Self driving cars and insurance

Mai Thu with her car, a reward for her relentless efforts I met Mai Thu on a cold, windy day at the beginning of the Year of the Buffalo in the impoverished district of Tanh Linh in Binh Thuan province. It was a time when the porch was lit up by golden sunshine and the confetti in the front was swaying in the wind, showing off its colours on the dry ground that looked like baked tiles. With her eyes filled with joy, the charming young woman recalls her journey filled with difficulties she had to overcome to achieve her current success. “ I used to be a very poor student with only VND1 million ($43.47) to my name that my mother managed to borrow from a pagoda after walking back and forth between so many places when I entered university,” Thu reminisced. “I had only flip-flops to wear as a student, and they were so worn out that they eventually broke at school and I had to go home barefoot.” “After I graduated as an accountant, I had to look for a livelihood. Life … [Read more...] about Winning a Mercedes car, the story of a resilient village girl

SINGAPORE -- Traveloka, Southeast Asia’s largest online travel startup, plans to launch financial services in Thailand and Vietnam as it eyes a U.S. listing through a blank-cheque company, its president said. The 9-year-old Indonesian company, which counts Expedia and China’s JD.com among its backers, is seeing a strong rebound in its business after the COVID-19 pandemic pummelled demand. The company’s president, Caesar Indra, told Reuters in an interview that Traveloka’s Vietnam business had surpassed pre-COVID-19 levels, is nearly back to normal levels in Thailand, and is at half of pre-COVID level in Indonesia. “The worst has happened and now we’re well prepared for 2021. Domestic travel is driving recovery,” he said. “The plan is to invest in fintech in a big way to allow more consumers to travel in the region,” Indra said, adding that the travel business had returned to profitability in late 2020. Traveloka, which says it has 40 million active monthly users, is … [Read more...] about Southeast Asia’s biggest travel app plans regional fintech expansion before 2021 listing

Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton competes to win the race ahead of Mercedes' Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas and Red Bull's Dutch driver Max Verstappen during the Belgian Formula One Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Spa on August 30, 2020.(photo: JOHN THYS / POOL / AFP) The Finn, who started his career with Williams, said he owed his career to the Williams family and their racing team. Six-time world champion Hamilton said he once dreamt of driving a Williams car and regarded Frank Williams as one of the most honest people in the sport. "It was his life project and I think he's done really well and I think the whole family should be very proud of what they've achieved," said Bottas, talking to reporters during a video news conference ahead of the Monza event. "I still remember the day, the first time when I went to the factory," he added. "I met Frank and then eventually I got that opportunity to become a test driver and then used that opportunity and … [Read more...] about Bottas, Hamilton ‘sad’ to see end of Williams family affair

In this file photo taken on August 4, 2019 Prema Racing's German driver Mick Schumacher celebrates after winning the Formula Two championship race of the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring circuit in Mogyorod near Budapest. Mick Schumacher, the son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, will drive in Formula One for the first time with Haas next season, the team announced on December 2, 2020, leaving their new recruit "emotionally exploding" at the realisation of a dream.(ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / AFP) "It's incredible and it definitely hasn't sunk in yet," the 21-year-old said in a press conference. "I'm happy it's been decided -- I have been chasing this dream since I was three years old." Schumacher junior will partner Russian driver Nikita Mazepin, another Formula One debutant, in the Haas line-up. Haas team principal Guenther Steiner welcomed his new drivers, tweeting: "Super excited about having two rookies in our team for next year! Welcome, Mick!" They … [Read more...] about Schumacher’s son gets ‘dream’ first F1 spot with Haas