Skype’s future has been secured after owners eBay finally sold a large proportion of the company by settling a legal row over rights to the web phone call technology. More: continued here

Federal and state statistics show the number of residents receiving food stamps in the Mohawk Valley – and nationwide — has significantly increased during the past two years. More: continued here

Earlier today, some of our favorite Muppets descended upon the James A. Farley Post Office on 8th Avenue to kick off the annual Letters to Santa program. The letter adoption program enables “members of the public and charitable organizations to respond to children’s letters addressed to Santa Claus, the North …

Royal Mail today sent an early festive reminder to customers in Greater Manchester to help out their local postie by remembering to use postcodes and to post cards and parcels by the last posting dates for Christmas. (01/12/2009 09:45:43) More: continued here

Commentary: Food stamps are feeding more people in USMcClatchy Washington BureauUse of food stamps is soaring across the nation, and not just in urban pockets and rural backwaters where poverty has long been a way of life. …and more » More: continued here

Nikki Buskey Staff Writer HOUMA – The number of locals applying for food stamps has swelled over the past two years, a phenomenon that officials link to the national economic recession and increased outreach efforts. More: continued here

Federal prosecutors say a former clerk has been sentenced in the theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stamps. More: continued here

MCV Postal strikes 'have not significantly affected e-shoppers'CardSmart.co.uk… or credit card rather than hitting the high street does not seem to have been significantly affected by the Royal Mail strikes it has been suggested. …E-retail 'has proved resilient'ComputeachPostal strikes hurt online retail growthParcel2GoE-retailers 'ready for Xmas'Just HostExperian QAS Data Quality …

A Colchester post office has reopened after being closed for more than two years. More: continued here

A French court has fined eBay €1.7 million (US$2.5 million) for failing to comply with an earlier ruling that required the online retailer to prevent the sale of certain brands of perfume to French consumers on its sites. More: continued here