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Is there a penalty for being single? Jun 11, 2024

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Why does being on your own seem so expensive?

The number of unmarried, divorced, widowed or unattached people is growing worldwide. But figures suggest it is more financial costly to be single, while couples and families benefit from paying less per person.

Whether it is the packaging supermarkets use, streaming service tariffs, hotel rooms - you often get a much better deal being coupled-up than not. Governments are in on the act too: offering tax breaks to couples.

In this programme, we take apart the personal finances of singles; hearing from World Service listeners and financial analysts.

Is it just economies of scale or are we really living in a world that penalises people on their own? And are there any financial advantages to being solo?

(Picture: Senior woman looking concerned, paying bills at home on her laptop. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by David Reid

Economic life in Palau Jun 10, 2024

Show notes

We look at how soaring food and fuel prices are affecting the tiny island nation in the western Pacific Ocean.

Like much of the world, the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have led to supply chain issues, and rising costs.

And with limited opportunities, young people are facing the question, should they stay or leave and chase careers elsewhere?

Produced and presented by Frey Lindsay

(Image: People gathered under the Japan-Palau Friendship bridge in Koror, Palau. Credit: Frey Lindsay/BBC)

The fight over Palau's oceans Jun 09, 2024

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We travel to the tiny pacific nation which wants to shrink its marine sanctuary, and open it up once more to commercial fishing.

The President says it’s costing too much in lost revenue, when Palauans are already struggling.

But opponents say this goes against Palau's conservationist ethos.

So today we're asking - can conservation and commerce, co-exist?

Produced and presented by Frey Lindsay

(Image: The National Geographic Pristine Seas research vessel the Argo, in the Pacific Ocean East of Palau. Credit: Frey Lindsay)

The weight-loss drug revolution Jun 06, 2024

Show notes

Diabetes and obesity drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro have become famous for helping users shed big amounts of weight. It's a market that could soon be worth more than $100 billion. Two companies dominate this space, Novo Nordisk which makes Ozempic and Eli Lilly, maker of Mounjaro. But with competitors desperate for a piece of the action, how long can these two giants stay in front?

Leanna Byrne hears from some of the companies involved, including those at the centre of the action and those developing the next wave of treatments.

Presented by Leanna Byrne and produced by Lexy O'Connor

(Image: A box of the anti-obesity drug Wegovy, including injection pens. Credit: Getty Images)

Denmark and the Novo Nordisk effect Jun 05, 2024

Show notes

In the first of a two-part series, in collaboration with The Food Chain, we look at the impact of the success of weight-loss drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk on the small country of Denmark.

The Scandinavian nation is where the company is based, and with a population of less than six million people, Novo is having an outsized impact on the economy there. Denmark is now publishing separate economic statistics, minus the pharmaceutical industry.

One town in particular, Kalundborg, has seen huge change since the company set up its manufacturing facility there. We look at the impact on local business; hearing from the town's residents, who now have quite different economic prospects.

Presented/producer: Adrienne Murray

(Photo: The headquarters of Novo Nordisk in Denmark, viewed from above. Credit: Getty Images)

What’s really going on in the US jobs market? Jun 04, 2024

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President Biden has claimed the US economy is the ‘envy of the world’ and that his administration has added record job numbers, with around one million people hired since the turn of this year.

With inflation falling and the possibility of the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates, we find out if the rosy economic picture is being felt by those who are hiring or trying to get hired.

(Image: A sign on a wall recruiting for staff at a hotel in California in 2024 as a man walks by. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Matt Lines

Why are so many young Indians struggling to get jobs? Jun 04, 2024

Show notes

India has just finished its marathon elections and as the new government takes charge we take a look at one of its biggest challenges - rising youth unemployment.

With an average age of 29 years, India’s population is one of the youngest globally, but job creation for them hasn’t been easy in this fast growing economy.

The BBC’s Devina Gupta travels to Delhi to talks to students and first time job seekers about this growing job crisis and what can be done to solve it.

Presenter and producer: Devina Gupta

(Image: young men in Delhi waiting for the labour chow. Credit: Devina Gupta)

A special interview with World Bank boss Ajay Banga Jun 03, 2024

Show notes

Exactly one year into his new job, we meet Ajay Banga, the President of the World Bank. He previously ran Mastercard, but following President Biden's nomination, Ajay Banga took on one of the most important roles in finance in June 2023. He tells us what steps he is putting in place to reform the organisation, how western governments are struggling to fund it to the same levels that it used to, and he warns inflation might not come down much further.

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Olie D'Albertanson

(Photo: Ajay Banga. Credit: Getty Images)

Business Daily meets: Paul Carrick Brunson May 30, 2024

Show notes

We found out why the dating guru swapped a career in investment banking to become a matchmaker.

Now famous for his role in the hit TV show ‘Married at First Sight’, Paul Carrick Brunson explains how his current career path wasn’t always written in the stars. But a combination of business acumen, the backing of his partner and a touch of luck led to a lucrative trade in matchmaking.

He explains his core business principles and gives his top tips for discussing money in a relationship.

(Image: Paul Carrick Brunson. Credit: Chris Bethell)

Presenter: Devina Gupta Producer: Sam Clack

The Baltimore bridge collapse – what happens next? May 29, 2024

Show notes

It's been two months since the collapse of the key bridge in Baltimore, and the deadline to unblock the port's shipping channel is imminent. The US government has given a loose promise to make it happen by the end of May - but there are doubts that deadline will be met, causing more disruption to the local and global economy. How will businesses on sea and land find a way through more uncertainty?

Izzy Greenfield speaks to small businesses who are feeling the impact; from fewer customers to disruption to supply chains.

Baltimore used to rank first among US ports for autos and light trucks, handling a record 850,000 vehicles last year. Importantly, the port is where vehicles are processed and labelled to be sold domestically. We hear how the industry is seeing an immediate impact. And we learn about the struggles that transportation workers continue to face.

(Image: Baltimore bridge after it collapsed in March 2024. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Izzy Greenfield

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