The world’s most powerful passports

Today we’re giving you a peek of what you might see if you spot the elusive green comet, sharing the story of a pro athlete who quit to trade Pokémon cards, and asking the big question: Is it time to start paying stay-at-home parents? We have that and some of your letters in a bit. First, the news.

— Nicholas Carlson

• Google, Amazon, and Microsoft layoffs will result in a “bloodbath” of 40,000 jobs lost. Inside Big Tech’s week from hell.
• George Santos appears to have claimed he acted in “Hannah Montana” and with Uma Thurman in a movie she wasn’t actually in. More on that here.
• Everyone billed Charlie Javice as a groundbreaking young entrepreneur, until JPMorgan Chase sued her for millions of dollars of fraud. Read more.

Weekend reads

• “I quit the NFL to trade Pokémon cards.” The former Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Blake Martinez quit the NFL in November 2022 after selling a card for $672,000. He told Insider how he turned a childhood passion into a lucrative business. Read more.
• Is it time to start paying stay-at-home parents? Stay-at-home parents are working as chefs, cleaners, and chauffeurs for the next generation of US workers — and they could make up to $185,000 a year if they were paid. Read the story.
• Can you spot the AI narrator? Our reporter tried to guess if Apple’s new audiobooks were read by AI or a human. It was harder than you’d think — listen for yourself.
• These are the 10 most powerful passports in the world. Japan ranked as No. 1 on a new list, with access to 193 countries. Singapore and South Korea tied for second place — and if you’re wondering, a US passport can access 186 countries. See the list here.
• “I secretly work from the Canary Islands.” A stealthy remote worker tells us that constantly concealing his location from his boss can be exhausting — but he feels happier, healthier, and more productive. Here’s how he does it.
• Organized retail thieves’ most-wanted list: A new survey reveals which items are most likely to be stolen from stores, from apparel and footwear to health and beauty products. See the list.
• The world’s biggest plane has wings longer than a football field. The Stratolaunch Roc is made out of a composite of two Boeing 747-400 jumbo jets — and requires a runway that’s at least 12,000 feet long just to take off. See it for yourself here.
• How to make your groceries last. Living five hours from the nearest grocery store, Hilary Messer-Barrow only shops every two months — so she had to master the art of stretching food a little further. Here are her seven top tips.
• “Before dying of cancer, my husband froze his sperm. Now I’m having his baby.” Mariah Smith’s husband, Chris, died at age 27. They had planned on having children — even if he didn’t survive. Read her story here.

Billions of people will be ringing in the Lunar New Year. Watch how people celebrate around the world.

• “One problem for college students in accounting (and likely business in general) is that many have never seen how a business operates from the inside … Maybe virtual tours could be developed to give students that experience.” – Bill
• “I see the metaverse as an extraordinary way to put security professionals in real-world scenarios, train them much more effectively, and get a substantial ROI from education models. Not to mention, millennials will take to it!” – Connie
• “One of the applications I would like to see would be historical eras recreated where you could play a role within that era … My hope is that you have a much more visceral, emotional understanding of history than we do today.” – Eugene

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This edition was curated by Nicholas Carlson, and edited by Hallam Bullock, Lisa Ryan, Dave Smith, Nathan Rennolds, and Jordan Parker Erb. Get in touch: insidertoday@insider.com.