World

One year after DeepSeek, Chinese AI firms from Alibaba to Moonshot race to release new models
28Jan mmBy Brian ThompsonNo Comments
Asia, China, World

One year after DeepSeek, Chinese AI firms from Alibaba to Moonshot race to release new models

Chinese companies are accelerating the rollout of new artificial intelligence models as competition with U.S.-based rivals OpenAI, Anthropic and Google intensifies. Just over a year ago, China-made DeepSeek rocked global markets with the release of an AI chatbot that undercut OpenAI’s ChatGPT on usage fees and production costs, raising questions about the efficacy of U.S. tech restrictions on China. On Tuesday, Beijing-based startup Moonshot AI revealed Kimi K2.5, which claimed to have video-generation and agentic capabilities that outperformed all three of the leading U.S. AI models. Agentic AI broadly refers to AI systems capable of carrying out tasks on behalf of people. The ultimate goal is to have sophisticated agents that work autonomously with minimal user interaction. ...
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China’s ISSB-aligned reporting rules ‘go beyond many global standards’, say experts
26Jan mmBy Brian ThompsonNo Comments
China, World

China’s ISSB-aligned reporting rules ‘go beyond many global standards’, say experts

China has finalised its first national climate disclosure standard, which now ties corporate reporting to national targets. The finalised rules are broadly aligned with the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB)’s rules and incorporate double materiality, requiring companies to identify the impact of their operations on the climate, beyond how climate risks affect them financially. “It goes beyond many global standards in terms of its rigour,” said Christoph Nedopil Wang, an expert on Chinese green finance policies and director of Brisbane-based Griffith Asia Institute. The new rules are “very ambitious” for mandating a double materiality lens, on top of disclosures of direct scope 1 emission and supply chain emissions – or scope 2 and 3 emissions, he added. ...
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House Seeks Say Over AI Chip Sales After Nvidia’s China Win
22Jan mmBy Brian ThompsonNo Comments
Asia, China, World

House Seeks Say Over AI Chip Sales After Nvidia’s China Win

Congress is one step closer to gaining the authority to review artificial intelligence chip sales to China, a move likely to open a rift with the Trump administration over plans to let Nvidia Corp. sell its powerful H200 processors to the world’s second-largest economy. A House committee focused on foreign affairs approved bipartisan legislation Wednesday that calls for arms-sale style congressional oversight of advanced AI chip exports. Beyond oversight, the text endorsed by the panel’s Republicans and Democrats would outright ban sales of Nvidia’s more advanced Blackwell chips to China for at least two years, codifying existing export controls into law. The bill marks a response to President Donald Trump’s decision last month to ease longstanding export controls on China, a mo...
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China hits growth goal after exports defy US tariffs
20Jan mmBy Brian ThompsonNo Comments
China, USA, World

China hits growth goal after exports defy US tariffs

China said its economy expanded by 5% last year, meeting Beijing's official target as a record trade surplus boosted growth. The world's second-largest economy reached its goal despite growth slowing to 4.5% in the final three months of 2025. China's past year has been marked by struggles to boost domestic spending, a prolonged property crisis and turmoil caused by US President Donald Trump's tariff policies. Experts say the figures point to a "two-speed economy", with manufacturing and exports propping up expansion while people are still spending cautiously and the real estate market continues to weigh on the country. While China's official figures suggest it hit its growth goal, some analysts question the accuracy of the data given weak investment and consumer spending. ...
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Trump’s EU Tariffs: Could they hit the US economy more than Europe?
18Jan mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
USA, World

Trump’s EU Tariffs: Could they hit the US economy more than Europe?

According to experts, if the US continues to impose tariffs and political differences with Europe remain, America will also have to face drastic results. It will directly affect trade, industry, the economy, and the global supply chain. Donald Trump has imposed a 10% tariff on eight European nations and has threatened to raise it to 25% from June 1 if a deal on Greenland is not finalised. This move by Trump has created a situation of heightened tension between Europe and the United States. The resolve to acquire Greenland has put US President Donald Trump up against NATO member countries after it announced a 10% tariff on goods from eight European countries, effective February 1, in response to their opposition to Trump’s bid to takeover Greenland. The US President has further thre...
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US GDP Growth Is Projected to Outperform Economist Forecasts in 2026
15Jan mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
USA, World

US GDP Growth Is Projected to Outperform Economist Forecasts in 2026

The US economy is poised for stronger performance this year than many economists are projecting, according to Goldman Sachs Research. “Our strongest conviction views for 2026 are our above-consensus GDP growth forecast and our below-consensus inflation forecast,” writes David Mericle, chief US economist, in the team’s report. “The outlook for the labor market is more uncertain—we expect it to stabilize but see the possibility of further softening as the key risk for 2026.” What’s the forecast for US economic growth in 2026? US GDP is projected to expand 2.5% in 2026 (fourth quarter, year over year), versus the consensus economist estimate of 2.1%, according to Goldman Sachs Research. On a full-year basis, the economy is forecast to grow 2.8%. The probability of...
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Trump declares US economy ‘rocketing’ as factories run 24/7
14Jan mmBy Walter ParezNo Comments
USA, World

Trump declares US economy ‘rocketing’ as factories run 24/7

President Donald Trump claimed US economy to be 'rocketing' due to the revival of manufacturing, he justified his non-enforcement of electric vehicle regulations and even predicted increased use of robotics in dealing with labor shortages. Auto sector expansion cited as key growth driver During the interview, Trump indicated that the expansion of production in all major automobile companies was the reason for economic strength, ANI citing tom a forein media said. Trump stated, “If you went around this plant, like I have, they just announced they’re going to 24 hours. This is a Ford plant, but GM’s the same, Stellantis is the same.” Unprecedented pace of factory expansion nationwide The president pointed out that there were all over-the-clock working factories in the US,...
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Trump claims victory on US economy despite many Americans’ cost of living concerns
13Jan mmBy Michael SmithNo Comments
USA, World

Trump claims victory on US economy despite many Americans’ cost of living concerns

In speech, president delivers triumph assessment, claiming US prices are down despite official data showing otherwise Donald Trump claimed victory on the economy after 12 months back in office on Tuesday, declaring it to be the “greatest first year in history” as many Americans express alarm over the cost of living. In a stream-of-consciousness speech at the Detroit Economic Club, the US president delivered his gold-tinted view of how the economy has fared on his watch. Prices were down, he claimed, despite official data showing otherwise, and productivity was “smashing expectations”. Even as he touted achievements during the first year of his second term, Trump has started to acknowledge concerns over affordability across the US, with November’s midterm elections creeping cl...
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Equinor challenges US order to suspend Empire Wind project
3Jan mmBy Mike TrudellNo Comments
USA, World

Equinor challenges US order to suspend Empire Wind project

Norwegian energy group Equinor said on Friday it had filed a civil suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia challenging a U.S. Department of the Interior order to suspend its Empire Wind project. "As part of that case, Empire plans to seek a preliminary injunction and allow construction to continue while the litigation proceeds," Equinor added. Last week, the Trump administration suspended leases for five large offshore wind projects that are under construction off the U.S. East Coast over what it called national security concerns, sending shares of offshore wind companies plunging. The suspension was the latest blow for offshore wind developers that have faced repeated disruptions to their multi-billion-dollar projects under U.S. President Donald Trump, w...
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European factory activity ends 2025 in deeper contraction but Asia shines on improved demand
2Jan mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, World

European factory activity ends 2025 in deeper contraction but Asia shines on improved demand

Euro zone manufacturing activity shrank further in December but Asia's factory powerhouses closed 2025 on a firmer footing backed by a rebound in export orders and growing demand for artificial intelligence, private surveys showed.Factory activity in the common currency bloc slid into deeper contraction last month as production decreased for the first time in 10 months on further declines in new orders. The HCOB Eurozone Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), compiled by S&P Global, fell to 48.8 in December from 49.6 in November. It was the lowest reading in nine months and below the 50 level that separates growth from contraction for the second straight month.Surveys highlighted a broad-based decline in activity in the 20-nation euro zone.Germany, the bloc's largest e...
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