AP National Business

By MICHAEL CASEY Associated Press A debate is playing out across the country as the Treasury Department begins reallocating some of the $46.5 billion in rental assistance from places slow to spend to others that are running out of funds. Larger states are getting hundreds of millions extra. Native American tribes are also receiving tens

By LIUDAS DAPKUS Associated Press VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Lithuania says it has cut itself off entirely of gas imports from Russia, apparently becoming the first of the European Union’s 27 nations using Russian gas to break its energy dependence upon Moscow. The country’s energy minister says “Lithuania has completely abandoned Russian gas.” He says

By JOSH BOAK, ZEKE MILLER and CHRIS MEGERIAN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is turning his focus to kitchen-table issues as he struggles to get credit for a recovering economy in the lead-up to the midterm elections. Since Biden took office last year, job growth has been vigorous and steady. That’s what

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Applebee’s has confirmed that an employee of a Missouri-based franchisee has been fired after sending an email speculating that high gas prices and the end of pandemic stimulus money would force employees to work longer hours for lower pay. Kevin Carrol, Applebee’s chief operations officer, said in a statement, that the

The Associated Press AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Tesla said Saturday it delivered 310,000 vehicles in the first quarter, up 68% from the same period in 2021. However the company’s sales were slightly below expectations, which were looking for Tesla to produce 312,000 cars, according to Wedbush Securities. The sales increase came even as Tesla battled

By ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ Associated Press HAVANA (AP) — A trade fair in Cuba’s capital is a commercial milestone for the country. The companies showing off their wares are largely formal, private companies that were legalized only about six months ago — more than a half century after the Communist government banned nearly all private enterprise.

BEIJING (AP) — U.S. accident investigators have arrived in China to help authorities look for clues into what caused last month’s crash of a Boeing jetliner with 132 people aboard. The Civil Aviation Administration of China said the seven-member team from the National Transportation Safety Board will participate in the investigation of the crash of

By DAVID SHARP Associated Press PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine’s potato growers had such a bumper crop that they’ve been helping out larger potato states out West. The state of Maine shipped potatoes by train for the first time in four decades this winter thanks to a strong harvest in Maine and heat and dry

By The Associated Press Russian President Vladimir Putin is demanding payment in rubles for natural gas — or else. Germany is talking about gas rationing in case of a cutoff. Prices for the fuel used to heat homes, generate electricity and power industry are through the roof. While Putin has said importers of Russian gas

By AYA BATRAWY Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A flurry of summits this week across Dubai all focused in one way or another on climate change, or at least acknowledgement that the global energy transition is needed to keep temperatures from rising. Glaring discrepancies on how to achieve this, however, lie in

By ROBERT JABLON Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Los Angeles judge has ruled that California’s landmark law mandating that corporate boards have ethnic or LGBT members violates the state Constitution. Friday’s brief ruling granted summary judgment to Judicial Watch, a conservative legal group that sought a permanent injunction against the measure. The lawsuit

By DON THOMPSON Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration is proposing to temporarily double California’s typical nickel refunds for bottles and cans to boost recycling. It would also help spend down a roughly $600 million surplus built up during the coronavirus pandemic. The proposal to state lawmakers Friday would match the

By DAVID PITT Associated Press DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Bird flu has infected two more farms in Iowa, forcing the killing of 5.3 million hens and 88,000 turkeys. The new cases reported Friday mean that across the nation, farmers have had to kill about 22 million birds, mostly egg-laying chickens but also including 1.8

By TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer DETROIT (AP) — U.S. new-vehicle sales fell about 12% in the first quarter compared with a year ago, as the global computer chip shortage continued to slow factories amid high consumer demand. General Motors reported Friday that its sales were down 20% for the quarter, while Toyota sales were

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Solid hiring, strong wage gains and sharp price increases are drawing more Americans into the workforce. The trend, if sustained, would mean some long-awaited relief for businesses that have been desperate to fill jobs. The number of people either working or looking for work still hasn’t

By MATT O’BRIEN and TALI ARBEL AP Technology Writers NEW YORK (AP) — A controversial face recognition company that’s built a massive photographic dossier of the world’s people for use by police, national governments and the Ukrainian military now plans to offer its technology to banks and other private businesses. Clearview AI co-founder and CEO

The Associated Press Stock indexes ended a bumpy day higher on Wall Street Friday while Treasury yields soared, after a healthy report on the U.S. job market strengthened expectations for coming interest rate hikes. The two-year Treasury yield approached its highest level in more than three years after a report showed the labor market remained

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Friday: NIO, Dexcom rise; BlackBerry, Ford fall.

By KEN RITTER Associated Press LAS VEGAS (AP) — An effort by Nevada casino regulators to impose a $500,000 fine and discipline former Las Vegas casino mogul Steve Wynn over allegations of workplace sexual misconduct has new life. The state Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a judge in Las Vegas acted prematurely when she sided

The Associated Press Closing prices for crude oil, gold and other commodities, and foreign exchange levels.

By ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Homebuilder stocks have lagged far behind the broader market during Wall Street’s swoon this year, weighed down by fears that rising mortgage rates could severely dampen sales. One prominent exchange traded fund for homebuilders has fallen about 26% this year, while the S&P 500 is

By GILLIAN FLACCUS Associated Press PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Alaska Airlines canceled dozens of U.S. West Coast flights Friday as off-duty pilots picketed in several major cities over an impasse in nearly three years of contract negotiations. The airline says more cancellations are possible through the weekend. Alaska says more than 120 of its flights

By JUSTIN SPIKE Associated Press SZEKESFEHERVAR, Hungary (AP) — Hungary’s nationalist prime minister has portrayed his country’s upcoming election on Sunday as an existential turning point and a choice between war and peace. Making a final appeal to voters at a campaign rally in a rural stronghold, Viktor Orban told hundreds of supporters that if

By JUAN ZAMORANO and GISELA SALOMON Associated Press ARTEMISA, Cuba (AP) — Lots of Cubans are starting to have a car problem. Tens of thousands of vehicles poured into Cuba from its Cold War allies in the Soviet bloc and later Russia over the past half century. Many are aging and need spare parts. The

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — A convoy of trucks carrying food aid has entered territory controlled by fighters loyal to the fugitive leaders of Ethiopia’s Tigray region, the first humanitarian convoy to do so since Dec. 14. The United Nations World Food Program said the arrival of the trucks on Friday came eight days after

LONDON (AP) — Britain has launched a criminal investigation has begun into P&O Ferries after the company fired almost 800 U.K.-based crew without warning so they could be replaced by cheaper contract staff. Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said Friday that the Insolvency Service had opened ”formal criminal and civil investigations.” The Dubai-owned company has acknowledged

By FATIMA HUSSEIN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. imposed sanctions on five North Korean entities Friday in response to two ballistic missile tests the reclusive Asian country conducted in February and March. The March launch was North Korea’s most provocative weapons test since President Joe Biden took office. The sanctions were authorized under

Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (AP) — The pilots on a Delta flight from Salt Lake City to Washington, D.C., decided to bring their jet down in Denver after the cockpit windshield shattered above 30,000 feet. The crew repeatedly told the nearly 200 passengers to remain calm until they landed. A photo of the

By MIKE CORDER Associated Press THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Chile has begun arguing a case at the United Nations’ highest court that seeks to resolve a long-running dispute with its Latin American neighbor Bolivia over the use of the waters of a small river that flows across both nations. Chile launched the case in

BERLIN (AP) — Russian officials say their demand that natural gas be paid for in rubles doesn’t mean supplies will be immediately interrupted. Gas used for heating and electricity is still flowing from Russia to Europe on Friday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says “payments on shipments in progress right now must be made not this

By RADUL RADOVANOVIC Associated Press CITLUK, Serbia (AP) — Serbian authorities say an accident in a mine in central Serbia has killed 8 miners and wounded 18 others. The accident in the Soko coal mine, located about 200 kilometers (125 miles) southeast of Belgrade, occurred shortly after 4 a.m. Serbia’s mining and energy minister says

By TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer DETROIT (AP) — New vehicles sold in the U.S. will have to average at least 40 miles per gallon of gasoline in 2026 under new rules unveiled by the government. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Friday its fuel economy requirements will undo a rollback enacted under President

By MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writer Shares of GameStop are surging after the video game retailer announced that it would attempt its first stock split in 15 years. The Texas company said in a regulatory filing late Thursday that it wants to increase its share count to 1 billion, from 300 million. A stock split

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors is recalling nearly 682,000 small SUVs because the windshield wipers can fail.The recall covers the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain from the 2014 and 2015 model years.Ball joints in the wiper module can rust, causing one or both wipers to fail, increasing the risk of a crash.Dealers will inspect the

By EDNA TARIGAN Associated Press JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia and Malaysia signed an agreement on the placement and protection of Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia. The memorandum of understanding was signed Friday during Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Jakarta. The memorandum outlines the One Channel System,

By KELVIN CHAN AP Business Writer LONDON (AP) — Inflation in Europe has soared to another record. It’s a fresh sign that rising energy prices fueled by Russia’s war in Ukraine are squeezing consumers and adding pressure on the central bank to raise interest rates. Official EU figures released Friday show consumer prices in the

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Thousands of Malaysians working in Singapore have returned home as Malaysia fully reopened its borders after more than two years of pandemic closure. Many had lined up at the border since late Thursday and crossed over at midnight on foot or by car and motorcycles. National news agency Bernama said

BEIJING (AP) — About 16 million residents in Shanghai are being tested for the coronavirus as a staged lockdown shifts to the western half of China’s biggest city and financial capital. Meanwhile, eastern districts that were supposed to be ending their lockdown were told it might be extended in spots where COVID-19 cases are found.

By STAN CHOE and ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writers NEW YORK (AP) — Stock indexes ended a bumpy day higher on Wall Street Friday while Treasury yields soared, after a healthy report on the U.S. job market strengthened expectations for coming interest rate hikes. The S&P 500 rose 0.3% after wavering between small gains and

By DANICA KIRKA and SYLVIA HUI Associated Press LONDON (AP) — People across the United Kingdom will face tough choices in coming months as energy costs for millions of households are set to rise by 54% on Friday. It’s the second big jump in energy bills since October, and a third may be ahead as

By MORGAN LEE and CEDAR ATTANASIO Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico is bringing sales of recreational marijuana to the doorstep of Texas as the movement toward broad legalization sweeps across more of the American West. As of Friday, anyone 21 and older in New Mexico can purchase up to 2 ounces

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican and American officials met amid disagreements about an electrical power reform. The Mexican bill seeks to limit foreign-built renewable energy plants and grant a majority market share to Mexico’s state-owned power utility. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador met Thursday with U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry, but the Mexican leader

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has passed a bill capping the monthly cost of insulin at $35 for insured patients, part of an election-year push by Democrats for price curbs on prescription drugs at a time of rising inflation. Experts say the legislation, which passed 232-193 Thursday, would provide significant

By ALAN FRAM Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers have moved to the brink of clinching a scaled-back bipartisan compromise to provide a fresh $10 billion to combat COVID-19. That could set up final congressional approval next week. The price tag was a reduction from an earlier $15.6 billion compromise that fell apart weeks ago

By PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer America’s employers extended a streak of robust hiring in March, adding 431,000 jobs in a sign of the economy’s resilience in the face of a still-destructive pandemic, Russia’s war against Ukraine and the highest inflation in 40 years. The government’s report showed that last month’s job growth helped shrink

By HALELUYA HADERO, ANNE D’INNOCENZIO and BOBBY CAINA CALVAN NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon workers in Staten Island, New York, voted to unionize on Friday, marking the first successful U.S. organizing effort in the retail giant’s history. Warehouse workers cast 2,654 votes in favor of a union, giving the fledgling Amazon Labor Union enough support

By KIM TONG-HYUNG Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea will ease some of its pandemic restrictions starting next week as officials express cautious hope the worst of its omicron outbreak has passed. The limit on private social gatherings will be raised from eight to 10 people starting Monday, while restaurants, bars and

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The owner of a downtown Los Angeles building where an explosion injured 12 firefighters has been allowed to enter a judicial diversion program that allows him to avoid jail time. A court commissioner on Wednesday granted Steve Sungho Lee’s request to enter the two-year program. Lee owned a commercial building that

By SUMAN NAISHADHAM Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Upholding a Trump-era environmental policy, the Environmental Protection Agency says it will not regulate a drinking water contaminant that has been linked to brain damage in infants. The agency says the Trump administration’s decision in 2020 not to regulate perchlorate in drinking water was made with the

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Thursday passed a bill capping the monthly cost of insulin at $35 for insured patients, part of an election-year push by Democrats for price curbs on prescription drugs at a time of rising inflation. Experts say the legislation, which passed 232-193, would provide significant

By JOHN RABY Associated Press CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The ownership of a shuttered pharmaceutical plant in West Virginia has been transferred with the goal of finding new tenants. A nonprofit arm of West Virginia University took control of the facility Thursday. It formerly was owned by Viatris. The generic drug maker laid off 1,500

By BRETT MARTEL AP Sports Writer NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A seat at the 182-year-old French Quarter restaurant that invented Oysters Rockefeller and mastered Baked Alaska is virtually impossible to get this week. The first NCAA men’s Final Four without pandemic restrictions in three years is being held in New Orleans. And the tourism-dependent city

The Associated Press A late slump left stocks decisively lower on Wall Street Thursday, wrapping up the worst quarter for the market since the pandemic broke out two years ago. Despite posting a gain in March, a dismal January and February left U.S. indexes lower for the year to date. Benchmark U.S. crude oil sank

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Thursday: Tempur Sealy, Citigroup fall; Edwards, Duke rise

NEW YORK (AP) — Marjorie Miller has been named as the new administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes. Miller is vice president and global enterprise editor at The Associated Press. She previously spent 27 years at the Los Angeles Times as a correspondent in Latin America, Europe and the Middle East, and as the paper’s foreign

The Associated Press Closing prices for crude oil, gold and other commodities, and foreign exchange levels.

CHINA GROVE, N.C. (AP) — Macy’s Inc. has announced plans to build a distribution and online order fulfillment center in central North Carolina that ultimately will employ 2,800 people. The department store and online retail giant said Thursday it will invest $584 million in the project in China Grove, which is northeast of Charlotte. The

By DAVID KOENIG and CATHY BUSSEWITZ AP Business Writers DALLAS (AP) — President Joe Biden is again dipping into the nation’s petroleum stockpile to try to corral rising energy prices. The White House announced Thursday that Biden ordered the release of 1 million barrels of oil per day from the strategic petroleum reserve for the

By FATIMA HUSSEIN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Got a spare dime? Coins are in short supply again. Retailers, laundromats and other businesses that rely on coins want Americans to empty their piggy banks and look under couch cushions for extra change and “get coin moving.” A group of trade associations that represent individual businesses

BERLIN (AP) — Authorities in Germany have detained six men on suspicion of planning to sabotage overhead power lines and disrupt the country’s electricity supply. Police said hundreds of officers raided apartments in the southeastern town of Neumarkt on Wednesday and found several illegal guns and rifles as well as tens of thousands of rounds

WASHINGTON (AP) — Average long-term U.S. mortgage rates rose again this week as the key 30-year loan rate breached 4.5% and attained its highest level since the end of 2018. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported that the average rate on the 30-year loan this week rose to 4.67% from 4.42% last week. That contrasts with

LVIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s nuclear operator company says Russian troops are leaving the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and heading towards the country’s border with Belarus. The operator Energoatom said that the Russian military is also preparing to leave the nearby city of Slavutych where power plant workers live. Energoatom also said reports were confirmed

By NOHA ELHENNAWY Associated Press CAIRO (AP) — The World Bank has approved an additional $300 million for desperately needed aid for the poorest and most vulnerable households in war-torn Yemen, as well as for helping the country fight the coronavirus pandemic. Thursday’s announcement comes after humanitarian efforts in Yemen were dealt a blow earlier

By MICHAEL BALSAMO Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials have revoked the license of a Nevada-based gun manufacturer that was accused of illegally selling guns and went bankrupt but then rebranded itself. The revocation comes after a lawsuit alleged the Justice Department didn’t conduct proper oversight before issuing the license. The decision to revoke

By FRANK JORDANS Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — The head of the United Nations has announced the appointment of an expert panel to scrutinize companies’ efforts to curb climate change. Businesses have made a flurry of pledges in recent years to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in line with growing consumer expectations for greener processes.

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s independent vaccination advisory panel is recommending a booster shot with a messenger RNA vaccine for people who have had a full course of four Chinese, Indian and Russian COVID-19 vaccines that aren’t currently approved for use in the European Union. In a draft recommendation Thursday, the panel, known by its German

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt and Norway have signed an agreement for several projects to enhance their cooperation in developing renewable energy. Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt said at a Thursday press briefing in Cairo that Norway’s leading clean energy producer had signed several agreements with the Egyptian government. Shortly before the briefing, Egypt’s Prime Minister

By ALAN FRAM Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers have moved to the brink of clinching a scaled-back bipartisan compromise to provide a fresh $10 billion to combat COVID-19. That could set up final congressional approval next week. The price tag was a reduction from an earlier $15.6 billion compromise that fell apart weeks ago

By LIUDAS DAPKUS Associated Press VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Russian technology workers are fleeing the country by the tens of thousands as the economy goes into a tailspin under pressure from international sanctions. For some countries, Russia’s loss is seen as their potential gain. An elite pool of high-tech exiles furnished with European Union visas

By FRANCES D’EMILIO and GEIR MOULSON Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin insisted Thursday that the country’s natural gas must be paid for with rubles, a demand apparently intended to help bolster the Russian currency but one that European leaders say they will not comply with because it violates the terms of

PRAGUE (AP) — The Czech Republic’s central bank has again raised its key interest rate in an effort to tackle soaring inflation. Thursday’s hike of half a point to 5% was the seventh straight increase since June, and analysts had expected it. The bank, which considers high consumer prices a major threat, also had indicated

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — An inflation gauge closely monitored by the Federal Reserve jumped 6.4% in February compared with a year ago, with sharply higher prices for food, gasoline and other necessities squeezing Americans’ finances. The figure reported Thursday by the Commerce Department was the largest year-over-year rise since January

By MATT OTT AP Business Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — More Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, but layoffs remain at historic lows. Jobless claims rose by 14,000 to 202,000 for the week ending March 26, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The previous week’s tally of 188,000 claims was the fewest since 1969. First-time applications

BERLIN (AP) — The operator of Frankfurt Airport says it’s selling its minority stake in China’s Xi’an Airport after failing to expand its business in the huge Chinese market. Fraport said Thursday that it’s selling its 24.5% stake in the airport’s operating company to Chang’an Huitong Co. for $175 million. Its CEO said the German

By ISABEL DEBRE Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The pandemic-delayed Expo 2020 in Dubai is closing. It’s a comedown from eight years of anticipation, over $7 billion in investment, 240 million hours of labor and six months of festivities. The fate of the fairgrounds is clear, with some pavilions dismantled and others

By TOM MURPHY AP Health Writer A surge in demand for COVID-19 tests and vaccines helped Walgreens deliver a better second quarter than Wall Street expected. But that boost from the ongoing pandemic isn’t expected to last, and the drugstore chain said Thursday that it was maintaining its 2022 outlook. Company leaders also told analysts

By SARA RATHNER of NerdWallet When the Federal Reserve announces that it’s raising interest rates, it’s all over the news. And unlike other kinds of loans with fixed rates, credit card interest is variable, meaning rates will go up as a result of the Fed’s decision. If you have credit card debt, should you be

By KRISHAN FRANCIS Associated Press MIRIHANA, Sri Lanka (AP) — Police fired tear gas and a water cannon at thousands of protesters outside the home of Sri Lanka’s president, demanding he resign over the nation’s worst economic crisis. Police later enforced a curfew in suburbs of the capital and said it would remain indefinitely. The

By KEN MORITSUGU Associated Press BEIJING (AP) — Residents of eastern Shanghai hoping to emerge from a four-day lockdown have received bad news. Some will be confined to their homes for at least 10 more days. The announcement Thursday night was the latest wrinkle in the lockdown of China’s largest city as it struggles to

LONDON (AP) — OPEC and allied oil producers including Russia have decided to stick to a modest increase in the amount of crude it pumps to the world. The move Thursday supports higher prices even as the Biden administration readies an attempt to lower them by releasing oil from strategic reserves. The group, known as

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s hiring boom of the past year has narrowed racial disparities in unemployment. Yet the Federal Reserve’s ongoing interest rate hikes — shaping up to be the steepest in 15 years — threaten to reverse that progress. The Fed’s increases will mean higher borrowing rates that

By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares have mostly fallen as a resurgence of Russian attacks dashed hopes for any quick end to the war in Ukraine. Benchmarks fell in Tokyo, Seoul and Hong Kong but surged in Shanghai. A closely watched quarterly gauge of business sentiment in Japan called the

By PATRICK WHITTLE Associated Press PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The global seafood industry is preparing for major disruption due to new sanctions on Russia. The latest round of U.S. attempts to punish Russia for the invasion of Ukraine includes bans on imports of seafood, alcohol and diamonds. Those restrictions took effect on March 25. The

BEIJING (AP) — An official survey shows China’s manufacturing activity fell to a five-month low in March after most of Shanghai and two smaller industrial cities were shut down to fight coronavirus outbreaks. The monthly purchasing managers’ index of the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing, an industry group, and the government’s statistics agency fell

By ZEKE MILLER and JOSH BOAK Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is ordering the release of 1 million barrels of oil per day from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve for six months in a bid to control energy prices. Biden says it’s not known how much gasoline prices could decline as a

By HALELUYA HADERO and ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP Business Writers NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon workers in Alabama appear to have rejected a union bid in a tight race, according to early results on Thursday. But outstanding challenged votes could change the outcome. Warehouse workers in Bessemer, Alabama, voted 993 to 875 against forming a union.

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — When the end of the COVID-19 pandemic comes, it could create major disruptions for a cumbersome U.S. health care system made more generous, flexible and up-to-date technologically through a raft of temporary emergency measures. Winding down those policies could begin as early as the summer. That could

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese Australian journalist Cheng Lei went on trial Thursday on espionage charges, with diplomats denied permission to attend. Australian Ambassador Graham Fletcher told reporters outside the court in Beijing that the secrecy gave Australia “no confidence in the validity” of the trial proceedings. Cheng is a former presenter for a state-owned TV

By ZEKE MILLER and JOSH BOAK Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is preparing to order the release of up to 1 million barrels of oil per day from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve in a bid to control energy prices. That’s according to two people familiar with the decision who spoke on

Associated Press HONOLULU (AP) — The late Native Hawaiian hula teacher Edith Kanaka’ole is among five women who will be individually featured on U.S. quarters next year as part of a program that depicts notable women on the coin. The U.S. Mint says the other side of each quarter will show George Washington. The U.S.

By MATTHEW BROWN Associated Press BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — U.S. officials have approved a conservation group’s proposal to expand bison grazing on prairies in Montana amid objections from some ranchers and elected officials. Wednesday’s announcement will allow the American Prairie to graze bison on U.S. Bureau of Land Management land in north-central Montana and to

By MATTHEW PERRONE AP Health Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health advisers have narrowly ruled against an experimental drug for the debilitating illness known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Wednesday’s vote by the Food and Drug Administration expert panel is a potential setback for patient groups who have lobbied for the medication’s approval for ALS for

By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS Associated Press JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi could become the final state to enact a law requiring equal pay for equal work by women and men. The state House and Senate passed the final version of a bill Wednesday, sending it to Republican Gov. Tate Reeves. He has not said whether

By The Associated Press WASHINGTON Meta, Facebook’s parent company, hired a Republican consulting firm called Targeted Victory to “orchestrate a nationwide campaign” against TikTok, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday. Targeted Victory, according to the Post, contracted with dozens of public relations firms across the U.S. to help “sway public opinion against TikTok” by addition

The Associated Press Stocks ended lower on Wall Street Wednesday, breaking a four-day winning streak but keeping major indexes in the green so far for the week. Technology stocks fell more than the rest of the market. Energy stocks rose along with oil prices. Markets have been rising this week as talks between Russia and