World Business Report

The next government faces the huge task of restoring stability to key sectors, including the vital garment industry.
We hear from a denim manufacturer and young voters about what they want next.
And the designer behind Japan’s Hello Kitty character for more than four decades is stepping down.
Presenter: Andrew Peach
Producer: David Cann
Editor: Stephen Ryan

President Trump says greenhouse gas emissions do not endanger public health, rolling back a landmark finding that formed the legal basis for US climate regulation. Andrew Peach gets reactions.

Also, South Africa's president sets out his plans to tackle growing water shortages.

And a dispute over the future of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.
(Photo: US President Donald Trump speaks in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 12 February 2026. Credit: WILL OLIVER/EPA/Shutterstock).

Russia has ordered a block on WhatsApp, as the Kremlin continues to tighten restrictions on foreign messaging platforms and digital communications.
Also, China is heading into the Lunar New Year holiday after a turbulent period in its trade relationship with the United States. Despite tensions, Beijing says it’s striking deals across Europe, India, Africa and South America. We hear from Rutie Zhang, Chief Strategy Officer at China Minmetal Futures in Shanghai, on what’s really driving the numbers.
And Irish artists could soon receive a weekly payment worth about three hundred and eighty dollars, under a new government scheme designed to support creative work.
Presenter: Leanna Byrne
Producer: David Cann
Editor: Stephen Ryan

The US jobs market shows signs of steady but subdued growth. Andrew Peach examines what’s driving the numbers, including the impact of tariffs and a tougher immigration crackdown.
Also, Dutch brewer Heineken cuts thousands of jobs worldwide as beer consumption falls.
And we look at the rise of “biohacking” and whether changing your daily routine could really help you live longer.
(Photo: A view of the US Department of Labor in Washington DC, USA, 05 September 2025. Credit: WILL OLIVER/EPA/Shutterstock).

US employers added a greater-than-expected 130,000 jobs in January, helping nudge the unemployment rate lower to 4.3%, according to official government statistics released on Tuesday The figures could help ease fears about the health of the job market, after last year's sharp slowdown as firms wrestled with changes, including major cuts to government spending and a crackdown on immigration. The US added just 181,000 jobs in 2025, according to the latest data, even weaker than previously reported.
The Dutch brewers Heineken cuts thousands of jobs after it finds drinkers are consuming less beer. Heineken - which also brews Amstel and Tiger lagers - said the cuts would come from brewing and white-collar roles among its 87,000-strong global workforce.
And China teeters on the edge of stagflation as inflation slows and worries continue over why consumers just don’t appear to be spending - putting pressure on firms to sell their goods abroad and make profits there.
Presenter: Leanna Byrne
Senior Producer: Craig Henderson