Business Daily

WiFi, Bluetooth, and mobile networks are familiar names in wireless communication - but there’s a fourth contender transforming everything from city water systems to African wildlife conservation. LPWAN - or Low Power Wide Area Network technology - is used when you need to send small amounts of data over long distances, using very little power. We head to rural Portugal where it's used for solar and water systems, and from conservation parks in Africa to find out how this low-cost network could become the most influential wireless tech of them all.Produced and presented by Alastair Leithead(Image: An adult female Iberian Lynx named Lava with GPS tracking collar on January 12, 2023 in Toledo, Spain. Credit: Getty Images)

France, the world's second-biggest arms exporter, is expected to double military spending in the next two years. We visit a factory in the north of the country that's switched production from civilian to military equipment, as part of what French President Emmanuel Macron is calling a "war economy".If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, please email [email protected] and produced by John Laurenson(Picture: President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech to army leaders at l'Hôtel de Brienne in Paris on July 13, 2025, on the eve of the annual Bastille Day Parade in the French capital. Credit: Getty Images)

The university academic was working in Australia when he developed an interest in Myanmar.He then became an adviser to Aung San Suu Kyi but was jailed for nearly two years by the country’s military regime following the 2021 coup.Sean Turnell recalls the moment of his arrest and tells us about the harsh conditions he endured – and how books, along with pacing the length of his tiny cell, helped him survive.He also reflects on Myanmar’s deepening economic crisis – and shares his hopes for the country’s future.Produced and presented by Sam Fenwick(Sean Turnell with Myanmar's former leader Aung San Suu Kyi)

Around a fifth of the workforce in both come from abroad. That’s much more than in most high income countries - and these workers are key to powering growth and economic development. However as we hear, life can be incredibly difficult for migrant workers in South East Asia. Produced and presented by Ed Butler(Image: A Myanmar migrant worker harvests chilies on the bank of the Moei River, which separates Thailand and Myanmar in July 2025. Credit: Getty Images)

We're in Chile, where it’s grape harvesting time and vineyard workers are busy cleaning their barrels to make way for new batches.The South American country has more than a thousand different varieties of grapes, but it’s proving hard to reach a new generation of wine drinkers.It’s not just young people drinking less. Around the world wine production is in decline. This is often due climate change causing extreme droughts which affects harvests.How do wine-producing countries like Chile respond - and keep the industry thriving?Presented and produced by Jane Chambers(Image: Friends having fun and relaxing together drinking red wine during a rooftop party in New York East Village. New York is one of the key markets for new-style Chilean wine. Credit: Getty Images)

The African nation relies heavily on its copper industry and exports – the football team is even nicknamed Chipolo-polo - The Copper Bullets. Now, US President Donald Trump has announced a new 50% tariff on copper imports from early August. We explore the impact this could have on major copper producers, like Zambia and neighbouring DR Congo. Price volatility could affect earnings, but some companies are saying the long-term outlook still looks strong because of global demand for copper in data centres and EVs.Presenter: Will Bain Producer: Hannah Bewley(Image: Workers prepare casting units at the Mufulira refinery, operated by Mopani Copper Mines Plc, in Mufulira, Zambia in May 2022. Credit: Getty Images)

Syria remains an unstable country, with outbreaks of deadly violence, yet many refugees in Turkey are still choosing to return home after their brutal dictator Bashar al-Assad was toppled in December.We’re in Little Syria, in Turkey’s largest city Istanbul, where lines of Arabic businesses once stood and where the streets are now noticeably quieter. As Syrians return home, what impact is that having on the Turkish economy?If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, please email [email protected] and produced by Emily Wither(Picture: Women pass by Syrian shops at Malta bazaar, with other mainly Syrian shopkeepers at Fatih district in Istanbul, Turkey, on the 6th of December 2024, two days before Bashar al-Assad was overthrown. At the time, 500,000 Syrian refugees were living in Istanbul. Credit: Getty Images)

When Italian luxury brand Prada showcased leather sandals that looked a lot like India’s traditional Kolhapuri chappals, and didn't credit their roots, it sparked a debate over fair pay and recognition for local artisans.The company has since tried to make amends and has been speaking to local producers.We travel to Kolhapur, where these sandals are made to explore what this example means for the economics of luxury fashion.Presenter: Devina Gupta Producer: Andrew Clarence(Image: A shopkeeper shows a pair of Kolhapuri chappals displayed for sale at a street side shop in Maharashtra, India. Credit: Getty Images)

The Indian billionaire speaks to Rahul Tandon about his journey from selling sim cards in a small Indian town to founding OYO, a global hospitality chain, at just 19. A fellowship from US entrepreneur Peter Thiel gave Ritesh Agarwal $100,000 to pursue his start-up dreams. Despite rapid growth, OYO later faced serious challenges to its business. Now 31, the entrepreneur reflects on how he brought the company back from the brink.If you'd like to contact the show, send an email to [email protected]: Rahul Tandon Producer: Amber Mehmood(Photo: Ritesh Agarwal, founder and chief executive officer of OYO Hotels and Homes, during the Mumbai Tech Week in Mumbai, India, in March 2025. Credit: Getty Images)

The founders of Dutch women's team Hera United are finalising preparations for their first ever season in the Netherlands' top flight. They're the first women's-only professional team in the country, and want to drive the development of the sport by stepping out of the traditional male dominated club format.We hear from Hera's founders on persuading investors to back them and the impact they're hoping to have on the game as a whole. We talk to the founder of Glasgow City FC, who followed the same path nearly 30 years ago. And we hear from the team behind Europe's first women's sports bar, who have taken inspiration from Hera's journey. Produced and presented by Matthew Kenyon(Image: The Her United team. Credit: Hera United)

Films for children and young adults are giving a major boost to cinemas. The recent A Minecraft Movie smashed records, making $301 million globally in its opening weekend - the biggest ever for a video game adaptation. In 2024, Inside Out 2 led the global box office earning $1.69 billion, followed by Despicable Me 4 and Kung Fu Panda. Now, film studios are following these trends; fast-tracking sequels, producing more animations, and adapting popular video games into stories geared towards family audiences.We speak to film producers, box office analysts and cinema operators about the strategies behind this shift and its impact on the industry.If you'd like to contact the show, send an email to [email protected]: Megan Lawton Producer: Sam Gruet(Picture: General view of a roadside billboard along the Sunset Strip promoting A Minecraft Movie, in April 2025, in West Hollywood, California, US. Credit: Getty Images)

A boom in betting - both online and in shops - is fuelling addiction and debt among young people. We speak to teenage gamblers, whistle-blowers, and campaigners who reveal how social media influencers and lack of regulation are driving a growing crisis in Nigeria.If you are affected by harmful gambling or are suffering distress or despair you could speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support. Details of help available for despair in some countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide (www.befrienders.org)Produced and presented by Frey Lindsay(Image: A close-up of a man's hands holding a mobile phone. Credit: Getty Images)

In the first of a two part series, we investigate the explosive growth of online gambling since the Covid-19 pandemic. While betting company revenues have soared, many South African individuals and families are facing the consequences. We hear from recovering gambling addicts and explore how economic hardship, weak regulation, and the prevalence of mobile betting platforms are fuelling a national crisis. If you are affected by harmful gambling or are suffering distress or despair you could speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support. Details of help available for despair in some countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide (www.befrienders.org)Produced and presented by Frey Lindsay(Image: South African businessman looking at phone. Credit: Getty Images)

It may be a key plot point in films and video games like Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider, but the real-life looting of ancient artefacts has reportedly reached unprecedented levels – and research suggests that even terror groups could be cashing in on stolen relics. What’s being done to stop it?If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected] and produced by Ryan Keane(Picture: A looted Etruscan urn recovered by the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in Italy, now stationed at its HQ in Rome. Credit: BBC)

Mortgages - or home loans - are commonly taken out in countries with high homeownership rates. In some parts of the world, the majority of people own their homes outright, but in the US, parts of western Europe and the UK, most buyers require a mortgage to get on the property ladder. Home loans are sensitive to interest rates, which have been falling in many major economies. We hear how that’s changing mortgage lengths and styles in different jurisdictions. We hear how the Dutch mortgage is becoming popular elsewhere, and what we can learn from each country’s approach. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected] and produced by Rick Kelsey(Picture: Happy woman and man sitting on the floor with coffee cups, next to boxes and cats, in their new home. Credit: Getty Images)

The US has plans for a strategic Bitcoin reserve - effectively a massive stockpile of cryptocurrency. Countries hold reserves of all sorts of assets and commodities like gold, grain and medicine. As Bitcoin becomes the latest addition to the US reserves, what does this say about crypto's credibility?We head to the Web Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to hear from delegates who are excited for the future.Producer/presenter: Gareth Mitchell(Image: People walk past an advertisement featuring Donald Trump with Bitcoin in Hong Kong. Credit: Getty Images)

China's automotive companies have accelerated their global expansion in recent years, leaving the competition struggling to keep up. We explore what's driving Chinese brands' acceleration into international markets. And we look at how established carmakers are having to tighten their belts to compete with low-cost rivals.Some claim Chinese cars are a security risk because they could, in theory, be hacked - but could they really be used to spy on their owners? Presented and produced by Theo Leggett(Picture: BYD Yangwang U9 electric supercar on display during 2025 China Mobility Show at Hangzhou International Expo Center in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province of China, June 2025. Credit: Getty Images)

The fintech entrepreneur tells us about co-founding PayPal, and how an embarrassing personal moment when trying to buy a car, led him to start the buy now, pay later company Affirm.Produced and presented by Leanna Byrne(Image: PayPal Co-Founder & Affirm CEO Max Levchin in 2019. Credit: Getty Images)

We're in the US state of Georgia, where huge data centres need water to keep cool. But how is this need for cloud storage and AI capability affecting local residents and the environment?Presenter: Michelle Fleury Producer: Nathalie Jimenez(Image: Georgia resident Beverly Morris looks at sediment build up in her toilet, which she says makes it impossible to flush. Instead she has to pour through a bucket of water)

Graduates are facing one of the toughest jobs markets in decades. We hear from students in India, the US and UK about whether they feel a university or college degree is worth it as we discuss the cost of attending university around the world and what your job prospects might be when you graduate. Ritesh Agarwal, billionaire and founder of Oyo Hotels dropped out of university - he tells us how he thinks the education system needs to change, and we hear from experts about where they see the future for new graduates as AI becomes even more a part of our working lives. Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Hannah Mullane(Image: Two women graduating from university with their hands together in a heart shape. Credit: Getty Images)

The UN estimates that nearly seven million Ukrainians have left their home country since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Many have set up businesses in their new country - around 90,000 of those in Poland. We hear about the challenges they’ve faced, and the sectors which have thrived. And we ask; would they return to Ukraine if the war ended?Produced and presented by Daniel Rosney

Grab your briefcase, we’re heading into the negotiation room, to find out about the art of the trade deal.With deals being drawn up around the world, and many more negotiations underway, we speak to experts and negotiators about overcoming stalemates and bargaining chips. And we ask if US President Donald Trump has upended the way global trade deals are made.Presenter: Megan Lawton Producer: Sam Gruet(Picture: US President Donald Trump holds a signed US-UK trade deal next to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer as they speak to reporters during the Group of Seven (G7) Summit at the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada on June 16, 2025. Credit: Getty Images)

The entrepreneur grew up in a small village in the foothills of the Himalayas with no electricity.He went on to found a cloud-based cyber-security company with a value of $47 billion, trying to protect digital data for businesses and governments. Jay Chaudhry tells us about his daily battle to stay ahead of the “bad guys”.Presenter: Will Bain Producer: Amber Mehmood(Image: Jay Chaudhry giving the keynote speech at Zenith Live. Credit: Zscaler)

Billionaires, scientists and start-ups are all trying to get in on the action. And it's not all about sending rockets and satellites into space. Space-enabled technologies are informing climate forecasting and disaster planning, as well as playing a role in logistics, defence and food security. State funded and private investment has reach an all time high. We head to the IAC in Milan to meet some of the industry experts leading the charge.Produced and presented by Ru AbbassImage: An illustration of Haven 2, the proposed successor to the International Space Station. Image courtesy of Vast)

In the 24/25 season the club finished in it's worst ever Premier League position. It also failed to qualify lucrative European football. Off the pitch, talk of worsening financial difficulties and redundancies at its Old Trafford HQ. Can new part-owner - and Britain's wealthiest man - Sir Jim Ratcliffe turn things around? And as the club looks to replace Old Trafford, is now really the right time to be investing in a new stadium?Produced and presented by Matt Lines(Image: Diogo Dalot of Manchester United looks dejected with his teammates at the end of the UEFA Europa League Final match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United 21 May 2025. Credit: Getty Images)

The Öresund Bridge, which connects Sweden and Demark, opened exactly 25 years ago today. It is one of Europe’s most iconic bridges, carrying road and rail passengers between Copenhagen and Malmo. We look at how it has helped boost business and tourism and find out what other cities and countries might learn from its cross-border successes and challenges. Producer/presenter: Maddy Savage(Image: The bridge on a calm day. Credit Getty Images)

It's one of the world’s most versatile crops and a critical source of food security - it’s also a commodity under increasing global demand.Nigeria is the world’s largest producer of the root vegetable, cassava, but export numbers are tiny.Currently, the country imports products that compete with the indigenous crop.We hear from farmers, entrepreneurs and leading agronomists on plans to industrialise Nigeria’s cassava industry and realise its economic potential.Produced and presented by Laura Heighton-Ginns Additional sound mixing by James Bradshaw(Image: Mrs Kemi farms a five hectare smallholding in south west Nigeria. Image credit: Bassey Oluwakemi Ibilola)

We're in Dubai looking back on two weeks of uncertainty and concerns the world’s busiest oil shipping channel, The Strait of Hormuz, might shut. The UAE is a major global trading hub and home to the biggest port in the Middle East. We’ll be hearing how some countries are looking for alternatives to the Strait, such as pipelines or developing refineries. And what could this mean for the future relationship between Gulf states like this one, and Iran? Produced and presented by Sameer Hashmi Additional production: Lexy O'Connor(Image: A small boat loaded with merchandise sails past a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Khasab in Oman's northern Musandam peninsula on 25 June 2025.Credit: Getty Images)

What happens to our data once it's been handed over to DNA testing companies? One such firm, 23andMe, filed for bankruptcy earlier this year. The company was set up to help people could track their ancestry - one of a number of similar sites using DNA data to create links and matches between users.However the company has been dogged by privacy concerns over its use of customer information and was fined for a data breach that exposed UK customers. What lessons can be learned now the company's been bought out of bankruptcy by its co-founder?Produced and presented by David Reid(Image: Woman swabbing her mouth for a DNA test. Credit: Getty Images)

We look at job security and long-term options for esports players after they hang up their controllers.The industry is worth billions of dollars and players win big prizes, but many make more money as content makers, and plan to move away from esports long-term.We head to an esports event in Birmingham UK to speak to professional gamers about their career prospects - and to young people who idolise these players and want to enter this field themselves.Produced and presented by Will Chalk(Image: Esports player Archie Pickthall at the 2025 RLCS Major 1 tournament in Birmingham UK. Credit: BLAST/Michal Konkol)

From 1 July 2025 there will be complete ban on untargeted advertising of online gambling in the Netherlands. That's a dramatic reversal in policy from just four years ago, when the market was first regulated. The move will have a particularly significant impact in the Dutch sports world, where federations and clubs have benefited from intense sponsorship spending in the few years it has been legal. But now that flow of money is coming to an end. What impact will the new rules have, in sport and more widely? And how will the betting operators adapt?Produced and presented by Matthew Kenyon(Image: Tom Koops of Orion Stars playing in the Volleyball Play-off Finals match between Orion Stars and NovaTech Lycurgus on 8 May 2025 in Doetinchem, Netherlands. One of the sponsors of Dutch men's volleyball is Bet City - seen on Tom's shirt. That won't be allowed under the new rules. Credit: Getty Images)

Groceries delivered to your doorstep in just 10 minutes? India’s online platforms are promising this instant delivery for millions of shoppers – items at your door in between 10 and 30 mins. But behind the convenience lies a deeper story - exhausted gig workers, struggling family-run stores, and questions about the long-term sustainability of the business model. We look at the real cost of India’s quick commerce, or Q-commerce, industry.If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected] and produced by Devina Gupta(Picture: A Swiggy delivery rider and a rider for rival brand Zepto on their bikes with delivery boxes in Mumbai, India. Credit: Getty Images)

Fed up with their own inadequate and expensive care systems, many elderly Westerners are choosing to retire to Thailand, where care is cheaper and often better. Many say Thailand’s Buddhist culture and respect for the elderly means Thais are naturally caring. It’s a booming sector, and is only likely to grow as we all live longer. But the decision to move can be complex, particularly when it involves retirees with dementia. People have been accused of dumping their sick relatives in Thai care homes, far from family. Is this exploitation – rich Westerners taking advantage of Thailand’s low wages? And what does it mean for local health systems, as care workers are lured away to look after foreign residents?If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected] and produced by Gideon Long(Picture: British retiree Liz Jackson, now living in Chiang Mai.)

Thailand’s government has long been wary of opening up the country to gambling, imposing major restrictions on betting.Small-scale, illicit gambling is widespread in the country but now politicians want to liberalise the industry and allow casinos to set up shop.The goal is to promote tourism, but opponents argue that the gambling business is incompatible with Thai culture, which is largely rooted in Buddhist values that frown upon betting.If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected] and produced by Ed Butler(Picture: Protesters in Chaing Mai, Thailand, in April 2025, seen holding placards during a demonstration to protest the government's draft entertainment complex bill at The Phae Gate. On 13 January 2025, the Thai Cabinet approved a draft bill, setting the stage for the legalisation of casino gambling in entertainment complexes across the country. Credit: Getty Images)

The Southeast Asian country has witnessed a huge influx of electrical and electronic waste in recent years. Old mobile phones, computers, circuit boards and fridges are being shipped to the country and processed, often in unlicensed industrial sites. We explore why this has happened, who is behind it, and find out what the Thai government is doing about it. We join the Thai industry ministry on a raid of an unlicensed Chinese-owned recycling plant, and talk to a Thai farmer who says his cassava crop has been blighted by pollutants from an unlicensed smelter. We also hear from Thais about their own electronics recycling habits. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected] and produced by Gideon Long Additional reporting and translation by Wilawan Watcharasakwej in Bangkok (Image: Officials look at a mound of e-waste at a site near Bangkok, Thailand.)Since this programme was first broadcast, the Chinese embassy in Thailand has responded to the BBC request for comment with a statement saying: “China has always required overseas Chinese enterprises to abide by the laws of the host countries and operate in accordance with laws and regulations”. It said China supports Thailand in its efforts to strengthen regulation and create “a fair, stable and predictable investment and business environment”.

Thailand and Malaysia both depend on exports to countries like China and the US for economic growth. The Southeast Asian nations are now potentially facing some of US President Donald Trump’s most punishing tariff rates. We look at some of their key industries, like rubber and manufacturing, that are threatened by the situation. Will both countries have to reinvent their economies? If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected]/presenter: Ed Butler(Photo: Duang Chai, a rubber farmer in Chonburi, eastern Thailand)

From rice to rubber, manufacturing to tourism, Thailand is one of Southeast Asia’s most important export-driven economies. And its trading partners include China and the US. But the country's been struggling to bounce back from the effects of the Covid pandemic. Ever since US President Donald Trump first introduced tariffs against China in 2018, Thailand's also found itself having to tread carefully between the demands of the two economic superpowers. We hear from food producers, exporters and ordinary working people, about the choices ahead. Will Thailand now have to decide between Washington and Beijing if it is to survive a global trade war? If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected] and produced by Ed Butler(Image: Bangkok's Chinatown. A neighbourhood packed with market stalls, gold shops, and restaurants. Credit: Getty Images)

David Webb has spent decades campaigning for the rights of ordinary investors in Hong Kong. Since arriving in the city from the UK as a young investment banker 30 years ago, he’s taken on tycoons, exposed corporate wrongdoing, and pushed for transparency in one of the world’s most complex financial hubs. Now, as the activist investor’s life comes to an end following a terminal cancer diagnosis in 2020, he's been reflecting on his life in the corporate world. He's spoken to the BBC's Martin Yip.If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected]: Martin Yip Producer: Niamh McDermott (Image: David Webb, activist investor and founder of Webb-site.com, speaks during a farewell event at the Foreign Correspondents' Club in Hong Kong on 12 May 2025. Credit: Getty Images)

Pitchside advertising signs in stadiums are getting bigger and brighter, using advanced, digital technology to create new opportunities for marketing to fans in the stadium and those watching sports at home. But could the LED boards around the stadium distract from the action on the field? We hear from fans, marketing execs, and how one sport league is using advertising as a form of entertainment during matches.If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected] and produced by Russell Padmore(Picture: Football/soccer stadium from the players zone. Credit: Getty Images)

US President Donald Trump’s announcements on tariffs have had businesses around the world analysing their supply chains and reassessing their bottom lines. We take a snapshot of one industry and the beating heart of a popular American product - craft beer – speaking to brewers in Canada, Mexico and the US.If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected]: Devina Gupta Producer: Hannah Bewley(Image: Robin Ridesic of Exchange Brewery in Ontario, Canada; Justin Cox of Atlas Brewing, Washington DC, USA; and Luis Osuna of Buqui Bichi in Sonora, Mexico)

A Pilsner, an American Pale Ale, American IPA or cold lager. However you like your beer – it's part of life in the US and usually comes out on top as the most popular drink in the country. In this programme, we look at how President Donald Trump’s tariffs policy is impacting the product; tracing the elements of a can of beer in the United States - from the hops to the bar.Could this all-American experience be affected by a desire to Make America Great Again? Or will US businesses involved in beer manufacturing and packaging benefit? If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected] and produced by Hannah Bewley(Picture: Young woman working in the production line in a beer factory. Credit: Getty Images)

Heatwaves don’t have names unlike storms or hurricanes - which are categorised. But extreme heat can have a huge impact on people’s lives, on overall public health, and the local economy. We look at a pilot project that took place in the Spanish city of Seville called ProMETEO, aimed at naming heatwaves in order to raise public awareness, and better prepare local economies in extreme heat conditions.And we speak to businesses that are having to plan for hotter weather and ask them whether categorising heatwaves could make them more resilient. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected] and produced by Ashish Sharma(Picture: A waitress tries to cool down with a fan at a restaurant in Seville on 23 July, 2024, as temperatures rose across southern Europe during a heatwave last summer. July 21, 2024 was the hottest day ever registered globally, according to preliminary data published by the EU's climate monitor. Credit: Getty Images)

For more than 1,400 years, Saudi Arabia has hosted pilgrims from across the world who travel to this sacred patch of desert to fulfil a religious obligation.Beyond the eternal moral duty, the economic potential of hosting both Hajj, and Umrah - a shorter pilgrimage - is vast. The kingdom is aiming to welcome 30 million pilgrims every year by 2030. As more Muslims gain the financial means to undertake this journey, we look at the scale of the opportunity—for Saudi Arabia, and the global travel industry.If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected] and produced by Sameer Hashmi(Picture: Muslim worshippers gather for prayers at the Grand Mosque complex in the holy city of Mecca on June 2, 2025 ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Credit: Getty Images)

Is longevity the next growth industry? We look at why billionaires are betting on 'rejuvenation' tech and whether any of this could help more of us live beyond 100. We meet the entrepreneurs selling 'superfoods', personalised health plans, and longevity consulting, hoping to cash in on a longer life. Their methods are unproven and sometimes extreme, but could the billionaires be on to something? If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected] Presented and produced by Thomas Mason (Picture: A silhouette of a man stargazing under a clear, starry night sky with the Milky Way visible. Artistic composite. Credit: Getty Images)

Ice hockey was hit hard by the pandemic, with empty arenas and financial losses threatening the sport's future. Now in 2025, North America's National Hockey League (NHL) has come roaring back. We'll look at that journey and how the sport is about to enjoy a record-breaking season with predicted revenues of $6.6bn.If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected]: Sam Gruet Producer: Megan Lawton(Anton Lundell of the Florida Panthers scores a goal against Joseph Woll of the Toronto Maple Leafs during the first period of Game Seven of the Second Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Scotiabank Arena on May 18, 2025 in Toronto, Canada. Credit: Getty Images)

The small country has big ambitions to become a tech and innovation hub. It has a reliable source of renewable energy, thanks to the Itaipu Dam - a huge hydroelectric dam on the Paraguay-Brazil border.We hear from government ministers and business leaders about how they believe they can make it happen - and the benefits it could bring, particularly to young people in Paraguay.Produced and presented by Jane Chambers(Image: The Itaipu Dam - a hydroelectric dam on the Paraguay-Brazi border. Credit: Getty Images)

A new type of solar cell has been developed and has made it to market.Perovskites have been called a 'magic material' that many believe will be the new, efficient way to convert the sun's energy to electricity.Now the material is being used on commercial roof panels for the first time, we look at the opportunities of the new tech, its flaws, and when it might be available to households.If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected] and produced by Rick Kelsey(Picture: Illustration of a modern perovskite high performance solar cell module for high efficient photon recycling. Credit: Getty Images)

In the final episode of our series, we've gather together a panel of experts who all have an interest in critical mineral mining.Demand for minerals like cobalt, lithium and copper is growing rapidly, as countries turn to green energy solutions. These minerals are used in EV batteries and wind turbines. So what does the future hold? How do countries approach China's dominance in both mining and processing, and what about the environmental and ethical concerns? Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Lexy O'Connor(Photo: Off-shore wind turbines in Denmark, located on Middelgrunden a few kilometres outside Copenhagen. Credit: Getty Images)

Rising demand for critical minerals to fuel the green energy transition means an expansion of mining around the world. New mines are opening, existing mines are being scaled up. In the fourth programme in our series, we find out about the impact of mineral mining on the planet and for those people both working in the mines and living nearby.We head to the Democratic Republic of the Congo where there are claims that child labour is being used in so called ‘artisanal’ mines and there is little scrutiny of the supply chain. Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Lexy O'Connor(Image: Artisanal miners carry sacks of ore at a mine near Kolwezi in 2022. Credit: Getty Images)

China’s headstart in market dominance is significant, and its grip on critical mineral supply chains remains tight. The question now is whether other governments can move fast enough — and smart enough — to build something more secure, more sustainable, and less dependent. We head to La Rochelle in western France for a rare look inside one of the world’s biggest rare earth processing plants, and find out what it reveals about Europe’s efforts to build a supply chain of its own.Presenter: Jonathan Josephs Producer: Matt Lines(Image: A rare earth processing plant in La Rochelle, France, owned by chemicals giant Solvay)