Business Daily

Rare earths have been a major sticking point in trade negotiations between China and the United States. China dominates the production of these critical resources – which power everything from electric vehicles to fighter jets and data centres – with Beijing disrupting production around the world when it cut off supplies earlier this year. But one project in Australia is hoping to ease the bottleneck. We visit one of the key sites.If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Suranjana Tewari Producer: Jaltson Akkanath Chummar(Picture: A rare earth mining site in Western Australia.)

It is three and a half years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. Homes, businesses, transport and energy infrastructure have been severely damaged or destroyed.Amid Russia’s onslaught, economists are compiling a list of what has been destroyed and are attaching a value to its rebuilding. They put the cost of reconstructing Ukraine at more than $500 billion.We look at how companies are preparing for the moment they can rebuild.If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, email businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by Rob Young(Picture: Rubble of a service station building destroyed by a Russian drone strike in Pisochyn, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine. Credit: Getty Images)

The country was the economic success story of the 2000s. But declining natural gas production has lead to a downturn. Now, fuel and food prices are soaring and Bolivian businesses are floundering. Inflation is around 15% - one of the highest rates in the region. There are protests in the streets - so what could help this once prosperous country?And will the upcoming general election change things? Produced and presented by Jane Chambers(Image: El Alto shoe salesman Fernando Gutierrez in his store. He says business is slow)

It was a significant moment when Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was declared president of Liberia in 2005 - Africa's first elected female head of state. Although she made significant progress in promoting peace and development - which earned her a Nobel Peace Prize - her accomplishments were overshadowed by allegations of corruption and nepotism. She discusses her journey, which includes both achievements and controversies; what she would have done differently; and the various economic challenges that African countries are facing today. If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, email businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Amber Mehmood(Picture: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf speaks after receiving the "Lifetime Achievement Award" during the Forbes 30/50 Summit International Women's Day Awards Gala 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Credit: Getty Images)

We take a tour of one of the world's most famous luxury hotels, the Raffles in Singapore. Raffles' 83-year-old resident historian Leslie Danker tells us about some of the famous guests who have stayed in the Beach Road suites, including the author Somerset Maugham. But with Sikh doormen manning the lobby and a cocktail bar designed to evoke the days when British miners and planters dominated the local economy, the hotel can be read as an unapologetic celebration of the country's colonial era. As Singapore marks 60 years of independence, does it matter how hotels - and tourists - frame the past?If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, please email businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by Vivienne Nunis(Picture: Leslie Danker, resident historian at the Raffles Hotel, Singapore.)

In 2023, Business Daily met Chinese people trying to get into the US using an unexpected route – the established migrant trail through South and Central America. We’ve re-connected with some of those migrants who have made it across the border and are now living in California.Have they managed to find work and accommodation? And what are their plans for the future given US President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration?Presented and produced by Shawn Yuan Additional production by David Cann and Helen Thomas (Image: Pan, a man in his fifties from China, now works at a Chinese restaurant in Barstow, California, after having come to the US by way of Latin America two years ago)

WiFi, Bluetooth, and mobile networks are familiar names in wireless communication - but there’s a fourth contender transforming everything from city water systems to African wildlife conservation. LPWAN - or Low Power Wide Area Network technology - is used when you need to send small amounts of data over long distances, using very little power. We head to rural Portugal where it's used for solar and water systems, and from conservation parks in Africa to find out how this low-cost network could become the most influential wireless tech of them all.Produced and presented by Alastair Leithead(Image: An adult female Iberian Lynx named Lava with GPS tracking collar on January 12, 2023 in Toledo, Spain. Credit: Getty Images)

France, the world's second-biggest arms exporter, is expected to double military spending in the next two years. We visit a factory in the north of the country that's switched production from civilian to military equipment, as part of what French President Emmanuel Macron is calling a "war economy".If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, please email businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by John Laurenson(Picture: President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech to army leaders at l'Hôtel de Brienne in Paris on July 13, 2025, on the eve of the annual Bastille Day Parade in the French capital. Credit: Getty Images)

The university academic was working in Australia when he developed an interest in Myanmar.He then became an adviser to Aung San Suu Kyi but was jailed for nearly two years by the country’s military regime following the 2021 coup.Sean Turnell recalls the moment of his arrest and tells us about the harsh conditions he endured – and how books, along with pacing the length of his tiny cell, helped him survive.He also reflects on Myanmar’s deepening economic crisis – and shares his hopes for the country’s future.Produced and presented by Sam Fenwick(Sean Turnell with Myanmar's former leader Aung San Suu Kyi)

Around a fifth of the workforce in both come from abroad. That’s much more than in most high income countries - and these workers are key to powering growth and economic development. However as we hear, life can be incredibly difficult for migrant workers in South East Asia. Produced and presented by Ed Butler(Image: A Myanmar migrant worker harvests chilies on the bank of the Moei River, which separates Thailand and Myanmar in July 2025. Credit: Getty Images)

We're in Chile, where it’s grape harvesting time and vineyard workers are busy cleaning their barrels to make way for new batches.The South American country has more than a thousand different varieties of grapes, but it’s proving hard to reach a new generation of wine drinkers.It’s not just young people drinking less. Around the world wine production is in decline. This is often due climate change causing extreme droughts which affects harvests.How do wine-producing countries like Chile respond - and keep the industry thriving?Presented and produced by Jane Chambers(Image: Friends having fun and relaxing together drinking red wine during a rooftop party in New York East Village. New York is one of the key markets for new-style Chilean wine. Credit: Getty Images)

The African nation relies heavily on its copper industry and exports – the football team is even nicknamed Chipolo-polo - The Copper Bullets. Now, US President Donald Trump has announced a new 50% tariff on copper imports from early August. We explore the impact this could have on major copper producers, like Zambia and neighbouring DR Congo. Price volatility could affect earnings, but some companies are saying the long-term outlook still looks strong because of global demand for copper in data centres and EVs.Presenter: Will Bain Producer: Hannah Bewley(Image: Workers prepare casting units at the Mufulira refinery, operated by Mopani Copper Mines Plc, in Mufulira, Zambia in May 2022. Credit: Getty Images)

Syria remains an unstable country, with outbreaks of deadly violence, yet many refugees in Turkey are still choosing to return home after their brutal dictator Bashar al-Assad was toppled in December.We’re in Little Syria, in Turkey’s largest city Istanbul, where lines of Arabic businesses once stood and where the streets are now noticeably quieter. As Syrians return home, what impact is that having on the Turkish economy?If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, please email businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by Emily Wither(Picture: Women pass by Syrian shops at Malta bazaar, with other mainly Syrian shopkeepers at Fatih district in Istanbul, Turkey, on the 6th of December 2024, two days before Bashar al-Assad was overthrown. At the time, 500,000 Syrian refugees were living in Istanbul. Credit: Getty Images)

When Italian luxury brand Prada showcased leather sandals that looked a lot like India’s traditional Kolhapuri chappals, and didn't credit their roots, it sparked a debate over fair pay and recognition for local artisans.The company has since tried to make amends and has been speaking to local producers.We travel to Kolhapur, where these sandals are made to explore what this example means for the economics of luxury fashion.Presenter: Devina Gupta Producer: Andrew Clarence(Image: A shopkeeper shows a pair of Kolhapuri chappals displayed for sale at a street side shop in Maharashtra, India. Credit: Getty Images)

The Indian billionaire speaks to Rahul Tandon about his journey from selling sim cards in a small Indian town to founding OYO, a global hospitality chain, at just 19. A fellowship from US entrepreneur Peter Thiel gave Ritesh Agarwal $100,000 to pursue his start-up dreams. Despite rapid growth, OYO later faced serious challenges to its business. Now 31, the entrepreneur reflects on how he brought the company back from the brink.If you'd like to contact the show, send an email to businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Amber Mehmood(Photo: Ritesh Agarwal, founder and chief executive officer of OYO Hotels and Homes, during the Mumbai Tech Week in Mumbai, India, in March 2025. Credit: Getty Images)

The founders of Dutch women's team Hera United are finalising preparations for their first ever season in the Netherlands' top flight. They're the first women's-only professional team in the country, and want to drive the development of the sport by stepping out of the traditional male dominated club format.We hear from Hera's founders on persuading investors to back them and the impact they're hoping to have on the game as a whole. We talk to the founder of Glasgow City FC, who followed the same path nearly 30 years ago. And we hear from the team behind Europe's first women's sports bar, who have taken inspiration from Hera's journey. Produced and presented by Matthew Kenyon(Image: The Her United team. Credit: Hera United)

Films for children and young adults are giving a major boost to cinemas. The recent A Minecraft Movie smashed records, making $301 million globally in its opening weekend - the biggest ever for a video game adaptation. In 2024, Inside Out 2 led the global box office earning $1.69 billion, followed by Despicable Me 4 and Kung Fu Panda. Now, film studios are following these trends; fast-tracking sequels, producing more animations, and adapting popular video games into stories geared towards family audiences.We speak to film producers, box office analysts and cinema operators about the strategies behind this shift and its impact on the industry.If you'd like to contact the show, send an email to businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Megan Lawton Producer: Sam Gruet(Picture: General view of a roadside billboard along the Sunset Strip promoting A Minecraft Movie, in April 2025, in West Hollywood, California, US. Credit: Getty Images)

A boom in betting - both online and in shops - is fuelling addiction and debt among young people. We speak to teenage gamblers, whistle-blowers, and campaigners who reveal how social media influencers and lack of regulation are driving a growing crisis in Nigeria.If you are affected by harmful gambling or are suffering distress or despair you could speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support. Details of help available for despair in some countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide (www.befrienders.org)Produced and presented by Frey Lindsay(Image: A close-up of a man's hands holding a mobile phone. Credit: Getty Images)

In the first of a two part series, we investigate the explosive growth of online gambling since the Covid-19 pandemic. While betting company revenues have soared, many South African individuals and families are facing the consequences. We hear from recovering gambling addicts and explore how economic hardship, weak regulation, and the prevalence of mobile betting platforms are fuelling a national crisis. If you are affected by harmful gambling or are suffering distress or despair you could speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support. Details of help available for despair in some countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide (www.befrienders.org)Produced and presented by Frey Lindsay(Image: South African businessman looking at phone. Credit: Getty Images)

It may be a key plot point in films and video games like Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider, but the real-life looting of ancient artefacts has reportedly reached unprecedented levels – and research suggests that even terror groups could be cashing in on stolen relics. What’s being done to stop it?If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by Ryan Keane(Picture: A looted Etruscan urn recovered by the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in Italy, now stationed at its HQ in Rome. Credit: BBC)