Posts

Showing posts from January, 2026

From ringing NYSE's closing bell to a midnight DJ set in a Brooklyn warehouse, my day with HBO's 'Industry' cast

Image
Amanda Yen/Business Insider HBO's 'Industry' brought the party from the NYSE trading floor to a private screening in Brooklyn. The after party featured caviar bumps, SternTao merch, and a DJ set from Charli XCX's pal, The Dare. Actors, influencers, and New York's young literati drank and danced together. The vibes were immaculate. To borrow a phrase from HBO's "Industry," you have to let a journalist fulfill her function. Here's my not-so-typical Thursday evening from Wall Street to the warehouse district of East Williamsburg with the cast of the hit show . 3:30 p.m.: Went from the office to the red carpet to catch the cast of 'Industry' ring the closing bell Amanda Yen/Business Insider 3:51 p.m.: There's Harper (Myha'la), Yasmin (Marisa Abela), and showrunners Konrad Kay and Mickey Down! Amanda Yen/Business Insider Pause for a photo op … Amanda Yen/Business Insider While we wait for 4 p.m., chief news ...

Elon Musk ended Tesla's earnings call with an urgent plea

Image
Elon Musk at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in 2026. Harun Ozalp/Anadolu via Getty Images Elon Musk took the final moments of Tesla's earnings call to warn American companies about global battery supply risks. Tesla has built its own lithium refinery and battery facility to avoid disruptions: "We wish others would build this," Musk said. Recent studies show renewed interest in building the facilities — but construction has slowed. "Can other people, please, for the love of God, in the name of all that is holy, can others please build this stuff?" Elon Musk made the plea in the final moments of Tesla's earnings call on Wednesday, sounding a bit fired up. Musk had just finished giving a blunt warning to American companies: build more battery-making infrastructure in the US or risk falling behind. The Tesla CEO argued that too many companies are underestimating their exposure to geopolitical risks posed by fragile supply chains, pa...

The best pillows for side sleepers in 2026, according to a certified sleep coach

Image
When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more We sleep tested over 20 pillows to find the best options for those who prefer to sleep on their sides. Suzy Hernandez/Business Insider When you're looking for a restful, pain-free night's sleep, the right pillow can make a world of a difference. Snoozing on your side is the most common sleeping position, and with side sleeping comes a unique set of needs when shopping for a pillow. The best pillows for side sleepers combine comfort and support, with a medium-firm to firm feel and a loft that comfortably fills the space between your head and your neck. After testing two dozen of the best pillows and speaking with experts, the Coop Sleep Goods Original Pillow is my favorite pillow for side sleepers. Its supportive fill is completely adjustable, so you can find the perfect loft for optimal comfort. I also love the Eli & Elm Side Sleeper Pillow , a unique U-shaped pillow that c...

Rebecca Yarros' bestselling fantasy book 'Fourth Wing' is being turned into a TV show. Here's everything we know so far.

Image
"Fourth Wing" is being turned into a TV show. Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images/Red Tower Rebecca Yarros' "Fourth Wing" is being adapted into a TV series. Amazon MGM Studios and Michael B. Jordan's Outlier Society will produce the series for Prime Video. In January 2026, Jordan said the series development was still in early stages. At this point, it's hard not to be familiar with Rebecca Yarros' "Empyrean" series about dragon rider Violet Sorrengail. When "Onyx Storm," the third book in the romantasy series , was released in January 2025, it became the fastest-selling adult novel in 20 years. Yarros is taking a break from the "Empyrean" series before writing the fourth installment, but in the meantime, we're getting closer to a series adaptation of "Fourth Wing." 'Fourth Wing' is becoming a TV show In October 2023, Deadline announced that Amazon MGM Studios and Oscar nominee Michael B. Jord...

Anthropic and OpenAI CEOs condemn ICE violence, praise Trump

Anthropic's Dario Amodei and OpenAI's Sam Altman spoke out against ICE enforcement tactics following Minneapolis violence, with one addressing concerns publicly and the other in an internal message. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/elHLjFK via IFTTT

Odds of a government shutdown skyrocket on Polymarket and Kalshi in wake of ICE shooting in Minnesota

Image
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said that Democrats will not vote to advance a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security, imperiling a broader government funding package. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images Odds of a government shutdown rose from roughly 10% to the high 70s on prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi . Democrats are vowing to oppose a bill to fund the agency until reforms are made to immigration enforcement. That's imperiling a broader package of bills to fund the government. Just days ago, it looked like the US would avoid a repeat of the government shutdown that took place in the fall. Then, federal agents fatally shot Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. In the span of just a few hours following the shooting on Saturday, the odds that the government will shut down later this week rose from roughly 10% to the high 70s on prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi . That's because Democratic senators now say they won't vote to fund t...

The CEOs of Minnesota's largest companies call for 'de-escalation' of tensions after second fatal ICE shooting

Image
Federal agents run towards demonstrators and fire munitions in Minneapolis on Saturday. Tim Evans/Reuters Minnesota business leaders are urging peace after fatal shootings by federal agents in Minneapolis. Tensions are high after deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Major CEOs are calling for cooperation among officials to restore stability in Minnesota. The CEOs of Minnesota's most prominent businesses are calling for local, state, and federal officials to find a solution as tensions skyrocket the day after federal agents shot and killed a second person in Minneapolis. A Border Patrol agent killed Alex Pretti, 37, a US citizen who worked as a nurse at the local Veteran Affairs hospital, on Saturday morning. Pretti had been filming federal immigration agents when the confrontation began. Minneapolis and neighboring St. Paul have been the site of continuous protests since the Department of Homeland Security flooded the cities with immigration agents in December. Tensions...

After my divorce, my kids move between homes every week. Buying 2 of everything reduced their stress.

Image
The author buys two of everything so their kids are not stressed living between two homes after divorce. Courtesy of the author I buy duplicates so my kids don't live out of bags between homes. Small comforts like shampoo and perfume help ease switch-day stress. Making transitions easier helps me cope with being apart from my kids. After my divorce , my kids started living out of bags, going back and forth between my home and their dad's each week. It's been like this for five years, but this school year added something new to the shuffle. My son and daughter, now 11 and 13, suddenly became interested in styling their hair every morning. They wanted specific hair care products and personal care items of their own. Suddenly, we weren't just packing clothes , shoes, school bags, and sports equipment; we were also packing hair products, favorite shampoos, perfumes, colognes, and body washes. I love when my home and bathroom smell like my kids' favorite scen...

How business and tech leaders are reacting to the latest fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis

Image
Tear gas fills the air in Minneapolis after federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti on Saturday morning. Star Tribune via Getty Images/Star Tribune via Getty Images Federal immigration officers shot and killed Alex Pretti, 37, in Minneapolis on Saturday. It was the second fatal shooting of a US citizen by ICE in Minneapolis this month. The killing elicited sharp reactions from Americans, including business and tech leaders. Federal immigration agents on Saturday shot and killed a US citizen in Minneapolis — the second fatal shooting involving ICE officers this month — adding more fuel to an already explosive national debate over immigration enforcement. The killing sparked an outcry on Minneapolis streets , as well as online, eliciting sharp responses from all sides, including leaders in the business and tech communities. The billionaire CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, Bill Ackman , for instance, wrote in a post on X that it was "time to take the temperat...

Gmail is having issues with spam and misclassification

If your Gmail account doesn’t seem to be working properly today, you’re not alone. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/J7wSyKd via IFTTT

How ICE chaos and a boycott plan are turning Minnesota retailers into community spaces

Image
Community donations at Smitten Kitten (left and right), and BabyBel Mozzarella the cat (middle), are supporting Minnesotans. Mikayla Stanek (Smitten Kitten); Vanessa Beardsley (Catzen) January is typically a slow month for retailers — a time for restocking, chores, and tax prep. This year, small businesses in the Minneapolis area have thrown that out the window. They're offering aid during heightened ICE activity. A second fatal shooting by federal officers in Minneapolis on Saturday has further inflamed tensions in the city. Immigration agents, in full view of filming protesters, tackled a 37-year-old man to the ground before one shot him multiple times. City officials said in a press conference on Saturday that the man, who they believed to be a US citizen, had died at the scene. The shooting occurred as thousands of protesters converged in downtown Minneapolis to rally against the Department of Homeland Security's Operation Metro Surge, which has flooded Minnesot...

Tech CEOs boast and bicker about AI at Davos

There were times at this week’s meeting of the World Economic Forum when Davos seemed transformed into a high-powered tech conference. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/e7IPink via IFTTT

Former Googlers seek to captivate kids with an AI-powered learning app

Sparkli said that education systems often fall behind in teaching modern concepts. The company wants to teach kids about topics like skills design, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship by creating an AI-powered learning "expedition." from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/T0Cnzap via IFTTT

Morgan Stanley says Tesla just got a 'critical unlock' for its bullish autonomous driving ambitions

Image
Jay Janner/The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images A "critical unlock" for Tesla's self-driving car tech came from the insurance industry this week. Tesla could benefit from Lemonade's autonomous vehicle insurance, Morgan Stanley said. The insurance startup will be rolling out a new product for self-driving cars, starting with Tesla. Tesla 's car sales may have struggled recently, but Morgan Stanley says a recent update in the insurance space is a positive signal for the real bull case for Tesla stock: autonomous driving. Online insurance provider Lemonade announced the launch of a new product for self-driving cars this week. The Lemonade Autonomous Car insurance will begin with a 50% rate cut for Tesla drivers when their vehicle's autonomous driving software is in control. Morgan Stanley analysts say this is a "critical unlock" for Tesla and the broader self-driving car market. It indicates that insurance providers may finally b...

'High School Musical' at 20: How Kenny Ortega made a musical on a shoestring budget — and turned it into a multibillion-dollar franchise

Image
Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens as Troy and Gabriella in "High School Musical." Disney For the 20th anniversary of "High School Musical," Business Insider spoke to director Kenny Ortega. Ortega revealed how the cast's tight-knit relationships behind the scenes helped shape the movie. Though he's not attached to a fourth movie, Ortega said he'd be open to getting the cast and crew back together. Do you remember what you were doing on this day 20 years ago? If you were an avid Disney Channel viewer, chances are, the answer is living and breathing " High School Musical ." In January 2006, a direct-to-TV movie musical starring a cast of largely unknown teenagers set a single-night audience record on the Disney Channel. It was such a hit that the house of mouse promptly doubled down with repeat screenings, sing-along versions, piles of merchandise, and a live concert tour that packed arenas across the country. By the time the year was out, ...