From Tibet to the Andes to the highlands of Ethiopia, around 150 million people around the world work at high altitude. Many were born there, but in a globalized world of mass migration, many weren’t, and are toiling in environments that their bodies maybe aren’t accustomed to. What does that mean for their health and for the companies that employ them? We go to a high altitude copper mine in the Chilean Andes and talk to doctors about the potential risks of working on top of the world. Producer...
Aug 01, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast The country produces 70% of it's electricity this way - and is the global leader. It's aiming to prolong the lifespan of its 56 existing nuclear reactors – and construct additional ones. President Macron is calling it "the nuclear renaissance" of France. However some people still have concerns over the safety measures in place. So how much sense does France's nuclear strategy make, economically speaking? Produced and presented by Lisa Louis. Image:
Jul 31, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast What does it take to host a brand new multi-sport competition? We're in Rotterdam which is hosting the inaugural European Para Championships 2023. It's hoped that holding events at the same time will raise the profile of para sports - and be more cost effective. What does it take to get a fresh idea like this off the ground? Producer/Presenter: Matthew Kenyon (Image: Archer Roy Klaassen aiming his bow. Credit: European Para Championships / Rutger Pauw)
Jul 28, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Janelle Jones is currently the chief economist of one of the biggest union movements in America and before that she worked in White House. Janelle was the first black woman to serve as chief economist in the Labor department. She tells us about her time there, how she got into economics and what keeps her grounded. Presenter: Devina Gupta Production: Sam Clack and Carmel O'Grady Image:
Jul 27, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Peter MacJob visits Eti-Oni village in south-west Nigeria, home to the oldest cocoa plantation in the country. It's king, HRH Oba Dokun Thompson, is on a mission to transform the economy of the community by manufacturing chocolates and selling in some of the finest shops across Europe. Over 90% of Eti-Oni's inhabitants are cocoa farmers and although the cocoa industry is worth almost $130bn a year the money does not flow back to cocoa farmers. To try and change this King Thompson has partnered w...
Jul 26, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Bioceanic Highway, aims to link Chile's Pacific coast with Brazil's Atlantic coastline. We’re in landlocked Paraguay to find out how one of the world’s biggest infrastructure projects, could change how people there do business, especially the Mennonites, a powerful, religious farming community who live directly in the new highways' path. Presenter / producer: Jane Chambers Image: Bioceanic highway in Paraguay; Credit: Bob Howard
Jul 25, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Georgia has seen huge economic growth but is there a cost to doing business with Russia? Tens of thousands of Russians moved to the small South Caucasus nation since the war began and they brought along their money and their ideas. In this programme we hear from some of those who have made the move and set up homes and businesses in Georgia. We'll also hear what Georgians, who fought their own war with Russia in 2008, make of the huge growth in trade and economic relations between the two countr...
Jul 24, 2023•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Remember Brandi Chastain? She scored the winning goal in the 1999 Women's World Cup final. She celebrated the goal by whipping off her shirt and swinging it round her head. The image of Brandi in a sports bra was on the cover of newspapers around the world. Now she’s joined forces with former team mates Leslie Osborne, Aly Wagner and Danielle Slaton to create a team, Bay FC, which will play in the US National Women’s Soccer League in 2024. They’re part of a growing trend in women’s football of p...
Jul 21, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Questions are being asked about the footwear that is currently on offer to women and girls. Men and women's feet are very different, so why have large sports companies only just started to do research into women’s football boots? And is this why more high-profile players are succumbing to injury? Olivia Wilson speaks to Laura Youngson, the co-Founder of Ida Sports, one of the only companies that designs and produces female-specific football boots. And Hyde United Women’s football club in the Nor...
Jul 20, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast South America is football crazy, but its women’s teams have never enjoyed the same success as the men’s. Brazil have never won the Women’s World Cup. Argentina have never even won a match at the tournament. Why is that? A lack of investment, TV revenue and sponsors, or deep-seated cultural issues and prejudices? We look at the poor state of finances in the South American women’s game, and hear from women who are trying to change attitudes. They say that if broadcasters and potential sponsors don...
Jul 19, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast As the countries prepare to host the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup for the first time, we find out why they were chosen, and what the legacy of the games will be for them. We take a look at the hospitality sector, including a café owner in New Zealand, who are hoping for a big boost from overseas visitors. How will they make the most of the opportunity, and cope with the influx of people coming into the town. And we hear from an architect about the new training ground that the Australian women's f...
Jul 18, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ahead of the 2023 Women's World Cup in New Zealand and Australia, we look at the business case for growing the sport. Investment in women's football is increasing, in line with greater confidence in its popularity, and higher expectations from players and fans. We ask where the commercial opportunities lie, how much money is coming into the game, and what does the future hold at such a pivotal moment? Presenter and producer: Sam Fenwick (Image: The USA team celebrating winning the 2019 Women's W...
Jul 17, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast The eight-time Premier League winner on his successes and failures in business. Gary Neville tells us why building companies in his home city of Manchester matters to him and explains what level of investment he'd like to see at his former club Manchester United. Presenter: Sean Farrington Producer: Carmel O'Grady Image: Gary Neville; Credit: BBC
Jul 14, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Youth unemployment in Spain is still very high, with 29.3% of working people under 25 out of work. Ahead of the snap General Election which will take place on Sunday 23 July, we speak to new voters and voters in their twenties who are just starting out in their careers. What policies appeal to them, how do they feel about an increasing right-wing presence, and what do they think of politicians using social media and podcasts to try and win their support? We’ll also hear from a young entrepreneur...
Jul 13, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast We're in Hollywood, where a rising number of stars are putting their names on wine and liquor products. Is it a sensible investment? Or is the market reaching saturation point? Reporter KJ Matthews speaks to Bethenny Frankel, businesswoman, philanthropist and star of The Real Housewives of New York. She launched a pre-packaged margarita line, named Skinnygirl Margarita, in 2009. Plus we explore the potential of the growing non-alcoholic market for celebrities. Presenter: KJ Matthews Producers: K...
Jul 12, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast A month on from the election in Turkey President Erdogan has promised to fix the economy. In this programme we find out more about Mehmet Simsek, the new finance minister, who says he'll return Turkey to rational economics and reduce inflation. We also hear from those running businesses in Turkey about what they need to stay afloat. Presenter / producer: Victoria Craig Image: Lira in a cash register; Credit: BBC
Jul 11, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s been claimed artificial intelligence will be as revolutionary as mobile phones or the internet, but there are fears that developments in AI could come at the cost of jobs. We assess the pros and cons of this rapidly-evolving technology, with insight from Marc Raibert, Executive Director of the Boston Dynamics AI Institute. We also consider the impact of generative AI on the arts, with Matt Bellamy from British rock band Muse teasing a potential future collaboration with a humanoid robot. Pr...
Jul 10, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast How are loans and grants distributed? And how high are the returns? According to the IMF, Africa’s growth prospect will be amongst the highest in the world and sectors such as fintech and telecoms are the drivers of the current economic growth, offering huge investment opportunities for foreign businesses. Peter MacJob speaks to Faith Adesemowo, CEO of Social Lender, a company which helps individuals build credit ratings through their social status. Presenter: Peter MacJob Productions: Peter Mac...
Jul 07, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast The African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA, gives duty-free access for exports to the American market, and has done for 23 years. South Africa is one of the countries that has benefitted – but now its inclusion in doubt due to allegations from the US that it has violated its neutrality and supplied weapons to Russia - something South Africa denies. So what would being pushed out of AGOA mean for the country? Plus we hear from Ethiopia – it has been suspended from AGOA due to the the war in ...
Jul 06, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast We look into the growth of foreign investment in Africa’s media space. Africa is generating a huge amount of localized content as international streaming platforms and global media organisations battle to gain a foothold in the market. We find out what’s driving the interest and whether it’s working. Producer / presenter: Bisi Adebayo Image: Reporters in Nairobi; Credit: Getty Images
Jul 05, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast For almost a decade, the Central African Republic has seen growing investment and influence from the Russian mercenary group Wagner. It stretches from education and religion to business and military. The recent mutiny has led to speculation about what the future of Russia's status in the CAR will be. We explore Russia’s role in the CAR, and ask what it means for that country, the continent of Africa and the wider world? Produced and presented by Peter MacJob, additional production from Zigoto Tc...
Jul 04, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Large parts of sub-Saharan Africa are facing dire economic circumstances. The World Bank says more than one in three countries are either in severe financial distress, or are close to default. What’s gone wrong? In the first of a week of programmes, Ed Butler taking the pulse of investment in Africa and looking at ways the situation needs to change. Presenter / producer: Ed Butler Image: Mine in Guinea; Credit: BBC
Jul 03, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Uorfi Javed is one of the most searched for social media stars in Asia, but despite huge fame and popularity she says she struggles to get work as big brands refuse to sign her. Uorfi Javed started out as a TV actress and became famous after wearing a dress made out of bin bags while in the Big Brother house. In this interview she tells us why she continues to dress however she likes despite criticism, how she works with paparazzi photographers to boost her profile and how much money she makes f...
Jun 30, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Many companies are urging staff to return to the office instead of working remotely, but noise levels are rising in workplaces, which can cause stress and undermine productivity. This means offices are now being built or redesigned to control noise, Russell Padmore visits one in Ireland. Producer / presenter: Russell Padmore Image: Office space; Credit: Getty images
Jun 29, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast From the Sydney Opera House to a basic kitchen renovation there are thousands of examples of construction projects large and small which go horribly over budget. Professor Bent Flyvbjerg has compiled a database of 16,000 projects, and by his reckoning only 8.5% them meet their initial estimates of cost and time. He talks to Sam Fenwick about his new book, “How Big Things Get Done”. Presenter / producer: Sam Fenwick Image: Sydney opera house; Credit: Getty Images
Jun 28, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast In September 2021, a volcano erupted on the Spanish Canary Island. It lasted nearly three months. Red hot lava spilled out and destroyed homes, businesses and everything in its path before reaching the sea 10 days later. It split the island in half. Eighteen months on, we travel back to La Palma to see how the islanders are rebuilding their livelihoods and infrastructure. Presented and produced by Ashish Sharma. (Image:Karin Bansberg watering plants outside her temporary wooden home. Credit: BBC...
Jun 27, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast The rush to extract battery metals from the bottom of the ocean and what that could cost financially and environmentally. Michelle Fleury sees a specialist mining robot in action and hears the arguments for and against deep sea mining. Presenter / producer: Michelle Fleury Image
Jun 26, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast We’re at the Paris Air Show - a huge gathering of the biggest names in the global aerospace industry. We will hear about the latest innovations in hypersonic passenger planes and how the sector can address environmental concerns. Plus we speak to the defence sector about the latest developments in AI. Presenter: Theo Leggett Producer: Hannah Mullane (Image: People queuing to see an aircraft at the Paris Air Show. Credit: Reuters)
Jun 23, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast The CEO of the international private healthcare firm Bupa started the role in January 2021, right in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. He speaks to Dougal Shaw about the challenges the company faced, and about lessons learnt for the future. Plus we find out how routine helps to keep Mr Ereño grounded. Produced and presented by Dougal Shaw., Image: Iñaki Ereño. Credit: BBC)
Jun 22, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Every year, India faces blistering heatwaves. In many parts of the country the temperatures are soaring, making it difficult for people to go about their daily lives. It’s the poor who are the most affected. They live in congested slums and have to step out in the heat to earn money. We explore what is being done, and what more could be done, to help them. Presenter / producer: Davina Gupta Image: Woman in Chennai; Credit: EPA/Idrees Mohammed
Jun 21, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
