[TOKYO] Japan's Mizuho Financial Group Inc sees a pickup in overseas lending after a slowdown last year in the United States, where a recently enacted corporate tax cut is widely expected to spur mergers and acquisitions (M&As).Major Japanese banks are placing increased emphasis on lending abroad, particularly in busy M&A markets such as the US, as they seek more means of growth while their domestic lending businesses suffer persistently low interest rates."We expect companies that become cash-rich from the tax cut to accelerate acquisitions," said Akira Sugano, head of overseas business at Japan's third-biggest bank by market value. "There are actually companies planning such moves among our clients." Mizuho is already working with US clients to provide finance for billion-dollar deals, Mr Sugano said.Mizuho has made acquisition finance for blue-chip firms one of the core businesses of its overseas operations. It plans to provide bridge loans - or short-term funds - to firms … [Read more...] about Japan’s Mizuho sees pickup in US M&A lending after tax cut
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Here’s how Elon Musk’s Starman could help us mine other planets
Elon Musk’s “Starman” may have overshot its target, but the Telsa founder’s successful SpaceX launch has brought us a step closer to mining in space. “I think things are going to change very quickly,” says Serkan Saydam, professor with the School of Mining Engineering at the University of New South Wales. “Previously launching 1kg of materials from earth to space was around $US20,000 ($25,100) plus,” Professor Saydam told Stockhead. “Elon Musk dropped this to less than $US4000 and he says he will drop it to less than $US100. “So it’s all about cost — mining is all about cost.” The payload for Falcon Heavy’s demonstration mission was SpaceX CEO and Lead Designer Elon Musk’s midnight-cherry Tesla Roadster. Falcon Heavy is the most powerful operational rocket in the world by a factor of two, with the ability to lift more than twice the payload of the next vehicle, at one-third the cost. Transporting … [Read more...] about Here’s how Elon Musk’s Starman could help us mine other planets
‘We know it’s bigger than us’: LeBron James expands on why he feels compelled to speak on social issues after criticism from Laura Ingraham
LeBron James elaborated on his response to Laura Ingraham during All-Star Weekend, after the Fox News anchor told the Cavaliers superstar to “shut up and dribble.” James had taken to social media on Friday, posting an image that read “I am more than an athlete” and captioning his post with #wewillnotshutupanddribble. While speaking with media on Saturday of All-Star Weekend, James responded even more directly to Ingraham’s comments. “I will not just shut up and dribble,” James said. ” So, thank you, whatever her name is. … I get to sit up here and talk about what’s really important and how I can help change kids.” James added that he believed Ingraham’s response to his comments only made their necessity more apparent, and spoke about why he believed it was important to use his platform to speak out. “It lets me know that everything I’ve been saying is correct for her to have that type of … [Read more...] about ‘We know it’s bigger than us’: LeBron James expands on why he feels compelled to speak on social issues after criticism from Laura Ingraham
The US military’s special ops may try to develop ‘super soldiers’ with performance-enhancing drugs
US Special Operations Command is weighing the use of nutritional supplements or even performance-enhancing drugs to push the abilities and endurance of its forces beyond current human limits, according to a report from Defence News. While special-operations forces already have access to specialised resources, like dietitians and physical therapists, SOCOM is looking to increase their ability to tolerate pain, recover from injuries, and remain physically able in challenging environments. “If there are … different ways of training, different ways of acquiring performance that are non-material, that’s preferred but in a lot of cases we’ve exhausted those areas,” Ben Chitty, the senior project manager for biomedical, human performance, and canine portfolios at US SOCOM’s Science and Technology office, told Defence News. While Chitty said SOCOM was exploring nutritional supplements, other substances were in consideration as well. “For performance … [Read more...] about The US military’s special ops may try to develop ‘super soldiers’ with performance-enhancing drugs
The Mueller indictments — here’s which Russians were charged with interfering in the 2016 US election
Special counsel Robert Mueller’s office charged 13 Russian nationals and the Internet Research Agency (IRA), a notorious Russian “troll factory,” with violating US law and interfering in the 2016 election. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein announced the indictments during a press conference on Friday. “The defendants allegedly conducted what they called ‘information warfare against the United States’ with the stated goal of spreading distrust towards the candidates and the political system in general,” Rosenstein said. All the defendants were charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the US; the IRA and two defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud; and the IRA and four defendants were charged with aggravated identity theft. While the indictment sheds light on the elaborate and multi-faceted nature of Russia’s social-media influence operation, it does not allege that any Americans knowingly … [Read more...] about The Mueller indictments — here’s which Russians were charged with interfering in the 2016 US election