U.S. Productivity Growth Doubles as AI Enters Economic Harvest Phase

Palo Alto, Monday, 16 February 2026.
Analysis reveals 2025 productivity growth hit 2.7%, nearly doubling the prior decade’s average. This surge signals the economy has officially transitioned from AI experimentation to structural utility.

Declining Trust in US Dollar Emerges as Major Global Economic Threat

MIT Study Uncovers Hidden Infrastructure Risks in Mainstream Stablecoin Markets

Middle-Class Income Gap Fuels $4.7 Billion Plasma Sales Boom

Tariffs Push Valentine's Day Spending to Record $29 Billion

Dubai Debuts World’s First AI-Powered Digital Real Estate Brokerage

Dubai, Monday, 16 February 2026.
Dubai has cemented its position as a PropTech pioneer with the official launch of FRANK AI on February 16, 2026. Positioning itself as the world’s first fully AI-powered digital real estate brokerage, the platform introduces a paradigm shift by functioning as a comprehensive ‘Agent Operating System.’ Perhaps most significantly for the industry, FRANK AI challenges traditional revenue models by offering agents commission structures ranging from 80% to 100%, supported by an initial AED 30 million financing allocation from Clozer. Founded by Wael Handous and Rimma Grigoryan, the system integrates market intelligence, transaction execution, and financial infrastructure to remove operational friction. This launch not only automates property transactions but signals a broader structural evolution in global real estate, with immediate expansion plans targeting Saudi Arabia, London, and Spain.

Tubi Expands Library with Strategic Warner Bros. Discovery Licensing Deal

AI Spending Fears Push Amazon and Microsoft Into Bear Markets

SpaceX Achieves 600th Falcon 9 Launch Milestone Following Successful ISS Docking

Apple Lists New MacBook Pro with Next-Generation M5 Processor

Renderings Reveal Scale of Privately Funded $400 Million White House Expansion

Washington D.C., Monday, 16 February 2026.
Renderings detail a $400 million expansion funded by corporate giants like Apple and Lockheed Martin, proceeding rapidly despite the controversial pre-approval demolition of the historic East Wing.

OPM Directs Agencies to End Union Contracts in Potential Defiance of Court Orders

SEC to Automatically Reject Corporate Filings With Fee Errors Starting March 16

Virginia Supreme Court Clears Path for Critical Redistricting Referendum

State Department Halts Passport Services at 1,400 Nonprofit Libraries Nationwide

UK and German Military Chiefs Issue Joint Plea for Rearmament Amid Rising Russian Threats

Berlin, Monday, 16 February 2026.
Citing a moral imperative against a westward-shifting Russian military, defense chiefs press for rearmament, despite polls revealing only 25% of Britons support the necessary tax hikes.

Snowstorms Trigger Widespread Flight Cancellations Across Major European Hubs

China Shifts Stimulus Focus to Services After Winter Economy Boom

EU Diplomats Rebut US Narrative of Civilizational Decline at Munich Security Conference

Slovak PM Claims Ukraine Delays Oil Pipeline Restart to Pressure Hungary on EU Bid

Ken Leung Discusses Eric Tao’s Departure as Industry Edits Out Political Figure

London, Monday, 16 February 2026.
Following Eric Tao’s dramatic exit in the February 15 episode, cast members revealed a costly decision to digitally erase a Donald Trump figurine from the entire season.

Surveillance Allegations Heighten Olympic Curling Tensions Between Canada and Sweden

Anthony Kim Ends 16-Year Drought with Historic Victory at LIV Golf Adelaide

Late Block by Race Leader Triggers Major 20-Car Collision at Daytona 500

NBA Adopts Tournament Model as USA Squads Battle Team World in All-Star Overhaul