German solar industry looks to rise againBITTERFELD-WOLFEN, Germany — A decade after a wave of bankruptcies all but wiped out the German solar industry, the sector is looking to reestablish itself in the face of stiff competition from abroad. In Bitterfeld-Wolfen, a solar cell plant opened in 2021 by the Swiss group Meyer Burger on the site of defunct German producer Q-Cells is a sign of a possible renaissance. "We managed to recruit a number of former employees in the sector, and we are benefitting from their know-how," the director of the Meyer Burger factory, Jochen Fritsche, told AFP. In the United States, President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act has lined up billions of dollars to boost production in solar and other technologies. "We are under the impression that Europe is always behind... in the United States, everything is faster," said CEO Erfurt.

BITTERFELD-WOLFEN, Germany: A decade after a wave of bankruptcies all but wiped out the German solar industry, the sector is looking to reestablish itself in the face of stiff competition from abroad. In Bitterfeld-Wolfen, a solar cell plant opened in 2021 by the Swiss group Meyer Burger on the site of defunct German producer Q-Cells is a sign of a possible renaissance. A decade after a wave of bankruptcies all but wiped out the German solar industry, the sector is looking to reestablish itself in the face of stiff competition from abroad. "We are under the impression that Europe is always behind... in the United States, everything is faster," said CEO Erfurt. Nordic group Norwegian Crystals filed for bankruptcy in August, underlining the risks for the European sector as it looks to grow again.

Philippine allies condemn China's 'dangerous, disturbing' maneuvers in WPSScreengrab from the video of the Armed Forces of the PhilippinesMANILA, Philippines — Allies of the Philippines condemned Sunday the moves of Chinese vessels to block boats on a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre, resulting in collisions in the West Philippine Sea. It also said that a Chinese maritime militia vessel “bumped” a Philippine Coast Guard vessel escorting the routine resupply mission. According to the NTF-WPS, a second resupply boat successfully reached the grounded BRP Sierra Madre and unloaded supplies for the troops stationed there. Its coast guard, navy and maritime militia vessels routinely block or shadow Philippine patrol and supply boats. In August, tensions escalated when the China Coast Guard used water cannons against a Philippine resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre, preventing one of the boats from delivering supplies.

Marcos back in Philippines after ‘successful’ Saudi tripPresident Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. meets with the Filipino community during his visit in Riyadh Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Friday night. MANILA, Philippines — It was a “short but successful” visit, President Marcos said yesterday after arriving from Saudi Arabia where he attended the first summit of leaders of Southeast Asian nations and the Gulf states. During the visit, Marcos met with the Filipino community in Saudi Arabia and assured them of continued support and assistance. He also had meetings with the Kuwaiti Crown Prince and the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia. According to Marcos, the relationship between the Philippines and Saudi Arabia would become “a two-way street” as the Middle Eastern country would invest more in the Philippines.

MANILA, Philippines — There is a growing demand for electric vehicles (EVs) in the Philippines, but are there enough charging stations for them? “The biggest constraint in the adoption of EVs is the charging station. Under the Comprehensive Roadmap for the Electric Vehicle Industry (Crevi), he said, the government has set a conservative target for the country to have 850,100 EVs and 20,300 EV charging stations (EVCs) by 2040. Battery swappingUnder Evida’s IRR, which were adopted in September 2022, EV charging stations may be installed in private and public buildings and establishments identified by the Crevi. The IRR identifies the different types of charging stations that can be set up.

The clip, published online on Thursday, purportedly shows a male worker at a Tsingtao Brewery Co. warehouse clambering into a high-walled container and relieving himself onto its contents. The footage circulated widely on Chinese social media, racking up tens of millions of views on the popular platform, Weibo. PISSED OFF Customers drink beer at a night market in the city of Qingdao, Shandong province, eastern China on July 14, 2023. XINHUA FILE PHOTOTsingtao said on Friday it had contacted the police over the incident, and an investigation was ongoing. In recent years, the Hong Kong-listed company has sought to capitalize on the changing tastes of younger Chinese drinkers by diversifying into craft ales and other products.

By taking proactive steps and implementing smart strategies, we can get ahead financially with our holiday preparations. Plan ahead for travel and celebrationsIf you are planning to travel or host gatherings during the holiday season, it's essential to plan ahead to avoid unnecessary expenses. Discuss financial goals and accomplishments as a familyTake advantage of the festive atmosphere to have meaningful conversations about your family's financial goals and accomplishments. By implementing these smart strategies, we can get ahead financially with our holiday preparations, ensuring a joyful and stress-free celebration. Start early, plan wisely and enjoy a truly memorable and financially sound holiday season.

Cold season in Philippine begins – PalaceDark clouds loom over Manila as Tropical Depression Amang continues to bring heavy rain and strong wind in parts of Luzon on April 12, 2023. MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has declared the onset of the northeast monsoon or amihan season, signaling the start of colder temperatures in the country. PAGASA said the northeasterly windflow is expected to become more dominant and bring cold dry air with temperature surges. It is forecast to bring scattered rains over Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan and Camarines Norte. Meanwhile, the northeast monsoon will bring light rains over Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Apayao and Kalinga.

It is an intriguing idea that could represent a giant step forward for secondary education in the Philippines, and it should be pursued. Concepcion presented the idea in a meeting with Duterte on October 17, in which the two discussed various ways in which entrepreneurship skills could be taught. As with any apparently good idea, its success or failure will depend on how it is executed, but the concept is eminently sensible. The proposed entrepreneurship education could be a good step toward getting the most from the basic education system. Thus, the entrepreneurship training should go hand in hand with and complement vocational and trade skills training.

PISTON backs transport strikers threatened with 'franchise cancellation'Members of Manibela transport group wave their protest banners and placards during their strike and demonstration at the foot of Mendiola Bridge in Manila on October 16, 2023. The LTFRB threatened to cancel the franchises and issue show cause orders against members of Manibela who staged the said "tigil-pasada." PISTON national president Mody Floranda said in a statement sent to media on Saturday. "Our demands are straight and simple — scrap the PUV phaseout and let us have a fair, pro-people, and reasonable program for public transport that does not disadvantage the small drivers and operators." 'Same tactics persist'Floranda said that the issuance of show cause orders and threats of franchise cancellation have been done before by LTFRB Region VI to PUV operators in Iloilo, who also joined a transport strike in the city last July 24.

We now know from documents recovered from dead Hamas militants that they were under instructions to kill as many Jews and take as many hostages as possible. While the war between Hamas and Israel begins to dwindle, the humanitarian crisis looms larger each day. An Israeli assault, however, will endanger the lives of the hundreds of hostages taken by Hamas fighters. The Hamas militants do not give up easily. Increasingly, it appears likelier that the Israeli war with Hamas is not going to redraw the geopolitical map of this troubled region after all.

(UPDATE) NORTHPORT has tapped the services of Australian Venky Jois as its import for the PBA Commissioner's Cup, which will kick off the league's 48th season on November 5. Listed at 6-foot-9, Jois played college basketball for Eastern Washington University in the US before building a professional basketball career overseas. NorthPort will lean on Australian import Venky Jois in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup. NorthPort coach Bonnie Tan described their incoming import as a "team player." NorthPort failed to make the playoffs in the Philippine Cup and Governors' Cup after posting a combined 6-16 card in those two conferences.

Israel has responded by pounding Gaza with air strikes, killing thousands, and has said it will act to free the hostages while wiping out Hamas. Hamas has suggested the hostages could be swapped for approximately 6,000 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. Israel has said that there will be no end to the blockade of the enclave without freedom for Israeli hostages. Israel says the hostages were taken to Gaza but their exact whereabouts within the enclave are unknown, making their rescue more complicated. U.S. President Joe Biden said his administration is “workin’ like hell” to find American hostages held by Hamas.

Former pro-democracy Yau Tsim Mong district councilor Chu, 46, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of promoting MPF schemes without registration. Earlier, police received complaints of someone promoting MPF schemes on social media and other activities without a valid MPF intermediary license. Following the investigation, Chu was arrested Tuesday in Sha Tin for violating the MPF Schemes Ordinance by promoting MPF schemes without registration. Further investigation revealed that Chu was also involved in another case of alleged fraud. After resigning as district councilors, Yeung and Chiu continued to focus on community work and formed a community financial management team.

Secondary students will learn how to improve their writing using AI tools like ChatGPT to prepare for the Diploma of Secondary Education exams. Teachers will learn how to develop differentiated instruction materials to foster individualized learning through such generative AI tools. "AI tools can not only enhance teaching effectiveness but also narrow the learning gaps among different learners," Siu said. Courses designed for administrative staff in SMEs will empower learners to use AI tools, thus increasing their productivity and quality of work at their workplace. Courses for administrative staff take place from April to June, comprising six-day on-site sessions and four-day self-learning.