bet365 english In a tragic turn of events, Shivaji Patil, who emerged victorious from the Chandgad assembly constituency, was injured during his victory celebrations when a fire broke out, an eyewitness reported. The incident also left several women injured, casting a shadow over the festivities. A video that has swiftly garnered attention on social media reveals that the blaze was triggered when a large quantity of 'gulal' inadvertently fell from a crane onto the 'aarti' plates being used by the women to honor Patil at Mahgaon. The blaze resulted in burns to Shivaji Patil and others present at the scene. Patil's victory was significant, securing a win over NCP's Rajesh Patil with a substantial margin of 24134 votes in the Chandgad constituency, located in western Maharashtra. The celebrations, however, were marred by the unforeseen mishap, drawing widespread attention online. (With inputs from agencies.)Ever experienced a little panic attack when you’re in a busy foreign street or serene countryside and can’t get online? Now you must either find a place with free (and quite possibly dodgy) Wi-Fi or use up your home provider’s roaming data, knowing that hefty costs await. But don’t worry, as Ubigi has made it easier than ever to stay connected and go about your business (or pleasure), regardless of the location. And for a limited time, it will let you enjoy a , provided you use the promo code . Looking for more eSIM Black Friday deals? Head to our for more exclusive deals. How do I claim this offer? To claim this offer, head over to , create an account, and check out its range of plans. Select the plan that best fits your travel or usage requirements (a one-off data plan for a short trip or a recurring data plan for a long-term stay). During the checkout, enter the code in the promo code field to apply your . Activate your eSIM in a few simple steps and you’re good to go online! Why opt for Ubigi? There are many reasons why Ubigi’s Black Friday offer is too good to pass up for any traveler. Namely, the platform provides affordable data plans (even better with the discount!) in more than 200 countries, including 5G connections in over 40 countries around the world (and in !). On top of that, its advanced technology provides high speeds and reliable connections. All this is accessible via various supported payment methods that you can use to top up your data limits directly through Ubigi’s handy app - available in eight languages at that. Therefore, get in on the action using code and grab your Ubigi to enjoy your next adventure with confidence and connectivity.

A Republican senator has blocked the promotion of a general who oversaw troops in Kabul during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, according to a Senate aide. The move by Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin follows threats from President-elect Donald Trump to fire senior officers and officials who oversaw the chaotic pullout from Afghanistan in 2021. It also comes as Trump’s transition team weighs possible court-martial proceedings against current and former officers involved in the withdrawal, as NBC News previously reported. Army Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue was nominated for promotion to become a four-star general and to oversee U.S. Army forces in Europe. His nomination was among more than 900 proposed nominations sent to the Senate but Donahue’s was put on hold by Sen. Mullin, according to the Senate aide. Mullin’s office declined to comment. Donahue was the last American service member to board the final U.S. military plane out of Afghanistan in 2021. A night-vision photograph of Donahue boarding a cargo plane went viral, capturing the symbolism of the end of America’s 20-year-long war. After the U.S.-backed government in Afghanistan fell to Taliban militants, Donahue — then commander of the 82nd Airborne Division — was ordered to Kabul to oversee the withdrawal of U.S. forces, American embassy staff and Afghans who fought alongside American troops. Retired Gen. Tony Thomas, former head of Special Operations Command, said in a social media post that the decision was a “disgrace” and that Donahue was being treated as a “political pawn.” Heather Nauert, who worked for the State Department in Trump’s first presidential term, said in a social media post that she is a Trump supporter and likes Sen. Mullin but disagreed with the hold put on Donahue’s promotion. “Unless there are facts I don’t know, holding up military promotions bc of our disgraceful Afghanistan withdrawal is wrong,” she wrote. Donahue is currently commander of the XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Liberty in North Carolina. His promotion could now be at risk as the current Senate will soon go into recess and the new Republican-controlled Congress will start its work in 2025.MONACO — Canadians Alex Tessier, Sophie de Goede and Laetitia Royer have been named to World Rugby’s Women’s 15s Dream Team of the Year. Canada sevens captain Olivia Apps, meanwhile, was selected to World Rugby’s Women’s Sevens Dream Team. The women’s 15s world all-star squad also featured six players from top-ranked England and three from No. 2 New Zealand. The other three came from the U.S., Ireland and France. Tessier was also a finalist for the World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year award won by England fullback Ellie Kildunne. France’s Pauline Bourdon Sansus and England’s Alex Matthews were the other finalists. Tessier won her 50th cap in 2024 and, playing at inside centre alongside fly half Claire Gallagher, led the Canada women to a historic first-ever victory over New Zealand to win the 2024 Pacific Four Series in May. The 22-19 comeback victory lifted Canada into second place in the women’s world rankings, its highest position since November 2016. Tessier’s strong kicking game was also key for Canada. The 31-year-old from Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., scored 27 points in starting all six matches for Canada in 2024 to up her career total to 48 points (including five tries) in 54 appearances. Tessier plays professionally in England for the Exeter Chiefs. De Goede made the all-star team despite tearing her anterior cruciate ligament in training in June. A finalist for the Women’s Player of the Year award in 2022, the Victoria back-rower plays in England for Saracens. Royer, from Loretteville, Que., is a second-row forward who plays in France for ASM Romagnat. Top-ranked South Africa dominated the men’s 15s all-star squad with seven players represented. Ireland had four players with New Zealand three and Argentina one. — World Rugby’s 15s Dream Teams of the Year Women 1. Hope Rogers (U.S.); 2. Georgia Ponsonby (New Zealand); 3. Maud Muir (England); 4. Zoe Aldcroft (England); 5. Laetitia Royer (Canada) ; 6. Aoife Wafer (Ireland)’ 7. Sophie de Goede (Canada) ; 8. Alex Matthews (England); 9. Pauline Bourdon Sansus (France); 10. Holly Aitchison (England); 11. Katelyn Vahaakolo (New Zealand); 12. Alex Tessier (Canada) ; 13. Sylvia Brunt (New Zealand); 14. Abby Dow (England); 15. Ellie Kildunne (England). Men 1. Ox Nche (South Africa); 2. Malcolm Marx (South Africa); 3. Tyrel Lomax (New Zealand); 4. Eben Etzebeth (South Africa); 5. Tadhg Beirne (Ireland); 6. Pablo Matera (Argentina); 7. Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa); 8. Caelan Doris (Ireland); 9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland); 10. Damian McKenzie (New Zealand); 11. James Lowe (Ireland); 12. Damian de Allende (South Africa); 13. Jesse Kriel (South Africa); 14. Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa); 15. Will Jordan (New Zealand). World Rugby Sevens Dreams Team of the Year Women Olivia Apps (Canada) , Michaela Blyde (New Zealand), Kristi Kirshe (U.S.), Maddison Levi (Australia), Ilona Maher (U.S.), Jorja Miller (New Zealand), Séraphine Okemba (France). Men Selvyn Davids (South Africa), Antoine Dupont (France), Aaron Grandidier Nkanang (France), Terry Kennedy (Ireland), Nathan Lawson (Australia), Ponipate Loganimasi (Fiji), Matías Osadczuk (Argentina). This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2024. The Canadian Press

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The cost of building a home in NSW and Victoria has jumped by more than 25 per cent in four years, after completion times blew out during the pandemic. The national average construction cost for a home – including houses, townhouses and apartments – rose from $345,410 to $443,828 between 2019-20 and 2023-24, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data published last week. The cost of building a home in Australia has increased by almost $100,000 in four years. Credit: Louie Douvis Costs surged across all states during the period, rising by 25.5 per cent in Victoria and 30.2 per cent in NSW. The biggest leap took place in Queensland, with a 44 per cent rise. The cost of building a home soared during the pandemic due to higher demand, boosted by record low interest rates and government grants such as HomeBuilder. At the same time, disruptions to global supply chains pushed up material and freight costs, and worsened labour shortages. Housing Industry Australia chief economist Tim Reardon said construction costs grew at the fastest rate in June 2022 as supply chain disruptions filtered through to the building process. “You only need one disruption to disrupt everything else and the whole dynamic,” Reardon said. “If you’re missing one component, like the glue for a benchtop, you can’t manufacture that product, you can’t complete the kitchen, and you can’t sell the house.” Reardon said timber prices have fallen about 20 per cent over the past year as global supply chains improve, but other costs – particularly for energy-intensive materials such as aluminium, glass and cement – continue to rise. “The further we get away from the pandemic, the more settled those price changes will be,” he said. AMP deputy chief economist Diana Mousina said construction costs were among the fastest rising components of inflation. “It has moderated a lot over the past six to nine months, but it’s still growing faster compared to headline inflation,” she said. “It started off as a supply issue, but the problem became worse because people were demanding materials to do renovations or to build their home.” The influx has created a bottleneck: the number of houses under construction nearly doubled from 56,000 in June 2020 to 104,315 in March 2023, a number 48 per cent higher than the pre-pandemic record of 70,000 six years ago. This figure dropped to 87,149 in June 2024, but building times remain long, increasing from six months and three weeks in September 2019 to nine months and four weeks in June 2024, the ABS reported. Reardon said the ABS data was likely coming in with a lag. “Build times are now less than what they were pre-pandemic, though only by a week or two,” he said. However, labour shortages would remain constant for at least the next two years, Reardon said, because of the large volume of government construction work under way that is taking up any excess capacity in the labour market. Mousina said construction cost inflation, while down from its peak, could remain higher than overall inflation for some time, partly due to competing government infrastructure projects. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis from Jacqueline Maley. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter here. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Construction Housing crisis Property development Millie Muroi is the economics writer at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, based in Canberra. She was formerly the banking writer based in Sydney. Connect via Twitter or email . Most Viewed in National LoadingWalmart’s DEI rollback signals a profound shift in the wake of Trump’s election victory

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DENVER (AP) — Travis Hunter made a pair of proclamations Thursday: He’s for sure entering the NFL draft after this season, but not until he sees Colorado all the way through the College Football Playoff — if the Buffaloes make it there. The first was already a given for the draft-eligible junior who plays both receiver and cornerback. The second is a risk-reward play for a projected high first-round pick who averages around 120 snaps a game. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get the latest sports news delivered right to your inbox six days a week.

EDITORIAL Community efforts backed by civic bodies can boost floriculture in the state That Goa produced around 180 tonnes of locally grown marigold flowers during the Dussehra and Diwali festivities this year is something to cheer about. The Agriculture Department said that compared to the past years when 100 per cent of the state’s marigold requirements during the two festivals came from outside, this year, the local production was significant. The farmers were provided training on growing marigold by the Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA), which resulted in them bringing 30 hectares under cultivation. Farmers were also provided with hybrid marigold seedlings, which yielded good results. ATMA is a society of key stakeholders involved in agricultural activities for the sustainable development of the sector. It is a focal point for integrating research and extension activities and decentralising day-to-day management and is also responsible for technology dissemination to farmers. Flower cultivation is undertaken in the talukas of Pernem, Bicholim, Quepem and Bardez. Other than marigold, the flower varieties grown in the state include crossandra (‘abolim’) and jasmine (‘mogra’), according to the agriculture department. Agriculture director Sandeep Phaldesai said that Goa can move towards becoming self-sufficient in marigold if every farmer grows some marigold plants on their land. “Even 20 plants around the house per farmer can make a difference in marigold production,” he said. This seems practical, and every second house having a courtyard has the capacity to cultivate marigold. Traditionally, marigolds used to be seen in people’s compounds every monsoon. This can be revived. People may not be aware of the government schemes for floriculture and horticulture. The government insists that the Swayampurna mitras are active in every village. As said, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and their work – whether they are active or not – is known by the people on the ground. Citizens need to be made aware of the government schemes. Multi-pronged methods can be used to popularise and create awareness among the people. The agriculture department provides a Rs 75,000 per hectare subsidy for floriculture and also extends technical guidance. Elected representatives at the grassroots level, along with NGOs, students and panchayat officials, can visit their respective villages and motivate people to take up floriculture. They can also take the opportunity to speak of subsidies for agriculture, horticulture, and vegetable and fruit cultivation. The seeds for taking up cultivation need to be sown in the minds of the students very early in life. Harvesting flowers, fruits or vegetables one has cultivated brings a lot of joy and happiness to the cultivator. As per the National Horticulture Database published by the National Horticulture Board during 2023-24, the area under floriculture production in India was 2.85 lakh hectares with a production of 31 lakh tonne flowers. India’s total export of floriculture was Rs 717.83 crore in 2023-24, and the major importing countries were the US, Netherlands, UAE, UK and Canada. There are more than 300 export-oriented units in India. More than 50 per cent of the floriculture units are based in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Reports say that with technical collaborations from foreign companies, the Indian floriculture industry is poised to increase its share in world trade. If the authorities and civic bodies engage students and community leaders, it won’t be difficult for Goa to turn our farms green, painted in hues of orange and yellow.

New Delhi, Dec 25 (PTI) Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday said that the governance reforms must begin at the grassroot level to bring about long-lasting and meaningful change. In a significant step towards strengthening grassroots governance, he launched the ‘Viksit Panchayat Karmayogi’ initiative on Good Governance Day, celebrated very year to mark birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The initiative, which is part of the broader ‘Prashasan Gaon Ki Aur’ campaign, aims to enhance the capacity and competence of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) by equipping elected representatives and officials with the tools and knowledge required for effective governance and participatory planning, said Singh, the Minister of State for Personnel. He emphasised "that governance reforms must begin at the grassroots to bring about long-lasting and meaningful change as well as to fill up the capacity gaps". Piloted in Odisha, Assam, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh, the initiative leverages e-learning platforms, AI-powered chatbots, and mobile apps to bridge knowledge gaps and enhance service delivery, Singh said. He said that this program aligns with the government’s broader mission to decentralise governance and foster participatory decision-making at the grassroots level. The initiative is expected to create scalable models of citizen-centric governance, enabling PRIs to drive equitable and sustainable development across rural India, according to a Personnel Ministry statement. The minister also launched a series of transformative initiatives on the occasion of the Good Governance Day. The first initiative unveiled by Singh was the launch of a new dashboard on the iGOT (integrated government online training) Karmayogi platform, along with the milestone introduction of the 1600th e-learning course. The enhanced dashboard is designed to empower ministries, departments, and state administrators with advanced tools to monitor user registrations, course completions, and overall progress in capacity-building efforts. With customisable views and robust data filtration capabilities, the dashboard provides detailed insights to improve decision-making and optimize training initiatives, the statement said. Additionally, the introduction of the 1600th course on the platform underscores the government’s commitment to fostering a diverse and comprehensive learning ecosystem, it said. The minister also launched CPGRAMS (Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System) Annual Report 2024. As the world’s largest citizen interface platform, CPGRAMS has redefined grievance redressal by integrating advanced technologies, multilingual support, and comprehensive tracking mechanisms. The CPGRAMS allows citizens to raise grievances against government departments online. The report showcases key achievements, including the resolution of over 25 lakh grievances annually and the implementation of the Grievance Redressal Assessment and Index (GRAI), the statement said. Another significant initiative launched during the event was the compendium of pension related instructions, 2024, a comprehensive document consolidating all updated rules, procedures, and guidelines related to pensions. Singh said that Good Governance Day, institutionalised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, serves as a reminder of the government’s commitment to initiatives that directly impact citizens’ lives. Reflecting on India’s journey towards its centenary as an independent nation in 2047, he outlined the need to prepare for a future where citizens can independently manage governance processes with minimal reliance on bureaucratic systems. Singh shared his experience of introducing AI-driven mobile health clinics in rural areas, highlighting how technology not only facilitates governance but also captivates and engages communities. Singh said that each year, the government strives to introduce new initiatives that add value to governance and reflect its dynamic and evolving nature. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders got lucky he wasn't ejected during Saturday's game against Kansas. Sanders shoved a referee during a scuffle between the two teams but wasn't thrown out of the game. Take a look : "He's lucky he wasn't ejected from the game." @MikePereira takes a closer look at Shedeur Sanders' push on the ref ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/SSESj7QtId Colorado has been struggling against Kansas in this game and is down by 16 in the fourth quarter but there's still no excuse for Sanders to do this. The college football community is also stunned that he didn't get ejected. "The officials can use their hands all they want to try to keep order but you cannot come back as a player and push an official... He's lucky that he wasn't ejected from the game," Mike Pereira said . "Anyone surprised by Shedeur pushing a ref didn’t watch him and his brother push a ball boy last week. They think they’re above the game. They think they’re above the rules. That’s what Deion built," another tweet read . "Here’s the video. Pretty wild that the refs just let that slide," another tweet read . "Pathetic all around. Pathetic to commit such an act. Pathetic for the officials to let is slide," another tweet read . "Stunning that this officiating crew is in the middle of another mess," another fan tweeted . Andrew Wevers/Getty Images The Buffaloes came into this game with an 8-2 record and needing to win to keep their Big 12 title hopes alive but it appears they will suffer their third loss. They're down 37-21 to the Jayhawks, who have loved playing spoiler this season. The Jayhawks have beaten the Cyclones of Iowa State and the Cougars of BYU each of the last two weeks and is poised to beat another top team. You can watch the rest of this game on FOX. Related: College Football Fans Heated About 'Dirty' Hit On Shedeur Sanders

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Thanksgiving is about spending time with family, eating yourself into a food coma, and football. The NFL reigns supreme on the November holiday. The league has dominated televisions all over the country for years, providing entertainment for fans while they gorge themselves with turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and more. The Lions and Cowboys are two teams that always can be expected to be featured on the holiday, as the two NFC members have extensive histories on Thanksgiving. However, do either of those teams own the most wins on Thanksgiving? Here is the full list of records for every NFL team to play on Thanksgiving. NFL HQ: Live NFL scores | Updated NFL standings | Full NFL schedule Who has the most wins on Thanksgiving? The Lions own the record for the most wins on Thanksgiving. Entering Thanksgiving Day in 2024, Detroit has emerged victorious 37 times on the holiday. Despite holding the record for most wins on Thanksgiving, it's been a bit since Lions fans have viewed a victory on the holiday. Detroit is currently riding a seven-game losing streak on Turkey Day, with the franchise's last win coming in 2016. The Cowboys, unsurprisingly, are No. 2, with 33 wins. Here's a look at the teams with the most Thanksgiving wins. Team Thanksgiving wins Detroit Lions 37 Dallas Cowboys 33 Chicago Bears 20 Green Bay Packers 15 Minnesota Vikings 7 New York Giants 7 Arizona Cardinals 6 Buffalo Bills 6 Philadelphia Eagles 6 MORE: How John Madden started NFL's Turkey Leg tradition Who has the most losses on Thanksgiving? Not only do the Lions have the most Thanksgiving wins, but they also own the unfortunate record of the most losses as well. That's what happens when you frequent the holiday slate as often as Detroit has. The Lions enter the 2024 season with 45 losses on Thanksgiving. As mentioned, the franchise is currently on a seven-game losing streak on the holiday. The Cowboys have the second-most with 22, followed by the Packers with 20. Here's a look at the teams with the most Thanksgiving losses. Team Thanksgiving losses Detroit Lions 45 Dallas Cowboys 22 Green Bay Packers 20 Chicago Bears 15 Arizona Cardinals 15 Washington Commanders 9 Denver Broncos 7 New York Giants 6 Pittsburgh Steelers 6 Kansas City Chefs 5 MORE: What teams always play on Thanksgiving? Who has played in the most Thanksgiving games? If the Lions have the most wins on Thanksgiving, as well as the most losses on Thanksgiving, that means they surely have to have the most appearances on the holiday? You would be correct. No other franchise has played in more Thanksgiving matchups than Detroit, with a total of 84 games played. When the team plays in 2024, it will be the 85th time. The next-closest is Dallas, with soon-to-be 57 appearances when it takes the field in 2024. Only five organizations have played in at least 20 Thanksgiving games, and only 10 have been featured on the holiday at least 10 times. Here are the number of appearances for all NFL teams on Thanksgiving, including the games in 2024. Team Thanksgiving games Detroit Lions 85 Dallas Cowboys 57 Chicago Bears 38 Green Bay Packers 38 Arizona Cardinals 23 New York Giants 16 Washington Commanders 13 Denver Broncos 11 Buffalo Bills 11 Kansas City Chiefs 10 Minnesota Vikings 9 Pittsburgh Steelers 8 Las Vegas Raiders 8 New York Jets 8 Miami Dolphins 8 Philadelphia Eagles 7 Tennessee Titans 7 San Francisco 49ers 7 New England Patriots 6 Cleveland Browns 6 Los Angeles Chargers 5 Los Angeles Rams 5 Seattle Seahawks 5 Indianapolis Colts 4 New Orleans Saints 4 Atlanta Falcons 4 Baltimore Ravens 3 Houston Texans 2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1 Carolina Panthers 1 Cincinnati Bengals 1 Jacksonville Jaguars 0 Who has the best record on Thanksgiving? While the Lions have the most wins on Thanksgiving, they hardly have the best record. There are three teams who are undefeated on Thanksgiving — the Ravens, the Texans and the Panthers. Baltimore won its pair of games in 2011 and 2013, Houston took care of business in its two matchups in 2012 and 2020, and Carolina emerged victorious in its lone Thanksgiving game in 2015. In terms of teams who have played frequently on Thanksgiving, the Eagles and Vikings own impressive marks. Philadelphia is 6-1 in holiday contests in November, while Minnesota is 7-2. There are three franchises who have yet to win on Thanksgiving, excluding the Jaguars who have never played on the holiday. The Bengals and Buccaneers were unsuccessful in their one attempt, while the Browns own a fitting 0-3 record on Thanksgiving. MORE: How John Madden popularized the turducken on NFL broadcasts Team Thanksgiving win% Baltimore Ravens 1.000 Houston Texans 1.000 Carolina Panthers 1.000 Philadelphia Eagles .857 Los Angeles Rams .800 Minnesota Vikings .778 New Orleans Saints .750 Miami Dolphins .714 Tennessee Titans .714 Los Angeles Chargers .700 Indianapolis Colts .625 Dallas Cowboys .598 Buffalo Bills .591 San Francisco 49ers .583 Chicago Bears .568 New York Giants .531 Kansas City Chiefs .500 Las Vegas Raiders .500 New York Jets .500 New England Patriots .500 Detroit Lions .452 Green Bay Packers .432 Seattle Seahawks .400 Denver Broncos .364 Washington Commanders .308 Arizona Cardinals .304 Pittsburgh Steelers .250 Atlanta Falcons .250 Cleveland Browns .000 Cincinnati Bengals .000 Tampa Bay Buccaneers .000 Jacksonville Jaguars N/A What teams have never played on Thanksgiving? There remains just one team that the NFL hasn't yet played on Thanksgiving: the Jaguars. Jacksonville has had an NFL team since 1995 but hasn't yet enjoyed much success. The Jaguars finished with the No. 1 pick in back-to-back drafts in 2021 and 2022, and given that they are in a smaller market, it makes sense that the NFL would look to schedule other teams for these marquee spots. Despite the Jaguars' surprise run to an AFC South title and the divisional round last season, the league didn't put Jacksonville in a Thanksgiving slot this year. With Trevor Lawrence and Doug Pederson restoring credibility to the franchise, however, it's certainly possible the opportunity comes along at some point in the near future.Stem cell therapy to correct heart failure in children could ‘transform lives’BEIJING , Nov. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from chinadaily.com.cn : Representatives discuss hot topics faced by countries in digitalization China's forward-looking vision on the future development of the internet offers a glimpse into how cooperation can narrow the digital divide across the world, at a time when an economic slowdown and impeded globalization have stunted growth worldwide, said government officials and industry experts on Friday. They made the remarks at the 2024 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit that ended in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province on Friday. They also sought more global cooperation to advance the development of the internet in less-developed economies and enhance digital competence for all. Ren Xianliang, secretary-general of the WIC, said at a news conference, "More efforts should be made to help make the internet a new frontier for all parties to cooperate and continue to create more convergence of interests, growth points of cooperation and new highlights of win-win scenarios in cyberspace." "All parties around the world are expected to join hands to build a cyber world where human beings coexist, jointly create a digital future of win-win cooperation and make cyberspace better for all peoples of the world," he said. More than 1,800 representatives from governments, international organizations, industry associations, internet enterprises, universities and think tanks from over 130 countries and regions attended this year's summit, addressing some of the hottest topics faced by countries in digitalization. Teo Nie Ching , deputy minister of communications of Malaysia , said at the conference that digital transformation is not solely about technological advancement, but also a reflection of human values and actions. "As technology progresses, we must uphold a core principle of people-centered and holistic development to ensure that technological applications truly serve the common good and promote share to the progress," Teo said. A United Nations report found that 2.6 billion individuals globally still lack internet access and a sharp digital divide can also be observed among economies, among industries and between urban and rural areas. Although many less technologically advanced regions, such as Africa , possess a strong willingness to build an inclusive and equitable digital world, the rapid advancement of technologies often poses a huge challenge to developing countries — how to actively participate and keep pace with this growth, said Nii Narku Quaynor , chairman of Ghana Dot Com. Against this backdrop, reinforcing open access to internet channels, digital content and technologies can greatly benefit emerging economies in the digital world, he said. Eyeing a higher-level of inclusiveness, connectivity and cooperation in the internet sector, a statement on global digital cooperation was released by a sub-forum of the WIC. The statement highlighted the importance of advancing international cooperation on data exchange, enhancing cross-border data connectivity, and narrowing gaps in data circulation, as well as more initiatives to build an open and mutually beneficial international framework for data collaboration. Intensified efforts should also be made to deepen international exchanges on technology standards, ethical guidelines and legal frameworks, advancing a widely accepted global AI governance system, said the statement. It also called for human-centered and ethically sound approaches to cutting-edge technologies such as AI, encouraging safe, reliable, fair and transparent research and development as well as applications of AI. At the opening ceremony of WIC, Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang also stressed the need for the international community to jointly deal with problems such as the digital divide and a grave cybersecurity situation to build a better digital future. The digital divide continues to widen, and the situation of cybersecurity has become more severe, Ding said, adding that the international community is in greater need than ever of jointly advancing a community with a shared future in cyberspace. China has been sharing the opportunities of modernization with countries around the world and injecting strong impetus into global modernization, Ding said. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/china-set-to-narrow-digital-divide-302314740.html SOURCE chinadaily.com.cn