Intero Real Estate Services newest franchise owner, Mike Bolen in Napa, has opened Mike Bolen Fine Art, a New York-inspired urban art gallery adjacent to his downtown Intero Real Estate office.

Calvin Ross

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- One year after 13 Caribbean countries signed a deal with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to buy oil under preferential terms, a majority of them have not received a single drop of fuel, while those that have are still paying high prices at the pump.

GENEVA -- Failure by top trading powers to resolve their differences in global commerce negotiations augurs badly for the world's poor, a top U.N. official said Monday, urging countries to do their utmost to save the troubled Doha round of trade talks.

NEW YORK -- The nation's manufacturing sector expanded at a slower rate than expected in June and construction spending plunged in May, reinforcing the belief of some analysts that increasing sluggishness in the economy will prompt the Federal Reserve to pause at last in its credit-tightening regime.

PARIS -- The new management of Airbus on Monday vowed to repair strategic and operational problems dogging the European plane maker after a weekend shake-up at parent company EADS that forced out two top executives.

NEW YORK -- Rising interest rates and higher gasoline prices are putting the squeeze on consumers' budgets, and many are finding it harder to keep up with their bills.