BBC Business Daily (Business)

In Business Daily today, Lesley Curwen talks to the prime Minister of Norway, Jens Stoltenberg, about its attempts to become carbon neutral in just 20 years - and how its reserves of fossil fuels will play a role in relieving world poverty. And if kids are always chilled out - will that damage their job prospects for the future? Our regular commentator Lucy Kellaway has rather decided views about this.

Brazil has weathered the financial crisis better than most big countries but has it really changed from the old underperforming economy? Steve Evans reports from Sao Paulo. He meets a Lebanese immigrant who's set up his own company and Roger Agnelli, President and Chief Executive of Vale, the world's second biggest minging company, as well as Henrique Mereilles, Governor of the Central Bank. And he investigates the air taxi business where $300 gets you to work faster by helicopter over the...

Just what is the future for economics? The financial crisis has shown up some pretty big holes in the economics being taught in schools and universities around the world. What needs to change for economists to find their way back to the real world ?

Business Daily asks if it's ever right to work for free. Some interns who get work experience are paid, but many are not. Is that fair? We speak to German film director Jonas Grosch who made a film about a fictional withdrawal of labour by disgruntled interns, and to Andrew Schwartz, an American entrepreneur who runs a business consultancy and employs students as unpaid interns.

Business Daily looks at the "miracle of Malawi", where a poor African country has handed out fertiliser and seeds to transform its food production. These, luckily combined with heavy rains, led to a doubling of corn production. Other African countries are now hoping to repeat this kind of subsidy programme. But is it too expensive and could the fertilisers damage the environment? Also, the former boss of British Aerospace, Sir Raymond Lygo, talks about morality in business deals.

Business Daily looks at the twin evils of world hunger and climate change, and the role of nitrogen fertilisers. They can help grow more food but they're a major contributor to global warming - so how do you solve that conundrum? And is ruling by fear the most effective management style of all?

Business Daily today takes an unsentimental look at Africa and offers some hard-headed solutions. It's not about aid. Nor about fancy schemes. It's about simple ideas that might make a difference. Is the African problem too many African borders?

In Business Daily should world leaders concentrate on fighting the fires of a global recession, or on re-building the worlds financial architecture and stopping beggar my neighbour trade rows? - And we ask, is the fast flow of information of the internet making the whole economic mess worse, does fear spread faster online?

Business Daily has bracing thoughts about the global downturn - one, some companies do emerge stronger from recession - two, parts of the world are still desperate to hire skilled workers - and three, its not the end of the world if you are downsized, retrenched or just plain sacked - it might just be the best thing that ever happened to you.

Here's a thing - is a recession the ideal time to start a business? Business Daily grapples with this counterintuitive idea - and hears from a former boss at Google who reckons you can get ahead - when all around you are panicking!

Business Daily cuts through the controversy over genetically modified crops and reports on how the technology has worked out on the ground. Does it live up to its promise? What about farmers who want to farm in the traditional way? Are fears well-founded?

The credit crisis - on the face of it - has nothing to do with Africa. But will Africa suffer because of it? We hear from the World Bank about fears that some of the worlds poorest will get even poorer.