IEC-Based Technical Specifications Needed for Second-Life PV Module Market
The IEA‑PVPS Task 13 report warns that the second‑life photovoltaic module market remains fragmented due to missing IEC‑based qualification standards, costly manual repairs, and absent policy support. It recommends fast‑tracking IEC specifications, investing in automated testing hubs, and creating financial instruments to narrow the price gap with new panels. Industry voices highlight a gigawatt‑scale opportunity in Europe, but stress that EU‑wide regulatory incentives and clear warranty rules are essential. Without these measures, scaling reuse will stay niche despite environmental benefits.
SBA Proposes to Terminate 154 Companies From 8(a) Program
The Small Business Administration announced it will terminate 154 Washington, D.C. firms from the 8(a) Business Development program after a data‑call revealed they exceeded statutory net‑worth, asset and income thresholds. The companies collectively received $1.3 billion in federal contracts, including roughly...
Is Decency The Next Competitive Moat?
The article argues that the internet’s long‑standing focus on outrage‑driven engagement is reaching its limits, as users hit a tolerance threshold. AI‑powered platforms now amplify cynicism, turning noise into a trust‑eroding force. In this new landscape, scarcity has shifted from...
International Business Briefs | Ailing Thames Water Seeks Further £823m
Britain’s Thames Water announced that its creditors are reviewing an additional £823 million of funding, adding to the £1.43 billion already drawn from its super‑senior liquidity facility. In Nigeria, Dangote Petroleum’s refinery completed 72‑hour performance tests, confirming full‑capacity operation at 650,000 barrels...
The Download: AI-Enhanced Cybercrime, and Secure AI Assistants
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming a tool for cybercriminals, enabling faster, lower‑skill attacks and fueling a surge in deep‑fake‑driven scams. At the same time, AI‑powered personal assistants such as OpenClaw expose massive amounts of user data, raising urgent security concerns....
Lockheed Martin, Fujitsu Sign Initial Contract for SPY-7 Radar Power Supply Units for Japan’s ASEV
Lockheed Martin and Fujitsu signed a contract on Feb. 12 to supply the Power Supply Line Replaceable Unit for the SPY‑7 radar’s Subarray Suite on Japan’s Aegis System Equipped Vessels (ASEV). The PS LRU provides regulated power to the radar modules,...
USA Crude Oil Stocks Rise More Than 8MM Barrels WoW
U.S. commercial crude inventories rose by 8.5 million barrels in the week ending Feb 6, reaching 428.8 million barrels—about three percent below the five‑year seasonal average. Total petroleum stocks slipped 1.7 million barrels week‑on‑week but remain up 81.9 million barrels year‑on‑year. Refinery runs edged lower...
How Many Dudes Does It Take to Beat 1 Horse-Sized Duck and 75 Duck-Sized Horses? This Game Answers Your Dumb...
How Many Dudes? is an auto‑battling roguelike from indie studio Butterscotch Shenanigans, known for titles like Crashlands. The game pits a growing roster of “dudes” against increasingly absurd foes—from duck‑sized horses to hordes of toddlers—while players collect relics and consumables...
Elon Musk's Boring Company Selected for Universal Tunnel Project
Elon Musk’s The Boring Company has been chosen by Universal’s Shingle Creek Transit and Utility Community Development District to build a high‑speed Tesla tunnel linking Universal Orlando Resort with the new Epic Universe expansion. The 25‑year agreement tasks the firm...
Taiwan Completes Integration Test of Jointly Developed Mighty Hornet IV Drone
Taiwan announced on February 6 that the National Chung‑shan Institute of Science and Technology and Kratos successfully completed a systems integration test of the Mighty Hornet IV drone, a Taiwan‑specific variant of the US‑made Firejet. The test proved the platform can carry a...
Crisol: Theater of Idols Is A Tremendously Spanish Affair, and A Halfway Decent Survival Horror Game
Crisol: Theater of Idols, developed by Madrid’s Vermila Studios, blends survival‑horror mechanics with a distinctly Spanish aesthetic rooted in folklore and telenovela drama. The game follows soldier Gabriel on the rain‑soaked island of Tormentosa, where he wields blood‑infused weapons against...
Monitoring Made Inverters More Essential to Solar Project Performance
Solar inverter manufacturers have turned inverters into intelligent power‑management platforms with granular monitoring across loads, storage, EV chargers, and the grid. Companies such as Enphase and SMA now deliver module‑level data, temperature and irradiance metrics, and AI‑driven predictive maintenance. This...
Four Seasons Hotel Toronto Maintains Forbes Rating
Four Seasons Hotel Toronto has retained its Forbes Travel Guide Five‑Star Hotel and Five‑Star Spa ratings, marking the sixth consecutive year of the property’s 10‑Star distinction. The hotel is now one of only four Five‑Star hotels in Toronto and one...
Plus Power Brings Online 350-MWh Cross Town BESS in Maine
Plus Power has commissioned the 175‑MW, 350‑MWh Cross Town Energy Storage facility in Gorham, Maine, marking the largest battery energy storage system on the ISO New England grid. The plant uses 156 Sungrow PowerTitan modules on a five‑acre site adjacent...
Spain Hits 50 GW Solar Milestone
Spain’s installed solar capacity hit the 50 GW milestone in early 2026, after adding roughly 8.7 GW in 2025. Solar now represents 33.9% of the country’s total installed power capacity and supplied 18.4% of electricity last year. The expansion was led by...
Secondaries Funds the Largest on Average Among Those Closed Last Year
Secondaries funds that closed in 2025 posted the highest average fund size across all private‑equity vehicle types. Even after removing Ardian’s $30 billion raise—the single largest fund in the dataset—the average remained the top figure. The data underscores a shift toward...
New Nacha Rules, New Risks: Key Takeaways for Controllers Focused on Supplier Bank Verification
Recent Nacha rule updates now require repeatable, provable verification of supplier bank accounts, shifting the focus from intent to defensibility. Controllers relying on email confirmations, phone callbacks, and ad‑hoc checks face heightened exposure as fraudsters employ AI‑generated communications. The webinar...
Legal and Compliance Readiness Plunges Amid Growing Regulatory and Cyber Threats
The 2026 Litigation Trends Survey from Norton Rose Fulbright shows a steep decline in litigation preparedness, with confidence among U.S. general counsel dropping from 46% in 2024 to 29% in 2025. The dip aligns with regulatory uncertainty following the shift...
The ‘Discovery’ Problem in Embedded Finance – and How OMB Bank Found the Right Fintech Partner
Community bank OMB Bank struggled with a slow, manual process to locate fintech partners, relying on static PDFs and endless email threads. The bank’s breakthrough came when it discovered Backpack, a university‑payments fintech listed on Treasury Prime’s AI Marketplace, which...
The New Rationale of the EU PV Market
Solar photovoltaic installations continued strong growth in 2025, with Europe reaching a record 70 GW and global cumulative installations surpassing 700 GW, led primarily by China’s over‑half share. The market is increasingly bifurcated: mature regions stagnate while emerging economies accelerate, and battery...
STAT+: BridgeBio Drug for Genetic Cause of Dwarfism Succeeds in Key Study
BridgeBio Pharma's oral drug infigratinib met its primary endpoint in a pivotal trial of more than 100 children with achondroplasia, delivering an average growth increase of 2.1 cm per year versus placebo. Adjusted analysis showed a 1.74 cm per year advantage, both...
Tesla Set to Launch Vehicle-to-Grid Programme in the US
Tesla will roll out its first vehicle‑to‑grid program in the United States, starting with Cybertruck owners in select Texas markets served by CenterPoint Energy and Oncor. The Powershare Grid Support Program lets participants earn energy‑bill credits by feeding power back...
USA Labor Market Report Underpins Energy Demand
Rystad Energy highlighted that January U.S. non‑farm payrolls increased by 130,000, pushing the unemployment rate down to 4.3% and surpassing consensus expectations. The stronger labor market is viewed as a modest tailwind for demand for transport fuels, petrochemicals and power...
Fireweed, RRDC Sign Exploration Accord
Fireweed Metals Corp. has signed an exploration and collaboration agreement with the Ross River Dena Council (RRDC) that obligates the company to obtain free, prior and informed consent before advancing its Mactung tungsten and Macpass zinc‑lead‑silver projects in eastern Yukon....
Embridge Consulting Introduces “Elastic Change” To Tackle Why ERP and Transformation Projects Fail
Embridge Consulting launched the Elastic Change framework to address the high failure rate of ERP and digital transformation projects. The model replaces rigid, project‑led approaches with a flexible structure that scales with organisational maturity and emphasizes emotionally intelligent leadership. By...
Industrial AI: Essential Strategies for Transformation
Claudio Fayad outlines three core strategies for industrial AI adoption: modernize legacy automation without halting production, fuse IT and OT functions to create a unified data pipeline, and implement a robust data‑fabric to centralize real‑time information. By layering AI on...
Grok Is Now Editing Itself
The episode examines Grokipedia, Elon Musk’s AI‑generated Wikipedia alternative, and reveals that its chatbot Grok has become the primary editor, submitting and approving over three‑quarters of all suggested changes. Analysis by the Tow Center shows Grok’s self‑editing surged in December,...
These Net-Firing Drone Hunters Will Nab Rogue Drones over FIFA Stadiums
Fortem Technologies secured a multimillion‑dollar Department of Homeland Security contract to protect the 2026 FIFA World Cup venues with its net‑based DroneHunter interceptors. The company will deploy TrueView R30 radar, SkyDome command software, and kinetic net‑capture drones, marking its second...
Develop:Star Awards Submissions Open
Develop's Star Awards for 2025 open submissions, running until 3 April 2026. The ceremony will be held on 15 July at the Brighton Dome, showcasing 18 award categories, including the newly added Best Ongoing Game. Entry is free and studios of any size...
Animation Reveals Design of O’Hare International Airport Concourse D
Chicago released a two‑minute animation unveiling the $1.3 billion Concourse D, part of the ORDNext terminal redevelopment. The new concourse, designed by SOM, Ross Barney, Juan Gabriel Moreno Architects and Arup, will feature 19 flexible gates, skylit multi‑level spaces, lounges, retail and landscaped views of...
Fairmont Makes Vietnam Debut with Hanoi Property
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has launched its first Vietnamese property, Fairmont Hanoi, a luxury hotel in the city’s Old Quarter. The 241‑room hotel features 38 Fairmont Gold rooms, 12 suites, and a flagship Presidential Suite blending Art Deco and Vietnamese...
PHX Launches Early Bag Check Service
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) launched an Early Bag Check service on February 11, allowing travelers to drop off luggage before reaching the terminal. The free service, operated by Bags, is available for domestic flights on Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier,...
Stage Two of Roadmap to Support Growth and Development of Programmatic TV in Europe Underway
The European Programmatic TV Initiative (EPTVI) has launched Stage Two of its roadmap, moving from strategic planning to concrete solutions for scaling programmatic TV across Europe. The new phase will produce three core deliverables – North Star principles, reusable core...
Dartsee Helps Players Level up with New Darts Class Game
Dartsee, a leader in interactive social gaming, has launched Darts Class, its 13th game designed to let players practice and improve their dart skills. The new mode offers three difficulty levels and two gameplay modes, with targets that shrink and...
AI UGC for Marketing Teams: Definition, Benefits, and How To Use It
Artificial intelligence is reshaping user‑generated content (UGC) for marketing teams, turning raw consumer footage into polished ad assets at scale. AI‑driven platforms now analyze performance data, generate scripts, and edit videos, enabling brands to launch authentic creatives within hours instead...
Soft Power and the Race to the Moon: Why Cislunar Norms Are the Next Hill to Hold
The United States is positioning cislunar space as the next geopolitical arena, leveraging NASA’s Artemis program and the Artemis Accords to set soft‑power norms. Cislunar real estate near the lunar south pole is scarce, and early standards for communications, navigation,...
All Upgrades in Mewgenics and How to Get Them
Mewgenics features a tiered upgrade system tied to seven NPCs, each requiring specific cat submissions such as zone‑progress cats, injured felines, or retired adventurers. Upgrades range from inventory expansion and house enlargement to specialized breeding data and item recovery. Players...
Elegancia MEP Wins Damascus Project
Elegancia MEP, a subsidiary of Estithmar Holding, secured the contract to deliver mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP) and extra low voltage (ELV) systems for Damascus International Airport’s Terminal 2. The scope includes HVAC, power distribution, fire‑fighting, surveillance, control and plumbing installations designed...
Anthropic To Help Pay For Data Centre Grid Costs
Anthropic announced it will cover the grid costs associated with its AI data centres, partnering with utilities to estimate and offset residential electricity price hikes. The company will also finance infrastructure upgrades, invest in new power generation, and implement demand‑response...
Here's How a Shutdown Would Affect DHS Agencies
Congress faces a looming partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security as the two‑week stopgap expires Friday. Without a deal, agencies such as the Coast Guard, CISA, TSA, Secret Service and FEMA would see non‑essential staff furloughed and essential...
7 Million Cancers A Year Are Preventable, Says New Report
A new WHO‑backed study in Nature Medicine estimates that 7 million cancer cases each year—about 37 % of the global burden—are preventable. Tobacco, infections and alcohol together account for roughly 25 % of all cancers, with tobacco alone responsible for 3.3 million cases. The...
T-Pain Drops Buffalo Wild Wings-Themed Anthem to Promote LTO
Buffalo Wild Wings teamed with Grammy‑winning artist T‑Pain to launch a brand‑specific anthem, “Let’s Go Buffalo Wild (A Pick 6 Love Song),” promoting its new Pick 6 Meal for Two. The meal bundle, priced at $19.99 nationally, includes two entrées, two sides,...
Europe Debates Future Ties with US: Decouple or Double Down?
Europe is split on its future relationship with the United States under President Trump. Eastern European NATO members such as Romania and Lithuania argue for tighter security cooperation and participation in the critical‑minerals ministerial, citing Russian aggression. In contrast, France,...
Framestore Aims to Revolutionise Production with AI Platform
Framestore has teamed up with i*wot studios, the creators behind Amazon’s The Wheel of Time, to develop an AI‑enabled platform that unifies production workflows across film, TV, animation, immersive experiences, social media, user‑generated content and gaming. The platform will consolidate...
IIAs 2026 | Sensirion’s Expansion in Debrecen, Hungary
Swiss sensor specialist Sensirion expanded its Debrecen, Hungary facility, earning the top award for Europe’s most impactful small operational project. The plant, originally opened in 2021, added capacity through a 2023‑24 expansion and is projected to create 200 jobs by...
IIAs 2026 | SK’s Expansion in Dąbrowa Górnicza, Poland
South Korean conglomerate SK Group’s battery separator plant in Dąbrowa Górnicza, Poland, was named the second‑most impactful operational mega project in Europe for 2026. The €4.4 bn investment has created more than 1,200 jobs and strengthens Europe’s battery supply chain amid rising...
IIAs 2026 | CATL’s Gigafactory in Debrecen, Hungary
Chinese battery giant CATL is investing €7.34 bn to build a gigafactory in Debrecen, Hungary, the country’s largest greenfield project. The company has already assembled over 120,000 battery modules in a rented facility and aims to start lithium‑ion cell production in...
IIAs 2026 | Harro Höfliger’s Expansion in Debrecen, Hungary
Harro Höfliger, a German machinery maker, is expanding its Debrecen plant with a €15 million investment, creating 100 jobs. The project follows the 2024 acquisition of Manz’s Hungarian operations and was ranked the second most impactful small‑scale FDI in the 2026 Investment...
IIAs 2026 | Copeland’s Site Expansion in Cookstown, Northern Ireland
US‑based climate‑tech firm Copeland announced a £19 million expansion of its Cookstown, Northern Ireland factory, adding a new production line for heat‑pump compressors. The investment, the most impactful small‑sized project in Europe according to the 2026 Investment Impact Awards, is projected...
IIAs 2026 | Smart Solar Technologies’ Solar Module Factory in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
Smart Solar Technologies, a Turkish cleantech firm, announced a €122 million investment to build a solar cell and module factory in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. The plant will target 1,500 MW of wafer, cell and module output and is expected to generate more than...