Business Matters

As the Dow Jones hits a record high Rahul Tandon looks at how a strong stock market is helping some people retire earlier than expected.

Two months after a container ship crash saw the collapse of a road bridge in Baltimore, killing six workers, we explore the reasons why 21 seamen are still stranded on the vessel.

And on the day that Singapore Airlines announces staff bonuses worth nearly eight months' salary we examine how they came to receive such a generous payout. (Picture credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images.)

President Putin’s visit comes as Russia has become more economically dependent on China following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago; Rahul Tandon examines the economic benefits for both nations.

The Ambassador-at-Large with Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chan Hen Chee, talks to us about the country’s future direction after its long serving Prime Minister steps down.

India and Iran have signed a deal allowing a company to develop and control the management of an Iranian port for 10 years. We look at this will potentially bring new economic benefits to India. (Picture: Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting on development of Russia's military industrial complex .Credit: Sputnik/Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Pool via REUTERS)

Presenter Sam Fenwick discusses the impact of the tariffs on US China relations with guests from Canada and China. Analysts said the tariffs were largely symbolic and intended to shore up votes in a tough election year.

Protests are taking place in Georgia over a new bill which requires organisations receiving more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad to declare themselves as “foreign agents”, or face hefty fines and possible imprisonment. We hear how this could affect businesses in the country.

Google is introducing AI-generated answers to search engine queries from US users in one of the biggest updates in years. We examine what this all means for Google and it’s rivals Microsoft's CoPilot and Open AI. (Picture: Credit

Sam Fenwick dives deep into the philanthropic world - and how it's changing - amid the news that Melinda Gates is leaving the Gates Foundation. Why has she made the decision? And what's next for this philanthropic giant?

Elsewhere, we explore the resurgence of "meme stocks", the science behind work rituals, and what to expect from the Australian budget

(Photo: Polio vaccination campaign in Pakistan, Peshawar, where the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have worked. Credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

US Consumer sentiment sags to a six-month low. Americans cite high inflation and fears around unemployment

A free bottle of wine has finally been claimed after being hidden in the privacy policy of a tax-focused think tank's website for three months. We hear more from the Director of consumer protection for Consumer Federation of America

The Oscars have launched a global fund raising campaign to boost its finances following a decade long decline in its viewership

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Adam Davis/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock (14441942o) A customer walks past the fresh fruit section at a H-E-B supermarket in Austin, Texas, USA, 19 April 2024

The tech giant Apple has faced an online backlash in response to an advert featuring books and musical instrument being crushed, to demonstrate how their creativity has been compressed into the latest iPad.

Also, with music catalogue company Hipgnosis facing a takeover, is it worth a price tag of $1.6 billion?

And remarks by a boss at China's biggest search engine reignite the debate around China's 9-9-6 work-all-hours culture.

A former employee of Boeing's biggest supplier has claimed that sections of 737 Max aircraft regularly left its factory with serious defects.

Spirit Aerosystems builds fuselages for the 737 Max, which are then shipped to Boeing’s own plant for final assembly.

Speaking publicly for the first time, former quality inspector Santiago Peredes told the BBC that some managers actively tried to discourage him from flagging up flaws in half-finished planes.

Also, Rahul Tandon, finds out why there are a lot of concerns about whether the plan to use Russian assets for weapons is legal and why not everyone was keen to see the Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Hungary.

(Photo: A worker walks past Boeing's 737 MAX-9 under construction at their production facility in Renton, Washington, US. Credit: Reuters)

TikTok has filed a lawsuit aiming to block a US law that would ban in the video app in the country unless it is sold by its Chinese parent company.

In the filing, the social media company called the act an "extraordinary intrusion on free speech rights" of the company and its 170 million American users.

Also, Rahul Tandon, looks at the Disney financial results and finds out what can you buy with Argentina's new 10 000 pesos banknote.

(Picture: The offices of TikTok in Culver City, California. Picture credit: Reuters)

On his first visit to Europe since 2019, president Xi Jinping has been talking about trade ties. The West is worried about cheap Chinese imports of electric cars.

Also, Rahul Tandon finds out why global petrol demand growth could halve in 2024 and what impact the shutdown in Israel would have on Al Jazeera's business operations.

(Picture: State dinner in honour of Chinese President Xi Jinping visiting Paris, France - 06 May 2024. Picture credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

The Israeli Foreign Ministry is to reduce Turkish imports both to Israel and to the occupied Palestinian territories. It’s also appealing for sanctions against Turkey for violating existing trade agreements.

Also, in the programme, we look at Brazil’s plans to propose a global annual tax for billionaires at the G20 in July

Last month, Ankara introduced partial restrictions citing being refused permission to drop aid into Gaza. Their response was to introduce restrictions on trade. Now, it appears that all imports and exports from Israel have been blocked. The country’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz said this was "how a dictator behaves" "and they will lose."

Also, in the programme, we look at Pandemic-era fitness darling Peloton is showing more signs of trouble, as the CEO steps down and announcing staff redundancies.

(Picture: Turkish President Erdogan addresses his supporters ahead of the local elections in Istanbul. Picture credit: Reuters)

The US Federal Reserve says it needs greater confidence that inflation is easing before cutting interest rates. We get the latest from our correspondent in New York. The housing market is one of the industries most impacted by the higher cost of borrowing. We hear from a buyer. And we have an exclusive interview with Pakistan's Finance Minister, Muhammad Aurangzeb, about the conditions the country has to meet after taking a loan from the International Monetary Fund. Roger Hearing discusses these and more business stories with two guests on opposite sides of the world: Karen Percy, a freelance reporter in Melbourne, and Alison Van Diggelen, host of 'Fresh Dialogues' in Silicon Valley.

(Photo: A trader works inside a booth, as screens display a news conference by Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell. Credit: Reuters)

The Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who has been sentenced to four months in a US prison for failing to establish adequate anti-money laundering protections.

Reports coming out of Washington suggest that the US government is about to take an historic step toward easing federal restrictions on cannabis.

The lower house of congress in Argentina has given its general approval to a comprehensive package of austerity measures proposed by the President, Javier Milei. The house in Buenos Aires has spent over a day voting on individual articles of the various measures which have led to huge protests in the city in recent months.

Also, China’s leaders have pledged more support for the world’s second-largest economy, saying it "still faces many challenges”; and the Bumble CEO Lidiane Jones says young women in tech have to be "resilient".

Presenter Ed Butler is joined by Yves Hayaux Du Tilly, a Mexican lawyer who advises companies on business matters affecting Mexico and Latin America, and Jennifer Pak, the China correspondent for American Public Media, to discuss the latest international business news.

(Photo: Changpeng Zhao. Credit: Benoit Tessier/Reuters)

Ed Butler presents with guests Kristina Hooper, who's Chief Global Market Strategist at Invesco, the investment firm in New York, and Jessica Khine, who's Head of Asia for the Japanese financial consultancy, Astris Advisory.

They discuss the decision on scrapping coal-fired power stations made by the G7, the Premier League introducing new financial rules, and the story about the mining giants BHP and Vale who've offered to pay Brazil about $25.7 billion in total compensation for a 2015 dam disaster at an iron ore complex.

Photo: Ratcliffe on Soar coal-fired power station, Jeremy Ball, BBC News

America's top diplomat and the Chinese president have held talks in Beijing as both sides seek to stabilise relations. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned that Washington will act if China does not stop supplying Russia with items used in its assault on Ukraine.

Also, in the programme, Roger Hearing finds out how important good manners still are in the business world and who created World biggest 3D printer.

(Picture: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits China. Picture credit: Reuters)

The US economy grew by less than forecast in the first three months of this year but inflation gathered pace, which could delay an interest rate cut.

Official figures revealed the economy expanded at an annualised rate of 1.6%, far below expectations and the growth seen in the final months of 2023.

Meanwhile, inflation, which measures the pace of price rises, has increased.

(Picture: Retail sales drop in Britain, Huddersfield, United Kingdom - 21 Oct 2022. Picture credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

The US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is continuing his visit to China, there are tensions on many fronts between the world’s two superpowers, how will the trip pay out? We hear from Brian Wong, from the Centre on Contemporary China and the World, in Hong Kong.

As TikTok vows to fight a new law which could see it sold or banned in the US, what could a ban mean for businesses who rely on it?

And more than 40% of Japan’s municipalities might eventually vanish due to a sharp population decline brought on by a chronically low birthrate, what’s going on? (Photo Credit: Reuters)

The Federal Trade Commission has voted to ban so-called ‘non-compete’ agreements in a move which could affect millions of workers Under the moves, U.S. companies would no longer be able to bar employees from taking jobs with . But it’s likely to be challenged in court. One woman tells us how her family’s life was turned upside down by a non-compete agreement with a large tech company.

Also on the programme Tesla sees its profits more than halve this year. The company has seen its profits more than halve this year, and says it will bring forward the launch of new models and cut thousands more jobs to try to reverse its fortunes.

And research by German academics has found that we are increasingly pushing back the age at which we consider ourselves to be old. Nimal Ram, Professor of Psychology at Stanford University tells us more

We hear from the BBC's Nikhil Inamdar in the financial hub of Mumbai. Plus, in the tech hub of Bengaluru, first-time voters say it's really hard trying to get a job.

Women are still very much a minority in workplaces. We ask female voters why?

And writer Swati Narayan tells us why she thinks India is so unequal.

US lawmakers could vote on a bill that corners the app's owner ByteDance with a stark choice: to sell or be banned. Also in the programme, the French government addresses shrinkflation concerns with a new rule that will require stores to tell customers when a product becomes smaller but its price stays the same or increases. And we look into why sales of wine have dropped in China.

Rahul Tandon discusses these and more business stories with two guests on opposite sides of the world: Lori Ann LaRocco, senior editor of Guests at CNBC Business News, and Colin Peacock, presenter of Mediawatch on Radio New Zealand.

(Picture: A view shows the office of TikTok in the US. Picture credit: REUTERS.)

Businesses in the South American nation have been told to shut down for two days due to power cuts caused by drought. We find out more.

The Scottish government is to scrap its flagship target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030. We hear why.

And Google terminates 28 staff who protested against a contract signed with the government of Israel.

Rahul Tandon discusses these and more business stories with two guests on opposite sides of the world: Tony Nash, CEO of Complete Intelligence in Texas, and Jessica Khine, head of Asia for Astris Advisory Japan in Malaysia.

(Picture: A saleswoman waits for customers at her restaurant in Ecuador. Picture credit: REUTERS/Karen Toro.)

The co-founder of FTX has been jailed for "one of the biggest financial frauds" in US history. Also, we find out why the Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has launched its first electric vehicle. France votes on a law to prevent discrimination against your hairstyle at work. And, could a law in Florida stop kids under 13 from accessing social media?

(Picture: Former FTX Chief Executive Sam Bankman-Fried, walks outside the Manhattan federal court in New York City, U.S. March 30, 2023. REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli/File Photo)

Japan is hit by another earthquake. We hear about the impact it could have on the economy.

We examine microfinance and how it works in practice after a Bangladeshi pioneer of this type of finance is sentenced for violating labour laws.

And the state railway company of Ukraine introduces women only compartments to stop assaults on trains.

Danish shipping giant Maersk has said it is preparing to resume shipping operations through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

We explore the fallout from a ban on some of Apple's latest watches in the US .

AND

We examine why Argentina's new president, Javier Milei has decided to sign a decree cancelling the contracts of seven thousand public sector workers.

(Photo: A Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) container ship crosses the Suez Canal towards the Red Sea Credit EPA/MOHAMED HOSSAM)

On Friday, US President Joe Biden met with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi for an hour, which the White House described as a "good opportunity" to maintain lines of communication open between the two geopolitical foes.

And Taylor Swift, with a record-breaking tour, a blockbuster film, and a keen business sense, the 33-year-old musician is now worth $1.1 billion.

Devina Gupta discusses this and more of the business news from around with James Early, Chief Investment Officer at BBAE (digital investment platform) in Washington D.C, and Sushma Ramachandran, Independent business journalist and columnist at The Tribune newspaper, Delhi.

(Picture: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrive to speaks to the press prior to meetings at the State Department in Washington, DC, October 26, 2023. Photo Credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images).

Former crypto boss Sam Bankman-Fried has been testifying to a judge at his trial after the jury was sent home. The former entrepreneur was asked to testify to Judge Lewis Kaplan to determine which parts of his testimony can be put to the jury.

The PlayStation 5's manufacturer, Sony, has announced that the supply chain issues that beset the device for three years have been fixed.

Leanna Byrne discusses this and more of the business news from around with Yoko Ishikura, Professor Emeritus at Hitotsubashi University and currently a member of the World Economic Forum’s Expert Network based in Japan and in Colombia we have Sergio Guzmán, Director at Colombia Risk Analysis.

(FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried leaves from Manhattan Federal Court after court appearance in New York, United States on June 15, 2023. Photo Credit: Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Thirty three US states have grouped together to file a lawsuit accusing Facebook and Instagram's owner Meta of contributing to a youth mental health crisis for the sake of profit. A suit filed in a federal court in California said Meta had "repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers of its Social Media Platforms". Meta said it sought to make young people safe online.

(Picture: State Senator Andrew Gounardes speaks as Governor Kathy. Picture credit: Getty Images)

Voters in Argentina will be heading to the voting centres on Sunday to cast their ballot in what is widely regarded as the most unpredictable presidential election since the country returned to democracy 40 years ago.

And this comes in the middle of an economic crisis with inflation is at almost 140%. One of the Presidential candidates, Javier Milei is promising to dollarizing the economy and get rid of the local currency, the Peso.

Rahul Tandon discusses this and more of the business news from around with Fermin Koop, Argentine freelance journalist on environmental and climate change, and Rebecca Choong Wilkins, Senior Correspondent and China Credit Reporter for Bloomberg who mainly covers China property debt.

(Picture: A supporter of Argentina's presidential candidate, poses for a picture during the closing of a campaign in Lomas de Zamora, Buenos Aires province, on October 19, 2023, ahead of Argentina's presidential election to be held on October 22. Photo Credit: JUAN MABROMATA/AFP via Getty Images)

US President Joe Biden has delivered a national primetime address from the White House. The speech has touched on US support for Israel and Ukraine, among other issues of national security. Biden's began his address saying: "We're facing an inflection point in history."

Rahul Tandon discusses this and more of the business news from around with Stephanie Hare, a researcher of technology and politics based in London, and Andy Xie who is independent economist in Shanghai and formerly worked for Morgan Stanley & the World Bank.

(Picture: US President Joe Biden addresses the nation on the conflict between Israel and Gaza and the Russian invasion of Ukraine from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on October 19, 2023. Photo Credit: Jonathan Ernst/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

International aid agencies are waiting to get full details of the opening of Egyptian border with Gaza for aid delivery to the strip after 10 days war. The US president Joe Biden has announced that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has agreed to open the Rafah crossing to a handful of trucks loaded with aid destined for the Gaza Strip. We will hear from The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies about they are ready to deliver this aid to the people who need it.

(Picture: Aid convoy trucks loaded with supplies are seen near the North Sinai in Egypt on October 15, 2023. The aid convoy, organized by a group of Egyptian NGOs, set off today from Cairo for the Gaza-Egypt border crossing at Rafah. Photo credit: Mahmoud Khaled/Getty Images)

Microsoft has completed its $69bn takeover of Call of Duty-maker Activision Blizzard in the gaming industry's biggest ever deal.

Also we will dear about the US healthcare company Kaiser Permanente and its workers have reached a tentative deal, following the largest medical strike on record. More than 75,000 health workers in five US states and Washington DC went on a 72-hour strike for better wages and improved staffing last week.

Vivienne Nunis discusses this and more of the business news from around with Takara Small, Toronto-based technology journalist, and Simon Littlewood, President of ACG Global Growth Delivered based in Singapore.

(Picture: Microsoft acquires Activision Blizzard. The European Union approved Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Photo credit: CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

New Zealanders will be casting their vote on Saturday in the country's general election, 9 months after Jacinda Arden unexpectedly resigned as Prime Minister. They'll be deciding whether to give Labour a third term in office, or flip to a National-led government. We’ll hear from the current finance minister and the deputy leader of the opposition.

Ford Motor shares fell after the United Auto Workers (UAW) union expanded its strike at the company's biggest and most profitable factory in Kentucky. The UAW said 8,700 workers walked out of the truck plant in Kentucky, in response to Ford refusing to move further in contract negotiations.

Vivienne Nunis discusses this and more of the business news from around with Colin Peacock, the host of MediaWatch at Radio New Zealand and Betsey Stevenson, Professor of public policy and economics at the University of Michigan.

(Photo: A voting sign on display outside a polling booth during election day on October 17, 2020 in Wellington, New Zealand. Picture Credit: Getty Images)

Officials at the G20 summit in Delhi say the African Union could become a member. The proposal has been backed by the US and by India, which is hosting the meeting.

Roger Hearing discusses this topic and more other stories with Rachel Pupazzoni, Business Reporter at ABC News Australia and Simon Littlewood, Singapore based economics and the President of ACG Global Growth Delivered.

(Workers decorate a G20 installation at the International Media Centre (IMC) on the eve of the two-day G20 summit in New Delhi on September 8, 2023. Picture Credit: Getty Images)

World leaders are making their way to Delhi for this weekend's G20 summit. And India is trying hard to present its best face for the visiting dignitaries. But is it trying too hard?

The co-working company, WeWork, is looking to renegotiate nearly all of its office leases following a significant decline in its share value since the beginning of the year. The company has 777 locations in 39 countries with long term lease obligations totalling more than $13 billion.

Roger Hearing discusses this topics and more other stories with Oliver Stuenkel, associate professor of International Relations at the Getulio Vargas Foundation in Sao Paulo, Brazil and Rachel Cartland - author, writer and expert based in Hong Kong.

(G20 installation outside Pragati Maidan ahead of the G20 India Summit, on September 7, 2023 in New Delhi, India. Picture Credit: Getty Images)

African leaders have issued a declaration proposing new taxes across the world to fund action against climate change.

The United States has announced another billion dollars' worth of aid for Ukraine. It includes a- hundred- and- seventy- five- million dollars in military assistance.

Today marks 10 years since Chinese President, Xi Jinping, launched the Belt and Road Initiative on September 7, 2013, proposing new trade routes to create a 'new Silk Road' and widen economic cooperation. What is the impact of this after a decade?

Rahul Tandon discusses these topics and more with Alexander Kaufman, Senior Reporter at Huffington Post and Zyma Islam, Journalist at Daily Star in Bangladesh.

(A young man getting water from river Shabelle in the city of Gode, Ethiopia, after climate induced drought caused the failure of five rainy seasons, triggering the worst drought in four decades in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya. Photo Credit: Getty Images).

Switzerland has outlined a series of measures to combat money laundering and increase transparency in its huge financial sector. They include a register of those who ultimately benefit from trusts and companies - Switzerland is the only European country that doesn't have one.

Toymaker Lego saw profits fall in the first half of the year as the bumper sales growth seen during the pandemic starts to fade.

Burger King must face a lawsuit that alleges it makes its Whopper burger appear larger on its menus than it is in reality, a US judge has ruled. So what goes into photographing food? Can it be cheated?

Roger Hearing discusses these topics and more with Takara Small, technology journalist in Toronto, and Satoshi Shimoda, Senior Staff Writer at Nikkei newspaper, based in Tokyo.

(A sign showing "Bank" written at the entrance of the headquarters of Swiss giant banking UBS. Photo Credit: Getty Images)

The US Federal Reserve chairman has said the central bank will continue to raise interest rates "if appropriate" as inflation remains "too high". Jerome Powell told an annual gathering of central bankers that the pace of price rises had fallen from a peak.

The Director of the British Museum is stepping down over the way the institution under his leadership handled a series of thefts that have shaken its reputation.

The international leg of Taylor Swift's Eras tour kicked off last night in Mexico City. She is on track to make one billion US dollars from her Eras tour, which would make concert history.

(People shop at a Market in New York City. Photo Credit: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

The BRICS group of nations has invited six countries to join them. They are Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. We look at how some of these countries would benefit from joining this bloc.

China suspends all seafood imports from Japan over the release of wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific.

Central banks from around the world are gathering in Jackson Hole, Wyoming for the start of the influential three-day economic conference.

(The national flags of current BRICS members are displayed at the conference centre in South Africa. Photo Credit: Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty Images)

We look at how US government bonds have become a good source of income for investors. We hear from one businessman in Canada as wildfires spread across his neighbourhood. and we discuss why some of the biggest hotel groups in the world are helping to boost all-inclusive holidays

We discuss Joe Biden plans to boost the US economy through the landmark legislation known as the Inflation Reduction Act. We hear the arguments both for and against its potential to develop green industries in the US.

We hear from the man who came up with the term BRICS to describe the economic alliance that binds Brazil, Russia, India and China. The countries came together two decades ago.

And Sotherby’s in California is auctioning off twenty vintage Ferraris which came into their possession in a rather bizarre way.

Businesses in South-West of the United States explain how the weather is impacting them.

India and Sri Lanka have announced that they will carry out feasibility studies on laying an oil pipeline across the narrow sea strait that divides them.

Taylor Swift is the latest big name to take her international tour to Singapore but not Hong Kong.

And, we discuss Burberry, the 170 year old high-fashion brand built on its British principles.

(A sign warns of extreme heat danger on Death Valley National Park on July 15, 2023, in California. Picture Credit: Getty Images)

Global wheat prices have risen sharply after Russia carried out missile attacks on military infrastructure near grain ports in Ukraine.

And the new barbie film is on the way but this is not the only film and TV series we expect from the Mattel franchise.

(Picture: TQ Samsun last grain ship off the Black Sea on July 17, 2023 after Russia announced that it withdrew from the Grain Corridor Agreement. Source: Getty Images)

Moscow notified the UN, Turkey and Ukraine on Monday that it would not renew the Black Sea grain initiative, accusing the West of not keeping its side of the bargain. The decision has been condemned by world leaders including the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres and the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. (A farmer holds grains in pictured July 16, 2023. Source: Getty Images)

A US court has given Microsoft the green light to buy the videogame maker Activision Blizzard in a deal worth $69bn. Microsoft said after the US win, it would focus on resolving concerns around competition in the UK. The tech giant's merger with the Call of Duty owner would be the biggest deal of its kind in gaming industry history.

Bank of America has been ordered to pay out $150m (£116m) in penalties after it was found to have opened credit cards without customers' permission.

(Picture: Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 by Activision. Source: Getty Images)

Threads, the social media app aimed at rivalling Twitter, has signed up more than 100 million users in less than five days. The platform, launched by Instagram-owner Meta, has beaten a record set by Open AI's ChatGPT app.

China’s consumer inflation rate was flat in June while factory-gate prices fell further, causing alarms about deflation risks and adding to speculation about potential economic stimulus.

Could countries be soon mining the seabed? A meeting of The International Seabed Authority started on Monday to try and hammer out a global code for exactly that.

(The Meta logo with an Instagram Threads logo in the background. Source: Getty Images)

The US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, is heading to Beijing to restore the line of communication between the two countries after a persistent economic and diplomatic tensions.

Filipinos make up around a quarter of all mariners worldwide, but many find it hard to get proper care abroad because of confusing legal loopholes.

And should tourists try their hand at haggling abroad – or just pay what they’re asked?

(Picture: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Source: Getty Images)

Leaders and representatives from various African countries are traveling to Eastern Europe in an effort to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia – and provide an Africa-led boost to the world’s economy. Roger Hearing is joined by ambassador Rama Yade from the Atlantic Council’s Africa Centre to discuss the visit.

Foxconn, one of the biggest electronics manufacturers in the world, makes more than half of Apple’s products as well as goods for Amazon, Dell and Sony amongst others. But how is the Taiwan-based giant coping amid increasing US-China tensions? The company’s CEO Young Liu speaks to the BBC’s Karishma Vaswani.

With the Fed holding US interest rates this week, and inflation apparently back within manageable limits, now America’s labour market is coming under scrutiny.

(Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) greets South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (L). Archive image. Source Getty Images)

Roger Hearing looks at how the Federal Reserve has left the United States interest rates unchanged and steady for the first time in more than a year. However, its latest economic forecast suggest that more rate hikes lie ahead.

Half of workers aren’t engaged on the job, putting in slightest effort to get by, according to research by Gallup. Employee engagement, a measure of involvement and enthusiasm at work, globally declined for the second year in a row.

And the frenzy stoked by the start of the Beyonce's world tour is has been driving up prices in Sweden.

(Picture: Shopper in a supermarket in New York, in JUNE 12. Source: Getty Images)

This week the EU votes on ways to regulate AI. Vice-President Margrethe Vestager leads the charge against threats posed by artificial intelligence. She tells the BBC that although the threat of human extinction ”probably does exist”, the likelihood is “quite small”. She says initial threats include discrimination, and criminals getting ahead of the police in understanding AI. This week European politicians debate the issue as they vote on the AI Act. It's the first law for AI systems in the West and it largely categorizes the away AI is used into four levels of risk: unacceptable risk, high risk, limited risk and minimal or no risk. If the legislation passes, unacceptable risk applications would banned by default and will not be deployed in European countries.

U.S inflation has fallen again – but is it enough to prevent an interest rate rise? Inflation was down to 4% in the US at the end of May – its lowest since 2021. Prices for eggs, petrol and furniture were down, helping to cut inflation to less than half of its peak a year ago. But as the U.S central bank prepares to meet later this week, all eyes will be on whether the continued downward trend is enough to persuade the Fed to hold back on further rises to interest rates. And - how much money do you need to be wealthy in America? You might be surprised - Americans suggest it's around $2.2 million. The evidence comes in the annual Modern Wealth Survey carried out by the financial services company Charles Schwab.

Picture: European Commission Vice President Margrethe Vestager (REUTERS/Johanna Geron)

The U.S watchdog has asked a judge to block a $69 billion bid by Microsoft to buy Activision Blizzard.

The gaming company makes ‘Call of Duty’ and many other titles. But the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) position on the deal is now closer to the that taken by the UK regulator. The issue hangs on claims the sale would give Microsoft's Xbox exclusive access to Activision games, leaving Nintendo consoles and Sony's PlayStation out in the cold.

Also in the U.S, America's biggest bank, JPMorgan Chase, has agreed in principle to settle a class action lawsuit brought on behalf of victims of the convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. The case was brought by one victim on behalf of hundreds of other women and girls abused by the disgraced financier. The bank is facing a bill of around $290 million.

And – you may have heard of ‘greenwashing’ – but have you heard of the new phrase…green-hushing’? We find out why companies are suddenly starting to keep their green credentials to themselves.

President Biden has said that he should know by the end of Friday whether there is a deal with Republicans to raise the government debt ceiling, so it can continue to pay its bills. Mr Biden said things were looking good and he thought negotiators were very close to a deal. The two sides have a little more breathing room after the US Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen, extended the debt ceiling deadline by four days, to 5 June.

(Picture: U.S. President Joe Biden. Source: Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Nvidia, a US firm which specializes in chips powering artificial intelligence, surged as much as 27% on Thursday, putting the company on course for record performance with a market cap above $900 billion.

But where is the future of AI while there are raising concerns about regulation and safety?

And have you ever heard of ‘greedflation’? Find out why price rises might be bringing out some unsavoury tendencies in retail.

(Picture: The logo of NVIDIA is seen displayed on a mobile phone screen with AI (artificial intelligence) written in the background. Source: Getty Images)

It's day two of the G7 summit, and the leaders of the group of major developed economies are in the Japanese city of Hiroshima. So far the focus of their talks has been Russia and Ukraine - today there is another major issue on the table – China.

The Indian government says it will start withdrawing its highest value currency note from circulation saying it is not widely in use. People have been asked exchange their two-thousand rupee notes (worth around twenty five dollars) for smaller denominations by the end of September. An official from the central bank said the withdrawal would not cause any disruption to normal life or the economy.

NASA has awarded the contract to build its astronaut Moon lander to a consortium led by Blue Origin - the space company owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

(Picture: G7 leaders (left to right) Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, US President Joe Biden, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron, European Council President Charles Michel and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni arrive for the family photo at the Itsukushima Shrine during the G7 Summit on May 19, 2023 in Hiroshima, Japan. Source: Stefan Rousseau - Pool/Getty Images).

Royalty and dignitaries from around the world have arrived in London ahead of the coronation of King Charles. Many of them will be guests in Westminster Abbey on Saturday morning where the coronation ceremony will begin at 11 o'clock.

Millions of other people across the UK and beyond are preparing to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III - a symbolic ceremony combining a religious service and pageantry. The day of splendour and formality will feature customs dating back more than 1,000 years. King Charles III is head of the Commonwealth countries and the head of state of 14 countries.

(Picture: His Majesty King Charles III. Source: WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Apple has reported quarterly revenue and profit above Wall Street's expectations, fuelled by strong iPhone sales - particularly in emerging markets such as India (where the company recently opened its first stores). The US tech giant reported profits of twenty-four billion dollars ($24 billion) on revenue of ninety-four-point-eight billion dollars ($94.8 billion) in the first three months of this year.

The US regional banking sector is coming under renewed pressure amid a crisis in confidence. Trading in the California lender PacWest was briefly suspended as shares fell more than fifty percent, after its owners confirmed it had explored strategic asset sales.

The British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran has won Thinking Out Loud copyright case. A New York court ruled today that Mr Sheeran did not copy Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On when composing the track.

(Picture: An iPhone logo in Shanghai, China. Source: Getty Images)

Geoffrey Hinton helped to establish some of the basic foundations of AI but now fears the technology is racing ahead too fast. He is leaving Google after more than ten years so he can speak more freely about the risks.

The White House says First Republic bank, which collapsed to be taken over by JP Morgan, was ‘severely mismanaged’. However, some customers and former staff disagree. The failure of San Francisco-based First Republic is the second-largest in US history and the third in the country since March.

And, Hollywood writers and television producers approach a deadline to sign a new contract - or take strike action…the first such action in 15 years.

(Photo: Artificial intelligence pioneer Geoffrey Hinton speaks at the Thomson Reuters Financial and Risk Summit in Toronto, December 4, 2017. Mark Blinch/Reuters)

Apple Chief Executive, Tim Cook, has met with Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, as he is looking for a market growth and investment in India.

Tesla shares dropped 2% after the electric-vehicle maker cuts down the price U.S for the sixth time this year. Tesla shares slid further in initial after-market trading on Wednesday following the company's quarterly report.

April 18th - was Tax Day in the US - the day that marks the deadline for individuals to file their income tax returns for the year. That opportunity was by a group of billionaires to bring a protest to the US Congress too - demanding they pay more tax.

It's been a challenging time for the global airline industry. Demand has yet to recover following the Covid pandemic - and this week industry leaders have warned the cost of de-carbonising flights could send passenger costs even higher in the years to come.

(Picture: Men talk on their mobile phones in front of an iPhone 14 advertisement, in India. Source: Sankhadeep Banerjee/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The US voting technology firm Dominion has settled with Fox News just before their defamation trial was due to begin. Dominion had sought $1.6bn (£1.3bn) from Fox, whom it claimed spread falsehoods about its voting machines in the 2020 presidential election. The final settlement agreed between both parties was for $787.5m.

The world of its biggest competitor the streaming giant Netflix has just released its latest financial results and it has bounced back from the loss of 200,000 subscribers a year ago.

Pew Research in the United States found that even when women earnt the same as a male partner - they still spent more of their down time caring for either children or elderly parents - as opposed to the men who spent it - doing whatever they wanted.

Baseball's new pitch clock designed to speed up the pace of the game has won many fans - just not in professional teams' commercial departments.

(People walk by the News Corporation headquarters, home to Fox News, on April 18, 2023 in New York City. Source: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

There have been economic tensions between the US and China that has been for some time dominating the news and the involvement of their respective allies. Is this a new trade war that is coming back to the boil?

And as a jobseeker, ChatGPT is affecting job applications as fears of cheating grow and employers thinking to disqualify any AI-aided submissions.

(Picture: A photo illustration showing Chinese 100 yuan banknotes and US banknotes in Beijing. Source: EPA/WU HONG)

US inflation fell to 5% last month – the lowest rate since May 2021. March’s monthly consumer price index – which measures the price of a ‘basket’ of goods and services – continued its steady decline from its peak of just over 9%. It prompted US President Joe Biden to tweet that: “Inflation has come down 45% since its summer peak. Gas prices are down, and grocery prices fell last month for the first time since September 2020”. But the slowdown is not expected to sway officials at the Federal Reserve, who set interest rates. Economists are still expecting an increase.

Also in the US - some ambitious new targets have been announced for cutting greenhouse gas emissions from cars. The Environmental Protection Agency wants two-thirds of all new vehicles to be electric within a decade. It's the latest step by the Biden administration to push for the mass adoption of EVs. Last year, electric vehicles made up about six percent of the American market so there's a long way to go to hit those targets. Are they realistic? And, do you fancy buying a dinosaur skeleton? If you do next week is your big chance. The full skeleton of a T-Rex goes to auction in Switzerland. But you will need a minimum of around $5 million if you fancy bidding. There is, however, some concern about the whole ethics of selling off such rare fossils. Will the public ever get to see it in future - or will fossil ownership simply become another rich person's toy?

(Photo: President Biden during his visit to Ireland. Credit: Getty Images)

The International Monetary Fund raises concerns about the sudden failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in the United States, and the loss of market confidence in Credit Swiss. At its spring conference with the World Bank in Washington, the IMF warned that global financial stability risks have increased rapidly in the last few months, in part because banks generally didn't prepare adequately for interest rates increases. The IMF warns that this might impact in particular regional and smaller banks in the US. Meanwhile, in Japan where interest rates are at 2%, we look at what the Bank of Japan might do with rates in the future. The central bank has indicated that it may revise or even abandon its targeting of long-term interest rates by the end of September - if conditions are right. And – we report on a novel way of increasing productivity in Bangladesh – providing workers with free glasses to improve their eyesight.

The spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are beginning in Washington - the major global financial institutions - are gathering at a time of profound concern about persistent inflation, struggling countries, and the health of the banking system. It follows several failures of regional banks and uncertainty in giant finance houses like Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank

There’s another twist in the story of FTX - the crypto-currency exchange that collapsed spectacularly last year in what US prosecutors say was an "epic" fraud. It's now emerged that the former bosses of FTX joked about losing tens of millions of dollars and even signed off expenses with emojis. These are just some of the findings of an initial report from the new management team at the company.

And President Joe Biden arrives in Northern Ireland on Tuesday to join ceremonies marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday peace agreement. He will be meeting business leaders there - and that's significant because business problems with the post-Brexit arrangements in Northern Ireland have been a big factor in the current failure to re-establish devolved government. (Picture courtesy Getty Images: The World Bank and IMF Spring meeting in Washington)

Healthcare company Johnson and Johnson has offered nearly $9 billion to settle a claim from tens of thousands of people who claim its talc product caused cancer. We hear from a lawyer whose firm is representing 17,000 claimants who say they've been affected by the company's trademarked talcum powder product.

The housing boom is definitely over. In Europe anyway. House prices in the EU have suffered their first quarterly fall since 2015, according to the EU statistics office this week. House-hunters in Germany and Denmark tells us of their difficulties finding a home.

Police forces around the world have launched a major joint operation to dismantle one of the biggest criminal marketplaces online. Genesis Market is thought to have sold personal information, such as passwords, stolen from more than two million people in the past six years. The details have allowed fraudsters to impersonate their victims online without raising suspicions. Globally, 200 searches were carried out and 120 people were arrested.

And, Sri Lanka's economic crisis is having a devastating effect on what used to be one of Asia's most successful emerging economies. It's shrunk by a fifth in the last 3 years alone. And that's having an impact on the population, hundreds of thousands of whom are simply packing up to leave the island. We speak to some of them leaving – and those left behind.

(Picture courtesy Getty Images)

US House committee votes to release Donald Trump’s tax information to the public

Japan’s central bank catches markets off guard by making a move to tackle inflation.

And what impact will the Taliban government’s decision to close universities for women have on the economy ?

Devina Gupta discusses these and other business news stories with the Editor of National and Strategic Affairs at The Print website in India Jyoti Malhotra, and Walter Todd, the President and chief investment officer of US based Greenwood Capital.

One of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges, Binance, has pulled out of a deal to acquire its struggling rival FTX, leaving the latter's future in doubt. The near-collapse of FTX which was valued at $32 billion at the start of the year has shaken the crypto market, with Bitcoin and other currencies suffering steep falls.

Rahul Tandon is joined by Tracy Wang, the deputy managing editor at Coindesk in New York, and entrepreneur Candy Valentino, the author of Wealth Habits: Six Ordinary Steps to Achieve Extraordinary Financial Freedom.

It is investment day at the climate change conference COP27 in Egypt. We hear from the Makhtar Sop Diop, the managing director of the International Finance Corporation, which is the private arm of the World Bank, about how Africa can pay for climate change.

Yongwook Ryu, assistant professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, talks to us about the ASEAN summit in Cambodia. The summit brings together the major economies from South East Asia. It is expected to focus on the global economy, amid rising inflation and the cost of living crisis.

( Photo: Bitcoin representation at La Maison du Bitcoin in Paris Credit: Reuters)

There are warnings people could starve across the globe due to food shortages caused by the war in Ukraine. The World Trade Organisation is seeking solutions to the crisis - we'll hear from UNICEF's Rania Dagesh along with University of Maryland economist Peter Morici, and Sushma Ramachandran, a Delhi-based independent journalist. Our live guests will also discuss turbulence in the Asian markets and a potentially lucrative deal in cricket's Indian Premier League.

Also on Business Matters, India's biggest sporting league - the IPL - is on the verge of a multi-billion dollar deal over broadcasting rights. We'll hear from sports journalist Saurabh Somani and the self-styled 'image guru' Dilip Cherian about what it will mean.

Have robots finally overcome their one big challenge - becoming human? Or is it still in the realms of sci-fi fantasy? We speak to Dr Radhika Dirks, the head of US firm Ribo AI, about why Google's latest showpiece may not be a harbinger of the future. (Picture: A Ukrainian serviceman surveys the grain in a field in Donetsk. Credit: Anatolii Stepanov).

In three months, conflict in Ukraine has destroyed parts of the country, hurt Russia's economy, and sent shockwaves across the globe. Countries are experiencing never-before-seen inflation, and a critical lack of supplies is forecast to worsen. Then there's the matter of who should pay for the colossal damage inflicted on towns and cities in Ukraine. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, world leaders are trying to solve the problem. A former Ukranian Finance Minister Natalie Jaresko, gives her view on the true cost.

Much of the world's focus is on the outcome of that summit, but there's another one happening in Tokyo which could set the course of Asian trade relations for years to come. The Quad countries - Australia, the US, Japan and India - are meeting to discuss matters like China, inflation in the south of the continent, and a new US-led Pacific trading agreement. Tanvi Madan. Director of the Indian Project at the Brookings Institute, takes us through what to expect.

ABC's senior business correspondent Peter Ryan is joined by Alison van Diggelen, Silicon Valley tech host, to talk about all the issues of the day.

Meanwhile, Germany is among the countries trying new solutions to help citizens come to terms with economic crises. We hear from the Eva Kreienkamp, the head of one of the country's biggest transport companies.

Image: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is seen on a giant screen next to Founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab during his address by video conference as part of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on May 23, 2022. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP) (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)

Cryptocurrency markets are being rocked after a popular token lost 99% of its value. We get the latest analysis from Anita Ramaswamy of the TechCrunch website.

Oil giant Saudi Aramco has overtaken Apple to become the world's most valuable company. Indrajit Sen of the Middle East Economic Digest in Dubai discusses the significance of the shift.

Russian shipping company Sovcomflot is reportedly selling off a third of its fleet to pay off some European debts before an EU sanctions deadline expires. It's one of the world's biggest transporters of oil and gas. We ask Richard Meade of the shipping journal Lloyd's List what this will mean for international shipping.

An investigation in the US has revealed that the state of Louisiana is suing some families for making unlawful repairs to their homes - with government grants given out following Hurricane Katrina. We speak to David Hammer of WWL-TV, the investigative reporter following the story. And we have an extended report from the BBC's Russell Padmore exploring the problem of ships colliding with whales.

Fergus Nicoll is joined throughout the programme by Kimberly Adams of our US partner station Marketplace in Washington DC, and by independent economist Andy Xie from Shanghai.

(Photo: A cryptocurrency ATM. Credit: Getty Images)

There are warnings inflation will continue to soar around the world, despite the US and UK increasing interest rates. Stock markets have reacted by falling - the Nasdaq has had its worst day for two years. The Philippines are gearing up for hotly contested elections this weekend - we get analysis from our correspondent in the Philippines, Karishma Vaswami. A special report from Sam Fenwick examines how the war in Ukraine has impacted tourism all around the globe.

Rahul Tandon is joined throughout by Jyoti Malhotra, senior consulting editor at the Print in Delhi and Paddy Hirsch, Editor at large at Planet Money in Los Angeles.

(Picture: New York Stock Exchange, Wall Street. Credit: Matteo Colombo; Getty Images)

As many as 300 vessels are backed up in Shanghai, waiting to load up or discharge compared to this time last year. We get the latest from the BBC's Monica Millar in Singapore and we also hear about the knock on affects from Steve Lamar, President and CEO of the American Apparel & Footwear Association. Amid a worsening humanitarian crisis, the UN is seeking $4.4bn in aid for Afghanistan. We hear from Mark Malloch-Brown, president of the Open Society Foundations, and former deputy secretary general of the UN, discusses what role western sanctions are playing in the extreme hunger faced by many in Afghanistan. Also in the programme, with just a few days to go before the first round of France's presidential election, the BBC's Theo Leggett reports from the east of the country on how concerns about the rising cost of living are impacting the rival campaigns. Plus, with the current high cost of natural gas, there are renewed calls for countries to move away from the fossil fuel as a way of heating our homes. One alternative is the heat pump, and the BBC's climate editor Justin Rowlatt explains how they work. And joining us throughout the programme are Rachel Cartland, a former Hong Kong government official and the author of Paper Tigress and Alison van Diggelen, host of freshdialogues.com, is with us from Silicon Valley.

(Picture: A ship in Shanghai. Picture credit: Getty Images.)

U.S. President Joe Biden could reportedly invoke a Cold War-era defence law to encourage domestic production of minerals. Josh Siegel of Politico explains why. Also in the show, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan faces a no-confidence vote in the next few days, over questions regarding his performance amid double-digit inflation and rising deficits. Russian forces have reportedly repositioned away from around the Chernobyl nuclear power facility, with Russian troops crossing back into neighbouring Belarus. Amid concern about supply from Russia, Germany has invoked its emergency gas plan. Plus, we have an extended report from Vivienne Nunes on a row brewing in Australia over a proposed new gas field in the Timor Sea. And Bruce Willis has announced he will step back from acting citing health concerns.

All through the show we'll be joined by journalists Mehmal Sarfraz in Lahore and Andy Uhler in Austin.

(Picture: U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington DC, March 30, 2022. Picture credit: Getty Images.)

Russia has said it will "drastically reduce combat operations" around Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv, during negotiations in Turkey. Financial markets reacted positively to the news, as Brian Dorst from Themis Trading in New Jersey explains. We'll also hear from President Biden's top official on sanctions, who says companies have a choice to make on whether they continue to do business in Russia. Also in the programme, the war in Ukraine is halting moves aimed at limiting the use of palm oil, which is a cause of deforestation in Asia. The price of one alternative, sunflower oil, has increased massively since the conflict began, and supermarket chain Iceland has reversed its pledge to remove palm oil from its own-label food. We find out more from Glenn Hurowitz of the Washington DC campaign group, Mighty Earth.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 negotiations, and Dr Noelle Kumpel, head of policy for Birdlife International, about her thoughts on the progress. And we'll take a look at the new Australian budget.

All through the show we'll be joined by Andres Franzetti, Chief Executive Officer at Risk Cooperative, in Washington DC, and Sinead Mangan, presenter of the ABC radio program ‘Australia Wide’ in Perth.

(Picture: Ukrainian troops near Kyiv on 28 March. Picture credit: Getty Images)

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 China's growing power. We get analysis from Cleo Paskal, Associate Fellow at Chatham House. The Dutch central bank has said it "deeply regrets" its founders' role in the slave trade. We get reaction from Linda Nooitmeer, chair of the National Institute for the History and Legacy of Dutch Slavery. Also in the programme, we look at what's happening on the US-Canada border where the ongoing vaccine protests first started. Truck drivers have blocked the most important commercial crossing, Ambassador Bridge. We get the latest from Nate Tabak who's been covering the story. As the cost of living rises rapidly in America, so has the use of gifting platforms such as the BuyNothing project. It is one of a number of schemes that help people give away things they no longer need, as the BBC's Michelle Fleury reports. And as the US postal service comes under fire for spending billions of dollars on a new fleet, we ask journalist Michael Sainato what the public thinks.

Fergus Nicoll is joined throughout the programme by financial professional Jessica Khine in Malaysia and Dante Disparte, head of global policy for financial services firm Circle, who's in Washington DC.

(Picture: Antony Blinken arriving in Melbourne. Picture credit: Getty Images.)

We start the programme looking at the the angry clashes between Russian and US envoys at the UN Security Council. The US called a meeting to discuss the build up of some 100,000 Russian troops on on its borders with Ukraine. US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the mobilisation was the biggest Europe had seen in decades. Her Russian counterpart accused the US of fomenting hysteria and unacceptable interference in Russia's affairs. The US and UK have promised further sanctions if Russia invades Ukraine. UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said legislation was being prepared which would target a wider range than currently of individuals and businesses close to the Kremlin. A US official said Washington's sanctions meant individuals close to the Kremlin would be cut off from the international financial system.

Next we spoke to our North American Tech Correspondent James Clayton about whether Spotify had to take responsibility for the material it was hosting - and what the implications of and responsibility were.

Over to Africa where just recently, Warner Music in the US bought a controlling stake in a Johannesburg business which bills itself as “the home of African music”. We hear from Mike Johnson in an extended report about what it all means for a new generation of African artists.

Later this week, Beijing will become the first city ever to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics. This year's Games have given the authorities a huge logistical challenge: how to put on one of the world’s biggest sporting events in a country still committed to “zero-covid” at a time when the omicron variant is spreading rapidly in many parts of the world. The answer has been to enforce enormous, strict, separation bubbles - as our China Correspondent Stephen McDonell tells us.

Lastly, Belgian civil servants will no longer need to answer emails or phone calls out of hours after the country became the latest in Europe to offer workers the right to disconnect. The law comes into effect on Tuesday and means that 65,000 federal officials are able to make themselves unavailable at the end of the normal working day unless there are “exceptional” reasons for not doing so.

Throughout the programme we are joined by Diane Brady, the assistant Managing Editor of Forbes and Mehmal Sarfraz – the Co-founder of the online news and lifestyle platform The Current PK.

(IMAGE CREDIT: GETTY)

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 actually achieved? Martin Webber speaks to Tim Gould, chief energy economist at the International Energy Agency and economist Irwin Stelzer, from the Hudson Institute in the United States.

It was another boom year for the pharmaceutical industry as it crafted the vaccines that have saved so many lives. Of the 8 billion coronavirus vaccinations worldwide, one billion have been delivered by the US logistics company, UPS. We hear from Wes Wealer, President of UPS healthcare.

And small business owners have had a bleak time for much of the past year. But many of those that have survived now feel optimistic. We hear from the owner of the Aroma speciality coffee shop in Bologna in Italy, Cristina Caroli, about her year.

(Image: climate activists demonstrate outside of the COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. Credit: Getty Images).

A key senator has indicated he will not vote for President Biden's Build Back Better plan. We explore the potential impact on the economy with US economist Ken Rogoff. Also in the programme, the government of Ghana intends to introduce an e-levy tax on "mobile money" transactions. Plus, business correspondent Carrie Davies explains how the BBC has discovered that Covid passes are being advertised for sale on social media to people who have not been vaccinated. Rahul Tandon is joined by Jyoti Malhotra senior consulting editor at the Print based in India and Alexander Kaufman Huffington Post in America.

Programme producers: Benjie Guy and Nisha Patel

( PIC : President Biden CREDIT: Getty Images)

Tesla surpassed a market value of $1 trillion on Monday, making it the fifth such firm to reach the milestone. Shares in the electric automaker climbed 12.6% after it struck a deal to sell 100,000 vehicles to the international car rental company Hertz. We speak to Bloomberg's Business reporter Dana Hull about Tesla's fortunes. Also in the programme, 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 company was "unquestionably making hate worse". We ask Imran Ahmed, Chief Executive of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, if he agrees. And should the private sector intervene to save the Amazon jungle from destruction? We hear how a new platform aims to connect tropical forests with private sector cash. Later, Coca-Cola was named the world's biggest plastic polluter. Emma Priestland from the Break Free from Plastic Research Group, tells us how to reduce the amount of plastic we use. Plus, do we need to spell in this age of autocorrect? Our regular commentator Peter Morgan shares his views.

All through the show, we'll be joined by Alison Van Diggelen, host of Fresh Dialogues in Silicon Valley and Jyoti Malhotra, editor of The Print website in New Delhi.

Picture: Tesla car. Picture credit: Tesla .)

Residents in north-east China are experiencing unannounced power cuts, as an electricity shortage which initially hit factories spreads to homes. Philippe Benoit at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, explains why this is significant. Also in the programme, Germany's centre-left SPD party has claimed victory in the federal election. Parties will now try to form a coalition government, the BBC's Victoria Craig in Frankfurt assesses what the outcome of the vote means for the German economy. We discuss urban reforestation across the globe and the impact of latest wildfires in California. Plus, regular contributor Peter Morgan asks whether it's time for greater transparency in the workplace about how much money people are paid.

All through the show we're joined by Alison van Diggelen of Fresh Dialogues in Silicon Valley.

(Picture: power pylons. Credit: Getty Images.)

Huawei’s Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou is released after nearly three years under house arrest in Canada, the BBC’s Gordon Correra has the details. China’s central bank bans all cryptocurrency activity in the country, sending the price of Bitcoin tumbling – cryptocurrency author Glen Goodman tells us more. Marketplace’s Kai Rysdell talks toothpaste, deodorant and supply chain woes, and Victoria Craig is in Germany for the Bundestagwahl – the country’s general election. We discuss New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Adern’s climate change policies and it’s twentyfive years since Spice – the Spice Girl’s debut album put Girl Power on the pop podium; we talk to Safiya Lambie-Knight at Spotify. Throughout the programme we’re joined by Sharon Brett-Kelly, host of The Detail podcast on Radio New Zealand in Auckland.

(Picture: Meng Wanzhou speaks to reporters outside court Credit: EPA)

The embattled Chinese real estate firm Evergrande reaches the deadline for interest payments on its bonds – will Beijing step in to shore up the company? We speak to Sara Hsu, Associate Professor of Economics at the State University of New York. Erin Delmore is in Berlin to take us through the last days of campaigning in Germany’s general election, the vote will decide who replaces Angela Merkel after 16 years as Chancellor. Speakers at the UN General Assembly address the inequalities of Covid vaccine distribution around the world, America’s FDA withdraws nearly a million e-cigarettes from the market, and the European Commission wants all smart phones to have the same type of charging socket to cut down on waste, but will manufacturers go for it? Throughout the programme we’re joined by Robin Harding of the Financial Times and Hayley Woodin, editor of Business in Vancouver.

(Image: People walk past a residential building developed by Evergrande in Pudong district in Shanghai, Getty Images)

Biden said there was never a good time to withdraw US forces from Afghanistan, but the situation has "unfolded quicker than expected". Dr Kamran Bokhari, director of analytical development at the Newlines Institute in Washington DC tells us that a lack of effective political and economic governance led the Afghan National Army to melt away and let the Taliban re-take the country. Plus, Daniel Arango, Disaster Management Coordinator at International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, gives us the latest on the situation in Haiti, where tropical storm Grace is making landfall, only days after a deadly earthquake hit the country.

Also in the show, extra countries have been added to the service expected to be provided by the new 2Africa undersea internet cable being laid between Europe and two dozen African nations. The BBC's Zoe Kleinman explains why the new cable is needed. Plus, our regular workplace commentator Peter Morgan examines the lessons learned from an experiment in Iceland to offer thousands of workers shorter hours, without any reduction in pay.

All this and more discussed with our two guests on opposite sides of the world: Alexis Goldstein, an activist and financial reform advocate in Washington DC. And Lien Hoang, a reporter with Nikkei Asia, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

(Picture: US President Joe Biden gestures as he gives remarks on the worsening crisis in Afghanistan from the White House August 16, 2021. Credit: Getty Images.)

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 attractive about the $29bn 'buy now, pay later' giant. As day 12 of the Olympics begins in Tokyo, we hear whether Japan's hosting of the games is still unpopular given the mounting costs and increasing covid-19 cases in the country. America's Sunset Studios, behind hits such as La La Land, plans to invest almost a billion dollars creating a major new film, television and digital production complex in Hertfordshire, England. We find out more about the project from Georg Szalai, international business editor of The Hollywood Reporter. And the BBC's Ivana Davidovic reports on whether new scientific developments might help genetically modified foods to shed the suspicion with which they've been viewed by many consumers and health authorities around the world.

All this and more discussed with our two guests on opposite sides of the world: Alison Van Diggelen, host of the Fresh Dialogues interview series, in California and Peter Landers, from the Wall St Journal, in Tokyo.

(Picture: An Afterpay logo in a shop window. Picture credit: Reuters.)

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. In Germany, catastrophic flooding has left at least 160 people dead and more than 170 others missing; later this week, Angela Merkel is expected to roll out an emergency aid package for those affected. We hear from the BBC's Damien McGuinness in the village of Nuerburg. And we examine the causes of last month's collapse of Champlain Towers South in Florida with Ana Bozovic, a real estate broker and founder of Analytics Miami and Benjamin Schafer, a structural engineer and professor at Johns Hopkins University. Plus, a news agency has been launched in Africa called Bird, which aims to find inspirational human interest and feature stories from across the continent. We find out more from Moky Makura, executive director of Africa No Filter, which has given its backing to the project. And we're joined throughout the programme by two guests on opposite sides of the Pacific, Les Williams, associate professor at The School of Engineering at The University of Virginia and a co-founder of Risk Cooperative, and Lulu Chen, Asia Investing team leader for Bloomberg News in Hong Kong. (Picture of a Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787. Picture credit: Robert Smith via Getty Images).

Face masks will no longer be legally required and distancing rules will be scrapped at the final stage of England's Covid lockdown roadmap, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed. The rule of six inside private homes will be removed and work-from-home guidance abolished as 16 months of on-off restrictions on daily life end. But is it too soon?

Chinese authorities have frozen several prominent apps that recently listed in New York. What is behind the dispute, which includes preventing ride-hailing app Didi from adding new users?

Also in the programme, Europe's three biggest truckmakers have agreed to invest almost $600m in a network of electric charging points. However, significant hurdles to electrifying road haulage remain, and we find out more from Claes Eliasson, senior vice-president at Swedish truckmaker Volvo.

Despite the high profile of college sports, most of its athletes are amateurs. But a recent ruling by the US Supreme Court opens the door to the professionalisation of the sector.

Picture credit: Getty Images

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 they had been affected. Our technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones explains the story. As India offers its free vaccinations to all adults, human rights activist Manjula Pradeep of the Wayve Foundation in Ahmedabad offers an assessment of the country's vaccine rollout so far. And what is it that makes a tweet go viral? Researchers at the University of Cambridge say they've discovered the secret: being rude. We hear more from postgraduate researcher Steve Rathje. Jamie Robertson is joined throughout the programme by Dimuthu Attanayake, journalist and researcher for the LIRNE Asia digital policy think tank, who's in Colombo in Sri Lanka, and by Andy Uhler, reporter for Marketplace in Austin, Texas.

(Picture: The SolarWinds Corp. logo. Picture credit: Getty Images.)

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. As some companies turn to anthropology to balance the insights of algorithms and AI, should all businesses now have an anthropologist on their books? We hear from Gillian Tett the author of Anthro-Vision: A New Way to See in Business and Life. Production of the luxury jet plane Learjet is set to end later this year, and the BBC's Russell Padmore takes an in-depth look at the global market for private jets. Plus, as people around the world return to the office, our regular workplace commentator Peter Morgan discusses the experience of those who have to try and fit into traditional office attire again, after spending time at home wearing baggy loungewear. Plus, we're joined throughout the programme by Alison Van Diggelen, in Silicon Valley; she's host of Fresh Dialogues. And Sushma Ramachandran, an independent business journalist and columnist for The Tribune newspaper, joins us in Delhi.

(Picture: A Google office building. Picture credit: Getty Images.)

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, allowing tanker drivers to work extra hours to get some fuel where it's needed – but will they be able to keep up with demand? We ask Ellen R Ward, president of Transversal Consulting. Is it a surprise that criminals were able to hack into the system running the most important fuel pipeline in the United States? A question for Algirde Pipikaite, cyber security expert at the World Economic Forum. Also in the programme, Mike Johnson takes a close look at Nigeria's electricity challenge, which means around 40% of the country having no access to official supplies. Plus, researchers have created a cricket bat made out of bamboo, rather than the traditional willow, which they say is cheaper and more sustainable. We hear more from Ben Tinkler-Davies of the University of Cambridge, who was on the research team.

All this and more discussed with our two guests on opposite sides of the globe: Erin Delmore, political reporter in New York City and Patrick Barta, Asia Enterprise Editor for the Wall Street Journal, in Bangkok.

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 controversy. As an international effort is underway to help India as it faces an overwhelming surge in coronavirus cases, we hear how the US, the UK, China, Russia, the European Union Saudi Arabia are among those offering help. Also in the programme, the collapse of Greensill Capital in the UK has drawn attention to the practice of supply chain financing, which Greensill was known for; the BBC's Joshua Thorpe brings us an extended report. Plus, a company called Mirriad has developed a technique that enables product placement in archive films and TV shows; the company's CEO, Stephan Beringer, tells us how it works. And we're joined by two guests on opposite sides of the Pacific; Andy Uhler, reporter on the Marketplace programme who's in Austin, Texas and Mehmal Sarfraz, co-founder of The Current PK, who's in Lahore, Pakistan. (Photo of Facebook logo with Apple in the background by Pavlo Gonchar via Getty Images).

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 garden near Reading. The e-commerce giant Alibaba has been accused of anti-competitive practices and fined more than $2.5 billion by Chinese regulators. We discuss what this will mean for the future of the company. Also in the programme, the BBC’s Ivana Davidovic gives us the lowdown on Telegram, the messaging app - and one of the most downloaded non-gaming apps this year. And the BBC's arts correspondent Vincent Dowd tells us what the organisers of this year's Baftas are doing to improve diversity across the awards.

Rahul Tandon is joined throughout the programme by Nisha Gopalan, editor for Bloomberg News in Asia, in Hong Kong, and Les Williams from the University of Virginia, in Arlington, Virginia.

(Picture: A man drinking a pint of beer / Credit: Getty Images)

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 investment fund, Archegos Capital, which was forced to liquidate billions of dollars’ worth of shares last Friday. We hear from Financial Times Correspondent Ortenca Aliaj and financial lawyer Mark Berman. The US says it could impose 25% tariffs on British exports to the US after the UK levied a digital services tax on major technology companies; we get the details from Steven Overly, Global Trade and Economics Reporter at the Politico website. Also in the programme, the European Union’s recent ban of palm oil in biofuel for vehicles has angered top producing nations Indonesia and Malaysia. The BBC's Manuela Saragosa explains the politics of the vegetable oil. Plus, as the pandemic has led to a re-think of the working day, the BBC’s Peter Morgan looks at the practice of an afternoon nap and if it’s time to refresh our attitudes towards sleeping on the job. And we're joined throughout the programme by two guests on opposite sides of the world; Alexis Goldstein, financial reform advocate in Washington DC, and Jasper Kim, Professor at Ewha University and director at Center for Conflict Management in Seoul, South Korea. (Picture of a Credit Suisse branch in Geneva / Credit: Fabrice Coffrini via Getty Images).

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 Bloomberg's Jeremy Hill explains the implications. Also in the programme, starting a week of special programming about mental health and the pandemic, the BBC's Manuela Saragosa reports on what more businesses and governments could be doing to support their employees' mental wellbeing. Plus, how would you react if your employer insisted you are vaccinated before you re-enter the workplace? A UK based plumbing company has advertised for new staff on a ‘no jab no job’ policy and employees will face very difference workplaces upon returning to workplaces, as Pilita Clarke explains. And we're joined by political reporter Erin Delmore who's in New York and Yoko Ishikura, Professor Emeritus, Hitotsubashi University and a member of the World Economic Forum’s Expert Network, is in Tokyo.

(Picture: An electrical substation in Houston. Picture credit: Getty Images.)

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 platform in Australia. This follows moves by the Australian Government to make digital giants pay for journalism. We get the thoughts of Peter Lewis, Director of the Centre of Responsible Technology and is based in Sydney. We discuss one of the highest-profile court cases to come out of the Me-Too Movement in India - M J Akbar, a former minister has lost his his defamation case against journalist Priya Ramani, who had accused him of being a sexual predator. Also on in the show - a Great Green Wall across the arid lands of northern Africa - can the project save fragile communities in 11 countries - or is it just a mirage? And Ford Europe pledge to go all-electric by 2030. We hear from their CEO, Stuart Rowley.

All this and more discussed with our two guests throughout the show. Les Williams, an Associate Professor at The School of Engineering at The University of Virginia, in Arlington, VA. And Sushma Ramachandran, an independent business journalist and columnist for The Tribune newspaper, in Delhi.

(Picture: Rupert Murdoch. Credit: Getty Images.)

Around 150 million Americans have been advised to take precautions as an unprecedented winter storm continues to cause havoc across twenty five US states. In one of the worst affected states, Texas, more than four million people are without power as a surge in demand caused the power grid to fail. We hear how ageing infrastructure, unregulated grid and climate change have all contributed to the situation.

Also - we go to Japan, where the government is trying to convince somewhat reluctant population to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

And the BBC's Ivana Davidovic looks at the museum world. The era of Black Lives Matter has seen the toppling of statues in cities in Britain and the United States. Calls for the return of cultural property stolen during colonial times are getting louder. Many looted artefacts are housed by major national museums in Europe and North America. Leaders of new cultural institutions in Africa meanwhile are re-imagining the whole concept of what a 21st century museum should look like.

Plus - how can artificial intelligence help football teams scout stars of the future?

(Photo of snow in Austin, Texas. Photo by Montinique Monroe via Getty Images)

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 reform the WTO and the importance of climate change.

Also in the programme, the global economic cost of the Coronavirus pandemic will run into trillions of dollars. Could the world set up a better early warning system for future pandemics? Dr Micheal Mina, an epidemiologist based at the Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health is trying to do just that with the project he calls Global Immunological Observatory.

Plus, Bill Gates describes the implications of meeting the global target to reduce net carbon emissions to zero by the year 2050.

And our regular workplace commentator, Stephanie Hare talks about how to approach bereavement in the workplace.

PHOTO: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala/Getty Images

72 tennis players at the Australian Open are facing 14 days stuck in Melbourne Hotels after positive Covid-19 cases on their inbound planes; We discuss whether the Covid-19 pandemic is still a big threat to major sport events including the Tokyo Olympics. We'll hear the latest on the US Capitol as DC remains on high alert ahead of President-Elect Joe Biden's inauguration on Wednesday. Car and electronic device makers sound alarm bells amid a global microchip shortage. Russ Mould of stockbrokers AJ Bell is a former semiconductor analyst, and explains the background and implications. More than 140,000 retail jobs have been lost in the UK since the start of the pandemic; we hear how people have been able to survive financially by reinventing their way of doing business. Also in the programme, ski journalist Robert Stewart on why the resort of Courchevel in France is marketing itself as an alternative location for people to work from home. Plus could being too efficient working from home put your job at risk?

(Picture: Tennis balls in front of an Australian Open logo. Picture credit: Reuters.)

A merger between Fiat Chrysler and PSA has won approval from the companies' shareholders. The new company will be called Stellantis and we ask why has Fiat agreed to be subsumed into an ever bigger group.

Also in the programme, more than 200 workers at Google-parent Alphabet have formed a labour union. It marks a seismic shift in Silicon Valley, where unions are a rarity and relations with organised labour is often fractious. We hear from Google employee Dr Alex Hanna, who is one of the staff who've got their membership card.

Plus, worries over health and anxiety about employment during the pandemic have led to restless nights for many of us. The BBC's Elizabeth Hotson reports on measures people can take to ensure they get a good night's sleep.

And - as new year gets under way, we hear about the home fitness alternatives many are choosing for their resolutions, in place of signing up to a gym.

PHOTO: Getty Images

Brexit talks stall prompting a meeting for later this week, between the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen and the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. We will hear what is at stake for both sides with analysis from Carsten Brzeski, from ING in Frankfurt.

We will also consider the future of Venezuela, after President Maduro and his allies won political control, but the standoff with countries like the United States continues. Eileen Gavin, a Latin America analyst with the advisory group Maplecroft, gives us her analysis.

Throughout the programme we'll also get the views of our guests, Professor Peter Morici, from the University of Maryland, in Washington and financial professional Jessica Khine, who is in Malaysia.

(Picture: EU and UK flags. Getty Images.)

US President Donald Trump accepts that the formal transition to Joe Biden's White House can finally begin and it's reported that Mr Biden will nominate Janet Yellen, a former head of the Federal Reserve, as his Treasury secretary - we hear from Samira Hussain, our American Business Correspondent. There's more good news on the coronavirus vaccines front as it's announced that the AstraZeneca/Oxford trials could be almost as effective as two other vaccines already shown to work. There's growing evidence that later lockdowns, designed to combat a second wave of the virus, aren't having the same positive environmental impact as the initial lockdowns, as Mike Johnson has been hearing from Simon Birkitt, founder of the campaign group Clean Air in London. It will take “substantial last minute efforts” in order to strike a Brexit deal – that’s according to the EU Trade Commissioner, Valdis Dombrovskis, who's been speaking to our Global Trade Correspondent Dharshini David. And are you looking for something to buy your loved-ones for Christmas? How about some surplus crockery from the BA first class cabin? We hear more from Rhys Jones of the frequent flyer website www.headforpoints.com. Plus, we're joined throughout the programme by Jeanette Rodriguez from Bloomberg who is in Mumbai and Peter Morici, Professor Emeritus at the University of Maryland. (Picture of US President Donald Trump, by Tasos Katopodis for Getty Images).

The chief executives of Facebook, Twitter, and Google have faced intense grilling from senators over Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects web companies from liability when it comes to content posted by users. Rebecca Klar, a reporter with The Hill in Washington D.C., gives us the highlights. Also in the programme, financial markets have tumbled around the world for a second day this week amid concerns that a rise in coronavirus cases will hurt still tentative economic recoveries. And the nuclear industry is pinning its hopes on mass-producing small, cheap power stations to compete with renewable energy. Plus, the Kazakhstan tourism board attempt to capitalise on the release of the second Borat film.

All through the show we’ll be joined by Jeanette Rodrigues from Bloomberg in Mumbai and Ralph Silva from the Silva Research Network in Toronto.

(Picture credit: Getty Images)