💽Google Quantum Computing Chip

☀️Good morning. It's Tuesday, Dec. 10, and we're covering, Bluesky Teases Paid Subscription Service, Bluesky+, With New Features, OpenAI Launches Sora Video Generator For ChatGPT Pro And Plus Users, Suspect Charged In Killing Of UnitedHealth Executive Brian Thompson, 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 $3.47 Trillion, a 4.04% decrease in the last 24 hours.

• The total crypto market volume over the last 24 hours is $352.57B, which makes a 114.59% increase.

• The total volume in Defi is currently $26.98B, 7.98% of the total crypto market 24-hours.

• The volume of all stablecoins is now $329.18B, which is 93.36% of the total market 24-hour volume.

• Bitcoin’s dominance is currently 55.52%, an increase of 1.32% over the day.

MicroStrategy Purchases $2.1 Billion In Bitcoin

MicroStrategy Inc. has purchased an additional $2.1 billion in Bitcoin, continuing its aggressive strategy of accumulating digital assets. The company, led by co-founder Michael Saylor, has amassed over $41 billion in Bitcoin over the past four years. MicroStrategy's recent acquisition adds to its growing Bitcoin holdings, which now surpass the cash reserves of major companies like Nvidia. (Read Deeper)

BUSINESS & FINANCE

Bluesky Teases Paid Subscription Service, Bluesky+, With New Features

Bluesky is working on a paid subscription service, Bluesky+, with premium features such as higher-quality video uploads, customizable profiles, post analytics, and possibly profile verification. A user interface mockup, shared on Bluesky's GitHub, suggests pricing of $8 per month or $72 per year, though the features and pricing are not final. Bluesky has clarified that the mockup is for testing and the actual features may differ.

Takeaway: The introduction of Bluesky+ comes after the company revealed plans to develop new revenue streams following a successful $15 million Series A funding round in October. CEO Jay Graber has also hinted at exploring other monetization options, such as selling domain names, creating a marketplace for algorithms, and possibly introducing ads. (Read Deeper)

China Launches Probe Into Nvidia Over Violations Of Anti-monopoly Laws

China has launched an investigation into Nvidia Corp. over potential violations of anti-monopoly laws, specifically focusing on its 2020 acquisition of Mellanox Technologies. The probe, led by China’s State Administration for Market Regulation, examines Nvidia’s behavior and compliance with the conditions set during the deal approval, which required the company not to discriminate against Chinese competitors. This move is part of China’s broader response to increasing US sanctions in the tech sector.

Takeaway: Nvidia, which has become a key player in the AI chip market, expressed its willingness to cooperate with regulators, emphasizing that its success is based on the quality of its products and its commitment to its global customers. The company’s dominance in AI chips has raised concerns globally, with the US government imposing restrictions on Nvidia’s sales of advanced semiconductors to China, in a bid to slow China’s technological progress. (Read Deeper)

TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE

OpenAI Launches Sora Video Generator For ChatGPT Pro And Plus Users

OpenAI has launched its video generator, Sora, for ChatGPT Pro and Plus subscribers, offering features like video remixing, storyboarding, and advanced editing tools. The initial version, Sora Turbo, can generate video clips up to 20 seconds long in various resolutions. Users need credits to generate videos, with costs based on resolution and duration. Pro and Plus plans provide 1,000 to 10,000 monthly credits for video creation.

Takeaway: Sora is not available to users in the European Union or the UK due to local data privacy regulations. OpenAI hopes to launch in these regions eventually. The debut was also marked by controversy, as a protest group accused OpenAI of pressuring early testers to provide positive feedback without proper compensation. (Read Deeper)

Google Achieves Breakthrough In Quantum Computing With New Willow Chip

Google has announced a significant breakthrough in quantum computing with its new "Willow" chip, which features 105 qubits and demonstrates the ability to solve complex problems much faster than classical computers. The chip solved a problem in five minutes that Google claims would take a classical computer more time than the age of the universe. While Google’s rivals are focusing on increasing qubit counts, Google emphasizes reliability and scalability.

Why It Matters: A key advancement is in quantum error correction, where Google's team successfully reduced error rates as more qubits were added. This represents a critical step toward practical quantum computing, enabling real-time error correction. The Willow chip was developed in Google’s new dedicated fabrication facility, allowing faster iterations and experiments. (Read Deeper)

AROUND DE WORLD & POLITICS

Suspect Charged In Killing Of UnitedHealth Executive Brian Thompson

Luigi Mangione, 26, has been charged with murder in the killing of UnitedHealth executive Brian Thompson, following a five-day manhunt. After being recognized at a McDonald's, Mangione was apprehended in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Police found a ghost gun, silencer, and items linking him to the crime. Mangione, a Maryland native and University of Pennsylvania graduate, had multiple fake IDs and was deemed a flight risk. He remains in custody as investigations continue into his actions and potential accomplices.

Takeaway: Thompson, 50, was shot outside a Manhattan hotel in a targeted attack. Evidence, including a document reflecting Mangione’s hostility toward corporate America and shell casings referencing criticism of the insurance industry, suggests the motive was linked to grievances against corporate practices. (Read Deeper)

Israel Launches Dozens Of Air Strikes Across Syria Amid Escalating Tensions

Israel has launched dozens of air strikes across Syria, including in Damascus, targeting military sites and a research center suspected of links to chemical weapons production. The strikes are aimed at preventing weapons from falling into the hands of extremists following the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. The attacks come as rebel groups, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have taken control of Damascus.

Takeaway: Israel has justified the strikes as a defense measure against threats from groups like Hezbollah and Iran, which have supported Assad. Israel also temporarily seized the demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan Heights, a move it described as defensive. The UN's chemical weapons watchdog has raised concerns about the security of Syria's chemical weapon stockpiles (Read Deeper)

ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS

Referee David Coote Sacked Over Alleged Inappropriate Conduct

David Coote, a Premier League referee, has been sacked by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) following an investigation into his conduct. The controversy stems from a leaked video showing Coote making xenophobic comments about Liverpool’s former manager, Jurgen Klopp, and other inappropriate actions. Coote was also criticized for his officiating during a Merseyside derby in the 2020–21 season, where he failed to penalize Everton’s Jordan Pickford for a challenge that injured Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk. (Read Deeper)

Jay-Z And Beyoncé Attend 'Mufasa: The Lion King' Premiere Amid Legal Controversy

Jay-Z and Beyoncé attended the premiere of Mufasa: The Lion King in Los Angeles on Monday night to support their daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, who voices Kiara in the film. The 12-year-old plays the daughter of Simba and Nala, portrayed by Donald Glover and Beyoncé, respectively. ay-Z's appearance on the red carpet comes amid a legal controversy. He was named in a civil lawsuit, originally filed in October, accusing him and Sean "Diddy" Combs of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2000. (Read Deeper)

PODCAST(WHAT WE ARE LISTENING TO)

• The AI revolution is not just about improving everyday technologies, it's reshaping entire industries, including the crypto space. While meme coins and speculative investments dominated the spotlight in the early days of cryptocurrency, the future is now clearly heading toward intelligent agents and AI-driven innovations. (Listen)

EXTRA BREVITI

• Billionaire Frank McCourt remains interested in acquiring TikTok if the Chinese-owned app is forced to sell due to a federal law. (Read More)

• Automattic, the company behind WordPress hosting, has acquired WPAI, a startup focused on creating AI solutions for WordPress, for an undisclosed amount. (Read More)

• Oracle's second-quarter results fell short of Wall Street expectations, with revenue growing 9% year-over-year to $14.06 billion, but below the anticipated $14.11 billion. (Read More)