Good morning, Quartz readers!
HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Big Tech spent billions on AI data centers in 2024. Amazon spent $19 billion alone, and that was far from the largest amount.
Costco is fighting to keep its DEI program intact. The struggle comes as a large number of big companies roll back their diversity initiatives.
Donald Trump might have a new FAA head in mind. Speculation is swirling that JSX CEO Alex Wilcox could be his pick.
Belgium is set to ban disposable vapes this year. The country is taking the action in the name of public health and environmental protection
Elon Musk’s Starlink will give Ukraine ‘uninterrupted’ cell service. The country will be among the first to use Starlink’s direct-to-cell network.
Free Apple TV+ this weekend
Apple is ringing in the first weekend of the New Year with a big giveaway. The tech giant will allow anyone with an Apple ID to use its Apple TV+ platform for free.
Fee-free access to shows like Severance and Ted Lasso will run on Jan. 4 and Jan 5. The offer is good worldwide.
What are the specifics of Apple’s giveaway? Quartz’s Bruce Gil runs down the details.
Nepo baby taxes
One of Donald Trump’s big campaign promises was to push further tax cuts on top of the ones from his first administration. Some critics fear this will increase the U.S. wealth gap between rich and poor people.
Despite grumblings that billionaire families are severely “undertaxed,” fewer levies on their fortunes could free up money for members’ vanity projects. Some of those projects include recreating medieval churches on U.S. soil and fashion companies.
What other ways might the wealthy benefit from lighter tax loads? Quartz’s Madeline Fitzgerald points out a few of them.
MORE FROM QUARTZ
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😓 Air Canada and KLM narrowly avoided disaster after the Jeju Air crash
🧑🏫 These are the 10 college campuses most worth moving to
🛒 Five retailers combined for more than $1 trillion in 2024 sales
₿ Bitcoin will hit $185,000 in 2025, says leading crypto firm
SURPRISING DISOVERIES
A chess player banned from a major tournament for wearing jeans is back. Magnus Carlsen will rejoin the World Blitz Chess Championship; he says he will wear jeans again.
It has never been more dangerous to be a child. UNICEF says that 1 in 6 children worldwide, from Gaza to Sudan, live in a conflict zone.
“Puck shaped objects” are the source of a significant legal controversy. Selling said objects filled with melted ice rink from notable hockey games has embroiled Fanatics in a lawsuit over alleging copyright infringement.
Antarctica is getting too hot to study. Glaciers are retreating and meadow grass is growing at unprecedented rates.
Kenya couldn’t electrify its bus fleets any faster if it wanted to. EV makers are having trouble meeting demand in the African country.
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