Archive
International News Services archives articles supplied to clients one year or more after initial publication. These articles are protected by a password and not made available to readers without permission from clients. They are used as a background resource by agency journalists. Upon client requests, International News Services will remove such articles from the archive or not upload them in the first place. They are included to demonstrate the breadth of topics undertaken by the agency and also to help promote clients’ coverage.
SINGAPORE BUDGET SEEKS TO STABILISE ECONOMY AMIDST TURBULENT TIMES, AND PREPARE WORKFORCE FOR THE FUTURE
WITH public nervousness growing about the impact of the Coronavirus on Singapore, amidst a period of sluggish economic growth, the city state’s government’s 2020 budget, released February 18, has stuck a balance between protecting businesses, workers and elderly, while investing in training to prepare for future upturns.…
ASIA REGULATORY ROUND UP – MALAYSIA DEMANDS SYSTEM BANKS BOOSTS RESERVES TO PROTECT AGAINST CRASHES
THE MALAYSIAN government has issued a Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIB) Framework, which tells financial institutions of importance to Malaysia’s wider economy to hold minimum levels of reserves to protect themselves against troubled times. Mandatory ‘higher loss absorbency’ (HLA) requirements for listed systemic banks, ranging between 0.5% to 1.0% of risk-weighted assets, will come into force from January 31, 2021.…
LENZING’S INDONESIA INNOVATION HUB COMPLETES FIRST YEAR WITH EYE ON BOOMING ETHNIC WEAR MARKET
AN INDONESIA-based fabric and yarn innovation centre has hailed success in developing wood-based cellulose fibres that it says are set to drive business in the multibillion-dollar Asian ethnic wear market. The ‘Lenzing Centre of Excellence’ (LCOE), operated by Austria’s Lenzing Group in Purwakarta, West Java, Indonesia, has just completed its first year of operations, with its R&D focus ranging from Indonesian batik to Muslim hijabs and Indian saris.…
TRADITIONAL BATIK TO BE SCRUTINISED BY DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY TO PROVE AUTHENTICITY
THE INDONESIAN government is trying to integrate digital technologies into the country’s batik sector to differentiate and authenticate its products from other Asian competitors. The world’s largest batik exporter, Indonesia’s batik exports reached USD52.4 million in 2018 and USD17.99 million in the first quarter of 2019, according to data gathered by Indonesia’s Antara news agency.…
CHINESE TEXTILE AND CLOTHING MANUFACTURERS GAIN ADDITIONAL ACCESS TO US MACHINE TECH FOLLOWING INTERIM TRADE DEAL
THE ECONOMIC and trade agreement signed yesterday (January 15) by the USA and Chinese governments is designed to increase exports of American goods to China, including textile fibres and textile manufacturing machinery. Under its terms, the Chinese government has promised to increase the value of its imports of manufactured goods from the USA by USD32.9 billion this year (2020) compared to 2017, and by USD44.8 billion in 2021.…
CAMBODIAN TEXTILE SOFTWARE INNOVATION COULD CUT FABRIC DEFECTS IN HALF SAY PROMOTERS
IN a bid to modernise Cambodia’s textile and garment sectors through digitalisation, the industry is introducing innovative new software next month (February) that will help improve efficiency by improving fabric handling and cutting down repeat clothing defects by almost half – in addition to making overall gains on factory productivity.…
CAR SALES PLUNGE IN LEBANON AMIDST FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHAOS
Sales of new cars in Lebanon have plunged 74% in the last two months of 2019 (compared to November and December 2018) as the country has faced financial and political chaos following the eruption of mass demonstrations in October. these prompted the resignation of the government – and while a new administration under Prime Minister Hassan Diab Took office on January 22, business transactions continue to be hampered by restricted access to US dollars.…
EUROPEAN AUTOMAKERS FACING COUNTDOWN TO DEADLINE ON INSTALLINBG NEW SAFETY FEATURES ON VEHICLES
AUTO manufacturers in Europe are facing a countdown to new European Union (EU) type approval rules, forcing them to install new safety technology on their vehicles if they want to secure permission to sell these autos in the EU and get them registered.…
BRITISH AUTO INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION TELLS GOVERNMENT ROBUST POST-BREXIT TRADE DEAL WITH EU IS ESSENTIAL TO PROTECT UK MANUFACTURERS FROM HARM
WITH Britain’s formal exit from the European Union (EU) happening tomorrow (January 31), the UK’s main automotive industry association has called on the government to make sure that it strikes an effective trade deal with the EU by the end of a transitional period that ends on December 31 (2020).…
A NEW ERA IN ISRAEL’S ENERGY SECTOR AS GAS EXPORTS START TO FLOW
After 34 months of intensive work and investment of more than Israeli Shekels ILS12 billion (USD3.4 billion), the partners in the Mediterranean Sea Leviathan gas field project – the USA’s Noble Energy Inc, along with Israeli partners Delek Drilling, and Ratio – have announced the start of natural gas production from the reservoir, the largest energy project in Israel’s history.…