The estimated annual losses caused by counterfeit components in the electronics industry reach up to $250 billion, posing a serious threat to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Where do these components come from, and why are they so dangerous? Find answers to these questions, along with recommendations on mitigating the risks of counterfeit components below.
What are counterfeit electronic components?
A counterfeit electronic component is an unauthorized or illegal replica of a genuine product or its parts, produced by parties other than the original manufacturer. These components can take various forms, such as unauthorized copies, substitutes, and fraudulently altered, remarked, or re-topped components.
As a rule, counterfeit components often exhibit lower quality than legitimate ones. Not only may they fail to meet the standards of components provided by the original manufacturer but can also deviate from intended specifications. Yet, many can maintain desirable performance under ideal conditions, making their detection challenging. However, fluctuations in conditions can lead to the failure of these elements.
Despite the inferior quality and performance of counterfeit electronic components compared to original products, malicious players offer these substitutes at prices similar to legitimate elements, deceiving unsuspecting customers.
How can counterfeit electronic components affect OEMs?
Counterfeit electronic elements can cause a wide range of serious and costly issues, some of which are described below:
Compromised quality
Even a single counterfeit element in an electronic device can result in the product’s non-compliance with its performance specifications. This poses potential safety hazards and decreases device reliability, increasing the likelihood of defects, malfunction, and premature failure. Additionally, the use of a counterfeit element may make repairs more challenging and costly.
Loss of customers' trust
Infiltration of counterfeit components, especially if they impact customer safety, can severely damage the brand's position in the market. The loss of trust in a product can be detrimental to the original equipment manufacturer's brand.
Regulatory compliance risks
Non-compliance with industry standards and regulations not only poses a safety hazard for customers but also subjects OEMs to legal consequences. Offering goods that involve counterfeit elements can result in regulatory compliance issues.
Supply chain disruption
If faulty products reach customers, devices may be rejected at the last stage of the supply chain. Identifying the root problem requires investigating quality issues and searching for vendors supplying legitimate components, which further disrupts the regular operation of the supply chain.
Financial damage
Nearly all the issues mentioned above are associated with considerable expenses. Supply chain and production disruption, customer rejections, and loss of brand reputation are factors caused by counterfeit elements that contribute to significant financial losses.
Mitigating risks of counterfeit components
Fortunately, it is possible to minimize the risk of counterfeit components. For instance, Poland-based contract electronics manufacturer Assel works only with vendors who are found trustworthy and reliable after thorough screening. Additionally, this EMS provider has implemented a robust traceability system and regular testing of components provided by vendors.
While the chances of encountering counterfeit components are especially high during market shortages, an experienced EMS provider is aware of potential threats and takes proactive measures to mitigate these risks.
Production resistant to counterfeit elements
Working with an experienced EMS provider, who offers professional supply management, has a network of reliable electronic component suppliers, and thoroughly tests all components used for manufacturing, can help you avoid issues caused by counterfeit components. To learn more about working with such a contract manufacturer, visit https://asselems.com/
Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran to headline SS Rajamouli’s next big-budget film
Shooting for SSMB 29 begins in mid-July in Tanzania’s Serengeti, followed by South Africa
Tanzanian report leaks plot details: a globe-trotting explorer unravels ancient secrets
Film reportedly mounted on a massive £89 million (approx. ₹970 crore) budget, one of India's costliest projects
Director SS Rajamouli is set to begin filming a new schedule of SSMB 29, his much-anticipated project starring Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra. Reports from Tanzania suggest the crew will kick off shooting in Serengeti by the third week of July. The action-adventure, which also stars Prithviraj Sukumaran, is said to be based on classic African exploration tales, with a twist of mythology and mystery.
The buzz around SSMB 29 has only grown after Tanzanian publication The Citizen not only confirmed the upcoming shoot in East Africa but also leaked key details about the plot. The film is being made on a staggering budget of £89 million (approx. ₹970 crore), putting it among India’s most expensive cinematic ventures.
Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran joins SSMB29 Getty Images
What is the story of SSMB 29?
According to reports, SSMB 29 follows a daring explorer who sets out on a perilous mission through uncharted territories in Africa. Described as being influenced by Indiana Jones and classic adventure films, the protagonist faces nature’s fury, cryptic legends, and a powerful adversary while uncovering a long-lost secret capable of altering the fate of the world.
Tanzanian media described the story as: “Think ancient legends, wild landscapes, and edge-of-your-seat thrills.” Mahesh Babu is expected to portray the rugged central character, making this his most physically demanding and globally ambitious role yet.
Mahesh Babu’s dramatic new look for SSMB 29 sparks a social media frenzy as fans compare him to Mufasa and a Hollywood action hero Getty Images/ Twitter
Where is SSMB 29 being shot?
The new schedule begins in Serengeti, Tanzania in mid-July, with the crew expected to move to South Africa shortly after. Earlier, parts of the film were shot in Koraput, Odisha, particularly at Talamali Hilltop.
There’s also buzz that the production may recreate ancient Indian cities, particularly Kashi (Varanasi), on elaborate sets in Hyderabad. While the African setting dominates the current narrative, past reports hinted at a mythological layer rooted in Indian history and a Lord Shiva lore.
SS Rajamouli recreates Varanasi at Ramoji Film City for a key action sequence in SSMB29 Getty Images
Who else is in the cast of SSMB 29 ?
Aside from Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra, the film features Malayalam actor Prithviraj Sukumaran in a major role. There are also unconfirmed reports suggesting R. Madhavan may join the ensemble cast, adding further star power to Rajamouli’s already stacked team.
Chopra, who has been working predominantly in the West, confirmed in an interview that she’s returning to India for this project. “I miss Hindi movies and I miss India so much. I’m working in India this year, and I’m really excited about that,” she said.
Priyanka Chopra calls 'SSMB29' her homecoming as she reunites with Indian cinema Getty Images
Why is Rajamouli keeping quiet about the film?
Unlike his high-profile promotions for Baahubali and RRR, Rajamouli has adopted a low-key strategy for SSMB 29. The project was quietly launched with a puja ceremony in Hyderabad earlier this year, and there has been no official word from the director about the storyline or cast additions.
During a screening of RRR in Japan, Rajamouli did express enthusiasm about introducing Mahesh Babu to international audiences. “His name is Mahesh Babu… he is very handsome. Hopefully, we finish the film fast and I’ll bring him here. I’m sure you’ll love him,” he told fans.
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Veteran skydiver Felix Baumgartner has died aged 56 in a paragliding accident in Italy
He reportedly lost control of his glider before crashing into a campsite in Le Marche
Baumgartner had posted about strong winds shortly before the incident
A woman was also injured but her condition is not believed to be serious
Baumgartner famously broke the sound barrier in freefall during a 2012 space jump
Pioneering skydiver killed in freak mid-air incident
Extreme sports icon Felix Baumgartner has died following a paragliding accident in Le Marche, central Italy. The 56-year-old Austrian daredevil reportedly lost control of his paraglider after taking off from near Fermo and crashed into a campsite swimming pool. Emergency responders said he went into cardiac arrest and could not be revived. A woman injured in the crash was taken to hospital, though her injuries were not life-threatening.
“Too much wind”: Last social media post before fatal flight
Hours before the crash, Baumgartner had shared a video of himself paragliding with the caption “too much wind”. The footage showed him circling over a field, raising concerns that conditions may have been unstable. Italian media reported that he felt unwell before take-off, but the exact cause of the accident remains unclear.
The man who fell from space
Baumgartner rose to international fame in 2012 when he jumped from a helium balloon at the edge of space, plummeting 114,829 feet (35 km) above New Mexico. The feat saw him reach speeds of 843 mph, becoming the first person to break the sound barrier in freefall. Spectators on the ground even reported hearing a sonic boom. He set three world records during the mission, including highest freefall, fastest freefall speed, and highest manned balloon flight.
Career of world-firsts and boundary-pushing feats
Baumgartner began skydiving at 16 and went on to set 14 world records. He was the first person to base-jump from global landmarks including Kuala Lumpur’s Petronas Towers, the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, France’s Millau Viaduct, Sweden’s Turning Torso and Taipei 101. In 2003, he became the first person to cross the English Channel in a wingsuit.
In a 2012 interview, he spoke candidly about the dangers of high-altitude jumps, saying, “The parachute could malfunction or you could flat spin, which pushes all your blood into your skull… at a certain RPM, your blood only has one way out – through your eyeballs.”
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US secretary of state Marco Rubio said TRF is a 'front and proxy' of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a UN-designated terrorist group based in Pakistan. (Photo: Getty Images)
THE UNITED STATES on Thursday designated The Resistance Front (TRF), the group blamed for the April attack in Kashmir, as a terrorist organisation. The attack had triggered the worst conflict between India and Pakistan in decades.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio said TRF is a "front and proxy" of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a UN-designated terrorist group based in Pakistan.
The designation "demonstrates the Trump administration's commitment to protecting our national security interests, countering terrorism, and enforcing President (Donald) Trump's call for justice for the Pahalgam attack," Rubio said in a statement.
In April, gunmen shot dead 26 people, most of them Hindus, in Pahalgam, a tourist area in the Indian-administered region of Kashmir.
Survivors told reporters that the gunmen had separated women and children and ordered some of the men to recite the Muslim declaration of faith.
India's foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on Friday that the US decision was a "strong affirmation of India-US counter-terrorism cooperation", writing on X (formerly Twitter).
A strong affirmation of India-US counter-terrorism cooperation.
Appreciate @SecRubio and @StateDept for designating TRF—a Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) proxy—as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). It claimed responsibility for the… — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 18, 2025
Little was previously known about TRF, which initially claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam killings.
As criticism grew over the attack, the group later retracted its claim.
India has listed TRF as a terrorist group, and the India-based Observer Research Foundation think tank has described it as "a smokescreen and an offshoot of LeT".
New Delhi has accused Pakistan of being involved in the attack, a claim denied by Islamabad.
The violence in Pahalgam led to four days of fighting between India and Pakistan, leaving more than 70 people dead on both sides. It was the worst military standoff between the two countries since 1999.
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Angel the new Love Island bombshell set to dump a contestant in shock twist
New bombshell Angel Swift, 26, enters Love Island as part of a shock twist
The aesthetics practitioner from Kent says she’s ready to turn heads and split couples
Her arrival could immediately send another girl home
Fans speculate Angel will target Ty, threatening Lauren’s place in the villa
A dramatic shake-up is on the horizon for Love Island as Angel Swift, a bold new bombshell, is set to enter the villa, bringing with her the power to send one contestant packing.
The latest episode of ITV2’s hit dating show ended with a cliffhanger as Shakira read out a surprise text announcing that “the party was far from over.” Moments later, a teaser revealed Angel’s imminent arrival, with narrator Iain Stirling hinting at an explosive twist. The 26-year-old salon owner from Maidstone is not only joining the game late but may be replacing someone the moment she steps in.
Angel Swift enters Love Island with power to dump rival as dramatic twist stuns villaInstagram/ angeliqueswift
Who is Angel Swift and what does she do?
Angel Swift is a 26-year-old aesthetics practitioner and entrepreneur. She owns AngelFace, a salon in Maidstone, Kent, that offers services like fillers, microneedling, and hair extensions.
Known for her confidence, Angel calls herself a “20/10” and insists she’s ready to shake things up. “That’s what I’m in there for,” she said when asked about breaking up couples. “I do feel like I have quite a good chance of turning someone’s head.”
With her ambition and unapologetic energy, Angel seems determined to make an impact from day one, and she’s not worried about stepping on toes to get what she wants.
Angel’s arrival isn’t just another bombshell entry, it’s tied to a ruthless elimination. According to insider reports and fan speculation, she’ll be asked to choose one of the male Islanders to couple up with immediately. That decision will leave the boy’s current partner single and instantly dumped from the villa.
This unexpected format has viewers on edge. One fan posted on X, “Oh damn, I feel like it’s either Toni or Shakira leaving tomorrow ‘cause the bombshell is gonna have to steal one of the boys.”
Others expressed their anxiety about who might be going home. “Apparently a girl has already left the villa today, and I’m very concerned that this new bombshell is going to couple up with Harrison and leave Toni dumped,” one viewer shared.
Angel has her eyes on Ty, a tall, athletic Islander currently coupled with Lauren. Their relationship has been shaky following Harrison’s decision to ditch Lauren for Toni, leaving Lauren emotionally vulnerable.
Angel’s interest in Ty could be the final blow to that connection. “I’m looking for someone family-oriented, with a nice smile and good body,” Angel said. “I’ve been single for a year. I’m ready for something real.”
Whether Ty is open to the new arrival remains to be seen, but with Angel’s confidence and the villa’s volatile energy, things could change fast.
Earlier in the episode, the Islanders took part in a rodeo-themed challenge where they ranked themselves based on viewer opinions. Questions included who the most attractive couple was and who seemed the most strategic or inactive.
The results ruffled feathers, especially for Dejon and Meg. Emma emerged as the voice of reason during the task and even offered Dejon some advice on coming across as more genuine.
But all that drama faded into the background once the text about the bombshell dropped, marking a new, unpredictable phase of the show.
With Angel’s arrival and an imminent dumping, Love Island is heading into stormy waters. Who will stay, who will go, and who’s about to fall for the new girl? Friday night’s episode holds the answers.
Lots of individuals learn about the Dow Jones Index on financial news and radio shows and think that it is something you can just purchase like an equity. It gets talked about as a way to measure if the overall economy or stock market is performing well or badly. However new investors get confused about the possibility of investing directly in it. This article delves into the mechanism of the index and investing in it, making the otherwise complex world of market indexes accessible to everyone.
Learning What the Dow Jones Actually Is: Instead of a stock or mutual fund itself, the Dow is really a stock market index. It follows the performance of 30 of the country's largest publicly owned companies. It does not function as an individual company or tradable commodity. It is more of a thermometer for some sectors of the economy, indicating how large companies are performing. The firms listed in this index are from a broad variety of industries, and the list is kept small to concentrate on industry leaders.
Why You Can't Buy It Like a Stock: One of the important things that investors must know is that the Dow is not an investment vehicle itself. You cannot go on a brokerage site and order to buy the index directly. There is no stock symbol or ticker by which you can buy it. It is simply an estimated value that also mirrors the movement of its 30-member stocks. Individuals tend to confuse it with a fund, but really it is simply an accumulation of information based on weighted values of those companies' stock prices.
The Role of ETFs and Mutual Funds: Certain mutual funds and ETFs actually replicate the Dow Jones Index today by maintaining their holdings in sync with the existing index composition. That assists investors in gaining exposure to all 30 companies simultaneously, without the need to purchase each stock individually. It's not an exact one-to-one correlation, but it's close enough for the majority of investment strategies. These products allow the average investor to easily gain access to the performance of the companies that compose the index.
What the Index Represents in Market Behavior: The Dow Jones Index performance provides an overview of the performance of these blue-chip firms as a group. It is regarded by several analysts and investors as an indicator of the general economic environment. When the Dow is up, it usually indicates good market sentiment. If it's down, it can indicate trouble in major sectors. Although it does not cover all the major firms in the U.S., its narrow scope still covers sufficient economic activity to be a significant indicator.
Why the Index Is Price-Weighted: There is something interesting about the way the Dow is calculated. It is price-weighted, which means that firms with higher stock prices will have more of an impact on how the index moves. This contrasts with other indices based on market capitalization for weighting. Due to this approach, a highly valued stock may influence the Dow Jones Index Overview more than that of a lower-valued stock, regardless of the latter being in a larger company.
Monitoring Dow Movement Through Quotes: In order to keep pace with the market, investorsmonitor the Dow Jones Index quotethat represents the prevailing value of the index. Such quotes are revisedduring trading hours and assist investors in observing the trend in which theindex is moving. This quote does not represent the actual buying or selling ofthe index itself, but it is employed for observing how the index respondstowards news, earnings, and macroeconomic variables
Limitations of the Dow Index: While it is crucial, however, the index is not perfect. It is limited to just 30 stocks, so it doesn't capture the entire range of the market. It is also not accounting for reinvestment or dividends in its calculation. The price-weighted approach can make the index misleading in ways that aren't necessarily representative of economic reality. These are flaws that mean that although it's useful, it cannot be the sole metric of market health an investor uses.
Comparison of Dow with Other Indices: There are numerous other indices in the financial sector which are utilized for comparison. The S&P 500, for example, consists of 500 firms and utilizes market cap-weighting to provide a wider perspective of the economy. Nevertheless, the Dow Jones Index overview remains a headline-grabber and a source of reference for major discourse regarding the financial markets. Its simplicity and extensive history render it inviting for both mature investors as well as beginners.
Learning the Strategy Behind Dow-Based Investing: Investors who wish to track the movement of the index usually pursue a passive approach. They use Dow-following funds in order not to need to choose specific stocks. This simplifies matters for those who wish to invest for the long term without keeping a vast portfolio. Knowing how they operate, are organized, and track the Dow Jones Index stats enables individuals to make more informed decisions regarding their financial future.
What Makes the Dow's Value Move: A number of factors can affect the Dow's movement. These consist of economic figures, interest rate announcements, as well as changes in industry trends. Experts take time to interpret how these factors could affect the dow jones index quote. Some investors even have a specialization in predicting short-term value changes in the index by following these factors closely and using market timing strategies.
How the Dow Affects Investor Confidence: When others see the index going up steadily, it serves to build investor confidence. The Dow Jones Index outlook is often spoken of in financial news and investor meetings because it serves as a psychological benchmark. Even investors who do not invest in it directly or in its replicant ETFs track it anyway. The majority of retirement accounts, pension funds, and long-term investment portfolios incorporate the performance of the Dow into their overall investment strategy.
Although you cannot invest in the Dow Jones Index directly, there are a wealth of products available that enable you to track its performance quite closely. ETFs and mutual funds do this to most investors. If you know how to go about it, you can ride on the coattails of some of America's biggest companies and use the index as part of a well-rounded investing plan. The Dow Jones Index is still one of the world's most well-known markers of economic wellness and investor attitude.