A NEW £10-million design and manufacturing centre has been created in partnership between Imperial College London and India’s Tata Steel as part of efforts to develop innovative processes to decarbonise steel production.
The Centre for Innovation in Sustainable Design and Manufacturing is expected to enable the development of sustainable products in the automotive and clean energy industries.
According to Imperial, lighter and stronger types of steel could foster more energy-efficient and affordable vehicles and clean energy generation.
“Drawing on Imperial and Tata Steel's combined expertise, this new centre will work to reduce the environmental impact in steel production and in key sectors that use steel, like the clean energy sector,” professor Mary Ryan, vice-provost (research and enterprise) at Imperial College London and co-chair of the Governing Council of the centre, said in a statement on Wednesday (13).
“To create a zero-pollution future, it's vital that we prioritise systematic transformation of industrial systems. By doing this, the new centre will contribute to the creation of a high tech and economically successful steel industry, both in the UK and across the world,” she said.
Imperial, a leading research university, points out that Tata Steel will benefit from the expertise of Imperial academics both in the department of mechanical engineering and across the university.
The centre will also incorporate an accelerator programme designed to support the transfer of new insights to the industry, with Imperial researchers working to develop new technologies.
“This new Centre is a great example of how Imperial's research can have real-world impact and address a key global challenge," said professor Nigel Brandon, dean of Imperial's Faculty of Engineering.
“The Centre for Innovation is a part of Tata Steel's larger endeavour to build stronger industry-academia partnerships for driving technological advancement and creating strategic advantages,” said T V Narendran, CEO & MD, Tata Steel.
“The centre at Imperial provides a strong academic and research platform with an excellent talent pool. Our goal is to synergise research excellence with industry experience to create cutting-edge technology solutions for a greener future,” he said.
Debashish Bhattacharjee, vice president, technology and R&D, Tata Steel, noted that the new centre will focus on the “design and development of sustainable solutions”.
The Trump Organization has announced the launch of Trump Mobile, a branded mobile phone service and a $499 smartphone, both expected to debut in September 2025. This marks the latest in a growing list of commercial ventures associated with President Donald Trump.
The 47 Plan: patriotic branding and telecoms offering
Trump Mobile’s service package, dubbed The 47 Plan, will cost $47.45 per month and include unlimited calls, texts, and data. Customers will also receive roadside assistance and access to a “Telehealth and Pharmacy Benefit”. Both the name and pricing of the plan are symbolic, referencing Trump’s political position as the 47th president of the United States.
A smartphone branded as the “T1” will also be available, priced at $499. Promotional images depict the phone with a gold-coloured casing etched with an American flag and the campaign slogan “Make America Great Again” displayed on the home screen.
Primarily a licensing venture
According to the Trump Mobile website, the service is not directly operated by the Trump Organization. Instead, it functions through a licensing agreement. A disclaimer states: “Trump Mobile, its products and services are not designed, developed, manufactured, distributed or sold by The Trump Organization or any of their respective affiliates or principals.”
This approach follows a familiar pattern in Trump’s business dealings, where his name is licensed to products and services in exchange for royalties. Previous examples include Trump-branded watches, trainers, wine, and even Bibles.
Financial and ethical implications
President Trump reported earning over $8 million in 2024 from various licensing agreements. While these ventures present lucrative opportunities, they continue to attract ethical scrutiny due to concerns about a sitting president profiting from branded commercial activity.
Nonetheless, Trump Mobile represents another step in merging political identity with consumer branding.
How it compares in the telecoms market
At $47.45 per month, Trump Mobile’s 47 Plan is more expensive than many competitors. Verizon-owned Visible offers a similar unlimited plan for $25 per month, while Mint Mobile charges $30 for its comparable package.
T1 , priced at $499The Trump Organization
Despite this, Trump Mobile claims to provide “the same coverage as the 3 nationwide phone service carriers”, a reference to Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. It also promotes a US-based customer support centre, though representatives have declined to confirm the location for “security reasons”.
Market reception and outlook
While major wireless providers have not commented on the launch, Trump Mobile may appeal to a customer base aligned with President Trump’s brand and values. Whether the venture will gain broader traction in the competitive telecommunications market remains to be seen.
As the launch date approaches, Trump Mobile is likely to generate further attention—both for its political undertones and its attempt to reshape how presidential branding intersects with consumer technology.
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Executives from the Madhvani Group, including Shrai Madhvani, his wife Aparna Madhvani, and director Nitin Gadhia, met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his official residence in New Delhi on Saturday to discuss the group’s proposed investments in India, including the acquisition of Hindustan National Glass Ltd (HNGIL).
The meeting focused on the group's plans to invest in India through INSCO, which is seeking to acquire HNGIL, the country’s largest container glass manufacturer. The acquisition is currently awaiting approval from the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), following key rulings by the Supreme Court of India on January 29 and May 16, 2025.
On the same day, the Committee of Creditors, led by the State Bank of India, approved INSCO’s resolution plan with 96.14% voting in favour.
Prime Minister Modi welcomed the proposed investment, highlighting its potential to generate employment and contribute to India’s economic development.
During the meeting, Madhvani presented Modi with Tide of Fortune, a book written by his late father, Manubhai Madhvani, and Flowers from the Bhagavad Gita, authored by his brother, Kamlesh Madhvani. Aparna Madhvani also shared two poems she had written for the Prime Minister as a personal tribute.
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Apple iPhones are seen inside India's first Apple retail store in Mumbai, India, April 17, 2023.
NEARLY all iPhones exported by Foxconn from India between March and May were shipped to the United States, according to customs data reviewed by Reuters.
The data showed that 97 per cent of Foxconn’s iPhone exports during this period went to the US, significantly higher than the 2024 average of 50.3 per cent.
This marks a shift in Apple’s export strategy from India, which earlier supplied iPhones to several destinations including the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Britain. Now, India-made devices are being directed almost exclusively to the US market.
Between March and May, Foxconn exported iPhones worth 3.2 billion US dollars (around 2.35 billion pounds) from India, with most shipments heading to the United States. In May 2025 alone, shipments were valued at nearly 1 billion dollars (around 735 million pounds), the second-highest monthly figure after the record 1.3 billion dollars (around 955 million pounds) in March.
Apple declined to comment, and Foxconn did not respond to a Reuters request for a statement.
Tariff pressure
US president Donald Trump on Wednesday said China would face 55 per cent tariffs under a plan agreed in principle by both countries, subject to final approval. India, like many US trading partners, faces a baseline 10 per cent tariff and is negotiating to avoid a 26 per cent “reciprocal” levy that Trump announced and then paused in April.
In May, Trump criticised Apple’s increased production in India. “We are not interested in you building in India, India can take care of themselves, they are doing very well, we want you to build here,” he said, recalling a conversation with Apple CEO Tim Cook.
In the first five months of 2025, Foxconn exported iPhones worth 4.4 billion dollars (around 3.23 billion pounds) to the US from India. This already exceeds the 3.7 billion dollars (around 2.72 billion pounds) shipped in the whole of 2024.
Export push
Apple has been accelerating its iPhone shipments from India to reduce dependence on China amid rising tariffs. In March, the company chartered aircraft to move iPhone 13, 14, 16 and 16e models worth roughly 2 billion dollars (around 1.47 billion pounds) to the US.
Apple has also urged Indian airport authorities to reduce customs clearance time at Chennai airport, a key hub for iPhone exports in Tamil Nadu, from 30 hours to six hours, Reuters has reported.
“We expect made-in-India iPhones to account for 25 per cent to 30 per cent of global iPhone shipments in 2025, as compared to 18 per cent in 2024,” said Prachir Singh, senior analyst at Counterpoint Research.
Tata’s role
Tata Electronics, another Apple iPhone supplier in India, shipped nearly 86 per cent of its iPhones to the US during March and April, the customs data showed. Data for May was not available.
The Tata Group company began exporting iPhones in July 2024. During 2024, 52 per cent of its shipments went to the US, according to the data. Tata declined to comment.
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi has promoted India as a smartphone manufacturing hub. However, high import duties on mobile phone components continue to make domestic production more expensive than in many other countries.
Apple has historically sold over 60 million iPhones annually in the US, with approximately 80 per cent made in China.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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The Bank of England is weighing inflation signals ahead of rate call
PAY growth in Britain slowed sharply and unemployment rose to its highest level in nearly four years in the three months to April, official figures showed on Tuesday (10), potentially reducing the Bank of England’s (BoE) caution over further interest rate cuts.
Wage growth excluding bonuses slowed to 5.2 per cent, the weakest pace since the three months to September, and fell more than expected from 5.5 per cent in January to March this year.
The jobless rate climbed to 4.6 per cent, up from 4.5 per cent, reaching its highest point since the three months to May 2021, the Office for National Statistics said.
The April data was the first since employers were hit by a £25 billion rise in social security contributions which came into force at the start of the month, as well as a 6.7 per cent increase in the minimum wage.
The downturn appeared to gather pace in May, according to separate tax office data which showed a slump of 109,000 in the number of employees on company payrolls, the most since May 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Bank of England, which is expected to keep rates on hold at next week’s meeting, has been trying to gauge if inflation pressures in Britain’s labour market are easing sufficiently for it to continue cutting interest rates at its current quarterly pace.
“There continues to be weakening in the labour market, with the number of people on payroll falling notably,” said ONS director of economic statistics Liz McKeown.
“Feedback from our vacancies survey suggests some firms may be holding back from recruiting new workers or replacing people when they move on.”
The BoE last trimmed borrowing costs in May, by a quarter point to 4.25 per cent.
Its governor, Andrew Bailey, said last month that domestic wage and price developments were likely to be more important for future reductions in borrowing costs than US trade policy, although April’s US tariffs did help swing some policymakers’ decision to vote for a cut at its last meeting in May.
In the private sector alone, watched closely by the BoE, earnings excluding bonuses rose by 5.1 per cent in the three months to the end of April, also the weakest pace since the third quarter of 2024 the Office for National Statistics said.
Growth in total pay, including bonuses, slowed to 5.3 per cent in April from an upwardly revised 5.6 per cent, compared to economists’ forecasts for 5.5 per cent.
There were also other signs of loosening in Britain’s jobs market.
Vacancies fell by 63,000 in the three months to May to 736,000, their lowest level since the three months to April 2021.
Conservative MP and shadow business and trade secretary, Andrew Griffith, said the rise in unemployment was not surprising.
“Businesses are still absorbing a £25 billion jobs tax, but things are about to get even worse as ... (the government) hits businesses with higher regulation,” Griffith said.
Labour’s employment minister, Alison McGovern, said the ONS data showed that half a million more people were in work than when Labour won a national election last July and that wages had grown faster since then than during a decade of Conservative-led rule after 2010.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves was due to deliver her first multi-year spending review on Wednesday (11), to set budgets for public services, after Eastern Eye went to press on Tuesday.
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The discussion around inclusivity and parenthood is likely to remain in the spotlight.
A female entrepreneur has said she felt “absolutely humiliated” after being denied entry to London Tech Week because she was accompanied by her 18-month-old daughter.
Davina Schonle, founder and chief executive of AI start-up Humanvantage AI, had travelled from her home to attend the event at Olympia on Monday, 10 June. She said she had made a three-hour journey to London with her daughter, Isabella, only to be turned away on arrival because children were not allowed into the venue.
The incident occurred on the same day Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer addressed the audience at London Tech Week, an annual event expected to attract over 45,000 delegates from around the world.
“Absolutely humiliated” by exclusion
Ms Schonle, 40, shared her experience in a widely circulated post on LinkedIn, where she expressed her disappointment and frustration.
“I hate that I’m having to write this,” she said. “Today I was refused entry at London Tech Week… because I had my baby with me. It’s a three-hour drive one way for me to come to London. At this stage, I limit how many hours I am away from my baby girl.”
She added that the trip was as much about exposing her daughter to new environments as it was about attending meetings and networking for her business.
“I should be able to build my company with her by my side,” she wrote. “This moment was more than inconvenient. It was a clear reminder that, as a tech industry, we still have work to do when it comes to inclusion beyond buzzwords.
Calls for greater inclusivity in tech
Schonle, who is developing a conversational AI platform for corporate training through her company Humanvantage AI, had reportedly scheduled three meetings with potential suppliers at the event. She said the incident highlighted broader issues around inclusivity in the tech sector.
“Parents are part of this ecosystem. Caregivers are innovators, founders, investors, and leaders,” she wrote. “If major events like London Tech Week can’t make space for us, what message does that send about who belongs in tech?”
She stopped short of calling for all industry events to become family-friendly but questioned whether a more inclusive approach would be more reflective of the future. “Doesn’t our future belong to the kids?” she added.
Speaking to The Times, she said she was left feeling “angry” and “humiliated” by the experience.
Support from peers in the industry
Ms Schonle’s LinkedIn post received widespread support from within the tech and business communities. Rebecca Taylor, an expert in cyber threats and human intelligence who delivered a TED talk in 2023, replied: “The juggle is real… If you’re doing your best to make life happen and be part of the conversation, other individuals and communities should be empowering you to do that.”
Janthea Brigden, ambassador for Children at Events, described the situation as “humiliating” and said it made her feel like a “non-person”.
The incident comes amid ongoing discussions around gender equality and representation in tech. According to a recent Tech Nation report, women make up only 26 per cent of the UK’s tech workforce. That figure is even lower in technical roles.
Event organiser responds
In response to the backlash, organisers of London Tech Week issued a statement acknowledging the incident.
“We’re aware that one of our attendees wasn’t allowed to enter with their child yesterday,” a spokesperson said. “As a business event, the environment hasn’t been designed to incorporate the particular needs, facilities and safeguards that under-16s require.
The incident occurred on the same day Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer addressed the audience at London Tech WeekGetty Images
“We want everyone in the tech community to feel welcome at London Tech Week. We’ve reached out directly to the person involved to discuss what happened and use this experience to inform how we approach this at LTW in the future.”
The statement did not confirm whether the policy would be reviewed ahead of future events.
Focus on diversity and inclusion
The incident has highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by women and caregivers in tech. While many conferences and corporate events have begun to introduce parent-friendly policies, others have maintained restrictions due to insurance, health and safety, or logistical concerns.
Ms Schonle’s experience has sparked renewed conversation about how events can support greater accessibility without compromising core operations. Her comments also underline the gap between diversity targets and the real-life barriers still faced by many working mothers in tech.
As London Tech Week continues throughout the week, the discussion around inclusivity and parenthood is likely to remain in the spotlight. Whether changes will be implemented in future editions of the event remains to be seen.