
Progresso, the well-known soup company, has launched a unique product called “Soup Drops,” a hard candy version of their popular chicken noodle soup. Marketed with a lighthearted approach as “soup you can suck on” and the “ultimate cold and flu season comfort,” the candy quickly sold out upon its initial release. Progresso assured customers via Instagram that the Soup Drops would be restocked this Thursday at 9 a.m. on their website. The Soup Drops are neither vegetarian nor gluten-free and contain ingredients such as monosodium glutamate, powdered cooked chicken, and chicken fat. A 1993 study from the University of Nebraska Medical Center supports the notion that chicken soup, the inspiration for this candy, does possess legitimate cold-fighting properties.
Fires, Floods Elsewhere Cause Your Home Insurance Rates to Rise: Study
The increasing frequency of disasters like hurricanes and wildfires has led to substantial insured losses, driving up homeowners insurance rates. These rates have risen faster than inflation due to the costs of covering these catastrophic events and rising reinsurance costs. A 2022 study found that costly disasters lead to increased insurance rates nationwide, with states subsidizing each other after major events. However, the Insurance Information Institute disagrees, stating that rate increases are based on risk assessment, not cross-subsidization. Additionally, state-by-state regulation of the insurance industry results in varying rate increases based on insurers’ costs.
Migrants Brace for Nationwide Sweeps
In a significant policy shift, President Trump has pledged to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, granting immigration agents sweeping new powers that include the authority to enter sensitive locations such as churches and schools. This move has generated considerable anxiety and fear within immigrant communities, who now face the prospect of increased enforcement actions and potential separation from their families. By expanding the scope of permissible enforcement actions, the administration has signaled a more aggressive approach to immigration control, raising concerns about potential abuses of power and the targeting of vulnerable populations.
Streaming Just Got More Expensive — Again
Netflix has announced price increases for most of its U.S. plans, as well as in Canada, Portugal, and Argentina. The standard plan (without commercials) will increase from $15.49 to $17.99 a month, the ad-supported plan will go up from $6.99 to $7.99, and the premium plan will increase from $22.99 to $24.99. The cost of extra members on standard plans will also rise from $7.99 to $8.99 a month. This is Netflix’s first price increase for its ad-supported plan since it was introduced in November 2022 in response to slowing subscriber growth. The company also recently eliminated its cheapest ad-free plan and cracked down on password sharing, pushing subscribers to add “extra members” to their accounts for an additional fee. These changes appear to be working, as Netflix added a record 19 million paid memberships in the fourth quarter, surpassing 300 million subscribers.
Judge Blocks Smith Report from Going to Congress
Federal Judge Aileen Cannon has issued an order that prevents the Justice Department from sharing a report related to the classified documents case against President Trump with Congress. This decision arises from Judge Cannon’s concerns that disseminating such sensitive information could potentially violate the rights of the remaining defendants and compromise the fairness of their upcoming trial. The classified documents report likely contains information related to the ongoing legal proceedings against those defendants. It remains to be seen if the case survives any longer, now that Trump has taken control of the Department of Justice.