Business

Governments and regulators are assessing potential implications and urging critical sectors to beef up their defences after a powerful new AI model sent shockwaves around the world. Mythos showed the ability to find previously undetected bugs and exploit the vulnerabilities all by itself, prompting its developer Anthropic to decide not to release it to the general public. Aleksandr Yampolskiy, co-founder and CEO of SecurityScorecard, explains the inflection point the new AI model brings. 

US businesses can finally start applying for tariff refunds following the US Supreme Court's ruling earlier this year that President Donald Trump had overstepped his authority in imposing them. Also in this edition: oil prices surge again after Iran vows to block the Strait of Hormuz. The situation is causing severe disruptions to the supply of materials like plastic. Plus, a humanoid robot in China beats the human half-marathon world record.

European airlines could run out of jet fuel in six weeks' time. That's the stark warning from the head of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol, who says passengers should expect fewer flights and higher prices. Carriers are already reducing their flight schedules ahead of the summer holiday season. Also in the show: European officials urge governments not to forget the Ukraine war, saying that Russia's economy cannot be allowed to benefit from the energy shock. 

A federal jury in New York finds for the plaintiffs in an antitrust lawsuit against concert giant Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster. We take a closer look. But first: the IMF warns on mounting public debt amid a global energy crisis, and China's economy beats expectations as growth accelerates despite the Iran war.

The climate-denialist Trump administration is pushing the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to stop focusing on clean energy development projects. We take a closer look. But first: Russia vows to make up for any shortfall in Chinese oil supplies due to the US-Israeli war on Iran, and crude prices fall on hopes of renewed peace talks.   

Amid uncertainty over the war in Iran, the International Monetary Fund has downgraded its outlook for the global economy under three different scenarios depending on how long the conflict will last. Meanwhile, the United Nations Development Programme is warning that even if hostilities were to end today, the war could push more than 32 million people around the world into poverty by a "triple shock" of energy disruption, food price increases and weaker economic growth. UNDP Administrator Alexander De Croo spoke to FRANCE 24's Yuka Royer in Business.

China's exports grew only 2.5% in March from a year earlier, a significantly slowdown caused by the war in Iran. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has pushed up the cost of materials, and many Chinese factories saw their profits squeezed last month. Also in this edition: hundreds of Hollywood stars have come out in opposition to the acquisition of Warner Brothers Discovery by Paramount. Plus, the man accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at the home of OpenAI's CEO is facing attempted murder charges.

The Iran war has exposed the vulnerabilities of countries reliant on Middle Eastern fossil fuels. Ramon Mendez, former Uruguayan energy secretary and president of REN21, tells FRANCE 24 that a drastic shift to renewable energy is possible with the right strategy in place, and that other nations can follow in Uruguay's footsteps. The South American country now gets 98 percent of its electricity from low-carbon sources. 

US crude oil prices surged nearly 8%, reaching US$104 per barrel, as concerns grow over a potential US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. In March, Iran exported around 1.85 million barrels of crude per day through the strait. Meanwhile, Hungarians are eyeing a new economic future as Peter Magyar promises reforms to tackle corruption.

The war in Iran has sent fuel costs soaring, leaving consumers scrambling for savings. At the New York Auto Show, many drivers are warming to the idea of switching to electric vehicles as petrol prices climb, as our correspondent Jessica Le Masurier reports. Also, a relief rally loses momentum as the fragile Iran ceasefire enters its second day, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development warns of a “historic decline” in international development aid, driven largely by the United States.