Latest news with #Stan
Sydney Morning Herald
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Why boxing chumps move the needle more than champs
Tim Tszyu and Jai Opetaia, potentially both world champions by the end of the weekend, are Australia's best boxers. Both have had to lean on Paul Gallen at various stages of their career for relevance locally. When Tszyu and Gallen fought on the same night, the stories about the former footballer generated more clicks. For the purists, it's an indictment of the fight game, that a footballer can attract more attention than genuine pugilists competing against the world's best. However, that's the harsh reality in a celebrity-obsessed age, where punters would rather fork out $70 to watch two footbrawlers than a genuine championship bout. Gallen's controversial split-decision win against Sonny Bill Williams at Qudos Bank Arena on Wednesday night lasted just 16 minutes, but lined their pockets with paydays of up to $1 million each. In their pomp as professional footballers on the field, it would take an entire season to earn as much. The event was shown exclusively on Stan which, like this masthead, is owned by Nine Entertainment. The pay-per-view sales remain a heavily guarded secret, but the early indications suggest it was a success. 'This was a massive moment,' said Stan's director of sport Ben Kimber. 'Two giants of Australian sport, a decade of talk, and it all exploded on Stan Pay-Per-View.' Sport thrives on controversy and Williams and Gallen brought bucketloads into their grudge match. Nobody sells quite like the Cronulla captain, who has leant into his role as the pantomime villain in much the way Anthony Mundine did before him. People love a circus and are prepared to pay for admission. Which is why the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul 'fight' became the most streamed event in sporting history, attracting 108 million viewers on Netflix.
The Age
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
Why boxing chumps move the needle more than champs
Tim Tszyu and Jai Opetaia, potentially both world champions by the end of the weekend, are Australia's best boxers. Both have had to lean on Paul Gallen at various stages of their career for relevance locally. When Tszyu and Gallen fought on the same night, the stories about the former footballer generated more clicks. For the purists, it's an indictment of the fight game, that a footballer can attract more attention than genuine pugilists competing against the world's best. However, that's the harsh reality in a celebrity-obsessed age, where punters would rather fork out $70 to watch two footbrawlers than a genuine championship bout. Gallen's controversial split-decision win against Sonny Bill Williams at Qudos Bank Arena on Wednesday night lasted just 16 minutes, but lined their pockets with paydays of up to $1 million each. In their pomp as professional footballers on the field, it would take an entire season to earn as much. The event was shown exclusively on Stan which, like this masthead, is owned by Nine Entertainment. The pay-per-view sales remain a heavily guarded secret, but the early indications suggest it was a success. 'This was a massive moment,' said Stan's director of sport Ben Kimber. 'Two giants of Australian sport, a decade of talk, and it all exploded on Stan Pay-Per-View.' Sport thrives on controversy and Wiliams and Gallen brought bucketloads into their grudge match. Nobody sells quite like the Cronulla captain, who has leant into his role as the pantomime villain in much the way Anthony Mundine did before him. People love a circus and are prepared to pay for admission. Which is why the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul 'fight' became the most streamed event in sporting history, attracting 108 million viewers on Netflix.
Hypebeast
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
Eminem Documentary Titled 'Stans' to Receive Limited Theater Run This Summer
Summary Prepare for a deep dive into the world of devoted fandom, as the highly anticipatedEminemdocumentary, aptly titledStans, is set to receive a limited theatrical release. This film promises an intimate and insightful look into the complex relationship between global superstar Eminem and his most fervent admirers, a phenomenon that has profoundly shaped his career and the music industry itself. The documentary takes its name from Eminem's iconic 2000 hit single 'Stan.' The film is slated to be co-produced by the rapper's own company Shady Films and is expected to give fans a unique perspective on the artist's legacy. 'Stan,' a track renowned for its chilling narrative of an obsessed fan whose devotion turns tragic, inadvertently coined the term 'stan' now widely used to describe overly zealous fans across all forms of media. Stansis directed by Steven Leckart. As per the press release, the documentary is set to examine the 'complicated relationship between one of the world's most private artists and his massive public persona.' Using archival footage, recreations, new interviews, the documentary pin points the ups and downs of Eminem's career. The 15-time Grammy winner produces the doc alongside Paul Rosenberg, Stuart Parr, Antoine Fuqua, Tony DiSanto and David Schiff. The limited run will hit AMC Theaters from August 7 to 10, 2025.
Business Insider
a day ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Pentagon Awards $800M in AI Contracts: How Google, Microsoft, and Palantir Could Gain
The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded contracts worth up to $800 million to four major AI players: xAI, OpenAI, Google (GOOG), and Anthropic. Each agreement has a ceiling of $200 million and focuses on developing 'agentic' AI systems that can interpret data, make decisions, and operate autonomously in secure, classified environments. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Make smarter investment decisions with TipRanks' Smart Investor Picks, delivered to your inbox every week. These contracts are part of the Pentagon's 'commercial-first' strategy to speed up the adoption of scalable, secure AI across military operations. Applications range from logistics and cybersecurity to battlefield planning. The initiative also reflects growing concerns about staying competitive with global rivals, such as China, in defense technology. What's the Plan, Stan? Google is contributing through its cloud division. Google Cloud holds an Impact Level 6 (IL6) clearance, the highest level of security authorization for handling classified government data. That clearance makes it a strong candidate to support sensitive AI workloads. While the company has not specified which products are involved, its secure cloud infrastructure, such as Tensor Processing Units and the Agentspace stack, could play a key role. Although $200 million is minor compared to Google's 2 trillion market cap, defense partnerships may boost long-term positioning in the enterprise and government cloud space. Microsoft (MSFT), while not a direct contract recipient, is closely tied to the effort. OpenAI's tools are deployed using Microsoft Azure, which already meets Department of Defense security standards. OpenAI's new 'OpenAI for Government' initiative includes models for cyber defense, logistics, and secure communications. As OpenAI's exclusive infrastructure partner, Microsoft could benefit as Azure becomes more embedded in government AI workflows. Another major player, Palantir Technologies (PLTR), may also benefit indirectly. Anthropic's Claude Gov models are designed for use in secure, classified networks. Palantir, known for its data integration and analytics platforms across U.S. defense agencies, could act as a distribution and deployment partner. While there is no formal link between Anthropic and Palantir in this contract, existing collaborations suggest that integration is possible. xAI, founded by Elon Musk, introduced 'Grok for Government' and secured a spot on the General Services Administration (GSA) schedule. That placement allows federal agencies to purchase its tools more easily. While xAI remains private, and its chatbot has drawn scrutiny for erratic responses, inclusion in this award round signals an entry point into national security work. Using TipRanks' Comparison Tool, we've assembled and compared the three publicly traded companies appearing in the piece. This helps you gain a broader perspective on each stock and its overall standings. The Takeaway for Investors These contracts are more about strategic positioning than immediate revenue. AI companies with government-grade security, scalable infrastructure, and integration potential may gain long-term advantages as defense spending on AI accelerates.
The Guardian
a day ago
- Business
- The Guardian
As Optus Sport closes, subscription refunds are on their way
Optus Sport customers who paid an annual fee for the service will receive a refund when it shuts down next month – but only by cheque in some cases. Optus announced on 30 June its sport streaming service would close on 1 August, after it transferred the rights to broadcast the Premier League, FA Cup and other competitions to Nine Entertainment and Stan. In an email to customers on Monday – seen by Guardian Australia – Optus said eligible customers would need to provide their postal and email address by 29 August to get a refund on the unused portion of their $199 annual subscription. 'We can only issue your refund via a cheque,' the email said. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email A spokesperson for Optus said a 'subset group' of customers had been told their refund would be issued via cheque. 'This is not the standard practise and is occurring where electronic banking is unavailable due to our billing and subscription management system constraints or where the credit card has been cancelled, expired or failed,' they said. In 2023 the government announced that cheques would be phased out in a 'gradual, coordinated and inclusive' transition to purely digital payment services, after a 90% decline in the use of cheques over 10 years. One former Optus customer commented on X: 'Cheque refund @OptusSport ... what sort of medieval transaction is this. Havnt been to a ye old bank for years.' In a February 2024 submission to the government's consultation process on the transition away from cheques, Optus noted there were 'limited circumstances' where cheques were still used. 'Cheques remain beneficial where a large volume of payments is required to be made, particularly where such payments are unable to be provided via the original payment method (for example, for former customers or where details are no longer current) … 'In addition, cheques remain a secure way of providing payments without needing to contact customers / former customers and requesting updated financial details. This is important in an environment where Government and organisations are taking steps to reduce and disrupt scam activity.' In November 2024 the government confirmed that cheques could no longer be issued after 28 June 2028, and would not be accepted after 30 September 2029. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion A spokesperson for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said consumer law did not specify what method should be used for refunds. 'However, businesses that use cheques to provide customers with refunds should be planning for how they will transition to other payment methods in line with the government's transition plan for the phasing out of cheques,' the spokesperson said. 'Businesses should also consider ways to ensure that their customers are actually able to receive any refunds, particularly consumers in remote areas with less access to banking facilities.' The digital policy director at the Consumer Policy Research Centre, Chandni Gupta, said digital products had a clear path between product and payment – if money came in one way, it should be returned the same way. 'Placing the onus on individuals to go through extra steps to claim a refund that is rightly theirs creates an unnecessary barrier for someone who has already lost time and money,' Gupta said. 'It's unfair for customers to have to jump through hoops to access their refund, but sadly it's not illegal.' The director of legal practice at the Consumer Action Law Centre, Stephen Nowicki, said he generally did not see a problem with refunding money via cheque, and it might even be preferable to reduce the potential for scams. 'But if somebody prefers to get an online refund then I would hope Optus Sport gives them that option,' Nowicki said.
