Raphael Stevens

In this articleAMZNRADWBACVSStore signs from CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens stores.Getty ImagesShares of CVS Health, Walgreens Boots Alliance and Rite Aid are falling Wednesday on a report that Amazon may open brick-and-mortar pharmacies.CVS shares were down about 3%, Walgreens was down nearly 4% and Rite Aid fell more than 4%.Amazon is considering whether to push further into selling prescriptions by opening stand-alone retail pharmacies or adding them to Whole Foods stores, according to a report by Business Insider that cited three anonymous people familiar with the matter.According to the report, discussions are in exploratory stages and if Amazon moves forward with the idea, it could take more than a year for the company to start opening stores.An Amazon spokesperson said the company doesn’t comment on rumor or speculation.”Amazon Pharmacy is focused on making at-home delivery pharmacy easier and more convenient for customers,” the spokesperson said in a statement.The company has shown interest in expanding into health care over the past several years. It acquired online pharmacy PillPack in 2018. Last year, it officially entered the business with Amazon Pharmacy, another move that sent stocks of drugstore chains tumbling. With that new service, customers in most states can get prescriptions covered by many insurers and get medications delivered to their door.CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid have already been squeezed by Amazon, as more consumers buy front-of-store items like shampoo and toilet paper online. That disruption has caused drugstore chains to look for other ways to drive foot traffic and boost sales. CVS is adding more health-care services to its stores, from primary care visits to sleep apnea screenings. Walgreens has focused on speedy and convenient services, such as curbside pickup and home delivery. And Rite Aid has refreshed its stores with new signage and a different mix of products on shelves.Separately, Amazon announced plans Wednesday to acquire MGM Studios for $8.45 billion, in a bid to add more content to its Amazon Prime Video business. More

VSS Unity floats in microgravity at the edge of space during its third spaceflight on May 22, 2021.Virgin GalacticArk Invest’s space exploration ETF has sold its last remaining shares of Virgin Galactic, completing its move away from one of the few publicly traded pure-play space stocks.Cathie Wood’s firm on Tuesday sold 12 shares of Virgin Galactic from its ARKX fund, the tiny remaining piece of a position that was about 672,000 shares when the ETF first began trading in late March.The space tourism company’s stock climbed as much as 6% in trading from its previous close of $25.59 a share.After hitting an all-time high above $60 a share in February, the stock began falling in the wake of delays to its test program and commercial flights, as well as share sales by chairman Chamath Palihapitiya and then founder Richard Branson.Ark cut its ARKX holding of Virgin Galactic by nearly half on April 20, after the stock slipped below $23. Shares continued to fall earlier this month, after Jeff Bezos’ venture Blue Origin announced plans to launch the first crewed flight of its space tourism rocket on July 20 – a move UBS warned likely removes Virgin Galactic’s first-mover advantage.Wood’s firm unloaded almost all of the ETF’s remaining stake in early May, when the stock traded down near $15 a share. In all, the stock lost about half its value from ARKX’s debut to when the fund sold most of its position.Virgin Galactic’s stock has had a resurgence, however, after the company’s long delayed third spaceflight test flew successfully on Saturday. The stock erased a 30% loss year to date and now trades back above $26 a share.Additionally, Canaccord Genuity initiated coverage of Virgin Galactic on Wednesday with a buy rating, seeing the recent spaceflight test as likely the first in a series of positive catalysts.Become a smarter investor with CNBC Pro.Get stock picks, analyst calls, exclusive interviews and access to CNBC TV. Sign up to start a free trial today. More

Marilyn Manson performs during the Twins Of Evil – The Second Coming Tour Opener at DTE Energy Music Theater on July 11, 2018 in Clarkston, Michigan.Scott Legato | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty ImagesPolice in New Hampshire say they have an arrest warrant for Marilyn Manson.In a Facebook post Tuesday, the Gilford Police Department said the musician was wanted in connection with a misdemeanor assault that allegedly took place in 2019.The police said the two counts of misdemeanor simple assault are related to an incident that took place at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion that involved a videographer. Manson performed a concert at that venue on Aug. 18, 2019, when the alleged assault occurred.It is unclear what transpired during the concert, but the videographer, who was subcontracted by a New Hampshire company to record the concert, was in the stage pit area when the alleged assault took place, police said.”Mr. Warner, his agent and legal counsel have been aware of the warrant for some time and no effort has been made by him to return to New Hampshire to answer the pending charges,” the police department said.Brian Warner is Manson’s real name. An attorney for Manson, Howard King, told NBC that the claim was “ludicrous” and that they are committed to cooperating with local authorities.King told the New York Times that the venue videographer had asked for more than $35,000 after “a small amount of spit came into contact with their arm.””After we asked for evidence of any alleged damages, we never received a reply,” King said.This arrest warrant comes as Manson is already shrouded in controversy. The musician has been accused of abuse by two former romantic partners, Evan Rachel Wood and Esme Bianco. Manson has broadly denied these charges.The special victims bureau of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the domestic violence allegations against Manson in February. He was also dropped by his record label Loma Vista Recordings and his appearance in an episode of “American Gods” was removed. More

In this articleORSTED-DKRWE-DEEQNR-NOThis images shows wind turbines in the North Sea, off the coast of Belgium.Westend61 | Westend61 | Getty ImagesEnergy major Equinor said Wednesday it was working with RWE Renewables and Hydro REIN on an application for the development of a “large-scale” offshore wind farm in the Norwegian North Sea. According to a statement, the companies will work together on submitting a proposal to authorities in Norway for the facility, which would be located in an area known as Sørlige Nordsjø II.Pal Eitrheim, Equinor’s executive vice president for new energy solutions, described the North Sea as having “among the world’s best wind resources.” “A large-scale offshore wind farm at Sørlige Nordsjø II could play a key role in expanding the North Sea as an offshore energy hub and create new industrial opportunities for Norway as an energy nation,” he added.Formerly known as Statoil, Equinor’s biggest shareholder is the Norwegian state. A significant player in the oil and gas industry, the company has also sought to diversify its portfolio to include renewables.Among other things, it is a key backer of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm, a major offshore wind project off the coast of northeast England.In June 2020, Norwegian authorities opened up two areas in the North Sea — the aforementioned Sørlige Nordsjø II and another called Utsira Nord — for the development of offshore renewables.In practice, this allows interested parties to put forward license applications for renewable energy projects. The opening up came into effect on Jan. 1, 2021.Together, Sørlige Nordsjø II and Utsira Nord “allow for the development” of 4,500 megawatts of wind power, according to Norway’s government. Equinor, RWE and Hydro REIN, a subsidiary of industrial firm Hydro, did not disclose the size of their project in Wednesday’s announcement.While it has a long association with oil and gas that looks set to continue for the foreseeable future, the North Sea is also becoming a hub for offshore wind.As well as projects like Dogger Bank Wind Farm, it’s already home to major offshore wind facilities such as the 174 turbine, 1.2 gigawatt Hornsea One.Danish energy firm Orsted says Hornsea One covers an area of around 407 square kilometers and is able to power “well over one million UK homes.”On Tuesday, port operator Forth Ports announced plans for a “renewable energy hub” at the Port of Leith in Scotland. The proposed hub, which would be backed by £40 million ($56.55 million) of private investment, is slated to cover 175 acres if built.According to those behind the project, it would offer a “riverside marine berth capable of accommodating the world’s largest offshore wind installation vessels.”In a statement accompanying the announcement, Charles Hammond, chief executive of Forth Ports, listed a number of factors which made the project an attractive one. He said: “Leith’s proximity to the North Sea, which is set to become home to many more offshore wind developments, coupled with the natural deep waters of the Firth of Forth, makes this an ideal location to support not only those developments already planned, but the pipeline of projects that are sure to follow.” More

[The stream is slated to start at 10:00 a.m. ET. Please refresh the page if you do not see a player above at that time.]CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky is testifying before Congress Wednesday on the agency’s annual budget as the U.S. battles the Covid-19 pandemic, which has killed nearly 600,000 Americans.Dr. Anne Schuchat, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s deputy director, is also testifying before the House Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies subcommittee on Wednesday.The hearing comes a little over a week after Schuchat announced her retirement from the public health agency after 33 years. It also comes as the agency has taken criticism over its updated guidance on face masks for fully vaccinated Americans.The CDC announced on May 13 that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a face mask or stay 6 feet away from others in most settings, whether outdoors or indoors. Unvaccinated people should still continue to wear masks, adding they remain at risk of mild or severe illness, death and risk of spreading the disease to others. More

Food Network star and restaurateur Guy Fieri has more on his mind these days than navigating his own restaurant business out of the Covid pandemic.He’s trying to help revitalize the industry itself.Next month, he’ll give out $300,000 in grants to aspiring restaurant entrepreneurs and existing owners.”I’ve been very blessed,” said Fieri, who recently signed a new three-year deal with the Food Network worth $80 million, according to Forbes.More from Invest in You:Shoe company Birdies soared during the pandemic and learned a hard lessonHere’s how these small businesses pivoted to survive during the pandemicLack of workers is hurting small businesses’ ability to keep up with demand”That’s why I try to turn my time and attention to helping others and raising that money and raising some awareness.”About 90,000 eating and drinking establishments are still closed, either completely or long-term, according to the National Restaurant Association’s Covid-19 Operator Survey for April.Those that are open are dealing with higher costs and lower profits.The grants, to be made in partnership with the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation and California Restaurant Association, will take place during Fieri’s event, Guy’s Restaurant Reboot, on June 12 at 7 p.m. It will be livestreamed on his Facebook page and GuysRestaurantReboot.com, as well as simulcast across other social media platforms.NBC | NBCUniversal | Getty ImagesThe recipients, who will get $25,000 each, will be chosen by the two food groups, Fieri said. The grants are largely funded by the event’s sponsors. In fact, there will be no fundraising during the event. Instead, celebrities and culinary icons will join in with food creations and conversation.”It’s not a telethon,” Fieri said. “It’s a celebration, an inspiration.”We want to remind everybody: Go eat out more often,” he added. “Go get more delivery. Buy more gift certificates.”This isn’t Fieri’s first foray into philanthropy. He’s been honored by Make-A-Wish for his work with the charity and he fed firefighters battling California wildfires last year, among other activities.Also last year, he raised $21.5 million to help restaurant workers through the National Restaurant Association’s Employee Relief Fund. The result: $500 grants to more than 43,000 workers.Now, as restaurants reopen and try to move forward, workers are hard to find. In fact, 84% of operators say their staffing level is lower than it was in the absence of Covid-19, the National Restaurant Association’s April survey found.Owners have blamed unemployment benefits, lack of child care for working parents and people leaving the business during the pandemic.”I hope folks are recognizing that the industry needs you,” Fieri said. “The industry has been great to you.”Even Fieri is feeling the pain. He recently tried to get a friend into Guy Fieri’s Vegas Kitchen and Bar for lunch on a weekday — only to find out the location wasn’t open for those hours yet.”It’s a variety of topics, staffing being one of them,” he said.”But we’re making it, you know, we’re coming back.”SIGN UP: Money 101 is an 8-week learning course to financial freedom, delivered weekly to your inbox.CHECK OUT: I’m a mom of 3 whose side hustle is now a full-time job that brings in $5,000 a month: Here is my best advice via Grow with Acorns+CNBCDisclosure: NBCUniversal and Comcast Ventures are investors in Acorns. More