China Looks to Lunar New Year Festivities to Jumpstart Consumer Economy

Beijing, Tuesday, 17 February 2026.
As the Lunar New Year commences on February 17, 2026, Beijing is leveraging the “Year of the Fire Horse” to revitalize domestic consumption amidst mixed economic signals. While authorities have deployed over 360 million yuan in consumer vouchers and project a record 9.5 billion passenger trips, early 2026 data suggests lingering caution. Notably, retail sales for New Energy Vehicles fell 20% in January—the first year-over-year decline since 2024—while Tesla saw a dramatic 45% sales crash as local competitors like Xiaomi gain ground. Markets are now watching to see if the holiday’s traditional surge in mobility can overcome these structural headwinds and catalyze the sustained recovery policymakers envision for the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan.

Justin Sun Leverages Hong Kong Rules to Spark Bitcoin Rally Toward $70,000

Nasdaq Extends Slide as Investors Question AI Profitability and Returns

Stagnant German Economy Forecast to Grow Just One Percent in 2026

Goldman Sachs Chief Predicts Economic Shocks as US Deficit Reaches $1.9 Trillion

YouTube Restores Service Following Massive Outage Linked to Recommendation System Failure

Mountain View, Wednesday, 18 February 2026.
A specific failure in the recommendation system triggered a widespread blackout Tuesday, generating over 320,000 outage reports in the U.S. alone before Alphabet Inc. restored full access.

Anthropic Releases Mid-Range AI That Rivals Top Models for a Fraction of the Cost

Arrive AI Unveils Smart Logistics Network in India to Target Asian Market

Anderson Cooper Exits ‘60 Minutes’ After Two Decades Amid Editorial Restructuring

Meta Deepens Nvidia Alliance with Multi-Billion Dollar Commitment for AI Chips

Mayor Bass Urges LA28 Chair Wasserman to Step Down Over Past Controversies

Los Angeles, Wednesday, 18 February 2026.
Challenging the board’s recent vote of confidence, Mayor Bass publicly urged Chairman Wasserman to resign over past ties to Ghislaine Maxwell, signaling deepening governance instability for the 2028 Games.

White House Moves to Open $14 Trillion Retirement Market to Private Equity Risks

Record Dow 50,000 Milestone Fails to Boost President’s Declining Approval

Civil Rights Titan and Two-Time Presidential Candidate Jesse Jackson Dies at 84

New Hampshire Closes Safety Gap with Real-Time Bail Alerts for Police

Record Defense Spending Propels BAE Systems and European Markets to New Highs

London, Wednesday, 18 February 2026.
BAE Systems’ record £83.6 billion backlog fueled a market rally, pushing the STOXX 600 to an all-time high as investors bet on a sustained era of global defense spending.

Saudi Arabia Announces Wednesday Ramadan Start Amidst Regional Divergence on Timing

Oil Markets Remain Steady as Iran Temporarily Closes Strait of Hormuz During Nuclear Talks

Energy Security Overtakes Affordability as Primary Driver of Global Innovation

China Signals Global Robotics Dominance with High-Profile Spring Festival Showcase

MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark to Resign Amid Federal Inquiry and Looming Labor Deadline

New York, Tuesday, 17 February 2026.
Facing a federal investigation into financial conduct, Clark is stepping down, leaving the players’ union leaderless just months before critical collective bargaining negotiations begin.

Symbolic Venmo Transfer Between Coaches Highlights Growing Financial Gaps in College Sports

Rare Pikachu Card Fetches Historic $16.5 Million in Record-Breaking Auction

Robert Duvall, Oscar-Winning Titan of American Cinema, Dies at 95

US Air Force Completes First-Ever Airlift of Mobile Nuclear Reactor