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India's premium sedan market is experiencing a strategic shift as manufacturers prioritise value creation over volumes through luxury, technology and performance integration. ET Year-end Special Reads Take That: The gamechanger weapon's India acquired in 2024 10 big-bang policy moves Modi government made in 2024 How governments tried to rein in the social media beast Toyota, with its recent launch of Camry at a dealership price of ₹48 lakh, is blending luxury with technology. The Japanese auto major, which has charted a different course, is backing its strategy with 25.49 km/litre efficiency and an 8-year/160,000 km hybrid battery warranty. "Through the longer battery warranty, we bring peace of mind to customers buying a hybrid electric vehicle and enhancing the momentum of vehicle electrification in the country," said a spokesperson for Toyota Kirloskar Motor. Mercedes-Benz, on the other hand, is using the pure luxury approach and its priority remains top-end feature-rich vehicles. The C-Class, priced at ₹62.57 lakh and positioned as the 'Baby S-Class', targets first-time luxury buyers, said Santosh Iyer, MD &CEO, Mercedes-Benz India. The new Camry, with its main rival being the Skoda Superb, has also become an alternative to the likes of Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class, priced in the range of ₹46-61 lakh. Sales of the Camry are already inching closer to the number one player BMW 3 Series at 2,277 units in 2024. Sales of Toyota Camry stood at 1,911 units and Audi A4 at 1,172 units, according to data collated by Jato Dynamics. 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"In this evolved market, success will be defined by product positioning and clear value propositions rather than pure volume metrics," said Ravi Bhatia, president, Jato Dynamics. This strategy aligns with broader luxury car market trends , where average prices have risen 6.9% annually to ₹90.6 lakh, significantly outpacing the premium sedan segment's 2.9% price growth. The premium sedan segment's focused strategies are replacing broad-market approaches, which shows the premium sedan market, while smaller at 10,392 units through November 2024 compared to the luxury segment's 41,937 units, has matured enough to support multiple paths to premium positioning, said Bhatia. The trend is reflected in product strategies across manufacturers. Mercedes-Benz's C 300 AMG Line, for instance, comes with distinctive features like Burmester 3D surround sound, supporting its premium positioning. Nominations for ET MSME Awards are now open. The last day to apply is December 31, 2024. Click here to submit your entry for any one or more of the 22 categories and stand a chance to win a prestigious award. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )Micah Parsons weighs in on Heisman race, sparks debate between Travis Hunter and Ashton Jeanty

Croatia's President Zoran Milanovic will face conservative rival Dragan Primorac in an election run-off in two weeks' time after the incumbent narrowly missed out an outright victory on Sunday, official results showed. The results came after an exit poll, released immediately after the polling stations closed, showed that Milanovic, backed by the opposition left-wing Social Democrats, had scooped more than 50 percent of the first round vote and would thus avoid the January 12 run-off. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.CDC chief urges focus on health threats as agency confronts political changesJimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100

“My twin sister Nicola got sick when she was 24 years old. It was determined that she had stomach cancer and passed away two months to the day she was diagnosed.” Natasha Benn lost her sister to a rare and aggressive form of stomach cancer in 1993. Before Nicola, her mother had passed away from the same cancer when Benn was two. So did her grandmother, aunt, and great-grandfather. “My dad always thought it might be some kind of hereditary component to the type of cancer that my mom had, but it was never confirmed at the time,” Benn said. Shortly after Nicola's death, a gastroenterologist strongly suggested that Benn undergo surgery to remove her stomach, given the close genetic link between the twins. Nine months later, the young woman decided to go forward with full gastrostomy, unbeknownst to her if she was carrying the same ailment. Grieving the loss of her sister and uncertain if she had made the right decision, Benn received news six years later confirming her choice had been the correct one. After performing a biopsy on the young woman’s stomach, pathologists discovered traces of cancer in the organ’s lining - something that could not have been detected even with an endoscopy. Little did they know, the Benns, along with another family from Detroit, were part of a groundbreaking discovery that transformed the lives of countless families. For the first time in history, researchers identified a genetic mutation in Natasha’s stomach which they named CDH1. This mutation was found to carry an 83 per cent risk of developing stomach cancer and 60 per cent likelihood of lobular breast cancer. Thanks to the technological advances and research, organizations like BC Cancer can find this mutation through risk-free, non-evasive, and efficient ways. A simple sample of saliva, or blood, can be all that’s needed to determine if one carries the rogue gene. “Genetic testing can be helpful in clarifying whether or not you have an increased risk [of cancer] and then determining what's available in terms of screening and prevention for those specific types of cancer,” said Jennifer Nuk, leader in genetic counsellor for the BC Cancer Hereditary Cancer Program. For decades, identifying hereditary cancer solely relied on analyzing one’s family history, without having certainty if members were carriers of the ailment, explained Nuk. In the early days of genetic testing, means were limited, costly, and slow. Today, however, researchers can examine more genes than ever before with greater efficiency, at a higher rate, for a fraction of what it once cost. “We've had families that were seen years ago where it looks like there was something going on in the family... and we didn't find anything,” said Nuk. “Now we go back to test that same family [and] we're actually picking up mutations because the technology has improved so much.” Though many remain to be studied, Nuk and her team can now detect rogue genes causing numerous cancers including ovarian, breast, and colon. The lead geneticist added that the services offered by the program are twofold; genetic testing to identify individuals carrying mutated genes, and the provision of personalized care plans for those at increased cancer risk. “If we can figure out someone's at higher risk... we have a much better chance of offering better outcomes for the patient,” she said. People are provided with comprehensive information and a range of options, allowing them to make informed decisions about their next steps. As prevention is key to combating cancer, Nuk and her team will discuss and propose to their patients appropriate screening options, such as mammograms or MRIs, as well as preventative measures like vaccines and surgeries suited to their respective conditions. In turn, Nuk added that if one treatment can be given over another more invasive one, this will ultimately result in a better quality of life for individuals and benefit the overall health-care system. Since its inception in 1997, the prevention program has not only saved thousands of lives but also reduced health-care costs for taxpayers, freed up time and resources for other cancer patients, and alleviated the burden on B.C.'s hospitals. Benn and her sisters benefited from this very program. “My older sister did have the gene and decided to go through with the surgery and had her stomach removed,” she said. “[It] was riddled with cancer and she's still living today.” Her other sister, luckily, tested negative for the CDH1 mutation. Benn herself, facing a significant breast cancer risk from possessing the gene, opted for a preventative mastectomy. Reflecting on her journey, the self-proclaimed “cancer avoider” acknowledges the challenges she faced, including the grief of losing her sister and the uncertainty that followed her surgery. However, she strongly recommends the importance of prioritizing preventative care. “To have that knowledge and to be willing to [use it] is so important,” said Benn. “I know a lot of people avoid going to the doctor, especially when you might be feeling completely healthy, but you don't know what else is happening in your body. “Having a screening place that you can go to determine if you have a history of any kind of illness that you can prevent it in advance, why wouldn't you go?”Julianne Brunet says public libraries are always working to reinvent themselves. Welland Public Library , which started as a mechanic’s institute in 1824 in a schoolhouse that no longer exists, is no different, Brunet, its chief executive officer, said ahead of its 200th anniversary celebration Wednesday. The library existed before Welland, which was first incorporated as a village in 1858, more than 30 years after the library was created. “What I have seen since I have been here is what has defined the library for the last 200 years. It’s a real community spirit. We’re community-led and we want to make sure we are responsive to the needs of residents. I think that has gotten us to where we are and will get us to where we want to go.” Brunet started at the library as manager of public services and became CEO in 2019, overseeing the main library at Welland Civic Square and branches at Seaway Mall and Diamond Trail on Southworth Street. “We need to make sure that we remain relevant. To do that, we have to listen to the people we serve. What was relevant 200 years ago may be relevant in some form today, but we must continue to grow and evolve and ensure we continue to meet those needs,” she said. As of last year, Welland’s three branches have more than 106,000 books in circulation, 3,433 special collection items in print and 3,918 digital items. That’s not counting CDs/DVDs, ebooks and e-audiobooks, print magazines, newspapers and electronic titles. Brunet said many people think literacy is just about reading and writing, but it’s more than that. “Literacy is more about showing people what they can do and how they can do it. The library will always serve a need in that realm.” Literacy also includes music, with the library lending instruments for people to play and practise. It teaches digital literacy, lending tech and offering people use of the internet who might not otherwise have access to it so they can participate in civic life. Board chair Lindsay Bryan said the library’s function is literacy of all kinds, not just serving the reading public. “Being among other people is a function of a modern library as well,” she said, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic with people still feeling a sense of loneliness and social alienation. Brunet said Welland Public Library serves as a community hub. “We are a place where people can connect with different ideas, different trains of thought. It’s an area of open ideas and a place for debate. We have been a pillar in the community for the last 200 years.” Welland Public Library’s main branch is at 50 The Boardwalk. The library celebrates its 200th anniversary Wednesday. And it’s being used more than ever. “We are on track to exceed our pre-pandemic numbers this year.” Online visits to the library catalogue and website are up 153 per cent compared to 2019; Wi-Fi and use of public access terminals are up 91 per cent; electronic circulation is up 926 per cent and program attendances up 172 per cent. While in-person visits are down 2.82 per cent to date, the library expects that number will increase by the end of the year. In 2019, there were 146,407 visits across the three branches. So far this year, there have been 142,277 visits. “We are getting busier and busier across all demographics, ages and all walks of life.” College and university students and seniors flock to the Seaway Mall branch, while students, parents and families use the branch inside Diamond Trail Public School. “We have three study rooms that people can use on a first come first serve basis and two larger rooms we rent out.” With Welland growing, its population is expected to reach 80,000 by 2041, Brunet and Bryan were recently before city council to ask for $120,000 in municipal funding for a nearly $400,000 bookmobile for 2026. The library will fund $278,000 from reserves and development charge revenue for the vehicle, while the city’s funding would pay for a full-time co-ordinator and part-time programmer to operate it. The vehicle would bring books, audiovisual materials, instruments, programming and services to places such as parks, schools, retirement residences and community events. “There are underserved areas of Welland, and as the city develops we’re going to learn more about where those areas are. We’ll see where the needs are within the community,” Brunet said. Original location was in a choolhouse near Brown’s Bridge - 1824 A room over McCaw’s Shoe Store on East Main Street - 1896 Town Hall, King Street - 1901 Carnegie Building, King Street - 1923 Northwest Branch on South Pelham Road -1972 Main Branch - 2005, Diamond Trail Branch - 2013 Seaway Mall Branch - 2017 A bookmobile would allow the library to reach vulnerable sectors and individuals who may not have the means to get to any library branches. With the library running lean — it has had 35 employees over the three branches for several years — Brunet said the two new hires would be needed to operate the vehicle and programming. Brunet said Wednesday’s 200th anniversary celebrations start at 2 p.m. and go until 7 p.m. There will be food, toys and games for children, and speeches from all levels of government starting at 3 p.m. She said library staff having been planning the event for the past two years and through research determined the first local library opened on Nov. 27, 1824. “We’ve survived two world wars, two global pandemics, several iterations of the Welland Canal, the rise of the internet and we’re still here. “We have been relevant in every single decade we have operated and I have no doubt that will continue,” said Brunet.

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