AP National Business

By JOSEPH WILSON and ARITZ PARRA Associated Press MADRID (AP) — Spain’s top opposition leader Pablo Casado will remain in charge of the Popular Party until early April, when party members are expected to choose a new leadership. The move follows an ugly internal clash that has benefited the conservatives’ rivals in the far-right. Casado

By RAF CASERT and SAM PETREQUIN Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — World leaders have condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as “barbaric” and quickly slapped heavy sanctions on the Russian economy, President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle and many of the country’s oligarchs. U.S. President Joe Biden says Putin started the war, and “now he and his

By FATIMA HUSSEIN, JOE McDONALD and DAVID McHUGH Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — As the Biden administration prepares its response to Russia’s attack on Ukraine, U.S. Treasury Department officials and their counterparts in Europe are tasked with finding ways to make Russia’s economy pay a price. One key question is how to measure the success.

By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares are higher after U.S. stocks recovered toward the end of a wild trading day, as the world slapped sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Benchmarks rose in Japan, South Korea, Australia, Hong Kong and Shanghai in morning trading. Japan announced additional sanctions

By EVA VERGARA Associated Press SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — A drought has gripped Chile for 13 years and the flowers that feed honeybees in central Chile have grown increasingly scarce. So some keepers have headed to the nation’s far south seeking more plants with pollen. Others are relying more heavily on sugar-water substances that leave

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The more than $6 billion sale of Venetian properties on the Las Vegas Strip has been completed. The new and old owners of the Venetian and Palazzo casino resorts and the former Sands Expo and Convention Center said Wednesday that gamblers, conventioneers and hotel guests should see few changes. New York-based

By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) — Some human rights advocates are urging governments to impose sanctions against supplying aviation fuel to Myanmar as security forces stage air attacks against opponents of its army-led administration. Calls for moves to cut off jet fuel supplies have gained attention after several major oil and gas

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City police say a former Amazon employee leading a push to unionize one of the online retailer’s warehouses has been arrested. Authorities say Christian Smalls faces charges of trespass, resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration. Workers at Amazon’s Staten Island facility are getting ready for a vote in late

By YURI KAGEYAMA Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — A musical revolution in Jamaica has a connection with a rhythm pattern that came off a portable electronic keyboard that’s the brainchild of a Japanese woman. The bouncy rhythm heard in the 1985 reggae hit “Under Mi Sleng Teng” by Wayne Smith came from Casiotone MT-40, which

By ANDREW DALTON AP Entertainment Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — The husband of a cinematographer shot and killed on the set of the film “Rust” says it’s “absurd” that Alec Baldwin believes he’s not to blame. Matt Hutchins, husband of Halyna Hutchins, made the remarks in an interview with the “Today” show that airs in

By ALICE FUNG and DAVID RISING Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong residents are becoming increasingly annoyed with the administration’s insistence on sticking to Beijing’s zero-COVID strategy as the city posted another record number of new cases. Schools have switched to online learning and summer holidays are being moved forward so the buildings

PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona House has approved a bill that penalizes businesses that refuse to do business with firearms companies by barring them from state contracts. The proposal that passed with only support from majority Republicans on Wednesday drew strong opposition from the banking industry but backing from gun groups. GOP Rep. Frank Carroll’s

By EVENS SANON Associated Press PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Men wearing Haiti police uniforms have fired into a group of people and killed a journalist at a protest by Haitian factory workers who are demanding higher wages than those the prime minister announced earlier this week. Associated Press journalists observed the men fire from a

By FRANK BAJAK AP Technology Writer BOSTON (AP) — Cyberattacks against Ukrainian government websites and affiliated organizations added to the confusion of Russia’s military assault Thursday, including data-wiping malware activated a day earlier that cybersecurity researchers said infected hundreds of computers including in neighboring Latvia and Lithuania. Researchers said the malware attack had apparently been

By KATHLEEN RONAYNE Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Newsom administration officials say they are in no rush to make changes to one of California’s key climate change programs despite concerns it won’t be able to meet its emissions reduction goals. The program in question is called cap and trade, and it requires companies that

MIDLAND, Texas (AP) — A West Texas man has pleaded guilty to hate-crime charges relating to an attack on an Asian family at a warehouse store. In a statement, federal prosecutors say Jose Gomez III could get life imprisonment for his Wednesday guilty plea to three hate-crime counts from his March 2020 attack at a

By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A federal judge has extended an order preventing the two largest unions at BNSF from going on strike over a new attendance policy the railroad imposed this month. The judge ruled that a strike by the unions that represent 17,000 BNSF workers would violate federal

By DAVID BAUDER AP Television Writer NEW YORK (AP) — NBC will be happy to put the Beijing Winter Olympics in the rear-view mirror, as the event had a record low viewership for an American audience and the Olympics. The games reached an average combined audience of 11.4 million in prime time on NBC, cable

The Associated Press Wall Street’s losses mounted Wednesday as world leaders waited to see if Russian President Vladimir Putin orders troops deeper into Ukraine. The S&P 500 fell, worsening what is now the benchmark index’s second correction in two years. The technology-heavy Nasdaq and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell. Treasury yields inched higher, as

By TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer DETROIT (AP) — The CEO of Ford Motor Co. says the automaker has no plans to spin off its electric vehicle or internal combustion businesses. But Jim Farley says Ford is reinventing itself to remove costs and ramp up for large-scale EV and software sales. Farley told the Wolfe

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Wednesday: Lowe’s Tenneco rise; CoStar Group, TJX fall.

By EUGENE GARCIA Associated Press ADELANTO, Calif. (AP) — A convoy of truckers demanding an end to coronavirus mandates has begun a cross-country drive from California to the Washington, D.C., area. Several hundred people rallied Wednesday in the Mojave Desert town of Adelanto before about 20 trucks and a number of other vehicles hit the

By TERRY SPENCER Associated Press BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Officials from South Florida’s higher-speed railroad, other train lines and local governments are working out plans that they hope will decrease the number of fatal collisions between locomotives, cars and pedestrians. The Federal Railroad Administration called Wednesday’s meeting as Brightline and other Florida railroads have

By ADAM BEAM Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The federal government says it won’t deliver any water to California farmers because of a severe drought. The decision will force many farmers to plant fewer crops in a region that supplies a quarter of the nation’s food. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation said a severe

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

By ALEX SANZ Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — The former head of the National Space Council tells The Associated Press that tensions over eastern Ukraine should not have a significant impact on the International Space Station or U.S.-Russia cooperation in space. Scott Pace served as executive secretary of the space council under President Donald Trump

PRAGUE (AP) — The Czech government has agreed to further ease coronavirus restrictions as the wave of infections caused by the highly transmissible omicron variant has been receding. Health Minister Vlastimil Valek says that all limits on the number of people attending any public gatherings, including sports matches and concerts, will be lifted on March

By MICHAEL R. SISAK Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Lawyers for Donald Trump’s longtime finance chief, Allen Weisselberg, are asking a judge to throw out tax fraud charges against him, arguing New York prosecutors targeted him as punishment because he wouldn’t flip on the former president. In court papers filed Tuesday, Weisselberg’s lawyer said

By COLLEEN BARRY AP Fashion Writer MILAN (AP) — The Italian fashion world has opened a Milan Fashion Week that brought the return of Russian buyers after two years and the easing of pandemic travel restrictions. An agreement with the government brokered by the Italian National Fashion Chamber allowed Russians who were vaccinated with the

By DAVID SHARP Associated Press The U.S. Postal Service says it has cleared the final regulatory hurdle to placing orders for next-generation mail vehicles. That keeps the Postal Service on track for taking delivery of the first of the electric- and gas-powered delivery vehicles next year. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said Wednesday that the completion

By MATTHEW BROWN Associated Press HARDIN, Mont. (AP) — Economists say the costs of climate change are growing as global warming happens more quickly than expected and its impacts become better understood — from crop losses due to drought, to lessened worker productivity because of the heat. The Biden administration wants to put a price

By LORNE COOK Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union has agreed to slap sanctions on Russia’s defense minister and a top presidential adviser. The measures also target companies, banks and hundreds of Russian lawmakers who voted to recognize the independence of separatist parts of Ukraine. Wednesday’s sanctions will freeze the assets of those

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Several hundred people opposing COVID-19 mandates have staged a protest rally in Bulgaria’s capital. They waved national flags and banners of the nationalist Revival party which organized the protest. The demonstrator chanted “Resignation” and ”Freedom” and called on the government to step down over its “failure to handle the health crisis.”

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Britain promised to hit Russia with “powerful” sanctions over its military confrontation with Ukraine. But the slim sheaf of measures announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson has disappointed allies and critics alike. The U.K. has slapped asset freezes and travel bans on three wealthy Russians and sanctioned

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Lowe’s Cos., the nation’s second-largest home improvement chain, offered an upbeat annual outlook after reporting strong fiscal fourth-quarter results that showed a still sizzling housing market. The report follows a robust report from larger rival Home Depot. Lowe’s, based in Mooresville, North Carolina, said that

By WAYNE PARRY Associated Press ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — A new report predicts that banning smoking in Atlantic City’s casinos could cost 2,500 jobs and nearly 11% of casino revenue. The Casino Association of New Jersey released a report Wednesday from an independent gambling research firm supporting the casinos’ longstanding contention that eliminating smoking

By NICK YEKIKIAN Edmunds It isn’t hard to see that the writing is on the wall for the V8-powered performance coupe. Tightening fuel economy and emissions standards, rising gas prices and the arrival of performance-oriented electric vehicles all point to the end of this famous automotive recipe. Whether it’s their distinctive rumbly soundtrack or sleek

Automotive parts maker Tenneco is being taken private by funds managed by affiliates of private equity firm Apollo in an all-cash deal valued at about $7.1 billion. The transaction includes the assumption of Tenneco’s debt. Apollo will pay $20 per Tenneco Inc. share. Tenneco will continue to operate under its name and brand. The deal

By CHALIDA EKVITTHAYAVECHNUKUL Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand will ease some entry requirements for foreign visitors as it balances a rising number of coronavirus cases with the need to rebuild its pandemic-damaged economy. Beginning March 1, fully vaccinated visitors must take a RT-PCR test on arrival and spend their first night at an approved

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s Cabinet has approved a plan to lift the country’s minimum wage to 12 euros ($13.60) per hour in October. The increase was a key pledge in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s election campaign last year. Germany has had a national minimum wage since 2015. It started off at 8.50 euros per hour but

By ANDY ROSEN of NerdWallet As the income tax filing deadline approaches, taxpayers will be facing unexpected tax situations brought about by the turbulent events of last year. Some taxpayers might get refunds and breaks they didn’t anticipate, while others could be paying more than they set aside. Whether you were part of the Great

By MATT O’BRIEN AP Technology Writer Driving a rugged Subaru through snowy weather is a rite of passage for some New Englanders, whose region is a top market for the Japanese automaker. So it was a surprise when Massachusetts dealerships started selling Subaru’s line of 2022 vehicles without a key ingredient: in-car wireless technology that

By JOSEPH WILSON Associated Press BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — The leader of Spain’s main opposition party is set to meet fellow conservative heavyweights with his future at risk amid an ugly clash with a Popular Party rival. The meeting scheduled late Wednesday comes a day after the party’s secretary-general stepped down and the calls from

PARIS (AP) — The International Energy Agency says emissions of planet-warming methane from oil, gas and coal production are significantly higher than governments claims. The Paris-based agency said Wednesday that its analysis shows emissions are 70% higher than the official figure provided by governments worldwide. It says that if all leaks were plugged, the methane

By HOPE YEN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Clogged U.S. ports are being given access to nearly $450 million in federal money from President Joe Biden’s infrastructure law. It’s part of the Biden administration’s recent stepped-up efforts aiming to ease supply chain congestion and lower prices for American consumers. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Wednesday

AMSTERDAM (AP) — Prosecutors say an armed man who held a hostage for hours in the Apple Store in Amsterdam before he was run over by police as he chased the hostage out of the shop has died. The suspect had demanded a ransom of 200 million euros (more than $226 million) in cryptocurrencies during

By LAETITIA BEZAIN Associated Press ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar (AP) — Cyclone Emnati has crashed into the southeastern coast of Madagascar and ripped roofs off houses and raised fears of flooding and food shortages. It’s a region still recovering from the destruction caused by another tropical storm just weeks ago. More than 30,000 people were moved to

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer Phil Mickelson is apologizing for comments he made about the Saudis and the financing of a rival league. Mickelson claims the comments golf writer Alan Shipnuck posted were off the record. Shipnuck wrote that was never the case. Mickelson says he regrets what he said and that his comments

By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Sometime soon, lockout costs become real: Max Scherzer would forfeit $232,975 for each regular-season day lost, and Gerrit Cole $193,548. Based on last year’s base salaries that totaled just over $3.8 billion, major league players would combine to lose $20.5 million for each day wiped

By FOSTER KLUG Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — World leaders are backing up their condemnation of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine with action, announcing financial sanctions, banning trade with Ukrainian separatist regions and halting Russian bond distribution. But even as they imposed penalties on Wednesday meant to pressure Moscow to seek diplomacy over war, nations in

By LORI HINNANT Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The threat of war has shredded Ukraine’s economy, and many Ukrainians are asking why they are the ones suffering instead of Russia. The pressure from Russian troops has closed international offices, canceled flights and caused hundreds of millions of dollars in investment to dry up within

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI Associated Press COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Authorities in Sri Lanka are imposing rolling power cuts across the island nation as its deepening financial crisis leads to shortages of fuel and handicaps its power grid. Sri Lanka’s Public Utilities Commission said it will shut off the country’s grid for four and a

By LAURIE KELLMAN Associated Press LOD, Israel (AP) — As the airline industry struggles, Israel’s state-owned aerospace company is flying high. Israel Aerospace Industries is cashing in on the growth of e-commerce by converting grounded passenger planes into cargo jets for global giants like Amazon and DHL. Analysts say the work lines up with pandemic-driven

By JOE McDONALD AP Business Writer BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets have plunged and oil prices surged to near $100 per barrel after President Vladimir Putin announced Russian military action in Ukraine. Market benchmarks in Tokyo and Seoul fell more than 2%. Hong Kong and Sydney lost more than 3%. Oil prices jumped more

By STEPHEN WADE AP Sports Writer BEIJING (AP) — The Olympics have said goodbye to Asia after a star-crossed run, and it’s unclear when they’ll be back after the continent hosted four of the last eight Games. The earliest the Summer Games could return is 2036, and the favorite could be the world’s most populous

NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s foreign ministry says it has sent off tons of wheat to Afghanistan to help relieve desperate food shortages, after New Delhi struck a deal with neighboring rival Pakistan to allow the shipments across the shared border. Afghanistan’s ambassador to India tweeted on Tuesday his “thanks” for the urgently needed food

By KATHLEEN RONAYNE Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — President Joe Biden highlighted his efforts to counter China’s dominance of the electric battery market as he touted domestic efforts to mine and process lithium and rare metals. The Democratic president on Tuesday said he is awarding $35 million to MP Materials. The Las Vegas-based company

By NICK PERRY Associated Press WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Tonga’s main internet connection to the rest of the world has finally been restored more than five weeks after a huge volcanic eruption and tsunami severed a crucial undersea cable. Three people in Tonga were killed by the Jan. 15 tsunami and dozens of homes

By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The hedge fund trying to buy newspaper publisher Lee Enterprises has returned to court. It is seeking to settle a dispute over the way the votes for two longtime board members should be counted next month at the company’s annual meeting. Alden Global Capital already

JOSH BOAK Associated Press President Joe Biden finds himself in a split-screen presidency as Russia starts to invade Ukraine. He’s juggling a geopolitical crisis on Tuesday, but his other scheduled appearance was to discuss supply chains for minerals used in electronics.  Biden is grappling with the prospect of a European land war that will only

By The Associated Press A federal judge has approved a settlement under which a synthetic rubber plant will pay $3.3 million in fines and $650,000 for improved air monitoring in several southwest Louisiana locations. Firestone Polymers LLC  also agreed to install numerous emission control systems at the plant in Sulphur. The Environmental Protection Agency and

By MICHAEL CASEY Associated Press New Hampshire has reached a $25 million settlement with Monsanto over what the state says has been widespread PCB pollution. The state alleged that Monsanto and spinoff companies Solutia and Pharmacia are responsible for contamination of public property, water and other natural resources. It also alleges that the PCB contamination

By STAN CHOE AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The worries rocking Wall Street about interest rates, inflation and now Ukraine have sent the S&P 500 tumbling by 10% from its recent high. It’s an arbitrary number, but it’s big enough that Wall Street has a name for such a decline: a “correction.” Such

The Associated Press Stocks are closing lower on Wall Street Tuesday after Russia sent forces into Ukraine’s eastern regions, escalating tensions. The benchmark S&P 500 index fell and is now more than 10% below it’s all-time high set in January, what’s known as a “correction.” The Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq also lost more

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Tuesday: Tempur-Sealy, TransUnion fall; Tegna, Meritor rise.

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

By MATTHEW DALY Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is delaying decisions on new federal oil and gas drilling and other energy-related actions. That comes after a federal court ruling that has blocked the way officials were calculating the real-world costs of climate change. The administration said in a legal filing that a

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek authorities say efforts to locate 10 people missing for five days after an Italy-bound ferry caught fire at sea have been suspended while the burnt-out hulk is towed to a mainland port. The Italian-flagged Euroferry Olympia had at least 292 passengers and crew on board when it caught fire Friday

By PETER DEJONG Associated Press AMSTERDAM (AP) — An hours-long hostage standoff at the Apple Store in Amsterdam has ended with police in a car driving into the hostage taker as he ran from the store. Police say his hostage is safe. Police added Tuesday night that the suspect was checked for explosives after being

By TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer DETROIT (AP) — Elon Musk and his lawyers are escalating their fight with U.S. securities regulators. A Musk lawyer has accused regulators of leaking investigative information, and Musk is alleging on Twitter that government corruption is being exposed. Musk’s tweet early Tuesday and a Monday letter from lawyer Alex

By MASHA MACPHERSON Associated Press PARIS (AP) — Foreign ministers from Indo-Pacific nations have attended a Paris conference aimed at bringing the region squarely into Europe’s focus in a rapidly changing world with rising security challenges. New Zealand, India, South Korea, Japan and a clutch of other Asian nations were represented at Tuesday’s forum. China

NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News’ Neil Cavuto has returned to work after more than a month following what he described as a near-deadly battle with COVID-19. Cavuto, who hosts weekday shows on Fox News Channel and the Fox Business Network, says he was in an intensive care unit with COVID-19 and pneumonia. A cancer

By HALELUYA HADERO AP Business Writer MacKenzie Scott’s $50 million gift to the National 4-H Council, which the youth-focused nonprofit called “transformational,” is part of a new patch of the philanthropist’s donations now coming to light. The donation to the organization will support the 120-year-old government-backed youth development program. It’s the second largest gift known

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) — German soccer club Schalke has expressed “great concern” over Moscow’s intervention in Ukraine amid scrutiny of the team’s long-standing sponsorship by Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom. The second-division club says it “will monitor further developments, evaluate them and make a strong appeal for peace to protect those affected by the crisis.”

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to consider an appeal of a lawsuit over the Dakota Access Pipeline. Tuesday’s decision means that an ongoing environmental review of the pipeline will continue. Dakota Access appealed a lower court ruling that affirmed the need for a more thorough environmental study by the U.S.

By JESSICA GRESKO Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is leaving in place a decision throwing out a lawsuit filed by a woman who accused billionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein of sexually abusing her when she was a child. Courtney Wild’s lawsuit claimed Florida federal prosecutors failed to consult victims more than a decade

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER and FATIMA HUSSEIN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has launched the first of what could be an ever-tougher series of sanctions targeting President Vladimir Putin, Russia’s overall economy and its military and civilian elites over its moves against Ukraine. Tuesday’s sanctions hit members of Putin’s inner circle and their

By JESSICA GRESKO Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a new clash involving religion and the rights of LGBT people. The high court said Tuesday it’d hear the case of Colorado-based web designer Lorie Smith, who offers graphic and website design services and wants to expand to wedding website

By MATT OTT AP Business Writer SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — U.S. consumer confidence declined modestly this month but remains high, even as prices for just about everything continue to rise. The Conference Board, a business research group, said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index — which takes into account consumers’ assessment of current conditions

By The Associated Press Humana is adding two more independent directors to its board under an agreement with activist hedge fund Starboard Value. The Medicare Advantage coverage provider said Tuesday that it will add one director before the company’s annual shareholder meeting April 21 and the other afterward. Two incumbent board members will then not

Standard General is taking television station owner Tegna private in an all-cash deal valued at about $5.4 billion. An affiliate of Standard General will pay $24 for each Tegna share. The transaction has an enterprise value of approximately $8.6 billion, including the assumption of debt. Once the deal closes, Tegna stations in Austin (KVUE), Dallas

By DAVID McHUGH AP Business Writer FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Germany has suspended the approval process for Russia’s Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in response to Moscow’s recognition of separatist regions in Ukraine. The pipeline is finished but not running yet. It would double capacity to bring gas straight to Germany from Russia, a key

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union member countries agree they should further facilitate tourist travel into the 27-nation bloc for people who are vaccinated against the coronavirus or have recovered from COVID-19. The European Council is recommending that EU nations next month lift all testing and quarantine requirements for people who received vaccines authorized in the

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Macy’s is reporting strong fourth-quarter sales and profits that exceeded Wall Street estimates even as the department store chain faced numerous challenges from supply chain issues to labor shortages and inflation. The New York company also said that it would not spin off its ecommerce

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippines has signed a $624 million deal to purchase 32 Black Hawk helicopters from a Polish aircraft manufacturer. It is the largest military aircraft acquisition contract under outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte. The S-70i Black Hawks can be used for troop transport, combat operations and disaster-response. Due to financial constraints, the

By RAF CASERT, AAMER MADHANI and ZEKE MILLER Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — The U.S. and all 27 European Union member nations are ordering initial penalties targeting Russian officials over their actions in Ukraine. U.S. President Joe Biden announced sanctions of Russian financial institutions and officials for what he called “the beginning of a Russian

By SARA RATHNER of NerdWallet Because of the pandemic, many two-income couples became one-income couples thanks to caregiving obligations or long-term unemployment. That can be a tough adjustment for anyone who previously earned an income and had financial independence in their relationship. Couples need to prepare for such a large shift in their day-to-day lives

By MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writer Home Depot saw its sales remain strong in its fourth quarter as it continues to benefit from a sizzling housing market. Sales for the three months ended Jan. 30 rose to $35.72 billion from $32.26 billion. This beat the $34.88 billion that analysts polled by FactSet forecast. Sales at

By FRANK JORDANS Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — Chancellor Olaf Scholz says Germany has taken steps to halt the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia. The decision, which was criticized by Moscow, is a significant move for the German government. Scholz told reporters in Berlin on Tuesday that the decision

By ARITZ PARRA and DAVID McHUGH Associated Press MADRID (AP) — Surging energy prices and the Russia-Ukraine conflict are making European leaders think hard about energy security — particularly their decades-old reliance on Moscow for natural gas. The crisis shows Europe’s vulnerability after years of limited progress in allowing affordable gas and electricity to flow

BERLIN (AP) — A closely watched survey shows that business confidence in Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, has picked up for the second month in a row — even though the Russia-Ukraine crisis casts a shadow over expectations. The Ifo institute said Tuesday that its monthly confidence index increased to 98.9 points in February from 96

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV, YURAS KARMANAU, AAMER MADHANI and ERIC TUCKER Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) — The East-West faceoff over Ukraine has escalated dramatically, with Russian lawmakers authorizing President Vladimir Putin to use military force outside his country and President Joe Biden and European leaders responding by slapping sanctions on Russian oligarchs and banks. Both leaders

By AYA BATRAWY Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Dubai’s main airport has retained its top place as the world’s busiest for international travel, with around 29 million passengers shuttling through the global gateway last year. The 2021 passenger figures are encouraging for the tourism-driven economy of Dubai and a sign that intentional

HONG KONG (AP) — HSBC PLC says 2021 profit more than tripled to $12.6 billion as the bank sold its retail business in France and expanded wealth management in Asia. The bank reported on Tuesday that profit rose despite a 2% decline in revenue to $49.6 billion amid the COVID-19 pandemic’s pressure on commercial customers.