Business Matters

Electric carmaker Tesla has said it will cut its workforce by 7% after the "most challenging" year in its history. In an email to staff on the firm's website, founder Elon Musk said that growth had been strong. But he added it was difficult to make Teslas with their new and developing technology as cheaply as conventional cars, and the firm's cars were still "too expensive for most people". We hear from Caroline O'Donovan, Tesla reporter for the Buzzfeed. It’s already the longest partial American government shutdown in history, and all the signs are that it’s going to get even longer. We find out what business opinion-formers have have to say on the situation. Plus we look back at the rest of the week's big business stories with independent business commentator Patricia O'Connell in New York, and Max Colchester of the Wall Street Journal in London. Throughout the programme we are joined by Robert Milliken, Australia correspondent for the Economist in Sydney. (Picture: A Tesla Model S. Picture credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Netflix finished the year with more than 139 million paid subscribers, almost tripling its membership base in just five years .But the latest results haven't played well on Wall Street as we hear from Jonathan Swartz, senior writer at Barrons financial investment in New York. Plus Oxford University has suspended new donations and sponsorships from Chinese telecoms giant Huawei. The firm is facing accusations from the US and other countries that its equipment could be used for espionage. We hear from Kieran Stacey, Washington correspondent for the Financial Times about new US actions planned against the firm. All this and more discussed with our two guests throughout the show: Paddy Hirsch, contribution editor from NPR in Los Angeles. And Cathering Yeung, investment director at Fidelity International in Hong Kong. (Picture: The logo of online streaming giant Netflix Picture credit: Alexander Pohl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Democrats have asked President Donald Trump to postpone a speech to Congress, arguing security cannot be guaranteed due to the government shutdown. Mr Trump is due to address Congress for the annual State of the Union speech on 29 January. Is there any chance of a end to the deadlock? After a defeat over its Brexit deal, the UK government has won a confidence vote 325 to 306. We hear how British businesses are handling the uncertainty and Lianna Brianded of Yahoo Finance gives us reaction to the latest vote from outside Parliament. Also in the programme, YouTube bans uploads of dangerous pranks and challenges. Julia Alexander, Tech and internet culture reporter at The Verge tells us why. Plus, with Soho House now in Mumbai and opening in Hong Kong later this year, Sharnjit Leyl is exploring private members clubs in Singapore to see why the trend is taking off across Asia. All this and more discussed with our two guests throughout the show: Alexis Goldstein, activist and financial reform advocate in Washington. And Nisid Hajari, Asia Editor for Bloomberg's editorial board in Bangkok. (Photo: Theresa May. Credit: Getty Images .)

Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal has been rejected by 230 votes - the largest defeat for a sitting government in history. MPs voted by 432 votes to 202 to reject the deal, which sets out the terms of Britain's exit from the EU on 29 March. We get reaction from Allie Renison, Head of Europe and Trade Policy at the Institute of Directors. Justin Urquhart-Stewart of Seven Investment Management, Liam Murphy of the professional services firm Wachsman, headquartered in Dublin and the US perspective from Susan Schmidt of Aviva Investors in Chicago. We also ask how badly relations between Canada and China have soured as a result of the death penalty passed against a Canadian citizen convicted of drugs charges. And why are efforts to find a solution to the US government shutdown going nowhere? A question for Jasmine Farrier of the Department of Political Science at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. All this and more discussed with our 2 guests throughout the show: Ralph Silva of the Silva Research Network, in Toronto. And Lulu Chen, technology reporter for Bloomberg,in Hong Kong. Photo: A demonstration outside the Houses of Parliament featuring a paper mâché Theresa May head sailing towards an iceberg. Credit: Getty Images.)

UK prime minister Theresa May has made a new push to persuade MPs to back her Brexit deal. We look at the potential impact on business if the deal falls. Street protests continue across Sudan as inflation tops 130 per cent, with a drastic impact on the price of food and medicine. The US government shutdown is taking it toll in a number of different areas. Today we look at the impact on farming with Roger Johnson, President of the National Farmers Union. We also have a report from India exploring why demand for gold in the country is waning. Plus our regular workplace commentator, Pilita Clark of the Financial Times, considers whether there could be benefits to providing a workplace beer fridge. (Picture: Theresa May. Picture credit: Getty Images.)