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.
GROUNDBREAKING JAPANESE NANO MASK OFFERS CONSUMERS BETTER SKIN PROTECTION
JAPAN’S Kao Corp has unveiled the first cosmetics product that makes use of its cutting-edge Fine Fibre Technology to moisturise and protect the skin. A Biomimesis Veil product will be added to the cosmetics giant’s Sensai prestige brand in Japan from December 4, with launches in other markets to follow.…
NATURAL AFRICAN LOOKS INCREASE IN PREDOMINANCE AS SUB-SAHARAN BEAUTY MARKETS BECOME MORE SOPHISTICATED
Beauty markets in sub-Saharan Africa are becoming more sophisticated, and with this comes an increasing desire by consumers to use cosmetics that better match their own skin and hair characteristics, rather than utilising products that of more universal appeal.
Nigeria’s personal care product industry continues to grow, and given its population is the largest in Africa – now estimated by the United Nations at 200 million – this market inevitably has the most potential in the continent.…
NEW EU COMMISSION FACES MAJOR ANTI-FRAUD CHALLENGE
With a new European Commission about to take office (probably on December 1, one month late, with three proposed nominees being rejected by MEPs), one key challenge will be pushing fraud out of the European Union (EU). It is still a huge problem, with in 2018, 1,152 frauds detected and reported.…
CANS PLAY IMPORTANT ROLE IN DELIVERING FOOD AND DRINK TO THE NEEDY IN DISASTER ZONES
METAL cans play an important role in enabling aid agencies to deliver food and drink to needy people in disaster zones and areas of food scarcity – being sturdy, stackable, and recyclable. The scale of some of these operations and hence their demand for canned food and drink is huge.…
PHILIPPINE COATINGS MANUFACTURERS HAVE GOOD PROSPECTS, BUT FACING SHORT TERM DEMAND RESTRICTIONS
THE PHILIPPINES paint and coatings sector maybe growing robustly – at an average of 6.5-7% over the past two years to reach USD900 million in 2018 says market researchers Frost & Sullivan – but the local manufacturers think they could do a lot better.…
ASIAN REGULATORY ROUNDUP – SINGAPORE TAX COLLECTORS USE POWERS OF ARREST FOR FIRST TIME
THE INLAND Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) has for the first time used powers of arrest, in October and November raids, holding 10 suspected members of a crime syndicate, suspected of operating a GST carousel fraud. Chains of sales and purchases have ended in goods disappearing or being exported, with dishonest participants claiming input tax for GST, which is ultimately never paid to the government.…
MALAYSIAN BUDGET SEEKS TO CONSOLIDATE REFORMS OF NEW PAKATAN HARAPAN GOVERNMENT
MALAYSIA’S Pakatan Harapan government has released its 2020 budget, its second since gaining power in 2018, and one that aims to consolidate reforms undertaken by an administration headed by veteran Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. This was not a budget bringing major change, indeed finance minister YB Tuan Lim Guan Eng stressed when delivering his budget speech to the Malaysian parliament on October 11 how the government has been tying up earlier major reforms, such as scrapping the unpopular goods and services tax (GST).…
IRELAND FARMERS SHOULD PREPARE CONTINGENCIES FOR UPCOMING CAP REFORM SAY IRISH AGRICULTURAL ACCOUNTANTS
IRISH farming accountants will not only be monitoring Brexit as a current important European Union (EU) policy change, they will be scrutinising potential reforms to the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), now under discussion for remaining member states, like Ireland. They will be advising their agricultural clients to be prepared for potential shifts in CAP subsidies.…
OECD OBESITY REPORT SAYS REFORMULATION CAN BOOST ECONOMIES AND WEALTH OF FOOD MANUFACTURERS
AN ORGANISATION for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD) report on obesity has argued that initiatives such as reformulation, can benefit the food industry, enabling companies to reduce costs and target new consumer niches. These included “attracting people from the health-conscious segment of the market”. …
EU SIGNALS CLAMP DOWN ON FUTURE FOSSIL FUEL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
THE EUROPEAN Union (EU) Council of Ministers has signalled that it is prepared to clamp down on EU funding of oil and gas projects, as it considers how to achieve anticipated new ambitious climate change goals.
In a joint policy statement released earlier this month (November 8), EU ministers said multilateral development banks should “adopt responsible investment policies and to phase out financing of fossil fuel projects, in particular those using solid fossil fuels…” The declaration is important, given EU member states control the European Investment Bank (EIB), which has sunk EUR202 billion into energy projects since it was founded in 1959, many of which involved developing the oil and gas sector.…