Big Boss Interview

OpenAI's value surges to $157bn in funding deal where the maker of ChatGPT raised $6.6bn from a pool of investors that include Microsoft. We also hear from North Carolina, where damages caused by hurricane Helene could have serious implications for the tech-industry. And we take a look at the effect that the latest conflict in the Middle East is having on Israel’s economy.

Andrew Peach discusses these and more business stories with two guests on opposite sides of the world: Walter Todd, Chief Investment Officer at Greenwood Capital in California, and Stefanie Yuen Thio, Joint Managing Partner at TSMP Law in Singapore.

The attacks come after Israeli troops invaded Lebanon, in a ground operation against Hezbollah. Thousands have crossed from Lebanon to Syria seeking shelter. What could this mean for these countries whose economies are already struggling? Also, what will Mexico's first female president do for the country's economy? Plus, Canada’s international trade minister talks about fears of ending up in a trade war with China.

Andrew Peach is joined throughout the show by Hayley Woodin, editor in chief of Business in Vancouver, Canada, and David Kuo from The Smart Investor in Singapore.

The Israel Defense Forces launches a "limited, localised and targeted" ground operation against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. We get the latest.

US ports brace for shut down as dockworkers strike is set to halt container traffic along the east and gulf coasts. We look at the numbers.

The markets haven't welcome the arrival of Japan's new Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba. We find out why.

Israeli warplanes have launched new attacks on buildings in south Beirut where the military says Hezbollah is storing weapons. Israel strikes Beirut buildings after reportedly targeting Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Elsewhere, in Myanmar, the military junta made a surprise offer to hold talks with rebel groups on a political solution to the country’s nationwide armed conflict. Ethnic armed groups sceptical of this offer have rejected it. Devina Gupta looks at the civil war’s impact on the country’s economy. And, India’s gold imports tripled in the month of August, according to the World Gold Council. Gold prices recently hit an all-time high. But why are prices rising?

Devina is joined by Nga Pham, freelance journalist and filmmaker in Taipei and Andy Uhler - journalism fellow at University of Texas Energy Institute and Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy.

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party will choose its new leader on Friday, after Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s surprise announcement that he’s stepping down. Who are the candidates jostling to replace him? And how will their policies effect the economy and wider region?

Elsewhere, Spanish unions have taken to the street in support of a law that would shorten the workday. They gathered around the country to put pressure on the national employer’s confederation to back the law, which would reduce the working week to 37.5 hours. Elon Musk has been snubbed by the British government and will not be invited to the inaugural International Investment Summit attracting investment to the UK. Rahul Tandon finds out more. And in the US, Meta has announced Hollywood celebrities will be voicing their new AI chatbots. Is this a marketing gimmick or the future of AI?

Joining Rahul is Karen Percy, a freelance journalist in Melbourne and a South Korean scholar, lawyer, and consultant Jasper Kim with the University of Melbourne.

Pakistan has welcomed a $7bn IMF bailout package as the country emerges from one of its worst economic crises. Now, the government has increased its efforts to raise nearly $46bn in taxes for the year - we hear from Pakistan’s business community and a former finance minister about what’s next for the country.

Elsewhere, in the US, plane maker Boeing faces more turbulence after a warning from the safety regulator, which has told US politicians that they won't let the company boost production until it addresses a series of issues. Meanwhile, Rahul Tandon speaks to a key player at New York Climate Week about what companies are really doing to reach net zero. Is it enough? And we ask where the US economy is heading, as the main presidential candidates set out their vision for the economy.

Rahul is joined by Emily Peck, markets correspondent at Axios in New York and Mehmal Sarfraz - journalist and co-founder of The Current in Lahore.

Markets react to China’s stimulus. Its Chinas biggest stimulus since the global pandemic in 2020

We hear from Lebanon's business community as it comes under sustained Israeli bombardment

Tensions continue to rise in Lebanon and there is growing fear of escalating conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. Over the past decade Lebanon’s economy has shrunk dramatically, the currency has collapsed, and prices have skyrocketed. We hear from Lebanon's business community on how they are coping in the current climate and look at what this means for the wider Middle East economy.

In the US, Leanna Byrne looks at the Boeing production workers strike, which has already racked up over half a billion dollars in losses. More than 30,000 employees are now in their second week of protesting, fighting against cuts to bonuses and pensions. A Kenyan court has ruled that Facebook's parent company Meta can be sued over the dismissal of content moderators. These workers say they were fired for trying to form a union and that they were blacklisted from new jobs when Meta changed contractors. Could this ruling impact how big tech companies manage outsourced workers?

Leanna is joined by ABC's senior business correspondent Peter Ryan and chief economist at The Conference Board, Dana Peterson.

Under the shadow of conflict is normal life possible in Lebanon? The country has had a major economic crisis for almost a decade, and there is growing fear of escalating conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. We hear from Lebanon's business community on the challenges of working under the shadow of increasing violence.

Roger Hearing looks at the ongoing legal dispute between Brazil and the social media platform X. The company, which has more than 22 million users in Brazil, has appointed a new lawyer who has told the BBC that the company has decided to comply with all the court orders. And in Japan, Nintendo and its partner The Pokémon Company have filed a legal case against the maker of the hit adventure game Palworld over alleged patent infringement.

Roger is joined by Emily Feng NPR’s international correspondent in Taipei and Alexander Kaufman, senior reporter at HuffPost.