1 month ago
Celebrity birthdays for the week of Oct. 11-17:
Oct. 11: Country singer Gene Watson is 83. Singer Daryl Hall of Hall and Oates is 80. Actor Catlin Adams ("The Jerk," "The Jazz Singer") is 76. Country singer Paulette Carlson (Highway 101) is 75. MTV VJ Mark Goodman is 74. Actor David Morse ("St. Elsewhere") is 73. Actor Stephen Spinella ("24") is 70. Actor Joan Cusack is 64. Guitarist Scott Johnson of Gin Blossoms is 64. Actor-writer Michael J. Nelson ("Mystery Science Theater 3000") is 62. Actor Sean Patrick Flanery is 61. Actor Lennie James ("The Walking Dead") is 61. Musician Todd Snider is 60. Actor Artie Lange ("MADtv") is 59. Actor Jane Krakowski ("30 Rock," "Ally McBeal") is 58. Actor Andrea Navedo ("Jane the Virgin") is 57. Rapper MC Lyte is 56. Actor Constance Zimmer ("UnREAL," "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.") is 56. Actor Darien Sills-Evans ("Superior Donuts," "Treme") is 52. Singer NeeNa Lee is 51. Actor Emily Deschanel ("Bones") is 50. Actor Trevor Donovan ("90210") is 48. Rapper Cardi B is 34.
Oct. 13: Gospel singer Shirley Caesar is 89. Musician Paul Simon is 85. Keyboardist Robert Lamm of Chicago is 82. Country singer Lacy J. Dalton is 80. Singer Sammy Hagar is 79. Singer John Ford Coley of England Dan and John Ford Coley is 78. Model Beverly Johnson is 74. Actor John Lone ("The Last Emperor," "Rush Hour 2") is 74. "The X-Files" creator Chris Carter is 70. Singer Cherrelle is 67. Singer-actor-talk show host Marie Osmond is 67. Singer Joey Belladonna of Anthrax is 66. Actor T'Keyah Crystal Keymah ("That's So Raven," "In Living Color") is 64. Country singer John Wiggins is 64. Actor Christopher Judge (TV's "Stargate SG-1") is 62. Actor Matt Walsh ("Veep") is 62. Actor Reginald Ballard ("Martin," "The Bernie Mac Show") is 61. Actor Kate Walsh ("Private Practice," "Grey's Anatomy") is 59. Musician Jeff Allen of Mint Condition is 58. Actor Tisha Campbell-Martin ("My Wife and Kids," "Martin") is 58. Country singer Rhett Akins is 57. TV personality Billy Bush is 55. Actor Sacha Baron Cohen ("Borat," "Da Ali G Show") is 55. Guitarist Jan Van Sichem Jr. of K's Choice is 54. Singers Brandon and Brian Casey of Jagged Edge are 51. Actor Kiele Sanchez ("Lost") is 50. Singer Ashanti is 46. Singer-rapper Lumidee is 46. Contemporary Christian singer Jon Micah Sumrall of Kutless is 46. Actor Caleb McLaughlin ("Stranger Things") is 25.
Oct. 14: Director Carroll Ballard ("The Black Stallion") is 89. Singer Cliff Richard is 86. Singer Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues is 80. Actor Greg Evigan ("My Two Dads," "B.J. and the Bear") is 73. Singer Thomas Dolby is 68. Actor Lori Petty ("A League of Their Own") is 63. Actor Steve Coogan ("Night at the Museum" movies) is 61. Singer Karyn White is 61. Actor Edward Kerr ("Pretty Little Liars," "Snoops") is 60. Actor Jon Seda ("Chicago P.D.," "Homicide: Life on the Street") is 56. Bassist Doug Virden (Sons of the Desert) is 56. Country singer Natalie Maines of The Chicks is 52. Singer Shaznay Lewis of All Saints is 5
Oct. 11: Country singer Gene Watson is 83. Singer Daryl Hall of Hall and Oates is 80. Actor Catlin Adams ("The Jerk," "The Jazz Singer") is 76. Country singer Paulette Carlson (Highway 101) is 75. MTV VJ Mark Goodman is 74. Actor David Morse ("St. Elsewhere") is 73. Actor Stephen Spinella ("24") is 70. Actor Joan Cusack is 64. Guitarist Scott Johnson of Gin Blossoms is 64. Actor-writer Michael J. Nelson ("Mystery Science Theater 3000") is 62. Actor Sean Patrick Flanery is 61. Actor Lennie James ("The Walking Dead") is 61. Musician Todd Snider is 60. Actor Artie Lange ("MADtv") is 59. Actor Jane Krakowski ("30 Rock," "Ally McBeal") is 58. Actor Andrea Navedo ("Jane the Virgin") is 57. Rapper MC Lyte is 56. Actor Constance Zimmer ("UnREAL," "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.") is 56. Actor Darien Sills-Evans ("Superior Donuts," "Treme") is 52. Singer NeeNa Lee is 51. Actor Emily Deschanel ("Bones") is 50. Actor Trevor Donovan ("90210") is 48. Rapper Cardi B is 34.
Oct. 13: Gospel singer Shirley Caesar is 89. Musician Paul Simon is 85. Keyboardist Robert Lamm of Chicago is 82. Country singer Lacy J. Dalton is 80. Singer Sammy Hagar is 79. Singer John Ford Coley of England Dan and John Ford Coley is 78. Model Beverly Johnson is 74. Actor John Lone ("The Last Emperor," "Rush Hour 2") is 74. "The X-Files" creator Chris Carter is 70. Singer Cherrelle is 67. Singer-actor-talk show host Marie Osmond is 67. Singer Joey Belladonna of Anthrax is 66. Actor T'Keyah Crystal Keymah ("That's So Raven," "In Living Color") is 64. Country singer John Wiggins is 64. Actor Christopher Judge (TV's "Stargate SG-1") is 62. Actor Matt Walsh ("Veep") is 62. Actor Reginald Ballard ("Martin," "The Bernie Mac Show") is 61. Actor Kate Walsh ("Private Practice," "Grey's Anatomy") is 59. Musician Jeff Allen of Mint Condition is 58. Actor Tisha Campbell-Martin ("My Wife and Kids," "Martin") is 58. Country singer Rhett Akins is 57. TV personality Billy Bush is 55. Actor Sacha Baron Cohen ("Borat," "Da Ali G Show") is 55. Guitarist Jan Van Sichem Jr. of K's Choice is 54. Singers Brandon and Brian Casey of Jagged Edge are 51. Actor Kiele Sanchez ("Lost") is 50. Singer Ashanti is 46. Singer-rapper Lumidee is 46. Contemporary Christian singer Jon Micah Sumrall of Kutless is 46. Actor Caleb McLaughlin ("Stranger Things") is 25.
Oct. 14: Director Carroll Ballard ("The Black Stallion") is 89. Singer Cliff Richard is 86. Singer Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues is 80. Actor Greg Evigan ("My Two Dads," "B.J. and the Bear") is 73. Singer Thomas Dolby is 68. Actor Lori Petty ("A League of Their Own") is 63. Actor Steve Coogan ("Night at the Museum" movies) is 61. Singer Karyn White is 61. Actor Edward Kerr ("Pretty Little Liars," "Snoops") is 60. Actor Jon Seda ("Chicago P.D.," "Homicide: Life on the Street") is 56. Bassist Doug Virden (Sons of the Desert) is 56. Country singer Natalie Maines of The Chicks is 52. Singer Shaznay Lewis of All Saints is 5
2 months ago
On September 9, 2026, Reuters reported that U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent a letter to Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) CEO Jim Farley criticizing the automaker's business relationships with Chinese battery maker CATL and Chinese automakers Geely and BYD as raising "profound concern."
It specifically flagged Ford's licensed CATL battery technology at its Marshall, Michigan plant, its joint venture with Geely in Spain, and its decision not to move Lincoln Nautilus production out of China until 2030. Ford responded that Duffy's letter was "a wrongheaded attempt to capture headlines," noting that it owns the Marshall plant, controls its operations, and employs the workforce there, unlike companies that simply import Chinese-made batteries.
Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) can argue that its CATL partnership still solidifies U.S. battery manufacturing rather than becoming more dependent on Chinese imports. Ford owns and operates its Marshall, Michigan battery plant. It allows the company to manufacture batteries domestically while licensing CATL technology. That structure could help Ford expand its U.S. EV production capacity and reduce the need to import finished Chinese battery packs.
Ford's improving financial performance gives the firm more flexibility to manage the political pressure. The automaker raised its full-year adjusted EBIT guidance to $10 billion-$11 billion after second-quarter results exceeded expectations, with record Bronco sales and a stronger product mix supporting the improvement. Stronger operating earnings could give Ford more resources to adjust its battery strategy if policymakers impose more restrictions on Chinese technology.
The company's existing U.S. manufacturing footprint could become a competitive advantage if Washington tightens restrictions on Chinese automotive technology. Ford has already invested in domestic battery production instead of relying entirely on imported battery packs. Model e losses have narrowed for three consecutive quarters. If policymakers force automakers to cut Chinese supply-chain reliance, Ford can use its existing U.S. factories to adapt faster than rivals that depend heavily on Chinese parts.
#ford #catl #motor
It specifically flagged Ford's licensed CATL battery technology at its Marshall, Michigan plant, its joint venture with Geely in Spain, and its decision not to move Lincoln Nautilus production out of China until 2030. Ford responded that Duffy's letter was "a wrongheaded attempt to capture headlines," noting that it owns the Marshall plant, controls its operations, and employs the workforce there, unlike companies that simply import Chinese-made batteries.
Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) can argue that its CATL partnership still solidifies U.S. battery manufacturing rather than becoming more dependent on Chinese imports. Ford owns and operates its Marshall, Michigan battery plant. It allows the company to manufacture batteries domestically while licensing CATL technology. That structure could help Ford expand its U.S. EV production capacity and reduce the need to import finished Chinese battery packs.
Ford's improving financial performance gives the firm more flexibility to manage the political pressure. The automaker raised its full-year adjusted EBIT guidance to $10 billion-$11 billion after second-quarter results exceeded expectations, with record Bronco sales and a stronger product mix supporting the improvement. Stronger operating earnings could give Ford more resources to adjust its battery strategy if policymakers impose more restrictions on Chinese technology.
The company's existing U.S. manufacturing footprint could become a competitive advantage if Washington tightens restrictions on Chinese automotive technology. Ford has already invested in domestic battery production instead of relying entirely on imported battery packs. Model e losses have narrowed for three consecutive quarters. If policymakers force automakers to cut Chinese supply-chain reliance, Ford can use its existing U.S. factories to adapt faster than rivals that depend heavily on Chinese parts.
#ford #catl #motor
2 months ago
DeepSeek has engaged CITIC Securities to prepare for an initial public offering on Shanghai's STAR Market, according to Reuters, citing two people with knowledge of the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The Hangzhou-based AI startup aims to begin the IPO process this year, according to Reuters. The timing of a potential offering, the amount DeepSeek could seek to raise, and its target valuation have not been determined. DeepSeek and CITIC did not respond to requests for comment.
In China, firms pursuing a mainland listing are generally required to retain a securities company for pre-IPO tutoring before they can file an application, Reuters notes. The previously undisclosed arrangement with CITIC suggests DeepSeek is making concrete progress toward a public offering.
The IPO push comes as DeepSeek seeks capital to fund computing infrastructure, model development, and talent retention amid competition from rival Chinese and U.S. AI firms. A person familiar with the matter told Reuters that Liang Wenfeng sees the IPO as a way to build a compensation structure capable of holding onto the startup's most important engineers and researchers. The company has lost talent to rivals including ByteDance and Xiaomi.
According to Reuters, DeepSeek is currently raising a new funding round at a valuation of 500 billion yuan ($75 billion). In June, the startup closed a round of roughly $7.4 billion at a post-money valuation exceeding $50 billion, with Liang Wenfeng personally contributing 20 billion yuan. Tencent Holdings and battery company CATL contributed 10 billion yuan and 5 billion yuan, respectively, becoming the largest external shareholders, according to Reuters.
#deepseek #according #company
The Hangzhou-based AI startup aims to begin the IPO process this year, according to Reuters. The timing of a potential offering, the amount DeepSeek could seek to raise, and its target valuation have not been determined. DeepSeek and CITIC did not respond to requests for comment.
In China, firms pursuing a mainland listing are generally required to retain a securities company for pre-IPO tutoring before they can file an application, Reuters notes. The previously undisclosed arrangement with CITIC suggests DeepSeek is making concrete progress toward a public offering.
The IPO push comes as DeepSeek seeks capital to fund computing infrastructure, model development, and talent retention amid competition from rival Chinese and U.S. AI firms. A person familiar with the matter told Reuters that Liang Wenfeng sees the IPO as a way to build a compensation structure capable of holding onto the startup's most important engineers and researchers. The company has lost talent to rivals including ByteDance and Xiaomi.
According to Reuters, DeepSeek is currently raising a new funding round at a valuation of 500 billion yuan ($75 billion). In June, the startup closed a round of roughly $7.4 billion at a post-money valuation exceeding $50 billion, with Liang Wenfeng personally contributing 20 billion yuan. Tencent Holdings and battery company CATL contributed 10 billion yuan and 5 billion yuan, respectively, becoming the largest external shareholders, according to Reuters.
#deepseek #according #company
0.00$ raised of 0.00$ goal
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2 months ago
In its early years, Chinese battery leader CATL focused on electric vehicles (EVs), riding the explosive growth of the global e-mobility market. The company has since taken a turn, aggressively expanding its energy storage business with a target for storage to generate 50% of its global sales by 2030.
Today, CATL stands as one of the world's largest grid storage suppliers, powering megaprojects such as Synergy's 2.4GW-hour (GWh) Collie Battery in Australia and the 1.4GWh Gemini Solar-Plus-Storage project in Nevada, US.
In an exclusive interview with Power Technology, CATL's managing director of Western Europe, Hank Zhao, and chief technology officer of AC (alternating current) systems, Bruce Li, share how they translate learnings from the company's automotive history to its stationary storage unit. They also discuss the operational realities of energy storage leadership, executive decision-making in a fast-changing industry, and bridging the gap between Chinese technology and European markets.
Hank Zhao (HZ): I joined the company's EV business in 2010 and stayed there for 11 years before moving to the energy storage unit in mid-2021.
When the company was founded, it started with e-mobility and stationary storage as its two main business directions. But I think before 2020, the business scale of storage was much smaller than for EVs, and we didn't see as many opportunities. Then from 2021, there was a rapid boom in demand for energy storage, especially in markets like the US and China.
#hank
Today, CATL stands as one of the world's largest grid storage suppliers, powering megaprojects such as Synergy's 2.4GW-hour (GWh) Collie Battery in Australia and the 1.4GWh Gemini Solar-Plus-Storage project in Nevada, US.
In an exclusive interview with Power Technology, CATL's managing director of Western Europe, Hank Zhao, and chief technology officer of AC (alternating current) systems, Bruce Li, share how they translate learnings from the company's automotive history to its stationary storage unit. They also discuss the operational realities of energy storage leadership, executive decision-making in a fast-changing industry, and bridging the gap between Chinese technology and European markets.
Hank Zhao (HZ): I joined the company's EV business in 2010 and stayed there for 11 years before moving to the energy storage unit in mid-2021.
When the company was founded, it started with e-mobility and stationary storage as its two main business directions. But I think before 2020, the business scale of storage was much smaller than for EVs, and we didn't see as many opportunities. Then from 2021, there was a rapid boom in demand for energy storage, especially in markets like the US and China.
#hank
5 months ago
VNET Group Inc. (NASDAQ:VNET) is one of the 10 best mid-cap stocks that could double your money.
Back on May 27, while maintaining an Overweight rating and a $16 price target for the stock, Tom Tang from Morgan Stanley picked VNET Group Inc. (NASDAQ:VNET) as his top choice. The ******* yst claims that since a CATL affiliate was introduced, VNET's issues related to the shareholders have been mostly fixed. Additionally, he mentioned that 500 megawatt MOUs have led to an increase in forward visibility. According to Tang, based on premium resources, VNET currently carries a first-mover advantage.
Copyright: ralwel / 123RF Stock Photo
Later on June 9, Chinese cloud service providers GDS Holdings Limited (NASDAQ:GDS) and VNET Group Inc. (NASDAQ:VNET) saw increases in their US depositary receipts of approximately 7% and 9%, respectively, as reported by Bloomberg. The report highlighted that China is getting ready to invest $295 billion in data center development nationwide.
A national network of interconnected data centers is now being planned by government agencies, such as the National Development and Reform Commission. According to the sources, Chinese vendors would provide about 80% of the technology, while state-owned companies like China Mobile and China Telecom are anticipated to run the majority of the infrastructure.
Back on May 27, while maintaining an Overweight rating and a $16 price target for the stock, Tom Tang from Morgan Stanley picked VNET Group Inc. (NASDAQ:VNET) as his top choice. The ******* yst claims that since a CATL affiliate was introduced, VNET's issues related to the shareholders have been mostly fixed. Additionally, he mentioned that 500 megawatt MOUs have led to an increase in forward visibility. According to Tang, based on premium resources, VNET currently carries a first-mover advantage.
Copyright: ralwel / 123RF Stock Photo
Later on June 9, Chinese cloud service providers GDS Holdings Limited (NASDAQ:GDS) and VNET Group Inc. (NASDAQ:VNET) saw increases in their US depositary receipts of approximately 7% and 9%, respectively, as reported by Bloomberg. The report highlighted that China is getting ready to invest $295 billion in data center development nationwide.
A national network of interconnected data centers is now being planned by government agencies, such as the National Development and Reform Commission. According to the sources, Chinese vendors would provide about 80% of the technology, while state-owned companies like China Mobile and China Telecom are anticipated to run the majority of the infrastructure.
1 yr. ago
EV Battery Co CATL Eyeing $4 billion in Hong Kong IPO
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