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Trump's green retreat

Trump's green retreat

Earlier this year, President Donald Trump signed an executive order stopping subsidies for renewable energy sources like wind and solar power. He has called attempts to boost green energy in the US the "Green New Scam".

We head to Middletown, Ohio, where a hydrogen-powered furnace for the steel mill, which was subsidised under the Biden administration, has been cancelled under President Trump. Supporters of the new furnace say it would have made a much cleaner plant in the town and created many jobs.

We hear from residents, community leaders, and economists, and ask - what happens when industry clashes with politics?

If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is [email protected]

Presenter: Erin Delmore Producer: Nathalie Jimenez

(Picture: Cleveland-Cliffs Middletown Works in Middletown, Ohio, in 2024. Credit: Getty Images)

Fighting economic abuse

Fighting economic abuse

What happens when a controlling partner takes over your income and spending?

More countries are now recognising the harm that economic or financial abuse can cause, but it's still a but it’s still a huge problem - particularly for women.

Could financial institutions be doing more to help?

Produced and presented by Felicity Hannah

(Image: A woman lying back in a chair with her head in her hands. Credit: Getty Images)

Keeping Chile's older workers... working

Keeping Chile's older workers... working

The country has one of the fastest growing aging populations in the region - we hear how businesses and politicians are adapting to the situation.

We visit a cafe exclusively employing women aged over 50, and hear about the sectors trying to change attitudes to maintain productivity.

Produced and presented by Jane Chambers

(Image: Senior hvac technician checking air conditioning unit pressure with manometer in Chile. Credit: Getty Images)

Is France failing its older workers?

Is France failing its older workers?

The French government has launched a campaign against what it calls “the last discrimination”: ageism.

It’s one that a lot of people in the country consider to be justified, and which makes it about three times more difficult to get a job interview. But it’s costly.

If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, please email us at [email protected]

Presented and produced by John Laurenson

(Picture: Job-seeker, Geraldine Coquand.)

Business Daily meets: Rahul Vatts

Business Daily meets: Rahul Vatts

Thirty years ago, India made its first mobile call. Back then, Rahul Vatts was just starting out at India’s telecom giant, Airtel.

Now the company’s Chief Regulatory Officer, he’s witnessed the country transform into one of the world’s largest digital markets. We hear about his career journey and learn how new technology is being rolled out in rural parts of India.

If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is [email protected]

Presented and produced by Devina Gupta

(Picture: Rahul Vatts.)

Home is where the debt is

Home is where the debt is

Is the dream of home ownership slipping out of reach for many Americans?

Prices are climbing, supply can’t keep up with demand, and high interest rates are keeping sellers on the side-lines.

Tariffs and rising construction costs are squeezing builders too, piling more pressure on families and the economy.

We hear from first-time buyers, builders and real estate agents all trying to navigate the changing market.

Produced and presented by Monica Miller

(Image: A family look at a new home in the US. Credit: Getty Images)

The growth of barefoot shoes

The growth of barefoot shoes

Once a niche product for runners, footwear that makes you feel like you’re not wearing any is now crossing into the mainstream.

We’ll hear from fans chasing everyday health benefits as well as from brands in the UK, India and US. And we’ll ask whether the barefoot movement is here to stay…

Produced and presented by Helen Ledwick

(Image: Barefoot shoes on display at a 'try on' event in Birmingham, UK)

Why China’s property bubble burst

Why China’s property bubble burst

In the early 2000s, the country had one of the biggest real estate booms seen anywhere in the world - at its peak accounting for 30% of GDP.

But in 2020 that quickly started to unravel. Now, the largest Chinese companies are being taken to court and dismantled, and property bought by ordinary citizens who invested in real estate has plummeted in value.

What went wrong, and how does the crisis affect the rest of the world?

You can get in touch with the programme by emailing us at [email protected]

Presented and produced by Matt Lines

(Picture: A China Evergrande property development is in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China, in August, 2025. Credit: Getty Images)

No AI, thanks

No AI, thanks

Many skilled professionals working within creative fields are unhappy about how AI is impacting their industry. They want to protect their work and the creative process from artificial intelligence because of fears over things like job protection, devaluation of skills, and a loss of control over their work.

Some small and medium-sized companies in other industries also say they plan to never use AI technology.

We discuss why that is, and ask whether those businesses that don’t embrace the technology may fall behind.

If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, send us an email to [email protected]

Presented and produced by Hannah Mullane

(Picture: Actress and filmmaker Justine Bateman, who runs the CREDO 23 film festival, which is billed as a non-AI event, in Los Angeles, California. Credit: Steven Meiers Dominguez)

Could AI ever replace the news?

Could AI ever replace the news?

In December 2023, a video was posted on X that generated a lot of attention. Gaining more than five million views in 24 hours, it showed a team of AI-generated TV anchors flawlessly delivering the day’s top headlines.

We investigate how the media industry is embracing artificial intelligence; from the outlets using the technology to re-voice presenters, to the start-ups that use it to script entire news reports.

We also look at the editorial issues facing journalists, ask about the public appetite for AI news, and speak to those fighting AI disinformation around the world.

If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, you can email us at [email protected]

Presenter: Sam Gruet Producer: Megan Lawton

(Picture: An AI-generated female TV news presenter on Channel 1 News. Credit: Channel 1)

UAE: The next AI powerhouse?

UAE: The next AI powerhouse?

When US president Donald Trump visited the Middle East earlier this year, he announced a number of deals between the US and countries in the region.

One major deal was for a partnership to build a massive data centre in Abu Dhabi that is expected to be the largest artificial intelligence (AI) campus outside the US.

We ask whether the Gulf can become a major AI power - and at what geopolitical cost?

Produced and presented by Sameer Hashmi

(Image: US president Donald Trump and UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan unveiled a model of the AI campus. Credit: WAM)

The global AI divide

The global AI divide

The US and China dominate the field of artificial intelligence - between them they’re responsible for 90% of the world’s AI infrastructure. Where does this leave the rest of the world?

We speak to an AI business in Kenya, a country that doesn’t benefit from lots of investment in the sector.

We discuss the difficulties of trying to innovate in Argentina.

And we explore the divide between regions seeing a lot of investment in the industry compared to those that aren’t, and what this could mean for the future.

If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, you can email us at [email protected]

Presented and produced by Hannah Mullane

(Picture: Computer science professor Nicolas Wolovick, in Argentina, next to a supercomputer. Credit: Nicolas Wolovick)

Shafaq Live
Shafaq Live
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