Business

We take a look at how French consumers have adopted the American tradition of Black Friday sales. With clothing expected to the number one item that will be purchased in France during the discounted period, we also find out how the globe's appetite for fast fashion is having a dire effect on Chile's desert.

Talks are taking place in Brussels on a proposal to set the ceiling for the price of Russian natural gas at €275 per megawatt hour. The plan has come under criticism from all sides for either being too complicated, too high or unnecessary. Meanwhile, the G7's plan to cap Russian oil prices will also be discussed. Also in the show, we take a look at one of the most prestigious brands in sport, which could soon be up for sale: Manchester United.

Qatar has spent more than $200 billion preparing for the World Cup by building roads, stadiums and hotels. Although much of the infrastructure spending has been part of a larger public investment project, this tournament will be the most expensive World Cup ever. Plus, in a surprise reshuffle, Disney's former CEO Bob Iger is returning to the helm, less than a year after retiring.

Elon Musk has defended himself in court over a massive pay package at Tesla, as the billionaire speeds up the restructuring of Twitter following his acquisition. But first, the British finance minister is set to unveil a revised budget plan in parliament. With tens of billions of pounds in tax hikes and spending cuts, it will mark a complete reversal of the previous mini-budget, which triggered market turmoil and led to Liz Truss's resignation as prime minister.

For the fifth time in a row, the soft drink producer Coca-Cola has won the unfortunate title of worst plastic polluter of the year, according to a brand audit run by the NGO Break Free From Plastics. This year's audit found that more than 31,000 Coca-Cola branded products were among trash collected by volunteers, three times the proportion found in 2018. As a result, the company's role as sponsor of the COP27 climate summit in Egypt is raising eyebrows. Also in this edition, we take a look at the cash crunch felt by local governments in China as they find themselves unable to pay for mass Covid testing.

After Meta and Twitter, Amazon is the latest e-commerce giant looking to reduce its payroll. Reports in The New York Times and other outlets say this is part of the company's drive to cut any lossmaking or underperforming units. The job cuts, which could represent as much as 3 percent of the group's corporate workforce, would be the largest in Amazon's history. Also in this edition, we take a look at why Japan's economic growth slowed unexpectedly in the last quarter.

Our correspondents report from Italy, where migrant workers are essential to several key sectors of the economy. This comes amid a rift between Paris and the far-right government in Rome, after France allowed a migrant rescue ship to dock following a refusal by Italy. But first, we take a look at how stock markets are responding to the latest US inflation figures.

Amid a push in France to index salaries to inflation, we take a look at the potential risks and benefits of such measures, which exist in a number of European countries. Also, with Adidas dropping Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, over hate speech and repeated scandals, both the sportswear giant and the artist are expected to weather financial losses. Finally, deep fakes, or digital simulations of celebrities, are on the rise in the advertising world.

Inflation in the UK has spiked back to its 40-year high of 10.1% as households and businesses continue to struggle with soaring food and energy prices. The data come "despite the Bank of England trying to turn down the heat on this bubbling pot of prices", says Susannah Streeter, Senior Markets Analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown. The figures will add more pressure to the struggling government of Prime Minister Liz Truss.

EU policymakers remain divided over how best to deal with the ongoing energy crisis. High prices are affecting households and businesses across the bloc, including Italy's storied textiles industry, as our correspondents report. Also in the show: French unions strike amid calls for higher wages, and electric vehicles are in the spotlight at the Paris Auto Show.