online game na pwede pagkakitaan
2025-01-09   

online game na pwede pagkakitaan Online predators are becoming increasingly resourceful in trolling media platforms where children gravitate, prompting an explosion in police case loads, said an officer who works for the RCMP Integrated Child Exploitation Unit in British Columbia. Data show the problem spiked during COVID-19 when children began spending more time online — but rates did not wane as police anticipated after lockdowns ended. In B.C., they soared, almost quadrupling from 2021 to 2023. Const. Solana Pare is now warning exploitation of children is likely here to stay, as a technological race between police and predators gains momentum. “Technology is becoming more and more available, and online platforms and social media sites are being used by children younger and younger, which provides an opportunity for predators to connect with them,” Pare said in an interview. Police say child exploitation cases in B.C. went from about 4,600 in 2021 to 9,600 in 2022 to 15,920 reports last year. The upwards trend is seen nationally, too. Statistics Canada says the rate of online child sexual exploitation reported to police rose by 58 per cent from 2019 to 2022, and police data show cases have continued to rise. The RCMP’s National Child Exploitation Crime Centre reported that from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, it received 118,162 reports of suspected online child sexual exploitation offences — a 15 per cent increase compared with the previous year. Online child sexual exploitation, Pare explained, includes offences such as sextortion, child luring and the creation or distribution of sexually explicit images of a minor. “We don’t see these types of reports going away,” Pare said. “We only see them increasing because the use of electronic devices and social media, and kids being online earlier and earlier is becoming more common. There’s going to be more opportunity for predators to target children online.” Monique St. Germain, general counsel for the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, said the most common type of child luring is communicating with a youth online in order get them to produce sexual abuse material. She said “the pandemic accelerated those types of cases, and it hasn’t slowed down.” “The tools (Canadian authorities) have to deal with this type of behaviour are inadequate for the scope and the scale of what’s going on,” she said. Online exploitation gained international attention in 2015 in the case of Port Coquitlam, B.C., teenager, Amanda Todd, who died by suicide after being blackmailed and harassed online by a man for years, starting when she was 12. The month before the 15-year-old died, she uploaded a nine-minute video using a series of flash cards detailing the abuse she experienced by the stranger and how it had affected her life. It’s been viewed millions of times. Dutch national Aydin Coban was extradited to Canada for trial and, in October 2022, he was convicted of charges including the extortion and harassment of Todd. Since then, the term “sextortion” has made its way into the vernacular as more cases come to light. Among them was Carson Cleland, a 12-year-old Prince George, B.C., boy who died by suicide in October 2023 after falling victim to the crime. In New Brunswick that same month, 16-year-old William Doiron took his own life after falling victim to a global sextortion scheme. Mounties across Canada have issued news releases warning of increased cases in their communities, noting that the consequences for the victims can include self-harm and suicide. St. Germain said technology, such as artificial intelligence, is also becoming more user-friendly. “The existence of that technology and its ease of use and ready accessibility is a problem, and it is going to be an increasingly large problem as we move forward,” she said. Pare said police are also adapting to technological advancements in order to keep up with the ever-changing online landscape. “Police are constantly obtaining training on digital technologies to increase our knowledge and understanding of all the intricacies involving their use and how to capture any digital evidence,” she said. Pare said the true rates of the crime are impossible to determine, but pointed to increased social awareness and legislation across North America around mandatory reporting of child abuse material from social media companies as a potential reason for the increase. It’s not going undetected any longer, she said. “Additionally, there’s been a lot of use in artificial intelligence to detect child exploitation materials within those platforms.” Pare said “it’s up to each individual platform” to ensure there is no child sexual abuse material on their sites or apps. “With mandatory reporting, it’s putting the onus back on the electronic service providers to ensure they have measures in place to prevent this from happening, and if it is happening that it is being reported,” she said. “That being said, there are times when things don’t get located.” That is why the Canadian Centre for Child Protection has been advocating for the adoption of the Online Harms Bill that the federal government introduced in February, St. Germain said. “It’s shocking that up until now, we’ve relied on companies to self regulate, meaning we’ve just relied on them to do the right thing,” she said. “What we are seeing in terms of the number of offences and in terms of all the harm that is happening in society as a result of online platforms is completely tied to the decision not to regulate. We need to have rules in any sector, and this sector is no different.” The Online Harms Bill covers seven types of harms, from non-consensual sharing of intimate images to content that can be used to bully a child. Earlier this month, Justice Minister Arif Virani announced the Liberal government will split the bill into two parts: dealing with keeping children safe online, and combating predators and issues related to revenge pornography. “We are putting our emphasis and prioritization and our time and efforts on the first portion of the bill,” Virani told reporters on Dec. 5. Such measures would include a new Digital Safety Commission of Canada, which would compel social media companies to outline how they plan to reduce the risks their platforms pose to users, particularly minors. It would have the power to levy fines and evaluate companies’ digital safety plans. St. Germain said such a split “makes sense,” noting that most objections to the bill are related to changes to the Criminal Code and not measures around curbing harms to children. “There obviously are differences of opinion in terms of what is the best way forward, and what kind of regulatory approach makes sense, and who should the regulator be, but there does seem to be consensus on the idea that we need to do more in terms of protecting children online,” she said, adding that the organization is still in support of the second half of the bill. She said the United Kingdom previously passed its own Online Safety Act that will come into effect in 2025, which includes requiring social media firms to protect children from content such as self-harm material, pornography and violent content. Failure to do so will result in fines. “Canada is really behind,” she said. “The amount of information that has come out of the U.K., the amount of time and care and attention that their legislatures have paid to this issue is really quite remarkable, and we really hope that Canada steps up and does something for Canadian children soon.” In the absence of national legislation, province’s have filled the void. In January, B.C. enacted the Intimate Images Protection Act, providing a path for victims to have online photos, videos or deep fakes expeditiously removed. Individuals are fined up to $500 per day and websites up to $5,000 a day if they don’t comply with orders to stop distributing images that are posted without consent. B.C.’s Ministry of the Attorney General said that as of Dec. 11, the Civil Resolution Tribunal had received a total of 199 disputes under the Intimate Images Protection Act. It said the Intimate Images Protection Service had served more than 240 clients impacted by the non-consensual distribution of intimate images, adding that four awards of $5,000 each and one for $3,000 had been supplied as of mid-December. Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Alberta and Saskatchewan have also enacted legislation targeting unauthorized distribution of intimate images. St. Germain said the use of provincial powers is also necessary, but it’s not enough. “A piece of provincial legislation is going to be very difficult to be effective against multiple actors in multiple countries,” she said, noting that the online crime is borderless. “We need something bigger — more comprehensive. We need to use all tools in the tool box.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 29, 2024. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .

NINGDE, China , Dec. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On December 24th, CATL officially launched the CATL Bedrock Chassis, the world's first ultra-safe skateboard chassis. With its outstanding performance of withstanding 120 km/h frontal impact without catching fire or exploding, CATL's Bedrock Chassis sets a new standard for intelligent chassis safety, providing comprehensive protection across all scenarios and speed ranges. Lead the industry with the most stringent safety tests With the battery-centered design, CATL's Bedrock Chassis utilizes Cell-to-Chassis integration technology, which directly integrates the battery cells into the chassis, allowing for a shared structural design between them. And based on the decoupling of the chassis from the upper body, the Bedrock Chassis is capable of absorbing 85% of the vehicle's collision energy (compared to around 60% absorbed by traditional chassis). Through various technological breakthroughs, the Bedrock Chassis successfully passed the world's first "highest speed + strongest impact" dual extreme safety test. This achievement enables the chassis to pass the 120 km/h frontal central pole impact test without catching fire, exploding or thermal runway, redefining the benchmark for safety in the industry. Currently, the speed for frontal impact safety test in the commonly used C-NCAP (China New Car Assessment Program) is 56km/h, which, when experiencing a frontal impact at this speed, generates collision energy equivalent to falling from 12-meter-high building. In comparison, a frontal impact at 120km/h is equivalent to falling from a 56-meter-high building, generating a collision energy 4.6 times that of collision at 56km/h. In more stringent frontal pole crash tests, which simulate crashes with non-standard objects such as power poles, large trees, or animals, the impact area is only 1/6 of that in a full-width frontal impact, exponentially increasing impact pressure. At a speed of 120km/h, the impact pressure on the chassis per unit area in a frontal central pole impact is 21 times that of the 56 km/h full-width frontal impact in C-NCAP testing. Due to the extremely high crash speed and intensity, there has been no previous instance of any new energy vehicle daring to challenge a 120km/h frontal pole impact test. With this extreme challenge, CATL's Bedrock Chassis has blazed a fresh trail for the industry. Open the era of ultra-safe transportation through three technological breakthroughs CATL's Bedrock Chassis has delved deep into the realm of structure and material innovation, leveraging three technological breakthroughs to provide unparalleled protection in all scenarios and speed ranges, ensuring rock-solid safety for the entire vehicle. The CATL Bedrock Chassis introduces a revolutionary three-dimensional biomimetic tortoise shell structure, where the body and energy unit framework are integrated, deeply coupled to provide the energy unit with indestructible protection. And its aircraft carrier-grade arresting structure disperses impact forces across multiple pathways during a crash, gradually decelerating the vehicle and significantly reducing the depth and speed at which obstacles intrude the cabin. The utilization of submarine-grade hot-formed steel with a strength of 2000MPa, aerospace-grade aluminum alloy with a strength of 600MPa, and multiple barrier structures further enhance the chassis' rigidity, making it virtually impervious. Moreover, the CATL Bedrock Chassis incorporates an ultra-safe battery cell design, NP technology, and a high-ductility energy-absorbing insulation film, leading the industry in a groundbreaking manner. In terms of high-voltage disconnection, it achieves instantaneous disconnection of high voltage circuit within 0.01 seconds of impact and completes the discharge of residual high-voltage energy in the vehicle within 0.2 seconds, setting a new industry record. Notably, the battery cells have undergone highly demanding tests, including high-speed sled impact tests at 60 km/h, 90-degree bending tests, and breakthrough sawing tests, the battery did not catch fire or explode across all three tests. These tests, all industry-firsts by CATL, have elevated the safety standards of battery cells to new heights. Unlocking the era of customization, and activating a trillion-yuan market The launch of the Bedrock Chassis not only redefines the standard for intelligent chassis safety but also activates a trillion-yuan market. It greatly accelerates the shift towards modular, personalized, and intelligent automotive design. Addressing the common pain points of high investment, long development cycles, and accelerated product iteration in the industry, the Bedrock Chassis incorporates three core characteristics: internal integration, decoupling of the chassis from the upper body, and external openness. With a rich array of toolkits and solution packages, it offers a scalable software and hardware architecture and standardized interfaces, enabling flexible configurations for different vehicle models and scenarios. This allows the realization of a "one chassis architecture, multiple vehicle models" concept and significantly improves development efficiency and shortens the R&D cycle. The time required for mass production of a vehicle is reduced from the traditional 36 months or longer to 12 to 18 months. Furthermore, the Bedrock Chassis breaks the limits of safety and modeling, and expands design flexibility through the design of decoupling of the chassis from the upper body. The fourth-generation Cell-to-Chassis (CTC) technology and inverted battery cell technology enhance the utilization of chassis space while reducing the risk of chassis scraping. Additionally, in terms of intelligence, the chassis supports mechanical decoupling, software decoupling and EE decoupling, enabling L3 to L4 intelligent driving capabilities. It provides high adaptability interfaces and promotes collaborative intelligent applications. At the launch ceremony, AVATR, the first automaker to use Bedrock Chassis, and CAIT-SH, CATL's skateboard chassis arm, signed an agreement to deepen cooperation on CATL's Bedrock Chassis to create a safer, higher-quality travel experience for users. Safety is a never-ending journey. In the future, CATL will continue to break technological barriers through continuous innovation, and work with partners to build a safe ecosystem for EV batteries and vehicles, safeguarding the safety of users. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2587315/1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2587316/2.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2587317/3.jpg View original content: https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/catl-launches-the-bedrock-chassis-that-withstands-120-kmh-impact-without-catching-fire-or-exploding-302338952.html

Real estate stocks have been feeling the heat of high interest rates for a few years already, but many of them are on the rebound, including stocks like Home Depot and Lowe's , as well as many real estate investment trusts (REITs). Many factors are influencing this trend. The main one is that the Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate for the first time in four years, and there might be more cuts coming. The election of Donald Trump as president and the imminent arrival of his cabinet picks are others. But not all real estate stocks have been feeling the love. Opendoor Technologies ( OPEN 1.39% ) stock remains down 93% from its highs, although the iBuyer jumped last week after Trump named key members of his economic team. Opendoor has more direct exposure to the real estate market than the other stocks on this list. It buys and sells residential real estate -- a market segment where the impact of higher interest rates has had an incredibly strong impact. Homebuyers haven't been selling, and with relatively little inventory on the market, Opendoor has had a tough time. But Opendoor could still end up being a long-term superstar. The rebounding housing market Opendoor's business can start to improve once the housing market starts to loosen up. After that, though, it will still have to prove itself as a business. There are indications that a housing rebound is on the rise. In October, sales of existing homes increased 3.4% over September, according to Freddie Mac, beating The Wall Street Journal 's estimate of 2.9%. They also rose 2.9% year over year, the first year-over-year monthly sales increase since July 2021. Those positive trends reflected that mortgage interest rates had started to fall, but since then, they've begun creeping up again. There are more houses on the market, but now buyers aren't sure what to do. In other words, although it looks like there's going to be improvement, and there has been, it's not clear that the trend is going to continue. However, neither the uncertainty nor the stagnancy of the market will go on indefinitely. Many would-be homebuyers and sellers are waiting, but they're not going to wait forever. The Federal Reserve is still planning to cut interest rates further, and when it does, that could finally unleash a more vigorous housing market. Opendoor has massive opportunities On the surface, Opendoor looks like it has incredible growth opportunities. However, it hasn't had much of a chance to exploit them while the operating environment in residential real estate is so difficult. The company offers an alternative way for homeowners to sell their homes using digital technology and artificial intelligence. It aims to make selling and buying seamless, providing accurate quotes based on its machine-learning algorithms , and making quick cash offers to sellers. Real estate is in the process of being disrupted by the digital transition, and Opendoor is a major player. Housing is one of the biggest markets there is, with a $1.9 trillion opportunity. Opendoor is one of the few remaining iBuyers now that Zillow and Redfin have closed down their rival businesses. As one of the last players standing, it has an even better chance to succeed. Its revenues increased 41% year over year in the third quarter, gross profit increased from $96 million to $105 million, and net loss improved from $106 million to $78 million. It purchased 3,504 homes in the quarter, and the inventory balance was $2.1 billion, a 64% increase over last year. Investors are cautiously optimistic -- Opendoor stock is up by 16% over the past month. Should every investor buy Opendoor stock? Opendoor is well positioned to bounce back when the market is better, but there's a lot of uncertainty right now. It looks like it's financially stable and has the cash cushion to navigate through this rough period. But if the market's doldrums drag on too long, Opendoor's situation could become precarious. Its positive third-quarter report should somewhat allay investors' fears, but the market is still incredibly cautious. I want to be crystal clear that this stock is a risky play, and it's not for the conservative investor. I only recommend it for investors who have a serious appetite for risk . If that fits your investing profile, you might want to take a bite at the current price. It's so low that you don't have to risk much for a payoff that could be huge.

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks slipped in afternoon trading Friday as Wall Street closes out a rare bumpy week. The S&P 500 fell 0.2%, and is on track for a loss for the week after three straight weekly gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 81 points, or 0.2% to 43,833 as of 12:56 p.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq fell 0.3% and is hovering around its record. Broadcom surged 20.2% after the semiconductor company beat Wall Street’s profit targets and gave a glowing forecast, highlighting its artificial intelligence products. The company also raised its dividend. The company's big gain helped cushion the market's broader fall. Pricey stock values for technology companies like Broadcom give the sector more weight in pushing the market higher or lower. Artificial intelligence technology has been a focal point for the technology sector and the overall stock market over the last year. Tech companies, and Wall Street, expect demand for AI to continue driving growth for semiconductor and other technology companies. Furniture and housewares company RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, surged 14.3% after raising its forecast for revenue growth for the year. Wall Street's rally stalled this week amid mixed economic reports and ahead of the Federal Reserve's last meeting of the year. The central bank will meet next week and is widely expected to cut interest rates for a third time since September. Expectations of a series of rate cuts has driven the S&P 500 to 57 all-time highs so far this year . The Fed has been lowering its benchmark interest rate following an aggressive rate hiking policy that was meant to tame inflation. It raised rates from near-zero in early 2022 to a two-decade high by the middle of 2023. Inflation eased under pressure from higher interest rates, nearly to the central bank's 2% target. The economy, including consumer spending and employment, held strong despite the squeeze from inflation and high borrowing costs. A slowing job market, though, has helped push a long-awaited reversal of the Fed's policy. Inflation rates have been warming up slightly over the last few months. A report on consumer prices this week showed an increase to 2.7% in November from 2.6% in October. The Fed's preferred measure of inflation, the personal consumption expenditures index, will be released next week. Wall Street expects it to show a 2.5% rise in November, up from 2.3% in October. The economy, though, remains solid heading into 2025 as consumers continue spending and employment remains healthy, said Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY. “Still, the outlook is clouded by unusually high uncertainty surrounding regulatory, immigration, trade and tax policy,” he said. Treasury yields edged higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.39% from 4.34% late Thursday. European markets slipped. Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.1%. Britain’s economy unexpectedly shrank by 0.1% month-on-month in October, following a 0.1% decline in September, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. Asian markets closed mostly lower.

Texans vs. Ravens Predictions & Picks: Odds, Moneyline, Spread – Week 17The holiday season is here and with that friends and family will be gathering all across the nation. Our recent election has shown how politically divided we are. There’s a lot of passion about who is right and who is wrong. We should all resist the temptation to share our political views at holiday gatherings. Take this time to enjoy the company of friends and family. Let me put this in the arena of automobiles. You like Ford and a family member thinks Chevrolet is the only way to go. You tell them how great the Ford Mustang is and they bring up the “dangerous” Ford Pinto. Then they mention the virtues of the Chevolet Camaro. To that you tell them about the “unsafe at any speed” Chevy Corvair. Please keep in mind you may be sharing the day with a “MOPAR” fan who doesn’t want to hear you two argue on whether we should "See the USA in your Chevrolet" or if "Ford has a better idea." In the spirit of the season, agree to disagree and put your differences aside, at least for the day. Everyone deserves to have a joyous holiday season with friends and family. Peace. Craig Fink lives in Moorhead.

‘Shockingly lax’: how soaring British bank Starling had its wings clipped

Rajnath Singh Becomes First Defence Minister In 24 Years to Visit Mhow, Praises Indian Army`s Training InstitutesThe Sporting News fantasy team is back with our fantasy football sleepers for Week 15. With the fantasy playoffs now underway, it's now more critical than ever to make the correct decisions with the fringe starters in your lineup. The stakes are now at an all-time high and we'll be looking to put together the best lineups possible. Last week, this list was highlighted by Sam Darnold, Jordan Addison, and Jakobi Meyers, all of whom went on to perform at a high level. If fantasy managers had anyone from this group in their lineup, they were likely quite happy with the results. While it's fun to look back to previous successes, the fantasy season moves quickly, and we have to adapt as the weeks progress. Week 15 offers a brand new slate of games with matchups that we can look to exploit in fantasy football. If you don't have time to dive into the outlook for each game, don't worry, we've got you covered. We dove head first into each matchup of the Week 15 slate to pinpoint which situations and matchups we should attack in fantasy football. Three of our fantasy analysts have identified a player at each position. WEEK 15 FANTASY FOOTBALL RANKINGS QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/ST | Kickers Fantasy QB Sleepers for Week 15 Michael O'Hara: Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams — Two offenses that have been banged up all year -- the Rams and 49ers -- are relatively healthy and could deliver a shootout in Week 15. After Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp returned in Week 8, we have been treated to several vintage Matthew Stafford performances. He's thrown multiple touchdowns in six of seven games, scoring at least 18.9 fantasy points in five of those contests. He's also been fairly efficient during this stretch, completing 65.4 percent of his passes and averaging 7.54 yards per attempt. In a game with a 48.5-point total, we could see Stafford have another big performance on Thursday night. Ed Williams: Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers — Once Young was benched earlier this season for Andy Dalton, many assumed it was just a matter of time before the Panthers moved on from last year's No. 1 overall draft pick. But just the opposite has happened. After Andy Dalton had to miss time after an automobile accident, Young was thrust back into the starting lineup and has made significant strides. If Xavier Leggette had better hands, we might be talking about how the Panthers pulled off the unthinkable upset and beat the Eagles last week. Now, their favored this week hosting the Cowboys -- the first time they've been favored in a game since Dec. 18, 2022. The Cowboys just keep racking up injuries, and now promising linebacker DeMarvion Overshown is out for the rest of this year and potentially all of next year with a torn ACL, MCL, and PCL. Look for Young to pepper Adam Thielen with targets while getting his other receivers in the mix. And Young has also shown he's not afraid to take off and use his legs as well. Vinnie Iyer: Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets — His 300-yard drought ended against the Dolphins as he was locked in with all of his wide receivers for the first time all season. Now he draws the juiciest matchup of them all against the Jaguars, back in Florida with no weather concerns. Fantasy RB Sleepers for Week 15 O'Hara: Isaiah Davis, New York Jets — For much of the year, it was assumed that Braelon Allen would take on a bell cow role if Breece Hall were to miss any time. In reality, it was a split backfield between Allen and fellow rookie Isaiah Davis. Ultimately, Davis played 53 percent of snaps and ran a route on 47 percent of dropbacks. He also played the lone goal line snap last week. Davis will need Hall to miss more time to maintain fantasy relevance, but considering the Jets are eliminated from the playoffs, there will be no rush to get Hall back on the field. Davis holds a solid role that is made up of plenty of receiving work and goal line opportunities; this role is enough to put him in starting consideration in deeper leagues. Williams: Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints — Kendre Miller was permanently in former head coach Dennis Allen's doghouse. But he has a clean slate with interim head coach Darren Rizzi. In his first game since coming off of IR (a stint only Allen seemed to think Miller needed), Miller immediately saw 10 carries and scored a touchdown. With Kamara already shouldering the biggest workload of his career, it wouldn't be surprising to see 10 carries be Miller's floor moving forward. The Commanders' defense has definitely improved as the season has progressed, but they're not a unit to be feared. With Derek Carr out, the Saints will want to lean heavily on the running game, so Miller should see plenty of work. Iyer: Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos – Just when you think the Broncos are not interested in using him as much vs. Audric Estime and Jaleel McLaughlin (like after a bye) is the exact time to go against that instinct and look that he's their best all-around back to exploit the very favorable rushing and receiving matchup against the Colts. Fantasy WR Sleepers for Week 15 O'Hara: Amari Cooper, Buffalo Bills — Since joining the Bills, Amari Cooper hasn't been much more than a rotational receiver; his route share came in at just 63 percent last week. However, Cooper has shown that he can earn targets alongside Buffalo's other receivers. In five games with the team, Cooper has drawn a target on 29 percent of his routes, a mark that would lead the team across the full season. Last week was a very strong outing for Cooper, drawing 14 targets on 26 routes. In what should be an offensive-minded matchup with the Lions next week, Josh Allen will likely turn to Cooper quite often once again. Even though he doesn't run a full complement of routes, Cooper offers Flex appeal against the defense that allows the 7th-most points per game to opposing receivers. Williams: Adam Thielen, Carolina Panthers — We have his QB listed as a sleeper, so it only makes sense to also go with his No. 1 target. Since returning from a hamstring injury three weeks ago, Thielen looks rejuvenated. He's reached double digit targets in each of the last two weeks, and he eclipsed 100 receiving yards in a game last week against the Eagles for the first time since Week 6 of the '23 season (And he just missed by one yard in Week 13 with 99 yards). Thielen is a wily veteran and will know how to get open against the reeling Cowboys, and Young will surely be looking his way. Iyer: Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears — Odunze was heated up again vs. the 49ers, and that's good timing to face a Vikings' secondary indoors in prime time that struggles plenty with quick, speedy downfield targets. The rookie puts together another strong outing, building on the wideouts'' success in the first meeting. Fantasy TE Sleepers for Week 15 O'Hara: Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints — With Taysom Hill out for the year, Juwan Johnson has taken over as the Saints' primary pass-catching tight end. He was successful in that role last week, finishing with 50 receiving yards and a score. Johnson's 16.1-percent target share last week was respectable and he could even push for 20 percent in some games thanks to the lack of talent among New Orleans' receivers. The Saints will face off with the Commanders this week which should lead to a game script where the Saints are dropping back to pass quite often. Johnson should be able to draw a handful of targets and provide serviceable fantasy production if he can convert one of those looks into an explosive play. Williams: Stone Smartt, Los Angeles Chargers — Ideally we'd be plugging in Will Dissly here, as the Bucs give up the 6th-most fantasy points to the tight end position. But Dissly is expected to miss multiple weeks with a shoulder injury. Smartt caught all three of his targets in relief of Dissly Sunday night against the Chiefs. He showed great hands and the ability to get open. With a struggling running game, Justin Herbert will have to throw the ball, and Smartt could surprise people once again with another strong outing. Iyer: Noah Fant, Seattle Seahawks — This play isn't for the "fant" of heart given his limited role in recent weeks, but the Packers have allowed athletic tight ends to stretch the field against them of late. Geno Smith has been ripping it into the middle of the field, and that's where he will have success attacking the Packers. Fantasy Defense Sleepers Week 15 O'Hara: Atlanta Falcons — The Falcons have struggled on the defensive side of the ball all year and were just torched for 42 points by Sam Darnold and the Vikings. Week 15 is a get-right spot for the Falcons, who will face Desmond Ridder and the generally underwhelming Las Vegas offense. This is an offense to target with defensive streamers regardless of that defense's past performance. Williams: Minnesota Vikings — The Vikings played the Bears three weeks ago and gave up 27 points in a tough overtime win. Caleb Williams has shown improvement throughout the season, but he's still not at the level most fantasy managers expected him to be at when they drafted him. With the Vikings coming off a convincing win over the Falcons and with No. 1 seed hopes still alive, Brian Flores' unit should be plenty motivated to come out during Monday Night Football and shut down their division foes. Iyer: Kansas City Chiefs — They've been up and down as a potential fantasy play, but they are definitely "up" with their secondary and pass rush going after Jameis Winston on the road in Cleveland.

Dana Hull | (TNS) Bloomberg News Jared Birchall, Elon Musk’s money manager and the head of his family office, is listed as the chief executive officer. Jehn Balajadia, a longtime Musk aide who has worked at SpaceX and the Boring Co., is named as an official contact. Related Articles National Politics | San Francisco’s fentanyl deportations show rare unity with Donald Trump National Politics | Biden will decide on US Steel acquisition after influential panel fails to reach consensus National Politics | Calmes: A peaceful transfer of power — you can thank Biden National Politics | Biden vetoes once-bipartisan effort to add 66 federal judgeships, citing ‘hurried’ House action National Politics | Bill Clinton is hospitalized with a fever but in good spirits, spokesperson says But they’re not connected to Musk’s new technology venture, or the political operation that’s endeared him to Donald Trump. Instead, they’re tied to the billionaire’s new Montessori school outside Bastrop, Texas, called Ad Astra, according to documents filed with state authorities and obtained via a Texas Public Information Act request. The world’s richest person oversees an overlapping empire of six companies — or seven, if you include his political action committee. Alongside rockets, electric cars, brain implants, social media and the next Trump administration, he is increasingly focused on education, spanning preschool to college. One part of his endeavor was revealed last year, when Bloomberg News reported that his foundation had set aside roughly $100 million to create a technology-focused primary and secondary school in Austin, with eventual plans for a university. An additional $137 million in cash and stock was allotted last year, according to the most recent tax filing for the Musk Foundation. Ad Astra is closer to fruition. The state documents show Texas authorities issued an initial permit last month, clearing the way for the center to operate with as many as 21 pupils. Ad Astra’s website says it’s “currently open to all children ages 3 to 9.” The school’s account on X includes job postings for an assistant teacher for preschool and kindergarten and an assistant teacher for students ages 6 to 9. To run the school, Ad Astra is partnering with a company that has experience with billionaires: Xplor Education, which developed Hala Kahiki Montessori school in Lanai, Hawaii, the island 98% owned by Oracle Corp. founder Larry Ellison. Ad Astra sits on a highway outside Bastrop, a bedroom community about 30 miles from Austin and part of a region that’s home to several of Musk’s businesses. On a visit during a recent weekday morning, there was a single Toyota Prius in the parking lot and no one answered the door at the white building with a gray metal roof. The school’s main entrance was blocked by a gate, and there was no sign of any children on the grounds. But what information there is about Ad Astra makes it sound like a fairly typical, if high-end, Montessori preschool. The proposed schedule includes “thematic, STEM-based activities and projects” as well as outdoor play and nap time. A sample snack calendar features carrots and hummus. While Birchall’s and Balajadia’s names appear in the application, it isn’t clear that they’ll have substantive roles at the school once it’s operational. Musk, Birchall and Balajadia didn’t respond to emailed questions. A phone call and email to the school went unanswered. Access to high quality, affordable childcare is a huge issue for working parents across the country, and tends to be an especially vexing problem in rural areas like Bastrop. Many families live in “childcare deserts” where there is either not a facility or there isn’t an available slot. Opening Ad Astra gives Musk a chance to showcase his vision for education, and his support for the hands-on learning and problem solving that are a hallmark of his industrial companies. His public comments about learning frequently overlap with cultural concerns popular among conservatives and the Make America Great Again crowd, often focusing on what he sees as young minds being indoctrinated by teachers spewing left-wing propaganda. He has railed against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and in August posted that “a lot of schools are teaching white boys to hate themselves.” Musk’s educational interests dovetail with his new role as Trump’s “first buddy.” The billionaire has pitched a role for himself that he — and now the incoming Trump administration — call “DOGE,” or the Department of Government Efficiency. Though it’s not an actual department, DOGE now posts on X, the social media platform that Musk owns. “The Department of Education spent over $1 billion promoting DEI in America’s schools,” the account posted Dec. 12. Back in Texas, Bastrop is quickly becoming a key Musk point of interest. The Boring Co., his tunneling venture, is based in an unincorporated area there. Across the road, SpaceX produces Starlink satellites at a 500,000-square-foot (46,000-square-meter) facility. Nearby, X is constructing a building for trust and safety workers. Musk employees, as well as the general public, can grab snacks at the Boring Bodega, a convenience store housed within Musk’s Hyperloop Plaza, which also contains a bar, candy shop and hair salon. Ad Astra is just a five-minute drive away. It seems to have been designed with the children of Musk’s employees — if not Musk’s own offspring — in mind. Musk has fathered at least 12 children, six of them in the last five years. “Ad Astra’s mission is to foster curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking in the next generation of problem solvers and builders,” reads the school’s website. A job posting on the website of the Montessori Institute of North Texas says “While their parents support the breakthroughs that expand the realm of human possibility, their children will grow into the next generation of innovators in a way that only authentic Montessori can provide.” The school has hired an executive director, according to documents Bloomberg obtained from Texas Health and Human Services. Ad Astra is located on 40 acres of land, according to the documents, which said a 4,000-square-foot house would be remodeled for the preschool. It isn’t uncommon for entrepreneurs to take an interest in education, according to Bill Gormley, a professor emeritus at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University who studies early childhood education. Charles Butt, the chairman of the Texas-based H-E-B grocery chain, has made public education a focus of his philanthropy. Along with other business and community leaders, Butt founded “Raise Your Hand Texas,” which advocates on school funding, teacher workforce and retention issues and fully funding pre-kindergarten. “Musk is not the only entrepreneur to recognize the value of preschool for Texas workers,” Gormley said. “A lot of politicians and business people get enthusiastic about education in general — and preschool in particular — because they salivate at the prospect of a better workforce.” Musk spent much of October actively campaigning for Trump’s presidential effort, becoming the most prolific donor of the election cycle. He poured at least $274 million into political groups in 2024, including $238 million to America PAC, the political action committee he founded. While the vast majority of money raised by America PAC came from Musk himself, it also had support from other donors. Betsy DeVos, who served as education secretary in Trump’s first term, donated $250,000, federal filings show. The Department of Education is already in the new administration’s cross hairs. Trump campaigned on the idea of disbanding the department and dismantling diversity initiatives, and he has also taken aim at transgender rights. “Rather than indoctrinating young people with inappropriate racial, sexual, and political material, which is what we’re doing now, our schools must be totally refocused to prepare our children to succeed in the world of work,” Trump wrote in Agenda 47, his campaign platform. Musk has three children with the musician Grimes and three with Shivon Zilis, who in the past was actively involved at Neuralink, his brain machine interface company. All are under the age of five. Musk took X, his son with Grimes, with him on a recent trip to Capitol Hill. After his visit, he shared a graphic that showed the growth of administrators in America’s public schools since 2000. Musk is a fan of hands-on education. During a Tesla earnings call in 2018, he talked about the need for more electricians as the electric-car maker scaled up the energy side of its business. On the Joe Rogan podcast in 2020, Musk said that “too many smart people go into finance and law.” “I have a lot of respect for people who work with their hands and we need electricians and plumbers and carpenters,” Musk said while campaigning for Trump in Pennsylvania in October. “That’s a lot more important than having incremental political science majors.” Ad Astra’s website says the cost of tuition will be initially subsidized, but in future years “tuition will be in line with local private schools that include an extended day program.” “I do think we need significant reform in education,” Musk said at a separate Trump campaign event. “The priority should be to teach kids skills that they will find useful later in life, and to leave any sort of social propaganda out of the classroom.” With assistance from Sophie Alexander and Kara Carlson. ©2024 Bloomberg News. Visit at bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.AP Business SummaryBrief at 4:26 p.m. ESTNEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes drifted lower in the runup to the highlight of the week for the market, the latest update on inflation. The S&P 500 slipped 0.3% Tuesday and marked its first back-to-back losses in three weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite also fell 0.3%. Oracle dragged on the market after reporting weaker growth than analysts expected. Treasury yields rose in the bond market ahead of Wednesday’s inflation report, which will be among the final big pieces of data before the Federal Reserve’s meeting on interest rates next week. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes are drifting lower Tuesday in the runup to the highlight of the week for the market, the latest update on inflation that’s coming on Wednesday. The S&P 500 dipped by 0.2% in late trading, a day after pulling back from its latest all-time high . The index is on track for its first back-to-back losses in more than three weeks, as momentum slows following a big rally that has it on track for one of its best years of the millennium . The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down by 7 points, or less than 0.1%, with roughly an hour remaining in trading, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.3%. Tech titan Oracle dragged on the market and sank 7.8% after reporting growth for the latest quarter that fell just short of analysts’ expectations. It was one of the heaviest weights on the S&P 500, even though CEO Safra Catz said the company saw record demand related to artificial-intelligence technology for its cloud infrastructure business, which trains generative AI models. AI has been a big source of growth that’s helped many companies’ stock prices skyrocket. Oracle’s stock had already leaped nearly 81% for the year coming into Tuesday, which raised the bar of expectations for its profit report. C3.ai fell 2.1% despite reporting a smaller loss for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The AI software company increased its forecast for how big a loss it expects to take this fiscal year from its operations. In the bond market, Treasury yields ticked higher ahead of Wednesday’s report on the inflation that U.S. consumers are feeling. Economists expect it to show roughly similar increases as the month before. That and a report on Thursday about inflation at the wholesale level will be the final big pieces of data the Federal Reserve will get before its meeting next week, where many investors expect the year’s third cut to interest rates . The Fed has been easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high since September to lift the slowing jobs market, after bringing inflation nearly down to its 2% target. Lower rates would help give support to the economy, but they could also provide more fuel for inflation. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.22% from 4.20% late Monday. Even though the Fed has been cutting its main interest rate, mortgage rates have been more stubborn and have been volatile since the autumn. That has hampered the housing industry, and homebuilder Toll Brothers’ stock fell 5.2% even though it beat analysts’ expectations for profit and revenue in the latest quarter. CEO Douglas Yearley Jr. said the luxury builder has been seeing strong demand since the start of its fiscal year six weeks ago, an encouraging signal as it approaches the beginning of the spring selling season in mid-January Elsewhere on Wall Street, Alaska Air Group soared 13.6% after raising its forecast for profit in the current quarter. The airline said demand for flying around the holidays has been stronger than expected. It also approved a plan to buy back up to $1 billion of its stock, along with new service from Seattle to Tokyo and Seoul . Boeing climbed 5.2% after saying it's resuming production of its bestselling plane , the 737 Max, for the first time since 33,000 workers began a seven-week strike that ended in early November. Vail Resorts rose 2.7% after the ski resort operator reported a narrower first-quarter loss than expected in what is traditionally its worst quarter. In stock markets abroad, indexes were mixed in China after the world’s second-largest economy said its exports rose by less than expected in November. Stocks rose 0.6% in Shanghai but fell 0.5% in Hong Kong. ___ AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed. Stan Choe, The Associated Press

In today's Daily Fix:More bad news from Ubisoft to close out the year. The company has decided to shut down its free-to-play shooter XDefiant—despite positive impressions from the game's fans and the media, there just weren't enough people playing to justify the cost of keeping the game running. And with the game's shutdown comes the closure of two studios working on it. Ubisoft's San Francisco and Osaka studios have been closed, with nearly 300 people being laid off. Ubisoft is hoping to boune back from a disappointing year with Assassin's Creed Shadows in 2025. In other news, Walton Goggins is putting the Ghoul skin back on for season 2 of Fallout. The actor shared an image on Instagram with him and a make-up artist layering on his character's irradiated skin. No release date is set yet for Fallout Season 2. And finally, Reebok has revealed new shoes to coincide with the new Sonic the Hedgehog movie. There will be two child-sized shoes and three adult shoes in Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles colorways.

AP News Summary at 4:36 p.m. EST

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