SUMMARY

SMALL BUSINESSES PLAN EVENTS, START MARKETING EARLIER

TO DEAL WITH SHORTER HOLIDAY SHOPPING SEASON 08
NVIDIA SLIDES AFTER CHINA SAYS IT’S PROBING THE AI
CHIP COMPANY FOR VIOLATING ANTI-MONOPOLY LAWS 16
CHRISTMAS - FIND THE PERFECT GIFTS FOR
EVERYONE YOU CARE ABOUT 46
CHINA’S BAN ON KEY HIGH-TECH MATERIALS COULD
HAVE BROAD IMPACT ON INDUSTRIES, ECONOMY 104
 CALIFORNIA TO CONSIDER REQUIRING MENTAL HEALTH WARNINGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA SITES 26

GM TO RETREAT FROM ROBOTAXIS AND STOP FUNDING ITS CRUISE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE UNIT 36

‘MOANA 2’ CRUISES TO ANOTHER RECORD WEEKEND AND $600 MILLION GLOBALLY 94

FROM ‘LOVE ACTUALLY’ TO ‘BLACK DOVES’ WITH BEN WHISHAW, KEIRA KNIGHTLEY HAS... 120

FORTNITE PLAYERS ‘TRICKED’ INTO UNWANTED PURCHASES ARE STARTING TO GET REFUNDS... 126

BOEING LAYS OFF HUNDREDS IN WASHINGTON AND CALIFORNIA AS PART OF CUTS... 132

BILLIONAIRE WHO PERFORMED THE FIRST PRIVATE SPACEWALK IS TRUMP’S PICK TO LEAD NASA 138

NASA PUSHES BACK ASTRONAUT FLIGHTS TO THE MOON AGAIN 146

META SHAREHOLDERS SEEK SANCTIONS FOR SANDBERG, ZIENTS FOR DELETING... 162

TIKTOK ASKS FEDERAL APPEALS COURT TO BAR ENFORCEMENT OF POTENTIAL BAN UNTIL... 170

CHINA’S CATL FORMS JOINT VENTURE WITH STELLANTIS TO BUILD ELECTRIC VEHICLE... 178

TOP 10 TV SHOWS 152

TOP 10 BOOKS 154
TOP 10 SONGS 156
TOP 10 ALBUMS 158
TOP 10 MUSIC VIDEOS 160
It’s easier than ever to watch on your phone, tablet,
desktop or streaming media player.

Plans start at $4.99/month. Cancel anytime.

SMALL
BUSINESSES
PLAN EVENTS,
START
MARKETING
EARLIER TO DEAL
WITH SHORTER
HOLIDAY
SHOPPING
SEASON

08
09
The holiday shopping season is underway, and
this year small businesses have less time to
capitalize on the busy shopping period.

Only 27 days separate Thanksgiving and

Christmas — five fewer than last year. But
there are still ways to make the most of a
shorter season.

The National Retail Federation predicts that

retail sales will rise between 2.5% and 3.5%
compared with same period a year ago. Online
shopping is expected to grow too. Adobe
Digital Insights, a division of software company
Adobe, predicts an 8.4% increase online for the
full season.

But small businesses have to work extra hard

to compete against bigger retailers. One key
strategy is to promote deals to customers
wherever you can, from social media to physical
ads. Also, cultivate repeat customers by offering
special deals to loyalty program members.

Roberta Perry, owner of ScrubzBody Skin Care

Products shop in Farmingdale, N.Y., said she
started offering a “Buy One, Get One Free”
promotion a week early — the Friday before the
Black Friday holiday shopping weekend. The
holidays are key for her because she makes 30%
of her sales in the six week holiday period.

Offering the discount early “has given us the

opportunity to hype our own special sales day,
and take away some of the pressure from people
who start their season the following week,” she
said. “It also gives us a week before the true
holiday season begins to send out the orders
and get set for the next few weeks.”

On Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, she

offered a free gift with purchase and then for

10
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the rest of the holiday season is offering free gift
wrapping and cards.

She also extends her hours in December.

“Anything to make our customers lives easier,”

she said.

Amy Peterson, co--founder of Rebel Nell, a

jewelry shop in Detroit, dealt with the shorter
season by starting promotions early and
creating a “Design Your Own Jewelry” event to
draw in customers.

“These efforts help us stand out and give

customers a reason to shop early and often,” she
said. The “Design Your Own Jewelry” experience
is “a great activity for friends and family, allowing
customers to craft something truly unique,”
she said.

The shop also launched a special holiday

collection featuring crystals and pieces
made with material from a historic theater
in Detroit, Fox Theatre, which recently went
through a renovation.

Those pieces “resonated with customers seeking

meaningful, one-of-a-kind gifts,” Peterson said.
“Trends show shoppers are still expecting Black
Friday promotions, and while small businesses
like ours can’t match the margins of big box
stores, we’ve embraced the opportunity to
remain competitive and show appreciation to
our loyal customers.”

13
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16
 NVIDIA SLIDES
AFTER CHINA
SAYS IT’S
PROBING THE
AI CHIP COMPANY
FOR VIOLATING
ANTI-MONOPOLY
LAWS

Shares of Nvidia slid this week after China said

it is investigating the high-flying U.S. microchip
company over suspected violations of Chinese
anti-monopoly laws.

In a brief press release with few details, Chinese

regulators appear to be focusing on Nvidia’s
$6.9 billion acquisition of network and data
transmission company Mellanox in 2019.

Nvidia shares dipped 2.5%, falling below

$140 each.

17
 Image: Stas Knop
18
Considered a bellwether for artificial intelligence
demand, Nvidia has led the AI sector to become
one of the stock market’s biggest companies,
as tech giants spend heavily on the company’s
chips and data centers needed to train and
operate their AI systems.

Nvidia’s shares have nearly tripled this year

with the California company revenue and
profit soaring on AI demand. According to
data firm FactSet, about 16% of Nvidia’s
revenue comes from China, second only to its
U.S.-generated revenue.

In its most recent earnings release, Nvidia

posted revenue of $35.08 billion, up 94% from
$18.12 billion a year ago. Nvidia earned $19.31
billion in the quarter, more than double the
$9.24 billion it posted in last year’s third quarter.
The earnings release did not break out revenue
from China.

The company’s market value rocketed to

$3.5 trillion recently, passing Microsoft and
briefly overtaking Apple as the world’s most
valuable company.

19
20
21
Nvidia’s invention of graphics processor chips,
or GPUs, in 1999 helped spark the growth
of the PC gaming market and redefined
computer graphics.

Last month, the Santa Clara, California-based tech

giant replaced Intel on the Dow Jones Industrial
Average, ending the pioneering semiconductor
company’s 25-year run on the index.

Unlike Intel, Nvidia designs but doesn’t

manufacture its own chips, relying heavily
on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.,
an Intel rival.

China’s antitrust investigation follows a report

this summer by technology news site The
Information that the U.S. Justice Department
was investigating complaints from rivals that
Nvidia was abusing its market dominance in the
chip sector.

The allegations reported include Nvidia

threatening to punish those who buy products
from both itself and its competitors at the
same time.

22
Image: I-Hwa Cheng
23
CALIFORNIA
TO CONSIDER
REQUIRING
MENTAL HEALTH
WARNINGS
ON SOCIAL
MEDIA SITES

26
27
California, home to some of the largest
technology companies in the world, would
be the first U.S. state to require mental health
warning labels on social media sites if lawmakers
pass a bill introduced this week.

The legislation sponsored by state Attorney

General Rob Bonta is necessary to bolster safety
for children online, supporters say, but industry
officials vow to fight the measure and others like
it under the First Amendment. Warning labels
for social media gained swift bipartisan support
from dozens of attorneys general, including
Bonta, after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy
called on Congress to establish the requirements
earlier this year, saying social media is a
contributing factor in the mental health crisis
among young people.

“These companies know the harmful impact

their products can have on our children, and
they refuse to take meaningful steps to make
them safer,” Bonta said at a news conference.
“Time is up. It’s time we stepped in and
demanded change.”

State officials haven’t provided details on the

bill, but Bonta said the warning labels could pop
up once weekly.

Up to 95% of youth ages 13 to 17 say they use a

social media platform, and more than a third say
that they use social media “almost constantly,”
according to 2022 data from the Pew Research
Center. Parents’ concerns prompted Australia to
pass the world’s first law banning social media
for children under 16 in November.

“The promise of social media, although real, has

turned into a situation where they’re turning
our children’s attention into a commodity,”

28
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Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan,
who authored the California bill, said. “The
attention economy is using our children and
their well-being to make money for these
California companies.”

Lawmakers instead should focus on online

safety education and mental health resources,
not warning label bills that are “constitutionally
unsound,” said Todd O’Boyle, a vice president
of the tech industry policy group Chamber
of Progress.

“We strongly suspect that the courts will set

them aside as compelled speech,” O’Boyle told.

Victoria Hinks’ 16-year-old daughter, Alexandra,

died by suicide four months ago after being
“led down dark rabbit holes” on social media
that glamorized eating disorders and self-harm.
Hinks said the labels would help protect children
from companies that turn a blind eye to the
harm caused to children’s mental health when
they become addicted to social media platforms.

“There’s not a bone in my body that doubts

social media played a role in leading her to that
final, irreversible decision,” Hinks said. “This could
be your story.”

Common Sense Media, a sponsor of the bill,

said it plans to lobby for similar proposals in
other states.

California in the past decade has positioned

itself as a leader in regulating and fighting
the tech industry to bolster online safety
for children.

The state was the first in 2022 to bar online

platforms from using users’ personal information
in ways that could harm children. It was one

31
of the states that sued Meta in 2023 and
TikTok in October for deliberately designing
addictive features that keep kids hooked on
their platforms.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, also signed

several bills in September to help curb the
effects of social media on children, including
one to prohibit social media platforms from
knowingly providing addictive feeds to children
without parental consent and one to limit
or ban students from using smartphones on
school campus.

Federal lawmakers have held hearings on child

online safety and legislation is in the works to
force companies to take reasonable steps to
prevent harm. The legislation has the support
of X owner Elon Musk and the President-elect’s
son, Donald Trump Jr. Still, the last federal law
aimed at protecting children online was enacted
in 1998, six years before Facebook’s founding.

32
33
GM TO RETREAT
FROM ROBOTAXIS
AND STOP FUNDING
ITS CRUISE
AUTONOMOUS
VEHICLE UNIT

General Motors said this week it will retreat from the

robotaxi business and stop funding its money-losing
Cruise autonomous vehicle unit.

Instead the Detroit automaker will focus on

development of partially automated driver-assist
systems for personal vehicles like its Super Cruise,
which allows drivers to take their hands off the
steering wheel.

GM said it would get out of robotaxis“given the

considerable time and resources that would
be needed to scale the business, along with an
increasingly competitive robotaxi market.”

36
37
The company said it will combine Cruise’s technical
team with its own to work on advanced systems to
assist drivers.

GM bought control of San Francisco-based Cruise

automation in 2016 with high hopes of developing a
profitable fleet of robotaxis.

Over the years GM invested billions in the subsidiary

and eventually bought 90% of the company from
investors, all while racking up millions in losses.

GM’s brushoff of Cruise represents a dramatic about-

face from years of full-blown support that left a
huge financial dent in the automaker. The company
invested $2.4 billion in Cruise only to sustain years of
uninterrupted losses, with little in return. Since
GM bought a controlling stake in Cruise for $581
million in 2016, the robotaxi service piled up
more than $10 billion in operating losses while
bringing in less than $500 million in revenue,
according to GM shareholder reports filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The automaker even announced plans for Cruise to

generate $1 billion in annual revenue by 2025, but it
scaled back spending on the company after one of its
autonomous Chevrolet Bolts dragged a San Francisco
pedestrian who was hit by another vehicle in 2023.

The California Public Utilities Commission alleged

Cruise then covered up details of the crash for more
than two weeks.

The embarrassing incident resulted in Cruise’s license

to operate its driverless fleet in California being
suspended by regulators and triggered a purge of its
leadership — in addition to layoffs that jettisoned
about a quarter of its workforce.

GM CEO Mary Barra told analysts on a conference

call the the new unit will focus on personal

38
39
vehicles and developing systems that can drive by
themselves in certain circumstances.

The company has agreements to buy another 7%

of Cruise and intends to buy the remaining shares
so it owns the whole company.

The move is another step back from autonomous

vehicles, which have proved far harder to develop
than companies once anticipated. Two years ago,
crosstown rival Ford Motor Co. disbanded its Argo
AI autonomous vehicle venture in Pittsburgh that
it co-owned with Volkswagen.

At the time the company said it didn’t see a path

to profitability for a number of years.

Yet other companies are pressing forward with

plans to deploy autonomous vehicles and
expanding their services.

Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo is accelerating plans to

broaden its robotaxi service beyond areas of
metropolitan Phoenix, San Francisco and Los
Angeles. Last week the company said it would
begin testing its driverless Jaguars in Miami next
year, with plans to start charging for rides in 2026.

The move comes less than a month after Waymo

opened up its robotaxi service to anyone looking
for a ride in an 80-square-mile (129 square
kilometer) area of Los Angeles. Waymo also has
plans to launch fleets in Atlanta and Austin next
year in partership with ride-hailing leader Uber.

In April, a company called Aurora Innovation plans

to start hauling freight on Texas freeways using
fully driverless semis.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said his company plans

to have autonomous Models Y and 3 running
without human drivers next year. Robotaxis
without steering wheels using Tesla’s “Full Self-

40
41
Driving” system would be available in 2026
starting in California and Texas, he said.

But an investigation by the National Highway

Traffic Safety Administration into Full Self-Driving’s
ability to see in low visibility conditions cast doubt
on whether Teslas are ready to be deployed
without humans behind the wheel.

The agency began the investigation in October

after getting reports of four crashes involving “Full
Self-Driving” when Teslas encountered sun glare,
fog and airborne dust. An Arizona pedestrian was
killed in one of the crashes.

GM said it will work with Cruise’s leadership to

restructure the company and refocus Cruise’s
operations on driver assist systems. The company
expects the restructuring to reduce spending by
more than $1 billion annually.

Cruise has about 2,300 employees and will

retain a presence in San Francisco, GM said.
It’s too early to talk about employment levels
until the restructuring is completed next
year, a spokesman said.

Dave Richardson, senior vice president of software

and services engineering, said Cruise will bring
its software, artificial intelligence and sensor
development to GM to team up on improving
GM’s driver-assist systems.

“We want to leverage what already has been done

as we go forward, and we think we can do that
very effectively,” Barra said.

Shares of GM rose about 3% in trading after

the announcement. They are up about 47%
for the year.

42
43
46
Christmas
FIND THE PERFECT GIFTS FOR
EVERYONE YOU CARE ABOUT

47
The holiday season is upon us, and what better
way to show your loved ones you care than
with a thoughtful tech gift? Apple has been a
favorite for those looking to surprise friends and
family with functional, stylish, high-performance
gadgets. There’s something for everyone!

48
49
50
THE ULTIMATE IN AUDIO
Apple’s AirPods are some of today’s most
recognizable and sought-after tech products.
Apple’s AirPods market alone is worth almost
$200 billion and counting. Offering a range of
options, Apple has something for every type of
listener, whether they prefer casual listening or
audiophile-quality sound.

The AirPods 4 are ideal for an affordable

and reliable wireless earbud solution. With
seamless integration with iOS devices, excellent
sound quality, and a comfortable fit, they offer
everything most users need for everyday tasks.
Whether for music, podcasts, or taking calls,
these lightweight earbuds are a solid choice
for anyone needing a quality product without
breaking the bank. For those who demand
more from their earbuds, the AirPods Pro is an
upgrade to the AirPods 4. These earbuds come
with active noise cancellation (ANC) to block
out distractions, ensuring that users can fully
immerse themselves in their music, calls, or
podcasts. The AirPods Pro also features adaptive

51
52
53
54
transparency, allowing external sounds to pass
through while keeping users focused on their
content. With sweat and water resistance, they’re
perfect for those who lead an active lifestyle. The
improved sound quality and customizable ear
tips ensure that the AirPods Pro offers everyone
a comfortable, secure fit.

The AirPods Max is Apple’s top-of-the-

liwholeffering for audiophiles or those who
prefer the over-ear experience. These high-
end wireless headphones offer a premium
listening experience with spatial audio, dynamic
head tracking, and custom-built drivers for rich
sound. AirPods Max is also equipped with the
most advanced ANC technology, making them
ideal for use in noisy environments, whether
working, traveling, or simply relaxing at home.
With a sleek and stylish design, they’re sure to
turn heads while delivering crystal-clear audio.

55
56
57
APPLE WATCH
The Apple Watch is a smartwatch and a robust
health and fitness companion that integrates
seamlessly into the Apple ecosystem. With
multiple models and a wide range of band
options, the Apple Watch is a personalized and
thoughtful gift. The Apple Watch Series 10 is
the latest addition to Apple’s smartwatch lineup
and offers significant upgrades over previous

58
generations. With faster performance, improved
battery life, and more advanced health tracking
features like blood oxygen measurement and
ECG capabilities, this smartwatch is for those
who want to stay connected and health-
conscious. Whether for fitness tracking, receiving
notifications or simply checking the time, the
Apple Watch Series 10 provides an excellent
balance of style and functionality. The Apple

59
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61
Watch Ultra is the ultimate upgrade for
someone who’s always on the go or an outdoor
enthusiast. Built with extreme durability and
designed for rugged adventures, the Ultra is
made with a titanium case and is water-resistant
up to 100 meters. It has specialized features
such as a precision dual-frequency GPS, deep
water dive sensors, and enhanced compass
functionalities. Whether they’re climbing
mountains or diving into the deep sea, the
Apple Watch Ultra can withstand it all.

Apple also offers a wide selection of watch

bands, ranging from sporty silicone options
to elegant leather and stainless steel bands.
Whether gifting someone their first Apple
Watch or upgrading their current device, a new
band can completely transform its look. With
countless options available, there’s a band to suit
every personality and lifestyle.

62
63
64
65
BRING BACK THE MAC
Apple continues to lead the way in desktop
computers with its powerful and stylish
machines. Whether for work, play, or creative
pursuits, these products deliver unmatched
performance. The Mac mini is perfect for those
who want the power of a Mac without taking
up too much space. The latest model boasts
Apple’s M4 and M4 Pro chips, which deliver
incredible performance and energy efficiency.
With the option to add external monitors and
storage, the Mac mini is highly customizable
and ideal for anyone looking to build their
dream desktop setup. It’s an excellent choice
for those who want a no-frills solution that
still packs a punch. For those who need even
more power, the Mac Studio offers a higher
level of performance than the Mac mini. With
the M2 Max or M2 Ultra chips, the Mac Studio
is a beast in graphic design, video editing, and
other intensive tasks. Its compact design belies
its powerful capabilities, and the addition of
support for multiple displays makes it ideal for
creative professionals who need a workstation
that can handle demanding workflows.
However, Apple could be set to upgrade the
Mac Studio in 2025, so you might want to hold
off on an upgrade unless you’re confident the
recipient needs one now.

The iMac continues to be a favorite for anyone

seeking a sleek, all-in-one desktop solution.
Available in a variety of colors and equipped
with M4 chips, the iMac offer excellent
performance for work and entertainment while
taking up less space than a traditional desktop
setup. The high-resolution Retina display

66
67
68
69
70
ensures everything looks crisp and vibrant, while
the all-in-one design simplifies setup. The iMac
delivers it all with style, whether for design work,
video editing, or general productivity.

Apple’s Studio Display and Pro Display XDR are

ideal for anyone looking to pair their Mac with
a stunning display. The Studio Display offers
a 5K Retina display with an ultra-thin design,
making it perfect for creatives or anyone who
needs exceptional color accuracy and detail.
The Pro Display XDR, on the other hand, is
designed for the most demanding professional
workflows, with incredible brightness, contrast,
and color accuracy.

Whether your loved one is a student, a

professional, or someone who just loves the
convenience of a laptop, the MacBook Air and
MacBook Pro offer something for everyone. The
MacBook Air is an incredibly light and portable
laptop that packs a punch. Powered by Apple’s
M3 chip, it offers exceptional performance for
everyday tasks like browsing the web, checking
emails, and working on documents. The retina
display provides stunning visuals, and the long
battery life ensures that users can work or play
all day without worrying about running out of
charge. For those who need more power for
creative or professional work, the MacBook Pro
is the way to go. Available in 14-inch and 16-inch
sizes, the MacBook Pro offers M4 Pro and M4
Max chips, delivering desktop-level performance
in a portable form. Whether it’s video editing, 3D
rendering, or programming, the MacBook Pro is
built to handle it all.

71
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73
74
ENTERTAINMENT
The Apple TV is an ideal gift for anyone looking
to upgrade their home entertainment system.
With access to Apple TV+, Apple’s streaming
service, and a host of third-party streaming
apps, the Apple TV lets users watch their
favorite shows and movies in stunning 4K
HDR. Additionally, the device supports Dolby
Atmos for immersive surround sound and
works seamlessly with other Apple products.
On the other hand, the Apple TV 4K hass the
best streaming performance, allowing users
to watch content in ultra-high-definition 4K
resolution with stunning HDR. Whether it’s the
latest blockbuster or an indie film, the picture
quality is unparalleled, and the sound quality is
just as impressive, thanks to Dolby Atmos. The
powerful A15 Bionic chip ensures the Apple TV
4K offers smooth performance and quick load
times, making it the perfect addition to any
living room.

An Apple One subscription is the perfect

way to give the gift of Apple’s premium
services. Offering access to Apple Music,
Apple TV+, iCloud+, Apple Arcade, and more,
Apple One is an all-in-one subscription that
provides exceptional value for anyone who
enjoys Apple’s digital services. With plans for
individuals, families, and Premier, there’s an
option for everyone.

75
76
77
78
GIVE THE GIFT OF AN IPAD OR IPHONE
App.le’s iPad is one of the most popular
options thanks to its versatility and powerful
features. Whether using it for work, education,
or entertainment, the iPad provides an ideal
balance of portability and performance. For
those looking for an affordable tablet that
doesn’t skimp on performance, the iPad (10th
Generation) offers excellent value for money.
With a large Retina display, powerful A14 Bionic
chip, and support for Apple Pencil (1st Gen), and
the Smart Keyboard, the iPad is a perfect choice

79
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81
for students, casual users, or anyone who needs
a versatile device for everyday tasks. The iPad
Air and iPad Pro are more powerful alternatives
to the standard iPad. The iPad Air comes with
the M1 chip, ensuring smooth performance for
demanding tasks like video editing or gaming.
At the same time, the iPad Pro offers the M4
chip, bringing desktop-like performance to a
portable form factor. Both models are perfect for
creative professionals who need a high-powered
tablet for sketching, graphic design, or editing
on the go.

An iPhone is always a welcome gift, and Apple’s

latest models are packed with exciting new
features. The iPhone 16 series, including the
iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and
iPhone 16 Pro Max, offers significant upgrades
in camera technology, processing power, and
display quality. Whether upgrading an old
model or gifting someone their first iPhone, the
latest iPhone is an excellent choice, combining
luxury, style, and functionality.

82
83
84
85
GO ALL OUT
The Apple Vision Pro is one of the most exciting
new products Apple has ever introduced.
Combining augmented reality (AR) and virtual
reality (VR) technology, the Vision Pro offers an
immersive experience that transports users to
another world. Whether for gaming, education,
or work, the Vision Pro will redefine how we
interact with digital content.

Apple offers a wide range of products this

holiday season that cater to every need, from
casual users to professionals. Whether you’re
gifting a pair of AirPods, an Apple Watch, or a
MacBook Pro, Apple’s ecosystem offers seamless
integration, cutting-edge technology, and
beautiful design. These gifts will make your
loved ones’ holidays even brighter, and with the
vast options available, you can find the perfect
present for anyone on your list.

86
87
88
89
In the end, the best gift
is one that combines
practicality, luxury,
and thoughtfulness,
and Apple’s range of
products delivers exactly
that. Happy gifting
and Happy Holidays!
90
91
‘MOANA 2’
CRUISES TO
ANOTHER
RECORD
WEEKEND AND
$600 MILLION
GLOBALLY

94
95
The Walt Disney Co.’s animated film “Moana 2”
remained at the top of the box office in its second
weekend in theaters as it brought in another
record haul.

The film added $52 million, according to studio

estimates Sunday. That brings its domestic total to
$300 million, surpassing the original, and its global
tally to a staggering $600 million.

The amount set a record gross for a movie on

the weekend following Thanksgiving weekend,
unseating “Frozen II,” which earned $35.2 million
in the same time frame in 2019. The numbers are
not adjusted for inflation. Originally conceived as
a Disney+ series, “Moana 2” has already broken
into the top five highest grossing releases of the
year. Its performance means Disney has three
films in this year’s top five, including “Inside Out
2” and “Deadpool & Wolverine.” The studio also
has another big movie on the way before the year
ends: Barry Jenkins’“Mufasa,” out Dec. 20.

The weekend also showcased several new

releases, including A24’s horror comedy “Y2K”
and the Jude Law crime thriller “The Order.” But
nothing was ever going to present significant
competition to the enticing Thanksgiving
leftovers, “Moana 2,”“Wicked” and “Gladiator II.”

Second place at the box office was occupied by

“Wicked,” which added $34.9 million, bringing its
domestic total to $320.5 million in three weeks.
Globally, the musical adaptation released by
Universal is at $455.6 million. “Gladiator II” followed
in third place with $12.5 million, while “Red One”
came in fourth with $7 million.

“These holdovers are going to create the

momentum that’s going to put an $8.5

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billion-plus box office year on the horizon,”
said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media
analyst for Comscore.

Pre-pandemic, $11 billion had become the annual

norm for the movie business. Since then, the
closest the industry has gotten to that number
was last year, which cracked $9 billion. This year
started off slow and up to a few months ago,
Dergarabedian said, even hitting $8 billion for
the year was in doubt. But in the two weeks
since Thanksgiving, the deficit from last year has
narrowed by over 5%.

The newcomers struggled to make a significant

impact. Even the 10th anniversary rerelease of
Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar,” which played
in only 165 theaters, did better than “Y2K” ($2.1
million) and “The Order” ($878,000) combined.
Paramount reported that the science fiction
epic starring Matthew McConaughey and
Anne Hathaway brought in an estimated $4.4
million. IMAX also noted that all the 70mm IMAX
presentations of “Interstellar” were sold out
through the weekend.

“I was thrilled so many moviegoers took advantage

of the original IMAX experience of‘Interstellar’this
weekend,”Nolan said in a statement.

The biggest of the many newcomers was

the Indian action pic “Pushpa: The Rule –
Part 2,” which earned $4.9 million. Sony and
Crunchyroll’s anime release, “Solo Leveling –
ReAwakening,” made $2.4 million. Fathom also
released pop duo for KING + COUNTRY’s “A
Drummer Boy Christmas” concert in theaters
where it made $2.1 million.

“It’s a really diverse marketplace,”

Dergarabedian said. “There’s event cinema,

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international cinema, a re-release of a 10-year-
old film. It’s easily one of the most eclectic and
interesting lineups I’ve ever seen.”

Next weekend theaters are in for another influx

of bigger movies, with both Sony’s comic book
film “Kraven the Hunter” and the animated
“The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim”
opening in wide release. Awards contenders
“Nickel Boys” and “September 5” will also open
in a limited number of theaters.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through

Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters,
according to Comscore. Final domestic figures
will be released Monday.

1. “Moana 2,” $52 million.

2. “Wicked,” $34.9 million.

3. “Gladiator II,” $12.5 million

4. “Red One,” $7 million.

5. “Pushpa: The Rule – Part 2,” $4.9 million.

6. “Interstellar” re-release, $4.4 million.

7. “Solo Leveling – ReAwakening,” $2.4 million.

8. “Y2K,” $2.1 million.

9. “for KING + COUNTRY’S: A Drummer Boy

Christmas,” $2.1 million.

10. “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” $1.5 million.

100
Moana 2 | Official Trailer

101
CHINA’S BAN ON
KEY HIGH-TECH
MATERIALS
COULD HAVE
BROAD IMPACT
ON INDUSTRIES,
ECONOMY

104
105
China has banned exports of key materials
used to make a wide range of products,
including smartphones, electric vehicles, radar
systems and CT scanners, swiping back at
Washington after it expanded export controls
to include dozens of Chinese companies that
make equipment used to produce advanced
computer chips.

Both sides say their controls are justified by

national security concerns and both accuse
the other of “weaponizing” trade. Analysts say
the latest restrictions could have a wide impact
on manufacturing in many industries and
supply chains.

“Critical mineral security is now intrinsically

linked to the escalating tech trade war,” Gracelin
Baskaran and Meredith Schwartz of the Center
for Strategic International Studies, wrote in a
report on Beijing’s decision.

The full impact will depend partly on whether

U.S. industries can compensate for any loss of
access to the strategically important materials,
equipment and components.

Here’s why this could be a tipping point in trade

conflict between the two biggest economies,
coming at a time when antagonisms already were
expected to heat up once President-elect Donald
Trump takes office, given his vows to hike tariffs
on imports of Chinese-made products.

106
Image: Nicolas Asfouri
107
108
 WHAT DID CHINA DO AND WHY?
China has banned, in principle, exports to
the United States of gallium, germanium and
antimony — critical minerals needed to make
advanced semiconductors, among many other
types of equipment. Beijing also tightened
controls on exports of graphite, which is used
in EV and grid-storage batteries. China is the
largest source for most of these materials and
also dominates refining of those materials,
which are used both for consumer goods and
for military purposes.

The limits announced last week also include

exports of super-hard materials, such as
diamonds and other synthetic materials that are
not compressible and extremely dense. They are
used in many industrial areas such as cutting
tools, disc brakes and protective coatings.

Next on the list of potential bans, experts say:

tungsten, magnesium and aluminum alloys.

Image: Ng Han Guan

109
WHAT DID THE US DO AND WHY?
The Chinese Commerce Ministry announced
its measures after the U.S. government
ordered a slew of new measures meant to
prevent sales to China of certain types of
advanced semiconductors and the tools and
software needed to make them. Washington
also expanded its “entity list” of companies
facing strict export controls to include 140
more companies, nearly all of them based in
China or Chinese-owned.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said the

revised rules were intended to impair China’s
ability to use advanced technologies that “pose
a risk to our national security.” The updated
regulations also limit exports to China of high-
bandwidth memory chips that are needed to
process massive amounts of data in advanced
applications such as artificial intelligence.

Export licenses will likely be denied for any

U.S. company trying to do business with the
140 companies newly added to the “entity list,”
as well as the dozens of others already on the
list. The aim, officials said, is to stop Chinese
companies from leveraging U.S. technology to
make their own semiconductors.

The Biden administration has been expanding

the number of companies affected by
such export controls while encouraging
an expansion of investments in and
manufacturing of semiconductors in the U.S.
and other Western countries.

Washington also extended the restrictions on

exports of advanced semiconductor technology
to companies in other countries, though it
excluded companies in key allies like Japan,

110
Image: James Park
111
South Korea and the Netherlands that are
thought to have adequate export controls of
their own.

HOW IMPORTANT ARE

THOSE MATERIALS?
In a word: very. For the U.S., Japan, South
Korea, Taiwan and other producers of
advanced technology and components,
access to materials with such properties
as high conductivity is crucial: gallium and
germanium increasingly are used in advanced
semiconductors in place of silicon.

The materials subject to Chinese export

controls are among 50 the United States
Geologic Survey has designated as “critical
minerals” — non-fuel minerals essential to U.S.
economic or national security that have supply
chains vulnerable to disruption.

Gallium topped that list. It is needed to make

the same high-bandwidth memory chips the
U.S. wants to avoid allowing China to access
for use in artificial intelligence and defense
applications. It’s used to make LEDs, lasers and
magnets used in many products. Germanium
is used for optical fiber and solar panels,
among other uses.

A USGS study recently estimated the likely

total cost to the U.S. economy from disruptions
to supplies of gallium and germanium alone
at more than $3 billion. But the situation
is complicated. China imposed licensing
requirements on exports of both metals in
July 2023. It has not exported either to the U.S.
this year, according to Chinese customs data.
Antimony exports also have plunged.

112
113
 Image: James Park
114
China produces the lion’s share of most critical
minerals, but there are alternatives. Japan also
imports nearly all of its gallium, for example, but
it also extracts it by recycling scrap metal.

Washington has been moving to tap sources

other than China, forming a “Minerals Security
Partnership” with the EU and 15 other countries.
President Joe Biden’s visit to Africa highlighted
that effort. Potential supply disruptions also have
spurred efforts to tap U.S. deposits of rare earths
and other critical materials in southeastern
Wyoming, Montana, Nevada, Minnesota and
parts of the American Southwest.

Germanium has been extracted from zinc

mined in Alaska and Tennessee and the U.S.
government has a stockpile. The Department
of Defense has a recycling program that can
extract scrap germanium from night vision
lenses and tank turret windows.

But China’s dominance as a supplier gives it

an overwhelming cost advantage, and U.S.
resource companies face strong pressures over
the potential environmental impact of mines
and refineries.

115
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WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN NEXT?
Since then-President Trump launched a trade
war against Beijing that has ramped up over
time, China has adopted a relatively constrained
and cautious approach in responding to the U.S.
limits on access to advanced technology.

Much depends on the future course of

overall relations. It is unclear if Trump will
follow through on his vows to push tariffs
sharply higher once he takes office or if such
declarations are the opening gambits in future
trade negotiations.

China hit back with its own tariff hikes, but

excluded many items crucial for its own
economy. It sanctioned certain companies,
especially defense contractors doing business
with Taiwan, but refrained from outright bans
on exports of vital materials to the U.S.

This time may be different.

Just after China’s Commerce Ministry

announced its export ban, various Chinese
industry associations including automakers
and the China Semiconductor Association
issued statements denouncing Washington’s
moves to curb access to strategically sensitive
technologies and declaring that U.S. computer
chips are unreliable.

Beijing’s announcement also extends

its ban on exporting Chinese-produced gallium
and other critical minerals to the U.S. to apply to
all countries, entities and individuals,
saying violators will “be held accountable
according to law.”

117
 FROM ‘LOVE
ACTUALLY’ TO
‘BLACK DOVES’
WITH BEN
WHISHAW, KEIRA
KNIGHTLEY HAS
YOUR CHRISTMAS
COVERED

120
121
Keira Knightley starred in one of the most
popular Christmas films of the 21st century, the
2003 romantic comedy “Love Actually.” Her new
Netflix series “Black Doves” is also set during the
holidays, but in this, she plays a spy alongside
Ben Whishaw’s assassin. Knightley says the
show falls under the “Die Hard” category of
Christmas fare.

“It’s like, ‘I’ve spent too much time with

my family, I hate them all, I need to watch
something blow up,’” Knightley said during
a recent interview alongside Whishaw. “If
you’re having a nice time, you can watch
‘Love Actually.’ And if you’re feeling quite
cross, you can watch ‘Black Doves.’ Christmas
entertainment is provided. You’re welcome!”

Knightley’s character Helen is a spy for a

secret agency called Black Doves, which has
no alliances but is contracted by the highest
bidder. When Helen’s lover is murdered, an old
friend, Sam (played by Whishaw), who calls
himself a “trigger man,” is brought in to protect
her. He also vows to help Helen get revenge.

“It’s appealing to do something you’ve never

done before,” said Whishaw. “I felt like the
character had this sort of core truth, even
though they all are in a quite heightened world
where it is possible to be sort of blasted out of
a five-story building and not get a scratch.”

Knightley also found something relatable

about her character — everyone has
different sides of themselves that they show
to different people.

“I have two kids. My identity as a mother is

very big, but I also hold quite contradictory
identities within myself, which are also true

122
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 Black Doves | Official Trailer | Netflix

124
but don’t necessarily exist at the same time
as I am being a mother,” she said.

She also loved that Sam and Helen’s friendship

is “between these two very strange characters,”
said Knightley. “They can’t be themselves with
anybody else in the world, but they can be their
whole selves with each other.”

The roles on the show are atypical for a spy

series. Sam and Helen report to a woman
as their stoic spy director, played by Sarah
Lancashire. Women were also cast to play the
heads of crime syndicates. Sam is a lethal killer
who happens to be gay.

“It’s always more interesting doing things

which are less expected,” said the show’s
creator Joe Barton of his casting choices.

The job gave Whishaw the opportunity to learn

stunts and appear in action sequences which
he found “frightening” in the beginning.

“I hadn’t done that sort of stuff before. And I

guess if I’m honest, I am very slightly built and
I feel like (action) is the territory or the terrain
of like, big blokes. I had to really get over
something in myself but I’m pleased I did.”

125
126
 FORTNITE
PLAYERS
‘TRICKED’ INTO
UNWANTED
PURCHASES ARE
STARTING TO GET
REFUNDS. HERE’S
HOW TO APPLY

127
128
U.S. consumers who were “tricked” into purchases
they didn’t want from Fortnite maker Epic Games
are now starting to receive refund checks, the
Federal Trade Commission said this week.

Back in 2022, Epic agreed to pay a total of $520

million to settle complaints revolving around
children’s privacy and payment methods on its
popular Fortnite game. The FTC alleged the video
game giant used deceptive online design tactics
to trick Fortnite players, including children, into
making unintended purchases “based on the
press of a single button.”

Consumers could be charged while doing

something as simple as attempting the wake
the game from sleep mode, for example, or
by pressing a nearby button when trying to
preview an item, the agency said. The FTC
also accused Epic of blocking some users
who disputed the charges from accessing the
content they purchased.

Beyond a $275 million fine related to collecting

personal information on players under the age
of 13, the settlement included $245 million in
customer refunds. Now, the first batch of those
refunds are being sent out.

This week, the FTC announced it was sending

over 629,00 payments to eligible customers who
submitted claims. About half of those refunds
are PayPal payments, which should be redeemed
within 30 days, and the rest are checks, which
should be cashed within 90 days.

The average refund is about $114, the FTC noted.

This first round of payments amounts to a total of
more than $72 million, according to the agency —
leaving about $173 million left to be distributed.

129
130
Impacted consumers can still apply for a refund
online. People who are eligible for these payouts
include Fortnite players who were charged in-
game currency for items they didn’t want or saw
their account locked after complaining to a credit
card company about wrongful charges between
January 2017 and September 2022 — as well as
parents whose child made charges on their credit
cards without their knowledge from January 2018
through November 2018.

You can learn more about applying for a refund on

the FTC’s website. The deadline for submitting a
claim is January 10, 2025.

At the time the settlement was announced

in December 2022, Epic said it accepted the
agreement because it wanted “to be at the
forefront of consumer protection and provide
the best experience for our players.” The Cary,
North Carolina-based added that it was already
rolling out changes “to ensure our ecosystem
meets the expectations of our players and
regulators, which we hope will be a helpful
guide for others in our industry.”

131
BOEING LAYS
OFF HUNDREDS
IN WASHINGTON
AND CALIFORNIA
AS PART OF CUTS
ANNOUNCED
PREVIOUSLY

Boeing has laid off hundreds of additional

employees in Washington state and California as
part of planned cuts that will eventually reduce
the company’s workforce by about 17,000.

Nearly 400 Boeing employees were laid off

in Washington state and more than 500 in
California, news outlets reported this week.

The aerospace giant announced previously

it would reduce its workforce by 10% in the
coming months as it tries to recover from
financial and regulatory troubles and a strike by
its machinists that lasted almost two months.

132
133
134
135
CEO Kelly Ortberg has said the strike did not
cause the layoffs, which he said was the result
of overstaffing.

In November, the company started notifying

workers who would be laid off. Notices filed
with state employment agencies showed the
first round of cuts impacted about 3,500 people
around the country, The Seattle Times reported.

Those cuts touched people in roles from

engineers to recruiters to analysts and impacted
Boeing’s commercial, defense and global
services divisions.

Boeing has said most laid-off employees remain

on payroll for about two months and will receive
severance pay, career transition services and
subsidized health insurance benefits for up to
three months.

“As announced in early October, we are

adjusting our workforce levels to align with
our financial reality and a more focused set of
priorities,” Boeing spokespeople have said about
the layoffs.

Boeing, based in Arlington, Virginia, has been

in financial trouble since two crashes of its 737
Max jetliner killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019.
The company’s fortunes and reputation took
an additional hit when a panel blew off the
fuselage of an Alaska Airlines plane in January.

136
137
BILLIONAIRE
WHO PERFORMED
THE FIRST PRIVATE
SPACEWALK IS
TRUMP’S PICK
TO LEAD NASA

138
Image: Patrick T. Fallon
139
A tech billionaire who bought a series of
spaceflights from Elon Musk’s SpaceX and
conducted the first private spacewalk was
nominated by President-elect Donald Trump
to lead NASA.

Jared Isaacman, 41, CEO and founder of a credit

card-processing company, has been a close
collaborator with Musk ever since buying his
first chartered flight with SpaceX. He took along
contest winners on that 2021 trip and followed
it in September with a flight where he briefly
popped out the hatch to test SpaceX’s new
spacewalking suits.

If confirmed, Isaacman will replace Bill Nelson,

82, a former Democratic senator from Florida
who was nominated by President Joe Biden.
Nelson flew aboard space shuttle Columbia in
1986 – on the flight right before the Challenger
disaster — while a congressman.

140
141
 Image: Jonathan Newton
142
Isaacman said he was honored to be
nominated and would be “grateful to serve.”
“Having been fortunate to see our amazing
planet from space, I am passionate about
America leading the most incredible adventure
in human history,” he said via X.

During Nelson’s tenure, NASA picked up steam

in its effort to return astronauts to the moon. This
next-generation Apollo program — named after
Apollo’s mythological twin sister Artemis — plans
to send four astronauts around the moon as soon
as next year. The first moon landing in more than
half a century would follow.

NASA is counting on SpaceX to get astronauts to

the lunar surface via Starship, the mega rocket
launching out of Texas on test flights.

The space agency already relies on SpaceX to fly

astronauts to and from the International Space
Station along with supply runs. Boeing launched
its first crew for NASA in June, but the Starliner
capsule encountered so many problems that
the two test pilots ended up stuck at the space
station. They’ll catch a ride home with SpaceX in
February, after more than eight months in orbit.
Their mission should have lasted eight days.

143
144
 Also on NASA’s plate right now: exploring the
solar system. Robotic missions to the moon and
beyond continues with a NASA spacecraft en
route to Jupiter’s watery moon Europa and the
Mars rover Perseverance collecting more rock
and dirt samples.

Facing tight budgets, NASA is seeking a quicker,

cheaper way of getting these Martian samples to
Earth than the original plan, which had swollen
to $11 billion with nothing arriving before 2040.
As with human spaceflight, NASA has turned to
industry and others for ideas and help.

Musk congratulated Isaacman via X, describing

him as a man of “high ability and integrity.”

The fighter jet-piloting Isaacman, whose call

name is Rook, short for rookie, has described
himself as a “space geek” since kindergarten. He
dropped out of high school when he was 16,
got a GED certificate and started a business in
his parents’ basement that became the genesis
for Shift4. His business is based in eastern
Pennsylvania, where he lives with his wife and
their two young daughters.

He set a speed record flying around the

world in 2009 while raising money for the
Make-A-Wish program, and later established
Draken International, the world’s largest
private fleet of fighter jets.

Isaacman has reserved two more flights with

SpaceX, including a trip leading Starship’s first
crew into orbit around Earth.

Image: Chris Unger

145
NASA PUSHES
BACK ASTRONAUT
FLIGHTS TO THE
MOON AGAIN

NASA announced more delays in sending

astronauts back to the moon more than 50 years
after Apollo.

Administrator Bill Nelson said the next mission

in the Artemis program -- flying four astronauts
around the moon and back – is now targeted
for April 2026. It had been on the books for
September 2025, after slipping from this year.

The investigation into heat shield damage from

the capsule’s initial test flight two years ago
took time, officials said, and other spacecraft
improvements are still needed.

146
147
This bumps the third Artemis mission — a moon
landing by two other astronauts — to at least
2027. NASA had been aiming for 2026.

NASA’s Artemis program, a follow-up to the

Apollo moonshots of the late 1960s and early
1970s, has completed only one mission. An
empty Orion capsule circled the moon in 2022
after blasting off on NASA’s new Space Launch
System rocket.

Although the launch and lunar laps went well,

the capsule returned with an excessively charred
and eroded bottom heat shield, damaged from
the heat of reentry. It took until recently for
engineers to pinpoint the cause and come up
with a plan.

NASA will use the Orion capsule with its

original heat shield for the next flight with four
astronauts, according to Nelson, but make
changes to the reentry path at flight’s end. To
rip off and replace the heat shield would have
meant at least a full year’s delay and stalled the
moon landing even further, officials said.

During the flight test, NASA had the capsule dip

in and out of the atmosphere during reentry,
and gases built up in the heat shield’s outer
layer, officials said. That resulted in cracking and
uneven shedding of the outer material.

The commander of the lunar fly-around,

astronaut Reid Wiseman, took part in the
news conference at NASA headquarters in
Washington. His crew includes NASA astronauts
Victor Glover and Christina Koch and Canadian
astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

“Delays are agonizing and slowing down is

agonizing and it’s not what we like to do,”
Wiseman said. But he said he and his crew

148
149
150
wanted the heat shield damage from the first
flight to be fully understood, regardless of how
long it took. Now they can focus with this “large
decision behind us.”

Twenty-four astronauts flew to the moon during

NASA’s vaulted Apollo program, with 12 landing
on it. The final bootprints in the lunar dust were
made during Apollo 17 in December 1972.

Nelson said the revised schedule should still

have the United States getting astronauts back
on the lunar surface before China, which has
indicated 2030 for a crew moon landing.

The space agency has put all the Artemis

contractors, including Elon Musk’s SpaceX, on
notice to “double-down” to meet the schedule
deadlines, according to Nelson. SpaceX’s mega
rocket Starship — making test flights from Texas
with increasing frequency — is how astronauts
will get from the Orion capsule in lunar orbit
down to the surface on the first two Artemis
moon landings.

Nelson said he’s already called Jared Isaacman,

the SpaceX-flying billionaire nominated by
Trump to lead NASA, and invited him to NASA
headquarters in Washington.

151
 Saturday Night Live - Paul Mescal

152
 GIVE THE WORLD AWAY
Yellowstone

COUNTING COUP
Yellowstone

THREE FIFTY-THREE
Yellowstone

THE APOCALYPSE OF CHANGE

Yellowstone

DESIRE IS ALL YOU NEED

Yellowstone

PAUL MESCAL - DECEMBER 7, 2024

Saturday Night Live

THINKING THIN ERA

The Challenge

DEENA’S FAMILY VACATION

Jersey Shore: Family Vacation

LIFE’S A BEACH
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

CHAPTER ONE: GET SOME THEN

Wayne

153
 Brandon Sanderson

154
 WIND AND TRUTH
Brandon Sanderson

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS

Denise Grover Swank

THE PERFECT CRIME...

Blake Pierce

THE BRIAR CLUB

Kate Quinn

THE WITNESS
Sandra Brown

FORMULA FLING
Sawyer Bennett

THE HOUSE OF CROSS

James Patterson

THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS

Leeanna Morgan

TO DIE FOR
David Baldacci

TOM CLANCY DEFENSE PROTOCOL

Brian Andrews & Jeffrey Wilson

155
 Kelly Clarkson

156
 MAYBE THIS CHRISTMAS
Michael Bublé & Carly Pearce

ROCKIN’ AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE

Brenda Lee

A HOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS...

Burl Ives

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU

Mariah Carey

LAST CHRISTMAS (SINGLE VERSION)

Wham!

UNDERNEATH THE TREE

Kelly Clarkson

MERRY CHRISTMAS
Ed Sheeran & Elton John

GRANDMA GOT RUN OVER BY A REINDEER

Dr. Elmo

FELIZ NAVIDAD
José Feliciano

WHITE CHRISTMAS
V & Bing Crosby

157
 Michael Bublé

158
 A DRUMMER BOY CHRISTMAS +
for KING & COUNTRY

CHRISTMAS
Michael Bublé

A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS...

Vince Guaraldi Trio

WHEN CHRISTMAS COMES AROUND…

Kelly Clarkson

NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL MUSIC....

Various Artists

A DRUMMER BOY CHRISTMAS (LIVE)...

for KING & COUNTRY

THAT’S CHRISTMAS TO ME
Pentatonix

THE ESSENTIAL NOW THAT’S WHAT I...

Various Artists

THE CHRISTMAS SONG (EXPANDED...

Nat “King” Cole

TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS CLASSICS

Various Artists

159
 ROSÉ

160
 WHITE CHRISTMAS
V & Bing Crosby

WHITE CHRISTMAS
V & Bing Crosby

TOXIC TILL THE END

ROSÉ

ALL MY LOVE (DIRECTORS’ CUT)

Coldplay

APT.
ROSÉ & Bruno Mars

THE SOUND OF SILENCE

Disturbed

MAYBE THIS CHRISTMAS

Michael Bublé & Carly Pearce

BALLOONERISM TRAILER
Mac Miller

SQUABBLE UP
Kendrick Lamar

HE HAS DONE GREAT THINGS

Bethel Music & Brian Johnson

161
META
SHAREHOLDERS
SEEK SANCTIONS
FOR SANDBERG,
ZIENTS FOR
DELETING
CAMBRIDGE
ANALYTICA
EMAILS

Attorneys for Meta shareholders asked a

Delaware judge this week to sanction the
company’s former Chief Operating Officer Sheryl
Sandberg and fellow Facebook board member
and current White House chief of staff Jeff Zients
for deleting emails related to the Cambridge
Analytica privacy scandal, despite being told to
preserve such records.

The plaintiff attorneys contend that Sandberg

and Zients used personal email accounts to
communicate about key issues relating to their

162
163
2018 shareholder lawsuit that alleged Facebook
officers and directors violated both the law
and their fiduciary duties in failing for years to
protect the privacy of user data.

“Although Sandberg and Zients received a

litigation hold requiring them to preserve
documents from these accounts, they both
knowingly and permanently destroyed
electronically stored information from such
sources,” attorneys said in a court filing.

The plaintiffs say the former board members

were either “reckless or intentional” in destroying
documents, noting that Sandberg deleted
communications to and from her Gmail account
after only 30 days, even after being notified of
the “litigation hold” to preserve documents.
Zients never disabled an auto-delete function
on his email account, even though he, too,
received a litigation hold and consulted with
lawyers, they said.

The plaintiffs argue that Sandberg and Zients

should be prohibited from testifying about
information they sent or received using their
personal email accounts. They also say the
burden of proof for any affirmative defense they
present should be raised to a standard of “clear
and convincing evidence,” instead of the lower
standard of a “preponderance” of the evidence.

Sandberg was deposed last week. Plaintiff

attorney Max Huffman said Zients is “busy” and
will be deposed in February “after there’s an
effective transition in Washington.”

Defense attorney Berton Ashman described the

email deletions as “unfortunate” but argued that
the plaintiffs have not shown that they were
prejudiced in any way.

164
165
166
“There’s no intent here to destroy relevant or
responsive information,” Ashman told Vice
Chancellor J. Travis Laster, adding that there no
“trove of missing emails.”

“There’s no grand scheme or suggestion of bad

behavior,” he added.

Ashman said the vast majority of emails that

Sandberg and Zients sent or received using their
personal accounts were also received by other
individuals at Facebook. He suggested that
any emails that may have been deleted have
been made available to the plaintiffs from other
sources at Facebook.

Huffman, the plaintiffs’ lawyer, said Sandberg

does not deserve the benefit of the doubt.

“She unilaterally controlled what was kept and

what was destroyed,” he told the judge.

Laster, who is scheduled to preside over a

non-jury trial in April, said he wanted to see a
transcript of Sandberg’s deposition before ruling
on the motion for sanctions.

Last year, the judge rejected a defense motion

arguing that the lawsuit should be dismissed
because the plaintiffs did not first demand
that Facebook’s board take legal action before
filing litigation themselves. He agreed with
the plaintiffs that such a demand would have
been futile because of doubts that a majority
of the relevant Facebook board members,
many with close personal and business ties to
Mark Zuckerberg, would be willing to confront
the CEO and founder of the company over its
privacy failures.

167
Laster noted that, in deciding on a motion
to dismiss, he was required to accept the
allegations in the complaint as true.

The complaint alleges that Facebook officials

repeatedly and continually violated a
2012 consent order with the Federal Trade
Commission under which Facebook agreed
to stop collecting and sharing personal
data on platform users and friends without
their consent.

Facebook later sold user data to commercial

partners in direct violation of the consent order
and removed disclosures from privacy settings
that were required under consent order, the
lawsuit alleges. The company’s conduct resulted
in significant fines from regulators in Europe and
culminated in the Cambridge Analytica scandal
in 2018. That case involved a British political
consulting firm hired by Donald Trump’s 2016
presidential campaign that paid a Facebook app
developer for the personal information of tens of
millions Facebook users.

The fallout led to Facebook agreeing to pay

unprecedented $5 billion penalty to settle FTC
charges that the company violated the 2012
consent order by deceiving users about their
ability to protect their personal information.

168
169
 Image: Graeme Sloan
170
 TIKTOK ASKS
FEDERAL APPEALS
COURT TO BAR
ENFORCEMENT OF
POTENTIAL BAN
UNTIL SUPREME
COURT REVIEW

171
TikTok asked a federal appeals court on Monday
to bar the Biden administration from enforcing
a law that could lead to a ban on the popular
platform until the Supreme Court reviews its
challenge to the statute.

The legal filing was made after a panel

of three judges on the same court sided with
the government last week and ruled that
the law, which requires TikTok’s China-based
parent company ByteDance to divest its
stakes in the social media company or face
a ban, was constitutional.

If the law is not overturned, both TikTok and its

parent ByteDance, which is also a plaintiff in the
case, have claimed that the popular app will
shut down by Jan. 19, 2025. TikTok has more
than 170 million American users who would be
affected, the companies have said.

172
173
In their legal filing on Monday, attorneys for the
two companies wrote that even if a shutdown
lasted one month, it would cause TikTok to lose
about a third of its daily users in the U.S.

The company would also lose 29% of its total

“targeted global” advertising revenue for
next year as well as talent since current and
prospective employees would look elsewhere
for jobs, they wrote.

“Before that happens, the Supreme Court

should have an opportunity, as the only court
with appellate jurisdiction over this action, to
decide whether to review this exceptionally
important case,” the filing said.

It’s not clear if the Supreme Court will take up

the case. But some legal experts have said the
justices are likely to weigh in on the case since it
raises novel issues about social media platforms
and how far the government could go in its
stated aims of protecting national security.

174
Image: Sergei Elagin
175
 Image: Anna Moneymaker
176
President-elect Donald Trump, who tried to ban
TikTok the last time he was in the White House,
has said he is now against such action.

In their legal filing, the two companies

pointed to the political realities, saying that an
injunction would provide a “modest delay” that
would give “the incoming Administration time
to determine its position — which could moot
both the impending harms and the need for
Supreme Court review.”

Attorneys for the two companies are asking the

appeals court to decide on the request for an
enforcement pause by Dec. 16. The Department
of Justice said in a court filing on Monday that
it will oppose the request. Justice officials also
suggested that an expedited decision denying
TikTok’s request would give the Supreme Court
more time to consider the case.

177
178
 CHINA’S CATL
FORMS JOINT
VENTURE WITH
STELLANTIS TO
BUILD ELECTRIC
VEHICLE BATTERY
FACTORY IN
SPAIN

179
Chinese electric battery company CATL
and automaker Stellantis will build a major
battery factory in northern Spain, the partners
announced this week.

They said the plant will be located in Zaragoza

and start producing lithium iron phosphate
batteries by the end of 2026.

The joint venture represents an investment

of 4.1 billion euros ($4.3 billion), they said in a
statement. The plant plans to be carbon neutral,
apparently by making use of Spain’s ample
supplies of solar, wind and water power.

The announcement comes after CATL and

Stellantis agreed in November 2023 to
collaborate on fabrication of batteries to help
build electric cars in Europe.

European carmakers are struggling to keep

up with their Chinese counterparts in electric
cars, a key pillar of the green transition that
the European Union is pursuing. The bloc’s 27
member states won’t be able to produce internal
combustion cars after 2035.

The EU, like the United States, is applying tariffs

on electric vehicles imported from China to help
protect domestic producers and encourage
Chinese carmakers to move production to
Europe and create local jobs.

CATL and other Chinese battery makers are far

ahead in the critical area of producing batteries
for electric vehicles. Northvolt, Europe’s great
hope for catching up, filed for bankruptcy last
month. CATL is already producing batteries
at two European factories in Germany
and Hungary.

180
181
182
The deal comes a day after Spanish Prime
Minister Pedro Sánchez met with CATL
Chairman Robin Zeng in Madrid. Spain produces
the second most cars in the EU after Germany.
Sánchez posted on X that he was “very satisfied”
when the deal was made official.

Spain’s Minister of Industry Jordi Hereu

applauded the announcement, which he said
received public funding from Europe’s post-
pandemic recovery plan that includes Spain’s
ambitious plan to shift to electric vehicles.

“We all have a lot riding on the transition

toward an electric transport model,” Hereu
told reporters. “Therefore we consider this
investment to be a great sign that the car
industry believes in Spain.”

Stellantis includes the Chrysler, Citroen, Dodge,

Jeep, Peugeot, Fiat, Opel and Alfa Romeo
brands, among others. In Spain, Stellantis group
has car factories in Zaragoza, Vigo and Madrid.

The production of electric vehicles in Spain has

risen from just 16,000 models in 2019 to 323,000
in 2023, but that is still 13% of the total output
of 2.4 million vehicles produced, according to
ANFAC, the Spanish Association of Automobile
and Truck Manufacturers. Germany, which is
now seeing layoffs in its car industry, led Europe
with 4.1 vehicles of all types produced in 2023,
ANFAC said.

Volkswagen Group, through its Spanish

affiliate SEAT, announced in 2022 its plans
to build an electric battery plant in Spain’s
eastern Valencia region.

183
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