Good morning. It's Friday, Jan. 2, and we're covering a fire at a Swiss ski resort, Betty Boop entering the public domain, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4.5 million insatiably curious readers. Sign up here.
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Around 40 people have died, and more than 115 others were injured, when a fire tore through a crowded bar during New Year’s celebrations at the Crans-Montana ski resort in Valais, Switzerland, early yesterday.
Authorities said the blaze began around 1:30 am local time at Le Constellation, a bar popular with teens located near the base of the resort’s ski runs. The venue, which has a capacity of 300 people, includes a ground-floor lounge and a speakeasy in the basement. Witnesses said a candle lit in a bottle may have triggered the flames, which spread to the wooden ceiling before a “flashover”—when all the combustible material in a room ignites and can sound like an explosion. Officials said the cause was still under investigation but ruled out terrorism.
Crans-Montana, a century-old resort, is known for hosting World Cup ski events and the European Masters golf tournament and for catering to wealthy international visitors. |
Every year on Jan. 1, a new batch of copyrighted works and intellectual property enters the public domain. This year, Betty Boop became available for use, joining the ranks of Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh.
Betty Boop first appeared in an August 1930 cartoon series, "Dizzy Dishes" (see debut). She started off as an anthropomorphic poodle, styled to approximate contemporary flappers and jazz singers. Over time, animator Max Fleischer and his studio swapped the dog ears for earrings and made a series for the breakout star, naming her Betty Boop after the scatting sounds her character made. Boop went on to appear in dozens of theatrical cartoons, including a version of "Snow White" preceding Disney's version by four years. Learn about the animation style here (w/video).
US law protects many copyrighted works for up to 95 years. See a list of works entering the public domain—including Nancy Drew and Dick and Jane—here. |
Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett officially retired from his role at the start of the new year, ending a seven-decade career in which he became regarded as the most prolific investor in history. Vice Chair Greg Abel will succeed Buffett.
Born in (and still a resident of) Omaha, Nebraska, the 95-year-old Buffett made his first real estate investment at age 14 using money saved from paper routes. In 1962, he began acquiring shares of Berkshire, then a declining textile manufacturer, taking over in 1965. Known for his adherence to “value investing”—finding underpriced companies with strong fundamentals and holding onto them long term—Berkshire is now worth roughly $1.1T, owning companies including GEICO and BNSF Railway and holding major positions in Apple, Chevron, and more. Cofounder of The Giving Pledge, Buffett has committed 99% of his wealth to charity.
Explore our favorite resources on the “Oracle of Omaha” here. |
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Sports, Entertainment, & Culture |
> "Zootopia 2" becomes Disney's highest-grossing animated movie, earning $1.46B at the global box office and beating "Frozen 2," which earned $1.45B in 2019 (More) | Everything we've learned about Disney (1440 Topics) |
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> US stock markets close down Wednesday (S&P 500 -0.7%, Dow -0.6%, Nasdaq -0.8%), but overall advance in 2025; Nasdaq rises roughly 20% on the year, driven by AI boom, followed by S&P 500 (+16%) and the Dow (+13%) (More) |
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Historybook: Spanish Reconquista completed (1492); Viet Cong achieve first major victory of Vietnam War (1963); President Ronald Reagan sworn in as California governor (1967); President Jimmy Carter ends US-Russia détente (1980). |
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