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Using fiber-catching devices as part of the laundry process can dramatically reduce the amount of microscopic particles potentially entering the marine environment, according to new research.
A study conducted at the University of Plymouth compared the efficiency of six different devices, ranging from prototypes to commercially available products.
The most successful reduced the amount of fibers released into wastewater by almost 80%, suggesting there is considerable potential for them to have environmental benefits.
However, writing in Science of the Total Environment, researchers from the University’s International Marine Litter Research Unit say they will only ever be part of any solution.
A recent study at the University showed normal wear and tear when wearing clothes is just as significant a source of microplastics as release from laundering, while a report produced for Defra in May 2020 highlighted that fitting filters to washing machines could be less effective than changing fabric designs to reduce fiber loss.
As such, the current study’s authors say there is an ongoing need for scientists to collaborate with industry and policymakers to ensure improvements are made right from the design phase through to how clothes are washed.
The study was funded by the National Geographic Society and Sky Ocean Rescue.
Research Fellow and National Geographic Explorer Dr. Imogen Napper, a Sky Ocean Rescue Scholar and the study’s lead author, said: “Fibres from clothing are among the key sources of microplastics, and companies are inventing ways which claim to reduce the amount of fibers which enter wastewater. We wanted to see how effective they were both in catching fibers, but also stopping clothes from shedding them in the first place. Our results show there is a huge variety between the devices available, with some significantly reducing the number of fibers released.”
For the research, scientists washed three different synthetic fabric types (100% polyester, 100% acrylic, and a 60% polyester/40% cotton blend) to represent a typical mixed load.
They used a mesh to capture fibers entering wastewater, measuring the mass of particles generated without filters and then with three in-drum devices and three external washing machine filters.
The results showed the most effective device reduced the quantity of microfibres being released by 78%, while the least effective analyzed in this particular study reducing it by 21%.
Professor Richard Thompson OBE, Head of the International Marine Litter Research Unit, was co-author on the study. In recent years, he has given evidence to both the UK Government’s Sustainability of the Fashion Industry inquiry and the recent OECD Forum on due diligence in the garment and footwear sector. He added: “Too often, the quest for fast fashion and market pressures means that appropriate environmental considerations are being sacrificed. If we are to achieve widespread and lasting change, it is essential for scientists to provide independent evidence that demonstrates the scale of the problem as well as any potential solutions. Some of the devices we tested can undoubtedly reduce the fibers generated through the laundry process, but perhaps the most overarching change would be to design garments to last longer and shed less fibers in the first place.”
Reference: “The efficiency of devices intended to reduce microfibre release during clothes washing” by Imogen E. Napper, Aaron C. Barrett and Richard C. Thompson, 16 July 2020, Science of the Total Environment.
The University of Plymouth was recently presented with the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education for its pioneering research into microplastics pollution and its policy impact in the UK and globally.


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This might be your only chance to see some of these cars…
If you’re like most enthusiasts, rare classic Ferraris are a treat you just can’t pass up. For those who will be near Chattanooga, Tennessee on October 17 just such an opportunity will present itself. Not only will a collection of 14 classic Ferraris be on display during the Chattanooga Motorcar Festival, several of them have rarely been shown in public.
Check out the ultra-rare Ferrari F40 Bandit Edition here.
Among the historically significant cars which will be proudly displayed is a 1948 Ferrari 166 Spider Corsa, which is among some of the first Ferraris built. This particular one is the first Ferrari race car imported into the United States.
Also on display will be a 1954 Ferrari 250 Monza, a purpose-built racer used in the European Sports Car competitions back in the day. A 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4S NART Spider is 1 of 10 built, making it incredibly rare and extremely valuable.
Not all the classics are from over 5 decades in the past. A 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO has been credited as the first modern supercar from the brand. Only 272 were made from 1984 to 1987 and the only reason they were offered to the public was for homologation.
If you haven’t heard of the Chattanooga Motorcar Festival before, it’s likely because the inaugural gathering was held in 2019 and there wasn’t a gathering in 2020. In other words, this is only the second time it’s been put on. Beside the Ferrari display, there will be a Concours d’Elegance, vintage races, car club gatherings, celebrity appearances, panel discussions, etc.
Gathering of the Greats – Ferrari Edition during the Chattanooga Motorcar Festival is set for October 17. You can get tickets as well as a full schedule of events through the event website.

domain: news


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WM Motor has introduced the next generation of its in-car purification system, CleanPro, which now boasts CN95 certification. Safety provisions such as purification measures and in-cabin cleanliness are becoming essential features to safeguard occupants’ safety, especially in response to recent pandemic-related worries around surface and air contamination. WM originally launched CleanSpace, its first purification system, which monitors the air quality and purifies negative ions, back in 2018 with its EX5 SUV. WhichEV investigates the latest incarnation.
Last Month, WM Motor managed to obtain CN95 certification from the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC) for its CN95 micron air purification program.
CleanPro CN95 purifies at the micron level, up to 0.3 micron particles – the size of viruses and bacteria. Through electrostatic adsorption, where a solid holds molecules of a gas or liquid or solute as a thin film, the system has a filtration efficiency of PM0.3 \ PM2.5 \ PM10, equivalent to nearly 95%.
The system stops micro-particles from coming into the vehicle and kills bacteria and potential harmful microorganisms in the cabin through ultraviolet light emissions. The UVC purifier feature detects when either people or animals get in or out of the cabin, so that it only activates when the vehicle is empty to avoid UV light exposure. Also, there is no production of ozone during the purification, which makes it even safer for users
The original CleanSpace already came with external air quality monitoring technology, which checks the air outside and inside the cabin, stopping external circulation when needed. Meanwhile, the negative ion air filtration system emits negative ions that attach to possible harmful micro-particles, neutralizing their functions.
The purifier can be set up via the WM Motor app and can start cleaning even before the driver gets in the car.
WM Motor is developing innovative safety measures to maximize occupants’ safety, but due to the current global health circumstances many companies might soon follow.


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Tuesday’s Apple launch event saw the release of the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. But along with the new phone additions, it’ll now cost more if you have to fix any iPhone or want to avoid doing so in the future.
Apple has increased the prices for its AppleCare coverage program and out of pocket repairs. As 9to5Mac points out, AppleCare+ coverage for Plus-series phones like the 8 Plus, 7 Plus and 6S Plus has been raised to $149. Previously, the coverage extension only cost $129 and the standard-sized iPhones will continue to have extensions at the same price point. But more notably, Apple has added yet another price tier to its AppleCare+ offerings. For the upcoming iPhone X, which will be released in November, Apple will offer coverage at a hefty $199.
On its site, Apple also gave slight price bumps to out-of-service repairs for phones that aren’t under warranty or AppleCare+ coverage. All iPhone models will see price jumps of around $20 to $30 for screen damage fixes, although Apple has yet to lock down pricing for its iPhone X.
Apple has increased prices for its AppleCare+ warranty program.
By default, Apple offers some basic coverage for new iPhones that includes a one-year limited warranty and 90 days of free phone support. With AppleCare+, users can spring for additional coverage that offers further protection for your iPhone. Via Apple, here’s what that includes:
Every iPhone comes with one year of hardware repair coverage through its limited warranty and up to 90 days of complimentary support. AppleCare+ for iPhone extends your coverage to two years from the original purchase date of your iPhone and adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $29 for screen damage, or $99 for any other damage, plus applicable tax. In addition, you’ll get 24/7 priority access to Apple experts via chat or phone.
For the Plus series and the iPhone X, the bump in their AppleCare+ price makes some sense on paper. With their larger screens and varying specifications, the Plus and X need different fixes compared to the standard-sized iPhones. For Apple, it’s also likely assuming that future iPhone X owners — who’ll already be dropping at least $999 on the hardware alone — won’t have issues spending a little bit more for hardware protection. But at the same time, the price hike for what effectively amounts to the same product won’t be the easiest fact to justify for longtime iPhone users.
The update also underscores the importance that repairs and AppleCare have to the company’s bottom line. For the third quarter of 2017, Apple’s Services division — which includes AppleCare — brought in nearly $7.3 billion, which represented a 22 percent year-over-year jump. While the iPhone remains a primary driver for Apple — it brought in $24.8 billion in revenue over the same period — repairs and ensuring that iPhone users stay in the Apple services ecosystem is equally important for the hardware giant.
Apple has also worked to ensure that it remains the primary source for iPhone repairs. In states including New York and Nebraska, Apple has lobbied against right to repair bills that would make it easier for third-party repair shops to fix broken devices. In many cases, these bills would allow repair tools or information to be purchased and ban companies from using software locks to prevent repairs from being made. While Apple does offer certification for third-party repair shops through its Authorized Service Provider program, the company has argued that its current approach towards repairs ensures that devices are properly fixed and that authentic parts are used in the repair process.


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The future of the House of Fraser store in Nottingham has been thrown into doubt again after Mike Ashley said that some of the shops are 'not sustainable'.
House of Fraser was bought out by Mr Ashley's Sports Direct group in August 2018.
Three months later it was announced that the store in the intu Victoria Centre would be closing because Sports Direct had failed to come to an agreement with intu over the store continuing trading.
But in January this year it was saved after a last-minute deal was agreed.
The details of the agreement were not released, but Mr Ashley had previously suggested the proposed closures had been due to rental issues.
Today he said that recent sales at House of Fraser have held up well during the pre-Christmas period, saying: "We are doing as much as we can to realistically save as many jobs and stores as possible."
But he added: "However, despite our best efforts, there are still a number of stores which are currently paying zero rent and that are unprofitable and thus not sustainable."
It is not known whether House of Fraser is paying zero rent in the Victoria Centre; intu has been contacted for a comment.
Sports Direct insisted it was starting to see "green shoots of recovery" at House of Fraser - which it bought from administrators for £90 million - as it presented its latest financial figures.
The business, which has snapped up several other under-performing high street names in recent years, saw sales jump 14% in the six months to October 27 to £2 billion, with pre-tax profits up 160% to £193.4 million.
It was a strong period for the company, as it focused on its "elevation" strategy of improving stores and winning over big-name brands to be able to sell its most popular products.
Sales in its UK sports retail business, which includes Sports Direct, Jack Wills, Game Digital, Evans Cycles and Sofa.com, rose 6.7% to £1.2 billion, although this growth mainly came from takeovers.
When stripped out, sales fell 8.6%, with bosses saying this was due to "the continuing elevation strategy".
The House of Fraser store in Nottingham opened in October 1997.


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A team of multidisciplinary researchers at Stanford University has developed skin-like fabric material that cools the body more efficiently.
In the Science Journal, the researchers from Stanford report that they used nanoporous polyethylene to develop a textile material which aides radioactive cooling while maintaining breathability, wicking and necessary mechanical strength.
According to the report in Science, the researchers have also devised an instrument to simulate skin temperature. The use of nanoporous polyethylene fabric resulted in the lowering of skin temperature by about 2.7 degree centigrade when compared with another commonly used next-to-skin fabric.
According to Yi Cui, an associate professor of materials science at Stanford and the lead author of the study, the fabric effectively cools the person, which makes cooling the building unnecessary thereby saving energy.
Nanoporous plastic textile transports the body heat as infrared rays due to the nanostructured polyethylene. Researchers modified the polyethylene material that is commonly used in battery development which enables it to be opaque to visible light but transparent to infrared rays so that the heat can be dissipated.
According to Professor Shanhui Fan, professor of electrical engineering at Stanford, who co-authored the study, this research can lead to the development of new materials that can trap or let go infrared radiations.
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Texas Tech University, USA


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MILPITAS, Calif. & VANCOUVER, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--RealWear today announced it is expanding operations and opening an office in Vancouver, Washington to fulfill early significant industry demand for the HMT-1, the first voice-driven, completely hands-free, head-mounted tablet for connected industrial workers. The company’s first major North American expansion will serve key corporate functions in anticipation of the general availability launch of the HMT-1 in July 2017.
“We selected Vancouver for its vibrant, growing business environment, talent pool, economic advantages, and quality of life offerings for our employees. The superb facilities at Fort Vancouver and the enthusiasm and dedication of the people we met from the City of Vancouver, the Fort Vancouver National Trust, and the CREDC only made our decision easier,” said Andy Lowery, CEO, RealWear. “We are thrilled to be in Vancouver and expect that our expansion will provide us the support and flexibility we need to grow our company rapidly and efficiently.”
As RealWear establishes itself long term as part of the Vancouver business community, it expects operations to expand significantly in the coming months and years. This will result in job creation across a wide range of fields including engineering, business development, logistics, design, IT, accounting, and finance.
"We are excited to welcome RealWear to Clark County, where they will be a great addition to the IPZ community in Vancouver and Camas,” said Mike Bomar, Executive Director of the CREDC. “The software as well as computer and electronics industries are growing clusters in the region and RealWear’s decision to locate its first major expansion here will be a great boost to add to the momentum we've been building in these sectors."
RealWear’s expansion comes as the company has built increasing momentum of its own in 2017. Awarded “Best Enterprise Solution” at Wearable Technology Show 2017 in London, England, the RealWear HMT-1 has received global acclaim for its innovation. More than 60 major industrial enterprises, channel partners, integrators and software solution partners including American Airlines, Boeing, Canon, and Hewlett Packard Enterprises have signed on as Pioneer Partners and are already using the HMT-1 in real-world scenarios.
The RealWear HMT-1 is a new kind of wearable designed for skilled technicians and engineers in field service, equipment inspection, maintenance, and complex manufacturing assembly. Transcending enterprise tablets and smart glasses, the HMT-1’s intuitive, hands-free interface allows voice control of existing Android tablet and smartphone apps, offering workers the connectivity and hands-free flexibility they require for safer, faster and smarter productivity. Intended for remote video collaboration, technical documentation, industrial IoT data visualization, assembly and maintenance instructions, and streamlined workflow and inspections, the HMT-1 ushers in a new era of productivity for connected industrial workers.
For more information, please visit www.realwear.com.
RealWear Social Media
RealWear is a Silicon Valley company building the world’s first voice-powered, hands-free and fully rugged head-mounted tablet solution for connected industrial workers. Our team of seasoned executives and human factors experts hails from the ultra-rugged smartphone, smart glasses micro display and industrial augmented reality spaces. Together, we are engineering wearable hardware, software, cloud and AI solutions for enterprises in heavy industry. For more information, visit www.realwear.com.


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Ouya game developers have opened up about how their games have been performing on the Android console.
Edge interviewed several programmers who have released software on the system and found that all had positive feedback to report.
Nimble Quest developer David Mash said that his game amassed 6,508 downloads, 122 purchases and $427 in profit during its first week on the Ouya.
"I would wholeheartedly recommend the Ouya to indie devs that have an existing pipeline to Android and are interested in what the Ouya does," he said.
"It's probably not going to be a huge source of income compared to other platforms, but it's dead easy to submit a game and get it into the store."
Knife Media co-founder Jack Shiels revealed that his title Red has been "reasonably profitable" on the open platform.
"We broke even within two and a half weeks, while sales are currently sitting at just below 400," he explained.
"Right now that doesn't seem like a whole lot, but there aren't a significant amount of Ouyas out in the wild right now. I reckon by year end we will have a clearer picture."
Towerfall developer Matt Thorson reported 200,000 sales of his game, which retails at $15.
"Sales have been surprisingly high for a new game on a new console. Launching on Ouya got me a lot of attention, and the sales have been better than expected," he said.
Ouya is available now to purchase from Amazon and GAME for £99 / $99.
Photo gallery - Ouya:
Gaming: OUYA console gallery


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Lilly and Innovent expand anti-PD-1 bispecific antibody collaboration
Posted: 12 October 2015 | Victoria White
As part of the expanded collaboration, Innovent could receive additional milestones totalling more than $1 billion if the products reach certain milestones…
The collaboration between the two companies is already one of the largest in China between a multi-national and domestic biopharmaceutical company.
The companies have said they plan to collaborate to support the development and potential commercialisation of up to three anti-PD-1 based bispecific antibodies for cancer treatments over the next decade, both inside and outside of China. Lilly will create the three preclinical anti-PD-1 based bispecific antibodies using an antibody sequence contributed by Innovent.
As with the previous agreement, Lilly has the rights to develop, manufacture and commercialise these potential cancer treatments outside of China. Innovent will now have the rights to develop, manufacture and commercialise these potential cancer treatments for China, subject to a Lilly opt-in right for co-development and commercialisation.
Innovent could receive additional milestones totalling more than $1 billion
Under the terms of the expanded agreement, Innovent could receive additional milestones totalling more than $1 billion if the products reach certain development, regulatory and sales milestones, both inside and outside of China. Sales royalties and other payments would occur on certain products if commercialised outside China.
“We believe that combination therapy in immuno-oncology has the potential to transform the way cancer is treated,” said Greg Plowman, M.D., Ph.D., vice president of oncology research at Lilly. “We are pleased to be expanding our collaboration with Innovent to further the development of potential therapies for those fighting cancer in China and around the world.”
Michael Yu, Ph.D., co-founder, president and CEO of Innovent, stated, “We are honored that Lilly is so quickly expanding our relationship and that Lilly is trusting Innovent to develop and manufacture their newly created bispecific antibodies for China. We are excited to be at the forefront of immuno-oncology drug development and to benefit from Lilly’s deep experience in bispecific antibodies.”


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China’s securities regulator has awarded third-party mutual fund distribution licences to four independent financial advisers (IFAs) – almost eight years after it granted its first such permit.
The move to hand approvals to East Money Investment Consulting, Howbuy Fund Research, Noah Holdings and Zhonglu Investment Consulting could finally provide a release valve to China’s pent-up distribution system, suggests consultancy Z-Ben Advisors.
The firm notes that poor returns and high redemption rates have forced fund management firms to rely on product quantity rather than quality, causing a bottleneck among China’s four big state-owned banks (ICBC, CCB, BoC and ABC) that act as primary distributors of mutual funds.
“The official invitation for IFA participation stands to significantly alter the current distribution landscape,” reflects Francois Guilloux, regional sales director at Z-Ben.
The licence approvals come after the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) issued a directive titled “Measures for the administration of the sale of securities investment funds (revised)” last June. The measures became effective in October, setting out new rules to allow mainland third-party mutual fund distributors to sell funds.
At present the only IFA in China with a fund distribution licence is TX Investment Consulting, which had its permit granted back in 2004 but has struggled to become profitable.
“Whether IFAs can play a significant role in the distribution of mutual funds in China is still uncertain,” its chief executive Lin Yixiang told AsianInvestor last year (see the June edition of our magazine for a feature on IFAs in China).
Data for 2010 shows that banks accounted for 60% of open-ended mutual fund distribution in China, with 9% from securities companies and direct sales from fund management firms accounting for 31%.
What’s clear is that IFAs are almost non-existent in this business. The challenge for the incoming players is to provide value-added services to retail investors such as asset allocation, fund selection and fund of funds product management, which are not provided by banks.
“What is lacking in China is professional fund services,” says Ben Yang, general manager of Howbuy.
He says Howbuy aims to help retail investors find “more suitable fund products, more flexible fee structures and adopt more rational asset allocation plans”.
But Mark Kirkham, chief executive of Hong Kong-based IFA Platinum Financial Services, suggests that by far the biggest value-added service that IFAs can offer retail investors compared with banks is transparency.
But whether IFAs can challenge the dominance of the banks in the fund distribution space remains highly questionable.
Banks can tap into their existing client base of depositors, whereas customer acquisition for IFAs is a far more difficult task. “Banks rely on their brands and deposit account holders, but IFAs don’t have these and will have a tough start,” Kirkham notes.
Lin also points out that one important reason why banks dominate the fund distribution channel is that retail investors have confidence and trust in them. “This may take a long time for IFAs to build,” he says.
Given that the old cold-calling model is not a realistic option anymore, IFAs will need to experiment with new ways of sales and marketing, including seminars, personal networking and e-campaigns.
Howbuy says it is going to launch an online platform providing retail clients real-time financial information, discounts in fund subscription and customised wealth management services.
Although fund houses are trying to boost direct sales through e-commerce, Kirkham notes “they are not that gifted in the sales area”, and suggests this is where IFAs can add value. “Products do not sell themselves, they need to be sold,” he says. “You need IFAs there to be proactive with clients.”


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From the Palm Beach Post comes news that they are planning on using catfish to clean pools at foreclosed properties. It sounds like an interesting idea, and apparently they have already escaped from enough aquariums that they live in the wild in Florida. In fact according to the article the ones they use in the pools are caught from the wild in nearby lakes. I think they should use some zebra muscles, they worked wonders for cleaning up lake Erie, and our smallouth population has blossomed as a result of the cleaner water, yeah!
It’s a small ‘scale’ operation whose outcome is still murky. Wellington officials are installing catfish from the Amazon in the swimming pools of foreclosed houses to see whether the 18-inch fish, called Pterygoplichthys and commonly known as ‘plecos,’ will be a cost-effective, eco-friendly method of cleaning stagnant pools.
The fish are $15 each, plus the cost of delivery and installation. A year of pleco pool service will cost the village about $700, Mitchell estimates, compared with $7,000 a year for chemical treatment. The costs, in the form of liens, must be paid by a homeÄôs new owners. Keeping liens low may help foreclosed homes sell more quickly.


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San Francisco Fashion and Merchants Alliance, Inc. (SFFAMA) is pleased to announce the 5th Annual TECH Fashion Week ™: February 27th – March 05th, 2017. A representation of the new vanguard in the convergence of fashion, technology, creative design and innovation. Its undoubtably the most pivotal fashion week platform to watch.
TECH Fashion Week’s focus is on technology and innovation within the fashion industry including fashion tech, wearable tech, and retail tech. TECH Fashion Week’s full schedule of events and workshops feature cutting-edge fashion, design and technology companies, startups and entrepreneurs showcasing current developments from all sectors of the Fashion Tech eco-system.
TECH Fashion Week ™ is the newest industry event for individuals, groups and organizations involved in or interested in the development and transformation of fashion through technology, innovation and entrepreneurship. TECH Fashion Week’s 2017’s theme is "Digital Fashion's Coming of Age" to highlight the continuing evolution of the fashion industry’s future. Attendees will be exposed to what is digitally changing the industry from 3D printing, retail e-commerce, virtual reality, connectivity, wearables and internet of fashionable things.
Website & Week Schedule:
TECH FASHION WEEK ™ 2017
TECH FASHION WEEK ™ attracts a growing worldwide audience of educated, affluent creative professionals and passionate early adopters in the 21 to 55 years old age range who are key influencers in fashion, design, technology and retail industries. Typical participants (both female and male) are trend and tech savvy, educated, creative professionals and entrepreneurs from leading startups and organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley.
TECH FASHION WEEK ™ 2016 generated over 10,000 unique media images with a media reach of over 1.7 million Bay Area adults and numerous national and global sites reporting, Despite a general decline in overall US apparel and manufacturing sectors, San Francisco’s fashion industry, with 120 years of history and innovation, still ranks 3rd in the US and is currently undergoing a major renaissance as the leading strategic development hub for fashion and technology startups, wearable technologies, and retail and brand technology R&D and innovation eco-systems. According to the Americans for the Arts 2012 industry report, San Francisco’s Arts and Culture activities have the highest per capita economic impact in the United States and enjoy broad based community and industry support and
All featuring innovative fashion, design and technology brands, startups and thought leaders, showcasing leading developments from all sectors of the World’s Leading Fashion Tech, Retail Tech and Wearable Tech Eco-system.
TECH FASHION WEEK ™ 2017
02/25 – Sat – Fashion Tour + Mixer
02/26 – Sun – Opening Receptio
02/27 – Mon – AR | VR Style
02/28 – Tues – Women in Fashion+Tech
03/01 – Weds – Eco Fashion Soiree
03/02 – Thurs – Wear Tech Con
03/03 – Fri – Fashion Bloggers Connect
03/04 – Sat – Fashion+Tech runway


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- Regional change is driven by changing customer behaviour and demands according to 55% of banking survey respondents
- Latin American banks see a bigger impact coming from new entrants than their peers in the rest of the world (48% vs. 36% globally)
- For established banks, new payment players are the biggest threat according to 51% of respondents, followed by neo-banks (23%)
- Survey respondents think that in-house innovation centres (51%), accelerator/ incubator programs (48%), and creating closed bank hubs (48%) are the best way to innovate
GENEVA, Switzerland – June 12, 2018 – Latin American banks are reviewing their digital strategies in an effort to lower costs and increase access for the unbanked populations. Banks in the region prioritize customer demands (55%), new technologies (51%) and the impact from new competitors (48%) according to an in-depth study released today by Temenos (SIX: TEMN), the banking software company.
The report, written by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) on behalf of Temenos, explores the theme: “Whose customer are you? The reality of digital banking in Latin America”. This regional report explores the developing situation for retail banks in Latin America and derives from the recently launched global report conducted for Temenos by the EIU. The regional report emphasizes the need for Latin American banks to further develop their digital banking efforts in order to improve their products and services, restructure their cost base and attract new customers who may have never banked before. Legislation is also encouraging bank and FinTech collaboration to deliver digital banking to the unbanked.
Renee Friedman, the editor of the report from the Economist Intelligence Unit, stated:
“An increasingly confident FinTech sector that puts simplicity, low cost and social inclusion at the top of the agenda means digitisation is a tool for improving access and equality in Latin America. Banks have responded by accelerating their digitalization strategies.”
Enrique Ramos O’Reilly, Temenos regional director, Latin America & Caribbean, commented:
“The Latin American retail banks are rushing to digitalize in order to meet rapidly evolving consumers’ demands and fend off competition from new agile market entrants. Furthermore, regulators in the region champion financial inclusion and promote a level-playing field for incumbents and new entrants. It’s now 100% necessary for banks to overhaul their IT infrastructures in order to cut their operational costs and to deliver an omni-channel, personalized and responsive digital experience to their customers and prospects.”
Key Report Highlights
- Latin American bankers remain more focused on cutting costs and improving margins, with 51% citing this as their top strategic priority in order to reduce cost of access to financial services.
- Retail banks in the region are focusing their digital investment more heavily on individual distribution channels as cited by 63% of respondents or on modernizing font and back office systems to support end-to-end digital customer journeys, cited by 45%.
- Latin American bankers are more likely to believe that customers will forgo human contact for cheap or free services (68% vs. 56% of global respondents).
- Cashless payments will be prevalent by 2020 according to 69% of respondents
About the Survey
The Economist Intelligence Unit surveyed 400 global banking executives about the challenges retail banks expect to face between now and 2020, and the strategies they are deploying in response. 51% of respondents were at C-Suite level and 10% were board members. The Latin American report was based on 65 respondents from Latin America and was supplemented with in-depth interviews with senior executives from leading regional banks, regulators, FinTech companies and security advisers.


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From the Baltics to the Med, you can check into executive-class hospitality, says Amon Cohen
Vilnius, Ljubljana and Bratislava are not regular stops on most business travellers’ schedules — at least, not yet. As the respective capitals of Lithuania, Slovenia and Slovakia, they can expect a big leap in visitors when these and seven other nations join the European Union on May 1.
“We have already seen an increase in business trips to the new member states,” says Mike Platt, managing director of BTI UK, the country’s largest business travel agency. “In the past six months, the number of air tickets we have booked to Estonia has gone up 12 per cent, while Lithuania is


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Author: Mike Richardson
At the beginning of 2023, AT&T and NVIDIA teamed up to bring gamers a fresh GeForce NOW experience – with a six-month complimentary Ultimate membership!
Gamers can now take their experience to the next level with NVIDIA’s new extension, which brings cloud gaming up to an unprecedented 240 frames per second – exclusively for AT&T network subscribers to stay ahead of the competition with cutting-edge features.
Make Good Use of GeForce NOW
Bringing NVIDIA GeForce NOW deal to 5G customers last year was just the start. Now they’re extending the offer to even more customers. Starting January 19th, both wireless and internet customers can qualify. It’s easy to get in on the deal – check the eligibility details below:
- If you’re an AT&T 5G customer with an eligible device and a qualifying unlimited 5G rate plan.
- A new AT&T Fiber customer.
Take advantage of the all-new Ultimate tier with GeForce NOW – the highest-performance membership and experience cloud gaming like never before! Enjoy ultra-low latency, 4K streaming up to 120 FPS, and support for ultrawide monitors – all included in the package!
A Solution for Gamers
Today’s gamers crave flexibility, and with GeForce NOW Ultimate, they can easily pick up from where they left off on their PC on any mobile device, with access to 1,500 titles on the same instruments they already own.
Gamers can also enjoy a seamless, high-octane experience on the go at up to 120 FPS, and this new offer will also upgrade their overall gaming experience.
Gamers can now enjoy the ultimate NVIDIA RTX cloud gaming experience with lightning-fast server access, lengthy sessions, exquisite resolution, and frame rates like never before!
NVIDIA’s Vice President of GeForce NOW, Phil Eisler, expressed his enthusiasm regarding the new Ultimate membership, calling it a “revolutionary” experience in cloud gaming. With AT&T’s ultra-fast and reliable network, players can expect to take advantage of GeForce RTX 4080-level performance and resolutions, elevating their gaming experience to new heights.
AT&T 5G3 and AT&T Fiber
AT&T 5G3 and AT&T Fiber join forces to provide customers with fast blazing speed, reliability, and experience. No matter where you like to enjoy your game, AT&T has you covered with their wireless and home internet services.
For those who love to game on their phone, 5G connectivity is here to deliver lightning-fast speeds – eliminating latency, jitter, and those pesky ping times!r
According to Roger Entner, Founder and Principal Analyst of Recon Analytics: It is no surprise that 58% of gamers now opt to play on mobile devices, which could require a broadband connection, as opposed to the 39% who use PCs or the 42% who game on consoles.
As 5G is fully unleashed, Roger predicts that mobile gaming will be more adopted especially the ones that require high speed, impeccable reliability, and instantaneous response times.
AT&T and NVIDIA are committed to creating an ultimate gaming experience for users. Both companies join forces to deliver the best solutions to customers on the network. Their joint vision is to become the top connectivity provider in the United States and offer a seamless experience to all gamers – all thanks to AT&T.


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Tips, news, how-tos, and troubleshooting help for the iPad.
The iPhone 5 edges out the 5S as the most widely used model, according to mobile analytics firm Localytics. But let's see what happens when the iPhone 6 arrives.
The latest version of Apple's mobile operating system is now available. Here's what you need to know before downloading it .
It's iOS 8.0.2 to the rescue, Apple hopes, after a software upgrade the day before had a rough landing on thousands of iPhones.
UPDATED: Apple has issued a "workaround" for its most recent update to iOS 8 which aimed to fix issues like "unexpected cellular data usage" when receiving text messages.
Doors open at Apple stores across the globe as the new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus hit the shelves.
The latest version of Apple's mobile operating system is now available for download on all iPhones from the 4S on, as well as newer iPads.
There are two paths to upgrade your current iPhone to iOS 8: over the air or via iTunes.
China Labor Watch and Green America say the iPhone maker hasn't lived up to its commitments to improve worker conditions in a China factory.
Apple’s tablet shipments fell short of expectations -- and it’s likely not going to be the last time.
The Korean electronics maker now wants about $6.2 million, not $6.8 million, for Apple's accused infringement of two Samsung patents.


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Wall Street brokerages expect Altra Industrial Motion Corp (NASDAQ:AIMC) to report sales of $492.78 million for the current fiscal quarter, Zacks Investment Research reports. Two analysts have made estimates for Altra Industrial Motion’s earnings, with the lowest sales estimate coming in at $491.66 million and the highest estimate coming in at $493.90 million. Altra Industrial Motion posted sales of $237.32 million in the same quarter last year, which would indicate a positive year-over-year growth rate of 107.6%. The firm is expected to issue its next earnings results on Thursday, July 25th.
According to Zacks, analysts expect that Altra Industrial Motion will report full-year sales of $1.94 billion for the current fiscal year, with estimates ranging from $1.93 billion to $1.94 billion. For the next year, analysts forecast that the business will post sales of $2.00 billion. Zacks Investment Research’s sales calculations are an average based on a survey of research analysts that that provide coverage for Altra Industrial Motion.
Altra Industrial Motion (NASDAQ:AIMC) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, April 26th. The industrial products company reported $0.80 EPS for the quarter, topping the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.71 by $0.09. The business had revenue of $482.80 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $475.58 million. Altra Industrial Motion had a net margin of 4.34% and a return on equity of 11.72%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 100.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.66 earnings per share.
In related news, CFO Christian Storch sold 18,574 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.23, for a total transaction of $691,510.02. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 26,528 shares in the company, valued at $987,637.44. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Lipscomb S. Michael bought 13,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 1st. The shares were purchased at an average price of $37.30 per share, with a total value of $484,900.00. Following the purchase, the director now owns 27,290 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,017,917. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Insiders own 1.10% of the company’s stock.
A hedge fund recently bought a new stake in Altra Industrial Motion stock. First Trust Advisors LP acquired a new stake in Altra Industrial Motion Corp (NASDAQ:AIMC) in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor acquired 13,962 shares of the industrial products company’s stock, valued at approximately $434,000.
Shares of NASDAQ:AIMC traded up $0.37 during trading on Friday, hitting $35.47. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 255,825 shares, compared to its average volume of 500,637. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $34.47. The stock has a market cap of $2.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.40 and a beta of 1.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 2.06 and a quick ratio of 1.37. Altra Industrial Motion has a fifty-two week low of $23.52 and a fifty-two week high of $46.35.
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, July 2nd. Investors of record on Tuesday, June 18th will be paid a dividend of $0.17 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 17th. This represents a $0.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.92%. Altra Industrial Motion’s payout ratio is currently 23.78%.
About Altra Industrial Motion
Altra Industrial Motion Corp. designs, produces, and markets a range of electromechanical power transmission motion control products for use in motion related applications, and high-volume manufacturing and non-manufacturing processes worldwide. It operates in two segments, Power Transmission Technologies and Automation & Specialty.
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Get your caffeine fix with some aromatic and flavourful coffee at the Year of the Saudi Coffee showcase at OneCity Shopping Mall today!
The three-day event is hosted by Royal Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Bandar Seri Begawan until 18 August from 5pm-8pm, celebrating coffee as a unique cultural product of Saudi Arabia.
Throughout the event, the public can enjoy sampling a range of coffee blends from the kingdom including Saudi Khawlani coffee beans and learn more about the unique customs, and the tools, ingredients, and methods of preparing and serving Saudi coffee.
According to the embassy, the event is aimed to inspire and educate visitors about Saudi coffee and its traditions, revealing a culture of hospitality and generosity.
The Year of Saudi Coffee 2022 is an initiative launched by the Saudi Ministry of Culture, as Saudi coffee is not just a drink that everyone gathers around on occasions, nor it is good-tasting coffee that Saudis prefer to drink at various times, but rather an authentic symbol of Saudi culture and hospitality, representing one of the most important values of Saudi heritage, connected with the Saudi identity.
In attendance to launch the ceremony was Permanent Secretary (Culture) at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports Pg Haji Mohd Hasnan Pg Haji Ali Hassan. – Aziq Azman


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Apple's new iPhones 'Do Not Disturb' drivers with notifications
- Author: Arturo Norris Jun 07, 2017,
Jun 07, 2017, 10:42
For some, Apple's WWDC keynote event went liked they hoped - the company introducing some exciting new products or technologies that hit all the sweet spots in today's dramatically reshaped tech environment.
We already know that some of the new iOS 11 features will not come to all of these devices.
Apple is partnering with LifeFitness, StairMaster, Schwinn, and a few other makers of cardio equipment to add the technology into their machines, but it likely won't start showing up in gyms until this fall.
The money in your Apple Pay Cash account can be used to make purchases in stores, apps, and on the web using Apple Pay. Other app developers seek to offer incentives to reduce phone-related auto fatalities.
On a completely different front, some of Apple's hardware updates, particularly around the Mac, highlight how serious it has become about computing again.
It has been discovered in the first beta of iOS 11 that has now been released to registered developers that the iOS 11 Camera app has native support for QR codes.
There's not a whole pile of information up presently, however, the name of the application and its symbol strongly recommend that Apple's arrangements of highlight some sort of local file manager app in iOS 11.
It looks like Apple is finally giving some much-needed attention to the content creation tools baked into the iPhone. Apple claims that with iOS 11, Siri will be smarter than before.
However, Google announced at I/O, its Project Treble initiative, which is meant to make Android update times more efficient for OEMs, by separating stock Android updates from customizations released by manufacturers. Interestingly, it is also integrated with Apple Music.
But it wasn't until I got to try out the new multi-tasking features built into iOS 11 that I truly understood why the screen needed to be wider.
The company also announced the 27 inch iMac Pro, which reportedly has a 4TB hard drive and 128GB RAM.
While there may be lots of new apps, whether or not there will be a lot innovation remains to be seen.
A new iPhone feature may reduce the distraction drivers face in their vehicles. Apple hasn't provided any updated figures in this regard, but there's a good chance the new Pencil gets very close to that figure. Ignited by new referendums and legislation, this industry is expected to blast from an already robust $6.7 billion to $20.2 billion in 2021.
Many an iPad owner has wished for the ability - just as you have in Android - to create multiple users and switch between them. There are several standout additions, including a new Driving Mode that mutes all notifications to keep you concentrated on the road.


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Moto 360 battery will last two and half days, reports claim
The Motorola Moto 360 battery life could trump those of its existing Android Wear rivals, latest reports have claimed.
With both the LG G Watch and the Samsung Gear Live struggling to make it past 24 hours on a single charge, it has been claimed that the round faced Moto 360 will boast two and a half days of staying power between charges.
Having leaked images of the eagerly awaited smartwatch earlier this month – showing off the device’s wireless charging dock – Italian blogger Luca Viscardi has claimed that, following some time with a prototype 360, he found the battery to survive half a working week.
Despite having officially unveiled the wearable and showcased it on a number of occasions, Motorola has remained coy in confirming finalised 360 specs. As such, it is currently unclear how big the watch’s battery will be.
Having garnered much attention for its stunning, round faced design and sleek, brushed metal finish, the Moto 360 has been confirmed for release ‘later this year’.
Set to benefit from Qi wireless charging capabilities, the 360 will boast an integrated heart rate sensor and will be IP67 certified, meaning it can safely stand up to the odd splash of water.
Despite remaining tight lipped on its own device, Motorola recently criticised the rest of the wearables space, telling TrustedReviews all existing smartwatches are ‘crappy’.
He added: “We look at the 360 and we look at what everyone has done in that space. To be honest we think they are all pretty crappy.
“We think people just don’t want to wear a lot of the devices that are out there today.”
Read More: Samsung Gear 2 review


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The growth in mobile innovation goes hand in hand with the Internet of Things (IoT). While the GSMA oversees mobile phone standards, it now expects major growth in machine to machine (M2M) technology, powering connected cars, homes, cities and more. It predicts growth from 195 million M2M connections in 2013 to 250 million this year, so it’s no surprise the topic is heating up this week at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
I remember when I first heard about the iPad; my thoughts were something along the lines of, “It’s just a big version of the iPhone. Why do we need this?” Fast forward to today, and the mobile landscape is filled with different mobile form factors – tablets have grown to be a staple in mobile device providers’ portfolios, and they are joined by new connected wearables, such as watches and glasses. Mobile World Congress brings together tech giants and innovators to showcase and introduce the hottest gadgets and the future of mobile devices.
Companies attending this week’s Mobile World Congress use the event as an opportunity to release their latest news. Some of the latest M2M announcements at MWC include:
- Sensing Control Systems launched a new enControl M2M solution, which integrates automation, energy management and security features for service providers.
- Libelium released a smart water wireless sensor platform to simplify remote water quality monitoring, Waspmote Smart Water.
- AT&T introduced the User-Defined Network Cloud, which brings cloud-based architecture to its network, and it also announced three new companies joining its AT&T Drive Studio connected car research and innovation center: Qualcomm Technologies, RedBend and QuickPlay Media.
- Ericsson, SAP and Telenor Connexion are using their partnership to drive the M2M market with a priority on predictive maintenance for industrial equipment and machinery.
- The connected toothbrush makes a comeback with Oral-B, which is introducing its interactive electric toothbrush with Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity.
- Jasper Wireless announced Jasper Global SIM, the latest software module integrated into the Jasper platform that gives enterprises the ability to manage a single embedded SIM by remotely provisioning and managing mobile operator profiles and policies for that SIM anywhere in the world. Jasper Wireless is also working with Telenor Connexion, which selected Jasper’s platform to help enterprises transition to connected businesses, Axeda, and POST Luxembourg to drive the Internet of Things.
- Creoir introduced the Ibis Smart Watch, which emphasizes the design side of the wearable technology.
Those are just some of the many releases this week, highlighting new products and entries into the connected market. There are even more companies exhibiting M2M-related products, solutions and applications in Barcelona this week:
- Vodafone is showcasing its M2M applications, including live demonstrations of BMW’s ConnectedDrive, point-of-sale signage and in-store displays, mHealth solutions and smart city solutions, such as intelligent security, lighting and energy systems.
- Deutsche Telekom will demonstrate its M2M solutions for smart cities, such as sensor-based parking management systems, intelligent light management and connected stadiums. It will also showcase M2M solutions for industrial automation, including pre-configured solutions for specific applications – photovoltaic systems, wind power stations and the supply of fuel oil or gas.
- The event itself is also featuring a Fitbit Challenge, which offers attendees to see the effect of wearable technology for themselves. They can use a Fitbit Flex and track their daily progress to win prizes for being active as well as telling the best social media stories using #MWC14FITBIT.
Other M2M-related companies include CradlePoint, Etisalat, Eurotech, Gemalto, Inmarsat, Novatel Wireless, NetComm, Sierra Wireless, Telit and more.
Mobile World Congress features sessions focused on business transformation, connected living, data analytics, future of communications, mobile identity and privacy and other developing markets. Arguably, all of the conference sessions happening at Mobile World Congress this week are related to M2M, which directly correlates to the growth in mobile. However, here are few that pinpoint the growth of M2M across different industries, including automotive, home automation, smart cities and big data.
- Steering the Automotive Industry into the Future with M2M
- Rise of the Machines: Enabling the Evolution from M2M to an Internet of Things Future
- Building the 50-Billionth Connected Device
- Spotlight on Business Models for M2M Services
- Emerging Markets: Bringing the World Online
- Complementing Coverage with Small Cells & Wi-Fi
- Building the Future Network
- The Future of: Smart Buildings
- Smart Cities: Smarter Living
- Mobile Health Solutions for Diabetes
- Keynote: The Connected Lifestyle: Transforming Industries
- Keynote: Up Close & Personal: The Power of Big Data
- Mobile World Live Keynote: Virginia Rometty, chairman, president and CEO of IBM (which just announced last week its partnership with AT&T to enable smart cities and the Internet of Things).
Whether it’s a conference session, product demonstration, keynote presentation or press release, M2M is front and center this week. The technology is disrupting the way we communicate, operate and transmit data, and Barcelona is bringing together the latest and greatest in this space. TMC is keeping up with everything happening at Mobile World Congress – check out the latest news here.
Edited by Cassandra Tucker


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SynCardia Sets New Monthly Record for Total Artificial Heart Implants in January
SynCardia Systems, Inc., manufacturer of the world’s first and only FDA, Health Canada and CE (Europe) approved Total Artificial Heart, has been selected by Forbes as one of “America’s Most Promising Companies” for the second consecutive year. On the list of 100 privately held, high-growth companies with bright futures, SynCardia was ranked #69, moving up eight spots from its #77 ranking last year.
“2012 was a record-breaking year for the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart with a 200% increase in implants over 2010 and over 400% revenue growth since 2009,” said Michael Garippa, SynCardia Chairman/CEO/President. “That momentum has continued into the new year with year-to-date implants representing a 40% increase over the same time period last year. In addition, this week we will submit our premarket approval supplement to the FDA for the Freedom® portable driver.”
In 2012, SynCardia achieved several regulatory milestones, including… read more


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General Atlantic (GA) has expanded its investment team in India with several new hires, underscoring the firm’s strategy to pursue growth equity investment opportunities in India and South East Asia.
Under the leadership of Sandeep Naik, who joined the firm as a managing director and head of the firm’s Mumbai office in late 2012, GA’s India team now includes eight full-time investment professionals and two advisory directors, said the company.
In addition to Naik, new members of GA’s team in India include Shantanu Rastoogi, as principal and Vijay Venkat and Varun Talukdar, both as associates. Existing senior team members Ranjit Pandit and Abhay Havaldar have both been named advisory directors, and will continue to be involved with GA’s portfolio companies in an advisory capacity.
“As an important high-growth economy, India will continue to be a core element of General Atlantic’s strategy of investing in growth companies around the world,” said William Ford, CEO of General Atlantic, who is visiting India this week.
“GA is active in several Indian sectors opening up to new investment, including financial services, healthcare, technology, business services and consumer retail. We also see attractive investment opportunities arising from the rapid growth of the emerging middle class,” he added.
Naik said GA’s evergreen fund structure gives it the flexibility to hold investments much longer than traditional private equity firms allowing it to help build value and manage through market volatility.
Naik was previously a partner and co-head of the India office for Apax, leading investments in the healthcare, financial & business services and retail & consumer sectors. He has both led and participated in a number of investments including Apollo Hospitals, Spectrum Labs, Esprit Pharma and Xanodyne. He also served as a director of publicly listed Apollo Hospitals.
General Atlantic manages approximately $17 billion and invests between $1.5 billion and $2 billion per year in growth companies globally. Since it opened an investment advisory office in Mumbai in 2002, General Atlantic has invested about $1.2 billion in Indian firms including its most recent partnership with Fourcee, a logistics company, and IndusInd Bank. Its other current and prior portfolio companies include Genpact, Mu Sigma, National Stock Exchange (NSE), InfoTech, IBS Software Services, Jubilant and Patni.


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Porsche Cars Australia has announced that Mobil will be the Official Fuel Partner for both Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia and the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia series this season
The new partnership with Mobil provides a range of benefits to both parties ensuring that all cars competing in both series will now run on Mobil’s premium Supreme+ 98 octane fuel product moving forward.
This extends the long term partnership for Porsche with Mobil 1 (lubricants) to extend to fuel supply which ensures both products will be delivered in all race cars moving forward. As the “Official Partner” of Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup and the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge series, Mobil have also secured naming rights to its premier class within both championships to be the ‘Mobil Pro Class’ and will be referred to as such in all official communications, including Porsche press releases, websites and social media accounts.
In addition to the naming rights, Mobil receives extensive branding on all Pro Class cars on the front windscreen together with the side mirrors, rear windscreen, side panels, inside drivers panels and in-car cameras. The Mobil logo will also be present on the podium backdrop and team garages for each Pro Car competing in the Carrera Cup championship this year.
In addition, a range of money can’t buy experiences will be delivered throughout the year that will provide the chance for race fans and Mobil fuel customers to enjoy the Porsche road cars at a range of exclusive events.
On the announcement, Porsche Cars Australia Head of Motorsport, Troy Bundy said, “We are thrilled to partner with a quality fuel supplier such as Mobil and provide them with the platform to showcase their product to our drivers, teams and customers. The association allows both premium brands to amplify this partnership to Porsche customers both on and off the racetrack as well as providing key brand assets to our Pro Class which will deliver exciting racing for all involved. The announcement also further reinforces our existing partnership with Mobil1, our Official Lubricant Partner.”
According to Australia Retail Sale Manager, Frank Tudic, from Mobil, “This fuel partnership is another demonstration of Mobil’s commitment to continue delivering premium quality fuels. We believe our fuels are amongst the best in the world, and what better way to showcase this than on a world stage in front of millions of race fans. The Porsche race series provides this opportunity, and we look forward to working alongside Porsche Cars Australia in 2020”.
Round 1 of the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia season takes place from the 21-23 February at the Superloop Adelaide 500, while Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge gets underway at Sydney Motorsport Park from the 27-29 March.


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Remember earlier this year when we told you a bunch of new emoji were on the way? Well, they have finally arrived for the iPhone in the iOS 11.1 update. Just go to Settings > General > Software Update.
Image: Apple / Emojipedia
The new emoji first showed up on Android Oreo back in August, but they looked less like the cute things featured in The Emoji Movie and more like weirdly drawn Simpsons characters. The Apple emoji, on the other hand, look so detailed you’d swear the T. rex could crawl right out of the screen. Have fun!
Sidenote: The official Apple release for iOS 11.1 says that there are “over 70”. It’s possible that Apple’s referring to different skin tones as different emoji or that Apple released its own emoji. Either way, the official Unicode 10.0 update included just 69 new emoji, so we have ourselves an emoji mystery on our hands.


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The re-introduction of sugar beet production to Scotland – a move that could support national climate change targets, create green jobs, and unlock new economic opportunities – has taken a significant step forward after the pilot project laying its foundations received new funding.
With the first successful crop in half a century harvested earlier this year, the consortium behind the sugar beet initiative – which includes the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC), SAC Consulting, and Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society (SAOS) – has secured a funding boost from Scottish Enterprise to analyse its potential environmental, societal, and economic impact.
The study will examine the widespread benefits that are expected to follow on from the crop’s return to Scotland. Sugar beet is seen as a key building block for the development of sustainable supply chains and a ‘bioeconomy’, which uses natural materials instead of petrochemical compounds in manufacturing.
A local source of sugar beet could pave the way for the development of an ethanol-producing biorefinery in Grangemouth – the hub of Scotland’s chemicals and petrochemical processing industries – and later support a fully functioning bio-based chemicals industry.
Sugar beet can be used in the production of ethanol as a natural and sustainable substitute for petroleum-based chemicals used in a range of household goods, as well as antibiotics and therapeutic proteins. Demand for ethanol in Scotland is expected to double in the coming years to more than 100 million litres, yet all of the country’s supply is currently imported from Europe.
Ian Archer, technical director at IBioIC, said: “Growing sugar beet in Scotland once again is a huge opportunity to re-invent the economy, build sustainability into manufacturing supply chains, and secure jobs for the future. Many of the biggest consumer goods manufacturers have committed to net-zero caron targets over the next two decades and a big part of that drive will be replacing the use of petrochemicals with natural materials.
“You cannot have a chemicals industry without a feedstock and to retain the sector in Scotland we need a local supply and the supply chains that follow. In northern Europe, that crop is sugar beet and growing it for ethanol production will not only diversify farmers’ income stream, but could allow them to be part of a green alternative to fossil fuels.
“Bio-based manufacturing shares many skills with using traditional chemicals and, given the direction of travel in the industry, transitioning towards this approach could secure and create jobs in Scotland. It is almost inevitable that we need to change the way we produce goods if we are going to compete in global supply chains, and secure a future for the domestic market.
“We have made huge progress in the last year that has taken the concept of a bio-economy based on sugar beet production from a nice idea to the harvesting of the first yield in 50 years and the outline of how a farming co-operative would be structured. This next step should confirm what we already know, with data to support the range of benefits associated with growing sugar beet.”
Andrew Henderson, of Scottish Enterprise’s advanced manufacturing team, said: “This is a hugely exciting project, which could yield transformational outcomes for businesses.
“Our funding will help unlock a vital next step for this project to support sustainable fuel and chemicals production through biotechnology, and ultimately create new jobs and investment to strengthen communities across Scotland.
“Sugar beet production can also help deliver our green economic recovery and transition to a net zero economy, through benefits like better air quality via carbon capture, and enhanced quality of soil.”
Jim Booth, Head of Co-op Development at SAOS, commented: “The re-introduction of sugar beet represents an exciting opportunity for farmers. If the proposal is to get off the ground, the only way to get farmer growers involved is through co-operation. Creating a producer co-op means the production, crop management, harvesting, marketing and delivery is optimised, safeguarding grower returns, and importantly ensuring a collaborative supply chain approach.”
Iain Riddell of SAC Consulting added: “We welcome the viability study funding, which gives our Sugar Beet Working Group the opportunity to further investigate agronomy, harvesting logistics, refining and by-products, and, most importantly, the investment required and support mechanisms that could credit sugar beet growers for their contribution to industrial carbon savings, which help achieve Scotland’s net zero targets.
“We are confident we can grow and harvest sugar beet on better land in the East of Scotland with group members already growing it for use in anaerobic digestion plants, and are exploring the potential of localised micro-processing plants as an option for onward transportation of concentrated sugar syrup, rather than the bulky sugar beet crop. Much will depend on government support, investor interest and the offer of long-term contracts that encourage farmers to commit to growing the crop.”


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Sedamyl is investing £80 million at its Yorkshire plant to double its potable alcohol capacity and add new lines for the production of liquid sweeteners.
The expansion will see the Selby-based agribusiness – which manufactures proteins, alcohol, starches, and sweeteners – create up to 75 jobs and support hundreds more in the supply chain.
The expansion plans, originally announcedin February, will also see the Italian firm double UK production, add new product lines, and provide an increased market for wheat grown by local farmers.
The firm is now actively recruiting to fill the roles, supporting its rapidly expanding workforce to support its current expansion project.
“Over the years we have built a solid reputation in Selby and are now a major local employer, and that is all down to our incredible team of dedicated staff. We know how important it is to retain the very best workers and have invested heavily to ensure we offer an attractive package and a positive workplace culture,” said Elena Frandino, Managing Director at Sedamyl UK and a member of family that has owned the business for 60 years.
“This latest development means we can continue to recruit to support our team and the local economy, whilst maintaining our position as one of the leading UK manufacturers of sweeteners, starches and derivatives.”


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We must keep an eye on the nutrition of future generations
It is estimated that 20% of children in Bangladesh suffer from vitamin A deficiency (VAD). As per a recent estimation, 88 children in Bangladesh are getting blind each day due to VAD.
Bio-fortification of rice with vitamin A could be an easy and effective way to cope with the vitamin A deficiency in Bangladesh. Syngenta, a Swiss-based global company, has played a pivotal role to develop Golden Rice in its existing form.
Despite being a corporate body, Syngenta offered royalty-free access of its product Golden Rice for the International Rice Research Insititute (IRRI) and its partners so that they could have more research to develop varieties of their own to lessen VAD in rice growing countries.
Thus, Golden Rice has set out its journey from lab to the field, with scientists working with research institutes of certain countries like India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh among others, under the care of a humanitarian board comprising of experts from different prestigious institutes of the world.
Golden Rice has its pro-vitamin A pathway genes from sources other than rice, making it a genetically modified (GM) crop, a controversial topic to many across the world. Therefore, demonstrating safety of these rice varieties is a key issue for scientists.
BRRI (Bangladesh Rice Research Institute) and IRRI are committed to carry out the completion of the Golden Rice project, and satisfy all regulatory requirements to have well-documented, science-based evidence on the safety of Golden Rice. Like all products of modern biotechnology, Golden Rice is undergoing rigorous research and assessment to ensure it is safe before it reaches the consumers.
Ultimately, the scientists agreed that the proteins from the new GM genes in golden rice do not cause any toxic effects, and pro-vitamin A is identical to those of other sources. Golden Rice has also passed the assessments of three other national regulatory agencies.
Product safety testing has been completed and regulatory applications are getting a good head start globally, and in Bangladesh, we are optimistic that the results of applications will soon be announced. Additional testing is being planned for Golden Rice, including the evaluation of consumer quality traits and bio-efficacy studies to determine the effect of Golden Rice consumption on various measures of vitamin A status.
Golden Rice will only be made available to farmers and consumers as a complementary solution to address VAD after passing all required tests, and securing all necessary approvals from regulators.
The research and development of Golden Rice must continue toward deployment, for it makes a significant impact on improving public health.
IRRI and its partners recognize the importance of regulatory oversight in the development and deployment of these new and improved bio-fortified GM rice varieties, to enable both farmers and consumers to make informed choices that respond to their most pressing food and nutrition security concerns.
Shahreen Haq is Senior Specialist, Communications and Stakeholders Engagement, IRRI.
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The Henry County Farmers Market will not be open this summer.
The Farmers Market Committee announced, “Due to unfortunate circumstances, the Farmers Market Committee would like the public to know of our decision not to have the market this year.”
Committee member Michelle Hopkins said there are several reasons behind the decision: the fair board is painting the pavilion at the fairgrounds; and scheduling and availability of someone to open and close the gates.
She said it was a tough decision to make. “With the multiple venues that will be asking for vendors, we feel the Farmers Market buyers and sellers will have adequate opportunity to get the products they want,” she said, noting the number of roadside stands and other local venues for local produce currently.
Next year we plan have a someone that would be able to open and close the fairgrounds and monitor the Farmers Market,” she said.


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Microsoft have had their claws in the Android market now for some time, and the latest reports we have received show that LG are paying them royalties now to use the Android operating system. The agreement between LG and Microsoft mean that they can use patented technology in their phones and tablets.
LG aren’t alone in being forced to pay Microsoft royalties for sales of Android devices, with ten other companies, such as Acer and HTC in a similar position. Microsoft say that 70% of all Android smartphones sold in America are covered by this royalties agreement.
It is a standing joke that Microsoft are actually making more money from Android patent royalties than they are from sales of their own Windows powered mobile phones. The only major organisation who don’t pay Microsoft under the licensing agreement terms are Motorola Mobility who are in talks with Google regarding a buy over.
Kitguru says: Microsoft are said to be raking in many millions of dollars from these agreements alone.


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New Delhi: Mobile and IT equipment makers have sought extension of differential pricing rules imposed on mobile phones to other categories of electronic products, a move that will boost domestic manufacturing.
"We have requested government that besides continuing differential pricing on mobile phones, it should be extended to other categories as well like laptops," Foxconn India Country head Josh Foulger told reporters after a pre-budget meeting with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today.
To boost local manufacturing of mobile phones and tablets, the government in last budget increased duty benefits for domestic producers of these electronic items.
Excise duty structure for mobiles handsets was changed to one per cent without CENVAT credit or 12.5 per cent with CENVAT credit which gave domestic manufacturers a benefit of about 11 per cent over imported phones.
The current fiscal year saw investments from manufacturing giant Foxconn in the country while many other mobile phone companies like Gionee, Xiaomi, Lava, Karbonn, HTC, Datawind, started production of their handsets locally.
"For successful Make In India campaign, we have requested a tax structure where we can focus on higher value addition in manufacturing of electronic products. We are looking for measures that can encourage development of component base in the country," Indian Cellular Association National President Pankaj Mohindroo said.
Telecom Equipment Manufacturers Association of India (TEMA) has requested government to levy duties on non-ITA (Information Technology Agreement) products as well as review duty on IT and Telecom products falling under duty free import category.
"We have also requested Finance Minister to introduce 5 per cent research and development cess on user of telecom services to create a corpus for supporting R&D for technology development in telecom sector," Shyam Telecom Chairman and Managing Director Rajiv Mehrotra who led TEMA at the meeting said.
He said that in line with Make In India objective, TEMA has requested government to extend infrastructure status to domestic telecom equipment manufacturing companies complying with preferential market access (PMA) rules.
"We have also requested to extend Income Tax section 35 AD benefit to domestic telecom equipment manufacturing companies which are complying with PMA provisions," Mehrotra said.
Under PMA, a company is required to give preference to domestically manufactured components in final product. PRS KIR ANU


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Umesh Verma, a 60-year-old guy, has actually been arrested from the Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal on Thursday as he showed up from Dubai on fees of deceiving a minimum of 45 people to the tune of Rs 2.5 crore in a cryptocurrency scam.
In 2017, Umesh Vera and his child Bharat Verma set up Pluto Exchange which apparently introduced India’s initial mobile application for negotiating in virtual money. Back then, they additionally held a press conference releasing their plan where people can get, offer, store as well as invest bitcoins just via a mobile number.
They promised a return of 20-30% every month, according to one of the 45 capitalists. They likewise assured included commission if a financier brings in more individuals. When the business might not fulfill its promises, it said to its investors that bitcoin price dropped as well as numerous of the business’s checking account were seized.
Then, Pluto Exchange shifted its offices to Dubai and also introduced similar procedures in Dubai.
Umesh Verma originally had a jewellery organization. He was earlier detained in a gold smuggling case also.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency investments are subject to market risks, and individuals should seek professional advice before making any investment decisions.


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Leeds United are delighted to announce that Wish (NASDAQ: WISH), one of the world’s largest mobile e-commerce platforms, will be the club’s new Official Partner for the 2022/23 season.
As part of the newly signed one-year deal, the Wish brand will appear on Leeds United men’s, women’s and academy shirt sleeves throughout the season, on all official replica jerseys and throughout the home – creating global brand exposure for the company.
The new sleeve brand will offer a sneak peak of Wish’s new logo ahead of its official rebrand next month. Supporters will be able to see the team’s players in the new outfit for the first time as the Premier League sides face the Brisbane Roar in the Queensland Champions Cup on Thursday 14 July as part of their pre-season tour of Australia. jersey. This will be the first time the first team will wear the new adidas and Wish home kits for the upcoming season.
“We are delighted to be working with Leeds United this upcoming season,” Wish chief executive Vijay Talwar said. “With the rebranding approaching, this collaboration not only provides great brand exposure, but is also a fantastic opportunity to bring people to the table with all the changes that are going on at Wish.
“We look forward to being a part of Leeds United’s journey and wish the team all the best for the coming season,” added Vijay.
San Francisco-based Wish brings affordable and fun mobile shopping experiences to millions of consumers around the world. Popular categories include fashion, accessories, home decor and gadgets.
Leeds United Executive Director Paul Bell added: “As we look forward to the new Premier League season, we are delighted to welcome Wish once again as our Official Partner for the new season.
“We first partnered with Wish as an official partner in 2018, when the brand selected Leeds United as its first global football partner following a successful partnership with the Los Angeles Lakers NBA basketball team. We are therefore delighted that the brand Once again opted to partner with the club as part of its new global marketing campaign.
“We look forward to seeing the new Wish brand features on our jersey sleeves throughout the campaign.”
To find out more about Wish, the new official armband partner of Leeds United, click here here Or to download the Wish e-commerce App, please click here.


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One of Nigeria’s crossdresser, Michelle, has slammed his, Bobrisky because the latter had earlier made known that an upcoming giveaway of a N10M brand new Benz car to a lucky fan on his birthday.
According to Michelle, Bobrisky bought his father a new but fairly used jeep on his birthday but he is too anxious to fans by giving out a N10M brand new Benz.
It was earlier reported by News Africa Now that Bobrisky has gift his dad a Lexus SUV car on his birthday (https://newsafricanow.com/entertainment/reactions-trail-as-bobrisky-celebrates-dads-birthday-with-lexus-suv/)
Michelle slammed Bobrisky for living a fake life. The crossdresser advised his fellow crossdressers to take care of their parents first before impressing fans. He noted that parents first before fans.


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2014 conference on the role of government in health
The role of government in protecting the health of communities is an issue that arouses strong feelings and gives rise to vigorous debates. An interdisciplinary conference titled: Who’s afraid of the nanny state? Freedom, regulation, and the nation’s health focused on just this issue in April 2014. The conference was co-hosted by Sydney Law School and the Charles Perkins Centre […]
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Can Coca-Cola contribute to healthy living?
A recent article in the bmj titled Is Coca-Cola’s antiobesity scheme the real thing? reveals that The Coca-Cola Zero ParkLives scheme is alive and well. The scheme focuses on Coca-Cola raising physical activity levels through programs the soft drink company offers in parks across the UK. Councils appear to have embraced the scheme and, according to the report, are happy to advertise […]
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1st Australasian Symposium on Health Communication, Advertising and Marketing
September 2014 Symposium title: 1st Australasian Symposium on Health Communication, Advertising and Marketing Theme: “The Future of Public Health Communication” and sub-theme: “Government/lndustry/Research collaboration” Organisers: QUT’s Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety – Queensland (CARRS-Q), Faculties of Health and Creative Industries, and the School of Business Program: The event organisers promise an interesting and varied program with […]
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Voluntary health star rating system given tick of approval
The controversial front-of-pack labelling involving a 5-star health rating system for food and drinks was recently approved. The system will enable consumers to better judge the nutritional content in the products they purchase but it is voluntary. The ABC’s report on the health star rating system gives insight into how the Public Health Association of […]
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Autonomy wins…or does it?
New York City’s Board of Health has been silenced by the New York State Court of Appeals in a 4-to-2 decision against limiting sales of jumbo sugary drinks, as reported in the New York Times. This is a huge victory for the American soft drink industry and a difficult day for New Yorkers wanting to […]
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You’re thirsty and dash into the supermarket to find something cheap to quench your thirst. You walk down the drinks aisle and are welcomed by appealingly colourful soft drinks and left uninspired by colourless bottled water. You’re automatically drawn to the colour but think to yourself, “Hmm, I should be a little sensible with my spending […]
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Plans to set a minimum price for wine in Scotland are coming up against the complex bureaucracy of the European Union's agriculture trade rules.
Wine is an agricultural product and may be exempt from minimum pricing law
European wine trade body CEEV (Comité Européen des Entreprises Vins) says wine’s status as an agricultural product means it is governed by the EU’s Common Market Organisation rules, and therefore is exempt from rulings on price.
‘It is explicitly written that it’s not possible to have marketing rules on price,’ the CEEV’s Sylvain Naulin told Decanter.com.
The argument could present Scotland’s government with an added headache in its attempt to levy a 50-pence-per-unit lower price on alcohol. The UK government also favours minimum pricing for England and Wales.
However, European Commission officials can grant exceptions in ‘certain circumstances’, an agriculture spokesperson told Decanter.com, although ‘It is true that as a general rule [a] member state cannot fix a minimum price for an agricultural product.’
Scotland’s ministers are betting on a public health argument. ‘We are confident that this does not prevent us from pursuing proportionate public health measures for Scotland,’ a government spokesperson said in response to the CEEV statement.
The CEEV’s complaint comes in addition to its legal challenge to minimum pricing on competition grounds in the UK and Brussels, announced last week in tandem with the Scotch Whisky Association and European spirits trade group CEPS.
‘European law is clear – minimum pricing is an illegal barrier to trade,’ said CEPS director-general Paul Skehan.
Some legal experts are yet to be convinced. ‘It’s not really a discrimination, because it would affect all alcohol equally, whether imported or not,’ said Angus MacCulloch, EU competition law specialist and senior lecturer at Lancaster University.
European Commission lawyers are not expected to report on the Scottish plans until mid-September at the earliest.
Written by Chris Mercer


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Jolla's First Smartphone Powered By Wayland
Jolla's phones are to run Sailfish OS as their MeeGo fork and they have been playing around with Wayland support even to the point of allowing Android GPU drivers to work with Wayland (Canonical in turn took a library and adapted that for their Android drivers with Mir).
In late May Jolla announced their first phone as a $500 USD product with a dual-core SoC, 4.5-inch display, 16GB storage, and 8MP camera. It turns out that this device will be shipping with Wayland.
It was confirmed this morning via Jolla on Twitter that "our first Jolla will ship with Wayland." This first phone is expected for an online release before the end of 2013.


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While cigarette-brand logos once adorned most of the Formula 1 cars on the grid, tobacco sponsorship in F1 has been banned for years. The last holdout was Ferrari, but even that's been scaled back to oblivion over the past few seasons.
Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro
Tobacco advertising has been banned from Formula One racing for several years now, but that doesn't appear to be deterring either Ferrari or Philip Morris. The two companies have just announced a renewal of their partnership over the team officially known as Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro through 2015.
- Volvo shoots for self-drivers by 2021
- Jeep spends $1 billion on factories
- Find Parts & Accessories for your vehicle!
- Obama rolls out new EV plan
- Infiniti dealers ranked best, Tesla worst
- Compare Volvo XC90 and Lincoln MKX


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May 4, 2006
Trade Among Asian Nations Expected to Explode This Year
Business leaders from small- to mid-sized companies in Asia say they expect trade between Asia countries to outpace even the booming growth in trade between Asian and Western countries in 2006, according to a survey by UPS.
Nearly 70% of survey respondents, who included members of the jewelry and watch industries, said they expected to see enormous growth in intra-Asia trade this year. In comparison, about 50% of respondents expected more growth between Asia and the United States and Asia and Europe. Also, 71% of the 1,200 respondents said they are optimistic about the overall state of the Asian economy and expect to see steady growth in the next year.
However, the survey also highlighted some challenges for small and medium-sized businesses with locations in Asia. Respondents said that they are concerned about innovation, availability of qualified staff and access to funding and working capital, and some in developing markets such as China, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines referred to legal red tape, supply-chain efficiency, access to overseas markets and access to market intelligence and other business information as additional obstacles to their businesses.
One particular strong area was India, where 43% of respondents said they expected India to equal China in economic growth potential in the next three years. A total of 76% of businesspeople in India said they expect trade with the U.S. to grow during the next year.


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Intel has cornered the market in terms of its processors that have been put inside Windows 8-based convertible or hybrid PCs that combine tablets and notebooks in one product. Today, AMD announced a new technology that's designed to help boost the performance of a tablet when tied into a keyboard dock.
AMD's solution is called Turbo Dock, and PCs designed to use the technology will see CPU and GPU performance boosted by up to 40 percent when the tablet portion is connected to its keyboard dock. When the tablet is used away from the dock, the CPU and GPU go into a lower power mode to conserve battery life.
PCs that use Turbo Dock will have AMD's upcoming Temash processor inside. The company claims it has five time the graphics performance compared to Intel's current "Clover Trail" Atom Z2760 chip that's being used by a few Windows 8 tablets and convertibles. AMD plans to demo Temash in dual core and quad core versions next week at the Mobile World Congress trade show. PCs that will use the AMD Turbo Dock technology with Temash inside are expected to go on sale later in 2013 but AMD did not announce which OEMs would offer PCs with that design.


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Millennials are called a lot of things—entitled, distracted, irresponsible—but if there is one thing they’re good at, it’s traveling. Two recent studies, one by travel agency Topdeck and another by Amercian Express Travel, found that Millennials place a greater emphasis on vacations than previous generations. According to American Express, a whopping 89 percent of the generation have summer travel plans (that’s 9 percent more than the general population), and 78 percent were responsible enough to put aside money ahead of time for those trips. Seems like we could all learn a few lessons from them—here’s how they’re doing it.
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Treat Travel as Your Right
In some ways, Millennials consider it a right, not a privilege, to travel. After all, they’ve grown up going on childhood family vacations, many studied abroad in college, and now they want to continue exploring. But don’t call them entitled. Most Millennials will happily cut back in other areas of life to afford their trips, said Claire Bennett, EVP of American Express Travel. “Our travelers, especially the millennial sector, are inherently curious with an increased desire to invest in experiences over material items,” she said. “This continued quest to explore versus acquire helps explain why Millennials place such great importance on travel in comparison to other generations.”
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The number one luxury millennials give up in order to travel? Takeout food. According to the Topdeck survey, a full 60 percent of those surveyed would sacrifice delivery and takeout food to save up for a trip. That was closely followed by going out with friends (51 percent) and purchasing coffee (46 percent). American Express data echoed those numbers, with 38 percent reducing restaurant meals, 32 percent spending less on clothes, and 31 percent cutting back on going out with friends.
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Domestic travel is up nearly 17 percent since last year, according to American Express booking data, and millennials are a big part of that shift. “Millennials are more about doing than seeing, but are also supremely focused on budget—making domestic travel particularly compelling this summer,” Bennett said. Case in point: 72 percent of millennials plan to take a weekend trip this summer, compared to 66 percent of the general population
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Score Free Things
Millennials aren’t traditionally known as brand loyal consumers, but they are taking advantage of the perks rewards programs provide. “We’ve noticed this demo progressively participating in reward programs, with nearly half planning to reap the benefits,” Bennett said. “The data also indicates that among all benefits offered, complimentary amenities—such as spa or dining credit and free Wi-Fi —and the ability to earn free night’s stay are most appealing.”Continue to 5 of 5 below.
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It’s easy to make fun of millennials’ screen addictions, but they might just be planning their next vacations while staring at those phones. More than half of millennial travelers (62 percent) use Facebook to book vacations, while a third use Instagram to nail down travel plans. Also of note? Cell phone service is one of the few areas travelers wouldn’t cut back on to save for travel, according to the TopDeck survey. No surprises there.


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Industrial production recovered in the month of May after hitting a 3-year low in April due to traditional New Year holidays and Easter Sunday bombings that kept workers away from factories.
The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) increased by 0.4 percent to 106.1 points in May from 105.7 points in May 2018, the data released by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) showed.
In terms of manufacturing industries 10 out of 20 industry groups have shown positive growths in volume of production.
The industry groups ‘Manufacture of electrical equipment’, ‘Manufacture of paper and paper products’ and ‘Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products’ showed remarkable increases of 19.8 percent, 17.0 percent and 16.9 percent respectively, in their volume of production during the month of May 2019 compared to that of May 2018.
The volume of food products has increased by 5.6 percent compared to the month of May 2018.
Among the 10 industries recorded negative growths in volume of production of manufacturing industries ‘Manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products’, ‘Other manufacturing’ (which includes manufacturing motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers, other transport equipment, jewellery), ‘Manufacture of wood and products of wood’ have reported negative growth rates of 43.7 percent, 36.0 percent and 19.1 percent respectively.
The IIP is an index which details out the growth of sub sectors of the industry sector in a given period of time. It reveals short-term changes of volume of production of the industrial sector.
DCS compiles number of economic indicators including IIP.
The government as well as industries use these indicators to understand the trends and patterns in the Sri Lankan economy, identify the drivers of economic growth, evaluate economic performance and for the formulation and assessment of economic policies.


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Automobile industrial are going to become eco-friendly. So General Motors (GM) going to launch New electric car in Indian automobile market in 2011.
This New GM's Electric car could be based on the Electric Networked Vehicle (EN-V) concept electric car.
Karl Slym, the General Motors President and Managing Director, announced the launch in India, to toughen its base over here.
Check out rest of story like, release date, price prediction, specifications, features and photos of New GM Electric Car on source page.


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The trade war headlines aren’t going away, which is actually beneficial if you’re an investor and need to know whether political decisions could negatively impact markets. The White House has presented the argument that an unfair trade balance is damaging American national security interests and taking jobs away from regular working citizens. However, a prolonged trade war, particularly with China, has the potential to slash revenues of some of the largest American companies. Investors would be directly impacted.
Several prominent American businesses could lose out if the Chinese government chooses to levy tariffs on their products or interrupt operations through supply chains and regulatory hurdles.
Six American Companies and The Percentage of Revenue They Generate in China
- Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) – Apple’s revenue fluctuates in China but ranges from around 18% to 25% in any given year. Lately the company has been growing Chinese revenues and currently makes over $44 billion from Chinese smartphone, software, and computer sales.
- Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC) – Intel is the world’s largest and most prominent microprocessor company and it generates over 23% of its revenue in China. That revenue is worth $14.7 billion every year.
- Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOM) – Qualcomm’s ‘system on a chip’ microprocessors are used in products ranging from cell phones to computers and IoT devices. The company generates 64% of its revenue in China, with a total value of $14.5 billion.
- Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU) – Micron is a computer memory chip manufacturer with diversified interests around the world. Even so, 40% of their revenue comes from China, with a value of $10.3 billion.
- Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO) – One of the largest chipset manufacturers in the world, Broadcom makes more than $9.5 billion in China, thanks to the huge demand for their products in the Chinese manufacturing industry. 48% of the company’s revenue is generated in China.
- Texas Instruments Inc. (NASDAQ: TXN) – An American microprocessor and technology company that makes more than $6.6 billion in revenue from the Chinese market. Over 40% of the company’s revenue comes from China.
How Vulnerable Are These Companies?
China won’t make light of any decision to apply tariffs to the products from companies on this list. Semiconductor technology is incredibly important to China’s own manufacturing industry. However, with the pressure that the White House is applying, the risk is there. If investors sense any uncertainty then stocks in these companies (and others) could start to slide, particularly in a discounted market.
For now, the markets are resilient and both countries are selecting tariffs carefully to minimize internal damage. No matter how the trade disputes are worked out diplomatically, understanding the risk in the market is critical for any investor.