Exxon announced record earnings. It’s bound to renew scrutiny of Big Oil Exxon earned nearly $56 billion in profit last year, the biggest annual profit any Western oil company has ever seen. Chevron set its own record with $35 billion in profit. Read more on NPR

AI can lead to employment discrimination. What to do about it is up for debate The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says artificial intelligence-based hiring tools may be creating discriminatory barriers to jobs. The agency is seeking input on how to prevent harm. Read more on NPR

Pope Francis performs a high-wire act as he courts followers in Africa The progressive Pontifex is visiting parts of Africa this week, and must fulfill a balancing act that looks towards the expansion of his church and the ideological clashes that are coming up. Read more on NPR

A tiny radioactive capsule was lost on a 700-mile stretch of highway in Australia The round, silver capsule — measuring roughly a quarter of an inch wide by a third of an inch tall — is believed to have been lost somewhere along the road in Western Australia. Read more on NPR

A mysterious flying spiral above Hawaiian night sky likely caused by SpaceX launch A Japanese telescope captured images of the shape on Jan. 18. It was likely caused by the sun illuminating leftover fuel expelled from the rocket of a SpaceX launch. Read more on NPR