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Key Takeaways Earlier this week, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos got into a public disagreement on X, the platform Musk owns, about comments Bezos allegedly said about President-elect Donald Trump. Though Bezos denies making the remarks. "Just learned tonight at Mar-a-Lago that Jeff Bezos was telling everyone that @realDonaldTrump would lose for sure, so they should sell all their Tesla and SpaceX stock," Musk wrote on Thursday in a post viewed more than 44 million times (according to X) at the time of writing. Related: Billionaires Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk Are Oldest Children. Firstborns Often Have 2 Leadership Traits That Help Them Succeed in Business. Bezos replied to the post , stating "Nope. 100% not true" to which Musk responded , "Well, then, I stand corrected." Musk and Bezos are two of the most powerful people in the world, with a combined net worth of over half a trillion dollars. Bezos is the second-richest person in the world with a net worth of $226 billion while Musk takes the top spot with a net worth of $331 billion. But that hasn't stopped the two tech titans from squabbling it out on social media. Musk (left) and Bezos (right). Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI,MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images Musk leads space exploration company SpaceX and Bezos is the head of rival firm Blue Origin. Since 2004 , the two companies have gotten into patent battles , spats over talent , and arguments over which one accomplished space feats first . For example, Bezos shaded Musk's ambition to colonize Mars in a private lecture in 2019, while Musk called him a copycat the same year for his plans for internet satellites. Musk said in a 2021 interview with the Financial Times that Bezos "does take himself a bit too seriously" and "does not seem to be willing to spend mental energy getting into the details of engineering." Related: Elon Musk Makes Fun of Bezos on Twitter, Purposely Spells His Name Wrong Musk also publicly criticized Bezos' project "The Rings of Power," a Lord of the Rings adaptation released in 2022, tweeting "Tolkien is turning in his grave." While the power dynamics between Musk and Bezos may shift after Trump's win, this most recent exchange proves that the dynamics between the two richest people in the world remain contentious. Trump recently appointed Musk a co-lead of the new Department of Government Efficiency to help downsize the U.S. government.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — Makai Richards had 17 points in Chattanooga's 84-76 victory against Bryant on Wednesday. Richards added five rebounds for the Mocs (5-3). Trey Bonham shot 4 of 11 from the field, including 2 for 8 from 3-point range, and went 5 for 7 from the line to add 15 points. Sean Cusano went 5 of 7 from the field (3 for 4 from 3-point range) to finish with 13 points. Earl Timberlake led the Bulldogs (4-4) in scoring, finishing with 18 points, six rebounds and six assists. Bryant also got 16 points from Rafael Pinzon. Jakai Robinson finished with 12 points, six rebounds and two blocks. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — Makai Richards had 17 points in Chattanooga's 84-76 victory against Bryant on Wednesday. Richards added five rebounds for the Mocs (5-3). Trey Bonham shot 4 of 11 from the field, including 2 for 8 from 3-point range, and went 5 for 7 from the line to add 15 points. Sean Cusano went 5 of 7 from the field (3 for 4 from 3-point range) to finish with 13 points. Earl Timberlake led the Bulldogs (4-4) in scoring, finishing with 18 points, six rebounds and six assists. Bryant also got 16 points from Rafael Pinzon. Jakai Robinson finished with 12 points, six rebounds and two blocks. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
This ‘Lollipop’ Device Lets You Taste Flavors in Virtual RealityOkanagan Sun head coach Travis Miller was struck by a vehicle in Kelowna's Glenmore neighbourhood on Tuesday, Dec. 10. Kelowna RCMP have confirmed the incident, stating the pedestrian was struck when crossing the road in the crosswalk. The Sun confirmed in a social media post stating the pedestrian was Miller, who had just finished his last recruiting meeting of the day. According to RCMP, Miller was taken to Kelowna General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries and the extent of the injuries are unknown. Meanwhile, the Sun said Miller underwent surgery and both his feet were crushed in the incident. “The driver of the vehicle remained at the scene and cooperated with police,” said Kelowna RCMP media relations officer Sgt. Laura Pollock. “There was no indication the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol and speed does not appear to be a factor.” RCMP are still investigating the incident and are asking anyone who witnessed the crash or anyone with dashcam footage in the area from 5:45 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. to step forward and reach out to police at 250-762-3300 with the file number 2024-72174. Miller has been the Sun's head coach since Apr. 2, 2022.Joe Burrow's home broken into during Monday Night Football in latest pro-athlete home invasionGuardiola's headache, USMNT stars align, Lewis-Skelly takes chance - Champions League Briefing
NoneArticle content Amateur mixed martial arts fighter Natalija Rajkovic saw the red flags as soon as she watched the video her boyfriend took of her training partner Trokon Dousuah’s fight that ultimately caused his death earlier this week. Dousuah, 33, took part in a charity mixed martial arts event put on by U.K. promoter Ultra MMA on Saturday at the Enoch Community Centre and tragically died in hospital on Monday due to injuries sustained in the fight. “In the video, you can see his body looks normal but towards the end of the fight you could see his stomach was inflated, you could tell something was seriously wrong,” said Rajkovic, who told Postmedia that Dousuah died due to a ruptured kidney and had to be carried out of the cage and was seen in severe distress. “The more I think about it, the more red flags come up about how everything was run and handled.” Rajkovic said she believes that Dousuah shouldn’t have been allowed to fight at all because he suffered from asthma and she wonders why that wasn’t taken into account. “I have no idea why he was cleared to fight. Maybe he didn’t tell them he has asthma, but we all had to take a physical from a doctor. If you’re any kind of good doctor and someone tells you they have an MMA fight, they shouldn’t be cleared (if they have asthma).” Rajkovic and Dousuah were part of 30 amateur MMA fighters training to make their debut on this fight card. They trained together with coaches from Kingdom MMA in Edmonton with one-hour sessions twice a week for two months. ‘Eight weeks isn’t enough’ Rajkovic described Dousuah as someone that was “full of energy” and he was “always happy.” But she believed he wasn’t ready to step inside the cage and fight. Dousuah was married with two kids and another child on the way. “Honestly, I don’t believe any of us were ready. Training one or two hours a week for eight weeks isn’t enough,” said Rajkovic, who never got to fight on the card because it was cancelled shortly after Dousuah was rushed to the hospital by ambulance. “I fully knew the risks going into this. I knew I could get knocked out or seriously injured, but I don’t know if everyone who was supposed to fight on this card truly knows the seriousness of MMA. “I had a lot of concerns with how things were run. One fight scheduled on the card, the two fighters had a 20-pound difference in weight. That should never happen.” RCMP are investigating the death of Dousuah but Alberta RCMP Cpl. Troy Savinkoff confirmed to Postmedia that all deaths outside of doctor’s care or hospital are investigated by police. Retired mixed martial artist and current boxer Ryan Ford, who also runs his own fight promotion and trains many mixed martial artists and boxers, is angry that this MMA card was allowed to go forward. Ford posted his displeasure in a video on his social media on Tuesday and didn’t hold back in his criticism of the event. “This is a stark reminder and harsh reality of this sport,” said Ford in the video. “You play basketball, you play football, but you don’t play combat sports. Whether it’s professional or amateur, stepping into that ring or cage, or even just sparring, carries real risk. Risk to your health, and risk to your life.” ‘Puts lives in danger’ Ford, who’s been involved professionally in mixed martial arts and boxing for almost two decades said anyone wanting to become a MMA fighter or boxer needs to take the right approach. “I don’t know who keeps pushing this bull—- nonsense idea that training twice a week for eight weeks with zero experience and stepping into a fight. That’s pure stupidity, and the kind of careless approach is what tarnishes combat sports and puts lives in danger,” said Ford, calling out the promoters who he said are putting inexperienced fighters at risk. “If you’re serious about getting into the fight game (as a fighter), you need to do it right. Get yourself to a legit gym. Find yourself an experienced coach who knows the sport inside and out and most importantly knows your safe. Their priority is to make sure you always make it back home to your loved ones in one piece after every fight. “This isn’t a game, respect the sport, respect your health and respect your life.” Ford told Postmedia on Wednesday he talked to one fighter who was scheduled to fight on the card but she didn’t start to spar until the week before the fight. Ford, who runs both amateur and professional fight cards, said one major concern he saw from this event was that none of the amateur fighters were wearing head gear, oversized gloves and shin guards, which is mandatory at the amateur level. “They asked us if we could train (these fighters), and I said, ‘No chance.’ I don’t corner people unless I train them and I know they’re ready. At the end of the day, if something happens to them, it’s part of me,” said Ford, who said amateur fighters should train for at least six months and have 50-60 sparring sessions before even considering stepping into the cage to fight. Held responsible Both Ford and Rajkovic believe that Ultra MMA and those involved with putting the event on should be held responsible for Dousuah’s death. “I’ve done some research on Ultra MMA and last year they had three fighters die in the U.K.,” Ford said. “The people who run these charity fight cards, they don’t care about the fighters, all they care about is money.” Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the news you need to know — add EdmontonJournal.com and EdmontonSun.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here. You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.
A Kingston family doctor has organized a petition to the Ontario government on behalf of a fellow family physician who is being ordered to repay more than half a million dollars to the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). Dr. Veronica Legnini said that she “pounded the pavement” over the weekend, so that the petition could be present in the Ontario legislature on Monday. Ted Hsu, Liberal member of provincial parliament for Kingston and the Islands, brought the petition on behalf of more than 100 signees that request the government stop demanding repayment from Dr. Elaine Ma, money that the petition says, “she earned for her heroic efforts to vaccinate Ontarians during the COVID-19 pandemic.” “We the undersigned petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows: To call on Premier Doug Ford and Health Minister, Sylvia Jones, to demonstrate their commitment to Ontario healthcare workers by ordering OHIP to set aside the (Health Services Appeal and Review Board) decision and to cease demanding repayment of earned billings,” the petition reads. On Nov. 26, Ontario Health Services Appeal and Review Board ruled that Ma should repay $600,962.61, plus interest, for billings that she made during a number of large-scale drive through COVID-19 vaccination clinics she organized between July 2021 and January 2022. The clinics were organized by Ma in collaboration with health-care professionals, students at Queen’s University, the local public health unit and others, many of whom volunteered their time to administer several thousand vaccines at the height of the pandemic. Ma organized approximately 45 drive-through vaccine clinics that administered around 35,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Her efforts were recognized by the Ontario Medical Association and beyond, and the Kingston region’s medical officer of health, Dr. Piotr Oglaza, pointed to Ma’s efforts as being pivotal in helping the KFL&A region achieve the best vaccine coverage rate in the province. But the Ontario government has ruled that Ma’s billings were made erroneously, due to the fact that the vaccinations were administered outside of her personal office, and by people who were not technically her employees, requirements for OHIP coverage for the billing codes she used. Legnini said that the ruling against Ma is a terrifying prospect for other physicians, including herself, who fear that OHIP will be coming after them next. She and other doctors in Kingston have used the drive-through clinic model that Ma utilized, just not on such a large scale. Legnini and others have cancelled planned community drive-through vaccination clinics in the wake of Ma’s experience with OHIP. “I’ve done flu shot clinics and I’ve done COVID vaccine clinics, and I’ll be very frank with you. We’re all afraid of being targeted by OHIP,” Legnini said. “So many doctors wouldn’t even sign the petition. Lots of people told me, ‘I’m scared OHIP is going to target me for something.’” She is disillusioned with the mixed messaging that the ruling against Ma suggests. “I remember what it was like on those provincial phone calls,” she said. “You had General Hillier, the head of the COVID-19 task force, saying, ‘Get it done. We’ll make it right.’ Doug Ford came on those calls and he said, ‘Just get it done, whatever you have to do, we’ll make it right later.’ The messaging was really there from all levels of government.” Ma’s clinics, praised as innovative, had support from the city, from local public health and other professionals, Legnini said. “Many, many physicians came to those clinics, Queen’s directed students to those clinics. People came and volunteered from all walks of life. Nurses came, even though they were tired and working hard at the hospital. It was really an amazing thing to see and be a part of.” Legnini said that it was “no secret” that drive-through clinics were being organized by other doctors in the Kingston community. She doesn’t know if or when OHIP will pursue action against others. “I do worry that I’m going to be next,” she admitted. Legnini said that the ruling is also going to affect the training of medical students going forward. Ma is being penalized for billing for vaccine administration that was delegated to medical students and volunteers who were not technically her employees. OHIP representatives referenced a 2001 document during Ma’s hearing that provides the supporting definition of “staff” that allowed the province to rule against Ma’s billing. “I have colleagues at other offices who, after this ruling, they’re really looking hard at their staffing and saying, well, if OHIP is saying she can’t go for that delegated act, I may have to let go of some staff because otherwise, what’s the point?” Legnini said that most doctors do not get paid to teach student physicians. “Honestly, it’s a wonderful thing to do, but it’s an investment in time and money. If you even lose that bit of billing (potential), it can make a difference for a doctor, and lots of groups are already looking at their structure, in terms of employees and medical students.” With Ontario doctors-in-training already having difficulty finding hands-on education, Legnini said that the ruling will have more negative impacts. “If this (ruling) stands, then looking ahead beyond the next election we will see even worsening access to quality medical education for medical students, less employment opportunities in health care and less patient access to any care, let alone team-based care,” Legnini said. “My clinic already did not run our traditional drive through clinics for flu shots, which we have done for many years, even before COVID.” Since the ruling at the end of November, community members have rallied to show support to Ma, with more than 4,000 signatures on an online petition asking the Ford government to reconsider Ma’s case. Kingston city council members voiced their support for Ma during a recent council meeting, unanimously backing a motion calling for the province to intervene in the Health Services Appeal and Review Board decision. Hsu said that it is his job to present any petition brought to him by his constituents, but that he has also already spoken out in the house in support of Ma’s pandemic-time efforts. A petition formally presented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario “asks the Legislature to act on or change its position on an issue,” according to the government’s website. Once a petition is presented, the government is required to file a response within 24 sessional days. In an interview with the Whig-Standard at the end of November, Hsu said that he is concerned about how this ruling will affect health-care professionals going forward. “Doctors had to take the initiative to organize these completely new clinics, the sort of thing that had never been done before,” he said. “The question in my head is, in the next public health emergency, will doctors step up and take the initiative when it is required?” Legnini praised Ma’s unconventional approach to mass vaccination, which allowed people to stay socially distanced and safe during times of public health measures. “The degree of personal liability Dr. Ma took on willingly is incredible,” Legnini said. “I never would have spearheaded an operation of this scale. And if a large-scale corporation had offered to get this work done for the same cost per shot, but twenty times as quickly as a traditional clinic, and over the holidays in the cold, we’d be singing their praises. And their CEO would get a bonus.” In a supplied statement on Tuesday, the Ontario Medical Association said that doctors “were called upon to perform heroically in the midst of a crisis” during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Now, years later, it’s disheartening to our members to see this kind of reaction to their efforts and a lack of understanding of the depth and breadth of the sacrifices they made to keep us all safe. It is concerning that a physician who provided care to their community during the pandemic is now facing this outcome.” mbalogh@postmedia.comSymbotic Inc. (SYM) Surges Ahead with AI-Driven Warehouse Automation and Strong Financial Performance
Amid an extended break for teams that didn't advance in the NBA Cup, LeBron James "is taking some time" from Lakers practice, head coach JJ Redick said. Wednesday that James missed Wednesday's practice for "personal reasons" and that his absence was excused. Further details of why James missed practice are unclear. The Lakers, like the rest of the NBA that didn't advance to the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup, have a few days off this week. They last played Sunday, . They'll next play Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. James missed Sunday's game against Portland with left foot soreness. The absence was his first in 24 Lakers games this season. His status for Friday's game against Minnesota is unclear. Redick said before Sunday's Trail Blazers game that time off for James this week "could be really good for him." After the game, he encouraged all Lakers players to make the most of the extended early season break. "Heck, if somebody wants to go spend a couple of nights in Santa Barbara and relax, that's fine too," Redick said, . "It's a quarter way through the season." Failing to make the NBA Cup elimination round certainly has its upside. James will turn 40 on Dec. 30. He's averaged 23 points, 9.1 assists and eight rebounds per game this season and remains one of the league's most dominant forces. He's also showed signs of wear, including in a loss to the Timberwolves on Dec. 2 that threatened to snap a streak of 1,242 consecutive games scoring in double figures. The Lakers (13-11) also stumbled into the NBA Cup break with seven losses in 10 games, including a 134-93 defeat to the Heat on Dec. 4. If there are opportunities for James to take a step back , it makes sense for him and the Lakers to take advantage. "In game, he's asked for a sub a couple times because he's gassed," Redick said, per McMenamin. "For us, we have to be cognizant as we play more and more games, just the cumulative effect of playing a lot of minutes and Sunday, being banged up with the foot thing, it felt like a good opportunity for him to get some rest." Whether James is back for Friday's game and beyond remains to be seen. His status — and the Lakers' reasoning if he does miss more time — will be worth watching.
The world stands at the dawn of a “third nuclear age” in which Britain is threatened by multiple dilemmas, the head of the armed forces has warned. But alongside his stark warning of the threats facing Britain and its allies, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said there would be only a “remote chance” Russia would directly attack or invade the UK if the two countries were at war. The Chief of the Defence Staff laid out the landscape of British defence in a wide-ranging speech, after a minister warned the Army would be wiped out in as little as six months if forced to fight a war on the scale of the Ukraine conflict. The admiral cast doubt on the possibility as he gave a speech at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) defence think tank in London. He told the audience Britain needed to be “clear-eyed in our assessment” of the threats it faces, adding: “That includes recognising that there is only a remote chance of a significant direct attack or invasion by Russia on the United Kingdom, and that’s the same for the whole of Nato.” Moscow “knows the response will be overwhelming”, he added, but warned the nuclear deterrent needed to be “kept strong and strengthened”. Sir Tony added: “We are at the dawn of a third nuclear age, which is altogether more complex. It is defined by multiple and concurrent dilemmas, proliferating nuclear and disruptive technologies and the almost total absence of the security architectures that went before.” The first nuclear age was the Cold War, while the second was “governed by disarmament efforts and counter proliferation”, the armed forces chief said. He listed the “wild threats of tactical nuclear use” by Russia, China building up its weapon stocks, Iran’s failure to co-operate with a nuclear deal, and North Korea’s “erratic behaviour” among the threats faced by the West. But Sir Tony said the UK’s nuclear arsenal is “the one part of our inventory of which Russia is most aware and has more impact on (President Vladimir) Putin than anything else”. Successive British governments had invested “substantial sums of money” in renewing nuclear submarines and warheads because of this, he added. The admiral described the deployment of thousands of North Korean soldiers on Ukraine’s border alongside Russian forces as the year’s “most extraordinary development”. He also signalled further deployments were possible, speaking of “tens of thousands more to follow as part of a new security pact with Russia”. Defence minister Alistair Carns earlier said a rate of casualties similar to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would lead to the army being “expended” within six to 12 months. He said it illustrated the need to “generate depth and mass rapidly in the event of a crisis”. In comments reported by Sky News, Mr Carns, a former Royal Marines colonel, said Russia was suffering losses of around 1,500 soldiers killed or injured a day. “In a war of scale – not a limited intervention, but one similar to Ukraine – our Army for example, on the current casualty rates, would be expended – as part of a broader multinational coalition – in six months to a year,” Mr Carns said in a speech at Rusi. He added: “That doesn’t mean we need a bigger Army, but it does mean you need to generate depth and mass rapidly in the event of a crisis.” Official figures show the Army had 109,245 personnel on October 1, including 25,814 volunteer reservists. Mr Carns, the minister for veterans and people, said the UK needed to “catch up with Nato allies” to place greater emphasis on the reserves. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Defence Secretary John Healey had previously spoken about “the state of the armed forces that were inherited from the previous government”. The spokesman said: “It’s why the Budget invested billions of pounds into defence, it’s why we’re undertaking a strategic defence review to ensure that we have the capabilities and the investment needed to defend this country.”Shadow of the Road - Official Gameplay Trailer
It is an ambitious social experiment of our moment in history — one that experts say could accomplish something that parents, schools and other governments have attempted with varying degrees of success: keeping kids . Australia's new law, approved by its Parliament last week, is an attempt to swim against many tides of modern life — formidable forces like technology, marketing, globalization and, of course, the iron will of a teenager. And like efforts of the past to protect kids from things that parents believe they're not ready for, the nation's move is both ambitious and not exactly simple, particularly in a world where young people are often shaped, defined and judged by the online company they keep. The ban won't go into effect for another year. But how will Australia be able to enforce it? That's not clear, nor will it be easy. TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram have become so ingrained in young people's lives that going cold turkey will be difficult. Other questions loom. Does the ban limit kids' free expression and — especially for those in vulnerable groups — isolate them and curtail their opportunity to connect with members of their community? And how will social sites verify people's ages, anyway? Can't kids just get around such technicalities, as they so often do? This is, after all, the 21st century — an era when social media is the primary communications tool for most of those born in the past 25 years who, in a fragmented world, seek the common cultures of trends, music and memes. What happens when big swaths of that fall away? Is Australia's initiative a good, long-time-coming development that will protect the vulnerable, or could it become a well-meaning experiment with unintended consequences? The law will make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent children younger than 16 from holding accounts. “It’s clear that social media companies have to be held accountable, which is what Australia is trying to do,” said Jim Steyer, president and CEO of the nonprofit Common Sense Media. Leaders and parents in countries around the world are watching Australia’s policy closely as many seek to protect young kids from the internet's dangerous corners — and, not incidentally, from each other. Most nations have taken different routes, from parental consent requirements to minimum age limits. Many child safety experts, parents and even teens who have waited to get on social media consider Australia's move a positive step. They say there’s ample reason to ensure that children wait. “What’s most important for kids, just like adults, is real human connection. Less time alone on the screen means more time to connect, not less," said Julie Scelfo, the founder of Mothers Against Media Addiction, or MAMA, a grassroots group of parents aimed at combatting the harms of social media to children. “I’m confident we can support our kids in interacting in any number of ways aside from sharing the latest meme.” The harms to children from social media have been well documented in the two decades since Facebook’s launch ushered in a new era in how the world communicates. Kids who spend more time on social media, especially as tweens or young teenagers, are more likely to experience depression and anxiety, according to — though it is not yet clear if there is a causal relationship. What's more, many are exposed to content that is not appropriate for their age, including pornography and violence, as well as . They also face bullying, sexual harassment and unwanted advances from their peers as well as adult strangers. Because their brains are not fully developed, teenagers, especially younger ones the law is focused on, are also more affected by social comparisons than adults, so even happy posts from friends can send them into a negative spiral. Many major initiatives, particularly those aimed at social engineering, can produce side effects — often unintended. Could that happen here? What, if anything, do kids stand to lose by separating kids and the networks in which they participate? Paul Taske, associate director of litigation at the tech lobbying group NetChoice, says he considers the ban “one of the most extreme violations of free speech on the world stage today" even as he expressed relief that the First Amendment prevents such law in the United States "These restrictions would create a massive cultural shift,” Taske said. “Not only is the Australian government preventing young people from engaging with issues they’re passionate about, but they’re also doing so even if their parents are ok with them using digital services," he said. "Parents know their children and their needs the best, and they should be making these decisions for their families — not big government. That kind of forcible control over families inevitably will have downstream cultural impacts.” David Inserra, a fellow for Free Expression and Technology, Cato Institute, called the bill “about as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike” in a . While Australia's law doesn't require “hard verification” such as an uploaded ID, he said, it calls for effective “age assurance.” He said no verification system can ensure accuracy while also protecting privacy and not impacting adults in the process. Privacy advocates have also raised concerns about the law's effect on online anonymity, a cornerstone of online communications — and something that can protect teens on social platforms. “Whether it be religious minorities and dissidents, LGBTQ youth, those in abusive situations, whistleblowers, or countless other speakers in tricky situations, anonymous speech is a critical tool to safely challenge authority and express controversial opinions,” Inserra said. A spot check of kids at one mall in the Australian city of Brisbane on Wednesday didn't turn up a great deal of worry, though. “Social media is still important because you get to talk to people, but I think it’s still good that they’re like limiting it,” said Swan Son, a 13-year-old student at Brisbane State High School. She said she has had limited exposure to social media and wouldn’t really miss it for a couple of years. Her parents already enforce a daily one-hour limit. And as for her friends? “I see them at school every day, so I think I’ll be fine.” Conor Negric, 16, said he felt he’d dodged a bullet because of his age. Still, he considers the law reasonable. “I think 16 is fine. Some kids, I know some kids like 10 who’re on Instagram, Snapchat. I only got Instagram when I was 14." His mom, Sive Negric, who has two teenage sons, said she was happy for her boys to avoid exposure to social media too early: “That aspect of the internet, it’s a bit `meanland.'" Parents in earlier this year organized on platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram to promise not to buy smartphones for children younger than 12 or 13. This approach costs almost no money and requires no government enforcement. In the United States, some parents are either informally or as part of an organized campaign such as Wait Until 8th, a group that helps parents delay kids' access to social media and phones. This fall, Norway announced plans to ban kids under 15 from using social media, while a smartphone ban for kids under 15 in a limited number of schools — a policy that could be rolled out nationwide if successful. U.S. lawmakers have held multiple congressional hearings — — on child online safety. Still, the last federal law aimed at protecting children online was enacted in 1998, six years before Facebook’s founding. In July, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed legislation , pushing forward with what would be the first major effort by Congress in decades to hold tech companies more accountable. But the has since stalled in the House. While several states have passed laws requiring age verification, those are stuck in court. Utah became to pass laws regulating children’s social media use in 2023. In September, a against the law, which would have required social media companies to verify the ages of users, apply privacy settings and limit some features. NetChoice has also obtained injunctions temporarily halting similar laws in several other states. And last May, said there is insufficient evidence to show social media is safe for kids. He urged policymakers to treat social media like car seats, baby formula, medication and other products children use. “Why should social media products be any different? Scelfo said. “Parents cannot possibly bear the entire responsibility of keeping children safe online, because the problems are baked into the design of the products.”Digitized Discrimination: A Study of Hiring Assessments
Penticton Vees captain commits to New York-based university
Mbappe, Vinicius and Bellingham all on target in Real Madrid's 3-2 win over Atalanta Real Madrid’s big stars turned on the style to revive the Spanish giant’s faltering Champions League title defense. Galacticos Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham all scored in a 3-2 win at Italian league leader Atalanta. It was only Madrid’s third win in the competition’s revamped league phase and leaves the 15-time champion in the unseeded playoff positions in 18th place. In contrast Liverpool leads the way after maintaining its perfect record in Europe this season after a 1-0 win against Girona. Mohamed Salah scored his 50th Champions League goal to seal it for Liverpool. Analysis: After Juan Soto's megadeal, could MLB see a $1 billion contract? Probably not soon For the second straight Major League Baseball offseason, a norm-shattering contract has been the talk of the winter, with Juan Soto agreeing with the New York Mets on a $765 million, 15-year deal that’s the richest in baseball history. It comes almost exactly one year after the Los Angeles Dodgers forked out a princely sum of $700 million on a 10-year, heavily deferred deal for two-way Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. The way it’s going, a contract approaching $1 billion doesn’t seem out of the question. But several factors are working against it — at least in the near future. Joe Burrow's home broken into during Monday Night Football in latest pro-athlete home invasion ANDERSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio (AP) — Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s home was broken into during Monday Night Football in the latest home invasion of a pro athlete in the U.S. Authorities said Tuesday no one was injured in the break-in, but the home was ransacked. Deputies weren’t immediately able to determine what items were stolen. Both the NFL and NBA issued alerts to players following prior break-ins, urging them to take precautions. The homes of Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were broken into in October. In the NBA, Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr. had their homes broken into. MLB investigated to ensure no early Sasaki deal in place, pitcher likely to pick team mid-January DALLAS (AP) — Major League Baseball investigated to ensure no team had an advance deal in place for Roki Sasaki, and the agent for the Japanese pitcher says picking a club will be “like the draft in reverse.” On the first day of Sasaki’s 45-day window to sign with an MLB team, agent Joel Wolfe says the 23-year-old right-hander likely will sign shortly after the 2025 international signing pool window opens on Jan. 15 and wouldn’t wait until the Jan. 23 deadline. Sasaki helped Japan win the 2023 World Baseball Classic and has a fastball clocked at 102.5 mph. Cubs Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg says cancer has returned, spread CHICAGO (AP) — Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg says the prostate cancer he thought had been eliminated by radiation has returned and spread. The Chicago Cubs great made the announcement on Instagram on Tuesday. Sandberg announced in January that he had metastatic prostate cancer and in August said he was cancer-free after chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Sandberg was the National League MVP in 1984 and a 10-time All-Star during 15 seasons for the Cubs from 1982 to 1997, with 282 home runs and 344 stolen bases. After his playing career, he served as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies from 2013 to 2015, going 119-159. Nolan Arenado open to switch from third base to first and leaving Cardinals for a team he approves DALLAS (AP) — Nolan Arenado is open to a trade from the St. Louis Cardinals, at age 33 wanting to be on a World Series contender. Agent Joel Wolfe says “it’s like his biological clock is ticking and if the team’s not winning it’s driving him crazy every day.” An eight-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove third baseman, Arenado is open to a switch to first base. He hit .272 with 16 homers and 71 RBIs this year, his poorest season in a decade. St. Louis acquired Arenado from Colorado ahead of the 2021 season. Athletes in $2.8 billion college lawsuit tell judge they want to create a players' association The athletes whose lawsuit against the NCAA is primed to pave the way for schools to pay them directly also want a players’ association to represent them in the complex contract negotiations that have overtaken the industry. Grant House, Sedona Prince and Nya Harrison wrote to the judge overseeing what’s known as the House Settlement, saying that although they are generally happy with the terms of the proposed settlement “there still remains a critical need for structural changes to protect athletes and prevent the failures of the past.” Analysis: The Cavs, Magic and Rockets are off to surprise starts. Maybe that shouldn't be surprising For the first time in 36 seasons, the Cleveland Cavaliers are atop the NBA at the 25-game mark. They’re 21-4, even after having come back to earth a bit following a 15-0 start. The Cavs are just one of the surprise stories that have emerged as the season nears the one-third-done mark. Orlando is off to its best start in 16 years at 17-9 and having done most of that without All-Star forward Paolo Banchero. And Houston is 16-8, behind only the Cavs, Boston, Oklahoma City and Memphis so far in the race for the league’s best record. AJ Dybantsa commits to BYU, becomes school's first 5-star recruit in US PROVO, Utah (AP) — AJ Dybantsa has announced his commitment to BYU. The projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft made the announcement Tuesday on ESPN’s “First Take." He chose the Cougars over Alabama, North Carolina and Kansas. He is BYU’s first five-star high school recruit from the United States. The chance to play for first-year BYU coach Kevin Young sold Dybantsa on joining the Cougars. He pointed to the extensive NBA experience of Young and his staff and Young’s role in coaching NBA stars like Kevin Durant and Devin Booker as key factors influencing his decision. Golf shots from every club in the bag paint the picture of a big year: Analysis Every shot tells a story and there were plenty of them this year in golf. Bryson DeChambeau drove the 13th green at Pinehurst No. 2 at just the right time in the U.S. Open. Scottie Scheffler began to pull away in the Masters with a lob wedge that nearly went in the cup. Not every shot was great. Nelly Korda hit 6-iron too far in the U.S. Women's Open and made 10 on the third hole of the tournament.As artificial intelligence (AI) companies, creatives, and copyright holders clash, Canada’s has teamed up with another early-stage music technology startup to build what it says will be a “completely legal and licensed” AI song generator. The company has partnered with India-based to develop the new service, which will combine Musical AI’s rights management platform with Beatoven.ai’s AI song generation software. They say the AI song generation model, which they plan to launch in the second half of 2025, will be trained on over three million songs, loops, samples, and sounds—all with permission from and compensation for rights holders. AI has : this partnership comes amid . Many musicians have against more predatory applications of AI to music, while others have the technology as a tool for supporting their work. Meanwhile, some of the companies powering the creation of AI songs have from record labels alleging that they have scraped copyrighted songs to train their models without consent. “Generative AI is already playing a significant role in music creation,” Musical AI co-founder and CEO Sean Power told BetaKit over email. “Rather than fighting it, we believe that it’s important to lead by example in creating tools that honour artists’ contributions and compensate them fairly.” Beatoven.ai is among the growing group of AI companies that help users generate full songs based on text, audio, and video prompts. It has gathered traction as a tool for making royalty-free background music for videos, podcasts, audiobooks, games, and other uses: Beatoven.ai claims it has helped over 1.5 million users create more than six million tracks to date. It claims to provide musicians with “equitable compensation” for contributing their music. Enter Musical AI. Founded by Power and two other musicians with experience in tech—COO Matt Adell and CTO Nicolas Gonzalez—the startup has built rights management, licensing, and attribution tech for AI music. “Our aim was to develop a system where rights holders could securely license their music for AI training with proper attribution and compensation, and where AI companies could access high-quality data ethically and legally,” Power said. “We launched Musical AI in late 2023 after recognizing the tension between advancements in AI-generated music and the rights of musicians and record labels,” Power said. “While lawsuits against AI companies for using copyrighted music without consent were a factor (and it was obvious they were coming), our decision was largely driven by a deeper understanding of the need for a collaborative solution.” Musical AI’s software helps intellectual property (IP) holders like musicians and record labels get paid for licensing their musical data to generative AI companies. The startup aims to offer music rights holders access to new revenue streams and help them retain control over how their IP is used, while also protecting AI companies and their clients from lawsuits. Musical AI already has agreements with rights holders like Symphonic and Kanjian. To date, Musical AI has secured $1.3 million USD in equity funding as part of a pre-seed round led by Halifax’s Builder Ventures that it plans to fully close by early 2025. The round saw support from a group of angels including British musician Tommy Danvers of Ministry of Sound and Right Said Fred. The startup intends to raise seed financing during the first quarter of 2025. “We believe with this partnership, we will set the way forward for how business models need to be built in AI with the rightsholders being compensated for the data the models are trained on,” Beatoven.ai founder and CEO Mansoor Rahimat Khan said in a statement. “We have historically been adopting this model in direct partnerships with independent artists and by joining hands with Musical AI we will build a sustainable revenue-sharing model using their attribution technology.” Though this partnership with Beatoven.ai, Musical AI will provide data licensing, attribution of generated outputs, and payments to rights holders, who the company said will receive “an appropriate share” of the model’s revenue based on usage, likening it to how they are paid when music is streamed on a commercial service. This AI song generation model will be trained on the existing rights holder catalogues of Musical AI. “As musicians ourselves, we view AI as a valuable addition to the industry—one that opens up new possibilities without diminishing the role of the human at the centre of the creative process,” Power said. “It’s crucial to us that AI models respect and acknowledge the contributions of human creators, which is why proper rights management and attribution are at the core of what we do.” Power said it is up to artists and listeners to shape the future of music and AI. “Whether AI is used as tools to help song creation, or to generate background music for content, or even to create entire songs without human input—consumer preferences will drive these developments,” he said. Musical AI hopes to ensure that it is “used in a way that benefits everyone.”
