• ☝️ Large parts of the US will see temperatures 25-35 degrees colder than typical mid-January averages over the weekend and into next week.

BUSINESS & MARKETS

• 📉 US markets fell across the board (S&P: -0.2%; Dow: -0.2%; Nasdaq: -0.9%). | 📉 Apple shares closed down 4%, the company's worst day since August 5, following reports of lackluster China demand and AI struggles.
• 🏡 The average US 30-year mortgage rate rose to 7.04% this week, per Freddie Mac; it's the highest level since May 2024.
• 💰 American Express will pay $230 million to settle US criminal and civil probes into alleged deceptive sales practices.

SPORTS, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

in partnership with Sunlighten

• 🏌️📺 LIV Golf announced a multi-year media rights deal with Fox Sports to broadcast the pro golf tour to US viewers starting next month. | 😆🏆 Conan O'Brien will receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
• ⚖️🎭 Justin Baldoni filed a $400 million defamation and extortion lawsuit against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds over allegations they hijacked his film It Ends With Us and falsely accused him of sexual harassment. | 🚫📲 The US TikTok ban takes effect Sunday, barring any extension, SCOTUS intervention, or last-minute sale.
• 🙏 David Lynch, the visionary filmmaker, artist, and musician who wrote/directed Twin Peaks and more, passed away at 78. | 🙏 Bob Uecker, the longtime Hall of Fame Milwaukee Brewers announcer who also starred in Major League, passed away at 90.

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SCIENCE, SPACE & EMERGING TECH

• 🎗️ Women under the age of 65 are now more likely to develop cancer than men, reversing a previous decades-long trend of younger men having higher cancer rates, per the American Cancer Society.
• 🛰️ India became the fourth country to successfully achieve an unmanned docking in space.
• 🚬 The FDA cleared flavored Zyn nicotine pouches to stay on the US market, ruling their benefit as a smoking alternative for adults outweigh the potential risk to young Americans.

MISCELLANEOUS

in partnership with Tuft & Needle

• 🔥 LA wildfires update: The larger Palisades and Eaton Fires were 22% and 55% contained, respectively, as of yesterday; the extreme winds driving the ongoing fires are forecast to calm through the weekend, but could pick up early next week.
• 🏛️ Florida AG Ashley Moody was selected by Governor Ron DeSantis to fill the vacant US Senate seat left by Marco Rubio, President-elect Trump’s nominee for Secretary of State.
• 🇸🇩 Sudan’s military has used chemical weapons on at least two occasions against the paramilitary group it’s battling for control of the country, per US officials.

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CLICKBAIT

• 💼😬 Even Harvard MBAs Are Struggling to Land Jobs.