Walgreens Settles Opioid Crisis Claims for $350 Million
Walgreens Boots Alliance has agreed to pay up to $350 million to resolve allegations of its involvement in the U.S. opioid crisis, according to a report from the Department of Justice on Monday. The DOJ claimed that Walgreens and its subsidiaries illegally supplied millions of invalid prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances, then billed the federal government for many of those invalid prescriptions.
This alleged practice took place from August 2012 to March 1, 2023. The $350 million settlement consists of a $300 million payment, with an additional $50 million if Walgreens is sold, merged, or transferred before the fiscal year 2032.
Huawei to Mass-Ship Advanced AI Chip Amidst U.S. Restrictions
Huawei Technologies plans to begin mass shipments of its advanced AI chip, the 910C, to Chinese customers starting next month. This timing is fortuitous for Chinese AI companies, which have been forced to seek domestic alternatives to the H20, the primary AI chip that NVIDIA could previously sell freely in the Chinese market.
This month, the U.S. government under President Donald Trump informed NVIDIA that sales of the H20 would require an export license.
Credit Maestro Celebrates 23 Years with Transformative Milestones
Credit Maestro, a payroll credit specialist, is on its way to becoming Mexico’s first SOFTECH. With Oracle and Fisa Group as strategic partners, the firm has completely modernized its operational structure through cloud migration. This has doubled transaction capacity, reduced costs, and strengthened technological security.
Norte 19 Reports March Occupancy and Average Rate Increases
Promotora de Hoteles Norte 19, a leading business hotel provider for corporate travelers in Mexico, reported a 57.1% occupancy rate in March 2023. This figure is 0.8 percentage points lower than the same period in the previous year.
Norte 19 also mentioned a 7.9% increase in average rates during March, reaching 1,420 pesos compared to the same period in 2024. Additionally, their revenue per available room (RevPAR) rose by 6.4% to 811 pesos during the same period.
Ultrasist Achieves Highest Global Maturity Level in CMMI Standard
Mexican technology solutions provider Ultrasist has taken another step towards solidifying its position in the IT market by achieving level 5 maturity in the globally recognized CMMI model. This makes Ultrasist the only company worldwide with this excellence badge in all five strategic domains: development, services, data, security, and vendor management.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the main topic of this article? The article discusses Walgreens’ settlement in the U.S. opioid crisis, Huawei’s AI chip rollout, Credit Maestro’s 23-year milestone, Norte 19’s occupancy update, and Ultrasist’s achievement in the CMMI standard.
- Who is Walgreens Boots Alliance, and why is their settlement significant? Walgreens Boots Alliance is a pharmacy chain that agreed to pay $350 million to resolve allegations of illegally supplying invalid opioid prescriptions. This settlement is significant as it addresses their role in the U.S. opioid crisis.
- What is the context behind Huawei’s AI chip rollout? Due to U.S. export restrictions on the H20 AI chip, Huawei is mass-shipping its alternative, the 910C, to Chinese customers.
- Why is Credit Maestro’s transformation noteworthy? Credit Maestro has modernized its operational structure through cloud migration, resulting in increased transaction capacity, reduced costs, and enhanced technological security.
- What are the occupancy and rate trends for Norte 19? Norte 19 reported a 57.1% occupancy rate in March 2023, with a 7.9% increase in average rates to 1,420 pesos compared to the same period in 2024.
- What does Ultrasist’s CMMI level 5 achievement signify? Ultrasist is the only company globally to have achieved level 5 maturity in all five strategic domains of the CMMI standard, showcasing their mature, efficient, and predictable processes.
