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Feb 15 2026FINANCE

Big Bitcoin Shake‑Up: How Wall Street Options Took the Spotlight

When Bitcoin slipped to about $60, 000 in February, the move didn’t just shake online exchanges; it sent a huge wave through U. S. markets. A single day saw the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) trade over 284 million shares, worth more than $10 billion in notional terms. Even more striking was the optio

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Feb 15 2026HEALTH

China Adds Risk‑Based Payments for Tough TB Cases

In China, treating tuberculosis that resists standard drugs is harder and costs more than usual cases. Until recently, the national payment system did not account for this extra difficulty. A pilot city in 2022 changed that rule by adding a risk adjustment to its diagnosis‑intervention packet pay

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Feb 15 2026ENVIRONMENT

Climate Resilience Becomes Core Business in 2026

Corporate leaders are shifting focus from just cutting emissions to actually preparing for the storms and heat waves that are becoming more common. Recent discussions in boardrooms reveal that weather surprises can damage factories, disrupt delivery routes and make workers less productive. The

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Feb 15 2026EDUCATION

Students Gain Real‑World Skills Through School Business Club

Valley High’s business club, DECA, is turning ordinary classes into real‑world training. The club has grown fast in its third year, thanks to teacher Nick DeFrancesco’s guidance. Students meet after school and sometimes more often, practicing role‑plays and case studies that mimic real busines

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Feb 15 2026OPINION

Parents Decide: Why Louisiana Should Fund the GATOR Program

The idea is simple: parents should guide their children’s schooling, not the state. Louisiana lawmakers are urged to approve Governor Landry’s request for full funding of the GATOR initiative, a popular school‑choice program. Last year, the Senate President hesitated to meet the budget request, but

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Feb 15 2026OPINION

Neighbors United: How Two Maine Towns Showed Love and Action

The recent winter brought more than snow to Lewiston and Portland. A sudden increase in ICE patrols sparked fear among immigrant families, especially those from Somalia, Afghanistan, the Congo, Angola and Ukraine. Their worries were clear in hushed conversations and hurried steps through town street

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Feb 15 2026OPINION

Kansas Tax Cuts Show Why Spending Matters

In 2012, Kansas lawmakers slashed income‑tax brackets and even set the rate for many small businesses to zero. The plan sounded like a boost for growth, but it left the state’s coffers thin. By 2014, general‑fund receipts had dropped by about $600 million – a hit that the state could not recover wit

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Feb 15 2026POLITICS

A Fresh Look at the Upcoming GOP Race

Senator Dan Foreman faces a tough challenge from Rep. Lori McCann in the next primary. McCann has already proven she can win close contests, beating him by 200 votes in a three‑way race two years ago. In that same year, Foreman won by about 400 votes. The real test is the general election.

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Feb 15 2026SPORTS

When a Sports Columnist Gets Stuck

The period right after the Super Bowl is a tough patch for Chicago sports writers. No Bulls are in the NBA All‑Star Game, the NHL is on a break for winter events, and the Cubs and White Sox are still in Arizona warming up. With no big local stories or national drama to chew on, the usual routi

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Feb 15 2026SPORTS

College Sports in a New Money Game

Washington State University is now part of a fast‑moving world where athletes can earn money and transfer schools at will. The old rules that kept players in one place for years have been replaced by a free‑market system. Players can now enter the transfer portal and move whenever they want, as long

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