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7xm 777 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 | Trump’s picks for top health jobs not just team of rivals but ‘team of opponents’ National Politics | Biden will decide on US Steel acquisition after influential panel fails to reach consensus National Politics | Biden vetoes once-bipartisan effort to add 66 federal judgeships, citing ‘hurried’ House action National Politics | A history of the Panama Canal — and why Trump can’t take it back on his own National Politics | President-elect Trump wants to again rename North America’s tallest peak 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.Biden says he was ‘stupid’ not to put his name on pandemic relief checks like Trump did

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Tweet Facebook Mail A new blood test developed by scientists in Melbourne could detect melanomas before they're even visible to the naked eye. About 2000 Australians are killed by skin cancer each year but a new research breakthrough could save countless lives from the deadly disease. The blood tests measure the biomarker of cancer and can identify melanoma before symptoms are shown on the skin. READ MORE: Man, 31, charged with double murder of married Sydney couple The blood test could be available to patients by 2025. (9News) The researchers say the method has a 97 per cent accuracy rate when determining between benign and different stages of melanoma. If the blood test is given the green light by the regulator, it could be available to use within the next six months. It is expected to be available at some point next year. But it will not come cheap; 9News understands that it is not covered by the government, meaning it could cost patients between $1200 and $1500 per test. READ MORE: Tobacco shop destroyed in suspicious blaze Melanoma is the third most common cancer in Australia. (9News) The technology was developed alongside inventor Genesq Biosciences and pathology provider Australian Clinical Labs (ACL). Melanoma is the third most common cancer in Australia and is the most common for Australians aged between 20 and 39. About 90 per cent of melanomas can be cured by surgery if caught early. DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play .

WASHINGTON , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Shield AI, the defense technology company building autonomy for the world, has announced it is expanding its work with Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: PLTR ), a leading provider of AI systems, to develop and deliver large-scale command and control of autonomous uncrewed systems, including operations in GPS- and communications-denied environments. With Warp Speed, Palantir's manufacturing OS for American re-industrialization, Shield AI is doubling down on its commitment to delivering scalable, AI-powered solutions to protect service members and civilians. By leveraging Shield AI's advanced Hivemind software development kit, along with Palantir's suite of powerful software solutions—including enterprise resource planning, geospatial intelligence, and operational decision-making tools—the partnership combines the strengths of both companies to address the most critical defense challenges. "Shield AI and Palantir have both built technology products proven in the most demanding environments," said Brandon Tseng , Shield AI's President, Co-founder, and former Navy SEAL. "Our partnership is about bringing together Palantir's software dominance and Shield AI's expertise in autonomy to deliver the best possible outcomes for customers. It's exciting to scale up what we've been working on together in this next chapter of our partnership." This announcement builds on work Shield AI and Palantir showcased at the Association of the U.S. Army's (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Expo in October, where the companies demonstrated the integration of Shield AI's Hivemind with Palantir's Gaia. This integration created a unified command-and-control system for autonomous systems. Hivemind's proven autonomy capabilities—demonstrated on platforms like the V-BAT , F-16, MQM-178 Firejet, and Nova quadcopter—now seamlessly integrate with Gaia's geospatial intelligence tools, enabling real-time mission execution and precision targeting. "The American Industrial Base needs Warp Speed," said Shyam Sankar , Palantir's Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President. "Shield AI stands out in their field, having achieved mission impact and product results where others have struggled. This partnership, and Shield AI's deploying of our newly announced manufacturing OS will enable faster and better delivery to customers, and ultimately aid in the defense of the West." About Palantir Technologies Inc. Foundational software of tomorrow. Delivered today. Additional information is available at https://www.palantir.com . Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements may relate to, but are not limited to, Palantir's expectations regarding the amount and the terms of the contract and the expected benefits of our software platforms. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time those statements are made and were based on current expectations as well as the beliefs and assumptions of management as of that time with respect to future events. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond our control. These risks and uncertainties include our ability to meet the unique needs of our customer; the failure of our platforms to satisfy our customer or perform as desired; the frequency or severity of any software and implementation errors; our platforms' reliability; and our customer's ability to modify or terminate the contract. Additional information regarding these and other risks and uncertainties is included in the filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Except as required by law, we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise. Media Contact Lisa Gordon, [email protected] About Shield AI Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company whose mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems. In pursuit of this mission, Shield AI is building the world's best AI pilot. Its AI pilot, Hivemind, has flown jets (F-16; MQM-178 Firejet), a vertical takeoff and landing drone (MQ-35 V-BAT), and three quadcopters (Nova, Nova 2, iPRD). The company has offices in San Diego , Dallas , Washington DC and abroad. Shield AI's products and people are currently in the field actively supporting operations with the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. allies. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X and Instagram. Media Contact Lily Hinz , [email protected] SOURCE Shield AIThe American Film Institute has announced its annual Top 10 films of 2024 list and the choices are being touted as being very close to what we’ll likely see as the Oscar Best Picture nominee list when that’s announced next month. The ten that made the list for this year: “Anora,” “The Brutalist,” “A Complete Unknown,” “Conclave,” “Dune: Part Two,” “Emilia Pérez,” “Nickel Boys,” “A Real Pain,” “Sing Sing” and “Wicked”. Last year’s list saw eight out of ten nominated titles go on to Best Picture nominations. Going by the discussion coming out of this list so far on social media, the most contentious pick by far is Jacques Audiard’s musical crime comedy “Emilia Perez” which was a hit at Cannes. In terms of snubs, the films that seem to come up the most as being unfairly snubbed include “Challengers” and “The Substance”. The institute also announced its Top 10 TV series of 2024 with the list being: “Abbott Elementary,” “The Bear,” “Hacks,” “A Man on the Inside,” “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” “Nobody Wants This,” “The Penguin,” “Shōgun,” “Shrinking” and “True Detective: Night Country”. Notable snubs here include “Interview with the Vampire,” “Slow Horses,” and “The Diplomat”.

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Samsara Stock Tumbles As Revenue Guidance UnderwhelmsNico Iamaleava passed for four touchdowns and Dylan Sampson rushed for 77 yards and set a school-record for TDs as No. 11 Tennessee rolled to a 56-0 victory over UTEP on Saturday afternoon in Knoxville, Tenn. Sampson scored on a 14-yard TD run early in the second quarter for the game's first points to deliver his 22nd TD of tje season to break the Tennessee single-season mark set by Gene McEvers in 1929. Iamaleava was 15 of 20 for 173 yards for Tennessee (9-2), while Bru McCoy caught a pair of TD passes and Squirrel White and Ethan Davis each had a TD reception. Tennessee moved its all-time record to 2-0 against the Miners, also having blanked the Conference USA school 24-0 in 2018. Jermod McCoy and John Slaughter had interceptions for the Volunteers, while Dominic Bailey recovered a fumble to set up a score. Skyler Locklear was 10-of-19 passing for 50 yards with an interception for UTEP (2-9), while rushing for 37 yards on eight carries. JP Pickles also had a turn at QB for the Miners and was 10 of 15 for 72 yards. Kenny Odom had eight receptions for 70 yards. Both defenses set the tone in the first quarter. The UTEP defense allowed just one first down to the Southeastern Conference team in three ugly series in the opening quarter and only 22 yards. In the second quarter, Sampson ended a 68-yard drive by dashing up the middle for 14 yards for the record-setting score to take a 7-0 lead with 13:22 remaining before halftime. After Bailey's fumble recovery, Iamaleava flipped a screen pass that White took 9 yards to the end zone nearly six minutes later. Davis put the Volunteers up 21-0 when he grabbed a short pass for a 1-yard TD. Iamaleava then found Bru McCoy from 18 yards with eight seconds left in the second quarter for a 28-0 halftime lead. McCoy caught his second TD and Peyton Lewis rushed for a pair for a 49-0 lead in the third quarter, but the biggest roar from Volunteers fans came when it was announced Florida beat No. 9 Ole Miss 24-17, to enhance the Volunteers' College Football Playoff hopes. Cameron Seldon's 3-yard run capped the scoring as the Volunteers finished the season undefeated at home for the second time in four years. --Field Level Media

Death Count Rises As Sectarian Violence Continues In Northwest PakistanS ocial security pensions are grabbing headlines for the wrong reasons in Kerala. Towards the end of November, the State Finance Department published a list of 1,458 government employees, which included gazetted officers, assistant professors, and higher secondary teachers, who were drawing social security pension despite not qualifying for it. The list sparked outrage as the monthly payment of ₹1,600 per person is meant for the disadvantaged sections of society. A few days later, an audit by the State’s Finance Department revealed that many wealthy people, including owners of high-end cars, in Kottakkal municipality of Malappuram district, had snuck into the list of beneficiaries, presumably with the connivance of government officials. The Finance Department then issued instructions to government departments to initiate disciplinary action against all those who were fraudulently claiming pension and recover the money in full at a penal interest rate of 18%. Last week, the State Soil Survey and Soil Conservation Department suspended six employees who were illegally drawing social security pension. More departments are expected to follow suit in the following weeks. The government has also taken steps to weed out ineligible recipients from the list of beneficiaries. Over the years, Kerala has been a model State in the distribution of social security pension. The support system ensures that nearly 50 lakh people receive a monthly payment of ₹1,600. The beneficiaries include people who are 60 years or older, the disabled, widows, unmarried women above 50 years, and agriculture labourers. The government increased the pension amount from ₹600 per beneficiary in 2016 to ₹1,600 in 2017. A revised government order issued in 2017 was specific about ineligibility too, stating that income tax payers, service pensioners, and people with an annual family income of more than ₹1 lakh do not qualify for pension. According to the Economic Review published by the State Planning Board, the number of social security pensioners rose from 34 lakh in 2015-16 to 52.38 lakh in October 2022. It came down to 46.77 lakh in November 2023. If we add welfare fund board pension to this list, the number would be closer to 62 lakh. The latest Economic Review breaks up the categories as follows: 56.5% of the beneficiaries are those aged 60 years and above, 27.1% are widows, 7.8% are the disabled, and 6.8% are agricultural workers. A little more than 81,300 unmarried women are also among the recipients. Those who have been illegally drawing pension have been mostly doing so under the disability and widow category. These figures illustrate the enormous financial load on the Kerala government. The government needs more than ₹900 crore every month to pay social security and welfare fund board pension. Social security cesses on Indian-Made Foreign Liquor, petrol, and diesel, announced in the 2023-24 State Budget, scarcely cover even one month’s payment. The first two quarters of 2024-25 yielded just ₹549.71 crore from these levies. According to Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal’s office, the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front government, which came to power in 2021, has so far spent ₹33,800 crore on social security pension alone. The State government also claims that a Central share, albeit small, for which 5.88 lakh of the pensioners are eligible, is in arrears. All this means that the Kerala government, which is already battling a financial crunch, cannot overlook any leakage and pilferage in public funds. A January 2020 Finance Department circular indicates that the government was aware that government employees and service pensioners were illegally drawing social security support. The circular instructed them to return the money in full and get their names deleted from the beneficiary list. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India had also flagged the issue of ‘irregular disbursement’ of pensions to service pensioners and employees in a performance audit report for 2022. The latest developments yet again call for tighter surveillance on the outflow and utilisation of funds for social support schemes as well as periodic reviews and updates of the lists of beneficiaries. Further, action must be taken against government servants who were complicit in this. tiki.rajwi@thehindu.co.in Published - December 25, 2024 02:29 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Kerala / pension and welfare / wage and pension

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Elon Musk’s preschool is the next step in his anti-woke education dreamsAP Business SummaryBrief at 4:38 p.m. EST

A foreign manufacturer is being accused of doing the dirty on an Aussie food icon and wanting to shut the brand down rather than allow it to be sold and potentially prosper under a new owner. The Tasmanian government has now said it may nationalise the company in order to keep the 120-year-old Australian brand going. “We do not call out this behaviour lightly, but we will not stand idly by while a global company welshes on its responsibility to work with the government for the benefit of Tasmania,” Tasmanian Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff told The Australian . The drama surrounds King Island Dairy, whose bries, creamy camemberts and sharp cheddar cheeses are stocked in supermarkets across Australia. In 2019, Canadian cheese and dairy giant Saputo bought King Island Dairy and combined it with its existing Australian operations which also included Cheer, Devondale, Liddell’s and Mersey Valley cheeses. King Island Dairy is owned by Canada’s Saputo. But in September, Saputo announced that King Island Dairy would no longer operate from mid-2025. The diary employs 58 people and is the single biggest employer on the island which only has a population of 1600. The Montreal based firm said it made the decision to retire the brand after it was unable to find a buyer. At the time Saputo Dairy Australia (SDA) president Leanne Cutts said the decision to close the brand “had not been taken lightly”. “After thoroughly reviewing every possible option, closure of the facility was determined as the most viable way to strengthen SDA’s competitiveness based on changing industry and market conditions,” Ms Cutts said. Saputo Dairy Australia is in the spotlight over the sale of King Island Diary. PICTURE: ZOE PHILLIPS ‘Increasingly concerned’ However, the Tasmanian government suspects Saputo hasn’t tried hard enough to sell off King Island Dairy as a going concern and is instead determined to close it down and remove a potential competitor from the market. It said last week that it was “increasingly concerned,” Saputo wasn’t committed to the process. Saputo brands such as South Cape and Tasmanian Heritage sell similar products to King Island Dairy and might benefit if there were less brands in the market. The government said Saputo’s preferred buyer only wanted to buy one of King Island’s two dairy farms and that raised questions about how long a smaller operation would remain feasible. Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie has also been critical of Saputo’s antics. “We see time and time again multinationals, god damn them, buying into our Tasmanian companies ... only for them to turn their backs on the locals before much longer,” ABC reported her as saying. Now, the Tasmanian Government has said it could temporarily nationalise King Island Dairy and restart the sale process. “All options are on the table to ensure the best outcome for the King Island community and to support the continuation of King Island Dairy’s operations,” Mr Rockliff said. “Government has sought legal advice on a range of options available to ensure the best outcome is secured.” King Island only has 1600 inhabitants and King Island Dairy is its biggest employer. Photo: Supplied Mr Rockliff believes the right buyer could ensure the long term survival of the premium cheese business. That would save a Tasmanian brand seen across Australia as well as keeping a vital employer on the island. The threat appears to have had some impact with Saputo apparently re opening negotiations with potential buyers. “Saputo has listened to our concerns and re-engaged other interested parties,” Mr Rockliffe said. “We will continue to work with Saputo to secure a new owner who values the brand’s legacy and importance to King Island and Tasmania.” News.com.au has contacted Saputo Dairy Australia for comment. More Coverage Iconic Australian cheese brand closes down Lauren Ferri What happened after Coon changed its name Frank Chung Originally published as Foreign firm ‘called out’: Killing Aussie icon Manufacturing Don't miss out on the headlines from Manufacturing. Followed categories will be added to My News. More related stories Business Breaking News ASX snaps grim days-long losing streak The ASX has surged back and broken a days-long losing streak - after better than expected inflationary data out of the US sent markets higher around the world. Read more At Work Coke supply threatened for Christmas Christmas could be a little flat as Coca-Cola factory workers go on strike on Thursday for a second time this month. Read moreAkhil Gogoi urges regional forces to unite against BJP, cites Jharkhand's political success

When Nebraska meets Oregon State on Wednesday in Honolulu in the championship game of the Diamond Head Classic, it will have a chance to win its first tournament since the San Juan Shootout in 2000. If the Cornhuskers (9-2) pull it off, there's a good chance Juwan Gary will have something to do with it -- on both ends of the floor. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Stacker examined Census of Agriculture data from the Department of Agriculture to see which states produce the most Christmas trees. Click for more. States that produce the most Christmas trees