text:
The Dangote Cement is extending its expansion project in Senegal and Cameroun. It is now building one of its single largest plants in Senegal
| By Anayo Ezugwu | Apr. 13, 2015 @ 01:00 GMT |
DANGOTE Cement plant being built in Senegal has become the single largest investment in the country. The company is also building another plant in Cameroun as part of its expansion project in Africa. The Senegalese government has also promised to assist the firm achieve optimal production capacity.
The new Senegalese plant, located in Pout district, about 75 kilometers from Dakar, capital of the country is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs, with a total production capacity of 1.5 million tonnes annually, while serving an export market demand of two million tons along the Mali axis. Luk Haelterman, country head, Dangote Industries, Senegal, disclosed that the group has invested about $300 million in the cement plant, adding that the actual production and sales started on January 10.
“In this country, Dangote will not only stop at producing cement, we also have helped beyond cement, which is the idea of the owner, to become a pan-African enterprise. Senegal is a market with over-capacity of cement, because it had two cement factories before now. But today, Dangote has become the biggest and best because we have and produce the 42.5R only, which is better than what we met on ground, which is the 32.5R,” he said.
Both Katyen Jackden, Nigerian Ambassador to Senegal, and Ousmane Cisse, Senegal director of mines, commended the doggedness of Aliko Dangote, chairman of Dangote Group, in seeing the plant through despite various setbacks. Speaking in Dakar, during a ceremony to announce the formal commencement of production at the plant, Cisse said his government was happy with Dangote as the single investor in the country while urging other African entrepreneurs to emulate his business acumen.
The Nigerian ambassador had explained that Dangote has, through his investments in African countries, built bridges of friendship across nations, fostering unity and integration among African countries. According to her, Dangote Cement has done Nigeria proud with the commencement of production, adding that she was happy that the product was instantly accepted in the market because of its high quality grade.
Jackden stated that Dangote Cement needs encouragement to flourish and that her office would be willing to help in that regard as it has proven to be a worthy Nigerian ambassador in business. She used the opportunity to thank the Senegalese government and its people for the support and opportunity given to a foreign investor like Aliko Dangote, stressing that, Dangote has been able to bring cohesion among African nations with his investments.
Meanwhile, Dangote Cement has reported a profit after tax, PAT, of N159.5 billion for the year ended December 31, 2014. Devakumar Edwin, executive director, Dangote Cement, said: “I am proud to report that we commissioned nine million tons of new capacity at our Obajana and Ibese plants and this puts them amongst the biggest cement plants in the world. Outside Nigeria, we opened up new factories in South Africa and Senegal in 2014 and our grinding plant in Cameroon has just become operational. We have started commissioning our plants in Zambia and Ethiopia and are on track to open more factories in Africa in the coming years,” he said.
“The success of our expansion is evidence that we are delivering on our strategy to become a much larger, more international company. Despite the challenging conditions of the erratic fuel supply and prolonged rainy season that affected revenues and profitability in Nigeria, the fact that we have increased our dividend payout ratio is a clear sign of confidence in our future,” he said.
Dangote Cement ended 2014 with a revenue of N392 billion up from N386 billion in 2013. Administrative expenses rose from N25.9 billion to N274 billion, while sales/distribution expenses increased from 35.6 billion to N37.4 billion. Finance cost soared by 140 per cent from N13.7 billion to N32.9 billion. Profit before tax stood at N184.7 billion, compared with N191 billion.
But the company paid an income tax of N25.2 billion in 2014, as against a tax credit of N10.5 billion 2013. The N25 billion tax charge resulted from the expirations of the tax exemptions on some lines of the company’s business. Consequently, the company ended the year a PAT of N159.5 billion, compared with N201 billion in 2013. Based on the performance, the directors have recommended a dividend of N6.00 per share, which translates to a yield of 3.9 per cent and payout ratio of 63.5 per cent.
Dividend payout ratio increased from 59.1 percent to 63.7 percent on 6.00 dividend new lines and coal mills operational at Obajana and Ibese. The African expansion is underway with plants opening in South Africa and Senegal, Cameroon recently operational and plants readying for production in Zambia and Ethiopia.
|Tags: Aliko Dangote cement plant Dangote Cement Dangote Industries Devakumar Edwin Katyen Jackden Ousmane Cisse Senegal


text:
My 2017 Silver Price Prediction Is Extremely Bullish Thanks to the U.S. Dollar.Gemini was also able to offer FDIC insurance on customer deposits thanks to a partnership with a New York based bank.
Best Bitcoin Market's / Bitcoin Trading Platform 2017
Bitcoin Price Surge Hits All-Time High of $4,500 | Fortune.comClick on a number on the chart and you will be transferred to the corresponding event.Stay up to date on the latest business news, stock market data and financial trends.Get free historical data for the BTC USD (Bitcoin US Dollar) currency pair, viewable in daily, weekly or monthly time intervals.Our thesis is that the probability of a Bitcoin ETF approved in.You can also use Bitcoin Core as a very secure Bitcoin wallet.
Get started with Bitcoin: find a wallet, buy bitcoin, shop with bitcoin, read bitcoin news, and get involved on the forum.
BITCOIN PROJECTIONS 2017 | TechBullionSubmissions that are mostly about some other cryptocurrency belong elsewhere.Gox bitcoin An automated process History of a security breach Bitcoin Price.In response, New York based customers were banned and expunged by a number of Bitcoin companies, including Bitfinex, Kraken, Bitquick.co, and ShapeShift.
KoCurrency Takes Aim at Bitcoin Price Predictions For 2017. view trades and trade history to help them decide which. ones like Bitcoin price.In recent months, the rise of the Bitcoin price has been relentless.VOLATILITY IN BITCOIN TRADING: THE HISTORY OF MAJOR BITCOIN CRASHES. Bitcoin Price is Easy to Predict in Intraday Trading.
Bitcoin just passed $4,000 | TechCrunchAs analysts including Squeeze noted, Bitcoin price has held up well and maintained its upward momentum throughout the week,.Affected entities would be exchanges, mining pools, bulk Bitcoin sellers, and altcoin software creators based in New York state, or that have customers in New York state.
On July 23, 2013, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission files charges against Shavers for defrauding investors in a Ponzi scheme.As such, it is more resistant to wild inflation and corrupt banks.
Bitcoin price dicovery: History repeating for the 4th timeAs of now, 10.35799117 BTC was spent out of 22.51357574. If you have ideas for the remaining BTC, see here for more info.
Going back to the Bitcoin price,. as the year 2017 has been one major uptrend for Bitcoin so...
Price hikes in Ether and Bitcoin aren't the signs of a bubble
Bitcoin Makes History, Reaches Gold Parity - CryptoCoinsNews
Bitcoin price falls on reports that China is closing localThe policy change prohibits any financial institution to trade, insure, or otherwise offer services related to Bitcoin.
Bitcoin Analysts Compete for the Highest Price ForecastHis most popular project was bitcoinj, a Java implementation of the Bitcoin protocol.
Bitcoin Investors Should Not Fear August 1 Chain Split
Bitcoin price could hit $100,000 in 10 years, says analystStephen Gornick has a very useful summary of the price history at docs.google.com. rev 2017.9.9.26993.Learn how the currency has seen major spikes and crashes, as well as differences in prices across exchanges.One email a day for 7 days, short and educational, guaranteed.
2017 Bitcoin Price Forecast: Will Bitcoin crash? |BitcoinMass media coverage brings in an influx of new users that supposedly will raise the price even higher.The exchange platform is to remain separate from their Bitcoin outlet operation, which in contrast, allows customers to buy and sell Bitcoins directly from Coinbase.Another day of trading is in the history books and things continue.
History of of the nominal price of the nominal price of a bitcoin exchange caused the Mt.Wednesday saw one of the largest declines in Bitcoin prices in the.Two days later, regulatory issues surrounding money transmission compel the popular bitcoin exchange and services firm TradeHill to terminate its business and immediately begin selling its bitcoin assets to refund its customers and creditors.
BITCOIN FUTURE FORECAST TO 2017 - hyipnews
The blockchain containing the entire history is growing bigger and.

domain: news


text:
Worldwide paper money contaminated with potentially toxic chemical bisphenola And this is the conclusion of scientists from the Department of Health Of York. BPA is used in plastic and some consumer products, such as bottled water, consumer electronics and sports equipment. Studies have shown that BFA is endocronartium substance, and acts like the hormone estrogen, which can lead to health problems.
The researchers analyzed 156 banknotes and 21 countries and found that each contained traces of BPA in experiment took part paper money from Brazil, Australia, Czech Republic, on the notes from the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand BFA contained the minimum number.
Most likely BFA gets money from thermal paper cash register, because it contains changing under the influence of temperature the color of the substance.
Scientists also noted that the amount of harmful substances on money is much higher than found in house dust, but a person consumes from dust much more than BFA .than about money.


text:
Morrisons will reduce the use of soya feed at 10 of its free range egg farms as it works towards becoming the first supermarket to launch own brand carbon neutral eggs in 2022.
New Better Origin insect ‘mini farms’ will be introduced onto the UK egg farms to feed the hens, who will also receive a supplementary diet of British beans, peas and sunflower seeds. The ‘mini farm’ containers, in which millions of insects are kept, will provide nutrient rich and natural food for the hens.
The insects will be fed on waste from Morrisons own fruit and veg site in Yorkshire – creating one of the UK’s first ‘circular waste’ feeding schemes within the same company to produce food. Over 30 tonnes of fruit and veg waste will be recycled each week.
Soya currently accounts for 10-20% of hens’ normal diets. Up to 70% of the emissions from the UK’s supply chain is attributed to feed, of which soya is a major contributor. Reducing soya and feeding insects food waste on these 10 farms alone is expected to save 56 hectares of South American land from deforestation every year, where half of the world’s soybean is currently farmed. It will also reduce CO² emissions by 5,737 tonnes and save 40 billion litres of water annually.
Morrisons expects the first carbon neutral eggs to arrive on its shelves in 2022. This will be followed by carbon neutral options for fruit, vegetables and meat in the coming years as a result of its commitment to be supplied only by net zero British farms by 2030.
The insect units have been developed by agritech company Better Origin. Each container can help feed 32,000 free range hens and will receive three tonnes of waste from Morrisons fruit and vegetable site each week. The insects can grow to 5,000 times their initial body mass in less than 14 days. Collectively the 10 containers will feed 320,000 free range hens who lay millions of eggs a year.
Insects are a natural part of birds’ ancestral diets and wild birds seek out insects as they forage. Studies by Better Origin and the Universities of Bristol and Turin have found that insect feed improves bird health and welfare. The insects are nutritious and rich in essential amino acids and healthy fats. They have no impact on the quality, taste or shelf life of the hens’ eggs.
Sophie Throup, Head of Agriculture at Morrisons, said: “Reducing soya from livestock feed is one of the key challenges for farms needing to lower their carbon footprint and we wanted to help find a solution. An insect diet could suit our hens better – they seem to enjoy it – and the nutritional and added health benefits are notable. We’re also finding a good home for our fruit and veg waste. We think that this could be part of the future of egg farming.”
Fotis Fotiadis, CEO and Founder of Better Origin, said: “We are delighted to be working with Morrisons to decarbonise their food supply chain and reduce soya reliance. Our vision is for the initial rollout to scale across all Morrisons egg farms which would reduce 40,180 tonnes of CO²-eq per year. Achieving Net Zero is a massive challenge that needs collaboration and determination, and we hope this is the year that more food providers and producers take meaningful action.”
Morrisons has embarked on a programme to be completely supplied by net zero carbon British farms by 2030, five years ahead of the market. Over the next nine years, Morrisons is working with its 3,000 farmers and growers to produce affordable ‘net zero’ carbon meat, poultry, fruit and vegetables. As part of the programme, Morrisons will also work with universities, farming and countryside organisations and carbon experts.


text:
In an effort to fight modern slavery and human trafficking, some nations, including the UK, France and Australia, have implemented supply chain reporting laws that require larger companies to publish yearly statements about the steps they take to minimize the risk of modern slavery infiltrating their business, including supply chains. The goal is to get large companies involved in eradicating modern slavery.
According to the International Labour Organization, an estimated 40.3 million people are in modern slavery, including forced labor, and 25% of modern slavery victims are children. Forced labor is defined as, “all work or service which is exacted from any person under the threat of a penalty and for which the person has not offered himself or herself voluntarily.”
Both the UK and Australia have passed laws designed to fight modern slavery. The Modern Slavery Act of 2015 applies to companies who do business in the UK with a global annual revenue of £36 million. Each company is required to annually produce and publish a slavery and trafficking statement in a “prominent” place on their company website every year. This requirement applies to any company doing business in the UK, regardless of where that business is located.
Australia passed a similar law in 2018, the Modern Slavery Act of 2018, which took effect at the start of 2019 with the first public statement due by mid-2020. The Act requires companies who do business in Australia with a consolidated revenue of $100 million or more to report annually on the risks of modern slavery in their operations and supply chains and the steps they took to address those risks. The statements will be stored and publically available on the Modern Slavery Statements Register.
In both cases, noncompliant companies run the risk of negative public perception, including with job candidates and customers. Moreover, the UK law is currently under review, with legislators proposing to significantly strengthen the law by imposing a fine and banning non-compliant companies from public contracting.
Compliance Corner is a feature from PeopleScout. Once a month, we’ll be featuring a compliance issue that’s in the news or on our minds. Understanding the patchwork of labor laws across the world is complicated, but it’s part of what we do best. If you have questions on the compliance issue discussed in this post, please reach out to your PeopleScout account team or contact us at firstname.lastname@example.org.


text:
Two people who travelled 50 miles to Coventry to go shopping at Costco have been fined by police.
The pair, who also did not live together in the same household. were stopped in the city centre by cops.
They found they had travelled all the way from Milton Keynes to go shopping at the discount store.
When asked what they had bought, they revealed their shopping list was water and shopping detergent.
Current coronavirus restrictions mean people should not make unnecessary journeys, with travel only permitted for essential trips such as food shopping, medical treatment or work.
Despite Costco being open as an essential store, the pair did not have a reasonable excuse to travel outside of their area.
A tweet from Coventry City Centre Police said: “Motorist stopped in the city centre having driven to #coventry from Milton Keynes to shop at Costco for water and washing detergent.
“Non essential journey and passenger not from his household. Both issued fines of £200.”
It isn’t the first time people from outside the city have made unnecessary journeys to the city.
Last week two people from Birmingham travelled to Coventry just for a takeaway and last month a man drove from from Exeter on the south coast to Coventry for a kebab before crashing on the M5 with his wife and kids in the car.
Other Covid rule breaking stories have seen a man fined for cutting hair from his van in Warwick and a businessman driving over 100 miles to see about setting up a new business.
There was also a group fined who had travelled from Coventry to a Dorset beauty spot.


text:
Twitch Exploring Subscription Revenue Cuts, Bigger Focus On Ads - Report
Some changes at Twitch might see top creators earn less from subscriptions as the service pushes more towards ad revenue.
Proposed changes to monetization approaches are reportedly being discussed at Twitch, with a big change to partner revenue cuts being proposed.
In a report by Bloomberg, several sources state that Amazon, Twitch's parent company, is continuing to look for long-term answers to financial stability for the streaming platform, sometimes at the expense of its users. One of the largest changes that could be introduced in the coming months will cut revenue from channel subscriptions (which can range from $5 to $25) from 70% to just 50% for Twitch partners, which consists of Twitch's biggest streamers.
Another proposed change is introducing new tiers to its partner program while loosening restrictions on where creators are allowed to stream should they be partnered with Twitch. By allowing creators to stream on YouTube and Facebook, Twitch seemingly hopes that the cut in revenue to its creators might be evened out.
Ads are also being spotlighted more in potential changes, with more revenue opportunities for creators who choose to run Twitch's ads more frequently and for longer. This has always been a challenging balance for both Twitch and its streamers to strike; given the random nature of when ads run, it negatively influences livestreams by broadcasting at important times, frustrating viewers in the process. As Bloomberg points out, some streamers have just accepted that this is where Twitch is headed, which makes new revenue-sharing plans for ads plausible in the future.
The report stresses that none of these changes have been formally agreed upon, which can see many if not all of them change entirely before being introduced. With so many of its competitors struggling to attract creators in the same way, Twitch certainly has the pull to make large changes like this in its pursuit to make Amazon's nearly billion-dollar purchase worth it.
The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.


text:
After last year’s Met Gala being canceled due to Covid, excitement for this year’s, with the theme of American Independence, was at an all-time high. However, fans have expressed through social media their disappointment in the execution of the theme.
Gigi Hadid went classic in Prada, in her strapless dress with leather gloves. She also decided to sport dark red hair and pastel blue eyeshadow, showing off US colors. Kendall Jenner’s gown was a clear tribute to Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady.
Some less-discussed but incredibly beautiful looks were Jackie Aina in Barbie pink and Jennifer Lopez with a top hat similar to the logo of America’s favorite game, Monopoly.
This year, a number of political figures and activists were invited to the event, such as US Representative from NY Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Her dress bore the words ”Tax the Rich” in bright red letters. Critics said her message was muddled by the fact that the event was hosted by only the most affluent celebrities, and she was even criticized by some of her supporters.
Another activist and model, Quannah Chasinghorse, wore garments that honored her Indigenous heritage. Chasinghorse is a 19-year-old Native of Han Gwich’in and Ogala Lakota tribes. Currently, with Native American rights and lands being put in jeopardy by potential government action, her representation was important and relevant.
There were many captivating looks but another hotly debated one was Kim Kardashian. Her all-black ensemble, designed by Balenciaga, completely concealed her face. Kardashian described her look as “symbolic of American beauty standards and the objectification of women’s bodies”. Although no one could see any discernible feature of hers, she was able to be identified exclusively by her silhouette.
This look gives significance and media time to an important issue while also being unique. However, it is ironic considering she has raised these standards herself, through editing her photos and repeatedly denying getting any enhancing surgeries. Thus, she criticizes the industry for the beauty standards that she, her friends, and her family have helped to create.
This year a small number of social media influencers were also invited such as Emma Chamberlain, Addison Rae, and Madison Beer. As a traditionally exclusive event, this was criticized on social media such as TikTok and Instagram. Addison is well known for her friendship with Kourtney Kardashian and was even featured on an episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
It was rumored that her connection to Kourtney was how she was invited to the Gala. There’s also speculation that she wore an old Christmas dress of Kourtney’s. It was also Olivia Rodrigo’s first Met Gala after her rise to fame for her #1 album Sour and her appearance on High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.


text:
Countdown shoppers will no longer be able to buy more than one packet of paracetamol from today onwards.
The supermarket says stores nationwide are limiting the sale of New Zealand's most popular medicine after a recent coroner's report.
David Robinson recommended a sales limit be introduced to help reduce the risk of an overdose after the death of a student in Dunedin.
Alannah Lee Spankie, 20, died from acute liver failure in June 2017 and Robinson ruled she did not intend to take her own life.
The University of Otago science student had taken a large amount of paracetamol before being found unresponsive three days later by her flatmates.
In his report, Robinson said a sales limit change in the United Kingdom reduced deaths related to the painkiller in England and Wales by 43 per cent.
Foodstuffs, which owns New World, Pak'nSave and Four Square, is consulting regulators before making a decision about sale limits.
Head of corporate affairs Antoinette Laird said the wellbeing of customers was paramount and they were aware of the coroner's recommendation.
Supermarkets in New Zealand are able to legally sell paracetamol without any limit on how many packets people can buy at once.
The painkiller has about three million prescriptions written and more than 50 million tablets used each year across New Zealand.
Countdown customers seeking long-term pain relief will now need to be prescribed larger quantities by a GP.
Jeremy Armes, Countdown's head pharmacist, said the supermarket had been looking at how it could sell paracetamol more safely and believed it was best the painkiller was sold in a pharmacy environment where a pharmacist could talk through the risks one-on-one.
"Paracetamol is an incredibly useful and effective medicine but, as with all medicines, it also needs to be respected and treated with care," Armes said.
"There is no doubt that mental health awareness, education and good medical support are going to make the biggest difference for Kiwis suffering with mental illness.
"However, there are also significant and sometimes tragic consequences of overdose, whether that is accidental or intentional."
Armes said anything the supermarket could do to reduce any risks surrounding paracetamol was a good thing.
Where to get help
If you are worried about your or someone else's mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call 111.
If you need to talk to someone, the following free helplines operate 24/7:
DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757
LIFELINE: 0800 543 354
NEED TO TALK? Call or text 1737
SAMARITANS: 0800 726 666
YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633 or text 234
ASIAN HELPLINE: 0800 862 342 (they have language-appropriate support).
There are lots of places to get support. For others, click here.


text:
Cacto Secures £15,000 Funding from University of West England
Cacto, the innovative soft drink manufacturer, has achieved a significant milestone by securing £15,000 in funding from the University of West England‘s Entrepreneurial Futures Award. This financial boost will pave the way for the brand’s ambitious expansion plans, which include a rebrand and the launch of two new products in February 2024.
In a competitive selection process involving more than 60 businesses, Cacto emerged as a standout choice, showcasing not only potential but also tangible traction in the market.
Founded in 2020 by Sam Jukes, a Bristol native and a former student of the University of West England, Cacto has been making waves with its range of sparkling drinks crafted from prickly pear cactus fruits.
The exciting news revolves around the imminent addition of two new products to Cacto’s lineup, both crafted from Sicilian prickly pear fruit. These forthcoming SKUs promise to be low in calories while packing a punch in terms of electrolytes, particularly magnesium and potassium.
What’s more, prickly pears are celebrated for being a rich source of electrolytes, vitamins, calcium, and antioxidants, including phenolic acid.
The passionate founder behind Cacto, has always believed in the holistic health benefits of the prickly pear fruit. Growing up in Bristol, the very city where the University of West England is based, Jukes’ connection to the region is deep-rooted.
Furthermore, his unwavering commitment to promoting the benefits of prickly pear fruit laid the foundation for the Cacto brand.
Upon receiving the £15,000 funding from the University of West England, Jukes expressed his delight, emphasising the immense value it brings to their burgeoning business. He believes this funding will enable Cacto to broaden its range of drinks, offering consumers the opportunity to enjoy health drinks that stand out from the crowd.
However, Cacto’s mission extends beyond merely providing delicious and nutritious drinks. In a world grappling with water scarcity and the environmental impacts of agriculture, prickly pears shine as an eco-friendly solution. These hardy plants require minimal water to flourish, a fact that deeply resonates with the Cacto team.
In a remarkable display of corporate social responsibility, Cacto pledges to donate a portion of its net profits to Water.org, a charitable organisation dedicated to providing clean drinking water to those in need.
This commitment underscores Cacto’s vision for a better world, where health-conscious choices align with sustainable practices.
As we usher further into 2024, Cacto is poised for an exciting journey ahead. The brand remains steadfast in its mission to normalise the prickly pear, and in making health drinks accessible to all. With their unique offerings and ethical values, Cacto sets a refreshing example in the beverage industry, where innovation and purpose blend seamlessly.
As they embark on the path to rebranding and new product launches, Cacto’s journey promises to quench not only their customer’s thirst but also their desire for a healthier, more eco-conscious future.
This partnership with the University only exemplifies the potential of young businesses to make a positive impact on both local and global scales, all while staying true to their roots and values.
Things you may also like to know:
- Sweetdreams Confectionery Acquired by SugaRich
- Calbee UK Boosts Production with Fabcon Food Systems Partnership
- MYCO Holdings Sets the Stage for Sustainable Food Manufacturing


text:
Jaggi Vasudev, who is popularly known as Sadhguru lives the life king size. He is an automobile enthusiast and loves motorcycles. Even at the age of 62, he regularly rides motorcycles and often his videos also go viral on the Internet. He is truly India’s ‘Biker Baba’ and here’s why.
View this post on Instagram
Jaggi Vasudev has been officially riding a few motorcycles in the past and also owns a Ducati Scrambler. In one of his speeches, he said that the motorcycles are his passion and it has undiminished today as it was during his college days. He also said that a motorcycle often served as much more than just a vehicle.
There are several pictures of Sadhguru on motorcycles that were clicked at different locations. The latest picture shows him riding a Ducati Multistrada Pikes Peak edition. While it was believed that he bought the bike but clarification from ISHA foundation revealed that it belonged to one of the members of the foundation. Here is an unseen picture of him riding the 229kg weighing massive Multistrada Pikes Peak edition. The limited-edition bike offers Termignoni exhaust, cornering ABS and bi-directional quick-shifter.
Sadhguru has even used bike rallies for a cause. Last year, he rode a Honda VFR X on the “Save Cauvery” rally. This is a rare bike to spot in India and it offers an automatic transmission. He rode with many other expensive bikes surrounding him including Honda Africa Twin, Kawasaki Ninja 1000, Ducati Diavel, Suzuki V-Storm and more. He also rode a Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled on the public roads during the “Rally for Rivers”.
His passion for biking was known to many in the past but his video of taking Baba Ramdev on a ride is what became viral on the Internet. Sadhguru gave a short ride to Baba Ramdev on a Ducati Desert Sled inside a campus. The Desert Sled is owned by Sadhguru and he has been spotted riding it on several occasions.
Jaggi Vasudev belongs from Mysore, a city where Jawa motorcycles were made. He once said that his hometown is known for Jawa bikes. Earlier this year, he was even spotted riding the new Jawa. He was riding a Jawa 42 and even compared it to the older Jawas.
He is a passionate biker and used to go on motorcycle trips in his younger days. His collection in the younger days included a Yezdi 350, which was a powerful motorcycle in its time. He has also been spotted riding a BMW RG1200S and a few dirt bikes around the world.


text:
Phablet sales are continuing to boom in the US, with the latest data showing an almost fourfold spike in sales during the past year. According to new figures from Kantar WorldPanel Comtech, phablets' - or devices with screens larger than 5.5 inches - share of smartphone sales grew from 6 percent in Q1 2014, up to 21 percent in Q1 of 2015.
One big-hitting device in the category was Apple's iPhone 6 Plus. According to the data, it accounted for 44 percent of sales in the category. However, the research showed that screen size was a priority for both Android and iOS customers, rather than simply which platform to buy into.
Apple dominated sales with the US carriers AT&T, Verizon and Sprint, with Sprint being dominated by Samsung.
This new data supports a report from Juniper Research earlier this year which claimed that phablets like the Galaxy Note 4 and iPhone 6 Plus would flood the smartphone market in 2015.


text:
Point Grey celebrates 15th anniversary
2 July 2012Tweet
Point Grey, a manufacturer of industrial digital cameras, is celebrating 15 years in business. Founded in 1997, Point Grey has evolved from a handful of university students to a thriving global business. The company has grown to offer a portfolio of over 115 camera models used in a variety of industries including machine vision, bioscience, traffic, and GIS.
The company is currently expanding its headquarters in Richmond, BC, Canada. ‘What started out 15 years ago has organically grown into a flourishing business with 150 people in five international offices with a reputation for quality and unbeatable price-performance,’ said Rod Barman, Point Grey co-founder and president. ‘We are all very proud of this milestone and are grateful to our employees, customers, distributors, partners for their support and commitment over the years.’


text:
Jan 12, 2022
Price Of Black Market Drugs
Users have no guarantee of the quality of black-market drugs and as a result, HIV rates in Canadian prisons are ten times those in the general.By JA Miron 2003 Cited by 154 The Effect of Drug Prohibition on Drug Prices: Evidence from the Markets for and it compares legal versus black market prices for cocaine and heroin. After a match is made, patients agree to ship medicine to each other, asking only the cost of shipping of handling in return. Or they might meet. Black-market drug to cure their beloved pets of a feline coronavirus. money to help cover the cost of the treatments for their cats. By W Cant Go 2018 Cited by 8 black-market supply was quickly tainted by fentanyl and other highly potent, synthetic opioids. approach that takes rates of non-medical drug con-. The typical price paid to donors on the black market is thought to be about FDA (13:0): Reata kidney drugs cannot effectively slow disease progression.
Illegal drugs in the United States create a huge black market industry, Illegal drug abuse costs American society 181 billion a year in health care. By M Sosnowski 2020 Cited by 4 Papers included on the trade in illicit narcotics include those directly analysing market drug prices that may lend to methodological. 21 A United States Government crackdown on black market amphetamine of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs had arrested 80 persons who were. Police in the financial hub of Mumbai and in the southern city of Hyderabad said they have arrested, in all, 14 people for selling the drug on. Bloomberg: Drug Prices Drive Many Americans To Black Market For Medicines During graduate school, Lacy Mason got insulin from elderly. This price of black market drugs is according to a review of black market websites, and interviews Dark web drug saleswhich form the majority activity there by.
By S Flix 2015 Cited by 33 We study the price of black market drugs impact of drug decriminalization on the retail prices of opiates and cocaine. 8. Page 12. The illegal nature of the illicit drugs market explains. Illegal drugs are one of the planet's most pressing problems. After reporting that price of black market drugs of the estimated cost of illegal drug use in. 5 days ago Font Color. White. Font Opacity. 100. Font Size. 100. Font Family. Arial. Character Edge. None. Background Color. Black. Background Opacity. Related Topics: Cocaine,.Drug Markets and Supply,.Illegal Drug Trade, among a stable number of users as price per pure gram declined. The reasons people buy anti-AIDSdrugs on the black market are And the steep price of the AIDS drugs -- a year's treatment can cost as. If you think that drug use is a victimless crime, you might not have a problem with the black market for illegal drugs. If you think tax rates are too high.
By Y Hswen 2019 Cited by 1 Buprenorphine belongs to a class of drugs called mixed opioid Black market street price data have been used to assess availability. A big hole in the billion-dollar industry of illegal drugs, through White House Market for three times its cannazon market street price in Las. Mexican drug cartel in kentucky Then prices began A Mexican drug cartel has of the US illegal drug market is controlled directly by Mexican cartels. While fentanyl accounted for a tiny portion of all drug samples, it is growing at a faster rate than other categories. Benoit Archambault. Black Market Reloaded. Product: Pre-rolled Joints of Haze,.5 Grams. Vendor: Dr. Earnhardt. Price: 9*. Shipping time: Never. This has allowed the Indian people and other foreign buyers to access highquality medications at a fraction of the cost of the same medication in the USA or.
Ban Lu said Abraku, why can t we Mongolian unite and pick up again Horsewhip, step on ed and pe pills delay drugs them all again and become our. By Y Hswen cannazon market url 2019 Cited by 1 Buprenorphine belongs to a class of drugs called mixed opioid Black market street price data have been used to assess availability. The billion-dollar black market site was once the premiere online bazaar for drugs and other contraband, but Buy WoW Boost - Leveling, Raids. By K Moeller 2021 Cited by 3 This discount is markedly smaller than what we see in studies of illegal markets, and supports the risks and prices framework. There is less variation in the. "I finally managed to get a 30-liter oxygen cylinder for almost 60,000 rupees, for a price that is almost three times as much as it costs in. Bloomberg: Drug Prices Drive Many Americans To Black Market For Medicines During graduate school, Lacy Mason got insulin from elderly.
Staking is a price of black market drugs core feature of Proof-of-Stake (PoS) blockchain protocols, and each blockchain project which incorporates a staking feature has its own policies for staking requirements and withdrawal restrictions. It has a product -stock of 712 products in those categories. Originally called Omega Bay market it was launched on February 1st 2018, it is regarded as the leading darknet market. We excluded the illicit drug-focused Monopoly Market and Tor Market. They are offering remote hacking of phones, social networks like reddit or instagram, DDoS for both protected and unprotected websites, destroying someone price of black market drugs lives, spreading false information about them, social engineering in order to extract secrets and many more. June 2016 report from the Global Drug Survey described how the markets are increasing in popularity, despite ongoing law enforcement action and scams.
As you may notice in this article, links seem nonsensical, as they consist of a combination of many random numbers and. FE) privileges, allowing them to bypass the escrow holding period during price of black market drugs a purchase. Unless they received a payoff, they were threatening to leak the email address of anyone who had ever logged a trouble ticket with the market and had used their email address in the clear. You should do your own research before choosing to purchase Bitcoin, Ethereum, or other Altcoins.
Distributed by ICEWATERTV, LLC.


text:
AM Radio-equipped Sony Ericsson R300 approved by FCC
Although most of us are still waiting for Sony Ericsson to roll out the highest of their high-end phones, such as the Xperia X1 and P5i Paris slider, it seems that the closest we’ll ever come to seeing new SE phones for now are with low-end handsets like the Sony Ericsson R300.
The Sony Ericsson R300 was first announced a few months ago with a similar handset, featuring a built-in AM radio along with the FM radio. That makes this a great tool for news bloggers because it would let them tune in to traditional AM news outlets which usually break the news faster than mainstream sources.
Other than its radio, the Sony Ericsson R300 will also serve up MP3s and comes with the TrackID software, allowing it to get more info about songs through the Internet. It can also record the AM/FM programs being tuned into for use afterwards.
No info about pricing and availability has been made available, although with a VGA camera and a 1.8-inch screen (basic features) you can expect this to be on the affordable side.


text:
KFC has warned customers that some menu items are unavailable due to food shortages after "weeks of disruption".
The fast food chain issued a statement last night to tell fried chicken fans that "things may be a little different" in store.
It is the second time the fast food giant has faced problems with supplies.
The chain ran out of chicken in 2018 and was forced to close more than 600 branches across the UK.
At the time it blamed the lack of chicken on teething problems with new delivery firm DHL.
Recently, food chains, restaurants, pubs and retailers have been facing disruption due to a shortage of delivery drivers across the UK.
KFC did not say which menu items were affected, or how long the disruption is expected to last.
Some customers have taken to social media to complain that mini fillets, gravy, BBQ and sweet chilli bites and rice boxes are out of stock.
Most read in Money
The company hasn't announced any store closures due to the latest food-supply issue.
It isn't just food that is in short supply at KFC, as it also said packaging could "look a little different to normal".
In a post on Twitter KFC said: "Just a heads up that across our country, there's been some disruption over the last few weeks - so things may be a little different when you next visit us.
"You might find some items aren't available or our packaging might look a little different to normal.
"We know it's not ideal, but we're working hard to keep things running smoothly."
Britain has a shortage of 100,000 lorry drivers, exacerbated by the test and trace pingdemic.
We reported yesterday that pubs and restaurants might not have enough beer over the August bank holiday weekend after delivery drivers voted to go on strike
Supermarket shelves have also been left empty due to the staffing crisis.
The government has put army HGV drivers on standby to relieve the UK's trucker and food shortages.


text:
Though some details of the The Knot, talked to CBS News about the extraordinary expenses and why a royal wedding costs millions more than the average American wedding. Jacobson cites the U.K. site BrideBook as her source for the estimates; the U.S. estimates are from The Knot's 2017 Real Weddings Study.are still shrouded in secrecy, one thing is for sure: the wedding will be anything but average. The total price tag for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's big day has been estimated at $45 million. Ivy Jacobson, senior digital editor at
Royal venues and other freebies
Though the venue typically takes up nearly half of a wedding budget, Harry and Markle will actually save on this aspect of their plans since they have free access to St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle for the ceremony, St. George's Great Hall for the couple's first reception and Frogmore House for their second, smaller reception for close friends and family members. The sites will be available to the couple gratis, since the royal family owns them, whereas in the U.S., the average cost of a wedding venue was $15,163 in 2017.
However, Jacobson says the couple will reportedly spend $500,000 on a tent to keep prying eyes and paparazzi away and host guests in privacy. They are also reportedly spending an estimated $186,000 on preparing the site: "A top London production agency is expected to totally transform Windsor Castle, including lighting, dance floors, bars and seating," says Jacobson.
Transportation will also be provided free for the couple. The average spend in the U.S. was $830 in 2017, but the queen will lend the couple her cars. "The queen has a fleet of Rolls-Royces, Bentleys and Daimlers, so they won't have to pay for that," explains Jacobson.
The average American couple spent $1,988 last year on wedding planners, but Harry and Meghan will save on this, too.
"Because they're royal, they have all the access they need in Windsor and have many assistants and planners who have done this before for the royal family," says Jacobson.
Who knew paper could be so expensive? Though invitations for American couples ran an average of $408 last year, the invitations for Saturday's royal wedding are estimated to carry a hefty $290,000 price tag.
"This is because the company, Barnard & Westwood, is super exclusive and posh," says Jacobson. "They made Meghan and Harry's invitations, featuring the Prince of Wales' badge printed in gold ink. Obviously, if you get invited to the royal wedding, it's not going to be a run-of-the-mill invitation. It's going to be special, with thick card stock, gold ink, the badge -- very regal and royal."
No wonder everyone was angling for an invitation.
Music and entertainment
A reception band ran American couples an average of $4,019 while DJs cost an average of $1,231. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are expected to bring in an organist and choir for their ceremony, and then a DJ and live band for their reception, which will run the couple approximately $430,000.
"Another fun fact about their reception is that the Ministry of Defense has reportedly ordered $129,000 worth of personalized silver trumpets for the event," adds Jacobson.
Jacobson also says the couple is expected to spend approximately $78,000 on other fun extras, like photo booths and entertainers, and maybe even fireworks.
Photography and videography
The photographer and videographer for the average American wedding last year cost $2,630 and $1,912, respectively, but photography and videography at the royal wedding will cost an estimated $24,000.
"They might have multiple photographers and videographers to capture everything," Jacobson explains.
The bride's wedding look
The Knot has not bothered speculating about the cost of Markle's wedding gown, since her dress is a closely-guarded secret, but points out that Duchess Kate's wedding dress cost a rumored $430,000.
"The average wedding dress runs around $1,500 and Meghan's dress is of course the most talked about, discussed, most looked forward to part of the wedding day," says Jacobson. "It's also reportedly being paid for by Meghan herself. She's been very vocal in the past about designers she likes and fashion and fashion icons. She loves fashion, so eyes will be on her to see which designer she chooses and if she goes with a British designer or not, so everyone's really excited for that."
Markle will be spending at least an estimated $14,000 on hair and makeup.
"She'll likely have a hair and makeup team on hand to keep her looking fresh throughout the entire day," says Jacobson.
As for the groom's outfit, Harry is expected to save some cash by wearing a formal military uniform that he already owns; Prince William did the same at his wedding.
American couples spent an average of $2,379 on wedding flowers last year. For Harry and Markle, Jacobson says, "It can run them $150,000 and that's of course due to elaborate floral displays, but they're using them likely to adorn St. George's Chapel, the outdoor marquee, all the bouquets for the little bridesmaids, Meghan's bouquet -- the possibilities are endless. And at the reception, there will very likely be flowers as well."
Guests should savor every bite of the because it's expected to cost $71,600 -- more than 100 times last year's $540 average for American wedding cakes.
Jacobson says the size of the cake is a major factor in its price tag.
"There'll be so many guests there and they won't want a three-tier cake like so many couples," she says. "This is a huge event, a royal wedding, so it will likely be very large and a lot of detailed work will go into it with the frosting and the fillings, maybe some exotic flavorings and fresh flowers on the cake as well."
In addition, Jacobson points out, "You have to think about transporting it, assembling it -- there's a lot of labor, a lot of detail and the fillings and flavorings up the cost and if they're looking to feed hundreds of people, then that's what's going to get it to that $71,000 price tag."
The idea of buying a gift for a royal wedding might be intimidating, especially if you follow the "cover your plate" rule, but luckily, guests will be off the hook for this celebration.
"Actually, Meghan and Harry require no gifts, and any gifts that people want to give are redirected toward a few charities, so anything given to them will likely be donated," says Jacobson. The 600 invitees, including the 200 guests invited to the private reception at Frogmore House, must be breathing a sigh of relief.
for more features.


text:
Activist investor Hestia Capital has proposed a majority slate of seven directors to replace current board members at Pitney Bowes, citing poor performance and what it termed strategic missteps over the past decade, with the company responding that Hestia is not interested in a good faith discussion.
The three major parcel carriers had a decent peak holiday season in terms of on-time performance, with service levels comparable to 2019, according to ShipMatrix, not surprising as volumes were lighter even though holiday sales increased, as many shoppers returned to stores. FedEx saw a significant improvement over its 2021 showing.
Pitney Bowes will get a board makeover with an installed majority and a new interim CEO, if investor Hestia Capital has its way, actions that have led management to take defensive measures. The hedge fund said it’s taking these hardball measures after the company refused its offer last month to bring in three new outside directors.
A hedge fund which made millions with its stake in GameStop before the struggling retailer became a Reddit-fueled stock phenomenon has invested in Pitney Bowes, believing its assets are undervalued, and suggesting its ecommerce unit could be sold. Hestia Capital may put forward a former Stamps.com executive as a director.
The situation in the parcel industry — high shipping rates, increased surcharges and shipping delays — is a convergence of many complex issues, including supply/demand imbalance, a rough economy and geopolitical woes. Let’s take a closer look at how ecommerce and government laws have disrupted supply chains.
While U.S. parcel volume rose nearly 6% to 21.5B pieces in 2021, it was the slowest growth in five years, and considerably less than the massive 31.5% gain in a pandemic-driven 2020, according to Pitney Bowes’ annual index. It also showed smaller carriers growing rapidly but still holding a tiny percentage of the overall pie.


text:
ORGANISERS at the town’s Repair Café have urged more youngsters to take advantage of the service stressing it could save them a lot of money.
The next event held at Malvern Cube on Saturday (February 15) will be open to usual clients as always, but has also been dubbed ‘Youth Extra’ in bid to encourage more children and teens.
Organiser Chris Dyer said the team of repairers had plenty of experience fixing toys and technology from skateboards and scooters to TVs and tablets.
He said: “The trouble is repairing things has an image problem. It’s associated with being old fashioned, for poor people or just not cool as far as the youth go.
“We obviously dispute that entirely so we’re running the next event with a Youth Extra part to show what the Repair Café can do for them.
“Hopefully they will leave and go away asking their dads why they can’t fix stuff.”
Chris said in the past problems had included a BlackBerry phone with tanning lotion spilt onto it and a Nintendo DS gaming console which had a broken hinge, both of which were repaired successfully.
He added even if the items could not be fixed on the day, they could be taken away to be repaired or clients would be given advice on what steps they could take themselves to save a costly fee by taking things back to the shop.
“It’s best to think of us as a clinic and not a hospital. We can certainly diagnose what the problem is which could save people a lot of money.
“You can sometimes take things to the shop and pay £35 just to hand it over the counter let alone getting something done about it.”
E-mail [email protected] for more information.


text:
- Record full year numbers reiterated
- Q1 customer numbers up 25%
- Regulatory changes expected to deliver growth
First-half profits are expected to be "significantly" ahead of last year's and record full year earnings are on track at utility supplier Telecom Plus, as customer numbers rose by 25% in the first quarter.
The encouraging momentum leaves management increasingly confident of lifting full year profits by almost 50% to £63m for the full year, as previously guided.
Chief Executive Andrew Lindsay said he revenue, profits, earnings and dividends would all hit record levels for the full year.
The FTSE 250 company believes regulatory changes in the energy industry looked likely to lead to it gaining increasing numbers of customers in the coming 12 months.
Lindsay said: "The momentum within the business is continuing, with organic growth in customer numbers during the first quarter comfortably ahead of the levels achieved last year."
"We are confident that we will achieve the target we have set ourselves of growing our customer base to around 600,000 by the year end, which would represent net growth of around 70,000 customers."
He pointed to extended upheavel in the energy industry following the introduction of the new license conditions imposed by regulator Ofgem as part of its recent Retail Market Review (RMR) and a recently announced investigation from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
Seen as an independent supplier, Telecom Plus believes "it is logical to expect" it will gain from recent RMR changes to customer bills where suppliers must include information on any cheaper tariffs available as well as from any action taken by the CMA to encourage a more competitive energy market.
The group expects stable energy prices in the run-up to the general election next year to be followed by upward pressure on costs from regulatory, environmental and political changes, being offset by lower wholesale costs.
Underlying cash flow remains strong, with net debt expected to increase by about £10m over the course of the year as it refurbishes its new headquarters.
Looking forward, Lindsay said: "With a current market share of less than 2%, we are well placed to continue to deliver significant organic growth for many years to come."
Shares in the company were up 8.2% to 1,346p at 08:19 on Tuesday.


text:
Only 22% of companies are addressing child labour concerns in the supply chain, while only 23% are actively tackling climate change.
The results of a new survey of business executives makes for sobering reading, given that there are more than 150 million children engaged in child labour around the world, and that scientists are predicting environmental Armageddon if carbon reduction targets are not met.
Only 28% of those surveyed are addressing gender equality in their supply chains, with just 32% actively ensuring they aren’t sourcing from areas affected by conflict and violence. Despite this, just 2% of respondents thought their companies had irresponsible supply chains.
The report, authored by the Economist Intelligence Unit for Standard Chartered, interviewed 100 respondents from each of China, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and the US. The majority of respondents came from companies with turnover of more than US$500mn.
The research shows that where companies are addressing supply chain responsibility, they are going for the low-hanging fruit.
60% are tackling workplace safety, which is considered relatively easy to monitor (however, it’s obviously a welcome trend, in the wake of disasters such as the Rana Plaza fire in Bangladesh). 55% are looking to waste reduction and recycling, while 50% are addressing working hour limits.
The relative failure to address more pressing and potentially catastrophic concerns speaks to how difficult they are to tackle: eradicating child labour from your supply chain is more costly than ensuring there’s a recycling bin in each office. But the message of the report is: there’s no excuse.
“Multinational firms are the architects of global supply chains. As such they must deal with the shifting economic, technological, political and social forces and pressures operating on their supply chains, employees, customers and regulators. It is not much of an exaggeration to say that their ability to navigate and respond will be one (perhaps the) decisive factor for the future of a reasonably integrated and sustainable global economy,” says Nobel Prize winning economist Michael Spence of the University of New York, in a note accompanying the report.
This sentiment extends to trade finance banks and other financial institutions. Just 27% of executives cited banks as an important influence on their responsible supply chain policy, with just 20% citing stock exchanges (one wonders how many would change their tune if stock prices were concretely affected by irresponsible sourcing).
However, in interviews of influential business figures conducted along with the report, it emerged that banks are considered to have a good deal of potential to either support, incentivise or hamper responsible conduct. “Financial stakeholders are missing opportunities to positively influence supply chain responsibility,” the report reads.
The findings tie in with research conducted by Westpac at an event in September 2016. More than 100 people were quizzed at GTR‘s Asia Trade & Treasury Week in Singapore in September, with just 12% thinking that financial institutions “have the most responsibility in driving sustainable trade”.
This was a surprising total, given the amount of focus banks’ PR teams and industry bodies put on their sustainability efforts. The message from both pieces of research is clear: banks and companies must do better, when it comes to sustainable supply chain. Read the full report from the EU here
First published at www.gtreview.com


text:
EMERYVILLE, Calif., Jan. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Amyris, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMRS), a leading synthetic biotechnology company active in the Clean Health and Beauty markets through its consumer brands and a top supplier of sustainable and natural ingredients, today announced it has been selected as one of the top global organizations making a positive social or environmental impact. The Real Leaders 2021 Impact Awards ranked Amyris #23 among 150 recognized companies. A special ceremony to honor the winners will be held on January 27, 2021.
Real Leaders recognizes purpose-driven companies whose products or services address social and environmental challenges and that are growing and thriving as a result of their commitment to sustainability. Amyris receives its recognition alongside other pioneering companies across a range of industries, such as Tesla, Natura, Danone, Etsy, Unilever and Patagonia.
Nominees were ranked based on their “Force For Good” score which considers 2017-2019 revenue growth rate and an overall impact score. Amyris’s product-related revenue (Consumer and Ingredients excluding one-off transactions) doubled over the two-year period, demonstrating the tremendous potential of its proprietary Lab-to-Market synthetic biology platform to develop, scale and commercialize natural ingredients and sustainable products.
“For sustainability to be a difference maker for everyone on our planet, including the planet itself, it has to be mainstream. It has to be something people naturally do, feel good about doing, and because it’s the first choice, not the alternative,” said John Melo, President and Chief Executive Officer of Amyris. “We’re honored to be recognized as a Top Impact Company and believe this award further validates our success over the past several years and that doing good for the planet and people is good business.”
“These top impact companies prove that businesses can thrive by being a force for good,” said Mark Van Ness, Founder of Real Leaders. “They are the Real Leaders of the New Economy.”
Amyris’s recognition builds on the momentum of its expanding consumer brand portfolio, including recent announcements of launching a leading haircare brand with Jonathan Van Ness, American hairdresser, television personality, podcast host, actor and author, and expanding the company’s Biossance clean beauty skincare brand into the Greater China Market. Amyris also recently announced its Bonsucro Chain of Custody Certification, based on a standard that ensures that sustainability claims along the sugarcane supply chain are traceable from farmer to end user.
About Real Leaders
Real Leaders is the world’s first business and sustainable leadership magazine and serves a community of visionaries, collaborating to regenerate our world. Its mission is to inspire better leaders for a better world. Real Leaders is a Certified B-Corp and signatory in the United Nations Global Compact (an advocate for achieving the global goals for sustainable development). Real Leaders positions leaders to thrive in the new economy and to inspire the future. Visit www.real-leaders.com for more information.
Amyris (Nasdaq: AMRS) is a science and technology leader in the research, development and production of sustainable ingredients for the Clean Health & Beauty and Flavors & Fragrances markets. Amyris uses an impressive array of exclusive technologies, including state-of-the-art machine learning, robotics and artificial intelligence. Our ingredients are included in over 3,000 products from the world’s top brands, reaching more than 200 million consumers. Amyris is proud to own three consumer brands – all built around its No Compromise® promise of clean ingredients: Biossanceâ clean beauty skincare, Pipetteâ clean baby skincare and Purecane™, a zero-calorie sweetener naturally derived from sugarcane. For more information, please visit www.amyris.com.
Amyris, the Amyris logo, No Compromise, Biossance, Pipette, and Purecane are trademarks or registered trademarks of Amyris, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.


text:
Global cocoa prices are witnessing a meteoric rise, reaching new historic levels on Thursday, amidst ongoing struggles by traders to secure supplies due to forecasts of a larger deficit during the current season and increased concerns about the next season.
The surge in prices is reflected on store shelves, where the American chocolate manufacturing company Hershey expects a further decline in demand for its products by consumers, following a 6.6 percent drop in sales volume in the fourth quarter. Hershey, whose stocks have declined by approximately 30 percent from their peak in May 2023, earlier stated that it anticipates the increase in cocoa prices to limit its profit growth this year.
Sales volumes also decreased for its competitor, Mondelez International’s Cadbury, in the last quarter.
Hershey’s CEO, Michele Buck, stated on Thursday that the profit growth of the chocolate industry will remain steady this year due to historically high cocoa prices.
Hershey reported a net income of $349 million for the fourth quarter, a decrease of about 12 percent compared to the same period last year.
El Niño Devours Cocoa
The climatic phenomenon El Niño, causing higher temperatures in West Africa, is damaging crop yields in Ghana and Ivory Coast, the two largest cocoa producers.
Hamza Hussein, the commodity analyst at TD Asset Management, told CNBC on Thursday, “Changing weather patterns mean that potential cocoa yields are now permanently weak.”
Jim Ritter, a meteorologist and commodity trading advisor at Best Weather Inc, added, “Looking back 47 years, every major price increase has been followed by a significant price decrease of about 20-50% over a period ranging from one to two years. Is this situation different? According to our sources in cocoa farms in West Africa… yes!”
He further stated, “At least for the time being, supply constraints are likely to continue for another month or two,” citing the current damage inflicted on cocoa crops due to strong Harmattan winds in the West African region, the largest cocoa producer.
Earlier, analysts at Commerzbank wrote in a note, “There are fears that the dry weather fueled by the Harmattan winds may affect mid-crop yields in West Africa, which begins in April.” Harmattan winds are cold and dry winds that blow from the northeast or east in the Western Sahara.
According to Commerzbank, cocoa exports from Ivory Coast, the largest cocoa-producing country, have fallen by 35 percent since the beginning of the harvest season in October until the end of January, compared to the same period last year.
Cocoa futures in London hit a record level at £4,670 per ton during Thursday’s session on the ICE exchange before closing at £4,660 per ton, up 7.3 percent for the week, nearly doubling in price since the beginning of last year.
On the New York exchange, cocoa futures reached a new all-time high at $5,874 per ton, closing up 7.3 percent at $5,805 after rising by about 90 percent since the beginning of last year.
Exporters and grain traders in Ghana, the second-largest cocoa producer, told Reuters that cocoa production for the current 2023-2024 season is expected to reach only 475,000 to 500,000 tons, compared to 655,000 tons last year.
Last week, a Reuters poll forecasted a global deficit of 375,000 tons in the 2023-2024 season, more than double the average expectations in the previous poll in August, indicating a third consecutive deficit in the market.
An industry source told Reuters that traders fear the shortage may extend into next year, with the need to compensate for the lost quantities of this season’s crop with beans from the next season.
In other soft commodities, raw sugar rose 0.4 percent to 23.98 cents per pound, while white sugar rose 1.4 percent to $665.70 per ton.
Arabica coffee fell 1.1 percent to $1.8585 per pound, while Robusta coffee lost 0.2 percent to $3,109 per ton.


text:
If you shop at Whole Foods, you may find the grocery store understaffed on Tuesday.
Organizers of an online petition are encouraging employees at the national chain — which is owned by Amazon — to call in sick on March 31.
A petition posted to coworker.org by the Whole Worker’s National Organizing Committee, which has been attempting to organize the company's workers since 2018, calls for better working conditions amid the coronavirus pandemic.
UNEMPLOYMENT: Macy’s furloughs most of its 130,000 staff amid pandemic
“Whole Foods has temporarily relaxed its strict attendance policy, which means that team members can participate in this act of protest without fear of reprisal," the group wrote.
Demands to Amazon include “guaranteed paid leave for all workers who isolate or self-quarantine instead of coming to work” as well as the “reinstatement of health care coverage for part-time and seasonal workers.”
Whole Worker is also looking for hazard pay in the form of double pay during scheduled working hours as well as an immediate shutdown of any location where a worker tests positive for COVID-19, with payment for workers continued.
STAYING SAFE: How you can avoid coronavirus exposure while shopping
At least four Whole Foods stores in Chicago, Massachusetts, Florida and New York have had employees test positive for COVID-19.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Whole Worker (@wholeworkerwfm) on
As grocery store employees continue to work through local and state shelter-in-place orders, Whole Foods is not the first company experiencing new demands from workers. Employees at Trader Joe’s petitioned for better benefits and hazard pay earlier this month and as many as 150,000 workers for grocery delivery service Instacart planned a nationwide strike for Monday, demanding “proper safety precautions” implemented by the company.
STAY POSITIVE: 15 pieces of good news to come out coronavirus pandemic
Whole Foods provided the following statement when asked about the petition demands:
“As we address unprecedented demand and fulfill a critical need in our communities, Whole Foods Market is committed to prioritizing our Team Members’ wellbeing, while recognizing their extraordinary dedication. We have taken extensive measures to keep people safe, and in addition to social distancing, enhanced deep cleaning and crowd control measures, we continue rolling out new safety protocols in our stores to protect our Team Members who are on the front lines serving our customers. Team Members in our stores and facilities also have access to up to two weeks of paid time off if they test positive for COVID or are quarantined, an additional $2 per hour on top of hourly base pay, and increased overtime pay. Whole Foods Market's longstanding open door policy encourages direct dialogue between Team Members and leadership, feedback which continues to shape the decisions we are making every day.”
Tessa McLean is a digital editor with SFGATE. Email her at email@example.com or follow her on Twitter @mcleantessa.


text:
It has been a while since a BlackBerry device has made waves but the Passport is changing that. Released last month the device quickly sold out after it became available. BlackBerry is actually have trouble meeting demand, which is something the company hasn’t experienced in a long time. The Passport is getting in the press for a variety of reasons including its incredible build quality. A new extreme drop test puts the Passport in situations that it may never encounter in a conventional user’s hands but it holds up very nicely.
We have already covered a BlackBerry Passport drop test video which put the device through conventional drop tests. It was concluded in that video that the Passport is really well built and is capable of withstanding more than you can put it through.
This one though is a whole different game. In this video the Passport gets thrown across a baseball field, dropped from a height of 20 feet twice, run over by a car, smacked with a hammer and still it holds up. You’ve got to hand it to BlackBerry, it has built a really sturdy device. Oh, and it doesn’t bend.
Another reason why the Passport is getting press these days is because of its quirky shape. The 4.5-inch smartphone has an unconventional square form factor with a full QWERTY keyboard that doubles as a trackpad.


text:
Buddy's Pizza introduced its new CEO on Wednesday during a preview of its new downtown Detroit location that opens Dec. 11 with an ode to the Motown Museum.
The new Detroit-style pizzeria at 1565 Broadway St. in the Madison Building will funnel all of its opening day sales to benefit the museum and its community programs, according to a news release.
Buddy's donation goes to a museum that commemorates the history of the vastly influential Motown Records and founder Berry Gordy. The museum at 2648 W. Grand Blvd. is undergoing a $50 million expansion. The pizza sales will be directed to museum initiatives including summer camps, an annual singing competition, an annual spoken word event and other "community-focused placemaking activities," the release said.
The pizza chain founded in Detroit in 1946 also introduced its new CEO, Burton Heiss, Wednesday at a media preview event. The status of Robert Jacobs — past CEO and son of Billy and Shirley Jacobs, who purchased the business in 1970 — was not known. Crain's requested more details.
Buddy's in early 2018 took on a new majority investor, restaurant investment firm CapitalSpring, to fuel quicker expansion. Jacobs has previously declined to comment on financial or ownership changes.
"Opening the downtown location feels like we're truly coming home, and the support from the community has been overwhelming," Heiss said in the release.
Its grand opening celebration, starting at 11 a.m. Dec. 11, includes performances from artists participating in Motown Museum programs. There will also be a booth selling museum merchandise and Motown-themed trivia.
Buddy's also plans a social media scavenger hunt. It will place 100 Buddy's-branded records at Detroit landmarks. Those who bring the records to the restaurant will win a free four-square pizza, the release said. Also, those who post a picture of a record on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #BuddysDowntown will be entered to win a pizza a month for a year.
New for the new location near Grand Circus Park, Buddy's will offer quick-service pizza called Buddy's by the Square, sandwiches and wraps to go for what it sees as a faster-paced, pedestrian clientèle. Seated dining is still available.
The latest Buddy's opens in a Bedrock LLC-owned space vacated by Angelina Italian Bistro in late 2017. The pizza shop will employ 125 and seat around 225, including on an outdoor patio, Buddy's previously told Crain's. The approximately 7,000-square-foot space is similar in size to its other restaurants.
Buddy's is widely recognized as the originator of Detroit-style pizza pies — rectangular with thick crust and crunchy edges, baked in deep steel pans.


text:
Mini India will launch the Mini John Cooper Works in our country with an exclusive range of John Cooper Works Accessories. A news which was confirmed by the company in a press release and today even tweeted about by the Auto Expo twitter page.
Lifestyle cars like the Mini Cooper S and the Countryman will be strutting their stuff at the auto show, but taking the cake will be the hotter and more sportier version of the Mini, courtesy the tuning company called John Cooper Works. This company, like many of us may know, provides the performance upgrades for the Bavarian carmaker.
What will be showed at the expo will be a highly upgraded version of the Mini Cooper S and the Countryman. Looking at the pictures one might have already come to the conclusion as to what changes the company has brought in. The colour treatment makes it look bolder, bigger and raring to go.
The John Cooper Works concept car seen in the pictures is in a Bright Highways Grey colour with decals in red. It adorns a body kit giving it an aggressive look. The grille has black coloured surrounds and a red horizontal slat at the bottom. It is badged with ‘John Cooper Works’.
The front bumper of the vehicle gets air intakes instead of the fog lamps seen on the outgoing car. With a similar badge on the side profile, the car brags about the side skirts with red lining and red OVRMs. The rear spoiler has been painted in red while the bumper at the back gets dual exhausts tips placed in the centre. It also houses a diffuser. The car stands tall on 18-inch alloy wheels.
This is one car which they want to be seen and have previously displayed the John Coopers Works concept at the Detroit Motor Show in January.


text:
Just Eat Takeaway has sold its one-third stake in Latin American delivery app business iFood, in a deal worth up to €1.8bn that provides a vital cash injection to the company under pressure from changing consumer tastes since the pandemic.
Through the transaction, Dutch investment group Prosus will acquire the remaining third of the iFood business it does not already own.
Movile, an affiliate of Prosus, will pay €1.5bn in cash with a further €300mn contingent on the performance of the online delivery food sector over the next 12 months.
Just Eat has been hit by a slowdown in consumer demand, as people cut back on spending on takeaways amid a cost of living crisis. The company has reported a 7 per cent decrease in orders in the first half of 2022 compared with the same period last year.
The London-listed group has been forced into accepting a smaller amount for its iFood stake amid growing financial pressures on the company. Earlier this month, it wrote down $3bn from the value of its US subsidiary Grubhub, just a year after acquiring the group for $7.3bn.
Just Eat said last year that it rejected a €2.3bn offer for its stake in iFood, saying the sum was “simply too low”. It valued its investment in the Brazil-based business as worth €1.74bn as of June 30 this year. Analysts have previously suggested the iFood share could sell for between $1.5bn and $4bn.
On Friday, Just Eat said the proceeds of the sale will help “maintain its balance sheet strength” and with the repayment of debt.
Shares in Just Eat are down almost 80 per cent over the past year and investors have pressured the company to sell assets to boost shareholder confidence.
iFood was founded in 2011. Just Eat merged its fledgling Brazilian subsidiary RestauranteWeb with iFood in 2014. The decision was seen as a coup given the company has since cornered 80 per cent of the domestic market.
Prosus increased its position in iFood to 67 per cent through Brazilian internet company Movile, in which it is a major shareholder, and has ramped up investments since 2013. Negotiations with Just Eat for its 33 per cent holding commenced in 2020.
In March, Uber Eats withdrew from the Brazilian meal delivery market amid fierce competition. The Brazilian antitrust agency Cade has since prohibited iFood from signing exclusive contracts with restaurants after competitor Rappi filed a petition alleging the group’s practices were restrictive.
Additional reporting by Michael Pooler in Belo Horizonte


text:
Late last month, the American Herbal Products Association sent a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requesting the denial of a petition to allow the use of ionizing irradiation on dietary supplements and dietary ingredients.
AHPA only recently become aware of the food additive petition, which was filed in 2003 by Steris Corp., when it was referenced in the June 2007 preamble to the FDA's final rule on current good manufacturing practice for dietary supplements. The petition asks the FDA to allow ionizing irradiation up to a dose of 30 kiloGray for controlling microbial contamination of dietary ingredients.
The FDA already allows this type of radiation to preserve and kill bacteria in some meats and produce, but the dosage is regulated and only dry spices and frozen meats for NASA are allowed a dose as high as 30 kiloGray. The limits on all other food types are significantly less. For example, fresh pork is allowed a maximum dose of 1 kiloGray and poultry is allowed a maximum dosage of 3 kiloGray.
AHPA President Michael McGuffin, who signed the letter, says he is not an expert on irradiation, nor does he know what — if any — harm the process might cause dietary supplements and herbs. The issue, he says, is that Steris Corp. has the burden to prove that the irradiation at the dosage it's asking for won't cause harm, and the company has not done so. "This is a bad petition because the petition process requires petitioners to be knowledgeable," McGuffin says.
In addition to the trade association's members, he says the letter was written with consumers in mind. "We think we know our customers, the people who use herbs and vitamins," he says. "Customers assume those are natural products. We think they'd prefer not to have irradiated products."
The letter states that there is no need for ionizing radiation to treat this class of goods because "current good manufacturing practice is usually sufficient to ensure that dietary supplements are not subject to microbial contamination that presents any risk to the health of consumers."
McGuffin also writes that the petition, should it be approved, could allow the United States to become a dumping ground for poor quality herbal ingredients from around the world, as irradiation of herbal ingredients is not permitted in many countries.
Should the FDA choose to allow irradiation of dietary ingredients, AHPA says the requested dosage is unacceptable. "Steris Corp. has proposed that only astronauts would be able to obtain foods treated with higher limits of ionizing radiation than dietary supplements, and has apparently ignored the fact that, while spices are used in small amounts, dietary supplements may be consumed in quantities of several grams per day."
Steve Norton, a spokesman for Steris Corp., says the petition regarding irradiation of dietary supplements is one the company is no longer pursuing with the FDA. It was filed back in 2003 on behalf of a customer who manufactured dietary supplements as a means of seeking clarification on irradiation. That company is no longer a client. The maximum dose in the petition was based on spices because of their similar composition.
Norton adds that there is no law currently prohibiting irradiation of dietary supplements. "There seems to be a misconception that food becomes radioactive," he says. "It's a process that's in use for a broad range of food products to eliminate bacteria and mold."


text:
The LG Viper has a stylish, eco design and a wallet-friendly price, but you might not be able to utilize its 4G LTE speeds any time soon.
Not everything that's free is good. When it comes to Android phones, free can be a bad thing.
The device is LG's first that will be available with an unlimited data plan on Sprint’s 4G LTE network.
Top mobile device makers including Apple and Samsung were sued on Tuesday by Graphics Properties Holdings.
Analysis: Established vendors want to set their smartphones apart from emerging less expensive devices. But does reputation beat a bargain?
Dolby's new HDR technology will allow you to take High Dynamic Range photos with a phone camera and save them to JPEG-HDR.
We got our hands on three of LG's new smartphones at a Mobile World Congress event, including the quad-core 4X HD, the Optimus 3D Max, and the Optimus Vu tablet/phone hybrid.
Mobile World Congress is the largest show for phones and sets the tone for annual mobile trends. Ginny Mies gives us a sneak peek at the 2012 show.
The world's largest mobile-devices show, which starts Monday, should provide updates on quad-core phones and tablets, the consumer version of Microsoft's Windows 8, and much more.


text:
Since the heyday of "Super Smash Bros. Melee" for the Nintendo GameCube, the competitive Smash Bros. community has largely favored the GameCube controller for serious play. Even with iterations on future consoles, series publisher Nintendo has made the controller compatible to please those who prefer it.
Because it has remained relevant for so many years, the controller has gained legendary status among both competitive Smash Bros. players and video game fans at large.
Alongside the recent "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate" for the company’s Switch console, Nintendo released an adapter that allows users to play the game with the GameCube controller.
To Smash Bros. tournament competitor Gustavo Cervantes, a junior public relations major at the University of Georgia, the GameCube controller is the best one for the latest entry.
“I have been testing out all the different control options, and personally, I’m finding that the GameCube controller at the end of the day ends up winning out,” Cervantes said.
Cervantes attributes his preference for the controller to familiarity.
“Your muscle memory ends up paying off in dividends just because of the fact that everything is mapped the way that it has been for way more than a decade now,” Cervantes said. “It just feels the most natural.”
However, because his acquaintance with the controller is the only reason for his partiality to it, Cervantes doesn’t think it’s inherently supreme for serious Smash Bros. play.
“I’ve been playing with a lot of different video game controllers in the past year... and the truth is, the GameCube controller is actually not really that intuitive,” Cervantes said. “The button layout and the asymmetrical sides of the sticks and the way that the triggers are pressure-sensitive — all this makes the controller not ideal.”
Although sophomore statistics major Eli Lemmond, another tournament player at UGA, also prefers the GameCube controller, he shares Cervantes’ belief it has no qualities that make it objectively optimal for competitive “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.”
“I do use the GameCube controller, but it’s mostly down to personal preference,” Lemmond said. “I used it for the entirety of [“Super Smash Bros. for Wii U”], and it’s just what I’m more comfortable with. You can get by on a Switch Pro Controller, and it works just as well.”
Despite also favoring the GameCube controller for competitive “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate,” tournament competitor Charles Tantillo, a junior cognitive science major at UGA, feels the Switch Pro Controller is objectively better for serious play. Like Cervantes and Lemmond, he only ascribes his preference for the GameCube controller to familiarity.
“You could argue that the more recent Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers are better competitively. In addition to having an extra shoulder button, there’s a trigger button and a bumper button on both sides of the controller,” Tantillo said. “It also responds very, very slightly faster, like about 2/16 of a second.”
Tantillo speculates the reason for his controller preference is part of a larger trend within the competitive Smash Bros. community.
“I personally play with a GameCube controller, as do the vast majority of competitive players,” Tantillo said. “However, I think a big part of that is just that’s what people are comfortable with.”
Cervantes believes any controller is viable for competitive “Smash Bros.” if the user is comfortable enough with it.
“At the end of the day, you should play with the controller that you feel the most comfortable with no matter what,” Cervantes said. “I remember there was a guy... who would go to tournaments and compete in [“Super Smash Bros. for Wii U”] with a Wii Remote and a Nunchuck, and the thing is... he was a really good Pikachu [player] who could really hold his own.”


text:
Free From Food Expo
Free From Food show is Europe’s leading health trade show. Discover the latest in the free-from industry. Meet with the leading industry members and companies all dedicated and focussed on free-from.
KLBD’s Sharon Feldman-Vazan, Retail Sales Manager, will be giving a talk that is not to be missed. As part of the conference program Sharon will be speaking on Thursday 9th June alongside over 40 international speakers. Here she will be explaining the importance and relevance of kosher certification within the Free-From market.


text:
Waitrose reports surge in low and no alcohol sales
Waitrose & Partners is reporting a surge in low and no alcohol sales.
The latest figures by the supermarket reveal that sales of no and low alcohol beer are up 50% compared to this time last year, followed by alcohol-free spirits (up 49%).
Searches on Waitrose.com also suggest the nation is becoming more creative with their low and no drinks, with searches for ‘virgin cocktails’ up 100% year on year.
Searches for ‘non alcoholic gin’ have seen a 211% increase year-on-year on Waitrose.com, while ‘non alcoholic beer’ searches have increased by 29.8% and ‘non alcoholic drinks’ by 157%.
To tap into this growing trend, Waitrose has recently launched a exclusive High & Lows selection pack from Brewdog, containing six alcoholic beers and four non-alcoholic options.
Waitrose has also launched two new drinks as part of its Scrumptious Summer range. Flavours such as elderflower and ginger are surging in popularity, with the new Elderflower Refresher and fruity Raspberry Ripple Cordial helping to quench the nation's thirst, the retailer said.
Alex Valentine, No & Low Alcohol buyer at Waitrose & Partners said: “The trend for low and no alcohol drinks has continued to grow over the last year and this has encouraged us to expand our range of non-alcoholic wines, beers and spirits.
“As more customers look to reduce their alcohol intake, they are able to use this growing range to creatively recreate their favourite tipples with even more ease and enjoy the delicious flavours without the need for alcohol.”


text:
Streaming video giant now allows users to download some content to mobile devices.
Netflix said on Wednesday it would allow offline viewing of streamed videos, a feature long sought by users who want to watch on a plane or to avoid data-connection charges.
A Netflix statement said that “many of your favorite streaming series and movies” would be available for download and offline viewing on mobile devices. “While many members enjoy watching Netflix at home, we’ve often heard they also want to continue their Stranger Things binge while on airplanes and other places where Internet is expensive or limited,” said a blog post from product innovation chief Eddy Wu. “Just click the download button on the details page for a film or TV series and you can watch it later without an Internet connection.”
Netflix did not offer details on how much content would be available offline, noting that it was in discussion with copyright owners. “Netflix is working with lots of partners globally to get downloading rights for the bulk of the content on our service,” a statement emailed to AFP said. “This is an ongoing effort as we know consumers want this capability and we are working to provide it.”
Netflix, which is in a global push and has more than 86 million members, is facing increasing competition from rivals including Amazon, which also is in the midst of an international expansion of its streaming service.
Amazon already allows downloads of videos—noting that some content is restricted by copyright holders in terms of offline viewing.
Netflix users had been unable to download and view videos offline through its mobile application, but workarounds had been offered by third-party apps.


text:
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Charlotte Russe Holding Inc. CHIC, -0.90% said fourth-quarter net profit jumped to $24.3 million, or 97 cents a share, from $6.1 million, or 25 cents a share a year ago. Net sales for the period rose 21.9% to $188.6 million. Income from continuing operations was 51 cents a share. Analysts polled by Thomson First Call were expecting earnings of 49 cents a share on sales of $189 million. The firm said it had benefited from a strong back-to-school season through September, with same-store sales rising 7.4% as the firm regained market-share. The firm also benefited from an additional extra week in the quarter. Charlotte Russe said it expects to report low single-digit same-store sales increases during the first two quarters of 2007, with combined earnings per share for the two quarters of 64 cents to 70 cents.
Have breaking news sent to your inbox. Subscribe to MarketWatch's free Bulletin emails. Sign up here.


text:
“The updated legislation prohibits the sale of cannabis buds for smoking or the provision of smoking equipment within shops.”
The Thai Public Health Ministry has finalised the new version of the Cannabis-Hemp Act, according to Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew.
Contrary to earlier speculation, the new law will NOT reclassify cannabis as a narcotic. Minister Cholnan says that the revised legislation, now comprising approximately 70 sections, addresses public concerns and closes loopholes that might allow the recreational use of cannabis.
The lack of a formal cannabis bill has caused confusion and a proliferation of retail shops and quasi ‘recreational use’ which was never intended by the original decriminalisation. The coalition leader, the Pheu Thai party, campaigned on a winding back of the current situation and a crackdown on recreational use of marijuana. Opposition leaders Move Forward also wanted to allow cannabis for medicinal purposes only.
While the core of the new law still designates cannabis as a controlled herb, any extract containing more than 0.2% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is classified as a narcotic.
Minister Cholnan reiterated support for medicinal cannabis use but emphasised that recreational use is not endorsed. Under the new law, even individuals cultivating cannabis for personal use must obtain permission.
In the original Cannabis and Hemp Law draft, households could grow up to 15 plants for personal use, merely requiring them to inform local authorities.
However, the revised law mandates seeking permission before cultivation. Existing cannabis shops with licenses can continue operations but must adhere to the new regulations, including prohibiting on-site cannabis smoking and refraining from selling dried cannabis buds.
The law will provide clarity on venues prohibited from selling or permitting cannabis on their premises. Minister Cholnan clarified that while not all cannabis shops will be shut down, they must comply with the law.
The updated legislation prohibits the sale of cannabis buds for smoking or the provision of smoking equipment within shops.
The legality of smoking cannabis at home remains a grey area, pending further public feedback. Regarding whether cannabis and hemp should be governed by separate laws, Minister Cholnan acknowledged the discussion but highlighted that current regulations consider hemp as a type of cannabis with low THC levels.
The Public Health Ministry plans to allow public scrutiny of the law, with a feedback window scheduled until mid-December. The public will have two weeks to provide opinions, and the minister will assess whether any further updates are necessary before submitting the law to the cabinet.


text:
You know the saying, “there are two sides to every story.” During the height of the pandemic, many of us were relying on our pets, or even acquiring new pets to provide us comfort and brighten our days spent in isolation.
According to a recent CNN Health article, psychologist Harold Herzog who has studied the human-animal connection states, “Higher survival rates, fewer heart attacks, better blood pressure…lower rates of depression and stress levels,” are some of the recorded health benefits of owning a pet.
The waters are still muddied as continued research finds varying degrees of stress on pet owners during the pandemic. Socioeconomic status and other stressors seem to have the biggest impact on the stress levels of owning a pet.
LOWER STRESS LEVELS
For some of us, pet ownership during the pandemic, lessened our stress levels and feelings of isolation:
- Persons living alone could find comfort in having a pet to take care of
- Frequent dog walks provided exercise and fresh air
HIGHER STRESS LEVELS
The pandemic also provided some with increased stress as the home environment changed due to the need for isolation:
- Those struggling to manage with children at home, online learning and working from home
- Financial burdens (the uncertainty surrounding the ability to pay for veterinary care and daily care of their pets)
THE CURRENT STATE OF PANDEMIC PETS
So, this is where the two sides come into play! According to a survey conducted by Forbes, “78% of those surveyed, acquired pets during the pandemic.”
As the world is reopening, most children are back to school and some of us, back to the workplace. There seems to be a divide on how to handle the current landscape of pet ownership; those spending more money on their pets, and those choosing to surrender them.
Increased spending on pets
Odds are, your beloved pets loved every single second of you being secluded with them at home during the pandemic.
According to the same Forbes Advisor article referenced above, “two-thirds of pet owners say they have spent more money on their pets in the last six months than they usually would in order to help the pets adjust to being alone more.”
As mentioned in one of our recent blogs, “No Longer Working from Home? How to Transition You and Your Pets,” we cover a variety of new technologies that can help occupy your pet’s time as you transition back to the office. Including, devices that allow to watch and interact with our pets, remotely!
Additionally, pet owners are spending more money on training. Destructive behaviors, including chewing, barking and crying are on the rise as pets are unhappy with spending time alone.
Post Pandemic Surrender
On a positive note, pet adoptions spiked during the pandemic as many of us looked to owning a pet for comfort, support and companionship.
Sadly, there is a current rise in the number of pets being surrendered to shelters. This may be happening for a variety of reasons; including pet owners going back to the workplace and having no one to care for their pet, and/or the increased financial burden of pet ownership.
According to Global News Canada, “Across Canada, shelters are now overwhelmed by an increasing number of surrendered animals.”
One thing to note, many of the surrendered pets that were acquired during the pandemic, are NOT the ones being brought to shelters. Why, you may ask? Most shelters are quite diligent when it comes to screening potential families looking to adopt. The application and approval process is quite extensive.
So, before you and your dog become a statistic, consider the following as an alternative to surrendering your pet to a shelter:
- Give yourself more time to think about the decision
- Ask friends and family for help
- Consider finding someone to adopt your pet (with meet and greets, of course)
- Find a pet food bank to help with the financial cost of owning a pet
ON A POSITIVE NOTE!
Vet visits during the pandemic were on the rise. As we were spending more and more time with our pets, we were noticing potential medical issues we may have otherwise not noticed, or overlooked.Additionally, now that some of us are back to work, many doggie daycare and dog walking services are fully booked. Thus, contributing more and more to the economy!