Author: Jack Mulligan
Consumer inflation posts sharpest rise since 2023 China’s consumer inflation accelerated sharply in February as an extended Lunar New Year holiday lifted spending on services, while deflation in factory-gate prices eased. Official data released Monday showed the consumer price index rose 1.3% from a year earlier, above market expectations of a 0.8% increase. The reading followed a 0.2% gain in January and marked the strongest year-on-year rise since early 2023. On a month-on-month basis, consumer prices climbed 1%, also stronger than forecasts. The data add to signs that short-term demand can firm when households travel and spend around major holidays,…
Battery shortages raise risk of DNS for both cars Aston Martin’s new works partnership with Honda has opened the season under acute stress after early running in Australia exposed reliability and safety concerns tied to the hybrid power unit. After the first day of practice at the opening round, the team said it was operating with only one usable battery per car for the rest of the weekend, leaving little margin for error ahead of Sunday’s 58 lap grand prix. The immediate risk is procedural and blunt: another battery failure during final practice, qualifying or the race could leave a…
Microsoft teases a console built around broader access Microsoft has drawn a new outline for the next phase of Xbox by confirming development of a console known internally as Project Helix. The company has not shown the device or shared specifications, but it has attached a clear strategic message: the next Xbox is being designed to deliver top-tier performance while running games from both the Xbox and PC ecosystems. That combination matters because it arrives after a period in which Microsoft widened its publishing footprint beyond its own hardware. The decision to release some previously exclusive titles on competing platforms…
Parliament speech highlights closer ties between middle powers Australia and Canada said on Thursday they signed new agreements on critical minerals as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a major address to the Australian parliament, a signal of closer coordination between what both leaders described as middle powers. Carney is traveling across the Asia-Pacific with stops that also include Japan and India, and his appearance in Canberra marked the first time a Canadian leader has addressed Australia’s parliament since 2007. Carney cast the relationship as a strategic response to growing geopolitical competition. “In a world of great power rivalry, middle…
Combined ownership revives long-discussed cost sharing idea Paramount’s proposed $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery would place CNN and CBS News under the same corporate roof, reviving a concept that has surfaced repeatedly for decades: combining or sharing news-gathering to reduce costs. Earlier efforts to link the two organizations fell apart largely over governance and control, but regulatory approval of the current transaction would make some level of coordination difficult to avoid. The practical questions are immediate and politically charged. If the deal proceeds, CNN and CBS News would need to determine leadership roles, staffing structures, and editorial guardrails.…
Parliament briefing sets tone ahead of National People’s Congress China said it is willing to work with the United States to promote communication at all levels while maintaining its “red lines” and core principles, according to remarks on Wednesday by a spokesperson for China’s parliament. The comments came on the eve of the opening of the National People’s Congress annual session, a political meeting that is expected to draw close attention amid efforts by both countries to stabilize a relationship strained by multiple crises. The spokesperson, Lou Qinjian, made the comments at a press conference as China prepares to open…
Official survey stays in contraction as holiday disrupts production China’s factory activity weakened in February as manufacturers paused output and shipping during an extended Lunar New Year break, according to an official survey released Wednesday. The official manufacturing purchasing managers index fell to 49 in February, below both the 50 threshold that separates expansion from contraction and economists’ forecast of 49.1. The result marked a second consecutive month in contraction. The February reading matched levels last seen in October and April 2025. In January, the official PMI registered 49.3 after a brief rebound in December. Broader indicators also softened. The…
Early access feedback drives fixes to core smart home controls Google is rolling out a set of updates to its Gemini for Home voice assistant aimed at improving reliability and reducing friction in everyday smart home use. The changes follow feedback collected through an early access program after Google introduced Gemini on Google Home devices later than many users expected. The update targets common pain points reported by early adopters, including inconsistent handling of timers and alarms, weak device targeting when issuing whole-home commands, and interruptions where the assistant cut users off mid-sentence. Google says the upgraded experience should make…
Countdown starts as final spots and roster cuts loom Tuesday, March 3 marks 100 days until the 2026 World Cup begins, with Mexico set to host South Africa in Mexico City on June 11. While much of the field is already known, the next few weeks will shape the tournament in ways that rankings cannot fully capture. The last week of March will decide the final six tournament berths, with four teams coming through Europe and two more emerging via an intercontinental playoff. At the same time, the European club season is entering its decisive stretch, a period that typically…
Partial departures return while most schedules stay grounded Air travel through the United Arab Emirates began a limited restart on Monday, but the wider Gulf network remained heavily disrupted, leaving large numbers of passengers waiting for new itineraries. Several international carriers said they would operate only a small selection of services after flight activity was halted on Saturday as regional airspace closures spread during the conflict between the US-Israel and Iran. Abu Dhabi based Etihad Airways, Dubai based Emirates, and budget carrier Flydubai each confirmed a narrow set of departures or arrivals. Dubai’s government urged passengers to go to airports…