CUHK alumni lose legal bid to overturn election ban over ‘scandalous’ conduct
Two Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) graduates have lost a judicial challenge against their disqualifications from an election for the institution’s advisory body, after their pro-independence views or convictions arising from the 2019 anti-government protests were cited as grounds for barring them. Walter Tse Wai-lok and Anthony Suen Ho-yin jointly applied for judicial review in November 2023, saying the university deprived them of a chance to be heard before disqualifying them from running in the institution’s convocation standing committee election in February that year. In a written judgment delivered on Friday, Mr Justice Russell Coleman ruled against the pair, highlighting their failure to lodge the bid within three months of their disqualifications and the standing committee’s lack of public functions that would justify judicial intervention. Coleman noted that even if the challenge succeeded, the ruling would not change the standing committee’s conclusion that the pair’s candidacy would bring the convocation into disrepute. “It seems to me – not least against the then prevailing political and social landscape – that no amount of supposed remorse or regret could have deflected the [standing committee’s] conclusion, which was and is based on the inherent nature and gravity of the conduct in question,” the judge said. He noted that while Tse and Suen complained of a lack of opportunity to make representations to the standing committee before their disqualifications, they should have realised their prior convictions or pro-independence stance would raise concerns about their candidacy. Anthony Suen (left) had jointly applied for a judicial review in November 2023, along with Walter Tse (not pictured). Photo: David Wong Source link
20 February 2026
Law firm asks court to block access to files seized in ‘crash-for-cash’ probe
A law firm has asked a Hong Kong court to bar police from inspecting privileged documents seized during a raid earlier this month as part of an ongoing investigation into the rising number of “crash-for-cash” scams. In a written application for judicial review on Monday, Raymond Lam & Associates asked the High Court to issue an order for police to return 66 files that reportedly contained confidential letters and medical documents belonging to at least 61 clients. The court filing, seen by the South China Morning Post on Friday, said the law firm was unclear how the documents were linked to the force’s scam investigation. “It is simply the applicant’s duty, being the legal representative, to assert claims of [legal professional privilege] on those documents at this stage, unless and until there is strong (or clear) prima facie evidence by the respondent that the documents or advice were either sought or received for a fraudulent purpose so as to uncloak the communication of privilege,” the filing said. On February 9, officers of the commercial crime bureau raided the law firm at CMB Wing Lung Bank Centre in Mong Kok based on a search warrant signed by an Eastern Court magistrate. Officers seized 68 files related to 64 lawsuits that they believed could show certain people committed offences of fraud, attempted fraud and using a false document, the court document said. Source link
20 February 2026
Police probe suspected poisoning of 4 dogs, with 2 more canines missing
Hong Kong police are investigating the suspected poisoning of four dogs on farms in the northern New Territories, with an animal welfare group saying two other canines are missing and describing the cases as “heartbreaking”. The Sai Kung Stray Friends Foundation said on Friday that the incidents were among at least 19 reported cases linked to poisonings in the local area since last year. The group added that lethal poison baits had been placed on farms in areas such as Kwu Tung and Lok Ma Chau and were believed to be targeting dogs. Narelle Pamuk, the charity’s chairwoman and operator, said she was “absolutely devastated” by the discovery of four of the six dogs lying bloated and unconscious next to ponds in fish farms. “No animal deserves to die from poisoning … It’s certainly not a happy new year for myself or my volunteers who dearly love these dogs on the border,” said Pamuk, who has regularly visited the area with volunteers to check on the dogs since 2021. “It’s heartbreaking, it’s dreadful, so bad. I just can’t get over.” Source link
20 February 2026
Hong Kong’s jobless rate edges up by 0.1 percentage point to 3.9% over past 3 months
Hong Kong’s jobless rate edged up by 0.1 percentage point over the past three months to 3.9 per cent after holding steady in the period between August and October last year, with unemployment rising in the insurance, construction and finance sectors. But labour authorities remained optimistic, saying the growing economy would support the job market going forward. Latest provisional figures released by the Census and Statistics Department on Friday showed the unemployment rate for the November-January period rose by 0.1 percentage point compared with the October-December period. It was back to the level of the period between July and September last year, when a 3.9 per cent jobless rate was reported. The city’s jobless rate had held at 3.8 per cent in the August-October period last year. The underemployment rate stood unchanged at 1.7 per cent. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han was sanguine about the jobless rate, saying it was “broadly on a par” with the level in the preceding three-month period. Source link
20 February 2026
Tai Po fire owners to receive buy-back offer of up to about HK$10,000 per sq ft
Hong Kong authorities are set to unveil a resettlement plan as early as Saturday for owners who lost their homes in the deadly Wang Fuk Court fire, offering buy-back options at higher-than-expected prices, the South China Morning Post has learned. Government sources said on Friday that the acquisition prices for properties without land premiums could be HK$8,000 (US$1,204) per sq ft, while properties with land premiums could exceed HK$10,000 per sq ft. “The government is well aware of the importance of finalising a long-term rehousing plan for the residents as soon as possible. Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun will explain it as early as Saturday,” an insider said. Wong chairs a government task force on emergency accommodation arrangements for those affected by the Tai Po blaze. The proposal came three months after the deadly fire killed 168 people at Wang Fuk Court last November. In January, authorities launched a survey to gather the opinions of displaced residents concerning various long-term resettlement options. The insider said only “a small percentage” of owners opted for redevelopment on the original site, hence the likelihood of the government adopting this option remained low. Source link
20 February 2026
Hong Kong’s property market to build on gains in the Year of the Horse, agents say
Hong Kong’s residential property market made gradual and steady gains in the Year of the Snake, with the momentum set to continue in the Year of the Horse, according to the city’s largest real estate agencies. “The Year of the Snake marked the end of three years of decline and a strong rebound fuelled by policy easing and wealth effect [from the Hong Kong stock market’s gain],” said Derek Chan Hoi-chiu, head of research at Ricacorp Properties. “The Year of the Horse will build on the momentum,” he said. “With lower rates and potential government budget support, the market will move from recovery to expansion.” He said investors could expect a more balanced volume growth, firmer prices across the mass, mid‑market and luxury segments and a healthier secondary sector. Midland Realty’s proprietary property gauge showed that home prices in the city rose 7.3 per cent in the Year of the Snake. Photo: Eugene Lee As of February 12, property transactions in the city – spanning new and lived-in homes, offices, shops, industrial units and car parking spaces – totalled 87,506 valued at about HK$678 billion (US$86.8 billion), according to data from the Land Registry. Ricacorp, meanwhile, estimated 88,200 transactions valued at HK$684 billion in the just-concluded Year of the Snake, an increase of 31 per cent and 27 per cent, respectively, compared with the preceding Year of the Dragon. Source link
20 February 2026
‘Blood moon’ lunar eclipse expected on March 3 in Hong Kong
This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong astronomy enthusiasts can expect a “blood moon” lunar eclipse early next month, with residents able to view the phenomenon with the naked eye from some places. The global event will take place in the city on the evening of March 3, according to the Hong Kong Observatory. “The total eclipse process can be directly observed with [the naked] eye from [certain] places with an unobstructed view to the east, if weather permits,” the Observatory said on Friday. The lunar eclipse is expected to begin before moonrise, at 6.22pm that day, when the moon starts to enter the Earth’s shadow, known as the umbra. The moon is expected to be completely covered by the umbra at 7.04pm, marking the start of the total eclipse phase. The maximum eclipse is expected to occur at 7.34pm. The moon will begin its exit from the umbra at 8.03pm. Source link
20 February 2026
Attack on Hong Kong man in Sapporo caused by ‘dining etiquette’ dispute
An attack on a Hong Kong man in the Japanese city of Sapporo that triggered travel warnings from Chinese authorities was reportedly caused by a dispute over “dining etiquette”. According to Japanese media this week, a 50-year-old company executive was arrested by local police officers on suspicion of striking the tourist with a bottle on Wednesday. The attack prompted the Chinese consulate in Sapporo to issue a warning advising against travel to Japan. The Hong Kong government contacted the consulate the next day to provide “practicable assistance” to the resident involved. Japanese media reported that the suspect admitted to police during questioning that he had hit the tourist with a bottle, but denied injuring the man. The Hong Kong man reportedly suffered minor head injuries. Japanese police told media outlets that the pair were not acquainted but had argued earlier over “dining etiquette”, with an ongoing investigation into the motive of the assault and the circumstances of the incident. Source link
20 February 2026
Hong Kong Observatory detects tremors felt by residents
The Hong Kong Observatory detected locally felt tremors from a 4.0-magnitude earthquake in Guangdong province on Friday afternoon, confirming more than 100 reports from residents. The weather forecaster’s initial analysis indicated that the 4.0-magnitude earthquake occurred at 2.28pm in Guangdong’s Yangjiang, with the epicentre located about 260km (161.6 miles) west-southwest of Hong Kong. The Observatory announced at 2.34pm that tremors had been detected by its seismic network. “The epicentre is located near 21.75N, 111.77E, about 22km southwest of Yangjiang,” it said. “The Observatory received over 100 locally felt reports of this earth tremor, the duration of which was a few seconds. Initial estimates gave a local intensity of [three] on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale, which is felt indoors. Vibrations like the passing of light trucks.” Since the Observatory recorded locally felt tremors in 1905, a total of 176 of varying intensities have been registered. Source link
20 February 2026
MOViE MOViE Celebrates Josie Ho as DREAM HOME Returns to Hong Kong Cinemas
Photo Credit: Josie Ho The premiere of MOViE MOViE Dream Home (International Version) took place on January 20 at MOViE MOViE Cityplaza in Tai Koo, marking a key milestone as the film celebrates its 15th anniversary and returns to Hong Kong cinemas in an expanded limited theatrical release. Josie Ho, who stars in and produced the project, attended the event alongside producer Conroy Chan and emerging talent Iman Taheri. The screening drew strong industry support, including collaborators from across Josie’s broader filmography. Members of the FULL STRIKE team were in attendance, among them directors Derek Kwok and Henri Wong, actors Andrew Lam Man-chung and Susan Shaw Yam-Yam, and composer Yusuke Hatano. The event also welcomed filmmakers such as Fruit Chan, Eric Tsang, Kyle Shum, and Jonas Cheung, alongside distinguished guests including Dr. Fiona Law from the University of Hong Kong and Tessa Lau, CEO of Broadway Circuit and Edko Films. The premiere coincided with MOViE MOViE’s “Filmmaker In Focus” program, showcasing six key works from Josie Ho’s career across the channel and its cinema platform. Since founding 852 Films in 2006, Josie has remained a prominent presence in the industry as an actor, producer, and investor, spanning local Hong Kong productions, pan-Asian projects, and international titles. Supported by 852 Films and academic partners at HKU, the program frames Josie as a filmmaker whose work carries cultural weight beyond its surface shock. At the event, Phoebe Chiu, Director of MOViE MOViE, described Josie as a natural fit for the series, praising the close alignment between her film choices and the channel’s identity. Josie Ho responded with gratitude, sharing how meaningful it was to see her work recognized in this setting. Reflecting on the original release of DREAM HOME, the first film released under 852 Films, she noted that its provocative content
20 February 2026
Hongkongers make 1.4 million outbound trips over Lunar New Year break, up 20% from 2019
Hongkongers made more than 1.4 million outbound trips over the Lunar New Year holiday, up 20 per cent from 2019, while the number of arrivals over the same period remained lower than pre-pandemic levels. Immigration Department data released on Friday showed that from Lunar New Year’s Eve to the third day of the holiday, residents made 1.44 million trips out of the city, about 20.4 per cent more than the 1.2 million recorded in the same period in 2019. By contrast, mainland Chinese visitors made 629,340 trips to Hong Kong over the same four days, a 12.8 per cent drop from the 721,955 recorded before the pandemic in 2019. The number of arrivals by non-mainland visitors also fell by about 4.4 per cent over the same period. Despite robust cross-border activity this year – including a significant share of locals travelling out and returning from holiday – the local tourism industry reported a cautious recovery, even as some neighbourhood and mid-priced restaurants continued to struggle. The government earlier estimated that around 9.52 million passengers would pass through Hong Kong’s land control points from February 14 to 23, a 29.7 per cent increase than last year’s projection of 7.34 million over the period. The latest statistics came as Hong Kong’s retail sector returned to modest growth after a prolonged downturn. Source link
20 February 2026
Hong Kong Adds 24 New IPOs This Year; 488 in Pipeline, HKEX Says
Delayed Hong Kong S.E. 01:29:52 2026-02-20 am EST 5-day change 1st Jan Change 409.20 HKD +0.10% +0.99% +0.39% Published on 02/20/2026 at 01:15 am EST MT Newswires © MT Newswires – 2026 DurationAuto.2 months3 months6 months9 months1 year2 years5 years10 yearsMax. PeriodDayWeek Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited is principally engaged in the operation of stock exchanges. The Company operates through five business segments. The Cash segment includes various equity products traded on the Cash Market platforms, the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. The Equity and Financial Derivatives segment includes derivatives products traded on Hong Kong Futures Exchange Limited (HKFE) and the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (SEHK) and other related activities. The Commodities segment includes the operations of the London Metal Exchange (LME). The Clearing segment includes the operations of various clearing houses, such as Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited, the SEHK Options Clearing House Limited, HKFE Clearing Corporation Limited, over the counter (OTC) Clearing Hong Kong Limited and LME Clear Limited. The Platform and Infrastructure segment provides users with access to the platform and infrastructure of the Company. Trader Trader This super rating is the result of a weighted average of the rankings based on the following ratings: Global Valuation (Composite), EPS Revisions (4 months), and Visibility (Composite). We recommend that you carefully review the associated descriptions. Investor Investor This super composite rating is the result of a weighted average of the rankings based on the following ratings: Fundamentals (Composite), Global Valuation (Composite), EPS Revisions (1 year), and Visibility (Composite). We recommend that you carefully review the associated descriptions. Global Global This composite rating is the result of an average of the rankings based on the following ratings: Fundamentals (Composite), Valuation (Composite), Financial Estimates Revisions (Composite), Consensus (Composite), and Visibility (Composite). The company
20 February 2026
AI, IP and Asia’s Film Market
Hong Kong’s annual Filmart industry platform marks its 30th edition March 17–20. Before diving into how this year’s event plans to help chart the future of global entertainment, it’s worth reflecting on where things stood at its 1997 debut — and how much has changed since. Filmart launched in June 1997, just weeks before Hong Kong’s return to Chinese sovereignty on July 1. There was palpable uncertainty — both locally and among international guests — about what the future held for the city and its film industry, which had been a key driver of Hong Kong’s creative and economic growth for decades. By the late ’90s, local box office and production numbers were declining, and the “Hollywood of the East” label had started to fade. But organizers at the Hong Kong Trade and Development Council (HKTDC) saw an opportunity: position Hong Kong as a “connector” between Chinese-language cinema and the world. The timing proved prescient. Mainland Chinese cinema soon began to expand rapidly, and within 15 years, China had become the world’s second-largest film market. The challenge was keeping pace — but Filmart proved an early adopter of industry-driving trends like pan-Asia (and global) co-productions and the rise of streaming platforms. Today, while content remains central, organizers emphasize that Filmart has evolved into much more. “Filmart 2026 is celebrating a key moment: 30 years as Asia’s leading content marketplace, and the fact that it will always continue to evolve and grow alongside the industry,” says Candas Yeung, associate director of the service promotion department at the HKTDC. “It is therefore the right time for it to transform from a content marketplace to a comprehensive platform to serve the whole entertainment ecosystem. To further power up the industry, we will equip players with cutting-edge technology, strategic partnerships, and innovative resources to
20 February 2026
Hong Kong public hospitals report decline in emergency visits over Lunar New Year
Hong Kong’s public hospitals recorded a year-on-year decline of up to a 15 per cent in the number of patients seeking emergency treatment during the first three days of the Lunar New Year holiday, following fee adjustments introduced at the start of the year. The decline was revealed on Friday by Dr Axel Siu Yuet-chung, chairman of the Hospital Authority’s coordinating committee. He noted that accident and emergency departments (A&E) in public hospitals often become overcrowded during long holidays, as most private clinics close. Checks by the South China Morning Post at 11am on Friday found that non-urgent patients at Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan faced waiting times of up to nine hours to see a doctor. Across most public hospitals, waiting times for semi-urgent and non-urgent patients averaged around four hours, while urgent cases were typically seen within half an hour. Siu said the number of patients visiting A&E departments during the first three days of the holiday had dropped by about 11 to 15 per cent compared with the same period last year. Source link
20 February 2026
Opinion | Building Asean ties puts Hong Kong on path to long-term growth
The Hong Kong government has started the year with initiatives that have far-reaching impacts on the city’s long-term growth. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced that he is spearheading Hong Kong’s inaugural five-year plan, which will promote broader integration with China’s five-year plan and ensure a bigger role for the city in the nation’s economic development. He also reaffirmed deeper engagement with countries in Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia to open up new markets for local enterprises. The city’s leadership has made significant inroads in building trust and partnerships across promising emerging markets, reinforcing Hong Kong’s role as a vital bridge between China and the world. Taken together, the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) make up the world’s fifth-largest economy and have strong cultural and economic ties with Hong Kong, so the importance of the grouping is obvious. Since taking office, Lee has undertaken several high-profile trips to the region, visiting seven of the 11 Asean member states. Thirteen minister-level visits have taken place in the same period, attesting to the high level of intergovernmental ties. The Hong Kong government opened a new Economic and Trade Office in Kuala Lumpur in December, a testament to its quick response to the important role Malaysia plays as a powerhouse in global semiconductors, renewable energy, artificial intelligence and supply chains. Source link
20 February 2026
“Group in, Group Out” tours to Chung Ying Street may launch as early as Q2
發佈日期: 2026-02-19 20:11 TVB News 粵 已複製連結 It’s understood that the government is inclined to open Chung Ying Street in Sha Tau Kok to non-residents’ visits as early as the second quarter. And that’s under a “group in, group out” arrangement. In recent years, the government has stepped up efforts to promote local tourism within Hong Kong including efforts to open the Sha Tau Kok Pier during the pandemic to visitors. In 2024, access to the restricted zone was further expanded. Non-Sha Tau Kok residents were allowed to apply online for a Closed Area Permit to enter the frontier area. However, the iconic Chung Ying Street which straddles Hong Kong-Shenzhen borders remains off-limits. On the Shenzhen side, the street has been bustling with Lunar New Year festivities, drawing more than 10,000 visitors daily. The area features numerous Hong Kong-style shops and even renowned Taiwanese souvenir stores. It’s understood that Chung Ying Street will likely allow non-residents to enter in guided tour groups subject to an initial visitor cap. A street shaped in history, dating back to the late 19th century — Chung Ying Street is located in Sha Tau Kok which borders Shenzhen’s Yantian District. In 1898, the British and Qing governments signed the Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory, formally demarcating the boundary between Hong Kong and the mainland. Chung Ying Street officially became the dividing line through Sha Tau Kok Village with boundary stones marking the frontier. Following China’s reform and opening up in 1978, Shenzhen became one of the first Special Economic Zones with trade near Chung Ying Street having flourished. During the 80s, the area became a hotspot for gold jewellery sales with turnover exceeding 1.5 billion dollars. In the 90s, it set a record of receiving nearly 100,000 visitors a day. Under the
20 February 2026
Hong Kong budget 2026-27: beyond balancing the books, what’s at stake?
Simon Leung has been without a full-time job since his contract ended in March 2024, after the Hong Kong government cut its budget for NGOs by 7 per cent. The social work event coordinator, who is in his late forties, now makes ends meet through gig jobs. With word spreading that the city’s coming budget will yield an early operating surplus, he wants Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po to restore funding for non-governmental organisations so retrenched workers like him can be hired again. “They should increase the budget back to the previous level,” the civil engineering graduate from Queen’s University in Canada told the South China Morning Post. Like other Hongkongers, Leung hopes his sector will receive attention in next Wednesday’s budget. Yet, others question whether such relief measures ought to be weighed against plans for the longer-term future riddled with uncertainty. Even short-term measures, they argued, must be plugged into the big picture of the city’s ambitions – to stay ahead as an international financial centre while ensuring a liveable, affordable home for its residents. From deficit to sound fiscal health Source link
20 February 2026
Hong Kong banks reward staff with gifts, extra holiday and lai see as they return to work
Thousands of Hong Kong bank employees will receive a return-to-work lai see on Friday, with some banks handing out extra benefits and gifts to their staff amid improving economic and market sentiment. While it is a Chinese tradition for companies to give their staff lai see on the first working day of the Lunar New Year as a token of appreciation for their hard work, many banks nowadays give their staff lai see and other goodies before the holiday. Bank of China (Hong Kong) is giving each of its 15,000 staff a HK$500 (US$64) laisee to mark the Year of the Horse, the same as in previous years. However, the bank’s gift hamper this year is bigger, with the number of items increasing to eight from six. The basket consists of mushrooms, morel mushrooms, dried scallops, fish maw, XO sauce, dried conch, pistachios and American ginseng. HSBC and its subsidiary Hang Seng Bank are also distributing HK$500 to each of their combined staff of nearly 26,000 electronically, amounting to around HK$13 million, the largest payout among Hong Kong banks. HSBC and its subsidiary Hang Seng Bank are also distributing HK$500 to each of their combined staff of nearly 26,000 electronically. Photo: Eugene Lee “The Year of the Horse symbolises vitality, speed and success – qualities that perfectly reflect the energy we’re bringing into 2026,” said Maggie Ng, CEO of HSBC Hong Kong, in her new year message to staff. “I’m confident that it’s going to be another exciting year where we will harness our collective strengths to create many opportunities for our customers.” Source link
19 February 2026
Hong Kong Lela Cultural Copyright Ltd. Officially Launches in Hong Kong
2026 Leading Chinese Culture and Reaching New Heights in Media Excellence HONG KONG, Feb. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The global wave of digital transformation in the cultural industry, Hong Kong Lela Cultural Copyright Ltd. (Lela Cultural) officially held its product launch conference on 13rd February 2026. Guided by the core values of integrity, innovation, cooperation, and mutual success, the company is dedicated to building a high-quality reading platform focused on cultural copyright trading and management. Its mission is to advance the treasures of Chinese literature into the global market through professional commercial operations. Group photo featuring guests at the inauguration ceremony of Hong Kong Lela Cultural Copyright Ltd. Responding to Policy Initiatives: Unleashing the Value of Cultural TreasuresEstablished on September 28, 2025, Lela Cultural was formed in direct response to the Hong Kong SAR Government’s vision for cultural development. The “going global” of Hong Kong culture should not rely solely on financial subsidies, but must be driven by substantive policies to release local cultural assets to the world. Lela Cultural was born to address the challenges of foreign cultural influx and the increasing edge of Chinese, using institutional and policy support to help people find their successful path. Diversified monetization modelsIn terms of copyright development, Lela Cultural exhibits a highly competitive business model. The platform collaborates with some well-known institutions—including Jindun Publishing House, China Literature, and Huaxia Literature Publishing House—to enhance copyright value through diversified profit models. These include international paid reading, advertising revenue, audiobook streaming, and translation rights. Furthermore, high-quality literary IPs can be further developed into films, animations, physical publications, and derivative products, achieving long-term economic benefits of “one-time investment, sustainable returns.” Additionally, Lela Cultural has introduced a unique Economic Recovery Support Project to benefit the public. The company is opening the copyright market to Hong Kong citizens,
19 February 2026
Beyond Imported Icons: Tao Ho and a Local Modernism for Hong Kong
The Tang Shiu Kin Hall, St. Stephen’s College. Image © Kevin Mak, courtesy of Brutalism Hong Kong Research Group Share Share Facebook Twitter Mail Pinterest Whatsapp Or https://www.archdaily.com/1038835/beyond-imported-icons-reading-hong-kong-through-tao-ho When Hong Kong’s architectural story is told, it is often reduced to a handful of icons. Many people most readily name I.M. Pei—Pritzker Prize laureate and architect of the Bank of China Tower in Central (1990), as well as global works such as the Le Grand Louvre in Paris and the Miho Museum in Shiga. Looking elsewhere, one also encounters a long lineage of British and international architects whose imprints have shaped the city’s institutional skyline: from Ron Phillips’ civic works—most notably the former Murray Building (1969), now The Murray Hotel, and Hong Kong City Hall (1962)—to Norman Foster’s infrastructural and corporate monuments, including the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) Tower (1986) and Hong Kong International Airport (1998), and, more recently, Zaha Hadid Architects’ The Henderson (2024). Yet within the same period as Pei and Foster, local architects were also producing buildings of enduring significance—works that carried the legacies of Bauhaus, but translated them into a language distinctly calibrated to Hong Kong’s climate, density, and civic life. These projects may not always read as commercially prominent icons, yet they often register a sharper sense of social responsibility and public agenda. Among the most important figures in this lineage is the late architect Tao Ho, whose work and public role formed a quieter—but no less foundational—strand in Hong Kong’s modern architectural heritage. + 14 Source link
19 February 2026
The next battle with China may be over a different ‘Line of Code’| India News
What if the next war over Arunachal Pradesh is not fought on a mountain, but on a motherboard? The signs are on the wall. At the recently concluded India AI Summit, Lt. Gen. Dinesh Singh Rana, commander-in-chief, Strategic Forces Command, spoke of India using AI to anticipate and foil a Chinese incursion into the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping. (ANI File) This is an important development. At patrol routes, ridgelines, satellite images show villages appearing overnight where none existed before. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has documented over a hundred of these new Chinese settlements along the LAC. This encroachment is described as “salami slicing”. In other words, steps too minor to provoke war. Yet, cumulatively it shifts the status quo. That is what was visibly stopped. The non-military invisible wars run on silicon and spectrum. Ajai Chowdhry, co-founder of HCL and the man currently anchoring India’s National Quantum Mission, said, without mincing words: “China is not reliable.” This isn’t just a geopolitical stance; it is a business reality. To make his point, Chowdhry invoked the ghost of the British East India Company to frame the current risk. To understand what this looks like today, begin by looking at the ‘Chop’. In Chinese business, the ‘Chop’ is a physical stamp that carries absolute legal authority. A big story of how it was invoked was when the UK-based chip giant ARM tried to fire its Chinese CEO in 2022. He simply kept the stamp, seized the assets, and effectively hijacked the company. There is a lesson there for India. In any joint venture that does not invoke 100% technology transfer, the CHOP can be used. So, Chowdhry makes the case that if we allow Chinese hardware to power the
20 February 2026
The state of China’s decade-long semiconductor push: still a decade behind, despite hundreds of billions spent and significant progress — examining the original ‘Made in China 2025’ initiative
In 2013, China was the largest maker of electronics, and the country imported the vast majority of chips required for manufacturing smartphones and PCs, as it had no microelectronics production capabilities of its own. Driven by concerns surrounding dependence on foreign technology, China’s State Council launched what it called the ‘Made in China 2025‘ initiative. The plan aspired to turn China from a global factory into something more lucrative, and included a 70% self-sufficiency in semiconductors by 2025. Over a decade and hundreds of billions in spending later, China has made remarkable progress. Yet, it is still decades away from matching the capabilities of the global semiconductor industry. While China’s Made in China 2025 plan has always been a multi-faceted project aimed at achieving a diverse set of goals across a range of industries, the scope of this story is the semiconductor industry, and we’ll focus there. You may like Go deeper with TH Premium: Chipmaking (Image credit: tsmc) Initially, China tried to fast-track its way into the global memory industry by acquiring Micron for about $23 billion, which made a lot of sense as the majority of chips consumed by the Chinese industry at the time were memory chips. After Micron rejected the takeover attempt by Tsinghua Unigroup (to a large degree, because the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States intervened). Local authorities in Fujian, China, established the Fujian Jinhua Integrated Circuit Company (aka Fujian or JHICC), a DRAM maker, which signed an agreement with UMC to develop a DRAM process technology in May 2016, just months before it began construction of its $5.65-billion 300-mm fab in July 2016. It later turned out that instead of developing its own DRAM technology independently, UMC recruited engineers from Micron’s Taiwanese subsidiaries and told them to obtain technical specifications as
20 February 2026
Eileen Gu responds to criticism over Team China decision at Olympics
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! American-born Team China skier Eileen Gu responded to the global criticism she has received during the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. Her decision to compete for China despite being born in the U.S. has made her a target for Americans and others across the world, with Vice President JD Vance chiming in by saying he hopes athletes born here would “want to compete with the United States of America.” “I’m flattered. Thanks, JD! That’s sweet,” Gu said of Vance’s comments, per USA Today. Gu was asked if she currently feels “like a bit of a punching bag for a certain strand of American politics” after her competition on Thursday. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Silver medalist Eileen Gu of China attends the award ceremony of the freestyle skiing women’s freeski big air event at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 16, 2026. (Hongxiang/Xinhua via Getty Images) “I do,” she said, per USA Today. “So many athletes compete for a different country. … People only have a problem with me doing it because they kind of lump China into this monolithic entity, and they just hate China. So it’s not really about what they think it’s about. “And also, because I win. Like if I wasn’t doing well, I think that they probably wouldn’t care as much, and that’s OK for me. People are entitled to their opinions.” Gu has previously said she was “physically assaulted” for her decision to represent China. “The police were called. I’ve had death threats. I’ve had my dorm robbed,” Gu told The Athletic. “I’ve gone through some things as a 22-year-old that I really think no one should ever have to endure, ever.” EILEEN GU GARNERS BACKLASH FOR COMMENTING ON
20 February 2026
Eileen Gu says JD Vance is ‘sweet’ for saying she should be competing for US at 2026 Winter Olympics
Gu Ailing says it is “sweet” that JD Vance thinks she should be competing for the United States after the American vice-president called her out for representing China. Gu, who also goes by the anglicised Eileen Gu, was born in San Francisco and educated at Stanford University. However, she has competed for China internationally since 2019. Her father is American and her mother is Chinese. Get the latest: Winter Olympics day 13: Young Aussie star reaches halfpipe final, Liu caps comeback after retiring at 16 Stay across the highs and lows of the Games with the ABC Sport Daily podcast and ABC Sport. “I certainly think that somebody who grew up in the United States of America, who benefited from our education system, from the freedoms and liberties that make this country a great place, I would hope that they want to compete with the United States of America,” Vance said this week when asked about Gu during a Fox News interview. “So, I’m going to root for American athletes, and I think part of that is people who identify themselves as Americans. That’s who I’m rooting for this Olympics.” JD Vance was in Milan for the opening ceremony. (Getty Images: Andreas Rentz) Gu, who crashed in the first round of qualifying at the Livigno Snow Park on Thursday, local time, said the comments did not distract or offend her. “I thought his comments were pretty, like, ‘What? He just said he wanted to celebrate Americans,’” Gu said. “I like it for him. I mean, he’s the vice-president of the US. Why would he not celebrate the US? “I thought it was pretty straightforward. I don’t really feel offended by that.” When it was put to her that he felt she should be competing for America instead, Gu said it
20 February 2026
Seedance 2.0: China’s latest AI is so good it’s spooked Hollywood. Will its tech sector pump the brakes?
Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt tussle in hand-to-hand combat on a rubble-strewn rooftop; Donald Trump takes on kung-fu fighters in a bamboo grove; Kanye West dances through a Chinese imperial palace while singing in Mandarin. Over the past week, a slew of cinematic videos of celebrities and characters in absurd situations have gone viral online, with one commonality –– they were created using a new artificial intelligence tool from Chinese developer ByteDance, sparking anxiety over the fast-evolving capabilities of AI. The new model, named Seedance 2.0, is among the most advanced of its kind and has quickly drawn praise for its ease of use and the realistic nature of the videos it can generate in minutes. But soon after the release, media behemoths Paramount and Disney sent cease-and-desist letters to ByteDance –– the company most famous for developing the video-sharing app TikTok –– accusing it of infringing upon their intellectual property. Hollywood’s premier trade organization, the Motion Picture Association, and labor union SAG-AFTRA also condemned the company for unauthorized use of US-copyrighted works. ByteDance responded with a statement saying it would implement better safeguards to protect intellectual property. Seedance 2.0 has quickly become the most controversial model in a wave of them released by Chinese technology companies this year, as the competition to dominate the AI industry heats up. China’s government has made advanced tech a key tenet of its national development strategy. In a televised Lunar New Year celebration this week, the country’s latest humanoid robots stole the show by performing martial arts, spin kicks and back flips. Such improvements are often met with unease, particularly in the US, China’s chief technological and political rival, in a spiral of one-upmanship redolent of its 20th-century “Space Race” with the Soviet Union. “There’s a kind of nationalist fervor around who’s going
20 February 2026
South Africa celebrates first stonefruit shipment to China | News
Official commencement follows the signing of a bilateral trade agreement granting South African produce duty-free access into the Chinese market South Africa has marked a significant milestone in agricultural trade, sending the first shipment of stonefruit to China this week, following the signing of a bilateral trade agreement that grants South African produce duty-free access into the Chinese market. On 18 February, South African minister of agriculture, John Steenhuisen, and China’s ambassador Wu Peng visited the Freshness First Packhouse in Franschhoek where the first shipment of stonefruit was prepared for export to China. The consignment included approximately 20,000 cartons of premium plums, primarily consisting of the African Delight and Ruby Star varieties and marks the official commencement of the stone fruit trade protocol, a move set to transform the local deciduous fruit industry. Speaking at the event, Steenhuisen highlighted the necessity of the Chinese market for South Africa’s economic growth. “Today, the Chinese market is a strategic necessity, not merely an opportunity for South Africa’s agricultural resilience,” he said. “This is a milestone that ambassador Peng and I have worked toward together, and today I am happy that we have realised it.” Steenhuisen noted the shipment followed the signing of a bilateral trade agreement granting South African produce duty free access into the Chinese market, significantly enhancing the competitiveness of local growers on the global stage. Diversification and economic growth South Africa currently holds a modest 0.4 per cent market share of China’s approximate US$200bn agricultural imports. The country aims to drastically increase this figure, targeting a doubling of the current R400mn (US$24.7mn) export value over the next four years. “South Africa does have the capacity to provide the quality and quantity of fruit that consumers in China will enjoy,” Steenhuisen said. “The implementation of this stone fruit protocol will offset the immediate impact of tariffs imposed by other trading partners, particularly on plums. I am confident that our volumes into the Chinese market are going to increase tremendously.” The stonefruit shipment is the first phase of a broader expansion strategy. Steenhuisen confirmed that the government is in the final
20 February 2026
Japanese leader Takaichi warns of China ‘coercion’ and vows security overhaul
TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi warned of growing Chinese “coercion” in her first post-election speech to parliament on Friday, pledging to overhaul defense strategy, ease curbs on military exports and strengthen critical supply chains. Takaichi’s four-month tenure has been marked by a diplomatic dispute with China after she said Japan could use military force to respond to any attack on Taiwan that also threatened Japanese territory. Fresh from turning a fragile majority into a landslide victory in this month’s lower house election, Takaichi outlined an agenda to counter what she sees as a mounting economic and security threat from China and its regional partners. With her governing coalition now holding more than two-thirds of seats, she faces little political resistance. “Japan faces its most severe and complex security environment since World War II,” Takaichi said, pointing to China’s widening military activity and closer security ties with Russia, as well as North Korea’s growing nuclear missile capability. She said the government would revise Japan’s three core security documents this year to produce a new defense strategy and would accelerate a review of military export rules to expand overseas sales and strengthen defense companies. A policy panel of Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party proposed on Friday to scrap rules that limit military exports to non-lethal equipment such as body armor, the Kyodo news agency said. Such a change could significantly widen the range of defense equipment Japanese firms can sell overseas. “China has intensified its attempts to unilaterally change the status quo through force or coercion in the East China Sea and South China Sea,” she told lawmakers. Takaichi has hastened a military build-up launched in 2023 that will double Japan’s defense spending to 2% of GDP by the end of March, making it one of the world’s biggest military spenders
20 February 2026
The secret tests that expose China’s race for nuclear superiority
On the edge of a vast desert in north-west China lies a dried-up salt lake. Its remote, barren location offers little support for civilisation, but makes it the perfect site for secret nuclear testing. This area, known as Lop Nur, or Lop Lake, is where the United States government has alleged that China has been conducting hidden nuclear explosive tests. The revelation potentially signals a new phase in China’s ambitions to win the global nuclear arms race, just as the last remaining treaty between the US and Russia, aimed at preventing catastrophic nuclear war, expired in February. China wants to expand its arsenal of 600 nuclear warheads to 1,500 by 2035, according to official US estimates. This makes it the only party under a global non-proliferation treaty that is significantly growing its stockpile. Some of this expansion may be supported by a flurry of construction that has taken place at Lop Nur in recent years, including improved transportation infrastructure that could facilitate the transfer of material to the site’s likely eastern testing area, which is visible in satellite imagery. For China, “geopolitically, having a large nuclear weapons arsenal serves the ‘swagger’ idea,” said Renny Babiarz, a geospatial intelligence expert who specialises in China’s nuclear weapons programme. Nuclear weapons present “a strategic capability to have in the background to help negotiations or to keep other powers out,” he said. “It is a backstop for trying to keep other countries from intervening in the event there is any coercion in the Taiwan Strait. The war on Ukraine has only underscored the importance of that.” Concerns over China’s nuclear expansion have been around for decades, though allegations of testing related to an apparent nuclear build-up that surfaced in 2020 in a series of arms-control reports by the US state department. While details provided
20 February 2026
China’s one-child policy and the phenomenon of twins
A more horrifying “family planning” practice than China’s one-child policy would be difficult to imagine. In effect between 1979 and 2015, the goal of the initiative was to curb population growth and thereby boost the nation’s economic status. In practice, to name just a few of the abominations, women were sometimes tied down and subjected to forced abortions, the heads of live babies in utero were injected with formaldehyde before the feet emerged, and babies and young children were routinely abducted and trafficked. The effects on fertility rates, divorce, labor supply, and rural-to-urban migration were devastating. Less measurable consequences — the damage to the human soul from being forced to snitch on one’s neighbors and family members, for example, the trauma to women of bodily violation, the imposition upon an entire population of a godless plan to engineer families — will leave scars lasting for generations. “Daughters of the Bamboo Grove,” by former Los Angeles Times Beijing Bureau Chief Barbara Demick, carries the intriguing subtitle “From China to America, a True Story of Abduction, Adoption, and Separated Twins” (Random House, $32). Partly investigative journalism, partly the story of what became Demick’s personal involvement in the reuniting of twin sisters separated by China’s one-child policy, the book explores questions of identity, history, the ethics of the international adoption system, the phenomenon of twins, and the role of genetics and environment in human formation. One of the sisters, abducted from the family home at the age of 2, was adopted by a Texas family and thoroughly Americanized. The other, raised in rural China, by the time of the reunion had become a teacher. The one-child policy, unthinkable almost anywhere else, was possible in China because of the lack of strong religious prohibitions against contraception and abortion, coupled with a highly authoritarian infrastructure.
20 February 2026
![[News] China Reportedly Ramps Up Chip Tool Push, Sets 70% Target by 2027; SMEE, NAURA at Forefront](https://charm-retirement.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/China-chip-FREEPIK-20251030-624x416.jpg)
[News] China Reportedly Ramps Up Chip Tool Push, Sets 70% Target by 2027; SMEE, NAURA at Forefront
China’s chip equipment sector is accelerating its push for greater self-reliance. According to Newsswitch, the country has been a key driver of global semiconductor investment in recent years and is now moving to localize critical technologies long dependent on overseas suppliers, including lithography systems, EDA tools, and advanced materials. The report notes that U.S. sanctions have become a key catalyst behind this shift. Facing repeated risks of supply chain disruptions stemming from Washington’s restrictions, China is stepping up efforts to achieve what it describes as “self-controlled” development of its semiconductor industry. Against this backdrop, the push for self-reliance is being led by major industry players such as SMIC and HiSilicon, supported by strong government backing. As the report notes, China’s chipmakers expanding new production capacity are required to source more than 50% of their equipment domestically. By 2027, Beijing aims to raise the localization rate of equipment used in mature process technologies to 70%, underscoring its determination to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. Industry sources referenced in the report say the rise of domestic players in the cleaning equipment segment has become increasingly evident. At the same time, China’s ambitions extend further, with efforts focused on achieving breakthroughs in equipment capable of supporting the 14nm process. The effort is already showing tangible results. In lithography, SMEE has moved its 28nm ArF immersion systems into the verification stage. In the etching segment, NAURA Technology Group has begun mass production of 28nm tools, while AMEC is reportedly conducting verification of its 14nm equipment at SMIC. Notably, China is also making assertive moves in areas long regarded as among its most challenging technological gaps. According to Reuters, sources say the country has assembled a prototype EUV machine using components sourced from older ASML systems. Reuters adds that the Chinese government aims to produce
20 February 2026
China’s Ning Zhongyan skates to Olympic 1,500m gold, denying Stolz 3rd straight win in Milan
Listen to this article Estimated 3 minutes The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results. Follow Winter Olympic SportsPersonalize Your Feed Chinese speed skater Ning Zhongyan beat the odds, upending pre-race favourite Jordan Stolz of the United States to win the men’s Olympic 1,500 metres on Thursday. Ning, who claimed bronze in the men’s 1,000 on Feb. 11, delivered an Olympic-record performance in one minute 41.98 seconds, minutes before Stolz raced in the 15th and final pairing at Milano Speed Skating Stadium. “After the Beijing Winter Olympics, the level in speed skating just kept getting higher and higher.,” Ning, who was seventh in the 2022 final in 1:45.28, told reporters. “It felt like there was a mountain in front of me, and no matter what I did, I just could not get past it. “But I never stopped believing in myself. I kept telling myself to stay patient, to keep putting in the work, to trust that all the effort would add up one day. “Today was that day,” Ning went on. “Even now, it still feels a little unreal that I was able to do this.” Seconds before Stolz took the line, Ning said he was still digesting his record effort. “I still did not think the gold was mine [while he raced]. He has been in incredible form all season,” Ning pointed out. “Even after he crossed the line, I was still not completely sure. “It was only when the result was confirmed that it started to sink in. It is an amazing feeling.” The 21-year-old Stolz stood fifth through 700 metres moved to fourth a lap later before climbing two spots into silver position over the final 400
19 February 2026
See fireworks from space in dazzling video of Lunar New Year celebration
Feb. 19, 2026, 12:59 p.m. ET The fireworks were part of the Lunar New Year festivities celebrating the Year of the Horse. Astronaut Chris Williams shared the video on social media from 260 miles above Earth. “I was fortunate to be looking out of the Cupola while we were passing over Beijing, and saw the twinkling of fireworks celebrating the Lunar New Year!” Williams said on social media. What do fireworks look like from outer space? A NASA astronaut recently caught a glimpse of an explosive light show from the vantage of the International Space Station. Chris Williams, who has been stationed aboard the 25-year-old orbital outpost since the end of November, even managed to capture a dazzling video of the display. The fireworks were part of Lunar New Year festivities in China as billions of people around the world have begun celebrating the 15-day festival. Tied heavily to the moon’s phases, the Lunar New Year has commenced this week as adherents usher in the Year of the Horse with a variety of cultural traditions. Here’s a look at the fireworks Williams’ captured from the space station. What is the International Space Station? The International Space Station has been stationed in low-Earth orbit for more than 25 years, where it has been home to astronauts from all over the world. Throughout its lifespan, the station has served as a test bed for scientific research in microgravity and has in years past opened itself up to private commercial missions. The orbital laboratory is operated through a global partnership of space agencies, including NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and the Canadian Space Agency. More than 290 spacefarers from 26 countries have visited the International Space Station, including 170 from the United States alone, according to NASA. NASA astronaut captures Lunar New Year
19 February 2026
Poland bans Chinese cars from military bases • The Register
Poland’s Ministry of Defence has banned Chinese cars – and any others include tech to record position, images, or sound – from entering protected military facilities. A Tuesday announcement from the country’s Ministry of Defence says the decision came after risk analysis of the potential for the many gadgets built into modern cars to allow “uncontrolled acquisition and use of data.” The ban also prohibits officials connecting their work phones to infotainment systems in China-made cars. The ban isn’t permanent: the Ministry has called for development of a vetting process to allow carmakers to undergo a security assessment that, if passed, will mean their vehicles can enter protected facilities. Exemptions are also available for inspections carried out by state and local governments, and during rescues. Poland says its ban is in line with standards observed by NATO members and other countries. The Register is not aware of any other nation announcing a specific ban on made-in-China cars, however most nations do not allow filming and recording on military premises. The USA has banned the use of software from China and Russia in connected cars, effectively banning cars made in both countries from its shores. And in Australia, minister for cybersecurity Tony Burke acquired a made-in-China electric vehicle and reported it to relevant authorities who advised him on necessary precautions. This ban could be hard to enforce because European automakers such as Volvo and Polestar make some of their models in China. Bans on Chinese technology are nothing new, as many nations decided Huawei and ZTE kit should not be allowed into their telecoms network because they could facilitate snooping, either with backdoored tech or if Beijing used its powers to compel co-operation on intelligence operations from any Middle Kingdom company. Sources tell The Register the latter scenario was the greater
19 February 2026
Chinese tech companies progress remarkable
The progress of Chinese tech companies across the entire stack is “remarkable,” OpenAI’s Sam Altman told CNBC. Altman’s comments come as China races against the U.S. to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI) — where AI matches human capabilities — and roll out the technology across society. The pace of technological advance in “many fields,” including AI, is “amazingly fast,” Altman said. In some areas Chinese tech companies are near the frontier, while in others they lag behind, he added. The country is moving to scale homegrown chipmakers that it hopes could eventually rival the likes of Nvidia, and AI companies are seeing big rallies on stock exchanges as investors double down on their potential. Altman’s not the only tech leader paying attention to China. American tech companies should “worry a little bit” about the subsidies their Chinese competitors receive from their government in the AI race, Microsoft President Brad Smith told CNBC on Wednesday. Finding revenue OpenAI has been moving to develop revenue streams as its looks to provide a path to profitability for investors that have ploughed around $70 billion into the company, according to deal-counting platform Dealroom. The company is looking to wrap up a $100 billion fundraising round, sources told CNBC. Adverts within ChatGPT is one avenue the company is exploring. “I think we still have some work to do to figure out the exact ad format that’s going to work best,” Altman said, adding that plans are in their early stages. “The ads that I have personally liked the most in recent years from tech [companies] have been sort of Instagram style ads where you discover something new that you might really like and otherwise wouldn’t have known about,” he said. “I think we’ve got a real opportunity to push in that direction with ads in
19 February 2026
How China plays the long game in the global auto…
He is a leading expert on international competitiveness, regional economic development, and international business strategy and his article on the subject was published last year by the Hinrich Foundation. https://www.hinrichfoundation.com/research/article/fdi/china-auto-policies-playing-the-long-game “It was the subject of China’s first specific national development plan after its economic opening in the 1980s and continues to receive close attention and protection from Beijing,” he writes. From the outset, the goal was clear: to nurture strong Chinese auto producers capable of competing both domestically and internationally. The traces the evolution of China’s auto sector from its early days of government ownership and technology transfer to its current dominance in electric vehicles (EVs). It shows how decades of state-backed strategies, combined with foreign expertise and massive subsidies, have reshaped the global automotive landscape. Building the foundations: Government ownership has been central since the 1950s, with firms such as FAW, Dongfeng, SAIC, GAC, and BAIC established through state initiatives or local government takeovers. These remain among China’s leading car companies today. China consistently sought foreign technology. In the 1980s and 1990s, joint ventures were tightly controlled: foreign firms could own no more than 50%, were told where to set up, and had to transfer technology, train Chinese staff, and increase local content. By 1991, an internal report claimed foreign involvement had already moved China’s auto industry ahead by 30 years. Protectionism and scale: Tariffs and local content rules shielded the industry. In the 1980s, tariffs on finished autos exceeded 200%. Even after World Trade Organisation (WTO) entry in 2001, restrictions remained significant. Policies in the 1990s and 2000s aimed to consolidate the industry into a handful of large firms, though private players such as Geely, Great Wall, and BYD also rose outside official plans. Production soared: from just 5
19 February 2026
Inside the rise of robotics firm Unitree, glimpse into China’s tech ambitions
A Unitree Robotics humanoid robot takes part in a 400m race at the inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing on August 15, 2025. | Photo Credit: Reuters It’s been an eventful week for the Chinese robotics firm Unitree, which has managed to find itself at the centre of national conversations both in China and in India. First, in the country where it is based, Unitree’s latest humanoid robots made a stunning splash on February 16, performing complicated martial arts on China’s most watched television spectacle, the annual Chinese New Year gala that is watched by more than half a billion people. Then, days later, one of Unitree’s older robotic models, a quadruped “robo dog”, unwittingly found itself in the headlines because of a display by the private Galgotias University at the ongoing AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. The university was forced to close its stall after it emerged that, what some of its representatives claimed was a home-grown design, turned out to be a Unitree Go2 quadruped. A model of the Go2 can be purchased online for $1,600. WATCH | Humanoid robots steal the show during China’s 2026 Spring Festival gala Unitree, a private company started by tech entrepreneur Wang Xinxing (36) who designed his first robot at university, said this week it plans to sell as many as 20,000 humanoid robots this year, an almost four-fold rise from 2025. The company’s name derives from “universe” and “tree”, according to a South China Morning Post report, taken from a popular Chinese phrase “lighting up the technology tree”. The February 16 display of its latest fully autonomous G1 robot stirred wide attention in China, representing a significant improvement from a display only one year ago where robots performed largely stiff hand-waving motions. This
19 February 2026
Texas sues TP-Link for allegedly allowing China to hack into routers, says: Nearly all of its products …
Texas has sued networking equipment company TP-Link Systems, accusing it of allowing the Chinese Communist Party to hack into consumers’ devices while marketing its products as secure and private. Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the lawsuit this week, describing it as the first in a series of actions to be filed this week against companies with ties to the CCP. In a press release seen by The Record, Paxton’s office wrote, “With nearly all of its products’ parts imported from China, TP-Link’s deliberate deception towards Texans regarding the nationality, privacy, and security capabilities of its networking devices is not just illegal—it is also a national security threat that enables the secret surveillance and exploitation of Texas consumers.” What Texas AG Ken Paxton said about TP-Link routers Paxton alleged that TP-Link markets its products as secure and privacy-protective, while Chinese state-sponsored hacking groups have used them to mount cyberattacks against the US. His office cited a May 2023 report by Check Point Research alleging that Camaro Dragon, a Chinese state-sponsored hacking entity, ran campaigns exploiting vulnerabilities in TP-Link firmware.Security consultant John Bambenek told Recorded Future News that the US intelligence community has raised similar concerns about TP-Link devices potentially enabling Chinese government espionage. However, he was skeptical that the lawsuit would have a meaningful impact. “Using deceptive business practices seems to be a clever way of tackling this problem, but I am hard-pressed to see any scenario [where] any order by a Texas court would be respected in China,” Bambenek said.Nakul Goenka, a risk officer at the security company ColorTokens, framed the lawsuit as part of a shift in how cybersecurity is regulated. “Security representations are increasingly being evaluated as consumer protection and disclosure issues, not merely technical ones — a shift already visible in FTC enforcement actions and SEC disclosure
19 February 2026
China Briefing 19 February 2026: CO2 emissions ‘flat or falling’ | First tariff lifted | Ma Jun on carbon data
Welcome to Carbon Brief’s China Briefing. China Briefing handpicks and explains the most important climate and energy stories from China over the past fortnight. Subscribe for free here. Carbon emissions on the decline ‘FLAT OR FALLING’: China’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have been either “flat or falling” for almost two years, reported Agence France-Presse in coverage of new analysis for Carbon Brief by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). This marks the “first time” annual emissions may have fallen at a “time when energy demand was rising”, it added. Emissions fell 0.3% during the year, driven by a fall in emissions “across nearly all major sectors”, said Bloomberg – including the power sector. It said the chemicals sector was an exception, where emissions saw a “large jump from a surge of new plants using coal and oil” as feedstocks. The analysis has been covered around the world by outlets ranging from the New York Times, Bloomberg and BBC News through to Der Spiegel, CGTN and the Guardian. TOP TASKS: President Xi Jinping listed “persisting in following the ‘dual-carbon’ goals” as one of eight “key” elements of economic work in 2026, according to a December speech just published in Qiushi, the Chinese Communist party’s leading journal for political theory. This included “deeply advancing” carbon reduction in key industries and “steadily promoting a peak in consumption of coal and oil”, according to the transcript. The National Energy Administration (NEA) also outlined a number of priority tasks for the department, including resolving “grid integration challenges” to encourage greater use of renewable energy and “boosting investment” in energy resources, said energy news outlet International Energy Net. 上微信关注《碳简报》 ETS EXPANSION: Meanwhile, the government has asked “heavy polluters” in several sectors not yet covered in China’s emissions trading scheme (ETS) to report their
19 February 2026
China Still Borrows From the West For Highest Tech
By: Andy Wong Ming Jun Although China can produce an entire host of manufactured metalwork goods from pots and pans to electric cars, it appears it is still having trouble meeting requirements for some of the most advanced articles produced by cutting-edge technology. That is showing up with the recent announcement by state-owned aerospace manufacturer COMAC that a US-Chinese joint-venture firm, Aviage Systems would develop the core avionics processing system, which serves as the central brain of the aircraft, for its C929 passenger jet airliner. COMAC, or Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd, showcased the C929, still in the detailed design phase, in a starring role at the Singapore Airshow late last month, presenting to the world a narrative image of China intensifying its development efforts in building a domestic commercial aircraft in the same class as contemporary Western equivalents such as the American Boeing 787 Dreamliner and European Airbus A350/330neo. Not quite off the drawing board Industry attention is now returning to the as-yet undetermined future jet engine meant to power the C929, demonstrating longstanding technological obstacles in developing and building an indigenous turbofan jet engine. China continues to grapple with sufficient proficiency in metallurgical technology and mass-manufacturing high-quality large turbofan blades with extremely tight margins for imperfections. Matching Western production standards for the aerospace engines currently powering the vast majority of commercial airliners appears still out of reach. The country’s strength in mass production is still coming at the cost of quality, according to internal evaluation reports dating back to 2017 that have also highlighted China’s strategy of overreliance on imitation and reverse-engineering, which has contributed to a persistent lag behind advanced Western technology. China’s lack of organically-developed technical know-how correlates with its continued reliance on machining tools imported from Western countries, done as much out of pure
19 February 2026
China’s Lishui Airport opens after 17 years of construction
Sign up for our newsletter and get our latest content in your inbox. Subscribe Lishui Airport (LIJ), located in Zhejiang Province, China, has officially begun operations, marking the region’s first direct link to China’s national aviation network. Initially designed in 2008, the airport has finally been completed after 17 years of construction. The “bird-like” building has been designed to handle a million domestic passengers annually, to start with, with a planned extension for an international terminal due in the coming years. The eye-catching 12,000 square metre terminal building has been designed to appear as a giant white bird resting among the mountains, with a double-layered roof clad in silver-white aluminium evoking a scene of “mist-covered hills and birds in flight”. China’s Lishui Airport finally opens for business Located in a mountainous area of southwestern Zhejiang, about 10 miles (15 kilometres) from the city of Lishui, the new airport site spans 2,267 hectares (nine square miles). The terminal building measures approximately 12,000 square meters (130,000 square feet) and includes eight aircraft parking bays. In its initial phase, the airport is designed to handle up to one million passengers annually, with a cargo throughput capacity of 4,000 tons (8 million pounds). As reported by Global Construction Review, the new airport has been built in a valley between mountains and is the result of extensive land reclamation and landscaping. Consequently, Lishui Airport has been described by architects as ranking amongst the most topographically complex airport projects in East China in recent years. Photo: MAD Architects The airport was originally due to open in 2024, but due to the complex nature of the site, the opening was delayed until late 2025. The construction required significant earthworks with cut-and-fill differences reaching nearly 100 meters (300 ft) in certain areas. According to Chinese firm MAD Architects,
19 February 2026
SFUSD to issue layoff notices weeks after $183 million deal to end teachers strike
With the ink barely dry on a $183 million agreement that ended the historic San Francisco teachers strike this month, the district will ask the school board to approve preliminary layoff notices for 42 educators and other staff. The pink slips, which, by law, must be issued by March 15 each year, give the teachers advance
21 February 2026
Trump signs global 10% tariff, says it will take effect ‘almost immediately’
US President Donald Trump on Saturday imposed a 10% “global tariff” on all US trading partners, hours after a Supreme Court ruling that struck down the Trump administration’s reciprocal tariffs imposed in April. White House officials subsequently clarified that for countries like India that have signed trade agreements with the US, tariff levels will temporarily
21 February 2026
Trump attacks Supreme Court justices over tariff ruling: ‘Embarrassment to their families’
US President Donald Trump on Friday delivered a scathing personal rebuke of the Supreme Court justices who invalidated his global tariffs, including two he nominated, alleging they were being “swayed by foreign interests.” US President Donald Trump (AP) “I’m ashamed of certain members of the court, absolutely ashamed, for not having the courage to do
20 February 2026
World News in Brief: UN humanitarian chief visits South Sudan, shelter fire risks in Gaza, West Bank violence
Tom Fletcher will focus on the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the world’s youngest country and escalating protection risks for both civilians and aid workers. On arrival, he travelled directly to Malakal in Upper Nile state, meeting with local communities, their leaders, and returnees. He heard firsthand about their needs and the challenges they face amid the ongoing war in neighbouring Sudan. Raising awareness He is scheduled to visit Jonglei, where a recent flare-up in conflict has further intensified humanitarian needs, displacing roughly 280,000 people, according to authorities. Mr. Fletcher will also use his five-day mission to South Sudan to draw international attention to the worsening humanitarian situation. “Throughout the visit, the humanitarian chief will meet with local responders on the frontline,” UN Spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said during his regular briefing in New York. “He will advocate for the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers, reiterate our urgent calls for support to the humanitarian response and call for coordinated efforts to tackle the root causes of the crisis.” People navigate a makeshift refugee camp in Gaza. Gaza: Fire risks mount in shelters Humanitarians continue to highlight the need for adequate housing solutions in Gaza, where displaced Palestinian families are still living in overcrowded shelters which pose severe fire risks as well as health risks. “Families cook, sleep and store their belongings in small spaces where they also use open fire,” the UN aid coordination office OCHA said, noting that partners have recorded at least 12 fires in shelters since November. Over a 10-day period this month, humanitarians provided shelters to 85 families in Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis whose shelters were damaged by a fire in Gaza City. Aid missions blocked Meanwhile, in many areas within the Gaza Strip, humanitarian movements still require coordination with Israeli authorities. OCHA said that out of 67 movements coordinated between 12 and 19 February, 43 were approved and nine were denied outright. Eight missions were approved but faced impediments although six were fully accomplished, while organizers cancelled seven others for operational or security reasons. [Were these among the 43 above? If so, how about “Eight of the approved missions faced…”] Humanitarian partners coordinated the entry of fuel, medical supplies, animal fodder and hygiene kits, the agency said. Teams also facilitated the medical evacuation of patients through two border crossings – the Rafah corridor with Egypt and Kerem
20 February 2026
Peters Township High School senior charged with running criminal network to abuse, exploit minors
Peters Township High School senior charged with running criminal network to abuse, exploit minors A Peter’s Township High School senior was just arrested and charged with operating a criminal network involving “catfishing” and “sextortion.” 18-year-old Zachariah Meyers, who is reportedly president of the senior class and a Peter’s Township athlete, is accused of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of more than 20 underage victims. Channel 11’s Cara Sapida was the only reporter in the courtroom Friday as Meyers faced a judge. Sapida reports the teenager will be held without bail, as the judge called Meyers a “danger to the community.” We will have breaking details and reaction from the community starting tonight on Channel 11 News after the Olympics. Online court records show Meyers is facing more than 300 felony charges. According to the criminal complaint, Peters Township police first became aware of the reported criminal network on Dec. 5. Officers interviewed 30 underage boys and identified at least 21 victims. The victims ranged in age from 14 to 17. Police say the victims all reported being victimized over social media platforms like Snapchat and TikTok. Meyers used several different accounts that used images of other people, including an adult film performer from the Netherlands who is not believed to be involved in the network, police say. The victims reportedly believed they were communicating with an attractive young woman. The victims told police that the criminal activity included solicitation of nude images, production of pornographic videos and videotaping private areas of Peters Township High School. At least 14 victims sent pornographic material of themselves, and at least one sent videos of a private area in the high school. One victim claimed he was coerced into having sex on two occasions with different adult men. One victim sent numerous nude photographs to Meyers, police say. When he stopped, Meyers reportedly told
20 February 2026
Boston 25 Chief Meteorologist Kevin Lemanowicz leaving after 30 years
Kevin Lemanowicz, chief meteorologist at WFXT-TV (Boston 25), is stepping down from his role, the station announced. Lemanowicz joined Boston 25 when it launched in 1996 and has served as the chief meteorologist for the past 30 years, WFXT said. The longtime on-air personality will leave the station next week. “It has been the privilege of a lifetime to serve this community. Thank you for welcoming me into your homes each night,” Lemanowicz said in a statement. “Having been the only Chief at the station, I am proud of what we have built here and know it will continue to be successful because I am leaving behind the best weather team in Boston.” During his tenure, Lemanowicz covered several major weather events, including the 2011 tornadoes in Western Massachusetts, the 2015 snowstorms across the state, and the 2023 flooding in Leominster, the station said. WFXT-TV Chief Meteorologist Kevin Lemanowicz is leaving Boston 25 after 30 years. In 2016, Lemanowicz was named a Silver Circle honoree by the Boston/New England chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. “It’s rare to see someone dedicate 30 years to one newsroom, and Kevin did so with professionalism, passion, and an unwavering commitment to our viewers,” Scott Isaacs, Boston 25’s news director, said in a statement. “We will miss Kevin’s experience and wisdom when it comes to local weather… not to mention, his forecast is the most accurate in the market! He set a high bar that we will always work hard to maintain.” Before Lemanowicz joined Boston 25, the native New Englander worked at WTIC in Hartford, the New England Weather Service, Fleetweather, and WVIT-TV, according to his biography. Lemanowicz holds a degree in meteorology from Cornell University and is a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM) recognized by the American Meteorological Society.
20 February 2026
Officials release 911 call from deadly shooting of Tipp City volleyball coach, former teacher
A newly-released 911 call is providing more details into the investigation of 37-year-old Ashley Flynn’s death in Tipp City. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] News Center 7’s Amber Jenkins will have the latest on the investigation tonight on News Center 7 at 5:00 and 6:00. The Miami County Prosecutor approved the release of the nearly eight-minute-long 911 call on Friday after previously withholding it, calling in part of the investigative record under Ohio law. In the call, Caleb Flynn tells a dispatcher someone broke into his home on Cunningham Court early Monday morning. “Oh my God, somebody, somebody broke into my home. Somebody broke in my home and shot my wife,” he told a dispatcher. TRENDING STORIES: He added that his wife, Ashley, was in bed and had “two shots” to her head. Flynn went on to tell the dispatcher that the door to the garage was open and that his daughters were also in the home. “I was with the children when it happened,” he told the dispatcher, adding that they were asleep in their room. The dispatcher asks him if he sees anyone else in the house. “No, it’s pitch black and the doors are locked,” he responded. “The door leading to the garage door was wide open when I ran in there.” The dispatcher later asks him to go check on his kids. After being asked to do it a third time, Caleb said they were still sleeping and didn’t have any visible wounds. As previously reported, Ashley was pronounced dead at the scene. Tipp City Police Chief Greg Adkins said on Thursday that Caleb Flynn was arrested and charged with one count of homicide, two counts of felonious assault, and two counts of tampering with evidence. “The Tipp City Police Department
20 February 2026
Trump tariff news: What are Sections 232, 301 and 122? Additional 10% tariff reveal sparks buzz
President Donald Trump on Friday reacted to the Supreme Court’s ruling on tariffs, announcing an additional 10% global tariff under Section 122. The 79-year-old mentioned two more sections during his press conference – Section 232 and Section 301. This comes after SCOTUS ruled that Trump exceeded his authority to impose the ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs. US President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House (AFP) Trump also slammed the six Supreme Court justices, saying he was ‘ashamed of certain members of the court’ and said some of the justices were ‘frankly a disgrace to our nation’. “They’re very unpatriotic and disloyal to our Constitution,” Trump said. What are Sections 232, 301 and 122? Trump said Section 232 and all existing Section 301 tariffs remain fully in place and in full force and effect. “Today, I will sign an order to impose a 10% global tariff under Section 122.” Section 232, Section 301, and Section 122 are three key US laws that grant the president authority to impose tariffs under specific conditions. President Trump frequently used or threatened them during his term. Section 232 (Trade Expansion Act of 1962): Allows tariffs or quotas on imports that threaten national security. Trump invoked it for 25% steel and 10% aluminum tariffs (2018), affecting Canada, Mexico, EU, and others. These remain in place after recent Supreme Court rulings, as they are separate from emergency powers. Section 301 (Trade Act of 1974): Permits tariffs in response to unfair foreign trade practices, such as intellectual property theft, forced technology transfers, or discriminatory measures. Trump used it extensively against China (up to 25% on hundreds of billions in goods), targeting anticompetitive behavior. Section 122 (Trade Act of 1974): Authorizes temporary import surcharges up to 15% (or quotas) to
20 February 2026
Google Maps Now Outranking Websites for Local Services, Warns UK
David from blueskyseo Most local searches now trigger Google’s own tools first – ads, maps, business panels,” David said. “In many cases, customers never even scroll down to the organic website results. If your Google Business Profile isn’t properly optimised, you’re effectively closed online. LOWESTOFT/KEIGHLEY, UK – Small businesses across the UK could be losing high-intent customers daily – not because of poor service, but because they’re invisible in the part of Google that matters most. According to David, founder of Blue Sky SEO Marketing [http://blueskyseo.co.uk], Google Maps listings and AI-generated search tools are now dominating local search results, often appearing before traditional website listings. The shift means that businesses relying solely on their websites for visibility may be missing out on calls and bookings. “Most local searches now trigger Google’s own tools first – ads, maps, business panels,” David said. “In many cases, customers never even scroll down to the organic website results. If your Google Business Profile isn’t properly optimised, you’re effectively closed online.” The warning comes as small businesses face rising competition and tighter marketing budgets heading into 2026. With more consumers using mobile devices to find nearby services, visibility within Google’s “Local Pack” – the top three map listings – has become prime digital real estate. Industry research suggests that nearly 30% of mobile users who search for a local service contact a business within 24 hours. But ranking in those top map positions requires more than simply setting up a profile. The Visibility Gap Blue Sky SEO Marketing has conducted audits of dozens of UK small business listings over the past year and reports common issues including: *Incomplete or outdated Google Business Profiles *Missing categories and service keywords *No structured citation signals across trusted directories *Lack of consistent posts, updates, or images *Weak geographic reach
20 February 2026
Brown University announces death of student, GoFundMe set up. What we know.
Friends and family are mourning the death of a Brown University sophomore who died Tuesday, Feb. 17, at her residence hall on campus. Annie Song, who graduated from high school in Washington state, was studying public health and policy, according to Brown. She “pursued a wide range of interests in her coursework and through engagement with organizations both at Brown and in the local community,” the university said in a message to the Brown community. The cause and manner of Song’s death are undetermined, according to a Providence police spokeswoman. The police responded to the residence hall on George Street Tuesday and saw no obvious signs of trauma or evidence of foul play, spokeswoman Kristy DosReis said. The police are still investigating along with the Rhode Island Office of the State Medical Examiners, she said. Annie Song, a Brown University student, died Tuesday at her residence hall. A GoFundMe fundraiser has been established by friends of Song to support her funeral and transportation costs back home to Seattle, Washington. Who was Annie Song? “Annie was the most beautiful and bright presence in the lives of everyone she met. She was a kind, thoughtful friend who always put others before her and made us laugh like no one else we knew,” the GoFundMe page says. “She was so talented in so many different areas and so passionate about so many things that we couldn’t even begin to tell you about her achievements and, more importantly, her dreams.” According to the message to the Brown community, Song was working toward a dual concentration in public health and international and public affairs, with plans for a potential internship in Washington, D.C., this summer. She served as a Meiklejohn peer advisor and was involved in several student organizations, including the Infectious Disease Society and
20 February 2026
Climber who left his girlfriend to die on mountain ‘had done it before’
A mountaineer who left his girlfriend to freeze to death on Austria’s highest mountain abandoned an ex-partner on the same peak just two years before, a court heard. Thomas Plamberger, 39, was given a five-month suspended sentence on Thursday after he was found guilty of gross negligent manslaughter over the death of Kerstin Gurtner in Jan 2025. They were just 150ft from the Grossglockner’s 12,460ft summit in the Austrian Alps when Ms Gurtner, 33, collapsed from exhaustion at around 8.50pm with temperatures as low as -20C. Plamberger decided to leave her and climb back down the mountain to seek help. But in the six hours he was gone, Ms Gurtner died from extreme cold. In a case that has drawn global attention, Plamberger’s lawyer described her death as a “tragic accident” and said his client had left the mountain by “mutual agreement”. Kerstin Gurtner died from extreme cold near the summit of Grossglockner mountain But it was alleged during the trial at Innsbruck regional court in Tyrol, western Austria, that Plamberger had left a former girlfriend, Andrea B, on the same mountainside just two years earlier. Andrea, who was in a relationship with the defendant from May to September 2023, told the court he had abandoned her during a nighttime descent because he thought she was too slow. “The atmosphere was bad. And then he was suddenly gone,” she said. “My headlamp had gone out, I was alone, crying and screaming. “He just left me there, completely alone. He went ahead. That was our last mountain hike,” she said. Andrea added that he had told her not to “make a big deal out of it” and that he could be short-tempered when she expressed fear. “When I was scared, he tended to be grumpy. ‘Don’t be such a baby,’ he
20 February 2026
Tesla Slashes Cybertruck Prices to Boost Pickup Sales
If you’ve had your eye on a Cybertruck but balked at the steep price tag, Tesla has some good news: Today, the automaker announced it has updated its Cybertruck lineup for 2026 with expanded options and lower prices to try and broaden its appeal in a flagging electric-pickup market. The meat of the announcement is a new all-wheel-drive model wearing a $62,235 sticker, slashing $10,000 from the current cheapest Long-Range model. At that price, the new base Cybertruck still offers dual motors, adaptive damping, Powershare power outlets, and tonneau cover, unlike when Tesla last year (very briefly) offered a rear-drive model that deleted such features and listed at about $70,000. That model promptly sold… very few. Tesla has also cut prices on its higher-end AWD and Cyberbeast models by roughly $15,000. The Cyberbeast package reportedly shed some luxury features to hit a sub-$100,000 threshold, most notably, the enhanced Full Self-Driving (FSD) package. But a lower price at the premium end could help boost interest; 2025 full-year sales dropped 19% over the year prior. Tesla All Cybertruck models maintain their neo-futuristic angular stainless-steel shell, large cargo bed, integrated power outlets, and built-in ramp. Final EPA range and performance figures for trims have yet to be published., but deliveries for the revised Cybertruck trims are expected to ramp up through 2026 as Tesla expands capacity at its Texas Gigafactory. Source link
20 February 2026
‘Are You Haitian?’—Then Things Got Worse
In a scene that feels ripped from a procedural drama, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Scott Thomas Deiseroth, 42, was pulled off a Florida Keys highway in August 2025 after deputies say he was driving erratically on the Seven Mile Bridge with his two young sons in the truck — and body-camera footage reveals a confrontation that spiraled from a simple DUI stop into a forceful arrest and a viral controversy. Deputies from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched around 3:24 p.m. on August 13 after multiple calls reported a pickup weaving between lanes, crossing into oncoming traffic, and nearly causing collisions on U.S. Highway 1 near Bahia Honda. When deputies caught up to the truck near Mile Marker 36.5, they immediately noticed a strong smell of alcohol and two children, ages 7 and 9, in the back seat. ‘Are You Haitian?’: Agent Questions Deputy’s Nationality During Stop Image Credit: Rebel HQ/YouTube. The encounter was already tense from the first words captured on bodycam. Deiseroth identified himself as an ICE agent based in Miami, insisting he was trying to get home with his boys and that his federal status mattered in how the deputies should treat him. When asked for his Department of Homeland Security credentials, he didn’t have them on hand. Things escalated when deputies asked him to perform standardized field sobriety exercises. In the footage, Deiseroth repeatedly challenges the stop, asking “Are you Haitian?” about one of the deputies — a moment that has since become the focal point of national attention on race, privilege, and bias. Deputies insist that nationality has no bearing on the stop being conducted, but Deiseroth presses the question several times, appearing to imply that the deputy’s background should influence how the situation is handled. Struggling Sobriety Tests and a Plea
20 February 2026
‘Backbiting, bullying and slander’ – inside the expelling of two Reform UK’s councillors | Local News | News | Kenilworth Nub News
A Warwickshire councillor who defected from Reform UK has lifted the lid on a nine-month civil war in which accusations of slander have been traded with the leadership. Cllr Scott Cameron was one of two elected members – alongside Cllr Luke Cooper (Studley) – to leave Reform on Thursday afternoon (February 19). The party in charge at Shire Hall announced they had been expelled for planning to join Rupert Lowe’s political movement Restore Britain. Cllr Cameron admitted he was set to make the move anyway but alleges that “backbiting, vitriol, bullying (and) slander” inside Warwickshire’s Reform UK group had fuelled his decision. He lays the blame at the door of leader Cllr George Finch and his deputy Cllr Stephen Shaw, describing a “clique” that “half a dozen” councillors get “excluded” from because they question decisions. Cllr Finch denied the allegations, claiming that Cllr Cameron had turned down senior posts and believed that he should be leader instead. Cllr Shaw went even further, describing Cllr Cameron as a “bad egg” who had tried to thwart his appointment as portfolio holder for finance and property by making “slanderous” remarks. Thursday’s point of no return advertisement Correspondence, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, shows Cllr Cameron raised a complaint about the performance of a cabinet member – not the deputy – with Cllr Finch on Thursday morning. He had previously filed a code of conduct complaint against Cllr Finch with the council. Following feedback, he then filed it with Reform UK at exactly 3pm on Thursday. By 3.02pm, Reform had sent out news that the party whip had been removed from Cllr Cameron and Cllr Cooper. Cllr Cameron was then sent notice of his suspension from the party “pending an investigation” at 3.11pm but by 3.14pm, Reform UK’s media service announced that both had been
20 February 2026
Why has US Supreme Court struck down Trump’s global trade tariffs? A four-point explainer
In a decision that strikes at the core of Donald Trump’s foreign policy based on trade-linked aggression, the US Supreme Court on Friday, February 20, struck down his sweeping global tariffs. US President Donald Trump has used the tariffs as a foreign policy tool. (AFP) It was a 6-3 ruling which represents a significant defeat for Trump’s coercive global trade policy, which has caused widespread economic uncertainty and alienated allies since he began his second term. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion, stating that the President had exceeded his legal authority. Follow: Live updates here Question of authority, 1977 law at its core Trump had relied on a 1977 law, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), to impose taxes on imported goods from almost all trading partners without seeking the approval of Congress. This included allies like Canada to India, the latter facing 50% tariff rate until recently before a trade agreement brought it down to 25% for now and to be down to 18% soon. The US Constitution clearly assigns the power to issue taxes and tariffs to Congress, not the President. Roberts noted that any “extraordinary assertion” of such power requires “clear congressional authorisation”, which President Trump did not have. This decision ends the administration’s use of a law historically intended for freezing assets or imposing sanctions on enemies, rather than broad trade taxes. Will tariffs be refunded now? The legal challenge was brought by 12 US states and various businesses that argued the tariffs were an unprecedented overreach of power. Economists now estimate that the US government may have to refund more than $175 billion (£138 billion) collected under the IEEPA-based programme. Trump had previously claimed these tariffs were vital for national security and to address trade deficits, even using them as a tool
20 February 2026
What is IEEPA? Law at the center of Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs
The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled 6-3 that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not give the president the power to impose tariffs. The case focused on tariffs introduced under President Donald Trump, according to Reuters. What is IIEPA? Supreme Court limits Presidential power on tariffs (AP) What is IEEPA? The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) is a U.S. federal law passed in 1977. It allows the president to regulate international commerce, freeze assets, and impose sanctions during a declared national emergency caused by foreign threats to U.S. security, foreign policy or economy. In its decision, the court has said that Congress, not the president, has the authority to set tariffs. The majority opinion stated that IEEPA “does not authorize the President to impose tariffs.” The ruling limits how future presidents can use emergency powers in trade matters. Source link
20 February 2026
Family of ex-West Hartford couple who died after falling through ice in Cape Cod set up foundation
The daughters of a former West Hartford couple who died after falling through ice on Cape Cod are setting up a foundation to honor their parents – and the surviving dog that brought first responders to the scene – as well as to continue the couple’s charity work. Called “Kit & Jerry’s Foundation for Good,” it will recognize Kathleen and Gerard Boucher’s life “defined by vibrant energy and steady generosity.” It is temporarily linked to a GoFundMe online fundraising site so people may be able to start donating while the daughters finish setting up a nonprofit corporation. “We established this foundation to ensure their hardworking hearts continue to serve the community they loved so much,” the daughters wrote on the foundation’s website. The Eastham couple fell through the ice on the Bee’s River at First Encounter Beach Saturday morning, local police said. Two officers also fell into the icy river while trying to save Kathleen Boucher, who was screaming for help, they said. The officers were able to get back to shore, and divers in cold water suits found Kathleen after a few hours of searching, but it was too late; she was pronounced dead, officials said. Search and rescue teams work to rescue two former West Hartford residents from the Bee’s River Saturday. Kathleen “Kit” Boucher was removed from the ice-covered water, but died. Her husband, Gerard “Jerry” Boucher is believed to have died but has not been recovered, police say. (WCVB / Hearst TV) Despite additional searches that included drones and aircraft, Gerard Boucher has not been found. Kathleen Boucher, who was 71, was a retired kindergarten teacher at Bugbee Elementary School in West Hartford, said one of her two daughters, Amy Boucher Lawson, and Gerard Boucher, 72, was a retired employee of Connecticut Natural Gas, where he worked his way up from fleet
20 February 2026
El Paso accountant gets prison in $600,000 real estate business fraud
An El Paso certified public accountant was sentenced to more than two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to stealing more than $600,000 from several real estate businesses, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas said. Carol Catherine Talamantes, 61, pleaded guilty to a federal wire fraud charge in U.S. District Court in El Paso and was sentenced on Wednesday, Feb. 18, to two years plus nine months (33 months) in prison, authorities said. Crime: FBI offers reward to solve Texas man’s death in Mexico border town Talamantes transferred money and wrote checks to herself that she used to pay her home mortgage and personal credit card bill while working as a CPA for six real estate businesses in Texas and New Mexico, according to prosecutors and a federal charging document. The businesses are only identified by acronyms in the document. The U.S. Attorneys’ Office said that Talamantes stole $603,738 between October 2020 and October 2024. An El Paso certified public accountant, Carol Catherine Talamantes, was sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud. Talamantes made more than 90 fraudulent transfers from the real estate companies by writing company checks to herself, electronic money transfers from company bank accounts to her personal bank accounts and fund transfers via automatic clearing house transactions from the companies, the prosecution said. More: El Paso businesswoman accused in $2.3 million fraud of COVID-19 relief PPP funds An FBI investigation resulted in the case filed against Talamantes, who on Sept. 26 was summoned to federal court, where she pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and agreed to pay a judgement of $603,738, officials said. Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@elpasotimes.com and @BorundaDaniel on X. Windstorm hits El Paso: scenes from a dusty day 1 of 6 Strong winds
20 February 2026
Here’s the Line Between Middle Class and Upper-Middle Class in Every State in 2026
The delineation between America’s middle class and its subset of “upper-middle” class can be a murky one, especially on a state-by-state basis. Each state has its own definition of middle class based on its unique cost-of-living factors. That said, determining the line between middle class and upper-middle class can be a useful tool for a variety of reasons: tracking America’s distribution of wealth, knowing the most appropriate places to move based on your own income range, and being aware of where and how much to invest in housing and real estate. To that end, GOBankingRates recently launched a study to determine the line between middle class and upper-middle class in every state. GOBankingRates sources such data as state populations and overall income levels, calculating the entire middle class income range for each state by dividing middle class income ranges into thirds — lower-, middle- and upper-middle class. Also see the jump between the middle class and the top 5% in every state. Art Wager / Getty Images The Massachusetts middle class makes more than any other state. The maximum middle class income rate is $209,656, and the median household income is $104,828. Meanwhile, the Mississippi middle class is on the other end of the spectrum: In Mississippi, the maximum middle-class income rate ($121,596) and median household income ($59,127) are the lowest in America. Hawaii’s ranking might surprise you: Despite the fact that the Aloha State consistently has the highest cost of living in the nation, Hawaii’s middle-class income range is only fourth highest in the nation — after Massachusetts, New Jersey and Maryland. Check Out: 6 Signs You’re Actually Upper-Middle Class (Even If You Don’t Feel Rich) Learn More: 6 Subtly Genius Moves All Wealthy People Make With Their Money Sean Pavone / iStock.com Median household income: $104,828 Middle-class income
20 February 2026
How much snow is expected on Sunday? Predicted totals for Jersey Shore
A coastal storm is expected to bring snow the Jersey Shore starting midday Sunday through Monday morning. Some parts of the region may see up to 6 inches of snow. Here are the current projected snowfall totals for Monmouth and Ocean counties (as of 8 a.m. Friday): Weather radar New Jersey Snow forecast NJ Here are predicted inch counts for towns in Monmouth County: Asbury Park: 3 to 6 inches Long Branch: 3 to 6 inches Shrewsbury: 1 to 3 inches Tinton Falls: 3 to 6 inches Union Beach: 1 to 3 inches Advertisement Advertisement Source: accuweather.com Power outage? Here’s where New Jersey residents can get updates when the lights go out Email Newsletters & Alerts: The news you want, delivered straight to your inbox Here are predicted inch counts for towns in Ocean County: Barnegat Light: 3 to 6 inches Beach Haven: 3 to 6 inches Harvey Cedars: 3 to 6 inches Little Egg Harbor: 3 to 6 inches Manchester: 3 to 6 inches Point Pleasant: 3 to 6 inches Seaside Heights: 3 to 6 inches Ship Bottom: 3 to 6 inches Toms River: 3 to 6 inches Source: accuweather.com This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: When does the snow storm start? Forecast for Monmouth, Ocean counties Source link
20 February 2026
These Chevy Trucks Are Running Out Of Gas Prematurely (And GM Doesn’t Know Why)
Chevrolet and its kissing cousin, GMC, are having a problem with some of their heavy-duty full-size pickup trucks that currently defy a solution. The affected models, according to GM Service Bulletin PIT6467A dated February 2026, are model year 2025 and 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD and GMC Sierra 3500 HD trucks equipped with the 6.6-liter L8T V8 gasoline-powered engine. According to the bulletin, “Truck runs out of fuel with the fuel gauge indicating there is still fuel in the tank,” and “Fuel gauge defaulting to empty, but there is still fuel in the rear tank.” The bulletin also notes that the SES MIL light can illuminate with no impact on drivability. It lists a possible cause as, “The cause of this condition could be the rear tank is not transferring fuel to the front tank.” This issue applies specifically to all chassis-cab versions of these heavy-duty trucks with the 6.6-liter V8, which come standard with dual fuel tanks, denoted as RPO code N2N. These trucks have fuel tanks located in front and rear, with a total fuel capacity of 63.5 gallons. The trucks can potentially stall when their fuel gauges read empty, even though there is adequate fuel remaining in the rear tank. This is not a new problem for the Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD and the GMC Sierra 3500 HD trucks, made in GM’s historic Flint, Michigan assembly plant. Back in 2024, a similar problem afflicted these trucks, but that time it affected those packing the 6.6-liter Duramax L5P V8 turbo-diesel. Read more: 5 Of The Worst Car Trends We’ve Ever Seen What is General Motors going to do about these Chevy Trucks running out of gas prematurely? Front 3/4 view of Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD chassis-cab dump truck – Althom/Getty Images The answer to this pressing question is — nothing right away. The GM Service Bulletin
20 February 2026
Nijjar case: Canadian govt asks court to block sensitive info that may harm international relations
As the trial related to the killing of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar is expected to begin later this year, the Canadian government has sought to block some details from being revealed as that could prove “injurious to international relations and national security”. Protesters chant outside of the consulate general of India office during a protest for the shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Vancouver, British Columbia, on June 24, 2023. (AP) An application in this regard has been made by the Attorney General of Canada, according to a report in the outlet Global News. The plea to keep some information confidential is that it is “sensitive”, the report said citing court documents. Four Indian nationals have been accused of allegedly being involved in the murder of Nijjar on June 18, 2023. That crime led to relations between India and Canada cratering after then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated in the House of Commons that there were “credible allegations” of a potential link between Indian agents and the murder. India had described those accusations as “absurd” and “motivated”. The cases against the quarter remain in the pretrial stage. The trial itself is not expected to begin before August, according to a British Columbia Prosecution Service spokesperson. The spokesperson confirmed to the Hindustan Times last week that the hearings involving four Indian nationals remains in the pre-trial phase and “will be for some time”. “Trial dates have not yet been set. All four accused remain in custody under detention orders,” Damienne Darby, Communications Counsel for the BC Prosecution Service, noted. As an Indian national Nikhil Gupta pled guilty to three charges linked to the abortive attempt on the life of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) general counsel Gurpatwant Pannun earlier this month, a statement from the United States Attorney for the Southern
20 February 2026
$2.5 Billion Crypto Options Expiry Looms — But It’s the Massive $40,000 Bitcoin Bet That Has Traders on Edge
Nearly $2.5 billion in Bitcoin and Ethereum options expire today, setting up a potentially volatile end to the month as traders juggle upside bets with deep downside insurance. On the surface, positioning appears constructive. But beneath the call-heavy skew lies a striking anomaly: one of the largest open interest clusters in Bitcoin sits far below spot — at the $40,000 strike. Bitcoin is currently trading around $67,271, with max pain positioned at $70,000. Open interest shows 19,412 call contracts and 11,044 put contracts. This gives a put-to-call ratio of 0.57 and reflects an overall upside bias. The total notional volume tied to the expiry is roughly $2.05 billion. Bitcoin Expiring Options. Source: Deribit Ethereum mirrors that constructive tilt, though in a more balanced fashion. ETH trades near $1,948, with max pain at $2,025. Calls (124,109 contracts) outnumber puts (90,017), resulting in a put-to-call ratio of 0.73 and a notional value of approximately $417 million. Ethereum Expiring Options. Source: Deribit “…positioning skews call heavy across both assets, with BTC showing the stronger upside skew. Max pain levels sit below dominant call open interest in BTC, while ETH positioning is more balanced but still constructive,” analysts at Deribit noted. Max pain refers to the price at which the greatest number of options expire worthless, minimizing payouts to buyers. With both BTC and ETH trading below their respective max pain levels, price gravitation toward those strikes into expiry could reduce losses for option sellers. Despite the headline bullish skew, a massive concentration of puts at the $40,000 strike has caught market attention. The $40,000 Bitcoin put is now the second-largest strike by open interest, representing roughly $490 million in notional value. This comes after Bitcoin’s sharp retracement from prior highs, which reshaped hedging demand across the board. “While aggregate positioning into expiry skews
20 February 2026
The Market is Seeking a Haven
JPY and EUR are giving back their safe-haven status to USD. USDJPY is rising amid slowing Japan inflation. Growing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the Fed’s reluctance to resume its cycle of monetary expansion are driving the US dollar towards its best weekly performance in four months. According to a Wall Street Journal
21 February 2026
Trades in a Range (Chart)
Created on February 20, 2026 The US dollar has been all over the place against the Canadian dollar during trading on Thursday. The price action right now is focusing on the 1.37 level, an area that I think will cause a little bit of a headache, but it’s also worth noting that markets have seen
21 February 2026
Love Island and Towie stars plead guilty over illegal Instagram finance scheme
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Seven reality stars and influencers have pleaded guilty to the illegal promotion of foreign exchange trading on Instagram. Lauren Goodger,
20 February 2026
6 Stocks Driving the 2026 Stock Market Rotation
Key Takeaways Industrial, consumer defensive, and energy stocks are leading the stock market higher in 2026 as technology names falter and investors look beyond the AI trade for returns. Within those sectors, stocks like Caterpillar, Walmart, and Exxon are benefitting from tailwinds stemming from the AI data center buildout, cost-conscious consumer spending, and rising oil prices. While the top stocks driving the rotation have notched double-digit gains this year, none are considered undervalued by Morningstar analysts. A stock market rotation is well underway. Industrial, consumer defensive, and energy stocks are outperforming the broader market by a wide margin, offsetting losses in technology, communication services, consumer cyclicals, and even financials. As investors look for safety and stability outside of technology and artificial intelligence, “real economy” stocks (those that produce real-word goods and essential services) are pulling ahead of more speculative bets. The industrials sector is responsible for 1.36 percentage points of the Morningstar US Market Index’s 0.93% gain this year through Feb. 18, according to Morningstar data. Caterpillar CAT and GE Vernova GEV have had the largest impact on the sector’s overall return. Consumer defensives are up 13.3% and account for a 0.6-point boost to the total market, with Walmart WMT and Costco Wholesale COST leading that sector. Energy and Industrial Stocks Are the New Market Leaders. Here’s What to Know Energy stocks have seen even more dramatic gains and are up more than 22% since the start of the year. They have a smaller weighting in the US Market Index than industrials and consumer defensives, however, and account for a 0.64-point increase in the total market’s return. Within energy stocks, oil giants Exxon Mobil XOM and Chevron CVX have had the biggest impact. All six of these names have seen double-digit returns this year, with Caterpillar (up 32%) seeing the
20 February 2026
Why Hycroft Mining Stock Was Up Close to 20% This Week
Shares of Hycroft Mining (NASDAQ: HYMC) have shot up 18.6% this week, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. The Nevada-based gold and silver miner is rising along with the prices of both metals. Their prices have begun to recover since a sharp dip in late January, and Hycroft’s stock price tends to follow the price of gold and silver in the short run. The company also announced an increased assessment of its minable resources at its land holdings. Here’s why Hycroft Mining stock was soaring this week, and whether it is a buy for your portfolio today. Will AI create the world’s first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an “Indispensable Monopoly” providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » With ownership over prospective mines in Nevada, Hycroft Mining will theoretically benefit from rising gold and silver prices once it begins production. If the company’s mining costs remain the same but the prices of gold and silver double, that is pure profit for the business. What’s more, this week Hycroft announced a third-party study that increased its estimated gold and silver deposits by 55%. This is a huge deal, as the more gold and silver the company can mine, the more money it will make. Plus, if there are higher concentrations of these metals in the ground, the cost to produce each ounce of metal may drop as manufacturing scales up. Image source: Getty Images. It is undoubtedly true that rising gold and silver prices are good for a mining operation like Hycroft. However, the company fails to mention in its investor materials that it is not operating a mine today and is likely years away from full operations. This will require significant upfront capital spending, which will eat into
20 February 2026
US Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump Tariffs
The U.S. Supreme Court has officially struck down the Trump administration’s global tariffs, ruling that the executive branch exceeded its authority under the IEEPA. For now, the action remains very muted across FX, Stocks, and Crypto Markets, which are all close to unchanged on the session. Only Metals are rallying, but that would mainly reflect weekend risk, if anything, and they actually faded their up-move on the Decision. You can get access to the Full text of the Supreme Court decision right here. Stocks spiked on the announcement, but the move isn’t looking like it will sustain, at least for now. Overall, Markets are not reacting much for now because the Decision was largely priced in. What could affect flows going forward is how the Trump Administration responds – they have been prepared for this issue, so what’s coming next is still uncharted territory. Dow Jones 15M Chart – Source: TradingView. February 20, 2026 Safe Trades! Source link
20 February 2026
Wall Street’s First Blockbuster Stock Split Announcement of 2026 Is Here — and This Industry Leader Has Skyrocketed Over 27,000% in 25 Years
The stock market’s first high-profile forward split of the year isn’t a tech stock — but it is a company reliant on generative AI to grow its sales. Although artificial intelligence (AI) has been dominating headlines for the last three years, it’s not the only trend making waves on Wall Street. Investors have also been gravitating to industry-leading companies conducting stock splits. A stock split is an event that allows a publicly traded company to adjust its share price and outstanding share count by the same factor, without affecting its market cap or underlying operating performance. After a seven-week wait, we have our first blockbuster stock split announcement of the year, courtesy of online travel company Booking Holdings (BKNG +0.34%). Image source: Getty Images. Stock-split stocks outperform and cater to retail investors Though there are two types of stock splits, forward and reverse, investors flock to the former. Companies that have to lower their share price to make it more nominally affordable for investors who can’t purchase fractional shares through their broker are almost always doing something right. In other words, these are businesses that are out-innovating and out-executing their peers. Furthermore, stock-split stocks have a history of outperforming Wall Street’s benchmark index, the S&P 500 (^GSPC +0.64%). Since 1980, companies have averaged a 12-month return of 25.4% following a forward stock split announcement, which is more than double the S&P 500’s 12-month return in the comparable year. Given this outperformance, it’s no wonder investors seek out stock-split stocks. Lastly, forward splits cater to retail investors. Over time, everyday investors have accounted for a larger percentage of total equities trading volume on Wall Street. Keeping retail investors engaged and ensuring they have a way to invest is becoming increasingly important. Image source: Getty Images. Booking Holdings will enact a historic
20 February 2026
The Ultimate Dividend Stock to Buy With $1,000 Right Now
This Dividend King has an appealing 4.7% dividend yield. In growth-driven stock markets, it’s easy to forget the benefits of tried-and-true dividend stocks. But those benefits are on full display this year. 2026 has been a noticeable step change from 2025, as investors gravitate toward value-oriented sectors like consumer staples, energy, materials, and industrials amid mounting uncertainty. Investors are trying to separate artificial intelligence (AI) winners from losers as entire industries — like software — face steep declines. Household and personal products giant Kimberly-Clark (KMB 0.11%) is already up 8.4% year to date. Here’s why the dividend stock remains a great buy now. Image source: Getty Images. A good value in a red-hot sector The consumer staples sector is on fire because it is relatively insulated from AI disruption fears and because investors tend to flock to value-focused sectors during times of uncertainty. Kimberly-Clark’s core categories — paper towels, toilet paper, tissues, diapers, feminine care, and adult care — tend to hold up well no matter what the economy is doing. However, like many consumer staples companies, Kimberly Clark’s growth has slowed due to cost pressures and consumer pushback against price increases. As of the time of this writing, the consumer staples sector is up 14.9% year to date compared to a 0.1% decline in the S&P 500 (^GSPC 0.03%). Slowing growth, paired with higher stock prices, has pushed up the valuations of leading consumer staples giants. Walmart surpassed $1 trillion in market capitalization and is hovering around an all-time high with a whopping 47 price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio and 45.2 forward P/E compared to a 10-year median P/E of 29.2. Similarly, Coca-Cola is hovering around an all-time high even though it expects 2026 organic revenue growth of just 4% to 5% and non-GAAP (adjusted) earnings-per-share growth of 5% to 6%. Coke
20 February 2026
Canada retail sales slip -0.4% mom in December, January rebound expected
Canada’s retail sales declined -0.4% mom in December to CAD 70.0B, slightly better than the -0.5% drop expected. The pullback marks a modest softening in year-end consumer activity, though the headline miss was not as severe as feared. Core retail sales, which exclude gasoline and motor vehicles, fell -0.3% mom, weighed heavily by a sharp -4.0% contraction in building materials and garden equipment. However, excluding motor vehicle and parts dealers alone, sales edged up 0.1%, suggesting underlying consumer demand was not uniformly weak. Nevertheless, Statistics Canada’s advance estimate for January points to a strong rebound, with sales projected to rise 1.5% mom. Full Canada’s retail sales release here. Source link
20 February 2026
Silver Price Breaks February Resistance Line
As seen on the XAG/USD chart, silver has today breached the upper boundary of the descending channel formed by February’s lower highs and lows. Bullish sentiment is supported by heightened geopolitical tensions and rising demand for safe-haven assets. According to media reports: → On Thursday, US President Donald Trump warned Iran that it must reach an agreement on its nuclear programme, or “really bad things” would happen, setting a 10–15 day deadline. → In response, Tehran threatened retaliatory strikes on US bases in the region if attacked. On 11 February, analysing the XAG/USD chart, we noted that silver was consolidating between two key levels: → resistance around $87.5–95 → support near $70 Today’s bullish breakout of the channel’s upper boundary – which acted as resistance in February – can be interpreted as a move towards the $87.5–95 zone. Confidence for bulls is further reinforced by an inverted head and shoulders (SHS) pattern. If buyers are determined, this should be confirmed by XAG/USD holding above: → the channel breakout level near $79 → the psychological $80 mark. Start trading commodity CFDs with tight spreads (additional fees may apply). Open your trading account now or learn more about trading commodity CFDs with FXOpen. This article represents the opinion of the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand only. It is not to be construed as an offer, solicitation, or recommendation with respect to products and services provided by the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand, nor is it to be considered financial advice. Source link
20 February 2026
Artificial intelligence is a stock market blessing. It’s also a curse.
Listen & Subscribe Choose your preferred player: For questions about subscriptions or your Slate Plus feed, check our FAQ. Please enable javascript to get your Slate Plus feeds. Get Your Slate Plus Podcast If you can’t access your feeds, please contact customer support. Thanks! Check your phone for a link to finish setting up your feed. Please enter a valid phone number. Listen on your phone:RECOMMENDED Enter your phone number and we’ll text you a link to set up the podcast in your app: Text me the link! We’ll only text you about setting up this podcast, no spam. Listen on your computer: Apple Podcasts will only work on MacOS operating systems since Catalina. We do not support Android apps on desktop at this time. Listen on your device:RECOMMENDED These links will only work if you’re on the device you listen to podcasts on. We are showing you options for a computer but if you’re on a phone or tablet We are showing you options for a phone or a tablet but if you’re on a computer, click here. If you still have questions about subscriptions or your Slate Plus Feed, check our FAQ. We’re sorry, but something went wrong while fetching your podcast feeds. Please contact us at plus@slate.com for help. Episode Notes Tech companies proudly touting that the imminent artificial intelligence revolution are pushing the stock market to ever higher heights, even as workers wonder what their role will be in this brave new world. But outside of the big A.I. players, the rest of the market seems to be wondering the same thing. Guest: Emily Peck, co-host of Slate Money and national correspondent at Axios. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your
20 February 2026
BTC/USD Analysis: Are the Bulls Stirring?
According to media reports, Bitcoin’s fall from its all-time high in October 2025 to February’s low near $60k triggered the largest outflow from spot Bitcoin ETF funds since their launch in January 2024. Glassnode data show that more than 100,000 BTC were withdrawn from these funds in January alone, though the total remains substantial, with roughly 1.25 million coins still held on balance sheets. Analysing trading volumes on Coinbase, however, reveals a trend of declining activity (as indicated by the arrow). From a long-term perspective, this may suggest the ETF outflow trend is easing, potentially allowing the market to resume its multi-year uptrend. How plausible is this scenario? Technical Analysis of BTC/USD Bitcoin’s price fluctuations are currently compressing between the thick lines on the chart – a sign of market stabilisation, where supply and demand appear balanced. Notable bullish patterns include: A double bottom (A1–B1) on 11–12 February, aligning with the lower boundary of the long-term descending channel. A second double bottom (A2–B2) on 18–19 February, featuring a slightly lower secondary low. In the short term, traders might anticipate a rebound towards the upper boundary of the triangle. While the descending channel remains relevant, a decisive bullish break of this consolidation pattern would signal improving sentiment in the crypto market following February’s panic selling. FXOpen offers the world’s most popular cryptocurrency CFDs*, including Bitcoin and Ethereum. Floating spreads, 1:2 leverage — at your service (additional fees may apply). Open your trading account now or learn more about crypto CFD trading with FXOpen. *Important: At FXOpen UK, Cryptocurrency trading via CFDs is only available to our Professional clients. They are not available for trading by Retail clients. To find out more information about how this may affect you, please get in touch with our team. This article represents the opinion of
20 February 2026
Is Pfizer Stock the Only Big Pharma Name I’d Buy and Hold Through Any Market Crash?
New products are already generating growth. Pfizer (PFE 1.86%) is the name behind one of the world’s top-selling products: the coronavirus vaccine. It brought in more than $37 billion at its peak in 2022 and helped the company achieve $100 billion in annual revenue. Since that time, demand for coronavirus vaccines has declined, and Pfizer also faces the loss of exclusivity of certain older blockbuster drugs. But this pharma giant is managing this transition period well and may be heading into a new era of growth. Is Pfizer stock the only big pharma name I’d buy and hold through any market crash? Let’s find out. Image source: Getty Images. Losing exclusivity As mentioned, Pfizer looked different a few years ago than it does today. The company generated an enormous amount of revenue from the coronavirus vaccine as well as some of its older blockbusters, such as blood thinner Eliquis and breast cancer drug Ibrance. But these products no longer represent major growth for Pfizer. The former has seen a decline in demand, and the latter, as well as others, face patent expiration. Pfizer saw this coming and prepared. The pharma company realigned costs to reflect the coronavirus vaccine revenue opportunity and shifted its focus to in-house research and development as well as growth through acquisition. In fact, key acquisitions may help supercharge growth as of now and into the coming years. Pfizer’s purchase of Seagen offered it several commercialized drugs, including Padcev for bladder cancer — that product has been delivering double-digit growth and reached blockbuster status, generating more than $1 billion in annual revenue. The pharma giant has put a focus on oncology, and the Seagen purchase helped it gather momentum in this area. Today’s Change (-1.86%) $-0.51 Current Price $26.86 Key Data Points Market Cap $153B Day’s Range
20 February 2026
SK Hynix jumps on BlackRock’s 5% stake disclosure, lifts Kospi above 5,800
SK Hynix Inc., the second-largest company by market value on South Korea’s main exchange, surged Friday after BlackRock Inc., the world’s largest asset manager, disclosed a 5% stake in the chipmaker, helping lift the Kospi index above 5,800 for the first time. SK Hynix rose 6.2% to 949,000 won ($656.29), surpassing its previous intraday high of 931,000 won set on Jan. 30. The gain followed a regulatory filing showing that BlackRock holds 36,407,157 shares, equivalent to a 5% stake, in the company. Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., which also disclosed a 5% BlackRock stake, advanced 5.3%. KOSPI ENDS ABOVE 5,800 As SK Hynix, with the second-largest market capitalization, rallied, the benchmark Kospi index climbed 2.3% to close at 5,808.53. Samsung Electronics Co., the market’s largest component and bellwether stock, edged up 0.1% to 190,100 won. The index opened 0.4% higher at 5,696.89 and extended gains throughout the session. It now stands within about 3.3% of the 6,000 level. (Courtesy of Yonhap) Institutional investors were net buyers of 1.61 trillion won, offsetting net sales of 986.1 billion won by retail investors and 743.0 billion won by foreign investors, according to data from the Korea Exchange. The country’s junior Kosdaq index fell 0.6% to 1,154.00. KEY EXPORT SECTORS DRAW INFLOWS Analysts attributed the rally to sustained inflows into large-cap stocks and resilience across key export sectors, including chipmakers and defense firms. Defense shares advanced as geopolitical tensions heightened on reports that the US may consider military options in response to stalled nuclear talks with Iran. Hanwha Aerospace Co. rose 8.1%, Hanwha Systems Co. gained 9.5%, and Hyundai Rotem Co. added 4.8%. Large passive fund inflows into the domestic market have continued, said Lee Kyung-min, an analyst at Daishin Securities Co. “The Kospi was able to withstand global market uncertainty on the back of strong
20 February 2026
UK retail sales surge 1.8% in January, strongest since May 2024
UK retail sales volumes jumped 1.8% mom in January, far exceeding expectations of 0.2% and marking the largest monthly increase since May 2024. The rebound suggests consumers began the year on firmer footing despite broader concerns over slowing growth. On an annual basis, sales volumes rose 4.5% yoy, pointing to solid underlying demand. Over the three months to January, volumes edged up 0.1% compared with the prior three-month period and were 2.6% higher than a year earlier, indicating steady momentum rather than a one-off spike. The data offer a counterbalance to recent signs of labor market softening and cooling inflation. While markets continue to price a March rate cut from BoE, resilient consumer spending may temper expectations for an aggressive easing cycle, particularly if inflation remains sticky in services. Full UK retail sales release here. Source link
20 February 2026
Investors pour record sums into European stocks
Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. Global investors are pouring record sums into European equities, as a desire to reduce exposure to the US meets growing optimism over the state of the region’s economy. European stocks are headed for their highest ever monthly inflows in February, following two consecutive record weekly flows of about $10bn, according to data from EPFR, which tracks ETF and mutual fund flows. The continent’s blue-chip Stoxx Europe 600 index has punched through a series of record highs this month, as have indices in the UK, France and Spain. European bourses have benefited from big investors’ desire to diversify away from Wall Street and its massive technology sector, which has been buffeted this year by concerns over a potential AI bubble. “It’s a lot of global investors wanting to diversify away from an expensive US market,” said Sharon Bell, senior equities strategist at Goldman Sachs, adding this was particularly the case for US-based investors looking overseas. “Europe as an equity market offers a different exposure . . . there’s less tech.” Some content could not load. Check your internet connection or browser settings. A rotation in stock market leadership away from the AI giants has boosted European markets with their heavy weighting to “old economy” sectors such as banks and natural resources. The booming demand for physical assets has propelled the UK’s FTSE 100 almost 7 per cent higher this year, with stocks such as Weir Group and Antofagasta up more than 20 per cent. Much of the cash has flowed to funds exposed to non-US markets, rather than funds tracking Europe specifically, amid fears that global portfolios have become overly dominated by expensive AI-linked stocks. That diversification has powered a host of other global markets ahead
20 February 2026
Want Decades of Passive Income? 2 Stocks to Buy Now and Hold Forever.
Some investors are in the market to achieve outsize returns. This might push them to earlier-stage and higher-risk companies. On the other end of the spectrum are investors who want the businesses that they own to write them a check every quarter. They might not necessarily care about outperforming the broader stock market over the long term. If decades of passive income is something that you’re after, then consider these two stocks to buy now and hold forever. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks » Image source: Getty Images. First on the list is Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO), which dominates the non-alcoholic ready-to-drink market on a global level with its more than 200 different beverages. The board of directors is expected to increase the quarterly payout this month, which would mark 64 consecutive years of a hike. This is a phenomenal streak that makes the stock a Dividend King. Today, the dividend yield is 2.59%. Coca-Cola’s dividend payout has risen by 46% over the last 10 years. Investors can get behind that kind of track record. This is one of the most stable companies out there. Demand is durable, whether we’re in a recession or experiencing robust economic growth. That’s because these are small drink purchases, which consumers have built a habit around. The company’s brand can’t be overlooked. It supports Coca-Cola’s leading position in the industry. And even more importantly, it helps drive ongoing pricing power. This favorable characteristic is perhaps one of the main reasons why the company has been a top holding in Berkshire Hathaway‘s portfolio. A key part of Coca-Cola’s strategy is to outsource bottling and distribution to third parties. This results in
20 February 2026
USD/CHF Carves a Bottom after Reaching 14-Year Lows
2025 was the year of the Swiss Franc, and there were quite a few reasons. De-dollarization, flows moving towards Europe, the Yen losing some of its Safe-Haven characteristics amid fiscal trouble in Japan, and general diversification towards quality as the World faces troubled times ahead. Reaching 14-year lows less than a month ago, USD/CHF had become a bear dream for those who thrive on Dollar outflows. 2025 began with a 17% decline in the Major pair and was at the center of the essential themes driving FX flows. But as Dollar bearish positioning also reaches decade lows, some questions regarding the extended moves are arising. If the US Dollar finds reasons to catch a serious bid, troubled times could be coming ahead for heavy Greenback-Short sellers. A question evoked in our recent Dollar Index analysis. Dollar Bear Positioning is at Extremes – Source: Bank of America Survey With safe havens like Gold and Silver seeing sudden outflows at the end of last month, coinciding with Kevin Warsh’s appointment as head of the Federal Reserve, the appeal of these no and low-yielding assets is being called into question. And the Swiss Franc is no stranger to such. Switzerland is a victim of quite heavy deflationary pressures, with its currency strengthening (hurting Swiss exports) and the rougher US trade policies, which exacerbate a fundamentally low-inflation regime. Swiss Inflation – Courtesy of Trading Economics After reaching a new deal, trade is seemingly bouncing back, but pressure remains on the Swiss National Bank. The latest inflation report showed a modest 0.1% increase, but if inflation doesn’t show a material increase in the coming few reports, the Central Bank might be forced to turn to negative rates. And such come at high costs. In the meantime, USD/CHF has carved out a pretty strong bottom in
20 February 2026
The Stock Market Just Did Something That Hasn’t Been Witnessed Since the Dot-Com Bubble Burst in 2000 — and the Message Couldn’t Be Clearer
Wall Street’s bull market rally may be running on borrowed time. For much of the last seven years, the bulls have been in firm control on Wall Street. The iconic S&P 500 (^GSPC 0.28%) has gained at least 16% in all but one year since 2019. Meanwhile, the ageless Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI 0.54%) just eclipsed 50,000 for the first time in its nearly 130-year history, and the technology-driven Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC 0.31%) has consistently delivered outsize returns. There has been no shortage of catalysts fueling this upside, including the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI), the advent of quantum computing, the prospect of additional interest rate cuts, and record share buyback activity from S&P 500 companies. Image source: Getty Images. But if history has proven anything, it’s that when things seem too good to be true for the stock market, they often are. The benchmark S&P 500 just did something that investors haven’t witnessed in more than a quarter century — and there’s no mistaking the message behind this event. This hasn’t been observed since the dot-com bubble burst Before going any further, it’s worth pointing out that historical correlations can’t guarantee short-term directional moves in the Dow, S&P 500, or Nasdaq Composite. Nevertheless, some events have statistically correlated very strongly with directional moves in Wall Street’s major stock indexes. It’s these historical correlations that tend to raise eyebrows among investors. One historically correlated indicator of intrigue concerns S&P 500 drawdowns. Using data from Bloomberg Finance, investing podcast The Compound labeled every instance since 2000 in which 115 (or more) of the 500 companies that comprise the benchmark index endured at least a 7% single-session drawdown over a rolling eight-day trading period. This is incredible: At least 115 S&P 500 stocks have dropped -7% or more in a single
20 February 2026
US Stock Market Could Be Losing Edge to International Stocks, 2 Stats Show
Global markets’ pecking order could be shifting. That’s the fear being voiced by more investors in recent months as doubts swirl around American exceptionalism — the idea that investors can expect better returns on US assets relative to international markets. The US’s dominance in global markets has been the historical precedent, but talk about America losing its edge has been rising over the past year as investors take stock of risks like higher inflation, more debt, and increasing geopolitical tensions. More investors also appear to be turning their attention to other areas around the world, particularly as the US stocks battle continued selling pressure. Here are two stats that illustrate how the US could already be losing its edge. Every time Jennifer publishes a story, you’ll get an alert straight to your inbox! Stay connected to Jennifer and get more of their work as it publishes. 1. The US stock market is seeing its worst start to the year in decades The S&P 500‘s year-to-date performance is lagging behind the MSCI World Index by the most in at least 30 years, the bank said, citing its historical analysis since 1995. The US has already been lagging global markets for the past year, hedge fund manager Rob Citrone noted when speaking to CNBC about his outlook for US markets this week. In the year leading up to last Friday, he said that the gains in dollar-based assets have been the weakest when compared to 19 other markets around the world. “The US is 20th out of 20,” Citrone said, adding that gains in the US market fell around 30% short of the gains in emerging markets in the last year. “That’s a significant difference.” 2. Global investors are rotating out of US stocks at a record pace Global investors shifted away from US
20 February 2026
NZ trade deficit at NZD -519m as China flows diverge
New Zealand’s goods exports rose 2.6% yoy in January to NZD 6.2B, up NZD 157m from a year earlier. Goods imports increased 1.9% yoy to NZD 6.7B, up NZD 126m. The result was a monthly trade deficit of NZD -519m. By destination, export performance was mixed. Shipments to China, New Zealand’s largest trading partner, fell NZD -118m (-7.0%) yoy. In contrast, exports to Australia jumped NZD 134M (+20%), while flows to the EU (+16%) and Japan (+11%) also posted solid gains. Exports to the US were broadly flat. On the import side, China led the increase, with imports surging NZD 346m (+24%) yoy. South Korea also recorded a strong rise (+36%), while imports from the EU edged higher. Meanwhile, purchases from the US (-17%) and Australia (-8.1%) declined. The data suggest stable overall trade volumes but highlight shifting bilateral flows, particularly with China, which may have implications for growth in coming months. Full NZ trade balance release here. Source link
20 February 2026
Microsoft or Alphabet: Which Stock Is More Likely to Be a Millionaire Maker?
One of these companies’ services appears to be losing relevance. The other seems to be gaining it. There’s no doubt that both Microsoft (MSFT 0.09%) and Alphabet (GOOG 0.18%) (GOOGL 0.20%) have turned plenty of investors into millionaires. But, for anyone that doesn’t own either one yet, which is the more likely stock to do the same for a newcomer today? It’s got to be Alphabet. Here’s why. Why not Microsoft? If you already own Microsoft, you’re hardly doomed. Windows remains the dominant name in computer operating systems. Its cloud computing business remains a healthy cash cow as well. It’s losing ground on a couple of important fronts, though. One of them is the all-important artificial intelligence (AI). Image source: Getty Images. Tepid interest in the software giant’s AI-powered personal assistant known as Copilot illustrates this point. Whereas the 450 million people paying for cloud-based access to its personal productivity platform, Microsoft 365, could easily add access to the higher-performance premium version of Copilot, only 15 million subscribers have actually done so. While it’s not a devastating number, given Windows’ position as PC-based gatekeeper to the worldwide web for most of the world’s internet users, while Microsoft Office remains a go-to personal productivity software suite, it’s an alarmingly poor metric. Meanwhile, even the free version of Copilot only boasts a market share of 1% of the traffic that free-to-use AI-powered chat-based assistants are drawing, according to data from SimilarWeb. For perspective, ChatGPT continues to dominate this arena with a market share of nearly two-thirds, while Google’s Gemini accounts for about one-fifth of this technology’s user requests. Today’s Change (-0.09%) $-0.36 Current Price $398.33 Key Data Points Market Cap $3.0T Day’s Range $396.68 – $404.41 52wk Range $344.79 – $555.45 Volume 1.3M Avg Vol 31M Gross Margin 68.59% Dividend Yield 0.85%
20 February 2026
2 AI Stocks to Buy Before They Soar 37% and 108%, According to Wall Street Analysts
Artificial intelligence (AI) stocks have been big winners on the stock market in recent years, which isn’t surprising, as the fast-growing adoption of this technology has accelerated the growth of several companies. The good news is that AI adoption isn’t going to slow down anytime soon. According to one estimate, the global AI market could clock an annual growth rate of 31% through 2033, generating almost $3.5 trillion in revenue by the end of the forecast period. As such, top AI stocks remain worth buying even now, which is why we are going to take a closer look at the prospects of Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) and SoundHound AI (NASDAQ: SOUN). Will AI create the world’s first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an “Indispensable Monopoly” providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » Analysts expect these two stocks to deliver healthy gains in the coming year. Let’s see why that’s the case. Image source: Nvidia. Nvidia has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the AI revolution in recent years, becoming the world’s biggest company on the back of robust demand for its chips that power AI workloads in data centers. The good part is that the stock still has room to run higher, according to analysts. The stock has a median 12-month price target of $250, according to 74 analysts covering it, suggesting a potential jump of 37% from current levels. It is worth noting that 91% of the analysts covering Nvidia rate it as a buy. That’s not surprising, as Nvidia remains the top player in the AI chip market even after all these years. It commands an impressive 81% of the AI chip market, putting it in a solid position to make the most of the huge investments in
20 February 2026
二手放盤量年蒸發萬宗 提防升市加速
本月全港二手住宅放售單位降至28,669伙，按年大減9,991伙或25%。(資料圖片) 農曆新年在即，傳統上本港樓市會在農曆年後出現「小陽春」。惟有數據指，二手盤源在樓市重回升軌下正加速萎縮，過去1年放盤量蒸發近萬宗，並已連跌12個月，並創6年新低，而黃埔花園叫價「4字頭」的放盤已絕跡，甚至重現次級單位亦被吸納的情況。分析認為，樓市有機會出現「供不應求」現象，提防升市提速。 中原地產網站數據顯示，本月全港二手住宅放售單位降至28,669伙，較去年同期38,660伙大減9,991伙，跌幅達25%。放盤量已連跌12個月，重返2021年1月水平，創近6年新低。若以規模比較，過去一年蒸發的二手盤源數量，相當於一個大型屋苑，如近期熱賣新盤西沙「SIERRA SEA」全數落成後約9千伙，足見盤源流失龐大。 港府2024年2月全面撤辣前，二手放盤量曾高企4萬伙水平，隨著美國進入減息周期，加上樓市政策見效，樓市成交轉旺，二手盤源去年12月跌穿3萬伙，本月進一步回落。 以十大屋苑為例，2月放盤量僅1,275個，按年少34%，當中放盤量不足100個的屋苑，由1個增至6個，其中紅磡黃埔花園最缺盤，僅45個，大減57%，目前黃埔花園入場費要548萬元。 中原地產亞太區副主席兼住宅部總裁陳永傑指，交投暢旺，加上部分業主看好後市選擇封盤觀望，不少租客亦「轉租為買」，進一步收緊二手盤源。在供應緊張下，過去乏人問津單位亦被市場消化，包括極低層、無電梯直達及曾發生事故物業，反映「揀無可揀」下買家退而求其次。 陳永傑又指，二手缺盤與一手庫存回落，反映樓市復甦步伐加快。在供求轉趨緊張下，樓價升幅有機會進一步擴大。部分買家憂慮「遲買更貴」，加快入市步伐。他預計，年內二手放盤量或跌至不足2.5萬伙水平，屆時市場將出現更明顯的供不應求局面。 原文刊登於 AM730 Source link
16 February 2026
【新聞點評】羅嘉瑞收美國租 買香港樓
近日打開報紙地產版，經常看到的新聞是「羅嘉瑞買樓」。說的是鷹君（00041）主席羅嘉瑞醫生家族，自去年起成為「樓市大好友」，累計掃入80多個物業，涉資逾12億元。 不少人疑惑，羅醫生何以對樓市充滿信心？他又為何猶如擁有無限彈藥？事實上，身為老牌「富二代」，羅嘉瑞固然「家底厚」，最近幾年單是從鷹君收取股息，已「淨袋」逾20億元。值得留意的是，鷹君最大收入來源是北美酒店業務，所以羅嘉瑞堪稱為「收美國租，買香港樓」。 據本報地產版統計，羅嘉瑞家族去年在港購入多達65伙住宅物業，包括58伙新盤單位，兼且往往「大手掃貨」，例如豪擲2.33億元認購黃竹坑滶晨15個單位，以及斥1.2億元購買元朗錦上路柏瓏11個單位等等。埋單計數，羅嘉瑞家族在2025年向樓市投入接近11億元，無疑是城中「大好友」之一，特別是被很多發展商銷售部門視為「財神爺」。 踏入2026年，羅嘉瑞家族並未放慢步伐，繼續維持掃貨頻率，包括在啟德HENLEY和將軍澳日出康城分別購入9伙單位，合計達到18伙，耗資約1.5億元。換句話說，自去年至今，羅嘉瑞家族至少買入83個住宅物業，涉資達12.5億元。 不少市場人士疑惑，羅醫生家族為何猶如擁有無限彈藥？事實上，今年79歲的羅嘉瑞屬老牌「富二代」，是上世紀富商、鷹君創辦人羅鷹石之三子，早年在美國康奈爾大學取得醫學博士學位，並曾在密歇根大學醫院擔任心血管專科醫生。及至1980年代，羅嘉瑞奉召返港，獲安排接掌家族業務，並自2006年起擔任鷹君主席。換言之，身為本港百年富商家族之第二代掌舵人，羅嘉瑞自然「家底厚」。 今年79歲的羅嘉瑞（左圖）屬老牌「富二代」，其家族頻繁「掃貨」，如去年擲2.33億元購入黃竹坑滶晨（上圖）15伙。（資料圖片） 單計上市公司旗艦鷹君，目前市值約128億元。根據該公司年報，羅嘉瑞本身在鷹君持股逾21%，並透過家族信託持有約42%股權。換句話說，據粗略估算，考慮到其他家族成員的權益後，羅嘉瑞在鷹君至少佔有逾40%股權。此外，鷹君旗下還有另外兩家上市公司冠君產業（00778）和朗廷酒店（01270），皆由羅嘉瑞掌控及擔任主席。 同時，鷹君作為高息股，目前孳息率達5.3厘。據統計，該公司自2018年至今累斥逾50億元派發股息。這意味着身為大股東的羅嘉瑞，這幾年單是從鷹君收取股息，據估計已「淨袋」逾20億元，難怪他有這麼多彈藥在樓市掃貨。 值得留意，鷹君作為成立於1963年的本港老牌地產商，自八十年代起在羅嘉瑞帶領下，持續推動業務多元化轉型，現時大部分收入來自海外，特別是北美地區，當中包括在世界各地擁有及管理30多家豪華酒店。根據鷹君2025年中期業績，該公司期內酒店業務收入達23.9億元，佔總收入（40億元）60%。其中，來自紐約、芝加哥、波士頓、華盛頓、多倫多等北美城市的酒店收入貢獻最多，合計達13.4億元，按年增長5.6%。此外，澳洲/紐西蘭和歐洲地區的酒店業務收入，亦分別達3.6億和3.4億元。 尤其是美國近年經濟向好，去年第三季GDP增長達4.4%，當地酒店業亦持續暢旺。據CoStar統計，美國去年豪華酒店（luxury hotel）平均房價增長達5%，今年據估計亦將進一步增長逾4%，特別是可望受到6至7月上演的世界盃（由美國、加拿大、墨西哥聯合主辦）帶動。由此角度看，北美酒店業務可說是鷹君一大「現金牛」，並將繼續為羅嘉瑞醫生貢獻豐厚的股息收入。 換句話說，羅嘉瑞醫生某程度上「收美國租，買香港樓」，堪稱為「兩邊對沖，分散風險」。在此格局下，今後不論是「東升西降」抑或「西升東降」，羅醫生皆有望從中受惠，能夠笑到最後。 當然，反過來看，身為在北美、歐洲、澳洲等各地經營實業生意的跨國商人，羅醫生肯定具有獨到之國際視野，但他依然選擇在香港樓市做「大好友」，尤其是最近一年多頻繁「瞓身掃貨」，底裏相信反映了他對環球局勢的判斷，特別是對本港長遠經濟前景具有高度信心（high conviction），才會如此押下重注。 亦如上文提到，羅嘉瑞最近幾年單是從鷹君收息已「袋」逾20億元，兼且作為百年富商家族掌舵人，彈藥肯定非常充沛。根據最新消息，該家族1月份已在樓市掃貨至少18伙，勢頭未見稍緩，似乎今年依然馬不停蹄入貨，累計耗資金額有機會超過20億元。由此看來，羅醫生今年仍將是地產版新聞標題的常客，部分讀者或會覺得「睇到悶」，對於市場卻屬佳音，其象徵意義值得持續密切關注。 「如欲閱讀周二至周五高天佑「新聞點評」全文，請即訂閱《信報》https://subscribe.hkej.com/」 高天佑 Source link
15 February 2026
50指標屋苑買賣按周減30% 近四周最少 利嘉閣：盤源未及補充｜樓市數據
50指標屋苑買賣按周減30% 近四周最少 利嘉閣：盤源未及補充｜樓市數據 利嘉閣地產研究部主管陳海潮表示，二手指標屋苑交投經過連周衝刺後，在盤源未及補充下，上周暫且稍作喘息回氣，但仍能維持在逾百宗的相對高水平，反映整體市底十分穩健。綜合利嘉閣地產分行數據所得，全港50個指標屋苑於上周（2/2—8/2）共錄120宗買賣個案，較前周（26/1—1/2）的172宗減少30%，為近四周最少。 50指標屋苑買賣按周減30% 近四周最少 利嘉閣：盤源未及補充｜樓市數據 按地區劃分，上周港島、九龍及新界三區交投量全線減少，當中以港島區的減幅最顯著，該區8個指標屋苑上周共錄18宗買賣，較前周的31宗減少42%，其中杏花村交投量由前周的7宗，大減86%至上周的1宗；太古城上周錄得4宗成交，較前周的12宗減少67%；南豐新村、鯉景灣及嘉亨灣分別錄得1宗至2宗交投，較周減幅各達50%。 新界區方面，21個指標屋苑上周共錄44宗買賣，較前周的67宗減少34%，其中銀湖‧天峰及錦繡花園各自僅錄1宗成交，分別按周減少67%及86%；柏慧豪園交投量由前周的5宗，減少60%至上周的2宗；名城及嘉湖山莊分別錄得3宗及8宗買賣，按周各自減少40%及43%；沙田第一城及藍天海岸各錄6宗及3宗交投，分別按周減少14%及25%。 50指標屋苑買賣按周減30% 近四周最少 利嘉閣：盤源未及補充｜樓市數據 至於，九龍區21個指標屋苑上周共錄58宗交投，較前周的74減少22%，當中匯景花園交投量由前周的4宗，減少75%至上周的1宗；海逸豪園及麗港城期內分別錄得2宗及5宗交投，按周各自減少67%及64%；維景灣畔上周錄得3宗買賣，較前周的5宗減少40%；美孚新邨期內錄得9宗成交，按周減幅達25%；新都城及都會駅各錄4宗交投，分別按周減少20%。此外，在全港50個指標屋苑之中，上周共有9個屋苑錄得「零成交」，較前周的8個增加13%，當中九龍區及新界區分別佔2個及7個屋苑，港島區則全線屋苑均有錄得成交。 50指標屋苑買賣按周減30% 近四周最少 利嘉閣：盤源未及補充｜樓市數據 陳海潮指出，踏入農曆新年前的最後一周，不少業市及準買家已陸續收兵，預備賀歲及出外旅遊，估計本周的指標屋苑買賣會漸次縮減，甚或回落至百宗以下；不過，此乃新年前後一周常見的正常淡市現象，相信月底待財政預算案公布後，三月開始市場會再度熱鬧起來，屆時一手新盤及二手屋苑將再現旺勢，整體首季展望仍較樂觀。 原文刊登於 AM730 Source link
14 February 2026
Barcelona’s latest signing gets the ‘Here we Go’
1 La Liga champions Barcelona have secured a deal for a fresh addition to the club’s youth team setup. This comes amid confirmation of the Blaugrana having tied up an agreement with Norwich City, over the signing of Ajay Tavares. The name of youngster Tavares had long emerged as a prominent one in the media headlines surrounding Barcelona. Building for himself a reputation as one of English football’s next breakthrough young talents, the starlet was earmarked as a transfer target by a number of leading clubs from across the continent. It was the Blaugrana, though, who were labelled as the frontrunners to strike a deal, owing chiefly to Tavares’ keenness on the move. And as alluded to above, late this week, the Camp Nou brass have landed their man. As per a report from market insider Fabrizio Romano, 16-year-old winger Tavares is primed to fly out to Spain this weekend, to pen terms with Barcelona. 🚨💙❤️ Barcelona sealed deal to sign Norwich 2009 born talent Ajay Tavares after verbal agreement in January! Tavares had already rejected German clubs approaches, only Barça. Ajay will travel on Sunday and undergo medical on Monday, as @monfortcarlos reports. ✈️ pic.twitter.com/zRToR7hIDe — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano)
21 February 2026
Premier League Predictions: Gameweek 27
We’ve enjoyed FA Cup magic and Champions League knockout stage drama since the Premier League last graced our television screens. But the English top flight returns with a vengeance this weekend, with its title race emboldened by the division’s worst outfit. Wolverhampton Wanderers’ fightback on Wednesday night has added extra spice and tension to Sunday’s North London Derby, which is the highlight fixture of the round. However, it’s not merely Arsenal’s visit to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium that will intrigue and enthral. Here’s how Sports Illustrated predicts the upcoming games will play out. Aston Villa vs. Leeds United Brentford vs. Brighton & Hove Albion Chelsea vs. Burnley West Ham United vs. Bournemouth Manchester City vs. Newcastle United Crystal Palace vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers Nottingham Forest vs. Liverpool Sunderland vs. Fulham Tottenham Hotspur vs. Arsenal Everton vs. Manchester United Premier League Predictions: Gameweek 27 Aston Villa vs. Leeds United This is a big game for both teams at opposite ends of the table. | Visionhaus/Getty Images Date: Saturday, Feb. 21 Time: 3 p.m. GMT / 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT The absence of a Saturday lunchtime kick-off means the action gets underway at 3 p.m. this weekend, and there’s a
21 February 2026
Breaking down the €70,500 in fines for Barcelona and Slavia Prague
Disciplinary case opened after Slavia Prague match Breaking down the €70,500 in fines for Barcelona and Slavia Prague UEFA fined Barcelona €30,500 after crowd trouble and a late kick-off during Champions League game against Slavia Prague. Advertisement Why Barcelona were punished UEFA have imposed financial penalties on Barcelona following incidents during their Champions League match against Slavia Prague on 21 January. The sanctions relate to the second to last round of the league phase. UEFA confirmed that Barcelona were fined €30,500 for two separate breaches of competition rules. Details of the fine Barcelona received a €15,500 fine after their supporters set off fireworks inside the stadium. The club were also fined €15,000 for the late arrival of the team to the pitch before kick-off. Advertisement According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, the delay was linked to head coach Hansi Flick. The report added that Flick received warning and could face further action from UEFA’s disciplinary committee if similar incidents happen again. Slavia Prague also sanctioned Slavia Prague were also punished by UEFA and fined €40,000 in total. The Czech club received €20,000 for preventing fans from leaving the stadium and another €20,000 for fireworks used by supporters. Source link
21 February 2026
‘Premier League Mornings Live’ will broadcast from Tampa this spring
(L-R) ‘Premier League Mornings Live’ hosts Robbie Mustoe, Robbie Earle, Rebecca Lowe and Tim Howard in Orlando, Florida on Jan. 22, 2023. Credit: PLinUSA / X On nearly Saturday morning in America, a bunch of fanatic Anglophiles get up during graveyard hours to watch Premier League football in their pajamas. The ones that live in the Tampa Bay area are actually gonna have to put on some clothes come April. NBC’s “Premier League Mornings Live” is making its 12th appearance in the United States this spring, with plans to pop-up in Tampa Heights for matchday 33. There’s quite the slate of matches planned that weekend, which marks just 36 days before the 282-day Premier League season wraps (there are no playoffs in the contest, with the championship going to whoever sits at the top of the table when the dust settles on May 24). Times for the contests are to-be-determined, but Manchester City and Arsenal are set to face off in a game that could very well decide the Premier League title. At the time of this publication, City, which won a treble in the 2022-23 season, trails league leader Gunners by just five points. In September 2024, when “Premier
21 February 2026
Premier League GW27 Betting Tips: North London Derby, Man City vs Newcastle & Forest vs Liverpool Predictions
Premier League GW27 betting tips including North London Derby prediction, Man City vs Newcastle odds, Forest vs Liverpool picks and best bets. Premier League Gameweek 27 delivers three high-profile fixtures with major betting interest, headlined by Manchester City vs Newcastle, Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool, and Tottenham vs Arsenal. Below are our GW27 betting tips and predictions, focusing on projected game script, tactical matchups, market pricing, and where value may exist across moneylines, totals, and derivative markets. This article accompanies our full GW27 Premier League betting video and podcast, providing a structured written breakdown for bettors preparing ahead of kickoff. Quick Betting Overview (GW27) Man City vs Newcastle: Possession control vs transition threat Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool: Tempo management vs attacking depth Tottenham vs Arsenal: Derby intensity with tactical balance Tools & Resources Premier League Cheat Sheets – Predicted Lineups, Odds, Stats RotoWire Soccer Betting Pages – Odds Comparisons, Futures Predicted & Confirmed Premier League Lineups – 75 Minutes Before KO Injuries & News – Player Updates After Friday Press Conferences Watch: GW27 Premier League Betting Picks Listen: Full GW27 Betting Podcast GW27 Match-by-Match Predictions We break down all three fixtures with game script expectations, betting leans, and total outlooks. Manchester
21 February 2026
Premier League preview, team news, kick-off time & how to watch
Chelsea host Burnley at Stamford Bridge looking to get back to winning ways in the Premier League. Head coach Liam Rosenior remains unbeaten in the league in charge of Chelsea – winning four, drawing one – and will be keen to extend his positive start. Leeds United denied Chelsea of a fifth straight league win last time out after coming from two goals down to claim a draw at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have had eight days to rest, recover and prepare for Burnley’s visit after their 4-0 win over Hull City in the FA Cup. It’s the longest Rosenior has had with his side since taking over at Chelsea at the beginning of January, a vital period to analyse his opening month or so with the Blues. IMAGO / Every Second Media Marc Cucurella will be unavailable after his hamstring injury against Leeds is set to keep him sidelined for at least a few weeks. Reece James returned from illness and injury against Hull and is expected to start for the final game of February. “We know Burnley will come here fighting for points as well, and hungry to get something going in their fight against relegation,” previewed James in
21 February 2026
Serie A | Sassuolo 3-0 Verona – Talisman Berardi propels Neroverdi into 8th
Italian winger Domenico Berardi scored a brace in Sassuolo’s 3-0 win over Verona on Friday evening, with a result that sends the Neroverdi up into eighth place in Serie A. Fabio Grosso’s side leapfrogged Bologna and Lazio to go temporarily 8th, pending the rest of the weekend’s fixtures. Lazio travel to Cagliari on Saturday night whilst Bologna host Udinese on Monday. Advertisement Verona arguably started the stronger of the two sides, as they sought just their third Serie A victory. SASSUOLO, ITALY – FEBRUARY 20: Victor Nelsson of Hellas Verona competes for the ball with Domenico Berardi of US Sassuolo during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo Calcio and Hellas Verona FC at Mapei Stadium Citta del Tricolore on February 20, 2026 in Sassuolo, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images) After about a quarter of an hour, Amin Sarr was quick to pounce on a loose rebound but the shot was blocked, before five minutes later, Verona January signing Kieron Bowie had a shot cleared off the line after a nice piece of play inside the Neroverdi box. Advertisement However, that was about it as far as Veronese optimism was concerned. Sassuolo 3-0 Verona – Neroverdi put Gialloblu to
20 February 2026
Tudor promises Spurs will avoid relegation but accepts club are in ‘emergency situation’ | Tottenham Hotspur
Igor Tudor has said Tottenham are in “an emergency situation” but issued a guarantee that his new team would escape relegation. Tudor is a veteran of short-term appointments and has performed rescue jobs at Udinese, Verona and Juventus. He offered a curt “100%” in response to questions on his confidence in Spurs’s survival. The Croat’s tenure begins on Sunday with a north London derby at home to the wobbling Premier League leaders, though a lengthy injury list leaves him with only 13 fit senior players. “What I saw this week was the quality of the players,” said Tudor, contracted until the end of the season after replacing the sacked Thomas Frank last weekend. “We have enormous quality in the squad.” A coach presiding over 12 remaining league matches, the Champions League being a lower priority with Spurs five points off the relegation zone, made no promises of living up to the club’s attacking traditions. “When you start pre-season and then you have 50 days in pre-season and you have 20 players, of course then we see the style,” Tudor said. “This is an emergency, an emergency situation, when you need to find fast what suits the 10 plus three players
20 February 2026
Real Madrid hit with fresh injury blow
La Liga leaders Real Madrid have on Friday been dealt a fresh blow on the personnel front. This comes amid confirmation that defensive star Dean Huijsen is set for an incoming spell on the sidelines. Real Madrid are of course primed to return to action on Saturday, when they make the trip to Pamplona to take on Osasuna. Advertisement Los Blancos’ travelling squad for the fixture, in turn, was unveiled earlier this evening. As expected, none of Éder Militão, Jude Bellingham or Rodrygo were anywhere to be seen, owing to respective fitness problems. The absence of the aforementioned Dean Huijsen, though, came as more of a surprise. Stopper Huijsen featured from the off in midweek, as Real Madrid put Benfica to the sword in the Champions League. The Spanish international, though, has since picked up what has been described simply as ‘a muscle injury’. Advertisement He is set for a spell of five to seven days on the sidelines, ahead of a race against time to feature in next week’s 2nd leg against Benfica. Conor Laird – GSFN Source link
20 February 2026
Who is the referee and VAR for the Premier League clash?
The officials have been confirmed for Chelsea’s Premier League clash against Burnley on Saturday afternoon. After a 4-0 win over Hull City in the FA Cup, Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior offered his players a period of leave to rest, recover and rejuvenate themselves ahead of a busy end to the season. It’s been a relentless 18 months for the Blues, who had a short break last summer after featuring in the Club World Cup, which they won in the United States. “I looked at the players’ schedule over the last 18 months, two years – and we’ve spoken about injuries and trying to maximise the availability of the group – and I actually encouraged the players to go and get some sun,” Rosenior said ahead of Burnley’s trip to Stamford Bridge. “They have been at it non-stop for 18 months and, sometimes, the best way to rejuvenate yourself, the best way to be fit and fresh, is to switch off and take some time.” IMAGO / NurPhoto Chelsea welcome a Burnley side fighting to retain their Premier League status. Scott Parker’s side are currently nine points adrift of safety. They suffered a shock FA Cup upset against Mansfield, but
20 February 2026
Cristiano Ronaldo’s son isn’t alone: Marcelo’s son also claims first title as Enzo Alves stars at 2026 U-17 Algarve Tournament, but not with Brazil
Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo have shaped modern soccer history with their achievements on the biggest stages, but now their sons are beginning to carve out their own paths in the game. At the 2026 Algarve Tournament, the spotlight naturally followed Cristiano Ronaldo Jr., yet another young name with a legendary surname quietly stole headlines by lifting his first international trophy — and doing so with a different national team than many expected. The tournament became a showcase of soccer’s next generation, with youth academies and national team structures pushing new talents into the limelight. While Ronaldo Jr. offered flashes of promise, it was Marcelo’s son, Enzo Alves, who delivered a decisive statement that hinted at a future star emerging beyond the shadow of his father. The Algarve International Tournament served as a key developmental step for Cristiano Ronaldo Jr., who represented the Portugal youth national team. He made an early impression in the opening match, coming on as a substitute against Japan and immediately adding attacking impetus. His first start came against the Netherlands, where he played roughly 45 minutes on the left wing. Analysts highlighted his improved tactical discipline, intelligent movement, and willingness to combine with teammates rather than
20 February 2026
Werder Bremen cancel US trip over ICE shooting concerns
German club Werder Bremen have cancelled a trip to the USA, citing concerns over “unrest” following a government immigration crackdown that left two people dead. The Bundesliga side had been planning to play friendly matches in Minnesota and Detroit in May. Two American citizens – Alex Pretti and Renee Good – were fatally shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Minnesota last month during ‘Operation Metro Surge’, sparking major protests across the US. A Werder spokesman told BBC Sport the Trump administration’s crackdown was among “sporting, economic and political reasons” that led to the club abandoning their plans. “Playing in a city where there is unrest and people have been shot does not fit with our values,” he said. “Furthermore, it was unclear to us which players would be able to enter the USA at all due to the stricter entry requirements.” The Trump administration has moved to tighten visa rules – implementing outright bans for some nationalities – citing national security as a reason. Werder’s struggles in the Bundesliga, where they are battling to avoid relegation, were also a factor, the spokesman added. “We are currently facing a very challenging sporting situation, which also makes planning such
20 February 2026
The 20 Best Premier League Midfielders of All Time—Ranked
Great midfielders are the lifeblood of any team. They’re the creators, the runners, the tacklers, the scorers—and everything in between. Some excel in one area, others in another, but nearly all contribute across the pitch, making them the beating heart of their teams. These 20 players—Sports Illustrated’s greatest midfielders in Premier League history—are a prime example: True maestros whose vision, skill, and influence helped define the league and elevate its most iconic clubs to the stature they enjoy today. 20. Bruno Fernandes Bruno Fernandes has been superb for United. | Neal Simpson/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images Bruno Fernandes is, for all intents and purposes, a modern-day Premier League icon. Few midfielders over the past decade—Kevin De Bruyne aside—have matched his impact in England, made all the more impressive by the fact he has spent his entire top-flight career carrying a generally underwhelming Manchester United side. A fierce, sometimes overzealous competitor and a truly elite playmaker and goalscorer, Fernandes has relentlessly recorded both goals and assists. With a stronger supporting cast, or indeed at a different team, his numbers might have been even higher. 19. James Milner James Milner is the most-capped player in Premier League history. | James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images You
20 February 2026
Real Madrid eyeing Owen Mira signing
2 La Liga giants Real Madrid have set their sights on the signature of a highly-regarded up-and-coming attacking talent. The player in the sights of the Blancos brass? Owen Mira. Mira, for his part, is a 16-year-old attacker who chiefly lines out on the left wing, before cutting inside onto his trusty right foot. He is currently plying his trade on the books of Granada, called up for reserve team duties despite his tender years. The starlet has long been hailed for his abilities in the final third, giving rise to transfer interest from not only Spain, but across much of Europe. And as alluded to above, at the front of the queue for Mira’s services with a view to the summer are none other than Real Madrid. As per a report from Marca, citing ESPN: ‘Real Madrid are negotiating the incorporation of the young winger, to strengthen their youth academy for next season.’ Conor Laird – GSFN Source link
20 February 2026
Lamine Yamal is shouldering too much responsibility at Barcelona as familiar holes in Hansi Flick’s game plan threaten to derail trophy hopes
Uncle Ben’s eternally wise ‘with great power comes great responsibility’ warning to Peter Parker, aka Spiderman, is also applicable to Lamine Yamal, a real life superhuman still at the beginning of his career. At the tender age of 18, the Barcelona wonderkid has already achieved more than most players dream of, and is held up as the beacon of excellence underpinning the Blaugrana’s bid for another era of domestic and European success. Just like the immortal Lionel Messi, Yamal is treated differently when he steps out onto a football pitch. Barcelona rely on the wiry winger to open games up, feeding him the ball at every opportunity in anticipation that something magical will happen. Yamal has embraced that responsibility admirably, often displaying maturity beyond his years. He is not supposed to be fighting the world on his own, though, which is how it has looked when watching Barca play in 2026. His great power only extends so far in a team sport. There will inevitably be days when things don’t come off for Yamal, and that is when Barca’s other star names have to step up. Lately, though, they’ve fallen woefully short. Hansi Flick’s side are in real danger of
20 February 2026
€40m Barcelona star wanted in Saudi Arabia this summer
2 A member of the midfield ranks at La Liga champions Barcelona is wanted in the Middle East with a view to next season. That’s according to Fichajes, who highlight Marc Casadó as the player in question. Youngster Casadó has of course seen speculation continue to swirl surrounding his name across the season to date. This comes with the Spanish international struggling to lock down a consistent starting berth for himself in Hansi Flick’s Barcelona midfield ranks. With the Blaugrana’s financial problems well documented, it has in turn been suggested that, for the right price, Casadó could be lured away from the Spotify Camp Nou. And as alluded to above, late this week, a new potential landing spot has been touted for the 22-year-old. As per a report from Spanish news outlet Fichajes, an unnamed Saudi Pro League club ‘are reportedly prepared to offer €40 million to secure his signing’. It is added that, for this fee, Barcelona would be willing to entertain negotiations over a sale. Conor Laird – GSFN Source link
20 February 2026
€40m Barcelona star wanted in Saudi Arabia this summer
A member of the midfield ranks at La Liga champions Barcelona is wanted in the Middle East with a view to next season. That’s according to Fichajes, who highlight Marc Casadó as the player in question. Advertisement Youngster Casadó has of course seen speculation continue to swirl surrounding his name across the season to date. This comes with the Spanish international struggling to lock down a consistent starting berth for himself in Hansi Flick’s Barcelona midfield ranks. With the Blaugrana’s financial problems well documented, it has in turn been suggested that, for the right price, Casadó could be lured away from the Spotify Camp Nou. And as alluded to above, late this week, a new potential landing spot has been touted for the 22-year-old. Advertisement As per a report from Spanish news outlet Fichajes, an unnamed Saudi Pro League club ‘are reportedly prepared to offer €40 million to secure his signing’. It is added that, for this fee, Barcelona would be willing to entertain negotiations over a sale. Conor Laird – GSFN Source link
20 February 2026
Real Madrid eyeing Owen Mira signing
La Liga giants Real Madrid have set their sights on the signature of a highly-regarded up-and-coming attacking talent. The player in the sights of the Blancos brass? Owen Mira. Mira, for his part, is a 16-year-old attacker who chiefly lines out on the left wing, before cutting inside onto his trusty right foot. Advertisement He is currently plying his trade on the books of Granada, called up for reserve team duties despite his tender years. The starlet has long been hailed for his abilities in the final third, giving rise to transfer interest from not only Spain, but across much of Europe. And as alluded to above, at the front of the queue for Mira’s services with a view to the summer are none other than Real Madrid. As per a report from Marca, citing ESPN: ‘Real Madrid are negotiating the incorporation of the young winger, to strengthen their youth academy for next season.’ Conor Laird – GSFN Source link
20 February 2026
Premier League team news: predicted lineups for the weekend action | Premier League
ASTON VILLA v LEEDS Saturday 3pm Venue Villa Park Referee Michael Oliver This season G20 Y53 R2 2.75 cards/game Aston Villa v Leeds: probable starters in bold, contenders in italics Aston Villa Subs from Wright, Bogarde, García, Torres, Lindelöf, Digne, Barkley, Bailey, Abraham, Koné Doubtful Cash (knee) Injured McGinn (knee, 21 Mar), Tielemans (ankle, Apr), Kamara (knee, Jun), Alysson (knock, unknown), Elliott (unknown, unknown) Suspended Bizot (one match) Form DLWLDW Leading scorer Rogers, Watkins 8 Leeds Subs from Perri, Bornauw, Justin, Byram, Longstaff, Tanaka, Nmecha, Gnonto, James, Piroe, Buonanotte Doubtful None Injured Okafor (hamstring, 3 Mar) Suspended None Form LWDLWD Leading scorer Calvert-Lewin 10 BRENTFORD v BRIGHTON Saturday 3pm Venue Gtech Community Stadium Referee Jarred Gillett This season G14 Y50 R1 3.64 cards/game Brentford v Brighton: probable starters in bold, contenders in italics Brentford Subs from Valdimarsson, Pinnock, Collins, Hickey, Yarmoliuk, Jensen, Donovan, Schade, Nelson, Furo Doubtful None Injured Carvalho (knee, Jun), Milambo (knee, Jun), Dasilva (knee, unknown) Suspended None Form WLLWWD Leading scorer Thiago 17 Brighton Subs from Steele, McGill, Boscagli, De Cuyper, Igor, Wieffer, Milner, O’Riley, Rutter, Gómez, March, Kostoulas, Howell Doubtful March (fitness) Injured Ayari (shoulder, 1 Mar), Tzimas (knee, Jun), Webster (knee, unknown) Suspended None Form
20 February 2026
Where Italy stands in race for extra Champions League spot after Inter loss and Bologna and Fiorentina wins
BODO, NORWAY – FEBRUARY 18: Francesco Pio Esposito of FC Internazionale Milano celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammates during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Knockout Play-off First Leg match between FK Bodo/Glimt and FC Internazionale Milano at Aspmyra Stadion on February 18, 2026 in Bodo, Norway. (Photo by Martin Ole Wold/Getty Images) Italy’s chances of attaining an additional spot in next year’s Champions League remain slim despite a Europa League and Conference League victories for play-off victory for Bologna over Brann on Thursday night, as Inter added to Juventus and Atalanta losses with their 3-1 defeat against Bodo/Glimt. Where Italy stands in race for extra Champions League spot after play-off first legs As things stand, Italy remains in fifth place in UEFA’s season association coefficient ranking, which is used to determine the nations that receive an extra spot in the following year’s Champions League. Only the nations that finish the season in the top two will receive an additional Champions League place. It hasn’t been a brilliant week for the Italian sides competing in Europe, as three of the five teams competing over the last few weeks slipped to defeats: Juventus were beaten 5-2 by Galatasaray,
20 February 2026
Leicester City’s Bilal El Khannouss (21) celebrates breaking out of Stuttgart form slump: “I’m back!”
1 Stuttgart attacker Bilal El Khannouss has spoken on the spectacular manner in which he broke out of a prolonged form slump against Celtic in the Europa League last night. The Moroccan international deservedly earned Get German Football News Man-of-the-Match honors after bagging a brace in his Bundesliga outfit’s victory. The 21-year-old basked in the glory afterwards. Bilal El Khannouss’ AFCON Crash Among the most celebrated players of the Bundesliga summer 2026 transfer class, El Khannouss remained a red hot German footballing commodity when he reported for AFCON duty this past December. Unfortunately for the Leicester City loanee, his form for country was notoriously uninspiring even as Morocco punched all the way through to the tournament Final on home turf. El Khannouss recorded no scorer points for Walid Regragui’s “Lions of the Atlas”. After earning no starts in the group phase, El Khannouss did feature in Regragui’s XI in all knockout round fixtures, yet only went the full 90 minutes on one occasion in the Round-of-16. Back with his Bundesliga club, the versatile attacking midfielder simply couldn’t find his footing. El Khannouss worked as a starter in only two of the five fixtures he was eligible to participate in for
20 February 2026
Igor Tudor ‘100%’ confident Tottenham will avoid relegation from Premier League
New Tottenham Hotspur coach Igor Tudor reassured the North London side’s fans on Friday by declaring he was ‘100%’ confident they would remain in the Premier League next season ahead of his club debut against Arsenal. Spurs are five points above the relegation zone in 16th place which led to Thomas Frank being sacked and the club appointing former Juventus boss Tudor until the end of the season in an attempt to salvage their campaign. Tudor’s first game is against league leaders and arch-rivals Arsenal. When asked if Spurs would still be a Premier League team next season, the Croatian told reporters: “100%!” “This (relegation battle) is not important,” he added. “Fighting for every position, relegation, first position, UEFA places – you achieve the position because of what you do during the week and on Sunday. “It is a consequence of this. It brings you nothing if you think about relegation. All these goals are far away, I never give them importance.” Tudor also brushed off suggestions that the club’s narrow margin for error should influence their approach. “Five points (from the relegation zone), 10, two – it is the same. We need to be focused. Let’s focus on this
20 February 2026
Scott McTominay makes clear statement on future amid talk of Premier League return and possible Napoli contract extension
The former Red Devils midfielder has moved to quell rumours linking him with an early exit from the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Since arriving in Italy, McTominay has become a central figure in Antonio Conte’s tactical revolution, helping the Partenopei reclaim their status as Scudetto contenders. His seamless transition to Italian football has reportedly caught the eye of several English clubs, including a potential return to Old Trafford. However, the 29-year-old insists that his focus remains entirely on his current surroundings. He clarified that his representation is not engaging with external parties, despite the headlines suggesting a move back to the Premier League could be on the cards. McTominay highlighted his contentment with the lifestyle in Naples, noting that his family has settled well in the Mediterranean city. “My agent has not communicated with anyone regarding my future,” McTominay told Il Corriere dello Sport. “He only speaks with me and with the club. He hasn’t said anything to the newspapers. I am extremely happy here and, as far as I am concerned, I am a Napoli player; it is all I think about. The future is very important and I could see myself in Napoli for a long time.” Source
20 February 2026
India’s Sarvam launches Indus AI chat app as competition heats up
Sarvam, an Indian AI startup focused on building models for local languages and users, on Friday launched its Indus chat app for web and mobile users, entering a fast-growing market dominated by global players including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. The launch comes as India has become a key battleground for generative AI adoption. Recently, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said ChatGPT has more than 100 million weekly active users in India, while Anthropic said India accounts for 5.8% of total Claude usage, second only to the U.S. Indus serves as a chat interface for its newly announced Sarvam 105B model, the company’s 105-billion-parameter large language model. The app’s launch comes two days after Bengaluru-based Sarvam unveiled its 105B and 30B models at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi earlier this week. At the summit, the startup also outlined enterprise initiatives and hardware plans and announced partnerships with companies including HMD to bring AI to Nokia feature phones and Bosch for AI-enabled automotive applications. Currently available in beta on iOS, Android, and the web, the Indus app allows users to type or speak queries and receive responses in text and audio. Users can sign in using their phone number, Google
21 February 2026
Apple researchers develop local AI agent that interacts with apps
Despite having just 3 billion parameters, Ferret-UI Lite matches or surpasses the benchmark performance of models up to 24 times larger. Here are the details. A bit of background on Ferret In December 2023, a team of 9 researchers published a study called “FERRET: Refer and Ground Anything Anywhere at Any Granularity”. In it, they presented a multimodal large language model (MLLM) that was capable of understanding natural language references to specific parts of an image: Since then, Apple has published a series of follow-up papers expanding the Ferret family of models, including Ferretv2, Ferret-UI, and Ferret-UI 2. Specifically, Ferret-UI variants expanded on the original capabilities of FERRET, and were trained to overcome what the researchers defined as a shortcoming of general-domain MLLMs. From the original Ferret-UI paper: Recent advancements in multimodal large language models (MLLMs) have been noteworthy, yet, these general-domain MLLMs often fall short in their ability to comprehend and interact effectively with user interface (UI) screens. In this paper, we present Ferret-UI, a new MLLM tailored for enhanced understanding of mobile UI screens, equipped with referring, grounding, and reasoning capabilities. Given that UI screens typically exhibit a more elongated aspect ratio and contain smaller objects of interest
21 February 2026
Best Crypto Trading Apps 2026: Top Platforms & Wallets
Trading cryptocurrency has become relatively easy, thanks to the proliferation of crypto trading apps that make the process almost as simple as buying stocks through a brokerage app. With a few taps, you can deposit funds, research coins and tokens, and make trades all from your phone, tablet, or computer. However, because there are so many different crypto trading apps available now, from CEXs like Coinbase to DeFi-first wallets like Best Wallet, it can be hard to decide which combination makes the most sense for you. Many investors end up pairing a regulated exchange app with a self-custody wallet such as Best Wallet so they can trade on the go while still keeping control of their private keys. In this guide, we’ll help you understand what factors to weigh when choosing the best crypto trading app for your situation. How to Choose the Best Crypto Trading App While the best crypto trading app is subjective, as different investors have different preferences, some of the most important factors to consider when making your choice include: Security: If your crypto isn’t secure, then it doesn’t really matter what bells and whistles an app has. Consider whether it has baseline features like two-factor
20 February 2026
Trump Mobile is just Liberty Mobile in gold foil
Where’s the Trump phone? We’re going to keep talking about it every week. This week, we explain how the presidential phone company connects to an older company that’s really running the show. We’ve long known that Trump Mobile was linked to Liberty Mobile, a carrier that’s traded for years using freedom-themed branding to sell cheap mobile plans to a conservative crowd. Turns out, the two businesses are even closer to one another than it had initially appeared. And as we wait for the launch of the Trump phone — potentially as soon as next month, having been delayed from August — it’s worth understanding who’s actually behind the device, regardless of the name that will be emblazoned on its back. “Liberty Mobile is umbilically connected to Trump [Mobile],” Don Hendrickson tells me. And he would know: Hendrickson is one of the three Trump Mobile executives, alongside Eric Thomas and Pat O’Brien, who have been the semi-public faces of the company. And the same three men just happen to be the owners of Liberty Mobile, too. The Trump Mobile terms of use say that it is “powered by Liberty Mobile Wireless LLC,” but that appears to be underselling the relationship. During
20 February 2026
How a month-long app purge finally fixed my relationship with my phone
Like most people, I hadn’t noticed the app count on my phone creeping up. However, after years of downloading and trying new tools, I saw that my app drawer was bloated. I had pages of applications I did not remember installing, let alone using. So, I set myself a challenge: uninstall every app I had not opened in the past 30 days. Here is what happened when I pressed the Uninstall button for rarely used apps. Related How to download Android apps without the Google Play Store Who needs Google Play when you have APKMirror? Auditing what I actually use Finding the culprits On Android, it’s surprisingly easy to see how often you use apps. In Settings > Digital Wellbeing > Dashboard, I could see app activity for the last month. A few apps had hours of use, but plenty had 0 minutes, which was all the permission I needed to delete them. I also went into Google Play Store and selected Manage apps & device > Manage > Sort by: Least used, which gave me a chronological list. I was surprised by the number of apps I don’t remember using. Deleting apps to remove clutter 37 apps gone in
20 February 2026
Best Casino Apps to Win Real Money Online in February 2026
Feb. 20, 2026, 10:32 a.m. ET Casino apps let you play real-money slots, table games and live dealer games directly on your iPhone or Android device. The best casino apps are available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, though some may only be available on one platform. The best casino apps combine fast payouts, secure payments, generous welcome bonuses and smooth mobile gameplay — all from licensed operators in the United States. Below, you’ll find the best casino apps for real money in 2026, ranked to help you choose the right app for your playing style and location. Best Casino Apps for iPhone BetMGM Caesars FanDuel bet365 DrafKings Best Casino Apps for Android FanDuel BetMGM bet365 Caesars Fanatics List of the Best Casino Apps for Real Money Ranked We tested the top legal casino apps available in regulated US states, comparing mobile performance, game selection, payout speed, bonuses and real user ratings from the App Store and Google Play. For your safety, always download casino apps directly from the official app stores or the casino’s official site. Casino apps must pass strict security checks by Apple and Google to be listed on their platforms, providing an
20 February 2026
Oura Ring 4 Ceramic Edition: The Perfect Smart Ring (Almost)
Smart rings are still in their infancy when compared to most other types of tech gadgets, but I think I’ve already found the perfect one. Well, almost. Oura has been around for years, pioneering the category. It’s now the choice of smart ring for the rich and famous, with Jennifer Aniston, Prince Harry and Kim Kardashian among well-known wearers. Its latest effort, the Ceramic Edition of the Ring 4, is the best smart ring money can buy. I won’t be talking about software here because it’s the same experience as the regular Ring 4, which we already reviewed, and to a large extent, previous generations. It’s all about the design and build because, despite their short time in this mortal world, smart rings got boring and same-y very quickly. After all, there’s only so much you can do with a ring. Chris Martin / Foundry Almost every model from every brand features a titanium-coated exterior in a selection of colours – typically shades of black, silver and gold. It’s not very imaginative, even if the Galaxy Ring has a more distinctive standout concave shape. It throws a welcome splash of colour into the smart ring arena Then, along came the Ceramic Edition
20 February 2026
America’s best 5G network now comes with shockingly honest pricing
Feb 19, 2026 1:41 PM EST America’s best 5G network now comes with shockingly honest pricing Metro by T-Mobile offers unlimited 5G plans from $25/month with no hidden fees, free phones, and 5-year price locks. Keep your phone or upgrade today! Most wireless carriers turn choosing a cell phone plan into a maze of hidden costs and fine print. We’ve found a solve that’s simple and stress-free, and a switch you can make completely online in minutes. Metro by T-Mobile cuts through that noise with a straightforward promise: What you see is exactly what you’ll pay, today and five years from now. Running on T-Mobile’s 5G network, officially recognized as America’s Best Network* by Ookla Speedtest, Metro delivers the coverage and speed you’d expect from a premium carrier. The difference shows up when you look at your bill. Taxes and fees come built into the price. Activation fees don’t exist. Contracts aren’t required. And every major plan locks in your rate with a five-year price guarantee. No surprises, no escalating costs, no wondering if you could have done better. Just reliable service at a price that won’t change unless you want it to. Here are the three strongest and can’t-miss savings right now.
20 February 2026
Wagering Software: six Finest Cellular Gambling Apps January 2026
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20 February 2026
Meta “Explicitly Separating” Horizon Worlds From Quest & Focusing On Third-Party Apps
Meta published a blog post for developers wherein it lays out its new strategy for the Quest ecosystem and Horizon Worlds, taking the two in separate directions. Titled ‘Our Renewed Focus in 2026’ and written by the VP of Content at Meta Reality Labs, Samantha Ryan, much of the post repeats what CTO Andrew Bosworth has already said in a series of public interviews and Instagram “ask me anything” sessions in recent weeks. Meta CTO Explains Layoffs & Strategy Shift: “VR Is Growing Less Quickly Than We Hoped” In a series of interviews at Davos, Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth explained why the company is reducing its investment in VR. The gist of Meta’s new VR and metaverse strategy, according to its executives, is that Horizon Worlds will become “almost exclusively mobile”, and the platform will no longer be pushed on Quest owners. Meanwhile, on the VR side, Meta will focus on funding and supporting the third-party developer ecosystem instead of putting out its own blockbuster VR games to compete with them. Meta is removing individual Horizon Worlds destinations from the in-VR store on Quest, Ryan writes, and “separating worlds from the Store” in the smartphone app. Last month, Meta also
20 February 2026
New app allows users a chance to date AI
IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Now Playing New app allows users a chance to date AI 04:58 UP NEXT Some companies using AI in their Super Bowl advertisements 05:17 Driverless Waymo strikes child in California 01:28 Matthew McConaughey trademarks himself to fight AI misuse 03:09 California investigates Grok over sexualized deepfakes 04:54 Growing AI demand is driving computer RAM shortage 02:42 Americans given NDAs from AI data center company 03:56 New $20 billion xAI data center coming to Mississippi 02:21 Reddit user uses AI to fool the internet in a viral posting 03:09 Grok AI under fire for generating explicit images of women and children 03:51 ‘Death clock’ app uses AI to predict how long user might live 04:42 Rise of AI data centers is increasing job opportunities for electricians 03:01 Maryland farmers fight power companies over AI boom 02:25 Why AI holiday recipes can’t handle the heat 02:26 Google testing out new textbook tool ‘Learn Your Way’ 02:19 Trump says not signing AI executive order would be ‘greatest gift’ to China 01:07 Disney announces deal with OpenAI that allows access to its characters 01:02 How 911 call centers are
20 February 2026
TV Streaming Apps Are Great, But Cinephiles Buy This Premium Alternative
Gorodenkoff/Getty Images How long has it been since you bought a movie on disc? If you’ve stuck to watching via streaming devices and smart TV apps these past several years, you might have missed out on recent advancements in 4K Blu-ray players. Cinephiles are turning back to these physical media solutions as the superior alternative to streaming. Even if you consider yourself a casual film fan, there are plenty of reasons you should buy a 4K Blu-ray player, too. The quality difference between 4K Blu-ray and streaming is reason enough to make the change. Even though you can stream 4K video from a service like Netflix or Prime Video, some of the quality is lost during transmission. This is a result of “bitrate,” which is the amount of data being sent per second. The best streaming services often achieve an average 4K video bitrate below 27 Mbps. Even then, there is a need to compress the data, which further affects the image and audio quality. The best 4K Blu-ray discs can support data transmission at 144 Mbps, which is fast enough to bypass the need for compression and ensure lossless quality. Quality
20 February 2026
I Was Skeptical of This Music App That Claims to Help With Focus, but It Actually Worked for Me
Sometimes a life hack works when I wish it didn’t. I, for example, am vulnerable to depression and anxiety. I also passionately hate running. I have, unfortunately, discovered that running regularly helps my mental health a great deal. I’m thankful (because I feel better) and resentful (because I have to run). This is how I feel about Brain.fm, a music service I discovered a couple weeks ago when the company got in touch with me. I started using the service, mostly for the purposes of writing this article, and something unexpected happened: I noticed it’s a great deal easier to get started on my work in the morning. I like this (because I’m getting more done) but am also annoyed (because I’d rather be listening to the music I love). Credit: Justin Pot It’s a conundrum. Brain.fm is a subscription service that costs $14.99 per month, more than Spotify (which costs $12.99 per month). The product sells itself as having a collection of music backed by scientific research to increase your ability to focus, meditate, and sleep. There’s also a free trial, meaning you can get a feel for whether it works for you. After a few weeks of testing,
20 February 2026
Students warned Satan uses phones to ‘separate us…from God’
By CP StaffThursday, February 19, 2026 Quick Summary AI Summary Liberty University warns students that Satan uses phones to ‘separate us from God.’ University launches a 28-day ‘digital rest’ challenge to encourage students to disconnect from social media and devices. Participants receive a 54-page guide with Scripture readings and reflection prompts. An artificial intelligence-powered tool created this summary based on the source article. The summary has undergone review and verification by an editor. See Summary Liberty University alumnus Zach Clinton (’19), author of “Even If” and host of the “Built Different” podcast, holds up a mobile phone during a “Convocation” event in Lynchburg, Virginia, on Jan. 30, 2026. | Courtesy Liberty University Amid growing concerns about smartphones’ impact on focus, mental health and spiritual life, Liberty University has rolled out a 28-day challenge throughout February, inviting students to step away from social media, online shopping, and entertainment to deepen their connection with God and others. Coordinated by the Office of Spiritual Development, the university’s second annual Digital Rest initiative provides participants with a 54-page Digital Rest Guide featuring Scripture readings, devotionals and reflection prompts. Students are encouraged to log out of social platforms, delete nonessential apps, and engage with the
19 February 2026
Brick App Blocker Review: We Tried it for Two Weeks
Nearly everyone on team NBC Select thinks they would benefit from less screen time. There are plenty of productivity apps and screen time features that aim to help you focus and reduce distractions, but most of them are easy to override. Perhaps that’s why The Brick caught our attention. It’s both a physical puck and a digital app that “Bricks” your phone, removing access to some (or all) of your apps until you disable it. But does it really work? And is it better than just using your phone’s screentime features to limit app use? Five NBC Select staffers put The Brick to the test for two weeks. Read their thoughts below. Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter. What is the Brick? The Brick is an app and physical puck that blocks apps on your phone. The differentiator is that you can only unBrick your phone by tapping it to the physical Brick. If you brick your phone, then leave the house without the puck, you cannot unBrick remotely. This is much stricter than most apps, which you can typically turn off from inside the app. (You do have five emergency
19 February 2026
Rivian’s Apple Watch app is now available.
Posted Feb 19, 2026 at 5:44 PM UTC Rivian’s Apple Watch app is now available. Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates. Andrew Liszewski Close Andrew Liszewski Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. FollowFollow See All by Andrew Liszewski Apple Close Apple Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. FollowFollow See All Apple Apps Close Apps Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. FollowFollow See All Apps Electric Cars Close Electric Cars Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. FollowFollow See All Electric Cars Gadgets Close Gadgets Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. FollowFollow See All Gadgets Tech Close Tech Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. FollowFollow See All Tech Transportation Close Transportation Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage
19 February 2026
Get 20 percent off at Squarespace — and see how easy it is to build a website with Blueprint AI
Streamline your web design with Blueprint AI. (seksan Mongkhonkhamsao via Getty Images) One of the most important aspects of starting a new business, or expanding an existing one, is building a website. Whether you’re building a home for your online portfolio or setting up a home base for a new small business, a web presence that you own and operate lets you tell the story on your own terms. There are tons of website builders out there, but Squarespace is the only one that offers Blueprint AI, an artificial intelligence system that simplifies the process from start to finish, letting even beginners design, build, and finalize a site ease. And if you start now, you’ll save 20 percent off with code FEB20SF. Have a website up and running in no time while saving money and time to build it. What is Blueprint AI? Blueprint AI helps you design a website from the ground up using Squarespace, with custom website templates that can be personalized to your business. Follow the easy-to-use interactive builder process from scratch, even choosing from bespoke adaptive templates for inspiration. All you need to do is answer a few questions about your business, industry, and goals, and
19 February 2026
5 Bizarre Apple CarPlay Apps You Never Knew You Wanted
Harry Howitt/Shutterstock The more you explore Apple CarPlay, the more you can discover its wonders. With iOS 26, Apple has added several interesting CarPlay features to the infotainment display, such as finally including the ability to AirPlay video when the vehicle is parked. However, if you want an even more unique experience, you should get to know some bizarre Apple CarPlay apps that, at first, don’t make sense to have installed, but if you want some smaller things done, like ordering your favorite fast food, seeing live weather, or joining a meeting no matter when, CarPlay’s got your back. Ahead of the rumored release of Apple CarPlay for Tesla vehicles, whether you’re considering upgrading your car with this experience or just want to discover more things you can do with Apple’s driving system, we selected a few bizarre apps that you can get on CarPlay and that you probably never thought about using in your daily commute. Chick-fil-A Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock The popular fast-food chain Chick-fil-A, which specializes in chicken sandwiches, released an Apple CarPlay app at the end of 2024. This experience expands on the diverse ways you can get your
19 February 2026
What’s so good about being the world’s most popular app?
Last summer, Bria Sullivan was getting ready to launch her app, an adorable companion called Focus Friend meant to help people manage their screen time. Her outlandish dream was to get 100,000 downloads. She’d been building the app with Hank Green, a creator with a huge audience, so she thought maybe, maybe, Focus Friend could be a top-10 app in the productivity category. Even that felt like a stretch, though. “Our category has ChatGPT, it has Google,” she says. “I mean, productivity includes Gmail!” Sullivan initially dropped the app into the iOS App Store without really telling anyone. But in August, thanks to a lot of promotion from Green and his also-famous brother, plus a bunch of media coverage (including from The Verge), the app started to take off. It hit the top 10 in its category. Then top 10 on the overall charts. When it hit the #4 spot, Green told Sullivan he wanted to reach number one. “I was like, ‘That’s not happening,’” Sullivan says. “But congrats for thinking that’s possible.” It continued to climb. On August 18th, Sullivan went to bed with Focus Friend at #2 on the charts. “I probably woke up every hour, and just
19 February 2026
Mark Zuckerberg tells court Meta no longer designs apps to maximise screen time
Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has pushed back in court against a lawyer’s suggestion that he misled Congress about the design of the company’s social media platforms, as a landmark trial over youth social media addiction continues. At a hearing in Los Angeles, California on Wednesday, local time, Mr Zuckerberg was questioned about his statements to Congress in 2024, when he said the company did not give its teams the goal of maximising time spent on its apps. Mark Lanier, a lawyer for a woman who has accused Meta of harming her mental health when she was a child, showed jurors emails from 2014 and 2015 in which Mr Zuckerberg laid out aims to increase time spent on the app by double-digit percentage points. Mr Zuckerberg said that while Meta previously had goals related to the amount of time users spent on the app, it had since changed its approach. “If you are trying to say my testimony was not accurate, I strongly disagree with that,” Mr Zuckerberg said. Mark Zuckerberg says Meta’s goals around the amount of time users spend on its apps have changed. (AP: Ryan Sun) The appearance was the billionaire Facebook founder’s first time testifying in
19 February 2026
General Motors CEO issues warning about cheap Chinese EVs entering the market in North America
General Motors CEO Mary Barra has issued a warning about cheap Chinese EVs entering North America. It comes after Canada approved a plan to let thousands of Chinese-built electric vehicles into the country at a sharply reduced tariff rate. For shoppers, that sounds like more affordable options in a market that desperately needs them. For Detroit, it feels more like the first domino tipping over. DISCOVER SBX CARS – The global premium auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie General Motors CEO says cheap Chinese EVs are a ‘slippery slope’ Canada will now allow up to 49,000 Chinese-built EVs per year at a tariff of 6.1 percent instead of the 100 percent rate that previously kept them out. Speaking at an employee all-hands meeting, General Motors CEO Mary Barra didn’t mince words. “I can’t explain why the decision was made in Canada,” she said. “It becomes a very slippery slope.” Delta Her concern centers on the deeply intertwined North American auto industry, where parts, plants, and jobs flow across the US-Canada border daily. Barra argued that lowering barriers for Chinese EVs runs counter to building a strong industrial base on the continent and protecting long-term jobs. Under the deal announced by Prime
19 February 2026
Kansas cell phone ban sparks fierce debate over safety, local control
TOPEKA, Kan. (KCTV) – A Kansas bill banning cell phone sin schools has ignited debate over student safety and local control. Senate President Ty Masterson announced on Wednesday, Feb. 18, that he is fast-tracking a bill that would bar students from using personal devices during school hours. Senate Bill 302 was moved on Tuesday from the Education Committee to the Committee on Ways and Means, an unusual procedural shift. The proposal has divided Kansas, with parents and law enforcement supporting the ban while school boards, teachers’ groups and students push back against what they call state overreach. At least 240 Kansas school districts already have their own cell phone policies, according to the Kansas Association of School Boards. Critics say a statewide mandate would undermine local decision-making and create confusion. What the bill would do SB 302 would ban cell phones in public schools and state-accredited private schools during school hours. Non-accredited private schools would now be exempt. The bill also would bar teachers from using social media to communicate directly with students, aiming to prevent inappropriate contact on unmonitored platforms. FILE – Cell phone ban bill(KOTA) Masterson said the measure addresses both classroom distractions and protects private school independence.
19 February 2026
Want to limit doomscrolling social media apps? There’s a simple trick for that
The average person spends around 145 minutes on social media every day—more than 2.5 hours. Among other issues, spending that amount of time on social apps can lead to feelings of anxiety or depression, according to UC Davis. There are several steps you can take to resolve this problem, including deleting the apps from your phone. If you’re not ready to take that kind of step yet, there are other things to mitigate your doomscrolling. Instagram does offer in-app controls to limit the time spent using it. You can find those in the app’s settings under Time Management. This will show you how much you’ve used the app and give you controls to set time limits and sleep times. If you’re an iPhone user, you can try Apple’s Screen Time controls to monitor your app usage and limit the amount of time that each app can be used. This is under Settings, Screen Time. These are all good solutions worth exploring. But if constantly seeing an app on your homescreen is tempting you to tap on it, then you can delete it from your home screen and still keep it in your App Library. You’ll need to swipe left until
19 February 2026
Latest Tech
Flying Taxi is coming ..
As the world grapples with the challenges of worsening traffic congestion and the need for more sustainable transportation solutions, a new era of urban air mobility is on the horizon. At the forefront of this revolution is Hyundai, the global automotive giant, which has unveiled its ambitious plans for an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft that could transform the way we move through our cities. In recent years, many manufacturers have been preparing flying taxis, which may become the next important development direction of travel vehicles. So nowadays, in major exhibitions, you can always see some of these products. Hyundai released a prototype of the SA-1 aircraft , in CES 2020, built with Uber in the pavilion. It has a huge propeller that can seat a total of four passengers, which is quite pompous in terms of styling (at least on the ground). This year’s CES, Hyundai unveiled a new “flying car” concept called the S-A2. This is a continuation of the S-A1 concept that debuted at CES 2020, and its purpose is roughly the same, which is to carry out short-distance point-to-point transportation within the city, which is the concept of air taxis. The S-A2 has a cruising speed
3 April 2024
Prof. Francis Lui said tourism sector may be beneficiary of tariff war
發佈日期: 2025-05-06 20:02 TVB News 粵 已複製連結 Trade tariffs initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump continue to bring uncertainties across the globe. But an economics professor said on TVB’s Straight Talk programme that the tariffs’ overall impact on Hong Kong’s economy will be small, and some sectors may even benefit from the situation. FRANCIS LUI, Chair Professor, Macau Univ. of Science & Technology: “Hong Kong is a major re-export centre. So those people who are involved in re-exporting, or involved in logistics, will all have to suffer so much more. And then there’s another effect, which is quite positive on Hong Kong. Hong Kong will try to retain a zero tariff rate for most of the products, and that will make Hong Kong a paradise for tourism. A lot of people will come to Hong Kong to buy goods which are much cheaper than what they can buy elsewhere. So, people from the mainland and people even from the U.S. may come to Hong Kong, and that could revive the tourism industry here.” Professor Lui also said he agreed with the vast majority of American economists that Trump cannot bring the manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. Lui added Trump
7 May 2025
Type 5 diabetes and diet: How are they linked? Dietician explains and shares 4 tips for healthy eating | Health
While most people are familiar with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, type 5 diabetes is an equally important yet often overlooked form. Linked to pancreatic disorders and genetic predispositions, type 5 diabetes is emerging as a growing health concern that warrants greater awareness and understanding. Linked to pancreatic disorders and genetic predispositions, type 5 diabetes is emerging as a growing health concern.(Shutterstock) In an interview with HT lifestyle, Dr Simrat Kathuria, celebrity dietician and wellness coach said, “Type 5 diabetes arises with conditions affecting pancreatic function, like pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, or even post-pancreatic surgery. Genes take the blame here; lifestyle, however, nurtures or resists their growth. A lot of people fail to realise the sheer power diet holds in managing and preventing these intricate forms.” Also read | What is Type 5 diabetes, the condition that affects 25 million people worldwide? Explaining the power of diet on our health, Dr Simrat Kathuria added, “Our genes are something we cannot change, but our food plate can. Smart dietary choices are your first line of defense, even for rare types of diabetes. Food truly is medicine.” Here’s how diet can manage type 5 diabetes: Follow anti-inflammatory diet A low-glycemic, anti-inflammatory diet
7 May 2025
Carb Restriction is Superior to Calorie Counting, Says Science
Counting calories has long been understood to offer the best chance of maintaining a healthy body weight, but many people find it difficult to sustain this approach. Fortunately, a new study by researchers at the University of Surrey in England has found that the far less complicated method of cutting carbs can offer similar benefits. The study, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, showed that low carb diets, regardless of calories, let to better metabolic markers and superior handling of high-fat meals including a reduction in circulating triglycerides, the type of fat that is associated with heart disease. How was the study carried out? Overweight or obese participants aged between 20 and 65 were given three different diets to follow: Meals including carbs (55% of total energy) Meals with low carbs (50g) Calorie restricted meals with low carbs (50g) George Rudy What were the results? “We found that by simply restricting carbohydrates, without enduring extreme calorie restriction, we can reap the metabolic effects associated with short-term fasting,” said Dr Adam Collins, co-author of the study and Associate Professor of Nutrition at the University of Surrey. “This suggests that periodically reducing our carbohydrate intake could be a more accessible and
7 May 2025
We Recommend Skipping This Chick Fil A Breakfast Item
Crawford Smith/Mashed Chick-fil-A’s breakfast menu debuted all the way back in 2004, and customers could initially choose from items like breakfast burritos, fruit cups, and mini-chicken sandwiches. Since then, the chicken chain’s breakfast menu has expanded in both popularity and selection, as diners can now enjoy spicy chicken biscuits, hash brown bowls, and berry parfaits, in addition to a host of other items. We love a good fast food breakfast, and Chick-fil-A is one of the chains to implement it most successfully, but there was one item in our worst-to-best ranking of Chick-fil-A’s breakfast items that left us distinctly disappointed. While its health attributes can’t be denied, the restaurant’s Egg White Grill left a poor impression on our reviewer, who was not a fan of the breakfast sandwich’s overly moist nature. “The scrambled egg whites released so much liquid into the English muffin that it became soggy,” he explained. He went on to highlight the lack of flavor in the eggs, save for hints of sulfur-tinged unpleasantness, which can sometimes occur when eggs are overcooked. While the grilled chicken breast benefited from the addition of citrus marinade and seasoning, both the meat and the
6 May 2025
6 May 2025
The breakfast I eat every day to keep my gut health score at 93 out of 100
I’ve been eating the same breakfast every day for years – and it’s helped me keep my gut health score high I’ve been eating the same breakfast every day for years – and it’s helped me keep my gut health score high(Image: Arx0nt via Getty Images) The significance of gut health in maintaining overall wellbeing is increasingly recognised, with more individuals becoming aware and a growing consensus among scientists, doctors and nutritionists. Some experts, including nutritionists, have gone as far as labelling your gut as your “second brain”. Deborah Grayson, a notable nutritionist, has said: “When your gut thrives, so do you.” This sentiment is echoed by Professor Tim Spector, co-founder of Zoe, who also refers to the gut as a second brain that communicates feelings of anxiety and stress to our main brain. Prof Spector highlights the gut’s critical role in mood and energy levels, noting that its chemical makeup is “crucial for controlling inflammation”, and can help reduce the risk of food allergies, immune diseases, and even cancer, reports Surrey Live. Our gut is home to an extraordinary microbiome filled with trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms that are crucial for various health aspects – from reinforcing the
6 May 2025
6 May 2025
香港壽司郎X排球少年聯乘活動！4款香港限定週邊／3間主題店／人物透明卡 | U Food
壽司郎 排球少年｜影山 日向｜香港壽司郎首度聯乘日本動漫《排球少年！！》！經過一系列神秘預告以及宣傳，香港壽司郎終於正式公布和日本動漫《排球少年》的 最新聯名活動。 壽司郎x排球少年聯乘活動｜特別主題店 壽司郎尖沙咀店 日期：2025 年 4 月 28 日至 5 月 31 日 地點：尖沙咀加連威老道2-6號愛賓商業大廈地下G2, G3 & 103號舖 壽司郎銅鑼灣店 日期：2025 年 4 月 28 日至 5 月 31 日 地點：銅鑼灣駱克道463-483號銅鑼灣廣場2期3樓3A號舖 壽司郎荃灣綠楊店 日期：2025 年 4 月 28 日至 5 月 31 日 地點：荃灣蕙荃路22-66號綠楊坊2樓S20-23號舖 壽司郎x排球少年聯乘活動｜4款限定甜品＋餐點 除了主題店外，壽司郎還聯同了排球少年推出了4款限定聯名餐點。分別是會附送排球少年!!聯乘限定角色插牌的蝦牛油果海苔包（$17）、士多啤梨雲石白朱古力慕絲蛋糕（$34）、搖搖脆薯條（$29）、 一人前聯乘限定外賣盛盒（$99）。 壽司郎x排球少年限定「蝦牛油果海苔包」（$17） 附送排球少年聯乘限定角色插牌，共20款款式將隨機派送。選用彈牙鮮蝦，鮮蝦配上奶油口感的濃郁牛油果，以羅勒醬點綴，並淋上濃厚蛋黃醬。豐富口感加上香濃滋味，絕對是完美組合！ 壽司郎x排球少年限定「士多啤梨雲石白朱古力慕絲蛋糕」（$34） 附送排球少年聯乘限定亞加力鎖匙扣，共16款款式將隨機派送。蛋糕以士多啤梨醬繪上雲石紋，外形簡約吸睛，白朱古力慕絲綿密柔滑，與頂層香甜士多啤梨醬精妙融合。 壽司郎x排球少年限定「搖搖脆薯條」（$29） 附送排球少年聯乘限定透明/雙面收藏卡，前半共6款，後半共5款，款式隨機派送。壽司郎破天荒推出搖搖脆薯條，搭配蒜香忌廉味的搖搖粉，叫人令人回味無窮！ 壽司郎x排球少年限定1人前聯乘限定外賣盛合（$99） 附送排球少年!!聯乘限定圓形小掛袋 。掛袋正面為各大校隊的校徽，背面則是應援橫幅設計。圓形小掛袋除了可掛於手提袋或背包上作裝飾，更可用作收納零散的小物件，一物多用，共5款款式將隨機派送。 壽司郎聯乘排球少年香港限定加購品 除了上述餐點以及附送周邊外，這次壽司郎還推出香港限定加購品。凡於堂食或外賣自取消費滿$200*，即可以加購價購買以下各項聯乘精品。 壽司郎x排球少年襟章（$29） 共9款款式隨機，售完即止。襟章的每款設計均印有不同角色，材質厚實具質感，且帶有細閃鐳射效果，十分精美。可以扣在帆布袋、背包、衣服等作裝飾，亦可作珍藏紀念，粉絲務必收藏。 壽司郎x排球少年散紙包（$39） 共9款款式隨機，售完即止。散紙包表面印有角色名字，更特別配上角色亞加力吊飾，精緻型格，不但可放入硬幣和小飾物、更可掛在袋或背包上。 壽司郎x排球少年斜孭袋 （$119） 共1款售完即止。斜孭袋以烏野高中的主題色為設計概念，並印有主角日向翔陽的圖案，設計簡約型格，且採用輕巧的尼龍布材質，既方便又百搭實用，不論日常、運動或旅遊都非常適合。 壽司郎x排球少年運動毛巾 （$109） 共4款售完即止。四款運動毛巾分別以各高中校隊為主題，圖案仔細清晰，輕巧易收納且攜帶方便，是外出運動的必備好物。另外，粉絲亦可珍藏， 香港壽司郎X排球少年限定壽司碟+$1,000 優惠券 由即日上午 11 時起至 5 月 31 日，只要到壽司郎參加打卡錦標賽*，最有心思的 50 位參加者即有機會獲得「排球少年!!聯乘限定壽司碟」及高達總值港幣$1,000 壽司郎優惠券，粉絲們快到壽司郎打卡參賽，贏取豐富獎品！ 參加方法：1. 讚好或追蹤香港壽司郎（Facebook 或Instagram）專頁2. 拍攝【香港壽司郎 x 排球少年!!】聯乘活動相關食物、周邊或主題店等參賽作品（照片／短片／Reels）* ，公開分享於個人 Facebook 或Instagram，並加上 Hashtag「 #香港壽司郎排球少年 」。3. 活動結束後，香港壽司郎將根據 3 個評分準則：創意度、熱血度、搞笑度，從參賽作品中選出 50 位得獎作品。 活動獎品：1. A 賞（名額共 2 名）：「排球少年!!聯乘限定壽司碟」乙隻 及 價值港幣 100 元優惠券 十張※ (總值港幣$1,000) 2. B 賞（名額共 4 名）：「排球少年!!聯乘限定壽司碟」乙隻 及 價值港幣 100 元優惠券 五張※ (總值港幣$500) 3. C 賞（名額共 5 名）：「排球少年!!聯乘限定壽司碟」乙隻 及 價值港幣 100 元優惠券 兩張※ (總值港幣$200) 4. 優異獎（名額共 39 名）：「排球少年!!聯乘限定壽司碟」乙隻 *排球少年!!聯乘限定商品於壽司郎全線分店有售（啟德零售館2店除外）*期間限定商品及加購精品數量有限，售完即止*消費滿$200即可加購每種加購品各2件； 消費滿$400即可加購每種加購品各4件。每單上限為各種4件。*詳情請向店員查詢 同場加映： 台灣壽司郎聯乘排球少年限定主題店 台灣壽司郎聯乘排球少年的活動中，台灣推出了5家壽司郎×《排球少年!!》的限定主題店，分別於台北市、新北市、台中市、台南市以及高雄市。每間限定主題店都設計精美，每一間都超想去打卡！ 台灣壽司郎聯乘排球少年周邊精品 台灣壽司郎所推出的排球少年聯乘活動中，推出了多款限定周邊精品，包括「排球少年!!Q版人物插卡」、「排球少年!!環保袋」、「排球少年!!小圓包」、「排球少年!!飲料杯」、「排球少年!!人物透卡」等。其中最特別還有限量50個的壽司郎×《排球少年!!》聯名壽司碟抽獎。不知道香港壽司郎又會不會有呢～ 資料來源：台灣壽司郎/香港壽司郎 香港壽司郎與排球少年聯乘活動推出4款限定餐點，包括蝦牛油果海苔包、士多啤梨雲石白朱古力慕絲蛋糕、搖搖脆薯條及一人前聯乘限定外賣盛盒，並附送不同款式的角色插牌、亞加力鎖匙扣、透明收藏卡及圓形小掛袋。 香港壽司郎與排球少年的聯乘活動主題店設於尖沙咀、銅鑼灣及荃灣綠楊坊的壽司郎分店，活動日期為2025年4月28日至5月31日。 Source link
5 May 2025
5 May 2025
Costco Frozen Breakfast Options, Ranked Worst To Best
Monika Sudakov/Daily Meal There are a lot of hidden treasures in Costco’s frozen food aisle that members flock to when they hit the retailer to stock up. In addition to its vast array of rave-worthy appetizers, it has a convenient and affordable selection of breakfast food options. Advertisement The breakfast foods available at Costco include something for all tastes, appetites, and dietary needs, including sandwiches, egg dishes, and healthy breakfast bowls. While the inventory at every Costco varies, I was curious to sample as many of these breakfast options as I could find at my local store. I sampled each one to determine which is worth stocking up on and which you might want to skip on your next Costco outing. Read on to find out which frozen breakfast option landed on top and what criteria I used to rank them. Once you do, all you will need to start your morning off right is a cup of Kirkland brand coffee to get your juices flowing. 7. Red’s Turkey Sausage Egg’Wich Monika Sudakov/Daily Meal At the bottom of this ranking of Costco’s frozen breakfast options is the Turkey Sausage
5 May 2025
5 May 2025
Shocking blood sugar surges hiding in your ‘healthy’ meals like sushi and sweet potato fries
New research by Saga Health Insurance reveals UK Google searches for ‘what foods lower blood sugar immediately’ increased 5,000% in the first three months of 2025 07:51 ET, 05 May 2025Updated 08:24 ET, 05 May 2025 More and more people are becoming health-conscious in their eating habits The buzz around blood sugar control is soaring, with Saga Health Insurance uncovering a staggering 5,000% surge in UK Google searches for “what foods lower blood sugar immediately” in the first quarter of 2025. TikTok’s health-conscious users are also on the pulse, with “blood sugar” tagged in nearly 97K posts. Experiencing a big blood sugar spike is like riding a rollercoaster of energy highs and lows, often caused by indulging in sugary or high-carb treats that lead to temporary pep-ups followed by fatigue, brain fog and more cravings. Saga Health Insurance didn’t just stop at stats; they surveyed 500 Brits and teamed up with Steve Bennett, a health coach and advisor to the House of Lords on food matters, to dissect how our noshing habits affect blood sugar levels. READ MORE: TSA announces five states will not require REAL ID after May 7 deadlineREAD MORE: Experts urge anyone who likes soy sauce to
5 May 2025
5 May 2025
Healthy Food in Portland | The Official Guide to Portland
i Xocotl serves cold-pressed juices, smoothies and more inside the Portland Mercado. Credit: Christine Dong for Portland in Color Nutritious meets delicious at these healthy, vegetable-centric eateries. Updated Apr. 30, 2025 3 min read Tuck Woodstock Tuck Woodstock wrote and edited content for Travel Portland from 2014–2020. Read More Portland may be known for its ice cream, doughnuts, cured meats and fish sauce chicken wings, but it’s also a heavenly spot for healthy food options such as salads and smoothies. Nourish yourself at these whole-food-focused restaurants. Salads When someone says “healthy food,” most people immediately think of salad, but not all piles of leafy greens are created equal. At Portland’s Crisp Salads, you can build your own nutritious masterpiece from a wide selection of seasonal ingredients, including a variety of greens, 10+ dressings and numerous toppings like toasted pumpkin seeds and cranberries. And with two locations in Portland, you’re never far from a fresh lunch. Another salad standout, Garden Monsters, crushes the “rabbit food” stereotype with massive salads sure to satisfy even the biggest appetites. The “Paul Bunyan,” for example, comes loaded with grass-fed steak, red potatoes, bleu cheese and croutons. Prefer your salads sans meat? Swap out any animal
5 May 2025
5 May 2025
30 High-Protein Lunch Ideas Perfect for Meal Prep
1 Spice-Rubbed Chicken Lettuce Cups Mike Garten Grill up a big batch of this flavorful chicken over the weekend, then feature the ready-to-go protein in salads, lettuce cups, wraps, grain bowls, you name it. Get the Spice-Rubbed Chicken Lettuce Cups recipe. 2 Avocado Chicken Salad Clubs mike garten Advertisement – Continue Reading Below 3 Steak and Rice Noodle Bowls mike garten With a medley of colorful julienned veggies, cooked rice noodles, grilled skirt steak, fresh herbs and a tangy-sweet dressing, these bowls can be enjoyed hot or cold. Get the Steak and Rice Noodle Bowls recipe. 4 Pasta e Fagioli Mike Garten Advertisement – Continue Reading Below 5 Cottage Cheese Wrap Pinwheels mike garten Create your own wrap — with a blend of cottage cheese, eggs and herbs — that you can fill to your heart’s content. We’re partial to a combo of pesto chicken, hummus, roasted tomatoes and mixed greens. Get the Cottage Cheese Wrap Pinwheels recipe. 6 Soba Noodle Salad with Shrimp and Ginger Vinaigrette Mike Garten Advertisement – Continue Reading Below 7 Salmon Salad Tartines Mike Garten 8 Roasted Chickpea, Tomato and Chicken Bowls Mike Garten Advertisement – Continue Reading Below 9 Avocado and Tuna Salad Wraps
4 May 2025
4 May 2025
Eating Chicken Could Shorten Your Lifespan, Raise Cancer Risk: Study
Share on PinterestA new study suggests that consuming excess poultry may be associated with all-cause mortality and gastrointestinal cancers. Davide Illini/Stocksy United Consuming more than 300 grams of poultry per week may lead to an increase in all-cause deaths and cancers, according to a new study. The findings contradict existing research and are being approached with caution by experts. Poultry is widely considered a healthier protein source and a cornerstone of healthy eating plans like the Mediterranean diet. Factors that could affect mortality rates and cancer incidence were not considered in the study, prompting calls for further investigation. A surprising new study of people in southern Italy suggests that consuming excess poultry, widely considered a healthier animal protein source, may be associated with all-cause mortality and gastrointestinal cancers. The study’s results largely conflict with previous research and conventional wisdom. Poultry is generally considered a healthy protein source and a mainstay of healthy-diet plans, including the well-regarded Mediterranean diet. The United States Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), 2020–2025, recommends up to 26 ounces of protein foods, including lean meats, poultry, and eggs, per week, without specific limits on each. The new research, however, suggests that consuming more than 300 grams (10.5
4 May 2025
4 May 2025
Field Trip Friday, Second Graders Learn Healthy Eating Habits in Classroom Visit – KBSI FOX23 News Cape Girardeau News
JACKSON, Mo. (KBSI) — Students at East Elementary in Jackson got a colorful lesson in nutrition during this week’s Field Trip Friday. Mrs. Brune’s second grade class welcomed nutrition expert Hannah Schellman, who led a session on the importance of healthy eating and how the right foods fuel both the body and mind. Schellman used a simple comparison comparing food to fuel, much like gas for a car, to help students understand how their diet affects their energy and growth. “Your body needs fuel to get around,” she explained. “So we’re going to talk about what foods help us run and play and do all the things we need.” Using the image of a plate, Schellman encouraged students to think about the healthy food options they can create. Source link
3 May 2025
3 May 2025
Nicole Danielle Titko of Florida On Creating Healthy, Florida-Inspired Meals Year-Round
Nicole Danielle Titko of Florida has built her culinary brand around the natural bounty and vibrant lifestyle of the Sunshine State. As a personal chef and caterer with a passion for healthy living, she crafts meals that are rooted in Florida’s local produce, coastal seafood, and colorful culture. Her work is more than just cooking—it’s a daily expression of wellness, artistry, and love for her environment. From private dinners to full-scale catered events, Nicole Danielle Titko channels the warmth, brightness, and health-conscious ethos of Florida into every dish she prepares. The Essence of Florida in Every Bite by Nicole Danielle Titko Florida’s geographic and agricultural diversity offers a wealth of culinary inspiration. Nicole Danielle Titko of Florida taps into this rich tapestry by sourcing ingredients directly from local farms, markets, and fisheries. She understands that the freshness of ingredients influences not just the taste of a dish, but its nutritional value and its connection to the land. For Nicole Danielle Titko, cooking with intention begins with understanding where food comes from and honoring its journey. Her dishes often highlight iconic Florida staples—sweet corn, mango, papaya, avocado, and snapper—fused with her health-forward culinary methods. Rather than mask the natural flavors with
3 May 2025
3 May 2025
LANDMARK Celebrates 18-Year Partnership with L’ATELIER DE JOËL ROBUCHON HONG KONG as the Legendary Restaurant Returns This Summer
World’s Most MICHELIN-Starred Gastronomic Icon returns to a stunning new space in LANDMARK ATRIUM HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 May 2025 – LANDMARK is delighted to announce the highly anticipated return of gastronomic legend L’ATELIER DE JOËL ROBUCHON HONG KONG as the cornerstone of its refined Central dining portfolio this summer. Get the latest news delivered to your inbox Sign up for The Manila Times newsletters By signing up with an email address, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. The iconic restaurant has been located at LANDMARK for 18 years and has held the coveted Three MICHELIN Star status – the only L’ATELIER DE JOËL ROBUCHON HONG KONG internationally to do so – for an unprecedented 13 continuous years, since the very first Hong Kong & Macau MICHELIN Guide in 2012 until its temporary closure in January 2025. Following 19 months of planning and design, this acclaimed restaurant now proudly returns to a glamorous 18,000 sq. ft. tailor-made venue on the fourth floor of LANDMARK ATRIUM in August. “L’ATELIER DE JOËL ROBUCHON HONG KONG has been the jewel in the crown of our dining portfolio at
2 May 2025
2 May 2025
Stop eating one food to keep heart healthy according to surgeon
A heart surgeon has shared the one thing he recommends avoiding in your diet in order to maintain good metabolic health – and avoid ending up on the operating table Eating healthily is important to ensure your heart works as it should (stock image)(Image: d3sign via Getty Images) A heart surgeon has spoken out about the one thing he recommends people eliminate from their diet to stay healthy and avoid ending up on his operating table. On average in the United States, someone dies every 33 seconds from cardiovascular disease. In 2022, 702,880 people died from heart disease nationwide. This accounted for one in every five deaths across the US, making heart disease the leading cause of death. While factors like age and genetics significantly influence the risk of developing heart problems, lifestyle plays an undeniable role as well, and changing our eating habits can drastically increase or decrease our risk. In a clip from British entrepreneur Steven Bartlett’s podcast, Diary of a CEO, Dr Philip Ovadia – author of the book Stay off My Operating Table – highlighted that consuming one specific type of food can increase your likelihood of falling ill. “What I really tried to look at
1 May 2025
1 May 2025
Blue Zones recipe for longevity includes cooking class mixing rice, beans and community
First they drop the onions into the pot. Then in go the chickpeas and garlic cloves, all under the watchful eyes of chef Luis Montoya. For a group of women in Miami, Florida, mostly mothers and grandmothers, this one-pot meal can solve a challenge: how do you prepare easy and affordable healthy meals in a community considered a food desert? Inside the Overtown Youth Centre in the US city, the women slice and dice and squeeze their way through a recipe for chickpea soup with lemon and herbs, a recipe inspired by the Mediterranean, a region known for populations that can live to 100 and more. “The most difficult part is hitting the pressure button on the pressure cooker,” says Montoya, the South Florida chef leading the class, as the women prepare ingredients near the electric pots. Chickpeas in a strainer during a cooking class staged as part of a 10-week programme by the Blue Zones group in Miami, Florida to encourage healthier eating. Photo: Miami Herald/TNS A group called Blue Zones, which swoops into communities to find ways to improve the health of residents through changes to the environment and diet, brought the cooking classes to Overtown this spring.
1 May 2025
1 May 2025
Eat Bigger Meals to Cut Down on Ultra-Processed Snacks: Dietitian
Ivy Duong, 26, does an hour of resistance training three times a week, averages 7,000 steps a day, plays intense sports once or twice a week, and has an active job as an ambassador for a nonprofit organization. For the latest installment of Business Insider’s Nutrition Clinic, Duong, who is based in Canada, told Business Insider what she eats on an average day. She said her goals are to boost her longevity, cut down on ultra-processed food, and stay healthy to support her active lifestyle. The dietitian Sophie Medlin reviewed Duong’s daily diet and said that, given her exercise levels, she likely needs to eat more. Duong has a small breakfast or skips it Duong said she normally eats two or three meals a day. She said she often skips breakfast but sometimes makes a smoothie containing almond milk, Greek yogurt, matcha powder, chia seeds, hemp seeds, collagen powder, apples, and frozen berries, adding up to roughly 300 to 350 calories. Alternatively, she has a slice of rye or wholewheat toast with peanut butter and salt, which comes to about 350 calories. Duong regularly eats lunches like quinoa with vegetables. Ivy Duong Duong rotates a selection of dishes for her
1 May 2025
1 May 2025
Healthy ready meal company enters liquidation
John Campbell BBC News NI economics editor Karri Kitchen Peter Coulter & John Campbell BBC News NI Products from the healthy ready meal company Karri Kitchen have disappeared from shelves across Northern Ireland as the business has entered liquidation. The firm, which was based in Craigavon, County Armagh, had expanded rapidly over the past few years securing deals with Tesco, Lidl, Asda and Spar to become one of NI’s biggest ready meal businesses. Karri Kitchen specialised in healthy Asian-style meals such as Mongolian beef noodles, firecracker chicken and mango chicken curry. The liquidator said the business was “unable to meet rising production costs”. The business was started in 2019 by Shera McAloran with a mantra to “bring healthy south-east Asian cuisine to homes across Northern Ireland”. The business also appeared in the BBC programme Food Fest Northern Ireland featuring some of their unique recipes. The Statement of Affairs which was filed as part of the liquidation process showed the business had net debts of almost £700,000 when it stopped trading. That included almost £200,000 owed to a County Armagh food company and £183,000 which had been loaned to the business by one of its directors, Chris McAloran. The statement also
1 May 2025
1 May 2025
ProteinHouse to bring healthy eating options to Turlock
Health-food chain ProteinHouse is coming to Turlock. With 17 restaurants in operation throughout the country, Turlock is poised to become home to No. 18 — or 19 if the soon-to-open restaurant in Tempe, Ariz. beats Turlock to the finish line. “We’re set to open sometime late next month,” said Mark Ponticelli, who co-owns ProteinHouse locations in Modesto and Sacramento with his brother-in-law, January Siphan, a former Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Deputy and Modesto police officer. “We’re super excited.” Employees Seth Oaxaca, left, and Beth Mejia blend up protein shakes Tuesday at ProteinHouse Healthy Fit Kitchen in Modesto (JOE CORTEZ/The Journal). Open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., ProteinHouse offers a wide array of healthy food and drink options for breakfast, lunch and dinner — for dine-in or to go. From Protein Pancakes to an egg-white and turkey-bacon sandwich served on an Ezekiel English muffin, there’s something for every breakfast appetite. There’s also build-your-own breakfast options. The lunch and dinner menu includes burgers (beef, turkey, salmon, and vegan options), burritos, wraps, salads and more. In addition to açai bowls and shakes, there’s a wide array of protein shakes. The menu also includes side orders and something for kids.
30 April 2025
30 April 2025
Factor Meals Review 2025: Worth the Cost?
Finding the time and energy to prepare balanced, tasty meals can be a real struggle. Whether you’re in a recipe rut or simply overwhelmed by meal planning after a hectic day, I get it. Cooking takes effort, and grabbing fast food or ordering takeout can feel much easier. As a registered dietitian, I’ve discovered that meal delivery services are a game changer, taking the stress out of healthy eating and making it easier to enjoy nutritious, tasty food without the hassle. Factor is one meal delivery service that’s earned a spot on the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab’s list of the best meal delivery services for weight loss and the best low-carb meal delivery services. To assess the best options, we gathered feedback from over 300 home cooks nationwide and had our experts evaluate more than 50 meal delivery services in our Labs, focusing on taste, nutrition, ease of use and overall experience. Here’s what to know about Factor before signing up. What is Factor? Factor, also referred to as “Factor 75” or “Factor_” is a meal delivery service that offers freshly prepared dishes that arrive ready to heat and enjoy. With a weekly menu featuring 35 options that prioritize
30 April 2025
30 April 2025
Weaning recipes to use instead of ultra-processed baby food
Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Though baby food in plastic pouches has made mealtimes easy and convenient for parents across the UK, an investigation by BBC Panorama has found that baby food from several leading brands offers scant nutritional value and contains shocking amounts of sugar. Pouches of baby food from the likes of Ella’s Kitchen, Heinz, Piccolo, Little Freddie, Aldi and Lidl were tested and found lacking in essential nutrients. A “pure mango” pouch from Piccolo contained less than 0.1mg of vitamin C – a fresh mango contains 18.2mg. Many of these brands are marketed as healthy alternatives to homemade food, but critics argue that a mixture of greenwashing, wellness washing and halo marketing could be responsible for poor health from infancy. “The findings are concerning,” says nutritionist Claire Johnson. “Many of these convenient, squeezable products are low in essential nutrients such as iron and vitamin C, both of which are vital for babies’ brain development, immune function and overall
30 April 2025
30 April 2025
Sick of eating the same things? 5 ways to boost your nutrition and keep meals interesting and healthy
Did you start 2025 with a promise to eat better but didn’t quite get there? Or maybe you want to branch out from making the same meal every week or the same lunch for work almost every day? Small dietary changes can make a big difference to how you feel, how your body functions and health indicators such as blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels. You can meet your nutrient needs by eating a range of foods from the key food groups: vegetables and fruit protein (legumes, beans, tofu, meats, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds) grains (mostly wholegrain and high-fibre) calcium-rich foods (milk, yoghurt, cheese, non-dairy alternatives). But you also need a variety of foods to get enough vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients from plant foods. Phytonutrients have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and other functions that help keep you healthy. Use these five dietary tweaks to boost your nutrient intake and add variety to what you eat. 1. Include different types of bran to boost your fibre intake Different types of dietary fibre help improve bowel function through fermentation by gut microbes in the colon, or large bowel. This creates larger, softer bowel motions that then stimulate the colon to contract,
30 April 2025
30 April 2025
Flanders to spend 70 million euros a year on healthy school meals
The Flemish government reached an agreement on Tuesday on how to implement healthy meals in schools. It will provide about 70 million euros – about 170 euros per child – per year, and schools will be allowed to decide how to spend the money. One of Vooruit’s main election platforms last year was “a free healthy meal for every child in kindergarten and primary school in Flanders”. The Socialist party wanted to spend 3 euros per child per day, but Tuesday’s agreement does not go that far. Vooruit, CD&V and N-VA agreed on a budget of 23 million euros for this year. This will rise to 73 million euros per year in the coming legislative years. For every 100 euros spent by Flanders, the cities and municipalities are expected to contribute at least 75 euros. Flanders has about 720,000 pupils in kindergarten and primary education. This means that the budget amounts to about 170 euros per child. Divided by the number of days in a school year, this amounts to just under one euro per child per day. “Every child, whether they have rich or poor parents, (…) has a right to healthy food and the many benefits it brings”
30 April 2025
30 April 2025
Harvard study reveals how many times men should ejaculate a month to prevent cancer
About one in eight men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime in the UK but despite this frequency, there is not totally clarity of its cause. It can often be cured if diagnosed early but when it’s contained inside the prostate, it doesn’t usually cause any symptoms. This is why there is such a drive for people to know about their risk with it mainly affecting men over the age of 50. While genetics, diet and lifestyle factors are thought to play a role, there has been interest into the link between ejaculation and lower chances of prostate cancer. And a Harvard study looked at this, finding that those who ejaculated the most each month had a 31 percent lower risk. The Health Professionals Follow-Up Study collected information from a large group of volunteers from 1986. Prostate cancer mainly affects men over 50. (Getty Stock image) All health care providers, most of the men were white, so it’s important to note that when looking at these results as the risk of prostate cancer is even higher for black men. In 1992, 29,342 men between the ages of 46 and 81 provided researchers with information about their average number of
19 February 2026
Preventive healthcare clinic up at GIMS, to dispense‘lifestyle medicine’
The Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), Greater Noida, has launched a Lifestyle Modification Clinic aimed at promoting preventive healthcare and holistic management of lifestyle-related disorders, officials said on Tuesday. The clinic will function from Monday to Friday between 10 am and 1 pm at Room No. 426 (Wellness Centre) in the hospital building at GIMS, Greater Noida. (HT) Lifestyle medicine is an evidence-based medical specialty that utilises therapeutic lifestyle interventions such as optimal nutrition, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, stress management, avoidance of harmful substances and fostering positive social connections to prevent and manage lifestyle-related diseases. By addressing behavioural and environmental determinants, it focuses on long-term health promotion and disease prevention. Officials said the newly launched clinic has been established in the hospital building at GIMS. The clinic will focus on conditions such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension and stress-related disorders. The clinic will function from Monday to Friday between 10 am and 1 pm at Room No. 426 (Wellness Centre) in the hospital building at GIMS, Greater Noida. “The Lifestyle Modification Clinic is designed to promote healthier living practices through evidence-based interventions. Lifestyle modification helps in preventing the onset of non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension,” said
17 February 2026
John Thomson talks ‘ageing positively’ and ‘tweaks’ for a healthy lifestyle
A new study has revealed the top signs that you’re getting old – but actor and comedian John Thomson shares ‘you can still live life to the full’. John Thomson speaks to a nutritionist about ageing From needing to sit down to put your socks on to watching your old clothes return to fashion—and asking ‘who?’ when watching the BRIT Awards, new research has identified the top signs that you are edging into the ‘old’ category. A third of participants (33%) also recognised they were ‘no longer young’ when they began to groan whilst bending down. Commissioned by American Pistachio Growers, the survey of 5,000 over-40s discovered that preferring a quiet drink over a night out (39%), caring less about the latest fashion trends (35%), and a persistent ache that won’t go away (34%) were also high on the list. John is ‘having a laugh’ at the reality of ageing and is encouraging the others to do the same(Image: Simon Jacobs / SWNS) Interestingly, 50 was the age when people began to feel they were ‘no longer young’, but 38% said being old nowadays is actually when you reach your 80s rather than your 50s or 60s. John Thomson, who
17 February 2026
Keep heartbreak purely emotional with healthy lifestyle choices
Retirement, fitness and walking with dog and couple in neighborhood park for relax, health and sports workout. Love, wellness and pet with old man and senior woman in outdoor morning walk together While we’re busy celebrating Valentine’s weekend with our significant other, family or friends, let’s not forget to show our own hearts some love this American Heart Month. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S. and right here in Dallas County. The good news is that many cases are preventable with healthy lifestyle choices. Living a heart-healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be complicated. Start with small but sustainable changes. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week, such as brisk walking. Prioritize a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats, such as those found in nuts and olive oil. Limit processed foods, added sugars and excess salt. Avoid smoking, manage stress and get enough sleep (most adults need 7-9 hours per night.) Regular check-ups with your healthcare provider can help monitor blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI and blood sugar levels. It’s also important to recognize the warning signs of a heart attack. In men, symptoms often include chest
16 February 2026
16 February 2026
The Lifestyle Benefits and Trade-offs of Working as a Traveling Healthcare Professional
Modern medicine currently undergoes a significant shift as more clinicians prioritize flexibility alongside clinical excellence. The rising demand for a traveling healthcare professional stems from a collective desire to escape the static nature of traditional hospital employment. By embracing travel healthcare roles, clinicians gain the rare ability to design a career that aligns with their personal passions rather than just their shift schedules. A surge in popularity for these positions stems from the unique opportunity for medical experts to cross-train in diverse environments, effectively bypassing the rigid constraints of a 9-to-5 hospital setting. This nomadic approach transforms a standard job into a dynamic career trajectory. Achieving long-term success requires a deep understanding of specific benefits and trade-offs, even as the immediate perks remain substantial. Navigating this path successfully demands both clinical precision and personal adaptability. (Credit: Intelligent Living) What Does Life as a Traveling Healthcare Professional Look Like? Taking temporary assignments in hospitals, clinics, and specialty facilities nationwide, these experts typically engage in contracts ranging from 8 to 26 weeks across diverse clinical specialties. Rather than remaining anchored to a single facility, nomadic clinicians must frequently recalibrate their professional approach. Successfully navigating these transitions involves adapting to: Diverse clinical workflows
13 February 2026
13 February 2026
The Picturesque English Seaside County That Was Named One of the World’s Best Places to Visit by Vogue
What with all the UK’s dark, cold and rain – so much rain – booking a trip is especially popular among Brits at this time of year. Just as well, then, that Vogue has provided some inspo for the bucket list with its pick of the 12 best places to visit around the world in 2026. And adventure is closer than you might have expected, with a county in southwest England making the cut. Sure, you could experience tropical paradise in the Seychelles, go yurt camping in Kyrgyzstan or hike through Estonia’s pine forests and freshwater springs, but why brother when you can experience the glorious outdoors right here on British soil? Described as an ‘off-the-beaten-track corner of England’ by the fashion mag, Vogue’s write up of Devon talked up the county’s offering of moorland strolls and coastal foraging, as well as the wild natural beauty of Dartmoor and Exmoor National Parks. We couldn’t agree more, and Time Out’s guide to the best things to do in Devon reveals that the seaside county has something for everyone. Keen surfer? When the conditions are right, Saunton Sands between the villages of Braunton and Croyde is one of the best places in the country for
13 February 2026
13 February 2026
「Six Seven !」
「Six Seven !」（6-7）我必須承認，初次被年輕人們問我知否這詞彙時，還以為是新一代的粗口代名詞。 原來非也，「Six Seven」是二○二五年度詞彙，現時在TikTok和Gen Alpha（Alpha世代，二○一○年後出生）間爆紅用語。它於我像一串敲打着世代之門的密碼，身為研究傳播學的人，我竟在這些碎片裏迷了路。 我像個舉着放大鏡在兒童塗鴉前苦思的考古學家，忍不住追問：「不是粗口的話，到底代表甚麼？表達甚麼意思？」眾年輕人靜默後爆出哄笑。短髮女孩答：「它甚麼都不是啊！」他們展示影片中的人，可在成功、失敗或看到迷因時大喊「Six Seven」，原來，這詞並無具體定義，是萬用感歎詞，表達荒謬、無聊、搞笑或純粹圈內共鳴。重點就是年輕人覺得「毋須解釋或解讀，在於大家都明（懂就懂）」的氛圍——語氣沒嘲諷沒啥非表達不可之意，說的人和聽的人，只有某種共享荒謬的親密感。我愣住，忽然想起傳播理論課上自己曾斬釘截鐵地說：「所有流行語必然承載社會意涵。」此刻，這句話像回力鏢般擊中眉心。 另一男孩補充：「就像我們突然說『香蕉會飛呀！』一樣，沒啥意思，亦沒啥想表達，純粹夠無聊！懂就懂，不懂亦毋須解釋，讓他們不懂就好！」我忽然懂了。這代人在資訊海嘯中長大，意義被過度生產、過度解讀。於是「Six Seven」成了他們的避難所——一個刻意空洞的符號，拒絕被定義、拒絕承載重量。它唯一的功能，就是標記「此時此地，我們一起胡言亂語」的瞬間。這或許是年輕世代的一種身份認同，特點是故意讓家長、老師、大人聽不懂，以此建立「屬於我們的內梗（inside joke）」。 或許，每個世代都需要點「毫無意義」的語言符號，去逃脫意義的牢籠。Alpha世代，顛覆了我的世代，「Six Seven」令我發現：雖然一把年紀，世界還有太多現象我不懂。 Source link
12 February 2026
12 February 2026
Vynleads (OTCQB: VYND) Launches Done With Diabetes™ App, Bringing AI-Powered Daily Lifestyle Support to Blood Sugar and Metabolic Health
New digital platform combines an 8-week Success Blueprint, Dr. Smith AI Wellness Coach, AI Agent-powered community support, and AI-powered Lifetime Wellness Mode to help users stay consistent beyond motivation ROCK HILL, S.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Vynleads (OTCQB: VYND) today announced the official launch of the Done With Diabetes™ app, a mobile-first digital wellness platform designed to help adults with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and metabolic health goals build sustainable lifestyle routines through clear daily structure, personalized guidance, and AI-powered wellness coaching. For millions of people, diabetes is managed during brief clinical visits, yet outcomes are shaped by hundreds of daily decisions made at home, at work, and in everyday life. Done With Diabetes™ was built to close that gap by translating lifestyle medicine principles into a simple, repeatable day-by-day experience. “We designed this platform for the reality of diabetes—it’s managed day by day,” said Alex Mannine, Co-Founder and CEO of Vynleads. “Done With Diabetes™ gives people a clear plan they can follow, with personalized guidance that adapts as they build momentum, plus a Community supported by AI Agents and peers so no one feels alone between appointments. The goal is simple: make progress sustainable.” What Users Get Inside the Done With Diabetes™ App
11 February 2026
11 February 2026
Woman Transforms Health with Support of Intermountain Health Healthy Lifestyles Program
Michelle Wash After watching her mother battle and pass away from Parkinson’s disease at an early age, Michelle Wash, vowed not to let health issues overwhelm her own life in a negative way. In 2011, when she was diagnosed with a serious chronic kidney condition, she committed to playing an active role in determining the impacts of her diagnosis. After living for 20 years in Nevada, she returned to southeast Montana to care for her ailing father. Accessing the necessary specialty care to manage her condition while living in Ekalaka, Mont., can be challenging, but Wash has built a strong relationship with her local primary care provider and has sought out ways to continue to proactively manage her health. To prevent further complications from her conditions, such as developing diabetes or needing dialysis, Wash has been focused on lifestyle factors, such as diet and physical activity, key components to managing her health. That is why, when she saw a flyer at her local doctor’s office for Healthy Lifestyles, a diabetes prevention program at Intermountain Health Holy Rosary Hospital in Miles City, she wanted to learn more. She was especially interested in the virtual option, which would allow her to participate from home. A year later, she is amazed by the impact the program has had on her health. For the past 16 years, the Healthy Lifestyles program at Holy Rosary Hospital has helped more than 1,000 participants in their health journey through in-person classes. To serve more individuals, the program added a virtual option, eliminating barriers to participation, especially
10 February 2026
10 February 2026
Why Diet And Lifestyle Matter More Than We Think For Long-Term Health | Health and Fitness News
Last Updated:February 10, 2026, 12:01 IST Diet and lifestyle choices play a bigger role in long-term health than genetics alone. An expert explains how daily habits influence obesity, chronic disease, and overall wellbeing According to the Economic Survey 2025–26, nearly 24% of Indian women and 23% of Indian men are overweight or obese, highlighting obesity as a growing public health challenge driven by unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, and increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods. In modern healthcare conversations, genetics and medical interventions often dominate discussions around long-term health. Yet, mounting evidence suggests that everyday habits play a far greater role in shaping health outcomes over time. According to the Economic Survey 2025–26, nearly 24% of Indian women and 23% of Indian men are overweight or obese, highlighting obesity as a growing public health challenge driven by unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, and increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods. “Long-term health outcomes are shaped less by occasional treatments and far more by habits repeated daily over years,” explains Dr Rohini Patil, Founder & CEO, Nutracy Lifestyle. “Diet and lifestyle remain among the most underestimated, yet most powerful, determinants of both longevity and quality of life.” The survey also underscores how lifestyle-related factors influence biological
10 February 2026
10 February 2026
Study Ties 5 Subtypes of Sleep With Distinct Health And Lifestyle Patterns : ScienceAlert
It’s not just morning larks and night owls. There are five unique types of sleepers out there, according to new research, and which kind you are is tied to your health and lifestyle. These “hidden subgroups” among early risers and late sleepers are each associated with distinct patterns of human behavior and health. One group of early birds, for instance, has the fewest health problems overall, while the other group has higher rates of depression. Night owls, meanwhile, show even greater diversity of cycles and outcomes. “In today’s digital and post-pandemic era, sleep patterns are more diverse than ever,” says Le Zhou, a neuroscience grad student from McGill University in Canada. “Understanding this biological diversity could eventually help inform more personalized approaches to sleep, work schedules, and mental health support.” Early birds and night owls are the best-known ‘chronotypes‘ – profiles that describe when during the day a person is most alert or sleepy. For years now, some scientists have argued that there are many more than just two chronotypes. Scientists have previously categorized our 24-hour body clocks into multiple sleep patterns with associated health, psychological, and lifestyle outcomes, but the specific chronotypes identified in this study are new. The
10 February 2026
10 February 2026
The top 10 places to see cherry blossoms around the world in 2026
It’s time to think pink. After months of bleak winter weather, spring is ready to explode in the northern hemisphere with a riot of cherry tree blossoms. While plenty of seasonal blooms stir souls – like the purple crocuses announcing spring’s arrival – no flowering plant inspires admiration like the cherry tree. For centuries, people have celebrated their cotton candy canopies as a sign of rebirth and a meditation on life’s transience. Festivals from Seoul to Sweden delight in the tree’s arboreal opulence, but peak bloom (when roughly two-thirds of a tree’s flowers unfurl) doesn’t always align with pre-planned events. Timing depends on local temperatures, sunshine and precipitation levels – and once petals appear, they only last an average of 10 days. Advertisement Stay on top of this year’s weather to guestimate when you should travel – and aim for a trip that straddles predicted peak dates rather than banking on a single, perfect day. In 2024, an unusually warm spring triggered peak bloom in Washington, DC, on March 17, while in 2025, peak bloom arrived on March 28 – a reminder that forecasts aren’t facts. Here are the best destinations to see cherry blossoms in 2026, including important dates
8 February 2026
8 February 2026
Lifestyle factors are behind 4 in 10 new cancers, WHO study finds – National
Nearly four in 10 new cancer cases are caused by lifestyle choices such as the consumption of tobacco and alcohol and can be prevented with targeted interventions, a study led by a World Health Organization agency has found. A massive global study of 18.7 million new cancer cases across 185 countries and 36 types of cancer, as published in the Nature Medicine Journal on Tuesday, showed that 37.8 per cent of new cancers were caused by “modifiable risks.” Three cancer types — lung, stomach and cervical cancer — accounted for nearly half of all preventable cancer cases in both men and women, globally. 2:05 Prostate cancer clinical trial shows promise The study identified 30 risk factors, including tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, high body mass index, insufficient physical activity, smokeless tobacco and areca nut, suboptimal breastfeeding, air pollution, ultraviolet radiation, infectious agents and occupational exposures. Story continues below advertisement From among these factors, tobacco was the top cause of cancer, contributing to 15.1 per cent of all cases, followed by infections (10.2 per cent) and alcohol consumption (3.2 per cent). Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Lung cancer was primarily
6 February 2026
6 February 2026
The English County That Has Been Named One of the World’s Best Places for Walking Trails in 2026
At the end of last year, hiking map app AllTrails revealed that Britain’s most popular hike of 2025 was the walk to summit of Yr Wyddfa (AKA Mount Snowdon) in North Wales. Apparently, around 600,000 people take on the mountain every year and if you’ve climbed it yourself, you’ll probably be familiar with the long queue that often forms at the very top. But there are plenty of hikes across the UK that offer just as brilliant views and don’t get anywhere near the same crowds. Now, AllTrails has revealed which underrated ‘trail-rich’ regions across the world are worthy of a visit in 2025. And it has given a shoutout to one of the UK’s least visited national parks: Northumberland. A spokesperson for the app said: ‘In the UK alone, AllTrails has nearly 35,000 trails to explore, but Northumberland stood out for its dramatic skies, Roman history and some of the best Dark Sky stargazing in Europe. All the while being one of the lowest visited National Parks in the UK, meaning fewer crowds than some highly visited areas.’ AllTrails highlighted four routes worth trekking in the county. The number one most popular trail in Northumberland National Park is the 8.2km Simonside and
5 February 2026
5 February 2026
Cracked Heels, Corns, Calluses: The Real Reasons Behind Them
If you’ve been treating your bunions, corns and cracked heels as a cosmetic nuisance, your feet issues are probably having a quiet laugh at your expense. According to one beauty expert, those lumpy, bumpy, flaking bits are less a cruel twist of fate and more a running commentary on how you live, walk and generally neglect the two heroes at the end of your legs. You know the ones – the feet you stuff into pointy shoes, pound around on all day and then occasionally attack with a cheese grater masquerading as a file. “Feet absorb everything we do day to day” Foot concerns such as bunions, corns and cracked heels are often brushed off as unlucky genetics or something you just have to live with. But professionals say these common foot issues are usually signs of pressure, friction or long-term neglect rather than bad luck. According to Danielle Louise, beauty expert on the world’s leading beauty and wellness booking platform, Fresha, recurring problems downstairs are one of the most overlooked indicators of lifestyle habits. “Feet absorb everything we do day to day. Walking patterns, footwear choices and how often we moisturise all show up there first. Filing or covering
4 February 2026
4 February 2026
The ‘most welcoming’ place to visit in the world is right here in Australiatravelnews
It’s the state known for its laid-back beach lifestyle. But now an Aussie spot has been named not just the most welcoming place in the nation, but in the whole world. Experts reckon Noosa Heads, on the Sunshine Coast north of Brisbane, outranks anywhere else for friendliness. READ MORE: ‘All the things I bought for my toddler on a long-haul flight – and what she actually used’ Noosa Heads in Queensland is the place to go for friendly locals. (Getty) Booking.com named the area, known for its beaches and national parks as well as its shops and restaurants top on both its Aussie and global ‘most welcoming’ places. It’s based on the number of hotels and apartments and other accommodation options on the sites landing a Traveller Review Award, because of their great reviews. READ MORE: Planning to travel in 2026? Here’s your guide to every new travel requirement Aussies need to know Queensland’s top secluded beaches to seek out “From hosts who remember the small details to local partners who help travellers feel instantly at home, it’s often these human moments that define a truly great trip,” Todd Lacey, Regional Manager, Oceania at Booking.com said. “We’re incredibly proud to
4 February 2026
4 February 2026
The 21 Most Dangerous Countries, According to the US State Department
Overseas travel can be an immensely enriching experience, from learning about different cultures to seeing some of the world’s greatest sights, but in some countries, it can also come with risks. The US State Department ranks 21 countries around the world as a travel advisory level four, “Do Not Travel” due to risks like terrorism and kidnapping. “All countries will rank destinations slightly differently,” Alan Fyall, a professor of tourism at the University of Central Florida, told Business Insider. While they frequently overlap, the US and the UK don’t have identical lists, for example. Historical and cultural ties, proximity, and level of familiarity may all play a role in shaping these lists, he said. For some of these countries, the US has suspended embassy operations. That makes it difficult for it to assist travelers when they’re in trouble, and that’s part of the reason the warnings can be stringent, said Fyall. “Do you really want to go and rescue your citizens from a country that, really, they’re not that advised to go to in the first place?” he said. The US and UK governments also issue warnings for specific areas in some countries, such as near the Thailand-Malaysia border, the
4 February 2026
4 February 2026
Medical Expert Witnesses Influence And Lifestyle Insights
Medical disputes are climbing faster than the national debt. Malpractice suits, liability claims, and healthcare fraud prosecutions are flooding civil and criminal dockets alike. Judges and juries are bombarded with dense records, obscure diagnostic codes, and treatment protocols they’ve never seen before. Without a sharp, credible medical voice cutting through the fog, these cases risk collapsing into confusion. That reliance on specialized testimony has gone from helpful to absolutely indispensable because losing clarity in a courtroom full of conflicting evidence is the quickest route to a bad verdict. Distinguishing a Medical Expert Witness Never miss new stories in Harlem A licensed surgeon with decades in the operating room speaks from a reservoir of skill no casual observer possesses. Lay witnesses can recount what they saw or heard. Experts interpret what it means in clinical reality. Specialized training, years of patient care, and peer recognition transform testimony from anecdote into authority. When a trauma surgeon testifies about the timing of internal bleeding in a criminal assault case, the court hears science, not speculation. That’s the line that separates expertise from opinion. Essential Credentials of a Physician Medical Expert Winning credibility starts with tangible achievements: board certifications that demonstrate mastery, subspecialty training
3 February 2026
3 February 2026
Corporate Models Are Influencing Healthcare And Lifestyle
Healthcare is no longer solely the domain of the independent practitioner working out of a modest office. It is being retooled, restructured, and repackaged under corporate ownership that thrives on scale and efficiency. Consolidation is not a side effect; it is the bloodstream of modern healthcare, with data showing that private equity deals in physician practices have skyrocketed into the billions annually. Ignore this shift, and you miss the leverage machines are reshaping medicine for both the people delivering care and the people receiving it. Tracing the Growth of Corporate Medical Models Never miss new stories in Harlem What once was standard solo physicians or small partnerships has shifted into sprawling, multi-specialty networks bankrolled by investors. The real turning point? Private equity didn’t just buy in; it built empires. Hospital systems tightened their grip on outpatient networks. Large platforms merged primary care with niche specialties under one roof. Economies of scale made billing seamless and marketing omnipresent. It was too enticing for many practices to resist, and adoption spread with the force of a corporate tide. Clinical Decision-Making Under Corporate Oversight Corporate healthcare thrives on protocols, KPIs, and dashboards that dictate more than just scheduling. Standardized measures can raise the
3 February 2026
3 February 2026
Loneliness-Induced Lifestyle Diseases: The Missing Health Narrative | Health and Fitness News
Last Updated:February 03, 2026, 18:20 IST Loneliness is emerging as a hidden trigger for heart disease, stroke, and cognitive decline. Why social isolation must be addressed in lifestyle healthcare. Loneliness: Sometimes, the most serious health risk isn’t what we eat or do, but who we have no one to share it with. Loneliness is more than just a feeling. It is a serious and growing health risk. In India, 1 in 3 young adults reports having no one to talk to about their feelings, while 73% of senior citizens in urban areas experience some form of isolation. Medical studies also link loneliness to a 25% higher risk of heart disease and a 32% increased risk of stroke. These numbers underline a reality that can no longer be ignored. For decades, the lifestyle disease conversation has revolved around the familiar triad of diet, exercise, and stress. Yet an equally potent risk factor continues to sit in the shadows. In an increasingly urban, mobile, and digitally connected world, social isolation has quietly emerged as a public health concern with serious physiological consequences. “Loneliness is one of the most underappreciated lifestyle risk factors today,” says Shradha Chaturvedi, CEO and founder, GetCompanion. “While we
3 February 2026
3 February 2026
Tripadvisor Just Named the Top 20 Places in the World to Visit in 2026 — Here’s the Countdown
Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice “Best of the Best” list is basically a popularity contest with receipts: it’s based on a year’s worth of standout traveler reviews, and only a tiny slice of places make the cut. If you’re trying to pick a 2026 trip and want destinations that real people consistently rave about (not just ones with pretty photos), this is a solid shortcut. 20. Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Cabo has two personalities: laid-back beach days and full-send vacation chaos, and you can choose your own adventure depending on where you stay. The Sea of Cortez side is calmer for swimming, while the Pacific side is prettier-but-rougher (and usually not swimmable). If you’re going between December and April, build in at least one whale-watching outing; it’s one of those “worth the touristy price tag” experiences. (Cabo has so many fun things to do!) 19. Hurghada, Egypt If you like snorkeling or diving even a little, Hurghada is an easy yes… the reefs are the main event, and they’re stunning. It’s also one of those places where you can do “lazy resort week” or use it as a base for more ambitious day trips, depending on your energy. (There are a lot
2 February 2026
2 February 2026
Here’s How Chronic Sleep Deprivation Can Become A Lifestyle Epidemic | Health and Fitness News
Last Updated:February 01, 2026, 16:41 IST Chronic sleep deprivation is no longer an individual issue — it is a growing public health concern shaped by modern lifestyles. Even missing 1–2 hours of sleep daily can alter your body’s key systems In an age defined by long work hours, late-night screen time, and constant digital stimulation, chronic sleep deprivation is no longer just a personal habit issue — it is rapidly becoming a lifestyle epidemic. Doctors across internal medicine, neurology and mental health report a surge in patients experiencing persistent fatigue, mood disturbances, lowered immunity and hormonal imbalances, all linked to inadequate or poor-quality sleep. We speak to Dr Amit Saraf, Director, Department of Internal Medicine, Jupiter Hospital, Thane, to understand some ways to deal with chronic sleep deprivation. A Culture of “Sleep Later, Do More Now Today’s generation is conditioned to believe that productivity requires sacrifice, and sleep is often the first thing compromised. Many adults routinely sleep less than the recommended 7–9 hours, believing they can “catch up” on weekends. However, experts clarify that sleep debt is cumulative, and the body does not fully recover from chronic deprivation. Work-from-home arrangements, multiple jobs, side hustles and round-the-clock digital connectivity have
1 February 2026
1 February 2026
Healthy lifestyle can prevent 50% of cancer cases: Experts | Patna News
A recent health symposium revealed that embracing a holistic lifestyle—complete with nutritious meals and steering clear of alcohol—can drastically lower the likelihood of developing cancer. According to specialists, nearly half of all cancer diagnoses might be averted through simple lifestyle modifications like keeping fit, maintaining a healthy weight, and saying no to tobacco. Patna: Health experts on Saturday said adopting a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet and avoidance of alcohol, can reduce the risk of cancer.Addressing a gathering, Dr A A Hai said around 15 lakh people are affected by cancer every year. “Prevention is possible on a large scale through lifestyle changes,” he said, adding that maintaining a healthy weight, staying physically active, improving diet and avoiding alcohol can help prevent up to 50% of cancer cases. Patna: NEET Aspirant Death CBI Probe, Bird Flu Alert, Ticketless Travel Fines and More He also stressed the importance of avoiding tobacco in any form, limiting processed and high-fat foods, and ensuring adequate sleep to support long-term health.Dr Hai was speaking at a cancer awareness programme organised at Paras HMRI on Saturday. The event was inaugurated by Padmashri Vimal Kumar Jain along with Dr Hai, Radheshyam Bansal, Abhay Prakash, DIG, and
1 February 2026
1 February 2026
Mutant Mayhem 2 Gets New Release Date
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2 has a new release date that fans will love. When is the new TMNT: Mutant Mayhem 2 release date? Rather than being delayed, Paramount and Point Grey’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2 has had its release date moved up. The animated sequel will now be released on August 13, 2027, rather than the previously planned date of September 17, 2027. That’s a stronger release date for its target audience, as kids and families won’t be as occupied. The sequel will once again be directed by Jeff Rowe. However, this time, he will be joined by co-directors Yashar Kassai and Kyle Spears. The voice cast will feature returning cast members Micah Abbey as Donatello, Shamon Brown Jr. as Michelangelo, Nicolas Cantu as Leonardo, Brady Noon as Raphael, and Ayo Edebiri as April O’Neil. Previously, Rowe said that the second film in the series would focus on Shredder, although plot details aren’t yet confirmed. “That is exactly what I am trying to figure out and what my next meeting will be about. That is what we are in the thick of now,” said Rowe of the sequel. “Shredder is just a great character. He’s
21 February 2026
Bluey Creator’s New Hulu TV Show Isn’t Appropriate for Kids
Hulu has picked up the rights to a full-length series version of a popular web show, with Bluey creator also attached to the project that certainly won’t be suitable for kids. What new show is Bluey’s creator tied to? According to a new report from Variety, Hulu has picked up a full-length series based on the popular web show Childish Deano. The new show, titled Deano, will be an eight-episode, half-hour comedy, and comes from creators Dean Thomas and David Ferrier. Bluey creator Joe Brumm is also involved as both an executive producer and script editor on the project. “We’re so excited to bring our spicy child and his sidekick to a global audience with two of the world’s biggest story megaphones in Disney and the BBC,” Thomas and Ferrier said. “It’s so unreal we’re half expecting someone to tell us it’s a prank.” The series will be produced by Hooligan Animation, with Hooligan’s Greg Basser, Tracey Robertson, Ross Shuman, Nathan Mayfield, and Tracey Vieira also attached as executive producers alongside BBC Studios’ Adam Bailey. “Deano is a spirited cheeky charmer of a boy, whose tough exterior coats a real heart of gold. He is the most endearing feisty kid
20 February 2026
James Gunn Gives Reassuring Update on Paradise Lost TV Show
James Gunn has offered a reassuring update regarding the Paradise Lost TV show. Paradise Lost is one of several DCU TV shows currently in development. This project was initially announced in January 2023; however, there haven’t been too many updates about the show since then, and it does not have a release date at this time. What did James Gunn say about the Paradise Lost show? Recently, a batch of rumors popped up online suggesting that the Paradise Lost TV show had been canceled. On Threads, however, Gunn debunked this and confirmed the show is still in development. “Definitely not,” he said when asked if it was true the show was being shelved. “Jesus, I go on Threads for the first time in weeks, and it’s just one insanely wrong thing after the other. What is going on?” Gunn offered a brief update about Paradise Lost when speaking to Entertainment Weekly last year. He confirmed that the show was still happening, though development was moving slowly. “Paradise Lost is moving along,” he said. It’s slow-moving, but it’s moving. And, yeah, I really love that project a lot.” When asked if the show is directly connected to the DCU’s plans for Wonder
20 February 2026
Ryan Phillippe & C. Thomas Howell Talk One Mile 1 & 2’s Challenging Shoot
ComingSoon spoke to One Mile: Chapter One and Chapter Two stars Ryan Phillippe and C. Thomas Howell about the survival action movie and its sequel. The duo discussed their characters, filming the two movies concurrently, and the movies’ unique release schedule. Both films are now available to purchase. “Ryan Phillippe stars as a former special forces operative trying to reconnect with his teenage daughter during a college road trip. When an unexpected detour puts them in the sights of a secretive, off-the-grid community, his daughter is taken, and the trip erupts into a high-octane fight for survival. Alone and outnumbered, he’s forced to use every skill he has to track them down, take them apart, and bring his daughter home,” says the official synopsis. Tyler Treese: Ryan, your character is former Special Forces. You’re snapping necks here. There’s a brutality to this film that kind of sets it apart from your standard action movie. What really appealed to you about the action of One Mile? Because you’re no stranger to kicking ass, but this kind of takes it to a next level. Ryan Phillippe: Yeah, it does. Also, the fact that we were shooting the movie and the sequel concurrently,
20 February 2026
Has Strip Law Season 2 Been Canceled or Renewed?
Viewers are curious to know whether Netflix has renewed or canceled Strip Law Season 2. Created by Cullen Crawford, the comedy animated series follows Lincoln Gumb, a serious, uptight lawyer who struggles to win cases in Las Vegas. Therefore, he teams up with a fun-loving magician, Sheila Flambé, to bring excitement to the cases. With the series having concluded recently, many want to know if another installment is on the horizon. Has Netflix canceled Strip Law or renewed it for Season 2? Netflix has neither renewed nor canceled Strip Law Season 2. A decision about the series future will likely be made once Season 1’s performance is evaluated. Typically, a series renewal is based on several factors, with the most important ones being viewership, ratings, and audience reception. If the desired expectations are met, the chances of renewal increase. As the series premiered on February 20, 2026, it’s too early to gauge its performance and give a final verdict. Once the showrunners have a clear understanding of its streaming performance, a decision is likely to be announced. In an interview, Crawford revealed that he would love to include additional Las Vegas locally known celebrities, like George Wallace, if the series
20 February 2026
Sterling K. Brown & Vivica A. Fox Star in Wild Revenge Movie Is God Is Trailer
Orion Pictures and Amazon MGM Studios have released the first trailer for Is God Is, the upcoming revenge movie starring Sterling K. Brown and Vivica A. Fox. The film is set to release in theaters on May 15, 2026. “Is God Is follows twin sisters bound by an unbreakable connection as they fulfill their dying mother’s final command: hunt down the monstrous father who destroyed their family. Their pursuit unfolds as a bold, stylish thriller that weaves biting humor into sinister suspense, where sisterly devotion becomes a deadly weapon and justice demands blood,” reads the film’s official synopsis. Check out the Is God Is trailer below (watch other trailers): Who is in the Is God Is trailer? Alongside Brown and Fox, Is God Is also stars Kara Young, Mallori Johnson, Janelle Monáe, Erika Alexander, Mykelti Williamson, and Josiah Cross. The movie is written and directed by Aleshea Harris and is based on the award-winning play of the same name by Harris. Tessa Thompson, Kishori Rajan, Riva Marker, Janicza Bravo, and Aleshea Harris serve as producers on the film. Stacy O’Neil, Nicole King, and Kenneth Yu are attached as executive producers. Brown is best known for his multiple high-profile roles in
20 February 2026
When Is How to Make a Killing’s Digital & Streaming Release Date?
How to Make a Killing, Glen Powell’s latest film, has hit the theatres in the United States, and fans are already eager to find out more about the film’s digital and streaming release. While it is quite early in the cycle to know exactly when the film will be available to watch at home, the distributing company’s history may give a glimpse at this. When will How to Make a Killing get its digital release date? As the film is being distributed by A24 in the United States, the digital release date may vary significantly depending on how well the film performs. If it does not work out in the theatres, it could be available as early as the second week of March. Some films from A24 have received digital release dates within 17 to 18 days of release. However, if the film works well at the box office, this could be pushed back to the first week of April. Another factor that needs consideration is the fact that the film will be released on March 13, 2026, in the United Kingdom. This could affect the digital release date, as well. How to Make a Killing Streaming Release Date How
20 February 2026
Scary Movie 6 First Trailer Gets Best Possible Release Date
Scary Movie 6 is already building buzz, and now the film’s first trailer finally has a major theatrical rollout plan. During a recent podcast appearance, Marlon Wayans revealed when audiences can expect their first official look at the long-awaited comedy sequel. Scary Movie 6 to release first trailer in front of Scream 7 Wayans recently teased the rollout strategy during an appearance on the Rap Attack Official podcast, confirming that the debut trailer will drop on February 27. According to him, the footage will play exclusively in theaters alongside Scream 7, a fitting pairing given the franchise’s long history of spoofing the Ghostface saga. “When you see Scream, you’ll see Scary Movie 6 trailer,” Wayans said. The upcoming movie signals a comeback for the once-unstoppable parody series that kicked off with Scary Movie. That original hit, directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans and led by Marlon Wayans and Shawn Wayans, crushed the box office by roasting popular horror films and quickly spawned multiple sequels. Plot details for Scary Movie 6 are still locked in the vault, but Wayans has teased that it brings back familiar faces and fan-favorite characters like Shorty, Cindy, and Brenda Meeks. “We got everybody back,” Wayans said.
20 February 2026
Why Did Sally Suddenly Agree To Own Newman Media?
The fans of The Young and the Restless are confused about Sally’s latest move towards Billy. After criticizing Billy for his shady deals, she suddenly accepted Newman Media. Why did she change her mind? Why did Sally accept Billy’s gift in The Young and the Restless? The Young and the Restless viewers saw a big shift in Sally’s behavior towards Billy after the Valentine’s Day episode. When Billy Abbott gave Sally Spectra Newman Media as a gift, she was furious. She did not like that Billy helped steal companies from Victor Newman. She felt upset about the backstabbing involving Cane and Phyllis. Sally also made it clear she did not want to benefit from something that was acquired illegally. At the time, Sally rejected the gift. She even told Adam Newman that she did not want to be involved in this. She insisted that running Newman Media and folding it into Abbott Communications was Billy’s idea, not hers. However, she then suddenly seemed fine with owning Newman Media. Sally even told Audra Charles that she got NM as part of Billy’s deal to reclaim Chancellor Industries. But later, her anger about how the company was obtained appeared to have disappeared.
20 February 2026
Godzilla Series Clip Brings Back Iconic Kong Location & New Monsters
A new clip from Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 has reignited excitement around Kong’s return, bringing back an iconic location. Ahead of the show’s upcoming premiere on Apple TV, the series revisits Skull Island. It also introduces a monster familiar to fans of the comic but new to live-action audiences. Skull Island returns in new Monarch Season 2 clip from Apple TV The latest preview takes viewers back to Skull Island. This is the treacherous home of Kong that audiences first explored in 2017’s Kong: Skull Island. This time, the human characters find themselves navigating the island’s deadly ecosystem, briefly evading leafwings, the pterodactyl-like predators that hunt in the dense forests. However, the real surprise comes when a larger threat descends upon one of the leafwings. A creature strikes the flying predator with an electrical beam from its mouth before snapping its neck, revealing itself as something entirely new to the live-action MonsterVerse: a psychovulture. The psychovulture originates from the canon comic book Kingdom Kong. In the comic, a flock of these aggressive creatures famously attacked Kong himself. An alpha male psychovulture was a formidable opponent for the great ape, establishing these creatures as a big threat both on
20 February 2026
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Tops The Pitt in Massive Viewership War
HBO is celebrating a major victory as its latest fantasy epic, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, narrowly edges out the critically acclaimed medical drama The Pitt in a heated battle for viewership. The competition between the two heavyweights has resulted in staggering numbers for the network. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms averaging 13 million views per episode The real story is the phenomenal viewership performance of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. According to HBO, the prequel to Game of Thrones is averaging close to 13 million U.S. viewers per episode across its platforms. With five of its six-episode first season already available, the series is on track to become the third biggest series debut in the history of HBO Max. The show’s momentum is only building. Episode 5, titled “In the Name of the Mother,” has already drawn 9.2 million U.S. cross-platform viewers. That too, in just its first three days of availability. HBO reports that three-day viewership has grown week to week for every episode. But the fourth one broke that as it aired early due to Super Bowl LX. The season finale is scheduled to air on February 22, and all signs point to a
20 February 2026
Popular Fox TV Show Renewed for Season 5
A popular Fox TV show has been renewed for a fifth season. The Jennifer Hudson Show is a syndicated daytime talk show hosted by singer and actress Jennifer Hudson. Produced by Warner Bros. Discovery’s Telepictures, the show originally premiered in 2022 on Fox. What Fox TV show has been renewed for Season 5? Per The Hollywood Reporter, The Jennifer Hudson Show has officially been renewed for a fifth season that will air in 2026-27. “So far this season, The Jennifer Hudson Show has improved its ratings among women 25-54 — a key demographic for daytime shows — by 10 percent compared to 2024-25,” the article notes. “The show also has a big digital and social media footprint, fueled in part by the show’s spirit tunnel walks for guests.” Hudson said in a statement, “I could not be more honored to continue this journey alongside a phenomenal group of brilliant producers, dedicated crew, and collaborative partners. It is such a joy to connect with people in meaningful ways every day across this country and to share stories of heart and inspiration, all while bringing entertainment into people’s lives. None of this would be possible without our incredible audience. They are the
20 February 2026
New Charlie’s Angels Movie’s Returning Stars Include a Shocking Character
More information about the reported upcoming Charlie’s Angels movie suggests that some returning stars could be on the horizon, including one major surprising one. What’s the latest report on the new Charlie’s Angels? In a recent Q&A session in his latest The InSneider newsletter, Jeff Sneider was asked about recent reports that Sony was developing a new Charlie’s Angels movie. The question, specifically, was if Drew Barrymore could be back, due to her production banner, Flower Films, was also expected to produce. Sneider said that not only is Barrymore expected back, but her co-stars are as well. “I’m hearing that Barrymore and her fellow Angels, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu, are indeed expected to return for this new movie,” said Sneider. He went on to note that he isn’t sure whether or not they would be involved in lead roles or will simply be in the film in smaller roles. However, Sneider also noted that another major, surprising character could be back. Demi Moore, who briefly appeared in 2003’s Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle as an ex-Angel, could also be returning. Sneider mentioned that screenwriter Pete Chiarelli has been tasked with finding a way to include her, even though Moore’s character
20 February 2026
Secret Wars & The Batman Part II Get Major Production Updates
Both Avengers: Secret Wars and the upcoming The Batman Part II received some big production updates in a recent report. According to a new Q&A session in Jeff Sneider’s The InSneider newsletter, Sneider was asked whether or not Avengers: Secret Wars would be split into two parts, which has been a popular rumor as of now. Sneider said that as of now, Marvel Studios doesn’t plan on splitting up the movie. While that might have been mentioned somewhere, Sneider notes that it is “not being seriously discussed” right now, mostly due to the enormous cast and scheduling it would require to split the movie into two parts. Currently, Avengers: Secret Wars is set to release on December 17, 2027, a year after Avengers: Doomsday, which is set to release on December 18, 2026. Little is known about the movie as of this time. The Batman Part II production rumors debunked In a separate question regarding the status of the highly anticipated The Batman Part II. Specifically, Sneider was asked if the movie’s production was being pushed to next year, due to Robert Pattinson’s planned press tour for The Odyssey. Sneider also debunked this rumor, noting that production for the sequel
19 February 2026
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 7 Trailer Sets Steel Ball Run Netflix Release
Netflix has shared the official trailer for Steel Ball Run JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, the highly anticipated next installment to the long-running hit anime show. The first episode of Part 7 is scheduled to start streaming on March 19, 2026. “It’s 1890, in America, the Steel Ball Run — the first horse racing championship across the North American continent — was about to begin. Spanning around 4,000 miles, the race offered 50 million dollars as the winning prize. Johnny Joestar, once being hailed as a genius jockey, is now paralysed and lost in despair,” reads the official synopsis. “He finds hope in the mysterious phenomena caused by Gyro Zeppeli, an outlaw aiming to win the race, and determines to participate in the Steel Ball Run Race. Each having their own goal in mind, the two form an alliance and set foot upon the grueling adventure and race.” Check out the Steel Ball Run JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure trailer below (watch more trailers): What occurs in the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 7 trailer? The video provides fans with a glimpse of the next chapter of the Joestar family saga, featuring Johnny Joestar. He is introduced as a former jockey who becomes paraplegic after
19 February 2026
Tyler Perry’s Netflix TV Show Returns
Netflix has shared the full trailer for the upcoming debut of Beauty in Black Season 2 Part 2, which will consist of eight new episodes. Tyler Perry‘s popular high-stakes family drama is scheduled to resume its latest installment on March 19, 2026. “The ruthless, backstabbing family behind a beauty brand — and an underground trafficking ring — will face a reckoning. Kimmie, the once-unassuming sex worker in their employ, becomes an unstoppable force and is now the one calling the shots after inheriting sole ownership of the family business,” reads the official logline for Season 2. Check out the Beauty in Black Season 2 Part 2 trailer below (watch more trailers): What happens in the Beauty in Black Season 2 Part 2 trailer? The video teases what to expect for the Bellarie family as they deal with the consequences of their web of sex, violence, and power. The trailer continues to highlight the rivalry between Crystle Stewart’s Mallory and Taylor Polidore Williams’s Kimmie, with Mallory set to show a different side of herself. According to Stewart, fans will also get to see a shift in the dynamic between Mallory and Kimmie. “Mallory and Kimmie will always be two powerful forces
19 February 2026
Luke Cage’s Mike Colter Gives MCU Return Update, Talks Dream Story
If Mike Colter ever returns to the MCU as Luke Cage, he has several goals for his character. What is Mike Colter’s MCU return update? Colter appeared as Luke Cage in several Marvel shows on Netflix, with Jessica Jones Season 1 marking his first appearance as the Harlem-based superhero with superhuman strength and unbreakable skin. Colter reprised his role for two seasons of Luke Cage and one season of The Defenders. In October 2018, Netflix canceled Luke Cage after two seasons. Cage has not appeared as Luke Cage since the show’s cancellation. With Disney now controlling Marvel’s Netflix properties, a return for Luke Cage is a possibility. Matt Murdock and Jessica Jones are set to appear in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2. If Marvel will have him, Colter is definitely interested in returning as Luke Cage. “Look, I mean, here’s the thing: I have been talking to Marvel, and Jessica [Jones]’ back, and there’s a lot of story left to tell, and I just think that it’d be a shame for me not to pop back up,” Colter told The Direct. If Colter gets his wish, he would like to explore what happens to his character after the Luke Cage
19 February 2026
The Immortal Man Trailer Sees Cillian Murphy Return for Netflix Movie
Netflix has released the official trailer for Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, an upcoming movie starring Cillian Murphy as the iconic gangster Tommy Shelby. “Birmingham, 1940. Amidst the chaos of WWII, Tommy Shelby is driven back from a self-imposed exile to face his most destructive reckoning yet,” Netflix’s synopsis reads. “With the future of the family and the country at stake, Tommy must face his own demons, and choose whether to confront his legacy, or burn it to the ground. By order of the Peaky Blinders.” View the trailer for Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man below (watch more trailers): What happens in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man trailer? “Perhaps someone should explain to him who I am,” Shelby says in the trailer. In Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, Tommy Shelby is a broken man. He lives in exile, away from all the chaos and madness of his previous life. Meanwhile, Tommy’s illegitimate son, Duke Shelby (Barry Keoghan), has been running the Peaky Blinders. Duke and his gang are recruited by Beckett (Tim Roth), a British fascist. Tommy spent years going toe-to-toe with fascists, and the idea of Duke sympathizing with Nazis is enough to draw him back as a gangster.
19 February 2026
Where Is Rose in The Night Agent Season 3?
The Night Agent is back with Season 3, but the show is notably missing one key character: Rose, played by Luciane Buchanan. Despite having featured heavily throughout the first and second seasons of the show, Rose is absent as Peter’s love interest in the third season. Here’s why. Is Rose dead in The Night Agent Season 3? No, Rose is not dead in The Night Agent Season 3. However, as indicated at the end of the second season, the cybersecurity entrepreneur is not a part of the narrative anymore after Peter (Gabriel Basso) told her at the end of Season 2 to stay away and not contact him again for her own safety. Rose was an integral part of the narrative in Seasons 1 and 2, and served as a love interest to Peter. Now, a similar role is handed over to financial reporter Isabel (played by Genesis Rodriguez), who stars opposite Peter in the new season. However, there remains the possibility of Rose’s return. Why Rose is not in The Night Agent Season 3? Rose is not in The Night Agent season 3 because her narrative has come to an end. Despite being a key figure in the previous
19 February 2026
4 Iconic Shah Rukh Khan Movies Are Leaving Netflix Soon
Four Indian films starring Shah Rukh Khan are leaving Netflix next month. Beyond their box-office milestones, these films have had a significant cultural impact and have become landmarks in Indian cinema. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and three other Shah Rukh Khan movies are leaving Netflix in March Netflix is delisting Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kal Ho Naa Ho, and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna from its platform on Sunday, March 1, 2026. This move marks the end of an era for viewers who have often revisited these films on the streaming service. Released between 1998 and 2006, all four films continued to build on Shah Rukh Khan’s existing reputation as one of Bollywood’s biggest stars. He starred in these films, working with his long-time collaborator Karan Johar. Johar served as a co-writer and director for all but Kal Ho Naa Ho. He co-wrote that with Niranjan Iyengar. Nonetheless, he has remained a significant part of all four projects. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) redefined Bollywood with its college-romance drama, which continues to resonate with audiences even today. Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001) doubles down on the importance of family with a star-studded cast in a lavish setting.
19 February 2026
Is There a The Night Agent Season 3 Episode 11 Release Date & Time?
Viewers are wondering if there’s a release date and time for The Night Agent Season 3 Episode 11. The popular thriller series has recently released its latest season, leaving fans curious about future episodes. Here’s all you need to know. The Night Agent Season 3 Episode 11 release date and time explained There isn’t a release date or time for The Night Agent Season 3 Episode 11. This is because, according to the show’s official release schedule, the third season consists of only 10 episodes. Created by Shawn Ryan, The Night Agent is an action thriller series based on Matthew Quirk’s novel of the same name. The show stars Gabriel Basso as the titular lead, along with Luciane Buchanan, Fola Evans-Akingbola, Sarah Desjardins, and many more. Has The Night Agent Season 3 ended? Yes, The Night Agent Season 3 has finished. The latest season of The Night Agent released all ten episodes together on Thursday, February 19. No additional episodes are coming up for this season. Although Netflix has not officially greenlit the show for a fourth season, new reports suggest its return looks promising. The series has reportedly secured a $31.6 million (40%) California tax credit to shift production
19 February 2026
A Knight’s Tale Director Recalls How Heath Ledger Knocked Out His Tooth
The making of A Knight’s Tale was a memorable ride, with the cast’s camaraderie playing a big part in its success. The film, which marked a pivotal moment in Heath Ledger‘s burgeoning career, was full of stories that are now Hollywood legend. One such tale, recalled by the director himself, is of The Dark Knight actor knocking out his tooth on set. Brian Helgeland details fake jousting with Heath Ledger on 25th anniversary of A Knight’s Tale Director Brian Helgeland recently shared a hilarious anecdote of the fun times he had with Heath Ledger on the set of A Knight’s Tale. Ahead of the film’s 25th anniversary, Helgeland reflected on a mishap involving Heath Ledger. He recalled the moment when the actor accidentally knocked out one of his teeth, leaving his smile forever altered. This incident occurred months ago while they were pretending to joust with a broom and a mic stand. “After the movie came out, we were demonstrating how to joust to his agent,” Helgeland told The Guardian. “He had a broom, and I had a mic stand: he hit me in the mouth by accident and knocked my tooth out.” However, the director didn’t refrain from highlighting
19 February 2026
Priyanka Chopra Didn’t Copy Tom Cruise in New Prime Video Action Movie
Priyanka Chopra Jonas addressed speculation surrounding her action sequences in her upcoming Prime Video film The Bluff. The actor clarified her involvement in the movie’s more physically demanding scenes and explained why certain high-risk moments were handled differently during production. Priyanka Chopra didn’t do most of The Bluff movie stunts Priyanka Chopra Jonas told Variety she did not perform several of the more dangerous stunts in The Bluff. Speaking on the red carpet, she said, “There were a couple of shots for which I had to lean on my stunt double. She had to do those three or four dangerous shots, like face going into glass and stuff like that.” She clarified that she did not insist on doing them herself. Chopra added, “I didn’t say that; they wouldn’t let me. I’m not a hero. I go to work to do my job. I don’t want anyone to get hurt, including myself.” Chopra Jonas explained that safety considerations determined who performed specific action sequences during filming. #PriyankaChopraJonas says she didn’t perform many of the more dangerous stunts in “The Bluff”: “They wouldn’t let me.”“I’m not a hero. I go to work to do my job. I don’t want anyone to
19 February 2026
Hong Kong Airlines Cabin Crew Salary in 2026
Hong Kong Airlines (HX) is a full-service carrier headquartered in Hong Kong, operating an extensive network of regional and international routes across Asia and Australia. Known for its modern fleet, hospitable service, and strategic position in East Asia, the airline places a strong emphasis on onboard comfort and customer experience. Cabin crew serve as frontline ambassadors of the airline’s brand, ensuring safety, service quality, and passenger satisfaction across short and medium-haul flights. In 2026, Hong Kong Airlines continues to offer structured pay scales, competitive allowances, and an array of benefits designed to support cabin crew throughout their careers in aviation. Salaries vary based on experience, seniority, flying hours, and position, as well as from entry-level to senior cabin roles, with incremental increases as crew progress. Photo: Hong Kong Airlines Hong Kong Airlines Cabin Crew Salary in 2026 In 2026, Hong Kong Airlines cabin crew salaries are structured around a base pay component and supplementary allowances for flying duties and layovers. Entry-level cabin crew members generally earn a base salary of approximately HK$18,000 per month (about USD 2,300 per month) when first released to operational flying after training. In addition to base pay, the crew receives flying allowance based on hours
21 February 2026
Spain Overtakes France, United Kingdom, United States, Switzerland and More, Breaking New Records in Global Tourism Revenue in 2025
Home » TOURISM NEWS » Spain Overtakes France, United Kingdom, United States, Switzerland and More, Breaking New Records in Global Tourism Revenue in 2025 Published on February 20, 2026 Image generated with Ai In a stunning turn of events, Spain has emerged as the new leader in global tourism revenue, surpassing giants like France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Switzerland. In 2025, the Spanish tourism industry not only captured the hearts of millions of visitors but also set new benchmarks in revenue generation, solidifying its position as the world’s most lucrative destination for travelers. This remarkable achievement is driven by an unprecedented surge in international arrivals, bolstered by strategic government investments, cutting-edge infrastructure, and a diverse offering of cultural, historical, and natural attractions. Spain’s appeal has proven irresistible, with a growing number of tourists flocking to its sun-kissed beaches, vibrant cities, and scenic landscapes, making it the undisputed leader in global tourism. In 2025, France continued to hold its title as the world’s most visited country, welcoming a record-breaking 102 million international tourists. Despite this remarkable achievement, Spain surpassed France in tourism revenue, generating significantly higher earnings. This has sparked interest in understanding the dynamics behind
21 February 2026
UK passport rule change strands dual-national Australians seeking urgent travel
With less than a week before new UK border rules take effect, an emotional case reported by The Guardian on 20 February 2026 has highlighted the headaches facing an estimated 250,000 Australian residents who also hold—or are entitled to—British citizenship. From 25 February dual nationals must enter the United Kingdom on a valid British passport or obtain a £575 ‘Certificate of Entitlement to Right of Abode’. Previously, many Australians born in Britain, or with British parents, travelled on their Australian passport without issue. The Home Office argues the tighter regime will reduce identity fraud and speed e-Gate processing once the UK rolls out its ETA system for non-visa nationals later this year. The rule is already causing distress. Annie Case, a UK-born dual national living in the Netherlands, told The Guardian she was blocked from visiting her terminally ill mother because her British passport had lapsed and there is no fast-track appointment until March. Former Brexit secretary David Davis and the Liberal Democrats have urged Home Secretary John Healey to create a grace period for humanitarian visits. For Australian travel managers the change introduces complexity: staff with latent British citizenship may suddenly need a second passport, and airlines could deny
20 February 2026
The 2026 Digital Shift: The United Kingdom’s Transition From Physical Permits to Mandatory E-Visas
Published on February 21, 2026 Image generated with Ai The landscape of international mobility is being fundamentally reshaped as the United Kingdom prepares for a monumental shift in its border management. By the year 2026, the traditional reliance on physical documentation for immigration purposes will be entirely phased out. This transition toward UK visa changes represents a significant milestone in the modernization of the Home Office systems. It is expected that e-visas will become the primary method for individuals to prove their immigration status within the country. The move to a digital immigration system is designed to streamline the arrival process for millions of visitors and residents alike. In the following sections, the intricacies of this transition, the specific documents being replaced, and the necessary steps for compliance will be explored in detail. The Phasing Out of Physical Immigration Documents For decades, travelers and residents have relied upon tangible proof of their right to stay in the United Kingdom. However, it has been announced that physical documents, including Biometric Residence Permits (BRP), Biometric Residence Cards (BRC), and passport endorsements such as ink stamps or vignette stickers, are being rendered obsolete. The year 2024 marks the beginning of the end for
20 February 2026
UK set to enforce Electronic Travel Authorisation at all borders from 25 February
The United Kingdom’s long-trailed transformation to a fully digital border finally becomes a reality next week. From 00:01 GMT on 25 February 2026, all carriers will be required to verify that visa-exempt travellers bound for the UK hold an approved Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before they board. Airport and seaport systems will ping UK Visas & Immigration’s databases in real time; anyone who needs – but has not obtained – an ETA will be denied boarding. The Home Office first legislated for the scheme in the Nationality and Borders Act 2022, piloted it with Qatari nationals in 2023 and has rolled it out in phases. What changes next week is enforcement: airlines will lose discretion and face civil penalties if they transport a non-British, non-Irish passenger who requires an ETA but does not have one. Business travellers from the United States, the EU and dozens of other visa-waiver countries therefore need to apply online (the process costs £16 and approvals are normally issued within hours). Travel managers looking for a streamlined way to handle these new checks may want to explore VisaHQ’s digital solution. Via its dedicated United Kingdom portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/), the service lets individuals and corporate teams file ETA
20 February 2026
McMaster Engineering’s Visit to Hong Kong
Dean Heather Sheardown (centre) with McMaster University alumni in Hong Kong. By Shruthi Raghuraman, OIA Intern (Communication) Posted on February 20, 2026 Dean of Engineering, Heather Sheardown recently visited Hong Kong to connect with the University’s local alumni and partners. The visit was an opportunity to catch up with the McMaster community in the Asia-Pacific region and to see firsthand how our graduates are shaping their careers abroad. While in Hong Kong, Dean Sheardown joined a delegation of Canadian engineering deans at the Centennial Iron Ring Celebration marking 100 years of the engineering obligation. Sharing a panel on professional ethics, the Dean spoke about the values that guide the profession as it moves forward. The trip also included a visit to the 12th TransPacific Entrepreneurial Conference to discuss opportunities for continued Canadian and Hong Kong economic collaboration and prepare students for global opportunities in engineering. These conversations highlighted a shared interest in helping professionals feel ready for a workplace that is constantly changing. A highlight of the trip was a brunch that brought together 20 alumni from across the city, working in sectors like aerospace, tech, and infrastructure. The Dean also visited AsiaSat with alumnus Roger Tong and met with Aiden Wong, a current Mechanical Engineering co-op student gaining experience at CLP Power Hong Kong. These interactions offered insight into the meaningful work McMaster students and graduates are doing internationally as well as the lasting
20 February 2026
Hong Kong Travel Haul: Best Chinese Beauty Finds
Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. I have to admit: I had no idea what was in store for me when I traveled from Los Angeles to Hong Kong for the first time last month. I was hosted by the Hong Kong Tourism Board for their cultural immersion trip in partnership with Cathay Pacific and Royal Caribbean, and although I was excited about the journey, I was nervous about the flight duration. Honestly, I’d never been on an airplane for more than 10 hours in one sitting. Not going to lie—getting to fly business-class with nonstop service on the 15-hour flight was a huge game-changer. I didn’t even want to get off the plane when we landed. Dominique B. Fluker. On my flights, I experienced best-in-class service in their business class suite. I enjoyed a plush lie-flat bed, gourmet dining with on-demand service, and Cathay Signature’s food and beverage menu, including their ‘Chinese Classics’ dining offerings exclusively for business class customers, featuring contemporary international and local Hong Kong dishes, like smoked duck with spicy soy sauce and other fare. 15 hours later, I arrived in Hong Kong, feeling relaxed
20 February 2026
Why US, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Sweden, Ireland, Spain Are Warning Travellers About Cuba Travel– The Shocking Truth About Crisis You Can’t Ignore
Home » Canada Travel News » Why US, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Sweden, Ireland, Spain Are Warning Travellers About Cuba Travel– The Shocking Truth About Crisis You Can’t Ignore Published on February 20, 2026 By: Tuhin Sarkar Image generated with AiWhy US, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Sweden, Ireland, Spain Are Warning Travellers About Cuba Travel– The Shocking Truth About Crisis You Can’t Ignore In a move that’s leaving travellers worldwide in shock, the US, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Sweden, Ireland, and Spain are all issuing serious warnings about Cuba travel. This is not your typical advisory—these countries are now sounding the alarm on the growing crisis that’s threatening the very safety and stability of Cuba tourism. Whether you’ve been dreaming of sun-soaked beaches or the vibrant culture, the truth about Cuba may just change everything. With fuel shortages, power outages, and deteriorating infrastructure, these countries are telling their citizens to rethink Cuba travel plans. The crisis in Cuba has escalated to a point where even the most seasoned travellers are being urged to avoid the island. From US tourism experts to those in the UK and Australia, all are highlighting the severe disruptions that make Cuba increasingly unsafe for tourists.
20 February 2026
Italy Joins Spain, Switzerland, Scotland, Peru, Hungary, Germany, And United Kingdom In Unveiling The Secret Of Europe’s Hidden Gems: How Luxury Train Hopping Is Redefining Your Travel Experience In 2026
Home » Latest Travel News » Italy Joins Spain, Switzerland, Scotland, Peru, Hungary, Germany, And United Kingdom In Unveiling The Secret Of Europe’s Hidden Gems: How Luxury Train Hopping Is Redefining Your Travel Experience In 2026 Published on February 20, 2026 Image generated with Ai Italy is also set to join Spain, Switzerland, Scotland, Peru, Hungary, Germany, and the United Kingdom in revealing secrets to Europe’s hidden gems. Now, luxury train travel is set to change the way you travel through Europe’s most beautiful and picturesque countries. View the breathtaking scenery of Spain and the grand, snowy peaks of Switzerland. This type of travel enriches the way you experience the different cultures on your journey. You also get to travel with the top-quality service and amenities offered by the various train companies. Each train journey passes through your chosen destinations, providing excellent service as well as stunning views and rich histories of the continents. Travel and Tour World invites you to read on and learn about what the newly embraced method of travel through the hidden gems of Europe will look like starting in 2026. Travel With Luxury Train Hopping In 2026 2026 will see an all-new experience coming to
20 February 2026
Bengaluru-Delhi-Bengaluru is Akasa Air’s most popular pet route
The airline, which on Friday announced the milestone of flying over 10,000 pets since the launch of this service in November 2022, said that the Bengaluru-Delhi-Bengaluru has emerged as the most popular pet travel route, accounting for 13.66% of all pet travel. | Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO The Bengaluru-Delhi-Bengaluru route is the most popular pet travel route in Akasa Air’s ‘Pets on Akasa’ service. The airline, which on Friday announced the milestone of flying over 10,000 pets since the launch of this service in November 2022, said that the Bengaluru-Delhi-Bengaluru has emerged as the most popular pet travel route, accounting for 13.66% of all pet travel. It further said that the pet travel saw the highest demand during the festive season, with October-December accounting for nearly 35% of annual journeys and monthly volumes nearly 63% higher, reflecting a growing trend of pet parents travelling together with their pets during holidays. It said that from Labradors and Golden Retrievers to Shih Tzus and Indies, pets of various breeds have taken to the skies, indicating the mainstreaming of pet travel. Beyond metro cities, strong demand has emerged from tier II and tier III markets, with Guwahati among the most travelled routes for pet
20 February 2026
Akasa Air reports over 10,000 pets flown, highlights growing demand
Swati Ketkar Last Updated: 20 February 2026, 08:05 PM IST Akasa Air has flown over 10,000 pets since launching its ‘Pets on Akasa’ service in November 2022. In a clear sign that pet-friendly travel is gaining popularity in India, Akasa Air on February 20 announced that it has flown over 10,000 pets since launching its ‘Pets on Akasa’ service in November 2022. The airline said the milestone highlights the growing trust among pet parents and steady demand across its domestic network. According to the airline, the October–December festive quarter recorded the highest number of pet journeys, accounting for nearly 35% of annual travel. Monthly volumes during this period were about 63% higher than average months, indicating that many families prefer to travel with their pets during holidays. The Bengaluru–Delhi–Bengaluru route emerged as the most popular sector for pet travel, contributing 13.66 per cent of total pet journeys. The airline also reported strong demand from Tier II and Tier III cities, with Guwahati among the frequently travelled destinations. Of the 10,000 pets flown so far, around 60 per cent were dogs and 40 per cent were cats. A large majority, about 93%, travelled in the cabin alongside their owners, showing
20 February 2026
United States Overtakes Germany, Canada, Mexico, China, United Kingdom, Italy, And Other Leading Nations To Propel France’s Tourism To New Heights, Setting An All-Time High In Visitor Arrivals In 2025: What Tourists Need To Know
Home » America Travel News » United States Overtakes Germany, Canada, Mexico, China, United Kingdom, Italy, And Other Leading Nations To Propel France’s Tourism To New Heights, Setting An All-Time High In Visitor Arrivals In 2025: What Tourists Need To Know Published on February 20, 2026 Image generated with Ai United States overtook Germany, Canada, Mexico, China, the United Kingdom, Italy, and other powerful countries, leading France’s historic tourism boom with record-breaking arrivals. This surge was driven by a combination of factors, including a post-pandemic rebound, increased flight accessibility, and robust digital marketing campaigns, making France the world’s most visited country. The United States played a pivotal role, with American travelers flocking to France in unprecedented numbers, surpassing traditional European rivals and fueling France’s tourism growth to new heights. France’s tourism industry reached new heights in 2025, with the country welcoming a record-breaking 102 million international visitors, marking a 2 million increase from the previous year. The surge was not just in visitor numbers but also in tourism revenue, which soared to an all-time high of €77.5 billion (roughly $91.5 billion USD), reflecting a 9% increase from 2024. The United States, in particular, emerged as the standout contributor to this
20 February 2026
Expired British passport issued as long ago as 1989 could get ‘dual nationals’ into UK
Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Dual citizens of the UK and another country have been handed a lifeline that could allow them travel to Britain without either of the officially required documents. From next Wednesday, 25 February 2026, the electronic travel authorisation (ETA) will be mandatory for all travellers arriving in the United Kingdom – except British and Irish citizens. UK citizens are not allowed to apply for an ETA. Until now, the government has insisted that only a valid British passport or a “Certificate of Entitlement” costing £589 will allow a dual citizen to be admitted. These new rules are to be policed by airlines and ferry companies, who stand to be fined if they take someone to Britain without proper documentation. But The Independent has learnt the carriers have been told they can accept “at their discretion” an expired British passport issued as long ago as 1989 – as long as it is accompanied by a valid passport issued by a nation whose citizens do not require a visa to travel to the UK. The biographic details on each
20 February 2026
United Kingdom Joins Germany, Poland, Greece, Israel, and Other Key Countries in Contributing to Cyprus’ Tourism and Revenue Boom, Driving Record Growth in January 2026
Home » Latest Travel News » United Kingdom Joins Germany, Poland, Greece, Israel, and Other Key Countries in Contributing to Cyprus’ Tourism and Revenue Boom, Driving Record Growth in January 2026 Published on February 20, 2026 Image generated with Ai In January 2026, Cyprus witnessed a remarkable surge in both tourism and revenue, with a record-breaking 8.5% increase in international arrivals. The United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Greece, Israel, and other key source markets played pivotal roles in this growth, contributing significantly to the island’s booming tourism sector. This surge can be attributed to stronger air connectivity, strategic marketing efforts, and rising interest from both traditional and emerging European markets. As a result, Cyprus is on track to achieve its best tourism performance to date, with these countries leading the charge in boosting visitor numbers and supporting the island’s economic recovery through increased tourism revenue. United Kingdom Joins Key Global Markets in Powering Cyprus’ Tourism Boom in January 2026 In a landmark start to 2026 for Cyprus’ tourism economy, official data from the Statistical Service of Cyprus shows that visitor arrivals surged 8.5 per cent in January 2026 compared with the same month last year, as 121,625 international tourists chose the island
20 February 2026
Akasa Air flies over 10,000 pets in 3 years; Bengaluru- Delhi route sees most pet travel
Akasa Air’s CMO said 26% of pet parents have travelled with the airline more than once, which reflects the trust they place in the travel experience. | Photo Credit: FRANCIS MASCARENHAS Akasa Air has flown over 10,000 pets since the launch of its ‘Pets on Akasa’ service in November 2022, the airline said today. Since its launch, the service has seen consistent demand across key domestic routes, with repeat travel emerging as a strong indicator of customer confidence, the airline said. Pet travel saw the highest demand during the festive season, with October–December accounting for nearly 35 per cent of annual journeys. Bengaluru-Delhi-Bengaluru saw the most pet carriage accounting for 13.6 per cent of all travel. Beyond metros strong demand for pet travel is seen on flights to/from Guwahati. Dogs accounted for 60 per cent of all flown pets with cats making up the remaining 40 per cent. Akasa Air said 93 per cent of pets travelled in-cabin. Akasa Air’s chief marketing officer Naarayan T V said 26 per cent of pet parents have travelled with the airline more than once, which reflects the trust they place in the travel experience. More Like This Published on February 20, 2026 Source link
20 February 2026
Hong Kong Authorities Demand Better Protection for Visitors in Japan After Tourist Assaulted in Sapporo
Home » ASIA » Hong Kong Authorities Demand Better Protection for Visitors in Japan After Tourist Assaulted in Sapporo Published on February 20, 2026 Image generated with Ai In a recent alarming incident in Sapporo, Japan, a Hong Kong resident was attacked by an assailant who struck them with a beer bottle, leading to calls for increased security measures for visitors from Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government expressed deep concern over the attack and urged Tokyo to ensure better protection for its residents traveling in Japan. This event has raised questions about the safety of Hong Kong tourists in Japan amidst the backdrop of ongoing tensions between China and Japan. Incident in Sapporo Triggers Diplomatic Concerns On February 19, 2026, Hong Kong’s authorities reacted swiftly to the assault of a Hong Kong resident in Sapporo, Japan’s northern city. The individual was struck on the head with a beer bottle, resulting in serious concern over the safety of Hong Kong tourists in Japan. In response, Hong Kong officials reached out to the local Japanese consulate to request immediate attention and assistance for the victim. This violent incident comes amidst growing political tensions between China and Japan. Relations between the two
20 February 2026
Why France Joins Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, and Germany as Europe’s Top 2026 Destinations for U.S. Tourists!
Home » America Travel News » Why France Joins Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, and Germany as Europe’s Top 2026 Destinations for U.S. Tourists! Published on February 20, 2026 Image generated with Ai France joins Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Germany as Europe’s top destinations for U.S. tourists. These countries are set to experience a surge in American visitors, thanks to a strong dollar, pent-up demand, and the promise of unforgettable travel experiences. France, already a favourite among U.S. tourists, continues to captivate with its rich history, iconic landmarks, and world-renowned culture. As travel restrictions fade, Americans are eager to explore these European gems. France joins Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Germany as key players in shaping Europe’s tourism landscape, drawing millions from the U.S. With each destination offering unique charms, U.S. tourists are spoilt for choice. This article delves into why these five countries stand out, offering insights into the economic and cultural factors driving U.S. tourism growth in 2026. The mix of affordability, luxury, and history makes these destinations irresistible for American travellers. France: More Than 5 million U.S. Visitors Set Records France has long been a magnet for American tourists, and 2026 looks set
20 February 2026
China AI startups surge after holiday in rotation from big tech
Published Fri, Feb 20, 2026 · 12:47 PM [HONG KONG] Shares of China’s generative artificial intelligence (AI) startups Zhipu and MiniMax Group soared in Hong Kong as the market reopened after the Chinese New Year, with investors piling into pure AI plays and rotating out of traditional Internet giants. Zhipu, officially known as Knowledge Atlas Technology, jumped as much as 25 per cent, while MiniMax climbed up to 16 per cent. Since their Hong Kong listings in January, both stocks have risen more than four-fold. Meanwhile, tech giants Alibaba Group Holding and Tencent Holdings fell as much as 4.3 per cent and 2.8 per cent respectively, despite reporting strong holiday results. Alibaba’s AI app Qwen processed 130 million orders during the Chinese New Year campaign, according to Jefferies analysts. Tencent’s app Yuanbao also hit a new milestone, with daily active users exceeding 50 million. “Money is rotating into pure AI names, while diversified platforms such as Alibaba and Tencent are seeing some profit-taking, said Billy Leung, an investment strategist at Global X Management. “Recent China AI model releases have reignited interest in foundation model leaders.” Chinese AI companies raced to roll out updated models and new features in the run-up
20 February 2026
Morocco Joins France, South Africa, United Kingdom, Mexico, Colombia, Bahrain And More As Australia Issues New Travel Advisory Amid Escalating Border Safety Concerns And Regional Security Risks
Home » Australia Travel News » Morocco Joins France, South Africa, United Kingdom, Mexico, Colombia, Bahrain And More As Australia Issues New Travel Advisory Amid Escalating Border Safety Concerns And Regional Security Risks Published on February 20, 2026 Image generated with Ai Morocco has joined France, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Colombia, Bahrain, and several other nations in Australia’s latest travel advisory, which advises travelers to proceed with extreme caution. This advisory is issued in the midst of growing regional security threats and border safety concerns in these countries. There is a greater need for caution due to Morocco’s border conflict in the disputed Western Sahara region, terrorist threats in France and the UK, persistent violent crime in South Africa and Mexico, and political unrest in Bahrain and Colombia. Anybody traveling to these areas must carefully plan their trip because of the risks involved, which include physical security issues like terrorism and armed conflict as well as disruptions from protests, criminal activity, and natural disasters. The Australian government has updated its travel advisories, urging travelers to exercise heightened caution when visiting several countries due to rising security risks, including border safety challenges, environmental concerns, and regional instability. This advisory
20 February 2026
Hong Kong Urges Japan to Protect Tourists After New Shocking Attack in Sapporo – Will Geopolitical Tensions Destroy Japan’s Appeal for the Travellers?
Home » TOURISM NEWS » Hong Kong Urges Japan to Protect Tourists After New Shocking Attack in Sapporo – Will Geopolitical Tensions Destroy Japan’s Appeal for the Travellers? Published on February 20, 2026 Image generated with Ai In recent news, Hong Kong authorities have raised concerns regarding the safety of their citizens traveling to Japan after an incident in which a Hong Kong resident was attacked in Sapporo, Japan. This attack has brought the issue of tourist safety into sharp focus, particularly for Hong Kong travelers, as tensions between Japan and China continue to strain diplomatic relations. The Hong Kong government has taken swift action, urging Japanese authorities to enhance protection for its citizens and ensure their safety while visiting the country. The Attack in Sapporo: A Wake-Up Call for Tourist Safety The incident occurred in the early hours of a Wednesday morning at a restaurant in Sapporo, a popular destination in Japan known for its winter festivals and as a hub for tourists. The Hong Kong resident, who was struck on the head with a beer bottle, suffered injuries, but Japanese police apprehended the suspect involved in the attack. This event prompted a response from the Hong Kong government,
20 February 2026
Dual citizens may be able to travel to the UK with an expired British passport after all
Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Days before tough new immigration rules are due to be imposed on dual citizens, Ryanair has said an expired British passport could suffice for entry to the UK. From 25 February 2026, the electronic travel authorisation (ETA) will be mandatory for all travellers arriving in the United Kingdom, except for British and Irish citizens. UK citizens are not allowed to apply for an ETA. Until now, the government has insisted that only a valid British passport or a “Certificate of Entitlement”, costing £589 and linked to their foreign passport, will allow a dual citizen to be admitted. Airlines and ferry companies are expected to enforce the new rules and stand to be fined if they allow anyone to travel to the UK without proper documentation. But Europe’s biggest budget airline, Ryanair, has told The Independent: “The UK government have advised that documents that can be accepted are: a valid or expired British passport and a Certificate of Entitlement to the right of abode.” The carrier made it clear that the government had made the change. A
20 February 2026
Don’t try to wing it as new UK passport rules go live, travellers warned
A travel expert has expressed concern about NZ-British dual nationals attempting to “wing it” at the border ahead of changes in requirements to enter the UK – which come into force on Tuesday. From February 25, those who are eligible for a UK passport, including the children of those who are eligible, are required to get one before entering the country. They can no longer enter on a New Zealand passport. While the changes have left some people scrambling for last minute documentation, Travel Agents Association NZ chief executive officer Julie White said she is concerned about others “forging ahead” and potentially making a mistake which could turn out to be expensive. White said many adult children of dual nationals may be gearing up for an OE or holiday in the UK this year before the European summer season – but warned they should prepare for the upcoming changes. The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including the arrest of a former prince. (Source: 1News) “When we’re young and a little bit bulletproof, you’re only really living in the moment. They may decide, ‘well, look I’m just going to forge ahead’. “Where the handbrake comes is, this may actually impact their
20 February 2026
Hong Kong International Airport Announces New Terminal Two Opening for May 2026: Key Changes and What’s New
Home » Hong Kong News » Hong Kong International Airport Announces New Terminal Two Opening for May 2026: Key Changes and What’s New Published on February 20, 2026 Image generated with Ai Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is preparing for a significant upgrade with the highly anticipated opening of its new Terminal 2 (T2) on May 27, 2026. The announcement, made during the Lunar New Year celebrations, marks a key milestone in the airport’s ongoing efforts to enhance its passenger services and maintain its position as a leading global travel hub in the Greater Bay Area. With the summer travel season fast approaching, the new terminal will cater to millions of travelers expected to pass through the airport. T2’s opening will help alleviate congestion at the current terminals, offering improved services and a smoother experience for international and domestic travelers. The upgraded facilities are designed to meet growing demand while ensuring Hong Kong remains at the forefront of aviation innovation in Asia. Hong Kong International Airport Unveils New Terminal 2: What’s New for Travelers The new T2 will be home to 15 short-haul carriers, providing state-of-the-art services for both business and leisure travelers. Travelers will benefit from fully digital self-service
20 February 2026
Fake Fee Requests Con Parents Out of Thousands at UK Private Schools, says New IRIS Education Research
– Every UK private school has been targeted by a fee payment scam or attempted fraud in the past five years according to IRIS Education research– On average, parents lose £3,200 per successful scam, with one in five cases involving losses of up to £10,000– More than a third of schools lack confidence in the security of their fee collection processes as threat levels rise LONDON, Jan. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Parents at fee-paying schools are losing thousands of pounds each year to sophisticated fee payment scams, with independent schools in the UK experiencing at least one scam or attempted fraud over the past five years, according to new research from IRIS Education*. IRIS Software Group Logo (PRNewsfoto/IRIS Software Group) The research, which surveyed 100 bursars at UK private schools, found that scammers are routinely impersonating schools and sending fake fee payment requests to parents. All bursars polled said their school community had been targeted at least once, with the average bursar reporting five separate scam incidents over the period – equating to roughly one event per school, per year. When scams succeed, the financial impact on families can be severe. Bursars polled by IRIS estimate that parents have lost an average
17 February 2026
SAUDI ARABIA LAUNCHES THE HUMAN CAPABILITY INITIATIVE CONFERENCE 2026 THEMED “THE HUMAN CODE,” UNITED KINGDOM NAMED COUNTRY OF HONOR
The Human Capability Initiative Conference will return to Riyadh from 03–04 May, convening more than 15,000 global leaders to drive future human capability development under the theme “The Human Code.” The United Kingdom has been named Country of Honor, reflecting the strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom in education, workforce development, and economic cooperation. RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Saudi Arabia’s Human Capability Development Program (HCDP) today announced the third edition of the Human Capability Initiative (HCI) Conference, to be held on 03–04 May 2026 in Riyadh, bringing together global leaders to drive the future of human capability development under the theme “The Human Code.” The launch of the third edition of HCI 2026, with the United Kingdom as Country of Honor, coincides with Prince William’s visit to Saudi Arabia. Held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia and Chairman of the HCDP Committee, HCI 2026 will feature the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as the Country of Honor, underscoring the strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom in education, workforce development, and
17 February 2026
深耕英國教育與台英交流 英國教育界領袖Rich Smith獲英王查爾斯三世新年授勳OBE – 生活新聞
英僑商務協會長期領袖斯瑞奇 Rich Smith產業中心/綜合報導 英國在台灣教育界的重要推手、英僑商務協會長期領袖斯瑞奇 Rich Smith，榮獲英王查爾斯三世（King Charles III）頒授2026新年「大英帝國官佐勳章」（Officer of the Order of the British Empire, OBE），表彰他多年來對英國教育產業以及在台英國僑民社群的卓越貢獻。此項殊榮名列英國 2026 年新年授勳名單（2026 New Year’s Honours List），為英國最高國家級榮譽之一。 英國新年授勳制度旨在表揚對國家及民眾福祉作出傑出貢獻的人士。對於非政府體系、且長期服務於台灣的英國民間領袖而言，獲此皇家榮譽實屬罕見，也使斯瑞奇的獲獎在台灣英國僑民社群中格外具有代表性與指標性意義。 在斯瑞奇之前，在台灣有數位與台灣淵源深厚，於台英關係、教育、科技及公共事務領域具重要影響力的人士名列英國授勳人士之列， 在台灣籍獲獎者方面，包括： 張忠謀（Morris Chang）CBE（2013），台積電創辦人，因促進英台商業合作及對全球科技產業的貢獻，獲頒榮譽大英帝國司令勳章。 王文洋（Winston Wen-Yang Wong）OBE（2016），因透過教育與科學研究促進英台關係而獲獎，為倫敦帝國學院校友，長期支持英國學術機構。 Lynn Li MBE（2009），前英國在台辦事處員工，因推動英台重大基礎建設合作而獲表揚。 英國籍獲獎者則包括： Ruth Bradley-Jones MBE（2023），英國駐台代表，因推動性別平權與多元共融而獲獎。 Wayne Ive MBE（2024），英國駐台副代表，因其在多邊與外交事務上的領導表現獲得肯定。 John Nixon MBE（2007），台北歐洲學校執行長，因對教育及在台英國社群的貢獻獲獎。 這樣的背景更突顯 Rich Smith 此次名列 2026 年新年授勳名單的非凡意義。 Rich Smith 於 1993 年共同創辦英國教育顧問服務機構 UK Education Advisory Services（UKEAS，後更名為 Intake Education），並擔任董事長長達三十年。他所建立的「免費、高品質留學諮詢服務」模式，為國際教育顧問產業帶來革命性改變，讓來自不同經濟背景的優秀學生，都能獲得專業且公正的升學指引，進入世界級的英國高等教育體系。 三十多年來，Rich Smith 所領導的機構直接協助超過 10 萬名國際學生赴英深造，為英國高等教育與相關產業創造約 35 億英鎊的學費、生活與住宿經濟效益。 其中，無數台灣學生在他的協助下前往英國求學，並於完成學業後，活躍於商業、政府、學術、醫療及公民社會等領域，成為各行各業的中堅力量。更重要的是，Rich Smith 的長期投入，不僅培育全球化人才，也深化了英國教育在台灣的影響力，為台英關係奠定穩固的人才與價值基礎。 作為國際教育產業的先驅，UKEAS 透過與超過 100 所英國大學的合作夥伴關係，建立由大學支持的營運模式，確保學生能在不受財務條件限制的情況下，獲得專業且中立的升學建議，深刻改變整體產業生態。 除了教育領域的卓越貢獻，Rich Smith 自 2009 年加入台北市英僑商務協會British Chamber of Commerce in Taipei, BCCT）董事會以來，曾擔任董事、監事及財務長等多項要職，近二十年來持續投入商會治理與社群發展。 在其領導與個人承諾下，BCCT 的企業社會責任（CSR）計畫已為台灣公益團體募得超過新台幣 3,000 萬元，支持青少年服務、教育計畫、無家者援助，以及弱勢學生的長期獎學金機制，對台灣社會產生深遠而實質的正面影響。 台北市英僑商務協會主席、TutorABC 執行長 Samuel Yang 表示：「Rich Smith 在英王新年授勳名單中獲頒 OBE，是對其一生奉獻於教育、服務與社群領導的高度肯定。他對英國教育在全球，尤其是台灣的貢獻，無可比擬。多個世代的台灣學生因他的努力而與英國建立深厚連結，進一步強化英台關係。他對在台英國社群及公益事業的長期投入，已留下深具意義的永續典範。這是屬於 Rich、與他的家人，以及整個在台英國社群的榮耀時刻。」 Rich Smith OBE 則表示：「能夠獲得英王查爾斯三世的肯定，我感到無比榮幸與謙卑。我始終相信，教育是一股能創造機會並帶來正向改變的力量。多年來能與如此多敬業的同仁、大學夥伴，以及台灣的英國社群攜手合作，是我最大的福氣，這份榮耀屬於所有與我同行的人。」 台北市英僑商務協會對 Rich Smith 獲頒此項皇家榮譽與有榮焉，並高度肯定他透過教育、商業與社群服務，持續深化英台關係的長遠貢獻。 英國王室授勳制度旨在表揚在公共生活中具卓越成就，並長期致力於服務英國與社會的個人。更多關於 2026 年新年授勳名單的資訊，可至英國政府官方網站 GOV.UK 查詢。 British Education Leader in Taiwan Rich Smith Awarded OBE in King Charles III’s 2026 New Year’s Honours List The British Chamber of Commerce in Taipei (BCCT) is pleased to announce that Rich Smith has been awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in His Majesty King Charles III’s 2026 New Year’s Honours List. He is being recognised for his outstanding services to the UK education industry and the British community in Taiwan. The New Year’s Honours List represents one of the highest forms of national
9 February 2026
India’s Top Educational Institute partners with Durham University to expand research & innovation across UK & Europe
CHENNAI, India, Feb. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — India’s No: 1 Ranked institution, Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), has established a new entity, IIT Madras Global Research Foundation (IITM Global) which was launched by Dr. S. Jaishankar, Hon’ble Minister of External Affairs, Government of India, on 2nd January 2026. Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar (3rd L) releases a book on ‘India’s Innovation Ecosystem Going Global’ on 2 Jan at IITM, India At the event, a key strategic partnership with Durham University to establish an ‘IITM Global’ Centre at Durham was announced. It will serve as a gateway for the institute’s academic, research and innovation outreach across the United Kingdom and Europe. IITM Global as a charter to transform the institute into the world’s first multinational university and position it as a globally networked hub for education, research, innovation and entrepreneurship. The collaboration will focus on joint research, startup exchange and high-impact academic and skilling programs, leveraging the complementary strengths of both institutions to co-create globally scalable models of innovation and education. Addressing the IITM Global launch event at IIT Madras Campus on 2nd Jan 2026, Dr. S. Jaishankar said, “An IIT Madras Campus in Tanzania is a way
9 February 2026
Doral College and UNINETTUNO International Telematic University Announce Italy-USA Dual Degree Program
A new international pathway connecting Miami and Italy through innovative higher education MIAMI, Feb. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Doral College and UNINETTUNO International Telematic University announced the launch of their Italy–USA Dual Degree Program, an international academic partnership that expands global learning opportunities for students in the United States and Europe. Judith Marty, President of Doral College, and Prof. Maria Amata Garito, Rector of UNINETTUNO University The Dual Degree Program allows students to earn two accredited bachelor’s degrees—one awarded in the United States and one in Italy—through an integrated academic pathway. The collaboration brings together Doral College’s Bachelor of Business Administration and UNINETTUNO’s Bachelor in Economics and Business Management, aligned through a formal Learning Agreement between the institutions. Through a clearly defined credit-transfer framework that bridges U.S. credits and the European ECTS system, students complete coursework across both institutions using advanced online learning platforms. Doral College students may pursue the Italian degree by completing approved coursework through UNINETTUNO’s digital university environment, while UNINETTUNO students may earn the U.S. credential through Doral College’s online campus based in Florida. “The launch of this Dual Degree Program reflects Doral College’s vision for higher education without borders,” said Judith Marty, President of Doral College. “By
5 February 2026
The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation to Open Fourth Center in the US with the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center
UChicago Medicine Ralph Lauren Center to provide greater access to high-quality cancer care and preventative services for Chicago’s South Side and Southland communities NEW YORK, January 21, 2026–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation today announced it has awarded a grant to the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center to establish the UChicago Medicine Ralph Lauren Center, building on the Foundation’s commitment to expand or open five cancer centers across the United States. The UChicago Medicine Ralph Lauren Center will enhance access to high-quality cancer screening, comprehensive cancer care and support services, serving a catchment area of more than 900,000 community members in Chicago’s South Side and Southland communities. The new UChicago Medicine Ralph Lauren Center – the fourth Ralph Lauren-named center in the U.S. and first in the Midwest – will comprise two locations. The first, located within the outpatient cancer facility at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, Illinois, is expected to open in 2026. A second location will be inside UChicago Medicine’s new AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion, which will be Illinois’ first freestanding cancer care and research facility when it opens in April 2027. The UChicago Medicine Ralph Lauren Center will also be supported by a
5 February 2026
Online learners benefit from ASU’s top-ranked business programs
US News & World Report rankings place W. P. Carey School of Business among the nation’s top 10 for online undergraduate, graduate, and MBA programs. TEMPE, Ariz., Jan. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Choosing the right online business program can shape a learner’s career for years to come, and the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings continue to point students and veterans toward the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. (PRNewsfoto/W. P. Carey School of Business ) In the U.S. News & World Report’s latest online program rankings, W. P. Carey earned top 10 recognition across its online undergraduate, graduate, and MBA programs. W. P. Carey’s online undergraduate business programs held steady at No. 2 in the nation, placing the school ahead of peer institutions such as Penn State World Campus and Indiana University Online. The school also earned a new No. 3 ranking for its online master’s in business for veterans — ahead of George Washington University, Syracuse University, and Indiana University Online — underscoring its growing impact and commitment to supporting military-connected learners as they advance their careers. At the graduate level, W. P. Carey ranked No. 4 overall for online graduate business programs,
5 February 2026
USA TODAY’s 38th Ad Meter Competition Opens
Presented by State Farm, Ad Meter provides the opportunity to rate Super Bowl LX commercials New York, NY, February 04, 2026–(BUSINESS WIRE)–USA TODAY, part of USA TODAY Co., Inc. (NYSE: TDAY), launched the 38th annual Ad Meter competition, the industry’s leading opinion tool for gauging public sentiment about Super Bowl commercials. Since its debut in 1989, USA TODAY Ad Meter has remained a leading authority on Super Bowl advertising, addressing how the brands and spots drive sentiment and conversations related to sports, pop culture and the world of entertainment. Presented by State Farm®, the 2026 Ad Meter program delivers interactive rating tools, exclusive video content, and deep-dive analysis on the Super Bowl’s most talked‑about commercials. Today through February 9 at 12 midnight EST, registered Ad Meter participants can log in, watch and rate this year’s Super Bowl commercials to determine fan favorites and the official Ad Meter winner. For a submission to be counted, each participant must rate all eligible Super Bowl advertisements on a scale of 1 to 5. The 2026 Super Bowl Ad Meter winner will be announced live on “NBC’s TODAY” and at admeter.usatoday.com the morning after the game. “USA TODAY’s Ad Meter has been the go-to
5 February 2026
NYCU and University of Arizona Launch Talent and Innovation Hub to Advance Semiconductor and AI Collaboration
(中央社訊息服務20260129 15:39:07)National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) and the University of Arizona (UA) have formally launched the Talent and Innovation Hub (TIH–NYCU–UA) following the signing of a memorandum of understanding on January 28, 2026. The agreement marks the official start of a long-term, high-impact partnership focused on talent cultivation, collaborative applied research, and industry engagement, with semiconductors and artificial intelligence identified as initial priority domains. The agreement establishing the TIH–NYCU–UA is signed by NYCU President Chi-Hung Lin (right) and University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella. The Talent and Innovation Hub (TIH) is designed as a joint, scalable platform that integrates graduate-level education, professional workforce development, and application-oriented research. Rather than operating as a single fixed program, TIH adopts a phased and expandable implementation model, allowing initiatives to grow in scope and depth as institutional capacity and industry needs evolve. “This partnership reflects NYCU’s long-term commitment to connecting education, research, and industry through concrete, executable platforms,” said Chi-Hung Lin, President of NYCU. “By working closely with the University of Arizona, we are not only cultivating next-generation talent in semiconductors and AI, but also establishing a mechanism that enables people, knowledge, and innovation to move seamlessly between Taiwan and the United
29 January 2026
Person of interest for Brown University shooting, released
發佈日期: 2025-12-15 21:09 TVB News 粵 已複製連結 The person of interest detained in connection with Saturday’s deadly shooting at Brown University has been released. The person of interest was taken into custody at a Hampton Inn hotel in Coventry, Rhode Island, about 20 miles from Providence, where police officers and FBI agents remained Sunday, blocking off a hallway with crime scene tape as they searched the area. With the release of the person of interest, law enforcement are left without any known suspect. Officials are pledging to redouble efforts in the investigation by canvassing for video surveillance that could help pinpoint the killer’s identity. The gun man killed two people and injured nine at the Brown University campus. Source link
15 December 2025
Three scientists at US universities win Nobel Prize in physics for advancing quantum technology
STOCKHOLM (AP) — Three scientists won the Nobel Prize in physics Tuesday for research on the strange behavior of subatomic particles called quantum tunneling that enabled the ultra-sensitive measurements achieved by MRI machines and laid the groundwork for better cellphones and faster computers. The work by John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis, who work at American universities, took the seeming contradictions of the subatomic world — where light can be both a wave and a particle and parts of atoms can tunnel through seemingly impenetrable barriers — and applied them in the more traditional physics of digital devices. The results of their findings are just starting to appear in advanced technology and could pave the way for the development of supercharged computing. Click to Gallery From left, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics Chair Olle Eriksson, Secretary General of the Swedish Academy of Sciences Hans Ellegren and Member of the Nobel Committee for Physics Goran Johansson announce John Clarke, Michel H Devoret and John M. Martinis, on screen behind, as the recipients the Nobel Prize in Physics, at the Nobel Assembly of the Karolinska Institutet, in Stockholm, Sweden, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025. (Christine Olsson/TT News Agency
14 December 2025
黃金搖籃的呼喚：克里米亞韃靼人的流放、返鄉與再流亡 | 文化視角 | 轉角國際 udn Global
烏克蘭現場採訪、攝影／曹雨昕 「克里米亞的傳說裡，山頂有一個黃金搖籃，會像海浪一遍遍打上岸邊那樣，這個搖籃會一直搖響鈴噹，一直、一直，呼喚著人們回家⋯⋯」 2022年，俄羅斯全面入侵烏克蘭，但對克里米亞韃靼人來說，來自俄羅斯的侵略早在更久之前就已開始。不論是2014年在克里米亞升起俄羅斯國旗、又或是1944年向東行駛的單程列車，將克里米亞的韃靼人流放到中亞⋯⋯，「驅逐」、「流放」或是「佔領」雖然是不同字眼、不同名義，但全都指向侵略者赤裸裸的野心。 採訪開始之前，Amet坐在長桌的另一側，將一盤巧克力朝我推了過來。 「你想喝點什麼？茶？還是咖啡？」眼前這位中氣十足的男子，是致力於推廣克里米亞韃靼人歷史文化的Amet。他在成為一名英語教師和文化工作者之前，先是一名克里米亞韃靼人。 出生於前蘇聯時期烏茲別克的Amet接受採訪。Amet是韃靼人，出生於前蘇聯時期的烏茲別克，他的父親則來自克里米亞。 圖／曹雨昕攝 名為克里米亞的鄉愁 Amet出生在1973年蘇聯時期烏茲別克的納曼干（Namangan），距離4000公里遠的克里米亞，是他父親鄉愁的原點。而在Amet出生前、將近30年前的那一天，更是整個民族史的缺頁，與這段橫跨三代的家族史的開始。 1944年5月18日那一天，距離德國投降才過不到兩週，蘇聯便以韃靼人勾結納粹的罪名，驅逐整個民族。當天清晨，人們被敲門聲驚醒，荷槍實彈的秘密警察要求韃靼人馬上收拾行李，離開房子。從集合、整隊到趕上運貨列車，每節車廂還有事先準備好的表格和數字，即可看出這場行動經過精心籌備，才能讓19萬人在3天內從他們的家園裡消失。 此後，克里米亞韃靼語中的「流放」（Sürgünlik或簡稱Sürgün）指的都是1944年5月18日這一天。「流放」對應著蘇聯的「驅逐」，是一個沒有完成式，持續至今的動詞。 那一天，Amet的父親只有5歲。 「這天會一直刻在我們心中，每一年都會隨著更多資訊的揭露而加深這樣的痛苦，尤其是在2014年歷史重演之後。」Amet如此說。每當提到各種數字，他總會豎起食指，講著：「注意！」就像是正在授課的老師，提醒著學生該在哪裡劃記螢光筆。 Amet向筆者展示他身邊的各式臂章。 圖／曹雨昕攝 前往未曾踏上的家鄉 Amet年少時在學校相當活躍，他曾是蘇聯兒童十月團（Little Octobrists）的一份子，隨後又加入了少年先鋒隊（Young Pioneers）。Amet說：「對當時的我來說這一切都像是遊戲，直到後來我才發現，這都是籠罩在鋪天蓋地的政治宣傳下。」。 1984年，年僅11歲的Amet獲得老師推薦，可以參加蘇聯舉辦的夏令營（Artek），地點就在克里米亞的海邊。Amet的父親不敢相信兒子竟然有機會能前往克里米亞，於是一家人湊錢買下昂貴的車票，無論如何都要讓Amet去看一看他那從未踏上過的故鄉。 在營隊的某一天早晨，一個男孩氣喘吁吁地跑向Amet，和他說：「快！你爸爸來了！」男孩喊道。 Amet不明所以地跟上去，才發現原來是一位他從未謀面的叔叔。對方為了見Amet一面，特地從800公里外的烏克蘭北部趕來克里米亞。「我不記得我們說了什麼，只記得大家都哭了。我的父親在我出發前哭了，我見到叔叔的時候，他哭了，我也哭了。」 那是Amet第一次出國，也是他第一次返鄉。 Amet的太太Dilyara也是克里米亞韃靼人。 圖／曹雨昕攝 Amet大學畢業後，在母親的牽線下認識了妻子Dilyara。Dilyara和Amet都是克里米亞韃靼人。「我們人數不多，在流放的日子裡盡量跟同族通婚，維持我們血脈。」Amet說。 1989年，蘇聯的最高蘇維埃通過法令，鬆綁克里米亞韃靼人返鄉的限制，讓返鄉成為可能，許多韃靼人開始踏上返鄉之路。 Dilyara的舅舅是第一批選擇回去克里米亞的人，但情況並沒有想像中的容易。克里米亞長久以來在蘇聯的控制下，幾乎快被俄羅斯人佔據。韃靼人在克里米亞半島沒有房子，沒有信仰，整個半島都說著不屬於他們的話。 改變人生的美國行 2001年，Amet在烏茲別克獲得傑出教師獎，並和其他15個來自前蘇聯加盟國的獲獎者得以一起參訪美國。他也是在那裡第一次聽到了烏克蘭語。 一名來自克里米亞Bakhchysarai的烏克蘭教師和Amet說：「你很快就會回來（克里米亞）的，這裡是你的家鄉，你的土地，回來吧。我會幫你準備一份教職。」 這位烏克蘭教師也確實沒有食言，成為Amet日後返鄉的貴人。 這本古老的《古蘭經》是Dalyala的祖母傳給她的，同時也是她學習母語的契機。克里米亞韃靼人主要信仰伊斯蘭教，所以早期會使用阿拉伯文書寫，而後被俄文的西里爾字母取代，但現在也會使用拉丁字母書寫以擺脫俄文的影響。 圖／曹雨昕攝 這場參訪活動中，獲獎的16名教師分別代表各自國家的文化——Amet是代表「烏茲別克」，而不是他的故鄉克里米亞。這些同樣來自前蘇聯加盟國的獲獎者們，可以手拉著手，一起唱著蘇聯歌曲，表現得像一家人。 當時美國人看到這群來自前蘇聯、但分屬不同國家的人們能如此友好感到驚訝，但Amet知道，這不過是他從小被灌輸的「蘇聯民族神話」而已。正如同他小時候參加過的那些兒少營隊，一切都是政治宣傳的一部分。 Amet也在美國看到截然不同的世界——他在烏玆別克時一個月的薪水只有10美金，而他在美國卻能領著30-40美金的日薪，住在一晚將近400美金的飯店。Amet眼光閃爍地笑著說：「我都想睡在地板，請他們折現給我。」 重返克里米亞 Amet靠著美國之行存下來的錢，決定帶著一家人返回克里米亞。 當時克里米亞已經是獨立烏克蘭的一部分，在烏克蘭政府的支持下，克里米亞的學校有了克里米亞韃靼語的課程，當地的電視台有了屬於韃靼人的節目，克里米亞的韃靼人正努力拼湊自己的根，但親俄勢力早已在這塊土地盤根錯節、根深蒂固。 Amet說：「我甚至看到列寧的雕像矗立在克里米亞。哪怕在烏茲別克，他們也早在1991年獨立時就撤掉了這些東西。」克里米亞首府辛費羅波（Simferopol）的列寧雕像，從1967年落成以來就不曾倒下過。 圖為2014年3月，在克里米亞首府辛費羅波的列寧廣場，親俄派人士高舉俄羅斯國旗搖旗慶祝。 圖／美聯社 或許是巧合，也或許是天注定，Amet一家最後落腳在克里米亞的Bakhchysarai。那既是Dilyara舅舅為他們準備的家鄉，也是那名烏克蘭教師為他找到教職的地方。 Amet和Dilyara成為了學校老師。但因為教材使用烏克蘭語的關係，他們也得從頭開始學習烏克蘭語。但走出教室之外，幾乎沒有人在使用烏克蘭語，因為俄語仍控制著人們的舌頭。 蘇聯當初雖未全面禁止使用克里米亞韃靼語，卻在根源上切斷了它的傳承。克里米亞韃靼人沒有屬於自己的學校和課程，生活和工作也完全使用俄語，人們因此越來越依賴俄語，越來越無法用自己的語言來思考、表達。 Amet的一名親戚為了升遷而改用俄羅斯名字，並和一名俄羅斯女性結婚，這在當時是很常見的情況。 這種「俄羅斯化」（Russification）發生在克里米亞韃靼人和烏克蘭人身上。人們為了讓生活更加簡單，為了更好的工作和更好的機會，漸漸放棄了自己的語言。 —— 克里米亞韃靼人 Amet 圖為2023年12月，克里米亞首府辛費羅波新成立的清真寺外，可以看見克里米亞韃靼人的旗幟（左）、俄羅斯國旗（中）與克里米亞旗幟（右）並列。 圖／路透社 烏克蘭將成下一個喬治亞？ 2008年俄羅斯入侵喬治亞，一股不安的情緒開始籠罩在Amet心頭上：「我那時翻閱一本《烏克蘭週刊》，上面寫著：『下一個就是烏克蘭。』」 隔年，Amet一家迎來了新生命，女兒Kamila是一家四口當中，唯一一個在克里米亞出生的人。 與此同時，親俄的情緒在克里米亞擴散開來。2012年夏天，克里米亞自治政府要求關閉教授烏克蘭語的學校與課程，而Amet的兒子當時正就讀其中一所學校。 「從那時起，俄羅斯就準備再一次抹消我們的認同。當基輔流血（按：廣場運動）時，我就感受到有種不可逆的事情正在逼近。」Amet回憶道。 2014年2月，冬日將盡，小綠人（即沒有標誌的俄羅斯軍隊）無預警地出現。這群人佔領了議會，任命了新任行政長官。讓克里米亞時隔70年，再度被推上前線。 或許是不改教師性格，Amet說話時遇到重點會豎起筆，提醒筆者要特別注意接下來這段話。 圖／曹雨昕攝 接下來的佔領過程，快到連Amet至今仍無法理解。從議會通過獨立宣言，到公投加入俄羅斯聯邦，在短短一個月再度噤聲了一整個民族。2014年5月18日的流放紀念日和6月26日的克里米亞韃靼旗幟紀念日，都被迫移往郊區舉行紀念活動。「到處都是軍人，我們甚至看到附近的樓頂有狙擊手⋯⋯」當時Amet就站在圍欄後面，親眼看著俄羅斯再度將韃靼人排除在外。 各級學校很快地收到新的俄語教材，所有教師都必須接受新課綱的訓練。日益漸增的壓力已經讓Amet和Dilyala再也無法繼續工作，而決定離開。 「去吧。」年邁的母親念著禱詞為他們祝福後，輕聲說道。 Amet一家人在克里米亞西部的Cape Tarkhankut待了三天之後，便向故鄉道別。 Amet向筆者展示克里米亞韃靼人的傳統服飾與經典。 圖／曹雨昕攝 離開家鄉的人與選擇留下的人 提到還留在克里米亞的家人，Amet停下揉捏包裝紙的雙手，深吸一口氣說：「這是個痛苦的問題。」原以為Amet不願多談，但他馬上堅決地說道：「不不不，我很樂意回答、我想回答。」 「我想回答。」他近乎是咬牙切齒地說了兩次。 對於Amet的父輩來說，他們為了能夠回家，要花上一輩子的時間。所以一旦踏上克里米亞這塊土地，離開便不再是選項，只想整個餘生都留在故鄉。 「我們已經老了，除了死在這裡沒有其他願望。但你們可以離開，你們必須離開，為了我們的民族和血緣。我們不想成為你們的牽絆。」這是Amet帶著妻小離開克里米亞時，家人留給他的一段話。 歷史總是如此似曾相似（déjà vu）。 Amet一家人離開克里米亞的那一天，Amet的女兒才5歲，正好是Amet的父親1944年被流放時的年紀。 「注意了，關於紀年，我們有我們獨有的數學算法。」Amet再度豎起了食指苦笑著。 從克里米亞到利沃夫 幾經波折，Amet一家人最後搬到烏克蘭西部的利沃夫（Lviv）。Amet成為當地學校的英語老師，他常在課堂中提到克里米亞，像是在討論「家庭」主題時，就以克里米亞韃靼人的傳統紋飾「Örnek」來介紹不同圖案所代表的家族成員。 身為一名老師，我從克里米亞到利沃夫，看著一個民族如何形成，世界觀如何建立。這些烏克蘭的孩子人生才剛起步，但我可以確定的是他們不會成為奴隸。與那些在克里米亞的孩子不同——那是截然不同的世界。 —— 克里米亞韃靼人 Amet 2022年，Dilyala的母親得了COVID，她決定回一趟克里米亞。Dilyala說：「我從來都不想回去被俄羅斯佔領的克里米亞，但這或許是我最後一次能見到她，如果錯過了，我一輩子都不會原諒我自己的。」 Dilyala為了這次返鄉，她刪除了社交媒體，清空了所有發言。她雖然害怕被俄羅斯盤問、被拘留，但更害怕錯過母親的最後一面。 Dilyala開心地與身旁運用傳統紋飾設計的服飾合影。 圖／曹雨昕攝 抵達克里米亞之後，Dilyala看到的是面目全非的家鄉，她沒見過如此「俄羅斯」的克里米亞。 「你永遠不會知道俄羅斯的規則，」她說：「有個女孩因為回去探望父親而入獄了兩年，沒有理由，或者說永遠都會有一個他們的理由。」 訪談進行的過程中，Amet和Dilyala的兒子Mustafa剛好來電。「Mustafa！來跟大家打招呼！」Amet興奮地打開視訊。Mustafa是一名軟體工程師，目前在捷克定居，已取得捷克居留證的他，正準備貸款買下人生第一個住所。 Amet的語氣掩不住內心的驕傲：「我們每一個人都代表著我們的民族，我們的所作所為都決定著別人如何看待我們。」對於家的想像，流流轉轉，似乎仍沒有定錨。 Amet說：「我女兒畫了一隻蝸牛，背上背著他們的房子。這正是我們如何看待自己的——我們一直把家背負在身上。」 在Amet的工作室外面，懸掛著烏克蘭的國旗和克里米亞韃靼人的旗幟。 圖／曹雨昕攝 在俄羅斯全面入侵烏克蘭後，Amet沒有選擇離開烏克蘭。他說，如果離開，就再也回不來了；選擇留在烏克蘭，就能抱著回到克里米亞的希望。 「每一個克里米亞韃靼人，就像是黑海中的每一滴水，」Amet說：「凝聚著記憶和歷史，不能散，不會散。」語畢，Amet打開筆電，展示他最近用AI生成的圖片，是一張身穿克里米亞傳統服飾的男子站在海邊，凝視茫茫月色的圖片。 搭配這張圖片，Amet像是詩一般地寫到： 我靜靜站在海邊 秋意落在我的肩膀，如同我父親長久的夢想 他一直想站在這片海岸 但回到克里米亞後，他便躺下並沉入這片祖先沉默之地 而我站在這裡，每道海浪就像他的腳步 遺憾和實現都在這一刻發生 沒有戰爭 這是我的土地 不是我的暫時 Amet的父親經歷了60年的流放生涯後，雖然回到克里米亞，但兩年後便過世，所以在生命的最後仍無法看到他童年時的海岸。 Amet一家三代的故事，就像克里米亞韃靼人縮影——被迫離開家鄉的上一代、回到家鄉卻又選擇離開的中生代，以及等待返鄉的人們。或許就像Amet女兒所說：「我們一直把家背負在身上」，就算在異鄉漂泊著，有人在的地方，就是克里米亞韃靼人的家。 Amet使用生成式AI合成了一張搭配他寫的詩詞的圖，畫面中的男子身穿克里米亞傳統服飾，站在海邊，凝視茫茫月色，或許反映的正是克里米亞韃靼人對家的想望。 圖／曹雨昕翻攝 Source link
28 November 2025
Rolls-Royce chosen by Great British Energy to build SMRs in UK
A model of a Rolls-Royce SMR plant. Credit: The University of Sheffield/Rolls-Royce SMR. Great British Energy – Nuclear has selected Rolls-Royce SMR as the preferred bidder to develop small modular reactors (SMRs) in the UK, pending final governmental approvals and contract agreement. The development follows a rigorous two-year competition to choose nuclear technology for deployment in the UK, aimed at generating clean energy for the country through a publicly-owned company. Discover B2B Marketing That Performs Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms. Find out more The competition result paves the way for cost reduction and attracting private investment – key steps towards the UK’s goal of achieving one of the earliest SMR fleets in Europe. Great British Energy – Nuclear (GBN), previously known as Great British Nuclear, is an allied company of Great British Energy. The two publicly owned companies will focus on expanding clean energy production across the UK. Contracts between Rolls-Royce SMR and Great British Energy – Nuclear are expected to be signed by the end of 2025, following which the two companies will form a development company. Great British Energy – Nuclear also plans to allocate a site in
27 November 2025
Grant Thornton UK, Teesside University launch new skills development programme
The initiative has been co-developed by professionals from both Grant Thornton and Teesside University. Credit: Vin1237 / Shutterstock. Grant Thornton UK has collaborated with Teesside University to establish a skills development initiative aimed at enhancing key competencies within businesses. The ‘AI and Digital Skills for Business Impact’ programme focuses on equipping organisations with skills in digital technologies, change management, business process modelling, data essentials, and the use of AI for operational improvements. Access deeper industry intelligence Experience unmatched clarity with a single platform that combines unique data, AI, and human expertise. Find out more Co-developed by professionals from both Grant Thornton and Teesside University, the programme is designed to support employees across different levels of experience and career progression. The structure of the programme consists of four modules delivered over 12 months. The overall cost is £18,000, which corresponds with the Level 4 Business Analyst apprenticeship framework. Grant Thornton UK Partner and Talent Solutions head Ruth Walsh said: “We are excited to announce our new apprenticeship programme, which is specifically designed to empower individuals across a broad spectrum of roles—not just those in traditional tech positions—to learn, understand, and effectively apply AI, digital, and data skills in their everyday work.
26 November 2025
Vesper Holdings Expands its Student Housing Portfolio in Michigan with Acquisition of Gateway Lofts Lansing
Vesper Holdings announces its acquisition of Gateway Lofts Lansing, a student housing community located pedestrian to Michigan State University Gateway Lofts Lansing Vesper Holdings announces its acquisition of Gateway Lofts Lansing, a student housing community located pedestrian to Michigan State University New York, New York, Aug. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Vesper Holdings (“Vesper”), a privately-held real estate investment firm based in New York City, is pleased to announce its latest student housing acquisition – Gateway Lofts Lansing (“Gateway Lofts”) located pedestrian to Michigan State University. Including this purchase, Vesper has completed twenty student housing transactions totaling over $1 billion over the past 15 months. Gateway Lofts is a luxury student housing community offering one of the most desirable locations in the Lansing market. Delivered in 2022, this five-story property is located less than a half-mile from Michigan State University, providing direct pedestrian access to campus. Gateway Lofts features a highly desirable unit mix of studio, one-, and two-bedroom apartments. Each apartment features upscale finishes, including wood-style plank flooring, granite countertops with bar seating, stainless steel appliances, walk-in closets, pendant lighting, and in-unit washers and dryers. Residents enjoy a comprehensive suite of amenities including a resident lounge with billiards, a
26 November 2025
Is this the FTSE 250’s best ‘unicorn’ stock?
Image source: Getty Images The UK is not taking advantage of some very favourable business conditions. This is one of the biggest complaints about the modern state of the country. We have world-leading research hubs, three of the global top 10 universities, and the ability to attract the best talent. And where has it got us? Where are our dominant tech firms? Why aren’t the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 bursting at the seams with market-disrupting startups? Our country’s under-representation in breakout companies makes for valid criticism. But a few do sneak past the challenging investment and regulatory hurdles and acquire that fabled ‘unicorn’ status — reaching $1bn in market cap. One example is exciting biotech firm Oxford Nanopore (LSE: ONT). Sequencing So, what does the company do? And is it worth investing in? The name gives much of the game away. Oxford Nanopore was spun out of Oxford University in 2005. The company uses nanopore technology to sequence DNA and RNA. Anyone who took GCSE biology knows DNA is a long string of letters (A, T, G, and C). These can be read to derive the properties of living things. Well, the nanopore is a handheld device that allows
26 November 2025
Joanne Rhodes crowns Miss Universe Hong Kong 2025 Lizzie Li in Wan Chai – CONAN Daily
Joanne Josephine Rhodes (姚祖恩) is an alumna of Maryknoll Convent School in Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China and the University of Hong Kong in Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong. She attended the Gemological Institute of America in Carlsbad, California, United States in 2020 and entered the University College London in London, England, United Kingdom in 2022. On September 26, 2024, Rhodes competed against 15 other Miss Universe Hong Kong 2024 candidates at AXA Dreamland in New Territories, Hong Kong and won the title. On September 20, 2025, she crowned her successor Li Shi Yi (李詩逸), who is also known as Lizzie Li, at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. Miss Universe Hong Kong 2025 results beauty pageant: Miss Universe Hong Kong international membership: Miss Universenational director: Phoebe Chu edition: 2nddate: September 20, 2025venue: Grand Ballroom, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, Chinacandidates: 15 hosts: Sammy Leung, Joanne Josephine Rhodesperformer: Jeffrey Ngai JUDGES Carlos Chan Raymond Wong Rosina Wong FINALISTS PLACEMENT NAME (姓名), AGE Top 15 Chan Sin Ying (陳蒨瑩), 30Chong Ho Ling (蔣浩鈴), 32Chong Ka Wing (莊嘉詠)Lai Pui Lam (黎佩琳), 29Lau Wang Hei (劉泓晞), 27Ma Sze Yee (⾺思儀), 31Mo Chi Sum (⽑志琛), 29Wan Leung Yu (溫亮瑜), 28Wang Jane (王思棋), 30Zhang Yi He (張懿赫), 27 Top 5 Lau Tsz Yee (劉芷⽽), 22Luo Wan Ding (羅婉丁), 27 Top 3 Tam Chin
26 November 2025
Joanne Rhodes crowns Miss Universe Hong Kong 2025 Lizzie Li in Wan Chai – CONAN Daily
Joanne Josephine Rhodes (姚祖恩) is an alumna of Maryknoll Convent School in Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China and the University of Hong Kong in Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong. She attended the Gemological Institute of America in Carlsbad, California, United States in 2020 and entered the University College London in London, England, United Kingdom in 2022. On September 26, 2024, Rhodes competed against 15 other Miss Universe Hong Kong 2024 candidates at AXA Dreamland in New Territories, Hong Kong and won the title. On September 20, 2025, she crowned her successor Li Shi Yi (李詩逸), who is also known as Lizzie Li, at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. Miss Universe Hong Kong 2025 results beauty pageant: Miss Universe Hong Kong international membership: Miss Universenational director: Phoebe Chu edition: 2nddate: September 20, 2025venue: Grand Ballroom, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, Chinacandidates: 15 hosts: Sammy Leung, Joanne Josephine Rhodesperformer: Jeffrey Ngai JUDGES Carlos Chan Raymond Wong Rosina Wong FINALISTS PLACEMENT NAME (姓名), AGE Top 15 Chan Sin Ying (陳蒨瑩), 30Chong Ho Ling (蔣浩鈴), 32Chong Ka Wing (莊嘉詠)Lai Pui Lam (黎佩琳), 29Lau Wang Hei (劉泓晞), 27Ma Sze Yee (⾺思儀), 31Mo Chi Sum (⽑志琛), 29Wan Leung Yu (溫亮瑜), 28Wang Jane (王思棋), 30Zhang Yi He (張懿赫), 27 Top 5 Lau Tsz Yee (劉芷⽽), 22Luo Wan Ding (羅婉丁), 27 Top 3 Tam Chin
26 November 2025
The Ashinaga Kyoto Internship Program 2014 concluded (6-15 September 2014)
Over a ten-day period in September, Kyoto University hosted the second half of this year’s Kyoto Internship Program, which was organized in partnership with the Ashinaga scholarship foundation. The participants comprised 30 students from some of the world’s top universities – mostly those based in Europe and the United States, such as the University of Oxford and Princeton University – who took part in a hands-on course in Kyoto Studies, working together with Japanese students to learn about the history, culture, and various other aspects of the host city. The Kyoto Studies Program came about in response to a request by Ashinaga President Yoshiomi Tamai — made during his visit to Kyoto University in January 2014 — that the University assist with his organization’s internship program by providing lectures and having its students involved. The Program was developed as part of Kyoto University’s community involvement initiative, which had been selected as one of the “Center of Community” (COC) projects subsidized by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. In its role as the “Center” of the local community, Kyoto University is focused on pursuing effective and efficient collaboration with local partners to advance the city’s long-term interests, and
25 November 2025
In July, consumer confidence in the United States rose to a five-month high, but concerns about tariffs continue to suppress optimism.
The US consumer confidence index rose to its highest level in five months in July The Zhitong Finance App learned that the latest preliminary data released by the University of Michigan in the US shows that, benefiting from improvements in economic and inflation expectations, the US consumer confidence index rose to its highest level in five months in July. According to the data, the initial value of the consumer confidence index in July was 61.8, up from 60.7 in June. Despite this, the overall level of confidence was still lower than the level for most of last year. In terms of inflation expectations, respondents expect prices to rise at an annual rate of 4.4% over the next year, down from 5% last month, the lowest level since February this year. Meanwhile, consumers expect prices to rise by an average of 3.6% per year in the next five to ten years, which is also the lowest value in five months. Despite a slight recovery in confidence, consumer concerns about the economic outlook have not completely dissipated, and uncertainties relating to tariffs in particular continue to limit overall optimism. “Compared to a year ago, consumer expectations for the business environment, labor market,
25 November 2025
亞洲四國菁英齊聚高雄大學 夏日學校打造永續交流新典範 | 焦點時報
姊妹校學生齊聚來臺 學習收穫滿滿 高雄大學舉辦「夏日學校」 深化國際交流與永續關注。〈圖／記者翻攝.下同〉 【焦點時報／記者蔡宗憲報導】 國立高雄大學為期10天的「夏日學校」（Summer School）日前圓滿落幕。來自日本、韓國、越南與泰國等國際姊妹校的學生，透過專題講座、互動中文課程、文化體驗與永續參訪，累積了跨文化交流與議題探討的寶貴經驗。參與者不僅提升語言能力，更深入認識臺灣文化與南臺灣的永續行動。此活動於7月31日至8月9日由國際處主辦。 國際長林倖如表示，「夏日學校」兼具語言學習與國際議題討論，讓青年世代在多元互動中培養跨文化理解力與全球視野。課程結合永續發展與創業挑戰，並融入在地特色，未來將持續深化與姊妹校合作，擴大學生國際移動與交流機會。 林倖如除主持開幕式外，也主持了結業典禮，表達對學員的重視與祝福，並一一頒發結業證書，肯定學員在課堂、文化體驗與參訪中的積極參與與學習成果。典禮播放的回顧影片呈現活動亮點，學員們以中文互道感謝、交換手寫卡片，象徵跨文化交流的真摯情誼。 活動期間，國際處安排多名校內學生擔任小隊輔，全程陪同夏日學校學員適應校園與生活環境。語言課程採遊戲化互動模式，涵蓋自我介紹、日常用語與餐飲點餐等情境，促進雙向交流與學習氛圍。 專題講座邀請了高雄大學副校長吳行浩、南非普馬蘭加大學（University of Mpumalanga, UMP）發展研究學院教授Mazanai Musara、印尼國家研究與創新署（BRIN）法律研究中心博士Laely Nurhidayah，以及銘傳大學國際學院助理教授董珮如。他們從創業策略、氣候治理、國際法制與新創生態等面向，帶領學員比較不同國家的政策與實務，啟發多角度思考。 文化體驗課程包括DIY中藥草包活動，讓學員認識臺灣藥草種類與生活應用，並透過分組合作建立跨國情誼。為呼應「永續」主題，校外參訪安排至國立科學工藝博物館探討能源轉型與氣候變遷；走訪美濃體驗油紙傘彩繪與擂茶，理解傳統工藝在永續觀光中的價值；前往墾丁國家公園認識海洋與陸域生態，討論觀光與環境保育間的平衡。 #高雄大學夏日學校,國際交流,永續發展,跨文化學習,林倖如 Source link
24 November 2025
最新全球最佳大學排名！中國醫藥大學輾壓清大陽明交大，輸台大多少？畢業起薪6.6萬、最賺4科系出爐 – 今周刊
2026全球最佳大學排名出爐！據了解，包含台清交成在內，台灣一共有9間大學上榜前1000名，值得注意的是，國內一間私校排名竟輾壓清華大學、成功大學、陽明交大等頂尖名校，且該私校的薪資前景也十分看好，平均起薪來到6萬6千元。《今周刊》本文就帶讀者一次瞭解這間正快速崛起的私立大學。 2026全球最佳大學排名 《美國新聞與世界報告》（U.S. News & World Report）公布最新「2026全球最佳大學」排名，一共涵蓋全球104個國家、2251所大學；其中，台灣有9間大學入榜前1000名。 據了解，全球最佳大學的評鑑依據，是以多項指標進行評比，如全球研究聲譽、區域研究聲譽、出版、會議、圖書、論文總引用次數、引用影響力等，提供全球學生了解本國以外的高等教育參考指標。 全球最佳大學前5名是由哪些名校拿下？根據報告顯示，前3名全由美國的大學通包，分別為哈佛大學（Harvard University）、麻省理工學院（Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT）、史丹佛大學（Stanford University）。 第4、5名則由英國大學拿下，分別為牛津大學（University of Oxford）及劍橋大學（University of Cambridge）。 「2026全球最佳大學」前十名一覽 １．哈佛大學 Harvard University ２．麻省理工學院 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) ３．史丹佛大學 Stanford University ４．牛津大學 University of Oxford ５．劍橋大學 University of Cambridge ６．加利福尼亞大學柏克萊分校 University of California Berkeley ７．倫敦大學學院 University College London ８．華盛頓大學 University of Washington Seattle ９．耶魯大學 Yale University １０．哥倫比亞大學 Columbia University 台灣9所大學上榜 1私校當黑馬超車頂校 值得留意的是，在最新「2026全球最佳大學」排名中，台灣一共有9所大學名列榜上，國立台灣大學自然不負眾望居全台之冠，排名第248名。 出乎意料的是，排名位居全台第二的並非是外界眼中的頂大名校，而是私立中國醫藥大學（China Medical University Taiwan），排名第314名。 「2026全球最佳大學」台灣9所大學一覽 １．國立臺灣大學（全球排名第248名、亞洲國家排名第55、台灣排名第1） ２．私立中國醫藥大學（全球排名第314名、亞洲國家排名第75、台灣排名第2） ３．國立清華大學（全球排名第506名、亞洲國家排名第133、台灣排名第3） ４．國立成功大學（全球排名第620名） ５．國立陽明交通大學（全球排名第625名） ６．私立亞洲大學（全球排名第703名） ７．國立臺灣科技大學（全球排名第891名） ８．國立臺灣師範大學（全球排名第930名） ９．私立臺北醫學大學（全球排名第937名） 中國醫藥大學實力竄升 就業出路網路聲量「私校第1」 據悉，中國醫藥大學在1958年創辦，前身名為中國醫藥學院，是台灣第一間中醫藥學的醫學院，自2003年起升格為中國醫藥大學。近年來，中國醫藥大學逐漸發展成為全國最具中、西醫藥學整合特色，以及基礎與臨床整合的頂尖醫藥大學。 剖析「2026全球最佳大學」具體指標細項，其中，以工程相關課程（如醫學工程、航太工程、機械工程、電機工程、土木工程等）來說，中國醫藥大學在排行中名列第125名（共1501名），而生物細胞、內分泌與代謝、腫瘤、公共衛生、食品科技與技術、藥理學與毒理學、傳染病等研究和課程，也在各排行榜上擠進前300名，表現相當亮眼。 另外，根據《網路溫度計DailyView》日前發布的「全台大學就業出路十大口碑榜」中，中國醫藥大學就業出路網路聲量排名第10，不僅是首度衝進前10名，更拿下私校冠軍。 中國醫藥大學「校友薪資指標」 畢業起薪就破6.6萬 連2年發表《大學品牌力》調查的104人力銀行，在今（2025）年2月也發布了2025大學品牌力最新報告，104會依據各校10大指標表現進行排名。 10大指標分別為職務能力、未來能力、產學力、學群力、知名度、研發力、校友薪資、性格優勢、碩士論文力、國際力。 其，「校友薪資」指標方面，今年共有7所大學併列第一，除了成功大學之外，還有政治大、陽明交大、台大、台科大、中國醫藥大學、北醫大等6所，而中國醫藥大學、北醫大更是唯二進榜的私立大學。 從104釋出的「113年畢業生流向調查」顯示，中國醫藥大學學生就業平均起薪約 6.6萬元，而畢業滿3年後的薪資可到7.3萬元，起薪相當不錯，且整體薪資隨年資累計有略微提升的趨勢；而起薪較高的科系包括藥學系、職業安全與衛生學系、護理學系、醫學檢驗生物技術學系。 針對「2026全球最佳大學」排名，中國醫藥大學校方分析，中醫大除了學術研究表現十分突出，平均教授論文引用次數達99.9分，逼近滿分100分，堪比世界排名前10大學校，表現為全台之冠；其次則是國際研究網絡的評比達到75.9分，儘管和世界前10名仍有差距，但表現同樣也是全台所有大學之冠。 本文暫不授權媒體夥伴 Source link
24 November 2025
Boston University Student Receives The SBB Research Group Foundation STEM Scholarship
The SBB Research Group Foundation has named Mia Madrigal a STEM Scholarship recipient Mia Madrigal Boston University Student Receives The SBB Research Group Foundation STEM Scholarship CHICAGO, Aug. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The SBB Research Group Foundation named Mia Madrigal a recipient of its STEM scholarship. The $2,500 award empowers students to create value for society by pursuing higher learning through interdisciplinary combinations of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Mia Madrigal, a sophomore, studies human physiology at Boston University. In addition to her studies, Mia volunteers with underserved youth to encourage them to pursue STEM and has contributed to research on campus. “Mia’s commitment to both science and service reflects the kind of impact-driven leadership we’re proud to support,” said Matt Aven, co-founder and board member of the SBB Research Group Foundation. For eligibility criteria and more information on the Foundation’s STEM scholarship, please visit https://www.sbbscholarship.com/ About the SBB Research Group Foundation The SBB Research Group Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that furthers the philanthropic mission of SBB Research Group LLC (SBBRG), a Chicago-based investment management firm led by Sam Barnett, Ph.D., and Matt Aven. The Foundation sponsors the SBB Research Group Foundation STEM Scholarship, supporting students pursuing Science, Technology,
24 November 2025
Trump news at a glance: president lobs insults at US supreme court for striking down his global tariffs | Trump administration
Donald Trump experienced a rare moment in his second term as president Friday: a loss from the nation’s highest court. The US supreme court declared many of Donald Trump’s tariffs illegal in a sharp rebuke that topples a key pillar of the president’s aggressive economic agenda. In a 6-3 ruling, the court decided that a 1977 law designed to address national emergencies did not provide the legal justification for most of the Trump administration’s tariffs on countries across the world. It is the first time the court has overruled one of Trump’s second-term policies. Trump was not happy and, shocking probably no one, lashed out at the justices who ruled against him – including two he appointed in his first term. On his Truth Social platform, Trump called the justices who ruled against his tariffs “fools and lap dogs”, “very unpatriotic” and “disloyal to the Constitution”, claiming without evidence that the court “has been swayed by Foreign Interests”. In the same post, he also singled out the three conservative dissenters – Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh – for praise. Later at a press conference, Trump added to his insults, saying the six justices who ruled agains his global
21 February 2026
Short Seller Jim Chanos Calls Elon Musk’s Orbital Datacenter Goals ‘AI Snake Oil’ — Says Need To See ‘Actual’ Savings
Short seller James Chanos has criticized the tech industry’s push towards developing orbital datacenters, outlining that space-based datacenters would cost more. In a post on the social media platform X on Wednesday, Chanos quoted a video that talked about Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk‘s vision to put datacenters in orbit following xAI‘s merger into SpaceX. “This is more AI Snake Oil from the Silicon Valley promoter class,” he said. Chanos added that the annual cost of electricity per MW for AI datacenters hovered around the $600,000 mark. Don’t Miss: The figure makes up for about “5-7% of revenues on recently announced deals,” Chanos said. “Launch, radiation, insurance and redundancy costs would be greater,” he added. This is more AI Snake Oil from the Silicon Valley promoter class. Currently annual electricity costs for AI data centers are about $600K per MW, which is only about 5-7% of revenues on recently announced deals. Launch, radiation, insurance and redundancy costs would be greater. https://t.co/F7P3IYSQ1t He then expanded on his views, sharing that grid power permitting was an issue, but it is being addressed. “Actual power is in abundance in the US, particularly when energy companies partner w/private power producers,” he
21 February 2026
One Year Ago, Elon Musk Said He Loved Trump, Kanye Called Himself a N-zi, and Trump Declared War on Paper Straws. All on the Same Day
It was February 7, 2025. A Friday. Elon Musk, the richest man on the planet, posted on X: “I love @realDonaldTrump as much as a straight man can love another man.” Kanye West, in the middle of what would become a multi-day antisemitic meltdown, posted two words: “IM A NAZI.” And President Donald Trump, apparently unbothered by either of those developments, took to Truth Social to announce the most urgent matter facing the nation: “I will be signing an Executive Order next week ending the ridiculous Biden push for Paper Straws, which don’t work. BACK TO PLASTIC!” Someone screenshotted all three posts side by side and captioned it “the best day in Twitter history.” Millions of people saw it. Nobody could believe all three were real. All three posts went live within hours of each other. Same day. Same internet. Same timeline. That was one year ago. Here’s where all three men are now — and somehow, it only gets weirder. The Bromance That Exploded When Musk posted his love letter to Trump, the two were practically living together. Musk had spent $288 million helping Trump win the White House. He was running the Department of Government Efficiency. He reportedly
21 February 2026
Almost Half of Jury Pool in Musk Trial Tossed After ‘So Many’ Said They ‘Hate’ Him
Allison Robbert/Pool via AP Nobody likes meEverybody hates meGuess I’ll go eat worms! – 20th century children’s song Elon Musk may have been contemplating snacking on a few earthworms after a brutal treatment by a jury pool in San Francisco, with almost half of the prospective jurors being disqualified because they declared their hatred for the tech CEO — one even went so far as to say he wanted to see Musk in prison. The case stems from a class action lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California by investors in Twitter, the predecessor to Musk’s X platform, who allege he violated federal securities laws with his months of public indecision over purchasing the company as a scheme to drive down the the price of shares before he completed the purchase in October 2022, causing the investors financial harm. According to Bloomberg Law, the trial is expected to last about three weeks, and likely witnesses to be called to the stand include Musk and former Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal. But before the trial can begin, a jury must be selected, and Judge Charles R. Breyer had a tougher time than usual, due to the
21 February 2026
Rob Reiner death – Conan O’Brien was in shock after holiday party
Feb. 20, 2026, 5:54 p.m. ET Conan O’Brien has broken his silence about the deaths of his good friends, director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner. The venerated Hollywood couple’s Dec. 14 killing occurred the morning after they attended a holiday party at O’Brien’s Los Angeles house. O’Brien, 62, who is hosting the March 15 Academy Awards, addressed the deeply personal loss in a Feb. 20 New Yorker interview. “They were just such lovely people,” said O’Brien. “And to have that experience of saying good night to somebody and having them leave and then find out the next day that they’re gone. … I think I was in shock for quite a while afterward. I mean, there’s no other word for it. It’s just very – it’s so awful. It’s just so awful.” The couple’s son Nick Reiner, 32, is charged with the double murder of his parents and is due in Los Angeles Superior Court for an arraignment hearing on Monday, Feb. 23. Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more! O’Brien said that social activist Rob Reiner’s voice is noticeably missing from the national discourse. “I think about
20 February 2026
Elon Musk’s Mom Breaks Usual Silence To Defend Billionaire Son
Content Warning: This article references sexual abuse. Reader discretion is advised. Elon Musk has his mom helping fight his battles for him. Maye Musk, the mother of the South African billionaire, took to Twitter (now X) in defence of her son, who has owned the social media platform since 2022. Maye, a former model, is now a dietitian, with Canadian, South African, and American citizenship. She was married to Elon’s father, businessman Errol Musk, from 1970 to 1979. Maye Musk says “mainstream media” has it out for her son Elon Photo Credit: Theo Wargo/WireImage via Getty Images Maye defended her son on his own app, against criticism in “mainstream media.” “I’ve been reading the dishonesty and extreme negativity in the mainstream media for 20 years,” Maye wrote on X on Thursday, February 19. “It is really hard to cope with hateful headlines when Elon is doing amazing things worldwide.” “I’ve just finished writing another book, and include how I shamed the news outlets and the journalists on Twitter five years ago,” she continued. “They didn’t care. Every day, I’m happy that Elon bought Twitter and renamed it X.” In 1996, Maye released her first book titled Feel Fantastic – Maye Musk’s Good
20 February 2026
Possible Iran strike poses midterm risk for Trump
WASHINGTON (TNND) — President Donald Trump is weighing new military strikes on Iran in a move that could escalate tensions in the Middle East and trigger major retaliation from Tehran. His decision also carries political risks at home ahead of the midterms, where voters are far more concerned about the economy than foreign conflicts. Trump has been mulling military action against Iran for a month since its regime violently cracked down on widespread protests over its collapsing economy and killed thousands. While he initially framed concerns around Iran’s violent crackdown on dissenters, focus has recently shifted to Iran’s nuclear program. On Thursday, Trump said he would make a decision in the next 10 to 15 days. He followed that up on Friday saying he is considering limited military strikes to pressure Iran over its nuclear program with two rounds of indirect discussions not yet yielding a breakthrough. “I guess I can say I am considering that,” Trump said. The president hasn’t yet decided to order an attack on any scale but is reportedly considering a range of options from a series of smaller, targeted strikes on specific facilities up to a longer campaign with more disruptive effects. It comes as
20 February 2026
After Supreme Court strikes down Trump’s sweeping tariffs, president tells the press the administration has ‘great alternatives’
Shortly after The Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s far-reaching global tariffs on Friday, the president told the media he plans to use “other alternatives” to enact his sweeping tariffs. “We have alternatives. Great alternatives,” Trump said in a press conference after the court ruling handed him a significant loss on an issue crucial to his economic agenda. President Donald Trump speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Washington. Alex Brandon / AP The court’s 6-3 decision centers on the tariffs Trump unilaterally imposed under an emergency powers law, including the sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs levied on nearly every other country. It’s the first major piece of Trump’s broad agenda to come squarely before the nation’s highest court, which he helped shape with the appointments of three conservative jurists in his first term. The majority found that the Constitution “very clearly” gives Congress the power to impose taxes, which include tariffs. “The Framers did not vest any part of the taxing power in the Executive Branch,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote. “The tariffs at issue here may or may not be wise policy. But as a matter of
20 February 2026
Elon Musk bans résumés and cover letters. These are the 3 bullet points he’s looking for instead
It takes hours for some people to craft a résumé and cover letter, listing past experience and accomplishments on a sheet of paper—details your interviewer is likely to ask you to explain face-to-face anyway. That redundant, time-consuming process has forced many to ditch the career materials, and Elon Musk is leading the charge. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO is now asking anyone who wants to join his AI5 chip design team to nix the conventional cover letter and résumé in favor of just three short bullet points. In an X post Musk said he was looking for applicants to join Tesla as it restarts work on the AI supercomputer project Dojo3. To be considered, all applicants have to do is to submit “3 bullet points on the toughest technical problems you’ve solved,” Musk wrote in the X post. The move is characteristic of the CEO, who during his time at the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency, issued a directive asking government workers to email five bullet points of recent accomplishments amid a mass firing campaign that led to the termination of more than 250,000 federal employees. “Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation,” Musk said in
20 February 2026
Florida Republicans pass bill renaming Palm Beach airport after Trump | Florida
Democrats in Florida have condemned Republican colleagues in the state legislature who approved the renaming of the airport in West Palm Beach the “President Donald J Trump International Airport”, less than a week after lawyers for Trump sought to trademark the name. Only the signature of Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, now stands before a renaming ceremony at the airport less than six miles from the US president’s waterfront Mar-a-Lago mansion and private resort club in Palm Beach. Currently known as Palm Beach International, the airport is frequented by Trump on Air Force One on most weekends during the winter season. The president is then driven to and from his residence along a stretch of road renamed Donald J Trump Boulevard in January in another act of homage by the Florida legislature. The airport bill passed the Florida house by 81 votes to 30 on Tuesday in a strictly partisan vote after vocal pushback from a number of Democratic state representatives. It was then swiftly ushered through by state senators two days later. The Democratic US congresswoman Lois Frankel, whose district covers a large swathe of Palm Beach county, including Palm Beach island where Trump lives when he is not
20 February 2026
Trump airport renaming plan sparks cost, profit concerns in Florida
Feb. 20, 2026, 11:51 a.m. ET The Trump Organization has offered to let Palm Beach County International Airport use Donald Trump’s name for free if it is renamed. The proposed renaming could cost nearly $6 million, with state senators considering a $5.5 million appropriation to cover the expenses. Some Florida lawmakers are concerned that taxpayers will be on the hook if the state moves forward with a plan to rename Palm Beach County International Airport after President Donald Trump. The Florida House this month approved a bill to rename the airport “Donald J. Trump International Airport.” But after the Trump Organization recently filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to register the trademark “President Donald J. Trump International Airport,” some opponents of the move wondered whether the president might ultimately profit from the renaming. The filing also registered a trademark for “DJT,” a reference to the president’s initials that could be used as the airport code if the name is changed. The Trump Organization said it will allow Palm Beach County International Airport to use President Donald Trump’s name “at no charge” if the airport is renamed after him. Your flight isn’t immune to world events – Politics can
20 February 2026
Pete Buttigieg endorses Democrat Shawn Harris to replace MTG in Georgia
Feb. 20, 2026, 10:16 a.m. ET Rome, Ga. — The race is heating up in Northwest Georgia as more than a dozen candidates try to take the reins from Marjorie Taylor Greene. The former congresswoman resigned her position in January following a loud and public falling out with President Trump. The two have continued to spar, with the president nicknaming her Marjorie “Traitor” Greene. The president visited Rome, Georgia on Thursday to tout his economic agenda and double-down his endorsement of Republican District Attorney Clay Fuller to replace Greene in the special election that began early voting on Monday. Fuller has to gain enough support from the Republican base — who have a lot of candidates to choose from — to fight off Democrat Shawn Harris, now an experienced candidate after his race against Greene in 2024. Pete Buttigieg endorses Shawn Harris “There’s no such thing as a permanently red state or district, and I believe Shawn Harris has the background and values to bring together and win,” the former secretary said in a statement Feb. 20. Buttigieg and Harris share a military history, the former serving as a Navy intelligence officer in Afghanistan, and the latter as a retired
20 February 2026
Trump hosts governors’ breakfast after National Governors Association pulls out of event
WASHINGTON (AP) — The National Governors Association is pulling out of an annual meeting at the White House after President Donald Trump declined to invite two Democratic governors, undercutting one of Washington’s few remaining bipartisan gatherings. Trump is still expected to meet with governors at the White House on Friday but the event will not be facilitated by an organization founded more than a century ago to help state leaders from both parties advocate for their interests in Washington. The Republican president had refused to include Democratic Govs. Jared Polis of Colorado and Wes Moore of Maryland and recently blasted them on social media as “not worthy of being there.” READ MORE: Trump lashes out at Maryland governor’s over Potomac River sewage spill response In a brief interview Thursday, Polis said he does not have “any ability to get in (Trump’s) head.” Polis said he was nonetheless meeting with governors from both parties while he is in the nation’s capital. “I’ve spent quality time with my colleagues this morning and really learning from one another and taking best practices that Republican or Democratic governors have launched in their state,” he said. “It’s really what these meetings are about.” The episode
20 February 2026
Elon Musk kills first Tesla Cybertruck ($60k) that makes sense just 10 days after launch
Tesla just launched the most compelling version of the Cybertruck it has ever offered — a dual-motor all-wheel-drive model starting at $59,990, and CEO Elon Musk is already signaling that it won’t last. In a post on X, Musk responded to the announcement of the new AWD Cybertruck with a cryptic but damning three words: “Only for the next 10 days.” The comment confirms that the only Cybertruck configuration that actually makes sense for consumers is being treated as a limited-time promotion rather than a permanent addition to the lineup. It’s a baffling move for a vehicle that has failed to come anywhere close to its sales targets and desperately needs a viable entry point. The AWD Cybertruck was the first one that made sense As we reported yesterday, Tesla launched a new AWD Cybertruck at $59,990, the lowest price for the electric pickup truck to date. Unlike the disastrous rear-wheel-drive model that Tesla discontinued after just five months in 2025 because it had stripped out critical features like adaptive suspension, bed power outlets, and the tonneau cover, the new AWD version actually comes well-equipped. Advertisement – scroll for more content The AWD model includes dual motors, adaptive damping, the
20 February 2026
Bill Gates is building an artificial sun in Tennessee and it hits 180,000,032 Fahrenheit
Billionaire Bill Gates and his team is building an artificial sun in Tennessee, and it hits 180,000,032 Fahrenheit. Yes, that is hotter than the core of our actual sun, and it is all happening at a former coal plant in the US. The billionaire-backed project is chasing nuclear fusion, the same reaction that makes stars shine in the night sky. If it works, this could be one of the biggest energy game changers of our lifetime. EXPLORE SBX CARS – Supercar auctions starting soon powered by Supercar Blondie Bill Gates is building an artificial sun in Tennessee The company behind this crazy tech project is Type One Energy, and it wants to build its prototype nuclear fusion reactor, called Infinity One, in Claxton, Tennessee, at the old Bull Run Fossil Plant site. Instead of burning fossil fuels, this machine will superheat plasma to around 100 million degrees Celsius, which translates to a mind-blowing 180,000,032 Fahrenheit, hotter than the actual sun. Infinity One is what is known as a stellarator, which is basically the hypercar of the fusion world. Nano Banana/supercar Blondie While most fusion projects use a tokamak with a simpler donut shape, stellarators use extremely complex twisted magnetic coils to
20 February 2026
Catherine O’Hara’s funeral held in Los Angeles
Feb. 20, 2026, 6:33 a.m. ET Catherine O’Hara‘s loved ones have come together in memory of the acclaimed actress. A funeral for the “Schitt’s Creek” and “Home Alone” star took place on Saturday, Feb. 14, People reported Feb. 18, citing a representative for O’Hara. The ceremony took place two weeks after her death at 71 years old on Jan. 30 due to a pulmonary embolism. USA TODAY has reached out to O’Hara’s representatives for comment. “Road House” actress Kelly Lynch on Feb. 16 shared a photo of the funeral program, which showed a younger photo of O’Hara and the funeral’s venue, a Catholic church in Los Angeles’ Brentwood neighborhood. O’Hara’s death certificate, which USA TODAY reviewed on Feb. 9, showed that the primary cause of her death was a blood clot that broke loose and traveled to the lungs. However, another contributing cause was rectal cancer, which she’d been living with for months, according to the death certificate. Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more! She’d died at a Santa Monica, California, hospital within hours of the onset of the pulmonary embolism. The Canadian-born actress, an Emmys darling who picked up
20 February 2026
Inside XAI: Elon Musk Is Locked in for a Big Year for Grok, IPO
At xAI’s Palo Alto headquarters, engineers cheered. It was February 2, and they’d just received a memo from Elon Musk, informing them the AI startup would be acquired by his rocket company, SpaceX. In a Slack channel for the team that trains the company’s chatbot Grok, memes flowed, and a few changed their profile pictures to depict themselves as astronauts. The excitement was quickly overshadowed by the pressure building inside the startup racing to catch up with rivals like OpenAI and Anthropic, while preparing for an expected IPO. Over the past six months, Musk has become deeply involved in day-to-day operations. He’s run a massive group chat that’s active at all hours, directed product changes, reassigned engineers, cut staff on key teams, and launched intensive “war rooms” to accelerate development. Several current and former employees said that the level of involvement has altered how the company functions. Leadership roles have narrowed, projects have shifted quickly, and teams have been pushed into what one described as a constant “fire drill.” Musk said that the changes are necessary as the company scales and the team’s lean structure will be the secret to its success. Discussing xAI’s restructure following the SpaceX acquisition, he
20 February 2026
See what NJ celebrities were up to in February 2026
Feb. 20, 2026, 4:31 a.m. ET Each month, we highlight local celebrities making headlines in Bergen and beyond. In this installment, we feature a pair of local Traitors, a Golden Globe winner, a local author’s new television show and more. Harlan Coben Gets Real For the first time, best-selling mystery author Harlan Coben [first featured in the October 2007 issue of (201) Magazine] turns his storytelling skills to true crime. In Harlan Coben’s Final Twist, the Ridgewood author — renowned for his twisting narratives and intricate plots — leads viewers through murder cases and other high-profile crimes. Airing Tuesdays on CBS, the series blends exclusive interviews with never-before-seen archival material, revealing stories as complex as his novels.
20 February 2026
Britain blocking use of air bases Trump says would be needed for strikes on Iran, UK media report
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has blocked a request from US President Donald Trump to allow US forces to use UK air bases during any preemptive attack on Iran, saying it could break international law, according to multiple reports in British media citing government sources. According to The Times of London, which first reported the split over airbase access, Starmer has denied the use of RAF Fairford in England and Diego Garcia – the British overseas territory in the Indian Ocean – for any strike on Iran. The two bases have long served as crucial overseas US military staging posts for operations far from home, with Diego Garcia a key airfield for the US’ heavy bomber fleet. The Times reports Britain is concerned that allowing the US to use the bases “would be a breach of international law, which makes no distinction between a state carrying out the attack and those in support if the latter have ‘knowledge of the circumstances of the internationally wrongful act.’” The Times cited UK government sources. The BBC, The Guardian and The Telegraph also subsequently published their own reports on the UK blocking access to the bases, citing sources. American requests to use UK
20 February 2026
Trump says he doesn’t know if aliens are real but directs government to release files on UFOs : NPR
President Donald Trump waves after stepping off Air Force One, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Md., on return from a trip to Georgia. Mark Schiefelbein/AP hide caption toggle caption Mark Schiefelbein/AP WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Thursday that he’s directing the Pentagon and other government agencies to identify and release files related to extraterrestrials and UFOs because of “tremendous interest.” Trump made the announcement in a social media post hours after he accused former President Barack Obama of disclosing “classified information” when Obama recently suggested in a podcast interview that aliens were real. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, “I don’t know if they’re real or not,” and said of Obama, “I may get him out of trouble by declassifying.” In a post on his social media platform Thursday night, Trump said he was directing government agencies to release files related “to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters.” Obama, who made his comments in a podcast appearance over the weekend, later clarified that he had not seen evidence that aliens “have
20 February 2026
Trump warns of ‘bad things’ if Iran doesn’t make a deal, as second U.S. carrier nears Mideast : NPR
This image provided Thursday Feb. 19, 2026 by the Iranian military and dated Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2025, shows navy ships conducting operations during a join drill by Iranian and Russian forces in the Indian Ocean. Masoud Nazari Mehrabi/AP/Iran’s Army hide caption toggle caption Masoud Nazari Mehrabi/AP/Iran’s Army DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran held annual military drills with Russia on Thursday as a second American aircraft carrier drew closer to the Middle East, with both the United States and Iran signaling they are prepared for war if talks on Tehran’s nuclear program fizzle out. President Donald Trump said Thursday he believes 10 to 15 days is “enough time” for Iran to reach a deal. But the talks have been deadlocked for years, and Iran has refused to discuss wider U.S. and Israeli demands that it scale back its missile program and sever ties to armed groups. Indirect talks held in recent weeks made little visible progress, and one or both sides could be buying time for final war preparations. Iran’s theocracy is more vulnerable than ever following 12 days of Israeli and U.S. strikes on its nuclear sites and military last year, as well as mass protests in January that
20 February 2026
Musk’s Starlink to be tested against Eutelsat on French shipping fleet
Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. French container shipping group CMA CGM will test Eutelsat’s satellite broadband network against Elon Musk’s Starlink on its fleet, in a show of support for the European contender. The world’s third-biggest container shipping company is installing antennas to capture Eutelsat’s OneWeb services across the roughly 350 boats it owns, under a two-year contract that will see it switch between the networks before it potentially retains one. It did not release financial details for the deal, which comes at a critical time for Eutelsat as it tries to drum up business for its low Earth orbit (LEO) network — a market dominated by Starlink, which is owned by Musk’s SpaceX. Ramon Fernandez, CMA CGM’s finance chief, told the FT that although the two services were complementary, the company could “in time choose the operator that best meets our needs”. The lower Earth orbit is becoming an increasingly important market, promising high-speed connectivity and lower latency — the speed it takes for a signal to travel from Earth to a satellite and back — than traditional operators in higher orbit. CMA CGM’s
20 February 2026
Eric Dane Dead: Celebs React
Patrick Dempsey Shares Update on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Costar Eric Dane’s ALS Battle Hollywood is coming together in the wake of Eric Dane’s death. Shortly after the Grey’s Anatomy alum’s wife Rebecca Gayheart and their daughters Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14, announced he had died Feb. 19 following a battle with ALS, many of his friends and former costars shared their grief. “Heartbroken to hear about the passing of Eric,” his Redeeming Love costar Nina Dobrev wrote on her Instagram Stories alongside a picture on set with him. “He was warm, generous, prepared, and so passionate about what he did. He led with kindness and made everyone on our set feel seen.” The 37-year-old also reflected on his ALS diagnosis, which he revealed in April. “ALS is a cruel and unforgiving disease,” Nina continued. “May his memory inspire more research, awareness, and progress toward a cure. He will be deeply missed.” Alyssa Milano, who played Eric’s love interest on Charmed, reflected on her friendship with the Euphoria actor, too. “I can’t stop seeing that spark in Eric’s eye right before he’d say something that would either make you spit out your drink or rethink your entire perspective,” she wrote on Instagram.
20 February 2026
Chinese New Year: What you can experience in China and the Nordic countries
Chinese New Year 2026 is marked with public celebrations in China and across the Nordic countries. Photo: VCG/Getty Images Chinese New Year 2026 begins on 17 February and marks the start of the Year of the Horse. Across China and in several Nordic cities, public events, themed dinners and cultural programmes invite residents and visitors to take part in the celebrations.From large-scale festivities in Shanghai and Hong Kong to smaller but growing events in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo and Helsinki, there are different ways to experience the Lunar New Year. Beijing, China If you spend your days over Chinese New Year in Beijing, you step into a city shaped by ritual and celebration. You can join temple fairs in major parks with lion dances, drum performances and market stalls. Visit temples to witness incense rituals and New Year prayers. Explore historic hutongs and landmarks dressed in red lanterns and seasonal decorations. You can take part in cultural workshops such as calligraphy or paper cutting, attend festive concerts and stage performances, or book a traditional reunion dinner featuring dumplings and other symbolic dishes. As the days progress, lantern displays and light shows appear across the city, leading up to the Lantern Festival
16 February 2026
2026 Hong Kong Chinese New Year Night Parade: Your Ultimate Guide
Hong Kong’s biggest Lunar New Year celebration is making its spectacular return this month, commandeering the streets of Tsim Sha Tsui for a Year of the Horse extravaganza like no other! Organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the Cathay International Chinese New Year Night Parade 2026 will take place on Tuesday, February 17 – the first day of Lunar New Year – featuring a programme of stunning floats and performances under the theme ‘Best Fortune World Party’. Here’s what to expect from the event: When and where is the Chinese New Year Night Parade? Mark your calendars – the Cathay International Chinese New Year Night Parade will happen on Tuesday, February 17, from 9pm to 9.45pm. Tsim Sha Tsui will be blocked off for the occasion to accommodate the route of the floats and performances. We anticipate onlookers will gather in Tsim Sha Tsui well before the event begins to secure a good, free-of-charge spot for viewing the Chinese New Year Night Parade, and luckily, there will be entertainment to keep them occupied – pre-parade performances start at 6pm to drum up excitement, and will include lion and dragon dances, magic, and acrobatic rope skipping. Photograph: Courtesy HKTB What kind of
13 February 2026
Toronto ETO celebrates Year of the Horse at joint reception with HKTB (with photos)
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Toronto) (Toronto ETO) welcomed over 150 guests and friends to a spring reception jointly hosted with the Hong Kong Tourism Board (Canada) (HKTB) on February 12 (Toronto time) in Toronto to celebrate the Year of the Horse. Guests from the business, cultural, academic and community sectors gathered to exchange views and learn about Hong Kong’s latest developments on the economic and cultural fronts. In his welcoming remarks, the Director of the Toronto ETO, Mr Bill Wong, said that Hong Kong achieved a series of encouraging results in 2025, reflecting the city’s continued momentum in economic development. He said that the “one country, two systems” principle continues to be the cornerstone of Hong Kong’s prosperity, with the robust rule of law and common law system internationally recognised. Over the past year, international confidence has been reflected in sustained capital inflows, expansion by multinational companies, a roughly 30 per cent rise in the Hang Seng Index in 2025, leading the world in initial public offering fundraising, and continued growth in asset and wealth management as well as bank deposits. Looking ahead to the Year of the Horse,
13 February 2026
HK ‘aceing it with players and as tennis destination’
Hong Kong is building itself into a distinctive international tennis destination through a deliberate, long-term strategy focused on both the hosting of events and player development, according to Michael Cheng, president of the Hong Kong, China Tennis Association. Speaking on RTHK’s Backchat programme on Wednesday, he said authorities were trying to create a profile for the city as a novel tennis international destination. “You’re building a bit of a brand, and it has to be sustainable, and creating that novelty around the Hong Kong tennis season [has] helped shape Hong Kong to be a mega-event capital through a sporting platform.” He pointed to the strategic growth of the event portfolio as key. “Everybody looks forward to coming to Hong Kong at the end of the season, and they kick off the season in Hong Kong with the men’s event,” Cheng said, adding that Hong Kong now hosted ATP, WTA and Ultimate Tennis Showdown events every year, similar to London. Cheng added that the sport was flourishing in Hong Kong with its pipeline of local talent. “If you get good players, that’s icing on the cake. Now, it also shows that it’s a testament that the strategy works,” he said. He
4 February 2026
Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore are Coming to Taiwan’s Biggest Summer Event: 500 Japanese Tourists Arrive for the Stunning Penghu Fireworks Festival!
Home » TOURISM NEWS » Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore are Coming to Taiwan’s Biggest Summer Event: 500 Japanese Tourists Arrive for the Stunning Penghu Fireworks Festival! Published on February 3, 2026 Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore are coming to Taiwan’s biggest summer event, and it’s about to be a travel phenomenon you won’t want to miss. The 2026 Penghu International Fireworks Festival, an iconic celebration that’s become one of Taiwan’s most sought-after tourist attractions, is set to draw an unprecedented number of international visitors. With Japanese travel company Hankyu Travel International leading the charge by bringing 500 tourists from Japan alone, this year’s festival promises to shine brighter than ever. The stunning fireworks displays, coupled with synchronized drone shows, have already sparked a surge in travel bookings from neighboring countries. For airlines, this presents a golden opportunity to cater to the increased demand, with carriers ramping up their flights to Taiwan from top source markets. For the hospitality industry, it’s a chance to welcome guests to some of Taiwan’s most picturesque and culturally rich destinations. As the world recovers and tourism continues to bounce back, the Penghu Fireworks Festival is not just an event—it’s a
3 February 2026
Central Yards Edible Art Fair debuts in Hong Kong: Adding a brand new, first-of-its-kind event to the rich cultural calendar of Hong Kong this March
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 January 2026 – Central Yards Edible Art Fair was conceived by founder and creative director Arbiona Cadman, CEO of the renowned events and catering company Feste Group, with art curation by independent art consultancy firm Art-Partners, and proudly sponsored by Central Yards. This reimagined cultural event that blends art, taste and imagination, will take place from 26 March to 5 April 2026 at the Central Harbourfront Event Space in Hong Kong. Set to delight people of all ages, Central Yards Edible Art Fair is a journey of discovery and wonder that is sure to spark curiosity. Visitors are invited to walk through the 10-gallery experience at their own pace. Tickets are on sale from today, with early-bird offer available until 15 February at www.edibleartfair.com. Image Credit: Central Yards Edible Art Fair With a vision to reinvent Central and revitalise the city, the inaugural Central Yards Edible Art Fair brings a new sense of excitement, discovery and fun—creating ripples that extend from Hong Kong to the world. Arbiona Cadman, Founder and Managing Director of Central Yards Edible Art Fair,said: “Central Yards Edible Art Fair is about reimagining how we connect with art
29 January 2026
Catch the Grammy nominee at Liv Golf 2026
Hong Kong is seeing a rise of mega events that blends a jovial festival atmosphere with a diverse range of offerings, whether it be edge-of-your-seat matches, live performances, indulgent food and drinks, or locally produced goods. One such event that we’ve got on our social radar this season is Liv Golf Hong Kong. What makes this year’s edition of the international golf tournament-turned-well-rounded festival even better is that Liv Golf is bringing Australian DJ Dom Dolla to Hong Kong this March! Returning for another year to the landscaped fields of Hong Kong Golf Club, the annual Liv Golf Hong Kong is bringing a wave of excitement to the city over four days. Visitors can expect a festival of live music performances from top local and international DJs, delicious street eats, and family-friendly activities, all centred around a global golf tournament. A highlight of each year’s event is the Saturday night concert, where Liv Golf invites world-class musicians to set the stage for the tournament from the first swing through the final putt. In 2026, fans can look forward to a high-energy Hong Kong debut performance by Dom Dolla. Photograph: Facebook / Dom Dolla After an electrifying year in his career
29 January 2026
Happy New Year for Hong Kong’s Tourism and Mega Events Economy
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 1 January 2026 – As Hong Kong welcomed the New Year in style on January 1, the city can look back on a pivotal past 12 months during which visitor numbers rebound sharply, driven, in large part, by the dawn of a new era for sports and entertainment events following the opening of the Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP). And the positive momentum appears set to continue in 2026. As crowds gathered for the New Year Countdown, they were able to enjoy a new format experience, with this year’s main event taking place at the Chater Road pedestrian zone in Central, sitting next to the Winter Wonderland display, which transformed Statue Square Gardens into a magical Christmas Town complete with a magnificent 20-metre tree and charming decorations. Crowds gather for the New Year Countdown in Hong Kong A series of events including music performances and a light show were arranged by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) with the aim of conveying positive energy, care, and blessings of peace to both locals and visitors, and to welcome a hopeful new year together. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government had anticipated
22 January 2026
Happy New Year for Hong Kong’s Tourism and Mega Events Economy
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 1 January 2026 – As Hong Kong welcomed the New Year in style on January 1, the city can look back on a pivotal past 12 months during which visitor numbers rebound sharply, driven, in large part, by the dawn of a new era for sports and entertainment events following the opening of the Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP). And the positive momentum appears set to continue in 2026. As crowds gathered for the New Year Countdown, they were able to enjoy a new format experience, with this year’s main event taking place at the Chater Road pedestrian zone in Central, sitting next to the Winter Wonderland display, which transformed Statue Square Gardens into a magical Christmas Town complete with a magnificent 20-metre tree and charming decorations. Crowds gather for the New Year Countdown in Hong Kong A series of events including music performances and a light show were arranged by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) with the aim of conveying positive energy, care, and blessings of peace to both locals and visitors, and to welcome a hopeful new year together. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government had anticipated
20 January 2026
LEAP East signs up Saudi tech giants NHC Innovation and stc as momentum builds for tech event’s inaugural Hong Kong edition in July
[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] 08 January 2026, Riyadh and Hong Kong: LEAP East is seeing momentum build as NHC Innovation and stc have become the latest big names to sign up for the global tech event’s inaugural Hong Kong edition at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 8-10 July 2026. Co-organised by Tahaluf, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), and the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity Programming and Drones (SAFCSP), LEAP East will provide unparalleled insights into the future of technology, with more than 300 expert speakers and 300 exhibitors discussing and demonstrating multi-disciplinary advancements across various industries. LEAP East will also bring together experts from various fields to explore fintech, gaming, robotics, AI, smart cities, digital transformation, and Web3, among other emerging technologies. As momentum builds, stc has announced it will join LEAP East as a Digital Enabler, whilst NHC Innovation joins as a Future Tech & Innovation Partner for July’s event – demonstrating both Saudi companies’ appetites for expanding into APAC and beyond. Other top companies and associations already confirmed as partners include: Elm (Strategic Sponsor), ewpartners (Strategic Partner), the Fintech Association of Hong Kong (Supporting Partner),
15 January 2026
Best things to do in Hong Kong this January
The Fringe Festival makes a glorious return These stats say it all: more than 300 artists, appearing in 70 site-specific performances, over six weeks. After making a return to the city’s cultural calendar in 2025 – for the first time since 2011 – the revived Fringe Festival proves it’s here to stay with an ambitious series of events running through January and February. The programming promises to honour both Hong Kong’s cosmopolitan character, and the host Fringe Club’s heritage as a dairy farm storage depot-turned-arts hub. The theme is all about cross-disciplinary expression, but if you need a more concrete guide of what to expect, events have been neatly split into eight categories: music, dance, theatre, magic, movies, comedy, family and art tech. Source link
13 January 2026
Hang Seng Bank buyout clears vote, Hong Kong court date looms
London, Jan 10, 2026, 19:28 GMT — The market has closed for the day. HSBC shares closed Friday down 0.1%, hovering close to this week’s 52-week high Shareholders of Hang Seng Bank approved HSBC’s move to purchase the remaining 36.5% stake it doesn’t already hold Investors are turning their attention to the Hong Kong court hearing on Jan. 23 and HSBC’s earnings report due Feb. 25 HSBC Holdings Plc shares slipped 0.1% to 1,194.2 pence on Friday following Hang Seng Bank shareholders’ approval of HSBC’s plan to take the Hong Kong lender private. The move would bring a major local franchise entirely under HSBC’s control. The stock traded between 1,188.4 and 1,197.8 pence during the session and stayed just shy of its 52-week peak at 1,227 pence. (Reuters) The vote is crucial, clearing a major obstacle for an Asia-focused bet that carries real cash costs amid a complicated backdrop. The Hang Seng index has struggled due to its heavy ties to Hong Kong and mainland China property sectors, while HSBC is ramping up efforts in markets where it claims a competitive advantage. HSBC’s investor materials lay out the timeline for key upcoming events. A Hong Kong High Court hearing to
10 January 2026
Here’s everything we know so far about Hong Kong’s first official Comic Con
Geeks, assemble! Hong Kong will be hosting its first-ever official Comic Con in May 2026, and if this event is planned to be anything like the world-renowned San Diego Comic-Con and New York Comic Con, then Hongkongers are in for a real treat. Comics, anime, film, television, games, and collectibles will be celebrated at this pop culture event, creating a space for fans to connect. Hong Kong is already home to an annual Ani-Com & Games convention – which typically takes place in the summer – so Hong Kong Comic Con will be in good company. Considering the robust turnouts for the Ani-Com & Games events, we can only imagine fans and enthusiasts will be just as keen to check out the debut of the internationally renowned Comic Con format in Hong Kong. When and where will Hong Kong Comic Con 2026 take place? Hong Kong Comic Con (HKCC) 2026 is scheduled to take place from Friday, May 29, 2026 to Sunday, May 31, 2026 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) in Wan Chai, offering three full days of pop culture excitement. Anticipated hours on Friday and Saturday will be from 10am to 8pm, and Sunday will
8 January 2026
Tender for Hong Kong’s Central Harbourfront Event Space opens with stricter standards
Hong Kong authorities have tightened requirements for future tenants of the Central Harbourfront Event Space by introducing key performance indicators (KPIs) for tenders and penalties for poor execution, with some analysts saying the move would help improve the city’s image after the fiasco of a hot-air balloon festival last year. The Development Bureau said on Monday that an open tender was under way until mid-February for a new tenant of the roughly 3.7-hectare (9.1-acre) site, with the winning bid to be chosen by April. The move came after stricter standards were also imposed on the tendering of Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and The Pier, the former Hung Hom railway freight yard. A bureau spokeswoman said an external party had operated the prime site in Central over the years and hosted a number of mega-events such as the annual Wine and Dine Festival, Art Central and the Clockenflap Music Festival. “Such a management model will be maintained under the tender exercise, but there will be enhancements in two areas to further unleash the potential of the event space, promote the mega-event economy, and strengthen venue management with a view to enhancing visitors’ experiences,” she said. The current tenant, Central Venue Management,
8 January 2026
3 Year of the Horse 2026 events in Hong Kong to welcome the new year with a gallop
Hong Kong’s long affiliation with horses goes back to the mid-19th century, when the first official race meeting was held at the Happy Valley Racecourse in December 1846. There are various equine-themed events planned around town to celebrate the coming Year of the Horse, both at and outside the racecourse. Here are three that are worth checking out. 1. Longines Hong Kong International Horse Show 2026 The Longines Hong Kong International Horse Show will return to the AsiaWorld-Expo in Chek Lap Kok from January 30 to February 1. It will feature competitions and activities suitable for the entire family. This year, travel companies and hotels are offering all-inclusive travel and experience packages designed for all ages, blending equestrian sport with lifestyle and culinary enjoyment. For groups of friends and equestrian enthusiasts, China Travel Service Hong Kong’s Package 8 offers show tickets, a dining experience, live professional commentary and an exclusive visit to Sha Tin Racecourse. More information can be found here. JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong is offering the JW Equestrian Sojourn room package. Perfect for couples, it combines tickets, luxury accommodation and a nostalgic tram ride to The Peak. More information can be found here. Source link
6 January 2026
The Wedding Planner Hong Kong Shares Insights Into Its Event Planner Service and the Evolving Landscape of Structured Event Management – Delaware Online
HONG KONG, HK – January 02, 2026 – PRESSADVANTAGE – The Wedding Planner Hong Kong has released an announcement outlining its approach to event planner services and how structured event management continues to evolve in response to changing expectations, logistics, and cultural considerations. The announcement provides an overview of how professional event planning functions as a coordinated process rather than a single-point service, particularly within Hong Kong’s diverse and fast-paced environment. According to The Wedding Planner Hong Kong, modern events require detailed coordination across timelines, stakeholders, regulatory requirements, and creative elements. The Wedding Planner Hong Kong’s event planner services reflect this expanded scope, where planning now includes research, feasibility analysis, vendor coordination, risk assessment, and on-the-day execution, all managed within a clearly defined framework. The announcement explains that event planner services are often engaged to bring structure to complex occasions such as weddings, private celebrations, corporate functions, and social gatherings. Each event type presents distinct requirements, from guest flow and space utilization to cultural traditions and compliance with venue or municipal guidelines. Professional planning aims to ensure these elements align cohesively. One of the central aspects highlighted is pre-event planning. This phase typically involves understanding the event’s purpose, scale, and
3 January 2026
Tourism in Hong Kong Thrives in with Key Events and Expanding Visitor Numbers
Home » Hong Kong News » Tourism in Hong Kong Thrives in with Key Events and Expanding Visitor Numbers Published on January 2, 2026 Hong Kong has welcomed the start of 2026 with renewed momentum in its tourism industry. Following a year marked by a sharp rebound in visitor arrivals, the city is experiencing a surge in both tourism and mega events, driven by the launch of new sports and entertainment infrastructure. This momentum is expected to continue into 2026, as Hong Kong seeks to position itself as one of Asia’s leading destinations for cultural experiences, international events, and leisure travel. Tourism in Hong Kong is experiencing a significant recovery after the challenges posed by the global pandemic. The city’s proactive approach to hosting major events and improving infrastructure has attracted a steady flow of visitors from both regional markets and international destinations. The combination of newly introduced mega events, world-class infrastructure, and Hong Kong’s iconic attractions is creating a dynamic tourism environment that promises to captivate travelers throughout 2026. A Surge in Visitor Arrivals and New Infrastructure Hong Kong has seen a marked increase in visitor arrivals as part of its tourism rebound. According to the Hong
2 January 2026
Cruise hub operators ‘showing interest in Kai Tak’
Tourism Commissioner Angelina Cheung on Friday said a number of cruise terminal operators had expressed interest in taking over the Kai Tak facility since the government’s launch of an open tender last month. Speaking on RTHK’s Backchat programme, she emphasised that the new operator had to be able to hold events at the terminal when it wasn’t hosting any cruise ships. “Of course, cruise deployment is always a priority. It is a cruise terminal, so we will always give priority for cruises coming to Hong Kong. We welcome all cruises from around the world,” Cheung said. “During the low season or when there’s… no cruise ship coming, we expect the new operator to consider holding more events at the terminal. “And that’s why in this tender, we have consolidated the management, and we will include the public spaces, including the rooftop garden, as well as two podium gardens on the second floor… under the management of the operator.” Cheung also said Kai Tak Sports Park had attracted some cruise passengers to Hong Kong for concerts and sports events. “Our policy is actually a plus tourism idea. That means everything plus tourism. You could bring out the tourism angle,” she said.
2 January 2026
Happy New Year for Hong Kong’s Tourism and Mega Events Economy
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 1 January 2026 – As Hong Kong welcomed the New Year in style on January 1, the city can look back on a pivotal past 12 months during which visitor numbers rebound sharply, driven, in large part, by the dawn of a new era for sports and entertainment events following the opening of the Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP). And the positive momentum appears set to continue in 2026. As crowds gathered for the New Year Countdown, they were able to enjoy a new format experience, with this year’s main event taking place at the Chater Road pedestrian zone in Central, sitting next to the Winter Wonderland display, which transformed Statue Square Gardens into a magical Christmas Town complete with a magnificent 20-metre tree and charming decorations. Crowds gather for the New Year Countdown in Hong Kong A series of events including music performances and a light show were arranged by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) with the aim of conveying positive energy, care, and blessings of peace to both locals and visitors, and to welcome a hopeful new year together. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government had anticipated
1 January 2026
Happy New Year for Hong Kong’s Tourism and Mega Events Economy
Hong Kong, SAR–(Newsfile Corp. – January 1, 2026) – As Hong Kong welcomed the New Year in style on January 1, the city can look back on a pivotal past 12 months during which visitor numbers rebound sharply, driven, in large part, by the dawn of a new era for sports and entertainment events following the opening of the Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP). And the positive momentum appears set to continue in 2026. As crowds gathered for the New Year Countdown, they were able to enjoy a new format experience, with this year’s main event taking place at the Chater Road pedestrian zone in Central, sitting next to the Winter Wonderland display, which transformed Statue Square Gardens into a magical Christmas Town complete with a magnificent 20-metre tree and charming decorations. Crowds gather for the New Year Countdown in Hong Kong Cannot view this video? Visit:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3UQeepcSX0 A series of events including music performances and a light show were arranged by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) with the aim of conveying positive energy, care, and blessings of peace to both locals and visitors, and to welcome a hopeful new year together. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government
1 January 2026
Hong Kong New Year 2026 LIVE: Countdown and celebration at Victoria Harbour | Ap Video
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1 January 2026
What major New Year’s Eve events are being canceled? – Deseret News
Cities worldwide are canceling New Year’s events due to safety and crowd concerns. The cancellations come as the FBI busted an alleged New Year’s Eve bombing plot. Paris canceled its famous New Year’s Eve concert over crowd unpredictability. Sydney canceled Bondi Beach fireworks following a recent mass shooting incident. People around the world are prepping to ring in the new year, but some cities have called off or made drastic changes to their planned New Year’s Eve celebrations. Some of these changes are due to safety and crowd concerns. The changes are being made in cities around the world such as Paris and Tokyo. The cancellations come as the FBI stopped a New Year’s Eve bombing plot in Los Angeles in mid-December, per Fox News. The agency arrested four alleged gang members, according to reports. Allegedly the plot included a plan for coordinated bombing attacks meant to target five separate locations across the city. Officials say the attacks were planned using improvised explosive devices. One year ago, 14 people were killed and more were injured in an attack in New Orleans when a truck drove into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street early on New Year’s Day. Paris cancels
31 December 2025
Hong Kong to close roads in Central from 2pm on New Year’s Eve ahead of countdown
Hong Kong police will close roads in Central starting from 2pm on New Year’s Eve ahead of a countdown event at the Chater Road pedestrian zone, featuring music and light shows to replace fireworks displays after the deadly inferno in Tai Po. Mason Hung Chung-hing, the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s lead adviser for event and product development, said on Monday that organisers hoped the event, themed “New Hope, New Beginning”, could foster a sense of renewal. “We will use a new format that combines singing and multimedia light performances to convey positive energy, care and peaceful blessings,” Hung said. The 2026 countdown event will also feature performances by Australian soft rock duo Air Supply, local artists Jay Fung and Cloud Wan, a children’s choir and the Hong Kong Police Band. At midnight, eight landmarks in Central will display a three-minute light show that also serves as 20-second countdown clocks. Live broadcast zones will be located at Chater Garden and Edinburgh Place. The countdown clock will also be projected on the facade of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui and the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. Source link
30 December 2025
Explainer | Hong Kong is revamping its Covid-19 entry rules – here’s what you need to know
Hong Kong has streamlined its categorisation of places deemed Covid-19 risks, condensing a five-tier system into three risk levels – high, medium and low – and changed travel rules for overseas arrivals. Countries currently categorised as extremely or very high risk will be consolidated into a new top tier labelled as “high risk”, while those currently deemed high- and medium-risk will be merged into a new medium-risk tier that will include most countries. With the new measures kicking in next Monday, the Post unpacks what you need to know about the latest rules. In general, what rules have been relaxed or tightened? All arrivals must show a negative Covid-19 test taken 72 hours before their flight. In the past, some vaccinated travellers were exempted from the requirement. Under the new measures, only fully vaccinated Hong Kong residents can fly in from high-risk countries, such as Britain, the Philippines and Indonesia. 03:18 Mass Covid-19 testing under way across China amid rising infections fuelled by Delta variant Mass Covid-19 testing under way across China amid rising infections fuelled by Delta variant Fully vaccinated non-residents can enter the city from medium-risk countries, such as Singapore, Japan and the United States. Previously, only non-residents
28 May 2025
Explainer | Singapore trades Covid-Zero for ‘Covid Resilience’. How will it work?
Singapore will from September remove quarantine requirements for vaccinated travellers from Germany and Brunei, in a signal to the world it is cautiously reopening while managing the Covid-19 threat. By trading its previous Covid-Zero approach for a new policy of “Covid resilience”, the city state is setting itself apart from neighbours that are either still grappling with rising caseloads or are pressing on with an elimination strategy that comes with its own set of costs. Speaking to Bloomberg on Friday, Transport Minister S. Iswaran said the government’s thinking was that the sooner society learned to live with Covid-19, it could adjust “protocols … and processes to return to normalcy as much as possible”. “If we don’t do that and if we’re waiting for an eradication type of approach it might not be possible given the way the virus is mutating,” he said. But what exactly does “Covid resilience” entail? A near-empty street in the Chinatown area of Singapore on August 3, 2021. Photo: Bloomberg What’s life like now in Singapore? Source link
28 May 2025
Explainer | Why US probe into coronavirus origins may make health cooperation with China difficult
President Joe Biden in May tasked US intelligence agencies with reaching a “definitive conclusion” on the origins of the Covid-19 virus, including the possibility that it emerged from a lab accident, after a first American probe proved inconclusive. While the findings of the 90-day US investigation have yet to be released, the process itself has already drawn the ire of Beijing, which is opposed to inquiries that aim to study whether the coronavirus leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, in the central Chinese city that reported the first major Covid-19 outbreak. This includes plans by the World Health Organization (WHO) to revisit the lab for a new investigation. How has China reacted to the US investigation? China is opposed to the US probe because it is being conducted by American intelligence agencies, not scientists from across the world working under the banner of the WHO. “Origin-tracing needs science, not intelligence,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday. 02:23 Covid-19 returns to China’s Wuhan as Delta variant spreads to 10 provinces Covid-19 returns to China’s Wuhan as Delta variant spreads to 10 provinces Lu Xiang, a senior researcher on US-China relations at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences,
28 May 2025
Explainer | Coronavirus: why a third vaccine shot is important for people who are immunocompromised
A number of countries including the United States and the United Kingdom are moving to make a third dose of a Covid-19 vaccine available to people who are immunocompromised. But why are people with weaker immune systems at the front of the queue for a third dose? As the global Covid-19 vaccine roll-out continues, emerging data is showing those who are immunocompromised are not necessarily as well protected by the first two doses. So for these people, a third dose, sooner rather than later, could be particularly beneficial. Who is ‘immunocompromised’? People who are immunocompromised have conditions called immunodeficiencies, where part of their immune system is missing or not functioning as well as it should. Around 2.8 per cent of adults in the US are immunocompromised, and the rate is expected to be similar in Australia and other countries. Immunodeficiencies are broadly divided into two categories: – primary immunodeficiencies are very rare, often inherited conditions caused by mutations in our DNA Source link
28 May 2025
Explainer | Coronavirus: Did the US fund risky research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology?
A theory that the Covid-19 pandemic could have been sparked by the escape of a virus from a Chinese laboratory has amped up tensions between Washington and Beijing. It has also raised questions about US funding for bat coronavirus research at a lab at the heart of the controversy. Among those driving the questions is US Senator Rand Paul, who has repeatedly accused Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), of lying about US financing for gain of function research enhancing bat viruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and suggested that Fauci is complicit in the start of the pandemic. Dr Anthony Fauci testifying at a US Senate hearing in Washington on July 20. Photo: AP There is no evidence linking the viruses studied at the institute to the outbreak, and Fauci has repudiated the accusations. Fauci has denied that his agency funded gain of function work at the lab and railed against the senator for what he contends is Paul’s misconstruing of the research and its implications. Even so, Paul, a Kentucky Republican, upped his claims last week following the release of documents from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) obtained through
28 May 2025
Why China’s lockdown protests pose an unprecedented challenge to Beijing
While local protests in China over environmental, labour and land disputes are not uncommon, the rare wave of blank-paper protests that spilled across China’s wealthiest cities – all targeting President Xi Jinping’s zero-Covid policy – represents a challenge of the type the country’s leaders have not faced for decades. The protests erupted last weekend after a fire at a residential block in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, claimed 10 lives. University students and angry citizens staged vigils on campuses and took to the streets in more than 10 cities – some holding blank sheets of paper to protest against censorship or shouting inflammatory slogans rejecting lockdowns and endless PCR tests, while some called for constitutional reform and regime change. Although things appear to have quietened down since last weekend – and some cities have started easing their controls – analysts said the size and scale of the protests meant Beijing should not underestimate their political implications and give a clear signal about how and when the zero-Covid policy would end. “Given how the party is centred on [Xi] now, this moment is a test of his leadership,” said Dali Yang, a political scientist at the University of Chicago. Xi, who
28 May 2025
Nasal spray Covid-19 vaccine co-developed by Hong Kong scientists approved for emergency use in mainland China in ‘historic breakthrough’
A nasal spray Covid-19 vaccine co-developed by Hong Kong microbiologist Professor Yuen Kwok-yung and his team with a mainland China university and pharmaceutical firm has been approved for emergency use by the national authorities. Yuen, from the University of Hong Kong (HKU), on Monday night said the development was a “historic breakthrough”. “The biggest meaning is that Hong Kong has made a vaccine itself for the first time and got an approval from the National Medical Products Administration for emergency use at the end,” Yuen said. The historic main building at the University of Hong Kong. Photo: Dickson Lee HKU, Xiamen University and Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy started clinical trials for the nasal spray vaccine on the mainland and in Hong Kong last March after central authorities gave the go-ahead. The drug company confirmed in an announcement on Monday that the nasal vaccine had obtained approval for emergency use on the mainland. Yuen said it would be a commercial decision for Wantai to decide it would apply for emergency use for the vaccine in the city. The company said the phase-three clinical trial for the new vaccine, which was carried out in South Africa, the Philippines, Colombia and Vietnam, was
28 May 2025
‘It’s like being in prison’: unvaccinated Hongkongers warn of social isolation, health struggles after 20,000 Covid jab exemptions voided
Alan* was barred from entering a Hong Kong restaurant where his family had gathered to commemorate his late wife after her funeral in April because he had not received a Covid-19 vaccine. “It was shameful. It was upsetting. It was my wife, a senior member of the family,” the 63-year-old owner of an IT company who suffers from strokes said. “For me not being able to host my wife’s lunch … It was very frustrating.” Desperate and helpless, he later found a doctor who issued him a vaccination exemption certificate after evaluating his health. Under the vaccine pass scheme, residents who are not inoculated cannot enter places such as restaurants, bars and gyms. Photo: Xiaomei Chen But in September, that doctor was among seven people arrested for allegedly issuing fraudulent documents. A total of 20,000 vaccine exemptions issued by the medical practitioners, including Alan’s, were annulled. Under Hong Kong’s vaccine pass scheme, which began in February, unvaccinated individuals cannot enter places such as restaurants, bars and gyms. Those who are medically unfit for the jabs are allowed to obtain a vaccination exemption certificate, which is valid for three to six months, after undergoing clinical assessments. But for patients such as
28 May 2025
Coronavirus: mainland China’s easing should spur Hong Kong to ask for border reopening, business leaders and health experts say
Beijing’s long-awaited easing of coronavirus precautions has sparked hopes that Hong Kong may soon be able to fully reopen its border with mainland China, as well as do away with traveller entry restrictions, the city’s business leaders and health experts have said. Commerce sector lawmaker Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung, also a member of the key decision-making body the Executive Council, appealed to the government on Wednesday to restart discussions on reopening the city’s border with the mainland, saying Beijing’s move had offered some light at the end of the tunnel. “It has to be a step-by-step procedure, so I don’t think we should expect a quarantine-free entry to the mainland like tomorrow. But if we do everything right, I hope we can see that maybe early next year,” he said. 03:27 China further eases pandemic restrictions in latest step towards reopening after zero-Covid China further eases pandemic restrictions in latest step towards reopening after zero-Covid Lam also asked the government to first talk to mainland authorities about increasing the quarantine hotel quota from 1,000 to 2,000 or more a day by the end of the year to make business and family visits easier. The mainland moved a step closer to reopening
28 May 2025
Coronavirus: 400 per cent jump in number of Hongkongers taking fourth jab after Omicron-targeted shots become available
The number of Hongkongers receiving their fourth coronavirus jab has risen more than fivefold in the past week, with about 81 per cent of them opting for the Omicron-specific vaccine available since last Thursday. The government announced on Wednesday that more residents would be eligible for the BioNTech bivalent shots, which contain components of the original coronavirus strain and Omicron one. The bivalent vaccine was made available last Thursday to uninfected adults as a fourth dose and recovered individuals as a third dose. The Chinese-made Sinovac shots are also being offered, along with the original doses made by Germany’s BioNTech. Official statistics show 47,742 people were given a fourth shot in the week up to Wednesday, compared with 9,232 seven days earlier. Among them, 38,654 received the bivalent vaccine. The number of residents who have received a fourth dose now stands at more than 632,000. Authorities have ordered 1.9 million shots of the BioNTech bivalent vaccine so far, with the first batch of 770,000 arriving in the city on November 25. Starting from Friday, adults can book appointments for the new vaccine as their third dose, or second shot if they were previously infected, after experts from the city’s scientific
28 May 2025
Coronavirus: Hong Kong further eases isolation rules but ongoing surge in cases keeps city from lifting social-distancing measures over holidays
This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong has further eased its quarantine and isolation measures following mainland China’s major shift away from its zero-Covid policy, but a continuing surge in daily infections is keeping the city from lifting social-distancing rules over the coming holiday season. From Friday, residents and arrivals infected with Covid-19 will be allowed to leave isolation on the fifth day, instead of the seventh, if they test negative for two days in a row by then. But health officials sparked disappointment in the restaurant and bar trade after saying current social-distancing measures would remain in place over Christmas, as they reported 14,373 new coronavirus cases, including 798 imported infections, on Thursday, the highest since March 19. Another 27 deaths were also recorded. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the city had adjusted its policies with the “same scientific and precise principles” adopted by mainland authorities, which had announced their long-awaited easing of pandemic rules a day earlier. “I fully understand citizens’ expectations for the reopening of the [mainland] border,” Lee said during a reception. Source link
28 May 2025
‘Bigger than just Covid vaccines’: US drug giant Moderna wants to collaborate with Hong Kong scientists on mRNA technology with local branch
US pharmaceutical giant Moderna is looking to collaborate with Hong Kong scientists on vaccine development after setting up a local manufacturing branch, with a long-term goal to tap into the mainland Chinese market. In an interview with the Post, Patrick Bergstedt, Moderna senior vice-president and head of emerging markets, said the Hong Kong subsidiary would focus on introducing the mRNA technology to the city, with plans to engage local professionals and other stakeholders. “The most immediate opportunity is for us to do clinical research in Hong Kong … Because Hong Kong already has a very established network, excellent healthcare system, excellent academic system, excellent hospitals,” he said. Patrick Bergstedt, Moderna senior vice-president of commercial vaccines. Photo: Edmond So “In the short term, we want to look at how we can do clinical research for our respiratory vaccines, for latent viruses or some of our Moderna therapeutics.” Unlike other vaccines that introduce a weakened or inactivated virus into the bodies, mRNA or messenger RNA jabs use a molecule that teaches human cells how to make a protein, which triggers an immune response in the body by producing antibodies. Moderna also has Covid-19 vaccines but these are as yet not available for
28 May 2025
Hong Kong’s latest ‘0+0’ Covid policy a long-awaited change, but how soon can city bounce back and fix its economy?
Hong Kong residents, businesspeople and visitors all have high hopes that the long-awaited lifting of the city’s travel restrictions and the end of medical supervision rules for arrivals will help put the bounce back in the economy. But business leaders and economists said it could take more than a year for the city to recover its shine after the border with mainland China fully reopened. The introduction of the “0+0” arrangement was welcomed as a breath of fresh air for a city stifled by three years of strict coronavirus rules – some of the toughest in the world because of the zero Covid-19 policy imposed in line with the mainland. But, from Wednesday, the city will become one of the last places in the world to remove its travel restrictions for arrivals with the scrapping of the amber health code for people who test negative for Covid-19. It is the biggest relaxation made by the authorities to lessen the frustration of arrivals since the start of the pandemic. Passengers arrive at Hong Kong International Airport. Photo: Jelly Tse The city has gone from total closure, a maximum of 21 days quarantine down to seven days, to a further “3+4” and
28 May 2025
Singapore doctors expect more PCR testing as China eases Covid measures
Singapore healthcare providers are expecting a wave of travellers requiring pre-departure PCR coronavirus tests in the coming months as China eases its border measures. Unihealth handles around 100-150 swabs for such tests across its four clinics each week, and it expects these numbers to increase. Medical director and family doctor Xie Huizhuang said there had been a 15-20 per cent increase in demand for the tests since mid-November, with much of it coming from Chinese nationals returning home. Since mid-November, those going to China are required to take one PCR test within 48 hours of travelling, instead of the two previously required. China also loosened Covid curbs nationwide earlier this month, lifting restrictions on entry to public spaces and allowing those infected to isolate at home instead of being taken to a hospital. 01:59 Shanghai schools switch online as China braces for soaring number of Covid-19 cases Shanghai schools switch online as China braces for soaring number of Covid-19 cases Source link
28 May 2025
Coronavirus: close contacts of Covid patients at Hong Kong care homes will no longer be sent to quarantine centres to free up space
Close contacts of Covid-19 patients at care homes for the elderly in Hong Kong will no longer be sent to quarantine centres, while extra hospital beds and manpower will be added to cope with a potential influx of people at public health facilities, authorities have said. The government on Thursday announced the new measures in response to patients swarming public hospitals in recent weeks, with one health expert saying adjustments should have been made earlier. More than 1,600 residents from care homes for the elderly have been diagnosed with Covid-19 in the past week amid the recent surge of infections locally. Patients wait in the accident and emergency area of United Christian Hospital in Kwun Tong. Photo: May Tse The Social Welfare Department said close contacts at the homes would be allowed to stay at their residence instead of being sent to quarantine centres, as was the case under previous guidelines. Grace Li Fai, an executive council member of the Elderly Services Association of Hong Kong, welcomed the measures, saying it was pointless to move the elderly “back and forth” between facilities. “The new measure will allow more beds for infected elderly, as close contacts will no longer be occupying
28 May 2025
Private sector medicine pours cold water on prospects of demand for paid-for coronavirus vaccination in Hong Kong
Private hospitals and doctors in Hong Kong have cast doubts on the viability of them giving Covid-19 jabs for a fee, despite a government insistence that manufacturers were “striving” to offer vaccines to the sector. The private operators on Friday said they were sceptical about the scheme because free shots were easily available to residents and there were uncertainties on when and how many mainland China or non-resident patients would travel to pay for vaccination. Doctors and patients’ rights groups have already highlighted the need to maintain government-subsidised Covid-19 vaccinations in the long term because the coronavirus was likely to become endemic. Private hospitals and doctors say free shots are easily available to residents. Photo: AFP William Ho Shiu-wei, chairman of the Hong Kong Private Hospitals Association, told that Post that, without clear market demand, there was “little incentive” for the sector to acquire vaccines for sale to the public. Ho said demand among city residents for private vaccination was non-existent, not only because of the cost, but also because jabs given outside the government programme would not be covered by an indemnity fund set up to provide financial support to people who suffered serious vaccine-related complications. Medical sector lawmaker
27 May 2025
Apple Watch, protein powders are all the rage in China as Gen Zs rediscover the benefits of good health amid resurging Covid infections
A lot of people have been turning to wearable fitness devices to help them get into shape. The wearable devices market in China is expected to grow 20 per cent per year to reach a market size of over US$20 billion in 2025, a joint report by BDA and OC&C found. Wearable technology such as headsets and smartwatches can track performance during exercise and measure body functions like heart rate. George Yang, 22, said he bought his Apple Watch when Shanghai went into a strict lockdown in April. The university student said he had suffered chronic neck pain for over a year, which he believes was caused by too much time spent on his computer attending online courses. Yang said the smartwatch helps him stay on track with his fitness goals. He downloaded China’s most popular fitness app, Keep, and hopes to be able to run a full marathon next year. “Young, healthy people [in China] look for wearables that feature health monitoring as well as other functionalities such as entertainment and smart-home functions,” said Anthony Siu, partner and co-head of BDA Shanghai. Source link
27 May 2025
Coronavirus: Hong Kong drops on-arrival PCR tests and vaccine pass, city set to reopen its border with mainland China on January 10 at the earliest
This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong will drop almost all Covid-19 measures starting from Thursday, including mandatory polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for arrivals, its vaccine pass scheme and quarantine requirements for close contacts, following similar action by mainland China. In a related development, the Post learned on Wednesday that Hong Kong is set to reopen its border with the mainland on January 10 at the earliest, with those travelling to the city for business and family needs to be given priority. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu reiterated on Wednesday his aim to fully resume cross-border travel progressively and in an orderly manner starting from mid-January. Travellers in Hong Kong wait to cross the border to enter mainland China. Photo: Sam Tsang From Thursday, the city will become one of the last places in the world to do away with pandemic restrictions. Confirming the Post’s earlier reports, the government announced that it would lift most of the Covid-19 measures imposed in the past three years, but a mandate requiring the wearing of masks would remain. Source link
27 May 2025
Exclusive | Hong Kong to host global central banks meeting next month as it steps up efforts to rebuild reputation as finance hub
Scores of central bankers from around the world will gather in Hong Kong next month for a meeting to be hosted by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), marking the first major international financial event since the city fully reopened its border in December. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority is getting ready for the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision meeting to be held in March, Clara Chan, acting deputy chief of the de facto central bank, told lawmakers. “We have been preparing for the meeting of central bankers, international financial regulators and the global financial leaders. We encourage more international financial organisations to host events and seminars in Hong Kong,” Chan said during a monthly meeting of the financial affairs panel on Monday. “The HKMA will also work with the local financial sector to visit Southeast Asia and the Middle East to exchange views with the central banks and other financial leaders this year to enhance cross-border cooperation.” The authority is keen to use overseas roadshows to convince central banks and finance companies that it is “business as usual” in Hong Kong after three years of disruptions caused by the pandemic. The city’s reputation as a leading financial hub suffered
27 May 2025
Hey big spenders! China’s richest consumers will keep splashing out on luxury goods even as economy slumps, Bain says
China’s wealthiest consumers will continue to splurge on luxury items like designer bags and watches as the economy reopens, even as middle-class shoppers refrain from buying big-ticket items, unnerved by worries about their job prospects and wages, according to Bain & Company. The global consultancy said in its latest report on China’s luxury market that the top 2 per cent of mainland Chinese spenders, who account for more than 40 per cent of spending on luxury items, will be a key driver of market growth in 2023 after Covid-19 restrictions ended a five-year winning streak last year. “There’s no reason why the VIC [very important customers] should stop buying [luxury items] in 2023, because even during the downturn in 2022 they were spending,” said Bruno Lannes, a Shanghai-based senior partner with Bain. “We will see more spending by them in 2023.” Lockdown measures and standstill orders to guard against the spread of Covid-19 across the mainland in 2022 prevented millions of consumers from buying long-coveted personal care products or leather shoes. As shopping malls grappled with a decline in foot traffic, sales skewed toward very wealthy customers, with some high-end brands achieving VIC sales higher than 40 per cent, Bain
27 May 2025
Hong Kong’s favourite Covid news tweeter Tripperhead wins official recognition and says the tweets will go on
Hong Kong’s unofficial spokesperson for all things Covid has been recognised with an Australia Day Award, honouring his diligent and dogged determination to get the facts to people during a time of fear and uncertainty. Aaron Busch – better known by his Twitter handle Tripperhead – received the award at the residence of the Australian consul general to Hong Kong and Macau, Elizabeth Ward, in Repulse Bay last week. “Honoured to present the Australia Day Community Award 2023 to @tripperhead,” Ward tweeted. “Thank you for keeping the international community in #HK informed. A reminder of the power of citizen journalism.” Busch was modest about the recognition. “In that typical Aussie way, I don’t feel I deserve it, I was doing what I do. But you don’t say no to the consul general. It was incredibly nice to receive it and I will have it on the wall for the rest of my life.” Source link
27 May 2025
Coronavirus: Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority steps up efforts to ease burden on its facilities, says flu cases already past peak
Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority has stepped up efforts to ease the burden on its facilities from rising Covid-19 infections, but noted that flu cases had already peaked and were on the decline. The measures included opening another ward at an infection control centre, transferring stable patients to private hospitals, and adding manpower and beds as needed. “We noticed that for influenza, the number of cases has risen sharply in the past few weeks, but it seems over the past week it has already reached its peak,” said Simon Tang Yiu-hang, director of cluster services at the authority. “For Covid-19, we see the trend is still rising. It’s difficult to say whether it has reached its peak, we need to closely monitor the situation.” He said more than 6,000 people visited accident and emergency departments at public hospitals every day. More than 1,200 patients were hospitalised this week, up from 950 in the previous one. About a third of this week’s admissions were Covid-19 cases, he said, adding he expected the number of infections to remain high in the coming weeks. Dr Larry Lee Lap-yip, a chief manager at the authority, said the government would open another ward with about 140
27 May 2025
India poised for hospitality boom as hotel brands such as Hilton, Radisson race to meet surging demand from tourists
The country’s huge and increasingly prosperous population – it recently superseded China as the world’s most populous country – and an estimated threefold rise in foreign tourists in the next few years will ensure a race among hospitality providers to meet rapidly expanding demand for accommodation, analysts said. American hotel operators Hilton and Radisson Hotel Group (RHG) are rushing to capture a share of the growing Indian market. Hilton is planning to double its portfolio there every three to five years, according to Alan Watts, its Asia-Pacific president. RHG, meanwhile, aims to open its very first Radisson Collection hotel, in India in 2026. Global sporting events and political gatherings are helping prime the market for a near-term boom, guaranteeing vast waves of visitors from overseas. 02:36 India set to overtake China as the world’s most populous country in 2023, UN predicts India set to overtake China as the world’s most populous country in 2023, UN predicts The Cricket World Cup will be held in the last quarter of the year in the western coast city of Ahmedabad, and the biennial South Asian Football Federation championship will take place in June and July in Bangalore, the capital of southern Karnataka state.
27 May 2025
