News
Consumer Group Flags High SPF Ratings On Sunscreen
May 20, 2013 8:21 am | by Matthew Perrone, AP Health Writer | CommentsA survey of 1,400 sunscreen products by the Environmental Working Group finds that most products meet new federal requirements put in place last December. The rules from the Food and Drug Administration ban terms like "waterproof," which regulators consider misleading, and require that sunscreens filter out both ultraviolet A and B rays.
At Least 12 Dead In China Factory Explosion
May 20, 2013 8:10 am | CommentsThe force of the blast flung broken glass, smashed concrete, and other debris as far as 200 meters (600 feet), reports said. Walls in outlying buildings were flattened and glass shattered. A total of 34 people were inside the factory at the time of the blast, and survivors were rushed to hospital. The cause of the blast and condition of those injured were not immediately known.
Whirlpool Cancer Cluster Lawsuit Will Take Years
May 20, 2013 7:55 am | by John Seewer, Associated Press | CommentsThe wait for answers is far from over for parents who for years have lived with the worry of not knowing what's behind the mysterious cancers that have sickened dozens of children in a rural area of northern Ohio. Despite a federal civil lawsuit that points toward a possible cause, the issue is far from settled.
1 Millionth Jeep Wrangler Built At Toledo Plant
May 20, 2013 7:52 am | CommentsAuto workers in Toledo celebrated a milestone this past week. The 1 millionth Jeep Wrangler rolled off the assembly line at Chrysler's assembly plant that opened in 2006. Chrysler marked the occasion Friday with a ceremony at the production line.
3-D Printers An Emerging Industry
May 20, 2013 7:45 am | by Jared Hunt, Charleston Daily Mail | Comments3-D technology isn't just for movie theatres and comic books anymore. In fact, it may very well reshape the landscape for American manufacturing. It's all thanks to advances in 3-D printing, also called additive manufacturing, which has seen tremendous growth in the last few years.
'Pink Slime' Maker Continues To Struggle
May 20, 2013 7:42 am | CommentsThe meat BPI separates from trimmings with heat and treats with ammonia to kill bacteria used to be widely used in hamburger, but consumers objected to it after media reports depicted it as unsavory. Many schools and retailers pledged to stop using BPI's products after the "pink slime" reports, and the company saw demand fall.
Actavis Buying Warner Chilcott In $8.5B Deal
May 20, 2013 7:39 am | CommentsActavis is buying Warner Chilcott in an all-stock transaction valued at about $8.5 billion which would create the third-biggest specialty pharmaceutical company in the U.S. The new company is expected to be called Actavis PLC and will be incorporated in Ireland, where Warner Chilcott is currently incorporated.
NC Colleges Look To Expand Advanced Manufacturing
May 17, 2013 1:52 pm | CommentsNorth Carolina's community colleges are working to train factory workers comfortable in a new manufacturing world of computers and robots. State community college leaders are meeting Friday with manufacturers to assemble training courses in line with a skills certification plan that's recognized by factories across the country.
Canada Trying To Lure Silicon Valley Tech Workers
May 17, 2013 1:40 pm | CommentsThe Canadian government is trying to lure Silicon Valley tech workers who are frustrated by U.S. visa policies, just as Congress wrestles with a long-sought overhaul of America's immigration system. Canada's minister of citizenship, immigration and multiculturalism arrived in the San Francisco Bay area Friday for a four-day visit aimed at snapping up talent for his country's high-tech economy by offering startup entrepreneurs a new visa.
J&J's DePuy To End 2 Hip Replacement Systems
May 17, 2013 1:38 pm | CommentsJohnson & Johnson's DePuy orthopedics business plans to stop selling a couple of hip replacement systems not widely used by doctors. DePuy will discontinue both its Ultamet Metal-on-Metal Articulation and Complete Ceramic-on-Metal Acetabular systems worldwide at the end of August.
Organic Industry Clout Grows With Consumer Demand
May 17, 2013 1:37 pm | by Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press | CommentsGrowing consumer interest in organics has proved tough for some Republicans on the committee to ignore. Eight Republicans, most of them newer members of the committee, joined with all of the panel's Democrats in supporting the amendment, which was adopted 29-17.
UAW Study: Nissan Subsidies Top $1.3B
May 17, 2013 1:33 pm | by Jeff Amy, Associated Press | CommentsNissan Motor Co.'s Mississippi plant is on track to receive more state aid and tax breaks than what state and company officials have previously revealed, according to a study paid for by the United Auto Workers, which is questioning whether the state is getting enough for its money.
GM Stock Rises Above $33 For First Time In 2 Years
May 17, 2013 1:30 pm | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | CommentsShares of General Motors reached an important milestone on Friday, topping their initial public offering price of $33 for the first time in more than two years. The automaker's stock, which has been on a tear since January, reached $33.58 Friday morning before slipping back to $33.52, up 3.5 percent, around midday.
4-month Strike At Peugeot Citroen Plant Ends
May 17, 2013 11:27 am | CommentsA four-month strike at a car factory north of Paris has come to an end, although the workers say they will still fight a plan to close the plant. PSA Peugeot Citroen said Friday that it had signed an agreement with the CGT union to end the strike, which started in January. The CGT called the strike "suspended."
Unemployment Falls In 40 U.S. States
May 17, 2013 11:22 am | by Christopher S. Rugaber, AP Economics Writer | CommentsSolid hiring helped push down unemployment rates in 40 U.S. states last month, the most since November. The declines show job markets are improving in most areas of the country. The Labor Department says unemployment rates only rose in Louisiana, Tennessee and North Dakota. Rates were unchanged in seven states.
Gauge Of U.S. Economy's Future Health Up In April
May 17, 2013 11:14 am | by Martin Crutsinger, AP Economics Writer | CommentsA measure of the U.S. economy's future health rose solidly in April, buoyed by a sharp rise in applications to build homes and a better job market. The Conference Board said Friday that its index of leading indicators increased 0.6 percent last month to a reading of 95. That followed a 0.2 percent decline in March.
Best Buy Aims To Spark Interest In '4K' TVs
May 17, 2013 8:19 am | by Mae Anderson, Associated Press | CommentsSony Corp. and other manufacturers, debuted pricey 4K TVs at the Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas in January, but those had 84-inch screens and cost $25,000, out of range for most people. The latest round of 4K Ultra High definition TVs are somewhat more affordable, though still pricey. They retail for $4,999 for a 55-inch screen.
Flying Car Prototypes Grounded After Crash Near School
May 17, 2013 7:53 am | CommentsThe Transportation Safety Board says the U.S. manufacturer of flying cars has grounded all five of its prototypes until it can determine a cause for a recent crash in B.C. One of the Maverick flying cars crashed near a Vernon elementary school last week, leaving a pilot and a passenger with minor injuries.
Authorities: Crime Not Ruled Out In Texas Blast
May 17, 2013 7:49 am | by Nomaan Merchant, Associated Press | CommentsInvestigators working in the remnants of an exploded Texas fertilizer plant sifted by hand through untold kernels of corn, moved tons of debris and conducted more than 400 interviews, while searching for the missing piece to solve what many officials compared to an extraordinary puzzle.
Labor Group: Apple Making Progress At Foxconn
May 17, 2013 7:44 am | CommentsThe Fair Labor Association said Thursday that Apple's largest supplier, Foxconn, has made all recommended improvements to working conditions that were due by the end of December. The group says there have been "notable increases" in workers' participation in union committees.
