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BBC World Service


The daily drama of money and work from the BBC.


Business Daily

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.uk

Presenter: 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)

Business Daily meets: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

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.uk

Presented and produced by Vivienne Nunis

(Picture: Leslie Danker, resident historian at the Raffles Hotel, Singapore.)

Singapore at 60: Raffles and the Republic

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)

From China to California: What's next for Chinese migrants?

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)

The quiet power behind smart tech

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.uk

Presented 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)

France: Building a ‘war economy’

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)

Business Daily meets: Sean Turnell

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)

Thailand and Malaysia: Powered by migrants

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)

Zambia: Copper country

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.uk

Presented 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)

The Syrian businesses leaving Turkey

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)

What next after India's sandal scandal?

More than a year after a change in government, businesses are closing, unemployment is rising and workers are leaving for neighbouring Australia. 

As New Zealand's recession continues, uncertainty remains. 

So what is the government's plan? And could there be brighter times ahead? 

Produced and presented by Alexander van Wel

(Image: Workers repairing the road in Auckland. Credit: Getty Images)

Can New Zealand’s economy bounce back?

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