World Business Report

The UK's first electric scooter fatality highlighted the risks involved with the devices. Richard Corbett is head of rental scooter operator Bird in the UK, and argues that scooters solve many transport problems. Michael Hurwitz is director of innovation for Transport for London, and explains why they are illegal to use on roads in the UK. And Itzik Ben Aharon of the Scootin' push scooter company in the UK tells us why he'd like to see that law changed. Also in the programme, memory chip prices have soared as a South Korea-Japan trade dispute escalates. Robin Harding is bureau chief for the Financial Times in Tokyo, and discusses the historical origins of the dispute. Plus, the UK has pledged to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Dr Ruth Valerio is the influencing director for the charity Tearfund, and we hear how she thinks that challenging target might be achieved. (Picture: WBR presenter Nigel Cassidy on an e-scooter. Picture credit: BBC.)

America's best known companies - Facebook, Amazon, Google and Apple - have faced attacks on all sorts of fronts - whether it's over the use of personal data, stifling competition, allowing copyright infringement or paying too little tax. Now they're in Washington defending what they do in front of committees of politicians. We hear from Karen Kornbluh, director at the German Marshall Fund of the United States and former US ambassador to the OECD. We also speak with mayors who are defying national immigration policies around the world. Beppe Sala, mayor of Milan explains why he is dismayed by the direction Italy's national government is taking on migration. Eric Garcetti, who is mayor of Los Angeles tells us why he is taking a stand against Donald Trump's national policies on the issue. Marvin Rees, mayor of Bristol, explains changes he'd like to see made to the UK's asylum system. And Yvonne Aki Sawyer, mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone, discusses the impact that an exodus of thousands of skilled and unskilled workers is having on her city. # Also in the programme, we meet actor and YouTuber Oliver Thorn, who is giving away the contents of his philosophy degree for free online.

We speak with mayors who are defying national immigration policies around the world. Beppe Sala, mayor of Milan explains why he is dismayed by the direction Italy's national government is taking on migration. Eric Garcetti, who is mayor of Los Angeles tells us why he is taking a stand against Donald Trump's national policies on the issue. Marvin Rees, mayor of Bristol, explains changes he'd like to see made to the UK's asylum system. And Yvonne Aki Sawyer, mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone, discusses the impact that an exodus of thousands of skilled and unskilled workers is having on her city. Also in the programme, our reporter Theo Leggett considers speculation that Boeing's beleagured 737 MAX plane may get a rebrand before returning to the skies. Plus we meet actor and YouTuber Oliver Thorn, who is giving away the contents of his philosophy degree for free online. (Picture: Migrants cross Guatemala en route to the US. Picture credit: EPA.)

Huawei announces significant investment in Italy despite America urging other countries not to do business with the Chinese technology firm. We hear from Adam Seagal, the director of the Digital and Cyberspace Programme at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. And there's been uproar in New York as Central Park holds a festival which charges an admission fee. Cory Kilgallen, a reporter with the New York Times tells us that people are unhappy about the erosion of a long held tradition. Plus, Peter Jankowskis from Oakbrook Investments tells us what's been happening on the markets.

China's economy has been slowing despite Beijing's efforts to cut tax and boost spending. Iris Pang is a greater China economist at the bank ING in Hong Kong, and tells us what's behind the slowdown. And we get more context from Andrew Coflan, China analyst at the political risk consultancy Eurasia in Washington. Also in the programme, former South African president Jacob Zuma has come out fighting, as he appears before a judicial inquiry to deny he was involved in corruption during his time in power. We get the latest from our correspondent Pumza Fihlani in Johannesburg. Our reporter heads to New Zealand to find out how a near total ban on foreigners buying houses there, introduced last year, is playing out. Plus our regular commentator Heather McGregor of the Edinburgh Business School discusses the wisdom of big companies spending large amounts of money buying back their own shares.