Is Mnangagwa Sincere About Stepping Down ?
Officials told to take measures to prevent KFD cases
The announcement comes ahead of launching the Pudgy Party mobile game developed by Mythical Games, a venture-backed gaming technology company. The Pudgy Penguins NFT collection has taken the digital art world by storm, rising to prominence with its charming designs and playful appeal. Initially starting as a quirky project in 2021, the collection has now become a cultural sensation, attracting dedicated holders and collectors. The recent surge in the floor price of Pudgy Penguins highlights the project’s success and enduring popularity in the NFT space. The excitement surrounding Pudgy Penguins is further amplified by the upcoming release of Pudgy Party, a Web3 mobile game developed by Mythical Games. The collaboration between the two entities has not only elevated the profile of Pudgy Penguins but also put Mythical Games and its native token, MYTH, in the spotlight. With the game’s launch on the horizon, the intersection of NFTs, gaming, and token economies is poised to shape the future of Web3 entertainment. Mythical Games, known for its popular titles like NFL Rivals and the upcoming FIFA Rivals, has partnered with Pudgy Penguins to create a mobile game that combines Web3 gaming elements with the charm of the penguin collection. The game is set to leverage Mythical Games’ expertise in developing engaging blockchain-based games while incorporating the playful brand identity of the Pudgy Penguins. As the launch of Pudgy Party approaches, the MYTH token, which underpins the Mythical Games ecosystem, has seen an increase in trading volume and market capitalization. The token plays a crucial role in powering in-game transactions, facilitating the Mythical Marketplace, and providing community rewards, making it an integral part of the gaming experience and the broader Mythical ecosystem. The release of Pudgy Party is expected to pave the way for future collaborations between NFT projects and Web3 studios, driving the mainstream adoption of blockchain-based games and showcasing their potential to deliver enjoyable experiences to a wide audience. As Pudgy Penguins prepare to make their global debut with the game, they are poised to capitalize on the growing Web3 gaming sector, projected to reach $300 billion by 2025. Additionally, Mythical Games is set for a successful year ahead with the release of FIFA Rivals and the potential for mainstream adoption of Web3 gaming platforms.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page James Corden and Ruth Jones announced in May that the beloved BBC programme, starring Joanna Page as Stacey and Mathew Horne as Gavin, would be returning for one final Christmas special. The show originally ran from 2007 to 2010, before coming back for a festive episode in 2019, with a cliffhanger leaving us begging to know what happened after Nessa (Ruth) proposed to Smithy (James). Though plot details and spoilers have been kept tightly under wraps, we do know it's set to be a very emotional ride, but the tears have already started streaming. The cast reunited for a BBC Radio 2 takeover, with singalongs, Rob Brydon reading the travel news in the style of Uncle Bryn, James dropped recipes, and answering messages from fans. They were joined by Pam and Mick actors Alison Steadman and Larry Lamb, and Robert Wilfort, who plays Stacey's brother Jason, though Gwen actress Melanie Walters didn't appear to be present. Grab the tissues! (Picture: Instagram) There wasn't a dry eye in the studio or at home (Picture: Instagram) The stars of Gavin and Stacey took over BBC Radio 2 yesterday (Picture: Instagram) As the radio show wrapped up, the stars celebrated being together for one last time, and were left wiping back tears and sharing hugs. A clip shared on social media saw Alison comforting James as he hugged her, while Mathew and Joanna held hands on the sofa, holding back tears. Alison was also seen weeping, while James appeared to mouth 'love you' to Larry as he stood up for a hug. Towards... Meghna Amin
Christmas season is in full swing, and while there aren't many sports games taking place on Christmas Eve, that will change on Christmas day. Travis Kelce will be on the field for the Kansas City Chiefs, and he recently revealed a Christmas message that he and his brother, Jason Kelce, got from their mother, Donna Kelce. With both Travis and Jason earning millions of dollars throughout their respective careers in the NFL, it's safe to say that they have taken Christmas to another level in their household. In concept, that should result in some bigger and better gifts being given out by them, especially for their mother Donna. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Thanks for the feedback.This report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Like what you see? You can subscribe here . Philadelphia news 24/7: Watch NBC10 free wherever you are Winning week for markets Major U.S. indexes rose on Friday to end the week in the green , despite mega-cap stocks Nvidia and Alphabet shares dropping. Europe's regional Stoxx 600 advanced 1.18%. The banking index, which lost 2%, was the only sector to fall . Euro zone business activity was in contraction territory in November after remaining static in October. Trump nominates Treasury secretary U.S. President-elect Donald Trump intends to nominate Scott Bessent , founder of the hedge fund Key Square Group, as his Treasury secretary. Like Trump, Bessent is in favor of gradual tariffs and deregulation to support domestic business and address trade imbalances. Bessent was chosen over former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh and private equity executive Marc Rowan. Amazon doubles investment in Anthropic Amazon announced it would invest an additional $4 billion in Anthropic , an artificial intelligence startup founded by ex-OpenAI employees. That brings Amazon's total funding in Anthropic to $8 billion, though it will remain a minority investor, said Anthropic. The AI company's flagship product is Claude, a chatbot like OpenAI's ChatGPT. Climate deal at COP29 At the COP29 climate conference in Azerbaijan, developed nations pledged to provide $300 billion annually to poorer countries to tackle climate change. This deal replaces an earlier commitment to provide $100 billion a year. Meanwhile, Sir Richard Branson, billionaire founder of Virgin, said that "we can overcome climate change" if "everybody focused together." [PRO] Interest rates back in focus This week, the October personal consumption expenditures price index, out Wednesday, will dominate attention . "This might be one of the last big key pieces of data" for the U.S. Federal Reserve before its December meeting, said a fund manager. Minutes for the November meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee, releasing a day prior, will give investors more insight into the pace of future rate cuts. Big-name tech and chip stocks faltered last week. Despite almost doubling its third-quarter revenue , compared with a year earlier, Nvidia shares fell 3.2% on Friday, capping off a bumpy week during which the stock fluctuated between the red and the green. Google-parent Alphabet , meanwhile, ended the week almost 5% lower after the U.S. Department of Justice recommended the company divest its Chrome browser as a remedy to its antitrust case. And Amazon , its Big Tech counterpart, retreated 3.4% during the week. That said, major indexes managed to reverse the previous week's dip. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 2% higher for the week and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite both climbed around 1.7%. Even though other Magnificent Seven stocks did contribute to that, the indexes mostly have companies less in the spotlight, like Super Micro Company , to thank. Likewise, small-cap stocks, which have languished behind their bigger cousins for years, seem to be staging a comeback as interest rates fall and Trump is poised to reenter the White House. The Russell 2000 ended the week 4.5% higher, outperforming the above three indexes. "Investors are rotating out of the previous high flyers of large-cap communication services and technology and into other cyclical sectors of consumer discretionary, industrials, and financials, as well as mid- and small-cap stocks," said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA Research. And bitcoin , once dismissed by most mainstream investors and institutions as an esoteric plaything that did not seem to have any inherent value, is close to shattering the $100,000 ceiling. That said, this inversion isn't likely to last. "On the back of strong expected revenue growth in 2025, we maintain our positive view on the AI compute industry and NVIDIA in particular," UBS analyst Sundeep Gantori wrote in a Thursday note. Despite a temporary dip, the AI play will likely remain the main theme for the markets next year. — CNBC's Pia Singh, Alex Harring and Jesse Pound contributed to this report.Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd (Image: AP/Mark Schiefelbein) Despite Kevin Rudd’s assurances last week that his team is “ready” to work with Donald Trump’s incoming administration, his precarious ambassador position in Washington demonstrates the risks of political appointments. Rudd was undoubtedly well qualified for the ambassadorship under the previous Biden administration: he has foreign affairs experience and extensive political experience, including as an Australian prime minister; is a fluent Mandarin speaker; and has specialized in a range of international studies. However, this has not prepared him for an unpredictable Trump administration. Most politicians have fixed opinions about policy options, and their capacity to accept opposing views is often limited. Australian political debates occur most commonly in a rigid environment where negotiation and compromise are regarded as signs of weakness. Consequently, it is harder for senior politicians to consider alternative policy agendas and adapt a nuanced diplomatic position in international discussions. Rudd works room at Republican convention to shore up ‘Trumpified’ AUKUS deal Read More Like Trump himself, Rudd is also an enthusiastic social media commentator, and some of his past personal observations about the returning US president — a number of which were posted on Twitter, since deleted — are unacceptable within diplomatic circles. Australians may need to be reminded that we have a professional workforce of career diplomats working in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, professionals who gain expertise in a variety of cultures and complex issues in international relations — and work in a variety of positions in Canberra — before being considered for posting to other countries. Despite this extensive in-service training of career diplomats, Australian governments frequently appoint politicians with scant special diplomacy skills to represent the nation overseas. Critics argue that elected members and senators representing either the Liberals or the ALP are not necessarily familiar with world affairs, and many would doubt their capacity to be diplomatic. Government leaders often make ambassadorial appointments when rewarding former ministers. These appointments are criticised as “jobs for the boys” — and indeed very few women have been anointed with this benefit. (We have yet to see a minor party or independent political appointment, so the partisan nature of this process reinforces the view that diplomacy should be about more than mateship.) Such political appointments can take advantage of the particular skills or experience of former parliamentarians, particularly in the case of former treasurers, ministers or prime ministers. However, it must be frustrating for career diplomats to be overlooked when their political masters prefer familiar former parliamentarians instead of professionals with years of experience in diplomacy and international relations. The Lowy Institute shows that political appointments are increasing, and former politicians currently head our diplomatic missions in Washington, London and Dublin. Political appointments rarely have bipartisan support, too, and we’ve seen Peter Dutton further entrench the debate about Ambassador Rudd’s future by reminding the community his appointment was Anthony Albanese’s “captain’s pick” . This ties the prime minister to remain loyal to Rudd despite the prospect that the Trump administration may demand a diplomatic replacement. Perhaps it is time for Australian governments to seriously examine how highly they rate diplomacy in their management of foreign policy. Since its early role at the formation of the United Nations in 1945, Australia has a proud tradition of taking a leading role in key initiatives like peacekeeping missions and the Chemical Weapons Treaty. However in recent years, our governments have lost interest in being proactive as a middle power, preferring more to line up with old allies than assert our independence in foreign and defence policy.JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court should overturn Mississippi’s Jim Crow-era practice of from people convicted of certain felonies, including nonviolent crimes such as forgery and timber theft, attorneys say in new court papers. Most of the people affected are disenfranchised for life because the state provides few options for restoring ballot access. “Mississippi’s harsh and unforgiving felony disenfranchisement scheme is a national outlier,” attorneys representing some who lost voting rights said in an appeal filed Wednesday. They wrote that states “have consistently moved away from lifetime felony disenfranchisement over the past few decades.” This case is the second in recent years — and the third since the late 19th century — that asks the Supreme Court to overturn Mississippi’s disenfranchisement for some felonies. The cases use different legal arguments, and the most recent attempt in 2023. The new appeal asks justices to reverse a July ruling from the conservative 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which said Mississippi legislators, not the courts, must decide whether to change the laws. Stripping away voting rights for some crimes is unconstitutional because it is cruel and unusual punishment, the appeal argues. A majority of justices in June when they cleared the way for cities to enforce bans on homeless people sleeping outside in public places. Attorneys who sued Mississippi over voting rights say the authors of the state’s 1890 constitution based disenfranchisement on a list of crimes they thought Black people were more likely to commit. A majority of the appeals judges wrote that the Supreme Court in 1974 reaffirmed constitutional law allowing states to disenfranchise felons. About 38% of Mississippi residents are Black. Nearly 50,000 people were disenfranchised under the state’s felony voting ban between 1994 and 2017. More than 29,000 of them have completed their sentences, and about 58% of that group are Black, according to an expert who analyzed data for plaintiffs challenging the voting ban. To regain voting rights in Mississippi, a person convicted of a disenfranchising crime must receive a governor’s pardon or win permission from two-thirds of the state House and Senate. In recent years, legislators have restored voting rights for only a few people. The other recent case that went to the Supreme Court argued that authors of Mississippi’s constitution when they chose which felonies would cause people to lose the right to vote. In that ruling, justices declined to reconsider a 2022 appeals court decision that said Mississippi remedied the discriminatory intent of the original provisions in the state constitution by later altering the list of disenfranchising crimes. In 1950, Mississippi dropped burglary from the list. Murder and rape were added in 1968. The Mississippi attorney general issued an opinion in 2009 that expanded the list to 22 crimes, including timber larceny, carjacking, felony-level shoplifting and felony-level writing bad checks. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote in a 2023 dissent that Mississippi’s list of disenfranchising crimes was “adopted for an illicit discriminatory purpose.”
Friendly reminder |
The authenticity of this information has not been verified by this website and is for your reference only. Please do not reprint without permission. If authorized by this website, it should be used within the scope of authorization and marked with "Source: this website". |
Special attention |
Some articles on this website are reprinted from other media. The purpose of reprinting is to convey more industry information, which does not mean that this website agrees with their views and is responsible for their authenticity. Those who make comments on this website forum are responsible for their own content. This website has the right to reprint or quote on the website. The comments on the forum do not represent the views of this website. If you need to use the information provided by this website, please contact the original author. The copyright belongs to the original author. If you need to contact this website regarding copyright, please do so within 15 days. |