Business Daily

They’re the kind of mega vessels which only a handful of people on the planet can afford.

We go to the Netherlands, where building and maintaining the most expensive yachts in the world is big business.

We visit Dutch yacht builder Heesen to look at the intricate design of these vessels, their opulence, and the huge amounts of money involved in building and selling them.

Plus we hear from those who actually help put the boats together.

And we get an expert view on the importance of the Superyacht sector to the country's overall maritime industry, and hear how politics, public perceptions, regulation and international sanctions have impacted the industry in recent years.

Presented and produced by Matthew Kenyon

(Image: Vida superyacht 55m built by Heesen Yachts and owned by Brooks Smith moored in Malaga, Spain in April 2023 (Photo by John Keeble/Getty Images)

It's a familiar feature of our oceans and beaches and yet its environmental impact has largely been overlooked.

Now supporters say seaweed can help us address climate change by reducing our reliance on fertilisers, and by reducing the methane emissions produced by cows. On top of that, proponents say a new material produced from the sugars in seaweed could provide a biodegradable alternative to the millions of tonnes of single-use plastic we throw away each year.

No wonder the World Bank is predicting a global seaweed boom worth $12bn this decade.

We hear from scientists and entrepreneurs from Australia to Zanzibar who say we are only just beginning to understand the exciting possibilities posed by this ubiquitous underwater species.

The Irish folk tune Dúlamán, about the island’s traditional seaweed gatherers, is used with the permission of musician Seoirse Ó Dochartaigh.

Produced and presented by Vivienne Nunis.

(Picture: Seaweed farm. Sumbawa. Indonesia. Credit: Getty Images)

We explore the largest infrastructure project in the history of the Baltic states - a new high-speed line connecting Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania with their Western allies.

The project is supposed to be an economic boost to the region, and yet getting it on track hasn't been straightforward.

We speak to those in charge of the project, and to businesses in the cities en-route.

Produced and presented by Lisa Louis.

(Image: The partly-built Rail Baltica Riga central hub in Riga, Latvia, in June 2024. Credit: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

In this programme, we look at some of the key issues for voters in the crucial, so-called ‘swing states’ in the 2024 US Presidential Election.

From Pennsylvania and the battle for blue-collar workers’ votes in Pittsburgh, to the cost of living in Nevada and the auto industry in Michigan. While for voters in Georgia, housing is proving to be a key issue.

We hear from people in each of these states about what matters to them and what could bring in those crucial votes for each candidate.

Presenter: Ed Butler

(Picture: A 'Welcome to Nevada' road sign next to a Nevada State boundary sign. Credit: Getty Images)

On the character's 50th birthday, we hear from the boss of the Japanese company which created her.

Sanrio CEO Tomokuni Tsuji took over from his grandfather who founded the company in Japan.

The company struggled to be profitable for years - we find out how under the leadership of Tomokuni Tsuji, the brand has grown to a trillion yen company, and speak about some of the challenges around counterfeits.

Produced and presented by Mariko Oi

(Image: A woman poses with Hello Kitty plushies at the exhibition CUTE in London, United Kingdom on January 24, 2024. Credit: Getty Images)

Once difficult to find outside of Japan, the green tea has made it onto the menus of major coffee chains.

The matcha tea industry is projected to reach US$5bn in revenue by 2031.

We look at the role TikTok, celebrity and wellness endorsements have played, and ask whether the matcha we drink in the west is healthy.

Plus we hear from producers who say the industry needs regulation.

Presented and produced by Megan Lawton

(Image: Matcha tea in a cup. Credit: Getty Images)

They’re the interactive games where players race against the clock to solve puzzles and break free.

And now major brands are tapping into the trend.

Companies are investing in escape rooms to enhance internal communications and team-building, and they’re now being seen as a powerful external communication tool too.

And we learn how escape rooms are being used to engage customers and showcase their products, crafting unusual marketing experiences.

Presented and produced by Deborah Weitzmann

It has already inspired the hit HBO television series Succession, but now Rupert Murdoch’s family drama is playing out in real life in a courtroom in the US state of Nevada.

The 93-year-old media mogul is trying to change the terms of a family trust he made years ago that states that after his death, his four eldest children should get equal voting rights in his empire. Murdoch wants to alter it to give his eldest son Lachlan greater control.

We hear from outside the courtroom, look back at Murdoch’s extraordinary career, and talk to two people who know the Murdoch family story well. And we reflect on what the court case might mean for one of the world’s most powerful media empires.

(Picture: Rupert Murdoch arriving at a courthouse in Reno, Nevada. Credit: Reuters)

Presented and produced by Gideon Long

We look at how some leaders in the battleground state of Pennsylvania are fighting for the approval of a deal for a Japanese company to purchase US Steel Corporation. That’s despite strong opposition from the unions and both presidential candidates.

(Picture: Edgar Thompson Plant in Braddock, PA. Credit: Getty Images/Washington Post)

Presented and produced by Monica Miller

From growing up as a refugee to leading the most recognised sustainability label in the world, Sandra Uwera talks about the challenges she's faced, and her drive to improve the lives of around two million farmers and workers around the world, through Fairtrade International.

(Picture: Sandra Uwera. Credit: Fairtrade International)

Presented and produced by Devina Gupta