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Zoom will offer users an AI assistant that can tap large language models from companies including OpenAI to summarize your video meetings and compose chat messages for you.
AI Companion is a free perk for paid Zoom users. The video-conferencing app previously teased a generative AI program called Zoom IQ, which it was planning on offering to select customers through a free trial.
The company now sees an opportunity to enhance Zoom by making the AI assistant a core feature for the app—if you pay. “We are transcending the hype in generative AI by delivering tangible products and disrupting the industry’s pricing model,” Zoom Chief Product Officer Smita Hashim said in the announcement.
The company published a video showing off the AI companion’s various features. As you can see, the assistant can create a summary of a meeting you missed or joined late.
“If enabled by the meeting host, attendees can catch up quickly without disrupting the meeting flow by discreetly submitting questions via the in-meeting AI Companion side panel to receive an AI-generated answer on what they missed,” Zoom added. “Postmeeting, hosts can receive an automated meeting summary to share with attendees and those who were unable to attend a meeting.”
In addition, the AI companion can help a user quickly draft messages based on a chat thread. The user can then change the tone or length of the draft message with a click of a button. The same function can also summarize a long chat thread.
“Zoom customers can expect to see AI Companion throughout the entire platform, from Meetings, Team Chat, Phone, Email, and Whiteboard, with additional features on the roadmap,” the company added. For example, a feature slated for the spring uses the AI companion to help users prepare for an upcoming meeting by surfacing details from previous sessions.
In offering the AI assistant, the video-conferencing provider is taking a “federated” approach, meaning customers will be able to choose which large language model they’d like to power the AI companion, whether it be from Zoom itself, Meta, OpenAI or Anthropic.
The company also reiterates it won’t use “any customer audio, video, chat, screen-sharing, attachments, or other communications” to train the AI models in response to last month’s controversy about Zoom’s terms of service.
Zoom plans on launching AI Companion sometime this fall for paid subscribers. Stay tuned for our review when we can better understand the strengths and limitations of the assistant.
Zoom rival Google Meet, meanwhile, announced similar AI-powered solutions recently. The company's Duet AI feature will soon be able to take notes for you, and if you can't attend a meeting, Duet will generate notes that other attendees can see and discuss.


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It’s a great week for some geeky news!
Greetings adventurers, and welcome to this weeks installment of The Surly Nerd! After our prelude, we head right into the weekly raid (our news roundup).
Kicking things off this week, we get hyped for Love Death and Robots getting a second season. Sadly following this week have the cancellation of Swamp Thing and possibly the entire DC Universe channel to follow it.
The sad news keeps rolling in as we find out what Blizzard project has been cancelled to make more room for Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2. We are getting a 4th World of Darkness game which actually sounds really cool and the CW is getting a new Horror Anthology series. This week episode wraps up with huge discussion on the future of Destiny now that Bungie has control of the game again.
Join us in a few days, when we release our huge E3 blowout episode!
As always, we appreciate all our adventurers who listen to the show every week and we look forward to your feedback on what we discuss! (email@example.com!)
Grab a drink and settle on in for this weeks action packed episode of…The Surly Nerd!
Greetings adventurers, it’s news time again and boy do we have a show for you. We are cooped up in the con hotel, pre-comicpalooza with J and having a little fun and a couple drinks. Come along with us as we bounce recklessly from topic to topic and geek out over all the things you love!
(00:22:00) This week in Comic Industry News – We find out what titles DC is getting rid of and what new titles they are launching, we discuss the new Superman and why She-Hulk is so important.
(00:46:00) In Video Game Industry News – Microsoft talks ALL about Halo and gets rid of the Kinect, Oculus gets some of the Google Glass and 343 devs on their side, Microsoft releases gold requirements for Netflix and HBO Go, and we give our E3 predictions.
(1:16:00) In Entertainment News – HIMYD is dead and buried next to Supernatural Bloodlines, Marvel announces Namor and we get balls deep into the future of super hero movies, television shows and more.
This week marks the beginning of James celebrating his birthday for a month by taking over the music selections from Tony. (He is so not sorry for this)
(0:14:00) This week in Comic Industry News – The Humble Bundle goes Image, She-Ra grows up and we want Nailbiter!
(0:27:50) In Game Industry News – Eve moves to Unreal, UNREAL TOURNAMENT IS BACK, Activision put a boatload of cash behind Destiny, Kickstarter lawsuits happen and MK says the hell with Wii U.
(1:01:00) In Entertainment News – Bob Hoskins has moved on to that Toontown in the sky, CW gives us more Veronica online, Showtime wants HALO, we get more news on Dredd 2, Baz Luhrmann wants Elvis and Peter Parker will always be under the movie mask.
(0:9:00ish) This week in Comic Industry News – Deadpool breaks things, Comixology gets married to Amazon, Nightwing becomes a sex symbol and Groot and Rocket get a book.
(0:18:00ish) In Game Industry News – WOD is no more, Eve VR IS a reality, Infamous makes the bucks, Capcom gives up the bucks, Oculus is worth MORE bucks and OnLive cuts down the bucks required to try it.
(0:45:00ish) In Entertainment News – Fincher leaves Jobs, Marvel beats Potter, Carnage is rumored and Michael Bay fucks more shit up.
This week in Comic Industry News: The future of the new 52, X-men deals with “No More Humans”, The Infinity Gauntlet is back and Archie Comics keeps being amazing
In Game Industry News: A new wave of layoffs at CCP, Fez hits 1 million, the PS4 becomes the largest console launch…EVER, Wasteland 2 hits STEAM and Fallout 4 becomes a thing
In Entertainment News: The Terminator reboot gets a title and we find out who is playing Sarah Connor, Simon Pegg joins the Monty Python cast and talks about why he’s not in in Ant-Man and finally – Iceland tries to cut funding for movies and why that matters to you

domain: news


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The brand new factory will enable the largest-scale manufacture and distribution of plant-based meat across Europe to date. Producer Plant & Bean says that an ‘ecosystem of collaborative innovation’ with industry leaders will achieve breakthroughs in cost and quality of plant-based meat. Plans for further plants in USA and Asia are also afoot.
Formerly the meat-free division of Brecks Foods, Plant & Bean has a 20-year proven track record in plantbased manufacture. Interestingly, the company received Series A investment of £9 million from NR Instant Produce PCL (NRF) last year – which as we reported is listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand and raised $51.4M in the country’s biggest IPO since the pandemic.
Site to be replicated internationally
Located in Boston, Lincolnshire, the 65 acre / 263,000 m2 site, will have a planned initial capacity of 55,000 tonnes. Furthermore, in a move to establish the world’s first global plant-based manufacturing platform, Plant & Bean will replicate the new UK site with production facilities in the USA next year, and Asia in 2022.
The company states today of the new facility: “Among Plant & Bean customers, large-scale production is acknowledged as essential to removing the cost barrier that currently prevents mainstream consumers from buying plant-based meat products. By producing at scale, locally, these brands can also significantly shorten supply chains, resulting in significant cost-savings.”
Plant & Bean today revealed new strategic partnerships with global food product development company, Griffith Foods; specialised manufacturer and ingredient supplier of premium NON-GMO soy proteins, Gushen; and world-renowned research institutions, Wageningen University & Research (The Netherlands), and the food and sustainability focused Singapore Institute of Technology.
Leveraging this network, the company is perfectly set up to partner with international brands seeking to develop and innovate their plant-based product ranges with new high-quality, low-cost options.
Progressive global manufacturing strategy
“Today’s announcement underscores our commitment to repair what is a broken food system,” says Plant & Bean CEO, Edwin Bark. “Right now, sixty-five percent of consumers do not eat plant-based meats due to price and quality. With our two-pronged approach, we believe we are best placed to make the meaningful change required to tackle these issues.
With our progressive global manufacturing strategy, brands will finally have the means to scale high-volume product ranges in order to lower the price-point for consumers. As regards product quality, we are making huge strides in improving the taste, texture and appearance of plant-based meat – bringing together the brightest minds in the food industry to reinvent the way we make plant-based meat at the ingredient and process level.”
“In the past year, I believe there has been a realization amongst the plant-based meat industry that if we’re to penetrate the mass-market, the speed of innovation needs to increase dramatically, and that no one company can do it alone,” continues Bark.


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Tandem Diabetes Care (NSDQ:TNDM) has closed its previously-announced underwritten public offering of 30 million shares of common stock at $2.00 apiece.
The San Diego, Calif.-based company reeled in $69 million from the offering, after underwriters exercised an option to buy 4.5 million additional shares of Tandem’s common stock.
The insulin pump-maker has tried to drum up new funds over the last year. In October, Tandem shareholders gave the go-ahead for a 1-for-1o reverse stock split in the hopes of making its stock more attractive to institutional investors.
In that same month, the company priced a $16 million public offering of stock and warrants and registered for a $40 million public offering of its common stock.
In the third quarter of the fiscal year, Tandem took control of its losses but missed sales estimates on Wall Street.
Tandem posted losses of -$16 million on sales of $23.7 million for the 3 months ended Sept. 30, for bottom-line growth of 46% on sales growth of 14.5% compared with the same period last year. Analysts on the Street were looking for sales of $25.9 million.
The company is slated to report its Q4 financial results on March 1.
Want to stay on top of DDBN content? Sign up for our e-mail newsletter for a weekly dose of drug-device news.


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"Global warming will be very dangerous for my coffee," AFP quoted grower Emmanuel Kawesi as saying. More sunshine and less rain, he
said, would mean coffee beans shriveling and yields decreasing.
A slight increase in temperature, a report by the country’s Department of Meteorology warned last year, could wipe out most of Uganda’s
coffee crop, which brings in over half of the country’s revenue.
Global interest in fine Arabica coffee varieties found in Ugandan and other east African highlands has recently surged, the report noted.
See full story


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Your Vodafone smartphone plan can already be bundled with music streaming from Spotify, but there’s another media soon to be available on your telco bill. Although they won’t say what the actual deal entails, Voda is partnering with video streaming service Stan.
Another partnership along the lines of Vodafone’s deal with Spotify, the Stan deal will not mean that customers will have unlimited and quota-free access to the service. Vodafone Australia CEO Inaki Berroeta says the partnership will be similar to Spotify’s; this likely means it will be bundled value with the company’s higher-cost Red plans — “it is something that we are considering for most of our customers, for the whole base. It will be a similar type of deal.”
Mike Sneesby from Stan says the agreement is a natural one — “From the start, we saw a very clear strategy from Vodafone. We kicked off discussions before we even launched; it was very obvious for us.” Stan has enjoyed a sharp boost in subscriber numbers since it launched, with heavy advertising giving it a head start over potential rivals like Netflix, although all users are still within their 30-day free trial period.
Stan is a video streaming service, and as such it can chew through a large amount of bandwidth in a short time; on the face of it it’s not a great idea on a mobile data network or on a smartphone. Vodafone’s Steve Smyth isn’t worried about Stan affecting users’ data usage adversely, though, saying “the baseline amount of data is sufficient for the average user… our data work-out will let customers work out how much they need.”
There is no actual detail about the partnership, though; Vodafone says it “will announce full details of the Stan offer in the coming weeks.” So there’s that.


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Full steam ahead for Mediacom's all-digital project
Mediacom Communications has handed out more than 74,000 digital terminal adapters in and around Cedar Rapids as the company continues to work on its first major all-digital conversion project.
It's been a busy past few weeks for Mediacom, with the company going private under the ownership of founder, Chairman and CEO Rocco Commisso and the media dustup over ads being inserted onto Web pages by the cable operator, but the company's analog-to-digital conversion project is well underway in a nine-county area of eastern Iowa.
"The response has been pretty amazing," said Thomas Larsen, Mediacom's group vice president of legal and public affairs. "Our customers see that there is value to going all-digital."
Mediacom passed out around 4,000 DTAs during open house events at its Cedar Rapids and Iowa City offices last Friday and Saturday. Mediacom is using DTAs from Technicolor for the project.
By going to an all-digital lineup, Mediacom will be able to offer more HD channels and faster DOCSIS 3.0 speeds with the additional bandwidth that becomes available.
Currently, business and residential subscribers served by the Cedar Rapids headend have access to Mediacom's Ultra 50 wideband service, which features downstream speeds of up to 50 Mbps and upstream speeds up to 5 Mbps. Once the all-digital conversion is completed, Mediacom will launch its Ultra 105 DOCSIS 3.0-enabled tier that has a downstream speed of up to 105 Mbps coupled with an upstream speed of up to 10 Mbps.
While Mediacom hasn't announced which HD channels will become available, Larsen said there would be at least 27 new HD channels and possibly 30 thanks to the all-digital conversion.
The breakdown of the HD channels and tiers includes:
- Free HD Family Cable – 14 channels
- Digital Plus HD – seven channels (with possibly three more additions)
- HD premiums – five channels
- HD PPV – one channel
In addition, Mediacom basic subscribers who use the DTAs on their non-digital TVs will have access to 15 digital basic channels once the project is completed.
While some cable operators have chosen to free up additional bandwidth through switched digital video implementations, Comcast has led the way on all-digital conversions over the past few years.


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Six Dr Seuss Books Will No Longer Be Published Due to Racist Images
It has been announced that six Dr Seuss books will no longer be published due to their racist and insensitive imagery.
The decision to cease publication of the six books, including ‘And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street’ and ‘If I Ran the Zoo’, was made last year after months of discussion by the team at Dr Seuss Enterprises, the business that preserves and protects the author’s legacy.
The other books affected are ‘McElligot’s Pool’, ‘On Beyond Zebra!’, ‘Scrambled Eggs Super!’, and ‘The Cat’s Quizzer’.
“These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong,” Dr Seuss Enterprises said in a statement earlier.
“Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr Seuss Enterprises’ catalogue represents and supports all communities and families.”
While some are riled about cancel culture and the idea of erasing history, others have praised this move as a positive one.
“Thank you. It sounds like Dr Seuss made a thoughtful decision to remove these books because of their content. This isn’t cancel culture like some would have you believe, it’s behaving in a responsible manner. Good job.” penned one supporter on Twitter.
Books by Dr Seuss, who was born Theodor Seuss Geisel in Springfield, Massachusetts, on March 2, 1904, have been translated into dozens of languages as well as in braille and are sold in more than 100 countries.
As adored as his books are by millions around the world for the positive values in many of his works, there has been increasing criticism in recent years over the way blacks, Asians, and others are drawn in some of his most beloved children’s books.
‘The Cat in the Hat’ — one of Dr Seuss’ most popular books, has received criticism, too, but will continue to be published for now.
We can’t help but wonder if the six axed books will become collector’s items in years to come?
Any thoughts? Let us know in the comments!
Image source: CBC


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US social TV app GetGlue has been purchased by lesser-known entrant Viggle (based in New York City) in a cash and stock transaction worth more than US$75mn.
The agreement signed involves the acquisition of GetGlue for US$25mn in cash plus about 48.3mn shares of the company’s publicly traded stock, worth around US$53mn at their closing price on Friday 16th November.
Viggle will run both brands and continue to employ GetGlue’s 34 employees, with GetGlue founder and CEO Alex Iskold taking a senior executive position and a board seat at Viggle.
Viggle describes itself as a loyalty programme for television, in which it awards its 1.2mn users points for checking in via an app when they watch TV shows, which they can then cash in for gift cards from partners including Barnes & Noble, Best Buy and Apple iTunes.
The GetGlue app also allows its 3.2mn users to check in, but with the object of creating personalised TV guides and chatting along with friends whilst watching a TV show.
GetGlue released a new version of its app in summer 2012 called GetGlue HD, offering personalised user recommendations of what to watch and personalised streams for content related to the show.
The US market for second-screen apps is beginning to look increasingly tough to carve a niche in: Yahoo unveiled version 3.0 of its IntoNow app last July, and UK startup Zeebox launched stateside last September with some big-name partners, including Comcast, NBC Universal, and HBO.


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By Alexander Chipman Koty
Established in 1998, Hanoi’s Hoa Lac High-tech Park (HHTP) was Vietnam’s first high-tech park and is currently the country’s largest. While Vietnam has over 190 industrial parks and plans to increase this number to 500 by 2020, HHTP is one of only three national-level high-tech parks, alongside Saigon High-tech Park and Danang High-tech Park. The HHTP was created with the intention to become Vietnam’s leading high-tech industry cluster for manufacturing, research and development, and innovation.
Due to start-up difficulties and incomplete infrastructure, the park initially struggled to attract high profile investors. However, Vietnam has rapidly industrialized since the park’s establishment, becoming a leading recipient of foreign direct investment and an increasingly prominent electronics manufacturer. As a result, the HHTP has become equipped with higher quality infrastructure, and is beginning to fulfill its promise as a tech hub. While Ho Chi Minh City has pulled ahead as Vietnam’s most popular area for investment, Hanoi can be particularly advantageous for operations with supply chains in China due to the city’s proximity to the border.
By Mike Vinkenborg
As Ho Chi Minh City battles growing traffic congestion, municipal authorities are considering a range of measures to improve transportation in the bustling city of over eight million. The city is currently debating altering work hours to spread out traffic during peak hours and trimming sidewalks to create more space for vehicles, while also building several new overpasses. These are just a few of the many proposed measures to tackle the gridlock issue that is becoming increasingly problematic.
These are all short-term solutions that fail to tackle the root of the problem, however. Every day, an estimated of 1,000 new motorbikes and 180 new cars are registered in Ho Chi Minh City. In total, 8.5 million motorbikes and 627,000 cars are currently registered in the city, the latter indicating a 500 percent increase compared with the year 2000. And as Vietnam is set to cut tariffs on ASEAN car imports in 2019, thereby reducing car prices by 42 percent, these numbers are poised to increase even more in the future. As a result, cars on major roads didn’t exceed an average of eight kilometers per hour during afternoon rush hours as of 2010, and the situation has not improved since then.
By: Dezan Shira & Associates
Editors: Erasmo Indolino & Beatrice Beardo
Hai Phong, the “Red Flamboyant City”, is the main industrial hub and biggest port in North Vietnam (accounting for 98 percent of North Vietnam’s throughput in 2014). One of the five centrally-controlled cities at the province level, Hai Phong’s municipality is the third largest city in the country, after Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. It is also one of the most crowded cities in Vietnam, with 1,946,000 inhabitants as of 2014. Like Nha Trang and Binh Duong, Hai Phong’s economy is quickly becoming a powerhouse. The city is largely responsible for an 88 percent increase in throughput seen in Northern Vietnam between 2008 and 2014. Much of this success can be attributed to the strategic coastal position of the city, the development of import/export activity via its seven seaports, and its latest improvements to infrastructure.
By: Dezan Shira & Associates
Editor: Kurt Nguyen
Many may know of Da Nang as a major U.S. air force base during the Vietnam War, but the modern-day city has few remnants of its war-ravaged history. Nowadays, Da Nang has developed into a major urban center— Vietnam’s third largest economic center with the highest growth rate and urbanization ratio in the country. Endowed with a strategic location along the central coast, Da Nang is easily accessible through major highways, seaport and affordable international flights connecting it to other Asian countries. The local government’s pro- business policies offer many incentives for investors in the fishing, manufacturing, infrastructure, service, and tourism industries. The city has consistently ranked first in USAID’s Vietnam Provincial Competitive Index for the past 3 years, yet Da Nang’s FDI inflow has been low compared to its true potential, leaving future investors with ample opportunities.
By: Aysha Nesbitt
On May 6, LG Display Group, a subsidiary of South Korea’s LG Electronics, pledged US $1.5 billion to establish a screen factory in Hai Phong. Launching next year, the factory will produce high-tech digital displays using LG’s organic light emitting diodes. This investment comes just a year after LG opened a US $1.5 billion factory in Hai Phong and follows similar investments from the likes of Samsung and Nokia.
Over the past four years, Vietnam’s electronics sector has grown by 78 percent, becoming the country’s number one export in 2013. With pro-foreign investment policies and a competitive labor force, Vietnamese electronics production has also quickly surpassed regional rivals such as Thailand and the Philippines and is expected to grow at a modest five percent over the next two years, positioning Vietnam to surpass Singapore as the region’s fifth largest electronics exporter.
App Downloads Record Strong Growth Due to Gaming Culture
The app market in Vietnam has shown strong growth every year purported by a strong gaming culture. In a recent industry report, gaming app downloads contributed to half of the growth on the Google Play Store. Local users have a strong interest in local game publishers with ZingPlay in the list of top ten downloads. Three of the top 10 game downloads on the Google Play and iOS App Store were from local publishers.
At least 20 million gamers have been recorded in the country, and more than 10,000 mobile games are available on Vietnamese app stores. By 2017, the market is expected to be worth U.S. $161.6 million. While the high growth of smartphones and e-commerce make Vietnam attractive to app developers and publishers, setting unique regional preferences is key to growing the market. In addition, while the gaming culture has experienced significant growth, a large part of the population does not have access to high-speed Internet service. Nevertheless, investors should make key inroads into the industry as it’s not a market that can be ignored. Foreign investors should acclimatize and gain on the ground information if considering the industry.
Garment Industry Wants Long Term Plan
The garment and textile industry plans to revise a development plan to 2020 with a vision for 2030. The current plan, which was approved in April 2014, stated that garment exports would reach U.S. $25 billion by 2020. However, the garment industry has already earned an export turnover of U.S. $27.5 billion in 2015. Given this, the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS) demanded another long term plan until 2040 in line with the country’s economic development. VITAS has set the current growth of the sector to be between U.S. $40 and U.S. $50 billion by 2020 rather than the targets mooted by the current plan. Foreign direct investment (FDI) brought in U.S. $2 billion into the garment sector in 2015.
Despite the growth in the industry, VITAS has raised concerns about several challenges that have caused many companies to close down. It wants government support to initiate policies and make the sector attractive to investments. Some of these measures include designated industrial parks and key economic zones, infrastructure development, incentives for investors as well as quality waste water treatment plants.
Stable Outlook for Vietnam by Rating Agency
Rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) on 29 April gave Vietnam a stable outlook, unchanged from March 2015. The rating reflects strong economic growth, while macro-economic factors have been recognized showing the improved outlook by the agency and investors. Factors that have contributed include the relatively diverse and flexible economy, per capita income reaching around U.S. $2,200 in 2016 and macroeconomic stability, which has made a positive impact on exports and foreign direct investment.
All these factors along with a comparative labor cost compared to other countries have helped the competitiveness of the country. S&P stated that the country should now pay attention to controlling its budget deficit as well as the increasing rate of public debt and bad debt in the banking sector. The government plans to control and bring the budget deficit to below 4 percent of the GDP, while controlling the public debt growth rate within the upper limit of 65 percent of the GDP.
Asia Briefing Ltd. is a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. Dezan Shira is a specialist foreign direct investment practice, providing corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory and compliance, accounting, payroll, due diligence and financial review services to multinationals investing in China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Singapore and the rest of ASEAN. For further information, please email email@example.com or visit www.dezshira.com.
Stay up to date with the latest business and investment trends in Asia by subscribing to our complimentary update service featuring news, commentary and regulatory insight.
Annual Audit and Compliance in Vietnam 2016
In this issue of Vietnam Briefing, we address pressing changes to audit procedures in 2016, and provide guidance on how to ensure that compliance tasks are completed in an efficient and effective manner. We highlight the continued convergence of VAS with IFRS, discuss the emergence of e-filing, and provide step-by-step instructions on audit and compliance procedures for Foreign Owned Enterprises (FOEs) as well as Representative Offices (ROs).
Navigating the Vietnam Supply Chain
In this edition of Vietnam Briefing, we discuss the advantages of the Vietnamese market over its regional competition and highlight where and how to implement successful investment projects. We examine tariff reduction schedules within the ACFTA and TPP, highlight considerations with regard to rules of origin, and outline the benefits of investing in Vietnam’s growing economic zones. Finally, we provide expert insight into the issues surrounding the creation of 100 percent Foreign Owned Enterprise in Vietnam.
Tax, Accounting and Audit in Vietnam 2016 (2nd Edition)
This edition of Tax, Accounting, and Audit in Vietnam, updated for 2016, offers a comprehensive overview of the major taxes foreign investors are likely to encounter when establishing or operating a business in Vietnam, as well as other tax-relevant obligations. This concise, detailed, yet pragmatic guide is ideal for CFOs, compliance officers and heads of accounting who must navigate Vietnam’s complex tax and accounting landscape in order to effectively manage and strategically plan their Vietnam operations.
Foreign Specialists Exempt from Personal Income Tax
Recent government announcements indicate foreign specialists will be exempt from paying personal income tax. The exemption applies to expatriates that are in Vietnam implementing projects for non-governmental organizations. The exemptions will comply with Decision 06/2016 / QD TTg.
However, foreign specialists will only be exempt if they meet the following terms:
- They are foreign nationals.
- The foreign national must be contracted with one of the following:
- A Non-government organization (NGO)
- A company managing the project of an NGO
- The sponsor of an NGO that is active in Vietnam
Expatriates in Vietnam that plan to work in such projects will welcome the new rules. In addition, local economists believe that these regulations will enable Vietnam to attract a more talented labour force in NGOs and related sectors, which is likely to catalyze development within the country.
By: Erasmo Indolino
Based on survey results by Indochina Research (Vietnam) ltd.
In February 2016, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was signed in Auckland, New Zealand. In total, the agreement brings together 12 contracting countries: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Japan, Peru, the United States, Singapore and Vietnam. Experts consider TPP to be one of the largest trade agreements ever concluded, and its negotiations alone have taken more than seven years to reach an agreed upon text.
If ratified by all members, the TPP could come into force as early as Q1 2018. To facilitate transparent discussions prior to ratification by respective member states, the agreement’s full text was published in November 2015. Since then, Vietnam has rapidly emerged as the agreements’ prime beneficiary, with experts touting the many ways that TPP’s least developed economy can tap demand of larger members.
By: Dezan Shira & Associates
Editor: Maxfield Brown
Vietnam’s rapid pace of integration into global commerce is likely to yield unparalleled opportunities and record foreign investment in the near to medium term. While speculation on the nature of Vietnamese FDI has been on the rise, the availability of credible data remains scarce.
To help investors make informed decisions about existing opportunities and likely competitors, the following article outlines key findings from some of the first FDI data released by the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment since the passage of TPP, Implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community, and signing of Vietnam’s FTA with the European Union. Published at the end of January, 2016, this data provides insight on sources, destinations, industries, and vehicles of foreign direct investment. Should any questions arise as a result of this presentation, do not hesitate to contact members of our staff at firstname.lastname@example.org or www.dezshira.com.
By Edward Barbour-Lacey
HCMC – According to a plan released by Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance, the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HOSE) and the Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX) are likely to be merged at the end of this year. If completed, the new Vietnam Stock Exchange (VSE) will be headquartered in Hanoi, although it will also have a southern branch in HCMC.
During the period 2015-2020, the VSE will be a 100-percent state-run unit managed by the Ministry of Finance. After 2020, member securities companies of the VSE will be able to purchase a 10-25 percent stake in the exchange.


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Hundreds of fans gathered this evening downtown for live music, food and drinks as a way to celebrate their Wildcats one last time.
"I've always been a Wildcat fan," explains event organizer Jonathan Hatcher, "I'm originally from Florida, but my dad bought me a UK shirt when I was young and I've been a fan ever since."
Local businesses put up stands and vendors sold Big Blue Nation t-shirts as a way to celebrate their cats and raise money for local charities. "We want to say thank you to our Wildcats, and what better way to do that than throw a party. All the proceeds will go to two charities within the area, I think it's the best way to say thank you and give back."
Hatcher says he plans to throw another Block Party sometime before football season. "I want this to become a tradition. Lexington has a lot to be proud of and I want to allow them opportunity to celebrate this city anyway they can."


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Japan Consumer Prices Data Due On Friday
Overall consumer prices and core CPI are both expected to fall 0.5 percent on year, unchanged from the August reading. The jobless rate is tipped to hold steady at 3.1 percent, while household spending is expected to sink 2.7 percent on year after falling 4.6 percent in the previous month.
Australia will see Q3 numbers for producer prices; in the previous three months, producer prices were up 0.1 percent on quarter and 1.0 percent on year.
Singapore will provide September numbers for producer prices; in August, prices were down 0.1 percent on month and 7.5 percent on year.
Taiwan will release preliminary Q3 numbers for gross domestic product. Analysts are looking for an expansion of 1.8 percent on year following the 0.7 percent gain in the three months prior.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX


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Kazakh transport and logistics investment group PTC Holding is to build a container terminal in the port of Poti, Georgia. During a working visit to Georgia, the Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development of Kazakhstan, Marat Karabaev, took part in the ceremony of laying the foundation stone at the site of the planned construction.
The terminal will help to increase the volume of freight traffic on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR).
The construction of the port terminal will be the first Kazakh infrastructure project to be implemented in one of Georgia’s largest ports. The project will enter the active phase in September 2023, with construction starting in October and commissioning scheduled for 2024. The terminal will be located on an area of 8 hectares and its capacity will be 80 thousand 20-foot equivalent containers per year.
“The container terminal will allow Kazakh and Georgian companies, and not only them, to participate in the formation of cargo flows and will also create favourable tariff conditions on this route. In addition, it should attract additional volumes of transit cargo through Kazakhstan and Georgia,” said Marat Karabaev.
The Minister also noted the successes achieved by the countries in the development of TITR. He stressed that Kazakhstan has made great efforts to expand its transit potential.
Such large infrastructure projects as the Kazakh-Chinese logistics centre in the port of Lianyungang and the Khorgos-East Gate dry port on the border with China have been put into operation, attention has been paid to the port infrastructure of Aktau and Kuryk on the coast of the Caspian Sea, an international transit corridor “Western Europe – Western China”. At present, the second track is being built on the Dostyk-Moiynty section, which is 836 km long,” said the head of the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Marat Karabayev was joined at the capsule-laying ceremony by Levan Davitashvili, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Malik Murzalin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Georgia, and Timur Karabayev, Chairman of the Board of PTC Holding.
“It is important to note that economic cooperation between Georgia and Kazakhstan is now entering a new stage of development, which is evidenced by the fact that in 2022 cargo turnover between the countries amounted to $3 million and tripled compared to last year. In this sense, the development of cargo logistics infrastructure is essential for the correct and competent development of relations and potential,” said Levan Davitashvili.
Timur Karabaev added that the future terminal in Poti will become a reference point for TITR, which is extremely important for Kazakh companies in terms of diversifying logistics routes. According to him, the company’s position has always been clear – to develop logistics infrastructure.
This is particularly relevant as the geopolitical situation created by the events in Ukraine has seriously affected global logistics, including the traditional routes of Kazakhstan’s exports and imports. In these conditions, the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) has gained new importance, for example, in 2021 25.2 thousand TEUs were transported along this route, in 2022 – 33.6 thousand TEUs, in 2023 this figure is expected to be 52.9 thousand TEUs. According to the data of the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan, cargo turnover on this route increased by 77% in the first six months of this year and amounted to 1,320 thousand tonnes.
According to Olzhas Arykbayev, Development Director of PTC Holding, the total investment in the project is estimated at 15-20 million US dollars. Financing will be provided on a parity basis by the Kazakh and Georgian participants in the project. He also said that the active phase of construction has been underway since September this year and the commissioning of the first stage of the project is planned for the first quarter of 2024. The maximum capacity of the terminal, taking into account the technology of operation, will be 450 thousand TEU/year.


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A few days ago, Settle Network, a company that accepts crypto payments worldwide, announced that it has launched two new stablecoins based on Stellar.
The two stablecoins are priced at the local currencies of Brazil and Argentina respectively.
During the Meridian 2020 event, sponsored by the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF), we saw a lot of experts and key players in the blockchain industry take turns talking about Stellar and beyond, and it was during this event that the two stablecoins were presented.
The stablecoins based on Stellar
In fact, we are talking about a partnership between Settle Network and Stellar to launch a stablecoin in Argentina, which will be collateralized with the Argentine weight and will be called ARST, while the stablecoin that will be launched on the Brazilian market will be called BRLT and will be linked to the value of the Brazilian real.
Both of them will be weighed 1 to 1 with the related fiat currencies. To obtain them you will have to go through a KYC (Know Your Customer) procedure.
The two stablecoins can be used on some wallets like Vibrant’s and will be listed in the different exchanges.
This is a very important step, as Settle Network CEO Pablo Orlando explained:
„Latin America has highlighted one of the greatest needs and use cases for the adoption of blockchain and cryptocurrency. This is a key moment for Latin American users. The new Settle Network and stablecoins from Stellar, ARST and BRLT allow users to virtually send Argentinean Pesos (ARS) and convert them into Brazilian Reais (BRL) in seconds, opening a new world of possibilities for international remittances and cross-border payments“.
Let’s not forget that Brazil and Argentina are countries where the use of cryptos has become a real remedy for cases of hyperinflation, as well as in Venezuela with bolivar.
Stablecoins of this type resemble what the various CBDCs would like to do, i.e. transform the fiats in a digitized but centralized way and with a private blockchain system, while these, except for the KYC part, are fully functional on the Stellar blockchain.


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Brazil trunk driver strike
Brazil's President has announced he will concede to truck drivers' demands after a week-long strike that has paralyzed much of the country.
Truckers angry at rising fuel prices have blocked major roads across Brazil since May 21, preventing the delivery of goods to supermarkets and gas to petrol stations.
Citing concerns about lack of medicine and basic goods, President Michel Temer said Sunday that his government would subsidize the cost of diesel for the next 60 days, exempt empty trucks from tolls and introduce a minimum freight fare for truckers.
Temer said diesel prices at the pump would be cut by 0.46 reals per liter (roughly $0.13) for the next two months. He said prices would increase just once a month after that. Prices had risen to 3.6 reals ($0.98) per liter before the strike, with five increases in the week before truckers took action.
The government would pay state-run oil company Petrobras the difference in price, Temer said in a televised address from the presidential palace in Brasilia.


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This story is available exclusively to Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.
- Better & Better is a New York-based startup focused on wellness products infused with vitamins.
- It just raised $4 million from investors including Will Smith's firm Dreamers VC.
- Check out the 16-slide pitch deck the startup used to raise the fresh funds below.
A startup making toothpaste may seem an unlikely target for venture capitalists.
But New York-based wellness startup Better & Better, which makes "vitamin-infused" vegan toothpaste, has just raised $4 million from investors including a VC firm cofounded by Will Smith and Japanese soccer player Keisuke Honda.
Vladimir Vukicevic, cofounder and CEO of Better & Better, said the startup's launch in 2020 was done with the ambition of allowing consumers to "microdose" vitamins through daily habits people have such as brushing their teeth.
Microdosing involves the taking of small doses of substances, which has seen increased attention in recent years as scientists have tested claims of the health benefits of taking various substances in small quantities.
Better & Better, for instance, claims that its "Energy" toothpaste, which includes vitamin B12, a vitamin required for the healthy functioning of the nervous system, and vitamin D3, associated with bone health, are absorbed "directly through the mouth, gums and tongue."
According to the firm, this offers a 40-60% absorption rate of nutrients compared with 10-20% through the gastrointestinal tract. "We're making it easier for consumers to better their health—no swallowing pills, no dirty ingredients, no extra costs," Vukicevic said.
Better & Better's latest wave of funding was led by Fifth Quarter Ventures, with others supporting the investment round, including Will Smith's fund Dreamers VC, Azure Capital, Alpaca Ventures, and others.
Dreamers VC said in a statement that it saw potential in Better & Better's product lineup to make "healthier living easy" and "revolutionize personal health through existing habits".
Vukicevic said the startup would be expanding its line of products to include mouth freshening sprays, shampoo and hand cream as it focuses on "introducing new ways to optimally deliver vitamins".
Check out the 16-slide pitch deck Better & Better used to raise the fresh funds below:


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Slack Technologies Inc. (NYSE: WORK) went public on Thursday at a reference price of $26. The stock opened at $38.50, 48% above the reference price. It is currently trading at $37.55, 42% ahead of its reference price. Let’s look at some popular names that went public this year and where they stand now.
Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE: UBER) went public in May at an offer price of $45. The stock is currently trading at $43.92, down 4% from the offer price. The company has a market cap of $73.3 billion.
Uber’s rival Lyft Inc. (NASDAQ: LYFT) went public in March at an offer price of $72. The ride-hailing service’s shares are now trading at $63.95, down 12% from its offer price. Lyft has a market valuation of $17.7 billion.
Pinterest Inc. (NYSE: PINS) had its IPO in April and the company’s offer price was $19. The stock is trading at $27.79, 42% above its offer price. Pinterest has a market cap of $14.8 billion.
Chewy Inc. (NYSE: CHWY) went public last week with an offer price of $22. Shares are now trading at $32.20 per share, 45% above that number.
CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: CRWD) also held its IPO last week at an offer price of $34. The stock is currently trading at $69.10, 102% above that figure.
Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) Wednesday said its fourth-quarter revenues and profit increased in double-digits amid elevated demand. The results also topped the Street view, driving the stock higher during the
Nutanix (NASDAQ: NTNX) reported second quarter 2021 earnings results today. Total revenue remained flat at $346.4 million compared to the same period a year ago. GAAP net loss was $287.3
Shares of Macy’s Inc. (NYSE: M) were down 2.7% in morning trade on Wednesday. The stock has gained 37% since the beginning of the year. A day ago, the retailer


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The British supermodel has bagged the spring/summer 2013 ad campaign for the footwear firm
Kate Moss is the new face of shoe label Stuart Weitzman, and we can bring you the first look at her debut campaign ads for the brand.
The images, shot by acclaimed photographer Mario Testino who recommended her for the job, show the British supe in a series of sexy poses all captured in arty black and white. In one, Kate is seen sitting on a stool wearing an unbuttoned white shirt, black high-waisted knickers and a pair of shimmering silver courts, while in another, she’s snapped sitting cross-legged wearing a black top and white flat sandals. A further two shots have been released, with Kate wearing highlights from the spring/summer 2013 collection.
Kate said of the ads: ‘I had a great time shooting the Stuart Weitzman campaign and I’m so happy to be face of the brand this season. Working with Mario Testino is always fun and it was wonderful meeting Stuart on set.’
The new campaign marks the first time that the model and style icon has fronted adverts for an American shoe designer. As well as the print and billboard advertising, a behind-the-scenes video of the shoot will launch on the Stuart Weitzman website in the spring.
Kate replaces Russian model Natalia Vodianova as the face of the brand, who steps down as the label’s poster girl after two seasons.


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Scotland’s wedding industry is back in full swing, but with demand at an all-time high, finding a venue to say “I do” at short-notice is proving trickier than usual.
However, the team behind a luxurious Glasgow event spaces is taking that burden off one lucky couple’s shoulders – by offering them the wedding venue for free.
The prize: The Haberdashery is giving away a full day’s use of their Sauchiehall Street space – worth £4,500 – at their inaugural wedding fayre on Sunday 4 September.
With dates for 2022 still available, the winning pair could be walking down the aisle as soon as this year. “This is such an incredible gift to give a couple on the biggest day of their lives,” said co-founder Nikki Fairful, who opened the multi-purpose event space alongside best friend Afton Ferguson in April.
“Trying to book a wedding right now is proving quite overwhelming for lots of people, especially those who are paying for it themselves. Huge Covid backlogs and rising costs mean finding a unique space to create your dream wedding with your own stamp on it is becoming even harder to come by.
“We want to help take that pressure off so couples can enjoy the special process of planning their big day, and what better way to do that than offering them the chance to win their dream venue at our first ever wedding fayre.”
The wedding fayre is set to feature some of the best suppliers from across the central belt. Guests will be able to explore everything from bridalwear and groomswear, to caterers, florists, hair and make-up artists, and even a live wedding illustrator over a glass of complimentary Prosecco.
Some of the suppliers already confirmed for the wedding fayre include luxury bridalwear specialists The Bridal Courtyard; award-winning caterers Regis Banqueting; humanist celebrant providers Fuze Ceremonies; and illustrator and social media sensation What Hannah Does.
How to enter: You’ll need to visit the wedding fayre and reserve your wedding date on the day. Then, one couple will be chosen at random to have full use of the venue, including ceremony and reception, for free.
The couple randomly chosen to win their venue hire for free will be announced on the venue’s Instagram page (@thehaberdasheryglasgow) on Wednesday 7 September.
Nikki added: “We’re a brand new venue that provides the perfect blank canvas to anyone who wants to bring their own vision to life.
“I think the space really sells itself – it’s a stunning mix of traditional and contemporary, which suits all different tastes. There is so much natural light, it feels as though you’re a million miles away from the city centre of Glasgow.
“I can’t wait to see how our winning pair will transform the space.”
Named after a ladies’ tailors which operated in the building for more than 50 years, the multipurpose venue opened earlier this year, after lying vacant since 2016.
Nikki, who left a career in the property sector to launch the business – spotted the empty unit while searching the online classified ads site, Gumtree.
The friends spent nine months restoring the 6,604 square-foot building back to its original grandeur, recapturing the building’s romantic aura with traditional cornicing, marble pillars and exposed brick.
Since opening three months ago, the young entrepreneurs have been inundated with requests, with Afton hailing Glasgow as the “perfect place” to launch an events business.
“We received more than 300 enquiries over our first weekend alone,” she explained.
“Since then, it’s been an absolute whirlwind. In the last three months we’ve hosted a number of corporate and private events, and are carrying out viewings on a near daily basis.
“Initially, opening the venue was a bit scary as this is our first venture together, however everyone we’ve spoken to in the industry has welcomed us with open arms.
“There is always someone willing to help you out. Whenever we are looking for recommendations, or are brainstorming ideas for potential suppliers, then there is always someone willing to give us a helping hand.
“It’s been a great first three months- I can’t wait to see what’s next.”
Tickets for the free wedding fayre are available now on The Haberdashery’s social media pages and on their website.


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Hermann Simon still sees major potential for more German hidden champions
(This article was written by Georg Giersberg and first published in German language on August 7, 2017, by Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.)
Germany's strength lies in its secret world market leaders, and professor and business leader Hermann Simon is confident they will continue to form a solid basis of the German economy – regardless of digitalization or globalization. It was Simon's term "hidden champions" that drew attention to these unknown world market leaders, which achieve an annual turnover of less than five billion euros per year and are positioned in the global top three in their market. There are almost 3,000 of them in the world, with more than 1,300 headquartered in Germany. So according to Simon's calculation, almost 50 percent of these unknown world market leaders belong to Germany – a country with just over one percent of the world population.
The world has changed in the past thirty years. New issues such as digitalization and globalization are center of attention and are changing many industries. Simon recognizes that "the train to the consumer market has left the station." Large American corporations are currently dominating these global markets, with the exception of China. "China is emerging as a second economic world power," assures Simon. "In the future I can see the industrial sector in China becoming greater competition for Germany than the United States," he determines from his many visits abroad, but adds that in his opinion China doesn't pose any threat. China is becoming increasingly collaborative, he says, referencing the latest acquisitions of German companies by Chinese investors.
Unlike the world of consumers, in the industrial world Simon expects no country to dominate, even after the digital revolution. He also considers Germany's future to lie in the Industrial Internet and gives three reasons why Germany's potential is particularly high here. First, he emphasizes these are niche markets that are too small for many large internet companies. "Apple is not interested in any markets worth only a few billion," believes Simon. Second, German providers understand industrial processes like no other provider.
This is because Germany continues to have a high share of industrial production, and thanks to its automation technology, is already the world's largest industry supplier. Industrial production processes are much more complicated than consumption processes. "Building a diesel motor is more complex than logistics in an Amazon logistics center," Simon explains using an illustrative example. He considers the third reason German companies are in a good position to break into digitally networked production (Industry 4.0) is that industrial production knowledge is much more specific and less available to the public than knowledge of consumer behavior. To obtain knowledge of specific production processes, you need to be part of the industry or buy companies from the industry.
Simon is also confident for Germany's future in general. On the topic of autonomous driving, between 2010 and the end of 2016, 2,828 patents were registered worldwide, of which 1,646 (more than 58 percent) came from Germany. Simon highlights that the American electric car manufacturer Tesla has "not once been in the top ten companies for patent applications" – another reason why he considers Germany to be "clearly in the lead" when it comes to autonomous driving. Why the public often sees this differently is that Tesla openly reports on all its actions, while German companies mostly keep quiet about their developments, especially until products are ready for the market. He also highlights how the high share of German parts in Tesla vehicles shows that Germany isn't lagging behind. The acquisition of German suppliers such as Grohmann in the Eifel region of Germany means that "to some extent, Tesla can be considered a German car".
Germany isn't just in the lead when it comes to traditional technology. New companies are always popping up and entering the league of global hidden champions. Simon names a few examples: the software company Teamviewer, whose remote maintenance software is installed on more than 1.4 billion devices across the globe, as well as the 100 year old Munich company Arri, currently the largest manufacturer of digital cameras worldwide, and Volocopter from the city of Bruchsal near Karlsruhe, which developed the world's first electric helicopter.
He also mentions Germany's usual advantages over other countries, such as its dual training program or its excellent engineering universities. However, when it comes to globalization, Simon is convinced that Germany is in an exclusive position: "In terms of its global presence, Germany is in the lead." Not only do the country's graduates exhibit excellent English skills, young Germans have extensive professional and private experience abroad. When visiting other countries, Simon often meets people who have never left their country, especially in the United States.
But even just considering the traditional export of German products, he still sees significant growth potential. "German export to Sweden alone is currently higher than that of the entire African continent, although almost a hundred times as many people live there compared to the Scandinavian country." The potential would be enormous if we also opened our markets to African products, "which is already necessary to prevent another million Africans from fleeing to Europe."
"I am overall very optimistic for the German economy," says Simon. He also doesn't expect Trump's economic policy or Great Britain leaving the European Union (Brexit) to have any major impact here. "Such developments can slow down the trend, but won't stop it," he adds confidently. Germany will profit from the development into a digitally networked world so long as it makes the necessary changes quickly enough, continues as much as possible to increase the high investment in research and development, and bravely grasps the opportunities of individual production brought about by Industry 4.0. Combined with the advantages of its location, high quality of products, and high production productivity, he sees no need to worry about the future of the German economy.
(© Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. All rights reserved. Provided by Frankfurter Allgemeine Archiv.)
Upcoming related event:
3rd Hidden Champions
September 14 2017, 12:30pm-6:30pm


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Microsoft today announced The Ultimate Steal, a limited-time promotion for college students starting today in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and starting Sept. 20 in Spain, Italy and France. PressPass spoke with Alan Yates, general manager of Microsoft’s World Wide Education division, to discuss how the company has responded to student feedback and provided an easy way for students to acquire Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007.
PressPass: The Ultimate Steal sounds like a great deal. What are the specifics?
Yates: We definitely think it’s a great deal. It gives students easier access to our premium productivity suite Office Ultimate 2007, which includes tools they’ll be able to put to good use in their studies such as Office Groove 2007 and Office OneNote 2007.
Beginning Sept. 12, Microsoft will launch a special Web-based promotion exclusively for students called The Ultimate Steal. Students who are actively enrolled at eligible educational institutions will be able to acquire Office Ultimate 2007 via the Web at the low student price of US$59.95. Calling this promotion "The Ultimate Steal" is spot on when you consider that this is a savings of over 90 percent of the retail price of Office Ultimate 2007. The retail price is what students might think they would have to pay, when much lower pricing such as this has been available to students for many years.
Outside of the US, a one-year subscription license will also be offered for £12.95/€ 18.00/C$22.00 in addition to the perpetual license. The Ultimate Steal promotion will expire on April 30, 2008.
Full Story At Source


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Star Wars’ “Mandalorian” has touched down in a location far, far away.
A group of fans of the iconic sci-fi franchise rebuilt a life-sized replica of the Razor Crest –the starship used by the show’s titular main character — and plopped it in the east Russian city of Yakutsk, Siberia.
The 46 foot-long craft weighs over a ton, cosplayer Ayaal Fyodorov told Russian state-run news agency TASS.
“Our Instagram followers helped us. When we called for assistance, they helped us raise the needed funds,” Fyodrov said, according to the Moscow Times.
“The Yakutsk IT park, a [local] private company, helped us rent a hangar, the only place where the structure could fit.”
Fyodrov and crew meticulously painted their replica to match the design of the original ship.
The real-life Razor Crest also includes a seat specifically designed to fit Baby Yoda, the star of the Disney+ TV series.
Fyodorov told AFP the model cost more than 750,00 rubles, or $10,200. Besides fundraising, the Star Wars fan said he dipped into savings and sold his car to make his dream a reality.
“We were very much motivated to make it. As if we were inside the TV series and rebuilding the ship,” he said.
“This is the only such cosplay ship in the world.”
The model ship has now become a major attraction for locals, AFP said.


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This analyst calls Micron the best idea for 2022; sees more than 70% increase for the stock
Micron (UM) delivered the goods in the November quarter and the market was duly impressed. Stocks got a boost after the memory giant’s quarterly results and outlook beat expectations.
At F1Q22, the company generated revenue of $ 7.69 billion, an increase of 33% from the same period a year ago and $ 10 million before Street’s call. Non-GAAP EPS of $ 2.16 also beat consensus estimates – by $ 0.05.
The report was successful in allaying concerns about weak demand due to manufacturers’ inventory stocking in the PC market, putting pressure on DRAM prices. Additionally, there were concerns that a lack of memory-less products due to supply chain bottlenecks would create less need for Micron’s offerings.
The quarterly posting was successful in allaying those fears, and the good news is that the way forward also appears to be clear.
In the second quarter, the company expects revenue to reach $ 7.5 billion and non-GAAP EPS of $ 1.95. That surprised analysts, who expected cumulative revenue of $ 7.27 billion and non-GAAP EPS of $ 1.86.
Scanning the print, Micron’s biggest supporter on Wall Street was not disappointed.
“Strong results for the November quarter, better than the consensus outlook for the February quarter and a reduction in shortages through CY2022 is a perfect setup for stocks to recover from the PC DRAM ASP collapse,” said Hans Mosesmann, Analyst at Rosenblatt “Indeed, non-memory component shortages are now behind the business and the overall shortage mitigation is becoming a tailwind for the business for the next two years, in our view.”
The semiconductor industry is known for its cyclical nature, and the 5-star analyst calls the current cycle “the mother of all cycles.” Micron is well positioned to take advantage of age-old trends such as AI, cloud data centers, electric cars, and even has the metaverse in its sights. All are expected to create demand for the company’s memory and storage products.
As such, Mosesmann calls Micron a better idea for 2022 and reiterates a buy rating for the stocks, supported by a price target of $ 165. The implication for investors? Up 74%. (To look at Mosesmann’s record, Click here)
Most of the street agrees with the Rosneblatt analyst’s point of view; Based on 19 buys, 4 holds and 1 sell, the stock has a strong buy consensus rating. Based on The Street’s average price target of $ 107.83, the shares have room for 19% growth in the coming year. (See the analysis of Micron shares)
Find Out What Top Wall Street Analysts Are Saying About Your Stocks >>
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the analyst presented. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.


text: Here's info on a serious privacy issue. Jim Hamm sends this link to an investigative news video that demonstrates how your camera and your smartphone can show everyone where the picture was taken. Jim comments, "What's the problem with this, you ask? Well, say you've taken a picture of an expensive diamond ring to sell on eBay and you post it to the site and await the bidding. In the meantime, Joe the crook, gets the location of your house from the picture and steals the ring. Ouch!" The GPS location on the photos you post can show everyone where you've been. Watch the video, then share the info with your kids, too.


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Hewlett-Packard said it will release the Wi-Fi-only version of its TouchPat webOS tablet on July 1 in the United States. The company will also partner with AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T) on a version of the tablet with cellular connectivity, which will be released this summer.
Click here for more details on the HP TouchPad.
HP will sell the Wi-Fi-only version of the TouchPad for $499.99 for the 16GB model and $599.99 for the 32GB model, prices that align with Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPad 2. Pre-orders of the TouchPad for North America and Europe will start June 19.
The TouchPad will be available in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Germany a few days after it goes on sale in the U.S., and in Canada in mid-July. HP said the TouchPad will also be available later this year in Italy and Spain, as well as in Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Singapore.
Interestingly, AT&T will be HP's wireless partner on the tablet, though the company did not reveal how much the AT&T version will cost or when it will be released. HP said that more details will be made available closer to launch. AT&T launched the HP Veer, the company's pint-sized smartphone with a 2.6-inch screen, on May 15 for $99.99 with a two-year contract.
The TouchPad is powered by Hewlett-Packard's webOS 3.0 operating system. The TouchPad sports a 9.7-inch screen, dual-core 1.2 GHz Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) Snapdragon processor, a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera for video chatting, internal stereo speakers and Beats Audio technology. HP continues to tout webOS' multitasking abilities, as well as its Synergy and Stacks features, which group related open apps into card stacks. The device also has the ability to share content with other webOS devices; for example, webOS smartphone users can transfer a webpage to the TouchPad simply by touching the two devices together.
- see this release
AT&T launches HP's Veer webOS smartphone
HP's Rubinstein talks up webOS, hints at licensing
HP's Apotheker: 100M webOS-enabled products per year in the future
HP exec accuses RIM's PlayBook of imitating TouchPad's webOS
HP unveils webOS TouchPad tablet, Pre3 and Veer smartphones
HP CEO Apotheker wants to snag Apple's 'cool factor'


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Santa Monica, Calif. — Beats by Dr. Dre has expanded its Beats Mixr line to include new colors.
The five new neon colors will be available exclusively through Target and the company’s website until June 2 and will roll out to other retailers thereafter, a Beats spokeswoman told TWICE. They became available on Target.com today and will be sold in Target’s brick-and-mortar stores starting May 19.
The over-ear Mixr headphones feature 40mm drivers, leatherette ear pads, a buddy jack for daisychaining, in-line mic and remote, and a $249 price tag.
- 2019 TWICE Top 100: Hottest Products - May 28, 2019
- Walmart To Offer Free Next-Day Delivery On Orders Over $35 - May 14, 2019
- Amazon Bringing Two-Day Prime Delivery Down To Just One Day - April 26, 2019


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Supply chain software provider Manhattan Associates (Booth S3979) is continuing to see interest from its user base in its warehouse execution system (WES) capabilities, said Adam Kline, a senior director for product management with the company, during a Tuesday booth visit.
Last year, Manhattan Associates announced it had embedded WES capabilities within its warehouse management system (WMS), building off the “Order Streaming” capabilities it had announced previously. Last year’s enhancements also resulted in a single intelligent fulfillment optimization engine capable of simultaneously processing wave, waveless and flow-through orders in a facility.
Kline explained that the overall WES approach at Manhattan is a wholistic one—managing and coordinating people, inventory, orders, machinery and even factoring in tasks. “The key is to keep all of these resources highly utilized,” said Kline.
Kline acknowledged that today there are various WES vendor approaches to orchestrating resources, with some vendors coming at the challenge more from an automation direction, and others from more of a warehouse order release and labor direction.
Overall, Kline concluded, WES solutions need to orchestrate all resources and be able to coordinate with all types of automation, including mobile robotics, pick-to-light systems, shuttles, or other forms of automated equipment, to be effective. “Our play has to be orchestrating all the work across both people and all types of machines,” Kline said.
ProMat 2019 is scheduled to be held April 8-11 at Chicago’s McCormick Place. The tradeshow will showcase the latest manufacturing, distribution and supply chain solutions in the materials handling and logistics industry. Modern’s complete coverage of the show.


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The world’s first smartphone with 18GB RAM and 1TB storage, the ZTE Axon 30 Ultra Aerospace Edition, has been introduced by ZTE. This phone comes with a virtual RAM feature. Aside from that, the phone will come with a quad-rear camera configuration.
ZTE’s flagship smartphone, the ZTE Axon 30 Ultra, now comes in an Aerospace Edition. This is the first gadget with 18 GB of RAM and 1 TB of internal storage mostly in the globe. This smartphone boasts three 64-megapixel cameras and a telephoto lens, among other capabilities. Furthermore, the smartphone will feature virtual RAM.
ZTE Axon 30 Ultra Aerospace Edition Specifications:
The 6.67-inch FHD+ Curved AMOLED display of the ZTE Axon 30 Ultra Aerospace Edition supports HDR 10+. It has a 144Hz refresh rate. The smartphone boasts a Snapdragon 888 CPU, 18GB of RAM, and 1TB of internal memory from Qualcomm. This gadget is compatible with the most recent operating system.
The camera’s features include:
This quad back camera arrangement on the ZTE Axon 30 Ultra Aerospace Edition has three 64MP lenses. This also includes an 8-megapixel periscope telephoto lens. A 16MP camera will also be included with the smartphone video calls and selfies.
Connectivity and Battery Life:
In the ZTE Axon 30 Ultra Aerospace Edition, the manufacturer has included a 4600mAh battery with 65W fast charging capabilities. In addition, the tablet will include Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, and a USB Type-C connector.
ZTE Axon 30 Ultra Aerospace Edition price:
This ZTE Axon 30 Ultra Aerospace Edition is priced at 6,998 Chinese Yuan (about Rs 81,998), however, it is now unavailable for purchase. Let’s all remind you that the business previously released the vanilla version of such a gadget, which cost 4,698 Chinese Yuan (about Rs 55,053). This pricing will be available in 8GB RAM and 256GB storage configurations.


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Struggling book retailer Borders said it will delay its January payments to vendors and landlords in a bid to conserve cash while it tries to restructure its debt.
Last week, Borders said it had secured $550 million in conditional senior secured financing from GE Capital, but it also signaled that bankruptcy was still a possibility.
The bookstore chain said yesterday that delaying January payments is in the best long-term interest of its suppliers and landlords. Nevertheless, the retailer hasn’t been able to get all of its business partners on board with its recent proposals.
GE’s financing commitment is conditioned partly on a requirement that publishers also provide financing. Publishers have complained, however, that they’ve been given insufficient information to make lending decisions.


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In 2015, Sino-US economic and trade relations continue to deepen. Bilateral trade and investment maintained steady growth and the high-level economic dialogue mechanism rendered fruitful results. In terms of the bilateral economic and trade cooperation, China and the US focused on the construction of a new pattern of relationship between great powers and continuously expanded equality, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation.
Xi Jinping, Chinese President made clear a direction for Sino-US economic and trade cooperation during his successful visit to the United States. In September 2015, President Xi Jinping, successfully paid a historic visit to the United States. Two heads of China and the United States reached an important consensus with respect to the construction of a new pattern of relationship between great powers, which has pointed out the direction for the development of bilateral economic and trade relations. During the visit, the two sides reached 50 important achievements and announced a series of important measures, including 17 measures for the economic and trade field.
Bilateral trade and investment scale expanded unceasingly. According to the Chinese side, in 2015, Sino-US trade volume reached USD 558.39 billion, up 0.6% on a year-on-year basis. The United States is China’s second largest trading partner, the largest export market and the fourth largest source of imports. According to the United States, during January – November 2015, Sino-US trade volume was USD569.17 billion, a year-on-year growth of 2.4%, accounting for 16.2% of the total amount of the trade in goods of the United States, 1.2% higher than that in the same period last year. China has become America’s biggest trading partner, exceeding Canada.
Meanwhile, the two-way investment between China and the United States kept growing. By the end of 2015, the projects invested by the United States in China reached 66,000 in total, involving actual investment of USD 77.47 billion. The United States is China’s sixth largest source of foreign capital. China’s investment in the United States maintained good momentum. According to preliminary statistics, by the end of 2015, Chinese companies directly invested USD46.6 billion in the United States. The United States is China’s fourth largest overseas direct investment destination.
The 26th Sino-US trade joint commission was successfully held. As one of the earliest high-level economic dialogue mechanism established between two governments, since established in 1983, the Sino-US trade joint commission has played an irreplaceable role in expanding bilateral economic and trade cooperation and maintaining stable bilateral economic and trade relations. On November 21-23, 2015, the 26th Sino-US trade joint commission was successfully held in Guangzhou. Chinese vice premier, Wang Yang from the State Council, Pritzker, minister of commerce and the trade representative of the United States, Frohman jointly chaired the meeting. 29 ministerial and vice-ministerial officials and more than 190 representatives from both sides attended the meeting. Focusing on implementing the results of Chinese President, Xi Jinping’s visit to the United States in September, both sides conducted in-depth exchanges on economic and trade issues of their concern, and finally achieved a number of achievements.
During the joint committee, two sides held an entrepreneur roundtable, province/state economic and trade exchange and cooperation meeting, health care cooperative activities, agricultural and food cooperation workshops and other series of activities and strategic issues reflecting the cooperation themes, setting up a new communication platform between the governments, enterprises and academic circles of China and the United States. In addition, the two sides also signed the Framework Agreement between Chinese Government (through the MOFCOM) and the United States Government (via the Trade and Development Agency) and other cooperative documents.
The seventh round of the Sino-US strategic and economic dialogue achieved positive results. June 22-24, 2015, the seventh round of the Sino-US strategic and economic dialogue was held in Beijing successfully. President Xi Jinping’s special representatives, Vice Premier Wang Yang and the State Councilor, Yang Jiechi and the President Obama’s special representatives, the U.S Secretary of State John Kerry, and the Finance Minister, Jacob Lew, presided over the dialogue together. Both sides conducted in-depth discussion around “strengthening of strategic dialogue to enhance the level of economic cooperation between China and the United States” and finally reached 77 positive practical results in macroeconomic policies and structural reform, deepening of the trade and investment cooperation, financial stability and reform and other areas.
The economic and trade cooperation between states and cities of both sides is in the ascendant. In 2015, economic and trade cooperation between states and cities of both side continued to deepen. In August, the Ministry of Commerce, in concert with the competent authorities of Zhejiang, Hubei, Guangdong, Chongqing and Sichuan, set up a “Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment Cooperation between Chinese Provinces and Michigan” with Michigan, the U.S. In September the same year, the Ministry of Commerce, in concert with the competent authorities of Liaoning, Shanghai, Hunan, Guangdong, Sichuan and Shaanxi, set up a “Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment Cooperation between Chinese Provinces and Washington”, with Washington, the U.S. Up to now, there are six working groups, covering China’s 23 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government and six states and cities of the United States. In November, during the 26th China-US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade, the US Commerce Department and the MOFCOM signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Promoting Sino-US Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework. The economic and trade cooperation between states and cities of both sides enjoys high attention and active promotion by bilateral governments.


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INDIANAPOLIS — The Federal Trade Commission, Indiana and five other states are suing Frontier Communications for not delivering the internet speeds it promised customers and charging them for better, more expensive service than they actually got.
In its complaint, filed Wednesday in federal court in California, the FTC said thousands of Frontier customers have complained that the company was not delivering promised speeds.
Customers said they couldn’t use the internet service for the online activities they should have been able to.
According to the complaint, several Hoosiers have complained to the Indiana Attorney General since 2017, saying Frontier "failed to provide sufficiently reliable Internet service" and "service was either intermittent or wholly unavailable."
Some Hoosiers were also billed by Frontier for service not received, according to the complaint. Some alleged they were billed for the services past their cancellation date.
Today, we joined the @FTC in suing Frontier Communications for misrepresenting the speeds of Internet service it would provide Hoosier consumers and charging for a more expensive level of Internet service than it actually provided. https://t.co/EzPzo9ROxT— Todd Rokita (@AGToddRokita) May 19, 2021
Frontier says the lawsuit is without merit and it will defend itself.
You can view the complaint below:


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no such thing as a fee lunch
Sunday's Washington Post has this interesting article on the proliferation of fees that are tacked onto bills for everything from airline tickets to cell phone service to banking. The article does a good job of summarizing the complexities of nickel-and-dime surcharges, which I personally tend to find quite annoying. The concept of paying money to a company simply for the privilege of doing business with them particularly rankles--I'm looking at you, Ticketmaster, although banks are equally guilty--especially since companies no doubt factor the cost of the transaction into the transaction itself. As the article points out, fees and service charges make it difficult for the consumer to comparison-shop for the best value. (Dilbert cartoonist Douglas Adams dubbed industries like banks and phone companys, which offer essentially the same serivces and create arcane sets of "plans" and "fee schedules" to avoid preseting consumers with a clear value proposition, "confusopolies.") But the bottom line, so to speak, is that consumers, myself included, pay those nickel-and dime--or rather buck-or-two--fees, and many probably do so without particularly notcing.


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Councils are being urged to make use of a new tool that could help improve people’s health by giving them better access to healthy food. The system has been developed by one local authority and put through trials by a second and is being launched at the Trading Standards Institute’s annual conference.The ‘food access radar’ toolkit was developed by Staffordshire County Council working in partnership with the National Consumer Council and with the support of the Food Standards Agency. The idea is to use information that local councils already have to identify any areas where people have difficulty in getting hold of affordable and healthy food. It has now completed a period of successful trials with Trading Standards staff at Oxfordshire County Council, which was also involved in the initiative to develop and test a tool that could be used by a range of authorities to identify quickly and easily any communities where people’s health could be at risk because of poor access to healthy food.
Jillian Pitt, Senior Nutrition Advisor at the Consumer Council said that for some people buying food in local shops meant having less variety and choice, paying higher prices for lower quality produce and could mean it was harder to eat a healthy diet. The newly tested toolkit would put all local authorities in a position to identify problem areas and take action.
“We would like to encourage as many councils as possible to make use of this device to improve access to healthy food, for instance, by changing bus services and working with retailers and community groups,” she said.
Oxfordshire’s Principal Trading Standards Officer, Phil Owen, said the kit had saved staff the time taken in having to go out and about to do all the initial consultations. “It has saved Oxfordshire County Council time and money, helping us to prioritise and better use our resources. It has also assisted us with the delivery of Oxfordshire’s objectives for improving local communities. Any council looking to make local services better should definitely use it,” he added.
The NCC says the partnership work in promoting the food access radar toolkit is its first step in tackling the issue of communities that experience problems accessing healthy food. Local authorities can get a copy of the kit, complete with an easy-to-use CD ROM and step-by-step guide, by contacting Saba Zaidi, Core Services Officer at the NCC on 020 7881 3008 or by email at email@example.com.


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|31st May 2018, 17:20||#1|
Senior - BHPian
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Tata Motors to deploy 1,000 EVs in Maharashtra
Tata Motors has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the state government of Maharashtra to promote electric vehicles (EV). The company plans to deploy 1,000 EVs in the state.
Tata Motors delivered 5 Tigor EVs to the state government, as part of a tender floated earlier by the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL). The carmaker is also partnering with Tata Power Ltd. to facilitate setting up of EV charging stations in Maharashtra. A few charging stations have already been setup in parts of Mumbai.
In October 2017, Tata Motors had secured an order to supply 10,000 EVs to EESL. Out of those, 250 EVs scheduled to be delivered in the first phase have already been built and the second phase production is now underway.
Link to Team-BHP News


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October 20, 2008 - 12:01 am ET
Chrysler's new design boss, Ralph Gilles, and veteran supplier executive Kathleen Ligocki will be featured speakers at the 33rd Automotive News World Congress in Detroit.
Gilles will speak Wednesday evening, Jan. 21. Ligocki will speak Tuesday morning, Jan. 20.
Gilles, who is famed for leading the styling of the 2005 Chrysler 300, was appointed vice president of design for Chrysler LLC in September. Previously, he led design for Jeep and trucks. Gilles oversaw styling of the new Dodge Ram pickup, debuting this fall.
In August, Ligocki was named CEO of GS Motors, a subsidiary of Grupo Salinas, of Mexico City. GS plans to produce Chinese-designed cars at a plant to be built in Mexico City with China's First Automobile Works.
Before moving to GS, Ligocki was CEO of Tower Automotive. She led the supplier through a Chapter 11 restructuring that culminated in a reorganization plan and the sale of the company to Cerberus Capital Management LP.
Ligocki previously held a variety of senior positions at Ford Motor Co., including CEO of Ford of Mexico from 2000 to 2001.
When: Jan. 19-22
Where: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Cost: $1,495 early registration fee by Dec. 1 (save $200); daily fee $850
Information: 313-446-0485 or autonews.com/worldcongress
Exclusive lead sponsors: PricewaterhouseCoopers and IBM


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Tens of thousands of pounds is up for grabs by north-east start-up businesses this weekend.
Firms involved in The Robert Gordon Accelerator programme are pitching for huge sums to boost their work.
A panel will judge 14 start-ups going head to head for the money tomorrow.
Initially 28 teams were in the running for the cash.
The start-up which can prove it has made the biggest global impact will take home £20,000, while the most improved team and the one with the best pitch will win £15,000.
The company picked as the audience’s choice will get another £10,000.
The RGU Start-up Accelerator was launched last September for staff, students and alumni from the university and North East Scotland College.
It is hoped it will support entrepreneurs to set up a business, add value to the local marketplace, and create local jobs.
The programme – funded by The Wood Foundation – is the first of its kind in the north-east. All of the 28 start-ups chosen have already received as much as £10,000 in funding as well as training, development and mentorship.
The programme is part of ongoing efforts to diversify the north-east economy.
The first 28 teams are working on products and services in a number of industries including healthcare, digital media, energy, food, fashion and textiles, financial technology and retail.


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Maria Vittoria Falchetti know multiple facets of the crisis. You know what it's like to lose a loved one. Her father, Umberto died in March at Covid-19. And you also know how it feels when a family is no longer allowed to produce company from one day to the other, 1200 jobs worldwide are in danger.
Falchetti is Marketing Manager and co-owner of MTA, an automotive supplier in Codogono. The small town in the Northern Italian Region of Lombardy acquired notoriety, because at the end of February, the first Patient in Italy has tested positive for Covid-19. The city was sealed off then, no one was allowed in, nobody out. MTA had to adjust like many other companies - the production temporarily.Italy is dependent on supply chains: "Must work perfectly"
"We were worried that we can no longer deliver to the car companies in Italy, in the whole of Europe," says Falchetti. MTA was allowed to make after a short break in the factory in Codogno more - at the beginning with 60 instead of 600 employees. The big Bang was, but the brief Pause, the uncertainty, the Waiting, clearly showed how fatal it can be if supply chains are interrupted.
"The supply chain must work perfectly. Day for day, hour for hour," says Falchetti, as she leads on this June afternoon by the factory. "Our customers can relate to the product we deliver to you, from any other manufacturer."
And in fact, is the MTA to one of these "Hidden Champions", whose name hardly anyone knows that manufacture electronic and electro-mechanical parts, without which no car can travel. Fuse boxes of the company are installed, for example, in the German BMW and Indian Tatas.Italy and its economy -even before the Corona in the crisis
the MTA is just one of many companies which ensure that in the North of Italy, especially in the Lombardy Region around the city of Milan, the economic heart of the country beats is. Just where the Virus has hit particularly hard.
After three months on break, Italy has loosened the strict Lockdown in the meantime. The mouth-nose masks to wear in MTA all the witnesses of the danger that still lurks. Even if almost all the employees are back in the factory, the machines were running on high speed, is broken in the turnover as compared to the previous 50 percent, says Falchetti.
Italy's economy had already weakened before the corona virus crisis hit the country as the first in Europe - and as hard as no other. The third largest economy in the Euro zone is in debt to 135 percent of the private gross domestic product (GDP).Italy's economy under pressure, but they also discovered new ways
Due to the limitations of experts of the National statistics Institute (Istat) expect the Italian economy to collapse in this year to at least eight percent.
Some see in the current crisis, but also a Chance for Italy. Yes, Covid-19 increased the pressure on the Italian economy immensely. Especially for the tourism industry, says Anna Gervasoni, General Director of the Private Equity Association AIFI. But: "We have many entrepreneurs who try out new products, new markets and new business models."Berto copes with the crisis, because he has only local material partners
But Berto was lucky and was well prepared. Because his company markets for two decades, Sofas, and other furniture pieces online, it was easier for companies to adapt to the new circumstances.
During the lock downs advanced Berto his Portfolio, and began about to, customers who wanted to set up your home, call for advice with video online. It was a tough test, says Filippo Berto. "We had the Chance to show our customers that we are able to respond to these very, very difficult Situation for all of us in this country."Italy: From the crisis is learned and well prepared? This does not apply to all
Berto, is located in Meda, has always been a centre for Italian furniture manufacturer. The materials for the high-quality of Sofas is related in the company exclusively from the Region. Customers have to dig accordingly deep in your pocket, but the concept has a decisive advantage: The company is not dependent on global supply chains.
Should the infection figures in Italy to rise again, it would be Filippo Berto prepared for a possible second Lockdown better than other companies.
Maria Vittoria Falchetti from the car suppliers to the MTA, says the company has learned from the crisis and be prepared. For many other companies in Italy, it would appear, however, much darker.
author: Marina Straussread more about Italy and the Coronavirus
While in other countries the case and death numbers rise dramatically, turning everything to the next loosening. However, many experts warn of a new wave of Infection in the autumn. Are we prepared for it, or we will drive our lead in the pandemic, just against the wall? PUSH - a Positive development in Germany - Corona-crisis getting worse: What is not necessary, so that we can lead gamble
summer vacation is in spite of the Corona is again possible - foreign Minister Heiko Maas has called on the German but to be cautious during the holidays.Maas - German need to. on vacation to Corona-rules
keep The borders within Europe are open and travel is again possible Even if many Nations were in the fight against Corona successfully holiday – makers should be aware of before your trip, the current situation in the respective country. We will show how it looks currently in the most popular holiday countries.PUSH - Travel to Europe - holidays to Corona times: What are you goals about the favorite of the German need to know
keeps cold air drops of heat-wave short-in check - but here, 37 degrees to be cracked PCP cold air drops heat wave stops short in chess, but here are the 37 degree of be cracked
*The post "How Italy's economy under Covid-19" will suffer published by Deutsche Welle. Contact with the executives here.Deutsche Welle Updated Date: 24 June 2020, 18:28


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Latin American Fintech Creditas today confirmed a $260 million Series F financing round, leaving it with a valuation of $4.8 billion. The company raised $829 million across six fundraising rounds. Fidelity joins as a new key shareholder along with Actyus (a Spanish fintech investment fund) and Greentrail Capital.
Existing shareholders QED Investors, VEF, SoftBank Vision Fund 1, SoftBank Latin America Fund, Kaszek Ventures, Lightock, Headline, Wellington Management and Advent International, via their affiliate Sunley House Capital, also participated in this round. The funds are earmarked to further developing home, auto and employee benefits offerings.
“I am extremely excited to be partnering with Creditas this round,” Fidelity portfolio manager Will Pruett said. “They are the rare fintech that actually builds deep relationships with their customers, drastically lowering the cost of credit and improving the quality of life of those they serve.
“With collateralized lending they have taken on a complicated problem in a complicated market. They’ve tackled this problem through technology and operational innovation and as a result created a wide and durable competitive moat.”
“Creditas is one of those special fintech assets given its ability to marry hyper-growth with high revenue economics into an ever-growing TAM. We continue to back them harder and see shareholders like Fidelity and Wellington in the cap table as reinforcement of our thesis that Creditas is a successful listed company in the making,” added VEF CEO David Nangle.
“QED continues to be incredibly bullish on the momentum of Creditas and in its promise to disrupt a huge secured lending market across LatAm,” QED managing partner Bill Cilluffo said. “Since investing in Creditas’ Series-A, we’ve seen incredible growth born out of a determined desire to empower consumers to improve their financial health. By broadening its strategy away from being purely a finance company, Creditas can now leverage a number of end-to-end solutions from insurance to car sales to support more customers than ever before.”
Founder and CEO Sergio Furio said he envisions significant growth ahead across divisions such as Creditas Auto (car marketplace), Creditas Store (ecommerce platform with a payroll-deductible BNPL model) and Voltz (the largest manufacturer of electric motorcycles in Brazil). More growth is also coming in Mexico.
“We believe Creditas can become a true disruptor in the Mexican market being able to democratize access to financial products and consumer solutions alike,” Furio said. “We plan to continue growing by nurturing and expanding our ecosystem, such as providing financial solutions to our marketplace customers, launching new products, extending our geographic reach (including our recent successful entry into Mexico and the expansion of our tech hub in Valencia, Spain) and selectively pursuing strategic M&A opportunities.”