A top official at the U.S. futures regulator said on Tuesday he was now in favor of a stalled position limit plan, a key turnaround that would allow the controversial rules to advance to the public comment stage. Get the full story »
Stop smoking or move, says Habitat Co.
A view of Kingsbury Plaza, located at Grand and State, in 2008. (Charles Osgood/Chicago Tribune)
Tenants at Kingsbury Plaza, an apartment building in River North, had a New Year’s resolution made for them by the management firm The Habitat Co. this year: Quit smoking.
The alternative: Move.
Kingsbury notified residents late last year that as of Jan. 1, it would begin a year-long transition to becoming a smoke-free building, meaning that smokers have 2011 to either kick the habit or find someplace else to live. Get the full story »
American still talking to Orbitz about listings
American Airlines says it’s talking to Orbitz and Expedia about resuming the listing of American flights on the travel websites. Get the full story »
Cancer blood test coming to market
The HB-Chip can spot a single cancer cell lurking among a billion healthy ones . (AP Photo/PNAS Early Edition)
Includes updated information on the latest test format.
A blood test so sensitive that it can spot a single cancer cell lurking among a billion healthy ones is moving one step closer to being available at your doctor’s office.
Boston scientists who invented the test and health care giant Johnson & Johnson will announce Monday that they are joining forces to bring it to market. Four big cancer centers also will start studies using the experimental test this year. Get the full story »
FDA asked to label new smokeless tobacco as safer
Tobacco maker Star Scientific Inc. says it has developed a moist smokeless tobacco with lower levels of cancer-causing chemicals than any other tobacco product on the market.
The small Virginia company, which sells tobacco lozenges that dissolve in the mouth, said Tuesday that it plans to ask the Food and Drug Administration this quarter for approval to sell the new item as safer than any competing product. Get the full story »
Jan. 4 at 2:09 p.m.
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Filed under: Consumer electronics, Entertainment, Media, TV, Technology, Video CES: Netflix button coming to remote controls
Netflix told CES attendees Tuesday that it would soon be available on remote controllers that operate Internet-connected TVs, Blu-ray disc players and other devices, enabling subcribers to access movies with one click.
Netflix Inc. said consumer electronics companies would begin selling remotes this spring with “Netflix” buttons — including some featuring the red Netflix logo. The companies include Sharp, Sony and Toshiba.
Nissan sales surge 28% in December
Nissan Motor Co. reported a 28 percent increase in U.S. auto sales for December, growth that outpaced the broader industry, as car and truck sales each notched large gains.
Japan’s second-biggest car maker by worldwide sales volume after Toyota Motor Corp. reported it sold 93,730 vehicles during the month, up from 73,404 a year earlier and 31 percent more than November. Car sales grew 26 percent, while truck sales were up 32 percent. Get the full story »
FDA warns Invacare about hospital bed problems
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued Invacare Corp. a warning letter for failure to fully address reports of fires and entrapment involving beds made by the company.
In a Dec. 15 warning letter, the FDA said Invacare, which makes a variety of medical equipment used in homes and long-term care facilities, didn’t properly handle or investigate reports of fire and patients becoming trapped in beds. The letter was posted to the agency’s Web site Tuesday. Get the full story »
Toyota sees sales fall 5.5% in December
Toyota Motor Corp.’s U.S. auto sales dropped 5.5 percent in December, the seventh monthly drop in 2010, as a decline in car sales again more than offset stronger demand for larger vehicles.
Adding to the woes, Toyota sold 6,554 fewer vehicles in 2010 than a year earlier, coming in at 1.76 million. It was the only major U.S. automaker to report a sales decline for the year, though absent the two fewer selling days in 2010, Toyota reported sales for the year were up 0.3 percent on a daily selling rate. Get the full story »
Study questions use of implanted defibrillators
A new study finds that one in five heart defibrillators may be implanted for questionable reasons without solid evidence the devices will help.
The implants shock the heart back into a normal rhythm when it starts beating irregularly. They can prevent sudden death in people with advanced heart failure. But researchers haven’t found a benefit for other patients. Get the full story »
Court tosses out $1.2M indecency fine against ABC
A federal appeals court on Tuesday tossed a $1.2 million indecency fine the Federal Communications Commission imposed against ABC Television affiliates for airing a 2003 episode of “NYPD Blue,” which showed a woman’s naked bottom.
It was just the latest in a series of victories for broadcasters, who have spent the last few years challenging the U.S. government’s effort to police airwaves and fine stations for racy content. Get the full story »
Fed minutes show continued wariness on growth
Federal Reserve officials in December felt the U.S. economic recovery was still weak enough to warrant monetary support despite growing signs of strength, Fed meeting minutes released on Tuesday showed.
Wall Street economists have been revising up forecasts for economic growth in recent weeks on the back of signs showing business activity and consumer spending picking up steam. Get the full story »
U.S. demand for gas falls with Northeast snows
U.S. retail gasoline demand fell 12.5 percent last week after a winter storm forced drivers off the roads, MasterCard Advisors’ SpendingPulse report showed Tuesday. Get the full story »
Dell expands tech services with latest purchase
Dell Inc. has agreed to buy SecureWorks, a closely held computer security company, to expand its technology services business.
Dell, which did not disclose terms, said on Tuesday that it does not plan to buy any more security firms. Get the full story »
Enbridge to shut troubled pipeline for maintenance
Enbridge Inc. plans to shut a U.S. Midwest oil pipeline twice over the next two months to make repairs, the company said Tuesday, putting more pressure on Canadian crude prices.
Enbridge, the largest carrier of Canadian crude exports to the U.S., plans a five-day shutdown of the 290,000-barrel-a-day Line 6B starting around Feb. 7, and another of the same duration around March 7, spokeswoman Lorraine Grymala said. Get the full story »
