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Global retail giant Carrefour has announced a partnership with Electra Consumer Products and its subsidiary Yenot Bitan as part of its expansion strategy.
This partnership will allow the global retailer to open stores under the Carrefour banner in Israel before the end of 2022 and will allow the sale of Carrefour branded products in more than 150 Yenot Bitan stores before summertime.
Zvika Schwimmer, the Electra Consumer Products CEO said, “The entry of Carrefour into the Israeli market is the greatest and most significant step in Israel’s retail history ever. Carrefour is a leading global retail chain and one of the largest for private-label food products”.
Patrick Lasfargues, Carrefour International Partnership President commented, “We are delighted to sign this new agreement which confirms again the good fundamentals of our international franchise strategy. We have found with Electra Consumer Products teams a strong spirit of retail entrepreneur confirmed by the 2021 acquisition of Yenot Bitan. In addition, we are confident that Carrefour arriving in Israel will significantly help improve local shopping experience as well as customer purchasing power with better offers at more affordable prices”.


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FAO, partners, urge greater push to reduce food losses and waste
Wednesday 13 June 2012
|SAVE FOOD initiative aims to cut food losses, boost sustainability|
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and key partners are calling on companies and organizations worldwide to join in the ‘SAVE FOOD’ initiative, a global effort designed to cut down on food losses and waste.
Established in 2011, SAVE FOOD, the Global Initiative on Food Losses and Waste Reduction, aims to reduce the estimated 1.3 billion tonnes of food that is lost or wasted every year. Annual losses are valued at nearly one trillion U.S. dollars.
The Save Food campaign currently has over 50 partners. FAO, together with Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, a trade fair organizer, and Interpack, a trade fair for packaging and processes, are calling for new private sector partners as well as non-profit organizations involved throughout the food supply chain to join the effort, and contribute their expertise.
New technologies, better practices, coordination, and investments in infrastructure – from food production to consumption - are critical to reducing food losses and waste.
“With 900 million hungry people in the world and one trillion dollars at stake, joint action in reducing losses can improve livelihoods, food security, and minimize the environmental impact,” said Gavin Wall, Director of FAO’s Rural Infrastructure and Agro-Industries Division.
One-third of the food produced in the world for human consumption is thrown away or lost, as well as the natural resources used for its production. Global food losses and waste in industrialized countries amounts to roughly US $680 billion and US $310 billion in developing countries.
“Improving food security by cutting food losses and waste is a challenge we all share and will be a central theme discussed at the UN Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development,” Wall said.
“Even if just one-fourth of the food currently being lost or wasted globally could be saved, it is enough to feed 900 million hungry people in the world,” said Robert van Otterdijk, Team Leader of SAVE FOOD.
Although food losses occur at all stages of the food supply chain, the causes and their impact around the world differ.
In developing countries, food losses hit small farmers the hardest. Almost 65 percent of those losses happen at the production, post harvest, and processing stages. For example, an on-going project in The Gambia adopting the One-Village-One-Product approach is helping farmers to reduce their losses significantly.
In industrialized countries, food waste often occurs at the retail and consumer level due to a “throw-away” mindset. Per capita waste by consumers is between 95-115 kilograms (kg) a year in Europe and North America, while consumers in sub-Saharan Africa and South-Southeast Asia throw away 6-11 kg.

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For office workers, the past year has involved fraught discussions around what getting back to “normal” in the workplace looks like—and if that “normalcy” is really even what we want anymore. One increasingly popular suggestion is the four-day work week. Just last month The New York Times reported that several British companies using the new schedule on a trial basis found it to be successful: Not only did most companies report no loss in productivity, but several saw improvements. Now, despite the differences between office and restaurant workplaces, Chick-fil-A is giving it a shot with a three-day work week.
In a corporate setting, the four-day work week includes four days of working typical hours, usually 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with one paid day off work (in addition to typical weekends). In a restaurant, however, that looks a little different.
According to QSR Magazine, Chick-fil-A’s model doesn’t actually reduce the number of hours worked, but instead condenses a week’s worth of shifts into three days. Employees would have a set three days during which they would work 13- to 14-hour shifts and then have at least four days off. This model, of course, is easier to implement at Chick-fil-A because all of its locations are closed Sunday and only open six days a week—other chains would have to adjust to a seven-day work week.
As of now, this is only being tested at one Chick-fil-A location in Miami, and that store’s operator, Justin Lindsey, tells QSR that there were some obvious concerns from the team at first. For one, being on your feet 13 to 14 hours a day isn’t exactly ideal, and the logistics of scheduling, asking for time off, and retaining benefits seemed unclear. Lindsey made it clear that they would be figuring out a lot together as they went.
For workers, a set schedule that only takes up three days can help with childcare planning, scheduling other gigs, or simply having more days free for whatever they need to do. And by squeezing long shifts into three days, workers can still be full-time and retain any benefits that come with that.
For the employer, there are benefits to keeping up momentum during shift changes, allowing set teams to really learn how each other works. And a model that keeps employees happy helps with hiring and retention. When the three-day work week was introduced at this Miami location in February, more than 400 applications flooded in, and ever since, there’s been a 100% retention rate at the management level. That stability trickles down and fosters a better working environment for all employees.
But the biggest boon from this experiment, one that might make it more widely used in all restaurants, is the bottom line. We all know that as much as businesses claim to look out for their employees’ well-being it’s still all about making money. And good news for all involved, because this Chick-fil-A is on track to be one of the top earning locations in the franchise—average annual sales for a single location of the chain are around $8.4 million and Lindsey’s location is set to bring in $17 million by the end of the year. Fast food chains of America, take note.


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Cannabis Professional’s daily roundup of industry news. View archive here.
Canopy Growth revenue slips 15 per cent amid ‘restructuring charge’
Canopy Growth Corp.’s quarterly revenue declined 15 per cent sequentially, coming in far short of analyst expectations, after the company took a $32.7-million “restructuring charge” related to returns for oil and soft gel products. The company’s adjusted EBITDA loss was $155.7-million and its net loss was $374.6-million.
Canopy reported $76.6-million in sales, including charges. That’s down from $90.48-million the previous quarter and 32 per cent below consensus expectations, according to S&P Capital Markets.
Gross margins were negative 13 per cent. Canopy attributed the poor margin performance to a $15.9-million “inventory charge” that resulted from the company's “assessment of current and forecasted ‘sell-in’ rates of certain oil and softgel products.” It also said margins were impacted by operating costs related to facilities that were not producing cannabis or were under-utilized ($10.5-million), as well as by “portfolio restructuring costs” ($9.2-million).
"The last two quarters have been challenging for the Canadian cannabis sector as provinces have reduced purchases to lower inventory levels, retail store openings have fallen short of expectations, and Cannabis 2.0 products are yet to come to market," said CEO Mark Zekulin in a news release.
He added that he believed the poor market conditions are short-term, and that Canopy is the best positioned company over the long-term, given its “cash-on-hand, a world-class infrastructure, and a portfolio of intellectual property.”
Before adjustments, Canopy’s business-to-business wholesale revenues declined 15 per cent in the quarter, while recreational sales increased 24 per cent and Canadian medical sales were up 8 per cent. The biggest growth was in international medical sales, which increased 72 per cent to $18.1-million, driven largely by sales from its German subsidiary C3.
The company sold 7,497 kilos of dried cannabis in the B2B market, up 9 per cent from the preceding quarter. This was offset by an 80 per cent drop in B2B oil and gel cap sales. In the rec market, sales for dry cannabis increased 34 per cent sequentially, while oil sales remained flat.
"We took the necessary steps to address inventory levels on our oils and softgels; looking beyond this, the fundamentals are strong: our retail store sales are growing on an overall and same-store basis, our Canadian medical revenues are up, and international medical sales are growing on both an organic and inorganic basis. And, even though revenue is muted during the quarter due to the restructuring charge, actual cannabis shipments grew quarter-over-quarter, which is a great accomplishment in light of the inventory reset that's occurring at the provinces,” Mr. Zekulin said.
Canopy continues to burn through cash at an astonishing rate, spending $404.7-million in the quarter, including $228.3-million on capital expenditures, mostly on completing its manufacturing and beverage production facilities. The rest of the cash burn was most attributed to operations, as seen in the $155.7-million adjusted EBITDA loss.
– Mark Rendell
BevCanna announces LOI to acquire California juice maker
BevCanna Enterprises Inc. said Wednesday it has signed a non-binding letter of intent to acquire cold-pressed juice company Little West Holdings LLC.California-based Little West currently offers a wide range of juices, including a line of hemp-derived CBD cold-pressed drinks. Bevcanna says the the CBD-infused juices are made with nano-emulsified CBD with no THC. “Little West’s line of cold-pressed juices will be a fantastic addition to our portfolio of cannabis-infused beverages,” said Emma Andrews, chief commercialization officer at BevCanna.The company says the non-binding LOI contemplates that BevCanna US Operating Company Ltd., a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of the company, would acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of LW and the business of LW from the security holders of LW through a share-purchase agreement. The LOI contemplates that the LW Shareholders would be paid by BevCanna an aggregate of US$1-million in cash and US$3-million in common shares of BevCanna. The company also said it expects to introduce its own water-based hemp-derived CBD infused product lines for sale through LW’s distribution network.
Delta 9 reports revenue gain in Q3
Delta 9 Cannabis Inc. reported operating revenues for the three months ended Sept. 30 of $6.7-million, an increase of 432 per cent from the same period last year, but down from $8.89-million in the second quarter of 2019.Adjusted EBITDA for the third quarter was a loss of $849,000, compared to a loss of $2.55-million in the same quarter a year ago. For the nine months ended Sept. 30, Delta 9 reported operating revenues of $21.2-million, compared to $2.3-million in the first nine months of 2018. The company says its retail division generated $4.4-million in revenue in the third quarter of 2019, which was up 24 per cent, or $840,208, sequentially. The wholesale division generated $2.2-million in revenue for the same period and was down 23 per cent or $684,138.
Cirque de Soleil founder released after detention for growing pot
FThe founder of Cirque de Soleil, Guy Laliberté, was released after being taken into police custody in French Polynesia for growing cannabis, Laliberté’s investment firm said on Wednesday. Montreal-based tech and innovation investment company Lune Rouge said Laliberté, 60, was questioned regarding cannabis cultivated for his personal use at his residence on Nukutepipi, a small island in the South Pacific cluster around Tahiti. The firm said in a statement that Laliberté, listed by Forbes as a billionaire in its 2019 list, had not been charged with drug trafficking and left the courtroom without any conditions on Wednesday evening. Laliberté “categorically denies and dissociates himself completely from any rumors implicating him in the sale or the traffic of controlled substances,” Anne Dongois, head of communications for Lune Rouge, said in an emailed statement, describing him as a medical cannabis user.
The company is collaborating with local authorities on the investigation, and Laliberté will continue to cooperate with the judicial authorities of French Polynesia, Lune Rouge said. Laliberté founded Cirque de Soleil in 1984 in Montreal, turning a passion for acrobatics and circus acts into a global entertainment empire.
Aleafia receives Health Canada approvals Emblem facility
Aleafia Health Inc. said Thursday its owned subsidiary Emblem Cannabis Corp. has secured two Health Canada licence amendments that expand processing capacity, allowing for the sale of new product formats at its Paris Processing facility. The amendments apply to the licensed and operational Paris location, which processes all of the Company’s extraction, packaging and order fulfilment for Canadian and international sales. “These licence amendments are well timed, increasing the versatility of our Paris facility, while ensuring we can move immediately to the production of new cannabis 2.0 formats,” said Aleafia Health CEO Geoffrey Benic. “The additional processing capacity will also allow us to accelerate the production of oil-based products derived from our recent outdoor harvest.”


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Do you want to keep up with the latest news in the smart house and home tech industries?
Our monthly newsletter keeps you up to date with the latest happenings in regards to smart houses.
The home smart industry is changing quickly, but we’ll help you stay on top of the newest trends.
Here are some of the most recent headlines we noticed.
SAMSUNG HANDSETS TO GET ZIGBEE WIRELESS COMPATIBILITY
ZigBee, one of the big players in the SmartHouse industry, is rumored (according to CNET) to be partnering with Samsung to make compatible devices.
If the deal goes through, new Samsung smartphones will be able to connect to smart devices like lights, heating, and cooling controls, and other appliances.
Of course, the partnership won’t really be beneficial to the millions of Samsung consumers unless they also have ZigBee-enabled devices in their homes.
SUMMER HEAT DRIVES HOMEOWNERS TO INVEST IN OUTDOOR AUTOMATION
Summer’s here, and people everywhere are diving in their pools to cool off.
Though most people think of home automation as indoor technology, smart house technology can be used outdoors to control pools, spas, outdoor media systems, and lighting.
The Wall Street Journal reports many homeowners are investing in this technology for their back yards to make it more comfortable for summer parties.
FrontPoint Security and Alarm.com sued for patent infringement by iControl
FierceCable reported that smart house company iControl recently launched a lawsuit against two other companies they claim were infringing on their home tech patents.
The patents involved deal with combined security and automation features, as well as control panels for smart home systems.
It’s too early to tell who might come out victorious, however.
- SmartHouse News Roundup – July
COMCAST REVAMPS XFINITY SERVICE FOR CONDO OWNERS, OFFERS SERVICE IN CHICAGO AREA
Comcast recently announced they’ll be offering a customized version of their Xfinity home tech services for residents of condos and townhomes, tells the Chicago Tribune.
Their current automation services for smart homes don’t work well for residents of shared buildings, but the new, smaller home tech package will only include security and automation features that can be used in this type of environment.
DO WE GIVE HOME AUTOMATION SYSTEMS ENOUGH INFORMATION?
A post on HiddenWires suggests that though smart house systems are improving rapidly, sometimes they don’t do as much as they could!
New smart home systems should include interfaces for adding additional inputs and outputs, which could open them up to more options for integrating with other smart home products.
This will help them be more future-proof, and allow older homes to keep up with the rapid pace of technological innovation.


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The social media platform has made cosmetic change to its existing logo—a monochromatic yellow bird which has now been replaced by a more vibrant looking bird
Homegrown alternative to Twitter, Koo, on Thursday announced the launch of a new brand identity by unveiling a new logo. It was virtually unveiled by Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravishankar. The social media platform has made cosmetic change to its existing logo—a monochromatic yellow bird which has now been replaced by a more vibrant looking bird.
Aprameya Radhakrishna, co-founder, Koo, said, “It's a fresh new look and an indication of our little yellow bird growing up from being a toddler to an adolescent. The bird is full of positivity and will inspire people to talk about various aspects of life in the most positive manner."
Launched in March 2020, Koo positions itself as a microblogging platform meant for local language users of India. The company claims that Koo has garnered over 6 million users across its app platforms.
Mayank Bidawatka, co-founder, Koo, said, “We created Koo so that people could discuss various topics and help each other grow. Anything that can add value to people’s lives is something people want to associate with. Our new bird is a sign of that positivity that the platform brings to their lives."
The company said that in a country where just 10% of India speaks English, Koo serves the need for a social media platform that can deliver immersive language experiences to Indian users and help them connect. Recently, Koo has launched ‘Talk to Type' feature through which users can leverage voice assistant to share their thoughts without having to type.
The platform gained prominence in the last few months with key government officials and ministers creating their Koo accounts. The app had also been among the winners of the Aatmanirbhar App Challenge announced by the Indian government last year.


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That's because in addition to a slick new dark-themed UI, by empowering the Google Assistant in Wear OS, Google has figured out something that can set Wear OS apart from the Apple Watch or Samsung's Gear S family. Following that, the current Snapdragon 2100 was only slightly more modified with changes to packaging, sensors, and software. Users can enable the feature by pressing the side button and resume normal activity on the smartwatch with a long press.
For some time, smartwatches rocking Wear OS, formerly known as Android Wear, were saddled with Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear 2100 chipset, regardless of the brand of smartwatch they had strapped to their wrists.More news: Tough win for Jason Day
This joint effort aims to expand global availability, as well as accelerate the availability of key new enhancements to consumers, such as multi-camera support, display cutout support, indoor navigation, HDR, among others.
The company has apparently been working on the platform with Google ever since it released its old SoC a couple of years ago, designing it based on what people liked and didn't like about smartwatches.
Alternatively, if you ask the Assistant about an upcoming flight, it can provide little buttons right on the watch, so you can tap on one to learn about an airline's baggage policies, a list of connecting flights, and what time your check-in is. Back in 2016, Qualcomm announced a significant update as it announced the Snapdragon 2100, which is now being used in nearly every Wear OS watch.
Originally watches were built using Snapdragon 400 processor which was a slight modification of a phone chip; this was succeeded by the Snapdragon Wear 2100 system-on-chip at the start of 2016. Furthermore, by the 2018 holiday season, several partners will have announced new products containing the new chipsets. The new chipset will be available in multiple variations with all having Bluetooth and Wi-Fi while fitness-oriented chips will also include Global Positioning System. The integration is deeper than ever before, as Wear OS powered smartwatches can now be leveraged to control smart devices.


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Ewan McGregor may be returning to Star Wars universe in Obi-Wan Kenobi TV series
The star is ready to pick up his lightsaber once more
If the latest reports are true, Disney isn’t messing around when it comes to expanding the Star Wars universe. It looks like a third TV series could be on its way for the new Disney+ streaming service.Ewan McGregor is reportedly in talks to reprise his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi in a Disney+ series. The 48-year-old actor played the younger version of the Jedi master in three Star Wars movies - The Phantom Menace (1999), Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005). >Now, McGregor is looking to return to the role, according to Deadline. So far we know very little about the TV series itself, as it is being kept completely under wraps with no other casting or plot details yet to emerge.
However, the Obi-Wan Kenobi series will be the third live-action Star Wars show on Disney+. The Mandalorian and a Rogue spin-off based around Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor will both be available on the streaming service.The first Star Wars series, The Mandalorian, is set to be released on November 12 - the day the streaming service launches in the US.
- Feeling nostalgic? Take a stroll down memory lane with the best 90s films, and while you're at it, the best films of 2000s too
Main image credit: Lucasfilm


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Loipart Exhibition Bulletin – Marintec China 2011
Loipart, the world’s number one supplier of heavy duty marine catering and laundry appliances, will be exhibiting at the Marintec China trade show in Shanghai, PRC, from November 29 – December 2, 2011.
The company will be located in booth #5H11-02 (Hall W5) and will be available to meet all our clients from near and far together with our China representative Health Lead Development.
Contact Loipart Sales Director, Mr Kristian Vidfar, for further information. Mr Vidfar’s contact details can be found at the bottom of Loipart’s company profile page.


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Last week saw some notorious shifts in the music streaming industry. Both Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) and Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) unveiled several new and cool features for their respective audio platforms.
Shocking to many, Spotify (NYSE:SPOT) then experienced a stock price decline of 10% at the same time.
As expected, this eventually ignited serious doubts out of all of Spotify’s shareholders. Was this change enough to hurt Spotify big time? Should they be remaining as the company’s shareholders at all?
Here’s a detailed analysis of what took place.
An unstoppable rise in competition
For starters, what did Facebook and Apple announce at all?
Regarding Facebook, they announced a new short sound bites feature that will allow users to share them with their friends and introduce a new podcast service and a live audio product for open discussions.
In Apple’s case, they instead announced a complete revamp of their podcast app along with an updated subscription system. This new system will allow for new ad-free content and a proper monetization system for content creators.
Although Spotify’s primary business model is music streaming, podcasting remains one of its most profitable secondary features. This means that both Facebook and Apple would be coming up as competitors for Spotify and strong ones at best due to their sheer size and market strength.
Of course, Facebook and Apple’s preexisting popularity and user base then went on to be the main factors behind all of Spotify’s shareholder’s uncertainties.
What’s next for Spotify?
While introducing newer competitors to the equation will more than likely stir things up in the industry, this change will still be beneficial to Spotify overall.
Regardless of where listeners consume their favourite podcasts in the end, up to 70% of the entire market is distributed and monetized by the podcast-centred companies Anchor and Megaphone. These are companies that Spotify has very recently acquired.
In essence, this boost in listeners among all platforms would still be profiting both Anchor and Megaphone, which in turn would end up benefiting Spotify via its competitors.
Nevertheless, Spotify’s podcast ventures are still strong enough on their own.
For a year, the company managed to up its total number of monthly active users from 16% up to 25%. In addition, eMarketer recently reported that Spotify has got more than enough prospects to surpass Apple in the podcast business in late 2021.
So, both financially and in popularity, it’s hard to picture Spotify’s growth stopping any time soon.
What should you do as an investor?
While Spotify has undoubtedly had its fair share of bumps and competition over its 15 years of business, it has stood as one of the most prominent entertainment-based companies in terms of growth and popularity.
Even if these new competitors prove themselves strong enough to rival Spotify, there’s no way of ignoring the latter’s dominance of the market with more than 345 million active users per month.
So, in the end, this decrease in stock price value should instead be seen as an excellent opportunity for buying quality shares at a reduced price. Not only will Spotify be able to recover in due time, but it also has perfect prospects to bring upon remarkable wealth for long-term investors.
The post Should You Invest In Spotify Today? appeared first on Financial News.


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State Sen. Kevin Murray has a plan for fighting online piracy: just ask the pirates who they are.
The Culver City Democrat is pushing a bill that would require California file sharers to attach their real names and addresses to the copyrighted goodies they let others download over networks like Kazaa and Morpheus.
If they don't, Murray says, they should be jailed for up to a year and fined as much as $2,500.
And what would stop file sharers from just sticking Murray's name and address on their files? Murray says the point isn't to take names; his idea is to give state prosecutors, who have no jurisdiction over copyright infringement, a charge they can bring against online pirates.
Vans Stevenson, a Motion Picture Assn. of America lobbyist, noted that numerous states require vendors of VHS tapes and albums to label products with their names and addresses to combat bootleg sales.


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Lottery protections that stop lotteries being sold in large supermarket chains have been extended to 2021 to protect consumers and small business.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Small Business John Barilaro announced a three-year extension to an agreement with Tabcorp not to open up lottery sales to large supermarket chains.
CEO of the Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association (ALNA) Adam Joy welcomed the announcement.
“This is a win for small business and a victory of common sense,” he said. “Securing the extension of these protections for our members has been an important priority area ALNA has been working diligently on.
“Minister Barilaro has been a long-time supporter of our industry, and ALNA continues to maintain a productive working relationship with the NSW government on lotteries and other important legislation and regulatory matters that support our channel.
“We greatly appreciate his efforts and leadership to deliver what is a really positive extension period, which makes sure newsagents will continue as the primary outlets for the sale of lottery products.
“Lotteries don’t operate in a free market because gambling products aren’t like other products, which is why governments regulate their access to consumers. This is a good thing for consumers and provides safeguards to them and the 1400 lottery agents who sell lottery tickets in NSW.
“By the NSW government signing a renewed Memorandum of Understanding with Tabcorp, newsagents can be assured that they will not be competing with large supermarket chains to sell lottery products.
“This extension follows on from positive news of last month’s amendment to the Interactive Gambling Bill, which will make lotto betting prohibited in Australia by early 2019. We’re pleased to have helped bring these assurances to our members.”
General Manager of ALNA NSW Ibram Kamil, who is also a newsagent, added: “This outcome for newsagents and lottery agents allows us to continue growing and evolving our businesses with certainty and strong support from the NSW government. I know they are going to really appreciate this.”
The ALNA describes itself as the only national and non-profit, industry body specifically for Australian newsagents and lottery agents.


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The retail pharmacy industry has evolved in recent years and is predicted to continue experiencing strong growth. This should benefit pharma stocks, CVS Health (CVS), and Walgreens Boots (WBA). But which is the better stock to own? Read more to find out.
CVS Health Corporation (CVS) and Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (WBA) are among the biggest pharmacy retail chains in the United States and are prominent players in the healthcare sector. I evaluated the two stocks to determine which is better for an investor. I believe CVS is the better buy for the reasons explained throughout this article.
The U.S. retail pharmacy industry has changed significantly over the past years, with retail chains moving to more omnichannel options, boosting their revenue. The U.S. pharmacy market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.3% to $861.67 billion by 2028.
Moreover, the global e-pharmacy market is expected to grow due to the increasing trend of e-commerce worldwide, consumer awareness of purchasing pharmaceuticals online, and the availability of drugs that are not easily found in traditional pharmacies. The global e-pharmacy industry is expected to grow at a 14.2% CAGR until 2028.
In addition, the recent shift towards personalized medicine, where drugs are tailored to an individual’s specific genetic makeup or disease characteristics, has the potential to improve treatment outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.
The global market for personalized medicines is projected to reach a revised size of $740.3 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 4.8%. Both CVS and WBA are expected to benefit from the industry tailwinds.
CVS and WVA have fallen 22.2% and 21.9% over the past nine months. However, WBA has gained 1.6% over the past six months, while CVS has declined 24.3%. CVS closed its last trading session at $73.57, and WBA closed at $32.94.
Here are the reasons why we think CVS could perform better in the near term:
On March 27, 2023, CVS announced that it expects to complete its acquisition of Signify Health (SGFY) on or around March 29, 2023, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the remaining customary closing conditions set forth in the merger agreement.
The companies had entered into a definitive agreement in September 2022, under which CVS would acquire SGFY for $30.50 per share in cash for a total transaction value of approximately $8 billion. Upon completion of the acquisition, SGFY would continue to operate as a payor-agnostic business as part of CVS Health.
Moreover, on February 8, 2023, CVS announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Oak Street Health for approximately $10.60 billion.
CVS Health President and CEO Karen S. Lynch said, “Combining Oak Street Health’s platform with CVS Health’s unmatched reach will create the premier value-based primary care solution. Enhancing our value-based offerings is core to our strategy as we continue to redefine how people access and experience care that is more affordable, convenient, and connected.”
Coming to the other stock, on March 2, WBA announced free same-day Rx delivery of medications for the prevention and treatment of HIV in partnership with DoorDash Inc (DASH) and Uber Technologies, Inc (UBER). This service is available to eligible patients within 15 miles of thousands of participating Walgreens retail pharmacies nationwide. This should help WBA expand its customer base.
Recent Financial Results
During the fourth quarter that ended December 31, 2022, CVS’ total revenue increased 9.5% year-over-year to $83.85 billion. The company’s operating income rose 62.3% over the prior-year quarter to $3.62 billion.
Net income attributable to CVS increased 76.3% year-over-year to $2.30 billion. In addition, its adjusted EPS came in at $1.99, increasing marginally year-over-year.
On the other hand, WBA’s sales declined 1.5% year-over-year to $33.38 billion for the fiscal first quarter that ended November 30, 2022. Its gross profit decreased by 8.2% year-over-year to $6.95 billion. The company’s operating loss came in at $6.15 billion compared to an operating income of $1.28 billion in the prior-year quarter.
Moreover, the net loss attributable to WBA was $3.72 billion, compared to net earnings of $3.58 billion in the same quarter of the prior year.
Past and Expected Financial Performance
CVS’ revenue has increased at a CAGR of 7.9% over the past three years. Its revenue is expected to increase 3.1% year-over-year to $332.51 billion in the fiscal year 2023. Its EPS is expected to increase 1.8% year-over-year to $8.84 in the current year. It surpassed EPS estimates in each of the four trailing quarters.
On the other hand, WBA’s revenue has declined marginally over the past three years. While revenue is expected to grow 2.1% year-over-year to $135.42 billion in the fiscal year 2023, its EPS is expected to decline 10.6% year-over-year to $4.50 in the current year. WBA has also surpassed EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters.
CVS’ 6.11% EBITDA margin is higher than WBA’s 2.83%. CVS’ net income margin is higher than WBA’s negative 2.24%. In addition, CVS’ ROCE and ROTA of 5.68% and 1.82% are higher than WBA’s negative 12.66% and 3.19, respectively.
However, WBA’s gross profit margin of 20.91% is higher than CVS’ 16.62%.
In terms of forward EV/EBITDA, CVS’ multiple of 7.37 is lower than WBA’s 10.71. CVS’ forward EV/EBIT of 8.58x is lower than WBA’S 13.50x. Also, in terms of trailing-12-month Price/Cash flow, WBA’s 7.87x is higher than CVS’ 7.33x.
Therefore, CVS is the affordable stock here.
While CVS has an overall B rating, equating to a Buy our proprietary POWR Ratings system, WBA has an overall C rating, which translates to Neutral. The POWR Ratings are calculated by considering 118 different factors, with each factor weighted to an optimal degree.
CVS has a grade A in Value. In terms of forward non-GAAP P/E, CVS is currently trading at 8.32x, which is 57% lower than the 19.33x industry average. Its trailing-12-month EV/EBITDA multiple of 7.62 is 48.3% lower than the industry average of 14.74
On the other hand, WBA has a C grade in Value. WBA’s forward non-GAAP P/E of 7.31x is 60.8% lower than the industry average of 18.65x. Its trailing-12-month EV/EBITDA multiple of 17.32 is 28.2% higher than the industry average of 13.51.
CVS also has a B grade for Sentiment, consistent with optimistic analysts’ expectations. WBA’s C grade for Sentiment is in sync with mixed growth expectations.
Among the four stocks in the B-rated Medical – Drug Stores industry, CVS is ranked first, while WBA is ranked #3.
Beyond what we’ve stated above, our POWR Ratings system has also rated both CVS and WBA for Growth, Momentum, Stability, and Quality.
The perennial demand for medicines should help both companies expand and thrive.
However, as we have discussed above, CVS’s recent acquisitions, higher earnings growth potential, and lower valuation make it a better buy than WBA.
Our research shows that the odds of success increase if one invests in stocks with an Overall POWR Rating of Buy or Strong Buy. Click here to access the top-rated stocks in the Medical – Drug Stores industry.
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CVS shares were trading at $74.15 per share on Tuesday morning, up $0.58 (+0.79%). Year-to-date, CVS has declined -19.88%, versus a 4.00% rise in the benchmark S&P 500 index during the same period.
About the Author: Kritika Sarmah
Her interest in risky instruments and passion for writing made Kritika an analyst and financial journalist. She earned her bachelor’s degree in commerce and is currently pursuing the CFA program. With her fundamental approach, she aims to help investors identify untapped investment opportunities.
The post CVS vs. Walgreens: Which Is the Better Stock to Own? appeared first on StockNews.com


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The refiner has also resumes manufacturing of petrochemical intermediates like HDPE (high-density polyethylene) and Polypropylene at its Panipat complex. IOC expects demand for these products to increase even further in the coming days, and has put the Naphtha Cracker and MEG (Mono-ethylene-glycol) plant at Panipat back into operation.
Other units, including a Polypropylene plant at Paradip are expected to resume operations later this month. “The revival of the Panipat Naphtha cracker will also facilitate further increase in refinery crude oil throughputs,” the company said in its statement.
The Naphtha Cracker at Panipat had to earlier reduce throughput substantially and shut down a few units, due to a build-up in polymer product stocks and logistics issues in the wake of the lockdown.
IOC in its statement said, with the gradual lifting in lockdown restrictions, several downstream industries in the plastics packaging, medical supplies and food packaging sectors have resumed operations. “As a consequence, dispatches of polymer grades such as BOPP, GPBM, PP raffia and PP yarn used in these industries have begun from Panipat,” the company said.


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BIG-HEARTED supermarket workers came together to hand over £850 they had raised throughout the year to Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.
The staff from The Co-operative food store in Laughton Common, Dinnington, met with representatives from the North Anston retreat to present their hard-earned donation.
The money had been raised through a series of fundraisers organised over the past 12 months.
Events included fancy dress days, book and cake stalls and a Family Fortunes quiz.
A ‘Truly Irresistible’ festive hamper festive hamper was also raffled off to raise even more cash for the cause.
Martin Crepaz, deputy store manager, said: “Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice provides a vital service and is a charity that is close to the hearts of many of the communities The Co-operative serves in Sheffield.
“The Co-operative is committed to making a real contribution to the local community and we are extremely proud that our staff, members and customers have helped raise £850 for such a worthy cause.”


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Intel and AMD: The two biggest chip manufacturers and also two bitter rivals are shaking hands in order to challenge Nvidia. Intel and AMD have announced the partnership to develop a processor that integrates Intel’s CPU architecture and AMD’s graphics technology.The new processor will be Intel 8th generation H-series. The current 8th generation processor in the market comes under U-series.
This H-series chip will be aimed at thin and light notebooks. We all know that gaming top-tier laptops is on the heavier side in terms of specification and performance. So basically Intel is trying to deliver the same kind of performance in comparatively lightweight notebooks in a single chip.
AMD and Intel have been bitter rivals in the processor market. Though, Intel always outshined AMD in processor segment. Nowadays Intel’s primary challenger seems to be Nvidia. With its solutions for AI and machine learning, Nvidia is turning out to be much more than a GPU-maker.
On the other hand, AMD has pressed Nvidia on its GPU business lately with their latest cost-effective product line up. So this situation is an enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Intel’s CPU architecture with integrated AMD Raedon GPU all within one chip sounds interesting, right? According to Intel, its new Embedded Multi-Die Interconnect Bridge (EMIB) technology allow the heterogeneous CPU and GPU to coexist on a single package and communicate with each other at very high speed.
It will also use 3D-stacked HBM2 memory, making it the first such mobile implementation. According to AMD, HBM2 consumes less power and takes up less space than GDDR5.
Single-chip integrated CPU and GPU will cause complex power management. The new Intel chip will extend this kind of power management to the discrete embedded GPU.
The Intel part of the package will still have its own integrated graphics. The integrated graphics will be used for tasks such as regular desktop graphics workloads and the AMD chip for gaming and other more graphics-heavy tasks.
We are expecting this chip will come out in the first quarter of 2018. This new chip will surely bring revolution to the industry. It will also be a win-win situation for both Intel and AMD and they’ll gain a boost in the market. More importantly, the users will get lighter notebooks with better performance.


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MOTORING experts have issued a warning to drivers over vital checks they need to make on their cars.
As people get ready to drive home for Christmas it's essential their cars are in tip-top condition.
The AA is warning that traffic on the roads is likely to be heavy and being prepared before setting out is essential.
The busiest days will be Friday and Christmas Eve, with the AA estimating that nearly 17million cars will be on the roads each day.
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In a survey of more than 12,000 drivers, more than half were planning to make a car journey on Friday, with 50% also expected to travel on Christmas Eve too.
Drivers are being warned to expect more traffic than usual with disruption to rail services due to strikes and engineering works.
READ MORE ON WINTER TIPS
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The worst roads will be the M25, the M5 between Bristol and Weston-super-Mare, and the M6 around Birmingham.
Long delays are also anticipated on the M1 from Luton northwards, the M60 and M62 in north-west England.
Other traffic hotspots include the M4 and the M27 in Hampshire.
The AA is urging drivers to make checks on their cars before heading out.
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Firstly, drivers should make sure they have a full tank of fuel in case they become stuck in traffic.
It's also worth checking your oil and coolant levels before setting out as the last thing you want is a breakdown during the busy period.
And on a safety note, making sure your screen wash is topped up and tyres are correctly inflated is vital in winter conditions.
AA president Edmund King said: “While December 23 and Christmas Eve look set to be the busiest travelling days, planned industrial action by rail staff may lead to increased levels of cars on our roads.
“Our expert patrols will be working throughout the holidays to help fix cars that suffer problems, while providing assistance to drivers should they be involved in a crash.
“Many breakdowns are preventable, so checking your vehicle before you set off is very important.”
Source: Read Full Article


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UPDATE: Aquatica has sold out its allottment of $5 tickets tied to fifth birthday of SeaWorld's water park.
Online sales -- for Florida residents only -- began Wednesday for tickets that could be used on March 1, 2 or 3. By Thursday, the tickets for March 2 and 3 had sold out.
Floridians typically pay $45 for a one-day pass to Aquatica. There are other discounts available, including a $24.99 day pass valid through Feb. 28.
More info: www.aquaticaorlando.com.
Less than 24 hours after Aquatica announced a $5 admission offer tied to its fifth birthday, tickets have sold out for two of the three available days.
Tickets are still available for Friday, March 1, which is the official anniversary date of the SeaWorld Orlando water park's opening. They are no longer available for March 2 or 3. I would antipate that the March 1 supply would not last through Thursday.
Tickets must be purchased online (www.aquaticaorlando.com). Scroll down and around until you see a birthday cake image and click on it. Buyers can only secure six tickets, and names must be given for each ticket. Identification will be checked at the gate. This offer is for Florida residents.


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The Latest News On The API Economy
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Threat Stream, SaaS-based cyber threat intelligence platform, offers its real-time stream of actionable intelligence to developers through the Threat Stream API. Threat Stream's big data security driven analytics creates an actionable, context rich stream of intelligence that meets the needs of government and enterprise security operations. Machine learning and sophisticated algorithms reduce false-positives and give users world class security capabilities.
FedTax's TaxCloud, the internet's only free sales tax service, now integrates with Stripe. Stripe will be TaxCloud's initial partner for TaxCloud.js, TaxCloud's new sales tax management API. Stripe merchants can now easily comply with any sales tax law in the US, regardless of state, with no extra charge to merchants.
Social Money, an online goal savings platform provider, has announced the launch of the private beta version of the CorePro API which allows companies to integrate savings accounts into online and mobile applications. The CorePro Platform is the first product that Social Money has developed that offers an open API and was built using elements of the company's SmartyPig platform.
When it comes to mobile payments, consumers are more likely to proceed to checkout when a transaction is smoother and doesn't require the inputting of lots of numbers. With that in mind, Payvia recently added two features to its bill-to-carrier mobile payments platform, available to merchants through an API. ProgrammableWeb spoke about those changes and more with company CTO Alek Zdziarski at API World.
With developers already sourcing code snippets to cut and paste into their dev projects, Runnable has launched to provide a “YouTube of code” social network. Runnable have calculated there are over 200 million code searches each month, as developers look to stand on the shoulders of giants – or at least each other – when creating quick, workable solutions to include in their projects.
Yodlee Interactive, financial data and transaction platform provider, has launched major enhancements to its API offering. Over 600 companies around the world already rely on Yodlee to fuel financial apps and services for millions of consumers. Yodlee Interactive’s API previously supported SOAP/XML and powered some of the most innovative financial apps around. However, an expanded support for REST, JSON, and HTML will enable simplified integration and cross-platform functionality.
Drupal is a great tool for content management but what if you don’t want to get cornered into a Drupal design? What if you want to format your data in your own way? Today at API World, Rudy Rigot and former Play Framework cofounder Sadek Drobi launched Prismo.io, a cloud-based content management service that lets you design your own.
SOA Software, a leading API management solutions provider, has just announced the addition of API Orchestration to the SOA Software API Management Platform. Earlier this year, SOA software launched two new API management solutions; API Management Solution for Microsoft and API Management Solution for IBM WebSphere DataPower.
Postmaster, a technology company that specializes in small package logistics optimization, has just announced the addition of a new Box and Bin Packing feature to the Postmaster API. Earlier this year, Postmaster launched a beta version of the Postmaster API which helps businesses integrate and optimize the shipping process when using carriers Fedex, UPS, and USPS.
Pactas, recurring billing solution provider, offers the Pactas API that allows developers to include Pactas functionality within third party apps and websites. Any need for recurring billing (e.g. carsharing, music flatrates, cloud services, etc.) can be simplified and streamlined with the Pactas solution. Pactas enables users to manage subscriptions, track payments, and map pricing. Access to the platform can customize to each users' situation depending on need, resources, and integration opportunities.
Social Foundry, plug and play API infrastructure provider, has announced REST support for its SOAPbox API adaptor. SOAPbox exposes database operations through web services. This simplifies API creation, so software and app developers can concentrate on functionality, not manual coding methods.
CanvasPop’s new Photo Printing API has already won the hearts and minds of big name photo and image partners like 500px, East Coast pixels (creators of the Photo Toaster app) and Selfless Portraits. Now, any web or mobile developer can integrate the photo-to-canvas printing API into their service delivery and automate canvas printing direct to the end-customer.
In just 10 months after OpenFeint, a social platform for mobile games on Android and iOS discontinued the service, Open Kit has released version 1.0 of its Open Source alternative for game developers. Developers can now make use of their back-end services to create social cross-platform gaming features across iOS and Android, with Unity™ plug-in support.
Sometimes what is happening now is not as important as what happened then. I am speaking of the past and how it can help you piece events together. This what makes Gnip’s newest Twitter search API so powerful.
If you are a travel agent, you can spend a lot of time putting together a spiffy looking travel package for a customer or you can do it in under a minute with an API. iZento announced an API this week that takes travel booking data and transforms it into a professional itinerary complete with travel documents that travel agents can proudly hand over to their traveling customers.
Business applications created on the Cloudfier platform inherently contain an API that grants full access to app functionality through the Cloudfier API. Cloudfier allows users to define a business centric solution with Cloudfier’s business programming language. After the solution is defined, the platform automatically creates a web application. Cloudfier was built on Elipse Orion and aims to move towards a new type of development.
The Google App Engine team is galloping forward with new releases and cool features. It has just been a few weeks since the release of App Engine 1.8.4 but the team has kept focus and come up with a new release that is focused on the Search API and enhancements to its PHP Runtime, that has received solid acceptance from the legion of PHP programmers worldwide.
The New York City Government has raised the bar for open government programs everywhere by launching several brand new NYC Open Data APIs, a redesigned Open Data Portal and Developer Website. The NYC Open Data Portal now has over 1,100 datasets available including 200 brand new datasets that have just been added.
Contact validation company Service Objects launched the latest in its array of online tools this week. The DOTS Address Validation-US3 API automatically verifies, corrects and appends address information to contact data records in real time.


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Exotic-car maker Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. has a history of designing super sports cars and then updating them every so often with bigger engines and other modifications. The practice has led to numerous versions of each model with successions of labels like S, SV, Superleggera and even anniversary editions.
Now the Italian unit of German auto giant Volkswagen AG is continuing the tradition with the Gallardo LP 570-4 Spyder Performante. It unveiled the new car at a private event in West Hollywood, Calif., just as this week’s Los Angeles auto show began to wind down. Car Makers often hold such premiers away from the auto-show crowds so they can entertain established and potential customers.
The latest Gallardo is essentially a rag-top version of the Superleggera coupe that trumped the standard model’s performance with light carbon-fiber body parts and more power. Lamborghini has been using lots of carbon lately not only to save weight, but to make its cars stiff — a trait that leads to sharper handling. Since a roadster’s lack of a roof compromises stiffness, the use of carbon has the potential to give open-top cars rigidity similar to that of hardtop models.
“The LP 570-4 Spyder Performante represents the next evolution in the Gallardo model range and is the most extreme open-top vehicle in its class,” said Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini’s president and CEO.
The company says carbon fiber parts helped cut the Spyder Performante’s weight by 143 pounds compared with its predecessor, the Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder. The new model’s 5.2-liter V10 engine generates 570 horsepower — 10 more than the previous roadster — and helps the Performante sprint from 0-62 mph (100 kilometers per hour) in 3.9 seconds. Its top speed is 201 mph, Lamborghini says.


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- The Gemini bitcoin exchange platform which was found by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss is adding Zcash – a digital currency that is focused on privacy with a market cap of more than $1 billion – to their platform. After being approved by the NYDFS (New York Department of Financial Services), Gemini will start to accept deposits of Zcash on the 19th of May at 9:30am EDT.
The regulated exchange that serves the present customers of the firm in 48 states in U.S., Washington D.C., Singapore, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, South Korea, Canada, and Puerto Rico will start trading Zcash on the 22nd of May at 9:30 am EDT.
Gemini to Trade Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash
In addition to being approved to trade Zcash, the NYDFS has also told Forbes that the bitcoin exchange will also be approved to trade Litecoin (with a market cap of $8.2 billion), and Bitcoin Cash (with a market valued at $25 billion), though there is no definite time when the exchange will start trading these digital currencies.
Cameron’s Comment on the Approval
President of Gemini – Cameron Winklevoss, explained in a letter that the addition of the new digital currencies was as a result of working closely with the NYDFS. He said that this approval makes Gemini the world’s first licensed Zcash exchange.
He added that an aspect of the Zcash’s appeal is a privacy-protecting feature which enables different parties to engage in trade without knowing each other. This technology is called zk-snarks, where the “zk” means “zero-knowledge”
This digital currency offer privacy to people in oppressed countries, privacy-focused individuals and criminals, drawing the attention of detractors and supporters.
In addition to the digital currency having a daily trading volume of $32.4 million, the zk-snarks technology has been added to a lot of open source projects, including Quorum – originally created by J.P. Morgan Chase and Co.


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The Emoji Company has partnered with Ferrero to launch Kinder Joy confectionery treats collection featuring collectible Emoji toy figurines.
Bavaria Media, The Emoji Company’s agent, brokered the transaction.
As per the association, Kinder Joy treats will include 48 different collectible and functional Emoji figurines.
Commenting on the partnership, Marco Hüsges, chief executive officer, The Emoji Company said, “The Kinder Joy partnership covers territories with a population of more than 2 billion people.”
The partnership will also be supported by an extensive online and offline marketing campaign including TV advertisements and augmented reality features in the “Magic Kinder” app.
The collaboration with Ferrero marks a pivotal milestone in the strategy to expand presence in the FMCG sector.


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Almost аll small-business owners dream оf the day when theу cаn expand nationally. This has proved tо be a unique challenge fоr those in the marijuana industry because the products theу create аre yasadışı under federal law, аnd the checkerboard оf states thаt permit marijuana sales hаve complex аnd constantly changing regulations.
Dixie Brands, a company in Denver thаt creates drinks аnd other products using marijuana, is aiming tо navigate those hurdles аnd become one оf the first companies in the industry tо build a national presence.
Voters оn Tuesday brought thаt dream a little closer tо reality. California, Massachusetts, Maine аnd Nevada approved adult-use (a new term fоr recreational use) marijuana. Florida, Arkansas, North Dakota аnd Montana voted tо legalize оr expand medical marijuana use. Twenty-eight states аnd the District оf Columbia now hаve some sort оf allowed use.
The legal cannabis industry is dominated bу small businesses operating in individual states, sо these new laws could open significant prospects fоr entrepreneurs. Аnd fоr the companies thаt cаn figure out how tо operate in multiple states, the opportunity is tremendous.
GreenWave Advisors, a financial research аnd advisory firm based in New York, estimates thаt marijuana product sales in the United States will be $6.5 billion in 2016 аnd about $30 billion in 2021, if products derived frоm marijuana аre legalized in аll 50 states in some capacity.
Chuck Smith аnd Tripp Keber, who founded Dixie Brands seven years ago, hаve been taking steps tо be аt the forefront оf the growing market.
The company makes Dixie Elixirs, bottled beverages infused with THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. It аlso makes THC-infused chocolates, drops аnd topical lotions. Аll аre sold аt licensed recreational pot shops аnd medical marijuana dispensaries. Low-dose “awakening” аnd “relaxing” mints containing five milligrams оf THC (half a serving) аre among the company’s top sellers. Most оf the company’s revenue comes frоm Colorado.
Because оf federal laws оn controlled substances, one challenge tо expansion is thаt products cannot cross state lines, sо a pot brownie baked in Oregon, fоr example, cannot be sold in neighboring Washington, even though the product is legal in both places.
Add the complications оf financing аs well аs unique packaging, distribution аnd pazarlama laws fоr each state, аnd establishing a national brand seems daunting аnd expensive. Some states require marijuana businesses tо be owned bу in-state residents, further impeding multistate expansion.
Аlso, because the industry is in its infancy, rules аre changing constantly, including regulations governing packaging, food production аnd agriculture management. When Colorado recently required аll marijuana food products tо be stamped with a THC symbol, Dixie Brands hаd tо create аll new molds fоr its chocolates аnd discontinue their Dixie Roll product, which is similar tо Tootsie Rolls, because it could nоt be stamped efficiently. The new rule requires a THC stamp оn аll packaging аs well.
“These changes аre costly fоr small businesses,” said Joe Hodas, chief pazarlama officer fоr the company.
In addition, because оf federal laws, marijuana companies cannot open bank accounts, cannot use credit cards аnd cannot deduct business expenses frоm their federal taxes. Giant safes full оf cash аnd pickups bу armored cars аre the ölçü.
Many companies in the marijuana industry hаd been started bу product aficionados with little business experience. Аs legalization spreads, the industry is quickly drawing mоre business professionals, аs evidenced bу Mr. Smith аnd Mr. Keber, who began their endeavor with experience in corporate finance, pazarlama аnd management.
When recreational marijuana joined medical marijuana аs a legal market in Colorado in 2014, theу were poised tо expand Dixie Brands bу adding tо their line оf products. Since thаt time, the number оf employees has expanded frоm 20 tо 100 аnd sales hаve increased about sixfold.
Expanding beyond Colorado, however, has taken creativity. Two years ago, in their first move outside оf the state, the pair found a licensing partner tо produce Dixie products in California. After a year, the founders decided tо take a mоre hands-оn approach.
“Our partner wanted tо manufacture other companies’ products аs well аs ours, аnd we wanted mоre focus оn absolute quality аnd consistency,” Mr. Smith said. “Tо hаve total legal, financial аnd operational control, we decided we would need tо control the manufacturing аnd distribution facilities in аnу state we expanded tо.”
Tо make this happen, Mr. Smith hаd tо find a way tо work within regulations thаt require owners оf marijuana businesses tо be residents оf the state. He decided thаt Dixie Brands would own аnd run anything thаt did nоt “touch the plant” аnd therefore wаs nоt subject tо local ownership regulations. A local partner would grow аnd process the marijuana, but only fоr Dixie Brands, аnd only under the company’s strict instructions.
Consistent product quality is critical, Mr. Smith said. “Coca-Cola in Denver аnd Seattle taste exactly the same, аnd we want Dixie Elixirs аnd our other products tо hаve thаt reputation.”
Each new manufacturing site will cost about $2 million, according tо Mr. Smith. The Dixie tüm ortaklık company will own аnd control a building thаt theу will rent tо the partner аs well аs the equipment thаt will be leased tо them. Аll оf the noncannabis raw materials аnd packaging, аnd the accounting, pazarlama аnd legal services, will be provided bу Dixie Brands.
The state-based partner will own the marijuana itself аnd employ the personnel who work with the marijuana in аnу biçim: plants, concentrates, finished products аnd the like. This will allow Dixie tо control the business while maintaining a clear separation frоm the federally yasadışı aspect оf it. Thаt separation аlso protects their investors аnd gives the company flexibility tо react tо changing state аnd federal regulations.
Tо finance the expansion, Mr. Smith says he has tapped a handful оf investors frоm among the 30 who hаve funded his efforts over the last seven years. Those sources helped tо open manufacturing facilities in Arizona аnd Nevada last month, аnd one is scheduled tо open early next year in Washington State.
Fоr efficiency аs it enters new locations, Dixie Brands follows the most stringent state’s laws in each area оf its operations. Fоr example, Colorado has the strictest packaging requirements encompassing child-safety measures, clear dosing аnd single-serving packaging. The state аlso bans cartoon оr other child-friendly images, аnd has many other regulations.
Dixie Brands uses those packaging rules fоr the products theу make in every state. “If it is safe enough fоr Colorado, it will work fоr the other states,” Mr. Smith said.
The company аlso uses the cleaner carbon dioxide extraction method tо strip the oils frоm the plants instead оf butane, even though it is nоt required everywhere.
Colorado аlso requires multiple rounds оf product testing in the manufacturing process, including testing оf the raw plants, the extracted oil, batches оf products аnd individual packages. Dixie Brands uses these guidelines everywhere it operates.
“We want tо hаve the highest level оf precise consistency аnd quality control, sо we follow Colorado’s rules, even in states thаt аre less strict,” Mr. Smith said.
Verу few brands hаve made it tо multiple states in the fragmented legal marijuana industry, sо Dixie Brands is being watched closely. “We were pioneers tо begin with seven years ago,” Mr. Smith said, “аnd I think we аre well positioned tо take this leap.”
Аn earlier version оf a picture caption accompanying this article hаd transposed the names оf the founders оf Dixie Brands. Tripp Keber is оn the left, аnd Chuck Smith is оn the right, nоt vice versa.


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Apple to launch limited web TV service this autumn
Apple will launch its new TV service this autumn, according to a new report, but it won’t be quite as extensive as hoped.
The new slimmed-down service – which could be announced in June – will apparently have around 25 channels, and will be available across all Apple devices, including the Apple TV.
According to The Wall Street Journal (as relayed by The Verge), these channels will include the likes of ABC, CBS, and Fox, and it could also incorporate ESPN and FX. At least, that will be the case in the service’s initial US guise.
Apparently, though, Apple’s talks with US network behemoth Comcast have broken down, with one source claiming that Apple had come to the conclusion that Comcast was “stringing it along” while it developed its own web TV device. This means that there will be no NBCUniversal shows on Apple’s new TV offering.
Apple is also said to be keen to offer a large on-demand library as part of its service.
Read More: Apple TV vs Amazon Fire TV
Last week Apple announced that it had won the exclusive availability of HBO Now on its own devices. It also announced a price drop for the ageing Apple TV streaming device, from £99 down to £59.
Clearly the next phase of Apple’s grand TV plan is about to commence – albeit rather slower than anticipated and with plenty of compromise along the way.


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EDGEWATER, Fla. — Everglades Boats recently reported a market share increase greater than at any time in the history of the company.
According to a release, in the 23 foot and above outboard powered boat market, Everglades is currently No. 1 in dollars and No. 3 in units in the state of Florida and No. 3 in dollars and No. 6 in units in the United States.
“It’s been amazing. 18 months ago, we had over 350 Everglades available for sale at the dealer level. Now we have sold 85 percent of that inventory (into the marketplace) and achieved all-time market share penetration,” Steven Dougherty, president of Everglades Boats said in the release.
Everglades reports it has enjoyed a market share increase in every sector.
“Our target is to have around 200 boats available for purchase on a national basis,” said Greg Allen, vice president of sales. “We are filling new dealer’s orders, filling our existing dealer’s orders and trying to build for the fall boat shows ... we’re pleased.”
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Moscow, 5 June 1997 (RFE/RL) - The European Commission (EC) has recently unilaterally imposed penalties on Russian zinc exports.
Similar ruling by the U.S. Department of Commerce on Russian steel exports is expected this week. The ruling ends a U.S. trade investigation that, according to Russian officials, fully involved the government in Moscow as well as the Russian metal exporter and its U.S. attorney in the proceedings.
In contrast, the Russian say that the European move has violated the rules and procedures of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The Russians say that the European action against alleged dumping of Russian zinc adds to the wave of protectionism sweeping the world against Russia's metal trade.
Last week, the Thai government imposed steep anti-dumping duties on steel exports from three major Russian steel-mills. Alexei Ruzhin, a Russian trade official, said "the level of new duties is very high, and totally blocks our access to the Thai market."
If the U.S. Commerce Department rules that Russian steel exports to the U.S. are unfairly priced, similar decisions can be expected in parallel anti-dumping cases in Canada and Mexico.
The European zinc decision provisionally imposes a 5.5% anti-dumping duty on exports. The tariff is equivalent to between $60 and $70 per metric ton of metal.
Government officials and representatives of Russia's zinc producers said they knew nothing about the EC investigation, until it had ended. They claim the WTO charter, as well as Russia's pact with the European Union on trade, requires an open investigation, notification to producers and exporters, and consultation between the EC and the government in Moscow.
According to reports from Brussels, the EC has until October 4 to reach a final determination on the dumping issue. The Commission must then vote to decide whether to keep or drop the provisional tariff.
A senior Russian government trade official said he thought the EC had raised a concern about Russian zinc prices two years ago. But he and other officials of the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations said they knew of no formal notification of the Commission inquiry, and had provided no responses to questions concerning domestic and export pricing of zinc.
Svetlana Stepanova, head of the steel industry section of the Ministry of Economics, said she was unaware of the EC investigation or its outcome. Stepanova is a senior figure in the Russian Association of Metal Exporters. The association has a working group composed of government and plant officials to consider anti-dumping cases affecting exports.
The commercial director of the Chelyabinsk Electrolyte Zinc Works, Mikhail Chaplygin, said "we are very surprised by this decision."
He said his company, which is the sole Russian exporter at present, had received no contact from the EC during its investigation: "We were never approached by anybody with a complaint about the dumping prices." Calling the volume of zinc shipments to Europe from Chelyabinsk "laughably small", Chaplygin said "this move is really aimed at creating greenhouse conditions for European producers of the metal."
Chelyabinsk produced a total of almost 115,000 tons of zinc last year. Roughly half was consumed in the domestic market. Another 30 percent of output was tied to tolling schemes, Chaplygin said. Exports in 1996 were between 20,000 and 25,000 metric tons, amounting to about 20 percent of overall production. The exports were spread from the United States to Latin America and Asia, as well as Europe.
"There were no anti-dumping complaints anywhere else," Chaplygin added.
Nikolai Khodov, the general director of the Vladikavkaz Electrolyte Zinc Works, said his plant and Chelyabinsk are the only Russian producers of the metal. Last year, he said Vladikavkaz turned out 60,000 metric tons, but all of this was committed to tolling arrangements with two Swiss trading companies, Euromin and Nova Trading.
The Russian zinc industry has been complaining that plants at Ust-Kamenogorsk and Leninogorsk, in neighboring Kazakhstan, have been selling their metal in Russia at below-cost prices. Officials claim zinc exports from Kazakhstan may be reaching the European markets also at dumping prices. But they are emphatic this isn't true of the Russian metal.


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The First Ever Fantasy Sports Television Network Is Coming Soon
This week, Anthem Media announced the coming launch of the first ever Fantasy Sports TV Network.
The group said that fantasy sports has become a $5 billion-a-year industry. For comparison, the NFL brings in about $9 billion in revenue each year.
Anthem Media added that the network will be the first of its kind, and it hopes to reach as many of the estimated 40 million people in North America who play fantasy sports as it can.
“With the fantasy sports industry growing more rapidly and arguably larger than the business of underlying sports themselves, the time to create a multi-faceted media property for this industry is now,” Louis Maione, Chief Strategy Officer of the network, said in a statement.
The average player (75 percent male, 25 percent female) spends close to $500 per year on fantasy-related items and services, the group said.


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Cotton accounts for over 10% of all pesticide use and 25% of insecticide use in the world. However, as more weeds and insects become resistant to these chemicals, farmers need more pesticides and insecticides. This is a perfect formula for health, environmental, and socio-economic disaster. Scientists have found a potential solution for this looming catastrophe: genetically modifying cotton crops.
Genetically modifying cotton crops
Scientists have successfully engineered cotton crops. Most genetically altered cotton plants are modified with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a natural bacterial insecticide, in order for cotton to be resistant to main insect pests. Many firms worldwide promote this technology as environmentally friendly since GM cotton crops need less pesticide.
The widespread adoption results in a significant long-term decline in damage due to the cotton bollworm, considered as the biggest threat to the cotton crop. Bt is very toxic to the moth and butterfly larvae, while leaving non-target insects unharmed. In addition to becoming resistant to insect pests, genetically modifying cotton plants has an added benefit.
Curbing pests in neighboring fields
A recent study published in the Science journal has found that benefits of a GM cotton crop variety are not only restricted to cotton fields, but they extend to neighboring conventional crops. The 10-year study was led by Kong-Ming Wu of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Beijing.
In examining the GM cotton crop variety in China, Wu and his team have shown that the GM cotton crops make their own biological insecticide. The result: significant decrease in the cotton bollworm populations after introducing Bt cotton and also dramatic reduction of insect pest populations in neighboring fields.
Acknowledging GM benefits
The result of Wu and his team’s study lend support to the advantages of genetic engineering. According to Julian Little of the Agricultural Bio-technology Commission, representing GM companies "It is time that anti-GM groups acknowledge the very real benefits that this technology can bring to the developing world."


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In Arkansas, the year 2015 November 22nd, Collins Victor who fathered five kids was found dead in a boiling tub. Unfortunately, there was no strong proof found when the owner of the location where the diseased was found was arrested. After a few days, it emerged that the authority was searching to a close Amazon Echo in helping come up with the solution for the case.
Alexa was asked whether the device would give a soluble answer to the case held although, that is not evident to what the police were looking for. The machine is believed to have gathered what the police were desperately looking forward to seeing and hearing. The Amazon has been hiding the recordings of the scene of murder, although it was plugged in ,and proved that it was listening to all that had happened. The police are continuing to emphasize about the Amazon sharing the important information, and that is the first thing that the Amazon has ever agreed to this year in March.
Although there was a confession sent to retrieve the data which could help in giving evidence to solve the crime, the Amazon still resisted the law enforcement. That could have only been understood only by using business and perception of information privacy. Moreover, recording talks and action is not what the Echo was created for so that the Amazon can use it as evidence to accuse clients. The trust between the customers and the Amazon could only get destroyed by that instead. In that situation, the firm already surrendered and allowed the government to reach to the data.
Once again, there was a similar case that happened, and the world of tech was held in the grip. In December 2015, there was a gun shooting in San Bernardino. Since the FBI wanted the way to reach some data from one of the shooter’s iPhone, they sent an order from the court which was demanding Apple to obey and give out the information. However, Apple disagreed to that claiming that it was to their client’s best interest to keep his/her data confident. Apple has proven that no information of its customers can reach to the authority or any other person without the owner’s permission. Eventually, the scene was finally ended by a third party who unlocked the cell phone. Due to both scenarios, there were some crucial questions about the data confidentiality nature and the responsibilities of the firms to their clients. Many can now tell why it is important to let out data that the police can use to put criminals in jail.


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Digital TV News: SBS
OzTAM introduces Australia's first all-screen integrated TV database
Jul 30, 2018 – Australia will have an integrated database that will combine broadcast viewing on TV sets and connected devices, and support advanced audience targeting, with the launch of OzTAM’s new service, Virtual Australia (VOZ) in 2019.
News categories: OzTAM, Nielsen, Doug Peiffer, David Ellem, Advertising, Australia, Big Data, Digital TV
Free TV and Broadcast Australia partner for DVB-T2 trials
Mar 21, 2018 – Free TV and Broadcast Australia have announced that they had agreed to conduct trials of next generation broadcast technology in Sydney. The SBS and the ABC will also be active participants in the trials.
News categories: Free TV, Broadcast Australia, Bridget Fair, Peter Lambourne, Australia, Content Distribution, Digital TV, DVB-T2
LG 4K UHD TVs in Korea include ATSC 3.0 tuners
Jan 10, 2018 – LG Electronics, co-developer of the ATSC 3.0 next-generation television broadcast standard, has confirmed that all LG 4K Ultra HD TVs now on the market in South Korea already incorporate ATSC 3.0 tuning circuitry.
News categories: LG Electronics, ATSC, Digital TV, Korea, Smart TV, Terrestrial
ATSC 3.0 launches in Korea with Rohde & Schwarz transmitters
Oct 12, 2017 – Broadcasters Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS), Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) and Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) have launched the world's first terrestrial ATSC 3.0 broadcast network in South Korea for free UHDTV broadcasts.
News categories: Rohde & Schwarz, ATSC, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Korea, Terrestrial
Australians streaming more than 1.5 billion minutes a month
Aug 11, 2017 – Flexible TV viewing is on the rise, with 6.9 million Australians streaming more than 1.5 billion minutes of catch-up and live streaming content in the past month, according to the latest OzTAM reports.
News categories: Freeview, Elizabeth Ross, Australia, Digital TV, Market Research, OTT
FreeWheel Council for Premium Video expands into Europe
Jun 29, 2017 – Following on the success of the FreeWheel Council for Premium Video (FWC) in North America, the FWC announced its European launch, extending its remit to champion the premium video industry on an international level.
News categories: FreeWheel, Thomas Bremond, Emmanuel Josserand, Advertising, Digital TV, Europe
SBS launches HbbTV advertising with Chio, 24i, Isobar and Carat
Jun 8, 2017 – 24i Media has announced that they have joined forces with Isobar and Carat to create and implement HbbTV-based addressable TV for SBS Broadcasting in the Netherlands. The first campaign is with the brand Chio Heartbreakers.
News categories: 24i Media, SBS Broadcasting, Carat, Isobar, Madelon Olsthoor, Dorine van Mullem-Ale, Ronnie van Briemen, Advertising, Digital TV, HbbTV, Netherlands
South Korea launches UHD TV with MPEG-H Audio
Jun 1, 2017 – The MPEG-H TV Audio System was the first next-generation audio codec worldwide to go on air 24/7 as South Korea launched its 4K UHD TV on May 31. The service includes immersive and interactive sound, thanks to the MPEG-H standard.
News categories: Fraunhofer, Digital TV, Korea, Smart TV
KCP selects Kaltura to power KOCOWA OTT service
May 16, 2017 – Kaltura has announced that it has been selected by KCP to power the company’s new OTT service - KOCOWA. The service will deliver the largest collection of premium K-Drama content from Korean broadcasters KBS, MBC, SBS and others to users worldwide.
News categories: Kaltura, KCP, Ron Yekutiel, Kunhee Park, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Korea, OTT, Worldwide
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Aldi trolley dash coins in over £700 for Falkirk Foodbank
Aldi had shelved its popular supermarket sweep for a year but now it has returned and helped a local food bank to the tune of £732.
Josie was chosen to take up the trolley challenge after winning an in-store competition at the Redbrae Road supermarket and put on her running shoes for the five-minute, food and goods grabbing dash for her chosen charity earlier this month..
As well as taking home a trolley full of treats, Josie successfully found the three special Scottish products on her shopping list so Aldi doubled the total value of her haul and donated the lump sum to Falkirk Foodbank.
Aldi Supermarket Sweep newly crowned winner said: “I’d like to say a huge thank you to all the staff in my local Aldi for being so supportive on the night and for giving me the opportunity to do something positive for Falkirk Foodbank and the community after a very tough year.”
Alastair Blackstock, Chairman, Falkirk Foodbank, said: “Josie did very well under the pressure by raising such a wonderful total. It was a really fun evening. On behalf of Falkirk Foodbank, I’d like to say a great big thank you for organising this and thinking of us at this time.”
This year Aldi will open its 100th store in Scotland – currently the popular retailer has 96 branches in the country – and through events like this supermarket sweep is showing an ongoing commitment to help the communities it serves.
Richard Holloway, Aldi managing director for Scotland, said: “The Aldi Supermarket Sweep is a firm favourite across the country, and we are so pleased to be able to bring it back after a year hiatus. Congratulations to Josie who managed to raise an incredible total for Falkirk Foodbank and take home a trolley full of Aldi items for herself.”
The Supermarket Sweep, which took place after hours, was run in line with current COVID-19 guidelines and all safety precautions, including social distancing, were adhered to.


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Facebook’s Libra Seeks Swiss Payment System License | BTCMANAGER
Bitcoin, Blockchain & Cryptocurrency News
Facebook’s Project Libra has applied for a payment system license from the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA). FINMA says Libra’s service offerings will, however, require a broader oversight that would include operational risks, liquidity and more, according to a Reuters report on September 11, 2019.
Facebook Forging Ahead with Libra
Despite the strict regulatory scrutiny that Facebook’s cryptocurrency project has been subjected to, the Libra Association appears determined to slug it out till the end.
Per sources close to the matter, Facebooks Libra Association is trying to obtain a Swiss payment system license from the nation’s financial watchdog, FINMA. However, the regulator has made it clear that a payment system license may not be able to cover the entire breadth of Libra’s planned services.
FINMA notes that it would need to point its searchlight into all aspects of Libra’s operations, including its capital allocation for credit, how it handles market and operational risks, risk concentration and liquidity, as well as the management of the Libra reserve.
“Due to the issuance of Libra payment tokens, the services planned by the Libra project would clearly go beyond those of a pure payment system.”
Interestingly, the Libra Association has hinted that it has asked FINMA to clarify its status and that of Libra coin under Swiss supervisory law and is still holding constructive dialogue with the financial watchdog.
“We are discussing constructively with FINMA and we see a feasible pathway for an open-source blockchain network to become a regulated,


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Panic’s Coda web code editor has joined the dark side, at least for macOS Mojave users. Coda 2.7 for Mac now supports Apple’s system-wide Dark Mode appearance feature when running macOS 10.14 or later, and all Coda users will appreciate a general appearance refresh including a new coat of paint on the app icon.
Panic has released their new 2.5 update for Prompt, the popular SSH application for iOS. Introducing split-screen views on the iPad and 3D Touch on the latest iPhones, this brings Prompt to the forefront with the latest features available in iOS 9.
Mac and iOS development team Panic announced today in a company blog post that the next major version of its Coda web development tool would not be coming to the Mac App Store. The reason? App Store apps need to be sandboxed (a security feature in OS X that doesn’t let apps modify data outside of their designated “sandboxes”), and Coda 2.5 simply doesn’t work as a sandboxed app.
According to Panic, Apple worked with the developers as much as possible to provide temporary exemptions and workarounds that could help alleviate some of the issues encoutered, but ultimately the decision was made to only release the update through the Panic website.
The Oregon-based software company is largely known for their OS X FTP client Transmit, but entered the iOS space in April 2011 with the launch of Prompt, their SSH client for iPhone and iPad, followed by their affectionately named web editor Diet Coda this past May. This marks the third year in a row that Panic has released an entirely new app on the iOS platform.
A few newsworthy apps and updates already landed in the App Store today including the Diet Coda development platform that we told you about a few days ago, and some Retina graphics updates for popular apps such as Draw Something and Opera Mini. Another notable app in the news today is Blizzard’s recently released Diablo III. The company announced on its site that it sold more than 4.7 million copies on launch day and more than 6.5 million in a week.
We will update the list throughout the day as more notable apps and updates are released:
Draw Something:OMGPOP’s massively popular Pictionary-style drawing game was updated today with “Bright, high resolution graphics” for users of the new third-generation iPad’s Retina display. Other improvements included in the update are a new password recovery system, a new loading screen, and the usual bug fixes. The free version of the app received the same update.
Some of the app’s features include remote editing of documents, FTP and SFTP File Management, Syntax Highlighting, and a “Revolutionary Super-Loupe” that allows for easy positioning of the cursor in iOS. It also has an “AirPreview” feature that allows you to use “your iPad as a dedicated preview window for Coda 2 on the Mac.”
Opera Mini Web Browser: Opera’s Mini web browser app for iPhone and iPad has always been a great third-party browser option on iOS, and it gets even better with a new UI today for the third-generation iPad’s Retina display, as well as a Data Usage option in the main menu, and various bug fixes and stability improvements.
Mint Personal Finance app: Intuit has updated its universal Mint.com Personal Finance iOS app today adding “two of your most requested features.” On both iPhone and iPad, you can now create and edit budgets as well as spilt transactions into multiple categories.
Panic, the makers of Coda, a popular development platform for web developers, just announced a new $9.99 iPad version and a second version of its Mac software. The demo videos (here and here) look delish.
The software will land May 24 and be available through the App Store for both platforms.


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In a move keeping with the trend toward “green” technology, the federal government will require citizens enrolling in certain government benefit programs after March 1, 2011 to receive their benefits electronically.
This policy shift represents the first part of a three-step process, announced in April 2010, designed to decrease America’s paper dependence. That goal will be initially accomplished by replacing the practice of mailing physical checks to beneficiaries of Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Railroad Retirement, Office of Personnel Management, and Veterans benefits with either Direct Deposit or the Treasury’s Direct Express Debit program.
While only those people enrolled in these benefits programs after March 1, 2011 will initially be required to choose between the electronic options, those already receiving such benefits will be forced to make the switch on March 1, 2013. Anyone who prefers electronic payment may sign up for it whenever they so choose.
Consumers should practice due diligence in researching the terms of the government debit cards before choosing to receive government payments by this method. Simply because these cards are issued by the government does not mean that they will not have various fees associated with them. While many services, like purchases at retail establishments, cash back, account notifications and the issuance of one replacement card a year are free, others do require fees. For instance, it costs $0.50 to pay a bill, $1.50 to transfer funds to another bank account and $0.75/month to have a paper check mailed to you. A full break down of fees can be found at the Direct Express website.
The second aspect of this paperless plan will require most businesses using paper Federal Tax Deposit coupons to make such payments electronically. Finally, employees will lose the ability to garner paper savings bonds through payroll reductions.
Through the combined implementation of these measures, the Treasury estimates that roughly $400 million and 12 million pounds of paper will be saved within five years. Thus, it will provide benefits, both environmental and economic, something likely to warrant approval from finance experts and environmentalists alike.
“It is undoubtedly a step in the right direction,” said Odysseas Papadimitriou, CEO of WalletHub.com and former Capital One Sr. Director. “It’s great that the government is moving decisively away from paper checks because technology really has passed them by.”
These changes merely represent a scratching on the surface of what is expected in the years to come, in terms of paperless payment options. For example, new cell phone technology is in production that will allow one’s phone to serve as a credit card. Users will simply be able to swipe their phone in the same manner as workplace identification, FAB keys and public transport smart cards.
Such changes, like the government’s shift to paperless payment, stand not only to change the shape of commerce but represent an environmentally-friendly shift as well.


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After playing in the uncharted territory of sub-compact EV SUV’s and enjoying massive success, the country’s second-largest automaker Tata Motors has decided to hike up the prices for its Nexon EV and Nexon EV Max. The company recently made an announcement that it will be raising its prices for both of its EV SUV models and the new pricing will come into effect from this month itself. Tata Motors announced that the marginal increase of 0.55 percent in the price of its EVs would vary from model to model and variant to variant.
According to the latest price revision, the Tata Nexon XM EV which currently is priced at Rs 14.54 lakh, will now cost Rs 14.99. Meanwhile, the Nexon XZ+ EV will become Rs 35k more expensive at Rs 16.30 lakh, up from Rs 15.95 lakh. Nexon EV XZ Plus Lux price increase raises the variant’s price by Rs 35,000 to Rs 17.3 lakh up from Rs 16.95 lakh. Tata Nexon Electric Dark XZ+ will now also cost Rs 16.49 lakh, up from Rs 16.29 lakh. Lastly, the Dark XZ+ Lux will set back at Rs 17.5 lakh, up from Rs 17.15 lakh.
Furthermore, the Nexon EV Max’s models would now become Rs 60,000 more expensive than the pre-hike models. The Max XZ+ 3.3 kW unit will now cost Rs 18.34 lakh, up from Rs 17.74 lakh. The xZ+ 7.2 kW model being priced at Rs 18.84 lakh, up from Rs 18.24lakh. Meanwhile, the XZ+ Lux 3.3 kW model costing Rs 19.34 L, up from Rs 18.74 L. The range reaches its apex with the XZ+ Lux 7.2 kW, which costs Rs 19.84 lakh, up from Rs 19.24 lakh.
Another recent Tata announcement was the unveiling of the Nexon EV Prime. The Nexon EV has been renamed Nexon EV Prime by the brand. The Nexon EV is still one of the best-selling electric vehicles on the market, and it now includes features from the Nexon EV Max. Tata Motors claims that existing Tata Nexon EV customers would be able to access the additional functions via a software upgrade.
The Tata Nexon EV Prime costs roughly Rs 45,000 more than the entry-level XM model and Rs 20,000 more than the Dark XZ+ variant. The pricing difference is determined by the Nexon EV Prime version. The new Tata Nexon EV Prime offers various additional features that were previously only accessible on the Nexon EV Max. A multi-mode regeneration feature with automated brake lamp activation is included. When the regeneration setting is at its maximum, it activates the brake lights.
While Tata provides existing clients with a free software upgrade to add all of the new functions, there is still a hardware need. Tata service centres will install the necessary gear, although it is unclear if that installation will be charged. Customers will be charged for the future software upgrades by Tata Motors. The powertrain stays unchanged since it is powered by the same 30.2 kWh battery pack and has an ARAI-certified range of 312 km.


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News: Fire at Tesla’s Fremont factory under control, no injuries reported.
(Reuters) – A fire at the electric car maker Tesla’s Fremont, Calif. Factory was brought under control Thursday night and there were no immediate reports of injuries, the fire department told Reuters.
Aisha Knowles, a spokeswoman for the Fremont Fire Department, said the fire occurred in part of the factory site under construction.
“The deep-seated fire was contained in a die cutting machine used to make vehicles,” she added.
The fire was caused by hydraulic fluid that came into contact with molten aluminum, the spokeswoman said.
The Fremont firefighters have coordinated with the Tesla fire protection team.
According to the spokeswoman, two Fremont fire engines and a truck remained on site to monitor the situation.
Local media company KTVU Fox 2 had previously tweeted a video about smoke coming from the factory.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether production was affected.
Tesla didn’t respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru and Hyunjoo Jin in San Francisco; additional coverage from Aakriti Bhalla in Bengaluru; Editing by Leslie Adler, Grant McCool and Simon Cameron-Moore
Original Source © Reuters


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From NPR’s Morning Edition:
The village of Xiacheng in Zhejiang province is part of a tiny revolution, which could slowly change the way China is governed. All villages in China now elect their own leaders. And in Zhejiang province, where many households run factories in their front rooms, they’re choosing businessmen like Wu Houhui.
“In the past, it was glorious to be poor, it was revolutionary,” Wu says. “Then, the Communist Party trusted poor people. Now, since economic reforms began, it’s different.” [Listen to the report]
The report is part of a series, “China’s Economic Challenges.”