Google wants back in…in China

The economies of China and Germany have become hugely intertwined. The dilemma: how to position Germany in the emerging geopolitical tensions with Beijing.

Alphabet's Google is rolling out more artificial intelligence for its core search product, hoping to create some of the same consumer excitement generated by Microsoft's update to rival search engine Bing in recent months.

Google will begin using its AI chatbot in its search engine, as it seeks to catch up with rivals in the fast-growing sector. The announcement came on the eve of a European vote on new regulations for artificial intelligence. Also in the show: US inflation drops below 5 percent for the first time in two years, and French drivers accuse petrol distributors of raking in the profits from unfair prices.

Brazil's Supreme Court ordered the investigation into Google and Telegram executives after the firms campaigned against a bill that would curtail online disinformation.

Experts say they are skeptical about the G7's ability to come up with a coordinated response to China's expanding economic power and military might.

Arguing for their "right to be forgotten," a couple in finance had sought to have content critical of them delisted from Google. The court said Google must do so only if content is proven false.

The US has signed a trade deal with Taiwan against vehement opposition from China. The move comes as Beijing has been stepping up pressure to intimidate the self-ruled island, which it sees as its own.

Alphabet's Google was charged by EU antitrust regulators with anti-competitive practices in its digital advertising business on Wednesday and may now have to sell part of its operations to address their concerns.

Antony Blinken is the first US secretary of state to visit China in five years. His visit aims to thaw the relationship between the two countries amid rising tensions over industry and Taiwan.

US officials hope Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to China will lower tensions with Beijing. In what was seen as a special gesture, announced at the last minute, the top US diplomat met China's head of state.

The US-China discussions are expected to focus on addressing non-CO2 emissions, particularly methane, and preparing for the COP28 summit. The talks come amid political tensions between the two nations on multiple fronts.

Dozens of people have been killed by floods and collapsed buildings in China's capital, Beijing, after weeks of rain. Thousands of homes have also been destroyed. A