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Nano Dimension Continues EMEA Growth; Appoints AMTECH to Sell its DragonFly Pro System in Czech Republic

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AMTECH has purchased a DragonFly Pro System that will be used for demonstrations as well as for training purposes

NESS ZIONA, Israel, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- *Nano Dimension Ltd**., a leading additive electronics provider (NASDAQ, TASE: NNDM),* today announced it is further expanding its presence in EMEA with the appointment of AMTECH spol. s.r.o as its first reseller in Czech and Slovak Republics as well as adjacent areas. AMTECH has also purchased a DragonFly Pro additive manufacturing system and will make the technology available to the local electronics market.

The reseller agreement marks an important milestone for Nano Dimension as it executes on its strategy for enhancing its market position in EMEA, which already includes coverage in Benelux, Germany, France, Italy, UK and Israel.

Amtech is an established service provider with more than 25 years of engineering and electronics experience providing technological equipment and materials primarily for electrical and electronic production.  Nano Dimension’s award-winning DragonFly Pro will complement Amtech’s broad product offerings of PCB capital equipment and robotics and enable it to provide a precision additive manufacturing solution to its customers. One of Amtech’s first activities with Nano Dimension was to demonstrate the capabilities of the DragonFly Pro at a recent customer event in Czech Republic in October 2018. The exhibition has already generated market interest from local and multinational companies faced with challenges in reducing time to market and optimizing development and production costs.

“There is a clear and growing demand for additive manufacturing solutions for emerging technologies,” said Radek Nekarda, CEO of AMTECH. “The DragonFly Pro is an ideal solution for rapid innovation. By working closely with the Nano Dimension team, we will now be able to help our customers utilize the latest world-class additive manufacturing technology in their products to enable faster design verification, while also drastically shortening time to market which is a significant competitive advantage.”

“The Czech Republic represents one of the most dynamic markets in Eastern Europe with strong electronics and automotive sectors, good universities and in recent years has attracted a lot of R&D investment, making it well positioned to implement precision additive manufacturing,” said Amit Dror, CEO of Nano Dimension. “With its expert team of sales and support engineers, Amtech brings a very high level of professionalism and dedication to serving customers, ideally suited to helping us expand into this high growth market.”

With the need for electronics, automotive, defense, consumer, and medical device manufacturers to provide a wide range of electronic components, the ability to prototype 3D printed circuit boards in just hours onsite, enables rapid innovation and time-savings, regardless of how complicated the circuit is. Nano Dimension’s DragonFly Pro system provides unlimited possibilities for creating the densely packed electronic prototypes required for smart design iteration. The high-resolution system lets designers and engineers 3D print metal and polymer simultaneously to 3D print PCBs and high precision functional electronics such as sensors, antennas, molded interconnect devices and customized smart parts forming the foundation for the electronics of tomorrow.   

*About Nano Dimension Ltd.*

Nano Dimension (Nasdaq, TASE: NNDM) is a leading electronics provider that is disrupting, reshaping, and defining the future of how cognitive connected products are made. With its unique 3D printing technologies, Nano Dimension is targeting the growing demand for electronic devices that require increasingly sophisticated features. Demand for circuitry, including PCBs - which are the heart of every electronic device - covers a diverse range of industries, including consumer electronics, medical devices, defense, aerospace, automotive, IoT and telecom. These sectors can all benefit greatly from Nano Dimension’s products and services for rapid prototyping and short-run manufacturing. For more information, please visit www.nano-di.com.

*Forward-Looking Statements*

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other Federal securities laws.  Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates” and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. For example, Nano Dimension is using forward-looking statements in this press release when it discusses the potential of its products, the benefits of working with new resellers and expanding into new markets. Because such statements deal with future events and are based on Nano Dimension's current expectations, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Actual results, performance or achievements of Nano Dimension could differ materially from those described in or implied by the statements in this press release. The forward-looking statements contained or implied in this press release are subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in Nano Dimension’s annual report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 15, 2018, and in any subsequent filings with the SEC. Except as otherwise required by law, Nano Dimension undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. References and links to websites have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this press release. Nano Dimension is not responsible for the contents of third-party websites.

CONTACT: NANO DIMENSION INVESTOR RELATIONS
Miri Segal-Scharia, CEO, MS-IR LLC | 917-607-8654 | msegal@ms-ir.com

NANO DIMENSION PR CONTACT
Galit Beck, Public Relations Manager | 972-542539495 | galit@nano-di.com Reported by GlobeNewswire 2 hours ago.

Italy's Eurosceptic government REFUSES to lend France Leonardo Da Vinci paintings

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Italy's Eurosceptic government REFUSES to lend France Leonardo Da Vinci paintings Lucia Borgonzoni, an Italian senator for the anti-migrant League Party, said lending three of the artist's works to France would put her country on the sidelines, adding: 'Leonardo was Italian.' Reported by MailOnline 2 hours ago.

Far-right policies see Italy’s democracy ranking plummet

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The policies of Italy's anti-immigrant and anti-establishment government which came to power last June have torpedoed the country's global democracy ranking, a think tank said Wednesday (9 January). Reported by EurActiv 2 hours ago.

Italy and Poland discuss UNITING to form an anti-EU alliance ahead of European elections 

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Italy and Poland discuss UNITING to form an anti-EU alliance ahead of European elections  Italy and Poland will discuss uniting in an anti-EU alliance in Warsaw on Wednesday ahead of European elections in May, as they seek to bolster their eurosceptic positions internationally. Reported by MailOnline 1 hour ago.

Italy Unemployment came in at 10.5%, above expectations (10.1%) in November

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Reported by FXstreet.com 2 hours ago.

Shock as former Bristol and New Zealand rugby coach dies suddenly aged 53

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Shock as former Bristol and New Zealand rugby coach dies suddenly aged 53 He was taken ill while working in Italy Reported by Bristol Post 20 minutes ago.

El Vaquero Launches Capsule Collection With Jewelry Designer Elena Estaun at Pitti Show in Florence, Italy, January, 2019

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Luxury Italian footwear brand El Vaquero announced the official launch of its latest collection “New Kind of Desert” with Spanish jewelry designer Elena Estaun during the PITTI SHOW at La Congrega lounge on Via dei Tosigni, 3/4r in Florence, Italy set for 10th of January 2019 from 8 p.m. till 11 p.m.

FLORENCE, Italy (PRWEB) January 09, 2019

Luxury Italian footwear brand El Vaquero announced the official launch of its latest collection “New Kind of Desert” with Spanish jewelry designer Elena Estaun during the PITTI SHOW at La Congrega lounge on Via dei Tosigni, 3/4r in Florence, Italy set for 10th of January 2019 from 8 p.m. till 11 p.m.

The invitation-only showing will be set against the backdrop of a simultaneous screening of the brand’s original short film shot in the renowned Marble Cave “Fantiscritti” in Carrara. The exclusive event is expected to bring together leading fashion media, artists, influencers and the brand’s devoted fans from all over the world who are looking forward to previewing the latest collection. Acclaimed fashion model and influencer Cecilia Rodriguez who has over 3.5 million followers and others will be in attendance.

Company CEO Nicholas Giuntoli revealed early details about the new footwear designs, which were inspired by the concept of a mystical desert where the land and sky converge. “We’re excited to unveil our new designs rendered in uncommon earth tones and sky blues. Silverstone will feature our new aging technique that creates color fluctuations on the buttery soft textures of suede. Kalahari provides the rawness of leather with reptile prints. And, showcasing the ethereal quality that has always been a signature of the brand are Freedom with the wild beauty of floral prints and Kalahari Trifluo with bright sparks of neon colors.” Another highlight of the evening is the introduction of the Capsule Collection of shoes and accessories crafted from the collaboration between Elena Estaun and El Vaquero founder Valerio Giuntoli. Elena’s industrial yet ethnic signature design is expected to bring a different perspective to El Vaquero to make the showing a must-attend preview event.

ABOUT EL VAQUERO
Established in 1975 by designer Valerio Giuntoli, El Vaquero is a line of custom women’s boots and footwear (along with belts and bags) made with artisanal flair from revered Tuscany traditions of shoemaking. Each pair starts from the foundational last and is precisely manufactured from materials that undergo a meticulous tanning process that introduces a vintage appearance to the leather and renders shading variations during the custom dip dye coloring. The resulting fine Italian leathers and other high-quality materials such as calf suede, python prints, and shearling provide the shoes incomparable durability and comfort. The designs - of boots that honor the Native and Western American past while completing re-inventing them for the totally modern woman – have drawn many celebrity fans in the US and abroad. Made entirely in Italy by highly skilled craftsmen, the line has steadily grown as an internationally acclaimed fashion brand available in leading cities worldwide The collection comes in sizes from about 4 to 11 (US), 35-41 (European) and priced from about $400 to $600. Elvaquero.it Reported by PRWeb 30 minutes ago.

District Heating Market Will Expand at 6.5% CAGR up to 2024 | Fortum, Göteborg Energi, Vattenfall, Ørsted and 11 Other Vendors Profiled

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According to Global Market Insights, Inc., Combined heat and power (CHP) district heating market is poised to achieve 4% CAGR in given time-frame owing to feasible operation costs, effective distribution networks and low CO2 emissions.

SELBYVILLE, Del. (PRWEB) January 09, 2019

The commercial district heating market is anticipated to achieve over 6% by 2024. Growing demand for sustainable & advanced heating technologies coupled with active measures toward achieving energy security will support the business growth. The capability of DH systems to provide high operational performance, enhanced reliability and economic feasibility across commercial applications will accelerate the adoption of systems. Furthermore, the development of advanced technology solutions including pre-insulated piping network will encourage the district heating market growth.

China district heating market in 2017, contributed to more than 30% of the global market share. Effective government measures to curb air pollution and promotion of sustainable solutions for heating across consumers will complement the business landscape. For instance, the ministry of Housing & Urban-Rural Development has announced to increase the capacity of indoor heating zones across the upper belt in Southern China, with temperature falling below 50 C during winters. Moreover, in 2016, the World Bank had accepted a loan of worth USD 100 million for Hebai province of China for establishing the green heating deployments.

Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/1401

Global District Heating Market size will surpass USD 250 Billion by 2024, as reported in the latest study by Global Market Insights, Inc. Rigorous implementation of government regulations & policies toward the reduction of carbon emissions accompanied by growing measures toward the recycle & reuse of waste energies will drive the market growth. For instance, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through its Clean Air Act regulates the release of harmful air pollutants including the CO2, SO2 and NOx emissions. As per the EU, the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) based district heating system emits relatively 60% lower amount of CO2 as opposed to conventional boiler-based space heating system running on the same fuel.

Solar District Heating (SDH) market is expected to grow over 8% by 2024. Relatively lower operational cost, ease of installation, environmental performance, and economic viability are some of the key features that will accelerate the technology adoption. The EU, as part of its SDHtake-off plan aims at promoting and deploying SDH systems across Germany, Denmark, Austria, Czech Republic and Italy. Under this program, a capacity of over 500 MWth of SDH has been added and the government further aims at adding over 8 GWth by 2020.

Browse key District Heating Market insights from the 2018 report spread across 324, pages offering 472 market data tables as well as 46 figures & charts along with the table of contents:

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/district-heating-market

Strict government standards and policies toward adoption of green & sustainable technologies and reducing the CO2 emissions will foster the Russia district heating market. By 2020, the country has planned to reduce the GHG emissions by 75% compared to the levels in 1990. Rapid modernization and renovation measures toward existing traditional heating systems to attain energy efficiency will encourage the product adoption.

Notable industry participants across the global market include Fortum, Goteborg, Vattenfall, STEA, Statkraft, Shinryo, RWE, Ramboll, Ørsted, NRG, LOGSTOR, Korea District Heating Corporation, Keppel, Kelag and Hafslund.

Make an Inquiry for purchasing this report @
https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/1401

Browse Related Reports:

District Heating Pipeline Network Market Size Forecast 2017 – 2024:

Global District Heating Pipeline Network Market in 2016 was valued at over USD 400 billion and the cumulative installation is set to exceed 850 thousand Km by 2024 as increasing government measures pertaining to carbon emissions coupled with ongoing adoption of heating systems will propel the market growth. Read more at

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/district-heating-pipeline-network-market

Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Market Size Outlook 2017 – 2024 Forecast:

The global Combined Heat and Power Market exceeded USD 20 billion in 2016, with annual installed capacity to exceed 25 GW by 2024 as Shifting trends from conventional to sustainable energy along with growing demand for captive power generation will boost the industry demand. Read more at

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/combined-heat-and-power-CHP-market

About Global Market Insights

Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.

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Blog: http://news-researchers.com/ Reported by PRWeb 1 day ago.

Kabbage Data Reveals One-Third of Successful Small Businesses Started with Less Than $5,000

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Survey finds the majority of small businesses achieved success despite facing initial cash flow deficits and short run rates

ATLANTA (PRWEB) January 09, 2019

New data released today by Kabbage, Inc., a global financial services, technology and data platform serving small businesses, shows that the majority of successful entrepreneurs began their businesses with little cash flow and short run rates. Polling 600 thriving U.S. small business owners, the Kabbage survey found 58 percent of small businesses started with less than $25,000 and one-third started with less than $5,000.

How Small Business Start Financially
Of the respondents surveyed, 65 percent of entrepreneurs admit they were not fully confident they had enough money to start their business. In fact, the overwhelming majority of entrepreneurs (93 percent) calculated a run rate of shorter than 18 months, of which 25 percent calculated a run rate of less than six months, and 36 percent didn’t calculate this at all. Yet, 82 percent did not doubt they had the right qualifications and proper experience to run a company and all are successfully in operation today.

Start-Up Money Varies by Industry
According to the survey, the most expensive types of small businesses to launch are restaurants, medical offices, and manufacturing companies, with 38 percent, 23 percent and 19 percent, respectively, claiming it cost more than $100,000 to begin. Alternatively, the three small businesses that required the least amount of startup capital—$5,000 or less during the first six months—are accounting (45 percent), online retail (44 percent) and construction and landscaping (39 percent).

“We sought to understand the cash flow concerns successful business owners faced when starting their company,” said Kabbage Head of Lending, Rob Rosenblatt. “The data shows cash flow and run rate uncertainties are all too common among small business owners. While it may seem daunting, it’s their tenacity and self-confidence to succeed that champions their doubts and compels them to start the amazing journey of entrepreneurship.”

About Kabbage
Kabbage, Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, has pioneered a financial services data and technology platform to provide access to automated funding to small businesses in minutes. Kabbage leverages data generated through business activity such as accounting data, online sales, shipping and dozens of other sources to understand performance and deliver fast, flexible funding in real time. With the largest international network of global-bank partnerships for an online lending platform, Kabbage powers small business lending for large banks, including ING and Santander, across Spain, the U.K., Italy, France and more. Kabbage is funded and backed by leading investors, including the SoftBank Vision Fund, BlueRun Ventures, Mohr Davidow Ventures and others. All Kabbage U.S.-based loans are issued by Celtic Bank, a Utah-Chartered Industrial Bank, Member FDIC. For more information, please visit http://www.kabbage.com. Reported by PRWeb 23 hours ago.

EUR/USD trims gains and recedes to 1.1440 ahead of FOMC

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· *Spot comes under some selling pressure and abandon daily highs.*
· *The recovery in the greenback falters around 95.90.*
· *FOMC minutes are expected later in the NA session.*

After advancing to the 1.1480 region in early trade, sellers turned up and motivated *EUR/USD* to ease to the 1.1440 region.

*EUR/USD stays sidelined, looks to FOMC*

Another day, another failed attempt to surpass the 100-day SMA in the 1.1480 region. The pair keeps the sideline theme unchanged so far today, all within the broader 1.12/1.15 range that has been in place since November 2018.

Data wise in Euroland, the unemployment rate ticked lower to 7.9% during November, the lowest level in a decade, pointing out to further tightening of the labour market in the region.

Later in the European evening, the FOMC will publish its minutes of the December meeting, when it raised rates by another 25 bps.

*What to look for around EUR/USD*

In the very near term, US-China trade negotiations will remain key for the price action in the risk-associated complex. On the USD-side, today’s FOMC minutes could shed more detail on the views of the Committee regarding the rate path for the next months as well as the sustainability of the current pace of the US economy. Other than USD-dynamics, EUR faces difficulties in its own backyard which could hinder further upside: political effervescence in Italy, upcoming discussions over the French budget along with some social unrest, German economy could enter a technical recession in Q4 in light of recent poor data releases, declining investor confidence in the euro bloc… and as a result of this mix, the ECB could remain sitting on the fence for longer…

*EUR/USD levels to watch*

At the moment, the pair is gaining 0.11% at 1.1453 facing the next hurdle at 1.1476 (100-day SMA) seconded by 1.1485 (high Jan.7) and finally 1.1497 (high Jan.2). On the flip side, a breakdown of 1.1309 (2019 low Jan.2) would target 1.1268 (monthly low Dec.14 2018) en route to 1.1214 (2018 low Nov.12). Reported by FXstreet.com 22 hours ago.

EUR/USD pops above 1.1500 on USD-selling

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· *The pair clinches weekly peaks beyond 1.1500 the figure.*
· *Increasing selling pressure is hurting the buck.*
· *FOMC minutes next on tap in the US docket.*

A wave of fresh selling orders is now hurting the greenback and lifting *EUR/USD* to fresh multi-day tops above the critical 1.1500 the figure.

*EUR/USD up on USD weakness*

Spot manages to quickly gather extra steam and surpass the 1.1500 barrier following the ongoing sharp sell off in the buck, which is forcing the US Dollar Index to retreat to the 95.30 region, area last visited in October 2018.

The pair gains extra pace despite Fed-speakers did not sounded as dovish as probably expected earlier today. In fact, Chicago fed C.Evans said that rates could climb a bit above neutral if downside risks dissipate, adding that he expects the economy to expand a tad above 2% this year.

Later in the day, all eyes will be on the publication of the FOMC minutes.

*What to look for around EUR/USD*

In the very near term, US-China trade negotiations will remain key for the price action in the risk-associated complex. On the USD-side, today’s FOMC minutes could shed more detail on the views of the Committee regarding the rate path for the next months as well as the sustainability of the current pace of the US economy. Other than USD-dynamics, EUR faces difficulties in its own backyard which could hinder further upside: political effervescence in Italy, upcoming discussion over the French budget along with some social unrest, German economy could enter a technical recession in Q4 in light of recent poor data releases… and as a result of this mix, the ECB could remain sitting on the fence for longer…

*EUR/USD levels to watch*

At the moment, the pair is gaining 0.79% at 1.1530 facing the next hurdle at 1.1549 (2019 high Jan.1) seconded by 1.1550 (high Oct.22 2018) and finally 1.1621 (monthly high Oct.16). On the flip side, a breakdown of 1.1309 (2019 low Jan.2) would target 1.1268 (monthly low Dec.14 2018) en route to 1.1214 (2018 low Nov.12). Reported by FXstreet.com 19 hours ago.

Patrick Dempsey Launches Business Partnership with KA/NOA!

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Patrick Dempsey is taking on a brand new role! The 52-year-old actor suited up at the KA/NOA launch presentation at Pitti Immagine Uomo on Wednesday morning (January 9) in Florence, Italy to announce that he’s joining the company as a business partner. Founded in 2017 by Italian born Bruno Grande, “KA/NOA is a fast-developing men’s [...] Reported by Just Jared 18 hours ago.

'Bad and unexpected': Germany probably just went into a recession

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'Bad and unexpected': Germany probably just went into a recession· *German industry went into a sudden and unexpected collapse in November. The data is so bad some economists think it might be wrong.*
· *Nonetheless, they agree that Germany may have been in a recession for the last two quarters of 2018.*
· *Germany is the largest economy in Europe and the fourth-largest on the planet. So this is bad.* 

Germany may be in recession, economists said, after they trawled through an unexpectedly horrible set of industrial and manufacturing data published on Wednesday's from the world's fourth-largest economy.

· German industrial production fell by -1.9% in November.
· Year over year, production hit a low of -4.6% — the biggest trough since the 2008 crisis.
· Germany’s exports fell -0.4% month over month in November, the government reported today.

Suddenly, Europe is faltering. 

Germany is the largest European economy and its leaders have an outsized influence on the rest of the EU and the European Central Bank. A recession in Germany could easily drag down France and Italy — and the latter country is already likely in a recession of its own. Greece is still struggling to recover from its debt crisis and neighbouring Turkey also dropped into a steep recession, triggered by the devaluation of its currency.

Here is what analysts are saying:

"Even if order books and backlogs of work still look good, Germany likely flirted with a technical recession in H2. We have revised our Q4 GDP forecast to 0.0%."— Daniel Harenberg of Oxford Economics. 

"The decline was broad-based across sectors, with no bright spots: manufacturing fell by 1.8% m-o-m with the consumer goods sector once again being the major drag (-4.1% m-o-m vs. -3.3% in Oct.) ... Today’s data were both bad and unexpected. A technical recession in German industry now seems likely."— Stefan Schilbe of HSBC. 

"Germany likely was in recession in H2 2018 ... Yesterday’s manufacturing data in Germany provided alarming evidence of a much more severe slowdown in the second half of last year than economists had initially expected. Industrial production plunged 1.9% month-to-month in November, driving the year-over-year rate down to a decade-low of -4.6%. The headline was hit by a perfect storm across all sectors."— analyst Claus Vistesen of Pantheon Macreconomics. 

The collapse of German industry was so steep and so sudden that Vistesen told clients he almost doesn't believe the data: "The crash in the year-over-year rate is far in excess of anything remotely believable, at least using survey data as a yardstick," he told clients in a note seen by Business Insider.

*SEE ALSO: Europe is faltering*

*AND: Investors just pulled out a record $13 billion from the shaky leveraged-loan market*

*DON'T MISS: Austerity has measurably damaged Europe: here is the statistical evidence*

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The equity chief at $6.3 trillion BlackRock weighs in on the trade war, a possible recession, and offers her best investing advice for a tricky 2019 landscape Reported by Business Insider 16 hours ago.

Populist leader in Italy sees kinship with French protesters

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ROME (AP) — An Italian government leader says his populist movement is ready to help anti-government protesters in France. Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio said his 5-Star Movement shares a quest for “direct democracy in Europe” with the French protesters. A 5-Star senator, Ettore Licheri, said on Wednesday that Di Maio is trying to line […] Reported by Seattle Times 12 hours ago.

Rangers flop Sadiq Umar completes loan move to Serie B outfit Perugia

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Rangers flop Sadiq Umar completes loan move to Serie B outfit Perugia After his underwhelming campaign in Scotland, the Nigeria youth international has returned back to Italy to complete the season with the Serie B club Reported by Goal.com 13 hours ago.

Ship traffic, January 10

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Ship traffic Due to arrive today SHIP FROM PORT Glovis Captain San Diego SFO Hyundai Busan Long Beach OAK Mol Experience Vancouver, British Columbia OAK Due to depart today SHIP TO PORT Aristomenis Xiamen, China OAK Cap Taputapu Papeete, Tahiti OAK Carmel Port Unknown SCK Esperance Bay Savona, Italy SFO Genco Lorraine Rizhao, China SFO Melina Seattle OAK MSC Sasha Vancouver, British Columbia SFO Star Louisiana New Westminster, British Columbia SCK Source: S.F. Marine Exchange Reported by SFGate 12 hours ago.

Hi tech pet food bowl detects Fido's face

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A bowl developed by an Italy-based artificial intelligence company keeps pet food safe from babies and wild animals by using facial recognition. (Jan. 9)

 
 
 
 
 
 
  Reported by USATODAY.com 10 hours ago.

Man United ready to bid for 21-year-old Serie A defender – report

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Manchester United are ready to launch a bid to sign Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic in the January transfer window, according to a report in Italy. Tuttosport, as quoted by Metro, is reporting that Manchester United are ready to step up their interest in the Fiorentina centre-half this month. The same article states that axed Manchester […]

The post Man United ready to bid for 21-year-old Serie A defender – report appeared first on The Sport Review. Reported by The Sport Review 4 hours ago.

Fast Europe Open: France industrial production, Italy retail sales

The Old And New Techniques Of Dezinformatsjia – Analysis

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By Giancarlo Elia Valori*

Disinformation – i.e. what the Soviet intelligence services called Dezinformatsjia – is at the origin of the phenomenon that we currently define – with oversimplification -fake news, spread to support or not voters’ or consumers’ specific choices, obviously both nationally and internationally. Nowadays the “political market” is globalized exactly like the market of goods and services and hence all the tools available to a country and to its political elite need to be used.

Certainly the intelligence agencies’ room for manoeuvre is currently much wider than it was at the time of the Cold War. Hence many mass manipulation techniques, which in the past were specifically political, are now also commercial, behavioral, cultural, scientific or pseudo-scientific. They are closely interwoven and currently the electoral or political manipulation operations often stem from commercial marketing techniques.

Dezinformatsjia, however, is always a “weak to strong” operation, i.e. a series of strategic and information actions that try to prevent the use of force by those who are tactically superior.

Those who have not enough missiles targeted against the enemy,  or have not the maximum military efficiency, faces the opponent with psychological and propaganda techniques, which cost less and – by their very nature -do not trigger a conventional military countermove by the enemy against whom they are targeted. However they can trigger an equal and opposite disinformation by the target country.

These are all “ironic” operations, in the etymological sense of the word. Irony comes from the Greek word eironèia, i.e. “fiction, dissimulation, or to say the opposite of what you think”.

Just think of the great demonstrations against “Euromissiles” in the early 1980s -not foreseen by the Soviets, which put a strain on the huge intelligence network of the Warsaw Pact in Europe – or of the myth of the opening to dissent in the era of Khrushchev’s “thaw”. Or just think – as maintained by Anatoly Golytsin, the former KGB officer who defected to the USA – of the schisms between the USSR and Mao’s China, or of the transformation of the Komintern into Kominform, in which also Yugoslavia secretly participated, even after the famous schism between Tito and Stalin.

According to Golytsin, a senior KGB officer, all the divisions within the Communist world were a huge and very long sequence of fake news. Westerners never believed him, but the predictive power of his book, New Lies for Old, published in the USA in 1984, is still extraordinary.

He foresaw the “liberalization” of the Soviet system and even its collapse, so as to be later reborn in a new guise. All true, until today.

But what is really Dezinformatsjia, i.e. the technique that is at the origin of fake news and of all current psychopolitical operations?

For the KGB experts, disinformation is linked to the criterion of “active operations” (aktivinyyemeropriatia), i.e. the manipulation and control of mass media; the actual disinformation, both at written and oral levels; the use of Communist parties or covert organizations. In this case, just think of all the organizations “for peace” or for friendship “among peoples”, as well as of radio and TV broadcasts.

“Active measures” even include kompromat, i.e. the “compromising material”, as well as damaging and disparaging information about Western agents or politicians’ involvement in sex, illegal and drugs affairs. This information is collected and used strategically across all domains, with a view to creating negative publicity.

An active kind of measure that we have recently seen at work against President Trump. Nevertheless it has been implemented by his fellow countrymen, who, however, do not seem to be very skillful in the art of desinformatsjia.

It should be recalled, however, that currently a fundamental technique is to manipulate the opponents’ economies or to support guerrilla groups or terrorist organizations.

Manipulation of economies through statistical data or governments’ “covert” operations on stock markets, while support for terrorist groups, even those far from the State ideology, is provided through an intermediary that may be another State or a large company, or through bilateral financial transactions outside markets.

The Red Brigades, for example, initially trained in Czechoslovakia by passing through the Austrian woods at the border, owned by the Feltrinelli family.

When the publisher Giangiacomo Feltrinelli was found dead near an Enel trellis in Segrate, but long before the Italian police knew who had died on that trellis, the Head of the KGB center in Milan hastily went to report to the Soviet embassy in Rome.

Many friendly and enemy States, however, used right-wing and left-wing terrorism against the Italian Republic.

The goal was clear: to destroy or annihilate a dangerous economic competitor, especially in Africa and in the East.

Dezinformatsjia, however, was institutionally targeted against what the Soviets called “the primary enemy”, namely the United States.

Under Stalin’s power – who was dialectically “superseded” by Khrushchev, always in contrast with true innovators – “active measures” also included assassination.

I do not rule out at all that, in particular cases, this tradition has been recovered even after the death of the so-called “little father”.

As we can see, “active measures” -namely Dezinformatsjia – still has much to do with contemporary world.

If we only talk about fake news, we cannot understand why it is spread, while if it is interpreted in the framework of the old – but still topical – disinformation strategy, everything gets clearer.

In the Soviet regulations of the 1960s, every KGB foreign branch had to devote at least 25% of its forces to “active measures”, while each residence had an officer specifically trained at Dezinformatsjia.

It should be noted that, in 1980, CIA estimated the total cost of “active measures” at 3 billion US dollars, at least.

It was the real struggle for hegemony that the USSR was fighting, considering that the missile, nuclear and conventional balance of the two forces on the field did not permit a real military clash.

However, the result of the final clash would have been very uncertain.

Nowadays every State produces fake news, as well as ad hoc opinion movements, and spreads agents of influence in the media, in universities, businesses and governments.

Hence the globalization of disinformation, not simply fake news, is the phenomenon with which we really have to deal.

During the Cold War, the Soviet apparata spread the fake news of the CIA and FBI involvement in the assassination of John F. Kennedy, while the East German apparata often spread news about Western politicians being members of Nazi hierarchies or about the pro-Nazi sympathies of Pope Pius XI.

It should also be noted that Andropov, who was elected General Secretary of the CPSU in 1982, had been the Head of the KGB First Chief Directorate, precisely the one that coordinated and invented all “active measures”.

At the time, Western newspapers were filled with news about Andropov as a “modernizer”, a reader of the American literature classics and a jazz lover.

Was it Dezinformatsjia? Obviously so, but no one answered that question, thus raising expectations – among the NATO European Member States’ peoples – about a sure “democratization” of the Soviet Union in the future.

Andropov, however, secretly believed that the United States would unleash a nuclear war in the short term against the USSR. Hence this was the beginning of a long series of Dezinformatsjia hard operations right inside the United States.

Nevertheless, following the rules of “active measures”, they were not specifically targeted against the US military and political system, but against other targets apparently unrelated to the primary aim: the US responsibility for the (impossible) creation of the AIDS virus or – as the Soviet Dezinformatsjia always claimed – the “unclear” role played by CIA and FBI in the assassinations of J.F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King or even the death of Elvis Presley.

A specific product for each public.

Hence a fake storytelling is created – not a series of objective data – around a theme that is instead real, so as to reach the goal of a generic defamation of the primary enemy, where there is always a “bad guy” (obviously the US government and its Agencies) and a “good guy”, that is the American people that must be freed from the bad guy holding them prisoner.

According to the theories of the great Russian scholar of myths, tribal rituals, folktales and fairy storytelling, V.I. Propp, whose text “Morphology of the Folktale” was published in Leningrad in 1928, this is exactly one of the primary narrative elements of the folktale.

As in the case of  KGB “active operations”, Propp’s scheme envisages some phases of construction of the myth or of the folktale: 1) the initial balance, i.e. the phase in which everything is devoid of dangers; 2) the breaking of the initial balance and hence the creation of the motive for the subsequent action; 3) the vicissitudes of the hero, who is the one who “restores order” after the natural twists and turns; 4) the restoration of balance, namely the conclusion.

Hence the mythical and fairy mechanism concerns the archetypes of the human psyche, as described by Carl Gustav Jung.

This is the reason why, despite their evident counter factuality, propaganda constructions work well and last well beyond the time for which they were thought and designed.

Active operations are modeled on the natural parameters with which the human mind works. When well done, said operations do not use abstract theories, cultural or sectoral models. They speak to everyone, because they act on the unconscious.

It is no coincidence that currently the archetypal branding – i.e. the marketing system based on the 12 Jungian archetypes – is increasingly widespread.

It was created in 2001, several years after the fall of the USSR and in the phase in which the New World Order was strengthening.

Propp’s four elements work just as an “active measure”, based on four categories: 1) mastery and stability; 2) belonging; 3) change; 4) independence.

It is easy to verify how these four categories of modern marketing (and of the archetypal tale) fully apply  both to disinformation operations, which can often favor one of the four elements compared to the others, and to the actual political marketing.

Hence politics, intelligence services’ propaganda and marketing currently work on the basis of the same deep psychic mechanisms.

In the Soviet tradition, there is also a certain tendency to use Ivan Pavlov’s psychology in the field of intelligence.

Pavlov developed the theory of “conditioned reflexes”, i.e. the psychic mechanism that is produced by a conditioning stimulus.

The experiment of the dog and the bell is, in fact, well-known and needs no elaboration.

It should be noted, however, that the conditioned reflex is triggered precisely when the food announced by the sound of the bell is no longer there, while the dog shows all the typical reactions of the animal in the presence of food.

Here, the “active measures” of disinformation create a conditioned reflex by connecting a country, a leader or a political choice to something universally negative which, however, has nothing to do with the primary object.

This connection becomes instinctive, automatic, obvious and almost unconscious.

Just think of the automatism – once again artfully created – between the Italian intelligence services and the so-called “strategy of tension”.

The goal of perfect Dezinformatsjiais to create a Pavlovian conditioned reflex that works immediately and naturally as a Freudian “complex”.

Nevertheless, with a view to being successful, every fake news or message that is part of an “active measure” must have at least a grain of truth – otherwise it immediately appears as an opinion or ideology, which is soon rejected by the subject.

This means they can be discussed and maybe accepted rationally, but the “active measure” must mimic an immediate, natural and pre-rational reaction. Otherwise it becomes traditional propaganda or part of an open debate, exactly the opposite of what it has to do.

Hence the message must be processed with extreme care to reach the goal of any disinformation operation: to convey in the public “enemy” and / or in its ruling classes a message that – when well done – fits perfectly and unknowingly into the communication mechanisms of the “enemy”.

Western experts call this procedure “weaponization of information” or “fabrication of information”.

Nowadays, however, all information is distorted by the manipulation about the aims it must achieve – just think of the Italian and European debate on immigration from Africa.

Hence also the West uses the weaponization of information- but, probably, it still uses it badly.

Hence we will never witness the end of fake news – which  have always existed – but simply its refinement as real natural “states of mind” or, more often, as immediate reactions, such as those connected to a conditioned reflex artfully created.

In this case, there is no longer difference between reality and imagination.

Fake news as fiction – we could say.

If this is the new battlefield of psywar, it will be good for Italy – even autonomously from the NATO center that deals with “strategic information” – to equip itself with a structure, within the intelligence agencies, developing and carrying out specific disinformation operations.

For example, with reference to the Italian companies operating abroad, to Italy’s general image in the rest of Europe and to its action in Africa or in the rest of the world.

**About the author:* Advisory Board Co-chair Honoris Causa Professor Giancarlo Elia Valori is an eminent Italian economist and businessman. He holds prestigious academic distinctions and national orders. Mr. Valori has lectured on international affairs and economics at the world’s leading universities such as Peking University, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Yeshiva University in New York. He currently chairs “International World Group”, he is also the honorary president of Huawei Italy, economic adviser to the Chinese giant HNA Group. In 1992 he was appointed Officier de la Légion d’Honneur de la République Francaise, with this motivation: “A man who can see across borders to understand the world” and in 2002 he received the title “Honorable” of the Académie des Sciences de l’Institut de France.”

*Source:* This article was published by Modern Diplomacy Reported by Eurasia Review 4 hours ago.
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