Freelancer AC/DC Limited Edition

The black dial features a textured pattern recalling the ac/dc high voltage bolt graphics sitting adjacent to the iconic ac/dc typography placed at 12 o’clock. The powerful rock credentials are reaffirmed through the black leather strap, adorned with the ac/dc logo.

Raymond Weil is proud to unveil a new collaboration in its ‘music icons’ series, the freelancer ac/dc limited edition, paying tribute to legendary rock n’ roll hall-of-famers, ac/dc. This exclusive watch incorporates the in-house developed calibre rw1212 movement, allowing onlookers to view the rocking “alternating current/direct current” balance within the timepiece.

MPLADS funds for Covid-19

As a part of Government’s efforts to contain spread of Covid-19, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), India has taken several preventive measures. It issued a circular granting one-time dispensation for utilizing funds under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) to address the challenges in the fight against Covid-19.

This will facilitate Members of Parliament to recommend funds for purchase of equipments for Government Hospitals / Dispensaries for medical testing and screening of patients and also facilitate in setting up other related facilities in their respective constituencies. As per the amendments to MPLADS Guidelines, Members of Parliament can now utilize funds under MPLADS for the, a: Infra-Red thermometers (Non-contact) to enable doctors and medical personnel to record and track a person’s temperature.

De Beers Cycle 3 escaped upon Covid-19!

Due to the public health restrictions on the movement of people and product in Botswana, South Africa and India, which prohibit customers from traveling and prevent the shipment of goods to customers’ international operations, De Beers Group will not hold its third Sight of 2020.

De Beers Group is enabling Sightholders to defer 100% of their Sight 3 allocations to later in the year, and will continue to seek innovative ways to meet Sightholders’ rough diamond supply needs in the coming weeks.

Lulo set to commence the pipe at Canguige catchment

Lucapa Diamond Company Limited and its Project Lulo partners update progress on the search for the kimberlite sources of the high-value alluvial diamonds at the Lulo project in Angola. As set out in the ASX announcements, the Canguige catchment has become the focus of the Lulo kimberlite exploration program following the recovery of 45 diamonds of up to 3.75 carats in individual size from stream samples taken from the tributary flowing into the Cacuilo River.

The Canguige catchment hosts five of the 16 Lulo kimberlite pipes rated in a 2019 technical review as being the most prospective to host diamonds, and thus considered potential sources of the high population of rare Type II alluvial diamonds being mined downstream along the Cacuilo River. A delineation drilling program is underway to define the size and structure of each of these five priority pipes in preparation for bulk sampling to test for diamonds.

SA observes lockdown due to covid-19

Diamcor Mining Inc has made several short-term operational changes in response to the unprecedented events unfolding due to the Covid-19 virus crisis.  On March 23, 2020 the Government of South Africa issued a directive imposing a 21-day national lockdown requiring all non-essential businesses and activities be suspended, and for people to remain at home.

The lockdown will be in effect from midnight March 26, 2020 to midnight April 16, 2020 and is aimed at containing the spread of the Covid-19 virus.  The Company’s primary focus is the health, wellbeing, and safety of its employees, and to support the decisive recommendations made by the Government of South Africa to control the spread of the Corid-19 Virus. 

Firestone Diamonds shuts Liqhobong Mine

Firestone Diamonds, announces that a decision has been taken to suspend operations, save for essential care and maintenance services and security, at its Liqhobong Mine in Lesotho for at least a 3 week period to safeguard its workforce and surrounding community from the coronavirus pandemic.

The health, safety and wellbeing of the Mine's workforce and surrounding community is of paramount concern to the Company. All staff on the Mine may be especially vulnerable to an onset of the coronavirus due to the remote location of the Mine and distance from expert medical care, high altitude and close proximity to one another in buildings on mine.

Mining operations suspend at the Mothae mine

Lucapa Diamond Company Limited notes the announcement by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa that South Africa’s National Coronavirus Command Council will impose a 21-day nation-wide lockdown commencing midnight South African time on Thursday 26 March 2020. The lockdown will impact the ongoing operations of the Mothae kimberlite diamond mine in Lesotho (Mothae), particularly on the flow of essential mining supplies and services across the border from South Africa.

RBI estimate of 5% for the year as a whole!

In the Seventh Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement, 2019-20 Resolution of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) Reserve Bank of India reviewed Domestic Economy & concluded that the second advance estimates of the National Statistics Office released in February 2020 implied real GDP growth of 4.7 per cent for Q4:2019-20 within the annual estimate of 5 per cent for the year as a whole.

This is now at risk from the pandemic’s impact on the economy. High frequency indicators suggest that private final consumption expenditure has been hit hardest, even as gross fixed capital formation has been in contraction since Q2:2019-20.

On the supply side, the outlook for agriculture and allied activities appears to be the only silver lining, with food grains output at 292 million tonnes being 2.4 per cent higher than a year ago. A pick-up in manufacturing and electricity generation pulled industrial production into positive territory in January 2020 after intermittent contraction and/or lacklustre activity over the past five months; however, more data will need to be watched to assess whether the recent uptick will endure in the face of COVID-19.

US register 2019 GDP growth of 2.1%

Recently US announced its’ Gross Domestic Product, Fourth Quarter and Year 2019 Third Estimate; Corporate Profits, Fourth Quarter and Year 2019. Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 2.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2019, according to the third estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the third quarter, real GDP also increased 2.1 percent.

The GDP estimate released is based on more complete source data than were available for the second estimate issued last month.  In the second estimate, the increase in real GDP was also 2.1 percent. In the third estimate, an upward revision to personal consumption expenditures (PCE) was largely offset by downward revisions to federal government spending and non-residential fixed investment.

EU concern on pandemic economic shock

Statement of EU ministers of finance on the Stability and Growth Pact in light of the COVID-19 crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a major economic shock that is already having a significant negative impact in the European Union. The consequences for our economies will depend both on the duration of the pandemic and on the measures being taken by national authorities and at European level.

The severe economic downturn now expected this year requires a resolute, ambitious and coordinated policy response. We need to act decisively to ensure that the shock remains as short and as limited as possible and does not create permanent damage to our economies and therefore to the sustainability of public finances in the medium term.