Moderate Credit Growth Expected in 2026 as Lending Normalizes : Analysis
TransUnion projects moderate credit growth for 2026, with mortgage originations rising 4.0% and unsecured personal loans expanding 11.2%. Credit‑card originations are slated for a modest 2.0% increase, while auto‑loan originations may dip 1.5%. The outlook emphasizes disciplined underwriting supported by richer data and analytics, reflecting a market that is stabilizing after years of volatility.
Stars Align for Passkeys but Will Adoption Follow?
Credential‑based fraud and login friction are eroding conversion for high‑value e‑commerce shoppers, prompting merchants to seek stronger, lower‑friction authentication. Passkeys, built on FIDO public‑key cryptography and unlocked via biometrics or PIN, promise to eliminate password reuse and phishing risk. PayPal...
NASCAR Announces Every Driver Will Compete In All-Star Race
NASCAR unveiled the 2026 All‑Star Race format, mandating the entire Cup Series field to start the two 75‑lap sprint segments before trimming to 26 cars for the $1 million final stage. The top 26 positions will be inverted after the first...
State Farm Inked $1.5B Underwriting Profit for 2025; HO Loss Persists
State Farm posted a $1.5 billion underwriting gain for its property‑casualty segment in 2025, reversing a $6 billion loss in 2024 and over $10 billion losses in the two preceding years. The turnaround was driven by a near‑$5 billion auto underwriting profit, with earned...
DFC Reauthorization Is Here: The Good, the Bad, and the Next Steps for Connectivity
The U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC) received a major re‑authorization embedded in the FY2026 NDAA, boosting its contingent liability limit to $205 billion and expanding geographic eligibility for ICT projects. The bill creates a $5 billion equity revolving fund—though unfunded—and grants new...
IRS Sent $447.8M in RRC Payments to Ineligible Taxpayers
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration reported that the IRS mistakenly issued $447.8 million in Recovery Rebate Credit (RRC) payments to 300,843 ineligible taxpayers, many of whom were non‑resident aliens or received duplicate advances. The erroneous disbursements represent roughly 25 %...
Samba: Essentials, Utilities Tally Most Ad Impressions in 2nd-Half 2025
Samba TV’s H2 2025 advertising report shows a sharp pivot toward essential and infrastructure categories, with utilities ad impressions jumping 48%, insurance up 18% and pharma rising 12%. Discretionary sectors such as career services, apparel and food & beverage posted double‑digit...
Foreclosure Starts Surge to Early 2020 Levels
The national delinquency rate slipped to 3.65% in January, yet foreclosure starts surged to 42,000, matching early‑2020 levels. Late‑stage delinquencies rose 104,000 year‑over‑year, pushing the count of borrowers 90+ days delinquent to a July 2022 high. While mortgage rates fell, pre‑payment...
Michigan Boosts Home Construction—But Whitmer Says Red Tape Still Blocks Affordability
Michigan reported adding almost 87,000 new or rehabilitated housing units, completing its 2022 statewide housing plan a year early. Governor Gretchen Whitmer set a new target of 115,000 units for 2024 and called for zoning reforms and a state affordable‑housing...
Minecraft Creators Want to Do More Brand Integrations in 2026
Brands are increasingly favoring in‑game integrations over fully owned virtual worlds, a trend already evident on platforms like Roblox and Fortnite. In 2025 advertisers shifted spend toward embedding logos and branded assets within popular user‑generated experiences. Minecraft creators, however, feel...
Whole-Body MRI Provider Starts Offering AI-Powered CCTA Scans
TrueScan, a whole‑body MRI center in St. Peterburg, Florida, has begun offering AI‑powered coronary CT angiography (CCTA) from Heartflow, available as a standalone test or bundled with its MRI packages. The move addresses growing patient and physician demand for coronary imaging...
Toyota Is Testing a New SUV Based on the Electric Hilux BEV
Toyota has been spotted testing a camouflaged SUV in Thailand that shares its underpinnings with the newly unveiled ninth‑generation Hilux BEV pickup. The electric Hilux, slated for a European launch in April, features a 59.2 kWh battery delivering up to 257 km...
Pilot’s Widow Sues Boeing, GE Following UPS Crash
The widow of UPS pilot Dana Justin Diamond has filed a wrongful‑death lawsuit against Boeing, General Electric and maintenance firm VT San Antonio Aerospace. The suit, lodged on Feb. 25 in Jefferson County Circuit Court, blames design, manufacturing and upkeep failures...
Marquis V. SonicWall Lawsuit Ups the Breach Blame Game
Fintech firm Marquis, which serves over 700 banks, filed a lawsuit against firewall vendor SonicWall after a ransomware breach exposed client data for roughly 780,000 individuals. SonicWall later disclosed that a breach of its own firewall configuration backups affected all...
Real Estate Investment Platform Addy Enters Restructuring One Year After Fine From Regulators
Vancouver‑based fractional real‑estate platform Addy announced it is restructuring its business, engaging Dentons and Crowe MacKay to guide an orderly transition. The move follows a 2025 $100,000 fine from the British Columbia Securities Commission for trading $26 million of securities without...
U.S., Iran Make ‘Significant Progress’ in Nuclear Talks, Mediator Says
U.S. and Iranian officials held a third indirect nuclear round in Geneva, with Omani mediator Badr al‑Busaidi reporting "significant progress" and promising technical talks in Vienna next week. Tehran floated a framework to suspend enrichment for three to five years...
U.S. Military Buildup Casts Shadow Over Iran Talks
The United States and Iran held a third round of indirect nuclear talks in Geneva, with Omani mediation reporting significant progress and technical discussions slated for Vienna next week. Simultaneously, Washington has launched its largest Middle East military buildup since...
Rediscovering Atlantis Paradise Island
Atlantis Paradise Island has completed a $250 million refresh, modernizing its iconic resort while preserving its mythic brand. The upgrade expands the 141‑acre Aquaventure waterpark, adds new marine‑habitat experiences, and introduces upscale dining concepts such as Paranza and Claudio’s, targeting families,...
New Obari Animation for Nightmare Geese's Return in Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves Released, and It's a Whopping 6...
SNK has unveiled a new six‑minute animation by legendary animator Masami Obari to celebrate the Nightmare Geese release in Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. The cut serves as a narrative bridge, showing Rock Howard confronting his father’s apparition while...
What Went Wrong with Highguard? The "Hubris" Of Its Developer's Leadership, Say Former Staff in a New Report
Wildlight Entertainment, founded by ex‑Respawn developers and backed by Tencent, released Highguard after reshaping a stalled project in early 2024. Leadership pursued a surprise launch despite internal warnings that the game relied heavily on voice chat and lacked solo appeal....
NASA’s First Medical Evacuation Is Here. It Won’t Be the Last.
NASA conducted its first-ever medical evacuation from the International Space Station in January 2026 when astronaut Mike Fincke experienced a microgravity‑related health event. The entire Crew‑11 returned early aboard a SpaceX capsule because no spare crew‑ready vehicle was available. The...
Edison Research to Present The Infinite Dial 2026
Edison Research, now part of SSRS, will unveil The Infinite Dial 2026 in a March 12 webinar backed by SiriusXM Media. The annual survey, the longest‑running study of U.S. digital‑media behavior since 1998, now includes unprecedented data on AI usage alongside metrics...
Okayplayer’s 2x Webby Award-Winning Podcast The Almanac Of Rap Announces Season 4, Launching February 26th
Okayplayer’s *The Almanac of Rap* podcast returns for Season 4 on February 26, releasing new episodes every Thursday. The award‑winning series, hosted by rapper‑turned‑DJ Donwill, will feature hip‑hop heavyweights such as Bun B, Raekwon, Havoc, 9th Wonder and crossover guest actor Jharrel Jerome. Episodes alternate...
Targeted PET/CT Tracer Helps Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
A new macrophage‑targeted PET/CT tracer (11C‑DPA‑713) can identify rheumatoid arthritis patients who will respond to anti‑TNF therapy within four weeks, far earlier than the traditional three‑to‑six‑month window. The study of 20 patients showed that standardized uptake values (SUVs) at baseline...
Softcore History Joins Backyard Ventures’ Roster, Bringing Comedic History to Premium Brand Partners
Backyard Ventures announced that the comedic history podcast Softcore History, hosted by Rob Fox and Dan Regester, has joined its creator roster as the exclusive representative for premium brand partnerships. The deal covers both audio and digital platforms, positioning the...
Podcast Movement Announces First-Ever New York City Flagship Event at Terminal 5
Podcast Movement announced its flagship conference will move to New York City, hosting the 2026 event at Terminal 5 from September 14‑18. The program splits into a two‑day Sounds Profitable Business Summit for executives and media buyers, followed by creator‑focused sessions and networking events....
Independent Australian Kids Podcast Reaches 2.47M Global Monthly Listens and Launches Silly Stories Spectacular Live Show
Australian creator Sam Ramsden’s independent podcast Silly Stories for Kids logged 2.47 million monthly listens, 1.373 million downloads and over 21.8 million listening minutes in the last 30 days. Audience composition is roughly 52% North America, 26% Australia‑New Zealand and 13% United Kingdom, underscoring its...
STAT+: Justice Department Backs AbbVie in Its Bid to Overturn a Colorado Law Guiding a Drug Discount Program
The U.S. Department of Justice filed an amicus brief supporting AbbVie in its effort to overturn a Colorado statute that prohibits pharmaceutical manufacturers from limiting discounts under the federal 340B drug pricing program when hospitals use contract pharmacies. The Colorado...
JD Sports Expands RFID Across Europe
JD Sports has signed a multiyear agreement with Checkpoint Systems to deploy the ItemOptix RFID platform across its European footprint, beginning with more than 400 UK and Ireland stores by the end of 2024 and scaling to nearly 1,000 locations...
Data Broker Kochava Reaches Privacy Deal With FTC Lawyers
Kochava, a mobile‑data broker, has reached a privacy settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over allegations it sold precise geolocation data linked to sensitive venues. The agreement, still pending approval by FTC commissioners, requires Kochava to implement a two‑year privacy...
AHA, Epic Launching Initiative on EHR Tools Supporting Postpartum Hemorrhage Management
The American Hospital Association and Epic have launched the Safer Births Post‑Partum Hemorrhage Collaborative, a seven‑month program aimed at cutting postpartum hemorrhage rates. The initiative combines monthly expert‑led webinars, peer‑to‑peer forums, and dedicated office‑hours for hands‑on EHR guidance. Participants gain...
Leominster Sale Reflects “Surge” In Worcester County Industrial
Marcus & Millichap closed the sale of 44 Mead St., a 62,259‑square‑foot industrial complex in Leominster, MA, for $4 million to The Lexvest Group. The eight‑tenant, 4.1‑acre site features high clear heights, multiple loading docks, and direct access to Route 2 and the North Leominster...
Nordic Council Tender Pursues Cross-Border Digital ID Verification with Baltics
The Nordic Council of Ministers has launched a 1.6 million Danish‑krone tender to study cross‑border digital identity verification across Nordic and Baltic nations, including the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland. The analysis will identify legal, technical and organisational obstacles to automated...
Australian-Made AS9 Huntsman Howitzers Roll Off Geelong Production Line
The first Australian‑made AS9 Huntsman self‑propelled howitzers have rolled off the Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence in Geelong, marking the next phase of the LAND 8116 programme. The debut follows an earlier batch built in South Korea and initiates...
Collective Health Collaborates with Google Cloud to Launch New AI-Powered System
Collective Health has unveiled Collective AI, an AI‑powered benefits assistant built with Google Cloud. The system answers member queries, supplies real‑time data to customer‑service reps, and offers employers plan‑design insights to streamline enrollment. Leveraging Google Cloud’s privacy‑by‑design infrastructure, the tool...
AICPA Requests Guidance for Itemized Deductions and Trump Accounts
The American Institute of CPAs has formally asked the Treasury and IRS for detailed guidance on reporting requirements introduced by the H.R. 1 legislation. The request centers on Section 68’s limitation on itemized deductions for high‑income individuals, estates and trusts, and on...
Silversea Unveils Interiors of New Antarctica Gateway Hotel in Chile
Silversea has revealed the interiors of The Cormorant at 55 South, a 150‑room hotel slated to open in October in Puerto Williams, Chile. Marketed as the southernmost hotel on Earth, it serves as the land‑based anchor for Silversea’s Antarctica Fly...
Project Compass Is Europol’s New Playbook for Taking on The Com
Project Compass, a Europol‑led operation backed by 28 nations including the Five Eyes, began in January 2025 to dismantle the transnational youth‑focused cybercrime network known as The Com. Since its launch the initiative has secured 30 arrests, fully or partially...
The History of Satellite Ridesharing
Satellite ridesharing has evolved from occasional piggyback flights into a multi‑billion‑dollar industry by the mid‑2020s. The adoption of the CubeSat form factor and standardized deployers allowed dozens of small satellites to share a single launch, while brokers such as Spaceflight...
ATSC Appoints Anil Bhardwaj Tech, Strategy Director For India
ATSC has named Indian broadcast veteran Anil Bhardwaj as its Technology & Strategy Director for India and Emerging Markets, reinforcing the group’s push for next‑generation standards. Bhardwaj will lead ATSC’s engagement with the Telecommunications Standards Development Society of India (TSDSI) and...
PAC Strapping Products to Showcase Innovative Strapping Solutions at PACK EXPO East 2026
PAC Strapping Products will exhibit at PACK EXPO East 2026, showcasing its SM‑65 FA fully automatic strapping machine, the DSP‑TOOL ergonomic cart, and a range of polyester strapping solutions. The company will also preview a new horizontal strapping machine with an...
OpenAI Commits to Silicon Valley Presence with 439K-SF Lease
OpenAI has signed a ten‑year lease for a 439,000‑square‑foot campus at 350 and 380 Ellis Street in Mountain View, securing its first right of purchase before the property is marketed by KKR Real Estate Finance Trust. The lease follows advanced...
Milwaukee Cop’s Misuse of Flock ALPR Undercuts Case for Facial Recognition Use
Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) halted its facial‑recognition program while drafting usage policies after a scandal involving an officer who allegedly accessed the city’s Flock automated license‑plate recognition (ALPR) system over 120 times to track a personal acquaintance and 55 times...
Emergency Warning System Blowout
Australia’s new national emergency warning system, AusAlert, has seen its projected cost explode from an initial $10 million to an estimated $132 million. Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain framed the increase as an investment in community safety rather than a blowout. The system...
Bilt Taps Luxury Hotels to Build Marketplace for Top Spenders
Bilt has launched Bilt Verified, a marketplace that links Forbes‑rated luxury hotels with its high‑spending members. The program offers exclusive perks such as a $100 hotel credit, complimentary breakfast, flexible check‑in/out and room upgrades, while leveraging AI‑driven personalization and deep...
CMB Seeks Nominations for 2026 Christian Radio Mentoring Class
Christian Music Broadcasters (CMB) is opening nominations for its 2026‑2027 Leadership Mentoring cohort, a seven‑month program limited to 18 participants. The initiative targets current and emerging leaders across Christian radio, including on‑air talent, fundraisers, marketers, and technical staff. Led by...
Block Swaps 4,000 Workers for AI
Block, the fintech firm behind Cash App, Square and Afterpay, announced a 40% workforce reduction, cutting roughly 4,000 jobs and shrinking headcount from 10,000 to just over 6,000. CEO Jack Dorsey said the move is driven by rapid advances in...
Wyden Blocks Rudd Confirmation to Lead Cyber Command, NSA
Senator Ron Wyden announced he will block the Senate’s confirmation of Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd as head of U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency. Wyden argues Rudd lacks any digital‑warfare or signals‑intelligence background and gave vague answers on...
Redfin and Compass Partner to Expand Inventory and Seller Choice
Redfin announced a partnership with Compass International Holdings to display Compass listings on Redfin.com without days‑on‑market, price‑history, or valuation data. The arrangement lets sellers choose phased marketing, keeping listings MLS‑compliant while delaying full public exposure. Redfin emphasizes that 94% of...
Altech Introduces New Pluggable Terminal Block Range
Altech Corporation has launched a new range of pluggable terminal blocks designed for rapid, tool‑free installations and field wiring. The hybrid design merges spring‑clamp security with plug‑in convenience, offering instant connections that resist vibration and eliminate common assembly errors. Blocks...