Football's richest and most popular competition took a historic hit as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Losses for the English Premier League reached a record high in the 2019-2020 season as attendance revenues fell and costs continued to rise. But with the government easing social distancing rules as more people get vaccinated, clubs are confident their finances will recover fast. Paolo Montecillo reports.

#PremierLeague #Football #Revenues

It's taken 17 years, four US presidents and $11.5B, but finally the European Union and the United States have resolved their dispute over aircraft subsidies. The hard-fought agreement comes during a four-month suspension of trade tariffs, as negotiators worked to clear the air. It's hoped the end of this bitter economic tussle will lift transatlantic relations. Melinda Nucifora reports. We were also joined by Karel Lannoo in Brussels. He's CEO of the Centre for European Policy Studies.

#EU #US #AircraftSubsidies

Jeff Bezos' rocket company Blue Origin has found its first customer for what will be a historic trip to space. The identity of the winning bidder remains a secret, but he'll be paying a sky-high price for a trip that the industry hopes will become commonplace before long.

#BlueOrigin #SpaceTrip #JeffBezos

After months of closures, the UK hospitality sector is bouncing back. It's thanks to a successful vaccine rollout -- and also because Brits are itching to buy stuff. But service with a smile has turned more into a grimace. As employees may find themselves with a lot more tasks, and fewer co-workers to help them. Oliver Regan explains.

#UK #HospitalitySector #LabourShortage

For years, China's birth control policies limited the number of babies born in the country. With that, came an ageing population and a shrinking workforce. The latest census data shows the population is growing at its slowest pace in decades. It's prompted the government to increase the number of children its citizens can have, to three. Michelle Hennessy assesses what impact that policy change will have on the economy.

#China #Population #BirthControlPolicies

The first Israeli government in 12 years not led by Benjamin Netanyahu got down to business on Monday. New Prime Minister Naftali Bennett promised to unite the country following two years of political gridlock that spawned four elections. Parliament approved the new government led by the right-wing nationalist on Sunday in a razor-thin 60-to-59 vote. Natasha Hussain reports. We also spoke to Naomi Feldman in West Jerusalem. She's an economics professor at the Hebrew University of Jersusalem.

#Israel #CoalitionGovernment #NaftaliBennett

G7 leaders have concluded their summit in Cornwall. They pledged over a billion COVID-19 vaccine doses for poorer countries, promised to cut their own carbon emissions and agreed to fund a democratic alternative to China's Belt and Road initiative. It was President Joe Biden's first overseas trip and a chance to persuade old allies America is back as a reliable partner. Simon McGregor-Wood reports. For more, we were joined by Huw Edwards in Loughborough in the UK. He's a senior lecturer in economics at Loughborough University.

#G7 #Leaders #Cornwall

Lebanese pharmacies have been running out of drugs for the past year, from specialised medicines to over-the-counter medication like paracetamol. People are searching numerous chemists, while also looking overseas for help. Hospitals are already short of basic equipment to treat patients, and the situation is about to get worse as government subsidies are due to be cut. Imogen Kimber reports.

#Lebanon #MedicineShortage #Drugs

Brazil's favelas are home to millions of the country's poorest residents. They're held back by a lack of decent infrastructure and decades of government neglect. But one charity group is gaming the system in a positive way, and giving some young people a chance to get out. Paolo Montecillo has more.

#Brazil #E-sports #Gaming

Tax revenues in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have dwindled over the past year due to an economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now the East African nations are planning to bounce back with massive infrastructure projects, funded mainly by debt. We were joined by Agnes Gitau from London. She's the managing director of GBS Africa, an advisory services firm focused on the continent's economic and political risks.

#Africa #Tanzania #Uganda