Business Daily

In today’s episode we look at some ingenious solutions to water related problems. We start our aquatic journey by going on a tour of one of Victorian England’s most important feats of engineering. We discover a cheap and easy way to test for water quality, and learn about one of the biggest and most ambitious flood defence and general infrastructure projects in the world. And we hear how a water and sanitation engineer in Nairobi, Kenya, is trying to prevent huge volumes of H2O being wasted in leaks.(Image: The Octagon at Crossness Pumping Station, London. Credit: P. Scrimshaw)Presented and produced by Elizabeth Hotson

In the second of a two-part series, we travel to the US-Canada border to find out what people, businesses and industries are thinking ahead of the US election. From one of North America’s busiest border crossings, to Canada’s energy capital, we hear from those who might be impacted by November’s result.South of the border, in Mexico, we hear how tension with China is benefitting America’s closest neighbours.Presenter: Sam Gruet Producer: Megan Lawton(Photo:: A road sign in Fort Erie, Ontario points in the direction of the Peace Bridge crossing to New York. Credit: Getty Images)

The US presidential election on 5 November 2024 will have major consequences for its neighbours, Canada and Mexico. Trade, immigration, and diplomatic relations all hinge on the election's outcome. This episode explores how the two countries are preparing for either a Donald Trump or Kamala Harris presidency. From business owners and farmers to international trade specialists, we learn what is at stake for North America’s economies.Presenter: Sam Gruet Production: Sam Gruet and Megan Lawton(Photo: Canadian farmer Dave Braden who produces organic grass-fed beef from his 50-acre Ontario farm. Credit: Megan Lawton)

Theo Leggett reports on the latest trends and concerns preoccupying the automobile industry at this year’s Paris Motor Show. Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers have established that they can manufacture vehicles more cheaply than their European counterparts, and now they are looking to move into that market. Theo hears from Chinese and French car manufacturers about what this will mean for consumers. China is not the only country selling EVs to European consumers, a big American name is reviving a classic brand with a new electric offering. And in a city where driving and parking is always a challenge, Theo checks out the latest solution – a tiny car produced by a toy manufacturer.Producer/presenter: Theo Leggett(Photo: visitors browsing the manufacturer displays at the Paris Motor Show 2024. Credit: Nathan Laine/Getty Images)

We meet the Team Principal at Williams Racing - who says he's determined to restore one of Formula 1’s most historic teams to its former glory.From facing rejection early in his career to working with Honda, Brawn GP and Mercedes, James Vowles recounts his journey in the sport.He is now focussed on transforming Williams, who have not claimed a championship since the late 1990’s. Presenter: Theo Leggett Producer: Amber Mehmood(Image: James Vowles at Williams Racing HQ in Oxfordshire. Credit: Amber Mehmood)

We look at a growing trend using artificial intelligence (AI) to 'connect' people to loved ones who have died.The grief tech sector, also called "death tech", is now valued at more than £100bn globally, according to tech news website TechRound.We hear from the people using technology, from the businesses building it, and we find out about the ethical challenges they face. Is it going too far?Produced and presented by Isabel Woodford(Image: Woman looking at her phone in the dark. Credit: Getty Images)

We get the views of three American retailers - how do they see the economy and what do they want from the next US president?We hear from a department store owner in Indiana, a bookshop owner in Texas and a snack company based in New York City.Produced and presented by Ed Butler Additional production by Matt Lines(Image: A shop owner holding an open sign. Credit: Getty Images)

We look into the implications of what has been described as sport's 'trial of the century'If Manchester City are found guilty of breaching the English Premier League's financial rules - allegations Manchester City and the club strongly deny - the team could face relegation, while the Premier League risks serious reputational damage.Produced and presented by Alex Capstick(Manchester City celebrate winning the 2023/24 Premier League title. Credit: Getty Images)

People have been participating in mass rallies in India seeking justice for a young medical trainee who was raped and murdered in a hospital. It’s put a spotlight once again on women’s safety at work - particularly for those women doing night shifts. There are laws to protect women from sexual harassment in the workplace, but campaigners say it can be slow to get justice. So what more can be done to improve women's safety and encourage female participation in the workforce? We talk to some night shift workers about their experiences.(Picture: Activists and medical professionals shout slogans during a protest march to condemn the rape and murder of a doctor. Credit: Getty Images)Presented and produced by Devina Gupta

Ruth Alexander talks to Nagi Maehashi, founder of the hit food site, RecipeTin Eats. Back in 2014, Nagi gave up a high-flying job in corporate finance to start her blog. The gamble paid off and her blog now gets half a billion hits a year. She is also the author of two cookery books.Nagi tells Ruth what those early days were like, how she built the business, and what mistakes she made along the way.Plus - we hear about the crucial role of the blog's co-star Dozer, Nagi's much-loved Golden Retriever. (Picture: Nagi Maehashi with her dog Dozer, surrounded by print-outs of her recipes. Credit: Rob Palmer)Presenter: Ruth Alexander Producer: Lexy O'Connor

We look at the impact of a new 10 year deal with Madrid - does it mean one of the longest-serving venues - Barcelona - will lose out?We speak to businesses and hotels in Barcelona who are looking to the future. Is it really sustainable for one country to host two F1 events each year?Produced and presented by Ashish Sharma.(Image: Max Verstappen drives by the crowd during the 2024 Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit De Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. Image: Getty Images)

The minimalist, flat-packed furniture company has revolutionised living spaces globally. Originating from a small Swedish farm in the 1940s, it quickly grew and gained household recognition in the 1970s and 1980s. Today, Ikea stands as the world's largest furniture retailer. We speak to CEO Jesper Brodin to explore Ikea's brand evolution and its ability to adapt to consumer trends over the span of eight decades. And how realistic are its sustainability targets?Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer Amber Mehmood(Image: Jesper Brodin. Credit: Getty Images/ Archive Credit: British Pathé, Homes Limited 1945)

Islands around the world rely on ships as their lifeline service - for everything from their domestic supplies, to making hospital visits, as well as supporting vital industries like tourism. When the services go down, for weather or technical reasons, these remote communities are cut off from the mainland, with no back-up option. We hear from opposite sides of the world - Scotland and New Zealand - where unreliable car ferries disrupt the daily lives of residents and visitors.And we hear from a company running one island ferry service that's working to improve its reliability. (Picture: Caledonian MacBrayne ferry coming into Brodick harbour, Scotland.)Presented and produced by Neil Morrow

Is selling off abandoned homes for a dollar or a pound the answer to invigorating a city? We meet some of the people in the port cities of Baltimore in the US and Liverpool in the UK who have taken part in similar housing revival schemes. Is it an easy win, or is solving a city's problems more complicated?(Picture: Maxine Sharples, who bought a house in Liverpool for a £1, holding a photo showing her undertaking renovation work in her home.)Presented and produced by Rowan Bridge

Carl Allen is a multi-millionaire former businessman who ran a trash bag company in the US. He's now the owner of an island in the Bahamas, a philanthropist and deep-sea treasure hunter, scouring the seabed for sunken Spanish galleons, slave ships and long-lost treasure. He tells us about his relentless search for one Spanish galleon that’s fired his imagination for the past 40 years. We discuss the ethics of treasure hunting and his belief that the best way to bring up relics from the bottom of the ocean is through PPPs - public-private partnerships. Produced and presented by Gideon Long(Image: Carl Allen on a boat with some treasure. Image credit: Brendan Chavez at Allen Exploration)

There are more than three million vessels on the world's sea beds, and plenty of explorers looking for them. But if they find something valuable, do they get to keep it? We talk to an arbitration lawyer about the laws governing the sea, and hear from maritime archaeologists about the perils of rummaging around on the ocean floor, disturbing long-sunken wrecks that offer a priceless glimpse into history. Some say we should leave these ships be, especially when they’re graveyards. Others say we should bring them to the surface, put them in museums to educate people, make money from them and perhaps even sell off some of their treasure.Produced and presented by Gideon Long(Image: A diver looks at a shipwreck. Credit: Getty Images)

In the first of our three part series looking at the money behind shipwrecks, we start with what's been called "the most valuable shipwreck in the world".The San José is a Spanish galleon sunk by the British off the Colombian coast more than 300 years ago.The treasure onboard is estimated to be worth $18bn, which means plenty of people are looking for it, and trying to lay claim to it. A salvage company, the Colombians, the Spanish and a Bolivian indigenous community all say the shipwreck and treasure is theirs. We hear their claims and find out more about this "holy grail of shipwrecks".Presented and produced by Gideon Long.(Image: Wagner's action of Cartagena (depicting the moment the San Jose exploded) by Samuel Scott. Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London)

It’s the second largest landmass in the world, famous for its lakes and spectacular forests, yet Canada’s travel industry has faced challenges since the Covid pandemic hit in 2020. International visitor numbers still haven't recovered, and extreme weather events like wildfires have destroyed some of its best-known resorts. Plus difficult diplomatic relations have meant a reduction in tourists from a key market - China.But Canada’s government says it has a plan for the sector which is worth $38bn CAD to Canada’s GDP.We’ll hear about it from the country’s tourism minister and from business owners and tourists too.Presenter/producer: Megan Lawton(Photo: Jack Rivers is an indigenous cultural guide on Manitoulin Island, he runs tours around the Wiikwemkoong Reserve)

As the world gradually adopts 5G, there’s already talk of the next generation. It’ll be around 2030 before 6G arrives, but network operators in Japan and South Korea are gearing up. Meanwhile, some predict that 6G will render smartphones obsolete within a decade. Devices like sensors, displays, drones and electronics in vehicles will spontaneously create their own networks, sending and receiving at super-fast data rates and low latency. So, why the early excitement over 6G? How should businesses be preparing and what difference will it make to our lives?Presenter: Gareth Mitchell Reporter: Michael Kaloki Producer: Izzy Greenfield(Image: A person holds a mobile phone next to a cell tower. Credit: Getty Images)

Ever been stuck in a meeting drowning in buzzwords? Terms like "synergies", "low-hanging fruit" or "deliverables"? They're just a few examples of corporate jargon. A lexicon of colourful metaphors, buzzwords and acronyms that you’d never use with friends or family but have become common parlance in the world of international business. Workplace lingo might serve as a useful industry short-hand, or a way to gel with colleagues, but it can also irritate, obscure meaning or even hide unpleasant truths. And it's more prevalent than ever. In this episode, we team up with our colleagues at BBC Learning English to explore the origins and purpose of corporate language and why we love to hate it; hearing from workplace culture and linguistics experts, professionals in the City of London, a plain-talking CEO, and some of you - the BBC World Service audience.(Picture: Business people looking at sticky notes on a glass board as part of an upskill workshop. Credit: Getty Images.)Presenters: Ed Butler and Pippa Smith Produ