Business Daily

The island of Mauritius is well established as a luxury holiday destination with five star hotels, beautiful beaches and clear blue waters.But in the last couple of years it has also become Africa’s financial hub, attracting billions of dollars of investment by leveraging on decades of political and economic stability, a strategic location on the Indian Oean plus a multiple taxation system that incentivise investors.Critics say it’s a tax haven - an allegation the island is keen to put at bay.Can Mauritius sustain its status as a high income country and attract the skilled labour it seeks to expand the economy?Presenter/producer: Peter MacJob(Port Louis is Mauritius main settlement. Credit: Getty Images)

We’re going behind the scenes at two former nuclear power stations – one that’s recently closed, and another that’s been out of action for 25 years. Both are at Hinkley Point in Somerset, in the south of England.What happens when the generators stop? We look into the unique challenges of cleaning up radioactive sites safely.Produced and presented by Theo Leggett(Image: Steam escapes from Hinkley Point B in 2022. Credit: Getty Images)

In the second part of the series, in the second part of the series, we look at supermarkets and restaurants.Dynamic pricing it could help cut down on food waste, but would it favour people who can choose when they shop? And we ask why restaurant-goers have yet to develop a taste for it.We also find out how artists like Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift have experimented with dynamic pricing to set the prices for their concerts.Finally, we ask if dynamic pricing needs to be regulated more strictly. Is it fair? Does it allow companies to get away with price-gouging? We speak to the head of a consumer rights group who says that more transparency is needed to protect shoppers.Produced and presented by Gideon Long(Image: A food market in the US. Credit: Getty Images)

The retail strategy allows companies to constantly tweak their prices in response to changes in the market.In the first of two programmes, we look at how dynamic pricing works in the airline industry, at ride-hailing companies like Uber and on India’s sprawling rail network.And we speak to a director of e-commerce at US electronics firm Harman International, who tells us how dynamic pricing has enhanced its business, increasing revenue, margins and making the company more efficient.Archive of India: Our trains, electric, used courtesy of Made In Manchester.Presented and produced by: Gideon Long(Image: The Mumbai to Solapur Vande Bharat Express at Pune India. Credit: Getty Images)

The tourism sector could be missing out on billions by not adapting to the disabled market. However, some businesses and individuals are trying to change that. Speaking to people in North America, Greece and Spain who are making a difference, we find out the challenges in accessible tourism and the potential revenue if things change. We also travel to Amsterdam to meet a woman helping businesses become more accessible.Presented and produced by Sean Allsop(Picture: Man using a wheelchair takes a photograph with his camera. Credit: Getty Images)

Not many fashion designers can say they've starred in their own TV series alongside their mother.For this edition of Business Daily, Devina Gupta talks to Indian entrepreneur and social media influencer Masaba Gupta. The daughter of Indian actor Neena Gupta and West Indian cricketer Sir Viv Richards, Masaba discusses how her mixed heritage has inspired the vibrant prints she's become famous for.(Picture: Masaba Gupta)Presenter: Devina Gupta Producer: Lexy O'Connor

We’re in the Paris suburb of Seine -Saint-Denis which will host most of the games this summer. It’s an area with some of the highest levels of poverty in the whole of France, and a bad reputation. In the minds of most French people, the area conjures up images of drugs, crime and riots. Locals say that reputation is unfair – and they’re hoping the investment of the games, and a place on the world stage, goes some way to changing that. But can it?Presented and produced by John Laurenson(Image: Inside the Aquatic Olympic Center (CAO). It will host artistic swimming, diving and water-polo. Credit: Getty Images)

We look at how many employers still base decisions on a persons age, despite the strong pressures in higher income countries to retain and encourage older staff. What are the underlying reasons for this prejudice? And Ed meets a cosmetic doctor at a central London clinic to discuss the increase in demand for anti-ageing procedures, for people who want to look younger at work.Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Amber Mehmood(Picture: A man and a woman sit at a table at work, with a woman standing up talking to them. Credit: Getty Images)

One in two people are ageist, according to the World Health Organization. Ed Butler looks at the scale of the perceived problem, hearing from workers and experts. In the UK and US, for instance, more than a quarter of over-50s report experiences of ageism in the last 12 months. One recent global survey found that it’s the most socially accepted prejudice, more widespread than either racism or sexism. And how much is ageism a factor in this year’s US presidential race?(Picture: Timothy Tan working alongside a colleague at a computer)Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Amber Mehmood

Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to deal with - and they're a nightmare for any town or city that relies on a thriving hospitality industry. In October 2023, French government officials had to act rapidly following news headlines claiming there'd been a rise in infestations in Paris, in the run-up to the 2024 Olympic Games. Infestations can damage reputations, and lead to financial losses due to compensation claims and costly pest control treatments. But scientists are developing solutions to deal with the problem.In this edition of Business Daily, we speak to hotel owners, entrepreneurs, and travellers who’ve been bitten - plus the companies creating technology to help hospitality bosses tackle the problem.(Picture: A hand in a blue glove, holding a magnifying glass over some bed bugs. Credit: Getty Images)Presented and produced by Dougal Shaw

Once a much desired badge of authority and quality, on some social media platforms the blue tick (or check) is now available to anyone who chooses to buy one. But has this been a popular move? And has the monetising of verification meant that the blue tick has lost its credibility? We hear from industry experts who can shed some light on verification, which has dramatically changed since Elon Musk bought Twitter, now X, in October 2022. Presenter: David Harper Producer: Victoria Hastings(Image: Two workers look at a phone. Credit: Getty Images)

We look at how the country can grow its economy in 2024.In November 2023, Socialist leader Pedro Sánchez won a second term as Spain's prime minister, and said his focus would be reducing public debt and helping key sectors such as tourism and the automotive industry.Plus the government wants to become a leader in renewables.Presenter: Ashish Sharma(Image: Woman takes a selfie in Madrid. Credit: Getty Images)

The running shoe industry is worth around 50 billion dollars across the world, with more and more of us taking part in the sport. With more popularity comes more competition, so what are brands doing to keep consumers interested? We ask the chief marketing officer at Swiss sportswear company, ON, and find out how it helps sales when a top athlete wears their shoes. And as the debate around 'super shoes' rumbles on, are they really worth the expensive price tag? US marathon winner Kellyn Taylor tells us about the pros and cons of carbon plated shoes - which played a big role in marathon records being smashed in 2023.(Picture: A group of runners racing through a park. Credit: Getty Images)Presented and produced by Izzy Greenfield

It's widely recognised that we are bombarded with fast-paced imagery in the modern world, whether it's social media videos, or digital billboards in city spaces.But there has been a similar explosion in sound, says advertising entrepreneur Michele Arnese. He thinks brands can only compete with the help of artificial intelligence (AI).Dougal Shaw speaks to the Italian tech entrepreneur who trained as a classical musician, but founded an advertising company that helps companies stand out with distinctive sounds.(Picture: Michele Arnese of Amp looking at AI-generated music with a colleague.)Presented and produced by Dougal Shaw

Semiconductors hit the news during the Covid-19 pandemic, as issues with supply chains led to shortages of cars and soaring prices. Since then, geopolitical tensions have impacted the industry. 90% of the world's most advanced chips are made by TSMC in Taiwan. Now, countries all over the world are investing billions of dollars into the industry, so that manufacturing of these chips can happen in more places and alleviate some of the problems supply chains have faced in the last few years. In today’s episode, we visit a new semiconductor fabrication plant in the UK - the first to develop a low-cost, flexible semiconductor, as companies, and nations, race to diversity the industry. (Picture: Two workers in PPE inside the Pragmatic semiconductor plant in Durham, England. Credit: Pragmatic)Produced and presented by Hannah Mullane

The Caribbean island imports around 90% of its food and by law only US ships can be used to transport it – which pushes up the price. We speak to islanders who think that needs to change, and are pushing for Puerto Rico to become more self sufficient. Weather events like Hurricane Maria, which left many without power and water for months, have brought the issue to the forefront once again.We meet a new generation who are leading the way, using new technology to try and make it easier, and cheaper, for people to buy local and rely less on imports. Produced and presented by Jane Chambers(Image: Puerto Rican farmer Fernando Maldonado. Credit: Jane Chambers)

Almost 60% of the world’s population live in cities. And this trend is expected to continue - by 2050 nearly 7 of 10 people will live in urban environments.  Although more than 80% of global GDP is generated in cities, there are challenges: increasing carbon emissions and environmental pollution, traffic congestion and urban vulnerability, exposed by natural disasters such as floods and storms.The creation of a digital twin - a digital representation of a real city, infrastructure or even a whole country - could help decision-makers simulate real situations, allowing them to make better decisions. Situations like floods and other extreme weather events. We look into the technology and find out what the benefits and limitations are...And the former foreign minister of Tuvalu, Simon Kofe, explains how climate change has forced his country to consider preserving their whole statehood and culture in the metaverse.Produced and presented by Ivana Davidovic(Image: A digital representation of Singapore. Credit: Singa

Twice in 2023, the American government faced the prospect of having to shut down because politicians in congress couldn’t agree on a budget to fund it. Each time, a shutdown was narrowly averted – by last minute, short-term deals.Now, a third deadline is looming in mid-January. It leaves politicians – with fierce disagreements over what services the government should pay for, and how – little time to reach an agreement.We look at the impact of this uncertainty on businesses, and ask, in an election year, what can be done to bring the chaos to an end?Presented and produced by Rob Young(Image: An employee walks past a sign at the entrance of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History during a 35-day partial government shutdown in Washington, DC, January 28, 2019. Credit: Getty Images)

For 70 years, Pearl & Dean has been at the forefront of cinema advertising in the UK. Its CEO, Kathryn Jacob has been leading the company for 18 of them.But it's been a rocky few years for the movie industry, as it battles the economic effects of the Covid pandemic. In this edition of Business Daily meets, Kathryn discusses how cinemas are recovering, and how the advertising industry is slowly embracing diversity.(Picture: Kathryn Jacob)Presented and produced by Dougal Shaw

How easy is it to open a bank account in your country? Around the world, 1.4 billion people can’t get a bank account, and two-thirds of them are in low and middle income countries. People from migrant communities also struggle to access formal banking services. We hear from 19 year-old Josue Calderon. Originally from El Salvador, he arrived in the United States when he was 16. He tells Sam Fenwick about the challenges of only being able to use cash when he first arrived in the US. Sam also speaks to BBC World Service listeners about their experiences of opening a bank account. (Picture: The hand of a woman about to take money out of her purse. Credit: Getty Images)Produced and presented by Sam Fenwick Additional production by Barbara George