CRT 2026: Key Takeaways for Interventional Cardiologists
The Cardiovascular Research Technologies (CRT) 2026 meeting showcased a suite of late‑breaking interventional cardiology studies, ranging from long‑term TAVR versus SAVR outcomes to novel radiation‑shielding devices. A seven‑year PARTNER 3 substudy found comparable health‑status results for low‑risk patients after TAVR and SAVR, while early benefits favored TAVR. Other highlights included orbital atherectomy’s lack of superiority, sirolimus drug‑eluting balloons matching DES performance, and clopidogrel monotherapy outperforming aspirin after one year of dual antiplatelet therapy. Collectively, these data points are poised to reshape procedural choices, device adoption, and post‑procedure medication strategies.
Sofitel Rio De Janeiro Ipanema to Open as Flagship Hotel at the End of 2026
Sofitel will launch its first Brazilian flagship, the Sofitel Rio de Janeiro Ipanema, slated for completion by the end of 2026. The 172‑room tower will become the tallest structure on Ipanema, offering 360‑degree city and ocean vistas. Architect Patricia Anastassiadis...
No Refunds, Long Waits, Canceled Rebookings: Travelers Face Airline Policy Chaos
Airlines in the Middle East and Asia are grappling with a surge of flight cancellations caused by the Iran war, leading to widespread confusion over refunds and rebookings. Carriers have adopted divergent waiver policies—some, like Emirates and Qatar Airways, issuing...
The Key to a Great Video Game Performance? Team Trust.
At GDC Festival of Games 2026, video‑game actors Debra Wilson and Jane Perry and performance directors Tom Keegan and Damien Goodwin emphasized that trust is the cornerstone of a great in‑game performance. They explained that performance directors act as a bridge, marking...
Fannie, Freddie Share Sale Likely After Midterms or Later
Wedbush analysts say any secondary share offering by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will likely be delayed until after the 2026 midterm elections, as the administration focuses on lowering mortgage costs. Low trading prices—around $5.88 for Fannie and $5.16 for Freddie—combined...
Shoppers Plan to Buy More Produce After USDA Food Pyramid Update
The USDA unveiled an updated food pyramid on Jan. 7, 2026, and Acosta’s shopper community found that 80% of consumers were aware of it within three weeks. Respondents said they plan to buy more fruits and vegetables while cutting back on...
California Lithium Developer CTR to Go Public in US$4.7 Billion SPAC Deal
Controlled Thermal Resources (CTR) will go public through a $4.7 billion SPAC merger with Plum Acquisition, listing on Nasdaq as CTRH. The deal funds the Hell’s Kitchen geothermal‑lithium project in California’s Imperial Valley, starting with 25,000 t/yr lithium carbonate capacity and a...
Munich S-Bahn Extension Approved
The Bavarian state signed an implementation and financing agreement with Deutsche Bahn to electrify the 18.7 km Ebersberg‑Wasserburg line, extending Munich’s S‑Bahn network eastward. Platform lengths will be increased to 140 m, allowing standard S‑Bahn trains to replace diesel‑powered RB 48 services. Bavaria...
ODs Can Bridge Cultures Among Patients with Empathy, Trust
At Vision Expo, optometry leaders highlighted how empathy and cultural competence can close the trust gap for Hispanic, Latino, and African‑American patients with chronic eye diseases. Panelists urged clinicians to acknowledge patients' fears, involve family members, and leverage multilingual tools...
Wash. Sheriff Declines Requests From Prosecutors to Retract Post About Not Hiring Noncitizens
Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank refused to remove an X post declaring the sheriff’s office will not hire noncitizens, despite a legal memo from prosecutors that the stance violates Washington state law. The memo cites RCW 43.101.095, which permits lawful...
Hormuz Bypass Infrastructure Was Sized for a Short Disruption. This Is Not That.
The Saudi Petroline and the UAE Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline were constructed as short‑term workarounds for potential closures of the Strait of Hormuz, providing a combined capacity of roughly 4‑5 million barrels per day. The strait itself moves about 20 million barrels daily,...
Editorial: Economic Headwinds Buffet Industrial Chemists
Shintech, a unit of Shin‑Etsu, announced a $3.4 billion expansion of PVC capacity in Louisiana, underscoring the U.S. chemical sector’s reliance on cheap energy. At the same time, two smaller specialty‑chemical plants—VanDeMark in New York and PMC Biogenix in Tennessee—filed WARN notices, eliminating...
Planned Parenthood Now Offers Botox—What That Means Exactly
Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, the largest affiliate in California and Nevada, announced it will now offer Botox injections and IV hydration packages alongside its traditional reproductive health services. The move is a direct response to severe budget shortfalls caused by the...
IHOP Is Bolstering Its Catering Channel
IHOP is intensifying promotion of its catering business as off‑premise sales climb, now representing 21% of total revenue. The chain has introduced proprietary packaging and local‑store marketing kits aimed at hotels, schools and conferences, while also targeting late‑night breakfast demand....
The Hydrogen Stream: Atome Secures $420 Million Debt for Paraguay Plant
Atome secured a $420 million debt package to fund a $650 million low‑carbon fertilizer plant in Paraguay, targeting 260,000 tonnes of output per year and marking one of the first industrial‑scale green‑hydrogen fertilizer projects outside the EU. Meanwhile, Asahi Kasei began installing a 1 MW...
Senate Passes Housing Bill, Challenges Remain
The Senate approved a sweeping housing package with an 89‑10 vote, featuring the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. A centerpiece is raising the public‑welfare investment (PWI) cap from 15% to 20%, a move expected to unlock new private‑activity bond...
Shilpa Biologicals, mAbTree Program Targets Immune Pathway in Rare Blood Cancers
Shilpa Biologicals and mAbTree Biologics received FDA orphan drug designation for an investigational monoclonal antibody that targets an immune‑evasion pathway in essential thrombocythemia and polycythemia vera. The designation validates the novel mechanism and accelerates plans for IND‑enabling studies and first‑in‑human...
EU ‘Meaty’ Names Ban: What It Means for the Future of Plant-Based and Alt-Protein
The European Union has approved a ban on 31 meat‑related terms such as “chicken”, “beef” and “steak” for plant‑based substitutes, while exempting generic descriptors like “burger” and “sausage”. Brands will face short‑term disruption as they lose familiar shorthand for product...
Inverto and SES Join Forces to Advance Next-Generation Q-Stream Solution Powered by DVB-NIP
Inverto and SES have announced a strategic partnership to fast‑track the development and commercial rollout of Q‑stream, an end‑to‑end content delivery platform built on the DVB‑NIP (Native IP) standard. The solution leverages satellite to distribute IP‑based video streams directly to...
Inside Baseball Hits 26’s Community-Driven Strategy Keeping Players Coming Back Every Day
Ares Interactive’s soft‑launch of "Baseball Hits 26" shows strong daily engagement, with 51% of players logging in seven days a week. The studio attributes this retention to a community‑first approach, sharing updates via Discord and actively soliciting player feedback. The...
FDA Drug Safety Podcasts
The FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research has expanded its Drug Safety Podcast series, delivering concise audio briefings that coincide with official Drug Safety Communications. Recent episodes address serious liver injury linked to Ocaliva, rare hypocalcemia risks with Prolia,...
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Wafer Prices Fall on Weak Demand
The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association reported that polysilicon and wafer prices fell sharply this week, with n‑type re‑feed and dense polysilicon down about 6.4% to CNY 45,200 per tonne. Wafer prices slipped as well, with G10L at CNY 1.03, G12R at...
![JL: "I Should Theoretically Be Back [to Playing] in the Summer if Everything Works Out"](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://img-cdn.hltv.org/gallerypicture/n71bVXXF0LeH6AXDMWgWXv.jpg?auto=compress&ixlib=java-2.1.0&m=%2Fm.png&mw=107&mx=20&my=474&q=75&w=800&s=7f2b942ec983c1571d6fef885b16d21b)
JL: "I Should Theoretically Be Back [to Playing] in the Summer if Everything Works Out"
Justinas “jL” Lekavicius returned to competitive CS2 as a stand‑in for Liquid at the Roman Imperium Cup VI after a nine‑month hiatus, filling in for Guy “NertZ” Iluz who missed the event due to travel problems. Earlier in the week, jL...
Proton Experimental Brings Fixes for REDLauncher, HELLDIVERS 2, Atelier Yumia, KILLER INN and More
Valve released the March 13 Proton Experimental update, delivering a series of targeted fixes for high‑profile Linux titles. The patch disables Xalia for Final Fantasy VII/VIII, resolves graphical glitches in Duck Game, and eliminates long exit times for REDLauncher used by...
Oil Giant Forced to Pay £6m After Major Spill
Oil producer Perenco has agreed to pay a £6 million compensation package to the UK Environment Agency after a March 2023 pipeline leak released roughly 200 barrels of oily water into Poole Harbour. The spill, attributed to microbial corrosion in a buried pipeline,...
Bombas Steps Up Its Game With Bombas Sport, Targeting Growing Athletic Market
Bombas has launched Bombas Sport, a dedicated performance sock sub‑line targeting activities such as running, skiing, and studio workouts. The new line has driven a 40% year‑over‑year increase in new customers and nearly doubled repeat purchases, pushing performance products to...
What’s New In King Legacy Update 10?
King Legacy’s long‑awaited Update 10 launched on March 13, 2026, delivering a wave of fresh content including two new legendary fruits, the first mythical fruit, revamped existing fruits, and a suite of new and reworked weapons. The update also adds...
Wind and Solar Investors 'Threaten Legal Action' Over Tariff Pact
Vietnam has retroactively reduced the subsidised feed‑in tariffs for wind and solar projects, a change that takes effect in January 2025. The move has sparked a dispute involving investors from the EU, UK, Japan, South Korea and Thailand, who sent...
Maryland Legislators Include Utility Solar in Statewide Energy Savings Initiative
Maryland legislators unveiled the Utility RELIEF Act, a $200 million package aimed at cutting household energy costs by $150 per year. Half of the funding ($100 million) is earmarked for utility‑scale solar projects, while the remainder supports grid modernization and holds large energy...
Spotlight on Sanctions
A wave of sanctions activity is reshaping compliance across the United States, Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom. The U.S. Treasury issued new Venezuela oil licenses, deployed the Protecting American Intellectual Property Act against a Russian cyber‑espionage broker,...
FCA Publishes Good Practice and Areas for Improvement in Relation to Consumer Understanding Under the Consumer Duty
On 13 March 2026 the FCA released a good‑practice review of firms’ consumer‑understanding under the Consumer Duty. It highlights that firms should use diverse data sources, test communications with real customers, and design clear, accessible journeys. The guidance stresses tailored support for...
Arbitrator Orders Reinstatement of 24-Year Employee Fired After Telling Workers to ‘Sign Off’
An Ontario arbitrator ordered Cargill Limited to reinstate Dung Phan, a 24‑year employee, replacing his termination with a six‑month unpaid suspension, back pay and full seniority. The arbitrator found Phan’s urging co‑workers to “sign off” was serious misconduct but deemed...
Austin-Based REIT Stratus Properties To Liquidate
Austin‑based REIT Stratus Properties announced it will liquidate its portfolio, selling the remaining nine properties and returning cash to shareholders. The decision follows a strategic review launched in December and aims to maximize value in a tax‑efficient manner. At the...
'We Agents Will Shine Through Another Crisis', And Nine Other Things We Took Away From the 2026 Jet2holidays Conference
The 2026 Jet2holidays conference underscored travel agents' pivotal role in navigating post‑pandemic volatility. Speakers highlighted new product bundles, flexible booking tools, and sustainability initiatives aimed at boosting demand. Jet2holidays announced a partnership with Planet Technology to enhance AI‑driven pricing. The...
Russell Glen To Bring Aspirational Community To Long-Overlooked Southern Dallas
Russell Glen Co. plans to break ground later this year on Rivulet, a 90‑acre master‑planned community in Southern Dallas. The development will deliver roughly 300 single‑family homes, hundreds of multifamily units and a 20‑acre retail district, aiming to address the...
Shorties Studios Launches New Micro-Drama
Shorties Studios, the premium vertical‑series producer founded by OGM Pictures’ Onur Güvenatam, has debuted a new micro‑drama titled “The Prince and the Royal Wedding Planner” on the GammaTime streaming app. The five‑episode romance stars Toby Elliot, Emily Gateley, Kayleigh Foster,...
FCA Made 'Significant Errors' In Seizing Barrister Suspect's Devices
The High Court quashed a Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) warrant that seized a barrister's electronic devices, finding the regulator had made "significant errors of law" in its application. The warrant was issued under section 8 of the Police and Criminal Evidence...
The Weekly Closeout: Amazon Notches a Win Against Perplexity, Reebok Reenters Soccer
Reebok announced a high‑profile return to performance soccer, signing striker Dušan Vlahović and unveiling its upcoming "Sidewinder" cleat. In parallel, Amazon won a preliminary injunction forcing AI search startup Perplexity to destroy data harvested from its site, highlighting growing legal...
Zaha Hadid Architects Could Soon Be Renamed—And Everything Else You Need to Know About This Week
A London appeals court ruled that Zaha Hadid Architects can terminate its licensing agreement with the Zaha Hadid Foundation, ending a six‑percent royalty on the brand name. In Manhattan, real‑estate brokers Tal, Oren and Alon Alexander were found guilty of...
RoboSense Lidars Selected for WeRide and Geely’s Robotaxi GXR
RoboSense’s EM4 digital lidar and fully solid‑state E1 have been selected as the primary and blind‑spot sensors for the GXR robotaxi, a vehicle co‑developed by WeRide and Geely’s Farizon unit. Production is slated to begin in Q3 2026 with an initial...
Fleetio Launches AI Capability to Accelerate Fleet Maintenance Approvals
Fleetio unveiled Service Advisor, an AI-driven tool that speeds up high‑volume repair approvals, reporting a 16% reduction in shop hours for assets. The feature joins Smart Uploads, which automates invoice digitization and saves drivers up to eight hours per week....
Ruto Defends Affordable Housing as Key to Jobs and Kenya’s Economic Growth
Kenyan President William Ruto defended the Affordable Housing Programme, unveiling 1,165 new units in Chesumei and handing over 250 homes in Kapsabet. He announced a Sh15 billion allocation to build 10,000 houses in Nandi County and another Sh15 billion for road upgrades,...
March 13 Policy Watch: FDA Streamlines Its Process for Approving Biosimilar Drugs
The FDA released draft guidance that lets biosimilar developers use foreign comparator data and, in some cases, replace clinical studies with chemical analysis, potentially cutting development costs by $20 million. Simultaneously, the agency launched the Adverse Event Monitoring System (AEMS), a...
Forest Advocates Accuse EU Energy Firm of Dutch Biomass Certification Fraud
Forest groups and Dutch authorities allege that energy giant RWE imported Malaysian wood pellets labeled as Category 5 waste but actually sourced from whole trees, violating EU biomass‑certification rules. The Dutch Public Prosecution Service is weighing a criminal investigation after advocacy...
Soulfly on First Arena Win: "I Didn't Know that I Would Have so Much Emotion"
Aurora clinched a 2‑1 quarter‑final victory over Legacy at the ESL Pro League, guaranteeing at least a top‑four finish. The win marked Caner “soulfly” Kesici’s first arena triumph, a moment he described as unexpectedly emotional. He highlighted the chaotic TeamSpeak...
Trump’s Temporary 10% Tariff Faces Further Legal Scrutiny
Two small firms, spice maker Burlap and Barrel and toy producer Basic Fun, have filed a lawsuit in the Court of International Trade to overturn President Trump’s temporary 10% global tariff imposed under Section 122 of the Trade Act. The companies argue...
European Space Agency Taps Terran Orbital Subsidiary for Defense Deal
Terran Orbital’s subsidiary Tyvak International secured a contract with the European Space Agency to build Farinella, a 6U CubeSat for the RAMSES planetary‑defense mission. The spacecraft will study near‑Earth asteroid Apophis during its close approach on 13 April 2029, providing data to...
Telefonica Tech Sees Bright Future for Burriana
Telefonica Tech has equipped the Spanish town of Burriana with a smart street‑lighting network, linking more than 6,300 nodes using NB‑IoT. The project, commissioned by a Ferrovial Energia‑Endesa joint venture, utilizes Tellink‑manufactured sensors to provide remote monitoring, brightness control, and...
Jujutsu Shenanigans Codes March 2026
Jujutsu Shenanigans, a Roblox game inspired by the Jujutsu Kaisen manga, has released a new promotional code that unlocks the Nep achievement and the Woven Insight emote. The title continues to draw hundreds of thousands of daily active players despite...
Somali MP Sues Government at EACJ over Constitutional Changes
Somali MP Dr Abdillahi Hashi Abib has filed a case at the East African Court of Justice challenging recent constitutional amendments that extend the president’s and parliament’s terms by one year. He argues the changes, which altered 45 articles without broad...