What we’re reading (1/15)
“Biden Outlines $1.9 Trillion Spending Package to Combat Virus and Downturn” (New York Times). “President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Thursday proposed a $1.9 trillion rescue package to combat the economic downturn and the Covid-19 crisis, outlining the type of sweeping aid that Democrats have demanded for months and signaling the shift in the federal government’s pandemic response as Mr. Biden prepares to take office.”
“Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin Aims To Fly First Passengers On Its Space Tourism Rocket As Early As April” (CNBC). “After years in development, Jeff Bezos’ private space company Blue Origin aims to carry its first passengers on a ride to the edge of space in a few months. Blue Origin on Thursday completed the fourteenth test flight of its New Shepard rocket booster and capsule. Called NS-14, the successful test flight featured the debut of a new booster and an upgraded capsule.”
“James Simons Steps Down as Chairman of Renaissance Technologies” (Wall Street Journal). “James Simons, who helped lead a quantitative revolution that has swept the world of finance, is stepping back from his hedge fund on the heels of a terrible year for clients, but a terrific one for the firm’s employees. Mr. Simons, among the largest financial backers of Democractic candidates in recent years, told investors he was retiring as chairman of Renaissance Technologies LLC’s board of directors as of Jan. 1.”
“BlackRock Now Has A Whopping $8.7 Trillion In Assets” (CNN Business). “The record stock market run is great news for BlackRock: The owner of the super popular iShares family of exchange-traded funds reported earnings and revenue for the fourth quarter Thursday that easily topped forecasts. BlackRock (BLK), the world's largest money management firm, ended the year with nearly $8.7 trillion in total assets -- an increase of 17% from a year ago.”
“How Law Enforcement Gets Around Your Smartphone's Encryption” (Wired). “Lawmakers and law enforcement agencies around the world, including in the United States, have increasingly called for backdoors in the encryption schemes that protect your data, arguing that national security is at stake. But new research indicates governments already have methods and tools that, for better or worse, let them access locked smartphones thanks to weaknesses in the security schemes of Android and iOS.”
