SATURDAY, 13 DECEMBER 2025, 00:00
The influencer economy that Goldman Sachs projects will reach nearly half a trillion dollars by 2027 depends on a less-examined population: the influenced, millions of people who find themselves accumulating debt and clutter after years of exposure to what amounts to a 24/7 digital infomercial. Antoinette Hocbo, a former marketing professional who knows the tricks brands use to chip away at...
“You don’t have to try every cookie on the holiday table,” wrote Mehmet Oz in an email to all Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services staffers.
From “cameo” to “io,” OpenAI keeps trying to call its new and upcoming releases by names that resemble existing trademarks.
China has contributed less to global growth this year than the U.S. despite Beijing’s frequent criticism of protectionism, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis citing new research from Goldman Sachs economists. U.S. imports are up 10% so far this year compared to a year earlier, while China’s imports have fallen 3% in dollar terms. Goldman’s economists found that the historical...
Denmark’s postal service, established by King Christian IV four centuries ago as one of Europe’s first modern mail systems, will stop delivering letters on December 30, ending a tradition that once saw riders given a maximum of 45 minutes to cover each 10-kilometer stretch of routes running from Hamburg to Norway. PostNord, the postal service Denmark has shared with Sweden since 2009, started...
Dollar General and Family Dollar stores have collectively failed more than 6,400 government price-accuracy inspections since January 2022, charging customers more at checkout than the prices displayed on shelves for everything from frozen pizzas to puppy food, according to an investigation by the Guardian. The review examined records from 45 states and more than 140 counties and cities. Dollar...
Apps like OpenAI’s Sora are fooling millions of users into thinking A.I. videos are real, even when they include warning labels.
Research links variations in the gene GRIN2A to a higher risk of developing schizophrenia and other forms of mental illness.
Google said it’s working to create two different categories of artificial intelligence-powered smart glasses to compete next year with existing models from Meta Platforms: one with screens, and another that’s audio focused. From a report: The first AI glasses that Google is collaborating on will arrive sometime in 2026, it said in a blog post Monday. Samsung Electronics, Warby Parker and Gentle...
Andrew Ferguson has used the Federal Trade Commission’s consumer protection mandate to investigate issues important to President Trump and his base.
Virus caught by person who travelled to Asia combines more severe form of mpox with less virulent type
Health officials have identified a new variant of mpox in England after a person who recently travelled to Asia was tested for the virus.
Genome sequencing showed that the virus was a “recombinant” form containing elements of two types of mpox currently in circulation: the more severe...
The answer to today’s engineering challenge
Earlier today I asked you to reinvent a component of the sixteenth century Dutch sawmill, which – according to a new book – was the world’s first industrial machine. You can read that post here, along with some great BTL discussion about the world’s greatest inventions. (Spoon or spear? Plough or spectacles? Transistor or trousers?)
Round and up
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A powerful magnitude 7.6 earthquake has shaken Japan, prompting tsunami warnings and orders for residents to evacuate. From a report: A tsunami as high as 3 metres (10ft) could hit the country’s north-eastern coast after the earthquake occurred offshore at 11.15pm local time (2.15pm GMT), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. Tsunami warnings were issued for the prefectures of Hokkaido,...
Today is the final day of REI’s sale, and deals are disappearing fast. Grab what you need with these great deals on tents, packs, and merino wool.
An investigation has revealed how stablecoins — cryptocurrencies pegged to the US dollar that exist largely beyond traditional financial oversight — have become a practical tool for criminals and sanctioned individuals to move funds across borders almost instantly and convert them back into spendable money, often without detection. A Chainalysis report from February estimated that up to $25...
The fight over the future of Hollywood just got nastier, and its outcome could have significant ramifications for DStv.
Tech giants including Meta, Alphabet, Microsoft and Amazon have all extended the estimated useful lives of their servers and AI equipment over the past five years, sparking a debate among investors about whether these accounting changes are artificially inflating profits. Meta this year increased its depreciation timeline for most servers and network assets to 5.5 years, up from four to five...
The new hub aims to equip young people with digital skills, promoting economic opportunities.
Executives from Nokia highlight the relevance and continued impact of AI on networking infrastructure.
The developer of ICEBlock, which notifies users of ICE agent sightings, said Attorney General Pam Bondi censored his free speech.
Anchor Capital has selected Blu Label Unlimited (BLU), formerly Blue Label Telecoms, as its 2026 wildcard, stating that it believes the share has potential to perform well.