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TRAI says broadcasters misused new regulatory framework
A consultation paper issued by TRAI states, ‘flexibility was misused to throttle market discovery of TV channel prices by giving huge discounts on the bouquets’
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued a consultation paper on tariff related issues for broadcasting and cable services today. The paper stated, ‘In all fairness, a lot much was expected from the broadcasters and the DPOs to use flexibility given under new regulatory framework to address the concerns and aspirations of the consumers. However, given flexibility was misused to throttle market discovery of TV channel prices by giving huge discounts on the bouquets.’
TRAI observed 'the tariff declared by the broadcasters under new regulatory framework that broadcasters are offering bouquets at a discount of upto 70% of the sum of a-la-carte rates of pay channels constituting those bouquets. It indicates that in absence of any restriction on the discount on the offering of bouquets, broadcasters are making prices of a-la-carte channels illusory thereby impacting the a-la-carte choice of channels by consumers.’
The paper added that no restriction on number of channels has created another problem wherein broadcasters and DPOs are offering too -many bouquets. TRAI said that too many bouquets are not only creating confusion among consumers but also becoming a hurdle in choosing the channels by consumers.
‘TRAI had extensive interactions with the stakeholders including consumers and consumer organizations, at vanous forums, wherein stakeholders have also raised certain issues such as variable NCF for different regions, NCF for Multi TV home, discount on long term plan, DD channels as part of one hundred channels etc,’ the paper stated.
TRAI said in order to deliberate upon the issues that have come post implementation of the new regime, the consultation paper has been floated seeking stakeholders' views.
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Did you know...? Seven in ten Greek households waste food to some degree, a new study by IELKA has found, with around 300,000 tonnes of food ending up wasted on an annual basis. The Greek consumer goods research institute found that 60% of households state that up to 10% of the food they purchase is wasted, with 9% saying that 10% to 25% is wasted and 2% saying that more than 25% is wasted.
Did you know...? Drinks Ireland has launched a new pub campaign called #BeSound. Drinks Ireland stated, "Festive pub-goers heading to their favourite venues this Christmas season are being asked to #BeSound, in a campaign launched by Drinks Ireland. The #BeSound campaign is encouraging customers to Respect the Guidelines in these spaces. Cover-19 measures are in place to keep these venues safe and open, and patrons are reminded to wash their hands, use hand sanitiser, stick to their table and wear a mask when walking around.
Did you know...? New Zealand plans to ban young people from ever buying cigarettes in their lifetime in one of the world's toughest crackdowns on the tobacco industry, arguing that other efforts to extinguish smoking were taking too long. People aged 14 and under in 2027 will never be allowed to purchase cigarettes in the Pacific country of five million, part of proposals that will also curb the number of retailers authorised to sell tobacco and cut nicotine levels in all products.

domain: news


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Monday's Headlines: Tesla Reports a Record Year for Deliveries
1. U.S. markets look set to open significantly lower today thanks to growing tensions in the Middle East. Following the killing of a top Iranian general in a U.S. drone strike in Iraq last Thursday, an immediate threat of war has loomed large between the two countries. There have also been warnings of drastic economic sanctions being meted out, with President Trump telling reporters last night that Iraq would be charged with “sanctions like they’ve never seen before ever” if they were to expel American troops from the country. Catch up on the full story here.
2. It was a great start to 2020 for Elon Musk after Tesla announced that it had beat Wall Street expectations for delivery targets. On Friday, the electric-car maker said it had delivered 112,000 vehicles in the fourth quarter, well ahead of the average analyst expectation of about 105,000. For the entire year, the total for delivered vehicles at Tesla came in at about 367,500 — the low end of the company's own expected range of between 360,000 to 400,000. Tesla stock jumped about 4.5% on Friday off the back of the news. Read more about this here.
3. Awards season kicked off last night at the Golden Globes, with Netflix taking home two trophies. Despite leading the field with a total of 34 nominations going into the ceremony, the streaming-pioneer picked up awards for just two of its original projects — the acclaimed movie 'Marriage Story' and the long-running series 'The Crown'. However, Netflix's contemporary dominance is still highlighted by the fact that it only received its first nominations (and award) back in 2014 for the original series, 'House of Cards'. More here.


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With about five years worth of e-mails and other materials to examine, political and media investigations into the Solyndra bankruptcy are far from over. Given the mood in Washington, I worry that the entire solar industry might be thrown under the bus as part of this mad rush to use the Solyndra bankruptcy to score political points or win journalistic renown.
While just taking off in the U.S., the solar industry is recognized by most of the industrial world as a major economic driver. It would be extremely shortsighted for the federal government to reduce or abandon its support for the U.S. solar industry as a result of the failure of one solar manufacturing company.
The solar industry is one of the few bright spots in the American economy. In the last year, solar grew by 69 percent, making it one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy. The industry is strong and getting stronger. More than 100,000 Americans now work in the solar industry, double the number since 2009.
Small business is now recognized as the biggest driver of job growth in the American economy; and the solar industry is all about small business. Most of the nation’s more than 5,000 solar companies are small businesses serving local markets with local employees. Since solar electricity will first become cost-competitive with the utility-supplied power at the retail level, these small companies are poised for continued rapid growth.
In 2010 the U.S. was a $2 billion net exporter of solar products, even to China. Since the start of 2010, the price of solar panels has dropped by more than 30 percent.
Continuing reductions in the cost of solar hardware and other costs of solar installations coupled with expected increases in the cost of grid-supplied electricity should make solar cost-competitive in half the U.S. within the next five to seven years. The U.S. is projected to become the world’s largest solar market by 2014. Solar is already the fastest growing energy sector in the U.S. and will likely be the largest source of new electric capacity in the country by 2014. Solar manufacturing is growing rapidly as well. In 2010 and 2011 alone, 27 new solar manufacturing facilities have begun or will begin operations across America, including Arizona, Ohio, Michigan, Mississippi, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.
The impressive growth of the U.S. solar industry in the past few years has been fueled by federal, state and, in some instances, local government incentives. Now, with the solar industry within striking distance of utility cost-competitiveness, it would be an incredible policy mistake if the federal government chose to eliminate or substantially reduce federal incentives for solar energy.
However, with the dismal state of the economy, the continuing paralysis on Capitol Hill and the deadlock between the White House and Congress, it might be easy for partisan politicians to tar and feather the entire solar industry as part of the Solyndra bankruptcy. Economic development should be bi-partisan, and the economic success of the overall solar industry over the past few years argues strongly for a bi-partisan effort to support the rapidly growing U.S. solar industry.
Another five years of existing solar incentives will have minimal impact on the federal budget, but a thriving solar industry that is cost-competitive with grid-supplied electricity will have an enormous positive impact on our economy and our domestic energy supply picture, providing hundreds of thousands of new jobs and contributing to a positive balance of trade for the U.S.
The premature elimination of federal incentives would have devastating consequences to the solar industry – forcing widespread job losses and eliminating any prospect of near-term cost competitiveness with the utility-supplied power.
Our political leaders must recognize the tremendous economic opportunity offered by the solar industry and not be swayed by the politics of the moment and the Solyndra bankruptcy.
Tony Clifford is chief executive of Standard Solar of Rockville.


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3D Bindery Selects Muller Martini’s Pantera Perfect Binder to Meet Customer Demands
“Since we can now accommodate our customer requests so much better, it’s going to bring us more business. Our industry is constantly looking for a quicker turnaround, a better quality product, and increased volume—and our customers will realize that the Pantera means more to their bottom line as well,” Damato added.
3D Bindery has scheduled an Open House for June 28, 2012, at which time it will not only demonstrate the Pantera’s capabilities, but also celebrate the future.
“Everyone is excited—from our customers to our employees,” reported Damato. “To be able to have our customers see that we’ve expanded our capabilities, it shows them that there is growth and opportunity in the industry. It’s definitely an exciting time for all of us.”
Those interested in attending the 3D Bindery Open House on June 28, or wishing to schedule a private demonstration, should contact Dave Damato at (407) 831-2463.
About Muller Martini
Muller Martini is the world’s largest producer of print finishing solutions for commercial and book printers, trade binderies, newspapers, and digital book manufacturers. They are also the world’s leading manufacturer of variable size web offset presses. Muller’s innovative workflow solutions optimize processing efficiencies, while helping to build new revenue streams. With U.S. headquarters in Hauppauge, NY, Muller’s sales and support team provides training and responsive service to printers and binderies nationwide.
Source: Muller Martini.


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Jaguar Land Rover plans to go fully electric by 2039, and said it would spend $3.5 billion on the goal each year
Land Roverplans to become net zero on carbon emissions by 2039, it announced Monday.
- Vehicles across both Jaguar and Land Rover brands would go all-electric, it said.
- The car maker, the UK's biggest, will spend around £2.5 billion ($3.5 billion) on the goal each year, it said.
Luxury car group Jaguar Land Rover (
Land Rover will add six pure electric variants in the next five years and future Jaguar models would be built exclusively on a pure electric architecture, the British car giant said, adding that the first all-electric variant of Land Rover will debut in 2024.
By 2030, it is anticipated that 100% of Jaguar cars, and 60% of Land Rovers, will be equipped with zero-tailpipe powertrains, JLR said.
This feeds into its plans to become a net-zero-carbon business across its supply chain, products, and operations by 2039, it said.
The Tata Motors-owned group's strategy comes as car groups worldwide accelerate moves towards fleets powered by electric and other green technologies.
Last month, General Motors said it aimed for all new cars, SUVs, and light pickup trucks to have zero-tailpipe emissions by 2035, a dramatic shift away from gasoline and diesel engines by the largest US automaker.
JLR is also preparing for the expected adoption of clean fuel-cell power, it said, and expected its prototypes to arrive on UK roads within the next 12 months.
To achieve this, it would work alongside other companies owned by Tata and would spend around £2.5 billion ($3.5 billion) on the project each year, including investments in electrification technologies, connected services, and data-centric technologies, it said.
Shares of parent company
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- Delhi government to install 1.40 lakh CCTV cameras in second phase, says CM Arvind Kejriwal


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MILPITAS, Calif. -- Capping a year in which its net revenue skidded 21 percent from the 1998 fiscal year, Adaptec
nevertheless managed to turn a $40 million operating profit in the
fourth quarter, up 108 percent from the year-ago period.
"Our fourth quarter marks a turnaround year for Adaptec -- a
year in which we focused on the profitable growth side of the
business," said Bob Stephens, president and CEO of the maker
of host adapters and RAID storage products. "Today, we are a
stronger company, better able to exploit future market
Net revenue for the fourth quarter was $184 million, with net
income of $62 million, or 55 cents per share (diluted). That
compared with income of $19 million in the fourth quarter of
1998 and was up 38 percent from income of $29 million in the third
quarter of 1999.
The company attributed the strong fourth quarter to growth in
server demand, which fueled sales of host adapters. Acceptance
of its new high-end RAID product and a successful
expense-reduction program were also credited.
For the fiscal year, revenue was $602 million, down 21 percent
from revenue of $758 million in fiscal 1998. Net income of $87
million was down 41 percent from income of $147 million in the
previous year. Diluted earnings per share were 77 cents, down
38 percent from $1.25 in fiscal 1998.
Much of the blame was because of a heavy fall-off in the Peripheral
Technology Solutions business, which Adaptec sold to
STMicroelectronics. In addition, a technology shift on the
desktop necessitated action in Adaptec's channel, affecting
revenue in the first and second fiscal quarters.
"As we move into the next fiscal year, our three main business
segments -- host, RAID, and software -- offer compelling
growth opportunities," said Andy Brown, vice president and
chief financial officer of Adaptec. "Entering fiscal year 2000, our
operating expenses are at 35 percent of revenue. The team is
delivering results that keep Adaptec at the forefront of the I/O


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So turn the Consumer ombudsman again down hard on the two major telecommunication companies, Telia and Oister, for illegal telemarketing committed against the private, who certainly had not asked to be kimet down of the aggressive, pushy salespeople.
the Companies have been reported to the police, and this time the fines more than doubled to eur 575.000 kr. and 475.000 kr., as the companies have agreed to pay, writes Jyllands-Posten.
half A hundred danes had complained to the Consumer ombudsman of calls from Telia. The same number had complaints about the 3's company Oister.
It is not the first time, the Consumer ombudsman tries to set the custom on the country's telecommunications companies by politianmelde them for illegal telemarketing.
It also happened a year ago. Some stopped, but in spite of the fines at the time of 200,000 dkk. and 225.000 kr. to 3 and Telia got the Consumer ombudsman continues to deal with complaints of these two companies, writes Jyllands-Posten.
Yet claim to Telia's press officer Mads Houe, that the company is very aware of the issues related to telesales'.
’And therefore are we certainly not proud of, that we will get another fine, he says to Jyllands-Posten, and protests that the year should be come fewer complaints compared with last year.
Director Jesper As from Oister, informs to the Jyllands-Posten, that in november 2019 has terminated cooperation with the agencies, and that the company had hired to call people.
the telecom sector in Denmark has repeatedly previously promised to stop the activity. Without that, it is done.


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The Nintendo Switch console has been quite hard to find in stores ever since its release earlier this year, leading many to think that Nintendo definitely underestimated demand for its latest console. According to Reginald Fils-Aimé, this wasn't the case.
Speaking with Mashable, Reggie clarified on the Nintendo Switch stock situation, stating that Nintendo actually over delivered the console. Despite the issues, Nintendo is confident in being able to supply 10 million units in the current fiscal year.
We actually sold through almost 2.8 million units, so we dramatically over delivered. And yet, demand outpaces supply. So what do some of the consumers on Reddit say? 'Gosh, Nintendo, if you would've made more you would've sold more.' Well, we did make more! And certainly we're on a pace to supply in the current fiscal year 10 million units."
Despite Nintendo's efforts, however, the situation hasn't improved as much as fans would have liked. Reggie admitted that things are getting better, just not at the quick pace some might have expected.
I think if you were to go back and look at some of these comments, you would actually see that the issues have been resolved, but it's happening at a pace that is later than maybe where the commenters would like the resolution to be.
Next month, a new Nintendo Switchy bundle will be made available in all regions. The Super Mario Odyssey Bundle will include the console, a digital copy of Super Mario Odyssey, two red Joy-Con controllers and a special edition carrying case. This bundle will launch on October 27th for the price of $379.99.
The Nintendo Switch console is now out in all regions.


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TruArc Partners, New York, New York, a private equity firm focused on the middle market, has acquired Molded Devices, Inc., Tempe, Arizona, from PNC Mezzanine Capital and Molded Devices founder Brian Anderson. Molded Devices provides high-precision, value-added plastic and rubber component manufacturing solutions for medical and non-medical applications.
Molded Devices’ core manufacturing capabilities include injection molding, tube extrusion, blow molding, dip molding and dip coating. The company also provides a range of value-added services including clean room assembly for advanced medical device production, product design and development, and engineering and tooling support – offering a full suite of solutions to its customer base.
“Within our specialty manufacturing strategy, we have been looking for opportunities with significant exposure to the growing healthcare market,” said John Pless, co-managing partner at TruArc Partners. “We believe Molded Devices, with its unique capabilities and robust customer relationships, is well-positioned to continue the momentum it has across the business, with a focus on deepening its capabilities across the medical market.”
“In this next chapter of growth, we hope to further broaden our set of manufacturing and value-added capabilities and become a market leader in servicing medical OEMs. We look forward to working with the TruArc team to leverage their experience in specialty manufacturing, sales and marketing and other strategic areas to achieve this goal,” said Jack Slinger, CEO and president of Molded Devices.
For more information, visit www.truarcpartners.com.


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WILMINGTON, DE — InterDigital, Inc. (NASDAQ: IDCC) announced a judgment from the UK’s High Court that Lenovo has infringed one of the company’s patents and that the patent-in-suit is valid and essential to the 4G LTE standard. InterDigital initiated legal proceedings against Lenovo in the United Kingdom and in US district court in 2019 after it became clear Lenovo would not willingly agree to pay for a license to InterDigital’s wireless patent portfolio.
“This decision serves as further proof of the strength of InterDigital’s R&D in key technologies and of our patent portfolio overall,” said Richard Gulino, Chief Legal Officer, InterDigital. “While we remain committed to licensing our patents through amicable negotiation and believe that is always more beneficial to both parties, we will not hesitate to use litigation in response to hold-out behavior in order to obtain a fair return on our significant R&D investments.”
This decision is the first from five technical trials that are scheduled to proceed before the UK High Court with an additional trial to establish fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) licensing terms scheduled for January 2022.
Approximately 80 companies including Apple, Huawei, Samsung and Sharp have taken licenses to InterDigital’s extensive portfolio of patented innovations in wireless and video technologies, which have resulted in more than 700 million licensed devices sold last year and over six billion licensed devices sold within the past decade.
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Keeping Up Appearances, No Matter the Dow
LAST year, the idea of opening a luxury spa at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan sounded like a perfect business opportunity to Mathilde and Bertrand Thomas, the founders of the French skin-care company Caudalie. Their goal was to create a luxurious haven for their grape- and wine-based spa treatments, along the lines of Caudalie’s original spa on the grounds of Château Smith Haut Lafitte, a grand cru winery in Bordeaux owned by Ms. Thomas’s parents.
And so, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average soaring, the Thomases began to invest about $6 million in building a 8,000-square-foot space called the Vinothérapie Spa by Caudalie above the Plaza’s Palm Court restaurant.
But as they prepared to open this month in the midst of the worldwide credit crisis, the couple anxiously wondered how many people would be eager to spend $550 for services like the 100 Percent Grape Ritual — a combination of treatments, including a body scrub with crushed cabernet seeds.
$510 for the Impériale massage and facial at the Waldorf-Astoria.
$400 for the house facial, Le Soin Sislëya Anti-Age, at the Carlyle.
“We are scared,” Ms. Thomas said as she sat in the spa’s glass-walled wine lounge where a sommelier prepares tastings for clients between treatments. “We are opening at the worst possible time.”
“I prefer to call it unfavorable circumstances,” her husband said.
Worst-possible-timing syndrome is not limited to the Caudalie enterprise. Several classic grand hotels in New York have introduced multimillion-dollar spas amid the financial meltdown.
Against the backdrop of a wildly fluctuating stock market, these palaces of pulchritude seem retro, a throwback to the conspicuous consumption of the Reagan years. Even as luxury consumers are tightening their Hermès belts, the concentration of so many extravagant beauty emporia is raising industry concerns about market saturation.
“You are obviously going after a very high-end, upper 1 percent audience, a limited audience,” said Francis X. Acunzo, the chief executive of Acara Partners, a spa consultant in Branford, Conn. In his 25 years in the industry, Mr. Acunzo has owned and operated more than 75 day and medical spas, he said. “In New York, you have a higher concentration of that audience,” he said, “but still, are there enough people who want to spend that kind of money?”
A handful of high-end hotels think so.
In September, the Waldorf-Astoria introduced the Guerlain Spa, a $23-million center that covers 14,000 square feet. An immense sculpture, made from deconstructed Czech crystal chandeliers, greets guests in the foyer. At the spa, one of the signature treatments, a massage and facial called the Waldorf Impériale, costs $510.
And earlier this month, at a cost of $6 million, the Carlyle hotel opened Sense, a Rosewood Spa, which features Sisley, the luxury French skin-care brand. To reach the treatment rooms, guests descend a staircase whose arched ceiling is covered with platinum mosaic tiles. The house facial, called Le Soin Sislëya Anti-Age, costs $400.
Not to be outdone, the Peninsula Hotel is revamping its three-story, 35,000-square-foot spa, which is scheduled to reopen in mid-December.
The spate of premium spas tied to prestigious cosmetics brands is no coincidence. Just like restaurants created by chefs who have Michelin star ratings, brand-name spas are playing an increasingly important role in a hotel’s ability to gain or maintain elite status.
New York already has two venues that industry analysts describe as “five-star spas” — properties with opulent décor, lavish treatments and stratospheric pricing. One of them, The Spa at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, has an Asian-themed V.I.P. suite worthy of a Thai prince, with a sweeping view of northern Manhattan. The other, Cornelia Day Resort, is a 22,000-square-foot spa on Fifth Avenue, between 52nd and 53rd Streets, that cost $15 million to build and has its own roof deck.
“The market is not saturated for that level of spa,” said Cornelia Zicu, who has since left the Cornelia spa, which she helped found, and who is now the chief creative officer of Red Door Spa Holdings. In a booming economy, Manhattan could support 20 spas of such grandeur, suggested Ms. Zicu, who was born in Romania. “But now, to open that size in this economy with that prices, I am not optimistic.”
There were about 18,000 spas in the United States last year, compared with about 9,900 in 2003, according to the International Spa Association. Last year, the American spa industry generated $10.9 billion in revenue, up from $7 billion in 2003, the group said.
But the industry may be vulnerable. A recent e-mail survey of about 400 spas reported that two-thirds of them had fewer bookings this September compared with September 2007. Moreover, 50 percent of day spas, 55 percent of resort and hotel spas and 64 percent of medical spas in the survey reported that their revenues were lower in the first nine months of this year compared with the same period last year. Last month, there was a 25 to 30 percent increase in the number of spas offering discounts over the same period last year.
Spa and hotel executives said new luxury spas in New York are not impervious to the economic climate. But the executives said that they are optimistic that unique features and customized services would distinguish their spas from the competition.
Sense, at the Carlyle, is a lavish jewel box, with ornate chandeliers and marble sinks. Yves Durif, a hairstylist with a devoted Upper East Side following, has just moved his salon into the space.
“Of course, you’d prefer to open in 2000, or last November at the height of the market,” said James W. McBride, the managing director of the Carlyle. “But if you deliver an exemplary product with exemplary service in an exemplary environment, your customer will say, ‘I want to go there because it is the very best.’ ”
Meanwhile, at the Guerlain Spa at the Waldorf-Astoria, each guest is assigned a spacious treatment room, with its own bathroom, in which to change and receive massages or body wraps.
Kimani Roquemore, the director of the Guerlain Spa, said a steady stream of clients has come in since the opening last month. But, as the economy takes a toll on consumers, she predicted a change of mind-set, in which customers will seek results-oriented treatments over leisure and beautification.
“There is the perception, with deep-tissue massage, that you are getting more for your money,” Ms. Roquemore said. “People think, ‘That will work out all of the knots, and that will last me longer than the Swedish massage.’ ”
At Caudalie’s Vinothérapie Spa at the Plaza, Ms. Thomas said the unusual treatments would draw people interested in natural beauty remedies.
“Where else can you have a fresh grape massage or be wrapped in wine yeast and honey?” she said. Musing on the competition, Ms. Thomas added, “The treatments are half of the price of the Mandarin Oriental.”
About 10 to 15 people a day have had treatments at the spa since it opened last week; on average, each client had three treatments, Ms. Thomas said.
Mr. Acunzo, the spa consultant, said that it would take years for such spas to see a return on their investments.
He said that many five-star hotel spas are not designed to be profitable per se, but to increase the number of hotel guests, raise the amount each guest spends, lure celebrities and heighten the visibility of cosmetics brands.
The question, he said, is whether, in any economic climate, this town is big enough for so many over-the-top spas.
“There is not enough market share in Manhattan,” Mr. Acunzo said. “Six five-star luxury spas seems like way too many.”


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400 Malicious Apps Disguised as Photo Editors, Utilities and Games Cut from iOS, Android App Stores
Researchers at Meta have identified hundreds of malicious apps posing as photo editors, games, VPNs, business apps and other utilities that were actually crafted to steal credentials from unsuspecting users.
“Our security researchers have found more than 400 malicious Android and iOS apps this year that were designed to steal Facebook login information and compromise people’s accounts,” Meta reveals in a post on its news blog.
A breakdown per category reveals that most of the apps, listed on the official Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store, purported to be photo editors (42.6%), followed by business utilities (15.4%), phone utilities (14.1%), games (11.7%), VPNs (11.7%), and lifestyle apps (4.4%).
“This is a highly adversarial space and while our industry peers work to detect and remove malicious software, some of these apps evade detection and make it onto legitimate app stores,” Facebook’s parent company states.
Meta reached out to Apple and Google to have the rogue apps removed from their app stores. According to the announcement, all apps had been taken down from both stores before the report was published.
However, many have already downloaded and used the apps, so Meta is also reaching out to people who may have unknowingly self-compromised their accounts and are helping them secure their accounts.
All of the rogue apps were designed to steal login credentials by forcing users to log in with a Facebook account.
“When a person installs the malicious app, it may ask them to ‘Login With Facebook’ before they can use its promised features,” Meta explains. “If they enter their credentials, the malware steals their username and password.”
The apps’ developers published fake positive reviews to cover up negative reviews by people who’d spotted the malicious nature of the apps.
Meta offers some examples of malicious behavior to help users differentiate them from legitimate apps. The report includes screenshots from some of the rogue apps, all showing the Login-with-Facebook prompt. According to the researchers, most apps would not let users enjoy any of their functionality unless they comply with the login request.
The report also includes the full list of apps taken down from the stores. If you believe you’ve downloaded one of the apps, it’s highly recommended that you reset your Facebook password as soon as possible, enable two-factor authentication (if you haven’t done so already), and turn on log-in alerts so you are notified if someone is trying to access your account.
iOS and Android users are also encouraged to report suspicious applications through Meta’s Data Abuse Bounty program. Threat indicators are also available in CSV, TSV, and JSON formats at https://github.com/facebook/malware-detection.
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Warburtons will start a new TV advertising campaign for its All in One Riddlers filled rolls in the new year.
The plant baker’s advertising campaign will commence in January, said category manager Claire Simpson.
She told British Baker: “We will be on TV throughout 2006, starting with a product-specific All in One Riddlers advertisement in January. It is a new product and a new campaign.”
Full details of the advertising activity and spend are not yet available, she added.
New Warburtons All In One Riddlers are ready-filled bread rolls, available in two varieties: cheese spread and ham-flavoured cheese spread.


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Albertsons is taking a boots-to-the-ground approach to its expansion strategy, highlighting its commitment to the regions it serves. Both Albertsons and Safeway are adding more personnel—a whopping 2,000 at that—to address the needs of shoppers in Washington state.
With growth elevating the goals of Albertsons and Safeway, the retailers are looking to fill 2,000 immediate job openings at its western Washington grocery stores, according to Q13 Fox Local, which added that the company said it was hiring for the jobs to “best serve the increasing needs of our communities throughout Puget Sound.”
This investment in personnel for in-store positions will impact the produce, deli, meat, bakery, fuel stations, customer service, and cashier and courtesy clerk arenas. In addition, Safeway and Albertsons are also hiring for full and part-time delivery drivers, according to Q13 Fox.
Safeway and Albertsons' Seattle Division now operates 222 stores in Washington, North Idaho, and Alaska.
As we continue to keep our pulse on what’s happening in retail, keep checking back in with Deli Market News.


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For the industry, holiday 2011 scored a solid triple—but not the joyous home run many were expecting.
While most jewelers told JCK that sales were up, in some cases significantly, a sizable percentage found business flat or even down from last year.
Still, most were smiling when all was said and done.
Chrysa Cohen, owner of Continental Jewelers in Wilmington, Del., says store sales had already jumped 10 percent over last year’s—and she expects sales to be 15 percent up by the end of the week.
“People seem to be more ‘up’ this year, and settled into the ‘new normal,’” Cohen says. “They’re spending less than they would have five years ago, but seem less worried overall.”
Her two big sellers: bridal jewelry and Pandora. She also saw a rise in estate jewelry.
“We’ve seen less custom design requests this year,” she says. “When normally we would be rushing to get all the design work done in the store during the holidays, this year has been smooth sailing.”
Shannon Waits, assistant manger of Clater Jewelers in Louisville, Kent., also recorded “excellent” sales—and gives part of the credit to social media.
“On our Facebook page, we did an A to Z countdown before Christmas,” she says. “That really got people in. A lot of people came in and said, ‘I saw you on Facebook.’”
In contrast to previous years, this wasn’t really a last minute Christmas, she found.
“We had really terrible weather last year,” she says. “People really took notice of it this year and said let’s get things done early.”
In Oklahoma City, Okla., total sales for B.C. Clark Jewelers’ three stores were “up double digits,” according to Mitchell Clark, the company’s executive vice president and marketing director.
“We had some big diamond sales and did well in sales with our designer lines, watches, and engagement rings,” Clark says. “Price points for us ranged from $2,000 to $5,000.”
Hill’s In-House Jewelers in Laurel, Miss., also enjoyed a “great” season with sales up from 2010, the store’s first year in business.
“Not one thing sold, it was a combination of things,” says owner Jeffrey Hill. “It was necklaces, earrings, studs—the basics, bread and butter stuff.”
The holiday also brought “very good” news for Markman’s Diamonds and Fine Jewelry in Knoxville, Tenn., says chief operating officer Randy Williams, adding that, even after Christmas, his two stores have been extremely busy.
Williams says inventory sold well across the board, but singled out watches, diamonds, silver, Roberto Coin, and John Hardy.
“There weren’t a lot of special orders,” he says. “Consumers were interested in buying what we had in the case.”
He adds: “The last few years, everything has been either high-end or low-end. But now it’s more evenly distributed. It seems things are coming back to normal.”
One change Williams noticed was that he didn’t sell as many large pieces as usual. “People weren’t really prepared to pull the trigger on those yet,” he says.
Jon Landon, owner of Carolina Fine Jewelry in Columbia, S.C., dubbed it a “strange Christmas.”
“We sold a lot of big ticket items,” he says. “We probably sold more $5,000 and up items than $500 and below. But everything from $500 to $3,000 were slow movers. If we didn’t have those big ticket sales it would have been a tough Christmas.”
He also didn’t sell as many studs as usual, and found that consumers generally sought unique items.
Some jewelers, particularly those in the Midwest, were impacted by weather-related issues.
Mark Clodius, president of Clodius & Co. Jewelers in Rockford, Ill., thinks “the lack of snow affected people’s moods,” and resulted in an unusually compressed holiday season, with most sales taking place the week before the holiday.
Overall, he says, “sales were about even with last season, which was up 40 percent. So we’re pleased.”
Diamond basics were a big hit for Clodius this holiday season, especially diamond stud earrings under $250. “We sold about 20 pairs,” says Clodius. “Sales for these earrings were so good we had to make up some extras.”
At another Midwest store, Miner’s North Jewelers in Traverse City, Mich., the mild winter weather seemed to help. Dec. 23 was the busiest day in the store’s 35-year history.
“We estimate about 500 to 600 customers were in the store that day,” says spokesman Jeff Guntzviller.
Overall, the store’s December sales were up 9 percent compared to last year. Diamond studs were particularly strong, especially finer pairs of stud earrings starting at $1,500. Pandora beads and engagement rings remained solid sellers, according to Guntzviller.
Other jewelers, however, didn’t find Christmas particularly merry. Cindy Lang, principal for Ellis Jewelers in North Little Rock, Ark., says sales were even with last year’s.
“It could have been worse, it could have been better,” she says. “We had some boom days and some ho-hum days.”
A lot of people wanted custom design pieces, she said, particularly at the last minute.
“I was truly amazed at the people who a week before Christmas said: ‘I want a custom piece. Can you do that?’” she says.
Other hot items included Chamilia beads and Mexican fire opal. “Two guys who bought [fire opal] didn’t even know that tangerine was the hot color of the year next year,” she says.
Randall Peterson, owner of Peterson’s Jewelers in Heppner, Ore., says sales “were down a little bit.”
Mark Billmeier, owner of Billmeier Jewelers, in Saginaw, Mich., also reports that sales dropped.
“That’s typical of the Midwest, and of the country in general,” he says.
The better sellers included silver and engagement rings.
Jen Hankin, director of public relations and marketing for Joint Venture Estate Jewelers in Cary, N.C., found consumers “not as cheery as in years past.”
“Customers that typically spent thousands were spending hundreds, and customers who typically spend hundreds chose to go in a different direction,” she says. “Customers were buying because they had to and not because they wanted to spend the money.”Follow JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Twitter: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Facebook: @jckmagazine


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Who is not familiar with the Toyota Tj Cruiser. The car with a very elegant design and trace in the heart. And apparently, Toyota is rumored to be presenting the Toyota Tj Cruiser and the All New Toyota Harrier this year. Rumors, the two Toyota cars will be announced in mid-2020, precisely in May. Surely you can not wait for the arrival of the Toyota Tj Cruiser and All New Toyota Harrier is not it.
Toyota Global has prepared a number of ammunition in 2020. The world’s leading automotive brand plans to announce some of its newest products. According to the schedule, the Toyota Yaris will be introduced in February in Japan. But rumors are circulating that this year Toyota will also announce the Toyota Tj Cruiser and the All New Toyota Harrier. The news circulating says Tj Cruiser and the All New Toyota Harrier will make their debut in the middle of this year.
Toyota Fj Cruiser And Harrier Cars Are Ready For Sale In May
According to information compiled from bestcarweb.jp, the Toyota Tj Cruiser and the All New Toyota Harrier are predicted to be announced in May 2020. But before the two Toyota cars rolled into the market, there were indications that Toyota Japan would announce the GR variant of the Toyota Prius which was known from a source.
Toyota Tj Cruiser is an SUV concept car that has appeared at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show (TMS). The TJ Cruiser has the design and toughness that an SUV usually has, despite having a seating capacity like an MPV. Plus, the idea of a Toyota TJ Cruiser figure emerged from the toolbox.
Tj Cruiser has been rumored to be appearing soon. Even rumors circulating previously mentioned the indent Toyota Tj Cruiser has been opened since December 2019. Previous information revealed that, Tj Cruiser has a length of 4.3 meters, 1.7 meters wide and 1.6 meters high. When compared with the latest Toyota Kijang Innova with a length of 4.7 meters, 1.8 meters wide and 1.8 meters high. Thus the dimensions of the Tj Cruiser were no bigger than the Toyota Kijang Innova. Even the Toyota Tj Cruiser is like a compact MPV with a boxed SUV.
Meanwhile, the Toyota Harrier itself is 7 years old in 2020. A source said the All New Toyota Harrier will be present in May 2020, while other information revealed will be available in August or September. The next Toyota car will be equipped with a brand-new look, but still presents a touch of keen look. Other information says the All New Toyota Harrier has a distinctive European design, information about the All New Toyota Harrier is not so much. Nevertheless information about the announcement of the Toyota Tj Cruiser and the All New Toyota Harrier in May 2020 has been encouraging news. Let’s just wait!


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(Bloomberg) -- Thailand’s central bank expects new restrictions imposed to contain the country’s biggest wave of coronavirus infections to slow economic recovery this year.
The Bank of Thailand may lower its forecast for economic growth -- currently at 3.2% for this year -- as curbs on business and travel chill activity in areas that account for 75% of gross domestic product, Senior Director Chayawadee Chai-Anant said at a briefing Friday. A prolonged outbreak could also trigger liquidity problems for businesses and put millions of jobs at risk, she said.
With the government opting for localized restrictions rather than a national lockdown, the hit to the economy is expected to be less severe than last year, when a broad lockdown was imposed to contain the initial outbreak, Chayawadee said. Still, if the curbs are kept until June with some easing from March, they could shave off as much as 1.5 percentage point from growth this year, the central bank said.
Earlier this week the government unveiled a $7-billion dollar program of cash handouts and extended several subsidy plans to buffer the economy. With rising household debt a concern, the central bank also extended various debt-relief measures until the middle of the year for individual and business borrowers hurt by the new outbreak.
“There are still a lot of uncertainties ahead with the outbreak situation, vaccine rollout and economic measures,” Chayawadee said, adding the stimulus measures should be targeted at individuals and businesses less capable of handling the shocks.
The new outbreak began in mid-December and has spread to 60 of Thailand’s 77 provinces, with the country’s total infections since the pandemic began more than doubling in the past month alone. The central bank indicated earlier this month that the resurgence might well lead the economy to undershoot previous forecasts.
“There is a possibility that we will need to revise down the GDP forecast. But the pace of adjustment will need to await more information and we will need to get approval from the monetary policy committee,” Chayawadee said. “Household debt will weigh down on consumption, and will slow down economic recovery.”
The central bank kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged last month for a fifth straight meeting, while slashing this year’s GDP estimate from earlier expectations of 3.6%. The next policy meeting is set for Feb. 3.
In its latest policy report, issued Jan. 6, the monetary authority said it was closely monitoring the situation and would take “appropriate monetary policy decisions in the period ahead.”
An estimated 4.7 million workers may be affected by the new outbreak with 1.2 million likely to become unemployed or work less than 24 hours in a week, Chayawadee said. Sectors such as retail, trade, hotel, and restaurants were affected more than logistics, auto and auto parts industries, she said.
“The economic impact will be uneven, with more impact felt in areas with more curbs and more infections, that may force some factories to shut down,” Chayawadee said.


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Good morning. It’s Friday! Next week is Thanksgiving! Unhedged is feeling giddy. So are American shoppers and retailers. But it is important to keep a balanced perspective, so we’re having a look at UK stocks as well. They are not giddy.
UK stocks are cheap, but not attractive
Here is a maudlin Morrissey song of a chart:
That’s the performance of large-cap UK stocks relative to their American cousins, going all the way back to the 1980s. It features two plateaux (1983-93 and 2004-10) and two big slides. The second slide continues to descend today, which has made UK stocks look attractively cheap. The forward price/earnings ratio of the S&P 500 is 22, compared with the FTSE 100’s 12, according to Bloomberg.
Zooming in on just the past decade, the underperformance of the UK index clearly has a lot to do with the underperformance of value stocks. Banks, materials, energy and industrials have a heavy weight in the FTSE. Here is the relative P/E valuations of the FTSE and the S&P, charted against the relative valuations of the Russell value and growth indices:
The UK is relatively cheap in large part because value stocks are cheap. So, if you wanted to bet on a value bounce (not a mad bet, at a time when stocks in general look expensive and rates are threatening to rise) you might buy the FTSE to do it.
But to the degree that UK stocks are exposed to the economy of the UK — as its banks, retailers and utilities are, for example — that might be a mistake, because it’s economy is about to run into some quite specific problems.
That, in any case, is the argument of Absolute Strategy Research, which has just downgraded UK stocks. Their argument turns on labour shortages, inflation and valuations. Here is their chart of the percentage of UK companies that say a lack of skilled and unskilled labour is limiting production. The cumulative percentage is at levels last seen in the 1970s:
This is important for investors because labour shortages are often followed, at a lag of half a year or so, by falling stock valuations:
ASR explains this correlation as follows. A market with a labour shortage can return to equilibrium in two basic ways: wages can rise or demand can fall. Both outcomes are a drag on profit growth. Both outcomes might also lower real interest rates, weakening the pound, creating an additional risk for international investors in UK stocks.
Why would any of this be unique to the UK? The US has a worker shortage too. Half of US small businesses have unfilled positions, compared to 40 per cent before the crisis, according to the National Federation of Independent Business. To a degree, the point can indeed be generalised: sales growth and wages are strong now, but when growth slows, wages are likely to stick, hitting margins globally (see the note about US retail, below).
The UK is different, though. It is a small, open economy, while the US is large and mostly closed. This has made the Britain historically more vulnerable to inflation. And its labour shortage is especially acute because of Brexit. Here is ASR’s chart of UK employment by worker origin:
Brexit has driven international workers out of the UK (that was part of the point). And the policy response to that fact has been inadequate, as ASR points out:
“Although the UK government offered 5,000 visas for foreign [heavy goods vehicle] drivers and 800 visas for non-UK meat workers, the Road Hauliers Association estimates a shortage of 100,000 drivers and the British Meat Processors Association estimate shortages of 15,000 meat workers.”
Nor can monetary policy help much with the labour problem, which is about inadequate supply, not excess demand. If ASR is right, UK stocks may underperform even value stocks in the next few years.
Inflation is high. Finding and keeping employees is hard. Supply-chain pain lingers. You’d expect all this to result in higher prices and lower sales. Well, prices are higher, but sales are higher still: US retail sales rose 1.7 per cent last month.
The last time we checked in on the retail industry, we argued that quality companies would stand out as margins diverged. To an extent, third-quarter earnings have borne that out. Revenues have been strong almost across the board, but margins have been more uneven. Compare gross margins at the largest DIY sheds with the biggest of the big boxes:
Share prices are diverging too (note at the far right that Wall Street was not amused by the margin problems Target and Walmart reported this week, despite solid revenue performance):
In conference calls this week, Target and Walmart executives chalked up margins compression to higher input, transport and labour costs. Home Depot execs, whose company had declining gross margins in 10 of the past 11 quarters, sounded relieved with near-flat margins. Meanwhile, the chief executive of Lowe’s sounded triumphant:
“I couldn’t be more proud of the team’s efforts . . . to increase gross margin, increase operating income and also sustain competitive in-stocks in the midst of the most complex global supply chain environment that any of us have operated in.”
Rahul Sharma at Neev Capital, our favourite retail analyst, notes that Lowe’s and Home Depot can protect margins in part because they compose a home-improvement duopoly, with 80 per cent joint market share. That means pricing power.
Hotter competition in the big-box game means they feel the margin pressure first. Industry wide, though, margins are up. Even smaller chains such as Macy’s and Abercrombie are doing well. Here’s what margins look like for S&P 600 small-cap retailers:
We suspect this won’t keep up, and more retailers will soon be having Target-like margin problems, because it is hard to maintain sales growth and even harder to make costs go into reverse.
Sharma sums up:
“There is pent-up demand out there and everyone benefits. There’s been this narrative that Covid winners (who won in a stay at home economy) would meet their comeuppance this year as sales normalised. All four big retailers [Lowe’s, Home Depot, Walmart Target] reporting today were in this category [and yet their sales were strong]
“But not everyone will do so well once we move past this period of booming demand.”
Companies are spending big to keep shelves stocked — choosing pricey air freight over cheap, congested ocean shipping, for instance. Ditto on raising wages to attract staff. After the holiday euphoria subsides, expect margins to compress as these costs prove sticky. (Ethan Wu)
One good read
Team transitory has no better spokesperson than the FT’s Martin Sandbu.


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A group of young minds at the Saint Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights, MN have constructed from scratch a lithium phosphate ion-powered motorcycle that can travel at speeds of 60 MPH for 50+ miles before needing to be recharged. Safer than any Vespa you’ve taken for a ride, this electric bike has been built with the driver’s safety in mind. Implemented in its design are “crush zones” formed by compressible materials to protect the driver by keeping him/her inside the vehicle during the event of a collision.
The bike is going to be shown at MIT next week and the team plans on inventing a solar-charging station to make the electric bike truly carbon free. It seems like eco-friendly motor bikes are the way of transportation in our greener future.


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UK-based tech start up Immotion Group, which specialises in the immersive virtual reality (VR) ‘Out of Home’ entertainment sector, went public today on London’s junior stock market AIM.
The Manchester based company plans to raise £5.75m in funding.
Immotion creates virtual reality machines which are used in gaming arcades, theme parks and shopping centres. They typically charge around £5 for customers to use the virtual reality machines.
VR content and motion platforms
The company anticipates its shares will trade around 10p. It is therefore expected to have a market capitalisation in the region of £19.54m.
Funds raised will be used to implement Immotion Group’s strategy. This is to become a leading player in the ‘Out of Home’ VR experience market. It will do this by creating and publishing high quality VR content and combining this with its own VR motion platforms. The ‘Out of Home’ VR experience market is forecast to grow eight-fold to $8bn by 2022.
Immotion generates revenues through the delivery of high quality state-of-the-art VR experiences. These are combined with cutting edge motion platforms to consumers at an affordable price. The business both sells its VR Motion Platforms to leisure and entertainment operators and also works with concession partners.
Its equipment is currently installed at Merlin Entertainments’ Lego Discovery Center in Boston, USA. It is also at Genting Resorts World in Birmingham. Broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough recently fed a VR dinosaur courtesy of Immotion Group at Yorkshire Museum’s to unveil a new exhibition, “Yorkshire’s Jurassic World“.
An immersive virtual reality business model
An owned and franchised outlet – trading as Immotion VR – in Bristol opened in December. It has seen growing revenues and a 100% 5* reviews on TripAdvisor.
Immotion Group’s award-winning creative studios creates VR content for its motion platforms. These are published using its proprietary Content Management System (CMS). This was established by Martin Higginson and David Marks, two highly experienced technology and media entrepreneurs, with Sir Robin Miller as Chairman.
Higginson is Chief Executive Officer of Immotion Group. He said: “In combining award-winning storytelling, CGI production and precise motion synchronisation, Immotion Group can deliver experiences that are not easily replicable in the ‘in home’ market. We have already experienced a very positive reaction from consumers, many of whom are trying VR for the first time, and also from business partners who see the strong potential for our VR platforms to provide a new revenue opportunity.
“The five star reviews received from our retail customers, along with the early sales of motion platforms and a successful launch experienced by our Concession Partner, Merlin Entertainments’ Lego Discovery Center in Boston, have also given us confidence in the market and our strategy to deliver on the opportunity. As a result we believe that this IPO will enable us to build momentum and achieve our goal to build the business across the UK, Europe and USA in what is an exciting, fast growing market.”


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The ZigBee Alliance, a nonprofit association of companies creating, maintaining and delivering open, global standards for the low-power wireless Internet of Things (IoT), announced 38 new members have joined since the beginning of 2016.
Many residential users are seeking ways to reduce energy consumption and cut costs
March 29, 2016
The global market for ZigBee-enabled smart thermostats is forecast to increase substantially at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 67 percent by 2020, according to a market analysis by Technavio.
Organizations to combine benefits of EnOcean and ZigBee solutions for worldwide applications
January 18, 2016
The cooperation connects the two alliances’ advantages, synergies, and track records of standards advancements to create an open, global specification that will extend energy-harvesting wireless communication to a broader range of self-powered IoT sensor solutions.
They look to bring interoperable self-powered IoT solutions to more markets and applications
December 22, 2015
The ZigBee Alliance, an association creating open standards that define the Internet of Things (IoT), announced with the EnOcean Alliance, a consortium for battery-less, wireless smart buildings and homes, that the organizations will cooperate on combining the benefits of EnOcean energy harvesting wireless solutions with ZigBee 3.0.
Research analysts expect the market to grow exponentially
October 26, 2015
The global smart thermostat market is projected to generate revenue of more than $1.3 billion by 2019, according to a report by Sandler Research. The report states that one of the main challenges faced by the smart thermostats market is the high initial cost, which exceeds that of conventional thermostats.
They have gained significant demand in North America and Europe
September 14, 2015
The global smart thermostat market is forecast to reach $2.21 billion by 2022, according to a new study by Grand View Research Inc. These devices allow users to remotely manage their heating and air conditioning systems using wireless connectivity and mobile apps.
Smart home applications expected to utilize over two-thirds of the IEEE 802.15.4 chipsets
July 20, 2015
Annual shipments of IEEE 802.15.4 and ZigBee wireless chipsets doubled last year and are forecast to reach a cumulative 2.5 billion chipset sales within the next five years, according to a report from research firm ON World. The smart home market is expected to utilize over two-thirds of the IEEE 802.15.4 chipsets at this time.
Agreement Opens Door for ZigBee Cluster Library Application Protocol to Run on Thread Networks
April 16, 2015
The ZigBee Alliance and the Thread Group announced they are collaborating to enable the ZigBee Cluster Library to run over Thread networks. By working together, ZigBee and Thread can jointly provide an interoperable solution to help streamline product development and improve the consumer’s experience in the connected home.


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* Magnit confirms it made an offer to buy Lenta on April 1
* Lenta says Magnit's proposal worth $3.65 per GDR
* Mordashov has agreed to buy 42 pct of Lenta at $3.60/GDR
* Lenta's GDRs up 1.3 pct in London to $3.58 (Writes through, adds new statement from Magnit, context)
By Polina Devitt and Maria Kiselyova
MOSCOW, April 5 (Reuters) - Russian grocery chain Magnit has made a $1.78 billion non-binding and indicative proposal to smaller competitor Lenta, topping a rival offer from Russian steel magnate Alexey Mordashov, Lenta said on Friday.
The arrival of a second potential bidder for Lenta inflates competition for the third-largest grocery retailer in Russia amid a decline in the shares of many Russian food retailers over the past year.
Magnit sent its proposal to Lenta on April 1, the same day U.S. private equity fund TPG and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) agreed to sell their 42 percent stake in Lenta to Mordashov.
Lenta said on Friday it had received the proposal from Magnit to buy 100 percent of the company for $3.65 per global depository receipt (GDR).
Mordashov, whose Severgroup boasts Russian steel producer Severstal at the heart of its empire, had agreed to buy the 42 percent stake, to be followed by a cash offer for all the group's outstanding shares, at $3.60 per GDR.
Severgroup declined to comment. Its deal with TPG and the EBRD is binding and expected to be approved by Russia's anti-monopoly regulator by the end of May. Remaining shareholders are free to sell their shares to whoever they want and Mordashov could conceivably resell to Magnit.
Lenta said on Friday its independent directors had asked Magnit to confirm it wanted to pursue a deal in light of Mordashov's offer and, if so, to provide details about timing and any conditions.
Magnit has not yet provided those details, Lenta said.
Magnit confirmed that it was exploring a possible acquisition of 100 percent of Lenta's business. It, however, said that it was Lenta that had not replied to its letter with details on the proposed deal structure and terms on April 1.
"Magnit is looking forward to receiving a response from Lenta and will then consider how it intends to proceed," it said in a statement, adding that no assurances can be given that any transaction would take place.
Lenta's London-listed GDRs were up 1.3 percent at $3.58 on Friday.
Lenta, with a 3.2 percent share of the Russian retail market, could help to boost Magnit's market leadership, while for Mordashov it would add a physical chain to his Utkonos business, the largest online grocery retailer in Russia, an industry source told Reuters.
Prosperity Capital Management, which owns about 7 percent in Lenta, a stake in Magnit and rival X5, believes the price offered by Mordashov undervalues Lenta, while a deal with Magnit could achieve substantial cost savings, Alexey Krivoshapko, a portfolio manager at Prosperity, said.
He said he hopes Magnit will make a formal bid for Lenta. (Reporting by Polina Devitt and Maria Kiselyova; additional reporting by Olga Popova; Editing by Maria Kiselyova, Mark Potter and Kirsten Donovan)


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SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Lamar Advertising Co. LAMR, +1.92% on Monday reported third-quarter earnings of $8.3 million, or 8 cents per share. Last year, the company posted a loss of $7.7 million, or 8 cents per share. Revenue for the quarter was $231.6 million, compared with $211.7 million in 2003. For the fourth quarter, Lamar expects to report revenue between $221 million and $223 million.
Lamar Advertising swings to Q3 profit


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I’m prepping for two sessions at next weekend’s PRSA International Conference in San Francisco. The first will consist of a conversation with three in-house social/tech PR pros from: Facebook, Skype (Microsoft-owned) and Twitter.
The idea grew out of a similar session held last spring in New York as part of PRSA’s Digital Impact Conference. That panel featured PR reps from four fast-growing digital startups: Buddy Media, Etsy, Foursquare and Zynga. It explored how their increasingly beleaguered PR “departments” managed to advance their companies’ brand and business interests with limited internal resources. (In most cases, our panelists were flying solo on the PR plane.)
For next week’s session, I hope to get a better handle on how some of the Bay Area’s more esteemed social/tech brands manage the myriad incoming requests for interviews and information, and the methods they deploy to advance their companies’ POVs and business goals. (In a prep call last week I was told that the news release simply does not exist in one of the featured company’s PR lexicon.)
The second session I’m moderating will take place on the same day and is audaciously titled “The Agency of the Future.” It will feature the CEOs of Airfoil, GolinHarris, H+K Strategies and Ketchum. When you think of the agency of the future, I’m not sure these particular firms come immediately to mind. But, trust me, all are investing in new tools and talent to tackle the tumultuous changes we face as an industry.
Storytelling and the leveraging of owned content will figure in both sessions at a time when PR pros’ historical reliance on the media filter (i.e., pitching stories to unwilling and even hostile journalists) is on the wane. Then again, is it really?
Just how much time and how many resources does a typical agency devote to developing story ideas to take to editorial decionsmakers? And other than the most digitally savvy corporate clients, e.g., Pepsi, Virgin Mobile, Starbucks, etc., aren’t most SMBs still compensating their PR agencies for garnering editorial coverage?
A Wall Street Journal piece on Buzzfeed in today’s edition looks at the communications hybrid of “sponsored stories” in which commercial brands pay for their “stories” to appear in Buzzfeed’s feed. The site’s social-minded readers then share that (quality) content via their own social channels giving the “advertiser,” “storyteller,” “marketer,” whatever, extra amplification, let alone valuable third-party endorsement:
“BuzzFeed President and COO Jon Steinberg tells WSJ’s Liz Heron and Keach Hagey how using social ads are far more effective and innovative than traditional methods, using new technology with old methods to reach the audience.
Over the next few weeks, the post drew 2,000 Facebook “likes” and about 330,000 views. But most of those views weren’t on BuzzFeed’s home page. Instead, they were from people sharing the post on social-media sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Stories go viral every day. But what made the post unusual is that it was an ad for Virgin Mobile, which was promoting more entertainment for sharing on the Virgin Mobile Live website. Aimed at enhancing Virgin Mobile’s brand, the so-called sponsored story was an example of a new breed of online marketing that takes advantage of people’s tendency to share online content with their friends.”
Paid commercial content lightly cloaked as editorial content is so buzzworthy, our friends over at PBS MindShift just complied and posted a series “New Storytelling” with all sorts of useful links. The melding of the marketing disciplines and the growth in number of channels to accomodate such hybrid communications is nothing new. (I penned a piece on HuffPosts’s advertorial model nearly two years ago and wrote about Altimeter’s views on “workflow convergence” more recently.)
But who owns it?
I suppose the overriding question I’ll have for these agency leaders is just how far have they’ve come with regard to paid and owned schemes for advancing their clients’ business interests. As for the in-house tech PR pros, I’m very curious to know how their departments are organized and what role do their own platforms play in the everyday conduct of corporate communications.
If you plan to attend #PRSAICON, please swing by to say hello. If you don’t, but have some burning questions you’d like me to pose, email me at phimler [at] flatironcomm [dot] com.
Do you need San Francisco PR Agency? HotStoneCommunications.Com is a unique marketing and PR agency made up of global marketing strategists and creative talent. I think they can help you more.
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Points Expands Partnership with Frontier Miles
Points, a vendor dealing in loyalty commerce, has announced that it has expanded its partnership with Frontier Miles, the relaunched frequent flyer program of Frontier Airlines. The partnership offers Points Travel services, a white-label hotel platform, to Frontier Airlines customers for access to over 300,000 hotels.
“With the introduction of our recently reimagined Frontier Miles program, we’re excited to expand our relationship with Points, growing our redemption capabilities to more than 300,000 hotels, and ensuring the redemption of miles is made even easier and more rewarding for our customers,” says Tommy Langhauser, Senior Manager of Loyalty and Partnerships, Frontier Airlines. “The addition of mileage redemption for hotels through Points allows us to give our passengers added flexibility in redeeming their Frontier Miles for any part of their next vacation and beyond.”
The Little-Known Target Loyalty Program Enters New Markets
National retailer Target has been testing a new loyalty program (it’s not the one with the card) in Dallas since March. On February 19, it will be launched also in Charlotte, Denver, Indianapolis, Kansas City, and Phoenix. The program is a departure for big department store retailers and imitates programs more typical at restaurants. It offers one percent back on all purchases and gives rewards on customers’ birthdays. Shoppers can also select local non-profits to which Target will send donations. Increasingly, brands are moving away from points-based loyalty programs, and Target will be one of the biggest brands to do so to date.
Rethinking Rewards Expense?
Some have argued that we’re about to see programs downsized so that brands can increase profitability. Bank-issued credit card programs, which ramped up rewards throughout the 2010s in response to increasing competition, have scaled back in the last year. Some of the cost of loyalty programs may consequently be shifted from banks to retailers.
The Wall Street Journal has published an article dealing with internal affairs at the most popular OTT platform. The “Netflix Way” is discussed, “a culture where radical candor and transparency are among the highest virtues, and where openly discussing whether people should be fired, and explaining why they were, are common rituals.”
Employee engagement is a major driver of customer loyalty, even in a business like Netflix’s, where employees do not interact with the general public. Public perception that the brand is out of touch with its workers can decrease loyalty. In a changing business landscape, we’re seeing many experimental workplace cultures, and they should be monitored to see what is and isn’t sustainable.
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Microsoft, Amazon, Starbucks and Costco are 'inspiring' U.S. companies
- Staff Puget Sound Business Journal
Four of the nation's "most inspiring" companies are Washington state companies, according to a new magazine poll.
A new consumer survey conducted by an Atlanta-based consulting and training firm ranked Microsoft Corp., Amazon.com Inc., Starbucks Corp. and Costco Wholesale Corp. in the top 12 of the country's 25 "most inspiring" companies.
Performance Inspired surveyed 2,175 consumers to compile the list, reports Forbes.
The goal of the survey was to find a correlation between successful companies and those that inspire their consumers, Performance Inspired told Forbes.
Apple topped the list for the second straight year. Here are the top 12 Most Inspiring Companies, according to the survey:
5. Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT).
6. Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN).
8. Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX).
12. Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ: COST).
Audience Account Executive Puget Sound Business Journal | Seattle, WA
Vice President Acquisitions The Laramar Group | Seattle, WA
Director, Wildlife Conservation Program Vulcan Inc. | Seattle, WA
Division Executive Manager COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL | Bothell, WA
Sr. Game Developer (server backend) WildTangent, Inc. | Seattle, WA
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While we wait for the Samsung Galaxy S20 series to launch in mid February, the Korean phone maker – Samsung – appears to be busy in flooding to the market with more affordable handsets. This time it was the turn of the Samsung Galaxy M21; the successor of the Galaxy M20 launched in January of 2019.
The Samsung Galaxy M21 with Exynos 9611 Has Allegedly Been Spotted on GeekBench
A smartphone with model number SM-M21F did indeed just pop up on the famous benchmark platform GeekBench; with reports suggesting we’re looking at the Galaxy M21. The device managed to score 348 points in single core more and 1265 multi core mode on GeekBench version 5.1.0. From the benchmark we can also see the smartphone is powered by a Samsung Exynos 9611 SoC coupled with 4GB of RAM.
Gizchina News of the week
As always, we don’t get to know much more from a GeekBench score, but we can assume the device will be available with either 64GB or 128GB of internal storage. Meanwhile in the camera department we should find a minimum of two rear cameras (the M20 had two); but Samsung could surprise us by adding a third sensor. Additionally, the smartphone should also feature a fingerprint scanner on the back.
Finally, the Samsung Galaxy M21 is expected to come in three color variants: Blue, Black and Green. We still aren’t aware when the smartphone will hit the market, but given the fact that the predecessor was launched in January of 2019, we can assume it’ll be the same for the new Galaxy M21; February the latest.
Are you guys looking forward to it? Let us know in the comments section down below!


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On Saturday, Netflix will launch an official Stranger Things Store pop-up at Grapevine Mall. The store will immerse the show’s fans in a world of the supernatural and ’80s nostalgia. The store will be open for a limited time only providing a retail experience with both merch and interactive photo moments. Fans have options to explore Stranger Things’ iconic locations, get up close to a demogorgon, take photos inside Joyce’s House, shop at the Starcourt Mall, avoid the Rift in the lab, play games at the Palace Arcade and take home exclusive merchandise only available at the pop-up.
“We are thrilled to bring this retail experience to Dallas and create an opportunity for Stranger Things fans to see themselves more in the show they love,” Greg Lombardo, Head of Experiences at Netflix said in press release. “The Stranger Things Store will send guests right into the heart of Hawkins, in a truly immersive retail experience, totally stoked with 80’s vibes and the chance to take home a piece of their favorite show with unique merchandise that isn’t available anywhere else. But be warned, you never know when things will turn Upside Down!”
The store is produced by Netflix with store operations managed by Three Ten Merchandise Services and store design by Black Sky Creative. The store will include both exclusive merchandise along with items found at Netflix.shop.
The shop will be open Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
- Following the runaway success of the first official Stranger Things Stores that brought the Upside Down to New York City and L.A. in 2021, Dallas residents now have the chance to immerse themselves into the Stranger Things universe and take home exclusive custom merchandise
- This groundbreaking retail experience takes fans of the global hit series inside some of its most memorable settings, filled with photo moments and fun easter eggs from the series.
- Custom pieces such as ‘Elegorgon,’ a collaboration between Netflix and iam8bit in the form of a vinyl masterpiece by Ecuadorian artist Chogrin that asks, “What would a half Eggo-eatin’ tween, half teethy demogorgon look like?” will be available to purchase. Sitting alongside them will be exclusive General Mills Stranger Things Cereal, packaged in replicas of 80s cereal boxes but set in the world of Stranger Things, the back of every box will have a pull-out panel with interactive elements. A wide variety of collectible Bandai Stranger Things Hawkins Action Figures including 16” demogorgon Figures with interchangeable heads, will also be on sale, as will an assortment of specialized merch exclusive to the store featuring Palace Arcade, Hawkins High and more.
- Stranger Things fans will also enjoy customizable apparel stations, where they can personalize their own creations.
- Guests will be able to interact with friends and foes from Hawkins. Get up close to a demogorgon, hang out with Scoops Ahoy employees, and much more.
- The new store opens ahead of the highly anticipated season 4 of Stranger Things. Volume 1 premieres on May 27 followed by Volume 2 on July 1, available on Netflix.
Tickets to the shop are complimentary, but limited. Walk-ins are welcome but guaranteed entry is preferred and available by reserving tickets here. Attendees must adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and are encouraged to stay home if they are not feeling well. Hand sanitizer stations will be available to visitors on-site.
–From staff reports


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Sponsored The Blurams Video Doorbell system offers incredible levels of intelligence If you're sick of paying monthly fees for a video doorbell, it's time to upgrade to Blurams. It comes with no hidden fees, free cloud storage, AI, night vision, and a sound and light alarm. … [Read more...] about Google Drive goes down in some parts of the U.S.
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To use Office editing, users need to open Google Drive and upload the Office file they want to work with. From Google Drive, users can double-click the Office file and it will open a preview of the file. From there, users can click on "Open in Google Docs/Sheets/Slides". … [Read more...] about Google: Working with Word, Excel and Powerpoint docs on Android just got a lot easier
Previous and related coverage How Waze uses crowdsourcing for better traffic data Google Maps on iPhone gets Waze features that let you report crashes and speed traps UK government takes the next step in bringing self-driving cars to motorways Have a tip? Get in touch securely via WhatsApp | Signal at +447713 025 499, or over at Keybase: charlie0 … [Read more...] about Google’s Waze lays off 5% of global workforce in response to COVID-19
What do you do if you were in the public beta? You shouldn't have to do anything special if you've been testing Android 11 on a Pixel phone through Google's public beta program. Once the update is available for your phone, you'll update to the official version of Android 11 and "graduate" from the beta program. … [Read more...] about Android 11: You can install Google’s new OS on these phones today. Here’s how
A day after making Android 11 operating system official, Google has now also introduced the toned-down version of the same with the launch of Android 11 (Go edition). In its blog post announcing the new features of Android 11 (Go edition), Google has also said that this edition will be available on all new devices with up to 2GB of memory. For those unaware, the Go edition of Android was first introduced in 2018 and Google claims that it runs on over 100 million entry-level devices through apps and features specifically built to address local needs. The Android 11 (Go Edition) comes with a claim of 20% faster loading time for apps as compared to how they opened on Android 10 (Go edition). Just like the main Android 11 version, Android 11 (Go Edition) also shows its users their conversations in a dedicated space in the notification section. Also, it offers the same privacy enhancements as the Android 11 by offering one-time permissions to apps such as for microphone, camera or … [Read more...] about Google has more in store for affordable phones with Android 11 (Go edition)


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The cover image for Cyberpunk 2077 PS5 gas leaked, FF7 Remake Part 2 news will be revealed this year, and the Halo Series is coming out on Paramount Plus on 24 Mar 2022.
Twitter user aitaikimochi recently posted an interesting tweet regarding Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2. During the FF7 25th Anniversary stream, Kitase, one of the game's producers, mentioned the possibility of dropping news about Part 2 later this year. This confirms the reports from yesterday and is exciting news for all the fans eagerly awaiting the next installment of the beloved game.
The anticipation for Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 has been building up since the release of the first part in 2020. The remake of this iconic game was highly acclaimed, capturing the hearts of both longtime fans of the original and newcomers to the series. With the success of the first installment, fans have been eagerly awaiting any news or updates on the progress of Part 2.
Kitase's statement during the anniversary stream has created a lot of buzz among fans. The tweet from aitaikimochi has sparked excitement and anticipation for the potential release of official news later this year. Fans are hoping for more information about the story, gameplay features, and release date of Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2. It's an exciting time for fans as they eagerly await further updates and announcements.
Moving on to another exciting piece of news, Paramount Plus recently tweeted about the release date of the highly anticipated "Halo: The Series." The tweet stated that the series will be coming exclusively to Paramount Plus on March 24. This announcement has ignited enthusiasm among fans of the popular video game franchise.
"Halo" has been a hugely successful video game series developed by Bungie and 343 Industries. It has captivated players around the world with its rich lore, engaging multiplayer modes, and memorable characters. The news of a live-action adaptation has been met with both excitement and curiosity from fans. The series has the potential to bring the beloved game universe to life in a new and immersive way.
Although the tweet doesn't provide details on how fans outside of the United States can watch the series, it's expected that licensing agreements will be made with various streaming platforms. International fans are eager to know which service will carry the series in their countries. Despite this uncertainty, the confirmation of a release date has generated a lot of excitement among fans, as they eagerly await the opportunity to witness the franchise they love in a fresh new format.
The last bit of news we have for you today revolves around the highly anticipated release of Cyberpunk 2077 on the PlayStation 5. PlayStation Game Size recently tweeted out what appears to be the cover image for the PS5 version of the game. This exciting development has caught the attention of fans who have been eagerly awaiting news about the next-gen release.
Ever since its initial release, Cyberpunk 2077 has garnered a significant amount of attention. Despite the game's rocky launch, CD Projekt Red has been working hard to improve the overall experience and address the initial issues. The promise of a version specifically optimized for the PlayStation 5 has excited fans who are eager to jump back into Night City with improved graphics and performance.
While details surrounding the PS5 version are still scarce, fans are hopeful that more information will be revealed soon. It's worth noting that CD Projekt Red should carefully plan the timing of any announcements, avoiding the crowded release schedule of February, to maximize the impact of the news. Many players have a busy gaming schedule during this time, so a strategic release window would be ideal for building anticipation and ensuring maximum visibility for the game.
In summary, there are some exciting developments in the gaming world. The potential news about Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 later this year has fans eagerly awaiting updates and announcements. The release date for "Halo: The Series" has been confirmed, generating a lot of buzz among fans of the iconic video game franchise. Lastly, the prospect of Cyberpunk 2077 on the PlayStation 5 has fans excited to experience Night City in all its next-gen glory. As gamers, we can't help but anticipate and speculate about what these upcoming releases will bring.
For a visual summary of today's gaming news, complete with engaging gameplay footage, check out our YouTube video below. It's a quick and entertaining way to catch up on the highlights!
I hope you enjoyed this comprehensive dive into the latest gaming news. As the gaming landscape continues to evolve, it's always thrilling to be at the forefront, sharing these updates with fellow enthusiasts like you.
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SAN JOSE, Calif. – San Jose police have released the surveillance video that captured a car crashing into the front doors of an East San Jose Walmart on Easter Sunday, according to the San Jose Mercury News.
Police are reportedly looking to identify and speak to those who were nearly struck by the driver Haamid Ade Zaid.
Zaid, 33, was charged in April with two counts of attempted murder, four counts of assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of felony vandalism and other additional charges in connection with the store crash.
The video shows Zaid crashing into the glass doors at the entrance of the store while shoppers went about their business. The Oldsmobile Culass nearly missed about half dozen shoppers then backed up and drove further into the store.
Zaid then allegedly got out of the car and started swinging at people with a metal bar, injuring three shoppers and an employee before witnesses tackled him and held him until police arrived.
Prosecutors reportedly said Zaid was involved in a similar incident in December 2012 when he ran a red light and crashed into a gas station mini-mart with another car.
Police are asking those who are seen in the video to come forward and speak with investigators.


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Jai publishing houses ‘biggest’ publisher is not a publisher, says Bick publisher
The big publishers are no longer publishing books in India.
The biggest publishers, Jai Publishing House and Bick Publishing House, said in a statement on Wednesday that they were “deeply saddened” by the incident and would no longer be publishing in India and would work to improve its practices.
Bick had announced plans to start a digital publishing business in India in May and had partnered with a Delhi-based startup called Kunal Publishers to develop a platform for publishing books digitally.
However, the company said on Wednesday it was unable to expand its business due to “unforeseen reasons”.
“We are deeply saddened to see such a situation happening at the heart of our family, the Bick family, and our Indian readership.
We will not publish our books in the country of our birth,” the company tweeted.
The Bick publishing houses statement said they would work with other Indian publishers to launch new books.
It added that it is committed to publishing in the “best Indian formats”.
“We also want to emphasize that we are proud of the efforts of our readership to help us out in our fight against the corruption, corruption, and fraud,” the statement said.
Bick has been working with the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan to launch a digital edition of its books since February.
“The Bikram Kalyan, a major publisher in India, announced that it was going to start selling books in English in October, but it has been delayed and we have not received any word from them.
Our books have been made available on the online platform Kunal, but we have no further updates.
We would like to reiterate our deep regret that we have been unable to launch our books,” the publisher said.
Bikram’s statement added that the company “has been working hard to provide a digital experience to our readers” and that it would be updating its website with new titles as soon as possible.
“It is unfortunate that our publishers are unable to release their books in Indian market because they are not able to provide the quality of service that they deserve,” the publishing house said.
“The situation is serious and we wish to offer our condolences to the people affected by the incidents.”
Jai Publishing has also suspended publishing in Delhi.


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Former Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that starting today, new reforms go into effect prohibiting businesses from charging a "pink tax," otherwise known as the practice of charging different prices for "substantially similar" consumer goods or services that are marketed to different genders.
In April the Former Governor signed the FY 2021 New York State Budget which included the Former Governor's proposal to ban the "Pink Tax." The new measure requires certain service providers to provide price lists for standard services upon request and notifies them that gender-based price discrimination is prohibited under State law. Businesses that violate the law will be subject to civil penalties.
"New York is leading the nation in advancing women's rights and this milestone marks the latest step in New York's journey to break down barriers and put women on an equal playing field," Former Governor Cuomo said. "By abolishing the pink tax, women and girls will no longer be subject to harmful and unfair price discrimination and any businesses who fail to put an end to this despicable practice will be held accountable."
"Women and girls continue to face inequalities in many aspects of their daily lives, and it is unacceptable that they have to pay more than men for similar goods and services," said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. "Eliminating the pink tax helps put an end to gender-based pricing, ensure financial success and break down barriers for women. We do not tolerate discriminatory actions in our state, and we will continue to fight to eliminate the gender wage gap and achieve full equality and justice for all New Yorkers."
"The Pink Tax was gender-based discrimination, plain and simple," Melissa DeRosa, Secretary to the Former Governor and Chair of the New York State Council on Women and Girls, said. "In New York, women have been forced to accept the unjust reality of a higher price tag for identical goods marketed to men. It was unacceptable and starting today women and girls across this state can be confident that it won't happen again. New York has made tremendous progress in advancing gender equity through Governor Cuomo's Women's Agenda and abolishing the pink tax is a critical next step."
Secretary of State Rossana Rosado said, "For far too long, women have paid more for services and products that were substantially the same as the male marketed version. I applaud Governor Cuomo for his leadership in ending this widely accepted, everyday injustice that women of all ages have suffered in the marketplace. This landmark law points to a new and fair era for women in the marketplace."
Since the early 1990s, numerous studies have demonstrated the stark disparities in the cost of substantially similar goods and services based on whether they were marketed for men or women. Across the board, the studies found that women paid more for the female version of the same product offered to men. The economic impact on women to pay more for the same product has a greater overall reach than those immediate purchases. Starting today, September 30, 2020, the gross compound effect of the gender-based price disparities comes to an end in New York State.
The new law mandates that any individual or entity, including retailers, suppliers, manufacturers or distributors, are prohibited from charging a price for two "substantially similar" goods or services, if the goods or services are priced differently based on the gender for whom the goods or services are marketed.
"Substantially similar goods" is defined as two goods that exhibit little difference in the materials used in production, intended use, functional design and features, and brand. "Goods" include any consumer product used, bought, or rendered primarily for personal, family or household purposes. For example, the same children's swimming pool product brand and dimensions offered in pink at $89.99 and blue at $69.99 would constitute a violation of law.
"Substantially similar services" is defined as two services that exhibit little difference in the amount of time delivering, difficulty, and cost in providing the service. "Services" include any consumer services used, bought or rendered primarily for personal, family or household purposes. For example, dry cleaning a woman's suit jacket for $12 and a man's suit jacket for $8, would constitute a violation of law.
The new law also seeks to empower consumers by giving them the right to receive, upon request, a written price list from any business that provides a service. The New York State Division of Consumer Protection encourages consumers to familiarize themselves of the new requirement and ask their service providers in advance for a price list.
Anyone selling products or providing services can avoid running afoul of the new law by ensuring that any price difference is based upon the following:
- The amount of time it took to manufacture such goods or provide such services
- The difficulty in manufacturing such goods or offering such services
- The cost incurred in manufacturing such goods or offering such services
- The labor used in manufacturing such goods or providing such services
- The materials used in manufacturing such goods or providing such services
- Any other gender-neutral reason for having increased the cost of such goods or services
Violations of the law are subject to the court ordered enjoinment of such sales, restitution to consumers, up to a $250 fine for the first violation, and up to $500 fine for any subsequent violations.
The New York State Division of Consumer Protection serves to educate, assist and empower New York State consumers. Starting September 30th, if you find a product or service offered for sale in New York State that does not comply with the new law, you may contact the Division of Consumer Protection at 800-697-1220 Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm or file a complaint online at https://dos.ny.gov/preliminary-statement-complaint-0. The Division can also be reached via Twitter at @NYSConsumer or Facebook at www.facebook.com/nysconsumer.
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