CHICAGO (Dow Jones) – The Writers Guild of America said Wednesday that it has reached a tentative agreement with CBS Corp. on a new contract for CBS newswriters, editors, researchers and other Guild members who have been working under an expired contract since April 2005.

Under terms of the deal, WGA-CBS employees will get a 3.5% pay increase once the contract is ratified, and another 3.5% raise in 2009. Most regularly scheduled employees who worked 200 days or more last year and didn’t get wage increases during negotiations will receive an additional $3,700 payment. Employees who worked shorter schedules will receive pro-rated payments.
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WASHINGTON (Dow Jones) – The U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday appeared ready to support an Indiana law requiring valid photo identification at voting polls, but the court indicated it could order the state to alter its law so people can more easily comply.

Indiana has the strictest voter identification law in the U.S., requiring people to produce an original birth certificate to obtain an ID or personally appear before election officials at a county’s courthouse to provide affidavits proving their identity. Continue Reading »

WASHINGTON (AP) – Those Type A go-getters aren’t the only ones stressing their hearts. Nervous Nelsons seem to be, too.

Researchers reported Monday that chronic anxiety can significantly increase the risk of a heart attack, at least in men.

The findings add another trait to a growing list of psychological profiles linked to heart disease, including anger or hostility, Type A behavior, and depression. Continue Reading »

Sony Corp.’s Sony Pictures Television unit said Monday it has agreed to provide five-minute versions of several of its most popular TV shows for viewing on Google Inc.’s YouTube video-sharing Web site.

The announcement was made during the annual International Computer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Sony Pictures Television said the short versions of programs such as “Married With Children” and “Newsradio,” known as “minisodes,” will help expand the brand for the shows to the online universe. Some 21 shows will be available at the Minisode Network. Continue Reading »

The theory goes that dinosaurs were wiped out after an asteroid smashed into the Earth 65million years ago. But now it has been suggested they were sent into eternity by an equally catastrophic but somewhat smaller threat – biting insects. Disease spread by mosquitoes, mites and ticks was probably the major factor that finished off the reptiles, say scientists.
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BERLIN (AP) – German Chancellor Merkel voiced support for introducing boot camps and other new measures against young offenders, according to comments released Friday as her conservative party geared up for state elections.

Merkel pointed to offenses committed by young immigrants as a problem, the Bild am Sonntag newspaper reported, defending a senior ally who has drawn sharp criticism for raising the issue as he seeks re-election. Continue Reading »

NEW YORK (Dow Jones) – Microsoft Corp. said on Friday that it has sold 17.7 million Xbox 360 units since its launch more than two years ago.

The Xbox 360, which launched in November 2005, had nearly a year head start over its rivals, Sony Corp.’s Playstation 3 and Nintendo Co. Ltd.’s Wii and boasted a strong portfolio of titles to end the year, led by space marine-shooter “Halo 3.” That puts it ahead of Nintendo’s forecast of 17.5 million units by the end of the fiscal year that ends in March. Continue Reading »

WASHINGTON (AP) – The former DaimlerChrysler AG paid a record $30.3 million fine in 2007 for violating fuel efficiency requirements set by the federal government.

The fine was assessed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration against the automaker, which was divided last year when private equity group Cerberus Capital Management LP acquired an 80% stake in Chrysler. The fine was reported by the agency in documents posted last month on its Web site. Continue Reading »

A 57-year-old man has been charged with killing his pregnant daughter, her husband and their 3-year-old son in a weekend arson fire at a south suburban apartment complex, a law enforcement source told the Sun-Times.

Subhash Chander was charged Monday night with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of intentional homicide of an unborn child in the Oak Forest blaze. Continue Reading »