Myanmar's military leader, Min Aung Hlaing, has made a rare request for international help after a powerful earthquake hit the centre of the country, flattening buildings and bridges. The US vice president, JD Vance, has accused Denmark of underinvesting in the security of Greenland and leaving it vulnerable. And Rahul Tandon will discuss how Dua Lipa has won the dismissal of a lawsuit that accused her of copying her hit single Levitating from two other songs. We will be joined throughout the pr...
Mar 29, 2025•49 min
The Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, has said the United States is no longer a reliable partner after President Donald Trump imposed 25% tariffs on car imports. Rahul Tandon speaks to businesses in both the US and Canada. China's biggest company, Tencent Holdings, has made more than a billion-dollar investment in a new spin-off company of the French gaming giant Ubisoft, which owns franchises including Assassin’s Creed and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six. And if you speak a language other than Eng...
Mar 28, 2025•49 min
The US President Donald Trump has announced plans for long-promised tariffs on automotive imports shipped into the United States, and the tariffs will go into effect on 2nd April and will apply to finished cars and trucks that are shipped into the United States. Also, Maryland is marking one year since a cargo ship crashed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge. The owner of the ship agreed to pay 102 million in damages back in September, and now it’s expected that the new bridge will be fini...
Mar 27, 2025•49 min
Roger Hearing is joined by Shoeb Kagda, an Indonesian journalist and Takara Small, national technology columnist for CBC in Toronto. Ukraine's President Zelensky says Russia is "lying" about the terms of their Black Sea ceasefire. Russia, in turn, insists that certain sanctions on banks, insurers, and food exporters must be lifted before the ceasefire takes effect. In Indonesia, why are academic performances among the lowest despite the government investing $31bn last year? Plus, would you pay $...
Mar 26, 2025•49 min
Roger Hearing is joined by Peter Morici, Professor Emeritus at the University of Maryland in Virginia and Jyoti Malhotra, Editor-in-Chief at The Tribune in Chandigarh, India. President Trump said that any country buying oil or gas from Venezuela will pay a 25% tariff on trades with the US. He also said he may give some countries a tariff break. How has a Chinese electric vehicle company taken over Tesla? We hear from Tu Le, founder of Beijing-based advisory company Sino Auto Insights, and co-hos...
Mar 25, 2025•49 min
Ed Butler is joined by Peter Ryan, ABC's senior business correspondent in Sydney Australia and Gaby Castro Fontoura, Director of Sunny Sky Solutions - a business consultancy from Uruguay. We look at the impact of Western aid cuts on Africa. Heathrow Airport has lifted its usual night-time restrictions to help restore normal air travel after Friday’s widespread disruption. Plus, the side hustle is on the rise in the U.S. even among professionals as more people take on second jobs amid growing eco...
Mar 22, 2025•49 min
Thousands of people have been trafficked into Myanmar and forced to work in scam compounds, running online fraud operations that target victims globally. We hear from one of the most senior people at the United Nations trying to tackle the problem. Indonesia—once hailed as one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies—is facing a sharp sell-off in its stock market. We break down what’s driving investor anxiety. And we examine whether Apple’s smartphone tech is falling behind the hype....
Mar 21, 2025•49 min
The US Federal reserve holds interest rates. The rate remains unchanged despite the uncertainty created by tariffs Argentina's economy has shrunk 1.7% in 2024 compared with 2023. We hear from Professor of Economics at Belgrano University, Luis Arguero And how will the second hand clothes marker benefit from tariffs?
Mar 20, 2025•53 min
Ukraine's power plants have been the subject of missile assaults since the beginning of the war. We ask how has Ukraine’s energy infrastructure survived the war? Germany’s Parliament has passed historic ‘debt backed’ defence spending measures, so the country can borrow far more for weapons and infrastructure. And one of Hollywood’s biggest producers, Village Roadshow, has filed for bankruptcy. The production house was responsible for titles such as ‘The Matrix’ and ‘Ocean’s Eleven’.
Mar 19, 2025•53 min
The OECD has said Mexico’s economy will shrink due to tariffs imposed by the US. Mexico is now forecast to contract by 1.3% this year and shrink a further 0.6% next year, instead of growing by 1.2% and 1.6% as previously expected. A Peruvian farmer has taken RWE, the German energy giant, to court arguing the company’s greenhouse gas emissions are causing glaciers to melt, increasing the flood risk to his home And consumer protection group in Hong Kong has advised people looking for a new mattres...
Mar 18, 2025•53 min
The US government narrowly avoids a shutdown after Democratic senators back a Republican-led spending bill, exposing deep party divisions. Was this a necessary compromise or a political defeat? Steff Chávez from the FT breaks it down. Meanwhile, gold hits a record $3,000 per ounce as investors seek stability. But who really benefits? Adrian Ash of BullionVault and Julia Yansura from FACT discuss the legal and illicit gold trade. Also, Canada’s new PM, Mark Carney, faces economic challenges, incl...
Mar 15, 2025•53 min
President Trump has threatened a 200% tariffs on alcohol imported from the EU in response to the EU's plan to impose a 50% tariff on US whiskey Donatella Versace is standing down as creative officer of the luxury fashion label, Versace And carmaker Nissan says it has just completed the latest stage of an eight-year project to develop technology for self-driving cars. The BBC’s Theo Leggit went to find out more.
Mar 14, 2025•53 min
The Canadian government says it will follow ‘dollar-by-dollar’ approach and institute 25% tariffs on US imports. This comes after the EU announced its own tariffs on US goods. President Trump says "whatever they charge us with, we're charging them". Rahul Tandon speaks to EU, Canadian and US businesses. Spotify paid out a record £7.7 billion to the music industry last year. And why does the internet have a memory problem?
Mar 13, 2025•48 min
Canada and the United States have each backtracked on some tariff threats amid further trade turmoil. But America still plans a 25% tariff on Canadian steel and aluminium imports on Wednesday. As the world awaits to hear if Russia will agree on a ceasefire, we hear what it could mean for Ukraine’s economy. Why is China's president pushing for the country to be a global leader of AI by 2030? And, as Manchester United plans to build a $2 billion stadium, Rahul Tandon asks can they afford it?...
Mar 12, 2025•49 min
How are tariffs fuelling the decline in US markets and Canadian patriotism? US markets are down today after President Trump refused to rule out recession in an interview. The Nasdaq suffered its worst day in several years, closing down by four percent. The tariffs have also prompted a surge in Canadian patriotism. Rahul Tandon speaks to an app developer making buying local easier. And why are we talking about instant noodles?
Mar 11, 2025•49 min
Ports in the United States are experiencing ‘record levels of activities’ due to the tariffs and businesses trying to stock up to avoid the threat of tariffs and trade war. Bitcoin makes it big in Washington as President Trump establishes an official government cryptocurrency reserve office after meeting with crypto business leaders in the White House. And also we hear about hundreds of female tennis players on the WTA tour will be eligible for twelve months' paid maternity leave. Rahul Tandon w...
Mar 08, 2025•49 min
Donald Trump’s administration has backtracked further from its threat to impose sweeping 25 per cent tariffs on Mexico and Canada, in a major climbdown. We examine China's plans to boost employment just months before more than twelve million university graduates are set to enter the job market. Plus, the Danish postal service will deliver its last letter at the end of the year. It ends 400 years of a letter-sending service in the country. Presenter Rahul Tandon discusses these stories with James...
Mar 07, 2025•49 min
Presenter Rahul Tandon hears from guests in the US and Bangladesh following the suspension of tariffs on auto imports from Mexico and Canada. We also examine how Donald Trump’s 90-day funding freeze for aid projects will impact Bangladeshi society. And uncover what makes the new computer game, Two Point Museum, so appealing after rave reviews.
Mar 06, 2025•50 min
On the programme, we'll explore the ripple effects of U.S. tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China. President Trump is scheduled to address Congress, during which he is expected to discuss new U.S. trade tariffs and the situation in Ukraine. This address marks his first major speech since returning to the White House. Plus, we'll examine how these tariffs could lead to higher car prices for U.S. motorists. And the Chinese government presents a review of its achievements last year and economic goals...
Mar 05, 2025•49 min
US President Donald Trump has ordered a halt to all military aid deliveries to Ukraine. This decision follows closely on the heels of his intense meeting with President Zelensky at the White House. Also on the programme, we examine reactions to Trump’s confirmation of a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, as well as an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods. We discuss the broader implications of these measures, including their potential impact on U.S. consumer prices and the strategie...
Mar 04, 2025•49 min
Unprecedented scenes in the White House as President Trump and President Zelensky get into a furious row in front of the cameras, which have likely ended any immediate prospect of a deal on peace, or Ukraine's minerals. What will it mean for Kyiv's security, America's role in Europe, and Russia's territorial ambitions? Also the consequences of Donald Trump's plans to make English the official US language, we hear if it could affect some businesses. Meanwhile, why Africa is taking steps to protec...
Mar 01, 2025•49 min
We discuss President Donald Trump’s plans to bring in delayed tariffs for goods coming from in Mexico, and Canada. He says they are failing to curb the export of the drug fentanyl. We hear from a former editor of the Washington Post after its current owner Jeff Bezos declares the paper will in future only publish opinion pieces that support personal liberties. We examine the success of the Japanese pocket-monster cartoon franchise, Pokeman. It has captured the world's imagination over the last 2...
Feb 28, 2025•49 min
The US president Donald Trump said his administration would soon announce a 25% tariff on imports from the EU. Who will win in this trade war? We look at Nvidia's first earnings report since shock debut of Chinese AI DeepSeek. We find out why Russian cinemas are looking forward to start negotiations with Hollywood studios. And how the Maha Kumbh Mela affecting Indian economy? You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033. We would love to hear from you!...
Feb 27, 2025•49 min
Ukrainian officials say a deal has been reached between Kyiv and Washington on the joint exploitation of Ukraine's mineral resources. What will happen next? Also, we look at a growing trend - the cutback aid programs across the globe - how will it affect African countries? We look at the blackouts in Chile... And will tech giant Apple change its diversity practices? You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033. We would love to hear from you!...
Feb 26, 2025•49 min
Could we see a deal this week between Ukraine and the US on Ukraine's valuable mineral deposits? President Trump says it's very close and he is expecting President Zelensky to sign it in Washington in the coming days. But what would such a deal involve? And how much are the minerals really worth? You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033. We would love to hear from you!
Feb 25, 2025•49 min
Apple is removing its highest level data security tool from customers in the UK. So what does that mean for iPhone users? We hear from a cyber security expert. And the New York Yankees dropped their ban on beards, 49 years after it was imposed by owner. Also, are soap operas dead? This is following the news that the long running Australian series, 'Neighbours' will come to an end this year. Global business news, with live guests and contributions from Asia and the USA.
Feb 22, 2025•49 min
President Trump says Mexican drug cartels are terrorists groups. And Mexico is accusing the US of facilitating terrorism by putting guns into the cartels hands. And the James Bond film franchise will no longer be controlled by the Broccoli dynasty. Creative control will now be given to Amazon MGM Studios. How has life changed since the LA firestorms? LA resident and Business Matters regular Allie Garfinkel tells us what life in the city is like now. Also why is the comfy sandal brand Birkenstock...
Feb 21, 2025•49 min
The US president, Donald Trump, moves to revoke the approval of New York City’s congestion pricing programs. We hear from one of the architects of the congestion charge policy in the city. Microsoft has unveiled a new quantum chip called Majorana One, which it says will help the company create computers able to solve meaningful industrial-scale problems in years, not decades. And Roger Hearing discusses how a local government in the Philippines has come up with an unusual way of combating dengue...
Feb 20, 2025•49 min
The US and Russia have outlined their intention to build relations far beyond a deal over Ukraine—extending to cooperation on other global issues and developing sizeable economic and investment links. Argentine President Javier Milei has denied promoting a newly launched cryptocurrency that collapsed shortly after he mentioned it in a social media post on Friday. And Ed Butler hears about a shocking revelation from Nasa that a large asteroid could be on course to hit earth. Although the space ag...
Feb 19, 2025•49 min
European leaders have been meeting in Paris to discuss military support for Ukraine. The United States has demanded that Europe increases defence spending and sends troops to Ukraine if there is a ceasefire in the war with Russia. Also, are Canadians boycotting US goods in shops after President Trump’s tariff threats? And Ed Butler reports from one of Africa’s biggest e-waste dumps in Ghana. Also, Meta, Facebook’s parent company, says it plans to build the world’s longest undersea cable, to brin...
Feb 18, 2025•49 min
