COMPANIES

Apple Inc's market value climbed past $623 billion on Monday, surpassing the record set by Microsoft Corp during the heyday of technology stocks in 1999.

According to the New York Observer, three more writers have been cut from the Village Voice's already-skeletal staff, while one full-time editor was reduced to part-time status.

Don?t say technology companies aren?t enormously profitable. An IBTimes review of the cash and investment holdings of 11 of the top technology leaders shows they are sitting atop nearly $375 billion in cash and investments ? or about 24 percent more since the last survey nine months ago.

After enjoying a record-breaking quarter earlier this year, Apple posted yet another milestone on Monday, this time for its stock. With its stock reaching $660.73 a share early Monday morning, Apple finally surpassed Microsoft as the most valuable publicly-traded stock ever, achieving a market capitalization of $619.37 billion, the largest cap ever recorded.

Rolls-Royce doubled down and unveiled both its Phantom Coupe Aviator and 2013 Ghost at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and Quail car show.

Apple fans can't wait to get their hands on the iPhone 5, Apple's sixth-generation smartphone believed to finally debut and hit stores next month. But for those who can't wait for the finalized product, China GadgetLand is selling what it claims to be a full "iPhone 5" set, complete with an LCD screen and digitizer assembly, for just $199.

Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL), the world's most valuable technology company, continued its tear as its shares keep setting all-time records in Monday trading. Earlier, its shares hit $664.75, valuing the Cupertino, Calif., company above $621 billion for the first time, more than any other company?s prior value.

New Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO) CEO Marissa Mayer appears to continue her housecleaning. U.S. sales chief Wayne Powers quit the search engine and media company Monday to become president of Parade Publications, the Sunday newspaper supplement published by privately held Advance Publications.

Exchange operator CME Group Inc. (Nasdaq:CME) is opening a hot new table in the global financial casino, pushed to set up a derivatives exchange in London by clients who can't be bothered to comply with U.S. law.

Apple fans can't wait to get their hands on the iPhone 5, Apple's sixth-generation smartphone believed to finally debut and hit stores next month. But for those who can't wait for the finalized product, China GadgetLand is selling what it claims to be a full "iPhone 5" set, complete with an LCD screen and digitizer assembly, for just $199. By and large, this iPhone looks to line up with most previous reports, specs, and rumored features of the phone.

European rabbis as well as Israel?s Minister of Public Diplomacy have criticized Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) for publishing and selling an Arabic-language app of ?The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,? probably the best-known anti-Semitic forgery.

General Motors Co (NYSE: GM) will recall 249,260 mid-size sport utility vehicles to correct a potential fire hazard, a U.S. government safety agency said.

Aetna Inc. (NYSE:AET) will pay about $5.7 billion in cash and stock to buy Coventry Health Care Inc. (NYSE:CVH), a managed health care company with a big market share in Medicare- and Medicaid-related products.

In a move to assuage employees and customers, Cloud-gaming service provider OnLive has confirmed asset sale and assured continuation of services without interruption.

The Internet opens and connects you to new worlds of possibilities and opportunities anywhere, anytime.In South Africa, the Internet is a make or break in many situations these days with limited access and expensive rates that abounds just to receive the best Internet connection.

The Supreme Court will hear final arguments starting this week in a landmark case over drug patents that could change the rules for the country's healthcare sector and potentially curb its global role as a supplier of cut-price generic medicines.

Wednesday, Sept. 12 -- the day when Apple is expected to debut its sixth-generation smartphone, unofficially dubbed the "iPhone 5" -- is less than a month away. It looks like the newest iPhone will be packed with more features than any that's come before it.

After three weeks of testimony, the case of Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) vs. Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Seoul: 005930) is over. U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh could instruct the nine-member civil jury in San Jose, Calif., as early as Tuesday The parties should settle first.

AT&T announced August 17 that it will limit FaceTime over 3G and 4G network to iPhone subscribers who sign up for the carrier's mobile share plans that will be launched in late August. This move has drawn criticism from interest group Public Knowledge that argued the company was "violating the FCC's Open Internet rules."

Google Inc's (GOOG), Motorola Mobility filed a new patent infringement case against Apple Inc. (AAPL) claiming features of Apple devices including location reminders, e-mail notification, phone/ video players, and Siri's voice-recognition program infringe on seven of Motorola Mobility patents.

It may be surprising to many who believe that Wall Street and global finance are inherently malevolent that a century ago, the public had a very similar perception of financial services, a notion that was channeled by editorial cartoonists in hard-hitting illustrations in magazines like Puck and newspapers like the New York Herald. These cartoons would be as fitting today as they were in 1912.

Verizon Wireless recently activated new 4G LTE coverage on sites in Ballston Spa and Austerlitz, further expanding coverage on the high-speed wireless data network, which the company launched locally in August 2011.

Apple is expected to release the next iPhone, aka iPhone 5, September 12 and according to Jefferies analyst Peter Misek, the upcoming release of the next iPhone will be the "biggest handset launch in history."

Amid the continue foreclosure crisis, some young people are taking to social media to redirect their frustration and coordinate larger acts of vandalism against abandoned properties.

Shares of Facebook (Nasdaq: FB), the No. 1 social networking site, fell to a new record low of $19.01 in midday Friday trading, a day after insiders were allowed to sell as many as 241 million shares they had been required to hold since the May 17 initial public offering.

A plastic surgery center in Venezuela is under fire after using Ariel from The Little Mermaid in an ad photo promoting surgery, adding breast implants to the Disney Princess. Venezuela Clinica Dempere released the controversial ad campaign, depicting the red-headed mermaid princess with breast augmentations, along with the Frog Price and the Wicked Witch, writing, "We make fairy tales come true."

European investors looking to bet on risky derivatives will be able to use gold to back their trades, one of the Continent's major exchanges said Friday, a development that could both make the yellow precious metal a more valuable asset and foster the growth of derivative trading volume.

Shares of Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL), the world's most valuable technology company, set their first record high since April, briefly hitting $644.13 in early Friday trading. That beat the previous record of $644 set on April 10.

Bankrupt imaging giant Eastman Kodak Co. (Pink: EKDKQ) said it may call off its auction of 1,100 patents that was scheduled to conclude Monday. In a statement late Thursday, Kodak said it “has not reached a determination or agreement to sell the digital imaging portfolio.”