Mark Zuckerberg Poised to Gain $700M from Meta's First Dividend; Greta Thunberg Exonerated

Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta Platforms Inc., is on the cusp of earning a substantial yearly sum of approximately $700 million due to the company's inaugural distribution of dividends to its shareholders. This significant financial gain is attributed to the social media conglomerate's announcement of its first-ever dividend payout.

Meta's Maiden Dividend Declaration

The company has declared a quarterly cash dividend amounting to 50 cents per share for both Class A and B shareholders, which is set to commence in March. Owning roughly 350 million shares, Zuckerberg would gross around $175 million every quarter prior to the deduction of taxes. This information is based on the data compiled by Bloomberg, hinting at the substantial financial rewards for Zuckerberg and other shareholders.

By opting to remunerate its shareholders through dividends, Meta is projecting a message regarding its growth prospects and the current standing of the company in the growth trajectory.

Greta Thunberg's Legal Victory

In a separate context, climate champion Greta Thunberg was absolved of a protest-related criminal charge on Friday. The charge was connected to her refusal to heed a police directive to vacate a protest blockade impeding the entrance to a vital oil and gas industry symposium in London the preceding year.

Celebratory cheers filled the courtroom as Judge John Law acquitted Thunberg and her co-defendants, stating that the evidence provided by the prosecution was markedly flawed. According to Judge Law, the police orders during the protest were so ill-defined that their legality was questioned, and hence the protestors who did not disperse were not deemed to be in offense.

The court also concurred with defense attorney Raj Chada's argument, ruling that the state is liable for Thunberg's legal expenses and travel costs. If convicted, Thunberg would have been faced with a maximum fine of $3,190 for violating the Public Order Act, a legislation that allows police to implement restrictions on public assemblies.

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