Defense Tech Startup Anduril Raises $450M to Make Invincible Technomancers

Defense technology startup Anduril Industries Inc. in a recent press meet has announced thatit has raised $450 million in new funding in an aim to turn allied warfighters into invincible technomancers. It is reported that serial entrepreneur and investor Elad Gil led the Series D round. Other renowned investors included Andreessen Horowitz, 8VC, Founders Fund, General Catalyst, Lux Capital, Valor Equity Partners, and D1 Capital Partners. The round was raised at anestimate of $4.6 billion.

Anduril’s new Lattice AI software platform protects the company’s security solutions using computer vision, machine learning, and mesh networking to combine real-time sensor data into a single, autonomous operations picture and command and control platform. Now it is being used to support operations with the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, the U.K. Ministry of Defense and other agencies.

Anduril has also designed several other small drones programmed to ram into targets that enter contested airspace. These drones can defend against other drones that might be used to spy or attack military assets.Other notable achievements for Anduril include obtaining first-ever Program of Record with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which is currently used by the US defense system.

 

 

Children and parents are turning towards online games to get rid of lockdown blues

Online gaming has paved the way for fathers and children to converse, connect, and compete with each other in an excellent interactive environment. As we know that the pandemic has triggered multiple lockdowns worldwide, confining families indoors. However, this has resulted in affecting the mental health of various parents and their children. The global population has reached a whopping 2.2 billion, out of which 28 percent is made up of children. Evidence from various reports suggests that being confined within four walls can significantly impact people's mental health. On the other hand, therapists have reported that many people are reaching out to them for help during the pandemic.

The ongoing pandemic has briefly halted in-person academic classes, and this has resulted in students not meeting their classmates and students for a long time. An estimate suggests that almost 168 million children are now missing their in-person classes. Furthermore, the delay of Board exams is also creating distress among the students and parents. Lack of vaccination for people under 18 years and strict lockdown measures has forced children to stay indoors. Children are now turning towards online gaming to find solace because the games provide an opportunity for fair competition, interaction, and engagement.

 

European Central Bank Says Digital Euro Would Protect Privacy

 

The European Central Bank, in a recent announcement, has stated that the digital version of the euro would protect the privacy of consumers as well as shield member states in the monetary union from the loss of economic sovereignty that occurs due to the growing use of cryptocurrencies or digital currencies created by governments. If the central bank steps into the digital payments sector, privacy is going to be better protected.

Privacy is one of the major concerns that emerge from gauging public interest in European Central Bank digital currency and cryptocurrency. Still, developers of a potential ECB digital currency have tested ways to separate the identity of participants in a transaction. The payment will go through, but nobody in the payment chain would have access to all the information.

Addressing a key political issue around digital currencies, ECB said that there is the potential threat from others issuing a digital means of payment. If people do want to pay digitally and the banks do not offer them a digital means of payment, somebody else would do that. This will result in data breaches. To stop this, ECB is stepping into the digital currency sector.

 

UNICEF to Partner with Hispanic Federation to Help Asylum Seekers and Children

UNICEF USA and the Hispanic Federation (HF) are teaming up to help the children and families on the move who continue to face threats to their health, safety, and well-being. The primary goal of both organizations is to improve access to critical mental health and psychosocial support services and legal services. Through backing and capacity building program, the partners hope to be catalysts for change in the region.

UNICEF USA has stated that this new partnership will address the crucial legal crisis on both sides of the border. It will try to deliver tangible benefits to children and families in need. This will be a significant effort by both organizations. It will be a program that provides direct support to asylum seekers and supports capacity building in communities.

The new Migrant Services Partnership seeks to leverage vast expertise in both organizations' respective focus areas which is UNICEF in providing guidance and advocacy to government, all-inclusive psychosocial support, and other case management activities for children in Mexico; and HF will be providing legal services, capacity building, public education, and other legal services and activities in the US.

 

 

Webuild’s CFO Massimo Ferrari Speaks about High-Speed US Rail Contract to Boost Cash Flow

Webuild has recently won a contract to build a high-speed railway between the US cities of Dallas and Houston that could give a significant lift to cash generation as early as 2022. Webuild, in a recent announcement, said that it and its US unit Lane Construction had signed the final agreement for a considerable sum of $16 billion contracts with Texas Central LCC to build the high-speed link.

Chief Financial Officer Massimo Ferrari said that the company expects a boost in terms of marginality. He further added that this project would be a crucial turning point for the Webuild's transformation. This new contract will bring the value of construction orders in Webuild's backlog from the United States to 35 percent, which will be the country as the single biggest market for the group.

Mr. Ferrari also said that the group had projects in the water and transportation sectors in the pipeline in the US; this experience would push them to win more high-speed train contracts in the country. The company will be using innovative technologies and will be completing the project within the next five years.