Business Daily

President Trump has given the Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok a deadline to sell off its US operations, or else he will have it shut down in the country. Microsoft and Oracle have been rumoured to be interested.Russell Brandom of tech site The Verge tells Ed Butler that the extent of what's on offer is over-hyped. But Jason Davis, associate professor of entrepreneurship at Insead says a US-only version of the app would still have considerable merit. In any case, Sandra Wachter, associate professor at the Oxford Internet Institute, says the threat President Trump thinks TikTok represents won't go away simply by shaving off its US operations.Producer: Edwin Lane(Picture Credit: Getty Images.)

Efforts to get healthcare and support materials into Sudan to assist their battle against Coroniavirus are being impeded by sanctions on the country. Although many sanctions have been lifted, Sudan is still listed as a state sponsor of terrorism by the United States, meaning many companies are barred from dealing with the country. Dr Husain Abuakar, head of the emergency department at Omdurman Teaching Hospital in Khartoum, tells us how they've had to make do without vital medical equipment, and his concerns about a second wave. Meanwhile, Dr Sara Abdelgalil of the Sudanese Doctors Union explains how difficult it is for her and other diaspora Sudanese healthcare workers to support their colleagues in Sudan, financially as well as in terms of information-sharing. And Madeleine Crowther from the UK-based charity Waging Peace explains how Sudan ended up on the state sponsor of terrorism list to begin with and why it might soon be off it.Producer: Frey Lindsay.(Picture: A man wearing a face mask in Khartoum. Pict

President Lukashenko has remained defiant in the face of growing protests at his disputed re-election, threatening striking workers with being fired, in a stand-off that could last a long time.Even state broadcasters are raising their voices, as former state TV presenter Dmitry Kohno explains. Ed Butler hears from two leaders in Belarus’ burgeoning tech sector, who worry both for the sector’s continued growth, and their own safety. And economists Anders Aslund and Sergei Guriev question whether Belarus can ever compete as a market economy, or move away from its reliance on Russia.Producer: Frey Lindsay(Picture: Protesters stage a rally in Independence Square, Minsk; Credit: Getty Images)

Coronavirus has impacted economies in every corner of the globe but there’s a fear it’s hitting women’s economic opportunities hardest. Tamasin Ford explores how women in Africa are affected. Lisa Kolovich is an economist at the IMF which is warning the pandemic threatens to roll back gains in women’s economic opportunities despite decades of progress. South African feminist and activist Shamillah Wilson says women’s voices are not being heard at policy level. And Tennen B Dalieh, a government worker and a feminist in Liberia says women and girls are bearing the brunt of the country's second pandemic in a decade.

The impact of the pandemic on gender inequality. Tamasin Ford speaks to Lauren Currie, CEO of Stride and founder of Upfront - organisations focused on getting women’s voices heard - and Gill Whitty Collins, author of Why Men Win at Work, about how the strains of the pandemic have disproportionately affected women. Saunoamaali’i Dr Karanina Sumeo, New Zealand’s equal opportunities commissioner, explains why having more women at the table when policy decisions are made is part of the solution.(Photo: A woman works from home while caring for a child, Credit: Getty Images)

In this week’s programme we’ll be looking at the family rift in Syria which threatens yet more turmoil for the war-torn country. Just why is the country’s richest man defying his cousin - the President? Is there still a free press in Hong Kong - and if not, what does that mean for its status as a financial centre? That’s one of the questions we’ll be trying to answer after the media tycoon and pro-democracy advocate Jimmy Lai was arrested. We’ll also be examining the UK’s latest GDP figures, which saw the country fall into the first recession since the financial crisis. Why has the G7 nation suffered a bigger fall than any other major economy? Plus, we’ll be chatting to a couple of millionaires who tell us how they are far more frugal than we might imagine. Presented by Lucy Burton and produced by Matthew Davies.

The businesses hoping to rebuild after Beirut's port explosion. Tamasin Ford speaks to Aline Kamakian, whose restaurant and office were both destroyed in the disaster, and to Joumana Saddi Chaya, managing partner at PSLab, a design company, who was also caught in the blast. Julien Courson, head of the Lebanese Transparency Association, explains why corruption remains such a persistent problem in Lebanese life and business, before and after the disaster. The BBC's diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams tells us the strange tale of the ship that delivered the explosive cargo to Beirut's port, and the failures that allowed it to stay there for so long.Producer: Edwin Lane(Photo: Smoke rises above wrecked buildings at Beirut's port a day after the devastating explosion. Credit: Getty Images)

Conferences during Covid-19: Jane Wakefield explores the challenges that big international events have faced this year in moving events online.She speaks to Paddy Cosgrave, chief executive of the giant technology event Web Summit, and Chris Anderson from TED. Plus social scientist Elizabeth Dunn explains why there is true “magic” in meeting face-to-face.Producer: Sarah Treanor(Picture: Woman on a laptop with a headache; Credit: Getty Images)

Millions of Americans face loss of benefits and eviction, threatening to push the US into a deepening recession, after Congress failed to extend the Cares Act.Ed Butler speaks to Maryland resident Sifu about her eviction by an aggressive landlord, while Alieza Durana of the Eviction Lab at Princeton University explains the broader impact of the lapsing legislation on tenants throughout the country.Michael Strain of the American Enterprise Institute think tank gives his free-market take on the effectiveness of the Cares Act and President Trump’s intervention to keep some level of benefits going. Plus Moody's chief economist Mark Zandi says the political deadlock in Washington risks economic depression.(Picture: Banners against eviction in Washington DC; Credit: Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images)

Why does the President of Syria seemingly want to destroy his cousin Rami Makhlouf?President Bashar al-Assad of Syria seems hell-bent on unseating his first cousin, and Syria's richest man, from his multi-billion dollar holdings. But Rami Makhlouf, is defying the President to his face. What's going on, what's at stake for Syria?Ed Butler speaks to the BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen. Plus he asks Ayman Abdel-Nour, a former economic advisor to the Syrian ruling party who knew Bashar al Assad at university, what he thinks is going on.(Picture: Syrian businessman Rami Makhlouf; Credit: Louai Beshara/Getty Images)

Why do some of the super rich describe themselves as frugal? Is it something about the inner psyche that makes us natural savers or spenders? Elizabeth Hotson speaks to Dolly Parton, who despite earning millions, doesn’t particularly enjoy spending it. We also hear from Karam Hinduja, banker and scion of the billionaire Hinduja family. Tech entrepreneur, Richard Skellett tells us why he sees being wealthy as a responsibility, plus we hear from big savers, Tim Connor and Francesca Armstrong. We're also joined by Sarah Fallaw, author of The Next Millionaire Next Door, Rachel Sherman, author of Uneasy Street: The Anxieties of Affluence and Elin Helander, behavioural economist, neurologist and Chief Scientific Officer at Dreams, a money-saving app. Producers: Elizabeth Hotson and Sarah Treanor. (picture of a piggy bank via Getty Images).

Lockdowns around the world has seen our energy usage plunge, but as restrictions ease will countries build back better? On Business Weekly we get the view of veteran scientist James Lovelock as he celebrates his 101st birthday. We ask him his predictions for planet earth.We also head to Ghana, where we take a look at efforts to reinvigorate the economy by attracting disillusioned African Americans to visit and start a new life there. Plus, if you’re missing watching you’re favourite bands, some artists are coming up with novel ways to get around bans on concerts.

In order to try and stem a wave of coronavirus-induced unemployment, governments around the world introduced job retention schemes. Many of these are being rolled back or withdrawn and Elizabeth Hotson asks whether the interventions got people out the habit of work or opened up new opportunities. We speak to three workers placed on furlough - gardening enthusiast, Carol Peett; single parent, Naomi Empowers and keen baker, Chinelo Awa. Plus New York law firm partner, Greg Rinckey tells us about some of the unexpected consequences of the CARES act in the US and Sarah Damaske, Associate Professor of Sociology at Penn State University, tells us that furlough wasn’t necessarily a chance to relax. (Photo: Naomi Empowers, with kind permission)

Environmental regulations are being systematically weakened and repealed by the US government.Justin Rowlatt speaks to someone trying to keep track of it all - Michael Gerrard of Columbia Law School. He also hears from Maria Caffrey, a climate scientist who lost her job at the US National Park Service after blowing the whistle about how her research was being suppressed - and she says she is not the only one.Climate sceptic Myron Ebell of the Competitive Enterprise Institute explains why the environmental rollback is good news for the US economy, while climate futurist Alex Steffen says humanity will be the living with the consequences of Trump's delay of climate action for generations to come.With Democratic challenger Joe Biden having unveiled an unprecedentedly ambitious climate plan, it means there is all to play for in the November Presidential elections.Producer: Laurence Knight(Picture: Donald Trump holds up a "Trump Digs Coal" sign at an event in Huntington, West Virginia; Credit: Saul Loeb/AFP via Ge

How easy is it to get around sanctions? The US has for some years used financial sanctions to target those it blames for corruption or supporting terrorism. But do these measures work? We hear the latest evidence that it may be quite easy to get round sanctions and asset freezes. Producer: Frey Lindsay. (Picture: Suitcase full of cash; Credit: seyfettinozel/Getty Images)

Musicians tell us how they are finding innovative ways to get around the pandemic and perform live to their fans.It's a very real problem - the BBC's arts editor Will Gompertz tells Ed Butler of the frustrations of performers like Beverley Knight (pictured) having to perform to half-empty auditoriums in order to ensure social distancing.Two singer-songwriters tell us the novel methods they've taken up during lockdown. Dent May describes his first live-stream performance from his own home, while Laura Marling put on a live staged performance for a limited ticketed online audience. The brainchild behind Laura's, music promoter Ric Salmon of Drift Live, says he thinks the concept will prove more than just a quick fix for Covid-19.(Picture: Beverley Knight performing to a live audience at the London Palladium; Credit: Andy Paradise/BBC)

Veteran environmentalist James Lovelock reflects on his career and the planet's future, as he turns 101 years old. The independent scientist, Wollaston medal recipient and inventor of the Gaia Hypothesis sits down with the BBC’s Chief Environment correspondent Justin Rowlatt to talk about his humble upbringing between the two World Wars, his inventions that helped propel the green movement, as well as his thoughts on the over-specialisation of the university system, and the future of human life on Earth.(Picture: James Lovelock. Picture Credit: BBC)

It’s estimated that a quarter of a billion people could lose their jobs as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. On Business Weekly we ask whether governments need to rethink the way they deal with mass unemployment.We also head to the salt flats of Bolivia to find out whether the untapped lithium reserves there will be a blessing or a curse for the South American country.Plus, we’ll discover why you’ll need to bring a coat if you go out for coffee in France and find out why doctors are putting pictures of themselves in bikinis on social media.Presented by Lucy Burton.

Working from home could outlast the pandemic. But workers' experiences with homeworking in lockdown are not all positive. Manuela Saragosa speaks to some office workers who've struggled to adapt to home life, and to Dr Zofia Bajorek, research fellow at the Institute for Employment Studies in the UK, who's been surveying workers on the pressures they've faced in lockdown. Cary Cooper, professor of organisational psychology and health at Manchester Business School, explains why face-to-face contact is so important for innovation in the workplace, and why flexible working with a mix of office and home will ultimately make us all happier. (Photo: A woman works from home, Credit: Getty Images)

The Salar de Uyuni is a stunning pristine salt flat high in the Andes - it is also the world's biggest lithium deposit, worth many billions of dollars.Ed Butler asks whether this as yet untapped resource will prove a blessing or a curse for the people of Bolivia. It has already played a role in the political instability that brought down the country's long-time socialist president, Evo Morales, last year.Daniela Sanchez-Lopez, an expert in the geopolitics of clean energy at Cambridge University and herself Bolivian, explains how the exploding demand for lithium batteries for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage, means that many powerful nations have their eyes on the salt flat.Among them is Germany. Ed speaks to Wolfgang Schmutz, founder of ACI Group, the clean energy company that had won a contract to develop the lithium deposit, before being dumped during the political unrest last year. We also hear from Gunnar Valda, head of the Bolivian state lithium company YLB.Producer: Laurence Knight(Picture