Rubio calls U.S. higher education system a ‘cartel’, urges overhaul

(Reuters) – U.S. Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio called on Tuesday for an overhaul of the country's higher education system, saying that universities were operating as a “cartel” and were not meeting the needs of students or the economy. The speech was part of a move by Rubio to increase his visibility on the campaign trail after focusing over the past several weeks on Senate business.

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Yahoo’s Alex Stamos says to join Facebook as chief security officer

(Reuters) – Yahoo Inc's Alex Stamos will join Facebook Inc as chief security officer from Monday, he said in a Facebook post on Wednesday. Stamos, who joined Yahoo as chief information security officer last year, also updated his profiles on Twitter and LinkedIn

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Alwaleed backs Twitter interim CEO Dorsey, says brings continuity

Saudi Arabia's Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, one of Twitter's earlier investors, told Reuters he believed Jack Dorsey would bring continuity to the social messaging firm and he would back him if he wished to become chief executive permanently. Dorsey, a co-founder of Twitter, was named interim head last Thursday after Chief Executive Dick Costolo abruptly announced he was stepping down effective July 1. In a written statement to Reuters, Alwaleed said he “knew Dorsey well and that as one of the founders who knows the company very well he would bring the needed continuity” while the company searched for a new chief executive

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With CEO shakeup, Twitter under pressure to please advertisers

By Yasmeen Abutaleb SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Twitter Inc's next chief executive officer faces a crucial challenge as the company seeks to appease Wall Street after last week's management shakeup – helping disaffected advertisers connect with users. Twitter's outgoing chief executive, Dick Costolo, resigned abruptly Thursday amid pressure from investors to increase the user base and improve what's known as direct response advertising, the most lucrative type on the microblogging site. Before joining Twitter in 2010, Bain served as president of the Fox Audience Network where he was responsible for monetizing advertising platforms across News Corp's web properties.

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Facebook raises minimum pay for contractors to $15 per hour

By Yasmeen Abutaleb NEW YORK (Reuters) – Facebook raised wages for its contract workers, such as cafeteria staff and janitors, to a minimum of $15 per hour amid rising tension over the wage gap between the technology sector's elite and the lower-paid workers. Contractors will also receive a minimum of 15 days of paid vacation days and a $4,000 new child benefit for parents who do not receive parental leave, Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg said in a Wednesday post on Facebook

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Facebook revenue growth slows, costs weigh on profit

(Reuters) – Facebook Inc posted its slowest growth in quarterly revenue in two years and higher spending on research and development ate into profits. Facebook has warned of heavy investments in 2015 as it steps up efforts to expand a collection of products that include messaging service WhatsApp, photo-sharing service Instagram and virtual reality headset maker Oculus Rift

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EU’s Oettinger expects decision on Google case in next few days

The European Union's digital commissioner Guenther Oettinger said he expects the European Commission to make a decision in a five-year investigation over whether Google has abused its dominant position in the next few days. “We have to make or even force platforms, search engines to follow our rules in Europe,” Oettinger said an event organized by engineering association VDMA on the sidelines of the Hanover Trade Fair.

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Spotify expresses interest to raise $500 million: WSJ

(Reuters) – Online music streaming service Spotify is working with Goldman Sachs for a new round of private fundraising which could potentially put off the initial public offering for another year, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Spotify is talking with investors who are known to buy into companies before a IPO, including mutual fund T. Rowe Price Group, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.

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Google fourth-quarter revenue misses Wall Street target

By Alexei Oreskovic SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Google Inc's revenue grew 15 percent in the fourth quarter but fell short of Wall Street's target on declining online ad prices and unfavorable foreign exchange rates. Shares of Google edged up 0.1 percent to $510.66 in extended trading after an initial dip on the news

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