Latest news with #ConsumerAffairs
BreakingNews.ie
2 days ago
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Ryanair staff can earn up to €80 per month in bonuses for spotting oversized baggage
Ryanair staff can earn up to €80 a month in bonuses for catching passengers with oversized luggage. It comes after around 200,000 Ryanair passengers were hit with a €75 fine last year, and it has now emerged that staff can earn €1.50 for every oversized bag they catch. Advertisement The airline said the scheme helps reduce delays, but insists most passengers follow the rules. Consumer Affairs Correspondent, Conor Pope, doubts the policy will put people off from flying with Ryanair. Speaking on Newstalk, he said: "They have rules. They're not considered the most friendly airline in the world, but people know what they're getting, and they're happy with the service that Ryanair provides, generally speaking."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
How to avoid buying a flood-damaged vehicle, following heavy rains in NJ
Storms swamped streets, cars, and homes this week as heavy rain brought flooding across New Jersey. Images of cars submerged along roads and highways were plastered all over social media. The floodwaters may have receded, but they left another challenge for future car-buyers: how to avoid buying a compromised vehicle. 'Vehicles damaged by floods have often ended up in the marketplace being sold to unsuspecting consumers,' warns a tip sheet on spotting flood-damaged cars from the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. It's important that consumers know if a car they are buying has water damage because these can have major electrical problems, which can be costly to repair, adds AAA. Tips for spotting a flood-damaged car If you are looking to purchase a car, here are some signs of water damage you can spot before you buy, courtesy of the DCA: Smell for any musty or moldy smells. Test all the electronic components of the car. Look for watermarks as well as dirt and sand throughout the car's interior. Check under seats and the dashboard as well as in the engine bay and trunk. See if there's condensation in the vehicle's taillights and headlights. Search for rusting screws and springs as well as for rust around the rim of the spare tire. Consumers can also look up the vehicle's VIN number to check its condition and history through an approved National Motor Vehicle Title Information Systems Data provider. Getting a mechanic to inspect the vehicle before purchasing isn't a bad idea either. "The vehicle history report may disclose that the vehicle's title has received a 'flood' brand (as well as reveal any prior accidents or odometer discrepancies)," the Division said. Watch out for 'title washing' Still, important information like flood damage can be removed from a car's record through a process called title washing, which can happen if the vehicle is moved from one state to another, according to automotive website Kelley Blue Book. "The best defense is a good offense," Kelley Blue Book advised. "It also pays to complement a vehicle history check with a thorough inspection by a trusted and certified mechanic." This article originally appeared on How to tell if a car has been damaged in a flood, NJ drivers
The Hindu
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Steps being taken to ensure proper distribution of quality foodgrains through FCI, says Joshi
Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi has said that fake BPL cards will be identified and cancelled, while steps are being taken to ensure proper distribution of quality foodgrains to eligible card holders. Speaking to presspersons after visiting the warehouse of Food Corporation of India (FCI) at Unkal in Hubballi on Friday, Mr. Joshi said that the FCI is working continuously to ensure that beneficiaries receive foodgrains as per National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013. The Union Minister said that technology is being used and remedial measures are being taken to minimise wastage during storage. 'Instructions have been issued on proper storage of foodgrains. Also, GPS has been installed in trucks carrying foodgrains to track their movement and ascertain whether they reach the right destination,' he said. He said that 13,553 tonnes of foodgrains have been released during 2024-25 from the FCI warehouse at Unkal. The Hubballi Division Office caters to the needs of Belagavi, Vijayapura, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Gadag, Bagalkot and Haveri districts. Mr. Joshi said that during the current fiscal year, 24,85,799 tonnes of rice have been released under NSFA scheme. 'To control the prices of rice and wheat, the Union government has sold 4,60,959 tonnes of rice and 1,05,065 tonnes of wheat in the open market. This apart, under the PM Poshan scheme, 1,06,895 tonnes of foodgrains have been released for providing mid-day meal to schoolchildren. From February 2025, the State government has been purchasing 2,42,000 tonnes of rice per month from FCI for the Anna Bhagya scheme. For the mid-day meal scheme of Classes IX and X students, 7,811 tonnes of rice are being sold to the State government under the open market scheme,' he said. He said that under the Central government-supported MSP scheme, procurement of paddy, ragi and jowar is being done in the State. 'In Karnataka, 33,4 lakh tonnes of paddy are being produced out of which 510 tonnes have been procured during the current fiscal. As much as 9.44 lakh tonnes of ragi and 7.72 lakh tonnes of jowar are being produced in the State out of which 3.45 lakh tonnes and 1.93 lakh tonnes have been procured, respectively. If the procurement process is started early, then the procurement quantity can been increased,' he said. Senior officials of FCI, including Jacintha L., B.O. Maheshwarappa, Devinder Singh, and others were present.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Connecticut city named ‘hottest housing market' in the US: ConsumerAffairs
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Three Connecticut cities were the top 10 'hottest housing markets' in the United States this spring, according to a study from ConsumerAffairs. The consumer research journal created the ranking by comparing the 200 most populated US cities. They looked at the median length of time homes spend on the market, plus other competition indicators, like how often homes sell above- or below- the listing price. Connecticut town's main street among most beautiful in US: Reader's Digest As of June 2025, they say Hartford has the hottest housing market in the US. In our capital city, they say 60.5% of homes sold above list price and 29.1% sold below it. The city earned that rank with a median time of six days for homes to go under contract. Three of the top 10 hottest markets are in Connecticut and eight are in the Northeast, experts said. The full list includes: Hartford, Connecticut Rochester, New York Manchester, New Hampshire Lancaster, Pennslyvannia Madison, Wisconsin San Jose, California Boston, Massachusetts Syracuse, New York Bridgeport, Connecticut New Haven, Connecticut Experts said low supply is a critical point of context when it comes to the Hartford market. They pointed to a bill addressing housing in Connecticut which passed both the House and Senate, but was vetoed by Gov. Ned Lamont last month. Gov. Ned Lamont issues vetoes of hotly debated housing, striking workers bills At the time, Lamont indicated he would be open to calling a special session of the legislature later this year to craft a revised housing bill. ConsumerAffairs said the 'coolest' markets were Naples, Florida; Laredo, Texas; and Brownsville, Texas. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hindu
07-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
50th anniversary of Emergency will sensitise next generation to dark days of democracy, says Joshi
Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi has said that the 50th anniversary of the Emergency declared in the country by the then Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi is being observed to sensitise the next generation to the dark days of democracy in the country's history. He was speaking at a 'Viksit Bharat Sankalp Sabha' and remembrance of the 50th year of the struggle during Emergency organised by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Dharwad on Sunday evening. 'Emergency was imposed on June 25, 1975 by Indira Gandhi who ruled for 21 months without Constitutional and moral authority. During that time, protests were suppressed, many protestors were imprisoned and several people lost their lives,' he said. 'Indira Gandhi was accused of misusing her power during the elections by Raj Narain who took the matter to court. Justice H.R. Khanna of the Allahabad High Court delivered the verdict in that case. That judgment copy is not available anymore,' he said. Mr. Joshi said that while the former Prime Minister late Jawaharlal Nehru initiated the first Constitutional amendment, his daughter Indira Gandhi later made several amendments, including Articles 38, 39, and 42. He said that having imposed Emergency on the people and making them suffer, the Congress is now claiming that the Constitution is in danger. The Union Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country has developed immensely in the last 11 years and become the fourth largest economy in the world. The former judge S.H. Mittalkod presided over the event. Hubballi-Dharwad Mayor Jyoti Patil, the former MLAs Amrut Desai and Seema Masuti and a host of municipal councillors and BJP leaders were persent.
