Good morning. In this edition:

• 💊 Rise of pink cocaine
• 🏛️ DOJ investigates Fed Chair
• 🤖 Weirdest AI inventions at CES

…and much more.

Ready, Set, Go: Today’s news should be a ~3.83-minute read (1,019 words).

Did someone forward you this email? Subscribe here for free.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

–Lao Tzu (6th-century B.C.)

The Barbiecore aesthetic of 2023 may have been all fun and flair, but the latest pink-related trend sweeping the nation is decidedly less fabulous.

A new designer drug called “pink cocaine” is increasingly turning up in nightclubs, hospital reports, and fatal overdose stats across the US.

Move over, blue meth

Pink cocaine, sometimes called 2C or tusi after the psychedelic drug 2C-B, first popped up in Latin America’s club scene in the early 2010s. Its popularity has grown across the US and Europe in recent years, thanks in part to the drug’s “Instagrammable” pink color fueling popularity on social media.

Despite the nickname, pink cocaine isn't actually cocaine. It’s a mishmash of substances like ketamine, MDMA, meth, and sometimes fentanyl, all dyed bubblegum-pink.

• Because the blend varies from batch to batch, so do the effects.
• Some users report feelings of euphoria or heightened senses, while others experience confusion, paranoia, or even psychosis.

Unlike its whiter counterpart, pink cocaine doesn't need to be smuggled as a finished product, since it’s more of an idea. Once the concept made its way to the US and Europe, local dealers could recreate it using whatever drugs they had access to.

Not-so-pretty in pink

Health officials across the US warn that pink cocaine can contain a dangerous combination of drugs that can adversely affect the heart, brain, and breathing.

• They also note that there’s no known antidote for pink cocaine, meaning all first responders can do in the case of an overdose is look after the patient while the drugs clear their system.
• The drug has been linked to several recent tragic incidents, including the death of One Direction's Liam Payne and a fatal car crash involving an Instagram model.

Looking ahead…US experts say pink cocaine has begun spreading beyond urban nightlife, with Louisiana officials recently linking the drug to multiple fatal overdoses in more rural areas.

The Wolfbox G900Pro captures every detail, day or night, with 12MP clarity that protects you in accidents, parking incidents, and from the unexpected.

Beyond insurance claims, it's genuine peace of mind: dual front and rear cameras eliminate blind spots, voice control keeps your hands on the wheel, and 24/7 parking surveillance watches your car.

And using it is effortless. The smart app puts your footage at your fingertips to download, review, or share in seconds. All backed by a 30-month warranty.

Turns out gym bros may have been underselling the value of their 12-step workout routines.

Regular physical activity can reduce symptoms of depression as effectively as talk therapy, and may also offer similar benefits to antidepressant medications, according to a new Cochrane review of recent healthcare and health policy research.

Hot girl walks, ftw

The review analyzed 73 randomized controlled trials involving nearly 5,000 adults living with depression. Across those studies, exercise was compared with no treatment, psychological therapy, and antidepressant drugs.

• Compared to doing nothing, exercise consistently led to moderate improvements in depression symptoms.
• When compared with psychological therapy, exercise delivered similar benefits, backed by moderate-certainty evidence.
• Compared with antidepressants, exercise again showed comparable effects, though researchers caution the evidence here is less robust.

Light to moderate activity appeared more beneficial than intense workouts. Additionally, the biggest improvements were linked to completing roughly 13–36 exercise sessions, suggesting consistency matters more than intensity.

Why it’s a big deal: Depression affects 300+ million people worldwide, with rates rising sharply over recent decades. And while experts say exercise isn’t a replacement for clinical care, it likely represents an underused part of treatment.

BUSINESS & MARKETS

• 💰 Google-parent Alphabet becomes the fourth company in history to reach a $4 trillion market cap, joining Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft; only Alphabet and Nvidia remain above that level currently.
• 💳 President Trump called for credit card companies to implement a one-year cap on credit card interest rates at 10%; the average credit card rate has risen from 13.9% a decade ago to 22.3% today.
• 🏪 Discount grocer Aldi announced plans to open more than 180 new stores across 31 states this year.

SPORTS, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

• 🏈 NFL Playoffs: The Texans defeated the Steelers 30-6 last night, becoming the final team to advance to the Divisional Round.
• 🏌️ Brooks Koepka, a five-time major-winning golfer, is returning to the PGA Tour from LIV Golf as part of a new Returning Member Program; the program would also allow three of LIV Golf's other top stars—Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, and Cameron Smith—to return to the PGA, but with hefty financial penalties.
• 🧸 Barbie launched its first-ever doll with autism this week; it features a fidget spinner, noise-canceling headphones, and a tablet representing her augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device.

Most days require you to move quickly between responsibilities. Work, caregiving, family, and everything in between can blur together. Mindful supports those in-between moments, helping you pause and refocus as you move through your day.

With Mindful, you’ll find:

• Expert-led guided meditations
• Breathing practices for focus and regulation
• Practical lessons for real life, from 30 seconds to 30 minutes

SCIENCE, SPACE & EMERGING TECH

• 🤒 Flu activity is exploding across the US, per new CDC data, with hospitalizations increasing 48% week-over-week over the period ending December 27.
• 🤖📲 Apple is partnering with Google for Gemini-powered AI upgrades to Siri later this year, both companies announced.
• ⚡ China’s “artificial sun” nuclear reactor achieved a new experimental fusion record by holding high-energy plasma stable at densities 30%-65% greater than standard operation.

US, WORLD & POLITICS

• 🏦 Federal Chair Jerome Powell said the DOJ has launched a criminal investigation into him over comments he made in congressional testimony last June related to a Fed renovation project; Powell accused the Trump admin of using the threat of criminal prosecution to pressure the Fed into lowering rates.
• 🗽 Nearly 15,000 NYC nurses walked off the job yesterday in the city’s largest such strike in history; key issues in ongoing contract negotiations include healthcare benefits, staffing standards, and workplace-violence protections.
• 🏛️ Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) is suing to stop Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from targeting his Navy rank over a video in which Kelly and several other Democratic lawmakers reminded troops they could disobey illegal orders; President Trump previously described the video on social media as “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”

☝️ You’re looking at a map of all the volcanic eruptions across Earth in 2025, courtesy of Visual Capitalist. Last year saw 71 of the world’s ~1,350 active volcanoes experience new or ongoing eruptive activity.

🤔 Did you know? Only 11% of all US women are taller than 5-foot-7, and just 1% stand over six feet in height, according to CDC data from 2015-16.

📰 Worth a read: Why being ghosted is inevitable, and being a ghoster is too

🖱️ What we’re clicking:

• The five weirdest AI inventions I saw at CES 2026
• Don't believe these 6 biggest nutrition lies—the 'answer to a longer life is so simple'
• London Zoo’s lions encounter a frozen lake for the first time

🖼️ Made to endure… Furniture and decor change over time, but framed photos stand the test of time. Art To Frames offers quality frames in styles that match your taste, priced for every budget. Save 10% at Art to Frames with code DONUT25.

Yesterday we covered how recent ICE-related shootings in US cities—especially the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old Renee Good in Minneapolis—have inflamed political tensions across the US, with two different interpretations quickly forming among lawmakers.

❓ Our question to you: In your opinion, was the fatal shooting of Renee Good by ICE officers a justified use of force?

• Yes: 18%
• No: 76%
• Unsure/other: 6%

Click here to read some of the most thoughtful longform responses.

+Note on sample size: We received 992 votes and 197 longform responses.

🐻‍❄️ Trivia: What color is a polar bear’s skin?

🎓 True or false?… Europe is the second-largest continent by land area.

🤔 Riddle me this: I grow when you avoid me. What am I?

🏄‍♂️ Rick Brackins has been kite surfing for 20 years. Now, at 87 years old, the great-grandpa was recently named the oldest male person to kite surf by Guinness World Records. Check him out in action.  

🐻‍❄️ Trivia: Black

🎓 T/F: False; the second-largest continent is Africa (by population and size)

🤔 Riddle: A problem

Advertise with us: Want to reach other smart and inquisitive readers like you? Become a DONUT partner here.