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BBC World Service


The daily drama of money and work from the BBC.


Business Daily

We speak to the American founder and CEO of Stine Seed, the largest private seed company in the world, Stine Seed Company. 

Harry Stine recalls working in a field on the family soybean farm at the age of four, and says he was soon driving tractors before officially starting work with his father. 

It was then that he realised the potential of plant breeding and seeds, leading him to start his own company. 

Stine Seed Company now has 1000 patents, and receives fees on about 85% of the acreage in the United States. 
 
Presenter: Ed Butler
Producer: Amber Mehmood

(Image: Harry Stine. Credit: Stine Seed Company)

Business Daily meets: Harry Stine

As Canada’s trade war with the US rumbles on, Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced ambitions for the country to become an "energy superpower" in clean electricity, oil and gas. 
 
Supporters say it could boost jobs and investment, but critics warn it may come at an environmental cost. 

We’ll hear about the projects underway, the challenges that could hinder them, and look at how other countries have achieved ‘superpower’ status. 

If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Sam Gruet
Producer: Megan Lawton

(Picture: A flare stack at the LNG Canada facility in Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada. Credit: Getty Images)

Can Canada become an energy superpower?

Since the Taliban took over from a US-led government in Afghanistan in 2021, the economic challenges facing the country have been huge. The amount of aid going in to the country has dropped, the banking system is difficult to navigate, and international investors are staying away. 

That is before considering the economic impact of natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and droughts, which have frequently ravaged rural areas. Government investment seems unlikely, so experts and business owners hope that the private sector can help to rebuild Afghanistan after years of turmoil. 

To get in touch with the programme, you can email us at businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Producer/presenter: Hannah Bewley

(Photo: A man selling used household appliances in a street in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2020. Credit: Getty Images)

Afghanistan: Can its private sector step up?

Renowned for its multi-step skincare routine and its foundation in the ever trendy Korean culture, K-beauty has become a multi-billion dollar industry across the globe.

The term covers a wide range of skincare, make-up and cosmetics from South Korea and is lauded for its quality and value.

But as demand grows, tens of thousands of companies are claiming to be K-beauty, and not all of them are based in South Korea. This has raised questions about its identity and authenticity. 

In the midst of its identity crisis, counterfeiters are now getting involved.

So, what puts the K in K-beauty?

We hear from manufacturers, retailers and industry bodies who might have an idea.

Presented and produced by David Cann
Sound mix: Ben Houghton

(Picture: A young Asian woman applying a moisturising cream in front of a mirror. Credit: Getty Images)

The blurring of K-beauty

We head to Sweden where a handful of mechanics are taking on one of the world’s richest companies - and the world's richest man Elon Musk.

The strike at Tesla’s workshops has now reached its second anniversary. 

It’s a clash of ideologies, in which each side has much at stake. 

And after two years there is still no prospect of a resolution.

Presenter: Tim Mansel
Sound mix: Annie Gardiner

(Image: Striking worker Janis on the picket line in Malmo, Sweden.)

The two-year Tesla strike

Bill Ready started his working life in his parents' auto repair shop. Now, his world looks very different as CEO of the social media platform, Pinterest. It's an app where you can search for things like recipes, home decor, and fashion.

Pinterest has enjoyed strong growth since the company was launched in 2010. The platform has been valued at more than 22 billion dollars. But when it added controls for younger users the share price tanked. 

Bill Ready tells Business Daily how the company's tried to make the platform safer for younger users, where the business is growing globally, and what the future might look like for the company as AI technology develops apace. 

Presenter: Shiona McCallum
Producers: Niamh McDermott and Hannah Mullane

(Picture: Bill Ready speaking at a conference. Credit: Getty Images)

Business Daily meets: Pinterest CEO Bill Ready

From private equity Mega funds to Hollywood actors and hip hop stars, we look at the appeal of British football. 

More than a third of clubs in England's professional football leagues are now owned in part or entirely, by US investors. 

So why do so many Americans seem to want to invest in UK football clubs and what makes the so called ‘beautiful game’ such an attractive investment?

Presenter: Will Bain
Producer: Matt Lines

(Tom Brady, Birmingham City co-owner and film director Matt Alvarez in the stands during the match between Birmingham City and Leeds United in 2023 in Birmingham, England. Credit: Getty Images)

The Americans investing in British football

We head to the Eastern European country to find out why it's become so popular with people from the UK and elsewhere in the world, who are going there to study medicine.

And we hear how Bulgaria is dealing with its own issues in retaining healthcare workers, as it faces a 'brain drain' to other countries and sectors. 

Produced and presented by Gill Dummigan

(Image: An international student in a tuition session in Plovdiv, Bulgaria)

Why are medical students going to Bulgaria?

We look at a growing industry where candidates are spending on career coaching, résumé redesigns, AI tools, and job boards.

In a tough job market, with companies cutting staff due to artificial intelligence and rising costs, is this the way to get ahead?

We talk to job seekers about whether these tools really help and share what you can do to find work without spending money. 

Presenter: Megan Lawton 
Producer: Sam Gruet

Correction, 27 October 2025: In this episode, which first aired on 22 October 2025, we introduced one of the contributors as Nicole Leeder. This was incorrect. The correct name was Nicole Gable, US country president for LHH and president for Recruitment Solutions in North America. We apologise for the error, which has been corrected in this updated version of the episode. 

(Image: Giovanna Ventola, who runs an online community for job-hunters. Credit: Frank Ventola)

Can you buy your way into a job?

As China’s Communist Party conclave gets underway, we take a look at one of the biggest things affecting the country’s economy; debt. 

2024 saw an estimated 25 - 34 million people default on their personal loans while household debt has now reached more than 60% of GDP. 

With the government using subsidies and handouts to get people spending, can China’s debt problem be solved?

Presenter: Ed Butler
Producer: Matt Lines

(Image: Diners in Shanghai, China during Golden Week, 2024. Credit: Getty Images)

Can China’s debt problem be solved?

Advent calendars have evolved from the simple cardboard doors or chocolate treats to a multimillion-dollar premium industry; with major companies using them as a powerful brand awareness tool.

We find out why the design of an advent calendar is more important than ever, with many retailers investing in appearance and reusability; and we hear from environmental groups who are still concerned about the amount of waste.

Plus - are the products in these more extravagant calendars actually worth the money?

(Picture: An apartment window decorated with advent calendar and traditional electric Christmas candlestick. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Deborah Weitzmann

Luxury advent calendars unwrapped

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