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The latest business and finance news from around the world, on the BBC

The latest business and finance news from around the world, on the BBC.

World Business Report: Birth Control Controversy

11/06/2014

Birth Control Controversy

BBC World Service - World Business Report, Birth Control Controversy

A special report on a birth control device that may be doing people damage.

A special report on a birth control device that may be doing damage. Plus, Europe investigates whether tax deals offered to multinationals by some countries, amount to state aid.

In today's programme, we have a special report on a birth control device that thousands of women think causes serious health problems. There's an international, high-profile campaign endorsed by the campaigner Erin Brockovich to get the device called Essure, banned. We hear from Erin Brockovich, and talk to the German drug firm Bayer, which makes the product.

Companies are well known to minimise their tax bills by shifting money around the world, but the European Commission says it's going to investigate whether deals struck between several European countries and major multinationals including Starbucks and Apple might amount to illegal state aid. We find out more from a tax lawyer.

Plus, taxi drivers in several European capitals are trying to bring traffic to a halt today, in a protest against the growing popularity of the rival cab hailing app, Uber. We're hearing the arguments on both sides, out on the streets of London.

And, the Virunga world heritage site in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is home to around half the planet's remaining population of mountain gorillas, but their habitat was threatened by potential oil exploration. Now the British oil company Soco is pulling out of the park, and conservationists are celebrating. We talk to the campaigners, and the chief executive of Soco.

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