggling.

But opponents say this goes against Palau's conservationist ethos.

So today we're asking - can conservation and commerce, co-exist?

Produced and presented by Frey Lindsay

(Image: The National Geographic Pristine Seas research vessel the Argo, in the Pacific Ocean East of Palau. Credit: Frey Lindsay)

Diabetes and obesity drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro have become famous for helping users shed big amounts of weight. It's a market that could soon be worth more than $100 billion. Two companies dominate this space, Novo Nordisk which makes Ozempic and Eli Lilly, maker of Mounjaro. But with competitors desperate for a piece of the action, how long can these two giants stay in front?

Leanna Byrne hears from some of the companies involved, including those at the centre of the action and those developing the next wave of treatments.

Presented by Leanna Byrne and produced by Lexy O'Connor

(Image: A box of the anti-obesity drug Wegovy, including injection pens. Credit: Getty Images)

In the first of a two-part series, in collaboration with The Food Chain, we look at the impact of the success of weight-loss drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk on the small country of Denmark.

The Scandinavian nation is where the company is based, and with a population of less than six million people, Novo is having an outsized impact on the economy there. Denmark is now publishing separate economic statistics, minus the pharmaceutical industry.

One town in particular, Kalundborg, has seen huge change since the company set up its manufacturing facility there. We look at the impact on local business; hearing from the town's residents, who now have quite different economic prospects.

Presented/producer: Adrienne Murray

(Photo: The headquarters of Novo Nordisk in Denmark, viewed from above. Credit: Getty Images)

President Biden has claimed the US economy is the ‘envy of the world’ and that his administration has added record job numbers, with around one million people hired since the turn of this year.

With inflation falling and the possibility of the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates, we find out if the rosy economic picture is being felt by those who are hiring or trying to get hired.

(Image: A sign on a wall recruiting for staff at a hotel in California in 2024 as a man walks by. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Matt Lines

India has just finished its marathon elections and as the new government takes charge we take a look at one of its biggest challenges - rising youth unemployment.

With an average age of 29 years, India’s population is one of the youngest globally, but job creation for them hasn’t been easy in this fast growing economy.

The BBC’s Devina Gupta travels to Delhi to talks to students and first time job seekers about this growing job crisis and what can be done to solve it.

Presenter and producer: Devina Gupta

(Image: young men in Delhi waiting for the labour chow. Credit: Devina Gupta)

Exactly one year into his new job, we meet Ajay Banga, the President of the World Bank. He previously ran Mastercard, but following President Biden's nomination, Ajay Banga took on one of the most important roles in finance in June 2023. He tells us what steps he is putting in place to reform the organisation, how western governments are struggling to fund it to the same levels that it used to, and he warns inflation might not come down much further.

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Olie D'Albertanson

(Photo: Ajay Banga. Credit: Getty Images)

We found out why the dating guru swapped a career in investment banking to become a matchmaker.

Now famous for his role in the hit TV show ‘Married at First Sight’, Paul Carrick Brunson explains how his current career path wasn’t always written in the stars. But a combination of business acumen, the backing of his partner and a touch of luck led to a lucrative trade in matchmaking.

He explains his core business principles and gives his top tips for discussing money in a relationship.

(Image: Paul Carrick Brunson. Credit: Chris Bethell)

Presenter: Devina Gupta Producer: Sam Clack

It's been two months since the collapse of the key bridge in Baltimore, and the deadline to unblock the port's shipping channel is imminent. The US government has given a loose promise to make it happen by the end of May - but there are doubts that deadline will be met, causing more disruption to the local and global economy. How will businesses on sea and land find a way through more uncertainty?

Izzy Greenfield speaks to small businesses who are feeling the impact; from fewer customers to disruption to supply chains.

Baltimore used to rank first among US ports for autos and light trucks, handling a record 850,000 vehicles last year. Importantly, the port is where vehicles are processed and labelled to be sold domestically. We hear how the industry is seeing an immediate impact. And we learn about the struggles that transportation workers continue to face.

(Image: Baltimore bridge after it collapsed in March 2024. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Izzy Greenfield

Most of us have noticed the prices of our weekly food shopping going up over the last few years, but some items have risen by astronomical amounts.

Extra virgin olive oil - a premium, unprocessed oil from the olive, has seen many customers' prices rise by 50% in the past year alone.

We explain why, as we hear from oil sommeliers and the people who buy and sell the product.

(Image: Olive oil being poured into a bowl. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Rick Kelsey

Female-only co-working spaces started to grow during the #metoo movement. But some have struggled.

We speak to entrepreneurs who are running these spaces - and the women working in them.

Are they a viable alternative to going to the office?

(Picture: Oi Leng Lui, who founded the co-working space, The Hearth, in north London.)

Presented and produced by Dougal Shaw

Laura Chinchilla was the first woman to serve as president of Costa Rica and one of the first in Latin America.

We talk to her about what that journey to the top job in her country was like, and the challenges facing Latin America - from corruption to crime, the drugs trade, migration, the brain drain, poor governance and low economic productivity.

And we consider some of the potential solutions to those problems - solutions that could help Latin America bring prosperity to its people.

(Picture: Laura Chinchilla Miranda, former President of Costa Rica, speaking at a conference. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Gideon Long

Across the region, there are examples of economic success stories: countries, companies and people that are getting things right, transforming their local economies and bringing prosperity to the region.

We go to Peru, where fruit producers are enjoying a blueberry boom.

We hear from Uruguay, which generates almost all its electricity from renewable energy, and we visit a factory Mexico that’s benefiting from “nearshoring” and the country’s proximity to the United States.

We talk to two female entrepreneurs – one from Chile and one from Colombia – on how the ecosystem for start-ups has evolved in their countries and the exciting possibilities the region has to offer.

Produced and presented by Gideon Long

(Image: Close-up on a worker loading baskets of blueberries on a truck at a plantation. Credit: Getty Images)

From soybean production to coffee exports to sugar cane, grains and tropical fruit - agriculture is powering the Brazilian economy.

We travel to a farm outside the capital Brasilia, and look at how the country could play a major role in providing the world with food security in the years ahead.

And we consider a major threat to agriculture – climate change, which is forcing Brazilian farmers to adapt to survive.

We talk to the Brazilian head of the International Coffee Organisation – on what her home country can do to deal with extreme weather events.

And away from agriculture, we consider Brazil’s heavy industry, and ask why it hasn’t made more of its rich musical heritage.

Produced and presented by Gideon Long.

(Image: Cultivation of sugarcane in the interior of the State of São Paulo. Huge areas are cultivated and after harvesting will come sugar, alcohol, drink and ethanol. Credit: Getty Images)

Go back 50 years and Latin America was generally wealthier than East Asia. But that has been reversed.

While the economies of East and South East Asia have taken off, enjoying a so-called "economic miracle", Latin America’s have experienced only tepid growth, despite the region’s enormous potential. Gideon Long asks why.

We go to Singapore, one of the most open and business friendly nations on earth, to visit a factory making credit cards using the latest computer chips. And we ask economists what Latin America can learn from the 'Asian Tigers'.

(Image: A photograph of a tourist boat in Singapore next to a drone view shot showing buildings in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Credit: Reuters/EPA)

Presented and produced by Gideon Long Reporter: Monica Miller

It's a region blessed with incredible natural resources, from copper to lithium to rich agricultural lands. It’s home to vibrant cultures, amazing music and creative and talented people.

And yet it has never fulfilled its enormous economic potential.

All too often it’s lurched from boom to bust, from hyperinflation to debt crises.

We ask why that is.

We consider corruption, crime, inequality, excessive bureaucracy and weak governance.

We look at Argentina’s long decline and Venezuela’s economic implosion, and ask what Latin America can do to bring greater prosperity to its people.

Produced and presented by Gideon Long

(Image: A man waves an Argentine flag during the demonstration. Members of the Argentine Workers' General Confederation and social organizations protested against new Argentine President Javier Milei's economic reforms, outside the Justice Palace in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Credit: Getty Images)

We head to the robot workshop home of Marty the robotical.

Sandy Enoch founded the Scottish tech firm Robotical which creates educational robots.

Produced and presented by Dougal Shaw.

(Image: Marty the robot)

Where next for the sometimes tricky relationship between football and crypto companies?

We look at how some of the biggest clubs, and players, have embraced crypto products, and what that means for supporters.

From fan engagement tokens to NFTs, advertised by the world’s biggest stars, to deals with Premier League clubs which turned out to be fraudulent. Is it putting fans in a potentially difficult financial position?

Or just giving them another way to support the team they love?

Produced and presented by Imran Rahman-Jones

(Referee Arda Kardeşler performs the pregame toss with a coin bearing the Bitcoin logo for a match between Beşiktaş and Fenerbahçe on May 8, 2022 in Istanbul, Turkey. Credit: Getty Images)

Picture a rock 'n' roll icon like Jimmy Page, or Jimi Hendrix, and they've probably got an electric guitar in their hands.

But, as classic rock - and classic rockers - continue to age, is the guitar industry struggling to attract younger customers?

In six years, electric guitar company Gibson has gone from filing for bankruptcy to opening its first flagship store outside the US.

We hear from Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, Grammy nominated singer James Bay, and one of the world's foremost female luthiers to find out whether the guitar's association with rock 'n' roll has become bad for business.

(Image: Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin performing on stage at Earl's Court, London, May 1975. Jimmy Page is playing a Gibson EDS-1275 double necked guitar. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Will Chalk

Sports betting is a relatively new industry in the US.

Until 2018 you could only legally bet on sports in the state on Nevada, the home to Las Vegas.

New Jersey was the first state to legalise sports betting six years ago and since then, a total of 38 states across America have done the same.

Hannah Mullane looks at how the industry has grown so rapidly and discusses the consequences of the industry which has been allowed to evolve with very little regulation.

(Produced and presented by Hannah Mullane)

(Image: Detroit Lions fans pose prior to a game against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game at Levi's Stadium on January 28, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. Image credit: Getty)

Stella, Dawa and Salome arrived at the Bidi Bidi refugee camp in north-western Uganda with little more than the clothes they were wearing.

Now, all three are entrepreneurs and businesswomen, running thriving businesses and earning enough money to clothe, feed and send their children to school.

Can their stories help development agencies and governments deliver support to those most in need?

(Picture: Salome, picking crops in a field in Uganda. Copyright: Village Enterprise)

Presented and produced by Sam Fenwick

The Nigerian-born businessman tells us about his journey from working in a fast food restaurant and facing racism from some customers, to being inspired to start his own business in London.

He also talks about the influence of his Christian faith on his business decisions - and how it opened up a network of business connections which allowed his property portfolio to grow.

Sanmi Adegoke's Rehoboth group has now undertaken more than 20 major renovation projects and has £35m worth of property assets under its management.

Produced and presented by Dougal Shaw.

(Image: Sanmi Adegoke. Credit: A&O Studios)

The Eurovision Song Contest has transformed itself from a TV show experiment to the world's largest live music event.

160 million people are expected to watch this year's competition in Sweden, as 37 countries take part.

The acts participating will be hoping to become global superstars following the likes of ABBA, Celine Dion and Måneskin.

And outside of the competition many fans around have turned their love of Eurovision into a business: from side-hustles to songwriters. We hear their stories and learn about the economics of having a winning song, and discover the plans for the first ever Eurovision world tour.

Produced and presented by Daniel Rosney

(Image: Malta entry Sarah Bonnici rehearsing Loop at this year's Eurovison. Credit: Connie Cumming/EBU)

In Scotland in the 1980s, a slump in the whisky market brought about the closure of some of the country's most iconic distilleries. These sites become known as 'ghost' distilleries - where spirit production has stopped, but where some stock is still available.

In this programme, Elizabeth Hotson will be discovering why some of these distilleries are now being brought back to life.

She visits the legendary Port Ellen on the Isle of Islay for its much-anticipated re-opening and hears from the master blender there, and she takes a tour of London’s fabled Vintage House.

A whisky writer explains what makes a truly great dram and we learn why investors need to be careful if they’re planning to jump on the whisky bandwagon.

(Picture: A bottle of Port Ellen whisky bottled in 1980. Credit: Elizabeth Hotson/BBC)

Presented and produced by Elizabeth Hotson

Elton John, Beyonce, Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran - all artists who've had sell-out world tours in recent years.

And new markets, such as India, are being added to the global tour map. But the same can’t be said for smaller venues. In the UK and Australia, the lights are off, and thousands are closing their doors. We hear from musicians, promoters and the people who run venues; asking why there’s such a contrast between sell out stadium tours and struggling grassroots venues.

And we see what the future could hold for India's live music scene. Produced and presented by Megan Lawton

(Image: Ed Sheeran performing in Mumbai, India in 2017. Credit: Getty Images)

Ed Butler travels to Kosovo to find out what the prospects are for this young, ethnically divided population.

After Ukraine, it's Europe's poorest region, where a brutal past still casts a shadow.

But it's also a territory full of economic promise – with precious minerals buried underground, and vast vineyards. If only the politics would stop getting in the way.

(Image: A wine maker in Kosovo, Milan Lakicevic, standing in front of stainless steel tanks, while holding a bottle of his wine.)

Presented and produced by Ed Butler

Meet Sharvari, Belinda and Brenna, three female bike mechanics from different corners of the world. From setting up a female run workshop in India, teaching skills to other women, or working within elite sport: these three are all making a living in the male dominated world of bike mechanics. Hear their stories and find out what happened when we got them all talking to each other.

Presenter/producer: Lexy O'Connor

(Photo: Bicycle mechanic Belinda Everett, Credit: Ryan Goff, #rygoff)

Over its long history women have been mostly excluded from the Tour de France. Until recently.

In 2022, after a long campaign by some of female cycling's biggest names, the Tour de France Femmes was introduced. So how is it doing? And will it ever be on a level footing with the much older and long-established men's race?

We hear from competitors, sponsors, broadcasters and race director Marion Rousse.

Produced and presented by Lexy O'Connor

(Team Jumbo Visma rider Marianne Vos wears the yellow jersey during 3rd stage of the first Tour de France Femmes in 2022: Getty Images)

The 'pink pound' or 'pink dollar' is believed to be worth billions of dollars, and tourism is one sector looking to benefit. We find out how the industry is trying to attract LGBT travellers, with countries like Nepal taking steps to be a more appealing destination.

Plus, we head to the coastal town of Sitges in Spain, where gay people have been holidaying for more than 100 years.

Producer/presenter: Daniel Rosney

(Photo: The Nomadic Boys in New Zealand. Credit: The Nomadic Boys)

Ireland has just launched a scheme to charge a deposit on bottles and cans which is refunded when consumers return them to recycling machines in supermarkets.

The Irish have set up a non profit making company to manage the scheme, funded by the drinks making firms, which should avoid the financial problems that have dogged the industry in the United States.

Many privately owned American recycling companies are in danger of going out of business because the fee they get from state governments, under the Bottle Bill, has not been increased for years, even though their costs have soared.

Produced and presented by Russell Padmore

(Picture: Reverse vending machines for Ireland’s new deposit return recycling scheme)

We speak to the Armenian entrepreneur behind the popular photo editing app used by millions on Instagram, and by businesses too.

Mr Avoyan tells us about his childhood, growing up in a country which only gained independence when he was in his 20s. He tells us how this liberation set free his entrepreneurial spirit, and why he relocated his company from Armenia to the US.

Produced and presented by Dougal Shaw

(Image: Hovhannes Avoyan)

As modest fashion week starts in Istanbul, we look at the growth of this area of the fashion industry.

Long considered a faith-based choice, it is gaining in popularity, proven by the modest-friendly options that many leading brands now offer.

We hear the thoughts of retailers and designers on why more women are choosing to dress modestly. And content creator Maha Gondal explains how she's bringing her take on modest fashion to her thousands of followers.

Plus we look at what can go wrong when brands try to cash in on what they see as a lucrative market.

Presented and produced by Megan Lawton

(Image: Woman wearing a maxi dress with long sleeves, standing in front of a wall covered with foliage. Credit: Getty Images)

What happens when your favourite movies and TV shows fall off streaming sites?

We find out why, speaking to industry insiders, and those preserving our film and TV titles.

Plus, we speak to a US-based writer whose programme has disappeared to find out what the impact is on creators when their work no longer exists online.

(Image: Man watching TV next to a dog. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Matt Lines

Earlier this year, on International Women's Day, the Irish electorate was asked to vote in two referendums on changing Ireland's constitution regarding family and care.

One of those questions was whether they wished to remove a reference to the role of women in the home, which some view as being out-of-step with modern Irish society.

A lot has changed since the constitution was written in 1937. Ireland is now among the highest-ranking countries in Europe for gender equality. However, in both referendums, voters rejected the bid for constitutional change.

In this programme, Leanna Byrne travels back to her home city of Dublin to explore Ireland's story when it comes to women, the family and work; speaking to Irish women about their experiences over the decades to now.

(Image: From left to right Niamh O'Reilly, Lorraine Lally and Rena Maycock, who spoke to the BBC World Service in Dublin in March 2024.)

Presented and produced by Leanna Byrne

More of us are searching for cheaper and efficient ways to power and heat our homes.

As energy prices remain high, what about taking matters into your own hands and putting solar panels on your roof, or putting a small wind turbine in your garden?

Produced and presented by Rick Kelsey

(Image: A wind turbine on a roof of a house in Amsterdam. Credit: Getty Images)

It’s estimated that 90% of traded goods travel over the oceans. But for the seafarers who make that happen, it’s not always an easy process. Thousands of incidents of corruption within the industry have been reported to the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network, who in this episode, tell Ruth Alexander what they’re doing to help the problem. Seafarers can often be put in an impossible position, and one former captain tells us how he was arrested at gunpoint after refusing to hand over a carton of cigarettes to officials.

(Picture: A bird's eye view of a container ship at sea. Credit: Getty Images)

Presenter: Ruth Alexander Producer: Izzy Greenfield

As India enters election season, we look at the crucial female vote.

For decades, the number of women turning out to vote in India has been low, but that’s changed in the last decade.

Now, political parties are deliberately targeting policies at women, to try and win over this key group.

We hear from a group of women about their priorities in the 2024 general election - for the workplace, in business, and their day-to-day lives.

(Picture: A group of women in India lining up to vote. Credit: AFP)

Presented and produced by Devina Gupta

We depend on online reviews for everything from hotel and restaurant bookings, to what products to buy, and as we hear in this programme, medical and cosmetic procedures.

If a customer feels unhappy with a service they've paid for, they might want to leave a bad review. But what happens if the company they're complaining about doesn't like it?

In the UK, a cosmetic surgery company, Signature Clinic, is taking some of its former patients to court after they posted negative reviews or comments on support groups. We hear from some of them.

(Image: A surgeon putting on surgical gloves. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Ed Butler

Brenda Romero's breakthrough game Wizardry is legendary, and she’s made and contributed to more than 50 titles since.

Now, with her own company in Ireland, what does she think is the key to a great game? And in a vulnerable time for the industry, what does she think its future holds?

(Picture: Brenda Romero. Credit: John Press photos)

Presenter: Steffan Powell Producer: Izzy Greenfield

There are an estimated 200 million gamers on the African continent.

The industry is growing fast, and generating millions of dollars for gaming companies.

However, there's a problem - many gamers in Africa don't have access to the credit and debit cards needed for in app purchases.

We meet the fintech companies who think they've got a solution.

Produced and presented by Mo Allie

(Image: A woman gaming on her phone. Credit: Getty Images)

The music composed for video games has come a long way. Once limited to simple tunes generated by early synthesizer chips, it now encompasses complex musical works composed for full orchestra.

Video game music is now also considered a key access point to orchestral music among young people, and concert venues around the world are seeing new and diverse audiences attend live performances of gaming soundtracks.

Unsure at first, the classical music world is now embracing the genre - and for good reason. A study by League of of American Orchestras suggests audiences for concerts have dropped by 26% since 2020, with young people being the minority group of attendees.

In this episode, we'll hear about the origins of music written for video games; speaking to composers and orchestras who are embracing new audiences and exciting musical works. And we'll go backstage before opening night of a tour showcasing music from a major video game franchise.

(Image: Gaming Prom – From 8-Bit to Infinity, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Robert Ames, in the Royal Albert Hall, on 1 August 2022, as part of the BBC Proms.)

Presented and produced by Sean Allsop

Tens of thousands of people in the video game industry have lost their jobs in the past year.

The industry itself is valued around 200 billion dollars - one of the biggest in the world. And last year saw some of the biggest releases so far. So with so much success, why are there so many struggles? We speak to two workers who recently lost their jobs in the industry, and hear about the effect it’s had on their lives. Tech expert Matthew Ball tells us why there’s a simultaneous battle between success and struggle, and whether it’ll get any worse. But it’s not all bad news. There’s a lot of opportunity out there for smaller gaming companies in some parts of the world. William Sampson of Roro Interactive tells us why he thinks the future is positive.

(Picture: A rear-view shot of a young woman sitting at a desk playing a video game, she is using a mouse and keyboard and wearing a headset. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Izzy Greenfield

The Dutch swimmer won gold in Beijing, having been diagnosed with cancer seven years earlier.

We hear why he decided to stop competing, and instead turn his attention to charity fundraising - setting up his own foundation and raising millions for cancer research through long-distance swimming endurance events.

And how he ensures that the money raised is correctly managed.

Produced and presented by Matthew Kenyon.

(Image: Maarten van der Weijden setting a new world record in 2021, by swimming continuously against a current for more than 31 hours and 7 minutes. Credit: Getty Images)

Kidnapping is endemic in nearly all parts of Nigeria, as shown by the recent high profile mass abduction and release of nearly 300 schoolchildren.

And for young Nigerians who are taking part in the national youth service programme - NYSC - they are particularly vulnerable as they travel to their postings along the country's long rural roads.

Service is mandatory if you want to use your degree - but are the risks just too great now?

And what impact does it have on young people’s futures?

Produced and presented by Frey Lindsay

(Image: National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Ogun State, in 2019. Credit: Getty Images)

Smell is a powerful sense that can evoke memories and spark emotional connections. And it's increasingly big business.

In this programme, we lift the lid on the multi-billion dollar fragrance industry; finding out how scent can influence customer behaviour, build teams, and even help to sell houses.

We hear from a perfume-maker who crowdsources some of the world's most expensive fragrance ingredients, and visit a 15 million dollar house on the market in London, to find out how the right aroma in a property can entice a potential buyer.

And we hear why a major drinks brand has created a fragrance for its company headquarters.

(Picture: A woman smelling perfume. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Elizabeth Hotson

We're in Iceland, where, in attempt to fight climate change, huge machines are being used to pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

And then locking it away deep underground, turning it into stone.

The business behind the technology believes this is a crucial step in reducing the amount of CO2 in the air.

But how economical, and impactful, is this carbon capture?

Presented and produced by Adrienne Murray

(Image: A carbon injection site run by Carbfix in Hellisheidi, Iceland. Credit: Getty Images)

We explore the fashion trend that involves minimal labels and logos.

Loved by celebrities and social media influencers, what is it about the quiet luxury trend that is so appealing – particularly in countries like China?

And can you follow the 'stealth wealth' trend on a low budget?

(Picture: Woman standing in luxury hotel suite looking at view with curtains blowing in wind. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Gabriele Shaw

Founded in 1901, the International Labour Organisation works with governments of over 180 countries, to help promote internationally recognised labour rights. In all of its 105 year-history, Gilbert F. Houngbo is the first African to be in charge of the UN agency.

In this programme, the ILO leader talks to Rahul Tandon about what he's doing to try to tackle some of the biggest global challenges the world currently faces - from unemployment, to migration, to artificial intelligence.

And we hear about Mr Houngbo's own journey; from a rural upbringing, to studying in Canada, and how he felt when he was asked to serve as Prime Minister of Togo.

(Picture: Gilbert F. Houngbo. Credit: Violaine Martin/ILO)

Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Amber Mehmood and Olie D'Albertanson

The Pentland Firth is the strait that lies between the far north of mainland Scotland and the Orkney Islands.

It's a wild area with some of the fastest tides in the world, where the power of the sea is being harnessed by tidal turbines sitting on the sea bed.

But this type of green energy is still very expensive to generate - so what is the future of tidal and wave power?

We explore some of the ground breaking projects being developed in the region and speak to companies who are trying to reduce costs to make the energy more viable.

Produced and presented by Theo Leggett

(Image: A MeyGen turbine being installed on the sea bed. Credit: MeyGen)

Padel is a fast-growing sport, attracting investment from celebrities and major brands. What is it about the game that makes it so attractive?

We hear from professional players of the sport, and head to Sweden, where the Padel boom, and subsequent bust, might hold some lessons for other countries.

(Image: Portuguese football player Cristiano Ronaldo plays Padel during an event in Singapore, 2023. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Daniel Rosney

Up to 40% of food in Africa and India is wasted because of a lack of what's called "the cold chain" - the infrastructure keeping food chilled and fresh, from farm to fork.

Many small-scale farmers have no access to any kind of refrigeration, meaning they're losing income and wasting food that could otherwise be sold.

Devina Gupta meets the entrepreneur who is building pay-as-you-go solar powered cold rooms in India, and hears from farmers, traders and experts on how we can keep food cold as the population grows and the planet warms up.

(Picture: A farmer carries a crate of mangoes from an orchard on the outskirts of Bangalore. Credit: Getty Images)

Presenter: Devina Gupta Producer: Lexy O'Connor

The past few years have been marked by two economic trends that have affected pretty much everyone on the planet.

The first is the cost of living crisis that followed the Covid pandemic and was made worse by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. That saw prices in the shops soar - in many countries they rose by their fastest pace for four decades.

The attempt to stamp out this inflation is the second of those big economic trends, as central banks aggressively increased the cost of borrowing. Millions of households and businesses saw the cost of home and company loans shoot up.

But the action taken by central banks does seem to have worked in curbing inflation, and now financial markets predict that interest rates in the United States and Europe will be cut this year. But will they reduce them soon?

(Picture: Federal Reserve Building in Washington, DC, United States. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Rob Young

Lawyer Leigh Steinberg had no big dream to become a sports agent. He was a huge sports fan, but the job was not something he was aspiring to – more something that he stumbled across.

Today, he's built up a career representing more than 300 professional athletes across a range of disciplines: from big money-making sports like football and basketball, to Olympic gymnastics; building sporting careers worth billions of dollars.

His influence in sport is so influential that he's often credited as the real-life inspiration for the sports agent in the film Jerry Maguire, starring Tom Cruise.

We speak to Leigh Steinberg about how he started his career as an agent, how he builds a brand around a sports star, and how he's succeeded in such a competitive environment - overcoming some personal struggles along the way. And - how he responds when members of the public approach him with the famous phrase, "Show me the money".

(Picture: Leigh Steinberg. Credit: Getty Images)

Presenter: Roger Hearing Producers: Matt Lines and Hannah Mullane

An alcohol shop for diplomats has opened in Saudi Arabia. It’s a significant move in a country that has banned alcohol for over 70 years.

Some believe in order to transform the tourism economy it is a sign of things to come. In the meantime, Riyadh has become known for making some of the best non-alcohol cocktails in the world.

Is this a small policy change, or does it signal a wider relaxation of the rules? We hear from young Saudis about the generational divide in a country trying to change its image.

(Picture: A bartender prepares a non-alcoholic cocktail in a bar in Riyadh. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Rick Kelsey

The Chinese-owned online store has exploded in popularity in the past year, shipping to customers in 49 countries around the world. And its advertising has taken centre stage at one of the world’s most watched events: the Super Bowl.

So why is Temu so cheap? And how can it afford to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on advertising to take on its rivals?

We hear from experts, politicians and shoppers in China, the US, and the UK about how the company operates, as it seeks to out-pace the competition.

(Picture: The Temu logo displayed on the screen of a mobile device. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Sam Gruet

The government of Uruguay has launched ambitious plans to make hydrogen and green fuels.

The country generates far more of its electricity from renewables than most countries - Uruguay produces more than 90% of its electricity from sustainable resources, like wind. And that, the government says, puts it in a good position to start producing green hydrogen.

Proponents of green hydrogen production in Uruguay say it will be good for the planet and the country's economy, but could it use too much water?

(Picture: Mauricio Caro, a farmer in Uruguay. He worries that if water is taken from the local aquifer to make green fuels, farmers will run short. Credit: Grace Livingstone/BBC)

Presented and produced by Grace Livingstone

Andy Yen is founder and CEO of tech company Proton, best known for its encrypted email service Proton Mail.

He was born in Taiwan, studied in California, then moved to Switzerland to work at CERN as a particle physicist. He then set up Proton from Geneva.

Dougal Shaw talks to the entrepreneur about growing up in the shadow of China, personal privacy in an age when we live our lives online, and his company’s “cat and mouse” games with Russia over VPN software, which allows people to access the internet without state control.

(Picture: Andy Yen)

Presented and produced by Dougal Shaw

Spotify and Soundcloud started out as small, music tech startups in Stockholm, and now, several other companies that blend music production and innovation are choosing to set up shop in the Swedish capital.

In this edition of Business Daily, we meet some of these new businesses, to see why Stockholm holds such appeal. And we try to find out whether music tech is a profitable sector with a long-term future.

(Image: Emelie Olsson, the co- founder of Corite, a music tech startup. Credit: Maddy Savage/BBC)

Presented and produced by Maddy Savage

Wary of the perceived threat from Russia, the countries that make up the Nato Western military alliance are upping their spending on the military. But not fast enough, according to former US president Donald Trump, who has made the issue part of his election campaign.

So should governments in Europe be spending more on their collective defence? Do Europeans want them to, or would they rather that money go to things like education and healthcare instead?

As Sweden joins the alliance, we look at who is spending what within Nato, who is pulling their weight, and who is not.

We speak to people across Europe about what they want, and we talk to one former army chief, who says his country is woefully underprepared to defend itself.

Presenter/producer: Gideon Long Additional reporting from Bethany Bell, BBC correspondent in Vienna And additional recording by Maddy Savage in Stockholm and Kostas Kallergis in Brussels

(Photo: German Eurofighter Typhoon jets of TLG73 during Nato exercise. Credit: Getty Images)

We trace the commodity’s journey from sugar cane farm, to mill, to candy shop, all in a quest to find out why the cost of sugar has gone up. The US is the world's fifth largest sugar producer, with sugarcane grown in the south and sugar beets in the north. Even though the cost of sugar is rising worldwide, Americans pay twice as much as the global average for sugar because of a government policy. Brought about to protect domestic producers, a protectionist policy taxing imports of sugar is actually creating higher prices, a report by the government accountability office found in October.

We travel from a candy story in New York, to a sugarcane farm and mill in Louisiana, to find out what the impact will be.

Presented and produced by Erin Delmore Additional sound mixing by Cameron Ward and Helen Thomas

(Image: A worker climbs onto a front loader beside a pile of raw cane sugar inside a storehouse at a sugar mill in Louisiana. Credit: Getty Images)

There's been a wave of farmers' protests across Europe in recent weeks.

France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Eastern European countries have all seen farmers airing their grievances by driving their tractors into towns and cities and blocking roads.

There have also been similar demonstrations far beyond Europe, in India.

Guy Hedgecoe has been looking at the protests and how some grievances are uniting farmers from different countries while others are dividing them.

Because farming is so important for our day-to-day lives, the outcome could affect us all. 

(Picture: A farmer pours industrial honey during a protest in Madrid. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Guy Hedgecoe

Sir Ben Ainslie is the most decorated Olympic sailor of all time, winning medals at five consecutive Olympic Games.

Since then, he's been sailing in the America’s Cup and more recently in the new SailGP league.

Now, he's stepping back from some of his sailing responsibilities to concentrate on being a CEO.

For this episode of Business Daily, Sam Fenwick talks to Sir Ben about what it takes to run a sailing team, how to monetise the sport, and where he sees its future.

(Picture: Sir Ben Ainsley. Credit: Emirates GBR)

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Hannah Mullane

Last summer marked the first time in six decades that Hollywood’s actors and writers went on strike simultaneously. They hit pause on production over pay and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the film industry.

The strikes brought the industry to boiling point, but wider issues were simmering for some time.

They caused a multi-billion economic toll on those who work in film and television - from crew members to caterers. Businesses burned through savings and piled up debt.

This edition of Business Daily unpicks the plot of one of Hollywood's biggest dramas.

(Picture: The Hollywood sign is viewed during a clearing storm, January 2024. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Izzy Greenfield

The important shipping route runs for 82 km through Central America, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

But a long period of dry weather means the water in the canal is very low, reducing the number of boats that can travel though.

We travel to Panama to look at the impact this is having on shipping companies, manufacturers and consumers, and find out what the Panama Shipping Company is trying to do about it.

Presenter: Michelle Fleury Producer: Nathalie Jimenez

(Image: A ship going through the Panama Canal locks. Credit: Panama Canal Authority)

We travel to FITUR - International Tourism Trade Fair.

Taking place in Madrid, this year's event was the biggest ever.

As the sector is still recovering from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, we speak to representatives from countries around the world who are aiming to attract visitors.

Plus we focus on responsible tourism, and look at how much emphasis is being placed on sustainability by the travel industry.

Produced and presented by Ashish Sharma

(Image: Tourists at a beach club in Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia, in May 2022, just after the region opened more broadly to fully vaccinated visitors from overseas. Credit: Getty Images).

Up to 10% of areas for major crops and livestock could be rendered unsuitable by climate change by 2050, so what can farmers do to adapt to rising temperatures and extreme weather events?

Stefania Gozzer meets a farmer in Spain to see how severe droughts ruined his cereal harvest, and she pays a visit to his neighbour, who has managed to grow tomatoes without watering his fields.

Global warming poses huge challenges for agriculture around the world - and various ways of managing its effects are now being practised by farmers. Among them is planting trees next to crops. We hear how this technique changed the life of a Kenyan farmer.

(Picture: Farmer in rubber boots walking on dry soil ground. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Stefania Gozzer

In this special episode, Ed Butler brings you a podcast from our friends at Good Bad Billionaire.

In the series, presenters Simon Jack and Zing Tseng find out how the richest people on the planet made their billions, and then they judge them.

Are they good, bad, or just another billionaire?

This episode focuses on Warren Buffett - how did he became the richest investor in history?

Listen to every episode of Good Bad Billionaire wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

The world's major consulting firms make an estimated trillion dollars a year, directing governments and businesses on how best to govern.

But the economist Mariana Mazzucato argues that outsourcing the brain power of governments to private firms is a dangerous trend.

Ed Butler asks her why she thinks it isn't money well spent.

(Picture: Mariana Mazzucato. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Ed Butler

The idea of settling for ‘good enough’ and being mediocre at work is not new… but the case for prioritising other things apart from work has grown rapidly since the pandemic – and hashtags like #lazygirljob have been getting millions of views on TikTok.

We find out what mediocrity means for staff and employers, and speak to workers who are embracing this new attitude.

We hear from Jaime Ducharme, Time Magazine journalist who wrote an article about mediocrity in the workplace, Gabrielle Judge who started #lazygirljob on TikTok, and Dr Thomas Curran from the London School of Economics.

Produced and presented by Clare Williamson

(Image: A woman looking bored at work. Credit: Getty Images)

Work from home, or go into the office? For many businesses and workers it's an ongoing conversation at the moment.

But could there be a third way - working 'near' home?

New co-working spaces are providing a place for people to do their job close to where they live, but not at home which can be unsuitable and isolating.

We also look at the WeWork model - the billion-dollar business filed for bankruptcy protection in the US last year - does that mean the concept isn't viable long term?

Produced and presented by Dougal Shaw.

(Image: A Patch co-working space in southern England. Credit: Benoit Grogan-Avignon)

We look at the implications as the Latin American country gradually reduces from 45 hours.

In April 2023 politicians approved a law in congress saying that businesses need to move towards cutting their hours to help get a better work life balance for employees.

This reduction is happening gradually, and the working week is getting shorter by at least one hour per year, over a maximum of five years.

We speak to workers and businesses in Chile about the impact - good and bad - that this is having.

Presenter: Jane Chambers Technical production: Matthew Dempsey

(Image: A group of workers on lunchbreak in Santiago. Credit: Getty Images)

It's been 50 years since Sweden introduced state-funded parental leave, designed for couples to share.

We hear how the pioneering policy has impacted families and businesses - and ask whether Sweden really deserves its reputation for gender equality.

And we meet one of the first dads to take paid parental leave, back in the 1970s.

Produced and presented by Maddy Savage

(Image: A man holding a small child. Credit: Getty Images)

Today, the richest 10 per cent of the world’s population own more than three quarters of its wealth, while the bottom half have 2%.

To halt the growing wealth gap, one economic philosopher, Ingrid Robeyns, has come up with a striking proposal - to impose legally enforced limits on people’s personal wealth. No one individual, Professor Robeyns suggests, should be allowed to have more than 10 million dollars.

It's a provocative idea. And would it work in practice?

(Picture: Ingrid Robeyns. Credit: Keke Keukelaar/United Agents)

Presented and produced by Ed Butler

The Russian invasion sparked the worst recession in the country’s recent history. Yet 2023 saw growth which is projected to continue. So how are businesses actually faring?

The economy is heavily reliant on foreign aid and there is uncertainty whether that will continue, notably from the US.

We hear from businesses and workers who give us a mixed picture of Ukraine's economic health: Chef Zhenya Mykhailenko the CEO of FVSM which runs a group of Ramen restaurants in Kyiv and a military kitchen in the Zaporizhiya region; Kees Huizinga who farms in Uman, South of Kyiv and Erica, a secondary school teacher in the war torn southern city of Kherson. Plus economic analysis from Andrew Walker.

Produced and presented by Clare Williamson

(Image: Chef Zhenya. Credit: FVSM)

The Olympics in Tokyo, some jaw dropping films, and a hardwired desire to be in the great outdoors. These are just some of the reasons credited with boosting the popularity of climbing. Hundreds of indoor bouldering gyms have cropped up in the US since the 1990s, and the sport is spreading across the world.

Although still concentrated in North America and Europe, more and more countries are joining the International Federation of Sport Climbing, and the millions of people taking part are attracting the attention of brands and financial backers. We hear from climbing business experts and the UK’s most successful competitive climber, Shauna Coxsey, to find out more.

(Picture: Shauna Coxey. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Hannah Bewley

The Philippines is experiencing an artificial coin shortage.

It’s artificial because there are plenty of coins - it’s just that people are using them less so they fall out of circulation and end up collecting in jars at home.

Hannah Mullane investigates why this is happening and what impact it’s having on consumer behaviour. And reporter Camille Elemia speaks to businesses and shoppers in Quezon city to find out how Filipino’s are changing the way they spend.

(Picture: A jeepney driver, counting some notes)

Presented and produced by Hannah Mullane Additional reporting: Camille Elemia

Three months ago, Houthi fighters from Yemen hijacked a cargo ship in the Red Sea and took the crew captive. It was the group’s first attack on commercial shipping in response to Israel’s military offensive in Gaza. Around 30 similar assaults have followed and the US and UK have retaliated with air strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.

The Houthi attacks have wreaked havoc with shipping in the Red Sea, forcing hundreds of ships to re-route and make the much longer journey around the bottom of Africa. Supply chains have been interrupted and insurance costs have risen for vessels still passing through the area.

With no end to the tension in the region in sight, some companies are readjusting their timelines and accepting that the current situation might become the “new normal”. We ask whether the Houthi attacks have changed the way we move goods around the world for ever.

(Picture: Ships crossing the Suez Canal towards the Red Sea. Credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Presented and produced by Gideon Long

Tony Fernandes has worked in the music industry, owned a formula one team and co-owned a professional London football club, but these days he’s concentrating on his core business as the CEO of the parent company of AirAsia, a Malaysia-based budget airline he co-founded that has transformed travel in South East Asia.

We speak to him about his varied career, the airline industry’s recovery from the Covid pandemic, and the recent safety issues at Boeing.

(Picture: Tony Fernandes. Credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Presented and produced by Gideon Long

Only four sportspeople have turned success on the field to success in business, making it to the 10 figure club.

Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Lebron James and Magic Johnson, the last to join in October 2023, according to the wealth-tracking business magazine, Forbes.

Matt Lines finds out the secrets behind the fortunes of these four athletes and who could be joining the list in future.

(Picture: L-R: Tiger Woods. Credit: Reinhold Matay/USA Today Sports. Magic Johnson. Credit: Allison Dinner/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock. Lebron James. Credit: Dale Zanine/USA Today Sports. Michael Jordan. Credit: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images)

Presenter/producer: Matt Lines

Scaring people has become big business.

There’s even a catch-all term for the trend: dark tourism, where thrill seekers visit the scenes or replicate the experiences of horrendous moments in history.

Elizabeth Hotson goes to investigate.

(Picture: Someone wearing a skeleton mask, pointing at the camera. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Elizabeth Hotson

We hear from former moderator Daniel Motaung, who has taken Meta and their outsourcing partner, Sama, to an employment tribunal in Nairobi.

US lawyer Cori Crider, from tech justice NGO Foxglove - which supports Daniel and others who have taken legal action - believes that content moderation is one of the most important tech jobs, particularly when there is a conflict in the region. The recent war in Ethiopia and some of the posts made on Facebook were the catalyst for another lawsuit challenging Facebook’s algorithms.

And social researcher and activist Leah Kimathi believes that there is not enough investment in moderating in various African languages. She also campaigns for the Big Tech and African governments to end, what she calls, the “Wild West” approach and get together to create specific legislation governing how social media companies operate on the continent.

Produced and presented by Ivana Davidovic

(Image: Daniel Motaung. Credit: Foxglove)

The secretary general of the world’s biggest humanitarian network – the International Federation of the Red Cross - rose from humble beginnings in Nepal.

We hear how Jagan Chapagain became involved in humanitarian work, and how he deals with all of the current global crises, whilst remaining politically neutral.

(Picture: Jagan Chapagain. Credit: Getty Images)

Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Olie D'Albertanson

From tackling the long commute to sleeping on the job - we head to Lagos, New York, Tokyo, Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore) and Dublin to look at the diverse ways businesses are attempting to boost productivity and therefore also boost profits.

We hear from businesses installing sleep pods in the office and others using technology to boost production on their farms and in their factories but are these techniques really working?

Producer: Hannah Mullane Presenter: Leanne Byrne

(Image: Buildings working on a roof space. Credit: Getty Images)

It's an exclusive business club with over 8,000 companies, which put environmental and social values at the heart of their work. But the B Corp badge has come under some criticism for taking on some multinational companies - some smaller businesses say that has diluted its values. We hear from Anjli Raval, who reports on what goes on inside the world's biggest companies for the Financial Times.

One of the biggest growth areas for B Corps is expected to be Africa. Tahira Nizari is the co-founder of new B Corp Kazi Yetu, selling traceable products like tea and spices from Tanzania. Max Landry at Peppy - a health tech company - who specialise in underserved areas of healthcare lets us know the hoops to join the B Corp club. Jonathan Trimble, the CEO and founder of creative agency And Rising, which helps new brands with their marketing plans tells us what he wants B Corp to change. Chris Turner, Executive Director at B - Lab UK, tells us how their standards will shift in the next year.

Produced and presented by Rick Kelsey

(Image credit: Kazi Yetu)

As Malmö receives the keys to this year's event, we look at how Copenhagen in Denmark could be the real economic winners - without having to pay for it.

When the Swedish city last hosted the competition in 2013, officials estimated around a third of overnight stays were in the Danish capital.

We speak to officials in both cities - just 30km apart and connected by the Øresund Bridge - to examine what fans can expect, and explore how other nations around the world get in on the action when a neighbouring country hosts a global event.

Produced and presented by Daniel Rosney

From its emergence in London’s underground scene and pirate radios in the early 2000s, to becoming a major music genre, Grime has come a long way – contributing more than £2bn to the UK economy and creating opportunities to members of some of Britain’s most deprived communities.

Dylan Kwabela Mills - professionally known as Dizzee Rascal - is someone who has been at the centre of this genre from its inception, and who many credit for Grime’s exposure to pop culture.

Twenty years on, the electronic dance music, with rapid beats that critics described as the “soundtrack to knife crime”, is now critically acclaimed, and many of the pioneers who were teenagers at the time are now multi-millionaire business owners.

(Picture: Dylan Kwabela Mills, known as Dizzee Rascal. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Peter Macjob

The continent's fashion industry holds all the cards to becoming one of the world’s fashion leaders. It has the natural resources, the workforce and a growing middle class who want to wear African brands.

However, there are challenges including poor infrastructure, lack of investment and limited training opportunities in fashion - highlighted in a recent Unesco report.

We hear from designers on the continent and overseas to get their opinion on what’s needed to help the industry grow and learn why Afrobeats is helping to put African fashion on the map.

Produced and presented by Megan Lawton.

(Image: Atmosphere at the Labrum London show during London Fashion Week February 2022. Credit: Getty Images)

The island of Mauritius is well established as a luxury holiday destination with five star hotels, beautiful beaches and clear blue waters.

But in the last couple of years it has also become Africa’s financial hub, attracting billions of dollars of investment by leveraging on decades of political and economic stability, a strategic location on the Indian Oean plus a multiple taxation system that incentivise investors.

Critics say it’s a tax haven - an allegation the island is keen to put at bay.

Can Mauritius sustain its status as a high income country and attract the skilled labour it seeks to expand the economy?

Presenter/producer: Peter MacJob

(Port Louis is Mauritius main settlement. Credit: Getty Images)

We’re going behind the scenes at two former nuclear power stations – one that’s recently closed, and another that’s been out of action for 25 years.

Both are at Hinkley Point in Somerset, in the south of England.

What happens when the generators stop? We look into the unique challenges of cleaning up radioactive sites safely.

Produced and presented by Theo Leggett

(Image: Steam escapes from Hinkley Point B in 2022. Credit: Getty Images)

In the second part of the series, in the second part of the series, we look at supermarkets and restaurants.

Dynamic pricing it could help cut down on food waste, but would it favour people who can choose when they shop? And we ask why restaurant-goers have yet to develop a taste for it.

We also find out how artists like Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift have experimented with dynamic pricing to set the prices for their concerts.

Finally, we ask if dynamic pricing needs to be regulated more strictly. Is it fair? Does it allow companies to get away with price-gouging? We speak to the head of a consumer rights group who says that more transparency is needed to protect shoppers.

Produced and presented by Gideon Long

(Image: A food market in the US. Credit: Getty Images)

The retail strategy allows companies to constantly tweak their prices in response to changes in the market.

In the first of two programmes, we look at how dynamic pricing works in the airline industry, at ride-hailing companies like Uber and on India’s sprawling rail network.

And we speak to a director of e-commerce at US electronics firm Harman International, who tells us how dynamic pricing has enhanced its business, increasing revenue, margins and making the company more efficient.

Archive of India: Our trains, electric, used courtesy of Made In Manchester.

Presented and produced by: Gideon Long

(Image: The Mumbai to Solapur Vande Bharat Express at Pune India. Credit: Getty Images)

The tourism sector could be missing out on billions by not adapting to the disabled market. However, some businesses and individuals are trying to change that.

Speaking to people in North America, Greece and Spain who are making a difference, we find out the challenges in accessible tourism and the potential revenue if things change.

We also travel to Amsterdam to meet a woman helping businesses become more accessible.

Presented and produced by Sean Allsop

(Picture: Man using a wheelchair takes a photograph with his camera. Credit: Getty Images)

Not many fashion designers can say they've starred in their own TV series alongside their mother.

For this edition of Business Daily, Devina Gupta talks to Indian entrepreneur and social media influencer Masaba Gupta.

The daughter of Indian actor Neena Gupta and West Indian cricketer Sir Viv Richards, Masaba discusses how her mixed heritage has inspired the vibrant prints she's become famous for.

(Picture: Masaba Gupta)

Presenter: Devina Gupta Producer: Lexy O'Connor

We’re in the Paris suburb of Seine -Saint-Denis which will host most of the games this summer.

It’s an area with some of the highest levels of poverty in the whole of France, and a bad reputation.

In the minds of most French people, the area conjures up images of drugs, crime and riots.

Locals say that reputation is unfair – and they’re hoping the investment of the games, and a place on the world stage, goes some way to changing that. But can it?

Presented and produced by John Laurenson

(Image: Inside the Aquatic Olympic Center (CAO). It will host artistic swimming, diving and water-polo. Credit: Getty Images)

We look at how many employers still base decisions on a persons age, despite the strong pressures in higher income countries to retain and encourage older staff.

What are the underlying reasons for this prejudice?

And Ed meets a cosmetic doctor at a central London clinic to discuss the increase in demand for anti-ageing procedures, for people who want to look younger at work.

Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Amber Mehmood

(Picture: A man and a woman sit at a table at work, with a woman standing up talking to them. Credit: Getty Images)

One in two people are ageist, according to the World Health Organization. Ed Butler looks at the scale of the perceived problem, hearing from workers and experts.

In the UK and US, for instance, more than a quarter of over-50s report experiences of ageism in the last 12 months. One recent global survey found that it’s the most socially accepted prejudice, more widespread than either racism or sexism.

And how much is ageism a factor in this year’s US presidential race?

(Picture: Timothy Tan working alongside a colleague at a computer)

Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Amber Mehmood

Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to deal with - and they're a nightmare for any town or city that relies on a thriving hospitality industry. In October 2023, French government officials had to act rapidly following news headlines claiming there'd been a rise in infestations in Paris, in the run-up to the 2024 Olympic Games.

Infestations can damage reputations, and lead to financial losses due to compensation claims and costly pest control treatments. But scientists are developing solutions to deal with the problem.

In this edition of Business Daily, we speak to hotel owners, entrepreneurs, and travellers who’ve been bitten - plus the companies creating technology to help hospitality bosses tackle the problem.

(Picture: A hand in a blue glove, holding a magnifying glass over some bed bugs. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Dougal Shaw

Once a much desired badge of authority and quality, on some social media platforms the blue tick (or check) is now available to anyone who chooses to buy one.

But has this been a popular move?

And has the monetising of verification meant that the blue tick has lost its credibility?

We hear from industry experts who can shed some light on verification, which has dramatically changed since Elon Musk bought Twitter, now X, in October 2022.

Presenter: David Harper Producer: Victoria Hastings

(Image: Two workers look at a phone. Credit: Getty Images)

We look at how the country can grow its economy in 2024.

In November 2023, Socialist leader Pedro Sánchez won a second term as Spain's prime minister, and said his focus would be reducing public debt and helping key sectors such as tourism and the automotive industry.

Plus the government wants to become a leader in renewables.

Presenter: Ashish Sharma

(Image: Woman takes a selfie in Madrid. Credit: Getty Images)

The running shoe industry is worth around 50 billion dollars across the world, with more and more of us taking part in the sport. With more popularity comes more competition, so what are brands doing to keep consumers interested? We ask the chief marketing officer at Swiss sportswear company, ON, and find out how it helps sales when a top athlete wears their shoes. And as the debate around 'super shoes' rumbles on, are they really worth the expensive price tag? US marathon winner Kellyn Taylor tells us about the pros and cons of carbon plated shoes - which played a big role in marathon records being smashed in 2023.

(Picture: A group of runners racing through a park. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Izzy Greenfield

It's widely recognised that we are bombarded with fast-paced imagery in the modern world, whether it's social media videos, or digital billboards in city spaces.

But there has been a similar explosion in sound, says advertising entrepreneur Michele Arnese. He thinks brands can only compete with the help of artificial intelligence (AI).

Dougal Shaw speaks to the Italian tech entrepreneur who trained as a classical musician, but founded an advertising company that helps companies stand out with distinctive sounds.

(Picture: Michele Arnese of Amp looking at AI-generated music with a colleague.)

Presented and produced by Dougal Shaw

Semiconductors hit the news during the Covid-19 pandemic, as issues with supply chains led to shortages of cars and soaring prices.

Since then, geopolitical tensions have impacted the industry. 90% of the world's most advanced chips are made by TSMC in Taiwan. Now, countries all over the world are investing billions of dollars into the industry, so that manufacturing of these chips can happen in more places and alleviate some of the problems supply chains have faced in the last few years.

In today’s episode, we visit a new semiconductor fabrication plant in the UK - the first to develop a low-cost, flexible semiconductor, as companies, and nations, race to diversity the industry.

(Picture: Two workers in PPE inside the Pragmatic semiconductor plant in Durham, England. Credit: Pragmatic)

Produced and presented by Hannah Mullane

The Caribbean island imports around 90% of its food and by law only US ships can be used to transport it – which pushes up the price.

We speak to islanders who think that needs to change, and are pushing for Puerto Rico to become more self sufficient.

Weather events like Hurricane Maria, which left many without power and water for months, have brought the issue to the forefront once again.

We meet a new generation who are leading the way, using new technology to try and make it easier, and cheaper, for people to buy local and rely less on imports.

Produced and presented by Jane Chambers

(Image: Puerto Rican farmer Fernando Maldonado. Credit: Jane Chambers)

Almost 60% of the world’s population live in cities. And this trend is expected to continue - by 2050 nearly 7 of 10 people will live in urban environments.  

Although more than 80% of global GDP is generated in cities, there are challenges: increasing carbon emissions and environmental pollution, traffic congestion and urban vulnerability, exposed by natural disasters such as floods and storms.

The creation of a digital twin - a digital representation of a real city, infrastructure or even a whole country - could help decision-makers simulate real situations, allowing them to make better decisions. Situations like floods and other extreme weather events.

We look into the technology and find out what the benefits and limitations are...

And the former foreign minister of Tuvalu, Simon Kofe, explains how climate change has forced his country to consider preserving their whole statehood and culture in the metaverse.

Produced and presented by Ivana Davidovic

(Image: A digital representation of Singapore. Credit: Singapore Land Authority)

Twice in 2023, the American government faced the prospect of having to shut down because politicians in congress couldn’t agree on a budget to fund it. Each time, a shutdown was narrowly averted – by last minute, short-term deals.

Now, a third deadline is looming in mid-January. It leaves politicians – with fierce disagreements over what services the government should pay for, and how – little time to reach an agreement.

We look at the impact of this uncertainty on businesses, and ask, in an election year, what can be done to bring the chaos to an end?

Presented and produced by Rob Young

(Image: An employee walks past a sign at the entrance of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History during a 35-day partial government shutdown in Washington, DC, January 28, 2019. Credit: Getty Images)

For 70 years, Pearl & Dean has been at the forefront of cinema advertising in the UK. Its CEO, Kathryn Jacob has been leading the company for 18 of them.

But it's been a rocky few years for the movie industry, as it battles the economic effects of the Covid pandemic.

In this edition of Business Daily meets, Kathryn discusses how cinemas are recovering, and how the advertising industry is slowly embracing diversity.

(Picture: Kathryn Jacob)

Presented and produced by Dougal Shaw

How easy is it to open a bank account in your country?

Around the world, 1.4 billion people can’t get a bank account, and two-thirds of them are in low and middle income countries.

People from migrant communities also struggle to access formal banking services.

We hear from 19 year-old Josue Calderon. Originally from El Salvador, he arrived in the United States when he was 16. He tells Sam Fenwick about the challenges of only being able to use cash when he first arrived in the US.

Sam also speaks to BBC World Service listeners about their experiences of opening a bank account.

(Picture: The hand of a woman about to take money out of her purse. Credit: Getty Images)

Produced and presented by Sam Fenwick Additional production by Barbara George

The use of these endlessly flexible 3D images is increasing rapidly.

Not just in entertainment, but in medicine, education, design, defence and more.

Holograms trick the brain into seeing something in 3D when it’s really just a projection, allowing us to feel immersed in something – whether it’s an atom, or a cityscape.

We talk to companies developing this fast advancing technology and ask – will we be living in a holographic future?

Produced and presented by Matthew Kenyon

(Image: A citizen watches a hologram of the artwork 'A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains' during a digital art exhibition at an art museum on March 11, 2023 in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province of China. Credit: Getty Images)

Alastair Leithead and his wife Ana moved to Portugal during the Covid pandemic. They live off-grid, meaning they have no access to mains electricity or water supplies. They also have to manage their own waste water and sewage.

Now the former BBC correspondent is embarking on an ambitious project to build and run a hotel, meaning their solar powered utilities will not only have to work for them, but also paying guests.

Produced and presented by Alastair Leithead.

(Image: Alastair and Ana at their property. Credit: Alastair Leithead)

In the first of a two part series, we're in the Alentejo region where people are buying land and empty properties in an area without power or water supply.

Former BBC correspondent Alastair Leithead is one of them - he has moved there with his wife, and is trying to build and run a hotel. He travels around the region and speaks to his neighbours about their experiences.

Plus - what do local people think of this influx of foreigners coming to live off-grid?

Presented and produced by Alastair Leithead.

(Image: The sun setting over solar panels in Portugal. Alastair Leithead)

Pakistan's first female architect came out of retirement to help rebuild her country after the 2005 earthquake.

Now she's helping communities devastated by the 2022 floods.

Dr Lari talks about her experience starting out in a male-dominated field, the changing focus of her career, and her mission to build a million flood-resilient homes in Pakistan by 2024.

Produced and presented by Emb Hashmi.

(Image: Dr Yasmeen Lari. Credit: Getty Images)

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan heard Turkish voters back in May when they said they wanted change in the economy.

So, he appointed a new finance minister and central bank governor to lead the charge.

Despite the president’s strong opposition to using higher interest rates to cool rising prices, he’s allowed rates to rise in each of the last six months.

While that’s helped bring about an economic turnaround, it’s put added pressure on households who have for years been reliant on low borrowing costs.

Will the president’s patience with economic orthodoxy last, or are these early policy changes a sign of long-lasting change?

Presenter Victoria Craig Produced by Victoria Craig and Ceren Iskit

(Image: Eren and Ümit Karaduman and their children. Credit: Victoria Craig)

Despite the name, Bolivia is actually the world's biggest exporter of Brazil nuts.

We travel to the hot and humid north of the country to look at the production process which can be extremely dangerous.

Plus we hear how the business of Brazil nuts is helping stop deforestation in the Amazon.

Presenter: Jane Chambers Producers: Jane Chambers and Helen Thomas

(Image: A worker unloading Brazil nuts from the Pando region at a nut processing plant in Riberalta, Bolivia. Credit: Bob Howard)

When private companies around the world want to raise cash, they can do so by starting a process to list on a stock exchange. This is known as an IPO, or initial public offering.

Analysts watch such public listings to gauge the health of an economy.

In 2021, IPOs were booming, but in 2023 there's been a big drop in activity - with a record low number of companies choosing to offer their shares publicly on stock exchanges in the US, UK and Europe.

What's going on, and why does it matter when IPOs don't do well?

(Picture: The hand of a man holding a phone, monitoring trading data on his phone, tablet, and computer. Credit: Getty Images)

Produced and presented by Frey Lindsay

Shoplifting has long been a concern for small and large retailers worldwide, but many believe the issue has recently increased - including incidents of retail violence.

Sam Gruet speaks to some of these retailers in New Zealand, India, Pakistan and the UK, to explore the possible reasons behind the rise in retail crime and what measures they’re introducing to respond to the escalating issue. These include covert security, body cameras and stab-proof vests.

He also asks if advances in technology can act as a powerful deterrent to potential shoplifters, and if it could be the solution to minimise retail loss.

(Picture: Security camera. Credit: Getty Images)

Presenter: Sam Gruet Producer: Amber Mehmood

Niccolo Ricci is the CEO of Stefano Ricci, a luxury clothing brand whose suits are worn by the rich and powerful.

The firm was established more than 50 years ago by his parents, and now, Niccolo, and his brother Filippo, run the family business; supplying high-end luxury attire to clients all around the world. It's a brand that counts heads of state and business magnates among its patrons.

In an era of casual fashion, this is a rarefied world where discretion is the name of the game.

Presenter: Leanna Byrne

(Photo: Niccolo Ricci. Credit: Getty Images)

The COP 28 climate talks in Dubai have closed with a deal to "transition away" from fossil fuels.

So what does this mean for the future of oil, gas and coal companies?

Sam Fenwick talks to two companies who sent representatives to COP 28; the Norwegian energy giant Equinor and the Middle East's oldest private energy company, Cresent Petroleum. Do they plan to ever abandon fossil fuels entirely?

And she finds out what the leader of COP28’s Greenpeace delegation makes of the agreement.

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Lexy O'Connor

(Photo: Offshore drilling platform during sunrise with work vessel. Credit: Getty Images)

One month before pivotal elections in Taiwan, Ed Butler meets ordinary citizens getting ready just in case growing threats of a Chinese invasion do come to pass.

First-aid and weapons training are top of the list. But why isn’t the government doing more to get people ready?

Presented and produced by Ed Butler

(Image: A first aid training exercise)

The military threat from China, which claims Taiwan as its own, has dominated global headlines of late.

But ahead of elections, most voters here say it’s low wages and property prices that are preying on their minds. Are politicians listening?

We also explore Taiwan's low birth rate - is it a financial decision for young couples not to have children and get a pet instead?

Produced and presented by Ed Butler.

(Image: A young couple take a selfie on the city MRT train. Credit: Getty Images)

Sitting just a few kilometres away from mainland China, the tiny Kinmen islands are in an unusual situation.

Beijing says they and Taiwan are a part of China, they're a breakaway province, and it wants them back, by force if necessary.

As tensions rise, Ed Butler visits Kinmen to discover how this most exposed population feels about Beijing's claim - and hear about plans to build a bridge to connect the islands with the Chinese mainland.

Produced and presented by Ed Butler.

(Image: A beach on Kinmen Island, with sea defences)

Joyce and Raissa de Hass used to make tonic waters and mixers for their friends. That passion became a university project, which then turned into a successful start-up.

In the early days, the twin co-founders from the Netherlands were releasing batches of products they weren't really keen on, but now they think they've found a winning formula for premium mixers. They've won awards for their drinks, and now stock several premium bars and supermarkets.

In this edition of Business Daily, we hear how Joyce and Raissa turned a passion project into a business, why they believe they're shaking up the drinks industry, and what it's like to run a start-up with your identical twin.

(Picture: Joyce and Raissa de Hass)

Presented and produced by Dougal Shaw

When Star Wars launched, it helped usher in the era of the blockbuster. In the wake of the film, came the figures. Forty years on from their launch, the original toys have now become highly sought after - some fetching a few hundred thousand dollars.

We head to the largest toy fair in Europe dedicated to buying and selling Star Wars figures. We look at how much the toys are now worth and speak to some of the super fans now buying them - and explore how big the market for the vintage figures is.

Presenter/producer: Rowan Bridge

(Photo: Someone dressed in The Mandalorian costume at a Star Wars toy fair, with fans in the background)

In this episode of Business Daily, the latest in our series on women, sport and business, it's all about the merch.

We'll explore how important replica tops and kits actually are for women’s sport in terms of fandom, participation and of course money. We ask what female sports fans and participants actually want to wear and whether they're being adequately catered for.

Dr Katie Lebel is Professor at the University of Guelph in Canada and researches gender equity in sports branding and consumer behaviour. She tells us there is a distinct lack of data in this area and as a result sports wear firms are definitely missing out on revenue.

Dana Brookman is founder of the Canadian girl's baseball league and tells us her biggest challenge has been sourcing suitable uniform for her teams, and Sam Fenwick visits sport wear manufacturer Kukri to see what they have available for women and how they're working to improve their offer.

We’re going to explore what’s available and whether half the population is being properly catered for in terms of sports gear...

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Carmel O'Grady (Image: Canadian girls baseball; Credit: Dana Brookman)

Could Africa reduce its dependency on imported rice with the help of South Korea?

The continent's appetite for rice is growing fast at over 6% per year. And even though rice is grown in about 40 out of 54 countries in Africa, the production only covers about 60% of the demand. This results in 14 to 15 million tonnes of rice being imported each year costing over $6bn.

To remedy this, a new rice variety was developed in co-operation with South Korea: ISRIZ-7 and ISRIZ-8. These high yield rice varieties were bred from the very rice that is credited with bringing self-sufficiency in rice to South Korea in the '70s. Earlier this year 10 African nations launched the ‘Korean Rice Belt’ project to improve rice yields in participating countries.

David Cann looks into the rice co-operation between South Korea and African countries, speaking to the South Korean agricultural minister and farmers in Senegal and The Gambia.

Presenter/producer: David Cann

(Photo: A handful of ISRIZ rice seeds. Credit: Rural Development Administration)

After the catastrophic financial crisis, early signs of stability are returning to Sri Lanka. But there’s arguably a more entrenched economic dilemma in the country that had the world’s first female prime minister - the lack of women in work.

With first-hand testimony of harassment and social exclusion, this programme examines the barriers holding women back.

Presenter Laura Heighton-Ginns also visits a women-only employer, successful restaurant chain Hela Bojun, and speaks to presidential advisor Priyanee Wijesekera about the path to cultural change.

Presented and produced by Laura Heighton-Ginns

(Image: A woman working in a government back scheme. Credit: Sri Lanka Department of Agriculture)

More than a quarter of all clothes made are never actually sold - where do they go?

We look into new legislation being finalised by the EU, to try and make fashion more sustainable.

There will be a ban on the incineration of unsold goods and each product will need a digital passport so it can be tracked and its lifetime monitored.

Hannah Mullane speaks to businesses across Europe about whether they think the industry is ready for these kind of changes.

We also head to Ghana, to the Kantamanto market - the biggest second-hand market in the world, to understand the impact the fashion worlds unsold garments can have.

Presented and produced by Hannah Mullane

(Picture credit: A pair of shoes hang over power lines at the Kantamanto market in Accra, November 2022. REUTERS/Francis Kokoroko)

Konrad Bergstrom comes from a family of seafarers. And as a business leader, he wants to make navigating the seas environmentally friendly. His business, X Shore, has been dubbed "the Tesla of the seas".

Konrad is now considered one of Sweden's leading entrepreneurs, having also founded Zound industries - the tech company that produces electronics for Marshall Amplification and Adidas.

But it's not all been plain sailing for the businessman.

In this edition of Business Daily, Leanna Byrne finds out how a boy selling hot dogs in his home town went from windsurfer to entrepreneur; how he overcame business failure; and how a business disagreement led Konrad back to his home - the sea.

(Picture: Konrad Bergstrom. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Leanna Byrne

Greenhouse gas levels have never been higher. If we're to limit global warming, businesses have a crucial role to play because they operate in sectors that need to radically change, like energy, transport and finance.

Thousands of company bosses are touching down in Dubai for this year's COP28 climate change talks. But environmentalists claim many businesses are not acting fast enough.

They're increasingly concerned about the growing number of fossil fuel companies attending these summits. Are they right to be worried?

(Picture: COP28 venue ahead of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in Expo City Dubai. Credit: Getty Images)

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Lexy O'Connor

It’s the world’s largest user of coal fired energy, and the biggest polluter.

However, China is also the world’s biggest producer of green energy. How can it reconcile the two and keep its next zero promises?

Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Lexy O'Connor

(Image: Thermal power and solar power in Shanghai. Two power generation methods in one photo. Credit: Getty Images)

It’s the week of the Climate Change Conference or COP28, and as leaders from around the world meet in the UAE to talk about how to tackle global warming, we take a look at one urgent issue: air pollution.

According to World Health Organisation data, nearly seven million lives are lost prematurely each year due to harmful air.

In this edition. Devina Gupta explores the air problem affecting major cities in Asia - to the cities of Delhi, Lahore, Taipei and Jakarta - to find out how lives and livelihoods are being impacted, and what can be done.

(Picture: The Swaminarayan Akshardham temple under a thick layer of smog in Delhi, India. Credit: Harish Tyagi/Shutterstock)

Presented and produced by Devina Gupta.

Spain is trying to position itself as the centre of renewable energy production in Europe, particularly in green hydrogen.

The country already boasts one of the first centres worldwide where green hydrogen is produced.

But while it rushes headlong with several projects in the pipeline, we examine the economic viability and the impact of producing green hydrogen.

(Image: A green hydrogen manufacturing facility. Credit: Iberdrola)

Presented and produced by Ashish Sharma

We find out why he's a controversial appointment for the COP28 presidency.

Sultan Al Jaber’s appointment has been widely questioned because he’s also the boss of Abu Dhabi’s state oil company Adnoc.

But supporters point to his work as founder of the green energy giant Masdar.

Is he compromised or uniquely qualified?

We speak to people who’ve interviewed him, worked with him, and can give us the inside track.

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Lexy O'Connor

(Image: Sultan Al-Jaber. Credit: Getty Images)

They are the cables that run along the sea bed to move power where it’s needed for a cheaper price.

Business Daily’s Rick Kelsey goes to the site of The Viking Link - the longest one ever built - just before it goes live between the UK and Demark.

We’ll be hearing what these cables may do for our electricity costs and how safe they are from sabotage. Rebecca Sedler Managing Director for NG Interconnectors tells us how it will save people money, and engineer Oliver Kitching spent four weeks on the cable laying vessel at sea. We also here from the Danish engineers who often have too much power available, plus Dhara Vyas from Energy UK discusses concerns around sabotage.

Presented and produced by Rick Kelsey.

Image: The Viking power cable. Credit: National Grid)

Kimchi, the tangy fermented vegetable dish, is now being made and sold around the world.

South Korea’s kimchi export value has risen dramatically in the past few years, going far beyond Asia. And it's consumed by not only overseas Koreans but by the locals too.

While kimchi remains a distinctly Korean dish, in recent years, those with little to no connection to the country have been producing and selling kimchi.

What is behind the rise?

In this edition, David Cann looks into the growing popularity of the dish; speaking to kimchi experts, traders and producers.

Presented and produced by David Cann.

(Picture: Kimchi being made at a traditional market in Seoul, South Korea. Credit: Reuters/Kim Hong-Ji)

When is a diamond really a diamond?

When it’s been formed miles underground a billion years ago, or when has it been created in a laboratory, under temperatures close to the heat of the sun? The answer is – both are true. They look and behave exactly the same, but they are very different in price.

The lab-grown diamonds are marketed as kinder to the environment, and they are far cheaper - and that’s led to concern about whether the two kinds have been mixed together, with man-made stones passed off as natural. So, what is the industry doing to give consumers confidence?

(Picture: Close up of man putting engagement ring on girlfriend. Credit: Getty Images)

Presenter: Lesley Curwen Producer: Barbara George

A few years ago you could have assumed all diamonds had been dug out of the ground – but now it’s true that some of them have been created, at unbelievably high temperatures, in just a matter of weeks.

In the first of two Business Daily programmes about the evolving diamond market, Lesley Curwen heads to the glamorous jewellery district of Hatton Garden in London – to see how the jewellery world is being re-shaped by the mass production of laboratory-made stones.

We hear from India how they’re created in temperatures as hot as the sun - and talk to one of the world’s biggest jewellery brands about why they are using only man-made diamonds.

We also look at claims that man-made diamonds are the green and ethical choice.

(Picture: Tweezers holding a diamond. Credit: Getty Images)

Presenter: Lesley Curwen Producer: Barbara George

The South African former pro rider set up his cycling team in 2007. As MTN Qhubeka they became the first-ever African registered team to ride the Tour de France.

He talks about the challenges of putting together a team from scratch - and the steep learning curve he faced moving from cycling to managing.

After a successful stint on the world stage, a combination of financial and sponsorship problems lead to the team, which by then had gone through multiple name changes, being disbanded in 2021.

Doug Ryder has now put a new team together – we catch up with him at the Q36.5 Pro Cycling HQ in the Netherlands.

Produced and presented by Matthew Kenyon

(Image: Doug Ryder. Credit: BBC)

There are two candidates: one is the current economy minister who has a wealth of experience in power; the other is a maverick libertarian economist who wants to ditch the country’s currency, the peso, and strip the central bank of its ability to print money.

We speak to his senior economic advisor, and also to a wine producer from the western province of Mendoza, who tells us about the challenges of doing business in a country with two exchange rates, severe restrictions on imports, a heavy tax burden and a shrinking economy.

And we speak to voters in Buenos Aires about what they want from their next president in a nation which seems to lurch from one economic crisis to the next.

Picture: Composite image of Javier Milei (Credit: Luis Robayo/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock) and Sergio Massa (Credit: Tomas Cuesta/Reuters) in front of an Argentinian flag (Credit: Carl Recine/Reuters)

Presented and produced by Gideon Long

We’re looking ahead to the meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping in San Francisco – the first time the two leaders will have met in 12 months.

Diplomatic ties between Washington and Beijing have deteriorated this year, with tensions rising over Taiwan and the South China Sea.

Meanwhile, there’s been a tit-for-tat trade spat over semiconductors and raw materials. As the presidents meet on the side lines of the APEC summit, Vivienne Nunis takes stock of the relationship between the world’s two largest economies.

Produced and presented by Vivienne Nunis.

(Image: US President Joe Biden and China's President Xi Jinping meet at the G20 Summit in Bali on November 14, 2022. Credit: Getty Images)

Some owners are converting their vehicles into EVs.

The idea is to boost the performance of these cars and make them ready for a green future.

The process is not cheap - it requires specialists who can retain the vintage value of these cars while fitting them with a modern electric engine.

Critics feel that such a transition takes away the emotional and engineering legacy of these vehicles. So we travel across the UK to find out about the challenges and the future of this niche business that is helping classic cars go electric.

Produced and presented by Devina Gupta.

(Image: 'Isetta', owned by Aleks Hughes which has been converted to electric. Credit: Richard Heeley, Bite the Hand)

The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 saw millions of Ukrainian women and children flee to safety; causing massive upheaval and hitting the economy hard.

For the women who have stayed, their lives have been transformed; many have taken on new roles, like Tetiana, who is now working underground in a coal mine, and Evgeniya, who is now a sniper on the frontline.

Others, like Alina Kacharovska, have managed to grow their businesses; in this case, shoes and accessories, or are stepping into leadership positions, like Yulia Burmistenko, in the crisis group at energy company D-Tek.

In this edition of Business Daily, we also hear from Iryna Drobovych from the Ukrainian Women’s Congress, and Yuliya Sporysh, founder & CEO of NGO Divchata, on how the war could change things for gender equality in Ukraine.

(Image: Tetyana Ustimenko, manager of underground installations at DTEK. Credit: DTEK)

Presented and produced by Clare Williamson

The Argentinian-American tech entrepreneur moved to the US in 1997 and carved out a career in the corporate world before breaking free and setting out on her own.

In late 2020, the remote working company TransparentBusiness, which she co-founded 12 years earlier, achieved a $1bn valuation.

Now she continues to push for gender and racial equality in the workplace, is an investor on the TV show Unicorn Hunters, and has also established a new asset-backed cryptocurrency.

She explains her journey, the setbacks she’s faced along the way and opens up about what keeps her motivated.

Presenter/producer: Sam Clack

(Image: Silvina Moschini. Credit: Dasha Horita)