ROYAL Dutch Shell yesterday posted profits of £2.26bn for the first three months of 2009, down 58% on a year earlier. More: continued here

Action Line: Retailers are allowed to mark up price of postage stampsSan Jose Mercury News,  USABy Dennis Rockstroh QI bought postage stamps from an automated teller machine and it charged me nine cents more than face value. A Probably. If you're not getting your stamps from the Postal Service, you …

The recession likely has pushed hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans into poverty, according to a study released Thursday, and two leading indicators – use of food stamps and emergency food assistance – appear to support that assertion. More: continued here

The owners of a rural post office receive a top award for their work in the community after fearing their business might fail a few years ago. More: continued here

SAN FRANCISCO, April 29 (Reuters) – EBay Inc shareholders have approved a stock options exchange program designed to let employees swap “underwater” options for restricted stock units, the online giant said on Wednesday. The measure was “overwhelmingly” approved by investors during the company’s annual meeting, Chief Executive John Donahoe wrote …

A summary of the Heartland Alliance poverty reportChicago Tribune, United StatesMore than 672000 households used food stamps in March, an increase of 14 percent, or 82300 households, since December 2007. COUNTY INDICATORS: The report placed 24 counties on its poverty warning list and 46 on its watch list, based on four …

The Post-Tribune, a newspaper founded in Gary, announced Wednesday it will close its office there. More: continued here

Cleanup efforts under way at local Post officeDaily News – Galveston County, TXQ: Why is the post office on Broadway looking so shabby, with trash and downed palm fronds covering the patch of overgrown weeds in front of the building? A: The US Postal Service had two facility maintenance employees. One …

Business feature: Rubber stamp kit spurs businessPortales News-Tribune, NM“In that box of junk was equipment to make rubber stamps. So we started making rubber stamps.” Then from rubber stamps to putting photos on mugs and plaques. Shortly after came screen printing and embroidering on T-shirts. They also put pictures on … …

Simpsons to put stamp on SpringfieldRutland Herald, VTBy Josh O'Gorman STAFF WRITER – Published: April 30, 2009 SPRINGFIELD — Stamp collectors will be forgiven for yelling "Ay Caramba!" when the Springfield Post Office offers a special cancellation to celebrate the release of a series of stamps depicting …Springfield post office to …