World's First Pig Kidney Transplant into Human Patient Successfully Performed 🐷 US Government Sues Apple 📱

Good morning. It's Friday, Mar. 22, and we're covering, Reddit Stock Surges of Nearly 48% on the First Trading Day, LemFi and Visa collaborating to Advance Cross-Border Transactions in China, and India, WhatsApp Introduces Multi-Pinning Feature for Messages, US Pushes For Ceasefire In Gaza Conflict, Seeks UN Support, 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 $2.53 Trillion, a 0.09% decrease in the last 24 hours.

• The total crypto market volume over the last 24 hours is $113.16B, which makes a 27.93% decrease.

• The total volume in Defi is currently $10.59B, 9.34% of the total crypto market 24-hours.

• The volume of all stablecoins is now $101.47B, which is 84.67% of the total market 24-hour volume.

• Bitcoin’s dominance is currently 61.65%, a decrease of 0.43% over the day.

Reddit Stock Surges Nearly 48% on First Trading Day

Reddit, the popular social forum platform, made an impressive debut on the stock market, with its shares closing up almost 48% on the first day of trading. The company's initial public offering (IPO) price was set at $34 per share, but it quickly surged to $50.31 by the end of the day, surpassing expectations.

Takeaway: Although early trading results are encouraging, past IPOs have shown that a strong debut does not guarantee long-term success. ( Read Deeper )

BUSINESS & FINANCE

LemFi and Visa Collaborate to Advance Cross-Border Transactions in China, India

LemFi, a Nigerian fintech startup, has entered into a strategic partnership with Visa's Cross-Border Solutions division to facilitate its expansion into new global markets, including China, India, and Pakistan. Under this partnership, Visa Cross-Border Solutions will play a key role in enabling LemFi to conduct cross-border transactions in these regions.

Why it matters: As part of the deal, LemFi's over 250,000 users in the UK and EMEA regions will gain access to Visa debit and pre-paid debit cards, strengthening LemFi's position as the preferred provider of e-payment and foreign exchange services. ( Read Deeper )

US Government Sues Apple Over Alleged Smartphone Market Monopoly

The United States government has filed a lawsuit against tech giant Apple, accusing it of monopolizing the smartphone market and suppressing competition. In the legal action, the Department of Justice alleges that Apple abused its control of the iPhone app store to lock in customers and developers, taking illegal measures to stifle competition and make rival products less appealing. Apple has denied the allegations, stating that its customers are loyal because they are satisfied with its products and services.

Takeaway: The outcome of the case could have significant implications for Apple, potentially leading to changes in its contracts and practices or even a breakup of the company. Shares in Apple fell more than 4% following news of the lawsuit, as investors assessed the potential impact on the company's future. ( Read Deeper )

TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE

WhatsApp Introduces Multi-Pinning Feature for Messages

WhatsApp has unveiled a new feature that allows users to pin up to three messages in a chat, making it easier to access important information. Previously, users were limited to pinning only one message in a conversation with a contact or group. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and WhatsApp head Will Cathcart announced the feature on their respective WhatsApp Channels.

Takeaway: The multi-pinning feature enables users to pin various types of messages, including text, images, and polls. However, there is currently no option to keep a message permanently pinned. Therefore, users will need to re-pin important messages after 30 days. ( Read Deeper )

World's First Pig Kidney Transplant into Human Patient Successfully Performed

Surgeons at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston have conducted the world's first genetically modified pig kidney transplant into a human patient. The historic procedure offers hope to thousands of individuals suffering from kidney failure who are awaiting organ transplants. The transplant recipient is Richard "Rick" Slayman, a patient at the hospital who is recovering well and is expected to be discharged soon.

Takeaway: The innovative procedure involved the transplantation of a genetically engineered pig kidney into Slayman's body. The pig kidney was modified to remove harmful pig genes and incorporate some human genes, enhancing compatibility and reducing the risk of rejection. ( Read Deeper )

AROUND DE WORLD & POLITICS

US Pushes For Ceasefire In Gaza Conflict, Seeks UN Support

The United States is set to present a resolution to the United Nations Security Council on Friday, urging an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing conflict in Gaza and advocating for a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas. The draft resolution, crafted after extensive consultations with Security Council members, calls for a six-week ceasefire aimed at safeguarding civilians and facilitating the delivery of essential humanitarian aid.

Takeaway: Throughout the conflict, the U.S. has faced criticism for its veto of previous resolutions calling for an immediate ceasefire. However, the U.S. argues that such council action could potentially disrupt ceasefire negotiations. ( Read Deeper )

Trump Faces Challenge in Securing $464M Bond in New York Fraud Case

Former President Donald Trump is facing a critical deadline to post a $464 million bond by Monday to appeal New York's fraud case against him. Failure to secure the bond could prompt New York Attorney General Letitia James to initiate the collection of court-ordered damages in the case. Trump's lawyers have stated that finding a bond of this magnitude has been "impossible," despite approaching numerous companies, none of which were willing to cover the amount.

Takeaway: The inability to secure the bond raises questions about Trump's financial situation, particularly as his real estate assets were not accepted as collateral by companies approached for the bond. This lack of liquidity suggests potential financial constraints. ( Read Deeper )

ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS

Former Brazil Football Star Robinho Arrested to Serve Rape Sentence

Former Brazil international football player Robinho has been arrested in his home city of Santos to serve a nine-year prison sentence for rape. The arrest comes after he was convicted in Italy two years ago for his involvement in the gang rape of an Albanian woman at a nightclub in Milan in 2013. Robinho, 40, was apprehended at his flat in Santos, Brazil after the Italian government requested that he serve his sentence in his home country. ( Read Deeper )

'The Boy and the Heron' to Stream on Netflix Worldwide

Netflix has secured the global streaming rights, excluding the U.S. and Japan, for Hayao Miyazaki's Oscar-winning anime classic "The Boy and the Heron" (Kimitachi wa Dou Ikiru Ka) as part of a newly announced deal. "The Boy and the Heron," which recently won the 2024 Oscar for Best Animated Feature, will make its Netflix debut later this year. The film, drawing on Miyazaki’s childhood memories, marks the director's first feature in a decade. ( Read Deeper )

PODCAST(WHAT WE ARE LISTENING TO)

• The Cashflow King: “Here’s How I Do It”, Negotiating with Jeff Bezos, Elon’s Cracked Rocket ( Listen )

EXTRA BREVITI

• ESPN’s model is eroding. Past and present execs are split on how it can protect its dominance. ESPN’s model is eroding. Past and present execs are split on how it can protect its dominance ( Read More )

• As the crypto industry continues to expand and gain mainstream attention, advocates are gearing up for a potential battle against Washington's anti-crypto sentiment. ( Read More )

• Uber, the global ride-hailing giant, is facing resistance from the Lagos state government over demands for real-time data sharing. ( Read More )

• The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) has released its Global Music Report for the year 2024, revealing a significant growth in music revenues worldwide. According to the report, music revenues climbed by 10% to reach $28.6 billion( Read More )