Complaints with no substance or facts | Letters To Editor | thesunchronicle.com – The Sun Chronicle

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To the editor:

Re; Stranger than fiction, by Bob Foley (column, Opinion Page, Dec. 10):

Another week, another column about nothing from Bob Foley where all he does is double down on the things and people he dislikes.

First he writes about a track coach who tried to get women to send him provocative photos of themselves to him. What he was really saying was how dumb are women? Did they actually send their photos to him?

Then he goes on to take a shot at a known liberal in actor Alec Baldwin over a tragedy that took a womans life. It was not Baldwins fault he was handed a loaded gun and now the assistant director on that movie has been indicted. Nice try Bobby.

His next Democratic victim is former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, who is now Labor Secretary. He slams his job performance in that job but of course did not give us one example of his claim.

He then goes on to ramble about the Second Amendment and how all citizens have a right to own guns to protect themselves, but my question is protect themselves from whom? Does he fear some military take over of the country? Talk about paranoia, which puts him in lockstep with the crazies that attacked the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6.

I guess he is also clueless on the XL Pipeline and who exactly was going to benefit from that project. It was a project to take the dirtiest oil and pump it down to the Gulf Coast for export to other countries, not to be used in our country.

When it comes to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, I would much rather have Joe Biden in charge than Donald Trump who kissed Putins behind at every turn. Trump believed him over our own national intelligence. Russia is already dealing with a crippled economy and if he invades Ukraine, Biden will hit him where it hurts the most.

Biggest thing missing from Foleys column was he didnt even have the decency to mention the passing of Bob Dole, a true patriot, who gave so much and asked for so little in return.

Comparing Doles life of service to this country shows the contrast on just how far the GOP has fallen.

Aldo Ferrario

Mansfield

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Complaints with no substance or facts | Letters To Editor | thesunchronicle.com - The Sun Chronicle

Hartmann: The Tyranny of Mike Parson – Riverfront Times

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When the governor of Missouri uttered strange words two months ago about using the Missouri State Highway Patrol to criminalize journalism, most of us thought he was just blowing off some steam.

He wasnt.

Last week Governor Mike Parson doubled down publicly on his intention to pursue an investigation of a St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter for an October 14 investigative story that embarrassed his administration. The piece by reporter Josh Renaud had revealed that the Social Security numbers of more than 100,000 teachers were compromised by a flaw on the website of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

I attempted to contact Renaud but was referred to Joe Martineau, an attorney at Lewis Rice who represents the Post-Dispatch. Martineau declined to discuss details of the case but did confirm that the highway patrol had indeed opened the investigation and had interviewed Renaud.

Wow. Parson wasnt bluffing when he threatened to take the extraordinary step of deploying a law-enforcement agency under his command to get back at that dang reporter. Vladimir Putin is green with envy.

Catch up on Ray Hartmann's latest columns

No public official in America gets to abuse power vested in them to investigate, punish or intimidate a journalist. Not a president, not a governor, not a mayor, not anyone possessing authority over law-enforcement resources.

Freedom of the press is firmly ensconced in the Bill of Rights, right there in the First Amendment, the one Parson skips over every night as he rereads the Second Amendment before turning in. Governors dont get to sic police on reporters who write stories they dont like. Full stop.

Theres a word for this: tyranny. Not the watered-down, diminished tyranny that random idiots misapply to public-health orders designed to save lives. No, this is the oppressive ruler or cruel master version from which the term evolved.

The government doesnt lock up journalists over their journalism in America. But didnt we already know that?

One of the terrible repercussions of the 24/7 news cycle is that it robs people of perspective. Both sides of the Great Divide traffic in constant outrage and hyperbole to the point everyone becomes the boy who cried wolf when a real catastrophe arrives.

If routine affronts are routinely labeled existential, what are people supposed to call the existential ones? What happens when a fire drill cannot be distinguished from a real blaze?

Parsons instinct to prosecute a journalist is the governmental equivalent of a forest fire. This wrongdoing on his part must stand apart from the noise.

It would have been bad enough had Parson sought judicial relief by suing the Post-Dispatch based on his cockamamie assumptions. For that, however, the governor might have needed to enlist the services of Attorney General Eric Schmitt, and hes preoccupied suing school districts and drowning liberals puppies.

But Parson did not do that. He violated all principle and precedent and called in the highway patrols Digital Forensic Unit to do his political dirty work (along with the Cole County prosecutor).

It is almost incidental to the story that Parson is thoroughly wrong about the facts of the case. His slanderous description of Renaud as a hacker was just stunning for its English as a second language feel, even by the governors standards.

Hackers dont customarily advise the hackees that they might want to fix whats wrong as a professional courtesy. Thats precisely what Renaud and the newspaper did by alerting the state to the problem and then holding up publication of the story so that it didnt cause harm.

That uncommon journalistic good deed was apparently going to garner a letter of thanks based on a draft email from Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Margie Vandeven, according to a subsequent Post-Dispatch report. Somehow, that never saw the light of day.

In case youre puzzled as to why, look no further than the quasi-literate statement Parson made about Renaud at his initial press conference on the matter: This individual is not a victim. They were acting against the state agency to compromise teachers personal information in an attempt to embarrass the state and sell headlines for their news outlet.

Not sure where to start here. Setting aside that annoying syntax thing, did Parson say the quiet part out loud by accusing the suddenly plural Renaud of having tried to embarrass the state and sell headlines for their news outlet?

So, thats the theory of the case. Whats the crime here? Simple. Why, he embarrassed the state. As for the governor dismissing a solid piece of investigative journalism as selling headlines for a news outlet, well now thats embarrassing the state.

But that pales next to the scary-stupid assertion by Parson that Renaud was acting against the state agency to compromise teachers personal information. Really? By publishing a story for the obvious purpose of un-compromising the information?

What is wrong with this guy?

Now, being of a certain age like me Parson might be forgiven for not having known the difference between words like encoded and encrypted. But he ought to know there are people out there who could have explained it to him, like Shaji Khan, a cybersecurity professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, a state institution as luck would have it.

Heres what the Post-Dispatch attributed to Khan when the story broke in October:

The data on DESEs website was encoded but not encrypted. No one can view encrypted data without the specific decryption key used to hide the data. But encoded just means the data is in a different format and can be relatively easily decoded and viewed.

Anybody who knows anything about development and the bad guys are way ahead can easily decode that data, Khan said. He added that the bigger problem was that DESE had the sensitive data on the website at all.

So, the technical explanation is that Renaud did not employ any sort of aggressive or intrusive or improper action to ascertain the data flaw that jeopardized the privacy of all those teachers. Just as important, thats the common-sense explanation as well.

What Parson has done by initiating his criminal investigation of a journalist for embarrassing him is far more impeachable than the epic sleaziness of his predecessor, the disgraced Eric Greitens. He is a lucky man that the General Assembly is overwhelmingly controlled by his political party.

Parson is the same governor who has spent nearly two years insisting that it would represent government overreach to enact public-health regulations to combat the spread of COVID-19, as the vast majority of states not named Missouri have done. More than 15,700 Missourians have died during the pandemic.

But Parson has moved on from that. Theres a journalist who needs locking up, after all.

Someone, please hack into a U.S. Constitution for this man.

Ray Hartmann founded the Riverfront Times in 1977. Contact him at rhartmann1952@gmail.com or catch him on Donnybrook at 7 p.m. on Thursdays on the Nine Network and St. Louis In the Know With Ray Hartmann from 9 to 11 p.m. Monday thru Friday on KTRS (550 AM).

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Hartmann: The Tyranny of Mike Parson - Riverfront Times

Murphy will lead Democratic Governors Association in 2023 – New Jersey Globe | New Jersey Politics

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Governor Phi Murphy is looking at two years of potentially heavy out-of-state travel after securing a second stint as the chairman of the Democratic Governors Association.

Murphy will serve as DGA vice chairman in 2022 and chairman in 2023, the DGA announced on Sunday. He will become the governor to serve a second term as head of the Democratic Governors Association since the precursor of the group was formed in 1965.

At the same time, the recently re-elected New Jersey governor is serving as the vice chairman o f the National Governors Association. In July 2022, Murphy is set to assume the NGA chairmanship.

Gubernatorial contests in three southern states Louisiana, Mississippi and Kentucky could put Murphy in the thick of races where major issues like abortion and guns might put his own beliefs at odds with many Democrats in those states.

But Murphys progressive stances on state and national issues wont necessarily hurt Democrats running in those states.

The DGA position is primarily a fundraising position, said Jessica Taylor, the Senate and Governors Editor of the non-partisan Cook Political Report. The average voter will nt know who the DGA chair is.

Taylor said that voters will be more likely to hear names like Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and Nancy Pelosi than Murphy in states where Republicans will make guns and abortion an issue.

Were seeing governors races becoming increasingly nationalized, she said.

If Murphys main responsibility is to raise money, his resumption of the DGA leadership post will likely add to the portfolio of the governors fundraiser-in-chief, First Lady Tammy Murphy.

Murphy was the DGA vice chair in 2019 and chair in 2020. The coronavirus pandemic prevented Murphy from traveling the country last year in support of Democratic gubernatorial candidates and left him spending his time on the telephone and in Zoom meetings.

On his watch, Democrats re-elected governors in North Carolina their most important battleground state along with Delaware and Washington. Republican governors won in Indiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Vermont and West Virginia. The GOP also held an open governorship in Utah.

In Montana, New Jersey transplant Greg Gianforte, a Republican congressman, was elected governor. That was a pickup for the GOP after term-limited Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock ran unsuccessful bids for the presidency, and then the United States Senate.

Democrats face tough map in 2023

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a pro-choice Democrat who ousted Republican Gov. Matt Bevin by just 4,136 votes (49.2%-48.8%) in 2019, is seeking re-election. So far, the only announced candidate against Beshear is State Auditor Mike Harmon.

But Murphy could potentially find it difficult to even get behind the Democratic nominee in Louisiana and Mississippi, the other two states with gubernatorial elections in two years.

Both states nominated pro-life, pro-gun candidates in 2019 and Murphy, as the DGA vice chair that year, sidestepped endorsing either of the Democratic candidates.

In Louisiana, Gov. John Bel Edwards, a conservative Democrat who was re-elected with 51.3% in 2019, is term-limited. Edwards signed a law that banned abortion after fifteen weeks of pregnancy, and he signed a package of gun rights bills backed by the National Rifle Organization.

Taylor said Democrats face an uphill battle in Louisiana, unless they find another John Bell Edwards.

The Democratic nominee for governor of Mississippi two years ago, state Attorney General Don Hood, referred to himself as a poster child for the Second Amendment, and as a Pro-Life Democrat.

The Republican governor of Mississippi, Tate Reeves, has not yet announced if he will seek a second term. Mississippi is ground zero in the national fight to overturn Roe v. Wade and the U.S. Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments in a case to uphold the states 15-week abortion ban Reeves signed that might lead to an overturning of the landmark 1973 decision that legalizes abortion.

Reeves beat Hood with 52% of the vote in 2019 in a state that hasnt elected a Democratic governor since 1999. Edwards was re-elected with 51% after a runoff two years ago.

According to Taylor, Murphy can make the case that Democratic donors might hold their noses and support more conservative candidates in the southern gubernatorial races in 2023 because of their impact on regaining the White House in 2024.

Just having a Democratic governor in place helps if Donald Trump runs against, said Taylor, who cited issues like challenges to the way votes are counted.in American elections.

Murphys greatest impact could be as DGA vice chairman next year, when 39 governorships will be on the ballot during President Joe Bidens mid-term elections.

Democrats are looking at flipping two seats currently held by moderate Republicans: Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker, Murphys high school classmate, is not seeking a third term, and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is term-limited.

The Cook Political Report lists four Democratic governors Gretchen Whitmer in Michigan, Laura Kelly in Kansas, Steve Sisolak in Nevada, and Tony Evers in Wisconsin as toss-ups. An open seat in Pennsylvania, where Gov Tom Wolf is term-limited, is also a toss-up.

Republicans are defending 20 governorships, including an open seat in Arizona Gov. Rob Ducey is term-limited and in Georgia, where Gov. Brian Kemp faces a GOP primary challenge from David Perdue, a former U.S. Senator who has Trumps backing. The winner of that primary will face former state House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, who has emerged as a national Democratic leader on voting rights issues since her narrow 54,723-vote loss, 50.2%-48.8%, to Kemp in 2018.

Murphy is the third New Jersey governor to lead his partys political arm: Brendan Byrne ran the DGA in 1980 and Chris Christie was the RGA chairman in 2014.

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Murphy will lead Democratic Governors Association in 2023 - New Jersey Globe | New Jersey Politics

NBC News Rats Out More of the Gun Community – NRA ILA

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A sad fact about gun control politics is that if you are cynical enough you can darn near see the future.

Consider this NRA-ILA item from November 8, titled, NBC News Tattletale Alerts Secret Service to Lets go Brandon AR-15 Receiver. The piece concerned an NBC News reporter who contacted the U.S. Secret Service over the sale of an AR-15 lower receiver emblazoned with the popular Lets go Brandon political slogan. NRA-ILA explained in the article,

As legacy press outlets have lost much of their ability to manipulate public opinion, these institutions have resorted to increasingly desperate tactics to shape public discourse. Enter tattletale journalism.

This genre of article consists of identifying something that offends the delicate sensibilities of the prestige press and the elites they cater to and then reporting the offensive conduct to various authorities under the guise of asking them for comment. The transparent goal of such pieces is to pressure those in authority to stamp out the behavior. This sometimes takes the form of a journalist alerting one of the tech oligopolies to material hosted on their platform that the reporter deems politically incorrect.

Less than a month after publishing the ridiculous Lets go Brandon piece, NBC engaged in exactly the conduct described above.

According to an account from Ammoland.com, in recent weeks NBC News contributor Joshua Eaton contacted several firearms-related YouTube content producers to ask them about the material on their channels. The query focused on channels containing information on how people can exercise their Second Amendment right to build their own firearms.

NBC News then contacted YouTube with a list of channels containing this information, alerting the tech giant that these channels were supposedly not in compliance with the companys community guidelines. This resulted in videos being deleted and demonetization of the channels. Ammoland.com obtained a letter from YouTube that explained,

All channels on YouTube must comply with our Community Guidelines, which prohibit content instructing viewers how to make firearms, Jack Malon, YouTube spokesperson, told AmmoLand News. After careful review, we have removed the videos in question for violation of our firearms policy, and we have also suspended the channels sent by NBC from the YouTube Partner Program for failure to follow our Advertiser-Friendly Guidelines.

For more information on this vital story see the Ammoland.com article by clicking here.

With its recent behavior, NBC News has abandoned any pretense of objectivity and is now engaged in partisan activism.

On his personal website, Eaton notes that prior to going freelance he wrote for ThinkProgress. That outlet was a project of the left-wing Center for American Progress Action Fund. The Center for American Progress is a radical anti-gun organization. The group supports a ban on commonly-owned semi-automatic firearms and their magazines and background checks for ammunition sales. At present, the outfit opposes the NRA-supported New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen U.S. Supreme Court case that would ensure the Second Amendment right of New Yorkers to carry a firearm for self-defense outside the home.

NBCUniversal would do well to keep this sort of rank advocacy to MSNBC, lest the public get wise to their broader propaganda campaign.

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NBC News Rats Out More of the Gun Community - NRA ILA

China wants Macau to break its gambling addiction – The Economist

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STAKES IN PUNTO BANCO, a popular version of the card game baccarat, have often risen to well over $100,000 in Macaus VIP suites. The high-rollers have usually come from the Chinese mainland. Even before flying into the gambling haven they would commonly agree to bet upwards of $1m during their stays. Those who have arrived short of cash because of the mainlands strict capital controls have easily found lenders of Macanese patacas.

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The flow of super-rich punters from the mainland has been enabled by junket agents and promoters. In 2019 SJM Holdings, which owns a huge French Renaissance-style casino in Macau, brought in almost all of its VIP customers through such middlemen. The share of non- VIP gambling in the city has been rising in recent years. But before the pandemic, VIPs still accounted for about a third of the territorys gross revenues from gaming.

Covid-19 has been a blow to the industry. So, too, have stepped-up efforts by Chinas government to curb the junket business. Betting is illegal on the mainland. In March China said assisting cross-border gambling was also against the law. On November 26th police in the coastal city of Wenzhou issued an arrest warrant for Alvin Chau, the head of SunCity, Macaus biggest junket firm. He was later seized in Macau. Officials there claimed this was unrelated to the mainlands warrant, but many in his business felt a deep chill.

The charges against Mr Chau hint at the scope of the junket industry in Macau. Wenzhous police say he had 12,000 agents serving 80,000 customers on the mainland. SunCity allegedly arranged underground banking services to help them evade capital controls. Junkets are legal in Macau. But the mainlands laws appear to have trumped local ones.

How will Macau survive? China wants to see it transformed from a city of vice into a regional entertainment centre and tech hub. This has proved difficult because most of its available land has been used to build casinos. Macaus government hopes a new development zone will help. It is on nearby Hengqin, an island three times Macaus size. It belongs to the mainland and has been leased in part to Macau. Hengqin will have theme parks, family attractions and a high-speed rail link with Chinas interior. The former Portuguese enclave will become even more like a mainland city.

This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline "No dice for vice"

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China wants Macau to break its gambling addiction - The Economist

DJ loses more than RM400,000 in Macau scam – The Star Online

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JOHOR BARU: A deejay at an entertainment centre here lost more than RM400,000 of her savings after falling for a Macau scam.

Johor police Commercial Crime chief Asst Comm Amran Md Jusin said the 45-year-old woman lodged a police report on Sunday (Dec 12).

She received a call on Dec 1 at around 1pm from a male caller who identified himself as an officer from Telekom Malaysia.

The caller told the victim that she had been 'blacklisted', claiming that she had many unpaid phone bills and he would call her again soon, he said in a statement Monday (Dec 13).

ACP Amran added that the victim then received another call from a mobile number, this time from a woman who identified herself as Inspector Ling from Kuantan police headquarters, claiming that she could help the victim by making a police report online.

He said the inspector then told the victim that after checking her name, it had been found that she was involved in illegal money laundering activities.

This 'inspector' then ordered the victim to make several monetary transactions into several bank accounts given for investigative purposes and the money would be returned to her once it was complete.

The victim followed the instructions and made 58 transactions to eight bank accounts between Dec 2 and 9, amounting to RM419,050, before realising she had been cheated after trying to call the 'inspector' several times and not getting an answer, he added.

ACP Imran said the case was being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.

He reminded the public to always be vigilant especially when receiving calls from unknown callers claiming to be from enforcement agencies.

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DJ loses more than RM400,000 in Macau scam - The Star Online

Arbutus and Qilu Pharmaceutical Enter into an Exclusive Licensing Agreement and Strategic Partnership to Develop and Commercialize AB-729 in mainland…

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Qilu Pharmaceutical, one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in China, becomes strategic partner to provide development, manufacturing and commercialization expertise for the mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan markets

Arbutus to receive $40 million in an upfront payment, up to $245 million in development and commercialization milestone payments, double-digit tiered royalties and a $15 million equity investment

WARMINSTER, Pa. and JINAN, China, Dec. 13, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arbutus Biopharma Corporation (Nasdaq: ABUS), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing a cure for people with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, and Qilu Pharmaceutical, one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in China, today announced that the companies have entered into an exclusive licensing agreement and strategic partnership for the development and commercialization of AB-729 for the treatment or prevention of hepatitis B in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

AB-729 is Arbutuss lead RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutic that is currently in multiple Phase 2aproof-of-concept clinical trials designed to evaluate it in combination with other approved or investigational agents.

William Collier, President and Chief Executive Officer of Arbutus Biopharma, commented, Qilu is an ideal partner for our AB-729 RNAi therapeutic given their extensive development, regulatory and commercialization capabilities in China. We are now positioned to bring AB-729 to the largest HBV patient population in need of a cure and to tap into one of the largest and most promising healthcare markets worldwide. We are committed to working with Qilu in this partnership which further validates the potential of AB-729 to address the unmet medical need in HBV.

Qilu Pharmaceutical Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Yan Li commented, The HBV patient population is significant in China. Based on clinical data achieved to-date, we believe in the potential of AB-729 to be a safe and effective treatment option in treating HBV. We look forward to collaborating with Arbutus to maximize the potential clinical value that AB-729 can bring to and benefit the millions of underserved HBV patients in China.

Under the terms of the agreement, Arbutus will receive a $40 million upfront payment and will be entitled to additional payments of up to $245 million upon reaching certain development, regulatory and sales milestones. The above amounts are net of withholding taxes. Qilu will be responsible for funding all development and commercialization activities for mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Arbutus is also entitled to receive double-digit tiered royalties up to the low twenties percent on annual net sales. In addition, Qilu will make a $15 million equity investment in Arbutus common shares at a price of $4.19 per share, a 15% premium of Arbutus previous 30-day average closing stock price calculated from December 10, 2021.

The common shares to be sold in the private placement have been offered only to certain institutional and/or accredited investors in reliance upon an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act). The common shares have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state or other securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. The Securities and Exchange Commission has not passed upon the merits of or given its approval to the common shares, the terms of the private placement or the accuracy or completeness of any private placement materials. The common shares sold in the private placement are subject to legal restrictions on transfer.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification or otherwise under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About AB-729

AB-729 is an RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutic specifically designed to reduce all HBV viral proteins and antigens, including hepatitis B surface antigen, which is thought to be a key prerequisite to enable reawakening of a patients immune system to respond to the virus. AB-729 targets hepatocytes using Arbutus novel covalently conjugated N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) delivery technology that enables subcutaneous delivery. Clinical data generated thus far has shown single- and multi-doses of AB-729 to be generally safe and well-tolerated while providing meaningful reductions in hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis B DNA.

About HBV

Hepatitis B is a potentially life-threatening liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). HBV can cause chronic infection which leads to a higher risk of death from cirrhosis and liver cancer. Chronic HBV infection represents a significant unmet medical need. The World Health Organization estimates that over 250 million people worldwide suffer from chronic HBV infection, while other estimates indicate that approximately 2 million people in the United States suffer from chronic HBV infection. Approximately 900,000 people die every year from complications related to chronic HBV infection despite the availability of effective vaccines and current treatment options.

About Arbutus

Arbutus Biopharma Corporation (Nasdaq: ABUS) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company primarily focused on discovering, developing and commercializing a broad portfolio of assets with different modes of action to provide a cure for people with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The Company is advancing multiple product candidates with distinct mechanisms of action that suppress viral replication, reduce surface antigen and reawaken the immune system. Arbutus believes this three-prong approach is key to transforming the treatment and developing a potential cure for chronic HBV infection. Arbutus HBV product pipeline includes RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics, oral capsid inhibitors, oral compounds that inhibit PD-L1 and oral HBV RNA destabilizers. In addition, Arbutus has an ongoing drug discovery and development program directed to identifying orally active agents for treating coronaviruses (including COVID-19). For more information, visit http://www.arbutusbio.com.

About Qilu Pharmaceutical

Qilu Pharmaceutical is a leading vertically integrated pharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, manufacturing and commercializing innovative medicines. With a diverse pipeline of novel therapeutics, 10 manufacturing sites and more than 23,000 employees worldwide, Qilu is dedicated to transforming scientific innovation by internal R&D across 5 R&D platforms based in the US (Seattle WA, Boston MA, San Francisco CA) and China (Shanghai, Jinan), and external partnership globally into healthcare solutions to address unmet medical needs. To date, Qilu has launched 200+ products with 30+ products "First to launch" in China and 3 products "D181 launch" in US with approximately US$4.2 billion sales revenue in 2020. For more information, please visit http://en.qilu-pharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements and Information

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (collectively, forward-looking statements). Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements about our future development plans for our product candidates; the expected cost, timing and results of our clinical development plans and clinical trials with respect to our product candidates; our expectations and goals for our collaboration with Qilu Pharmaceutical and any potential benefits related thereto; and the potential for our product candidates to achieve success in clinical trials.

With respect to the forward-looking statements contained in this press release, Arbutus has made numerous assumptions regarding, among other things: the effectiveness and timeliness of preclinical studies and clinical trials, and the usefulness of the data; the timeliness of regulatory approvals; the continued demand for Arbutus assets; and the stability of economic and market conditions. While Arbutus considers these assumptions to be reasonable, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, market and social uncertainties and contingencies, including uncertainties and contingencies related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause Arbutus actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. Known risk factors include, among others: anticipated pre-clinical studies and clinical trials may be more costly or take longer to complete than anticipated, may never be initiated or completed, or may not generate results that warrant future development of the tested product candidate; Arbutus may elect to change its strategy regarding its product candidates and clinical development activities; Arbutus may not receive the necessary regulatory approvals for the clinical development of Arbutus products; economic and market conditions may worsen; Arbutus and its collaborators may never realize the expected benefits of the collaborations; market shifts may require a change in strategic focus; and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic could significantly disrupt Arbutus clinical development programs.

A more complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing Arbutus appears in Arbutus Annual Report on Form 10-K, Arbutus Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Arbutus continuous and periodic disclosure filings, which are available at http://www.sedar.com and at http://www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements herein are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and Arbutus disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking statements or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law.

Contact Information

Investors and Media

William H. CollierPresident and CEOPhone: 267-469-0914Email:ir@arbutusbio.com

Lisa M. CaperelliVice President, Investor RelationsPhone: 215-206-1822Email: lcaperelli@arbutusbio.com

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Arbutus and Qilu Pharmaceutical Enter into an Exclusive Licensing Agreement and Strategic Partnership to Develop and Commercialize AB-729 in mainland...

International regatta to be held between Jan 13 and 16, 2022 – Macau Business

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The 2022 MGM Macao International Regatta has been scheduled to take place between January 13 and 16, 2022 with 37 teams from China and around the world competing for three championships.

The event is being organized by the Sports Bureau, Ursa Major Sailing Event Management, the Marine and Water Bureau and the Macau Sailing Association, with MGM China as its title sponsor.

The regattawill comprise three competitions the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Cup Regatta (IRC), Macao Cup International Regatta (Beneteau First 40.7) unified design group and theInternational Catamaran Invitational (Hobie16) unified design group.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Cup Regatta and the Macao Cup International Regatta will bring together 22 teams from China and various countries competing at the waters off south of Hac Sa Beach.

Meanwhile, 15 sailing teams that participated in theInternational Catamaran Invitational (Hobie16) unified design group, will compete for the championship at the waters south of the Inner Harbour Channel off the Macau Science Center.

Ancillary activities, such as fleet parade, photo competition, demonstration of sailing boats and parent-child workshop will also be held.

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International regatta to be held between Jan 13 and 16, 2022 - Macau Business

Gov’t reclaims 23,324 sqm land in Taipa – Macau Business

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Macau authorities today (Monday) cleared out and recovered a 23,324 square meters land plot next to the Va Nam Industrial Building on Avenida Olmpica da Taipa.

The land recovered in this action was divided in two, with one 19,620 square meter section having had its land concession declared as expired, and a 3,704 square meters illegally occupied land plot.

The Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT) recently issued an eviction notice to interested parties from the expired land, requiring them to vacate it and return it within the stipulated period.

At the same time, a public notice was also published, with the aim of starting the procedures for evicting and evicting the land that was illegally occupied. Those interested in the expired land had already signed a written declaration and returned most of the land to the Macao SAR Government, however, a small part was still occupied by other people, the department noted.

After the deadlines for vacating and evicting the two parts of the land in question, the government carried out a joint interdepartmental action to vacate and recover the entire land, having closed it and posted a notice to prevent any further illegal occupation.

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Gov't reclaims 23,324 sqm land in Taipa - Macau Business

Brother fears Assange may not survive US prosecution – Macau Business

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Julian Assanges brother said Monday he feared the Wikileaks publisher would not survive the United States attempts to prosecute him after his fiancee revealed he had suffered a mini-stroke.

Gabriel Shipton was among about 30 people, including Pink Floyds Roger Waters and actress Susan Sarandon, to rally in support of Assange outside the British consulate in New York.

The protest came a day after Assanges fiancee Stella Moris said Assange had suffered a mini-stroke in late October, on the first day of a US government appeal against a ruling blocking his removal.

The demonstrators were protesting against a decision on Friday by British appeals judges to overturn the ruling after accepting US government assurances Assange would receive appropriate treatment and not be held in punishing isolation in custody.

Very worried about it, Shipton told AFP. This hanging over Julians head just increases the pressure on him now.

So we live in fear that he wont make it through this or that he will die basically, during this process, he added.

The United States wants to put Assange on trial for WikiLeaks 2010 publication of thousands of top-secret military documents about the US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Assanges lawyers have previously raised concerns about the effects of his lengthy incarceration on his physical and mental health in a bid to halt the extradition.

Assange spent seven years in Ecuadors London embassy until 2019, after jumping bail in connection with sexual assault allegations in Sweden.

He was then jailed for 50 weeks for breaching bail in that case, which was later dropped, but detained ever since on the grounds he was a flight risk.

Sarandon told Assange supporters that no matter what you think of Julian Assange, his case was about journalism that just isnt about entertainment.

(It) has to do with having an informed public because once this goes, were really dead, she said.

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Brother fears Assange may not survive US prosecution - Macau Business

Portugal: Country welcomes 273 Afghans, most with music, artistic careers – Macau Business

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The Prime Minister said that the country had today received 273 Afghan citizens on Monday, most of them with musical and artistic careers, following an operation in conjunction with friends of the National Music Institute of Afghanistan.

This new reception by Portugal of Afghan citizens was disclosed by Antnio Costa on his official Twitter account.

It is with great joy and a spirit of international solidarity that we receive 273 Afghan citizens in Portugal today, in an operation in conjunction with [friends] of the National Music Institute of Afghanistan (ANIM), he wrote.

In his message, the prime minister said they are students, young women and men, with their direct relatives, including siblings, who will have the opportunity to live and resume their studies in Portugal.

In addition to the reception, which honours us greatly, we will guarantee these people health care, education and social integration, Antnio Costa added

For the Prime Minister, these young people will thus be able to fulfil their dream of a musical and artistic career in freedom, peace and security.

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Portugal: Country welcomes 273 Afghans, most with music, artistic careers - Macau Business

Fundraising campaign mounted to improve treatment for bike crash victim – Macau Daily Times

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The workplace and school of the recent heavy motorbike crash victim are putting out a call on several social media platforms for public donations to facilitate a higher level of medical treatment.

Last Friday, the victim was riding his heavy motorbike in the New Urban Zone A when a concrete mixer truck allegedly failed to give way as required by traffic signs.

He was not breathing and did not have a heartbeat when he arrived at the hospital, but was resuscitated by medical staff. He is now receiving treatment in the ICU of Kiang Wu Hospital.

A social media post stated that the hospital medical team acknowledged the need for external experts to perform a series of crucial operations on the victim to increase his odds of survival. However, his family may not be able to afford the cost of such operations.

As such, the City University of Macau Students Union and the Pou Tai Youth and Family Service Complex are co-leading a fund-raiser, hoping to obtain financial support for the victim and his family.

The Public Security Police Force is calling for witnesses of the accident. Information can be provided through 2837 4214. AL

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Fundraising campaign mounted to improve treatment for bike crash victim - Macau Daily Times

Elon Musk named Time magazine person of the year – Macau Business

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Time magazine on Monday named Tesla chief and space entrepreneur Elon Musk as its person of the year 2021, citing his embodiment of the technological shifts but also troubling trends reshaping peoples lives.

Musk who overtook Amazon founder Jeff Bezos this year to become the worlds wealthiest person wields impact on Earth with his Tesla electric car company and beyond our planet with his SpaceX rockets.

Musks rise coincides with broader trends of which he and his fellow technology magnates are part cause and part effect, Time editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal wrote.

Among those trends, Felsenthal listed the continuing decline of traditional institutions in favor of individuals; government dysfunction that has delivered more power and responsibility to business and chasms of wealth and opportunity.

Time editors have previously defined the title which last year went to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris as going to people who embodied what was important about the year, for better or for worse.

In October, Musks electric car companys valuation soared above a trillion dollars, and SpaceX has teamed up with US space agency NASA to launch various missions including a test run of protecting Earth from an asteroid.

The brash South African-born 50-year-old has seen his wealth soar during the pandemic to over $250 billion, according to Forbes real-time billionaires list.

He has also courted controversy with his provocative Twitter feed that can attack, joke and provoke including a poll in November asking Twitter whether he should sell a 10 percent share of his Tesla stock.

Felsenthal noted Musks provocative vision is accompanied by a persona which is a blunt instrument that often seems to revel in division and aggressive mockery as he gives the world access to his id through social media.

Musk has appeared ever-present in American culture in recent years, amassing66 million Twitter followers and guest-hosting the famed late-night comedy show Saturday Night Live in May.

Musk speaks ambitiously about his interest in colonizing Mars, and plans orbital flights next year as part of SpaceXs planned American return to the Moon.

The goal overall has been to make life multi-planetary and enable humanity to become a spacefaring civilization, Musk told Time in an interview released with the Person of the Year announcement.

SpaceX is starting a program to take CO2 out of atmosphere & turn it into rocket fuel. Please join if interested, he tweeted later Monday, in an announcement that was as eye-catching as it was short of detail.

Musk has also been known to move markets and the value of cryptocurrencies with a single tweet, but his main terrestrial influence for now is with his electric vehicles.

Our intent with Tesla was always that we would serve as an example to the car industry, and hope that they also make electric cars so that we can accelerate the transition to sustainable energy, Musk told Time.

Time notes that in an earlier era interplanetary travel was a collective undertaking that leaders used to rally their nations, but that increasingly private companies are involved.

To Musk, that is progress, steering capital allocation away from the government to those who will be good stewards of it, Felsenthal wrote.

To others, it is testament to capitalisms failings as staggeringly wealthy, mostly white men play by their own rules while much of society gets left behind, he added.

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Elon Musk named Time magazine person of the year - Macau Business

Cris Cyborg throws shade at UFC after recent quarterly report

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Cris Cyborg is happy to no longer be with her old home of the UFC.

Reports from MMA Fighting were released on Monday regarding a historically profitable year for the UFC and Endeavor. Having had a less than pleasant experience from a behind the scenes perspective, according to her, Cyborg chimed in with a response to the news.

U Fight Cheap, Cris Cyborg tweeted. More and more big names going to leave and be replaced with contender series contracts

As the former UFC featherweight champion, Cyborg (25-2) made waves by following the recent trend of high profile fighters jumping ship to Bellator. Several former UFC stars along with Cyborg include Ryan Bader, Gegard Mousasi, Rory MacDonald, and Sergio Pettis all of which went on to capture titles in their new promotion.

Season five of Dana Whites Contender Series recently concluded during the week of UFC 268. With each new season, the series has seen more and more fighters getting signed.

Now 36-years of age, the Brazilian shows no signs of slowing down as she reigns supreme holding the Bellator featherweight championship. This past Friday night at Bellator 271 saw Cyborg successfully defend her title for the third time when scoring a first-round knockout against Irelands Sinead Kavanagh.

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Cris Cyborg throws shade at UFC after recent quarterly report

Disney Flop "Treasure Planet" Was Way Ahead of Its Time – The Mary Sue

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One of the fun things about Disney+ is being able to explore older films that dont always get a lot of attention from the Disney Vault. One of the ones I decided to look at recently was the 2002 box office failureTreasure Planet.

The film was co-written, co-produced, and directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. This was their passion project and something they had pitched the concept for back when they pitchedThe Little Mermaid over a decade earlier.

An adaptation of the novelTreasure Island by Robert Louis Stevensonin space. The story stays as close to the book as possible while also being a steampunk-y space adventure story. Jim Hawkins (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a young man with a thirst for adventure, who, after meeting the close-to-death Billy Bones, gains possession of a treasure map. The map plots the course to the treasure of the infamous Captain Flint, who was said to have hidden the legendary loot of a thousand worlds in One PI mean, Treasure Planet. Bones, before dying, warns Jim to beware of the cyborg.

Jim, along with Dr. Delbert Doppler (David Hyde Pierce), hires a space crew led by Captain Amelia Smollet (Emma Thompson) to go on a quest to find the treasure. The trouble is that the cook just happens to be a cyborg named John Silver (Brian Murray), and the rest of the crew, save for Smollet and her first mate, are very shady characters. Jim ends up forming a paternal bond with Silver, which causes issues when the latter needs to lead a mutiny in order to fulfill his lifelong goal of getting the treasure.

Much like Atlantis: The Lost Empire the year before, one of the things that are blatantly apparent is how creative the project is. They were really shooting for something different with the music (Goo Goo Dolls lead singer John Rzeznik sings some of the sad boy ballads, and its dope), the imagery, and overall bigness of the story. It is an adventure story that delivers big, but there are also lots of quiet moments where it really is about a teenage boy looking for a father figure to believe in him.

When I think about what went wrong withTreasure Planet, a lot of it really comes down to it maybe looking (on a highly superficial level) too much likeTitan A.E., which came out two years earlier and flopped. As someone who saw (and loved) Atlantisin theaters, I remember it coming and leaving theaters very quickly. By the time it came out, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was still going strong, and so was The Santa Clause 2, and it was hard to tell whatTreasure Planetwas or why it was worth seeing. It looked like a dad movieDisney-style.

And it is, but thats not a bad thing.

Its different. Its trying to tell a Disney story in a slightly different way, and that creativity is so beautiful to watch as an adultespecially in a double feature with Atlantis. For all the flaws in those films third acts, both were ahead of the curve in telling creative stories for Disney.

(image: Disney)

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I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK (2006) – IMDb

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Like all good movies, "I'm a Cyborg" is more than the sum of its plot points. So don't be put off by the synopsis. Normally, the minute I'm hearing "modern fairy tale", "touching love story", or "poetic images", I'll turn tail and run. But when I found out this is by the guy who made "Old Boy", I knew it had to be different. And it is. Think "Angels of the Universe" meets "Twelve Monkeys", packed with visual thrills. The opening sequence is one of the biggest kicks of its kind.Wheels are spinning are gears are grinding in pale translucent green, vaguely reminiscent of x-ray images. It turns out we are observing a Cyborg's inner life, cleverly interwoven with the opening scenes of the actual feature. Before we really understand how Cha (cover girl Su-Jeong Lim) ended up on the funny farm, the camera is gliding downstairs in an impossible dolly shot, smoothly passing through closed doors, down to the asylum's mysterious sub-basement with its candy-colored pipework. In the course of the movie's 105 minutes, Chan-Wook Park takes us from Seoul to the Swiss alps and back again. I say, forget Bollywood. South Korea is the new Hollywood.

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I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK (2006) - IMDb

Blockchain technology should be the backbone of an e-signature solution – Healthcare IT News

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If your businesss legal health depends on signed agreements with clients were looking at you, healthcare organizations, law firms, financial service providers you know the federal E-Sign ACT gives electronically signed contracts the same legal status as those signed on paper. But what you might not know is that the law does not treat all electronic contracts equally. Understanding these distinctions should influence the e-signature app you choose.

Imagining the worst

Lets play out the type of hypothetical thats probably leading you to research electronic-signature solutions in the first place. Imagine your company finds itself in a legal dispute with a client (or patient) over the validity of a signed agreement. You will need to prove not only that you have the electronically signed document, but also that:

If the e-signature solution you used to secure the signed agreement doesnt allow you to meet any of these (or other) conditions, you might not be able to legally enforce the contract.

Not all technologies used to secure e-records are created equal

To satisfy the above elements of the E-Sign Act (signers affirmative consent, record integrity, etc.), and prevail in a legal dispute, youll need your e-signature app to offer advanced digital protection and anti-fraud measures, including:

Taken together, these make up the unique characteristics of blockchain, which is why government agencies and corporations are increasingly turning to this technology to secure their most valuable and sensitive electronic data. Here are just a few examples.

Government agencies secure their data with blockchain

The National Institutes of Health issued a paper in 2020 recommending the use of blockchain to track and secure COVID-19 data, calling it trusted tracking system. The papers key statement:

Blockchains decentralized platform is tamperproof due to its underlying cryptographic technology, which is used to authenticate participants in the network.1

The Department of Defense awarded a cybersecurity contract to longtime military contractor SIMBA Chain in 2020 to secure sensitive research-and-development records. As the announcement explained:

Using blockchain, the DOD aims to improve integration, security, auditability, and controlled access of this critical data. 2

Corporations secure their data with blockchain

A report by Concord Law School, explaining blockchains legal admissibility as digital evidence, notes that several large corporations are already using the technology to secure highly sensitive data. For example:

If international corporations with billions of dollars at stake and even federal agencies with data as sensitive as the Defense Department trust their electronic records to blockchain technology, why would you want to record and store your companys signed contracts with anything less proven and secure?

The only viable answer

Until now, you didnt have any choice but to entrust your electronic signatures to more traditional cybersecurity protocols, because no e-signature app offered blockchain technology.

Even DocuSign, one of the worlds largest e-signature solutions, has acknowledged as recently as December 2020 that although the company finds blockchain technology intriguing it is still too expensive for the kinds of things [our] company does.4

But today, you no longer have that challenge. jSign can protect your companys electronic records in a digital environment that leverages all the security, decentralization and anti-fraud benefits of the blockchain.

To learn more about jSign, download this free white paper:

A Key Capability to Demand from Your E-Signature Solution

References:

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Blockchain technology should be the backbone of an e-signature solution - Healthcare IT News

Sequence by Chain Looks to Capture the Permissioned Blockchain Market – GlobeNewswire

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CHARLESTOWN, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Dec. 13, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chain, a ledger-as-a-service blockchain launched in 2014, is ready to bring its flagship product, Sequence, to the hands of institutional and business clients. Chain was a prominent blockchain start-up that received funding from, and partnered with major financial institutions, such as Visa, Citibank, and others, to launch custom blockchain products. Chain was acquired by Stellar back in 2018 for what was at the time one of the largest M&A deals in the entire blockchain space, at reportedly $500M.

Since then, Chain has been reacquired to continue developing its ledger-as-a-service product, Sequence. There is also an open source version aptly named Chain Core, available for developers.

The code base is undergoing a major overhaul by the new team with an expectation to launch Sequence v2 and Chain Core v2 in 2022.

"We are absolutely committed to bringing blockchain technology to major financial players in the legacy banking space. The original Chain team built novel software that was piloted by many until they ultimately merged with Stellar to create Interstellar, running on a public blockchain. However, legacy clients want close-ended systems, ones they can control. If we bring the efficiency of a blockchain and give them the close-ended tools they require, the space can be widely disrupted by Chain's products. We are keen to bringing this to fruition," said Deepak Thapliyal, Chain's Chief Executive Officer.

Chain has also launched its native Chain Token, a self-described Ethereum based token that grants users access to discounts on Sequence as well as access to premium services on the product line. Chain Tokens will eventually enable governance and control over its DAO and public network.

Chain is positioned within a very niche area where there is low competition. Most highly used blockchains are public networks that require smart contracts to operate in a centralized manner in order to build out close-ended systems. These public blockchains can result in outages, delayed processing, and/or hard forks which can disrupt how legacy institutions conduct business. This is where Chain's products can be leveraged to benefit from blockchain technology within their own environments.

To further promote its branding and products, Chain has teamed up with Twitter to launch a custom branded Chain Emoji featuring 5 hashtags: #ChainProtocol #SequenceLedger #CHNToken #ChainCore & #ChainTxVM. Chain aims to bring its market-ready products to the hands of clients looking for more control through higher efficiency of a blockchain.

About Chain

Chain is cloud blockchain protocol that enables organizations to build better financial services from the ground up powered by Sequence, a ledger-as-service product that can be deployed within minutes through the Sequence Portal, and Chain Core, a permissioned open-source blockchain for developers. Learn more at chain.com

Press Inquiries

For all press, analyst, and speaking opportunities contact press@chain.com

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Sequence by Chain Looks to Capture the Permissioned Blockchain Market - GlobeNewswire

The Impact of Blockchain on the Cryptocurrency Market – Baltic Times

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Cryptocurrency and Blockchain are two related concepts that work hand-in-hand. Many of the successes recorded in the cryptocurrency market are due to its reliance on a major technology- Blockchain.

Blockchain: Technology behind Cryptocurrency

For those who have been in the cryptocurrency market for a long time, blockchain technology is no news to them. As a result, many crypto enthusiasts know as much about blockchain technology as they do about cryptocurrencies. For others, it isn't easy differentiating between cryptocurrency and Blockchain.

While these two terms may seem alike because they often appear in the same sentence, they mean different things, especially for those who buy Dogecoin. For example, cryptocurrencies are digital currencies that have a unified value globally. Unlike conventional fiat currencies, digital currencies are not controlled or regulated by any central authority.

On the other hand, Blockchain is a database of information upon which transactions in digital currencies take place. Understanding what blockchain technology is and how it functions is essential for the beginner who wants to get into the cryptocurrency market. With this understanding, you can make the most of your cryptocurrency investments.

What Is Blockchain and How Does It Function?

The best way to understand what blockchain technology is to see it as a database. A database is a platform or system that stores data till they are needed for further processing. However, unlike the many other databases, Blockchain works uniquely.

Information on the Blockchain is stored in groups often referred to as blocks. These blocks are connected to themselves in a chain-like manner which is why it is called the Blockchain. These blocks of information are available to users across different computer networks. However, unlike regular databases, Blockchain is highly decentralized.

By decentralization, no one can claim ownership of information, and activities on the Blockchain can be done without the help of a third party. As we will come to see later, the decentralized nature of the Blockchain is why many cryptocurrency-related activities are carried out on it.

Worthy of note is the security of information entered in the Blockchain. However, altering information provided on the Blockchain is near impossible. This is why it is difficult to reverse transactions carried out on the Blockchain; this is both the strength and the weakness of the Blockchain.

To alter any information on the Blockchain, every block of information preceding it will be affected. An attempt to alter information on the Blockchain is an effort in futility, even before you commence it.

The Relationship between Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrency

From the first digital currency - Bitcoin - created in 2009, the cryptocurrency market records over 11,000 digital currencies in circulation. Have you ever paused to think - why the exponential increase in so short a time? The simple answer to that is that the cryptocurrency market leverages the Blockchain for growth.

In the early years of the rise of Bitcoin, one of the many challenges it experienced was the activities of hackers, crackers, and scammers. It was reported that people were using digital currencies to facilitate money laundering. Relying on third parties for transactions also meant some people had to be scammed of money.

All of these security-related challenges were almost drowning Bitcoin until certain measures were put in place. One of such measures is the introduction of Blockchain - a decentralized database that records information in blocks.

Since then, many cryptocurrencies have been built and sustained on this transforming innovation - blockchain technology.

Ethereum, the second most traded digital currency, has leveraged Blockchain to create smart contracts. Other virtual currencies have created their blockchain platforms as well. The transforming power of blockchain technology continues to provide a solid foundation upon which digital transactions thrive globally.

How Does Blockchain Benefit the Cryptocurrency Market?

The benefits of Blockchain to the cryptocurrency market cannot be overemphasized. While several of these benefits exist, transparency seems to be the most important. Since the introduction of Blockchain, transactions have been more accurate and transparent. As a result, traders do not have to go through third parties to manage their cryptocurrencies, as the Blockchain gives them full control of that.

The creation of decentralized apps, popularly referred to as dApps, resulted in the market's massive growth. Many startups, through these apps, have been able to design an initial coin offering for their businesses and make tokens available to the public. As a result, blockchain moves digital currencies up the technology ladder and creates a brighter future for different cryptocurrency networks.

Then, there is the global acceptability of digital currencies. Despite the high volatility of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and Litecoin, the market records an influx of traders. As a result, experts have opined that it is impossible to separate the impact of Blockchain from the growth and global acceptability cryptocurrencies have enjoyed over the years.

Interestingly, beyond cryptocurrencies, many sectors have started embracing the many opportunities blockchain offers. For example, music, sports, entertainment, and fashion industries are examples of sectors leveraging Blockchain and investing in the cryptocurrency market.

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The Impact of Blockchain on the Cryptocurrency Market - Baltic Times

XELS to offer carbon credit backed NFTs on new blockchain platform – PRNewswire

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TOKYO, Dec. 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --XELS, a company utilizing blockchain and other breakthrough technologies to promote a greener planet, today revealed its industry-first platform for minting carbon credits as non-fungible tokens, or NFTs (ERC-721). Known in popular culture for their association with lucrative digital collectibles, NFTs are, at their core, one-of-a-kind digital assets that serve as an immutable proof of ownership. NFTs offer transparency and public traceability, making them the perfect vehicle by which to mint the world's next generation of fully digital voluntary emissions reductions (VERs, or voluntary carbon credits).

The XELS Platform will benefit from the company's existing technology, which utilizes cutting-edge satellite imagery and artificial intelligence to map out and quantify the actual amount of carbon being neutralized by protected lands and reforestation efforts in Japan and Australia. XELS' enterprise blockchain and eponymous token provide the infrastructure for businesses and individuals alike to interact with the global carbon offset markets in a simple, cost-effective, and energy efficient way.

"One of the most powerful features of the XELS platform is the ability for projects to create an infinite amount of digital carbon credit NFTs in a single transaction, saving gas fees while reducing the energy usage associated with multiple blockchain transactions," explains XELS founder and CEO Takeshi Nojima. "This is huge for the NFT community and takes NFT creation to the next level. We now have a standardized method by which decentralized applications track ownership of a massive amount of NFTs. Creating carbon credits is a great use case for batch minting NFTs, which are secure and can't be duplicated. Ownership and authenticity can be securely tracked, and you can programmatically transfer ownership and invalidate a credit after it has been retired."

Users will simply deposit, or "stake," one XELS token per 10 tons of carbon to mint a custom carbon offset NFT equal to the amount of carbon they wish to sequester. Upon retirement (or "burning") of the offset backed NFT, the XELS tokens will unlock, thus forming the basis of the XELS Platform's consensus mechanism. XELS also provides proof of the amount of carbon sequestered by issuing an official certificate after each NFT is burned on its platform.

Not only will XELS offer the platform for minting carbon offset NFTs, but the company will also introduce a marketplace where users can sell and trade them based on a user's individual needs. XELs has already partnered with green-tech industry leaders across to globe to make its vision of a healthier, more sustainable planet a reality for anyone who wishes to partake in the carbon offset markets

XELS website: http://www.xels.io

SOURCE XELS Limited

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