US stocks moved higher on Wednesday, driven largely by gains in Nvidia, the market’s most influential stock. The S&P 500 rose 0.9%, pulling within 1.1% of its all-time high set late last month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 308 points, or 0.6%, as of 12:21 p.m. Eastern time, while the Nasdaq composite climbed 1.3%.Nvidia jumped 2.3% after Meta Platforms announced a long-term partnership under which it will use millions of Nvidia chips and related equipment for its artificial intelligence data centers, AP reported.“No one deploys AI at Meta’s scale,” Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said.As the most valuable company on Wall Street, Nvidia’s rise was the single biggest force lifting the S&P 500.The rally highlighted the strong upside that AI development continues to provide for U.S. equities. At the same time, recent sessions have seen sharp swings as investors weigh the potential risks tied to heavy spending on AI.Investors have grown cautious about how much companies such as Meta are investing in artificial intelligence and whether those large outlays will translate into higher profits and productivity.Meta’s stock fell as much as 1.7% earlier in the session before rebounding to post a 0.3% gain.Several corporate earnings reports added to the positive momentum, extending what has been a strong reporting season for major S&P 500 companies.Cadence Design Systems surged 9.1% after reporting quarterly profit and revenue that exceeded analysts’ expectations.Analog Devices rose 2.7% after also topping estimates for profit and revenue. The chipmaker said it recorded record orders for its data center business during the quarter.Outside of earnings, Moderna gained 5.5% after saying the Food and Drug Administration will review its flu vaccine candidate following an earlier refusal to consider it.In the bond market, Treasury yields ticked higher ahead of the release of minutes from the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting.The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.07% from 4.05% late Tuesday.The Fed has paused its interest rate cuts, though many investors expect reductions to resume later this year. Details in the meeting minutes could influence expectations about the timing, with widespread bets pointing to the summer, when a new Fed chair is scheduled to take office.In Europe, London’s FTSE 100 climbed 1.3% after fresh U.K. inflation data strengthened expectations that the Bank of England could soon cut interest rates.In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1% after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was reappointed by parliament following a landslide victory for her ruling Liberal Democrats in the Feb. 8 election. Investors expect her to push policies aimed at supporting the economy and markets.Several other Asian markets were closed for the Lunar New Year holiday.

India officially concluded their T20 World Cup 2026 group stage with a perfect record, defeating the Netherlands by 17 runs in a high-scoring encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium on February 18, 2026. This victory marks India’s fourth consecutive win in Group A, as they head into the Super 8s with immense momentum as the only undefeated team in their pool. With this result, India clinches the top spot in Group A, effectively ending the first phase of their title defense with clinical precision in front of a massive Ahmedabad crowd.

T20 World Cup 2026: Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya’s destructive finish powers India to 193

The narrative of the Indian innings was completely rewritten by Shivam Dube, who produced a career-best 66 off just 31 balls to propel the team from a shaky start to a formidable 193/6. Arriving at the crease after the early departures of Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan, Dube initially played a supporting role before unleashing a savage assault that featured six towering maximums into the mid-wicket stands.

Dube found a perfect partner in Hardik Pandya, who contributed a quick-fire 30 off 21 balls, and together they orchestrated a 76-run partnership that plundered 75 runs in the final five overs alone. Dube reached his maiden T20 World Cup fifty in just 25 deliveries, showcasing his immense value as a spin-basher by targeting Roelof van der Merwe and Aryan Dutt for massive hits.

Despite the Netherlands’ early success through Aryan, who claimed 2/19 including the prized wicket of the struggling Abhishek, the Dutch bowlers were eventually overwhelmed by the sheer power of India’s middle order. The late-innings surge, punctuated by a final-over six from Rinku Singh, ensured India posted a total well beyond the average score for the venue, leaving the opposition with a mountain to climb under the Ahmedabad lights.

Also WATCH: IND vs NED: 41-year-old Roelof van der Merwe silences Ahmedabad crowd with screamer to dismiss Tilak Varma in T20 World Cup 2026

Varun Chakaravarthy and Jasprit Bumrah choke Netherlands chase to secure perfect record

Defending a target of 194, the Indian bowling unit delivered a clinical performance to restrict the Netherlands to 166/9, ensuring the 17-run victory was never truly in doubt. The breakthrough came via Varun Chakaravarthy, who continued his exceptional tournament form by taking 3/21, including two wickets in two balls to derail the Dutch middle order just as they looked to accelerate.

While Michael Levitt (24) and Bas de Leede (33) provided brief resistance, the relentless pressure from Jasprit Bumrah at the death, who famously castled Scott Edwards with a searing yorker, proved impossible to navigate. Hardik Pandya also made a significant contribution with the ball, picking up the wicket of Levitt early in his spell to ensure the Netherlands never got the “powerplay boost” they desperately needed.

Even though the Dutch tail wagged slightly in the final two overs, picking up 18 runs off Pandya’s penultimate over, the required rate had already climbed into the impossible territory of 28 for the final six balls. Shivam maintained his composure in the final over to seal the win, allowing India to sign off from Group A with eight points and a massive boost to their net run rate before facing South Africa in the Super 8s.

Here’s how fans reacted: 

Fantastic to watch Free flowing cricket by Shivam Dube. Game changing innings under pressure.

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) February 18, 2026

Team India’s Winning run continues. Shivam Dube has become a very important part of their power hitting set up. He has played some crucial cameos in big games but today he got the opportunities to play longer inning, he played beautifully.

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) February 18, 2026

India take the win, but credit where it is due. Netherlands showed real fight and stayed in the contest till the very end. Impressive temperament on the big stage. 👏 #INDvsNED

— Nigel D’Souza (@Nigel__DSouza) February 18, 2026

Match defining innings, Shivam Dube, when the team was dube dube

— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) February 18, 2026

Shivam Dube, thanks for keeping cricket alive.

— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) February 18, 2026

Shivam Dube has taken over the mantle of being the buccaneer of this Indian batting. #IndvsNed #ICCMensT20WorldCup

— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) February 18, 2026

Shivam Dube has got some Caribbean power 💀🥶

— Kevin (@imkevin149) February 18, 2026

– Beat USA.
– Beat Namibia.
– Beat Pakistan.
– Beat Netherlands.

TOTAL DOMINANCE BY INDIA – UNBEATEN IN GROUP STAGE BY SURYA ARMY…!!! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/igWt1Lk4bO

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 18, 2026

Netherlands scoring 176 against india is concerning,indian team has serious work to do. In terms of batting and fielding Team Netherlands we’re phenomenal.Associate nations have really surprised the world.Full member teams need to play bilateral series with them#T20WorldCup2026

— Ishaan (@Ishaan071007) February 18, 2026

66 runs and 2 crucial wickets, Shivam Dube is the definition of an impact player 🌟#ShivamDube #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/lCAxnLrOPF

— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) February 18, 2026

Also READ: IND vs NED: Fans express shock as Abhishek Sharma records third consecutive duck in T20 World Cup 2026

Uttarakhand has crossed a major renewable energy milestone, surpassing 1 gigawatt (GW) of installed solar power capacity. The state’s total installed solar capacity now stands at over 1,027.87 megawatts, underlining its growing push towards clean and sustainable energy.Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the achievement reflects the Centre’s policy focus on renewable energy under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the Prime Minister’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and emphasis on green energy had encouraged states like Uttarakhand to turn solar power into a people-driven movement.According to Dhami, coordinated implementation of central schemes and state-led initiatives has also opened up self-employment opportunities for youth and local entrepreneurs. He expressed confidence that Uttarakhand would further consolidate its position among India’s leading solar energy states in the coming years.The milestone has been achieved through a mix of grid-connected rooftop solar projects, ground-mounted plants, installations on government buildings, solar pumps for agriculture, and solar schemes for domestic, commercial and industrial consumers.Of the total installed capacity, around 397 MW has come from ground-mounted projects, 241 MW from rooftop solar installations under the PM Surya Ghar scheme, 137 MW under the Chief Minister Solar Self-Employment Scheme, 110 MW through commercial net metering, 51 MW from captive solar plants, 37 MW from canal-top and canal-bank projects, and 26 MW from solar installations on government buildings.In addition, more than 100 MW is currently being installed under the Chief Minister Solar Self-Employment Scheme, along with 30 MW from captive solar plants and 13.5 MW on government buildings. These efforts have contributed to reducing carbon emissions, improving energy self-reliance, and generating local employment.The Uttarakhand Renewable Energy Development Agency (UREDA) has played a key role in driving solar adoption across the state by implementing projects, providing technical support, raising awareness, and extending solar solutions to remote and mountainous areas.Officials said supportive policies, subsidies, simplified approval processes and incentives for private investment have helped accelerate solar growth. The state government has set further targets to expand solar capacity, deepen outreach in remote regions, and boost public participation as part of its long-term sustainability goals.

Mumbai: Amid mounting complaints from residents of Bandra West over the alleged commercialisation of the Carter Road Promenade, local BJP MLA and guardian minister Ashish Shelar has ordered a review of permissions granted for commercial installations of LED hoardings, and sought clarity on the promenade’s maintenance framework.In a meeting held on Wednesday with officials from civic departments, traffic police, the district collector’s office and the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB), residents had raised serious concerns regarding the hoardings coming up on the promenade, the upkeep, repair work and an attempt for commercial use of the public space that is in violation of the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) norms.

Shelar said the MMB had initiated a tender process in line with a policy formulated in the year 2020, which included provisions for revenue generation. The tender, he said, was awarded to the lowest bidder (L1). However, following complaints from citizens, he has directed the maritime board to submit a detailed report within seven days explaining lapses in maintenance and outlining a clear plan to ensure that public inconvenience is avoided in the future. Shelar said, “Clarity must be established on whether the Carter Road Promenade is classified as an open space under the Development Plan. If the promenade falls under the open space reservation, then commercial hoardings cannot be permitted. Any such activity must be kept in abeyance until this is conclusively clarified,” he said.Residents who attended the meeting said the promenade never had advertisements on the sea side. “As per rules this is a green zone, so how can it be allowed? There should be a clearly laid-out policy that none of the promenades in Bandra, be it Carter Road, Bandra Bandstand or Reclamation will be such commercial hoardings,” said Vidya Vaidya, trustee of Bandra West Residents Association. Patricia Nath, president of BWRA, said, “Many years back when our association was entrusted with the work of maintenance after we built this promenade, we too advertised our sponsors, but very discreetly, of strictly specified size.“

Hardik Pandya, left, celebrates with captain Suryakumar Yadav the wicket of Netherlands’ Michael Levitt during the T20 World Cup cricket match between India and Netherlands in Ahmedabad, India, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo)

TimesofIndia.com in Ahmedabad: It’s been four games and four wins but India are yet to have a complete performance with the bat in the ongoing T20 World Cup. Unlike the appetisers served in the bilateral which preceded the multi-nation tournament, the main course has fallen far short of expectations. The Men in Blue have had different heroes bail them out of precarious situations in all four games but it could well become a tight position in the Super 8 stage. Suryakumar Yadav vs USA, Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya vs Namibia, Ishan again vs Pakistan and now Shivam Dube’s firepower at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.The opening has been the biggest concern as the World No.1 T20I batter Abhishek Sharma is yet to score a run in the tournament. It exposed Tilak Varma early, and his newfound obsession of farming strike without showing any intent has sucked momentum from the innings. Surya’s watchful start has further allowed opponents to apply a choke in the middle overs, meaning the lower order does most of the heavy lifting.Ishan has been India’s primary aggressor, but after he walked off in the fifth over of the innings, the Netherlands gained significant control when Tilak combined with Surya in the middle overs. Together the duo faced 28 deliveries and scored only 30 runs. There was an early reprieve for the Indian captain and the fluency was far from ideal against an attack which stuck to their plans and was very disciplined in front of a capacity crowd.The boundaries had dried up and a sense of desperation was creeping in, prompting an immediate move. Tilak was back after scoring 31 off 27 and Surya found the fielder in the deep ending his knock at 34 off 28 balls. When the runs dried up, Dube, the gladiator, took matters into his own hands and was impeccable with his shot selection. There was a cautious effort by the opposition to mix pace but Dube was not falling in the trap. He seemed to be reading it well off the hand and his approach wasn’t premeditated. The ball was hit where it was supposed to be hit, and there were no half-measures.With six sixes and four boundaries, he injected much needed urgency into the innings and even when Hardik was going at run-a-ball at the other end, Dube’s approach kept India on course of a big total. The partnership between the two raced to 76 off just 35 balls, doing significant damage control for the cautiousness exhibited by the earlier right-left pair of Surya and Tilak in the innings.Chasing 194 runs on a pitch that offered something for bowlers was always going to be a daunting task for the Netherlands. They managed well against the new ball pairing of Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh but had no response for Varun Chakravarthy. The mystery spinner, India’s trump card in the tournament, picked three wickets in as many overs – two of those coming off consecutive deliveries, as the Netherlands batter looked clueless when he unzipped his bag of tricks.In their last group game, Surya used as many as seven bowlers – even giving an over to Abhishek Sharma – to ensure everyone is warmed up for the big game against South Africa on February 22. Lower-ranked teams have exposed the Indian batters’ weakness on multiple occasions in the last couple of weeks and the defending champions will want to resolve this before hitting the business end of the tournament.Gerhard Erasmus, Aryan Dutt, Salman Agha, Saim Ayub and Usman Tariq have given enough cues for the teams set to face India in the Super 8. Aiden Markram (South Africa), Roston Chase (West Indies) and Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe) will be eagerly waiting for Surya & Co.Brief scoresIndia 193/6 in 20 overs (Shivam Dube 66, Suryakumar Yadav 34; Logan van Beek 3/56, Aryan Dutt 2/19)Netherlands 176/7 in 20 overs (Bas de Leede 33, Zach Lion-Cachet 26; Varun Chakravarthy 3/14, Shivam Dube 35/2)

Facebook cofounder Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly making big bets on both coasts of the US but his latest moves suggest the Meta CEO may be preparing to say goodbye to California for good. According to a recent report, Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, pledged $50 million to Sacramento State University to build state-of-the-art STEM labs and an AI center. “These investments will help strengthen our communities and support the next generation of leaders and innovators,” said Zuckerberg, who owns a compound of 11 properties in Palo Alto’s Crescent Park neighborhood, valued at more than $110 million.According to Wall Street Journal, weeks later after the donation, Zuckerberg purchased a waterfront mansion on Indian Creek — a man-made island in Miami’s Biscayne Bay often called “Billionaires Bunker.” The property is said to be a newly-completed estate and is expected to fetch between $150 million and $200 million.

Tech billionaires leaving California

Zuckerberg isn’t alone who is leaving the US state. A wave of California tech titans has been quietly relocating to South Florida in recent months. Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have both made major purchases in the Miami area, reports said.Page picked up multiple properties in Coconut Grove for roughly $188 million, while Brin is reportedly in talks for a $50 million home on Biscayne Bay. Further, Venture capitalist Peter Thiel made his Florida move official by opening a Miami office for his investment firm on New Year’s Eve.All the tech leaders are moving to Florida due to California’s proposed Billionaire Tax Act – a ballot measure under which the state would impose a one-time 5% tax on the net worth of anyone worth over $1 billion. If it qualifies for the November ballot and passes, it would retroactively apply to anyone who was a California resident as of January 1, 2026.For Zuckerberg, whose net worth hovers around $240 billion according to Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index, that’s a potential tax bill north of $10 billion. Notably, Zuckerberg hasn’t made any public statements about the billionaires’ tax.