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Christmas is a few days away, and it’s time to fill those stockings with thoughtful, delicious treats. If you’re shopping for the food lover in your life — or simply want to elevate your gift-giving game — consider these unique stocking stuffers from Winnipeg’s vibrant food scene. No stocking is complete without a bit of chocolate, and Winnipeg has some incredible options. One of my favourites is Decadence Chocolates, a locally owned artisan chocolate shop on Sherbrook Street. Their chocolate is absolutely delicious — every bite feels like a little luxury. I’m hooked on their festive holiday-shaped chocolates, and their bark, and don’t even get me started on their chocolate caramel popcorn with pretzels — it’s completely addicting! One of my favourite gift ideas they offer is the paint-and-decorate Christmas tree chocolate — it’s such a fun gift for kids. They even have fully vegan options and offer a 12-piece box of custom-printed chocolates featuring your own images. Visit decadencechocolates.ca to explore their incredible lineup of chocolates. For the cheese enthusiast, a visit to Cheesemongers Fromagerie on Corydon is an absolute must. Their curated selection of local and international cheeses is unmatched, and I can’t get enough of their truffle cheese — it’s out of this world! If you’re short on time, their pre-packaged gift sets are a lifesaver. And for last-minute hosting, their cheese boards are both stunning and delicious — always a show-stopper at my dinner parties! Small jars of jam make the perfect addition to any stocking! One of my favourite local picks is Fancy Infusions, a Winnipeg-based business known for their handcrafted pepper jellies and jams. They’ve perfected the balance of sweet and spice — a little naughty and nice for the holiday season. These jars are amazing for pairing with a cheese board, glazing meats, or spreading on toast. Honestly, I’ve been caught eating these jellies straight out of the jar with a spoon — it’s that good. With so many different flavour variations, there’s truly a jelly for everyone. You can visit their Facebook or Instagram page @fancyinfusions to find out where to pick up their delicious jellies. They’re a thoughtful gift that adds a local, tasty touch to your holiday stockings! Winnipeg’s food scene offers endless inspiration for filling stockings for the foodie lovers in your life. Here are a few more ideas: Flavoured Oils or Vinegars: Look for unique varieties like blood orange olive oil or balsamic vinegar infused with figs. Spices and Seasonings: Gift a blend of artisanal spices from local makers, perfect for home cooks to experiment with. Mini Bottles of Wine or Spirits: Bring some holiday cheer with a sip of locally crafted spirits, beer, or wine. To make your foodie stocking stuffers even more special, consider adding a handwritten recipe card featuring a dish that incorporates the ingredients you’re gifting. Pair a brie round with a recipe for baked brie with cranberry sauce — it’s my go-to holiday season appetizer. It’s quick, easy, and always a hit! Or include a holiday cocktail recipe with a mini bottle of spirits to inspire a celebratory toast. Whether it’s the indulgent chocolates from Decadence Chocolates, the gourmet cheeses from Cheesemongers Fromagerie, or the scrumptious jellies from Fancy Infusions, these thoughtful treats are sure to bring smiles and full bellies. Supporting local businesses while giving gifts that truly stand out — it’s a win-win this holiday season! And speaking of crowd-pleasing treats, this week’s recipe is a holiday essential that pairs perfectly with any festive meal. Creamy, dreamy, and full of flavour, these creamy mashed potatoes are sure to become a staple at your holiday table. Whether it’s the perfect gift or the perfect dish, this holiday season is all about sharing love — and great food. Happy Holidays from my family to yours! 5 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes, chopped 6 garlic cloves, minced Kosher salt 1/2 cup butter 1 cup heavy/whipping cream 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature Peel and Cut Potatoes: Peel the potatoes and cut them into uniform chunks, about 1 inch thick. Place the cut potatoes into a large stock pot filled with cold water. Boil the Potatoes: Once your potatoes are cut, make sure the water level is about 1 inch above the potatoes in the pot. Stir in the minced garlic, then turn the heat to high and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, add salt then reduce the heat to medium-high (or whatever setting keeps the boil going) and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until a knife easily slides into the middle of a potato. Carefully drain the water. Pan-Dry the Potatoes: Once you’ve drained the water, immediately return the potatoes to the hot stockpot and place it back on the burner over low heat. Using oven mitts, carefully grip the handles and gently shake the pot for about a minute to help release any remaining steam from the potatoes. Remove the pot from the heat. Prepare the Butter Mixture: While the potatoes are boiling, combine the butter, cream, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until the butter is melted, making sure the cream doesn’t come to a boil. Set it aside until you’re ready to use it. Mash the Potatoes: Use an old-school potato masher and work up some elbow grease to mash the potatoes until they’re completely smooth. Stir Everything Together: Pour half of the melted butter mixture over the potatoes and gently fold it in with a spatula until the potatoes absorb the liquid. Repeat with the remaining butter, then add the cream cheese, folding everything in until just combined. Season and Serve: Season with salt and pepper, add a pat of butter on top, and serve hot. For detailed instructions and the online recipe for this week’s Recipes of the Week, open your phone’s camera, scan the QR code, and follow the link. You can also find all recipes featured at cookingwithcassandra.com . — Cassandra Morris, food blogger and recipe developer at cookingwithcassandra.com , shares the best recipes, essential kitchen tips and spotlights locally owned restaurants and specialty food must-tries.
Stockhead Don't miss out on the headlines from Stockhead. Followed categories will be added to My News. Yep, you guessed right. Pilbara Minerals is still the most-shorted ASX stock, despite lithium prices trending back up just recently Uranium plays Boss Energy, Paladin Energy and Deep Yellow also remain a target of short sellers Short positions in consumer discretionary stocks suggest investor caution around consumer spending Before we delve into the ASX's most shorted, just a quick reminder right off the bat here about what short selling actually is. Short sellers effectively borrow a stock from a broker, and go wager it (sell it) on the open market. The plan is to then buy the same stock back later after it’s made a hefty drop in price. That done, the short seller buys it back at the lower price and returns it to the lender. The difference between the sell price and the buy price is the short seller’s profit. Investors are in effect betting they will fall. Because shorting is restricted under Australian law (and because it’s an all or nothing bloodsport) any substantial shorting of stocks is worth knowing about, even if you only trade long. And perhaps there’s method in the madness. Stockhead has utilised the number of short positions as a percentage (5% or more) of total shares on issue according to ASIC's Short Position Report . The most-shorted stocks on the ASX Swipe or scroll to reveal full table. Click headings to sort: Code Company Short positions Shares on issue % short positions PLS PILBARA MINERALS 523,390,114 3,011,484,916 17% BOE BOSS ENERGY 61,348,586 409,688,058 15% IEL IDP EDUCATION 40,145,281 278,336,211 14% PDN PALADIN ENERGY 43,099,890 299,113,022 14% SYR SYRAH RESOURCES 137,320,763 1,034,891,766 13% MIN MINERAL RESOURCES. 20,756,242 196,518,604 11% DMP DOMINO PIZZA ENTERPRISES 9,042,677 92,459,635 10% DYL DEEP YELLOW 94,420,603 969,741,926 10% LYC LYNAS RARE EARTHS 87,225,487 934,718,185 9% ADT ADRIATIC METALS CDI 1:1 25,894,400 278,062,106 9% LTR LIONTOWN RESOURCES 224,187,943 2,425,108,140 9% KAR KAROON ENERGY LTD 65,626,146 779,344,840 8% LIC LIFESTYLE COMMUNITIES 9,839,705 121,740,054 8% CTD CORPORATE TRAVEL 11,265,544 146,325,746 8% GMD GENESIS MINERALS 85,171,861 1,128,548,275 8% JLG JOHNS LYNG GROUP 20,965,374 281,293,351 7% SYA SAYONA MINING LTD 750,703,519 10,293,296,014 7% CTT CETTIRE LTD 27,473,775 381,238,220 7% SEK SEEK LTD 25,228,594 356,820,190 7% RIO RIO TINTO LTD 25,446,378 371,216,214 7% FLT FLIGHT CENTRE TRAVEL 14,575,028 221,911,982 7% STX STRIKE ENERGY LTD 182,479,121 2,865,373,749 6% AD8 AUDINATE GROUPLTD 5,164,503 83,342,014 6% CUV CLINUVEL PHARMACEUTICALS 3,088,238 50,060,680 6% SLX SILEX SYSTEMS 14,604,969 237,241,524 6% NUF NUFARM LIMITED 23,514,043 382,889,516 6% IMU IMUGENE LIMITED 451,197,831 7,438,310,643 6% WBT WEEBIT NANO LTD 11,190,914 189,902,055 6% DXS DEXUS UNITS STAPLED 62,108,358 1,075,565,246 6% BGL BELLEVUE GOLD LTD 71,824,663 1,279,998,987 6% APE EAGERS AUTOMOTIVE 14,146,372 258,074,137 5% NVX NOVONIX LTD 27,048,398 493,764,317 5% ALD AMPOL LTD 12,612,023 238,302,099 5% CHN CHALICE MINING LTD 20,351,636 389,026,788 5% LOT LOTUS RESOURCES LTD 109,164,815 2,101,222,748 5% SFR SANDFIRE RESOURCES 23,607,808 458,400,401 5% NCK NICK SCALI LTD 4,395,547 85,530,699 5% IDX INTEGRAL DIAGNOSTICS 11,696,442 233,961,997 5% CIA CHAMPION IRON LTD 24,774,607 518,251,001 5% EDV ENDEAVOUR 83,602,932 1,790,980,017 5% NAN NANOSONICS LTD 13,830,581 303,454,080 5% Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS) remains the most shorted stock on the ASX with a short position of 17%. But in some sort of silver lining for the lithium producer, its short position has at least dropped slightly from 20% in September and 19% in October. Atchison investment analyst Mishan Dahia told Stockhead the materials sector dominated the list of ASX most-shorted stocks at 39%, followed by energy and consumer discretionary, both on 18%, information technology at 7%, and healthcare at 7%. "Lithium companies dominate short interest in the materials sector," Dahia said. Other lithium plays shorted include Sayona Mining (ASX:SYA) , Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN) and Liontown Resources (ASX:LTR) . Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) – which recently announced a $10bn deal to acquire Arcadium Lithium (ASX:LTM) – in a bullish support for lithium’s long term prospects is also among the ASX's most shorted stocks. "While lithium prices have faced headwinds (down 41% in the past year), the supply/demand imbalance, China's self-reliance, and a strong US dollar have likely contributed to the downward pressure on these companies," Dahia said. While lithium prices are down from their 2022 peaks they have been trending up of late, benefiting from an uptick in demand and various Chinese stimulus packages, including doubling government subsidies for consumers who trade in conventional cars for electric vehicles. Source: Trading Economics Morningstar reckons lithium prices may have hit bottom and remains bullish on the future facing commodity. "As demand growth overtakes supply, we predict the market will return to balance in 2025 from a current supply deficit," Morningstar associate investment specialist Simonelle Mody said . "This should lead to higher prices, which are the strongest catalyst for lithium stocks." The Pilbara share price is down ~35% YTD. Uranium stocks remain target of short sellers, despite lift in prices Uranium plays Boss Energy (ASX:BOE) , Paladin Energy (ASX:PDN) and Deep Yellow (ASX:DYL) also remain the target of short sellers despite the price of the commodity edging higher. Uranium prices have climbed over 10% in the past two weeks, driven by the re-election of Donald Trump as US president and Russia's export ban on enriched uranium to the US. However, Dahia said many major ASX and global uranium stocks have struggled through the second half of 2024, weighed down by a weaker uranium price and, for some, ongoing operational challenges. Boss Energy and Deep Yellow have dropped close to 50% in six months, following strong rallies earlier in the year. Paladin is down around 19% YTD. Short positions in consumer discretionary Dahia said short positions in consumer discretionary stocks including Domino's Pizza Enterprises (ASX:DMP) , Cettire (ASX:CTT) and Nick Scali (ASX:NCK) suggested investor caution around consumer spending, labour costs and supply chain constrains. He said Domino’s Pizza had been hindered by margin pressure, rising ingredients and labour costs, while Cettire had been impacted by falls in luxury spending and elevated interest rates. "Nick Scali with a short position of 5% has been affected by recent supply chain challenges/UK expansion," he said. Originally published as Short and Caught: Which lithium play remains the ASX’s most-shorted stock? More related stories Stockhead Neurotech receives vital ethics approval Stockhead TV’s Sarah Hughan brings you today’s Break it Down, detailing the new human pharmacokinetic study from Neurotech. Read more Stockhead EZZ finds Chinese market a thing of beauty Following key online promotional events, EZZ Life Sciences reports surging Chinese sales of its health and beauty products. Read moreKILLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — American skier Mikaela Shiffrin said she suffered an abrasion on her left hip and that something “stabbed” her when she crashed during her second run of a World Cup giant slalom race Saturday, doing a flip and sliding into the protective fencing. Shiffrin stayed down on the edge of the course for quite some time as the ski patrol attended to her. She was taken off the hill on a sled and waved to the cheering crowd before going to a clinic for evaluation. “Not really too much cause for concern at this point, I just can’t move,” she said later in a video posted on social media . “I have a pretty good abrasion and something stabbed me. ... I’m so sorry to scare everybody. It looks like all scans so far are clear.” She plans to skip the slalom race Sunday, writing on Instagram she will be “cheering from the sideline.” The 29-year-old was leading after the first run of the GS and charging for her 100th World Cup win. She was within sight of the finish line, five gates onto Killington’s steep finish pitch, when she an outside edge. She hit a gate and did a somersault before sliding into another gate. The fencing slowed her momentum as she came to an abrupt stop. Reigning Olympic GS champion Sara Hector of Sweden won in a combined time of 1 minute, 53.08 seconds. Zrinka Ljutic of Croatia was second and Swiss racer Camille Rast took third. The Americans saw Paula Moltzan and Nina O’Brien finish fifth and sixth. “It’s just so sad, of course, to see Mikaela crash like that and skiing so well,” Hector said on the broadcast after her win. “It breaks my heart and everybody else here.” The crash was a surprise for everyone. Shiffrin rarely DNFs — ski racing parlance for “did not finish.” In 274 World Cup starts, she DNF'd only 18 times. The last time she DNF'd in GS was January 2018. Shiffrin also has not suffered any devastating injuries. In her 14-year career, she has rehabbed only two on-hill injuries: a torn medial collateral ligament and bone bruising in her right knee in December 2015 and a sprained MCL and tibiofibular ligament in her left knee after a downhill crash in January 2024. Neither knee injury required surgery, and both times, Shiffrin was back to racing within two months. Saturday was shaping up to be a banner day for Shiffrin, who skied flawlessly in the first run and held a 0.32-second lead as she chased after her 100th World Cup win. Shiffrin, who grew up in both New Hampshire and Colorado and sharpened her skills at nearby Burke Mountain Academy, has long been a fan favorite. Shiffrin is driven not so much by wins but by arcing the perfect run. She has shattered so many records along the way. She passed Lindsey Vonn’s women’s mark of 82 World Cup victories on Jan. 24, 2023, during a giant slalom in Kronplatz, Italy. That March, Shiffrin broke Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark’s Alpine mark for most World Cup wins when she captured her 87th career race. To date, she has earned five overall World Cup titles, two Olympic gold medals — along with a silver — and seven world championships. In other FIS Alpine World Cup news, the Tremblant World Cup — two women’s giant slaloms at Quebec’s Mont-Tremblant scheduled for next weekend — were canceled. Killington got 21 inches of snow on Thanksgiving Day, but Tremblant — five hours north of Killington — had to cancel its races because of a lack of snow. ___ AP Sports Writer Pat Graham in Denver contributed to this report. ___ More AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing Peggy Shinn, The Associated Press
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SLT-Mobitel secured the Gold Award in the Telecommunications and Technology sector at the TAGS Awards 2024, at the Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo on December 12. Organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka), SLT-Mobitel received the award for excelling in financial and non-financial reporting. The TAGS Awards aim to promote transparency, accountability, governance, and sustainability among organisations. This year’sawards theme ‘The Digital Edge – Enriching Corporate Reporting Excellence,’ celebrated organisations that showcased the transformative potential of AI and digital innovation in corporate reporting. The company’s Annual Report showcased achievements and strategic initiatives that align with its mission to enhance connectivity and digital transformation in Sri Lanka. The award ceremony was attended by prominent figures from various sectors.Milestone deal for DAZN's position as the global home of sport. This acquisition establishes DAZN's sports platform in Australia , one of the world's most attractive sports markets. Foxtel Group will leverage DAZN's global reach, industry-leading technology and extensive content portfolio to further enhance the viewing experience for Australian sports fans. LONDON , NEW YORK , and SYDNEY , Dec. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- DAZN , a world-leading sports entertainment platform, has today announced an agreement to acquire Foxtel Group (' Foxtel ') from its majority shareholder News Corp and minority shareholder Telstra at an enterprise value of US$2.2 billion , subject to regulatory approval. The acquisition establishes DAZN as a leader in sports entertainment in Australia – a highly attractive sports market – while also expanding DAZN's global footprint and enhancing the group's standing as the global home of sport. The addition of Foxtel to DAZN brings the Group's pro-forma revenues towards US$6 billion and provides the additional content, expertise, and expansion opportunities to accelerate DAZN's growth trajectory. Foxtel is one of Australia's leading media companies, with 4.7 million subscribers, who will benefit from DAZN's extensive portfolio of sports content, platform technology, and global reach. From its beginnings as Australia's original pay-TV innovator, Foxtel has evolved to become a digital and streaming leader in sports and entertainment and the proposed transaction positions Foxtel for continued expansion as a digital-first, streaming-focused business. Foxtel will maintain its local character, led by the CEO, Patrick Delany , and his world-class management team. DAZN, a sports streaming platform with a truly global reach, is committed to growing the global audience for domestic Australian sports across the 200 territories in which it is available. Under the terms of the transaction, News Corp and Telstra will become minority shareholders in DAZN, enabling them to retain an interest in Foxtel. Shay Segev , Chief Executive Officer of DAZN, said: "Australians watch more sport than any other country in the world, which makes this deal an incredibly exciting opportunity for DAZN to enter a key market, marking another step in our long-term strategy to become the global home of sport. Foxtel is a successful business that has undergone a remarkable digital transformation in recent years, and we are confident that our global reach and relentless pursuit of innovation will continue to drive the business forward and ensure long-term success. "We are committed to supporting and investing in Foxtel's television and streaming services, across both sports and entertainment, using our world-leading technology to further enhance the viewing experience for customers. We are also committed to using our global reach to export Australia's most popular sports to new markets around the world, and we will continue to promote women's and under-represented sports. "We're looking forward to working closely with Patrick Delany and his team, as well as News Corp and Telstra as shareholders in DAZN, to realise our ambitious vision for the future of sport entertainment." Siobhan McKenna , the Chairman of Foxtel , said the agreement with DAZN was international recognition of the transformation of Foxtel from an incumbent pay TV operator to a sports and entertainment digital and streaming leader. "Over the last seven years the Foxtel team, with the strong support of News, have achieved an extraordinary turnaround in an intensely competitive environment." Foxtel Group CEO, Patrick Delany , said: "Today's announcement is a natural evolution for the Foxtel Group, having reinvented the company over the past five years as Australia's most dynamic technology-led streaming company. "Kayo and Foxtel provide Australian sports fans with access to the best Australian and international sport and shows, including AFL, NRL and Cricket with 4.7 million subscribers. "We are excited by DAZN's commitment to the Australian market. They are experts in the sports media business and can play a significant role in supporting Foxtel as the business grows its streaming capabilities, bringing a bigger and better service to customers across entertainment, news and sport. They are a perfect match for us as we look toward this next era of growth. "We have been grateful for the support of News Corp while we reimagined the future of Foxtel. In 2019, when we merged Foxtel and Fox Sports we had many people questioning our future. "After launching Kayo later in 2019 and BINGE in 2020, today we are the largest Australian-based streamer of sport and entertainment, we have stabilised our Foxtel base and launched Hubbl to help consumers find all the streamed content they love all in one place. This wouldn't have been possible without the support and encouragement of News Corp." NOTES TO EDITORS About DAZN As a world-leading sports entertainment platform, DAZN streams over 90,000 live events annually and is available in more than 200 markets worldwide. DAZN is the home of European football, women's football, boxing and MMA, and the NFL internationally. The platform features the biggest sports and leagues from around the world – Bundesliga, Serie A, LALIGA, Ligue 1, Formula 1, NBA, Moto GP, and many more including the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. DAZN is transforming the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, play, buy, and connect. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN. DAZN partners with leading pay-TV operators, ISPs and Telcos worldwide to maximise sports exposure to a broad audience. Its partners include Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Sky, Movistar, Telenet, Vodafone, and many more. DAZN is a global, privately-owned company, founded in 2016, with more than 3,000 employees. The Group generated $3.2bn in revenue in 2023, having grown its annual revenues by over 50% on average from 2020 to 2023, through diverse revenue streams comprising subscriptions, advertising, sponsorship, and transactional. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit www.dazngroup.com . About Foxtel The Foxtel Group is one of Australia's leading media companies with 4.7 million subscribers. Its businesses include subscription television, streaming, sports production and advertising. The Foxtel Group is owned 65% by News Corp and 35% by Telstra. The Foxtel Group's diversified business includes Fox Sports, Australia's leading sports production company, famous for live sports and shows with the best commentators and personalities. It is also the home of local and global entertainment content and continues to be the partner of choice for the widest range of sports and international content providers based on established, long-term relationships, growing streaming audiences, and position as the largest Australian-based subscription television company. View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dazn-advances-global-expansion-with-acquisition-of-foxtel-a-leading-australian-sports-and-entertainment-media-group-302337994.html SOURCE DAZN
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It isn’t often a UK stock appears on a US company’s investment list. But as 2025 approaches, ( ) shares are top of one firm’s portfolio – and it’s not just any US company. It’s the Sequoia Fund. I don’t spend much time looking at what other investors are doing as a rule, but there are a few exceptions – and this is one of them. Buffett’s only recommendation In 1969, decided he couldn’t see attractive investment opportunities in the stock market. So he made his one-and-only recommendation for investors: the Sequoia Fund. At the time, this was run by Bill Ruane. Not to be confused with Sequoia Capital – a venture capital operation – the firm was focused on principles that align with Buffett’s own and remains that way today. These include thinking like the owner of a business and buying shares in companies to hold for the long term. And since the fund began, this strategy has outperformed the by more than 2% a year. Heading into 2025, Rolls-Royce shares are the company’s largest holding, accounting for around 10% of its overall portfolio. I think that’s something worth paying attention to. Growth sources Over the last couple of years, Rolls-Royce shares have primarily been driven by a recovery in the number of flying hours. But even with this stabilising, Sequoia sees longer-term opportunities ahead. In a letter from this year, the firm identified two major sources of growth for Rolls-Royce. The first is engine innovation in its civil aerospace division, which is around 50% of total revenues. The second is new contract wins in the defence segment. While the payoff for these is further in the future, Sequoia’s anticipating significant returns starting at the end of the decade. These are ongoing long-term sources of growth that explain why the fund hasn’t been selling its stake in Rolls-Royce. But it also hasn’t been adding to its investment. Valuation Sequoia’s investor letter from this year said the following: That’s clearly an attractive proposition, but the Rolls-Royce share price was £3.01 at the time the letter was released. It’s around £5.75, as I write this, which changes the equation a bit. Even if all of the anticipated cash is still to be returned, this now accounts for around 26% of the current . Over the next three years, that’s still a very good return, but it’s much less than it was. There are also clear risks. Anything that disrupts flying hours – such as a pandemic, an Icelandic ash cloud, or a recession – has a big impact on the firm’s profits and the rewards on offer need to justify this. I’m not buying Sequoia’s neither buying nor selling Rolls-Royce shares right now. And I’m not buying either. While I thought the stock was significantly undervalued at the start of this year, I’m not so sure going into 2025.Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law, has died, according to his parents and San Francisco officials. He was 26. Balaji worked at OpenAI for nearly four years before quitting in August. He was well-regarded by colleagues at the San Francisco company, where a co-founder this week called him one of OpenAI's strongest contributors who was essential to developing some of its products. “We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news and our hearts go out to Suchir’s loved ones during this difficult time,” said a statement from OpenAI. Balaji was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on Nov. 26 in what police said “appeared to be a suicide. No evidence of foul play was found during the initial investigation.” The city's chief medical examiner's office confirmed the manner of death to be suicide. His parents Poornima Ramarao and Balaji Ramamurthy said they are still seeking answers, describing their son as a “happy, smart and brave young man” who loved to hike and recently returned from a trip with friends. Balaji grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and first arrived at the fledgling AI research lab for a 2018 summer internship while studying computer science at the University of California, Berkeley. He returned a few years later to work at OpenAI, where one of his first projects, called WebGPT, helped pave the way for ChatGPT. “Suchir’s contributions to this project were essential, and it wouldn’t have succeeded without him,” said OpenAI co-founder John Schulman in a social media post memorializing Balaji. Schulman, who recruited Balaji to his team, said what made him such an exceptional engineer and scientist was his attention to detail and ability to notice subtle bugs or logical errors. “He had a knack for finding simple solutions and writing elegant code that worked,” Schulman wrote. “He’d think through the details of things carefully and rigorously.” Balaji later shifted to organizing the huge datasets of online writings and other media used to train GPT-4, the fourth generation of OpenAI's flagship large language model and a basis for the company's famous chatbot. It was that work that eventually caused Balaji to question the technology he helped build, especially after newspapers, novelists and others began suing OpenAI and other AI companies for copyright infringement. He first raised his concerns with The New York Times, which reported them in an October profile of Balaji . He later told The Associated Press he would “try to testify” in the strongest copyright infringement cases and considered a lawsuit brought by The New York Times last year to be the “most serious.” Times lawyers named him in a Nov. 18 court filing as someone who might have “unique and relevant documents” supporting allegations of OpenAI's willful copyright infringement. His records were also sought by lawyers in a separate case brought by book authors including the comedian Sarah Silverman, according to a court filing. “It doesn’t feel right to be training on people’s data and then competing with them in the marketplace,” Balaji told the AP in late October. “I don’t think you should be able to do that. I don’t think you are able to do that legally.” He told the AP that he gradually grew more disillusioned with OpenAI, especially after the internal turmoil that led its board of directors to fire and then rehire CEO Sam Altman last year. Balaji said he was broadly concerned about how its commercial products were rolling out, including their propensity for spouting false information known as hallucinations. But of the “bag of issues” he was concerned about, he said he was focusing on copyright as the one it was “actually possible to do something about.” He acknowledged that it was an unpopular opinion within the AI research community, which is accustomed to pulling data from the internet, but said “they will have to change and it’s a matter of time.” He had not been deposed and it’s unclear to what extent his revelations will be admitted as evidence in any legal cases after his death. He also published a personal blog post with his opinions about the topic. Schulman, who resigned from OpenAI in August, said he and Balaji coincidentally left on the same day and celebrated with fellow colleagues that night with dinner and drinks at a San Francisco bar. Another of Balaji’s mentors, co-founder and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, had left OpenAI several months earlier , which Balaji saw as another impetus to leave. Schulman said Balaji had told him earlier this year of his plans to leave OpenAI and that Balaji didn't think that better-than-human AI known as artificial general intelligence “was right around the corner, like the rest of the company seemed to believe.” The younger engineer expressed interest in getting a doctorate and exploring “some more off-the-beaten path ideas about how to build intelligence,” Schulman said. Balaji's family said a memorial is being planned for later this month at the India Community Center in Milpitas, California, not far from his hometown of Cupertino. —————- EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. —————-- The Associated Press and OpenAI have a licensing and technology agreement allowing OpenAI access to part of the AP’s text archives.