Billionaire seeks to help climate-change victims

FRESNO, Calif. — An environmentalist billionaire who has pledged to spend tens of millions of dollars targeting Republicans who reject climate change announced Friday that he is now creating a fund to help victims of extreme weather disasters, starting...

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Key ways the US job market has changed since 2007

WASHINGTON — Six and half years later, nearly everything about the job market is different. When the Great Recession hit in December 2007, 138.4 million people were working at U.S. businesses, nonprofits and government agencies. By February 2010, that...

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Feel secure in well-crafted Volvo SUV

The best thing about climbing behind the wheel of a Volvo is the instant sense of security, craftsmanship and well-being you get. Maybe it's the incredibly comfortable leather seats, the way the austere interior is set off with well-placed controls...

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Patrick to push for ban on non-compete deals

BOSTON — Gov. Deval Patrick praised an economic development bill proposed by Democratic House leaders but said Friday he planned to urge lawmakers to restore a provision that would discourage non-compete agreements in the private sector. Patrick had...

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Engineer's 'switch from hell' began GM recall woes

DETROIT — Inside General Motors, they called it "the switch from hell." The ignition switch on the steering column of the Chevrolet Cobalt and other small cars was so poorly designed that it easily slipped out of the run position, causing engines to...

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Emotional robot set for sale in Japan next year

TOKYO — A cooing, gesturing humanoid on wheels that can decipher emotions has been unveiled in Japan by billionaire Masayoshi Son who says robots should be tender and make people smile. Son's mobile phone company Softbank said Thursday that the robot...

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The Ticker

Foreclosures rise in Mass. Foreclosures in Massachusetts rose again last month, but experts say it is nothing to worry about. Foreclosure petitions rose by 126 percent compared to April 2013, for a total of 740, according to The Warren Group. Still,...

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Janitors balk at being broomed by MBTA

The union representing MBTA janitors yesterday called on lawmakers to oppose plans to cut cleaning staff by one-third and reduce the hours of those still on the job by Sept. 1 — steps they said will lead to dirtier stations as employees bear heavier...

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New push to cover Greenway ramps

Three years after the last plans were abandoned to build community and cultural institutions over the open highway ramps that now interrupt the Rose Kennedy Greenway, a greener approach is under consideration. The state Department of Transportation...

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Noncompetes out of control

Teenage camp counselors, personal trainers, salon assistants and even interns are being forced to sign controversial noncompete agreements typically reserved for high-tech executives in a sign the practice of blocking employees from jumping to a competitor...

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Survey: RN staffing critical

One in four Bay State nurses says that patient deaths are "directly attributable" to having too many people in their care at one time, according to a new survey. The survey, commissioned by the Massachusetts Nurses Association/National Nurses United,...

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The Ticker

Fenway Park to have more security barriers The owners of the Boston Red Sox are further fortifying the security of Fenway Park. Olde Town Team Realty is seeking city permission to install more security bollards around the ballpark's outside perimeter...

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City to keep, upgrade school dept. site

The Boston School Department's downtown headquarters will be renovated over three years starting this summer, quelling a watchdog's fear that the city might try to turn the building into fast cash after a developer bought the property next door for $31...

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Contest nets new faces for public spaces

Some of the Hub's public spaces will be getting a new look — with everything from a portable reading room to traffic light control boxes turned into benches — thanks to an innovative design contest. "We were blown away by the talent and the creativity...

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Emotional robot set for sale in Japan next year

TOKYO — A cooing, gesturing humanoid on wheels that can decipher emotions has been unveiled in Japan by billionaire Masayoshi Son who says robots should be tender and make people smile. Son's mobile phone company Softbank said Thursday that the robot...

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Students learn with ‘Bee-Bots’

Wide-eyed, smiling robots have rolled into Boston's kindergarten classes to serve as high-tech instructors preparing the kids for the brave new world that awaits them. Don't be alarmed. They are just 5-inch-tall "Bee-Bots," simple robots that the kids...

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Charlie Baker urges state pols to demand full Obamacare costs

Republican gubernatorial hopeful Charlie Baker urged Beacon Hill budget-makers to find out how much taxpayers have shelled out so far trying to implement Obamacare — a colossal failure he could inherit if he wins the Corner Office next year. "The people...

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Robert Deleo, Gov. Deval Patrick clash on noncompetes

Contractual noncompete agreements are at the center of the latest disagreement between Gov. Deval Patrick and House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo, who unveiled an economic development plan yesterday that would allow the practice to continue in Massachusetts....

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Will that be a 6-bedroom suite or just a couch?

NEW YORK — Private elevators, personal shopping assistants, six-bedroom suites with their own postal codes. Even helipads. This is what the super-rich have come to expect from hotels. For others, vacation now means renting someone's apartment, a spare...

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US trade deficit at two-year high in April

WASHINGTON — The U.S. trade deficit jumped to a two-year high in April, as exports declined and imports surged to a record high. The deficit rose to $47.2 billion in April, up 6.9 percent from an upwardly revised March deficit of $44.2 billion, the...

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Citing wireless trends, AT&T raises sales outlook

NEW YORK — AT&T boosted its full-year revenue forecast Tuesday, citing strong wireless trends. The company said it expects a second-quarter net addition of more than 800,000 in "post-paid" plans. Those are high-value customers who have contracts...

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US home price gains slow in April amid tepid sales

WASHINGTON — U.S. home prices rose in April compared with a year earlier, but the increase was the smallest annual gain in 14 months. Price gains have slowed this year as sales have faltered. Data provider CoreLogic said Tuesday that prices rose 10.5...

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Asian stocks mostly up on China data; Europe falls

SEOUL, South Korea — Global stocks were mixed on Tuesday with inflation data showing a weak recovery in Europe even as Chinese manufacturing was recovering from contraction. European stocks opened lower. Britain's FTSE 100 was down 0.3 percent to 6,840.60...

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Seattle's $15 minimum wage: Questions and answers

SEATTLE — The Seattle City Council has approved an ordinance that would raise the city's minimum wage to $15 an hour, making it the highest in the nation. Here are some questions and answers about the new hourly wage. WHAT IS THE MINIMUM WAGE IN SEATTLE...

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Chrysler sales up 17 pct as car buyers return

DETROIT — Chrysler's U.S. sales jumped 17 percent in May, a month when car buyers who stayed home during the rough winter were expected to return to showrooms. Chrysler sales were boosted by strong demand for the new Jeep Cherokee small SUV. Automakers...

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Market Basket growth on shelf

The board of Demoulas Super Markets Inc., owner of the Market Basket grocery chain, said it has instructed company management to open its long-stalled stores in Attleboro and Revere "at the earliest possible moment." But it's unclear when that will...

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Suburban owner wonders why sunroof won’t close

The sunroof on my 2005 Suburban will not close. I turned on the ignition switch to lower the windows and open the sunroof to air out the interior a couple of weekends ago. I left the key on after opening the windows and discharged the battery to the...

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Cape Cod apartments for those with limited vision

YARMOUTH, Mass. — Life with limited vision can be challenging, but a partnership between a local nonprofit organization and a Cape Cod assisted living facility could make it a little brighter. The Cove at Thirwood Place, located on Flax Pond in South...

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Gambling regulator to lawmakers: Revise casino law

BOSTON — Massachusetts' top gambling regulator is urging lawmakers to address employment and income tax provisions included in the 2011 casino law before they break for summer. But a leading lawmaker says the Democratic majority isn't yet ready to commit...

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Philadelphia Inquirer co-owner dead in plane crash

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia Inquirer co-owner Lewis Katz is among the seven people killed in a fiery plane crash in Massachusetts, the newspaper's editor said Sunday. Bill Marimow confirmed Katz's death to Philly.com, saying he learned the news from...

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