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What PubMatic’s AgenticOS says to enterprise marketing

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What PubMatic’s AgenticOS says to enterprise marketing

PubMatic’s release of AgenticOS marks a shift in the way artificial intelligence operates in digital advertising, moving agenttic AI from an isolated experiment to a system-level capability built into programmatic infrastructure.

For marketing leaders managing seven-figure budgets in media environments, the impact is practical rather than theoretical, meaning shorter decision cycles and a rebalance of human effort to strategy and differentiation.

Although programmatic advertising promises efficiency, it is actually more complex to operate. Campaigns span formats, devices, data partnerships, and regulatory constraints, making manual optimization problematic. PubMatic is positioning AgenticOS as a response to such pressures, presenting AgenticOS as an “operating system” that allows multiple AI agents to process and optimize campaigns within human-defined goals and with enterprise-defined guardrails.

AgenticOS works across your infrastructure and applications to coordinate decision-making. This is consistent with current research trends showing that agent systems outperform single-model automation in situations where campaign tasks trade-off with cost, performance, and risk analysis inherent in media buying.

Reduce costs by compressing operations

For medium to large organizations, increased marketing costs are driven by operational overhead rather than media prices. PubMatic reports early testing that agent-driven campaigns reduced setup time by 87% and problem resolution by 70%. Even accounting for bias, these numbers are consistent with research into AI-assisted workflow automation in corporate marketing. Typically, you will see a 30-50% reduction in manual planning and reporting.

The short-term opportunity for budget holders is not necessarily to reduce staff, but to increase production capacity. The agent system absorbs the burden of decision-making such as bid adjustments, pacing, and inventory discovery. This allows teams to run more campaigns simultaneously or redirect effort to activities like experimentation and testing.

Quality of decisions at scale

AgenticOS’s claim is that it enables continuous decision-making without fragmentation, which is important because most marketing inefficiencies stem from slow and inconsistent execution, not slow strategy. Human teams operate in reporting cycles, whereas agent systems operate in seconds.

Research on real-time optimization suggests that small gains at the auction level can come at high costs. At the enterprise level, even an order-of-magnitude percentage improvement in effective CPM or conversion efficiency can impact your budget. Agent AI does not eliminate the need for human judgment, but it changes when and where decisions are made. Instead of reactive troubleshooting, teams define objectives, constraints, and success goals.

Governance, management and brand safety

A persistent concern among senior marketers is the loss of control over agent processes. PubMatic says AgenticOS works based on an advertiser’s objectives, brand safety rules and creative parameters, and agents operate within those boundaries. This reflects broad industry consensus that agent AI adoption will only grow if governance is built in at the system level, rather than bolt-on.

The practical lesson for decision makers is to invest early in codifying marketing intent, elaborating performance hierarchies, setting brand constraints, and setting escalation thresholds. Organizations that treat agent AI as a strategy execution layer rather than a black box are likely to realize benefits faster and with lower risk.

Forecast for the next 24 months

Evidence from adjacent corporate functions such as supply chain, finance, and customer support suggests three possible developments.

First, agent AI will become the standard execution layer for programmatic advertising, with a shift from automation to high-quality intent modeling and agent tuning.

Second, marketing operating models will flatten, with smaller teams managing larger, more complex portfolios. Senior marketers will likely spend more time planning scenarios and less on day-to-day campaign mechanics.

Third, vendors that offer system-level agent platforms (rather than isolated point solutions) will be able to realize ROI as cost savings and performance improvements are compounded across workflows rather than isolated points.

Practical advice for marketing leaders

Marketing decision makers can view AgenticOS and similar platforms as an infrastructure investment. Pilot programs should focus on large-scale, rules-based campaigns where efficiency gains are easy to measure. Success can be measured based on performance metrics and time saved.

The most important thing is that internal preparation is the most important. The more precisely objectives and constraints are defined, the more effectively an autonomous system will operate. In this sense, implementing agent AI is more of an organizational discipline challenge than a technical challenge.

PubMatic’s AgenticOS shows how agent AI in marketing is entering the production phase. The question is how quickly organizations can adapt their processes to take advantage of technology. Companies that do so have the potential to reduce costs and make better use of their marketing dollars in an increasingly complex media environment.

(Image source: “market” by star-one is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.)

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Was the US capture of Maduro legal?

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Was the US capture of Maduro legal?

Tuesday, January 6, 2026, episode of the podcast The Excerpt: Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife are currently in detention following the US military attack on Caracas. Was this legal? USA TODAY White House Correspondent Bert Jansen joins The Excerpt to discuss.

Press play in the player below to listen to the podcast and follow the transcript below. This transcript was automatically generated and edited in its current format for clarity. There may be some differences between audio and text.

Podcast: For true crime stories, in-depth interviews, and more USA TODAY podcasts, click here

Dana Taylor:

Early Saturday morning, U.S. troops descended on Venezuela’s capital, Caracas. Hours later, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were taken into U.S. custody. Hello. Welcome to this excerpt from USA TODAY. I’m Dana Taylor. Today is Tuesday, January 6, 2025.

Now, President Donald Trump has been threatening to arrest Maduro for weeks, a move that has many questions swirling around. The first question is, “Was this legal and what does it look like now?” Helping us dig into all the issues is USA TODAY White House correspondent Bert Jansen. Bart, thank you so much for joining us.

Bert Jansen:

Thank you for having me.

Dana Taylor:

Bart, this was an unusual action by the Trump administration. President Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were arraigned in Manhattan on Monday afternoon. What was the charge?

Bert Jansen:

The basic charges are four counts: drug terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, and two weapons charges. Essentially, the accusation is that President Maduro participated in, and ultimately became part of, a criminal conspiracy by the Venezuelan government to funnel cocaine into the United States for about 25 years.

Dana Taylor:

And what evidence supports those charges?

Bert Jansen:

The indictment described the conduct quite broadly. The charges include that by 2020, 200 to 250 tons of cocaine was being shipped from Venezuela to the United States every year. So there’s a massive conspiracy, a lot of drugs, but the nitty-gritty details of what exactly President Maduro did to contribute to the alleged conspiracy are not really detailed. One of the charges in the indictment is that he served as acting foreign minister from 2006 to 2008 and issued diplomatic passports to drug traffickers so they could more easily bring drugs into the United States, but the remaining allegations, spanning 25 years of conduct, are not detailed in the relatively short indictment. We will continue to focus on action in court and future litigation to further elaborate on these details.

Dana Taylor:

Bart, were their arrests legal? What are US experts saying here, and what are the rest of the world saying about this?

Bert Jansen:

Trump, of course, maintains that the arrest was legal and that it was essentially a law enforcement action, pursuing someone who had been indicted in the United States for prosecution here. But using the military to seize Maduro and bring him back to New York City raised many questions among European leaders who say they want to review what happened and consider what laws and policies are at issue, but also drew criticism from Venezuela’s neighbors such as Brazil, Mexico and Colombia. Leaders of those countries issued a joint statement saying the violence and military had set a bad precedent. The UN chief said it was a bad precedent, and the leaders of Venezuela’s allies Russia and China said the military action should be condemned. As such, Venezuela’s allies have criticized the move, although mainly European allies continue to study the situation.

Dana Taylor:

What happens next?

Bert Jansen:

In court, defense attorneys are expected to begin challenging all aspects of the charges. Legal experts say the trial may not start until 2027 because of the controversy. The problem may be that because Mr. Maduro’s military capture was illegal, he need not be charged with a crime. Another argument is that Trump could be immune from prosecution as a head of state, just as the Supreme Court ruled that Trump could be immune from criminal charges if he was acting in an official capacity. And a trial is not expected to happen soon, as they will likely spend months or more arguing over these issues, and whoever loses in any of these court decisions could appeal the decision.

Dana Taylor:

Ironically, however, Maduro’s arrest occurred 36 years ago when former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega was arrested by the US military on similar charges. What do these similarities tell us?

Bert Jansen:

Now, the actions against Noriega completely removed him from power, removed his leadership, and led Panama in a new direction. The question now is: What does the removal of President Maduro mean for Venezuela? You have removed the supreme leader, but the argument is that much of his regime remains in place. So how could that government be dismantled, or, if left in place, could he be replaced by another leader with similar policies?

Dana Taylor:

In his address to the nation on Saturday, President Trump said the United States would “run Venezuela in the short term.” What does that mean practically?

Bert Jansen:

Well, we are waiting for details about that too. Yes, President Trump said the United States would run Venezuela. He indicated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth would be among the U.S. officials working with the Venezuelan people to resolve what President Trump called the chaos in his country. The idea is to root out suspected corruption throughout the government. One of its biggest aspects is restoring the domestic oil industry.

Although Venezuela has vast oil reserves and, as I mentioned, many countries around the world, including Russia and China, rely on its oil flows, President Trump says the country is producing only a fraction of its potential. So he says oil companies will spend billions of dollars to fully restore Venezuela’s oil export capacity, which will be reimbursed from oil revenues. So while the promise of better management is one of President Trump’s reasons for optimism about this transition, U.S. officials and Venezuelans are wondering what it means for the U.S. to effectively run the country. How detailed will it be? How far will U.S. officials intervene in government?

Dana Taylor:

Sticking to that, Trump talked about oil and said that American companies, oil companies, would take over that industry, but many have criticized this move and suggested that the whole operation could become a large-scale oil heist. Is there any truth to these theories?

Bert Jansen:

Now, President Trump has accused Venezuela of seizing control of U.S. oil facilities and stealing U.S. assets decades ago. The country called this the nationalization of foreign interests. Meanwhile, countries have been trying to restart oil production. Chevron, for example, has a special contract to produce oil from Venezuela, but President Trump has argued that he can restore the oil company to being a top-tier oil producer by attracting billions of dollars of investment back into the company by repairing aging facilities that he claims are simply outdated, dilapidated and dilapidated. The goal therefore appears to be to restart oil production from Venezuela. We’ll have to wait for more details on who will benefit most from it.

Dana Taylor:

Bart, what is the reaction from Venezuelans?

Bert Jansen:

There have been public demonstrations of people so happy to have removed Maduro, holding flags, signs and banners in the streets, celebrating the removal of an authoritarian ruler who has long been criticized as not a very pleasant person. The United States and the European Union did not recognize President Maduro’s recent election, so there were high expectations that he was not a good leader and that something needed to be done. However, what remains, or remains, among people on the streets is, “What will the future hold?” We know that the United States will contribute to the Venezuelan government, but who will lead it and how will they act? What will their policies be? These are all open-ended questions, and Venezuelans are waiting for answers.

Dana Taylor:

What’s the next step here? Are there any other countries in the spotlight for suspected drug trafficking?

Bert Jansen:

Well, of course, Mexico is another country that President Trump has accused of drug trafficking into the United States. One of the terrorist organizations cited in the indictment as profiting from Venezuelan drug trafficking is Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel. This organization has also been designated as a terrorist organization by President Trump, and one path the administration can take is to pay more attention to Mexico from the perspective of drug trafficking. Another is that Cuba has long been a beneficiary of Venezuela’s oil industry and mutual protection, and President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have also said they want a change in Cuba’s leadership, so we will have to see whether the United States will now turn its attention to the island nation that has long opposed communist leadership.

Dana Taylor:

Bert Jansen is USA TODAY’s White House correspondent. Bart, thank you so much for sharing your insight here.

Bert Jansen:

Thank you for having me.

Dana Taylor:

We would like to thank Senior Producer Kaely Monahan for production assistance. Executive producer is Laura Beatty. Let us know what you thought about this episode by sending a note to podcast@usatoday.com. Thank you for your attention. I’m Dana Taylor. Tomorrow morning, we’ll be back with another episode of USA TODAY Excerpts.

Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa dies at age 65

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Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa dies at age 65

Doug LaMalfa, a Republican U.S. congressman from California, has died, lawmakers confirmed on Tuesday, January 6.

He was 65 years old.

Mr. LaMalfa served in the California State Assembly and State Senate, and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012.

“Jackie and I are devastated by the sudden loss of our friend Congressman Doug LaMalfa,” Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) posted on social media Tuesday. “Doug was a loving father and husband, and a loyal advocate for his constituents and rural America. Our prayers are with Doug’s wife Jill and their children.”

President Donald Trump expressed his condolences to LaMalfa’s family in a speech to House Republicans on January 6. President Trump said he considered canceling the speech out of respect for himself, but chose to proceed.

President Trump said he was “truly saddened by his death.” “Our hearts go out to his wife Jill and the entire family.”

President Trump praised LaMalfa for voting according to his priorities and not needing a convincing 3 a.m. call to approve the bill.

“With Doug, there was no need for me to call him,” Trump said.

LaMalfa represented Northern California’s 1st Congressional District, which stretches from the Oregon border to Shasta, Butte and Yuba counties and includes the city of Reading and areas north of Sacramento.

USA TODAY has reached out to LaMalfa’s office.

Representative Richard Hudson of North Carolina, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, also released the following statement regarding LaMalfa’s death:

“I am deeply saddened by the passing of my colleague and dear friend, Congressman Doug LaMalfa,” he said in a statement. “Doug was a principled conservative and a tireless advocate for the people of Northern California.”

LaMalfa’s death and the resignation of former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene will reduce the Republican House majority to 218-213.

Conway in Congress? President Trump’s opponent George Conway announces candidacy for New York seat

Doug LaMalfa recently praised Venezuela’s attack

A fourth-generation rice farmer and operator from Northern California, LaMalfa “grew up attending local schools and learning the values ​​of hard work and community service,” his online legislative profile says.

LaMalfa praised the Trump administration’s attack on Venezuela on social media over the weekend.

“Today’s surgical strike was an amazing display of American military power and precision. We are grateful that no Americans were lost in the operation,” the late congressman wrote in a Jan. 3 post on the X Show.

“Today’s actions send a clear message to the world and those who seek to challenge America that we will not repeat the mistakes of the past,” the post continues. “We are holding the best and deadliest in charge, not those who call on our adversaries to ‘take note’. We look forward to further briefing on the raid and the President’s plans for next steps to protect the Western Hemisphere from further crimes against freedom-loving people.”

This is a developing story.

Contributor: Joey Garrison

Natalie Neisa Alland is a senior reporter at USA TODAY. Contact her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her at X @nataliealund

The story of the first state constitution

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The story of the first state constitution

On this day 250 years ago, the so-called New Hampshire General Assembly promulgated the first state constitution, the first in fact. american Constitution. As we enter a new year and prepare to mark the fifth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in July, we must remember our state constitution, which reflects the spirit of the 76 years that preceded it. Although this constitution would soon be eclipsed in relative importance by the constitutions of Virginia and Pennsylvania and their accompanying declarations of rights, New Hampshire’s first constitution, the practical concerns that prompted its adoption, and the primitive federalism that were central to its process, provide objective lessons in state constitution-making. The promulgation of this document marked an important turning point in the colonies’ path toward representative self-government and federalism, and set the tone for subsequent constitutional development.

early experiments

New Hampshire’s experiment with independent government preceded the Constitution, and this experience influenced decisions to draft the Constitution. After the closure of Boston Harbor in May 1774, the New Hampshire Colonial Assembly rebelled against the colony’s royal governor and appointed a State Correspondence Commission to coordinate with other colonies resisting Britain’s coercive policies. The governor responded by adjourning and ultimately dissolving the Legislature, but the Legislature responded by issuing its own summons. This fraudulent assembly required New Hampshire towns to send representatives to what would become New Hampshire’s first state legislature. Two months later, the group met and resolved to recommend that the town elect delegates to the Second Continental Congress, allocate funds to defray expenses, and raise funds to provide relief to those affected by the Boston Harbor Act.

The state legislature, which seemed to have achieved its goal, would be immediately dissolved. Nevertheless, things in the colony were rapidly spiraling out of control. In December 1774, four months before his famous Midnight Ride, Paul Revere rode 55 miles from Boston to Portsmouth, New Hampshire to warn of the approaching British army. Patriots quickly rallied and stormed the harbor fortifications, seizing gunpowder that was later used in the Battle of Bunker Hill. In response to the crisis of authority, the second state legislature convened in January 1775, calling on the people of New Hampshire to “cease and desist from all trespasses and injuries to persons and their property, and all encumbrances of every kind” and “to show due obedience to the magistrates.” As royal authority weakened, new authorities were needed to maintain order in the colonies. However, state legislatures recognized that their powers were limited and were reluctant to act on their own to grant them that authority.

The situation quickly changes when the colonial civil government completely collapses. Over the next few months, the battles of Lexington and Concord and the formal battle of Bunker Hill would begin. In August, fearing for his life, the Royal Governor of New Hampshire fled the colony and never returned. Faced with the awkward situation of having no government in the colony, the New Hampshire Congress sent a letter to the Second Continental Congress “to obtain the advice and direction of Congress as to the manner of our government.”chic) justice, and regulate our private police force. ” Anticipating the reaction, the state legislature called a new election with expanded voting rights.

It was unclear exactly what the Continental Congress’s reaction would be. In June 1775, the Massachusetts convention received a request from Congress for “the clearest advice as to the commencement and exercise of the powers of civil government,” and Congress recommended that elections be held and a government formed under the colonial charter of 1691 until the king appointed a governor “who consents to govern the colony in accordance with the charter.” Unlike Massachusetts, New Hampshire had always been a royal colony and had no charter to fall back on. Colonial authority was closely linked to the Royal Governor-General, who was “the head of the province, the center of local government, and the supreme officer of the colony,” and the “Attorney General,” who exercised the power to appoint and dismiss virtually all judges, magistrates, sheriffs, and all other officials.

In a bold move, the Continental Congress recommended that the New Hampshire legislature “convene a full and free representation of the people, and, if they shall judge it necessary, establish such form of government as will best produce the welfare of the people, and most effectually secure the peace and order of the state, during the continuation of the present conflict between Great Britain and the colonies.” New Hampshire’s delegates to the Continental Congress were satisfied with the result, but noted that for diplomatic reasons, “the government is limited to the present competition,” but no one was too concerned about this, since “once any government is established, it can only be changed by negotiation with Great Britain,” although at this stage the outlook looked quite bleak.

put pen to paper

The Legislature began drafting a constitution and completed the work from December 21, 1775 to January 5, 1776. The most notable feature of the state legislature’s document is its preamble, which is 930 words and makes up more than one-third of the constitution. The Framers carefully began by noting that they were “elected and appointed,” “authorized, and empowered” by the “free suffrage” of New Hampshire, and that they were acting on the recommendations of the Continental Congress. Regarding the immediate motive for enacting the Constitution, the Framers realistically wrote that due to the “sudden resignation” of the royal governor and his supporters from within the government, the colony was left “devoid of laws” and “no administrative tribunals were in session for the punishment of criminal offenders,” and that “the lives and property of the honest people of this colony were in danger of being exposed to the intrigues and wicked designs of evil men.” The state legislatures, empowered and encouraged by the Continental Congress, were finally ready to intervene and act authoritatively, establishing a government “for the maintenance of peace and order, and for the security of life and property of the inhabitants of this colony.”

This constitution was enacted at a time when there was still at least some possibility of peaceful reconciliation with Great Britain. The framers protested that the Chinese-created government would only “continue during the present unfortunate and unnatural conflict with Great Britain,” depended on it, and “never intended to abandon it.” Again, in the form of proto-federalism, the state legislatures deferred to the Continental Congress, whose members declared that they would “be glad if a reconciliation between us and our parents could be effected, subject to the approval of the Continental Congress, in whose prudence and wisdom we have confidence.”

After declaring their purpose and expressing their desire for peace, the framers set about creating a substantive government. Parliament will become a House of Representatives, which will function as the lower house of a bicameral parliament with annual elections. Twelve members of the House of Representatives from specific geographic districts are elected to the Senate, or “council,” and are elected annually thereafter. All laws had to be passed by both branches of the legislature, and provisions were made for the appointment of various civil servants by the legislature. Although there were no explicit rights guarantees, the document referred to the “natural and constitutional rights and privileges” of the people, which would have been understood as protected by common law.

Sowing the seeds of representative democracy

The New Hampshire Constitution of 1776 was short-lived and replaced in 1784. However, its success cannot be judged by the length of its implementation period. Rather, it must be evaluated by what it causes. This hastily drafted document was a new written constitution. Therein lies the seed that would blossom into the representative government that Americans enjoy today in their states and the federal government, including bicameral legislatures and periodic universal suffrage. This classic state constitution began what historian Gordon S. Wood called “the most creative and important period of constitutionalism in modern Western history,” not because of the U.S. Constitution but because of the revolutionary state constitutions that preceded it by more than a decade.

• • •

The New Hampshire Constitution of 1776 is a quintessential American document and one that Americans should remember with gratitude.

Nathaniel M. Fauci is a professor of law at Capital University School of Law in Columbus, Ohio.

Recommended citation: Nathaniel M. Fouch, The story of the first state constitutionSᴛᴀᴛᴇ Cᴏᴜʀᴛ Rᴇᴘᴏʀᴛ (January 5, 2026), https://statecourtreport.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/story-first-state-constitution

What you need to know about consumer staples stocks when saving for retirement

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What you need to know about consumer staples stocks when saving for retirement

ruben greg brewer
|The Motley Fool

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If you’re looking to build wealth, one easy way to do so is to focus on reliable dividend stocks. One of the best sectors to find stocks like this is the consumer staples sector. Coca-Cola, Hormel Foods, and Procter & Gamble are three of today’s leading consumer-facing companies with strong dividend opportunities. Here’s what you need to know to get started.

Why staple stocks?

If you want to keep things simple, you’ll love consumer staples stocks. First, these companies sell products that you are likely to use every day. You don’t need to dig into a company’s annual report to understand its contents. A walk through your local grocery store will give you an idea of ​​what companies are doing.

Second, the products sold by consumer staples manufacturers are typically low-priced necessities that are frequently purchased. Products like toilet paper and deodorant are not must-do items to save a little money, and that’s true even in a recession or bear market.

That being said, some consumer staples companies have proven more successful than others over time. A quick and easy way to screen the best companies is to check out our list of Dividend Kings. Dividend Kings are companies that have increased their dividends for at least 50 years. Building a dividend record like this requires a strong business model that executes well through good times and bad.

Coca-Cola, Hormel, and Procter & Gamble are all on the list of Dividend Kings, each with at least 60 years of annual pay increases.

What do you get?

Coca-Cola is the world’s largest non-alcoholic beverage company. The dividend yield is 2.9%, which is historically moderate for this stock. The company’s price-to-sales ratio is also roughly in line with the average over the past five years. However, both the price-to-earnings ratio and the price-to-book ratio are below their averages over the past five years. Overall, the stock looks fairly priced to slightly undervalued.

A reasonable price for a great business is probably a good option for most investors. That said, the real attraction right now is that Coca-Cola is doing well despite cost-conscious consumers and health concerns about packaged foods. Through the first nine months of 2025, the company’s organic sales increased by 5% and sales volume increased by 1%. This is a testament to Coca-Cola’s brand power.

Procter & Gamble’s dividend yield is also 2.9%. This is near the high end of the recent yield range. The company makes consumer products that few people could live without, such as the aforementioned toilet paper and deodorant. The P/S, P/E, and P/B ratios are all below their averages over the past five years, suggesting the stock is attractively priced. This isn’t a deep value, but it could be a good conservative choice for value-conscious investors.

Like Coca-Cola, P&G has weathered the current retail environment relatively well. The company’s organic sales increased by 2% in fiscal 2025. This number was in line with the first quarter of 2026. It may be difficult to describe this result as “catastrophic,” but this is the type of company that doesn’t have many flat quarters. Slow and steady is the normal pace, and that’s what investors are getting today despite industry-wide headwinds. If you want to live a simple life, P&G can be a great complement to food-focused Coca-Cola.

For investors looking to play the turnaround story, Hormel’s 4.9% yield may be attractive. This yield is close to the highest level in the company’s history. Although the company’s P/S and P/B ratios are below the average for the past five years, the company’s recent struggles have caused the P/E ratio to be above the average for the past five years. Unlike the two consumer staples stocks mentioned above, Hormel’s performance has been relatively weak, leaving investors concerned about its future. Historically, it looks attractively valuable.

However, the big story here is a little more vague. The philanthropic Hormel Foundation owns nearly 47% of the outstanding stock, giving it effective control over the food maker. The Hormel Foundation uses dividends collected from Hormel to support charitable causes.

As such, the company has a vested interest in a reliable and consistent dividend backed by a low-growth business. This relationship gives Hormel leeway to make long-term decisions even when Wall Street prefers short-term actions that may not be good choices in the long run. This is what is happening today.

Hormel’s board of directors has reinstated its highly respected former CEO, Jeffrey Ettinger. The CEO is overseeing a review of the business while also training his successor. This puts emphasis on the overhaul while also giving the successor time to earn the respect of employees and investors. This is a process that will take several years, but given the company’s long and successful history, the turnaround approach currently being taken seems likely to be successful. For more aggressive investors, this may seem like an attractive wealth-building stock.

3 high yield options

Even for risk-averse investors, both Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble will look very attractive given the S&P 500’s modest 1.1% yield. If you’re willing to take some risk for higher yields, Hormel’s in-process regeneration efforts may be for you. No matter which Dividend King you choose, they all help you easily build wealth in a fairly reliable segment of the market.

Reuben Gregg Brewer has a position at Procter & Gamble. The Motley Fool has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner providing financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

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Who is Barry Pollack? Lawyers currently defending Maduro in the US

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Who is Barry Pollack? Lawyers currently defending Maduro in the US

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Barry Pollack, the prestigious lawyer who reached an agreement with US authorities to free WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who had been held in the Ecuadorian embassy in London and a British prison for more than 15 years, was hired by ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

What qualities did Polak have that helped him express what would become one of the trials of modern history? Chambers USA described Mr. Pollack as a “thorough and thoughtful lawyer” who “lives, breathes, and sleeps trials and appears to be a natural in front of a jury.” Mr. Chambers also said, “Barry is a very client-focused person. He is an excellent lawyer, very intelligent, and takes on difficult cases.”

Mr. Pollack is currently leading a defense team that tests two important limits of the U.S. legal system: immunity for foreign leaders and the legality of extraterritorial capture.

In an interview with law magazine Lawdragon, Pollack predicted that international drug trafficking would intensify under Donald Trump’s administration.

“With the current administration, so many statements have come out so quickly that I think everyone is trying to predict what that will mean in the coming months and years. If the administration does follow through on some of the early statements, it looks like there will be cuts in a number of areas. The Justice Department seems to want to focus primarily, if not exclusively, on cartels, but I expect there will be areas where the law will continue to be enforced, such as cross-border drug trafficking, tax fraud and domestic official corruption, but that’s not going to stop.

The prominent lawyer emphasized that the relationship he has with his clients is one of mutual trust and honesty.

“I think some lawyers try very hard to persuade their clients to do what they think is best for them.I believe that it is their clients who have to make decisions because it is their life and they live with the consequences of those decisions. That’s why I try to be very honest with my clients. I tell them straight up, ‘Here’s what I think is the strength of this case. Here’s what I think is the weakness of this case.’ ”And I leave it to the client to make a decision with a full understanding of the risks they accept. Each client has their own risk tolerance, which guides decision-making.

Who is Barry Pollack? What does his record say about:

With more than 30 years of experience, Pollack is a partner at Harris, St. Laurent & Wechsler, where he has defended executives, senior officials, and corporations in complex cases. He has won notable acquittals and reversals of wrongful convictions, including in cases related to the collapse of Enron. He has also represented former Central Intelligence Agency employees and won millions of dollars in compensation for wrongfully convicted people.

His reputation, supported by Chambers USA and criminal law professional organizations, suggests a thorough advocacy focused on procedure and the limits of federal power. “The United States has an extraordinary vision for global jurisdiction,” Pollack said in a previous interview. These words foreshadow the future discussion.

Pollack graduated magna cum laude from Indiana University in 1986 and from Georgetown University School of Law in 1991, where he was awarded the Order of the Coif. He clerked for the Honorable Thomas A. Flannery in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

Earlier in his career, Pollack served as a deputy federal public defender for the District of Maryland and was a partner at Miller, Cassidy, Larocca & Lewin LLP in Washington, D.C., specializing in white-collar crime criminal defense.

What role did Pollack play in the Assange case and why is it important now?

Assange’s defense was a master class in criminal law with global implications. The case centered on whether U.S. law can criminalize the publication of classified information and the extent to which the First Amendment applies when journalism conflicts with national security. After months of negotiations, Pollack reached an unusual deal in 2024. Assange was released from a British prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defense information.

The agreement, which involved a visit to the Northern Mariana Islands and immediate return to Australia, demonstrated Pollack’s stamp of strategic negotiation, accurate reading of political risk, and surgical management of the process. That experience is important today because the Maduro case also has international implications and legal precedent that goes beyond a single defendant.

What are the charges against Maduro, and what kind of argument is the defense preparing?

The federal government’s charges are persuasive. The four counts allege that Mr. Maduro was the mastermind of a conspiracy to introduce cocaine into the United States in coordination with armed guerrillas, drug cartels, and international criminal networks. At his arraignment hearing, Mr. Pollack announced that there would be a bitter legal battle over what he called his client’s “military abduction.”

Defenses could be based on two axes: questioning the legality of the capture and claiming immunity as head of state. Both paths face obstacles. The US government has not recognized Maduro as the legitimate leader since 2019, following an election deemed fraudulent by the US and other countries. Additionally, U.S. courts rarely dismiss criminal cases based on how a defendant entered the country. Still, the discussion is expected to be long and technical.

contribution: Reuters

Boris Q’va is a national Spanish language trends news reporter for Connect/USA TODAY Network. You can follow him on X as @ByBorisQva or write to him at BBalsindesUrquiola@gannett.com.

What CTOs learned the hard way

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What CTOs learned the hard way

The AI ​​chip shortage will become a critical constraint on enterprise AI adoption in 2025, forcing CTOs to face the uncomfortable reality that semiconductor geopolitics and supply chain physics are more important than software roadmaps and vendor commitments.

What started as a U.S. export ban restricting the export of advanced AI chips to China has evolved into a broader infrastructure crisis affecting companies around the world, driven not only by policy but also by the collision between exploding demand and manufacturing capacity that cannot scale at the speed of software.

By the end of the year, the dual pressures of geopolitical constraints and component scarcity had fundamentally reshaped the enterprise AI economy. The numbers tell a grim story. According to a survey of 500 engineering professionals by CloudZero, average enterprise AI spending in 2025 is expected to be $85,521 per month, an increase of 36% from 2024.

Organizations planning to invest $100,000 or more each month more than doubled, from 20% in 2024 to 45% in 2025. This is not because AI has become more valuable, but because component costs and deployment schedules have increased beyond initial expectations.

Restructuring chip access due to export restrictions

The Trump administration’s decision to conditionally allow the sale of Nvidia’s H200 chip, the most powerful AI chip ever approved for export, to China in December 2025 showed how rapidly semiconductor policy can change. The deal mandates 25% revenue sharing with the U.S. government, applies only to approved Chinese buyers, and lifts an export freeze before April 2025.

However, the policy shift came too late to prevent widespread disruption. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick testified that while China’s Huawei will produce only 200,000 AI chips in 2025, China will legally import about 1 million downgraded Nvidia chips designed specifically for export controls.

The production gap has forced Chinese companies to engage in large-scale smuggling operations. Federal prosecutors unsealed documents in December, revealing an organization that attempted to export at least $160 million worth of Nvidia H100 and H200 GPUs between October 2024 and May 2025.

For global companies, these restrictions have created unpredictable sourcing challenges. Companies based in China or with data centers faced sudden access restrictions, while others found their global expansion plans predicated on chip availability that was no longer geopolitically guaranteed.

Memory chip crisis exacerbates AI infrastructure pain

While export controls dominated the headlines, a deeper supply crisis emerged. Memory chips have become the binding constraint on AI infrastructure around the world. High-bandwidth memory (HBM), the specialized memory that enables AI accelerators to function, is in severe shortage with manufacturers like Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron reporting lead times of 6 to 12 months while operating at near full capacity.

Memory prices have also skyrocketed accordingly. According to 2025, DRAM prices increased by more than 50% in some categories, and server contract prices increased by as much as 50% every quarter. study of counterpoint. Samsung has reportedly increased the price of its server memory chips by 30% to 60%. The company expects memory prices to continue rising another 20% in early 2026 as demand continues to outpace capacity growth.

The lack was not limited to specialized AI components. According to TrendForce data cited by DRAM suppliers, inventory levels have fallen from 13 to 17 weeks in late 2024 to 2 to 4 weeks by October 2025. Reuters. SK Hynix told analysts that the shortage could last until the second half of 2027, and reported that all memory scheduled for production in 2026 has already been sold out.

The Enterprise AI Lab has experienced this firsthand. Major cloud providers Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Meta have placed indefinite orders with Micron to secure as much inventory as the company can provide. Chinese companies Alibaba, Tencent and ByteDance have asked Samsung and SK Hynix for preferential access.

This pressure extends into the future, with OpenAI signing preliminary agreements with Samsung and SK Hynix for the Stargate project, which will require up to 900,000 wafers per month through 2029. This is approximately twice the monthly HBM production worldwide today.

Implementation schedule extends beyond expectations

The AI ​​chip shortage has not only increased costs but also fundamentally changed companies’ deployment timelines. Industry analysts say enterprise-level custom AI solutions typically took six to 12 months to fully deploy in early 2025, but by the end of the year, it had stretched to 12 to 18 months or more.

Peter Hanbury, Partner at Bain & Company, speaks CNBCnoted that power company connection schedules are the biggest constraint to data center growth, with some projects facing five-year delays just to secure power access. The company predicts that global data center power demand will increase by 163GW by 2030, much of it related to the intensive computing requirements of generative AI.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella captured this paradox in stark terms. “The biggest problem we have right now is not excess computing power, but the ability to do so. It’s the ability to run builds at speeds close to capacity. If you can’t do that, you might actually have a lot of chips in your inventory that you can’t connect to. In fact, that’s my problem today.”

Traditional technology buyers in enterprise environments faced even tougher challenges. “Buyers in this environment will have to overextend and make some bets now to secure supply later,” Bain & Company’s Chad Bickley warned in a March 2025 analysis.

“Planning in advance for production delays may require buyers to take on expensive inventory of cutting-edge technology products that can quickly become obsolete.”

Hidden costs exacerbate budget pressures

The visible price increases (HBM up 20-30% year over year, GPU cloud costs up 40-300% depending on region) are only part of the total cost impact. The organization discovered multiple hidden expense categories that were not captured by vendor estimates.

Advanced packaging capabilities emerged as a critical bottleneck. TSMC’s CoWoS packaging, essential for stacking AI processors and HBM, is fully booked until the end of 2025. Demand for this integrated technology skyrocketed as wafer production increased, creating secondary choke points that added months to delivery times.

Infrastructure costs other than chips also rose sharply. Enterprise-grade NVMe SSDs have increased in price by 15-20% year over year as AI workloads require significantly higher endurance and bandwidth than traditional applications. Bain’s analysis shows that organizations planning to implement AI are seeing bill-of-materials costs increase by 5-10% due to increased memory components alone.

Implementation and governance costs have become even more complex. Beyond core license fees, organizations spend $50,000 to $250,000 annually on monitoring, governance, and enablement infrastructure. Usage-based overages have caused unexpected spikes in monthly charges for teams with high AI interaction densities, especially those engaged in large-scale model training or frequent inference workloads.

Strategic lessons for 2026 and beyond

Leaders of companies that successfully navigated the 2025 AI chip shortage have emerged with hard-won insights that will shape their procurement strategies for years to come.

Diversify supply relationships early: Organizations that entered into long-term supply agreements with multiple vendors before the shortage became acute were able to maintain more predictable deployment schedules than those that relied on spot sourcing.

Budget for component variations: Gone are the days of stable and predictable infrastructure charges for AI workloads. CTOs learned how to build a 20-30% cost buffer into their AI infrastructure budgets to absorb memory price fluctuations and component availability gaps.

Optimize before scaling: Techniques such as model quantization, pruning, and inference optimization reduce GPU needs by 30-70%, depending on the implementation. Organizations that invested in efficiency before throwing hardware at the problem achieved better economics than those that focused purely on procurement.

Consider a hybrid infrastructure model. A multi-cloud strategy and hybrid setup that combines cloud GPUs and dedicated clusters has improved reliability and cost predictability. For high-volume AI workloads, owning or leasing infrastructure is increasingly proving more cost-effective than renting cloud GPUs at high spot prices.

Consider geopolitics in architectural decisions. Rapid policy shifts centered around chip exports have taught companies that the world’s AI infrastructure cannot assume a stable regulatory environment. Organizations exposed to China have learned how to design deployment architectures with regulatory flexibility in mind.

Outlook for 2026: Remaining constraints

The imbalance between supply and demand shows no signs of resolving anytime soon. Building a new memory chip factory takes years. Most capacity expansions announced in 2025 will not come online until 2027 or later. SK Hynix’s guidance suggests the supply shortage will continue until at least the second half of 2027.

Export control policies remain in flux. New “Trump AI Regulation” rules are expected to replace the previous framework in late 2025, and could also restrict exports to Malaysia and Thailand, which were identified as bypass routes to China. Each policy change creates new sourcing uncertainties for global companies.

Macroeconomic impacts extend beyond IT budgets. Memory shortages could delay hundreds of billions of dollars in AI infrastructure investments and delay the productivity gains that companies have bet on to justify massive AI spending. Rising component costs could increase inflationary pressures as the global economy remains sensitive to price increases.

For business leaders, the 2025 AI chip shortage offers a crucial lesson. Software moves at digital speed, hardware moves at physical speed, and geopolitics moves at political speed. Regardless of vendor promises or project roadmaps, the gap between these three timelines defines what can actually be deployed.

The successful organizations weren’t the ones with the biggest budgets or the most ambitious AI visions. They understood that in 2025, supply chain realities would take precedence over strategic ambitions, and they planned accordingly.

(Photo by Igor Omilaev/Unsplash)

See also: Can the US really enforce a global ban on AI chips?

Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out the AI ​​& Big Data Expo in Amsterdam, California, and London. This comprehensive event is part of TechEx and co-located with other major technology events. Click here for more information.

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Venezuela, Maduro, Tim Walz, vaccines, Roblox, NFL coaches: Daily Briefing

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Venezuela, Maduro, Tim Walz, vaccines, Roblox, NFL coaches: Daily Briefing

morning! Welcome to the daily briefing. This morning’s breaking news is:

nicole farato Here’s the news you need to know on Tuesday. The latest on Venezuela’s deposed president, the league-wide cull of NFL coaches, and people flocking to buy public transit cards they can’t even use.

Deposed Venezuelan leader pleads not guilty

Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro pleaded “not guilty” in federal court to U.S. drug trafficking charges on Monday, days after his wife was captured by U.S. forces in a surprise attack on the oil-producing nation.

“I’m innocent. I’m not guilty. I’m a decent human being. I’m still the president of my country,” Maduro said through an interpreter, but was interrupted by U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein. Hellerstein ordered that Maduro be held until a March 17 hearing.

President Maduro, wearing a prison uniform – the latest public clothing ensemble to garner attention – delivered the petition just after 12pm ET. His wife, Cilia Flores (more about her here), also pleaded not guilty.

How do Americans feel about the United States taking military action against Venezuela? One in three Americans agrees.

More news you need to know right now

  • Will federal economic stimulus be delivered this month? Experts say the revenue from President Trump’s tariffs likely won’t cover the cost of issuing the $2,000 checks.
  • “You can’t give your all to a political campaign”: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has called off his bid for re-election amid mounting pressure over the corruption scandal that has engulfed his administration in recent weeks.
  • USA TODAY took a closer look at Roblox’s new safety features. Starting this month, all users will be required to undergo a face scan with AI-powered age estimation to continue using the platform’s chat features. The changes are, in many ways, the company’s response to the increased scrutiny it faces over child safety on its apps.

Let’s take a look

team to cut ties

It was a scary day on the NFL calendar. “Black Monday” usually heralds major disruption across the league, and teams often take quick action to revamp their coaching staffs and front offices as the season ends. USA TODAY Sports tracked who’s going, who wants to be interviewed and who’s begging to stay.

I want to talk to you about something.

How much do you spend on a ticket to nowhere?

Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials phased out MetCards last month, switching entirely to contactless tap-and-go payments. MetroCards, which have been around since 1994, are no longer available for purchase through the MTA, but new and popular MetroCards sell for thousands of dollars on resale sites like eBay.

before you go

Have feedback about the daily briefing? Email Nicole at NFallert@usatoday.com.

World leaders react to US attack on Venezuela

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World leaders react to US attack on Venezuela

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Since the January 3 attack, the Trump administration’s detention of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has received mixed reviews on the world stage, as heads of countries have begun to come forward.

China was among several countries that condemned the U.S. actions, but others responded with messages of support or appeared to be struggling to find the right words to describe the extraordinary use of force against a sovereign nation and its president.

Speaking in Beijing on January 5, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi accused the United States of acting like a “judge of the world” by detaining the Venezuelan leader and putting him on trial in New York.

“The sovereignty and security of all countries should be fully protected in accordance with international law,” Wang added.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said in a separate press conference on January 5 that China continues to maintain “positive communication and cooperation” with the Venezuelan government.

Live updates: Deposed Venezuelan leader Maduro pleads not guilty

In Moscow, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Maduro’s detention was an “unacceptable violation of the sovereignty of an independent state” and accused the United States of committing an “act of armed aggression.”

There was also strong condemnation from Iran, with President Trump threatening to intervene if authorities in Tehran kill more protesters who took to the streets during recent nationwide protests. Iran called the U.S. operation to detain Maduro and his wife on narco-terrorism charges and ship them blindfolded to New York as a “clear violation of national sovereignty.”

On January 5, President Maduro pleaded “not guilty” to US drug trafficking charges in federal court.

Many Latin American leaders also criticized the operation against Venezuela.

Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay said in a joint statement: “We express our deep concern and rejection of the military action carried out unilaterally on the territory of Venezuela in violation of the fundamental principles of international law.” “Such actions not only endanger civilians, but also set an extremely dangerous precedent for regional peace and security and the rules-based international order.”

The U.S. seizure of the Maduros raises thorny legal questions about whether it violates international law governing the use of force against other countries and their leaders.

America first? What President Trump’s surprising arrest of Maduro tells us.

Still, there were some things that seemed to be strongly supporting this strategy.

“Freedom marches forward” and “Long live freedom,” Argentine President Javier Millay, a Trump ally, wrote on social media. And in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised President Trump’s “bold and historic leadership on behalf of freedom and justice.”

“I salute your resolute determination and the outstanding actions of your brave soldiers,” Prime Minister Netanyahu said.

European leaders appear to be using more ambiguous language, avoiding sticking to one side or the other.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement: “First I want to set the facts straight. I want to speak to President Trump. I also want to speak to our allies.” “I always say and I believe that we should all abide by international law.”

Trump: Cuba ‘ready to collapse’ threatens Colombia after Venezuela attack

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the legal assessment of the U.S. operation was complex and that the assessment would “take time.”

“We must ensure a transition to an elected and legitimate government,” he said.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said in a post on social media X that Spain “does not recognize the Maduro regime. But we also do not recognize interventions that violate international law and push the region into the horizon of uncertainty and militancy.”

Should employees worry about losing their jobs to AI?

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Should employees worry about losing their jobs to AI?

Johnny C. Taylor Jr.
| USA TODAY Special Feature

Johnny C. Taylor Jr. answers workplace questions every week on USA TODAY. Taylor is president and CEO of SHRM, the world’s largest human resources professional organization, and author of Reset: A Leader’s Guide to Work in an Age of Upheaval.

Have a question? Please submit here.

question: My company recently implemented new artificial intelligence tools that have taken over much of our day-to-day operations. We’re being asked to help implement and improve these tools, but it feels like we’re training something that could eventually replace us. Should I worry about this? – Katya

Answer: To be clear, AI is not coming to do your job, but someone who knows how to use AI might. No, it’s not a threat. It’s a reality check. The real change happening now is not job cuts. It’s a transformation of work.

I understand your reaction. The same fears are triggered every time a major technological change occurs. We’ve seen this movie before, and it usually doesn’t end the way people expect. Consider “Hidden Figures,” the story of NASA’s human “computers.” Some feared that their role would disappear with the arrival of machines. Instead, people who learned technology, combined it with expertise, and applied judgment became more valuable, not less. Technology never replaced them. It elevated them.

That’s exactly what’s happening right now. The future of work is not AI versus humans, but AI and human intelligence. At SHRM, we call this AI+HI. AI can move fast, analyze data, and automate daily tasks. What they can’t do is think critically, use judgment, understand the situation, and lead with empathy. I’m all for innovation, but no one wants a chatbot to explain why it “met expectations.” No, these are important human strengths that will be more important than ever in an AI-enabled workplace.

Political movements: Is dissent a bad thing at work? Ask Johnny

Let’s talk about what’s really important here. Your company is asking you to help implement and improve these tools. It’s not a warning, it’s a vote of confidence. Organizations don’t ask people who are planning a side hustle to help shape their future. They ask questions of people who understand the work, the risks, and the real-world implications. In other words, they depend on you to make technology smarter and more responsible.

That being said, powerful employers also have responsibilities to their employees. Deploying AI should not be a guessing game. Employees need clarity about how their roles will evolve, what skills will become important next, and how the organization plans to support learning and development. Great companies don’t just invest in new tools; they also invest in the people they work with.

But you are responsible here. Don’t wait. Start building your skills today. Learn how these tools work. Understand where they add value and where human judgment must be centered. Be the person who can question output, find flaws, and turn information into insight. Successful people are not those who resist tools, but those who master them.

Bottom line: The real risk is that AI is not useful for adoption. While the world of work continues to evolve, risks still exist. Yes, some jobs will disappear, but new roles, responsibilities, and opportunities are being created every day. Your worth is never found in routine work. It’s all about how we think, adapt and lead through change. That’s the part that no machine can automate.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY.

Performance review: What should I do if my manager won’t give me feedback? Ask Johnny

Search for mountain lion ends after hiker sustains fatal injuries on trail

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Search for mountain lion ends after hiker sustains fatal injuries on trail

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Colorado wildlife officials have ended the search for a mountain lion along a hiking trail where a woman was killed in a mountain lion attack on New Year’s Day. The incident was the first fatal shooting in the state since 1999.

The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department launched a large-scale search for the mountain lions involved in the attack, and two were spotted in the area of ​​Crozier Mountain Trail on January 1st. Both animals were euthanized in accordance with agency policy, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department spokeswoman Kara Van Hoose told USA TODAY Network’s Coloradoan.

On January 5, state wildlife officials announced they had ended an active search for a third mountain lion in the area. The agency announced that the trail has reopened to the public and advised visitors to report mountain lion sightings or incidents to wildlife officials.

“(Colorado Parks and Wildlife) staff, federal agents, and hunters with trained dogs conducted an extensive search for more than 72 hours,” the agency said in a news release. “No new footprints or scents were detected.”

Two hikers discovered the woman’s body around noon local time on the Crozier Mountain Trail just south of Glen Haven in Larimer County, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department said. This trail is approximately 110 miles northwest of Denver.

Van Hoose said the climbers, including the doctor, saw the mountain lion lying on top of the woman from about 100 meters away. They threw stones as the animal approached, and the puma got scared and ran away.

“When the two men saw it, it was acting to protect that person,” Van Hoose said, adding that doctors examined the woman but found no pulse.

Local coroner identifies victim killed in mountain lion attack

The Larimer County Coroner’s Office said it responded to the Glen Haven Fire Department on January 1st to investigate the death of a 46-year-old woman. The coroner’s office has confirmed that a woman was the victim of a fatal mountain lion attack on Crozier Mountain Trail and was transported to the Glen Haven Fire Department for safety reasons.

On January 5, the coroner’s office identified the woman as Kristen Marie Kovatch of Fort Collins, Colorado. Kovacs died of asphyxiation due to neck compression, the coroner’s office said in a statement.

The coroner’s office said her injuries were “consistent with a mountain lion attack” and her death was ruled an accident.

“Our hearts go out to the families of the victims,” ​​Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department Northeast Regional Manager Mark Leslie said in a statement. “This is a terrible tragedy. This hiker did what so many people did on New Year’s Day.”

“She went out into nature on the first day of the new year and the fact that she did not return to her family and friends is nothing short of heartbreaking,” Leslie continued. “We encourage the public to have sympathy and empathy for her and her loved ones.”

Squirrel attack: Attacking squirrel injures multiple people in California

Autopsy reveals human DNA in euthanized male mountain lion

After two hikers spotted the victim and called 911, state wildlife officials said troopers arrived on the scene and observed a male mountain lion approaching the area. The mountain lion was shot by the police and fled.

Wildlife officers and hunters later tracked down the mountain lion, which had been injured by the officer’s gunfire, and euthanized it, the department said. A second mountain lion was also found near the scene and was euthanized by wildlife officials.

Shortly afterward, a third mountain lion was spotted by a police officer in the area and chased by hunting dogs, authorities said. However, wildlife officials were unable to track and locate the mountain lion.

“Due to the presence of multiple lions at the attack scene and evidence found at the scene, (Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department) officials suspected a family group of perpetrators,” the agency said in a news release.

Initial necropsy results, released on January 5, showed that the two euthanized mountain lions were part of the same family group, consisting of an approximately 1-year-old male and a 1-year-old female.

A necropsy showed human DNA in all four legs of the male mountain lion, the agency said, but no human DNA was detected in the female mountain lion. Both mountain lions tested negative for rabies.

“It’s hard to imagine that these lions just happened to be in the immediate vicinity of the site,” Leslie said. “This is not a decision we make lightly…Given the gravity of this situation and the rarity of this type of action, this was an unfortunate but necessary action.”

Moose attack in Colorado: Woman injured in head and back after being attacked by moose, authorities say

How rare are fatal mountain lion attacks?

Before the Jan. 1 attack, Van Hoose told The Coloradan there had been 28 attacks on humans by mountain lions in Colorado, three of which were fatal. The last incident, which was not fatal, occurred in 2023 near the mountain town of Buena Vista, more than 275 miles southwest of the Crossier Mountain Trail.

The state’s last fatal mountain lion attack occurred in October 1999, when 3-year-old Jarryd Atadero went missing while hiking with a group on the Big South Trail in the Roosevelt National Forest in Larimer County. His body was discovered by two hikers in June 2003 near where he was last seen. This incident was widely reported in domestic and international media.

Since 1868, about 30 fatal mountain lion attacks have been reported in North America, according to the nonprofit Mountain Lion Foundation. A 2011 study found that mountain lion attacks are relatively rare, with about four to six attacks per year in the United States and Canada.

In 2025, a 4-year-old girl was bitten by a mountain lion in Washington state, and an 11-year-old girl was attacked by a mountain lion outside her home in California. In 2024, a California man died in a mountain lion attack for the first time in 20 years after he was killed and his brother injured in a remote area west of Lake Tahoe.

Contributor: Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY. Miles Broomhart, Fort Collins, Colorado

Three secure container images for modern applications

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Three secure container images for modern applications

Modern software delivery relies on the reliability, integrity, and security of container images. As organizations move toward microservices, automated CI/CD pipelines, and multicloud architectures, container images become more than just a packaging mechanism and become a security perimeter. A single vulnerability embedded in an image can be replicated across clusters, environments, and deployments, posing a wide range of risks to applications that rely on speed and repeatability.

Security-conscious organizations are moving away from general-purpose base images to securely designed minimal images, or enterprise-managed images that provide strong guarantees of authenticity, provenance, and vulnerability control. The industry is seeing a significant increase in attacks targeting software supply chains, open source dependencies, or compromised image registries. As a result, engineering teams prioritize container security early in the build process, choosing image foundations that minimize the need for downstream mitigations and maximize pre-deployment reliability.

3 secure container images for modern applications

The secure container image landscape is rapidly evolving, and modern development teams are now seeking images that reduce vulnerabilities, improve performance, and support predictable operations. The three platforms below represent the most powerful options for 2025, offering different paths to security: source-level rebuilding, extreme minimalism, and long-term stability.

1. Echo

Echo is one of the most advanced evolutions of secure container images. Rather than scanning, patching, or attempting to incrementally improve existing base images, Echo completely rebuilds them from source, producing images free of known vulnerabilities from the start. The zero CVE image model allows organizations to start each deployment with a clean, verified foundation, reducing the remediation burden associated with container maintenance.

Echo features an automated, AI-powered lifecycle approach. When a new vulnerability is published, Echo’s dedicated AI agent detects CVE-affected dependencies, regenerates the affected images, and delivers updated versions to your organization’s registry without requiring manual intervention. This approach significantly reduces the exposure window and ensures continuous alignment with security benchmarks even in highly dynamic environments.

Echo is ideal for enterprises that cannot afford long-term CVE exposure, such as financial platforms, healthcare providers, SaaS vendors, and critical infrastructure operators. This turns container image security from a reactive process to a proactive, automated practice.

Main features

Source-level rebuild to completely remove vulnerabilities

  • Automatic patch regeneration with strict SLAs
  • Strong governance and policy management
  • Broad runtime and language support
  • Seamless pipeline integration For frictionless deployment

2.Google distroless

Google Distroless is built on principles of extreme minimalism. While traditional images include a shell, package manager, and utility libraries, Distroless images include only the dependencies needed to run your application. Nothing more. This design philosophy greatly reduces the attack surface and limits the number of components that can be compromised.

Distroless also offers strong integration with modern DevOps and SRE practices. Distroless encourages clean application packaging by removing unnecessary system-level functionality and allows teams to explicitly define the dependencies they need to run. This approach reduces ambiguity and increases reliability when reproducing builds within your environment.

Main features

  • minimal configuration Remove unnecessary libraries and utilities
  • Reduction of attack surface area compared to traditional images
  • Immutable infrastructure by design For safer deployment
  • Improved performance By reducing the image size
  • Stronger dependency clarity Application packaging

3.Ubuntu container

Ubuntu containers are focused on stability, predictability, and long-term maintenance. Canonical’s Ubuntu distribution has long been lauded for its excellent balance of ease of use and robustness, and its containerized version provides an equally attractive solution for teams that require a reliable and well-supported base image.

Unlike minimal images with reduced functionality, Ubuntu provides a complete, full-featured environment that supports a broad software ecosystem. This compatibility allows teams to easily run applications with complex dependencies without having to make extensive adjustments to package configurations.

Main features

  • Predictable security updates over time Via Canonical LTS
  • Wide software compatibility languages, libraries and frameworks
  • Enhanced security for the enterprise Including compliance adjustments
  • Extensive community and vendor support
  • Stable and reliable operation in a heterogeneous environment

Broad considerations when evaluating secure container images

Choosing the right secure container image is more than just a technical preference; it’s a strategic decision that affects every stage of the software lifecycle. Modern organizations must evaluate image options based on some broader criteria beyond immediate functionality.

Security posture and vulnerability management

Organizations should evaluate whether their images require reactive vulnerability patching or provide proactive vulnerability removal. Imagery with automated security maintenance reduces operational overhead and reduces exposure risk.

minimalism and completeness

A minimal image reduces the attack surface, but may require application adjustments. Full-featured images simplify compatibility but introduce more dependencies. The right choice depends on the complexity of your workload and the expertise of your team.

Operational consistency

Secure images must work reliably in testing, staging, and production environments. Stability is the foundation for predictable deployment and reduced debugging time.

Compliance alignment

Security teams must ensure that base images support compliance frameworks, especially in regulated industries. Vendor-backed images often provide stronger audit trails and lifecycle assurance.

Ecosystem compatibility

The base image must integrate well with Kubernetes, CI/CD pipelines, observability tools, and automation systems.

Long-term maintainability

Modern applications continually evolve, so image selection must support sustainable upgrades, long-term support periods, and clear documentation.

Evaluation principles help organizations ensure that they select the image foundation that best aligns with their strategic goals.

final thoughts

Secure container images are essential to maintaining resiliency in cloud-native architectures. Bitnami and other select image providers offer convenience, but modern applications require a greater focus on image integrity, vulnerability management, and runtime safety.

Echo, Google Distroless, and Ubuntu Containers represent three powerful approaches to secure container design, each suitable for different needs of your organization.

Together, these three platforms form a solid foundation for teams looking to build secure, scalable, reliable, and modern applications.

Image source: Unsplash

See photos from the January 6th Capitol riot, five years after the attack

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See photos from the January 6th Capitol riot, five years after the attack

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Five years ago, as members of Congress met to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election, thousands of Americans violently stormed the Capitol in an attempt to stop the election process.

For some, the Capitol riot feels like it happened yesterday, but in reality, six months have passed since that day in our nation’s capital.

In the years that followed, President Donald Trump defended many of the rioters, calling them “hostages” and “political prisoners.” Upon returning to office, Trump approved pardons for approximately 1,600 people charged in the riot.

“These people were destroyed. What they did to these people is outrageous,” President Trump said in January 2024.

Although many years have passed, the photos of the uprising and its aftermath remain as impressive as they were that day.

Check out some of the images below.

Riots gather and invade the Capitol

The whole country captures the confusion.

Repairs begin on damaged Parliament building

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact us at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow us at X @fern_cerv_.

When are taxes due? All 2026 IRS deadlines

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When are taxes due? All 2026 IRS deadlines

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Tax day is approaching. If you want to meet deadlines and give your best effort, write some things down on your calendar.

When is the 2026 filing deadline?

Most of us have until Wednesday, April 15, 2026 to pay our 2025 taxes. If you don’t plan to submit by then, you can request a six-month extension.

When will I receive my refund?

If you file electronically and choose to receive your refund by direct deposit, your refund will likely be issued within 21 days, the IRS says. If you mail your paper return, it may take more than four weeks.

What happens if I miss the tax deadline?

If you don’t file your federal tax return on time, the standard penalty is a whopping 5% of the tax owed for each month your return is late, up to 25% of your unpaid balance. If you file a return but don’t pay your outstanding taxes, or if you get an extension, you’ll typically be assessed a much smaller monthly penalty of 0.5% of the amount owed.

Are there any exceptions to the April 15 tax deadline?

yes. The IRS will extend the annual tax deadline for taxpayers who live or do business in disaster-affected areas and those in states with local holidays.

A complete list of disaster-related extensions can be found on the website.

Extended income tax return filing deadline

If you request an extension, you must submit your return by Thursday, October 15th. It is important to note that an extension does not give you more time to pay your taxes. If you think you owe tax, it’s a good idea to estimate the amount and pay it by April 15 to avoid penalties later.

1099 Deadline

If you’re a freelancer, independent contractor, or earn income from something other than a traditional job, you need to receive your 1099 tax form by February 15th. Employers typically have until the end of January to submit their forms.

W-2 deadline

Employers must also send W-2s by January 31st.

Quarterly tax deadline

If you earn income that is not subject to withholding, you generally must pay estimated taxes to the IRS. This can be done quarterly or through one annual estimate. Annualized forecasts are scheduled to be announced on April 15th.

2026 quarterly payments are due by the following dates:

◾ First payment: April 15th.

◾ Second payment: June 15th.

◾ Third payment: September 15th.

◾ Fourth payment: January 15, 2027.

Daniel de Visse covers personal finance for USA TODAY.

L’Oréal brings AI to everyday digital advertising production

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L’Oréal brings AI to everyday digital advertising production

Creating digital advertising on a global scale has become less about one standout campaign and more about volume, speed, and consistency. For consumer brands operating in dozens of markets, the challenge is not just creativity, but how to keep content flowing without repeating costly production cycles.

This pressure is leading some large companies to test where AI fits into their daily marketing operations. At L’Oréal, we use AI-generated creative tools to support parts of our digital advertising process, especially video and visual content. The goal is not to replace human teams, but to reduce friction in systems that require continuous updates.

This shift provides a useful perspective on how companies’ AI adoption is unfolding in the creative sector, where speed and control are as important as originality.

Grow your content without scaling your production

Digital advertising is no longer a seasonal activity for global beauty groups. Content is continually needed across social platforms, e-commerce sites, and local campaigns, often with slight variations in language, format, or visual emphasis.

Traditional mass-produced models are struggling to keep up. Each new asset typically involves planning, filming, editing, and approval. AI-generated image and video elements allow you to reuse old content and extend it to new formats without having to start from scratch every time.

At L’Oréal, AI tools are used to help generate or adapt visual content to fit specific digital channels. This includes polishing the footage, changing the format, and creating versions for different platforms. While human teams continue to oversee the creative direction and final deliverables, AI shortens the time from idea to reality.

Practical value is not about creating something completely new. It is important to create content that is usable enough to keep up with the pace of digital advertising.

Why L’Oréal puts AI under strict creative control

One reason major brands are wary of implementing AI in creative work is brand risk. Visual identity, tone, and messaging are tightly regulated, and small inconsistencies can be amplified when content is distributed at scale.

Companies like L’Oréal are using AI as a support layer rather than handing over creative decision-making. Outputs generated by AI are inspected, adjusted, and approved using existing workflows. This increases efficiency while maintaining accountability to internal teams and external agencies.

This approach reflects a broader pattern in enterprise AI adoption. Rather than changing the way decisions are made, tools are introduced into existing workflows. In marketing, this often means that AI helps create a brand voice rather than defining it.

Cost, speed, reproducibility

Digital advertising budgets are under pressure, even for large consumer groups. Media prices fluctuate, platforms change limits, and viewers expect continuous updates. AI offers a way to absorb some of that pressure by lowering the marginal cost of producing additional assets.

By reusing footage and applying AI-based enhancements, brands can increase the value of each shoot. This is especially important in areas where campaigns need to change quickly or where local teams need specific assets but lack full-scale production support.

The result is incremental cost reductions across hundreds of small decisions, rather than dramatic cost reductions in one area. Over time, these savings shape how marketing teams plan campaigns and allocate spend.

This Talks About Enterprise AI Maturity

L’Oréal’s use of AI-generated creative work is less about experimentation and more about operational suitability. This tool is used in situations where the output is predictable, quality can be measured, and mistakes can be discovered before release.

This reflects how AI is being implemented into many functions of the enterprise. Rather than broad, unrestricted use, companies are identifying narrow tasks that AI can reliably assist without introducing new risks. In marketing, these tasks often sit between creative concept and final distribution.

This approach also highlights important constraints. AI works best in environments with existing data, rules, and review processes. Creative freedom still belongs to humans, but AI supports scale.

Impact on marketing teams

The lesson for marketing leaders is not that AI will replace agencies or in-house creative. That means production models built for slower cycles are becoming harder to sustain.

Teams are being asked to deliver more content, more often, with smaller budgets and faster turnaround times. AI tools offer one way to manage that demand, but only if they fit within existing controls and expectations.

This places new demands on governance. Marketing teams need clear rules about where AI can be used, how the output can be reviewed, and who is responsible for the final decisions. Without that structure, efficiency gains are quickly offset by risks.

What L’Oréal’s approach means for enterprise AI adoption

What stands out about L’Oréal’s approach is restraint. AI is applied to reduce friction, not to reshape the role of creative teams. This facilitates integration into larger organizations with established processes and brand protection capabilities.

A similar pattern is emerging as more companies turn to AI to improve productivity. AI will no longer be in the headlines, it will be part of your workflow. Success is measured by time savings and consistency, not novelty.

For now, AI-generated creative works still play an ancillary role in corporate marketing. Its real impact lies in how it quietly changes the economics of content production, one asset at a time.

(Photo courtesy of Helio E. López Vega)

SEE ALSO: Disney is incorporating generative AI into its operating model

Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out the AI ​​& Big Data Expo in Amsterdam, California, and London. This comprehensive event is part of TechEx and co-located with other major technology events. Click here for more information.

AI News is brought to you by TechForge Media. Learn about other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars.

Do Trump and Congress need to change nuclear strategy to protect US security?

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Do Trump and Congress need to change nuclear strategy to protect US security?

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Inside America’s nuclear sponge and $141 billion missile update

USA TODAY’s Davis Winkie explains why the U.S. is spending $141 billion to replace aging nuclear missile silos.

USA TODAY asked nuclear strategy experts for their recommendations on the next steps in U.S. nuclear policy. Their responses offer competing roadmaps for how to keep America safe. Most of them are alarmed by the current trajectory of the Sentinel program, whether they wish to accelerate it, tweak it, or cancel it.

Darryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, said lawmakers need to reconsider whether it makes sense to maintain 400 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) through 2075. He also questioned whether the United States needed them at all. He believes the country’s nuclear bombers and nuclear-powered missile submarines are sufficient to deter enemy attacks.

Matt Korda and Mackenzie Nightboil, two nuclear researchers at the Federation of American Scientists, argued in a 2024 memo that Congress’s mandate for at least 400 missiles was “arbitrary” and served political interests. They argue that Congress should stop requiring a minimum number of missiles and instead let national security needs drive the size of the Sentinel program.

Kyle Balzer, a nuclear weapons policy expert at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, said the country needs to “look at the reality of the situation and make sure (Sentinel) is back on track and that we have 400 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).” However, he sees 400 as probably the upper limit for silo-based missiles, rather than the lower limit. The United States has limited resources and cannot devote all of them to nuclear missiles.

“We have to do what we need to do on the (non-nuclear) end,” he argued, including building more naval ships and expanding the goal of the B-21 Raider program, a next-generation stealth bomber, from 100 to 200 aircraft. The B-21 is particularly attractive to Balzer because it can carry out both nuclear and non-nuclear strikes.

more: U.S. Air Force releases first in-flight photo of B-21 Raider nuclear stealth bomber

He and Bob Peters of the Heritage Foundation are also interested in mounting Sentinel missiles on launch vehicles. They believe this could be a cost-effective way to maintain and even expand the land segment, as silo issues have pushed the new missile over budget. For Russia and China, road-mobile missiles may also prove more difficult to target than silos.

“There’s potential for cost savings, right?” Peters said. “If we could eliminate 50 or 100 fewer silos and associated command and control centers and tunnels, we could potentially save some money.”

For now, plans for a next-generation nuclear sponge would maintain a minimum of 400 silo-based missiles, carry a $140 billion tab, and target missile launch sites.

★★★

The Nuclear Sponge is a five-part commentary project by USA TODAY designed to inform readers about the strategic debates and costs of land modernization for America’s nuclear triad.

Part 1: USA TODAY’s fallout map shows what would happen if American missile silos were attacked.

Part 2: U.S. nuclear arsenal undergoes $140 billion upgrade. Is it a liability or an asset?

Part 3: Collapsing Silos, Rush Deals – Why the Sentinel Program Fell Off Track

Part 4: Should President Trump and Congress update America’s nuclear strategy? We asked experts.

Project background: How USA TODAY mapped the potential impact of an attack on a U.S. missile silo

Davis Winkie’s role covers nuclear threats and national security for USA TODAY. Outrider Foundation and Journalism funding partners. Funders do not provide editorial input.

Sen. Mark Kelly says President Donald Trump is surrounded by ‘yes men’

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Sen. Mark Kelly says President Donald Trump is surrounded by ‘yes men’

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Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly said on “The Daily Show” on Jan. 5 that he would “do everything in my power” to prevent the Pentagon from demoting him.

Kelly’s comments came hours after Pentagon Secretary Pete Hegseth withdrew his threat to court-martial for appearing in a video telling service members they could “refuse illegal orders.” He cited President Donald Trump and added that Hegseth’s threats were “a reflection of the person at the top.”

“This guy (Trump) is surrounded by a bunch of yes-men. They didn’t like that I said that,” the Arizona senator told “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart.

Stewart said the episode spoke to “something inherent in the character of this administration: fragility,” adding, “It reeks of weakness and fear.”

On Nov. 18, Kelly and five other Democrats released a video telling service members they have the right to disobey orders they believe are illegal. President Trump then criticized the lawmakers in a video, calling them “sedition, punishable by death!” In a November 20th post on Truth Social.

The president later insisted in a Nov. 21 interview on Fox News Radio that he had not made “death threats” to lawmakers.

The Pentagon later announced that it was investigating Kelly for “allegations of serious misconduct.” On January 5, Mr. Hegseth reprimanded Mr. Kelly and said he had begun administrative proceedings for his demotion.

Relegation process remains unclear

Kelly’s demotion requires an administrative process called police grading, which by law is determined based on an officer’s conduct while on active duty. It’s unclear how the Navy could legally consider Kelly’s post-retirement actions when making decisions.

In accordance with federal law and naval regulations, Secretary of the Navy John Phelan determines the retirement rank below vice admiral. In most cases, the Trustees will review an officer’s actions before making a recommendation to Mr. Phelan.

Senator Kerry denounced. Mr Hegseth withdraws from court martial

Retroactive reductions for retired officers are rare and usually limited to serious misconduct from their time in uniform. A retired two-star Army general was demoted to second lieutenant in 2021 after a Virginia court found him guilty of raping his daughter as a child.

In a Jan. 5 interview, Mr. Kelly reiterated a post on X that day in which he described Mr. Hegseth as “the most unqualified secretary of defense in our country’s history,” and said the fight was “not just about me.”

“He doesn’t know what he’s doing,” Kelly said of Hegseth. “But there is tremendous power in that position.”

“I’m going to do everything that’s appropriate in this situation and not only make sure the American people understand that this is unacceptable and that people can’t do this, but I’m going to make sure that the American people understand that you can’t suppress free speech,” Kelly said.

Contributor: Davis Winkie, USA TODAY

U.S. Mint begins circulation of 250th collection of coins

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U.S. Mint begins circulation of 250th collection of coins

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The U.S. Mint announced on social media that one of the coins created to commemorate the United States’ 250th anniversary will enter circulation on Monday, January 5th.

The Mayflower Compact Quarter is the first of five new Quarter Dollar designs for 2026. The collection depicts two pilgrims, a man and a woman, under a flag that reads “E Pluribus Unum,” which means “out of many, one.”

Other quarters scheduled for circulation include Revolutionary War quarters, Declaration of Independence quarters, U.S. Constitution quarters and Gettysburg Address quarters.

America’s 250th anniversary: A big event you should know about.

The Revolutionary War coin features George Washington on the obverse and a Continental Army soldier from Valley Forge on the reverse with the inscription “Revolutionary War.”

The Declaration of Independence area features a profile portrait of Thomas Jefferson in the front and the Liberty Bell in the back. A portrait of James Madison hangs in the U.S. Constitution District. The Gettysburg Address Quarter features Abraham Lincoln on the front and clasped hands and the inscription “A New Nation Envisioned in Liberty” on the back.

Other coins minted for the occasion include a dime with Liberty’s face, a nickel with Thomas Jefferson and the inscription “1776∽2026,” a Liberty Half Dollar, and a 1776∽2026 penny.

The U.S. Mint announced the coin design on December 11th.

Goodbye Penny: What happens next when the US officially ends penny production?

Christie McNally, acting director of the U.S. Mint, said in a news release that the coin’s design “tells the story of America’s journey towards a ‘more perfect union’ and celebrates America’s defining ideals of freedom.”

McNally added, “As we connect America through coins, we want to give each American the opportunity to hold our nation’s 250 years of storied history in the palm of their hands.”

It is not clear when the remaining coins will be put into circulation, but it is expected that they will all be available by the 55th anniversary of the founding of the nation.

Will there be Trump coins?

In October, the Treasury Department announced it was considering a new $1 coin featuring President Donald Trump’s portrait as part of a series celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. (The Mint offers coin designs on its website.)

Federal law prohibits survivors from using U.S. currency.

How do I purchase coins?

Coins can be purchased directly from the U.S. Mint website.

Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Please contact mdelrey@usatoday.com.

How much is the Powerball jackpot tonight? Check the winning numbers here

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How much is the Powerball jackpot tonight? Check the winning numbers here

The jackpot for Monday, January 5th’s Powerball drawing is $86 million, with a cash value of $38.8 million.

Monday’s drawing comes about a week and a half after one of Arkansas’ lucky tickets won the $1.8 billion Christmas Eve jackpot, the second-largest jackpot in the game’s history.

Tickets were sold in Cabot, about 30 miles from Little Rock. Despite the astronomically high prize money, it has yet to be claimed.

The latest Powerball jackpot is just hours away and here are the winning numbers.

more: The $1.8 billion Powerball jackpot winner can remain anonymous. For now.

What are the winning Powerball numbers for January 5th?

USA TODAY will publish the winning numbers at 10:59 p.m. ET after the lottery drawing.

Top 10 Powerball Jackpots

  • $2.04 billion in California on November 7, 2022
  • December 24, 2025, $1.817 billion in Arkansas.
  • $1.787 billion in Missouri and Texas on September 6, 2025
  • $1.765 billion in California on October 11, 2023
  • January 13, 2016, $1.586 billion in California, Florida, and Tennessee
  • April 6, 2024, $1.326 billion in Oregon.
  • $1.08 billion in California on July 19, 2023
  • $842.4 million in Michigan on January 1, 2024
  • March 27, 2019, $768.4 million in Wisconsin
  • August 23, 2017, $758.7 million in Massachusetts

How to play Powerball

Powerball tickets cost $2 per play and are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This can be done at a variety of locations, including local convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores. In some states, you can purchase Powerball tickets online depending on your local jurisdiction.

Once you have your ticket, you have to choose six numbers. Five of them are white balls numbered from 1 to 69. The red Powerball range is 1-26. You can also add a “Power Play” for $1, which increases your winnings on all non-jackpot prizes. “Power Play” multipliers allow you to increase your winnings by 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or 10x.

A “Quick Pick” option is also available if you want the computer to select the numbers for you. To win the jackpot, players must match all five white balls with the red Powerball in any order.

Powerball drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday nights. The winnings continue to increase even if no one wins the jackpot.

The lottery winning numbers sponsors are: Jackpocket, USA TODAY Network’s official digital lottery delivery company.

more: “Be Quiet:” Here’s what you need to know and do if you win the Mega Millions jackpot.

Can I get Powerball tickets online?

You can also order tickets online Jackpocket, USA TODAY Network’s official digital lottery delivery companythese states and territories of the United States: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington DC, and West Virginia.

The Jackpocket app allows you to choose your lottery games and numbers, place your order, check your tickets, and claim your winnings, all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery carrier of USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue from viewer referrals to the Jackpocket Service. Must be 18 years or older, 21 years or older in Arizona, 19 years or older in Nebraska. Not affiliated with any state lottery. Gambling problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-GAMBLER (ALL OTHERS). visit jackpocket.com/tos Over the entire period.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact us at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow us at X @fern_cerv_.

Roblox has a controversial new safety feature. I saw it up close

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Roblox has a controversial new safety feature. I saw it up close

SAN MATEO, Calif. — Roblox, one of the world’s most popular gaming apps, is preparing to roll out new mandatory safety features.

Starting this month, all users will be required to undergo a face scan with AI-powered age estimation to continue using the platform’s chat features.

The changes are, in many ways, the company’s response to the increased scrutiny it faces over child safety on its apps. 42% of Roblox users are under 13 years old.

As attorneys general across the country investigate Roblox, facial scanning has begun, and nearly 80 lawsuits are currently pending against the company, some parents claim their children have encountered predators on the app.

One Thursday in late December, I visited Roblox’s headquarters to demo a new feature. I first contacted the company to discuss another story I was working on, a story about a pending lawsuit. I started asking questions about the upcoming age estimation tool and they invited me to come see it for myself. I was able to try out facial scanning from the comfort of my New York apartment, and I was intrigued.

She wanted to play Roblox with her friends. Then the messages from the predator began.

Here’s what you need to know about this new Roblox feature up close

The night before my visit to Roblox headquarters, before the jet lag really set in, I decided it would be best to consider a face scan prior to meeting with a Roblox representative. I’m going to do a demo with them again, but I decided to take a peek to make sure I asked all the right questions.

At an airport hotel in Burlingame, California, I set up an account using the same cute social media handles I used as a kid.

A pop-up appeared on my phone. “You’ll soon need to verify your age to chat. This will take a moment.”

In a series of bullet points, I was assured that my camera would only be accessed to verify my age and that my images and videos would be deleted immediately after processing. In the light of my hotel room, I wore no makeup and let the filter scan my face from three angles.

A blue circle rotated before the app displayed my age estimate: 18 to 20 years old.

There’s just one problem. I’m 24 years old.

“Your age has been changed to 20 years old,” the message read. “You can use chat and party features, access restricted experiences, and collaborate in Studio with people in your age group.”

Naturally, I had some questions. How accurate should the age estimate be? How is the algorithm trained? Should facial scans be performed periodically after the photo is taken?

The next day I set out to get answers.

What Happened When I Let Roblox Scan My Face

Located on the northwest edge of Silicon Valley, Roblox is surrounded by a hub of AI startups and software companies. Just up the road in San Mateo, Sony Interactive Entertainment is home to PlayStation’s world headquarters.

When I arrived, a public relations staff member guided me through the winding hallways of conference rooms. Each conference room had a black “Roblox” television screen. There are actually three buildings on campus, each called a station, and I got lost many times.

First, we met with Matt Kaufman, Roblox’s Chief Safety Officer. When I asked about the allegations facing the company, he spoke confidently.

This facial age estimation feature is one he is particularly proud of.

He said Roblox’s data shows that facial scans can predict the age of users between the ages of 5 and 25 with an accuracy of less than two years. When I asked him about the discrepancy with my age, he quickly added that the product tends to be most accurate for younger users.

He said the algorithm is based on physiological changes that occur as we grow up, and because younger users generally improve faster, the algorithm can make more distinctions.

“As you get older, you make more mistakes,” Kaufman told me. “It’s even harder to tell if someone is 40, 45 or 50, for example.”

Three hours later, I tried the feature again. This time, under bright lights, we put on a full face of makeup and were coached by two of Roblox’s product leaders who helped drive the rollout of this feature.

Again, the application estimated my age to be between 18 and 20 years old.

Once users complete a face check, they are assigned to one of six age groups, ranging from under 9 to over 21. Kaufman said these groups try to imitate the kind of age groups you would see in real life.

But in my estimation, you’ll be chatting with a high school senior, college freshman, or sophomore. As a young professional living in Manhattan, this is a group I now rarely interact with.

The estimate was wrong, so I followed the app’s optional prompts and entered my ID photo to adjust my age.

How does this feature use AI?

Some people ask about the functionality of new features.

Cybersecurity expert Ben Gillenwater, known as TikTok’s “Family IT Guy,” said he has received messages from parents who have tried the facial scanning feature but are concerned about its accuracy.

Kaufman said parents should know that moderators also check to make sure age estimates match a user’s activity, adding that moderators flag cases where age may need to be re-verified.

I spoke with families across the country whose children play Roblox, and some expressed wariness about the use of artificial intelligence through third-party providers. (Roblox uses a company called Persona.)

Gillenwater pointed to previous issues with introducing similar features. In October, messaging platform Discord reported that hackers had breached 5CA, a third-party vendor it previously used for age verification, and stole up to 70,000 images of government-issued IDs in Australia and the United Kingdom.

Kaufman is confident in Roblox’s system and emphasized that any photos used for the app’s one-time age estimation will be removed immediately.

“We strongly believe that gradual age estimation is the most accurate and best option to use for Roblox, and what we would say to parents who are concerned about that is, if you don’t want your child to go through that process, that’s fine. Just don’t use chat,” Kaufman said.

How parents can keep their kids safe on Roblox

Founded in 2006, Roblox currently hosts over 40 million games known as “experiences.” Popular experiences on the platform include “Adopt Me!” There’s a game where players take care of pets, and Dress to Impress, a game built around a fashion runway show.

To those watching, it can feel like an alien, dopamine-fueled canvas, reverberating with clicks, the clang of Robux, and the clatter of avatars moving across the screen.

For many adults, Roblox’s interface can be confusing.

Elizabeth Milovidov, Roblox’s global head of parent advocacy, knows this.

“They just don’t know what Roblox is, right? And that’s the biggest problem for me,” Milovidov told me.

Her role, created in May, is meant to be a bridge between Roblox and parents.

“I call myself an ‘in-house mom,’” she said. “I wouldn’t say I’m a devil’s advocate or a naysayer, but the reality is that my role is to internalize whatever my parents say, whatever challenges they’re facing.”

She shared a personal anecdote from her experience as a parent of two teenagers. At a safety demo later that afternoon, Milovidov watched as two staff experts explained how to set up Roblox parental controls on iPhones and tablets.

Anyone can create an account on Roblox. But the option to link joint accounts will allow parents to further monitor their children’s chat settings, Robux spending limits and screen time limits, Milovidov said. Through these controls, parents can add users outside of their child’s age group so they can chat with a trusted adult.

What is important about Milovidov? App parental controls can be a great help if you know how to use them.

“If you know what they are and how to use them, you can lock things down,” Milovidov said. “If not, that’s another story.”

Gillenwater said the best way for parents to protect their children on Roblox and similar apps is to turn off the chat feature.

“If I’m going to let my kids play the game, is there online chat?” he said. “So, if that happens, can I turn it off? That’s my main filter.”

Milovidov regularly recommends that parents spend time exploring Roblox and understanding its interface. Adults should also ensure children’s accounts are registered at the correct age, and parents should regularly talk to their children about digital safety, he said.

There are limits to what Roblox can do, she added.

“No matter how much we innovate and do our best with technology, something always comes out. The bad guys are also innovating and leveling up,” Milovidov said. “There’s no such thing as a fail-safe, right?”

Rachel Hale’s role covering youth mental health for USA TODAY is supported by a partnership with Pivotal Ventures and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input. Contact her at rhale@usatoday.com. @rachleighhale With X.

(This story has been updated with new information.)

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