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Bill Gates advocates for routine Alzheimer’s screening in health exams

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Bill Gates advocates for routine Alzheimer’s screening in health exams

Bill Gates wants to add a new element to routine medicals for Americans over the age of 60: Blood tests that identify whether the patient may be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and as such, be offered preventative medication.

The Microsoft founder is heavily involved with programs to prevent disease across the globe, efforts that will likely ramp up in the coming years after he issued his philanthropic foundation with a task: He would donate the vast majority of his wealth, some $100 billion, to the body as long as the funds are spent within the next 20 years.

The funds, which will total approximately $200 billion between current endowments and projected growth, will focus on curing preventable diseases—one of which Gates hopes will be Alzheimer’s. The tech titan’s father, Bill Gates Sr., died in 2020 at the age of 94, having battled with Alzheimer’s himself.

Gates has unique insight into how an illness like Alzheimer’s—a progressive brain disorder which leads to a decline in memory and skills—can be cured, not only as someone whose family has been impacted by the disease, but also as a public figure with the ear of policy and decision-makers around the world.

From a U.S. perspective, on both an economic and social scale, curing a disease like Alzheimer’s not only alleviates pressure on families, but on the welfare state as well, he said.

“Whenever you have an aging society, you have lots of these chronic diseases that can be a huge drain on resources,” Gates told CBS Sunday morning in a clip aired yesterday. Moving forward, richer, older nations will see a shift from acute medical problems to chronic diseases. “So going after a few diseases, where Alzheimer’s is number one by quite a bit, the imperative is very, very clear,” he added.

As part of his work, Gates is supporting organizations developing blood-based diagnostic tests that identify a specific protein called amyloids, which can be markers for the disease developing.

Ideally, Gates added, patients would be cured of the disease before they ever even started exhibiting symptoms. When asked whether testing for Alzheimer’s should be embedded in wider health checks, Gates responded: “For the broad population, probably once you turn 60 or so, that should be part of the routine blood test. It’s a fairly inexpensive test, and so if these tools prove to work and we get the side-effect level down, then it would become routine that if you test high for the amyloid in your blood then you’d be insured to get those clearing drugs.”

Such medication may be in the form of a self-injection or an infusion, he added, “to prevent you from developing Alzheimer’s.” However, there are “a few steps yet to come together,” he added.

Working into your 90s

With a healthier-for-longer population also comes the benefit of having a larger workforce. At present, policymakers are grappling with the care and cost of an older population, without the same number of workers to replace them due to declining birth rates.

But Gates argues that thanks to prevention, people could work meaningfully longer if they wanted to. This, neatly, would also help rebalance the strain on the workforce needed to power the economy through increased costs of care.

Some people might be skeptical of such ideas, he added: “Many people look at some trends in society and they get a little bit negative. And I say to them: ‘What about a society where we can prevent almost all of Alzheimer’s, and your 70s. 80s, even if you’re luck your 90s, you’re fully capable as grandparent or if you want to continue working.’

“They’re a little skeptical that something like that is happening,” he continued. “They’ve seen progress in heart disease, they’ve seen progress in cancer, but in those, as well as the next 10 years, we are going to get a lot better. And so it’s possible, like wow that is a very positive thing.”

Sarkozy, ex-French president, freed from prison after three weeks

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Reuters Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy seen climbing out of his car Reuters

Nicolas Sarkozy arrived back at his home in the west of Paris just over an hour after a court granted his released

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been released from jail, three weeks into a five-year prison term for taking part in a criminal conspiracy.

He will be subject to strict judicial supervision and barred from leaving France.

Sarkozy’s car was seen leaving La Santé prison in Paris just before 15:00 (14:00 GMT), less than an hour and a half after a court agreed to his early release. Soon after, he was seen arriving at his home in western Paris.

On 21 October the former centre-right president, 70, was sentenced to five years for conspiring to fund his 2007 election campaign with money from late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

His legal team immediately filed a request seeking his release.

Christophe Ingrain, one of Sarkozy’s lawyers, hailed his client’s release as “a step forward” and said they would now be preparing for the appeal trial due to be held in March.

One of the conditions of Sarkozy’s release is that he does not contact any justice ministry employees.

During his incarceration, he was visited by Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin. The visit prompted 30 French lawyers to file a complaint against Darmanin, highlighting what they said was a conflict of interest as Darmanin was a former colleague and friend of Sarkozy’s.

Speaking to a court in Paris via video link, Sarkozy described his time in solitary confinement as “gruelling” and “a nightmare”.

Public prosecutor Damien Brunet recommended that Sarkozy’s request for release be granted, but that the former president be banned from contacting other witnesses in the so-called “Libyan dossier”.

Sarkozy, who has always denied any wrongdoing, told the court via video link that he had never had the “mad idea” of asking Gaddafi for money and stated he would “never admit to something I haven’t done”.

Sarkozy also paid tribute to prison staff who had made his time in prison “bearable”. “They have shown exceptional humanity,” he said.

Sarkozy’s wife, the singer and model Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, and two of the former president’s sons were present in the courtroom to support him.

Reuters A blonde man in a big coat walks next to a bearded man wearing glassesReuters

Two of Sarkozy’s sons, Jean and Pierre, were in court on Monday

Sarkozy is the first French ex-leader placed behind bars since World War Two Nazi collaborationist leader Philippe Pétain was jailed for treason in 1945.

Since entering prison, Sarkozy has been held in a cell in the isolation wing.

He had a toilet, a shower, a desk, a small electric hob and a small TV – for which he paid a monthly €14 (£12) fee – and the right to a small fridge.

He also had the right to receive information from the outside world and family visits as well as written and phone contact – but was is in effect in solitary confinement. He was allowed just one hour a day for exercise, by himself in the wing’s segregated courtyard.

Two bodyguards were stationed in nearby cells, which the interior minister Laurent Nuñez was due to Sarkozy’s status. There was “obviously a threat against him”, Nuñez said.

Sarkozy was president from 2007-2012. Ever since he left office, he has been dogged by criminal inquiries and for months had to wear an electronic tag around his ankle after a conviction last December for trying to bribe a magistrate for confidential information about a separate case.

Tax authorities in South Korea launch investigation into ticket scalping

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Tax authorities in South Korea launch investigation into ticket scalping

South Korea’s tax authority has opened investigations into 17 ticket scalpers, targeting businesses and individuals who authorities say have concealed a combined 20 billion South Korean won (approx. USD $13.8 million) in income from secondary market sales

The National Tax Service (NTS) announced the probe on Thursday (November 6), marking the agency’s response to a secondary ticketing market where 400 entities, representing the top 1% of sellers on major ticketing platforms, control nearly half of all transactions.

The measure is part of Commissioner Lim Kwang-hyun’s crackdown on tax evasion that “harms the people’s daily lives,” according to to a translated text of the NTS’s notice, which you can read here.

The investigation targets include private school teachers, public institution employees and organized businesses. Their average annual transaction volume reaches 67 million won ($46,000) per person, exceeding typical starting salaries for college graduates in South Korea, according to the NTS.

The tax service identified scalpers reselling through online platforms and secondhand communities secured over 40,000 tickets across several years, marking up prices by as much as 30 times face value. Some concealed transaction volumes by deleting sales posts without marking items sold on platforms.

Proxy ticketing services, known locally as “Dalty,” purchase tickets on behalf of buyers for commission fees. Some operators underreported income while claiming small business tax breaks and driving expensive foreign cars. Others split income across borrowed-name accounts or invested proceeds in stocks worth “hundreds of millions of won,” the tax agency said.

The NTS also identified sellers of macro programs, or automated software that gives users advantages in online ticket queues. One investigation subject allegedly sold these programs since the mid-2010s, processing “thousands of sales” through fake accounts without reporting income.

The other form of ticket scalpers flagged by the NTS are those that sell direct booking links that bypass online queues.

The agency detailed specific cases in its notice. One scalper resold concert tickets for 2.4 million won ($1,650), 15 times the regular price, and baseball game tickets for 2 million won ($1,380), up from 100,000 won ($69) face value. Despite underreporting profits, the individual accumulated 800 million won ($551m) in deposits and real estate, the NTS alleged.

“Given the scale and urgency of the issue’s impact on the public, we will thoroughly examine the resellers’ earnings, cash flow and hidden assets.”

Ahn Deok-Soo, South Korea’s National Tax Service

Another investigation focuses on a proxy ticketing operation called EEE that secured tickets for ballad and trot singer performances, musicals, e-sports and volleyball matches. The service charged 100,000 won success fees per transaction and purchased about 1,200 tickets over six months using macro programs and over 10 user accounts to circumvent per-person purchase limits.

EEE provided payment details through one-on-one chat platforms, collecting cash without reporting income. The operator allegedly acquired 1.2 billion won ($826,000) in stocks using “hidden income.”

The NTS said it will use financial tracking and Financial Intelligence Unit data to verify cash transactions and collect owed taxes.

Ahn Deok-soo, head of the investigation bureau at NTS, told local media: “Given the scale and urgency of the issue’s impact on the public, we will thoroughly examine the resellers’ earnings, cash flow and hidden assets.”

Overseas in the US, regulators have also clamped down on ticket scalpers in the live events space. The US Federal Trade Commission in August sued Key Investment Group LLC, a Maryland-based ticket brokering operation, alleging it used illegal tactics to circumvent ticket purchase limits and resell hundreds of thousands of tickets at inflated prices, including for Taylor Swift’s blockbuster Eras Tour.

The FTC has also sued Live Nation and its ticketing arm, Ticketmaster, accusing the company in September of profiting from scalpers operating on its platform. Live Nation has denied this accusation last month, and committed to making changes to its ticket resale platform to assuage consumers’ concerns.

Music Business Worldwide

Live Recap of Day One Finals at the 2025 Chinese National Games

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Live Recap of Day One Finals at the 2025 Chinese National Games

By Retta Race on SwimSwam

2025 CHINESE NATIONAL GAMES

  • Monday, November 10th – Monday, November 17th (swimming)
  • Shenzhen, China
  • LCM (50m)
  • Prelims at 9am local (8pm previous night ET)/Finals at 7pm local (6am ET)
  • Meet Central
  • Results

The 15th Chinese National Games kicked off today, with the prestigious multi-sport competition featuring swimming action from Monday, November 10th, to Monday, November 17th, in Shenzhen.

Hong Kong and Macau are also hosting various disciplines throughout the production, with 2025 marking the first time in the history of the quadrennial Games that it is co-hosted by multiple provinces.

According to The South China Morning Post, more than 22,000 representatives from 73 organisations, including provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities, special administrative regions, industry sports associations and universities, have registered to compete at the National Games.

Right off the bat, we’re expecting to see some explosive swims at the hands of some of China’s best athletes, including Qin Haiyang, Li Bingjie and once-banned Olympic champion Sun Yang.

Qin was the sole sub-minute performer in the heats of the men’s 100m breaststroke, casually clocking 59.25. 200m breast world champion from 2024 Dong Zhihao was over a second behind in 1:00.54 as the 2nd-seeded swimmer. Yan Zibei rounded out the top three with an AM effort 1:00.66.

Li led the women’s 400m freestyle heats with a time of 4:07.16 but Liu Yaxin and Li Jiaping are both in the hunt, registering morning swims of 4:07.60 and 4:07.79, respectively.

100m freestyle Olympic champion and world record holder Pan Zhanle dove in for the men’s edition of the 400m free, capturing the 5th seed in 3:51.64. Sun turned in a time of 3:52.90 for the 8th seed, with both men chasing leader Xu Haibo who logged the top-seeded performance of 3:49.60.

Refresh this post often as we report on this evening’s final and semi-final results.

MEN’S 400 FREE – FINAL

  • World Record – 3:39.96, Lukas Märtens (GER), 2025
  • Asian Record – 3:40.14, Sun Yang (CHN), 2012
  • CHN Record – 3:40.14, Sun Yang, 2012

GOLD – Zhang Zhanshuo (CHN), 3:42.82 *World Junior Record
SILVER – Xu Haibo (CHN), 3:47.73
BRONZE – Fei Liwei (CHN), 3:47.91

The men’s 400m freestyle started off this finals session with a huge bang as 18-year-old Zhang Zhanshuo fired off a new World Junior Record of 3:42.82 en route to gold.

The teen was far and away ahead of the field, as Xu Haibo was next to the wall nearly 5 seconds back in 3:47.73 followed by Fei Liwei who captured bronze in 3:47.91.

Zhang’s monster time of 3:42.82 overwrote the former official WJR of 3:44.37 Bulgarian Petar Mitsin put on the books in 2023.

However, Zhang held the unofficial WJR with the 3:42.99 he unleashed just this past September at the Chinese Nationals. Prior to that, Zhang’s career-swiftest outing rested at the 3:44.82 notched at this year’s World Championships. There in Singapore, Zhang ultimately placed 5th.

His effort this evening now ranks him as China’s 3rd-swiftest men’s 400m free swimmer of all time.

China’s Top 5 Men’s LCM 400 Freestyle Performers All-Time

  1. Sun Yang – 3:40.14, 2012
  2. Zhang Lin – 3:41.35, 2009
  3. Zhang Zhanshuo – 3:42.82, 2025
  4. Fei Liwei – 3:44.24, 2024
  5. Hao Yun – 3:44.87, 2013

This caliber of performance is par for the course for rising Zhang. At the 2023 World Championships, he became the fastest-ever 16-year-old 400m IM performer (4:12.44) before Japan’s Raito Numata overtook the crown (4:12.10) earlier this year.

At the 2024 World Championships, he helped China take gold in both the men’s 4x100m free and 4x200m free relays before also reaping silver on the men’s 4x200m free relay in Singapore.

Also in tonight’s final was 100m freestyle world record holder and Olympic champion Pan Zhanle who hit 3:48.93 for 5th place. Once-banned Olympic champion and reigning national record holder Sun Yang settled for 6th place in a time of 3:49.53.

WOMEN’S 100 FLY – SEMI-FINALS

  • World Record – 54.60, Gretchen Walsh (USA), 2025
  • Asian Record – 55.62, Zhang Yufei (CHN), 2020
  • CHN Record – 55.62, Zhang Yufei, 2020

Top 8:

  1. Zhang Yufei – 57.22
  2. Wang Jingzhuo – 58.20
  3. Zhou Xinyang – 58.24
  4. Gong Zhenqi – 58.66
  5. Lu Yue – 58.71
  6. Yang Wang Shiya – 58.72
  7. Jiang Yuyao – 58.78
  8. Wang Yichun – 58.84

Zhang Yufei, a six-time Olympic medalist in Paris, easily grabbed the top spot in the women’s 100m butterfly, posting the sole time of the field under the 58-second barrier.

27-year-old Zhang registered 57.22 to get the job done, splitting 26.34/30.88 in the process.

The next-closest competitor was Wang Jingzhuo who snagged the 2nd seed in 58.20 followed closely by Zhou Xinyang who will also flank Zhang in tomorrow night’s main event with a semi-final outing of 58.24.

The rest of the pack is separated by just .18, making the battle for the minor medals a ‘must see’.

As a reminder, Zhang owns the current Asian and Chinese national records with her lifetime best of 55.62 from 2020. She just missed the podium this year in Singapore, placing 4th in 56.47.

MEN’S 50 FLY – SEMI-FINALS

  • World Record – 22.27, Andrii Govorov (UKR), 2018
  • Asian Record – 22.93, Joseph Schooling (SGP), 2017
  • CHN Record – 23.25, Wang Changhao, 2023

Top 8:

  1. Wang Changhao – 23.39
  2. Xu Fang – 23.41
  3. Zhang Qiye – 23.58
  4. Shen Jiahao – 23.65
  5. Wu Shengkai – 23.67
  6. Liu Wudi – 23.70 & Chen Juner 23.70
  7. –
  8. Wang Xizhe – 23.77

China’s national record holder in this men’s 50m fly wasted no time making his presence known, with Wang Changhao securing the top seed with a solid swim of 23.39.

That result is already within striking distance of the Chinese standard of 23.25 he established two years ago.

Xu Fang will be hot pursuit, positioned just .02 back in 23.41. The rest of the field is also ready to rumble, separated by just .19.

Of note, Sun Jiajun missed making the top 8, mustering 24.11 this morning, well off his personal best of 23.41 from the 2023 Chinese National Championshps. Yu Hexin, China’s 3rd-fastest man ever with a PB of 23.37 will also be missing from tomorrow night’s medal-contesting race.

WOMEN’S 400 FREE – FINAL

  • World Record – 3:54.18, Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2025
  • Asian Record – 3:58.21, Li Bingjie (CHN), 2025
  • CHN Record – 3:58.21, Li Bingjie, 2025

GOLD – Li Bingjie, 4:01.17
SILVER – Yang Peiqi, 4:01.90
BRONZE – Liu Yaxin, 4:03.20

23-year-old national record holder Li Bingjie grabbed the women’s 400m freestyle gold, producing a time of 4:01.17.

Li was chasing Yang Peiqi through the first 200m before she began outsplitting the 18-year-old to ultimately gain the lead and remain there to the wall.

Yang settled for silver in 4:01.90 and Liu Yaxin rounded out the podium in 4:03.20.

Li’s PB stands at the 3:58.21 Asian record she ripped en route to claiming bronze at this year’s World Championships. Entering that competition, Li’s PB and Asian Record stood at the 3:59.99 she put up at the 2025 Chinese National Championships in May. That previous performance represented the ace’s first-ever time under the 4:00 barrier, becoming just the 6th woman ever to do so.

Teenage Yang’s outing here is a new lifetime best, overtaking her previous PB of 4:02.53 established in May of this year. She now becomes China’s 2nd-swiftest performer of all time.

Top 5 Chinese Women’s LCM 400 Freestyle Performers All-Time

  1. Li Bingjie – 3:58.21, 2025
  2. Yang Peiqi – 4:01.90, 2025
  3. Tang Muhan – 4:01.95, 2021
  4. Chen Qian – 4:02.35, 2009
  5. Liu Yaxin – 4:02.57, 2025

MEN’S 100 BREAST – SEMI-FINALS

  • World Record – 56.88, Adam Peaty (GBR), 2019
  • Asian Record – 57.69, Qin Haiyang (CHN), 2023
  • CHN Record – 57.69, Qin Haiyang (CHN), 2023

Top 8:

  1. Qin Haiyang – 59.20
  2. Yan Zibei – 59.79
  3. Dong Zhihao – 1:00.13
  4. Zheng Yinghao – 1:00.20
  5. Wang Junteng – 1:00.38
  6. Mai Shiting – 1:00.44
  7. Liu Junjie – 1:00.54
  8. Qiu Tian – 1:00.67

The men’s 100m breaststroke semi-finalists held their cards closely to their chests this evening, with just two swimmers delving into sub-minute territory.

Asian record holder Qin Haiyang set himself apart from the field with a speedy effort of 59.20.

Former national record holder Yan Zibei captured the 2nd seed in 59.79 while 2024 200m breaststroke world champion Dong Zhihao earned the 3rd seed in 1:00.13.

We’ve seen Qin go as fast as his NR of 57.69 from two years ago and he topped the podium this year in Singapore with an impressive 58.23 so we know the 23-year-old has more in the tank once the medals are on the line.

WOMEN’S 200 IM – SEMI-FINALS

  • World Record – 2:05.70, Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2025
  • Asian Record – 2:07.57, Ye Shiwen (CHN), 2012
  • CHN Record – 2:07.57, Ye Shiwen, 2012

Top 8:

  1. Yu Zidi – 2:11.88
  2. Yu Yiting – 2:11.96
  3. Chang Mohan – 2:12.88
  4. Ke Wenxi – 2:13.07
  5. Yang Ruoxi – 2:13.67
  6. Qu Jianing – 2:14.00
  7. Gong Zhenqi – 2:14.49
  8. Ren Jianmiao – 2:14.76

13-year-old prodigy Yu Zidi stole the show in tonight’s women’s 200m IM semi-finals, reaping the pole position with an outing of 2:11.88.

At 12 years of age this year in Singapore, Yu became the youngest swimmer ever to make a final and win a medal at a World Championships.

In addition to placing 4th across the 200m fly, 200m IM and 400m IM events, Yu grabbed bronze as a result of swimming in the prelims of the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay with the final squad ultimately placing 3rd.

Yu’s 2IM time in Singapore was 2:09.21; therefore, we expect the teen to shave off major time for tomorrow night’s final.

But 20-year-old Yu Yiting won’t go down quietly, posting a time tonight just .08 off Yu’s mark.

Chang Mohan (2:12.88), Ke Wenxi (2:13.07) and Yang Ruoxi (2:13.67) are also among those in the mix.

WOMEN’S 4×100 FREE RELAY – FINAL

  • World Record – 3:27.96 (AUS), 2023
  • Asian Record – 3:30.30 (CHN), 2024
  • CHN Record – 3:30.30 (CHN), 2024

GOLD – Shandong Province, 3:36.51
SILVER – Zhejiang Province, 3:36.61
BRONZE – Hebei Province, 3:38.90

It was a fierce battle tonight between Shandong and Zhejiang provinces, with each women’s 4x100m free squad trying to vie for the coveted gold.

Ultimately, it was Shandong who topped the podium, albeit by just .10.

Below are the splits for these top two performing teams, with Yang Junxuan firing off a head-turning anchor of 52.65 to seal the victory.

Shandong – 3:36.51 Zhejiang – 3:36.61
Ge Chutong – 54.83 Zhu Menghui – 55.15
Wang Yichun – 54.01 Yu Yiting – 54.08
Zhang Xinyu – 55.02 Liu Yaxin – 53.90
Yang Junxuan – 52.65 Wu Qingfeng – 53.48

MEN’S 4×100 FREE RELAY – FINAL

  • World Record – 3:08.24 (USA), 2008
  • Asian Record – 3:10.88 (CHN), 2023
  • CHN Record – 3:10.88 (CHN), 2023

GOLD – Zhejiang Province, 3:15.01
SILVER – Henan Province, 3:15.47
BRONZE – China Public Security Sports Association, 3:16.14

The combination of He Junyi, Wang Shun, Shen Jiahao and Pan Zhanle collectively stopped the clock at 3:15.01 to garner Zhejiang the men’s 4x100m free relay gold.

He opened in 48.96, with Wang clocking 49.10 on the 2nd leg. Shen continued momentum with 49.02 before Pan notched an anchcor of 48.02 to earn the top spot on the podium.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: 2025 Chinese National Games: Day One Finals Live Recap

Review of the Capital One Venture X Business Card: Should You Get It?

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Review of the Capital One Venture X Business Card: Should You Get It?

I’m a sucker for a good travel rewards card. Over the years, I’ve collected a small handful of them — not because I love juggling annual fees, but because the right cards can save you a lot of money on flights, hotels, and travel perks you’d otherwise pay out of pocket for.

Not only do I have a bunch for my personal expenses but I have a couple for this business too. One of my favorite business credit cards is the Capital One Venture X Business Credit Card. It’s Capital One’s top-tier business product. I love it because there’s a big welcome offer, lounge access to over 1,300 airport lounges, annual travel credits, and a simple 2x reward on all spending (which ensures you are always earning multiples miles per dollar spent).

To help you decide if this card is for you, here’s my full review of the card and why I love it so much:

 

What is the Capital One Venture X Business Card?

The Capital One Venture X Business Credit Card is a travel rewards card issued by Capital One. It comes with a $395 annual fee that is way lower than the other premium business cards out there. And I think you can easily get way more value than the annual fee costs. Here’s a quick look at the main perks:

  • 150,000 miles after spending $30,000 in the first 3 months
  • 2 miles per $1 on all purchases, no category restrictions
  • 5× miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
  • 10× miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
  • $300 annual travel credit (through Capital One Business Travel)
  • Every year, you’ll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date.
  • Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
  • Up to $120 statement credit for TSA Precheck or Global Entry
  • No foreign transaction fees

 

Using Your Capital One Miles

Capital One miles can be redeemed in a few ways. One is by booking travel directly through Capital One’s portal. While I usually don’t recommend booking through credit card portals, to fully benefit from the Venture X’s travel credit (and to get the 5x and 10x miles offers) you’ll need to use their portal.

Another option is to use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase. For 90 days after making such a purchase, you can reimburse yourself at a redemption rate of one cent per mile. After 90 days, and for all other purchases, you can use miles as cash back, at a redemption rate of 0.5 cents per mile (but avoid doing this, as it’s not a good value).

You can also use your Capital One miles in the Capital One Entertainment portal to book tickets for concerts, sports events, and more. Occasionally, Capital One offers cardholder-only events and presale opportunities too. While you’ll get just 0.8 cents per mile for tickets (not the best value), it’s still a fun and unique way to redeem miles.

However, you’ll get the most out of your miles by transferring them to Capital One’s 15+ airline and hotel partners. While the actual value varies based on what you book, you can usually find airline and hotel redemptions worth much more than the aforementioned one cent per mile. (The process is pretty straightforward and can be done through your Capital One account.)

Here are Capital One’s current travel partners:

  • Accor Live Limitless
  • Aeromexico Club Premier
  • Air Canada Aeroplan
  • Air France/KLM Flying Blue
  • Avianca LifeMiles
  • British Airways Executive Club
  • Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
  • Choice Privileges
  • Emirates Skywards
  • Etihad Airways Guest
  • EVA Air Infinity MileageLands
  • Finnair Plus
  • I Prefer Hotel Rewards
  • Japan Airlines Mileage Bank
  • Qantas Frequent Flyer
  • Qatar Airways Privilege Club
  • Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
  • TAP Portugal Miles&Go
  • Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
  • Virgin Red
  • Wyndham Rewards

 

Pros of the Venture X Business Card

As someone who travels constantly for work, I’m always looking for ways to earn miles faster and make airport life a little less painful. I like this card for the simple 2x miles on everything. I use a lot of other cards that can get you 3 or 4x on certain categories like advertising or non-portal travel spend like flights and hotels. But when it comes to dining, museums, transportation, etc, there’s not a lot of ways to get more than 2x per dollar spent on a business card. So, I use this Venture X for anything I can’t get more than 2x per dollar.

Here’s a deep dive into some of the main perks:

$300 Travel Credit
Each year, you get a $300 credit toward bookings made through Capital One Business Travel (flights, hotels, or car rentals). If you’re already booking travel regularly, this credit is basically free money — and it immediately drops your effective annual fee from $395 to $95.

The catch? You do have to book through Capital One’s travel portal. It’s powered by Hopper, so the interface is clean and prices are usually competitive. I’ve found some good deals there.

Lounge Access
You get access to Capital One Lounges and Priority Pass lounges. Capital One’s own lounges are actually great — spacious, modern, good food — though they’re still limited location. But they are expanding how many they have and I personally think they are way better than the other lounges competitor banks have. You also get Priority Pass access t o over 1,300 lounges globally, which is a common but really nice perk.

Anniversary Bonus
Every year on your account anniversary, you’ll get 10,000 bonus miles (worth about $100 toward travel). It’s a nice “thank you” that helps offset the annual fee even further.
 

Should You Get This Card?

The Capital One Venture X Business Credit Card is best for small- to medium-sized business owners who travel regularly and can put at least $30,000 to ensure they meet the welcome offer requirements.

Overall, I think the Capital One Venture X Business is one of the best-value premium business cards out there right now. It’s not as benefit-packed or as flashy as the Amex Business Platinum or the Chase Sapphire Reserve, but it’s easier to use, has a less expensive annual fee, gets you lounge access, and an easy to understand earning structure.

It’s one of the cards I use the most often for my business. I highly recommend getting it.

Stop paying full price for travel!

Download my free guide to points and miles and learn how to use points and miles for free travel! It’s how all the pros travel so much! In this guide, I’ll show you:

  • How to Pick a Credit Card

  • How to Earn Up to 10x Miles on Your Spending

  • How to Redeem Your Points

  • And a Ton of Other Money Saving Tips!

Points and MilesPoints and Miles

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

Want to Travel for Free?
Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.

Need a Rental Car?
Discover Cars is a budget-friendly international car rental website. No matter where you’re headed, they’ll be able to find the best — and cheapest — rental for your trip!

Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip?
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.

Ready to Book Your Trip?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.

Toyota’s renowned Hilux pickup to go electric in June next year

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Toyota’s renowned Hilux pickup to go electric in June next year

For its ninth generation revamp, the legendary go-anywhere Toyota Hilux pickup is getting a major makeover inside and out. The 2026 model will be available in an all-electric flavor for the first time, in addition to the existing diesel hybrid powertrain version that was introduced earlier this year. And later on, you’ll also be able to get a hydrogen fuel cell-powered truck too.

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Category: Automotive, Transport

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Video: COP30 summit highlights urgent environmental crisis in Gaza

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Video: COP30 summit highlights urgent environmental crisis in Gaza

NewsFeed

Palestine’s ambassador to Brazil told the COP30 climate summit that Israel’s genocide in Gaza and occupation of Palestinian land has added significantly to the climate crisis.

Challenging the Client

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Challenging the Client



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Tehran suffers from severe water crisis as Iran experiences historic drought

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Tehran suffers from severe water crisis as Iran experiences historic drought

Parham GhobadiBBC Persian

EPA A woman stands by an almost entirely dried out river in Tehran that was once full EPA

Iran – especially its capital, Tehran – is facing an unprecedented drought this autumn, with rainfall at record lows and reservoirs nearly empty. Officials are pleading with citizens to conserve water as the crisis deepens.

President Masoud Pezeshkian has warned that if there is not enough rainfall soon, Tehran’s water supply could be rationed. But he said that even rationing might not be enough to prevent a disaster.

“If rationing doesn’t work,” Pezeshkian said, “we may have to evacuate Tehran.”

His comments have prompted criticism in Iranian newspapers and on social media. Former Tehran mayor Gholamhossein Karbaschi called the idea “a joke” and said “evacuating Tehran makes no sense at all”.

Iran’s meteorological officials say no rainfall is expected over the next 10 days.

Meanwhile, the water crisis is already affecting daily life in the capital.

“I’m planning to buy water tankers to use for toilets and other necessities,” a woman in Tehran told BBC Persian.

In the summer, Iranian rapper Vafa Ahmadpoor posted a video on social media showing a kitchen tap with no running water.

“It’s been four or five hours,” he said. “I’ve bought bottled water just to be able to go to the toilet.”

Dams nearly empty

The manager of the Latian Dam, one of Tehran’s main water sources, says it now holds less than 10% of its capacity. The nearby Karaj Dam — which supplies water to both Tehran and Alborz provinces — is in a similarly dire condition.

“I have never seen this dam so empty since I was born,” an elderly local resident told Iranian state TV.

According to Mohammad-Ali Moallem, the manager of the Karaj Dam, rainfall has plummeted dramatically.

“We had a 92% decrease in rain compared to last year,” he said. “We have only eight per cent water in our reservoir — and most of it is unusable and considered ‘dead water.'”

Fears of water cuts

The government is now pinning its hopes on late autumn rain, but forecasts are bleak. Iran’s Minister of Energy, Abbas Ali Abadi, has warned the situation could soon force authorities to cut water supplies.

“Some nights we might decrease the water flow to zero,” he said.

Officials have also announced plans to penalise households and businesses that consume excessive amounts of water.

ABEDIN TAHERKENREH/EPA/Shutterstock Someone filling up a water bottle from a water fountain in TehranABEDIN TAHERKENREH/EPA/Shutterstock

The government has warned that it may have to restrict water supplies if the weather remains dry

Pipes, war damage – and a widening crisis

Iran’s energy minister Ali Abadi has said Tehran’s water crisis is not only due to a lack of rainfall. He blamed water leakage caused by the capital’s century-old water infrastructure and even pointed to the recent 12-day war with Israel.

During that conflict, Israel targeted the northern Tehran neighbourhood of Tajrish on 15 June. Afterwards videos showed heavy flooding in the area.

The day after the strike, the Israel Defence Forces said it had targeted Iranian military “command centres”.

But the crisis extends far beyond the capital.

The head of Iran’s National Centre for Climate and Drought Crisis Management, Ahmad Vazifeh, has warned that, apart from Tehran, dams in many other provinces — including West Azerbaijan, East Azerbaijan and Markazi — are also in a “worrying state”, with water levels in the single-digit percentages.

In Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city, officials are sounding the alarm as well.

The Governor of Khorasan Razavi Province in north-east Iran, said the water reserves in Mashhad’s dams have dropped to “less than eight percent,” warning that the province faces a “mega-challenge of drought.”

CEO of Mashhad’s Water and Wastewater Company put the figure even lower.

“The storage level of the city’s main dam is below three percent,” Hossein Esmaeilian said.

“Only three percent of the combined capacity of Mashhad’s four water-supplying dams — Torogh, Kardeh, Doosti, and Ardak — remains. Apart from Doosti Dam, the other three are out of operation.”

A crisis long foreseen

Iran’s water crisis has been decades in the making.

Even Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has repeatedly acknowledged the looming threat — speaking about water shortages in his Nowruz addresses in 2011 and on other occasions in the following years.

Yet little has changed.

Today, Tehran, Karaj and Mashhad — home to more than 16 million people combined — are facing the real possibility of their taps running dry.

CFRA Increases Aflac Stock Price Target to $120 Following Robust Q3 Performance

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CFRA raises Aflac stock price target to $120 on strong Q3 results

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