Quick Peek:

1. DoorDash’s $16.75M Settlement – A legal reckoning for tip mismanagement.

2. Baidu Bets on AI & Live Streaming – China’s search giant pivots towards digital entertainment.

3. NYC’s Congestion Pricing Rakes in $48.6M – A solution or just another tax?

4. U.S. Battles Avian Flu to Stabilize Egg Prices – A $1B effort to counter soaring costs.

5. New Home Sales Decline Sharply – High mortgage rates and bad weather take a toll.

6. Eli Lilly’s $27B Manufacturing Investment – A response to tariffs and a push for domestic production.

7. AI Reshapes the Workforce – DBS cuts 4,000 jobs, fueling worker anxiety.

8. MrBeast’s Empire Valued at $5B – The power of digital content creation.

9. YouTube Overtakes Spotify & Apple in Podcasting – Video podcasts are changing the game.

DoorDash to Pay $16.75M for Misusing Tips

DoorDash just learned an expensive lesson in transparency and worker rights. The company has agreed to pay $16.75 million after being caught misusing customer tips between 2017 and 2019. Instead of giving delivery workers 100% of their tips, the company used them to offset base wages, misleading both customers and workers. It wasn’t until 2019, after a wave of public backlash, that DoorDash changed its tipping model.

Now, over 60,000 New York delivery workers will receive payments between $10 and $14,000, and DoorDash must maintain greater payment transparency while reporting compliance every six months for the next three years.

Speaking of shifting business models…

Baidu’s Big Bet on Live Streaming & AI

Baidu has officially completed its $2.1 billion acquisition of YY Live, a major live-streaming platform in China. Originally priced at $3.6 billion, the deal was renegotiated amid regulatory scrutiny and economic shifts.

With ad revenues slowing, Baidu plans to integrate AI-driven tools into the live-streaming industry however as China tightens control over tech companies, Baidu must navigate compliance while expanding its AI operations.

Baidu’s long-term vision is clear: pivot from search dominance to AI-driven digital services.

Meanwhile, in New York, another big policy shift is reshaping urban life…

NYC’s Congestion Pricing Brings in $48.6M

New York City’s congestion pricing program has hit the ground running, pulling in $48.6 million in just 27 days since its January 2025 launch. Designed to reduce traffic and fund public transit improvements, the program imposes a $9 peak-hour fee on most vehicles entering Manhattan south of 60th Street, with even higher rates for trucks and buses.

Early results suggest the plan is working. Traffic within the toll zone has dropped by 9%, and there’s been an increase in commuter rail ridership as more people opt for public transit over driving. If the program stays on course, it’s expected to generate $500 million annually, a significant boost for New York’s infrastructure budget.

However, not everyone is happy. The policy is facing legal challenges, with the Trump administration threatening to withdraw federal approval. Critics argue that it disproportionately affects working-class commuters, turning what was intended as an anti-traffic measure into just another tax on drivers.

Speaking of regulatory interventions, the U.S. government is now taking aggressive steps to stabilize egg prices…

U.S. Implements Measures to Combat Avian Flu & Soaring Egg Prices

The U.S. is facing its worst avian flu outbreak in history, egg prices have skyrocketed by over 50%. To address this crisis, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is deploying $1 billion in emergency measures. $500 million is going toward farm biosecurity, focusing on stopping the virus from spreading via wild birds, which are responsible for 83% of cases. Another $400 million will be given as financial relief for farmers.

To help stabilize supply, the U.S. is also ramping up egg imports from Turkey, which is set to deliver 420 million eggs this year, a massive increase compared to previous years.

Meanwhile, another market is feeling the squeeze—real estate.

U.S. New Home Sales Decline Amid High Mortgage Rates

The housing market took a hit in January, with new home sales dropping 10.5%—the lowest pace in three months. Compared to January 2024, sales are down 1.1%, signaling that the market remains under pressure.

Mortgage rates remain stubbornly high, averaging 6.85%, making homeownership increasingly unaffordable. Severe winter storms in January also played a role, especially in the Northeast, where sales plummeted by 20%.

Meanwhile, home prices keep climbing, the median sales price for new homes in January hit $446,300, the highest since October 2022.

With inventory at its highest level since 2007, sellers and builders may need to adjust pricing strategies to stimulate demand.

Speaking of big investments, Eli Lilly is betting big on U.S. manufacturing…

Eli Lilly Commits $27 Billion to U.S. Manufacturing

Eli Lilly is making a massive $27 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing, announcing plans to build four new plants over the next five years. This expansion will create over 3,000 skilled jobs and nearly 10,000 construction jobs.

This move aligns with government efforts to revitalize U.S. manufacturing and could give Eli Lilly a competitive edge. If tariffs go into effect, companies that produce domestically will be in a far stronger position than those relying on imports.

On the flip side, some industries are cutting jobs as AI takes over…

AI Shifts: DBS Group to Cut 4,000 Jobs

DBS Group, Southeast Asia’s largest bank, is cutting 4,000 jobs as part of its transition toward AI-driven automation. Many of these positions are temporary and contract roles, which are being phased out in favor of AI-powered efficiency.

At the same time, the bank will create 1,000 AI-focused jobs, highlighting a larger trend: AI is reshaping workforces faster than ever.

This is sparking widespread anxiety, especially in the U.S., where half of workers fear job displacement due to AI.

Speaking of billion-dollar digital empires…

MrBeast Aims for a $5 Billion Valuation!

Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast, is in talks to raise hundreds of millions to value his growing business empire at $5 billion. His digital empire spans content creation, consumer products, and reality entertainment. His ventures include:

• Feastables (chocolate brand)

• Lunchly (snack company)

• Beast Games (Amazon reality competition)

Despite making $400M+ in revenue last year, Donaldson reinvests almost everything, proving that influencer-led businesses are evolving into massive media empires.

And speaking of media dominance…

YouTube Just Dethroned Spotify & Apple in Podcasting

YouTube is now the #1 podcasting platform, with 1 billion monthly active podcast listeners—outpacing Spotify and Apple.

The shift toward video podcasts is driving this growth, proving that audiences want both audio and visual experiences.

• Video podcasts are surging in popularity.

• Better monetization & discovery tools for creators.

• 400M+ hours of podcast content consumed each month.

With continued investments in podcasting, YouTube is solidifying itself as the dominant media hub of the internet.

Fill the French Press