A tiny sensor has caused big headaches for the aircraft manufacturing industry because of State Department concerns about foreign sales of the part. The Boeing Co. faces a possible $47 million fine for selling passenger jets to China containing gyro chips, which are also used in military planes. Other companies, including France’s Airbus and Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., part of Hartford, Conn., based United Technologies Corp., said that they didn’t sell aircraft with the chips because of government concerns it could divulge military secrets.
Apple Computer shares jump 6%
Shares of Apple Computer Inc. surged Thursday after the company reported its best quarterly profit ever, with revenue up 75 percent as sales of its iPod music player continue to be brisk. Apple’s shares rose $2.40, or 6.3 percent, to close at $40.75 Thursday on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
Delta raises fares, blames fuel costs
Delta Air Lines Inc. blamed persistently high fuel costs Thursday as the nation’s third-biggest carrier raised the cap on its most expensive fares by $100, a move quickly matched by several rivals. Airline stocks rose on the news. Atlanta-based Delta boosted the cap on one-way walk-up fares to $599 from $499 for economy class, and to $699 for first class.
SpongeBob goes vegetable happy
Skip the Krabby Patty, SpongeBob SquarePants is going veggie. Pictures of the happy-go-lucky sponge will appear on packages of carrots, spinach and citrus starting in August under licensing deals with produce companies. Dora the Explorer and other Nickelodeon characters also will debut on fruit and vegetable packages, according to the network. Nickelodeon executives say the foray into the fruit and vegetable market complements network programming attempts to get kids to eat healthier.
Seattle papers cutting their size
Seattle’s two daily newspapers, the Times and Post-Intelligencer, will be a bit smaller starting next week. The papers will be an inch narrower, follower a trend in the industry to save newsprint. The Herald made the same move more than four years ago. The Times, which prints both papers under a joint operating agreement, said it would print the narrower paper on newsprint of the usual width on Monday, then try to make the complete shift on Tuesday.
From Herald staff
and news services
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
