World Business Report

In Iran, at least seven people have been killed in anti-government protests that were triggered by a sharp fall in the value of the currency, a rising cost of living and an economy that's labouring under Western sanctions. The price of cigarettes looks set to rise in India. What will it mean for tobacco farmers?Also, factory activity in the Euro Zone area contracted further last month.Presenter: Gideon Long Producer: Ahmed Adan and Amber Mehmood Editor: Justin Bones

Syria rolls out redesigned banknotes as part of a currency reform aimed at rebuilding after years of war. Russia, meanwhile, is pressing ahead with tax rises to help fund the war in Ukraine as the invasion nears its fourth year. Rahul Tandon asks what realistic economic choices remain for governments under that kind of strain. In the US, New York City has a new mayor: Zohran Mamdani. We speak to an adviser who served on his inaugural committee about what his agenda means for the city’s economy. And our North America Technology Correspondent Lily Jamali reports back after a year investigating whether the gains from artificial intelligence are being shared more widely accross America - or still concentrated among a few firms and regions.(Photo: A currency exchanger handles cash in his hands, after the ousting of Syria's Bashar al-Assad, at Yusuf al-Azma Square in Damascus, Syria, December 16, 2024. Credit: REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh)

At midnight on 01 January, Bulgaria became the 21st country in the European Union to adopt the Euro currency. Also, Serbia's main oil refinery has been given more time to find a new owner, as it tries to avoid US sanctions against Russian-owned oil companies. And, we visit the Chinese village at the centre of red paper lantern production.

Netflix is screening its latest hit at the cinema and MTV is closing music-video channels. What can the latest moves in the entertainment business tell us about how streaming is changing our viewing and listening habits?(Picture: The Netflix logo and an advertisement for Stranger Things are shown on one of their buildings in the Hollywood neighbourhood of Los Angeles, California, U.S., December 2, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Mike Blake)

In our last episode before the end of the year, we ask: what could 2026 hold for the global economy? Will the US keep powering ahead, is China finally turning a corner, and how much further can interest rates really fall?And we speak to an applied futurist who advises businesses and governments on the pressures shaping the years ahead. We ask what his key predictions are for 2026, and what they could mean for workers, companies and governments.Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Haider Saleem and Amber Mehmood Editor: Stephen Ryan