Vermont

PROVIDENCE, R.I.-- The unemployment rate in New England climbed in August, but it is still below the national average. The New England office of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said Wednesday the jobless rate in the six-state region was 7.3 percent last month, up from 7.1 percent in July. A year ago, the rate in New England was 7.8 percent.

BOSTON-- Phil Rymsha is turning away apple pickers and cider lovers from his northern Massachusetts orchard this fall because there simply aren't enough apples on his trees.

RANDOLPH, Vt.-- The students, faculty and staff at the Vermont Technical College are embarking on a new adventure as they implement a federal grant designed to make people ready to work in unique agricultural businesses, a new training system that could be copied by other schools across the country, U.S.

*New York sues JPMorgan over Bear Stearns mortgage products. PetSmart to replace Sunoco in the S&P 500 index. In spite of Spain's apparent readiness to ask for help, Germany has signaled that it should hold off on its request, according to European officials on Monday.

MONTPELIER, Vt.-- The Vermont state airports in Morrisville and Newport are going to receive more than $900,000 in federal grants to buy equipment, design a project and conduct an environmental assessment.

*New York sues JPMorgan over Bear Stearns mortgage products. *PetSmart to replace Sunoco in the S&P 500 index. If Madrid were to seek a rescue, it would trigger European Central Bank buying of its bonds and help to ease U.S. investors' nervousness about the euro zone's impact on the U.S. economy.

*New York sues JPMorgan over Bear Stearns mortgage-backed securities. *Petsmart to replace Sunoco in the S&P 500. President Barack Obama earlier this year to go after wrongdoing that led to the financial crisis, the New York Attorney General filed a civil fraud lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase& Co.

LONDON, Oct 2- European shares and the euro swung higher on Tuesday as investors decided news on Spain's bailout plans was encouraging enough to warrant fresh buying and looked ahead to central bank meetings and data releases. The swings were caused by the uncertainty over an expected request for aid from Spain.

LONDON, Oct 1- In throwing out controversial new rules on position limits, just two weeks before they were due to go into effect, U.S. District Judge Robert Wilkins has delivered a stunning setback to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and handed a significant victory to derivatives dealers and investors fiercely opposed to new restrictions.

BURLINGTON, Vt.-- The mayor of Vermont's largest city says a $1 million grant will help the Burlington Electric Department provide financing to customers for energy efficiency projects.

MONTPELIER, Vt.-- The Randolph- based Vermont Technical College is getting a $3.4 million federal grant for training programs for state industries that support agriculture, food production, waste disposal and energy production.

TRENTON, N.J.-- Former Johnson& Johnson CEO James E. Burke, who steered the health care giant through the Tylenol poisonings in the 1980 s that resulted in the first tamper-resistant product packaging, has died.