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STYLE Protocol, The Cross-Metaverse Interoperability Platform Releases Its Whitepaper – GlobeNewswire https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/style-protocol-the-cross-metaverse-interoperability-platform-releases-its-whitepaper-globenewswire/ Berlin, Germany, Sept. 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — STYLE Protocol announced today the launch of their whitepaper which outlines their vision, values, who they are, their token launch, the different participants of their ecosystem and how they will solve the existing challenges and problems with the NFT industry. STYLE Protocol’s vision is to become the go-to multiverse-backbone that helps maximize the utility and value of smart Digital Assets and Virtual Goods. Online environments are growing. The number of active players and people with identities in virtual worlds is increasing steadily. The growth of decentralized and crypto-powered metaverses has unleashed a wave of open worlds. The availability of devices enabling hybrid experiences will further accelerate the use cases and therefore the adoption among the population. Lastly, the gaming industry is growing rapidly and the number of active players amongst the globe is increasing drastically. It is reasonable to assume that a fraction of “classic” gaming will evolve in the direction of decentralized participation models for their players and tokenized systems. Existing metaverses are marketed as open and accessible, yet different underlying technology stacks, blockchains, and 3D virtual engines prohibit the compatibility of these worlds. STYLE Protocol aims to solve the underlying interoperability problem and connects worlds beyond their virtual borders to allow full usability for users. The NFT technology is praised as the future of virtual identification and functions as a pillar technology for verifying assets. But some challenges remain:  NFTs are not automatically compatible with any environment NFTs are missing Metaverse and web3 usability, as they have no automated 3D counterparts NFTs can not be utilized for continuous monetization concerning virtual worlds Besides, only a few virtual worlds (games) utilize NFT technology to verify the individual ownership of Digital Assets or “virtual goods”. There is a deep fracture between game assets, metaverse assets, and purely 2D published NFT-Collections, here is why: NFTs and Assets are not automatically utilizable and interoperable. Assets are not immediately 3D compatible. Virtual Assets and NFTs have limitations with how they can be monetized. Foreign usage of virtual assets has no time-stamp option Example: A Crypto Punk, BAYC or Neo Tokyo Citizen can be turned into a multiverse skin that can now be rented by individuals to wear in the game, metaverse or virtual world of their choice. STYLE Protocol sees itself as the solution for all of these problems. They can be overcome with a decentralized 3D virtual asset utilization and sub licensing protocol, which by definition is what the STYLE Protocol ecosystem is The main principles of the protocol are: NFTs can be staked on the open protocol to unlock advanced usability across the multiverse. Assets can be brought into circulation and used across the multiverse. Assets can be monetized with usability and sublicensing across multiple virtual worlds. A Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) governs and regulates the supply chain and the protocol’s principles. The protocol’s advantages are freely available for anyone to use and to participate in the ecosystem – Creators, Owners, Tailors, Metaverses, Games….  The protocol primarily aims to make Digital Assets available with advanced usability in an array of different environments, including games, virtual worlds and metaverses. To enable this, a new technical utility to the assets is introduced, which can best be described as sublicensing/derivatives. Each world, game or metaverse that connects to the STYLE Protocol has different engineering principles and systems. They may run on different blockchains, have different play logics or run on different 3D engines. To overcome these difficulties, the STYLE Protocol draws derivatives or sublicenses of assets and NFTs to have these applicable versions compatible with different environments on a blockchain and 3D virtualization level. Anyone looking to bring this utility to their assets can connect to the STYLE Protocol. This means that the sublicensed versions and derivatives of the initially staked NFT are applicable and usable with different blockchains and thus the correlating games. Also – and this is the major point – they are turned into functional assets inside the metaverse or game and can additionally be rented out as such to other players in these virtual worlds. The NFT or virtual asset becomes available in each world through three key pillars / participants of the ecosystem. The three pillars of the ecosystem are: Owners = NFT owners staking the NFTs for interoperability or anyone bringingDigital Assets (such as 3D files) onto the STYLE Protocol. Anyone, from the initial NFT creator or “non-chain” 3D asset owner, such as a brand or designer to a holder with an NFT in their wallet can offer this asset for bridging to the multiverse on STYLE Protocol. Tailors = Anyone interested in earning $STYLE tokens by molding and adjusting 3D assets within the protocol to adjust the versions to different games and metaverses. Tailors can also directly upload 3D files and creations into the supply chain and act as creators for assets. Environments = Connected platforms, metaverses and games offering the finalized assets and creations for sale within their environments. The customers and players within these ecosystems will be able to utilize all assets from the STYLE Protocol supply chain as avatars, skins, fashion, objects etc…  The participants mentioned above work together to make the ecosystem work harmoniously. However, they have created their own token $STYLE to incentivize different participants in the ecosystem and allow for continuous supply chain flow on a completely decentralized network. The $STYLE token is designed to be the backbone of the participants and value flow within the ecosystem. The primary beneficiaries of the token are people staking it and holding it in close participation to the protocol’s activity. Additionally, the $STYLE token allows for participation in DAO votings on the future development of the protocol. The token will be launched publicly with LBPs (Liquidity Bootstrapping Pools). The date of the public launch will depend on market and project readiness. The distribution will be asorganic as possible through the LBPs once activated for the community. Anyone can open pools and stake their token in exchange for the first 12% of the total token supply of $STYLE. The ecosystem is structured as a DAO and anyone can join the future decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) of the STYLE Protocol. There are however different levels of engagement. Three layers of participants exist. Tier 1 – Executive Board Decision makers on a higher level for strategic development of the protocol. People must be voted into the executive board. Tier 2 – Supreme $STYLE Holders Anyone staking a minimum amount of token can join the secondary decision making tier in order to vote on changes and future development of the protocol. Tier 3 – Every $STYLE holder or people wanting to vote on future collaborations and next projects can do so after verifying to be an active token holder.  Once the protocol flows are set up and the ecosystem is live for users and environments, a DAO decision-making webfront will be launched for token holders and elected decision makers to connect wallets and participate in the decision-making of the protocol development. Therefore, if one holds $STYLE token they will be able to vote in the creative, organizational and administrative processes of STYLE Protocol. Finally, most NFTs and metaverse projects share part of their revenues with the community of NFT holders. These usually come from secondary market sales and royalty fees. As the NFT market grows, developers, artists, and collectors are exploring new use cases for their NFT collections. One of the latest cases is using NFTs as utility tokens in staking platforms. For example, in some gaming metaverses, NFT collectors can stake their NFTs to boost their game character’s abilities and earn extra rewards. NFT staking refers to the locking up of NFTs on a platform or protocol to receive staking rewards and other privileges. This allows NFT holders to earn a passive income while maintaining ownership of their NFTs. Locking up NFTs on a platform can release rewards depending on the annual interest rate, the staking duration, and the number of NFTs staked. $STYLE NFTs staking is a new opportunity for NFTs owners to monetize their assets, potentially attracting more people to participate and driving up the market demand for stakeable NFTs. Staking an NFT on STYLE is like staking Bitcoin (BTC) or Ether (ETH). All that is needed is a cryptocurrency wallet with NFTs. The main purpose of staking NFTs on STYLE is to allow tailors to create derivative NFTs on another metaverse such as Bored Apes T-Shirt on Decentraland coming from original Bored Ape staked on STYLE. These newly created NFTs that are utilizable across other virtual worlds are essentially derivative NFTs of the initial asset. STYLE Protocol aims to empower the creator economy and young up-and-coming designers by adding utility, monetization opportunities and interoperability to their artwork. To build use cases for communities to utilize assets across different platforms and to provide access to exclusive virtual wearables for brands and designers. Finally, they aim to turn existing NFTs into skins, avatars or wearables for different games and metaverses, acting as a decentralized metaverse exchange. Official Links Website: https://www.protocol.sty...

Jennifer Lopez’s Netflix Film Co-Star Needed D**k Tie For Sex Scene With Star – LADbible https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/jennifer-lopezs-netflix-film-co-star-needed-dk-tie-for-sex-scene-with-star-ladbible/ A co-star of Jennifer Lopez revealed how during the filming of an intimate scene, he was provided with a ‘d**k tie’ to prevent any unfortunate – and uncomfortable – mishaps occuring. Imagine it, you’re an actor and you land the role of your career. You’re staring alongside Jennifer Lopez, everything looks great… But it’s an erotic thriller, and you have to have on-screen sex with the star. What sounds like every teenage boy’s fantasy was actually a really mechanical process, as Ryan Guzman once revealed. Guzman starred alongside ‘Jenny from the Block’ in the 2015 thriller The Boy Next Door, which followed a 19-year-old man who, after having a one-night stand with his high school teacher, develops a dangerous obsession with her. When it came to filming their intimate scene, it turns out that while Lopez got ‘all these cool gadgets’ to maintain professionalism, Guzman was left with nothing but a sock and a ‘d**k tie’. Sounds classy, we know. Speaking to Cosmopolitan back in 2015, Guzman explained how he had to make it as tight as he could to prevent blood flow. “It kind of holds on to your man parts so the sock isn’t, you know, pulled off during the scene,” he said. The d**k tie also ensures no ‘surprises’ happen during the filming of the hot and heavy scenes… if you know what we mean. Ryan Guzman starred alongside Jennifer Lopez in The Boy Next Door. Credit: Universal Pictures The actor went on to explain other measures put in place to maintain the pair’s professionalism and dignity, including the ‘guards’ that were used during particularly graphic scenes. “There’s a guard there,” Guzman said when speaking about having his ‘hands all over her body’. “She was wearing something on top of her and there was no full-on hand-to-genitalia, I mean … it was just, yeah. We kept it professional. “Even when I’m grabbing on her chest, there were guards on them too, and my hand had to be positioned in a certain way so it didn’t show any of the guards [in the shot].” The actor revealed the measures that were in place to keep the pair as professional and comfortable as possible during their intimate scene. Credit: Universal Pictures In all honesty, we think most of us would have preferred to keep an industry secret like that… a secret. One that we never acknowledge and certainly don’t talk about in order to keep the fantasy alive, like Father Christmas, or the Tooth Fairy. Or one of the many other relatable things to blockbuster film sex scenes. For those of you who love a rom-com as much as anyone else, or are a die-hard fan of erotic thrillers, we’re sorry.

Legacy Games Studios Are Exiting P2E – That’s Good News For Crypto-Native Projects – Business 2 Community – Business 2 Community https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/legacy-games-studios-are-exiting-p2e-thats-good-news-for-crypto-native-projects-business-2-community-business-2-community/ Several major game studios attempted to portray non-fungible tokens (NFTs) when cryptocurrency prices reached all-time highs as the next big thing in late 2021. After a few months, falling prices and criticism from gamers and workers have dampened those euphoric feelings. Crypto assets were expected to provide gamers with the ability to own their in-game digital goods while also providing publishers with a new source of revenue. The truth, however, has proven to be more complicated. NFTs Lead to Scarcity and Exclusion Speculative assets, such as NFTs or in-game cryptocurrencies, have a significant impact on game dynamics and player expectations. Whether they are magical weapons or robot costumes, these assets are financial goods. They contain a certain amount of speculative risk, which includes the possibility of both gains and losses. Their presence in a game causes both producers and players to become investors. Mojang, a Microsoft-owned video game developer, claimed that NFTs lead to “scarcity and exclusion.” The Minecraft creator prohibited corporations from building worlds on blockchain networks or game-related NFTs, effectively putting an end to several ongoing projects. Mojang said in a July blog post. “NFTs are not inclusive of all our community and create a scenario of the haves and the have-nots.” “The speculative pricing and investment mentality around NFTs takes the focus away from playing the game and encourages profiteering, which we think is inconsistent with the long-term joy and success of our players.” Axie Infinity’s Best P2E Game One of the most well-known blockchain-based games, Axie Infinity, allows users to earn and obtain Smooth Love Potion in-game tokens. These tokens can be traded on exchanges for cryptocurrencies or turned into fiat currencies like the US dollar. Axie players must pay to produce those early prizes. To be eligible for the play-to-earn, or P2E, concept, players had to first obtain three NFT “monsters.” At its peak in July 2021, that would have cost close to $1,400, or about $446 per NFT. Profits were estimated to be around $700 per fortnight. Guilds, which were popularised in games like Axie, are a throwback to the cooperative grinding for rare items that teams used to engage in classic games like World of Warcraft. In exchange, guild leaders were given a permanent share of their teams’ bitcoin earnings, sometimes as high as 90%, in exchange for footing the bill for the so-called scholars to play the game. In one of the largest crypto industry attacks ever, hackers stole nearly $600 million from the Ronin Bridge that connects different blockchains https://t.co/PjFgHDKRJa — Bloomberg Crypto (@crypto) March 29, 2022 The March hacking incident on Axie, in which hackers stole over $600 million, made it difficult for players who relied on the game for income to get their money back. The public figure who popularised the “play-to-earn” model rebranded the subgenre as “play-and-earn” to reflect the shift in focus from making money to having fun with the game. Funding for NFT Development Interoperability, a hypothetical future in which players can use an item purchased in one game in another, was one of the main arguments for funding NFT development. Players may gain ownership tokens for the goods they win. It will allow them to carry their magic swords and robot outfits between games and potentially profit from selling them in the future. Most cryptocurrency games have struggled to juggle incompatible game engines and art styles, competing for blockchains and carefully licenced intellectual property franchises. Despite some of the blockchain experiences, like Alien Worlds, Decentraland, and The Sandbox, trying to harmonise their platforms. Related: 14 Best Play to Earn Games in 2022 Axie Infinity Price Prediction 2022 – 2025 Where To Buy Axie Infinity Coin – Beginner’s Guide Tamadoge (TAMA) – The P2E Dogecoin ’10x Potential’ – CNBC Report Deflationary, Low Supply – 2 Billion Move to Earn, Metaverse Integration on Roadmap NFT Doge Pets – Potential for Mass Adoption Presale Complete – Upcoming ICO on LBank, Uniswap Join our Telegram channel to stay up to date on breaking news coverage Author: Ali B Ali is a professional live webinar speaker and derivatives (cryptocurrency, forex, commodities, and indices) analyst. He brings a broad range of skills to help beginners evaluate financial data and investment trends, carry out technical analysis, fundamental analysis, and make an informed decision on the best ways to strategize their investment … View full profile ›

U.S. Homebuilding Buoyed By Multi-Family Projects; Permits Decline – Reuters https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/u-s-homebuilding-buoyed-by-multi-family-projects-permits-decline-reuters/ New townhomes are seen under construction while building material supplies are in high demand in Tampa, Florida, U.S., May 5, 2021. REUTERS/Octavio Jones Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Housing starts surge 12.2% in August Single-family starts rise 3.4%; multi-family up 28.6% Building permits drop 10.0%; single-family down 3.5% WASHINGTON, Sept 20 (Reuters) – U.S. homebuilding unexpectedly increased in August as rising rents boosted the construction of multi-family housing to the highest level in more than 36 years, but soaring mortgage rates and high prices are undercutting the overall housing market. The report from the Commerce Department on Tuesday showed permits for future homebuilding plunged to levels last seen during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020. Homebuilding is also being hobbled by supply chain bottlenecks, which are raising prices for materials. The Federal Reserve’s aggressive monetary policy tightening has significantly weakened the housing market. In contrast, other sectors of the economy, like the labor market, have shown incredible resilience despite the Fed’s attempts to cool demand. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com “Housing construction activity is caught in the crossfire of two opposing forces,” said Conrad DeQuadros, senior economic advisor at Brean Capital in New York. “However, construction activity is likely to remain solid for a while as builders work through the backlog even as optimism about new sales plummets.” Housing starts rebounded 12.2% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.575 million units last month. Data for July was revised down to a rate of 1.404 million units from the previously reported 1.446 million units. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast starts would come in at a rate of 1.445 million units. Housing starts dipped 0.1% on a year-on-year basis in August. Starts for housing projects with five units or more soared 28.6% to a rate 621,000 units, the highest since April 1986. Multi-family housing construction is being supported by strong demand for rental apartments, with rising borrowing costs pushing homeownership out of the reach of many Americans. Single-family housing starts, which account for the biggest share of homebuilding, increased 3.4% to a rate of 935,000 units. Single-family homebuilding rose in the Midwest, the densely populated South and the West, but plunged in the Northeast. MORTGAGE RATES SOARING The U.S. central bank is expected to raise its policy rate by 75 basis points on Wednesday for the third time in as many policy meetings. Since March, the Fed has lifted that rate from near zero to its current range of 2.25% to 2.50%. Mortgage rates have risen even higher. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate averaged 6.02% last week, from 5.89% in the prior week, breaking above 6% for the first time since November 2008, according to data from mortgage finance agency Freddie Mac. Reuters Graphics Permits for future homebuilding tumbled 10.0% to a rate of 1.517 million units, the lowest level since June 2020. Single-family building permits dropped 3.5% to a rate of 899,000 units, the lowest level since June 2020. Permits for multi-family housing projects declined 18.5% to a rate of 571,000 units. Residential fixed investment declined at its steepest pace in two years in the second quarter, contributing to the second straight quarterly drop in gross domestic product during that period. Homebuilding is likely to remain on the back foot for the rest of the year. A survey on Monday showed the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market sentiment index fell for the ninth straight month in September. The survey found almost a quarter of builders reported reducing home prices and more than half were offering incentives to bolster sales, including mortgage rate buydowns and free amenities. read more An outright housing market collapse is, however, unlikely because of an acute shortage of single-family homes for sale. Though house price inflation has started slowing, there are fewer homes being built because of financial constraints, suggesting the pace could be moderate. That could pose a conundrum for the Fed, which is seeking to bring down house prices by slowing demand for houses. The number of houses approved for construction that are yet to be started fell 2.7% to 290,000 units. The single-family housing backlog decreased 3.4% to 143,000 units, but the completions rate for this segment increased 0.4%. The inventory of single-family housing under construction fell 0.4% to a rate of 812,000 million units. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Paul Simao Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Samsara To Open New European Technology Center In Warsaw, Poland – Business Wire https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/samsara-to-open-new-european-technology-center-in-warsaw-poland-business-wire/ SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Samsara Inc. (“Samsara”) (NYSE: IOT), the pioneer of the Connected Operations Cloud, today announced that it is opening a new office in Warsaw, Poland, as part of an investment plan to expand its international footprint. Samsara’s latest expansion to its European operation, which now includes operational centers in the UK, France, and the Netherlands, will enable the company to provide exceptional support to its new, and existing, customers. “Our EMEA business continues to expand at a rapid rate since we first established our European presence in London in 2018,” said Philip van der Wilt, VP & General Manager, Samsara, EMEA. “As Samsara continues to grow and develop new solutions, we’re expanding our global technology team with an office in Poland’s capital, where some of the world’s brightest engineering talent will help us transform the future of physical operations.” The Warsaw office is expected to grow rapidly by the end of 2022, led by an engineering team focused on fleet telematics, which has been a driving force behind the company’s impressive growth. Samsara has grown from zero to $660M of ARR (annual recurring revenue) in just seven years, one of the fastest SaaS companies to achieve this milestone. Samsara also reported a 64% revenue growth year-over-year and more than 15,000 global core customers at the end of its last fiscal year. Engineers in Poland will work on a wide range of technologies across multiple features and functions within telematics, including Golang, GraphQL, React web dashboards, ReactNative for the Samsara Driver Mobile app, IoT, and machine learning (ML). “The creation of our Poland technology center follows Samsara’s rapid progress,” said Rick Carragher, VP of Engineering at Samsara. “We chose to open our next engineering center in Warsaw because of its world-class computer science programs and the fact that Poland consistently comes top for producing outstanding tech talent.“ “The engineering culture that is embedded throughout Samsara means the new teams will be driven by a focus on customer success underpinned by the engineering freedom to find innovative solutions to difficult problems. Our new team will work closely with customers across the world to provide an unprecedented level of real-time visibility of connected operations,” said Carragher. Samsara has already begun to interview candidates as part of a holistic approach to finding talent that builds on the foundation of computer engineering skills supported by a strong focus on problem solving. To find out more about the job opportunities in Poland, read our Life at Samsara Poland blog post and check out our careers page. To learn about Samsara’s mission to increase the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of the operations that power the global economy visit www.samsara.com. About Samsara Samsara is the pioneer of the Connected Operations Cloud, which allows businesses that depend on physical operations to harness IoT (Internet of Things) data to develop actionable business insights and improve their operations. Samsara operates in North America and Europe and serves tens of thousands of customers across a wide range of industries including transportation, wholesale and retail trade, construction, field services, logistics, utilities and energy, government, healthcare and education, manufacturing, and food and beverage. The company’s mission is to increase the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of the operations that power the global economy. Samsara is a registered trademark of Samsara Inc. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

Valkyrae And Hasan Mock Claim That Playing Games Is A “form Of Depression” – Dexerto https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/valkyrae-and-hasan-mock-claim-that-playing-games-is-a-form-of-depression-dexerto/ Valkyrae and Hasan streaming together Streaming stars Rachell ‘Valkyrae’ Hofstetter and Hasan ‘HasanAbi’ Piker hit back after reading a viral tweet claiming that playing video games for long periods of time is a “form of depression.” There have been numerous concerns over the years about the effect that gaming can have on a player’s mental wellbeing. While the WHO considers ‘gaming disorder’ to be a mental illness, others argue that gaming can provide escapism for a player. As two of YouTube and Twitch’s most popular streamers, Valkyrae and Hasan have enjoyed many hours chatting to their fans and friends over a game title. So, understandably, the pair disagreed with a “lifetime gamer” who argued that playing video games relentlessly is a “form of depression.” Valkyrae argues that gaming can be an “escape” Valkyrae joined Hasan’s Twitch livestream as the duo spent a good deal of time catching up and watching YouTube videos together. However, they then came across a tweet as the mood turned more serious. The Twitter user claimed: “As an adult, playing video games for long periods of time is a form of depression […] Think about the 100 greatest moments of your life. Do any of those moments include video games? Probably not.” As an adult, playing video games for long periods of time is a form of depression. If you don’t believe me, ask yourself this. Think about the 100 greatest moments of your life. Do any of those moments include video games? Probably not. And this comes from a lifetime gamer. — DJ Vlad (@djvlad) September 11, 2022 However, Valkyrae disagreed saying “people definitely use video games as an escape.” Hasan similarly responded by listing some of the “greatest moments” he’s experience which involve a gaming title. Although, the “lifetime gamer” stressed that they weren’t targeting those who’d “turned gaming into a career” such as streamers. Rather, it was more directed for those who “consistently devote” a good deal of time to playing games. “I’ve had a lot of happy moments with video games,” Valkyrae added. “Like, playing Super Nintendo. Playing Lion King and my sister’s just watching me with the little cheat book. My Mom is like cooking dinner and my Dad just got home […] those are good memories.” The debate over the influence of video games is still a hot topic of discussion across the internet. However, Hasan and Valkyrae made it very clear just how much happiness gaming has brought them.

TAC Prioritizes High-Priority, Unfunded Tier 3 Needs, Local System Bridge Projects For The Region – The Salem News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/tac-prioritizes-high-priority-unfunded-tier-3-needs-local-system-bridge-projects-for-the-region-the-salem-news/ The Meramec Regional Planning Commission’s (MRPC) Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC), meeting Aug. 11 at MRPC, prioritized the next round of high-priority unfunded Tier 3 needs in the region, including the top 10 road and bridge and the top 15 multi-modal projects to assist MoDOT in its planning efforts for future projects. Additionally, the TAC prioritized projects for the Regional Bridge Program, also known as the BRO program. “Road, bridge and multimodal projects were prioritized as part of the unfunded Tier 3 planning discussion with MoDOT. This identifies a pipeline of projects, should additional funds become available for transportation projects throughout the state,” Anne Freand, MRPC planning manager said. “The region’s top 10 road and bridge projects and top 15 multimodal projects will then be shared with MoDOT’s Central District for consideration.”

Briscoe’s Magical Vacation Planner Ford Mustang Will Be On Display On Sept. 23 In Mitchell During Persimmon Festival – WBIW.com https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/briscoes-magical-vacation-planner-ford-mustang-will-be-on-display-on-sept-23-in-mitchell-during-persimmon-festival-wbiw-com/ MITCHELL – Their hometown connection grew to take on the national stage when the travel industry powerhouse and Authorized Disney Vacation Planner announced the sponsorship of Briscoe’s No. 14 Team for five NASCAR Cup Series races. Briscoe drove the Magical Vacation Planner Ford Mustang at the All-Star Race in Texas in May, and in this past weekend’s race at Kansas. MVP will again be Briscoe’s main sponsor during upcoming playoff races at Bristol, Talladega, and Homestead. Now, the two are taking the stage off the racetrack as they bring the Magical Vacation Planner Ford Mustang to town for Mitchell’s Persimmon Festival’s 75th Anniversary. The car will be showcased at Hatfield Elementary School on September 23 and in the festival’s parade the following day. The public will also be able to view the car on September 23 from 2:30 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at Mitchell’s Post Office parking lot. “I remember as a kid watching all the planning and hard work it took for many people to plan the festival, and I remember the joy it brought to them,” said Eubanks. “It taught me so much about what the sense of community means, and how working hard as a team to accomplish something is the best way to do things.” “The Persimmon Festival was always a big deal,” said Briscoe. “Every year we’d go and hang out with friends and everyone in town. The festivals were one thing I always loved about growing up in Indiana.” %

Fifth Third Bank Launches Mortgage Warehouse Finance Business – News – ABL Advisor https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/fifth-third-bank-launches-mortgage-warehouse-finance-business-news-abl-advisor/ Fifth Third Bank has launched its Mortgage Warehouse Finance business to meet the needs of independent mortgage bankers. As one of the largest regional banks in the U.S., Fifth Third offers the liquidity, credit and banking solutions independent mortgage bankers require, all in one place. “At Fifth Third, we look to be the banking partner of choice for independent mortgage bankers,” said Kevin Lavender, head of commercial banking at Fifth Third Bank. “Our resources and focus on relationships position us to provide solutions to our clients’ most pressing business problems. We can collaborate to deliver value for today’s independent mortgage bankers’ business.” Warehouse lending is a commercial financing arrangement between banks and non depository mortgage lenders that originate or aggregate residential mortgage loans. The financing arrangement provides interim liquidity until the loan is sold or securitized in the secondary market. Loans are held in “warehouse” from the time they are funded on the facility until they are sold. Fifth Third’s Mortgage Warehouse Finance business is led by industry veteran Donnie Martin, who brings more than 25 years of mortgage industry experience to the bank. Martin has assembled a team of knowledgeable warehouse lending professionals across the U.S. The team is based in Dallas. “We offer our clients a full banking relationship, industry expertise and technology to deliver excellence in daily execution and consistency through business cycles,” said Martin, group head of mortgage warehouse finance at Fifth Third. “We’re bringing the resources of Fifth Third’s Commercial Bank to the mortgage industry to help our clients achieve their long-term strategic objectives.” Fifth Third’s Mortgage Finance Connect technology platform will provide clients efficient, same-day funding that integrates with existing processes. The quick fulfillment, together with a broad product offering, provides the tools necessary for mortgage bankers to succeed in a fast-paced, ever-changing industry. Mortgage Warehouse Finance joins Fifth Third’s Correspondent Lending Group, Capital Markets Whole Loan Trading Desk and Treasury Management Solutions Team in serving the business needs of independent mortgage bankers across the country.

AprilAire Sponsored And 10 Employees Rode In The FairShare CSA Coalition Bike The Barns Event – PR Web https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/aprilaire-sponsored-and-10-employees-rode-in-the-fairshare-csa-coalition-bike-the-barns-event-pr-web/ AprilAire executive Heather Hartwig rode the Bike the Barns Sept. 18 and AprilAire sponsored the event. “We have a mission to be a good community servant through healthy living and making a difference in the lives of our friends, neighbors, and colleagues. The Bike the Barns event certainly checked all those boxes. We were very happy to be a part of the ride.” MADISON, Wis. (PRWEB) September 20, 2022 AprilAire, the nationwide leader in professional-grade Healthy Air solutions for the home since 1954, sponsored the 14th annual Bike the Barns in Madison on Sept. 18 and 10 employees rode in this large fundraising event for the FairShare CSA Coalition. AprilAire’s participation showcases its core value of making a difference in communities as well as its commitment to healthy living, including not only clean air to breathe but clean food to eat for everyone. Madison-based FairShare CSA Coalition is a non-profit organization providing locally produced, organic food from small-scale farms to families throughout the Midwest, including those with low incomes, through its Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. In addition to individual fundraising efforts by AprilAire employee cyclists, the company was a premier sponsor for the event, providing banner signage, t-shirt logos, and more including sponsor branding as riders entered the finish chute. Bike the Barns began with breakfast at Lake Farm County Park and long route bikers began their approximately 60-mile ride at 9:00 a.m., while those riding 30 to 40 miles departed at 10:00 a.m. Depending on the mileage, participants could make two, three, or four interactive farm stops as they wheeled through scenic southeastern Dane County to enjoy tours, activities, food, beverage, music, and other barnyard fun. “It was a great day weather-wise for a bike ride,” said Heather Hartwig, AprilAire’s senior product manager – sensors, who rode the 30- to 40-mile route. “I enjoyed spending time with my AprilAire work friends outside of the office and challenging my cycling legs in the beautiful, clean Wisconsin air.” FairShare Coalition CSA’s Bike the Barns event perfectly mirrors one of AprilAire’s five core values, healthy living, because the brand believes inherently that everyone deserves the healthy, clean air provided by AprilAire solutions just as much as they deserve the healthy, clean food from a CSA. Participation in the biking event also strongly supports another core value: making a difference. In addition to those health and community service values, other AprilAire core messages include simplicity of design, inspired innovation, and delivering straight talk and real results, as promised. “We have a mission to be a good community servant through healthy living and making a difference in the lives of our friends, neighbors, and colleagues,” said David Carlson, director of marketing for AprilAire. “The Bike the Barns event certainly checked all those boxes. We were very happy to be a part of the ride.” AprilAire’s suite of healthy air innovations for homes nationwide is led by the company’s signature solution, the AprilAire Healthy Air System®, a set-it-and-forget-it, whole house system for all-in-one fresh air ventilation, air purification, humidity control, zoning, control, and radon mitigation which are all essential to maintaining proper indoor air quality no matter the weather outside. Other products are available individually including whole-house dehumidifiers, whole-house humidifiers, air purifiers and a complete line of filters, including the highest rated MERV 16 filters that capture 98%* of airborne viruses and 99%* of allergy and asthma triggers. To find the right solution for their residence, homeowners should contact their local AprilAire Healthy Air Professional for a consultation and to recommend the proper AprilAire solution to help reduce pollen, mold spores, bacteria, viruses, pet dander, dust, dust mites, tobacco smoke, and pollution indoors. *Contaminants removed based on air passing through the filtering system. About AprilAire AprilAire is on a mission to make homes healthy. We believe everyone deserves Healthy Air and envision a future with Healthy Air in every home. We value healthy living, customer-inspired innovation, simplicity of design, straight talk and delivering real results as promised, and most importantly making a positive difference in the lives of our customers, families, and communities. Headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin since 1954, AprilAire has been creating and delivering Healthy Air solutions to manage air purity, humidity, fresh air supply, radon mitigation, and temperature for all types of homes, in all environments. We have an unparalleled reputation as the brand of choice among tens of thousands of professional contractors and make a Healthy Air difference in the lives of the millions of families who rely on our products every day. To learn how to turn your house into a Healthy Home with the AprilAire Healthy Air System® and learn about other solutions, visit http://www.aprilaire.com. # # # Share article on social media or email:

Premier League News Live Updates: Tables, Fixtures And Build-Up To International Football – The Athletic https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/premier-league-news-live-updates-tables-fixtures-and-build-up-to-international-football-the-athletic/ September 20, 2022 at 7:37 AM EDT Jordan Henderson added to England squad for matches against Italy and Germany Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has been added to England’s squad for the Nations League matches against Italy and Germany after recovering from injury. The 32-year-old has already linked up with the squad at St. George’s Park as they continue preparing for their upcoming matches. Henderson was originally ruled out for three weeks after damaging his hamstring in Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Newcastle United on August 31. Click here to read the full story. (Photo: Getty Images) Omar Garrick· Staff Editor, News September 20, 2022 at 6:49 AM EDT One-minute silence in honour of Queen Elizabeth II in Scotland vs Ukraine Scotland have confirmed they will hold a one minute silence before their match against Ukraine in memory of Queen Elizabeth II. Omar Garrick· Staff Editor, News Following discussions with UEFA, we can confirm that there will be a minute’s applause ahead of our match against Ukraine, in memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. pic.twitter.com/CGEY30xwut — Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) September 20, 2022 September 20, 2022 at 5:56 AM EDT England confirm Morgan Gibbs-White and Keane Lewis-Potter out of the England Under-21s squad to face Italy and Germany England have confirmed that Morgan Gibbs-White and Keane Lewis-Potter have pulled out of the England Under-21s squad to face Italy and Germany. Both players will return to their clubs for assessments over the coming days. It has also been confirmed that midfielder Tyler Morton has been called up as a replacement by manager Lee Carsley for the first time. Omar Garrick· Staff Editor, News September 20, 2022 at 5:25 AM EDT Barcelona forecast €274million profit this season Barcelona have forecast a profit of €274million (£240m, $274m) for the current 2022-23 season. The Spanish side also say they recorded a profit of €98m with a turnover of €1.017billion for the 2021-22 financial year. Barcelona had their spending cap increased by La Liga to €656.5million earlier this month after moving to fix their financial situation this summer. Click here to read the full story. (Photo: Getty Images) Omar Garrick· Staff Editor, News September 20, 2022 at 4:21 AM EDT Oldham Athletic appoint David Unsworth as manager Oldham Athletic have confirmed the appointment of David Unsworth as the club’s new first-team manager. Omar Garrick· Staff Editor, News September 20, 2022 at 3:50 AM EDT Ten Hag has brought a Guardiola and Klopp ‘discipline’ to Manchester United – Bruno Fernandes Bruno Fernandes believes Erik ten Hag has brought a disciplinarian attitude to Manchester United, similar to the styles of Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp. United confirmed the arrival of Ten Hag as their new manager in April this year, with the Dutchman agreeing to move from Ajax to the Premier League club. While he endured a difficult start with worrying defeats to Brighton and Brentford, United have since won their last four Premier League matches in row, including victories against Liverpool and current leaders Arsenal. Click here to read the full story. (Photo: Getty Images) Omar Garrick· Staff Editor, News September 20, 2022 at 2:40 AM EDT ICYMI: Hugo Lloris withdraws from France squad due to thigh injury Tottenham Hotspur’s Hugo Lloris has withdrawn from the France squad for their upcoming Nations League matches due to a thigh injury. France captain Lloris will miss games against Austria and Denmark and has been replaced by Nantes No 1 Alban Lafont in Didier Deschamps’ squad. Lloris played the entire 90 minutes of Spurs’ 6-2 thumping of Leicester City on Saturday, and impressed with excellent shot-stopping during the match. Click here to read the full story. (Photo: Getty Images) Omar Garrick· Staff Editor, News September 20, 2022 at 2:20 AM EDT Chelsea sporting director appointment not imminent, good chance Christoph Freund remains at Red Bull Salzburg Chelsea’s installation of a sporting director is not imminent and there is a good chance that front-runner Christoph Freund now stays at Red Bull Salzburg. Optimism inside Stamford Bridge that a deal for Freund was almost done is believed to have been premature, with Salzburg keen to keep hold of him. Read more from our football correspondent, David Ornstein. Omar Garrick· Staff Editor, News September 20, 2022 at 2:12 AM EDT Good morning! We will be building up to all the Nations League fixtures taking place this week, plus bring you live updates throughout the Premier League. Stick around for updates! Omar Garrick· Staff Editor, News

Coinllectibles To Host Metaverse Web 5.0 Leadership Conference In Singapore On 1 Nov 2022 – PR Newswire https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/coinllectibles-to-host-metaverse-web-5-0-leadership-conference-in-singapore-on-1-nov-2022-pr-newswire/ Visionaries, Luminaries, Advocates and Thought Leaders within the centralised (Web 2.0) and decentralised (Web 3.0) space will be gathered in Singapore on 1 November 2022 to exchange insights on what Web 5.0 is and how stakeholders can prepare for it. , /PRNewswire/ — Metaverse Blockchain company Coinllectibles, a fully owned subsidiary of Cosmos Group Holdings Inc. (OTC: COSG), is pleased to announce that it will be hosting the region’s first Web 5.0 Conference in Singapore at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel on 1 November 2022. What is the Web 5.0 Conference about? The development of how we engage with centralised and decentralised platforms through the evolution of the internet will be a defining area in the evolution of the metaverse.  Coinllectibles, as a metaverse company, defines Web 5.0 as the seamless interoperability between centralised (Web 2.0) and decentralised (Web 3.0) apps and platforms for the primary purpose of achieving the ideal balance of user experience, control and ownership. Coinllectibles seeks to bring together thought leaders to engage around the key issues and help shape this new Web 5.0 ecosystem.   Julian So, Vice Chairman of Coinllectibles, notes that, “We do not profess to have all the answers. I also do not think that anyone can definitively say what Web 5.0 is at the moment.  However, one thing is for sure – in a fast-evolving space like technology, collaboration is key.  That is why we think that it is important for industry players  to start sharing ideas and to seed a broader based Web 5.0 discussion.” “Web 5.0 Conference is also positioned as a more holistic conference with emphasis across 4 key themes, which are – (1) Innovation, (2) Technology and Security, (3) Legal and Regulations and (4) Investment and Applications. Based on our observation, unlike Web 1.0 or Web 2.0 – which are primarily technology focused, a more cross disciplinary approach should be taken when looking at Web 5.0 development. Hence, it is this view that has shaped how we have put the event together,” added Julian. Highlights of the Web 5.0 Conference The Web 5.0 Conference seeks to bring together thought leaders, entrepreneurs, advocates, legal minds, investors, and industry insiders to create a unique in person event with many sessions made available to an online audience. The conference will address key technical issues as well as have plenty of fun and surprises.   There will be several thought leaders in the fields of legal, technology, intellectual property and media from all over the world as well as a number of leading Singapore based firms. The founder and Chairman of Coinllectibles, Dr Herbert Lee, will also be at the event to welcome the attendees. In terms of event highlights, apart from the speakers and topics, there will be the World Premiere of an exclusive trailer for a crime drama television series that is produced by the award-winning Phoenix Waters Productions. There will also be an exhibition showcasing arts and collectibles NFTs. These physical items have a NFT that serves as form of digital ownership tokens (DOTs) whereby collectors can buy and sell physical collector pieces via third party NFT platforms. With respect to the arts and collectibles showcase, Terry Lee, Head of Art for Coinllectibles, said, “As the Head of Art for Coinllectibles, I see NFTs adding a lot of value to the collectibles market. Often, the key issues collectors face relates to provenance and authenticity of the artwork – which are things blockchain technology can solve. We have been implementing this technology with collectors, galleries and auction houses over the last year. I see this as a real-world use case for blockchain technology and I am excited to show that blockchain can be used to support real progress in the art markets.” Why is Coinllectibles organizing the Conference in Singapore? Since its launch in September 2021, Coinllectibles has been gaining traction in regions like United Kingdom and the United States. Coinllectibles has also participated in numerous technology exhibitions as well as organized outreach events in Hong Kong. However, this is the first time it is organizing such a conference in Singapore. Commenting on why Coinllectibles has decided to hold the Web 5.0 conference in Singapore, Joshua Chu, Chief Risk Officer of Coinllectibles, said, “Singapore is recognized as an innovative technology hub with great legal and technical infrastructure and a logical base to expand our presence in. As a lawyer by training, I am acutely aware of the push the Singapore government is making with respect to intellectual property law as well as protection. As a company, we think the next innovation in that intellectual property space will come in the form of blockchain adoption.” “With most of the world reopening from the Covid-19 shutdown, we see Singapore as an excellent B2B hub. This is because we are ultimately a technology company that is looking to work with businesses in the application of blockchain technology – and there is no better place to be than Singapore.” Coinllectibles Web 5.0 Conference is a free event. As seating is limited for certain conference sessions, attendees will be required to register to gain admission to the event. To register your attendance, please visit www.coinllectibles.art/Web5Conference. For more information on the key highlights of the Web 5.0 Conference 2022, please refer to the Annex below. Web 5.0 Conference 2022 1 November 2022 Grand Copthorne Waterfront 392 Havelock Road, Singapore 169663 9am – 10pm Registration: www.coinllectibles.art/Web5Conference #Web5Conference Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which are often indicated by terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “goal,” “intend,” “look forward to,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding future business activities including the expansion into the decentralized financing space. These forward-looking statements are not promises or guarantees and involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described or projected herein include uncertainties associated with operating a business in Singapore and Hong Kong, risk of interference by the PRC government, ability to compete, that financial resources do not last for as long as anticipated, and that COSG is a holding company that may not realize the expected benefits of DOT’s offered by Coinllectibles. A further list and description of these risks, uncertainties and other risks can be found in COSG’s regulatory filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including in its current report on Form 8-K  filed on September 17, 2021. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. COSG undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise. For media queries, please contact: [email protected]  About Cosmos Group Holdings Inc Cosmos is a business group that operates in two business segments: Arts and Collectibles Financing Through CoinllectiblesTM, the group provides authentication, valuation and certification (AVC) service, sale and purchase, hire purchase, financing, custody, security and exhibition (CSE) services to art buyers through traditional channels, as well as through leveraging blockchain technology through the creation of digital ownership tokens (DOTs). With subsidiaries licensed under Hong Kong’s Money Lenders Ordinance, the group currently primarily provides unsecured personal loan to private individuals, with a small portfolio of mortgage loans. The group is integrating the two business segments by offering secured financing services to prospective art and collectibles purchasers to provide a one-stop arts and collectibles purchasing and financing experience. About the Company – Coinllectibles Coinllectibles is a technology company supporting the collectibles industry with a focus on rare memorabilia and artworks that exist and have intrinsic value in the real world, whether tangible or intangible in nature. Coinllectibles applies blockchain, marketplace, metaverse and DOT technologies as tools to disrupt and enhance the real world collectibles industry. The technology underpinning DOTs (digital ownership tokens) has multiple functional use cases that Coinllectibles is applying to areas including art, sports, watches, numismatics, limited edition toys, limited edition fashion wear and sneakers. DOTs have the power to transform our societies and some areas may be subject to regulations. Coinllectibles uses DOT technology solely to provide a legally-binding digital ownership token (DOT) to a tangible or intangible collectible. Website:             www.coinllectibles.art Facebook:          https://www.facebook.com/Coinllectibles Instagram:          https://www.instagram.com/coinllectibles/ Twitter:                https://twitter.com/coinllectibles LinkedIn:             https://www.linkedin.com/company/coinllectibles Telegram:            https://t.me/Coinllectibles  About Coinllectibles Fusion DOT  Coinllectibles prides the Fusion DOT as the industry “Gold Standard”.  Being a Gold Standard, a Fusion DOT contains the following on Arweave ...

Miller: MotoGP Bike Gadgets Can’t Be Blamed For Aragon Lap 1 Chaos – Autosport https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/miller-motogp-bike-gadgets-cant-be-blamed-for-aragon-lap-1-chaos-autosport/ The returning Marquez was rear-ended by championship leader Fabio Quartararo when the Honda rider had a small moment applying the throttle through Turn 3 on the opening lap. This sent Quartararo into a sickening crash while bits of his Yamaha got stuck in the rear of Marquez’s Honda. When the six-time MotoGP world champion engaged his rear ride height device exiting Turn 7, he lost drive from the rear wheel as the system locked, which caused a second collision with LCR’s Takaaki Nakagami. This incident has led to a renewed debate on whether the later technical advances in MotoGP, such as ride height devices and aerodynamic wings, should be banned on safety grounds. But Miller – whose Ducati team has been against all proposed bans to these items in recent years – feels the gadgetry can’t be blamed for what happened on lap 1 at Aragon. “Yeah, I mean, that’s a part of it. At the end of the day this is racing, shit’s going to happen,” Miller began. “Are we blaming them [gadgets] are we now? Shit seems to happen when you ride up the arse of other people. “The bike on its own seems to be perfectly fine, so I don’t think we can blame the gadgetry in this circumstance. Jack Miller, Ducati Team Photo by: Dorna “Someone running up the arse of someone else and breaking a lot of components off the motorcycle, of course the motorcycle’s not going to work properly. “I mean, either way whether that broke it or the subframe broke it, whatever, shit’s going to break when two bikes come together. It’s inevitable.” He added: “When we came up there, there was shit all over the track: wings and rocks and all sorts. “Right up the apex of Turn 4, where you go right up the kerb, there were thousands of stones. “Pecco [Bagnaia] ran up to the kerb in between four and five because we all went in there and all lost the front on all those stones across the track. So, it’s part of it. That’s why this sport is so cool.” Quartararo – who was involved in a scooter incident on his way back to the paddock after his retirement – only suffered some abrasions to his chest in the incident with Marquez, while Nakagami’s Japanese GP is in doubt after he suffered lacerations to his hand in his collision.

ĀTHŌS Private Wealth Launches First Of Its Kind Crypto Investment Platform – Business Wire https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/athos-private-wealth-launches-first-of-its-kind-crypto-investment-platform-business-wire/ SALT LAKE CITY–(BUSINESS WIRE)–ĀTHŌS Private Wealth, a modern financial investment firm for founders, executives, and professionals, announces the launch of an industry-first crypto investment solution. The private wealth organization created the innovative service ĀTHŌS Crypto, a managed crypto business part of ĀTHŌS Private Wealth. Founded by Robbie Shattuck during the 2020 pandemic, ĀTHŌS Private Wealth stemmed from a decision to challenge the status quo of the private wealth industry. Built on a strong ethos of values and focused on doing the right thing for the client, ĀTHŌS Private Wealth is the response to the needs of a modern world. It is one of the first multi-family offices on the market that enables clients to invest across all assets, including direct access to crypto, through a full-service platform. ĀTHŌS has brought on Will Rossiter as Chief Investment Officer of ĀTHŌS Crypto. ĀTHŌS aims to be the premier value-based private wealth organization for entrepreneurs. “ĀTHŌS continues to develop into an industry innovator while setting the highest standard of crypto investment for our clients,” said Robbie Shattuck, CEO & Founder of ĀTHŌS. “There are currently very few full-service advisor-managed crypto solutions in the market today. Our clients were previously managing such digital assets on their own, while also running their companies. We built a solution that allows them the same level of access– but gives them back all the time. We are handling all facets of crypto investing, which include: portfolio management, trading, cold storage, cold staking, and crypto tax preparation. ĀTHŌS will continue to expand by offering high-touch financial services with industry-first platforms.” In the upcoming months, ĀTHŌS will make further announcements regarding expansion and new offerings. These services will continue to better serve clients looking to bolster their financial strategies. To learn more about ĀTHŌS offerings, visit https://athoswealth.com and for more information on the new investment platform visit https://athoscrypto.com/. About ĀTHŌS Private Wealth ĀTHŌS Private Wealth was started by Robbie Shattuck in 2020 with an overarching goal of providing modern investment solutions to clients. Since then, the company has continued to innovate and bring to the forefront some of the most creative financial solutions for founders, executives and professionals alike. Advisory services are offered through ĀTHŌS Private Wealth LLC, a California and Utah Registered Investment Advisor. Being registered as an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Please see our ADV Brochure for more information.

Will The Queen’s Death Change The “special” U.S.-U.K. Relationship? – The Washington Post https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/will-the-queens-death-change-the-special-u-s-u-k-relationship-the-washington-post/ The reign of Queen Elizabeth II (1952-2022) ran almost directly parallel with the British state’s most crucial diplomatic project of the post-war period, claiming a “special relationship” with the United States. In the hands of successive British governments, this was a project which has used the ties of history — and an occasional dose of royal spectacle — to secure a close partnership with Washington. Queen Elizabeth II was pivotal to this work. Taking the throne in 1952, at the very moment Britons grappled with a profoundly changed world after World War II, the queen was one of those figures (Winston Churchill was another) whose very life was woven into a mythic-history of Anglo-American relations. A key challenge before the new king, therefore, will be to assume this imposing mantle in a post-Brexit age in which British power and prestige have declined even further. The British monarchy’s connections to the United States reach back over 250 years (and of course the relationship with the American colonies goes beyond even this). From the War of Independence — precipitated in part by the obstinance of George III — to the outpouring of grief in the U.S. following news of the death in 1901 of Queen Victoria (a response not unlike that which we have just witnessed) British royalty has often engaged American interest. The first British royal to visit the U.S. was in fact Victoria’s son, the Prince of Wales, who toured North America in 1860. His itinerary included a visit to Mount Vernon in Virginia, where the future King Edward VII paid homage at the tomb of George Washington, the man who had repeatedly bested the armies of his ancestor in the 1780s. During the 20th century, however, the sight of British royalty in the U.S. became a more regular occurrence, especially when international tensions escalated. The first monarch to tour in an official capacity was the late queen’s father, George VI, who visited America in 1939, just as storm clouds gathered in Europe. Supported by his wife, Queen Elizabeth (later affectionately known as the Queen Mother), the king’s task was to cultivate American sympathy and support, a significant challenge given the strains that were placed on Anglo-American relations by his predecessor, Edward VIII, who had renounced the throne to pursue his relationship with an American divorcée, Wallis Simpson. President Franklin D. Roosevelt hosted the king and queen, and like the Prince of Wales in 1860, they also took time to visit Mount Vernon, laying a wreath to Washington (a powerful symbolic expression of the distance traveled since Washington’s victory at Yorktown in 1781). By all accounts their visit was a success, and they were greeted by flag-waving crowds in both Washington and New York. After World War II, Anglo-American relations entered a new era. The call for a U.S.-U.K. “special relationship” was first made by Churchill in a 1946 speech at Westminster College in Fulton, Mo. During the speech, the former British prime minister famously declared that an “Iron Curtain” had descended across central Europe. As Churchill saw it, world peace, stability and security at the onset of the Cold War demanded a close relationship between the United States and the “British Empire and Commonwealth.” In the years that followed, some close connections were certainly established, perhaps most notably between the U.S.-U.K. militaries and intelligence agencies. But Britain was an empire in decline. Decolonization, growing global industrial competition and of course the severe drain on resources occasioned by two world wars all combined to ensure that after 1945, Britannia’s former economic and military might was much reduced. This became especially apparent in the aftermath of the Suez Crisis of 1956, an event that placed an enormous strain on the Anglo-American relationship. Washington went so far as to reprimand Britain for its role in the Anglo-French-Israeli invasion of the Suez Canal zone. And so, Britain’s contribution to the “special relationship” has increasingly hinged on cultivating image and historical memory, with ritual and ceremony becoming especially useful. Be it the dedication of Anglo-American memorials and monuments (such as the unveiling by the queen of the American Memorial Chapel at St. Paul’s Cathedral in 1958) or the various ceremonies hosted at Balmoral or Buckingham Palace, memory became the coin of British transatlantic diplomacy. The queen has been integral to this assertion of “soft power,” and her historically resonant meetings with American presidents (from Harry S. Truman in 1951, when she was still Princess Elizabeth, to Joe Biden in 2021) have usefully bolstered the activities of successive British prime ministers and foreign secretaries. In 1957, for example, the queen was hosted at the White House by wartime friend and confidant Dwight D. Eisenhower, an invitation reciprocated in 1960 when Eisenhower visited her in Scotland (for several years the two also corresponded via letter). Their relationship was a powerful reassertion — in the aftermath of the rancor and recriminations connected to the Suez Crisis — of underlying Anglo-American unities born of World War II. A year later, there was an eagerly anticipated meeting in London with President John F. Kennedy and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy (rumor had it that Her Majesty felt rather upstaged by the glamour that accompanied the King and Queen of Camelot). With the British establishment initially fearful that Kennedy — the first Irish American president — might be less committed to maintaining close Anglo-American ties, this meeting once again reaffirmed (and re-performed) the idea of transatlantic connection and common purpose. In June 1982 — following several weeks of occasionally tense Anglo-American relations linked to the Falklands crisis — the queen was seen chatting amicably with President Ronald Reagan as the two rode on horseback through the grounds of Windsor Castle. And in the 21st century, several carefully choreographed state visits for presidents George W. Bush (2003), Barack Obama (2011) and Donald Trump (2019) took place. Indeed, inviting American presidents to make a state visit (and thus be formally greeted and hosted by the queen) has emerged over the last 20 years as a key feature of the U.K.’s diplomacy toward the U.S. While the fine details of such visits might differ, the fundamentals were always consistent. These were purposeful and planned rituals that used history, memory and ceremony for diplomatic gain. And for 70 years, such rituals have frequently revolved around the figure of Queen Elizabeth II. Seen like this, the queen’s death has profound consequences for the “special relationship” — already strained by the tumult of recent years — and now her son, King Charles III, is left to fill the substantive diplomatic void she has left.

YouTuber Apologizes For Breaking NDAs To Leak Gaming News Posing As TheRealInsider – Dexerto https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/youtuber-apologizes-for-breaking-ndas-to-leak-gaming-news-posing-as-therealinsider-dexerto/ YouTuber DanAllenGaming has issued an apology after the content creator leaked vital information for Assassin’s Creed and more under the name TheRealInsider. Dan Allen, known on YouTube as DanAllenGaming, is a content creator that often focuses on gameplay, guides, and walkthroughs. The YouTuber is a regular social media user, engaging in debate and discussion revolving around the latest titles such as Assassin’s Creed, GTA 6, and more. As Allen amassed a passionate following and increased his viewership, the creator was soon able to gain early access to highly sought-after titles as long he signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement. Now, it has been revealed that Allen is actually the mind behind TheRealInsider, a popular leaker account. DanAllenGaming caught out and revealed to be leaker TheRealInsider TheRealInsider gained notoriety among the gaming community after leaking information regarding the future of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, before Ubisoft Forward. Alongside this leak, Allen had been breaking confidential agreements after receiving games for review, which in turn increased his following. However, Allen was caught out on social media, after forgetting to switch accounts while replying to another user. The question which Allen responded to was aimed at his leaker account, which had no prior association with the YouTuber. After responding, many Twitter users such as @Alain707x were quick to make the connection between the two. @ggMikkael nose si es tema de fullHP, pero te dejo aquí lo ocurrido por mera curiosidad con TheRealInsider para que tengáis contexto xd, en resumen Jason pillo al insider, era Adán y estaba rompiendo contratos con embargo con su multicuenta. pic.twitter.com/8ywJI8FVol — RhasegonVT (@Alain707x) September 19, 2022 Investigation of Allen’s actions went further, as known industry reporter Jason Schreier began to put the pieces together. Schreier connected multiple tweets between Allen’s personal and leaker account, in which both of them tweeted about the same pieces of information. For a brief time, Allen opted for radio silence on social media amid the aftermath of his mistake. Since then Allen has briefly returned to Twitter, to offer an apology for his actions, though it has been mocked by many members of his community. Allen said “I’m sorry to everyone for my actions. I’m ashamed and disappointed in myself.” “I’ll be taking some time to reflect on my poor decisions, which will never occur again. To everyone that has supported me over the years. I’m truly sorry I let you down,” added the YouTuber. In the wake of the reveal, TheRealInsider account is now deactivated on Twitter.

Football Standouts Take Center Stage In Top Performers List For Sept. 12-17. – Watertown Public Opinion https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/football-standouts-take-center-stage-in-top-performers-list-for-sept-12-17-watertown-public-opinion/ Skip to main content This content is only available to subscribers. Get unlimited digital access. $1 for 6 months. Your subscription supports: Investigative reporting that makes our community a better place to work, live and play Expert coverage of high school sports teams The best tips on places to eat and things to do Daily newsletter with top news to know Mobile apps including immersive storytelling This content is only available to subscribers. Get unlimited digital access. $1 for 6 months. Your subscription supports: Investigative reporting that makes our community a better place to work, live and play Expert coverage of high school sports teams The best tips on places to eat and things to do Daily newsletter with top news to know Mobile apps including immersive storytelling

Rejuvenate At These 10 Unique California Spa & Wellness Resorts – TheTravel https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/rejuvenate-at-these-10-unique-california-spa-wellness-resorts-thetravel/ Relax in Napa Valley Wine Country or rejuvenate by the California coast. Travelers seeking a spa retreat in California should check these out! Shutterstock The sunny state of California is a perfect vacation destination, as it’s filled with tons of beaches, gorgeous landscapes, and entertainment venues. Besides attractions like Yosemite National Park and Disneyland, this west coast state also includes an array of unique accommodations, specifically spa and wellness resorts. Need to catch a break from the everyday while in California? Relax and indulge in the Golden State while staying at these incredible spa and wellness resorts! 10 Malibu Beach Inn Get a gorgeous view of the California coast while staying at Malibu Beach Inn! Comfortably sitting along the Pacific Coast Highway, this luxury resort includes a private beach area for guests. Rejuvenate the senses and get pampered at Malibu’s spa, which offers a variety of skin care treatments and therapies. Get a full body massage or partake in a gentle facial. Alternatively, guests can leave all their stress behind while enjoying cocktails at the resort’s private beach or within the comfortable confines of their inn suite. Accommodation: Malibu Beach Inn More Amenities: Private beach, room service, on-site fitness center, complimentary Wi-Fi, valet parking Address: 22878 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265 9 Montage Laguna Beach Enjoy a relaxing stay at the Montage Laguna Beach, a beachfront sanctuary overlooking the California Coast. With over 30 acres of property, guests can also take advantage of the resort’s spa, which is over 20,000 square feet! Choose from various spa treatments and Spa Montage, from a romantic couples massage to a revitalizing solo treatment. Moreover, the resort also hosts excursions to nearby attractions, such as a visit to the local tide pools on Sundays! Accommodation: Montage Laguna Beach More Amenities: Beachfront property, outdoor pool, complimentary Wi-Fi Address: 30801 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651 8 Calistoga Spa Hot Springs In Napa Valley Wine Country lies the Calistoga Spa Hot Springs, perfect for a quiet getaway. This LGBTQ-friendly destination combines a boutique resort and an authentic hot springs spa. The pools at Calistoga are mineral-rich thanks to the nutrient-rich Napa Valley soils. Simultaneously, select spa treatments at the resort also include mud baths using local volcanic ash! Accommodation: Calistoga Spa Hot Springs More Amenities: Kitchenette (with refrigerator), air-conditioned rooms Address: 1006 Washington Street, Calistoga, CA 94515 7 Rancho Valencia Resort And Spa The Rancho Valencia Resort And Spa combines a luxurious atmosphere with the nostalgia of a Spanish Hacienda. Located in Rancho Santa Fe, this award-winning resort was recognized for its impeccable spa facility. The Spa at Rancho Valencia sits among the property’s lush foliage and includes a spa pool, fitness center, and salon. At Rancho Valencia, guests can enjoy a peaceful stay, whether lounging inside their room’s private balcony or taking a dip in the soothing pool waters. Accommodation: Rancho Valencia Resort And Spa More Amenities: Bicycle rental, room service, on-site fitness center, outdoor pool, sports’ facilities Address: 5921 Valencia Circle, Rancho Sante Fe, CA 92067 6 Lodge At Torrey Pines The Lodge At Torrey Pines marries luxury with comfort. This posh, 5-star hotel is located in La Jolla and offers exquisite dining options, a spacious championship-level golf course, and a pampering spa facility. Situated on cliffs overlooking the California coast, the Spa at Torrey Pines offers an array of spa treatments, including body wraps, facials, exfoliating body treatments, and much more. Plus, guests can also enjoy their on-site sauna room and whirlpool! Accommodation: Lodge At Torrey Pines More Amenities: Outdoor pool, complimentary Wi-Fi, golf course, room service Address: 11480 North Torrey Pines Road, San Diego, CA 92037 5 Meadowood Napa Valley Stay at Meadowood Napa Valley for a 5-star experience! This resort lies on a family-owned estate within the heart of Napa Valley. With over 250 acres of property, guests don’t have to worry about rowdy guests or rambunctious crowds. Instead, travelers seeking comfort and peace will love a vacation at the Meadowood Napa Valley resort. Moreover, the resort’s award-winning spa includes a variety of treatment packages and wellness therapies, using aromatic ingredients and revitalizing herbs. For instance, enjoy a foot scrub made with rosemary or relax with a body treatment using seasonal essential oils! Accommodation: Meadowood Napa Valley More Amenities: Complimentary toiletries, room service, complimentary Wi-Fi, on-site fitness center Address: 900 Meadowood Lane, Saint Helena, CA 94574 4 L’Horizon Resort And Spa Take a break from the kids and relax at the L’Horizon Resort And Spa. This adults-only resort lies in Palm Springs, complete with 25 private bungalows overlooking Santa Rosa and the San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. This luxury resort emanates vintage Hollywood vibes! Besides chilling in the pool’s cabanas or grabbing a bite to eat at the SOPA Restaurant, indulge in a spa treatment at L’Horizon. Whether it’s a deep tissue massage or a lemongrass mimosa body scrub, pampering is mandatory at this California resort! Accommodation: L’Horizon Resort And Spa More Amenities: Infinity pool, adults-only resort, room service, complimentary Wi-Fi Address: 1050 East Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92264 3 Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort Looking for a little peace in California? Then rejuvenate the senses at the Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort. Overlooking Avila Bay, this luxury resort is a premium destination to revive the senses and rejuvenate the body. With only 72 rooms, each accommodation includes a private balcony with a mineral spring hot tube. Moreover, The Spa at Sycamore is recognized for its premium treatments, including a 30-minute mineral spring soak! The resort also includes various wellness activities, from outdoor biking to yoga classes. Accommodation: Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort More Amenities: Airport shuttle, 24-hour front desk, hot tub, express check-out Address: 1215 Avila Beach Drive, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405 2 Terranea Resort For the ultimate relaxing vacation, book a stay at the Terranea Resort. This 5-star resort overlooks the Palos Verdes Peninsula, offering an unparalleled view of the Pacific Ocean. If the oceanfront views fail to impress visitors, perhaps their beautifully crafted bungalows or the resort’s extensive dining options will! Moreover, the Spa at Terranea is bound to turn heads; spanning 50,000 square feet, guests can enjoy an exhaustive list of spa treatments while soaking in the sights of the California coast. Accommodation: Terranea Resort More Amenities: Outdoor pool, snorkeling, complimentary Wi-Fi Address: 100 Terranea Way, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275 1 Park Hyatt Aviara Resort Combine glam, glitz, and wellness by visiting the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort! Situated in Carlsbad, this San Diego resort comes complete with a golf course and an on-site spa facility. Enjoy views of the Batiquitos Lagoon while enjoying a treatment at the Aviara Spa. This 15,000-square-foot wellness facility provides treatments that will surely pamper any guests, whether they partake in the aromatic steam room or a relaxing couples massage. Accommodation: Park Hyatt Aviara Resort More Amenities: Outdoor pool (with water slide!), sports facilities, room service Address: 7100 Aviara Resort Drive, Carlsbad, CA 92011 %

Live News: Ukraine Expands Grain Exports Via The EU – Financial Times https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/live-news-ukraine-expands-grain-exports-via-the-eu-financial-times/ Choose your subscription Trial Try full digital access and see why over 1 million readers subscribe to the FT For 4 weeks receive unlimited Premium digital access to the FT’s trusted, award-winning business news Digital Be informed with the essential news and opinion MyFT – track the topics most important to you FT Weekend – full access to the weekend content Mobile & Tablet Apps – download to read on the go Gift Article – share up to 10 articles a month with family, friends and colleagues Print FT print edition delivered Monday – Saturday along with ePaper access Delivery to your home or office Monday to Saturday FT Weekend paper – a stimulating blend of news and lifestyle features ePaper access – the digital replica of the printed newspaper Team or Enterprise Premium FT.com access for multiple users, with integrations & admin tools Group Subscription Premium Digital access, plus: Convenient access for groups of users Integration with third party platforms and CRM systems Usage based pricing and volume discounts for multiple users Subscription management tools and usage reporting SAML-based single sign-on (SSO) Dedicated account and customer success teams Or, if you are already a subscriber Sign in Are you a student or a professor? Check if your university has an FT membership to read for free. Check my access

Bring Millets Back In Your Kitchen For Healthy Living, Says Millet Man – The Statesman https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/bring-millets-back-in-your-kitchen-for-healthy-living-says-millet-man-the-statesman/ Popularly known as the ‘Millet Man of India’, Khadar Vali called upon farmers, agriculture scientists and policy makers to promote millets in agriculture to save soil, water, environment and, above all, human health. “Let us bring millets back to our kitchen, make them an essential part of our staple diet plan, and say goodbye to the emerging health problems,” he exhorted. Internationally acclaimed food and nutrition expert from Mysore, Vali delivered a special lecture on the role of millets in preventive health — Aahar Sey Arogya — at a one-day workshop-cum-Kisan Mela at Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni in Solan. The event was organised by the State Project Implementing Unit (SPIU) of Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana (PK3Y) of Himachal Pradesh government. Over 200 farmers from Himachal Pradesh, who have adopted non-chemical, low-cost and climate resilient natural farming after the launch of PK3Y in 2018, participated in it along with PK3Y officials from the state, agriculture department officers, agriculture and horticulture scientists and students. Secretary Agriculture, Rakesh Kanwar, Vice Chancellor, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Rajeshwar Singh Chandel, State Project Director, PK3Y, Naresh Thakur, Director, Agriculture, BR Takhi, and Umendra Dutt and Poonam Sharma from Kheti Virasat Mission also attended the workshop. The event set the tone for focus on millets in Himachal Pradesh ahead of ‘International Year of Millets-2023’ declared by the United Nations as it was followed by a meeting of the working group of agriculture experts of state to chalk out a strategy for promotion of millets in Himachal Pradesh. Vali advocated against growing and eating wheat and rice and asked the farmers to start cultivating the ‘forgotten food’ millets again. “The water required for rice and wheat crops in one year equates with water requirement of millets for 26-30 years. This single reason is good enough for scientists and farmers to have shifted to the cultivation of millets,” he said. He said it is known that “if we want to save soil and check its degradation, we need to plant C4 grasses. Millets are C4 plants. But on one hand, we are trying to save soil, environment and water, and on the other hand, we are promoting C3 plants like wheat and rice, which are degrading and depleting them. How can we talk about biodiversity without millets?” The food and nutrition expert categorically held that the issue has been neglected by the Agriculture Corporate Food Factory Culture, who are controlling the food and food habits. Vali said that whether it is glucose imbalance, hormonal imbalance, microbes imbalance, the humans have been facing various health problems with each passing day due to the ‘economic model’ being followed by society. Vali said that he has done major work on millets, what he calls ‘Panch Ratna’, including Foxtail millets, Browntop millets, Little millets, Kodo millets and Barnyard millets. He said the barren lands could be rehabilitated with natural farming of millets. He said his experiments have shown that eating millets can not only help prevent diseases, but can help the patients manage better in the progressive diseases with improved indicators. “This is not a magic. It is a perfect science of millets, which are real foods for healthy living,” he said. According to Vali, millets are the first domesticated grass and added that there is need for an awareness drive on the benefits of millets. Secretary Agriculture, Rakesh Kanwar said that the International Year of Millets 2023 is a great chance to make a beginning on millets. “A discussion at this workshop will help us in a paradigm shift in policy on agriculture,” he said. He requested Vali to be mentor for the Millet Working Group in Himachal. Vice Chancellor of Nauni University, Rajeshwar Singh Chandel, said that the university will play its role significantly in the action plan to be prepared by the Working Group on millets for the state.

Rafael Benitez Exclusive: Former Everton Boss Says It Was Impossible To Manage Club His Way Due To Liverpool Ties – Sky Sports https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/rafael-benitez-exclusive-former-everton-boss-says-it-was-impossible-to-manage-club-his-way-due-to-liverpool-ties-sky-sports/ Rafael Benitez says it was impossible to manage Everton the way he wanted to due to his history with rivals Liverpool. Benitez, who won the Champions League, FA Cup and UEFA Super Cup during his time in charge at Anfield from 2004 to 2010, became Everton boss in July 2021 but was sacked six months later after struggling to improve results and win over supporters. In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports News, the Spaniard said he does not regret taking over at Goodison Park but admits he struggled to make certain decisions because of his ties to Everton’s Merseyside rivals. Image: Benitez became Everton boss in July 2021 but was sacked six months later Maupay off the mark as Everton beat West Ham Premier League table | Fixtures | Results Watch Premier League highlights for free on Sky Sports Get Sky Sports | Download the Sky Sports App Image: Benitez won the Champions League as Liverpool manager in 2005 “At the time Everton came in with the offer, I knew I would give my best and do everything to try to improve things,” he said. “I knew it could be difficult because I was at Liverpool, so maybe I couldn’t make some decisions. It was very clear for us at the beginning. “I had a meeting with a head of one of the departments and I asked him ‘do you think everything is fine?’ He said ‘yeah, everything is perfect.’ I thought ‘£600m had been spent, it cannot be perfect when the owners aren’t happy and the fans are not happy.’ “So I realised we had to change things inside, but I couldn’t do it straight away because I was a former Red and it could be seen as ‘oh, he’s come in to change our club’. “In another club, I would have made those decisions. I did it in the past, because you know very clearly that is the way to improve, but there at Everton I couldn’t do it.” Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player FREE TO WATCH: Highlights of Everton against West Ham in the Premier League ‘Gordon beginning to fulfil potential’ One current Everton player Benitez knows well is Anthony Gordon. The winger was linked to a move to Chelsea in the summer, but the Toffees were adamant he was not for sale. Benitez believes Gordon, who has scored two goals in seven Premier League games this season, is now starting to fulfil his potential but admits he initially doubted the 21-year-old. “We played a friendly in Miami in pre-season and after 50 minutes, he couldn’t run,” Benitez said. “We knew he was a player with quality on the ball, could finish, pass and had pace. But he couldn’t run. We had a conversation with him after the game. It was hot, but he’s a young player. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player We take a look at Anthony Gordon’s best bits from his time in the Premier League with Everton so far “I was talking with the coaches in the academy and my assistant and they said they weren’t sure. They knew he had the talent but maybe it was his mentality. “We spent time with him, but the main thing was to change his mentality and he was very keen to do it. He worked really hard, he improved his stamina and he got better and better because he had the potential. “He has to improve some parts of his game, he knows that. But I’m really pleased to see him progressing because he’s a nice lad.” Follow Everton with Sky Sports Follow every Everton game in the Premier League this season with our live blogs on the Sky Sports website and app, and watch match highlights for free shortly after full-time. Want the Everton latest? Bookmark our Everton news page, check out Everton’s fixtures and Everton’s latest results, watch Everton goals and video, keep track of the Premier League table and see which Everton games are coming up live on Sky Sports. Get all this and more – including notifications sent straight to your phone – by downloading the Sky Sports Scores app and setting Everton as your favourite team. Hear the best Premier League reaction and expert analysis with the Essential Football and Gary Neville podcasts, keep up-to-date with our dedicated Transfer Centre, follow the Sky Sports social accounts on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, and find out how to get Sky Sports.

View From Brussels: EU Wants A Better Metaverse – E&T Magazine https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/view-from-brussels-eu-wants-a-better-metaverse-et-magazine/ The European Union is keeping an eye on the development of digital worlds known as metaverses and is already working on guidelines for tech companies about what principles their universes should follow. Brussels is slowly but surely getting its regulatory game together when it comes to the digital sector, gradually fulfilling the EU’s ambition to be ‘rulemaker not a ruletaker’. GDPR is arguably the global standard on data protection, the Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act are already establishing themselves as benchmarks and new rules on cryptocurrencies have recently been adopted. High-profile court cases against Google and Apple have also shown that Brussels is not rolling over for Big Tech. Now, regulators are looking at another fledgling technology that the industry says is going to be the next big thing: the metaverse. ‘Metaverse’ is already synonymous with Facebook, as the social media giant has launched its own digital universe where users can hold meetings, meet new people and exist virtually in the same space as other inhabitants of the online world. But it is in fact not alone in offering a virtual space, as several metaverses are currently under development. The EU has taken note of that and has promised to come up with a new initiative next year, in a bid to regulate the sector. During her annual speech on the state of the EU, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen found time to talk about the digital world in between reaffirming the EU’s support for Ukraine and assuring people that the energy crisis will be tamed. “We will continue looking at new digital opportunities and trends, such as the metaverse,” von der Leyen wrote in a letter of intent that accompanied the speech, which is a major clue about what the EU will focus on in the coming year. Her head of digital affairs, France’s Thierry Breton, has already outlined his own guidelines for what metaverse developers should bear in mind when setting up their digital worlds. That thinking is likely to feed into official EU business. “This new virtual environment must embed European values from the outset. People should feel as safe in virtual worlds as they do in the real one,” Breton, a former telecoms CEO, wrote in a recent LinkedIn post. Breton also insists that metaverses should buck the trend of existing social media platforms and be interoperable with one another. Common standards should also apply and a body has already been established to do just that. Tech experts worry that companies like Meta and Google will be able to pull the same tricks they have done in the past when it comes to standard-setting by either unduly influencing the process or simply ignoring norms due to lack of proper enforcement. However, experience gained from setting up the DMA and DSA also leads Breton to insist that “we have also learned a lesson from this work: we will not witness a new Wild West or new private monopolies.” Another way for the EU to be a rulemaker not a ruletaker in this particular sphere is to have domestic companies at the forefront of the sector, which it has lacked in recent years beyond outliers like Spotify. That is why Brussels hopes to get ahead of the curve and boost investment in 5G, semiconductor manufacturing, cloud technology and more, so that in-house players can lead the way. A virtual reality coalition was launched last week, aimed at doing just that. Breton has also issued a call to the telecoms industry to increase or at least maintain investments in supporting connectivity infrastructure, so that the added pressures of innovations like the metaverse can indeed be managed. It is yet another sector in which Europe has a lot of potential to set the rules and dictate policy. But, again, money makes the digital world go around as well as the real one, so it remains to be seen how much of a player Brussels can actually end up being. Sign up to the E&T News e-mail to get great stories like this delivered to your inbox every day.

G Chance The Raffle Is Back! Enjoy 917 #ExtraGDayEveryday With Bigger, More Exciting Prizes | BMPlus – BusinessMirror https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/g-chance-the-raffle-is-back-enjoy-917-extragdayeveryday-with-bigger-more-exciting-prizes-bmplus-businessmirror/ Do you want that cool gadget?  A trip with your barkada?  Or do you dream of becoming a millionaire? This 917 #ExtraGDayEveryday, that wish might just be granted. Globe has lined up programs and activities for the entire month of September to give back to its loyal customers. This is part of the annual 917 GDay or September 17 celebration, representing Globe’s iconic “0917” mobile number prefix. To turn your days extraordinarily good, a very special treat was prepared by Globe through G Chance The Raffle.  Get to win weekly prizes of shopping vouchers and gadgets, an all-expense paid trip with your family or friends, and cash prizes of up to P1 million! Weekly prizes include: ●        P10,000 Zalora Vouchers ●        P10,000 ShopeePay Vouchers ●        P10,000 GrabGifts  ●        P10,000 Shell Partner Card ●        HUAWEI P50 ●        HUAWEI MateBook 14s ●        UNIQLO Shopping Spree ●        4D3N Barkada Getaway to Coron, Palawan ●        P100,000 Cash For the Grand Prizes, at stake are P200,000 and P1 million in cash via GCash or bank transfer. “Many people still feel the long-term effects of the pandemic on their finances and emotional well-being. Taking to heart our desire to offer real care, we’re using 917 as a platform to provide our customers with rewarding experiences.  Through G Chance the Raffle, we hope to uplift, enable, and bring delight and excitement to their daily lives,” said Pia Gonzalez-Colby, Globe Chief Marketing Officer. To join, download and register to the New GlobeOne app, use your Globe Rewards points to redeem raffle entries, or pay with points at ECPay partner sari sari stores. Aside from the raffle, 917 GDay hopes to enable Filipinos to regain the extraordinary things lost during the global health crisis. Globe will also match rewards points redeemed for raffle entries with a donation to the Hapag Movement, a Globe-led initiative in partnership with other renowned institutions that aims to address involuntary hunger. Globe has lined up bigger, better, and more extra activities, deals you never saw coming, thrilling surprises for gamers, explosive and unexpected performances, and so much more. Find out more about how to make your day extraordinary this 917 by visiting  glbe.co/ExtraGDay. Author Being business-savvy should be fun, attainable and A+. BMPlus is BusinessMirror’s digital arm with practical tips & success stories for aspiring and thriving millennial entrepreneurs.

Ripple Says XRP Owners Have No Rights Or Contract So Token Is Not A Security – Cryptonews https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/ripple-says-xrp-owners-have-no-rights-or-contract-so-token-is-not-a-security-cryptonews/                                                   Source: AdobeStock / MigrenArt   As US blockchain company Ripple continues its legal battle against the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the fintech intends to build its legal strategy on a claim that its token, Ripple (XRP), cannot be considered a security without contracts as there is no “investment contract” that would grant rights to investors.  The American regulator’s case against the business is centered on the accusation that XRP is an unregistered security, a claim that Ripple rejects. In another installment of the courtroom saga, the blockchain company filed a motion seeking dismissal of the suit before trial in a federal court in Manhattan, Bloomberg reported. While the move could prove to be efficient from a legal viewpoint, some XRP investors could find it concerning that Ripple considers those who purchase its token are deprived of the rights that are normally given to investors. Earlier this month, both entities asked for a swift judgment in the agency’s case against the company, raising hopes among XRP investors that Ripple’s legal woes could be resolved relatively soon, potentially boosting its native token’s price. As indicated by court documents submitted on Sept. 18, the two parties are seeking a so-called summary judgment, indicating that neither the plaintiff nor the defendant want the legal action to evolve into a full trial. “Today’s filings make it clear the SEC isn’t interested in applying the law. They want to remake it all in an impermissible effort to expand their jurisdiction far beyond the authority granted to them by Congress,” Brad Garlinghouse, Ripple’s CEO, tweeted on the day when the documents where filed. Stuart Alderoty, the company’s general counsel, added that, in his opinion, “after two years of litigation, the SEC is unable to identify any contract for investment (that’s what the statute requires).”

U.S. Will Phase Down HFCs, Polluting Compound Found In ACs And Refrigerators – NPR https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/u-s-will-phase-down-hfcs-polluting-compound-found-in-acs-and-refrigerators-npr/ In October 2016, in Kigali, Rwanda, nations around the globe agreed to phase out a category of dangerous greenhouse gases widely used in refrigerators and air conditioners. In 2022, the U.S. took steps to formally ratify the agreement. Cyril Ndegeya /AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Cyril Ndegeya /AFP via Getty Images In October 2016, in Kigali, Rwanda, nations around the globe agreed to phase out a category of dangerous greenhouse gases widely used in refrigerators and air conditioners. In 2022, the U.S. took steps to formally ratify the agreement. Cyril Ndegeya /AFP via Getty Images Nearly six years after the United States helped negotiate it, the Senate is moving to ratify a global climate treaty that would formally phase down the use of hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, industrial chemicals commonly found in air conditioners and refrigerators, insulating foams and pharmaceutical inhalers. Majority leader Chuck Schumer said the Senate will vote this week to advance the Kigali Amendment, an addition to the Montreal Protocol climate treaty aimed at drastically reducing the global use of the compounds. “HFCs need to be dealt with as soon as possible because they are thousands — thousands — of times more damaging to our atmosphere than carbon dioxide,” Schumer said on the Senate floor last week. These compounds were widely adopted in the 1980s and 1990s to replace another family of chemicals, chlorofluorocarbon, or CFCs, which damage the Earth’s ozone layer. But after the switch, HFCs emerged as some of the most potent greenhouse gases. Successfully phasing out HFCs around the globe could reduce warming by up to 0.5 degrees Celsius (or about 1 degree Fahrenheit) by the end of the century, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. As the world struggles to limit warming this century to 1.5 degrees Celsius to try to avoid several catastrophic tipping points, half a degree can make a major difference, said scientists. The U.S. is already taking steps to eliminate HFCs Reducing HFCs is one area of climate policy where environmentalists, manufacturers and politicians tend to agree. “Stakeholders, from business to environmental groups, have urged the Senate to ratify the strongly bipartisan Kigali Amendment,” said Stephen Yurek, president and CEO of the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute, a trade organization. Republicans have supported the phase-down as being good for business, while Democrats and climate activists praise it as good climate policy. The United States was involved in negotiating the terms of the amendment, which was signed in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2016, but never ratified it. More than 130 countries have signed on in some fashion, according to the United Nations. The United States has already taken steps to adhere to provisions of the amendment before actually ratifying it. In December 2020, Congress passed the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act as part of an appropriations bill. It empowers the EPA to enforce a phase-down of 85% of the production and consumption of HFCs over 15 years. Industry groups such as the Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy said the AIM Act is important, but that ratifying the amendment was still necessary to make American companies truly competitive. “It’s an enhancement of your market access. These are very competitive industries on a global basis, China being the fiercest,” said executive director Kevin Fay. His group estimated that ratifying the amendment would “increase U.S. manufacturing jobs by 33,000 by 2027, increase exports by $5 billion, reduce imports by nearly $7 billion, and improve the HVACR [Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration] balance of trade,” by guaranteeing that U.S. companies will be adopting standards needed to sell products in countries that already ratified the measure. On the climate side, there is some evidence that commitments to cut back on the use of HFCs are not being followed. A study published in Nature Communications in 2021 found that atmospheric levels of the most potent HFC, HFC-23, should have been much lower than what scientists detected if China and India, countries responsible for manufacturing the majority of the compound that turns into HFC-23, had accurately reported their reductions.

P&W To Open Technology Accelerator In Singapore | News | Flight Global – Flightglobal https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/pw-to-open-technology-accelerator-in-singapore-news-flight-global-flightglobal/ Pratt & Whitney has inked a collaboration agreement with Singapore’s Economic Development Board for the establishment of a technology accelerator in the city state. The facility, which will be located at the Seletar Aerospace Park, will “help to accelerate the development and deployment” of MRO technology projects across a five-year period. It will begin operations at the end of the year. The projects under the accelerator will focus on areas like automation, advanced inspection, connected factory as well as digital twinning, and is expected to be worth at least S$31 million ($22 million). P&W director for aftermarket global operations technology Gilbert Sim says the accelerator “signals just how relevant and important a role technology has played, and continues to play, in the aerospace industry”. He adds: The push for digitalisation is underway across our facilities in Singapore, and the technology accelerator will increase the speed and scalability of these technology projects. The mission of the accelerator nicely aligns with Singapore’s push to digitalise the economy.” Says Lim Tse Yong, senior vice president for conglomerates at the Economic Development Board: “Pratt & Whitney’s investment is testament to Singapore’s position as a leading aerospace hub and strong ecosystem for innovation. We will continue to partner with the aerospace industry to enable the recovery in air travel and its long-term growth.” The enginemaker also states that it is in discussions with another Singapore government agency – the Agency for Science, Technology and Research – on technology innovation in the aerospace sector.

YouTube Gaming Streamer Alliestrasza Joins Forces With Splinterlands – BeInCrypto https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/youtube-gaming-streamer-alliestrasza-joins-forces-with-splinterlands-beincrypto/ Today the world’s leading blockchain game, Splinterlands, announced a new tournament collaboration with major YouTube Streamer, Alliestrasza, and CEO of Allie Coin. Allie, along with her co-founder, Mason, have grown Allie Coin as a social token to a leading Web 3.0 gaming community. The two companies will join forces to co-host two major Splinterlands gaming tournaments on September 20th and 27th, co-sponsored by Alliestrasza’s Web 3.0 coin, Allie Coin ($ALLIE).  Both parties will contribute prizes for the tournament winners, totaling in thousands of dollars. Leveraging the passion and commitment of the communities surrounding Alliestrasza’s channel and the Splinterlands gaming platform, the tournament promises to be a major event in helping break down barriers between the Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 verticals.  “We believe that adoption from Web 2.0 gamers is crucial to the growth of GameFi.” “Alliestrasza and her community have been phenomenal to interact with, and we love their enthusiasm towards the game.” This tournament will be a strong opportunity to help bring GameFi education and awareness to the Web 2.0 gaming space, as well as pass on our shared passion for Web 3.0 gaming to a broader audience.” said Splinterlands CEO Jesse “Aggroed” Reich The co-founders of Allie Coin agree that events like this are an important model for sharing Web 3.0 with the world. “Through Allie Coin, we have brought many Web 3.0 gaming experiences to Web 2.0 gaming communities,” Allie said. “We are excited to finally provide those experiences within the context of a Web 3.0 game like Splinterlands,” Mason added. To participate in the tournament, gamers of all kinds are invited to sign up at the Splinterlands website any time before both tournaments begin, at 8 pm EST on September 20th and September 27th, 2022. Each tournament is password protected, and the password can be found on Allie Coin’s Discord channel. About Splinterlands Splinterlands, the fantasy-themed battle game founded by Jesse “Aggroed” Reich and Matt Rosen in 2018, is the current world’s leading blockchain game. Based on groundbreaking Web 3.0 technology, the game is continuing its steady growth in 2022, now boasting more than 2.4M users, 1M active wallets, and between 3-5M blockchain transactions daily.  It recently surpassed the significant milestone of 3 billion battles, and its growing community operates in 149 countries and 10 languages.  Due to the unique capacities made possible by the cryptocurrency industry, the Splinterlands interface allows players to own, hold, and trade assets inside of the game, and win real rewards as they go, offering gamers innovative and exciting ways to engage online. Visit Splinterlands for more information. About Alliestrasza: Allie Coin is a Web 3.0 gaming community founded by Twitch streamer Alliestrasza. Allie has been producing gaming content for more than six years, primarily on Twitch and YouTube, where she has amassed a following of over 200,000 fans. In 2017, she decided to create Allie Coin to combine her love for both gaming and content creation within the emerging Web 3.0 universe. The Allie Coin gaming community is designed to unlock fun and competitive gaming experiences for a global community. Visit Allie Coin to discover more. Disclaimer All the information contained on our website is published in good faith and for general information purposes only. Any action the reader takes upon the information found on our website is strictly at their own risk.

West High Makes Season Debut In Associated Press Football Poll – Your Prep Sports https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/west-high-makes-season-debut-in-associated-press-football-poll-your-prep-sports/ Ryan Murken Your Prep Sports West High made its season debut in the Associated Press football poll coming in at No. 10 in the most recent 5A poll released on Monday. The Trojans have won three straight games since a season-opening loss to fourth-ranked Cedar Rapids Kennedy to move to 3-1 on the season. City High (2-2) is among teams receiving votes in the 5A poll. Liberty High (3-1) moved up two spots to seventh in the Class 4A rankings and will host fifth-ranked North Scott (3-1) on Friday. West Branch (4-0) moved up two spots to No. 2 in the Class 1A rankings trailing top-ranked Van Meter. Solon (2-2) is among teams receiving votes in the Class 3A rankings. Other top-ranked teams this week include Pleasant Valley (5A), Council Bluffs Lewis Central (4A), Humboldt (3A), Williamsburg (2A), West Hancock (A) and Remsen St. Mary’s (8-player). Associated Press Football Poll Class 5A 1. Pleasant Valley (4-0) 2. West Des Moines Dowling (3-1) 3. Ankeny (3-1) 4. Cedar Rapids Kennedy (4-0) 5. Southeast Polk (3-1) 6. Urbandale (3-1) 7. Sioux City East (4-0) 8. Cedar Rapids Prairie (3-1) 9. Davenport West (4-0) 10. West High (3-1)  Receiving votes:  West Des Moines Valley; Ames; Ankeny Centennial; Johnston; Linn-Mar; Des Moines North; City High Class 4A 1. Council Bluffs Lewis Central (4-0) 2. Cedar Rapids Xavier (4-0) 3. Waverly-Shell Rock (4-0) 4. Bondurant-Farrar (4-0) 5. North Scott (3-1) 6. Indianola (3-1) 7. Liberty High (3-1)  8. Carlisle (3-1) 9. Newton (4-0) 10. Norwalk (3-1) Receiving votes: Fort Madison; Burlington; Spencer; LeMars; Cedar Rapids Washington Class 3A 1. Humboldt (4-0) 2. ADM (4-0) 3. Harlan (3-1) 4. Mount Vernon (4-0) 5. North Polk (3-1) 6. Creston (4-0) 7. Independence (4-1) 8. Nevada (3-1) 9. MOC-Floyd Valley  (3-1) 10. Algona (3-1) Receiving votes: Solon; Central DeWitt; Hampton-Dumont; Carroll; Benton Community; Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley Class 2A 1. Williamsburg (4-0) 2. Central Lyon/George-Little Rock (4-0) 3. OABCIG (4-0) 4. Spirit Lake (4-0) 5. West Marshall (4-0) 6. New Hampton (4-0) 7. Dubuque Wahlert (3-1) 8. Red Oak (4-0) 9. West Lyon (2-2) 10. Clarion-Goldfield-Dows (3-1) Receiving votes: Crestwood; Mid-Prairie; North Fayette Valley; Osage; Southeast Valley; Waukon; Sheldon; Greene County; Clarke; Class 1A 1. Van Meter (3-1) 2. West Branch (4-0) 3. Pella Christian (4-0) 4. Underwood (4-0) 5. Durant (4-0) 6. West Sioux (3-1) 7. Mediapolis (4-0) 8. Aplington-Parkersburg (4-0) 9. Dike-New Hartford (3-1) 10. Carroll Kuemper (4-0) Receiving votes: Western Christian; Dyersville Beckman; Wilton; Sumner-Fredericksburg; Cascade Class A 1. West Hancock (4-0) 1. Grundy Center (4-0) 3. Woodbury Central (4-0) 4. AHSTW (4-0) 4. Lynville-Sully (4-0) 6. North Linn (3-1) 7. Columbus (4-0) 8. HMS (3-1) 9. East Buchanan (3-1) 10. LeMars Gehlen (3-1) Receiving votes:  Wapsie Valley; Alburnett; Mount Ayr; Mason City Newman; AGWSR; Madrid; Ogden 8-Player 1. Remsen St. Mary’s (4-0) 2. WACO (5-0) 3. Don Bosco (4-0) 4. Newell-Fonda (4-0) 5. Easton Valley (3-1) 6. Gladbrook-Reinbeck (4-0) 7. Central City (4-0) 8. Lenox (4-0) 9. West Harrison (4-0) 10. Baxter (4-0) Receiving votes: Montezuma; Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire; Fremont Mills; East Mills; Clarksville; West Central; CAM; Tripoli; BGM Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.

Jessica Mann Charters Obituary – Austin American-Statesman https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/jessica-mann-charters-obituary-austin-american-statesman/ Jessica Mann Charters of Oxford, England, passed away, August 17, 2022 in Austin, Texas after a courageous battle with cancer. She was born April 20, 1972 in Toledo, Ohio. Jessica was preceded in death by her grandparents Ruth and Jim Bruere, Mable and Harry Higgins, Father-in-Law Vincent Charters, and her beloved dog Roxie. She is survived by her husband of fifteen years, Stephen Charters, Oxford, England, her parents, Lucie and Sid Mann and aunts, uncles and cousins across the United States. In 1974, the family moved from Washington, DC, courtesy of the United States Air Force. Jessica graduated from Anderson High School and Texas Christian University with degrees in “Radio, Television, Film” and “International Relations”! Upon graduating from TCU, Jessica went on to be a photographer for the Winston Salem Journal. From there she moved to Orlando to become a photographer for the Orlando Sentinel. While a Junior at TCU she spent a semester in London with a photography group from Syracuse University. That was when she met Stephen. He was her contact for getting to the Dragon Boat Racing National Finals. They kept in touch through cards and occasional phone calls. With the arrival of email, they stepped up communication which resulted them meeting again, this time 2002 in Florida where their relationship started. In 2004, Jessica moved to London to allow the relationship to continue. While in London, she initially worked as a freelance photographer. She then took a job at the Oxford Mail and Oxford Times as their photo editor. Her next job was with Alamy, a photo agency to manage the news desk which they were setting up. Through her jobs, Jessica was able to travel extensively and Stephen was able to tag along In 2007, Jessica and Stephen were married in Hope Town, Abaco, Bahamas which was her second home. Jessica’s maternal Grandparents had a winter home on the tiny island of Elbow Cay. Most vacation times were spent there. After they were married, Jess and Stephen volunteered at a sailing and sports camp for the local children on the island. Jessica was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2018 and underwent many treatments for it, initially in the UK and then in the USA when conventional methods were insufficient and enrolment into new trial treatments became necessary. Never one to quit, Jessica doggedly pursued medical options to treat the cancer, often surprising the consultants with her knowledge of both existing and emerging science. Despite this determination, Jessica lost her battle with cancer and will be greatly missed by family and friends. A memorial service will be held on 23rd September, 2022 at Covenant Presbyterian Church, Austin, Texas. In lieu of flowers, due to her love of animals, especially dogs, the family suggests donations be made in her name to Austin Pets Alive at 1156 Cesar Chavez, Austin, Texas, 78703 or to Hope Town Sailing and Sport Camp. For more information please contact her family. Posted online on September 19, 2022 Published in Austin American Statesman Service Information Funeral Covenant Presbyterian Church %

VIETNAM BUSINESS NEWS SEPTEMBER 20 – VietNamNet https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/vietnam-business-news-september-20-vietnamnet/ China set to increase agricultural imports from Vietnamese market China will move to increase imports of agricultural products from Vietnam and ensure smooth customs clearances occurs at border gates, Chinese media quoted Premier Li Keqiang as saying in a recent phone talk with his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh. In a recent phone talk with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang noted that the northern neighbour is willing to expand economic and trade co-operation with the country and will also increase direct flights between both sides as a means of facilitating people’s travel.   China represents a large market with strong purchasing power, with Chinese consumers especially keen on agricultural products, while Vietnamese agricultural exports enjoy plenty of advantages in terms of taste compared to those of China. For many years, China had been the largest consumer of Vietnamese fruits and vegetables, which accounted for nearly 65% ​​of the northern neighbour’s fruit exports throughout the first four months of last year, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, said China remains the leading consumer of Vietnamese dragon fruit, accounting for 80% of total exports, adding that dragon fruit made up a third of Vietnamese fruit and vegetable exports worth US$3.27 billion last year. Despite these strong figures, the Chinese market has recently recorded several changes in terms of its import policy, with the application of stricter regulations relating to product quality, food safety, and traceability. Last year saw total bilateral trade between the two sides reach US$234 billion, accounting for over 26% of China’s trade with ASEAN. Da Nang launches support programme to attract international MICE tourists Da Nang’s People’s Committee has issued a support scheme which aims to attract international MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) visitors in the near future. The purpose of the programme is to offer support in terms of reception, communication, consulting activities for the organisation of MICE events, as well as ceremonies aimed at honouring travel firms that bring visitors to the central city. Immediately after launching the support programme, the Da Nang Department of Tourism welcomed the first two international MICE delegations, including 558 tourists from Indonesia and 138 from Malaysia. Between February 21 and August 1 Da Nang has launched a number of incentive policies aimed at supporting domestic MICE tourists and has welcomed 31 delegations with nearly 15,600 tourists heading to Da Nang. Vietnam, Italy look to optimise business opportunities Nearly 100 delegates representing Vietnamese and Italian organisations and businesses attended the Vietnam-Italy trade promotion forum in Rome on September 19. Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung pointed to the four factors that ensure the future development of the ties, namely the sound traditional friendship and political determination of both sides, the stability and attractiveness of the Vietnamese economy, the legal framework promoting import-export and investment activities, and Vietnam’s advantages from free trade agreements. President of the Italian Trade Agency Carlo Ferro said that Vietnam and Italy can still do more to promote economic and trade relations, building on previous successes in enabling businesses to meet and increase the exchange of goods, not only agricultural products and fashion but also many others such as industrial machinery and 4.0 technology. Vietnam is currently the largest trade partner of Italy among the ASEAN countries, with two-way trade reaching 4.25 billion USD in the first eight months of 2022, up 13.9% year on year. About 6,000 Italian firms are investing in Vietnam. Particularly, the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), which eliminates import taxes for 99% of tariff lines, has special meaning to bilateral ties when Italy and Vietnam have opened their economies and relied heavily on exports. Vietnam is still a gateway for Italy to enter the 600-million-strong ASEAN market. Increased demand for car ownership drives up production in Vietnam       Demand for cars is forecast to increase strongly in the medium and long term due to the low car ownership rate in Viet Nam and rising average income, according to automotive experts. They said the third quarter is often the low season for local car sales. However, the rapid increase in demand and limited supply due to the global chip shortage will help auto sales stabilise in the remainder of the third quarter before entering a peak season in the fourth quarter of this year. In addition, they noted that local demand for automobiles remains strong in the medium and long term due to the current low car ownership ratio in Viet Nam and people’s higher income. Bao Viet Securities Company reported that car sales volume in the third quarter would grow strongly. According to Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA), sales volume in July 2022 rose by 10.8 per cent against June to 24,461 units or a 69.2 per cent year-on-year increase. Sales volume in the third quarter of 2021 was severely disrupted due to widespread social distancing measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first seven months of this year, auto sales rose by 39.3 per cent against the same frame last year to 209.928 units. The company said because of limited supply and high demand, buyers are willing to place orders and wait for months to receive cars. That is why BVSC believes that car sales in the third quarter this year will grow strongly against the same period last year. In addition, regulations on the automobile localisation ratio will be abolished after being in force for almost 20 years. In mid-August, the Ministry of Science and Technology just enacted a circular to rescind current regulations on methods to calculate the automobile localisation ratio in Viet Nam. The new circular will take effect from October 1 this year. Under the current regulations, Viet Nam calculates the automobile localisation ratio by clusters of components produced in the country. Meanwhile, other countries calculate this as a percentage of domestic production value. Viet Nam’s automobile industry remains fledgling after more than 30 years since the country opened its door to foreign investment. The current average localisation ratio of passenger cars with up to nine seats is as low as 7-10 per cent. As a result, it failed to meet the Government’s target of 30-40 per cent by 2020, 40-45 per cent by 2025 and 50-55 per cent by 2030. Vietnam to encourage eco-industrial parks with international support Vietnam will continue to encourage investors to both develop eco-industrial parks and transition traditional to ecological ones. Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc said eco-IPs play an important role in the national sustainable development strategy. However, in order to take this model to exercise its role, it needs to be multiplied nationwide, with support from policy, technology, finance, information, and a close connection mechanism between domestic agencies and international organisations. In the 2020-2023 period, the Swiss government is continuing to help three IPs in five cities and province of Ho Chi Minh City, Haiphong, Dong Nai, Can Tho, and Danang convert into eco-IPs in accordance with an international framework. The support comes from a project that aims to deploy eco-IPs in Vietnam under the approach of the Global Ecological Industrial Park Programme, which will serve as a premise to multiply the model across the country. The project’s finances are at $1.8 million, which is expected to improve the economic, environmental, and social efficiency of the industry and include regulations on eco-IP development in relevant mechanisms and policies. Werner Bardill, consul general at the Embassy of Switzerland said, “We see that many enterprises pioneer in implementing solutions to save energy and use natural resources effectively during the operation process. We hope that more and more real estate developers will join the changing process from traditional IPs to eco-IPs.” Between 2015 and 2019, the MPI, UNIDO, SECO, and other sponsors worked together to pilot models of eco-IPs in Ninh Binh, Danang, and Can Tho. As a result, 72 businesses have implemented more than 900 energy-saving and cleaner production solutions, which helps them to save $3.3 million and simultaneously cut 32 kilotonnes of CO2 annually. Myanmar Airways International launches first flight to Noi Bai Myanmar Airways International (MAI) began operating the first flight from Yangon, Myanmar, to Hanoi-based Noi Bai International Airport on September 19. Accordingly, the Myanmar airline will run two return flights on Mondays and Fridays with a flight time of two hours. From September 22, MAI will continue tapping Yangon-Ho Chi Minh City route with one return flight every Thursday, mostly using Airbus A320. With the presence of MAI, the Noi Bai International Airport now hosts 57 international and domestic airlines carrying passengers and cargo, linking Hanoi with 60 foreign and 17 domestic destinations. It is also negotiating with airlines from Asia and Europe to expand air transport markets this winter and next spring. Vietnam targets two million enterprises in 2030 Vietnam aims to have at least two million enterprises by 2030, Tran Tuan Anh, head of the Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission, told a meeting held by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) on September 15. The private economic sector is expected to make up 60%-65% of the country’s gross domesti...