Anna Garraway

India A Leader In Digitalisation, Says IMF Official – Republic World https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/india-a-leader-in-digitalisation-says-imf-official-republic-world/ Last Updated: 15th October, 2022 07:19 IST Digitalisation has taken on added importance as the world exits the COVID-19 pandemic, Anner-Marie Gulde-Wolfe, deputy director at the IMF’s Asia Pacific Department, told reporters at a news conference here on Friday. Image: blog.mygov.in/Govt of India India has been a leader in digitalisation over the last few years and has overcome some of the administrative bottlenecks through increased innovation, a senior International Monetary Fund official said. Digitalisation has taken on added importance as the world exits the COVID-19 pandemic, Anner-Marie Gulde-Wolfe, deputy director at the IMF’s Asia Pacific Department, told reporters at a news conference here on Friday. “As is well known by now, India has been a leader in digitalisation over the last couple of years, particularly with the provision of digital infrastructure… this has increased innovation and it has overcome some of the administrative bottlenecks that there were before,” she said. “Under Covid, there has been significant scarring in Asia and elsewhere and digitalisation promises to be one of the avenues to increase productivity of firms,” she said in response to a question. “We do have some empirical evidence for that. Our forthcoming Regional Economic Outlook will have a chapter that looks at productivity of firms and it shows that from the Covid recession that firms that were at the forefront of digitalisation did in fact perform better. Of course, there is still a way to go. Further progress should be made by narrowing the digital divide and by increasing digital literacy,” she added. The IMF has a programme that looks at digitalisation and how it helps governments in implementing reforms. The IMF is also increasingly providing technical assistance in that area, Gulde-Wolfe said. She said the IMF also works very closely with India on this and the country is at the forefront of digitalisation of government services, which was also used during the pandemic for distributing benefits. Responding to a question, Gulde-Wolfe said in the global context, India, with a growth rate of 6.1 per cent, is still a bright spot. “But it’s absolutely true that one needs to look at what else can be done and we were talking about scarring before. So, a lot of the issues that need to be addressed are more on the structural side,” she said. “We don’t see a lot of room for fiscal support given where we stand on the debt level,” she said. Similarly, on the monetary policy, given the inflation situation, there has to be a tightening bias there, the IMF official said. “But it is important to, you know, whatever can be done on the structural front to not create impediments for growth and to try and also create an expectation of continued forward movement,” she said. “I think that is really important. But let me just come back with, you know, the gross downgrades that we have seen in other countries, I think India is still in the relatively bright spot,” Gulde-Wolfe said. PTI LKJ DIV DIV (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)

JD Gaming Wins Comeback Tiebreaker Victory Against DWG KIA – ONE Esports https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/jd-gaming-wins-comeback-tiebreaker-victory-against-dwg-kia-one-esports/ They both advance to the quarterfinals. In last match of the day in Worlds 2022 Group B, chart toppers JD Gaming and DWG KIA fought for seeding after eliminating Evil Geniuses and G2 Esports. Leading the group with five wins and no losses, it was JDG’s chance to secure first in the group. DWG KIA took full advantage of their growing momentum, however, after scoring convincing wins against G2 Esports and Evil Geniuses earlier in the day. Against the LPL first seed, DK’s bot lane consistently outdueled their counterparts, who blind picked a nerfed Lucian and Nami combo. Combined with ganks from Kim “Canyon” Geon-bu’s Graves and roams from Heo “ShowMaker” Su’s LeBlanc, they won in 29 minutes with 21 kills to just six. Sharing the same 5-1 match score, DK forced a tiebreaker, so both teams stayed in their seats and played a second game right after. Still, things were not looking up for JDG, who were down by as much as 4,800 gold, trailing in kills and towers — until one team fight at dragon changed everything. Viper explains why Edward Gaming struggled this year, and how he mastered Mandarin Gen.G Lehends lets us in on astonishing secret behind his large champion pool JD Gaming and DWG KIA duke it out in tiebreaker to determine the first and second seed According to the English broadcast, DK bot laner Seo “deokdam” Dae-gil on Aphelios set a record for Worlds 2022 this game. At his peak, he was ahead by more than 3,900 gold compared to the most farmed player on JDG, the most so far in this tournament. It’s hard not to see why. While Bai “369” Jia-Hao‘s Aatrox was getting leads at top against Jang “Nuguri” Ha-gwon’s Irelia with the help of Seo “Kanavi” Jin-hyeok’s Vi, this opened up opportunities for DK to strike on the bot side of the map in favorable 3v2s. ShowMaker’s LeBlanc paid particular attention to Wang “Hope” Jie’s Kai’Sa in team fights, taking him out of the equation before JDG could initiate. At the 22-minute mark, JDG’s fortunes turned. Even though it looked like DK had better positioning at first, which allowed them to secure the third dragon and force Zeng “Yagao” Qi’s Sylas to flash over the wall, they started to retreat. Lou “Missing” Yun-Feng’s Nautilus and 369 led the charge, with Yagao coming back into the pit using Abscond. While ShowMaker nuked Hope’s Kai’Sa in the jungle, the rest of JDG shredded through DK’s front line in the river. Once key cooldowns were burnt, Kanavi and Yagao used both their ultimates–including a stolen Solar Flare–on deokdam, whose Stopwatch wasn’t enough. Taking back tempo, JDG never let go of their gold lead for the rest of the game. They won team fight after team fight, firmly putting LCK’s third seed in second place. For his strong performance on Aatrox, 369 was awarded the MVP. Screenshot by Amanda Tan/ONE Esports In the post-game broadcast interview, Eefje ‘sjokz’ Depoortere asked 369 why he thinks JDG always seems to have the ability to comeback, he answered that is could be attributed to their team’s coordination. As to whether he considers himself the best Aatrox player at Worlds, he replied, “At least for this game, my Aatrox was invincible.” Read more about the storied top laner, and how JD Gaming coach Homme brought out the best in 369 when no one else could. Watch the 2022 World Championship matches live on Riot Games’ official channels on Twitch and YouTube. READ MORE: How JD Gaming coach Homme brought out the best in 369 when no one else could

Sen. Leahy Out Of Hospital, Plans To Return To Vermont – Oil City Derrick https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/sen-leahy-out-of-hospital-plans-to-return-to-vermont-oil-city-derrick/ The office of U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy says he is out of the hospital and he’s planning to return to Vermont for a full schedule of planned events AP Oct 14, 2022 2 hrs ago FILE – Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., speaks during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing in Washington, May 25, 2022. Leahy was taken to a Washington area hospital Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022, for tests after saying he was not feeling well, his press secretary said. Ting Shen – pool, Pool Bloomberg MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy was discharged from the hospital Friday and planned to return to Vermont Saturday for a full schedule of planned events, his office said. Leahy, 82, was hospitalized Thursday after he felt unwell at his McLean, Virginia, home. As a precaution he was taken to a Washington-area hospital for tests and observation. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Sportradar Updated 8 min ago All Times EDT Sportradar Updated 8 min ago BOSTON (134) Sportradar Updated 8 min ago All Times EDT The Associated Press Updated 8 min ago PREP FOOTBALL= The Associated Press Updated 8 min ago PREP FOOTBALL= Sportradar Updated 8 min ago FGFTRebWASHINGTONMinM-AM-AO-TAPFPTSBarton23:083-70-20-2419Kuzma29:043-121-20-3137Gafford26:112-30-00-3054Beal30:046-133-52-55016Morris24:154-122-20-24210Hachimura30:037-145-60-82220Wright23:503-70-02-7319Gibson21:492-62-30-2026Davis14:220-50-00-5130Gill5:230-30-00-0000Goodwin5:090-10-00-0120… The Associated Press Updated 8 min ago PREP FOOTBALL= Sportradar Updated 8 min ago WASHINGTON (89) The Associated Press Updated 9 min ago PREP FOOTBALL= The Associated Press Updated 8 min ago PREP FOOTBALL= The Associated Press Updated 8 min ago PREP FOOTBALL= The Associated Press Updated 8 min ago PREP FOOTBALL= The Associated Press Updated 8 min ago PREP FOOTBALL= The Associated Press Updated 8 min ago PREP FOOTBALL= By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN – Associated Press 20 min ago A coalition of Native American pueblos invited candidates from the top of the ticket to discuss tribal priorities in New Mexico during what organizers called a historic occasion. Friday’s forum in Albuquerque follows last year’s efforts by tribes to stand their ground in the fight over legislative redistricting. The goal has been to keep the Native vote from being diluted. The chairman of the All Pueblo Council of Governors told those in attendance that the efforts were critical given the disproportionate effect the coronavirus pandemic had on tribes, 2020 census data and the redrawing of the state’s political boundaries. By The Associated Press 22 min ago Saturday, Oct. 15MLB DIVISION SERIESAmerican League Sportradar Updated 19 min ago CLEVELAND (108) Sportradar Updated 19 min ago FGFTRebCLEVELANDMinM-AM-AO-TAPFPTSOkoro24:186-74-41-31317Osman22:473-94-60-91111E.Mobley16:311-46-80-2238LeVert26:495-122-20-43215Neto23:143-70-00-2227I.Mobley20:294-60-00-3328Nembhard Jr.20:113-100-10-2307Stevens17:332-36-60-10112Cooper16:503-61-11-1127Diakite14:012-22-20-1058Lopez13:170-20… The Associated Press Updated 19 min ago PREP FOOTBALL= The Associated Press Updated 19 min ago PREP FOOTBALL= The Associated Press Updated 19 min ago PREP FOOTBALL= The Associated Press Updated 19 min ago PREP FOOTBALL= The Associated Press Updated 9 min ago PREP FOOTBALL= Sportradar Updated 19 min ago HOUSTON (122) Sportradar Updated 19 min ago FGFTRebHOUSTONMinM-AM-AO-TAPFPTSGordon16:394-84-40-01114Martin Jr.33:364-90-03-83110Sengun24:544-92-22-45312Green28:4610-159-90-13333Porter Jr.26:358-141-22-73122Christopher23:125-140-00-71111Eason21:413-52-22-6229Washington Jr.20:353-81-10-1038Garuba16:050-20-02-9020Fernando14:570-21-22-603… The Associated Press Updated 19 min ago PREP FOOTBALL= The Associated Press Updated 19 min ago PREP FOOTBALL= The Associated Press Updated 19 min ago PREP FOOTBALL= The Associated Press Updated 19 min ago PREP FOOTBALL= The Associated Press Updated 19 min ago PREP FOOTBALL= The Associated Press Updated 19 min ago PREP FOOTBALL= Rafael Olmeda – South Florida Sun Sentinel (TNS) 36 min ago FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The state of Florida spent more than $2 million prosecuting and then trying — but ultimately failing — to obtain a death sentence for the man who shot and killed 17 victims at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, according to the Broward State Attorney’s Office. By JOCELYN NOVECK – AP National Writer 41 min ago It’s been four years since Laurie Strode, aka Jamie Lee Curtis, has seen “my monster” — her masked nemesis with a bloody knife, Michael Myers. Strode is writing a memoir and trying to keep fear at bay. But Myers is back, and we know going into this third installment of director David Gordon Green’s trilogy that one of them will not survive. Associated Press National Writer Jocelyn Noveck writes in her review that Green throws a lot into his ending — it feels more like six endings — and that the viewer can’t help but wonder whether this really is it for the saga that began in 1978. The movie is in theaters and streaming on Peacock Friday. The Associated Press Updated 35 min ago PREP FOOTBALL= Akayla Gardner – Bloomberg News (TNS) 54 min ago President Joe Biden called on Iran to “end the violence against its own citizens,” in response to a deadly crackdown by security forces on protests in the country. The Associated Press Updated 35 min ago PREP VOLLEYBALL= Sportradar Updated 1 hr ago Friday Sportradar Updated 1 hr ago All Times EDT Sportradar Updated 1 hr ago All Times EDT Sportradar Updated 1 hr ago All Times EDT

New Report Outlining Economic Impact Of Short Term Rentals Restrictions Met With Mixed Reviews – Kuna Noticias Y Kuna Radio https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/new-report-outlining-economic-impact-of-short-term-rentals-restrictions-met-with-mixed-reviews-kuna-noticias-y-kuna-radio/ Both La Quinta and Palm Springs are currently considering adding more restrictions to some short term vacation rentals. A new study shared by Visit Greater Palm Springs on the economic impact of restricting short term rentals is getting mixed reviews. The findings were reported by Toursim Economics, an Oxford Economics company. While cities like La Quinta and Palm Springs consider possible limits on short term rentals, some residents support them. Kay Wolf, a volunteer with Neighbors for Neighborhoods of La Quinta says, “Across the valley, every city is having to go through this same kind of a struggle. They’re trying to decide how many vacation rentals, how long can they stay.” Senior Director of Community Engagement at Visit Greater Palm Springs says the study looked into housing affordability. “In a study that they reviewed and analyzed for this report, there was no significant impact from short term vacation rentals on housing affordability,” says Meyer. The report also looked into crime. “It does actually look at crime and if it’s related to short term vacation rentals and found no evidence that the two are correlated. So whether or not a community has short term vacation rentals does not appear to have any impact on crime,” says Meyer. We shared the findings with volunteers with Neighbors for Neighborhoods, a group advocating to restrict short term rentals in La Quinta. John Guerrini, a volunteer with the organization says, “You first have to look at the source, the cities that are against this, they’re obviously hiring consulting firms that do work for cities, and their job is to present numbers that will convince people to oppose these measures.” In response to Neighbors for Neighborhoods, Meyer with Visit Greater Palm Springs shared, “Toursim Economics is a well respected independent research firm. They have specialized knowledge of the travel space, hence their name. One thing I would note is that we do not ask for studies just to prove a result we’re looking for. We ask for unbiased analysis of data. It’s important to Visit Greater Palm Springs that our decisions are guided by the most accurate data and research possible.” Overall the study finds that communities that restrict short term vacation rentals see a loss in revenue. “The study analyzed 10 communities that had short term vacation rental restrictions or bans in place for at least two years. And after two years, those communities lost about $377 million in visitor spending,” says Meyer. However Neighbors for Neighborhoods say the revenue can be made up. “Simply because there’s a loss of revenue doesn’t lead to the inescapable conclusion, that it’s a bad thing. Because what we get in return, we get our neighborhoods back, I get my neighbor back instead of, instead of a weekend visitor,” says Guerrini. You can read more about La Quinta’s ballot measure A here. Along with Palm Spring’s consideration to ban short term rentals in their upcoming city council meeting here.

Pakistani Finance Minister Sees Gradual Recovery From Floods – 69News WFMZ-TV https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/pakistani-finance-minister-sees-gradual-recovery-from-floods-69news-wfmz-tv/ WASHINGTON (AP) — Pakistan’s new finance minister estimated that it could take “close to three years’’ for the south Asian country to recover from devastating floods that killed more than 1,700 people and displaced another 7.9 million. Ishaq Dar, who last month took the finance post for the fourth time in his career, told The Associated Press Friday that losses from the floods were estimated to surpass $32 billion and that the cost of rebuilding damaged infrastructure will exceed $16 billion. Monsoon rains, likely made worse by climate change, hammered Pakistan for months starting in mid-June, damaging or washing away 2 million homes. Rebuilding, Dar said, “can’t be done overnight” and will take “ maybe close to three years’’ though he acknowledged that he was “not an engineer.” The World Bank last month pledged $2 billion in flood aid. Dar is returning to the finance ministry at a difficult time for Pakistan. Moody’s Investors Service, citing Pakistan’s decreased foreign currency reserves, this month downgraded the country’s government debt. With inflation running at more than 20% year-over-year, Pakistan’s currency, the rupee, has fallen 19% against the U.S. dollar this year. But Dar, who earned a reputation for supporting a strong rupee during his earlier tenure as finance minister, noted that the currency rallied upon his return to the job; it’s up nearly 10% against the dollar since late September. Dar was in Washington this week for the fall meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. The visit got off to a rocky start. He was heckled and called “a thief’’ by an unidentified individual upon arrival Thursday at Dulles International Airport. On Friday, he shrugged off the incident, which was captured on video and shared online, as the act of a political opponent of the government of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. “Obviously, this is domestic politics which has gone cross border,’’ Dar said. “That shouldn’t be.’’ Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Access To Food A Problem Throughout Riverside, San Bernardino Counties – San Bernardino County Sun https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/access-to-food-a-problem-throughout-riverside-san-bernardino-counties-san-bernardino-county-sun/ When Jeanette McCulloch wants to make a quick grocery run, her choices are limited. There are a couple of corner stores in Landers, but affordable and healthy options are elusive in this unincorporated community in the Mojave Desert. The closest market with a full produce section is about 13 miles away. Landers, home to about 2,500 people, is considered a food desert, a community where people live more than a mile from a supermarket in urban areas, or more than 10 miles in rural areas, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A product of this lack of access to food is what’s known as food insecurity — defined by the USDA as being unable to put adequate healthy food on the table at times for all members of a household. In 2019, the latest year data is available, more than 13% of San Bernardino and Riverside county residents were considered food insecure. And, according to data published in 2017 by San Bernardino County, Landers is one of 32 food deserts identified in the county as some of the poorest and furthest away from grocery stores. Similar data was not immediately available for Riverside County. Living in a food desert, coupled with record inflation in recent months, means residents in these communities face some of the toughest obstacles in accessing affordable and healthy food. Going the distance The entire High Desert represents the largest concentration of high poverty/low access food deserts in San Bernardino County, areas where 50% or more of the population earns less than 185% of the federal poverty level, or no more than $51,338 for a family of four. Out of 32 food deserts across San Bernardino County, 19 are in the High Desert, according to county data. Living in an isolated area, 30-mile round-trip grocery runs are a part of life, 59-year-old McCulloch said. The nearest large-scale markets are located on a main commercial strip on Highway 62, about 15 miles from McCulloch’s home. Recently, the long drives have taken a back seat to economic realities at the grocery store. A 9.2% inflation rate in Riverside and San Bernardino counties this summer, the second highest in the nation this summer, raised the price of just about everything. When McCulloch visits the nearest Vons in Yucca Valley, about 14 miles from her home, higher priced organic food is off limits and if an item isn’t on sale, it’s not going in her shopping cart. “I always had a strict shopping list that I had to stick to,” said McCulloch. “But now, with prices rising, that list is a lot shorter.” Like many others in Landers and throughout the Inland Empire, McCulloch supplements her grocery trips with visits to local food distributions. At a recent distribution provided by FIND Food Bank at Copper Mountain College in Joshua Tree, more than 30 cars were in line by 7 a.m. Residents who traveled as many as 50 miles waited to accept free food. McCulloch was at the front of the line. A line of more than 30 cars await a food distribution event to begin at Copper Mountain College in Joshua Tree on Aug. 2, 2022. For many in line, record high inflation and limited access to fresh produce has forced them to seek help. (Photo by Javier Rojas/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/ SCNG) Since the pandemic in March 2020 disrupted food deliveries to stores, food distributions have become one of the few places McCulloch can get fresh tomatoes and chicken. She also picks up food for neighbors, mostly older people who can’t make the trip. “They rely on this as much as I do,” McCulloch said. “When you live out here, it can get really hard.” It’s not just those living in rural areas who face barriers to grocery stores. Sometimes the need is hidden in plain sight. In Riverside, the store closest to Roberta Dalton, 64, closed in July. What would typically be a minor inconvenience for some is a hardship for Dalton. Making the 6-mile trip across town to the next-closest Stater Bros. Market isn’t easy. His car isn’t reliable and with high gas prices, Dalton said, his fixed income “is being pushed to the limit.” While there are convenience and discount stores closer to Dalton, they don’t provide fresh meal options, he said. A nearby church’s food pantry has become a “savior” for his five-person household, he said. “I’d like to be able to go walk to the store but I just can’t do that anymore,” he said. “Life just feels like it’s getting harder for us.” Food deserts overlooked Grocery stores typically operate on slim margins and, considering market changes and labor supply issues that can easily put them out of business, there are fewer incentives to expand in underserved areas, according to Healthy Food Access, a national think-tank producing policies to improve food access. This leaves some neighborhoods — particularly those with lower income levels or those that are predominantly communities of color, research shows  — without dependable grocery outlets. The supermarkets that remain in such neighborhoods are unlikely to sell affordable and nutritious food. A 2015 Associated Press analysis found that major grocers overwhelmingly avoid food deserts rather than try to turn a profit in high-poverty areas. While grocers opened 2,434 stores between 2011 and early 2015, only 10% were in areas considered food deserts. These new stores served one in 10 residents living in a food desert nationally, AP found. In San Bernardino County, residents identified access to healthy food and grocery stores as the resource most lacking in their communities, according to a 2020 Community Indicators Report that surveyed 1,697 individuals. Similarly in Riverside County, stakeholders and residents said increasing access to and consumption of affordable healthy food was one of their highest priorities, according to the 2019 Community Health Assessment. A lack of grocery stores and the availability of fresh, affordable food is associated with greater consumption of higher calorie and less nutritious food, leading to an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer and other chronic diseases, according to the San Bernardino County report. One solution to food deserts in the Inland Empire may come in the form of state and federal financial incentives to build new supermarkets and placing healthier eating alternatives in corner stores. Those ideas aren’t new. In 2011, California passed legislation, the Healthy Food Financing Initiative, which was aimed at increasing the number of grocery stores in urban and rural areas, although the program hasn’t been funded in recent years. Over the past decade, the idea has gained traction outside California — Iowa, Idaho and North Dakota have already seen progress in the number of residents accessing supermarkets by offering subsidies or restructuring zoning policies to incentivize development in low-access areas. Most recently, Missouri legislators passed a bill in 2021 that offers tax credits to encourage grocery store construction in food deserts. In California, there is hope. The Department of Food and Agriculture in 2019 introduced the Healthy Refrigeration Grant Program, which funds refrigeration units stocked with produce, dairy, meat and more in corner stores, small businesses, and food donation programs. In two rounds of approximately $4.5 million in grants funded since the program’s launch, however, none have been awarded to stores or organizations in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. A new round of grant funding request proposals is expected in December. Spotlight on solutions The pandemic put a spotlight on the presence of food deserts and the need for creative programs that get food to residents who face the most barriers to grocery stores. Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino has provided meals to over 14,300 households across the two counties since March 2020 under its Homebound Emergency Relief Outreach (HERO) program. This year, the food bank reported, it had already reached 3,418 households through August. The in-demand program was created during the pandemic to assist those whose ability to shop for food is restricted by lack of financial resources or health problems. The program is supported through HERO and Feeding America staff, volunteers and DoorDash food-delivery drivers. Many recipients tend to be older and live in rural areas where driving is necessary to get around, according to Emily Saunders, HERO program coordinator. On one HERO delivery trip this summer, Saunders made three stops to households throughout San Bernardino County. All of the households were located more than a mile from a grocery store, she said. A trailer park heaped with junk and debris greeted her at her first stop in the city of San Bernardino. Three shirtless toddlers played in grass nearby while Saunders waited for someone to answer the door. After a few knocks and phone calls, she left the box of produce and canned goods on the doorstep. Next, Saunders drove 6 miles east to a senior living complex in Highland where many residents have fixed incomes and can’t make weekly trips to grocery stores, instead relying on food benefits and services like the HERO program. Her final stop was a home in Mentone, an unincorporated area east of Redlands, where liquor and convenience stores overrun grocery options. “You see how bad the need is when you make these deliveries,” Saunders said. “Everyone has a different story but same problem — access to food.” San Bernardino and Riverside counties don’t have far to look for possible solutions to the problem — in neighboring Los Angeles County, residents in Pomona have also long faced barriers to accessing affordable and healthy food. Customers browse through some of the vegetables and herbs grown at the the Lopez Urban F...

Watch Duke Vs. North Carolina: How To Live Stream, TV Channel, Start Time For Saturday’s NCAA Football Game – CBS Sports https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/watch-duke-vs-north-carolina-how-to-live-stream-tv-channel-start-time-for-saturdays-ncaa-football-game-cbs-sports/ Who’s Playing North Carolina @ Duke Current Records: North Carolina 5-1; Duke 4-2 What to Know The Duke Blue Devils have been on the wrong side of a one-way rivalry with the North Carolina Tar Heels and are hoping to record their first win since Nov. 10 of 2018. Duke and UNC will face off in an ACC battle at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium. The Blue Devils are out to keep their three-game home win streak alive. Duke fought the good fight in their overtime contest against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets last week but wound up with a less-than-desirable result, falling 23-20. QB Riley Leonard had a pretty forgettable game, throwing one interception and fumbling the ball once with only 3.32 yards per passing attempt. Speaking of close games: UNC sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 27-24 victory over the Miami (FL) Hurricanes last week. The team accrued 21 points in the first half and coasted on those for the victory. It was another big night for UNC’s QB Drake Maye, who passed for two TDs and 309 yards on 28 attempts in addition to picking up 53 yards on the ground. Near the top of the highlight reel was Maye’s 74-yard TD bomb to WR J.J. Jones in the first quarter. The Blue Devils are expected to lose this next one by 7. Those playing the odds have seen things go back and forth with Duke, who are 2-3 against the spread. Duke is now 4-2 while UNC sits at 5-1. Two offensive stats to keep in the back of your head while watching: Duke comes into the matchup boasting the 24th most rushing touchdowns in the nation at 14. UNC has displayed some offensive firepower of their own as they enter the game with 33 overall offensive touchdowns, good for third best in the nation. How To Watch When: Saturday at 8 p.m. ET Where: Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium — Durham, North Carolina TV: ACC Network Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.) Follow: CBS Sports App Odds The Tar Heels are a solid 7-point favorite against the Blue Devils, according to the latest college football odds. Over/Under: -110 See college football picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get picks now. Series History North Carolina have won four out of their last seven games against Duke. Oct 02, 2021 – North Carolina 38 vs. Duke 7 Nov 07, 2020 – North Carolina 56 vs. Duke 24 Oct 26, 2019 – North Carolina 20 vs. Duke 17 Nov 10, 2018 – Duke 42 vs. North Carolina 35 Sep 23, 2017 – Duke 27 vs. North Carolina 17 Nov 10, 2016 – Duke 28 vs. North Carolina 27 Nov 07, 2015 – North Carolina 66 vs. Duke 31

Metaverse VP Sharma To Head Stripe’s Revenue And Financial Management – PYMNTS.com https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/metaverse-vp-sharma-to-head-stripes-revenue-and-financial-management-pymnts-com/ A vice president of Meta’s virtual reality (VR) social platform Horizon Worlds is now over at Stripe working with a new product team. Vivek Sharma started as Stripe’s new head of revenue and financial management this week and is collaborating with a new team developing products aimed at helping businesses manage, track and analyze their revenue, according to his LinkedIn post on Friday (Oct. 14). “There’s been huge creativity in online business models over the last decade. Retailers are becoming marketplaces and platforms, marketplaces are becoming retailers, fintech and the creator economy are everywhere,” Sharma said. “But financial systems haven’t kept up. Businesses are still constrained by the basics: how do we bill our users and/or support new billing models? How do we track all of these financial assets and obligations sloshing around in the cloud? And how do we do this compliantly in markets around the world?” See also: Meta’s VP of Horizon Vivek Sharma Steps Down Sharma stepped down in August, replaced by Vishal Shah, PYMNTS reported at the time. Sharma was part of a team developing the virtual experience inside the metaverse accessible by users through Meta’s VR devices. His exit followed criticism over the graphics quality of Horizon Worlds after CEO Mark Zuckerberg released an in-world avatar of himself that had no legs and was called dated in its appearance and overall quality.  Read more: Meta Metaverse Weekly: In Horizon Worlds, Emperor Has No Legs At Stripe, Sharma moves away from the problems of the metaverse and instead takes on revenue and financial management for businesses in the regular universe.   “We’re helping businesses earn more money in more ways — vital in the current slowdown — and make accounting, tax and analytics a ton easier so they can manage that revenue for a lot less effort,” Sharma said. “Stripe powers millions of businesses. … Getting this right could be a big driver of economic opportunity for businesses around the world,” he added. Sign up for our daily newsletter. We’re always on the lookout for opportunities to partner with innovators and disruptors. Learn More https://www.pymnts.com/transportation/2022/stripe-sees-surge-in-platforms-and-digital-payments-aimed-at-truckers-productivity-problems/partial/ See More In: B2B, B2B Payments, ecommerce, Horizon Worlds, Meta, Metaverse, News, Retail, Stripe, Vivek sharma, What’s Hot, What’s Hot In B2B

DC Stays Old School While Going Preschool In ‘Batwheels’ – Animation World Network https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/dc-stays-old-school-while-going-preschool-in-batwheels-animation-world-network/ The phrase “kick-ass” is probably not one often heard associated with a preschool show. But, then again, how else does one describe a Batmobile car chase? Even if it’s geared toward four-year-olds.  Batwheels – starring award-winning actor, writer, and director Ethan Hawke as Batman – marks DC’s first-ever Batman preschool series, offering young viewers a high-speed, vibrant CGI-animated iteration of the Caped Crusader. The series features a team of super-vehicles – Bam (the Batmobile), Bibi (the Batgirl Cycle), Redbird (Robin’s racecar), Buff (the Bat-Truck), and Batwing (the Bat-plane) – as they help Batman, Batgirl, and Robin keep the streets of Gotham City safe. Whether it’s facing down the Legion of Zoom or one of Gotham City’s notorious Super-Villains, the Batwheels will use their incredible gadgets and creative teamwork to save the day. Based on characters from DC, Batwheels is produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Bang Zoom! Entertainment, and DC Entertainment with animation by Superprod Studio. The first seven episodes will premiere on Cartoon Network’s Cartoonito Monday, October 17 and on the Cartoonito hub on HBO Max Tuesday, October 18.  “I am extremely proud of the show because we tried to attract and involve an audience as young, old, and diverse as possible so everyone can enjoy the ride,” says supervising producer Simon J. Smith. “And we managed to create a legit Batman, in a legit Gotham City, but also create a brand-new set of Batman superheroes. The action is kick-ass and it’s funny too!” Batwheels creator Michael G. Stern, who co-executive produces the series with Looney Tunes Cartoons’ Sam Register, adds, “It still feels like a fully valid Batman world that any fan would love. We just drew out and emphasized the more fun, colorful aspects that are already there and added this batch of new, fun vehicle characters – the Batwheels and the Legion of Zoom. I don’t like to approach adaptations by saying, ‘What do I have to change in order to make this work for young kids?’ I prefer to say, ‘What do I have to make sure stays true to the original, awesome IP, so that kids will fall in love with it the same way I did?’” “The most rewarding thing for me is knowing that for a whole new generation, this will be their first Batman,” notes Stern. “It’s a huge responsibility, but I feel very proud of the version we’re presenting to them. What’s even cooler is that this will also be their first Robin, and he’s African American, and their first Batgirl, and she’s Asian American. How cool is that?” But as rewarding as the experience has been for Stern, known for writing and producing preschool series like Doc McStuffins and Sofia the First, it came with plenty of unique challenges. Mainly, creating an entertaining, fun kids’ series out of one of pop culture’s darkest superhero stories.  “Obviously, we don’t deal with the trauma in Batman’s past or tell the psychotic origin stories of the villains to a preschool audience,” says Stern, whose show does feature villains Penguin, The Riddler, Harley Quinn, and others. “But we don’t deny the existence of these things either. If you want to believe that The Joker was dropped in a vat of acid and went insane, our show doesn’t contradict that. We just don’t tell that origin story. And Batman is who he is on our show. What made him into that masked vigilante, we don’t get into. But if you want to believe the death of his parents did that, we don’t contradict that idea.” For Stern, it was important to “keep Batman Batman,” the same mysterious, cool character most DC fans all know and love and not dumb him down or “kiddify” him for the show’s audience. “I believe this audience is underestimated,” says Stern. “They had never been allowed to see Batman the way grownups do. But why not? I want to allow preschoolers to have the same experience we all get to have when we watch a superhero movie or series. They deserve to have the same fun! Once I decided to do that, I needed other characters that young kids could relate to, which is where the vehicles came in. They would be the ‘kid’ characters our young audience would see the stories through.” In the show, having just been created by the Batcomputer (SungWon Cho), heroes Bam (Jacob Bertrand), Bibi (Madigan Kacmar), Redbird (Jordan Reed), Buff (Noah Bentley) and Batwing (Lilimar, or Lili Mar) are essentially kids with little to no life experience, which means the characters are learning right alongside Batwheels’ preschool audience. “This is the first TV show that I’ve worked on and I really wanted Batwheels to feel like a Batman movie when you are watching it,” says Smith, known for directing Penguins of Madagascar and Bee Movie. “I wanted to bring as much of a cinematic nature to Batwheels, without being too intense, so the whole family can enjoy it. As soon as I read the first four scripts, I recognized what Michael was doing. Not trying to change Batman or Gotham City, just not highlighting anything that would be inappropriate for our young audience. I really appreciated that.” The team’s approach to the animation also played a vital role in ensuring the show would entertain, and not terrify, its audience. It would be easy to slip into making the color pallet a bit too dark, the character designs a bit too gritty – but the Batwheels crew took an interesting turn with the designs, making them bubbly, almost like a Super Mario game. “We knew this show was for an audience of four-year-olds and up and that the entire show would be set at night, which is pretty rare for this audience,” admits Smith. “So, we wanted to make sure everyone would gravitate to the screen if they saw an image of the show and a word we kept coming back to was ‘fun.’ It may sound cliche, but it really worked for every aspect of the show. If it didn’t feel ‘fun,’ it shouldn’t be in the show. For the colorscript, we tried to find a reference for a place where families go at night and have lots of fun: a theme park! So that’s how we came up with the colorful palette of the show. We lit Gotham City like it was a theme park.” He adds, “For the animation of the action scenes, I came up with a shorthand recipe: Fast & Furious: + Batman = Batwheels.” And, of course, these hero vehicles also go hood to hood with villain vehicles, including helicopters. So, the next challenge was making these cars look like legitimate members of the DC universe, fierce defenders of Gotham, but also friendly and approachable for kids.  “Those were the biggest challenges because, in our Batwheels universe, it’s really two shows in one,” says Smith. “It’s not only a human superhero show with the Batfamily and traditional Batman villains, but also an animated vehicle superhero show and all the vehicle villains. And Batman and co get into the Batmobile or Batwing, or Robin’s Redbird car and use them as legit kick-ass vehicles.” Smith says the team wanted the “visceral impact of the CG but not the intense, realistic VFX that could scare the little ones.”  “Our animation supervisor came up with a test,” explains Smith. “He animated the eyes and mouth of Bam on 2’s, but rendered the CG car on 1’s. It was a resounding success, because you get a familiar 2D animated feel to the character but still retain the high-impact CG properties to the vehicle. We did the same thing as any big VFX in the show and leaned into the 2D feel for surfacing of the world and characters. All the water, fire, explosions, smoke, are 2D animated. And, in the surfacing, there are painted highlights on objects as well as light hitting the objects. So, throughout the show there’s a lot of 2D/3D integration.” With both Smith and Stern harboring a “mega-geek level love” for Batman and the DC universe, the two are hoping and praying they’ve done all they can to bridge the gab between the preschool and older kids’ worlds.  “I would like audiences to not think of Batwheels as, ‘that preschool show with Batman.’ I want them to think of it as, ‘that cool Batmobile show.’ Then I’ll know we have succeeded. And somewhere in there, behind all the awesome action and fun, if young kids learn a little something about how to navigate the issues they face, how to get along in the world, then that’s the cherry on top.” Victoria Davis is a full-time, freelance journalist and part-time Otaku with an affinity for all things anime. She’s reported on numerous stories from activist news to entertainment. Find more about her work at victoriadavisdepiction.com.

Top Trending Crypto Coins Today 14 October – Ethereum Name Service (ENS), Quant (QNT), Algorand (ALGO), Tamadoge (TAMA) – Cryptonews https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/top-trending-crypto-coins-today-14-october-ethereum-name-service-ens-quant-qnt-algorand-algo-tamadoge-tama-cryptonews/ The global cryptocurrency market unexpectedly sparked into life on Thursday despite negative inflation data following the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) being released. The news that inflation was once again 8.2% prompted a quick and drastic sell-off of coins – with Bitcoin dropping to a low of $18,319.82 – before an unexpected and massive recovery in both the crypto and traditional markets. BTC pumped to $19,835.17 – an 8.2% gain on the low – in 12hrs with volume surging by 76% on the previous day. As CryptoNews reported earlier on Friday, many Bitcoin traders and analysts are expecting more short-term gains with $21,000 in play. The total crypto market saw a 5% increase to $950 billion as volume reached $355 billion – marking just the second time volume had beaten $300 billion since early August. A number of altcoins have been performing even better:  Ethereum Name Service (ENS) Ethereum Name Service (ENS) was arguably the top performing coin on Thursday and Friday, reaching highs of $20.25 as trading volume increased by 95% to over $250 million. ENS is now up 11% in the last 24hrs at the time of writing and nearly 12.5% on the seven-day chart. The price had been as low as $16.18 on Tuesday, October 11, meaning the coin saw a 25% rise in that time. ENS, which has more than 2 million addresses and a userbase of 500,000, could be set for more gains in the coming weeks. At the end of September, Coinbase announced its intention to give out ENS domains to users who want simplified transactions. Buy ENS on eToro Quant (QNT) Quant has retraced a little, but the QNT token is still up nearly 6% after volume increased by 59%. Its 24hr high saw the token almost reach $175 – its highest price since January. Quant has been flying in recent weeks and is now up nearly 20% in seven days, 67% in a month and nearly 300% since June’s lows. Quant has continued to push for its use in central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and increased chatter around the implementation of that technology appears to be driving its growth. Buy QNT on eToro Algorand (ALGO) Algorand is another sleeping giant – and another coin linked to CBDCs – that has found some love recently after a tough 2022. Algorand (ALGO) is one of the most scalable and energy efficient blockchains around and its links to world-leading university MIT – its founder is a professor – indicate it should be well placed for institutional adoption in the near future. ALGO saw a huge sell-off just after CPI data was revealed – falling to $0.2887 before rallying 14% to $0.3289. It remains down on the seven-day chart, however.  Buy ALGO on eToro Tamadoge (TAMA) The TAMA token has endured a lot of volatile movement in the past week, but the new project ticked off two major marks of its roadmap this week. The first 100 Tamadoge NFTs went on sale on OpenSea and became the top trending collection on the site after seeing 258ETH worth of sales.  Investors paid as much as 6ETH for one of the Ultra Rare Pets, which will be at the centre of the new play-to-earn game based on 90s craze Tamagotchi. The projects developers also released screenshots and development pictures of the secondary game, Enter the Tamaverse, which was extremely well received in the community as it evoked memories of popular side-scrolling platform games Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog. Buy TAMA on OKX

UPDATE 1-Mexican Trade Team Reshuffle Feeds Doubt Over U.S. Energy Dispute – Yahoo Finance https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/update-1-mexican-trade-team-reshuffle-feeds-doubt-over-u-s-energy-dispute-yahoo-finance/ (Recasts, adds details, context, analysis) By Isabel Woodford MEXICO CITY, Oct 14 (Reuters) – Mexico’s president replaced a top trade negotiator on Friday in a major overhaul of his economy ministry that leaves an inexperienced team to deal with a fraught and potentially costly trade dispute with the United States and Canada. Alejandro Encinas Najera, a relatively unheralded labor ministry official whose father is a deputy interior minister, replaced Luz Maria de la Mora as deputy economy minister for trade, the government said. The move stunned economic analysts and came a week after de la Mora’s boss, Economy Minister Tatiana Clouthier, quit and was replaced by Raquel Buenrostro, head of the tax authority. “It’s a really bad sign for the economy,” said Gabriela Siller, an economist at BANCO Base. De la Mora “was the one who had the all the experience, and was in all those talks so everything would get resolved.” The shake-up has been accompanied by the removal of at least 12 other economy ministry officials in recent days, a government source said. The ministry declined to comment. Buenrostro rose to prominence boosting government tax revenues from big companies, ending years of leniency with powerful firms. But neither she nor Encinas had worked on the trade dispute, which arose after U.S. firms challenged President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s nationalist energy agenda. In July, the United States demanded settlement talks on the grounds that Lopez Obrador’s energy policies discriminated against U.S. firms and violated a North American trade pact. However, despite her inexperience on trade, some analysts hope Buenrostro carries more political clout than her predecessor, and could press governmental energy nationalists to give ground, reducing the risk of a damaging tariff dispute. ‘HARDLINERS HAVE WON’ She and Encinas probably have “more credibility with the energy ministry and the president” than the previous duo, said Luis de la Calle, a former Mexican trade official, pointing to an economy ministry statement that said the reshuffle would allow “better coordination” across departments. “This doesn’t depend so much on negotiations with the U.S. as it does the internal negotiations inside Mexico,” he said. After resigning, Clouthier told Mexican newspaper La Jornada there was a “pack” around the president and that the energy ministry “does not want to yield on anything.” Under the United States-Mexico-Canada trade deal, if the controversy is not resolved during consultations, a dispute panel can be requested to review claims. Sources told Reuters this month that Washington and Mexico City, not wanting to escalate the trade dispute amid soaring inflation, had extended the initial 75-day consultation window. Lopez Obrador has also presented a bullish front, insisting on Friday U.S. officials had “decided not to take the step towards a panel,” and were looking for an agreement. However, the United States can still opt to do so if talks do not reach a satisfactory conclusion, and many analysts in Mexico saw the economy ministry reshuffle as a sign that Lopez Obrador would not be willing to compromise on energy. “I assume the hardliners have won,” said Andres Rozental, a Mexican former deputy foreign minister. (Reporting by Isabel Woodford, Adriana Barrera, and Dave Graham; Writing by Brendan O’Boyle; Editing by William Mallard)

Thunderbird Global Headquarters Recognized For Excellence In Accessibility – ASU News Now https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/thunderbird-global-headquarters-recognized-for-excellence-in-accessibility-asu-news-now/ October 14, 2022 ASU business professor says cyber adversaries will look to midterm elections to stir the pot with voters With the midterm elections just weeks away, the political vitriol and rhetoric are about to heat up. One Arizona State University professor thinks most of the hyperbolic chatter will come from malicious bots spreading racism and hate on social media and in the comments section on news sites. Victor Benjamin, assistant professor of information systems at the W. P. Carey School of Business, has been researching this phenomenon for years. He says the next generation of AI is a reflection of what’s going on in society. So far, it’s not looking good. Benjamin says that as AI learning becomes increasingly dependent on public data sets, such as online conversations, it is vulnerable to influence from cyber adversaries injecting disinformation and social discord. And these cyber adversaries aren’t only adding nasty posts on social media sites. They are swaying public opinion on issues such as presidential elections, public health and social tensions. Benjamin says if this isn’t curbed, it can harm the health of online conversations and technologies such as AI that are dependent on it. ASU News spoke to Benjamin about his research and perspectives on trends in AI. Editor’s note: Answers have been edited for length and clarity. Victor Benjamin Question: Midterm elections are weeks away. What are you predicting regarding the online community and political rhetoric? Answer: Unfortunately, it is a certainty that we will see extreme perspectives on both ends of the political spectrum become among the most frequently echoed in online discourse. Many messages will push for fringe ideas and try to dehumanize opposition. The goal of manipulating social media in this manner is generally to make it seem like these extreme perspectives are popular. Q: When did you start noticing this trend of social manipulation with AI? A: Social manipulation on the internet has been a thing for a long time, but activity picked up with the 2016 presidential election. For example, some social platforms such as Facebook have been forthcoming in admitting that they allowed advertisements to be purchased by nation-states to push hateful and inciteful messaging about social issues to American users. Further, the debate about masks and COVID-19 was largely fueled by cyber adversaries who played both sides. … More recently, the anti-work movement also sees some destructive and demotivational messaging that encourages individuals to effectively give up and quit participating in society. We can expect to see even more dehumanizing and extremist messaging coming in the near election about varied social issues. Q: Why is this happening and who’s behind it? A: Much of this adversarial behavior is being driven by organizations and nation-states that may have a vested interest in seeing American society fracture and civilians demoralized into non-productivity. … Social media and the internet give adversarial groups the power to directly target American citizenry like never before in history. This sort of activity is commonly recognized as a form of “fifth column warfare” in defense communities, in which a group of individuals tries to undermine a larger group from within. Q: How does this impact future AI development?  A: The impacts on future AI development are quite significant. Increasingly, to advance AI, research groups are utilizing public data sets, including social media data, to train AI systems so that they can learn and improve. For example, consider the autocomplete feature on phones and computers. This feature is operationalized by allowing an AI to see millions or even billions of example sentences where it can learn the structure of language, what words appear together frequently, in what order and more. After the AI learns patterns of our language, it can then use that knowledge to assist us with various language tasks, such as autocomplete. The problem arises when we consider what exactly the AI is learning when we feed it social media data. We have all seen the media headlines about how different tech companies have released chatbots, only to pull them down offline shortly after because the AI quickly went astray and developed extremist perspectives. We should ask ourselves, why is this happening? … This learned behavior by the AI is just a reflection of who we are as a society, or at least as dictated by online discourse. When cyber adversaries manipulate our social media to make Americans angry and demoralized, things tend to get said online that do not reflect the best of us. These conversations, despite being harmful, are eventually aggregated and fed into AI systems to learn from. The AI then may potentially pick up on some extremist views. Q: What can be done to curb this current threat of social discord? A: An obvious step in the right direction that I don’t see discussed enough is to show the metadata. Social media platforms have all the metadata but are never transparent. For example, in the case of Facebook advertisements about extreme social perspectives, Facebook knew who the advertiser was but never disclosed it to users. I suspect Facebook users would have reacted differently to the advertisements if they knew the advertiser was from a foreign nation-state. Further, regarding platforms like Twitter or Reddit, so much of the conversation that lands on the home page is driven by what is popular, not necessarily what is correct or truthful. These platforms should be more forthcoming about who is posting those messages and to what frequency, (as well as) if the conversations are indeed organic or appear manufactured, and so on. For example, if out of nowhere, hundreds of social media accounts are activated simultaneously to begin spreading the same divisive messaging that did not exist previously, it is of course not organic, and the platforms should curb this content. Beyond that, I think everyone needs to develop the right mindset about what the internet is today. … Whenever we encounter some information online that we are not familiar with, we should stop and think about what the source is, what are potential motivations of the source to share this information, what is the information trying to get us to do, etc. We need to think about how the systems and information we encounter try to bias our behaviors and thinking.  Top photo courtesy iStock/Getty Images

Gamers Are Flocking To Online Farms — What Does This Mean For Agriculture? – ABC News https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/gamers-are-flocking-to-online-farms-what-does-this-mean-for-agriculture-abc-news/ When James Bendon started developing a video game about farming in Australia, complete with giant wombats and fire-breathing Tasmanian devils, he never dreamt it would be so successful. “It’s sold over 250,000 copies [since July], which is above and beyond my expectation, I still can’t believe it,” Mr Bendon said. “I always enjoyed farming games and I wanted to make one that felt like the little bush town I grew up in … and, yeah, the response has been amazing.” Not bad for a game that hasn’t been officially released and is only available via early access — a funding model that allows consumers to pay and play a game while it’s being developed. Founder of Larrikin Interactive Dylan Bennett said the video games industry in Australia was “blossoming” in terms of its creativity and global reach. “There’s a lot of great games being released right now, and people don’t often realise they’ve been made in Australia,” Mr Bennett said. “A great example of this is Dinkum. It was made by one person and has pulled in ridiculous amounts of money and has done phenomenally well since its [early access] release.” In Australia, about 17 million people engage with gaming content, according to the Bond University Digital Australia Report 2022. Globally, it’s an industry that’s now worth more than $475 billion ($US300 billion). Nathan Groves is developing a game based on the NT’s cattle industry.(Supplied) Farming game boom Mr Bendon said Dinkum was not “super-realistic” in terms of farming in Australia (remember, this is a game that involves milking giant wombats). But he said it was hopefully tapping into a wider trend among gamers. “There is a boom happening where there are a lot more games now [that are] less about shooting people and more about growing things,” he said. In the Northern Territory, game developer Nathan Groves is creating a game inspired by the NT’s cattle industry. It is called Pasture: The Livestock Simulator and involves managing cattle stations, building infrastructure, helicopter mustering, improving herd genetics, and plenty more as gamers “build a cattle empire”. Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Pasture: The Livestock Simulator(Supplied: Salty Games) Born in the Top End town of Katherine and the son of a livestock agent, Mr Groves said the NT had something unique to offer the growing genre of farming games.  “I remember downloading a game called Farming Simulator and was surprised I liked it, and it made me more interested in all of the farming equipment I saw around Katherine,” he said. “I thought, there’s something to these games and why couldn’t we do one about the NT’s cattle industry? “I think it’s the most exciting farming environment in the world and the perfect setting for a computer game.” It is still early days for Mr Groves’s game, which he plans to release onto early access PC next year before targeting opportunities on Xbox and PlayStation. What opportunities does this create for agriculture?  Mr Groves said he was aware of someone working in the NT’s cattle industry who was inspired to seek out the job after enjoying a game about America’s wild west. “Games can influence people and we’re intending to make this game a fun way for people around the world to experience the NT’s cattle industry,” he said. Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Australia’s booming video-game industry wants to grow Dylan Bennett said farming simulator games had become “hugely popular” and those within agriculture should take notice. “I think organisations are starting to recognise how impactful video games can be as a mechanism to tell different stories and how powerful they can be to engage with this generation and future generations,” he said. “People who haven’t yet understood video games and what it’s all about should see them as a means to capture a new audience and share experiences with them in a medium they’re comfortable with.” He said not only could the multi-billion-dollar gaming industry play a role in inspiring more people to get involved in agriculture, but it was also becoming an obvious place for agribusinesses to advertise. Posted 1h ago1 hours agoSat 15 Oct 2022 at 1:12am, updated 34m ago34 minutes agoSat 15 Oct 2022 at 1:41am

San Antonio Man Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison For Deadly New Year’s Day Crash – KENS5.com https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/san-antonio-man-sentenced-to-20-years-in-prison-for-deadly-new-years-day-crash-kens5-com/ Cesar Gonzalez was driving more than 80 mph when he crashed into a family van leaving a holiday celebration on Jan. 1, 2020, according to police. SAN ANTONIO — Nearly three years after his involvement in a hit-and-run crash that killed a father and his young daughter in the early-morning hours of New Year’s Day, Cesar Gonzalez has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.  Two other young victims were hurt when, according to authorities, Gonzalez was speeding and crashed into a family’s van as it was pulling out of the driveway of a northwest-San Antonio home, causing it to catch fire. He fled the area before police took him into custody on Jan. 2, 2020. Jesus Aguilar Jr. and his 14-year-old daughter, Christina Spohn, died at the scene.  Arrest records stated Gonzalez was drinking beer and smoking marijuana with friends just minutes before the fiery crash.  “His life hasn’t even gotten started yet. So here’s another life that has been ruined and, in my own opinion, by poor decision-making,” an SAPD spokesperson said at the time. Gonzalez, who was 18 at the time of the incident, later pled guilty to multiple charges of manslaughter and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. A judge sentenced him to the maximum time in prison allowed for each of those charges, but they will run concurrently in accordance with Texas law.  “In one moment, they went from celebrating the promise of the new year to grieving the loss of their loved ones,” Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales is quoted as saying in a news release, referring to the Aguilar family. “Now that the defendant has been sentenced, I hope they can finally work on healing from this tragedy.”

Bay Area Ballot Measures Seek Tax Increases On Hotels, Vacation Rentals – Napa Valley Register https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/bay-area-ballot-measures-seek-tax-increases-on-hotels-vacation-rentals-napa-valley-register/ The Archer Hotel in Napa, one of four Napa County cities where ballot measures to increase transient occupancy taxes passed in the November 2018 election. Nick Otto, Register KATY ST. CLAIR Bay City News Foundation Several Bay Area cities have bed taxes on the Nov. 8 ballot in an attempt to collect more revenue from hotels, motels, inns and share-rental sites such as Airbnb and Vrbo. Proponents argue that their municipalities need to generate more revenue in the wake of economic impacts from COVID-19, but opponents question whether now is the time to raise rates on an industry also hit hard by the pandemic — hospitality. Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register.  One thing is certain: People are ready to spend their tourist dollars in California. According to the nonprofit Visit California, in 2021, travel-related spending in the state increased 43% over 2020, with tax revenues increasing by 23%. Total travel-related spending in 2021 in the state was a little over $100 billion. Measures to increase transient occupancy taxes are on the ballot in unincorporated areas of Santa Cruz County, the city of Alameda, and some cities of San Mateo County, including Belmont and Millbrae. Brisbane is asking voters to approve a tax on hospitality business owners, not on guests like the other Bay Area cities. In Healdsburg, Measure L wouldn’t increase the 14% tax already collected, but earmarks for the money generated by the TOT would specifically go to capital improvements. Proponents of the TOT increases say that the money is needed for essential services such as police, fire and infrastructure, though COVID-19 American Rescue Plan funds were specifically designated for such things and injected millions into local coffers. In most cities, if passed, money from the measures increasing room taxes would go into each municipality’s general fund. Alameda is asking voters to approve Measure F, a jump of its current 10% rate up to 14%, to keep it in line with Oakland and San Leandro’s TOT rates. Alameda City Councilmember Trish Herrera Spencer opposes the measure, questioning its timing after the pandemic. But the city’s TOT hasn’t been raised since 1990 and Alameda predicts that the additional money will amount to between $700,000 and $900,000 per year that could go toward essential services like 911, fire and police, fixing potholes and maintaining parks. In unincorporated areas of Santa Cruz County, supervisors put Measure B on the ballot. Though the money would go into the general fund, the board said it would apply the funding toward affordable housing, mental health services and wildfire prevention. Supervisors want to increase the current rate of 10% to 12% for hotels, motels and inns, and 14 percent for in-home vacation rentals, generating as much as $2.3 million annually. The argument in favor of the measure in the county voting guide says that the measure would increase needed county revenues without taxing residents. San Mateo County cities Belmont and Millbrae are proposing measures K and N respectively, which would raise their TOTs from 12% to 14%, raising an estimated $660,000 annually for Belmont and $1.5 million for Millbrae. Brisbane is taking a different approach — raising taxes on hospitality business owners instead of increasing its 14% bed tax. Measure O would impose a tax on hospitality business owners of $2.50 per day per stay, generating an estimated $250,000 per year. According to the city, the current tax structure on the businesses is paid from gross receipts and only generates less than $2,000 per year. This guide from the Napa Valley Register will guide you to the nearest ballot drop sites and voting centers, and includes important dates leading to Election Day, information on registering to vote, and contact information for the Napa County Election Division. The submitted ballot arguments for and against the measure in Brisbane are colorful. The Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association wrote the opposition and calls the move “theft.” “Basically, our public servants want a free ride, to stick out-of-towners with the bill and to compel esteemed local businesses to serve as tax collector,” reads the argument. “Would you do that to your friends or coworkers? No! That would be immoral, as a form of theft.” In the ballot argument in support of the tax measure, penned by the City Council, the body describes the tax as “reasonable” and a way for businesses to “pay their share” in supporting essential services. The council also refers to the tax as “a modest proposal,” perhaps unaware of the allusion to Jonathan Swift’s 1729 satirical essay that suggested impoverished Irish sell their children to wealthy noblemen for food. In the Sonoma County city of Healdsburg, voters will be asked to decide on Measure L, which keeps the TOT rate the same — 14% — but specifies that the money goes toward affordable housing and the issuing of bonds. Voters across Napa County faced a similar decision in 2018, when ballot measures in the unincorporated county and all five cities proposed an increase in room taxes from 12% to 13%, which each local government able to use fresh revenues as it saw fit. All of the measures passed except for American Canyon’s, which fell just short of the required two-thirds of yes votes needed for approval. Napa Valley Register city editor Howard Yune contributed to this report. ‘Newsweek’ recently reported on all of the top issues for Americans heading into the upcoming midterm elections. Week in review: Top photos of the week from AP Carolina Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield is sacked by San Francisco 49ers defensive end Charles Omenihu and defensive end Kerry Hyder Jr. during the second half an NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones) Rusty Jones Utah State quarterback Cooper Legas (5) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Air Force during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Logan, Utah. (Eli Lucero/The Herald Journal via AP) Eli Lucero Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett breaks away for a 60-plus yard touchdown run on a quarterback keeper against Auburn during the second half of an during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Athens, Ga. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) Curtis Compton Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, center, celebrates with supporters after hearing first results of the Austrian Presidential election in Vienna, Austria, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Theresa Wey) Theresa Wey Supporters of Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen react after hearing first results of the Austrian Presidential election in Vienna, Austria, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Markus Schreiber Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook (4) scores on a 5-yard touchdown run ahead of Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Jones (31) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn) Bruce Kluckhohn Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) misses a reception ahead of Chicago Bears cornerback Kindle Vildor (22) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn) Bruce Kluckhohn Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson takes the field before an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Julio Cortez Baltimore Ravens place kicker Justin Tucker celebrates with teammates after they defeated the Cincinnati Bengals at an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Julio Cortez Catholic pilgrims rest as they crawl on the ground to pay their promise during the celebration of the Cirio de Nazare, the procession of the image of Our Lady of Nazare, considered the largest Catholic procession in the country, in Belem, Para state, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Paulo Santos) Paulo Santos New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) breaks away from Green Bay Packers safety Darnell Savage (26) for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in London, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) Alastair Grant Timothee Chalamet poses for photographers upon arrival for the premiere of the film ‘Bones and All’ during the 2022 BFI London Film Festival in London, Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. (Photo by Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP) Scott Garfitt Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Liverpool at Emirates Stadium in London, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira) Rui Vieira Manchester United’s Antony, right, celebrates with Bruno Fernandes after scoring their side’s first goal during the Premier League soccer match between Everton and Manchester United at Goodison Park, in Liverpool, England, Sunday Oct. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Jon Super) Jon Super Everton’s Conor Coady tries to tackle Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo during the Premier League soccer match between Everton and Manchester United at Goodison Park, in Liverpool, England, Sunday Oct. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Jon Super) Jon Super Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer (87) makes a catch for a touchdown against BYU during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) John Locher An Iranian national raises their hand with a message that reads in Farsi, “Liberty,” during a protest against the death of Iranian Mahsa Amini, in front of the Universidad de Ch...

IRDAI Proposes Conditions For Private Equity Funds In Insurance Companies – The Indian Express https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/irdai-proposes-conditions-for-private-equity-funds-in-insurance-companies-the-indian-express/ The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has proposed terms and conditions for investment by private equity funds as promoters in insurance companies. A private equity fund will be allowed to invest in any insurer in the capacity of “promoter” if it has completed 10 years of operation and the funds raised by the PE fund, including its group entities, is US $ 500 million or more (or its equivalent in rupee, IRDAI said. “The investible funds available with the PE fund should not be less than $ 100 million,” the regulator said in its exposure draft on Registration of Indian Insurance companies (Regulations) 2022. Investment by PE funds is expected to bring in more foreign investment to the country. In 2020, the government had increased the foreign direct investment limit in insurance firms from 49 per cent to 74 per cent under the automatic route. IRDAI had given in principle approval to PE funds to invest in insurers in 2017. While private investment in insurance is big business in the US and Europe, it’s yet to take off in India. In 2021, private investors announced deals to acquire or reinsure more than $200 billion of liabilities in the US. IRDAI said the equity contribution of promoters and other investors will have a lock-in period of five years at the time of granting the final approval or even before that. The lock-in for investment after five years but before 10 years will be three years or 12 years from the date of grant of registration, whichever is earlier, and after 10 years, the lock-in will be two years or 11 years from the grant final registration, the regulator said. According to the IRDAI draft, investment in the capacity of an investor, directly or indirectly, in an Indian insurer should be less than 25 per cent of the paid-up equity capital of the insurer. Investment in the capacity of investors should be restricted to not more than two life, two general, two health and two reinsurers, it said. The regulator has proposed that the minimum shareholding of promoters should be maintained at above 50 per cent of the paid-up equity capital of the insurer. Promoters may dilute their stake in the insurer below 50 per cent but not below 26 per cent of the paid-up equity capital if the insurer has a track record of solvency ratio above control level during 5 years immediately preceding the dilution of stake by promoter and the shares of the insurer are listed on the stock exchanges. In an Indian insurer having foreign investment, a majority of its directors, key management persons, and at least one among the chairperson of its board, its managing director and its Chief Executive Officer should be resident Indian citizens, it said. Further, in an Indian Insurer having foreign investment exceeding 49 per cent, not less than 50 per cent of its directors should be independent directors. If the chairperson of its board is an independent director, at least one-third of its board should comprise independent directors, the regulator said. Moreover, for a financial year for which dividend is paid on equity shares and for which at any time the solvency margin is less than 1.2 times the control level of solvency, not less than 50 percent of the net profit for the financial year should be retained in general reserve, IRDAI said. Earlier, in 2016, IRDAI had proposed that the board of directors was required to have a minimum of three “independent directors”. However, this requirement is relaxed to ‘two’ independent directors, for the initial five years from grant of certificate of registration to insurers. “This rule is going to be tightened in the new scheme of things,” said an official.

Genesee, Orleans Counties Marking 10 Years Of Shared Services For Health Departments – The Batavian https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/genesee-orleans-counties-marking-10-years-of-shared-services-for-health-departments-the-batavian/ The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health) are celebrating 10 years of working collaboratively through their cross-jurisdictional shared services arrangement.  This initiative was the first of its kind in New York State and is at the forefront of providing best practices for local governments looking to become more efficient through sharing services.  The shared services began as a PILOT project for two years and was part of a national initiative funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that helped establish the Center of Sharing Public Health Services (www.phsharing.org).  Following the first two years, the benefits, both fiscally and operationally have resulted in an ongoing agreement by Genesee and Orleans Counties to continue forward with sharing public health services. “The Genesee County Legislature saw this collaboration as an opportunity for our residents to be served by high quality staff, which is key to improving the quality of healthy living in Genesee and Orleans Counties,” stated Shelley Stein, Genesee County Legislative Chair.  “Since the beginning of this venture, both counties have made significant progress and now have shared services with the Youth Bureau and Weights and Measures.  These shared services reduce local taxes and lower cost of governments.  Additionally, across New York State our best practices and case studies have been studied by other counties seeking to cut costs for their residents.” “The cross-jurisdictional collaboration to create the shared Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments, now known as GO Health, was a transforming idea of two legislative bodies,” stated Lynne Johnson, Orleans County Legislative Chair.  “This would not have been achieved if it weren’t for the faith we had in Public Health Director, Paul Pettit to lead the initiative.” The support and technical assistance of the Center for Sharing Public Health Services for our integrated health departments helped identify the value for our leaders and provide the financial support to jump-start the collaboration.  The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) also added its support to the pilot project of joining resources, which leads to the benefit of residents in both of our counties, and is key to our ongoing success. Working together has helped fill workforce gaps, provide natural redundancy and attract additional candidates for vacant positions.  The public health staff in both counties have become more creative and have worked together on several joint projects, including, but not limited to, a joint strategic plan, workforce development plan, quality improvement, branding and communication plan, and working on a joint application to become nationally accredited through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) as GO Health. This collaboration has also seen an increase in the services we are able to offer our residents due to the ability to be more competitive with grant applications with a combined population of almost 100,000 residents.  GO Health has been very successful in applying for and receiving approximately $7,500,000 dollars in grant funds since we began joint applications 10 years ago.  These funds have helped to reduce county costs while enhancing services to county residents.  GO Health has regionalized service delivery further and is also the recipient of a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Lead Poisoning Prevention and Remediation grant in collaboration with Wyoming and Livingston Counties (GLOW region).  These lead grants are going to assist residents in reducing lead poisoning and remediating hazards in their homes.  GO Health has also benefited from three CDC Public Health Associate Program fellows that spend a two-year assignment working in both counties at little cost to the counties. “Seeing all that we have accomplished over the past 10 years shows that our initial goals were on target,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director of GO Health.  “We continue to look at innovative ways to advance our collaboration, drive efficiencies, and be fiscally responsible.  Where we are today with our integrated operations is a testament to the buy-in and hard work of our county administration, the GO Health leadership team, and all the public health staff.  The staff has been instrumental in the success of our work as they operate as a team, share ideas, deliver services, and promote health as a cohesive unit.” The COVID-19 pandemic response put our integrated departments to the test.  Having the ability to work together through sharing employees helped balance the surges over the past couple of years and was essential to meet the needs of contact tracing, administering COVID-19 testing and eventually vaccinations in both counties.  One of the most effective benefits of our shared response was with public communications and messaging which allowed us to reduce redundancies and leverage staffing to push information across our shared media. “We recognize our public health staff for their hard work and dedication throughout the pandemic and over the past 10 years,” stated Mrs. Johnson. “We look forward to seeing what they can accomplish in the years to come.” “Throughout the pandemic, I was able to volunteer my time at clinics and experience firsthand how caring and committed our health department staff are,” stated Mrs. Stein.  “Watching folks mature into highly functioning teams with only one goal – serve and care for the health and recovery of our residents.  I am in awe of the dedication to public service that was very evident in each member of GO Health each day.  They are a true gift to our communities.  The GO Health partnership gives us the opportunity for health specialists here at home to be comparable with urban counties.  I am grateful to know them.  Our shining stars!” “Looking forward, we expect to see GO Health continue to mature and provide further savings and enhanced service delivery to our residents,” stated Mr. Pettit, “GO Health is in the final stages of becoming a nationally accredited health department, which is planned for mid-2023.  GO Health will continue to integrate and serve as chief health strategists in our communities.  We look forward to serving both counties as GO Health- onward.” Photo: File photo by Howard Owens from 2019 at a Genesee County Human Services meeting.  Pettit was public health director in Orleans County before the shared services agreement was signed and has served as director of GO Health since the agreement.

Sports Roundup – The Capital Journal https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/sports-roundup-the-capital-journal/ 1 of 2 Stanley County’s Spencer Sargent, middle, placed 15th at the 4A Region meet in Chamberlain on Thursday. Stanley County’s Sarah Fosheim, left, Kaysen Magee, Gracie Olson and Rachel Nemec after racing in the 4A Region meet in Chamberlain on Thursday. Oct 14, 2022 10 min ago 0 Stanley County’s Spencer Sargent, middle, placed 15th at the 4A Region meet in Chamberlain on Thursday. Jeri Fosheim Buffs XC compete in regional meet Stanley County’s cross country team raced at the 4A Region meet at the Chamberlain Armory on Thursday, where the boys finished in eighth place and the girls fourth. Stanley County’s Sarah Fosheim, left, Kaysen Magee, Gracie Olson and Rachel Nemec after racing in the 4A Region meet in Chamberlain on Thursday. Jeri Fosheim Was the information in this article useful? Load comments Post a comment as anonymous Welcome to the discussion. Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don’t Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don’t knowingly lie about anyone or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the ‘Report’ link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We’d love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.

Apple And The Metaverse: Everything We Know So Far – Decrypt https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/apple-and-the-metaverse-everything-we-know-so-far-decrypt/ Tech giants see huge opportunity in the metaverse—the name given to a future, more immersive vision of the internet with potential real-world ties. Facebook parent Meta has bet big on the prospect, as its rebrand suggests, while Microsoft has both teamed with Meta and acquired a major game publisher as it builds momentum in the space. What about Apple? The iPhone and Mac maker has famously taken a unique approach to hardware and software design, even incorporating that “Think Different” ethos into its marketing. As the metaverse takes shape through new hardware and online worlds—some of which will be built with interoperable Web3 tech like NFTs—Apple may again take its own path. Reports suggest that Apple will begin its entry into the metaverse with a pricey headset that bridges the gap between virtual environments and digitally enhanced real-world use. Can Apple take the metaverse mainstream as it has with so many past gadgets? Here’s what we know so far. What is Apple building? Apple’s augmented reality (AR) ambitions have been tracked by tech media for years as the firm reportedly has been building in that direction since 2015. The latest reports suggest that Apple will begin with a high-end mixed reality headset that offers both virtual reality (VR) and AR functionality, with ambitions to release other AR-specific hardware further in the future. Bloomberg reports that Apple’s first headset is expected sometime in 2023 and may be called the Reality One or Reality Pro, based on trademark filings believed to be tied to Apple. It’s expected to be a premium device that will sell for upwards of $3,000—although noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has pegged a price in the $2,000-$2,500 range. In either case, it would be a notable increase over Meta’s new Quest Pro mixed reality headset, which sells for $1,500. Still, Meta’s headset offers a glimpse of the types of experiences that are possible with a mixed reality headset that can overlay digital content atop a user’s full-color, real world view—and the more lifelike interactions potentially enabled by the tech. On one hand, it’s a fully-loaded VR headset that can access online social platforms (like Meta’s own Horizon Worlds) and play immersive games. On the other hand, mixed reality functions can be used for interacting with digital screens and models while still seeing the real world, or creating art and music with digital tools alongside physical collaborators. The Meta Quest Pro. Image: Meta Apple’s first headset will reportedly use a powerful M2 processor from the firm’s Macs and feature a wider array of cameras and sensors—including ones that can accurately recreate users’ leg movements, which Meta is still figuring out. The Information reports that retina scanners will enable biometric security for logging in, making payments, and more. Other potential features mentioned in reports include an external screen to show the wearer’s facial expressions—a potential drain on battery life—plus custom, snap-on prescription lenses for glasses wearers to use. However, nothing has been confirmed by Apple at this point, and some reported features may not make the first device (or even later ones). What about the metaverse? The metaverse won’t be limited to VR and AR headsets. There are already early Web3 metaverse games and applications that live on computers and mobile devices, and that will likely continue to be the case as more metaverse platforms pop up and overlap with each other, creating a more immersive, experiential internet at scale. But mixed reality headsets are considered a key stepping stone towards that future, and what many believe will be the best way to experience metaverse worlds. After all, such headsets can amplify immersion and more naturally capture the nuances and interactions of wearers, all while retaining a link to the real world—potentially the best of both scenarios. Such hardware is useless without compelling software, however, and Apple knows well the need for a smooth marriage of the two. Apple is reportedly developing a RealityOS operating system, per Bloomberg, along with experiential versions of apps like Maps and FaceTime, as well as avenues to consume media and games and collaborate with other wearers. Whether Apple’s vision for mixed reality experiences and immersive online interactions matches the efforts of other builders remains to be seen, but it’s very likely that Apple will not embrace the buzzy “metaverse” term itself. Apple always uses its own unique branding—and, besides, CEO Tim Cook says he’s not a fan of the word. “I always think it’s important that people understand what something is,” Cook told Dutch outlet Bright in September. “And I’m really not sure the average person can tell you what the metaverse is.” But Cook is bullish on augmented and mixed reality tech, and the potential use cases there, telling the publication, “I think AR is a profound technology that will affect everything. Imagine suddenly being able to teach with AR and demonstrate things that way. Or medically, and so on. Like I said, we are really going to look back and think about how we once lived without AR.” What about Web3 and interoperability? Web3 enthusiasts want to see a metaverse that’s built on open-source blockchain technology, uses NFTs to represent ownership of digital assets, and is spread across interoperable platforms that users can hop between and still utilize all of their digital stuff. Given that, there’s been fear of centralized tech giants trying to muscle in and steer the direction of the future internet towards a direction that they can control. Interestingly, however, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that he believes an “open, interoperable” metaverse is “better for everyone,” and said that Meta will work alongside other builders far and wide. While that’s not an explicit embrace of Web3 tech, or an acknowledgement that Meta will build a truly open metaverse platform, it is a more permissive tone than many have come to expect from the company in the past. Will Apple follow suit and build its own metaverse apps and experiences with a similar mindset? History suggests otherwise. Apple is arguably the biggest purveyor of the “walled garden” closed ecosystem, with its locked-down iOS platform and App Store model that takes a sizable cut from developers’ app and content sales. That’s riled up rivals like Fortnite maker Epic Games, which is waging legal battles against Apple and Google in the hopes of opening up its app ecosystems. In November 2021, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said that “no company can own” the metaverse, and Epic itself is making significant moves in that arena while also not using Web3 tech itself. Recent evidence also suggests that Apple isn’t keen on letting Web3 technology disrupt its immensely profitable business model. Apple lets App Store developers sell NFTs through their iOS apps, but still takes a 30% cut of all sales—several times more than any leading NFT marketplace. That poses a sizable challenge to many current Web3 distribution models. But Apple isn’t necessarily anti-crypto. Many notable crypto exchanges and wallet makers have iOS apps that let users spend their cryptocurrency from an iPhone. Cook has said in the past that Apple is “looking at” cryptocurrency, plus said he owns cryptocurrency and has been interested “for a while.” Apple has also listed job openings with crypto experience required. All of that amounts to a decidedly murky outlook on Apple embracing a Web3-centric, open metaverse. Apple may well choose to build the metaverse its own way, apart from the rest of the industry, but it’s unclear if that model will continue to bear fruit in the future as Web3 adoption grows and open platforms rise in prominence. Zuckerberg, at least, is convinced that Apple is making its own play towards the metaverse. In response to an employee question in July 2022, per a transcript seen by The Verge, the Meta CEO said that it and Apple are in a “​​very deep, philosophical competition about what direction the internet should go in.” Stay on top of crypto news, get daily updates in your inbox.

Urtopia Carbon E-Bike Review: The Most Advanced Bike In Existence Is Also A Ton Of Fun – Windows Central https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/urtopia-carbon-e-bike-review-the-most-advanced-bike-in-existence-is-also-a-ton-of-fun-windows-central/ Urtopia packs a computer (“smartbar”), GPS, 4G LTE, and an app all with a peddle-assisted ultra-light carbon fiber frame making it the most technologically advanced bike you can buy today. If you’re into tech and want to get outside, this is your ride. For Super light frame (33lbs) Smartbar, GPS, LTE, blinkers, lights, and tons of features Competitively priced Very comfortable Easy setup and assembly Against Expensive for average people Frame scratches easily New, untested company This review is unconventional for Windows Central, but there is some overlap for those who love technology and always-connected 4G LTE devices, like me. When Urtopia offered to send me its new e-bike, I rolled my eyes until I read the specs and what it could do. I was impressed and had no idea that so much could be tucked into a lightweight e-bike while also being absurdly simple to use. I’ve been using the Urtopia Carbon E-bike for the last month, and if you need an excellent road city bike and love gadgets, I can easily recommend it. It’s simply fun, cool, and innovative.   It’s the first and likely the last e-bike you’ll ever need. Urtopia Carbon E-bike: Price, specs, and availability The big, but light box the Urtopia E-bike ships in.  (Image credit: Daniel Rubino) The Urtopia Carbon E-bike is produced by Urtopia, based out of Hong Kong, with manufacturing in China. The company is new and began crowdsourcing for its carbon e-bike in 2021 via IndieGoGo, but you can now purchase it outright from its website for $2,799. There is a 2-year warranty (opens in new tab) on the bike and components (except wear and tear) and a 14-day free return period. Urtopia has teamed up with numerous regional bicycle shops in California, New York, and other states where you can see one in person and test-ride it (opens in new tab). More shops are expected to sign on as well. The company ships the Urtopia Carbon E-bike to the United States and Germany, with more markets to follow. The total shipping weight of the bike, packaging and support materials is 64lbs (29kg), although the bike itself is only 33lbs (15kg) due to most of the frame being carbon fiber. There are three color choices to choose from including Sirius (used here), Lyra (nearly all black), and Midnight in Paris (the most colorful).  The bike is 90 percent assembled already. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino) Being a street/urban bike, the front fork is rigid with no shocks and can handle a total rider weight of 240lbs (110kg). It has a Class 1 e-bike classification. The motor is a 250-watt rear-hub single-gear Gates Carbon belt drive with a maximum speed of 20mph (32km) in the US and 16mph (25.7km) in the EU. The battery is a removable 36V 10Ah, 360Wh from Samsung that also locks in place. Braking of the Kenda Kwest 700 x 35c puncture-resistant tires is handled by front and rear dual-piston hydraulic disc brakes. The range of the Urtopia Carbon E-bike is 30 to 80 miles depending on the speed of the motor used for travel. The total charge time is 2.5 hours. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino) The built-in smart headset houses a dot-matrix display, a 3W speaker, dual microphones, a front 100-lumen StVZO headlight, and vibration motors (for alerts). Safety features include GPS tracking (Find My Bike), movement alerts (Alarm), thumbprint unlock, a digital bell, low battery alert, tail light with projected turn indicator lights, and a locking battery pack. Software, including firmware updates, occur over local Wi-Fi and are mediated by the Urtopia app available on iOS and Android. Users get a free year of eSIM always-connected service with purchase, after which it costs $29 per year. The model we reviewed is one of the latest versions with multiple revisions to the hardware, including a brighter dot-matrix display, louder speakers, and better-tuned microphones. Urtopia Carbon E-bike: What I like The rear light in action. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino) Looking at the Urtopia and this bike certainly looks unique. In fact, it was designed by former BMW I series designer Mathis Heller. He reportedly found inspiration for the design via a Möbius strip (a mathematical object with a non-orientable surface). Getting a bike “in the mail” is always an experience, but Urtopia ships the carbon e-bike 90 percent already assembled. Even the FedEx shippers were shocked at how light the box was when removing it from the truck, as e-bikes can range up to 70lbs (31.7kg). Some of the settings in the Urtopia app (Android). (Image credit: Future) What minor assembly there was assisted by an easy-to-follow how-to video (opens in new tab) on Urtopia’s website, and it took me around 25 minutes to get it finalized. Everything you need is included in the box, including a small tire pump. Urtopia recommends downloading its app, where you can create an account and pair the bike to it via a generated QR code on the bike’s dot-matrix display. Once connected, you can link the bike to your local Wi-Fi network for software and firmware updates, of which I have already had two since getting the bike in July. Urtopia’s front light and blinker work well.  (Image credit: Future) The next step is registering your thumbprint, which is integrated into the power button to turn on the bike. Without it, you could still ride away with the bike, but nothing will work on it, especially the pedal-assist system. Powering on the Urtopia, you get a pleasant chime, and the screen lights up, indicating the current speed and level of pedal assist you have engaged. Zero is off, where you can ride Urtopia like a standard, gearless bike. Next are levels 1 through 3, which increase the assistance dramatically. Finally, there is a level 4 “Turbo” mode, where the cycle takes off with little pedaling. Setting up the fingerprint reader and sounds. (Image credit: Future) Changing levels is done via the left thumb controller – up to increase, down to decrease, and left/right to engage your rear blinkers. It’s all very intuitive. Pressing the power button when the bike is on rings the “bell,” which is a clever addition. Setting the volume to level II or higher results in a deafening sound peaking at a whopping 92db, above a hair dryer and just below a helicopter. The entire setup process was not only painless but quite fun. Urtopia is more of a smart device with a bike built on top of it, and there’s nothing like it on the market. Here are just some of the things the Android and iOS apps can do with Urtopia: Urtopia’s smartbar connecting to the internet. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino) Find my bike Alarm under mode “lock the bike” Track routes rode, including a “replay” of your ride with full data Battery status / Alarm of low battery Change volume Set lights on/automatic, rear braking Change sounds for level changes, bell, power on, and alarm Bike health diagnostic check Vibration level There’s also just a lot of fun with the bike. You can change the bell ring to a dog barking or a horse nicker. To get to Turbo mode, you must hold and press “up” so you don’t accidentally engage it. Doing so shows an animated rocket taking off. That app itself is very gamified. The company even added the classic game Snake, which can be experienced on the smartbar. Adding to all this whizbang tech is also voice control. Hold the power button when the bike is on, and the display reveals a face awaiting your command. You can tell the cycle to change levels, toggle your lights, or even power down. For the headlamp, you can have the bike auto-sense darkness and put your lights on automatically, an excellent safety and convenience feature. The 250-watt rear-hub single-gear Gates Carbon belt drive. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino) Find My Bike combines GPS and the eSIM so that if someone takes your bike, you can track it on a map to recover it. You have an excellent anti-theft system combined with the alarm, which engages if the bike is moved. Of course, you’d still want to lock the bike since anyone could take it, but these features give some peace of mind. Urtopia has even posted a real-world example of how this tech worked for one customer. Hopping onto the bike, it all feels familiar, albeit more comfortable than my trusty Specialized Crosstrail. I was pleasantly surprised by the seat’s comfort, considering Urtopia offers an upgraded seat on its website for $59 (opens in new tab). The LED is always visible no matter the lighting conditions. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino) (Image credit: Daniel Rubino) (Image credit: Daniel Rubino) (Image credit: Daniel Rubino) (Image credit: Daniel Rubino) (Image credit: Daniel Rubino) (Image credit: Daniel Rubino) (Image credit: Daniel Rubino) After riding the bike for over an hour on a semi-hard trail, I was smitten. I could ride the bike with pedal assist off with comfort, but when I hit a hill, just going to level 1 peddle-assist was enough to save my legs from extra hard work. Going to level 2 was more than enough speed for me where I could comfortably ride at 11+ mph. Turbo, where you can hit 20 mph, feels borderline too fast, and you should wear a helmet at that speed and have plenty of room to decelerate. Despite the odd frame design, the Urtopia fit our Thule bike rack with no problems. With its light 33lbs weight, loading and unloading the bike (or carrying it up to an apartment) was a breeze. Urtopia Carbon E-bike: What I don’t like (Image credit: Daniel Rubino) Assembly was fine, although I didn’t love fitting the seat in the frame with the power wire and nut system. It works, but it can be a bit tricky. I wouldn’t say no to rubber covers for a few exposed screw holes on the frame. Speaking of the frame, it can scratch and scuff e...

Crypto Market Maker Wintermute Pays Off $96M TrueFi Debt Weeks After Being Hacked – CoinDesk https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/crypto-market-maker-wintermute-pays-off-96m-truefi-debt-weeks-after-being-hacked-coindesk/ Krisztian Sandor is a reporter on the U.S. markets team focusing on stablecoins and institutional investment. He holds BTC and ETH. Prominent crypto market maker Wintermute paid off its $96 million debt on decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol TrueFi, TrueFi’s loan dashboard shows, just about three weeks after being hacked for $160 million. The TrueFi loan was one of the firm’s largest outstanding known debts owed to a DeFi lending platform. Wintermute took out a $92 million loan on the TrueFi protocol from its USDT lending pool in April, which was due to mature Oct. 15. Wintermute repaid the loan with interest Friday, one day before the deadline, transaction data on blockchain data platform Nansen shows. TrueFi’s loan dashboard showing Wintermute’s loan history (Screenshot) The loan was uncollateralized, meaning that the borrower didn’t pledge any assets against the loan, securing it only by its financial standing and reputation. Market makers and trading firms often take out these types of loans for trading purposes. The news comes after Wintermute’s DeFi operation suffered a $160 million hack in late September, one of the largest hacks in recent months. At the time, Wintermute’s outstanding DeFi debt amounted to $200 million, CoinDesk reported earlier. Evgeny Gaevoy, the firm’s CEO, said then the company remained solvent after the hack. Earlier this week, Blockwater, a Korean trading firm, defaulted on a loan on TrueFi after missing payment on a $3.4 million loan. TrueFi said that it determined “a potential court-supervised administrative proceeding would lead to a better outcome” to recover the assets to lenders. Sign up for The Node, our daily newsletter bringing you the biggest crypto news and ideas. By signing up, you will receive emails about CoinDesk product updates, events and marketing and you agree to our terms of services and privacy policy. DISCLOSURE Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated . The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups. As part of their compensation, certain CoinDesk employees, including editorial employees, may receive exposure to DCG equity in the form of stock appreciation rights, which vest over a multi-year period. CoinDesk journalists are not allowed to purchase stock outright in DCG . Krisztian Sandor is a reporter on the U.S. markets team focusing on stablecoins and institutional investment. He holds BTC and ETH. Krisztian Sandor is a reporter on the U.S. markets team focusing on stablecoins and institutional investment. He holds BTC and ETH.

U.S. Asks Court To End Special Master Review Of Files Seized From Trump – The New York Times https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/u-s-asks-court-to-end-special-master-review-of-files-seized-from-trump-the-new-york-times/ U.S.|U.S. Asks Court to End Special Master Review of Files Seized From Trump https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/14/us/appeal-special-master-trump.html The Justice Department told an appeals court that a federal judge was wrong to intervene in its investigation into the former president’s hoarding of sensitive records. Send any friend a story As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share. The Justice Department argued that all 11,000 or so documents seized from Mar-a-Lago, former President Donald J. Trump’s estate in Florida, should not be subject to the special master review.Credit…Saul Martinez for The New York Times Oct. 14, 2022Updated 7:30 p.m. ET The Justice Department asked an appeals court on Friday to end a special master review of thousands of documents that the F.B.I. seized from former President Donald J. Trump’s Florida estate, arguing that a federal judge had been wrong to intervene in its investigation into Mr. Trump’s hoarding of sensitive government records. In a 53-page brief for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, in Atlanta, the Justice Department broadly challenged the legal legitimacy of orders last month by Judge Aileen M. Cannon, who blocked investigators from using the materials and appointed an independent arbiter to sift them for any that are potentially privileged or Mr. Trump’s personal property. The Justice Department already succeeded in persuading a panel of the Atlanta-based court to exempt about 100 documents marked classified from Judge Cannon’s move — a decision the Supreme Court declined to overturn this week. In its new filing, the Justice Department asked the appeals court to reverse her order for the remaining 11,000 or so records. “This court has already granted the government’s motion to stay that unprecedented order insofar as it relates to the documents bearing classification markings,” the filing said. “The court should now reverse the order in its entirety for multiple independent reasons.” A lawyer for Mr. Trump, Christopher M. Kise, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Trump legal team is due to file a brief in November. The date of any oral arguments has not yet been announced, but the appeals court has granted a Justice Department request that it expedite consideration of the case. It may rule on the appeal before Judge Cannon receives the special master’s report and rules on any contested documents. The dispute is the opening round in the main part of the Justice Department’s appeal of the orders by Judge Cannon as part of a lawsuit Mr. Trump filed after the F.B.I. carried out a court-ordered search of his Florida club and residence, Mar-a-Lago, in August. The Justice Department had obtained a grand jury subpoena in May for any remaining documents marked classified in Mr. Trump’s possession, and the following month his representatives had falsely assured the government that none were left. But in the August search, the F.B.I. seized 103 with classification markings, along with about 11,000 other documents and photographs that are also apparently mostly government property. Mr. Trump then filed his lawsuit, which was assigned to Judge Cannon, whom Mr. Trump had appointed in late 2020. Surprising many legal experts, she granted his request to temporarily block criminal investigators from using the materials and appointed an independent arbiter, known as a special master, to oversee a process of looking to see whether any should be withheld as potentially privileged. She named Raymond J. Dearie, a semiretired judge in the Eastern District of New York suggested by Mr. Trump’s team, to fill the role. His job is to oversee a review of all the documents by the two sides and then to write a report by mid-December recommending how she should consider ruling on any privilege claims for which they disagree. Judge Cannon also surprised experts by declaring that the review would not only see if the F.B.I.’s own filter team had missed any documents that may be protected by attorney-client privilege, which is routine, but also identify some as protected by executive privilege, which would be unprecedented. In its new filing, the Justice Department challenged her orders on multiple grounds. First, it argued that she had no jurisdiction to intervene, pointing to the 11th Circuit panel’s own analysis when it removed documents with classified markings from the special master’s review. The three judges — including two Trump appointees — had said none of the legal factors that would justify judicial intervention were met in this situation. In particular, they noted that Judge Cannon herself had said one condition — whether the F.B.I. had acted in “callous disregard” of Mr. Trump’s rights — had not been met in this instance, and cited a precedent saying that factor was “indispensable” for creating a basis for a judge to step in. The full appeal may not be heard by the same judges who ruled on the earlier stay motion. But the Justice Department urged the judges on the new panel to follow their colleagues’ reasoning and overturn her orders on jurisdictional grounds alone. The department also argued that even if she did have did have sufficient jurisdiction, Judge Cannon was wrong to block criminal investigators from reviewing or using any of the seized records. The government repeated its earlier arguments that it needed access to the documents marked classified both “to assess the full scope of the risk to national security posed by the improper storage of these records,” and because they may be “evidence of obstruction of justice” in light of the Trump team’s false claim to have fully complied with the subpoena. In this filing, it argued that investigators needed access to the unclassified documents as well. It said they could be evidence of another potential crime — unlawfully removing or concealing government documents — and could provide clues into the mishandling of the materials with classified markings because the various documents were intermixed. In public, Mr. Trump has repeatedly claimed that he had declassified all the records he took to Mar-a-Lago. But his legal team has not repeated that claim in court, instead merely insinuating that he might have done so. In proceedings before Judge Dearie, the Trump legal team has resisted providing any evidence that he had done so. In its filing, the Justice Department said Mr. Trump’s public claims that he had declassified the materials were both “unsubstantiated” and “irrelevant” to whether the materials were privileged or should be reviewed by a special master. “Even if plaintiff were to offer direct claims, supported by evidence, that he declassified any of the seized records, any potential executive privilege claims would still fail,” it wrote, citing Supreme Court rulings against former President Richard M. Nixon in 1974 and 1977. /

Read Georgia Tech’s News Release Announcing J Batt’s Hire – The Atlanta Journal Constitution https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/read-georgia-techs-news-release-announcing-j-batts-hire-the-atlanta-journal-constitution/ The institute made the announcement through a news release that includes quotes from Tech President Ángel Cabrera, Batt, Alabama football coach Nick Saban and other Crimson Tide officials. GEORGIA TECH NAMES J BATT NEW ATHLETIC DIRECTOR (Atlanta, Georgia, October 14, 2022) Today, Georgia Tech named J Batt as its new director of Athletics. Batt is departing the role of executive deputy director of Athletics, chief operating officer, and chief revenue officer at the University of Alabama and will join Georgia Tech on Oct. 24. “We’re excited to welcome J to Georgia Tech. His leadership experience at one of the most competitive programs in the nation and his extraordinary track record in fundraising and revenue generation will bring great value to Georgia Tech,” said Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera. “As a former ACCstudent-athlete, J has a keen appreciation for what it takes for students to compete at the highest level while pursuing a degree at a top academic institution. He values and shares our culture of excellence and integrity and our commitment to student well-being and success. I look forward to working with him to secure and invest the resources necessary for a successful athletics program.” As athletic director at Georgia Tech, Batt will report directly to Cabrera and serve as a member of his cabinet. He will be responsible for planning, developing, administering, and advancing Georgia Tech’s intercollegiate athletic programs, with a focus on building an environment that inspires and empowers student-athletes to be champions in academics, competition, and life. “My family and I truly appreciate President Cabrera and his team for this opportunity, and we are incredibly excited to join the Georgia Tech family,” said Batt. “I look forward to working with our student-athletes, coaches, staff, supporters, and fans to reach new heights, on and off the field, and to build on the rich tradition and history of this storied athletics department. We can’t wait to become a part of the Atlanta community. Go Jackets!” Batt was named the top candidate by Cabrera following a national search led by Parker Executive Search. The selection process included interviews with a committee comprised of a coach, senior athletics administrator, student-athlete, student-athlete alum, and faculty member who recommended a set of finalists for consideration by the president. The board of trustees of the Georgia Tech Athletic Association voted unanimously to approve Cabrera’s proposal to appoint Batt. According to Nick Saban, University of Alabama’s head football coach, “Since arriving at Alabama, J has positively affected our program through the success of the Crimson Standard Initiative while being a trusted advisor to our athletic director, Greg Byrne, and an essential part of our administrative team. We set a vision for the future of Alabama Athletics and Alabama football through the Crimson Standard and J as well as his team delivered with impressive results.” University of Alabama President Stuart R. Bell added, “Georgia Tech has made an outstanding hire in J Batt. He is a rising leader within intercollegiate athletics and has made a great impact during his time at the University of Alabama. He is a proven administrator and fundraiser and will be a great ambassador for the Institute and the community.” Batt joined the University of Alabama Athletics team as senior associate athletic director in 2017. He was responsible for guiding revenue generating, including charitable giving, ticketing, Tide Pride, and other revenue sources. He was promoted to COO and senior deputy athletic director in 2021 and to executive deputy director, COO, and chief revenue officer in 2022. Batt oversaw the successful development, implementation, and launch of the Crimson Standard, Alabama Athletics’ 10-year, $600 million capital initiative. He also provided day-to-day leadership of the department as a member of the Athletics executive team and served as the sport administrator for men’s basketball. “J has been such a strong leader as part of our executive team at Alabama. He has incredible vision and has done an outstanding job overseeing many areas of the department, beginning with development when he arrived in 2017,” said Byrne. “He has done a masterful job with the operations of the department. J has been involved in all of our major decisions and has provided constructive insight and feedback to make us better. His experience working directly with our student-athletes, our coaches and Athletics staff, university leadership, and fan base has prepared him well for this moment. We are thrilled for J, his wife, Leah, and boys, Fitz and Graham. Georgia Tech made a home-run hire with J.” Nate Oats, Alabama’s head basketball coach, said, “I am extremely happy for J, Leah, and their boys for this opportunity. His work ethic, character, wisdom, and vision for the University of Alabama have been great assets to our men’s basketball program, and we are thankful for everything he has done to help our team and staff. I think he is a perfect fit at Georgia Tech, and I’m excited to see what the future holds under his leadership.” Previously, Batt was senior associate athletic director at East Carolina University and executive director of the Pirate Club, a position he held from 2013 to 2017. As a member of the ECU athletics executive leadership team, Batt oversaw a development operation that increased total fundraising in 2016 by more than 60% over ECU’s previous best year. He also served as an associate AD and executive director of the Terrapin Club for the University of Maryland from 2011 to 2013. He joined the Terrapin Club staff in 2009 and served as executive director beginning in September 2011. Before his tenure at Maryland, Batt worked in athletics fundraising at James Madison University, the College of William & Mary, and his alma mater, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A member of the Tar Heels’ 2001 NCAA champion men’s soccer team, Batt graduated from UNC with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications and a master’s degree in sports administration.

Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IAH7 Review: One Of The Most Powerful RTX 3050 Ti Laptops – Notebookcheck.net https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/lenovo-ideapad-gaming-3-15iah7-review-one-of-the-most-powerful-rtx-3050-ti-laptops-notebookcheck-net/ Reviews, News, CPU, GPU, Articles, Columns, Other Not Set Default Review Flagship Review Short Review Review Update Ultra Short Review Live Default Review Live Flagship Review First Impression Review Other Review Smartwatch / eBike / Camera Comp. Accessory Review Game Benchmark Review 3D Printer Review Analysis Default News Major Launch News (NDA) Sponsored News Special Topic News Advertorial Article Magazine Article List Article Column “or” search relation. 3D Printing, 5G, Accessory, AI, Alder Lake, AMD, Android, Apple, Arc, ARM, Audio, Benchmark, Biotech, Business, Camera, Cannon Lake, Cezanne (Zen 3), Charts, Chinese Tech, Chromebook, Console, Convertible / 2-in-1, Cryptocurrency, Cyberlaw, Deal, Desktop, DIY, E-Mobility, Education, Exclusive, Fail, Foldable, Gadget, Galaxy S, Gamecheck, Gaming, Geforce, Google Pixel, GPU, How To, Ice Lake, Intel, Intel Evo, Internet of Things (IoT), iOS, iPad, iPad Pro, iPhone, Jasper Lake, Lakefield, Laptop, Launch, Leaks / Rumors, Linux / Unix, List, Lucienne (Zen 2), MacBook, Mini PC, Monitor, MSI, OnePlus, Opinion, Phablet, Radeon, Raptor Lake, Renoir, Review Snippet, RISC-V, Rocket Lake, Ryzen (Zen), Science, Security, Single-Board Computer (SBC), Smart Home, Smartphone, Smartwatch, Software, Storage, Tablet, ThinkPad, Thunderbolt, Tiger Lake, Touchscreen, Ultrabook, Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR), Wearable, Wi-Fi 7, Windows, Workstation, XPS, Zen 3 (Vermeer), Zen 4 Ticker

Migrants Flown To Massachusetts Certified As Crime Victims – The Public’s Radio https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/migrants-flown-to-massachusetts-certified-as-crime-victims-the-publics-radio/ Migrants flown to Massachusetts certified as crime victims  The Public’s Radio

Virgin Voyages Debuts Inaugural Eat & Drink Month – TravelPulse https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/virgin-voyages-debuts-inaugural-eat-drink-month-travelpulse/ Virgin Voyages is announcing a new experience that is sure to take its cruises to the next level. Virgin is introducing its first-ever Eat & Drink Month and the event is being launched in partnership with some of the world’s top names in food and beverage, including Michelin star chefs, Matt Lambert and Brad Farmerie, as well as with James Beard Award-nominated, Silvana Salcido Esparza and Sohui Kim. The event also includes Miami’s Unfiltered Hospitality and Charles Joly, beverage designer for the most recent Emmy Awards. Eat & Drink Month will take place in November onboard the Scarlet Lady and the Valiant Lady. “When Sailors step aboard one of our ships, they’re immediately drawn into a sensory experience centered around making sure we’re offering everyone who joins us the vacation of a lifetime,” said Virgin Voyages President and Chief Experience Officer, Nirmal Saverimuttu. “We have made-to-order culinary experiences in intimate eateries rather than mass-produced banquet food in big dining halls. Our food and drink menus were put together by award-winning chefs and mixologists who have taken their land-based gastronomy experience to our restaurants and cocktail bars on-board.” Foodies and cocktail connoisseurs will be able to taste and sip their way around the Caribbean and Mexico during four- and five-night voyages on Scarlet Lady as well as six- and eight-night voyages on Virgin Voyages’ newest vessel, Valiant Lady. Sailors will be treated to specialty cocktails and menu items, as well as bookable events priced between $15-$125/ per sailor, including elevated dinner and wine pairings, cooking demos and a sneak peek at a new menu launching in 2023. In order to make it easy to participate and experience the new event, every booking in November includes a complimentary $300 bar tab that can be used for specialty cocktails or the brand’s unique Shake for Champagne feature, delivering bubbles to Sailors anywhere on the ship. One simple shake of a phone and Moët & Chandon is delivered on demand. “We have created an incredible, award-winning product, and our food and drink continue to be a standout part of the experience,” noted Saverimuttu. “Of all the feedback we receive from past guests on TripAdvisor and Cruise Critic, two things stand apart above all else: our amazing Crew and the food & drinks. Eat & Drink Month is a way for us to turn up the heat and celebrate Sailors’ favorite part of coming aboard with a recurring event our guests can look forward to for years to come.” Most of the Eat & Drink Month events are between $15 and $25. However, two events come in at more than $100. These include the Flavors Uncorked at The Wake and the Behind the Scenes experiences. Behind the Scenes is a three-and-a-half-hour peek behind the velvet curtain to see how Virgin “Makes Ship Happen.” The tour includes 22 stops, including areas reserved for Crew as well as top-secret spaces you never knew existed. It is available only onboard the Scarlet Lady for $150 per sailor. Flavors Uncorked at The Wake was created by Michelin star chef Brad Farmerie and is a four-course meal and elevated wine pairing at the ship’s The Wake eatery. The evening is a fall-inspired celebration with handpicked labels from Napa Valley’s Caymus Vineyards. The other events during Eat & Drink Month include culinary demonstrations, tasting menus, cooking classes, learning opportunities and more. For more information on Eat & Drink Month with Virgin Voyages, visit VirginVoyages.com.

Russia’s War In Ukraine: Live Updates – CNN https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/russias-war-in-ukraine-live-updates-cnn-2/ See new ‘kamikaze’ drones used by Russia in attacks on Ukraine 02:41 – Source: CNN Russian forces have launched hundreds of missile strikes in Ukraine over the past week, most of them at civilian targets, a senior US military official said Friday. President Vladimir Putin said he has no regrets about the missile barrage. He added there was no need for more massive strikes “at least for now.” Russia’s Rostov region is to receive Kherson residents after Moscow announced evacuations from the occupied region in the face of Ukraine’s counteroffensive. Russia continues to face international backlash. European lawmakers voted overwhelmingly Thursday to declare Russia a “terrorist” regime. Meanwhile, a new intelligence analysis shows Western sanctions are hurting Russia’s ability to replenish military supplies in Ukraine. Russia’s deadly missile barrage on civilian targets appears to have drawn to a close, but the attacks’ toll is still felt widely across Ukraine. Meanwhile, Kyiv’s troops push ahead with a counteroffensive, gaining ground in some key regions, according to officials. If you’re just joining us, here’s what you need to know: A brutal onslaught: Friday brought a more complete accounting of Russia’s brutal missile strikes in Ukraine over the past week. A senior US military official said the attacks hit hundreds of mostly civilian targets. Viewed as retaliation for the recent explosion on the Crimea bridge, the strikes damaged power systems, forcing people to reduce consumption to avoid blackouts. Putin unflinching: President Vladimir Putin said he has no regrets about the missile barrage, though he acknowledged “what is happening now is unpleasant.” He added there was no need for further massive strikes in Ukraine — “at least for now.” Russia faces sustained international backlash for the war and global outrage at its targeting of civilians. Ukraine’s forces gain ground: Ukrainian troops are making progress in the southern region of Kherson, regaining control over more land previously occupied by Russia, a senior US military official said. Moscow said it would help evacuate residents of the occupied region amid Kyiv’s gains. Elsewhere, the Ukrainian military said it destroyed a significant amount of Russian weaponry in a strike against a railway hub in the eastern region of Luhansk. Crimea bridge repairs: The Russian government announced plans to complete repairs to the Kerch Strait bridge by July 1, 2023. Russia has blamed Ukraine’s security services for the attack, allegedly carried out with a truck bomb, but mystery still swirls around who and what caused the blast. Kyiv has not formally taken credit, though Ukrainian officials celebrated the explosion. Russia feels the sting of sanctions: Western sanctions have sharply curtailed Russia’s ability to replenish the munitions it is using in Ukraine, according to a new analysis from the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence. That’s forced Moscow to task its intelligence services with finding ways to evade restrictions and obtain critical technology it needs to sustain its war effort. Starlink’s uncertain future: SpaceX sent a letter to the Pentagon last month saying it can no longer fund the Starlink satellite service in Ukraine, asking the Pentagon to foot the bill, CNN reported exclusively. The system has been essential for communication among Ukrainian troops. The news comes after SpaceX CEO Elon Musk faced fierce criticism for his take on a Russia-Ukraine peace settlement — though two Ukrainian officials sought to smooth that over Friday. Grain exports deal in doubt: Russia could potentially leave its grain deal with Ukraine, said Gennady Gatilov, Russia’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, according to Reuters. The deal was brokered by the UN and designed to unblock ports on the Black Sea and allow the safe passage of grain and oilseeds. Putin weighed in, too, saying Moscow would shut the export corridors if they are used to carry out “terrorist attacks.” A senior Ukrainian official has made a conciliatory gesture toward US billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk after bitter exchanges over his ideas for a settlement to the conflict with Russia. “Definitely @elonmusk is among the world’s top private donors supporting Ukraine,” tweeted Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s vice prime minister and minister of digital transformation. “Starlink is an essential element of our critical infrastructure.” The remarks appear to be intended to draw a line under bitter criticism of Musk by some Ukrainian officials after he publicized ideas for a peace settlement that would see Ukraine surrender Crimea and agree to neutrality status. The effort to smooth things over comes after CNN reported exclusively that SpaceX sent a letter to the Pentagon last month saying it can no longer continue to fund the Starlink satellite service, and asked the Pentagon to pick up the bill. The system — which has been provided free of charge since early in the conflict — has been an essential link in allowing Ukraine’s forces to maintain communications. Soon after the tweet from Fedorov, another senior Ukrainian official spoke of the value of the Starlink system to Ukraine’s war effort. Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to the Head of the President’s office, tweeted: “Let’s be honest. Like it or not, @elonmusk helped us survive the most critical moments of war.” “Business has the right to its own strategies. [Ukraine] will find a solution to keep #Starlink working. We expect that the company will provide stable connection till the end of negotiations.” What the Pentagon is saying: “We can confirm the Department received correspondence from SpaceX about the funding of Starlink their satellite communications product in Ukraine,” Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said Friday. “We remain in communication with SpaceX about this and other topics.” Ukrainian forces continue to make progress in the southern region of Kherson, regaining control over more land previously occupied by Russia, a senior US military official said Friday. “We have seen gains in the north now, really the line of advance for the Ukrainians, just north of the city of Mylove, and then extending essentially to the north and west with a number of small towns and villages that the Ukrainians have been able to clear of the Russians,” the official said. The US has also seen some “incremental gains” in the central part of the battleground region, “so not a lot of advancement, but some,” the official said. “We’re talking kilometers.” Because Ukrainian forces have gotten closer to Russian forces along this central axis, they are relying less on guided multiple launch rocket systems, or GMLRs, to counter Russians, the official said. “It’s also placed a good portion of that battle space under standard artillery, not GMLRs,” the official continued. “They can range the Russian targets they want to hit with standard artillery.” Gains in Kherson prompt evacuations: Meanwhile, Russia said Thursday its forces would help evacuate residents of occupied Kherson to other areas. The announcement by Russia’s deputy prime minister came shortly after Moscow-backed officials in the region appealed for help moving residents out of harm’s way. It’s the latest indication that Russian forces are struggling in the face of Ukraine’s counteroffensive. Here’s a look at where things stand on the ground: President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv on October 14. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Reuters The Ukrainian military says it has destroyed a significant amount of Russian weaponry in a strike against a railway hub in the eastern region of Luhansk. It also said the Russian had suffered substantial losses in Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk. But in its operational update Friday, the General Staff made no mention of fighting around Bakhmut in Donetsk, where Russian forces appear to have made some gains in recent days. But the General Staff did say that Russia “continues to focus its efforts on attempts to implement its plans to reach the administrative border of Donetsk region.” The General Staff said that “according to preliminary information, in the area of the railway station in the town of Antratsyt [Luhansk] our soldiers destroyed a significant part of the enemy’s weapons and military equipment transported by rail. The amount and nature of damage is being specified.” CNN is unable to confirm the attack. More on Ukraine’s counteroffensive: In recent weeks, Ukraine has targeted Russian supply lines in Luhansk as it seeks to build on its successful offensive in neighboring Kharkiv. In other areas, according to the General Staff, some 150 Russian soldiers had been killed and about 100 injured by Ukrainian attacks in Khlibodarivka (Donetsk region), Tokmak (Zaporizhzhia region) and Tokarivka (Kherson region). The General Staff claimed that in the city of Kherson, Russian forces had seized 13 barge-type vessels for the transportation of personnel and equipment across the Dnipro River. Ukrainian long-range rocket attacks have made most bridges across the river impassable.  It also claimed that three S-300 units had been destroyed. S-300 missiles have been causing devastating damage in central Ukraine, especially in Zaporizhzhia and Mykolaiv. A passenger train and cars travel on the Kerch bridge in Crimea, on October 9. (Alexey Pavlishak/Reuters) The Russian government has announced plans to complete repairs to the Crimea bridge by July 1, 2023, according to a decree published on the government’s portal. The road and rail bridge was badly damaged in an explosion last weekend. Russia has blamed Ukraine’s security services for the attack, allegedly carried out with a bomb concealed inside a truck. The decree, signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, states that the Nizhneangarsktranss...

Officials: 22 Dead, Many Trapped In Turkish Coal Mine Blast – 69News WFMZ-TV https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/officials-22-dead-many-trapped-in-turkish-coal-mine-blast-69news-wfmz-tv/ ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — An explosion inside a coal mine in northern Turkey killed at least 22 people, Turkey’s health minister announced, while rescuers were trying to bring dozens of others trapped inside the mine to the surface. The explosion occurred 6:45 p.m. at the state-owned TTK Amasra Muessese Mudurlugu mine in the town of Amasra, in the Black Sea coastal province of Bartin. Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said a preliminary assessment indicated the explosion was likely caused by firedamp — a reference to flammable gases found in coal mines. There were 110 people in the mine at the time of the explosion, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, who traveled to Amasra to coordinate the rescue operation, told reporters. Most of the workers were able to evacuate following the blast, but 49 were trapped in a higher risk area of the facility, the minister said. Soylu would not provide a number for those still trapped, saying some among the 49 had been lifted to safety. Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced on Twitter that 22 people were killed in the blast. He did not say how many people were taken out of the mine with injuries, but said eight were in serious condition. Several rescue teams were dispatched to the area, including from neighboring provinces, Turkey’s disaster management agency, AFAD, said. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced he was canceling a planned visit to the southeastern city of Diyarbakir and would travel to Amasra instead to coordinate the rescue operation. The private DHA news agency quoted one worker as telling Bartin Gov. Nurtac Arslan that he came out of the mine by his own means. He described feeling a “pressure” but said he could not see anything due to the dust and dirt. People rushed to the mine for news of trapped friends or colleagues, DHA reported. In Turkey’s worst mine disaster, a total of 301 people died in 2014 in a fire inside a coal mine in the town of Soma, in western Turkey. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Florida Blue Medicare Enhances Medicare Advantage Benefits To Improve Affordability And Accessibility For Floridians – StreetInsider.com https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/florida-blue-medicare-enhances-medicare-advantage-benefits-to-improve-affordability-and-accessibility-for-floridians-streetinsider-com/ News and research before you hear about it on CNBC and others. Claim your 1-week free trial to StreetInsider Premium here. More plans available with $0 copays, including on prescriptions, making hundreds of drugs available at no cost , /PRNewswire/ — Florida Blue Medicare today released details of its 2023 Medicare offerings, which aim to provide Florida residents with high quality, affordable plans that meet their evolving health needs. New solutions from Florida Blue Medicare will ensure members can access personalized, wrap-around and support services whether at the doctor’s office, while traveling or at home. The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period opens tomorrow, Oct. 15, and runs through Dec. 7, for coverage effective Jan. 1, 2023. With many Medicare-eligible consumers particularly concerned about inflation and the rising cost of living, Florida Blue Medicare sought to tackle one of the biggest barriers to better health outcomes, costly prescription drugs. Many Florida Blue Medicare plans for 2023 now offer a $0 tier 1 and 2 copay, enabling members to access hundreds of prescription drugs at no cost. Preferred pharmacy tiering was also eliminated to simplify the process of selecting a pharmacy. It’s now the same lower cost share at any in-network pharmacy. Florida Blue Medicare offers 24/7 personalized at-home care so all eligible members can receive all of their primary care services in the comfort of their own home, including vaccinations and imaging. “Florida Blue Medicare is committed to providing comprehensive benefits and expansive programs,” said Kathy Feeny, president of Florida Blue Medicare. “We have a long history of serving Florida residents and we pride ourselves on understanding their unique needs. Our strong collaborations with providers allow us to offer more affordable plan options while delivering access to excellent networks, new tools, and supplemental benefits.”  More than one in five Floridians are enrolled in Medicare, and more than half of those beneficiaries enroll in Medicare Advantage plans. Florida Blue Medicare has a range of comprehensive options so all eligible beneficiaries can choose the plan that works best for them. “We know health care, specifically for seniors, is defined by their experiences outside as well as inside the doctor’s office,” said Camille Harrison, Florida Blue’s executive vice president of Medicare and chief innovation and customer experience officer. “That is why we are focused on offering specialized programs and wrap-around care to ensure we are tackling all the elements that help our members and communities achieve better health.” Florida is also home to hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans who have moved to the mainland but maintain close cultural ties with family and friends still on the island. To serve this growing community, Florida Blue Medicare PPO plans offer access to in-network care for members visiting Puerto Rico. Additionally, Florida Blue Medicare has expanded options in the Panhandle, providing greater choice in a region that has historically had more limited access to care.  Highlights of Florida Blue Medicare’s 2023 Medicare Advantage plans include: Comprehensive, easy to use benefits Exceptional supplemental benefits on most BlueMedicare Medicare Advantage plans: Members can access dental care, vision and hearing annual allowances, transportation to medical appointments and money to buy over-the-counter products, like toothpaste and aspirin. Freedom to use all in-network pharmacies: Florida Blue Medicare removed the standard and preferred pharmacy tiering, making prescription drugs from any in-network pharmacy available at the lower cost share. The network includes regional grocers, national pharmacies and big box retailers, plus many physician partners with in-house pharmacies. Eliminated PCP copay tiering on Value LPPO plans: Now all PCPs are available at the lower cost share, with many plans at $0. More robust support for dual eligible members: Those of greatest economic need, who are dual eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, will have access to additional benefits such as extra money toward groceries, along with $0 copays for brand and generic prescription drugs. Florida-focused, trusted everywhere Access in Puerto Rico: Florida Blue Medicare PPO members can get care from in-network providers while visiting Puerto Rico. BlueMedicare Value PPO offers national coverage: Members have access to coverage in 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. BlueMedicare Complete Dual Special Needs Plan (D-SNP)-HMO Expanded Coverage Area: These specialized plans are now available in more areas across the state to serve the most vulnerable Floridians. Adapted benefits for members with diverse needs  Extra benefits for members with chronic conditions: BlueMedicare Premier HMO plan members can qualify for additional benefits if they have heart disease, congestive heart failure, COPD or diabetes. For most members, benefits include extra money each quarter for over-the-counter meds, dietician consultations, free meals delivered to their home, free personal training sessions, plus transportation services. Enhanced dental benefits: BlueMedicare members who have been diagnosed with certain chronic health conditions that are linked to oral health have $0 copays for x-rays, fluoride treatments and deep cleanings. Personalized health care at home: Eligible Medicare members have 24/7 access to their primary care doctor and care team through Emcara Health — including exams, tests, vaccinations and even imaging — in the comfort of their own home. Industry-leading wrap-around care at no extra cost Florida Blue Centers: Those looking for personalized support, help finding caregiving resources in their community or assistance finding a doctor can reach out to their local Florida Blue Center and talk with a nurse on the phone or in person. It’s easy to find a local center at floridablue.com/center or by calling 1-877-352-5830. meQuilibrium: This digital, self-guided, personalized program improves resiliency skills and helps with mental well-being and stress reduction from the comfort of home. Support for Caregivers: Florida Blue offers digital tools, resources, and personalized expert advice to help caregivers care for themselves and their loved ones. Support includes financial advice, assistance in finding local resources for help at home or at senior living facilities and tips to manage decision-making as a family. Healthy Blue Rewards: Florida Blue Medicare Advantage members can get between $160 and $220, depending on the plan, in gift cards to restaurants, retailers or local gas stations when they complete healthy activities. Access to Blue365: A free health and wellness discount program with year-round exclusive discounts of up to 50% on gym memberships, fitness gear, healthy eating options and more. Papa Pals: Connects youthful, energetic adults (Papa Pals) to older adults who need assistance with transportation, light household chores, errands, technical guidance, and other senior support services, along with offering companionship. Transportation: To help make sure transportation isn’t a barrier to care, many Florida Blue Medicare plans provide rides to doctor appointments at $0 extra cost. Personalized Condition Management and Guidance: A team of nurses are dedicated to members with complex injuries, or who are chronically ill, very sick or near the end of life, providing coaching and help to deal with their illness, follow their treatment plans and get the care and support they need. About Florida Blue Medicare Florida Blue Medicare is committed to helping our Florida neighbors live healthier. We offer a wide range of plan options, including Medicare Advantage plans, to give our members what they need to live their best lives and improve their overall health and well-being. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., Florida Blue Medicare is built for Florida’s seniors and proud to be affiliated with Florida Blue, a health insurer that has served Floridians for over 75 years. Florida Blue and Florida Blue Medicare are Independent Licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Learn more at FloridaBlue.com/Medicare. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/florida-blue-medicare-enhances-medicare-advantage-benefits-to-improve-affordability-and-accessibility-for-floridians-301650075.html SOURCE Florida Blue Medicare

Phil Foden: Manchester City Attacker Extends Contract Until 2027 – Sky Sports https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/phil-foden-manchester-city-attacker-extends-contract-until-2027-sky-sports/ Phil Foden has signed a contract extension with Manchester City until 2027 and the club are confident he can become one of the best players in the world. The City academy graduate is a key first-team player for Pep Guardiola, who has started him in all nine Premier League games this season, with the England international scoring in his last three games, including a hat-trick against Manchester United. Foden joined Man City’s youth system aged nine and has won the PFA Young Player of the Year award for the past two seasons. The City attacker is a likely starter this Sunday when his side take on great rivals Liverpool, live on Sky Sports. Stream Liverpool vs Man City with a Sports Membership on NOW Live football on Sky Sports: Liverpool vs Man City on Super Sunday Get Sky Sports Foden says signing this new deal is “a dream come true”. “It’s hard to put into words how happy I am to have signed this contract,” he said. “It’s a dream come true. Sunday 16th October 4:00pm Kick off 4:30pm “I have been a City fan all my life. I’ve trained here for so many years and I’ve even been a ballboy. I love this club so much, so to know I am going to be a part of it until 2027 feels amazing. “I’ve improved a lot in recent years and so much of that is down to Pep and his staff, who guide me every single day on the training field. Working with them gives me the best chance of improving even more and becoming the best player I can be. Klopp: Haaland is the best striker in the world right now Liverpool vs Man City preview “With the squad we have here, I feel I can keep learning and winning trophies. Those are the two most important things to me. Image: Phil Foden celebrates with the match ball after Man City’s 6-3 derby win over Man Utd “I want to thank every single person at City because without them I would not be where I am today. All the Academy coaches I worked with, all the players I’ve played with and everyone who works behind the scenes. It’s an honour to be part of this football club.” Director of football Txiki Begiristain added: “We are all so proud of Phil and what he has achieved already – but we know there is so much more to come. “His natural talent and ability are obvious, but his hard work, professionalism and dedication make him really special. He loves football more than anything and his desire to improve is really incredible. “We feel he can progress further and become even better than he is today. By signing this contract, he now has stability and can focus absolutely everything on becoming one of the best players in the world, which we feel he can be.” Watch Liverpool vs Manchester City live on Sky Sports this weekend on Super Sunday from 4pm, kick-off 4.30pm