Latest news with #EFI
New Indian Express
29-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Public Garden lake in Nampally to be restored at Rs 34.5 lakh
HYDERABAD: The popular Public Garden in Nampally has been taken up for restoration to bring the iconic place back to its glory. Thanks to the state government's commitment to environmental conservation, the project is being undertaken after years of neglect. Undertaken by the Environmental Foundation of India (EFI) as part of a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, the project is supported by officials from the chief minister's office and the Horticulture department. The process involves deweeding and desilting of nutrient-loaded sludge that has accumulated in the lake. The lake will be strengthened, embankments will be lined with jute pitching, and native grass will be planted. As many as 20 panels and a twin aerator system will be installed to cleanse the water. 'With an estimated budget of Rs 34.50 lakh for the first phase of restoration, efforts have been underway for the last 20 days and are expected to be completed by the end of June, in time for the monsoons,' EFI founder Arun Krishnamurthy said.
NDTV
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- NDTV
Honda Rebel 500 Vs Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Specs Compared
Honda has launched the Rebel 500 in India, and it closely competes with the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650. Though both the motorcycles fall under the mid-size category, they do have few specs in contrast that must be considered before your final consideration. Honda Rebel 500 Vs Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Dimensions The Honda Rebel 500 features compact dimensions: 2205 mm long, 810 mm wide, and 1090 mm high, with a 1490 mm wheelbase and a kerb weight of 191 kg. It has a ground clearance of 125 mm, a seat height of 690 mm, and a fuel tank capacity of 11.2 liters, all on a sturdy steel diamond frame. In comparison, the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 has a wheelbase of 1500 mm and a ground clearance of 135 mm, ensuring stability on the road. It measures 2260 mm in length and 890 mm in width (excluding mirrors), with a height of 1155 mm and a seat height of 740 mm for comfort. Weighing 241 kg (kerb weight without fuel), it offers a fuel capacity of 15.7 litres, making it ideal for longer rides. Honda Rebel 500 Vs Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Powertrain The Honda Rebel 500 is powered by a 471cc liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, 8-valve, liquid-cooled parallel twin-cylinder engine, working jointly with a 6-speed gearbox, and produces 45.59 hp of maximum power at 8,500 RPM and 43.3 Nm. In comparison, the Super Meteor 650 is powered by a parallel twin, 4-stroke engine with 648 cc displacement, delivering 46.3 hp at 7250 rpm and 52.3 Nm of torque at 5650 rpm. It uses Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) and pairs with a 6-speed gearbox and wet, multi-plate clutch for smooth shifting with an electric ignition and air-oil cooling. Honda Rebel 500 Vs Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Features The Rebel 500 gets a tubular steel frame and contemporary lines in a stripped-back, fat-tyred 'bobber' style. It will be offered in India only in the Standard variant in a single Matt Gunpowder Black Metallic color with seats for both rider & pillion. Crowned by the signature steeply raked fuel tank and fat handlebars. The Rebel 500 also gets an all-LED lighting system with a signature round headlight. On the other hand, the Super Meteor 650 offers a Low-Slung Seat. It includes a digital-analog instrument cluster with tripper navigation, an LED headlamp, and a USB charging port. Honda Rebel 500 Vs Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Cycle Parts The Rebel 500 is equipped with a 41mm front telescopic fork and dual rear shock absorbers, ensuring a comfortable ride in urban environments. It features 16-inch wheels with a 130/90 front tire and a 150/80 rear tire. The braking system consists of a 296mm front disc and a 240mm rear disc, both equipped with ABS. Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 In comparison, the Super Meteor 650 comes with upside-down front forks and twin rear shocks that have preload adjustment, providing better control over various terrains. It has a 19-inch front wheel and a 16-inch rear wheel, along with wider tires for improved stability. Its braking system includes a 320mm front disc and a 300mm rear disc with a twin-piston floating caliper, also featuring dual-channel ABS. Honda Rebel 500 Vs Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Price The 2025 Honda Rebel 500 has been priced at Rs. 5.12 lakh (ex-showroom). It will be available exclusively in Gurugram, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, with deliveries commencing from June 2025 onwards. Bookings for this new cruiser motorcycle are now open at select BigWing Topline dealerships. The Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 offers three variants: the Astral at INR 3.68 Lakh (ex-showroom), the Interstellar at INR 3.83 Lakh (ex-showroom), and the premium Celestial at INR 3.98 Lakh (ex-showroom).
Forbes
23-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The Leadership Challenge Of AI: How Leaders Can Address Fears Of AI
AI And The Leadership Challenge: How Leaders Can Address Fears Of AI The impact of AI continues to be felt in the workplace. Much of the attention has been on either the 170 new jobs created or the 92 million jobs displaced by AI by in 2030. While understanding the impact of AI on the future of work is important, leaders also need to understand the human side of AI. This means listening to the concerns and fears of workers as AI expands across the organization. It is these human challenges which change workflows, job expectations, the composition of work teams, and are causing fears and concerns among workers as AI expands in the workplace. I recently spoke at the Ecosistema Formazione Italia – EFI in Rome, a conference bringing together 2,000 senior leaders in HR, Talent, and Training from European countries, to share their views on innovations in the workplace. It did not take long before the discussion focused on how workers and leaders were adapting to the expansion of generative AI at work. Five themes emerged which focus on the importance of developing a human centered AI adoption strategy where leaders understand worker concerns and take action to create an optimal human and AI collaboration. Attendees at the Ecosistema Formazione Italia (EFI) expressed concerns about the implications of using AI at work. One of the biggest concerns around using AI in your work is identifying how much of your job can be automated and how this might result in job loss. This fear of being replaced by AI is behind the Slack research of 5,000 knowledge workers found that 20% were using AI at work but not disclosing this to their team or manager. Around 55% use AI at least a couple of times a week, but 74% don't actively share about their use or encourage others to use AI. The reason: fear of being displaced by AI once your manager sees how much of your job can be automated by AI. While one could argue this fear may not be based on reality, it is a human reaction to exponential change in the workplace and must be addressed by leaders. To successfully manage how humans and AI work together, leaders need to understand the cultural change, and emotional intelligence of the workforce. The second fear discussed was the possible consequences of not using AI and how that may lead to either stalled careers or can impact one's performance review. In the case of Shopify, the expectation of using AI daily is a baseline expectation at the company. A recent memo Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke sent to the Shopify workforce asks this question of his workforce: 'What would your function look like if autonomous AI agents were already part of the team?' Lütke elaborates by saying that before asking for more headcount or resources, teams must show why they cannot get what they want done using AI. Finally, Lütke shared that AI usage will be factored into all performance reviews at the Shopify. By doing this, Shopify is moving from encouraging employees to 'tinker with AI,' to changing how they work in partnership with AI. What are your strengths in a world where AI is universally available? This was an interesting question posed at the Ecosistema Formazione Italia (EFI) and very relevant for those in the content creation/communications area. What if your strengths are writing clearly and concisely? If AI creates your first draft, what strengths do you develop to 'stand out' on your team? Using generative AI to create a first draft is now so pervasive that it's made its way into AI products, including as core feature in Copilot for Microsoft 365. In a world where AI is universally available and there is an expectation for daily AI usage, workers need to focus on developing skills in human creativity, emotional nuance, strategic thinking, and importantly, AI oversight of the output. Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke not only talks about AI in weekly videos, town halls, and podcasts, but last year he used AI agents to create a talk and then presented about his experience. This needs to happen for all CEOs: usage by example and then share the results. Since usage of AI is the most rapid shift to how work is done, this is a skill that all workers need to develop and that will only happen if it becomes integrated into the workflow. Building transparency is key to widespread adoption of AI. While understanding how to use AI involves self-learning, leaders must create a culture of sharing back what you learned, and how this impacts your job, your team, and the organization. Leaders can do this by including AI integration into monthly business reviews and product life cycles. Employees should be encouraged to share their best practice use cases on Slack and Teams. As trust is a key barrier to widespread adoption, leaders will need to empower their teams to learn when to trust AI and how to validate or challenge outputs to ensure final decisions align with the strategic goals of the organization. In addition, transparency of using AI needs to be celebrated for all employees, starting with the CEO and leadership team. The speed at which today's technology is changing means that leaders will have to consistently re-evaluate and optimize what can best be accomplished by humans, by AI agents, and by humans and AI working together. Finally, one of the interesting questions for leaders is how will the partnership between HR and IT evolve as generative AI expands across enterprise? Moderna is taking this to a new level by integrating IT into the HR function and re-framing its top HR leader as Chief People and Digital Technology Officer. This is an early example of how AI is starting to be viewed not just as a technology tool but as a co-worker where humans and AI evolve their work together. What is your company doing so humans and AI collaborate in as seamless a way as possible?
Al-Ahram Weekly
06-02-2025
- Business
- Al-Ahram Weekly
INTERVIEW: Egypt ceramic industry on cusp of recovery after challenging decade: EFI's El Sallab - Economy
Although the Egyptian ceramic industry has been facing significant challenges in recent years, including reduced production capacity and declining exports, it is now on the cusp of recovery, Hossam El Sallab, head of the Ceramic Division at the Egyptian Federation of Industries (EFI), said during an interview with Ahram Online. The government is introducing innovative initiatives and support programmes to pave the way for revitalizing this strategic sector. It is also addressing factory debts and enhancing production capabilities at a time when the construction sector is experiencing notable improvement. A report by market research provider Mordor Intelligence indicated that Egypt's construction market is projected to reach $55 billion by 2025 and $82.34 billion by 2030, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.4 percent. According to the report, Egypt is a key player in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) construction sector. It is the third-largest project market in the region, following Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Key challenges of Egypt's ceramic industry The Egyptian ceramic industry, one of the nation's oldest and most vital sectors, has faced considerable difficulties over the past decade. Rising natural gas costs, disruptions in the construction sector, and increased expenses have adversely affected overall industry performance. Hossam El Sallab, co-chairman of Mostafa El Sallab Group, one of the key players in the Egyptian ceramic industry, highlighted several factors contributing to the industry's challenges. These include soaring gas prices and halted construction activities. 'As a result, operational capacity has dropped to approximately 50-55 percent of full production capacity, with exports plummeting from $350 million to just $90 million annually,' El Sallab clarified. Before this crisis, the ceramic industry in Egypt enjoyed significant growth. 'From the early 1990s until 2011, the industry experienced remarkable production growth rates of 10-12 percent annually. At its peak in 2013, exports accounted for about 30 percent of total production, reaching approximately 100 million square metres," he explained. However, he added, the landscape shifted dramatically after 2011 due to economic and political factors. He also emphasized that over 39 companies operate in this sector, with investments totalling around EGP 1 trillion, and that the production capacity of ceramic factories in Egypt is roughly 420 million square metres annually. Government initiatives: A step forward The government has launched several initiatives to support the ceramic and porcelain sectors and restore the industry's vitality One notable initiative involves collaboration with the finance ministry to implement a compensation system that allows factories to supply their products to various ministries and government bodies, such as the housing and transport ministries, in exchange for settling outstanding debts. According to Minister of Finance Ahmed Kouchouk, a specialized technical team is developing an effective plan to implement this system, addressing financial entitlements while considering the needs of investors in the sector. Low-interest loans to support manufacturers The government measures include introducing a 15 percent interest loan initiative under President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi's directives. This programme allocates loans to factories at a 15 percent interest rate to purchase necessary equipment and machinery to restart production lines, aiming to boost the ceramic industry's production capacity and stimulate the sector. The General Authority for Industrial Development and the EFI are coordinating to prioritize which sectors should receive these loans. 'The past seven months have witnessed the launch of a robust programme under the guidance of President El-Sisi and the supervision of Minister of Industry and Transport Kamel El-Wazir,' El Sallab revealed. 'This programme aims to revive halted production capacities in the ceramic industry in anticipation of expected demand from neighbouring countries and to meet construction needs in Egypt's new cities, especially following the resumption of construction activities as per the 2008 Building Law,' he added. Construction sector's role in stimulating ceramic industry El Sallab asserted that the construction sector has always been a driving force behind the ceramic industry in Egypt. 'Ceramic manufacturing has never been a catalyst for construction; it has always reacted to the developments within this sector,' he noted. Preparing for market recovery Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the government and private sector manufacturers to enhance production and increase exports, the Egyptian ceramic industry is poised for a new revival phase. With these combined efforts and a favourable economic environment, the Egyptian ceramic industry is poised for a significant recovery in the coming years, which will positively impact the national economy as a whole. The Egyptian ceramic tiles market is experiencing significant growth due to the expanding construction sector. This expansion is primarily supported by the Egyptian government's urban development initiatives, which focus on creating new cities and urban areas. Reflecting its diverse and culturally rich heritage, Egypt has a strong aesthetic appeal that fosters a high demand for premium ceramic tiles in both residential and commercial spaces. The Egyptian ceramic tiles market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.9 percent in the next seven years, according to a report by the India-based market intelligence and advisory company 6Wresearch. Per the report, key factors fueling this growth include increased housing projects, infrastructure investments, and a growing consumer preference for high-quality, visually appealing finishes in homes and workplaces. Additionally, the rise in tourism has spurred the development of hospitality facilities, such as hotels and resorts, which heavily utilize ceramic tiles. The report also points out that the current trends in the Egyptian ceramic tiles market show a notable shift toward sustainable and eco-friendly options, reflecting global environmental concerns. Innovations in digital printing technology have also allowed manufacturers to offer a broader range of designs and textures, catering to customers' personalized preferences. Furthermore, adopting 3D printing technology is expected to transform the tile manufacturing process, enabling greater customization and intricate designs. Thus, the growth in the Egyptian ceramic tile market will be further enhanced. Short link:
