Wake up and smell the morning news! Today's reads will leave you questioning everything.
The Influencer Illusion: Behind the glitz and glam, there's a dark side to the influencer industry. Many are drowning in debt, surrounded by mass-produced clutter. But here's where it gets controversial: what do the influenced truly need? It's not as simple as it seems. (The Verge)
Venezuela: An Inside Job? All your burning questions and conspiracy theories about America's latest invasion. (The Bulwark) And this is the part most people miss: the intricate planning and execution of capturing Maduro in just two and a half hours. (The Guardian)
The Rich Get Richer: New car sales are on the rise, but it's not the average Joe buying them. Affluent Americans are snapping up new cars, leaving first-time buyers struggling. (New York Times)
The Disappearing Starter Home: In today's housing market, starter homes are a myth. With prices soaring and floor plans expanding, first-time buyers are left with limited options. (Washington Post)
Elon Musk's Broken Promises: Musk's infamous false promises have reached new heights. Everything he promised in 2025, he failed to deliver. (Mashable)
The Cancer Drug Scam: Hundreds of hospitals are marking up old cancer treatments, sometimes hundreds of times the original price. It's a scandal that's gone unnoticed. (Bloomberg)
Supreme Court Bias: Economists reveal a disturbing trend. The court's Republican appointees are increasingly favoring the rich, with a 70% vote in their favor in 2022. (New York Times) See also: the long-term study on this issue. (NBER)
The Gas Station Savior: A simple invention by a Ford engineer has saved us from embarrassment at the gas pump. But it took decades for him to get the credit he deserved. (Wall Street Journal)
Trump's Power Grab: After Watergate, the presidency was tamed. But Trump is unleashing it once again, deciding that laws don't apply to him. (New York Times)
Finnish Media Literacy: Finland is teaching its children media literacy from age three. It's a powerful tool to protect against Russian propaganda. (AP News)
And finally, don't miss our Masters in Business interview with Stephanie Drescher, Apollo's influential Chief Client and Product Development Officer. (Ritholtz)
The dollar's annual drop is the steepest in almost a decade. (Financial Times)
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