Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • Vietnam labor export firms expand to new markets

    Vietnam labor export firms expand to new markets

    Labor export companies are shifting their focus to new markets such as Poland and Australia to find job opportunities for workers.Eastern Sea Labor Export, Services, and Trade (Estrala) in HCMC has been partnering with businesses in Poland and Germany in the last several months to connect them with Vietnamese laborers.

    The company is in the process of sending 100 workers to Poland with an average monthly income of US$1,000, including insurances.

    They will work in the fruits and food packaging industry. Healthy individuals who are in the age of 20-50 with a high school diploma are eligible.

    Workers get weekends off and provision of accommodation, transportation, and meals. They have the option to extend their contracts after two years.

    Estrala offers free English language training and assist workers in acquiring low-interest bank loans.

    It is also transporting workers to Germany for short- and long-term contracts in the food industry.

    “We are expanding to new markets to offer more choices for workers and reduce our dependency a single market,” said Nguyen The Dai, deputy CEO of the company.

    While Estrala has been sending workers to Japan for years, recently it has been facing challenges in this market due to the decline of the yen and increasing competition with other labor exporters.

    Dai said that Europe has a strong demand for labor and countries in the continent offer competitive salaries with robust welfare benefits.

    Germany is an attractive destination for Vietnamese workers as the food packaging industry offers a monthly base salary of EUR2,700 (US$2,761).

    Workers can even bring their spouse and children to the country where they can enjoy free healthcare and education along with an opportunity for long-term residency.

    Another new labor market is Australia, where the Vietnamese government has selected six companies to implement a labor export program in the agriculture sector.

    “This is an opportunity for Vietnamese workers in a new market,” said Nguyen Duc Nam, chairman of the International Manpower Supply and Trading Jsc (Sona), one of the six selected firms.

    The company was approved by Australian authorities thanks to its capabilities, extensive experience in agricultural labor markets, recruitment strategies, overseas worker management plans, and a commitment to not charging service fees to workers.

    Nam said that the Department of Overseas Labor is developing standard contract templates for companies to negotiate with Australian partners, and Sona is studying Vietnamese workers’ demand to build a strong supply for this market.

    Starting this year, Australia will accept around 1,000 Vietnamese workers annually, with basic monthly salaries ranging from AUD3,200 to 4,000 (US$1,960-2,450), before living expenses are deducted.

    Pham Viet Huong, deputy head of the Department of Overseas Labor, said that alongside traditional markets such as Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea, Vietnam is actively expanding into new markets.

    Labor cooperation has been a key agenda item in high-level meetings. Vietnam has already signed agreements – or is in the process of doing so – with countries like Germany, Greece, Finland, Poland and several Nordic nations, he said.

    Other potential markets are France, Denmark, and Spain, where Vietnamese companies are actively seeking partnerships before government-level agreements are achieved, he added.

    Over 650,000 Vietnamese workers are employed in more than 40 countries and territories, sending home an estimated US$3.5-4 billion in remittances annually, official data show.

    Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea remain the top three destinations, with Japan leading for five consecutive years in terms of Vietnamese worker intake.

    South Korea offers the highest earnings, with monthly salaries ranging from US$1,600 to 2,000, followed by Japan (US$1,200-1,500) and Taiwan (US$800-1,200), according to the 2023 Vietnam Migration Profile, released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Consular Department in late October last year.

    Some European countries offer similar income levels.

    Middle Eastern countries and Malaysia report lower wages: around US$600-1,000 for skilled workers and US$400-600 per month for unskilled workers.

  • Fruit, vegetable exports decline as China raises quality bar

    Fruit, vegetable exports decline as China raises quality bar

    Vietnam exported US$417 million worth of fruits and vegetables in January, down 5.2% year-on-year and 11.3% from the previous month as China tightened safety requirements.

    It now requires testing for a potentially carcinogenic chemical called auramine O, or basic yellow 2, causing many shipments of durian, a key item, to be held up at customs, according to the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association.

    This requirement was introduced after the chemical was found in several Thai durian shipments in late 2024.

    Some Vietnamese exporters have had to redirect their durian shipments to the domestic market and sell them at distress prices, with many temporarily halting exports to China.

    Businesses are now completing the required tests at the nine centers in Vietnam recognized by China.

    An executive at an export company in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang said: “Nine is a rather small number. Vietnam needs to push for more [centers] to avoid bottlenecks during peak times.”

    Dang Phuc Nguyen, the association’s general secretary, warned that fruit and vegetable exports may fail to reach this year’s target of $8 billion if these inspection hurdles are not promptly overcome.

    Several other markets have also raised their import standards, including the U.S., which now requires plantation and packaging codes issued by its Department of Agriculture, and the EU, which has doubled the rate of Vietnamese fruits screened for pesticides to 20%.

    Ongoing geopolitical instability, such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and tensions in the Red Sea, continues to impact maritime transport, also potentially hampering exports this year.

    Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports hit a record $7.15 billion in 2024, up 27.6% from the previous year, with shipments to most key markets growing by 10-80%.

    The Ministry of Industry and Trade’s import-export department recommends that farmers, cooperatives and businesses should collaborate to improve product quality and enhance the presence of Vietnamese brands on the global market.

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  • Google Sheets update greatly improves performance in various scenarios

    Google Sheets update greatly improves performance in various scenarios

    Google Sheets is getting a small but important update this week. The update includes some under-the-hood improvements that greatly enhances the app’s overall performance.

    After doubling the calculation speed in Google Sheets last year, the app is now getting some extra improvements for everyday actions. First off, the pasting data is now 50 percent faster when pasting from one spreadsheet to another.

    Another important improvement included in this update is related to filter conditions, which can now be set up to 50 percent faster than before. Lastly, the spreadsheets now load existing data up to 30 percent faster.

    I think it’s safe to say that these improvements will help the large majority of Google Sheets users. Here are some scenarios in which the latest Google Sheets performance improvements really shine:

    • A data analyst can paste small or large quantities of data from an existing spreadsheet to a new one in a quicker manner.
    • A campaign manager can add filtering conditions to better understand the performance of a campaign at a certain time faster.
    • A small business owner can quickly see their data load.

    Google confirmed that these improvements have already been rolled out and should be available to Sheets users today. Since these are under-the-hood improvements, there’s no need to enable them.

    According to Google, these Sheets improvements are now available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts.

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  • Thailand expects high-speed rail link to China to be ready in 2030

    Thailand expects high-speed rail link to China to be ready in 2030

    Thailand expects its 609-km (378 miles) portion of a high-speed railway that will connect it with China through Laos to begin operations in 2030, its government said, nearly a decade later than originally planned.

    More than a third of construction has been completed in the segment connecting the capital Bangkok to the city of Nakhon Ratchasima, about 220 km away and the whole line to Nong Khai at the border with Laos would be ready by 2030, said Thai government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub.

    A $6 billion, 1,000 km rail line from the Laotian capital Vientiane to the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming began service in 2021, a venture 70% owned by Beijing. That line will connect with Thailand’s Nong Khai via Vientiane, about 25 km away.

    “This is an opportunity for Thailand to connect to the global economy,” Jirayu said, adding it would bring Thailand closer to its goal of becoming a logistics hub.

    The announcement comes a year after China urged Thailand to progress faster on the rail link.

    Discussions on the rail line started nearly two decades ago and Thailand and China signed agreements on its construction in 2017 with plans to begin operations in 2021.

    But construction met delays over disagreements on financing and design, and disruption from the Covid pandemic.

    The plan is part of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s ambitious Belt and Road trade and infrastructure initiative, which includes plans for three routes originating in Kunming that pass through Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

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  • Apple needs a new Steve Jobs

    Apple needs a new Steve Jobs

    Since early 2024 it has been quite clear that Apple is trying its hand at new product categories in an attempt to secure another source of revenue. From the canceled car project to the Apple Vision Pro, the company is struggling to come up with the next big thing. And as Apple insider Mark Gurman points out in his newsletter Power On: that just won’t fly.

    A company as big as Apple can coast by on its existing products for a while. The iPhone and Apple’s accessories make up a major share of the company’s yearly revenue. But to stay at that coveted spot amongst the other giants of the world Apple will need to innovate and give consumers a reason to give it their business.

    And yet this massive and highly successful company has been failing to do that for years. Not because its new devices are bad — on the contrary most of them are top of the line — but because Apple is failing to connect with the consumer as it once did.

    When Steve Jobs passed away, current Apple CEO Tim Cook had a strategy to keep shareholders’ faith in the company: senior employees who barely work. This worked for a long time and designer Jony Ive’s work continued to help Apple put out unique and interesting products. After Ive left in 2019 it feels like most of Apple’s offerings have started stagnating.

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  • Philippines arrests 100 suspects in online scam farm raid

    Philippines arrests 100 suspects in online scam farm raid

    Philippine authorities arrested around 100 people on Friday in a raid on a suspected online scam farm in Manila they said extorted victims.

    The raid in the Makati financial district was part of a crackdown against online crime operators that often act under the guise of gaming firms.

    Agents from the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and the National Bureau of Investigation, armed with assault rifles, surrounded two offices of a lending agency and arrested the suspects as they worked side-by-side at computers.

    The suspects, many of them young Filipinos, allegedly sought out victims via TikTok and other social media, offering collateral-free loans of up to 25,000 pesos (US$428).

    Borrowers were charged 35% weekly interest and those who fell behind on payments were harassed, humiliated and threatened with having their personal information spread online, PAOCC director Gilberto Cruz told reporters at the scene.

    “Some of those they harassed developed mental problems, others fell into depression, and there have even been some suicide incidents that occurred because of the harassment perpetrated by these people,” Cruz said.

    The suspects could be charged with fraud and other violations under the country’s cybercrime laws, he added.

    The raided company, Wewill Tech Corp, required victims to provide personal information and family photographs, which the scammers then used for threats, according to Cruz.

    Some victims of similar scams have reported having coffins and funeral wreaths delivered to their homes, he said.

    Authorities are checking the nationality of the owners, Cruz said, adding that they had arrested Chinese suspects running similar operations in the past.

    The scam farm owners are suspected to be remnants of online gaming operators that were banned under orders of President Ferdinand Marcos last year, he said.

    “Most of their keyboard workers are Filipino” and communicated with victims in the local language, Cruz told reporters.

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  • Dufour Aerospace achieves drone milestone

    Dufour Aerospace achieves drone milestone

    Dufour Aerospace, the pioneering Swiss drone manufacturer, announced a major milestone: the completion of its first flight test campaign with a hybrid-electric system designed in-house for its Aero2 drone. The Aero2 flew several test flights in Zurich, with the hybrid system self-charging its batteries in flight.

    The news is significant as it completes Dufour’s vision of a hybrid-electric powertrain, with an innovative tilt-wing design, and autonomous flight. This is believed to be the first-ever successful flight of a large-scale serial hybrid-electric aircraft, transitioning from vertical takeoff to forward flight.

    “Dufour Aerospace achieved a major milestone with these flights,” said Sascha Hardegger, CEO of Dufour Aerospace. “All of Dufour’s in-house developments — the Flight Control System and Control Software, Power Management System, and the integrated Powertrain — must work together seamlessly to achieve this.”

    “The beauty of the Aero2 is mission-efficiency and a simpler system for charging aircraft. Our customers do not need to plug in the Aero2 for hours to run their next mission. Recharging is accomplished in the air, not on the ground, enabling back-to-back missions. It can land, exchange the payload, and restart the next mission immediately.”

    In takeoff, the Aero2 is fully powered by high-performance batteries. Upon transition to forward flight, the Aero2 hybrid-electric system is engaged to produce electricity on board, which powers the electric motors and recharges the batteries. At present, the hybrid system uses conventional gasoline but is being readied for heavier fuels such as sustainable aviation fuel and kerosene. In all cases, its carbon footprint and operating costs are dramatically lower than helicopters or the conventionally fuelled helicopter style drones of today.

    “Dufour has proven the critical systems on the aircraft. It demonstrates that our aircraft will be mission-ready for all of the use cases we envision,” Hardegger said. “Initially, we are focusing on the delivery of critical cargo such as medical goods or urgently needed spare parts, where we are seeing a lot of operators and end-users waiting for efficient transport solutions. Additionally, we are closely looking into supporting various remote-sensing applications.”

  • Cherries imported from New Zealand, Australia rise 35% to $80 per kilo ahead of Tet

    Cherries imported from New Zealand, Australia rise 35% to $80 per kilo ahead of Tet

    As the Lunar New Year (Tet) approaches, cherry prices have surged, with imported varieties from New Zealand and Australia reaching nearly VND2 million (US$79.7) per kilogram, 35% higher than the same period last year.

    Despite the sharp increase, demand remains high, especially for premium varieties from New Zealand and Australia.

    At a fruit shop on Le Van Sy Street in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 3, New Zealand cherries sized 32-34 mm are priced at nearly VND2 million per kilogram, while smaller-sized cherries cost between VND900,000 and VND1 million per kilogram.

    Similarly, Australian cherries, priced in the same range, have sold out since Jan. 25, just days before the holiday.

    Chilean cherries, a more affordable option at VND200,000-250,000 per kilogram, are also being ordered in bulk. The owner of a shop on Quang Trung Street in Go Vap District reported that premium cherry varieties sold out several days ago, with prices up 20-35% compared to last year, depending on size and type.

    “Cherries are a popular Tet gift, especially the premium lines. Many customers pre-ordered weeks in advance to ensure they have stock during Tet,” the shop owner said. The nine-day New Year break begins Saturday.

    On online platforms, many shops have announced sold-out stocks, with some customers waiting 2-3 extra days for their orders due to delayed import shipments.

    Hanh, a fruit trader specializing in Australian imports, shared that Jan. 26 was the last day she accepted orders for air-shipped cherries. However, demand has been so high that traders like her have had to source from more remote markets to find fresh, high-quality goods.

    “The key to cherries is freshness. I’ve sourced the newest stock for my customers, but prices are higher,” Hanh said, noting that a 2-kg box of cherries sized 30-32 mm costs around VND1.5-1.6 million.

    Hundreds of tons of Chilean cherries have been imported by supermarkets to meet Tet shopping demand, with consumption reaching up to 80%. Supermarkets in HCMC continue to restock as the holiday, which lasts nine days until Feb. 2, draws near.

    The market currently offers cherries imported from Canada, Chile, Australia, and New Zealand in a range of sizes. Organic cherries, a limited and sought-after variety, are also available this year.

    Cherry prices have risen this year due to reduced supply and increased demand. Australian cherries sold out quickly as production in the country decreased, with many farmers scaling back planting areas.

    U.S. cherries, which typically compete with Australian and New Zealand varieties, have been out of season since late last year, further driving up prices.

  • Rice exports grow by over 23%

    Rice exports grow by over 23%

    Vietnam’s rice exports from Jan. 1-15 reached 268,700 tons worth nearly US$165.7 million, up 38.7% in volume and 23.28% in value year-on-year, according to the Vietnam Food Association.

    However, export prices for 5% broken rice fell to $413 per ton, with 25% broken rice at $387 per ton.

    Despite the positive start, the VFA predicts a challenging year for rice exports, citing global competition and India’s return to the export market. The projected annual export volume for 2025 is 7.5 million tons, down from the record 9.04 million tons in 2024.

    In the domestic market, farmers in the Mekong Delta are facing slower demand and lower prices for rice. Key varieties like IR 50404 and OM 5451 are trading at VND5,500–5,700 (US$0.22-0.23) and VND5,800–6,000 per kilogram, respectively. The decline is attributed to ample global supply, particularly from competitors such as India and Thailand.

    Retail rice prices in An Giang are at VND15,000-22,000 per kg, depending on the variety. Meanwhile, by-products like rice bran and broken rice fetch between VND5,600–7,300 per kg.

    As of January 20, Mekong Delta provinces have sown over 1.46 million hectares of the winter-spring crop, with 85,000 hectares already harvested.

    However, erratic weather, including alternating rain and sunshine, has heightened risks of diseases such as leaf blight and pests like gall midges, particularly in provinces such as Dong Thap and Kien Giang.

    The agriculture sector advises farmers to closely monitor their fields and take preventive measures to minimize potential losses early in the season.

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  • Instagram rolls out more actionable insights for its Creators

    Instagram rolls out more actionable insights for its Creators

    Instagram is making some changes to its Insights feature to help creators better understand how their content is performing. The goal is to give creators more actionable insights and personalized recommendations so they can learn more about overall trends across their audience and their content’s performance.

    One of the new metrics is called “View Rate.” This metric tells creators what percentage of their followers and non-followers continue to watch after the first 3 seconds. The first few seconds of a reel are the most important, so this metric can help creators see if their reels are grabbing their audience’s attention right away.

    Another new metric is called “Views Over Time.” This metric shows creators how many views their post has received so far compared to the average views their posts typicaly get over the same time period. Creators will also be able to break down their views between followers and non-followers.

    In addition to these new metrics, Instagram is also providing more actionable, personalized tips to help creators understand if their content is performing better or worse than usual. These tips are meant to help creators more easily see which content is resonating with their audience.

    These changes are part of Instagram’s ongoing effort to help creators grow their audience and reach. By providing creators with more data and insights, Instagram hopes to make it easier for them to create content that resonates with their audience and achieve their goals.

    I think these metrics are very valuable to Instagram creators, and it’s frankly surprising they hadn’t been made available until now. As a creator myself, I’m always looking for ways to improve my content and reach a wider audience. These new features and personalized tips in Insights will definitely be helpful in this regard. I’m also excited to see how these changes will help other creators grow their audience and reach. With TikTok right now on shaky ground, it’s important for creators to diversify and be able to find ways to monetize in more than one platform, and I’m glad Instagram is providing the tools to assist with that goal.

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  • Spotify might start paying artists increased royalties after agreement with Universal Music Group

    Spotify might start paying artists increased royalties after agreement with Universal Music Group

    Universal Music Group and Spotify announced multi-year agreements for recorded music and music publishing. Under the new agreements, UMG and Spotify claim artists, songwriters and consumers will benefit from “new and evolving offers, new paid subscription tiers, bundling of music and non-music content, and a richer audio and visual content catalog.”

    Another interesting piece of information mentioned in the announcement is that the new publishing agreement establishes a direct licensing between Spotify and Universal Music Publishing Group across the music streaming service’s current product portfolio in the United States and several other countries.

    This implies that Spotify might finally start paying artists increase royalties, at least in the US and those unnamed countries. Another phares that suggest that is that “the new agreements also renew the companies’ commitment to artist-centric principles, ensuring that artists continue to be properly rewarded for the share of audience engagement that they drive.”The new, multi-year agreements between Spotify and Universal Music Group will certainly benefit both equally, especially that the companies have agree to collaborate on the deployment of Streaming 2.0, UMG’s “vision for the next stage in the evolution of music subscription.”

    According to Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman & CEO, Universal Music Group, “this agreement furthers and broadens the collaboration with Spotify for both our labels and music publisher, advancing artist-centric principles to drive greater monetization for artists and songwriters, as well as enhancing product offerings for consumers.”

    The monetization UMG’s CEO is talking about will probably involve the launch of new paid subscription tiers and/or a price increase of the existing ones. Those increased royalties won’t come from Spotify, but rather from loyal fans who will have to pay more for some extra benefits.

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  • With iOS 18, you can remotely take control of your mom’s iPhone to help her solve an issue

    With iOS 18, you can remotely take control of your mom’s iPhone to help her solve an issue

    This might have happened to you. If not, it’s bound to. You’re enjoying an evening at home when you get a call from your mom. Her iPhone has received an update but she doesn’t know what to do. You know exactly how to send her to the software update but vocalizing the directions to your mom might not be a good idea. After all, her iPhone is the first smartphone she’s ever owned after years of being the poster mom for Consumer Cellular. You can’t drive over to see her since she’s on the other end of the country, but thanks to iOS 18, there is something you can do.

    As long as both you and your mom are using an iPhone running iOS 18 or later, or an iPad powered by iPadOS 18 or later, you can remotely control your mother’s iPhone screen and show her exactly how to fix her issue. Requesting remote control of her screen is done via the FaceTime app on a video or audio call. You also must be listed in your mom’s Contacts if you’re going to take over her screen.

    Here’s how you are going to make this happen. Call your mom on FaceTime. When she answers, tap on the Share button. In the Share Sheet that will pop up, tap on Ask to Share. Then, ask your mom to tap on the Share button on her screen. That will allow you to see a blurred image of your call because you are then viewing things through her FaceTime app. Ask her to go to her home screen.

    Once she opens her home screen, you can start sending her drawings that can serve as directions since they will show up on her device. You want to send her to the new software update so you can draw an arrow to the Settings icon. Or, you can tap to animate a circle that will highlight on her iPhone display the area you tapped. Drawings and animations will blow away like dust in a windstorm so that the display doesn’t get too cluttered.

    Once mom understands what you are showing her, you can drop control of her device by tapping the Control button on your screen. She can stop you from having control any time by tapping the Stop button on her screen. At that point, you can still draw on her device. To end the sharing of the screen, ask mom to tap the Share button on her iPhone or iPad.

    Obviously, you can offer remote help to anyone with the same Apple device as you whether it is an iPhone or iPad. It doesn’t have to be your mother who can benefit from your knowledge although we’d bet that for many of you, mom will be the first person you help using iOS 18’s FaceTime Remote Control.

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  • Thai VietJet partners with ECS Group’s AVS GSA Thailand to boost cargo operations on Bangkok-Mumbai route

    Thai VietJet partners with ECS Group’s AVS GSA Thailand to boost cargo operations on Bangkok-Mumbai route

    ECS Group is pleased to announce a new agreement between Thai VietJet and its subsidiary, AVS GSA Thailand on the Bangkok-Mumbai route.

    This collaboration boosts Thai VietJet’s cargo capabilities, leveraging ECS Group’s network and expertise to support the airline’s growing presence in the international cargo market. The first shipment under this agreement was successfully transported on January 21, 2025, on the Bangkok (BKK) to Mumbai (BOM) route.

    This partnership allows Thai VietJet to enhance its cargo offerings and optimize capacity utilization on its daily BKK-BOM-BKK flights. Using A320/321 passenger aircraft, the collaboration focuses on transporting general cargo, spare parts and e-commerce shipments. Key exports from Mumbai will include pharmaceuticals and garments, with transshipment opportunities via Bangkok to Thai VietJet’s broad route network.

    Jean Ceccaldi, CEO of ECS Group, stated, “This agreement with Thai VietJet underscores our dedication to empowering airline partners through our extensive network, advanced solutions, and industry expertise. By working together, we can support Thai VietJet maximize its cargo potential and seize new market opportunities efficiently.”

    Chirasak Chandratat, Managing Director of AVS GSA Thailand, commented, “Our collaboration with Thai VietJet demonstrates the power of partnerships in achieving growth and operational excellence. Leveraging ECS Group’s capabilities, we aim to enhance Thai VietJet’s cargo reach while delivering exceptional service to the market. This agreement marks a significant step forward for both organizations.”

    This partnership highlights ECS Group’s role as a global leader in air cargo services, while enabling Thai VietJet to expand its cargo operations and better serve the rising demand in key markets.

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  • Microsoft-owned LinkedIn might have quietly used your DMs to train AI

    Microsoft-owned LinkedIn might have quietly used your DMs to train AI

    In today’s AI-driven world, data has become an incredibly valuable asset for developers and companies alike. The usage patterns and interactions of thousands – or even millions – of users often contribute to training AI models. Now, LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional networking platform, finds itself in hot water. A new lawsuit accuses the company of allegedly sharing user DMs to train AI systems.

    LinkedIn, owned by Microsoft – who has a close partnership with OpenAI (yep, the brains behind ChatGPT), is now facing a lawsuit. LinkedIn Premium users are accusing the platform of sharing their private messages with third parties to train AI models – and they never gave their consent for that.

    The lawsuit claims that back in August, LinkedIn “quietly” rolled out a new privacy setting that automatically signed users up for a program allowing third parties to use their personal data for AI training. It also accuses the Microsoft-owned company of covering its tracks a month later by updating its privacy policy to state that user data could be shared for AI training purposes.

    To top it off, the filing says LinkedIn edited its FAQ section, mentioning that users could opt out of sharing data for AI training. However, it also made it clear that opting out wouldn’t undo any training that had already been done using their data.

    The complaint further argues that LinkedIn’s move to “cover its tracks” shows it knew it was breaking its promise to only use personal data to improve its platform, all while trying to dodge public backlash and legal trouble. Of course, LinkedIn denies these allegations.

    The lawsuit, filed in federal court in San Jose, California, represents LinkedIn Premium users who exchanged InMail messages and had their private data shared with third parties for AI training before September 18. It demands damages for breach of contract and violations of California’s unfair competition law, along with $1,000 per user under the federal Stored Communications Act.

    This isn’t the first time a company’s been accused of crossing the line when it comes to user privacy for AI training. Just last year, Elon Musk’s X was called out for allegedly using data from EU users to train its AI chatbot, Grok, without permission. That said, legal battles like these tend to drag on for years – if they ever get resolved at all.

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  • DHL Global Forwarding Japan and Nippon Cargo Airlines successfully complete charters for semiconductor manufacturing equipment to Hokkaido

    DHL Global Forwarding Japan and Nippon Cargo Airlines successfully complete charters for semiconductor manufacturing equipment to Hokkaido

    DHL Global Forwarding Japan, the freight specialist of DHL Group, and Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA) have successfully transported semiconductor manufacturing equipment via four charters aimed at significantly reducing transit time from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) in the Netherlands to New Chitose Airport in Japan.

    To support this process, a main deck loader specifically designed for unloading and loading semiconductor equipment was transferred from Narita Airport to New Chitose Airport. Additionally, onsite personnel have been trained to take all necessary precautions to ensure smooth operations.

    Flexible measures, including regular cargo temperature checks and close collaboration with ground handling and logistics shed companies, have been implemented to minimize temperature fluctuations, even in winter conditions. Efforts have also been made to shorten the time between aircraft and truck loading.

    “As Japan experiences a strong 17.3% year-on-year growth in semiconductor equipment sales from January to August 2024, it has also maintained a 30% market share in the sector, second only to the United States. This remarkable growth reflects the country’s strength in advanced manufacturing and innovation,” said Karsten Michaelis, President/Representative Director, DHL Global Forwarding Japan.

    “It also underscores the importance of efficient and reliable transportation solutions to support the semiconductor industry. Our collaboration with Nippon Cargo Airlines is a key step in ensuring that Japan continues to lead in this critical sector.”

    In the year leading up to the four charters, DHL Global Forwarding’s local semiconductor specialist teams worked closely with NCA and customers to plan the necessary infrastructure requirements and strategize the safe, efficient transport of semiconductors. This ensures the transportation process adheres to the strictest requirements, even in Hokkaido’s severe winter weather.

    “This charter was very challenging for us under severe weather and constraints of operations in Chitose, and we could never achieve to success without cooperation of our reliable partner, DHL Global Forwarding Japan. I am honored that we could build our collaboration and to be a part of this national project. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the great efforts of DHL Global Forwarding Japan and partner companies. NCA will keep on serving to meet customers’ requirement”, said Hitoshi Watanabe, Executive Officer, Nippon Cargo Airlines.

    As global competition and geopolitical pressures intensify, Japan is shifting its focus towards its semiconductor industry, emphasizing growth and localization. The goal is to triple semiconductor sales from 2020 until 2030, reaching over US$108 billion. Hence, establishing efficient transportation for sensitive semiconductors is crucial in supporting market growth.

    DHL Global Forwarding Japan and NCA will support the further development of Hokkaido and the Japanese manufacturing industry by exploring ways to strengthen transportation for the local semiconductor sector.

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