Latest news with #Manufacturing
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Express Tribune
Gutka sales continue amidst police complicity
For any illegal activity, be it extortion, theft, or drug smuggling, strict enforcement of laws through the police is crucial to delineate the boundary between acceptable and deviant behaviours. However, when the law enforcers themselves are complicit in the crimes, little can be done to fix society. Recently, the Inspector General (IG) Sindh Police issued a circular to all divisional and district police officers, expressing concern over the widespread addiction to gutka among police personnel and instructing the initiation of rehabilitation efforts. The circular called for action against those who failed to comply, including potential dismissal from service. Syed Atif Ali, a resident of New Karachi, felt that the sale of gutka in the city was impossible without the complicity of local police. "Gutka is freely available at shops and paan stalls, and even Indian gutka is sold in the city," said Ali. Gul Muhammad Baloch, a social activist working in Karachi's Baldia Town, opined that although gutka was banned by the law, it was not yet perceived as a social evil. "As a result, its use remains common in homes and neighborhoods. Adults consume gutka in front of children, while people offer it to each other at social gatherings. Gutka should be recognized as a social vice. For this, an effective public awareness campaign should be launched with the involvement of schools, mosques, and community organizations," stressed Baloch. According to a report published by the World Health Organization (WHO), Pakistan ranks highest among countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region for the use of smokeless tobacco, which includes gutka, paan, betel nut (chhalia), and naswar. This widespread usage has contributed to a dangerous rise in cases of oral cancer, which has become the second most common cancer after breast cancer in Pakistan. Karachi is the most affected city in terms of the number of cases of oral cancer, with the majority of gutka users belonging to the lower middle-class areas of the city. The WHO report further claimed that after paan, gutka was the second most commonly used form of chewable tobacco in Karachi. Although the preparation, sale, and use of gutka is legally banned under the Sindh Prohibition of Preparation, Manufacturing, Storage, Sale and Use of Gutka and Manpuri Act, 2019, the law appears to be ineffective in practice. Even though a special task force consisting of police officials from various departments was established in March last year, its impact has been limited. Taha Ahmed Khan, Deputy Parliamentary Leader of MQM-Pakistan in the Sindh Assembly, revealed that the Sindh Assembly had passed a law against gutka however, there has been no meaningful enforcement. "It seems that there is no government presence in Karachi and the city is being run by mafias, including the water mafia, builder mafia, hydrant mafia, and gutka mafia," said Khan. Sadia Javed, a member of the Sindh Assembly from the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and spokesperson for the Sindh government, claimed that the Sindh government was considering amending the law to impose stricter penalties against the sale of gutka. "Tackling major gutka dealers is essential for curbing its spread. IG Sindh Police is personally monitoring the issue," said Javed. The Express Tribune attempted to contact Superintendent of Police (SP) Samiullah Soomro, a member of the task force, to inquire about the number of offenders arrested and punished over the past one year, however, he did not respond. Similarly, Sindh Police spokesperson Syed Saad Ali was also sent several questions via WhatsApp but he too did not send a reply.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Mid-Atlantic Manufacturing Contraction Surprisingly Deepens, Richmond Fed Survey Shows
Manufacturing contraction in the US Mid-Atlantic region unexpectedly deepened in July amid weakness Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Economic Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
ADB trims FY26 growth forecast to 6.5% on baseline US duty impact
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has slightly lowered India's growth forecast for FY26 to 6.5%, citing US tariffs and policy uncertainty. Despite this, India remains a fast-growing major economy, supported by strong consumption and a revival in rural demand. The RBI also projects 6.5% GDP growth for FY26, while ADB anticipates improvement to 6.7% in FY27 with rising investments. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads New Delhi: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Wednesday lowered India's growth forecast for FY26 to 6.5% from 6.7% citing the impact of baseline tariffs imposed by the United States and impact of policy uncertainty on the downgrade, India continues to be one of the fastest growing major economies globally. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) also projected India's gross domestic product (GDP) growth at 6.5% for FY26 from 6.7% earlier. The Indian economy grew by 6.5% in to the July Asian Development Outlook 2025, domestic economic activity remains resilient, supported by strong consumption, particularly from a revival in rural demand. "Services and agriculture sectors are expected to be key drivers of growth, the latter supported by a forecast of above-normal monsoon rains," it Manufacturing and Services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) indicates stronger performance in India in the first quarter of this fiscal year, compared to other economies in the Asia Pacific also noted that India's fiscal position remains healthy, aided by higher-than-expected dividends from the RBI. The central government is on track to meet its fiscal deficit reduction comparison, growth projections for China, the largest economy in the region, are unchanged at 4.7% in 2025 and 4.3% in 2026. "Policy stimulus for consumption and industrial activity is expected to offset continuing property market weakness and softening exports," the ADB South Asia, ADB revised the 2025 growth forecast down to 5.9% from 6% estimated in the April outlook."Asia and the Pacific has weathered an increasingly challenging external environment this year. But the economic outlook has weakened amid intensifying risks and global uncertainty," said Albert Park, ADB chief economist. "Economies in the region should continue strengthening their fundamentals and promoting open trade and regional integration to support investment, employment, and growth," he ahead, India's GDP growth is expected to improve to 6.7% in FY27 driven by rising investments, under the assumption of improved policy clarity and favourable financial conditions, following recent monetary easing. "The baseline expectations of lower crude oil prices will also support economic activity in FY2025 and FY2026," said the June, the RBI's monetary policy committee (MPC) cut the repo rate by 50 basis points to 5.5% and reduced cash reserve ratio by 100 bps to 3%, adding ₹2.5 lakh crore in liquidity into the banking next MPC meeting is scheduled for the first week of also revised its inflation forecast for India to 3.8% in FY26 from 4.3% estimated earlier, "reflecting faster-than-expected decline in food prices due to better agricultural production."India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) Wednesday revised India's growth forecast for FY26 to 6.3% from the previous estimate of 6.6%, due to tariff hikes by the US and a weaker investment climate. The Indian economy is facing both headwinds and tailwinds."Major headwinds are uncertain global scenario from the unilateral tariff hikes by the US for all countries and weaker-than-expected investment climate," said DK Pant, chief economist and head public finance at Ind-Ra."The major tailwinds are monetary easing, faster-than-expected inflation decline, and likely above-normal rainfall in 2025," he added.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
ADB trims FY26 growth forecast to 6.5% on baseline US duty impact
New Delhi: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Wednesday lowered India's growth forecast for FY26 to 6.5% from 6.7% citing the impact of baseline tariffs imposed by the United States and impact of policy uncertainty on investment. Despite the downgrade, India continues to be one of the fastest growing major economies globally. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) also projected India's gross domestic product (GDP) growth at 6.5% for FY26 from 6.7% earlier. The Indian economy grew by 6.5% in FY25. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Finance Public Policy Data Science Artificial Intelligence Data Science Others MCA Digital Marketing Healthcare PGDM Technology Design Thinking Data Analytics healthcare Leadership MBA Operations Management CXO Product Management Cybersecurity Degree Management others Project Management Skills you'll gain: Duration: 9 Months IIM Calcutta SEPO - IIMC CFO India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 7 Months S P Jain Institute of Management and Research CERT-SPJIMR Fintech & Blockchain India Starts on undefined Get Details According to the July Asian Development Outlook 2025, domestic economic activity remains resilient, supported by strong consumption, particularly from a revival in rural demand. "Services and agriculture sectors are expected to be key drivers of growth, the latter supported by a forecast of above-normal monsoon rains," it said. The Manufacturing and Services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) indicates stronger performance in India in the first quarter of this fiscal year, compared to other economies in the Asia Pacific region. ADB also noted that India's fiscal position remains healthy, aided by higher-than-expected dividends from the RBI. The central government is on track to meet its fiscal deficit reduction target. Live Events In comparison, growth projections for China, the largest economy in the region, are unchanged at 4.7% in 2025 and 4.3% in 2026. "Policy stimulus for consumption and industrial activity is expected to offset continuing property market weakness and softening exports," the ADB said. For South Asia, ADB revised the 2025 growth forecast down to 5.9% from 6% estimated in the April outlook. "Asia and the Pacific has weathered an increasingly challenging external environment this year. But the economic outlook has weakened amid intensifying risks and global uncertainty," said Albert Park, ADB chief economist. "Economies in the region should continue strengthening their fundamentals and promoting open trade and regional integration to support investment, employment, and growth," he added. Looking ahead, India's GDP growth is expected to improve to 6.7% in FY27 driven by rising investments, under the assumption of improved policy clarity and favourable financial conditions, following recent monetary easing. "The baseline expectations of lower crude oil prices will also support economic activity in FY2025 and FY2026," said the ADB. In June, the RBI's monetary policy committee (MPC) cut the repo rate by 50 basis points to 5.5% and reduced cash reserve ratio by 100 bps to 3%, adding ₹2.5 lakh crore in liquidity into the banking next MPC meeting is scheduled for the first week of August. ADB also revised its inflation forecast for India to 3.8% in FY26 from 4.3% estimated earlier, "reflecting faster-than-expected decline in food prices due to better agricultural production." Ind-Ra cuts FY26 forecast to 6.3% India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) Wednesday revised India's growth forecast for FY26 to 6.3% from the previous estimate of 6.6%, due to tariff hikes by the US and a weaker investment climate. The Indian economy is facing both headwinds and tailwinds. "Major headwinds are uncertain global scenario from the unilateral tariff hikes by the US for all countries and weaker-than-expected investment climate," said DK Pant, chief economist and head public finance at Ind-Ra. "The major tailwinds are monetary easing, faster-than-expected inflation decline, and likely above-normal rainfall in 2025," he added.
Forbes
22-07-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
How AI Is Driving Innovation In The Automotive Industry
Rajnish Nath, President of Manufacturing, Automotive, Aerospace & Defense and Life Sciences at Capgemini Americas. For years, pop culture and various media have envisioned our cars of the future. From the DeLorean of the "Back to the Future" franchise to The Jetsons' aerocar, these portrayals have offered a window into how revolutionary automotive technology could reshape the way we travel, live and interact with vehicles in the future. Today, flying cars are being designed by a variety of start-ups, helping to push the boundaries of mobility. Each day, we move closer to fully autonomous, incredibly intelligent and connected vehicles. AI is fundamentally changing the automotive sector, from product design, supply chain and manufacturing, safety and logistics, all the way down to the in-cabin experience. It seems like there is virtually no limit to AI and other transformative technologies' ability to drive innovation. AI's Role In The Supply Chain Although the current geopolitical uncertainties, supply chain disruptions and economic pressures have the automotive industry scrambling to adapt quickly and efficiently, I believe there is an exciting opportunity for organizations to rethink their factories and supply chains of the future. In today's political headwinds, every organization must ensure the longevity and resilience of its business in the market, with 62% of organizations acknowledging the importance of establishing domestic manufacturing and supply chain infrastructure to strengthen local capacity. Arguably, one of AI's most important roles is its potential to revolutionize supply chain operations. AI-powered technologies can provide companies with the power to better map their supply chains, detect changes in supply and demand, and recommend proactive measures to mitigate disruptions earlier. For example, AI technology is already helping automotive OEMs adjust their strategies to improve part supply by understanding multiple market signals to continuously monitor the risk of parts shortages to keep plant lines running. Early guidance can enable alternate sourcing and reduce or eliminate reactive approaches. Hand in hand with other advanced technologies such as agentic AI, machine learning (ML) and large language models (LLMs), AI-powered technologies are helping companies mitigate supply chain risk to continue manufacturing despite market shifts. Additionally, the rise of hybrids and electric vehicles (EVs) has added complexity to the automotive supply chain, accounting for a record 20% of US vehicle sales in 2024. Beyond working together to improve planning, forecasting and decision making, these tools will be crucial in supporting the manufacturing of complex vehicles and their software-rich components to keep up with the ever-changing customer demand. While AI will be key in building proactive resilience and risk management in the automotive supply chain and manufacturing, we're also seeing how AI-powered innovations are powering the vehicles of our future. AI-Powered Innovations In Modern Vehicles Nearly every major automaker around the world utilizes advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in some form. With the global ADAS market projected to grow from $72.7 billion in 2025 to $260.5 billion by 2035, it's clear that industry leaders see this technology as essential for enhancing vehicle safety, boosting sales and driving new revenue streams through connected services. AI plays a central role in the evolution of ADAS. Its ability to process vast amounts of data, interpret complex environments and support real-time decision-making brings us closer to fully autonomous vehicles. Currently, 26% of automotive organizations are using generative AI to accelerate autonomous vehicle development. Looking ahead, we can expect to see even greater use of neural networks, proprietary algorithms and agent-based AI in engineering software-defined vehicles. These technologies aim to achieve faster time to market, greater reliability and safety, and improved customer satisfaction—all while keeping human engineers at the wheel. AI is also transforming the in-cabin experience by making it safer and more personalized. Features like voice-activated controls as well as tailored recommendations for food, fuel and eco-friendly routes are already enhancing daily driving. Now, we're seeing next-level personalization with innovations such as interior lighting designed to reduce motion sickness and holographic dashboards, turning cars into immersive, personalized living spaces. Beyond the driving experience, AI is also streamlining post-sale operations. It's helping manufacturers and suppliers close the warranty feedback loop more quickly by identifying product issues through both customer reports and vehicle telematics. This accelerates root cause analysis and improves product design. In service environments, AI tools are helping technicians improve repair accuracy by analyzing shared images, videos and sounds of vehicle issues. Soon, AI agents will be capable of providing real-time guidance on warranty coverage simply by reviewing a media file and responding to technician queries, driving faster, more accurate and more transparent vehicle servicing. The Road Ahead Over the next decade, AI is poised to play a transformative role in the automotive industry, reshaping vehicle development, enhancing driving experiences and influencing urban mobility. As software becomes increasingly central to vehicle functionality, the shift toward software-defined vehicles will accelerate, gradually moving away from traditional engineering paradigms. While fully autonomous vehicles may not yet dominate the roads, we can expect more widespread integration of ADAS, contributing to incremental safety and performance improvements. In-car experiences are also likely to become more adaptive, with AI personalizing settings and preferences to individual drivers. This period of technological transition brings both uncertainty and opportunity. AI holds promise for strengthening supply chain resilience, offering predictive capabilities that could help automakers navigate disruptions with greater agility. At the same time, its role in connecting vehicles to smart city infrastructure opens new possibilities for traffic optimization and urban mobility services, such as autonomous ride-hailing and shared transport. In today's automotive landscape, AI is not just a tool; it's becoming a foundational enabler of innovation. From engineering and manufacturing to the user experience, AI is helping to redefine what vehicles can be, setting new benchmarks for safety, customization and customer expectations. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
