Author: Andrew Rogers

Amazon’s cloud division suffered outages last year that were reportedly triggered by its own AI systems.One disruption in December lasted about 13 hours after an AI agent automatically deleted and rebuilt part of its environment. The incident affected only limited customer services, according to the company.Amazon said the problem stemmed from user misconfiguration, not the AI itself.It added that new safeguards and mandatory peer reviews have since been introduced. AWS underpins large parts of the internet, so outages raise wider concerns about reliance on a few providers.A separate failure in October temporarily knocked dozens of websites offline. The reports come…

Airbus has proposed building two separate next-generation fighter jets to rescue Europe’s stalled Future Combat Air System.The suggestion follows a long dispute with Dassault Aviation over leadership of the programme. The FCAS project, launched in 2017 by Germany, France and Spain, also includes drones and a combat data network.Airbus chief Guillaume Faury said the impasse over the main jet must not derail Europe’s future defence capability.He added that a dual-fighter approach could attract new partners if governments approve it. Tensions have grown after German chancellor Friedrich Merz said the current design does not meet Germany’s needs, particularly over nuclear capability.The…

Top alpine skiers say shrinking glaciers are threatening the future of their sport.Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin said many training glaciers they once used have already disappeared.Host nation Italy has lost more than 200 square kilometres of glacier area since the late 1950s. Glaciers around Cortina d’Ampezzo have retreated dramatically, leaving only small ice patches high in the Dolomites.The Marmolada glacier, the region’s largest, is also melting quickly and could be mostly gone within a decade under current warming. Scientists report an accelerating and continuous loss of ice.The changes affect water supplies, increase mountain hazards and contribute to sea-level rise.Globally,…

Senior UK bank executives will meet this week to begin creating a national card payments system.The project aims to reduce reliance on US networks such as Visa and Mastercard. The meeting will be chaired by Vim Maru of Barclays.City institutions will fund the new company, known as DeliveryCo, with government support.The goal is to keep payments running if existing systems are disrupted. About 95% of UK card transactions currently use Visa or Mastercard.Executives warn that losing access would force the economy back toward cash-based payments.Sanctions on Russia, which cut off those networks, highlighted the potential impact. The Bank of England…

Volkswagen aims to cut costs by 20% by 2028 to stay competitive against Chinese carmakers.Reports say plant closures remain an option. Chief executive Oliver Blume and finance chief Arno Antlitz outlined the savings plan to senior managers.The company is reacting to weak sales, high expenses and rapid market changes. An earlier overhaul already included 35,000 job cuts by 2030 to save €10bn.Volkswagen says it has achieved savings in the double-digit billion-euro range so far. New data shows the EU trade deficit with China rose to €359.3bn in 2025.German carmakers remain deeply linked to the Chinese market through joint ventures. The…

Daily tablets are reshaping the market for GLP-1 weight-loss treatments.Patients are switching from injections to pills because they are cheaper, easier to take and need no refrigeration.Analysts say this shift could help push the sector towards a $200bn valuation. Novo Nordisk has launched the first oral Wegovy in the US, with rapid early demand.Rival Eli Lilly plans to follow with its own tablet soon.The new drugs aim to attract people who avoid injections or cannot afford them. Injections still produce greater weight loss, so patients with severe obesity may stay with them.Pills are likely to expand treatment to people who…

Max Verstappen criticised Formula One’s new regulations after pre-season testing in Bahrain.He said the heavy focus on energy management makes the cars “not fun to drive”.He called the changes “anti-racing” and compared the feeling to “Formula E on steroids”.He again suggested he could leave the sport if he stops enjoying it. Lewis Hamilton voiced similar concerns.He said the systems are extremely complex and difficult for fans to follow.The new rules introduce different engines, chassis, tyres and fully sustainable fuel.Power now comes almost equally from combustion and electric sources. Testing times gave only limited clues about performance.Mercedes led the timesheets with…

US inflation fell to 2.4% in January after last year’s tariff-driven price swings. The consumer price index rose 0.2% for the month. Core inflation increased 0.3%. Economists expected a slightly higher annual rate. Prices fluctuated strongly last year before stabilizing in late autumn. The White House praised the data and rejected tariff-related price spikes. Wall Street watches the report for interest rate signals. The Federal Reserve paused cuts and will decide again in March. Jerome Powell expects a temporary tariff effect on goods prices. Job growth slowed sharply compared with 2024. Polls show weak approval for Trump’s handling of inflation.…

The top legal adviser to the European Court of Justice has said the European Commission should not have released billions of euros to Hungary. Advocate general Tamara Ćapeta argued that Hungary failed to carry out the judicial reforms required to unlock the funds. The European Commission froze payments in 2022 over concerns about corruption and rule-of-law backsliding under prime minister Viktor Orbán. In 2023, the commission lifted the suspension, making about €10bn available after concluding reforms were sufficient. The European Parliament challenged that decision, claiming the commission made serious legal errors and acted without transparency. Some lawmakers suggested the move…

Aerobic exercise such as running, swimming and dancing can serve as a frontline treatment for mild depression and anxiety, researchers say. A large analysis of 63 published reviews covering nearly 80,000 people found that physical activity significantly reduced symptoms, especially in young adults and new mothers. The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, showed that heart rate–raising aerobic exercise had the strongest effect on depression. Resistance training and yoga also helped, though to a lesser extent. Group and supervised activities delivered extra benefits, suggesting social connection plays a key role. World Health Organization estimates that hundreds of…