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Shipwrecks: Who owns the sunken treasure?

Shipwrecks: Who owns the sunken treasure?

There are more than three million vessels on the world's sea beds, and plenty of explorers looking for them.

But if they find something valuable, do they get to keep it? We talk to an arbitration lawyer about the laws governing the sea, and hear from maritime archaeologists about the perils of rummaging around on the ocean floor, disturbing long-sunken wrecks that offer a priceless glimpse into history. Some say we should leave these ships be, especially when they’re graveyards. Others say we should bring them to the surface, put them in museums to educate people, make money from them and perhaps even sell off some of their treasure.

Produced and presented by Gideon Long

(Image: A diver looks at a shipwreck. Credit: Getty Images)

Shipwrecks: The search for the San José

Shipwrecks: The search for the San José

In the first of our three part series looking at the money behind shipwrecks, we start with what's been called "the most valuable shipwreck in the world".

The San José is a Spanish galleon sunk by the British off the Colombian coast more than 300 years ago.

The treasure onboard is estimated to be worth $18bn, which means plenty of people are looking for it, and trying to lay claim to it.

A salvage company, the Colombians, the Spanish and a Bolivian indigenous community all say the shipwreck and treasure is theirs.

We hear their claims and find out more about this "holy grail of shipwrecks".

Presented and produced by Gideon Long.

(Image: Wagner's action of Cartagena (depicting the moment the San Jose exploded) by Samuel Scott. Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London)

Rebuilding Canada's tourism industry

Rebuilding Canada's tourism industry

It’s the second largest landmass in the world, famous for its lakes and spectacular forests, yet Canada’s travel industry has faced challenges since the Covid pandemic hit in 2020.

International visitor numbers still haven't recovered, and extreme weather events like wildfires have destroyed some of its best-known resorts. Plus difficult diplomatic relations have meant a reduction in tourists from a key market - China.

But Canada’s government says it has a plan for the sector which is worth $38bn CAD to Canada’s GDP.

We’ll hear about it from the country’s tourism minister and from business owners and tourists too.

Presenter/producer: Megan Lawton

(Photo: Jack Rivers is an indigenous cultural guide on Manitoulin Island, he runs tours around the Wiikwemkoong Reserve)

Is business ready for 6G?

Is business ready for 6G?

As the world gradually adopts 5G, there’s already talk of the next generation.

It’ll be around 2030 before 6G arrives, but network operators in Japan and South Korea are gearing up.

Meanwhile, some predict that 6G will render smartphones obsolete within a decade.

Devices like sensors, displays, drones and electronics in vehicles will spontaneously create their own networks, sending and receiving at super-fast data rates and low latency.

So, why the early excitement over 6G? How should businesses be preparing and what difference will it make to our lives?

Presenter: Gareth Mitchell Reporter: Michael Kaloki Producer: Izzy Greenfield

(Image: A person holds a mobile phone next to a cell tower. Credit: Getty Images)

Why we can't stop using corporate jargon

Why we can't stop using corporate jargon

Ever been stuck in a meeting drowning in buzzwords? Terms like "synergies", "low-hanging fruit" or "deliverables"?

They're just a few examples of corporate jargon. A lexicon of colourful metaphors, buzzwords and acronyms that you’d never use with friends or family but have become common parlance in the world of international business.

Workplace lingo might serve as a useful industry short-hand, or a way to gel with colleagues, but it can also irritate, obscure meaning or even hide unpleasant truths. And it's more prevalent than ever.

In this episode, we team up with our colleagues at BBC Learning English to explore the origins and purpose of corporate language and why we love to hate it; hearing from workplace culture and linguistics experts, professionals in the City of London, a plain-talking CEO, and some of you - the BBC World Service audience.

(Picture: Business people looking at sticky notes on a glass board as part of an upskill workshop. Credit: Getty Images.)

Presenters: Ed Butler and Pippa Smith Producer: Elisabeth Mahy

Want to learn more about this topic? Click on Related links or go to: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/business-jargon/240925

Has capitalism lost its way?

Has capitalism lost its way?

Former fund manager Ruchir Sharma spent most of his career as a money manager on Wall Street. Lately though, he’s become a fierce critic of modern capitalism – arguing that the economic system is less fair and less efficient than it has ever been.

What’s the fix?

Produced and presented by Vivienne Nunis

(Image: Ruchir Sharma)

The cost of preserving our heritage

The cost of preserving our heritage

We visit an archaeological dig and meet the heritage consultants who ‘rescue history’ before the developers move in.

In wealthy countries, these consultants are paid in advance, and this has led to a growing industry. In lower income countries that’s not the case – so what’s happening there?

Plus - we look at how the very definition of heritage is fundamentally shifting.

(Picture: Archaeologist excavating part of human skeleton and skull from the ground. Credit: Getty Images.)

Presented and produced by David Reid

The new space race

The new space race

Billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, as well companies like Boeing, believe a future where more satellites are put in orbit, alongside new space stations, as well as plans for bases on the moon, will prove very profitable.

But it is not proving easy for Boeing in particular, following problems with its Starliner space craft on its maiden flight to the International Space Station.

We hear from astrophysicists, companies that advise on space investment, and former astronaut Cady Coleman.

Produced and presented by Russell Padmore

(Image: Artist's concept of the Boeing Starliner craft travelling in Earth orbit. Credit: Boeing)

Does Vietnam's economic future still look bright?

Does Vietnam's economic future still look bright?

Vietnam has enjoyed more than 6% annual growth every year for the last thirty years or more, a staggering growth path, transforming one of Asia’s poorest economies into a major global trading hub. It's now one of the world’s top twenty economies.

But are there challenges ahead. A high-profile anti-corruption drive, extreme weather events, and the death of its long-term leader have raised questions about the country’s path to prosperity.

(Picture: Aerial view of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, at night, showing high-rise buildings, the Landmark 81 supertall skyscraper, and transport networks. Credit: Getty Images.)

Presented and produced by Ed Butler

Business Daily meets Booking.com CEO Glenn Fogel

Business Daily meets Booking.com CEO Glenn Fogel

From experiencing a stroke at the age of 17, to various corporate jobs that never quite fit, we hear about Glenn Fogel's journey to becoming CEO of Booking Holdings, the parent company of online travel site Booking.com.

We learn why the EU-based company is in the sites of competition authorities having been dubbed a “gatekeeper” in the travel market, and we hear what Glenn thinks about the impacts of mass tourism.

(Image: Glenn Fogel. Credit: Getty Images)

Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Amber Mehmood

Tech titans and the race for the White House

Tech titans and the race for the White House

Tech titan Elon Musk says he’s backing Donald Trump to win the US election this November. But is he representative of what the wider industry thinks? And what does Silicon Valley, traditionally a Democratic heartland, want from either a Kamala Harris or a Donald Trump presidency? We explore what the two presidential candidates are offering this important sector of the US economy.

(Picture: A smartphone screen shows the live broadcast of the presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. A hand painted sign above it says ‘Trump or Harris?’ Credit: VCG/VCG via Getty Images.)

Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Lexy O'Connor

WNBA: Is success leading to profit?

WNBA: Is success leading to profit?

The 2024 women's basketball season has broken records from attendances at matches, to points scored by rookie Caitlin Clark.

As it draws to a close, we look at whether success on the court is leading to profitability off it.

Despite some major media deals, the WNBA is still struggling to turn a profit.

So is it really a major player in the sports industry?

Produced and presented by Izzy Greenfield

(Photo: A'ja Wilson, on court for the Las Vegas Aces. Credit: Getty Images)

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