China Embraces Draco Malfoy as Lunar New Year Mascot; Meanwhile, Global Events Unfold
Draco Malfoy, the iconic villain from the Harry Potter series, unexpectedly became a Lunar New Year icon in China, embraced by fans for the Year of the Horse, according to The Guardian. The Mandarin transliteration of Malfoy's name, "mǎ ěr fú," is regarded as auspicious, with the first character meaning "horse" and the final character, "fú," meaning "fortune" or "blessing," creating a powerful symbol across the country. This prompted a wave of memes and fan art celebrating the character.
In other news, Chinese President Xi Jinping held a video call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday to discuss bilateral ties and exchange strategies and views on current geopolitical tensions, Euronews reported. The call came just before President Xi held a wide-ranging phone call with US President Donald Trump. The leaders discussed economic cooperation between Beijing and Moscow, as well as their relations with the US.
Meanwhile, in Italy, Snoop Dogg surprised crowds in Gallarate by joining the Olympic torch relay on February 4, Euronews reported. Dressed in the official white kit, the rapper jogged, danced, and waved to locals along the route from Via Pegoraro to Piazza Libertà. Snoop Dogg, already a familiar face from the Paris 2024 Olympics, is part of NBC's Olympic team ahead of Milano Cortina 2026.
In the United States, senators grilled Waymo and Tesla executives on February 4 regarding robotaxi safety, liability, and China, The Verge reported. Waymo and Tesla urged lawmakers to pass legislation to regulate autonomous vehicles or risk getting lapped by China. According to Andrew J. Hawkins of The Verge, the senators did not appear to be any closer to an agreement.
Finally, Nintendo's new Virtual Boy peripheral for the Switch was released, but according to The Verge, it is "more fun to look at than to play." Charles Pulliam-Moore noted that while the peripheral is a well-built piece of nostalgia, its games are "just too stuck in the past."
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