Podcasts by World Business Report

COP 28: Will there be an agreement on fossil fuels? from 2023-12-12T23:09

The COP28 climate talks in Dubai were supposed to have ended on Tuesday morning. Almost 200 countries are working into the night to salvage a deal on climate change, after a promise to "phase ou...

COP 28 climate negotiations continue after backlash from 2023-12-12T16:09

Climate negotiators at the COP 28 summit in Dubai are continuing to debate a draft agreement, after the one released on Monday failed to mention the phasing out of fossil fuels. Almost 200 count...

COP28: Draft deal criticised as too weak on fossil fuels from 2023-12-11T23:07

The draft text of COP28 summit agreement has prompted widespread backlash from countries vulnerable to climate change.

A group of small island states says the new draft is "completely ins...

COP 28: draft climate deal published, but does it go far enough? from 2023-12-11T16:04

There's criticism that a draft deal at the COP 28 climate change summit in Dubai doesn't refer to phasing out fossil fuels. The document has been published on the penultimate day of the conferen...

US Jobless rate records 3.7% drop from 2023-12-08T23:08

Jobs growth in the US recovers after striking workers return to Hollywood and the car industry.

Employers added 199,000 jobs in November.

It helped to push down the jobless rate t...

Dispute over Essequibo: What impact will it have on Venezuela's economy? from 2023-12-08T16:05

As diplomats scramble to try to cool tensions between Venezuela and Guyana over disputed land, how much is all this down to the perilous state of the Venezuelan economy? The strike of Tesla's m...

Leaders meet at EU-China summit from 2023-12-07T23:37

Top EU officials met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing this week for their first in-person summit in four years. We examine what was on the agenda.

We hear about tensions between Ve...

Brazil deploys troops to Venezuela border from 2023-12-07T16:15

Brazil has moved troops to the Venezuela border, a day after Guyana’s military were put on high alert. This is response to Venezuela’s claims over the disputed territory of Essequibo. We speak t...

Italy pulls out of flagship Chinese project from 2023-12-06T23:29

The Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has formally told China it will leave their Belt and Road Initiative. We find out what this means for their relationship going forward.

We examin...

Guyana’s military on high alert over oil from 2023-12-06T16:32

Guyana’s military is on high alert after President Nicolas Maduro of neighbouring Venezuela issued oil extraction licences in the disputed territory of Essequibo. We speak to the mayor of a town...

One year on: are the oil sanctions against Russia working? from 2023-12-05T23:03

It has been one year since G7 nations and the EU imposed a $60-per-barrel ceiling on Russian crude oil. Elina Ribakova, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, war...

Moody's cuts China's credit outlook from 2023-12-05T16:04

The credit rating agency is concerned about the country's rising debt and economic slowdown. We find out what it will take for China to gain back the markets' trust. An attack on three commerci...

UK announces immigration crackdown from 2023-12-04T23:35

The UK government has announced measures to cut immigration which includes plans to raise the minimum salary required for foreign workers to be eligible for a work visa.

We find out how t...

Spotify announces 1,500 job cuts from 2023-12-04T16:11

The Swedish music streaming platform will axe 17% of its workforce to reduce costs blaming rising borrowing prices. We get the latest.

A referendum in Venezuela has given overwhelming bac...

Venezuela-Guyana border dispute from 2023-12-01T23:10

The International Court of Justice has warned Venezuela to stop any action that would alter Guyana’s control over a disputed territory, in the Essequibo region, days ahead of a planned referendu...

COP 28 countries to include food production to tackle climate change from 2023-12-01T16:39

World leaders attending the COP 28 climate change summit in Dubai have signed up to a declaration aimed at reducing emissions from food production. The declaration says there is an urgent need t...

What is the COP28 loss and damage fund? from 2023-11-30T23:08

We look at the impact that COP 28 will have on the global economy as it announces that hundreds of millions of dollars will go into a loss and damage fund for poorer countries. Our presenter Rah...

COP 28 summit warns of ‘climate collapse’ from 2023-11-30T16:16

The UN Chief Antonio Guterres has told the opening of the COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai that this year is set to be the warmest on record – and urged world leaders to act. The summit is hosted b...

Ronaldo faces $1bn lawsuit over cryptocurrency ad from 2023-11-29T23:32

Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has been named in a class action lawsuit in America after promoting a range of NFTs for Binance. The star is being sued for $1bn. Rahul Tandon finds out the latest f...

Uber's plan to allow London's iconic black cabs to use its app from 2023-11-29T16:22

Uber invites London's black cab drivers to its app but will it work after years of rivalry? We ask Uber's general manager in the UK, Andrew Brem.

Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, has prom...

India's PM praises tunnel workers’ rescue from 2023-11-28T23:35

Rahul Tandon looks at the rescue efforts of the workers who have been trapped in a tunnel in Uttarakhand, India for 17 days. He raises the questions about development in that area.

We hea...

All 41 workers rescued from tunnel in India from 2023-11-28T16:34

41 workers in India who were trapped in a tunnel after a landslide have been rescued. The fast fashion online retailer Shein has filed confidentially to go public on the US stock market. Virgin ...

AI consequences ‘unimaginable’ says Mozilla boss from 2023-11-27T23:43

Roger Hearing talks to Mitchell Baker the CEO of Mozilla, one of the oldest and most influential internet institutions about her hopes and fears over AI.

He also finds out just how much sh...

UAE planned to make oil and gas deals during COP 28 from 2023-11-27T16:12

Leaked documents revealed that UAE, hosts of the UN climate change conference COP 28, were planning to hold oil and gas talks with 15 countries. The documents were obtained by independent journa...

TerraUSD boss Do Kwon could face charges in US or South Korea from 2023-11-24T23:02

The entrepreneur behind the $40bn collapse of crypto token TerraUSD, Do Kwon could be extradited to the US or South Korea to answer fraud charges following a court ruling in Montenegro.

He...

Ecuador: Business heir Daniel Noboa sworn in as president from 2023-11-23T23:20

35-year-old heir to a banana business empire Daniel Noboa has been sworn in as Ecuador’s new president, with a promise to create jobs and curb violence in a country gripped by a bloody drug war....

Far Right leader Geert Wilders set to win Netherland election from 2023-11-23T16:36

Geert Wilders is likely to be the new leader of the Netherlands. His far-right Freedom Party is set to win 37 seats with almost all the votes counted. "The PVV can no longer be ignored," he said...

New board for Open AI as Altman returns from 2023-11-22T23:13

The company brings in some established names to the top table, as former CEO Sam Altman comes back to his old job.

Economist Larry Summers and former Twitter Chairman Bret Taylor are in wi...

Former CEO Sam Altman reinstated as OpenAI boss from 2023-11-22T16:54

Sam Altman will return to his job as CEO of artificial intelligence OpenAI, the non-profit behind the popular bot ChatGPT. Mr Altman was removed from his position on Friday. Staff at the firm th...

Binance boss pleads guilty to money laundering from 2023-11-21T23:21

CZ, the founder of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange has stepped down and the company will pay a fine of more than $4 billion dollars.

Changpeng Zhao said in a post on X, "I made...

Microsoft Chief Executive Satya Nadella calls for change at OpenAI from 2023-11-21T16:37

Satya Nadella chief executive of Microsoft has called for change at OpenAI after it fired co-founder Sam Altman on Friday. Mr Altman was appointed to a senior role at Microsoft on Monday as hund...

OpenAI employees threaten resignation over Altman sacking from 2023-11-20T23:27

Following the firing of CEO Sam Altman, almost all of OpenAI's 770 staff have signed a letter threatening to resign unless he is reinstated.

Microsoft's stock reached a record high after i...

Ousted OpenAI boss Sam Altman takes new position at Microsoft from 2023-11-20T17:35

Microsoft has hired Sam Altman, former boss of OpenAI best known for the artificial intelligence bot Chat GTP, 48 hours after he was dismissed from the company.

Chief Executive Satya Nadel...

Sam Altman ousted as CEO of OpenAI from 2023-11-17T23:18

Sam Altman, the head of artificial intelligence firm OpenAI, has been ousted by the company's board, which said it had lost confidence in his ability to lead the company. We look at what this me...

AI chief quits over ‘exploitative’ copyright row from 2023-11-17T16:41

Is it ok for tech firms to exploit other people's copyrighted work in order to develop artificial intelligence? AI routinely uses smart-learning to feed off existing internet content to train an...

Would you buy a car from Amazon? from 2023-11-16T23:25

We buy everything online these days. But what about a car? E-commerce giant Amazon has partnered with Hyundai. The South Korean car giant will be the first brand sold on the site. We hear why th...

Joe Biden hails progress after Xi Jinping talks from 2023-11-16T16:11

China is ready to be a partner and friend of the United States, and there is plenty of room for bilateral cooperation, President Xi Jinping told American executives in San Francisco on Wednesday...

Biden and Xi meet for first time in a year from 2023-11-15T23:17

US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are meeting in San Francisco, California to discuss relations between the two countries, which deteriorated earlier this year. We find out...

The US and China try to reach trade deals from 2023-11-15T16:12

The US President Joe Biden is meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping in California today in what some commentators are seeing as a key diplomatic moment for the superpower's relations. It's the first...

Xi-Biden meeting: What to expect from 2023-11-14T23:09

The presidents of the US and China will meet in San Francisco, where the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group summit is taking place. It's the first time they will meet in a year. We look at ...

Update: Germany to halt Russian oil imports 'as fast as possible' from 2022-04-20T22:18

Germany says it is working hard to reduce its reliance on Russian energy. The BBC's Faisal Islam speaks to the German finance minister Christian Lindner. As Tesla releases its Q1 earnings, we get a...

Netflix suffers rare fall in subscribers from 2022-04-20T15:12

The streaming giant Netflix lost 200,000 subscribers in its first such decline since 2011. We get reaction to the development, which saw the firm's share price decline substantially, from Georg Sza...

Update: IMF cuts global growth forecast from 2022-04-19T22:19

The International Monetary Fund expects global economic growth to slow to 3.6% this year. The forecast shaves almost a percentage point of growth from its forecast from before the war in Ukraine, a...

IMF cuts global growth forecast from 2022-04-19T15:11

The International Monetary Fund expects global economic growth to slow to 3.6% this year. The forecast shaves almost a percentage point of growth from its forecast from before the war in Ukraine, a...

Apple staff make bid for first union at a US store from 2022-04-18T22:27

We start the programme with news that workers at Apple's Grand Central Station store in New York have announced a plan to start a union. If the bid is successful, it would be the first union at one...

China announces first Covid-19 deaths since 2020 from 2022-04-18T15:06

China has announced three deaths from coronavirus, the first in the country since 2020. And there's more bad news; the Financial Times newspaper is reporting that a record numbers of citizens have ...

Ukraine seeks $50 billion from the G7 from 2022-04-17T23:48

Ukraine is asking the G7 for $50 billion to plug a huge hole in its war torn economy. It comes as countries continue to enforce sanctions on Russia as the conflict in Ukraine continues, but several...

Twitter board to fight Musk bid from 2022-04-15T22:22

Twitter’s board has adopted a ‘poison pill’ policy to help prevent a potential hostile takeover, a day after Elon Musk offered to buy the platform. The BBC’s North America tech reporter James Clayt...

Is this the world's best chocolate? from 2022-04-15T15:06

São Tomé and Príncipe was once the world’s biggest exporter of cocoa but when the horrific working conditions were exposed in the 1920s, chocolate manufacturers switched their source of beans to Gh...

Update: Elon Musk makes a bid to buy Twitter from 2022-04-14T22:47

Tesla boss Elon Musk has offered to buy Twitter, saying he is the right person to "unlock" the social media platform's "extraordinary potential". In a surprise announcement, Mr Musk said he would p...

Elon Musk makes a bid to buy Twitter from 2022-04-14T15:18

Tesla boss Elon Musk has offered to buy Twitter, saying he is the right person to "unlock" the social media platform's "extraordinary potential". In a surprise announcement, Mr Musk said he would p...

Update: Latest from the financial markets from 2022-04-13T22:26

We hear what's been happening on the financial markets from Susan Schmidt, Head of US Equities Portfolio Management at Aviva Investors

The future of São Tomé and Príncipe from 2022-04-13T15:17

According to the World Bank, 42% of the world’s population is under 25 and in São Tomé that figure is above 50%. The hope is that these young people will be the future of the country - and its econ...

UPDATE: Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak fined over lockdown parties from 2022-04-12T21:57

Boris Johnson has been fined by the police for attending a birthday party thrown for him during a Covid lockdown. The prime minister confirmed he had paid the fixed penalty notice for going to the ...

São Tomé and Príncipe; on the sharp end of climate change from 2022-04-12T15:35

We take a look at São Tomé and Príncipe, a country on the sharp end of climate change - the BBC's Tamasin Ford, interviews its president, Carlos Vila Nova who wants the world to do more than just t...

France reacts to Le Pen and Macron Upcoming Presidential Face-off from 2022-04-11T22:12

First - we look at how Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron will face-off in two weeks time. We spoke to Laurent Allias who runs Josiane, an advertising agency based in Paris. He told us about how he ...

Shehbaz Sharif to become Pakistan's Prime Minister from 2022-04-11T15:11

Shehbaz Sharif was voted in as part of a united opposition that has come together against the incumbent Prime Minister, Imran Khan. Shehbaz is the brother of Nawaz Sharif, himself a former Pakistan...

Macron and Le Pen Through to Second Round of Votes in French Election from 2022-04-11T01:03

The first round of voting in the French Presidential elections has taken place. So far no results are confirmed, but exit polls strongly suggest that the far right candidate Marine Le Pen will face...

1MDB: Ex-Goldman Malaysia boss convicted from 2022-04-08T22:36

The former head of Goldman Sachs in Malaysia has been convicted for helping orchestrate one of the world's biggest corruption scandals. Roger Ng was found guilty on all charges, over the looting of...

French voters head to the polls as economic concerns loom large from 2022-04-08T15:34

At one point incumbent president Emmanuel Macron seemed destined to win the first round of voting this Sunday. However polls suggest the race has tightened up significantly. Sophie Pedder, Paris bu...

Rouble rebounds as EU sanctions on Russian coal loom from 2022-04-07T15:13

Russia's currency, the rouble, has recovered from the extreme lows seen in recent weeks and is now trading at levels that haven't been seen since before Russia invaded Ukraine in February. Elina Ri...

Update: The US imposes more sanctions on Russia from 2022-04-06T22:25

The US has announced further sanctions on Russia. The UK and US assets of its largest bank, Sberbank, will be frozen, and new American and British investments in Russia will be banned. We get analy...

Shanghai's Covid lockdown becomes city-wide from 2022-04-06T15:24

China has extended its lockdown in Shanghai to become city-wide. There is growing anger over what’s considered to be a particularly harsh lockdown. Brenda Goh, a journalist for Reuters in the city,...

Update: EU proposes fresh wave of sanctions against Russia from 2022-04-05T22:26

The European Union is proposing a new round of sanctions against Russia including a ban on coal imports and a ban on Russian ships entering European ports. German economist Jakob Schlandt tells us ...

EU proposes fresh wave of sanctions against Russia from 2022-04-05T15:08

The European Union is proposing a new round of sanctions against Russia including a ban on coal imports and a ban on Russian ships entering European ports. German economist Jakob Schlandt tells pre...

Update: UN report calls for rapid, systemic changes to combat climate change from 2022-04-04T22:15

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report calls for fundamental changes to our patterns of consumption of fossil fuels, and for a major expansion of renewable energy. We speak to Charlie...

Sri Lanka cabinet quits en masse after protests from 2022-04-04T00:34

Sri Lanka is grappling with what is said to be its worst economic crisis since independence from the UK in 1948. All 26 ministers have submitted letters of resignation - but not Prime Minister Mahi...

Update: US unemployment at two year low from 2022-04-01T23:11

US unemployment is at a two year low of 3.6% ; we get analysis from Chris Low of FHN Financial. Also in the programme, the conflict in Ukraine has highlighted Europe's dependence on Russian energy....

Russian foreign minister visits India from 2022-04-01T15:25

Russia's foreign minister has been holding meetings in Delhi with his Indian counterpart. It comes against the backdrop of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and one of the items on the agenda in the wa...

Update: Ships blocked in Shanghai from 2022-03-31T22:13

As many as 300 vessels are backed up in Shanghai, waiting to load up or discharge compared to this time last year. We hear about the knock on affects from Steve Lamar, President and CEO of the Amer...

UN seeks billions in aid for Afghanistan from 2022-03-31T16:52

Amid a worsening humanitarian crisis, the UN is seeking $4.4bn in aid for Afghanistan. Dawood Azami is the editor of the BBC's Pashto Service, and tells us what life is like for Afghans at the mome...

US considers Cold War-era defense law to boost mining from 2022-03-30T22:47

U.S. President Joe Biden could reportedly invoke a Cold War-era defense law to encourage domestic production of minerals. Josh Siegel of Politico explains why. Also in the show, amid concern about ...

Germany activates emergency gas plan from 2022-03-30T15:11

Amid concern about supply from Russia, Germany has invoked its emergency gas plan. Carsten Brzeski is global head of macro research at ING, and tells us what the move actually means. Also in the pr...

Biodiversity talks enter final day from 2022-03-29T22:41

Talks in Geneva to reverse the loss of nature and halt extinctions are in their final day. We'll hear from Patrick Greenfield, biodiversity reporter for the Guardian, on the details of the negotiat...

Update: General strike in India from 2022-03-28T22:14

A two day general strike is under way in India today, as workers protest government economic policies. We hear how everyday life has been affected from Nikhil Inamdar, BBC India Business correspond...

China announces Shanghai lockdown from 2022-03-28T15:25

China's Shanghai financial hub will be locked down in two phases amid rising Covid cases. Jennifer Pak is China correspondent for our US partner programme Marketplace, and tells us what impact the ...

Russian shelling of Ukraine continues from 2022-03-28T00:33

Over a month into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, shelling continues in some of the country’s major cities. We’ll hear from Vira, who is staying put in Kyiv, at least for the time being. And the B...

US announces EU liquefied natural gas deal from 2022-03-25T16:18

The US has announced it is to significantly boost liquefied natural gas supply to the EU. The move is a bid to help reduce European reliance on Russian energy in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine...

Update: Nato discusses defence spending from 2022-03-24T23:16

At a Nato summit in Brussels, its members have discussed boosting defence spending. We get the very latest from the summit from BBC Brussels correspondent Jessica Parker. And New York's famous yell...

NATO discusses defence spending from 2022-03-24T16:17

At a NATO summit in Brussels, its members have discussed boosting defence spending. Sash Tusa is an aerospace and defence specialist at Agency Partners, and tells us what the implications of such a...

Update: Russia says payments for gas must be made in roubles from 2022-03-23T23:11

Russian president, Vladimir Putin, says Moscow will begin insisting that payments for Russian gas - from unfriendly countries, as he put it - are made in roubles. He's given the Russian central ban...

UK chancellor announces tax cuts as inflation hits 30-year high from 2022-03-23T16:13

In the UK, prices are rising faster than wages and the Bank of England says inflation could hit double digits this year. Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who runs the UK Treasury, announced measures today w...

Update: Tesla's gigafactory comes to Europe from 2022-03-22T23:13

Tesla's first European production facility is officially open. Elon Musk was himself on hand for the opening ceremony - alongside the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz - to see the first Model Y elect...

Tesla's first European factory opens in Germany from 2022-03-22T16:30

Tesla's first European production facility is officially open. Elon Musk was at the opening ceremony - alongside the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz - to see the first Model Y electric cars roll out...

UPDATE: How is a UK debt to Iran connected to Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe? from 2022-03-22T00:15

First in this edition of The World Business Report - we look into how Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's release from custody in Iran is linked to the payment of a debt owed by the UK from the 70's. Rowen...

Russian shoppers face shortages of some basic goods from 2022-03-21T16:28

As Russia's war in Ukraine enters its second month, some essential goods - like sugar, flour and rice - are becoming harder to find, and much more expensive. Some regions have imposed limits on how...

China sees it's largest Covid-19 spike in two years from 2022-03-21T01:38

First on the programme - we look at how as parts of the globe are abandoning restrictions, areas of China are back in lockdown in the face of rising case numbers. It's affecting the north-eastern r...

Picking sides over the war in Ukraine from 2022-03-18T16:41

As Russia continues its offensive in Ukraine, the US warns China against actively supporting President Putin whilst Turkey, a NATO member, walks a tightrope because of its political and economic ti...

Update: Reaction to Zelensky's address to German parliament from 2022-03-17T23:30

The Ukrainian president spoke to the Bundestag, requesting further sanctions on Russia.

Zelensky addresses German parliament from 2022-03-17T16:51

Ukraine's president suggests Germany is focused on economic interests ahead of ending war. Jakob Schlandt is an energy and climate journalist for the German daily Tagesspiegel and discusses Preside...

Update: US raises interest rate by 0.25% over inflation fears from 2022-03-16T23:09

The increase is the first in the US since December 2018, and is aimed at controlling the country's worryingly high inflation. We get reaction to the announcement from Greg McBride, analyst at the p...

A warning on global oil supply from 2022-03-16T16:50

The International Energy Agency cautions the Ukraine war is likely to disrupt oil supply. Britain's prime minister Boris Johnson is in the Gulf this week, asking the UAE and Saudi Arabia to pump mo...

Update: Kyiv extends curfew as Russian troops advance from 2022-03-15T23:20

Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced a 35-hour curfew to end on Thursday morning, the first curfew to be put in place in daytime. It comes after the leaders of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia v...

EU introduces new Russia sanctions from 2022-03-15T16:50

The European Union has brought in new sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The EU and UK have frozen the assets of more wealthy and powerful Russians, and will also ban exports of luxu...

Update: China sees shares plummet from 2022-03-15T00:07

Chinese stocks plummet on Ukraine and Russia's war, and coronavirus, says US shares expert Peter Jankovskis in the US. Plus, we speak with Roman Waschuk, a businessman who fled Ukraine and is now r...

Russia blocks Instagram from 2022-03-14T16:13

Despite 80 million users in the country, Russia has blocked the social network Instagram. The move came after Instagram's parent company Meta said some users could call for violence against Russian...

The US warns China against financially aiding Russia from 2022-03-14T01:41

For two weeks, Western countries have been ramping up restrictions on trade with Russia. As these start to bite into Moscow's economy, the US National Security Adviser has issued a warning to China...

Update: Biden to increase sanctions on Russia from 2022-03-11T23:23

The US president, with G7 nations, will revoke Russia's 'most favoured nation' status.

Warning on global food supply from 2022-03-11T16:30

One of Ukraine's biggest food producers has warned of the impact of war on food supply. Dr John Rich is the chairman of MHP, and tells us further Russian advances in Ukraine could prevent farmers f...

Update: Goldman Sachs pulls out of Russia from 2022-03-10T23:26

The biggest US bank so far winds down operations in Russia after the invasion in Ukraine.

Pharmaceutical help sought for Ukraine from 2022-03-10T16:10

One of Ukraine's top pharmaceutical firms asks the global industry to help keep medicines flowing. Also in the programme, the BBC's Caroline Davies seeks Russian views on the changing high street i...

Update: Sanctions on Russia continue from 2022-03-09T23:19

The EU and United States announce further measures against Russia

Vote to end EU golden passports for Russians from 2022-03-09T16:15

The European Parliament will vote on whether Russians should qualify for golden passports. These enable wealthy individuals to buy citizenship or residence in another country, and Slovakian Member ...

Update: Biden bans Russian oil and gas imports from 2022-03-08T23:24

The president announced further action meant to relieve dependency on Russian energy.

EU outlines Russia energy plan from 2022-03-08T16:10

The European Union has outlined a plan aimed at reducing its dependence on Russian energy. The BBC's Theo Leggett brings us the details. And with Russian gas still flowing freely through pipelines ...

UPDATE: Global oil prices surge again from 2022-03-08T00:08

First on the programme, Dr Carole Nakhle is the Chief Executive of Crystol Energy discussed with us how the price of the main oil benchmark - Brent crude - surged on Monday, hitting $139 a barrel a...

Global oil prices surge again from 2022-03-07T16:37

Amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the price of oil crossed the $130 a barrel mark. Whilst prices subsequently fell back, traders are concerned about the possibility of a Western ban on the impo...

TikTok restricts Russian content. from 2022-03-07T01:42

Companies continue to withdraw their services from Russia, as it continues its invasion of Ukraine. American Express, Netflix and Tik Tok have limited Russia’s access to their platforms – we speak ...

The latest from Kyiv and Kharkiv from 2022-03-04T23:53

We hear the latest on the ground from the BBC's Lyse Doucet in Kyiv and Sarah Rainsford in Kharkiv. The UN refugee agency, the UNHCR, says that a million people have now fled Ukraine since the Russ...

Russia seizes Ukraine's largest nuclear plant from 2022-03-04T16:27

Following overnight shelling Russia has seized Ukraine's largest nuclear power plant. Vitaly Shevchenko is Russia editor for BBC Monitoring, and explains the implications. We get reaction to the se...

As shelling continues, defiant MPs gather in Kyiv from 2022-03-03T23:33

With Russia's Ukraine invasion in its second week, fighting continues across the country. The Ukranian MP Kira Rudik tells us about the extraordinary parliamentary gathering which took place in Kyi...

Russia's bombardment of Ukraine continues from 2022-03-03T16:31

With Russia's Ukraine invasion in its second week, fighting continues across the country. Since the start of the conflict, we've been hearing from Olga Shapoval, who is executive director of the no...

City of Kherson said to be under control of Russian forces from 2022-03-02T23:47

The mayor of the strategically important Ukrainian port of Kherson says Russian forces are now in control - making it the first major city to be taken by the Russians. In a message posted on Facebo...

Global energy prices touch fresh highs from 2022-03-02T16:30

Global energy prices have surged as Russia intensifies attacks on key Ukrainian cities. As the oil producers' cartel OPEC plus Russia stick with a planned 400,000 barrel per day increase in product...

Deadly blast at Kyiv TV tower from 2022-03-01T23:26

Five people have died after Russia attacked a TV tower in Kyiv, hitting nearby broadcast facilities. It comes after Russia warned residents that it was preparing to hit targets in the Ukrainian cap...

Russia's bombardment of Kharkiv escalates from 2022-03-01T16:28

Russia has continued its onslaught against the northeastern Ukraine city of Kharkiv. Olga Shapoval is executive director of the city's IT cluster, and tells us what life is like for people there no...

UPDATE: The US sanctions the Central Bank of Russia from 2022-02-28T23:50

Russia's central bank has been targeted with sanctions by the United States in an attempt to cripple the Russian economy following the invasion of Ukraine. The measures block Americans from engagin...

Western sanctions impact Russia's economy from 2022-02-28T16:44

Russia's central bank hiked interest rates to 20% as the rouble's value plunged up to 30%. We bring you up to speed with all the latest sanctions that have been imposed on Russia as a result of its...

The EU imposes fresh economic sanctions on Russia from 2022-02-28T01:36

We started off the programme by asking the independent banking analyst Frances Coppola how in practical the newly announced EU sanctions work. Then we moved on to the Russian economy and asked Kall...

Thousands flee Ukraine as Russian invasion continues from 2022-02-26T00:10

Thousands of Ukrainian people, including young children, are walking for hours to reach the border of neighbouring Poland, as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine. The BBC's Adam Easton is in P...

Russian forces advance on Kyiv from 2022-02-25T16:47

As Ukraine braces itself as Russian forces reach its capital, we consider the global economic effects. Kyiv is seeing exchanges of fire in the north, as Russian troops advance. We hear from a woman...

The US and UK announce new Russia sanctions from 2022-02-24T23:22

The world woke up on Thursday to a new war in eastern Europe. And even as fierce fighting continues in several parts of Ukraine - with the Russians advancing on multiple fronts - international cond...

Russia invades Ukraine from 2022-02-24T16:13

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is posing a number of serious questions for the global economy. Business people in the country share their perspectives on how the unfolding events will affect them. Ol...

UPDATE: State of emergency declared in Ukraine from 2022-02-24T00:10

Amid the threat of a Russian invasion, Ukraine's economy faces a number of challenges. Jock Mendoza-Wilson is deputy chair of the British Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce, and discusses the current mo...

Ukraine's economic challenges from 2022-02-23T16:18

Amid the threat of a Russian invasion, Ukraine's economy faces a number of challenges. Jock Mendoza-Wilson is deputy chair of the British Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce, and discusses the current mo...

Update: Western powers unveil new Russia sanctions from 2022-02-22T23:32

Western countries have placed further sanctions on Russia, after President Putin ordered troops into two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine, after recognising their independence from Kyiv. The re...

West unveils new Russia sanctions from 2022-02-22T16:10

The West is putting sanctions on Russia after President Putin ordered troops into Ukraine. The moves include the UK blocking several Russian banks, and Germany suspending approval of the Nord Strea...

Russia recognises breakaway Ukraine regions from 2022-02-22T00:03

Vladimir Putin has recognised the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine. In a televised address, the Russian president said Donetsk and Luhansk were ancient ...

England is expected to end Covid restrictions from 2022-02-21T16:36

Amid falling case rates, England is expected to remove nearly all Covid restrictions. We get reaction to the move from Professor Devi Sridhar, who is the University of Edinburgh's Chair in Global P...

Australia reopens to tourists from 2022-02-21T01:36

Australia has reopened its borders to foreign tourists for the first time in almost two years, with the country’s beleaguered travel sector hoping for a revival. Margy Osmond from Australia’s Touri...

Update: Canadian police try to end trucker protest from 2022-02-18T23:49

To get the latest on the Canada truck protest situation, we hear from Kristy Kirkup in Ottawa - she's the national reporter for the Globe and Mail newspaper; and we also hear from Professor Arthur ...

Africa closer to making and distributing Covid-19 vaccines from 2022-02-18T16:23

The World Health Organization has announced that six African countries will be given the revolutionary mRNA technology to set up their own vaccine production centres - helping the continent acquire...

Update: Elon Musk says US is trying to "chill" his free speech from 2022-02-17T23:14

Tesla boss Elon Musk has accused US regulators of targeting him for "unrelenting investigation" because of his criticism of the government in a court filing. The billionaire says the Securities and...

Britain to close down golden visa scheme from 2022-02-17T16:16

Wealthy individuals who invest at least £2m in the UK are offered residency through the golden visa scheme. But that's set to end as the UK government aims to deter Vladimir Putin's allies from ben...

Update: Beer prices set to rise from 2022-02-17T00:13

Two of the world's biggest lager makers, Carlsberg and Heineken, have warned that inflation in the manufacturing process is driving up brewers' costs and will make a pint more expensive. And there'...

Hungary and Poland lose EU funding fight from 2022-02-16T16:25

The European Union's highest court has ruled that the EU can reduce funding for member states found to have flouted democratic values. Judges at the European Court of Justice dismissed a challenge ...

Update: Ukraine hit by cyber attacks from 2022-02-16T00:55

The Ukrainian government has said its websites and banks have been hit by cyber attacks. Two state-owned banks, PrivatBank and Oschadbank, had been targeted by “massive” denial of service attacks a...

NATO cautiously optimistic over Ukraine from 2022-02-15T16:25

Russia has announced that some of the units deployed near the border with Ukraine are heading back to their bases. But some are sceptical that the threat has diminished. We hear from the BBC's Olga...

Update: US considers offering Ukraine $1bn in sovereign loan guarantees from 2022-02-15T00:08

Amid warnings from the West that time really is running out, the G7 group of nations has reiterated that it is ready to impose sanctions on Russia if it sends troops over the border; we hear from A...

Ukraine tensions heighten from 2022-02-14T23:57

Amid warnings from the West that time really is running out, the G7 group of nations has reiterated that it is ready to impose sanctions on Russia if it sends troops over the border; we hear from O...

Airlines begin to withdraw from Ukraine from 2022-02-14T01:40

The effects of unrest in Ukraine are now being felt in the aviation industry, as several airlines have cancelled or reduced their flights to the country. Some are avoiding flying through the area a...

Update: World leaders discuss protecting the oceans from 2022-02-11T23:26

The summit has seen international commitments to protect the ocean and reverse its declining health - we get details from Louise Guillot, a sustainability reporter for Politico. Plus Chris Low from...

Fastest UK economic growth since WW2 from 2022-02-11T16:20

The UK economy grew 7.5% in 2021, despite a fall in December due to Omicron restrictions. We get analysis of the latest data from Ruth Gregory, senior UK economist at Capital Economics in London. ...

Update: US inflation hits 7.5% from 2022-02-10T23:46

With inflation rising faster than expected, we hear from the BBC's North America Business correspondent Michelle Fleury and economist Cary Leahey. Plus, blockades across some of the busiest border ...

Snoop Dogg acquires Death Row Records from 2022-02-10T16:08

US rapper Snoop Dogg has acquired Death Row Records, the label that launched his career. We find out more from MK Asante of Morgan State University, who wrote the book It's Bigger Than Hip Hop. Als...

Update: Blinken arrives in Australia to meet foreign ministers from 2022-02-09T23:15

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet leaders of the "Quad" grouping, a US-led bloc which includes Australia, Japan and India, to shore up Indo-Pacific partnerships in the face of Chin...

Dutch central bank 'deeply regrets' slavery links from 2022-02-09T16:23

The Dutch central bank said it "deeply regrets" its founders' role in the slave trade. Dr Joris van den Tol conducted an independent review into the issue, and discusses the review's findings. Also...

Update: Calls for windfall taxes on profitable oil companies from 2022-02-08T23:24

Professor Arun Advani discusses one-off taxes after oil companies post massive profits.

EU aims to boost chip manufacture from 2022-02-08T16:05

Seeking to counter a microchip shortage, the EU unveiled a plan to boost manufacturing. Some $49bn in subsidies are proposed to try and ensure 20% of the world's microchips are produced in Europe b...

Update: Mr Scholz Goes To Washington from 2022-02-07T23:17

The German Chancellor meets US President Biden in Washington, DC.

Large companies 'fail' on net zero targets from 2022-02-07T16:06

The New Climate Institute argues a host of big firms are not meeting climate commitments. Thomas Day was lead author of the institute's report, and discusses its findings. Also in the programme, pr...

Germany's Ukraine dilemma from 2022-02-07T08:34

Germany's new Chancellor Olaf Scholz is travelling to the United States for his first face to face meeting with President Biden. He is under pressure from both domestic rivals&international allies ...

US jobs report exceeds expectations from 2022-02-05T00:24

The United States economy created 467,000 new jobs in January, despite a surge in coronavirus cases caused by the Omicron variant. The BBC's Michelle Fleury brings us the details, and Chris Low of ...

Putin and Xi announce bilateral deals from 2022-02-04T16:11

Presidents Putin and Xi of Russia and China met and unveiled a number of bilateral deals. We hear about the burgeoning economic relationship between the two countries from Dmitry Dolgin, chief econ...

UPDATE: China and Russia to sign over a dozen trade deals from 2022-02-03T22:57

President Vladimir Putin is due to begin a visit to Beijing on Friday - with the Kremlin saying that he'll sign more than a dozen trade deals with his counterpart Xi Jinping. Later in the day, Mr P...

Meta shares plunge after weak earnings from 2022-02-03T16:19

Shares in Facebook's parent company Meta fell 25% on opening after weak earnings data. Investors were particularly concerned by Facebook's first ever decline in user figures, and we find out more f...

UPDATE: Meta shares plunge more than 20% from 2022-02-02T22:48

It's been a bad day for Big Tech. Shares in Facebook's parent company, Meta, dropped 20 percent in after-hours trading, following the release of its Q4 figures for the end of 2021 and its numbers f...

Regulating future technology from 2022-02-02T16:08

The European Union has outlined a strategy for regulation of new and emerging technology. Competition chief Margrethe Vestager gave details of the proposals, and we find out more from Javier Espino...

UPDATE: US pharma giants to pay Native Americans $590 million over opioids from 2022-02-01T22:52

America's three biggest pharmaceutical distributors and Johnson&Johnson have been ordered to pay up to $665 million to native American tribal communities devastated by the opioid crisis. More than ...

India ramps up infrastructure spending from 2022-02-01T16:28

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman's budget includes plans for new highways and cargo terminals, and aims to kickstart the Indian economy following a wave of Omicron cases. Our correspondent Aruno...

UPDATE: How much will the Joe Rogan scandal hurt Spotify? from 2022-01-31T23:26

We start this WBR looking at the effects of the Joe Rogan Scandal on Spotify and if they should be worried. When Rogan started talking to people about Coronavirus he was accused of spreading misinf...

Should Spotify be called a platform or a publisher? from 2022-01-31T16:05

Spotify seeks to limit damage after a Coronavirus row over its star podcaster. Joe Rogan has pledged to try harder to offer more balanced views on his podcast, after he was criticised by Neil Young...

Spotify clamps down on Covid-19 misinformation from 2022-01-31T01:43

We start the programme looking into Spotify and The Joe Rogan Experience - it's Spotify's most popular podcast which has come under scrutiny for platforming what critics and artists like Neil Young...

US inflation at a 40 year high from 2022-01-29T01:43

As US inflation in the US hits record highs, we get analysis from Chris Low at FHN Financial. There's a dispute in Spain over the cultivation of strawberries in Andalucia which are taking water fro...

Update: US inflation at a 40 year high from 2022-01-28T23:56

As US inflation in the US hits record highs, we get analysis from Chris Low at FHN Financial. And Kai Rysdall from the Marketplace show in the US, speaks to nobel prize winning economist, Amartya Sen.

Strongest French economic growth for 52 years from 2022-01-28T16:05

Economic growth in France at 7% last year is its strongest performance in 52 years. But the country suffered a contraction during the pandemic of 8%, and we explore the relative economic performanc...

UPDATE: Apple breaks sales records from 2022-01-27T23:41

Firstly, we look at how Apple became the first company to hit a stock market valuation of $3tn in early January of this year as well as its latest earnings.
We also discuss how chip shortages a...

US economy grows at 6.9% from 2022-01-27T16:20

In the last quarter of 2021 the US economy grew at a better than expected annualised 6.9%. We get a sense of what that feels like on the ground from Curtis Blair, president and chief executive of t...

UPDATE: WTO lets China impose tariffs on the US from 2022-01-26T23:51

The World Trade Organisation has authorised China to impose retaliatory duties on US imports to a value of more than 600 million dollars per year. Beijing had challenged American tariffs levied on ...

Italian business leaders meet Putin from 2022-01-26T16:04

Despite the potential Ukraine conflict, Italian business leaders have met President Putin. The virtual meeting with the Russian president went ahead amid calls from Italy's government for it to be ...

UPDATE: IMF downgrades the forecast for the global economy from 2022-01-25T23:34

The International Monetary Fund has downgraded its forecast for the global economy - trimming half a percentage point off its projection - now at 4.4 per cent. The IMF's First Deputy Managing Direc...

Central Asia suffers power cuts from 2022-01-25T16:26

Millions of people in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan have suffered power cuts. The disruption was caused by a grid failure, and Timor Karpov in the Uzbekistan capital Tashkent tells us about...

European Commission announces Ukraine financial aid from 2022-01-24T16:14

The EU Commission president has offered $1.3bn in financial assistance for Ukraine. Ursula von der Leyen's announcement came as NATO put forces on standby and Britain and the US withdrew diplomats ...

Italy to elect a new president from 2022-01-24T01:52

This week members of the Italian Parliament will elect a new head of state in a secret ballot. The powers of the president are limited, but the role of overseeing the appointment of the prime minis...

Update: Intel to invest $20bn in new Ohio chipmaking complex from 2022-01-21T23:40

The American technology firm Intel says it will spend $20 billion dollars to build two semiconductor chip factories in the US state of Ohio as a global shortage continues. Alena Semuels is the Seni...

TotalEnergies and Chevron leave Myanmar from 2022-01-21T16:08

French and American energy giants TotalEnergies and Chevron are pulling out of Myanmar. They've cited deteriorating human rights in the wake of last year's coup in the country. We find out more fro...

Update: Deadly blast in Ghana from 2022-01-20T23:23

A huge explosion in the west of the country has caused massive damage and loss of life.

Ukraine tension mounts from 2022-01-20T16:14

As signs of a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine mount we gauge the mood in the country. Orysia Lutsevych heads the Ukraine Forum in the Russia and Eurasia programme at Chatham House, and brings ...

Update: Biden defends his first year from 2022-01-19T23:16

President Biden has held a rare press conference to mark a year in office. Biden has defended his administration’s response to the global economic impact of the pandemic, and concerns over supply c...

South Africa opens vaccine manufacturing site from 2022-01-19T16:11

South Africa's President Ramaphosa has opened a vaccine manufacturing site in Cape Town. The BBC's Vumani Mkhize was at the event, and brings us the details. And we get reaction to the development ...

Update: Microsoft plans to buy Activision Blizzard for nearly $70bn from 2022-01-18T23:24

Microsoft says it plans to buy major games company Activision Blizzard in a deal worth $68.7bn. It would be the biggest acquisition in the company's history and is expected to be finalised in 2023....

US airlines warn of 5G flight disruption from 2022-01-18T16:17

US airlines have warned that switching on new 5G mobile services could cause disruption. The BBC's Theo Leggett discusses the background to the problem, and its implications.
Also in the progr...

Update:China cuts interest rates from 2022-01-18T00:33

China has unexpectedly cut a key interest rate for the first time in almost two years as official figures showed its economic growth had slowed. Geoffrey Yu, senior market strategist at bank of New...

Credit Suisse chairman resigns from 2022-01-17T16:19

Antonio Horta-Osorio has resigned as chairman of Credit Suisse following Covid breaches. The departure comes on the heels of a string of scandals for the beleaguered bank, and we get the background...

China growth expected to slow from 2022-01-17T01:33

Debts accumulated by construction companies, like Evergrande, are undermining the economy and the days of China enjoying expansion of double digits are expected to be over. Plus we look ahead to th...

Update: US retail figures for December disappoint from 2022-01-15T00:21

Retail figures released in the US for December were lower than analysts' expectations. We get analysis from Chris Low of FHN Financial.
Plus, Forbes has released its YouTube rich list. The BBC...

EDF ordered to sell cheap nuclear power from 2022-01-14T16:28

French energy firm EDF has been ordered by the government to sell cheap nuclear power. The company says the move could cost it $9.5bn, and at one point today its shares declined by 25% on the news....

Update: India and UK hold free trade talks from 2022-01-13T23:25

Representatives of the Indian and British governments have held a first day of talks over a free trade deal, potentially worth billions of dollars. The UK’s Secretary of State for International Tra...

Covid closures at Chinese VW plants from 2022-01-13T17:35

Volkswagen China has closed two plants in Tianjin as a result of Covid outbreaks. James Mayger is with Bloomberg News in Beijing, and assesses the impact of China's zero Covid approach on global su...

Update: US inflation soars from 2022-01-12T23:21

The US annual inflation rate rose to 7% in December, a figure not seen since 1982. Jayne Schaber lives in New York state and tells us about her experiences when out shopping, and we get a historica...

US inflation hits 7% from 2022-01-12T16:08

The US annual inflation rate rose to 7% in December, a figure not seen since 1982. Jayne Schaber lives in New York state and tells us about her experiences when out shopping, and we get a historica...

Update: Lockdown in three Chinese regions from 2022-01-11T23:25

The BBC's Kerry Allen takes us through developments in China's fight against covid.

Companies mandate Covid-19 vaccines for staff from 2022-01-11T16:11

Companies are increasingly mandating Covid-19 vaccines for staff. Ikea has cut sick pay for unvaccinated workers who must self-isolate in the UK. It's the latest in a string of companies making lif...

Update: Talks between Russia and USA continue from 2022-01-10T23:20

We discuss the possibility of sanctions, and a turbulent day's trading on the markets.

Sri Lanka seeks China debt restructure from 2022-01-10T16:06

President Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka has asked China to restructure its debt repayments. Deshal de Mel is an economist at Verite Research, and tells us how Sri Lanka built up more than $5bn in loans fr...

International shipping firms call for action to combat piracy from 2022-01-10T01:39

A rise in kidnappings and ransoms of sailors in the Gulf of Guinea prompts call for an international response to combat sea piracy. Plus we talk inflation with economist Michael Hughes and hear fro...

US jobs report paints mixed picture from 2022-01-07T16:13

The US economy added just 199,000 jobs in December but unemployment also fell to 3.9%. Ken Rogoff is a former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund, and currently professor of economic...

India approves patent-free Covid-19 vaccine from 2022-01-06T23:50

India has approved the use of a patent-free Covid-19 vaccine, which was developed at Baylor College of Medicine in the US. We speak to Maria Elena Bottazzi, who tell us her team developed Corbevax ...

Dozens killed in protest crackdown in Kazakhstan from 2022-01-06T16:10

As Kazakh forces kill dozens of protesters we examine the economic roots of the conflict. Lilit Gevorgyan is an expert on the former Soviet republics at the research company IHS, and explains how K...

Low turnout as CES tech fair welcomes attendees from 2022-01-05T23:55

Turnout has been lower than usual at the CES 2022 tech fair in Las Vegas, with attendees able to physically attend after a virtual-only event last year. The BBC’s James Clayton tells us what the mo...

France debates new Covid vaccination rules from 2022-01-05T16:47

French lawmakers are debating making proof of vaccination required to enter public venues. Previously a recent negative test has been an acceptable alternative, and we get reaction to the proposal ...

Toyota overtakes GM as top US car seller from 2022-01-04T23:29

After a 90-year run at the top, GM slipped behind Toyota in terms of car sales in the US in 2021. Paul Eisenstein from TheDetroitBureau.com tells us what caused the swing. Plus, reaction to Therano...

Apple is world's first $3tn company from 2022-01-04T16:25

As Apple briefly becomes the world's first $3tn company we ask what is behind its success. Dan Ives is senior equity analyst at Wedbush Securities, and tells us what the iPhone maker's chief execut...

Reconnecting America: What can the trillion dollar infrastructure bill achieve? from 2022-01-03T16:00

President Trump once described America's infrastructure as "crumbling," it's perhaps why after much wrangling, the US Congress finally approved the trillion dollar bi-partisan infrastructure bill. ...

How green is the global flower industry? from 2022-01-03T01:00

Most flowers sold in the florists and supermarkets of Europe are grown in East Africa, where the climate supports roses and other plants to grow year round. But is it sustainable?

Germany shuts three of its six nuclear plants from 2021-12-31T16:33

Germany has closed three nuclear power plants as part of the govenment's plan to entirely phase out nuclear energy by the end of 2022. Can renewables pick up the slack or will coal-fire plants be n...

Update: Teva Pharmaceuticals found liable in opioid trial from 2021-12-30T23:25

A jury in New York says the pharmaceutical company helped fuel America's opioid epidemic.

China ride-hailing app Didi reports $6bn loss from 2021-12-30T16:12

Chinese ride-hailing app Didi Global has seen losses deepen after a crackdown by Beijing. The Chinese government ordered online stores not to offer the company's app earlier this year, and Duncan C...

Review of the year - 2021 from 2021-12-24T08:30

The big event of 2021 that will shape economies all over the world for decades to come was the COP 26 climate conference in Glasgow in November. The meeting saw a deluge of promises, but what was a...

Update: Covid rules tighten from 2021-12-18T00:54

As the Omicron variant sweeps the world, French prime minister, Jean Castex has said major public parties and firework displays on New Year's Eve would be banned. Meanwhile, Ireland imposes new res...

Coal power generation hits record from 2021-12-17T16:16

Despite the Glasgow climate summit aim of reducing coal use, coal power has hit a record. That's according to data compiled by the International Energy Agency. We ask Simon Evans, policy editor of ...

Update: A golden age for tv production in the UK from 2021-12-16T23:14

meat products like corned beef and beef jerky are popular in many parts of the world- and a lot of them come from Brazil. Concerns have been voiced for years about the scale of cattle-rearing for m...

Turkey cuts interest rates again from 2021-12-16T16:17

We meet some of those affected by rising prices in Turkey as interest rates are cut again. The BBC's Victoria Craig is in Istanbul, and reports on the country's unorthodox approach to monetary poli...

Update: US central bank signals interest rate hikes in 2022 from 2021-12-15T23:22

The Federal Reserve will withdraw support for the post-pandemic US economy more quickly in response to rising inflation. Chris Low of FHN Financial in New York explains the Fed's new measures, whic...

EU outlines new gas strategy from 2021-12-15T16:13

The European Commission has outlined a strategy to try and stabilise gas prices in the EU. We find out more from Jakob Schlandt, from the energy and climate change team at German daily Der Tagesspi...

Update: UK politicians back Covid passes from 2021-12-14T23:15

As new coronavirus measures are passed in England, including face masks and mandatory covid passes, we speak to the BBC's political correspondent, Rob Watson. Plus, Joe Saluzzi from Themis Trading ...

The economic impact of the Omicron variant from 2021-12-14T16:39

There are warnings that the Omicron Covid variant could have a severe impact this winter. In the UK, a significant rebellion of members of Parliament for the governing Conservatives is expected as ...

Turkish lira falls to record low from 2021-12-13T23:22

Turkey's lira currency has fallen to its lowest ever level, amid fears that the country's central bank will once again cut interest rates this week. We hear from Turkish economist Murat Sagman on w...

UN discussions over 'killer robots' from 2021-12-13T16:11

There are discussions in Geneva over how to govern the use of lethal autonomous weapons. Some UN member states have called for an all-out ban on so-called 'killer robots', while the US says there s...

Israeli PM in landmark visit to UAE from 2021-12-13T00:44

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is in the United Arab Emirates, on a landmark first visit by an Israeli head of government to the country. Hussein Ibish, senior resident scholar at the Arab ...

US inflation hits highest level for nearly 40 years from 2021-12-10T23:37

American shoppers, especially those on low incomes have felt the pinch of higher prices, with annual inflation at rates not seen for 40 years.
The latest figures show prices rose 6.8% in the ye...

Silent strike in Myanmar from 2021-12-10T16:09

Anti-coup activists have protested against Myanmar's leaders by enacting a silent strike. Many businesses were closed, streets have been empty, and we hear about the protesters' aims from activist ...

Update: WHO expresses concerns of vaccine hoarding by wealthy countries from 2021-12-09T23:19

The WHO's director for vaccines says hoarding threatens supplies in poorer nations. Workers at a Starbucks in New York have become the first in the country to unionise.

New Zealand to phase out smoking from 2021-12-09T16:13

New Zealand is to ban sale of tobacco to its next generation, aiming to phase out smoking. Colin Peacock from Radio New Zealand tells us why the country has made the move now, and we find out how t...

Update: After 16 years, a new German chancellor from 2021-12-08T23:07

Olaf Scholz has been sworn in as chancellor, heading a new coalition government.

Scholz becomes German leader from 2021-12-08T16:47

Olaf Scholz has been sworn in as German chancellor, after 16 years of Angela Merkel rule. We find out about Germany's economic challenges from Peter Bofinger, who is a German economist, and former ...

Update: Biden and Putin hold virtual summit from 2021-12-07T23:16

What kinds of sanctions could the US use to deter Russia from military action in Ukraine? We get answers from former State Department adviser on Russia, Edward Fishman.

China lifts Lithuania imports block from 2021-12-07T16:49

Beijing has lifted a four day block on Lithuanian exports crossing into China. At issue was Lithuania hosting a modest Taiwanese diplomatic presence in Vilnius. Finbarr Bermingham is the Europe cor...

Update: New York City to impose vaccine mandate on all private sector workers from 2021-12-07T00:23

All New Yorkers will need to be vaccinated against Covid-19 if they want to go to work, the city's mayor, Bill de Blasio, has announced. Employees in the public sector already need to be inoculated...

Putin visits India from 2021-12-06T16:33

Russian president Vladimir Putin has held high level talks with India's PM Narendra Modi. On the agenda were defence deals involving India purchasing Russian jets, and we discuss the visit with Sne...

Covid response divides nations from 2021-12-06T01:41

Tighter restrictions to contain the spread of Coronavirus have triggered a wave of protests across Europe, but Germany looks set to follow Austria in making vaccination compulsory next year. Econom...

Update: Stock markets reach to US jobs report from 2021-12-04T00:32

Chris Low from FHN Financial gives us the latest on the stock markets. Plus, we hear from the CEO of Visa about how the pandemic moved us away from cash at a faster rate.

Shell pulls out of Cambo oil field development from 2021-12-03T16:41

Shell has pulled out of the controversial Cambo oil field development west of Shetland. The oil giant said that developing the field was uneconomical, and we get the background to the decision from...

Update: US seeks to block tech merger from 2021-12-02T23:29

America's trade watchdog wants to stop the merger of two electronic chip companies, Nvidia and ARM. Also, the Council of Global Unions - which represent over 200 million workers around the world - ...

WTA suspends China tennis tournaments from 2021-12-02T16:11

Amid concern about tennis player Peng Shuai, the WTA has suspended its China tennis events. We explore the financial implications with Dr Dan Plumley, lecturer in sport finance at Sheffield Hallam ...

Update: President Biden vows to ease supply chain problems in time for holidays from 2021-12-01T23:42

President Biden sought to reassure Americans that the current disruption in the supply chain is being tackled head-on. Sylvan Lane of The Hill in Washington DC explains the impact the disruptions c...

EU outlines Global Gateway plans from 2021-12-01T17:08

The European Union has launched a global investment scheme to rival China's Belt and Road. We find out more about the Global Gateway project from Jonathan Holslag, professor in international politi...

Update: Inflation fears worry US markets from 2021-11-30T23:25

The Chairman of the US Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, has said that the rise in Covid-19 cases and the emergence of the Omicron variant poses risks to employment and economic activity and increase...

Inditex: Zara founder's daughter takes over from 2021-11-30T16:22

High street fashion giant Inditex has appointed the founder's daughter as its new chair. The firm owns brands including Zara and Massimo Dutti, and we find out what's behind the appointment of Mart...

Update: Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey steps down as CEO from 2021-11-29T23:54

Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey is stepping down as chief executive of the company. Mr Dorsey, who co-founded Twitter in 2006 will be replaced by the current chief technical officer, Parag Agrawal. ...

Countries shut borders over Omicron variant fears from 2021-11-29T16:24

More countries including Japan have closed their borders over Omicron Covid variant fears. We explore to what extent travel restrictions can prevent the spread of viruses with Keith Neal, emeritus ...

Borders shut as scientists race to understand Omicron from 2021-11-29T08:15

As scientists scramble to understand the new Covid variant, Omicron and G7 health ministers gather for an emergency meeting, global stock markets are set for a volatile start to the week. We speak ...

Update: Travel bans on southern Africa from 2021-11-27T09:45

The WHO has given the name Omicron to a new strain of coronavirus first reported in South Africa as a 'variant of concern'. We hear from S African medic Bayanda Gumede. Plus Cary Leahey from Decisi...

Markets on edge about new Covid variant from 2021-11-26T16:33

Stock markets around the world have declined as news of a new Covid-19 variant emerged. With the UK and others banning flights from the affected southern African countries, travel and tourism share...

Update: US covid case rise from 2021-11-25T23:16

Data suggests many more Americans have been travelling over the past few days than did this time last year, but there's been a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases in recent weeks. Scientists are warning t...

Germany's economic challenges from 2021-11-25T17:47

Economic growth slows in Germany, we look at the challenges facing the new government. In Japan, the trial of former Nissan director Greg Kelly continues. We hear from his wife.

Update: Samsung plans microchip factory in Texas from 2021-11-24T23:46

South Korea's Samsung has chosen Taylor, Texas for a new $17bn computer chip factory. The US is hoping to bring more such hi-tech manufacturing back on to American shores, and we explore the implic...

Samsung to build microchip factory in Texas from 2021-11-24T16:31

South Korea's Samsung has chosen Taylor, Texas for a new $17bn computer chip factory. The US is hoping to bring more such hi-tech manufacturing back on to American shores, and we explore the implic...

US taps Strategic Petroleum Reserve from 2021-11-24T10:28

US President Biden has been speaking about the state of economy. And, in a bid to bring down energy prices, the United States is to release fifty million barrels of oil from its strategic reserves....

UPDATE: US taps Strategic Petroleum Reserve from 2021-11-23T22:56

US President Biden has been speaking about the state of economy. And, in a bid to bring down energy prices, the United States is to release fifty million barrels of oil from its strategic reserves....

Jerome Powell nominated for a second term as US Fed chair from 2021-11-22T23:25

Jerome Powell has been nominated for a second term as chair of the US Federal Reserve by President Joe Biden. Mr Powell is set to stay in the role, which includes managing inflation and regulating ...

Austria enters new coronavirus lockdown from 2021-11-22T16:28

Amid rapidly rising Covid-19 cases, the Austrian government has imposed a 20 day lockdown. We get reaction to the move from Vienna-based tour guide Angelika Kronberger, and we get a sense of the li...

Anti-lockdown protests sweep across Europe from 2021-11-22T01:32

Tens of thousands of people have been marching in the Belgian capital, Brussels, to protest against anti-Covid measures. Thousands of demonstrators also took to the streets in the Netherlands, Aust...

UPDATE: US House passes Biden’s historic social spending bill from 2021-11-19T22:56

The US House of Representatives has passed US President Joe Biden's $1.9tn (£1.4tn) Build Back Better Act after facing fierce opposition from Republicans. The sweeping social spending and climate p...

India scraps controversial farm reforms from 2021-11-19T16:13

India's leader Narendra Modi has abandoned agricultural reforms after a year of protests. Kavitha Kuruganti of the Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture has been campaigning against the...

Update: Copy of US Constitution to be auctioned from 2021-11-18T23:19

A cryptocurrency crowdfund raises over $45m in advance of the auction, plus the markets.

Turkish lira hits fresh record low from 2021-11-18T16:31

As Turkey's central bank cut rates amid high inflation, its currency hit a new record low. William Armstrong of BBC Monitoring based in Istanbul tells us what life is like for people in Turkey with...

Update: Biden in Detroit from 2021-11-17T23:19

The US President visits the General Motors factory in Michigan, plus the latest markets.

Inflation spikes across Europe from 2021-11-17T16:15

With inflation rising across Europe, Spain is particularly hit with prices rising 5.5%. That's the highest level seen for almost 30 years, and the BBC's Guy Hedgecoe in Madrid tells us how people i...

Germany introduces new Covid restrictions from 2021-11-16T16:54

Coronavirus cases have risen sharply in Germany in recent weeks. Several of the worst-hit states, including Saxony and Bavaria have introduced new restrictions on unvaccinated people at indoor publ...

US and Chinese leaders to hold video call from 2021-11-15T23:31

Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping will meet virtually to discuss US China relations.

Unvaccinated facing new lockdown in Austria from 2021-11-15T01:40

Austria is placing about 2 million unvaccinated people in lockdown from Monday amid record Covid infection levels. It's led already for calls for greater government support from sectors like the ho...

Update: Climate talks over-run and Janet Yellen interview from 2021-11-12T23:38

Cop 26 climate talks go beyond their deadline in attempt to reach deal

Belarus threatens European gas supply from 2021-11-12T16:31

With tensions rising over a migrant crisis Belarus is threatening to stop EU gas supplies. Around a fifth of the gas Russia pumps to Europe runs through Belarus, and Thierry Bros, a former advisor ...

Belarus threatens to cut off gas to the EU from 2021-11-11T23:37

Belarus's leader has threatened to cut off gas supplies to Europe if sanctions are imposed over an escalating migrant crisis at the country's border. Thousands of people are at the border with Pola...

COP26 close draws near from 2021-11-11T16:34

With the end of the Glasgow UN climate summit in sight, we take stock of progress so far. The BBC's Matt McGrath brings us the latest developments.

China and US agree to boost climate co-operation from 2021-11-10T23:51

China and the US have agreed to boost climate co-operation over the next decade, in a surprise announcement at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. The two countries released a joint declaration pr...

Transport day at COP26 from 2021-11-10T16:27

Attendees in Glasgow focus on greener transport today. Nations and automakers have committed to working towards selling only zero emission new cars in leading markets by 2035.

Rolls Royce secure funding to develop small modular nuclear from 2021-11-10T01:19

The aircraft engine maker Rolls Royce has secured funding to develop small modular nuclear reactors, aimed at producing green electricity. Tom Samson is chief executive of Rolls Royce SMR and expla...

General Electric to split in three from 2021-11-09T16:29

The US conglomerate General Electric is to split into three publicly listed companies. We find out what's behind the move from the BBC's Michelle Fleury in New York. Also in the programme, the airc...

Update: Tesla shares fall after Elon Musk Twitter poll from 2021-11-09T00:17

The CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, asked Twitter users to vote on whether he should sell 10% of his stake in the carmaker in order to pay tax on his gains. What do shareholders make of it? We get the opi...

Barack Obama attends COP26 from 2021-11-08T16:18

Former US president Barack Obama has been speaking at the UN climate summit in Glasgow. Jessica Shankleman of Bloomberg tells us about the debate ongoing at COP26 today about how much rich nations ...

Update: Democrats divided over Biden's infrastructure and social spending bills from 2021-11-06T01:39

President Biden has urged his party to pass his $1 trillion infrastructure bill. But interparty disagreement over a separate social spending bill is threatening to block the passage of both in the ...

COP26: The story so far from 2021-11-05T16:47

At the end of the first week of climate negotiations in Glasgow we take stock of progress. Claire Shakya is director of climate change at the International Institute of Environment and Development,...

Update: Biden sets Covid vaccine mandate for businesses from 2021-11-04T23:23

President Biden has set a mandate which says workers at firms with more than 100 employees must be double vaccinated by 4th January. We get reaction from our reporter Michelle Fleury in New York. Listen

Bank of England keeps rates on hold from 2021-11-04T16:07

Confounding market expectations the Bank of England kept interest rates on hold at 0.1%. With inflation rising around the world, we ask Sarah Hewin, chief economist for Europe and the Americas at S...

Update: US Federal Reserve ends bond buying programme from 2021-11-03T23:30

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell announces the tapering of asset purchases, plus market report.

Finance sector pledges greater climate action from 2021-11-03T16:34

Hundreds of banks and money managers pledged to consider the planet when making decisions. There have been multiple promises on climate and finance in the past, and we discuss whether the new annou...

Update: South Africa to receive $8.5bn to go green from 2021-11-02T23:24

A partnership of Western nations agrees to assist the country's transition from coal.

India pledges net zero carbon by 2070 from 2021-11-02T16:04

India's leader Narendra Modi committed his country to net zero carbon emissions by 2070. We get reaction to the pledge, made at the UN climate summit in Glasgow, from Sunita Narain, director of the...

Update: Modi announces India's climate pledge from 2021-11-01T23:23

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks at the COP26 summit in Glasgow.

Glasgow climate conference under way from 2021-11-01T16:03

World leaders have converged in Glasgow, Scotland, to seek a new climate change deal. We get analysis of the role business can play in decarbonising the world economy, from Rowan Douglas of the res...

Business concerns about climate ‘irreversible’ from 2021-11-01T01:37

Business leaders’ concerns about green-friendly investment are here to stay, say experts, ahead of the COP 26 summit in Glasgow, where leaders and investment moguls are gathering to address the pro...

Update: Climate change in focus from 2021-10-29T22:20

There are just days to go until the much anticipated COP26 climate conference, which is taking place in Glasgow, Scotland. Net zero emissions appears to be the target that many countries have commi...

Is net zero the right target? from 2021-10-29T16:05

There are just days to go until the much anticipated COP26 climate conference, which is taking place in Glasgow, Scotland. Net zero emissions appears to be the target that many countries have commi...

Update: Big oil grilled by Congress from 2021-10-28T22:12

Oil companies are accused of misleading the public about climate change and the companies say they hope to highlight their recent efforts on the issue. We hear from the BBC's Samira Hussain, who's ...

US economy slows from 2021-10-28T15:20

America's economy slowed down dramatically over the past three months. A rise in Covid-19 infections is being blamed, as well as shortages of goods and workers. We'll assess what's going on. Plus, ...

Update: Will US spending plan end deadlock? from 2021-10-27T22:29

There are intensive discussions on Capitol Hill to try and break the deadlock over President Biden's proposed $3.5 trillion spending plans. Those plans have led to deep divisions in his own Democra...

Checking in with the UK economy from 2021-10-27T15:12

The UK economy was hit incredibly hard by the pandemic and its recovery is not yet complete. The government has said the economy should return to its pre-Covid level at the turn of the year -- earl...

Update: US revokes China Telecom licence from 2021-10-26T22:56

Citing national security concerns, the US revokes China Telecom's licence to operate in US. We speak with the BBC's Zhaoyin Feng in Washington. Plus, Scott Nations from NationsShares in the US give...

Update: Facebook reports growth despite controversies from 2021-10-25T23:38

Facebook's latest financial results showed better than expected earnings. It comes as the whistleblower Frances Haugen appeared in front of the UK parliament and told MPs that the social media comp...

Coca-Cola named world's biggest plastic polluter from 2021-10-25T15:09

Coca-Cola has been named as the world’s biggest plastic polluter. The drinks company sells over 100 billion throwaway bottles every year. Rob Young asks how we can reduce the amount of plastic we u...

ASEAN summit quandry from 2021-10-25T00:33

The 10 member countries of the ASEAN group of nations, like Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam will hold a summit in Brunei this week. But Tuesday's meeting has already run into controversy, af...

Update: China seeks to dominate AI from 2021-10-22T23:18

US officials are warning about China's ambitions in artificial intelligence, saying that the country could come to dominate in the field, giving the country unprecedented military advantage. Chris ...

The threat of rising inflation from 2021-10-22T15:32

France is to pay low income families €100 each to cushion the impact of rising inflation. Meanwhile the Bank of England's chief economist has warned inflation could hit 5% in the UK in the months a...

WeWork shares jump more than 13 per cent in public markets debut from 2021-10-21T23:18

Shares of WeWork closed up more than 13.49 per cent on Thursday after the company went public through a special purpose acquisition, more than two years after its failed IPO. We hear from Peter Eav...

Poland row overshadows EU summit from 2021-10-21T15:46

A dispute between Brussels and Warsaw threatens to overshadow a summit for EU leaders. A Polish court recently found parts of EU law were incompatible with the country's constitution, and there hav...

Update: Tesla profit and Latvia in lockdown from 2021-10-20T23:12

We go to Brazil where president Jair Bolsonaro is rejecting accusations of prioritising the economy over the health of his people during the height of the covid pandemic - journalist Karla Mendes i...

Brazil's economic challenges from 2021-10-20T15:47

A Brazilian parliamentary committee is calling for President Bolsonaro to face charges. These would be related to Mr Bolsonaro's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed the lives of...

UPDATE: Credit Suisse pays $475m in fines to settle Mozambique ‘tuna bonds’ case from 2021-10-19T22:48

Credit Suisse Group is to pay $475 million to American and British authorities to resolve bribery and fraud charges related to a $2 billion scandal over
Mozambican government-guaranteed loans w...

UK: gas boilers phased out by 2035 from 2021-10-19T15:18

The UK government wants to phase out gas boilers by 2035, to be replaced by heat pumps. We get a sense of the picture for alternative heating technologies across Europe, and Dr David Glew, head of ...

Update: Amazon denies misleading US authorities from 2021-10-19T00:01

Amazon denies allegations that it misled Congress. The retail and tech giant was questioned over claims that it copied other peoples' products, and rigged its search results in India to boost sales...

Car makers boost electric vehicle investments from 2021-10-18T15:25

There have been a flurry of announcements of investment in the manufacture of electric cars. Toyota will spend $3.5bn to build car batteries in the United States, while Europe's Stellantis has done...

Apple privacy change attracts criticism from 2021-10-18T01:48

Tech giant Apple’s recent privacy changes have piqued the interest of some of its critics for not being as private as advertised – ahead of a slate of new products being launched. China’s economic ...

UPDATE: US markets from 2021-10-15T22:57

Chris Low of FHN Financial in New York wraps up the week on Wall Street.

Italy port workers strike over Covid pass rules from 2021-10-15T15:49

Italy has made it mandatory to prove Covid vaccination, or a negative test, to go to work. Thousands of workers at Trieste port have gone on strike over the mandate, and we get reaction to the new ...

Microsoft shutting down LinkedIn in China from 2021-10-14T22:33

Microsoft is shutting down its social network, LinkedIn, in China, saying having to comply with the Chinese state has become increasingly challenging. It comes after the career-networking site face...

Global supply chains under pressure from 2021-10-14T15:09

Pressure on the global supply chain is making plenty of things much harder to get hold of. President Biden has announced one of America's busiest ports will now work round the clock to help clear a...

Putin says claims Russia is using gas prices as political weapon are "drivel" from 2021-10-13T23:01

Claims that Russia is using the high gas price as a political weapon are "drivel", according to President Vladimir Putin. His comments come as there is now intense focus on the energy markets. Bitc...

IEA: Larger clean energy investment needed from 2021-10-13T15:18

The International Energy Agency has called for trillions of investment in clean energy. It argues that it is the only way that the world's climate targets can be met. Tim Gould is chief energy econ...

Shipping container logjam at UK's Felixstowe port from 2021-10-12T23:00

The UK's largest commercial port says the supply chain crisis has caused a logjam of shipping containers. The Port of Felixstowe, which handles 36% of the UK's freight container traffic, blamed the...

UN warning on Afghanistan economy from 2021-10-12T15:07

The UN Secretary General has urged the world to inject money directly to Afghanistan. Leaders of the G20 nations are meeting virtually on Tuesday to discuss a worsening economic situation in the co...

Update: What's behind rising energy prices? from 2021-10-11T22:52

We've heard about soaring gas prices, rising food prices, and now oil prices are also on the way up and have just topped their highest level in three years. We ask David Shepherd, energy editor at ...

Nobel economics prize awarded for real-life studies from 2021-10-11T15:33

This year's Nobel prize for economics has been shared by three recipients. David Card, Joshua Angrist and Guido Imbens were awarded the prize for their use of "natural experiments" to understand ho...

Sydney reopens after 106 days in lockdown from 2021-10-11T00:47

New South Wales' largest city emerges from a lockdown lasting more than three months - we hear about the impact on the economy from Sarah Hunter at BIS Oxford Economics in Sydney. Patrick Edmond of...

Update: US jobs growth surprisingly weak from 2021-10-08T23:05

Chris Low of FHN Financial in New York wraps up the week on Wall Street, and reflects on some lower than expected US jobs figures.

Global corporate tax deal draws closer from 2021-10-08T15:54

An agreed global minimum 15% corporate tax rate draws closer as Ireland signs up. Dr Brian Keenan is director of public policy at Chartered Accountants Ireland and discusses the background to the l...

Update: US Senate reaches debt ceiling deal from 2021-10-07T22:45

Party leaders in the American congress's upper chamber meet to raise the debt ceiling.

Europe gas prices fall after Russia intervention from 2021-10-07T15:24

An intervention by Russia led to falls in the price of European gas, after steep hikes. Chris Weafer is chief executive of the Moscow-based consultancy Macro Advisory, and tells us what Russia is s...

Update: WHO approves malaria vaccine rollout in Africa from 2021-10-06T22:25

A new vaccine against the disease is to be given to children across much of Africa. Plus Intel opens a new plant in Arizona, and the markets with our guest Susan Schmidt.

Johnson seeks higher UK wages from 2021-10-06T15:35

Addressing his party conference, UK leader Boris Johnson called for higher worker wages. The speech came against a backdrop of widespread fuel shortages in recent weeks, and concerns about a lack o...

Update: Facebook whistleblower testifies before US Senate from 2021-10-05T23:32

Frances Haugen, who worked at Facebook, told a US Senate committee that she believed the company had put its profits first when executives knew what harm its platform could do to children and democ...

Businesses hit by Facebook outage from 2021-10-05T16:00

Following an extended outage of Facebook services we hear about the impact on businesses. And we examine the wider implications of the problems faced by WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook, with Dan C...

Update: Outages at Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram from 2021-10-04T22:28

Social media services Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram appear to be recovering after an outage that lasted almost six hours. All three services are owned by Facebook and could not be accessed over ...

Facebook whistleblower reveals identity from 2021-10-04T15:24

A former Facebook employee behind a series of bombshell leaks has revealed her identity. We hear from Frances Haugen, who was interviewed on Sunday by CBS. We also get an assessment of whether Face...

Leaked Pandora Papers reveal secret wealth of leaders from 2021-10-04T00:30

The documents expose the offshore dealings of presidents, royalty and prime ministers. Our reporter Andy Verity, who's been combing through the thousands of papers, tells us more about what they co...

Update: Stalemate in US Congress over $1 trillion infrastructure bill from 2021-10-01T22:28

The Democrats can't agree on the size of a separate social spending plan, which is holding up the vote. We get the latest from Nancy Marshall-Genzer, senior reporter at Marketplace, our sister prog...

Australia to end strict Covid travel ban from 2021-10-01T15:28

Vaccinated Australians can start travelling abroad from November, ending an 18-month ban. Anthony Dennis is travel editor for the Sydney Morning Herald, Melbourne Age and several other publications...

Update: Senate votes to keep US government open from 2021-09-30T22:34

The US Senate has approved spending plans to avoid a government shutdown. We get an update from the BBC's Michelle Fleury in New York. And Cary Leahey of Decision Economics in New York tells us how...

US government shutdown deadline looms from 2021-09-30T15:35

The US Congress has til midnight to approve spending plans to avoid a government shutdown. At the same time, Democratic lawmakers are trying to expand the national debt limit ahead of a mid-October...

Markets steady after yesterday's sharp decline from 2021-09-29T22:41

Susan Schmidt of Aviva Investors on the day's trading on Wall Street.

Warning over Chinese lending from 2021-09-29T15:36

A study reveals that 42 countries have potentially unsustainable debt exposure to China. Author and columnist Gordon Chang tells us about the research from the AidData lab at the College of William...

Rising energy prices from 2021-09-28T22:49

Joe Saluzzi of Themis Trading in New Jersey on rising energy prices. Plus, Colin Paterson is on the red carpet for the new James Bond film, which finally premieres in London, 2 years late.

China faces electricity shortages from 2021-09-28T15:15

There have been widespread power outages across China as the country lacks coal. James Mayger is China economy editor for Bloomberg in Beijing, and explains the background to the problems. Also in ...

German election: Centre-left claim narrow win from 2021-09-27T15:10

Germany's centre-left SPD party has claimed victory in the federal election. Parties will now try to form a coalition government, and the BBC's Victoria Craig in Frankfurt assesses what the outcome...

Green Party likely kingmakers after German election from 2021-09-27T00:45

Projected results from the German parliamentary elections show the centre-left Social Democrats are ahead of the conservative Christian Democrats (the party of outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel) by...

Update: Germany decides its next leader from 2021-09-24T22:36

Victoria Craig is in Stuttgart in the final days of the German general election campaign.

Germany heads to the polls from 2021-09-24T15:13

Ahead of this weekend's elections in Germany, we take the temperature of its economy. The BBC's Victoria Craig has been travelling around Germany, speaking with businesses to find out what they wan...

Update: Evergrande interest payment deadline looms from 2021-09-23T22:33

The embattled real estate firm is to pay the interest due on its bonds today...if it can.

EU to standardise mobile phone chargers from 2021-09-23T15:15

Mobile phone manufacturers will all have to use the same charging plug under EU proposals. We find out what's behind the move from Louise Guillot, sustainability reporter at Politico. Also in the p...

Lebanon’s inflation rate the highest in the world from 2021-09-22T22:30

Lebanon’s inflation rate has become the highest in the world, according to the latest figures from the Lebanon Central Administration of Statistics. Tala Ramadan, a journalist in Beirut, explains h...

Update: DraftKings makes bid for UK gambling firm Entain from 2021-09-21T22:25

The US sports betting company has made an offer reportedly worth $20 billion. We examine the significance of the offer with Alice Hancock, leisure industries reporter with the Financial Times.
...

Canada: Narrow win for Justin Trudeau from 2021-09-21T15:30

Canada's leader Justin Trudeau has secured another term, but without an overall majority. Mr Trudeau had hoped Canadians would reward his handling of the pandemic and relatively smooth vaccine roll...

Update: US stocks fall on Chinese finance fears from 2021-09-20T22:24

The Dow Jones index fell 1.7% on Monday over fears that the Chinese property developer Evergrande is struggling to repay its debts, which could impact big banks. Our correspondent Michelle Fleury e...

Russian election: Kremlin rejects vote-rigging accusations from 2021-09-20T15:21

President Putin's United Russia won two thirds of seats in the lower house of parliament. The party's vote share was down four points on five years ago, and we hear about the new Russian parliament...

Energy crisis continues across the world from 2021-09-20T00:36

The wholesale price of gas has soared in the UK, Europe and Asia because of a squeeze on supplies. Ellen Fraser, energy expert at Barringa Partners, explains how a perfect storm of problems has cre...

Update: England overhauls its Covid travel rules from 2021-09-18T00:11

Double vaccinated travellers will not have to undergo Covid pre-departure tests.

Google and Apple accused of bowing to censorship from 2021-09-17T15:13

As the Russian election gets underway Google and Apple have removed a tactical voting app. Opposition activists have accused the tech giants of bowing to pressure from the Kremlin, and we get react...

Update: UN secretary general climate change warning from 2021-09-16T22:46

The UN secretary general has warned that greenhouse gas in the atmosphere is rising relentlessly after a short dip during the pandemic. Antonio Guterres said he was alarmed how far the world was of...

Indonesia president guilty of environmental negligence from 2021-09-16T15:33

An Indonesian court ruled President Widodo has been negligent over pollution in Jakarta. The ruling also criticised other top officials, and ordered monitoring stations and other measures to improv...

Update: Wholesale gas and electricity prices rise sharply from 2021-09-15T23:04

As soaring gas and electricity prices pile new pressure on governments across Europe, we get analysis from David Hunter, Director of Market Studies at Schneider Electric. Plus Susan Schmidt from Av...

Energy prices set to rise from 2021-09-15T15:44

Wholesale prices for gas and electricity have been rising sharply across Europe. That's likely to lead to significant cost increases for businesses and households, and we find out what's causing th...

Update: US inflation figures released from 2021-09-14T22:30

Inflation in the US is running at 5.3%, slightly down on July's year-on-year figure. Robert Reich is a Professor of Public Policy at the University of California Berkeley and a Secretary of Labour ...

US inflation shows signs of cooling from 2021-09-14T15:09

Inflation in the US is running at 5.3%, slightly down on July's year-on-year figure. Andrew Hunter is senior US economist at Capital Economics, and talks us through the latest data. Also in the pro...

World Business Report Wall Street Update: from 2021-09-13T22:41

It has been reported that Beijing wants to break up Alibaba's payments subsidiary Alipay. Isabel Hilton, founder of China Dialogue, explains why the government is concerned about the growth of fina...

Alibaba shares slide on Alipay breakup report from 2021-09-13T15:09

It has been reported that Beijing wants to break up Alibaba's payments subsidiary Alipay. Duncan Clark is chairman of consultancy BDA China, and author of Alibaba: The house that Jack Ma built, and...

Fears one of China's biggest property groups could collapse from 2021-09-13T00:42

Fears are mounting that one of China's biggest property development groups, Evergrande, is close to collapse. Sara Hsu, an economist and visiting scholar at China's Fudan University gives us her an...

Update: Apple dealt major blow in Epic Games trial from 2021-09-10T22:32

Apple has been dealt a major blow in its ongoing trial against Fortnite-maker Epic Games. A court in Oakland, California, has ruled that Apple cannot stop app developers directing users to third-pa...

Biden orders new US vaccine rules from 2021-09-10T15:18

Workers at large US companies are to be vaccinated, or face regular mandatory testing. That's one of a slew of measures announced by President Biden, which aim to bring the Delta variant of coronav...

Update: BRICS leaders meet online from 2021-09-09T22:15

As the BRICS leaders meet, is the loose alliance of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa working? We hear from Professor Miles Kahler, a Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations i...

Facebook accused of allowing sexist job ads from 2021-09-09T15:16

Facebook has been accused of breaking UK equality law in the way it handles job adverts. The campaign group Global Witness said the social network failed to prevent discriminatory targeting of ads,...

Hopes for Kenya's Lamu port from 2021-09-08T15:41

We hear how the redevelopment of Kenya's Lamu port could impact the country's economy. The BBC's Vivienne Nunis takes a tour of the facility with Dolly Okonga of the Kenya Ports Authority. And we g...

Update: El Salvador makes Bitcoin legal tender from 2021-09-07T22:19

Journalist John Dennehy is in the capital San Salvador, plus Joe Saluzzi talks markets.

El Salvador makes Bitcoin legal tender from 2021-09-07T15:21

El Salvador is the first nation to recognise the cryptocurrency Bitcoin as legal tender. Kate Baucherel is a cryptocurrency expert and considers the implications. Also in the programme, there's a n...

Update: Mobility at the Munich Motor Show from 2021-09-06T22:58

Jamie Robertson talks to the BBC's Theo Legget at the IAA motor show in Munich

Munich International Motor Show to open from 2021-09-06T15:27

Following a torrid year for the car industry, Germany's main auto show opens this week. The BBC's Theo Leggett is at the event in Munich, and has been talking to some of the key players in the Germ...

The motor show returns to Munich from 2021-09-06T00:49

The International Mobility Show gets under way in Munich this week - the first big motor show since the start of the pandemic and electric vehicles will take centre stage.

Update: US job growth starts to slow from 2021-09-03T23:03

The US economy added 235,000 jobs in August, compared with 1.05 million in July. We hear how this is affecting businesses on a local level from Stephen Griffin, CEO of the Finger Lakes Economic Dev...

Japanese PM announces resignation from 2021-09-03T15:14

The governing Liberal Democratic Party in Japan is heading for another internal election - following the sudden resignation of its party leader and incumbent Prime Minister, Yoshihide Suga. Mr Suga...

Update: Western Union to resume money transfer services to Afghanistan from 2021-09-02T22:28

The money transfer firm Western Union is resuming services in Afghanistan - a rare piece of good news as the country's economy faces collapse. We speak to former Afghan finance minister Omar Zakhil...

Covid hits Australia's Economy from 2021-09-02T15:26

Business owners fear they will have to close as lock downs cause the economy to stall. We hear from Australian entrepreneurs whose businesses are under pressure with the loss of customers.We also h...

Update: The latest from the financial markets from 2021-09-01T22:31

Scientists at the UN's World Meteorological Organization say the number of weather-related disasters around the globe has increased five-fold over the past 50 years. We hear from the WMO's secretar...

Weather-related disasters more frequent and costlier than 50 years ago from 2021-09-01T15:04

World Meteorological Organization says early warning systems are now saving more lives

Update: South Korean law targets app stores from 2021-08-31T23:14

Dan Cooper of tech site Engadget explains the significance of a new South Korean law requiring app stores such as those of Google and Apple to allow alternative payment methods. We get a look on th...

Economic challenges facing Afghanistan after US withdrawal from 2021-08-31T15:08

To get an overview of the economic challenge now facing the one of the world's poorest countries and how the Taliban are going to tackle it, we speak to Vanda Felbab Brown, an expert on Afghanistan...

Update: US military completes its withdrawal from Afghanistan from 2021-08-30T22:45

The US military completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan after two decades of war, leaving the Taliban in charge. We hear from BBC Chief International correspondent Lyse Dosett, who watched the la...

China to limit children’s online gaming time from 2021-08-30T15:15

The Chinese authorities will limit children’s access to online video games to just three hours a week on Fridays, weekends, and holidays. The BBC’s Stephen McDonell in Beijing and Professor Cheng C...

What now for Afghanistan's economy? from 2021-08-30T00:50

Afghanistan faces a devastating financial crisis, but where did billions of dollars go?

Update: Hurricane Ida heads for the US from 2021-08-27T22:16

Two days ahead of Ida's expected arrival, President Biden has approved a request from the Governor of Louisiana, John Bel Edwards, to declare a state of emergency; we get analysis from Dakota Smith...

Chinese actress fined $46million for tax evasion from 2021-08-27T15:46

China has fined Zheng Shuang, a high-profile actress, $46m for tax evasion and told producers to stop hiring her. It’s part of a crackdown on what Beijing is calling ‘chaotic’ celebrity culture. Ro...

Update: New malaria treatment combination could save lives from 2021-08-26T22:15

A new study involving very young children in Mali and Burkina Faso suggests that a new vaccine combination developed by the UK-based pharma company GSK could reduce deaths and illness from malaria ...

The world's central bankers 'gather' in Jackson Hole from 2021-08-26T15:36

Central bankers from around the world are about to meet - virtually - to discuss challenging issues like inflation. They were supposed to be getting together in person at the Jackson Hole resort in...

Update: Can cyber criminals be beaten? from 2021-08-25T22:16

President Biden has gathered tech leaders at the White House to discuss how to clamp down on rising cyber-crime. Stephanie Hare tells us why the problem is so serious and how we should try and tack...

How to tackle cyber crime from 2021-08-25T15:56

President Biden has gathered tech leaders at the White House to discuss how to clamp down on rising cyber crime. David Cole, chief executive of the cyber security firm Open Raven in California tell...

VP Harris continues southeast Asia tour in Vietnam from 2021-08-24T15:12

US Vice President Kamala Harris is in Vietnam on the second stop of her tour of southeast Asia. The trip is largely seen as an effort by the US to reaffirm its economic and trade ties in the region...

Update: What might the Afghan economy look like under the Taliban? from 2021-08-23T22:22

The Taliban have insisted they will not extend the deadline for Western forces to leave Afghanistan, saying 31 August is a red line. The situation in the country could have a destabilising economic...

What might the Afghan economy look like under the Taliban? from 2021-08-23T15:29

The Taliban have insisted they will not extend the deadline for Western forces to leave Afghanistan, saying 31 August is a red line. The situation in the country could potentially have a destabilis...

Commercial planes to help US evacuation from Afghanistan from 2021-08-23T00:36

The US has ordered 18 commercial jets to move people from third countries after they have left Kabul. Six airlines are providing the planes including United Airlines and American Airlines. The BBC'...

Update: China markets lose $560bn in a week from 2021-08-20T22:17

Clampdowns on tech companies have investors questioning the prospects for the Chinese market, as around $560bn is wiped in one week. Chris Low of FHN Financial breaks it down for us. Also in the pr...

What now for Afghanistan's media? from 2021-08-20T15:40

In the wake of the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan we consider the future of its media.

Update: Afghanistan's 'pockets of disarray' continue from 2021-08-20T00:10

The BBC's Secunder Kermani gives us an update from Kabul, plus the latest on the stock markets from Cary Leahey from Decision Economics in the US.

IMF suspends Afghanistan's access to funds from 2021-08-19T15:08

The International Monetary Fund says Afghanistan no longer has access to its resources.

UPDATE: IMF suspends payments to Afghanistan from 2021-08-18T21:56

The International Monetary Fund has said it will withhold funds to Afghanistan, which were due to be handed over within days. The decision was made due to the lack of "clarity within the internatio...

Zambia's economic challenges from 2021-08-18T15:04

We examine Zambia's economic challenges ahead of president-elect Hichilema's inauguration. Anthony Bwalya is spokesman for Mr Hichilema, and discusses the new administration's priorities. And we ge...

UPDATE: Islamic values at core of Afghan government from 2021-08-17T21:54

Not much more than 24 hours after the Taliban gained control of Afghanistan's capital Kabul, they held their first press conference. In front of the world's media they claimed they did not want rev...

Social media in Afghanistan from 2021-08-17T15:17

As Facebook continues to block Taliban content we look at the role of social media in Afghanistan. Alex Wood is with Forbes magazine and offers an assessment. And we hear from Lynne O'Donnell, a jo...

Dow Jones closes at record high from 2021-08-16T22:12

The stock market in the US fell sharply as trade opened on Monday but spent the rest of the day slowly climbing back up again until the Dow closed at an all time record high. Independent investment...

Chaos at Kabul airport as Afghans try to flee from 2021-08-16T15:12

Afghanistan is now effectively controlled by the Taliban, 20 years after they were ousted. We get the latest picture from the BBC's South Asia editor, Anbarasan Ethirajan. And Dr Waheed Arian is an...

Taliban claim control of Afghanistan from 2021-08-16T00:38

Taliban fighters are in the process of taking over the capital Kabul and have seized the presidential palace. We examine the economic impact of the Taliban taking back control with Dr Wali Aslam, a...

Update: Chris Low looks at the US markets from 2021-08-14T00:11

We have a regular look at the US markets with Chris Low from FHN Financial.

Samsung heir released from prison from 2021-08-13T15:06

Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong has been released from a South Korean prison and is on parole.

Update: US census data released from 2021-08-12T23:12

For the first time in history, the United States' white population has declined according to new census data. The figures also showed the country's population growth was the lowest since the Great ...

China unveils plans for tighter regulation of the economy from 2021-08-12T15:15

China has announced a plan to tighten regulation of its economy. The five-year plan is seen by some as a further crackdown on the tech sector by Beijing.
China has already started targeting the...

Update: Lebanese energy crisis intensifies from 2021-08-11T22:33

Lebanon's central bank said it would offer credit lines for fuel imports based on the market price for the Lebanese pound from Thursday, effectively ending a
fuel subsidy that has drained its r...

Millions stolen - then returned - in cryptocurrency heist from 2021-08-11T15:31

Hackers have stolen some $600 million dollars from the block chain site, PolyNetwork. Reports say the same hackers are beginning to drip feed some of the stolen assets back. We ask Glen Goodman, au...

Hackers steal $600m in major cryptocurrency heist from 2021-08-11T00:35

Hackers have stolen some $600m in one the largest cryptocurrency heists ever. Siddharth Venkataramakrishnan of the Financial Times explains what happened. After 50 hours of US congressional debate ...

World timber shortage hits construction from 2021-08-10T15:21

A global shortage of timber is causing challenges for the construction industry. David Hopkins is managing director of the Timber Trade Federation, and tells us what has caused the problem. And we ...

Update: Philip Morris raises bid for Vectura from 2021-08-09T22:01

Tobacco giant Philip Morris has raised its bid to buy respiratory drugmaker Vectura to more than $1bn. Michelle Fleury in New York explains why they are so keen to purchase the niche company. Also ...

France extends Health Pass to cafes, bars, and restaurants from 2021-08-09T15:52

Today in France, the so-called Health Pass - a digital certificate showing that the holder has had at least one jab of a covid vaccine, a negative test, or has had the virus, is being extended to b...

US infrastructure bill inches through the Senate from 2021-08-09T00:46

The US senate is slowly moving toward passing a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill. We'll hear from a farmer directly affected, and then the former governor of Pennsylvania, Ed Rendell, on ...

Update: America adds almost one million jobs in July from 2021-08-06T22:25

The rise in job creation saw the unemployment rate in the United States fall by half a percentage point to 5.4%. We'll hear from the BBC's New York business correspondent, Michelle Fleury, about wh...

CNN fires unvaccinated employees going to office from 2021-08-06T15:11

News network CNN has fired three unvaccinated employees for going to an office. We explore the legal implications of such a move with Robert Lian, who is an attorney with Akin Gump, specialising in...

President Biden says 50% of US-made cars electric by 2030 from 2021-08-05T22:57

President Biden has said that by 2030, half of the cars produced in the US will be zero emission vehicles. But is this realistic and does it go far enough? We ask Becca Ellison, deputy policy direc...

Covid vaccine boosts Moderna profits from 2021-08-05T15:29

Vaccine maker Moderna has reported net income of $2.8bn for the three months to June 30th. Rasmus Bech Hansen is chief executive of the life sciences data analytics company Airfinity, and tells us ...

US private sector jobs numbers well below expectations from 2021-08-04T22:43

US private-sector employment increased by 330,000 in July, not the expected 653,000. We hear from Susan Schmidt of Aviva Investors, Chicago.

Beirut blast: one year on from 2021-08-04T15:26

Dr Nasser Saidi is a former minister of economy and industry in Lebanon, and offers us his assessment. And James Swanston of Capital Economics tells us what the international community could do to ...

Oil tanker hijacked off UAE ordered to sail to Iran from 2021-08-03T22:17

A Panama-flagged ship has been hijacked by armed men in the Gulf of Oman and ordered to sail to Iran. We get the latest from Richard Meade is the editor of of Lloyds List, the shipping intelligenc...

Chinese gaming shares slide from 2021-08-03T15:17

Tencent and NetEase shares recovered some ground after slipping 10% in early trade, and Josh Ye, technology and media journalist at the South China Morning Post explains the background. Also in the...

Delta variant concerns hit Wall Street from 2021-08-02T22:50

Concerns about the spread of the covid delta variant in the States has hit Wall Street, as we hear from independent market analyst Peter Jankovskis.

Square to buy Australia's Afterpay from 2021-08-02T15:15

In Australia's biggest ever buyout, Jack Dorsey's Square has offered to buy Afterpay. Jonathan Shapiro writes about banking and finance at The Australian Financial Review, and tells us what is so a...

Americans banned from investing in some Chinese companies from 2021-08-02T00:44

From Monday Americans will be banned from investing in 59 Chinese companies, including technology firms like Huawei. The move aims to stop the flow of capital into defence and surveillance technolo...

Update: Japan imposes further covid restrictions from 2021-07-30T23:03

We look at the latest on the spread of coronavirus across Asia with Professor Giridhar Babu, an epidemiologist, from the Public Health Foundation of India. Plus, we hear from one of the most senior...

Eurozone out of recession from 2021-07-30T15:36

Whilst the Eurozone economy remains smaller than pre-pandemic, it is out of recession. BBC economics correspondent Andrew Walker takes a closer look at the picture across the various countries that...

Update: President Biden announces vaccine requirement for US federal workers from 2021-07-29T21:57

US President Biden has announced federal employees will be required to get a Covid vaccine or submit to regular testing in order to work. The announcement comes as US economic growth for the second...

US economic recovery continues from 2021-07-29T15:09

US economic growth for the second quarter brought the economy back to pre-pandemic levels. The BBC's Samira Hussain talks us through the latest data, and we get analysis from Dr Steve Hanke, profes...

Update: Trillion dollar plan for US almost agreed from 2021-07-28T23:09

Roads and building are amongst the things that could get a boost in the US's latest infrastructure plan, if approved by both parties. Facebook says that it made a bumper revenue in the past three m...

US tech sees giant profits from 2021-07-28T15:14

Apple, Google's parent Alphabet and Microsoft made $57bn profits in the past three months. Kathleen Brooks is the director of Minerva Analysis, and explains why the US technology giants are perform...

Update: Google posts record financial successes from 2021-07-27T22:09

Record sales and revenue as Google's owner Alphabet beats expectations. We hear more about how the tech giant has recovered post-pandemic. We also look at the latest on the global inequality in cov...

Chinese technology shares fall from 2021-07-27T15:23

As investors fret about China's crackdown on tech firms, share prices continue to fall. David Kuo is co-founder of the Smart Investor website in Singapore, and explains the background. Also in the ...

Update: Sales at luxury goods group LVMH up 84% from 2021-07-26T22:23

The world's biggest luxury brand made sales of $17 billion in the three months to June. Its sale for the first half of the year were also 11% higher than pre-pandemic levels. Julie Zerbo is the fou...

Ministers set agenda for COP26 as floods continue in Europe from 2021-07-26T00:34

Environment ministers met in London as flash floods sent parts of the city under water. They set the agenda for COP26, the international climate change conference taking place in November. But are ...

Update: Coffee prices hit seven year high from 2021-07-23T22:13

Coffee prices have hit a seven year high following severe frosts in Brazil. Kona Haque from global commodities merchant ED&F Man explains what the impact will be on farmers and consumers.

Bangladesh imposes strict lockdown from 2021-07-23T15:09

Bangladesh has imposed strict lockdown measures, after a spike in coronavirus infections. The BBC's Nagib Bahar in Dhaka explains the new restrictions. During previous lockdowns the important garme...

Update: Major firms hit by global internet outage from 2021-07-22T22:27

Several popular websites were sent offline due to a problem connecting users, or a DNS error. Companies affected included AirBnB, McDonald's, HSBC and British Airways. We speak to Jason Crabtree, f...

Concerns over US-German Nord Stream 2 deal from 2021-07-22T15:12

We hear why Ukraine is concerned by a US-German deal over the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. The pipeline will bring gas from Russia to Germany, bypassing Ukraine, and Thierry Bros of the Paris Instit...

Update: China faces extreme flooding from 2021-07-21T22:58

Zhengzhou, a central Chinese city, with 10,000,000 inhabitants has been paralysed by record-breaking floods and more rain in one day than it usually gets in a year. So how the climate crisis be ta...

China faces extreme flooding from 2021-07-21T15:34

Following several extreme weather events we ask if businesses can adapt to climate change. Victoria Crawford is from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Also in the programme, t...

Update: New York reaches opioid settlement from 2021-07-20T22:30

New York's attorney general has reached a $1.1bn settlement with a number of pharmaceutical firms over their alleged role in the prescription opioid epidemic. We hear more from Carl Tobias, a Profe...

Space tourism race gathers pace from 2021-07-20T15:15

As Amazon's Jeff Bezos blasts to space on his rocket, we look at the space tourism race. Bezos's Blue Origin joins Elon Musk and Richard Branson in the club of very rich people with big ambitions o...

Update: US advises citizens against UK travel from 2021-07-19T22:21

In a blow to the UK's tourist and aviation industries, the CDC has advised US citizens against travel to the country. We hear more from travel expert, Simon Calder. And as most remaining coronaviru...

The collapse of Florida's Champlain Towers South from 2021-07-19T15:10

We examine the causes of last month's collapse of Champlain Towers South in Florida. Almost a hundred residents are now confirmed to have died in the disaster, and Steve Rosenthal, who lived in the...

Covid rules ease in England from 2021-07-19T09:08

From Monday there will be no limits on how many people can meet or attend events, nightclubs can reopen and table service will no longer be compulsory in pubs and restaurants. And responsibility fo...

Update: World leaders pledge to tackle effects of the pandemic from 2021-07-16T22:30

The 21 leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation have met today (albeit virtually) to pledge urgent action to tackle the health and economic effects of the Covid 19 pandemic. Eric Martin of ...

China launches carbon trading market from 2021-07-16T15:10

China has launched the world's largest carbon trading market in a bid to curb emissions. The BBC's Andrew Walker explains how such schemes work, and we ask Sha Hua of the Wall Street Journal whethe...

Update: US-German relations from 2021-07-15T22:22

President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Angela Merkel met in Washington. As deadly floods hit Germany, climate change is on the agenda. We speak to Matthias Matthijs who teaches at Johns Hopkins ...

South Africans face supply chain problems from 2021-07-15T16:04

After days of unrest, South Africans have been urged to stop panic buying fuel. Layton Beard of the Automobile Association of South Africa offers us his reaction, and we get a sense of the wider pi...

EU unveils sweeping climate change plan from 2021-07-14T22:17

The European Union has announced a raft of climate change proposals aimed at pushing it towards its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. We chat to Dr Timothy Johnson, Professor of the Practice...

Update: Food and used car prices push US inflation to 5.4% from 2021-07-13T22:38

The annual rate of inflation is at its highest in the US since 2008, as the economy reopens after coronavirus lockdowns. We get analysis from Jason Furman, professor of the practice of economic pol...

Protests escalate in South Africa from 2021-07-13T15:17

Violence is mounting in South Africa as people protest poverty and unemployment. The unrest was sparked by the jailing of former president Jacob Zuma, but has become more generalised in recent days...

Update: Cuban protests continue as economy struggles from 2021-07-12T22:31

Cubans have been angered by an economic crisis, combined with anti-Covid measures. Thousands joined the biggest anti-government protests in the country for decades, and we find out more from Christ...

Cubans join protests as economy struggles from 2021-07-12T15:41

Cubans have been angered by an economic crisis, combined with anti-Covid measures. Thousands joined the biggest anti-government protests in the country for decades, and we find out more from Dr Emi...

How did the Euros change sponsorship? from 2021-07-12T00:37

Italy has won Euro 2020 against England, but a year ago it wasn't clear whether the tournament would even go ahead. How has the competition changed advertising trends? We speak to Simon Chadwick, p...

Update: Tobacco giant buys lung drug firm from 2021-07-10T00:07

Tobacco giant Philip Morris buys a UK firm specialising in remedying lung problems - Chris Low at FHN Financial looks at why, and the effect on the stock markets.

South Sudan at 10 from 2021-07-09T15:07

South Sudan marks its 10th anniversary today, and we assess the country's economy. Luris Mulla is an entrepreneur who's working to bring foreign investment into the oil and gas sector, as well as a...

Fans largely barred from Tokyo Olympics from 2021-07-08T21:50

Imagine it: an Olympic games, without any spectators. The opening ceremony of the Olympics in Japan will take place on July 23rd and the games look as though they will essentially be a television e...

Cairn Energy can seize Indian assets from 2021-07-08T15:10

UK oil firm Cairn Energy can seize Indian state assets following a French court ruling. It is part of a dispute with New Delhi over a $1.7bn award to Cairn by an international tribunal last Decembe...

Update: Turmoil in Haiti after killing of President from 2021-07-07T22:43

As details are still emerging about the killing of Haiti's President Jovenel Moïse in the nation's capital, Port-au-Prince, Fritz Jean, the former governor of the Haitian central bank, founding mem...

Heathrow to trial fast-track vaccinated arrivals from 2021-07-07T15:27

Two airlines are trialling priority lanes at a UK airport for Covid-vaccinated arrivals. British Airways and Virgin are carrying out the trial at London's Heathrow airport, and we find out more abo...

US farmer whose family owned slaves wants to make amends from 2021-07-06T21:57

Over the last year, since the death of George Floyd in the United States, the pledges from businesses to restructure or acknowledge the structural inequalities within America have increased.
<...

Tech giants threaten to quit Hong Kong from 2021-07-06T15:25

An industry group representing tech giants has warned they could pull out of Hong Kong. The Asia Internet Coalition said proposed government legislation is too broad in its crackdown over personal ...

Chinese apps face crackdown from regulators from 2021-07-05T15:19

Chinese authorities have frozen several prominent apps that recently listed in New York. Yuan Yang of the Financial Times in Beijing explains the background to the dispute, which includes preventin...

US to investigate ransomware attack from 2021-07-05T00:38

President Biden has ordered US intelligence agencies to investigate a sophisticated ransomware attack, which is thought to have hit hundreds of American businesses. Hackers broke into the system of...

Update: President Biden celebrates US jobs growth from 2021-07-02T21:55

The US economy added 850,000 jobs in June, whilst the unemployment rate was at 5.9%. We get analysis of the US labour market from Chris Low of FHN Financial. Also in the programme, Kai Ryssdal from...

US economy adds 850,000 jobs from 2021-07-02T15:34

The US economy added 850,000 jobs in June, whilst the unemployment rate was at 5.9%. We get analysis of the US labour market from Chris Low of FHN Financial.
Also in the programme, the BBC's E...

Global tax overhaul announced from 2021-07-01T22:43

Officials from 130 countries have agreed to overhaul the global tax system to ensure big companies "pay a fair share" wherever they operate.The OECD said on Thursday that negotiators had backed a p...

Nissan announces major UK electric car expansion from 2021-07-01T15:16

Carmaker Nissan has announced plans for a $1.4bn investment in the northeast of England. The new plant will produce electric car batteries and a new car model, and the BBC's Theo Leggett tells us h...

Update: Trump organisation's tax history in spotlight from 2021-06-30T23:12

Former US President Donald Trump's organisation and its finance chief are expected to be charged on Thursday with alleged tax-related crimes - the BBC's Samira Hussain gives us the background from ...

Lack of tourism could cost $4tn from 2021-06-30T15:30

The UN has warned the pandemic's impact on the tourism industry could cost up to $4tn. We get the perspective of Simon Pestridge of Desa Potato Head, which runs a hotel and beach club in Bali, and ...

Update: United Airlines' biggest ever order from 2021-06-29T23:30

United Airlines has placed its biggest aircraft order to date in a bet on a revival of the travel industry as the economy recovers from the pandemic. The BBC's Theo Leggett tells us more. Plus, we ...

Nigeria food prices soar from 2021-06-29T15:15

Nigeria's inflation is running at 18%, but food prices are rising even faster. We hear from restaurant owner Matty Ukhuegbe Osaro on the impact on her business.

Update: Legal case against Facebook dismissed from 2021-06-28T23:40

A US judge dismissed a case against Facebook which sought to break it up, claiming it had too big a market share in the tech industry. Ian Sherr, Editor-at-Large at CNET told us more. The makers of...

Twitter Executive Resigns from 2021-06-28T15:12

A senior executive at Twitter India resigned amid growing tensions with the government. And the UK bans the world's biggest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance.

Warning issued against major digital currency firm from 2021-06-28T00:35

The UK’s financial regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority, warns consumers against using Binance, a major digital currency company. Cryptocurrency investor Colin Stone tells us why this is the ...

Update: record inflation in the US from 2021-06-25T22:25

Chris Low of FHN Financial in New York wraps up a week on Wall Street

Amazon and Google probed over online reviews from 2021-06-25T15:24

Amazon and Google are under investigation in the UK over the prevalence of fake reviews. Natasha Lomas of the technology news website TechCrunch discusses the background to the move. And we ask Agu...

Update: Biden announces breakthrough on infrastructure deal from 2021-06-24T22:28

US President Joe Biden announced a deal on an infrastructure package after meeting with a bipartisan group of senators at the White House. We talk to our correspondent Peter Bowes in Los Angeles. A...

UK junk food TV adverts face pre-9pm ban from 2021-06-24T15:36

The UK government is to impose a pre-9pm ban on TV adverts for unhealthy foods. Barry Popkin is professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina, and discusses the impact of restrictions ...

Update: John McAfee dead from 2021-06-23T23:23

Anti-virus software entrepreneur John McAfee has been found dead in a Barcelona prison cell hours after a Spanish court agreed to extradite him to the US to face tax evasion charges. We speak to St...

Morgan Stanley to bar unvaccinated staff from 2021-06-23T15:59

Wall Street bank Morgan Stanley's staff will be barred from entry unless Covid vaccinated. The BBC's business editor Simon Jack explains the background to the new policy, which will also apply to v...

Update: Bitcoin falls below $30,000 on China crypto-crackdown from 2021-06-22T22:33

The cryptocurrency Bitcoin has fallen below $30,000 for the first time in five months, after China told its banks to stop supporting digital currency transactions. Winston Ma is the author of The D...

YouTube wins EU court copyright fight from 2021-06-22T15:22

The online video platform YouTube has won a battle over copyright in a top EU court. The ruling said online platforms are not liable for users uploading unauthorised works, unless the platforms fai...

Update: US authorities open probe into SolarWinds' cyber breach from 2021-06-21T22:40

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has begun the inquiry into last December's cyber attack on the IT provider, media reports say. It will ask whether some companies failed to disclose ...

Swedish government toppled in no confidence vote from 2021-06-21T15:12

Sweden's leader Stefan Lofven has lost a confidence vote following a rent control dispute. The BBC's Maddy Savage explains the background, and we get analysis from Jonas Hinnfors, professor of poli...

Sweden's government on brink of collapse in row over rent from 2021-06-21T00:35

A vote of no confidence in prime minister Stefan Lofven's government will be held on Monday as politicians remain divided over rent control for newly-built apartments. Jenny Madestam, associate pro...

Harry Potter publisher demands staff prove vaccination from 2021-06-18T22:10

Bloomsbury publishing joins major firms in forcing employees to show proof of vaccination - we speak with US, UK and European legal experts to find out if this violates any staff rights - including...

Dispute over fans at Tokyo Olympics from 2021-06-18T15:16

An official report says having no spectators at the games is the 'least risky' option. Robin Harding, Tokyo bureau chief of the Financial Times, talks us through the arguments on both sides.
A...

Update: US supreme court upholds Obamacare from 2021-06-17T23:09

The US Supreme Court has rejected a Trump-backed challenge by Republican-led states to former President Barack Obama's healthcare overhaul. We speak to Amy Lotven who is a senior editor at InsideHe...

Arrests at Hong Kong's Apple Daily from 2021-06-17T15:14

Several senior figures have been arrested at Hong Kong's pro-democracy paper Apple Daily. We get reaction to the developments from Hong Kong investor Alan Zeman of the Lan Kwai Fong Group, and Seli...

Update: Russia-US summit in Geneva concluded from 2021-06-16T22:26

As the Russian and US presidents meet in Geneva, we examine the state of Russia's economy and those separate media briefings - in which Mr Putin spoke first, followed by Mr Biden. Nina Jankovich of...

Putin and Biden meet in Geneva from 2021-06-16T15:32

As the Russian and US presidents meet in Geneva, we examine the state of Russia's economy. Chris Weafer is chief executive of the economic consultancy Macro Advisory, and offers us his analysis. Al...

US and EU resolve aircraft subsidies row from 2021-06-15T15:22

The US and the EU have resolved a 17-year long dispute over Boeing and Airbus subsidies. The two parties have agreed to phase out billions of dollars in punitive tariffs, and we get reaction from M...

Update: NATO makes China 'challenge' its new priority from 2021-06-14T22:30

China was identified as a rising challenge in NATO's latest summit, as we heard from defence analyst Dr Jacob Parakilas, who outlines the new defence economy of the transatlantic organisation. Plus...

WhatsApp launches privacy campaign from 2021-06-14T16:04

Messaging service WhatsApp has launched its first big privacy-focused campaign in the UK. It follows a customer backlash against changes to its terms and conditions, announced earlier this year. We...

G7: Vaccines and climate pledges but plenty of questions as summit ends from 2021-06-14T00:37

G7 leaders meeting in the UK made big pledges around vaccines for developing countries, and new climate targets. But did they go far enough, and is there a financial will both inside and outside th...

Update: US markets relax as week ends from 2021-06-11T22:54

A regular update from Wall Street, with Chris Low of FHN Financial in New York.

Acute food shortages in northern Ethiopia from 2021-06-11T15:17

The UN warns of food shortages in Ethiopia's Tigray region, so is famine being concealed? Freelance journalist Samuel Getachew has visited the affected areas in recent weeks, and tells us what he s...

Update: Ireland's Finance Minister: seeking to change global minimum tax plan from 2021-06-10T22:47

Ireland's finance minister, Pascal Donohoe, tells the BBC's Rob Young that the country will be "strenuously" making the case for changes to a tax plan that seeks to bring in a global minimum tax ra...

Yantian Port operations hit by coronavirus from 2021-06-10T15:04

A Covid-19 outbreak has brought China's Yantian port to a standstill, threatening trade. Tom Hale of the Financial Times in Hong Kong explains the background to the disruption, and we consider the ...

Update: US Senate passes bill to counter China tech from 2021-06-09T22:17

The US Senate has approved a $250bn spending plan to boost tech research and production. It's aimed at countering China’s growing influence in the sector, Scott Kennedy, the senior advisor and trus...

US Senate passes bill to counter China tech from 2021-06-09T15:29

The US Senate has approved a $250bn spending plan to boost tech research and production. Aimed at countering China’s growing influence in the sector, Mark Montgomery, of the Center on Cyber and Tec...

Update: FBI app lures criminals into police hands from 2021-06-08T22:48

Hundreds of suspected criminals have been arrested after using an FBI-run messaging app. The joint operation with 16 law enforcement agencies worldwide was an effort to crack down on serious organi...

FBI app lures criminals into police hands from 2021-06-08T15:16

Hundreds of suspected criminals have been arrested after using an FBI-run messaging app. The joint operation with 16 law enforcement agencies worldwide was an effort to crack down on serious organi...

Update: Google fined $267m in France from 2021-06-07T22:13

Search giant Google is to pay a $267m fine in France because of its advertising dominance. Katrin Schallenberg is an antitrust expert with Clifford Chance and explains the background to the case. P...

Google fined $267m in France from 2021-06-07T15:22

Search giant Google is to pay a $267m fine in France because of its advertising dominance. Laura Kayali is technology reporter for Politico in Paris, and explains the background to the case. Also i...

G7 agrees global tax deal from 2021-06-07T01:31

The G7 has agreed a deal to ensure multi-national companies pay a tax of 15% in the countries where transactions take place. But is it enough? We hear from Jeeven Sander, an economist at Kings Coll...

G7 nations 'millimetre away' from tax deal for tech companies from 2021-06-04T22:56

France and Germany's finance ministers said an agreement on a global minimum tax rate was very close. We have a round-up of the latest news from the G7 summit, and hear from Tove Maria Ryding from ...

Tax shake-up on the table at G7 meeting from 2021-06-04T15:27

Finance Ministers from some of the world's biggest economies are meeting in London, and on the table discussions for a major shake-up of how companies are taxed globally.
We hear from Tove Mari...

G7 finance ministers prepare to meet from 2021-06-03T22:19

Finance ministers from the G7 - the group representing seven of the world's wealthiest nations - are meeting on Friday and Saturday in the UK - a week ahead of the full G7 Summit. Top of the agenda...

Equal pay argument upheld at Britain's biggest retailer from 2021-06-03T15:30

Thousands of current and former Tesco workers have had their legal argument in their fight for equal pay upheld. We speak with the BBC’s Emma Simpson to hear the details. Lebanon is no stranger to ...

Etsy buys sescond hand shopping app Depop from 2021-06-02T22:39

Online retailer Etsy has just bought Depop for $1.6 billion. We get the reaction of Elizabeth Paton, consumer business correspondent at the New York Times. Plus, the latest news from the day's tra...

Sinking ship sparks environmental concerns from 2021-06-02T15:26

Sri Lanka faces an environmental crisis after a ship that caught fire off the coastline sinks – the BBC’s Ranga Sirilal gives us an update on what is one of the country’s worst marine disasters, an...

Update: Are inflation worries justified? from 2021-06-01T23:06

What's behind the rise in inflation across the US and Eurozone? We hear from Jason Furman, the Aetna Professor of Economic Policy at both Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard University. And Ebay has...

Greenpeace sound alarm over fish exports from Africa from 2021-06-01T15:05

There's concern about the volume of fish being caught by foreign boats off west Africa, not to feed people, but animals and the cosmetics industry abroad.

China allows couples to have three children from 2021-05-31T15:07

China has announced that it will allow couples to have up to three children, after census data showed a steep decline in birth rates.

Who owns the Covid-19 vaccine? from 2021-05-31T00:38

Informal talks continue at the World Trade Organisation on whether to waive Covid-19 vaccine patents, as developing countries call for more equity in the vaccines' distribution. Dr. Ingrid Katz of ...

Biden unveils $6 trillion budget plan from 2021-05-28T22:22

US President Joe Biden has unveiled a $6 trillion budget plan. The BBC's North America business correspondent Michelle Fleury explains what he wants to spend it on, and how he going to pay for it. ...

Germany officially recognises Namibia genocide from 2021-05-28T15:15

Germany has promised $1.34bn to Namibia after formally acknowledging its genocide there. German colonisers killed tens of thousands of Herero and Nama people in Namibia in early 20th century massac...

UPDATE: Twitter concerned for freedom of expression in India from 2021-05-27T21:53

Twitter has expressed concern over freedom of expression in India, days after police visited its offices. The police served notice to the social media giant after it labelled a ruling party tweet "...

Germany opens direct power link with Norway from 2021-05-27T16:06

Germany's first direct power link with Norway, called NordLink, has officially opened. The cable under the North Sea will provide enough renewable hydroelectric power for 3.6m households. Sven Egen...

Dutch court mandates Shell emissions reduction from 2021-05-26T22:02

A Dutch court ruled that Royal Dutch Shell should reduce carbon emissions by 45% by 2030. We hear from Harry Brekelmans, the Projects and Technology Director at Royal Dutch Shell. Sara Shaw from en...

Update: Amazon accused of anti-competitive behaviour from 2021-05-25T22:10

Amazon gets taken to task over anti-competitive behaviour, but will a single case in a single state really make any difference to the e-commerce giant? We hear from Cat Zakreski, technology policy ...

Taxing The World's Businesses from 2021-05-25T15:31

The head of the OECD says progress is being made on a global minimum corporate tax rate. Angel Gurria tells us change of US administration has enabled plans to move forward.

Update: EU 'strongly condemns' diverted Belarus flight from 2021-05-24T22:20

The EU is considering sanctions after Belarus detained Roman Protasevich. We speak to Hanna Liubakova, a friend of Protasevich, whose Ryanair plane was diverted to Minsk airport when flying over Be...

Belarus accused of plane hijack to detain dissident from 2021-05-24T15:42

The EU considers sanctions after Belarus detained a dissident journalist from a flight. Hanna Liubakova is a friend of the journalist Roman Protasevich, whose Ryanair plane was diverted to Minsk ai...

US banking CEOs prepare to face Congress this week from 2021-05-24T00:34

The heads of six banks will face questions from the Senate Banking Committee and the House Financial Services Committee. It is thought they will be asked about how they have treated consumers and b...

Update: Tim Cook takes stand in Epic battle from 2021-05-21T22:25

Fortnite's creator, Epic Games is suing Apple over what it claims is the monopolistic way it runs its App store. Adi Roberson, tech reporter at the Verge has been following the case. Plus, we get t...

Cryptocurrencies continue rollercoaster ride from 2021-05-21T15:25

A slew of cryptocurrencies saw their values plunge over the course of the last week. As they continue their wild rollercoaster ride, we examine the implications and hear why central banks around th...

Update: The Arctic Council meets from 2021-05-20T22:31

The Arctic Council, which has eight member countries including Russia and the US, and sets priorities in areas including environmental protection, is meeting in Reykjavik. The US Secretary of State...

ByteDance chief executive steps down from 2021-05-20T15:15

Zhang Yiming is stepping down as chief executive of TikTok's parent company ByteDance. Mr Zhang says he prefers more solitary activities like reading and daydreaming to running the popular video sh...

Update: A volatile day for cryptocurrencies. from 2021-05-19T22:11

After China banned banks and payment firms from providing services related to cryptocurrency transactions, prices dropped heavily. We speak to Glen Goodman, author of the Crypto Trader and Susan S...

France eases coronavirus lockdown from 2021-05-19T15:50

France has allowed non-essential shops, museums, and bar and cafe terraces to reopen. Cinemas have also got the green light, and Vincent Erlenbach, who runs Cinema Utopia in Bordeaux gives us his r...

Update: Shell shareholders back plan to reduce carbon emissions from 2021-05-18T22:47

Shell shareholders have backed a plan to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050. We ask Charlie Kronick of Greenpeace whether this goes far enough in tackling climate change targets.
And J...

Call to end oil and gas exploration from 2021-05-18T15:13

The International Energy Agency seeks to end oil and gas exploration to meet climate goals. Laura Cozzi is the IEA's chief energy modeller, and one of the report's lead authors.

Also in t...

Update: AT&T and Discovery to create new streaming giant from 2021-05-17T22:17

US telecoms giant AT&T has agreed to combine its WarnerMedia business with Discovery, in a deal to create a new streaming giant. Cynthia Middleton, co-editor in chief at Variety in Los Angeles, tel...

British overseas holiday rules eased from 2021-05-17T15:44

British tourists have taken advantage of the easing of lockdown rules on overseas travel. Holidaymakers can now travel to 12 countries and territories without having to quarantine on return, and Pa...

UK restaurants prepare to open as Covid lockdowns ease from 2021-05-16T23:52

Monday sees another milestone in the reopening of the economy: people in most of the UK will be able to go to a bar or restaurant and eat indoors. But some favourite haunts will no longer be there:...

Update: UK on course for inflation? from 2021-05-14T23:05

The comments from the Bank of England chief economist, Andy Haldane, suggest there could be inflation in store, as the BBC's Victoria Craig reports. And in the US, inflation is also a concern as we...

Lebanon: Turkish firm cuts off electricity supply from 2021-05-14T15:34

Turkey's Karpowership provided a quarter of Lebanon's electricity, but has cut the supply. The company says it made the decision after 18 months of unpaid bills, and Beirut-based journalist Luna Sa...

Update: Vaccine incentives in the US from 2021-05-13T22:25

Ohio, governor's Mike DeWine has come up with a plan to persuade people to get vaccinated but is the government doing enough? We hear from Dr Kevin Schulman, Professor of Medicine at Stanford Unive...

Tesla will no longer sell cars for Bitcoin from 2021-05-13T15:51

Tesla founder Elon Musk says the car maker will no longer accept Bitcoin for purchases. In a statement he cited concerns about the "rapidly increasing use of fossil fuels for Bitcoin mining and tra...

Bolivia agrees vaccine exports with Canadian company from 2021-05-12T22:14

Canadian drug company Biolyse have agreed to supply 15 million covid vaccine doses to Bolivia. But this is reliant on cooperation by vaccine producers Johnson and Johnson, or compulsory license. We...

Amazon wins European court tax appeal from 2021-05-12T15:11

Amazon has won an appeal against an EU ruling that it should pay over $300m in back taxes. Simon Van Dorpe of Politico explains the background to the case, and Alex Cobham, chief executive of the T...

US approves first major offshore wind farm from 2021-05-11T22:15

The Vineyard Wind project off the coast of Massachusetts is intended to create enough electricity to power 400,000 homes in New England. Does this herald the dawn of a lower emission energy industr...

China's population growth rate slows from 2021-05-11T15:23

China's population grew at its slowest pace in decades according to results of its census. The BBC's Robin Brant in Shanghai explains why a slowdown in population growth presents significant demogr...

Colonial Pipeline to attempt gradual reopening from 2021-05-10T23:20

The Colonial fuel pipeline, shut down by a cyber attack since Friday, serves 45% of America's east coast. A regional state of emergency has been declared which will allow tanker drivers across 18 s...

Fears over US fuel shortage amid cyber-attack from 2021-05-10T15:12

The US has acted to keep fuel flowing after a major pipeline was hit by a cyber-attack. Energy analyst Gaurav Sharma explains the significance of the Colonial Pipeline, which carries 45% of the eas...

US declares state of emergency over fuel cyber-attack from 2021-05-10T00:56

The US government is working to get one of the most important fuel pipelines in the country going again. The Colonial Pipeline was shut down after a cyber attack, with criminals seeking a ransom to...

Update: US adds fewer jobs than expected from 2021-05-07T22:37

The US economy added 266,000 jobs in April, far fewer than economists had predicted. We get analysis from Diane Swonk, chief economist at accountancy firm Grant Thornton in Chicago. And Chris Low o...

US adds fewer jobs than expected from 2021-05-07T15:24

The US economy added 266,000 jobs in April, far fewer than economists had predicted. The BBC's Samira Hussain in New York talks us through the latest figures, and we get reaction from Harvard econo...

Update: World reacts to US stance on vaccine patents from 2021-05-07T00:04

The EU has responded to the US favouring a waiver of coronavirus vaccine patents. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen says the bloc is prepared to discuss how a suspension could work...

World reacts to US stance on vaccine patents from 2021-05-06T15:37

The EU has responded to the US favouring a waiver of coronavirus vaccine patents. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen says the bloc is prepared to discuss how a suspension could work...

Update: Biden administration backs lifting vaccine patent protections from 2021-05-05T22:30

The US government has backed a temporary suspension of intellectual property rights for Covid-19 vaccines in a move likely to enrage the pharmaceutical industry, which strongly opposes a so-called ...

European Union updates industrial strategy from 2021-05-05T15:13

The European Union has revealed an updated industrial strategy for a post-pandemic world. The BBC's Andrew Walker talks us through the plan, which aims to cut dependency on Chinese supply chains in...

Update: Charities step up coronavirus support in India from 2021-05-04T22:29

In what to many seems to be a vacuum at the heart of the government response to the crisis charities have stepped in to fill the gap. In the capital Delhi, members of the Shahi Bagh Wali mosque hav...

Pandora stops selling mined diamonds from 2021-05-04T15:11

The world's biggest jeweller, Pandora, is switching from mined diamonds to lab-made. The firm's chief executive, Alexander Lacik, tells us what's behind the move.

Update: Apple in Epic battle from 2021-05-03T22:34

The tech giant Apple, was in court on Monday defending itself against accusations that it is anti-competitive. The company making those claims is Epic Games which produces the hugely popular and lu...

Google fails to remove rip-off ads from 2021-05-03T15:39

Google has failed to remove adverts for websites that charge for free government services. The BBC's Chris Fox explains how a number of adverts found among search results go against Google's own po...

Vaccines expected to dominate G7 meeting from 2021-05-03T00:50

Ahead of the full leaders' meeting later this year, the G7's foreign ministers will be hammering out their respective positions on global issues. The meeting will be held in London and alongside th...

UPDATE: Brazil records highest ever unemployment rate from 2021-04-30T21:58

We get an update from Brazil which has recorded its highest ever unemployment figures. They were released in the week that the number of deaths from coronavirus in Latin America's largest country p...

Apple charged over 'anti-competitive' app policies from 2021-04-30T15:35

Apple has been charged with breaking EU competition rules over how it runs its App Store. It relates in part to a complaint brought two years ago by music streaming service Spotify, as Isobel Asher...

UPDATE: US economy accelerates from 2021-04-29T21:53

In the first three months of 2021 the US economy grew at an annual rate of 6.4%. The figures were released shortly after President Biden outlined his proposals for an infrastructure overhaul for th...

US economy accelerates as recovery continues from 2021-04-29T15:16

In the first three months of 2021 the US economy grew at an annual rate of 6.4%. The figures were released shortly after President Biden outlined his proposals for an infrastructure overhaul for th...

More than 200,000 die of coronavirus in India from 2021-04-28T15:15

The coronavirus crisis has pushed past the grim milestone of 200,000 deaths in India. The BBC's Nikhil Inamdar tells us how the pandemic is causing an exodus of workers out of big cities, and consi...

Update: Google's parent company releases financial results from 2021-04-27T23:16

Alphabet which owns Google and Youtube has released its latest quarterly results which show advertising revenue rising at an unexpectedly sharp pace as we hear from the New York Times' technology c...

Apple ad tracking row heats up from 2021-04-27T15:13

Users will have to opt in to sharing their personal data across different apps, which makes it more difficult for social networks like Facebook to track their users' activity. The BBC's Jane Wakefi...

Update: Apple releases controversial software update from 2021-04-26T23:19

Apple has released its latest software update with a new tool that has forced a confrontation with Facebook over privacy; the BBC's Technology Correspondent Rory Cellan Jones explains the controver...

Italy eases coronavirus restrictions from 2021-04-26T15:36

Shops and cinemas in Italy are reopening, whilst hospitality venues can now serve outside. Italian celebrity chef Alessandro Borghese runs a restaurant in Milan and gives us his reaction to the new...

Menthol cigarettes could be banned in the US from 2021-04-26T01:15

The F.D.A. is under a court order to respond to a citizens’ petition to ban menthol cigarettes by April 29th. The deadline comes as President Joe Biden is considering whether to force tobacco compa...

Authorities seek Turkish cryptocurrency exchange founder from 2021-04-23T15:45

A hunt is on for the founder of the Thodex cryptocurrency exchange, who has disappeared. Faruk Ozer has apparently fled Turkey and his customers have been unable to log in to their accounts and acc...

US plans to halve emissions by 2030 from 2021-04-22T15:15

The US has unveiled an updated carbon pledge that will nearly halve its emissions by 2030. The announcement came at a virtual summit on climate at the White House, and Thanu Yakupitiyage of climate...

EU artificial intelligence rules will ban 'unacceptable' use from 2021-04-21T15:15

Some "unacceptable" uses of artificial intelligence will be banned under new EU rules. Melissa Heikkila is the artificial intelligence correspondent for the Politico website, and talks us through t...

UPDATE: Plans for football Super League unravel from 2021-04-20T21:53

Plans for a football European Super League appear to be in disarray, after the English football clubs Chelsea and Manchester City said they were planning to withdraw. Reports from Spain suggest Bar...

Post-Pandemic Carbon Surge from 2021-04-20T16:04

The International Energy Agency is predicting a major surge in CO2 emissions this year. We hear from the IEA's chief energy modeller and lead author of a new report on the topic

Update: European football clubs plan breakaway Super League from 2021-04-19T22:19

We examine the business case behind the creation of a new football European Super League. We speak to lawyer Trevor Watkins about the potential legal challenges to the plan.
Peter Jankovskis, i...

Football Finance - the money behind the Super League from 2021-04-19T15:22

We examine the business case behind the creation of a new football European Super League. We get reaction from experts in Spain and the UK.

Uefa has condemned major soccer clubs signing up to breakaway European Super League from 2021-04-19T01:33

Football authorities in Europe including Uefa and the Premier League have condemned twelve major soccer clubs signing up to a breakaway European Super League. The organisations say that they will b...

Update: Raul Castro steps down from 2021-04-16T22:19

Raúl Castro says he is resigning as Cuban Communist Party leader, ending his family's six decades in power. Mr Castro, 89, told a party congress that he is handing over the leadership to a younger ...

Berliners protest after German court scraps rent cap from 2021-04-16T15:34

Thousands of people have been demonstrating in Berlin against the lifting of the city's rent cap. Germany's highest court ruled that the Berlin state government had no right to impose the cap. The ...

UPDATE: US announces sanctions on Russia from 2021-04-15T22:11

The US has announced sanctions against Russia in response to what it says are cyber-attacks and other hostile acts. Russia and Ukraine analyst Orysia Lutsevych explains how significant these new mo...

Greensill inquiry reveals government rules need urgent reform from 2021-04-15T15:35

A key U.K. government adviser has called for urgent reform of the rules on ministers and top officials taking jobs with private firms. Opposition politicians have accused the government of sleaze f...

UPDATE: Coinbase prepares for $100 billion listing from 2021-04-14T22:13

America's biggest crypto-currency trading platform, Coinbase, begins trading on the Nasdaq exchange in New York today Paul Vigna of the Wall Street Journal explains just what the company does to ma...

Coinbase prepares for $100 billion listing from 2021-04-14T15:44

America's biggest crypto-currency trading platform, Coinbase, begins trading on the Nasdaq exchange in New York today. John Ethan Detrixhe, Future of Finance reporter for Quartz.com joins us to sha...

Update: Johnson & Johnson delays vaccine rollout in Europe from 2021-04-13T22:14

Johnson & Johnson has decided to delay the rollout of its vaccine in Europe after authorities in the US raised fears over a possible link to blood clots. We speak to Krishna Udayakumar, a professor...

Fukushima wastewater to be released into ocean from 2021-04-13T17:21

Japan says it will run out of storage and the water will be treated and diluted to ensure radiation levels are below those set for drinking water. However, the local fishing industry has strongly o...

Update: England lockdown restrictions ease from 2021-04-13T00:53

Pubs, restaurants, beauty salons and non-essential shops have reopened with the easing of lockdown restrictions across England. We hear from the heart of London’s shopping district and from a pub g...

England lockdown restrictions ease from 2021-04-12T17:37

Pubs, restaurants, beauty salons and non-essential shops reopened today with the easing of lockdown restrictions across England. We hear from the heart of London’s shopping district and the BBC’s E...

US car production hit by semi-conductor shortage from 2021-04-12T02:36

Ford and General Motors will both curtail production from this week, as they struggle to cope with a shortage of semi-conductors which are used in technology like anti-lock brakes. We get the lates...

Update: Tech stocks roar ahead from 2021-04-09T00:40

Cary Leahey from Decision Economics in New Jersey brings us the latest markets news and we look ahead to this year's Black British Business Awards with the event's organiser, Melanie Eusebe.

World’s biggest vaccine-maker facing supply chain woes from 2021-04-08T17:24

The Serum Institute of India, the world’s biggest maker of vaccines, has accused Europe and the United States of holding back vital raw materials needed for production. We hear from Adar Poornawall...

Amazon boss Jeff Bezos backs corporate tax hikes from 2021-04-07T17:22

There is a growing consensus between western governments that corporations should pay more tax on their profits. The debate was revived this week by US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Amazon’s Jef...

Update: The rich get richer from 2021-04-07T01:16

The rich are getting richer according to Forbes' latest billionaires list - we hear from Kerry Dolan, Assistant Managing Editor of Wealth at Forbes. Plus Joe Saluzzi from Themis Trading in New Jers...

Credit Suisse axes top executives and bonuses amid huge losses from 2021-04-06T17:13

Credit Suisse replaced two key executives and cut bonuses amid the fallout from two major business relationships. Greensill Capital and hedge fund Archegos Capital Management, which were linked to ...

UPDATE: US calls for minimum global corporation tax from 2021-04-06T00:09

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has called for a minimum rate of corporation tax around the world - The BBC's Michelle Fleury explains what the Biden administration is hoping to achieve. Also in...

England’s new testing regime from 2021-04-05T17:21

As the UK moves towards the end of a series of lockdowns, the government will offer residents in England two rapid coronavirus tests each week. We hear from Health Minister Edward Argar about what ...

England to trial vaccine passports from 2021-04-05T02:48

The British Prime Minister on Monday will announce details of a covid status certification scheme that is being developed in England to enable concerts and sporting events to resume. Meanwhile, in ...

US vaccine rollour fuels jobs boom from 2021-04-03T00:30

Employers in the US added 916,000 jobs in March as vaccinations spread and restrictions ease. We hear from the BBC's North America Business correspondent Sumira Hussein, in New York.

Are vaccine passports a Covid solution? from 2021-04-02T17:25

The idea of coronavirus vaccination passports is catching on in some countries. We examine the arguments for and against their introduction with Professor Melinda Mills of the University of Oxford,...

S&P 500 closes above 4000 for the first time from 2021-04-02T00:31

Cary Leahey of Decision Economics in New York explains why the S&P 500 stock market reached a record high at the end of the day's trading on Wall Street.

Vaccine makers 'should work with poorer countries' from 2021-04-01T17:14

WTO head Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala calls for a rethink by companies over coronavirus vaccines. She urges pharmaceutical firms involved to make enough for everyone in the world, or voluntarily hand their ...

Biden unveils spending plan worth trillions from 2021-04-01T01:23

US President Joe Biden has unveiled the details of a spending plan aimed at re-igniting America's economic growth. It aims to upgrade its crumbling infrastructure and tackle climate change. We get ...

Deliveroo shares drop 30% on stock market debut from 2021-03-31T17:12

Deliveroo shares have fallen on its stock market debut after a number of major UK investors expressed concerns about its gig economy worker model. We hear from Sophie Lund-Yates at investment compa...

More to come from Archegos fallout? from 2021-03-31T01:36

Another financial lender has warned it could lose billions after a crisis at a US investment fund sent shockwaves through markets. Japan's Mitsubishi UFJ joins the banks Credit Suisse and Nomura in...

Latex gloves seized by US authorities from 2021-03-30T17:16

Amid forced labour concerns, latex gloves by Top Glove are being seized by US authorities. Phil Robertson is deputy Asia director of the campaigning organisation Human Rights Watch, and explains al...

Credit Suisse and Nomura warn of hedge fund hit to profits from 2021-03-29T17:26

Switzerland's Credit Suisse and Japan's Nomura have seen their shares take a sharp fall after warning they could face losses of billions of dollars. The two large banks lent money to crisis-hit US ...

Efforts to unblock the Suez Canal continue from 2021-03-29T02:44

Efforts to refloat a grounded ship blocking the Suez Canal continue; with hundreds of vessels waiting to use the waterway, Madhav Durbha, vice president of supply chain strategy at Coupa, takes us ...

Update: Suez Canal blockage causes backlog in the Red Sea from 2021-03-27T00:32

The Ever Given container ship has been stuck since Tuesday despite efforts to move it, and a backlog of ships waiting to pass through it continues to grow. Rose George travelled along the Suez Cana...

Coronavirus: EU stops short of vaccine export ban from 2021-03-26T17:18

EU leaders stopped short of banning Covid-19 vaccine exports amid a row with AstraZeneca. Natasha Loader from The Economist explains why relations between the vaccine manufacturer and the EU have b...

Update: Huge container ship remains stuck in the Suez Canal from 2021-03-26T00:23

The Ever Given remains wedged across the canal despite attempts to pull it free. We ask Angus Blair, professor of practice at the American University of Cairo's Business School, how this will affec...

Suez Canal remains blocked by container ship from 2021-03-25T17:43

Efforts continue to move a container ship that is blocking the Suez Canal. We find out why it is proving such a challenge from Guy Platten, secretary general of the International Chamber of Shippin...

UPDATE: India halts vaccine exports from 2021-03-25T00:07

India has placed a temporary hold on all exports of the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine. We speak to Prashant Yadav from the Centre for Global Development about what's causing the squeeze an...

Suez Canal blocked by container ship from 2021-03-24T17:11

The Suez Canal, which carries 10% of global trade, has been blocked by a container ship. Sal Mercogliano is an expert in maritime history at Campbell University in North Carolina, and discusses the...

Black families in Chicago to receive reparations in historic first from 2021-03-24T01:14

Sixteen black families living in a suburb of Chicago are to be given twenty-five thousand dollars each, in the first reparation for housing discrimination ever carried out in the United States. The...

Germany imposes strict Easter coronavirus lockdown from 2021-03-23T17:24

Germany will impose a near complete halt over Easter, in response to a coronavirus surge. Current lockdown restrictions have also been extended by three weeks, and David Meves, owner of Club Michel...

Update: Western countries sanction China over Uighur rights abuses from 2021-03-23T00:58

China responded with its own sanctions on European officials. It has denied the allegations of abuse, claiming the camps are "re-education" facilities used to combat terrorism. Meanwhile, flooding ...

US AstraZeneca Covid vaccine trial confirms efficacy from 2021-03-22T22:18

A US trial of the Oxford AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine shows it's safe. Plus, a spring clean in space, two satellites have been launched from Japan with a special mission.

Thousands evacuated from homes in Australia as floods worsen from 2021-03-22T07:28

Thousands of Australians are set to be evacuated from their homes as severe flooding in the Sydney area worsens - our correspondent Phil Mercer brings us the latest. Also on the programme; Saudi Ar...

Update: US/China talks end from 2021-03-20T00:38

The first face to face meeting between the new US administration and top Chinese officials has ended in Anchorage, Alaska. US officials say two days of talks with their Chinese counterparts have be...

Parts of France enter fresh Covid lockdown from 2021-03-19T17:17

Twenty-one million people in 16 areas of France begin a new month-long Covid lockdown. The BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris tells us about the likely impact on businesses in France, and the government...

US-China talks in Alaska from 2021-03-18T17:14

The US and China are holding their first high level talks since Joe Biden was inaugurated. Dr Rebecca Harding is an international trade analyst at Coriolis Technologies, and tells us what is likely...

Update: The EU threatens to restrict coronavirus vaccine exports from 2021-03-18T00:34

The head of the European Commission has threatened to restrict coronavirus vaccine exports if third countries do not also allow exports in a reciprocal and proportionate way. We hear from French ME...

Philippines targets economic recovery from 2021-03-17T17:19

The Philippines aims for economic recovery after the pandemic ended 21 years of growth. Benjamin Diokno is the governor of the central bank of the Philippines, and explains what role his institutio...

Update: Europe still divided over AstraZeneca vaccine suspension from 2021-03-17T00:54

France, Germany, Spain and Italy want further clarification before reinstating the jab, as the European Medicines Agency is expected to give its verdict tomorrow. We speak to Natasha Loder, health ...

The future of steelmaking from 2021-03-16T17:08

We examine technologies that might lead to greener steel production, and ask who will pay. Professor Veena Sahajwalla of the University of New South Wales in Australia discusses her research into u...

Update: WHO says there's no link between the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and blood clots from 2021-03-16T00:17

The WHO's conclusion came after several European countries have suspended the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, including France and Germany. But as the numbers of Covid-19 cases rise in Europ...

Italy faces new coronavirus restrictions from 2021-03-15T17:44

Italy is battling another wave of coronavirus. Schools and non-essential businesses have been forced to close across more than half the country.

Most of Italy to shut down to tackle rising Covid-19 cases from 2021-03-15T02:38

The entire country will be put on lockdown for three days over the Easter weekend. We hear what this will mean for businesses, and speak to Aurelio Gandola, who runs a bar and restaurant on Lake Co...

Quad leaders mark a milestone from 2021-03-13T01:04

The leaders of Japan, U.S.A, Australia and India meet at a virtual summit to discuss plans to forge ahead with the creation of a free and open Indo-Pacific. They pledge to make visible contribution...

$1.9tn US stimulus comes into force from 2021-03-12T17:17

With Joe Biden's $1.9tn stimulus package signed into law, we consider its economic impact. Actor Corey Mach talks us through his experience of the pandemic and what sort of difference the new law w...

The pandemic a year on from 2021-03-11T17:19

A year on from the WHO declaring Covid 19 a pandemic, we examine the economic impact. Economists Marianna Mazzucato from University College London and Richard Portes from the London Business School...

UPDATE: US House approves $2.4tn stimulus package from 2021-03-11T01:17

The US House of Representatives has approved President Biden's huge $1.4 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package aimed at kick-starting the economy scarred by the pandemic. Among the measures in the pac...

Action sought on Indian Ocean tuna from 2021-03-10T19:45

The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission is meeting this week to try and protect the fish species. European vessels take home the biggest proportion of the stock, meaning local fishing communities often mi...

UPDATE: One in three women subjected to violence - WHO from 2021-03-09T23:53

A new report from the World Health Organization has found that a third of all women experience physical or sexual violence at some point in their lives. The report is the largest ever study of viol...

OECD: Prospects brighter for global economy from 2021-03-09T17:27

A leading international agency has upgraded its forecast for global growth for this year. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said the world economy is likely to expand by 5.6...

Deliveroo plans London listing from 2021-03-08T17:30

The food delivery firm Deliveroo plans a London listing expected to value it at $7bn. Anna Macdonald is a fund manager at Amati Global Investors in Edinburgh, and talks us through the significance ...

US on the brink of historic stimulus from 2021-03-08T02:42

President Biden has hailed a Senate vote to approve his Covid recovery plan as a giant step towards providing desperately needed help to the American people. The bill is worth nearly $2 trillion an...

UPDATE: US economy adds 380,000 jobs from 2021-03-06T00:13

The US economy added 380,000 jobs in February, well ahead of economists' expectations but millions remain out of work because of the virus. We hear how the US markets reacted - as well as a report ...

China's NPC reduces economic growth target from 2021-03-05T17:26

China's National People's Congress has set a 6% economic growth target for the year ahead. Premier Li Keqiang also warned other countries not to interfere in the affairs of Hong Kong. We find out m...

UPDATE:Italy blocks AstraZeneca vaccine exports to Australia from 2021-03-05T00:11

The Italian government has blocked the export of an Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine shipment to Australia. The BBC's Theo Leggett explains what's behind the row, and International Chamber of Commerce's ...

German airline Lufthansa posts record loss from 2021-03-04T17:32

The German airline Lufthansa has posted a record $8.1bn annual loss. Andreas Spaeth is a journalist who covers aviation in Germany, and tells us where the loss leaves the German government, which t...

Update: We get the latest on the financial markets from 2021-03-04T00:47

We hear about US job figures, the latest news on the US stimulus package and why the Nasdaq faltered.

UK to raise tax on some businesses from 2021-03-03T17:16

Amongst a range of spending measures the latest UK budget hikes tax on some businesses. The BBC's Sarah Corker gauges how the new measures have been received in the northwest of England, and Roger ...

Update: US imposes sanctions on Russia from 2021-03-03T00:44

The measures, which target Russia's top spy and six others, are being co-ordinated with similar moves by the European Union and we get details from the BBC's Barbara Plett-Usher, the BBC's State De...

Global CO2 emissions rising after 2020 fall from 2021-03-02T17:48

The International Energy Agency says global CO2 levels are rising after a fall in 2020. Timothy Goodson is one of the report's lead authors and explains why we're seeing this trend, after reduction...

Update: Markets end the day on a high from 2021-03-02T00:53

The markets rallied, led by video conferencing business Zoom which reported profits a long way above expectations, as we hear from independent investment consultant Peter Jankovskis. Plus, the larg...

Texas power company files for bankruptcy from 2021-03-01T17:38

Texas's Brazos Electric Power Co-operative has filed for bankruptcy after winter storms. The firm says it's facing a $1.8bn bill as a result of last month's disruption, and Andy Uhler, energy repor...

Controversy for the Golden Globes from 2021-03-01T02:44

The Golden Globes has been in the news for all the wrong reasons, following exposés of The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, a group of 87 international journalists who vote on the awards; we he...

UPDATE:US house set to approve $1.9 trillion stimulus from 2021-02-27T00:21

The US House of Representatives prepares to pass President Biden's $1.9 trillion economic stimulus package to help provide support during the Covid-19 Pandemic, we speak to the Wall Street Journal'...

India's economy bounces back from 2021-02-26T19:49

The Indian economy grew 0.4% in a year, after significant coronavirus-related declines. The BBC's Nikhil Inamdar in Mumbai talks us through how different sectors have performed. And we hear from Ad...

UPDATE:Etsy publishes strong results as online shopping soars from 2021-02-26T00:09

Etsy publishes a strong set of results, we hear from Etsy seller Ellie Chalkley about why she uses the platform. Plus an update on how the US markets performed.

China's Xi claims an end to extreme poverty from 2021-02-25T17:54

China's president Xi Jinping has claimed his country has eradicated extreme poverty. Also, how true to life is the recent series Industry, portraying the life of London bankers.

UPDATE:Biden takes semiconductor action from 2021-02-25T00:09

The global semiconductor shortage continues to affect industries from computers through to automobiles. As President Biden signs an executive order to help look into the shortage, we hear just why ...

South Africa budgets for Covid vaccines from 2021-02-24T18:03

Coronavirus-hit South Africa has unveiled its national budget for the coming year. The BBC's Lerato Mbele in Johannesburg talks us through how tight the country's finances are, as it plans spending...

Update: Ethics of Vaccine Passports from 2021-02-24T00:15

The UK Prime Minister has confirmed a review into whether the country should develop a vaccine passport. We hear from Professor Melinda Mills on the ethics and challenges of Vaccine Passports. Also...

Sheikh Yamani dies at age 90 from 2021-02-23T17:41

The long-serving Saudi oil minister Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani has died in London aged 90. Mr Yamani was the public face of the 1970s oil embargo, and Julian Lee of Bloomberg, who worked with Mr Yama...

Update: UK to ease lockdown restrictions from 2021-02-23T01:46

Shops, hairdressers, gyms and outdoor hospitality could reopen on 12 April in England under plans set out by the PM. From 17 May, two households might be allowed to mix in homes, while the rule of ...

Israel's coast disfigured after oil spill from 2021-02-22T17:36

Authorities in Israel hope to identify the source of an oil spill that has hit its coast. Zafrir Rinat of Israel's Haaretz newspaper explains the background, and Dr Corina Ciocan, senior lecturer a...

Israel re-opens economy with vaccine passports from 2021-02-22T02:38

A number of facilities are now able to reopen including gyms, hotels and synagogues but they require a "green passport", a certificate that can only be obtained once you have been vaccinated. But i...

Bitcoin's market value tops $1 trillion from 2021-02-20T00:50

Bitcoin's market value exceeds $1 trillion after its price soars. We get reaction and rest of the news of the day's trading on Wall Street from Chris Low of FTN Financial.

Africa's vaccine gap from 2021-02-19T17:19

The G7 group of the world's leading economies held a virtual meeting today to discuss the distribution of vaccines to Africa. We hear from Dr Mohga Kamal-Yanni, a global health expert with the Peop...

GameStop US Congressional hearing takes place from 2021-02-19T00:58

Key players in the GameStop affair have appeared in front of a US Congressional Comittee. The price of the video game store's shares rose from less than $20 at the beginning of January to more than...

The Australian government versus Facebook from 2021-02-18T17:33

Facebook pages of all local and global news sites are now unavailable and people outside the country are also unable to read or access any Australian news publications on the platform. Facebook is ...

Google to pay News Corp for stories from 2021-02-18T00:55

Google has agreed to pay Rupert Murdoch's News Corp for content from news sites across its media empire. Meanwhile, Facebook has announced it is banning the publishing and sharing of news on its pl...

The Great Green Wall from 2021-02-17T17:44

International efforts are accelerating to save huge swathes of the Sahel - a belt of land running across Africa just below the Sahara - from becoming desert themselves. Millions of euros were pledg...

Update: Dow Jones hits record high from 2021-02-17T00:08

As the Dow Jones records another high, we get analysis from Joe Saluzzi at Themis Trading in New Jersey.

BHP's profits surge from 2021-02-16T17:36

An increase in demand for iron ore has led to a sharp rise in BHP's profits, making the company the most valuable on the London stock market; BHP now expects China to churn out one billion tonnes o...

UPDATE: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala named first female, African boss of WTO from 2021-02-15T23:53

In her own words "history was made" today when Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala became the first woman and the first African director general of the World Trade Organization. She tells us how she plans to refor...

Google strikes Australian news pay deal from 2021-02-15T17:14

This week, the Australian parliament will debate whether to force digital giants like Google and Facebook to pay newspapers and television stations for linking to their news and features. In antici...

When will Biden name the head of the FDA? from 2021-02-15T02:32

Why is there no rush from the White House to install a new head of America's Food and Drug Administration despite pressures to roll out Covid vaccines? Also in the programme, Hollywood movie produc...

New German law to combat worker abuses from 2021-02-12T17:10

Germany's government is said to have agreed a new law to combat worker abuses overseas. We find out what’s behind the move from Miriam Saage-Maass, vice legal director at the European Centre for Co...

Update: Microsoft executive backs Australian government in tech war from 2021-02-12T00:29

The President of Microsoft, Brad Smith, says Australia's proposals that tech giants pay for news appearing on their services, strengthen democracy by supporting a free press. We hear more from Rebe...

Oil producing nations face an uncertain future from 2021-02-11T17:45

Think tank Carbon Tracker projects trillions of dollars of losses for major oil nations. Andrew Grant is Carbon Tracker's head of climate, energy and industry, and explains the basis of the predict...

Update: TikTok's Oracle-Walmart deal could be off from 2021-02-11T00:41

The original executive order from former President Trump demanded owner ByteDance divest its US operations because of national security concerns. He gave a 12th November deadline, which has already...

The future of share trading World Business Report from 2021-02-10T17:12

Share trading platforms are sometimes accused of encouraging amateurs to make risky bets. We meet some of the people engaging in share trading on apps like Robinhood, and hear from Bill Brewster, w...

Update: Twitter releases earnings, mulls subscription product from 2021-02-10T03:20

Twitter reported slightly better than expected earnings but disappointed investors on subscriber growth numbers. The main focus of attention, though, was on plans for a new "subscription service." ...

EU may make big tech pay for news from 2021-02-09T17:35

The European Union may follow Australia in making Google and Facebook pay for news pages. We get the perspective of Maltese MEP Alex Saliba on possible new legislation. And we get reaction from the...

Myanmar police use water cannon amid mass strike from 2021-02-08T17:49

Protests against Myanmar's military coup continue, as workers joined a nationwide strike.

Cuba opens the door to private businesses from 2021-02-08T02:41

Until now, only 127 professions in Cuba were allowed to have an element of private participation to them. The rest were controlled and administered by the government; that figure will be raised to ...

Update: Murdoch to launch UK news streaming service from 2021-02-06T00:54

The streaming service will launch this spring. We speak to James Warrington of the City AM newspaper about what the channel will offer.
Plus, Chris Low of FTN Financial explains what was behin...

Japanese brewery Kirin pulls out of Myanmar from 2021-02-05T17:34

As business weighs the cost of investing in Myanmar, Japan's Kirin brewery has pulled out. We get the perspective of Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK, which promotes human rights in the...

Shell posts $22bn loss from 2021-02-04T17:17

The oil industry is having to rethink its future as the world turns from fossil fuels. Shell's big losses were the result of having to write down, or reduce, the future value of its oil fields, and...

Update: Golden Globes 2021 from 2021-02-04T01:24

Three women have been nominated for best director at the Golden Globe awards - the first time more than one has been shortlisted in a single year. We speak to entertainment journalist Caroline Fros...

Draghi asked to form new Italian government from 2021-02-03T17:35

Former head of the EU's central bank Mario Draghi will try to form a government in Italy. Valentina Meliciani is professor of applied economics at Luiss University in Rome, and tells us whether the...

Update: Jeff Bezos to step down as Amazon CEO from 2021-02-03T00:57

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is to step down as chief executive of the e-commerce giant that he started in his garage nearly 30 years ago. He will become executive chairman, a move he said would give ...

Prosperity comes at 'devastating' cost to nature from 2021-02-02T17:36

A landmark review calls for transformational change in our economic approach to nature. We hear from Ben Groom, a professor of biodiversity economics at the University of Exeter, who was involved i...

Update: Will the Olympics go ahead? from 2021-02-02T00:32

Officially the games are going ahead in Japan, but on Monday the government said it would extend the state of emergency covering Tokyo and other regions struggling to contain coronavirus outbreaks ...

Silver hits eight year peak from 2021-02-01T17:33

In the latest social media-driven surge, the price of silver has increased by up to 11%. Ross Norman, chief executive of information service Metals Daily puts the price rise into context. And the B...

India to unveil its latest budget from 2021-02-01T02:44

India is set to unveil its budget in a few hours, but which industries will get a boost from the government? We hear from Deepak Lalwani, the founder of Lalcap, a consultancy that advises on invest...

UPDATE: EU to introduce export controls on coronavirus vaccines made within the bloc from 2021-01-29T23:59

The World Health Organization has chided wealthier countries for squabbling over coronavirus vaccine supplies, after the European Union said it would bring in export controls on vaccines produced w...

Shell Nigeria ordered to pay compensation for oil spill from 2021-01-29T17:18

A Dutch court has ruled Shell Nigeria must pay compensation over a 2004 oil spill. The BBC's Anna Holligan in the Hague brings us the details. Also in the programme, General Motors has announced th...

UPDATE: Anger as trading in GameStop shares restricted from 2021-01-29T00:00

Amateur investors are responding with outrage after trading platforms curbed buying of shares in the US games firm GameStop and other companies.
The moves by Robinhood and Interactive Brokers f...

How 5G could mean even more electronic waste from 2021-01-28T17:32

What happens to old devices, with mass adoption of 5G expected to create a lot of junk? The BBC's Rob Young has been finding out where our gadgets go when we are done with them. We get the perspect...

UPDATE: Biden signs 'existential' executive orders on environment from 2021-01-28T00:10

President Biden's orders aim to freeze new oil and gas leases on public lands and double offshore wind-produced energy by 2030. They are expected to meet stiff resistance from the energy industry a...

UK to introduce hotel quarantine from 2021-01-27T17:14

The UK is to introduce mandatory 10 day hotel quarantine for arrivals from some countries. The measure will target those locations where mutant coronavirus strains are widespread, and we find out h...

Update: Rows over vaccine delivery deepen in Europe from 2021-01-27T00:30

Another company, Pfizer - which developed its jab with Bionetch, a German company - has also said there'll be disruption to its supply for the next few weeks. European Commission President Ursula v...

Vaccine supply concerns amid EU export threat from 2021-01-26T17:32

The EU calls for "fair" distribution after vaccine companies cut back on pledged supplies. The BBC's Naomi Grimley assesses the potential impact of a threat from the EU to limit exports of vaccines...

Update: China's Xi warns World Economic Forum against 'new Cold War' from 2021-01-26T01:32

The Chinese leader also reaffirmed Beijing's ambitious climate pledges to slash carbon emissions by 65 per cent by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 - both significant commitments as China...

Xi addresses virtual World Economic Forum from 2021-01-25T17:10

China's president Xi Jinping has spoken to a virtual meeting of the World Economic Forum. Dr Yu Jie is senior research fellow on China at Chatham House, and discusses what he had to say. Also in th...

US passes grim Covid-19 milestone from 2021-01-25T02:40

Twenty five million Americans have now been infected with Covid-19. We explore what's next as President Biden prepares to unleash a fresh wave of government stimulus. Also, China overtook the US la...

Update: Brazil's coronavirus crisis continues to worsen from 2021-01-23T00:40

Doctors in Manaus in the Amazon struggle to control the number of deaths, which is increasing due to a new variant detected earlier this month. We get an update from the BBC's Camilla Mota in Sao P...

Organised labour comes to Silicon Valley from 2021-01-22T17:21

There is a growing trend in favour of Silicon Valley tech workers forming trade unions. Google software engineer Andrew Gainer-Dewar recalls how a walkout of staff at the search engine in November ...

Review of the year - 2020 from 2020-12-25T15:58

Covid-19 is set to prompt radical long term changes to how we live and work, so what lessons can be learnt when we eventually emerge from the pandemic? Could the changes in the way we work herald h...

Hong Kong pro-democracy tycoon Jimmy Lai detained from 2020-12-03T19:54

Hong Kong media tycoon and pro-democracy supporter Jimmy Lai has been charged with fraud. We hear from Mr Lai in his last interview before being detained, and get a sense of the mood for businesses...