As China prepares to mark the Year of the Horse on Feb. 17, 2026, Harry Potter character Draco Malfoy has unexpectedly become a Lunar New Year emblem across the country. The craze stems from the Mandarin transliteration of his surname, 马尔福 (Mǎ ěr fú), whose characters include 马 (horse) and 福 (fortune), lending auspicious connotations for the Year of the Horse. Images and videos on platforms such as Douyin and Xiaohongshu show households and shopping malls displaying red couplets, fu squares and large banners bearing Malfoy’s face; merchants on Taobao are selling themed posters and stickers, sometimes priced as low as 11 yuan. Clips explaining the trend have attracted hundreds of thousands to millions of views. Actor Tom Felton, who played Draco and recently returned to the role on Broadway, reshared posts noting the phenomenon. The surge underscores Harry Potter’s deep popularity in China—estimated at hundreds of millions of book sales—and comes as Warner Bros and partners plan a large “Making of” Harry Potter studio tour in Shanghai expected to open in 2027.

The first of two sexual-assault trials against billionaire Frank Stronach was delayed in Toronto on Feb. 3, 2026, after his defence asked for more time to review “voluminous” new disclosure, including six videotaped statements provided since mid-January. Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy granted an adjournment and ordered parties to reconvene on Thursday; the Crown did not oppose the request. The judge-alone trial in Toronto covers 12 charges involving seven complainants, with alleged offences dated between 1977 and 1990; identities of complainants are protected by a publication ban. Stronach, 93, has pleaded not guilty. Peel Regional Police initially charged him in June 2024 with 18 offences involving 13 complainants; that matter was split into two proceedings, with a separate jury trial in Newmarket, Ontario, to follow later in 2026 and related to other allegations, some as recent as 2023. Stronach is the founder of Magna International and the Stronach Group; he has denied the allegations and Magna says he has had no ties to the company since leaving its board in 2012.

A young male tiger that trekked south from Maharashtra has been roaming populated and fringe areas of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh since mid-January, killing livestock and prompting large-scale tracking and capture efforts by forest authorities. Sightings and camera-trap images were reported across Yadadri‑Bhongir (near Hyderabad), Rajapet, Nalgonda and parts of East Godavari (Rajamahendravaram). Officials say the animal has killed and partly fed on multiple calves and cows — reports cite around 8–10 livestock losses in affected pockets — and has been spotted near highways and villages, sparking public fear. State forest departments have deployed teams and equipment from multiple locations: tranquilliser and rescue teams from Pune, zoo veterinarians from Visakhapatnam and Tirupati, radio collars from Uttarakhand, thermal drones and infrared cameras from Mumbai, plus patrols and trap cages. Authorities have issued night‑time movement advisories, asked residents to safeguard cattle sheds and avoid crowding kill sites, and involved police to manage public order. Efforts aim to safely capture and relocate the tiger in line with National Tiger Conservation Authority protocols while monitoring its movement across state borders (Feb 3–5, 2026).

Australia’s opposition remained deadlocked this week as the Nationals sent Opposition Leader Sussan Ley a counterproposal aimed at buying time before she appoints a permanent, Liberal-only shadow frontbench. Ley has demanded the three Nationals senators who crossed the floor on Labor’s hate‑law reforms — Bridget McKenzie, Ross Cadell and Susan McDonald — be sidelined from the frontbench for six months and that the Coalition reaffirm the principle of shadow‑cabinet solidarity and that neither party can overturn shadow‑cabinet decisions. The three resigned their frontbench roles after voting against the agreed shadow‑cabinet position on January 22. Nationals leader David Littleproud says those senators must be reinstated and has refused to accept Ley’s conditions, while some Liberals, including Dan Tehan, have urged flexibility on timing. Ley initially set a hard deadline for reunification ahead of next week’s parliamentary sitting and briefly extended an immediate midday deadline to 9am the following day, but has warned she will fast‑track an all‑Liberal ministry if no deal is reached. Internal Liberal factional tensions persist, with leadership rivals debating whether to soften Ley’s timetable.

A police helicopter from the Arizona Department of Public Safety crashed late on Feb. 4–5 near an active officer-involved shooting in the Flagstaff/Page area of northern Arizona, authorities and local media reported. Residents heard multiple rounds of gunfire beginning at about 8:40 p.m. local time and later reported hearing the helicopter overhead; witnesses said the aircraft went down in flames shortly after 10 p.m., sparking a fire in nearby woodland. Police in Page said the shooting suspect was taken into custody and that no officers were injured in the ground confrontation. Flagstaff police issued a shelter-in-place advisory for a neighborhood north of historic Route 66 (between West Route 66, Mark Lane and South Thompson Road) and asked the public to avoid the area while investigators worked. Officials have not released details on how many people were aboard the helicopter or whether there were fatalities or injuries from the crash; investigations are ongoing.

Lando Norris, the reigning Formula One world champion, says George Russell has been left “giddy” and more determined to take the title from him after Norris clinched his maiden crown in Abu Dhabi. Norris, who will carry the number one on his McLaren for the first time when the season opens in Melbourne on March 8, beat Max Verstappen by two points last year as McLaren also secured back-to-back constructors’ titles. He warned that Mercedes, and Russell in particular, appear to have started the new regulatory era strongly and are regarded by bookmakers as pre‑season favourites. Norris said his triumph had created extra hunger among peers but stressed he remains motivated to defend the championship. Drivers face a major technical reset this season — new hybrid power units, a push‑to‑pass boost and fresh battery-management challenges witnessed in Barcelona testing — while teams continue final preparations with tests in Bahrain ahead of the opener.

Flash Eurostat data for January 2026 showed euro area annual inflation falling to 1.7%, down from 2.0% in December and beneath the European Central Bank’s 2% target. Core inflation, excluding food and energy, eased to 2.2% — its weakest since October 2021 — while monthly consumer prices contracted 0.5%, the steepest decline since November 2023. Services inflation slowed to 3.2%; energy prices plunged 4.1% and non-energy industrial goods rose just 0.4%. National estimates diverged: Germany about 2.1%, Italy 1.0%, France near 0.4% and Slovakia at 4.2%. Markets reacted modestly, the euro steady around $1.18 and bond yields little changed, while swap markets priced only a slim chance of an ECB rate cut later this year. Policymakers are widely expected to keep the policy rate on hold at the first Governing Council meeting, though analysts flag risks from weak domestic demand, a stronger euro and falling energy costs that could push inflation below target and complicate the ECB’s medium-term outlook.

Swindon Town have been expelled from the EFL (Vertu) Trophy and fined £40,000 after an Independent Disciplinary Commission found the League Two side fielded two ineligible players in their January last-16 victory over Luton Town. The commission voided Swindon’s 2-1 win and reinstated Luton to the quarter-finals. Captain Ollie Clarke took part while serving a multi-match suspension and Aaron Drinan appeared as a substitute despite not being on the official teamsheet. The sanction includes £20,000 of the fine suspended provided there is no repeat before the end of the 2026–27 season; the Football Association had earlier issued a separate £1,000 fine. Swindon say they checked the FA disciplinary portal and that the EFL Trophy was not shown as a first-team fixture on the portal, citing technical and connectivity issues at Kenilworth Road that complicated in-game corrections. Manager Ian Holloway publicly criticised the handling of the ban and process; the club expressed disappointment and said it would review procedures. Luton will now host Plymouth Argyle in the quarter-final tie, which has been postponed from its original February 10 date pending a new scheduling announcement.

German industrial orders jumped 7.8% in December from November on a seasonally and calendar-adjusted basis, the biggest monthly increase in two years, official Destatis data and Reuters reporting showed on Feb. 5, 2026. The headline rise was driven by volatile large-scale contracts; excluding those, new orders still rose 0.9% month-on-month. Strong gains were recorded in fabricated metal products (up about 30.2%) and machinery and equipment (around 11.5%), with computer and electronic products also showing growth. By contrast, orders in the automotive sector and other transport equipment fell. Domestic demand surged (roughly +10.7%) while foreign orders climbed about 5.6%; non-euro zone demand rose faster than intra-euro zone. November’s provisional figure was revised slightly higher to +5.7%. A three-month on three-month comparison showed new orders in Q4 2025 up 9.5% versus Q3, suggesting a broader upward trend rather than a single-month spike.

South Australia Police on Feb. 5, 2026 declared the disappearance of four-year-old Gus Lamont a "major crime" and said a person who lived at the family’s Oak Park Station homestead has been identified as a suspect. Gus vanished on Sept. 27, 2025 from the remote sheep station near Yunta. Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke said investigators had uncovered inconsistencies in accounts provided by household members and that the person who withdrew cooperation is now considered a suspect; he emphasised neither of Gus’s parents are suspects. Police executed a search warrant at the property on Jan. 14-15, seizing a vehicle, a motorcycle and electronic devices for forensic examination, and searched multiple locations around the station on Feb. 2. Authorities have scaled back earlier theories that Gus simply wandered off or was abducted after exhaustive land and aerial searches — including drains of dams and inspections of mine shafts — found no trace. The suspect and other family members have obtained legal representation. No charges have been laid and Taskforce Horizon says investigations and targeted searches will continue as new information emerges.

Cristiano Ronaldo has escalated a dispute with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr in early February 2026 after he did not feature in the club’s 1-0 win over Al Riyadh and has threatened to miss a second successive match against Al Ittihad. Sources say the 40‑year‑old (turning 41 on Feb. 5) is angry at how the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has overseen transfer activity across its portfolio of clubs, citing Al-Hilal’s deadline-day signing of Karim Benzema as a tipping point. Ronaldo trained with the squad this week but has linked any return to guarantees over Al-Nassr’s sporting autonomy and future investment. He signed a two‑year extension last summer that reportedly runs to 2027 and carries a release clause near €50m; media reports put his annual pay among the highest in sport. Al‑Nassr sit one point behind PIF‑backed rivals Al‑Hilal in the title race. The standoff has prompted internal suspensions at Al‑Nassr, a club media blackout and renewed speculation that Ronaldo could seek a June exit, with Europe or MLS among suggested destinations.

Officials in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi prefecture, said on Feb. 3, 2026 they will not stage the annual Arakurayama Sengen Park cherry blossom festival this spring, citing threats to residents’ daily lives from surging visitor numbers. The decade-old event, which can draw about 200,000 people during peak season to photograph Mount Fuji framed by blossoms and a five-storey pagoda, has been overwhelmed in recent years by a record inbound tourism boom — Japan saw roughly 42.7 million visitors in 2025 — fuelled in part by a weak yen and viral social media images. City officials and Mayor Shigeru Horiuchi pointed to chronic traffic jams, sanitation problems including trespassing and instances of people relieving themselves in private gardens, safety concerns for children on narrow pavements, and other nuisance behaviour. Authorities warned that cancelling the official festival will not fully stop crowds at the popular viewpoint and plan stepped-up security, temporary parking and portable toilets; nearby municipalities have previously trialled measures such as view-blocking barriers, hiker entry fees and daily caps to manage impacts.

Sky has revealed the full cast and launch plans for Saturday Night Live UK, the first official British incarnation of NBC’s long-running late-night sketch show. The six-episode Sky Original will premiere live from London on March 21 and will also stream on NOW. Eleven up-and-coming British performers make up the inaugural ensemble: Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres, Ania Magliano, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep, Emma Sidi and Paddy Young. Lorne Michaels, creator and long-time producer of US SNL, is serving as executive producer; James Longman is lead producer for the UK series. Episodes will be written and rehearsed during the week, broadcast live with a different guest host and musical guest each Saturday, and will include a British take on the show’s signature “Weekend Update” satire. Sky says writers and additional creative team details will be announced soon. The launch aims to translate the US format’s track record for discovering comic talent into a distinctly British context.

A large fire broke out on the morning of Feb. 5, 2026 at the GSI Helmholtz Centre in Darmstadt, south-west Germany, authorities said. Firefighters brought the blaze under control but said extinguishing work could continue into the evening. The fire reportedly started in the area housing the centre's heavy-ion particle accelerator, prompting police and emergency teams to assess whether hazardous substances were released. There were no reported injuries and the institute was not immediately reachable for comment. Images showed heavy smoke pouring from the building and nearby residents were advised to keep doors and windows shut and to turn off ventilation systems where possible. Officials said the cause of the blaze remained unclear and investigations were underway. The GSI facility, which conducts accelerator-based research using heavy ions such as gold and lead, is a key site for experimental physics and international collaborations.

Armed gunmen attacked the remote Kwara state villages of Woro and Nuku on Feb. 4-5, 2026, killing scores of residents in one of the deadliest assaults in recent months. Local lawmakers and the Red Cross put the death toll at between 162 and 170, while some rights groups and outlets reported higher figures. Witnesses and officials said attackers rounded up villagers, bound some victims and executed them, then torched homes, shops and the traditional ruler’s palace; the village king’s whereabouts were initially unknown. Authorities blamed “terrorist cells,” with several reporters and analysts pointing to IS-affiliated Lakurawa militants or Boko Haram factions, though no group has publicly claimed responsibility. The raids occurred in an isolated area near Nigeria’s border with Benin and Niger, complicating relief access. President Bola Tinubu ordered an army battalion deployed to Kaiama district to secure the area; the incidents come amid intensified military operations in Kwara and a wider spike in attacks, including a separate strike in Katsina state that killed more than a dozen people. The United States has also stepped up engagement, sending a small team and conducting strikes on IS-linked targets late last year.

Vice President J.D. Vance will lead President Donald Trump’s delegation to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina and immediately thereafter travel to Armenia and Azerbaijan to bolster a White House-brokered peace deal, U.S. officials said on Feb. 5, 2026. The weeklong trip includes second lady Usha Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta, alongside former Olympic athletes. Vance plans to attend the U.S. women’s hockey preliminary game against Czechia and the Games’ opening ceremony. The Armenia-Azerbaijan leg is aimed at building on an accord intended to end decades of conflict, reopen key transport routes and create a transit corridor — dubbed the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” — linking Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave. The White House frames the visit as reinforcing U.S. ties and economic and energy cooperation in the South Caucasus at a moment of waning Russian influence. The trip comes amid a narrower schedule for senior U.S. officials as the administration focuses on domestic politics ahead of November elections.

China’s clean-energy industries drove a large share of the country’s 2025 growth even as Beijing continued to greenlight coal projects, underscoring a deep contradiction in its power strategy. A Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air analysis found clean-energy sectors — led by solar, batteries and electric vehicles — generated a record 15.4 trillion yuan (about $2.1–2.2 trillion) in output in 2025, roughly 11.4% of GDP, and accounted for more than one-third of growth and over 90% of investment growth. China added record renewable capacity in 2025 (official figures cited roughly 315 GW of solar and 119 GW of wind), bringing solar capacity to about 1,200 GW by year-end. At the same time, roughly 78 GW of new coal capacity came online in 2025, more than 50 large 1 GW-plus units were commissioned, and hundreds of gigawatts remain permitted or under construction. Authorities say new coal plants are insurance for grid reliability after past shortages; critics warn the build-out risks locking in emissions, stranded assets and complicating the global emissions trajectory as the world watches China’s next five-year plan.

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has named Dublin-born architect Niall McLaughlin the recipient of the 2026 Royal Gold Medal, the institute announced on Jan. 29, 2026. RIBA’s honours jury praised McLaughlin for work “shaped by a deep sensitivity to place,” citing a consistent, human-centred approach across diverse projects. Notable works referenced include the Bandstand at Bexhill (2001), the Alzheimer’s Respite Centre in Dublin (2011), Bishop Edward King Chapel in Oxford (2013) and the New Library at Magdalene College, Cambridge (2021), which won the 2022 Stirling Prize. McLaughlin, born in Geneva in 1962 and educated at University College Dublin, has taught at The Bartlett for more than 25 years and held posts at UCLA and Yale. The jury highlighted his Darbishire Place housing revival for Peabody (2014) as particularly relevant to future social housing design. McLaughlin, who received an honorary MBE in 2020, has also advocated for transparency in hours and pay and for mental-health openness within the profession.

A wave of coordinated and localised strikes is disrupting services across France in February 2026, with rolling notices and targeted walkouts scheduled through mid- and late-year. Public transport action includes an ongoing weekly stoppage in Rouen announced to run until June 27, and a day-long halt to buses and trams in Le Mans. Ferry crews at Corsica Linea and La Méridionale launched an indefinite strike on Feb. 2, causing severe disruption to Marseille‑Corsica‑North Africa crossings and port blockades. Cultural and tourism services have been hit by prolonged action at the Louvre, which began in December and may be ending after unions present a draft deal; the museum reportedly lost roughly €400,000 per day when closed. Education unions have filed notices covering Lyon, Lille and primary schools in Bouches‑du‑Rhône through early March, while CGT Enseignement Privé has a nationwide notice to mid‑July. National public‑sector notices include Solidaires Fonction Publique through March 31 and CGT for public finances (DGFiP) through June 30, enabling intermittent action at tax offices and administrative services. The patchwork of notices means variable, often short‑notice disruption to transport, public services, schools and cultural sites.

France is entering a mixed weather spell as February school holidays approach. Heavy January snowfall left mountains well supplied: Southern Alps saw up to 70cm in 24 hours, while mid-winter totals at 2,000m range from about 70–185cm across southern and northern Alpine massifs. The Pyrenees report seasonal totals up to 414cm in places and around 150cm at Grand Tourmalet’s ski areas. Météo‑France has placed the Alps, Pyrénées and Corsican mountains under yellow avalanche alert. At the same time, a mild but unsettled pattern through Feb. 2–6 has brought repeated Atlantic fronts and heavy rain, keeping flood risk elevated in western regions—several Breton rivers (including the Odet, Laïta, Oust, Blavet and lower Vilaine) are under low-level alerts—and locally stormy showers are expected from Provence to the Cévennes. Temperatures are forecast near or above seasonal norms (locally up to 15°C in the southwest) and a previously forecast February cold snap now looks unlikely. Resorts are updating webcams and snow reports as holiday travel from Feb. 7 (Zone A) begins; authorities warn of avalanche danger and possible localized flooding and transport disruption.

A new Irish Times/Ipsos B&A face-to-face poll, conducted across 120 sampling points between Jan. 30 and Feb. 3 with 1,200 interviews (±2.8%), shows Sinn Féin remains the largest single party but has slipped to 24% (down 3 points). Fianna Fáil recovered to 19% (up 2) and Fine Gael stands at 18% (no change). Smaller parties include the Social Democrats on 7% (up 2), Labour 4% (down 2), the Greens 4% (up 1) and Independent Ireland 4% (up 2). Independents/others total 16%, while undecided voters rose to 27% (up 4). Satisfaction with the coalition government is reported at 30%, the lowest since 2020. Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s personal rating rebounded to 37% (up 4), and 79% of Fianna Fáil voters want him to remain leader, despite a majority of all expressed voters saying he should step down. A separate Ireland Thinks poll published earlier showed lower Sinn Féin support (around 20%), underscoring variation across surveys. The findings point to a fragmented field with many undecided voters and a continuing weak public view of the government’s performance.