FRANCE 24’s analyses of the economic events and technological innovations shaping our world, including economic trends, energy markets, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and space exploration.
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European space sector in the spotlight as Paris hosts International Space Summit
09 September 2026Paris'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. -
Canadian PM stands his ground as Ottawa's retaliatory tariffs on US goods take effect
08 September 2026Canadian 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. -
Trump threatens ban on Bombardier as Canada's retaliatory tariffs kick in
08 September 2026Canada's retaliatory tariffs of up to 50 percent on approximately $19.8 billion worth of US goods came into effect this Tuesday, further escalating the trade war between the two neighbours. At the same time, US President Donald Trump is threatening to ban sales of all Bombardier aircraft in the US, in spite of the Canadian company's deep web of US suppliers. Also in this edition: Iran raises the price of gasoline and French startup Mistral AI is now valued at €21 billion. -
Volkswagen's Osnabrück plant to switch from cars to defence
07 September 2026Crisis-hit Volkswagen has struck a preliminary deal to sell its Osnabrück plant in Lower Saxony to the state government and Israeli investor Aurelius Capital. From mid-2027, the iconic factory is expected to start producing equipment for Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, the company behind the Iron Dome missile defence system. But first, we take a look at the state of the German economy following the far-right AfD's historic election win in Saxony-Anhalt. -
Driverless taxi services are rolling out fast across the world
07 September 2026From 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. -
German startup notches Europe's first successful private orbital launch
07 September 2026German 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. -
El Niño weather phenomenon set to deliver massive blow to global economy
03 September 2026The UN warns El Niño is a "supersized" phenomenon that will hit the global economy. Meanwhile, UK cider producers are feeling the impact of drought. Plus, Nvidia buys AI developer platform Hugging Face for $12.9 billion. -
Please welcome the newest member to our team: The AI agent
03 September 2026This 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. -
US energy secretary vows oil output will double on visit to Venezuela
02 September 2026US Energy Secretary Chris Wright landed in Venezuela on Tuesday ahead of a signing ceremony for a landmark oil deal between the US government and Venezuela. The deal would see the US create and control a private company that will hold 65 billion barrels in proven oil reserves. This agreement is also meant to encourage other US energy firms to invest in the country, in spite of serious challenges. In this edition, we see what other deals could be announced and what those challenges are. -
'Subtle changes pointing to consumer fatigue' a challenge for fast-fashion retailers, expert says
01 September 2026A 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".