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Chuck Todd Questions His Network, NBC News, Over Hiring of Former R.N.C. Chair None - The veteran NBC anchor Chuck Todd publicly attacked the leadership of his own network on Sunday, questioning why NBC News hired Ronna McDaniel, the former chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, and declaring live on air, “There’s a reason why there are a lot of journalists at NBC News uncomfortable with this.” Mr. Todd’s comments on “Meet the Press,” the flagship political show he anchored for nine years, were an extraordinary escalation of behind-the-scenes tensions simmering within NBC News and its cable cousin, MSNBC, since the announcement on Friday that Ms. McDaniel had been brought onboard as a political analyst. Some journalists at NBC were taken aback by the decision to hire Ms. McDaniel, citing her tenure at the R.N.C. under President Donald J. Trump, when she regularly echoed Mr. Trump’s criticisms of the news media and, in particular, the left-leaning programs on MSNBC. Rashida Jones, the MSNBC president, called several prominent anchors over the weekend to assure them they would not be forced to book Ms. McDaniel on their shows, according to two people briefed on the conversations who requested anonymity to share details meant to be private.
M.N. Attorney General: Right-wing approach to crime will 'bring us back to bad old days' None - M.N. Attorney General: Right-wing approach to crime will 'bring us back to bad old days' Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison joins the Rev. Al Sharpton to discuss the national decrease in crime since 2023, the AG's recent settlement with a negligent landlord in Minnesota and other news.March 24, 2024
Why Biden’s inner circle is defiantly optimistic on election outlook None - President Joe Biden has a number of accomplishments while in the Oval Office and his inner circle hopes they resonate with voters. Time Senior Correspondent Charlotte Alter and Former DNC Chairman Howard Dean talk with Alex Witt on why the campaign is optimistic.March 24, 2024
‘Don Porrleone!' Neal Katyal takes sledgehammer to Trump amid $464 million scramble None - Andrew Weissmann and Neal Katyal join Jen Psaki to discuss what we can expect to see if Donald Trump cannot pay his $464 million bond in the New York fraud case and Trump's claim that he has nearly $500 million in cash. They also discuss the latest developments in Trump's classified documents case and hush money case. March 24, 2024
Omarosa on Trump's Monday None - Donald Trump faces an over $400 million judgment for his civil fraud trial Monday while he’s in court with Stormy Daniels in his criminal hush money case. Former Senior Trump White House Official Omarosa Manigault Newman joins Alex Witt to discuss what can be expected on Trump’s busy day. March 24, 2024
Russia holds national day of mourning as death toll rises to 137 None - Russia is observing a national day of mourning two days after a deadly terrorist attack at a concert venue, which has left at least 137 people dead. NBC News’ Matt Bradley details the recovery efforts inside the devastated venue and Russian authorities’ investigation into the attack.March 24, 2024
Why Donald Trump would never file for bankruptcy None - Former President Donald Trump must post a $454 million bond in his N.Y. civil fraud trial by Monday. His lawyers argue he doesn’t have the money, but Trump says he has the cash. NYU law professor Andrew Weissmann and MSNBC political analyst Tim O’Brien join The Weekend to discuss the disconnect and why they believe he would never file for bankruptcy. March 24, 2024
Trump prepares for critical day in hush money hearing and $464 million bond deadline None - Tomorrow, Trump faces an important and costly deadline in his civil fraud case in New York. Meanwhile, Trump is traveling to New York for a hearing in the criminal case brought against him by the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Tomorrow’s hearing is going to help determine whether the trial can proceed in mid-April or if it warrants further delay. Molly Jong-Fast and Joyce Vance join Ali Velshi to discuss the crucial day for Donald Trump and why both could be significant for the future of his legal cases and shaping public opinion among voters.March 24, 2024
Stephen Breyer says he’d be ‘amazed’ if a Supreme Court justice was behind the Dobbs leak None - Stephen Breyer says he’d be ‘amazed’ if a Supreme Court justice was behind the Dobbs leak Former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer tells Kristen Welker he has his own “theories” about who leaked the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. March 24, 2024
NCAA enters into first NIL licensing deal allowing use of March Madness logo on Topps cards None - The NCAA entered into its first NIL licensing deal allowing the use of the March Madness logo to Topps trading cards featuring basketball stars Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Zach Edey and Tristen Newton The NCAA entered into its first NIL licensing deal allowing the use of the March Madness logo to Topps trading cards featuring basketball stars Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Zach Edey and Tristen Newton. Since NIL was deregulated in 2021, the NCAA has taken a conservative approach in finding deals, turning down a handful of companies. "There have been cases we’ve had to decline certain NIL opportunities because we weren’t comfortable doing it,” said NCAA managing director of championships, external relations, Chris Termini. Fanatics, which owns Topps and runs the NCAA.com shop, was sensitive to the organization's interests, specifically gender equity. “Student athletes are equally represented across men's and women's basketball, which was important to us and they were very understanding of that," Termini said. The eight-card packs that went on sale Monday have six base cards, one guaranteed autograph and one guaranteed parallel card. A few lucky fans could get a rare dual autograph card that might have Clark and Edey or the Iowa star and Reese. Those are in one of every 10 packs. “They had a rolodex of student athletes already licensed where they already had rights,” Termini said. “That made it relatively easy.” There is a chance that the card deal could be expanded to other sports down the road. “This is a shorter program, the 20 student athletes are licensed through Topps,” NCAA Director of Licensing David Clendenin said. “That made it a quicker process for approvals. We are having long-term conversations about basketball but also other opportunities with Topps. There might be larger program in the future where obviously we have a longer runway and we can go out and get, you know, opt-ins from schools or certain athletes." The packs, which have an expensive price tag of $140, have been selling well according to the NCAA. This wasn't the NCAA's first foray into trading cards as they had a deal with Upper Deck in 2014-15. Those cards, though, featured former players. There has definitely been a lot of interest in cards again. In January, a Clark card sold for $78,000, which made it the highest price for a women’s basketball player and the second most expensive ever for a female athlete trailing only Serena Williams. Topps has launched more than 120 Bowman U Now cards this season featuring student-athletes, including 61 cards featuring basketball players. Clark has 13 of her own. ___ AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket/ and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" is No. 1, Sydney Sweeney's 'Immaculate' lands in fourth None - NEW YORK -- Ghost busting is still a good business. “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” collected $45.2 million in ticket sales over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday, handing Sony Pictures the studio’s first No. 1 film since last summer. The opening weekend for “Frozen Empire,” in 4,345 theaters, was nearly exactly the same as the $44 million launch for “Ghostbusters: Afterlife" in 2021. “Afterlife” rebooted the franchise with a sequel built around the descendants (Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace) of Harold Ramis’ Egon Spengler, along with Paul Rudd’s seismologist Gary Grooberson. Neither film has been a hit with critics, but audiences have been more receptive. “Frozen Empire” garnered a B+ CinemaScore from moviegoers, a tick down from the A- score for “Afterlife.” “Frozen Empire” isn't assured of profitability, but it will hope for sustained business over spring break. “Ghostbusters” films tend to make a low impact internationally. In 25 overseas markets, “Frozen Empire” added $16.4 million. The latest “Ghostbusters” cost about $100 million to make. After Jason Reitman took over directing duties from his father, Ivan Reitman, to helm “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” “Frozen Empire” is directed by Gil Kenan, co-writer of “Afterlife.” Those two sequels took “Ghostbusters” in a more family-oriented, albeit PG-13 rated, direction, with original cast members Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and Bill Murray returning in supporting roles. After the 2016 female-led “Ghostbusters” prompted a backlash, Sony rebooted the franchise. The weekend’s other new wide release was “Immaculate,” the horror film starring Sydney Sweeney as an American nun at a remote Italian convent. The film, released by Neon following a premiere at SXSW, debuted with $5.4 million on 2,354 screens. Sweeney’s ascending star power helped make “Anyone But You” one of the most successful rom-coms in years. But “Immaculate,” an independent production that cost less than $10 million make, isn’t getting the same bounce. “The movie features the popular Sydney Sweeney, but horror movies are not cast-driven,” wrote David A. Gross for the consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research. “They’re driven by the hook: the evil doll, the wicked smile, the invisible or silent presence, the found footage, the possessed child. That’s what terrifies the horror crowd. The hook is not completely clear here.” The No. 2 spot went to “Dune: Part Two,” which continues to hold well. The Denis Villeneuve-directed sci-fi sequel starring Timothée Chalamet added $17.6 million in its fourth weekend of release, bringing the Warner Bros. release's domestic total to $233.4 million. Overseas sales are just as strong, adding up to a $574.4 million worldwide haul. After two weeks atop the box office, Universal's “Kung Fu Panda 4” slid to third place with $16.8 million over its third weekend. The well-performing DreamWorks animated sequel is up to $133.2 million domestic. It debuted with $25.7 million in China, where the movies have historically been popular. When the 2008 “Kung Fu Panda” was released, its success partly inspired China to expand its own film production. Estimated ticket sales are for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday. 1. “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” $45.2 million. 2. “Dune: Part Two," $17.6 million. 3. “Kung Fu Panda 4,” $16.8 million. 4. “Immaculate,” $5.4 million. 5. “Arthur the King,” $4.4 million. 6. “Late Night With the Devil,” $2.8 million. 7. “Imaginary,” $2.8 million. 8. “Love Lies Bleeding,” $1.6 million. 9. “Cabrini,” $1.4 million. 10. “Bob Marley: One Love,” $1.1 million. ___ Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP
Iran’s currency hits a record low None - Iran’s currency fell to a record low on Sunday, plunging to 613,500 to the dollar, as its people celebrated the Persian New Year TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran’s currency fell to a record low on Sunday, plunging to 613,500 to the dollar, as its people celebrated the Persian New Year. On Sunday, people were trying to exchange rials for foreign currency at Tehran's main hub of exchange shops in Ferdowsi Street, but most were closed due to the Nowruz holidays, which are run from March 20 to April 2. Mohsen, a 32-year-old employee at one of the exchange shops, said the holiday was contributing to the low prices, “The price is not real, the demand for purchasing dollars is very high, but there are just a few exchange shops open.” He and other Iranians spoke on condition their last names not be used, because of potential repercussions for speaking to foreign media about the country’s economic struggles. The two-week holiday is an opportunity to travel abroad, driving demand for U.S. dollars and Euros. Mojtaba, a 49-year-old father, was shocked: “The rial fell 5% compared to the last six days, while the whole country is on vacation!” Niloufar, 28-year-old wife and her husband Behzad, 30, said that they'd booked a weeklong tour of Turkey at a discount rate, but were now looking at spending as much as full-price tour. The exchange rate strongly affects other markets, including housing and rentals. The price was 590,000 to the dollar on March 18, the last workday before the holiday. Many Iranians have seen their life savings evaporate as the local currency has depreciated. Today, it's worth about one-twentieth as much as it was in 2015, when Iran signed a nuclear accord with world powers. Since then, it's fallen from 32,000 rials to the dollar to the hundreds of thousands. In February 2023, it briefly reached a nadir of 600,000 reals to the dollar, and since then has not risen above 439,000. The government's Statistics Center put the country’s inflation rate for Feb. 2024 at 42.5%, while Central Bank said it was more than 46%. There is no explanation for the discrepancy. Iran's relations with the west have been at exceptional lows since then-U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned a deal that called for the country to end its nuclear program in return for access to frozen funds and other benefits. President Joe Biden said he was willing to re-enter a nuclear deal with Iran, but formal talks to try to find a roadmap to restart the deal collapsed in August 2022. In the meantime, tensions in the Middle East have increased significantly, making nuclear diplomacy with Iran more complicated. Iran has further angered Western countries by supplying armed drones to Russia that have been used in its invasion of Ukraine. Dire economic conditions have contributed to widespread anger at the government in the past, but have also forced many Iranians to focus on putting food on the table rather than engaging in high-risk political activism amid a fierce crackdown on dissent. The rial's record low came less than a month after a parliamentary election that saw the lowest turnout since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, whose results were dominated by hard-line politicians. Hard-liners have controlled the parliament for the past two decades — with chants of “Death to America” often heard during its sessions.
Japan's coast guard says a South Korean chemical tanker has capsized off southwestern Japan and seven people are missing None - Japan's coast guard says a South Korean chemical tanker has capsized off southwestern Japan and seven people are missing Japan's coast guard says a South Korean chemical tanker has capsized off southwestern Japan and seven people are missing
Montenegro court confirms mogul known as 'cryptocurrency king' to be extradited to South Korea None - An appeals court in Montenegro has confirmed that cryptocurrency mogul Do Kwon will be handed over to his native South Korea Montenegro court confirms mogul known as 'cryptocurrency king' to be extradited to South Korea PODGORICA, Montenegro -- An appeals court in Montenegro on Wednesday confirmed that a South Korean mogul known as “the cryptocurrency king” will be handed over to his native country. Both South Korea and the U.S. had requested Do Kwon’s extradition from Montenegro. A Montenegrin court initially decided he should be handed over to the U.S. but that ruling was later overturned in favor of South Korea. The Appeals Court of Montenegro approved an earlier ruling by the High Court to extradite Kwon to South Korea rather than the United States, a statement said. He has no further avenues for appeal. Kwon was charged in the U.S. with fraud by federal prosecutors in New York. It was not immediately clear when Kwon would be handed over. Kwon's lawyer in Montenegro, Goran Rodic, said that “we are content with the decision of the Appeals Court.” “It is now a binding decision and the law envisages that further handover procedure will be handled by the justice ministries of Montenegro and South Korea, as well as the relevant police authorities who will determine the time, location and conditions of the handover,” Rodic told The Associated Press. The 32-year-old Kwon was arrested in the Balkan nation last year over a $40 billion crash of Terraform Labs’ cryptocurrency, which devastated retail investors around the world. Kwon and another South Korean were arrested while trying to depart for Dubai, United Arab Emirates, using fake Costa Rican passports. He has served a prison term in Montenegro for using a fake passport. Kwon and five others connected to Terraform had been wanted on allegations of fraud and financial crimes in relation to the implosion of its digital currencies in May 2022. TerraUSD was designed as a “stablecoin,” a currency which is pegged to stable assets like the dollar to prevent drastic fluctuations in prices. However, around $40 billion in market value was erased for the holders of TerraUSD and its floating sister currency, Luna, after the stablecoin plunged far below its $1 peg.
Chipotle's board has approved a 50-for-1 stock split. Here's what that means None - NEW YORK -- In a rare move on Wall Street, Chipotle Mexican Grill's board has approved a 50-for-1 stock split. In an announcement Tuesday, the burrito chain lauded the proposed split as one of the biggest in New York Stock Exchange history — while noting it believed the move would also boost accessibility of the company's stock. “This is the first stock split in Chipotle’s 30-year history, and we believe this will make our stock more accessible to employees as well as a broader range of investors,” Jack Hartung, Chipotle's chief financial and administrative officer, said in a prepared statement. But despite approval from its board of directors, the split isn't set in stone just yet. Chipotle still needs the greenlight from shareholders, which is expected in June. Here's what you need to know. A stock split is when a company increases its number of outstanding shares. That changes the price per share, but not the overall value of shareholders' holdings. In Chipotle's case, the board has approved a 50-for-1 stock split — meaning each Chipotle share is set to be split into 50 smaller shares. If that split was done today, the price of Chipotle's stock, which stood at around $2,900 midday Wednesday, would soon cost just $58. Howard Silverblatt, senior index analyst at S & P Dow Jones Indices, notes this is “partially psychological," with companies turning to stock splits in hopes of lowering high prices that may intimidate investors. On the other end of the spectrum, there are also reverse stock splits — which increases price per share, but again doesn't change value of those holdings. Silverblatt added that stock splits overall were much more common decades ago — but such occurrences have since declined as companies became “more comfortable with letting the stock price go higher." Last year, for example, there were four recorded stock splits in the benchmark S & P 500 index, he said, compared to hundreds seen 20 or 30 years ago. The most common stock splits are typically smaller ratios like 2-for-1 or 3-for-1 — making Chipotle's proposed 50-for-1 move pretty rare in U.S. stock history. “In the 47 years that I’ve been at S & P, we have never seen anything like this,” Silverblatt said following Chipotle's announcement Wednesday, noting that a split this large is uncommon for an ongoing company that's not under any duress or litigation. “Something this size is extremely unusual." While there are few similar examples, other big S & P 500 names that have made sizeable splits in recent years include Google's parent company Alphabet and Amazon — which each unveiled 20-for-1 splits in 2022. Outside of the U.S., South Korea-based Samsung announced a 50-for-1 split back in 2018. With the potential of a cheaper going price for a share of Chipotle stock, the fast food chain believes a 50-for-1 split would increase accessibility and open up a wider pool of investors. Tuesday's news from Chipotle also arrives of the heels of months of building gains. Shares for Chipotle are up more than 80% than they were one year ago. “This split comes at a time when our stock is experiencing an all-time high driven by record revenues, profits, and growth,” Hartung stated. Last month, Chipotle reported net income of $1.23 billion, or $44.34 per share, for 2023 — up from $899.1 million seen the year prior. Total revenue hit $9.87 billion, up 14.5% from 2022. Although Chipotle's board has approved this stock split, it isn't a done deal yet. The company plans to seek shareholder approval on June 6. If the split is approved, shareholders of record as of June 18 will receive 49 additional shares for each share they hold — set to be distributed after market close on June 25, Chipotle said. Those shares are expected to begin trading post-split on June 26. Shares of Newport Beach, California-based Chipotle were up 3.7% in midday trading Wednesday. Earlier the stock set an all-time high just over $3,023.
How did Australia's housing market get so bad, and is it all negative gearing's fault? – video None - There’s a lot of debate about why and how Australia’s housing market became the garbage fire it is today, with many accusations being hurled at one particular suspect: negative gearing. But while negative gearing is certainly a factor, it doesn't deserve all the blame. The Guardian's Matilda Boseley explains that, when it comes to the country's housing crisis, negative gearing is just the garbage, which needed a lit match to set it alight
Who screwed millennials out of affordable housing? - podcast None - How did the government set fire to the Australian housing market? Jane Lee and Matilda Boseley look at how the threat of a communist uprising, a benign sounding tax review and one prime minister’s admiration for two world leaders changed the lives of young Australians How to listen to podcasts: everything you need to know
‘Absolute gross miscarriage of justice’: Trump bond lowered by $289 million with more time None - ‘Absolute gross miscarriage of justice’: Trump bond lowered by $289 million with more time A New York state appeals court is allowing former President Trump to post a smaller bond of $175 million within 10 days in. Civil rights attorney David Henderson and former New York Assistant Attorney General Tristan Snell have the latest updates.March 25, 2024
Nicolle Wallace on Trump: He lied about his wealth, he lied about his sex life None - Lisa Rubin, MSNBC Legal Analyst, Harry Litman, former U.S. Attorney, David Jolly, former Congressman from Florida, and Susanne Craig, New York Times Investigative Reporter joins Nicolle Wallace on Deadline White House to discuss the upcoming hush money trial involving Donald Trump and how the case is set to inform the American public about all of the lies upheld by Trump and his enablers to keep up the façade that he was a successful honorable person. March 25, 2024
'No reason why' appeals court reduced Trump bond to $175m: Sue Craig None - 'No reason why' appeals court reduced Trump bond to $175m: Sue Craig A New York appeals court reduced former President Trump's bond to $175 million in his civil fraud case. New York Times' Sue Craig, former Assistant Manhattan District Attorney Catherine Christian and MSNBC national correspondent Yasmin Vossoughian weigh in.March 25, 2024