Hypersonica Completes Milestone Hypersonic Missile Flight Test in Norway
Hypersonica completed its first hypersonic missile flight test at Andoya Space in Norway, propelling the prototype above Mach 6 and covering more than 300 kilometers. All systems performed nominally, delivering sub‑component data at hypersonic speeds. The company achieved this milestone in just nine months from concept to launch, showcasing a modular architecture that it claims cuts development costs by over 80 percent. The test marks the first step toward a European sovereign hypersonic strike capability targeted for 2029.
Russian Era Ends at Abandoned Launchpad in South American Jungle
Russia’s Soyuz launchpad in Kourou, French Guiana, was abandoned overnight in 2022 after European sanctions forced Russian teams to leave. The site, once prized for its equatorial location, has been reclaimed by jungle growth and now sits vacant. French start‑up MaiaSpace,...
ST Engineering iDirect and G&S SatCom Align Network and Service Management on Intuition
ST Engineering iDirect has partnered with G&S SatCom to embed the SatConnect module into its next‑generation ground system, Intuition. The integration creates a unified network and service management layer that spans multi‑vendor satellite infrastructures and offers a single pane‑of‑glass interface....
KSAT Prepares Hyperion in Orbit Relay Test for Satellite Data
KSAT is moving its HYPER concept from design to an on‑orbit demonstration with the Hyperion satellites, which will act as space‑based relays to shorten data latency for customer spacecraft. Announced at the SmallSat Symposium, the mission will validate S‑band telemetry...
RaceTrac: Don't Expect a Potbelly in Every Convenience Store
RaceTrac bought Potbelly for $566 million but will not install a sandwich shop in every convenience store. Senior vice‑president Jennifer Durham says the rollout will be selective, starting with a pilot company‑owned location in Atlanta. The acquisition’s core purpose is to...
Aviva Arena: Name For New 20,000-Cap UK Arena Unveiled
YTL Live announced that UK insurer Aviva has secured the naming‑rights for its new 20,000‑capacity arena in Bristol, now branded Aviva Arena. The venue, being transformed from the historic Brabazon Hangars, is slated to open in late 2028 and will...
RaidForm Lets You Plan Formations, Build Defenses, and Enjoy Physics-Driven PvP Battles Unfold, Now Live on Mobile
Gameloops has launched RaidForm, a free‑to‑play round‑based PvP strategy game now on Android and iOS. Players design formations and base defenses within a limited budget, then watch physics‑driven auto‑battles resolve without micromanagement. The title features a diverse unit roster, permanent...
Bethesda Says Starfield's Next Update Will 'Change The Game' But 'It's Not Starfield 2.0'
Bethesda’s Todd Howard announced that the next Starfield update will "change the game" but clarified it is not a full sequel. The team is entering a phase to showcase new, meta‑level features that expand gameplay without overhauling the core experience....
Kimmeridge-Mubadala JV to Acquire SM Galvan Ranch in Texas
Mubadala and Kimmeridge’s joint venture Caturus will buy SM Energy’s Galvan Ranch for $950 million, adding 250 MMcfed production from 260 wells. Post‑deal, pro‑forma net output rises to about 950 MMcfed. The acquisition gives Caturus over 275,000 net acres across the Gulf Coast...
Loan Note: Carlyle’s Sidhu on the European Opportunity; Configure Highlights Mixed M&A Picture
Carlyle’s Taj Sidhu expressed optimism about Europe’s private‑debt market, citing strong borrower resilience and attractive financing conditions. He highlighted low‑interest‑rate environments and a growing pipeline of mid‑market deals as catalysts for continued asset growth. Meanwhile, Configure’s latest M&A snapshot described...
Freshfields Advising EBay's $1.2B Depop Purchase From Etsy
eBay announced a $1.2 billion cash acquisition of Depop, the mobile fashion resale platform, from Etsy. Freshfields LLP is advising eBay, while Fenwick & West represents Etsy. The deal aims to strengthen eBay’s appeal to younger, Gen‑Z shoppers and expand its...
Germany Is Considering Purchasing More US F-35 Fighters.
Germany is weighing an order for more than 35 additional U.S.-made F‑35 fighter jets, expanding the 35 aircraft already purchased in 2022. The move would deepen Berlin’s reliance on American technology as the joint Franco‑German Future Combat Air System (FCAS)...
UK Broadcasters Attract “Sizeable Audiences on YouTube” Says Barb
Barb’s 2025 report shows YouTube viewing on UK TV sets climbing sharply, with half of children aged 4‑15 and 20% of over‑55s tuning in weekly. YouTube now accounts for 54% of its UK viewership via television, surpassing any single channel’s...
25 Rigs Out of Borr Drilling’s 29-Strong Fleet Either on Hire or with Jobs Lined Up
Borr Drilling now has 25 of its 29 jack‑up rigs either under bareboat charter or with confirmed jobs, covering regions from Southeast Asia to the Americas. The firm’s day‑rate equivalent backlog grew to $1.2 billion, reflecting more than 1,150 contracted days....
IHG Profits Jump 13% to $1.3bn Amid ‘Record’ Hotel Openings
IHG Hotels & Resorts posted a 13% jump in operating profit to $1.3 bn for 2025, driven by a record 443 hotel openings that added 65,100 rooms. Group RevPAR rose 1.5% overall, with Europe‑EMEAA up 4.6% while Greater China fell 1.6%....
Amazon and City Hall Line up for Battle over Delivery Licence in New York
New York City Council is poised to adopt the Delivery Protection Act, a licensing regime that would require final‑mile delivery operators, including Amazon’s third‑party partners, to obtain city permits and directly employ warehouse workers. The legislation follows a city comptroller...
UK Raises Antitrust Concerns In Getty's Shutterstock Deal
Getty Images announced a $3.7 billion acquisition of Shutterstock, aiming to create a global leader in stock photography. The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has issued a provisional assessment that the merger could restrict the supply of editorial images in...
WA: Light Rail Carried over 200K Riders on Seahawks Super Bowl Parade Day
Sound Transit’s 1 Line logged more than 200,000 boardings on the Seahawks Super Bowl parade day, setting a new regional transit record. The figure eclipses the previous high of 160,000 rides recorded during a multi‑event weekend in September. Heavy fan participation...
TX: Costs, Crime Rates and Riders: Five Charts that Show How People Use DART
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is confronting a funding crisis as half of its 13 member cities consider exiting, prompting scrutiny of ridership, costs and safety. Ridership has rebounded to about 78% of pre‑COVID levels, with the newly added Silver...
CRISPR Therapeutics Gains After Earnings as Pipeline Hope Grows
CRISPR Therapeutics shares rose over 12% after reporting Q4 2025 earnings that showed a larger‑than‑expected loss and minimal recognized revenue. The company’s flagship therapy CASGEVY generated $54 million in sales, but under its revenue‑sharing deal with Vertex only $0.86 million was recorded. CRISPR...
Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road Orion & Lumen DLC and Update Launch on February 25
Level‑5 announced the February 25 launch of the Orion & Lumen DLC for Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road, marking the game’s third major update. The new trailer teases a storyline featuring the mysterious Disciples of Orion and the Football Frontier International stage....
CA: Long-Sought Coaster Extension to San Diego Convention Center Will Break Ground This Year
North County Transit District (NCTD) will break ground this year on a $33 million extension of the Coaster commuter rail to San Diego’s Convention Center, creating a new downtown station steps from Petco Park, the Gaslamp Quarter and the Rady Shell. The...
STAT+: What to Expect From Gossamer Bio’s Late-Stage Lung Disease Study
Gossamer Bio is set to announce results from its Phase 3 trial in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) before the end of February. The readout follows a Phase 2 study that delivered modest, sub‑par efficacy, which the company attributes to an...
Turkey Targets Italian Market with Strategic Partnership on USVs and Hybrid Platforms
Turkey’s defence firms Havelsan and VN Maritime have signed a strategic MoU with Italy’s Piloda Defence to develop uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) and hybrid naval platforms. The partnership targets a first procurement contract in Italy by the first half of...
US Supports Palau Airport Upgrades
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) is providing technical‑assistance funding to Palau’s National Aviation Administration to upgrade Palau International Airport (ROR). The assistance will update the airport’s master plan, evaluate runway extensions for larger aircraft, and outline broader aviation...
Sony Music France Acquires Paris-Based Indie Label and Publishing Company Spookland
Sony Music Group France announced the acquisition of Spookland, a Paris‑based independent label and publishing company best known for representing French singer‑songwriter Jain. The deal, whose financial terms were undisclosed, transfers recorded‑music and publishing rights, as well as the full...
London Gatwick Set for Busiest Ever Summer Season
London Gatwick is gearing up for its busiest summer since 2019, with 62 airlines serving the airport and a record‑wide network of more than 230 destinations. Emirates has added a fourth daily Airbus A350 service to Dubai, marking the first A350...
PA: Next Stop, Centre County? New Survey Seeks Residents’ Input on Passenger Rail
The Centre County Metropolitan Planning Organization, together with Penn State, launched a 10‑15‑minute survey on Feb. 9 to assess resident interest in passenger rail options for the region. Backed by $60,000—$48,000 from the Federal Highway Administration and $12,000 local match—the study...
United Airlines’ Chicago Smack Talk Is A Bit Extreme At This Point, No?
United and American are locked in a fierce capacity battle at Chicago O'Hare, where United has been expanding its footprint and defending gate positions. United CFO Michael Leskinen publicly dismissed American’s Chicago hub as "temporary" and warned that American could...
DHL Expands Airfreight Cold Chain Network
DHL Group is expanding its dedicated air‑freight cold‑chain network, adding more than 30 GDP‑compliant aviation hubs and a new Brussels‑Cincinnati corridor. The rollout is part of a €2 bn investment in DHL Health Logistics and includes a dedicated Boeing 777 freighter painted...
Animal Crossing: New Horizons Version 3.0.1 Available (Patch Notes)
Nintendo released Animal Crossing: New Horizons version 3.0.1 on February 18, 2026, targeting both Nintendo Switch 2 and the original Switch. The patch addresses performance slowdowns, item duplication, NPC pathing, and visual glitches introduced with the 3.0 launch. Specific fixes include correcting cloud alignment...
Stephen Chapman Praises UK Passport System, Calls for International Standards to Support National Systems
Stephen Chapman, a veteran UK passport official, lauded the country's end‑to‑end passport issuance system for its efficiency, security, and alignment with ICAO standards. He warned that rising fraud and border‑security threats are driving the adoption of advanced features such as...
![[Industry News] 400,000 Euros Gamecity Hamburg Prototype Funding 2026](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://mcvuk.com/wp-content/uploads/260219_gamecity_hamburg_prototype_funding26_en.png)
[Industry News] 400,000 Euros Gamecity Hamburg Prototype Funding 2026
Gamecity Hamburg is allocating €400,000 in non‑repayable prototype funding, with individual grants of up to €80,000 for digital‑game projects. The application window runs from February 23 to March 30, 2026, and targets developers, start‑ups, and SMEs that are based in or relocating...
FixEd Podcast: The Guide to Running Newsletters in 2026, with Dan Oshinsky
In a FixEd podcast episode, newsletter veteran Dan Oshinsky outlines how AI, quality content, and strategic partnerships will shape newsletters in 2026. He warns that AI‑powered inbox tools could either elevate newsletters into curated feeds or diminish engagement if they...
Gold Fields ‘Guinea Pig’ in Ghana Royalty Talks
Gold Fields has boosted its Tarkwa mine reserves by 70%, raising them to 7.4 million ounces and resources to 11.2 million ounces as it prepares for a lease renewal due in April 2027. The company is navigating Ghana’s new sliding...
TEGNA Extends Deal with Seattle Kraken
TEGNA has secured a multi‑year extension to broadcast Seattle Kraken NHL games on its twin Seattle‑Tacoma stations, KCPQ and KZJO. The deal reinforces TEGNA’s local sports portfolio as the company approaches the final stages of its merger with Nexstar Media...
Envi Lodges Introduces Third Tanzania Offering
Envi Lodges announced Envi Paje, a beachfront retreat opening in June 2026 on Zanzibar’s Paje Beach, marking its third Tanzanian property. The lodge will host 22 private villas that fuse sustainable materials with local Zanzibari craftsmanship, and feature Signature Ocean...
Digital Payments Rivalry: Paytm Leans on Merchant Edge as PhonePe Scales Volume, Say Brokerages
PhonePe dominates UPI transaction volume with a 51% market share, while Paytm commands only 6% but leads merchant‑payment monetisation. Paytm’s merchant device network and loan services generate higher margins—about 9 basis points versus PhonePe’s 4—resulting in ₹38.6 billion revenue and ₹2.8 billion...
Ukraine’s Strategic Need for Energy Storage
Ukraine’s government is positioning battery energy storage systems (BESS) as a strategic asset to keep the power grid alive amid Russian attacks and to enable future integration with the European grid. Lawmakers have introduced tax breaks, licensing exemptions and accelerated...
Procedural Complaints: Raising Procedural Issues in CMA Cases
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) provides an independent Procedural Officer and, for newer regimes, a Procedural Complaints Adjudicator to resolve procedural disputes in competition, merger, digital markets and consumer enforcement cases. Parties must apply within five working days after...
ClearBank Appoints Ex-Uber Exec to Oversee European Expansion
ClearBank has appointed former Uber payments chief Tristan Kirchner as its European CEO to accelerate the bank’s cross‑border growth. The fintech already holds an EU banking licence and serves more than 30 clients across multiple markets. Kirchner will oversee the...
From Convenience to Crime: How Payment Apps Stand to Reshape Business Fraud
Businesses of all sizes are embracing peer‑to‑peer payment apps such as Venmo, Zelle and Cash App to streamline vendor payments and employee reimbursements. The convenience has sparked a surge in fraud, with New York regulators reporting more than $390 million in losses...
Jeff's Bagel Run Sprinting Past 30 Units
Jeff's Bagel Run has surpassed the 30‑location milestone, adding four new shops in Madison, Alabama; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Jacksonville, Florida; and Rolesville, North Carolina. The fast‑casual brand, founded in Orlando in 2019, leverages scratch‑bakery methods and a recent acquisition of...
Anthropic: It’s “Critical” To Bring Company Products to EHR
Anthropic is pushing its Claude AI model into electronic health record (EHR) systems, arguing that integration is essential for real‑time clinical value. The company highlighted a roster of 25 healthcare partners, including Abridge, Novo Nordisk, Genmab and Banner Health, to showcase both...
Banks that Won on Deposit Growth in 2025 Got Boost From M&A
Regional banks with $10‑$100 billion in assets leveraged mergers and acquisitions to outpace the broader market in 2025, boosting core deposits by more than 8% versus the industry’s 4% average. The 27 midsize lenders that completed deals saw a collective 29%...
L3Harris to Provide Communications Systems for Virginia and Columbia-Class Subs
L3Harris Technologies secured its largest full‑rate production contract to supply communications systems for 26 shipsets destined for the U.S. Navy’s Virginia‑class fast‑attack and upcoming Columbia‑class ballistic‑missile submarines. The award, granted by General Dynamics Electric Boat, spans production through 2033 and...
Avowed's Custom Difficulty Won't Make Its Toughest Achievement Easier
Avowed’s latest Anniversary Update adds a Custom Difficulty option, but it does not soften the game’s hardest setting, Path of the Damned. The toughest achievement, “A Test of Your Reflexes,” still requires completing the story on that difficulty, keeping the...
Malawi: Malawi Signs Strategic Mineral Deal With U.S., But Questions Linger Over Transparency
Malawi has signed a memorandum of understanding with U.S. trading firm Traxys North America to market graphite from the Kasiya rutile‑graphite project, aiming to supply up to 80,000 tonnes annually to the United States’ Project Vault strategic reserve. The deal,...
Nordlicht I Components Completed Early
Nordlicht I’s first monopiles and transition pieces were finished ahead of schedule by EEW and CS Wind, marking a key milestone before offshore construction begins later this year. The 68 steel structures, up to 80.5 metres long and 1,290 tonnes heavy, position the project...
Warmer Weather Hits Profits at British Gas Owner
British Gas, owned by Centrica, saw operating profits in its residential supply business drop 39% to £163 million in 2025, partly due to an £80 million hit from the UK’s warmest year on record, which reduced heating demand. Despite the profit slump,...