
H2A rocket retires; Japan's space industry eyes H3 for market success
However, it failed to win enough orders for commercial launches, a problem that has been passed on to its successor, the H3.
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MrBeast CEO and 'Beast Games' winner rally brand partners and rare disease support on Wall Street
NEW YORK (AP) — MrBeast's new CEO hit Wall Street Wednesday as YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson's media empire looks to develop long-term brand partnerships and, in turn, unlock more funding for its charitable content. Venture capitalist Jeff Housenbold took over MrBeast leadership last summer with a mandate to professionalize an ever-growing entertainment company. YouTube's most popular creator had reached record audience levels far outpacing its startup days, while vowing to reassess its internal culture amid multiple controversies. But, despite joining Nasdaq's closing bell ceremony on Wednesday, Housenbold said their strategic plan does not currently include a public offering — or any active funding rounds. 'Do I want to make banger content? Yeah. That's cool," Housenbold told The Associated Press. "But what can we do with that banger content? Generate profits, make a sustainable business that gives us greater ability to impact people's lives around the world.' 'We're marching quickly to profitability, so we don't have to raise additional capital,' he added. Instead, MrBeast is focused on securing multi-year exclusive advertising deals as opposed to single-video brand partnerships. With 416 million subscribers and legions of impressionable young fans, Housenbold argued that MrBeast is uniquely positioned to deliver more bang for companies' marketing bucks by pointing that 'firehouse of attention' at them. Along the way, Housenbold said he is encouraging Donaldson to tout the channel's charitable works — which often feature quantifiable stunts such as building wells, removing ocean plastic or covering cataract surgery costs. The company, in his view, 'can do good while doing well.' 'The more people who like us 'cause we do good, the more people watch our videos," he said. 'The more people watch our videos, the more we're able to drive in fees from our advertising partners... the more we can invest in more content to do more good in the world.' New projects such as the Amazon Prime reality show and a James Patterson novel from HarperCollins aim to diversify the genders and ages of his audience. Housenbold said that base has historically consisted mostly of 8-to-25-year-olds and men. But Housenbold acknowledged missteps in last year's production of 'Beast Games," which prompted allegations of 'unsafe' conditions from some contestants who said an unorganized set led to injuries, irregular food provision and lacking access to medication. While describing most of those reports as 'inaccurate,' Housenbold said they were 'better prepared' for the second season's recently wrapped shoot. 'Building sets for a 10-episode show is different than a 22-minute YouTube video," he said. "The scale, the size, the sophistication, the safety, the security, the cost effectiveness of doing that. We didn't staff up enough for Beast Games.' Ringing Nasdaq's closing bell Wednesday with Housenbold was the winner of the $10 million grand prize awarded in that inaugural 'Beast Games' season. Jeffrey Allen, the father of a child with creatine transporter deficiency, has promised to put some of his winnings toward existing treatments and research for a cure to the rare genetic disorder. He said the Association for Creatine Deficiencies, where he is a board member, added 1,000 new donors in the weeks following the final 'Beast Games' episodes' release. He hopes Wednesday's visit will draw more attention and money to all rare diseases. 'This is where companies that are bringing true change to the marketplace come to listen to other companies," Allen said. "So, there's no better place for a budding rare disease nonprofit to come and show, 'Hey we're trying to change the world, too.'' ___ Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP's philanthropy coverage, visit James Pollard, The Associated Press
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Catherine Rampell Becomes Latest Washington Post Writer to Exit Paper
The new MSNBC host says she accepted a buyout, adding to the growing list of staffers who have left following owner Jeff Bezos' revamp of the opinion section Another day, another Washington Post writer exiting the paper. This time it is columnist Catherine Rampell, who said on Wednesday she had accepted a buyout offer from the paper she has worked at for the last 11 years. Rampell has covered a number of topics for WaPo, including politics, economics and public policy. More from TheWrap Catherine Rampell Becomes Latest Washington Post Writer to Exit Paper Trump Appeared 'Multiple Times' in Epstein Documents, New WSJ Report Says Candace Owens Sued for Defamation by French First Lady Brigitte Macron Over 'Knowingly False' Claims She's Transgender 'Daily Show' Jokes Trump's Election Theft Claim Against Obama Is 'So Old Jeffrey Epstein Wouldn't Date It' | Video The 40-year-old writer has also been a frequent critic of President Trump, ripping the president on a number of topics, from his 'Liberation Day' tariff plan, which she called 'tariffmageddon,' to his 'Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship' executive order in January. She called the EO the 'start of an Orwellian effort to root out wrongthink from government ranks and the private sector.' Rampell's exit comes just a few months after she joined MSNBC as a co-host of 'The Weekend: Primetime,' and also follows WaPo owner Jeff Bezos' revamping of the paper's opinion section to focus on 'two key pillars': personal liberties and free markets. A number of prominent WaPo staffers left soon after, including opinion editor David Shipley, who resigned immediately. Columnist Ruth Marcus, who had been at the paper for 40 years, quit weeks later, after she said a column 'expressing concern' over Bezos' new direction for the opinion section was 'spiked.' More WaPo staffers have left recently, including columnist Jonathan Capehart, who accepted a buyout on Monday, as well as Dave Jorgenson, WaPo's 'TikTok Guy.' A person familiar with the newsroom told TheWrap on Monday it would not be surprising to see more people leave the paper this week, as it is offering buyouts to those who do not 'feel aligned' with the paper's 'reinvention' through the end of July. The post Catherine Rampell Becomes Latest Washington Post Writer to Exit Paper appeared first on TheWrap. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
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Keir Starmer and Narendra Modi set to sign off on Britain-India trade deal
Sir Keir Starmer and India's Narendra Modi are set to sign off on a trade deal worth £6 billion in investment for the British economy. The Prime Minister and his Indian counterpart also agreed ahead of their meeting on Thursday to ramp up joint efforts to tackle illegal migration and organised crime. The UK-India trade deal is understood to be the largest of its kind for its economic impact on Britain. It will see tariffs on an array of British goods reduced from an average of 15% to 3%, with the aim of boosting the £11 billion of imports into the south Asian nation. Whisky tariffs will be slashed in half, according to the Government, and will fall further over successive years, while other industries including soft drinks, cars and cosmetics are also expected to see cheaper duties. Before his meeting with Mr Modi to confirm the deal, Sir Keir said: 'Our landmark trade deal with India is a major win for Britain. It will create thousands of British jobs across the UK, unlock new opportunities for businesses and drive growth in every corner of the country, delivering on our Plan for Change. 'We're putting more money in the pockets of hardworking Brits and helping families with the cost of living, and we're determined to go further and faster to grow the economy and raise living standards across the UK.' The deal is expected to result in 2,200 jobs across the country and £6 billion investment by British and Indian businesses. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the investment will 'reach all regions and nations of the UK so working people in every community can feel the benefits'. He added: 'The almost £6 billion in new investment and export wins announced today will deliver thousands of jobs and shows the strength of our partnership with India as we ensure the UK is the best place in the world to invest and do business.' The UK and India are also bolstering co-operation on tackling corruption, fraud, organised crime and illegal migration, by sharing criminal records and other intelligence. The deal has not given the UK as much access as it would have liked to India's financial and legal services industries. The agreement promises some benefits for the UK's financial services, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves understood to have pushed on behalf of the sector in discussions with her Indian counterpart. But more wide-ranging access was not agreed, and talks continue on a bilateral investment treaty aimed at protecting British investments in India and vice versa. The two nations also continue to discuss UK plans for a tax on high-carbon industries, which India believes could hit its imports unfairly. Negotiations on the deal began when Boris Johnson was prime minister in 2022, and were concluded in May this year. Labour sought to portray closing the deal, as well as trade agreements with the US and the EU, as evidence of the Government's pragmatism and global outlook. But shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith said it had only been made possible 'because of Brexit delivered by the Conservatives'. He added: 'Any trade deal that can successfully cut regulation which stops Britain's makers from creating new jobs and wealth will be a step in the right direction. 'But the irony should not be lost on anyone that any gains from this trade deal will be blown out of the water by (Deputy Prime Minister) Angela Rayner's union charter, stifling business with red tape, the jobs tax and, come autumn, Rachel Reeves' inevitable tax hikes that will punish Britain's makers just to reward those who do not contribute.' The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has said that the signing 'sends a powerful signal that the UK is open for business and remains resolute in its commitment to free and fair trade'. Chief executive Rain Newton-Smith added: 'A trade agreement with India – one of the world's fastest-growing economies – is a springboard for long-term partnership and prosperity. UK firms can take advantage of this new platform to scale, diversify and compete on the global stage.' Elsewhere, Sir Keir is facing calls to raise the case of Jagtar Singh Johal, a British citizen who has been detained in India since 2017, when the Prime Minister meets Mr Modi. The Scottish Sikh is accused of being a member of the Khalistan Liberation Force, which is banned as a terror group in India. His family say he is being arbitrarily detained, with his brother Gurpreet Singh Johal insisting the matter should be 'high on the agenda when the prime ministers meet'.