Newsweek International 11/19/2021

1977 Newsweek said of Steven Spielberg’s movie, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, “It’s the first true populist science-fiction film, a blend of the most startling, far-out special effects with the most ordinary human material of the American Heartland. If there really are alien beings buzzing us hesitantly in their interstellar whizbangs, Close Encounters may finally persuade them to come down and rest a spell.” The bright lights in the film have become synonymous with alien ships and on the film’s 30th anniversary in 2007, the Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry. 1993 “Instead of celebrating, much of America’s black privileged class claims to be in excruciating pain,” said Newsweek Contributing Editor Ellis Cose in his examination of why many successful Black Americans felt disadvantaged. Almost a…

NEWSWEEK’S AUTO AWARDS HIGHLIGHT THE industry's best in 25 individual vehicle and brand categories. This first annual list includes several U.S. companies, a start-up automaker and a number of models that have recently been redesigned. Nearly all of the vehicles we ranked are made in America. We rated vehicles in two ways: by test driving them and by comparing their standard and available features and specifications to those of other vehicles in the same category. Over the last year, the Newsweek autos team drove about 150 vehicles, rating them in seven categories: performance, handling and braking, technology, cargo area, seating, interior appointments and pricing. We focused on how well the vehicles lived up to the expectations of the target customer. Automakers were asked to provide vehicles for testing and only models that…

As the world’s fifth-largest exporter of grain and a leading European producer of iron and steel, Ukraine benefits from a very open economy, with foreign trade accounting for 90% of GDP in 2019. It also benefits from Zelensky’s ambitious plans to transform the economy. When he came to power in 2019, Zelensky made it clear that attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) is a top priority. Months after his election victory, he outlined an ambitious reform agenda at the World Economic Forum, unveiling plans to privatize 500 state-owned companies, improve investor protection, offer five-year tax breaks for buyers of state-owned firms, and launch new services to facilitate project development: “We will defend your investment. We offer an ‘investment nanny’ for those investing $100 million-plus that will include a separate contract with the…

Metallurgy contributed with 12% to GDP in 2018, and is a major source of export earnings. Ukraine ranks fourth in the world and second in Europe in net steel exports in 2020, leveraging its location, natural resources, and highly-skilled but relatively affordable industry labour pool. Not only the biggest company in the sector, but Ukraine’s largest privately-owned business, Metinvest is leading the way in the development of steel and mining in its home market and internationally. With a long-standing reputation for delivering solutions tailored for the needs of its global customers, the company’s redoubled drive for operational efficiency goes hand-in-hand with both its ongoing M&A strategy and multibillion investments in environmental projects, providing a model of best practice for the industry as a whole. “We export 70-80% of our output, and…

The upturn will help boost the real estate and construction sectors, which tend to be driven by broader economic growth and market confidence. Even in 2020, when the global economy was hit by the covid-19 pandemic and related lockdowns, Ukrainian construction output grew by 4%, according to official figures. It was boosted by the government’s “Big Construction” programme, while private demand remains an essential part of the picture. The first five months of 2021 saw a 14.7% increase in residential construction. Leading the way in the sector is KADORR Group, led by Adnan Kiwan, a Damascus born entrepreneur who came to Ukraine as a student in the 1980s and whose vision and commitment to the country has built a company with around $1bn in assets. The company has invested $4bn in…

The mining sector has been especially attractive for investors because of the enormous potential it offers. Ukraine is home to some of the world’s largest deposits of iron and manganese ore, and holds significant reserves of rare, critical and strategic minerals, including Europe’s largest titanium and beryllium reserves, and significant quantities of nickel, uranium, and graphite, among many others. With excellent access to these reserves, leading domestic mining developer BGV Group Management will play a crucial role in developing the industries of tomorrow, including electric vehicle batteries, solar wind farms, and advanced technology. Established in 2015, BGV Group Management creates innovative, advanced, and unique businesses active in exploration and production of oil and gas and minerals, including rare earth minerals. The group invests in sites where large deposits of vital rare…