Business Daily

A leading Silicon Valley boss says big tech companies need more empathy and diversity. Maelle Gavet, is a French-born tech entrepreneur with experience in building firms in her native France, India, Russia, South Africa, and now as chief operating officer of online real-estate broker, Compass.Inc. She's been listed as one of the most influential women in US tech. In her new book 'Trampled by Unicorns' she critiques what she sees as the cultural deficits of Silicon Valley and says that these companies cannot be relied upon to self-regulate. This comes as a report backed by Democratic lawmakers has urged changes that could lead to the break-up of some of America's biggest tech companies. But James Ball, an award-winning investigative reporter, and author of a new book himself, 'The System: Who Owns the Internet and How it Owns Us' says we shouldn't be too quick to do this as it won't actually fix the real problems.(Image: A friendly robot is seen through a shattered phone screen. Credit: SimoneN / Getty Images)

How the social media platform is poisoning politics around the world. A former Facebook employee says she has "blood on my hands" after struggling to contain the misinformation and manipulation conducted through the platform. Azerbaijani journalist Arzu Geybulla describes the coordinated Facebook campaigns against activists and politicians in her country. Berhan Taye, Africa policy manager at digital rights group Access Now, tells us why Facebook isn't doing enough to prevent the spread of hate speech in Ethiopia. And Siva Vaidhyanathen, author of a book 'Antisocial Media: How Facebook Disconnects Us and Undermines Democracy' explains why Facebook can't stop the spread of toxic content without undermining its business model.(Photo: A mobile phone advert featuring Facebook in Myanmar, where Facebook has been blamed for helping spread hate speech. Credit: Getty Images)

Are our century-old grids fit for the era of solar and wind power, or is a completely new kind of electricity transmission needed?Justin Rowlatt looks at the mess in California, where President Trump has blamed rolling blackouts on the state's rush to embrace renewable energy. But former regulator Cheryl LaFleur says one big reason is California's poor integration with neighbouring electricity grids. A US government report recommended linking all the nation's grids together, but then the report mysteriously disappeared - investigative journalist Peter Fairley explains why.Meanwhile Britain is looking to integrate its own National Grid more closely with the rest of Europe, according to the director of the UK Electricity System Operator Fintan Slye, so that it can handle a glut of new wind power. But why not go one step further and build a global electricity grid? It's a possibility discussed by energy consultant Michael Barnard.Producer: Laurence Knight(Picture: Stork on an electricity pylon at sunset; Credit: James Warwick/Getty Images)

This week saw the rather unedifying spectacle of the first 2020 US presidential debate. Did either of the candidates offer solid policies on the economy or the environment?As further investigations shed more light on Donald Trump’s financial affairs we’ll ask why he has been so reluctant to make them public.We’ll also find out why Facebook is threatening to ban all news on its Australian sites and ask whether clubbing can survive during a pandemic.Business Weekly is presented by Lucy Burton and produced by Joshua Thorpe.

Why state aid may be the sticking point for a Brexit trade deal(Image: Two boxing gloves punching each other, one with the UK flag, one with the EU flag. Credit: Getty Images Stock)

What can the New York Times' revelations can tell us about the President's financial affairs?President Trump paid only $750 in tax federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017, and paid none in 10 of the past 15 years. That's according to an investigation by The New York Times earlier this week. The President says its all fake news. He's for years refused to publish his income tax returns. David Cay Johnstone, an investigative journalist and editor with DCReport.org, says the Times revelations show why he's keeping them hidden.Adam Davidson who's written extensively on the President's business ties, says the only way to join up the dots since the death of his father, who was continuously propping up the President's finances, and the end of his lucrative appearances on the reality TV show, The Apprentice, is to work out who's bankrolling Trump's businesses. But Dan Alexander, writer for Forbes magazine and author of White House Inc: How Donald Trump turned the Presidency into a Business, says that the President does have more assets than debts but he could come across conflicts of interest when he tries to re-finance these debts.(Image: Novelty US dollar bills printed with Donald Trump's image on. Credit: Joel Forrest / Barcroft Media via Getty Images)

Should Facebook and Google pay for news that appears on their platforms? The Australian government thinks so. It’s drafted a law that would force them to pay - and Facebook is now threatening to ban all news from its Australian site. It’s a high stakes stand-off with potential global repercussions.Veteran local newspaper publisher Bruce Ellen tells Manuela Saragosa how his business has suffered the past decade as articles are shared online for free. Journalist Zoe Samios of the Sydney Morning Herald says the pushback from Facebook has been especially forceful, while Belinda Barnet of Swinburne University in Melbourne says she thinks they are unlikely to back down. But consultant Hal Crawford has little sympathy for the news companies, which he says get a lot more value from social media platforms than vice versa. Plus, Peter Lewis from the Centre for Responsible Technology worries that if Facebook follows through with its threat to remove news altogether from its platform in Australia, what will fill the void?(Image: Facebook logo seen displayed on a smartphone with 100 dollar bills in the background. Credit: Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

President Xi Jinping made a big surprise announcement on Tuesday - that China is committing to cut its net carbon emissions to zero by 2060.But why has President Xi decided to take such a bold unilateral step? Will China's actions match his words? And how will other countries respond, not least the US?To answer these questions, Justin Rowlatt speaks to two people who have been at the top table of international climate diplomacy. Todd Stern was US President Barack Obama's representative in the Paris Agreement negotiations. And Rachel Kyte was an advisor on sustainable development to the United Nations Secretary General.Plus, Li Yan of Greenpeace in China explains what to look out for next year in the country's new five-year plan as proof that Beijing is serious about tackling carbon emissions.Producer: Laurence Knight(Picture: China's President Xi Jinping; Credit: Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images)

What will get the swing states swinging? That’s the question we ask on this edition of Business Weekly as we take an in-depth look at Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas and Ohio. We find out what business leaders, activists and environmentalists in these places want from their new leader and ask whether Donald Trump or Joe Biden can deliver. We hear from Puerto Ricans and Cubans in Florida, young people in Texas and a farmer in Ohio. Business Weekly is presented by Lucy Burton and produced by Matthew Davies.

How some of the world's biggest banks are helping criminals launder money through the UK capital. The BBC's Andy Verity describes what a major new leak of documents tells us about the flows of dirty money through financial centres. Dr Susan Hawley from the charity Spotlight on Corruption tells us why banks and regulators aren't doing enough to stop it, and Tom Burgis, author of a new book Kleptopia: How Dirty Money is Conquering the World, explains why money laundering is a threat to democracy and freedom.(Photo: London's financial district, Credit: Getty Images)

Funding for African tech start-ups is booming. But only if you’re not African. Odunayo Eweniyi, is the co-founder of the first online savings and investment app in West Africa, Piggyvest. She tells Tamasin Ford about how hard it was to convince Western based Venture Capitalists to invest in them. Jesse Ghansah, the Ghanaian Founder of the Fintech company, Swipe says as an African founder he’s still judged differently. Iyinolowa Aboyeji, who’s from Nigeria, set up a financing initiative called the Fund for Africa’s Future. He says rather than looking at the problem of foreign founders in Africa receiving more investment than African founders, people need to look at why it’s happening. And Adaeze Sokan, also based in, Nigeria, is the Director of Design and Strategy at Ventures Platform which is a funding initiative focused on Africa. She says that more start-up money needs to be aimed at women.

Making designer fashion more sustainable has been a cause célèbre for decades, so why hasn’t it happened yet? At the close of London Fashion Week, and just before the beginning of Paris, Tamasin Ford has been looking into why the industry hasn’t made the changes it needs. Kevin Bailey of the VF Corporation, one of the largest apparel and footwear retailers, says the industry has made great strides, while Roger Lee, of TAL apparel in Hong Kong, says a vague standards system for what counts as “sustainable” makes further progress difficult. But Christina Dean, founder of the Redress sustainable fashion awards as well as the upcycled fashion brand, the R-Collective, says companies could have already done a lot more to use re- and up-cycled materials in their new lines.(Picture credit: Getty Creative)

Brewing, like many industries, has had to adapt during the coronavirus pandemic. And whilst this can be a logistical nightmare, the current crisis might also present some new opportunities. Elizabeth Hotson talks to beer writer, Pete Brown about the impact so far of coronavirus on craft beer. We take a socially distanced trip to East London to hear from Jon Swain, co-founder of Hackney Brewery and then cross over to Maryland in the US where Julie Verratti from Denizens Brewing explains how an aluminium can shortage is making it tough to ship her products. And in Mexico City, Jessica Martinez from Cerveceria Malteza explains how lockdown gave an unexpected boost to craft beer. Producer: Elizabeth Hotson. (Picture of beer cans by Elizabeth Hotson).

Nightclubs around the world are struggling to survive with social distancing guidelines. The social effect is palpable, especially for the younger generation who have grown up with club culture. BBC Radio 1Xtra DJ Jamz Supernova tells Ed Butler about everything she's missing from the club scene. Meanwhile, the Night-time Industries Association's Michael Kill says they and club owners are working to convince the government to help them open up. But how would that work? Lutz Leichsenring, an advocate for Berlin nightlife says any way forward will be difficult, but this crisis should be a wake up call for cities to value their nightlife more.(Picture: A Berlin nightclub. Picture credit: Getty Images.)

There are less than two months to go until the presidential election in the United States. Both candidates and parties have framed it as something of an existential fight. So, on Business Weekly we look at the big issues framing the debate. We examine the economy, immigration and healthcare and find out what a Biden Presidency or a second-term of office for President Trump could mean for these key policy areas. Plus, as the Zimbabwean government hands back some land to some evicted farmers, our reporter in Harare tells us why this is happening now and how the move has been received. And what has Covid-19 done to the Asian wedding industry? Business Weekly is presented by Lucy Burton and produced by Matthew Davies.

The West Coast wildfires have lifted climate change to the top of the campaign agenda, but will it actually shift any votes? It highlights one of sharpest policy contrasts between the two presidential candidates - with Donald Trump questioning whether global warming is even a threat, while Joe Biden has a detailed $2.5 trillion plan to decarbonise the economy. Justin Rowlatt speaks to David Banks, a former energy advisor to both President Trump and George W Bush, as well as Cheryl LaFleur, who served as an energy regulator under Barack Obama. Plus the BBC's North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher discusses electoral calculations behind each candidate's stance.(Picture: A firefighter watches the fire burning in Monrovia, California; Credit: Ringo Chiu/AFP via Getty Images)

Will the elections usher in a sea-change in economic thinking, after 40 years dominated by small government conservatism?Manuela Saragosa speaks to one small government conservative - Ramesh Ponnuru of the American Enterprise Institute - who says people like him no longer have a home in either of the main political parties. Economist James Galbraith says the scale of the economic challenge posed by the pandemic could compel a much greater role for the Federal government in reviving and restructuring the economy.But could this election prove as significant as the victory of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his economic New Deal in 1932 - assuming that President Trump even loses? Political scientist Julia Azari says despite Joe Biden's reputation as an unassuming moderate party stalwart, there are parallels with his illustrious Democratic predecessor.Producer: Laurence Knight(Picture: A poster of a Ronald Reagan commemorative postage stamp on display as people pass by; Credit: Stephen Osman/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

President Trump's crackdown on immigrants is popular with his core voters, but less so with corporate America.Manuela Saragosa asks whether this nation of immigrants is about to vote to close the door to the American Dream for millions of foreigners. Among them are Indian IT workers who have been left in limbo by the sudden suspension of H-1B visas, as relayed by immigration lawyer Poorvi Chotani of LawQuest. Theresa Cardinal Brown of the Bipartisan Policy Center says there is widespread agreement among voters that the immigration system is "broken", less so on what needs doing. Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies think tank says President Trump hasn't gone far enough. In contrast, Britta Glennon of the Wharton business school says that even the lighter restrictions under the Obama administration drove high value jobs out of the US.(Picture: A new US citizen is sworn-in at a naturalisation ceremony in Santa Ana, California Credit: Reuters)

Voters will soon decide who will be the next President of the United States, with healthcare – both the Coronavirus response and health coverage in general - being one of the most important issues. We'll hear from one American cancer survivor who lost their coverage during the crisis, and the director of a Missouri hospital on the challenges they've faced during the pandemic. Then, Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News explains the current state of US healthcare and the differences between candidates Trump and Biden on the future of it. Though Doug Badger of the Heritage Foundation cautions that those pressing for universal healthcare in the US will be under served by a Biden presidency.(Photo: a vigil in memory of healthcare workers who have died of Covid-19 in Alhambra, California. Credit: Getty Images)

Tensions with China have simmered for the past three years ever since President Trump initiated the so-called trade war.As Ed Butler hears from tech analyst Dan Wang, the trade war could prove a death sentence for Huawei, one of China's highest-profile firms. So what is likely to change after the US election, depending on who wins? Not much, says China analyst Rui Zhong, as Beijing's priorities under President Xi appear far more domestic. And Daniel Russel, former adviser on Asia to President Obama, agrees, saying the world looks very different from that previous administration. But Ian Bremmer, chair of the Eurasia Group, counsels that the election still has huge potential for the global balance of power. (Picture Credit: Getty Images.)

Would you feel better tucking into a juicy steak knowing that the cow it comes from is still happily living out its life in a field somewhere? Biotechnology could make that possible.Manuela Saragosa hears from Shannon Falconer at pet food maker Because Animals, who grows real meat in a lab. Jon McIntyre at Motif FoodWorks explains how new technology has made his plant-based products tastier. We also hear from Tony Seba at the think tank, Rethink X. He believes we'll be designing food like software in the future.Producer: Laurence Knight.(Picture: Raw meat in a lab petri dish. Credit: Getty Images)

Business Weekly hears from the industry that brings viruses back from the dead. The world of biotechnology is rapidly evolving - it recreates the stuff we can’t necessarily touch and feel, like smells and bacteria. Can it help contain future pandemics? Manuela Saragosa explores the risks and opportunities. We also head backstage at the theatre - many shows are having to come up with novel ways to perform productions, but are they able to sustain a business under social distancing rules? Rob Young speaks to the artistic director of the world famous Royal Albert Hall in London’s West End about their plans to ensure shows carry on.

Can spider silk and grasshopper rubber, brewed by vats of genetically modified microbes, wean us off our addiction to oil-based plastics?Manuela Saragosa explores what sounds like an environmentalist sci-fi utopia. She speaks to Daniel Meyer, head of corporate planning at Spiber, a Japanese company that is already trying to commercialise clothes and car parts made of synthetic spider silk. Meanwhile Christophe Schilling, chief executive of California-based Genomatica, is using a similar biotechnology to manufacture good old-fashioned nylon.But there is one potential problem: The microbes that make these fantastic new materials need to be fed lots and lots of sugar - but where will it all come from? Agnieszka Brandt-Talbot of Imperial College in London thinks she has an answer, and it involves that most sugary of substances - wood.Producer: Laurence Knight(Picture: Close up of a Furrow Spider on its web in a Pennsylvania meadow in summer; Credit: Cwieders/Getty Images)

Genetically modified microbes could herald a new industrial revolution - but the technology also poses new dangers.Manuela Saragosa speaks to someone who used it to recreate the horsepox virus - a close cousin of smallpox - from scratch three years ago. Virologist David Evans explains why he did it, and what aspects of this rapidly evolving technology worry him most.One of the companies on the cutting edge is Boston-based Ginkgo Bioworks. It redesigns the DNA of bacteria and yeast in order to create everything from perfumes to fertilisers. Ginkgo's Patrick Boyle tells Manuela what they are doing to ensure that the microbes and DNA they create remain harmless.Producer: Laurence Knight(Picture: Anonymous vial containing a clear liquid; Credit: MirageC/Getty Images)

After several countries banned alcohol as part of their lockdown measures, we ask if prohibition ever works?Ed Butler reports from South Africa, where a recent ban on alcohol was welcomed by some healthcare professionals and those fighting violence in the country. Harvard economist Jeffrey Miron and University of California criminologist Emily Owens discuss whether limits on alcohol are ever really effective.(Photo: A man takes beers from a fridge inside a liquor shop in Soweto, Johannesburg, on June 1, 2020; Credit: Getty Images)

Journalist Peter Geoghegan describes the many ways in which private money is corrupting democratic politics, encouraging chaos and fuelling public cynicism.In an extended interview with the BBC's Ed Butler, the Irish author and broadcaster explains a Brexit campaign advert that he happened to come across in a local newspaper while visiting the city of Sunderland in the north of England led him to investigate where the money funding the Leave campaign was coming from. It led him to explore how business and political interests - often from foreign countries - were able over decades to shift the political discourse in Western liberal democracies in their favour.(Picture: US flag made out of one dollar bills; Credit: Matt Anderson Photography/Getty Images)

Many women feel they are ignored by the larger economy after they reach a certain age, and some of them aren't willing to accept that. Tamasin Ford speaks to Bonnie Marcus, host of the Badass Women at Any Age podcast, who explains how women over 60 can deal with the double-whammy of sexism and ageism in business. Meanwhile, Tricia Cusden tells us about how she started up the cosmetics retailer Look Fabulous Forever - a business run by and for women in their older years. And Ruth Saunders, author of Female Entrepreneurs: The Secrets of Their Success, explains why the larger business community would be smart to think more about older women in the economy.Producer: Frey Lindsay(Picture: Older woman looking fabulous; Credit: Getty Images)

As evidence mounts that Chinese authorities are continuing to incarcerate Uighur Muslims in work camps in the North West of the country we discuss the steps foreign companies should be taking to ensure their businesses don’t benefit from enforced labour. We also have a report on what could be the most severe housing crisis in the recent history of the US. In yet another consequence of the coronavirus pandemic; tenants are struggling to keep up rental payments and risk eviction. As lessons resume across many parts of the world we hear how some countries are managing to teach children who can’t go back to the classroom - and don’t have access to computers or the internet.Plus, as facemarks become compulsory in shared workplaces in France we hear from a top health expert who says mask wearing should be non-negotiable.Business weekly is presented by Lucy Burton and produced by Clare Williamson.(Image: T-shirts hanging on a garment rail, Image credit: Getty Images)

Many Africans are buying Chinese-made smartphones that steal their information. Investigations have shown that the cheap devices are pre-installed with a kind of malware that drains the data allowance and in some cases signs the user up to subscription services without their knowledge. Nathan Collier, from security firm Malwarebytes explains how it works. But David Li of Shenzhen Open Innovation Lab says he's not convinced Chinese manufacturers are to blame for the problem. Meanwhile, with data literacy a big problem in Africa, Kenneth Adu-Amanfoh, Executive Director of ACDRO in Ghana says better consumer education is needed.(Picture: A woman on her phone in Nigeria. Picture credit: Getty Images)

China is accused of detaining millions of people from the Uighur ethnic minority and forcing them to work in factories. Pressure is mounting on foreign businesses to ensure material they source from China does not benefit from that forced labour. Alison Killing, an architect and investigator has found that 268 detention facilities have been built in the Xinjiang province in North-West China in just the last few years. Supply chain expert Kate Larsen says companies are often more at risk of exposure to forced labour than they might realise. But Craig Allen of the US China Business Council says US protections already exist to keep companies away from Uighur labour. And Max Zenglein of the Mercator Institute for China Studies says there are substantial incentives for companies to look the other way.Produced by Frey Lindsay(Picture: An alleged Uighur detention facility. Picture credit: Getty Images.)

Some universities fear they have become too financially dependent on fee-paying Chinese students - and thanks to Covid-19, many of them are staying away this year.Salvatore Babones, an associate professor at the University of Sydney, says Australia is particularly vulnerable to this, while Vivienne Stern of Universities UK says it’s just one of a number of serious concerns for UK and US universities. We also hear from Chinese students already in the UK about whether they think it’s worth continuing.(Picture: An empty classroom at an Italian University; Credit: Getty Images)

Catering and hospitality are among the sectors worst hit by the global coronavirus pandemic, with many governments banning in-house dining. Manuela Saragosa speaks to New York Chef Anna Klinger, who owns and manages Al Di La, a Trattoria in Brooklyn. Ka Yi Ong who runs Mini Star, a Singapore eatery that specialises in stinky tofu tells us about its new and very successful delivery service. Michelin-starred chef Kevin Meehan of Kali restaurant in Hollywood explains how a creative make-over for his parking lot is helping business tick over and Elizabeth Hotson visits Coupette, a high end cocktail bar in London where manager Andrei Marcu is delighted to be mixing champagne piña coladas for drink-in customers. Plus, we hear from Richard Vines, chief food critic at Bloomberg News in London. Producer: Elizabeth Hotson. (Picture description: A food vendor wearing a face mask at a hawker centre in Singapore by Roslan Rahman).

Why being bored might be good for us. Ed Butler speaks to Kate Greene, a science writer who experienced months of isolation as part of a project to test how astronauts might cope with the boredom of a long trip to Mars. John Eastwood from the Boredom Lab at York University in Toronto and Erin Westgate from the University of Florida discuss the impact boredom can have on our ability to work. Dr Sandi Mann, author of The Upside of Downtime argues that boredom can be the secret to creative thought.(Photo: A woman bored at work, Credit: Getty Images)

Two ancient and archeologically priceless rock shelters in Western Australia were destroyed earlier this year by the mining company Rio Tinto. On this episode of Business Weekly we ask whether the punitive measures imposed on senior executives this week are tough enough. Could biotechnology transform the way we eat and the way we treat animals? We investigate the future of food and find out how a cat food made from mouse meat could be made without harming any mice. As workers in the UK are seemingly unwilling to return to city centre offices during the Coronavirus pandemic, we wonder what these spaces will look like in the years to come. And we look at the romance scammers who are conning lonely hearts on social media. Business Weekly is presented by Lucy Burton and produced by Matthew Davies.

Does farming as we know it have a future? We hear from those who argue biotechnology is about to disrupt agriculture for good.Shifting diets and food sources will put one million US farming jobs at risk, according to futurist Tony Seba of the think-tank Rethink X.But cattle farmers are not about to give up their livelihoods so easily. We hear from British farmer Andrew Loftus and Danielle Beck of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association in the US.Manuela Saragosa also speaks to Henning Steinfeld at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation.Producers: Laurence Knight and Szu Ping Chan.(Photo: a cow in a field. Credit: Getty Images)

Many of us will have noticed 'friend' or 'follow' requests on our social media from strangers with profiles which don’t quite ring true. They mainly use cloned pictures, often taken from accounts of those in the US military. Zoe Kleinman investigates the global industry of romance scamming, which can have tragic consequences. Zoe hears from Lisa Forte, a cyber security expert from Red Goat Security, Professor Alan Woodward from Surrey University, and she goes into the tragic story of Renee Holland, as investigated by Jack Nicas of the New York Times. With thanks to the New York Times for their material. Producer: Sarah Treanor.(Photo: Mobile phone display. Credit: Getty Images)

Is the continent looking at a lost generation of students as Covid-19 forces the majority of education ministries to scrap the entire 2020 Academic year?Tamasin Forde speaks to Folawe Omikunle the CEO of Teach for Nigeria, a charity that places leaders into under-served primary schools as teachers. She says Covid has shone a light on their already crumbling education sector. Professor Lilian Salami is the Vice Chancellor of Nigeria’s University of Benin in Benin City. They closed in February like many across the country and she tells Tamasin they weren’t able to offer any remote learning for their students because of a lack of infrastructure in their area. And Philip Pleiwon is the founder of Imano, an online platform that aggregates open source free content from around the world as well as individual university syllabuses. He says higher learning institutions are now finally clamouring to get online. (Picture description - students chairs and desks are arranged in order to maintain social distancing at Agidingbi Senior Grammar School, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria. Photo by Adekunle Ajayi via Getty Images).

Can a simple nudge change behaviour for the common good - even in potentially life and death situations? Elizabeth Hotson talks to Helena Rubenstein, Head of Behavioural Science of Innovia Technology, about a successful experiment to stop drink driving and Martine Visser, economics professor at the university of Cape Town, explains how nudging the inhabitants of South Africa’s most populous city to use less water, averted Day Zero. Plus Erez Yoeli, a research associate in altruism at MIT tells us how selfish people can be persuaded to act in everyone’s best interests. And Ravi Gurumurthy CEO of charity, Nesta, explains how the Behavioural Insights Team applies behavioural science to public policy. Produced by Sarah Treanor. (Picture of bing soo by Elizabeth Hotson).

Protests have continued in the former Soviet country of Belarus this week and workers have started to strike. How will that affect the struggle for reform and what does it mean for the future of the economy? We hear from businesses there trying to plan for the future. We also hear how women have been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Some analysts say the fight for gender equality has been put back 50 years. In Beirut, business owners are trying to pick up the pieces of their lives and livelihoods, following the explosion which tore through their city. They tell us their stories. Plus, how does a socially distanced concert work? We hear from the organisers of the first of these new type of gigs in the UK. Business Weekly is presented by Lucy Burton and produced by Matthew Davies.

President Trump has given the Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok a deadline to sell off its US operations, or else he will have it shut down in the country. Microsoft and Oracle have been rumoured to be interested.Russell Brandom of tech site The Verge tells Ed Butler that the extent of what's on offer is over-hyped. But Jason Davis, associate professor of entrepreneurship at Insead says a US-only version of the app would still have considerable merit. In any case, Sandra Wachter, associate professor at the Oxford Internet Institute, says the threat President Trump thinks TikTok represents won't go away simply by shaving off its US operations.Producer: Edwin Lane(Picture Credit: Getty Images.)

Efforts to get healthcare and support materials into Sudan to assist their battle against Coroniavirus are being impeded by sanctions on the country. Although many sanctions have been lifted, Sudan is still listed as a state sponsor of terrorism by the United States, meaning many companies are barred from dealing with the country. Dr Husain Abuakar, head of the emergency department at Omdurman Teaching Hospital in Khartoum, tells us how they've had to make do without vital medical equipment, and his concerns about a second wave. Meanwhile, Dr Sara Abdelgalil of the Sudanese Doctors Union explains how difficult it is for her and other diaspora Sudanese healthcare workers to support their colleagues in Sudan, financially as well as in terms of information-sharing. And Madeleine Crowther from the UK-based charity Waging Peace explains how Sudan ended up on the state sponsor of terrorism list to begin with and why it might soon be off it.Producer: Frey Lindsay.(Picture: A man wearing a face mask in Khartoum. Picture credit: Getty Images)

President Lukashenko has remained defiant in the face of growing protests at his disputed re-election, threatening striking workers with being fired, in a stand-off that could last a long time.Even state broadcasters are raising their voices, as former state TV presenter Dmitry Kohno explains. Ed Butler hears from two leaders in Belarus’ burgeoning tech sector, who worry both for the sector’s continued growth, and their own safety. And economists Anders Aslund and Sergei Guriev question whether Belarus can ever compete as a market economy, or move away from its reliance on Russia.Producer: Frey Lindsay(Picture: Protesters stage a rally in Independence Square, Minsk; Credit: Getty Images)

Coronavirus has impacted economies in every corner of the globe but there’s a fear it’s hitting women’s economic opportunities hardest. Tamasin Ford explores how women in Africa are affected. Lisa Kolovich is an economist at the IMF which is warning the pandemic threatens to roll back gains in women’s economic opportunities despite decades of progress. South African feminist and activist Shamillah Wilson says women’s voices are not being heard at policy level. And Tennen B Dalieh, a government worker and a feminist in Liberia says women and girls are bearing the brunt of the country's second pandemic in a decade.

The impact of the pandemic on gender inequality. Tamasin Ford speaks to Lauren Currie, CEO of Stride and founder of Upfront - organisations focused on getting women’s voices heard - and Gill Whitty Collins, author of Why Men Win at Work, about how the strains of the pandemic have disproportionately affected women. Saunoamaali’i Dr Karanina Sumeo, New Zealand’s equal opportunities commissioner, explains why having more women at the table when policy decisions are made is part of the solution.(Photo: A woman works from home while caring for a child, Credit: Getty Images)

In this week’s programme we’ll be looking at the family rift in Syria which threatens yet more turmoil for the war-torn country. Just why is the country’s richest man defying his cousin - the President? Is there still a free press in Hong Kong - and if not, what does that mean for its status as a financial centre? That’s one of the questions we’ll be trying to answer after the media tycoon and pro-democracy advocate Jimmy Lai was arrested. We’ll also be examining the UK’s latest GDP figures, which saw the country fall into the first recession since the financial crisis. Why has the G7 nation suffered a bigger fall than any other major economy? Plus, we’ll be chatting to a couple of millionaires who tell us how they are far more frugal than we might imagine. Presented by Lucy Burton and produced by Matthew Davies.

The businesses hoping to rebuild after Beirut's port explosion. Tamasin Ford speaks to Aline Kamakian, whose restaurant and office were both destroyed in the disaster, and to Joumana Saddi Chaya, managing partner at PSLab, a design company, who was also caught in the blast. Julien Courson, head of the Lebanese Transparency Association, explains why corruption remains such a persistent problem in Lebanese life and business, before and after the disaster. The BBC's diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams tells us the strange tale of the ship that delivered the explosive cargo to Beirut's port, and the failures that allowed it to stay there for so long.Producer: Edwin Lane(Photo: Smoke rises above wrecked buildings at Beirut's port a day after the devastating explosion. Credit: Getty Images)

Conferences during Covid-19: Jane Wakefield explores the challenges that big international events have faced this year in moving events online.She speaks to Paddy Cosgrave, chief executive of the giant technology event Web Summit, and Chris Anderson from TED. Plus social scientist Elizabeth Dunn explains why there is true “magic” in meeting face-to-face.Producer: Sarah Treanor(Picture: Woman on a laptop with a headache; Credit: Getty Images)

Millions of Americans face loss of benefits and eviction, threatening to push the US into a deepening recession, after Congress failed to extend the Cares Act.Ed Butler speaks to Maryland resident Sifu about her eviction by an aggressive landlord, while Alieza Durana of the Eviction Lab at Princeton University explains the broader impact of the lapsing legislation on tenants throughout the country.Michael Strain of the American Enterprise Institute think tank gives his free-market take on the effectiveness of the Cares Act and President Trump’s intervention to keep some level of benefits going. Plus Moody's chief economist Mark Zandi says the political deadlock in Washington risks economic depression.(Picture: Banners against eviction in Washington DC; Credit: Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images)

Why does the President of Syria seemingly want to destroy his cousin Rami Makhlouf?President Bashar al-Assad of Syria seems hell-bent on unseating his first cousin, and Syria's richest man, from his multi-billion dollar holdings. But Rami Makhlouf, is defying the President to his face. What's going on, what's at stake for Syria?Ed Butler speaks to the BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen. Plus he asks Ayman Abdel-Nour, a former economic advisor to the Syrian ruling party who knew Bashar al Assad at university, what he thinks is going on.(Picture: Syrian businessman Rami Makhlouf; Credit: Louai Beshara/Getty Images)

Why do some of the super rich describe themselves as frugal? Is it something about the inner psyche that makes us natural savers or spenders? Elizabeth Hotson speaks to Dolly Parton, who despite earning millions, doesn’t particularly enjoy spending it. We also hear from Karam Hinduja, banker and scion of the billionaire Hinduja family. Tech entrepreneur, Richard Skellett tells us why he sees being wealthy as a responsibility, plus we hear from big savers, Tim Connor and Francesca Armstrong. We're also joined by Sarah Fallaw, author of The Next Millionaire Next Door, Rachel Sherman, author of Uneasy Street: The Anxieties of Affluence and Elin Helander, behavioural economist, neurologist and Chief Scientific Officer at Dreams, a money-saving app. Producers: Elizabeth Hotson and Sarah Treanor. (picture of a piggy bank via Getty Images).