Updates have duplex seeming brand new

This Beacon Hill duplex near the State House is newly redone, thanks to many improvements the current owners have made in the past year.

The first-floor and basement Unit 47 at 47 Mount Vernon St. is one of 14 condos in two adjoining brick buildings. The two-
bedroom, 2,286-square-foot duplex, on the market for $1,750,000, has three full bathrooms, one of which is completely new and another just renovated.

A private vestibule entrance leads from Mount Vernon Street through a French door into an oak-floored foyer with a coat closet. To the right is a spacious living/dining area with two large windows, refinished walnut-stained oak floors, a stainless steel fan and a woodburning fireplace. The dining area has a rope-suspended chandelier.

The adjacent recessed-lit galley kitchen has just been redone with 30 white cabinets, gray granite counters and glass mosaic tile backsplashes. The stainless steel Jenn Air appliances are only a few years old.

On the other side of the living/dining area is a newly carpeted bedroom with paneled wainscoting. Across the hall sits a newly redone bathroom with gray porcelain tile floors, a pedestal sink and glass mosaic tile surround for a tub/shower.

Oak stairs lead down to a large newly carpeted master bedroom suite on the basement level with recessed lighting and a stainless steel fan above. The current owners combined two closets into one large walk-in with a centerpiece built-in dresser with wardrobe spaces on either side.

A en-suite master bathroom features double green granite-topped vanities, a granite-topped raised whirlpool tub and a ceramic tiled walk-in shower.

Down a carpeted hallway are several closets, one of which holds a stacked Samsung washer/dryer.

Off the hallway is a carpeted study, currently used as a nursery, that doesn't count as a third bedroom because it lacks a window. There's a utility area off this room that holds the central heating and air-conditioning systems with enough room left over for a workshop.

At the end of the hall, the current owners have installed a new full bathroom with a gray porcelain tile floor, a white ceramic sink and porcelain-tiled tub and shower.

The unit doesn't come with an on-site parking space, and spaces at nearby garages such as Boston Common and on Cambridge Street will run around $300 a month.

Home Showcase

• Address: 47 Mount Vernon St., 
Unit 47, Beacon Hill
• Bedrooms: Two
• Bathrooms: Three full
• List price: $1,750,000
• Square feet: 2,286
• Price per square foot: $766
• Annual taxes: $13,238
• Monthly condo fee: $390
• Location: Near corner of Mount Vernon and Joy streets, about a quarter mile down Beacon Hill to retail and restaurants on Charles Street. Several blocks from offerings on Cambridge Street, including Whole Foods market.
• Built in: 1850; converted to condo 1982, updated 2012-14
• Broker: Melinda Sarkis of Hammond 
Residential at 617-587-4609

Pros:

• Spacious living dining area with fireplace
• Newly added full bathroom on lower level
• Redone kitchen and refurnished hardwood floors

Cons:

• Master bedroom on basement level without windows
• No on-site parking

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The Ticker

Rosengren: No rush for Fed to raise rates

Federal Reserve officials shouldn't be in a hurry to unwind monetary stimulus because elevated slack in the U.S. job market is keeping inflation below the Fed's target, said Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren.

"Significant excess capacity remains in labor markets," Rosengren said yesterday in a speech at an annual conference held by the New Hampshire and Vermont Bankers Associations in Boston. "It seems to me appropriate for monetary policy to continue to be patient in the interest of ensuring that the economy reaches full employment and the 2 percent inflation target as quickly as possible."

S&P sets another record high

U.S. stocks ended higher yesterday, lifting the S&P 500 to a fresh closing high, after a weaker-than-expected jobs report was taken as a sign that the Federal Reserve will not begin raising interest rates anytime soon. Stocks had traded lower after the government reported fewer U.S. jobs were created in August than expected. By early afternoon, however, major indexes turned positive, led by utilities. Fed officials have made it clear that they see the labor market as still struggling, which partially justifies keeping rates at rock-bottom levels.

Foes of Mass. bottle deposit expansion bill have already spent $5.4 million

Opponents of proposed expansion of the state's deposit law have already pumped more than 
$5.4 million into a campaign to defeat the question on the November ballot.

Nearly all the money — $5 million — came from the Washington-based American Beverage Association, a trade association representing the non-alcoholic beverage industry.

The ballot question would expand the current law to include bottled water and other non-carbonated beverages not included in the original law. It is Question 2 on the ballot.

Supporters of the question have raised about $293,000. The bulk of that has come from the Massachusetts Sierra Club.

The Sierra Club and other environmental groups say updating the decades-old law will reduce litter and encourage recycling.

Critics say it will hurt small businesses by forcing them to handle an increase in bottle returns.

L Rockland Trust announced that Elizabeth K. Souza, left, has joined its investment management group as vice president and financial consultant. She serves clients in the New Bedford, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Rochester, and Wareham areas. Prior to joining Rockland Trust, Elizabeth served as a senior financial advisor at Santander Investment Services for the past 12 years.

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Wynn eyes way in with T land

The MBTA is "aiding and abetting" Wynn Resorts' plans to develop a casino in Everett by offering to sell a combined two-acre block of land that would give the casino giant a new way to access the proposed site, allowing it to skirt using any land in Boston, a casino opponent charged yesterday.

But T spokesman Joe Pesaturo said that while Wynn officials approached the transit agency — the company in an Aug. 26 letter to the T offered to pay 
$6 million for the three parcels surrounding the MBTA's Everett repair facility — the property will be on the market in "an open and competitive bidding process."

"The T will sell it to the highest bidder," Pesaturo told the Herald in an email, adding,"The MBTA was approached by Wynn, who is interested in acquiring the land for casino-
related purposes. The MBTA met with Wynn representatives in order to hear Wynn's plans. The MBTA informed Wynn that it would be open to a land transaction but that it must be an open and public process."

Celeste Myers, a co-founder of No Eastie Casino who is running for state representative, said the MBTA should not be selling its parcels just to help out Wynn.

"It's aiding and abetting the developer and enabling them to remove themselves from their responsibility as a host community," she said. "This is just another jab at the city of Boston."

Pesaturo described the parcels, which are on the edges of the T's 21-acre maintenance and repair yard, as "surplus property."

A Wynn spokesman yesterday declined to discuss the land sale, saying simply that its letter to the MBTA is "self-explanatory."

Kate Norton, a spokeswoman for Mayor Martin J. Walsh, also declined to comment on the T's willingness to sell its land but she pointed out that Wynn had refused to furnish the city with any documents that would show the location of its entrances and exits and whether they encroached the Boston city line.

After striking a lucrative surrounding community agreement with Wynn competitor Mohegan Sun for its $1.3 billion proposed Suffolk Downs casino in Revere, Boston withdrew from talks with Wynn, saying the developer was withholding key information, and ceded the decision on community impact fees to the state Gaming Commission.

The state Gaming Commission then yanked Boston's surrounding community status with the Wynn casino project in a controversial move last month that Walsh slammed as a snub to the city's taxpayers.

One of the parcels Wynn wants to buy — it's currently the near entrance to the T yard on Horizon Way — would be used for the casino's main four-lane entrance, and would allow the developer to avoid crossing the Boston city line. Another parcel would be used to create a service road for delivery trucks and employee vans.

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King-size Kia K900 takes on Euro sedans

The Kia K900 might be the first vehicle I have reviewed that I'd rather be chauffeured around in while comfortably ensconced in the back seat.

The cavernous rear compartment covered in supple Napa leather was downright swanky, with ventilated seats that power reclined and power lumbar support in the form of air bags that inflate to allow passengers to dial in lower-back comfort. A drop-down center armrest provided climate control, seat heater dials and a rear window sunshade switch. There was ample foot- and headroom.

While the K900 provides a good mix of standard features on its $59,500 base model, the upmarket features that were found on our tester were part of a VIP package that cost an additional $6,000. The K900 is similar in many aspects to its cousin, the Hyundai Equus. Hyundai owns a portion of Kia and both companies currently share the talents of German designer Peter Schreyer.

The king-size K900 has a 5-literV8 engine that produces 420 horsepower and needs all those horses to move the heavy luxury sedan around town. An eight-speed automatic transmission provided a smooth transfer of power to a rear-wheel drivetrain. The K900 soaked up the bumps and was livelier than expected through the turns.

The K900 was a pleasure to drive on the highway. The combination of Kia's adaptive cruise control, which maintains a predetermined distance with vehicles that are ahead, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning and a 900-watt surround sound system with a total of 17 speakers made a 90-minute drive seem like 10 minutes. The only time I heard any road noise was with the window down.

Long, narrow headlamps that extended from the nose nearly halfway down the front fenders create a presence that garners plenty of attention, with people commonly asking with furrowed brows, "That's a Kia?"

No detail was spared on the K900's interior, which was on par with the luxury sedans from Europe. A 16-way, power adjustable driver's seat included an 
extendable seat cushion and a power adjustable 
headrest. A 9.2-inch infotainment screen provided easy-to-read navigation. Wood accents along the center console and on the steering wheel enhanced the K900's upmarket feel.

Parking the K900 in Boston proved to be a challenge despite the K900's back-up camera and a surround view monitor that stitches together images from four cameras, but parallel parking has never been one of my strengths.

At just under $67,000 and packed with comfort and advanced features, the K900 is a bargain compared to the base price of the full-size offerings from Audi, BMW, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz. However, I doubt that sales of the K900 will make much of a dent in the luxury car market segment. The K900 is more of a concept car illuminating Kia's ambitions.

• 2015 Kia K900
• MSRP: $59,500
• As tested: $66,900
• MPG: 15 city, 23 highway

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Motorola emphasizes design in circular smartwatch

NEW YORK — Motorola rolled out a circular smartwatch Friday, counting on a more traditional design to win over consumers who have so far shunned other computerized wrist devices.

Smartwatches so far have had rectangular faces, a shape that has turned off many consumers, said Steve Sinclair, Motorola's vice president of product management. Motorola's Moto 360 is round and has an all-metal frame, making it look more like a regular watch.

"People don't want to wear a shrunken-down smartphone on their wrist," Sinclair said.

Reshaping the smartwatch still might not be enough to sway consumers' attitudes. Apart from design, smartwatches have had limited appeal because of their small displays and a requirement to have a companion smartphone nearby. Technology companies have yet to make a compelling case for why everyday consumers need them.

Nonetheless, mobile device makers are still pinning their hopes on smartwatches spurring more sales to consumers who already have smartphones and tablet computers and aren't looking to upgrade right away. Samsung and Sony already have smartwatches out, and new models are coming this fall. Apple is also believed to be working on one that could be announced Tuesday.

Friday's debut of the Moto 360 comes a week after LG Electronics Inc. announced its own circular smartwatch, the G Watch R. LG's watch won't be available for at least a month, though, and its price wasn't immediately announced.

Both watches use Google's Android Wear operating system. The system uses voice controls for basic functions, such as reading messages, checking the weather and getting reminders on calendar appointments.

The Moto 360 costs $250 and starts shipping Friday. That comes with a leather band. A metal-band version will come out this fall for $300.

Motorola also announced updates to two of its phones.

The Moto G will grow to 5 inches, from 4.5 inches in last year's model. The camera is also improved to 8 megapixels, rather than 5 megapixels. It will start at $180 in the U.S. with no contract requirement. The new version will have 3G cellular access only. Motorola will continue selling a 4G version of the old model for $219.

Meanwhile, the flagship Moto X will enlarge to 5.2 inches, from 4.7 inches, and will start at $500. It will have a 13 megapixel camera, up from 10 megapixels. The Moto X distinguishes itself from rival phones by allowing people to customize the backs when ordering. Wood and leather backs will be available for a higher price.

There's also a new Bluetooth headset, the Moto Hint. Headsets have typically been limited to phone calls. The Moto Hint will also allow users to control the Moto X phone with voice commands.

Motorola is currently owned by Google, though Lenovo plans to complete its purchase of the business this year.

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Most fines upheld for Irene outages

The state's highest court yesterday reduced fines against two utilities for their handling of Tropical Storm Irene in 2011 and a subsequent October snowstorm, but upheld the standard state regulators used to assess the companies' response to widespread power outages.

After the storms left hundreds of thousands of people without power — some for more than a week — the Department of Public Utilities fined National Grid $18.7 million and Nstar $4.1 million for the two storms, and Western Massachusetts Electric Co. $2 million for the snowstorm only.

The Supreme Judicial Court ordered the fine against National Grid reduced by $900,000, saying the only violations DPU did not prove were those alleged during the last two days of efforts to restore power after both storms. The SJC ordered the fine against Nstar cut in half, saying regulators failed to prove that the utility did not repair downed power lines quickly enough.

Krista Selmi, a spokeswoman for DPU, called the court's decision a "clear signal DPU acted within its authority," an opinion seconded by Attorney General Martha Coakley.

"Our investigation found that the utilities' preparation and response to these storms was woefully inadequate," Coakley said. "We recommended record penalties against the utilities, and the fines upheld today send a clear message that customers deserve better."

National Grid said in a statement it was disappointed with the decision.

Northeast Utilities, the parent of Nstar and Western Massachusetts Electric, said in a statement: "We are pleased that the court invalidated penalties where there wasn't enough evidence to warrant them."

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Tesla CEO: "Nevada is it;" $1.3B package offered

RENO, Nev. — The Biggest Little City in the World is about to get a new neighbor: the biggest lithium battery factory in the world that Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval asserted will create more than 22,000 new jobs and pump $100 billion into the state's economy over the next 20 years.

Tesla Motors Inc. CEO Elon Musk declared the Silver State the winner Thursday of a high-stakes battle with California and three other states for the $5 billion "gigafactory" he says they need — and need fast — to mass produce cheaper batteries for its next line of more-affordable electric cars.

Sandoval unveiled the package of tax breaks and incentives worth as much as $1.3 billion that his economic development team negotiated with Tesla in secret for nearly a year to bring the plant to an industrial park 15 miles east of Sparks, a Reno suburb founded along the Union Pacific Railroad a century ago.

The package still must be approved by lawmakers during a special session of the Legislature, which appears inclined to do so and could take action as early as next week. But Sandoval called it a "monumental announcement that will change Nevada forever."

Musk confided Nevada's wasn't the most lucrative among the offers from California, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico.

But "it wasn't just about incentives," he said, citing Nevada's pro-business regulatory climate and his "high confidence" the plant will be ready to open in 2017. "That was truly the most important thing."

Later, Musk told reporters that Tesla would stop looking for another state as a backup, as the company had said earlier it would do in case Nevada did not come through.

"Nevada is it," he said.

Musk, who had just flown in from London, briefly bungled the pronunciation of "Nevada" during the ceremony — a big no-no for locals — but recovered and twice received standing ovations from more than 200 dignitaries on the Capitol lawn.

"It's a real get-things-done state," Musk said, explaining how Nevada prevailed in a "relatively close" competition.

Steve Hill, executive director of Sandoval's Office of Economic Development, drew a laugh from the crowd when he said:

"That's the first I've heard incentives weren't the most important thing."

Earlier Thursday, at least a half-dozen road graders, bulldozers and dump trucks were working at the site at the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center along I-80 where Musk said the plant would cover an area equal to 174 football fields and produce more lithium batteries than all the existing factories in the world combined last year.

"It's difficult to describe in words, but it's a heck of a big factory," he said.

Also a heck of a lot of jobs for a state that had the nation's worst unemployment rate during the depths of the Great Recession.

Hill said the 22,000 jobs would include 6,500 permanent ones at the factory with hourly wages above $25 and a peak of 3,000 construction jobs before the 2017 opening.

But Greg LeRoy, executive director of the research group Good Jobs First, said the factory would bring a total of 19,500 jobs, and not the 22,000.

Tesla's choice for the facility takes it a big step closer to mass producing an electric car that costs around $35,000 and can go 200 miles on a single charge. That range is critical because it lets people take most daily trips without recharging, a major barrier to the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.

A man who stopped at an I-80 truck stop Thursday to refuel across the street from the access road to the site told a reporter he'd consider buying an electric car someday.

"But right now they don't have enough of those places to charge," said Donald Hopkins, headed from his home in Rio Vista, California to vacation in Indianapolis. "Maybe if they get one where you can drive from here to Detroit."

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SiriusXM to broadcast 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show'

SiriusXM announced Friday that it will start broadcasting syndicated daytime talker "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" beginning Sept. 8 along with the new season.

The satellite radio provider will air the audiocast on channel 109 at 10 a.m. weekdays, with a rebroadcast of each episode the following day at 9 a.m. The broadcast will also be available on via the SiriusXM Internet Radio app and siriusxm.com.

"'Ellen' is the most popular nationally syndicated daytime talk show, and we know our listeners, whether they are in the car, at home or on the go, will love being able to tune into the daily show through satellite radio, and not miss a minute," said Scott Greenstein SiriusXM's president and chief content officer.

DeGeneres' premiere week will include interviews with "The Voice" hosts Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani and Pharrell Williams, as well as appearances by Kim Kardashian, Channing Tatum and Nicki Minaj. Music performances include Maroon 5, Iggy Azalea and Rita Ora, and Megan Trainer.

© 2014 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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NFL Now adds 2 shows, expands to Yahoo and more devices for regular-season debut

The National Football League is stocking its NFL Now online network with two new original series and has launched on five additional platforms leading up to the kickoff the 2014-15 regular season as the league hopes to super-serve fans -- and generate incremental revenue beyond its TV rights deals.

The pro-football league announced the launch of two new original unscripted series from NFL Media on the service, available to subscribers of its $1.99-per-month premium package: "Finding Giants," a behind-the-scenes look at the New York Giants' scouting operation to premiere in late September, and "Undrafted," covering the the NFL's Super Regional Combines debuting in October.

Those join the previously announced

"Rich Eisen Show," a daily talk show featuring the NFL Network commentator that will air on DirecTV's Audience Network from noon to 3 p.m. (Eastern) and digitally on NFL Now beginning in October.

All told, NFL Now will offer more than 100 hours of original programming each week during the regular season -- some of it free, ad-supported content and some available only to paying subscribers. But to watch live games, football fans will have to turn to TV; NFL Now will provide highlights but not live coverage.

SEE ALSO: Fox to Stream 101 NFL Games Online This Season, But Only to Some Pay-TV Subs

As of Thursday, the NFL Now service is available on NFL Mobile phone and tablet applications; Amazon Kindle Fire tablets, Fire Phone and Fire TV; and Yahoo Screen. Those are in addition to the platforms that it launched with in the preseason, which include Windows, iOS, Android apps; on the web at nfl.com/now; on Microsoft Xbox One and Xbox 360, Apple TV and Roku.

"Adding new distribution and original content to NFL Now continues our mission to provide our fans with access to NFL video wherever and whenever they want," NFL EVP of media Brian Rolapp said in a statement.

The NFL's game plan is to wring more coin out of what is America's most popular sport.

The league generates millions via TV deals with Fox, CBS, ESPN, NBC and the league's own NFL Network. The NFL Now service will bring in ad revenue -- from presenting sponsors Verizon Communications, Gillette, McDonald's and Nationwide -- and subscription revenue for the $1.99 monthly NFL Now Plus package, which provides access to instant in-game highlights and the vault of NFL Films shows and documentaries.

Since the launch of the service on Aug. 6, 63% of the minutes viewed on NFL Now have come through connected devices like Roku and Xbox, according to the league. Mobile phones and desktops each accounted for 13% of time spent viewing the service, while tablets represented 11%.

The five most-viewed NFL teams on NFL Now in the preseason were, in order: Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings. The top five most-followed players: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Adrian Peterson, Johnny Manziel and Aaron Rodgers.

NFL Now provides a personalized viewing experience, based on viewer's favorite teams and players, and includes original content produced by NFL Media and the 32 individual clubs, as well as live press conferences and shows and video from the NFL Films vault.

© 2014 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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Round up your posse, earn rewards

A local entrepreneur is offering an alternative to the likes of Groupon that aims to harness the power of each user's social-media "posse."

Urposse.com launched 10 days ago, as a social media network that encourages consumers — and their friends — to hit the town for drinks, dinner, even a salon visit, limo ride or round of golf.

"Urposse.com benefits everyone from A-list celebrities to Z-list loners," said founder Jeff Sullivan, a former Wall Street executive who splits his time between Manhattan and his hometown of Quincy. He has set up a system he says will let customers profit as well as businesses.

Urposse.com boasts more than 3,000 members and scores of participating businesses, including Metro Boston Livery of Newton, Sofia's Pizza of Quincy and Papagayo Mexican Kitchen in Boston.

"I look at this a new and inexpensive way to advertise and get something more out of it than just one hit from a customer," said Metro Boston Livery owner John Grady. "It's already paid for itself."

Here's how it works: Your favorite local restaurant might offer a 10 percent reward tomorrow on Urposse.com; so you throw a party there and invite all the members of your network (your posse). "Sheriffs" get reward points for every dollar spent by every member of their posse who checks in that night.

"You could spend $50 yourself and wake up the next day with $500 in rewards," Sullivan said.

Businesses create their own incentives through the site and pay a 2 percent fee for the service on revenue generated through the site.

Sullivan said he is looking to launch the Urposse.com app at the iTunes store as early as tomorrow.

"Sites like Groupon provide immediate gratification," he said. "You go there once to get a good deal. But people never come back. Urposse.com encourages repeat business and rewards you and your posse of friends in the process."

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Michael Bloomberg to return as head of media company

Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is returning to lead Bloomberg LP, the media empire he founded and which he remains its majority shareholder.

The company said that Daniel Doctoroff will step aside as president and CEO of the company at the end of this year.

"Bloomberg LP will not name a replacement, but rather will again be led by Mr. Bloomberg with support from the existing leadership team," the company said.

Doctoroff joined Bloomberg LP as president in January, 2008, and became its CEO in July, 2011. He had served in Bloomberg's administration in New York, serving as deputy mayor for economic development and rebuilding.

Doctoroff reportedly decided to step down after Bloomberg began taking a greater role at the company since he left office as New York mayor earlier this year.

Bloomberg had said that he was not planning to return to run Bloomberg LP, and instead concentrate on his philanthropy, but but that he accepted the offer to return "after significant pushback and great reluctance."

"This is a sad day for me and my company," Bloomberg said in a statement. "I really wanted Dan to stay and continue in his leadership role. But I understand his decision. I never intended to come back to Bloomberg LP after twelve years as Mayor. However, the more time I spent reacquainting myself with the company, the more exciting and interesting I found it - in large part, due to Dan's efforts. I have gotten very involved in the company again and that led to Dan coming to me recently to say he thought it would be best for him to turn the leadership of the company back to me. It was a gracious and thoughtful offer and one that I finally accepted after significant pushback and great reluctance."

Doctoroff said in a statement, "I love the company and have deep respect and affection for Mike, so leaving is not an easy decision, but it is the right one for the company, for Mike and for me at this stage of my life. It is and has always been Mike's company and given his renewed interest and energy, it only makes sense for him to retake the helm."

During Doctoroff's tenure, company revenues increased to $9 billion in 2014, from $5.4 billion in 2007.
 

© 2014 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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Fox to stream 101 NFL games online this season, but only to some pay-TV subscribers

Fox Sports will serve up 101 live NFL games during the 2014-15 season on the web, the first time a broadcaster is making regular-season games available streamed over the Internet -- but there are a few catches.

Gridiron fans must subscribe to a participating cable or telco TV provider to access the Fox Sports Go service; DirecTV and Dish Network customers are, for now, out of luck. Moreover, because of the league's exclusive rights deal with Verizon Wireless the Fox Sports service won't be available on mobile phones.

ALSO READ: NFL Now Adds 2 Shows, Expands to Yahoo and More Devices for Regular-Season Debut

In addition, subscribers of participating pay-TV providers will only be able to livestream NFL games televised in their market. The games will be available on tablets through the Fox Sports Go app and on desktops at FoxSportsGo.com. The lineup includes 97 regular-season "NFL on Fox" games, along with four NFC playoff games.

The live-streams on Fox Sports Go will begin each week with "Fox NFL Sunday" pregame show (12-1 PM Eastern).

Pay-TV providers Fox Sports has deals with to offer the authenticated TV Everywhere service are: Comcast, Time Warner Cable, AT&T U-verse, Bright House, Cable One, Cablevision Systems, Cox Communications, Mediacom, Midcontinent Communications, Suddenlink and WideOpenWest. The purpose of restricting access to pay-TV operators is to make sure Fox can continue to negotiate retransmission fees -- with the theory being that free access to TV would fuel cord-cutting.

The broadcaster first live-streamed NFL games during last season's playoffs, and included a free "trial" view of Super Bowl XLVIII, in which the Seattle Seahawks soundly defeated the Denver Broncos 43-8.

Fox Sports' TV Everywhere app also provides live coverage of some Major League Baseball, NBA, NCAA college football and basketball games, as well as NASCAR races and studio programming.

© 2014 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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'Sleepy Hollow' marketers sorry for 'National Beheading Day' stunt

The Fox series "Sleepy Hollow" drew ire on social media Tuesday for a marketing campaign touting "National Beheading Day" on the same day the world learned terrorist group ISIS claimed to have decapitated American journalist Steven Sotloff.

In a case of unfortunate timing, commemorative eCards declaring #HeadlessDay were released to promote of the show's upcoming season one DVD and Blu-ray. "Hollow" wasn't deliberately trying to invoke the day's tragic news; the campaign was intended to invoke the show's Headless Horseman character.

Naturally, that had some on social media crying foul considering not just the Sotloff tragedy, but the killing of another American journalist, James Foley, just weeks ago at the hands of ISIS.

JJ Mariani, a publicist with Think Jam, the publicity firm charged with handling the campaign, said his company learned of Tuesday's ISIS incident on CNN just minutes after issuing the Headless Day press release. The firm quickly issued a retraction and apology, but by then the campaign had made its way to social media.

"We apologize for the unfortunate timing of our Sleepy Hollow Headless Day announcement," the firm said in a statement. "The tragic news of Steven Sotloff's death hit the Web as the email was being sent. Our deepest sympathies are with him and his family, and we don't take the news lightly. Had we have known this information prior, we would have never released the alert and realize it's in poor taste."

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment also issued the following statement: "Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment recognizes and apologizes for today's promotion for the Season One DVD release of Sleepy Hollow. We regret the unfortunate timing of our announcement and our deepest sympathies go out to the families of all involved."

The "Hollow" marketing team actually didn't invent National Beheading Day; there are articles on the Sept. 2 holiday going back several years.

The "Sleepy Hollow" season one DVD and Blu-ray will be released Sept. 16.

(C) 2014 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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Providence Journal lays off staffers ahead of deal

The Providence Journal yesterday laid off several staffers as part of New Media Investment Group's acquisition of the paper.

Metro columnist Bob Kerr of Fall River, with the Journal for more than 43 years, said he was told at least 20 people lost their jobs. He was one of four staffers called into a meeting with human resources late yesterday morning.

"I was given a severance package with no explanation," he said. "It's tough."

Kerr, 69, said staffers received an email last Thursday saying New Media would "make offers of employment to most of the current employees."

Other staffers in Facebook posts said they had been informed they will be laid off Feb. 18, when all copy editing and page design will be handled out of Austin, Texas. The Providence Newspaper Guild declined to comment.

New Media's $46 million deal to acquire the Journal from Dallas-based A.H. Belo was announced in July. Neither firm, responded to requests for information yesterday.

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Apple says iCloud not breached in 'targeted' photo hack

Apple said Tuesday that certain accounts of Hollywood celebrities were compromised via a "very targeted attack" on its services -- but that neither iCloud nor Find My iPhone were breached -- and that the company was working with law enforcement officials to track down the individuals responsible for the incident.

"When we learned of the theft, we were outraged and immediately mobilized Apple's engineers to discover the source," Apple said in a statement. "Our customers' privacy and security are of utmost importance to us."

On Sunday, nude photos of Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande and Kirsten Dunst -- as many as 100 stars in all -- were posted online, evidently stolen from their personal Apple accounts. The pictures, first uploaded to website 4chan, appeared to show most of the celebrities nude or partially dressed. Apple said Monday that it was investigating the incident.

Apple said that after more than 40 hours of investigation, "we have discovered that certain celebrity accounts were compromised by a very targeted attack on user names, passwords and security questions, a practice that has become all too common on the Internet." The Cupertino, Calif.-based tech giant insisted that the cases did not represent a "breach" of any Apple system, including iCloud or Find My iPhone.

To protect against this type of attack, Apple said, it advises users to always use a strong password and enable two-step verification. Two-step verification requires users to verify their identity using one of their devices associated with an Apple account.

The FBI said Monday that it was investigating the matter. "The FBI is aware of the allegations concerning computer intrusions and the unlawful release of material involving high profile individuals, and is addressing the matter," an agency rep said in a statement. "Any further comment would be inappropriate at this time.

(C) 2014 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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David Muir's 'journey' begins on 'ABC World News Tonight'

David Muir replaced Diane Sawyer on Labor Day, which, in news circles, qualifies as a soft launch. The question now is how much his network's rechristened "ABC World News Tonight" will tip the balance toward soft news as well.

Although Muir received a plum promotion, the announcement made clear ABC's priorities, and that when it comes to major events George Stephanopoulos - and the newly ascendant "Good Morning America" - is No. 1 not just in the morning race but in the network's heart. In that respect, ABC News reinforced perceptions that anchoring a nightly newscast is no longer necessarily the top-dog slot in broadcast news, especially when the morning telecasts have more time to sell, and thus put more cash in the company's pockets.

The struggle that looms, though, is whether that scenario will lead to a further softening of "World News," pushing the broadcast closer to "Good Evening America" territory.

Two nights in, the jury remains out, although Muir's opening-night comment about the transition - "It is an honor to begin this journey with you" - adopted the squishy language of a reality-dating-show contestant, which doesn't bode well.

Based on an initial sampling, those curious about a shift in direction by "World News" should pay less attention to the top of the newscast than the bottom - that stretch normally reserved for human-interest stories and something to make viewers feel less depressed before "Wheel of Fortune" comes on.

On Tuesday, for example, Muir went into the field for a serious report on Syrian child refugees, which was promptly followed by a sort-of news-you-can-use segment on how to escape a car immersed in water, an Ultrasound where the fetus appears to be flashing a "thumbs up" sign and a fuzzy piece on recovering lost family photos.

In similar fashion, Monday's finishing kick included shark video and a very-"GMA"-like capper in which kindergarten-age kids - recruited via Twitter - talked about the first day of school.

There's room for such stories, of course. What matters is the balance, given how ABC has thrived in the morning by trading in the grave for the giddy. That's also how "Nightline" made the gradual turn to a program that, depending on the night and story mix, could be mistaken for "Extra" or "Access Hollywood."

A New York Times profile cited Muir's youth relative (he's 40) as a point of differentiation from his evening-news rivals, and the anchor himself spoke of a departure from the "voice-of-God approach." But that ship, frankly, sailed some time ago, and in the context of where "World News Tonight" could be heading in terms of seriousness, might potentially be his least salient attribute.

Although for those still naive enough to care about the future and direction of TV news, let's hope not.

(C) 2014 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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Health costs hit $7,550 per person

Health care costs every man, woman and child in the Bay State on average a whopping $7,550 per year, according to a landmark report that also found state residents​ receiving​​ taxpayer-funded care ​account for 60 percent of the $50.5 billion total cost.

"People should be asking themselves if they're really getting $7,500 worth of quality health care every year, because if they're not, that's $7,500 that they're not taking home in their paycheck, that they're not spending for college tuition, and that they're not putting toward public education and a number of other priorities," said Joshua Archambault, director of health care policy at the Pioneer Institute. "I think everyone wants quality health care — but how many people would say that $6,000 worth of health care would be enough if they knew the rest could be freed up for other family expenses? I bet a lot of state residents would say they'd prefer that."

​The report, which offers a first ever look at total health care expenditures in Massachusetts, will be released today by the state's Center for Health Information and Analysis, an organization created under state law in 2012 to monitor spending increases among doctors, hospitals and insurers. The report found overall a system-wide decrease in expenditures for 2013.

During that period, the state-mandated cost growth benchmark for health care was set at 3.6 percent — a benchmark successfully met, with total health care expenditures growing only by 2.3 percent. However, the report points out expenditures rose faster than inflation, which was 1.5 percent.

Spending for public coverage accounted for nearly 60 percent of the total health care expenditures in 2013, the report found.

​Combined, Medicare programs spent $15.2 billion on care for state residents, making up 30 percent of the total cost and half of all public program expenditures. Total Medicare spending in Massachusetts grew 3.1 percent from 2012 to 2013, driven primarily by increases in enrollment, the report found.

Spending for the largest health insurance programs administered by the state, MassHealth and Commonwealth Care, made up about 25 percent of Massachusetts' health care expenditures, the report said.

Archambault noted that was before an influx of enrollees onto taxpayer-funded insurance under Obamacare.

"More and more people are on public insurance and it will only continue to get worse," he said.

In spite of a system-wide decrease in expenditures, the report revealed that the state's largest physician group, the controversial hospital behemoth Partners HealthCare, reported stark spending increases — making it the only physician group that was both higher than the network average and reported higher total medical expenses across all three major Massachusetts insurers.

"The numbers that we're hearing from the media are not consistent with the information that we have," Partners HealthCare spokesman Rich Copp said. "Measuring how insurers and providers are performing against the newly established cost growth benchmark is an important task, and we hope the state will work with the health care community to be certain that accurate information is being presented to the public."

Attorney General and gubernatorial hopeful Martha Coakley's decision in May to let Partners HealthCare buy South Shore Hospital — under a deal that would limit its power to raise patient costs and the number of doctors in its system — has become a hot topic in the push to the Democratic primary. Her competitors yesterday seized on the opportunity to point to the CHIA report as evidence that approving the deal will only lead to higher costs.

"The approval of the Partners merger and the deal that the attorney general struck is nearly guaranteed to continue to support increased health care prices," Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Don Berwick said. Coakley's camp defended the deal yesterday.

"This report demonstrates that Partners continues to increase costs at a higher rate than nearly everyone else. That is why we brought our action to break up Partners' negotiating power and control costs across its entire network, instead of allowing the status quo to continue," Coakley spokesman Brad Puffer said. "Our action will save health costs for consumers and businesses while maintaining access to quality care south and north of Boston."

State Treasurer and gubernatorial candidate Steve Grossman slammed Coakley for allowing the merger.

"The commonwealth's top health policy experts remain deeply concerned that the Attorney General's current agreement with Partners HealthCare, already the state's largest and highest cost health care system with some of the largest reported spending increases, will hurt Massachusetts families and businesses," Grossman said.

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Researchers pursue transplant options

A shortfall of thousands of organs for desperate transplant patients in Massachusetts is spurring cutting-edge research by Bay State scientists — including of genetically modified and engineered tissue.

"The big motivation of the kind of research we're doing is the need for more organs," said Ali Khademhosseinir, a bioengineer at Brigham and Women's Hospital. "We want to try and eliminate this need."

Currently, in Massachusetts, 3,242 patients are on a wait list for an organ transplant. As they wait, patients helplessly see their conditions deteriorate with no guarantee that they'll ever make it to the top of the list.

"It's really a waiting game. And there are people who die while waiting," said Dr. Parsia Vagefi, a transplant surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital. "For a large metropolitan area like Boston, there are more people who need organs. It really just comes down to supply and demand."

Paul McDonough, 67, has been on the wait list for a new liver for over a year.

"From what I could tell, I could be anywhere from six to 12 months out," said the Burlington attorney, who is battling liver cancer. "That's pre-supposing that I don't develop any new tumors or a re-emergence of old tumors, which could bump me off the list."

As a Massachusetts resident, McDonough is in what is known by transplant banks as "Region 1," along with Maine, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. The country is divided into 11 regions that determine how organs are allocated — and organs that become available in a specific zone are given to patients within that same area. There are currently 5,148 patients waiting to receive an organ among the five states in Region 1 — with the vast majority in the Bay State. In New England, about 265 died awaiting a transplant in 2013, according to Sean Fitzpatrick, director of public affairs for the New England Organ Bank.

The local shortage is merely a snapshot of a nationwide problem that claims the lives of about 18 people every day, said Fitzpatrick. But Boston's status as a health care mecca, in combination with its dense population, makes the problem particularly glaring in this region, said Joel Newman of the United Network for Organ Sharing.

"Boston is a concentration of people from many other areas," Newman said. "There are a number of health programs in the Boston area, so people come from other countries and around the country for care here."

That rich medical environment is also serving as an incubator for doctors to explore novel technologies that would allow surgeons to cut human donors out of the picture entirely — and eliminate the waiting list.

MGH is researching "xenotransplantation" — the use of animal organs, primarily from pigs — through genetic modification.

Khademhosseinir's program at Brigham and Women's Hospital is exploring the engineering of organs using a combination of living cells and a degradable foam, which would eventually break down and allow the cells to grow an organ in its place.

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Market Basket may curb expansion

Newly reinstalled CEO Arthur T. Demoulas said Market Basket could scale back its expansion plans this year as it tries to get its affairs in order after a grueling two-month battle for control over the company.

"If need be, if we have to cut back on some of our new store expansion from four or five stores to two or three stores (this year), we will do that," Demoulas said at the Market Basket in Chelsea yesterday.

Demoulas is now working to get the supermarket chain back on track after a months-long boycott and walkout cost the company millions in lost sales.

Earlier this week, the company announced that Demoulas would buy the 50.5 percent of the company he did not own from his cousin Arthur S. Demoulas for $1.5 billion — leaving the hugely popular company saddled with debt to a private equity investor.

Market Basket currently has a number of new stores in the pipeline, including one in Revere that is close to being ready to open.

That store would be the first to open, Demoulas said. Other upcoming stores are in Waltham, Littleton and Attleboro.

Demoulas was treated to a hero's welcome at the Chelsea store, with employees hugging and singing to him.

"It was awesome," said Kevin Feole, store director. "It was quite a scene, all hugs and kisses."

Demoulas thanked the workers for their support, and pledged that the company would not change.

"We try to be good to one another and help each other out and be the wind at each other's back, and you certainly saw that wind," he said.

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British migrant rights activist faces Thai trial

BANGKOK, Thailand — A British human rights activist who investigated alleged abuses at a Thai fruit processing factory went on trial Tuesday in the first of a series of criminal lawsuits filed against him by the company.

Natural Fruit Co. Ltd. is accusing activist Andy Hall of defamation in the wake of a report he helped author last year for the Finland-based watchdog group Finnwatch that detailed poor labor conditions in seafood and pineapple export companies in Thailand.

The report investigated a factory owned by Natural Fruit that employs hundreds of migrants from neighboring Myanmar, and found the company illegally confiscated passports, paid below minimum wage and overworked staff in sweltering conditions so hot that heat strokes were common. Natural Fruit disputes the accusations.

Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Asia division, criticized the trial, saying it would have a "chilling effect" on independent researchers probing the industry.

Natural Fruit, "has decided to take a punitive approach rather than address the problems in their factory," he said. "This is all about trying to intimidate people who are prepared to investigate human rights abuses."

Hall, 34, faces up to seven years in prison and a fine of up to US$10 million.

There are four criminal and civil cases pending against Hall, whose passport was confiscated by Thai authorities as a condition of bail set in June. The first, which began Tuesday, relates to defamation charges for an interview on the subject he gave to Qatar-based Al-Jazeera television.

Virat Piyapornpaiboon, the owner of Natural Fruit, told The Associated Press before the trial began that he was saddened by the allegations, which he again denied.

Hall was optimistic. "I don't believe there is any evidence ... to show that what I did was malicious or in some way against the company," he said. "I did it for the benefit of the workers, so I am confident we will win the case."

The trial comes after the United States earlier this year demoted Thailand to the lowest level in its annual rankings of governments' anti-human trafficking efforts, principally over its failures to do enough to stop abusive practices in the Thai seafood industry.

The so-called "tier 3" rankings for Thailand means the country could face U.S. sanctions.

Hall has worked in Thailand for years and is an outspoken activist on migrant issues. Millions of impoverished migrants, largely from Myanmar and Cambodia, have left their countries to work in Thailand. Some do not have legal papers, and many work low-skilled jobs for long hours at pay below their Thai counterparts. They typically lack health and social security benefits.

The trial comes after a months-long crackdown on freedom of speech that followed a May 22 coup in which the country's elected government was overthrown. Thailand's military rulers have also silenced their once-thriving political opponents, threatening them with prosecution if they disturb the public order.

Virat, Natural Fruit owner, is the brother of the secretary-general of the Democrat party, which had opposed the ousted government and is seen as allied to the coup leaders.

___

Associated Press journalists Papitchaya Boonngok and Jerry Harmer contributed to this report.

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Keep all four tires the same size or hurt drive train

My co-worker had a flat left front tire on her 2002 Jeep Liberty. She had no spare and the service station didn't have her size. They sold her a bigger tire than the other three. I told her she would have handling issues, mileage would be affected and there would be stress on the front end, differential and transmission. There's an awkward tilt of the Jeep toward the passenger side. I told her she would be at high risk for rollover. Am I right?

You win the good Samaritan award! Assuming her Jeep is four-wheel drive, mounting a tire of significantly larger diameter is absolutely wrong. The difference in rolling diameter will generate considerable stress on driveshafts, differentials and the transfer case.

I don't think the "awkward tilt" of the vehicle would significantly increase the chance of a single-car rollover, but it certainly won't help vehicle stability. The binding of the drivetrain may cause a reduction in fuel mileage, but the larger concern is a potential failure in the drivetrain.

You did the right thing; now make sure she gets that tire replaced with one that is the same size and diameter as the other three. I'd be inclined to revisit the issue with the service station — they certainly should have known better.

I hope you can help with my 1999 Durango 5.9 SLT with 115,000 miles. It runs fine but at inconsistent times — winter or summer, newly started or running a while, under load or no load or even parked — the engine begins to misfire and loses 80 to 90 percent of its power. No gauges or warning lights indicate a problem before or after the event.

I've been able to pull over, turn the engine off then restart it again and it runs fine just like the problem never occurred. In the past nine months the frequency of this has increased and a couple weeks ago I experienced a new event. While pulling a 2-ton trailer and slowing down for a stop sign, the engine completely died in a split second. I immediately noticed the odometer did not show the typical miles numbers but did show jumbled lines and dashes. It did not start right up — it took three tries of cranking it for an extended period and then it started and ran fine.

I have repeatedly taken it in to a reputable mechanic and the local Dodge dealer for inspections and diagnostics that turn up nothing. Might you have some guidance for me?

Could Christine have morphed into a Durango? Intermittent issues can be, and often are, difficult to pinpoint even with modern on-board diagnostics built into the vehicle. Since there appear to be no DTC fault codes stored in the computer, I'd initially focus on potential mechanical causes such as a clogged/restricted catalytic converter or exhaust system. Exhaust back pressure can build until it literally chokes the engine. When the engine stalls, the back pressure is released and the engine may well restart and run fine again — for a while. A simple exhaust back pressure test with the pressure gauge screwed into the oxygen sensor port might confirm this — there should be less than roughly 2 psi of back pressure in the exhaust.

With the age of the vehicle, make sure the coil and ignition wires are in good shape and not generating any crossfire or grounding under load.

I can't explain the bizarre odometer display, but it may indicate some kind of electrical anomaly that caused the stall. The best bet for pinpointing something like this is to plug a data recorder (co-pilot) into the diagnostic link and drive the vehicle until another event occurs. Lock the event data into the recorder and have the shop or dealership download the data — it allows them to monitor what happened in real time, hopefully pinpointing the culprit. Good luck.

Paul Brand, author of "How to Repair Your Car," is an automotive troubleshooter, driving instructor and former race-car driver. Readers may write to him at: Star Tribune, 425 Portland Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn., 55488 or via email at paul brand@startribune.com. Please explain the problem in detail and include a daytime phone number.

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EU threatens Russia with more sanctions

BRUSSELS — Despite tough rhetoric decrying Russia's increasing military involvement in Ukraine, European Union leaders on Sunday stopped short of imposing new sanctions against Moscow right away.

Instead, the 28-nation bloc's heads of state and government tasked their executive body to "urgently" prepare tougher economic sanctions that could be adopted within a week, according to EU summit chairman Herman Van Rompuy.

The decision on new sanctions will depend on the evolution of the situation on the ground but "everybody is fully aware that we have to act quickly," he added. The EU leaders call on Russia to "immediately withdraw all its military assets and forces from Ukraine," they said in a joint statement.

NATO said this week that at least 1,000 Russian soldiers are in Ukraine. Russia denies that. NATO also says Russia has amassed some 20,000 troops just across Ukraine's eastern border, which could rapidly carry out a full-scale invasion.

The fighting between the military and Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine has so far claimed 2,600 lives, according to U.N. figures.

The U.S. and the EU have so far imposed sanctions against dozens of Russian officials, several companies as well as the country's financial and arms industry. Moscow has retaliated by banning food imports.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the new sanctions would target the same sectors as previous punitive measures, which also included an export ban for some high technology and oil exploration equipment.

"If Russia continues to escalate the crisis it will come with a high cost," said EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. "It's time for everyone to get down to the business of peace-making. It is not too late, but time is quickly running out," he said.

Several European leaders had called for additional sanctions at the outset of the meeting in Brussels, but the fear of an economic backlash apparently prevailed and led the bloc to grant Russia another chance at avoiding tougher action. New sanctions would have required unanimity among the leaders.

Russia is the EU's No. 3 trading partner and one of its biggest oil and gas suppliers. The EU, in turn, is Russia's biggest commercial partner, making any sanctions more biting than similar measures adopted by the U.S.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who briefed the leaders at the beginning of their talks, said a strong response was needed to the "military aggression and terror" facing his country. Efforts to halt the violence in eastern Ukraine were "very close to a point of no return" and failing to de-escalate the situation could lead to a "full-scale war," he warned.

"Thousands of the foreign troops and hundreds of the foreign tanks are now on the territory of Ukraine," Poroshenko told reporters in English. "There is a very high risk not only for peace and stability for Ukraine, but for the whole ... of Europe."

Conceding ground in the face of a reinvigorated rebel offensive, Ukraine said Saturday that it was abandoning a city where its forces have been surrounded by rebels for days. Government forces were also pulling back from another it had claimed to have taken control of two weeks earlier.

The statements by Col. Andriy Lysenko, a spokesman for the national security council, indicate that Ukrainian forces face increasingly strong resistance from Russian-backed separatist rebels just weeks after racking up significant gains and forcing rebels out of much of the territory they had held.

The office of the Donetsk mayor reported in a statement that at least two people died in an artillery attack on one of Donetsk's neighborhoods. Shelling was reported elsewhere in the city, but there was no immediate word on casualties.

European leaders also issued dire warnings, reflecting their concern over the most recent military escalation with the opening of a new front by the Russian-backed rebels in southeastern Ukraine.

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said Russia's meddling in Ukraine, which seeks closer ties with the EU, amounts to a direct confrontation that requires stronger sanctions.

"Russia is practically in the war against Europe," she said in English.

Grybauskaite said the EU should impose a full arms embargo, including the canceling of already agreed contracts, but France has so far staunchly opposed that proposal because it has a $1.6 billion contract to build Mistral helicopter carriers for Russia.

British Prime Minister David Cameron also warned that Europe shouldn't be complacent about Russian troops on Ukrainian soil.

"Countries in Europe shouldn't have to think long before realizing just how unacceptable that is," he said. "We know that from our history. So consequences must follow."

Moscow, meanwhile, is preparing to send a second convoy of humanitarian aid to eastern Ukraine.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday that Moscow has already received Kiev's preliminary approval and insisted that it would send aid in coordination with the Red Cross. Lavrov wouldn't say when the aid is likely to be sent, but said it could happen next week.

Russian state Rossiya 24 on Saturday showed trucks from the previous convoy at the border being loaded with humanitarian aid that was brought to the area by train. It was unclear when the new convoy could start moving.

Barroso said that the EU — a bloc encompassing 500 million people and stretching from Lisbon to the border with Ukraine — stands ready to grant Kiev further humanitarian aid and financial assistance if needed. The bloc will also organize a donors' conference to help rebuild the country's east at the end of the year, he added.

Ukrainian forces had been surrounded by rebels in the town of Ilovaysk, about 20 kilometers (15 miles) east of the largest rebel-held city of Donetsk for days.

"We are surrendering this city," Ukraine's Lysenko told reporters. "Our task now is to evacuate our military with the least possible losses in order to regroup."

Lysenko said that regular units of the military had been ordered to retreat from Novosvitlivka and Khryashchuvate, two towns on the main road between the Russian border and Luhansk, the second-largest rebel-held city. Ukraine had claimed control of Novosvitlivka earlier in August.

Separately, Ukrainian forces said one of their Su-25 fighter jets was shot down Friday over eastern Ukraine by a missile from a Russian missile launcher. The pilot ejected and was uninjured, the military said in a brief statement.

___

Jim Heintz reported from Kiev. Nataliya Vasilyeva in Moscow contributed reporting.

___

Follow Juergen Baetz on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/jbaetz

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To Market, to Market

Market Basket's 71 locations will be back to business as usual early this week, area store directors said yesterday, as a steady stream of grateful customers returning to fill their carriages said they were happy to find fresh fruit, vegetables and dairy products back in stock.

"We'll be back to normal by Tuesday," said Chelsea Market Basket store director Kevin Feole, where shelves are already 85 to 90 percent stocked. "Since everything broke, it's been nonstop."

Billerica store director Al Jussaume also expects to be fully restocked sometime this week and said foot traffic yesterday was "right on par with a regular Saturday this time of year."

"We're bouncing back quicker than any of the naysayers thought we would," Jussaume said. "You should see the hugs and kisses and thank-you's we're getting from the customers. It really is an amazing atmosphere here."

The frantic push to "right the ship" has been full steam ahead since the Market Basket saga ended last week when forced-out former CEO Arthur T. Demoulas reached a deal worth more than $1.5 billion with his rival relatives that allowed him to assume control of the beloved chain his family founded.

The chain, worth $4 billion before Arthur T.'s June 18 firing touched off a customer boycott, looked to be dying on the vine as it racked up millions in losses and shelves were left empty due to a halted supply chain — but a surge of new customers turned on to Market Basket's low prices will give the chain the push it needs to bounce back, Feole said.

"There's quite a few people" who said they didn't shop at Market Basket before, but came to check it out, he said. "I've never hugged so many people in my life, from employees to customers."

Longtime customer Juan Rodriguez, who said the Chelsea Market Basket was "like my second house," was pleased to see the business quickly recovering.

"It's not just (Arthur T. Demoulas') victory, it's ours," he said.

Mary Mulkern, who has been a loyal customer for more than 40 years, recalled when she had a cooking grill stolen from her yard and Market Basket employees assembled a new one and hand-delivered it to her home.

"You don't get that kind of service other places," she said. "That kind of stuff sticks with you."

For the last six weeks, Mulkern has been reluctantly "shopping at Shaw's and Hannaford and hating every minute of it."

"I'm feeding eight, I was spending $300-$400 a week going to other stores," which was $150 more than she would have been spending at Market Basket, she said. "You want to shop at a place that treats you like family — it feels good to be home."

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Device opens DNA testing to masses

When Sebastian Kraves was growing up in Argentina, his grandmother gave him something transformative: "The Voyage of the Beagle," Charles Darwin's account of his voyage to the Galapagos Islands, where he made observations that led to his theory of evolution.

"I was blown away by the diversity of life on Earth and how it's all encoded by DNA," Kraves said. "But in high school, when I said I wanted to become a DNA scientist, people laughed and told me to go study something useful."

So he did. After earning his Ph.D. in neurobiology at Harvard Medical School, he teamed up with Ezequiel Alvarez Saavedra, a former classmate from Argentina who obtained his Ph.D. in biology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and they founded Amplyus, a MassChallenge finalist that aims to make DNA technology accessible not only to scientists, but to the masses.

Alvarez Saavedra was the lead developer of their miniPCR — or polymerase chain reaction — machine, which searches for a very specific part of the genome and then makes copies of it. At 2 inches by 5 inches, it's about one-tenth the size of a traditional PCR machine and, at $799, about one-fifth to one-tenth the cost.

Clinicians in a hospital lab can use the miniPCR to test patients for increased risk of certain diseases. Health authorities can use the machine to test food for the presence of E. coli or salmonella. And students can use it to do "CSI-like" forensic testing in the classroom.

"One of those 'got-to-know' procedures is the use of PCR," said Alia Qatarneh, the research assistant at Harvard University's Life Sciences Outreach Program, which works with high school students from across New England. "Students get what PCR is in theory but rarely have the opportunity to run a PCR reaction themselves from start to finish."

"Zeke and Sebastian's miniPCR machine allows for many things," Qatarneh said. "It's incredibly affordable, allows for students to have direct, hands-on experience and takes away part of the mysterious 'black-box effect' that tends to overshadow the science of PCR."

At CampBio, the summer outreach program of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research in Cambridge, the Amplyus team led two workshops for sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders, who role-played Centers for Disease Control scientists examining a claim of tainted beef. The students used the machines to determine which batches were positive for E. coli.

"Exposure to these types of hands-on experiences at such an impressionable age can spark a lifelong interest in science," said Amy Tremblay, the institute's public programs officer. "Through the interactive and cutting-edge workshop the Amplyus team was able to incorporate into CampBio, we may have done just that."

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