🤖Gemini 2.0 To Power AI Agents

☀️Good morning. It's Thursday, Dec. 12, and we're covering, Tesla Shares Soars To All-time High Amid Post-Election Optimism, Google Launches Gemini 2.0 AI Model To Power Agents, Syria Rebels Burn Assad Family Tomb Amid Regime Collapse, and much more. First time reading? Sign up to get this newsletter: Sign up here.  

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MARKETS

Cryptocurrency Prices by Market Cap

• The global cryptocurrency market cap today is $3.65 Trillion, a 5.29% increase in the last 24 hours.

• The total crypto market volume over the last 24 hours is $220.43B, which makes a 20.64% decrease.

• The total volume in Defi is currently $18.4B, 8.35% of the total crypto market 24-hours.

• The volume of all stablecoins is now $204.66B, which is 92.84% of the total market 24-hour volume.

• Bitcoin’s dominance is currently 54.72%, a decrease of 1.07% over the day.

Bitcoin, Ethereum, And Dogecoin Surge Amid Federal Reserve Expectations

Cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin, surged on Wednesday, with Bitcoin rising above $100,000. The rally followed the release of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which showed a 2.7% year-over-year increase, leading traders to expect a Federal Reserve interest rate cut later this month. As a result, crypto prices increased, driven by speculation that lower rates would spur economic activity and make borrowing cheaper. (Read Deeper)

BUSINESS & FINANCE

Tesla Shares Soars To All-time High Amid Post-Election Optimism

Tesla shares hit a new all-time high on Wednesday, closing at $424.77 and marking a 69% surge since the U.S. presidential election on November 5. This rally has added over $556 billion to Tesla's market capitalization, fueled by optimism surrounding its self-driving ambitions and favorable political developments. Analysts, including Cantor Fitzgerald and Morgan Stanley, have raised their price targets for Tesla, citing the company's improved outlook and Musk’s political connections.

Why It Matters: Tesla CEO Elon Musk has played a prominent role in President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team, co-leading the Department of Government Efficiency. Investors hope the Trump administration’s plans to ease self-driving vehicle regulations will benefit Tesla’s Robotaxi segment. After a challenging period in 2022, when Tesla shares dropped over 70%, the company has rebounded strongly, aided by better-than-expected third-quarter results and renewed investor confidence. (Read Deeper)

Microsoft Faces $800M Loss Following Cruise Robotaxi Shutdown

Microsoft will take an $800 million impairment charge after General Motors (GM) decided to shut down its Cruise Robotaxi program, as detailed in a recent regulatory filing. The change will impact Microsoft's second-quarter earnings, reducing diluted earnings per share by approximately $0.09. The automaker has spent over $10 billion on Cruise since acquiring it in 2016 for $1 billion, aiming to commercialize autonomous technology.

Takeaway: GM, which owns 90% of Cruise, plans to buy back shares from minority investors, such as Microsoft, Walmart, and Honda raising its ownership stake to over 97%. Microsoft invested in Cruise during a $2 billion funding round in 2021, boosting the self-driving startup’s valuation to $30 billion and forming a strategic partnership to utilize Microsoft Azure for Cruise’s autonomous vehicle operations. (Read Deeper)

TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE

Google Launches Gemini 2.0 AI Model To Power Agents

Google has introduced Gemini 2.0 Flash, the first in its Gemini 2.0 AI model lineup. The chat-optimized version is available globally, while developers can access an experimental multimodal version with features like text-to-speech and image generation through AI Studio and Vertex AI. The full multimodal version will be generally available in January 2025, with broader integration into Google products expected in early 2025.

Takeaway: The launch positions Google to compete against rivals like Microsoft, Meta, and OpenAI. Pichai recently challenged Microsoft’s AI advancements, proposing a side-by-side comparison of their models. Google is also exploring “agentic” AI prototypes that can understand environments, think strategically, and act with supervision, signaling its intent to push AI innovation further. (Read Deeper)

Humpback Whale Sets Record For Longest Migration, Possibly Linked To Climate Change

A male humpback whale has made one of the longest migrations ever recorded, traveling over 8,000 miles from Colombia's Pacific coast to the waters near Zanzibar, Tanzania. The whale’s journey, tracked through citizen scientist-submitted photos to Happywhale.com, surpassed typical migration distances for the species and set a record for the longest known migration between breeding grounds.

Takeaway: Scientists suggest the whale may have been seeking food or a mate, with potential environmental drivers such as climate change influencing its behavior. Shifting sea temperatures and krill distribution, along with growing humpback populations and competition, could explain the unusual route. Further research is needed to understand the factors behind this extraordinary migration. (Read Deeper)

AROUND DE WORLD & POLITICS

Syria Rebels Burn Assad Family Tomb Amid Regime Collapse

Syrian rebel fighters, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have burned the tomb of Hafez al-Assad, the father of ousted President Bashar al-Assad, in the family's hometown of Qardaha. This act symbolizes the end of the Assad dynasty's 54-year rule following a swift rebel offensive that seized control of Damascus and key territories. Bashar al-Assad has fled to Russia, where he and his family have been granted asylum.

Takeaway: The collapse of the Assad regime has triggered widespread celebrations, with statues and posters of the Assads torn down across Syria. Rebels have pledged to respect the country’s religious and cultural diversity, gaining support from local communities, including in Qardaha. Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei blamed the regime’s fall on U.S., Israeli, and regional interference. Israel intensified airstrikes on Syrian military assets, citing security concerns. (Read Deeper)

Trump Invites China’s Xi Jinping To Attend His Inauguration

President-elect Donald Trump has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend his January 20 inauguration, an unprecedented move in U.S. history as no foreign leader has ever attended such a ceremony. While Xi has not yet responded, Trump's team is also considering hosting other leaders, including Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Takeaway: Despite tensions with China over issues like tariffs and the looming TikTok ban, Trump values leader-to-leader diplomacy. His recent meetings with international leaders, including Canada's Justin Trudeau, France's Emmanuel Macron, and Argentina's Javier Milei, reflect his focus on strengthening global relationships. (Read Deeper)

ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS

Manchester City At Risk Of Being Eliminated From The Champions League

Manchester City are in danger of Champions League elimination, currently sitting 22nd in their group after a 2-0 loss to Juventus. With two games remaining, they are just one point above the elimination zone. The top eight teams will automatically progress to the last 16, bypassing the knockout play-offs. Real Madrid and PSG are also in a precarious position, while Liverpool remain perfect with six wins from six matches. Barcelona and other clubs like Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Brest are performing well, securing spots in the top eight or playoff rounds. (Read Deeper)

Selena Gomez And Benny Blanco Announce Engagement After One Year Together

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco have announced their engagement after one year of dating. Gomez shared the news on Instagram, posting a photo of her engagement ring with the caption, "Forever begins now..." Blanco commented, calling her his wife. The couple went public with their relationship in December 2023, with Gomez sharing photos of their New York trip. Both have had successful years, with Gomez earning Golden Globe nominations and Blanco releasing a cookbook. Gomez has spoken about her desire to become a mother, despite medical issues preventing her from carrying a pregnancy. (Read Deeper)

PODCAST(WHAT WE ARE LISTENING TO)

• In a surprising twist, the humble and once-iconic Nokia phones, particularly older models like the Nokia 1100, have found a new lease on life and are playing an unexpected role in fighting poverty. (Listen)

EXTRA BREVITI

• Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has contributed $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump's inaugural fund, a company spokesperson confirmed. (Read More)

• South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed to "fight to the end" as political turmoil escalated over his short-lived martial law declaration. (Read More)

• The Pentagon has addressed growing concerns over a series of mysterious drone sightings in New Jersey and the northeastern United States. (Read More)