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PS Hogan highlights launch of National Food Security Strategy

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CALGARY, AB, June 24, 2026 /CNW/ – The Government of Canada is focused on building a stronger economy and making life more affordable for Canadians. Today, Corey Hogan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for Calgary Confederation, on behalf of the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, highlighted the launch of the National Food Security Strategy in Calgary, Alberta.

Backed by more than $3 billion in investments over 10 years, this strategy will drive productivity and innovation, support independent grocers, and create greater competition across Canada’s food system to help lower prices for Canadians.  

PS Hogan outlined the Strategy’s four main objectives:

Spur grocery store competition and create more choice for Canadians 
Canada’s new government will invest $1 billion in food infrastructure – including new and expanded food terminals and hubs – to help independent grocers buy and move competitively-priced products without relying on supply networks owned by large retail chains. Additional funding will also provide the Competition Bureau and Competition Tribunal with more resources to investigate, prevent, and combat unfair business practices.Boost domestic food production across Canada   
For decades, we’ve been paying other countries to convert what we already have into what we really need. This Strategy changes that. This Strategy launches a new $1 billion Agri-food Project Finance Fund through Farm Credit Canada (FCC), and a $150 million Food Security Fund to help Canadian businesses grow, produce, and process more food in Canada. The Strategy will also create a $100 million Collaborative Food Innovation Fund to help producers make better use of what they already grow – expanding processing so more parts of each crop are used, and so more value is kept in Canada.Grow fruits and vegetables year-round   
We will invest $750 million to drastically expand year-round Canadian production of fruits and vegetables, through greenhouses, vertical farms, and other enclosed growing spaces, including in rural and Northern communities. The Strategy will reduce reliance on long, costly supply chains by expanding local food production.Cut red tape across the agricultural supply chain 
To reduce the regulatory burden on farmers and producers, we will modernize key regulations; speed up approvals for seeds, feed, fertilizers, and veterinary products; and reduce backlogs that slow down the system. This will help farmers access the tools they need sooner, increase productivity, and stabilise the food supply. The Strategy will also help provincially licensed food businesses meet federal requirements so that a Canadian product made in one province or territory can more easily reach a shelf in another.

A country’s sovereignty depends on its ability to feed itself, fuel itself, and defend itself. And right now, Canada is not fully in control of our own food system. Our overreliance on foreign suppliers has left us vulnerable to global shocks – to conflicts overseas, to droughts, and to tariffs. Our new National Food Security Strategy is about changing that. It is about putting Canadians back in control of what we grow, of what we buy, and of what we put on our tables, so that we can build a truly strong, affordable, resilient Canada for all.

Quotes 

“The National Food Security Strategy is about giving Canadians greater choice, control, and access to affordable, locally produced food. Through this made-in-Canada approach we will be able to process more of what our farmers grow, creating new jobs, economic opportunity and more food self-sufficiency. By reducing red tape and helping innovative businesses get projects off the ground faster, we will unlock new opportunities for farmers, food processors, and entrepreneurs across the agri-food sector.”
     –  The Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food’

“This strategy takes practical steps to strengthen Canada’s food system by improving how food is produced, processed and delivered to communities, benefiting communities in Calgary. It will help create new opportunities for Canadian businesses while ensuring families have reliable access to affordable, locally grown food.”
    –  Corey Hogan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for Calgary Confederation

Quick Facts

The Strategy builds on federal measures already helping lower everyday costs for Canadians, including:Eliminating the Goods and Services Tax (GST) for first-time homebuyers on new homes up to $1 million and reducing it on new homes between $1 million and $1.5 million.Making the National School Food Program permanent, providing school meals for up to 400,000 children each year and saving participating families with two children in school an estimated $800 annually on groceries.Cancelling the federal consumer carbon price effective April 1, 2025, helping lower gas prices in most provinces and territories by around 18 cents per litre compared to 2024-25.Launching the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, providing a family of four up to $1,890 this year and about $1,400 a year for the next four years, and a single person up to $950 this year and about $700 a year for the next four years – reaching more than 12 million Canadians.To support Canadians while building a stronger domestic food system, the government is also:Providing $20 million to food banks and community food organisations across the country through the Local Food Infrastructure Fund’s Community Support Stream.Through Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and the Regional Development Agencies, the Government will call on industry leaders inviting them to put forward projects to improve the resilience and self-sufficiency in food processing by building new capacity, modernizing existing capacity and strengthening our support infrastructure. The Strategic Response Fund is to launch an early wave of its call for proposals in June 2026, followed by a second wave in the fall of 2026, in conjunction with Regional Development Agencies.Delivering immediate expensing for new or expanded greenhouse construction, providing upfront tax relief to help boost the domestic supply of fresh fruits and vegetables.Reforming the Nutrition North Canada program to improve food-related access, affordability, and long-term sustainability in Northern communities.

Additional Links 

National Food Security StrategyNational Food Security Strategy – placemat

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DUVA Introduces DUVA ONE at IFA 2026: Personalized Sleep Earbuds That Respond in Real Time

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3 hours ago

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September 6, 2026

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The Sleep System That Understands You Best.

BERLIN, Sept. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — DUVA, created by Fitnexa, is introducing DUVA ONE at IFA Berlin 2026. This intelligent in-ear sleep system is designed to sense changes in the user and the bedroom, then personalize audio, noise control, and device behavior throughout the night.

Most sleep wearables explain what happened after users wake up. DUVA ONE is designed to help while the night is still happening. Its low-profile earbuds, environment-sensing charging case, and app work together to determine when and how to respond.

A user might start the night with a podcast over Bluetooth. After they fall asleep, DUVA ONE can introduce locally stored sleep audio and optimize power use. If a partner begins snoring or traffic grows louder, it can adjust ANC or add sound masking. In the morning, a private offline alarm wakes only the wearer, without requiring an active phone connection.

In-ear PPG and motion sensors estimate sleep stages and track heart rate, HRV, sleep position, and movement, while the case monitors noise, light, temperature, and humidity. The AI Agent interprets these signals alongside playback status and personal preferences to select an appropriate response. Users control sleep audio, playback duration, ANC strategy, and nighttime interventions in the DUVA App.

“Sleep does not happen in a static environment, so sleep technology should not remain static either,” said Diego, Founder of Fitnexa. “DUVA ONE is designed to respond while sleep is still happening.”

Key Highlights

Layered noise relief: Passive isolation, Hybrid ANC, and sleep audio provide noise reduction of up to 42 dB, with Transparency Mode and adaptive ANC calibration.Personalized AI sleep guidance: The AI analyzes the user’s real-time sleep state and generates personalized audio guidance to help them gradually fall asleep.Side-sleeping comfort: Each fitted earbud weighs approximately 3.3 grams and has an approximately 9.9 mm low-profile design. Two ear-tip shapes and multiple tip and stabilizing-wing sizes provide more than 40 fit configurations.All-night battery: Up to 16 hours in the most power-efficient configuration, including 13 hours of local audio with ANC off and 9.5 hours with ANC on. The USB-C and wireless charging case provides up to five additional recharges.Private offline alarm: Alarms gradually increase in volume and offer 5, 10, or 15-minute snooze options through the earbud controls.Privacy-first sensing: DUVA ONE does not record conversations, store ambient audio, or upload raw environmental audio. Users can disable individual sensors and delete historical data.

DUVA ONE is planned for release in October 2026 at a target retail price of US$349.99, with target markets including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Australia.

Media Contact: essie@duva.com
Learn more: duva.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/duva-introduces-duva-one-at-ifa-2026-personalized-sleep-earbuds-that-respond-in-real-time-302870832.html

SOURCE DUVA

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China Xplained | The China Squeeze, or the China Opportunity?

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5 hours ago

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September 6, 2026

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GUANGZHOU, China, Sept. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — This is a news report from South: 

Is China’s manufacturing rise squeezing out or creating opportunities for other economies?

Ahead of the 2026 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in China this November, journalists and experts from around the world gathered in Guangdong for the Asia-Pacific Media Forum (APMF) 2026.

The forum opened in Shenzhen on September 5, bringing together more than 400 representatives from across the Asia-Pacific region, as well as from international organizations.

Before the opening of the forum, participants travelled across Guangdong to see China’s industries and development first-hand.

In this episode of China Xplained, we look at the numbers, supply chains, investment and voices from across the developing world—to ask a bigger question: Is China squeezing out room for other economies?

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/china-xplained–the-china-squeeze-or-the-china-opportunity-302870814.html

SOURCE South

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PUDU D7 Named Honoree in IFA Innovation Awards for Best in IFA Next & Emerging Technologies

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6 hours ago

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September 6, 2026

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BERLIN, Sept. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Pudu Robotics, a global leader in commercial service robotics, today announced that its PUDU D7 Semi-humanoid Intelligent Robot has been named an Honoree in the Best in IFA Next & Emerging Technologies category of the IFA Innovation Awards. The recognition highlights PUDU D7’s ability to combine mobile navigation, dexterous manipulation and intelligent sensing to perform a range of tasks in real-world industrial and commercial environments.

The IFA Innovation Awards recognize outstanding innovations across the global technology landscape. Entries are evaluated by an independent international jury based on criteria including technology and functionality, innovation and originality, and the potential to create tangible value for users and the market. The recognition places PUDU D7 among emerging technologies demonstrating new possibilities for the future of robotics.

From Industrial Operations to Guest Interaction

PUDU D7 is designed for industrial, warehouse, retail and hospitality environments, where it can move through human-oriented spaces and perform tasks that require both mobility and dexterous manipulation.

In industrial and warehouse settings, D7 can handle materials, pick items from shelves, replenish inventory, transport goods between work areas and push carts. With a payload capacity of up to 20 kg (44.1 pounds) and an operating height of up to 2 meters (6.6 feet), it can work with a range of storage systems and materials.

In retail, D7 can support shelf replenishment, item handling and store organization, moving products between storage areas and shelves and helping maintain product displays.

In hotels and hospitality, PUDU D7 can take on the role of an intelligent front-desk host, welcoming guests, preparing and serving coffee, interacting with visitors and providing engaging experiences. Its semi-humanoid form and dual-arm capabilities allow it to combine practical service tasks with natural human-robot interaction, bringing a more personable and engaging presence to the guest experience.

Designed for Adaptable Performance

PUDU D7 combines a dual-arm manipulation system, tactile sensing and a 360-degree perception system to support these applications. Front- and rear-facing LiDAR and other sensors enable navigation around people and obstacles, while tactile sensing provides precise control when handling objects.

The robot also features autonomous battery swapping, allowing it to independently replace its battery and reduce downtime during extended operation.

Together, these capabilities enable D7 to support different tasks across a range of environments without being limited to a single application.

PUDU D7 Makes Its European Debut at IFA

IFA 2026 marks the first time PUDU D7 is being showcased in Europe. At the Pudu Robotics booth, visitors can experience live demonstrations highlighting the robot’s capabilities and its potential for human-robot interaction.

D7 interacts directly with visitors through demonstrations including waving, making heart gestures and picking up objects. These demonstrations showcase the robot’s ability to combine movement, manipulation and interaction in a human-oriented environment.

Advancing the Next Generation of Intelligent Robotics

The IFA Innovation Awards recognition marks another step in Pudu Robotics’ expansion from service delivery, commercial cleaning and industrial delivery into embodied intelligent robotics.

PUDU D7 is part of Pudu Robotics’ broader strategy to develop a portfolio of specialized, semi-humanoid and humanoid robots, building on its capabilities in embodied navigation, manipulation and interaction. This approach enables the company to address a broader range of applications across commercial and industrial environments.

Pudu Robotics will continue working with customers and partners worldwide to explore new applications for embodied intelligence and bring increasingly capable robots into real-world environments.

About Pudu Robotics

Pudu Robotics is a global leader in commercial service robotics and the industry’s first company to offer a full portfolio spanning specialized, semi-humanoid, and humanoid robots. According to Frost & Sullivan’s latest market report, Pudu Robotics ranks No. 1 globally in commercial service robotics by both revenue and shipment volume. Built on its One Brain, Multiple Embodiments architecture, Pudu offers robots for service delivery, commercial cleaning, industrial delivery, and general embodied AI applications across hospitality, retail, healthcare, manufacturing, education, public services, and more. To date, Pudu Robotics has shipped over 130,000 robots to customers across 85+ countries and regions.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pudu-d7-named-honoree-in-ifa-innovation-awards-for-best-in-ifa-next–emerging-technologies-302870806.html

SOURCE Pudu Robotics

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