World Business Report

Sam Fenwick looks at the issues that are driving Lebanon’s economy into a downwards spiral. We look at the economic cost of war as new research suggests Lebanon's GDP could shrink by over 20% amid the ongoing conflict. The US election is hotting up. We'll look at the cost of health care and how it might determine how people vote. And find out why a Tasmanian ferry takes an unexpected 'Berth' more than ten thousand miles away in Edinburgh.

The UK’s new Labour government has announced its first budget with big tax rises it says are needed to restore public services. Rahul Tandon examines whether a single budget has the power to transform an economy, and the challenges facing many high-income countries as they wrestle with budget holes and high debt. Elsewhere, embattled car giant Volkswagen reports a drop in profits, coming soon after reported layoffs and plant closures. Also, the Bank of Japan is set to announce interest rates, the first meeting since the country’s snap election. You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033. We would love to hear from you.

Trouble for Volkswagen as its profits drop and it clashes with unions over possible plant closures, Roger Hearing finds out more.The EU imposes tariffs on electric vehicle imports from China, and there are reports from Beijing that the government is pushing its carmakers not to invest in EU members who backed the tariffs.Britain's new Labour government sets out its first budget with big tax rises it says are needed to restore public services.And we hear from India about the traditional push to buy gold ahead of the Diwali festival.

The European Commission has given approval for steep tariffs on electric vehicles made in China. It closes an investigation which started a year ago. They will remain in place for five years.We hear about plans by homeware company Ikea to put money into a hardship fund for victims of the former communist regime in East Germany. Some including political prisoners were forced to make products for the company.We hear about Tik Tok's founder Zhang Yiming. He is number one on China's Rich List with an estimated net worth of 49 billion dollars. Presenter Rahul Tandon examines these and some of the other global business stories of the day.

The UK's lowest-paid workers could get a salary increase of 6% next year according to local media reports. We look into the consequences this could have. Also in the programme, we talk to US voters in Nevada about their concerns regarding the rise in cost of living. And we hear about HSBC's unexpected jump in profits.

Japan’s Prime minister Shigeru Ishiba has insisted he will not step down despite a historic loss by the governing coalition in Sunday's elections. We examine the market’s reaction to the loss and look ahead to what this means for the coalition. Meanwhile, in Germany, Volkswagen plans to close three plants, lay off thousands of workers and cut pay by 10%, according to trade unions in negotiations with the car giant. And with only a week to go in the US election, we look at Pennsylvania, tipped to be one of the key swing states that will decide the election. You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033. We would love to hear from you!

Struggling German car giant Volkswagen is planning to shut 3 factories in Germany according to the IGMetall Trade Union. We examine the problems facing the European car industry.Georgia’s elections were won by the ruling Georgian Dream party but opposition parties claim the election was stolen.Also, Japanese voters have given the ruling LDP a bloody nose in Sunday’s General Election. We speak to a leading Japanese economist about what happens now, now that no party has a parliamentary majority. You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033. We would love to hear from you!

Japanese voters are getting ready to take part in the country's General Election on Sunday. How will it affect Japan’s economy? We speak to business owners and find out what do they expect from this election? Also, we look at the US election campaign in Texas, plus we learn about the very first online banner ad which went live exactly 30 years ago.You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033. We would love to hear from you!

Georgia will vote in a crucial parliamentary election this weekend. The country looks to whether their prospects will be better served with closer ties to Russia or Europe. Opposition figures hope a win for them could restart Georgia’s stalled bid to join the EU.Elsewhere, Jensen Huang the chief executive of the chip developer Nvidia received a warm welcome in India. We look at how Nvidia might affect the microchip and AI industry there. Also, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is one of the year’s most hotly anticipated game releases. We examine its impact at the UK’s biggest gaming show. You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033. We would love to hear from you!

Migration is a global political issue but it is also an economic one. Canada has just announced plans to change its policy. The government will reduce permanent residency by 21% in 2025.We will get reaction from the Canadian chamber of commerce Diana Palmerín Velasco.Also, Rahul Tandon looks at a final day of the BRICS summit in Kazan. And find out how the US elections will impacting businesses.You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033. We would love to hear from you!

Boeing workers have been on strike for the past six weeks. Late yesterday, they rejected a new offer, which included a 35% pay rise over four years. Data suggests this is the most expensive strike in the US this year. Estimates are the strike has cost Boeing over $8 billion, with that figure expected to rise further. Two big economic summits are ongoing this week. The IMF warns against a global trade war. Meanwhile, in Russia, the BRICS conference is wrapping up and we examine the key takeaways from the summit. And we look ahead to Japan’s snap election, which has been called by the country’s new prime minister Shigeru Ishiba.You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voice note: +44 330 678 3033. We would love to hear from you!

Boeing workers vote on pay offer on Wednesday. Workers downed tools six weeks ago after rejecting initial pay offer. They’ve been offered a 35% pay increase, over the next 4 years. Also, we hear from migrants from Latin America who work in the fields of the US state of Pennsylvania. Tesla’s share price jumps after its 3Q results beat market expectations. And we hear why France is home to both haute cuisine and fast food. You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033. We would love to hear from you!

Leaders of the ten key BRICS nations gather in the Russian city of Kazan for the annual summit. It began eighteen years ago with Brazil, Russia, India and China. In 2010, South Africa joined. And most recently, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were welcomed. Aiming to create what they believe is a more balanced global economy and reduce reliance on Western financial systems, we look at the impact they have on the global economy. While IMF members are celebrating a slowdown in inflation, festivities are somewhat overshadowed by concerns about rising levels of private and government debt. As its annual conference in Washington DC is getting under way, we hear their outlook for the world’s major economies. And with 13 days to go to the US election – we look at how border countries like Canada are viewing the prospect of a Harris or Trump presidency. Will it affect their livelihoods? You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033. We would love to hear fro

Essential businesses and schools remain closed until Wednesday as Hurricane Oscar makes landfall in Cuba - an island already in the midst of a massive power failure. Millions have been struggling with a near nationwide blackout after a major power station came offline. The government said power is expected to be mostly restored by Monday evening. We hear how food and water are proving difficult to come by for some islanders.The High Court in London begins hearing a civil trial over the responsibility for Brazil's worst environmental disaster - the collapse of a mining dam in 2015. Nineteen people were killed and hundreds of homes were destroyed as toxic water was released. Claimants are now seeking $47bn in damages. And, as the 16th annual summit BRICS is about to be hosted by the Russian President VladImir Putin – we speak to Lord Jim O’Neill. He coined the synonym ‘BRICS’ but told us he felt the organisation ‘no longer knows what it stands for’. Its members - including some new ones attending for the fi

The big event of 2021 that will shape economies all over the world for decades to come was the COP 26 climate conference in Glasgow in November. The meeting saw a deluge of promises, but what was actually achieved? Martin Webber speaks to Tim Gould, chief energy economist at the International Energy Agency and economist Irwin Stelzer, from the Hudson Institute in the United States.It was another boom year for the pharmaceutical industry as it crafted the vaccines that have saved so many lives. Of the 8 billion coronavirus vaccinations worldwide, one billion have been delivered by the US logistics company, UPS. We hear from Wes Wealer, President of UPS healthcare.And small business owners have had a bleak time for much of the past year. But many of those that have survived now feel optimistic. We hear from the owner of the Aroma speciality coffee shop in Bologna in Italy, Cristina Caroli, about her year.

Covid-19 is set to prompt radical long term changes to how we live and work, so what lessons can be learnt when we eventually emerge from the pandemic? Could the changes in the way we work herald higher productivity and happier people in the future?We hear the stories of the people who managed to thrive during a very difficult year, including the milkman who saw a boom in deliveries and the dancer who found work in South Korea when the London stage went dark.Martin Webber is joined by Professor Devi Sridhar who holds the Chair of Global Public Health at the University of Edinburgh; economist Roger Bootle, of Capital Economics; Robert Reich, former Labour Secretary under President Clinton; Tomas Philipson, who was Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors under Mr Trump; and actor Thomas Inge who is currentl starring in the musical Cats in South Korea.