US unemployment aid applications rise to 336,000

WASHINGTON — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose last week after reaching the lowest level in 5 ½ years. But the broader trend suggests companies are laying off fewer workers and could step up hiring in the months ahead. ...

22.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

'Boyfriend Tracker' app raises stir in Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazilians were outraged when they learned their country was a top target of the U.S. National Security Agency's overseas spying operation, with data from billions of calls and emails swept up in Washington's top secret surveillance...

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Worcester hospital pays $66,000 settlement

BOSTON — A Worcester hospital has agreed to pay $66,000 to settle allegations that it improperly sent bills for uninsured patients to a homeless shelter so it could tap the state for payments. According to court documents, UMass Memorial Medical Center...

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Obama to propose new system for rating colleges

BUFFALO, N.Y. — President Barack Obama was unveiling a sweeping new plan for rating colleges based in part on affordability, with the goal of eventually linking those ratings to federal financial aid awards. The new ratings system, which the president...

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JC Penney adopts 'poison pill'

PLANO, Texas — Struggling retailer J.C. Penney is adopting a plan to prevent a takeover attempt just two days after reporting its sixth straight quarter of big losses and steep revenue declines. It's the second time in recent years that the company...

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Framingham’s TJX surges, lifts outlook

TJX — the corporate owner of the T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods chains — continues to impress investors with high earnings, showing its off-price big-brand "treasure hunt" stores remain popular amid an uneven retail climate, while the company prepares...

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Facebook aims to get more people online

NEW YORK — Facebook wants to get more of the world's 7 billion people online through a partnership with Samsung, Nokia and other large mobile technology companies. Facebook Inc. announced a partnership called Internet.org on Wednesday. The company says...

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Staples 2Q results miss Street, cuts forecasts

FRAMINGHAM  — Staples said Wednesday that its net income dropped 15 percent in the second quarter as it closed some stores and dealt with declining traffic and lower sales of computers, ink and toner. The office supply company's performance missed...

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Kia recalls some Sorento SUVs; front axle can fail

DETROIT — Kia is recalling more than 9,700 SUVs in the U.S. and Canada because the front axle can fail and the vehicles can lose power. The recall affects 2014 Sorento SUVs with 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines and front-wheel-drive. They were built...

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Facebook aims to get more people online

NEW YORK — Facebook wants to get more of the world's more than 7 billion people — all of them, actually — online through a partnership with some of the world's largest mobile technology companies. Facebook Inc. announced a partnership called Internet.org...

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ABC, CBS news gaining with different approaches

NEW YORK — Evening newscasts on ABC and CBS are both gaining ground on market leader Brian Williams of NBC News, but that's one of the few things they have in common. Behind Diane Sawyer, second-place ABC is making strides with a sleek "World News"...

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Kodak seeks court approval for reorganization plan

NEW YORK — Kodak is in bankruptcy court seeking approval for its plan to emerge from Chapter 11 protection. A confirmation hearing is under way in New York before a federal bankruptcy judge, days after Eastman Kodak Co.'s creditors voted in support...

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Stocks open mixed on Wall Street; Best Buy jumps

NEW YORK — The stock market is opening mixed after a four-day slump. Several retailers rose sharply in early trading Tuesday after reporting higher earnings. Best Buy rose 11 percent and Urban Outfitters rose 9 percent. The Standard & Poor's 500...

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Netflix strikes movie deal with Weinstein Co.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Netflix says it's reached a multi-year agreement with The Weinstein Co. that will give it the exclusive streaming rights to the company's first-run films starting in 2016. Weinstein Co.'s movies include "The Artist" and "The...

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Colorado's marijuana industry: Legal, not cheap

DENVER — Want to be in the legal pot industry in Colorado? Open your checkbook. Colorado's pot regulators opened three days of hearings Tuesday to lay out licensing specifics before retail sales begin in January. The proposed rules require would-be...

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Al-Jazeera America prepares for Tuesday launch

NEW YORK — In a warren of offices at a former bank building near Madison Square Garden, dozens of journalists are at work on gleaming new electronic equipment, ready to turn their test runs of Al-Jazeera America into the real thing. The Qatar-based...

22.26 | 0 komentar | Read More

Stocks edge higher, led by technology

NEW YORK — U.S. stocks edged higher in early trading early Monday, led by technology companies, but many investors continued to focus on the quick rise in bond yields. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 21 points, or 0.1 percent, to 15,102. The...

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New 6.3-inch Samsung phone approaches tablet size

NEW YORK — Smartphones are getting bigger as people use them more to watch movies and play games. A new one from Samsung is beyond big. With a screen measuring 6.3 inches diagonally, the Galaxy Mega is almost as big as a 7-inch tablet computer. The...

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Unemployment rates rise in most US states in July

WASHINGTON — Unemployment rates rose in more than half of U.S. states in July and fewer states added jobs, echoing national data that show the job market may have lost some momentum. The Labor Department says unemployment rates increased in 28 states....

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Al-Jazeera America prepares for Tuesday launch

NEW YORK — In a warren of offices at a former bank building near Madison Square Garden, dozens of journalists are at work on gleaming new electronic equipment, ready to turn their test runs of Al-Jazeera America into the real thing. The Qatar-based...

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Marketers grapple with roadblocking Gmail feature

A new Gmail inbox makes it harder for retailers and other email marketers to get out their messages. Recognizing the volume of emails can be overwhelming, the Google-owned email service has been rolling out an inbox that lets users organize their messages...

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Baker’s cooks up a problem

There's a meltdown in the baking aisle as consumers, angered at Baker's Chocolate shaving the size of its iconic bars, took their fudgy feud to Facebook. Baker's Chocolate, which originated in Dorchester, halved its package from 8 ounces to 4 ounces...

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Recycled oil should be fine — just not for this driver

What is your take on 50 percent recycled oil? Stores are offering more of this oil. Is it just as good as new oil? Or should I stay with 100 percent new oil? As an oil "consumer" — meaning I buy and change my own oil — here's my take on recycled oil....

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GOP's technical knockout

After a high-profile technology failure during last year's presidential campaign, Republicans are looking to Boston for help climbing out of the digital abyss and onto the same level as Democrats, top party officials and experts said. During its summer...

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Mariwear counting on comfort to matter

Before her startup, Mariwear, was chosen as a finalist in May from a field of 1,200 companies in the accelerator and competition MassChallenge, Melanie Berger had to stand before a panel of judges and pitch her new line of sleepwear and lounge wear....

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