Valve’s Deadlock Is Already as Popular as Overwatch – Before Launch
Valve’s upcoming hero‑shooter *Deadlock* has reached a peak of 171,490 concurrent players, matching the active user count of Blizzard’s *Overwatch 2* despite being in a closed, invite‑only test. The game, still in a placeholder state with grey‑box maps, is attracting massive attention without any formal marketing spend. Valve is delivering bi‑weekly patches, treating the beta like a live service, which has helped maintain strong player retention. This unexpected surge highlights a shift in how live‑service titles can gain traction through community buzz rather than traditional advertising.
Motiva Announces US Group II Base Oil Posting Decrease
Motiva announced a $0.50 per US‑gallon reduction to its Group II, II+ and III base‑oil postings, effective 1 March. The cut could translate into contract price declines of 10‑15¢/USG for parties linked to Motiva’s postings or to basket indices, while blenders with...
Strong Demand for GSE-Eligible Loans in Non-Agency MBS
Investors are showing strong appetite for GSE‑eligible loans embedded in non‑agency mortgage‑backed securities, tightening spreads and lifting prices across the segment. The surge reflects limited agency supply and the premium investors assign to loans that meet Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac eligibility...
Share of Complaints to CFPB Receiving Relief Drops
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reported a sharp decline in the share of consumer complaints that receive relief, dropping to 38% in the most recent quarter. Complaint filings rose 12% year‑over‑year, driven largely by mortgage‑related issues. Mortgage lenders now account...
Morningstar DBRS Changes Trend on BBVA's Long-Term Credit Ratings to Positive From Stable, Confirms Long-Term Issuer Rating at A (High)
Morningstar DBRS confirmed BBVA's long‑term issuer rating at A (high) and short‑term rating at R‑1 (middle), while shifting the trend on all long‑term ratings from Stable to Positive. The agency cited the bank’s resilient earnings, boosted by higher interest rates...
DD Free Dish E-Auction Revenue Dips to Rs 642 Crore as Slot Sales Fall
Prasar Bharati’s DD Free Dish completed its 8th e‑auction, collecting Rs 642 crore for FY26‑27, down from Rs 780 crore the prior year. Only 55 MPEG‑2 slots were sold, compared with 61 previously, reflecting a slimmer inventory and a revamped auction framework. The new...
G6 Hospitality Announces Partnership With Protect24.ai to Enhance Safety Intelligence
G6 Hospitality, the parent of Motel 6 and Studio 6, announced a strategic partnership with security‑intelligence firm Protect24.ai. The AI‑driven platform will be rolled out across more than 1,500 U.S. and Canadian locations to flag suspicious foot‑traffic, illegal escort operations, repeat high‑risk...
Antenna: New U.S. SVOD Subscribers Fell 33% in 2025
U.S. subscription video‑on‑demand (SVOD) growth stalled in 2025, with new subscriber additions dropping 33% to 18 million versus 27 million in 2024, according to Antenna data. Quarterly growth slowed to 7% in Q4, down from 12% a year earlier. Netflix remained the...
Short Takes: Home Prices Tick Up / Chase Offering Rate Discount / Bed Bath & Beyond Getting Into Mortgages /...
Home prices edged higher in the latest quarter, while Chase announced a modest rate discount to spur loan demand. Retail giant Bed Bath & Beyond entered the mortgage origination space, signaling non‑traditional players’ interest in housing finance. Bayview Capital began stocking GSE‑eligible loans...
Baldur's Gate 3 Fan Ensures Alfira And Quil Survive If You Play As The Dark Urge
Fans of Baldur’s Gate 3 can now play the Dark Urge origin without the mandatory murder of the bards Alfira and Quil, thanks to a community‑made mod. The mod, titled “Dark Urge – A Dream of Murder,” converts the night‑time killing...
The European Central Bank’s Next President May Decide the Fate of the Digital Euro
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde highlighted the digital euro as a core part of her legacy, noting its progress from research to a live policy effort. The project is now in a "preparation phase" with technical design and pilot...
Chili’s Returns to Race Track with ‘Ride the ‘Dente’ Car Design
Chili’s Grill & Bar is back on the race track at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas, debuting a refreshed “Ride the ‘Dente” livery on Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Chevrolet ZL1 driven by Carson Hocevar. The campaign highlights the brand’s flagship ‘Dente...
Guidance: Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) Firing Times
Since its first publication in November 2017, the Ministry of Defence’s Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) website has maintained a rolling log of monthly firing times. The most recent update on 24 February 2026 added the March 2026 schedule, continuing a pattern of...
Generic Drugs Program Monthly and Quarterly Activities Report
The FDA’s Generic Drugs Program reported 217 approvals for FY‑2026, including 23 first‑time generics and 45 first‑cycle approvals. Tentative approvals reached 89, while complete responses rose to 402, reflecting a busy review pipeline. Prior Approval Supplements (PAS) saw 532 approvals,...
The Evolving Nature of Direct Secondaries Valuations
Direct secondaries are emerging as a leading exit strategy for private‑equity portfolios, prompting a reassessment of how these assets are valued. Subu Parmeswaran of Valuation Research Corporation highlights that traditional static models no longer capture the nuanced risk‑adjusted returns of these...
Marquis Sues Firewall Provider SonicWall, Alleges Security Failings with Its Firewall Backup Led to Ransomware Attack
Fintech firm Marquis has filed a lawsuit against firewall vendor SonicWall, alleging that a 2025 breach of SonicWall’s cloud backup service exposed critical firewall configuration data. The compromised backup files allegedly gave threat actors the keys to bypass SonicWall defenses,...
List of Determinations Including Written Request
The FDA has published an updated list of 189 pediatric exclusivity determinations made under Section 505A of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act since September 2007. Each entry includes the drug name, sponsor, determination date, and links to the original Written...
France After Four Years of War. Shift or the End of Support?
France has moved from a dual‑sided arms policy to a robust, though now waning, military backstop for Ukraine, supplying ammunition, missiles, CAESAR howitzers, SAMP/T air‑defence and Mirage 2000 fighters since 2022. Operational challenges—limited Ukrainian use of French tanks, pilot shortages, and...
Mastercam 2026.R2 Delivers GPU-Accelerated Simulation and AI-Powered Assistance
Mastercam unveiled its 2026.R2 update, the second release in a new semi‑annual cadence, delivering GPU‑accelerated simulation and an AI‑driven Copilot assistant. The GPU engine reduces verification times from roughly 90 minutes to just over 22 minutes while preserving accuracy. Copilot...
Red Bull Ford Powertrains Uses Hexagon Technology to Ensure Performance
Hexagon’s high‑precision metrology tools have been integral to building Red Bull Ford Powertrains’ new 1.6‑liter V6 turbo‑hybrid unit for the 2026 F1 rule changes. The company’s Leitz PMM‑C CMMs, Leica Absolute Scanner AS1 and QUINDOS/Q‑DAS software deliver sub‑micron tolerances across thousands of...
Don’t Let Innovation Overtake You
The article links ISO 9001:2015 Clause 6.1’s risk‑opportunity focus to the broader concept of waste, arguing that hidden wastes often outweigh visible quality defects. It warns that neglecting innovation—whether AI, quantum computing, or disruptive processes—can render entire business models obsolete. Examples range...
Conformity Assessment Is Not Enough
The article argues that traditional conformity assessments—focused on documented procedures and checklists—provide a false sense of security because they only prove a system exists, not that it works. It introduces impact assessment as the next‑generation audit, measuring real performance, consistency...
GelSight Introduces GelSight Mobile 4.3 Software
GelSight has launched GelSight Mobile 4.3, a software update that adds a high‑performance 3D rendering engine and expands defect detection to curved surfaces. The release also introduces custom 3D cropping, circular roughness profiling, and a suite of automation tools such as...
UK to Remove Turkish HDG Quota Exemption
The UK Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) plans to strip Turkey of its developing‑economy exemption for hot‑dip galvanised (HDG) steel, moving Turkish shipments into the capped “other countries” quota. The move follows Tata Steel’s complaint that Turkish imports surged to 58,030 t...
Oak & Stone to Open in Addison, Texas
Oak & Stone, an elevated American restaurant known for its self‑pour Tap Wall, announced a new location in Addison, Texas, slated to open summer 2026. The 7,000‑square‑foot venue at 5225 Belt Line Road will seat about 340 guests and operate...
Up Norway Adds Three Small-Group Itineraries for 2026-2027
Up Norway announced three new small‑group itineraries for 2026‑2027, expanding its sustainable luxury portfolio in response to a 14 % year‑over‑year rise in small‑group bookings on TripAdvisor. The trips, limited to 10‑14 participants, include a women‑focused “Women, Blazing Trails” expedition, a...
Telin and IPification Turn Mobile Networks Into Identity Infrastructure With OTP-Free Verification Service
PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia International (Telin) and IPification have introduced Telin Mobile Network Verification, an OTP‑free identity verification service that leverages network‑layer signals to confirm a user’s phone number, SIM card, and device. The solution, now available on more than 40...
Mexico Makes Biometric ID the Gateway to Mobile Connectivity as SIM Registration Deadline Approaches
Mexico will require every mobile line to be linked to a biometric CURP ID by July 2026. The law, effective Jan 9, 2026, obliges registration of prepaid, postpaid, physical SIMs and eSIMs, giving existing users until June 30 to comply and suspending unregistered...
Charter Warns California Delay Could Jeopardize Cox Merger Timeline
Charter Communications has asked the California Public Utilities Commission to render a decision on its proposed acquisition of Cox Communications by July 16, 2026. The request stems from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Hart‑Scott‑Rodino antitrust clearance, which expires on September...
Fanatical's Play on the Go Elite Collection Bundle for Feb 2026 Has some Gems in It
Fanatical has refreshed its Play on the Go Elite Collection bundle for February 2026, offering a pick‑and‑mix of 18 Steam‑Deck‑Verified games. Prices tier from £7.50 per title for two or more games down to £7.00 each when buying five or more....
DRC Mineral Export Prices Decline, Tin Records Steepest Weekly Drop
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s mineral export prices are set to fall in the week of Feb 23‑28, 2026, with tin posting the steepest decline to $48,089 per ton, a $1,667 drop from the prior week. Copper, gold, and zinc also...
Arch Platform Technologies, Wacom Integrate Wacom Bridge For Virtual Workflows’
Arch Platform Technologies and Wacom have integrated Wacom Bridge into Arch’s cloud GPU workstation platform, enabling artists to use Wacom pen displays with full driver support and reduced latency. The joint solution, launched on Feb. 24, offers a "local‑like" feel...
Geisinger Names Humana Executive as President of Health Plan
Geisinger announced Jeremy Gaskill, a veteran Humana executive, as the new president of Geisinger Health Plan and executive vice president of insurance operations, effective Feb. 23. Gaskill succeeds Karen Murphy, who stabilized the plan and cut operating losses since March 2025. He...
Further Delay to Alstom Norwegian EMU Fleet
Norway's state‑owned rolling‑stock lessor Norske Tog has called Alstom senior managers to Oslo after the French manufacturer halted local testing of its N05 EMU due to suspected bogie fatigue faults. The contract, signed in 2021 for up to 200 trains, includes...
National Retail Solutions (NRS) Named Official POS Provider for Krauszer’s Food Stores as Legendary Chain Targets Nationwide Expansion
National Retail Solutions (NRS) has been chosen as the official point‑of‑sale provider for Krauszer’s Food Stores, a historic New Jersey convenience‑store chain with more than 300 locations. The partnership will roll out NRS’s integrated POS platform across all existing stores and...
Kelli Valade’s Career Comes Full Circle
Kelli Valade, a veteran of Chili’s, Red Lobster and Denny’s, was named chief executive officer of the Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) in January 2026, shortly after leading Denny’s through a $620 million private‑equity deal. Valade brings deep operational, HR and leadership...
Mexico’s Cartel Violence Could Hit Economy and Insurance Segment: AM Best
Cartel violence erupted in Mexico after the killing of leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, halting flights and disrupting tourism in Puerto Vallarta. Tourism, which contributes about 10% of Mexico’s GDP, faces short‑term setbacks and longer‑term perception risks. AM Best issued a negative...
Wowza Appoints Jon Corley Chief Technology Officer
Wowza announced Jon Corley as its new chief technology officer, tasked with steering the company’s AI‑driven streaming strategy. Corley will shape the technology vision, engineering roadmap, and product‑innovation agenda to embed artificial intelligence throughout Wowza’s platform. The move aligns with...
Next After Iran — Ex-Israeli PM Flags Nuclear Pakistan Whose Nuke Facility Tel Aviv Planned To Strike in 1980s
Former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett warned that Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, coupled with a budding security pact with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, poses a new existential threat to Israel. He cited historic Israeli‑Indian plans to bomb Pakistan’s nuclear facilities in...
5 Tips for Scaling Smart Building Across Large CRE Portfolios
Large CRE owners face rising energy costs, volatile pricing and tightening regulations that pressure NOI. Smart building technologies—IoT sensors, AI analytics and automated controls—promise 15‑25% energy savings when deployed at scale. The article outlines five actionable steps: thorough assessments with...
Clix Says He and Ninja Popularized Twitch, Not Adin Ross
Clix, a 20‑year‑old Fortnite pro, asserted during a livestream that he and Ninja were responsible for catapulting Twitch into mainstream awareness, downplaying Adin Ross’s role. Data from TwitchTracker shows a sharp rise in average concurrent viewers from 747 K in 2017...
Buy Virgin Points With a 70% Bonus (1.47¢ Each) – Score Deals on Delta, Virgin Atlantic, ANA & More
Virgin Red has launched a limited‑time buy‑points promotion offering up to a 70 % bonus, lowering the effective cost to as little as 1.47¢ per Virgin Point. The offer runs until 31 March 2026, raises the annual purchase cap to 300,000 points before...
Greater Pittsburgh Orthopaedic Associates Disclosed a 2025 Breach, but Was There Also One in 2024?
Greater Pittsburgh Orthopaedic Associates disclosed a data breach that began around August 10, 2025, affecting tens of thousands of patients. The group reported 35,000 records to HHS in August 2025, but a February 2026 filing to the Maine Attorney General raised the figure...
Rainbow Six Mobile Release Date and Trailer
Ubisoft announced that Rainbow Six Mobile officially launched worldwide on February 23, 2026, following soft‑launches in Poland, Canada, Latin America, and France. The game translates the tactical 5v5 experience of Rainbow Six Siege to smartphones, featuring destructible environments, over 20 operators and modes such as Bomb,...
Ubisoft Is Making Anno 117: Pax Romana Free to Play This Weekend
Ubisoft will make Anno 117: Pax Romana free to download and play from February 26 to March 2 on Ubisoft Connect, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. The promotion includes Twitch drops that reward viewers with exclusive in‑game logos for watching streams. Simultaneously, Ubisoft released a live‑action...
SmarTone Reports Profit Amid High-End Market Focus
SmarTone posted an 8.4% rise in first‑half profit, with revenue climbing 2% to HK$3.56 billion, propelled by its premium 5G positioning and higher‑value device sales. 5G ARPU was twice that of 4G, while home broadband profit surged 36% and roaming revenue...
FIS Doubles Down on Issuing While Riding an AI Wave
FIS is pivoting to its core card‑issuing business after selling Worldpay, aiming at banks that grow faster than the market. The company has launched its first agentic‑commerce platform, enabling AI‑driven purchases on behalf of consumers while bolstering fraud defenses. A...
Why More Council Tenants Are Taking Legal Action over Dangerous Living Conditions
Over the last three years, legal actions by council tenants over unsafe or deteriorating homes have surged dramatically, driven by chronic under‑investment and mounting repair backlogs. High‑profile cases such as the death of Awaab Ishak have spurred new statutory duties,...
Nidoking | Pokémon Guide
Nidoking is the male counterpart to Nidoqueen and a first‑generation poison‑type Pokémon that evolves from Nidorino when exposed to a Moon Stone. The guide outlines its type effectiveness, noting weaknesses to Ground, Water, Psychic and Ice, and resistances to Fighting,...
Altera Digital Health’s Sunrise Extends Partnerships with 14 Hospital Systems
Altera Digital Health announced that 14 hospital systems have extended multi‑year contracts for its Sunrise electronic health record platform. The renewals follow the launch of Sunrise 25.1, which introduced roughly 700 system enhancements and a focus on streamlined navigation. Altera...