Business Daily

Meet the community groups trying to make energy more accessible and affordable. Laura Heighton-Ginns visits a fuel poverty workshop in the UK and hears about the devastating effects of not being able to afford food and why it’s so important to have a secure energy supply. Laura hears from Soren Hermansen - the Director of the Energy Academy on the island of Samso in Denmark. Samso controls its own energy supply and advises other communities on how they can do the same. And we find out about a project in Tanzania run by Janet Maro. Janet's project powers a centre for training farmers using experimental technology to harness the energy from the sun and collect rain water.Presenter / Producer: Laura Heighton-Ginns Image: Janet Maro and her team; Credit: Janet Maro

Singapore has become the latest country to allow egg freezing for non-medical reasons. That is a method of preserving a woman’s fertility so she can try and have children at a later date. With an increasing number of companies offering this and other fertility benefits as a workplace perk, Ivana Davidovic asks if this always good news for women?Carol Chen, a businesswoman based in Singapore, explains why she would have loved to have had a chance to freeze her eggs closer to home, rather than have to travel thousands of miles to the US to do the procedure there. She also hopes that other counties in Asia will soon make the process more streamlined Just under 40% of large companies in the US - so those over 500 employees - offer fertility benefits and the numbers are rising fast. Now even Europe, with its much more generous national health services, is starting to follow suit. Co-founder of a fertility benefit company based in Berlin, Jenny Saft, explains why.American entertainment lawyer Nyasha Foy tells her egg freezing story and the role that her employer played, while also considering specific issues faced by black women. Lecturer Lucy van de Wiel warns that employers having influence over their staff's fertility choices may not always mean good news for women.And Californian fertility doctor Aimee Eyvazzadeh, also known as the “egg whisperer”, talks about why she throws egg freezing parties and why we might need to accept that women will increasingly give birth in their 40s and 50s.Presented and produced by Ivana DavidovicImage: A woman injecting hormones in preparation for egg extraction. Credit: Getty Images

As part of the Business Daily series Million by 30, Sam Fenwick meets Elwinder Singh and hears the story behind his private healthcare company Connect and Heal. The business coordinates healthcare appointments, tests, treatment and medication for six million paying customers. He explains where the idea came from and why he moved thousands of miles to set up, finance and grow his company. Find out how he manages such a big business and what his plans are to grow the enterprise further. Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Rory Claydon/Carmel O’Grady Image: Elwinder Singh. Credit: Connect and Heal

Oil and gas prices have risen sharply after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and as a result many countries have signalled a move towards more renewable energy. One of the challenges for the future will be how to store energy produced by wind and solar power so it can be used at the right times. Professor Seamus Garvey and a team at the University of Nottingham tell us about their prototype machine which uses compressed air and heated gravel to tackle this problem. We also hear from Professor Mara Prentiss of the University of Harvard on the science behind these new ideas, and Heymi Bahar of the International Energy Agency to give an overview of this sector at the moment. Presenter/Producer: Hannah Bewley Image: Wind turbines and solar panels; Credit: Getty Images

Dense tropical rainforest in central Africa's Congo Basin is humid and rainy for much of the year. Underfoot lies one of the world’s biggest carbon sinks – muddy soil built up from layers of partly decomposed plant matter. Remote and uncultivated, the peatlands have survived for thousands of years, stretching over an area the size of England. Incredibly, the area contains 30 billion tonnes of carbon trapped underground, but this rare carbon store is now under threat as local authorities turn their attention to oil. Presenter: Vivienne Nunis(Image: Aerial view of the peatland forest at Lokolama/Penzele around Mbandaka, Équateur province, DRC. Credit: Daniel Beltrá/Greenpeace Africa)

For the last couple of months India has been experiencing an absolutely blistering heatwave. The capital Delhi has seen temperatures hit record highs and it's estimated the heat is costing the Indian economy more than a hundred billion dollars a year. Rahul Tandon explores what can be done for the millions of people in India who have to work outside. The BBC's Nikhil Inamdar reports from Aurangabad, a city in Maharashtra state, where some crops are being harvested overnight to avoid the heat. We also speak to experts and business leaders about how the country is coping with planned power outages and what the future might hold for the Indian economy if temperatures continue to rise. Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Carmel O'GradyImage: Indian workers in Delhi; Credit: EPA Harish Tyagi

As part of the Business Daily Meets strand we speak to Rupal Patel and Jack Meaning, senior economists at the Bank of England. They have written a book to help people of all ages get a better understanding of the economy. They answer questions like ‘Why am I richer than my great-great-grandma?’ and ‘What actually is money?’. Sam Fenwick talks to them about what The Simpsons can teach us about getting a pay rise, and why you might want to think twice when filling your bag with gobstoppers at the sweet shop. Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Hannah Bewley Image: Rupal Patel and Jack Meaning; Credit: Penguin Random House

As part of the Business Daily series Million by 30 we speak to Amarachi Nwosu, a filmmaker who wanted to look at race in Japan from a different angle. She spoke to black people in Toyko about their experiences in the country and uncovers a world of custom, curiosity and respect. Sam Fenwick hears more about what the film means to her, and what she hopes her next ‘million’ will be. Picture: Amarachi Nwosu; Credit: Serah AlabiPresenter: Sam Fenwick Producers: Helen Thomas and Hannah Bewley

With more and more of our financial lives moving online, we ask whether some people are getting left behind. Claire Williamson investigates whether some older people, who struggle with rapidly changing technology or fear losing their money through scams, are being forgotten about, as banks close branches and move online?Claire hears from people attending a digital skills training session organised by Age UK in East London and Carlos San Juan from Valencia in Spain tells her why he started a campaign for a more humane treatment of older people by Spanish banks.Producer / presenter; Claire Williamson Image: Euronet ATM machine; Credit: Getty

Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd tells Rahul Tandon about running a two trillion dollar economy, and how he responded to the 2007-2008 financial crisis. Hear how his interest in China began, and why he thinks engagement with the economic superpower is the only way forward. He also gives us his opinion on new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and the recent return of the Labor Party to power. Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Carmel O'Grady Image: Kevin Rudd (Credit: Getty Images)

The global online ad racket; Ed Butler investigates how criminals are ripping off advertising firms to the tune of billions every year.Andrew Lissimore the CEO of a Canadian company that sells high-end headphones tells us what happened when he hired an ad-tech firm to organise targeted advertising for his website.Ad fraud expert, Augustine Fou explains that the problems with digital advertising really began about a decade ago, when advertisers stopped selling their ads directly to publishing websites and used ad exchanges instead. We also hear from a former hacker who now advises companies on how to keep hackers and fraudsters at bay.Presenter / producer: Ed Butler Image: Online business marketing; Credit: Getty

In 2002, Lesley Curwen arrived in Siberia to see the inner workings of Gazprom. Hear how she found a business that felt more like an empire of its own, with 300 thousand workers and the largest gas reserves on the planet. Back then Gazprom was eager to be taken seriously abroad, and to sell more of its gas to Europe. Which it did. This year, war in Ukraine changed everything when Gazprom’s political master Vladimir Putin turned off the gas taps to Poland, Bulgaria and Finland. Lesley investigates how Gazprom has changed over the past 20 years, what its reputation is as a company, and what its future might look like.Presenter: Lesley Curwen Producer: Carmel O'Grady(Photo: Lesley Curwen in Siberia in 2002; Credit: Lesley Curwen/BBC)

In latest episode of our series Million by 30 – Sam Fenwick is joined by Sharon Tsueng. Sharon is a former high school chess teacher, a marketing specialist, she was also a digital nomad and now invests in property. Sharon made a million dollars before her 30th birthday building passive income streams and then saving and investing that cash. Sharon tells Sam how she did it, what drives her and why a sensible attitude to money right from the start helped her build her nest egg and achieve financial freedom. Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Carmel O'GradyImage: Sharon Tseung; Credit: Sharon Tseung

During the coronavirus pandemic governments around the world pumped billions into their economies. Propping up businesses and trying to make sure people stayed in work. Sam Fenwick looks into what actually happened to all that money and whether it really did help keep businesses afloat during repeated lockdowns and restrictions.Nick Hood is an business insolvency expert with a company called Opus Restructuring – he helped us interrogate data held by all the major world economies on insolvencies. Sam also speaks to a business owner who was forced to close and declare bankruptcy during the pandemic despite financial help and another who was able to restructure and expand thanks to a government scheme.Presenter / Producer: Sam Fenwick Image: Closed sign; Credit: Getty

More than ever girls are bombarded by images that have been curated, filtered and touched up. How can we help girls decode those images and understand that ideals of beauty are constructed by society and change across time and place? Shelina Janmohamed is an author and advertising executive. Her latest book is designed to help girls aged eight and above build confidence in how they look and show them why what appears to be beautiful isn't as straight forward as it seems. Shelina tells presenter Rabiya Limbada why her career in advertising led her to write this book and why helping girls become more savvy consumers is good for business. Rabiya also speaks to six girls - Hanaa, Haleemah, Helen, Hana, Sophia and Amatullah - about what they think beautiful is, their experience of filtered images and how confident they feel about how they look. Presenter: Rabiya Limbada Producer: Carmel O'Grady Image: Girl looking at make up; Credit: Getty

Finance has traditionally been dominated by men. But now that’s starting to change. We talk to the female entrepreneurs in Africa who are using financial technology to give more people access to money and services - through apps, payment platforms and chatbots.Odunayo Eweniyi is the co-founder of Piggyvest in Nigeria, the first ever online app for personal savings and investment in West Africa. She tells us how she came up with the idea and how she’s using FirstCheck Africa, an angel fund for women entrepreneurs, to help others. Jihan Abass, the founder and CEO of Griffin insurance, Kenya’s first digital-only car insurance company, tells us about her ambitious plans to expand. Ethel Cofie, the boss of Edel Technology Consulting, who’s been named as one of the top 5 women influencing technology in Africa, gives her advice to women starting out in tech. She’s set up a support network, Women in Tech Africa. We also visit a coding bootcamp for young women in Ghana, called Developers in Vogue. Its founder, Ivy Barley, tells us why she set it up and we hear from the students about the difference it’s made to their lives.Presenter and producer: Jo Critcher(Picture: Students at Developers in Vogue coding bootcamp in Ghana; Credit: Developers in Vogue)

Spain's top division La Liga has signed a record investment deal with CVC Capital Partners. Ashish Sharma looks at the terms of the deal - which means CVC invests into a new company that will hold LaLiga’s commercial rights. CVC will hold an 8% stake in the business for the next 50 years.Ashish Sharma speaks some of the leading figures in the top tier of Spanish football´s La Liga, including Ramon Rubiales the CEO of Real Betis. With the money that his club will receive, Rubiales explains how he plans to rejuvenate the club´s stadium and invest in building restaurants, a hotel and other leisure facilities that will help the club raise more revenues. Presenter / Producer: Ashish Sharma Image: Benito Villamarin Stadium of Real Betis, Real Betis Sevilla v FC Barcelona, May 7, 2022; Credit: Getty Images

Ally Salama’s company makes content that aims to improve mental health awareness in the Middle East – he’s experienced clinical depression himself. The podcast Ally presents – Empathy always wins - has had millions of downloads and EMPWR is valued at more than a million dollars. In this episode of Million by 30, Felicity Hannah asks Ally how his own experiences helped him develop his business model, how he operates as an employer and for his advice to anyone else looking to get into podcasting or start a media company. Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Rory ClaydonImage; Ally Salama: Credit; Ally Salama

Rahul Tandon looks at changing attitudes to defence spending following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. There have been new funding commitments from countries like Germany, while Sweden and Finland now want to join NATO, but what's the true cost? We speak to Estonia's defence minister Kalle Laanet about his country's growing military budget, and German member of the European Parliament Viola Von Cramon Taubadel on her country's decision to spend more. Dr Diego Lopes Da Silva, a researcher with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, says global spending reached a record level of $2 trillion in 2021, before the invasion of Ukraine. Steven Zaloga, a military analyst at the Teal Group, explains the role of cutting edge drone technology, and Allison Pytlak from the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom discusses the human cost of conflict. Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: James Graham Photo: Ammunition in a shopping trolley (Credit: Getty Images)

The lure of making a quick buck means young people have always invested in risky assets. For Generation Z, it is the volatility and the decentralised nature of digital assets such as cryptocurrency and NFTs which is so attractive. They are unregulated, meaning there is no investor protection. Some experts warn that trading them should be categorised as gambling.Mariko Oi hears from young people who have lost vast sums of money trading in digital assets, Resh Chandran who describes himself as a financial educator offering training in conventional stocks, cryptocurrency and NFT trading in Singapore, and Brian Jung. Brian is an investor, entrepreneur, and influencer. He is best known for his personal finance, credit card, and crypto YouTube channel which boasts one million followers, but compared to other influencers, he is known to talk more cautiously about risks and danger.Presenter: Mariko Oi Producer: AnneMarie Parnell (Photo: Brian Jung. Credit: Brian Jung

Samira Hussain takes you to Puerto Rico. Back to back hurricanes 5 years ago shattered the island's electricity grid, leading to the longest blackout in American history. Residents are still trying to claw their way out of the darkness. But one Puerto Rican town, in the island's mountainous region, may have found a solution. Arturo Massol Deya is the associate director of Casa Pueblo, he tells us how he's using solar panels to ensure a reliable supply of electricity to his local community.We also hear from Wayne Stensby, CEO of Luma Energy. Last year, the transmission and distribution of electricity in Puerto Rico was privatised and handed to Wayne and his team. He tells us the whole system needs a lot of regeneration and investment.Presenter / Producer: Samira HussainImage: Arturo Massol Deya; Credit; Andrew Herbert BBC

In the first episode of our new strand - Business Daily Meets - we hear from Estonia’s first billionaire, Kristo Käärmann. In this in-depth interview the TransferWise (now Wise) co-founder and CEO explains how a €500 loss led to the creation of a multi-billion dollar business. He tells us about creating something from nothing, keeping his ego in check, and insists saving customers $1 billion a year is only the start of the journey.Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Sam ClackImage: Kristo Käärmann; Credit: Jake Farra/Wise

In this series you will hear from six people from all over the world who’ve hit that million milestone before their 30th birthday. Our second guest is Iseult Ward from Ireland, who tells Sam Fenwick how she started building her social enterprise FoodCloud while still at university in Dublin. Iseult and her team make more than a million meals every month from food that would otherwise end up in the bin. Hear how she started out working with small market traders, scaled up to work with huge multi-nationals in multiple countries and how she deals with imposter syndrome. Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Helen Thomas (Photo: Iseult Ward. Credit: Getty Images)

In today’s episode of Business Daily we’ll see how Eurovision goes so much further than the stage.We head to this year’s host city, Turin in Italy, to see whether there’s a been boost in local business there.We hear from Ochman who's representing Poland, on how his career has changed since becoming an act, and from Emmelie De Forest who represented Denmark in 2013, who says the competition was both a "blessing, and a curse".Dr Filippos Filippidis, from Imperial College London, tells us about the positive effect that Eurovision can have on a country's mental health. And Dr Adrian Kavanagh from Maynooth University in Ireland, talks about the economic impact of hosting.We also speak to one of the competition’s most famous former presenters, Danish actor Pilou Asbaek.Presenter/producer: Izzy Greenfield Image: Getty (Description: Eurovision song contest logo 2022)

How does day-to-day survival work in a war when cash and food are in short supply? Rahul Tandon speaks to a woman in Russian-occupied Kherson where the rouble has just been introduced as an official currency. He also hears from Zaporizhzhia entrepreneur Vitali Ivakhov about how he's keeping his businesses going, and paying wages. A survivor of Mariupol explains how day-to-day life continued during the siege, and Bosnian journalist Aida Cerkez talks about her personal experience of the siege of Sarajevo - the longest in modern times.Former Ukrainian finance minister Natalie Jaresko tells us about the crucial role digital payments have played, and how frozen Russian assets must be used to help pay for the rebuilding of Ukraine.Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: James Graham Photo: Five hryvnia notes (Credit: Getty Images)

Samira Hussain investigates the brand of the British Royal Family. It's estimated to be one of the biggest brands in the world, steeped in history, tradition and of course scandal... In the Queen's Platinum Jubilee year we look at how recent events have changed things for the royal brand and what coming changes and challenges could mean going forward. Pauline McLaran, professor of marketing and consumer research at Royal Holloway University and co-author of Royal Fever: The British Monarchy in Consumer Culture explains how this multi-faceted brand actually functions and what she thinks are the biggest problems it faces. We'll also explore whether being associated with brand Royal is still good for business. Jason Bell is a photographer based in New York. He took the photographs of Prince George’s christening and tells us about the media interest in him being linked with that job and the global response to his pictures. Chef Darren McGrady, who cooked for the Queen and Princess Diana for many years, also joins us. Darren now runs a business in Dallas, Texas called Eating Royally. He says working for the royals definitely opened doors for him, but has questions about the future of the brand.Presenter: Samira Hussian Producer: Carmel O'Grady(Image: Queen Elizabeth II and members of the royal family; Credit: Victoria Jones / PA Wire)

How does plastic get from your bin to the recycling plant? According to The Pew Charitable Trust, 60% of plastic recycling globally comes from individual waste pickers, an informal economy of millions of people who go out picking up plastic every day. As the world starts to look at ways to reduce our plastic waste, how might this impact the livelihoods of the waste pickers who rely on it?We hear from Gladys Mwamba at Plastic for Change in Zambia, who spotted an opportunity to use her Chinese language skills by acting for local waste pickers selling to Chinese recycling firms. On a larger scale, a for profit social enterprise called The Plastic Bank in Canada is working with over 20,000 waste collectors in Brazil, Indonesia, The Philippines and Egypt. They offer above market prices for plastic, alongside subsidised education programmes and other necessities such as food and fuel. Rich Gower, a senior economist at Tearfund, a Christian international development charity, tells us why an international plastics treaty this year is a key moment for waste pickers. In many countries waste pickers are organising into unions or co-operatives. We speak to representatives from SWaCH, a co-operative of waste pickers in Pune, South India, that has been running since 1993. Presented and produced by Beatrice Pickup. Additional reporting by Mutuna Chanda.Image: Gladys Mwamba at Plastic for Change in Kitwe, Zambia; Credit: Mutuna Chanda

Hertzy Kabeya – the first in our million by 30 series - tells us how he developed and launched what’s become an enormously successful education tech company. Hertzy overcame huge setbacks as founder and CEO of Student Hub. The company almost went bust but Hertzy's drive and leadership ensured the business survived and went on to secure multi million dollar investment. Find out how he did it, what he thinks his business superpower is and what he learned on the way to hitting that million benchmark by his 30th birthday.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Helen Thomas Image: Hertzy Kabeya, Credit: Hertzy Kabeya

Exclusive flight data from ForwardKeys shows a huge reduction in the number of Russian tourists going to Turkey and other popular resorts. We hear from businesses in Antalya about the impact it has had so far, and about what might happen over the coming holiday season. Experts Olivier Ponti from ForwardKeys, which analyses tourism trends, and Ana Nichols from EIU, which produces economic insight, explain the economic causes and effects of this reduction in travellers and the knock-on effects of the war. A B&B owner in The Seychelles tells us about a boom in Russian tourists last year, which has now completely vanished due to the invasion of Ukraine. We also hear from a Russian man who had booked a holiday there, but has changed his plans to go somewhere slightly colder instead. Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Hannah Bewley Photo: Getty Images

Fast and portable genome testing is unlocking the secrets to ourselves and the environment we live in.It's impact could lead us to fundamentally remake our approach to medicine, agriculture, the environment, conservation and our selves.In this episode we hear from Dr Lara Urban, a geneticist studying the kakapo in New Zealand, Dr Gordon Sanghera, CEO of Oxford Nanopore Technologies and Professor Anna Schuh, professor of molecular diagnostics at the Department of Oncology at Oxford University and visiting professor at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences in Tanzania.Presenter / Producer: David Reid Photo: Kakapo; Credit: Liu Yang

During the pandemic businesses shut down and traditional jobs were lost forcing people to rethink how they earn a living. Since then one of the biggest shifts in the economy has been the rise of digital platforms – online market places which sell everything from fruit and veg to TVs and kitchen appliances. In Africa women have found new careers using Facebook and WhatsApp as well as ride-hailing apps like Uber and Bolt. Sam Fenwick meets three women who have found financial independence by starting businesses on these platforms. Josephine Adzogble from Accra in Ghana has a business selling electrical appliances via social media. Ayobami Lawal drives taxis in Lagos, Nigeria. The single mum of four talks about the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated environment. And Sharon Tarit from Eldoret, Kenya sublets properties through AirBnB. She started her business after she was forced to permanently close her shop selling baby clothes during the pandemic. Sam Fenwick is also joined by lead researcher at Caribou Digital, Grace Natabaalo who explains why it’s important for women to have financial independence and the impact female workers can have on a country’s economy. Presenter / Producer : Sam Fenwick Photo : Josephine Adzogble, Ayobami Lawal, Sharon Tarit; Credit: BBC

What’s it like to live in a country on the sharp end of climate change? Today Tamasin Ford takes you to Sâo Tomé and Príncipe, the twin island nation in the gulf of Guinea. With the smallest economy in Africa, it has few means to fight what the UN calls the biggest threat modern humans have ever faced. We hear from coastal communities whose homes have been washed away because of rising sea levels. President Carlos Vila Nova, who spoke at the United Nation’s climate conference in Glasgow last year, lays out the challenges small island nations face. While Luisa Madruga from the charity, Flora and Fauna International, explains how a new initiative could save fish stocks from disappearing altogether.Presenter: Tamasin Ford Producer: Russell Newlove Photo: Principe, the community of Praia de Burras; Credit: BBC

We look into the decision by Florida's governor Ron DeSantis to dissolve Disney's special status in the state. It follows Disney's criticism of a new law restricting discussion of LGBTQ issues in schools. What will the row mean for the company, and what questions does it raise for other companies navigating the so-called 'culture wars'?We hear from Disney historian Richard Foglesong, and a former vice president of operations at Disney World, Lee Cockerell. The New York Post columnist Karol Markowicz and Christina Huguet, an analyst at political risk consultancy Eurasia Group, give their perspectives on whether companies should take a stand on the issues of the day.Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: James Graham Photo: A Disney employee protests against the company's initial silence on a controversial new law restricting discussion of LGBTQ issues in schools. (Credit: Getty Images)

We look into why sales of brooches have soared, and why they can be such a powerful accessory. Governor of the bank of Russia Elvia Nabiullina says the brooches she wears contain clues to understanding policy decisions, and the late Madeleine Albright, former USA Secretary of State, used to wear them as a diplomatic tool.Brooches are currently gaining popularity among consumers and fashion brands are taking note, as Dolce & Gabbana’s Carlos Palacios and British Vogue’s Carol Woolton tell us.Paul Paradis, an art historian from L’ECOLE School of Jewellery Arts in Paris, takes us through the history of brooches, and jewellery historian Vivienne Becker tells us what it was like to work with Madeleine Albright, and help pen her novel Read My Pins.And we speak to Cindy Chao, one of the world’s most famous brooch makers, who became the first Asian female to get her work inducted into the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.Presenter: Vivienne Nunis Producer: Izzy Greenfield(Photo: Lady Gaga at the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States. Credit: Getty Images)

As the spectre of food insecurity grows and climate change threatens lives and livelihoods, could enset play a part in assuaging hunger? Elizabeth Hotson delves into the many and varied properties of a crop consumed mainly in parts of Ethiopia and she asks how it might be possible to widen the appeal of a plant which takes months to turn into an something edible. Dr Wendewek Abebe from Hawassa university in southern Ethiopia is a leading researcher of enset and he explains why it’s known as the ‘tree against hunger.’ Dr Abebe also takes us on a trip to meet a farmer who cultivates the crop and considers it a superfood. Back in the UK, Dr James Borrell, a research fellow at Kew Gardens in London explains why cultivating - and ultimately consuming enset - takes a lot of time, energy and local knowledge. And Berhanu Tesfaye, owner of Zeret Kitchen, an Ethiopian restaurant in London, shares a rare meal of kocho - bread made from enset. (Photo: Enset crop in Southern Ethiopia. Credit: Getty Images)Presenter/producer: Elizabeth Hotson

Millions of people have been locked down in China for weeks, as the country battles a surge in Omicron cases, with a zero-Covid policy.We follow one young woman’s journey across the country as she tries to reach her home in central China amid layers of bureaucracy and travel restrictions.We hear how the lockdown is causing some major disruptions to the Chinese economy from Julian Evans-Pritchard, a China Analyst at Capital Economics.Businessman Kent Kedl, who works at a Shanghai based risk consultancy firm, tells us what business – and life – has been like in lockdown.And US-based epidemiologist Eric Feigl-Ding explains the advantages and disadvantages of China's Covid policies.Presenter/Producer: Vivienne Nunis Picture: Reuters (person sits behind barrier)

Ivana Davidovic investigates urban mining - the process of reclaiming raw materials from spent products, buildings and waste. She looks at what new technologies are helping us to recycle waste and the benefits that could bring. In Antwerp, Belgium, she visits Umicore, once a traditional smelting company, which now specialises in extracting precious metals from electronics - and then puts them into new products, like catalysts or car battery components. On the other side of the world - in Sydney, Australia - professor and inventor Veena Sahajwalla explains her innovative way to produce so-called "green steel." Jessika Richter, a researcher from Lundt University in Sweden, tells us why the booming electric vehicles industry will increasingly have to find raw materials for batteries outside of conventional mining. Heather Clancy, the editor of the US-based Green Biz magazine, says US carmakers are now investing in urban mining.Pascal Leroy, the director-general of the WEEE Forum, discusses how re-using waste can help the rest of the world become less dependent on rare earth materials which come from Russia, China and Ukraine. PHOTO: Aerial view waste management facility with cityscape background/Getty Images

How has the world of sport reacted to the invasion of Ukraine - and what does the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes or teams mean for them and for the finances of world sport?Ashish Sharma speaks to Michael Payne, who was for many years head of the marketing division of the International Olympic Committee.He also hears from Cheri Bradish, an expert in sports marketing and the Director of the Future of Sport Lab at Ryerson University in Toronto, and Rob Koehler, the Director General of Global Athlete and formerly the World Anti-Doping Agency Director of Education and Deputy Director General.Plus there's the Ukrainian tennis players Elina Svitolina and Alex Dolgopalov, the Ukrainian high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh, and Marius Vizer Jr, General Secretary of the international Teqball federation.Presenter: Ashish Sharma Producer: James Wickham(Image: Ukraine's Yaroslava Mahuchikh in action during the high jump at the 2022 World Athletics Indoor Championships. Credit: Reuters)

What do you do when your staff are stuck in a conflict zone or dangerous situation? How do you get them out? Who pays for it? How do you persuade them to go back later?Rahul Tandon speaks to Alex Nichiporchik whose gaming business tinyBuild has evacuated staff from Ukraine and Russia. He hears from Priscilla Dickey who was part of the US government evacuation from Wuhan in 2020.Dale Buckner from Global Guardian explains the business of evacuation while Ian Umney discusses the rescue of his family from Ukraine.Plus, Ema Boccagni from ECA International, which helps companies manage global workforces, reflects on the incentives required to attract workers back to some places.Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producers: Helen Ledwick and James Graham Photo: An evacuation flight from Wuhan in February 2020. (Credit: Getty Images)

After a volcanic eruption severed Tonga’s communication cable Elon Musk donated 50 Starlink terminals, allowing the government and residents to connect to the network of satellites orbiting above earth. The company have also sent the technology to Ukraine after Russia’s invasion, and we hear from Stepan Veselovskyi of Lviv IT Cluster using it to keep vital services online and Kyiv resident Oleg Kutkov, who bought a dish online before the war and now hopes to use it as a back-up in case conventional communication networks fail. It’s proved extremely useful, but is this the future for bringing internet to remote corners of the globe? We also hear from expert on space law Professor Melissa De Zwart about the race among SpaceX and other companies to put more of these satellites in low earth orbit, and how too many of them could impede dreams of further space exploration.Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Hannah Bewley (Image: Oleg Kutkov with his Starlink dish; Credit: Oleg Kutkov)

Baleen whales were almost hunted to extinction. Now they face a new threat – global shipping. But despite humans blighting their lives, can they now recover and help revive ocean life?Justin Rowlatt speaks to two researchers who observe these intelligent, sociable giants up close. Matt Savoca at Stanford University explains the scale of the slaughter inflicted by whalers in the twentieth century, while Ryan Reisinger of Southampton University describes how modern ships continue to harm whales.By virtue of their sheer enormity, these animals also underpinned entire ocean ecosystems that have since collapsed, as veteran oceanic researcher Victor Smetacek explains. So with their numbers finally recovering, what can we humans do to help? Justin asks Guy Platten, secretary general of the International Chamber of Shipping.Presenter: Justin Rowlatt Producer: Laurence Knight Picture: Aerial view of a whale getting up close to a boat in the Sea of Cortez in the Gulf of California; Credit: Mark Carwardine/Future Publishing/Getty Images

We’re looking at the future of the job interview in a world forever changed by the pandemic. Elizabeth Hotson asks whether video conferencing software will hasten the demise of the traditional face to face grilling. And we also find out how virtual reality and artificial intelligence can help level the playing field for candidates from disadvantaged backgrounds. Over a long and distinguished career in business, Heather McGregor, Executive Dean of Edinburgh Business School, has been on both sides of the desk - as interviewer and interviewee and she gives her take on how we’ll get jobs in the future. RADA alumna and confidence coach and trainer, Imogen Butler-Cole tells us how to put our best foot forward - over video conferencing. Christophe Mallet, founder and CEO of immersive soft skills simulator, Body Swaps, explains how technology can provide invaluable interview training to inexperienced candidates. Plus, Michael Platt, a marketing professor and neuroscientist at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania explains why the interview could soon be redundant in some industries.Presenter/producer: Elizabeth Hotson Image: A man sits at a table with lights pointing in his face; Credit: Getty Images

The mountainous archipelago of SãoTomé and Príncipe was once the world’s biggest exporter of cocoa. The twin island nation in the Gulf of Guinea was uninhabited until their discovery by Portuguese explorers in the fifteenth century. They brought slaves to work the land producing cash crops like sugar and coffee. In the 1890s these crops were replaced by cocoa and the islands became known as the biggest cocoa exporter in the world. The plantations were farmed first by slaves and then by forced, exploited islanders. When the horrific working conditions were exposed in the 1920s, chocolate manufacturers switched their source of beans to Ghana and Ivory Coast. SãoTomé’s ignominious reputation as the chocolate nation was over. Presenter Tamasin Ford went to visit the islands to take a look at the cocoa sector now.Produced by Russell NewloveImage: Chocolate making; Credit: Russell Newlove/BBC

Remember the Colin Kaepernick advert for Nike? It’s one of the most controversial and successful advertising campaigns of the past decade. Former US President Donald Trump said the advert sent a terrible message but Nike saw a 30% boost in sales. In this episode of Business Daily former Nike Chief Marketing Officer, Greg Hoffman, the creative force behind the campaign, tells us how it came about and why diversity in advertising really matters. Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Carmel O’Grady Image: San Francisco 49ers players Eli Harold, Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid take a knee prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys; Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images

Why is Sri Lanka facing its biggest economic crisis for decades? It's left the population enduring months of power cuts, while essentials are in short supply. How has the country's debt spiralled out of control and what will a debt default mean for ordinary people? We hear from protestors on the street who are demanding a change of government, and how an IT entrepreneur is grappling with power cuts. Plus, Shanta Devarajan, a former chief economist at the World Bank who will be negotiating with the International Monetary Fund on behalf of Sri Lanka, tells us what the talks will involve.Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: James GrahamPhoto: Sri Lankan protestors in Colombo, April 2022. Credit: Getty Images

Thousands of Russian and Ukrainian sailors crew cargo ships that carry goods around the world, so how are they coping living in such close quarters while their countries are at war? We hear from those anxiously watching events back home, and we get an update on the hundreds of ships stranded in the Black Sea, unable to sail in case they are caught in the crossfire. Vivienne Nunis speaks to Guy Platten of the International Chamber of Shipping and chaplains belonging to the seafarers' charity Stella Maris. Image: A Russian and a Ukrainian sailor. Credit: Marine Digital

The price of bread is soaring in Lebanon. More than half of the country's wheat imports came from Ukraine - they've now stopped because of the conflict.Inflation also continues to rise to record levels. We speak to ordinary people who are struggling to buy food. Brant Stewart, the founder of Mavia Bakery in Beirut, explains how he's found a solution in growing and milling his own wheat - as well as helping local women.Rami Zurayk, the Director of the Food Security programme at the American University of Beirut, tells us he believes Lebanese people need to be less reliant on bread in their diet. Presenter: Anna Foster Producer: Jo Critcher(Picture: Women at work in Mavia Bakery; Credit: Maria Klenner, photographer)

We're taking the long view on Europe's energy headache. For decades, Russia has been using its vast natural gas reserves as a powerful political tool. So what can the past teach us about the current crisis? Vivienne Nunis speaks to the author and journalist Oliver Bullough who's been following the gas trail from the USSR to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Also in the programme, Ajit Niranjan reports from the German coastal resort of Lubmin, where the Nord Stream pipelines transporting Russian gas to Europe come to an end. What do people there make of a future without Russian gas? Producer: Carmel O'Grady. Image: Part of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Credit: Getty Images

The BBC’s International Business Correspondent Theo Leggett is in France ahead of the Presidential elections to explore an issue important to many voters – youth unemployment. In the northeast of the country a quarter of young people aren’t in work, education, or training. We explore what the issues are, the problems with inequality and recruitment. We hear from Sebastien Bento Soares, CEO of Darquer, a lace manufacturer based in Calais that is struggling to recruit younger workers, André Dupon, director of Vitamine T, a social enterprise that helps unemployed people reintegrate the world of work. Salomé and Soufiane, young people based in Boulogne-sur-Mer, tell Theo what’s going on in their lives and Florence Jany-Catrice, economist at the University of Lille talks about the political issues underpinning the youth unemployment problems. Presenter: Theo Leggett; Producer: Josh Thorpe (Photo: Lucas, a young unemployed person learning carpentry skills at Vitamine T, a social enterprise outside Lille; Credit: BBC)

Technology is being used in creative ways to help Ukrainian people stay safe. From offering refugees spare rooms to targeting humanitarian aid to specific shelters, tech entrepreneurs are developing software solutions to try and help in the war effort. Ukraine is an innovation hub. Before the Russian invasion it was home to hundreds of tech start-up firms. Now many of those young entrepreneurs have had to leave the cities where they worked. Eugene Gusarvo and Andrii Tagansky tell Sam Fenwick they felt like traitors leaving their home city, Kyiv on February 24th but they have found purpose creating a website which has helped more than 3,000 refugees find temporary shelter. Four million people have left Ukraine for neighbouring countries, according the United Nations. Those arriving in Georgia can find support from a service set up by 37 year old Stanislav Sabanov. Originally from Russia he says he wants to help because he disagrees with the war. But there are concerns this new tech might be exploited by criminal gangs. Human Rights organisations are warning that there are not enough online checks and sex and human traffickers might use them to target vulnerable people. So could this new technology do more harm than good? Presenter / Producer : Sam Fenwick (Image: tech entrepreneurs; Credit: Eugene Gusarvo and Andrii Tagansky)