Business Daily

Festive celebrations at Christmas and New Year often involve increased alcohol consumption in many parts of the world. For some, that’s followed by a decision to take a break from drinking. It's become widely known as Dry January.However, data shows that more people are choosing to reduce their alcohol intake all year round. Alcohol-free drinks only make up about 1% of the total industry, but their popularity has risen quickly, and the vast majority is beer. How influential is Dry January really in this growing trend? And how will the smaller producers, who pioneered the non-alcoholic sector, fare now that the drinks giants are producing their own zero percent products? We examine the changing adult drinks market. If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is [email protected] and produced by Imran Rahman-Jones(Picture: Sonja Mitchell, founder of Jump Ship Brewing, based in Scotland, UK, holding a glass of non-alcoholic beer up in the air. Credit: Jump Ship Brewing)

Outrage has been growing in Iran over the country's struggling economy. Any growth this year or next looks unlikely.Protests starting in the capital have spread around the country, driven by mounting economic pressures, sanctions and rising consumer prices. They've been met with a violent crackdown by the government. More than two thousand people are reported to have been killed since the protests began and Iran remains under a days-long internet blackout.In this edition of Business Daily, we examine what has gone wrong with Iran’s economy and why financial pressures have led to so many people taking to the streets.If you'd like to contact the programme, our email address is [email protected]: Rahul Tandon Producers: David Cann and Matt Lines(Picture: An employee arranges a shelf at a store in the Iranian capital Tehran on the 7th of January 2026. Credit: Getty Images)

The power of the global bond market seems to have grown in recent years, to the extent that it can now dictate government policy and even topple political leaders. How much clout do the debt markets actually have and should they be reined in? Many rich nations are more indebted than they have ever been in modern times, meaning that some are spending more simply on servicing their debt than on schools, hospitals or military defence. In the second of two programmes on the bond market, we ask, how sustainable is that debt and should we be worried about it? If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is [email protected]: Ed Butler Producer: Gideon Long(Photo: A view of financial buildings in the City of London. Credit: Getty Images)

We explore how the world became so dependent on bonds, those IOUs from governments and firms that helped build the modern economy. Bonds are often dismissed as a dull corner of finance, but behind the scenes they have played a central role in major economic dramas around the world. We hear about their history, how they have shaped companies and countries, and why some fear the bond market could trigger the next global meltdown. If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is [email protected]: Rob Young Producer: Gideon Long(Photo: A bond issued in 1648 by a Dutch water board to finance improvements to a local dike system. The bond, written on vellum, is held at Yale University Beinecke Library and is believed to be one of the oldest in the world that still pays interest. Credit: Yale University)

We hear from a man who is immersed in the world of startups, innovation, venture capital, and the work of policymakers whose job it is to strengthen Europe's standing in all those fields. He's also a Prince of the Netherlands and the brother of the Dutch King. Constantijn van Oranje has worked as a business consultant and at the European Commission. He is now a champion of the Dutch tech sector through his organisation, Techleap, set up to support the founders and startups hoping to shape the future of Europe's economy. It's given him a platform to have his say on some of the most pressing issues facing Europe today - but how does he balance his role with that of Prince? We talk politics, regulation and unicorns. If you'd like to get in touch with Business Daily, our email address is [email protected] and produced by Matthew Kenyon(Photo: Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands presents the annual report of Techleap during the conference State of Dutch Tech on 12 February, 2025 in The Hague, Netherlands. Credit: Getty Images)