Workers at petrol refineries across France are among those on strike against the government's proposed pension reforms. If unions continue the walkouts on a rolling basis, motorists are worried they could face petrol shortages. Also in the show: power cuts in South Africa have weighed more than expected on GDP growth, and US lawmakers prepare to crack down on TikTok.

With China's National People's Congress underway, the government has set out what many are calling an achievable target for economic growth in 2023. The 5 percent objective is the lowest in over three decades and comes as Beijing has lifted most of the restrictions set up during the Covid-19 pandemic. Also in this edition, we look ahead to a day of nationwide strikes against pension reform in France. Finally, iconic chocolate brand Toblerone is forced to change its logo because of strict rules regulating "Swissness".

The Chinese Communist Party is expected to unveil its lowest economic growth target in decades amid an ongoing slump in the country's real estate market. Also on the show: Mexico plans food tariff cuts to confront high inflation, and Franco-Angolan business ties take centre stage as President Emmanuel Macron visits Luanda.

China's official manufacturing sector purchasing managers' index rose to 52.6 in February, well above expectations. This comes amid a strong recovery in demand after Beijing lifted almost three years of Covid restrictions. Stock markets in mainland China and Hong Kong reacted positively to the news. Also on the show, we take a look at the strings attached to the US Chips Act, which will provide subsidies to companies willing to make semiconductors on American soil.

A Paris court could order the oil major TotalEnergies to halt the development of a Uganda pipeline, based on legislation that makes big companies liable for risks to the environment and human rights. The French oil giant has been accused by activist groups of not fairly compensating the people who were expropriated and of endangering Ugandan ecosystems. Also in the show, the White House urges government employees to enforce a ban on TikTok within 30 days. Finally, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis takes the keys of Disney's magic kingdom in Florida.

The annual Mobile World Congress brings together the biggest names in the telecoms industry and this year has reverted to its pre-pandemic format, with over 80,000 delegates expected in Barcelona. FRANCE 24's Leo McGuinn explains what the sector has in store to find a path back to profits. Also in this edition: some 11 days after saying they couldn't contact him, investment bank China Renaissance says its missing founder Bao Fan has been "cooperating" with Chinese authorities.

For the six months ending in December, the Australian national carrier Qantas posted profits of €920 million. It expects strong demand over the next two years as well. But as FRANCE 24's Bryan Quinn explains, dark clouds are still looming over the company and its decision to cut staff during the Covid-19 pandemic. Also on the show: South African utility Eskom asks its chief to take an early exit, and sandwich chain Subway is launching its own electric vehicle charging stations.

Microsoft is lobbying European regulators to approve its $69 billion takeover bid for video game giant Activision Blizzard. To allay concerns about competition, it's agreed to let Nintendo and Nvidia users access some of its titles. But there are still plenty of roadblocks for what could be the tech industry's biggest ever deal. Also in the show: carmakers Toyota and Honda agree to the biggest wage increases in two years for Japanese workers, and Pakistan nears a bailout deal with the IMF.

The missing founder of China Renaissance, Bao Fan, was looking to start a fund for his personal fortune, according to the Financial Times. Bao is one of the country's biggest financiers in the tech sector and could be the latest target of a crackdown on the industry. Also in the show, Hong Kong presents a new budget to help the territory's battered economy recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. And Starbucks's next big bet is to launch olive oil-infused coffee... in Italy.

Vladimir Putin claims the Russian economy has withstood Western sanctions, as he prepares to mark one year since the invasion of Ukraine. While Russia's GDP has contracted less than many analysts expected, Beata Javorcik of the EBRD explains that's largely the result of years of "sanctions-proofing", and doesn't mean that households and businesses aren't suffering. Also in the show: the EU's carbon price hits a record high of €100 per tonne, and Sri Lanka's cabinet agrees to start repaying its debt.