USDA to again OK genetically altered sugar beets

The U.S. Department of Agriculture unveiled Tuesday controversial plans to again approve genetically modified sugar beets in time for planting next year, a move that would nullify a federal court ruling in August that invalidated the approval the USDA issued five years ago.

The USDA’s proposal, published Tuesday, represents the preliminary stage of the process and will be followed by a 30-day comment period before  a final decision. The USDA laid out three  options in the proposal, including an option not to re-approve the sugar beets, but said its preferred  action would be to “authorize the commercial production” of genetically modified sugar beets under strict regulations.
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Blockbuster to hire, add promotions for holiday

Don’t count Blockbuster out yet.

The Dallas-based movie and game rental chain is hiring about 4,000 seasonal employees to staff its stores nationwide this holiday season. That’s comparable to previous years when Blockbuster wasn’t reorganizing under Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Get the full story »

Justices weigh 1st Amendment against video games

The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed sympathy for a California law that aims to keep children from buying ultraviolent video games in which players maim, kill or sexually assault images of people.

But several justices said the law faces a high constitutional hurdle before going into effect. Get the full story »

T-Mobile joins trend to cheaper data plans

T-Mobile says it’s adding a cheaper data plan with a limit on monthly traffic, much the way AT&T and Verizon Wireless have done.

T-Mobile USA  will  introduce the new plan before the end of the year. It will cost $10 per month with a two-year contract or $15 without one. It will provide 200 megabytes of data use per month. Get the full story »

ADM profit misses Street view, shares fall

Archer Daniels Midland Co. the world’s largest corn processor and among the largest U.S. ethanol producers, reported weaker-than-expected quarterly earnings Tuesday, hampered by inventory charges, and its shares fell more than 7 percent.

For the first quarter ended Sept. 30, ADM reported a net profit of $345 million, or 54 cents per share, down from $496 million, or 77 cents per share, a year earlier. Get the full story »

Weak cereal sales hurt Kellogg’s 3Q results

Kellogg Co. said Tuesday that a drop in cereal sales, intense competition and the lingering impact of some of the largest food recalls in the company’s history have made 2010 a difficult and disappointing year. Get the full story »

Toyota asks court to dismiss acceleration lawsuits

Toyota Motor Corp. is asking a federal court to throw out lawsuits over acceleration defects in its cars, saying many of the plaintiffs never identified any defect or experienced sudden, unintended acceleration. Get the full story »

Fed set to launch fresh round of bond purchases

The U.S. Federal Reserve opens a two-day meeting on Tuesday that is expected to conclude with a decision to pump hundreds of billions of dollars into the economy to stir the tepid recovery out of its doldrums. Get the full story »

U.S. says air safety measures won’t hurt trade

America’s transport watchdog vowed on Tuesday not to slow global trade by piling security measures onto the aviation industry in response to terror threats as air lobby group IATA warned against rash action. Get the full story »

ADM says late Brazil soy crop to boost US exports

Late soybean seeding in Brazil due to adverse planting weather will delay the harvest in the key soybean exporting country and bolster U.S. exports of the oilseed, the vice chairman of U.S. agricultural processor Archer Daniels Midland said on Tuesday. Get the full story »

London’s Times says 105,000 have paid for access

The London Times and Sunday Times say that 105,000 people have paid for access to the papers’ websites.

In its first report on the success of the pay wall, News International said 100,000 other people signed up for a joint subscription to the printed edition and the web. Get the full story »

Don Meek to head reorganized Tribune Digital

Tribune Co. is renaming its Tribune Interactive division Tribune Digital, in a reorganization that places Don Meek, who had been chief revenue officer for the company’s publishing and interactive operations, in charge as executive vice president.

MasterCard 2Q profit jumps on overseas card use

MasterCard Inc. on Tuesday said increased use of credit and debit cards overseas helped lift its third-quarter profit by 15 percent.

Homeownership at lowest level in a decade

(AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

The nation’s homeownership rate is at the lowest level in more than a decade, hampered by a rise in foreclosures and weak demand for housing.

The percentage of households that owned their homes was unchanged at 66.9 percent in the July-September quarter, the Census Bureau said Tuesday. That’s the same as the April-June quarter.

The last time the rate was lower was in 1999, when the rate was 66.7 percent. Get the full story »

Huron acquires Click Commerce

Huron Consulting Group Inc. said it has acquired a firm that helps research institutions, hospitals and academic centers manage research and clinical trials. Get the full story »