Money Talks

When thousands of dead fish washed up on the shores of Lebanon's largest reservoir last month, it was a reminder of the high levels of pollution in the country's water sources and supplies. Lebanon is one of the more water-rich countries in the Middle East, but the government still struggles to supply citizens with tap water 24 hours a day, let alone ensure that water is drinkable. Imogen Kimber reports from the Litani River.

#Lebanon #WaterCrisis #Pollution

Argentina, the world's sixth-largest beef producer, is banning exports to curb spiralling domestic prices. President Alberto Fernandez has prohibited overseas sales for 30 days and says his government is rolling out emergency measures to support the industry. Argentina's beef exports reached $3 billion last year, partly due to rising demand from China.

The government is concerned as domestic prices have shot up by 65 percent over the past year. That's prompting Argentinians to eat less red meat. Per capita consumption has plunged from 69 kilogrammes per person in 2009 to 48 kilogrammes in 2020. Remi Piet joined us from Miami for more on this. He's senior partner at Embellie Advisory.

#Argentina #BeefIndustry #ExportBan

Prosecutors in New York have opened a criminal investigation into Donald Trump's real estate empire. The former president says the business dealings being scrutinised were all above board. But the case still raises the unprecedented prospect of a US leader going on trial, and possibly facing jail time. Paolo Montecillo reports. We spoke to Scott Lucas in Birmingham in the UK. He's a professor of international politics at the University of Birmingham.

#USprosecutors #DonaldTrump #CriminalInvestigation

There are few technological advances in the world as exciting as artificial intelligence. AI technology has been successful in several sectors including banking, marketing, and entertainment. But many companies have begun offering software to read emotions, a venture that may be cut short by science. Sarah Balter explains.

#HongKong #AI #HighTechLearning

The north African country of Algeria is a nation rich with resources, but it’s people remain poor. There’s high unemployment, especially among young people, rising inflation and a lack of basic commodities. And as Sena Saylan reports ordinary Algerians are calling on the government to do more.

#AlgeriaEconomy #HighInflation #Unemployment

The International Energy Agency is calling for drastic changes in major industries to wean the world economy off fossil fuels. The body says these will be necessary to keep global heating under control, and failure to act now will have disastrous consequences. Paolo Montecillo has more. We spoke to Bob Ward in London. He's a policy director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics.

#IEA #ClimateGoals #CleanEnergy

Prices of bitcoin, ethereum and many other cryptocurrencies collapsed on Monday, wiping-out hundreds of billions of dollars in investments. The sell-off followed Tesla's announcement that it will stop accepting bitcoin as payment for its cars, due to environmental concerns over crypto mining. But many investors are accusing the company's founder, Elon Musk of market manipulation and some are responding by dumping Tesla shares. Mobin Nasir reports.

For more on this, Jeffrey Tucker joined us from Austin, Texas. He's a cryptocurrency analyst and the author of Bit by Bit. He's also a columnist for Real ClearMarkets.

#Cryptocurrency #Tesla #Etherium #Doge #Bitcoin

They say a dog is man's best friend. That certainly may have been true this past year of COVID-19, with many homebound Americans adopting furry friends. Morgan Stanley estimates that pet ownership growth more than tripled during the pandemic. But what happens to these faithful companions as owners resume their social lives outside the home and begin to return to the office? Apps for booking dog walkers and sitters are seeing an uptick in demand. Fred Katayama has more.

#PetOwners #DogWalking #Pandemic

Hundreds of thousands of people are working themselves to death every year. That's according to research by the World Health Organization, which shows the harm that long working hours can inflict on people's well-being. The health body has warned that global work-life balance may have gotten worse due to the coronavirus pandemic. Paolo Montecillo has more. Let's get more on the report from Frank Pega in Geneva. He's a technical officer at the World Health Organization's Environment, Climate Change and Health Department. He says the effects of long working hours cut across all sectors, though some people are more vulnerable than others.

#Overworked #WorkingfromHome #LongHours

In the coastal villages of Senegal, life revolves around the sea. Men bring their catch in to shore, where women dry, salt and smoke it. But the pandemic has brought the country's economy to a halt, and now villagers with the bounty of the sea at their doorstep are struggling to survive. Adesewa Josh reports.

#Senegal #COVID19 #Fishing