NEW YORK (AP) — Many U.S. consumers say they’ve noticed higher than usual prices for holiday gifts in recent months, according to a a December poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. A contributing factor is the unusually high import taxes the Trump administration put on foreign goods. While the worst-case consumer…… MORE
FDA Oks Libido-Boosting Pill for Older Women Who Have Gone Through Menopause
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials have expanded approval of a drug that boosts libido in women who report stress due to a low sex drive. The Sprout Pharmaceuticals drug, Addyi, is now approved for women up to age 65 who’ve gone through menopause. Previously, the once-a-day pill was only for premenopausal women. The drug…… MORE
Ford Scraps Fully-Electric F-150 Lightning as Mounting Losses and Falling Demand Hits EV Plans
DETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co. is pivoting away from its once-ambitious electric vehicle plans amid financial losses and waning consumer demand for the vehicles. Instead it’ll invest in more efficient gasoline-engines and hybrid EVs, the company said Monday. The Detroit automaker, which has poured billions of dollars into electrification along with most of its…… MORE
Roomba Maker iRobot Files for Bankruptcy Protection; Will Be Taken Private Under Restructuring
Roomba maker iRobot has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, but says that it doesn’t expect any disruptions to devices as the more than 30-year-old company is taken private under a restructuring process. iRobot said that it is being acquired by Picea through a court-supervised process. Picea is the company’s primary contract manufacturer. The Bedford,…… MORE
Spain Fines Airbnb $75 Million for Unlicensed Tourist Rentals
MADRID (AP) — Spain’s government has fined Airbnb 64 million euros or $75 million for advertising unlicensed tourist rentals. The consumer rights ministry announced the fine on Monday. The ministry stated that many listings lacked proper license numbers or included incorrect information. The move is part of Spain’s ongoing efforts to regulate short-term rental companies…… MORE