Microsoft Corp. argued Friday that its conduct in breaking into the digital media field constitutes permissible competitive activity, and accused rival RealNetworks of using an antitrust lawsuit to gain market share. The Redmond-based software giant was responding to an antitrust lawsuit that Seattle-based RealNetworks filed in December in U.S. District Court in San Jose, Calif. Microsoft’s response, filed Friday, indicated that the software giant would vigorously defend itself. RealNetworks claimed Microsoft violated state and federal antitrust laws, and accused Microsoft of illegally tying its Windows Media Player software with copies of the ubiquitous Windows operating system, regardless of whether users wanted the digital media player system.
Weyerhaeuser Co. plans to sell about 300,000 acres of forestland in Georgia, the latest in a series of sales to reduce debt since the acquisition of Willamette Industries, the company announced Friday. Weyerhaeuser owns or manages about 7.5 million acres of commercial forestland in the United States and Canada, including 1.7 million acres that was added in the $8 billion takeover of Willamette in 2001.
The Consumer Price Index, the government’s most closely watched inflation gauge, rose by 0.5 percent in January – more than double December’s 0.2 percent increase – the Labor Department reported Friday. Much of the jump was blamed on sharply higher energy prices, reflecting a cold snap in parts of the country, strong global demand and tight supplies, economists said. Excluding energy and food prices, which tend to swing widely from month to month, the core rate of inflation increased by a mild 0.2 percent in January, up from a 0.1 percent increase in December, but suggesting that prices for many goods and services remain fairly stable.
United Airlines’ unions stepped up the pressure on the carrier Friday over its plan to cut retiree health care benefits, with machinists announcing a new campaign of airport demonstrations and public protests. The machinists also organized picketing by retirees outside United’s headquarters in suburban Elk Grove Village, Ill., and the airline’s monthly bankruptcy court hearing in Chicago, where flight attendants were seeking the appointment of an outside examiner to look into the plan. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers said it had delivered letters to all U.S. senators urging them to demand that United CEO Glenn Tilton keep his commitment to United retirees.
From Herald news services
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