🗞️ Black swan

Good morning. If you love a doomsday scroll then we've got the perfect article you can read when you sit through this morning’s train delays.

15 futurists, foreign policy analysts and other prognosticators have provided some potential scenarios for the new year.

If you have no interest in selling all your shares, buying excessive insurance policies and building a bunker then we recommend continuing your newsletter scroll.

All the headlines and more below...

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Private or not, Sydney most expensive for schools

• The total cost of private schooling in Sydney has reached $411,108 over 13 years, sitting 17% above the national average according to the Cost of Education Index. LINK

• Public schooling costs in major cities will reach $123,294 over 13 years, with ancillary expenses comprising 92% of costs. LINK

• The Electrical Trades Union has caused significant delays across Sydney's suburban train network whilst services run slowly with extended platform stops of up to 15 minutes. LINK

• A Workday survey revealed 65% of Australian workers use AI while employers report low returns. LINK

• Australian venture capital funds face sustainability challenges in 2025 due to tough economic conditions. LINK

• Australian barramundi fishers struggle against imports despite record catches as costs and regulations increase. LINK

COMPANY NEWS

OpenAI rolls out assistant-like feature 'Tasks' to take on Alexa, Siri

• RedNote experiences surging US downloads as users seek alternatives to TikTok. LINK

• TikTok prepares to shut down US operations on January 19 without Supreme Court intervention. LINK

• OpenAI has launched a beta virtual assistant feature called Tasks for ChatGPT. LINK

• SpaceX rocket debris has forced Qantas to delay several Sydney-Johannesburg flights by up to 6 hours. LINK

• Meta is cutting 3,600 jobs through performance-based terminations whilst CEO Mark Zuckerberg aims to improve management standards with generous severance packages. LINK

• Telstra will invest $700M in an AI joint venture with Accenture over seven years to address customer service outages. LINK 

• Meta will reduce 5% of its lowest-performing workforce while maintaining AI investments. LINK

• Star Brisbane staff have protested low wages while executives receive bonuses during the company's financial crisis. LINK

• Microsoft pauses US consulting division hiring whilst pursuing an $80B AI investment. LINK

• Oracle escalated its $250M tax dispute with the ATO over cross-border royalty payments through a Federal Court appeal. LINK

• Apple and Amazon successfully defended against a $602M UK lawsuit over alleged reseller restrictions. LINK

• Macquarie will invest $900M in Applied Digital's US data centre campus with rights to fund an additional $4.1B. LINK

• Myer's acquisition of Premier Investments' apparel brands has received independent approval as fair for shareholders. LINK

• Baby Bunting reported a 37% increase in H1 FY25 profit while reaffirming its full-year guidance. LINK

• Google faces an $77.9M fine in Russia for failing to comply with content removal requirements. LINK

CHART OF THE DAY

Prices are falling in Melbourne and Sydney

ONE MORE SCROLL

Editor’s Pick: Google’s Daily Listen AI feature generates a podcast based on your Discover feed.

Draft Pick: Nick Kyrgios makes retirement admission immediately after first round loss at Australian Open.

Odd Pick: Small Italian town bans residents from getting sick to raise attention to healthcare shortages.

TOGETHER WITH

TRIVIA

Emoji-nese

Do you know these common sayings from the emoji?

1. 🐵👀🐒🫳

2. 🔪🩸🐦🐤☝️💎

3. 👈◼️☝️

Answers below

OUR SOCIALS

ANSWERS

1. Monkey see, monkey do
2. Kill two birds with one stone
3. Back to square one

Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here