Hello and welcome to Business Weekly with me, Sasha Twining.

On this week's program, we'll hear about rapid price rises in the United States,

which threaten President Biden's popularity and why he's reacting by selling off some of the country's oil reserves.

Plus, we'll talk about clouds forming over a certain chain of coffee shops

and why the baristas are unhappy.

But first, let me take you to Turkey

to hear what has been happening with its economy and currency.

That was the sound from the street earlier this week. There have been protests and demonstrations

against the government after the value of the lira fell 15% in one day. The currency has lost

some 45% of its value since the beginning of the year. It's

currently the world's worst performing currency. Now this means inflation is now running at around

20% and in simple terms life has suddenly got a whole lot more expensive. More expensive and actually a lot trickier.

Supermarkets are rationing some staple foods and what is still available costs a lot more.

Take a listen to these locals.

A bag of flour was 100 lira and it is now 300 lira. What will people do? People are looking abroad.

There is no longer any opportunity for employment.

We can no longer buy material. Apart from the rise in foreign currency, there is a steep

increase in prices. Our production has stopped. We are sitting idly. There is no work. We do nothing.

We can barely afford bread. We gritfully pray every day because the worst is yet to come.

To just give you another example, which I appreciate is not as immediately vital as getting hold of food,

but the Apple store at one stage disabled all sales as the value of the local currency fell.

Reports suggested that some citizens were buying the tech, especially iPhones,

...