Deseret News (Salt Lake City)

Swine Flu Apparently Contagious Longer

SAN FRANCISCO -- When the coughing stops is probably a better sign of when a swine-flu patient is no longer contagious, experts said after seeing new research that suggests the virus can still spread many days after a fever goes away. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been telling people to stay home from work and school and avoid contact with others until a day after their fever breaks. The new research suggests they may need to be careful for longer -- especially at...

Judge Rejects Sec-Bofa Deal

NEW YORK -- A federal judge on Monday rejected a $33 million settlement between the Securities and Exchange Commission and Bank of America Corp., saying the SEC's accusations of inadequate disclosure by the bank over bonuses paid at Merrill Lynch must now go to trial. Separately, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's office is preparing to file charges within the next couple of weeks against several high-ranking executives at Bank of America, claiming they failed to disclose details about ...

U.S.-Chinese Trade War Not Likely

WASHINGTON -- China's complaint Monday over new U.S. tariffs on Chinese tires raised pressure on Washington but isn't likely to incite a full-blown trade war. Each side knows its economy has too much to lose. The United States, the world's largest economy, represents a huge market for Chinese exports. And China is the largest holder of U.S. government debt at a time when the federal deficit has swollen to record levels because of economic rescue measures.

Delta Says Available Money Is Dwindling

ATLANTA -- Delta Air Lines Inc., the world's biggest airline operator, said Monday its available cash on hand will continue to fall by the end of the year as demand for air travel has been hit hard by the economic downturn. The Atlanta-based airline also said in a regulatory filing that its 2010 funding requirement for its defined benefit pension plans, which have been frozen for future accruals, is estimated to increase by $450 million as compared to 2009. The increase in required funding is...

Cyber Criminals Are Targeting Small Businesses

WASHINGTON -- Cyber criminals are increasingly targeting small and medium-sized businesses that don't have the resources to keep updating their computer security, according to federal authorities. Many of the attacks are being waged by organized cyber groups that are based abroad, and they are able to steal not only credit card numbers, but personal information -- including Social Security numbers -- of the card holders, said Michael Merritt, assistant director of the U.S. Secret Service's of...

Chip Maker Intel Unveils Major Reorganization; Veteran Exec Departs

SAN FRANCISCO -- Intel Corp. on Monday unveiled a major reorganization, focused on the world's biggest chip maker's ability to develop and manufacture microprocessors. The company, based in Santa Clara, also announced the departure of veteran executive Pat Gelsinger, who had served as co-manager of Intel's digital enterprise group and played a key role in the company's research and development initiatives.

Eli Lilly to Cut 5,500 Jobs, Reorganize

Seeking to cut costs and bring new drugs to market more quickly as its best-sellers go off-patent, drugmaker Eli Lilly & Co. said Monday it will eliminate 5,500 jobs over two years and reorganize into five business units. The Indianapolis company said it will reduce its work force by nearly 14 percent, to 35,000 from the current 40,500, by the end of 2011. The new total excludes hirings in high-growth emerging markets and Japan.

Allstate Invests $262 Million in Utah

Allstate Corp. said Monday it invested more than $262.7 million in municipal bonds in Utah in 2008. The figure was part of $21 billion in municipal bond investments by the company nationwide last year.

One to One Merging with Twelve Horses

One to One Interactive, a Massachusetts-based digital marketing firm, said Monday it has agreed to merge Twelve Horses into its OTOi and OTOlabs divisions. Twelve Horses has operations in Salt Lake City and the Reno/ Tahoe area of Nevada. Terms were not disclosed.

Seminar to Help Predict Profits

Bank of Utah will host a free seminar to help business owners and managers predict their profit and growth. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Sept. 22, at the Ogden-Weber Applied Technology Center, Building 2, 1843 W. 4000 South, Roy. "Five Universal Laws of Business Success" will be presented by Brett Harward, who has created several businesses.

Showerheads May Harbor Dangerous Bacteria

WASHINGTON -- In what may be the scariest shower news since Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho," a study says showerheads can harbor tiny bacteria that come spraying into your face when you wash. People with normal immune systems have little to fear, but these microbes could be a concern for folks with cystic fibrosis or AIDS, people who are undergoing cancer treatment or those who have had a recent organ transplant.

Fbi Data Show Violent Crime Dropped in 2008

WASHINGTON -- Murder and manslaughter dropped almost 4 percent last year, as reported crime overall fell around the country, according to new data released Monday by the FBI. The 3.9 percent decline in killings reported to police was part of a nationwide drop in violent crime of 1.9 percent from 2007 to 2008. Rapes declined 1.6 percent, to the lowest national number in 20 years -- about 89,000.

Colombian Rock Star's Wife Gives Birth to Boy

Less than a week before his "Peace Without Borders" concert in Havana, Colombian rocker Juanes and his wife, Karen Martinez, welcomed their first son over the weekend. The singer announced on his Twitter page Saturday that his wife had given birth to the couple's third child, a boy, Dante, in Miami.

Gay-Rights Backers Want to Repeal Law

WASHINGTON -- Gay-marriage supporters are moving to repeal a law that denies federal benefits to same-sex couples, but there's little chance of a vote this year. Repeal legislation to be introduced Tuesday has at least 76 House sponsors. A spokesman for the lead sponsor, Democratic Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, acknowledged that repealing the Defense of Marriage Act was not a priority for movement anytime soon.

$30m Bail Set for Californian Accused in 18-Year Abduction

PLACERVILLE, Calif. -- A judge on Monday set bail at $30 million for a Northern California man accused of kidnapping a girl and holding her captive for 18 years. In setting the high amount, El Dorado County Superior Court Judge Douglas Phimister cited the serious nature of the charges, injuries to the girl and the fact that Phillip Garrido was on parole at the time of the alleged abduction.

Exercise Can Extend Survival Even in 'Oldest Old'

CHICAGO -- Even in the "oldest old," a little physical activity goes a long way, extending life by at least a few years for people in their mid- to late 80s, Israeli researchers found. The three-year survival rate was about three times higher for active 85-year-olds compared with those who were inactive. Getting less than four hours of exercise weekly was considered inactive; more than that was active.

Poll Finds Worries Linger On Economy

WASHINGTON -- One year after Wall Street teetered on the brink of collapse, seven out of 10 Americans lack confidence the federal government has taken safeguards to prevent another financial industry meltdown, according to a new Associated Press-GfK poll. Even more -- 80 percent -- rate the condition of the economy as poor and a majority worry about their own ability to make ends meet. The pessimistic outlook sets the stage for President Barack Obama as he attempts to portray the financial se...

Apartments Are Raided in Terrorism Probe in N.Y.

WASHINGTON -- FBI agents and police raided three apartments in New York City before dawn Monday during an investigation of a man suspected of being an al-Qaida associate. The searches came after the man, who was under surveillance for possible links to the terror network, visited New York City over the weekend and left the area, Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., said after receiving a briefing on the operation from federal law enforcement officials Monday.

Clues Point to Inside Job in Yale Killing

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Clues increasingly pointed to an inside job Monday in the slaying of a Yale graduate student whose body was found stuffed inside a wall five days after she vanished from a heavily secured lab building accessible only to university employees. Police on Monday sought to calm fears on the Ivy League campus, saying the death of 24-year-old Annie Le was a targeted act but would not say why anyone would want to kill the young woman just days before she was to be married.

Near Deadline, Health-Care Negotiators Pare Costs

WASHINGTON -- Senate health-care negotiators said Monday they've cut the cost of their 10-year coverage plan to under $880 billion as they labored for an elusive bipartisan deal with just a day or so left after months of talks. Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., said he'll have a formal proposal by midweek -- maybe as early as Tuesday -- to meet a deadline for moving ahead on President Barack Obama's top domestic priority with or without Republican support.