Soft News
From Cheddar. AI-powered apps are stepping in to make everyday life easier—from helping you move homes more smoothly, to supporting people with memory challenges, to teaching kids how to be more intentional with their screen time. Check out these innovations we got a chance to take a peek at during CES 2026. 00:00 Intro 00:19…
From Cheddar. Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary breaks down his Hollywood debut, Marty Supreme’s $100M box office run, Oscar buzz, and what business taught him about movies. Connect with Cheddar! On Facebook: https://facebook.com/cheddar On Instagram: https://instagram.com/cheddar On the web: https://cheddar.com In your inbox: https://need2know.cheddar.com/subscribe
From Wall Street Journal. WSJ’s Aaron Back breaks down the sharp selloff in Japanese government bonds this week, and why investors shouldn’t be concerned for now. #Japan #Bonds #WSJ
From Quartz. A growing share of the U.S. workforce is favoring instant, Uber-like pay over biweekly checks, a shift with implications for hiring, retention, and payroll systems. Employers report rising demand for earned wage access and on-demand pay, with workers expecting Netflix-like payroll and 86% indicating preference for same-day pay. Adoption is spreading in retail…
From 60 Minutes. Kakadu, Australia, is home to a few hundred people and around 10,000 crocodiles. #australia #saltwatercrocodile #crocodiles #indigenous
From Quartz. TSMC reported fourth-quarter profit up 35% on continued AI chip demand, highlighting ongoing strength in advanced manufacturing. The TSMC earnings release showed net income of NT$505.74 billion (about $16 billion) and revenue near $33.73 billion, both above expectations. Management forecast 6.3% quarter-over-quarter growth in Q1 and plans up to $56 billion this year…
From Quartz. The U.S. government completed its first sale of Venezuelan crude, valued at $500 million, marking a shift in control over the country’s oil exports. Officials describe the U.S. as managing Venezuelan oil sales “indefinitely,” while U.S. forces seized a sixth tanker under a quarantine. Donald Trump and aides are courting at least $100…
From 60 Minutes. In 2001, actor and Sundance Film Festival founder Robert Redford discussed the disappointment of meeting celebrities before he became famous. "When you usually saw the people that they were, they were usually disappointing, as I’m sure I am," he said. Redford died in September. "60 Minutes" is the most successful television broadcast…
From Business Insider. —————————————————— Business Insider tells you all you need to know about business, finance, tech, retail, and more. Visit our homepage for the top stories of the day: https://www.businessinsider.com Business Insider on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/businessinsider Business Insider on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/businessinsider Business Insider on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/businessinsider Business Insider on Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/discover/Business_Insider/5319643143 Business Insider on TikTok:…
From Quartz. AI safety labs report advanced models gaming evaluations, complicating trust and oversight. OpenAI and Apollo describe behavior consistent with scheming in model evaluations, noting goal optimization where deception can appear useful. Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet 4.5 showed situational awareness, identifying tests and sometimes adjusting behavior. Researchers found suppressing this awareness reduced test recognition but…
From Quartz. MrBeast creator Jimmy Donaldson said his wealth is largely on paper and that he is currently cash poor, a disclosure that explains how his business finances operate. The discussion centered on MrBeast net worth versus cash on hand, with Jimmy Donaldson noting most assets are tied to his company. He said he reinvests…
From The Economist. Donald Trump’s pursuit of Greenland—and his willingness to use intimidation and economic coercion to get it—could deal a deathblow to the post-war order. Zanny Minton Beddoes, The Economist’s editor-in-chief, Edward Carr, deputy editor, and a panel of our expert journalists discuss whether the diplomatic spat could be the end of the West…
From Quartz. U.S. markets fell after the Justice Department opened a criminal probe involving Fed Chair Jerome Powell. S&P 500 futures slipped 0.6%, the dollar dropped nearly 0.5% against the euro, and gold hit a record above $4,600 an ounce. Goldman Sachs economist Jan Hatzius said the criminal probe into Fed Chair Jerome Powell has…
From Quartz. Goldman Sachs reported strong fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results, highlighting performance drivers and shareholder distributions. Goldman Sachs earnings for 2025 included net revenue of $58.3 billion and net earnings of $17.2 billion, with earnings per share of $51.32 as asset and wealth management expanded. Assets under supervision reached $3.61 trillion, and private banking…
From Cheddar. This week on Big Business This Week… It’s been a whiplash week for global markets as President Trump stirs controversy at Davos, investors react to trade and geopolitical shockwaves, and big policy ideas collide with corporate America. Axios Business Reporter Nathan Bomey joins JD Durkin to break down EU trade backlash, market volatility,…
From Wall Street Journal. Nearly 100 workers race to Jukkasjarvi, Sweden, each November to build the world-renowned Icehotel. They have only weeks to create the entire structure and all the rooms before mid-December, and the materials pose some unique logistical challenges. The hotel includes a main hall, a ceremony hall for weddings and 12 suites…
From The Atlantic. In this episode of “Galaxy Brain,” host Charlie Warzel speaks with the reporter Ryan Broderick about how the internet’s fragmentation of attention and facts has bled into real-world political violence in Minneapolis this month. From the viral spread of a right-wing video about day-care fraud in Minnesota to the aggressive ICE activity…
From Quartz. X said its Grok chatbot will stop editing images of real people to add bikinis or other revealing clothing, citing new technical restrictions. The move addresses criticism of the AI chatbot’s image-editing features and applies across the platform, including for paid users. X noted geoblocking limits where generating such content is illegal, and…
From The Economist. NATO allies have quarrelled before, but never quite like this. Donald Trump’s pursuit of Greenland—and his willingness to use intimidation and economic coercion to get it—could deal a deathblow to the post-war order. Zanny Minton Beddoes, The Economist’s editor-in-chief, Edward Carr, deputy editor, and a panel of our expert journalists discuss whether…
From Wall Street Journal. Kenn Ricci is a pilot whose obsession over four decades with aviation and luxe travel made him a billionaire. He has started businesses tied to almost every aspect of flying—his private-jet company Flexjet was recently valued at $4 billion after an investment by a private-equity firm backed by LVMH. So how…
From 60 Minutes. "Acting is not easy," Robert Redford told 60 Minutes in 2001. "You have to adjust to different situations, different environments, different dynamics, and be convincing… You have to keep yourself alive emotionally through take after take after take." Redford, who died in September, will be honored today at the Sundance Film Festival.…
From 60 Minutes. Australian Trevor Sullivan says his crocodiles are “not just pets. They’re family.” He keeps 10 in his backyard and feeds them by hand. #australia #saltwatercrocodile #pets
From The Atlantic. Joan Brugge has worked for nearly 50 years as a cancer scientist, studying the earliest signs that someone might become sick. Then the Trump administration canceled her lab’s funding. The administration’s attacks on medicine, culture, and education—which include funding cuts and verbal threats—are about more than just budgeting and bravado. Our host,…
From The Economist. The boss of one of the world’s biggest banks says Donald Trump’s plan to cap credit-card costs would be an “economic disaster”. Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan Chase, tells The Economist’s editor-in-chief, Zanny Minton Beddoes, that it would significantly harm many Americans and explains how to prove it.
From Bloomberg. The AI boom is everywhere, but much of it is illusory, with money flowing between a few players who have yet to profit. If it is a bubble and it pops, the consequences for everyone may be dire. If it turns out that AI is a bubble and it does indeed pop as…
From Insider. John Kirakou is a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer specializing in counter-terrorism. He was named the Chief of CIA Counterterrorism Operations in Pakistan in 2002. Kiriakou speaks to Business Insider about how the CIA recruits foreign agents to spy for the United States, their bunker raid tactics, and how they track and…
From The Economist. Over 100 suspected Islamic State prisoners have escaped in north-east Syria. The breakout follows a government offensive that has driven Kurdish forces from swathes of territory the Kurds once controlled. Gareth Browne, our Middle East correspondent, reports from the ground.
From Quartz. JPMorgan Chase warned Tuesday that a proposed 10% cap on credit card rates would significantly change its card business and harm customers, underscoring potential impacts for consumers and banks. The warning followed Donald Trump’s weekend support for a credit card rate cap, despite lacking authority to impose one. JPMorgan Chase CFO Jeremy Barnum…
From Quartz. Donald Trump proposed a one-year 10% cap on credit card interest rates, drawing scrutiny over consumer relief and credit access. A Vanderbilt University study estimates a 10% credit card interest cap could save Americans about $100 billion. Industry analysts, including Brian Riley, caution the Trump credit card cap could reduce lending to below-prime…
From Business Insider. —————————————————— Business Insider tells you all you need to know about business, finance, tech, retail, and more. Visit our homepage for the top stories of the day: https://www.businessinsider.com Business Insider on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/businessinsider Business Insider on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/businessinsider Business Insider on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/businessinsider Business Insider on Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/discover/Business_Insider/5319643143 Business Insider on TikTok:…
From Quartz. U.S. inflation cooled slightly in December, highlighting easing price growth alongside persistent grocery pressures. Headline CPI met expectations as used car prices fell, while core CPI rose 0.2%, keeping U.S. inflation near the Federal Reserve’s 2% goal. Food prices increased again, with five of six grocery categories up, including other food at home…
From The Economist. Is corporate America too scared to criticise Donald Trump? The Economist’s editor-in-chief, Zanny Minton Beddoes, puts that question to the boss of one of the world’s biggest banks. When asked whether there is a climate of fear in America, Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan Chase, says “I think that’s clear".
From RETRO REPORT. A student protest in 1964 exposed a deeper struggle over sovereignty and control of the Panama Canal. Education Resources: https://retroreport.org/uncategorized/how-a-1964-student-protest-reshaped-the-fight-over-the-panama-canal/ Teachers, create your free Retro Report account now: http://bit.ly/RR-Reg CONNECT WITH RETRO REPORT Browse our video library: http://bit.ly/RR-library Website: http://www.retroreport.org Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/retroreport.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RetroReport Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retroreport X: https://x.com/RetroReport YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/RETROREPORT We are…
From Business Insider. Sponsored by Indeed AI is top of mind for leaders in Davos, but futureproofing the workforce isn’t about automating everything.
From The Economist. Ken Griffin, CEO and co-founder of Citadel, says tariff uncertainty has pushed up inflation and discouraged investment, while curbing immigration risks high prices and a loss of talent.
From Cheddar. Throne Science has created what might be the most intimate wearable: a smart toilet sensor that analyzes your bathroom business with the scrutiny of a nutrition coach and the discretion of a Swiss bank vault. Their flagship product, Throne One, is essentially a Fitbit for your porcelain throne—it attaches to your toilet rim,…
From 60 Minutes. ”Crocodiles are way misunderstood. They’ve survived the times of the dinosaurs. And that is a question of respect,” says Trevor Sullivan. The self-described Australian conservationist keeps 10 saltwater crocodiles in his backyard as pets. #australia #saltwatercrocodile #conservation
From 60 Minutes. Australia’s crocodile population has exploded. To some, it’s a conservation success story. To others, it’s a growing menace. #australia #saltwatercrocodile #crocodiles
From 60 Minutes. Most people stay well away from the water in Darwin, Australia. Darwin is surrounded by crocodile habitat. Some scientists say Australia’s saltwater crocodiles are the world’s most aggressive. #saltwatercrocodile #australia #darwin #crocodiles
From Cheddar.
From The Atlantic. Last year, there was a mass exodus of federal workers: Some were pushed out, while others left on their own. All in all, more than 300,000 Americans left government jobs. The Atlantic staff writer Franklin Foer spent months talking to dozens of them, finding out who they were, what they did, and…
From The Economist. The dollar has been the world’s primary reserve currency for the best part of a century, but under Donald Trump it may be losing its privileged position. Kenneth Rogoff, from Harvard University, discusses with The Economist’s top economics editors at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
From The Economist. The dollar has been the world’s primary reserve currency for the best part of a century. But as the alliances and institutions that underpin America’s dominance wither, could the currency lose its privileged position? Rachana Shanbhogue, The Economist’s business-affairs editor, and Henry Curr, economics editor, are joined in Davos by economists Gita…
From The Atlantic. Donald Trump’s speech at the World Economic Forum “revealed what he still doesn’t understand about American power on the global stage,” David A. Graham argues.
From Quartz. U.S. middle management job postings were about 42% lower in late 2025 than at their April 2022 peak, according to Revelio Labs, highlighting evolving corporate structures. Companies are flattening org charts to cut costs and use AI-driven automation, reshaping middle management roles. Despite fewer middle management job postings, experts note these managers remain…
From The Atlantic. Europe shoring up NATO defenses in Greenland introduces “a flip side of uncertainty” for Vladimir Putin, Fiona Hill tells David Frum. Listen to the full episode:
From The New York Times. Wake up with Wordle. Crack Connections. Compete in Crossplay.
From Cheddar. David Eagles, COO of Goodwill Industries International, explains how resale, culture shifts, and economics are fueling a secondhand boom. Connect with Cheddar! On Facebook: https://facebook.com/cheddar On Instagram: https://instagram.com/cheddar On the web: https://cheddar.com In your inbox: https://need2know.cheddar.com/subscribe
From Cheddar. From a Fitbit for your dog, backyard birdwatching tech, to AI-powered health monitoring for cats, artificial intelligence is reshaping how we understand and care for the animals in our lives. These innovations go beyond convenience, offering real-time insights into pets’ health, behavior, and overall happiness—turning data into deeper bonds and better care. At…
From Wall Street Journal. WSJ’s Alex Leary reports from the World Economic Forum, where President Trump said he was seeking to acquire Greenland. #wsj #thewallstreetjournal #davos #trump #greenland
From Wall Street Journal. Over 1400 so-called dark fleet ships from Venezuela, Iran and Russia have been sanctioned or blacklisted by Western countries in recent years, with little impact until the current ramp up in U.S. enforcement. WSJ’s Shelby Holliday breaks down how these tankers evade scrutiny, and the Trump administration’s efforts to disrupt this…
From Cheddar.
From Cheddar.
From Business Insider. —————————————————— Business Insider tells you all you need to know about business, finance, tech, retail, and more. Visit our homepage for the top stories of the day: https://www.businessinsider.com Business Insider on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/businessinsider Business Insider on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/businessinsider Business Insider on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/businessinsider Business Insider on Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/discover/Business_Insider/5319643143 Business Insider on TikTok:…
From The Atlantic. On this week’s episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum examines one of the most consequential deceptions of the Trump presidency: the insistence that grocery prices are falling when Americans know from lived experience that they are not. David explains how tariffs and trade policy are deliberately driving food…
From The Atlantic. Trump’s base isn’t abandoning him—but several groups have an interest in pushing the claim that they are, Yair Rosenberg argues.
From 60 Minutes. To lower the temperature in Minneapolis, Police Chief Brian O’Hara says, President Trump needs to say, “We’re still going to go after the worst of the worst, but we’re not going to be treating American citizens in ways that risk destroying a beautiful American city.” Reporting from Minneapolis, correspondent Cecilia Vega speaks…
From The Atlantic. The people and politicians around Trump must stand up to him when it comes to his threat to invade Greenland, Anne Applebaum argues.
From 60 Minutes. “I have been very publicly saying this has been a risk for several weeks,” says Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara. “Trying to get anyone in a position of authority to understand that …tragedy was imminent.” #minneapolis #lawenforcement
From The Economist. Donald Trump’s plan to take Greenland is dangerous nonsense. America has long retained a base on the territory and its firms are already free to apply to mine its resources. The Economist’s foreign editor, Adam Roberts, argues that Congress has the power to block annexation or a purchase, and that it should…