Samsung Electronics today announced that TM Roh, Head of Mobile eXperience (MX) Business, will serve as the Acting Head of the Device eXperience (DX) Division.
The company also named Won-joon Choi as the newly created Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the MX Business.
TM Roh named Acting Head of the Device eXperience Division, in addition to his current role as Head of Mobile eXperience Business; previously President and Head of Mobile eXperience Business and Head of the Corporate Design Center
Won-joon Choi named COO of Mobile eXperience Business, in addition to his current roles as Head of R&D Office and Head of Global Operation Team of Mobile eXperience Business; previously President and Head of R&D Office and Head of Global Operation Team of Mobile eXperience Business
Cheolgi Kim named Head of Digital Appliances Business; previously Executive Vice President and Head of Strategic Marketing Office of Mobile eXperience Business
Lufthansa passengers can now fly from Frankfurt to a number of international destinations with the Airbus A350-900. Four of these state-of-the-art and efficient aircraft have been deployed from Frankfurt since the start of the summer flight schedule. Two more will be added in May and July. The aircraft have been in service on routes to Seoul and Shanghai since March 30. Denver will follow from May 1 and Seattle from July 1.
Jens Ritter, Chief Executive Officer Lufthansa Airlines: “With the temporary deployment of A350 aircraft from Frankfurt, we are closing a gap caused by delayed aircraft deliveries. Lufthansa’s state-of-the-art Airbus aircraft offer an improved travel experience from Frankfurt until new long-haul aircraft are delivered. Over the next 36 months, Lufthansa is expecting the largest fleet renewal in its history. By the end of 2027, 61 new aircraft are scheduled to be added to the fleet. This means an average of one new aircraft every two weeks.”
The A350-900 uses only approximately 2.5 liters of kerosene per passenger and 100 kilometers of flight. This reduces CO2 emissions by up to 30 percent compared to previous models. The aircraft is also significantly quieter. There are currently 30 Airbus A350-900 in service from Munich, with 14 more aircraft of this type expected to join the fleet by 2029. A350 aircraft with the new Allegris cabin are operated exclusively from Munich.
MANILA, PHILIPPINES (1 April 2025) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is preparing a $3 million grant to support emergency and humanitarian needs of the people of Myanmar affected by the 7.7 magnitude earthquake on 28 March.
The grant, which is being prepared for expedited approval by ADB’s Board of Directors, will be provided through the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to meet immediate needs through the distribution of in-kind food and multi-purpose cash assistance to purchase essential items, such as drinking water, medical supplies, and shelter.
The earthquake has intensified Myanmar’s ongoing humanitarian crisis, adding urgency to the existing challenges faced by the people.
“We are deeply concerned by the impact of the earthquake on the people of Myanmar and are immediately preparing a $3 million grant to support emergency relief efforts,” said ADB Director General for Southeast Asia Winfried Wicklein. “We will consider additional and more substantial support by tapping into resources from the community development window of Asian Development Fund 14.”
The grant will come from the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund (APDRF), which provides fast-tracked grants to developing member countries for life-saving purposes in the immediate aftermath of major disasters triggered by a natural hazard. APDRF is supported by contributions from ADB and Japan.
ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient growth across Asia and the Pacific. Working with its members and partners to solve complex challenges together, ADB harnesses innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships to transform lives, build quality infrastructure, and safeguard our planet. Founded in 1966, ADB is owned by 69 members—49 from the region.
In an online interview with CNBC, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, highlighted ASEAN’s humanitarian assistance and relief efforts following the recent earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand. He reaffirmed ASEAN’s commitment to supporting affected communities and addressed the disaster’s implications for the region’s economic growth, financial stability, and supply chain resilience, among other critical issues. During the interview, the Secretary-General of ASEAN informed that to date, the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre) has deployed the ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT) to conduct rapid needs assessment in affected areas. ASEAN Member States have responded individually with search and rescue operations, relief teams, and/or assessment experts, humanitarian assistance support , including financial aid, medical and food supplies, logistics, and tools/equipment.
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The Chairman / Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer
All banks
Madam / Dear Sir,
Master Direction – Scheme of Penalties for bank branches and currency chests for deficiency in rendering customer service to the members of public
In terms of the Preamble to and Section 45 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 (RBI Act) and Section 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, Reserve Bank of India issues guidelines / instructions for realising the objectives of Clean Note Policy and enhancing the operational efficiency of currency management. In order to ensure that all bank branches provide proper customer service, the Bank has formulated a Scheme of Penalties for bank branches including currency chests, for deficiency in rendering customer service to the members of public.
2. The Master Direction incorporating the updated guidelines / circulars on the subject is at Annex-I. The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and few Illustrations are at Annexes II and III respectively.
Yours faithfully
(Sanjeev Prakash) Chief General Manager
Encl: As above
Annex-I
Master Direction on the Scheme of Penalties for bank branches and currency chests for deficiency in rendering customer service to members of public
1. The Scheme of Penalties for bank branches and currency chests has been formulated to ensure that all bank branches / currency chests provide customer service to the members of public / linked bank branches keeping in view the objectives of Clean Note Policy and enhancing operational efficiency.
2. Penalties
Penalties to be imposed on banks for non-compliance with operational guidelines and Memorandum of Agreement, deficiencies in remittances sent to RBI, exchange of notes, operations of currency chests, replenishment of cash in ATMs, etc., are as follows:
Sr. No.
Nature of Irregularity
Penalty
i.
Shortages of notes in Soiled Note Remittances (SNRs) and shortages of notes and coins in currency chest balances
For notes in denomination up to ₹50/-
₹50/- per piece in addition to the loss.
For notes in denomination of ₹100/- & above
Equal to the value of the denomination per piece in addition to the loss.
For coins in all denominations
Equal to the value of the denomination per piece in addition to the loss.
The recovery of loss and levy of penalty shall be done immediately on detection of shortage, irrespective of number of pieces.
ii.
Counterfeit notes detected in soiled note remittances and currency chest balances
Banknotes tendered over the counter shall be examined for authenticity through machines. Similarly, banknotes received directly at the back office / currency chest through bulk tenders shall also be examined through machines. Failure of the banks to impound counterfeit notes detected at their end will be construed as wilful involvement of the bank concerned in circulating counterfeit notes and penalty will be levied.
Penalty shall be levied in terms of the instructions issued by DCM (FNVD) No.G-4/16.01.05/2025-26 dated April 1, 2025
iii.
Mutilated notes (including deliberately cut notes and built-up notes) detected in soiled note remittances and currency chest balances
₹50/- per piece irrespective of the denomination in addition to the loss.
The recovery of loss and levy of penalty shall be done immediately on detection, irrespective of number of pieces.
iv.
Non-compliance with operational guidelines by currency chests detected by RBI officials e.g.
a) Non-functioning of CCTV, non-compliance with rules / guidelines pertaining to CCTV recording preservation period, and related issues
b) Branch cash / documents kept in strong room (CC’s vault)
c) Non-utilisation of Note Sorting Machines (NSMs) for sorting of notes (NSMs not used for sorting of high denomination notes, i.e. notes of denomination ₹100 and above, received over the counter or not used for sorting notes remitted to chest / RBI), Non-updation of NSMs as per prescribed standards, non-functional NSMs etc.
d) Non-conduct of surprise verification of currency chest balances – at (i) bimonthly intervals by officials unconnected with the operations of currency chest, and (ii) six-monthly intervals by officials from the Controlling Office
Penalty of ₹5,000/- for each instance of irregularity.
Penalty shall be enhanced to ₹10,000/- in case of repetition / recurrence of irregularity in consecutive inspection cycles or earlier.
Penalty shall be levied immediately.
v.
Violation of any of the terms of agreement with RBI (for opening and maintaining currency chests) or deficiency in service in providing exchange facilities, as detected by RBI officials e.g.
a) Non-issue of coins over the counter to any member of public despite having stock.
b) Refusal by any bank branch1 to exchange soiled/ mutilated/ imperfect notes tendered by any member of public.
c) Denial of facilities / services to linked branches / of other banks.
d) Non acceptance of lower denomination notes (i.e. denomination of ₹50 and below) tendered by members of public and linked bank branches for exchange / deposit.
e) Detection by RBI of mutilated, built up, counterfeit notes in re-issuable packets prepared by the currency chest branches.
₹10,000/- for any violation of agreement or deficiency of service.
₹5 lakh in case there are more than 5 instances of violation of agreement / deficiency in service by the currency chest / branch in consecutive inspection cycles or earlier. The levy of such penalty shall be placed in public domain.
Penalty shall be levied immediately.
vi
Non-replenishment of ATMs
The Scheme of Penalty for non-replenishment of ATMs has been formulated to ensure that sufficient cash is available to public through ATMs.
The Competent Authority to decide upon the nature of irregularity shall be the Officer-in-Charge of the Issue Department of the Regional Office under whose jurisdiction the defaulting currency chest / bank branch is located.
3.2 Appellate Authority
i. Appeal against the decision of the Competent Authority may be made by the Controlling Office of the currency chest / branch to the Regional Director / Chief General Manager / Officer-in-Charge of the Regional Office concerned, within one month from the date of debit, who shall decide whether the same can be accepted (in full or part) / rejected. Penalty waiver request would be considered only if the application for the same is made in the CyM-CC portal. Waiver requests in any other mode shall not be entertained. Appeals shall not be made in routine manner.
ii. Appeals for waiver of penalty made on grounds such as staff being new / untrained, lack of awareness, corrective action having been taken / shall be taken, etc., shall not be considered.
Annex-II
Frequently Asked Questions
Master Direction – Scheme of Penalties for bank branches and currency chests for deficiency in rendering customer service to the members of public
1. What is Clean Note Policy?
It is a policy adopted by RBI to ensure availability of good quality banknotes to members of the public.
2. What is Memorandum of Agreement (MoA)?
Before considering the first specific application for opening of a currency chest, a general MoA is entered between the Reserve Bank of India and the bank concerned, setting out the terms and conditions governing the entrustment of currency chest responsibilities to the bank.
3. What are linked branches?
These are the bank branches linked with nearby currency chests under Linkage Scheme, formulated by RBI mainly with a view to provide chest facilities to all non-chest bank branches at the same centre as far as possible.
4. What are ‘soiled’, ‘mutilated’ and ‘imperfect notes’?
A ‘soiled note’ means a note which has become dirty due to normal wear and tear and also includes a two piece note pasted together wherein both the pieces presented belong to the same note and form the entire note with no essential feature missing. A ‘mutilated note’ means a note of which a portion is missing or which is composed of more than two pieces. An ‘imperfect note’ means any note, which is wholly or partially, obliterated, shrunk, washed, altered or indecipherable but does not include a mutilated note.
Annex-III
Illustration
Master Direction – Scheme of Penalties for bank branches and currency chests for deficiency in rendering customer service to the members of public
1. Penalty for shortages of notes in soiled note remittances (SNRs) and shortages of notes and coins in currency chest balances:
Example:
Shortage detected (in pieces)
Denomination
Penalty amount and loss recovered (₹)
(Up to ₹50 – ₹50/- per piece in addition to the loss)
(₹100 & above – Equal to the value of the denomination per piece in addition to the loss)
100
20
Penalty amount ₹5,000/- (50*100) and loss ₹2,000/- (20*100)
50
100
Penalty amount ₹5,000/- (100*50) and loss ₹5,000/- + (100*50)
2. Penalty for Mutilated notes (including deliberately cut notes and built-up notes) detected in soiled note remittances and currency chest balances
Example:
Mutilated notes detected (in pieces)
Denomination
Penalty amount and loss recovered (₹)
All denominations-
₹50/- per piece in addition to the loss
200
200
Penalty amount ₹10,000/- (50*200) and loss ₹40,000/- (200*200)
3. Non-compliance with operational guidelines by currency chests detected by RBI officials
In case of non-functioning of CCTV, non-compliance with rules / guidelines pertaining to CCTV recording, preservation period, and related issues, penalty of ₹5,000/- for each instance of irregularity shall be levied. Penalty shall be enhanced to ₹10,000/- in case of repetition / recurrence of irregularity in consecutive inspection cycles or earlier.
Example: If CCTV in the currency chest is found to be non-functional during inspection/ audit, a penalty of ₹5,000/- will be levied. If the same issue recurs during the next inspection cycle or earlier, ₹10,000/- will be levied.
The Reserve Bank of India has, from time to time, issued a number of guidelines/instructions to banks on credit facilities to Scheduled Castes (SCs) & Scheduled Tribes (STs). The enclosed Master Circular consolidates the circulars issued by Reserve Bank on the subject till date, as listed in the Appendix.
Banks should take the measures indicated below to step up their advances to SCs/STs.
1. Planning Process
1.1 The District Level Consultative Committees formed under the Lead Bank Scheme should continue to be the principal mechanism of co-ordination between banks and development agencies in this regard. The district credit plans formulated by the Lead Banks should clearly indicate the linkage of credit with employment and development schemes.
1.2 Banks will have to establish closer liaison with the District Industries Centres, which have been set up in different districts for promoting self-employment.
1.3 At the block level, a certain weightage is to be given to SCs/STs in the planning process. Accordingly, the credit planning should be weighted in their favour and special bankable schemes suited to them should be drawn up to ensure their participation and larger flow of credit to them for self-employment. It will be necessary for the banks to consider their loan proposals with utmost sympathy and understanding.
1.4 Banks should periodically review their lending procedures and policies to see that loans are sanctioned in time, are adequate and production-oriented and that they generate incremental income to make them self-liquidating.
1.5 While formulating the Block/ District Credit Plan, special focus may be given to villages with sizeable population of SC/ST communities/ specific localities (bastis) in the towns/villages having a concentration of these communities.
2. Role of Banks
2.1 Bank staff may help the borrowers in filling up the forms and completing other formalities so that they are able to get credit facility within a stipulated period from the date of receipt of applications.
2.2 In order to encourage SC/ST borrowers to take advantage of credit facilities, greater awareness among them about various schemes formulated by banks needs to be created through various means such as brochures, visits by field staff etc so that salient features of the schemes, as also the advantages that will accrue to them are known to such borrowers. Banks should advise their branches to organize meetings more frequently exclusively for SC/ST beneficiaries to understand their credit needs and to incorporate the same in the credit plan.
2.3 Circulars issued by RBI/NABARD should be circulated among the staff for compliance.
2.4 Banks should not insist on deposits while considering loan applications under Government sponsored poverty alleviation schemes/self-employment programmes from borrowers belonging to SCs/STs. It should also be ensured that applicable subsidy is not held back while releasing the loan component till the full repayment of bank dues. Non-release of subsidy upfront amounts to under-financing and hampers asset creation/income generation.
2.5 The National Scheduled Tribes Finance & Development Corporation and National Scheduled Castes Finance & Development Corporation have been set up under the administrative control of Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, respectively. Banks should advise their branches/controlling offices to render all the necessary institutional support to enable these institutions to achieve the desired objectives.
2.6. Loans sanctioned to State Sponsored Organisations for Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes for the specific purpose of purchase and supply of inputs and/or the marketing of the outputs of the beneficiaries of these organisations are eligible for priority sector classification.
2.7 Rejection of SC/STs’ loan applications under government programmes should be done at the next higher level instead of at the branch level and reasons of rejection should be clearly indicated.
3. Role of SC/ST Development Corporations
The Government of India has advised all State Governments that the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes Development Corporations can consider bankable schemes/proposals for bank finance.
4. Reservations for SC/ST beneficiaries under major Centrally Sponsored Schemes.
There are several major centrally sponsored schemes under which credit is provided by banks and subsidy is received through Government Agencies. Credit flow under these schemes is monitored by RBI. Under each of these, there is a significant reservation/relaxation for the members of the SC/ST communities.
4.1 Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM)
DAY-NRLM (previously known as NRLM) was launched by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India by restructuring the erstwhile Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana, effective from April 1, 2013. DAY-NRLM would ensure adequate coverage of vulnerable sections of the society such that 50% of these beneficiaries are SCs/STs. Details of the scheme are available in the Master Circular on DAY-NRLM as updated from time to time.
4.2 Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM)
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India, launched the DAY-NULM (previously known as NULM) by restructuring the erstwhile Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY), effective from September 24, 2013. Under DAY-NULM, advances should be extended to SCs/STs to the extent of their strength in the local population. Details of the scheme are available in the Master Circular on DAY-NULM as updated from time to time.
4.3 Differential Rate of Interest (DRI) Scheme
Under the DRI Scheme, banks provide finance up to ₹15,000/- at a concessional rate of interest of 4 per cent per annum to the weaker sections of the community for engaging in productive and gainful activities. In order to ensure that persons belonging to SCs/STs also derive adequate benefit under the DRI Scheme, banks have been advised to grant eligible borrowers belonging to SCs/STs such advances to the extent of not less than 2/5th (40 percent) of total DRI advances. Further, the eligibility criteria under DRI, viz. size of land holding should not exceed 1 acre of irrigated land and 2.5 acres of unirrigated land, are not applicable to SCs/STs. Members of SCs/STs satisfying the income criteria of the scheme can also avail of housing loan up to ₹20,000/- per beneficiary over and above the individual loan of ₹15,000/- available under the scheme.
5. Credit Enhancement Guarantee Scheme for Scheduled Castes (CEGSSC)
The CEGSSC was launched by Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment on May 6, 2015 with the objective of promoting entrepreneurship amongst the Scheduled Castes (SCs), by providing credit enhancement guarantee to Member Lending Institutions (MLIs), which extend financial assistance to these entrepreneurs. IFCI Ltd. has been designated as the Nodal Agency under the scheme, to issue the guarantee cover in favour of MLIs for financing SC entrepreneurs.
Individual SC entrepreneurs/Registered Companies and Societies/Registered Partnership Firms/Sole Proprietorship firms having more than 51% shareholding and management control for the previous 6 months by SC entrepreneurs/ promoters/ members are eligible for guarantee from IFCI Ltd. against the loans extended by MLIs.
The amount of guarantee cover under CEGSSC ranges from a minimum of ₹0.15 cr to a maximum of ₹5.00 cr.
The tenure of guarantee is up to a maximum of 7 years or repayment period, whichever is earlier.
6. Monitoring and Review
6.1 A special cell should be set up at the Head Office of banks for monitoring the flow of credit to SC/ST beneficiaries. Apart from ensuring the implementation of the RBI guidelines, the cell would also be responsible for collection of relevant information/data from the branches, consolidation thereof and submission of the requisite returns to RBI and Government.
6.2 The Head Office of banks should periodically review the credit extended to SCs/STs on the basis of returns and other data received from the branches. Any major gap or variation in credit flow to SCs/STs on a year to year basis should be reported to the Board as part of the review on the theme of “Financial Inclusion” in terms of circular DBR No.BC.93/29.67.001/2014-15 dated May 14, 2015.
6.3 Banks should review the measures taken to enhance the flow of credit to SC/ST borrowers on a quarterly basis. The review should also consider the progress made in lending to these communities directly or through the State Level Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Corporations for various purposes based, amongst others, on field visits of the senior officers from the Head Office/Controlling Offices.
6.4 SLBC Convenor bank should invite the representative of National Commission for SCs/STs to attend SLBC meetings. Besides, the Convenor bank may also invite representatives from the National Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC) and State Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (SCDC) to attend SLBC meetings.
7. Reporting Requirements
Data on advances to SCs and STs should be reported as prescribed in the Master Direction on Priority Sector Lending as updated from time to time, within the time frames stipulated.
Appendix
Credit Facilities to Scheduled Castes / Scheduled Tribes
List of Circulars Consolidated in the Master Circular
No.
Circular No.
Date
Subject
1.
DBOD.No.BP.BC.172/C.464(R)-78
December 12, 1978
Role of Banks in Promoting Employment
2.
DBOD.No.BP.BC.8/C.453(K)-Gen
January 09, 1979
Agricultural Credit to Small and Marginal Farmers
3.
DBOD.No.BP.BC.45/C.469(86)-81
April 14, 1981
Credit Facilities to SC / ST
4.
DBOD.No.BP.BC.132/C.594-81
October 22, 1981
Recommendations of the Working Group on the Development of Scheduled Castes
5.
RPCD.No.PS.BC.2/C.594-82
September 10, 1982
Credit Facilities to SC / ST
6.
RPCD.No.PS.BC.9/C.594-82
November 05, 1982
Concessional Bank Finance to SC / ST Development Corporations
7.
RPCD.No.PS.BC.4/C. 594-83
August 22, 1983
Credit Facilities to SC / ST
8.
RPCD.No.PS.BC.20/C.568(A)-84
January 24, 1984
Credit Facilities to SC / ST – Rejection of Loan Applications
9.
RPCD.No. CONFS.62/PB-1-85/86
July 24, 1985
Role of Private Sector Banks in Lending to SCs / STs
10.
RPCD.No.SP.BC.22/C.453(U)-85
October 09, 1985
Credit Facilities to Scheduled Tribes under DRI Scheme
11.
RPCD.No.SP.BC.129/C.594(Spl)/88-89
June 28, 1989
National SC / ST Finance and Development Corporation
12.
RPCD.No.SP.BC.93/C.594.MMS-90/91
March 13, 1991
Scheduled Caste Development Corporation (SCDCs) – Instructions on Unit Cost
13.
RPCD.No.SP.BC.122/C.453(U)-90-91
May 14, 1991
Housing Finance to SCs / STs – Inclusion under the DRI
14.
RPCD.No.SP.BC.118/C.453(U)-92/93
May 27, 1993
Priority Sector Advances – Housing Finance
15.
RPCD.No.LBS.BC.86/02.01.01/96-97
December 16, 1996
Inclusion of National Commission for SCs / STs in State Level Bankers Committees (SLBCs)
16.
RPCD.No.SP.BC.124/09.09.01/96-97
April 15, 1997
Parliamentary Committee on the Welfare of SCs / STs – Insisting on Deposits from SCs/ STs by Banks
17.
RPCD.No.SAA.BC.67/08.01.00/98-99
February 11, 1999
Credit Facilities to SCs / STs
18.
RPCD.No.SP.BC.51/09.09.01/2002-03
December 04, 2002
Proceedings of the work shop on the role of financial institutions in the development of SCs and STs
19.
RPCD.No.SP.BC.102/09.09.01/2002-03
June 23, 2003
Sample study for review of credit flow to SCs and STs – Major Findings
Samsung Electronics today announced the appointment of Mauro Porcini as its President and Chief Design Officer (CDO). Having previously held key leadership roles at PepsiCo and 3M, Mr. Porcini brings his extensive expertise to Samsung Electronics further enhancing its user-centered approach to design innovation.
Mr. Porcini was born in Italy and holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Industrial Design from Politecnico di Milano in Milan, Italy. At PepsiCo, he was credited with outstanding leadership of the company’s design teams and was recognized as a leader in design innovation, contributing to product designs as well as the entire company’s design process and maximizing the brand experience.
With the addition of Mr. Porcini, Samsung Electronics plans to further strengthen its design capabilities across all business areas, including mobile, TV and home appliances.
At its meeting today, the Board decided to leave the cash rate target unchanged at 4.10 per cent and the interest rate paid on Exchange Settlement balances at 4 per cent.
Underlying inflation is moderating.
Inflation has fallen substantially since the peak in 2022, as higher interest rates have been working to bring aggregate demand and supply closer towards balance. Recent information suggests that underlying inflation continues to ease in line with the most recent forecasts published in the February Statement on Monetary Policy. Nevertheless, the Board needs to be confident that this progress will continue so that inflation returns to the midpoint of the target band on a sustainable basis. It is therefore cautious about the outlook.
The Board noted that monetary policy is well placed to respond to international developments if they were to have material implications for Australian activity and inflation.
The outlook remains uncertain.
Private domestic demand appears to be recovering, real household incomes have picked up and there has been an easing in some measures of financial stress. However, businesses in some sectors continue to report that weakness in demand makes it difficult to pass on cost increases to final prices.
At the same time, a range of indicators suggest that labour market conditions remain tight. Despite a decline in employment in February, measures of labour underutilisation are at relatively low rates and business surveys and liaison suggest that availability of labour is still a constraint for a range of employers. Wage pressures have eased a little more than expected but productivity growth has not picked up and growth in unit labour costs remains high.
There are notable uncertainties about the outlook for domestic economic activity and inflation. The central projection is for growth in household consumption to continue to increase as income growth rises. But there is a risk that any pick-up in consumption is slower than expected, resulting in continued subdued output growth and a sharper deterioration in the labour market than currently expected. Alternatively, labour market outcomes may prove stronger than expected, given the signal from a range of leading indicators.
More broadly, there are uncertainties regarding the lags in the effect of monetary policy and how firms’ pricing decisions and wages will respond to the demand environment and weak productivity outcomes while conditions in the labour market remain tight.
Uncertainty about the outlook abroad also remains significant. On the macroeconomic policy front, recent announcements from the United States on tariffs are having an impact on confidence globally and this would likely be amplified if the scope of tariffs widens, or other countries take retaliatory measures. Geopolitical uncertainties are also pronounced. These developments are expected to have an adverse effect on global activity, particularly if households and firms delay expenditures pending greater clarity on the outlook. Inflation, however, could move in either direction. Many central banks have eased monetary policy since the start of the year, but they have become increasingly attentive to the evolving risks from recent global policy developments.
Sustainably returning inflation to target is the priority.
Sustainably returning inflation to target within a reasonable timeframe is the Board’s highest priority. This is consistent with the RBA’s mandate for price stability and full employment. To date, longer term inflation expectations have been consistent with the inflation target and it is important that this remain the case.
The Board’s assessment is that monetary policy remains restrictive. The continued decline in underlying inflation is welcome, but there are nevertheless risks on both sides and the Board is cautious about the outlook.
The Board will rely upon the data and the evolving assessment of risks to guide its decisions. In doing so, it will pay close attention to developments in the global economy and financial markets, trends in domestic demand, and the outlook for inflation and the labour market. The Board is resolute in its determination to sustainably return inflation to target and will do what is necessary to achieve that outcome.
Turning Crisis into Opportunity: How Two Zimbabwean Women Entrepreneurs Are Building Thriving Businesses
When the Covid-19 pandemic brought much of the world to a standstill, Yollanda Mambeu saw an opportunity in the crisis. Amid the strict lockdowns that shuttered countless businesses, she launched her dream venture —a cake shop in a high-density suburb of Mutare, Zimbabwe’s third-largest city.
Since then, her ovens have rarely cooled. What began as a modest baking business has expanded into a thriving enterprise. Today, Mambeu supplies a wide range of baking products and accessories, from cake-making tools and spices to balloon stands, cake toppers, and edible image printing. She also offers baking lessons to aspiring entrepreneurs, aged 20 to 40, in smaller towns around Mutare.
Mambeu now earns an average of $4,000 in monthly profit, with peaks of up to $5,000 during national holidays and festive periods. She attributes her success to training received under the Sustainable Enterprise Development of Women and Youth – Business Growth for Young Entrepreneurs project, funded by the African Development Bank. The programme, which promotes entrepreneurship and job creation, has reached 984 beneficiaries to date—over 68% of them women.
Mambeu took part in two key training programmes: Sustainable and Resilient Enterprise and Improve Your Business, both funded by the Bank’s Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Multi-Donor Trust Fund and delivered by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in partnership with the Government of Zimbabwe.
“Before the training, I struggled with market visibility and branding,” she said. “I learned how to position my business, and now everything is branded—from shop windows to refrigerators. People immediately know what we offer. That change boosted our monthly profits from $1,000 to $4,000.”
In January 2024, Mambeu formally registered her business as Yoyo’s Yummy Cakes and Baking Supplies and began advertising on local radio. The strategy paid off—by September, her customer base had quadrupled to 1,200 clients.
Her growing brand has attracted the attention of large corporates. One of Zimbabwe’s largest milk producers appointed her as a brand ambassador, supplying her with baking milk. She now provides confectioneries to a commercial bank, the national revenue authority, and a local NGO, among other clients. To meet rising demand, she invested $2,500 in heavy-duty baking equipment and is planning to open both a bakery and a wholesale outlet.
Mambeu’s story is echoed by Violet Mhute, a 44-year-old entrepreneur based in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second-largest city. Like Mambeu, she benefited from Bank-supported training—this time to help women entrepreneurs break into the male-dominated leather industry.
Mhute founded Soko Genuine Leather in 2008 but initially struggled to establish herself in Zimbabwe’s $32 million leather sector. For years, she exported semi-processed hides to South Africa and the UK for low returns. Now, her business boasts a catalogue of high-quality leather goods—shoes, sandals, wallets, and belts—sold across Africa and beyond.
“Entering the leather industry as a woman was tough. Accessing the right information was a constant battle,” Mhute said. “But the training gave me the tools and confidence to navigate those challenges.”
With support from the African Development Bank and government policies that support local value addition, Mhute shifted from exporting raw materials to selling premium finished products. Her goods are now certified by the Standards Association of Zimbabwe, enabling her to participate in international expos and tap into new markets, including the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and the UK.
She was also trained on how to expand her business under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework. The impact has been significant: monthly profits rose from $800 to $3,100.
Violet Mhute, founder of Soko Genuine Leather, a leather production company.
Mhute says she now employs five young people in her growing leather business.
Dr. Martha Phiri, Director of Human Capital, Youth and Skills Development at the African Development Bank, says the success stories of Mambeu and Mhute reflect the Bank’s sustained commitment to private sector development—particularly micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
“These efforts prioritize inclusion, with targeted support for underserved groups such as women and youth, ensuring equitable access to resources and opportunities,” said Phiri. “Through the Bank’s initiatives, we empower women entrepreneurs by providing technical assistance, skills training, and business development support.”
Both Mambeu and Mhute say they are optimistic about the future and aim to grow their businesses further while creating jobs for others.
“My dream goes beyond expanding my business,” said Mhute. “I want to establish an entrepreneurship institute that will help others break through the barriers in male-dominated industries—just as I have.”
Since its launch in 2017, the Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Multi-Donor Trust Fund has been a key catalyst for entrepreneurs like Mambeu and Mhute. The fund supports the African Development Bank’s Jobs for Youth in Africa Strategy, providing grants to empower youth-led start-ups and MSMEs operating in both the formal and informal sectors.
Source: African Development Bank Group The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank has approved Eswatini’s Country Strategy Paper (CSP) 2025-2030. The target is to accelerate the country’s structural transformation and build a strong foundation for a more inclusive, diverse, resilient, and competitive economy.
The African Development Bank Group’s Board has approved a $7.9 million grant to bolster Sao Tome and Principe’s economic recovery. The budgetary support operation aims to strengthen the country’s economic resilience through improved revenue and public expenditure reforms and lay the groundwork for sustainable energy sector reforms vital to a strong and vibrant private sector.
The support is from the African Development Bank Group’s Transitional Support Facility and is part of the country’s second phase of its Fiscal Sustainability and Economic Resilience Support Program.
The first phase of the support amounting to $5.3 million was approved on 1 December 2023. The approval of the second phase brings the total financing to $13.2 million.
The programme aligns with the Country’s Strategy Paper 2024-2029, the African Development Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy, 2024-2033, and the High 5s development priorities, particularly the “Improve the Quality of Life of the People of Africa” and “Light up Africa” goals. It will greatly contribute to improving the business climate.
The key impediment to São Tomé and Príncipe’s economic recovery is an insufficient energy supply that is aggravated by worn-out fossil fuel-based electricity generation equipment and a loss-making state-owned utility, I, which hinder the efficient functioning of the economy. The African Development Bank’s support towards energy sector reform will result into improved energy sector governance and support the transition to renewable energy.
Highlighting the programme’s importance, the African Development Bank’s Director General for Southern Africa, Leila Mokaddem, said: “This budgetary support operation has come at a critical juncture to support economic recovery through revenue and public expenditure reforms while, at the same time, setting the foundations for sustainable energy sector reforms critical for a strong and vibrant private sector.”
She added that the operation strengthens the Bank’s position to provide policy and advisory support services, which are prerequisites for sustained economic recovery and inclusive growth
The African Development Bank Country Manager for Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe, Pietro Toigo, said: “The budgetary support will greatly help close the financing gap faced by the country, boost foreign exchange reserves, which are at their lowest. It will further strengthen the government’s efforts to undertake further reforms required for economic recovery.”
Source: African Development Bank Group The Kingdom of Lesotho, with support from the African Development Bank, is leveraging its abundant water and renewable energy resources to chart an ambitious path that will accelerate its economic transformation and have a huge impact on South Africa and Botswana.
Headline: New innovations in Microsoft Purview for protected, AI-ready data
The Microsoft Fabric and Microsoft Purview teams are excited to be in Las Vegas from March 31 to April 2, 2025, for the second annual and highly anticipated Microsoft Fabric Community Conference. With more than 200 sessions, 13 focused tracks, 21 hands-on workshops, and two keynotes, attendees can expect an engaging and informative experience. The conference offers a unique opportunity for the community to connect and exchange insights on key topics such as data and AI.
Microsoft Purview: Built to safeguard your AI innovation
AI innovation is impacting every industry, business process, and individual. About 75% of knowledge workers today are currently using some sort of AI in their day to day.1 At the same time, the regulatory landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace. Around the world, at least 69 countries have proposed more than 1,000 AI-related policy initiatives and legal frameworks to address public concerns around AI safety and governance.2 With the need to adhere to regulations and policy frameworks for AI transformation, a comprehensive solution is needed to address security, governance, and privacy concerns. Additionally, with the convergence of the responsibilities of cybersecurity and data teams, customers are asking for a solution that turns data security and data governance into a team sport to address issues such data discovery, data classification, data loss prevention, and data quality in a unified way. Microsoft Purview delivers a comprehensive set of solutions that address these needs, helping customers seamlessly secure and confidently activate their data in the era of AI.
We are excited to announce new innovations that help security and data teams accelerate their organization’s AI transformation:
Enhancing Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (Purview DLP) support for lakehouse in Microsoft Fabric to help prevent sensitive data loss by restricting access.
Expanding Purview DLP policy support for additional Fabric items such as KQL databases and Mirrored databases to send users notification through policy tips when they are working with sensitive data.
Microsoft Purview integration with Copilot in Fabric, specifically for Power BI.
Data Observability within the Microsoft Purview Unified Catalog.
Seamlessly secure data
Microsoft Purview is extending its proven data security value delivered to millions of Microsoft 365 users worldwide, to the Microsoft data platform. This helps users drive consistency across their multicloud and multiplatform data estate and simplify risks related to data leaks, oversharing, and risky user behavior as more users are managing and handling data in the era of AI.
1. Enhancing Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP) support for lakehouse in Fabric to help prevent sensitive data loss by restricting access
Microsoft Purview Data Security capabilities are used by hundreds of thousands of customers for their integration with Microsoft 365 data. Since last year’s Microsoft Fabric Community Conference, Microsoft Purview has extended Microsoft Purview Information Protection and Purview DLP policy tip value across the data estate, including Fabric. Currently, Purview DLP supports the ability to show users notifications for when they are working with sensitive data in lakehouse. We are excited to share that we are enhancing the DLP value in lakehouse to prevent sensitive data leakage to guest users by restricting access. Data Security admins can configure policies and limit access to only internal users or data owners based on the sensitive data found. This control is valuable for when a Fabric tenant includes guest users and domain owners want to limit access to internal proprietary data in their lakehouses.
Figure 1. DLP policy restricting access for guest users into lakehouse due to personally identifiable information (PII) data discovered
Learn more about Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention
2. Expanding DLP policy support for additional Fabric items such as KQL databases and Mirrored databases to show users notification through policy tips when they are working with sensitive data
A key part of securing sensitive data is to provide visibility to your users on where and how they are interacting with sensitive data. Purview DLP policies can help notify users when they are working with sensitive data through policy tips in lakehouse in Fabric. We are excited to announce that we are extending policy tips support for additional Fabric items—KQL databases and Mirrored databases in preview. (Mirrored Database sources include Azure Cosmos DB, Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, Azure Databricks Unity Catalog, and Snowflake, with more sources available soon). KQL databases are the only databases used for real-time analytics so detecting sensitive data that comes through real-time analytics is huge for Fabric customers. Purview DLP for Mirrored databases reduces the security risk of sensitive data leakage when data is transferred in Fabric. We are happy to extend Purview DLP value to more data sources, providing end-to-end protection for customers within their Fabric environments, all to prepare for the safe deployment of AI.
Figure 2. Policy tip triggered by Purview DLP due to PII being discovered in KQL databases.
Figure 3. Policy tip triggered by Purview DLP due to PII being discovered in Mirrored databases.
3. Microsoft Purview for Copilot in Fabric
As organizations adopt AI, implementing data controls and a Zero Trust approach is crucial to mitigate risks like data oversharing and leakage, and potential non-compliant usage in AI. We are excited to announce Microsoft Purview capabilities in preview for Copilot in Fabric, starting with Copilot for Power BI. By combining Microsoft Purview and Copilot for Power BI, users can:
Discover data risks such as sensitive data in user prompts and responses and receive recommended actions in their Microsoft Purview Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) dashboard to reduce these risks.
Identify risky AI usage with Microsoft Purview Insider Risk Management to investigate risky AI usage, such as an inadvertent user who has neglected security best practices and shared sensitive data in AI or a departing employee using AI to find sensitive data and exfiltrating the data through a USB device.
Govern AI usage with Microsoft Purview Audit, Microsoft Purview eDiscovery, retention policies, and non-compliant usage detection.
Figure 4. Purview DSPM for AI provides admins with comprehensive reports on Copilot in Fabric’s user activities, as well as data entered and shared within the copilot.
Confidently activate data
4. Data observability, now in preview, within Microsoft Purview Unified Catalog
Within the Unified Catalog in Microsoft Purview, users can easily identify the root cause of data quality issues by visually investigating the relationship between governance domains, data products, glossary terms, and data assets associated with them through its lineage. Data assets and their respective data quality are visible across your multicloud, hybrid data estate. Maintaining high data quality is core to driving trustworthy AI innovation forward, and with the new data observability capabilities in Microsoft Purview, users can now improve how fast they can investigate and resolve root cause issues to improve data quality and respond to regulatory reporting requirements.
Figure 5. Lineage view of data assets that showcases data quality within a Data Product.
Microsoft Purview and Microsoft Fabric can help secure and activate data
As your organization continues to implement AI, Microsoft Fabric and Microsoft Purview will serve as key solutions to safely activate your data for AI. Stay tuned for even more exciting innovations to come and check out the Fabric blog to read more about the innovations in Fabric.
Learn more about Microsoft Purview
Learn more
Explore these resources to stay updated on our product innovations in security and governance for your data:
To learn more about Microsoft Security solutions, visit our website. Bookmark the Security blog to keep up with our expert coverage on security matters. Also, follow us on LinkedIn (Microsoft Security) and X (@MSFTSecurity) for the latest news and updates on cybersecurity.
Headline: International Women’s Day 2025 honorees recognized for impact
Every 8th of March, International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated. This celebration serves as a powerful reminder of the strides we have made toward gender equality and the work still ahead. This year, under the theme #AccelerateAction, we celebrate the women who are driving change, breaking barriers, and fostering inclusivity.
At Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors (MLSA) and the Women and Gender Minorities in Tech (WGMIT) Community, we believe in the power of recognition and representation. In honor of International Women’s Day 2025, we are recognizing exceptional people who have made a tangible impact—whether by mentoring others, leading initiatives, advocating for diversity, or building innovative solutions that empower underrepresented groups as well as male allies who support women in the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors (MLSA) community, Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs), and Program and Operations management team.
Why This Matters: Women remain underrepresented in the tech industry, comprising 25% of tech jobs worldwide. Increasing representation not only fosters innovation but also ensures diverse perspectives in problem-solving. Recognizing the contributions of women in STEM helps to inspire the next generation of leaders and create a more inclusive digital future.
The Role of Male Allies: Male allies play a crucial role in driving equity and inclusion in the tech industry. Their active support—through mentorship, sponsorship, advocacy, and policy changes—helps break down barriers for women.
Honorees were nominated by Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors in recognition of their outstanding contributions and impact. Members of the Women and Gender Minorities in Tech (WGMIT) leadership team reviewed each nomination, evaluating nominees based on key criteria, including impact, advocacy, and leadership.
Each honoree has made a remarkable difference, and we are honored to share their stories, amplify their voices, and inspire the next generation of changemakers.
Let’s meet the honorees!
Sayanti Chowdhury YouTube | Medium | GitHub | MLSA Profile
Sayanti Chowdhury is a rising force in the tech community, making waves through her contributions to security research, AI, and cloud computing.
Impact: As a Microsoft Security Researcher (MSRC), she has actively enhanced Microsoft’s security standards. She is also a dedicated tech blogger and content creator, sharing her expertise on AI, cloud, and development topics through medium articles and YouTube videos. As a passionate advocate for women in tech, she built a Facebook community dedicated to supporting women in STEM and has helped over 15 students, especially women, secure free Microsoft certification vouchers to advance their careers. Having earned multiple Microsoft certifications and led impactful tech projects, Sayanti is a true role model in the MLSA community.
Philippa Burgess LinkedIn | MLSA Profile
Philippa Burgess is a Gold MLSA Ambassador known for her dedication to mentoring and empowering women in tech.
Impact: Philippa has created multiple workshops and community projects that help students, especially women, grow in the MLSA program. Through her efforts, several community members have reached the gold MLSA milestone. She has also contributed significantly to Cybersecurity and AI, publishing insightful articles and leading collaborative projects each quarter. Her leadership was instrumental in her team’s victory in the MLSA AI Projects, where she provided guidance on AI concepts. Philippa continues to uplift women in tech by ensuring they are well-represented in all her projects and by serving as an inspiration to other women in tech.
Abeer Moazzam LinkedIn | MLSA Profile
Abeer Moazzam is an influential leader in the tech community, making a lasting impact through her roles as a Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador (MLSA), National Coordinator for Hult Prize UAE, and Campus Director at her university.
Impact: Over the past three years, Abeer has led numerous workshops and mentorship programs, empowering students worldwide. She is a passionate advocate for women in tech, having mentored and supported many aspiring women in tech. Through her leadership, she actively creates opportunities and ensures inclusivity in tech spaces. Her initiatives have significantly contributed to gender diversity and provided hands-on learning experiences to countless students.
Kritika Subedi MLSA Profile | LinkedIn
Kritika Subedi is a passionate Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador who has made significant contributions to tech education and community building.
Impact: Kritika has conducted multiple sessions on Microsoft Azure, AI, and cloud computing, helping students gain practical skills. She has also organized Hour of Code (HOC) sessions for girls in schools, introducing young female students to programming and inspiring them to pursue careers in technology. As the first MLSA from her all-girls campus, she has actively worked to close the gender gap in tech.
Hamna Khalil LinkedIn | MLSA Profile
Hamna Khalil is an influential MLSA in Pakistan, recognized for her contributions to tech education and community-building. She is regarded as one of the most active female MLSAs in Pakistan
Impact: Hamna’s articles have twice been recognized as the most-read articles of their respective months. She has spoken twice on the Microsoft Reactor YouTube channel. She founded TECHTALK, a community dedicated to empowering female students in her university by fostering their personal and professional growth. Through TECHTALK, she has mentored women and led initiatives that encourage more women to pursue careers in technology.
Diana Michelle is a passionate advocate for women in STEM, working to bridge the gender gap in tech.
Impact: She has organized hackathons, workshops, and conferences, creating inclusive learning spaces. Through her TikTok and LinkedIn communities, she shares insights on AI, cybersecurity, and programming, inspiring more women to enter these fields. Diana has also contributed to research and mentoring projects, providing certification support and career guidance. Her efforts continue to shape a more inclusive and diverse tech industry.
Rachel Irabor LinkedIn | Twitter | MVP Profile
Rachel Irabor is a Microsoft MVP, Developer Relations (DevRel), and Global Public Speaker, renowned for her contributions to the Microsoft 365 and Power Platform communities.
Impact: Rachel has actively engaged with the tech community through various channels, including her YouTube channel, which has garnered over 50,000 views. Through her podcast, “Girl in Love with Tech,” Rachel mentors aspiring students, particularly women, fostering diversity and inclusion in the field. Rachel’s unwavering commitment to technology evangelism and community development continues to inspire and empower individuals worldwide.
Sarah Williams LinkedIn
Sarah Williams serves as the Lead Operations Manager for the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors (MLSA) program, exemplifying leadership, grace, and respect.
Impact: She approaches challenges with a calm, strategic mindset, ensuring swift and effective resolutions. Her clear and thoughtful communication fosters trust and confidence among colleagues, making her an invaluable asset to the team. Beyond her technical expertise, Sarah’s supportive leadership style inspires those around her to perform at their best. She sets a high standard for excellence and remains a steady, guiding presence in the face of any challenge.
As a manager, Sarah excels at fostering a healthy work-life balance for all team members, with a particular focus on supporting women. She understands the unique challenges that working women face and actively promotes an environment where personal well-being and professional success go hand in hand. Sarah leads by example as a working mother, demonstrating that it is possible to thrive in a demanding career while also prioritizing family.
Eury Rivera Vasquez LinkedIn
Eury Rivera Vasquez is an accomplished Operations Manager overseeing multiple initiatives, including AI projects and Gold student support in the MLSA program. Her ability to provide clear, efficient guidance ensures smooth daily operations and strengthens the overall experience for ambassadors.
Eury plays a pivotal role in fostering inclusivity within MLSA, particularly for women in tech. She has supported hundreds of Gold Ambassadors worldwide, ensuring they receive the advocacy and mentorship needed for success. Through AI-focused projects, she actively promotes equitable opportunities for women, inspiring the next generation of women. Her leadership, professionalism, and unwavering commitment make her a trusted and valued member of the MLSA team.
The Women and Gender Minorities in Tech (WGMIT) Leads—Olivia Oputa, Dija Vijay, Valentina Lazaro, and Eleanora Matalanga—have driven impactful initiatives at MLSA. For International Women’s Day 2024, the team hosted two global events in English and Spanish, engaging 60+ women and featuring Microsoft MVPs and MLSA CPMs. The OpenTechInclusion program fostered open-source contributions, awarding top participants for their efforts. Through the Azure AI Boot Camp, the leads provided hands-on training and distributed certification vouchers, empowering students with AI skills. Their efforts continue to promote diversity and inclusion in tech, ensuring women access resources, mentorship, and growth opportunities in tech
Zaynul Abedin Miah serves as an example of true allyship in tech, actively dismantling barriers that limit women’s participation. As a Microsoft Learn Gold Student Ambassador and leader in Azure Tech Group Bangladesh and Fabric User Community Bangladesh, he has transformed opportunities for women in tech through bold, inclusive actions.
Impact: Zaynul assisted at least 15 women to earn their first certifications, by prioritizing women while distributing Azure certification vouchers. His commitment extends to event planning—reserving 50% of study group seats for women and ensuring workshops accommodate cultural constraints by scheduling them during daylight hours. His leadership at Kubernetes Community Day Chattogram led to an unprecedented 62.5% female speaker representation, and he personally mentored first-time female speakers. Zaynul doesn’t just advocate for inclusion—he takes deliberate, culture-sensitive actions that create real change.
The Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors (MLSA) program is a global initiative that empowers students to develop technical and leadership skills while engaging with local and global tech communities.
The Women and Gender Minorities in Tech (WGMIT) Community at MLSA is dedicated to fostering inclusivity, mentorship, and support for underrepresented groups in tech. Through events, mentorship, and advocacy, WGMIT creates opportunities for growth and leadership in the industry.
The Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVP) program recognizes technology experts who actively share their knowledge and contribute to the broader tech community.
How to Get Involved
Celebrate and Connect: Follow and engage with the honorees on their social platforms. Share their stories and amplify their work.
Join the Movement: Become an advocate for inclusivity in tech by mentoring, sponsoring, or creating opportunities for underrepresented groups.
Be Part of MLSA and WGMIT: Participate in our programs, mentorship initiatives, and tech communities to foster growth and empowerment.
This International Women’s Day 2025 let’s commit to #AccelerateAction—not just today, but every day. Let’s celebrate and uplift those making a difference in the tech industry.
We are grateful to our community for nominating and recognizing these outstanding individuals. Keep the conversation going by sharing your own stories using #MLSAIWD2025 and let’s continue to build an inclusive tech ecosystem together.
Headline: Fueling tomorrow’s AI with new agentic capabilities and security innovations in Fabric
The Microsoft Fabric Community Conference returns to Las Vegas this week—bigger and better than ever. Thank you to our attendees, speakers, customers, and dedicated teams for making FabCon 2025 an event to remember.
Microsoft Fabric is a unified data platform that continues to transform businesses worldwide, with more than 19,000 organizations and 74% of Fortune 500 companies leveraging Fabric. At FabCon, customers from around the world will share how they are pushing the boundaries of data at scale and unlocking new possibilities for business innovation.
The London Stock Exchange (LSEG), for example, is leveraging Fabric to unify their data estates and efficiently process their data:
“Microsoft Fabric has been pivotal in LSEG’s data platform modernization journey. With Fabric Spark as the core engine powering our customer facing enterprise data platform, LSEG manages large volumes of time critical financial markets data that require complex data quality and transformation rules, executed at scale and with consistent service levels. Combining this with the broader Fabric eco-system has opened up new and exciting customer experiences and AI-powered opportunities.”
—Phil Withey, Head of Architecture, LSEG Microsoft Partners
Similarly, International Workplace Group (IWG) is revolutionizing its approach to data integration:
“Microsoft Fabric was a game changer because of its ability to create shortcuts without physically moving data from one place to another. Before, if I had to incorporate three sources, I had to create pipelines to bring in the data. That pipeline had a cost. The data movement had a cost. With Fabric, it’s two clicks and that’s it.”
—José Viegas, Senior Data Architect, IWG
We’re always listening and learning to further enable customer successes like these by delivering the latest innovations across the data estate. See how customers around the world are using Fabric to transform their teams and industries.
New capabilities coming to Microsoft Fabric
Today, we’re enhancing the Fabric experience by unlocking new possibilities through key innovations designed to help strengthen security and harness the power of AI to streamline data workstreams like never before:
Introducing OneLake security—an industry breakthrough in data protection
Managing granular data security across multiple applications and engines is complex, often resulting in excessive restrictions or accidental data exposures. That’s why we’re introducing OneLake security—an industry breakthrough in data protection. OneLake is Fabric’s unified data lake, which seamlessly connects your entire multi-cloud and on-premises data estate. All your teams get a single place to discover, explore, and manage their data—even within apps like Microsoft Teams and Excel.
Now with OneLake security, you can define access permissions once, and Fabric will enforce it consistently across all engines. Data owners can create security roles, refine permissions, and control access at the row and column levels to securely share data. For example, you can grant access to only certain folders, tables, or even rows in a lakehouse—restricting Personally Identifiable Information (PII) while keeping other data available. This security propagates automatically, so whether you query the data in SQL or visualize it in a Power BI report, you can only see what has been authorized. Check out the following demo to see OneLake security in action:
We are thrilled to share that OneLake security will be available in preview within a few months. In the meantime, if you are interested in trying OneLake security on your workspaces and providing feedback, please visit this early access sign-up page.
Empowering agentic AI by integrating Fabric data agents with Azure AI Foundry
Data plays a critical role in agentic AI, enabling AI agents to operate independently, make informed decisions, and take meaningful actions. That’s why we are expanding capabilities and deepening integrations between our data and AI platforms.
Data agents (formerly known as AI skills) in Microsoft Fabric are AI-powered assistants that can learn, adapt, and deliver insights instantly, helping teams make better data-driven decisions. Fabric data agents not only retrieve data from OneLake, but they can reason over and understand the data—what it means, how it’s structured, and when it’s relevant.
Starting today, organizations can use Azure AI Foundry to connect customized, conversational agents, created in Fabric. AI developers can now use Azure AI Agent Service to securely ground AI agent outputs with enterprise knowledge in Fabric data agents, so that responses are accurate, relevant, and contextually aware. By combining Fabric’s sophisticated data analysis over enterprise data with Azure AI Foundry’s cutting-edge GenAI technology, businesses can create custom conversational AI agents leveraging domain expertise.
“Fabric data agents are a powerful and value-adding tool in data environments. Acting as a conversational capability layer, we can use data agents to ‘talk’ to our data, understand it, and derive different insights in support of our daily decision making.”
—Maureen Tan, Head of AI Center of Expertise, NTT DATA
Copilot and AI capabilities in Fabric will be available for all SKUs
We are excited to announce that Copilot and AI capabilities will be enabled for all paid SKUs in Fabric, making these tools accessible to everyone within the coming weeks. This expansion is driven by your feedback about the impact Copilot in Microsoft Fabric has had on your productivity, and how broadening access to Copilot would benefit more teams. With this latest update, customers on F2 and above can use Copilot and AI capabilities, such as Fabric data agents, to streamline workflows, generate insights, and drive impactful decisions.
Seamlessly migrate your data to Fabric
We are excited to announce the preview of a migration experience natively built into the Fabric UI, enabling Azure Synapse Analytics (data warehouse) customers to transition seamlessly to Microsoft Fabric. With a built-in, intelligent assessment, guided support, and AI-powered assistance, this experience simplifies migration of code and data while helping customers unlock Fabric’s unified data foundation, AI-driven analytics, and enhanced performance—without the complexity of traditional migrations.
Microsoft Fabric Community Conference
Join us this year in Las Vegas for FabCon 2025.
Additional Fabric innovations
In addition to the above, we are introducing a series of updates across the Microsoft Fabric platform and its workloads. These advancements will further progress our commitments to our four core Fabric pillars:
A complete, AI-powered data platform.
An open, AI-ready data lake.
Empowering AI-enabled business users.
A mission-critical foundation.
Fabric is a complete AI-powered data platform
Fabric is a unified, AI-powered data platform that fosters seamless collaboration across your organization. Today, we’re sharing new enhancements and capabilities that will further strengthen the Fabric platform and workloads, which will unlock even more possibilities for your data initiatives.
Platform enhancements:
The preview of Command Line Interface(CLI) in Fabric introduces a new terminal that allows users and admins to execute commands across Fabric using interactive prompts or scripts, enabling a seamless, code-first experience without relying on clicks.
The preview of new CI/CD enhancements expands support across the Fabric platform, including variable libraries for workspaces, Service Principal support for GitHub, and Deployment Pipelines Fabric APIs Phase II.
The preview of User Data Functions introduces a way for developers to implement and reuse custom business logic in Fabric data science and data engineering workflows, streamlining development and improving efficiency.
The general availability of the Terraform provider for Fabric, to help customers ensure deployments and management tasks are executed accurately and consistently.
The general availability of Tags, which allows users to optimally describe items they own, and help enhance organization and discoverability of data in Fabric.
Data integration enhancements:
The general availability of Apache Airflow job empowers customers to run their Apache Airflow DAGs in Microsoft Fabric, with a serverless Apache Airflow runtime.
The general availability of the Copy job introduces a new simplified experience for customers who need to move data between different data sources and destinations. It also introduces support for batch and incremental data movement.
The preview of key orchestration enhancements is now available, enabling the creation of metadata-driven pipelines that orchestrate Dataflow Gen2 (CI/CD) parameterized invocation from Data Pipelines
Real-time intelligence enhancements:
The general availability of Fabric Events transforms Fabric into an event-driven platform. Users can leverage the Real-Time hub to discover and subscribe to Fabric Events across OneLake, Fabric jobs, and Workspaces.
The preview of new eventstream connectors which allows users to bring in data from additional non-Microsoft sources, including Weather, Solace PubSub+, ADX Table Streamify, MQTT v5, Event Grid Namespaces, and Confluent with Schema Registry.
Data Engineering and Data Science enhancements:
The preview of Autoscale Billing for Spark helps optimize Spark job costs by offloading Data Engineering workloads to a serverless billing mode. Capacity admins can set a max capacity units (CUs) limit in capacity settings, ensuring Spark jobs use dedicated CUs instead of shared Fabric Capacity.
The preview of AI functions provides powerful capabilities to apply LLM-powered transformations, such as summarization, classification, and text generation to your OneLake data—all with a single line of code.
Partner/ISV integrations
At Ignite, we announced the general availability of the Workload Development Toolkit (WDK) and introduced ISV workloads that bring new capabilities and value to our joint customers. We are excited to now announce the general availability of Fabric workloads from Osmos, Profisee, and PowerBI.tips, along with public previews of new workloads from Celonis, CluedIn, Neo4j, Lumel, Statsig, and Striim in the Fabric Workload Hub. In addition, CluedIn also announced a public preview of its integration with Open Mirroring in Fabric.
Fabric is open with an AI-ready data lake
In addition to OneLake Security, we are also making enhancements to OneLake, including:
A modern get-data experience with OneLake catalog integration in Microsoft Excel (in Office Insiders Fast) enables users to explore the OneLake catalog directly from Excel, expanding accessibility beyond the existing Microsoft Teams integration.
Coming soon, we are releasing the general availability of on-premises data gateways support for Amazon S3, S3-compatible sources, and Google Cloud Platform allows users to create shortcuts to on-premises data sources hosted behind a firewall or within a Virtual Private Cloud.
The enhancements for cross-tenant sharing, including the ability to share multiple tables at once, Lakehouse schemas, as well as tables from Fabric SQL databases, KQL databases, and OneLake shortcuts (coming soon). This shared data can now be accessed via SQL analytics endpoints and semantic models.
An updated version of the Fabric Link to Dataverse preview enables even faster and more secure data virtualization from Dataverse, the data platform for the Power Platform and Dynamics 365, thanks to back-end improvements. We are also announcing a new Mirrored Dataverse option in Fabric. Learn more about both announcements.
Fabric empowers every business user with AI capabilities
Fabric empowers business users to quickly uncover key insights in a Power BI report by simply asking Copilot. With AI-enhanced Q&A and intuitive visuals seamlessly embedded in Microsoft 365 apps, everyone can better understand and act on their data with ease. To further empower this mission, we’re announcing that:
The preview of Direct Lake semantic models in Power BIdesktop, which allows users to build Power BI semantic models for lightning-fast reports that query data directly from OneLake without scheduling refreshes and without data duplication. This feature will also enable users to add in tables from multiple Fabric artifacts in the same Direct Lake semantic model for ultimate reusability of OneLake data.
Fabric provides a mission-critical foundation
Our final promise is that you can confidently deploy and manage Microsoft Fabric with category-leading performance, instant scalability, shared resilience, and built-in security, governance, and compliance. To further that mission, we’re excited to introduce several enhancements to our mission-critical promise, including:
Mission-critical foundation enhancement with Microsoft Purview:
Coming soon, the preview of Microsoft Purview for Copilot in Power BI. The integration will enable discovery of data risks such as sensitive data in user prompts and responses, protect sensitive data with Insider Risk Management to identify and investigate risky AI usage, and govern AI usage with audit, eDiscovery, retention policies, and non-compliant usage detection.
Coming soon, we are expanding Purview Data Loss Prevention policies Fabric coverage beyond lakehouses and semantic models, to now also include Fabric KQL databases and mirrored databases. This will allow security admins to detect sensitive data uploads, such as SSNs, and trigger automated actions in more sources.
The preview of Data Observability within the Unified Catalog to investigate the relationship between data products and any assets (including Fabric assets) associated with them to identify the root cause of quality issues.
Getting started with Microsoft Fabric
New customers can try out everything Fabric has to offer by signing up for a free 60-day trial—no credit card information required. Learn how to start your free trial.
If you’re considering purchasing Fabric and need help choosing a SKU, we’re excited to share that a new Fabric SKU Estimator will soon be available in public preview. Stay tuned.
Watch the action at the Fabric Conference
To see these announcements in action, register and secure your spot today through Wednesday April 2, 2025. With over 200 expert-led sessions, you can join thousands of attendees who are diving deep into Microsoft Fabric, exploring innovations in AI, databases, analytics, business intelligence, and more.
Join us at FabCon 2025
Explore additional resources for Microsoft Fabric
To learn more about Fabric:
Read additional blogs by industry-leading partners:
Arun Ulagaratchagan
Corporate Vice President, Azure Data–Microsoft
Arun leads product management, engineering, and cloud operations for Azure Data, which includes databases, data integration, big data analytics, messaging, and business intelligence. The products in his teams’ portfolio include Azure SQL DB, Azure Cosmos DB, Azure PostgreSQL, Azure MySQL, Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Service Bus, Azure Event Grid, Power BI, and Microsoft Fabric.
Headline: Expanding Copilot+ PC experiences across AMD, Intel and Snapdragon powered devices
Last year, we introduced Copilot+ PCs — the fastest, most intelligent and secure Windows PCs ever created. Since then, our Copilot+ PC portfolio has continued to evolve with the introduction of new silicon, devices and AI experiences.
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By merging cutting-edge hardware with accessible, intelligent software, these updates are not just adapting to customers’ needs but empowering them to achieve more.
Expanding accessibility features
At the core of Windows is the commitment to accessibility and inclusiveness for users, including individuals with vision, hearing, mobility and cognitive disabilities. Today, we’re excited to announce groundbreaking updates that will revolutionize the way you interact with your Copilot+ PC.
Live Captions: Now available on Copilot+ PCs powered by AMD and Intel, Live Captions offers real-time translations in English for audio and video content during virtual meetings, podcasts or video playback. This feature, which previously launched on Snapdragon X Series Copilot+ PCs, is also rolling out in Simplified Chinese, with support for AMD- and Intel-powered devices coming soon.
Translation for video and audio subtitles into English from 40+ languages and 27 languages into Chinese (Simplified). See aka.ms/copilotpluspcs for additional details.
Voice Access: With this update, users of Voice Access .
Unleashing creativity with AI-enabled features
We are thrilled to announce that our AI-enabled creativity features, previously available on Snapdragon X Series Copilot+ PCs, will now be available on AMD- and Intel-powered devices.
Cocreator in Paint: This feature, now available to Copilot PCs powered by AMD and Intel, is designed to make artistic creation and image refinement more intuitive and approachable. Cocreator empowers users with enhanced drawing and editing capabilities, allowing them to bring their ideas to life by combining text-based prompts with freehand drawing, enabling the creation of intricate designs, personalized visuals or professional-grade artwork. Whether you are simply exploring your creativity or looking for versatile tools, Cocreator transforms Paint into a comprehensive platform for creative expression.
Restyle Image and Image Creatorin Photos: Get ready to unleash your creativity with these new incredible features! Restyle Image allows you to transform photos into stunning artistic interpretations, such as oil paintings, sketches or modern art styles, with just a few clicks. Meanwhile, Image Creator lets you bring written ideas to life by creating visuals based on detailed prompts, making it perfect for crafting personalized artwork, marketing materials or even storytelling illustrations. Whether you’re a casual user or a professional, these tools offer unparalleled creative freedom and are designed to help you explore your creativity with ease.
To access these features, ensure that Microsoft Paint and Photos applications are updated to the latest versions available in the Microsoft Store.
Optimized for English text prompts and require a Microsoft account and internet connection to access cloud services that help ensure the responsible use of AI. See aka.ms/copilotpluspcs for additional details.
Copilot+ PC experiences
Some of these innovative experiences for Copilot+ PCs are available via the March 2025 Windows non-security preview update (which requires the November 2024 non-security preview update). Over the next month, we will gradually roll out these features via the Windows controlled feature rollout (CFR) to consumers.
Copilot+ PC experiences vary by device and region and may require updates continuing to roll out through 2025; timing varies. See aka.ms/copilotpluspcs for additional details.
Consumers with Copilot+ PCs who would like to be among the first to experience these new enhancements can simply go to Settings > Windows Update and turn on “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available.” Then select “Check for updates” to download and install the March non-security preview release.
Ensure that Microsoft Paint and Photos applications are updated to the latest versions available in the Microsoft Store.
Looking ahead
Copilot+ PCs are not just a glimpse into the future of personal computing; they are the future. These cutting-edge devices empower Windows users with unique AI experiences that are only possible on a Copilot+ PC. As the pace of advancement accelerates with AI, we remain steadfast in our commitment to delivering innovative and differentiated experiences that make getting things done on your PC faster, simpler and more personalized.
If you have a Copilot+ PC, you can start accessing these exciting features today through the latest Windows Update, or the Microsoft Store.
For a full list of features available via the latest Windows Update, learn more here.
And for organizations looking to take advantage of the latest improvements and features for Windows 11 and Copilot + PCs, check out our announcements on the IT Pro Blog.
Headline: Thales to provide hybrid networking kits for French Army vehicles
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The French defence procurement agency (DGA) has awarded Thales a contract to provide hybrid networking kits for French Army vehicles, an innovative solution that can be installed without the need to make design changes to the platforms.
Installed on military vehicles such as the Griffon, VBCI and Serval, the kits provide access to commercial communication services (OneWeb1 and 5G), integrate them with theatre-wide networking capabilities and tie together communication systems at every level from combined/joint forces command to infantry fighting vehicles.
With developments in collaborative combat driving a growing need for connectivity, hybridisation solutions will complement existing hardened communications systems (SYRACUSE IV military satellite communications, CONTACT radios, HF radios) to provide higher data rates, longer range capabilities and improved resilience.
“Thales will be supporting the French Army in its strategic transition to hybrid communication networks. This latest stage in the ASTRIDE 3 programme will combine technological innovation with a deep understanding of operational requirements to provide the hyperconnectivity needed for collaborative combat in high-intensity conflict scenarios,” said Alexandre Bottero, Vice President, Networks and Infrastructure Systems, Thales.
This hybrid networking technology has been developed in an agile, incremental approach with the DGA and operational users to augment the communication capabilities of French Army vehicles. With current developments in collaborative combat, the ability of the armed forces to deploy operational networks of sensors and effectors calls for enhanced capabilities in terms of massification, usability and resilience of military communication systems. With this innovative hybridisation solution, commercial networks will complement existing hardened communication systems including the LOS radios developed for the ASTRIDE programme, the secure, high-data-rate, jam-resistant military satcom services provided by the SYRACUSE satellites, the latest-generation software-defined radios developed under the CONTACT programme and the MELCHIOR series of HF radios.
The hybrid networking solution for OneWeb satcom and 5G services is packaged as a non-intrusive kit, overcoming the need for design changes to the vehicle. It offers significant improvements in connectivity to enhance operational capabilities in the theatre of operations by supporting more extensive data sharing and closer multi-domain collaboration. The hybrid networking kit offers a combination of high performance and usability, and its modular design is part of an end-to-end approach encompassing communication systems at every level, from combined/joint forces command to infantry fighting vehicles.
Thales will provide an initial batch of 25 kits for field trials during the EXTO SJO 2025 exercise at the end of this year, with an additional 25 kits scheduled for delivery in 2026. Ultimately these hybrid networking kits are expected to equip all French Army vehicles that require them.
The ASTRIDE 3 programme’s central role in collaborative combat
Thales has been involved in the ASTRIDE 3 programme since 2022 and has designed a range of modular mobile communication stations offering the NATO-interoperable networking capabilities needed to provide a secure, resilient command infrastructure for deployed forces. The addition of this hybridisation solution further underscores the programme’s decisive role in making collaborative combat a reality while guaranteeing technological sovereignty.
1OneWeb is a constellation of approximately 650 Low Earth Orbit(LEO) telecommunications satellites providing broadband Internet access to private and professional users in regions that are poorly served by terrestrial networks.
About Thales
Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies for the Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital sectors. Its portfolio of innovative products and services addresses several major challenges: sovereignty, security, sustainability and inclusion.
The Group invests more than €4 billion per year in Research & Development in key areas, particularly for critical environments, such as Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum and cloud technologies.
Thales has more than 83,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2024, the Group generated sales of €20.6 billion.
Headline: Thales unveils its PANORAMIC quad-tube night vision goggle
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Presented for the first time at SOFINS1, PANORAMIC is a lightweight, compact night vision goggle equipped with four light intensification tubes to provide an extra-wide field-of-view. It is particularly well-suited to the needs of special operations forces and specialised units conducting sensitive missions such as counter-terrorism and hostage rescue operations.
Fully funded by France’s defence innovation agency (AID), the development of the PANORAMIC goggle was completed in just over two years by Thales’s centre of excellence for soldier optronics.
The PANORAMIC binocular is currently being evaluated by the French Army’s Technical Section (STAT) and Special Forces.
The PANORAMIC night vision goggle provides a field-of-view approaching the capabilities of the human eye to enhance situational awareness in low-light conditions. With four tubes instead of two, soldiers can quickly perceive their entire operational surroundings without moving their heads, enabling them to react more quickly to potential threats in their peripheral field of vision.
PANORAMIC’s patented architecture offers the best combination of performance, ergonomic design and volume currently available on the international market. It weighs just 740 g and is no wider than the soldier’s helmet. As well as the conventional helmet flip-up feature, each of the outer tubes can be raised independently, powering off automatically to guarantee discretion. Designed for optimum energy efficiency, this revolutionary new product is battery operated, with an available external battery pack for longer periods of operation.
The PANORAMIC night observation device is fully compatible with night sights such as the XTRAIM weapon sight. It is a compact, robust unit designed to accommodate future technologies and functionalities, and includes an optimised maintenance plan to maximise operational availability.
PANORAMIC unveiled for the first time at the 2025 edition of SOFINS, offering a further illustration of Thales’s 30-year track record of innovation in the design and development of night observation solutions to meet the full range of requirements of land forces personnel.
Specifically designed for special operations forces and specialised units in France and internationally, the PANORAMIC goggle is 100% made in France and ITAR-free.
“SOFINS is the ideal opportunity for us to present PANORAMIC, our new extra-wide field-of-view night observation device. Thales’s team technical expertise allowed the development of a ground-breaking night vision solution offering the robust design and outstanding performance needed to support the success of night-time missions and protect our soldiers at their most vulnerable moments.”Alexis Morel, Vice President, Optronics, Missile Electronics and Unmanned Air Systems, Thales
1SOFINS: Special Operations Forces Innovation Network Seminar
About Thales
Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies for the Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital sectors. Its portfolio of innovative products and services addresses several major challenges: sovereignty, security, sustainability and inclusion.
The Group invests more than €4 billion per year in Research & Development in key areas, particularly for critical environments, such as Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum and cloud technologies.
Thales has more than 83,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2024, the Group generated sales of €20.6 billion.
Headline: WTO members make progress in revitalizing trade and development work
Members examined special and differential treatment provisions across WTO agreements based on an analysis by the WTO Secretariat. Welcoming insights from the WTO Secretariat, members called for further examining other provisions. It was noted that special and differential treatment provisions were an integral part of WTO rules designed to help developing economies participate more fully in global trade.
Members also continued debating the relevant WTO rules under which the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Customs Union could be considered. They welcomed the WTO Secretariat’s note on this issue and will continue exploring how to consider this trading arrangement.
The WTO’s Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation provided an update on the financial situation of the Global Trust Fund, which finances WTO-led training programmes for government officials from developing economies to help them participate in international trade. It also talked about preparations for the next technical assistance plan for 2026 and 2027. Members called for innovative solutions for the delivery of technical assistance and said they would consider exploring additional support depending on needs expressed by beneficiaries.
Members also continued debating the relevant WTO rules under which the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Customs Union could be considered. They welcomed the WTO Secretariat’s note on this issue and will continue exploring ways of considering this trading arrangement.
The WTO’s LDC Group updated members on their request to resume preparations for the duty-free and quota-free market access for LDCs report. The objective is to facilitate the annual review of the steps members are taking to provide LDCs with market access free of duties and quotas. Members noted that consultations are ongoing with interested delegations to find a way forward.
The Committee on Trade and Development considered two requests from India on improving the functioning of the Committee and on the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce. Members will continue informal consultations on these requests.
Members also considered the Economic Complementarity Agreement between Argentina and Mexico based on the WTO Secretariat’s factual presentation.
Members elected Ambassador Mzukisi Qobo of South Africa as the chair of the Committee on Trade and Development and re-elected Ambassador Ib Petersen (Denmark) as chair of the Sub-Committee on Least- Developed Countries.
Small economies
Members welcomed the WTO Secretariat report entitled “Challenges and opportunities for small economies in using e-commerce and digital ecosystem to drive competitiveness” on 27 March.
“Many small and vulnerable economies still face high costs to access the internet, inadequate digital infrastructure and gaps in digital literacy, all of which hinder their ability to participate effectively in the global digital economy,” said Ana Libertad Guzman Villeda from Guatemala, which coordinates the Small, Vulnerable Economies. “Addressing these challenges requires targeted investments, capacity-building initiatives and policies that foster inclusive digital transformation,” she added.
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) highlighted its work to support small economies in building their digital capacities, including several key initiatives ranging from implementation of national single windows for customs processes to upgrading e-commerce laws. The role of UNCTAD’s eTrade Reform Tracker in supporting developing economies with their e-commerce strategies was underscored. Members also drew attention to expanding coverage of UNCTAD’s eTrade Readiness Assessments, which provide a snapshot of the e-commerce ecosystem in developing economies.
Headline: Threat of system shock remains for Alberta electricity market, with ‘hurricane brewing’ amid current calm
“The calm in Alberta’s electricity market will be related to how much new demand we allow to connect to the system in the very near future,” said Vittoria Bellissimo, CEO of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association. Read more.
The post Threat of system shock remains for Alberta electricity market, with ‘hurricane brewing’ amid current calm appeared first on Canadian Renewable Energy Association.
Headline: Rooftop solar in Canada: everything you need to know – CanREA on Energi Talks Podcast
Energy journalist Markham Hislop interviews Phil McKay of Canadian Renewable Energy Association about the newly released annual Go Solar Guide. It’s the go-to resource for Canadians looking to install solar on their property. Watch now.
The post Rooftop solar in Canada: everything you need to know – CanREA on Energi Talks Podcast appeared first on Canadian Renewable Energy Association.
Headline: Microsoft celebrates 50 years of employee giving program
Fifty years ago, Microsoft opened its doors and introduced us to a world of technology innovations that touch every part of our lives. We have grown from six buildings and Lake Bill in Redmond to offices in over 190 countries. Hundreds of thousands of people have shipped thousands of products that have made all of us more connected, efficient and innovative.
Through all the growth, change, and technological progress, there is one common thread that ties our Microsoft employees and their communities together— Microsoft’s Give program. It’s fundamental to who we are as a company. It reflects our values and our commitment to helping every person and organization on the planet do more.
In 2024, our contributions reached historic milestones, highlighting the shared benefits of our giving program for the nonprofits we support and for Microsoft and its employees, who tell us again and again they derive heartfelt value from our community connections. We’ve logged nearly 6 million volunteer hours and $1.3 billion in lifetime donations to Washington nonprofits.
Giving is deeply ingrained in our culture
It is an honor to celebrate the generosity of our employees who passionately give their time and money to support nonprofits they care about in the communities where they live and work.
In 2024, our employees worldwide volunteered 1.2 million hours and raised over $255 million to support 36,000 nonprofits around the world.
In our first full year of the Change Agent program—where employees volunteer their time to help nonprofits on their digital transformation journey—we had 1,200 employees line up to participate and the demand is growing.
Our employees, past and present, have donated over $3 billion since our first Give campaign and provided the equivalent of 1,277 years of volunteering to 36,000 organizations globally.
Investing in our own backyard
Nowhere is this commitment to giving more evident than in Washington, our HQ state, where so many of our employees who live right here in the Puget Sound region are so deeply committed to making a difference. It shows in the numbers!
The total donations in 2024 to nonprofits in the state was $88 million, and over 460,000 hours of volunteer time. It’s the highest number of volunteer hours we’ve ever provided in Washington in a single year.
We supported 4,900 nonprofits in the state in 2024—another record.
Our lifetime giving in Washington state alone has surpassed $1.3 billion and Microsoft employees have logged 6 million volunteer hours.
The most inspiring statistic? 80% of our Washington state employees participated in our giving program – sharing their time and their personal resources.
These numbers tell the story of impact, but it is the personal stories of our local changemakers and the nonprofits they support that tell the real story.
What really matters
The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center is also celebrating a 50-year anniversary. What started as a regional cancer center has turned into a world-class biomedical research and clinical care institution. Microsoft and our employees have supported the critical work of Fred Hutch since the 1980s.
Some employees have a very personal reason for their commitment to the organization. La Shanda Hurst lost her father to colon cancer when he was just 43 years old. Her support of the Hutch is rooted in her drive to make a difference. “My overall calling has to do with my life experience, losing my dad so early, and trying to drive impact.” For her, “I’m thinking about supporting causes and making an impact 365 days a year.”
Her focus on results is echoed by many of our employees. They have shared that volunteering not only allows them to make a tangible difference in their communities but also fosters a strong sense of connection and purpose. One of our employees states the drive for impact beautifully when he said, “When my time is over on this planet, what will I say I really did to make an impact?”
Committing to long-term impact
Northwest Harvest is one of the country’s largest independent food banks, collecting and distributing food to more than 400 partner organizations across the state of Washington. It is also one of our top ten giving recipients—in both dollars and volunteer hours—year after year.
Thomas Reynolds, CEO of Northwest Harvest, talks about the importance of the relationship, “The partnership with Microsoft means that there are literally thousands of people who take action on food justice issues here in Washington State. They provide financial support, their time, and their wisdom.”
We often talk about the importance of scale. However, critical and complex issues like hunger and food security also require a long-term commitment to effect meaningful and lasting change. The continuity of our employees’ support provides a solid foundation to help the organization reach its goal of cutting hunger in half by 2028, and doing the same for the number of households struggling without enough food on the table.
Investing in a future for everyone in the digital economy
We believe economic growth and opportunity must reach every person, organization, community, and country. Even in a state like Washington, home to some of the largest and most influential companies globally, economic opportunities are not available to all.
To help address the challenge, our Give program has supported the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (WSOS) since its inception in 2011. WSOS removes barriers to education and helps historically excluded students create a path to high-demand STEM, health care, and trade careers in Washington state. As a first-generation college student, Douglas Lepar, Microsoft Director of Operations Program Management, experienced the same challenges as WSOS scholars. He also brings years of experience and knowledge of working in the technology field, which he generously shares with scholars through the Skills that Shine mentor program. “I’ve been so impressed and humbled by the students I have seen who, thanks to this incredible program, have managed to juggle all those things while still thriving, growing, and engaging.”
Looking forward
I am both grateful and inspired when I look at how Microsoft employees give to create a positive and lasting social impact. There is a tremendous amount of change in the world today, placing significant pressure on nonprofits organizations worldwide. They are grappling with immensely complex situations and are being asked to respond to more crises than ever before. Our changemakers continue to step up as advocates, allies, funders, and volunteers. Their commitment gives me hope that we can rise to today’s challenges and ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Source: International Marine Contractors Association – IMCA
Headline: Maritime associations launch updated guidance to protect vessels and seafarers from rapidly evolving security threats
An alliance of maritime associations has released new best practice guidance to help vessels and crews respond to the growing challenge of maritime security threats.
The interactive report – BMP Maritime Security – aims to help vessels plan voyages safely and to detect, avoid, deter, delay, and report attacks and incidents, wherever they occur.
It has been created by the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO), the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO), the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (INTERTANKO), the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF), and the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA), with the support of over 40 maritime stakeholders.
BMP Maritime Security consolidates previously published regional publications into a single, comprehensive report with actionable insights and advice.
It focuses on providing the maritime sector with a threat and risk management process and, recognising the dynamic nature of regional security situations, provides signposts to direct users to the most up-to-date security intelligence and risk assessment information.
Seafarers operating ships around the world encounter a range of maritime security threats, which often involve aggressive state and non-state actors.
Although these threats vary across regions and in their severity, they can have a traumatic effect on seafarers who face unwarranted physical and mental harm – in some cases, being held as hostages and subjected to violence and ill-treatment for extended periods.
To counter the threat, BMP guidance has greatly improved the industry’s ability to understand, detect, and deter maritime security threats in recent years, but the advice needs to keep pace with the rapidly evolving threat environment.
In BMP Maritime Security, users can navigate easily to different sections and link directly to external sources and access details on global authorities and, importantly, appropriate contacts and tools for seafarer welfare support.
IMCA Chief Executive Iain Grainger said: “The maritime industry faces an ever-evolving landscape of security threats, making it essential for seafarers to have access to the most up-to-date and practical guidance. BMP Maritime Security provides a consolidated resource that helps vessels proactively manage risk, safeguard the welfare of crews, and enhance maritime security resilience worldwide. People are our key asset, so IMCA is proud to support this initiative, ensuring that best practices continue to evolve alongside the challenges our industry faces.”
David Loosley, BIMCO Secretary General and CEO, said: “2024 saw an unprecedented spike in attacks against merchant ships. Ships were attacked with weapons of war in the Black Sea and in the Southern Red Sea more than 100 times, and four innocent seafarers lost their lives. Globally, 126 seafarers were held hostage during pirate attacks and armed robberies, and 12 seafarers were kidnapped. BMP MS will reduce risks and save lives. While we cannot control how the threats will develop in 2025 and beyond, we can make sure that we have the best tools available to help protect our seafarers and world trade.”
ICS Secretary General Guy Platten, said: “Recent years have shown the stark security threats that seafarers and the industry can face in the service of world trade. From the conflict in Ukraine to the Red Sea Crisis, the dangers faced by shipping have increased to a severity not seen in two generations. This new global BMP continues the shipping industry’s unswerving commitment to protecting seafarers and mitigating threats to the trade on which we all depend.”
Kostas G. GKONIS, PhD, Director / Secretary General at INTERCARGO, said: “The new consolidated BMP guidance, developed by the maritime industry in coordination with naval forces, addresses escalating global threats to the safety and well-being of seafarers. INTERCARGO proudly supports this vital collaboration which cuts across traditional sector boundaries to deliver clear, actionable security protocols to protect those working at sea. Through our joint work, we should collectively ensure that these practices reach and empower every vessel, requiring sustained cooperation between frontline crews, whose dedication keeps global trade moving, and security resources and expertise.”
Tim Wilkins, Managing Director at INTERTANKO, said: “As seafarers navigate conflict and armed threats, it is our duty as shipowner representatives to provide them with the most up-to-date information and guidance to ensure their safety. The revised BMP and related threat overviews reflect the collaborative efforts of many of our members, drawing on the hard-earned experience of the maritime industry. INTERTANKO considers BMP as being a vital reference for every vessel.”
Karen Davis, Managing Director at OCIMF, said: “In the current heightened threat environment, where seafarers face unprecedented security challenges, the maritime community needs clear advice on how to manage threats, the risks, and the best mitigations to implement. This publication builds on a successful series of BMPs consolidating the best information available in one publication, BMP Maritime Security.”
Samsung Electronics is bringing a first-of-its-kind experience to Stingray Karaoke on select 2025 Samsung AI-powered Smart TVs and offering an exclusive promotion with the purchase of any new 2025 Smart TV, shipping globally soon.
Stingray Karaoke1 offers an expansive catalog spanning the most popular genres, including pop, rock, country, R&B, hip-hop and more. The app features an intuitive interface that enables you to search for songs by title, artist, lyrics or genre in more than 30 languages. With weekly updates adding new songs and specially curated playlists for different occasions, you can queue up to 100 songs, ensuring the ultimate karaoke party experience at home.
An Unmatched Karaoke Experience
Together, Samsung and Stingray Karaoke are transforming home entertainment with a brand-new mobile microphone integrated with SmartThings on select 2025 Samsung Smart TVs2, eliminating the need for expensive sound systems and bringing a seamless, high-quality karaoke experience directly into the living room. For the first time ever, fans of Stingray Karaoke can now sing along to their favorite songs directly into their smartphone3 with award-winning mobile technology that ensures their voice is perfectly mixed in real-time, while delivering premium sound through their Samsung TV speakers without delay.
“Samsung Smart TVs are dynamic entertainment hubs providing tremendous value and access to an ever-expanding ecosystem of experiences,” said Maya Harris, VP & Head of Strategic Partnerships for Samsung’s TV & Mobile Services. “The seamless mobile microphone integration with SmartThings is a brand-new innovation that allows trailblazing partners like Stingray to push the boundaries of interactive entertainment on Tizen, delivering even more immersive and accessible experiences that bring people together in new ways.”
“Partnering with an industry leader in Samsung has allowed us to create a unique and accessible karaoke experience that takes entertainment technology to new heights,” said Eric Boyko, President, Co-Founder and CEO of Stingray. “As we continue to innovate and expand our offerings, we remain dedicated to delivering exceptional innovations to audiences worldwide.”
To jump in, simply select the Samsung Daily+4 icon located on the left panel of your Samsung TV Smart Hub, launch the Stingray Karaoke app, and scan the QR code to activate your mobile microphone to start singing along to popular songs across genres and eras.
Exclusive Stingray Karaoke Promotion, Available Only on 2025 Samsung Smart TVs
New 2025 Samsung Smart TV owners will receive a free six-month trial of Stingray Karaoke5, unlocking access to the new mobile microphone feature and its vast library of more than 100,000 licensed songs from today’s top charting artists and yesterday’s legends. The offer is redeemable from the day of purchase through December 31, 2025.
Additionally, owners of 2023 and 2024 Samsung Smart TVs6 can redeem free access to Stingray Karaoke for one month. To redeem the free trial offer, select the Samsung Daily+ icon on your Samsung TV Smart Hub and launch the Stingray Karaoke app. A pop-up will appear to grant you access.
Samsung Tizen OS Continues to Evolve
Stingray Karaoke on Samsung Smart TVs is powered by Tizen OS, your home for discovering endless entertainment, staying connected with your favorite apps and services, and controlling your smart home – all from your TV screen.
As the #1 global TV brand for 19 years and counting, Samsung is dedicated to providing not only premium viewing experiences, but consistently improving how you interact with its TVs. That’s why Samsung is now offering up to 7 years7 of Tizen updates across its lineup, ensuring your experience remains consistently smooth and effortlessly responsive.
Tizen allows Samsung partners to deliver their content to millions of shoppers through its vast TV ecosystem. The partnership with Stingray Karaoke is yet another example of the Samsung commitment to truly making Tizen OS your central hub for everything from streaming and gaming, to working out, getting ready for your day and now, even belting out your favorite hits.
1 The Stingray Karaoke app is available on 2018 model year and newer Samsung Smart TVs.
2 Stingray Karaoke mobile microphone integration with SmartThings is compatible on select 2025 model year Samsung Smart TVs, including Neo QLED, QLED, OLED and The Frame.
3 Compatible with Samsung Galaxy S22+, S22 Ultra, and all S23, S24 and S25 models. It is also supported on all Samsung Z Flip and Fold models, iPhone 15 and iPhone 16.
4 Samsung Daily+ is a hub for lifestyle experiences, providing a wide range of services and features — from personal training and telehealth to video calls and remote PC solutions — in one single interface.
5 Trial is available with purchase of any new 2025 Samsung Smart TV, including all Neo QLED, QLED, OLED, The Frame models.
6 Available on all Neo QLED, QLED, OLED, The Frame models.
7 Viewing experience may vary according to types of content and format. 4K AI Upscaling may not apply to PC connection and Game Mode. Utilizes AI-based formulas to upscale. Samsung Account required for network-based smart services, including streaming apps and other smart features. Computer, mobile or other devices may be necessary to create/log in to Samsung Account (free to download and create). Without Account log in, only external device connections (E.g., via HDMI) and terrestrial/over-the-air TV (only for TVs with tuners) available.
Although the EU has a robust financial sector, there is a lack of venture capital to invest in European firms.
“There are two main obstacles to investments finding their way to where they are most useful. First of all, the EU’s single market and capital market remain fragmented. Although the rules are common in the EU, European firms and investors are faced with additional national rules or different supervisory practices when they move across borders. If more capital is to be invested in Europe and competitiveness is to improve, it is necessary to limit national exemptions and special rules so that the EU’s capital can find its way to the most attractive projects across Europe” said Christian Kettel Thomsen and continued:
“Secondly, financial rules in the EU have become so complex that they are perceived as an unnecessary chain around the leg. That is why we should look at simplifying rules and reducing burdens. However, this must not be at the expense of financial stability and confidence in the financial sector. A robust and well-capitalised financial sector is a prerequisite for stable lending that supports the firms – even in times of crisis.”
“Removing obstacles in the capital market is a difficult task, and it will require difficult compromises, but it is necessary. We need to strengthen the internal market so that there can be more attractive projects in Europe to invest in. The funds are there.” Said Christian Kettel Thomsen in conclusion.
Good news for Lufthansa Airlines cabin crew – and therefore also for passengers: Lufthansa and the UFO union have agreed on a new part-time collective agreement. The relevant committees on both sides have already given their approval. The collective agreement will come into force retroactively from January 1, 2025.
The new collective agreement unites the interests of cabin staff and Lufthansa Airlines: further developed rules lead to more reliable planning for employees and improve the work-life balance. Conversely, Lufthansa Airlines benefits from the associated long-term and needs-based personnel planning for part-time work. The new collective agreement also helps to simplify internal regulations.
Michael Niggemann, Member of the Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG responsible for Human Resources & Legal: “We are pleased that we were able to agree on this new part-time collective agreement after an intensive negotiation process with the UFO trade union. Once again, this shows that focus and an interest-oriented approach lead to good solutions. As a result, the new collective agreement increases flexibility for our cabin staff at Lufthansa Airlines, but also helps us to respond even better to the seasonal market demand of our customers.
Headline: Panasonic HD Announces Personnel Changes
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The next milestone in the integration of ITA Airways into the Lufthansa Group: With the start of the 2025 summer flight schedule today, all ITA Airways flights in Frankfurt and Munich will be handled in the Lufthansa Group terminals. This means that ITA Airways and the other Lufthansa Group airlines are “under one roof” at all the Group’s hubs, significantly reducing transfer times for passengers.
The move at the German hubs last night included the entire ITA Airways handling operation, from check-in, gates, service desks and baggage reclaim.
In Frankfurt, the Italian airline moved from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1, which is used by the Lufthansa Group. Since ITA Airways will also be flying from gate areas A and B in the future, passengers will benefit from significantly shorter distances and thus shorter transfer times. ITA Airways passengers can also reach the Deutsche Bahn long-distance train station with ICE high-speed train connections quickly and easily from Terminal 1.
In Munich, ITA Airways moved from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 and its satellite. This terminal is operated by a joint venture between Lufthansa and Munich Airport. As of today, ITA Airways passengers will therefore be using the terminal that has been awarded five stars by Skytrax multiple times.
At the other Lufthansa Group hubs in Brussels, Rome, Vienna and Zurich, all Lufthansa Group airlines are already under one roof. For example, there was already a seamless transfer process for customers between SWISS and ITA Airways at Zurich Airport. In addition, the airlines’ check-in desks have already been placed next to each other at the majority of jointly served airports in recent weeks.
Dieter Vranckx, Chief Commercial Officer, Lufthansa Group, says: “This move is an important milestone in the integration of ITA Airways into the Lufthansa Group. Our customers will be able to transfer faster and more comfortably thanks to shorter distances and will have more comfort throughout their entire journey. This also includes the shared use of lounges. This integration gives ITA Airways passengers access to the enormous advantages of the Lufthansa Group, with all its premium airlines and a worldwide route network. It also gives passengers more direct access to numerous destinations to the Italian market. In just two months, we have succeeded in offering our passengers a seamless premium travel experience.”
With the summer flight schedule valid from today, ITA Airways and the Lufthansa Group Airlines are also launching their joint codeshare flights, which have been offered to customers for several weeks. The route networks of ITA Airways and the other network airlines of the Lufthansa Group are now aligned and connected and can therefore be combined in a single booking. Passengers can choose from over 100 new codeshare connections within Europe, operated by both ITA Airways and the Lufthansa Group (Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Air Dolomiti). Lufthansa Group passengers can reach though code-sharing with ITA Airways the Italian airports of Alghero (AHO), Lampedusa (LMP), Pantelleria (PNL) and Reggio Calabria (REG). With a Lufthansa codeshare ticket, passengers can also travel to Tripoli in Libya again. More than 50,000 of these combination tickets have already been sold in the first three weeks.
Reciprocal Lounge access possible with immediate effect From today, ITA Airways passengers can also use the approximately 130 lounges of the Lufthansa Group and its partners on their travels. From today, the lounges of ITA Airways are also open to Lufthansa Group passengers from today. Frequent flyers have been benefiting from expanded options since 03 February 2025. Miles & More members can earn and redeem miles and points for their frequent flyer status on all flights operated by ITA Airways. Conversely, Volare customers can also earn and redeem points with Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) (the regulators) have taken further steps to address their increasing concern over the management of operational risk at ASX, following the CHESS batch settlement failure incident that occurred on 20 December 2024.
In a joint letter to ASX, the regulators expressed their deep concerns about the potential for operational incidents, such as the CHESS batch settlement failure, to affect the ability of the CHESS system to reliably service the Australian equities market until CHESS is replaced. The regulators also highlighted their concern about the speed and nature of ASX’s remediation actions following the initial incident.
In response, the RBA has taken the unprecedented step of reassessing the compliance of ASX Clear Pty Limited and ASX Settlement Pty Ltd with the RBA’s Financial Stability Standards outside the usual annual assessment cycle. The RBA has downgraded its assessment of these entities’ compliance with the “Operational Risk” standard from partly observed to not observed. A rating of not observed is made when the RBA has identified serious issues of concern that warrant immediate action.
In addition, ASIC has directed ASX, under section 823BB(4) of the Corporations Act 2001, to engage an expert approved by ASIC to undertake a technical review of CHESS. This review and any remediation will provide greater confidence to regulators, and the public, in the stability and operational resilience of the current CHESS platform.
RBA Governor Michele Bullock said, ‘It is deeply disappointing that the regulators need to take these actions today. But they are necessary. ASX operates critical infrastructure that plays a central role in the financial system. ASX’s management of operational risk has been a concern for RBA staff and the Payments System Board for some time, and the recent CHESS incident has underscored those concerns. The underlying issues that we have raised need to be addressed as a matter of priority to strengthen the resilience of the CHESS system.’
ASIC Chair Joe Longo said, ‘Our actions underscore our increasingly deep concerns with ASX’s management of the CHESS system, and we will continue to consider further action. The technical review of ASX’s core technology infrastructure is necessary given the ongoing concerns the regulators have raised about ASX’s operational resilience. It is troubling that these risks were realised in this major incident.’
The regulators together outlined their expectations that ASX needs to give the highest priority to the immediate remediation of issues that caused and exacerbated the December 2024 incident.
If not urgently addressed, the regulators are prepared to take further regulatory action. This could include the use of the regulators’ new powers under reforms to modernise the regulatory framework for Financial Market Infrastructures, which came into effect in September 2024, and further rulemaking under the Competition in Clearing and Settlement reforms.
Background
The RBA and ASIC are co-regulators of licensed CS facilities and have separate, but complementary, responsibilities for the licensing and supervision of CS facilities licensees.
These responsibilities include supervising each CS facility licensee’s compliance with the obligation to do all things necessary to ensure that the facility’s services are provided in a fair and effective way, to the extent it is reasonably practicable to do so. In carrying out supervision and assessment of CS facilities, the RBA and ASIC work closely as appropriate.
The RBA supervises CS facilities from the perspective of the facilities’ importance to the stability of Australia’s financial system. This includes the power to determine financial stability standards for the purpose of ensuring that CS facility licensees conduct their affairs in a way that causes or promotes overall stability in the Australian financial system.
ASIC’s regulatory action announced today are in addition and separate to ASIC’s investigation into ASX Settlement Pty Ltd (ASX Settlement) for suspected contraventions of section 821A of the Corporations Act.