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AP Business SummaryBrief at 1:26 p.m. ESTLuke Humphries defeats Luke Littler to retain Players Championship Finals title
2024 in pop culture: In a bruising year, we sought out fantasy, escapism — and cute little animals
Bridging Thailand's climate finance gapViewers have been left appalled after watching Beast Games (Picture: Amazon MGM Studios. All Rights Reserved) Amazon Prime Video reality competition series Beast Games has been blasted by viewers for being 'sadistic working class torture porn.' Created by YouTuber MrBeast, real name Jimmy Donaldson, the programme has the largest cash prize in TV and streaming history of $5,000,000 (£3,993,000). In Beast Games, one thousand players battle it out through a series of 'physical, mental and social' challenges for a chance to win the jackpot in a contest that has been compared to Squid Game and Hunger Games. Before the show landed on Amazon Prime on December 19, it was hit by claims of sexual harassment, 'inhumane' conditions and insufficient wages by contestants. In November, MrBeast said on X the allegations were 'blown out of proportion.' On X, fans were left appalled after watching the first 'dystopian' episode which premiered on December 19 and argued it encouraged the 'worst of human nature' as the players behave 'appallingly' to remain in the competition. @fakeart09 raged: '#BeastGames represents the worst of human nature, selfish, individualistic, push someone down so you can stand high all directed by a guy who broke the system and now throws endless amounts of money around to push people to their limits. It's squid game capitalism.' Echoing their sentiment, @JediChai fumed: 'I just watched Beast Games episode 1 & I literally feel sick to my stomach. There is something so evil about packaging this sadistic working class torture porn as entertainment.' @DustinGenereux said: 'This new Mr Beast show is some dystopian Hunger Games type [garbage]. The way they toy with people for $5 million is some psychological warfare and the way the contestants treat each other is wild.' @AndrewJ626 added: 'Against my better judgment, I tuned into Beast Games and it is pretty bleak. Contestants screaming at each other hysterically and crying because they have massive... Ruth Lawes
hapabapa/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Portfolio Sector: Financials Today's article is part of my new ongoing series on Seeking Alpha called The Whole Investor: Growing a Future-Minded Portfolio. With a strategy of portfolio diversification, today's article focuses on the banking Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESSWIRE / November 26, 2024 / The RENN Fund, Inc. (NYSE American:RCG) (the "Fund") announced today a record date for the Fund's year-end distribution. The record date will be December 16, 2024 and Pay-Date of December 27, 2024. The Fund will make an announcement on or about December 23, 2024 with the distribution rate per share. As the per share rate will not be available prior to the record date, the Fund will trade with due bills beginning December 16, 2024, and up through and including the last business day prior to the New York Stock Exchange established Ex-Date. The New York Stock Exchange will set the Ex-Date once the per share rate has been announced. Disclosures: Fund shares are subject to investment risk, including possible loss of principal invested. No fund is a complete investment program and you may lose money investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund may not be appropriate for all investors. Additional information about the Fund, including performance and portfolio characteristics, is available at https://horizonkinetics.com/investment-strategies/renn-fund-inc-nyse-rcg/ . About Horizon Kinetics LLC Horizon Kinetics Holding Corporation (OTC: HKHC), through its subsidiary investment manager, Horizon Kinetics Asset Management LLC ("Horizon"), is an investment advisory firm and the Investment Advisor to the Fund. Horizon provides independent proprietary research and investment advisory services for long-only and alternative value-based investing strategies, including the full suite of Kinetics Mutual Funds, Inc. The firm has offices in New York City, White Plains, New York and Summit, New Jersey. For more information, please visit Horizon's websites below: http://www.horizonkinetics.com http://www.kineticsfunds.com . Contact: Jay Kesslen Email: jkesslen@horizonkinetics.com Phone: (646) 495-7333 SOURCE: RENN FUND INC View the original on accesswire.com
Luke Humphries defeats Luke Littler to retain Players Championship Finals titleSupreme Court will take up a challenge related to California's tough vehicle emissions standards WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court says it will take up a business-backed appeal that could make it easier to challenge federal regulations, acting in a dispute related to California’s nation-leading standards for vehicle emissions. The justices agreed Friday to hear an appeal filed by fuel producers who object to a waiver granted to California in 2022 by the Environmental Protection Agency during Joe Biden’s presidency. The waiver allows California to set more stringent emissions limits than the national standard. The case won’t be argued until the spring, when the Trump administration is certain to take a more industry-friendly approach to the issue. Musk says US is demanding he pay penalty over disclosures of his Twitter stock purchases DETROIT (AP) — Elon Musk says the Securities and Exchange Commission wants him to pay a penalty or face charges involving what he disclosed — or failed to disclose — about his purchases of Twitter stock before he bought the social media platform in 2022. In a letter, Musk’s lawyer Alex Spiro tells the outgoing SEC chairman, Gary Gensler, that the commission’s demand for a monetary payment is a “misguided scheme” that won’t intimidate Musk. The letter also alleges that the commission reopened an investigation this week into Neuralink, Musk’s computer-to-human brain interface company. The SEC has not released the letter. Nor would it comment on it or confirm whether it has issued such a demand to Musk. Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is pushing toward a vote on legislation that would provide full Social Security benefits to millions of people. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer began the process on Thursday for a final vote on the bill, known as the Social Security Fairness Act. It would eliminate policies that currently limit Social Security payouts for roughly 2.8 million people. The legislation has passed the House. The bill would add more strain on the Social Security Trust funds, which are already estimated to be unable to pay out full benefits beginning in 2035. The measure would add an estimated $195 billion to federal deficits over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Saudi Arabia banned film for 35 years. The Red Sea festival is just one sign of the industry's rise JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — “My Driver and I” was supposed to be made in 2016, but was scuttled amid Saudi Arabia’s decades-long cinema ban. Eight years later, the landscape for film in the kingdom looks much different. And the star of “My Driver and I” now has an award. Roula Dakheelallah was named the winner of the Chopard Emerging Saudi Talent award at the Red Sea International Film Festival on Thursday. Both the award and the glitzy festival itself are signs of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to shaping a new film industry. The reopening of cinemas in 2018 after 35 years marked a cultural turning point for Saudi Arabia. Trump offers support for dockworkers union by saying ports shouldn't install more automated systems WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is offering his support for the dockworkers union before their contract expires next month at Eastern and Gulf Coast ports. He posted on social media Thursday that he met with union leaders and that any further “automation” of the ports would harm workers. He wrote that the “amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers.” The International Longshoremen’s Association has until Jan. 15 to negotiate a new contract with the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies. The Maritime Alliance says the technology will improve worker safety and strengthen our supply chains, among other things. IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power WASHINGTON (AP) — IRS leadership on Thursday announced that the agency has recovered $4.7 billion in back taxes and proceeds from a variety of crimes. The announcement comes under the backdrop of a promised reckoning from Republicans who will hold a majority over both chambers of the next Congress and have long called for rescinding the tens of billions of dollars in funding provided to the agency by Democrats. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said improvements made to the agency will help the incoming administration and new Republican majority congress achieve its goals of administering an extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Unique among 'Person of the Year' designees, Donald Trump gets a fact-check from Time magazine Donald Trump got something this year that no other person designed Time magazine's Person of the Year had ever received. He got a fact-check of claims that the president-elect made in the interview accompanying the magazine's piece. Trump earned the recognition of the year's biggest newsmaker for the second time, also winning it in 2016 the first time he was elected president. But in a piece described as a “12-minute” read, Time called into question more than a dozen statements Trump made when speaking to the magazine's reporters, on issues like border size, autism and crowd size at a rally. Time said it has fact-checked other interviews in the past, but not for this annual feature. OpenAI's legal battle with Elon Musk reveals internal turmoil over avoiding AI 'dictatorship' A 7-year-old rivalry between tech leaders Elon Musk and Sam Altman over who should run OpenAI and best avoid an artificial intelligence ‘dictatorship’ is now heading to a federal judge. The development comes as Musk seeks to halt the ChatGPT maker’s ongoing conversion into a for-profit company. Musk was an early OpenAI investor and board member. But he sued the artificial intelligence company earlier this year. He has since escalated the dispute, adding new claims and asking for a court order that would stop OpenAI’s plans to convert itself into a for-profit business more fully. OpenAI filed its response in court Friday. OpenAI's Altman will donate $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund LOS ANGELES (AP) — OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is planning to make a $1 million personal donation to President-Elect Donald Trump’s inauguration fund, joining a number of tech companies and executives who are working to improve their relationships the incoming administration. A spokesperson for OpenAI confirmed the move on Friday. The announcement comes one day after Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, said it donated $1 million to the same fund. Amazon also said it plans to donate $1 million. China signals it's prepared to double down on support for the economy as Trump tariffs loom BANGKOK (AP) — Chinese leaders met this week to plot economic policy for the coming year and sketched out plans to raise government spending and relax Beijing's monetary policy. Analysts said the broad-brush plans from the annual Central Economic Work Conference were more of a recap of current policy than ambitious new initiatives at a time when the outlook is clouded by the President-elect Donald Trump's threats to sharply raise tariffs once he takes office. The ruling Communist Party did commit to raising China's deficit and to doing more to encourage consumer spending by bringing wage increases in line with the pace of economic growth. Here's a look at China's main priorities and their potential implications.
ISTANBUL The CEO of Turkish manufacturer, Karmod, delivered a TEDx talk on "International Trade in the Digital World" at Ataturk University in eastern Türkiye. Karmod said Mehmet Cankaya emphasized the transformative effect of digital technologies on marketing practices in his talk, "Self-Realization," which was uploaded to the TEDx YouTube channel. Highlighting the importance of marketing in trade, Cankaya said: "No matter how good your production is, without effective marketing, success is unattainable. Today, the most effective form of marketing is through digital channels. The use of corporate websites and digital platforms has become essential." Cankaya detailed Karmod’s digital transformation journey. "Founded in 1986, our export momentum significantly increased in 2002 when we launched our first website in Turkish, English, French, Russian, and Arabic. By 2008, we had expanded our exports to 60 countries. The real breakthrough came when we launched our website in 43 languages, targeting specific countries with domains in languages such as Bulgarian, Romanian, Malay, and Indonesian. Today, our website attracts 15,000 visitors daily, and we now export to 140 countries," he said. Cankaya pointed out that managing increasing customer inquiries has been a crucial aspect of digital marketing success. "As our daily website visitors reached 15,000, we had to upgrade our call system. We introduced AI-driven software to handle inquiries efficiently. This allows us to analyze requests accurately and respond promptly, ensuring optimal service," he said. Reflecting on the company’s journey, Cankaya credited the foundational role of his father’s workshop and mentorship: "My father left us a small workshop, which was a valuable starting point. In the early years, his encouragement greatly contributed to our growth. What started as a 300-square-meter workshop has now transformed into a 30,000-square-meter production facility. Having your family’s support is vital. To young professionals, I’d also advise starting the day early—morning productivity lays the foundation for a fruitful day." Karmod’s journey exemplifies the potential of blending traditional values with digital innovation, showcasing the importance of adaptation in an increasingly interconnected world.
Google counters DOJ with a plan that doesn’t force the sell-off of the Chrome browserFired workers of auto parts company to get help
The Inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix was the highest-profile new sporting event in the world last year. The collision of luxury and high-octane adrenaline left spectators in awe, showcasing the extravagant lifestyle and hospitality synonymous with Las Vegas. Stretching over 3.8 miles, the custom-designed street circuit features 17 high-speed turns and two DRS zones against the dazzling Las Vegas backdrop. Last year's event garnered 315,000 fans to witness drivers racing down the strip at 215 mph. The last time Las Vegas hosted a Grand Prix was in 1982 when Formula One drivers competed on a track set up in a parking lot next to Caesars Palace. The success of Netflix reality show Drive to Survive has boosted Formula One's stateside popularity in the United States in recent years. But the Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix isn't just about what happens on the track; Sin City also offers high-end hospitality options for attendees. VIP packages include exclusive lounges, gourmet dining experiences, and up-close views of the action from private suites. The ultimate ticket to this year's Grand Prix race is the Bellagio Fountain Club , which sits mere feet from the 1.2-mile high-speed straight. This exclusive package constructed next to the city's famous fountains is a powerhouse trifecta of indulgence, hospitality, and exhilaration. "Bellagio Fountain Club's debut at last year's Las Vegas Grand Prix event surpassed all expectations," said Andrew Lanzino, MGM Resorts' Vice President of Citywide Events Strategy. The private indoor and rooftop deck gives guests unobstructed trackside viewing. Celebrity chefs like Mario Carbone, David Chang, Alain Ducasse, Masaharu Morimoto, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten serve exquisite culinary offerings. At the same time, drinks flow at the open bar from master sommeliers and mixologists. The Bellagio Fountain Club is a highly sought-after ticket for race weekend, yet the hotel offers numerous activities everyone can enjoy. The Shoey Bar is back! Drink from a newly designed white shoe at the wildly popular tribute to one of racing's most iconic celebrations (thanks to Daniel Ricciardo). The Bellagio's Ferrari pop-up boutique returns for the second consecutive year, exclusively housing men's and women's collections, luxury leather accessories, one-of-a-kind items, and signed collectibles. Exclusive Balmain Racing menswear capsule and the French house's iconic ready-to-wear, handbags, and shoes will be available at a temporary boutique at the Bellagio through January 5. The Fontainebleau Las Vegas is a luxurious new addition to the Vegas Strip. A long-anticipated sister property to the iconic Fontainebleau Miami Beach, this Las Vegas counterpart brings high-end design and world-class dining. As the official event partner for the Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix, Fontainebleau will host the international elite at Papi Steak Garage, fusing high-energy dining and trackside action. Hosted by Papi Steak, a renowned David Grutman's Groot Hospitality hotspot, this package places guests within the pulse of the race, the Pit Lane. Known for its signature "Papi Steak," a richly seasoned and expertly cooked Tomahawk, the restaurant blends vintage glamour with a vibrant, high-energy atmosphere. For racing enthusiasts looking to pair fine dining with Formula 1 excitement, the VIP ultra-luxe package experience includes: No matter what team you cheer for, Sin City comes alive during race weekend. For those looking to get a taste of the action off-track, F1-themed activations throughout the city keep the energy high. The lobby at ARIA is the epicenter of excitement for Mercedes-AMG Petronas fans. A fully decked-out installation features race simulators, team merchandise, and photo opportunities with a show car, among other specialized experiences. The Cosmopolitan elevates race weekend with The Boulevard Experience, a souped-up watch party atop the Boulevard Pool. New for this year's race is a closed-circuit viewing of the live Las Vegas Grand Prix TV feed. The Brooklyn Bridge will transform into a motorsport fan's dream with Williams Racing team-curated interactive experiences. The free event offers fans an inside look at what it means to be on the team. Guests wandering The Cosmopolitan will find a variety of complimentary race weekend experiences, including MoneyGram Haas F1 Team memorabilia and photo opportunities with a team show car. As an official partner of the Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix, the resort is a high-energy destination for sports, entertainment, and exclusive experiences. More than 20 displayed Aston Martin models give fans unprecedented opportunities to experience the exquisite craftsmanship and advanced technology defining this prestigious brand. Aston Martin's Global Chief Brand and Commercial Officer, Marco Mattiacci, says, "It's an opportunity to connect with our community of owners and bring our brand to enthusiasts from across North America during a landmark moment in the F1 calendar." The exclusive Aston Martin British Bloodline experience presents a curated selection of current and rare vintage performance cars. Among them is the return of an icon, the Vanquish, Aston Martin's V12 flagship. This collection also features the newly launched Vantage sports car, the groundbreaking DB12 Super Tourer, and the DBX707, hailed as the supercar of SUVs. "As the excitement builds toward Race Week, we are thrilled to offer our guests an intimate look at the history and evolution of Aston Martin, a brand that symbolizes both excellence and sophistication," says Fontainebleau Las Vegas President Maurice Wooden. "As a resort, we pride ourselves on bringing top-tier experiences to our guests, creating once-in-a-lifetime memories. Fontainebleau Las Vegas is extremely proud to be the exclusive partner of Aston Martin, and we are honored to bring this iconic luxury brand for the ultimate Race Week experience." The hotel invites guests to experience Race Week in VIP style with the Aston Martin Million Dollar Package . This epitome of luxury allows guests to tailor their own Race Week adventure. It offers the extraordinary opportunity to take home an Aston Martin Vanquish, the stunning new flagship model from the prestigious British performance car brand. The Aston Martin Million Dollar Package also includes: Experience the Grand Prix without the craziness of The Strip with a retreat to Crockfords Las Vegas , an ultra-luxe property located directly on Las Vegas Boulevard just outside the high-energy zone. Recharge at this exclusive hotel within Resorts World after an action-fueled day at the track. The Chairman's Villa is an exclusive four-bedroom suite with direct views of the strip and race track from its private balcony on the 65th floor. This opulent suite includes a private lobby experience, a personal butler, and access to all of Crockford's amenities. A large media room, formal dining room, chef's kitchen, and billiards table bar mean guests can relax in the expansive living room while enjoying cocktails from a private bar or watching the drivers speed down the straight from the strip-facing balcony. The Chairman's Villa is also supreme for hosting exclusive events or parties during race weekend. It is truly a one-of-a-kind accommodation that embodies the glamour and extravagance of Las Vegas and Formula 1. Inspired by his nickname "Smooth Operator," Carlos Sainz will bring the vibes to Las Vegas with the 'Smooth Operator' Dance Lounge at ARIA Resort & Casino. Sainz famously earned his moniker by singing the song while overtaking competitors during global Grand Prix events. The charismatic Grand Prix driver will take over ARIA's ALIBI Ultra Lounge before racing around the Las Vegas streets. "Collaborating with Carlos Sainz on this exclusive party further strengthens the way we're delivering the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix experience to fans unlike any other race of the year," continues Lanzino. "Whether it's one-of-a-kind dining experiences with world-famous chefs, virtual reality Grand Prix moments with championship teams, or dancing with the Smooth Operator himself, we are creating a variety of ways for visitors and locals to have the time of their lives."