Business Daily

We hear from people protesting in the government-controlled city of Sweida.Criticism of President Bashar al-Assad has been growing in Sweida since demonstrations began in mid-August over the removal of fuel subsidies. It's the latest measure that has put a strain on people suffering from an economic meltdown.A resident and activist tells us what life is like for him living in the city, plus we hear from a Syrian economist, and a form adviser to President al_Assad now based in the US.Presenter: Ed Butler(Image: People protest in the Syria's southern city of Sweida on September 1, 2023. Credit: Getty Images)

K-Pop, short for Korean Popular music, has become a global phenomenon with millions of fans worldwide.It’s a multi-billion dollar industry with 80 million units of physical albums sold in 2022. But a huge chunk of it goes straight to landfill.Why are the fans buying so many albums just to throw them away?We hear from fans, artists and tech companies who are trying to make the industry greener.Presenter: David Cann(Picture: Victon; Credit: IST Entertainment)

We meet the Chinese property tycoon and multi-millionaire who, along with his then-wife, once moved in the highest echelons of power in Beijing.But the couple fell foul of the Chinese government during Xi Jinping’s inexorable rise to power and in 2017 Desmond’s ex-wife was abducted – he says by the Chinese state. She vanished for two years and even now is restricted in her movements, although she’s never been charged with any crime. Mr Shum now lives in the UK, from where he gave us his extraordinary account of business life at the highest level in China. And he tells us why he thinks the current Chinese economy is rotten to the core. Presenter: Ed Butler(Image: Desmond Shum. Credit: Desmond Shum)

The former British colony in South America boasts the world’s fastest-growing economy at the moment – it expanded by 62 per cent last year, according to the International Monetary Fund.The reason is oil. Since 2015, US oil major Exxon and its partners have made a series of massive discoveries in Guyanese waters, catapulting the country into the world’s top 20 in terms of reserves.That’s bringing billions of dollars into the economy but also challenges: how can Guyana avoid the ‘resource curse’ - the mismanagement and corruption that have afflicted other commodity-rich nations? How can it exploit the oil bonanza with a population of less than a million people? And has the oil come too late anyway – just as the world move away from fossil fuels?We talk to the country’s president Irfaan Ali.Presenter and producer: Gideon Long(Image: President Irfaan Ali. Credit: Keon Blades/ Office of the President Guyana)

Science is all around us but a lot of it can be difficult to understand.Gareth Mitchell speaks to people building careers around helping make science understandable to the general public.We speak to a YouTuber making music about science, a science festival organiser and a science communication consultant who works with different businesses to make science more engaging and easy to access. Producer: Hannah Mullane Presenter: Gareth Mitchell(Image: Ellie Mackay at work. Credit: Ellie Mackay)

It's a rapidly emerging technology that has the potential to solve problems at an incredible pace. At the moment its uses are limited but that hasn’t stopped investment rolling into the sector and businesses from making money as the technology develops around the world. Gareth Mitchell speaks to three different quantum businesses to discuss its viability and its risk. Presenter: Gareth Mitchell Producer: Hannah Mullane(Image: Quantum entanglement. Credit: Getty Images)

We travel to a facility in the south of England to see one of the super-fast computers in action.We’ll find out what quantum computing has the potential to do, what its going to take to make that a reality and importantly whether quantum businesses are making any money...Presenter: Gareth Mitchell Producer: Hannah Mullane (Image: A quantum computer. Credit: Oxford Quantum Circuits)

For all the exciting developments in the synthetic biology industry, there are also concerns. People can edit genes in their garages these days, so who’s regulating this space?Plus - we’ll hear about the exciting new business models with biology at their core, including one of the first synbio businesses to trade as a public stock - Ginkgo Bioworks.Presenter: Gareth Mitchell Producer: Izzy Greenfield(Image: A petri dish in a lab. Credit: Getty Images)

In this week’s series focusing on business and science, we start things off by looking at the world of synthetic biology.The industry is estimated to be worth around $30bn in the next few years, but how is that money actually made?We speak to businesses across the world to find out how they’ve taken the building blocks of synthetic biology and engineered them into products that we use on a daily basis.Presenter: Gareth Mitchell Producer: Izzy Greenfield(Image: A scientist working with lab grown meat. Credit: Getty Images)

Many of us have drawers and boxes full of beauty products that we never end up finishing. We meet the Nordic start-ups who are trying to cut some of that waste by changing the way we shop. We find out about tech which personalises products, and then makes it 'on demand' rather than in bulk. And will the use of AI actually end up encouraging people to buy more, rather than less?Presented and produced by Maddy Savage(Image: A scientist at Swedish tech start-up Ellure. Credit: BBC)

Does the paper industry use too much water? As concern about plastic waste grows, many companies have switched from plastic packaging to paper, but how environmentally friendly is paper production? Uruguay, in South America, has been suffering from drought and its forestry and pulp milling industries are coming under increasing scrutiny for the amount of water used. We’ve been to an enormous new pulp mill in central Uruguay, capable of producing more than two million tonnes of pulp every year, to find out more. Producer / presenter: Grace Livingstone(Image: Water protests in Uruguay; Credit: BBC)

How does sleep relate to your job, your income, or your socio-economic status? We look at the impact of a good, and bad night’s rest. We discuss the factors affecting sleep, including access to health care, where and how you live, and how that might influence other aspects of your life.Plus we look at the growing market in devices to ‘cure’ sleep problems.Producer and presenter: Elizabeth Hotson (Image: A man in bed in a deep sleep. Credit: Getty Images)

Delegates will soon descend on Saudi Arabia for perhaps the most consequential meeting in UNESCO’s history. With an extended agenda after last year’s cancellation, it’s the first World Heritage Committee meeting to be held in-person for four years.In this episode we examine the so-called ‘UNESCO effect’ - and hear from entrepreneurs around Angkor Wat, in Cambodia, about the mixed consequences of its listing. We also hear from officials in Liverpool, in England, about UNESCO's decision to remove World Heritage status from the city's historic centre and docklands.Presenter / producer: Laura Heighton-Ginns Image: Angkor Wat; Credit: Getty Images

These tech powerhouses bring in money and jobs but can be environmentally problematic and in Ireland data centres account for almost a fifth of the electricity consumption.We explore how Ireland can keep hold of this valuable industry and make sure it's energy supply isn't affected.Producer / presenter: Leanna Byrne (Image: Data centre; Credit: Getty Images)

Taylor Swift's Eras tour is predicted to make a record $1 billion - but how?As countries around the world grapple with high inflation, how has Taylor Swift been able to persuade fans to spend money?Olivia Wilson speaks to Brittany Hodak, author of Creating Superfans, to understand the role Swiftomania has played in her commercial and financial success.Tyler Morse is the CEO of MCR, the third largest hotel owner-operator in the United States. He explains how Taylor Swift’s concerts have had a significant impact on the local economies of the cities she has toured in – including some of his hotels in Phoenix, Arizona. Presented and produced by Olivia Wilson.(Image: Taylor Swift performing in Seattle. Credit: Getty Images)

Many of us started working from home in the coronavirus pandemic - and never went back. Now, office space in many cities around the world is standing empty. We visit Mumbai, New York and London, where an increase in home working means buildings in business districts standing empty. And Singapore, which seems to be bucking the trend, with demand as high as ever.We also hear from the CEO of US-based commercial real estate company Remax - are we witnessing the end of the traditional office? Produced and presented by Alex Bell.

The humble wine cork, once the main way to stop a bottle of wine, had its market share decimated in the 1990’s when screw caps were favoured. However, the problem of 'corked' wine has been almost completely solved and cork is recognised as a more sustainable, if slightly less convenient material for wine makers to use.In this episode we visit the world’s largest cork producing region in Portugal to find out more about how the cork industry has hit the good times once again. We explore which wines taste better with cork and how supermarkets are cutting down on wine packaging. Presenter / producer: Rick Kelsey Additional reporting: Alastair Leithead Image: Cork production; Credit: Getty Images

Working irregular hours, including overnight, means meal times can be disrupted. So what impact does this have on the body and overall health?We hear from workers in Mumbai and Lagos about their experiences, plus get advice from a dietician about what and when you should be eating. Produced and presented by Marie Keyworth.(Image: Workers in a construction camp cutting metal at night. Credit: Getty Images)

The government in Bangladesh is trying to modernise its economy and has announced a policy to create digital only banks. The idea is to move away from traditional bricks and mortar banks and provide more financial services to people in remote areas. For fintech companies that operate digital wallets – this is a gamechanger. However, many people in the country don’t have access to smartphones or the internet, so how will these banks work for them and for Bangladesh’s economy?Presenter / producer: Devina Gupta Image: Money exchange; Credit: Getty Images

Dive into a world of amazing cakes and cafes, where look and taste combine in the hope of tempting customers to part with their cash for sweet treats.Explore how our tastes and habits are changing when it comes to buying and eating cakes and puddings – and find out why social media is now crucial to the baking and dessert café industry. Presenter / producer: Emb Hashmi Image: Forever Rose cafe; Credit: Ebraheem Al Samadi