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. US lawmakers approved a new sanctions package that ratchets up the economic pressure on Moscow and its trading partners.  

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.

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 this segment: France extends fuel subsidies as fishermen’s protests gather momentum, and Hong Kong seeks to fall in line with Beijing's economic vision. 

People in the single-currency Eurozone have been invited to vote on the designs of upcoming euro bank bills. Proposed designs include historic figures like Marie Curie and Leonardo da Vinci, as well as a vertical format. They are expected to enter circulation around 2030. But first, as higher fuel prices stemming from the Iran war hurt consumers, fishermen in southern France scuffled with police as they tried to blockade an oil depot. 

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. 

For the first time, French champagne producers are allowed to sell their bubbly with more than 13% alcohol, as record heatwaves and drought have resulted in grapes containing unusually high levels of sugar. They fear that climate change may eventually force them to permanently rewrite the rules governing winemaking.  Also in the segment, the European Central Bank raised interest rates for the second time this year amid higher energy costs, as a potential new gas crisis looms over Europe. 

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.

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.

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. 

Canada'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.