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US consumer sentiment plunged in April, the fourth consecutive month of declines, in a seemingly sharp rebuke of President Donald Trump's trade wars that have fuelled anxiety over possible job losses and rising inflation. The preliminary reading of the University of Michigan's closely watched consumer sentiment index, released Friday, fell 11 per cent on a monthly basis to 50.8, the lowest since the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past year, sentiment has tumbled 34 per cent. The decline was pervasive and unanimous across age, income, education, geographic region, and political affiliation, said Joanne Hsu, director of the survey. The share of respondents expecting unemployment to rise in the coming months increased for the fifth straight month and is now the highest since 2009 during the Great Recession. While consumer sentiment is not always a reliable indicator of the overall economy, it has at times reflected shifting vibes in how the public feels about presidential .
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced on Thursday the extension of the power amnesty scheme for domestic consumers but stressed that frequent waivers are unfair to those who pay their bills on time. This marks the third time in the last three years that the J&K government has introduced the power amnesty scheme for domestic consumers. Responding to demands regarding the power department's grants in the assembly, Abdullah said, "We have decided to extend the amnesty scheme by another year, but this will come with some changes." The chief minister emphasised that frequent waivers are unfair to those who pay their bills on time, and said "giving repeated amnesties like this is not advisable. It would be unjust to those who pay their power bills on time." Abdullah said that this is the seventh extension, adding, "I will not grant any more amnesty to domestic consumers in the future. We will make sure of that." He further remarked, "We have provided amnesty multiple
The government on Friday invited applications to fill up two vacancies for the post of members in the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC). NCDRC is a quasi-judicial body established under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. The Commission is headquartered in New Delhi. The Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs has invited applications only through online mode. Applicants can apply from September 17, onwards through jagograhakjago.gov.in/ncdrc, an official statement said. The deadline for submission of applications is October 16 this year, it added. A search-cum-selection Committee, constituted under the Tribunal Reforms Act 2021 for recommending names for appointment to the said post, will scrutinize the applications. The qualifications, eligibility, salary and other terms and conditions of the appointment of a candidate will be governed by the provisions of the Tribunal Reforms Act and the Tribunal (Conditions of Service) Rules, 2021. The final selection will be