February 18, 2026, Wednesday, Lunar New Year’s Day 2, Good morning!

1. The total domestic reach of the 2026 Spring Festival Gala on the main media platform reached 23.063 billion times, a year-on-year increase of 37.3%. The live broadcast share of the national TV market was 79.29%, a 13-year high, while online viewership peaked at over 400 million people.

2. The cold wave is easing, with a reduction in rain and snow coverage across the country, and the central and eastern regions entering a warming phase.

3. The total box office for the 2026 Spring Festival film season exceeded 1.5 billion yuan, with "Flying Life 3" ranking first.

4. Off-season hotel prices: 98 yuan during Spring Festival, soaring to 963 yuan! Netizens called the price hike in Xishuangbanna outrageous, and local authorities responded that the prices are market-regulated and promised increased patrols.

5. Spot gold fell below $4,900, down 1.88% intraday, while spot silver dropped over 4% within the day.

6. A sightseeing boat capsized in Chuxiong, Yunnan, resulting in 4 people drowning, of whom 2 have been confirmed dead, and 2 are receiving treatment at the hospital.

7. Kimi has raised over $1.2 billion in consecutive funding rounds, with valuation doubling to surpass $10 billion.

8. A mine collapse in northern Myanmar caused unknown casualties; approximately 50 people were at the site, some survived, but the number of missing persons has not yet been confirmed.

9. The UK signed a clean energy agreement with California, USA, which Trump was very unhappy about: they are “not suitable” for dealing with each other.

10. Israel launched a new land registration in the West Bank, nationalizing Palestinian land, prompting a joint statement from eight foreign ministers condemning the move.

11. Syria repatriated relatives of ISIS militants, but Australia “refused to accept” them.

12. Iranian Foreign Minister: Iran and the US reached an agreement on guiding principles in the second round of negotiations; Iran announced that parts of the Strait of Hormuz will be closed for several hours! The US is deploying 18 F-35 fighter jets to the Middle East.

【Heartfelt Words】No matter what age a person reaches, remember: those who speak slowly are noble, those with gentle temperaments are wealthy, and those with profound virtue are prosperous. Allow yourself to be yourself, allow others to be themselves. Live in the present, and you live in the moment. Do not think about those on the shore when you are on the boat, nor worry about the boat when you disembark. Do not cultivate yourself in others’ hearts, nor force others in your own heart. -- Kazuo Inamori