World Business Report
The latest business and finance news from around the world, on the BBC.
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Middle East crisis: Israel bombing Beirut
<p>Israel bombards Beirut and Tehran and many people are being displaced. We hear from the restaurant owner keeping the ddors open for her customers despite the explosions.</p><p>Also, Ed Butler finds out why hundreds of trafficked workers were released from scam centres in Cambodia, only to end up wandering the streets of the capital without a way back home.</p><p>And we dig into the growing numbers of young Roblox millionaires.</p>
US allows Russian oil sales to tackle rising prices
<p>The US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, says he will grant India a 30-day waiver to buy sanctioned oil from Russia to help ease supply concerns in the global market.</p><p>It comes as the Qatari energy minister warns that all energy producers in the Gulf region could shut down exports within weeks.</p><p>Plus - we hear from Nepal where votes are being counted in what’s being dubbed the young versus old election.</p>
The economic hardship for Iran and its citizens
<p>What do people in Iran think about the war? We hear from Iranians across the country who tell us how life is changed.</p><p>Also, we look at the life of foreign workers living in neighbouring countries, hearing from two Indian construction workers from Qatar. We ask how they are feeling since the war started.</p><p>But others are willing to pay over $250,000 just to escape from the United Arab Emirates.</p>
Can Gulf countries export oil before storage runs out?
<p>As global oil prices continue to climb, crude oil supplies from Iraq and Kuwait could stop shipping within days if travel through the Strait of Hormuz remains virtually halted. Plus, China cuts its economic growth forecast to the lowest level since 1991.</p>
How are shipping delays at the Strait of Hormuz impacting global business?
<p>The US-Israel war with Iran brought the crisis in global shipping. We hear how it's affecting seafarers and speak to the Head of the International Maritime Organisation.</p><p>Also, all provinces in Iraq have experienced a power blackout, which the government has attributed to a technical fault. We get the latest from Baghdad.</p><p>And how a bag of money on a runway caused havoc in Bolivia.</p>
Crude warning: Energy experts say Strait of Hormuz closure could force energy prices higher
<p>Oil and gas traders took a breath on Wednesday after Trump pledged help in the Strait of Hormuz, but experts say there are still signs the price of crude could break through the $100 mark as hundreds of tankers are anchored and unused in the vital waterway. Meanwhile, TikTok has told the BBC is won't bring in end-to-end encryption in its popular social media app</p>
Trump: US Navy could escort tankers through Hormuz
<p>President Trump says the US Navy will escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz "if necessary", after shipping traffic almost entirely halted through the key sea passage following Iranian threats to "set fire" to ships. We hear the latest on shipping in the region.</p><p>We also head to Lebanon as hostilities between Israel and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah continue to escalate. What does this mean for the future of the country? </p><p>And OpenAI says it’s rewriting parts of what it calls an “opportunistic and sloppy” deal with the US government over the use of its AI...
Strait talking: Energy markets rocked as conflict intensifies
<p>Natural gas prices spike in Europe after Qatar closes its LNG base. Meanwhile the Strait of Hormuz closure sends crude oil higher and its importance in the shipment of fertiliser ingredients could have major effects on global crop production this year, the boss of Yara says</p>
What the US-Israel war with Iran means for global trade
<p>The conflict has caused the closure of shipping lanes, with up to a fifth of global energy and as much as a third of other commercial shipping impacted.</p><p>Thousands of flights have also been suspended, with airports as well as refineries the target of Iranian attacks.</p><p>We get reaction to the latest developments.</p><p>(Picture: A traveller looks at a departures board displaying a cancelled Qatar Airways flight for Doha, amid the U.S.-Israel war with Iran, at Terminal 8 at John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in New York City, U.S., March 2, 2026...
Iran: War in Middle East rattles global markets
<p>Airlines have grounded flights, one of the world’s busiest airports has shut, and oil prices are climbing after strikes in the Middle East. We hear from investors and analysts as they react in real-time to the US-Israel war with Iran. And we find out how the disruption is affecting air passengers and the wider travel industry.</p><p>Plus - we learn how the insurance market is responding to fast-moving events as it assesses coverage and war risk premiums.</p>
