AP National Business

By SCOTT McFETRIDGE Associated Press DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — For all the talk about rising U.S. home values in cities and suburbs, they have nothing on the skyrocketing price of farmland. While median existing-home prices rose by 15.8% in the U.S. last year, farmland values went up about double that rate in places like

By DASHA LITVINOVA Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) — Daily new coronavirus infections in Russia have reached an all-time high and authorities are blaming the highly contagious omicron variant, which they expect to soon dominate the country’s outbreak. Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova on Friday noted “intensive spread of the omicron variant” and said the authorities

By AYA BATRAWY Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Airbus says it has terminated a multibillion dollar order by Qatar Airways for 50 of its single-aisle A321neo jet. The termination of the contract comes as the planemaker and its major Gulf customer, Qatar Airways, are embroiled in a legal dispute in London over

By JOHN SEEWER and ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS Associated Press COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Chipmaker Intel says it will invest $20 billion to build a factory in central Ohio in an attempt to help alleviate a global shortage of chips that power everything from phones to cars to home appliances. The announcement Friday also signals the giant

BEIJING (AP) — China has criticized Washington for imposing sanctions on Chinese companies accused of exporting missile technology, and accused the United States of hypocrisy for selling nuclear-capable cruise missiles. The United States announced penalties on three companies it said were engaged in unspecified “missile technology proliferation activities.” It said they were barred from U.S.

By LORI HINNANT Associated Press PARIS (AP) — Total Energies and Chevron, two of the world’s largest energy companies, are planning to exit Myanmar. The companies are citing rampant human rights abuses and deteriorating rule of law since the country’s military overthrew the elected government. The announcement came Friday just a day after Total called

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A fire broke out early in Kuwait at a petrochemical site, forcing a suspension of export operations. The Kuwait National Petroleum Company said Friday that the fire in the Shuaiba Industrial Area in eastern Kuwait did not result in any injuries. Only a week ago, a fire erupted during

By FRANCES D’EMILIO Associated Press ROME (AP) — Italy is poised to elect a new president, a figure who is supposed to serve as the nation’s moral compass and foster unity by being above the political fray. Silvio Berlusconi thinks he fits the bill. The 85-year-old billionaire media tycoon and three times premier has been

By DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writer Stocks fell again on Wall Street Friday, capping off the worst weekly drop for the S&P 500 since the start of the pandemic. The S&P 500 fell 1.9%, and notched its worst weekly performance since March 2020. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.3% and the Nasdaq lost

By SCOTT SONNER Associated Press RENO, Nev. (AP) — A federal appeals court will have to decide whether protecting historical tribal lands and a rare toad warrant blocking a major geothermal plant in Nevada as the nation tries to move away from fossil fuels amid a looming climate crisis. Ormat Technologies says it may abandon

The shortage of parts caused by the coronavirus pandemic is further denting production at Toyota, Japan’s top automaker.

By JON GAMBRELL and MAAD AL-ZIKRY Associated Press SANAA, Yemen (AP) — A Saudi-led coalition airstrike targeting a prison run by Yemen’s Houthi rebels has killed at least 70 detainees and wounded dozens. Friday’s strike was part of a pounding aerial offensive that knocked the Arab world’s poorest country off the internet. The intense campaign

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Restaurants and bars will close early in Tokyo and a dozen other areas across Japan beginning Friday as the country widens COVID-19 restrictions due to the omicron variant, which has caused cases to surge to new highs in metropolitan areas. The three-week restraint, which is something of

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. crash investigators want the government to require owners of small planes to install carbon monoxide detectors. The National Transportation Safety Board made the recommendation Thursday to the Federal Aviation Administration. The NTSB says 42 people died in 23 fatal crashes since 1982 that were attributed to carbon monoxide poisoning. The safety

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP Retail Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Peloton’s shares tumbled on Thursday after a media report said the exercise and treadmill company was temporarily halting production of its connected fitness products amid waning consumer demand. Shares were down nearly 24%, or $7.62 on the news. Peloton plans to pause production of its

By The Associated Press New 5G wireless service is up and running in the United States, with little of the feared disruption to air travel. Some flights were canceled in the early going, but problems seemed to ease as federal regulators approved more planes to operate around 5G signals. On Thursday, the FAA said it

By DAVID PORTER Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Federal regulators have given a key approval to a $10 billion project to build a new train tunnel under the Hudson River between New York and New Jersey. The Federal Transit Administration announced Thursday it had upgraded the project’s rating. That makes it eligible to pursue

By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — CSX railroad’s fourth-quarter profit jumped 23% even though volume slipped amid the ongoing supply chain challenges. The Jacksonville, Florida-based railroad said Thursday it earned $934 million, or 42 cents per share. That’s up from $760 million, or 33 cents per share, a year earlier. CSX

By DON THOMPSON Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A federal appeals court has found that two California counties violated the Constitution’s right to bear arms when they shut down gun and ammunition stores in 2020 as nonessential businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. Officials in Los Angeles and Ventura counties had separately won lower court

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP Technology Writer SAN RAMON, Calif. (AP) — Netflix delivered its latest quarter of disappointing subscriber growth during the final three months of last year, a trend that management foresees continuing into the new year as tougher competition is undercutting the video streaming leader. The company added 8.3 million worldwide subscribers during

Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Thursday: Alcoa, Casper rise; Regions Financial, Clorox fall.

The Associated Press Stocks fell again on Wall Street Thursday as technology stocks sold off in the afternoon, pushing the Nasdaq further into what’s known as a correction. The S&P 500 fell to its lowest level in three months. Consumer-focused stocks and shares in industrial companies also fell sharply.  

By TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer DETROIT (AP) — Two organizations that influence many Americans’ automobile buying decisions will begin rating vehicles on how well they track behavior of motorists who use partially automated driver-assist systems. Consumer Reports and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety say the ratings will factor into scores for new models

By MICHELLE L. PRICE and THALIA BEATY Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams plans to convert his first paycheck this week into two cryptocurrencies. he has been hyping as a potential economic engine for the city. The Democrat’s office announced Thursday that Adams’ first salary payment will be deposited

WOODBINE, Ga. (AP) — A judge has denied a request to stop a county from buying land for a planned spaceport near the Georgia coast, dealing the latest blow to the project’s opponents. In an order Thursday, Superior Court Judge Stephen Scarlett denied a request to restrain Camden County from closing on the land deal

By LORI HINNANT Associated Press PARIS (AP) — French energy conglomerate TotalEnergies has asked the American and French governments to support targeted sanctions against Myanmar’s oil and gas funds. The funds are the largest single source of income for the country’s military leaders. In a letter to Human Rights Watch released Thursday, the CEO of

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

By DUSAN STOJANOVIC Associated Press BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Trying to defuse large protests by environmentalists, Serbia’s populist government said Thursday that it was canceling all licenses for mining giant Rio Tinto to open a lithium mine in the Balkan country. “We have fulfilled all the requests of the environmental protests and put an end

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve released a highly anticipated report on central bank digital currencies that suggested it is leaning toward having banks and other financial firms, rather than the Fed itself, manage digital accounts for customers. A central bank digital currency would differ in some key ways

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Prosecutors have dropped a second case against an activist who exposed what many viewed as the inhumane killing of hundreds of pigs at two Iowa pork plants. Agriculture industry supporters say the activist’s action ran afoul of the the state’s “ag gag” laws. The Des Moines Register reports that Matt

WASHINGTON (AP) — Average long-term U.S. mortgage rates continued to rise this week. The rate on the benchmark 30-year loan breached 3.5%. Home loan rates have been running at levels not seen since early 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic was breaking. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reports that the average rate on the 30-year loan rose

By GENE JOHNSON Associated Press SEATTLE (AP) — The Washington Supreme Court has narrowly upheld an $18 million fine against an association of large food brands that funneled dark money into a state political campaign. The 5-4 decision Thursday found that the penalty against the Grocery Manufacturers Association — which is now known as the

By JOSH BOAK Associated Press President Joe Biden is paying a steep price for high inflation. It’s a problem that festered during his first year in office instead of fading away as he suggested it would. Last year’s giant coronavirus relief package drove what will probably be the fastest economic growth since 1984 and pulled

BERLIN (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says talks with Iran over its nuclear program are at a “decisive moment.” He has warned that Washington and its allies may change tactics if a deal isn’t reached in the coming weeks. Blinken said in Berlin that the longer Iran fails to comply with the

By PREDRAG MILIC Associated Press PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — Montenegro’s embattled government has called for an early election to be held in the Balkan country. Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic on Thursday filed a request that the current mandate of the Montenegrin assembly be cut short to pave the way for the vote. The move comes

By The Associated Press An American Airlines flight to London has turned around and returned to Miami after a woman on the plane refused to wear a face mask. That’s what American Airlines says happened on the Wednesday night flight. The airline called Miami police, and officers escorted a woman off the plane at Miami

By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer McDonald’s is expanding sales of its meatless McPlant burger to hundreds of locations. The company said the McPlant __ which it co-developed with plant-based protein company Beyond Meat __ will be sold at 600 stores in the San Francisco and Dallas areas starting Feb. 14. It’s a major expansion

By CHALIDA EKVITTHAYAVECHNUKUL Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand, which in 2020 became the first Southeast Asian nation to decriminalize the production and use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, is moving to further loosen regulations on the drug. Its Food and Drug Administration is proposing that cannabis — which includes marijuana and hemp plants —

By DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writer Retail sales took an unexpected dip in December in what could be a signal that persistently rising inflation is prompting a pullback in consumer spending. Consumers paid more for everything from groceries to cars in 2021 as companies passed along the costs of pricier raw materials and supply

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Sales of previously occupied homes fell in December for the first time in four months as many would-be buyers were frustrated by a lack of available houses, which fell to the lowest level in more than two decades. Existing home sales dropped 4.6% last month from

By NINIEK KARMINI Associated Press JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia’s leader says the country holding the presidency of the Group of 20 biggest economies wants to strengthen global partnership to aid the economic recovery from COVID-19. In an online address Thursday to the World Economic Forum, Indonesian President Joko Widodo committed to making the G-20

By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Union Pacific hauled in 24% more profit in the fourth quarter even though supply chain problems and weak auto production continued to slow shipments because last year’s results were weighed down by a one-time $278 million charge. The Omaha, Nebraska-based railroad said it earned $1.71

By VANESSA GERA Associated Press WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The European Union is ordering Poland to pay a fine of nearly 70 million euros ($80 million) for its failure to shut down a disciplinary chamber with the power to suspend or otherwise discipline judges. The European Court of Justice ruled last year that the Disciplinary

By PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose to the highest level in three months as the fast-spreading omicron variant disrupted the job market. Jobless claims rose for the third straight week — by 55,000 to 286,000, highest since mid-October, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

By LEANNE ITALIE Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Team USA’s opening ceremony uniforms for the Beijing Olympics include some sneaky new warming technology. There’s also a handy front pouch and a cinch waist on anoraks in navy and white. The jackets were unveiled Thursday by official outfitter Ralph Lauren. They include a smart, honeycomb-like

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s president says parliamentary election in Slovenia will be held on April 24. The vote will test the popularity of right-wing Prime Minister Janez Jansa amid political divisions in the small European Union nation. President Borut Pahor said Thursday he will formally schedule the vote in early February. The April 24

By DAVID KOENIG AP Airlines Writer DALLAS (AP) — American Airlines is reporting a $931 million loss for the fourth quarter and warning that omicron will further delay its recovery. American said Thursday that it expects first-quarter revenue to be down about 20% to 22% from the same period in 2019. CEO Doug Parker says

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — A lawmaker from Britain’s governing Conservatives has accused the government of blackmailing opponents of Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Tory member of Parliament William Wragg said Thursday that legislators calling for a challenge to Johnson’s leadership have faced “intimidation.” That allegedly included threats of a loss of funding

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI Associated Press COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka has paid $500 million due on sovereign bonds from its badly depleted foreign reserves despite calls by experts to defer it and use the sum to import essential food and medicine. The Indian ocean island nation is in its worst crisis in decades,

By LAUREN SCHWAHN of NerdWallet Paying for gifts, travel, entertaining and other holiday expenses has caused many of us to start off the new year in debt. The sooner you create a plan, the sooner you can leave that debt behind. Here’s what experts say you can do to get a handle on your holiday

GENEVA (AP) — A U.N.-backed group says it has signed agreements with more than two dozen generic drug makers to produce versions of Merck’s coronavirus pill to supply 105 developing countries. In a statement on Thursday, the Medicines Patent Pool said the deals would allow drug companies to make both the raw ingredients for molnupiravir

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s central bank has kept a key interest rate unchanged, halting a string of rate cuts that triggered a currency crisis and sent prices skyrocketing. The bank’s Monetary Policy Committee said Thursday that it has decided to keep its policy rate “constant” at 14%. The moves puts on hold a rate-cutting

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s attorney general says he is launching an investigation into the police’s use of phone surveillance technology following reports that investigators tracked targets without proper authorization. Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit’s four-page letter Thursday said he had not yet found evidence substantiating the reports in the Israeli business daily Calcalist, which claimed that

By KELVIN CHAN AP Business Writer LONDON (AP) — European Union lawmakers have approved proposed rules that would require online companies to ramp up efforts to keep harmful content off their platforms and take other steps to protect users. The 27-nation bloc has gained a reputation as a trendsetter in the growing global push to

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) — Russia has announced sweeping naval drills in several parts of the world this month, and claims the West is plotting “provocations” in neighboring Ukraine where the Kremlin has been accused of planning aggressive military action. Amid a buildup of some 100,000 troops near the border with Ukraine

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s health minister expects the number of coronavirus infections in the country to keep rising for several weeks reaching hundreds of thousands of cases a day. Karl Lauterbach told German public broadcaster ZDF late Wednesday that “the wave will reach its peak roughly in mid-February.” Lauterbach warned that while hospitalization rates are

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel has signed a three billion euro ($3.4 billion) deal to buy three cutting edge submarines from Germany, the defense ministry announced. The Dakar-class diesel-electric submarines will be produced by German manufacturer Thyssenkrupp and are expected to be delivered within nine years, the ministry said Thursday. Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said

By JON GAMBRELL Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Long-haul carrier Emirates says it will resume its Boeing 777 flights to the U.S. after halting its use of the aircraft there over concerns new 5G services in America could interfere with airplane technology that measures altitude. International carriers that rely heavily on the

By ERIKA KINETZ Associated Press At some of the world’s most sensitive spots, authorities have installed security screening devices made by a single Chinese company with deep ties to China’s military and the highest levels of the ruling Communist Party. The company, Nuctech, has been frozen out of the U.S. for years due to national

By DAVID RISING Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — As the massive undersea Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai volcano erupted on Saturday, Tongans from around the world gazed on as their relatives livestreamed images of the billowing clouds of ash, gas and steam emerged from beneath the depths. Then darkness. The eruption severed Tonga’s single fiber-optic cable,

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP Retail Writer NEW YORK (AP) — First, Amazon competed with malls. Now, it’s moving inside one. The online retailing giant said Thursday that it plans to open a clothing store in a Southern California mall later this year, just the latest foray into brick-and-mortar for Amazon, which already accounts for more

By ERIKA KINETZ Associated Press At some of the world’s most sensitive spots, authorities have installed security screening devices made by a single Chinese company with deep ties to China’s military and the highest levels of the ruling Communist Party. The company, Nuctech, has been frozen out of the U.S. for years due to national

By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s exports and imports both reached record highs in December, largely because of surging oil prices and a weaker yen. Japan’s imports last month surged 41% from the same month a year earlier. Exports rose 17.5% from the previous year, on stronger shipments of autos and

By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) — Asian shares have declined after a late-afternoon sell-off wiped out gains for stocks on Wall Street. Tokyo fell 1.4% after Toyota Motor Corp. announced production cuts due to parts shortages. Other major regional markets also fell. Oil prices slipped, with the U.S. benchmark crude down 2.3%.

By MICHAEL PHILLIS Associated Press ST. LOUIS (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps will spend $732 million to expand a congested lock and dam in Missouri. Federal officials said adding a second lock in Winfield, Missouri, will reduce travel time for barges and allow for two-way traffic. Funding for the lock’s construction was part of

By DAVID BAUDER AP Media Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Viewers parked themselves in front of their televisions to watch football and stay out of the January chill. The NFL says an average of 30.5 million people watched their wild card games over the weekend either on television or digitally. That was up 21 percent

GENEVA (AP) — The International Committee of the Red Cross says hackers broke into servers holding its data and gained access to personal, confidential information on more than a half-million vulnerable people. The Geneva-based agency best known for helping war victims says the breach by unknown intruders this week affected people separated from their families

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas’ attorney general is suing Google, alleging the company asked radio DJs to record personal endorsements for smartphones that they hadn’t used or been provided. Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton says in the lawsuit filed in Montgomery County that Google engaged in false and misleading practices in violation of the Texas

CHICAGO (AP) — United Airlines lost $646 million in the last three months of 2021, and the new year doesn’t look too good either. United said Wednesday that the current spike in COVID-19 cases will hurt its results in the March quarter, and its revenue will be 20% to 25% lower than it was at

By PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States and the United Kingdom have agreed to begin talks on removing former President Donald Trump’s import taxes on British steel and aluminum. In a joint statement Wednesday, the U.S. and U.K. said they would work toward a swift deal that ensures the viability

The Associated Press Stocks continued to fall on Wall Street Wednesday as investors review the latest corporate earnings and prepare for higher interest rates. The S&P 500, the Nasdaq, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average all set new lows for the year, with technology stocks’ weakness again giving direction to the broader market. 

Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Wednesday: Ford, US Bancorp fall; Bank of America, Tegna rise.

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

By ADEL OMRAN Associated Press TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — The head of Libya’s national oil company has said that his country will try to keep oil production at 1.2 million barrels a day in 2022, but that the company is dealing with serious budget shortfalls. Libya’s top oil body, along with the rest of the

By AYA BATRAWY and MALAK HARB Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A United Arab Emirates ambassador says Yemen’s Houthi rebels used cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and drones in an attack on Abu Dhabi this week that killed three people and set off fires at a fuel depot and an international airport. The

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors is finding new markets for its hydrogen fuel cell systems. The automaker announced Wednesday that it will work with another company to build mobile electricity generators, electric vehicle charging stations and power generators for military camps. The emissions-free generators will be designed to power large commercial buildings in the event

LONDON (AP) — Unilever, the maker of Vaseline skin care products and Dove soap, says it won’t increase a 50 billion-pound ($68.2 billion) offer for GlaxoSmithKline’s consumer healthcare unit that was rejected last week. London-based GSK said Saturday that the bid “fundamentally undervalued” the unit. GSK said in a statement that the offer, which included

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man convicted of fraudulently collecting more than $1.3 million in COVID-19 relief funds has been sentenced to five years in prison. Court records show Johnson Eustache was sentenced Tuesday in Orlando federal court. He pleaded guilty in August to wire fraud and aiding and assisting in the preparation of

By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — BNSF railroad wants a federal judge to prevent two of its unions from going on strike next month over a new attendance policy that would penalize employees for missing work. The Fort Worth, Texas-based railroad went to court after the unions that represent nearly half

ELMORE, Vt. (AP) — A Vermont community is asking the U.S. Postal Service to renew a contract with a local store to retain an outpost where people can collect their packages and mail. New England Cable News reported Wednesday that the post office at the back of The Elmore Store serves fewer than 1,000 people

By JENNIFER McDERMOTT Associated Press Developers say construction will soon begin on the second commercial-scale, offshore wind energy project to gain approval in the United States. The Interior Department approved it in November. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management issued its approval letter for the constructions and operations plan Tuesday. That’s a major step in

By MATTHEW PERRONE and KATE BRUMBACK Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — For the first time, people across the U.S. can log on to a government website and order free, at-home COVID-19 tests. But the White House push may do little to ease the omicron surge, and experts say Washington will have to do a lot

By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer Starbucks is no longer requiring its U.S. workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, reversing a plan it announced earlier this month. The Seattle coffee giant says it’s responding to last week’s ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. In a 6-3 vote, the court rejected the Biden administration’s plan to

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece has raised 3 billion euros in a 10-year bond auction that helps boost its budget following its yearslong economic bailout program. The finance minister said the cost of Wednesday’s bone issue was “satisfactory,” given global trends like the coronavirus pandemic. Greece is planning to raise more than 10 billion euros

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Florida is on pace to produce the smallest crop of oranges in more than 75 years. A forecast released last week says the Sunshine State is on pace to produce 44.5 million 90-pound boxes of oranges during the current season. That’s a 1.5 million box reduction from the previous forecast in

By YURAS KARMANAU Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A court in Ukraine has rejected a motion by the prosecutors to remand former President Petro Poroshenko in custody pending investigation and trial on the charges of treason, allowing the politician to walk out with a few restrictions. The ruling barred Poroshenko from leaving the capital,

By HALELUYA HADERO AP Business Writer Five philanthropies have announced plans to spend more than $20 million to bolster news coverage in Houston, Texas, and create what they say will be one of the largest local nonprofit news organizations in the country. The donors said Wednesday in a news release that the newsroom is anticipated

By MATT O’BRIEN and TALI ARBEL AP Technology Writers Microsoft stunned the gaming industry when it announced this week it would buy game publisher Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, a deal that would immediately make it a larger video-game company than Nintendo. Microsoft, maker of the Xbox gaming system, said the deal would be good

By FATIMA HUSSEIN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has told a gathering of America’s mayors the Biden administration’s coronavirus relief bill is “like a vaccine” preventing catastrophic economic damage. Yellen said Wednesday at the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ 90th winter meeting in Washington that President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue

By PATTY NIEBERG Associated Press/Report for America CRAIG, Colorado (AP) — Craig, a small town in northwest Colorado is losing its coal plant, and residents fear it is the beginning of the end for their community. The same scenario is playing out in other small towns across the U.S. After decades of relying on coal

By KEN SWEET AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Investment bank Morgan Stanley says its fourth-quarter profits rose 9% from a year ago, helped by a big jump in fee revenue from its growing asset and wealth management business. The investment banking division also boosted results, as deal-making on Wall Street continued at a

By SYLVIA HUI Associated Press LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says face masks will no longer be mandatory in public places and COVID-19 passports will be dropped for large events as infections level off in most parts of the country. Johnson told lawmakers that the restrictions are being eased because government scientists

By MONIKA SCISLOWSKA Associated Press WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s doctors and medical workers fear the country’s health care system may not be able to cope with the latest surge of COVID-19 infections. More than 30,000 new cases in 24 hours were reported Wednesday and health authorities are expecting the figure to almost double in

DETROIT (AP) — Ford is recalling about 200,000 cars in the U.S. to fix a problem that can stop the brake lights from turning off. The recall covers certain 2014 and 2015 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ midsize cars as well as some 2015 Mustangs. All were sold or registered in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama,

By JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press GENEVA (AP) — New German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for a “paradigm shift” in the way the world approaches climate policy, saying his country would leverage its presidency of the Group of Seven industrial nations to push for standards to fight global warming. Discussions on energy use and ways

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The European Union is preparing to deduct millions of euros from payments to Poland in order to cover fines imposed on Warsaw for ignoring a court injunction to close down a open pit brown coal mine near the Czech border. The court says the mine drains groundwater from villages on the

By MICHAEL R. SISAK Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The New York attorney general’s office says its civil investigation has uncovered evidence that former President Donald Trump’s company used “fraudulent or misleading” asset valuations to get loans and tax benefits. In a court filing late Tuesday, Attorney General Letitia James’ office said evidence showed