Berlin, Oct 28 : Researchers of the Fraunhofer Technology Development Group TEG have developed a new fluidic energy transducer that produces electricity from gas and water.

Air compression systems can be found in many manufacturing operations. If a leak occurs anywhere in the system, the air pressure drops and production comes to a halt until the source of failure has been found. 

Sensors constantly monitor the pressure in order to keep costly fault-related losses to a minimum. 

At present, these sensors are either battery-driven or connected up by complex technical wiring. This often makes it very difficult or even impossible to install sensors in places that are hard to reach. 

Washington, Oct 28 : A new study has determined that some of the world’s most beloved species of flowers like lilies, orchids, violets, roses, and dogwoods have also been hit by global warming. 

The study, by scientists at Harvard University, US, have found that different plant families near Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts, have borne the effects of climate change in strikingly different ways.

Over the past 150 years, some of the plants in Thoreau’s woods have shifted their flowering time by as much as three weeks as spring temperatures have risen, the researchers say, while others have been less flexible. 

Vienna  - The price for crude oil produced by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) fell by another 0.77 dollars Monday, OPEC said Tuesday.

Tokyo  - Panasonic Corp on Tuesday reported the highest net profit in 23 years for the first six months of a business year, thanks to strong sales of digital consumer electronics.

The company, which changed its name from Matsushita Electric Industrial Co earlier this month, saw net profit rise by 22.2 per cent during the first six months of fiscal 2008 to 128.49 billion yen (1.38 billion dollars), compared to the year before.

The Japanese home electronics company logged an operating profit of 228.15 billion yen, up 3.7 per cent year-on-year for the first half of the business year starting in April.

Jakarta - Indonesian stocks dropped by more than 4 per cent Tuesday, counter to the rebound experienced by most Asian markets, while the country's currency fell sharply to reach its lowest since July 2001.

The Jakarta Composite Index fell to a new low, closing at 1,111.39, down 55.02 points, or 4.72 per cent.

Indonesian President Susilo Bamband Yudhoyono said that he might outline steps to help the embattled rupiah later Tuesday.

"We will do everything to save our economy," Yudhoyono told reporters, without saying what steps he had in mind. He added that Bank Indonesia and economic advisors were in a meeting to discuss measures to help the local currency.

Brussels  - The European Commission on Tuesday approved Germany's 470-billion-euro (588-billion-dollar) financial rescue package after finding that it does not violate European Union treaty rules.

"The package constitutes an adequate means to remedy a serious disturbance in the German economy while avoiding undue distortions of competition," the bloc's executive arm said in a statement.

In approving the package, officials in Brussels noted that the German measures do not discriminate against foreign banks, they are limited in time and scope, and they foresee "adequate safeguards to minimize distortions of competition."