Good morning readers. In the annual showdown of the best apps and games, Apple and Google have announced their 2023 winners, with AllTrails and Imprint: Learn Visually clinching the top app spots for Apple and Google respectively. Both platforms crowned Honkai: Star Rail as the Game of the Year. This year, Apple deviated from its norm of celebrating new or technologically innovative apps, instead acknowledging long-deserving apps like Duolingo. Surprisingly, despite the success of AI apps like ChatGPT, neither Apple nor Google chose an AI app for their top honors. Google, however, did recognize ChatGPT as the User’s Choice App of the Year, while Apple named generative AI the "Trend of the Year."

Let’s jump into today’s storylines.

In today’s digest:

• A billion dollar bet on sports supremacy

• Headline Hustle: Elon Musk tells advertisers to go “f*ck themselves”, UAW wants to unionize all workers, Google and Canada settle on news payments

• UAE's effort to maintain COP28's integrity

• Pulse Points: What’s Trending

SPORTS

The Adelsons' crossover from Vegas slots to NBA shots

In a high-stakes game that merges the worlds of sports, gambling, and big business, the Adelson family, synonymous with the Las Vegas Sands empire, has rolled the dice in an unexpected direction. They've cashed out a whopping $2 billion of their casino chips to snag a majority stake in the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, a play that's left both the sports and gambling worlds spinning.

This strategic pivot comes as Las Vegas, the Adelsons' neon-lit kingdom, is fast morphing into a major sports metropolis. With a roster that already boasts NHL, NFL, and WNBA teams, and the buzz of potentially welcoming MLB and NBA squads, Vegas is no longer just the world's gaming capital. Both Lebron James and Shaquille O’Neal have also expressed bringing basketball to the city at some point with the NBA’s commissioner Adam Silver suggesting it’s a matter of when, not if, Vegas gets a team.

A masterstroke in sports and business

But there's more to this than just a love for hoops. The Adelsons, with their eyes on the prize of expanded gambling legalization, are playing a long game. By investing in the Mavericks, they're not just buying a sports team; they're planting their flag in Texas soil, where they've been lobbying hard for broader gambling rights. It's a strategic play that mirrors their moves in New York, where they’re aiming to transform Nassau Coliseum into a glitzy resort-casino.

Gambling laws in Texas might still be a roll of the dice, but owning an NBA team is like holding a royal flush. Just look at the Mavericks' skyrocketing value since 2000, now sitting pretty at $4.5 billion. With stars like Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving on the roster, the team is a slam dunk for appreciation.

Big picture: This power move by the Adelsons isn't just about sports or gambling; it's a masterclass in blending business, politics, and entertainment. It's a reminder that in today’s world, owning a sports franchise isn't just about the thrill of the game – it's a strategic pawn in the high-stakes chessboard of business and political influence.

Headline Hustle

😲 Elon Musk tells advertisers to “Go f*ck themselves”. At the 2023 DealBook Summit, Elon Musk, the maverick CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, and owner of X (formerly Twitter), stirred the pot in classic Musk style. He bluntly dismissed advertisers leaving X over his contentious posts, even throwing a direct challenge to Disney's Bob Iger in the crowd. Musk, embracing his role as the tech world's provocateur-in-chief, shrugged off hate and controversy with a cavalier attitude. Amidst this storm, he touched on his Israel visit and SpaceX's humanitarian ambitions in Gaza, while also throwing shade at unions and musing over the ethical dilemmas of AI and business conduct in China.

🚗 UAW launches bid to unionize workers at Tesla, Toyota and other non-unionized auto makers. The United Auto Workers (UAW) union is shaking up the auto industry with a campaign to unionize 13 non-union automakers, targeting 150,000 workers at giants like Tesla, BMW, and Toyota. This bold strategy, led by UAW President Shawn Fain, marks a departure from traditional tactics, following successful contract negotiations with Detroit's "Big Three." While the union's past attempts at organizing foreign automakers have met resistance, Fain's rallying cry to workers is clear: "Now it's your turn." As the UAW gears up for this monumental task, the automotive labor landscape braces for potential shifts.

🇨🇦 Google, Canada reach settlement over news payments. Google and the Canadian government have reached a $73.6 million settlement over Bill C-18, a law that would have required tech giants to pay for news links. This deal averts Google's threat to stop linking Canadian news, ensuring continued access to these sources in searches. The law, aimed at companies like Google and Meta, sparked controversy by challenging the notion of free and unrestricted internet linking. While Meta, not part of this agreement, has blocked news on its platforms in Canada, Google's settlement represents a compromise, balancing copyright concerns with the open nature of the internet. This isn't Google's first rodeo with such laws; they previously shut down Google News in Spain in 2014 under similar circumstances, only to return last year.

WORLD

COP28 and the battle to set the record straight

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), set to host the monumental COP28 climate conference, is currently navigating through a storm of social media rumors challenging its intentions and leadership roles. Central to the whirlwind of speculation was a claim that Sultan Al-Jaber, the appointed president of COP28 and head honcho of the state oil company ADNOC, was supposedly stepping down from his ADNOC role. This rumor, masquerading as an official communique, quickly spread its wings across social media, creating quite the buzz.

Reacting with the swiftness of a desert wind, the UAE's official COP28 account stamped these rumors as "fake news," emphasizing that legitimate updates about COP28 would only come from their verified social media channels and press office.

Clearing the air

Adding another layer to the saga, the UAE had to counter a report by the Centre for Climate Reporting (CCR), supported by the BBC, alleging that the UAE aimed to use the COP28 summit as a platform for brokering oil and gas deals. Based on leaked documents, this accusation was robustly refuted by Al-Jaber, who labeled it as a smear campaign against COP28's leadership. The UAE's COP28 spokesperson joined the fray, criticizing the BBC for leaning on these questionable documents and clarifying their non-involvement in COP28's strategic planning.

Looking ahead…with COP28 on the horizon in Dubai, an event crucial for advancing global climate action, the UAE is keen on steering clear of misinformation. The summit, expected to draw a massive global audience and decision-makers, stands as a critical juncture in addressing the escalating challenges of climate change. Yet, as the UAE's recent tussles with rumors suggest, the road to impactful environmental discourse is fraught with distractions and detours.

SNIPPETS

Pulse Points

• Nascar has secured television and streaming rights deals valued at $7.7 billion with Amazon, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Fox, reflecting growing interest in the sport.

• Reddit's recent rebrand and logo refresh further fuel rumors of an upcoming IPO, showcasing the platform's evolution and focus on its unique microcultures.

• Microsoft now has a non-voting seat on OpenAI's board, clarifying its commitment to the startup amidst recent leadership turmoil involving CEO Sam Altman.

• General Motors is launching a $10 billion accelerated share repurchase, significantly reducing its market shares and boosting investor confidence.

• Henry Kissinger, Harvard professor turned US diplomat, passes away at 100.

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