The war in Ukraine, inflation, plus food and energy insecurity continue to dominate the World Economic Forum in Davos. But participants are also discussing issues like climate change and digital development. FRANCE 24 Business Editor Kate Moody has been speaking to the head of the Crypto Council for Innovation, Sheila Warren, about the role cryptocurrencies can play, and the recent sell-off.

While most advanced economies are recovering from the worst effects of the pandemic, labour markets are facing a new and unexpected challenge: a shortage of workers. It's one of the issues business leaders are discussing at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Christophe Catoir, President of Adecco, tells FRANCE 24's Business Editor Kate Moody that the problem could persist for several years to come.

The 2022 edition of the World Economic Forum is largely focused on Russia's war in Ukraine and its implications for the global economy. As food and fuel prices soar and shortages loom, the head of the UN Development Program, Achim Steiner, tells FRANCE 24's Business Editor Kate Moody that the international community "must do more" to protect the most vulnerable.

The World Economic Forum has opened in Davos, Switzerland for its first in-person meeting in more than two years. Political and business leaders are gathering to discuss the most pressing challenges for the global economy in a world that has drastically changed since the last time the event took place in 2020. Russia's war in Ukraine and its consequences top the agenda, as FRANCE 24's Business Editor Kate Moody reports from the Swiss alpine resort.

Wall Street's benchmark S&P 500 index is on the cusp of what is known as a bear market, as it nears a 20 percent drop from its peak earlier this year. Investors are fretting over higher interest rates, rising energy prices linked to the war in Ukraine and a slowdown in China due to Covid-19. Also, Canada moves to ban Chinese tech giant Huawei from its 5G networks, and Sri Lanka grapples with a fuel shortage on top of a painful economic crisis.

Sri Lanka has defaulted on its international debt obligations, after the government confirmed it had not been able to make some $87 million in interest payments. It further deepens the country's economic crisis, which has sparked mass protests and left the country struggling with fuel shortages. Also in the show: G7 ministers discuss further financial aid for Ukraine, and FRANCE 24's Yuka Royer reports from the ChangeNow climate summit in Paris.

Japan's GDP fell at an annualised rate of 1 percent in the first three months of this year as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus hampered consumer spending. Rising commodity prices also weighed on businesses in the world's third-largest economy. Plus, as unemployment remains stable in France at 7.3 percent, a steelworks factory in the northern city of Dunkirk is offering a cash bonus to employees to encourage them to recruit family members.

Elisabeth Borne has been appointed France's new prime minister. The former transport, ecology and labour minister faces numerous challenges, with the most pressing priority being helping French households with the soaring cost of living. She will also need to tackle the thorny issue of pension reform as well as steer the country through a major energy transition. Plus, Moscow residents display mixed feelings after US fast food giant McDonald's announces it's pulling out of Russia for good.

New data shows China's economy cooled sharply in April, as many cities including Shanghai suffered Covid-19 lockdowns. Industrial output dropped nearly 3 percent compared to a year before, while retail sales slumped 11 percent. Meanwhile, global wheat prices jump after India announces a ban on exporting the grain due to damage from a heatwave. Finally, we see how tourists are returning to Barcelona. The development is good news for local businesses but could revive tensions over mass tourism.

Cryptocurrency markets are in turmoil as so-called stablecoins, designed to be protected from extreme volatility, have tumbled in recent days. One such token, Luna, has all but evaporated, plunging from a high of $118 last month to less than one cent. Plus, the airline industry is struggling with staff shortages ahead of the summer holiday season – we find out why.