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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Indonesia is building a new capital city from scratch to deal with rising sea levels.</li><li>The new city, Nusantara, was set to be operational in October. But things are not going according to plan.</li></ul>Jakarta, the current capital of Indonesia, is overpopulated and sinking.Southeast Asia's largest megacity is home to some 10.6 million people. But with 40% of the wider metropolitan area below sea level, the effects of climate change are increasingly <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/indonesia-jakarta-sinking-flooding-2019-5">causing flooding</a> across the capital.So, in 2019, Indonesia's government approved an ambitious plan to build a new capital city 100 miles away from Jakarta.Nusantara, the new capital, is not scheduled to be fully completed until 2045. However, the city was set to be operational as the new seat of government in time for the new president's inauguration in October.That's now looking increasingly unlikely, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2024-indonesia-new-capital-nusantara-delays/?srnd=phx-latest">Bloomberg</a>.Construction delays, funding concerns, and resignations are casting doubt over whether President Joko Widodo's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jakarta-sinking-indonesia-new-capital-city-nusantara-photos-climate-crisis-2024-4">$30 billion</a> megaproject will be open before his term runs out.As the nation's new administrative capital, Nusantara requires ministerial offices, a presidential palace, and residential and office space for at least 10,000 civil servants to be built in East Kalimantan, a province on the Indonesian side of the jungle-covered island of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-2024-destination-dupes-according-to-intrepid-travel-2024-5">Borneo</a>.Large areas around the government buildings are still under construction. When it rains, the unpaved access roads become muddy and difficult for workers to navigate.<div type="image" title="The Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit system in Nusantara, the new capital of Indonesia, with jungle trees behind it and cranes in the distance." height="576" width="1024" msid="112547669" hostid="261" sizebytes="128106"></div>Issues with water and electricity supplies have also delayed plans to relocate civil servants to their new homes multiple times since March. Only one office building, meant to house four government agencies, is currently complete, Bloomberg reported.The latest estimate is that office and housing complexes will be ready in September. "But if it's not ready, we'll postpone it," President Widodo <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3270707/indonesias-jokowi-delays-move-new-capital-amid-prabowos-potential-shift-nusantara">told reporters</a>.In June, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/indonesia-nusantara-jakarta-new-capital-city-joko-widodo-resignations-2024-6">two senior government officials</a> overseeing the project resigned.Even plans to celebrate Indonesia's Independence Day in Nusantara on 17 August have been curtailed — the guest list has been cut down from 8,000 to 1,300 because of logistical challenges, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.ft.com/content/f6aa4a2c-42fe-459f-922e-dfb2b0d2e24a">the Financial Times reported.</a>"The accommodation was not enough, as well as food, since the ecosystem has yet to be built here," Widodo said at a press conference, per the FT.Despite the setbacks, president-elect Prabowo Subianto has pledged to continue the project when he takes office. However, there are rising concerns about how Nusantara will be funded.The Indonesian government has only committed to covering about 20% of the cost and has struggled to find other sources of cash. In March 2022, Japan's SoftBank pulled out of investing in the project.Over 400 companies have now signed intent to invest letters, but only around $3.5 billion has been committed so far, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Business-trends/Indonesia-s-new-capital-Nusantara-attracts-increased-investor-interest">Jokowi has said</a>.Subianto's commitment to the project may increase investor's confidence. The government is also tempting them with land concessions for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://jakartaglobe.id/news/jokowi-defends-190year-state-land-concessions-for-nusantara-investors">up to 160 years</a> and generous tax incentives.

Indonesia's $30 billion purpose-built new capital city is not going to plan

Singapore Airlines will make an additional investment of Rs 3,194.5 crore in Tata Group-owned Air India post-merger of Vistara in November. The merger, announced on November 29, 2022, and set to be completed on November 11, 2024, will result in Singapore Airlines having a 25.1% stake in the enlarged Air India. Full-service carrier Vistara, which started flying on January 9, 2015, is a joint venture between Tatas and Singapore Airlines, where the latter holds a 49% shareholding. Vistara's last flight will take off tomorrow i.e. November 11, 2024. Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group on Friday said its consideration for the merger comprises the 49% interest in Vistara and Rs 20,585 million (Rs 2,058.5 crore) in cash in exchange for a 25.1% equity interest in the enlarged Air India. Post-merger, SIA expects to recognize a non-cash accounting gain of around 1.1 billion Singapore dollars and also start equity accounting for its share of Air India's financial results. According to a release on Friday, the merger includes an agreement for SIA to contribute its share of any funding previously provided by Tata prior to the completion of the merger, together with relevant funding costs up to Rs 5,020 crore that would allow it to maintain a 25.1% stake in Air India. "SIA's additional capital injection is expected to be Rs 31,945 million (equivalent to SGD 498 million), based on Tata's funding to Air India to date. This will occur after the completion of the merger and within November 2024 through subscription to new Air India shares. "Future capital injections will be considered based on Air India's requirements and available funding options," according to the release issued while announcing the airline's financial performance for the six months ended September 2024. The merger of Vistara with Air India will mark a major consolidation in the fast-growing Indian aviation space. SIA said the merged entity will have a significant presence across all key Indian air travel segments, including domestic, international, full-service, and low-cost operations. "This will strengthen SIA's multi-hub strategy, allowing it to continue participating directly in India's large and fast-growing aviation market," it added. Recently, Air India and SIA agreed to significantly expand their codeshare agreement, adding 11 Indian cities and another 40 international destinations to their network.

Singapore Airlines to invest additional Rs 3,195 cr in Air India post-Vistara merger

The government on Tuesday announced a series of measures for development of Andhra Pradesh, including arranging <keyword id="20006597" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rs-15000-crore" source="keywords">Rs 15,000 crore</keyword> this fiscal and in future years for development of the <keyword id="19948211" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Capital-city" source="keywords">capital city</keyword> of the state. Presenting <keyword id="20387181" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget-2024-25" source="keywords">Union Budget 2024-25</keyword>, Finance Minister <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> said the government will also facilitate special financial support for development of the capital city. Besides, the Centre allocated over Rs 3 lakh crore for schemes benefiting women and girls and stated that it is fully committed for completion and financing of <keyword id="22237410" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Polavaram-irrigation-project" source="keywords">Polavaram irrigation project</keyword>. The minister also announced backward region grant for three districts of the state. The <keyword id="19910625" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Telugu-Desam-Party" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Telugu Desam Party" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="Telugu Desam Party">Telugu Desam Party</keyword> (TDP) is a key ally of the BJP in the Centre. Political parties from Andhra Pradesh have protested time and again since 2014 demanding special category status for the state. Special category status is a classification of regions or states by the central government to provide special assistance in the form of tax benefits and financial support for development of the region. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/union-budget-2024-live-updates-finance-minister-nirmala-sitharaman-key-announcements-23-july/liveblog/111942008.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/union-budget-2024-live-updates-finance-minister-nirmala-sitharaman-key-announcements-23-july/liveblog/111942008.cms" target="_blank">Union Budget 2024 Live Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to present her record seventh consecutive Budget today</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/expectations-from-union-budget-2024-25-how-will-this-budget-impact-you/articleshow/111946291.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/expectations-from-union-budget-2024-25-how-will-this-budget-impact-you/articleshow/111946291.cms" target="_blank">Union Budget 2024-25: How will this budget impact you?</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/heres-a-quick-overview-of-pm-modi-3-0-governments-first-budget-to-be-presented-by-fm-nirmala-sitharaman-today/articleshow/111944393.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/heres-a-quick-overview-of-pm-modi-3-0-governments-first-budget-to-be-presented-by-fm-nirmala-sitharaman-today/articleshow/111944393.cms" target="_blank">Here's a quick overview of PM Modi 3.0 government's first budget, to be presented by FM Nirmala Sitharaman today</a>

Centre to arrange ₹15,000 crore for development of capital city of Andhra Pradesh

A day before his swearing-in as the chief minister of <keyword id="19896313" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Andhra-Pradesh" source="keywords">Andhra Pradesh</keyword>, <keyword id="19910623" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="TDP" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="TDP" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="TDP">TDP</keyword> supremo <keyword id="20138505" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="n-chandrababu-naidu" source="keywords">N Chandrababu Naidu</keyword> on Tuesday announced that <keyword id="19926152" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Amaravati" source="keywords">Amaravati</keyword> will be the <keyword id="22018772" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sole-capital" source="keywords">sole capital</keyword> of the state. Naidu made this announcement, addressing a joint meeting of TDP, BJP and Janasena legislators, where he was unanimously elected as NDA leader in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly. "In our government, there will be no games under the guise of three capitals. Our capital is Amaravati. Amaravati is the capital," asserted Naidu. As the first chief minister of bifurcated Andhra Pradesh between 2014 and 2019, he had floated the idea of Amaravati as the capital city. However, this brainchild of Naidu suffered a setback in 2019 when the TDP lost power and Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP won a landslide victory. Reddy poured cold water on the <keyword id="3924608" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amaravati-capital" source="Orion">Amaravati capital</keyword> city plans and propounded a new theory of three capitals, which Naidu has now replaced with the decision to have a single capital. The NDA alliance of TDP, BJP and Janasena won a landslide victory in the recently concluded simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the state with a brute majority of 164 assembly and 21 Lok Sabha seats. The triumph has breathed new life into the Amaravati capital city project.

Chandrababu Naidu announces Amaravati as sole capital city of Andhra Pradesh

Ten years ago, <keyword id="19926151" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chandrababu-Naidu" source="keywords">Chandrababu Naidu</keyword> made a promise that <keyword id="19926152" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amaravati" source="keywords">Amaravati</keyword> would be the capital of <keyword id="19896313" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Andhra-Pradesh" source="keywords">Andhra Pradesh</keyword>. In April 2024, at a public meeting in Tadikonda, he announced that Amaravati is the heart of Andhra Pradesh and if he is voted back to power, he will make sure the city remains its only capital. And true to his word, just before his swearing-in as Chief Minister, Naidu announced that Amaravati would be the one and only capital of the state. No more talk of three capitals, he asserted. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="A capital drama" comment="subhead" text="A capital drama">A capital drama </cmsannotation>In the hustle and bustle of Andhra Pradesh's political landscape, a significant shake-up occurred on June 2, 2024. Hyderabad, once the heart of administrative affairs, bowed out, thanks to the <keyword id="22019611" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Andhra-Pradesh-Reorganisation-Act-of-2014" source="Orion">Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act of 2014</keyword>. The state found itself in a peculiar situation — one without an official capital. While one side of the state’s political spectrum batted for multiple capitals for the state, another pushed for only one — Amaravati! Let's rewind a bit. Telangana became India's newest state in 2013, stirring up the whole capital matter for Andhra Pradesh. Chief Minister at the time, Chandrababu Naidu, had his eyes set on Amaravati as the new capital. He dreamed big, envisioning it as a modern hub of governance. But then <keyword id="64899" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jagan-mohan-reddy" source="Orion">Jagan Mohan Reddy</keyword> came into the picture in 2019 with a completely different idea — a concept of three capitals! Amidst all the political drama and legal tussles, Andhra Pradesh's administrative setup got stuck in limbo. The High Court stepped in, telling the state to stick to the commitments made by its previous government, making things even more complicated. On June 4, 2024, the state’s fate began to get increasingly clear after N Chandrababu Naidu’s <keyword id="19910623" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="TDP" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="TDP" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="TDP">TDP</keyword> clinched a sweeping victory in the assembly elections. The NDA alliance of TDP, BJP and Janasena won a landslide victory in the recently concluded simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the state with a brute majority of 164 assembly and 21 Lok Sabha seats. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Amaravati: a green smart city in the making" comment="subhead" text="Amaravati: a green smart city in the making"><keyword id="22019612" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amaravati-a-green-smart-city" source="Orion">Amaravati: a green smart city</keyword> in the making </cmsannotation>Naidu’s decision breathes new life into Amaravati's capital city project. But there's work to be done. With Hyderabad out of the picture, there's a logistical mess to sort out — offices, homes, and civic infrastructure need significant rejigging. It's a hassle, but it's also an opportunity. Amaravati is a new city being built from scratch (greenfield) on a large area (217 sq km) along the Krishna River. By 2050, it's expected to be home to 3.5 million people. The city is well-connected by road, rail, and air to major Indian cities. Land for Amaravati's development was acquired through a special program and the city is being designed with a focus on sustainability and smart technologies. Amaravati was selected in Round 3 of the Central Government’s Smart City Challenge in June 2017. Located along the Krishna River with good transport connections, it was among the few greenfield cities selected under India's Smart Cities Mission. Focus on eco-friendly development and using technology to improve quality of life makes it a smart and sustainable city as per the City Corporation. As Amaravati steps into the spotlight, Andhra Pradesh will hopefully chart its course towards a more stable and sustainable future. (With inputs from PTI)

Announcing Amaravati as the only capital, new CM Chandrababu Naidu breathes life into Andhra’s dream of a smart capital

<ul class="summary-list"><li>PowerSchool sells student data without parents' informed consent, a federal lawsuit alleges.</li><li>The edtech giant calls the lawsuit's allegations "unfounded and inaccurate."</li></ul>It's been 10 years since Emily Cherkin helped her son log onto a school computer on his first day of Kindergarten."He can't even write his name. Why am I teaching a five-year-old control-alt-delete?" she remembers asking herself.Cherkin, a Seattle mother of two, former teacher, and author of the new parenting guide <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=emily+cherkin+the+screentime+solution&amp;rlz=1C5GCEM_enUS1094US1095&amp;oq=emily+cherkin+the+screentime+solution&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigATIHCAUQIRigATIHCAYQIRirAtIBCTEwMzY5ajBqN6gCALACAA&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">"The Screentime Solution,"</a> is now the lead plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit that alleges the education technology giant PowerSchool is selling student data, including health and disciplinary records, to its third-party "partners," and doing so without the informed consent of kids or parents.The lawsuit, filed in May in federal court in San Francisco, takes on the world's largest provider of cloud-based software for K-12 schools.PowerSchool, based in Folsom, California, manages data and crunches it into what it calls "analytics and insights" for more than 60 million students and their educators, including <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.powerschool.com/global/north-america/united-states/">at 90 of the top 100 US school systems by enrollment size</a>.Boston-based private equity firm <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rak-garg-bain-capital-ventures-youngest-partner-2024-7">Bain Capital</a> acquired PowerSchool for $5.6 billion in a deal finalized October 1. PowerSchool <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.powerschool.com/bain-capital/#:~:text=(%E2%80%9CPowerSchool%E2%80%9D%20or%20the%20%E2%80%9C,value%20of%20approximately%20%245.6%20billion.">CEO Hardeep Gulati said</a> the merger will help the company expand its award-winning products, including <a target="_blank" href="https://www.powerschool.com/powerschool-ai/powerbuddy/?utm_id=ps00032&amp;utm_campaign=powerschool_powerbuddy_paid-search__pkg00035&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=paid-search&amp;utm_content=text-only&amp;_bk=powerbuddy&amp;_bt=702266406463&amp;_bm=e&amp;_bn=g&amp;_bg=161909434485&amp;cq_plac=&amp;cq_net=g&amp;cq_pos=&amp;cq_med=&amp;cq_plt=gp&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwsoe5BhDiARIsAOXVoUucdfp2kkZDiwXnqSDBRfimw6rztJoPhTxmV5nwd8F7Y9ZtUlGzj3IaAqMIEALw_wcB">PowerBuddy,</a> its new generative AI platform.With two parents and their children as sole plaintiffs, the Cherkin lawsuit may seem a small effort by comparison, but it's throwing big rocks.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25260275-cherkin-v-powerschool-complaint-20240506">The lawsuit</a> caps Cherkin's decade of concern about children and screen time. It calls PowerSchool a "multibillion-dollar surveillance-technology empire." It demands that the company pay back untold millions of dollars earned by selling student data "products" to more than 100 of its <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.powerschool.com/company/partners/">partners</a>, including educational consulting firms and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25259171-powerschool-guide-to-p20w">government policymakers</a>.One partner, an educational consulting firm, offers marketing guidance to colleges, trade schools, and the military based on data from the 6 million high school students who use PowerSchool's Naviance college-planning software, the lawsuit alleges."PowerSchool collects this highly sensitive information under the guise of educational support," the lawsuit alleges, "but in fact collects it for its own commercial gain," while hiding behind "opaque terms of service such that no one can understand."PowerSchool is throwing big rocks back.The days of "spiral-bound grading books" are long over, the edtech company's lawyers counter in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25260257-cherkin-v-powerschool-motion-to-dismiss-20240722">a motion to dismiss</a> filed in July.The motion argues that PowerSchools is legally allowed to collect data voluntarily submitted by students and administrators, along with metadata about "unique device identifiers," IP addresses, and "cookie data."PowerSchool also argues that it "adequately discloses" what data it collects.PowerSchool spokesman Austin Zerbach told BI that no PowerSchool product sells any form of student data. "PowerSchool does not endorse or support any use of student educational records other than as agreed to by our customers, the schools and districts controlling the student education record, nor do we conduct targeted advertising with personal data of students," PowerSchool spokesman Zerbach said in a written statement.<h2 id="d912114d-9964-433f-80b6-1ed9123210db">A 345-terabyte trove of data</h2>The information PowerSchool collects from students is "virtually unlimited," the lawsuit says.It lists more than 50 kinds of data that PowerSchool says in public disclosures it "may" collect, including "extracurricular program membership" and "student assessments."<div type="image" title="Categories of data PowerSchool public disclosures mention the edtech company &quot;may&quot; collect." height="1076" width="766" msid="114945245" hostid="261" sizebytes="23708"></div>PowerSchool also tells users it may collect "student behavior data" and information about "physical and mental disabilities," according to the lawsuit.PowerSchool's "data trove" totals some "345 terabytes of data collected from 440 school districts," and includes information from nearly 20 edtech companies it has acquired since 2015, including Schoololgy and Kickboard, a "student behavior management and reporting program," the lawsuit alleges.What's done with the data?The lawsuit alleges that in addition to being aggregated into lucrative analytics "products" for third parties, it's used to "train its AI technologies," including a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.powerschool.com/powerschool-ai/powerbuddy/?utm_id=ps00032&amp;utm_campaign=powerschool_powerbuddy_paid-search__pkg00035&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=paid-search&amp;utm_content=text-only&amp;_bk=powerschool%20powerbuddy&amp;_bt=702266406463&amp;_bm=e&amp;_bn=g&amp;_bg=161909434485&amp;cq_plac=&amp;cq_net=g&amp;cq_pos=&amp;cq_med=&amp;cq_plt=gp&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjw-JG5BhBZEiwAt7JR6wXcuxvpa0vkLTae4QJjMPAdsAXLaqF5-fArp6Ea0cuLbThmuvw7YBoCCiwQAvD_BwE">PowerBuddy</a> chatbot marketed not only to educators but to "state officials" for the purpose of "workforce planning," the lawsuit alleges.<div type="image" title="PowerSchool also publicly discloses that it may collect &quot;student behavior data&quot; and records of &quot;physical and mental disabilities,&quot; the Cherkin lawsuit alleges." height="1512" width="822" msid="114945247" hostid="261" sizebytes="38602"></div><h2 id="58f65212-0185-4112-b583-39eb1ada3ba6">The data is anonymized</h2>The data shared with third parties is anonymized, but the lawsuit raises concerns that it is so "granular" that it can be reverse-engineered to identify individual students."There are data brokers — they're called identity-resolution companies — that collect information from internet users, re-identify the data, and then sell it," said attorney Julie Liddell, whose Austin, Texas-based <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://edtech.law/about-us/">EdTech Law Center </a>represents Cherkin in the suit.Technology can easily re-identify anonymized student data, said Chad Marlow, senior policy counsel at the ACLU, where he focuses on privacy, surveillance, and technology issues."A generation ago, the most private student data was kept in a locked steel file cabinet in the principal's office, and it was very hard to share that information," Marlow said. "Nowadays the ability to share and reshare that data can be as easy as pressing a key on a keyboard."<div type="image" title="PowerSchool's marketing of student data systems to state government agencies." height="2394" width="1955" msid="114945234" hostid="261" sizebytes="89902"></div>Among the "products" PowerSchool offers educators, policymakers, and government agencies is its <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.powerschool.com/college-career-and-life-readiness-cloud/connected-intelligence-p20w/">"P20W Cradle-to-Career State Data Systems."</a>Its data is touted as "longitudinal," captured from the same students from K-12 through post-secondary education and into the workforce.<div type="image" title="PowerSchool markets &quot;efficient access to both historical and current data&quot; from students to government agencies." height="1486" width="1744" msid="114945238" hostid="261" sizebytes="109230"></div>"It's telling state and local governments, 'You will not get a more robust picture of children, starting from their earliest days,'" said Liddell."And this is not just for educational services," she told BI. "It's for workforce planning, for healthcare planning, for juvenile justice and law enforcement planning," she said.PowerSchool's motion to dismiss the lawsuit, including on grounds that it misapplies the law and fails to state "actual damages," will be argued in San Francisco on Thursday before US District Judge James Donato."The claims made in the complaint are unfounded and inaccurate," Zerbach, the PowerSchool spokesman, told BI.The company "strictly and proactively follows all legal, regulatory, and voluntary requirements for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.powerschool.com/privacy/">protecting student privacy</a>," the statement said, pointing to PowerSchool's online "<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.powerschool.com/blog/commitment-to-protecting-student-data-privacy/">commitment to protecting student data privacy.</a>""No PowerSchool product, including Connected Intelligence P20W, sells any form of student data," the spokesman said. "Connected Intelligence P20W provides a unified, secure, and integrated platform for education and government agencies to securely unify, integrate, and access their own source system data in a state-specific data cloud. As with all PowerSchool products, only authorized users have data access with stringent data governance as defined by the state agency. "PowerSchool began selling software to help schools track grades, attendance, and enrollment in 1996.Apple purchased the company for $62 million in 2001, then sold it to Vista Equity Partners in 2015. Vista Equity retains a minority investment stake, as does Onex Partners, according to PowerSchool's Bain merger announcement.When the deal closed on October 1, shares of the edtech leader, which had been trading as PWSC, were delisted from the NYSE.The Bain-PowerSchool deal comes on the heels of global investment firm KKR &amp; Co. Inc's $4.8 billion acquisition of the Salt Lake City-based edtech firm Instructure Holdings, Inc., <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/instructure-to-be-acquired-by-kkr-for-4-8-billion-302206622.html">announced in July.</a>"It's unsurprising that private equity firms are increasingly interested in acquiring companies that have access to troves of highly valuable data," Liddell told BI.As a private company, "they will no longer be legally bound to make even the minimum disclosures required by a public company," she said.A spokesperson for Bain Capital did not respond to a request for comment on this story.

A lawsuit accuses Bain Capital's PowerSchool of trafficking in student data. The edtech giant says everything it does is legal.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>After years of living in highly populated cities, my husband and I moved to <keyword id="22983204" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Raleigh" source="keywords">Raleigh</keyword>, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/surprising-things-moving-to-asheville-north-carolina-from-nyc-2023-5">North Carolina</a>.</li><li>I was worried I wouldn't like living here, but Raleigh has exceeded my expectations.</li></ul>I grew up in a small city in South Carolina and went to college in rural Virginia. But after graduating in 2008, I wanted to experience <keyword id="23623514" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="big-city-living" source="keywords">big-city living</keyword>. This desire led me to cities like <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-things-to-do-washington-dc-what-to-skip-family-2024-8">Washington, DC</a>, Sydney, San Francisco, and New York City. Though I didn't necessarily love the price tags associated with living in these places, I loved that they gave me access to a wide variety of things to do. My run of living in big, highly populated cities finally came to an end in 2020 after a year and a half in <keyword id="20418528" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NYC" source="keywords">NYC</keyword>. The COVID-19 lockdowns left my husband and me feeling trapped in our <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-design-small-space-for-style-and-function-photos-2022-7">small apartment</a>, so we decided to head south to spend some time with <keyword id="19895682" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="family" source="keywords">family</keyword>. After a brief stay at my parents' house in the mountains of western North Carolina, we decided to move to Raleigh, the state's capital. I knew it would be a big change, especially given that NYC has an estimated population of 8.26 million people and Raleigh is home to fewer than 500,000. I was worried that the city would quickly start to feel too small, and there wouldn't be enough things for us to do. I also dreaded not being able to find some of our favorite cuisines we had easy access to in New York. However, after four years of living here, I see why Raleigh has been named one of the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-cities-to-live-in-the-south-united-states-2024-7">best places to live in the South</a>. Here are a few of my favorite things about life in the <keyword id="23623512" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Southern-city" source="keywords">Southern city</keyword>. <h2>There's a lot to do in Raleigh</h2> <div type="image" title="The author sits on a blanket in a park with her toddler daughter on her tap. In the background, there are trees and skyscrapers." height="2268" width="3024" msid="114251820" hostid="261"></div>Though Raleigh's population is smaller than that of other cities I've lived in, it's still big enough to attract fairly big headlining artists (though sadly we didn't get any dates on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-leaving-us-first-time-for-taylor-swift-eras-tour-uk-2023">the Eras Tour</a>). There's also a professional hockey team and three major universities for college sports, so we have lots of opportunities to attend games. My husband and I love visiting William B. Umstead State Park just outside the city limits for hiking, and there are 180 miles of greenways for biking and walking in Raleigh. There's always something fun to do, and we have way more options for activities than I imagined. <h2>I've found it easier to get around Raleigh than New York City</h2>In New York, it took me 50 minutes by subway to travel 6 miles from my <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-ways-i-use-space-and-decorate-nyc-rental-2022-4">apartment in Brooklyn</a> to my sister's place on the Upper East Side. In Raleigh, I can get to most places in under 20 minutes. I did have to buy a car to get around in North Carolina, but I don't mind driving, and street parking in my neighborhood is free. When I lived in bigger cities, traveling from point A to point B often felt like a lot of work. But here in Raleigh, the easier <keyword id="20573647" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="commute" source="keywords">commute</keyword> means I'm more likely to go out and do things in my spare time. <h2>We get more bang for our buck in Raleigh</h2> <div type="image" title="The author and her husband stand in front of the foundation of a house that is being built." height="2268" width="3024" msid="114251814" hostid="261"></div>When my husband and I lived in Brooklyn, we rented a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment. But one of the bedrooms could barely fit a bed. Now we own a four-bedroom, five-bathroom house and have an additional 2,800 square feet of space. The best part is that we pay less a month for our mortgage than we did for our small NYC rental. Overall, we've found that the <keyword id="20307950" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="cost-of-living" source="keywords">cost of living</keyword> is lower, and our salaries (the same ones we had in NYC as we now work remotely) go much further here. Going out to eat or grabbing cocktails is significantly less expensive than it was in New York. Our gym membership is half of what it used to cost up north. Things like swim lessons and ballet classes for our daughters are also cheaper. <h2>The food scene isn't the same, but we still have access to many <keyword id="23623513" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="high-quality-restaurants" source="keywords">high-quality restaurants</keyword></h2>It would be hard for the restaurant options in Raleigh to rival those in New York. We still haven't found great <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-best-and-worst-foods-to-order-at-thai-restaurants">Thai food</a> yet, and our takeout options are way more limited — but my fear of finding only Southernfood in Raleigh was unfounded. Restaurants and chefs from Raleigh are routinely nominated for James Beard awards, and I'd pit some of our favorite eateries against NYC hot spots. I do wish I could find a great bagel here, but outside that, I don't miss anything about living in a bigger city. We're staying put in Raleigh for the foreseeable future, and I'm excited to see the area continue to grow. Correction: October 15, 2024 — An earlier version of this story stated that a Sweetgreen location has opened in Raleigh. However, this location will be opening soon.

We moved from NYC to Raleigh. I didn't think I'd be happy in a smaller Southern city, but it's exceeded my expectations.

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="20138372" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Lithuania" source="keywords">Lithuania</keyword> ranks as the <keyword id="23243125" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="happiest-place" source="keywords">happiest place</keyword> for those under 30, but it also has very high suicide rates.</li><li>On the surface, it seems like a paradox. But a closer look reveals a stark generational divide.</li></ul>Domantas Katelė, an official in Lithuania's Ministry of Social Security and Labour, is widely known as his country's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-sick-leave-pto-mental-health-work-from-home-2024-8">"Gen Z"</a> minister. Rings adorn Katelė's tattooed fingers, which he uses to proudly point to his "Politicians make me sick" door sign. At 25, he's the country's youngest-ever deputy minister (he still wears braces), and rarely lets visitors leave his office without taking a selfie. Katelė's portfolio includes <keyword id="20654323" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="youth-affairs" source="keywords">youth affairs</keyword>. "It's a golden age for the youth of Lithuania," he told Business Insider during a visit to Vilnius in August. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-lithuania-happiest-country-young-people-from-local-2024-6">The World Happiness Report</a> backs up his claim, ranking <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-lithuania-world-happiest-country-for-gen-z-millennials-education-2024-6">Lithuania as the happiest place in the world for those under 30</a> earlier this year. But it would be inaccurate to paint <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/brazil-lithuania-move-career-safety-progression-make-friends-2024-1">Lithuania</a> as some sort of dreamland, Katelė adds. After all, it's also Europe's <keyword id="23243126" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="suicide-capital" source="keywords">suicide capital</keyword>. <h2>A paradox?</h2>Though the suicide rates have declined since its independence from the Soviet Union in the 1990s, Lithuania still often leads the European Union in this grim statistic. Between 2019 and 2021, Lithuania had the highest rate of death by intentional self-harm in the 27-country bloc, and, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.oecd.org/en/data/indicators/suicide-rates.html">OECD's most recent data</a>, it had the second-highest suicide rate globally. It seems paradoxical: How can <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vilnius-lithuania-happiest-gen-z-cheap-safe-fun-tech-hub-2024-9">a country be great for young people</a> while also being Europe's suicide capital? Katelė lists some of the reasons Lithuania is ranked so highly for young people — some of the<a target="_blank" href="https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/cache/digpub/housing/bloc-2b.html"> most affordable housing</a> in Europe, free education for many Lithuanians, and a growing economy providing ample job opportunities. Walking the streets of Vilnius in the summer, you'll find stylish young people wherever you look — sipping Aperol Spritzes at Old Town bars, lounging by the river in the artsy Užupis district, or skateboarding at the Baltasis Tiltas Skate Park. <div type="image" title="Užupis waterway" height="4284" width="5712" msid="113488780" hostid="261"></div>Although the city is steeped in history — some very dark and recent — it feels modern and vibrant. But when you talk to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-men-women-leisure-spending-habits-differ-report-shows-2024-9">Gen Zers</a> in Lithuania about its preeminence, the reaction is often the same: disbelief. A few said it made them laugh. "I was very surprised, and my friends who are living in Vilnius were also surprised," said Adriana Doroškevičiūtė, 23, sipping on an iced coffee at a café in the capital. "I thought we were depressed," she added. "When we receive the opposite of that, you think, what is happening?" Richard Bogu, 23, was also shocked. It's not that he thinks Lithuania is a bad place for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/young-people-are-developing-money-dysmorphia-2024-7">young people</a>; just that, like others, he has come to associate the country with bleakness. "We are known for being very sad people," he said, adding: "But, slowly, we're going toward being a small, happy nation." <div type="image" title="Richard Bogu sits down at a coffee table" height="4284" width="5712" msid="113488790" hostid="261"></div>Bogu said he feels optimistic about the future, especially for people his age — the tech industry, in which he works, is booming, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2210828/average-wage-in-lithuania-up-12-sodra">salaries are rising</a>, and jobs are ample. "This country gave me opportunities," he said. A key benefit is that most Lithuanians can enter the workforce unburdened by <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/regret-paying-off-student-debt-instead-earning-passive-income-2024-7">student debt</a>, as university education is free for many. Wages are rising rapidly, and the expanding startup sector is <a target="_blank" href="https://unicorns.lt/en/news/lithuanian-startups-are-looking-hundreds-employees-not-just-it-specialists?ref=philomaths.tech">eager to hire</a> young talent. <h2>No country for old men</h2>But while things may be looking up for the younger generation, older Lithuanians don't seem to share the same optimism. According to <a target="_blank" href="https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_pw01__custom_12656014/default/table?lang=en">Eurostat's 2023 overall life satisfaction survey of those aged 65 years or over,</a> older Lithuanians are nowhere near as happy as the country's youth. This generational divide bears out in the <keyword id="21021432" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Happiness-Report" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="World Happiness Report" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="World Happiness Report">World Happiness Report</keyword>. While Lithuania ranked first for those under 30, it was 19th across all age groups, dragged down by its 44th-place ranking for those over 60. "If you don't have children or grandchildren to care for you, you're basically done," Bogu said. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/retirees-moving-social-security-cheaper-living-healthcare-canada-japan-mexico-2024-9#:~:text=Retirees%20are%20increasingly%20moving%20abroad,Canada%2C%20Mexico%2C%20and%20Japan.">Retirees</a> in Lithuania receive some of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.etk.fi/en/work-and-pensions-abroad/international-comparisons/pensioners-income-level-internationally/average-pensions-in-europe/">lowest pensions</a> in Europe, and have <a target="_blank" href="https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tespn060/default/table?lang=en&amp;category=t_ilc.t_ilc_ip.t_ilc_pn">among the lowest median relative income</a> of older people across the European Union. Data provided to BI by Lithuania's Ministry of Social Security and Labour shows that 62% of those who died by suicide in 2023 were over 50, with 8.7% under 30. It's a far starker divide than in countries like the US or UK, pointing to a chasm between the generations. <a target="_blank" href="mailto:grizas.antanas@gmail.com">Antanas Grižas</a>, a clinical psychologist specializing in suicide prevention in Lithuania, said the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-kid-baby-boomer-parents-generational-differences-parenting-lessons-2024-4">generational divide</a> is deeply felt in the country, as well as elsewhere in the former Soviet Bloc. He told BI that economic factors, such as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boomer-retirement-savings-social-security-pension-budgeting-2024-7">low retirement incomes</a>, certainly impact mental health, but that the historical context is key, too. <div type="image" title="A Soviet-era building with a sign reading &quot;Vilnius&quot; is seen in Vilnius, Lithuania on 28 July, 2024." height="684" width="1024" msid="113488788" hostid="261"></div>"The changes after the fall of the Soviet Union were very fast and drastic," he says. Those who lived through this period faced a double trauma: enduring Soviet rule and navigating the chaotic transition to an independent capitalist nation. Plus, as Grižas points out, psychiatry was sometimes politicized under <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vintage-photos-show-life-behind-the-iron-curtain">Soviet rule,</a> with dissidents being labeled as mentally ill, which has strengthened a generational <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stephen-hays-mental-health-vc-what-if-ventures-addiction-2024-7">stigma over mental health.</a> "The <keyword id="19919711" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gen-Z" source="keywords">Gen Z</keyword>, haven't experienced that directly, " he noted. "So it makes total sense that they have different conditioning and a different mindset." Reports like the happiness rankings are also often based on self-assessments, and Grižas suggests that comparisons may play a key part in the variation between the generations. "The younger generation can easily compare and see the progress that we as a nation made," he said. <div type="image" title="Domantas Katelė in front of his office door" height="4284" width="5712" msid="113488778" hostid="261"></div>Katelė, the "Gen Z" minister, agrees that the positive self-assessments among the youth may have been influenced by their awareness of the hardships faced by their elders. While the previous generation was deprived of luxuries, he said Gen Z can relish the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-gen-z-feels-good-about-money-inflation-jobs-2024-6">freedom to spend</a> the equivalent of $160 on dinner, to vacation abroad, and to participate in democracy. "If they take a look and think about that," he said, "it's just not possible to not be happy." Correction: September 19, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated Domantas Katelė’s job title. He is a deputy minister, not a minister.

Lithuania is the world's happiest place for under 30s, but it's also Europe's suicide capital

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Indonesia is building a new capital from scratch, with Jakarta threatened by rising sea levels.</li><li>Two top officials resigned on Monday, raising questions about the $35 billion Nusantara project.</li></ul>Indonesia's plans to build a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jakarta-sinking-indonesia-new-capital-city-nusantara-photos-climate-crisis-2024-4">new capital city from scratch</a> have been hit by the unexpected resignation of the two top officials overseeing the project.Bambang Susantono and his deputy Dhony Rahajoe both quit their roles at the Nusantara Capital City Authority on Monday, outlets including <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/head-deputy-head-indonesias-new-capital-city-authority-resign-minister-says-2024-06-03/">Reuters</a> reported.State Secretary Pratikno said President Joko Widodo had received Susantono's resignation, <a target="_blank" href="https://asianews.network/nusantara-capital-city-authority-head-bambang-susantono-resigns/">Asia News Network</a> reported. They're expected to be temporarily replaced by two ministers from Widodo's government until permanent appointments are made.Widodo said on Instagram that work on Nusantara would proceed "according to the shared vision," the South China Morning Post reported.However, the resignations could be a setback for the new city being built on Borneo's eastern coast.Indonesia's capital and largest city, Jakarta, faces flood risks due to rising sea levels, so Widodo's administration decided to build a replacement.Nusantara will cost an estimated $35 billion and won't be finished until 2045. However, about 6,000 government workers are expected to move there in time for the new president's inauguration in October.Indonesia's government has recruited high-profile figures, including former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to promote the project.It's also tapped up influencers, with Widodo taking dozens of social media stars on a tour last year in a bid to address concerns about deforestation. There are also rising concerns about how Nusantara will be funded. The Indonesian government has only committed to covering about 20% of the cost, and it's struggled to find other sources of cash. In March 2022, Japan's SoftBank pulled out of investing in the project.Neither Susantono nor Rahajoe immediately responded to requests for comment from Reuters or Business Insider.

Things may not be going to plan at Nusantara, the $35 billion capital city Indonesia is building from scratch

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Lithuania topped the World Happiness Report for people under 30, surprising some locals.</li><li>But many Gen Z Lithuanians agree that its capital, Vilnius, is a great place to live.</li></ul>When Lithuania <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-lithuania-world-happiest-country-for-gen-z-millennials-education-2024-6">topped the World Happiness Report</a> ranking for people under 30 earlier this year, it came as a bit of a shock — even for those who live there."It was a surprise," said Valdas Benkuskas, the mayor of its capital, Vilnius, when Business Insider visited in August.But, he added: "We who are living here, we know what a wonderful city it is."<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/i-moved-to-lithuania-from-us-life-more-stable-balanced-2024-8">Vilnius</a> is Lithuania's most vibrant and populous municipality, a Baltic city of thousands of students, tech start-ups, and greenery. And it has increasingly looked at ways to tailor itself to younger generations.<div type="image" title="Vilnius aerial view with hot air balloons over the top" height="1414" width="2121" msid="113455165" hostid="261" sizebytes="639984"></div>Benkuskas, an older millennial himself, says he's on a mission to attract young professionals from abroad to come and live in Vilnius, and believes that just one visit to the city will be enough to show its appeal."If you spend a week or more here, you can understand that we have a lot of advantages compared with other European cities," he said.<h2 id="547eafc0-acb8-4b87-8296-cc0eee1e34ec">Small city, big advantages</h2><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lithuania-happiest-country-young-people-2024-3">The World Happiness Report</a> ranks countries based on a survey conducted by Gallup, where respondents evaluate the quality of their lives.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-lithuania-world-happiest-country-for-gen-z-millennials-education-2024-6">Lithuania's under-30s</a> rated themselves 7.76 out of 10, notably higher than their US counterparts (6.392), with locals citing factors to BI such as low rent, free education, and a vibrant nightlife.Ignas Kazlauskas, a 28-year-old who runs a sustainable architecture firm and previously lived in the UK, told BI that Vilnius holds its own against other European capitals.Vilnius offers a stark contrast to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-things-to-do-london-england-what-to-skip-2024-1">London's hustle and bustle,</a> he said — less densely populated, not overwhelmed by tourists, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/daviz/percentage-of-total-green-infrastructure#tab-googlechartid_chart_11">about half the city</a> is made up of green spaces."The city is pretty laid-back, which is nice," he added, sipping a filter coffee at a trendy Old Town café where other patrons sat reading in the sun-drenched courtyard.For a capital city, it's relatively small — about the size of Denver, which means that everything is within easy reach."You can basically walk across the whole center of Vilnius in half an hour," Kazlauskas said.<div type="image" title="Ignas" height="4284" width="5712" msid="113455183" hostid="261" sizebytes="706564"></div>The city's 90-or-so lakes, ideal for kayaking, and some of the largest forests in the country are also nearby. When the weather allows, Kazlauskas pilots a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-hot-air-balloons-so-expensive-2024-1">hot air balloon</a> as a hobby."People are definitely much happier when they can spend time outdoors and relieve the stress of work, relationships, or whatever," he said.<h2 id="abbe48bb-9ff2-40d6-b100-e1a25defba95">Immigrant inflow</h2>For decades, organized crime and a struggling economy led hundreds of thousands of Lithuanians, especially the young, to move abroad. However, many are coming back, with returning Lithuanians <a target="_blank" href="https://123.emn.lt/en/#immigration">representing a quarter of all immigrants</a> last year.Tens of thousands of immigrants from outside the EU, many from Ukraine and Belarus, are also moving to a transformed Vilnius. The mayor and Lithuania's tourism board want others to follow suit.Part of their pitch is that Vilnius, despite rising housing costs, still remains one of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-find-cheap-accommodation-europe-without-staying-in-hostel-2023-7">Europe's most affordable capitals</a> in which to rent.<a target="_blank" href="https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/prc_colc_rents__custom_12695593/default/table?lang=en">According to Eurostat</a>, the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Vilnius in 2023 was equivalent to $876 — almost half the price of Berlin and about a third the price of London.It can be even cheaper for students. 20-year-old Ričardas Pranculis pays only €65 a month, or about $94, for student accommodation.Even on a student budget, he said he doesn't struggle to make ends meet. "I like living here," he added. "Wages have been increasing, more young people can work and earn money, so more people can try different hobbies."<div type="image" title="Ričardas Pranculis in a park" height="4284" width="5712" msid="113455163" hostid="261" sizebytes="2323342"></div>According to an affordability index by the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.jura.lt/en/news/11934-study-reveals-the-most-affordable-european-capitals-to-live-in-bucharest-tops-list">personal finance website Finasvalp,</a> Vilnius is the fourth most affordable capital in Europe.Elizabeth Avgusta, 24, a senior fund accountant from Indonesia who moved to Vilnius four years ago, said her salary goes a long way.She told BI that it's easy to find meals for under 10 euros, or about $11, though the city also offers plenty of upscale dining options, including four <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/michelin-star-chef-paul-liebrandt-rates-fine-dining-in-movies-2024-6">Michelin-starred restaurants.</a><div type="image" title="Adriana Doroškevičiūtė and Elizabeth Avgusta by a fountain" height="4284" width="5712" msid="113455170" hostid="261" sizebytes="2633294"></div>She also said she appreciates how inexpensive and convenient it is to travel from Vilnius. The airport is just a 15-minute drive away from the center, and several budget airlines operate from the city. With many <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-lesser-known-european-travel-destinations-from-frequent-traveler">European destinations</a> in easy reach, Vilnius is an ideal base.Avgusta said she's considering <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/london-things-never-do-there-from-local">a trip to London</a> soon, having found round-trip flights for 30 euros. And her colleague, Adriana Doroškevičiūtė, 23, had just booked a cheap <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/berlin-travel-guide-germany-trip">trip to Berlin.</a>But Doroškevičiūtė says that even when traveling, she finds herself longing for Vilnius."Whenever I travel, I always want to come back," she said, describing Vilnius — her hometown — as a city that's comfortable to live in and full of things to do.<div type="image" title="Goda Ponomariovaitė stands by a skate park" height="4284" width="5712" msid="113455174" hostid="261" sizebytes="672792"></div>Outside a food hall beside the Baltasis Tiltas, or White Bridge, 22-year-old Goda Ponomariovaitė looks for a place to sit.The area, a vast green space, is teeming with young people — blasting music at the skate park, shooting hoops, and playing beach volleyball on a patch of fake sand.On a sunny day in August, LA's Venice Beach comes to mind. It's also all free to use, probably why it has become such a popular hangout for the city's youth.<div type="image" title="View of the city from the baltasis tiltas" height="4284" width="5712" msid="113455177" hostid="261" sizebytes="1776256"></div>According to Ponomariovaitė, Vilnius has plenty of free or affordable hangout spots. One of her favorites is a former prison, transformed into a vibrant cultural center.It attracts artists and aspiring musicians and regularly hosts free concerts and film screenings."We have so, so many bars and nightclubs," Ponomariovaitė said.However, she says that what sets Vilnius apart from other cities she lived in, like Amsterdam, is how safe it feels."It's very safe, especially for women, to be in Vilnius and Lithuania at night,' she said. "If you are walking, you don't need to worry that somebody will kidnap you or something."On an evening in mid-August, youthful <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/types-of-influencers-on-social-media-micro-macro-nano-classification-2020-1">influencer types</a> lined up outside trendy restaurants, while bars overflowed onto the cobbled streets with businesspeople clinking beer glasses. Meanwhile, an older crowd dispersed after attending a free show in the town square.Vilnius is trying to offer something for everyone — or, as the mayor confidently puts it, everything for anyone."You can find here everything you need for a high quality of life," he added, "and that makes the city attractive."

Vilnius is cheap, safe, and fun — no wonder it's the world's happiness capital for Gen Z

How many times have you stared at your (sometimes overflowing) wardrobe in horror and yelled “I have nothing to wear”? Speaking for myself when I say this: way too many times. Have I bailed on plans for this reason? Also yes. And this is why when I first came across <keyword id="23077982" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Slikk" source="keywords">Slikk</keyword>, I was more than a little intrigued. “If you can have groceries delivered to you in a few minutes, why shouldn’t the same apply to clothes?”, the app’s advertisement taunts. Slikk promises to deliver clothes in just 60 minutes in <keyword id="19895037" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bengaluru" source="keywords">Bengaluru</keyword>, where it already operates. Today’s <keyword id="20246469" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="GenZ" source="keywords">GenZ</keyword> and young millennials are highly impulsive shoppers, making them a key target group for <keyword id="23077981" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fast-fashion-brands" source="keywords">fast fashion brands</keyword>, says founder <keyword id="23077987" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="akshay-gulati" source="keywords">Akshay Gulati</keyword>. Their impulsiveness is fueled by the constant influx of new trends and designs, alongside faster delivery options. Slikk aims to address this by offering fresh collections from emerging fast fashion brands every week, along with a <keyword id="23077983" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="60-minute-delivery" source="keywords">60-minute delivery</keyword> window, providing a unique shopping experience compared to traditional fashion platforms, he adds. He did not have to call us out like that. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112681980" title="Online vendors generated 15.8 million jobs in India: e-commerce report" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Anyways, I wasted no time in downloading the app and picking out some pieces of clothing. While the sizing charts weren’t as detailed as I would’ve liked and there weren’t too many options to choose from, it seemed to do the job — considering the <keyword id="19913824" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="startup" source="keywords">startup</keyword> began operating only recently. But what really caught my attention was that not only did Slikk offer a 7-day return, it also had a “Try and Buy” option. Here, the user would have to pay Rs 50 in addition to the standard delivery fee and Slikk’s delivery executive would wait for 10 minutes at your doorstep so you could try on the products and return what wasn’t to your liking immediately. Pretty neat, no? However, my love affair with Slikk ended sourly almost as soon as it began. After I’d added some pieces of clothing, selected the “Try and Buy” option and applied the first-timer discount coupon, it wouldn’t let me make the payment. I tried selecting both — the Cash on Delivery and Online Payment modes — several times. But the page wouldn’t budge. I even tried using the website, in case there was a glitch with the app, but that didn’t work either. While I was a little disappointed, the experience gave me the impression that Slikk needs a little more time to optimise its user interface and maybe collaborate with more brands before I can start relying on it as a chronic last-minute shopper. Meanwhile, reports suggest that Slikk has already raised $300K in its pre-seed round led by <keyword id="23077985" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Better-Capital" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Better Capital" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Better Capital">Better Capital</keyword>, with participation from <keyword id="23077986" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Untitled-Ventures" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Untitled Ventures" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Untitled Ventures">Untitled Ventures</keyword>. The startup will be using the sum to scale to over 100 brands, a dark store — a retail outlet or distribution centre that exists exclusively for online shopping, and expand delivery coverage to 70% of Bengaluru’s pin codes. Further, Slikk also aims to broaden its offerings to other metropolitan cities in the country and also include beauty, personal care and home decor to its collection. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112444934" title="This new &amp;#39;Shazam&amp;#39; for fashion app could change the way the world shops online" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

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