Having difficulty reading this email? View it online

Hands of woman showing seeds in a souk. Seeds are believed to be one of the earliest items to be traded in the world (Credit: Getty Images)

A short history of trade and tariffs

When Donald Trump returns to office as US president, international trade seems likely to be a major topic of discussion, as he threatens to impose new tariffs on American trading partners. But how was the current system established, and what effect might his proposals have? Rob Young ventures back thousands of years to discover the roots of the way we buy and sell.

'This experience goes right back to hunter-gatherer societies'

Business Daily: Money, work and life

Stock image of a firefighting helicopter above a forest fire (Credit: Getty Images)

How wildfires affect health after the flames go out

The fires that have destroyed whole communities in Los Angeles have made headlines all over the world. Claudia Hammond hears why their impact could linger long after they're extinguished.

'Those gases can continue to be released, even afterwards'

'There is no state with a perfect record on torture'

UN special rapporteur Alice Edwards says torture is still being carried out at unacceptable levels all over the world. What will finally stop countries carrying out these practices?

'Sometimes, torturers don't know they're doing it'

Making sense of the news

In The Global Story, the BBC's international network of journalists takes a deeper look at one major news story every weekday.

Get The Global Story

Close-up of waitress holding craft beer at bar, Brazil (Credit: FG Trade via Getty Images)

What happens when alcohol gets taken out of beer?

Non-alcoholic beers are a rapidly growing product globally. Marnie Chesterton finds out how alcohol gets taken out of the brewing process, and what takes its place.

'Alcohol influences how other aroma compounds behave'

Eating a bowl of rice (Credit: Getty Images)

Is the future of rice under threat?

Rice is a vital staple of diets around the world, but climate change is jeopardising its production. Ruth Alexander asks if it's time to start considering alternative crops.

'50 to 56 percent of the world's population relies on rice'

Betty Ford, pictured at the White House in 1974 (Credit: Bettmann/Getty Images)

How Betty Ford faced her addiction

In 1978, former US First Lady Betty Ford announced she was seeking treatment for her addiction to alcohol and prescription medication. Her daughter Susan remembers her mother's path to recovery.

'I finally realised they loved me too much to let me go'

Monika Deviat's self portrait with the rising Milky Way on a mountain ridge in Waterton Lakes National Park, an international Dark Sky Park in Alberta, Canada (Credit: Monika Deviat Photography)

What do you see when you look at the night sky?

The number of satellites in orbit around the earth has grown rapidly in recent years, seemingly with little regulation governing their launches. What might this astral clutter mean for life on Earth?

'Our ancestors' lives depended on the night sky'

Sean Ronayne (Credit: Tristan Hutchinson)

'I wanted to be on my own, but I wanted to be accepted'

As a boy, Sean Ronayne struggled to connect with his peers, but found solace in his passion for the natural world. That enthusiasm eventually helped him find a way to accept himself.

'Getting out there in nature was my classroom'