France 24

Business2 hours ago

Trump sparks debate over diesel export ban

The Trump administration's suggestion that it could ban or limit diesel exports has sparked furious backlash from the American oil industry. Politicians are trying to bring down soaring energy prices ahead of the midterm election in November, but critics say a ban would cause supply problems and higher prices both at home and abroad. Also in this edition - the OECD says the global economy is withstanding the energy shock better than expected, partly thanks to AI investment.

Business18 hours ago

New report tackles problem of governments' overreliance on consulting firms

Dependence on consulting firms is a growing trend among governments globally. Left unchecked, it can have a negative impact due to high costs or transparency issues. Such dependence came to the fore in France a few years ago, when the Macron government was criticised for its close ties with US consulting giant McKinsey. UNESCO's Inclusive Policy Lab, headed by Iulia Sevciuc, has established a new blueprint to tackle this problem. She spoke to us in Business.

Business6 days ago

French fishermen to end blockades over fuel prices

French fishermen have agreed to lift their blockades at fuel depots and ports including Nice, after talks with the government over financial aid. They say soaring fuel prices since the start of the war with Iran are pushing them to the brink. Also in the segment - India could be hit by fresh US tariffs if it keeps buying Russian oil, after US lawmakers approved a new sanctions package that ratchets up the economic pressure on Moscow and its trading partners.

Business6 days ago

US Federal Reserve hikes interest rates for the first time in three years

The US central bank raised its benchmark rate by .25 percent, with new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh defying President Donald Trump's desire for lower rates. Consumer banks and bond markets react. Also, OpenAI reveals new incidents of AI misconduct as fears grow that the technology could escape human control.

Business6 days ago

US Federal Reserve defies Trump with interest rate hike

The US Federal Reserve has raised its key interest rates for the first time in three years, as it seeks to bring down high inflation. The policy decision sets up a potential confrontation between Chairman Kevin Warsh and President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly called on the central bank to cut interest rates. Also in the show - France extends fuel subsidies as fishermens' protests gather momentum, and Hong Kong seeks to fall in line with Beijing's economic vision.

BusinessSep 15, 2026

Nigeria's Dangote refinery kicks off blockbuster IPO

Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote launched the biggest-ever share sale on the African continent, listing 4.1 billion shares in his Lagos refinery on the stock exchange. He framed it as a "people's IPO" to give all Nigerians a chance to share the plant's wealth potentials. Trading is expected to start in November. Meanwhile, global oil prices continued to advance as attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels forced Saudi Arabia to shut down its East-West oil pipeline.

BusinessSep 11, 2026

Apple's new foldable iPhone: expensive gadget or bold statement?

John Ternus, Apple's new CEO, unveiled the tech giant's latest smartphone on Wednesday. The foldable iPhone Duo will go on sale on October 23rd starting at $1,999, making it the most expensive iPhone to date. The move is a bid to comfort the US company's position at the top of the global smartphone market. Also in this edition, we head to Argentina where President Javier Milei's free market approach has led to a downturn in manufacturing.

BusinessSep 9, 2026

European space sector in the spotlight as Paris hosts International Space Summit

Paris's Grand Palais will host a two-day International Space Summit this Wednesday to promote global cooperation in the sector. A number of deals and investments for European space firms are expected to be announced as part of a wider plan to strengthen Europe's position in a field dominated by the US and China. Also in this edition: the US and Canada are locked in a tit-for-tat battle over tariffs.

BusinessSep 9, 2026

Canadian PM stands his ground as Ottawa's retaliatory tariffs on US goods take effect

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said it was a shame that trade talks with the US collapsed but that he would continue to fight to protect Canada's sovereignty. Meanwhile, his government's promised counter-tariffs on $20 billion worth of US exports took effect. Also in the segment: Cuba says economic damage from decades of US trade embargo has risen to a record $8 billion.

BusinessSep 7, 2026

Driverless taxi services are rolling out fast across the world

From Austin to London, the current robotaxi boom is raising hard questions about safety and jobs. We take a closer look in this edition of Tech 24.

BusinessSep 7, 2026

German startup notches Europe's first successful private orbital launch

German startup Isar Aerospace becomes the first company to achieve a successful private orbital space launch. But first: Germany's far-right AfD party scores a big electoral victory, pushed along in part by the country's structural economic crisis and its fiscal policies.

BusinessSep 3, 2026

Please welcome the newest member to our team: The AI agent

This week, we're looking look at efforts to incorporate artificial intelligence into the workplace. But not just your run-of-the-mill generative AI chatbot: we're focusing on actual AI agents. These are autonomous programs designed to take on tasks and work through a series of steps without the user having to specify every move. And they're moving into our everyday lives – helping people plan holidays, shop online and take care of other routine tasks.

BusinessSep 3, 2026

'Subtle changes pointing to consumer fatigue' a challenge for fast-fashion retailers, expert says

A federation of European textile associations called on Tuesday for an import fee of €10 on fashion imports, the latest effort to stem the flood of ultra-cheap competition mainly from China. Speaking with FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney, Dr Sheng Lu, Professor at the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies at the University of Delaware, says that it remains to be seen just "to what extent such measures would push groups like Shein to change their business model", adding that fast-fashion retailers may have to start to contend with "consumer fatigue".

BusinessSep 2, 2026

School without screens: Will France's high school phone ban fly?

A lot happened during summer recess: France's constitutional council struck down the core of a new law to ban social media for under-15s, but it did validate the extension to high schoolers of a phone ban already in effect for younger pupils. Why one but not the other? On the first day of school across this country and others, we size up what's best for future citizens, parents and teachers, all grappling in this age of distraction with the lure of screens.

BusinessSep 1, 2026

Fast-fashion retailer Shein makes tepid Hong Kong debut amid mounting headwinds

Fast-fashion retailer Shein, known for its ultra-low prices and rapidly produced clothes, made a tepid Hong Kong debut on Tuesday, having raised US$1.7 billion in a high-profile initial public offering. The flotation comes after the company's plans to list in New York and London were derailed by regulatory scrutiny.

Xi, Putin hold talks ahead of Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin are among the heads of state attending a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit taking place in Kyrgyzstan. Iran's president Masoud Pezeshkian is also in attendance, where he held bilateral talks with India's Narendra Modi. Marking its 25th anniversary this year, the SCO has strengthened trade ties among its members as the bloc looks to present an alternative to the US-led world order.

Executive diversity and inclusion: How to promote female leadership

CEO Women Europe is a new initiative launched in June of this year to boost partnerships between Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. Kate Moody meets with Sandrine El Khodry, president of this new platform and also Executive Vice President for Global Sales and Marketing at Alcatel Lucent Enterprise.

Artificial intelligence in Europe: Does advanced AI have a glass ceiling?

What does Europe lose if advanced AI adoption stays at current levels? A report commissioned by US tech giant Amazon Web Services finds that skills shortages and regulatory uncertainty are hindering AI adoption in Europe and 38 percent of European startups are looking to move abroad. Charles Pellegrin talks to Sasha Rubel, AWS's head of generative AI policy for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Xi arrives for SCO summit, Putin meeting as regional bloc pushes back on US dominance

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit gets underway in Kyrgyzstan, with the leaders of China and Russia attending. But first: the US hosts G20 finance ministers, while America's massive debt may be painting its new central banker into a corner.

Maritime traffic picks up in Strait of Hormuz, but uncertainty lingers

Oil prices continue their slide on Thursday as traffic through the Hormuz Strait has picked up over the past few days. Uncertainty lingers for the shipping industry, though, as disagreements over a potential toll to pass through the Strait could be a stumbling block in US-Iran talks. Also in this edition, US chipmaker Micron's better-than-expected sales forecast sends AI stocks surging again.

Power outages and melting roads: Heatwave strains French infrastructure

Power outages, train delays, and melting roads – the current heatwave is straining France's infrastructure. Electricity provider EDF says it has had to reduce its nuclear power output, but that it still has enough capacity to meet demand. Also in the show: the UN's International Maritime Organization starts evacuating some of the 11,000 sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, and Europe's defence industry prepares for a boost with the IPO of Franco-German tank maker KNDS.

Massive AI spending and higher interest rates: What's behind the tech sell-off?

Tech stocks around the world fell on Tuesday, with the flagship Nasdaq index closing 2.2 percent down at the end of the session. In this edition, we look at how markets reacted this Wednesday and some of the reasons why investors sold their shares: massive projected capital expenditure on AI, as well as the prospect of higher interest rates. Also, we examine Spain's pioneering climate leave policy.

World risks 'losing control of technology' without AI governance, Chinese PM warns

Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday warned of "serious consequences" if governments fail to step up regulation of artificial intelligence as he addressed the World Economic Forum in Dalian known as the "summer Davos".

UN chief calls on AI firms to 'come clean' on environmental costs

As Europe swelters under a major heatwave, the high energy consumption of artificial intelligence has come into the spotlight. At a climate conference in London, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called on AI companies to disclose the environmental impact of their systems. Plus, Iran rejects the US’s claim that any potentially unfrozen Iranian assets would be controlled by the US and Qatar and used exclusively to buy American food and medicine.

South Korea bets big on AI with nearly a trillion dollars in investment

South Korea bets big on artificial intelligence with nearly $1 trillion worth of investment through 2029. Also in this edition, Comcast announces it will spin off NBCUniversal into a separate, publicly traded company. Plus France takes aim at Shein, Temu and AliExpress with a new law aimed at curbing ultra-fast fashion.

TechnologyAug 15, 2026

VivaTech 2026: Space race hits new heights with reusable technology

Space loomed large over the 2026 VivaTech festival. Startups and technology giants alike have entered the new space economy – a sector previously dominated by government agencies. FRANCE 24’s Business Editor Kate Moody sat down with Marta Oliveira, Co-founder and Chief Operations Officer at Atmos Space Cargo, to talk about reusable rockets, raising money in the private sector and international competition in the 21st century space race.

Samsung Electronics profits surge 1,800% annually amid artificial intelligence spending boom

South Korean chipmaker Samsung Electronics posted record quarterly profits Tuesday thanks to the global AI infrastructure buildout coupled with a memory chip shortage. Also in this edition, oil futures rise as tensions reignite in the Hormuz Strait and Canada commits to its biggest-ever defence contract. Finally, Cuba experiences its third nationwide blackout of the year as its fuel reserves dwindle.

OPEC raises output but cartel's future remains unsure

A handful of OPEC+ countries have agreed to increase their output targets from August, but the cartel is fighting for its survival after the UAE's departure. Also, A French company is using the River Seine to cool down Paris's buildings. Finally, Sky says it's buying ITV's broadcast channels and streaming service for £1.6bn.

TechnologyAug 15, 2026

Why Anthropic won't mind Alibaba's Claude ban

Chinese tech giant Alibaba has ordered staff to stop using Anthropic's Claude Code after the US coding tool was found to be flagging users’ connecting from China. But Anthropic is already trying to stop Chinese firms from using Claude at all and accuses Alibaba of running large "distillation" campaigns against it, saying that the Chinese giant created around 25,000 fake accounts to train its own models on the US AI programme.

German reforms, Google's final EU defeat and a $20M Swift wedding?

In today’s edition, FRANCE 24's Charlotte Lam takes a look at Germany’s new tax and pension reforms, Google’s big loss in EU courts and the “Swiftonomics” bonanza that the star’s wedding could bring to New York City.

Andy Burnham outlines his vision for UK economy with promise to raise living standards

Andy Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, is likely to be the next British prime minister following Keir Starmer's resignation. Central to Burnham's platform is improving living standards that have stagnated or even fallen since the 2008 global financial crisis. But with weak public finances, how realistic is his plan? FRANCE 24's Charles Pellegrin talks to Renaud Foucart, senior lecturer in economics at Lancaster University.

TechnologyAug 15, 2026

EU top court rejects Google's appeal against record €4.1 billion antitrust fine

The European Court of Justice on Thursday dismissed Google's appeal against a record fine imposed by EU antitrust regulators eight years ago for using its Android operating system to block rivals, in a ruling likely to boost Europe's crackdown on Big Tech.

WorldAug 15, 2026

Trump made over $1 billion thanks to crypto in 2025

US President Donald Trump made over a billion dollars with various crypto-related ventures in 2025, according to his annual financial disclosure report. The earnings, coming from royalties tied to the Trump memecoin and token sales from crypto firm World Liberty Financial, have prompted accusations of conflicts of interest from watchdog groups. Also in this edition: the US commerce department lifts its export ban on Anthropic's latest AI models.

The era of the machine: Silicon Valley shows off humanoid robots

For decades, humanoid robots belonged to the realm of science fiction. But today, they're one of Silicon Valley's hottest markets. According to consulting firm McKinsey, automation could transform up to 30 percent of all hours worked across the US economy by 2030. Dozens of companies are already developing robots that can interact with people and even help with everyday tasks. FRANCE 24's Pierrick Leurent and Valérie Defert report, with Wassim Cornet.

Andy Burnham's promise to deliver tangible improvements to Britons' lives put to the test

Former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is set to become the United Kingdom's new Prime Minister this Monday. He will do so having reiterated a commitment to help raise the standard of living in the country. However, the Labour leader's agenda will be tested by the country's financial situation and his prior commitments, both of which will limit the scope of his plans. In this segment, we'll look at how his policies promise to deliver higher growth in the short and long term.

PoliticsAug 15, 2026

US imposes a 25 percent tariff on some Brazilian imports, citing unfair trade practices

The United States will slap 25 percent tariffs on some Brazilian goods starting July 22 following a yearlong investigation under the Trade Act of 1974. The probe concluded that Brazil engaged in unfair trade practices. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva condemned the move, saying it was politically motivated to favour his rival for upcoming elections, Flavio Bolsonaro. Also in this edition, we look at the Japanese firm trying to bring back 1980's style corporate culture.

Chinese growth in second quarter weakest since Covid-19 era

Official data released on Wednesday shows China's GDP grew 4.3 percent in the second quarter, compared to a year prior. The last time quarterly growth was that weak was in late 2022, when China was feeling the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Slow consumer demand, despite a surge in exports, helps explain the slowdown. Also in this edition, Gibraltar's business community breathes a sigh of relief as the physical border between the British overseas territory and Spain is removed.

WorldAug 15, 2026

Ukraine strikes halt shipping on key wheat route as Russian fuel crisis deepens

Ukrainian drone strikes have brought shipping in the Sea of Azov to a near standstill, disrupting a corridor that carries up to a quarter of Russia's wheat exports and sending tremors through global grain and oil markets. They have also knocked out a significant share of Russia's refining capacity, prompting Moscow to ban diesel exports until the end of July and further unsettling global oil markets. In Russian-occupied Crimea, petrol prices have reached a record high.

How heatwaves are changing France's real-estate market

Crude oil prices surge as renewed US-Iran strikes fuel market fears. In France, real-estate agents say property buyers are changing priorities as heatwaves become more frequent. And Cuba suffers another nationwide blackout amid the impact of US sanctions.

Nike and Adidas locked in World Cup standoff as tournament heats up

As the World Cup quarterfinals get under way, the race to number one between Nike and Adidas heats up. India and Australia sign a new uranium deal. And, OpenAI rolls out its newest model GPT-5.6 Sol to the general public.

UniCredit closes in on Commerzbank takeover

Italy's second biggest bank, Unicredit, is closing in on a takeover of Germany's second biggest bank Commerzbank after saying it secured 47.6% of the lender's shares on Wednesday. The move is facing widespread opposition in Germany, notably from the federal government, which has a 12% stake in the company. Also, new "freedom fuel" filling stations are appearing across the United States, offering cheaper petrol and receiving strong backing from the White House.

US revokes waiver for Iranian oil sales amid renewed Gulf strikes

The US Treasury Department has announced it will no longer allow Iranian oil sales to be conducted in US dollars on global markets after several tankers were hit by projectiles while attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz. The move has left more than 60 million barrels of Iranian crude stranded at sea without any clear buyers. Also in this edition, we go inside a Chinese air conditioning factory racing to meet soaring European demand as heatwaves drive up sales.

Undeterred by blasts, Macron says France ready to help rebuild Syria's economy

French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that France is ready to help rebuild Syria's economy and banking sector, as he continued his Damascus visit undeterred by two bomb blasts near the hotel he was staying in.