Piracy Taking Big Bite out of Books in Spain?
Ebook piracy resulted in €350 million ($467.1 million) in lost revenue for the €3 billion Spanish publishing industry in 2012 (13%-15%), according to a new report from Spain’s Federation of Publishers’ Associations and Spain’s ISBN Agency.The report also said the number of titles published in the country decreased by 8% even while ebook publishing increased — with ebooks now accounting for 22% of all registered titles in the country.Like many studies that seek to measure the economic impact of ebook piracy, this study may fail to account for content piracy that occurs as an alternative to not consuming the content at all — i.e., when the content thief wouldn’t have bought the ebook unless they could get it for free. That may not represent lost revenue for the industry.A popular notion in the ebooks industry in the U.S. is that piracy isn’t much of a problem. Organizations like BitTorrent, which provides a content-sharing technology, frequently cite studies that show piracy has little impact on content industries. At Digital Book World last week, Michael D. Smith, professor of information technology and marketing at Carnegie Mellon University, argued that piracy does in fact effect the ebook industry and that studies that say the opposite are invalid or improperly conducted. Most authors don’t seem to care why piracy occurs — they want to guard against it. When asked in a recent survey about digital rights management software (DRM), which theoretically guards against piracy, a majority of authors want it either strengthened or left alone
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Man arrested for smuggling counterfeit cigarettes in NW
North West Police have arrested a Namibian national on charges of smuggling counterfeit cigarettes. Police spokesperson Brigadier Thulani Ngubane says the suspect was arrested at the Kopfontein border post in Nietverdient near Zeerust. He was arrested after his truck was searched.Ngubane says the suspect will appear in court tomorrow .“We can confirm that as of last night the police once more busted a person who was illegally smuggling illegal cigarettes into the country. These cigarettes were hidden in a truck and about 90 cases of illegal cigarettes were found in the possession of this Namibian driver.”Ngubane says the cigarettes have a street value of more than Rs 500 000. On Friday, Orange Farm police arrested a 46-year old man at his home after he was found in possession of commercial explosives following tip-off from community members. Police spokesperson Maloisane Polo said during questioning the man said they belonged to a friend.Commercial explosives are normally used by criminals for ATMs bombings and are predominantly found in mines. The suspect is expected to appear in court tomorrow.
Lear MoreTraders get Supreme Court notice on imported Samsung goods
The Supreme Court has issued notices on a complaint filed by South Korea’s Samsung Electronics against the sale of imported Samsung-branded products without its authorisation, an issue which has major implications for trade and business in the country. The company claimed that such sales by traders was an infringement of its trademark, whereas local traders claimed they were within their rights to sell goods legally bought abroad and imported into India.Samsung was represented by senior counsel T R Andhyarujina, while Shyam Divan appeared on behalf of local traders who were importing and selling printers bearing the Samsung trademark without the company permission. A three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir, issued the notices which will have to replied to within four weeks. Samsung had earlier sought an order from a lower court seeking an injunction restraining the traders from infringing and diluting its trademarks, but failed. The Delhi High Court had on October 3, 2012, ruled that local traders can import goods bearing a registered trademark into India and sell it further without any authorisation from the registered proprietor. It held that such sales were legal under the Trade Marks Act, 1999.
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100 pumps with fake ISI mark seized
As many as 100 pumps were seized from a pump company at Peelamedu by Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) officials in Coimbatore on Thursday, for selling pumps with fake ISI certification.BIS Coimbatore branch head, M Sadasivam had received information that Jaibajrang Pump Company at Vilankurichi road near Thanneerpandal in Peelamedu had been selling pumps with ISI mark. However, the company did not obtain the ISI ark. He instructed BIS enforcement director, V Ravichandran and his team to take appropriate action against the company on Thursday.The team conducted surprise check at the company and seized 100 self priming pumps worth Rs 4 lakh and 1,000 cartons used for packing the pumps. “The company had four brands in the name of Gem, Star, Rain Tech and Medini. They used ISI mark on all pumps and sold them to the public. But the company did not get ISI certification. They violated the rules and regulation of BIS,” said Ravichandran.The pump company will be booked under section 11 of BIS Act. The owners of the company would face one year imprisonment or penalty of Rs 50,000.He also added that stringent action would be taken against the pump sellers who are using ISI mark without getting certification.
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Induscreed denies manufacture, supply of sub standard drugs
Accused of manufacturing and supplying sub standard drugs to hospitals and medical units in the State, Induscreed Pharmaceuticals on Wednesday clarified that corrective measures had been taken since November 20, 2012 and renovation of manufacturing units is underway as per the approved drawing of the Assistant Drug Controller of the Health department.The company situated at the Industrial Estate, Lawmali also said that not a single production of medicine is being carried out at present.The clarification came from the Induscreed after Civil Society Women’s Organization (CSWO) carried out an inspection recently and found that the license which was issued earlier to the company was cancelled in 2003 due to alleged malpractices.In a statement issued here on Wednesday, the chief executive of Induscreed said that the license of the factory was never cancelled in 2003 but the production was stopped in 2006 due to technical reason but again the production resumed in 2007 as per the direction of the Assistant Drug Controller after completion of formalities.Reacting to a photo appeared in the local dailies regarding manufacturing of medicines, the company claimed that the workers were only cleaning the empty bottles.Earlier, Kharshiing had alleged that the medicines manufactured by Induscreed were not as per the prescribed standards after a test was conducted in this regard.However, the factory has termed the allegations as false and meant to tarnish the image of the only local medicine manufacturing unit of the State.The company also said that it has always adhered to the laid norms as no company could manufacture any medicine without following the norms of the Government as the medicine has to pass many tests.It was reported that the company did not adhere to the laid down norms and conditions regarding the manufacture of medicines like Albendazole Suspension (de-worming medicine), Paracetamol (mild analgesic), liver tonic, furazolidone oral suspension (antibiotic used to treat infectious diarrhea) and Povidone Iodine Solution (stable chemical complex of povidone and elemental iodine possessing anti-bacterial activity.Kharshiing, while quoting a CAG report, had also claimed that the test check of records revealed that the commercial firm located at Shillong imported 28,000 bulk litres of spirit, 24,000 bulk litres of absolute alcohol and 4,000 bulk litres of methylated spirit in four consignments between April 28, 2006 and May 27, 2008 on which import fee of Rs 1.92 lakh, though realizable, was not realised by the Department although the rules do not permit such exemptions.The company, however, said it never imported or used Methyl Alcohol but only pharmaceutical Dehydrated Alcohol Gradfe -1 which was approved for manufacturing of specified medicines.Moreover, necessary excise duty was also paid, the company added.
Lear MoreFake Alcohol Floods Kigali Market
VENTURES AFRICA – Counterfeit alcohol has flooded the market in Gitega, Kigali, threatening other genuine brands and people’s lives, Rwanda’s News Times has reported.This, if it is not tackled sooner, could negatively impact the earnings of established brewers operating in the central African country.Residents and local authorities said the fake brews were made locally, but bear brand names of imported genuine brands.They identified the common counterfeit brands as FURAHA, Chief, Senate, Bond 7 and Coffee. There are genuine brands imported from Uganda, but their containers are recycled by counterfeiters to dupe the people.The residents accused yet-to-be identified unscrupulous business men as being behind the illegal trade.Idrissa Nkurunziza, the executive secretary of Gitega Sector, said they were aware some traders were dealing in sub-standard brews, but had not yet made any arrests.Gitega Sector is made up of what used to be Gitega and Cyahafi Sectors. It consists of six Cells: Akabahizi, Kora, Akabeza, Kigarama, Kinyange and Gacyamo.This Sector has a common border with the Sectors of Rwezamenyo, Kimisagara, Muhima and Nyarugenge. It has a population of more than 40.000.“We are working on it. In case we find any bars selling counterfeited alcohol, the owners will be arrested and charged in courts of law for endangering people’s lives and profiteering from illegal products,” he said.The director of quality assurance at the Rwanda Bureau of Standards, Phillip Nzaire, said they test all products entering the country, adding that in case they discover sub-standard or illegal ones, they confiscate them.
“We did not know there are counterfeit brews in the country. However, we will work with the Police and residents to solve the problem,” he said, adding: “It is easy to change containers of imported alcohol brands.”
http://www.ventures-africa.com/2013/01/fake-alcohol-floods-kigali-market/
Lear MoreSandhills store sold counterfeit Coach, Prada, Kate Spade purses
Dig deep enough into the Kate Spade website, and you’ll pull out a warning about knock-offs:“Authentic Kate Spade products are not sold at ‘purse parties,’ flea markets, by street vendors, in New York’s Chinatown neighborhood or Santee Alley in Los Angeles.”Add to that list: the Classic Coyote in Arnold, population 600.Homeland Security agents this month are on the verge of destroying more than 1,000 purses, wallets, bags, belts, scarves and sunglasses– all of it counterfeit Coach, Burberry, Dior, Dolce and Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Oakley and others.And all of it seized from a storefront boutique on the edge of the Sandhills.“The store appeared to be well known in the surrounding communities, and once we were made aware, we opened the investigation,” said Shawn Neudauer, a spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.The investigation led undercover agents to the Classic Coyote in February 2010. The owner, Deborah A. Pittman, sold them a Coach watch and Kate Spade purse– both later determined to be fakes.Two months later, federal agents returned, seizing more than 1,000 items and 600 counterfeit tags and labels.“The items originated in China, but we weren’t able to locate the supplier,” Neudauer said.And Pittman ended up in federal court, facing a pair of counterfeit-related charges that could have put her in prison for 20 years and saddled her with $4 million in fines.
Lear MoreAfter 14-yr slumber, DCGI wakes up to side effects of ‘wonder drug’
Fourteen years after giving it the go ahead, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has finally woken up to the need to check if the anti-depressant “wonder drug” Deanxit was indeed effective and had no adverse health effects.The drug controller has given six months’ notice to the manufacturers and marketing firms of Deanxit (a fixed dose combination (FDC) of Flupenthixol and Melitracen) to prove its efficacy, failing which it will be banned in view of its reported adverse effects on patients in India.It was the DCGI itself which had in 1998 allowed the manufacture and market of the controversial anti-anxiety drugs, even though no mandatory clinical trial has been done on Melitracen – one of its two ingredients — in India.The Pioneer in May 2011 too had reported that the anti-anxiety drug is being frequently prescribed by private doctors in India despite its sale being prohibited in the country, and banned even in the country of its origin Denmark besides all the developed countries. Denmark-based company Lundbeck is marketing and manufacturing the drug in India.The DCGI’s move to ban the drug comes only after the Parliamenary panel on health last year questioned the drug regulator’s decision to allow the sale of the controversial medicine in the market.A recent order issued by the DCGI’s GN Singh said, “In view of the concerns raised on the (safety of the) drugs, it has been decided that the manufacturer of the drug shall be instructed to establish the safety and efficacy of the FDC of Flupenthixol and Mlitracen within six months, failing which the drugs would be considered for being prohibited for manufacture and marketing in the country.”
While not naming Lundbeck, Singh noted that concerns have also been raised that there must be some very good reasons for the Danish Medicine Agency (Denmark) not to approve a domestically developed drug where an anti-depressants drug would be perhaps in a greater demand than in India.“The drug is not marketed in major developed countries such as UK, US, Ireland, Canada, Japan and Australia,” said the DCGI letter issued recently to all the State drug controllers across the country to take appropriate step in this direction.Curiously, while the drug is being touted as a “wonder drug” by the private psychiatrists who have been prescribing it at the drop of hat for treating anxiety cases, doctors from Government hospitals do not recommend its usage.Dr Chandra Gulati, editor of MIMS India, a well-known drug Journal, said, the DCGI should have banned it long ago but for unknown reasons, it has cleared the combination drugs without mandatory clinical trials in India. “Also, according to rule 30B in the Drugs Act, any drug not approved in the country of origin cannot be used in India. Moreover, its sale is prohibited in the UK, US, Australia, Canada and Japan. Then how come it is beneficial for the patients in India,” he argued.
Lear MoreNew Jersey Walmart Sells Woman Fake iPad
What’s worse than buying a fake iPad from Walmart? Having the store tell you they’re not going to refund your money for the bogus item. That’s what happened to New Jersey resident Jamie Frick during a recent experience at a local store. After spending $499 on what she thought was an Apple iPad, she realized the object in the box wasn’t what she’d purchased.According toThe Huffington Post, Walmart employees initially refused to refund her money. Frick said it wasn’t until she opened the package that she realized something was wrong. Although she received a cord designed to work with her iPad 3, the ports on the side were from older version of the device. She also noticed the serial number on the gadget didn’t match up with the box. The list of issues continued to grow. She explained toThe Star-Ledger: “When I got home and opened the box, I thought it was a real iPad. I took out the charger and then tried to plug it in the iPad, and that is when I started to notice everything. When I was trying to figure out the problem, I realized there were no electronics in the port to charge it.” Returning the fake iPad toWal-Martproved fruitless; managers told her there was nothing they could do about her problem. Instead of returning her money, they gave her a telephone number to call. When a regional manager failed to address the issue in a timely fashion, Frick took her troubles to small claims court. According toAppAdvice, the ensuing press coverage and the lawsuit got Walmart’s attention in the end. The company eventually refunded Frick the full price of the device as well as a $50 gift card. However, she said she still intends to write a letter to the company about her experience with the fake iPad.
http://www.inquisitr.com/480591/new-jersey-walmart-sells-woman-fake-ipad/
Lear MoreKalupur trader arrested for selling fake sunglasses
A Kalupur police team arrested a trader for selling fake branded sunglasses ahead of Uttarayan. The trader however alleged extortion by some company officials. After a group of traders made a hue and cry about the arrest, police also filed a complaint against the two officials for demanding money on Thursday night. According to Kalupur police, working on a complaint by officials from an organization keeping an eye on violation of copyrights and intellectual property rights they raided Sunil Traders at Tankshal ni Pol, owned by Anil Dayani on Thursday. About 300 pairs of sunglasses of various brands, which were apparently fake, were seized. Police filed a complaint against Dayani for violation of copyright and for selling fakes as original. However, when Dayani was taken to the police station, about 35 traders from nearby rushed to the station and protested against the action. Senior officials rushed to the spot and spoke to the traders. Dayani told investigators that two officials from the organization – Sanjay Verma and Darshan Parekh – visited his shop earlier and demanded money for not reporting the fakes to the police. When he refused to do so, they had called the police to conduct a raid. Kalupur police officials stated that they have registered cases against both Dayani and the duo. Investigation in the case is underway to verify the claims,” said K D Khambhla, Kalupur police inspector.
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