What you should know about the owners of US TikTok

​ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, recently established a separate American entity to run the app’s U.S. operations. This restructuring aims to separate U.S. TikTok from its Chinese parent, addressing concerns about data privacy and foreign control. The move came after years of pressure from lawmakers, who feared the Chinese government’s potential access to Americans’ data. […]

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One year after DeepSeek, Chinese AI firms from Alibaba to Moonshot race to release new models

Chinese companies are releasing new AI models and striving to gain an edge in the AI application race as the country’s biggest holiday of the year nears.

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Catawba Nation announces it has filed for state recognition in North Carolina, with a casino soon to open

The Catawba Nation Chief, Brian Harris, has taken to social media to share the latest vision for the federally recognized tribe in South Carolina.
Harris starts by sharing the new introductions and improvements before noting that, unlike South Carolina, “believe it or not, we never applied to be state-recognized in North Carolina.”
He continued to say they already have all the paperwork turned in and have done their due diligence, including giving the state everything they need. With this comes the opening of the tribe’s first satellite government office in North Carolina.
The office in this new location aims to facilitate the tribe’s citizens in the state. Later in the video, where Brian Harris is sitting down to provide an insight into the upcoming happenings, he says the tribe will be submitting a number of legislation bills this year.
This includes a bill for North Carolina, as well as another in South Carolina which Harris says the bill would propose “to give us, as the federal government promised us back in the day, a leg up on any other casino coming into the state of South Carolina.” He continued to say that if they don’t, the tribe is going to file federal lawsuits.
Catawba Nation Chief Brian Harris shares insight into casino plans
Also in the speech, Harris explained how a new 80,000 square-foot introductory casino would be opening in February or March time.
It was in June of last year when an update was provided on the $1 billion Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort in Kings Mountain, with significant construction having just been completed.
Introductory casino phase to open in spring 2026. Credit: Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort via press release
At the time, they said the introductory casino was planned to open in Spring 2026 and they described the project to be in full swing. However, the main casino complex was said to be opening in 2027, with this being about 2 million square feet.
The casino will include 4,300 slot machines, 100 table games, 11 dining outlets, a players lounge, 11 bars, and a 2,700-space parking garage built under the casino complex, and 800 surface parking spaces.
Featured Image: Screenshot via Facebook video
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Gemini Titan has filed a self-certification with the CFTC for “time-interval prop bets”

Gemini Titan, which was co-founded by the Winklevoss twins, has notified the Commodity Futures Trading Commission that it plans to offer ‘time-interval prop bets.’
In the electronic submission, the company states its intention to list “Will the [points] recorded in [time period] of[event] be [above/below/exactly/at least/between [count] points?”
Along with the letter, the Exchange provided the contracts rules and terms and conditions, as well as an explanation and analysis “demonstrating that the Products comply with the Commodity Exchange Act” and a confidential treatment request.

Gemini Titan has filed a self-certification with the CFTC for “time-interval prop bets” — i.e., how many points both teams will score during a defined time period — as a sports event contract. Classifies this as a “swap.” pic.twitter.com/VdvZC5Obpw
— Daniel Wallach (@WALLACHLEGAL) January 26, 2026

This marks the company’s latest move, as it was just in December of 2025 when Gemini Predictions was launched through the affiliate Gemini Titan. It received a Designed Contract Market (DCM) license from the U.S. CFTC a week ahead of its arrival.
Gemini Titan received a DCM licence from the CFTC
On its arrival from the crypto-native finance platform, Gemini Predictions announced it would be offering event contracts that are simple yes or no questions on future events. From the get-go, customers were able to trade event contracts using USD in their Gemini Exchange account on web, iOS, and Android.
The company launched its prediction market at a time when others were entering the market, including major brands like Fanatics sportsbook and FanDuel. In December 2025, Fanatics Markets was launched, with the platform built to let people trade on the moments within sports, finance, and culture. The other major sportsbook operator announced its new move at a similar time, with FanDuel Predicts launching shortly after.
While the company has already launched and received regulatory approval from the start, the industry has faced some backlash over the last several months as some state regulators oppose the platforms. In Louisiana, for example, the Gaming Control Board issued a press release suggesting it now views sporting event contracts and “certain other event contracts” as a violation of state gambling laws.
Featured Image: Via Gemini on X
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Amazon founder Jeff Bezos denies Polymarket post made about his alleged advice

Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos has taken to social media to reply to a post from Polymarket, saying it’s been made up.
On January 22, the prediction market Polymarket posted on X saying: “JUST IN: Jeff Bezos advises aspiring Gen Z entrepreneurs to start at real world jobs like McDonalds or Palantir before starting a business.”
The post has since racked up 5.5 million views, with over 8,700 likes and over 1,300 reposts.
The 62-year-old quickly denied the post though, as he took to his X account to reply to the original Polymarket post with “Nope. Not sure why polymarket made this up.”

Nope. Not sure why polymarket made this up.
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) January 22, 2026

It’s quite rare for the founder to reply to such a post, with the last tweet he posted being in December to welcome the new president of his company Blue Origin. Now, the original tweet has had a community note added to say the man has rejected this.
Polymarket about Jeff Bezos causes entrepreneur to respond
Also in the thread, X owner Elon Musk replied to Bezos to say: “Well, the President worked at McDonald’s and now he’s the President.”
While it’s not known where the actual claim came from, Business Insider reported that during Italian Tech Week in November, the Amazon founder suggested young entrepreneurs work before building their one business, rather than dropping out of education.
“It is possible to, you know, be 18, 19, 20 years old, drop out of college, and be a great entrepreneur,” he is reported as having said.
“We have famous examples of that working: Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, etcetera. But these people are the exception.”
“I always advise young people, you know, go work at a best practices company somewhere, where you can learn a lot of basic fundamental things,” Bezos added. “There’s still lots of time to start a company after you have absorbed it. It increases your odds, in my opinion.”
Featured Image: Credit to Mathieu Thouvenin on Flickr, CC2.0 license
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Fanatics sportsbook bets on Kendall Jenner in debut Big Game commercial

Fanatics Sportsbook is betting on Kendall Jenner with the launch of its first ever Big Game commercial and Jenner’s first Big Game advertising campaign, titled Bet on Kendall. The campaign marks the first production from the recently launched Fanatics Studios, a joint venture between Fanatics and OBB Media. Bolded, OBB’s branded entertainment division, served as the creative studio.
The spot leans into a long running internet joke suggesting that any basketball player who gets close to Jenner is subject to unfortunate consequences. Fueled by memes, real life coincidences, and fan speculation, the so-called Kardashian Kurse is not denied but addressed directly, with Jenner referencing her previous basketball relationships. With a self aware wink, the commercial suggests that while the internet has been busy theorizing, Jenner has been doing something more strategic and likely Kris Jenner approved, betting on it.

What is the Kardashian Kurse?
Set inside a deliberately “kursed” mansion on a hill, the 30 second commercial, which will air during halftime of the Big Game, and a 90 second extended digital cut blend glossy visuals, sharp comedy, and faceless exes.
Jenner explains how she has turned her rumored effect on men into winning bets on Fanatics Sportsbook, resulting in a flirtatious and self-deprecating take on sports fandom that invites viewers to take a side. Fans can choose whether to bet with her or against her once her Big Game pick goes live.
Fanatics Sportsbook embraces Kardashian Kurse with Kendall Jenner
In a press release shared with ReadWrite, Selena Kalvaria, Chief Marketing Officer at Fanatics Betting and Gaming, said: “The magic of this campaign is how Kendall Jenner transforms the lore of the Kardashian Kurse into something playful, participatory, and unmistakingly of the moment. With Fanatics’ unparalleled cultural influence in sports, ‘Bet on Kendall’ is the perfect way to bring Fanatics Sportsbook into the spotlight with Fanatics Studios and our incredible partners at OBB Media.”
Michael D. Ratner, Founder and CEO of OBB Media and CEO of Fanatics Studios, said: “As our first official Fanatics Studios project since launch, ‘Bet on Kendall’ is exactly the kind of storytelling we are excited to be creating at Fanatics and OBB: content at the intersection of sports and culture, fit for the biggest stage in sports entertainment.”

tomorrow @KendallJenner pic.twitter.com/zCNl65mqX6
— Fanatics Sportsbook (@FanaticsBook) January 26, 2026

The 360 degree campaign includes a 30 second broadcast spot airing during the Big Game, a 90 second extended digital film, short form social cutdowns, and a high impact out of home program designed to bring the “Kursed?” conversation into real world settings. All elements are anchored by the campaign line Bet on Kendall. Fans are encouraged to follow along as Jenner reveals her pick for sport’s biggest game and decide whether to bet with her or against her exclusively on Fanatics Sportsbook. A 100 percent profit boost is available, reinforcing the platform’s tagline, “Winning hits different here.”
Fans nationwide can Bet on Kendall using the Fanatics Sportsbook app beginning Thursday, January 29, following the reveal of her pick on Wednesday, January 28 at midnight.
Featured image: Fanatics Sportsbook / OBB Media / Sophie Sahara
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Novig has applied for approval to become a CFTC-regulated prediction market exchange

The founders of the sports prediction market company Novig have applied for approval to become a CFTC-regulated prediction market exchange through the entity Ludlow Exchange LLC.
The company has requested confidential treatment of its submitted exhibits and materials, with a number of them listed in a public document This includes exhibits/documents about ownership, board and governance, fitness standards, and more.
It was in September 2024 when Novig announced it had launched a prediction market for sports in 42 states and Washington D.C. under the sweepstakes regulatory framework. Just a year prior they had completed a seed funding round of $6.4 million.

With Novig jumping in, the CFTC-regulated prediction market space becomes even more crowded: https://t.co/EqttTDVRv0 pic.twitter.com/7He7qNzHCE
— Mick Bransfield (@MickBransfield) January 26, 2026

In August 2025, the company raised a major $18 million to scale its peer-to-peer sports prediction market, with the round led by Forerunner with participation from Y Combinator, NFX, Perceptive Ventures, and Gaingels.
Novig raised $18 million in summer of 2025 through funding round
At the time, several months ago, the company explained in a press release that Novig had experienced ‘explosive growth’ since its public launch in September 2024, with a 50x increase in monthly trading volume and surpassing 2 billion worth in annualized volume in Novig Cash.
In the same announcement, the CEO and co-founder, Jacob Fortinsky, explained more about the company: “What we’re building isn’t just sports predictions–it’s a true peer-to-peer market.
“We believe users deserve a system that rewards skill, reflects true supply and demand, and gives every fan a fair shot. We’ve quickly become the #1 sports prediction market in the US, and our organic growth speaks to the strength of our product and the passion of our community.
“The support from some of the world’s leading tech investors, who believe in our mission to democratize sports betting for good, is a powerful endorsement—not just of what we’ve built, but of the future we’re creating. This funding will allow us to scale our mission across more sports, more formats, and ultimately, to more users.”
Featured Image: Via Novig press releases
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Amazon inadvertently announces cloud unit layoffs in email to employees

Amazon sent a notice out to staffers in an apparent error acknowledging “organizational changes” at the company.

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Everything you need to know about viral personal AI assistant Clawdbot (now Moltbot)

Personal AI assistant Moltbot —formerly Clawdbot — has gone viral in a matter of weeks. But there’s more you should know before jumping on the bandwagon.

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Fashion rental app By Rotation and Uber partner to help deliver ski clothing

By Rotation, one of the U.K.’s most popular peer-to-peer fashion rental platforms, is partnering with Uber to deliver ski clothes.

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