SINGAPORE: Two-month-old Oriental Pied Hornbills, which hatched after successful artificial incubation, are displayed at Jurong Bird Park’s Breeding and Research Centre in March. Thought to be extinct until a nest was spotted on the Singaporean island of Pulau Ubin in 1997, the bird has traditionally played a significant role in the regeneration of the country’s forests by dispersing seeds. Oriental Pied Hornbills are classed as ‘critically endangered’ on the Red List of threatened animals of Singapore, and the centre’s breeding programme is an important step in their survival.
CHINA: Robots deliver dishes to customers at a restaurant in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province. The 20 robots, which cook meals and deliver dishes, have 10 facial expressions and can say basic welcoming sentences to customers. Fully charged, the robots can work continuously for five hours. With a booming economy and low unemployment rate, China currently has around 5.5 million unfilled job vacancies, making robotic waiting staff seem a good option. Meanwhile, the human workforce continues to make its voice heard about poor pay and conditions. Between June and August, there were 189 strikes; double that of the same period in 2012.
