Business

Pakistan is the world's fourth largest producer of milk. Domestic demand is strong and some 90 percent of the population consumes untreated raw milk. This provides an opportunity for corrupt retailers but also for farmers who are trying to survive inflation and falling profits. Some use illegal methods to increase the volume of the precious liquid – diluting milk with tap water is one of the most widespread techniques. Others even create fake milk from chemicals. Faced with this serious threat to public health, the authorities in Punjab province have stepped into action, as our correspondents report.

In Ghana, second-hand clothes once worn by Westerners are polluting ecosystems and causing significant public health problems. Every day, 160 tonnes of clothes arrive in the country: garments that were donated to charities in Europe or the US and are sent to Africa by recycling companies. An entire economy is based on the reselling of these old clothes, but few are in a fit state to be sold on. In the capital Accra, these unsellable garments form a huge textile mountain on the edge of the Atlantic. Residents regularly burn it, exposing locals to harmful fumes. Our France 2 colleagues report, with FRANCE 24's Camille Nedelec.

Climate injustice: while the poorer half of the world's CO2 emissions are line with the climate change target of 1.5 degrees Celcius, an Oxfam study says the super-rich are exceeding it 30 times over.

The rollout of 5G service may seem like a great thing to device lovers, but for some international airlines it's a major worry. This week, American phone carriers AT&T and Verizon agreed to a partial delay in activating their 5G networks in the US over safety concerns. For more, we speak to technology policy expert Roslyn Layton.

During a press conference to mark his first year in office, US President Joe Biden cited high prices as one of the biggest problems facing the United States. Inflation hit a 40-year high of 7 percent in December. Our correspondents report from Washington on how a higher cost of living is driving many workers to change jobs for higher pay, and FRANCE 24's Business Editor Stephen Carroll looks at how the French government is tackling this issue.

Nigeria's agri-tech companies are trying to address the challenges faced by smallholder farmers, as well as provide access to inputs, credit, and markets.

Palm worm, also known as white worm and fos in Cameroon, is one of the most consumed delicacies of Cameroonian cuisine, as it is considered a "vitamin store". It was consumed in the past to meet the nutritional needs in rural areas but it has started to be consumed in cities and on rich tables with its natural cheese flavor.

Shares in Sony slumped more by than 10 percent in Tokyo on Wednesday on news of Microsoft's $75 billion deal to buy the video games maker Activision Blizzard. Investors fear the acquisition could mean popular titles like Call of Duty would be moved exclusively to Microsoft platforms. FRANCE 24's Business Editor Stephen Carroll examines the consequences of the deal for the companies involved, and their rivals.

Brent crude topped $88 a barrel in Tuesday trading, its highest level since October 2014 - creating a further potential headache for squeezed UK consumers if the increase is passed on to petrol pumps.

A mayor in Greece is using smart technology to make his city future-proof. Electric vehicles and an e-complaint system are part of Trikala's innovation strategy, but the Greek government is interfering with the plans.

The duopoly of Western aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing is under pressure. Russia's MC-21 airliner is now certified to fly and China is pushing ahead with plans to enter the international market.

E-commerce giant Amazon will continue to accept UK-issued visa credit cards on its British website. The company emailed customers on Monday with the update. Back in November, the retail giant took the controversial step, saying it would ban the use of Visa credit cards because of high transaction fees. Since Brexit, the EU's enforced-cap on the fees charged by card issuers no longer applies in the UK.