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Tag: BUD

  • How To Tell If Your Weed Is Bad

    How To Tell If Your Weed Is Bad

    A myth about cannabis is it is grown in healthy, organic atmospheres – which is frankly not true. Here is how spot bad weed.

    Like corn, avocados and watermelons, cannabis is sometimes hard to tell if you got the right one.  Peaches, apples, and tomatoes are easy with a squeeze, but other plants are more of challenge. Impurities are pretty common and not all growing habitats are healthy – including indoor. While 50+% of the country has access to legal weed, illicit weed still is a big part of the market, especially in states which don’t allow weed and New York which has over 1,500 unlicensed stories selling who knows what.

    RELATED: Why You Should Smell Your Weed Before Buying

    Figuring out if your weed is good involves seeing, touching, and smelling your buds to check for contaminants. The more you use, the more you will be able to understand quickly. Here is how to tell if you weed is bad.

    Photo by Kindel Media via Pexels

    Visual Inspection

    This can be done using the naked eye or a microscope. If the cannabis flowers are covered with too much shiny, crystalline substance, something could be afoot. During the harvest process, shake out buds and view the drop-off substances. Some impurities  might see include grains, crystals, or powders. If you cannot identify some of these substances, it might be good to take a pass.

    RELATED: Why You Should Smell Your Weed Before Buying

    Inspect by Feeling

    Visual is one one or even the first step.  Pick up a bud to determine whether or not it crumbles or quickly dries out.

    Smell and Taste Inspection

    Before lighting up, take a whiff to get a better read. Although this only works if you’re familiar with what it should smells and tastes like. If you catch a hint or taste of chemicals or other unnatural substances, then you may have contaminated buds.

    marijuana odor terpenes
    Photo by LightFieldStudios/Getty Images

    Inspect the Combusted Weed

    When lighting rolled-up buds, check if it gives up sparks when inhaled. Also, check what the flame looks like immediately and after the weed is lit. If you hear a crackling sound when you drag on the buds, it is very possible the buds are contaminated.

    Also, check the flavor and smell given of the weed; if an abnormal order is detected, stop inhaling.

    Inspect The Leftovers

    This is the last process. If the previous inspections did not give off any weird results, there’s still a need to observe the ash left behind. A non contaminated bud will leave dark gray ash, which is obviously dry and soft to touch. If you see jet black, hard or greasy ash, then your buds contain one or more contaminants.

    Cannabis is often exposed, directly or indirectly, to contaminants. Common culprits include sugar, sand, fertilizer, hairspray, and industrial pesticides or fertilizers.

    Sand is one of the natural residues that can slip past the inspection of even the most experienced cannabis connoisseurs. Sand is an unavoidable material in agricultural operations, so there’s a high chance it contaminates the products by accident. Some unscrupulous growers tend to add sand on purpose to their products because it gives the buds a shinier and heavier look. It is always advisable to shake out your buds and sift through the ground ones before packaging.

    Usually in large grown operations, fertilizer can put consumers at risk of developing life-threatening ailments if inhaled. Many chemicals are used for credible reasons, such as protecting crops and maximizing growth. However,  the consumption of these hazardous chemicals over time can result in diseases such as neurotoxicity and asthma.

    Other cannabis Contaminants to watch out for including fungus, mold and talc.

    marijuana flower
    Photo by Ben Harding/Getty Images

    If you ever find yourself with contaminated cannabis buds or products, the severity of contamination determines whether or not you’ll have to dispose of them. Some contaminated buds can be cleansed with the proper materials. However, if you have no time to do this yourself, it’s best to throw them out.

    It is always best to purchase from a licensed, legal store as products are more closely inspected and have more oversight to ensure consumer safety.

    RELATED: Is Sticky Weed A Good Or Bad Sign?

    The main objective of recognizing cannabis bud impurities is to ensure purer and smoother-hitting buds without taking in something harmful. Carefully check through your homegrown and purchased cannabis bids at all times, if not for anything, but stay safe.

    Terry Hacienda

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  • How Can Kief Be Used Medically

    How Can Kief Be Used Medically

    Medical marijuana has helped PTSD, inflammation, anxiety and more.  While more medical research needs to be done, it has properties to make a difference. But does all part of weed help?  How can Leif be used medically.

    The term kief is derived from an Arabic word that means intoxication or pleasure. Most of you probably know what cannabis is and the purpose of different cannabinoids like CBD and THC. Aside from those, there are other compounds found within and on the cannabis plant including terpenes, flavonoids, trichomes, and additional cannabinoids.

    What is kief though, what is its link to cannabis, and is it medically beneficial?

    About Kief And Its Link To Cannabis

    Kief is the term used to describe the glimmering crystals found on cannabis flowers/buds. Oftentimes, kief covers cannabis buds, and it gives them a shimmering crystal-like appearance. If cannabis buds are ground, kief will accumulate in the grinder as long as the grinder has a separate filter to catch it. It usually takes a significant amount of time for kief to accumulate, especially if one wants to make a cannabis-infused recipe with kief as a main ingredient.

    In addition, it’s relatively common for people to create their own cannabis-infused products that contain kief. To accumulate as much kief as possible, specially made kief boxes or other similar devices can be purchased. These work to shake off kief from different cannabis buds. However, depending on where you live, you may be able to purchase kief at a cannabis dispensary.

    Photo by Jonathan Kantor/Getty Images

    In areas that have medical or recreational cannabis programs, many dispensaries sell kief separately. Therefore, rather than waiting for kief to build up over time, skipping that lengthy process and buying a few grams worth of kief at a dispensary is one option.

    Medicinal Benefits Of Kief & Its Uses

    On average, kief is not only potent, but it’s relatively easy to collect and convenient to consume. A few hits of kief can be extremely powerful, especially for those who are new to it. In most cases, kief reaches around 50 percent THC. However, some of the purest kief extractions can reach up to 80 percent THC. Kief also possesses terpenes and various cannabinoids, which are both at high concentrations. Due to kief’s high THC concentration and quantity of terpenes and cannabinoids, it can deliver significant medical benefits.

    Individuals who consume cannabis strains with high THC levels to help treat different medical conditions are ideal candidates for kief consumption. Kief can act as an alternative to cannabis bud and edibles because it’s more potent, and it can be added onto or into different substances. For example, kief can be added onto a freshly packed bowl, in a joint or blunt, in a cannabis-infused recipe, or sprinkled into tea or coffee.

    RELATED: CBD Kief: Why You Need It In Your Life Immediately

    For those who need immediate relief and/or have a high tolerance to cannabis, consuming kief can deliver the results they may be looking for. Also, if individuals don’t want to combust unnecessary plant matter/leftovers and/or don’t want to let burnt material enter their lungs, consuming kief is a common alternative. Aside from kief being used on its own, there are other uses for it like turning it into hash, making rosin, and making moonrocks.

    Overall, if you’d like to consume a very potent part of the cannabis plant, kief may be for you. Or, if you wish to make your own homemade cannabis and/or kief-infused products, know that it’s definitely possible, cost-efficient, and worthwhile in the end.

    Creating Homemade Cannabis-Infused Edibles With Kief

    Moreover, certain steps need to be taken before making cannabis-infused edibles. First, decarboxylating (decarbing) cannabis is essential to properly prepare and create cannabis-infused edibles. Decarboxylating (decarbing) cannabis refers to a process in which a chemical reaction removes a carboxyl group and then proceeds to release carbon dioxide. Additionally, cannabinoids that are found on raw cannabis flowers contain an extra carboxyl group or ring. Once a specific degree of heat is applied over a particular period of time, THCA (a non-psychoactive cannabinoid) coverts into THC (a widely-recognized psychoactive cannabinoid).

    RELATED: What Is Kief And How Can Marijuana Patients Use It?

    When cannabis is decarboxylated, it ensures that the user is receiving the most out of their cannabis as possible. Although people decarboxylate cannabis buds, it’s possible to decarboxylate kief too. Overall, decarboxylating kief is relatively easy and fast, and it’s becoming a more common process, especially since lots of people are interested in creating their own cannabis-infused edibles.

    Generally, it’s recommended to decarboxylate kief before using it to create cannabis-infused edibles, butter, or oil. If this is done, it allows users to get the most out of their kief as possible. The process of decarboxylating kief is to mostly make cannabis-infused edibles stronger in addition to gaining the most out of kief.

    Nicole Skrobin

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  • Canadian pot company Tilray is buying 8 beer and beverage brands from AB InBev

    Canadian pot company Tilray is buying 8 beer and beverage brands from AB InBev

    Canadian cannabis producer Tilray Brands Inc.
    TLRY,
    -3.48%
    on Monday said it had agreed to buy eight beer and drink brands from Anheuser-Busch InBev
    BUD,
    -0.09%
    — including Shock Top, Redhook Brewery and Widmer Brothers Brewing. The other five brands are Breckenridge Brewery, Blue Point Brewing Co., 10 Barrel Brewing Co., Square Mile Cider Co. and HiBall Energy. The deal, which includes related staff and breweries, is expected is expected to close this year. Tilray said it expects to pay in cash to complete the deal. The purchase price wasn’t disclosed in a release. The deal follows other efforts by Tilray to expand into alcohol, amid heavy competition in Canada’s legal cannabis industry and stalled federal reform in the U.S. Shares rose 2.7% after hours on Monday.

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  • Anheuser Busch InBev to cut jobs after Bud Light boycott

    Anheuser Busch InBev to cut jobs after Bud Light boycott

    Anheuser-Busch InBev is planning to cut jobs in the U.S. after a sharp deterioration in sales following a boycott that’s still impacting Bud Light.

    The industry publication Brewbound said the company was going to cut 2% of its U.S. workforce, where it employs 19,000. The company told the publication that front-line workers, including warehouse staff and field reps, will not be impacted. The company did not specifically identify slumping Bud Light sales as the cause of the layoffs.

    Bud Light sales have tumbled after the company’s ill-fated social media promotion with Dylan Mulvaney.

    Citing Nielsen U.S. beer data, analysts at Bank of America said volumes at the brewer tumbled by 15.3% year-over-year in the four weeks ending July 15, compared to the 2.7% decline for the broader U.S. beer category.

    Bud Light sales over that same time period skidded 29.8%, and Budweiser volumes skidded 14%. In contrast, Coors Light sales rose 17% in the last four weeks, Miller Lite volumes rose by 12.5% and Yuengling sales surged 38%.

    Anheuser-Busch InBev’s U.S.-listed shares
    BUD,
    +0.22%
    have dropped 2% this year. In its home market of Belgium, shares
    ABI,
    +0.97%
    rose 0.6% on Thursday.

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  • Bud Light sales are still falling, but investors get it at this point. Here’s what Morgan Stanley says they might be missing.

    Bud Light sales are still falling, but investors get it at this point. Here’s what Morgan Stanley says they might be missing.

    Bud Light sales are still falling, as the impact of a boycott against the beer continues to stick. But Morgan Stanley analysts on Thursday said that impact was already reflected into shares of its parent company, Anheuser-Busch InBev, and that AB-InBev’s global footprint and the falling costs of beer ingredients would help sales and margins up ahead even if struggles in the U.S. spill over into next year.

    Morgan Stanley assumed coverage of AB-InBev
    BUD,
    +0.51%
    with an overweight rating, a step up from its prior equal-weight rating. The firm bumped its price target on the stock higher, to $68.50 from $64. Shares of AB-InBev were up 0.4% on Thursday.

    The analysts also said that AB-InBev’s second-quarter results, set for Aug. 2, could be a clarifying moment for investors.

    “While investors are currently sitting on the sidelines, waiting for the company to fully quantify the impact of the Bud Light situation, we see upcoming H1 results as likely timing for such clarification,” the analysts said in a research note.

    “We think ABI shares now price in the U.S. Bud Light challenges, which have stabilised, but not the gross margin recovery and de-leveraging upside into next year,” they added later.

    The conservative-led boycott against Bud Light began in April, after the brand briefly partnered with Dylan Mulvaney, a trans influencer. That anti-trans anger has translated into weeks of sharp declines, generally above 20%, for Bud Light sales. Mulvaney said Bud Light never reached out to her, despite what she said was “more bullying and transphobia than I could have ever imagined” as a result of the partnership and calls for a boycott.

    The fall-off has spread to some of other AB-InBev’s other beer brands, and benefited its rivals. Modelo Especial has recently dethroned Bud Light as the best-selling beer in the U.S.. Constellation Brands Inc.
    STZ,
    +0.47%
    sells Modelo beer in the U.S., after a deal a decade ago to acquire Grupo Modelo’s U.S. beer business from AB-InBev.

    Still, the Morgan Stanley analysts emphasized Anheuser-Busch’s worldwide reach, and said that even a 13.5% drop in U.S. yearly sales — broadly, where things stand in the U.S. now — would only mean a 4% drop for the company’s sales overall. And they said double-digit growth expected elsewhere, in regions like South America and the Asia-Pacific, would drive organic sales growth of 6% for the company overall in its fiscal 2023. They also said a “wind-back” on commodity costs and sales incentives to U.S. beer sellers would help margins up ahead.

    Still, they didn’t expect much of a break for sales trends in the U.S. They said they expected the 13.5% drop in U.S. sales to ease to a 12% drop in AB-InBev’s fiscal 2024.

    Overall, however, the analysts were upbeat on beer sales and profits for next year. Falling ingredient costs would help brewers overall. A pandemic-era jump in U.S. demand for spirits — or hard liquor like gin, Scotch and vodka — had now “normalized,” they said.

    Shares of Anhueser-Busch InBev are down 1.4% so far this year. By comparison, the S&P 500 Index
    SPX,
    -0.68%
    is up 18.9% over that period.

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  • This Bud’s for investors. Buy the stock even if Bud Light sales never recover, says analyst.

    This Bud’s for investors. Buy the stock even if Bud Light sales never recover, says analyst.

    The summer haze settling over stocks doesn’t look ready to budge Thursday, with the S&P 500 index
    SPX,
    -0.52%
    in the throes of its longest losing streak since May.

    On the bright side, the index is looking at a 6% gain for the June quarter, whose end is just a few days away.

    In other corners of the market, the quarter has been less forgiving. Consumer staples, those things you can’t live without, have lost over 1%, perhaps reflecting the tougher economic times we are living in. Within that sector, though, is beer and one name that has indeed had a quartarius horriblis.

    Anheuser-Busch InBev’s
    ABI,
    +1.82%

    BUD,
    -0.05%
    U.S.-listed shares are down about 15%, as Bud Light sales have tumbled following consumer backlash to a social-media campaign featuring trans activist Dylan Mulvaney in April.

    But our call of the day from Deutsche Bank says it’s time to buy this unloved stock, even if those Bud Light sales never recover. A team of analysts led by Mitch Collett have upgraded Anheuser-Busch shares to buy from hold and lifted their price target to €60 euros from €59 euros (they didn’t offer an ADR price target).

    Recent underperformance of the stock “implies a permanent reduction in ABI’s U.S. business. Our proprietary survey data suggests these headwinds are likely to fade even if we do not expect the U.S. business ever to fully recover from its current challenges,” said Collett.

    The analysts pointed to recent Nielson data that showed ABI’s U.S. business currently down 12%, with Bud Light sales off 24% and the rest of its portfolio down 7%. But an analysis of distribution data shows ABI itself isn’t “losing shelf presence” as sales velocity is the primary driver of the decline, which bodes well if consumer sentiment improves, said Deutsche Bank.

    Those declines are about a 12% headwind to ABI’s annual net income, which is in line with European underperformance seen by the stock, added Collett and the team.

    Read: Bud Light dethroned as top-selling beer by Modelo, as boycott cuts into sales

    Deutsche Bank conducted its own survey that showed 24% of Bud Light consumers are no longer buying that brand, with 18% buying less, but 21% buying more and 37% buying the same amount. Those findings are largely consistent with Nielson;s, said the analysts.

    Deutsche Bank’s own survey also showed that 42% of Bud Light drinkers expect to be buying Bud Light again in three to six months, versus 29% who see that as unlikely. And 50% expect that battered beer’s reputation will recover in time, versus 30% who says it won’t. “We believe this bodes well for the brand, recapturing some of its lost share,” said Collett and the team.

    Analysts at RBC Capital also recently pushed back on the selloff for the stock, saying the hit to the shares and forecasts for the stock are “excessive,” as they don’t see Bud Light’s troubles hurting AB InBev outside the U.S.. They said AB InBev is a “nerve-racking buying opportunity.”

    Ahead of Thursday’s open, U.S.-listed Bud shares were up about 1.3%, tracking gains from its Belgian shares.

    The markets

    U.S. stock index futures
    ES00,
    -0.25%

    YM00,
    -0.27%

    NQ00,
    -0.31%
    are drifting lower, with bond yields
    TMUBMUSD02Y,
    4.730%

    TMUBMUSD10Y,
    3.743%
    on the rise and oil prices
    CL.1,
    -1.82%
    also weaker. The Norwegian krone
    USDNOK,
    -0.80%
    is up 1.5% against the dollar after the country’s central bank hiked interest rates 50 basis points. Switzerland also hiked rates, but the Swiss franc is steady
    USDCHF,
    +0.12%    .
    The British pound
    GBPUSD,

    is higher after the Bank of England also hiked interest rates by 50 basis points. The Turkish lira was falling slightly after the central bank, under new management, hiked interest rate to 15% from 8.5%, against forecasts for a hike to 20%.

    China markets were closed for a holiday, with losses elsewhere, such as Japan
    NIK,
    -0.92%
    and Australia
    XJO,
    -1.63%    .

    For more market updates plus actionable trade ideas for stocks, options and crypto, subscribe to MarketDiem by Investor’s Business Daily.

    The buzz

    Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s second day of testimony on Capitol Hill kicks off at 10 a.m. Eastern. On Wednesday, he said higher interest rates should be expected , but didn’t offer any clues on timing. U.S. weekly jobless benefit claims and current account data are due at 8:30 a.,m. ET, with leading indicators also at 10 a.m., alongside a speech from Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester. Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin will speak at 4:30 p.m.

    The Bank of England will announce an interest-rate decision at 7 a.m. ET and after worse-than-expected inflation data on Wednesday, a 50 basis-point hike hasn’t been ruled out.

    Darden Restaurants
    DRI,
    +0.36%
    will report ahead of the open, with Smith & Wesson
    SWBI,
    +0.52%
    due after the close.

    Tesla stock
    TSLA,
    -5.46%
    is down 2% in premarket trading on the heels of the EV maker’s worst loss in two months.

    Joining recent actions by other big stakeholders cashing in on big gains for Nvidia
    NVDA,
    -1.74%    ,
    a board member just sold $51 million in stock.

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    The tickers

    These were the top searched tickers on MarketWatch as of 6 a.m. :

    Ticker

    		 Security name
    TSLA,
    -5.46%         		Tesla
    MULN,
    +24.24%         		Mullen Automotive

    NVDA,
    -1.74%         		Nvidia
    AMC,
    -1.31%         		AMC Entertainment
    APE,
    -2.30%         		AMC Entertainment preferred holdings
    NIO,
    -2.99%         		Nio
    PLTR,
    -7.28%         		Palantir Technologies
    MANU,
    +1.11%         		Manchester United
    SPCE,
    -4.99%         		Virgin Galactic Holdings
    AAPL,
    -0.57%         		Apple

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    Need to Know starts early and is updated until the opening bell, but sign up here to get it delivered once to your email box. The emailed version will be sent out at about 7:30 a.m. Eastern.

    Listen to the Best New Ideas in Money podcast with MarketWatch reporter Charles Passy and economist Stephanie Kelton.

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  • Bud Light troubles prompts call to buy stocks of Boston Beer, Constellation Brands

    Bud Light troubles prompts call to buy stocks of Boston Beer, Constellation Brands

    Bud Light’s recent troubles should worsen in the summer, to the benefit of its competition’s brands, enough to turn Roth MKM analyst Bill Kirk bullish on the stocks of Constellation Brands Inc. and Boston Beer Co. Inc.

    Kirk raised on Tuesday his rating on Modelo, Corona, Pacifico beer parent Constellation Brands to buy, after being at neutral since January 2021, while boosting his stock price target to $270 from $216.

    Kirk said a lot of the market share Anheuser-Busch InBev SA’s Bud Light lost, amid backlash from the beer brand’s partnership with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney, went to other premium light products, but he expects that to shift to Constellation’s favor.

    “As the weather warms, we expect the share gains for Modelo Especial and Corona to accelerate,” Kirk wrote in a note to clients.

    Constellation Brands’ stock
    STZ,
    +1.79%
    rose 1.5% in afternoon trading Tuesday toward the highest close since Dec. 12, 2022, while Anheuser-Busch shares
    BUD,
    -4.71%
    slumped 4.5% toward the lowest close since Nov. 10.

    Also read: Bud Light anti-trans backlash has some weighing potential ‘chilling effect’ on corporate LGBTQ+ support

    He noted that weekly scanner data has shown that Constellation’s beer portfolio outperformed the broader beer market by seven percentage points in early 2023, and that outperformance improved to 10 percentage points at the beginning of Bud Light’s market-share losses in April.

    “With temperatures warming and substitutability with Bud Light increasing, recent weeks have seen 13 [percentage points] of outperformance,” Kirk wrote. “This trend should continue as Bud Light [declines/peak] over summer holidays.”

    For Samuel Adams, Truly, Twisted Tea parent Boston Beer, Kirk raised his rating to buy, after being at neutral for at least the past three years. He raised his stock price target to $386 from $274.

    Boston Beer’s stock
    SAM,
    +5.37%
    jumped 6.8% toward the highest close since Feb. 15.

    Earlier this year, Kirk was concerned that Truly hard seltzer’s weakness continued, offsetting Twisted Tea’s success, and that gross margins weren’t improving even after moving more production in-house.

    Read more: Bud Light crisis: It’s unclear how U.S. volume drop will end, analysts say

    “Now, we believe seltzer and Truly will benefit in the summer from Bud Light share losses (occasion overlap increases with warmer weather) and gross margin lift from production shift will be realized in 2Q (given inventory days timing),” Kirk wrote.

    He believes that will shift investor focus away from Truly’s weakness and toward Boston Beer’s brands that are growing.

    And while Wall Street expects the trends Boston Beer saw in the first quarter to continue throughout 2023, Kirk now believes the company will beat expectations for shipments and depletions, and sees opportunities for margins to also beat forecasts.

    “While we had written at 1Q that the ‘timing of upside surprises remains unclear,’ we now believe the timing is Summer 2023,” Kirk wrote.

    Constellation Brands’ stock has gained 5.7% over the past three months and Boston Beer shares have advanced 4.8%, while Anheuser-Busch’s stock has dropped 10.1% and the S&P 500 index
    SPX,
    +0.00%
    has gained 5.9%.

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  • BUD Stock Price | Anheuser-Busch InBev S.A. ADR Stock Quote (U.S.: NYSE) | MarketWatch

    BUD Stock Price | Anheuser-Busch InBev S.A. ADR Stock Quote (U.S.: NYSE) | MarketWatch

    Anheuser-Busch InBev S.A. ADR

    Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV operates as a holding company, which engages in the manufacture and distribution of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. It operates through the following geographical segments: North America, Middle Americas, South America, EMEA, Asia Pacific, and Global Export and Holding Companies. The company was founded on August 2, 1977 and is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium.

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  • FIFA rebuffed Zelensky’s offer to share message of peace at World Cup final, report says

    FIFA rebuffed Zelensky’s offer to share message of peace at World Cup final, report says

    World soccer’s governing body FIFA rebuffed an offer from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to share a message of world peace at the World Cup final, according to a CNN report.

    Citing an unnamed source, CNN reported that Zelensky’s office offered an appearance via video link prior to kickoff at Sunday’s final. Defending World Cup champion France takes on Argentina in the match at Lusail Stadium, several miles north of the Qatari capital Doha.

    The source told CNN that Zelensky’s office was surprised by the negative response. It’s unclear if the message was to be delivered live, or taped, the report said. “We thought FIFA wanted to use its platform for the greater good,” the source was quoted as having told CNN, reportedly adding that talks between Ukraine and FIFA are ongoing.

    See: Qatar World Cup controversy means sponsors are walking a tightrope

    MarketWatch has reached out to FIFA and Zelensky’s office with requests for comment.

    Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, Zelensky has used high-profile video addresses to rally international support for his embattled nation. These have included addresses to the U.N. General Assembly, the U.S. Congress, Britain’s House of Commons, the German Bundestag, the European Parliament and a G-20 summit, as well as video-link appearances at the Grammys and the Cannes Film Festival.

    The last World Cup was held in Russia, with Russian President Vladimir Putin in attendance as France defeated Croatia 4-2 in the final. (FIFA, controversially, announced its host-country selections for 2018 and 2022 — Russia and Qatar — on the same December day in 2010.)

    The 2022 tournament is perhaps the most controversial in World Cup history, with Qatar facing a barrage of criticism over its treatment of migrant workers and its approach to LGBTQ+ rights in the country.

    Now read: British band the Farm blocks McDonald’s from using hit song in Qatar World Cup ad

    The criticism of Qatar, the first Arab nation to host a World Cup, reached a crescendo before the tournament kicked off last month. During a press conference on the eve of the opening game, FIFA’s president, Gianni Infantino, launched into a lengthy defense of the decision to hold the tournamentin Qatar and accused the West of “hypocrisy.”

    This World Cup is also the first to take place during the northern hemisphere’s winter. Traditionally, the tournament takes place in June and July, but this year’s tournament was moved to minimize the impact of Qatar’s searing heat.

    See: For Budweiser, Qatar World Cup has been a tale of tough logistics and quick thinking

    Branding experts have observed that this controversial World Cup poses challenges for the big-name corporations involved in the event. FIFA’s list of partners includes U.S. corporate titans Coca-Cola Co.
    KO,
    -0.57%
     and Visa Inc. 
    V,
    -0.49%    ,
      who are both involved in the Qatar event. McDonald’s Corp. 
    MCD,
    -2.06%
    and Crypto.com are also World Cup sponsors.

    The tournament’s beer sponsor, Budweiser, an Anheuser-Busch InBev
    BUD,
    -0.18%
    brand, has had a particularly eventful several weeks in Qatar. In an abrupt reversal just two days before the soccer showpiece kicked, Qatar organizers banned beer sales in the tournament’s eight stadiums.

    The reversal of that decision appeared to take Budweiser by surprise, with the company tweeting “Well, this is awkward …” before deleting the post. Budweiser quickly shrugged off the beer ban and promised a huge victory party for the country that wins the soccer showpiece.

    Fox Sports, which is owned by Fox Corp.
    FOX,
    -0.21%    ,
     a sister company of MarketWatch publisher Dow Jones’s parent company, News Corp
    NWSA,
    +0.28%    ,
      holds English-language broadcast rights in the U.S. to the Qatar World Cup.

    Read on: Could Qatar’s ‘reusable’ World Cup stadium end up in Uruguay? There are some amazing plans for tournament venues.

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  • World Cup organizers in Qatar will reportedly ban beer sales at all eight stadiums

    World Cup organizers in Qatar will reportedly ban beer sales at all eight stadiums

    DOHA, Qatar (AP) — World Cup organizers will ban the sale of all beer with alcohol at the eight stadiums used for the soccer tournament, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press.

    The decision comes only two days before games start in Qatar and 12 years after the country first consented to respect FIFA’s commercial partners.

    Non-alcoholic beer will still be available for fans at the 64 matches, the person said.

    The person spoke on condition of anonymity because organizers have not yet announced the decision.

    Champagne, wine, whiskey and other alcohol is still expected to be served in the hospitality areas of the stadiums. Outside of those places, beer is normally the only alcohol sold to regular ticket holders.

    Ronan Evain, the executive director of the fan group Football Supporters Europe, called the decision to ban beer sales at the stadiums “extremely worrying.”

    “For many fans, whether they don’t drink alcohol or are used to dry stadium policies at home, this is a detail. It won’t change their tournament,” Evain wrote on Twitter. “But with 48 (hours) to go, we’ve clearly entered a dangerous territory — where ‘assurances’ don’t matter anymore.”

    While a sudden decision like this may seem extreme in the West, Qatar is an autocracy governed by a hereditary emir, who has absolute say over all governmental decisions.

    Qatar, an energy-rich Gulf Arab country, follows an ultraconservative form of Islam known as Wahhabism like neighboring Saudi Arabia. However, alcohol sales have been permitted in hotel bars for years.

    Qatar’s government and its Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy did not immediately respond to request for comment.

    Already, the tournament has seen Qatar change the date of the opening match only weeks before the World Cup began.

    Budweiser’s parent company, AB InBev
    ABI,
    +1.28%

    BUD,
    -0.05%    ,
    pays tens of millions of dollars at each World Cup for exclusive rights to sell beer. and has already shipped the majority of its stock from Britain to Qatar in expectation of selling its product to millions of fans. The company’s partnership with FIFA started at the 1986 tournament and they are in negotiations for renewing their deal for the next World Cup in North America.

    When Qatar launched its bid to host the World Cup, the country agreed to FIFA’s requirements of selling alcohol in stadiums, and again when signing contracts after winning the vote in 2010.

    At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the host country was forced to change a law to allow alcohol sales in stadiums.

    AB InBev’s deal with FIFA was renewed in 2011 — after Qatar was picked as host — in a two-tournament package through 2022. However, the Belgium-based brewer has faced uncertainty in recent months on the exact details of where it can serve and sell beer in Qatar.

    An agreement was announced in September for beer with alcohol to be sold within the stadium perimeters before and after games. Only alcohol-free Bud Zero would be sold in the stadium concourses for fans to drink in their seats in branded cups.

    Last weekend, AB InBev was left surprised by a new policy insisted on by Qatari organizers to move beer stalls to less visible locations within the perimeter.

    Budweiser was also to be sold in the evenings only at the official FIFA fan zone in downtown Al Bidda Park, where up to 40,000 fans can gather to watch games on giant screens. The price was confirmed as $14 for a beer.

    Ab InBev did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    The company will be based at an upscale hotel in the West Bay area of Doha with its own branded nightclub for the tournament.

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