Business Matters

Covid-19 restrictions and concerns mean that the only people attending in-person will be those necessary to orchestrating the event. Instead of 50,000 people gathering for the traditional calendar with days full of speeches, receptions and rallies, sessions will be streamed from the Democratic Party's social media channels and aired live on most US news channels. We discuss the ramifications with Simon Littlewood of AC Growth Delivered and political reporter Erin Delmore. Meanwhile, some of the richest people in Hollywood and Silicon Valley could be set to pay a state wealth tax but how much extra cash will it actually raise? And, Google has taken on the Australian authorities over a plan to make web giants pay news publishers for using their content. We'll look at what's at stake in a row that many say is unprecedented in Australia. (Picture: Kamala Harris and Joe Biden. Credit: Getty Images)

Alex Harris, Head of Global Policy at the Wellcome Trust and the BBC's Fergus Walsh tell us about promising progress on a coronavirus vaccine. Video-sharing app TikTok has denied that it is controlled by the Chinese government; Emily Taylor, associate fellow with the International Security Programme at Chatham House, tells us why countries like India and the US are not reassured by TikTok's guarantees about the safety of users' data. Office workers are still in many cases, working from home and there is a growing realisation that this is having a huge knock on effect on small retailers who rely on that footfall. The BBC's Dougal Shaw meets one retailer in London, whose family-run chain of small shops sells gift cards, wrote to the BBC explaining his plight. Civil rights leader and congressman, John Lewis, died last week; we hear about his life from Erika Alexander, co-founder of Color Farm Media and producer of the film John Lewis: Good Trouble. And our regular workplace commentator, Pilita Clarke, considers

Several countries have criticised China for imposing a new security law on Hong Kong, which they say threatens the territory's long-standing. Some of the world's largest social media and internet businesses - including Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Google and Telegram - have all said they are "pausing" co-operation with requests for user information from the Hong Kong police, until they can assess the situation. The BBC's North America Technology Correspondent, James Clayton, tells us more. Meanwhile, could self-guiding, autonomous ships be the future? And, we talk to Hollywood Reporter Contributing Editor Jonathan Handel about how streaming a production of the musical Hamilton may just have given Disney's new online service an enormous boost. We discuss the implications of all these stories, and more, with Nicole Childers, executive producer of Marketplace Morning Report, and Economist Andy Xie. (Picture credit: Getty Images)

Intel had faced problems manufacturing its own designs, leading it to issue a public apology to computer-makers. Apple's challenge will be to carry off the transition smoothly to using in-house chips and convince third-party developers to update their apps accordingly. We talk to the BBC's James Clayton in California. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has banned international visitors from making the Islamic pilgrimage, or Hajj, this year in a bid to control coronavirus. However, locals will be allowed to attend, allowing the spirit of the Hajj to live on. We speak to Rashid Mogradia, founder and Chief Executive of the Council of British Hajjis. And can Rugby survive the lockdown? Teams are struggling to pay salaries and don't know when they can get spectators back into the stadia. (Picture: An iPhone. Credit: iStock Editorial/ Getty Images Plus)

After three bleak months, New York looks to lift some of its harshest lockdown restrictions. Meanwhile India plans to do the same. There is a difference between the two places, though. New York is widely seen as having put the worst of its coronavirus outbreak behind it. However, India is reopening places of worship, restaurants and shopping malls, despite coronavirus cases continuing to soar and experts warning the nation is far from hitting its peak. Meanwhile, anti-racism protests around the world continue in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, adding extra pressure to small businesses, hoping the end of lockdowns will bring a path to normality. The BBC's Rahul Tandon talks to Erin Delmore, a New York-based political journalist, and Sushma Ramchandran, an independent business journalist and columnist at the Tribune. Picture: Rickshaw driver in a face mask. Credit: Yawar Nazir

Washington may be about to strip Hong Kong of its special trading status with the US - we look at the interplay between the US, China and Hong Kong. Plus, we examine President Trump's move to try to regulate social media sites he says are stifling conservative views. And in Denmark, we head out to bars and restaurants, which are slowly beginning to re-open. Finally, a Canadian court has ruled that a Huawei executive should face a hearing to be extradited to America. The case has destroyed relations between Ottawa and Beijing, says our expert. We speak about all this with live guests Ralph Silva of the Silva Research Network in Toronto, and Mehmal Sarfraz, a journalist and co-founder of the Current PK website in Lahore.

The French government has announced an €8bn rescue plan for its car industry, which has been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. President Emmanuel Macron's proposal includes €1bn to provide grants of up to €7,000 to encourage citizens to purchase electric vehicles. We hear more from Karl Brauer, Executive Publisher of Cox Automotive. We ask how Airbnb can survive the coronavirus hit to its business model and the BBC's Elizabeth Hotson looks at how fake coronavirus cures are being sold and who's buying them. Also on the programme, the life of Stanley Ho, who has died at the age of 98. The King of Gambling, as he is known, made billions of dollars from his casinos to become one of Asia's richest men. JK Rowling is publishing a new book, The Ickabog, which will be given away for free to entertain the millions of children stuck in their homes due to the lockdowns. We here more from Emma Pocock who writes for Forbes and for the leading Harry Potter fan site, The Leaky Cauldron. Plus, we're joined throu

We talk to the BBC's Politics Correspondent, Rob Watson about what Dominic Cummings' future may hold. With our special guests Sushma Ramachandran, of the Tribune in Delhi, and Tony Nash, of Complete Intelligence in Houston, Texas, we talk about how India and parts of the United States are easing their lockdowns. We also look at how many people are looking to change careers, whether forced to or not. (Picture: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Special Adviser, Dominic Cummings returns to his home in London. Picture credit: European Photopress Agency)

France lifts many of its lockdown restrictions, even as concerns mount in Germany that Covid-19 cases may be on the rise again. Philippe d’Ornano, Chief Executive of French beauty company Sisley explains what it means for business. Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson clarified instructions for the public in England, after a great deal of ridicule and confusion over the government's initial outlined steps. We explore the difficulty of his position as advice for England now stands at odds with advice for the other 'home nations': Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. And, we head to Hong Kong, where protests against the authorities have once again started to rise. (Picture credit: Guillaume Souvant/ Getty Images)

As demand for international flights has dried up, the effects are filtering through to Boeing and Airbus. Their customers don't need the planes they already have on order - never mind, placing fresh orders for even more craft. Meanwhile, theories continue to swirl about the mysterious absence of North Korea's leader from public view. He's missed several high profile events and some news outlets are reporting his death. What does the situation, and potential stability issues it creates, mean for the region? And US Crude oil slides 24% to just $12.80 a barrel. What can oil exporters do to turn the price collapse around? (Photo: Guvendemir/ Getty Images)

Countries and governments around the world are starting to feel the strain of coronavirus lockdown, with some showing signs of easing up restrictions. But the World Health Organisation is urging serious care, saying it cannot be done in a hurry. Also in the programme, the EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager has advised governments to prevent companies being taken over by Chinese firms. Amazon's share price surged after the company announced it would take on another 75,000 workers amidst increased demand, after already hiring some 100,000. Professor Scott Galloway at the New York University Stern School of Business discusses how we should interpret the move. The world's oil producers under OPEC and allies have agreed a record oil deal that will slash global output by about 10%. Paul Hickin, Associate Director at Platts, explains what this means for the future of oil prices. Plus, with the internet full of memes and videos to help us get through uncertain times, the BBC's Vivienne Nunis speaks to so

US crude oil prices fell below $20 a barrel on Monday, close to their lowest level in 18 years, as traders bet production would have to shut to prevent a glut in the markets. The situation is particularly bleak for high-cost wells in the world's largest producer: the US. We talk to Ellen Wald, from the Atlantic Council, in Florida, and Tom Adshead, a director of Macro Advisory in Moscow. Meanwhile, the Coronavirus outbreak has caused a rather startling change in fish consumption in Kenya. Instead of importing stocks from China, Kenyans have refound their taste for local catches, boosting incomes within the industry. And what do you do when you're in lock down? We interview David Shearer, who runs the UK puzzle exchange. He's seeing a resurgence in demand for jigsaws! (Picture description: Woman on a street in Moscow walks past live oil prices, showing the plunge due to Covid-19. Picture credit: Getty Images)

The Bank of Japan, Bank of England and European Central Bank all pledged to increase liquidity to help economies through any disruption caused by the Covid-19 virus. (Photo by Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

Fears of a recession grow after the country's GDP fell by 1.6% in the final quarter of 2019, as the full economic impact of the coronavirus is still to come. Devin Stewart, senior fellow at the US-based Eurasia Group Foundation, tells us what this means for the world's third largest economy.Is an iPhone shortage on the horizon? Manufacturer Apple says production is down and has warned it won't meet its previous revenue guidance. Our business reporter Zoe Thomas brings us up to date from San Francisco.And we find out the fate of The Skagway News, based in Alaska. Its owner announced he was giving away the local paper at the end of last year. But did he find the perfect new owner?Sasha Twining is joined throughout the programme by Sushma Ramachandran, independent business journalist and columnist for the Tribune newspaper, in Delhi, and Alexis Goldstein, activist and financial reform advocate, who's based in Washington.(Picture: A woman wearing a mask in Tokyo. Credit: David Mareuil/Anadolu Agency via Getty Ima

Huawei's chief operating officer appears in a Canadian court to fight extradition to the United States on charges of fraud and breaching sanctions on Iran. The United States Census for 2020 is launched in Alaska, an important exercise for economic planning - we hear from Gabriel Layman, the Chief Operating Officer of Cook Inlet Housing Authority, about the quirks of gathering such huge amounts of information. And baseball is hit by a cheating scandal which could prompt advertisers to walk. And in Japan, a major restaurant chain is feeling the effects of the country’s ageing population. We discuss all this with live guests Sushma Ramachandran, an independent business journalist for The Tribune newspaper in Delhi, and Tony Nash, chief economist at Complete Intelligence in Houston, Texas.(Image: A silhouette in front of a Huawei sign. Credit: Wang Zhao/ Getty Images)

Speaking in Washington, US President Donald Trump said the pact would be "transformartive" for the US economy. Chinese leaders called it a "win-win" deal that would help foster better relations between the two countries. We hear from Greg Gilligan who chairs the American Chamber of Commerce in China and Steve Lamar, head of the American Apparel and Footwear Association.Russia's government has resigned, hours after President Vladimir Putin proposed sweeping constitutional changes. We explore the implications.Also, we take an in-depth look at the meat and dairy industry and ask whether it is sustainable. Will diets have to change? How fast will the food industry have to adapt?Plus, a familiar name in Japanese politics is again making waves - but for reasons outside of politics. The environment minister Shinjiro Koizumi - son of the former PM Junichiro Koizumi - has caused a sensation by taking paternity leave. Why is that still such a controversial move in Japan?Presenter Fergus Nicoll is joined by guests Chris

The NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said members were united in their concerns about what he called Iran's destabilising operations in the region and in their resolve that Iran should never acquire nuclear weapons. But he said it was a US, not a NATO, decision to kill the senior Iranian general Qasim Soleimani in Iraq last week. After Iranian threats of retaliation, the world awaits who will make the next move? Meanwhile, South African entrepreneur Richard Maponya has died, aged 99. We look back on this retail titan, known as the 'Father of Black Business'. Plus a moment of gratitude for Office Boys in Indonesian offices by workplace commentator Asmara Wreksono.And joining us throughout the programme are Rachel Cartland, author, writer and expert on Hong Kong and Houston based Tony Nash, chief economist at Complete Intelligence.(Picture: Iran's Revolutionary Guard. Picture Credit: AFP Photo/ Ho/ Iranian Presidency)

A look at the changing world of work. How will technology will play a growing role in all areas of our working lives and how essential is it to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse workforce? Washington based Sabina Dewan from Just Jobs Network, an international think tank focussed on creating more and better jobs worldwide joins the discussion. Adrian Blair, formerly Global COO of Just Eat and CEO of Receipt Bank, a fintech company which enhances workflow globally also joins Sasha Twining's workplace discussion.(Photo: Global communication network concept Credit: Getty Images)

US plane maker Boeing has replaced its chief executive Dennis Muilenburg in the wake of two deadly 737 Max crashes and the plane's subsequent grounding. We speak to Scott Hamilton, an aviation industry consultant with Leeham news and analysis in Seattle. Plus, UK defence and aerospace company Cobham has been bought by a US private equity firm in a $5bn deal that could test the new government's tolerance of foreign takeovers. Also in the programme, how green is the internet? We examine the energy consumed powering the web. And if you're looking for a last minute Christmas bargain, a small newspaper business in Alaska is looking to be snapped up. The asking price? Free - we find out why.All this and more discussed with guests Erin Delmore, a political reporter in New York, and journalist Jyoti Malhotra in Delhi.(Photos: File photos of David Calhoun (L), and Dennis Muilenburg (R). Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

Over the weekend, at the age of 92, one of the giants of American economic policy and former head of the US central bank Paul Volcker, died at his home in New York. He was perhaps best known for his dramatic hiking of interest rates in the early eighties to fight inflation. We explore his enduring legacy. Meanwhile, shares in Tullow Oil fell as much as 70% after the company announced a boardroom shake-up, scrapped its dividend and cut its production forecasts. Chief executive Paul McDade and exploration director Angus McCoss are stepping down immediately. We talk to Eklavya Gupte, senior editor of Europe and Africa News S&P Global Platts. Robin Harding, Tokyo Bureau Chief or Financial Times and Alexis Goldstein, an activist and financial reform advocate in Washington join the discussion. (Picture Credit: Getty Images)