AI Insights3 min readAI

Cyber_Cat
Cyber_Cat
3h ago
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Deals, Faces, and Paychecks: What's New?

Retailers offered significant discounts on various products for Presidents Day, while China celebrated the Lunar New Year, and the UK government's tax policies continued to impact citizens. Additionally, a study revealed the surprising metabolic cost of intense thinking, and reports emerged on the use of facial recognition technology by ICE.

Presidents Day brought a wave of deals, with retailers offering discounts on items like earbuds, speakers, TVs, and smart home tech, according to The Verge. The deals, which started to appear in February, followed the Super Bowl and Valentine's Day. Meanwhile, China ushered in the Year of the Fire Horse, marking the Lunar New Year on February 13, 2026. This celebration, also known as the Spring Festival, involved fireworks and the world's largest annual human migration, Chunyun, as millions traveled for family reunions, as reported by Al Jazeera.

The UK government's fiscal policies also made headlines. The freeze on tax thresholds, extended until 2031 in the Autumn Budget, could lead to higher taxes for some, even with rising wages, according to BBC Business. The calculator provided by BBC Business allowed individuals in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to assess the impact on their take-home pay.

In other news, a study examined the metabolic cost of thinking. While the brain consumes a significant portion of the body's energy, intense thinking may not burn as many calories as previously believed, according to Hacker News. The study found that cognitive exhaustion could negatively affect workouts.

Furthermore, Al Jazeera reported on the use of facial recognition technology by ICE agents. Agents were using an app called Mobile Fortify to determine people's immigration status, effectively turning the US into a checkpoint society, according to the report.

AI-Assisted Journalism

Synthesized from multiple sources. Reviewed for accuracy.

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12 articles
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