Will the EU hit the brakes on its combustion car ban?

Why are black women are being hit hardest in today’s jobs market? With African American unemployment at a four-year high, we hear from women searching for work.In Japan, a “human washing machine” could soon be hitting the shops.The European Union waters down its own plan to ban petrol and diesel vehicles by 2035.We hear how the trucking industry is changing in Canada.And Ed Butler speaks to an 11-year-old farmer travelling from Ireland to Brussels by tractor with his dad, ahead of a major protest.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has released its long-awaited data, showing mixed signals for the US jobs market. The unemployment rate is at a four-year high of 4.6%, up from 4.4%. The European Union is set to soften its planned ban on new petrol and diesel cars, giving carmakers more time to move away from combustion engines. We hear from Wolfgang Weber, CEO of German electro and digital industry association (ZVEI).And the last vehicle will roll off the assembly line at Volkswagen's plant in Dresden today. First time ever the German carmaker closed a manufacturing plant in its home country.You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033.Presenter: Leanna Bryne Producer: Victoriya Holland Editor: Justin Bones

The European Union once set an ambitious goal: by 2035, all new cars sold would be fully electric. But now, the BBC understands that Brussels is considering scrapping, or at least watering down, its plan to ban new petrol and diesel vehicles. So what could it mean for carmakers and consumers across Europe?South Korea and the UK have signed a new trade deal.In the US, people applying for a skilled worker visa will now have their social media profiles screened.And who's winning the race to build the most sophisticated AI models?(Photo: An exhaust pipe of a car is pictured on a street in Berlin, Germany. Credit: REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch)

The Spanish government has fined property rentals giant Airbnb €64m ($75m) for advertising unlicensed apartments. Andres Barragan, Secretary General for Consumer Affairs in the Spanish Government, tells this programme that the short term rent for tourism is rising the rent price.In India, pollution is grinding the economy to a halt.And in Paris, workers at the Louvre are on strike in a dispute over demand for extra staff and measures to tackle overcrowding.You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033.

Trade tensions rise as the EU investigates Chinese firms over possible unfair government subsidies. We hear from the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU who says they are being unfairly targeted. Plus, who will pay the new €3 tax on small parcels from China - businesses or consumers?Why are most household things still not being recycled?And sport fans in the US will soon be able to subscribe to a new YouTube TV package.[Photo: An attendant walks past EU and China flags in Beijing, China. Credit: REUTERS/Jason Lee]

Gideon Long takes a look as online discussion forum Reddit challenges Australia’s ban on social media for under-16s.Plus, after Ben from Ben & Jerry’s criticises the ice-cream maker’s owners, they hit back — speaking exclusively to the BBC.And why are general strikes spreading across several European countries?

Disney is investing $1bn in OpenAI, letting fans create AI-generated videos with its characters. But what will the deal mean for the future of entertainment? We hear from people across the creative industry.Tickets for next year’s World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico have gone on sale but fans say the prices are “extortionate.”In Kenya, a court has frozen a multibillion-dollar US health deal over data-privacy concerns.And Mexico is hitting China with a wave of new tariffs.

Gideon Long speaks to a former Venezuelan diplomat about the US seizure of an oil tanker off the country's coastline. Where was it going and what could it mean for global oil supplies? Plus, the typhoon survivors from the Philippines taking oil giant Shell to court. And how does the World Cup ticket ballot actually work?

Could Americans finally get some financial relief? The Fed has cut interest rates to a three-year low, and President Trump promises to make ‘America affordable again.’ We speak to a business owner and a former Federal Reserve economist.Why is silver hitting record highs?And in Italy, the nations food has been granted the world’s first-ever heritage status.You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033.(Photo: US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell attends a press conference at the Federal Reserve, Washington, DC USA, 10 December 2025. Credit: WILL OLIVER/EPA/Shutterstock (16075439n))

Silver is trading at record highs as demand from the tech industry soars — Leanna Byrne finds out why the precious metal has become one of the market’s hottest assets. The boss of Coupang, South Korea’s largest online retailer, resigns after the country’s biggest-ever data breach. And Amazon plans to double its investment in India by 2030.