Headlines

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Waymo paused robotaxi service in San Francisco due to power outage. A widespread blackout in the city that began on Saturday afternoon affected about 130,000 customers at its peak. Photos and videos proliferated across social media showing Waymo vehicles stuck in traffic. Once the stoplights went out, the cars could no longer navigate the streets safely, apparently putting them in a freeze mode. Waymo retrieved vehicles and suspended service until Sunday. A researcher at the MIT Center for Transportation told CNBC that Waymo’s failure during an “entirely predictable” power outage suggests that robotaxis are not yet ready to be a widespread solution for cities.

The US pursued a third oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. After seizing a second oil tanker this month on Saturday, a US Coast Guard official told multiple outlets on Sunday that the third one was “a sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela’s illegal sanctions evasion” and that it was flying a false flag, though the statement was provided anonymously. Last week, President Trump ordered a “total and complete blockade” on oil tankers under sanctions entering or leaving Venezuela in an attempt to put pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whom the Trump administration wants to force out of office. Experts say cutting off Venezuela’s oil trade could devastate its economy. Trump has accused Maduro of using oil to finance “Drug Terrorism,” which Maduro denied. The US has not imposed sanctions on Venezuelan oil.

Thousands of people flocked to Stonehenge to celebrate the winter solstice. There went the sun. Yesterday, the shortest day of the year, saw thousands of visitors assemble at the prehistoric stone circle, which was built to align with the sun on solstices. The site in Wiltshire, England, announced it had completely sold out of parking for its annual event and encouraged would-be revelers to tune into livestreams. Many attendees gathered before dawn for what they consider a spiritual experience. Why get happy over the longest night of the year? Because in the Northern Hemisphere, it means every day from here until June 21 will get a little brighter.—HVL

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STREAMING

Netflix is dipping into Santa’s bag


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What’s dressed in red, was a home delivery pioneer, and wants to bring holiday magic to your household this season? Netflix, of course. The streaming giant has bulked up its library with Christmas content to make sure jingle bells don’t drown out that “tudum” sound.

Snowball effect: Netflix released its first fully festive original movie, A Christmas Prince, in 2017. Now, it has dozens of holiday movies, including two additional Christmas Prince installments.Last year’s hit rom-com, Hot Frosty, was Netflix’s No.1 movie for a spell.
And this year, several newcomers (My Secret Santa, Jingle Bell Heist, and Champagne Problems) have been shoulder-to-shoulder with nonseasonal content at the top of the Netflix leaderboard.
The streamer also has plenty of holiday specials and several themed virtual fireplaces to warm up your home, figuratively speaking.

Sharing Hallmark’s crown: In addition to streaming its own movies, Netflix also partners with Hallmark for some content. Last year, Netflix added 10 Hallmark productions to its holiday lineup, and this year, the two signed a multiyear licensing agreement.

It’s not just Netflix. The Great American Family network (formerly known as GAC Family) has found similar inspiration, scooping up Hallmark veterans like Candace Cameron Bure and Lori Loughlin to star in holiday fare. This year’s “Great American Christmas” programming kicked off in October and will run through January 1.—BC

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Charges against Jeffrey Epstein being announced in 2019. Stephanie

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Justice Department releases first batch of Epstein files. The DOJ released tens of thousands of documents yesterday from its investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein because Congress passed a law last month requiring the public disclosure of all related files within 30 days. The newly released materials include photographs of celebrities, including former President Bill Clinton. According to news outlets, President Trump does not feature much in the documents. However, many documents are heavily redacted, and the DOJ has said there were too many to process, so it will continue releasing materials over the next few weeks. Democratic lawmakers have criticized that delay as illegal.—AR

Elon Musk’s massive 2018 pay package got reinstated. Yesterday, the Delaware Supreme Court overturned a lower court’s ruling that barred Elon Musk from receiving a performance-contingent stock pay package—now worth a whopping $140 billion—that Tesla’s board gave him in 2018. Previously, the Delaware Chancery Court sided with a minority Tesla shareholder who sued the EV-maker alleging that its board was improperly influenced by Musk when awarding him the compensation package, which was unfair to investors. Yesterday’s unanimous ruling lets Musk have his bag because blocking the pay package left him “uncompensated for his time and efforts” as Tesla CEO. The decision ends a seven-year legal battle that prompted Musk to yank Tesla out of corporate America’s favorite state to incorporate in and call on others to do the same.—SK

A Reddit post helped police find the Brown University shooting suspect. While they’re certainly dedicated, Reddit sleuths aren’t always Sherlock-level detectives—but court documents show that a poster helped lead investigators to the suspect in the Brown University shooting that killed two students. “He blew this case right open,” Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said. The Reddit user, called only “John” in court papers, posted that he’d seen a “grey Nissan with Florida plates, possibly a rental” near the crime scene. Fellow Redditors urged him to contact the FBI, which he did, telling investigators of his strange encounters with the suspected shooter. His tip ultimately led authorities to connect the suspect to the car, and to the murder of an MIT professor they had previously believed to be unrelated. Authorities said the suspect was found dead from a self-inflicted wound on Thursday night.—AR

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Suspected Brown University shooter found dead, authorities say. Following a manhunt that began after a masked gunman killed two students and wounded others in a university lecture hall on Saturday, police said yesterday they had found the body of the suspected shooter in a New Hampshire storage facility. He was also the suspect in the murder of an MIT professor in his home on Monday. Providence’s chief of police identified the suspect as Claudio Neves Valente, a 48-year-old former Brown student, and said he had died by suicide.

Trump eases restrictions on cannabis. In a move that might make yesterday an even bigger day to commemorate than 4/20 in some circles, President Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to reclassify marijuana from the most restrictive Schedule I substance category to Schedule III. While that won’t legalize weed or make it available for recreational use, as some states have, it will make it easier to use it in medical research. The change is also a financial boon to the cannabis industry and will likely significantly reduce taxes for cannabis companies. It could also open the door for them to access banks and investments that they couldn’t before due to compliance concerns. Additionally, the order calls for more research into CBD, which could now, in some cases, be covered by Medicare.

TikTok signed agreements to create a new US joint venture. The company said yesterday that it had signed the deals, moving forward with a plan to avoid the app being banned in the US. The agreements are with Oracle, Silver Lake Management, and Abu Dhabi-based MGX. When the deal closes, which is expected to happen next month, it will create a company separate from TikTok’s Chinese parent, ByteDance, that will be majority-owned by the American investors. The new company will be responsible for protecting data, moderating content, and the algorithm’s security in the US, according to a memo to TikTok employees viewed by news outlets.—AR

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Niv Bavarsky




WBD board urged shareholders to reject Paramount’s hostile takeover bid. It could be back to the drawing board for Paramount Skydance and CEO David Ellison’s quest to buy rival Warner Bros. Discovery after the latter’s board told investors that Netflix’s bid is better. In a letter to shareholders, the WBD board said Paramount’s offer contains “gaps, loopholes, and limitations” that put the company at risk. WBD also accused Paramount of misleading it about financing. Paramount’s latest offer included billions in funding from three Middle East sovereign wealth funds, as well as backing from Affinity Partners, the private equity firm founded by President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, though Affinity pulled out of the deal on Tuesday. Ellison said he believes the Paramount offer is still superior to Netflix’s and was “encouraged” by feedback he received from WBD shareholders.

Four House GOPers break with Johnson to force healthcare vote. A day after House Speaker Mike Johnson blocked a vote on extending Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits before they expire Dec. 31, four Republicans joined Democrats in signing a petition that forces the House to vote on a measure early next year. Even if the bill—which would require the government to fund the ACA credits for another three years—passes the House, it’s unlikely to be approved by the Senate, experts have said. Still, the rare move by four politically vulnerable lawmakers suggests healthcare costs remain top of mind for US voters, and will be a key issue in the 2026 midterms.

The Oscars are headed to YouTube in 2029. Hollywood’s biggest and most prestigious evening will soon move to the platform where MrBeast asks volunteers to sit in a tub of snakes for money. Starting in 2029, the Academy Awards will stream exclusively—and for free—on YouTube after its current deal with ABC expires. The Oscars have aired on the Disney-owned network every year since 1976, but have hemorrhaged viewers in recent years as people increasingly consume content online. In a statement, the Academy said that the move will allow the award show to reach “the largest worldwide audience possible.” According to Variety, Disney execs were shocked to learn the news just moments before it became public.—AE

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The Brown University shooter is still at large. Four days after a gunman killed two students and injured nine others in a lecture hall at the Ivy League school, the suspect remains at large, according to police. Yesterday, the FBI released new, enhanced video of a masked person of interest and asked for it to be shared widely, offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the shooter. Providence Police Chief Oscar L. Perez Jr. said the department has received hundreds of tips. He also directed the public to study the person of interest’s posture and body movements in order to identify him. Officials had detained a man in connection with the shooting and later cleared and released him, but not before his name leaked to the press.

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles gave a very candid interview. In a series of conversations with Vanity Fair, Wiles sounded off on President Trump and his inner circle. She reportedly said that Trump “has an alcoholic’s personality,” labeled Vice President JD Vance a “conspiracy theorist,” and called Elon Musk an “avowed” ketamine user (Musk has previously denied using ketamine). Wiles later called the Vanity Fair story “a disingenuously framed hit piece” and said “significant context was disregarded,” but did not deny making any of the statements. In a separate interview with the New York Times, Wiles said she did not make the claim about Musk’s alleged drug use, but the NYT reported that she could be heard saying it on a tape played by the Vanity Fair piece’s author. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the White House remains “united fully behind her.”

FTC alleged that Pepsi tried to raise prices to help Walmart. The soda giant allegedly attempted to hike prices at Walmart’s rivals, while giving Walmart promotions, to ensure the big-box retailer had lower prices than competitors, according to a newly unsealed FTC lawsuit that was filed by the Biden administration but dismissed earlier this year by the Trump administration. A PepsiCo spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal that the lawsuit “includes inaccuracies and unsubstantiated allegations.” Prioritizing business with retail giants like Walmart is common practice for consumer goods companies, but critics argue it can lead to higher prices for shoppers who spend elsewhere.—AE

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Rob Reiner’s son Nick arrested on suspicion of murder in his parents’ deaths. After legendary Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found fatally stabbed in their home on Sunday, police arrested the couple’s son Nick Reiner, 32, and the Los Angeles chief of police said yesterday that he had been “booked for murder.” As of yesterday, he was being held without bail. Nick Reiner co-wrote the 2015 film Being Charlie, which his father directed, about his struggle with drug addiction. Correction: Yesterday’s newsletter mistakenly referred to Rob Reiner by his father’s name, Carl, on first reference. Carl Reiner died of natural causes in 2020. We regret the error.

Ford expects a $19.5 billion hit from pulling back on EVs. The automaker said yesterday that its strategy shift away from electric vehicles and toward hybrids will reduce its profit in the near-term. The decision to put its EV plans into reverse means Ford will stop producing an all-electric version of its si
gnature F-150 Lightning pickup truck and will instead offer it as an extended-range EV that will include a gas-powered generator capable of recharging its battery. Ford CEO Jim Farley said the move away from EVs would ultimately “create a stronger, more resilient and more profitable Ford.” Its EV business had already cost Ford $13 billion since 2023, per the Wall Street Journal. The retreat from EVs puts US automakers out of step with Chinese competitors that are shaking up the industry by selling cheap electric models.

Zillow may be getting an Alphabet-sized competitor. There are few areas of online search that Google doesn’t dominate, but real estate listings is one of them…for now. The search giant appears to be testing displaying its own real estate listings at the top of search results, and that news sent Zillow’s stock down more than 9% yesterday, like the price of a house where they’ve just discovered cracks in the foundation. Still, analysts were quick to point out that a little (massive) competition might not be so bad for Zillow, which isn’t very dependent on organic search traffic for its pageviews.—AR

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Sydney reels after Hanukkah terror attack kills at least 15. Two men identified as father and son Sajid Akram and Naveed Akram opened fire at a Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday. As of 9:30am local time on Monday morning, the death toll stood at 15, while 40 people remained hospitalized. Hundreds had gathered to participate in a Chanukah by the Sea event to commemorate the first night of Hanukkah, presented by the international Jewish organization Chabad. Victims’ names have not officially been released, but the list is said to include children and the elderly. Chabad of Bondi’s Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, was one of the victims killed, the organization said. Sajid Akram,50, was killed by police at the scene. Naveed Akram, 24, “suffered critical injuries and was taken to hospital under police guard,” according to the New South Wales Police. Authorities believe both men had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the terrorist attack “an act of pure evil” that “deliberately targeted” the Jewish community, as concerns grow over rising antisemitic violence in Australia and around the world. President Trump also condemned the shooting as a “purely antisemitic attack.”

Mass shooting at Brown University leaves 2 dead, 9 injured. On Saturday afternoon, a gunman opened fire during a final exam review for a Principles of Economics class at Brown University in Providence, RI, killing at least two students and injuring nine others. The mayor of Providence said in a news briefing yesterday that not all the shooting victims’ families had been reached at that time as some were traveling, and that victims’ identities would not be released publicly until proper notification was made. Yesterday evening, federal agents detained a person of interest at a Hampton Inn hotel 20 miles south of Providence, whom they later released. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said that evidence “now points in a different direction” and that the investigation would “proceed very carefully” after the original person of interest’s name was leaked to the public. In a statement last night, Brown University said, “Local police have advised they do not believe there is any immediate threat to Brown or the local community.”

Carl Reiner and his wife, Michele, killed in “apparent homicide.” On Sunday afternoon, the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a medical aid request and found a 78-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman unresponsive, and a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation told the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity that the deceased were the home’s owners and occupants, the actor–director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner. That source also told the outlet that the victims appeared to suffer stab wounds and that a family member was being questioned by investigators. Los Angeles authorities have not publicly identified the couple, but LAPD Capt. Mike Bland said detectives with the Robbery Homicide Division were investigating the incident as a “possible homicide.” Reiner, the son of legendary comedian Carl Reiner, rose to fame playing Mike Stivic on the sitcom All in the Family and went on to direct a string of classics, including This is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, and When Harry Met Sally. Rob said last year that his relationship with Michele inspired him to change the ending of When Harry Met Sally from sad to happy.—HVL

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DECOR

Christmas can be about seeing a forest for the trees


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People celebrating Christmas must make a choice when it comes to a tree (assuming they can fit one in their place)—fake or real? Whether it’s a Balsam Hill or a Douglas fir, they’re all part of a multibillion-dollar industry that wants you stepping on needles in your home during December.

Americans will spend about $6 billion on around 50 million trees (real and fake) this year, per the global fintech comparison site Finder. Both leaving a department store with an artificial tree and cutting down a real one from a farm have their fans and their use cases.
They’re real and they’re spectacular

On average, ~25 million to 30 million real trees are sold annually, according to the National Christmas Tree Association. It’s easy to think that chopping down millions of trees so you can put gifts under them is bad for the environment, but the NCTA says it’s actually good for the environment:Of the 350 million to 500 million trees growing on farms in the US, less than 10% are destined to be decorated.

For every tree cut down each year, farmers plant 1–3 seedlings in its place, which benefits wildlife and the soil. Most trees become ready for sale when they are seven to 10 years old, while younger trees are left to grow.

Second life: When you take your real tree down in January (or February, or March…no judgment), it can be recycled, unlike most plastic trees. Real trees can be turned into chips that can be returned to the forests, used for mulch, or sunk into ponds to create habitats for aquatic life.

There are also pros to plastic

For one, plastic trees don’t need the potential pesticides that most real trees are given. And if real trees are sent to landfills as opposed to being composted, none of the aforementioned environmental benefits come into play.

Artificial trees can be reused for years. They’re also safe for people who have allergies to the pollen or sap in real trees. And for homes with pets, the artificial tree is safer because its needles are far less likely to fall off and there is no need for tree water that contains chemicals.

And while plastic trees are often more expensive than natural, they typically become a bargain when used over and over.—DL

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Headlines

Ian McKinnon



Pot stocks got high after reports Trump plans to reclassify marijuana. Cannabis stocks rallied yesterday after news outlets reported that President Trump plans to ease federal restrictions on marijuana. The Washington Post reported that the president was preparing an executive order that would facilitate moving marijuana from its current Schedule I status, which puts it in the same category as heroin and LSD, to a Schedule III substance, a group that includes Tylenol with codeine and some hormone treatments. Sources told CNBC the order could come Monday. While the change would not legalize weed, it would make it more available for research and allow cannabis companies to get more investment.

Executive order targets state AI laws. President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that seeks to block AI regulation by individual states, saying it would create a single federal regulatory framework and keep the US at the forefront of the tech. The order authorizes the attorney general to sue over state AI restrictions and tells federal regulators to withhold funds for projects like broadband from states with such laws. The move was controversial, as Republicans had opted against including clauses barring state-level AI rules in recent legislation. And it may not even deter states from moving ahead with their rules, especially because the order is likely to face a court challenge.

Former Michigan football coach charged with crimes after firing. Ex-University of Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore was arraigned on three charges yesterday for crimes allegedly committed hours after the school fired him. Prosecutors charged Moore with felony third-degree home invasion, as well as stalking in a domestic relationship and breaking and entering, both misdemeanors. The university said Moore was fired because of his relationship with a woman who also worked for the school, and at the time he was fired, Moore had nearly $12.3 million remaining on his contract, according to ESPN. Prosecutors claim that after being terminated, he “barged his way” into the apartment of the woman—with whom he had been involved for “a number of years” before she broke up with him and informed the school, prompting his dismissal—and threatened to kill himself.—AR

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Dueling healthcare plans both blocked in the Senate. Democrats and Republicans each put their healthcare proposals up for a vote in the Senate yesterday, and both plans failed to pass. The Democrats’ plan, which would have extended subsidies to the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) for three years, earned the support of four Republicans, but still fell short of the 60 votes necessary, losing 51–48. The Republicans’ plan would have replaced the subsidies with federal funds for health savings accounts, but that failed by the same vote margin. With lawmakers soon to leave DC for their holiday break, this all but assures that more than 20 million Americans will see their healthcare premiums rise starting on Jan. 1.

The South Carolina measles outbreak is “accelerating.” At least 111 people have contracted the contagious viral infection in South Carolina since October, and more than 250 people are quarantined, according to the state’s public health department. Officials blamed the outbreak on “lower-than-hoped-for” vaccination rates: Of the 111 cases, 105 were unvaccinated, the health department said. Measles, which is most common among unvaccinated children, was declared eliminated in the US in 2000, but declining vaccination rates have led to outbreaks in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona this year.

OpenAI rolled out a more advanced ChatGPT model. Unsatisfied with the waves made by its $1 billion deal with Disney, OpenAI made more news yesterday when it unveiled GPT-5.2, the latest version of its signature chatbot that the company says can perform a range of tasks better than predecessors. Per OpenAI, the model is faster at finding information, translating, and coding, and is better at figuring out more complex tasks like math. The announcement comes about a week after CEO Sam Altman declared a “code red,” telling employees that ChatGPT needed to beef up, or risk falling behind rivals like Google’s Gemini 3.—AE

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An oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast in May. 

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US seizes oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. In a major escalation of President Trump’s pressure campaign against Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, the US seized the tanker, threatening Venezuela’s oil-dependent economy. Without offering details, President Trump said it was “a large tanker, very large, largest one ever seized, actually.” Attorney General Pam Bondi said the tanker had been used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran. The Venezuelan government called the US’ actions “blatant theft.” The US has also been building up its naval presence in the area, and earlier, the US helped Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado out of the country to travel to Norway, where she didn’t quite make it in time to personally accept her Nobel Peace Prize.

The US wants to screen foreign tourists’ social media for entry. A new proposal from the Trump administration would require travelers from 42 countries, including the UK, France, Australia, and Japan—who typically don’t need visas to enter the country—to provide five years’ worth of social media history in order to visit the US. The proposal from the US Customs and Border Protection is not yet final, and the agency will be accepting public comments on it for 60 days. But if it does take effect, it would be in keeping with new, more stringent requirements the administration has imposed for student visas and some work visa applications.

State Dept. ordered to return to Times New Roman. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is apparently a serif fan: He ordered diplomats this week to return to using Times New Roman size 14 in official documents, overhauling a Biden-era change to the more modern-looking Calibri. The shift to Calibiri was aimed at increasing accessibility for people with reading challenges and those who use screen readers, but Rubio characterized it as a “wasteful” diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility program. He said switching back would “restore decorum and professionalism to the department’s written work.”—AR

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