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  Follow the money: The journey of a $30 toy from China to America 21.09.2026 18นาที

  Most toys sold in America are made in China. But cheap labour is no longer the main reason manufacturers stay there. As the US toy industry presses for tariffs on toys to be removed, we follow the journey of a $30 toy from a factory in Guangdong, through shipping and the US border, to the shelves of American retailers. Along the way, we find out how much the factory gets, what shipping costs add to the price, how much of the final price stays in America, and the impact of President Trump's tariffs on Chinese imports.Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: David Cann(Picture: Employees of Shaoguan Guanghua Plastic and Hardware Products Co Ltd work to assemble toy parts in the factory in Shaoguan, Guangdong province, China, 9 May, 2025. Credit: Go Nakamura/Reuters)
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  From Mao and Nixon to Xi and Trump: A history of China-US trade 20.09.2026 17นาที

  With Presidents Xi and Trump expected to meet in the United States this week, Will Bain looks back on the history of trade between the two great nations.It's always been fraught with controversy but there's also been a need or desire to get along. President Nixon was the first to visit China in 1972 and spoke with passion about the possibilities for the future between them.Trade then grew quickly but it became very one sided as China developed as an industrial nation. There have been several attempts to curb its dominance but cheaper production also meant cheaper goods for consumers. Chad Bown, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute joins Will to assess how they have attempted to strike the right balanceThanks to the Presidential Libraries of President Nixon and President Reagan for archive material.(Photo: A staff member wearing a face mask walks past US and Chinese flags set up before a meeting between US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, 08 July 2023. Credit: Mark Schiefelbein/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)Presenter: Will Bain Producer: Justin Bones
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  Taking Stock: Can Big Tech rivals be trusted to develop safe AI? 17.09.2026 23นาที

  AI: Existential threat or billion-dollar opportunity? The increasingly loud and often stark warnings from inside the tech industry - about the dangers AI might already be posing.Plus we dig into the interest rate rises facing US and European consumers. And ask whether an ABBA singalong of Mamma Mia was enough to swing the Swedish election.Taking Stock looks back at the week in business, economic and geopolitical news with a panel that stretches across timezones. This week Rema Rahman the White House and Politics Editor from Bloomberg Government joins us from Washington DC and Katrine Kielos, author and columnist for Swedish financial broadcaster EFN, is with us in London.Presenter: Will Bain Producer: Josh Martin
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  Power Players: Does Xbox have a future? 16.09.2026 18นาที

  Xbox is 25 years old and faces some of its biggest challenges yet. As cloud gaming grows and the AI boom reshapes the technology industry, even Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has acknowledged that the business "hasn't been healthy" in recent years. So does Xbox have a future? Will Bain speaks to former Xbox executive Peter Moore and BBC technology reporter Laura Cress about whether Microsoft's gaming brand can reinvent itself.Producer: Gideon LongYou can email the team: [email protected](Picture: Visitors play Stalker 2 in front of monitors at the Microsoft Xbox boot during the Gamescom gaming convention in Cologne, Germany, 23 August 2023. Credit: FRIEDEMANN VOGEL/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
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  Can we control AI? 15.09.2026 17นาที

  Artificial intelligence is developing faster than many experts predicted, bringing extraordinary opportunities as well as growing concerns. Some of the industry's leading figures are even calling for the pace of development to slow while governments and technology companies grapple with how best to manage the risks. So can humanity remain in control of AI, and how should we govern a technology that is advancing so rapidly? Presenter/producer: Ed ButlerYou can email us: [email protected](Picture: A Jio humanoid robot named Elixis at the AI Impact Summit, in New Delhi, India, February 17, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Bhawika Chhabra)
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  Follow the money: Why is a new Ebola vaccine taking so long to develop? 14.09.2026 17นาที

  The Ebola outbreak in the DRC has claimed more than 3,400 lives and infected thousands more. Despite the scale of the outbreak, there is still no approved vaccine for the latest strain. Leanna Byrne examines what it takes and who pays to develop a vaccine. We look at what is slowing vaccine development and whether the limited commercial market for Ebola vaccines means governments, charities and international donors must step in to fund research.(Photo: Sanitation measures underway at Bunia market to contain Ebola outbreak, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 23 May, 2026. Credit: EPA)You can email the team: [email protected]: Matt Lines(Correction, 16 September 2026: In this episode, first published on 15 September 2026, we incorrectly stated the size of Gavi's First Response Financing Fund. The correct figure is $500 million. We apologise for the error, which has been corrected.)
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  The cost of war: Inside Russia's economic unease 13.09.2026 17นาที

  Economic unease is growing among Russian workers as fuel shortages and Ukrainian drone strikes disrupt key sectors of the economy. Ed Butler examines the pressures facing businesses, workers and consumers, from damaged refineries to attacks on Wildberries warehouses. As concerns grow over prices, jobs and supply chains, what do these disruptions reveal about the resilience of Russia's wartime economy?Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Victoriya Holland(Picture: A queue at a petrol station due to fuel shortage following a spate of Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries, amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, in the Russian Black Sea resort of Anapa, Russia, July 8, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Sergey Pivovarov)
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  Bonus: Could AI chatbots help Asia's socially isolated youth? 13.09.2026 18นาที

  Across Asia, a growing number of young people are becoming hikikomori, a term used to describe individuals experiencing severe social withdrawal. They shut themselves away at home, retreating from work, school and even family life for months, sometimes years.Some countries, including South Korea, are trying an unexpected approach: government-backed AI chatbots designed to help socially isolated young people reconnect with society. But can artificial companions help tackle loneliness, or could they deepen it?This bonus episode comes from Asia Specific, another BBC World Service podcast hosted by Mariko Oi. It discusses issues including social isolation and mental wellbeing. Listeners who identify with these experiences are encouraged to seek local support.
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  Taking stock: Bad blood, bad neighbours and the return of Elizabeth Holmes 10.09.2026 23นาที

  Mark Carney and Donald Trump go tit-for-tat as the list of goods subject to tariffs between the US and Canada continues to grow. But will higher import taxes on products crossing the border make cost-of-living pressures even worse for Canadians and Americans? Takara Small in Toronto and Andy Uhler in Austin join Will Bain to discuss the highlights and lowlights of the week's business news, including the much-hyped launch of Apple's first foldable smartphone and the return, at least in cinemas, of convicted fraudster Elizabeth Holmes.Presenter: Will Bain Producer: Josh Martin(Photo: US President Donald Trump speaks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at a working lunch with leaders of G7 and the Middle East, in Evian-les-Bains, France, 16 June, 2026. Credit: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)
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  Power Players: Can new BP leadership steady the ship? 09.09.2026 23นาที

  This week on Power Players, Will Bain is joined by BBC Business Editor Simon Jack to explore the future of energy giant BP. The past six years have seen significant boardroom churn, while the company has sent mixed messages to investors after scaling back plans to become a greener energy business. We examine whether the company's new leaders can restore confidence and set a clearer strategy.Producer: Rebecca SmyllieYou can email the team: [email protected](Picture: A British Petroleum gas station with the BP oil refinery in background in Whiting, Indiana, U.S., July 23, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Nicole Jao)
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  Founders: Marcia Kilgore on still fighting imposter syndrome despite Beauty Pie success 08.09.2026 22นาที

  Many entrepreneurs would be happy to sell one great idea to a larger business, cash out and put their feet up. Not Marcia Kilgore. The Canadian swapped small-town Saskatchewan for the wealthy clients of Manhattan, New York and sold her first venture, Bliss Spa to luxury giant LVMH. She then went on to found another three multimiilion-dollar enterprises. What did she learn along the way, how does she back herself when imposter syndrome strikes and what is next on her list.(Photo: Marcia Kilgore stands in a London street, wearing blue jeans and a pink shrt, she has cropped short hair and is smiling. Credit: Marcia Kilgore)Presenter: Hannah Mullane Producer: Victoriya Holland
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  Follow the Money: Is a university degree worth the investment? 07.09.2026 17นาที

  The number of students going to university globally has more than doubled in the last 20 years. 269 million students around the world are enrolled in higher education, if those students were a country, it would be the 5th most populous in the world. At the same time youth unemployment is growing and there’s a slowing of that graduate premium - the extra money you'll earn because of your degree - so is it still worth it? Presenter: Hannah Mullane Producer: Matt Lines(Photo: Graduates from abroad fling their graduation caps into the air during a graduation send-off party following the second commencement ceremony of the 2025 academic year at Seokdang Museum of Dong-a University in the southeastern port city of Busan, South Korea, 20 August 2026.Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)
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  Who's afraid of the AI job-snatchers? 06.09.2026 17นาที

  There's a general fear that artificial intelligence could make huge swathes of workers redundant, but are those fears unjustified? Rob Young asks what history can tell us about big technological leaps and how they changed the world of work at the time. And how much of the rate of change comes down to customer preference - would you rather deal with a bot or a person? Presented and produced by Rob Young.(Photo: A square computer chip, with its circuitry illuminated in pink and white light and has the text Powered by AI on it as a logo is seen during the opening day of the IFA trade fair in Berlin, Germany, 4 September 2026. Credit:EPA/Shutterstock)
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  Taking Stock: Is everything about to get more expensive? 03.09.2026 24นาที

  There has been a lot of talk about rising bond yields, from Japan to the UK and the US, and alongside this government debt is growing all around the world. That all plays into a feeling that many people have that life is about to get more expensive and that in many places interest rates are set to rise.Rahul Tandon is joined by David Kuo, co-founder of The Smart Investor in Singapore and German business journalist Ellen Frauenknecht.(Photo: Passersby stand before a stock market indicator board in Tokyo, Japan, 2 September, 2026. Tokyo stocks plunged as Japanese government bond yields rose to its highest level in 30 years and escalating attacks between the United States and Iran. Credit: Franck Robichon/EPA/Shutterstock)Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Matt Lines
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  Power players: Can Premier League transfer spending keep breaking records? 02.09.2026 20นาที

  We dig into the finances behind "the beautiful game" after English football's Premier League just spent £3.57bn ($4.7bn) billion on new players. What is behind football's richest competition and is its success sustainable?(Photo: Stamford Bridge, London, England, 30 August, 2026. Chelsea's Cole Palmer celebrates scoring their fourth goal with Morgan Rogers. Credit: David Klein/Reuters)Presenters: Will Bain and Rahul Tandon Producer: Rebecca Smyllie
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  Founders: Allison Ellsworth, co-founder of Poppi soft on the cider vinegar soft drinks that had PepsiCo paying $1.95bn 01.09.2026 17นาที

  Allison Ellsworth, founder of ​Poppi soft drinks, started the beverage business as a kitchen experiment, with a Soda Stream and apple cider vinegar. She speaks to Leanna Byrne about pitching for funding on TV programme Shark Tank while nine months pregnant, relaunching during Covid lockdowns and becoming the number one soda on Amazon in the US and her $1.95 billion exit with PepsiCo.Presenter: Leanna ByrneProducer: Niamh McDermott and Victoriya HollandYou can email the team: [email protected](Photo credit: Allison Ellsworth)
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  Follow the money: How China gained the competitive edge in EVs 31.08.2026 22นาที

  Think of an electric vehicle, and you'll probably imagine a Tesla. But China is the world's biggest EV exporter, despite being largely shut out of the US market. How has the country seemingly come from nowhere to dominate the world of electric mobility and how can its Evs be made so cheap? Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Josh Martin(Photo: A man looks inside the Changan Deepal S05 REEV during a press conference for the unveiling of the Chinese model at the WesBank Festival of Motoring in Johannesburg, South Africa, August 27, 2026. Picture taken with a mobile phone. REUTERS/Nqobile Dludla)
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  Is Turkey's clothing industry unravelling at the seams? 30.08.2026 17นาที

  Emily Wither reports from Istanbul finding out why that 'Made in Turkey' label in so much of our clothing could disappear as the industry faces competition from countries like Egypt, Turkey battles huge inflation and hundreds of factories go bankrupt leaving tens of thousands out of work (Photo: A worker in a Turkish garment factory in Istanbul works at a table. Credit: Emily Wither/Supplied)
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  Taking Stock: Is this really the Golden Age of AI? 28.08.2026 21นาที

  This week on Taking Stock, Rahul Tandon is joined by journalist Nga Pham in Hanoi, Vietnam, and economist Justin Wolfers in Michigan, USA, to unpack Nvidia’s soaring quarterly results and what they signal about the global race in artificial intelligence.They also discuss Meta’s settlement agreement and the wider regulatory pressures facing tech giants, as well as fresh sanctions imposed on Iran by the United States. Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Rebecca Smyllie(Photo credit: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang speaks during a doorstep after attending the AI Ecosystem Reception in Tokyo, Japan, July 16, 2026. REUTERS/Manami Yamada/File Photo)
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  Power players: Evergrande and the unraveling of China’s property boom 26.08.2026 23นาที

  For years, China’s property boom helped drive the country’s extraordinary economic growth. At the centre of it was Evergrande, which grew from a regional developer into a sprawling corporate empire, and one of the world’s most indebted companies.Then the debts caught up with it. Evergrande’s collapse exposed the vulnerabilities of China’s property model, helping push the wider housing market into crisis and weighing on the country’s economy.Now its founder, Hui Ka-yan, has been sentenced to life in prison for crimes including bribery and illegal use of funds.Will Bain and Rahul Tandon are joined by Jennifer Pak in Beijing to explore how Evergrande became so big, what went wrong, how its collapse exposed the problems in China’s property model, and what it means for the wider global economy.(Photo: China Evergrande Group then-Chairman, Hui Ka Yan, attends a news conference on the property developer's annual results in Hong Kong, China 28 March, 2017. He has short black hair with a side parting and wears a white shirt with a red patterned tie and a black suit jacket. In the background is a city skyline of skyscrapers, reflected in blue water. Credit: Bobby Yip/Reuters)You can email the team: [email protected]: Will Bain, Rahul Tandon and Jennifer Pak Producer: David Cann