Shares in Facebook slumped by almost five percent on Wall Street on Monday after its services – including Instagram and WhatsApp – were knocked offline for several hours by a technical problem. Technology shares in general saw a selloff too, including Facebook's rivals like Twitter. Around $6 billion was wiped off the personal fortune of CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Also today, oil prices have jumped after the latest decision by OPEC and its allies not to increase supplies at a faster pace.

Eurozone finance ministers are set to discuss rising prices for natural gas and electricity, with France and Spain calling for reforms to lower energy costs across the European Union. Also, Chinese media report that embattled real estate developer Evergrande is ready to sell off part of its property services unit, and a Facebook whistleblower reveals her identity.

Hungary dismisses Ukrainian concerns over a new transit deal that deprives Kiev of revenue and gas supplies. Under the agreement, Russia's Gazprom is now transporting gas to Hungary and Croatia via the TurkStream pipeline. Also on the show: we look at reactions to French government moves to relieve the pressure of soaring energy costs, and inflation in the eurozone hits a 13-year high.

The French government is freezing natural gas prices until next April, as pent-up demand and supply shortages drive increased costs across Europe. We take a closer look. Also, another currency devaluation takes effect in Venezuela. Finally, Disney reaches a settlement with Scarlett Johansson, wrapping up a legal dispute that had been closely watched in Hollywood.

The US Senate is set to vote on a stopgap measure later this Thursday to keep the government funded and avoid a shutdown. But why do these budget clashes happen so often, and what has the debt ceiling got to do with it? We look at the context for the looming deadlines ahead of the Senate vote. Also today, inflation has risen sharply in Iran in recent months, pushing more people there into poverty.

The United States and European Union have kicked off talks on how to increase cooperation in trade and technology. Both sides are anxious to better compete with China in areas like artificial intelligence and chipmaking. The forum could also help ease transatlantic trade tensions over a scuppered submarine deal. Also in the show: the UK could see soldiers on the streets "within days" to ease the fuel crisis, and Europe's trucking woes deepen.

The US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has warned that the government could run out of money by October 18, if Congress doesn't raise or suspend its borrowing limit before then. Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked a measure to raise the debt ceiling, ahead of a looming federal shutdown on Friday. Also today, we report on how a car parts factory near Paris has been adapting its working methods to cope with a shortage of raw materials.

The French consumer group "UFC Que Choisir" has called on the government to cut the VAT rate on natural gas, as prices are set to rise by 12.6 percent on October 1. The cost of gas is increasing across Europe as the continent faces lower supplies and higher demand. Also today, the French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi has halted the development of its mRNA vaccine against Covid-19, judging that it would arrive too late on the market.

Bondholders of troubled Chinese property developer Evergrande were left in the dark as a deadline for $83 million in interest payment passed without comment from the company. Evergrande's silence stands in contrast to its treatment of investors at home, with whom it settled coupon payments earlier in the week. Plus, Arc France, which runs the biggest glassware factory in the world, is in deep financial waters again and may have to seek government help, despite a bulging order book.

The price of electricity in Spain has skyrocketed in recent months, leaving some consumers with difficult choices to make about their spending. The Spanish government has announced measures including a VAT cut and a windfall tax on energy company profits to try to combat the price increases, which have been triggered by the rising price of gas. Also today, the troubled Chinese property developer Evergrande faces a major debt deadline.