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Hurricane Dorian could hit the US

Hurricane Dorian could hit the US. We hear from Luis Fajardo from BBC Monitoring in Miami. And as the trade war between the US and China expands, we meet some of those impacted by it. Also in the programme, with Argentina in the midst of a currency crisis, the government has imposed sweeping restrictions on how much money people can exchange into foreign currencies. Jimena Blanco of risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft in Buenos Aires, explains the government's thinking. In May last year federal legislation which outlawed sports betting was changed; thirteen states now allow it and Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Corporation has launched Fox Bet. We hear from Warwick Bartlett, the CEO of industry consultants GBGC. Plus our regular workplace commentator Heather McGregor of Heriot Watt University takes a look at research indicating that expressing gratitude towards our colleagues can help combat stress and boost job satisfaction. And we're joined throughout the programme by I'll be joined throughout the programme by Nathaniel Taplin from the Wall St Journal in Hong Kong and Tony Nash, chief economist at Complete Intelligence, in Houston, Texas.Pic description: Satellite image of Hurricane Dorian Pic credit: NOAA via Getty Images

Sep 3, 201951 min

Twitter removes controversial Hong Kong accounts

Twitter and Facebook block what they described as a state-backed Chinese misinformation campaign against protests in Hong Kong. Chinese telecoms giant Huawei gets a temporary reprieve - but are US sights now being set on France? And the business of gold - we find out how the precious metal is being bought wholesale to try and beat the next global recession. We discuss all this live with Jason Abbruzzese, Senior Tech Editor at NBC News in New York, and Jodi Schneider, Senior International Editor at Bloomberg in Hong Kong.(Image: 'Free Hong Kong' graffiti during the demonstration. Credit: SOPA Images/ Getty Images)

Aug 20, 201951 min

Workers Turn to Food Banks as US Shutdown Continues

Hundreds of thousands of US government workers and their families are visiting food banks as they remain unpaid for 32 days. We speak to Kate Maehr, who runs the Greater Chicago Food Depository. How can more women get appointed to the top roles in business? Vivienne Nunis hears from Sue Unerman, author of The Glass Wall. And BBC reporter Nick Beake tells us how China is keen to invest in Myanmar. Fergus Nicoll is joined throughout the programme by Nicole Childers, who is Executive Producer at Marketplace on American Public Media and is in Los Angeles, and Jyoti Malhotra, National & Strategic Affairs Editor at The Print, who is in Delhi.(Picture: A person carries a food bag in Washington DC. Credit: Yasin Ozturk/Getty Images)

Jan 23, 201953 min

Pakistan Turns To IMF For Bailout Talks

Pakistan's finance minister has announced the country will ask the International Monetary Fund for a bailout. We'll hear from Nadeem Haque, a former Pakistani official and former IMF representative, and Saeed Shah from the Wall Street Journal in Islamabad.Then, Jair Bolsonaro is the favourite in the second round of Brazil's presidential election. The BBC's Julia Carneiro gives us the latest on the country's reaction and what happens now. It’s an age-old question, how do women balance the demands of raising a family with career progression? With three small children and a challenging job Christine Armstrong wanted that question answered once and for all, so she asked as many women as possible for her book the Mother of all Jobs.Alison Green has been giving workplace advice for over a decade and one thing that keeps surprising her is that people want their problems solved without even speaking to the key person. She explains why direct conversation can be the best.All throughout the show, we’ll be joined by Ralph Silva of the Silva Research Network in Toronto, Canada, and Asit Biswas from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Pakistani President Imran Khan speaks to the media on July 25, 2018. PHOTO CREDIT: Aamir Qureshi/AFP/Getty Images)

Oct 9, 201852 min

Nike Faces Up To Shareholders

Earlier in the year sportswear giant Nike hired Colin Kaepernick for their adverts. The former American football star caused controversy by kneeling during the national anthem. As a result of the ad campaign some people said they would boycott Nike goods and some even posted videos on Twitter of burning trainers. Now Nike is holding its annual shareholders' meeting, and the company is under scrutiny as never before. We hear from retail analyst Neil Saunders on what might be said.A Canadian marketing company is advertising for part-time cannabis tasters after recreational cannabis use becomes legal in Canada in a few weeks’ time. The company, A Higher Level of Thought, were surprised by the level of response, as we hear from their boss Greg Pantelic.The trade war between the US and China has intensified, as each side slaps higher border taxes on each other's products. Beijing is considering cutting tariffs on products imported from most of its trading partners. Such a move would make many foreign-made goods cheaper for Chinese consumers, just as products from America get more expensive in China. Matt Gold, Professor of International Trade Law at Fordham University in New York gives his view.And finally, Britain is not really used to long, hot summers. But there has been an unusually sustained period of low rainfall. The drier weather has been a welcome boost to the UK's growing wine industry, which saw sales increase almost a third over the past two years. The BBC's Stephen Ryan has been looking into North London wine.All throughout the show, we’ll be joined by Jodi Schneider, Senior International Editor at Bloomberg in Hong Kong and Dave Shaw, Politico's executive producer for audio and podcasts in Washington.PHOTO DESCRIPTION: Colin Kaepernick and teammates of the San Francisco 49ers kneel in protest during the national anthem at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California on October 23, 2016. PHOTO CREDIT: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Sep 21, 201850 min

Apple iPhone XS unveiled alongside fall-detecting Watch

Apple has updated its iPhone X handset with three more powerful models. Connie Guglielmo, Editor-in-Chief of tech news site, CNET, tells us about their latest innovations. We have an interview with Ray Dalio, one of the richest people in the world and founder of hedge fund Bridgewater Associates to discuss his new book about the financial crisis. We travel to Singapore to find out how countries in Asia experienced an extraordinary economic boom after the global financial crisis. Our reporter looks at chief executives and bankers in Iceland who were prosecuted during the financial crisis. Plus, we hear about the Sri Lankan president's anger over airline cashew nuts.We're joined throughout the programme by three guests. In Washington, Heather Slavkin Corzo, the director of the Office of Investment of the trade union, the AFL-CIO, and Professor Randall Kroszner, Former Federal Reserve Governor and now Deputy Dean of the Executive MBA programme at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. We also have from Hong Kong Victor Mallet, Asia news editor for the Financial Times.

Sep 13, 201854 min

Creating Jobs in India's Countryside

Rahul Tandon presents a special edition of Business Matters from Delhi. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi came into power promising to make it to do business in the country. We speak to businessmen and women who have set up companies in the past few years. We also hear from the economist Saswati Chaudri about the challenge of creating employment in India's rural economy. And we speak to someone who returned to India few years ago to look for employment about the state of the job market. Also, over the last past few days thousands of small traders across India have taken to the streets to protest against Walmart's take over of the indian e-commerce firm Flipkart . We have a report from one of the protests. And the former civil servant turned writer Raj Liberham guides us through India's customs in the business world. Also in the programme, we consider how US states will be affected by overturning the established precedent allowing public-sector unions to collect fees from nonunion members. We're joined throughout the programme by Hartosh Singh Bal editor of The Caravan magazine and Mitchell Hartman in Portland, a reporter at Marketplace Radio.(Photo: Agricultural workers in rural India. Credit: AFP)

Jul 4, 201852 min

Delhi's Pollution Crisis

What's been done about Delhi's air pollution?Rahul Tandon presents a special edition of Business Matters from Delhi looking at the city's pollution problem. We have a report about living in a city with one of the world's highest pollution levels. The writer Sandip Roy tells us why India has not yet seen a mass anti-pollution movement. Also in the programme, we have a report on the protests against residential blocks in the south of Delhi that will result in thousands of trees being cut down. Plus, we hear from students at one of India's top business schools about how they think the problem should be solved. We're joined throughout the programme by Vasu Primlani, a sustainability professional and professor and Sushma Ramachandran, former chief business correspondent at The Hindu.(Photo: Environmental protest sign in Delhi. Credit: BBC)

Jul 3, 201852 min

Canada Retaliates Against US Tariffs

Canada is putting tariffs on more than $12bn worth of American goods. They will come into effect on Sunday and will target not just US steel and aluminium but also consumer goods like orange juice, whisky and even toilet paper. We hear from our economics correspondent Andrew Walker and whisky producer Colin Spoelman from Kings County distillery in Brooklyn.President Trump has communicated much of his economic policy on Twitter; as part of the BBC's Money and Power series we hear from Dr Stephanie Hare who researches technological trends.We round up the week's biggest news stories with Katie Martin from the Financial Times and Richard Cockett from The Economist.And we're joined throughout the programme by Cathy Alexander, research fellow at the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute.Picture description: Canadian dollars Picture credit: Getty Images

Jun 30, 201851 min

Turkey Goes To The Polls

Ahead of Sunday's election in Turkey, we ask what role economic decline may play. We gauge the mood in Istanbul with voices from business, academia and ordinary Turks. The oil producing nations in the OPEC grouping have agreed to increase output in order to lower prices around the world. Chris Low from FTN Financial in New York tells us about the surprising market response. Also in the programme, Eurozone countries have reached agreement with Greece on a repayment schedule for the country's debt. Yannis Palaiologos is a reporter on the Athens daily Kathimerini and tells us what the agreement means. We hear from Jonah Sachs, author of a new book on creativity, Unsafe Thinking. On 'Bring Your Dog to Work Day', our reporter talks to people who do just that. The United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued U.S. patent number 10 million to Joseph Marron, a principal engineering fellow at the Space and Airborne Systems division of Raytheon. Kai Ryssdal of the Marketplace programme on American Public Media has been speaking to him. On 'Bring Your Dog to Work Day', our reporter talks to people who do just that. Plus we look back at the rest of the week's big business stories with David Hodari of the Wall Street Journal, and Patricia O'Connell, former editor of Business Week.We're joined throughout the programme by Clive Hunton of ABC News in Canberra, Australia. (Photo: President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Credit: Getty Images)

Jun 23, 201852 min

European Union Leaders Divided Over Immigration

The UN says more than two-hundred people people have drowned off Libya in recent days. The recent stand-off between Malta and Italy over a boatload of desperate African travellers has revealed how right-wing populism is hardening attitudes. We hear from Christian Dustmann, the Director of the Centre for Research and Analysis on Migration at University College London about the EU's handling of immigration. Also in the programme, we have a report examining the role that China plays in updating Zambia's infrastructure. The White House reveals a document proposing the reorganisation of the US federal government. Michelle Hackman of the Wall Street Journal in Washington tells us what she made it. Our correspondent Rebecca Henschke gives us the latest on Monday's ferry disaster in Indonesia that killed almost 200 people. Plus, we hear how two female boxing champions are inspiring girls and boys alike. We're joined throughout the programme by Jason Abbruzzese, Senior Tech Editor at NBC News Digital in New York and Emily Feng of the Financial Times in Beijing.(Photo: Migrants from Libya in the Mediterranean Sea. Credit: AFP)

Jun 22, 201852 min

Trump Casts Doubt on June Summit with North Korea

President Trump has said there is a "very substantial chance" the summit may not happen. Meanwhile, the South Korean president, Moon-Jae in, is in Washington for talks which are focussed on salvaging the meeting. Harry Kazianis, Director of Defense Studies, at the conservative-leaning Centre for the National Interest in Washington gives us his take on if the talks with Kim Jong-un will go ahead. We have a report from Rahul Tandon about if India can create enough jobs to cater for the millions of people expected to enter the labour force over the next few decades. Also, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has testified at the European Parliament about the Cambridge Analytica data scandal. We hear from our technology correspondent, Rory Cellan-Jones who was watching Mr. Zuckerberg's appearance. Legal and General Investment Management in the UK has decided to launch the first investment fund aimed at encouraging gender diversity. Helena Morrissey, head of personal investing at LGIM, tells us how it works. Also in the programme, are voice controlled AI assistants at risk of developing human prejudices? Trevor Cox, professor of Acoustic Engineering at Salford University in northern England, tells us about the potential pitfalls of applying machine learning to decoding the human voice.We're joined throughout the programme by Catherine Yeung, Investment Director at Fidelity International- who's in Hong Kong, and Bridget Bodnar of Marketplace, in Los Angeles.(Photo: US President Donald Trump and South Korea's Moon Jae-in)

May 23, 201850 min

Ship Seized Amid Row Over North Korean Oil

South Korea said the ship had transferred 600 tonnes of oil to a North Korean vessel. There are suggestions, denied by the Chinese, that China was responsible for the shipment. We find out more from China expert Gordon Chang. Also in the programme, it’s been a bumper year for commodities with palladium ending at a 17-year high. IG chief market analyst Chris Beauchamp explains what’s ahead in 2018. Does fake news mark the end of free speech in America? Katherine Mangu-Ward, editor of Reason.com explains whether a problem is brewing in the U.S. Then, Chelsea Fagan, author of the Financial Diet, demonstrates how to make non-traditional decisions about money. Our reporter explains why the defunct bank brand Lehman Brothers has been resurrected as a whisky. Plus, we look back at the year’s big business stories with Nina Trentmann of the Wall Street Journal and Justin Fox from Bloomberg. Colin Peacock of Radio New Zealand joins presenter Roger Hearing.(Picture: The Lighthouse Winmore, chartered by Taiwanese company Billions Bunker Group Corp., is seen at sea off South Korea's Yeosu port. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

Dec 30, 201751 min

US Congress Closes in on Tax Reform

The U.S. Senate closes in on passing tax reform legislation. Bipartisan Policy Center senior advisor, Steve Bell, weighs in on what a legislative victory on taxes could mean for the Trump administration. And a conversation with Democratic Congresswoman Jackie Speier about sexual-harassment allegations swirling through Congress. Also in the programme, UNCHR’s representative to Libya talks about the evidence of Libyan slave markets in a post-Gadaffi world. Plus, has Trump’s travel ban had an impact on American tourism? We talk with Brand USA president Chris Thompson.Joining throughout the programme is Robert Miliken, Australia correspondent for The Economist.(Photo: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell; photo credit: Getty)

Dec 2, 201752 min

Behind Japan’s Corporate ‘Culture of Concealment’

A look into why Japan’s once sterling corporate reputation has taken such a hit amid a number of high-profile scandals in recent years. Also in the programme, a deep dive into why the nation's efforts to make it easier for women to return to work after having children may be destined to fail. And, as Tokyo celebrates its own AIDS Week – a conversation with Japan’s most prominent and respected LGBT figure, Pink Bear, about how traditional values in the country make it difficult for gay people to be open about themselves. Akiko Nagi, founder of networking site Wantedly, and Tomohiro Taniguchi, a journalist and government adviser, weigh in throughout the programme. (Photo: Japan scenery – photo credit: BBC)

Dec 1, 201751 min

Six Years Later: Reflecting on Fukushima’s Nuclear Disaster

Host Roger Hearing visits areas surrounding the city on the east side of Japan’s main island where almost half a million people had to leave their homes in 2011 due to the nuclear disaster. He speaks with one man who lost two children and is now involved in a group dedicated to finding those who have so far never been found. Later in the programme, Roger visits an area that was once considered the nation’s breadbasket, but now even as the government and producers try to clean the land and convince shoppers what’s grown there is safe…it’s still a tough call. Finally, even in the toughest times, there are still those who are working to keep the flame of traditional culture alive. Roger speaks to one man doing just that.Roger is joined throughout the programme by William McMichael, assistant professor of economics and business administration at Fukushima University, and Dr. Sae Ochi, director of internal medicine at Tokyo’s Soma Central Hospital.(Picture credit: Getty; a train suite Shiki-Shima, operated by East Japan Railway, during a training run in Inawashiro, Fukushima)

Nov 30, 201753 min

North Korea Fires Highest-Ever Intercontinental Ballistic Missile

An already tense situation on the Korean peninsula escalated with North Korea’s launch of its highest-ever ICBM that landed in Japanese waters. Anna Fifield, Tokyo bureau chief for the Washington Post, explains how significant the action is. Later in the programme, Jared Bernstein, a member of President Obama’s economic team, talks about Jerome Powell’s testimony on Capitol Hill as he seeks confirmation to become the next Federal Reserve chairman. We’ll also hear from the BBC’s Karishma Vaswani about how Vietnam has become home to a thriving start-up scene, and discuss diversity in this year’s Grammy nominations with Kevin Fallon, senior entertainment reporter at the Daily Beast.(Picture: Kim Jong-Un delivering a statement in Pyongyang. Picture credit: Getty)

Nov 29, 201751 min

Zimbabwe Ruling Party Urges Mugabe To Quit

Regional branches of Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF party have joined growing calls for President Robert Mugabe to resign. We hear the latest from the BBC's Fergal Keane.Britain could put a tax on one-use plastic food packaging and polystyrene takeaway boxes. Government ministers are asking for evidence on whether a new tax would prevent waste and cut pollution in the world's oceans. Research this week found plastic is widespread in the stomachs of sea creatures, and humans are eating them. Craig Bennett, CEO of Friends of the Earth in the UK, tells us what he thinks of the UK government's proposal.The US media giants Comcast and Verizon have expressed interest in buying parts of Twenty First Century Fox, less than two weeks after Disney tried to do the same. Steven Barnett, Professor of Communications at the University of Westminster in London, explains why there's a bidding frenzy in media land.All this and more discussed with our guest throughout the show: Colin Peacock is the presenter of Mediawatch on Radio New Zealand. He joins us from Wellington.(Photo: Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe at a graduation ceremony in Harare on the 17th November, 2017. Credit: AFP.)

Nov 18, 201752 min

Trump warns N Korea that US military is 'locked and loaded'

President Trump has renewed his verbal pressure on North Korea, warning Pyongyang not to take military action against the US or its allies. Mr Trump said he hoped the North's leader understood the gravity of the situation. World leaders have expressed concern at the war of words over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme.Vincent Ni, Senior Producer, BBC Chinese Service talks about how many people use services and social media platforms like Weibo, WeChat and Baidu Tieba in China. They are currently investigation for alleged violations of cyber security laws and said people had been using the platforms to spread terrorism-related material, rumours and obscenities. The breaches "jeopardised national security," the administration said.Michelle Fleury reports from New York about the growing premium market, as parents spend to make sure they have the very best products for their children. In the US, women are waiting longer to have children which, sometimes, means they have more disposable income.

Aug 12, 201752 min

North Korea in Long-Range Missile Test

North Korea’s latest ballistic missile launch was in the direction of Japan. The Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, says the world needs to increase pressure on Pyongyang to end its missile testing programme. We'll discuss North Korea's latest intercontinental missile test, which experts say puts US cities in range.As the United States Food and Drug Administration announces that it wants to limit the amount of nicotine in cigarettes, we asked Professor Stanton Glantz from the University of California San Francisco for his assessment. Plus, an underground mail train in London is coming back on track as part of the London Postal Museum. The BBC’s Richard Collings went on board. Rob Young is joined on the programme by Colin Peacock, who’s a journalist at Radio New Zealand.(Photo: A man looks at images of missile launches and military exercises in a public square in Pyongyang. Photo credit: ED JONES/AFP/Getty Images)

Jul 29, 201753 min

New US Sanctions on Russia Move Closer

The US House of Representatives has voted to impose fresh sanctions on Russia, despite President Donald Trump objecting to the legislation. Daniel Fried, former sanctions coordinator at the US State Department looks at the latest step.Is infrastructure spending really the secret to boosting economic growth? We look at the cost and benefits of planned projects around the globe. And, the "world's most useless airport" is finally about to get its first scheduled flight. The BBC's Roger Hearing will be joined throughout the programme from Singapore by Asit Biswas, distinguished visiting Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, and from Los Angeles by Andy Uhler from the Marketplace programme at American public radio. They'll also be joined from Taiwan by the BBC's Cindy Sui and by Chris Heathcote author of the Global Infrastructure Outlook report and the travel journalist Simon Calder.Picture: US President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin shake hands during a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg this month. Credit:Saul Loeb AFP/Getty Images.

Jul 26, 201751 min

Violence Escalates in Hamburg as the G20 Protest Continues

Just as the protestors on Hamburg's streets have varied demands, so too do the leaders of the G20. The US, for example, wants more trade tariffs (especially on steel imports) - a policy that not all members agree with. We get the latest on the summit from our correspondent in Hamburg, Amir Paivar. London-based PR firm Bell Pottinger apologises after its social media campaigns caused offence in South Africa. Nikita Ramkissoon from the Save South Africa campaign tells us her objections to it. Plus, we meet the astronomer turned entrepreneur Dr Kim Nilson, whose company Pivigo matches data scientists with firms who need them. Susannah Streeter is joined throughout the programme by Peter Ryan, senior business correspondent for ABC in Sydney. (Picture credit Alexander Koerner/Getty Images)

Jul 8, 201751 min

Police Clash With G20 Protestors

As leaders of the world’s twenty largest economies arrive in the northern German city of Hamburg, thousands of protestors took to the streets. Several police officers were injured as violence erupted. We get the latest from BBC correspondent Jenny Hill. As the EU and Japan announce their free trade deal, we speak to Shihoko Goto of the Northeast Asia Program at the Wilson Center in Washington. And the BBC’s Timothy McDonald reports from the Philippines, where new technology is disrupting the craft of guitar making. Roger Hearing is joined throughout the programme by entrepreneur and author August Turake in North Carolina and investment director Catherine Yeung in Hong Kong. (Photo credit Alexander Koerner/Getty Images)

Jul 7, 201752 min

US Jobs Growth Accelerates

Figures from the US Department of Labor showed that the unemployment rate dropped in April. But the rebound in the jobs market could pave the way for the US central bank to raise interest rates, warns Chirs Low of FTN Financial on Wall Street.The Indian government says it's planning new rules allowing airlines to ban unruly passengers from flying. It follows a steady increase in air rage incidents worldwide, and an incident where MP Ravindra Gaikwad hit an Air India duty manager with his sandal. Charles Leocha from Travelers United.org says it is easy for stress levels to rise on packed planes.The chief executive of Goldman Sachs, the world's second largest investment bank, has warned that London "will stall" because of the risks from the Brexit process. He has told the BBC that his firm had "contingency plans" to move people depending on the outcome of the negotiations.More and more people are being allowed to take their dogs to work, which can have surprising benefits for other employees. Susannah Streeter borrowed a dog and brought it to work with her to investigate.Susannah is joined throughout the programme by Clive Hunton of ABC in Canberra, Australia.(Picture: Construction workers in New York Credit:Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

May 6, 201755 min

US Drops 'Mother of All Bombs' on IS

The GDU-43 bomb weighs almost 10,000kg, is as long as a small bus and packs the equivalent of eleven tons of TNT. But is deploying it an essential part of the war against so-called Islamic State, or is it just designed to show off America's military strength? We ask Michael O'Hanlon from the Brookings Institution.Since the start of the conflict in Syria, Armenia has welcomed an influx of refugees from the native Syrian Armenian community in Aleppo. They've been supported by the government to set up a series of micro-enterprises, but this has caused conflict with local business owners who say it's bringing them more competition. Nicola Kelly reports from the capital city, YerevanPolitical protests have become frequent and numerous in Venezuela in recent weeks. Most recently they have been sparked by a decision to bar the opposition leader, Henrique Capriles, from holding public office for fifteen years. The BBC's Daniel Garcia talks to us from Caracas.What does Easter mean to you? Is it a religious festival, a break from work or just an excuse to consume large quantities of chocolate? Well it would appear that in the US it's increasingly becoming a good time for shops, according to the National Retail Federation. Joining Roger Hearing to discuss those stories are guests Professor Aswit Biswas in Singapore and Alison Van Diggelen in San Francisco(Picture: GDU-43 or 'Massive Ordnance Air Blast' bomb, Credit: U.S. Air Force)

Apr 14, 201755 min

Trump and Xi Complete Talks in Florida

Despite the shadow of US military action in Syria, American President Donald Trump insists his talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have been positive. We talk to Heather Timmons from Quartz to find out how relations between the two superpowers are being shaped.After at least four people were killed in a suspected terror attack in Sweden, we find out the latest from the BBC's Maddy Savage in Stockholm.We discuss some of the weeks biggest stories - including executive pay, fake news and the world's best restaurant awards - with Shelly Banjo of Bloomberg in New York and Elaine Moore of the Financial Times in London.And we examine the new Icelandic TV sensation that's picking up a global audience. It's Big Brother, only with cats.Discussing all of that with Alex Ritson is Elizabeth Jackson, a presenter from ABC Radio in Sydney, Australia.(Picture: US President Donald Trump with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, Credit: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)

Apr 8, 201755 min

Will Trumpcare Pass Muster in Congress?

The Democrats hated it before it even happened and now many Republicans have distanced themselves from the US President's proposals for an Obamacare replacement. So is Trumpcare already dead in the water? We speak to Professor John McDonough of Harvard University's Department of Health Policy & Management - who worked in the Senate on the passage of the Affordable Care Act.The US Department of Justice has fined the Chinese telecoms maker ZTE nearly $1.2 billion for selling banned American-made equipment to Iran and North Korea. We get analysis from Shawn Donnan, World Trade Editor of the Financial Times in Washington DC.The shipping industry is predominantly male and women who manage to get in complain of institutional harassment and sexism. Eldine Chilembo Gless, a One Young World Ambassador from Angola in south-west Africa outlines the extent of the problem.We cast the net a little wider to draw in some of the business headlines from elsewhere in the world and we cross to Sydney and the BBC's Phil Mercer.36 years ago at the age of just 36 Bob Marley died but interest in the reggae star shows no sign of diminishing. In the UK, a new stage show called One Love: The Bob Marley Musical opens on Friday. It's written and directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah who's been talking to our Arts Correspondent Rebecca Jones. And we're joined throughout the programme by Mitchell Hartman of Marketplace who's is in Portland, Oregon and Jyoti Malhotra, President of South Asian Women in Media is in Delhi.Picture description: Protestors demonstrate during a health care rally at Thomas Paine Plaza on February 25, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images

Mar 8, 201755 min

Trump Signs New Travel Ban Directive

President Trump has issued an executive order putting in place a new travel ban. Is it legally watertight this time? We hear from Ambassador Norman Eisen who was senior counsel to President Obama and David Rivkin, a lawyer who served under Presidents Reagan and George Bush senior. The centre-right in France keeps Francois Fillon as its presidential candidate, despite falling poll ratings and a legal investigation into his financial arrangements; we get analysis from the BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris.The BBC's Sharanjit Leyl finds out how to make an amazing party in Singapore.We cross over to Kolkata where Rahul Tandon tells us about Asia's biggest business stories.One of the advantages of working in radio is that the dress codes aren't too rigid but in some jobs it's a very different situation. Our well-dressed regular commentator Lucy Kellaway of the Financial Times has been musing on corporate dress.And we're joined throughout the programme by two guests on opposite sides of the Pacific; Anjani Trivedi, Columnist for WSJ Heard on the Street who's in Singapore, and Richard Wolff, professor of economics emeritus at the University of Massachusetts and founder of Democracy at Work in New York.Picture description: President Trump walks across the South Lawn towards the White House on March 5, 2017 in Washington, DC. Photo by Erik S. Lesser-Pool/Getty Images

Mar 7, 201755 min

President Trump prepares to address Congress for the first time

With President Donald Trump less than an hour away from addressing Congress for the first time, we preview what he's likely to say and how he's been performing in The White House so far.Three months on from India's surprise decision to remove high-valued banknotes from circulation, we examine how the economy has been affected with British economist Roger Bootle.Despite frequent reports that 'Milennials' are finding it difficult to get onto the housing ladder, a report from HSBC suggests that home ownership may not be all that out of reach for young adults in the 21st century. The survey of 9000 people in nine countries indicates that 40 per cent own their own home and 83 per cent of those that don't are planning on buying in the next five years.Should stars of stage and screen get involved in politics, or is it best left to the professionals? Following the Hollywood awards season, where many a political viewpoint emerged among the acceptance speeches, we ask whether celebrities have a part to play in the political sphere and do people actually listen to them?And joining us to discuss all that are Andrew Peaple, Deputy Asia Finance editor for the Wall Street Journal and Katie Long, of Marketplace(Picture Credit - Getty)

Mar 1, 201749 min

Trump plans to hike military spending by 10%

Donald Trump plans to radically change government spending, increasing the defence budget by 10% paid for by slashing domestic programmes and foreign aid. We hear from Sharon Parrot of the independent Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington DC.After the Oscars 2017 'Best Picture' mix up, we discuss how the accountants at PWC managed to mess the winners up with Erich Schwartzel, film industry reporter at The Wall Street Journal.We hear from the BBC's Yogita Limaye on how the withdrawal of high value rupee notes has hit agriculture and industry in India hard and Lucy Kellaway of the Financial Times gives us a masterclass in the art of persuasion.All this and more discussed with our guests throughout the show Ralph Silva in Toronto in Canada and Daisy Guo in Shanghai in China and Rahul Tandon in Kolkata.(Photo: US Military Parade. Credit: Getty Images.)

Feb 28, 201755 min

Greek Debt Drama Returns

Greece's debt crisis burst back on to the economic and political agenda today following an extraordinary row at the top of the International Monetary Fund, the body overseeing the Greek government's bailout programme. In simple terms some of the IMF's board members think Greece's debt is "unsustainable", so some of it may need to be written off, whilst others passionately disagree. We'll have reaction from Athens from economist Dr Michael Arghyrou and journalist Katerina Btazak.The pledge to build a wall along the US-Mexican border was a key election promise from President Trump. The BBC's Hugh Sykes reports from the southern US state of Arizona on what businesses and politicians along the border make of the plans. It might sound something of an oxymoron - car companies looking to develop something other than cars - but that's apparently exactly what some of the biggest players in the industry are doing. Mark Garrison from the US business radio programme Marketplace explains all. The BBC's Fergus Nicoll will be joined throughout the programme from New York by Mark Garrison, from New Dehli by Jyoti Malhotra, senior journalist and president of the South Asian Women in Media (SAWM) group, and they'll also be joined from Hong Kong by the BBC's Juliana Liu. PICTURE: A man walks past a graffiti with a EU flag reading in German 'NO' concerning Greece's referendum on the latest offer of a debt deal by the country's EU-IMF creditors, in Athens on June 28, 2015. (Photo: ARIS MESSINIS/AFP/Getty Images)

Feb 8, 201755 min

Tech Giants Turn on Trump

More than 100 US tech firms, including some of the industry's biggest players, have filed a legal document stating that President Trump's immigration ban affects their operations and "inflicts significant harm" on business. Journalist Alison Van Diggelen will bring us views and reaction from Silicon Valley.The BBC's Daniel Gallas takes us through a significant meeting in South America, as the President of Argentina Maurico Macri, travels to talk cross-border trade with his Brazilian counterpart Michel Temer.From big tech companies, to smaller, more local ones now - we'll hear about the big ambitions for local social networking site Streetlife, from its founder Matt Boyes.The BBC's Fergus Nicoll will be joined throughout the programme from San Francisco, by the journalist Alison Van Diggelen and from Kolkata by the BBC's Rahul Tandon.PICTURE: Leading tech CEOs, including Apple's Tim Cook meet with President Trump in New York prior to his inauguration. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Feb 7, 201755 min

Business Backlash to Trump Travel Ban

Some of the most powerful business leaders in America have been among those to criticize President Donald Trump's plans to ban travel from seven mainly Muslim countries. In particular the bosses of some of the country's biggest tech firms have been quick to call on the President to think again. We'll hear from the billionaire chief executive of the cloud software firm, Stripe, Patrick Collison. We'll also hear diplomatic reaction, from a former US ambassador and government adviser Norman Eisen, and hear from Dr Betsy McCaughey, Republican Lieutenant Governor of New York State in the 1990s and an economic adviser to Mr Trump while he was the President-Elect.With almost daily stories about robots taking over everything from driving our cars, to our day to day jobs, are we all getting a bit hysterical about the prospect of artificial intelligence taking over our lives? Dr Chris Brauer from Goldsmiths University in London thinks so, and he'll tell us why. Throughout the hour the BBC's Rob Young will be joined from Dehli by Sushma Ramachandran, former chief business correspondent at the Hindu Times. And from San Francisco by Michael Brune, Executive Director of the environmental campaign group the Sierra Club. Picture: Demonstrators gather outside of the Trump Hotel International during a protest in Washington, DC. Protestors in Washington and around the country gathered to protest President Donald Trump's executive order barring the citizens of Muslim-majority countries Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen from traveling to the United States. (Photo by Zach Gibson/Getty Images)

Jan 31, 201755 min

As Obama Waves Goodbye, Confirmation of Team Trump Begins

In ten days, President Obama will leave the White House. But as the current President gives his farewell speech in his home town of Chicago, key players from the team assembled by the man set to replace Mr Obama in just over a week, President elect Donald Trump, are being confirmed to their cabinet posts in Washington. And many eyes will be on Mr Trump;s pick as Secretary of State, the former oil boss, Ex ExxonMobil chief executive Rex Tillerson. Jordan Fabian, White House Correspondent for The Hill tells us why.A lack of investment spending in emerging markets is strangling economic growth in those countries. That's the warning from the World Bank in its annual global forecast. The report's lead author, Franziska Ohnsorge, talks to us about that, China, and trying to get a read on the Trump administration.It's the swankiest week of schmoozing and high powered financial dealing of the year, and all against the backdrop of the snowy Swiss Alps. But why is the World Economic Forum in Davos such a pull for the World's business elite? Sandra Navidi - author of a new book called Superhubs: How the Financial Elite & Their Networks Rule Our World is here to tell us. And, don't fancy becoming an air force pilot but still fancy travelling faster than the speed of sound? The answer used to be buy a ticket for Concorde, until the transatlantic supersonic plane landed for the final time in 2003. But could a very high speed return to supersonic passenger travel be on the horizon, the BBC's Business Correspondent Theo Leggett has been taking a look. To pilot us through the hour, the BBC's Fergus Nicoll is joined from Los Angeles by Raghu Manavalan, a broadcaster at Marketplace and from Singapore by Nisid Hajari, Asia Editor for Bloomberg View.(Picture: President Barack Obama delivers a farewell speech to the nation in Chicago, Illinois. Credit: Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Jan 11, 201755 min

VW chiefs 'hushed up emission cheating'

The ongoing fall-out from the Volkswagen emissions scandal took another twist in the US today as court papers revealed VW executives knew about emissions cheating two months before the scandal broke. It follows the arrest at the weekend of Oliver Schmidt, who was in charge of VW's US environmental regulatory compliance office from 2012 until March 2015. He was arrested on Saturday on charges that he took part in a conspiracy to defraud the US and VW customers. The company has said it can't comment on an ongoing legal matter, but what might the latest details mean for VW in the United States? Professor John Coffee of Columbia Law School joins us. It's been divided for more than 40 years, but could the European island of Cyprus soon become a reunified, single state once again? We'll hear views from both the north and the south, and assess the chances of success with Christiana Erotokritou, parliamentary spokeswoman for the Democratic Party in the Republic of Cyprus. How far is too far when it comes to compromising corporate principles for hard-nosed business realism? When Apple removed the New York Times app from its store in China, there was a lot of angry commentary on social media. But are such compromises simply pragmatism - or are they self-censorship? Reporter Melissa Chan, familiar with both China and the US, gives us her view. And, come on, be honest, you're amongst friends here at Business Matters. Have you ever not been... strictly upfront with someone in work? Perhaps professed something they'd done was just fine at the exact moment you began hastily redoing that piece of work from scratch, all the while sobbing silently inside for the bus you are set to inevitably now miss? Well former Apple and Google employee Kim Scott reckons she has the answer, it's called Radical Candor, and it sounds... candid. Buzfeed's Jonny Ensall assesses its brilliance, brutality or perhaps both. The BBC's bastion of honesty, Fergus Nicoll is joined throughout the programme by the equally honourable Diana Furchgott Roth,the Washington-based former chief economist of the U.S. Department of Labor, and from Hong Kong by independent economist, and former Morgan Stanley & World Bank employee Andy Xie. Picture:Getty Images.

Jan 10, 201755 min

Russia Hacking Claims:Trump Says No Effect on Election

A US intelligence report says that the Russian president Vladimir Putin "ordered" a hacking campaign to help Donald Trump win the presidential election. The unclassified and cut-down version of the report was released shortly after Mr Trump was briefed by intelligence chiefs. John Bussey, Associate Editor of the Wall Street Journal in New York considers whether the President - elect is convinced about the hacking incidents.In the aftermath of Britain's vote to leave the European Union, the organisation is facing criticism that it's failed to sell a convincing vision for the future. Despite this, Serbia want to join the EU.. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Alexander Vucic, the country has undergone a major privatisation campaign - and is recording consistent GDP growth of nearly 3 percent. Vladimir Krujl is Serbia's Chief Economist for EU Accession - and when he came into the Business Matters studio Fergus Nicholl asked him why Belgrade is still hoping to join the EU.A free co-working movement launched in Sweden claims that working alongside strangers can make us more productive and even happier. This home/office hybrid is called Hoffice -and the BBC's Maddy Savage reports from one of their events in Stockholm.Fergus Nicholl is joined by Clive Hunton of ABC News in Canberra for comment throughout the programme,Photo credit: DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images

Jan 7, 201755 min

Chicago Facebook 'Torture' Video: Should there be more safeguards?

Several disturbing incidents have been streamed on Facebook Live, including one of a mentally disabled man being severely assaulted. Business Matters asks, whether with other sites like Periscope too, live broadcasting is now open to all - so is this a welcome expansion of free speech or a risky way of giving a vast audience to extremists and criminals? Jon Fingas, associate editor at Engadget comments.The farming community in Britain receive more than three and a half billion dollars a year from Brussels. But this will change when Britain leaves the European Union. Brexit is the theme for two farming conferences taking place at the moment. The BBC's Caz Graham got the views of some young farmers there about the uncertainty of what Brexit will mean for them.Roger Hearing is joined by Jason Abbruzzese, a Business Reporter at Mashable in New York, and Rosie Blau, China correspondent for the Economist in Beijing for comment throughout the programme.Photo Credit: JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images

Jan 6, 201755 min

What Will the World Make of New US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson?

As President-elect Donald Trump confirms the Chief Executive of Exxon Mobil, Rex Tillerson, as his choice for US secretary of state and the former Texas Gov. Rick Perry to lead the Energy Department, we look at the implications of the appointments, for both the United States and the rest of the world. Professor James Goldgeier is Dean of the School of International Service at American University in Washington DC and gave us his thoughts. Also in the programme, the BBC's Coletta Smith reports from Reykjavik, Iceland, on the country's place at the head of a global league table for gender equality. Plus we hear from Bill Gates who has just launched his latest start-up - a billion-dollar project to turn good clean energy ideas into successful money-making schemes. It's called Breakthrough Energy Ventures - and he talked about it with David Brancaccio of Marketplace on American Public Radio.As US debt approaches the $20trillion mark within weeks, possibly days, of Donald Trump's arrival in the White House, we discuss why this matters and the impact of excessive debt on the global economy. And they may be an aphrodisiac, but oysters certainly aren't seducing some of the locals on Rhode Island where public land is being turned into oyster farms. Marketplace's Andy Uhler went there to check it out. Andy joins us throughout the programme alongside Lingling Wei who China correspondent for the Wall Street Journal in Beijing.(Picture: Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson speaks as he and other top oil and gas industry executives testify during a Senate Finance Committee Credit: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

Dec 14, 201655 min

Palm Oil Producers Battle Environmentalists

The big Palm Oil company Olam has been accused of using suppliers that may use unsustainable practices in parts of Southeast Asia and West Africa. The claims against the agricultural commodities trader were made in a report by a US-based environmental lobby group called Mighty Earth. The Singaporean company that has a majority share in Olam, called Temasek, insists that it's always been in support of ethical land clearance practices - and Olam itself has vehemently rejected the allegations. Glenn Hurowitz of Mighty Earth spoke to us from Washington DC.The Cuban government has signed a deal with Google's parent company - allowing the internet giant to provide faster access to its data by installing servers on the island that will store much of the company's most popular content. A little while earlier, another agreement was being signed between Cuba and the European Union - covering issues such as trade, human rights and migration. Will Grant is our Havana Correspondent - more from him on the Google deal.The world's largest oil producers have made a big money bet - agreeing to cut production in the hopes of boosting the price of crude oil - and refilling their dwindling Treasury coffers. Almost immediately, the price of crude went gone up to its highest level in almost two years. This strategy is a complete reversal of what was Plan A - pumping like crazy, not least in the hopes of driving upstart US shale oil companies out of business. So why have Russia, Kazakhstan and Mexico decided to work with OPEC? To assess the significance of the deal, the BBC's Rob Young talks to Chris Weafer at Macro Advisory in Moscow.One year ago, Saudi women were given the right to vote and run for office in municipal elections for the first time ever. Although municipal councils don't hold much power, many in the kingdom hoped it would bring about change. Hanan Razek has been looking at what's different one year on.Ageism in the workplace affects even the most glamorous of livelihoods. In Hollywood it's routine - well for women anyway. In music too - the latest evidence from Madonna as she received the Billboard Woman of the Year Award. Capping a list of music industry bigotry, she said - "And finally - do not age. Because to age is a sin. You will be criticized and vilified - and definitely not played on the radio." Now you'd think that a place like Silicon Valley in California - home to the likes of Google, Facebook and Apple - would be progressive ... beyond all that. But Lucy Kellaway of the Financial Times says what started out as a youthful vibe has indeed become outright ageism - an environment specifically designed to discriminate against the older worker.Hong Kong's pro-democracy groups have made strong gains in elections for the territory's Election Committee - a panel of 1,200 people that will choose Hong Kong's next leader. Pro-democracy groups fielded an unprecedented number of candidates this year, and have secured 325 seats, giving them significant negotiating power in the elections for Hong Kong's next leader. But pro-democracy campaigners like the lawyer Alvin Yu are annoyed that anti-establishment legislators are being targeted by pro-Beijing authorities. The Chief Executive elections will take place in March 2017. Hong Kong's financial secretary, John Tsang, has resigned from his position - but he's so far coy about plans to run for the top job. We get an update from Helier Cheung in Hong Kong.For a bit of musical levity to end the programme, it's worth considering that this year's Billboard CD sales may represent the final nail in the coffin of the music business as we know it. So who topped the list? Well it wasn't Drake. We are joined on the show by Anu Partanen, a Finnish journalist and the author of a book called The Nordic Theory of Everything, talking with us from New York. And our other guest is Catherine Yeung, the Investment Director at Fidelity Worldwide Investment, based in Hong Kong.(PHOTO CREDIT: Aerial view of an oil palm plantation, Borneo 04/02/2016 Science Photo Library)

Dec 13, 201655 min

Obama Orders Review of Attempts to Hack US Election

The Obama White House hasn't always had the easiest of relationships with the Kremlin during his eight-year tenure, and it doesn't look like it's about to get any cosier. And that's because President Obama has ordered US intelligence agencies to investigate all cyber attacks and alleged foreign interventions in US presidential elections - and he wants the results on his desk before he leaves the White House on January twentieth. It was of course alleged during the campaign that Russia was amongst those states looking to interfere in the election. Hannah Kuchler who covers cyber security for the Financial Times in San Francisco explains more. It's a country the size of a continent, but the potential sale of private land of more than 1 per cent of the Australian landmass has caused controversy. We'll hear why the purchase of the Kidman estate is causing such concern from Danny Samson live in Melbourne. Plus, the Malaysian delegation shopping in London for data-savvy professionals to boost its growing tech sector. And you've heard of L'oreal, Maybeline and Max Factor - but what about Suzie Beauty? We'll hear from Nairobi about the Kenyan make-up artists looking to join the big name brands on a shelf near you soon. How can we eat healthily, sustainably and yet still tastily? It's the conundrum governments, scientists and the industry amongst others are pondering at a fringe event at the Nobel Prize awards in Oslo. We'll hear from two of the delegates. The BBC's Fergus Nicoll will be joined throughout the programme by Danny Samson, Professor of Management at the University of Melbourne, in Australia.(Picture: President Barack Obama pauses as he speaks at MacDill Air Force Base Credit: AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Dec 10, 201655 min

Corruption in Kenya: A Special Report

With the presidential election looming in the key East African economy of Kenya, the issue of corruption looks to be high on the political agenda. It was of course a key cornerstone of Donald Trump's US presidential election campaign, where he pledged to "drain the swamp" and rid Washington of corruption, so how bigger factor could it be in Kenya's presidential race? Vivienne Nunis reports from Nairobi. It's been described as the World's "forgotten war," yet the bloodshed in Yemen shows no signs of ceasing. Our security correspondent Frank Gardner reports from the Saudi Yemen border.Chief executive pay - it's a topic which regularly sees temperatures run high, and governments scratch their heads about how to control the gap between the highest and lowest earners. But now the US city of Portland in Oregon thinks it might have come up with an answer. The New York Times' Gretchen Morgenson tells us about the city's controversial new tax. The former British Prime Minister David Cameron says it cost him his job, but what's behind the rise in political populism across the globe? Our North America editor Jon Sopel takes a look. And, could there be a spy in your midst under the tree this Christmas? We'll hear about concerns that so-called "smart toys" are recording what our children say,and reporting it back to the software companies. The BBC's Roger Hearing will be joined throughout the programme by entrepreneur and author of The Business Secrets of Trappist Monks August Turak in Raleigh, North Carolina. And from Hong Kong by Andrew Peaple, Deputy Asia Finance editor for the Wall Street Journal.(Picture: Highrise buildings of downtown Nairobi are seen from Uhuru Park in Nairobi, Kenya. Credit: EPA/DAI KUROKAWA)

Dec 9, 201655 min

Italy prepares to go to the polls

Millions of Italians go to the polls on Sunday to vote on whether their constitution should be reformed. Lorenzo Codogno, former chief economist and director general at the Treasury Department at the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance discusses whether the Prime Minister might be on the way out.The BBC's Guy Hedgecoe in Madrid reports on the pollution problem in Spain, and the decisions by the Mayors of Paris, Mexico City, Madrid and Athens to ban the use of all diesel-powered cars and trucks within a decade to improve poor air quality.As Barbados celebrates 50 years of independence, we ask Guy Hewitt, the High Commissioner for Barbados in the UK, why the country still retains free education and healthcare systems, in a difficult economic environment.The fashion and fragrance company Chanel warns that a planned high-speed train through the centre of France's perfume-making region will threaten production of its iconic product - Chanel No 5. Elizabeth Musmanno, President of The Fragrance Foundation in New York tells us what makes this particular scent so special.The BBC's Roger Hearing is joined throughout the programme by Peter Ryan, ABC Australia's Senior Business Correspondent. (Photo credit: Claudio Giovannini /AFP/Getty Images)

Dec 3, 201655 min

Donald Trump Begins Victory Tour Around the US

President- elect Donald Trump has begun a victory tour of US starting in the state of Indiana where he's taken credit for stopping a thousand jobs at an air conditioning firm Carrier from going to Mexico. Can Mr Trump live up to his campaign pledges - and does it matter? We asked economist Irwin Stelzer at the Hudson Institute. Food giant Nestle claims is claiming a breakthrough that will cut the sugar in its chocolate by 40 per cent. The company suggests it can scientifically 'restructure' the sugar without affecting the taste. Professor Julian Cooper, chair of the Scientific Committee at the UK Institute of Food Science and Technology, explains the implications. About 10 million turkeys are consumed in the UK over the festive season. Rearing the birds however isn't as easy as you might think with natural predators like foxes providing a constant threat. Elizabeth Hotson has been finding out about a rather novel solution to the problem.Business Matters is joined from Washington by Michael Brune, Executive Director of the environmental organisation the Sierra Club and Madhavan Narayahan, columnist and writer in India for comment throughout the programme.(Picture Credit: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Dec 2, 201655 min

Crunch Time for Opec

On Wednesday morning in Vienna OPEC is holding a meeting, aimed at halting the biggest decline in oil prices for a generation. Back in September, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries reached a tentative agreement to restrict output - but they still haven't hammered out individual output targets for each nation. We spoke to Amrita Sen of Energy Aspects about the biggest and most influential producer - Saudi Arabia.The old certainties about politics in America have been turned on their heads, including the twin beliefs that organised labour delivers votes for the Democratic Party candidate, while evangelicals deliver votes for the GOP. This time round things were less cut and dried, as Mitchell Hartman of Marketplace reports. Lithium - or white petrol as it's becoming known - is a hot commodity. Demand for the metal could triple in the next ten years - driven particularly by a rise in demand for batteries in products like smartphones, laptops and electric cars. On Tuesday a group of leading carmakers - including Ford, BMW and Porsche - announced they wanted to build a Europe-wide network of charging stations for electric vehicles - and that's music to the ears of lithium producers like the Canadian firm Wealth Minerals. The company's chief executive Henk Van Alphen spoke to the BBC's Jon Bithrey.A group of American developers has chosen a patch of countryside in the Netherlands to build a self-sustainable eco-village. Its marketing pitch is pretty straightforward -off the grid and the ideal antidote to the crazy congested urban lifestyle, as Anna Holligan reports.(PHOTO CREDIT: OPEC logo shown at an informal meeting between members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in Algiers, Algeria September 28, 2016. REUTERS/Ramzi Boudina/File Photo)

Nov 30, 201655 min

No Charges for Hilary Clinton - FBI

Reckless, careless, even irresponsible, but not criminal. That is the judgment from the FBI on former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton - the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party for president - over her use of a private email server for highly confidential government material. Still, not exactly labels that any politician is going to wear with much pride. Will voters change their views? Mrs Clinton's Republican Party rivals have been flogging the email issue for months and going by Donald Trump's Twitter feed that is not going to change any time soon. Following Britain's vote to leave the European Union, the internal Conservative Party process to replace David Cameron as prime minister has whittled five candidates down to three. The second round comes on Thursday. Also, the Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, used his third public speech in less than a fortnight to say that many of the predicted consequences of Britain's departure from the EU are already starting to happen, Still, he said, it is his job to protect jobs and growth - so he would free up 200 billion dollars for loans to households and businesses to try to prevent the economy slipping into recession. Zimbabwe is facing serious disruption by a public sector strike. Doctors, nurses and teachers have stayed away from work on the first of three days - protesting over their June salaries being withheld until the end of July. The country is already fighting its worst drought in a quarter of a century - and there is growing frustration over the rapidly deteriorating economy.A number of foreign clothing companies are reviewing their investments in the Bangladesh garment industry after an attack at the weekend on a cafe in the capital Dhaka. Twenty-eight people died - including Italians, Japanese and US citizens. It has since emerged that one of the attackers was the son of a politician from the governing party.We are joined by two guests on opposite sides of the Pacific - Kimberly Adams of the US business programme Marketplace in Washington DC and Madhavan Narayanan, a columnist and technology writer on the Hindustan Times in Delhi.(Photo: President Obama (L) and Hilary Clinton (R). Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Jul 6, 201657 min

Italian Brexit Banking Woes

Britain's vote to leave the European Union has caused damage to banks and to the wider economy in Italy. Growth forecasts there have been more pessimistic since June 23rd, and investors fear there'll be more defaults on loans. Italian banks are already sitting on a big pile of bad debt - but on Monday the world's oldest bank, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, saw its share price fall to an all time low after the European Central Bank said it had to cut back on the risky loans it holds. Professor Enrico Colombotto of the University of Turin described the scale of the problem faced by Italian banks.The Australian Electoral Commission has begun counting millions of postal and absentee votes today with the election still too close to call. Phil Mercer is watching the long-drawn-out process.The US space agency NASA is no stranger to dramatic count-downs, but right now early on Tuesday they are really holding their breaths. NASA's solar-powered Juno spacecraft is about to reach Jupiter after an almost five-year journey. When it does arrive, it's going to hit the brakes. But if a 35-minute main engine burn doesn't slow the spacecraft so it can be pulled into Jupiter's orbit it will be an epic billion-dollar fail.(Photo credit: GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP/Getty Images)

Jul 5, 201655 min

The UK votes to leave the European Union.

We get global reaction as the UK votes to leave the European Union.In Finland, the Foreign Minister, Timo Soini - who heads the eurosceptic Finns Party - said the UK result had to be respected - and he warned against what he called retaliation in future negotiations between the EU and Britain. We hear from Alexander Stubb , who was until recently, the Finance Minister of Finland.In recent weeks, we've heard the views of Roger Bootle of Capital Economics - arguing in favour of a British exit from the EU. We put to him that he must be very pleased today.Some of the world's largest companies warned they could relocate their British-based operations following the EU referendum result. But how do smaller businesses in the UK see their bottom line being affected? Lucy Hooker has been along to talk to the owner of the Brompton bike company here in the UK, a big exporter.We are joined throughout the programme by three guests. From Washington, Philippe Le Corre, a visiting fellow at the Centre on the United States and Europe at the Brookings Institution. Simon Littlewood, President at the Asia Now Consulting Group, joins from Singapore, and Colin Peacock of Radio New Zealand is with us from Wellington.(Photo Credit: Rob Stothard/ Getty Images)

Jun 25, 201655 min

Farc Peace Deal in Colombia

The Colombian government and Farc rebels say they have reached a definitive bilateral ceasefire in Latin America's longest running armed conflict. The main issue - the disarmament of the rebels - has been addressed. And, after half a century of war, the Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has said a final peace deal could be signed by late July. There have been plenty of reports of peace before, so is this really it? We hear from the BBC's Natalio Cosoy in Bogota. California's last nuclear power plant will close by 2025 under a proposal announced on Tuesday, with safety concerns given as the main reason. But the Diablo Canyon plant produces enough power for 1.7 million homes. There is now a plan to replace the energy with renewables, though some environmentalists do not think they will be able to match that produced by nuclear. However, Erich Pica, president of Friends of the Earth US, says he is celebrating the closure of the plant.Are we heading towards a cashless society? It is a subject of intense debate in financial circles. The Danish and Swedish government have said they expect their countries to go entirely cashless in the future. In the UK, contactless card transactions have risen by a third over the past year and a Mastercard survey shows one in four Britons intend to make payments with their phone over the next 12 months. Most retailers have adapted to the trend but what about individual traders and organisations who have relied on cash donations to survive? The BBC's Susannah Streeter reports. We are joined by two guests on opposite sides of the Pacific - Peter Morici, professor of International Business at the University of Maryland - who is in Washington, and Simon Long Asia editor of The Economist in Singapore.(Photo: Graffiti with a sentence that reads 'Peace is ours' in Bogota, June 2016. Credit: Getty Images)

Jun 23, 201655 min

Euro 16 Underway in France

France wins the opening game of the Euros tournament, but will businesses lose out as striking workers disrupt the country's transport system?The US news site Gawker files for bankruptcy after being told to pay 140 million dollars in damages to a celebrity wrestler Plus the feat of engineering over common sense - we find out more about the multi billion dollar satellite constellation which was very nearly crashed back down to earth.And Susannah Streeter is joined throughout the programme by Professor Danny Samson from the University of Melbourne in Australia.(Photo: Nice, France where some Euro 2016 matches will be played. Credit: AFP/Getty)

Jun 11, 201655 min

Who Would be Better for US Business, Trump or Clinton?

So we now know, barring major incidents, that Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump are the choices for US President in November. But what are they offering American business? That's a concern of course for the US Chamber of Commerce. We hear from J.D Harrison, a senior editor at the US Chamber of Commerce based in Washington.The creative money-spinner that is Harry Potter moved on to its latest incarnation in London this week with the start of a series of previews of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child". It's been described as the eighth Potter story - although it's the first to originate as a piece of theatre. But does it have the magic of its printed predecessors? Our arts correspondent Vincent Dowd was among those blessed with a ticket and gives us his view.It seems the UK isn't the only country in Europe where enthusiasm for the European Union is less than whole-hearted. Britain may be the country which is about to have a referendum on membership - but new research by the US-based Pew Research centre suggests more than sixty percent of French people have an unfavourable view of the EU. Poland is the country with the largest proportion of EU fans. In Germany favourable is ahead by a fraction: 50% to 48%. So what does this tell us? Roger Bootle, the Chairman of Capital Economics, who's campaigning for Britain to leave the European Union - and Professor Sebastian Dullien, at the University of Applied Science in Berlin discuss.You know how it is - you're sitting in a café and you notice the person who just departed left their newspaper behind. You casually pick it up and start reading. In Morocco, you would be committing a crime. The authorities have banned people from reading in public newspapers bought by other people. Many Moroccans have taken to social media to ridicule the ban. One suggested special uniformed Newspaper Police might arrest 'illegal' readers, seize their offending newspapers and burn them publicly in the square. We hear from the BBC's Sidy Yansane in Casablanca.Throughout the programme we are joined by two guests on opposite sides of the Pacific. Duncan Clarke, the author and consultant in Beijing and Peter Morici, Professor of International Business at the University of Maryland in Washington.(Picture: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at a campaign event at Clinton Middle School. Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Jun 9, 201655 min