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Category: 3. Business

  • Carlos Torres Vila unveils BBVA’s projects to drive excellence in customer relations through cutting-edge AI

    Carlos Torres Vila unveils BBVA’s projects to drive excellence in customer relations through cutting-edge AI

    The third BBVA Spark Summit in Barcelona brought together more than 350 ecosystem leaders, over half from startups, and 45 venture capital funds from eight countries. The event has become a key venue for matching talent, capital and innovation, and for showcasing Catalonia as one of Europe’s leading tech hubs.

    During his dialogue, Torres Vila said BBVA’s push to deploy AI across the organization is helping it differentiate the customer experience, support bankers, manage risk, develop software and streamline processes.

    He added that AI has sped up how the bank designs and rolls out processes and applications, and noted BBVA’s large AI operations “factory” for automation and software development, which lifts efficiency and lets teams focus on higher‑value work. He added that analytics and ready access to data are essential to make these models work and to translate them into better services and processes for customers.

    BBVA Spark reaffirmed its backing for innovative entrepreneurship, calling it vital to regional economic development. In its three years of operation, the unit has attracted 1,700 customers and channeled more than €750 million in working‑capital and long‑term financing. BBVA has also invested over €900 million in private‑equity funds that support startups and technology‑based companies worldwide.

    The BBVA Chair praised entrepreneurs, saying success stems from passion, a focus on value‑based impact, and the courage and conviction to build something great. BBVA Spark has a London‑based team covering Europe, and offices in Madrid, Barcelona, Mexico City, Bogota and Buenos Aires.

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  • IUCN and APRIL launch five-year collaboration to advance conservation science in Indonesia and beyond – Press release

    IUCN and APRIL launch five-year collaboration to advance conservation science in Indonesia and beyond – Press release

    The collaboration brings together IUCN’s global scientific expertise and APRIL’s operational reach in Indonesia to generate robust conservation science, expand the use of conservation tools in APRIL’s conservation and restoration landscapes, and build capacity that supports national and international biodiversity goals.

    A key focus of the collaboration is the expansion of IUCN’s Red List of Ecosystems (RLE), one of the world’s most important indicators of ecosystem health under the Global Biodiversity Framework. This will contribute to a Global RLE Peatlands Assessment, aiming to provide stronger evidence to guide the conservation of this critical ecosystem and important global carbon sink. 

    The collaboration will also pilot the IUCN RHINO approach for Rapid, High-Integrity Nature-positive Outcomes within APRIL’s operations, including its 150,693-hectare Restorasi Ekosistem Riau (RER) forest conservation and restoration programme, located on Sumatra’s Kampar Peninsula.

    The collaboration will evaluate and provide strategic guidance on ways to further enhance APRIL’s biodiversity conservation and restoration programmes, while generating practical lessons for the wider forestry and land-use sector on how they can measure, improve, and share progress on biodiversity outcomes.

    “The world is running out of time to reverse biodiversity loss, and science must guide every step we take,” said Dr Grethel Aguilar, IUCN Director General. “This collaboration with APRIL allows us to scale up the Red List of Ecosystems and test new approaches like IUCN RHINO in real-world scenarios. By combining IUCN’s science with APRIL’s operational reach in Indonesia, we can turn data into action and create a sustainable model for how business and conservation can work together to meet global biodiversity targets.“

    The collaboration further provides a unique opportunity for IUCN to strengthen its work with its Indonesian members and conservation actors, catalysing on-the-ground action at scale. As part of the collaboration, IUCN will deepen engagement with a range of stakeholders in Indonesia, contributing to the advancement of national efforts to conserve and restore biodiversity with strong integration of the perspectives of communities and experts in Indonesia.

    “For us, conservation is about taking practical action. Businesses today are expected to move beyond pledges and deliver results that are credible, practical and measurable on the ground. Our collaboration with IUCN strengthens APRIL’s science-based approach to landscape management and accelerates delivery of our APRIL2030 commitments. By combining global science with local action, this partnership enhances our conservation and restoration programmes and engages a wider network of experts and stakeholders to achieve meaningful biodiversity outcomes,” said Anderson Tanoto, Managing Director at RGE and member of the Executive Committee at APRIL.

    The IUCN–APRIL collaboration supports the delivery of the Global Biodiversity Framework, demonstrating how private sector engagement can align with international conservation priorities.

    By fostering resilience in ecosystems, strengthening community engagement, and advancing biodiversity science, the partnership represents APRIL’s commitment to collaborate with IUCN represents a concrete step toward fostering resilience in ecosystems and communities while supporting global biodiversity targets.

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  • Ericsson at India Mobile Congress 2025: Showcasing 5G innovations that power India’s digitalization journey – Ericsson

    1. Ericsson at India Mobile Congress 2025: Showcasing 5G innovations that power India’s digitalization journey  Ericsson
    2. Telecom push: Ericsson to produce all gear in India, 6G trials expected by 2028  Times of India
    3. Ericsson Showcases 5G Innovations at India Mobile Congress 2025  TimesTech
    4. ‘Open to help those that missed targets’: MoC Scindia on Telecom PLI scheme beneficiaries  The Indian Express
    5. We are ready to invest more in India: Ericsson executive Andres Vicente  Business Standard

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  • Wuxi gets positive charge from amped-up electric vehicle sector

    Wuxi gets positive charge from amped-up electric vehicle sector

    An employee works on the assembly line of Yadea Technology Group Co in Wuxi, Jiangsu province. (Liu Jiaqi/Xinhua)

    Chinese electric bicycle and vehicle manufacturers are rapidly expanding their global presence by establishing production bases and transit warehouse systems overseas.

    Yadea Technology Group Co, an electric scooter industry leader which also manufactures electric motorcycles, electric tricycles and light commercial vehicles, has maintained its position as the top global seller for eight consecutive years, exporting to over 100 countries.

    The company has built 10 major production and research centers globally, holds over 2,000 patents, and has streamlined its operations from research and development to production, supply, sales and service.

    Wang Jiazhong, senior vice-president of Yadea, reported a 40-50 percent year-on-year growth in exports from January to July.

    Yadea’s Wuxi, Jiangsu province base currently operates 14 production lines, churning out over 3 million units annually.

    Known as the “hometown of electric vehicles in China”, Xishan district in Wuxi hosts an industry cluster that accounts for about one-third of the national market. Six of the top 10 domestic EV companies have factories in the area.

    Established in 2021, Wuxi (Xishan) Electric Vehicle Industrial Park has become one of the largest and most comprehensive EV industrial parks in China.

    With extensive development experience, advanced research and technology, strict quality control and mature production processes, Wuxi enterprises have quickly expanded into overseas markets.

    In the first half, the district’s two-wheeled EV exports reached $350 million, a 31.9 percent increase year-on-year, with exports to India particularly notable at $94.33 million, up 102.2 percent.

    In March, Xishan district launched its first batch of six global public overseas warehouses for EVs. Currently, seven companies have established 14 overseas warehouses across nine countries.

    “We encourage companies to expand internationally and support them in adapting their mature supply chains to local conditions,” said Gu Shuhao, director of the Foreign Trade Section of the Xishan district’s commerce bureau.

    EV companies from the district have built over 20 production bases in countries such as Indonesia and Vietnam and have established more than 1,800 overseas marketing outlets.

    A differentiated product strategy has been key to the global success of Chinese EVs. Yadea tailors its R&D efforts to different markets.

    Wang said: “We adjust seating and ergonomics for European consumers based on height characteristics. For regions with poor road conditions, we increase wheel diameter and enhance power systems. We also design product appearances and colors to match each country’s aesthetic preferences.”

    For instance, in the Indonesian market, the local food delivery industry demands electric vehicles with a range of 150 kilometers, exceeding domestic standards. “We conduct in-depth research on road conditions and range to ensure vehicles can handle complex roads while meeting the daily mileage needs of delivery riders,” Wang said.

    In October 2023, Yangtze River Delta (Wuxi) Electric Vehicle Cross-border E-commerce Industrial Park opened, with its second phase launched in March this year, aiding EV firms in entering foreign markets.

    In March, the Xishan District Electric Vehicle Foreign Trade Association signed a global public overseas warehouse agreement with several cross-border e-commerce companies, initiating the first batch of six global public overseas warehouses in Xishan district.

    Through the association, the district’s commerce bureau will continue to lead suitable cross-border e-commerce companies in the district to explore overseas markets collaboratively.

    (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun)

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  • Artificial Intelligence in Health and Medicine: Progress, Challenges, and Recommendations

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  • Landlords exposed flouting London’s Airbnb rules

    Landlords exposed flouting London’s Airbnb rules

    Alison BenjaminBBC Verify and

    Guy LynnBBC London Investigations

    Getty Images A phone with the Airbnb app is depicted in the foreground, and laptop is pictured in the backgroundGetty Images

    Airbnb told the BBC it acted on reports from local authorities when hosts evade rules and its policies

    More than 1,000 Airbnb listings have been duplicated by landlords attempting to dodge short-term letting limits in London, BBC research suggests.

    In the capital, homes can be let – often to tourists – for up to 90 nights a year without planning permission, a rule meant to protect London’s housing supply.

    But many landlords are creating multiple listings for the same property, switching to a new one once the limit is reached in order to illegally keep renting the property for short-term lets all year.

    One local council said it was creating a “mockery” of the law but Airbnb said it acted on reports from local authorities when hosts evaded rules.

    London – one of Airbnb’s largest markets in the world – is the only area in the UK which restricts lets to tourists for a maximum of 90 days.

    The policy is designed to enable people to earn a bit of extra money from their homes when not in use, while protecting rental housing supply for people like Ciaron Tobin.

    A young man with a rucksack is pictured hunting for home on a street of terraced houses and parked cars.

    Ciaron Tobin is on the hunt for a flat-share

    The 22-year-old is preparing to move to London to begin a law degree while working part-time, but has been struggling to find an affordable home near his workplace to share with friends.

    “Properties are simply too expensive for what I can earn in London, especially given where I need to commute,” he said.

    “Prices are now outside of what I can afford. With Airbnb, supply is decreasing and the prices are rising.”

    Airbnb disputes its impact on rental prices, and many landlords have criticised the 90-day legislation, saying it imposes too many controls.

    Identical images

    To get a snapshot of the current situation, BBC Verify developed photo-matching software which analysed images from 37,000 adverts for “entire” homes on Airbnb in London on a single day.

    The investigation found about 1,300 listings had reused identical images – such as the same furniture, rooms and decor – from other supposedly unique listings.

    The software flagged a larger number – about 1,700 – but after manually reviewing a sample we removed a quarter that were likely to be legitimately reusing photos, such as stock images of London, or multiple flats in one building.

    The findings suggest hosts are widely using a known method for dodging the 90-day rule, allowing them to extend short-term rentals beyond what the law permits by creating duplicate listings which have not been picked up by Airbnb.

    A previous BBC investigation found some property firms were touting tactics such as changing addresses or re-photographing the same house.

    Airbnb said it used software featuring an inbuilt “counter” to stop anyone from renting out short-term lets for longer than 90 days, and that duplicate listings of the same property to evade enforcement were in breach of its terms.

    The counter begins from the moment a property is listed.

    Adam Hug standing in a street in Westminster. He is a white man with tortoiseshell glasses and is wearing an open white shirt and a blue blazer

    Councillor Adam Hug, the leader of Westminster City Council, said the situation “made a mockery” of London’s short-stay restrictions

    “Duplicate listings make it much harder for our teams to track down those who are breaking the rules, making such misery for local residents and taking homes out of the housing market,” said Adam Hug, leader at Labour-controlled Westminster City Council.

    He said the situation “made a mockery” of London’s short-stay restrictions.

    The council is currently investigating about 2,700 properties for alleged breaches of the 90-day limit.

    The main way councils tackle landlords who break the rules is by issuing an enforcement notice. Ignoring one is a criminal offence and can lead to prosecution and an unlimited fine.

    A spokesperson for the Greater London Authority said the BBC’s findings revealed how “illegal short-term lets pile pressure on supply at a time when affordable housing is desperately needed”.

    A computer screen showing two identical photographs of a living room in two separate listings. The room shown is light and airy with room height windows, a glass table and a teal blue corner sofa.

    In just one day, the BBC found almost 1,300 copycat listings of seemingly unique “entire” properties

    The BBC shared its methods and findings with Airbnb and offered an on-camera interview for the company to respond which was declined.

    Airbnb said it was “disappointed” the BBC had not shared its evidence in raw data form so it “could look into the claimed findings”.

    It said it was the only platform that automatically capped listings in Greater London at 90 nights unless hosts had permission to exceed the limit and that it acted on reports from local authorities if rules were evaded.

    It argued that short-term lets made up only a tiny fraction of London’s housing stock, had little impact on overall affordability, and emphasised its contribution to tourism, claiming it supported 16,800 jobs and added £1.5bn to the capital’s economy in 2023.

    There are several other short-term letting platforms, but Airbnb is by far the largest.

    The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said it was developing a registration scheme for short-term lets in England.

    The Short Term Accommodation Association said it wanted “clear fair, rules”, adding that a registration scheme would “give the sector the tools to work with councils to deal quickly with bad practice such as duplicate listings”.

    Airbnb told the BBC it was working with the government on implementing the scheme.

    Elsewhere in the UK, Scotland requires a licence to operate, with similar plans under way in Wales.

    In Northern Ireland, anyone offering tourist accommodation must already be certified by Tourism NI.

    Globally, cities such as New York and Santa Monica in California tightly restrict such lettings through licensing and have a requirement for hosts to be on-site, while Barcelona is planning a total ban on short-term rentals from 2028.

    Additional reporting by Kris Bramwell & Stephen Menon

    More from the London and East Investigations team

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  • Greater Anglia nationalisation will deliver ‘value for money’

    Greater Anglia nationalisation will deliver ‘value for money’

    Andrew SinclairEast of England political editor and

    Ben SchofieldEast of England political correspondent

    Martin Giles/BBC Heidi Alexander, smiling broadly and looking down the camera. She is standing outside, on a station platform, on a bright sunny day. A train, which is out of focus, can be seen behind her. She is wearing a dark coloured jacket over a top of the same colour. Her wavy hair is falling down to her shoulders.Martin Giles/BBC

    Heidi Alexander stopped short of promising lower fares for passengers

    The transport secretary has vowed to “move heaven and earth” to deliver “value for money on the railways”.

    But Heidi Alexander stopped short of promising cheaper fares for train passengers.

    She was speaking ahead of the nationalisation of the East of England rail operator, Greater Anglia, on Sunday.

    The company, which is among the UK’s best performing train firms, said passengers should experience the same levels of service.

    Alexander, on a visit to Norwich station, said she wanted to “embed high-performing, reliable railways that people can depend on”.

    There was also a “baffling array of different ticket types”, which she hoped nationalisation would help “simplify”.

    “I do think we need to simplify fares, but I can’t make a promise that we can bring fares down in the short term because we’ve got to run a financially sustainable railway,” she said.

    Martin Giles/BBC A wide shot of a train carriage standing at a platform. It is a bright day, with a blue sky visible above the train and only a couple of wispy clouds. A smartly dressed looking member of staff can be seen reflected in one of the carriage's windows. Above the train are power lines. Along the bottom of the carriage is a logo, which includes a small portion of the red, white and blue stripes of the Union Flag, the parallel lines of the railways symbol and the text 'Great British Railways - Coming soon'.Martin Giles/BBC

    Ministers hope to “unify” the different parts of the railway to end “fragmentation”

    Last week Greater Anglia, which handled 81.8m passenger journeys in 2024/25, was named Rail Operator of the Year at the National Transport Awards.

    Almost 94% of its trains arrived within three minutes of their scheduled time last year.

    The government said it would be “used as a benchmark for other operators” and would “share best practice and drive up standards” across the rail network.

    Martin Giles/BBC An image of the side of a train, standing at a platform. Only the lower part of a carriage can be seen, along side the edge of the platform. A sticker on the side has the parallel lines railway logo and the text 'Great British Railways - Coming Soon'. The lower section of two windows are also visible above and to the right of the sticker. A thick white line denotes the edge of the platform, which is otherwise covered in patterned tiles and light coloured asphalt.Martin Giles/BBC

    Greater Anglia will eventually become part of Great British Railways

    Greater Anglia will eventually become part of Great British Railways, which the government plans to set up in the coming years.

    The company runs trains from Cambridge, Ipswich, Norwich and Colchester into London, as well as the Stansted Express and services across the East of England.

    The transport secretary said there was a “gap of about £2bn” between what the government “ploughs” into the railways and fare income from passengers.

    “In the longer term, I would like to be able to deliver a more affordable railway but I’ve got to get the balance right between what the taxpayer is putting in to subsidise the railway – which is billions of pounds at the moment – and what passengers are paying,” she added.

    She said the government would “move heaven and earth to make sure that people get value for money on the railways because I do recognise that prices can be high”.

    But, she went on: “People need to know that they get a service that they can rely upon and that it’s going to be a high quality service.”

    The Department for Transport (DfT) has said that nationalising all the current rail franchises would save an estimated £150m a year in fees paid to private sector operators.

    Owen Ward/BBC Four grey, yellow and red Greater Anglia trains sitting on parallel platforms inside a train station. The train nearest to the camera has 'Norwich' written in a display panel above its front windscreen. Owen Ward/BBC

    Greater Anglia hoped passengers would not see immediate differences

    An integrated leadership team will bring together Network Rail Anglia, which is responsible for rail infrastructure like tracks and signals, with the operators Greater Anglia and c2c, which runs services in south Essex and was nationalised in July.

    The DfT said that team would “increase collaboration and accountability, delivering improvements for passengers and freight users”.

    But Jerome Mayhew, the Conservative MP for Broadland and Fakenham in Norfolk, told Sunday’s BBC Politics East that he was “really worried” about rail nationalisation and that “Labour has got the wrong analysis” and were “giving the wrong solution to the problems”.

    Greater Anglia, he added, was a “really well-run private business”, which had invested in new trains.

    The first nationalised Greater Anglia service on Sunday will be the 16:10 BST Stansted Express from Liverpool Street.

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  • Morning Bid: All talk Takaichi – Reuters

    1. Morning Bid: All talk Takaichi  Reuters
    2. Japan LDP Leader Takaichi: Don’t See Immediate Need To Revise Govt-BoJ Joint Agreement  Forex Factory
    3. Japan’s Next Prime Minister Could Make Rate Increases Tricky for Bank of Japan  The Wall Street Journal
    4. Analysis-Takaichi’s Jab at BOJ Independence May Face Political Reality Check  Money US News.com
    5. JGBs Consolidate as Investors Assess Takaichi’s Remarks on BOJ  MSN

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  • Ijara Capital expands healthcare portfolio with acquisition of Sindlab

    Ijara Capital expands healthcare portfolio with acquisition of Sindlab

    October 10, 2025 (MLN): Ijara Capital Partners Ltd., one of Pakistan’s leading private equity and venture capital firms, has acquired Sindlab Pvt. Ltd., according to Bloomberg.

    The deal marked another strategic move by Ijara Capital in the healthcare sector, following its earlier acquisition of Searle Pakistan Co. this year.

    Sindlab, established nearly five decades ago, is widely recognized for offering affordable diagnostic services in clinical laboratory testing, radiology, and ultrasound across its extensive citywide network.

    Ijara Capital CEO Farrukh Ansari said the acquisition aligns with the firm’s vision to build a strong and accessible healthcare ecosystem in Pakistan. “Sindlab’s trusted brand and widespread retail presence make it a natural fit for our expanding health portfolio,” he noted.

    He added that Ijara Capital remains focused on identifying new investment opportunities in healthcare to further strengthen its presence in the sector.

    In a statement, the firm described healthcare as a “critical national growth pillar,” reaffirming its commitment to improving accessibility through targeted investments, operational efficiency, and innovation.

    Copyright Mettis
    Link News

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  • MHIET and MHI-TC Complete Delivery of First “COORDY” Controller Providing Optimized Control of Multiple Power Sources– System Installed at Mitsui Fudosan Logistics Park Yokohama-Shinkoyasu —

    MHIET and MHI-TC Complete Delivery of First “COORDY” Controller Providing Optimized Control of Multiple Power Sources– System Installed at Mitsui Fudosan Logistics Park Yokohama-Shinkoyasu —

    COORDY

    Tokyo, October 10, 2025 – Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine & Turbocharger, Ltd. (MHIET) and MHI Transportation and Construction Engineering, Ltd. (MHI-TC), which are both Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group companies, have delivered the first “COORDY” microgrid controller enabling optimal control of multiple power sources and maximum use of renewable energy. Delivery was made to Mitsui Fudosan Logistics Park Yokohama-Shinkoyasu (MFLP Yokohama-Shinkoyasu), a large-scale logistics facility developed in Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama by Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. and ENEOS Real Estate Corporation.

    MFLP Yokohama-Shinkoyasu has a rooftop installation of a 2,000kW-class solar power generating facility and on-site storage batteries of roughly 2,600kWh to utilize the renewable energy. There, MHIET’s COORDY provides optimized control of three power sources; grid power, the solar power system and energy storage system (batteries). With the use of COORDY, it is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by some 40% compared to using grid power for the demand. MHI-TC was in charge of all aspects in purchasing, installation and trial operation of COORDY as well as construction of civil engineering structures. MHI Group’s total engineering capability(Note), achieved through close coordination among all Group companies, has made it possible to deliver a total package of optimal operational facilities and products with comprehensive handling of everything from civil engineering to installations of equipment, resulting in outstanding construction efficiency and total cost reductions.

    EBLOX is a “Triple Hybrid” stand-alone power supply system developed by MHIET that coordinates energy from three sources: renewable energy such as solar power, a reciprocating engine generator and storage batteries. This combination allows for optimal use and stabilized control of renewable energy, which is inherently vulnerable to fluctuations. Since 2019, this system has been in operation as a demonstration facility at MHIET’s Sagamihara Plant. COORDY, which plays the key role in EBLOX, enables response to business continuity planning (BCP) needs and provides optimized control of power from the engine generator, storage batteries and renewable energy when grid energy is unavailable due to natural disasters, etc.

    By proposing EBLOX as a solution that optimally utilize volatile renewable energy for stable power supply by way of COORDY, MHIET aims to achieve low-carbon/zero-carbon society along with MHI Group’s strategic approach towards energy transition and contribute to solving diverse social challenges.

    MHI-TC, through its comprehensive capabilities in civil engineering, facility construction, and plant construction and engineering, will continue to strive to contribute to an optimized and efficient sustainable society through utilization of MHI Group products and facilities.

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