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Business

Health Care

Group of Companies Plans to Offer Discounted Health Insurance

Sixty large companies work with three health insurers to offer a variety of health options to workers who don't qualify for regular coverage. As many as 4 million who lack insurance could be eligible, but some experts say the costs could still be prohibitive for some.

Group of Companies Plans to Offer Discounted Health Insurance

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Economy

Lesotho Textile Industry Feels Effect of New Trade Rules

New trade rules lifting quotas on garment exports are having an impact for many countries. One such country is the tiny African nation of Lesotho, where six factories have closed and some 6,000 workers have lost their jobs.

Lesotho Textile Industry Feels Effect of New Trade Rules

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SBC Finalizes Acquisition of AT&T

San Antonio-based SBC finalizes a deal to acquire its former parent company AT&T in a deal valued at $16 billion in stock and cash. The companies have not said what will become of the AT&T name, but acknowledged its value as a brand.

SBC Finalizes Acquisition of AT&T

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Marsh & McLennan Settles Charges of Bid-Rigging

Insurance broker Marsh & McLennan agrees to pay $850 million to settle charges the firm engaged in bid-rigging. The company said it was ashamed by "what a few of the tens of thousands of Marsh employees" had done.

Marsh & McLennan Settles Charges of Bid-Rigging

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National

Cities Strain to Cover Budget Gaps

Many American cities are struggling with budget shortfalls. Their financial troubles are likely to get worse if expected cuts are made in domestic federal spending. Don Durfee, research editor of CFO magazine points to Pittsburgh and Buffalo as cities in acute financial crises, and Atlanta, San Diego, and Chicago as others with growing budgetary problems.

Cities Strain to Cover Budget Gaps

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Digital Life

Direct to DVD: Making Videos at Home

Technology expert Walter Mossberg of The Wall Street Journal talks about the incompatibility of some home-burned DVDs with certain DVD players. They discuss the kinds of DVD burners that are currently available and what to expect in the future.

Direct to DVD: Making Videos at Home

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Brazil Makes Move to Open Source Software

The government of Brazil says it will switch 300,000 government computers from Microsoft's Windows operating system to open source software like Linux. Microsoft founder Bill Gates wants to meet with Brazil's president to discuss the change. Brazil is dropping all proprietary software.

Brazil Makes Move to Open Source Software

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SBC in Talks to Acquire Former Parent AT&T

AT&T, the company generations knew as "Ma Bell," is in negotiations with San Antonio-based SBC. The Baby Bell is talking about acquiring its former parent in a deal valued at about $15 billion.

SBC in Talks to Acquire Former Parent AT&T

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Procter and Gamble to Buy Gillette

Consumer products giant Procter & Gamble makes a deal to buy Gillette Corp. The $57 billion stock deal will create the largest consumer products company in the world. Gillette's stock soared, and Wall Street analysts seemed guardedly optimistic about the deal, which must be approved by regulators.

Procter and Gamble to Buy Gillette

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Your Money

Experts Answer Questions on Social Security

Robert Siegel talks with Alicia Munnell of the Carroll School of Management at Boston College and Kent Smetters of the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Munnell and Smetters, both former Treasury Department officials, address questions about Social Security.

Experts Answer Questions on Social Security

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