Could the economy decide the US midterms?

Americans are heading to the polling stations for mid-term elections that could shift the balance of power in Congress. How is the electoral climate affecting businesses?As big tech's AI spending draws mounting scrutiny, one persistent problem is that these tools can present us with false information. AI "hallucinations," as they're known, can have serious consequences for business. So why do we keep falling for them - and what makes them so convincing?Hackers have hit fridges at dozens of supermarkets across Europe, ruining millions of Euros worth of food. We speak to a security expert.Presenter: Leanna ByrneProducers: Neil Morrow and Amy Booth(Photo by CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock (14839509b) A person shows an 'I voted' sticker after she cast her vote at the Palmetto Bay library in the early voting for the 2024 US presidential election in Miami, Florida, USA, 29 October 2024.)

A record $6.3 billion has been stolen from crypto exchange Binance by hackers. It's believed that the North Korean government is behind the attack - but how can they spend it, and why is Pyongyang behind so many of these attacks?As the United States mid-term elections approach, we speak to representatives from both the Republicans and Democrats about the battle, which could shift the balance of power in the House of Representatives and the Senate.Music streaming giant Spotify is reportedly planning to launch a new service allowing users to remix songs using AI. We'll be hearing from a singer about how she feels about the proposal.Presenter: Ed Butler Producers: Barbara George & Amy Booth (Image: Binance logo and hacker code are seen in this illustration taken October 30, 2026. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration)

Hackers steal around $6.3 billion from Binance in what could be the biggest cryptocurrency heist in history. We examine how the attack happened and what it means for the crypto industry. Also, France's economy unexpectedly shrinks as inflation rises, despite stronger growth across the wider Eurozone. And nearly two years after the fall of Syria's Assad regime, rising living costs spark protests as the country struggles to rebuild its economy. Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Bisi Adebayo

Amazon has reported lacklustre Q3 results and Alphabet, the parent company of Google, shedding some $500 billion in a day. The developments come as investors question companies' massive spending on AI.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has explained what Canada's "associate" EU membership could look like at the two-day EU-Canada summit.One of Japan's largest providers of internet services is in a battle with hackers. After it refused to pay a million-dollar ransom, the hackers started to publish what they claim are personal details.Presenter: Ed Butler Producers: Barbara George & Amy Booth(Image: Amazon logo is seen in this illustration taken February 11, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration)

Volkswagen reports its biggest quarterly loss in more than a decade, losing almost $7 billion in three months. We look at the challenges facing the German car giant as it plans thousands of job cuts. Also, Christine Lagarde announces she's stepping down early as president of the European Central Bank, triggering a race to replace her. And fuel shortages loom in Kenya as independent petrol retailers clash with major oil suppliers over prices. Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Bisi Adebayo

Microsoft and Alphabet have reported their latest earnings. We' ll be taking a look at their performance as Microsoft shares surged off the back of their results while Alphabet's took a dip.European gas prices spiked, with a key contract hitting €100 for the first time since 2022 - but how is that affecting European manufacturers?Elsewhere, why the passengers on a cruise ship have been left stranded in Cambodia - and a year after Hurricane Melissa, how Jamaica's tourism sector is recovering.Presenter: Ed Butler Producers: Barbara George & Amy Booth(Photo: Microsoft logo and a keyboard in this illustration. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo)

India's biggest telecom giant, the Meta and Google-backed Jio Platforms, made its stock market debut on Wednesday. The UK's finance minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has revealed the government's budget plans for the next 12 months. And passengers on a round-the-world cruise ship have been told to disembark in Cambodia, because the company can't afford the current cost of fuel oil.

Subscription window for Africa's "People's IPO" closes today for the Dangote Refinery in Nigeria. Which has reportedly been almost three times oversubscribed, with billions of dollars' worth of orders from retail and institutional investors. We find out what it means for investment in the continent.The first three ships full of Russian diesel head for the US, but two of them are currently sanctioned by the EU, UK and Canada. We find out if they will be able to land and what could be the legal implications for any US companies handling the product.China's state television company has reportedly suspended broadcasts of La Liga matches after the Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe appeared to call the late Mao Zedong a "Chinese dictator" on a French TV chat show. We hear about the commercial fall out.Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Barbara George & George Baylis(PHOTO: Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dangote Group speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of an East African oil refinery in Lamu, Kenya, September 30, 2026. REUTERS/Monicah Mwangi)

French football star Kylian Mbappé has apologised after a joke about China's former leader Mao Zedong sparked a growing boycott.Major brands have dropped sponsorship deals, while Chinese broadcasters are reportedly pulling Spanish football matches. We examine the financial fallout.Also, Microsoft offers voluntary redundancy to thousands of workers as it increases spending on AI. What could it mean for India's IT industry?And, is the Labubu craze over? Sales slump at Pop Mart, the Chinese company behind the viral dolls.Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Bisi Adebayo

One of the world's most valuable AI companies is heading to wall street. Anthropic has warned artificial intelligence (AI) could pose "catastrophic or existential risks to humanity" as it unveiled details of its planned stock market listing in the US. We hear what tech investors want from the listing.Brazil’s President Lula da Silva has won a fourth term in office and is promising unity and democracy. We hear what victory means for Brazil's economy.Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has suggested the country should prepare ways to work around potential banking sanctions. We hear about the country's economy and political mood.And London’s Oxford Street is about to get a lot quieter, as one of the world’s most famous shopping destinations goes traffic-free. We here from shoppers. (Photo: Anthropic logo in this illustration taken on 26 October, 2026, is a black rectangle with the brand name Anrhopic in white, bold type. Credit: Dado Ruvic/Reuters)Presenter: Vishala Sri-Pathma Producer: Barbara George and George Baylis