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On October 20, the Z1 China Autonomous Driving Car Summit Race kicked off at the Zhuzhou International Circuit in Hunan province. The event featured the “Tian Yuan” autonomous racing system facing off against renowned British racer Robert Huff and China’s rising star in motorsports, Ma Jianxin. In a stunning display, Ma Jianxin claimed victory with a remarkable 17-second lead.

The Z1 summit race showcased a head-to-head competition, with “Tian Yuan” taking on both human drivers in a thrilling format. During the first round against Ma Jianxin, the autonomous system set impressive new records. However, mechanical issues arose during the sixth lap, leading to the loss of the lap counter and a suspension of the race. As a result, Robert Huff, who was in his initial warm-up lap, did not clock any lap time. Ultimately, “Tian Yuan” recorded a time of 2 minutes and 33 seconds, while Ma Jianxin achieved a time of 2 minutes and 16 seconds.

The “Tian Yuan” system has been developed independently by Gao Sen Qindong (Zhuzhou) Sports Culture Development Co., Ltd. It incorporates cutting-edge technologies such as BeiDou navigation, artificial intelligence, machine vision, and automatic control. Within the “Tian Yuan” system, BeiDou navigation technology plays a crucial role in providing the autonomous racing car with positioning information crucial for high-speed maneuvering, path planning, obstacle avoidance, and speed regulation.

To accelerate the development of intelligent driving technology, Zhuzhou constructed the Z1 China Autonomous Driving Car Summit Race centered around the “Tian Yuan” system. This competition emphasizes fully automated races on a professional track, aiming to demonstrate and test the capabilities of autonomous driving technology under high-speed racing conditions, including real-time feedback, adaptability, and the integrity of competition strategies.

Initially unveiled on September 28 with a lap time of 3 minutes and 14 seconds, “Tian Yuan” made significant strides at the recent Z1 event, shaving nearly a minute off its original time.

Ma Jianxin remarked, “To achieve such impressive results in under a month is astounding, especially considering it took me five to six years to reach my current level.” She firmly believes that autonomous driving technology will unlock vast potential for both the racing industry and the automotive sector as a whole.

Robert Huff expressed his enthusiasm for competing against “Tian Yuan,” stating that he would be willing to share his data with the system to aid its learning process and help it break new ground in future races. He looks forward to facing off against it again.

Florentina Holzinger’s bloody Sancta was criticised by Austrian bishops and is now a sellout in Germany
Philip Oltermann European culture editorThu 10 Oct 2024 13.35 EDTLast modified on Fri 11 Oct 2024 01.16 EDTShareEighteen theatregoers at Stuttgart’s state opera required medical treatment for severe nausea over the weekend after watching a performance that included live piercing, unsimulated sexual intercourse and copious amounts of fake and real blood.
“On Saturday we had eight and on Sunday we had 10 people who had to be looked after by our visitor service,” said the opera’s spokesperson, Sebastian Ebling, about the two performances of Sancta, a work by the Austrian choreographer Florentina Holzinger. A doctor had been called in for treatment in three instances, he added.
Holzinger, 38, is known for freewheeling performances that blur the line between dance theatre and vaudeville. Her all-female cast typically performs partially or fully naked, and previous shows have included live sword-swallowing, tattooing, masturbation and action paintings with blood and fresh excrement.
“Good technique in dance to me is not just someone who can do a perfect tendu, but also someone who can urinate on cue,” Holzinger told the Guardian in an interview earlier this year.
Bring on the naked rollerskating nuns! The wild visions of Florentina HolzingerRead moreSancta, Holzinger’s first foray into opera, premiered at the Mecklenburg state theatre in Schwerin in May, and is based on Paul Hindemith’s 1920s expressionist opera Sancta Susanna, which has its own history of controversy.
Hindemith’s original opera tells the story of a young nun who, aroused by a tale told by one of the nunnery’s older women, steps on to the altar naked and rips the loincloth from Christ’s torso. An encounter with a large spider leads her to repent her action and beg the other nuns to wall her up alive.
It was originally meant to premiere at Stuttgart’s state opera in 1921, but was not put on stage until 1922 after protests against its allegedly sacrilegious content.
The version that unsettled audience members in Stuttgart this year supplanted the original musical performance with naked nuns rollerskating on a movable half-pipe at the centre of the stage, a wall of crucified naked bodies and a lesbian priest saying mass.
After Holzinger brought Sancta to her native Vienna in June, bishops from Salzburg and Innsbruck criticised it as a “disrespectful caricature of the holy mass”.
The Austrian artist has previously suggested that her opera was less designed to mock the church than explore parallels between the conservative institution on the one hand, and kink communities and BDSM subcultures on the other.
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“We recommend that all audience members once again very carefully read the warnings so they know what to expect,” Ebling told the Stuttgarter Nachrichten newspaper. Visitors to the adults-only show were alerted in advance to a long list of warnings for potential triggers including incense, loud noises, explicit sexual acts and sexual violence.
“If you have questions, speak to the visitor service,” Ebling added. “And when in doubt during the performance, it might help to avert your gaze.”
Reports of medical treatment in the auditorium do not appear to have done Holzinger’s Sancta any commercial harm. All five remaining shows at the Stuttgart state opera, as well as two performances at Berlin’s Volksbühne in November, have since sold out.

From October 17 to 19, the 2024 World Intelligent Connected Vehicle Conference took place in Beijing, attracting government officials, industry experts, and representatives from over ten countries and regions. The focus of the conference was to explore how intelligent connected vehicles can rapidly advance towards a higher level of “intelligence,” fostering innovation and collaboration on a global scale.

As a new industry model resulting from the deep integration of automotive, electronics, information communication, and transportation sectors, intelligent connected vehicles are becoming a focal point in the global automotive industry. Sun Yonghong, the president of the Highway Science Research Institute of the Ministry of Transport of China, emphasized that competition in this field is intensifying. Countries worldwide, particularly in the developed world, are taking steps to accelerate the development of intelligent connected vehicles, with Germany and the UK leading the way in technological research and legislation to support autonomous driving advancements, while the U.S. maintains a competitive edge in technology and industry.

China has made significant progress in the intelligent connected vehicle sector over the years. Jin Zhuanglong, the Minister of Industry and Information Technology, noted that a robust industrial system has been established in China, covering essential components such as chips, sensors, computing platforms, chassis control, and cloud connectivity. He highlighted that China is at the forefront of technologies like human-computer interaction and is rapidly making breakthroughs in steer-by-wire and active suspension technologies.

With the rise of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, 5G, and big data, the iteration and deployment of intelligent connected vehicle products are accelerating. Zhou Hua, Deputy General Manager of the China Automotive Technology Research Center, expressed optimism about the widespread application of advanced autonomous driving technologies, noting that several intelligent connected vehicle models equipped with these capabilities are now ready for deployment in various scenarios.

However, the complexity of integrating multiple innovative technologies has made extensive road testing and pilot applications essential for the promotion of intelligent connected vehicles. Jin Zhuanglong mentioned that over 50 cities across the country are conducting road testing and demonstrations for these vehicles, with 32,000 kilometers of test roads open and nearly 10,000 kilometers of roads having undergone intelligent upgrades, alongside the installation of over 8,700 roadside units.

While the intelligent connected vehicle industry is thriving, it also faces challenges, including technological innovation, data security, and the need for improved regulatory standards. François Ghisalberti, Secretary of the UN World Forum for Vehicle Regulation’s Working Group on Automated and Connected Vehicles, pointed out that significant technical hurdles remain even as these vehicles become more widespread. He expressed a desire for regulators and automobile manufacturers to collaborate on a comprehensive regulatory framework and industry standards that could aid global industrial development.

Michael Howard Brioche, Head of Innovative Mobility at the UK’s Department for Transport, noted that many countries, including the UK, share similar challenges in the autonomous driving sector, such as ensuring safety and accessibility of the technology, building public trust, and establishing practical industry standards. He looks forward to engaging in discussions and exchanges with other nations to find effective solutions and create unified global standards and regulations.

Wang Weiming, Director of the Equipment Industry Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, stated that the development prospects for intelligent connected vehicles are promising, presenting both challenges and opportunities for the automotive industry’s transformation and upgrading. He indicated plans for extensive international collaboration, including hosting forums like the World Intelligent Connected Vehicle Conference to facilitate communication and cooperation among industry stakeholders and support pragmatic collaborations that optimize the global business environment, advancing intelligent connected vehicles to the next stage of large-scale deployment.

Collins postpones previously announced retirementAmerican is currently at ninth in WTA Tour rankingsAgenciesFri 18 Oct 2024 08.10 EDTLast modified on Fri 18 Oct 2024 17.10 EDTShareDanielle Collins says she’s changed her mind about retiring from the WTA Tour at the end of this year and will be back in 2025.
The 30-year-old American said on her Instagram account on Thursday that after dealing with hurricanes in her home state of Florida and seeing specialist doctors about her health issues, she’s been “a little MIA [missing in action] the last few weeks”.
Danielle Collins: ‘I’m proud of how I was able to work my way to the top. To really, truly earn it’Read more“Dealing with endometriosis and fertility is a massive challenge for many women and something that I am actively traversing, but I am fully confident in the team I am working with. It is just going to take longer than I thought,” she said.
“So, the DANIMAL story has not reached its conclusion. I will be back on tour in 2025.”
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Allow and continueCollins’s social media post came only hours after a United Cup media release on Friday in Australia listed her as one of the American entries, along with Coco Gauff, for the mixed teams tournament in Perth and Sydney from 27 December to 5 January. It’s one of several tune-up tournaments ahead of the 2025 Australian Open, which begins on 12 January.
Collins, who lost to Ash Barty in the final of the 2022 Australian Open for her best Grand Slam singles result, said at this year’s Melbourne Park tournament that she planned to retire after the 2024 season.
Among other matches this year, she had an injury retirement in the quarter-finals at the Paris Olympics in a fiery match with Iga Swiatek, and lost in the first round of the US Open. Collins is currently ranked ninth on the WTA Tour in singles.
“While there are no guarantees in life, I hope to build on my 2024 momentum and keep playing until there is more certainty around my personal fertility journey,” she said. “The only guarantee for now will be some more epic matches.”

On October 19, a report from the government website of Xiayi County in Henan province revealed significant developments regarding allegations against the Xiayi West Clinic. A joint investigation team was formed after receiving reports from netizens regarding the clinic’s suspected illegal practices.

The county has taken these allegations seriously, leading to the immediate formation of a task force that includes personnel from the public security bureau and the health commission to conduct an investigation.

As of now, the clinic has been ordered to suspend operations, and the authorities have implemented criminal measures against five individuals involved in the case. Additionally, the discipline inspection and supervision agencies have initiated formal investigations into the responsible parties. Moving forward, the investigation will be expedited to ensure legal and disciplinary actions are taken as appropriate.

The Japanese surname “saito” is quite common, yet it boasts a multitude of kanji representations. According to recent media reports, the names “齋藤” and “齊藤,” both pronounced “saito,” highlight this phenomenon. Despite sharing the same pronunciation, many people—even Japanese individuals—often find it challenging to determine the correct character to use, as there are over 80 other variations in addition to these two.

In a recent post on social media platform X, manga artist Bonro Aoki humorously illustrated his experiences with this conundrum. He found that when typing “saito,” he often encountered several similar but different options, such as “齋藤,” “斎藤,” “齊藤,” and “斉藤.” This led him to wonder which one was correct and why some of the characters even included a “Y.”

Upon investigation, he discovered that the pronunciation “saito” can be represented by as many as 85 different kanji forms. This variety stems from the historical context of Japan’s household registration system, where clerks occasionally faced difficulties knowing the correct way to write the character for “齋.” As a result, numerous similar yet subtly different versions emerged.

Responses from netizens have been lively, with comments like “I can’t believe there are 85 variations!” and “Names like ‘斉藤’ and ‘渡边’ really need to be standardized.” Others chimed in, saying, “If bureaucrats made mistakes, they should own up to them,” and “I totally relate to the confusion around the ‘Y’.” Some pointed out that even the character “藤” has subtle differences in its strokes, such as variations in the grass and bamboo components or the angles of the dots.

On October 17, the 2024 Online Publishers Conference was held in the Nan’an District of Chongqing. This conference aims to enhance communication within the online publishing industry and to empower the green and healthy development of online cultural ecology through digital publishing.

With the theme “Global Connectivity: Greener and More Vibrant,” the event brought together prominent companies, experts, and scholars from both domestic and international digital publishing and online culture sectors. Participants engaged in discussions on fostering the deep integration of online culture and technology, promoting innovative transformations of traditional Chinese culture, and creating a more inclusive and creative online cultural ecosystem.

The conference also unveiled the “Online Cultural Industry Ecosystem Index (2024)” report. This report provides a thorough analysis of the current state of China’s online cultural industry, offering valuable insights into its development trends and potential. The findings serve as a crucial reference for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers. It highlights challenges faced by the online cultural industry ecosystem, such as optimizing production system structures, enhancing consumer system efficiency, and increasing support system traction. Corresponding recommendations were provided to facilitate continuous optimization and growth of the ecosystem.

During the conference, key speakers such as Ao Ran, Executive Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association, and Yang Haiping, Deputy Director of the Publishing Research Institute at Nanjing University, delivered engaging keynote addresses. They guided attendees in exploring future directions for the cultural industry in the digital age.

Set against the backdrop of global digital transformation, this conference focused on collaborative innovation across various fields, including digital publishing, online culture, and creative design. It established a dialogue platform for all segments of the industry chain and provided online publishing professionals with a high-level exchange venue.

In a recent interview, John Burke, the Executive Vice President of VNS Health, spoke about the 25th anniversary celebration of the Chinatown Community Center held at the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in Manhattan’s Chinatown. This event not only marked a significant milestone for the community center but also celebrated the 18th anniversary of the Chinatown Senior Community Services. The celebration drew hundreds of attendees, including healthcare representatives, local officials, community members, volunteers, and seniors.

During the festivities, VNS Health presented Community Leadership Awards to the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, the Chinatown Community Center, and the oldest members and volunteers of the Chinatown Senior Community Services, recognizing their outstanding contributions. Additionally, awards of appreciation were given to 19 organizations that support community education for palliative care.

Burke emphasized that since its founding in 1893, VNS Health has remained dedicated to providing comprehensive healthcare for those in need within the New York community. Currently, they serve over 51,000 patients, health plan members, and clients each day, which includes thousands of seniors living in Manhattan’s Chinatown.

He noted that over the past 25 years, the Chinatown Community Center has served more than 300,000 clients and hosted over 10,000 events to support the Asian community in New York City. In 2006, funding from New York State enabled VNS Health to establish the Chinatown Senior Community Services, which has since cared for over 1,400 Chinatown residents.

On the occasion of the 18th anniversary of the Chinatown Senior Community Services, Burke expressed special gratitude to the New York City and State legislators and funders whose support has allowed the VNS Health team to provide critical services to the elderly in Chinatown. The event also featured notable attendees, including Eva Wong, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health, State Senator Brian Kavanagh, and City Council Member Christopher Marte.

Sadler’s Wells, LondonAbby Zbikowski’s choreography resembles the most gruelling and exacting CrossFit ever – with superhero dancers displaying mind-boggling virtuosity
Lyndsey WinshipSun 20 Oct 2024 15.00 EDTLast modified on Sun 20 Oct 2024 15.27 EDTShareI’ve never seen anything quite like this before. It’s like the most gruelling CrossFit session ever, these bodies, hurling out their energy in punchy lunges, jumps and kicks. I’ve also never heard anything like it. There’s no music. The soundtrack is harsh exhalations of breath, and voices shouted from the sidelines: “You got this!” “I see you!” “Uh-huh!”
This is what’s new from New York. Choreographer Abby Zbikowski, bringing together a riotous assemblage of movement influences, the messiness of 21st-century living and some extreme precision in a sure highlight of this year’s Dance Umbrella festival. It’s an exhilarating hour in the presence of six superhero dancers who couldn’t be more utterly human, made of flesh, sweat, muscle and endless striving.
The moves come from sports, street dance, club dance and more. There’s flinging and falling (they really need those kneepads) and the heavy stamp of trainers on the floor. At one point three of them dance a fast sequence of Keith Haring-like poses, switching between bold shapes at flick book pace. You boggle at the virtuosity when dancer Mya McClellan hops repeatedly from one foot to the other, opposite leg high in the air. It’s the opposite of the ballet dancer, subsuming all effort beneath a perfect exterior. This is hard work, proper physical labour, pushing towards some invisible goal. So much effort, and for what, we don’t know. That’s life all over.
View image in fullscreenDanger and safety in one … Abby Z and the New Utility: Radioactive Practice. Photograph: Maria BaranovaThey shout their support for each other, rousing and rallying. It makes immediate bonds of community between the dancers, but also the audience, pulling us into their sweaty embrace. We’re mostly too English to join in with the vocalising (although the programme explicitly states that you can). But I can’t be the only one to feel a swell of emotion, a visceral reaction in recognising the Olympian effort – like watching Alex Yee power to a triathlon gold. It’s the very basic triumph of human will and physical persistence. They look as if they’re fighting or taming a wild beast, but with rigorously ordered and exact choreography. It’s danger and safety in one; risk and reassurance. “We got you,” a voice shouts from across the stage. And isn’t that all anyone wants to hear?
Dance Umbrella festival is at various venues across London, until 31 October

On October 18, the Canadian government announced an additional military aid package for Ukraine valued at CAD 64.8 million. This announcement was made by Defense Minister Anita Anand during the NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels, Belgium.

This latest contribution builds upon Canada’s previous commitment of over CAD 120 million in small arms and ammunition to Ukraine. Specifically, this new aid package includes CAD 27.3 million earmarked for procuring small weapons and ammunition from Canadian suppliers.

In addition, Canada will invest CAD 20 million to produce personal protective equipment and uniforms for female soldiers in the Ukrainian military. Furthermore, the Canadian government has pledged CAD 5 million to support the development of Ukraine’s drone industry and facilitate drone procurement.

The announced assistance also encompasses up to CAD 10.5 million for training and other related activities, along with a maximum of CAD 2 million aimed at enhancing Ukraine’s cybersecurity capabilities.

This assistance is part of the CAD 500 million military aid package that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau committed to at the NATO summit in July 2023, of which CAD 444 million is designated for supporting military equipment, training, and other expenses for Ukraine’s armed forces.

Since February 2022, Canada has pledged over CAD 19.5 billion in total aid to Ukraine, which includes CAD 4.5 billion in military assistance. This military support comprises contributions of Leopard 2 battle tanks, armored combat support vehicles, anti-tank weapons, small arms, artillery, and related ammunition.

Additionally, Canada has committed nearly CAD 390 million to assist Ukraine in strengthening the training of F-16 fighter pilots and providing essential equipment. Over the years, Canada has also trained more than 42,000 Ukrainian military personnel.