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China's central bank has acknowledged that the country has entered a "new normal" economic phase, marking a shift away from the high-speed growth of previous decades. The framing suggests slower but more stable development is now the official baseline. Commentary is focusing on what this admission means for growth expectations, debt levels and China's role in the global economy.

A new tool called Datastory has been launched, combining AI-driven data storytelling with an open knowledge graph. The product, available at datastory.tech, aims to help users turn raw data into narrative insights. Early reaction on Hacker News has been modest so far, with a handful of upvotes as commenters take a first look.

Musician Phil Wilkerson has released a new ambient piece called Hues of Memory, a fifteen-minute track built from slowly shifting layers of sound that fade in and out. He describes it as a work meant for uninterrupted, quiet listening and has also made a video version available. It is a small independent release attracting modest attention among ambient music listeners.

The podcast Bowl After Bowl has gone live with episode 461, streamed via its own Owncast server. The show blends cannabis culture talk with Bitcoin and Lightning Network topics, using value-for-value streaming with support for bitcoin micro-payments. It is a regular live episode announcement rather than breaking news, aimed at the show's niche audience of self-hosted streaming and crypto enthusiasts.

Ocean Visions has launched a new knowledge platform dedicated to marine carbon dioxide removal, bringing together research and information on ocean-based approaches to removing CO2 from the atmosphere. The resource is aimed at scientists, policymakers and others tracking emerging mCDR techniques such as ocean alkalinity enhancement and seawater carbon capture.

Analyst Mouin Rabbani gives an interview examining Israeli politics under Benjamin Netanyahu. He discusses claims that Netanyahu had advance knowledge of the October 7 attack, his speech at the UN, calls to free Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, and moves to bar Arab-led parties from running in Israeli elections. The interview also touches on Donald Trump's rejection of Iran's proposal.

Casey Wasserman, chairman of the LA28 organising committee, described the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics as the equivalent of '200 Super Bowls in a month', underlining the unprecedented scale of the event coming to the city. The remark highlights the logistical and commercial magnitude organisers are preparing for as attention on the Games builds.

The World Health Organization's Regional Office for Africa has announced a Knowledge Management Series for Health 2026 focused on South Sudan. The initiative, published in French and English, is aimed at strengthening how health knowledge is documented and shared in the country. Details about the series' content and participants remain limited so far.

Florida Atlantic University Athletics has published its weekly feature tracking former FAU Owls players across NFL rosters in Week 3 of the 2026 season. The update recaps how FAU alumni performed in the latest round of professional games. Fans of the program follow these weekly installments to keep up with former players now in the league.

The Pentagon has acknowledged the existence of space weapons, according to a report from the Arms Control Association. The admission marks a notable shift in how the US military discusses its capabilities in orbit, touching on long-running debates over the militarisation of space and arms control. Details about the specific systems involved and their intended use were not immediately provided.

Rice University's Owls football team travels to San Antonio to face UTSA on Friday night. The matchup brings together the two Texas programs in a Conference USA rivalry game, with Rice looking to secure a road win against the Roadrunners. Fans in Houston and San Antonio are following the team's trip ahead of the evening kickoff.

Actress and director Kansas Bowling hosted a screening of the film Cuddly Toys at The Beverly Theatre in Beverly Hills. The event drew attention from film fans and marked another appearance for the director, whose retro-styled work has built a cult following. Details about the programme and any special guests at the screening have not been widely reported.

The Washington Post reports that the tourism industry is slowly adapting to the needs of solo travelers, a growing segment long underserved by single-supplement pricing and couple-oriented offerings. Hotels, tour operators and cruise lines are increasingly adding solo-friendly rooms, waived surcharges and group experiences designed for people traveling alone.

A federal judge has dismissed antitrust lawsuits targeting Google's AI-powered search features. The court found that while AI search may bring consequences for publishers and competitors, those effects do not amount to an antitrust violation. The ruling is seen as a signal that courts may be reluctant to treat AI-driven changes to search as competitive harm under existing law.

Ocean Visions has launched a comprehensive knowledge platform dedicated to marine carbon dioxide removal, a set of ocean-based approaches to capturing and storing carbon. The platform is intended to consolidate research, data and resources on topics such as ocean alkalinity enhancement and seawater carbon removal, making scientific information more accessible to researchers, decision-makers and the public as interest in ocean climate solutions grows.