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Building Regenerative Foodscapes in Northwest India Outlines Key Strategies for Punjab’s Agrarian Ecosystem in a workshop by The Nature Conservancy

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CHANDIGARH, India, Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Nature Conservancy India Solutions (NCIS) conducted a two-day workshop in Chandigarh on ‘Transitioning Towards Regenerative Foodscapes in Northwest India‘ on December 4th and 5th, as part of its PRANA (Promoting Regenerative and No-Burn Agriculture) project. Chief Guest Mr. Ajit Balaji Joshi, Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare, Government of Punjab, accompanied by Professor Adarsh Pal Vig, Chairman, Punjab Pollution Control Board, Mr. Shoikat Roy, Member Punjab Development Commission and the Managing Director of Nature Conservancy India Solutions, Dr. Anjali Acharya kicked off the two day event, which saw over eighty agriculture experts across policy, science and practice.

Mr. Ajit Balaji Joshi, Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare, Government of Punjab as stated, “PRANA’s work in Punjab connects to the concept of ‘Pran’ which relates to oxygen. We are keen to increase agro-forestry and green cover in Punjab and it would be great to see such initiatives scale up. The good news is that crop residue burning count this year was more than 70% down as compared with last year, so there can be a lot of room for innovation in Punjab to improve farmer incomes and address environmental concerns. We need to work on maximizing farmer incomes through crop diversification and water savings. There can be ways of combining carbon credits with water credits and green credits and translate this into farmer incomes.”

Professor Adarsh Pal Vig, Chairman, Punjab Pollution Control Board shared hopeful evidence from Punjab’s crop residue management initiatives. “Ex-situ management of crop residue has doubled in Punjab since last year and the increase in industrial boilers (to 44 operational boilers with additional 31 boilers being installed) has significantly increased ex-situ management. Yet In-situ is the most natural way of managing crop residue and I call those farmers who have already been practising regenerative agriculture Nanak de Heere”.

Dr. Anjali Acharya, Managing Director, NCIS highlighted the need for collaborative efforts to support initiatives promoting economic viability, and offer alternatives to farmers in achieving long term environmental sustainability. She stated, “PRANA has been focused very much on crop residue management, but we are expanding into a regenerative foodscapes approach as we believe this is critically important. This workshop provides a strong technical background to enable this discussion. It covers crop residue management, crop diversification, the Energy-Water-Food Nexus, how to bring the private sector in, how to bring about cross regional learning, and exploring different types of financing options but at the end of the day we are trying to support this ecosystems in four ways, Innovation, Institutional Supporting, Partnerships and Financing, which will be key to scaling up the transition to regenerative foodscapes that is required in Punjab. So we’re happy to bring the knowledge and information and expertise and evidence base from our different pilots in Punjab to support the Punjab government to meet its goals.”

Two policy briefs were launched at the workshop—Charting a Course for Effective Crop Residue Management in Punjab- Key Learnings from TNC’s PRANA Project and Punjab’s Energy-Water-Food Nexus: Exploration of Drivers and Practical Ways Out. These briefs provide evidence with clear recommendations to support sustainable agriculture transition in Punjab. The workshop felicitated regenerative farmers from various districts across Punjab, giving them a platform to share their experience with participants.

Mr. Shoikat Roy, Member, Punjab Development Commission stated, “The nexus of  energy-water-agriculture-environment in Punjab and its interrelated crises of paddy over-production, stubble burning, and groundwater depletion is well understood. However, there are also solutions to such issues, some of which the Punjab Development Commission is spearheading. One solution to the groundwater/power problem is decentralized solarization coupled with replacement of existing pumps with energy efficient pumps and net billing to incentivize the farmer to save water/power. In this manner, the farmer continues to get free power while earning additional income and reducing water consumption and the state’s subsidy bill as well. PDC has also recommended a strong continued focus on cost-efficient ex-situ solutions such as CBG and industrial boilers along with incentivizing in-situ management for stubble burning. Lastly, maize-to-ethanol holds huge promise for paddy diversification in the coming years. This will require the active facilitation by Govt. of Punjab, a strong supportive role of Govt. of India independent of politics, and also cooperation and partnership of the wide variety of research and civil society stakeholders here – so that we can further scale up this work together.”

The sessions highlighted the interdependence of water, energy, and food production which demands a closer and structured approach to optimising the benefits for farmers while managing the available resources effectively. The participants discussed strengthening canal networks and water saving initiatives like Alternative Wetting and Drying (AWD) that save 30% water use for irrigation along with 48% reduction in methane emissions without affecting the yields, according to International Rice Research Institution (IRRI).

Ensuring that the private sector also plays a key role in scaling regenerative agriculture,  market-driven solutions such as carbon credits and the need for investments and policy reforms to encourage farmers toward regenerative practices were also discussed.

Addressing the interconnected agricultural challenges in Punjab to help farmers adapt to shifting climatic conditions requires Sustainable management of paddy residue, crop diversification, solarization, agro forestry and innovative financial mechanisms to build farmer incentives. Regenerative Foodscapes can be built through partnerships with projects such as PRANA which provide ground based evidence for enabling climate resilience in Punjab. PRANA has been working with an evidence-based approach working closely with its implementation partners who include Reviving Green Revolution Cell, Manav Vikas Sansthan (MVS), KPMG, Vertiver, and FarmSio. Expert discussions at the workshop have underscored the urgency of aligning policy, innovation and financial support to create an enabling environment that sets Punjab on the path to climate resilience and demonstrates solutions that can be scaled up across Northwest India.

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TNC’s PRANA project has engaged over 80,000 farmers across 6,200 villages in Punjab since 2021 for promoting Crop Residue Management (CRM) and regenerative agricultural practices. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) plans to adopt a regenerative Foodscape Approach. This approach will integrate regenerative farming, the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus, and community involvement to address Punjab’s agricultural and environmental challenges.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2574277/Building_Regenerative_Foodscapes.jpg

 

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Karma Automotive Announces Eximius, the Bespoke Vehicle Program for Elite Clients Seeking Singular Expressions of Extreme Performance and Bold Craftsmanship

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The First Eximius Creation, “Eximius 1,” is a Menacing Four-Seater Built for the Track which Makes its World Premiere at the 2026 Concours at Wynn Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Karma Automotive builds vehicles in the hundreds rather than the thousands, attracting a highly individualistic clientele seeking a unique statement. For those who wish to go further still, and explore new possibilities beyond the extensive options for personalization available through the Studio program, Karma has created the Eximius bespoke vehicle program. Eximius clients may modify the vehicle’s body, performance and powertrain, collaborating with Karma’s design and engineering teams to build a One-of-One statement which will never be repeated.

Karma Eximius clients may modify the vehicle’s body, performance and powertrain to build a One-of-One statement

The first vehicle from Karma Eximius debuts today at the 2026 Concours at Wynn Las Vegas. A menacing four-seater purpose-built for the track, “Eximius 1” is in ongoing development with its commissioning client, who is not revealed at this time. Upon delivery in 2027, “Eximius 1” will be fitted with an extreme-performance Plug-in Series Hybrid utilizing a 6.2 Liter V8 producing nearly 1200hp (550hp ICE, 645hp battery), delivering acceleration from 0-60mph in 2.7 seconds and a top speed in excess of 200mph (estimated). As these parameters would demand, “Eximius 1” will be equipped with carbon-ceramic brakes and two-piece slotted brake rotors, and Ohlins semi-active suspension.

“‘Eximius 1’ began as a conversation with an elite client who loves their Karma Revero, but wanted something more extreme and unexpected, which was music to our ears,” says Marques McCammon, President and Chief Executive, Karma Automotive. “The Eximius program effectively deletes the word ‘no’ from conversations about what’s possible,” he continues, “and as a four-seat track weapon packing what’ll be the most powerful Plug-in Series Hybrid powertrain and vehicle ever developed, ‘Eximius 1’ shatters expectations and further establishes Karma as a manufacturer of exotic, uniquely American vehicles.” 

Exterior Design
“Eximius 1” is an imposing vehicle to behold, exhibiting the muscularity and eyepopping strength of a superhero. Every panel – excluding the body surface outer – is constructed of pre-impregnated carbon fiber, and the vehicle is 50mm wider due to its wheel arch extensions. The front doors and hood have a unique technical fade from glossy, exposed regular carbon fiber to signature Borealis Blue paint.

The front carbon splitter sets an aggressive tone and is flanked by massive side air intakes incorporating Karma’s Target Acquisition Lighting, rotated 45º to create a distinctive ‘><‘ DRL graphic identity. On the hood, the dramatic arc of the Comet Line – which is inspired by Halley’s Comet is it streaks across the evening sky – widens from its apex towards the base of the windshield; vents above the front fenders release air pressure from the wheel housings and add further visual intrigue. Moving to the side of the vehicle, the front fenders aft of the wheels feature Karma’s signature “Backslash” bearing the number “5,” which is of particular significance to the commissioning client. 21″ Magnesium wheels with center-locks reduce rotating and unsprung mass, and are finished in satin black. Aft of the driver’s side front wheel, twin exhaust tips announce the fearsome new powertrain.

The full-width rear GT wing maximizes stability and downforce at high speeds, and continues the distinctive ‘><‘ DRL graphic identity established at the front of “Eximius 1.” The rear fascia also boasts large side air intakes which are connected by a dominant diffuser to manage underbody airflow.

Interior Design
An aura of intensity continues to the interior of “Eximius 1.” In concert with the exterior, blue-tinted carbon-fiber adorns the seats, flat-bottom steering wheel and doors; for aesthetics and weight-savings, all four doors are manufactured in exposed carbon fiber with one purposeful arm pad on each door. The seats, which are Recaro carbon fiber buckets up front, are trimmed with blue Alcantara and blue Italian leather with Moondust Alcantara upper sections, creating an articulated, form-fitted feel. To support high-speed driving and intense braking force, the accelerator, brake pedal and dead pedal are billet machined aluminum.

The instrument panel is reimagined in glossy carbon fiber and incorporates anodized billet aluminum HVAC vents. The carbon fiber center console is simplified to include the essentials only: the PRND gear selector, window switches, key fob holder, and Emergency kill switch. This console extends through to the rear compartment, to which the client’s custom-fitted carbon fiber racing helmet is held in place by a center-latched strap matching the blue seat belts.

About Karma Automotive
Karma Automotive is America’s only full-line ultra-luxury vehicle manufacturer, and a pioneer of Plug-in Series Hybrid vehicles which it manufactures at its Karma Innovation and Customization Center (KICC) in Moreno Valley, CA. Its Executive, Product Development, and Design headquarters are located in nearby Irvine, CA. The Karma portfolio embodies California’s spirit of innovation and entrepreneurial boldness, reflected by the signature Comet Line which is the central hallmark of Karma’s new design language. The Gyesera Grand Coupe, a Plug-in Series Hybrid four-seater, arrives at dealerships in December 2026; and the Amaris GT 2-Door Plug-in Series Hybrid arrives in Q4 2027. The Karma Kaveya Super Coupe, with over 1,000HP and butterfly-doors, will arrive in Q1 2028, to be followed by the Karma Ivara GT-UV: both EVs will incorporate SDVA (Software-Defined Vehicle Architecture) developed with leading technology partners. For more information, visit www.karmaautomotive.com) 

Media Contact:

Joe Richardson, (917) 716-6617
Joe@BeautifulNoisePR.com 

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SOURCE Karma Automotive

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ModelBest and OpenBMB Open-Source MiniCPM-OCR Series, Delivering High-Performance Document Parsing and AI-Powered Quality Control

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BEIJING, Oct. 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ModelBest and OpenBMB jointly announced the release and open-source availability of the MiniCPM-OCR series, a family of models for efficient document parsing and parsing-quality assessment. The launch includes two models: MiniCPM-OCR 1.0 (1.3B) and MiniCPM-OCR Jev (2B).

As the first OCR-focused model in the MiniCPM family, MiniCPM-OCR 1.0 brings top-tier parsing accuracy to a compact 1.3-billion-parameter architecture optimized for edge deployment, pushing forward the balance between efficiency and performance for open-source OCR models. Built for real-world conditions, it accurately parses scanned, photographed, curved, tilted and screen-captured documents without cumbersome image pre-correction, lowering the barrier to large-scale document digitization.

The model handles dense bilingual Chinese-English content, complex mathematical formulas, and multi-level or borderless tables, consistently performing at a leading level across a broad range of mainstream industry evaluations. Beyond full-page reconstruction, it supports key information extraction (KIE), pulling specified fields from invoices, IDs and financial statements according to business instructions.

Powered by DSpark decoding acceleration, MiniCPM-OCR 1.0 significantly increases end-to-end throughput while lowering per-page latency. For enterprises processing millions of pages—such as financial contract archives, academic libraries and government records—this means processing far more documents with the same hardware and time budget, at a substantially lower computing cost.

To address the long-standing need for page-by-page manual review, ModelBest and OpenBMB also introduced MiniCPM-OCR Jev, the first OCR result decision model that acts as an “AI quality inspector.” Rather than performing OCR itself, Jev compares the source image with OCR output and rapidly assigns confidence scores to text, LaTeX formulas and tables, detecting missing characters, errors and formatting misalignments. Despite its compact 2B-parameter size, Jev delivers judgment accuracy typically associated with far larger models.

Jev supports cross-model deployment and can be integrated into existing OCR workflows without replacing the underlying OCR engine. It can automatically identify reliable results for direct processing, flag potentially inaccurate outputs for human review and select the best result from multiple OCR systems. This enables enterprises to move from full manual inspection toward risk-based, automated quality control.

The MiniCPM-OCR series is available on GitHub, Hugging Face and ModelScope, and supports vLLM, SGLang, llama.cpp and Ollama, along with SDKs, APIs, Agent Skill plugins and open-source fine-tuning code. Day-0 hardware adaptation covers AMD, Arm, Houmo AI, Intel and NVIDIA. Through the FlagOS software stack, it also has Day-0 support for AI and edge chips from CIX Technology, Huawei Ascend, Hygon, Iluvatar CoreX, Kunlunxin, MetaX, Moore Threads, Sunrise, T-Head, TsingMicro, NVIDIA and Apple Mac (Arm).

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SOURCE ModelBest

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Wulcea Elevates Consumer Trust in Heated Apparel Through Multi-National Safety Certifications and Rigorous Technical Testing

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NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As smart heated clothing gains broader adoption, consumers are paying closer attention to the safety and reliability of the technology behind these products. Wulcea, a brand specializing in graphene-powered heated apparel, combines its flexible GrapheneNano™ heating technology with documented safety compliance and durability testing for its heating components and battery systems.

“Trust in smart heated apparel goes beyond warmth—it comes down to confidence in battery safety and heating element reliability,” said John C, Founder of Wulcea. “Our goal is to give users peace of mind through certified technical standards.”

Advanced Graphene Heating Elements Supported by Global Standards

At the core of Wulcea’s thermal architecture is its GrapheneNano™ heating technology. Engineered to eliminate garment stiffness, Wulcea integrates flexible graphene elements that deliver balanced warmth across key upper-body zones while preserving natural garment drape and full freedom of movement.

Wulcea supports its heating components with applicable compliance documentation for major markets. These include CE and FCC compliance documentation addressing relevant electrical and electromagnetic compatibility requirements, as well as PSE compliance for applicable products in Japan. RoHS compliance further addresses restrictions on specified hazardous substances in applicable electrical and electronic components.

Multi-Certified Battery System for Dependable Power

To power its heating elements, Wulcea pairs its heated apparel with rechargeable battery systems designed for convenient everyday use. Featuring a compact design and housed in dedicated interior pockets, the batteries provide portable power while maintaining a streamlined garment profile and comfortable fit.

Wulcea backs its battery options with comprehensive third-party accreditations. UL certification demonstrates that the battery system has been evaluated against recognized power bank safety requirements, covering key areas such as overcharge protection, short-circuit protection, and thermal safety. The battery systems are also supported by applicable CE and FCC compliance documentation, addressing relevant regulatory requirements for electrical and electromagnetic compatibility.

For daily handling and travel, RoHS compliance validates that the battery system meets stringent global standards for material safety. The battery models have also undergone applicable UN 38.3 testing, supporting compliance with international requirements for lithium battery transportation.

Real-World Durability and Practical Usability

Component compliance forms Wulcea’s foundation, but reliability is defined by real-world performance. Built for high-flex endurance, Wulcea’s flexible graphene heating elements are tested through 10,000 active flexing cycles to maintain steady thermal output through repeated bending and everyday body movement.

Everyday convenience is equally essential. Built for hassle-free care, Wulcea’s heating elements withstand 100 machine-wash cycles under standard care guidelines, maintaining internal conductivity and structural stability under repeated laundering.

Integrated NTC temperature sensors provide thermal monitoring and are designed to stop heating if temperatures exceed 131°F (55°C). Combined with runtime of up to 10 hours on the low setting and a discreet interior control button, these features support practical everyday use in cold-weather conditions.

Aligning Technical Standards with Everyday Warmth

By combining graphene-based heating technology with documented battery safety compliance and durability testing, Wulcea continues to focus on the technical foundations of dependable heated apparel. This approach reflects the brand’s emphasis on bringing together safety considerations, practical functionality, and everyday comfort for cold-weather use.

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SOURCE Wulcea

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