NYC jobs

New York City’s un employment rate rose to 8.9 percent in January from 8.8 percent in De cember as more people looked for work.

AOL layoffs

AOL will lay off sev eral hundred employees beginning today, accord ing to the All Things Digital Web site. The company has about 5,000 employees.

Net game

House Republicans voted to nullify an FCC rule barring Internet- service providers from interfering with sub scribers’ Web traffic, sending the measure ahead in Congress.

Kinected

Microsoft said it sold 10 million Xbox Kinect sensors, which help peo ple play games using physical motion. The company said Guinness World Records has named Kinect the fast est-selling consumer- electronics product based on its first 60 days.

Mortgages up

The Mortgage Bankers Association’s index of loan applications rose 16 percent in the week ended March 4, the big gest gain since June.