After the catastrophic financial crisis, early signs of stability are returning to Sri Lanka. But there’s arguably a more entrenched economic dilemma in the country that had the world’s first female prime minister - the lack of women in work. With first-hand testimony of harassment and social exclusion, this programme examines the barriers holding women back. Presenter Laura Heighton-Ginns also visits a women-only employer, successful restaurant chain Hela Bojun, and speaks to presidential advis...
Dec 05, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast More than a quarter of all clothes made are never actually sold - where do they go? We look into new legislation being finalised by the EU, to try and make fashion more sustainable. There will be a ban on the incineration of unsold goods and each product will need a digital passport so it can be tracked and its lifetime monitored. Hannah Mullane speaks to businesses across Europe about whether they think the industry is ready for these kind of changes. We also head to Ghana, to the Kantamanto ma...
Dec 04, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Konrad Bergstrom comes from a family of seafarers. And as a business leader, he wants to make navigating the seas environmentally friendly. His business, X Shore, has been dubbed "the Tesla of the seas". Konrad is now considered one of Sweden's leading entrepreneurs, having also founded Zound industries - the tech company that produces electronics for Marshall Amplification and Adidas. But it's not all been plain sailing for the businessman. In this edition of Business Daily, Leanna Byrne finds ...
Dec 01, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Greenhouse gas levels have never been higher. If we're to limit global warming, businesses have a crucial role to play because they operate in sectors that need to radically change, like energy, transport and finance. Thousands of company bosses are touching down in Dubai for this year's COP28 climate change talks. But environmentalists claim many businesses are not acting fast enough. They're increasingly concerned about the growing number of fossil fuel companies attending these summits. Are t...
Nov 30, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s the world’s largest user of coal fired energy, and the biggest polluter. However, China is also the world’s biggest producer of green energy. How can it reconcile the two and keep its next zero promises? Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Lexy O'Connor (Image: Thermal power and solar power in Shanghai. Two power generation methods in one photo. Credit: Getty Images)
Nov 29, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s the week of the Climate Change Conference or COP28, and as leaders from around the world meet in the UAE to talk about how to tackle global warming, we take a look at one urgent issue: air pollution. According to World Health Organisation data, nearly seven million lives are lost prematurely each year due to harmful air. In this edition. Devina Gupta explores the air problem affecting major cities in Asia - to the cities of Delhi, Lahore, Taipei and Jakarta - to find out how lives and livel...
Nov 28, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Spain is trying to position itself as the centre of renewable energy production in Europe, particularly in green hydrogen. The country already boasts one of the first centres worldwide where green hydrogen is produced. But while it rushes headlong with several projects in the pipeline, we examine the economic viability and the impact of producing green hydrogen. (Image: A green hydrogen manufacturing facility. Credit: Iberdrola) Presented and produced by Ashish Sharma...
Nov 27, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast We find out why he's a controversial appointment for the COP28 presidency. Sultan Al Jaber’s appointment has been widely questioned because he’s also the boss of Abu Dhabi’s state oil company Adnoc. But supporters point to his work as founder of the green energy giant Masdar. Is he compromised or uniquely qualified? We speak to people who’ve interviewed him, worked with him, and can give us the inside track. Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Lexy O'Connor (Image: Sultan Al-Jaber. Credit: Getty Im...
Nov 24, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast They are the cables that run along the sea bed to move power where it’s needed for a cheaper price. Business Daily’s Rick Kelsey goes to the site of The Viking Link - the longest one ever built - just before it goes live between the UK and Demark. We’ll be hearing what these cables may do for our electricity costs and how safe they are from sabotage. Rebecca Sedler Managing Director for NG Interconnectors tells us how it will save people money, and engineer Oliver Kitching spent four weeks on th...
Nov 23, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kimchi, the tangy fermented vegetable dish, is now being made and sold around the world. South Korea’s kimchi export value has risen dramatically in the past few years, going far beyond Asia. And it's consumed by not only overseas Koreans but by the locals too. While kimchi remains a distinctly Korean dish, in recent years, those with little to no connection to the country have been producing and selling kimchi. What is behind the rise? In this edition, David Cann looks into the growing populari...
Nov 22, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast When is a diamond really a diamond? When it’s been formed miles underground a billion years ago, or when has it been created in a laboratory, under temperatures close to the heat of the sun? The answer is – both are true. They look and behave exactly the same, but they are very different in price. The lab-grown diamonds are marketed as kinder to the environment, and they are far cheaper - and that’s led to concern about whether the two kinds have been mixed together, with man-made stones passed ...
Nov 21, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast A few years ago you could have assumed all diamonds had been dug out of the ground – but now it’s true that some of them have been created, at unbelievably high temperatures, in just a matter of weeks. In the first of two Business Daily programmes about the evolving diamond market, Lesley Curwen heads to the glamorous jewellery district of Hatton Garden in London – to see how the jewellery world is being re-shaped by the mass production of laboratory-made stones. We hear from India how they’re c...
Nov 20, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast The South African former pro rider set up his cycling team in 2007. As MTN Qhubeka they became the first-ever African registered team to ride the Tour de France. He talks about the challenges of putting together a team from scratch - and the steep learning curve he faced moving from cycling to managing. After a successful stint on the world stage, a combination of financial and sponsorship problems lead to the team, which by then had gone through multiple name changes, being disbanded in 2021. D...
Nov 17, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast There are two candidates: one is the current economy minister who has a wealth of experience in power; the other is a maverick libertarian economist who wants to ditch the country’s currency, the peso, and strip the central bank of its ability to print money. We speak to his senior economic advisor, and also to a wine producer from the western province of Mendoza, who tells us about the challenges of doing business in a country with two exchange rates, severe restrictions on imports, a heavy tax...
Nov 16, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast We’re looking ahead to the meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping in San Francisco – the first time the two leaders will have met in 12 months. Diplomatic ties between Washington and Beijing have deteriorated this year, with tensions rising over Taiwan and the South China Sea. Meanwhile, there’s been a tit-for-tat trade spat over semiconductors and raw materials. As the presidents meet on the side lines of the APEC summit, Vivienne Nunis takes stock of the relationship between the w...
Nov 15, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Some owners are converting their vehicles into EVs. The idea is to boost the performance of these cars and make them ready for a green future. The process is not cheap - it requires specialists who can retain the vintage value of these cars while fitting them with a modern electric engine. Critics feel that such a transition takes away the emotional and engineering legacy of these vehicles. So we travel across the UK to find out about the challenges and the future of this niche business that is ...
Nov 14, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 saw millions of Ukrainian women and children flee to safety; causing massive upheaval and hitting the economy hard. For the women who have stayed, their lives have been transformed; many have taken on new roles, like Tetiana, who is now working underground in a coal mine, and Evgeniya, who is now a sniper on the frontline. Others, like Alina Kacharovska, have managed to grow their businesses; in this case, shoes and accessories, or are stepping in...
Nov 13, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Argentinian-American tech entrepreneur moved to the US in 1997 and carved out a career in the corporate world before breaking free and setting out on her own. In late 2020, the remote working company TransparentBusiness, which she co-founded 12 years earlier, achieved a $1bn valuation. Now she continues to push for gender and racial equality in the workplace, is an investor on the TV show Unicorn Hunters, and has also established a new asset-backed cryptocurrency. She explains her journey, t...
Nov 10, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Fears are growing for the future of the country's bars - especially in rural areas. In less than 20 years almost a quarter of Irish pubs have closed, many of them businesses which have been run by the same family for generations. R Russell Padmore travels across the Emerald Isle to hear how the closure of pubs is a setback for rural communities, but also a worry for the country’s tourism industry. We hear from owners of pubs in County Donegal, a beer brewing company and a hospitality sector expe...
Nov 09, 2023•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast There is a growing debate in the US about the caste system - an ancient social ranking system where the community you are born into determines what kind of job you do, who you marry, and much more. The caste system in India dates back over 3,000 years and divides Hindu society into different social strata. In many South Asian countries, it is outlawed. But members of the South Asian diaspora in the US say this type of caste bias persists, and there is often very little protection at workplaces a...
Nov 08, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast We travel to South America to meet the Chinese migrants who are making their way to the United States using an unexpected route - the established migrant trail through South and Central America to the southern border with Mexico. Citing economic challenges at home - and using inspiration from social media - a growing number are making this perilous trek. Reporter Shawn Yuan travels along the route speaking to migrants about their journey and their aspirations for the future. Presenter: Shawn Yua...
Nov 07, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Saudi Pro League has attracted some of the top players from around the world - with transfer fees and salaries amounting to millions of dollars. We travel to Saudi Arabia to look at the country's ambitious plan to become a global football powerhouse - is it an economic move or simply sportswashing? With Saudi Arabia now it's looking set to be confirmed as the host of the World Cup in 2034, we look at its relationship with football. Presenter: Sameer Hashmi (Image: Saudi football club Al Hila...
Nov 06, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast The region of Bordeaux in the south-west of France is perhaps the most famous wine-producing area in the world. But it’s struggling. While the prestigious, most expensive wines – Saint-Émilions, Pomerols and Margaux are selling well, others are not. For the producers of the 850 million bottles of the region's famous red wine, it’s a difficult time due to a major decline in consumption. We look at the reasons for this, the impact it’s having, and what winemakers are doing to help protect their li...
Nov 02, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Have you tried learning a language online? We explore the growth of language learning platforms with Babbel CEO Arne Schepker, and how the Covid pandemic lead to an increase in learning digitally. Mr Schepker explains how more international working and personal relationships has led to an increase in demand. And how smartphones and the internet have changed that age-old aspiration of gaining fluency in another language. Presenter: Dougal Shaw (Image: Arne Schepker. Credit: BBC)...
Nov 02, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Sam Bankman-Fried, the American crypto entrepreneur who went from billionaire to bankrupt, is on trial in New York for fraud. The 31-year-old who founded the cryptocurrency exchange FTX is accused of lying to investors and lenders. He has denied those charges, and instead says he was acting in good faith but made mistakes. He says he never set out to defraud anyone. In the coming days, 12 jurors will decide his fate - he could face a life sentence in prison if convicted. Vivienne Nunis speaks to...
Nov 01, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Trick or treat and other traditions are now at the centre of a global multi-billion business. The ancient Celtic and Pagan festival, which started thousands of years ago in Ireland, was taken by emigrants to North America, where it was turned into a major annual event. The National Retail Federation in the US tells Russell Padmore how spending by consumers is forecast to be a record of more than $12bn. Jadrain Wooten, an economist at Virginia Tech, says the sales promotions for Halloween are get...
Oct 31, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Countries around the world are racing to achieve targets on the ban of new petrol and diesel cars - but they are hitting stumbling blocks, meaning some are pulling back on their commitments. Although global sales of electric cars are rising, some countries are struggling to persuade drivers to make the switch. Reasons given include insufficient or unsuitable charging points, and the price tag: criticism is often put to governments that the shift to electric cars is hardest for the least well off...
Oct 30, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast After many months of news headlines about whether Elon Musk was going to buy Twitter, he eventually completed the purchase on 27 October 2022. Since then, the company’s been through some big changes; laying off most of its 8000 employees, a rebrand to ‘X’, and reinstating some previously banned accounts on the platform. Mr Musk describes himself a free speech absolutist and says he bought Twitter – now called X - to create a space where “a wide range of beliefs can be debated in a healthy manner...
Oct 26, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast In 2015, Akinwumi Adesina was elected President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), and since then he's become a symbol of optimism across the continent. How did he become known as Africa's "optimist-in-chief"? In this edition of Business Daily, Dr Adesina tells Peter MacJob what has shaped him as an economist, his outlook for the continent and how Africa could determine the future of renewable energy and green minerals. He says the international financial architecture should be more inclusi...
Oct 25, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Short selling has gone mainstream. Inspired by the noisy success of activist short sellers, amateur investors are now trying this highly risky strategy themselves. They’re aided by a slew of new trading apps making it possible to short a stock or currency in seconds. Peter Roscoe is a YouTube investing vlogger who’s experienced the highs and lows of short selling. We also hear from the UK boss of trading app E-Toro – who says shorting has exploded on the platform. Producer: Ciaran Tracey Present...
Oct 23, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
