International Business News - PRI http://www.ibtimes.com All articles are copyrighted by IBTimes.com 400 100 http://www.ibtimes.com/ http://www.ibtimes.com/images/top_logo_ibt2_3.gif The nation's largest fireworks display exploded in a spectrum of color over the East River, temporarily stealing the spotlight from New York's world-famous skyline and helping to create a brilliant end to a day of July Fourth celebrations nationwide. http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/86192-fourth-of-july-parade.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080705/us-marks-independence-day-with-fireworks-revelry.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080705/us-marks-independence-day-with-fireworks-revelry.htm Sat, 05 Jul 2008 03:50:33 EDT The nation's largest fireworks display exploded in a spectrum of color over the East River, temporarily stealing the spotlight from New York's world-famous skyline and helping to create a brilliant end to a day of July Fourth celebrations nationwide. http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/86098-fourth-of-july-parade.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080704/us-marks-july-4-with-fireworks-revelry.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080704/us-marks-july-4-with-fireworks-revelry.htm Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:39:44 EDT Police say they rescued 181 dogs, cats and birds from a farm in southern Puerto Rico where they were found sick and undernourished in dirty cages. Ponce police officer Lourdes Ortiz says a couple and their two sons were arrested and will be charged with mistreating animals. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080703/puerto-rico-police-rescue-181-animals.htm Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:38:05 EDT Credit ratings agency Moody's on Thursday affirmed its ratings on Coors Brewing Co. and Molson Coors Capital Finance ULS and changed the outlook on the ratings to "positive" from "developing." http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080703/moodys-affirms-molson-coors-ratings.htm Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:32:29 EDT Medicare expects to eventually save $1 billion a year by changing the way it pays for wheelchairs, oxygen tanks and other equipment, but suppliers say the new system could force thousands of businesses to close. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080703/medicare-rolls-out-bid-system-to-save-on-equipment.htm Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:23:37 EDT Drug store operator Walgreen Co. said Wednesday June same-store sales rose 3.4 percent, helped by increases in both pharmacy and front-end sales. Pharmacy same-store sales rose 3.3 percent, but were negatively impacted by 2.1 percentage points due to cheap generic drug introductions over the past 12 months. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080702/walgreen-same-store-sales-rise-3-4-percent-in-june.htm Wed, 02 Jul 2008 08:53:14 EDT Apollo Group Inc., a for-profit education company that owns the University of Phoenix, said Tuesday its third quarter profit rose slightly as it expanded its enrollment and did a better job collecting tuition from wayward students. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080701/apollo-group-reports-139-1-million-3q-profit.htm Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:06:10 EDT As of Monday, June 30, 2008, at least 461 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to the Defense Department. The department last updated its figures June 21 at 10 a.m. EDT. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080630/us-military-deaths-in-afghanistan-region-at-461.htm Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:15:38 EDT U.S. prosecution of terror suspects at its Guantanamo Bay detention facility fall short of international standards for fair trials, a U.N. rights official said Monday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080630/un-official-says-gitmo-trials-unfair.htm Mon, 30 Jun 2008 22:35:00 EDT Major beverage stocks mostly rose late Monday as investors found some relief in a slight drop in oil prices on the last day of the second quarter. Also Monday, SABMiller PLC and Molson Coors Brewing Co. closed on their transaction combining their U.S. and Puerto Rico operations into MillerCoors. MillerCoors will begin operating as a combined entity Tuesday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080630/closing-glance-major-beverage-stocks-mostly-rise.htm Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:14:23 EDT A director at Puerto Rican banking company First BanCorp sold 15,000 shares of common stock, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Friday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080630/first-bancorp-director-sells-15-000-shares.htm Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:51:01 EDT Among the stock activity stories for Monday, June 30, from AP Financial News: NEW YORK (AP)--Shares of Popular Inc., the parent of Puerto Rican bank Banco Popular, hit a new 52-week low Monday after an analyst downgraded the stock, warning of a worsening economy in Puerto Rico. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080630/movers-roundup-popular-genentech.htm Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:19:14 EDT SABMiller PLC and Molson Coors Brewing Co. said Monday they closed on their transaction combining their U.S. and Puerto Rico operations into MillerCoors. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080630/sabmiller-molson-coors-joint-operation-set-to-go.htm Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:35:14 EDT A motley group of foreigners--English teachers, students of Arabic, even a journalist--gathered on a recent chilly night in the Egyptian port city of Alexandria, brought together by a love of cinema, curiosity and a furtive hope of catching a glimpse of Omar Sharif. http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/82732-film-extras-in-egypt.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080630/western-extras-play-bit-parts-in-new-egyptian-film.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080630/western-extras-play-bit-parts-in-new-egyptian-film.htm Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:26:23 EDT Shares of Popular Inc., the parent of Puerto Rican bank Banco Popular, hit a new 52-week low Monday after an analyst downgraded the stock, warning of a worsening economy in Puerto Rico. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080630/popular-shares-fall-after-downgrade-to-hold.htm Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:01:24 EDT First BanCorp said Monday the Federal Reserve Bank of New York lifted an order that prevented the Puerto Rico-based bank from trading in mortgage-related securities. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080630/first-bancorp-had-fed-stop-order-lifted.htm Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:39:10 EDT The Standard & Poor's SmallCap 600 Index rose at midday Monday, with Robbins & Myers Inc. leading the way after the fluid processing products maker boosted its full-year guidance and reported a higher third-quarter profit. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080630/s-p-smallcap-600-in-focus-rbn-shfl.htm Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:35:30 EDT Air carrier JetBlue Airways Corp. said Monday it is launching a Spanish version of its Web site. Most of the site is a direct translation of the English site, but there will be ads specific to the Spanish-language site. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080630/jet-blue-airways-offers-spanish-web-site.htm Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:08:28 EDT No matter what happens to America's offshore military prison, this much is clear: This Navy base will remain open for years to come, and so probably will the McDonald's, the Taco Bell and the golf course. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080628/navy-to-keep-guantanamo-base-if-prison-closes.htm Sat, 28 Jun 2008 12:07:26 EDT Starbucks Coffee Co. says it will close three of its stores in Puerto Rico's capital by the end of June. Spokesman Adolfo Santana says the stores struggled financially because they were too close to other Starbucks locations. He says all employees will be transferred to other stores. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080627/starbucks-to-close-stores-in-puerto-rico.htm Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:04:09 EDT