ABU DHABI / WAM Strata Manufacturing (Strata), the advanced composite aero structures manufacturing facility wholly-owned by Mubadala Investment Company PJSC, outlined its ability to expand production capabilities beyond traditional aerospace at the Unmanned Systems Conference in Abu Dhabi. At the conference, which took place on Saturday at Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre (Adnec), Ismail Ali Abdulla, the CEO of Strata, …

Bloomberg California is backing away — ever so slightly — from its once-sweeping mandate requiring solar panels on virtually every new home. The California Energy Commission voted unanimously in favour of a measure proposed by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) to allow homes to get power from solar farms instead of rooftop panels. The move is a setback for …

Bloomberg Nigeria will build the second-largest hydroelectric plant in Africa after the government settled a legal dispute that was delaying the project, Power Minister Sale Mamman said. “We have now overcome the major problem stopping this project and it is nearly over,” Mamman said. He said Attorney General Abubakar Malami is finalising the terms of the settlement, which are undisclosed. …

Bloomberg Apple Inc is considering giving rival apps more prominence on iPhones and iPads and opening its HomePod speaker to third-party music services after criticism the company provides an unfair advantage to its in-house products. The technology giant is discussing whether to let users choose third-party web browser and mail applications as their default options on Apple’s mobile devices, replacing …

Bloomberg The maker of Britain’s iconic black cabs is building a plug-in hybrid van that can travel for 377 miles without recharging or filling up, in a bid to win over long-distance delivery firms and other companies that rely on purely gasoline vehicles. London Electric Vehicle Co is targeting high-mileage fleets at firms such as Royal Mail Plc and utilities …

Bloomberg Air travel and glitch-free internet access are often considered mutually exclusive, thanks to the technical difficulties associated with making Wi-Fi work at 40,000 feet. For the airlines, a satisfying online experience is even more elusive. The hardware, software, maintenance and inability to easily switch service providers combine for a very expensive headache. But there may be some good news …

Bloomberg The European Central Bank (ECB) expects the euro-area economy to bounce back from the coronavirus outbreak, Chief Economist Philip Lane said, playing down concerns that the region could slip into a downturn that requires another interest-rate cut. Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg TV in New York, Lane acknowledged that the full impact of the disease remains unknown, and …

Bloomberg Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard called for the adoption of new strategies by the central bank to achieve its 2% inflation goal and fight off future recessions. The Fed should seek above-target price gains to make up for past inflation shortfalls and should cap Treasury debt yields if it’s forced to lower short-term rates as far as they can …

Bloomberg Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) plans to start a new “direct-to-consumer” business in the US to increase deposits and ultimately broaden out its offerings to a more mainstream clientele. The expansion is likely to come at the end of 2020 or early next year, and will be focused initially on higher-net-worth customers, Chief Executive Officer David McKay said during …

Bloomberg Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Haruhiko Kuroda shrugged off speculation that the yen is losing its status as a safe asset and blamed its depreciation on the dollar. “I don’t think there has been a fundamental change in the situation of foreign-exchange rates,” Kuroda told reporters on Saturday in Riyadh, where he is attending a Group of 20 meeting. …