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CHARLOTTE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 26, 2024-- Paymentus Holdings, Inc. (“Paymentus”) (NYSE: PAY), a leading provider of cloud-based bill payment technology solutions, today announced that Dushyant Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, and Sanjay Kalra, Chief Financial Officer, are scheduled to participate in the following investor conferences: The fireside chat will be webcast live and available for replay on Paymentus’ investor relations website at ir.paymentus.com . Management will host investor meetings at both conferences. For further information, please contact your Wolfe Research or Raymond James representative or email paymentus@kcsa.com . About Paymentus Paymentus is a leading provider of cloud-based bill payment technology and solutions for more than 2,200 billers and financial institutions across North America. Our omni-channel platform provides consumers with easy-to-use, flexible and secure electronic bill payment experiences through their preferred payment channel and type. Paymentus’ proprietary Instant Payment NetworkTM, or IPN, extends our reach by connecting our IPN partners’ platforms and tens of thousands of billers to our integrated billing, payment, and reconciliation capabilities. For more information, please visit www.paymentus.com . CATEGORY: CORPORATE NEWS View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241126692968/en/ CONTACT: Investor Contact: David Hanover, Senior Vice President KCSA Strategic Communications paymentus@kcsa.comMedia Contact: Tony Labriola media-relations@paymentus.com KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA NORTH CAROLINA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES DATA MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY SOFTWARE FINTECH BANKING SOURCE: Paymentus Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/26/2024 04:05 PM/DISC: 11/26/2024 04:05 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241126692968/en
First Published: 23rd November, 2024 20:36 IST Mehtab Chandee registered a convincing win in Gambegre helping the ruling NPP take its tally to single majority mark of 32. After his wife Mehtab Chandee registered a convincing win in Gambegre helping the ruling NPP take its tally to single majority mark of 32 in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly, party’s National President and Chief Minister Conrad Sangma today said that the party’s equation with its allies will remain unchanged as NPP does not follow the “culture of use and throw”. “I believe in commitment and long term politics. We do not have the culture of use and throw. Yes, sometimes situation gets difficult and basis on which we have to take a decision but as far as possible we would like to show that trust and that commitment to our partners so that we look at the growth of the state in the long term. It is healthy for the society, for politics and the state. We may not agree on all aspects, on everything we do but the fact that for 7 years our government, we have been working on Meghalaya, stability has reflected in the different development works, policies, sustainability and continuity and people are realising that now than ever before,” Sangma told Northeast Live. NPP NPP’s allies are United Democratic Party (12 MLAs), 2 independents and 2 each from BJP and Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP). In the 2023 Assembly polls, NPP won 26 seats. The same year the People’s Democratic Front (PDF) merged with NPP and the 2 PDF MLAs joined NPP. This took NPP’s tally to 28. Earlier this year, 3 Congress MLAs joined NPP taking the tally to 31. Speaking further on today’s historic win, CM Sangma said, “Every election is different, and voters are intelligent. We are committed to development. This seat has been tough for us, as we have lost it for many terms. Despite being a rural constituency, people here voted for development this time. CM Sangma thanked and expressed gratitude to the voters for helping NPP win in Gmabegre. He credited the success to the hard work of party leaders and the people’s desire for change. “This is a constituency that needs many development. We have worked tirelessly, visiting all 52 polling stations, listening to people. Voters know what is good for them, and their choice for development is clear,” he said adding that Mehtab and NPP will now work for the development of Gambegre. Also read: COMMENTS Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Comment * Name * Email * Website Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Comment * Name * Email * WebsiteJayden Daniels dazzles again as Commanders clinch a playoff spot by beating Falcons 30-24 in OTSAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro was fully aware of and actively participated in a coup plot to remain in office after his defeat in the 2022 election , according to a Federal Police report unsealed Tuesday. Federal Police last Thursday formally accused Bolsonaro and 36 other people of attempting a coup. They sent their 884-page report to the Supreme Court, which lifted the seal. “The evidence collected throughout the investigation shows unequivocally that then-President Jair Messias Bolsonaro planned, acted and was directly and effectively aware of the actions of the criminal organization aiming to launch a coup d’etat and eliminate the democratic rule of law, which did not take place due to reasons unrelated to his desire,” the document said. At another point, it says: “Bolsonaro had full awareness and active participation.” Bolsonaro, who had repeatedly alleged without evidence that the country's electronic voting system was prone to fraud, called a meeting in December 2022, during which he presented a draft decree to the commanders of the three divisions of the armed forces, according to the police report, signed by four investigators. The decree would have launched an investigation into suspicions of fraud and crimes related to the October 2022 vote, and suspended the powers of the nation's electoral court. The navy’s commander stood ready to comply, but those from the army and air force objected to any plan that prevented Lula’s inauguration, the report said. Those refusals are why the plan did not go ahead, according to witnesses who spoke to investigators. Bolsonaro never signed the decree to set the final stage of the alleged plan into action. Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing or awareness of any plot to keep him in power or oust his leftist rival and successor, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. “No one is going to do a coup with a reserve general and half a dozen other officers. What is being said is absurd. For my part, there has never been any discussion of a coup,” Bolsonaro told journalists in Brazil’s capital Brasilia on Monday. “If someone came to discuss a coup with me, I’d say, that’s fine, but the day after, how does the world view us?” he added. “The word ‘coup’ has never been in my dictionary.” The top court has passed the report on to Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet. He will decide whether to formally charge Bolsonaro and put him on trial, or toss the investigation. Ahead of the 2022 election, Bolsonaro repeatedly alleged that the election system, which does not use paper ballots, could be tampered with. The top electoral court later ruled that he had abused his power to cast unfounded doubt on the voting system, and ruled him ineligible for office until 2030 . Still, he has maintained that he will stand as a candidate in the 2026 race. Since Bolsonaro left office, he has been targeted by several investigations, all of which he has chalked up to political persecution. Federal Police have accused him of smuggling diamond jewelry into Brazil without properly declaring them and directing a subordinate to falsify his and others’ COVID-19 vaccination statuses . Authorities are also investigating whether he incited the Jan. 8, 2022 riot in which his followers ransacked the Supreme Court and presidential palace in Brasilia, seeking to prompt intervention by the army that would oust Lula from power. Bolsonaro had left for the United States days before Lula’s inauguration on Jan. 1, 2023 and stayed there three months, keeping a low profile. The police report unsealed Tuesday alleges he was seeking to avoid possible imprisonment related to the coup plot, and also await the uprising that took place a week later. Hughes reported from Rio de Janeiro
Those who watched the video may be forgiven for thinking ghosts are real. Before their eyes was the familiar face of the late former Indonesian dictator Suharto , seated at a desk against a yellow background, wearing a traditional black kopiah hat and a batik shirt. Flanked by the flags of Indonesia and his party, Golkar, Suharto urged his listeners to vote for Golkar representatives in the upcoming elections. There was just one problem: the video came out in January 2024, a month before the presidential election that had as its frontrunner, Suharto’s former son-in-law and general, Prabowo Subianto, and Suharto died 16 years ago, in January 2008. Racking up over 4.7 million views as of December 22, the video was a “deepfake,” where technology was used to mimic the appearance and voice of the late dictator. It was shared by Erwin Aksa, the deputy general chair of Golkar, on X (formerly Twitter). Aksa clarified in the video caption that it was made using artificial intelligence technology, or AI. After exhorting viewers to elect the “right representatives,” Aksa said: “This video was made using AI technology to remind us how important our votes are in general elections which will determine the future so that the hopes of the Indonesian people are realised and prosperous.” Must Read What can the Philippines learn from how AI was used in Indonesia’s 2024 election? In neighboring Malaysia, the fast and affordable Internet connections available there allow citizens to consume online content at faster rates than ever before, including short videos like TikTok reels. This helped shape elections as well. The rise of the Malaysian Islamist Party (PAS) in the 2022 general election, the party that won the most seats (49 out of 222) in parliament, could be largely attributed to PAS’ mastery of TikTok , according to experts. Elections galore 2024 has been a remarkable year for elections , and particularly for elections in Asia. We’ve seen voters in Taiwan, Bangladesh, South Korea, Iran, Japan, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan head to the polls, in many cases, resulting in changes of government or at least significant losses by the incumbents. If that does happen, long-running policies or plans for the future may be shelved, as the country either adjusts to a new government with different priorities, or the incumbents revise their policies to appeal to more voters before they get thrown out of power. With such high stakes, it is important that elections are kept free and fair, and voters have all the necessary information before they make up their minds. But if AI technology can be misused, generate misinformation and manipulate the voters, could elections be tipped one way or the other by nefarious actors, people who may not even reside in the country? We shine a spotlight of how AI, social media and electoral politics have already become enmeshed and entrenched in two recent elections in Malaysia and Indonesia. Internet-savvy countries Indonesia is a massive country in Southeast Asia, with a population of over 278 million, but it also has a high level of internet penetration. According to Indonesian site Antara News , citing the Indonesian Internet Service Providers Association in January 2024, said that Internet penetration had reached 79.5%. With this figure reaching even higher levels among the younger generations (Generation Z from 19 to 27 years old had over 87% ), and the fact that Indonesia recorded the most number of TikTok users in the world in July 2024, surpassing the United States, it seems likely that Internet videos will remain an indelible element of future elections. Indonesia eventually elected Prabowo Subianto , defense minister and chair of Gerindra as the next president. But Golkar improved its own performance , gaining 15.3% of the vote as opposed to 12.3 in 2019, remaining the second-largest party in the legislature. Perhaps the AI video helped them on their way. In Malaysia, the use of the Internet has become far more widespread. “The environment has changed completely,” said James Chin, Professor of Asian Studies at the University of Tasmania, about modern social media. Thanks to upgraded Internet access and cheaper telecommunications technology, more people in Malaysia have access to social media than ever before. “For example, you can get unlimited broadband for your mobile phone in Malaysia, the cost is about 25 ringgit (US$6) a month,” he said. And what do the people use their high-speed Internet connections for? Getting online and sharing content one may have found elsewhere, without being too concerned about its authenticity. Lessons from Indonesia The Republic of Indonesia is somewhat overlooked when democratic elections are discussed, but it happens to be the world’s third-largest democracy , after India and the United States of America. With a GDP of US$1.37 trillion (2023), and a formidable military , Indonesia is one of the most significant countries in the Southeast Asia region. It is also a major diplomatic power in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and arguably in the greater Asia Pacific region. With its prominent position, elections in Indonesia therefore have significant impact on the region and the wider world. Hundreds of people run for elected office to help shape Indonesia’s destiny. One such person is Anindya Shabrina, 29, a legal affairs specialist who joined Indonesia’s Labour Party and ran as a candidate in the February 2024 elections. Describing herself as politically active since she was a student, Anindya decided to join the Labour Party, attracted to its left-leaning stance and open approach to recruitment. “Traditionally, young people who can compete in electoral politics here are mostly from political or wealthy families, but in the Labor Party, anyone can run.” Despite her parents’ concerns, they gave their full support to Anindya’s bid to stand for a seat on the Regional People’s Representative Council of East Java, in an ultimately unsuccessful effort. And perhaps they were right to be concerned. Anindya called the experience “incredibly challenging”, citing the financial disparity between herself and her more established opponents, who could promise tangible monetary assistance while she could only expound on her proposals. Anindya said that during the course of her campaign, she had come across several instances of AI-generated video clips used to support candidates, including the Suharto video. Even her own party got involved, although they decided to stop following concerns raised by creative industry workers. However, there was another, far nastier hurdle she faced. Anonymous online detractors leveled personal attacks and harsh criticism at her, and she even faced attacks from supposed political allies who objected to her even taking part in the election. “There have been attempts to cancel me, including spreading strange rumors, and an anarchist group even created a poster calling for violence against me.” When asked if she thinks AI technology would have made the situation worse, Anindya had zero doubt. “Especially for women,” she added, raising the possibility of using AI to create fake nude images. This is not an unfounded fear, with women politicians in other countries being harassed, insulted and attacked online. During the rule of right-wing Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, there was a surge of online gendered attacks , particularly on social media networks like Facebook. Lower barrier to entry Manipulated or edited photographs have been around for decades. Soviet Union dictator Josef Stalin had photos edited when the people in them drew his ire. In the computer age, Photoshop became a common tool, and was quickly used to transform photos for political purposes. Behold this picture of Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential candidate in the 2008 election, edited to look as though she was toting a gun and wearing a bikini. But although Photoshop was widely available, anyone who intended to create digitally-manipulated images with the programme had to have some skills in the first place. In contrast, using an open AI program has a much lower barrier to entry. As Benjamin Ang explained, “AI opens up the capability to more people in Photoshop.” Previously, one needed skills in Photoshop or video and audio editing. But now, such skills are practically not needed because all the tools are available to the public, even if they don’t understand the language of their target audience. Ang is a Senior Fellow of the Rajaratnam School of International Studies, and the Head of the Centre of Excellence for National Security. In his concurrent role as Head of Digital Impact Research, Ang is very familiar with the development of AI, and its widespread use in society, including in the political arena. Ang shed some light on just how and why AI has come about by leaps and bounds within the last few years, going from science-fiction and the mostly theoretical realm to widespread, everyday use. Calling it a “hockey-stick” effect, where progress is flat for a long time before it suddenly shoots up, Ang pointed to two other factors for the rapid development of AI. The first is the development of computer chips to the point where processing power is fast enough to handle the demands of AI. The second, Ang pointed out, is there has been roughly two decades of social media use where people have uploaded a staggering amount of personal information online. This, he said, allowed programmers to feed such information into data sets to train machine learning algorithms. Speed and ease Ang also highlighted that AI has made the speed of generating such content much faster. “Something which would have taken you an hour or several hours to do in Photoshop, or maybe a day to do video or audio editing can now be done in seconds. And because it can be done in seconds, you can keep on iterating it. You do it once, you can see ‘is it working’? You can do it again and again until you can really refine it, at a scale that has never before happened.” Roy Lee, an Assistant Professor of Information Systems Technology and Design at the Singapore University of Technology and Design, agrees. “Modern AI tools are designed with user-friendly interfaces and require minimal technical expertise. Unlike complex software like Photoshop, which demands specialised skills, AI platforms often offer intuitive prompts and automated features, enabling average users to generate high-quality content effortlessly.” The role of social media While AI has come on by leaps and bounds, its combination with social media is like setting an open flame to touchpaper; you get fireworks. Chin elaborated on the rise of the Malaysian Islamist Party (PAS) in the 2022 general election. The key to their victory, in his view, was their mastery of using TikTok to win the hearts and minds of voters. The party backed influencers who created “very slick, professionally-run” videos that in combination with their popular religious messaging, created a “powerful machine.” But what about AI-generated videos? As in Indonesia, Chin foresees the same thing happening in Malaysia. While such content is currently “simple stuff,” using cartoon figures and the like, he has no doubt that come the next election cycle, political parties will be investing their resources in creating such content. “If you speak to all the political parties in the old days, a major portion of [their] money goes to ground campaigning, paying campaign workers, setting up booths, holding night ceramahs (night rallies). If you talk to them now, right, most of them said that they’re going to shift the bulk of those resources now towards social media.” Chin also believes that in the wrong hands, misleading content created by AI will be very effective, especially once high-quality videos start being produced in earnest. He pointed out that such content did not need to be entirely faked or created out of whole cloth. Perhaps an existing video could be edited to add a few words, or redact them, to produce a misleading message. And if it’s uploaded to TikTok, with its notoriously short attention span? “I doubt very much that the ordinary voter would be able to tell the difference.” What can be done? Indonesia has taken a few tentative steps to address the problem. About a week after the presidential election in February 2024, then-President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo signed legislation that requires digital platforms to pay media outlets that provide them with content. While it does not directly tackle the misuse of AI content, it could help to ensure digital platforms are more circumspect about the kind of content they share. In September 2024, the Jakarta Globe reported that Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology was preparing to issue new regulations to establish “clear guidelines” for the use of AI technology in Indonesia. Deputy Minister Nezar Patria said it would be carefully studied, and require consultation with the “AI development ecosystem.” The existing circular, issued on a temporary basis by the ministry, merely outlines “ethical guidelines” for the use of AI, including “respecting human rights” and the “need for transparency.” However, despite the change in presidential administrations, Nezar was re-appointed to his post by the new president, Prabowo, who took over in October 2024. There is some hope that Indonesia will continue to work on creating AI regulations. Meanwhile in September 2024, Malaysia’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation introduced the National Guidelines on AI Governance and Ethics, which seek to support safe and responsible AI development. Singapore looks ahead However, Indonesia and Malaysia’s neighbor Singapore is not waiting around, and has already introduced and passed legislation specifically governing the use of AI-generated content in an election, with one eye on its own upcoming general election. The city-state has recently gone through a rare leadership change, just its third in its near-60-year history. The new prime minister, Lawrence Wong, took over in May 2024. Unlike leaders of other countries, such as Japan, Wong did not call for snap elections soon after being sworn in. He must call for a new general election by November 2025, which leaves quite some time. He has time to see a new bill being introduced in parliament to directly address the issue of misleading, manipulated content. In October 2024, Singapore’s Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo played a “deepfaked,” AI-generated video of herself in parliament. The virtual Teo said : “It only took one person one hour to create this, using easily accessible software that anyone can use right now from the Internet. Imagine if someone produced realistic deepfakes, depicting Members of this House saying or doing something we did not actually say or do, and disseminated it. Such technology will only improve, and deepfakes may become even more realistic, convincing, and easy to make.” The bill, which was passed by Singapore’s parliament, is a very narrowly-targeted one. It prohibits the publication of online content that “realistically depicts a candidate saying or doing something [they] did not.” It covers misinformation from both AI-generated content and non-AI techniques used to create content, such as Photoshop or audio dubbing. However, the law only kicks in when the Writ of Election is issued to the close of the polls, which means it is only active for Singapore’s election season. It doesn’t matter whether the content boosts or denigrates a candidate; both are prohibited. Reposting or sharing such content is also not allowed. Measures include asking the users to take down the content, or forcing the social media site to disable access to Singaporean users. Punishments include fines for up to S$1,000 (US$760) or jail for up to a year, and up to S$1 million (US$760,000) in fines for a social media service that does not comply. Harsh? Effective? It remains to be seen. Lee called the legislation a “commendable step,” but said the main challenge depends on its execution. “Social media companies will need to regulate and investigate digitally manipulated content swiftly when requested to take down such content. Given the vast amount of content they handle daily, this poses a significant challenge in terms of scalability and response time.” Cross-border content could also happen, and getting users to take down misleading content who are not in the country could take some time. To Lee, strengthening collaboration between regulators and social media platforms is important to ensure “comprehensive protection.” Beyond governments But what else can be done, if not through government legislation? According to Lee, enhancing public awareness and media literacy is also crucial. “Educating citizens on identifying manipulated content empowers them to critically assess information,” he said. And in what may be an illustration of the old adage, “set a thief to catch a thief,” Lee shared that AI solutions can also be used to detect misinformation on social media platforms, and other platforms with user-generated content. He believes fostering partnerships between academia and industry to continuously improve such tools could significantly reduce the spread of misinformation. Chin is more skeptical. He pointed out that for such AI-generated misinformation, the content is likely to be shared to you by a trusted individual, like a friend or family member. Chin also feels that Singapore’s attempt to tackle AI-generated misinformation may not be easily replicated in other countries. “It’s a small city state, it’s much easier to handle. But for countries like Malaysia, I think, is increasingly becoming difficult. Even for Singapore, right, I think it will be very difficult in the coming years because of new platforms like Starlink, which allows you to link directly to the satellite. So whatever filters you put in at the platform level, the ISP level, even that can be bypassed with new technology.” – Rappler.com Sulaiman Daud is a 2024 #FactsMatter fellow of Rappler. 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ZHONGSHAN, China , Nov. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SUNLU was present at the Formnext 2024, the largest event for additive manufacturing held in Germany , where they unveiled the new product FilaDryer E2. SUNLU, the Chinese Tech Giant in the 3D printing industry, recently wrapped up a highly successful showcase at Formnext 2024, one of the largest events for additive manufacturing held in Frankfurt, Germany from November 19–22. SUNLU's booth (F29, Hall 11.1) hosted a large number of visitors eager to explore the company's latest innovations in 3D printing materials, equipment, and technology. A key highlight of SUNLU's exhibit was the new range of functional filaments, including PA6-CF, PA12-CF, PC-ABS, and PETG-CF. The filaments provide enhanced strength, durability, and temperature resistance, catering to more demanding applications in both industrial and personal use. Visitors saw firsthand how these materials impact the quality, resilience and overall performance of 3D-printed parts. The debut of the SUNLU FilaDryer E2 also attracted significant interest for its powerful features, notably its maximum drying temperature of 110°C, which allows for the fast drying of functional filaments and annealing printed parts to improve their strength and durability. The FilaDryer E2 will be available for preorder on January 8, 2025 , on our official website . Visitors expressed great anticipation, after seeing the upgrades that set the FilaDryer E2 apart. Jack Jiang , the founder of SUNLU, said: "This opportunity allowed us to position and showcase SUNLU as one of the key global players in the 3D Industry." Formnext 2024 was a valuable opportunity for SUNLU to connect with peers, partners, and customers worldwide. The team exchanged ideas with industry professionals and distributors, where the company had the opportunity to interview James Rooke from "Honey Badger Print and Paint" and talk about the new SUNLU's Filament Connector FC01 and it's perks to make the most out of leftover materials, while enabling multi-color prints. As the exhibition comes to an end, the SUNLU team extends heartfelt thanks to everyone who visited the booth and made the event memorable, and the company looks forward to meeting up again next year for groundbreaking solutions and meaningful partnerships within the additive manufacturing community. About SUNLU Founded in 2013, SUNLU is a leading 3D printing materials company specializing in R&D, manufacturing, and sales. With facilities in China and Vietnam , we operate 150+ automated production lines and employ over 900 staff. Our certified products serve customers across Europe , America, and Southeast Asia. SUNLU has led 30+ research projects, secured 400+ patents, and introduced innovations like "Neat Winding" filament, 3D printing drying boxes, and the ±0.02mm FDM filament tolerance standard, enhancing precision and user experience. Guided by our mission, "Simply Your Creation," we empower creators worldwide with reliable 3D printing materials. For more information, please visit https://www.sunlu.com . Media Contact: [email protected] [email protected] Stay Updated: If you're interested in the FilaDryer E2, sign up here to receive exclusive preorder information and updates directly in your inbox. SOURCE SUNLU
Nebraska women’s basketball player Callin Hake summed it up as well as anyone could. “I think in South Dakota we shot the crap out of it, which is awesome,” the guard from Minnesota said. On that night last weekend in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the Huskers made a school-record 20 3-pointers on 58% shooting beyond the arc in a 113-70 win against South Dakota. That was three more than the previous record, from 2010. Now comes another game against Creighton where the series at times has at times been defined by the 3-point line — both the ability to make and defend it. The 3-point line is something to watch closely again when the Huskers and Bluejays play at 4 p.m. Friday at Sokol Arena in Omaha, a few hours before the men’s teams from the same schools play at CHI Health Center Omaha. Creighton (1-2) has won two straight in the series. Last year, Morgan Maly made three 3-pointers in the first three minutes of the game and Creighton led the entire game while winning 79-74. Creighton didn’t keep its hot 3-point shooting going the entire game but made nine and outscored the Huskers by 18 points beyond the arc. Nebraska was 3-for-21 on 3-pointers. In 2022, Creighton blasted the Huskers 77-51 after making five of its first eight 3-pointers. “One thing I know is they (Creighton) all shoot it pretty well,” Nebraska coach Amy Williams said. “Last year we gave up eight made threes in the first quarter. That’s something we’ll have to shore up. They’re very, very good off the ball with their movement and cuts so you’re positioning really matters. We’ll have to make the hustle plays and not give them second-chance opportunities.” Creighton has won seven of the last eight meetings with the Huskers. The Bluejays are averaging 10.4 made threes per game during the stretch, while Nebraska is averaging 3.6. The 5-0 and 21st-ranked Huskers faced a major dose of adversity this week when sophomore forward Natalie Potts sustained a season-ending knee injury during Tuesday’s game against North Alabama. She’s scheduled for surgery in two weeks. Williams called the injury is “devastating.” “What a start she’s had to the season, leading our team in scoring and rebounding,” Williams said. “She worked really hard this offseason.” Creighton has reached the NCAA Tournament the past three seasons, making the Elite Eight in 2022, the first round in 2023 and the second round in 2024 with several of the same players that are on the team this year. Creighton may be the most experienced team the Huskers face all season, as the Bluejay playing rotation includes five graduate students, two seniors and two juniors. “We’re incredibly familiar with their roster, and they’re incredibly familiar with our roster,” Williams said. Creighton guard Lauren Jensen has already gone off this season, scoring a career-high 32 in an 80-72 win against Drake. She was 6-for-10 on threes and made each of her six two-point shots. One thing new to the series for Nebraska is Britt Prince, the freshman from Elkhorn North getting her first taste of playing against her hometown school. In the past two games combined, Prince is 15 for 21 shooting. She’s driving to the basket, and also shooting 3s. “She’s gotten more aggressive, and I’d like to see her be even more aggressive,” Williams said. The 113-70 win against South Dakota showed the Huskers what it can look like this season. The Huskers zipped passes around the perimeter to get lots of good 3-point chances. Nebraska had 33 assists on 41 field goals. Hake felt like a lot of inside-outside passes helped the Huskers to the fourth-best scoring total in program history. “When you have posts that are willing to kick it out and give you dimes for passes that makes shooting in a guard’s job a lot easier,” Hake said. “I think we really wanted to carry that forward. But we don’t want to live and die by the three.” Nebraska (5-0) G – Britt Prince; 5-11; Fr.; 13.0 G – Callin Hake; 5-8; Jr.; 6.0 G – Alberte Rimdal; 5-9; Sr.; 10.4 G – Logan Nissley; 6-0; So.; 8.0 C – Alexis Markowski; 6-3; Sr.; 13.8 Creighton (1-2) Player; Ht.; Yr.; PPG. G – Molly Mogensen; 5-7; Sr.; 6.0 G – Lauren Jensen; 5-10; Sr.; 21.3 G – Kiani Lockett; 5-8; Jr.; 11.3 G – Mallory Brake; 6-0; Sr.; 2.7 F – Morgan Maly; 6-1; Sr.; 15.3 Reach the writer at 402-473-7435 or bwagner@journalstar.com . On Twitter @LJSSportsWagner. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Visitors look at unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) products at the 2024 Chengdu International Low-altitude Equipment and Services Expo in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Sept. 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Tang Wenhao) CHENGDU, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- China's first "4S store" for drones has been put into trial operation at a national base for civil unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) testing in southwest China, a move to further boost the country's burgeoning low-altitude economy. The "4S store," officially known as the Low-Altitude Economy Intelligent Equipment Exhibition and Sales Center, started trial operation on Thursday, the Chengdu Daily reported on Friday. The center is run by the testing base "Sky Eye," which is located in Pengzhou, some 70 km from Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province. Similar to traditional automobile 4S stores, it provides services on drone sales, maintenance, parts and information, according to the report. It also adds supplementary services such as drone insurance, financial services, public education and forum activities. A total of 32 drone-related companies have signed agreements to set up operations within the center. "Here, you can purchase a wide variety of drones with comprehensive functions at competitive prices, while also experiencing a one-stop 'buy and try' service," said Zhou Xiaoming, head of "Sky Eye." Finding test-flight sites and obtaining airspace approvals have long posed challenges for the drone industry in China. Located in the Longmen Mountain range, "Sky Eye" boasts an airspace with an elevation below 1,200 meters and a radius of 5 km, in which numerous types of drones conduct various test missions on a daily basis. On Dec. 8, 2017, "Sky Eye" received approval for airspace use, marking the official establishment of the first civil UAV flight base in southwest China. In August 2022, "Sky Eye" was approved as a national civil UAV testing base, allowing trial flights to be reported just one hour in advance. With this pioneering move, it saw a significant transition for airspace management from an "approval system" to a "notification system" in China, effectively addressing the surging demand for airspace use, reducing user costs, and enhancing operational efficiency, according to the newspaper report. Currently, "Sky Eye" boasts 10 test-flight locations and 19 low-altitude economic application scenarios, making it the largest of 20 national testing bases in terms of quantity in China. It has attracted 132 entities engaged in drone research and development, production, mission payloads and system management, injecting robust momentum into the development of Sichuan's low-altitude economy. China's drone industry has experienced rapid development, with nearly 608,000 UAVs newly registered in the first half (H1) of 2024, an increase of 48 percent from the figure registered at the end of 2023, according to data released by the Civil Aviation Administration of China in July. The cumulative flight time of UAVs reached nearly 9.82 million hours in H1, an increase of 134,000 hours over the same period last year. The booming low-altitude economy, propelled by technological innovation, is experiencing rapid growth in China. A report by a research institute under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China showed that the sector's value reached 505.95 billion yuan (about 70.37 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023, and is projected to surpass 1 trillion yuan by 2026.PagerDuty Announces Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial ResultsHow to Watch Top 25 Women’s College Basketball Games – Wednesday, November 27
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A team that previously boycotted at least one match against the San Jose State women's volleyball program will again be faced with the decision whether to play the school , this time in the Mountain West Conference semifinals with a shot at the NCAA Tournament on the line. Five schools forfeited matches in the regular season against San Jose State, which carried a No. 2 seed into the conference tournament in Las Vegas. Among those schools: No. 3 Utah State and No. 6 Boise State, who will face off Wednesday with the winner scheduled to play the Spartans in the semifinals on Friday. Wyoming, Nevada and Southern Utah — which is not a Mountain West member — also canceled regular-season matches, all without explicitly saying why they were forfeiting. Nevada players cited fairness in women’s sports as a reason to boycott their match, while political figures from Wyoming, Idaho, Utah and Nevada suggested the cancellations center around protecting women’s sports. In a lawsuit filed against the NCAA , plaintiffs cited unspecified reports asserting there was a transgender player on the San Jose State volleyball team, even naming her. While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans women’s volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player’s name because she has not publicly commented on her gender identity and through school officials has declined an interview request. A judge on Monday rejected a request made by nine current conference players to block the San Jose State player from competing in the tournament on grounds that she is transgender. That ruling was upheld Tuesday by an appeals court. “The team looks forward to starting Mountain West Conference tournament competition on Friday,” San Jose State said in a statement issued after the appeals court decision. “The university maintains an unwavering commitment to the participation, safety and privacy of all students at San Jose State and ensuring they are able to compete in an inclusive, fair and respectful environment.” Boise State did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. “Utah State is reviewing the court’s order," Doug Hoffman, Aggies associate athletic director for communications, said in an email. "Right now, our women’s volleyball program is focused on the game this Wednesday, and we’ll be cheering them on.” San Jose State, which had a first-round bye, would be sent directly to the conference title game if Utah State or Boise State were to forfeit again. If the Spartans make the title game, it's likely the opponent would not forfeit. They would face top-seeded Colorado State, No. 4 Fresno State or No. 5 San Diego State — all teams that played the Spartans this season. The conference champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports
We have reached the final week of the high school football season and eight teams will be bringing home state championship trophies this weekend from Normal. In the Southland, we are down to a terrific trio of title contenders. Mount Carmel in Class 7A, Joliet Catholic in 5A and Chicago Christian in 2A will have the pleasure of practicing before and after their Thanksgiving turkeys. So, how did we get here and what’s going to happen this weekend? Also, how did last weekend’s results awaken one of the state’s age-old debates, which may be heard louder than ever this week? Let’s take a look. I’ll start with the game I was at, where Mount Carmel delivered perhaps the best half of football I’ve ever seen a team play against a formidable opponent. The Caravan got the ball six times in the first half against one of the best defenses in the state. The result? Six touchdowns. Senior quarterback Jack Elliott was simply special, throwing five TD passes to four different receivers and using his legs in a way we haven’t seen since he suffered a midseason injury. Vanderbilt hit the lottery here. Mount Carmel’s Madden Wilson (25) runs the ball against St. Rita during a Class 7A state semifinal game in Chicago on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Troy Stolt / Daily Southtown) The oft-questioned Mount Carmel defense was pretty darn good, too. St. Rita hit a couple of long runs in the first half, but the Caravan rose up for a pair of fourth-down stops on their side of the field that sent the game barreling toward a rout. Down in Joliet, the Hilltoppers kept rolling with a 42-7 trouncing of Morris. Joliet Catholic has outscored its four playoff opponents 192-21. It’s fair to say the path to the title game has been a relatively tame one, but there’s no questioning how impressive the Hilltoppers have been. Everything is clicking, from an unstoppable run game led by senior Larry Stringham to dominant line play on both sides and an opportunistic defense, where Zachary Beitler and Mikey Brow have made big plays. Of course, my favorite story is Chicago Christian. The Knights will play in a state championship game for the first time after getting the job done on another long road trip, taking down previously unbeaten Farmington 34-20. Senior running back Kenny Jager was the man in this one, going for 223 yards and three TDs on 36 carries. Seniors Niko Griggs and Brock Sperling led the defense. Elsewhere, we lost a state championship favorite when Lincoln-Way East fell to Loyola yet again. However, I still think there are multiple titles coming back to the area. Stay tuned. Joliet Catholic’s Larry Stringham (24) leaps over a would-be Morris tackler in a Class 5A state semifinal game at Memorial Stadium in Joliet on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown) Let’s get into what surely will be the most controversial topic of the week. There are eight private schools playing in state championship games, spread over seven classes. That’s a record. I’ve long been quick to shut down any suggestions that Illinois split public and private schools into different classes the way many other states do. I still don’t want to see that, but it’s getting harder to brush aside that conversation. Private schools make up less than 10% of the football teams in the state, but 50% of the championship teams. And, trust me, I’m not trying to take anything away from any of those eight teams who certainly earned their place to play at Hancock Stadium. But some things can be done to even the playing field and help quiet the push for the separation of privates and publics that most fans don’t want to see. To prevent drastic measures, how about taking some simple steps? First off, let’s make the multiplier waiver harder to attain or perhaps get rid of it entirely. Montini should never be playing in Class 3A. And I’ll say the same for when local schools Joliet Catholic, Providence and St. Laurence played in 4A. Never should have happened. Do I want to see classic battles like Lincoln-Way East and Loyola for years to come? Absolutely. But I’m also not going to just tell disadvantaged public schools to “shut up and get better.” Let’s make small fixes to prevent a drastic change. Chicago Christian’s Christian Flutman (6) prepares for the snap against Bismark-Henning-Rossville-Alvin in a Class 2A state quarterfinal game in Palos Heights on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Vincent Alban / Daily Southtown) Mount Carmel plays Batavia in the 7A championship game, and all due respect to the Bulldogs, who just find a way to win. But I don’t see another Batavia comeback happening. Count on a three-peat for the Caravan. Nazareth is also going for a three-peat and the Roadrunners are certainly the favorite against Joliet Catholic. But I’ve got a feeling about this one. The Hilltoppers are ready to turn the tide and finally get by their nemesis. So, will it be a Southland sweep? Chicago Christian certainly can win the 2A title. The Knights are good enough, and what a fairy-tale ending it would be. I just think, after losing four state championship games in the last decade, it’s Maroa-Forsyth’s time. Prove me wrong, Knights.
‘We love you Nosi. Happy Driving!’ These were heart-warming sentiments expressed by a family in a video surprising their child’s nanny with a brand new car. The TikTok video with almost four million views, was posted by Simon at Volkswagen this week showing a family surprising their Nosi with the amazing gift. Watch Nosi being surprised with a new car from her boss In the video, the family which includes the husband, wife and child and the grandparents wait for Nosi to be brought outside to accept her gift. ‘We love you Nosi’ The woman’s husband covers Nosi’s eyes before saying that his wife wanted to tell her something. “We love you Nosi. Happy Driving!” said the mom as the nanny seemingly shocked and tries to come to terms that the new VW Polo parked in the driveway is actually hers. “Tjoh this is mine, this is mine,” she asks before running to the car and opening the door. Nosi then runs to the little boy she looks after, picks him up and in a moment that can only be described as true love and ubuntu hugs the child, still unable to believe that the new car was hers. ALSO READ: WATCH: Tom Cruise praises spirit of Ubuntu in South Africa Love She then runs to her owners and hugs them in a moment that has brought a lot of emotions and tears to the social media users who share their sentiments on the various platforms. Amours mom on X shared her sentiments of the beautiful gesture by the family. “I know she’s a great nanny! The way she ran n hugged her Boss (the kid)... says a lot! I’m so happy for her and I’m happy for the family she’s taking care of! They’re blessed to have her.” Appreciation Edward Themba congratulated the family for taking care of their nanny. “Well done to the family. It’s not every day one sees such. I guess they appreciate all the hard work she’s done over the years, a bg congratulations to her.” Ntokozo Masuku also shared her sentiments that South Africa has changed. “Beautiful, they are not like their forefathers,” she said on X. As someone else hands her the keys to her new car, she says: “It’s mine. Guys, you did a big thing for me. I never even dream about this. How can I say thank you to you? I don’t know.” Nosi is also handed other gifts as she stood next to her new car. Tom Cruise and Ubuntu Last year, Hollywood actor Tom Cruise praised the spirit of Ubuntu in South Africa while filming the latest Mission Impossible movie in the country. Cruise and his team started filming in Mpumalanga and Limpopo in February 2022, using Hoedspruit as a base for their stay before moving to the Drakensberg area in KwaZulu-Natal. (KZN). He was awarded the David O. Selznick Achievement Award during the Producers Guild of America Awards. In his acceptance speech, Cruise spoke about his time in South Africa and the spirit of ubuntu. “It is the idea that humanity is based on the plural, not the singular and Ubuntu essentially means I am, because we are. And I thank all of you, because you are,” Cruise said. ALSO READ: Human Rights Day: ‘SA needs to restore friendship and ubuntu’ – Madonsela
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A team that previously boycotted at least one match against the San Jose State women's volleyball program will again be faced with the decision whether to play the school , this time in the Mountain West Conference semifinals with a shot at the NCAA Tournament on the line. Five schools forfeited matches in the regular season against San Jose State, which carried a No. 2 seed into the conference tournament in Las Vegas. Among those schools: No. 3 Utah State and No. 6 Boise State, who will face off Wednesday with the winner scheduled to play the Spartans in the semifinals on Friday. Wyoming, Nevada and Southern Utah — which is not a Mountain West member — also canceled regular-season matches, all without explicitly saying why they were forfeiting. Nevada players cited fairness in women’s sports as a reason to boycott their match, while political figures from Wyoming, Idaho, Utah and Nevada suggested the cancellations center around protecting women’s sports. In a lawsuit filed against the NCAA , plaintiffs cited unspecified reports asserting there was a transgender player on the San Jose State volleyball team, even naming her. While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans women’s volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player’s name because she has not publicly commented on her gender identity and through school officials has declined an interview request. A judge on Monday rejected a request made by nine current conference players to block the San Jose State player from competing in the tournament on grounds that she is transgender. That ruling was upheld Tuesday by an appeals court. “The team looks forward to starting Mountain West Conference tournament competition on Friday,” San Jose State said in a statement issued after the appeals court decision. “The university maintains an unwavering commitment to the participation, safety and privacy of all students at San Jose State and ensuring they are able to compete in an inclusive, fair and respectful environment.” Boise State did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. “Utah State is reviewing the court’s order," Doug Hoffman, Aggies associate athletic director for communications, said in an email. "Right now, our women’s volleyball program is focused on the game this Wednesday, and we’ll be cheering them on.” San Jose State, which had a first-round bye, would be sent directly to the conference title game if Utah State or Boise State were to forfeit again. If the Spartans make the title game, it's likely the opponent would not forfeit. They would face top-seeded Colorado State, No. 4 Fresno State or No. 5 San Diego State — all teams that played the Spartans this season. The conference champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports