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The memorandums of understanding, signed in Tokyo on Wednesday during German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit to Japan, cover superconducting materials and equipment for heating and fuelling plasma. Proxima will collaborate with Fujikura on high-temperature superconducting tape and with Kyoto Fusioneering on specialised reactor systems.

The agreements are preliminary arrangements rather than binding purchase orders or commitments to construct manufacturing facilities. Financial terms and delivery schedules have not been disclosed, leaving the scale of any eventual procurement dependent on further negotiations and technical work.

Under the Fujikura agreement, the companies will examine the feasibility of establishing a factory in the German state of Lower Saxony to manufacture high-temperature superconducting tape, known as HTS tape. The material is used to make powerful magnets that confine extremely hot plasma inside fusion machines.

Proxima estimates that its Alpha demonstration stellarator will require approximately 20,000 kilometres of tape. Each subsequent Stellaris commercial power plant would need around 40,000 kilometres, making dependable manufacturing capacity central to its development plans.

The collaboration follows Proxima’s September memorandum of understanding with Lower Saxony concerning a large-scale European production facility. The proposed project’s first two phases envisage investment of approximately €140 million through 2029, with public and private financing expected to contribute equally. The state has identified €21 million as its intended contribution.

The latest Fujikura arrangement concerns feasibility work and does not establish that the proposed factory has secured final financing, regulatory approvals or a construction timetable. Fujikura already manufactures superconducting tape and supplies other fusion developers, giving it industrial experience in a material whose production requires demanding quality controls.

Fujikura announced in September a separate long-term agreement to supply more than 10,000 kilometres of superconducting tape to US-based Commonwealth Fusion Systems for its planned ARC power plants. That contract also involves expansion of the Japanese manufacturer’s production capacity.

Proxima’s second agreement brings Kyoto Fusioneering into work on gyrotrons, devices that generate high-power microwaves to heat plasma, and fuel-cycle technology used to manage the hydrogen isotopes required for fusion reactions. Both systems are essential to operating a reactor beyond the magnetic confinement stage.

Kyoto Fusioneering is also expected to contribute technology to Germany’s national Fusion Hubs programme, which was launched with an initial €125 million in research funding. The collaboration connects a Japanese supplier specialising in fusion engineering with Proxima’s reactor development and Germany’s broader industrial research effort.

The company has experience developing plasma-heating equipment and integrated fuel-handling technologies. Its engineering activities include work on gyrotrons and experimental systems designed to test processes needed for future fusion plants. The agreement with Proxima does not itself constitute a confirmed equipment delivery.

Proxima develops stellarators, a type of fusion device that uses carefully shaped magnetic fields to hold plasma in place. Its approach differs from the tokamak configuration pursued by several other fusion developers, although both depend on advanced magnets and systems capable of sustaining demanding operating conditions.

The company’s Alpha demonstrator is intended to operate in the early 2030s and test whether its stellarator design can achieve net energy gain from fusion. Its Stellaris concept is intended as a subsequent electricity-producing plant at Gundremmingen, the site of a former nuclear power station in Bavaria.

Proxima raised €411 million in July to support its development programme. The company emerged from the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics in 2023 and has assembled partnerships with engineering and manufacturing businesses as it moves towards constructing its first major machine.

Neither the Alpha timetable nor the commercial ambitions establish that fusion electricity production has been demonstrated at an economically viable scale. Substantial engineering, testing and regulatory work remains before a commercial plant can supply electricity to the grid.

The company’s manufacturing strategy also reflects the substantial quantities of specialised materials required for stellarator construction. Superconducting tape must meet stringent performance specifications, including its ability to carry large electrical currents while exposed to strong magnetic fields and extremely low temperatures.

Fujikura and Kyoto Fusioneering were already listed among participants in Proxima’s Alpha Alliance, an industrial network bringing together companies with expertise in materials, components and reactor engineering. The new memorandums identify more specific areas for cooperation within that wider group.

By Arun Srivastava Increased aggressiveness and confrontationist attitude of Union home minister Amit Shah —musing police and state machinery, even denying the Supreme Court’s directive to maintain restraint — to curb students’ protests, has caused immense worry in the social and political circles. Apparently, it is being perceived as a sign of the saffron ecosystem […]

The article Behind Modi-Shah Turning Confrontationist Lies Fear Of Losing Ground appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

The German automotive supplier said the facility, formally inaugurated on 8 October, already employs more than 120 engineers and is expected to increase its workforce to more than 300 over the coming years. It did not specify a deadline for reaching that target or disclose the investment involved.

Engineers at the Pune centre are working on software, hardware, systems engineering and mechanical development for customers internationally. Their responsibilities include embedded software, functional safety, cybersecurity and technologies associated with the next generation of steering and chassis systems.

The operation will collaborate with Thyssenkrupp’s development teams in other countries throughout product development, rather than concentrating exclusively on projects for the domestic vehicle market. The company described the facility as an integrated part of its global research and development organisation.

Viktor Molnar, chief operating officer of Thyssenkrupp Automotive Technology, said software, electronics and collaboration between engineering teams across countries were becoming increasingly important to the automotive industry. The Pune operation would provide additional development capacity for customers worldwide, he said.

The expansion reflects changes in vehicle engineering as software increasingly controls functions previously handled primarily through mechanical components. Steering and chassis systems now require developers to coordinate electronic hardware, embedded code and physical components while meeting stringent safety and security requirements.

Functional safety work concerns the identification and control of hazards arising from failures in electrical and electronic systems. Cybersecurity engineering addresses vulnerabilities that could expose connected vehicle functions to interference or unauthorised access. Both are integral to the development of more digitally controlled automotive systems.

The Pune engineers will contribute to customer programmes at different stages of development, including systems design and integration. Thyssenkrupp has not identified individual vehicle manufacturers whose programmes will be handled at the new location, nor has it disclosed specific contracts associated with the expansion.

Björn Erbe, a senior research and development executive in Thyssenkrupp Automotive Technology’s chassis business, said the intention was to establish a significant engineering operation integrated with the group’s international teams. Combining expertise based in Pune with the company’s existing technical resources would enable it to expand development activities, he said.

The centre is situated at Solitaire Business Hub 2 in Pune’s Baner-Balewadi business district. The company identified the city’s established automotive manufacturing sector, universities, engineering businesses and availability of software specialists as factors behind its choice of location.

Recruitment is expected to concentrate initially on software, hardware and mechanical engineering, with specialist capabilities added according to technical needs and customer demand. The company has also indicated that it sees opportunities to work with universities and the wider engineering community in Pune.

The company’s move also places engineering functions and prospective customer engagement in the same city, although it has not yet publicly said whether the new sales organisation will operate from the engineering premises. The plans for sourcing and sales are separate from the confirmed staffing figures for the development centre.

The engineering investment forms part of a broader plan to expand Thyssenkrupp Automotive Technology’s activities in India. The company is strengthening its sourcing operations and establishing a sales team in Pune to build relationships with vehicle manufacturers and pursue business locally.

Manufacturing is not included in the newly inaugurated engineering centre. Thyssenkrupp said it envisages establishing production capabilities in India only if it secures suitable customer projects. No factory location, investment commitment or production timetable has been announced.

The distinction means the confirmed expansion concerns engineering capacity, while local manufacturing remains conditional on commercial demand. The company has similarly not given a precise timetable for the next phase of staffing at the Pune development site.

Plans for the facility were first announced in 2025, and engineering operations were progressively established before the formal opening. The inauguration therefore marks an expansion of an existing development team rather than the beginning of work at an entirely unstaffed location.

Thyssenkrupp’s steering business also announced a partnership with L&T Technology Services in June 2025 for a Pune software development hub dedicated to safety-critical steering applications. That agreement provided for L&T Technology Services to establish and manage the hub on the steering business’s behalf. The latest inauguration announcement did not specify whether the two Pune operations share facilities or personnel.

This represents an improvement over Malaysia’s performance in 2025, when the country received 16 recognitions, including six category wins. The stronger performance in 2026 demonstrates the growing capabilities of Malaysian organisations in implementing energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions.

The recognitions were conferred under the ASEAN Energy Efficiency and Conservation Best Practices Awards and the ASEAN Renewable Energy Project Awards. The Malaysian recipients were recognised for projects involving energy-efficient and green buildings, biogas, solar and micro-hydro, as well as emerging technologies such as green hydrogen, waste-to-energy and battery energy storage systems (BESS).

Prior to stepping onto the regional stage at AEA 2026, these organisations were first recognised for their achievement at the national level through National Energy Awards.

The National Energy Awards (NEA) serves as Malaysia’s platform for identifying and recognising organisations with the potential to compete at the ASEAN level. Selected NEA 2026 winners represented Malaysia at AEA 2026 and presented the country’s sustainable energy achievements and best practices to the region.

PETRA regards this regional recognition as evidence of the ability of Malaysian industries, businesses and institutions to translate the country’s energy transition objectives into practical solutions. It also demonstrates the value of cooperation among the Government, industry and other relevant stakeholders in strengthening Malaysia’s energy ecosystem.

The ASEAN Energy Awards 2026 were presented in Manila, the Philippines, in conjunction with the 44th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) and the ASEAN Energy Business Forum (AEBF).

Malaysia’s performance at AEA 2026 supports the objectives of the National Energy Policy 2022–2040 and the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) to develop a secure, sustainable and inclusive energy system while enhancing the country’s long-term economic competitiveness.

These objectives will also be advanced through the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan 2.0 (NEEAP 2.0) for 2026–2035. The plan targets cumulative energy savings of 815,000 terajoule (TJ) over its 10-year implementation period and is expected to generate approximately RM85 billion in energy savings, attract RM36 billion in private investment and create around 29,000 employment opportunities.

Together with the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act 2024, NETR and NEEAP 2.0 provide the policy and regulatory foundation to accelerate energy efficiency, encourage investment and innovation, and enhance Malaysia’s energy security and economic competitiveness.

PETRA, together with the Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) Malaysia and other relevant stakeholders, will continue to work with industry to increase the adoption of energy-efficient practices, expand renewable energy deployment, and facilitate innovation and investment in support of Malaysia’s energy transition objectives.

PETRA once again congratulates all Malaysian recipients for their achievements and for representing the country with distinction at AEA 2026. Their success reflects the progress of Malaysia’s energy sector and reinforces the country’s contribution to a secure, resilient and sustainable energy future for Malaysia and the wider ASEAN region.

Hashtag: #PETRA

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The agreement gives Qualcomm access to technology Huawei has presented as an alternative route to higher semiconductor performance when conventional transistor shrinking becomes harder and more expensive. It also marks an important commercial endorsement of Huawei’s expanding patent portfolio as the company seeks a larger role in global AI and computing markets.

Huawei and Qualcomm said the arrangement includes cross-licences to their patent portfolios across multiple technology fields. Qualcomm will separately purchase certain Huawei patents registered in the United States covering computing, AI, networking and other technologies. That purchase remains subject to required regulatory approvals.

Financial terms and the duration of the agreement were not disclosed. Huawei said completion of the transaction would lift the cumulative value of its patent licensing agreements above $6.9 billion. The company has said its intellectual-property licensing operation has generated positive revenue since 2021.

LogicFolding forms part of Huawei’s Tau Scaling Law, a semiconductor design framework unveiled in May. Rather than depending solely on geometric scaling — making transistors progressively smaller — the approach seeks to reduce the time required for signals to travel through chips and electronic systems.

Huawei says LogicFolding can shorten critical signal paths by reorganising circuits across vertically integrated layers. The company argues that compressing signal-propagation delay can raise effective transistor density and improve performance and energy efficiency without relying entirely on successive advances in lithography.

The technology has particular strategic importance for Huawei because US export controls have restricted its access to some advanced semiconductor equipment and technologies. China-based chipmakers cannot obtain the most advanced extreme-ultraviolet lithography systems made by ASML, complicating efforts to manufacture chips using leading-edge processes through conventional methods.

Huawei has therefore increasingly emphasised architecture, packaging, interconnection and system-level optimisation as ways of extracting more computing performance from available manufacturing technology. LogicFolding is one element of that effort, although Huawei’s performance claims and longer-term projections remain subject to commercial-scale validation.

Huawei has already introduced the architecture in its latest Kirin processors. The Kirin 9050 Pro used in the Mate XT 2 foldable smartphone incorporates LogicFolding, providing an early commercial application of the design approach. Huawei has also outlined plans to extend the underlying method beyond mobile processors towards AI accelerators and other high-performance computing systems.

The patent arrangement does not mean Qualcomm is adopting Huawei’s complete chip architecture in its products. Patent licensing provides legal rights to use covered inventions under agreed terms, while individual product designs, manufacturing decisions and implementation choices remain separate. Neither company disclosed which Qualcomm products, if any, could eventually incorporate technologies covered by the LogicFolding patents.

The broader agreement also deepens a long-running intellectual-property relationship between the companies. Huawei made its first patent-licensing payment to Qualcomm in 2001, while the new pact is their first licensing agreement to encompass 5G technologies.

John Han, executive vice-president and general manager of Qualcomm Technology Licensing, said the agreement recognised Huawei’s continuing innovation and intellectual property in 5G and other technology fields. He also said it reaffirmed recognition of Qualcomm’s 5G technology and its standard-essential-patent licensing programme.

Huawei chief intellectual property officer Alan Fan said the agreement demonstrated the value of Huawei’s innovations while recognising Qualcomm’s foundational contributions to modern communications technology. Both companies said their licensing practices were intended to be consistent with fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory principles.

The deal comes as Qualcomm broadens its business beyond smartphone processors into personal computers, automotive systems, networking and data-centre computing, areas where efficient AI processing and high-speed interconnects are increasingly important.

Qualcomm’s licensing business remains central to its model, with the company saying its portfolio contains 200,000 granted and pending patents across more than 100 countries and jurisdictions, including foundational cellular and AI inventions.

Reinsurance panel carries an average A+ financial strength rating from AM Best or S&P; treaty deepens security behind each financial guarantee Verdant Rock issues and unlocks capacity for future growth

HAMILTON, BERMUDA – Media OutReach Newswire – 14 September 2026 – Verdant Rock Limited (“Verdant Rock”), a Bermuda‑based Class 3B insurer and financial guarantor focusing on emerging markets, has closed a 30% quota share reinsurance treaty with a panel of leading global reinsurers. The panel carries an average financial strength rating of A+ from either AM Best or S&P, marking a significant milestone for the company less than a year after receiving its Class 3B insurance license from the Bermuda Monetary Authority.

The treaty supports Verdant Rock’s portfolio of irrevocable, unconditional and on-demand financial guarantees on private corporate, structured and project finance exposures across emerging markets. By sharing 30% of risk with highly rated capacity providers, Verdant Rock further strengthens its balance sheet, diversifies its capital base and enhances scalability for future growth.

“Securing a reinsurance panel of this caliber, rated A+ on average, at this stage of our development is a strong validation of our underwriting framework and our approach to governance. Every guarantee Verdant Rock issues now carries an additional layer of security from counterparties that have spent time understanding and believing in what we are building. We are grateful to each panel member for their confidence in us.” — Tolga Uzuner, Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer, Verdant Rock Limited

This announcement is (i) for information only; (ii) not an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security, insurance product, or financial guarantee; and (iii) not for distribution in any jurisdiction where to do so would be unlawful. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results, and Verdant Rock undertakes no obligation to update them. A credit rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security and may be subject to revision, suspension or withdrawal at any time by the assigning rating agency.

Hashtag: #VerdantRock

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

ABOUT VERDANT ROCK

Verdant Rock Limited is a Bermuda‑based insurance company regulated by the Bermuda Monetary Authority as a Class 3B Insurer. The company currently holds a BBB+ Long‑Term Insurer Financial Strength Rating with a Stable Outlook from Fitch Ratings. It provides Basel and ICS-family Solvency regimes compliant, investment‑grade financial guarantees on private credit exposures in emerging markets, designed to qualify as eligible credit protection under Basel and major insurance solvency regimes for banks, insurers and institutional investors globally. The company focuses on private liabilities and does not cover sovereigns, municipalities or provinces. Its remit covers bonds and loans issued by emerging market corporations and banks, structured financings, asset-backed (ABS) and mortgage-backed (MBS) exposures in securities or loan format, and project finance.

The Japanese currency traded around 155.7 per dollar after a volatile session, having surged sharply earlier in the week as investors increased bets that the Bank of Japan could tighten policy faster than previously anticipated. The move brought the yen close to levels last seen after joint US-Japan currency intervention in July.

US nonfarm payrolls increased by 162,000 in August, well above the 56,000 gain economists had expected, while the unemployment rate held at 4.1 per cent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. June and July payroll figures were also revised higher by a combined 55,000 jobs.

Employment gains were concentrated in food services and drinking places, which added 62,000 jobs, and local government education, which gained 42,000. Construction added 22,000 positions and manufacturing 16,000, while information employment declined. The average private-sector workweek edged up by 0.1 hour to 34.4 hours during August, official data showed.

The dollar initially strengthened after the release as traders raised the probability of a Federal Reserve rate increase at its September 15-16 meeting. Fed funds futures implied roughly a 59 per cent chance of a quarter-point rise after the data, up from about 50 per cent beforehand.

Those gains faded as investors turned attention to next week’s inflation figures, which are expected to play a decisive role in the Fed’s assessment. Producer-price data are due on Thursday, followed by consumer-price figures on Friday. Economists expect annual core consumer inflation to ease to 2.4 per cent from 2.5 per cent in July.

The dollar index, which tracks the US currency against six major peers, was up about 0.1 per cent at 99.10 later in the session. The euro was little changed around $1.162, while sterling held near $1.35 after showing limited reaction to the US employment report.

The yen’s weekly strength has been driven primarily by expectations of further Bank of Japan tightening. Markets were pricing a high probability of a 25-basis-point increase at the central bank’s September 17-18 meeting after policy board member Hajime Takata said officials should act nimbly to counter intensifying inflation pressures rather than adhere to a predictable schedule.

Speculation about a larger or faster sequence of rate increases has also encouraged investors to unwind short-yen positions that had accumulated while Japan maintained substantially lower borrowing costs than other major economies.

Japan’s top currency diplomat, Atsushi Mimura, said on Friday that authorities remained alert to exchange-rate movements, maintaining Tokyo’s warning that it was prepared to respond to excessive volatility. Officials have repeatedly stressed that intervention is aimed at disorderly market moves rather than defending a specific exchange rate.

The yen had approached 155.21 per dollar, the strongest level reached after July’s coordinated intervention. A sustained break beyond that level would put the currency at its strongest point since early May.

The broader policy outlook remains finely balanced. Fed Governor Christopher Waller said on Thursday that he was inclined to support unchanged rates if incoming data confirmed that inflation pressures were cooling, tempering expectations of an imminent increase before the payrolls figures were released.

Wage data offered some support for that argument despite the stronger hiring numbers. Average hourly earnings rose 0.3 per cent in August and were 3.1 per cent higher than a year earlier, the weakest annual increase since June 2021.

Higher Japanese government bond yields have also fuelled speculation that domestic investors could shift some overseas holdings back to Japan. Market participants have focused particularly on insurers and pension funds with large foreign-asset portfolios as relative returns on Japanese debt improve.