Business Daily

The European country is known for its late night eating culture, the average time for an evening meal is past 9PM.

One of the reasons for that is the working day across Spain which has a history of going on way into the evening.

But recently the second deputy minister of Spain called this ‘madness’, saying eating so late and working late isn’t good for work-life balance.

We speak to a restaurant owner and the CEO of digital agency that offers flexible working to talk about working culture and discuss how likely it is that Spain will change its habits.

(Picture: Mikel López de Viñaspre, the co-founder and chief executive of the Sagardi Group of Basque restaurants. Credit: Sagardi Group)

Presented and produced by Hannah Mullane

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

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)

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)

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)

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)

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

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)

Exactly one year into his new job, we meet Ajay Banga, the President of the World Bank.

Presenter: Sam Fenwick

(Photo: Ajay Banga. Credit: Getty Images)

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