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Pakistan is the latest Asian nation to introduce screening for the deadly Nipah virus
After India confirmed two cases of the deadly Nipah virus, authorities in Pakistan increased screening for people entering the country. Thailand, Singapore Hong Kong, Malaysia Indonesia and Vietnam also have tightened airport screening. Nipah can cause brain inflammation, fever and death. A vaccine is not available. Transmission from one person to another is difficult and requires prolonged contact. In a recent statement, the Border Health Services Department said that it was "imperative" to increase preventative and monitoring measures along Pakistan's border. The Department added that "all travelers must undergo thermal screening and a clinical assessment at the Point of Entry" which includes seaports and land borders, airports and border crossings. Travellers will be asked to submit their transit history from the previous 21 days to determine if they have been to "high-risk or Nipah-affected regions". Travel between Pakistan and India is very limited since their worst fighting for decades took place in May of last year. The Hanoi health department ordered on Wednesday that all incoming passengers to Noi Bai Airport, especially those from India and West Bengal in the east, be screened. The scanners will detect any suspected cases. The department stated that this allows for a timely investigation and isolation of the disease. This comes after authorities in Ho Chi Minh City - the largest city in Vietnam - announced that they had tightened up health controls at international borders. India's Health?Ministry said this week that the authorities had identified and traced at least 196 contacts related to the two cases, none of whom showed symptoms and who all tested negative for the virus. Nipah, a rare viral infection, is spread mainly from fruit bats to humans. World Health Organization reports that it can be asymptomatic, but is very dangerous. Scientists believe that the virus has been circulating in fruit bats and flying foxes for thousands of year. WHO has classified Nipah a priority pathogen. India reports frequent sporadic Nipah infections, especially in Kerala, the state to the south, which is considered one of the highest-risk areas for Nipah. According to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), which funds a vaccine test to stop Nipah, as of December 2025 there were 750 confirmed Nipah cases worldwide, and 415 deaths. Reporting by Francesco Guarascio from Hanoi, MubasherBukhari in Lahore, and Ananda Teresia from Jakarta; editing by EdwinaGibbs.
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Maguire: Germany's weak wind output will continue into 2026.
Germany, Europe's biggest wind power producer, has been suffering from subpar wind energy production for years due to wind speeds below average at the turbine level. The total German wind-powered energy output dropped by around 4% in 2025 compared to the previous year. This followed an annual growth of less than 1% in 2024. Recent forecasts by LSEG for wind power production indicate that generation levels will be below the long-term median throughout the first quarter this year. The first quarter of the year is traditionally when Germany's production of wind peaks. Therefore, if the projected output continues to be below par, it will strain the national utilities who must make up any shortfalls in wind generation with increased power from other sources. LONG STRETCH According to the think tank Ember's estimates, total wind-powered energy production in 2025 will be around 131 Terawatt Hours (TWh). This compares with annual outputs of 136.2 terawatts in 2024, and 135.2 terawatts in 2023. Monthly, the wind output was below that of the previous year for the first four months in 2025 and again?in December. The German wind power capacity increased by the most in 2017 despite this underperformance. According to Germany's Federal Network Agency, the total wind power capacity in Germany will increase by approximately 4.9 gigawatts to 77.7GW in 2025. The German power system has also upgraded its existing wind power fleet in order to increase the generation of each wind farm. Older turbine blades have been replaced with larger and more efficient ones throughout the country. In the early part of 2026, the German wind network will again be affected by slow wind speeds. According to the German Meteorological Service (DMS), the average wind speed at the turbine level was below?5.5 m/s (12.3 miles/hour) during the first quarter 2025. This was the lowest reading in over 50 years. According to the weather service PredictWind, so far in 2026 wind speeds at major wind farm sites average between 4 and 5.5 meters per seconds. This is below the long-term average between 6 and seven meters per sec. The Earth's Poles are experiencing higher temperatures than the average global temperature. This is reducing pressure differences between Central Europe, the Arctic and other parts of the world. It also results in less windy weather for long periods. BALANCING ACT Since 2023, wind farms are Germany's largest source of electricity. Therefore, sustained periods of lower-than-expected production have ripple effects on its entire power network. Data from Ember show that in 2025, to make up for wind output declines and a 19% drop year-over-year in hydropower generation, utilities will increase gas-fired production by almost 6%, the highest level since 2021. In 2026, after a near 40% increase in regional natural-gas prices this year alone, utilities will probably turn to more affordable generation sources to make up for system shortages. Data from LSEG show that coal-fired power plants are most likely to be the source of replacement energy. In fact, so far in 2026, generation levels have increased slightly compared with?the same time period in 2025. Nevertheless, sustained periods of increased coal-fired power generation will result in an increase in emissions in the power sector. Ember data indicates that Germany's coal-fired plants emit approximately 1 million metric tonnes of?carbon dioxide per terawatt hours of electricity. This compares to about 460,000 tons for gas plants. Even a three-month period of increased coal-fired production could cause a significant increase in the level of power pollution, undermining ongoing efforts to clean up the energy sector. As Germany's electricity consumption peaks early in the year, due to the higher heating requirements, it is likely that the fossil fuel power stations will continue to produce at a high level for the next few months. Wind speeds would have to increase in order for utilities to receive more wind power and allow the power grids reduce their output from fossil fuel plants. For the moment, however, there are few brisk wind gusts, which means that one of the largest networks of wind power in the world is a burden, rather than an asset, to Germany's energy system. These are the opinions of the columnist, an author for. You like this article? Check it out Open Interest Follow ROI on Twitter for the latest global financial news. Follow ROI on You can find us on LinkedIn. Listen to Morning Bid on the Morning Bid Daily Podcast Spotify Or the app. Subscribe to the podcast and hear journalists discussing the latest news in finance and markets 7 days a weeks.
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CMA CGM places some ships in safe areas due to extreme weather
CMA CGM, a French shipping and transportation company, said on Thursday that it would take'measures' to place some of its vessels in safe areas due to the harsh weather conditions in certain parts of Atlantic. It said that "severe weather conditions" were impacting navigation conditions in the Atlantic along the French, Spanish, and Moroccan coasts. The event was of exceptional intensity and length, especially in the Bay o f?Biscay. CMA-CGM Group decided as a precaution to put vessels transiting this area in safe places to ensure crew and cargo safety. The measure is applicable to all areas from southern Morocco up to the entrance of the English Channel. Holding positions are notably located in Gibraltar and the Seine Bay. Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd and other container shipping companies had warned earlier this week that storms and snow would disrupt cargo flows in Europe. (Reporting and editing by Sudip K. Kar-Gupta; Reporting by Gus Trompiz)
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Norfolk Southern reports a rise in its quarterly profit due to cost control
Norfolk Southern reported an increase in its fourth-quarter profits on Thursday, citing a?cost control strategy amid a fluctuating freight demand and persistent macroeconomic pressure. The U.S. Surface Transportation Board sent Union Pacific's $85 billion merger proposal back to the company earlier this month for revision. Surface Transportation Board has deemed that the December merger application is incomplete. Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena, however, said the request was routine and that the deal would still be completed in the first half 2027. Mark George, Norfolk CEO, said that the rejection of the merger request was more a "procedural" issue than a merits-based decision. Mark George said the companies will file a detailed application and "get it right". In October, Norfolk stated that it anticipated future top-line fluctuations due to "competitor reaction" to the merger proposal, which had already caused a 2% decline in third-quarter volumes. Intermodal shipping is the combination of two or more modes of transport for goods. Norfolk's CEO stated on the call that he would "keep a close eye on costs" in 2026, and be ready to deal with a variety of volume outcomes as the demand remains uncertain. The company's operating revenue from railways for the fourth-quarter fell by 2%, to $3 billion. The railway volumes fell 4% compared to a year earlier. Norfolk, an Atlanta-based company, reported a profit adjusted of $3.22 per share, up from $3.04 a share a year ago. LSEG data shows that analysts expected a profit adjusted of $2.76 per scrip. In morning trading, the company's stock was up 1%. The company's adjusted operating ratio, which is a key measure for efficiency, was 65.3% in the third quarter. This represents a 40 basis-point decline from the same period a year ago. Apratim Sarkr; Maju Samuel, Editor
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Some Balkan truckers have ended the EU blockade following a change in travel rules, while others continue.
After the EU announced a new strategy for visas that would be'more flexible' for professionals who travel throughout Europe, truck drivers in two of the four Balkan countries lifting blockades at cargo terminals along the borders with the UE. Montenegro, North Macedonia and Bosnia and Serbia have continued to block freight transport along the corridor connecting the EU with Turkey and the Middle East. They protested against the EU's stricter entry-exit system, under which they could be detained and deported if they exceeded Schengen visit limit. They asked their governments to pressure the EU to change the rules which, they say, add hundreds of millions to the costs. The EU adopted its first ever visa strategy on Thursday, which includes visa flexibility for highly mobile professionals like truckers, athletes and artists. Luigi Soreca posted a message on X.com. "This is especially relevant for professional 'drivers' from Bosnia and Herzegovina and -the Western Balkans Region, but it also applies to others, such as touring musicians or athletes." North Macedonian trucks announced that they would stop blocking the freight crossings at the border crossings to Greece and Bulgaria by Thursday evening. Montenegrin drivers had lifted their blockade in the Adriatic port Bar, which had caused fuel shortage fears. A representative of the Serbian- and Bosnian-based truckers stated that they would continue their?blockade. Zijad Sric, a Bosnian transporter who organised the protest and is a member of the EU, said that these statements did not meet their demands or solve their problems. A mile-long line of trucks blocking the way to the cargo terminal at the Batrovci crossing between Serbia, an EU state, and Croatia, another EU state, blocked the approach. Marko Cadez, the head of Serbia's Chamber of Commerce, said that?93% of all exports were blocked from four countries, causing daily damages of approximately 92 million euro ($109.95 millions). EU-based companies operating in or exporting to this region are also affected. Cadez said in Belgrade that "for every company... there are about 10,000 to 50,000 Euros per day in fines... because they don't service customers."
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Mattel creates buzz around the He-Man film with new action figures
Mattel has launched a line of action figure for its upcoming "Masters of the Universe"?live-action film, aiming to replicate the success of "Barbie", its smash hit movie from 2023. To reinvigorate and boost demand, the toymaker has more than a dozen films in development. Mattel's "Masters of the Universe", the second biggest theatrical release, follows "Barbie", which earned?more than $1.4billion worldwide and won an Academy Award. The launch of the toy builds on the momentum created by last week's teaser trailer for the new film, which attracted more than 30,000,000 views on YouTube. Roberto Stanichi is Mattel's Chief Global Brand Officer. He said that there was a lot of nostalgia about a toy range which first appeared in the 1980s. He said that they had been waiting to bring the line back in a manner that would honor the legacy. Mattel's decision to relaunch its brand was based on finding the?right? team to produce the film, including Oscar-nominated Travis?Knight as director, said he. The figures, which include He-Man and Skeletor, will be available globally in April for a price of about $25. This is around two months before Nicholas Galitzine's He-Man movie hits the theatres. Jared Leto is the Skeletor villain, and there are also Idris, Alison Brie, Camila Mendes, and Alison Brie. Reporting by Louisa Off and Miranda Murray, both in Berlin. Mark Potter edited the article.
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Investors punish Big Tech AI expenditure that results in slower growth
Investors responded this week to Big Tech's earnings with a harsh warning: They will forgive companies that spend record amounts if they bring solid growth but punish them if they don't. This shows how the stakes have changed in three years since ChatGPT was launched. Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook, saw its revenue surge by 24% during the quarter ending December. This was due to online advertising targeting that was boosted?by artificial Intelligence. AI was also responsible for a first quarter revenue forecast that surpassed estimates. Meta's increasing sales were able to?fund? data-center spending expected to rise by as much as 87% to $135 billion this year. John Belton said, "Meta’s headline figures are an interesting reflection of market sentiment toward AI spending," said John Belton. The market is usually concerned about the first quarter, but the company has a large revenue forecast. Microsoft's Azure cloud computing business grew only marginally above expectations and also fell far behind record quarterly spending. OpenAI, a prized holding that accounts for 45% in the backlog of AI projects, is a concern. It could put $280 billion at risk if the startup fails to gain momentum. Zavier Wong is a market analyst for eToro. He said that Microsoft's close ties with OpenAI are what underpins its leadership in enterprise AI. But they also?introduce a concentration risk. ChatGPT's creator issued a "code-red", or internal warning, in December when Google's Gemini 3 was launched and received positive reviews. He is now playing catch-up with Anthropic's Claude Code in AI coding. Microsoft shares dropped 6.5% after-hours on Wednesday while Meta's soared 10%. Microsoft, which has benefited from its early-mover advantage in the OpenAI space to become the most valuable company on the planet by 2024, is now facing increasing investor pressure to justify the high capital expenditure. The company predicted that Azure's growth would?stay steady? in the period between January and?March 2025 after a slowdown in the final three months of the year, which was partly attributed to AI chip capacity limitations. Amy Hood, Microsoft's finance chief, said that if she had allocated all the graphics processing units (GPUs) that were just brought online in the second and first quarters to Azure, then the KPI would have increased by over 40%. She also added that using chips for internal development had limited growth. META BET ON AI'S COMPOSING EFFECT Meta's aggressive push in the AI race, which included a talent battle and a pledge to invest hundreds billions of dollars into massive new datacenters for "superintelligence", paid off during the first quarter. Meta predicts that growth will accelerate to as much as 33 percent in the current quarter. It is also racking up large bills with cloud providers like Alphabet's Google. This bodes well for Alphabet's search giant's next-week results. Mark Zuckerberg, Chief Executive Officer of Facebook, said that AI would "improve the quality of both the organic experience as well as advertising." Zuckerberg promised that superintelligence - a theoretical milestone achieved when machines surpass humans - will allow it to offer highly personalized artificial intelligence for a large user base of social media users. Meta, who predicted that total expenditures would increase by 43% this year to $169 Billion, said: "I believe that it will have a compounding effect." TESLA SET TO DOUBLE OUTLAY ?THIS YEAR Elon Musk’s Tesla also focuses on increasing spending, as the company doubles its expenditure this year, to $20 billion, and pivots towards AI, humanoid robotics, and autonomous vehicles. Tesla's shares retreated after a 3.5% rise in quarterly revenue and profit, which were higher than expected. Analysts noted that the results revealed a mismatch between the corporate AI goals of investors and their demand for payouts. Jesse Cohen is a senior analyst with Investing.com. He said that the market seems to be wondering if these massive capital spending hikes will produce sufficient returns. This reflects the growing gap between Wall Street's tolerance for long-term investment cycles and tech companies' AI aspirations.
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China expects record 9.5 billion passenger trips during Lunar New Year
A state planning official announced on Thursday that China expects a record number of passenger trips during the 40-day Spring Festival holiday travel period. This is higher than the 9.02 trillion domestic trips made last year. China has for the first extended its official Lunar new year?holiday to nine days, in an effort to increase domestic consumption. The holiday will take place from February 15 through February 23. China has a new push for'services-led consumption' to boost the domestic market. Travel rushes during China's largest holiday are often viewed as a barometer for the economy and a test of its transportation system. State officials have said that the number of rail passenger trips is expected to exceed 540 million and that aviation trips will likely surpass 95 million. Both are expected to be higher than previous peaks. They said that transportation capacity would be increased on popular routes, and in "favoured" areas to meet the travel demand. Colleen howe reported from Beijing, Farah master wrote the article and Jacqueline Wong edited it.
Norfolk Southern reports a rise in its quarterly profit due to cost control
Norfolk Southern announced a higher profit for the fourth quarter on Thursday due to cost control. This was despite uneven freight demand, and a persistent macroeconomic stress.
The results come after the U.S. Surface?Transportation?Board earlier this month returned Union Pacific's $85 billion merger proposal with the company to be revised.
Surface Transportation Board has deemed Union Pacific's December merger application incomplete. However, Jim Vena, the CEO of Union Pacific, said that the request was routine and the deal is still on schedule to close in the first half of 2027.
Norfolk stated in October that it anticipated future top-line fluctuations due to "competitor reaction"?to the merger proposal, which had already caused a 2% drop in third-quarter intermodal volume. Intermodal shipping is the combination of two or more modes of transport for goods.
Mark George, the CEO of Norfolk, said that the company saved over $215 million in the fourth quarter. This was primarily due to productivity gains.
He added that "as we approach 2026, demand remains uncertain."
Revenues from railway?operations? for the fourth quarter dropped 2%, to $3 billion?, compared with a year ago. Volumes on the railways fell 4% compared to a year earlier.
Norfolk, an Atlanta-based company, reported a profit adjusted of $3.22 per share, compared to $3.04 a year ago.
The company's operating rate, which is a key measure for efficiency, was 65.3% on a?adjusted basis. This represents a 40-basis point decline from the same period a year ago. Apratim Sarkar, Maju Samuel and Apratim Sakar contributed to this report.
(source: Reuters)