Month: March 2022

LONDON (AP) — The European Union’s drug regulator says it’s recommending that an antibody drug developed by AstraZeneca be authorized to help people avoid getting sick with the coronavirus. The European Medicines Agency said Thursday it was advising that the new drug which is sold as Evusheld be used in people age 12 and over

By FATIMA HUSSEIN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and its allies are moving to prohibit financial transactions with Russia’s Central Bank that involve Russian gold. A senior administration official says the intention is to blunt Russia’s ability to use its international reserves as the United States and its allies tighten sanctions over Russia’s

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon is keeping the brother of the country’s embattled central bank governor in custody, days after he was arrested. The brothers — Governor Riad Salameh and Raja Salameh — have been charged with illegal enrichment and money laundering over the past few years, during Lebanon’s economic meltdown. A second judge reviewed the

PARIS (AP) — Dozens of nations, including the United States and much of Europe, say they’re united in seeking to “radically” reduce imports of Russian oil and gas after its invasion of Ukraine. But they also want to ensure those efforts don’t fuel climate change. At a two-day meeting of the International Energy Agency that

By DAVID BAUDER AP Media Writer NEW YORK (AP) — After millions of dollars in spending and hundreds of new hires, CNN is ready to launch its CNN+ streaming service on Tuesday. A news countdown show hosted by Kate Bolduan, modeled after a network podcast and newsletter, will be first to appear at 7 a.m.

By MICHELLE L. PRICE Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — New York City’s mayor has exempted athletes and performers from the city’s vaccine mandate. But the decision announced by Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday does not include countless government and private workers, some of whom have lost their jobs for refusing to get vaccinated. Police

CHICAGO (AP) — The chance to get free gasoline is fueling a rush to get in line at some four dozen Chicago-area gas stations. The tab for Thursday’s gas giveaway is being picked up by businessman and onetime Chicago mayoral candidate Willie Wilson. He has contributed $1 million to pay for as much as $50

By TALI ARBEL AP Technology Writer Stephen Wilhite, the inventor of the internet-popular short-video format, the GIF, has died. He was 74. His wife, Kathaleen, said Thursday in a phone interview that he died of COVID on March 14. Wilhite, who lived in Milford, Ohio, won a Webby lifetime achievement award in 2013 for inventing

By DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writer Companies in the S&P 500 bought a record amount of their own stock last year and don’t show any signs of slowing down. Flush with cash from solid earnings, major corporations repurchased $882 billion of stock in 2021. Goldman Sachs is forecasting stock buybacks to reach $1 trillion

By MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writer Uber, hit by driver shortages and a surge in food delivery requests during the pandemic, will begin including New York City taxi cabs on its app. That’s a partnership that until recently would have been unthinkable with both camps fighting ferociously for the same customers. But the wait for

By MATTHEW PERRONE AP Health Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration meets next week to review a closely watched drug for ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, following months of lobbying by patient groups and congressional lawmakers. The drug from Amylyx Pharmaceuticals showed modest benefits in one small study and the FDA told

By ALICIA RANCILIO Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — In the month since Russia’s war with Ukraine began, entrepreneur Bethenny Frankel’s initiative BStrong, in partnership with Global Empowerment Mission, have raised $85 million of a $100 million goal for the Ukranian people. She’s secured three warehouses for aid, is helping refugees with travel and to

By MATT OTT AP Business Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Average long-term U.S. mortgage rates jumped again this week as the 30-year loan rate climbed to its highest level since January of 2019. The increase comes after the Federal last week increased the key rate _ which it had kept near zero since the pandemic recession

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Swedish lender Swedbank says it’s been informed by Estonian authorities that its local subsidiary is suspected of money laundering in the Baltic country from 2014-2016. The Stockholm-based bank said in a statement Thursday that “the criminal investigation originates from the work of the Estonian Financial Supervisory Authority” that investigated operations of

By THOMAS ADAMSON and KELVIN CHAN Associated Press PARIS (AP) — French automaker Renault has moved to pause production at its Moscow plant in an apparent move to fend off mounting criticism. It came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the company and others in France of aiding Russia’s war effort during a virtual

By LORNE COOK Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will remain in his role for an extra year to help steer the 30-nation military organization through the security crisis sparked by Russia’s war on Ukraine. Stoltenberg tweeted Thursday that he is “honored” by the decision of NATO leaders to extend his term

BERLIN (AP) — The German government has announced a package of measures to help cushion the blow of high energy prices to consumers, with fuel subsidies, discounted public transport, tax benefits and additional support for the poorest. Senior lawmakers unveiled the measures Thursday after lengthy haggling between the three parties that make up the governing

By DANICA KIRKA Associated Press LONDON (AP) — The head of a ferry operator at the center of a bitter labor dispute stunned U.K. lawmakers when he acknowledged that the company chose to ignore the law and labor contracts when it fired 786 workers without consulting with them in advance. P&O Ferries Chief Executive Peter

By PATRICK WHITTLE Associated Press PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Governors and state lawmakers throughout the U.S. are floating proposals to send checks to help residents cope with soaring inflation at a time when state budgets are bursting with cash. The relief ideas come at a time when many states actually have too much money on

By MATT OTT AP Business Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits last week fell to its lowest level in 52 years as the U.S. job market continues to show strength in the midst of rising costs and an ongoing virus pandemic. Jobless claims fell by 28,000 to 187,000 for