treasure of aztec slot bonus buy
[WHY?] Why did Yoon declare martial law? Korea's political YouTubers might be to blame Published: 28 Dec. 2024, 07:05 LEE JIAN [email protected] Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI Left: President Yoon Suk Yeol gives a public address from the presidential office in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Dec. 12. Right: Silhouette of people on their phones against the backdrop of a YouTube logo [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE, REUTERS/YONHAP] On Dec. 12, nine days after declaring — and retracting — emergency martial law, President Yoon Suk Yeol stood before a camera and made controversial and somewhat confusing statements to the public for nearly 30 minutes. He accused the opposing liberal Democratic Party (DP) of colluding with North Korea to shut down parliament and claimed that the April parliamentary election, where the opposition won the majority, was rigged. According to Yoon, there was no choice but to impose military rule and save Korea from “antistate forces.” Related Article Chimes of freedom ring as protest turns into party on passage of impeachment Military probe into intelligence commander’s alleged role in martial law transferred to prosecution It was the first time many had heard such assertions. But for a handful of avid YouTube users, Yoon’s words rang a clear bell. A YouTuber is livestreaming conservative People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon entering a voting booth for the parliamentary elections on April 10, 2024, in Seodaemun District, western Seoul. [NEWS1] One month ago, far-right political YouTuber and popular pundit Ko Sung-kook uploaded videos that mirrored the president’s televised public address, including the tone and rhetoric. “No one trusts the polls and the NEC [National Election Commission] anymore. They carry the votes around in a basket and are a severe threat to democracy. They should not be trusted,” Ko is filmed telling his 1.1 million subscribers. Ko is just one in an ecosystem of right-wing political YouTubers who support their beliefs by stretching the truth and spreading unfounded ideas that extend to conspiracy theories. A helicopter with armed special forces lands in front of the National Assembly building in Yeouido, western Seoul, after President Yoon Suk Yeol declares martial law on Dec. 3. [JOONGANG ILBO] Ever since the now-impeached Yoon’s botched martial law declaration on Dec. 3, the big question on the lips of many has been why — why did the president make such a shocking decision, an ultimate act of self-sabotage that is now driving his political career to the brink? Since then, a flood of findings and revelations have revealed that YouTube may be partly to blame. It also spotlights a political niche that is snowballing in defiance of a mainstream media that has repeatedly failed the public’s trust. So, what do Korea's partisan political views look like on the world’s largest video platform? And has this fringe media movement become a more formidable force in Korean society today? YouTube’s influence on the president Silhouettes of laptop and mobile device users are seen next to a screen projection of the YouTube logo in this picture illustration taken on March 28, 2018. [REUTERS/YONHAP] Three days after Dec. 3, a hearing at the National Assembly unveiled that 14 names had been assembled and relayed to the National Intelligence Service (NIS) to track down. It included Yoon's most vocal critics, and some, according to NIS First Deputy Director Hong Jang-won, were to be arrested under the president's direct orders. The list reportedly included politicians, like National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik and DP leader Lee Jae-myung, two ex-Supreme Court judges and one liberal YouTuber, Kim Ou-joon. Special forces dispatched to the National Assembly on the night of Dec. 3 were also seen in front of Kim’s YouTube studio in Seodaemun District, western Seoul. Kim, who founded one of Korea’s earliest political tabloids, The Ddanzzi, established his main YouTube channel, News Factory, in 2022. With 1.9 million subscribers as of Dec. 22, he runs an openly biased channel leaning left. Far-left political YouTuber Kim Ou-joon speaks during a video on his channel News Factory [SCREEN CAPTURE] Martial law soldiers were also sent to the NEC office, where they were ordered by Yoon and then-Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun to secure evidence of election fraud on the commission’s servers, according to special forces members' testimonies. The NIS , which regularly runs inspections of the NEC, did not find any evidence supporting suspicions of a rigged general election during its security sweep last year, and it confirmed the facts again to parliament on Dec. 19. But it has been a consistent theory put out by the far-right YouTubers that elections have been faked and hacked by North Korea. National Election Commission office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi [YONHAP] Lawmaker Lee Hai-min, who worked in Google’s IT department, said that YouTube’s algorithm was to blame for Yoon’s behavior. "Scrutinizing Yoon's public address, I learned that he was genuinely in agreement with the voting fraud rumors that some far-right YouTube channels claim to be true," she told the press on Dec. 13 at the National Assembly. "YouTube's algorithm has created confirmation bias and hysteria for our president.” Partisan politics on YouTube YouTubers are filming with their phones in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Aug. 31, 2023. [YONHAP] Jung Seon-sook, an 87-year-old conservative, frequently views right-wing political YouTubers on her Samsung Galaxy phone. She started watching them when former conservative President Park Geun-hye was impeached in 2018 because her friends sent her YouTube video links through text. “We all think that she [Park Geun-hye] was unfairly thrown out of office, and these videos reinforced those beliefs,” she said. Jung is one of many in her age group who far-right YouTubers target to boost their presence on the platform. Related Article Police probe President Yoon's phone records in martial law investigation Military intelligence commander arrested in connection with martial law operations Korean partisan politics on YouTube largely gained momentum with far-right political YouTubers, who sided with former President Park despite the widespread, relatively bipartisan opinion that she should be impeached for leaking state affairs to her friend and businesswoman, Choi Soon-sil, in 2017. The videos used elementary language and logic to target Koreans over 60, who are often staunch conservatives and highly engaged in politics, consistently making up the largest demographic for voter turnout each year. They felt like their voices were being ignored by society as the former president was swiftly removed from the Blue House. But on YouTube, they found solace. With a clear target audience, the views proliferated and reached millions. Parliament lawmakers hose water with a fire extinguisher on the special forces deployed to the National Assembly in western Seoul to stop them from voting and rebuff President Yoon Suk Yeol's emergency martial law declaration made a few hours earlier on Dec. 3. [YONHAP] Far-left commentators grew apparent on YouTube as well, and misinformation and vitriol from both sides mushroomed. Today, 646 channels in Korea tagged as news and politics are active on the platform, with an average subscriber count of 600,000, according to YouTube data analytics platform Playboard, Four political channels — three liberal and one conservative — unaffiliated with traditional news outlets also rank among the top 10 most-subscribed Korean political channels that have been active in the past month. The left-wing channel Maebul Show had the most subscribers, with 2.1 million. Its average weekly views amount to 560,846. According to the National Assembly Research Service’s 2023 study of 80 such channels and 822 videos, the contents spent 87 percent of its time on average delivering opinions and 10 percent on facts. Eighty-six percent of the videos contained hateful and hostile language, and 90 percent featured panelists solely from one side of the political spectrum. Videos on political pundit Ko Sung-kook's YouTube channel in support of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol [SCREEN CAPTURE] The term “asphalt YouTubers” was coined around 2022, pointing to political YouTubers who, despite having relatively small followings, are deeply committed to their causes. They frequently livestream political rallies and tail high-profile politicians, aiming to capture and amplify provocative moments. YouTuber Kim Ou-joon publicly said that Yoon had planned to not only arrest him and the other politicians but also assassinate them. The claims garnered headlines and attention but were later found to be likely false after local media and officials found insufficient evidence to back them. “[Political YouTube videos] are entertaining, and the information is well-organized,” said Choi Kwang-pil, a dedicated 55-year-old liberal. “It’s true that channels on the left and the right only talk about issues that are advantageous for them, but it is how they get the views.” Left-wing YouTuber Kim Ou-joon testifies that he was targeted by President Yoon Suk Yeol's special forces deployed after the martial law declaration at the National Assembly complex in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Dec. 13. [NEWS1] Political YouTube accounts in Korea have gained further notoriety after their massive revenues became public. According to Playboard, these channels are the only political content globally to appear on the platform’s monthly and yearly rankings for profits earned through YouTube’s Super Chat monetization program. Right-wing political commentator Shin Hye-sik’s channel, with 1.55 million subscribers, ranked 11th on the monthly chart for November 2024, earning an estimated 58.7 million won ($39,796). Kim Ou-joon’s News Factory ranked 15th globally in 2023 for Super Chat yearly earnings, generating over 525 million won. On the first day Kim transitioned from public radio broadcaster TBS to YouTube in January 2023, he made a record 29 million won in a single day through Super Chat, following his announcement that he would run an openly biased channel. “The real power of the press and prosecutors is not in reporting or prosecuting, but in burying things that should have been reported and prosecuted,” he said on his channel on Jan. 10, 2023. "I am determined to crack that cartel by being biased. It will be partisan, but the process of getting there will be fair.” Distrust of traditional news outlets Political YouTubers on the right and the left have a shared enemy: traditional journalism. Many YouTube channels are founded on the premise that legacy news outlets do not sufficiently or unbiasedly report on political issues. They exist to fill in those blanks, and their devoted subscribers see them excelling in that aim. “Traditional media reports the logic of the government as is,” said 53-year-old surnamed Choi, who identified himself as a staunch liberal. “I believe the YouTube channels on the left actually report the objective truth much better, with more depth and analysis.” According to Reuters' 2024 Digital News Report, one in two Koreans uses YouTube for news each week. The average for the 46 countries on the report was 30 percent. The data includes the YouTube channels of major traditional news broadcasters — MBC, KBS, SBS, and JTBC — which have their own channels. News podcasts with neutrally political content are also streamed and uploaded on YouTube. Recently gaining more attention are YouTube influencers who relay news, like Syuka World, which is run by a former fund manager. He has 3.44 million subscribers and states he doesn't have a particular political lean. “I don’t trust all traditional media, and I feel like on YouTube, I can find news that is less biased to the left and the right,” said Kim Su-min, 27, who claims to be politically neutral. “I feel like I am more actively in search of news and diversifying my views when on YouTube compared to just watching the 8 o’clock news on TV.” Reuters' Digital Report states that only one in three Koreans trust traditional media, the lowest score in Asia-Pacific. The study’s average for 46 countries was 40 percent. ‘The term ‘journalism’ applies to a much broader group of people,” said Professor Yu Hyun-jae of Sogang University’s College of Communications. YouTubers with selfie sticks are commonly spotted among reporters at the live sites of headline news. Some call themselves journalists but are not registered with an official media outlet and, thus, freely bend facts, largely without penalties. “But if viewers believe it and say that it is news, at the end of the day, that becomes news,” Yu said. Acknowledging their influence, some politicians have chosen to build symbiotic relationships with them. When former liberal National Assembly member Kim Bong-ju ran to become a member of the mighty Supreme Council of the DP in July, he appeared as a guest on the left-wing YouTube channel SaeNal and called it his “family.” An exclusive report by local news outlet Hankyoreh in August 2022 stated that 30 far-right YouTubers were invited to Yoon’s presidential inauguration ceremony in May. Even traditional media has caved. In May, major public broadcaster KBS hired hard left YouTuber Ko to host one of its morning news shows. He was recently dismissed after being seen on YouTube referencing the events since Dec. 3 as “pro-North Korea advocates accusing President Yoon of insurrection.” “We have a systemic problem where we as a society have stopped fighting for the objective truth and, instead, just look for the validation of our beliefs,” said Yu. “Consuming information is a trickier task today than it has been in the past, but we have to make the active effort to widen our perspectives.” BY LEE JIAN [ [email protected] ] var admarutag = admarutag || {} admarutag.cmd = admarutag.cmd || [] admarutag.cmd.push(function () { admarutag.pageview('3bf9fc17-6e70-4776-9d65-ca3bb0c17cb7'); });
Coca-Cola’s AI holiday ad sparks controversy for not being the ‘real thing’
NEW YORK , Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Report on how AI is redefining market landscape - The global printers market size is estimated to grow by USD 10.65 billion from 2024 to 2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.46% during the forecast period. The report provides a comprehensive forecast of key segments below- Segmentation Overview 1.1 Laser 1.2 Inkjet 1.3 Others 2.1 Multifunction printers 2.2 Single function printers 3.1 APAC 3.2 Europe 3.3 North America 3.4 South America 3.5 Middle East and Africa 3.1 Canada 3.2 Mexico 3.3 France 3.4 India 3.5 UAE 3.6 South Africa Get a glance at the market contribution of rest of the segments - Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes! 1.1 Fastest growing segment: Laser printing is a popular technology in the printing industry, utilizing electrophotography or electrostatic charges for image production. In this process, a laser beam is used to induce charges, enabling precise printing. Laser printing caters to various applications, including variable data and wide-format printing. Compared to inkjet and LED printing, laser printing boasts advantages such as speed and precision. Laser printers are more expensive upfront but offer lower running costs due to their use of dry ink. Primarily used in offices, laser printers have gained popularity among enterprises due to their accuracy and efficiency. In January 2021 , Ninestar Co. Ltd., a leading laser printer and toner cartridge manufacturer, introduced its Elite Series, consisting of six laser printer models. Key growth factors include the emergence of compact laser printers, increasing demand for A4 and A3 laser multifunction printers from enterprises, and declining laser printer prices. However, the emergence of ink tank printers may hinder growth during the forecast period. Despite this, the demand for laser printing technology is expected to remain steady due to enterprise demand for laser multifunction printers. Analyst Review The printing market encompasses a wide range of printers designed for various applications, from A4 office printers to large-format packaging printers. Mobile printing technology enables users to print from their smartphones and tablets, making printing more convenient than ever. Color printing has become the norm, with inkjet and solvent ink printers leading the charge. The ecosystem of inks and software plays a crucial role in delivering high-quality prints. Printers have evolved into electronic tools, capable of processing text and images from computers and other devices via data cables, USB, short-range radio, or Bluetooth. The hardware and output technology behind these devices transform electronic data into tangible documents and photos, making them essential computer peripherals for both personal and professional use. Market Overview The printing market encompasses a wide range of printers and printing technologies, including mobile printing, color printing, packaging printing, and analog and digital printing. Entry-level products like A4 printers cater to individual consumers, while businesses rely on multi-functional printers, copiers, and multifunctional systems. Inkjet printing uses various types of inks such as solvent, water-based, UV-based, LED, and UV-cured inks, while toner is used in laser printers. Cloud-based computing and software ecosystems facilitate digital integration, enabling users to print from various devices like computers, smartphones, and tablets. Ink cost is a significant factor, with inkjet printer cartridges available in various sizes and ink subscriptions offering cost savings. Environmental concerns include the use of heavy metals and energy consumption, as well as the environmental impact of printing processes and carbon emissions contributing to climate change. Companies are addressing these issues through the use of eco-friendly materials like ocean-bound plastic and ink tanks that reduce waste. Security features, such as encryption and access control, are increasingly important for both residential and commercial printers, especially in the context of managed print services and digital integration with platforms like Dropbox and Google Drive. The global printer market includes various types of printers, including ink tank printers, monochrome and color printers, wired and wireless printers, and standalone printers or MFPs. To understand more about this market- Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes! 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 3 Market Sizing 4 Historic Market Size 5 Five Forces Analysis 6 Market Segmentation 7 Customer Landscape 8 Geographic Landscape 9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 10 Venodr Landscape 11 Vendor Analysis 11.1 HP Development Company, L.P. 11.2 Canon, Inc 11.3 Seiko Epson Corporation 11.4 Brother Industries Ltd 11.5 Xerox Holdings Corporation 11.6 FUJIFILM Corporation 11.7 Roland DG Corporation 11.8 Ricoh company Ltd 11.9 Panasonic Corporation 11.10 Toshiba Corporation 12 Appendix About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contacts Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com/ SOURCE TechnavioWATCH: Lehigh fans tear down goalpost after win over Lafayette. See where it ended up.
Broncos hope to continue playoff push when they meet the banged-up Raiders
Richard Hightower on blocked FG that sealed Chicago Bears’ loss: ‘We’ve got to go out there and perform’
‘World at dawn of third nuclear age’, armed forces chief warns
In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail familiesQuestions to ponder in the new yearSupreme Court seems likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on treatments for transgender minors
Key details to know about the arrest of a suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEOOntario First Nations mull next steps on child welfare amid various legal opinionsNone
Travis Barker's daughter Alabama turned 19 on December 24, and although she was ill with the flu and unable to celebrate, now revealed her gift haul – receiving over $35,000 in presents. The 19-year-old took to TikTok to speak to her fans, revealing she "didn't get to enjoy [my birthday] because I was so sick but I am back on my feet and I want to give you guys a Christmas haul." "I am so grateful for all my gifts and I wanted to share because some people requested it," she continued, before revealing she received Chrome Heart gloves and pink wallet, as well as a gorgeous diamond necklace from her sister with an "A" and a "B" pendant, and a cross necklace. She was also gifted a $7,000 Barbie pink Balenciaga bag in calfskin with rhinestones, and a black Prada bucket purse with diamante detailing. A third purse was a vintage Dior purse in chrome, and she also received a "so cute" tweed and leather Chanel back pack, which she said was a gift from Kris, presumably step-mom Kourtney Kardashian's mom Kris Jenner. Meet Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's blended family of 7 kids — best photos From her dad, Blink 182 drummer Travis , she received large diamond stud earrings and her "third Cartier love bracelet". "It's like a tradition now, every year I get a better one," she said, showing off the bracelets she also had for her 16th and 17th birthdays. "My dad has some of the best style and he got me this jacket," she said, revealing a stunning leather duster with a fur collar and gold detailing on the buckle. The teen also received two Poster Girls dresses, totally over $1,250, and a latex corset from the brand, as well as a $500 Jean Paul Gaultier dress that featured mesh detailing and the appearance of a $100 bill, and a Jean Paul Gaultier printed beach cover-up, worth over $350. Balenciaga's 110mm Essex boots, worth over $2,400 were also a gift from her dad, as was a vintage Cavalli cow print jacket, and the Gucci Horsebit Platform Slingback Loafer Pumps, which retail for $1500 – and have also been worn by Taylor Swift. "You guys know I love my lace so I got a lace Dolce catsuit," Alabama continued – the Dolce & Gabban a catsuit retails for $2000 – before squealing and revealing her "favorite gift of all," a brand new Birkin bag, which is available for $24,000. Watch Alabama's haul here: Alabama is Travis' daughter with ex-wife Shanna Moakler; they are also parents to son Landon . "Happy 19th Birthday my angel @alabamaluellabarker . I can’t believe I’m saying that. I’m so proud of you and I love watching you grow. Never settle, the stars aren’t too far away. Never give up, never give in. I love you unconditionally. I love you to the moon and back," Travis emotionally wrote on social media alongside a carousel of throwback pictures. He is also dad to one-year-old son Rocky with Kourtney, and helped to raise Shanna's eldest, Atiana de la Hoya.NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks fell broadly on Friday as Wall Street closed out a holiday-shortened week on a down note. The losses were made worse by sharp declines for the Big Tech stocks known as the “Magnificent 7”, which can heavily influence the direction of the market because of their large size. The S&P 500 fell 66.75 points, or 1.1%, to 5,970.84. Roughly 90% of stocks in the benchmark index lost ground, but it managed to hold onto a modest gain of 0.7% for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 333.59 points, or 0.8%, to 42,992.21. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite fell 298.33 points, or 1.5%, to 19,722.03. Semiconductor giant Nvidia slumped 2.1%. Microsoft declined 1.7%. Each has a market value above $3 trillion, giving the companies outsized sway on the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq. A wide range of retailers also fell. Amazon fell 1.5% and Best Buy slipped 1.5%. The sector is being closely watched for clues on how it performed during the holiday shopping season. Energy stocks held up better than the rest of the market, with a loss of less than 0.1% as crude oil prices rose. “There’s just some uncertainty over this relief rally we’ve witnessed since last week,” said Adam Turnquist, chief technical strategist for LPL Financial. The S&P 500 gained nearly 3% over a 3-day stretch before breaking for the Christmas holiday. On Thursday, the index posted a small decline. Despite Friday's drop, the market is moving closer to another standout annual finish . The S&P 500 is on track for a gain of around 25% in 2024. That would mark a second consecutive yearly gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. The gains have been driven partly by upbeat economic data showing that consumers continued spending and the labor market remained strong. Inflation, while still high, has also been steadily easing. A report on Friday showed that sales and inventory estimates for the wholesales trade industry fell 0.2% in November, following a slight gain in October. That weaker-than-expected report follows an update on the labor market Thursday that showed unemployment benefits held steady last week. The stream of upbeat economic data and easing inflation helped prompt a reversal in the Federal Reserve's interest rate policy this year. Expectations for interest rate cuts also helped drive market gains. The central bank recently delivered its third cut to interest rates in 2024. Even though inflation has come closer to the central bank's target of 2%, it remains stubbornly above that mark and worries about it heating up again have tempered the forecast for more interest rate cuts. Inflation concerns have added to uncertainties heading into 2025, which include the labor market’s path ahead and shifting economic policies under incoming President Donald Trump. Worries have risen that Trump’s preference for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , a bigger U.S. government debt and difficulties for global trade. Amedisys rose 4.7% after the home health care and hospice services provider agreed to extend the deadline for its sale to UnitedHealth Group. The Justice Department had sued to block the $3.3 billion deal, citing concerns the combination would hinder access to home health and hospice services in the U.S. The move to extend the deadline comes ahead of an expected shift in regulatory policy under Trump. The incoming administration is expected to have a more permissive approach to dealmaking and is less likely to raise antitrust concerns. In Asia, Japan’s benchmark index surged as the yen remained weak against the dollar. Stocks in South Korea fell after the main opposition party voted to impeach the country’s acting leader. Markets in Europe gained ground. Bond yields held relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.62% from 4.59% late Thursday. The yield on the two-year Treasury remained at 4.33% from late Thursday. Wall Street will have more economic updates to look forward to next week, including reports on pending home sales and home prices. There will also be reports on U.S. construction spending and snapshots of manufacturing activity.
Filipino VP says she has contracted an assassin to kill the president if she herself is killed
Legendary sportscaster Greg Gumbel dead at 78 after cancer battleOpenAI on Friday laid out a plan to transition its for-profit arm into a Delaware public benefit corporation (PBC) to help it raise capital and stay ahead in the costly AI race against companies such as Google. OpenAI's new structure aims to potentially make a more investor-friendly corporation, while maintaining a mission of funding a related charity. Rivals including Anthropic have also adopted the PBC structure to balance societal interests along with shareholder value. WHAT IS A PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION? While both PBCs and traditional corporations are for-profit entities, PBCs are legally required to pursue one or more public benefits, including social and environmental goals. Delaware amended its general corporation law to allow the formation of PBCs in 2013 and as of December 2023, there were 19 publicly traded PBCs, according to research by Jens Dammann of the University of Texas. In its blog, OpenAI described the current structure as "a for-profit, controlled by the non-profit, with a capped profit share for investors and employees". Under the new organization, the non-profit will own shares in the for-profit, similar to outside investors, and the for-profit will fund the charitable mission of the non-profit. "The PBC will run and control OpenAI's operations and business, while the non-profit will hire a leadership team and staff to pursue charitable initiatives in sectors such as healthcare, education, and science," it said. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PBC AND OTHER CORPORATE STRUCTURES Unlike PBCs, non-profit corporations do not have shareholders and reinvest profits into their mission rather than distributing them to individuals. PBCs do not receive special tax exemptions or incentives, while non-profits are generally exempted from federal income taxes if they meet certain requirements. LIMITATIONS OF PBCs Becoming a benefit corporation does not guarantee a company will put its stated mission above profit, as the law only legally requires the board to "balance" its mission and profit-making interests, said Ann Lipton, a corporate law professor at Tulane Law School. Delaware law does require the company to report on its progress towards the goals to shareholders, who, in practice, dictate how closely a PBC sticks to its mission, Lipton said. "The only reason to choose benefit form over any other corporate form is the declaration to the public. It doesn't actually have any real enforcement power behind it," Lipton added. Some legal experts also say that publicly traded PBCs are more susceptible to takeovers, as bidders can argue the company lacks profit maximization or that its public benefit goals conflict with the bidder's objectives. SOME EXISTING PBCs Anthropic and xAI: OpenAI's rivals, Anthropic and Elon Musk's xAI have also adopted PBCs. Allbirds: Allbirds is a San Francisco-based PBC that sells sustainable shoes and apparel made from natural materials. Kickstarter: Kickstarter is a New York-based PBC that maintains a global crowdfunding platform for creative projects. Patagonia: Patagonia is a California-based retailer of outdoor recreation clothing, equipment and food. The company has contributed over $230 million to environmental organizations, according to its website. Warby Parker: Warby Parker is a New York-based manufacturer and retailer of eyewear products. The company's "Buy a Pair, Give a Pair" policy aims to help people in need.
They're here and they're spectacular. The rosters for the Four Nations Face-Off in February are set. We saw Sweden and Finland's rosters announced earlier on Wednesday, but now that we've got the rosters for Canada and Team USA it's time to dig in on how the American lineup shakes out. After all the leaks and rumors, we know who Team USA coach Mike Sullivan has to work with to try and win gold in the first-ever event. Many of the names are not a surprise. Heck, most of them shouldn't be a surprise given how we've been trying to pin down how it'll look for months now, but there are still plenty of takeaways from the way the United States group looks, and we've got some thoughts. There are winners and losers out of all of this and we're breaking them down for you. As always, let us know what you think of the roster and our thoughts in the comments, we want to hear 'em. One of the classic tropes with team building for a short tournament is how coaches and GMs alike want to have a veteran presence on the team. Veterans, of course, are more mature, more experienced, and (ideally) less rattled in big moments. They've been there before, and they know what it takes to persevere, and coach Mike Sullivan has exactly that kind of team to work with for the Four Nations Face-Off. The US roster has more players born before 1994 (five) than players born after the year 2000 (three). What they get with veterans like Chris Kreider, Brock Nelson, J.T. Miller, Connor Hellebuyck and Vincent Trocheck are guys who have been through it all and have lived the experiences of playing in big games. That's not even taking into account other "older" guys like 30-year-olds forward Jake Guentzel who played for Sullivan and won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017 or defenseman Jaccob Slavin playing for a perennial contender in Carolina. When going up against Canada who attacks with wave after wave of the best players in the world, that experience (ideally) helps to battle against them and not get stunned at potentially watching one of the scariest five-man units ever put together coming at them or defending against their own attack. Being a deer in the headlights in this kind of tournament turns you into roadkill fast. Putting a roster together is difficult because there are hard decisions to be made at every position, but the United States brain trust better hope they don't lose because of a lack of goal-scoring. Three of the top five American goal-scorers did not make the roster. Canadiens winger Cole Caufield (16), Sabres center Tage Thompson (13) and Devils winger Stefan Noesen (13) did not make the cut up front. USA GM Bill Guerin opted for a little more defense and snarl with Vincent Trocheck along with size and strength around the net with Chris Kreider and Brock Nelson. Caufield, Thompson and Noesen are certainly more likely to be classified as shooters with Caufield and Thompson being especially dangerous on the power play and with the puck on their stick. At 23 years old, Caufield will certainly be a candidate for the Olympics in a couple years and Thompson at 27 years old should be as well. At 31, Noesen will need to keep being an advanced stat machine while also continuing to score goals to get more attention. We knew that no matter what, Team USA's goaltending was going to be unmatched for this tournament and the selections of Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman hammer that home. With Thatcher Demko still battling back from injury, these three goalies were destined to get the call for the 4 Nations Face-Off and it's hard to go wrong in picking any of them to start any game at all. Sure, Sweden and Finland have excellent depth, and Canada is going to find a way to make it work for themselves by having an incredible team in front of their netminders, but this trio for the U.S. is a dream team type setup. You'd have to expect Hellebuyck to be the No. 1 with Oettinger backing up while Swayman holds it down to pinch hit, but honestly, if anyone struggles at all, there is no reason to worry about switching things up because there's very little drop in quality. The only downside, of course, is only one goalie can play at a time. It's a wealth of riches in goal for the Americans and they've got a Scrooge McDuck money bin to swim around in. Arguably one of the best parts of best-on-best international tournaments is how naturally heated the games get, particularly when it's a rivalry matchup. Emotions are already running high with guys representing their country and attempting to prove they're the best hockey nation in the world. It's that emotional side that makes the Team USA roster so much more dangerous and deeply frustrating. Mike Sullivan will be able to potentially run a line out there with Matthew and Brady Tkachuk together with Vincent Trocheck at a given moment means opponents have to do their best to turn the other cheek and skate away. If opponents give into the poking, prodding, chirping and cheap-shotting they'll get to experience at the Tkachuk's hands, they'll wind up in the penalty box and allowing a team as stacked as the United States with Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Jack Hughes, Kyle Connor and Adam Fox among everyone else to get on the power play is a recipe for disaster and an easy loss. Make no mistake, the Tkachuk brothers are there because they're tremendous all-around players who can fill up the net and set up linemates for scoring opportunities. But they're also there to make sure whoever they're up against has a miserable experience for 60 minutes each game. Sometimes picking a team isn't always about picking the absolute best players no matter what. Like it or not, politics plays a role in how a roster is assembled and when there are so many hard choices to make, there are tiebreakers involved, and managers are going to go with the players they know best. For Team USA GM Bill Guerin that meant keeping the peace at home in Minnesota. If there was a toss-up on defense between, say, Capitals veteran John Carlson, Shayne Gostisbehere of Carolina and Wild youngster Brock Faber, the question you have to ask is who does Guerin know best? Faber is an outstanding defenseman already in the NHL, but he's also the youngest member of Team USA at 22 years old. He's worthy of selection, but he's also currently ninth among American defensemen in scoring. You can have the same discussion about Matt Boldy getting the call up front over the likes of Cole Caufield, Tage Thompson, Clayton Keller, Alex Tuch, or Stefan Noesen. Some of those guys are older and some are stronger in specialist roles than Boldy and others have more international experience, but while Boldy is among the top American scorers this season, the ultimate tiebreaker is that Guerin makes the final call and he wants his guy there because he trusts him. If there's some kind of awkward comfort here it's that even in picking an international all-star roster, sometimes it's more about who you know than what you do even if what you do is freakin' good anyway.PITTSBURGH (AP) — Preseason's over. Now the real work begins for the Pittsburgh Steelers. While the past three months have been promising and productive for the first-place Steelers (10-3), it has come largely at the expense of teams who will likely watch the playoffs on TV. Six of Pittsburgh's victories have come against teams who currently have losing records. The other four wins — Denver , the Chargers , Washington and Baltimore — are solid resume-builders with a small caveat: none of them lead their respective divisions. To be clear, Pittsburgh's play is part of the reason those four clubs find themselves looking up to others in the standings. That will change on Sunday when the Steelers travel across the state to face NFC juggernaut Philadelphia , the start of an 11-day sprint in which Pittsburgh also faces a rematch with the Ravens and spends Christmas Day at Acrisure Stadium against Patrick Mahomes and the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs . "It’s just going to show us how good we can be," safety DeShon Elliott said. It's a testament to the weekly tunnel vision Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin creates that wide receiver Calvin Austin III needed to be reminded about the daunting stretch that awaits after Sunday's relatively drama-free 27-14 win over Cleveland. “Who do we play again?" Austin said. When reminded it was three teams that fully expect to be in New Orleans on the second Sunday in February, Austin laughed. “That's a tough little stretch, but at the end of the day it's a five-star matchup as Coach T says because we're in it,” he said. “We know that when we’re out there, it’s going to always be a big-time performance.” One Austin and his teammates believe they're ready for after a workmanlike victory over the Browns in which the Steelers were only too intent to let Cleveland self-destruct behind a flurry of penalties, missed field goals and turnovers. More will likely be required in the coming weeks, which is fine by the Steelers. They have put themselves in a position to do things the franchise hasn't done in a while. And for all the good things they've done since early September, they're only too aware their season will be defined by what comes next. Sure, they'd love a little more time between games to rest up. The scheduling gods didn't give them that option. So be it. “I feel like the league kind of hates us already, man,” Elliott said. “It’s all right. We’re going to go out here, play those games, work our butts off, go out and be 3-0.” What's working Letting everybody eat. Russell Wilson seems to be almost pathological in his determination to get every eligible skill position player involved. A week ago against the Bengals , he connected with 10 different players. In the rematch with the Browns, it was eight, including Mike Williams and Scotty Miller, veterans who have largely been afterthoughts of late. Tomlin greeted Miller after an acrobatic 20-yard third down grab on the sideline in the third quarter with “this isn't a lightning strike,” a popular Tomlin-ism that means simply Miller did all the work necessary to succeed, so it shouldn't be a surprise when it comes. Asked if he felt compelled to mention this to Tomlin the next time Miller is a candidate to be inactive on game days — as he has often been in recent weeks — Miller smiled. “If you could tell him that, that'd be great,” he said with a laugh. What needs help George Pickens' maturity. While Pickens believes opponents haven't found a way to get under his skin, the evidence suggests otherwise. How else to explain why nearly three years into his career, Pickens still frequently finds an envelope in his locker from the league telling him he's been fined for everything from unsportsmanlike conduct to unnecessary roughness? Pickens' teammates respect his talent and understand his importance — look at how disjointed the offense looked on Sunday for proof — but will he “cut out the stupid stuff” before the playoffs arrive? That will be entirely up to Pickens. Nothing seems to have gotten through so far. Maybe watching the team win without him while nursing a hamstring injury — as Pickens did on Sunday — will do the trick. Stock up The Steelers may have found their heir apparent to the seemingly ageless Cam Heyward in second-year defensive tackle Keeanu Benton. While Benton will likely never come close to matching Heyward's impact as a pass rusher, he can do just about everything else and his first career interception on Sunday — a leaping pick of an ill-advised screen pass by Jameis Winston — showcased his spiking football IQ. Stock down Everyone who put money down during the offseason on the Steelers missing the playoffs . It looked like a good investment over the summer with two new quarterbacks, a new offensive coordinator, no second big-play wide receiver to complement Pickens and playing in what was viewed as the best division in the league. Not so much anymore. Pittsburgh has a 99% chance of reaching the postseason for the fourth time in five years. Injuries Defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi — selected as the team's Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee last week — left in the second quarter with a groin injury. Defensive tackle Montravius Adams (knee) is trending toward playing for the first time since October and could be available in Philadelphia. Key number Plus-28 — the Steelers' turnover margin since the start of the 2023 season, tops in the NFL. Next steps Try to do something they haven't done in nearly 60 years: beat the Eagles on the road. Pittsburgh's most recent victory in Philadelphia was on Oct. 24, 1965. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Wall Street stocks surged to fresh records Wednesday on hopes about easing US monetary policy, shrugging off political upheaval in South Korea and France. All three major US indices scored records, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average finishing above 45,000 for the first time. "The market at this point is looking for excuses to go up, and there's not really anything that might work against that narrative," said Steve Sosnick of Interactive Brokers. "Over the last couple of days, it's managed to ignore all sorts of inconvenient things and decided that the situation in France doesn't matter for them," Sosnick said of the stock market. "The situation in Korea doesn't matter." South Korea's stock market fell less than feared and the won rebounded from earlier losses after President Yoon Suk Yeol swiftly reversed a decision to impose martial law. In Europe, Paris stocks managed to advance as France's government faced looming no-confidence votes. Late Wednesday in Paris, French lawmakers voted to oust the government of Prime Minister Michel Barnier after just three months in office, pushing the country further into political uncertainty. For the first time in over sixty years, the National Assembly lower house toppled the incumbent government, approving a no-confidence motion that had been proposed by the hard left but which crucially was backed by the far-right headed by Marine Le Pen. "Political turmoil in both France and South Korea provide a uncertain backdrop for global markets, with the likely removal of both Barnier and Yoon bringing the potential for both countries to find a fresh direction," said Joshua Mahony, chief market analyst at Scope Markets. Thomas Mathews, head of Asia-Pacific markets at Capital Economics, said the losses in Seoul could have been "much worse" had the president not aborted his plan. "Rarely does a combined sell-off in a country's stocks, bonds and currency feel like a relief rally," he said. Oil prices turned lower after surging around 2.5 percent Tuesday, mainly after the United States sanctioned 35 companies and ships it accused of involvement with Iran's "shadow fleet" illicitly selling Iranian oil to foreign markets. Major producers at the OPEC+ grouping led by Saudi Arabia and Russia were set to meet Thursday to discuss extending output limits. Back in New York, major indices were led by the Nasdaq, which piled on 1.3 percent to finish at a third straight record. Wednesday's gains came after payroll firm ADP said US private-sector hiring in November came in at a lower-than-expected 146,000 jobs, while a survey from the Institute for Supply Management showed weaker sentiment than expected in the services sector. But the lackluster data boosts expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates later this month. At a New York conference, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell refrained from tipping his hand, but he "didn't say anything that would scare the market," said Briefing.com analyst Patrick O'Hare. O'Hare noted that Wednesday's gains were led by large tech names such as Nvidia and Microsoft, which are major AI players. The boost followed strong results from Salesforce, which was the biggest gainer in the Dow with an 11 percent jump. New York - Dow: UP 0.7 percent at 45,014.04 (close) New York - S&P 500: UP 0.6 percent at 6,086.49 (close) New York - Nasdaq Composite: UP 1.3 percent at 19,735.12 (close) London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.3 percent at 8,335.81 (close) Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.7 percent at 7,303.28 (close) Frankfurt - DAX: UP 1.1 percent at 20,232.14 (close) Seoul - Kospi Index: DOWN 1.4 percent at 2,464.00 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.1 percent at 39,276.39 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: FLAT at 19,742.46 (close) Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.4 percent at 3,364.65 (close) Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0510 from $1.0509 on Tuesday Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2702 from $1.2673 Dollar/yen: UP at 150.56 yen from 149.60 yen Euro/pound: DOWN at 82.71 from 82.92 pence Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 1.8 percent at $72.31 per barrel West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 2.0 percent at $68.54 per barrel burs-jmb/jgcWelcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk , an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail. In today’s edition, national political reporter Bridget Bowman and senior congressional reporter Scott Wong examine the House GOP's math problem after the final race call of the 2024 elections. Plus, we dive into the latest with Pete Hegseth's embattled bid to lead the Defense Department. Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here. Democrats flip final House seat of the 2024 elections, narrowing Republicans’ majority By Bridget Bowman and Scott Wong The final race Washington was waiting on from last month’s election has officially been called: NBC News projected Wednesday morning that Democrat Adam Gray defeated GOP Rep. John Duarte in California’s 13th District after weeks of ballot counting. The result means Republicans will control 220 seats to Democrats’ 215 next year. That will leave Republicans with even less margin for error as they try to advance President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda, as they can lose only two votes on legislation if Democrats are united in opposition. Further complicating the math for House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is the fact that Trump has chosen two sitting GOP members for his Cabinet: Elise Stefanik of New York to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and Mike Waltz of Florida to be national security adviser. And Republicans are already going to be down a lawmaker in the new Congress. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., resigned from the House last month after Trump selected him to be the next attorney general. But Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration amid allegations of sexual misconduct. He has said he does not plan to join the next Congress even though he won re-election in November. If the Stefanik and Waltz resignations happen simultaneously, Johnson could be operating with just a one-seat majority: 217 to 215. The special general elections in Florida to replace Gaetz and Waltz won’t take place until April 1. Once Stefanik resigns from Congress, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul has 10 days to declare a special election in New York, which must occur 70 to 80 days after the proclamation, according to state law . Read more → Pete Hegseth, Trump’s embattled defense pick, vows to fight on By Scott Wong, Frank Thorp V and Rebecca Shabad Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s embattled pick for defense secretary, brushed aside suggestions Wednesday that he would drop out and said he had spoken to Trump, who he said urged him to “keep going, keep fighting.” “I spoke to the president-elect this morning. He said: ‘Keep going, keep fighting. I’m behind you all the way.’” Hegseth told CBS News in the Capitol. “Why would I back down? I’ve always been a fighter. I’m here for the fighters. This is personal and passionate for me.” But his nomination appeared to be in serious jeopardy Tuesday and Wednesday after a series of news reports raised more questions about his treatment of women and his history with alcohol. On Wednesday, Hegseth’s mother, Penelope Hegseth, defended her son on “Fox and Friends” and addressed a 2018 email she wrote amid his divorce that accused him of mistreating women for years. The New York Times published details of the email last week. Hegseth showed no signs of calling it quits, holding a flurry of meetings with lawmakers on both sides of the Capitol and engaging in a media blitz to salvage his nomination, including writing an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal titled: “I’ve Faced Fire Before. I Won’t Back Down.” In response to the allegations, Hegseth referred reporters to an interview he recorded on former Fox News host Megyn Kelly’s SiriusXM show earlier in the day, in which he said he does not have a drinking problem and denied that he raped a woman in Monterey, California, in 2017. “Absolutely not. Absolutely not,” he said when he was asked whether he raped the woman. “I’ve been honest about that encounter, starting with law enforcement. ... I may have been drinking, but I was cognizant of enough to remember every single detail. “I’m not here to say that my conduct was good,” he continued. “Being in a hotel room with someone that’s, you know, not the person you’re with is not OK. I own up to that.” Hegseth also said he is “not going to have a drink at all” if he is confirmed as defense secretary, saying he wants Trump, senators and U.S. troops to know that he can be called 24/7 and will be “fully dialed in.” NBC News reported Wednesday morning that Trump is considering replacing Hegseth amid the opposition to his nomination. Others Trump could tap to lead the Pentagon, sources familiar with the decision-making said, are Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa; Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis; Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn.; and Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., his current pick for national security adviser. Read more → The Trumpification of Joe Biden By Chuck Todd President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son Hunter has earned plenty of criticism — and most of it, even the harsh partisan-tinged kind of criticism, has real merit. There’s no defense of the pardon beyond this one: He’s a father, and what parents wouldn’t use whatever power they had to help their children in crisis? I’m not going to pretend that, facing a similar circumstance, I wouldn’t have made the same decision — do whatever it takes to protect my child even if it means destroying my own legacy. That is what makes criticism of Biden’s decision complicated. There’s a human element to this that’s tragic on so many levels. It truly does meet the definition of “Shakespearean,” an overused description in today’s world that nevertheless is a perfect fit for this event. Now, the question is: How much damage has Biden done under the auspices of protecting his son? Presidential acts are permission slips. Once a president has done something unprecedented, it means there’s a precedent. And once one president tries something and gets away with it, I promise you, a future one will try something similar. Well, welcome to a new precedent. The president has now overturned a jury of fellow American citizens, not some kangaroo court, who convicted his son. And he cleared him of not just the charges he has faced, but also of any future charges he could face from anything he may have done over a 10-year period from 2014 (when Hunter first tried to do business in Ukraine) to now. Who knows whether Donald Trump grants pardons before he leaves office that read almost identical to the Hunter Biden pardon — but that he makes the dates to June 15, 2015 (the day he rode down the escalator), to Jan. 20, 2029, his last day in office? Whatever the chances are, they have surely gone up. More importantly, Biden has now borrowed Trump’s rhetoric to describe what he views as Hunter’s experience with the justice system. What kind of precedent will we have set if both parties accept the premise that whoever’s elected is going to politically prosecute his or her opponents? It’s part of Biden’s rationale for the pardon. And it will surely be Trump’s rationale for future pardons. What’s the general public supposed to think of the justice system now? The leading Republican in the country (Trump) and the leading Democrat in the country (Biden) have both claimed the system is unjust because of politics. Read more from Chuck → ⚖️ Related read: The judge who presided over the California tax fraud case against Hunter Biden called out the president for mischaracterizing and minimizing the charges against his son in announcing why he was pardoning him. Read more → That’s all from the Politics Desk for now. If you have feedback — likes or dislikes — email us at politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com And if you’re a fan, please share with everyone and anyone. They can sign up here .(The Center Square) – The latest federal numbers show the U.S. deficit is soaring as President Joe Biden heads out of office. The U.S. Congressional Budget Office released its monthly budget review on Monday, which showed that in the first two months of this fiscal year, the federal government has run up a deficit of $622 billion. “That amount is $242 billion more than the deficit recorded during the same period last fiscal year,” CBO said in its report . That figure means the deficit is nearly 40% higher than this time last year. “The most alarming turkey in November was the federal government’s inability to live within its means,” Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, said in a statement. “We are only two months into the fiscal year, and we have already borrowed a staggering $622 billion, with $365 billion in the month of November alone." Deficits never surpassed one trillion dollars before the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, they remain well above one trillion and for this next fiscal year are well beyond the pace to surpass $1 trillion. The deficit last fiscal year was about $1.8 trillion. Billionaire Elon Musk, now an advisor to President-elect Donald Trump, lamented the debt, which is about $36 trillion, on X Monday. “If we don’t fix the deficit, everything will suffer, including essential spending like DoD, Medicare & Social Security,” Musk said. “It’s not optional.” CBO did explain that some of the increase is from accounting changes. From CBO: The change in the deficit was influenced by the timing of outlays and revenues alike. Outlays in October 2023 were reduced by shifts in the timing of certain federal payments that otherwise would have been due on October 1, 2023, which fell on a Sunday. (Those payments were made in September 2023.) Outlays in November 2024 were boosted by the shift to that month of payments due December 1, 2024, a Saturday. If not for those shifts, the deficit thus far in fiscal year 2025 would have been $541 billion, or $88 billion more than the shortfall at this point last year, and outlays would have been $38 billion more.”
- Previous: treasure of aztec scatter
- Next: treasures of aztec 1xbet
