Sears chairman ups bid to $5 billion, United has a new plan to woo US travelers, and more top news

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Sears Holdings Chairman Eddie Lampert has submitted a revised bid of around $5 billion to get one more chance at saving the iconic retailer, per Reuters. His offer, up from $4.4 billion, was submitted along with a $120 million deposit through his hedge fund. Lampert’s bid will be judged against competing offers in a Jan. 14 auction. Sears had earlier rejected his previous bid, raising the specter of liquidation. Sears, which owns Kmart, employed about 68,000 people and had fewer than 700 stores as of October. ? Here’s what people are saying.

United Airlines plans to use its Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners on popular transcontinental routes to lure travelers. United has already made flights between Newark and Los Angeles using the new aircraft, which offers the airline’s “Polaris” and “United Premium Plus” classes. In addition to attracting more business, the airline benefits from the plane’s fuel efficiency and extra seating. Other airlines — like Delta — have also enhanced their offerings to attract lucrative transcontinental flyers. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Apple CEO Tim Cook earned $15.7 million in 2018, a 22% annual pay increase bolstered by a $12 million cash bonus. The news comes just a week after shareholders were told that a decline in iPhone sales in China meant Apple would miss quarterly revenue estimates for the first time in 15 years. This sales slump has also seen Apple introduce a program that allows U.S. customers to trade in their older iPhones for credit. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Smart speakers are flying off the shelves. With nearly one in 10 people getting one over the holidays, there are now 119 million in circulation in the U.S., according to a NPR and Edison Research survey. That’s a growth of 78% in one year, with 21% of the U.S. population now in possession of a smart speaker. Double digit growth is expected through to 2022 as people work out how to best utilize smart tech helpers like Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Assistant. ? Here’s what people are saying.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is proposing legislation that would mandate businesses with more than four employees to offer at least two weeks paid time off. While the law has yet to be drafted, the proposal would give paid vacation days to around 500,000 full and part-time workers vacation. The time would be in addition to the five paid sick days already guaranteed to New Yorkers, says The Wall Street Journal, and would make New York the first city to guarantee this type of leave. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Idea of the Day: Zillow Group CEO Spencer Rascoff says the most successful acquisitions stem from shared values.

“Integrating company cultures is tricky to get right, and it’s much smoother when values are aligned.”

What's your take on today’s stories? Share your thoughts in the comments. 

— Carmel Melouney and Jessica Hartogs