International Business News - VIR 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 Unemployment climbs to 5-year high of 6.1 percent WASHINGTON (AP)--The nation's unemployment rate zoomed to a five-year high of 6.1 percent in August as employers slashed 84,000 jobs, dramatic proof of the mounting damage a deeply troubled economy is inflicting on workers and businesses alike. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080905/business-highlights.htm Fri, 05 Sep 2008 18:23:30 EDT Continental Airlines Inc. said Friday it is charging some coach customers $15 for a first checked bag, matching a similar fee imposed by most other major U.S. carriers. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080905/continental-to-charge-15-for-first-checked-bag.htm Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:45:45 EDT The party that postponed its party on account of another region's bad weather got back to the business of celebrating itself Tuesday. Politics finally broke out on the floor of the Republican National Convention, and for many delegates it was high time. http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/121372-republican-convention.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080902/with-no-speeches-delegates-focus-on-buttons.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080902/with-no-speeches-delegates-focus-on-buttons.htm Tue, 02 Sep 2008 23:22:53 EDT Four days, hundreds of speakers, thousands of delegates, endless pontificating. So much that is memorable from the Democratic National Convention, so much that is forgettable. Seven AP reporters help sort it all out, by identifying--in their humble opinions--some of the week's best and worst: speakers, put-downs, seats, and more. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080828/the-edge-dems-best-and-worst.htm Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:10:26 EDT Home Depot Inc. said Monday it had named an internal candidate, Marvin Ellison, as its new executive vice president in charge of U.S. stores. The Atlanta-based home improvement retailer promoted Ellison, effectively immediately. He will be responsible for operations of about 2,000 stores in the U.S., Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080825/home-depot-names-ellison-head-of-us-stores.htm Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:00:26 EDT The dreamer in him envisioned a day when "Whites Only" signs would no longer hang in restaurant windows. A time when everyone's desire to vote would be respected. A time when blacks and whites would work, pray and live together. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080822/king-speech-to-obama-speech-a-dream-realized.htm Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:03:49 EDT A judge has imposed a life sentence on a U.S. Virgin Islands man convicted of strangling a 12-year-old girl. Daniel Castillo also was sentenced to 30 years in prison for aggravated child abuse. Police say he killed Laquina Hennis last year and dumped her body in a wooden shed near the capital. She died as report cards were being distributed and never found out she had made the school's honor roll for the first time. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080821/usvi-man-sentenced-to-life-for-strangling-of-girl.htm Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:01:57 EDT An 18-year-old Harold Mattern welcomed the idea of clearing forest trails and building bridges and dams as a member of President Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corps. http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/111251-ccc-anniversary.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080818/ccc-workers-celebrate-contributions-75-years-later.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080818/ccc-workers-celebrate-contributions-75-years-later.htm Mon, 18 Aug 2008 09:04:57 EDT Two former government officials in the U.S. Virgin Islands face prison after being found guilty of running a million-dollar bribery and kickback scheme. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080815/former-usvi-officials-face-prison-for-kickbacks.htm Fri, 15 Aug 2008 08:34:33 EDT Two former government officials in the U.S. Virgin Islands face prison after being found guilty of running a million-dollar bribery and kickback scheme. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080814/former-usvi-officials-face-prison-for-kickbacks.htm Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:51:15 EDT A maroon-striped marauder with venomous spikes is rapidly multiplying in the Caribbean's warm waters, swallowing native species, stinging divers and generally wreaking havoc on an ecologically delicate region. http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/108384-lionfish-invasion.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080813/venomous-lionfish-prowls-fragile-caribbean-waters.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080813/venomous-lionfish-prowls-fragile-caribbean-waters.htm Wed, 13 Aug 2008 21:22:07 EDT A U.S. Virgin Islands hospital fired four board members on Thursday after a U.S. government audit found alleged financial mismanagement and the use of taxpayer money to fund lucrative pay packages for top administrators. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080731/usvi-hospital-fires-4-board-members-amid-probe.htm Thu, 31 Jul 2008 19:09:17 EDT The U.S. Virgin Islands may build a pipeline to replace diesel-generated power with natural gas brought in from a bigger grid in the nearby U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, the head of the islands' utility company said Thursday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080725/virgin-islands-weighs-gas-pipeline-to-puerto-rico.htm Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:54:01 EDT The U.S. Virgin Islands may build a pipeline to replace diesel-generated power with natural gas brought in from a bigger grid in the nearby U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, the head of the islands' utility company said Thursday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080724/usvi-weighs-gas-pipeline-to-puerto-rico.htm Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:51:22 EDT The weak U.S. dollar has not dissuaded Americans from planning trips abroad this year, but they may be heading to destinations closer to home, according to a survey released Thursday by Visa Inc. http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/96977-olympic-advertising.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080724/visa-survey-shows-foreign-travel-remains-popular.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080724/visa-survey-shows-foreign-travel-remains-popular.htm Thu, 24 Jul 2008 07:14:39 EDT Harriette Walters was generous with her friends. She showered the people she met with cash they used to buy fancy vacations, designer goods, fur coats, cars and homes. Those friends included a bank teller, hair salon owner, luxury goods saleswoman and an IRS tax official. But federal prosecutors say the gifts were more than generosity. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080717/prosecutor-accused-leader-of-dc-fraud-shared-cash.htm Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:11:29 EDT Harriette Walters was generous with her friends. She showered the people she met with cash they used to buy fancy vacations, designer goods, fur coats, cars and homes. Those friends included a bank teller, hair salon owner, luxury goods saleswoman and an IRS tax official. But federal prosecutors say the gifts were more than generosity. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080716/prosecutor-accused-leader-of-dc-fraud-shared-cash.htm Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:44:34 EDT The U.S. Virgin Islands has agreed to issue $165 million in bonds to help build a rum distillery. The bonds will also help subsidize the cost of molasses used to produce bulk rum at the St. Croix facility that is expected to open in 2011. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080710/us-virgin-isles-to-issue-bonds-for-rum-distillery.htm Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:49:04 EDT Almost half the coral reef ecosystems in United States territory are in poor or fair condition, mostly because of rising ocean temperatures, according to a government report released Monday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080707/noaa-report-us-coral-reefs-in-severe-decline.htm Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:54:27 EDT Lottery officials say Florida will add the national Powerball game to its portfolio in January. Gov. Charlie Crist applauded the decision Wednesday, saying it would maximize sales opportunities for the state's 20-year-old lottery and its 13,500 vendors. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080702/florida-agrees-to-add-powerball-to-lottery-options.htm Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:54:58 EDT