The European Union fines Qualcomm for allegedly violating antitrust laws. The EU is forcing the chipmaking company to pay $1.2 billion for illegally paying Apple to use its products exclusively. Apple and Qualcomm have been engaged in a long battle over this controversy.
Starbucks and Disney announce pay raises and better employee benefits thanks to savings from the new tax reform bill. Starbucks says it will increase employee salaries, offer stock options, and offer more benefits. Disney says it will pay one-time $1,000 bonuses to 125,000 employees. The company will also invest $50 million in an education program for hourly workers.
We talk to the directors behind the newest Netflix series, "Dirty Money," premiering this Friday, January 26th. Each episode in the six-part series will look at a different story of corporate corruption. Two of the directors, Kristi Jacobson and Erin Lee Carr, discuss how the series takes viewers beyond the headlines of big scandals such as VW's recall, Martin Shkreli, and even the Trump Organization.
And Brett Holts, VP of Nike Running Footwear, introduces Nike's newest sneaker, the Epic React Flyknit. Holts says the shoe features a brand new foam compound, developed entirely by Nike. In the ongoing sneaker wars between Nike and Adidas, Holts says competition is always good, but Nike is focused on its own products.
Joe Cecela, Dream Exchange CEO, explains how they are aiming to form the first minority-controlled company to operate an exchange in U.S. history. Watch!
A Michigan judge is putting sponges in the hands of shoplifters and ordering them to wash cars in a Walmart parking lot when spring weather arrives. Genesee County Judge Jeffrey Clothier hopes the unusual form of community service discourages people from stealing from Walmart. The judge also wants to reward shoppers with free car washes. Clothier says he began ordering “Walmart wash” sentences this week for shoplifting at the store in Grand Blanc Township. He believes 75 to 100 people eventually will be ordered to wash cars this spring. Clothier says he will be washing cars alongside them when the time comes.
The State Department had been in talks with Elon Musk’s Tesla company to buy armored electric vehicles, but the plans have been put on hold by the Trump administration after reports emerged about a potential $400 million purchase. A State Department spokesperson said the electric car company owned by Musk was the only one that expressed interest back in May 2024. The deal with Tesla was only in its planning phases but it was forecast to be the largest contract of the year. It shows how some of his wealth has come and was still expected to come from taxpayers.
