Jim Zarroli

Net Giants Try To Quell Users' Jitters About Their Data

Jim Zarroli — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 22:30:00 +0000

Companies like Google and Facebook are very much caught in the middle of the current debate about national security and privacy.

Cruise Industry Adopts Passenger 'Rights' As Incidents Mount

Jim Zarroli — Tue, 28 May 2013 21:15:00 +0000

About 2,200 passengers were being flown back to Baltimore on Tuesday, a day after their cruise ship caught fire on its way to the Bahamas. There were no injuries aboard Royal Caribbean's Grandeur of the Seas.

But in the wake of the incident and others like it, the cruise ship companies have something of a black eye. The industry is now trying to reassure passengers it's OK for them to sail, adopting what it called a passenger "bill of rights."

More people have been taking cruises worldwide and for the cruise ship industry profits have been on the rise.

Rebuilding Storm-Damaged New Jersey, One Boardwalk At A Time

Jim Zarroli — Sun, 26 May 2013 09:39:00 +0000

When Hurricane Sandy swept through New Jersey last year, it destroyed many homes and businesses. It also obliterated the boardwalks that are the center of social and economic life in the towns.

In the months since, many of these towns have rushed to rebuild their boardwalks, but not everyone thinks the money has been well spent.

The boardwalk in Belmar, N.J., was among those destroyed and scattered all over town. But just seven months later, the town has managed to rebuild all 1.3 miles of it.

Bangladesh's Powerful Garment Sector Fends Off Regulation

Jim Zarroli — Thu, 09 May 2013 21:49:00 +0000

Eight people died Wednesday in a fire at a Bangladeshi sweater factory. This follows the much deadlier collapse of the Rana Plaza building, where more than 900 people died.

The deaths are taking place in a garment sector that has seen explosive growth over the past three decades. The country has managed to lure clothing-makers through a combination of low wages and light regulation.

As a manufacturing center, Bangladesh has little to recommend it. The roads are poor. There's no port to speak of. The electricity is notoriously unreliable.

MIT Officer Dies Protecting His Community, In Job He Loved

Jim Zarroli — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 19:09:00 +0000

The grisly week that began at the Boston Marathon Monday left one police officer dead.

As police closed in on the bombing suspects Thursday night, law enforcement officials say two officers were shot. One, transit police officer Richard Donohue, is in critical condition at Mount Auburn Hospital.

The other, Sean Collier of the MIT campus police, was pronounced dead Thursday night.

MIT says Collier had gone to respond to a report of an altercation on campus Thursday evening.