The safety of TikTok users “is at the core of the platform”, one of the social media giant’s executives has said as it announced 175 million people now use the platform each month. Christine Grahn, TikTok’s head of European public policy, said users needed to feel safe in order to properly use a platform, and this was a key factor for the company. She was speaking as the shortform video giant held its European Safety Forum in Dublin , where the company discussed upcoming new safety features, including looking into ways of using new machine learning technology to better spot under-13s trying to join the service, and announced plans to add more age restrictions to some facial effects and provide more information to younger users on how an effect might alter their appearance if applied. “If people don’t feel safe, they are not going to bring their authentic selves to the platform and express themselves, and that means that we don’t have the platform that we’re hoping to create,” Ms Grahn told the PA news agency. “In order for us to achieve the best result, which is, at the end of the day, safety for our users, we have everything to gain from working with partners of various sorts. “We adapt our products based on the research that comes out of that work, and we also work with academic partners to integrate their experience. “The end result is going to be so much better if we work together as a society to address societal issues rather than trying to do so in silos.” Richard Collard, associate head of policy for child safety online at the NSPCC, said it was “encouraging” to see TikTok looking to tackle age-related online safety issues. “Given the well documented risks and harmful content that proliferates on some social media platforms, it’s vital that tech companies do everything in their power to ensure the youngest children are not accessing their sites,” he said. “However, age limits only work if they are meaningfully enforced. It’s encouraging to see TikTok recognising this challenge and taking responsibility by using technology to help them uphold their own terms and conditions and keep children safer. “This is just the tip of the iceberg. Other social media sites must step up and find effective ways to assess the ages of their users. “Ofcom and the Government also have an important role to play in compelling tech bosses to deliver age-appropriate experiences for all their users.” Despite its efforts on safety, concerns have been raised in the US and elsewhere about the platform’s possible links to China – TikTok’s parent company is the China-based ByteDance – and critics have raised concerns TikTok could be pressured into handing over data to the Chinese government. TikTok remains banned from government devices in the UK, and its future in the US remains uncertain over a law that requires the site to be sold by ByteDance by January or face being banned in the United States – although it is unclear if president-elect Donald Trump will uphold these plans when he takes office in the same month. In response to these concerns, TikTok has repeatedly denied it does or ever would share data with the Chinese government, and has begun a £10 billion scheme to move its European user data to data centres in Europe to further enhance its security credentials. The scheme also includes independent oversight by a British cybersecurity firm, NCC Group, something Ms Grahn hailed as “unprecedented”. “We’re very proud of this industry-leading data security project, that aims to keep our users even more secure,” she told PA. “There’s a number of different parts in this project, but maybe one of the most interesting is this unprecedented third-party external oversight by British cybersecurity company NCC Group. “They are continuously monitoring the security gateways that surround the European enclave where we store European TikTok user data.” She added: “From our perspective, this has been a massive undertaking – 12 billion euros over the course of 10 years – and we are quite proud of the fact that we’re building out this model, and we do see it to be truly industry leading. “I think some of the aspects of this will also be industry-wide challenges, but we’re happy to be on this journey and we’re quite proud of the progress that we’ve made so far.”
NEW YORK (AP) — In a string of visits, dinners, calls, monetary pledges and social media overtures, big tech chiefs — including Apple’s Tim Cook, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos — have joined a parade of business and world leaders in trying to improve their standing with President-elect Donald Trump before he takes office in January. “The first term, everybody was fighting me,” Trump said in remarks at Mar-a-Lago . “In this term, everybody wants to be my friend.” Tech companies and leaders have now poured millions into his inauguration fund, a sharp increase — in most cases — from past pledges to incoming presidents. But what does the tech industry expect to gain out of their renewed relationships with Trump? A clue to what the industry is looking for came just days before the election when Microsoft executives — who’ve largely tried to show a neutral or bipartisan stance — joined with a close Trump ally, venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, to publish a blog post outlining their approach to artificial intelligence policy. “Regulation should be implemented only if its benefits outweigh its costs,” said the document signed by Andreessen, his business partner Ben Horowitz, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and the company’s president, Brad Smith. They also urged the government to back off on any attempt to strengthen copyright laws that would make it harder for companies to use publicly available data to train their AI systems. And they said, “the government should examine its procurement practices to enable more startups to sell technology to the government.” Trump has pledged to rescind President Joe Biden’s sweeping AI executive order, which sought to protect people’s rights and safety without stifling innovation. He hasn’t specified what he would do in its place, but his campaign said AI development should be “rooted in Free Speech and Human Flourishing.” Trump’s choice to head the Interior Department, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, has spoken openly about the need to boost electricity production to meet increased demand from data centers and artificial intelligence. “The AI battle affects everything from defense to healthcare to education to productivity as a country,′′ Burgum said on Nov. 15, referring to artificial intelligence. “And the AI that’s coming in the next 18 months is going to be revolutionary. So there’s just a sense of urgency and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration′′ to address it. Demand for data centers ballooned in recent years due to the rapid growth of cloud computing and artificial intelligence, and local governments are competing for lucrative deals with big tech companies. But as data centers begin to consume more resources, some residents are pushing back against the world’s most powerful corporations over concerns about the economic, social and environmental health of their communities. “Maybe Big Tech should buy a copy of ‘The Art of The Deal’ to figure out how to best negotiate with this administration,” suggested Paul Swanson, an antitrust attorney for the law firm Holland & Hart. “I won’t be surprised if they find ways to reach some accommodations and we end up seeing more negotiated resolutions and consent decrees.” Although federal regulators began cracking down on Google and Facebook during Trump’s first term as president — and flourished under Biden — most experts expect his second administration to ease up on antitrust enforcement and be more receptive to business mergers. Google may benefit from Trump’s return after he made comments on the campaign trail suggesting a breakup of the company isn’t in the U.S. national interest, after a judge declared its search engine an illegal monopoly . But recent nominations put forward by his transition team have favored those who have been critical of Big Tech companies, suggesting Google won’t be entirely off the hook. Cook’s notoriously rocky relationship with the EU can be traced back to a 2016 ruling from Brussels in a tax case targeting Apple. Cook slammed the bloc’s order for Apple to pay back up to $13.7 billion in Irish back taxes as “total political crap.” Trump, then in his first term as president, piled on, referring to the European Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, who was spearheading a campaign on special tax deals and a crackdown on Big Tech companies, as the “tax lady” who “really hates the U.S.” Brussels was eventually vindicated after the bloc’s top court rejected Apple’s appeal this year, though it didn’t stop Cook from calling Trump to complain, Trump recounted in a podcast in October. Trump hosted Cook for a Friday evening dinner at the president-elect’s Mar-a-Lago resort, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly. Neither Apple nor the Trump transition team has commented on the nature of their discussions. Altman , Amazon and Meta all pledged to donate $1 million each to Trump’s inaugural fund. During his first term, Trump criticized Amazon and railed against the political coverage at The Washington Post, which billionaire Bezos owns. Meanwhile, Bezos had criticized some of Trump’s past rhetoric. In 2019, Amazon also argued in a court case that Trump’s bias against the company harmed its chances of winning a $10 billion Pentagon contract. More recently, Bezos has struck a more conciliatory tone. He recently said at The New York Times’ DealBook Summit in New York that he was “optimistic” about Trump’s second term, while also endorsing president-elect’s plans to cut regulations. The donation from Meta came just weeks after Zuckerberg met with Trump privately at Mar-a-Lago. During the 2024 campaign, Zuckerberg did not endorse a candidate for president, but voiced a more positive stance toward Trump. Earlier this year, he praised Trump’s response to his first assassination attempt. Still, Trump in recent months had continued to attack Zuckerberg publicly. And Altman, who is in a legal dispute with AI rival Elon Musk, has said he is “not that worried” about the Tesla CEO’s influence in the incoming administration. Musk, an early OpenAI investor and board member, sued the artificial intelligence company earlier this year alleging that the maker of ChatGPT betrayed its founding aims of benefiting the public good rather than pursuing profits.
( MENAFN - GetNews) Award-winning staffing and recruiting firm projects salaries in accounting, finance and technology to increase steadily in 2025, driven by demand for specialized expertise. Chicago, Illinois - December 17, 2024 - Brilliant®, an award-winning staffing and recruiting firm specializing in accounting, finance and technology, published their 2025 Salary Guides this week, presenting national average salary data for a range of roles within these industries. The Brilliant 2025 Accounting and Finance National Salary Guide includes base salary information for entry-level through c-suite positions within the U.S. market across 12 categories, including corporate accounting, corporate finance, financial systems, internal audit/SOX, tax, treasury, financial reporting, project management, accounts payable/accounts receivable, payroll, credit & collections and billing. Salaries are expected to moderately increase throughout the accounting and finance functions with most roles seeing a rise of 3% to 5%. However, specialized positions in accounting and finance could see substantial salary increases of 8% to 10%, driven by high demand for expertise in areas such as financial reporting, data analytics and leadership. The Brilliant 2025 Technology National Salary Guide covers base salaries from entry-level through c-suite positions within the U.S. market across 10 categories including database administration, QA and testing, internet and e-commerce, networking and telecommunications, security, software development, technical services and support, administration, applications development and consulting/systems integration. As the technology landscape shifts in 2025, salary trends are expected to show moderate growth across many tech roles, with typical increases ranging from 1% to 3%. While positions in specialized fields such as AI, machine learning and cybersecurity will see more pronounced growth, with salaries potentially rising 5% to 10%, due to the increasing demand for professionals skilled in these emerging technologies. As businesses continue to navigate a shifting labor market in 2025, companies are increasingly focused on creating competitive compensation strategies to attract the best talent. In response to changing dynamics, many organizations are placing a greater emphasis on flexible work arrangements, professional development opportunities, and comprehensive benefits packages. Additionally, with the rise of remote and hybrid work models, employers are also adjusting their geographic pay strategies to promote equity and remain competitive across different regions. As a result, understanding these broader trends will be crucial for businesses as they adapt to the evolving landscape and continue to meet the demands of both clients and employees. To determine salary ranges, Brilliant analyzed key factors including company size, experience level, certifications, demand for each role, proprietary research, and broader market trends. The salary insights are categorized into low, mid and high ranges to provide a comprehensive overview. For location-specific salary averages, refer to the Appendix in each guide, which includes percentage adjustments for major U.S. cities. To download the Brilliant 2025 Salary Guides or to learn more about Brilliant, click here . About Brilliant® Brilliant is an award-winning staffing and recruiting firm that provides direct-hire and contract staffing services in accounting, finance and technology, serving businesses across the continental U.S. Our specialized accounting and finance teams provide high-quality talent for businesses seeking expert consultants or permanent staff in areas such as accounting, finance, audit, tax, treasury and financial systems. Leveraging our extensive network and resources, we provide tailored staffing solutions that align with our clients' specific needs. Many of our team members are seasoned professionals with backgrounds in the audit and accounting space, bringing unmatched market expertise and insight. In the technology space, we specialize in matching top talent with businesses in need of expertise in data analytics and data science, machine learning, AI, application development, IT security, project management and IT infrastructure. Our deep industry knowledge enables us to deliver tailored solutions that help our clients adapt to the changing digital landscape. Since our inception in 2009, we have been recognized on leading industry lists, including Forbes America's Best Professional & Executive Recruiting Firms, Crain's Chicago Business Fast 50 (No. 1 in 2015) and Staffing Industry Analysts Fastest-Growing U.S. Staffing Firms. Our achievements also include honors such as ClearlyRated's Best of Staffing Talent and Client, Inc. 5000, Best Places to Work South Florida and Best & Brightest Companies to Work For®. We're committed to creating a collaborative environment for our team that thrives on innovation, passion and dedication within our fast-paced culture. We aim to make a meaningful impact in the accounting, finance and technology spaces while helping our clients and candidates achieve their goals. From empowering our talent to fostering strong partnerships, everything we do is driven by our mission of making people's lives better. To learn more about Brilliant, our services and our people, visit , email ... or call 312.582.1800. MENAFN17122024003238003268ID1109004804 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
By MICHELLE L. PRICE NEW YORK (AP) — Chad Chronister, Donald Trump’s pick to run the Drug Enforcement Administration, said Tuesday he was withdrawing his name from consideration, becoming the second person selected by the president-elect to bow out quickly after being nominated for a position requiring Senate confirmation. Sheriff Chronister, the top law enforcement officer in Hillsborough County, Florida, said in a post on X that he was backing away from the opportunity, which he called “the honor of a lifetime.” “Over the past several days, as the gravity of this very important responsibility set in, I’ve concluded that I must respectfully withdraw from consideration,” Chronister wrote. He did not elaborate, and Trump’s transition team did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Chronister follows former Republican congressman Matt Gaetz , Trump’s first pick to serve as attorney general, in withdrawing his name for a post in the administration. Gaetz withdrew following scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed as the nation’s chief federal law enforcement officer. Trump’s pick of Chronister for the DEA job drew backlash from conservatives, who raised concerns over his actions during the COVID-19 pandemic and his saying that his office “does not engage in federal immigration enforcement activities.” In March 2020, Chronister arrested the pastor of a megachurch who held services with hundreds of people and violated a safer-at-home order in place aimed at limiting the spread of the Covid virus. “Shame on this pastor, their legal staff and the leaders of this staff for forcing us to do our job. That’s not what we wanted to do during a declared state of emergency,” Chronister said at the time. “We are hopeful that this will be a wakeup call.” U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky, was among those airing public complaints, saying Chronister should be “disqualified” for the arrest. Others flagged comments Chronister made in a video about Florida’s immigration laws that he released in 2023 that circulated again online after Trump named him last weekend. Related Articles National Politics | Trump team signs agreement to allow Justice to conduct background checks on nominees, staff National Politics | President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urge judge to toss his hush money conviction National Politics | Democrats stick with Schumer as leader, their strategy for countering Trump is far less certain National Politics | Trump vows to block Japanese steelmaker from buying US Steel, pledges tax incentives and tariffs National Politics | Democrats’ outgoing chair says Trump’s win forces party to reassess how it reaches voters In the video, Chronister praised the “rich diversity” of his community and called it “a place where people from all walks of life come together.” He said it was important to note his office “does not engage in federal immigration enforcement activities. We do not target individuals based on their immigration status. That’s the authority of federal agencies.” Trump has made a sweeping crackdown on immigration a central focus of his campaign and his aims for his coming administration. Associated Press writer Adriana Gomez Licon in Fort Lauderdale, Florida contributed to this report.
NoneStar Alliance member United Airlines is seeking United States Department of Transportation (DOT) approval to launch a new route connecting Los Angeles and Beijing. United wants to continue its dominance on the Pacific Rim and hopes to launch this service by May 1st. Connecting Los Angeles to Beijing As reported by Onemileatatime , United has filed a request to launch a thrice-weekly service between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Beijing Capital Airport (PEK), using its Boeing 787-9 aircraft for the 6,250-mile journey. This direct service would compete with Air China, which already operates a four-weekly service onboard its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. United's proposed schedule: From To Departure Time Arrival Time Frequency Aircraft Los Angeles International Beijing Capital 23:10 04:45 (2 days later) Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Boeing 787-9 Beijing Capital Los Angeles International 12:00 09:35 (same day) Monday, Thursday, and Saturday Boeing 787-9 Should the proposed service go ahead, it will complement United's current daily San Francisco to Beijing service, operated by the carriers Boeing 777-300ER and Air China's twice-weekly 777-300ER service between the two cities. United's utilization of its Boeing 787-9 would add 771 available seats in each direction per week. The carrier's aircraft is configured with 257 seats for each flight, including 48 for business class passengers, 21 in premium economy, and 188 in economy class. The carrier is the world's second-largest 787-9 operator. Want answers to more key questions in aviation? Check out the rest of our guides here . Subdued demand for travel between China and the United States Demand for international travel and trade between the United States and China is subdued compared to pre-pandemic. This has been a result of political tension between the two superpowers but also due to flight caps . Currently, the maximum number of flights operating each week is 50. US airlines are permitted to fly up to 50 weekly flights, of which United is below this limit. Pre-pandemic, there were around 300 weekly flights between the US and China; however, following ongoing challenges to rebuild demand and increase flight caps, there has been a slow recovery in flights. For travel to the Chinese capital, currently, several services operate directly to the United States; these include: Air China Beijing Capital to Los Angeles Beijing Capital to New York JFK Beijing Capital to San Francisco Beijing Capital to Washington Dulles Hainan Airlines Beijing Capital to Seattle Tacoma United Airlines Beijing Capital to San Francisco With many more jets on order, the United fleet includes nearly 500 Boeing 737s and close to 100 777s. Of the ' Big Three ' US airlines, United is currently the only carrier serving Beijing; however, both American and Delta Air Lines operate services to other Chinese airports (namely Shanghai). United also maintains services between LA, San Francisco, and the Special Administrative Region of China: Hong Kong. United Airlines has continued its international expansion on the US East and West Coast. Already from Los Angeles and San Francisco, the carrier offers more long-haul services than any other US carrier. Direct United service operates from LA across the Pacific to Hong Kong, Melbourne, Shanghai Pudong, Sydney, Tokyo Haneda, and Tokyo Narita. In contrast, its San Francisco hub offers routes to Auckland, Beijing, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Osaka Kansai, Papeete, Seoul Incheon, Shanghai Pudong, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo Haneda, Tokyo Narita, and seasonal services to Christchurch . For United, its continued investment in fleet upgrades and expansion at Los Angeles will continue to position itself as a leading carrier from the country's west, reaffirming itself as a leader in long-haul travel and an integral member of the Star Alliance . MileagePlus members are able to earn miles on eligible bookings when flying with selected non-Star Alliance member airlines.Netflix getting set to air NFL on Christmas Day
Amber Heard criticises social media in response to Blake Lively complaintNational Secretary of the Labour Party, Alhaji Umar Farouk, said the party is petrified over the stampede to death of about 65 Nigerians in the last few days in Oyo, Anambra states and the FCT. Alhaji Farouk in a statement on Monday, believed that “the stampedes have become one too many and that the loss of this magnitude of lives at a time when Nigeria is not facing any natural epidemic was a pointer to the fact that hunger could be the worst epidemic a people can face. “As reported, about 40 children, died during a stampede at a carnival in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, a few days ago. Also, 20 residents of Okija community in Anambra state lost their lives in a similar stampede. On the same day, more than 10 people died following a stampede in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. “All these unfortunate incidents occurred in similar circumstances. While one happened when one of the Catholic churches in the FCT was distributing food items to vulnerable persons, the Okija, Anambra state incident happened during a palliative distribution by a notable philanthropist. So also, the Ibadan, Oyo state was an event funded by a popular royalty. The bottom-line is that there is hunger in the land. “According to the World Bank, In 2023, the poverty rate in Nigeria was estimated to be 38.9%, with 87 million Nigerians living below the poverty line. But presently, the poverty rate in Nigeria is estimated to be 40.7%. This made Nigeria the second-largest poor population in the world, after India. “It is only poverty that made some Nigeria to go scooping fuel from accident scenes resulting to inferno which brought about hundreds of casualties. These happened on several occasions in the last one year. “Also, the National Bureau of Statistics survey revealed that more than 2 million people have been kidnapped in Nigeria in the last one year and that Nigerians paid a cumulative $1.42 billion to kidnappers within the same period. “One major reason why people resolve to crime is due to hunger. Nigerians in their millions have been subjected to hunger arising from other reasons such as rising inflation and poor economic management. “The economic reforms of the Tinubu administration have caused untold hardship to Nigerians. Hunger is turning into an epidemic and not many people can survive this situation. “The Labour Party prior to the 2023 general election had warned that unless we change our consumption policies to a productive policy, the economy will be in serious jeopardy. “We are therefore calling on the government to scale down most of its agenda in 2025 and redirect it’s policies towards food production. Over 70 percent of Nigeria land resources are laying waste. Aquatic economy is prostrate and the ministries in charge of these sectors should be made to function. “Finally, protection of lives and property are the cardinal purpose of the government. But as we can see, life of Nigerians no longer matter that much. While a large number of Nigerians have been wasted by the butcher knife of the kidnappers, many simply get killed while trying to survive at all cost. “Nothing tangible is been done by the government to ameliorate the hunger crisis and check poverty level in Nigeria. The government must simply sit up and put their acts together. The statistics is not good, and enough of taking the people for granted.”
NEW YORK (AP) — In a string of visits, dinners, calls, monetary pledges and social media overtures, big tech chiefs — including Apple’s Tim Cook, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos — have joined a parade of business and world leaders in trying to improve their standing with President-elect Donald Trump before he takes office in January. “The first term, everybody was fighting me,” Trump said in remarks at Mar-a-Lago . “In this term, everybody wants to be my friend.” Tech companies and leaders have now poured millions into his inauguration fund, a sharp increase — in most cases — from past pledges to incoming presidents. But what does the tech industry expect to gain out of their renewed relationships with Trump? A clue to what the industry is looking for came just days before the election when Microsoft executives — who’ve largely tried to show a neutral or bipartisan stance — joined with a close Trump ally, venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, to publish a blog post outlining their approach to artificial intelligence policy. “Regulation should be implemented only if its benefits outweigh its costs,” said the document signed by Andreessen, his business partner Ben Horowitz, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and the company’s president, Brad Smith. They also urged the government to back off on any attempt to strengthen copyright laws that would make it harder for companies to use publicly available data to train their AI systems. And they said, “the government should examine its procurement practices to enable more startups to sell technology to the government.” Trump has pledged to rescind President Joe Biden’s sweeping AI executive order, which sought to protect people’s rights and safety without stifling innovation. He hasn’t specified what he would do in its place, but his campaign said AI development should be “rooted in Free Speech and Human Flourishing.” Trump’s choice to head the Interior Department, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, has spoken openly about the need to boost electricity production to meet increased demand from data centers and artificial intelligence. “The AI battle affects everything from defense to healthcare to education to productivity as a country,′′ Burgum said on Nov. 15, referring to artificial intelligence. “And the AI that’s coming in the next 18 months is going to be revolutionary. So there’s just a sense of urgency and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration′′ to address it. Demand for data centers ballooned in recent years due to the rapid growth of cloud computing and artificial intelligence, and local governments are competing for lucrative deals with big tech companies. But as data centers begin to consume more resources, some residents are pushing back against the world’s most powerful corporations over concerns about the economic, social and environmental health of their communities. “Maybe Big Tech should buy a copy of ‘The Art of The Deal’ to figure out how to best negotiate with this administration,” suggested Paul Swanson, an antitrust attorney for the law firm Holland & Hart. “I won’t be surprised if they find ways to reach some accommodations and we end up seeing more negotiated resolutions and consent decrees.” Although federal regulators began cracking down on Google and Facebook during Trump’s first term as president — and flourished under Biden — most experts expect his second administration to ease up on antitrust enforcement and be more receptive to business mergers. Google may benefit from Trump’s return after he made comments on the campaign trail suggesting a breakup of the company isn’t in the U.S. national interest, after a judge declared its search engine an illegal monopoly . But recent nominations put forward by his transition team have favored those who have been critical of Big Tech companies, suggesting Google won’t be entirely off the hook. Cook’s notoriously rocky relationship with the EU can be traced back to a 2016 ruling from Brussels in a tax case targeting Apple. Cook slammed the bloc’s order for Apple to pay back up to $13.7 billion in Irish back taxes as “total political crap.” Trump, then in his first term as president, piled on, referring to the European Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, who was spearheading a campaign on special tax deals and a crackdown on Big Tech companies, as the “tax lady” who “really hates the U.S.” Brussels was eventually vindicated after the bloc’s top court rejected Apple’s appeal this year, though it didn’t stop Cook from calling Trump to complain, Trump recounted in a podcast in October. Trump hosted Cook for a Friday evening dinner at the president-elect’s Mar-a-Lago resort, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly. Neither Apple nor the Trump transition team has commented on the nature of their discussions. Altman , Amazon and Meta all pledged to donate $1 million each to Trump’s inaugural fund. During his first term, Trump criticized Amazon and railed against the political coverage at The Washington Post, which billionaire Bezos owns. Meanwhile, Bezos had criticized some of Trump’s past rhetoric. In 2019, Amazon also argued in a court case that Trump’s bias against the company harmed its chances of winning a $10 billion Pentagon contract. More recently, Bezos has struck a more conciliatory tone. He recently said at The New York Times’ DealBook Summit in New York that he was “optimistic” about Trump’s second term, while also endorsing president-elect’s plans to cut regulations. The donation from Meta came just weeks after Zuckerberg met with Trump privately at Mar-a-Lago. During the 2024 campaign, Zuckerberg did not endorse a candidate for president, but voiced a more positive stance toward Trump. Earlier this year, he praised Trump’s response to his first assassination attempt. Still, Trump in recent months had continued to attack Zuckerberg publicly. And Altman, who is in a legal dispute with AI rival Elon Musk, has said he is “not that worried” about the Tesla CEO’s influence in the incoming administration. Musk, an early OpenAI investor and board member, sued the artificial intelligence company earlier this year alleging that the maker of ChatGPT betrayed its founding aims of benefiting the public good rather than pursuing profits.Just over six months from its full release, XDefiant is now confirmed to be shutting down. Executive Producer Mark Rubin confirmed the news on X (formerly Twitter), announcing servers will close on June 3, 2025. After weeks of speculation regarding player count and ongoing support , XDefiant is officially on its way out. Support for Ubiosft’s FPS is being tapered off in the coming months, with refunds being offered for any players who purchased premium bundles in the past 30 days. New downloads of the game will no longer be available, meaning only players with the game installed can continue grinding if they so choose. Season 3 will still roll out as planned, though no new content is prepared for the period beyond that. Hello XDefiant Fans, I am unfortunately here today to announce that XDefiant will be shutting down. Starting today (December 3, 2024), new downloads and player registrations will no longer be available. We will still release our Season 3 content in the near future (exact date... “We regret to inform you that we are initiating the sunset process starting today,” a Ubisoft blog post outlined shortly after on December 3, 2024. While the game will remain playable through to June 3, 2025, no new players will be able to download the game and join in. Meanwhile, any player who purchased the Ultimate Founders Pack , the most expensive cosmetic pack at launch, priced at $69.99 USD, will be issued a full refund. On top of that, any players who purchased digital currency or Season Passes in the last 30 days will also be fully refunded. Acknowledging the game’s progress, Rubin expressed how proud he was of the development team for sticking to their guns. “[XDefiant] broke internal records for the fastest game to surpass 5 million users and in the end we had over 15 million players play our game,” he claimed on X. Related: Of course, news of XDefiant’s demise comes just weeks after the most recent update from Rubin , who argued the game wasn’t going away anytime soon. “There are no plans to shut down after Season 4,” he claimed just weeks prior on October 16. While admitting at the time, that “numbers [were] down,” Rubin remained adamant about long-term support for the FPS. At this stage, leakers had already unearthed all sorts of planned content , including crossovers with the likes of Assassin’s Creed, Splinter Cell, and more. On the back of XDefiant’s end, Ubisoft studios around the globe have been impacted. Up to 277 employees are reportedly being laid off as Ubisoft closes its San Francisco and Osaka offices and ramps down its Sydney office too. Half of the remaining XDefiant team will be transitioned onto other projects, according to insider Stephen Totilo . XDefiant was initially touted as a rival to Activision’s FPS juggernaut Call of Duty. Employing a number of former CoD developers and professional players alike, open communication was at the forefront of it all. Built from the ground up as a free-to-play FPS, it had a turbulent development with multiple delays on the path to its early 2024 release. When the full game finally landed, it did so with a wide range of bugs and performance issues, but nonetheless struck a chord with a smaller audience. In the months that followed, new content drops added Factions, maps, weapons, and expanded progression systems, while frequent updates continued to iron out the early kinks ranging from netcode problems to overpowered abilities (looking at you Spiderbot). By the time servers close, XDefiant will have been live for a total of 378 days.Trump’s tariffs in his first term did little to alter the economy, but this time could be different
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TORONTO -- TORONTO (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump was joking when he suggested Canada become the 51st U.S. state during a dinner with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a Canadian minister who attended their recent dinner said Tuesday. Fox News reported that Trump made the comment in response to Trudeau raising concerns that Trump's threatened tariffs on Canada would damage Canada's economy. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who attended the Friday dinner at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club, said Trump's comments were in jest. “The president was telling jokes. The president was teasing us. It was, of course, on that issue, in no way a serious comment,” LeBlanc told reporters in Ottawa. LeBlanc described it as a three-hour social evening at the president’s residence in Florida on a long weekend of American Thanksgiving. “The conversation was going to be light-hearted,” he said. He called the relations warm and cordial and said the fact that “the president is able to joke like that for us” indicates good relations. On Tuesday, Trump appeared to continue with the joke, posting on his Truth Social platform an AI-generated image of himself standing on a mountain with a Canadian flag next to him with the caption “Oh Canada!" Some Canadians had fun with it. “If I were President Trump, I’d think twice before invading Canada. The last time the U.S. tried something like that— back in the War of 1812 —it didn’t exactly end well. Canada even burned down the White House,” former Quebec Premier Jean Charest joked on X. Earlier last week, the Republican president-elect threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico unless they stem the flow of migrants and drugs. Trudeau requested the meeting in a bid to avoid the tariffs by convincing Trump that the northern border is nothing like the U.S. southern border with Mexico . Trudeau held a rare meeting with opposition leaders on Tuesday about U.S-Canada relations and later said that opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre shouldn’t amplify the erroneous narratives that Americans are saying about the border. “Less than one percent of migrants coming into the United States irregularly come from Canada and 0.2 percent of the fentanyl coming into the United States comes from Canada,” Trudeau said in Parliament. Canadian officials have said there are plans to put more helicopters, drones and law enforcement officers at the border. At the dinner, Kristen Hillman, Canada's ambassador to the U.S., said America’s trade deficit with Canada was also raised. Hillman said the U.S. had a $75 billion trade deficit with Canada last year but noted a third of what Canada sells into the U.S. is energy exports and prices have been high. “Trade balances are something that he focuses on so it’s important to engage in that conversation but to put it into context,” Hillman told The Associated Press. “We are one-tenth the size of the United States so a balanced trade deal would mean per capita we are buying 10 times more from the U.S. than they are buying from us. If that’s his metric we will certainly engage on that.” Hillman said Canada sold $170 billion worth of energy products last year to the U.S. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports as well. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing for national security. About 77% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. Trudeau's government successfully employed a “Team Canada” approach during Trump’s first term in office when the free trade deal between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico was renegotiated. But Trudeau’s minority government is in a much weaker position politically now and faces an election within a year. Poilievre, Canada's opposition leader, said the tariffs would harm Americans. “The president-elect was elected on a promise to make America richer. These tariffs would make America poorer,” Poilievre said after meeting with Trudeau. Poilievre said the U.S. would be wise to do more free trade with its best friend and closest ally. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly 3.6 billion Canadian dollars ($2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. Trudeau returned home after the dinner at Mar-a-Lago club in Florida without assurances Trump would back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Trump called the talks “productive” but signaled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. The flows of migrants and seizures of drugs are vastly different. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border during the last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. Most of the fentanyl reaching the U.S. — where it causes about 70,000 overdose deaths annually — is made by Mexican drug cartels using precursor chemicals smuggled from Asia. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol reported 1.53 million encounters with irregular migrants at the southwest border with Mexico between October 2023 and September 2024. That compares to 23,721 encounters at the Canadian border during that time.