Business Daily

Some people aren’t letting coronavirus put their plans on hold. On today’s Business Daily, the BBC’s Katie Prescott meets several people dealing with the uncertainty of change in a pandemic. We’ll hear from Sharon, who is considering switching employer, and Sandra who is seizing the opportunity of a coronavirus-related redundancy to start her own business. We’ll also hear from entrepreneur and author Margaret Heffernan how we all accept some amount of uncertainty when making changes.(Picture credit: Getty Images.)

Can the lessons learned during Coronavirus help make urban environments smarter? The BBC’s Jane Wakefield meets the people trying to find out. Guillem Camprodon of the Fab Lab in Barcelona explains how local city sensors can be used to measure noise pollution, while Professor Phil James, director of the Urban Observatory programme in Newcastle, discusses the potential and limitations of collecting data on all aspects of daily life. Richard Sennett, Senior Advisor to the United Nations on its Urban Initiatives Group, says post-pandemic, we might need to rethink how we use space, and Daniela Rus of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, suggests ways we can use task robots to reduce risk to humans.(Picture: An aerial view of Tokyo. Picture credit: Getty Images.)

In Business Weekly, we investigate racial discrimination in the banking system and find out how this affects the businesses owned by people of colour. We also ask why so few governments plan effectively for catastrophes. We hear about the impact that had on the ability to react to Covid-19 and what it might mean for future challenges. Plus, we hear from the Welsh choir who are longing to sing together once again. Presented by Lucy Burton.

Trade wars have blighted the global economy in the last four years. What will it take to restore order? Much will depend on who takes over the leadership of the World Trade Organisation, the institution tasked with guiding and policing the rules-based global trading system. There are eight official candidates for the WTO top job. We speak to Mexico’s candidate, Jesus Seade, about how - and what - needs fixing, with commentary from the BBC’s economics correspondent Andrew Walker.(Photo: WTO director general candidate Jesus Seade; Credit: Getty Images)

Huawei's expulsion from the UK's 5G network is the latest development in a growing US-China cyber cold war - but Beijing has bigger plans afoot.Cyber-security consultant Dominique Lazanski explains how the Chinese authorities are proposing to replace the data protocols that underpin the current flexible, open internet with ones that would enable national governments to exert much greater top-down control within their borders.Meanwhile US President Trump continues to focus his ire on telecoms equipment maker Huawei, and major Chinese tech firms. Laurence Knight gets the latest from the BBC's Asia business correspondent Karishma Vaswani. Plus, Justin Sherman of the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington DC fears that if the US doesn't start working with other democracies, then the free, open internet we have grown up with may struggle to survive.(Picture: Abstract Globe With Glowing Networks; Credit: imaginima/Getty Images)

The economic impact of the working-from-home revolution. Edwin Lane speaks to remote tech worker Heather May about why she's swapped the office and the big city for rural Alabama, and to Aaron Bolzle, executive director of Tulsa Remote - a programme to attract remote workers from around the US to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Manuela Saragosa hears from Stanford University economist Nicholas Bloom about why a boom in working from home during the coronavirus pandemic could increase inequality, and digital economy researcher Sarah Bana tells us why some countries are better than others at home working.(Photo: A woman works on laptop at home, Credit: Getty Images)

Will the Black Lives Matter movement bring change to an industry accused of being too white?Nick Kelly, a black entrepreneur who runs Axela Ltd, says venture capital funds would only consider a certain kind of business idea from black entrepreneurs. He didn't raise any money from them when he went asking yet his business is now worth around $10 million. Kenny Alegbe of HomeHero, another black entrepreneur says he only got investment from VC funds when he looked outside of the usual set of funds. Plus Manuela Saragosa speaks to Tracy Gray who runs the 22 Fund. She is a rarity in the VC community. She is female and a black investor, and says there has been no change in the VC world for the 20 years that she's worked in it.(Picture: Black businesswoman looking at male colleagues whispering; Credit: XiXinXing/Getty Images)

Covid-19 is showing up a general failure by most of the world's governments to prepare for the worst.Manuela Saragosa speaks to Dr Sylvie Briand at the World Health Organization, whose job is to get the world ready for new infectious outbreaks like coronavirus. What was it like for her exhortations to fall on deaf ears up until this year? How prepared was the WHO itself, and does she fear the consequences if the multilateral organisation is defunded?Meanwhile, author and risk consultant David Ropeik explains why human nature makes us so bad at taking action to ward of disasters that happen once in a blue moon. And Jens Orback, head of the Global Challenges Foundation, says pandemics are only one of a host of terrifying cataclysms that we disregard at our peril.Producer: Laurence Knight(Picture: Asteroid striking the Earth; Credit: puchan/Getty Images)

On Business Weekly, we look at what's been the biggest corporate scandal of 2020 so far. Wirecard was one of the German stock exchange's largest companies, but it now finds itself embroiled in fraud and corruption claims. How did the technology star fall so quickly from grace? Fergus Nicoll investigates. The coronavirus pandemic has taken its toll on the education sector and in the United States new rules say foreign students might face deportation if their courses have gone online, throwing their lives into disarray, Rob Young hears their stories. And what’s the formula behind a winning brand? We join Elizabeth Hotson on a quest to bring out a winning range of mushy peas. Presented by Vishala Sri-Pathma and produced by Matthew Davies.

The US Supreme Court has ruled that the US President's taxes cannot be withheld from a grand jury investigation - but what does it mean for his bid to keep his finances private and to get himself re-elected in November?Ed Butler asks John Coffee, professor of law at New York's Columbia Law school, which legal team and which political party should be celebrating more over this complicated ruling.Plus, New York Times investigative journalist Susanne Craig tells us what is already known about Mr Trump's tax affairs and the source of his wealth. And tax journalist David Cay Johnston explains why Mr Trump's finances were so little investigated before he became president.(Picture: US President Donald Trump in the cabinet room of the White House; Credit: EPA/Samuel Corum)

Could electronic voting help the US hold an election?Ed Butler speaks to Nimit Sawhney founder and CEO of Voatz - a US startup that provides voting through a smartphone app, and to Priit Vinkel, the former head of the state electoral office of Estonia where 50% of citizens now cast their votes online. J. Alex Halderman, professor of computer science at the University of Michigan explains why e-voting systems are so risky when it comes to election security. Lori Steele Contorer, former founder and CEO of e-voting company Everyone Counts, argues the case for electronic voting amid the coronavirus pandemic. Producer: Edwin Lane(Photo: Voters line up at polling stations in the US state of Wisconsin earlier this year; Credit: Getty Images)

Why does China seem to be upsetting countries around the world? Beijing's recent clampdown on Hong Kong with a new security law has led many countries to condemn the Chinese leadership. It's also put more pressure on the trade war with the US. So what's in it for Beijing to apparently spur international hostility over Hong Kong and a number of other regional border conflicts? George Magnus, an economist and an associate at the China Centre at Oxford University, believes the domestic unemployment issue is a big determining factor in Beijing's thinking. Yuen Yuen Ang, a political scientist and an expert on China and emerging economies at the University of Michigan, says it's all a symptom of President Xi's and Donald Trump's insecurities at home. And Ian Bremmer the President of the risk consultancy the Eurasia Group, says despite the Chinese always having been thought of long term, strategic thinkers they are now not even thinking six months ahead.(Picture: Cargo containers with US and China flags hoisted by c

What's the secret to coming up with a brand name? Elizabeth Hotson goes on a mission to create a new line of mushy peas - also known as Yorkshire caviar. With their low fat, high fibre, vegan credentials, mushy peas should be a winner with health conscious millennials, but a great name is still essential to success. We negotiate legal minefields with Kate Swaine, head of the UK trademarks, brands and designs team at law firm Gowling WLG, and get some valuable branding insights from Simon Manchipp and Laura Hussey at design agency SomeOne.Eric Yorkston, associate professor of marketing at the Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University, tells us why analysing the sounds of words can make or break a brand.Producer: Elizabeth Hotson(Picture: Queen Pea branding by Simon Manchipp of SomeOne)

Coronavirus has brought new opportunities to Africa's tech sector, despite the devastating blow it has delivered to economies around the world.Tamasin Ford speaks to one of Forbes Africa’s 50 most powerful women, Rebecca Enonchong, the founder and CEO of AppsTech, a global provider of digital solutions. Claud Hutchful, chief executive of Dream Oval, a technology firm in Accra, Ghana, tells us about payments app Slydepay. Plus we hear from Moses Acquah, chief technology officer of GreenTec Capital Partners, an investment firm that supports African entrepreneurs. He’s also the founder of the networking organisation, Afrolynk.(Picture: Woman using a tablet; Credit: Getty Images)

Big brands are turning away from Facebook over its so-called toxic content - so how will the social network cope? That’s the big question we’ll be asking on Business Weekly. We’ll also be investigating the changing face of make-up as Kim Kardashian West sells a stake in her cosmetics business to the beauty giant Coty. We’ll hear why traditional make-up brands are struggling to keep up with companies born in the age of social media and influencers. Our correspondent in France heads to the sparkling shores of Brittany to see whether businesses there are ready for summer tourists - and we have an interview with the film director, Gurinder Chadha. Presented by Lucy Burton.

Coronavirus has brought one of the most prolific film industries to a virtual standstill. Nollywood, Nigeria’s film industry, is the third largest in the world after Hollywood and India’s Bollywood. Chijioke Uwaegbute from the entertainment desk at Price Waterhouse Coopers Nigeria explains the financial impact of the virus on Nollywood. Moses Babatope, co-founder of Filmhouse, the biggest cinema chain in West Africa, says that with all his cinemas closed, he’s having to pay furlough money out of his own pocket. Plus actress and screenwriter Alexendra Amon tells us that she has had projects cancelled. And we’ll also hear from Obi Emelonye on using smartphones to overcome restriction during the pandemic.(Image: Nollywood films at a market in Lagos. Picture credit: CRISTINA ALDEHUELA/AFP via Getty Images)

Coronavirus cases have been rising in two dozen states over the last 14 days. Of these, Texas, Florida, Arizona and California have emerged as the country's latest virus epicentres. And yet governors in many of these states are resisting efforts to close down economic and social activity, or a “second lockdown".Republican strategist Chris Ingram in Tampa, Florida, explains to Business Daily's Ed Butler the thinking behind allowing most Americans, apart from the most vulnerable, to get back to normal life. But some Floridians are not waiting for directions from the government. Ed Boas, owner of Lanes clothing store, describes the precautions he’s taking on his own initiative.Meanwhile Dr Cheryl Holder, at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University, says that while the state is better-equipped to deal with a second wave, she’s concerned many young people think themselves invulnerable. And Wendell Potter, former health insurance broker turned whistle-blower, explains how the US

Will the Stop Hate for Profit campaign change the social network's handling of "toxic" content? Big names like Ford, Starbucks and Unilever are pulling ads from Facebook starting this month. Ed Butler speaks to some of the companies involved: Damien Huang, president of outdoor clothing company Eddie Bauer, Mary Ellen Muckerman from tech firm Mozilla, and Ryan Gellert from Patagonia. As the campaign appears to gather momentum, how much will it hurt Facebook's business? Jordan Bucknell, founder and CEO of Upbeat Agency, a facebook and Instagram advertising agency, describes the draw of the platform for many small businesses. And Steven Levy, author of the book Facebook: The Inside Story, explains why the real pressure for change could come from Facebook's own workforce.Producer: Edwin Lane(Photo: Stop Hate for Profit campaign displayed on a smartphone, Credit: EPA)

The 2020s will be transformational for humanity, according to the tech prophet founders of RethinkX,Tony Seba and James Arbib talk to Justin Rowlatt about their prediction that a confluence of new technologies - in energy, transportation, and food and materials production - could wipe out poverty and solve climate change in the next 10-15 years, and usher in a new "Age of Freedom" for our species.But while it sounds utopian, they also warn in their new book Rethinking Humanity that it could pose huge civilizational challenges for a planet that still clings to outdated concepts such as democracy, capitalism and the nation state.Producer: Laurence Knight(Picture: Global communications Planet Earth graphic; Credit: metmorworks/Getty Images)

Mohamed Mansour is a household name in Egypt. The billionaire head of the multinational conglomerate Mansour Group has been involved in business and politics in Egypt and abroad for decades, as the BBC’s Mohamed El Aassar explains. Mansour himself sat down to speak with Manuela Saragosa about globalisation, the long-term impact of coronavirus and donating to the UK conservative party.(Picture: Mohamed Mansour. Picture credit: Mansour Group.)