Car Smart: New Kia Soul offers spirited ride, features

The 2014 Kia Soul 2.0 L is a five-seat wagon with an oddball shape and quirky angular front windows. It looks like anything but a luxury automobile. However, it's equipped like a car twice its cost, boasting some features seen only in high-end models.

This Soul is loaded to the core.

Heated and ventilated seats in this "urban hatchback" keep you the right temperature year-round. The ventilated seats work so well you can even go easy on the air conditioning on a hot day.

The Soul's navigation system has a substantial 8-inch display, but its two-dimensional display will not show a third dimension until a destination is entered.

Also driven by the big touch screen display is the Infinity sound system, which cranks deep rich bass to its eight speakers including a center dash speaker and sub-woofer. The speakers also glow with the music for some mood lighting.

Controls for the audio system are mounted on the leather-wrapped steering wheel as well as on the touch screen.

The Soul has a power panoramic roof with a power sunshade which helps give an open feel to this small car with big features.

Sleek 18" alloy wheels complement its textured front grille and smart- looking headlights.

Kia also equips this car with a backup camera that is among the best. It provides clear detail of the area behind your bumper as you back in and out of those tight parking spots the 13-foot-7-inch Soul can squeeze into.

Rounding out the Soul's nice features is a 6-speed automatic with manual overriding paddle shifters commanding a spirited 2.0-liter inline-4,
164 -horsepower engine.

The Soul sips gas, getting 23 mpg in the city. It is responsive and fun to drive around the city, but the city is where the luxury similarities are left.

While the Soul gets 31 mpg on the highway, I found the 10-way adjustable driver's seats uncomfortable for longer drives. I'd like to see the headrest re-engineered so it is more adjustable and not pushed as far forward as the testers.

Its rigid chassis and tight suspension keep a snug connection to the road, but at higher speeds this car gets bounced around by bumps in the road, possibly because it is so lightweight.

Kia equips this car with a horn that nobody can possibly respect. This is not to suggest that smaller cars should have foghorns, but when other drivers hear such a wimpy sound, it barely gets their attention.

The hands-free phone performance is a major shortcoming, especially these days given the need for full concentration on the road and laws in most other states requiring hands-free cellphone use.

Essentially, the Soul is a well-equipped inexpensive compact wagon that is better for city driving than cruising on the highway in spite of the great mileage it gets.

2014 Kia Soul 2.0 L

• MSRP: $17,695
• As tested: $21,295
• MPG: 23 city, 
31 highway

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California state senator facing additional charge

SAN FRANCISCO — A federal grand jury on Friday charged a California state senator with more felonies in addition to the eight counts he already faced in a sweeping organized crime and public corruption case centered in San Francisco's Chinatown.

A new indictment unsealed in San Francisco federal court charged Sen. Leland Yee with racketeering and conspiracy "to obtain property under the color of official right." Those charges are in addition to the previous bribery, conspiracy and related charges.

Yee pleaded not guilty to the original eight charges. He will have to enter a plea Wednesday to the charges in the new indictment.

The new accusations allege that San Francisco Democrat offered to help pass legislation making it harder for professional football players to obtain workers compensation in California, in exchange for campaign contributions from an unidentified NFL owner.

The new indictment also accuses Yee of taking bribes in exchange for votes in favor of several bills, including one on medical marijuana and another to extend the life of the California State Athletic Commission.

Also charged with racketeering was Raymond "Shrimp Boy" Chow. The grand jury called a Chinese-American association that Chow headed, the Ghee Kung Tong, a racketeering enterprise.

Chow previously pleaded not guilty to money laundering and other charges.

Yee also is accused of accepting bribes and attempting to connect an undercover FBI agent with an arms dealer in exchange for cash. He has pleaded not guilty.

A call to Yee's attorney for comment on the additional charge was not immediately returned. An attorney for Chow, Curtis Briggs, said he was "completely underwhelmed" by the superseding indictment, which he said lacked new investigative findings or new accusations.

"It doesn't hold water, evidenced by the fact that they could have brought the racketeering charge in the first indictment," Briggs said. "We believe that he's innocent, we're still very optimistic about his case, and we look forward to the trial."

Yee was arrested with 19 others in March during coordinated raids throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

The arrests were the culmination of an FBI investigation started in 2006 after Chow left prison and was elected "dragonhead" of the Ghee Kung Tong. The FBI says undercover agents laundered $2.6 million in cash purportedly garnered through illegal bookmaking through the organization.

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Amazon’s big stock slide shows strategy’s shaky

Time for Amazon to hit the Mayday Button.

Investors are beginning to wake up and realize that maybe this whole thing about putting long-term profits over short-term profits isn't as enchanting and magical as CEO Jeff Bezos once made it seem.

Amazon's stock plummeted an astonishing 
10 percent in a day after the announcement of a $126 million quarterly loss on Thursday — the latest in a long string of losses for the e-commerce beast.

For consumers, Amazon's prices seem impossibly low. And that's because they are, in fact, impossible. You can't sell items that cheaply. No company could ever make a profit by selling goods at or below cost, and that's exactly what Amazon has done for as long as anyone can remember.

Bezos is a puzzling man. The delivery drones. The atomic clock. The Washington Post. Who can figure this dude out? Some commentators have wondered whether Amazon was set up to function as a de facto consumer charity. I've wondered that myself. I've come to quite the opposite conclusion.

Amazon won't raise its prices until it has achieved a majority of the market that brick-and-mortar retailers currently occupies. An entire generation of locally owned small businesses — and mid- to large-sized businesses — hang in the balance.

"The current investment cycle layers in increased technology and content costs as Amazon seeks to build itself into a complete consumption, payment and advertising platform for physical and digital goods," wrote analyst Colin Gillis of BGC Financial in a note to investors yesterday.

In other words, all this taking over the world ain't cheap!

Currently valued at 
$147 billion, Amazon is the 28th largest publicly traded company in the United States. And in the past 48 hours it lost $15 billion of its market value.

Investors are getting antsy.

I'm all about encouraging that sense of angst. Although Amazon's convenience and prices are hard to beat, I find myself spending a little more offline lately: shopping local, paying a little bit more here and there, and chalking it up to charity. You too can help keep Amazon stockholders worried and a little ticked off. You know what to do.

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Home Showcase: Cabot mansion unit receives updates

This unit is part of the former mansion of Godfrey Lowell Cabot, founder of the Cabot Corp., that has seen extensive updating over the past several years.

Unit 3 at 242 Beacon St. is one of nine units carved out of the grand mansion. And Unit 3's living/dining area was the home's original receiving parlor.

Recent renovations include two redone bathrooms, updated kitchen, walnut-stained red oak floors throughout, three new HVAC units, new living room windows and built-in shelving for bedroom closets.

The brick exterior of the building and the roof were recently repaired and the front landscaping was redone last year. The marble floor in the building's lobby was replaced in 2012, and a reconditioned elevator and stairways lead up to the condos.

Unit 3 opens into a foyer with a large storage closet. This space is approved for installation of an in-unit washer and dryer. Right now, there is washer/dryer for common use in the building's basement.

Straight ahead is the unit's updated kitchen with oak floors, recessed lighting, 16 white-painted cabinets and dark granite countertops with a tumbled marble backsplash. Stainless-steel appliances include Kitchen Aid and G.E. Profile.

The large living/dining space has a lot of original detailing such as crown molding and a blue tile-faced original wood fireplace. This recessed-lit room has high ceilings, three new front windows in a bay arrangement and cabinet and bookcase built-ins on either side of the fireplace.

The master bedroom suite has a large arched architectural window and a walk-in closet with newly built-in storage. It has a redone en-suite bathroom with black-and-white ceramic tile floors but does not have a tub or shower, although there's space in a corner of the living room to expand.

There's a also fully redone second full bathroom with black-and-white ceramic tile floors, and this bath does have a deep soaking tub/ shower lined with white subway tile.

The second bedroom does not have a window to the outside, but an interior lightwell with storage space. There's also a closet with built-in storage.

There are three new HVAC units, in the living room and in the two bedrooms with new electric thermostats. Heat and hot water is provided as part of the unit's condo fee.

There is a waiting list for parking behind the building for $300 a month. But the owner may be able to get a nearby transferable rental space for $325 a month.

Home Showcase

• Address: 242 Beacon St., Unit 3, Back Bay
• Bedrooms: Two
• Bathrooms: One full, one half
• List price: $899,000
• Square feet: 1,254
• Price per square foot: $717
• Annual taxes: $9,547
• Monthly condo fee: $407 (includes heat and hot water)
• Location: On Beacon Street near the corner of Dartmouth two blocks from retail and restaurants on Newbury Street, three blocks from offerings on Boylston Street.
• Built in: 1884; updated 2011-2014
• Broker: Robb Cohen of Boston Realty Advisors at 617-962-0142

Pros:

• Large, open living dining area with original details, new built-ins and new windows.
• New walnut-stained red oak floors throughout
• Redone bathrooms with black-and-white tile floors
• Three new HVAC units and electric thermostats

Cons:

• En-suite master bathroom doesn't have tub or shower
• Second bedroom doesn't have window to outside
• In-unit laundry has not been installed
• Waiting list for parking behind building

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Is Marty right to bunker down?

A day after the state Gaming Commission suggested Boston was "abandoning" Charlestown, neighborhood residents were split yesterday on whether Mayor Martin J. Walsh did the right thing by breaking off talks with Wynn Resorts about how much money the city should get to cope with the company's proposed Everett casino.

"The mayor is not abandoning Charlestown residents. He was a strong ally in arguing for Charlestown to be considered a host community. ... The commission rejected that," said James Matsoukas, who has lived in Charlestown for three years. "There's just so much the mayor can do to negotiate deals that give the city some compensation, when the party he is dealing with is not forthcoming, not approaching the situation in good faith and making a public offer far below what the project requires. What the mayor is saying implicitly is that a decision has already been made."

The offer Wynn made — but Walsh rejected — called for $6 million in one-time payments and $2.6 million annually, compared to the $30 million upfront and minimum annual $18 million pledged to Boston by Mohegan Sun — Wynn's rival for the sole-Boston-area casino license — for a casino on the Revere side of Suffolk Downs.

But Evelyn Addante said she is "incredulous" that Walsh has ceded all dealings with Wynn over to the commission without telling it what the city wants.

"I believe the traffic impacts and safety implications are so important that the mayor should not have missed an opportunity to provide an estimate of the cost of providing road improvements that would ameliorate these impacts," said Addante, 64.

In an email, Walsh spokeswoman Melina Schuler said: "Wynn failed to provide critical information to the city ... We're confident the commission will not have the same issue accessing information from Wynn and expect it will be able to properly assess the project impacts and award Charlestown an appropriate mitigation package."

On Thursday, the commission said it would have its staff continue to urge Boston to negotiate with Wynn and, if that fails, it may appoint someone to serve as the city's advocate.

Its license deliberations will begin Sept. 8, and the commission hopes to make a licensing decision on Sept. 12.

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Nigeria nabs accused $6 million Facebook fraudster

ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigerian security forces say they have arrested a suspected internet fraudster accused of stealing nearly $6 million from people who thought were paying fees to apply for government jobs.

Emmanuel Okeh, a spokesman for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps said Friday that the suspect, Michael Ogun, 44, is accused of using Facebook and other websites that appear to represent government agencies, including customs, immigration and security. The pages urged applicants to pay small fees to apply online for jobs.

Okeh said the scam is one of many in Nigeria that are specifically designed to extract small sums from Nigeria's unemployed. Conservative estimates put Nigeria's unemployment rate at about 24 percent in a nation of more than 160 million people.

Nigerian security forces say they never recruit online.

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Family feud sparks revolt at grocery store chain

WEST BRIDGEWATER, Mass. — It's been called a David vs. Goliath story, a "Tale of Two Arthurs" and even the "ultimate Greek tragedy," but the characters in this drama are not Biblical or literary figures. They're grocery store owners.

A workers' revolt at the Market Basket supermarket chain has led to empty store shelves, angry customers and support for a boycott from more than 100 state legislators and mayors.

Industry analysts say worker revolts at non-union companies are rare, but what's happening at Market Basket is particularly unusual because the workers are not asking for higher pay or better benefits. They are demanding the reinstatement of beloved former CEO Arthur T. Demoulas, who workers credit with keeping prices low, treating employees well and guiding the company's success.

The New England grocery store chain is embroiled in a family feud featuring two cousins who have been at odds for decades.

While earlier squabbles between Arthur T. Demoulas and Arthur S. Demoulas were fought in courtrooms, this dispute has spilled into Market Basket stores.

For the past week, warehouse workers have refused to make deliveries to Market Basket's stores, leaving fruit, vegetable, seafood and meat shelves empty. Workers have held huge protest rallies and organized boycott petitions through social media, attracting thousands of supporters.

Customers are defecting to other grocery stores. In some cases, customers have taped receipts from competitors to Market Basket windows.

"We are going to go somewhere else from now on," said Soraya DeBarros, as she walked through a depleted produce department at the Market Basket in West Bridgewater this week. "I'm sad about it because of course I want to keep the low prices, but I want to support the workers."

Despite threats by new management to fire any workers who fail to perform their duties, some 300 warehouse workers and 68 drivers have refused to make deliveries. So far, eight supervisors have been fired. Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, who is running for governor, and New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan have publicly supported the employees.

"If you had told me that workers at a grocery store would walk out to save the job of a CEO, I would say that's incredible. There is usually such a gulf between the worker and the CEO," said Gary Chaison, a professor of industrial relations at Clark University in Worcester.

Market Basket stores have long been a fixture in Massachusetts. The late Arthur Demoulas — grandfather of Arthur S. and Arthur T. and a Greek immigrant — opened the first store in Lowell nearly a century ago. Gradually, Market Basket became a regional powerhouse, with 25,000 employees and 71 stores in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine.

The feud dates back to the 1970s, but the most recent round of infighting began last year when Arthur S. Demoulas gained control of the board of directors. Last month, the board fired Arthur T., sparking the current uprising.

Workers are fiercely loyal to Arthur T.

"You know the movie, 'It's a Wonderful Life.' He's George Bailey," said Tom Trainor, a district supervisor who worked for the company for 41 years before being fired last weekend over the protests. "He's just a tremendous human being that puts people above profits. He can walk through a store, and if he's met you once, he knows your name, he knows your wife, your husband, your kids, where they are going to school."

Employees said they believe the fight between the family members loyal to Arthur T. and Arthur S. is largely over money and the direction of the company. They say Arthur S. and his supporters have pressed for a greater return to shareholders.

Arthur T. and his supporters have focused on keeping prices low.

Many employees are distrustful of Arthur S. and two co-chief executives who were brought in from outside the company: Felicia Thornton, a former executive of the grocery chain Albertsons, and Jim Gooch, former president and chief executive at RadioShack Corp.

"I'm worried about my job," said Valerie Burke, a worker in the West Bridgewater store. "It's a great company to work for now, but we are worried it won't stay that way," she said as she picketed outside the store Tuesday.

Arthur S. has not spoken publicly, while Gooch and Thornton have communicated only through prepared statements. They assured workers in a statement that they are not planning drastic changes in the way the company is operated, and urged employees to return to work.

Arthur T. on Wednesday offered to buy the company for an undisclosed amount.

Gooch and Thornton declined to comment.

Up to 10,000 employees, customers and supporters attended another protest rally at a Market Basket store in Tewksbury on Friday, while the company's board of directors met in Boston. Traffic backed up on Interstate 495 on Friday morning as thousands of people made their way to the rally. It was not immediately clear if board members planned to make a statement after the closed-door meeting.

Steve Paulenka, who started in 1974 as a bag boy and rose to facilities and operations manager before being fired last weekend, said he sees no end to protests unless Arthur T. is reinstated.

"A big part of me doesn't like what's going on — it's like breaking your favorite toy on purpose," he said. "But we'll get through this."

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Report: Google seals deal to buy Twitch for $1 billion

Google has finally clinched a deal to buy videogame-broadcasting company Twitch for $1 billion, VentureBeat reported, citing anonymous sources.

Variety first reported in May that Google had reached a preliminary pact to acquire Twitch for $1 billion in cash, in order to augment its YouTube video site.

Reps for Twitch and Google declined to comment.

Twitch was created by the founders of Justin.tv, a website designed for users to "lifecast" themselves with online video. After a growing number of videogamers began using Justin.tv to broadcast their gameplay, the company launched the dedicated Twitch.tv service in mid-2011.

Privately held Twitch has raised about $35 million in funding -- meaning the $1 billion deal is a significant windfall for its backers. Investors include Bessemer Venture Partners, Alsop Louie Partners, WestSummit Capital, Take-Two Interactive Software, Thrive Capital and Draper Associates. Twitch Interactive, which includes Justin.tv, has about 130 employees.

San Francisco-based Twitch says it has more than 45 million monthly users, who watch an average of 106 minutes of video daily. Users can upload and watch free, live gameplay videos from Microsoft Xbox One and Sony PlayStation 4 consoles. Twitch generates revenue through ads and as well as subscriptions, with about 300,000 paying members.

With Twitch, YouTube could extend live-streaming to other categories, including with multichannel network partners like Disney's Maker Studios and Machinima, which focuses heavily on the male-oriented videogame segment. YouTube's own efforts to intro live broadcasting have had limited success to date.

Google and YouTube also want Twitch because it has established a proven model for subscription-based video. A year ago, YouTube launched a paid-channel initiative with 30 partners, including The Jim Henson Co., NatGeo Kids, Nelvana Enterprises and DHX Media. But to date, the pay channels have seen very little traction. Meanwhile, the Internet-video leader - which generates a large amount of traffic from music videos - expects to launch a paid music service in the next few months.

One potential issue with Google's Twitch deal is that regulators may challenge the transaction if they believe the combination of the No. 1 online-video platform (YouTube) and the No. 1 live-streaming Internet service (Twitch) raises anticompetitive issues. Google's lawyers have been preparing for such an objection, sources said.

In March 2014, Twitch represented 1.35% of all downstream bandwidth on North American fixed-access broadband networks during primetime hours, nearly triple from last fall, according to bandwidth-equipment company Sandvine. YouTube's share of downstream bandwidth was 13.2%, while Netflix remained the biggest consumer of traffic with 34.2%.

(C) 2014 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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FCC signs off on Sinclair's purchase of Allbritton stations

The FCC gave the greenlight to Sinclair Television Group's $985 million purchase of Allbritton Communications stations, after Sinclair agreed last month to divest one of the seven Allbritton outlets in order to get the deal through federal scrutiny.

The FCC's Media Bureau announced on Thursday that it had approved the transaction, with Sinclair planning to sell the Harrisburg, Pa., Allbritton station to Media General to comply with media ownership rules. Sinclair also will give up licenses for Allbritton stations in Birmingham, Ala., and Charleston, S.C., and put that programming on the digital signals of outlets it already owns in those markets.

After Sinclair announced that it was buying the Allbritton stations last year, the FCC has placed new scrutiny on so-called "sidecar" deals as well as sharing arrangements. Critics say such arrangements have allowed companies gain control or influence over other stations in markets where they already own an outlet. Sinclair has abandoned such arrangements as part of the transaction.

The Department of Justice announced its approval of the deal earlier this month, on the condition that Sinclair shed the Harrisburg station.

"The order released today approving the transaction between Sinclair and Allbritton exemplifies the careful scrutiny the Bureau will provide to broadcast transactions that propose new combinations of sharing arrangements and financial entanglements between a dominant licensee and a so-called sidecar entity," William Lake, chief of the FCC's Media Bureau, said in a statement. "The Media Bureau has demonstrated clearly that it will not allow such combined arrangements to undermine the local TV ownership rule, which is in place to ensure competition and diverse voices on the airwaves."

In addition to stations in Tulsa, Okla., Lynchburg, Va., and Little Rock, Ark., Sinclair will gain ownership of Allbritton's flagship station in Arlington, Va., WJLA-TV, the ABC affiliate in the Washington market. The deal also includes Newschannel 8, a 24-hour local cable news network in D.C.

Allbritton is selling its stations to focus on its digital properties, including Politico.

"Very mixed emotions: FCC approved sale of our TV stations to Sinclair. Thanks to all at ACC for 40 wonderful years. I will miss you deeply," Allbritton CEO Robert Allbritton wrote on Twitter.

(C) 2014 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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Experts ask judge to block hospital takeover

BOSTON — A petition signed by 21 antitrust experts and health economists asks a Massachusetts judge to block efforts by the state's biggest health care system to absorb three more hospitals.

The Partners HealthCare System's planned takeovers of South Shore Hospital and two Hallmark Health System hospitals have been approved by Attorney General Martha Coakley under certain conditions.

The petition signed by antitrust specialists, many from major U.S. universities, says the deal is unlikely to contain rising medical costs as intended, according to The Boston Globe (http://bit.ly/1t3yDFc ).

"We do not believe that the proposed restrictions on Partners' conduct included in the (settlement) will offset the consumer harm that is likely to arise from the acquisitions of South Shore and Hallmark hospitals and their physician affiliates," they wrote to Judge Janet Sanders, who is weighing whether to approve the agreement.

She has extended a public comment period through Sept. 15 and scheduled a Sept. 29 hearing on the matter.

None of the petition signers has a financial stake in the deal.

Partners operates Brigham and Women's and Massachusetts General hospitals, as well as several community hospitals, health centers, and a health plan.

Under Coakley's deal, Partners would be allowed to complete the acquisitions, but in exchange must put a seven-year freeze on additional takeovers; limit price increases across its network to the rate of general inflation for 6 1/2 years; and calls for an outside monitor to gauge Partners' compliance for 10 years.

Coakley defended the deal.

"We are confident that this (settlement) does more to control health costs for consumers and alter Partners' business practices than any lawsuit would have potentially achieved," spokesman Brad Puffer said.

A coalition of competitors and a state health panel has opposed the move.

Partners vice president Rich Copp did not respond directly to the experts' comments but said Partners' planned mergers will improve patient care.

___

Information from: The Boston Globe, http://www.bostonglobe.com

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Ex-Market Basket boss wants to buy company

TEWKSBURY, Mass. — The former chief executive of the Market Basket supermarket chain whose ouster has led to employee protests, customer boycotts and empty shelves wants to buy the entire company.

Arthur T. Demoulas said in a statement Wednesday that he and his side of the family want to buy the 50.5 percent of the company now controlled by relatives who backed his firing last month.

"Our offer is a very full and fair one and should meet or exceed a seller's expectations of the value of the company," he said. "We care deeply about Market Basket and all of our associates and we want to work together to return the company to its successful model for serving our loyal customers."

The amount of the offer was not disclosed, but a trade publication estimated the company's value as high as $3.5 billion.

Demoulas was ousted by a family faction supporting his cousin, Arthur S. Demoulas. Both are grandsons of the company's founder and have feuded for decades.

The faction backing Arthur S. Demoulas did not make a public response to the offer.

The privately-owned Tewksbury, Massachusetts-based chain has 71 stores in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine.

Arthur T. Demoulas' ouster has led to rallies attended by thousands of employees and their supporters at company headquarters demanding his reinstatement. Many walked off the job to attend. Eight longtime employees have been fired for helping organize the protests. Another rally is scheduled for Friday.

Business has dropped off dramatically as store shelves have emptied and not been replenished by deliveries.

Customers have stopped shopping at Market Basket stores, known for their rock bottom prices, either because of the limited selection or as a form of protest. Many customers have taken to taping their receipts from competitors on Market Basket store doors.

The new co-CEOs, Jim Gooch and Felicia Thornton, assured workers in a statement this week that they are not planning drastic changes in the way the company is operated, and urged employees to return to work.

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Imax revenues fall, earnings rise

Imax has emerged unscathed from the recent box office downturn.

The big screen company saw revenues dip slightly, but earning rise in the second quarter of 2014. Imax profits rose 12% to $13.3 million, or 19 cents per diluted share, for the three months ending in June, while revenue fell 3% to $79.1 million.

That was roughly in line with Wall Street projections. Analysts expected the company to announce earnings of 19 cents per share, although revenue was shy of the $81.1 million predictions.

The domestic box office is down 20% from the previous summer, and Imax CEO Richard Gelfond acknowledged on a conference call with analysts Thursday that the company has looked abroad to boost profits. Fifty seven percent of its box office for the quarter came internationally.

"The movies overall have not performed domestically as well as expected which has impacted our per screen averages," said Gelfond.

"Some of the films just aren't working the way people envisioned," he added, attributing the downturn to a sputtering U.S. economy, sequel fatigue and stronger than expected ratings for World Cup.

He noted, however, that China has emerged as a major source of strength for the company thanks to the more than 170 screens it currently maintains in the People's Republic. The company recently signed a deal with Shanghai Film Corp. to open 19 new screens in the country and will launch more than 240 screens over the next five years.

"Transformers: Age of Extinction" has shattered records for an Imax release in China and has earned roughly $300 million in the country alone, Gelfond said.

"With this film we are all witnessing the power of the Chinese box office," said Gelfond.

Imax had 24 new theater signings and revenue share arrangements, ten fewer than the year ago period. Its network of theater chains now stands at 868, counting both commercial multiplexes and institutional theaters, up from 767 in the same quarter the previous year.

The company said it has announced 26 titles that it will release in 2014, the usual suspects include such tentpole films as "Godzilla" and "Transformers: Age of Extinction." It expects to come close to matching the 38 titles it fielded in 2013.

Gelfond predicted great things for next week's release of "Guardians of the Galaxy," saying that though most people "don't have it on their radar screen," he expects it to be a big hit.

The Imax chief was also bullish on the cavalcade of popcorn films unspooling in 2015 and 2016 -- a list that includes sequels to "Star Wars," "The Avengers," "Jurassic Par" and James Bond. J.J. Abrams recently announced he plans to film portions of the seventh "Star Wars" using Imax cameras.

"It's an impressive slate of films that line up with the Imax fanbase," said Gelfond.

Imax's stock closed down 2.3% on Wednesday at $24.69.

(C) 2014 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC
 

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Don Chiofaro’s Harbor plan met with praise, scorn

Developer Don Chiofaro bowled over some members of a key advisory committee yesterday with newly unveiled renderings of his proposed $1 billion, twin-towered office and hotel-condo complex on the site of his Harbor Garage, but he also attracted stiff backlash from the trustees of two neighboring residential buildings.

"I have never seen anything more masterful in my entire life. The pictures were beautiful," Vivien Li, a member of the Downtown Waterfront Municipal Harbor Planning Advisory Committee, said of Chiofaro's presentation yesterday during which he also announced several "offsets" — or public benefits — including developing a BRA-owned parking lot on Long Wharf into a park to counterbalance building on the waterfront.

But the trustees of the 400-foot-tall Harbor Towers next door to Chiofaro's concrete eight-story parking garage fired off a letter yesterday to the Boston Redevelopment Authority objecting to the size of the planned 1.3 million-square foot development: a 600-foot tall residential tower and a 537-foot office building to be constructed over an underground parking garage.

"We believe the proposed development is historically and contemporaneously inappropriate in scale, height and density for a location adjacent to two Boston treasures, the Rose Kennedy Greenway and the Harbor," Marcelle Willock and Neal Hartman, chairmen of the two towers' boards, wrote in an eight-page letter.

The trustees questioned Chiofaro's plans to meet the state waterfront development requirements of devoting at least 48 percent of the footprint to "open space" by primarily creating "Harbor Square," an enclosed 70-foot wide atrium covered by a glass retractable ceiling and removable doors that could house a skating rink in the winter and a great lawn with flower shows and farmers markets in the summer months.

"Would it be truly be open 24/7/365? Is it very hard to imagine a space fully enclosed in the winter being accessible to all at any time of day or night," they wrote. "What is portrayed today as open space could in fact become largely private and policed, like the lovely but significantly restricted atrium space in (Chiofaro's) International Place" buildings.

Chiofaro said that his project, with his glistening towers and five-star hotel, will increase property values in the area and transform the entire neighborhood.

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FAA lifts ban on US flights to Tel Aviv airport

WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration lifted its ban Wednesday on U.S. flights in and out of Israel, which the agency had imposed out of concern for the risk of planes being hit by Hamas rockets.

The decision was effective at 11:45 p.m. EDT.

"Before making this decision, the FAA worked with its U.S. government counterparts to assess the security situation in Israel and carefully reviewed both significant new information and measures the government of Israel is taking to mitigate potential risks to civil aviation," the FAA said. "The agency will continue to closely monitor the very fluid situation around Ben Gurion Airport and will take additional actions as necessary."

The FAA instituted a 24-hour prohibition Tuesday in response to a rocket strike that landed about a mile from the airport.

The directive, which was extended Wednesday, applied only to U.S. carriers. The FAA has no authority over foreign airlines operating in Israel.

The FAA's flight ban was criticized by the Israeli government and by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who questioned whether President Barack Obama used a federal agency to impose an economic boycott on Israel.

Delta Air Lines, which diverted a jumbo jet away from Tel Aviv before Tuesday's ban by the FAA, will not necessarily resume flights to Israel even if U.S. authorities declare the area safe, the airline's CEO said before the FAA lifted the ban.

CEO Richard Anderson said Delta would of course obey FAA orders but would continue to make its own decisions about safety.

"We appreciate the advice and consent and the intelligence we get, but we have a duty and an obligation above and beyond that to independently make the right decisions for our employees and passengers," Anderson said on a conference call with reporters. "Even if they lift" the prohibition on flying in and out of Ben-Gurion Airport, "we still may not go in depending on what the facts and circumstances are."

Anderson declined to discuss specifically how the airline would make the decision to resume the flights and spoke only in general terms. He said the airline decides whether flights are safe to operate "on an independent basis, so we will evaluate the information we have and we will make the judgment that our passengers and employees rely on us to make for them every day."

The CEO of Middle East carrier Emirates said after the shoot-down in Ukraine of a Malaysia Airlines jet last week that global airlines need better risk-assessment from international aviation authorities. Delta, however, seems more inclined to go it alone.

"We have a broad and deep security network around the world," Anderson said. "We have security directors that work for Delta in all the regions of the world, and we have a very sophisticated capability and methodology to manage these kinds of risks, whether it's this or a volcano or a hurricane."

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European carriers suspend more Tel Aviv flights

BERLIN — Air France and Germany's two largest airlines on Wednesday canceled more flights to Tel Aviv because of safety concerns amid the fighting between Israel and Hamas.

Lufthansa and Air Berlin extended their cancelations through Thursday and Air France said it was suspending its flights "until further notice."

The European Aviation Safety Agency late Tuesday said it "strongly recommends" that airlines refrain from operating flights to and from Tel Aviv. It said it would "monitor the situation and advise on any update as the situation develops."

EASA acted after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration prohibited American-based airlines from flying to the airport following a Hamas rocket explosion nearby. The FAA dropped the ban just before midnight Wednesday.

Lufthansa said its decision applies also to its subsidiaries Germanwings, Austrian Airlines, Swiss and Brussels Airlines. In all, 20 flights from Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich, Zurich, Vienna and Brussels were cancelled for Thursday.

The airline initially had suspended flights for 36 hours through the end of Wednesday. Those cancelations were extended because "at the current time there is no sufficiently reliable new information that would justify a resumption of air operations," Lufthansa said.

Air Berlin said it is continuing to evaluate the situation to determine whether further cancelations are necessary.

KLM, Alitalia and Scandinavian Airlines were among other European airlines that also canceled flights Tuesday and Wednesday. Polish airline LOT said it would suspend flights to Israel through July 28. Iberia said it had cancelled its Wednesday night and Thursday morning flights to Tel Aviv, and UK-based budget airline easyJet cancelled its Thursday services between its European bases and Tel Aviv.

British Airways, however, said Wednesday it hasn't canceled any of its twice-a-day Tel Aviv flights and had no immediate plans to do so.

A spokesman stressed that British Airways wouldn't fly to Israel if it thought it was unsafe, adding that "each airline draws its own conclusion" on safety.

Aviation security expert Chris Yates said British Airways would have assessed the situation with input from the intelligence services and ultimately concluded there was an acceptable level of risk. He said this may be because the rockets from Gaza "are fairly rudimentary and can't be targeted easily at planes in flight."

Yates said other airlines might have cancelled flights fearing the possibility that rockets could strike their plane on approach or take off, but that Israel's Iron Dome defense system makes that very unlikely.

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Stocks open mostly lower following mixed earnings

NEW YORK — Stocks are mostly lower in early trading as traders look over a mixed batch of earnings reports.

Whirlpool, Ryder systems and Boeing all fell Wednesday morning after reporting their latest quarterly results.

Apple was slightly higher after its earnings report late Tuesday came in ahead of what investors were looking for. Apple sold 35.2 million iPhones in the latest quarter, 13 percent more than in the same period a year earlier.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index was little changed at 1,984 in the first few minutes of trading. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 27 points, or 0.2 percent, to 17,084 and the Nasdaq composite edged up 10 points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,466.

Falling stocks narrowly outpaced rising ones on the New York Stock Exchange.

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US stocks mixed as earnings reports roll in

NEW YORK — Stock indexes were little changed in early trading Wednesday as mostly positive earnings in the technology sector were outweighed by disappointing news out of aircraft giant Boeing.

KEEPING SCORE: The Dow Jones industrial average fell 30 points, or 0.2 percent, to 17,078 as of 10:07 a.m. Eastern. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose less than a point to 1,983 and the Nasdaq composite rose six points, or 0.1 percent, to 4,462.

BIG TECH: Apple reported higher quarterly profits after the market closed Tuesday, topping analysts' estimates. Sales of iPads slipped, but iPhone shipments increased 13 percent over a year earlier. Apple rose 83 cents, or 1 percent, to $95.56.

NEED A REPAIR MAN: Appliance maker Whirlpool fell $7.37, or 5 percent, to $135.70 after the company's earnings came in well short of analysts expectations. The company reported an adjusted profit of $2.62 per share compared with the $2.88 expected by analysts,

NO LIFT: Boeing reported a 52 percent jump in quarterly profits, but still investors weren't impressed. Boeing lost fell $3.18, or 2.5 percent, to $126.55, the biggest decline in the Dow.

BONDS AND OIL: Prices for U.S. government bonds rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note dipped to 2.45 percent from 2.47 percent late Tuesday. Benchmark U.S. crude oil rose 16 cents to $102.55 a barrel.

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Md. state senator must drop Hershey-bar-like signs

BALTIMORE — A federal judge says a political candidate whose last name is Hershey must stop using campaign materials that mimic the look of the famous chocolate bar.

The judge ruled Thursday that Maryland state Sen. Stephen Hershey Jr. must stop using his dark brown signs with white lettering. The company filed a trademark infringement lawsuit in June.

Hershey argued his signs, with a background of the Maryland flag in brown, are different enough to be permissible.

Judge William Quarles disagreed and issued a preliminary injunction, suggesting the company is likely to win its lawsuit.

Hershey said in a statement that he will comply with the injunction. His office has said Hershey has been told his family tree intersects with that of company founder Milton S. Hershey, but they aren't close relatives.

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Al Jazeera: Israeli Foreign Minister says network Is enemy

Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman has set his sights on a new enemy: the television network Al Jazeera.

As Israel enters its third week of a bloody confrontation with Hamas in Gaza, Lieberman on July 21 called the Qatari network a crucial piece of Hamas' propaganda effort and said the Israeli government is already in the process of banning it.

"Al Jazeera has abandoned even the semblance of a credible media outlet, and it broadcasts - both within Gaza and outside it, to the world - anti-Semitic incitement, lies, provocation and encouragement to terrorists," Lieberman said.

Al Jazeera is bankrolled by and maintains it headquarters in the tiny, oil-rich nation of Qatar, a country that is eager to play a more dominant role in Middle-Eastern politics, and despite having no formal relations with Israel, is known to maintain several back channels of trade and industry. But Qatar is also the current home of Hamas leader Khaled Meshal and an open supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood.

"Qatar constitutes the economic spine of the most radical terrorist groups," Lieberman said.

Less than 24 hours after Lieberman's statement, Al Jazeera reporters in Gaza said warning shots had been fired into their Gaza City headquarters. Terrified staffers wrote on Twitter that the fire had come from Israel Defense Forces soldiers, and the building was evacuated.

The IDF, however, denied the incident, and conflicting reports on Twitter said that incident had in fact been shattered windows caused by a nearby explosion.

© 2014 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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Madeline Amgott dead: Pioneering female TV news producer dies at 92

Madeline Amgott, who was one of the only women to produce TV news programming in the 1950s and '60s, died of lymphoma on Saturday in Manhattan. She was 92.

But Amgott's achievements went beyond just successfully penetrating a male-dominated arena. She produced what was likely the first network-affiliate news program independent of network resources: "The Big News," which aired on New York City's WABC in the early '60s.

Amgott also produced episodes of CBS newsmagazine "60 Minutes" and a children's version, "30 Minutes," which aired on Saturdays. She earned three Daytime Emmys for the latter program.

During the 1970s Amgott produced episodes of NBC's issues-oriented discussion series "Not for Women Only," hosted by Barbara Walters, among others.

She produced Bill Moyers' 1987 series "In Search of the Constitution" on PBS. She also produced segments of CBS' "Morning News."

Madeline Rochelle Barotz was born in the Bronx and graduated from Brooklyn College. She worked for the Washington bureau of the San Diego; later she moved back to New York and joined CBS News in 1955.

At CBS she helped devise a daytime news program aimed at women: "Calendar," hosted by Harry Reasoner, aired in the early '60s.

She left "Calendar" when there was an opening for a producer but she didn't get the job.But her subsequent job as a producer with WABC was perceived, the New. York Times said, "as a feminist breakthrough."

Amgott later helped oversee PR for the National Organization for Women when it was founded in 1966. In 2003 she produced a film about the artist Hans Hofmann for PBS.

She is survived by two sons, a daughter and a stepdaughter; six grandchildren; and a great-grandson.

© 2014 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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US home sales increase 2.6 percent in June

WASHINGTON — Sales of previously owned homes rose for a third straight month in June, pushing activity to the highest level in eight months and providing evidence that housing is regaining lost momentum.

The National Association of Realtors said Tuesday that sales of existing homes increased 2.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.04 million homes. It marked the first time that sales have been above the 5 million-mark since October.

Even with the three months of increases, however, sales were still 2.3 percent below the sales rate in June of last year.

Sales peaked in July last year and then lost momentum as mortgage rates rose from extremely low levels. Sales were further hurt by an unusually severe winter.

After peaking at 5.38 million units last July, sales had been falling as mortgage rates climbed from historic lows after then-Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke indicated in June that the central bank could begin trimming its monthly bond purchases later in the year.

The Fed did start reducing the bond purchases in December but mortgage rates have actually retreated as financial markets realized the Fed intended a gradual reduction of the long-interest rate support it has been providing the economy. Rates on 30-year mortgages stood at 4.12 percent last week.

The median price of a home sold in June was $223,300, up 4.3 percent from a year ago.

For June, sales were up in every region of the country, led by a 6.2 percent increase in the Midwest and a 3.2 percent rise in the Northeast. Sales rose 2.7 percent in the West and edged up a slight 0.5 percent in the South.

Fed Chair Janet Yellen, delivering the central bank's twice-a-year economic report to Congress last week, described housing activity this year as disappointing, an indication that the central bank is still concerned about the performance of this key sector of the economy.

Potential buyers have grappled with a limited supply of homes that is driving prices higher. Lending standards have also been tightened in response to the housing boom of the last decade, when financial institutions granted too many mortgages to home buyers who were unable to meet the monthly payments, resulting in millions of foreclosures.

Five years into the recovery from the deep recession that was triggered in part by the collapse in housing, home sales have yet to return to historic averages. The pace for sales this year is below the 5.1 million homes sold last year and the 5.5 million annual sales that would be consistent with a healthy housing market.

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US consumer prices up 0.3 percent in June

WASHINGTON — U.S. consumer prices rose in June at a slightly slower pace than in May with two-thirds of the June advance driven by the largest jump in gasoline prices in a year.

Prices rose 0.3 percent in June following a 0.4 percent rise in May, the Labor Department reported Tuesday. The May increase had been the biggest one-month gain in more than a year.

Energy prices were up 1.6 percent, nearly double the May gain, reflecting a sharp 3.3 percent rise in gasoline costs. But food costs edged up just 0.1 percent, the smallest gain since January.

Core prices, which exclude volatile food and energy, were up just 0.1 percent. Over the past 12 months, core prices are up 1.9 percent, an indication of moderate inflation.

Overall prices have risen 2.1 percent in the past 12 months. While the 12-month price gains are up from extremely low readings earlier this year, the figures are close to the 2 percent annual price gains that the Federal Reserve seeks to achieve.

The 3.3 percent jump in gasoline costs was not expected to be repeated in July given that pump prices have been falling in recent weeks. The AAA says the nationwide average for a gallon of gas stood at $3.57 on Monday, down from $3.68 a month ago and an indication that energy prices may be easing slightly.

"World oil prices were relatively elevated in June since there were significant fears that the turmoil in Northern Iraq would spread to the southern parts of that country," said Chris G. Christopher Jr., director of consumer electronics at IHS Global Insight. He predicted energy prices will moderate in coming months.

Food costs have been rising sharply this year, reflecting a variety of factors ranging from cold weather hurting winter crops in such states as Florida to a severe drought in California.

Airplane ticket prices surged by 5.8 percent in May, the largest amount in 15 years, but ticket prices moderated to a smaller 0.4 percent rise in June.

Economists expect energy price gains will slow in coming months although tensions in the Middle East and Ukraine could derail those hopes if they trigger a surge in global oil prices.

Food costs have been driven higher this year by a variety of factors including a harsh winter and a drought in California but economists say the June moderation could be the beginning of slower food increases.

The Federal Reserve is expected to keep interest rates exceptionally low as long as inflation does not show signs of moving beyond its targeted rate. The forecast of many analysts is that the Fed will keep a key short-term interest rate at a record low near zero over the next year with the first rate increase not occurring until the summer of 2015.

But analysts stress that this outlook depends heavily on prices remaining in check. Should there be signs that inflation is starting to accelerate, then the central bank could begin raising interest rates sooner, possibly in the spring of next year.

The Fed holds its two-day meeting next week, starting Tuesday. In delivering the central bank's twice-a-year report to Congress last week, Fed Chair Janet Yellen sent a strong signal that the central bank still believed the economy needed help despite recent solid job gains which have pushed the unemployment rate down to 6.1 percent, the lowest level in nearly six years.

Yellen acknowledged the improvement in the labor market but also noted that unemployment remains above the 5.2 percent to 5.5 percent range that Fed officials view as optimal. She said that while inflation had risen slightly, the increase is not occurring at a pace that the central bank views as a threat.

The Fed seeks to achieve maximum employment with inflation rising at a modest pace of around 2 percent a year.

Low inflation, the result of a deep recession which has kept the lid on labor costs, has allowed the Fed to keep interest rates at exceptionally low levels. The benchmark interest rate has been near zero since December 2008.

The harsh winter pushed the overall economy into reverse in the first three months of the year with growth falling at an annual rate of 2.9 percent. But analysts say a solid rebound in the spring pushed growth up to between 2.5 percent and 3 percent and they see improvements in the labor market contributing to stronger consumer spending and even stronger growth in the second half of this year.

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Drizy to expand to Denver

Boston-based alcohol delivery start-up Drizly will start delivering in the Rocky Mountain Cold, making Denver the latest city in the company's plans for rapid expansion to become the "Amazon for alcohol delivery."

In January, Drizly announced a round of funding that CEO Nick Rellas said at the time would be used in part for expansion. Since then, the app has launched in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles and now Denver, with more on the way.

"Consumers are demanding convenience in every area of their life, and the smartphones we carry have become the tool of choice to deliver that convenience," said Nick Rellas, Drizly co-founder and CEO in a statement.

The Denver service will be powered by a partnership with a local liquor store, which reached out to Drizly to bring the app to Denver.

Stores are recognizing the potential for new revenue streams.. and they're keen to get on board," 

"We are thrilled to partner with Drizly to offer unparalleled convenience to our customers," said Ron Vaughn, co-owner of Argonaut Liquor in Denver.

Drizly partners with liquor stores which deliver the alcohol and collect the payment, allowing for delivery within 30 minutes, the company says.

Drizly has raised $4.8 million in venture financing.

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Coke's sales miss estimates as Diet Coke flags

ATLANTA — Coca-Cola Co. reported quarterly sales that fell short of Wall Street estimates on Tuesday as demand weakened for Diet Coke in North America.

Globally, the world's biggest beverage maker, said sales volume rose 3 percent, boosted by gains in places including China, India, the Middle East and South Africa.

In its flagship North American market, however, sales volume was flat despite the company significantly stepping up its marketing around the World Cup. Sodas including Coke, Fanta and Sprite saw gains, but Diet Coke declined. Diet Coke is the country's No. 2 soda, behind Coke and ahead of Pepsi.

Executives at Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have blamed a recent decline in diet sodas on concerns people have about artificial sweeteners such as aspartame. To address those worries, the companies have been working behind the scenes to assure dietitians and others about the safety of such sweeteners.

"We do recognize we have more work to do here," CEO Muhtar Kent said in a call with analysts.

Coca-Cola also plans to eventually introduce a version of its namesake drink that's naturally sweetened with stevia in the U.S. The drink, Coca-Cola Life, has already hit shelves in other markets, including Argentina.

Coca-Cola is struggling to boost sales volume in developed markets where soda has been falling out of favor. To boost results, it's cutting costs and introducing more profitable packages, like the mini-cans that are helping boost Coke sales in North America.

The company is also putting greater focus on other drinks, including premium bottled waters like Smartwater. But sodas still account for about three-quarters of Coca-Cola's total sales volume.

During the quarter, Coca-Cola said juice drinks fell in North America, as higher prices scared off some customers.

For the quarter, the Atlanta-based company said profit fell to $2.6 billion, or 58 cents per share, from $2.68 billion, or 59 cents per share, in the same quarter a year earlier.

Excluding one-time items, it earned 64 cents per share, which was a penny more than analysts expected.

Revenue dropped 1.4 percent to $12.57 billion. Analysts expected $12.85 billion, according to Zacks.

Coca-Cola's stock was down 55 cents, or 1.3 percent, at $41.85.

Its shares have risen $1.09, or 2.6 percent, to $42.40 since the beginning of the year, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index has increased 6.8 percent.

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Federal appeals court deals blow to health law

WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court delivered a serious setback to President Barack Obama's health care law Tuesday, potentially derailing billions of dollars in subsidies for many low- and middle-income people who bought policies.

In a case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, a group of small business owners argued that the law authorizes subsidies only for people who buy insurance through markets established by the states — not by the federal government.

A divided court agreed, in a 2-1 decision that could mean premium increases for more than half the 8 million Americans who have purchased taxpayer-subsidized coverage under the law. The ruling affects consumers who bought coverage in the 36 states served by the federal insurance marketplace, or exchange.

The majority opinion concluded that the law, as written, "unambiguously" restricts subsides to consumers in exchanges established by a state. That would invalidate an Internal Revenue Service regulation that tried to sort out confusing wording in the law by concluding that Congress intended for consumers in all 50 states to have subsidized coverage.

The administration is expected to appeal the ruling.

The issue is crucial to the success of the health law because most states have been unable or unwilling to set up their own exchanges. The inaction stems in many instances from opposition by Republican governors to the Affordable Care Act.

The small business owners filing the lawsuit say the tax credits enacted by Congress were intended to encourage states to set up their own health benefit exchanges and that the penalty for not doing so was withdrawal of tax credits for lower-income residents.

Supporters of the act say the purpose of the tax credit was not to promote the establishment of state exchanges, but rather to achieve Congress's fundamental purpose of making insurance affordable for all Americans.

The case revolves around four words in the Affordable Care Act, which says the tax credits are available to people who enroll through an exchange "established by the state."

The challengers to the law say a literal reading of that language invalidates the IRS subsidy to people in the federal exchanges. The opponents say that people who would otherwise qualify for the tax credits should be denied that benefit if they buy insurance on a federally facilitated exchange.

"It is implausible to believe that Congress gave the IRS discretion to authorize $150 billion per year in federal spending, particularly when Congress had directly spoken to this issue," the challengers to the IRS subsidy said in a court filing. "Major economic decisions like these — indeed, any decisions granting tax credits — must be made unambiguously by Congress itself."

The Obama administration and congressional and state legislative supporters of the Affordable Care Act say the challengers are failing to consider the words of the statute in its entirety.

"Congress did not provide that the tax credits would only be available to citizens whose states set up their own exchanges," says an appeals court filing by congressional and state legislative supporters of the Affordable Care Act. Congressional lawmakers and state legislators supporting the act said that limiting the subsidies to state exchanges could destabilize important aspects of the law, such as the individual mandate requiring most people to buy insurance.

The judges on the case were Thomas Griffith, an appointee of President George W. Bush; A. Raymond Randolph, an appointee of Bush's father; and Harry Edwards, an appointee of President Jimmy Carter, who dissented.

A lower court had ruled that the law's text, structure, purpose, and legislative history make "clear that Congress intended to make premium tax credits available on both state-run and federally-facilitated Exchanges."

But the appeals court concluded the opposite — that the letter of the law "unambiguously restricts" the law's subsidies to policies sold through exchanges established by the state.

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US stock slip to start the week; Six Flags sinks

NEW YORK — The stock market drifted lower to start the week as more companies line up to post their quarterly earnings. Hasbro and Six Flags sank after their results disappointed investors. Concerns over tensions between Russia and the West weighed on other markets.

KEEPING SCORE: The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell eight points, or 0.4 percent, to 1,970 as of 10:26 a.m. Eastern time. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 90 points, or 0.5 percent, to 17,010, while the Nasdaq composite lost 18 points, or 0.4 percent, to 4,415.

HASBRO: The toy maker Hasbro turned in second-quarter earnings and revenue that fell short of analysts' targets. Rising sales of My Little Pony, Transformers and other toys weren't enough to stem a decline in sales of games such as Twister. Hasbro's stock sank $1.69, or 3.2 percent, to $51.50.

AMUSEMENT: Six Flags Entertainment reported higher profits and sales in the second quarter, but the theme-park operator's revenue came up short of what analysts had expected, partially a result of sluggish attendance. Six Flags slumped $2.46, or 6 percent, to $38.55.

DRILLING: Halliburton, the oil and gas servicing company, said that its second-quarter earnings rose 20 percent and that it plans to buy up to $6 billion of its own shares. Revenue came in higher than analysts' estimates. Halliburton's stock rose 31 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $71.23

EARNINGS PARADE: Nearly a third of the companies in the S&P 500 index will hand in results this week, including such heavyweights as Apple on Tuesday, Boeing on Wednesday and Amazon on Thursday. Chipotle Mexican Grill and Netflix will post quarterly earnings after the close of regular trading on Monday.

EUROPE: European leaders discussed imposing tougher sanctions on Russia for its backing of separatists accused of shooting down a Malaysia Airways passenger plane last week. Major stock markets in Europe headed lower Friday. Germany's DAX sank 1 percent while France's CAC-40 lost 0.5 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 was off 0.4 percent.

BONDS AND OIL: Prices for U.S. government bonds rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.46 percent from 2.48 percent late Friday. Benchmark U.S. crude oil rose 25 cents to $102.16 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

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US companies report rising sales, employment in 2Q

DETROIT — Rising sales helped boost hiring and wages at U.S. businesses in the second quarter, and companies are optimistic that the trends will continue this fall, according to a new survey by the National Association for Business Economics.

Fifty-seven percent of the 85 respondents to the quarterly survey said sales at their companies rose in the April-June period. That was up from 53 percent in the first quarter and 35 percent in the same period a year ago. Just 5 percent of firms said sales fell during the second quarter.

Respondents also said the outlook for the July-October period is strong. Fifty-nine percent of respondents said they expect sales to increase during the third quarter, and just 1 percent expects sales to decline. Respondents from the finance, insurance and real estate sector were most optimistic about sales increases, while the service sector lagged.

As sales picked up, so did hiring. Thirty-six percent of firms said they hired more workers during the second quarter, up from 28 percent in the first quarter and 29 percent in the second quarter of 2013.

The employment outlook was steady, with 37 percent of respondents expecting their companies to hire more workers in the July-October period. Finance, insurance and real estate companies were most likely to say they expect employment increases, at 48 percent; service companies were the least likely, at 28 percent. Less than 10 percent of respondents expect employment declines in the third quarter.

For the first time since October 2012, no respondents reported falling wages. Forty-three percent said their firms raised wages during the second quarter, which was than double the share that reported raising wages during the same time period a year ago. More than one-third of respondents — 35 percent — expected wages to continue to increase in the third quarter.

Hiring and wage increases hit companies' profits. Just 27 percent of respondents said their firms' profit margins rose in the second quarter, down from 32 percent in the first quarter. Despite the slowdown, manufacturers and financial companies both said they expect margins to grow at a faster pace in the third quarter.

Some companies improved their margins by raising prices. Twenty-five percent of respondents said their businesses raised prices in the second quarter, up from 20 percent in the two previous quarters. Eight percent said prices fell, up from 3 percent in the first quarter.

Technology and communications companies and manufacturers said prices were up during the quarter, while service companies and finance companies said prices were softer. Nearly three-quarters of respondents expect no change in the prices their firms will charge in the third quarter.

The quarterly survey by NABE is intended to gauge business conditions at members' firms or industries. Almost half the respondents are from companies with more than 1,000 employees.

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Verizon boosts FiOS uploads to match downloads

NEW YORK — Verizon is boosting the upload speeds of nearly all its FiOS connections to match the download speeds, vastly shortening the time it takes for subscribers to send videos and back up their files online.

Starting Monday, all new subscribers will get "symmetrical" connections. The cheapest plan will deliver 25 megabits per second up and down, an increase from 15 megabits down and 5 megabits up.

Current subscribers will see their upload speeds raised over the coming months, product manager Fowler Abercrombie said. He expects that 95 percent of Verizon customers will see higher speeds. For the rest, fully symmetrical speeds may not be possible for technical reasons.

With the speed increase, Verizon Communications Inc. is taking advantage of a technical ability that its all-fiber FiOS network has. Rival offerings from cable companies, for the most part, can't match that because cables were originally designed to send video to homes, not the other way around. Cable upload speeds top out at about 35 megabits per second, while Verizon's top tier now offers 500 megabits per second.

Those who share or upload big files will get the greatest use out of higher upload speeds. At the new bottom-tier speed of 25 megabits per second, uploading an hour-long, 3-gigabyte high-definition video would take 16 minutes, a fifth of the time it would have taken on the previous 5-megabit plan. At the highest, 500-megabit tier, the upload would take just 50 seconds.

Verizon's marketing materials claim that higher upload speeds will also benefit online gamers and eBay shoppers. In real-life use, however, it would be very rare for these activities to see a boost from higher upload speeds.

Verizon has just over 6 million FiOS Internet customers.

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ABC's Paula Faris gets weekend anchor job

NEW YORK — Paula Faris is replacing the departing Bianna Golodryga as the news anchor on the weekend edition of "Good Morning America."

ABC News said Monday that Faris will start Aug. 8. The "World News Now" anchor joined the network in 2012 from the NBC affiliate in Chicago, and was recently given exposure as ABC News' reporter at the World Cup.

Golodryga is leaving ABC News to join Yahoo.

Faris will be co-anchor of the weekend morning broadcast with Dan Harris. Rob Marciano will also soon be joining the weekend crew as the weather forecaster.

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Obama gives protection to gay, transgender workers

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Monday gave employment protection to gay and transgender workers in the federal government and its contracting agencies, after being convinced by advocates of what he called the "irrefutable rightness of your cause."

"America's federal contracts should not subsidize discrimination against the American people," Obama said at a signing ceremony from the White House East Room. He said it's unacceptable that being gay is still a firing offense in most places in the United States.

Until last month, Obama long resisted pressure to pursue an executive anti-discrimination covering federal contractors in the hope that Congress would take more sweeping action banning anti-LGBT workplace discrimination across the landscape of employment in America. A bill to accomplish that goal — the Employment Non-Discrimination Act — passed the Senate last year with some Republican support, but has not been taken up by the GOP-controlled House. "We're here to do what we can to make it right," Obama said.

Since Obama announced that he would sign the orders, he's faced pressure from opposing flanks over whether he would include an exemption for religious organizations. He decided to maintain a provision that allows religious groups with federal contracts to hire and fire based upon religious identity, but not give them any exception to consider sexual orientation or gender identity. Churches also are able to hire ministers as they see fit.

Obama's action comes on the heels of the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling in the Hobby Lobby case that allowed some religiously oriented businesses to opt out of the federal health care law's requirement that contraception coverage be provided to workers at no extra charge. Obama advisers said that ruling has no impact on non-discrimination policies in federal hiring and contracting.

Obama said 18 states and more than 200 local governments already ban employment discrimination based on sexual orientation, as well as a majority of Fortune 500 companies. But he noted that more states allow same-sex marriage than prohibit gay discrimination in hiring.

"It's not just about doing the right thing, it's also about attracting and retaining the best talent," Obama said.

The change for federal contracting will impact some 24,000 companies with 28 million workers, or one-fifth of the U.S. workforce. Many large federal contractors already have employment policies barring anti-gay workplace discrimination. However, the Williams Institute at UCLA Law School estimates that the executive order would extend protections to about 14 million workers whose employers or states currently do not have such nondiscrimination policies.

While few religious organizations are among the biggest federal contractors, they do provide some valued services, including overseas relief and development programs and re-entry programs for inmates leaving federal prisons.

Obama amended two executive orders. The first, signed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1965, prohibits federal contractors from discriminating based on race, religion, gender or nationality in hiring. President George W. Bush had amended Johnson's order in 2002 to add the exemption for religious groups.

Obama added sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protections, and ordered the Labor Department to carry out the order. Administration officials said that means the change will probably take effect by early next year.

Obama also amended an order signed by President Richard Nixon in 1969 to prevent discrimination against federal workers based on race, religion, gender, nationality, age or disability. President Bill Clinton added sexual orientation, and Obama will include gender identity in a change that will immediately take effect.

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Follow Nedra Pickler at http://twitter.com/nedrapickler

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This catalog gives back

School fundraising drives just got a lot hipper.

Close Buy, a Portland, Maine-based catalog, forgoes standard wares such as wrapping paper and popcorn to showcase pencils that turn into potted plants and old fleece jackets repurposed as tablet cases. The goal is to feature independently made goods from across New England to benefit schools in the six states.

"The money stays in the local economy and in the school system," said Masey Kaplan, who founded Close Buy in 2010 to help Maine communities. "It is more of a personal connection."

This fall 30 different Bay State small businesses will be featured in the booklet, with nearly a half dozen local schools, from Kingston to Beverly, signed on for their fundraising drives.

Taza chocolates, Dancing Deer Baking Co. and EH Chocolatier are among the better-known companies taking part, but Kaplan's collection includes up-and-coming products such as Sprout pencils by Cambridge-based Democratech, technology cases by Arlington company ReFleece, and educational games and stories by Boston-based Gryphon Design Collective.

For Mario Bollini, CEO of Democratech, Close Buy helps get the word out about his product.

"I think they combine a really broad network that is genuinely hard for startups and designers to reach," said Bollini.

Bollini and his colleagues created Sprout in 2012 as a project for their graduate class at MIT. The quirky product serves a dual purpose, first as a writing utensil, then as seeds to produce a windowsill garden of flowers or herbs.

Jennifer Feller, co-founder of ReFleece, said the catalog appeals to her both as a businesswoman and a parent.

"I never thought about where things came from. They came from a store," said Feller, a mother of two, about her own childhood fundraising experiences. "Our kids are much more aware."

"It feels very empowering when you go spend your money when you know it's going to your neighbors," said Feller. "You are making things better."

The price of products runs the gamut from $14 for a single box of Stonewall Kitchen whoopee pie mix to $150 for a canvas tote by Nantucket Bagg.

Parent Rosemarie Simeone, co-president of the PTO at Hannah Elementary School in Beverly, told the Herald prices are higher than other catalogs, but the local links help justify the cost.

"It is a huge selling point that is a New England fundraiser," said Simeone.

Schools also pocket 30 percent of the profits.

Go to closebuycatalog.com to learn more.

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In preliminary count, FairPoint strike authorized

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Unions representing FairPoint Communications workers in northern New England say preliminary vote counts suggest an overwhelming majority of members support authorizing a strike.

Negotiations began in April on a contract that expires Aug. 2. Workers in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont recently held meetings to vote on whether to authorize a strike. Voting has finished in Maine and Vermont, but has been extended in New Hampshire due to storm damage.

The vote does not mean the 2,000 workers will go on strike but gives leaders with the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers the ability to call for one later.

The company says service to customers will continue if there is a strike.

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Electric locks make doors hard to open if power fails

I was shocked to see a news broadcast of a man whose car caught fire and he couldn't get out because the electric door locks were inoperative. He was saved because someone was able to bend the top of the door and break the glass to pull him out. This seems to be a big problem in some modern cars. I was recently at a Chevrolet dealership that had a one-year-old Corvette convertible in the showroom. It was locked, but the top was down so I attempted to pull the door lock knob up to get in. No luck. I didn't have the key fob. I also read about some cars that can only be opened by finding some elusive handle to manually open a door when the car has an electrical failure. I find it hard to believe that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration would allow cars to be manufactured this way. I own a 2005 Buick LeSabre and a 2010 F-150. Both have electric locks. Should I be concerned about these two vehicles?

The C6 Corvette you mentioned — I have one — has electrically operated door unlatch mechanisms that are operated by electric buttons on the inside and outside of the door and the BCM (body control module). Your two vehicles have electrically operated door latches operated by the keyless entry fob and the BCM, but also have mechanical unlatch mechanisms on the inside and outside of the doors.

The Corvette has no door-mounted mechanical release levers or buttons. Instead, it has a manual door unlatch mechanism that mechanically unlatches the door latch via a cable inside the door and a lever located on the floor between the seat and door. Pulling up on this lever unlatches and opens the door.

If some type of complete electrical failure disabled both your remote keyless entry fob and the electrical door lock switches on your door, you would open the door by manually unlocking it, then pulling the mechanical release handle on the door itself.

The same electrical failure on the Corvette would require you to pull up on the release lever on the floor to open the door. The only real difference is the location of the mechanical release system.

One other interesting difference. Because the Corvette, like a number of newer vehicles, utilizes electric switches rather than a mechanical linkage to open the door from the outside, if the battery is dead with the doors and rear hatch locked, the only way into the car is to use a special key that's part of the fob to mechanically unlock the rear hatch and pull a release handle to unlock the door.

Maybe the real question is this: Does this new technology add to or improve the functionality of the vehicle? What do you think?

I have a 2011 Chevy Silverado LT. Every time I have it serviced they claim it needs a front-end alignment. I mostly drive in city or on paved highways. Is this common? I have never had this problem before. I am 87 years old if that makes a difference.

Your age makes no difference — except perhaps to a service agency that may think you are an easier "up-sell" during routine service. Unless you've been pounding off-road, sliding into curbs, finding every pothole in your area or some other alignment-ruining scenario, your truck's alignment certainly should not need "regular service."

Are the tires on your truck wearing relatively evenly? Does the vehicle exhibit any alignment issues such as lead, pull or instability in a straight line.? GM says some light "feathering" on the outer edge of the tread is normal for this vehicle. Regular tire rotation can help maximize tire life and minimize unusual wear.

If your vehicle exhibits none of these issues, you may want to align yourself with another service agency.

Paul Brand, author of "How to Repair Your Car," is an automotive troubleshooter, driving instructor and former race-car driver. Readers may write to him at: Star Tribune, 425 Portland Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn., 55488 or via email at paulbrand@startribune.com.

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RJ Reynolds vows to fight $23.6B in damages

MIAMI — The nation's No. 2 cigarette maker is vowing to fight a jury verdict of $23.6 billion in punitive damages in a lawsuit filed by the widow of a longtime smoker who died of lung cancer.

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. executive J. Jeffery Raborn has called the damages awarded by a Pensacola jury "grossly excessive and impermissible under state and constitutional law."

"This verdict goes far beyond the realm of reasonableness and fairness, and is completely inconsistent with the evidence presented," Raborn, a company vice president and assistant general counsel, said in a statement. "We plan to file post-trial motions with the trial court promptly, and are confident that the court will follow the law and not allow this runaway verdict to stand."

One of the widow's attorneys said the verdict Friday night sends a powerful message to tobacco companies.

"The jury wanted to send a statement that tobacco cannot continue to lie to the American people and the American government about the addictiveness of and the deadly chemicals in their cigarettes," said Christopher Chestnut, one of the attorneys representing Cynthia Robinson.

The case is one of thousands filed in Florida after the state Supreme Court in 2006 threw out a $145 billion class action verdict. That ruling also said smokers and their families need only prove addiction and that smoking caused their illnesses or deaths.

Last year, Florida's highest court re-approved that decision, which made it easier for sick smokers or their survivors to pursue lawsuits against tobacco companies without having to prove to the court again that Big Tobacco knowingly sold dangerous products and hid the hazards of cigarette smoking.

The damages awarded to Robinson after a four-week trial came in addition to $16.8 million in compensatory damages awarded Thursday.

Robinson individually sued Reynolds in 2008 on behalf of her late husband, Michael Johnson Sr., who died in 1996. Her attorneys said the punitive damages are the largest of any individual case stemming from the original class action lawsuit.

The verdict came the same week that Reynolds American Inc., which owns R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, announced it was purchasing Lorillard Tobacco Co., the country's No. 3 cigarette maker, in a $25 billion deal. That would create a tobacco company second only in the U.S. to Marlboro maker Altria Group Inc., which owns Philip Morris USA Inc. and is based in Richmond, Virginia.

The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2015 and likely will face regulatory scrutiny.

Anti-smoking advocates hailed the verdict as a reminder of what they called the tobacco industry's history of marketing to children and hiding the truth about their products.

"Wall Street analysts like to say the industry's liability risk is manageable. What this verdict shows is the tobacco industry's risk is far greater than Wall Street analysts would lead investors believe," said Vince Willmore, spokesman for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court turned away cigarette manufacturers' appeals of more than $70 million in court judgments to Florida smokers. Reynolds, Philip Morris USA Inc. and Lorillard Tobacco Co. had wanted the court to review cases in which smokers won large damage awards without having to prove that the companies sold a defective and dangerous product or hid the risks of smoking.

The Supreme Court refused to hear another of the companies' appeals last year, wanting the court to consider overturning a $2.5 million Tampa jury verdict in the death of a smoker.

Other Florida juries have hit tobacco companies with tens of millions of dollars in punitive damages in lawsuits stemming from the original class action lawsuit.

In August, a Fort Lauderdale jury awarded $37.5 million, including $22.5 million in punitive damages against Reynolds, to the family of a smoker who died at age 38 of lung cancer in 1995.

Attorneys for Reynolds said they would appeal, arguing that the woman knew the dangers of smoking because cigarettes had warning labels when she started. The attorney for the woman's family said teenagers like her were targeted by tobacco companies.

Some large jury verdicts awarding tens of millions of dollars in damages to relatives of smokers have been upheld by appeals courts.

In September, the 3rd District Court of Appeals affirmed $25 million in punitive damages and $10 million in compensatory damages against Lorillard, the country's No. 3 cigarette maker, for Dorothy Alexander, whose husband died in 1996 of lung cancer. Lorillard, based in Greensboro, North Carolina, unsuccessfully argued the damages were excessive and raised a number of other claims.

The 1st District Court of Appeals upheld in June 2013 a $20 million punitive damage award to another smoker's widow, more than a year after reversing a $40.8 million award in the same case against Reynolds. After the appeals court rejected the first award as excessive the award amount was recalculated. The tobacco company still objected.

Philip Morris is the country's biggest tobacco company and owned by Richmond, Virginia-based Altria Group Inc. Reynolds is owned by Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based Reynolds American Inc.

Messages left with Atria and Lorillard spokesmen were not immediately returned.

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Follow Jennifer Kay on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jnkay.

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Anti-Russia sentiment running deep in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Many Malaysians are urging their government and world leaders to take a tough stance against Russia after pro-Russia rebels allegedly shot down a Malaysia Airlines jet, with some calling for economic sanctions and a boycott of Russian goods.

While the rebels and Ukraine blame each other for Thursday's downing of Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine, near the Russian border, Russia's government is being accused of not doing enough to ensure that authorities have proper access to the crash site.

Much of the Malaysian anger toward Russia stems from the inability for family members of Muslims who were aboard the plane to perform burial rites as quickly as possible, according to Islamic custom. Of the 298 people aboard the plane, 43 were from Muslim-majority Malaysia and 12 were from Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country.

The plane crashed in rebel-held territory, and the separatists — who are being blamed for shooting down the plane by much of the international community, including the United States — have been accused of preventing emergency workers from retrieving the victims' bodies.

The issue has caused deep resentment in Malaysia, where many have blasted Russian President Vladimir Putin. Even politicians, who on Friday were careful not to point any fingers, seem to be losing patience.

"Pro-Russian terrorists have not handled #MH17 victims with dignity. Putin promised PM @NajibRazak he would help. He hasn't," Malaysian Youth and Sport Minister Khairy Jamaluddin tweeted Sunday, referring to Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.

As people headed to Kuala Lumpur shopping malls on Sunday, their minds were still reeling from the horrific images of the crash site that have inundated television screens here. Many were calling for tough economic sanctions and an international boycott of Russian goods and services.

"Our government and the whole world have to do something about this case," said 27-year-old Nur Zehan Abu Bakar, who works in the education sector. "If not, what will happen to our country? What will happen to (Malaysia Airlines)? To show that we are angry with Russia and if they still continue not to help us, I think the best way is for all Malaysians to boycott Russian products."

Charles Foo, a retiree who was spending time with his family outside a mall, echoed Nur Zehan's sentiments. "They (Russia) are a big country. We are a very small country, so how much can we do, unless all nations in the world stop buying their goods and whatever," he said.

Malaysia is one of Russia's main trading partners in Southeast Asia. Russia also is a key supplier for Malaysia's military, delivering 18 Sukhoi fighter jets to the Malaysian air force over the past decade.

James Chin, a professor at the political science unit of Monash University in Malaysia, said he believed it was unlikely that Russian-Malaysian relations would be seriously harmed as a result of the incident, though he added that a lot would depend on the outcome of the official investigation.

"The Malaysian government really can't do much," Chin said. "The Malaysian government takes the position that it cannot antagonize the Russians now because they hold the key to the investigation."

Some Malaysians said it was important to remain rational and wait for the investigation to be completed.

"For now, I will calm myself down and not listen to all the noise," a 36-year-old dancer, who wanted to be identified only by his family name, Wong, said at a popular Kuala Lumpur shopping district. "There is no point for me to get emotional at the moment. I encourage everyone to stay calm."

Tricia Yeoh, chief operating officer at the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs, a Malaysian think tank, said while she could understand why Malaysians are so upset, people need to wait for a thorough investigation to be completed before reaching any conclusions on who is responsible for the disaster.

"People need to be cautious in a geo-political climate and environment in which not all information is being revealed," Yeoh said. "We certainly do not know all there is to know, and for that reason I would have to wait. Having said that, of course all governments should be cooperating to ensure investigations are thoroughly done. This includes Russia."

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