Number of poverty-stricken Americans rising\nWASHINGTON -- The number of Americans living in poverty and without health insurance rose for the third straight year in 2003, the Census Bureau reported Thursday in a pair of reports that delivered a double dose of bad economic news for the Bush administration.\nDemocratic presidential candidate John Kerry said the reports demonstrate the administration's failed economic policies. President Bush's supporters said the numbers don't reflect more recent economic gains, including the addition of 1.5 million jobs in the last year.\nThe reports provided a snapshot of Americans' economic well-being in 2003, two full years after the end of the recession.\nThere were 35.8 million people living in poverty last year, or 12.5 percent of the population. That was 1.3 million more than in 2002.
More applying for unemployment insurance\nWASHINGTON -- The number of new people signing up for jobless benefits rose last week, reflecting the impact of Hurricane Charley, which recently tore through Florida.\nThe Labor Department reported Thursday new applications for unemployment insurance increased by a seasonally adjusted 10,000 to 343,000 for the week ending Aug. 21. Half of the 10,000 rise was attributed to claims stemming from the hurricane, a Labor Department analyst said.\nThe increase in claims last week was larger than the rise economists were expecting. Some predicted claims would increase by about 4,000. The 343,000 level of claims was the highest since July 24.
Hewlett-Packard, Apple partner to make new iPod\nSAN JOSE, Calif. -- Hewlett-Packard Co. unveiled its own version of the iPod portable music player Friday, showing the fruits of a groundbreaking partnership it had previously announced with Apple Computer Inc.\nHP is now taking orders for the player, which it has dubbed the "Apple iPod from HP." The product is a replica of Apple's latest models of the popular white 20-gigabyte and 40-gigabyte iPods -- but carries the HP brand instead.
