Taxing more to cut the debt

What’s the right approach when major economies are weighed down by growing debt? As the UK Government unveils its latest budget, Will Bain examines how debt is increasingly shaping economic decisions.We also look at the rise of California-based live-stream shopping platform Whatnot, now valued at around $11 billion and fast becoming a serious challenger in retail.And finally, what’s the big deal about wearing pajamas on planes? (Photo: Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves holds her budget box outside number 11 Downing Street in London. Credit: Tolga Akmen/EPA Images)

The UK's net financial debt this year will be £2.6tn, meaning "one in every £10 the government spends is on debt interest". How are UK markets reacting to this? Leanna Byrne examines with our experts. Also, in Australia, two 15-year-olds are taking their government to court over a new law that bans anyone under 16 from using social media. And Iran is bringing in a higher fuel price, but only in certain situations. Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Ahmed Adan Editor: Justin Bones

An airline industry body in Venezuela tells Will Bain flights in and out the country have already been cut by half, with major disruption looming as a dispute over the safety of Venezuelan airspace intensifies. Also, are American consumers starting to feel the pinch? We examine a series of data points suggesting confidence may be on the wane. And how a misplaced passkey left one of the world’s leading internet security firms red-faced. (Photo by MIGUEL GUTIERREZ/EPA/Shutterstock: Passengers wait in a line at Simon Bolivar International Airport, which serves Caracas, in Maiquetia, Venezuela, 24 November 2025.)

Britain's finance minister, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, is expected to raise taxes for both individuals and businesses in the UK's budget tomorrow. We hear from a restaurant owner on his concerns for the hospitality sector. And why Serbia says its main oil refinery may shut down within days. Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Haider Saleem Editor: Justin Bones

The US federal government's Department for Government Efficiency, Doge, has ended its cost-cutting mission eight months early. Bisi Adebayo examines whether it achieved what it set out to do. And as the latest iteration of the Wicked movie franchise hits the big screen, we ask what its success can tell us about the resilience of Hollywood.

We hear from Vodafone's boss Margherita Della Valle on rising threats to vital undersea internet cables.We're days out from the UK's budget, what do we need to know? Britain's finance minister, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, is under presure to balance the country's books.And Japan once dominated the chip industry, but decades of decline left it trailing behind the likes of Taiwan and South Korea. Now, Tokyo is investing billions of dollars to try and turn that around. We hear from our Asia Business Correspondent Suranjana Tewari in Japan, to find out if the country can reclaim its tech.Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Haider Saleem

Today, as world leaders gather in South Africa, Andrew Peach takes a look the agenda for the G20 and asks whether it matters that Donald Trump isn't there. Plus, The International Committee of the Red Cross is cutting thousands of jobs after losing aid funding. And why millions of Mexicans are holding on to bank notes.A man walks past a G20 South Africa 2025 sign inside the secured area of the G20 Summit venue at the Nasrec Expo centre, ahead of the summit scheduled for November 22–23 in Johannesburg, South Africa. November 21, 2025. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

Japan has signed off a $135 billion stimulus package aimed at lifting wages, easing living costs, and boosting the economy. But can the country really afford it?We look at why some major airlines are banning power banks on flights.Is AI putting graduate careers at risk? The BBC speaks to the boss of accountancy giant, PwC.And it’s Wicked day! With the hit musical’s sequel finally landing in cinemas, how much could the box office magic be worth?Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Niamh McDermott Editor: David Cann

Is the “Trump Effect” working on the US economy? New figures show 119,000 jobs were added in September, sharply beating expectations after a slow summer. We’ll look at what’s driving the pickup. Also, novelists are increasingly worried that AI could replace them. Andrew Peach asks one writer whether a computer could ever produce a book as good as a human. And how seafood has become a weapon in the latest row between China and Japan.Photo by WILL OLIVER/EPA/Shutterstock A member of the public passes the US Department of Labour in Washington DC, USA, 05 September 2025.

Is the AI boom far from over? Yes, according to Nvidia, the world's most valuable company. The chip giant that's been at the heart of the boom has beaten market expectations again. We’ll break down the important numbers from its latest results. Why is Meta under pressure on two sides of the world?And, who bought a famous solid gold toilet for more than $12 million?Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Niamh McDermott Editor: Stephen Ryan