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Russia has stated that its troops have captured the village of Tsvetkove in the Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine.

On February 15th, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Galuzin stated that Russia is willing to discuss the possibility of introducing a UN-led interim external governance mechanism into Ukraine with the United States, Europe, and other regional countries. Galuzin stated that this approach would allow Ukraine to hold democratic elections and produce a government with governing capacity capable of signing peace treaties and other legitimate treaties related to international cooperation. Similar precedents have been set in UN peacekeeping operations. In March 2025, Russian President Putin stated that this was a feasible option. Galuzin also indicated that the possibility of such an approach has not been publicly discussed recently.

February 15th news: The fourth issue of Qiushi magazine, to be published on February 16th, will carry an important article by Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the People's Republic of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, entitled "Key Tasks of Current Economic Work." The article points out that it is necessary to adhere to the bottom line and actively and steadily resolve risks in key areas. Strengthen the coordination between risk prevention and development promotion policies to further enhance development resilience. Focus on stabilizing the real estate market, implementing city-specific policies to control new supply, reduce inventory, and optimize supply, encouraging the acquisition of existing commercial housing for the purpose of affordable housing, etc. Deepen the reform of the housing provident fund system, orderly promote the construction of "good houses," and accelerate the construction of a new model for real estate development. Actively and orderly resolve local government debt risks, urging local governments to proactively resolve their debts. Optimize debt restructuring and replacement methods, and take multiple measures to resolve the operational debt risks of local government financing platforms.

February 15th news: The fourth issue of Qiushi magazine, to be published on February 16th, will carry an important article by Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the People's Republic of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, entitled "Key Tasks of Current Economic Work." The article points out that it is necessary to persist in reform and strengthen the driving force and vitality of high-quality development. This includes formulating regulations for the construction of a unified national market, thoroughly addressing "involutionary" competition, and creating a sound market ecosystem. It also includes formulating and implementing a plan to further deepen the reform of state-owned assets and enterprises, and improving supporting regulations and policies for the Law on Promoting the Private Economy. Furthermore, it calls for accelerating the clearing of overdue payments to enterprises, promoting win-win development for platform enterprises and their operators and workers, expanding pilot projects for market-oriented reforms of factors of production, optimizing the structure of fiscal transfer payments, and improving the local tax system. Finally, it emphasizes further promoting the reduction and improvement of small and medium-sized financial institutions and continuously deepening the comprehensive reform of investment and financing in the capital market.

February 15th news: The fourth issue of Qiushi magazine, to be published on February 16th, will carry an important article by Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the People's Republic of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, entitled "Key Tasks of Current Economic Work." The article points out that it is necessary to adhere to innovation-driven development and accelerate the cultivation and expansion of new growth drivers. It emphasizes adhering to the principle of using scientific and technological innovation to lead industrial upgrading and continuously generate new quality productivity. It calls for formulating an integrated plan to promote the development of education, science and technology talent. It also emphasizes building international science and technology innovation centers in Beijing (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region), Shanghai (Yangtze River Delta region), and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, creating world-class sources of scientific and technological innovation. Furthermore, it stresses strengthening the leading role of enterprises in innovation, supporting the expansion of application demonstrations of new technologies, new products, and new scenarios, improving the intellectual property protection system in emerging fields, and accelerating the transformation of scientific and technological achievements. The article also calls for formulating an action plan to expand and improve the service industry, implementing a new round of high-quality development action for key industrial chains, deepening and expanding "artificial intelligence +", improving artificial intelligence governance, and innovating science and technology financial services.

On February 15th, the Equipment Industry Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology organized the National Automotive Standardization Technical Committee to revise the mandatory national standard "Marking of Automotive Control Components, Indicators and Signaling Devices." A draft for public comment has been completed and will be released soon. The document explicitly requires that turn signal lights, window operation, and activation of combined driver assistance systems should be equipped with physical control components. This document replaces GB 4094—2016 "Marking of Automotive Control Components, Indicators and Signaling Devices." This revision adds new types and technical requirements for physical control components, aiming to improve driving safety, ensure that key control components are accessible, usable, and largely blind-operable during driving, allowing drivers to perceive the triggering results of control components without overly relying on visual cues, reducing distractions caused by display screens, and further ensuring the reliability and effectiveness of control components. Other modifications and additions include: changing the scope of application of the standard, deleting descriptions inapplicable to electric vehicles, adding requirements for the display level and visibility of signs, and adding a power battery fault signal device sign, etc.

Musk: As far as I can imagine for the future, Tesla (TSLA.O) will have the largest fleet of self-driving cars.

February 15th - According to foreign media reports, the Central Bank of Tajikistan plans to launch a project this year. Its operation is simple: customers pay for the selected gold bars using their bank cards and can directly withdraw physical gold from the machine. Some machines will also offer a gold buyback function. Currently, gold ATMs are already in operation in the UAE and South Korea, mainly located in airports and shopping malls. Since 2017, gold bars have been sold at the Central Bank of Tajikistan's Dushanbe headquarters and several commercial banks. The report states that the launch of this gold ATM service aims to simplify the gold purchase process, improving convenience by eliminating queues and cumbersome procedures. The governor of the Central Bank revealed that approximately 200 kilograms of gold bars, worth about $23.74 million, will be sold by 2025. The main customer base is ordinary residents who view gold as a savings tool.

The China Earthquake Networks Center officially reported that a magnitude 3.1 earthquake occurred at 14:19 on February 15 in Wenchuan County, Aba Prefecture, Sichuan Province (30.87 degrees north latitude, 103.32 degrees east longitude), with a focal depth of 10 kilometers.

February 15th - According to Delos Intelligence, Beijing TV officially announced that the Lingbao CASBOT robot band will be featured in the 2026 Beijing TV Spring Festival Gala.

The local governor stated that the port of Taman in Russia's Krasnodar region was attacked by drones. Oil storage tanks, warehouses, and docks at Taman port were damaged in the drone attack.

Local officials said that on the night of February 14-15, Ukrainian drones carried out attacks in several areas of Krasnodar Oblast in southern Russia, targeting an oil depot.

February 15th - The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a statement on the 14th saying that it has received reports of recombinant monkeypox virus strains in recent months, with two patients infected with a new strain resulting from the recombination of branch Ib and branch IIb strains. However, the risk of monkeypox infection in the general population without specific risk factors remains "low".

February 15th - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has tightened lending rules for companies engaged in proprietary trading of stocks and commodities and providing leveraged services to clients, in the latest move aimed at curbing speculation. In a statement released on its website on Friday, the RBI said all credit to securities firms must be secured by collateral, and loans to clients' proprietary trading or brokerage investment businesses will be prohibited. The RBI stated that the so-called prudential rules for capital market intermediaries such as stock and commodity brokers will take effect on April 1st. These stricter measures will increase financing costs for proprietary trading firms and squeeze their profit margins.

February 15th - According to reports on the 13th local time, US chocolate prices continue to rise due to factors such as supply shortages in major global cocoa-producing regions, with a year-on-year increase exceeding 14%. Data from the US market research company DataCollection shows that from January 1st to early February this year, US chocolate retail prices rose 14.4% year-on-year. Specifically, chocolate prices in cities like Denver and Los Angeles rose by approximately 17% year-on-year, while the Dallas-Fort Worth area saw a surge of 19%. The rise in US chocolate prices is mainly due to the global shortage of cocoa beans, the core ingredient. West Africa accounts for about 70% of global cocoa bean production, and extreme weather led to poor harvests, pushing cocoa futures prices to historical highs. Although international cocoa prices have recently fallen significantly, the US chocolate market is still digesting previously purchased high-priced raw material inventory, and the upward trend in chocolate prices may continue in the short term.

February 15th - According to foreign media reports, the Vietnamese government approved SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service launch in Vietnam on February 14th. The Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology has issued a license to Starlink's local subsidiary, allowing it to provide fixed and mobile satellite internet services. The company has also been granted permission to use radio frequencies and wireless equipment.

February 15th – Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po delivered a Lunar New Year message: "In the past year, with the strong support of the nation and the joint efforts of the SAR government and citizens, we have overcome many challenges. Exports performed well, visitor numbers increased, local consumption stabilized, and the international financial center developed steadily, resulting in overall economic stability and progress. Looking ahead to the new year, the external environment is challenging, but it will also present many new opportunities. We will actively strive for economic development, consolidate and enhance traditional advantageous industries, while exploring new markets and developing emerging industries. We will vigorously attract businesses and gather talent, ensuring that the fruits of diversified development better benefit the citizens. This year marks the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan, and we will more actively integrate into and serve the overall development of the nation, leveraging our strengths to serve the country's needs."

SpaceX announced that a Falcon 9 rocket launched 24 Starlink satellites from California.