How artificial intelligence is taking over the economy

For more than six decades, the cocoa that Richard Ambassa Mbassiga harvested from his plantation in central Cameroon faithfully paid for everything his family needed. Irregular rainfall and prolonged dry seasons have since sucked the moisture from the soil, killed cocoa trees, and cut the yield from his farm.

A growing number of entrepreneurs in Cameroon are using the label 'Made in Cameroon' for nationally-made products to encourage consumers to buy local and boost the import-dependent economy.

In the mountains and jungles of southwestern Colombia, rural workers toil doggedly in the coca fields despite the dangers posed by guerrillas and drug traffickers -- and despite the government's anti-drug campaign.

More than 90 percent of fishers and seafood processors from the world's deepest lake Tanganyika, lack refrigerators for storing fish stocks. With the FISH4ACP project, the UN food agency FAO, the EU, and the German government want to help unlock the economy of fishing communities in Tanzania and other countries.

A "super computer" to operate on at risk patients more safely - at the Hautepierre University Hospital in Strasbourg, artificial intelligence (AI) now assists health workers during operations to better prevent and manage the risks associated with low blood pressure.

Germany's reputation as an industrial powerhouse could be on the line if the country fails to integrate artificial intelligence technology. Succeeding will require addressing several smaller issues first.

Beijing has taken aim at its high-tech, energy and property sectors in recent months, spooking investors who were used to decades of unprecedented growth. How much self-inflicted pain can China's economy endure?

Researchers in California unveiled a bipedal robot on Wednesday (October 6) that combines walking with flying to create a new type of locomotion, allowing it to jump, skateboard and walk on a slackline. The robot, named LEONARDO or LEO for short, was developed by a team at the California Institute of Technology's Center for Autonomous Systems and Technologies. Researchers said LEO is the first robot to use multi-joint legs and propeller-based thrusters to enable it to balance and carry out complex movements.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's Liberal Demorats are expected to retain enough seats to keep power, but the new administration will need to get the economy back on track while navigating regional security challenges.

Almost three months after the Taliban swept to power in Afghanistan, the country's economy is imploding. Many NGOs and foreign companies have left, leaving thousands of Afghans suddenly unemployed. Some $9.5 billion of assets have been frozen abroad and banks are running out of money. The value of the local currency is plummeting and food prices have soared. This dire situation is pushing thousands of Afghans to flee the country. FRANCE 24's Catherine Norris-Trent and Roméo Langlois report.

China's post-COVID recovery has been hurt by Beijing's crackdown on real estate and tech giants. Strong exports have, until now, saved the economy but what happens when global demand for Chinese goods slows?

The general global trend towards protectionism has been boosted by the pandemic, as countries try to buy more locally. That's a serious threat to jobs in Germany.