AP National Business

By FRANK BAJAK AP Technology Writer BOSTON (AP) — The U.S. wireless carrier T-Mobile said Thursday that an unidentified malicious intruder breached its network in late November and stole data on 37 million customers, including addresses, phone numbers and dates of birth. T-Mobile said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that

By KEN MILLER Associated Press The world’s largest poultry producer is among nearly a dozen poultry companies that face a March 17th deadline to reach agreement with the state of Oklahoma on how to clean a polluted watershed. A federal judge on Wednesday ruled that Arkansas-based Tyson Foods, Minnesota-based Cargill Inc. and others are responsible

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP Technology Writer Netflix’s subscriber growth is surging again. That’s providing an early sign that its shift to include ads in a cheaper version of its video streaming service is helping combat tougher competition and attract cost-conscious customers grappling with inflation. The company on Thursday disclosed a gain of 7.7 million subscribers

By JOHN RABY Associated Press CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A coal company owned by the family of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has agreed to reclaim three large surface mines in southwestern Virginia to settle a lawsuit with environmental groups. Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards, Appalachian Voices and the Sierra Club announced the settlement Thursday with

The Associated Press The Agriculture Department on Thursday issued new requirements for foods labeled organic, a move aimed at cracking down on fraud and boosting oversight. The rule strengthens enforcement of the USDA’s strict definitions of organic, which must rely on “natural substances and physical, mechanical or biologically based farming methods to the fullest extent

The Associated Press Stocks fell on Wall Street as worries build that the U.S. may be headed for a painful recession. The S&P 500 fell 0.8% The Dow and the Nasdaq also fell. Reports showed weakness in several areas of the economy, including the housing industry and manufacturing in the mid-Atlantic region, though they weren’t

By SCOTT SONNER Associated Press RENO, Nev. (AP) — Five days after the U.S. Energy Department announced a $700 million conditional loan to an Australian company for a lithium mine in Nevada, federal land managers cited the developer for trespassing within the habitat of an endangered wildflower. The Bureau of Land Management said in the

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Thursday: Discover Financial Services Inc., down 44 cents to $101.90. The credit card issuer and lender expects an increase in net charge-offs in 2023. Procter & Gamble Co., down $3.08 to $142.42. The maker of Crest toothpaste and Charmin toilet paper warned

By DÁNICA COTO Associated Press SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The governing board of Puerto Rico’s power company says it has approved a plan to privatize electric generation in the U.S. territory after meeting for nearly two hours behind closed doors. Thursday’s sole dissenting vote came from the board member that represents the public’s

By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Union Pacific’s latest attempt to move toward cutting its train crews down to one person remains on hold. That’s because of the longstanding safety concerns of the union that represents conductors. The railroad had wanted to start a pilot project this year in western Nebraska

By TRAVIS LOLLER Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A former Tennessee correctional officer could receive $160,000 in back pay and damages after he was forced to resign for taking Suboxone to treat his opioid use disorder. The U.S. Department of Justice filed a landmark consent decree for the award in federal court in Nashville

By DAVID KOENIG AP Airlines Writer DALLAS (AP) — A federal judge is ordering Boeing to appear in court next week and be arraigned on a felony charge stemming from crashes of two 737 Max jets. The judge’s ruling Thursday threatens to unravel an agreement that Boeing negotiated with the government to avoid prosecution. The

By TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer DETROIT (AP) — The United Auto Workers president says the union is close to reaching another agreement with CNH Industrial that improves a deal rejected by striking workers earlier this month. In an interview with The Associated Press Thursday, President Ray Curry said he’s hopeful the deal will be

The Associated Press Benchmark U.S. crude oil for February delivery rose 85 cents to $80.33 a barrel Thursday. Brent crude for March delivery fell $1.18 to $86.16 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline for February delivery rose 8 cents to $2.60 a gallon. February heating oil rose 12 cents $3.38 a gallon. February natural gas fell 3

By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer The U.S. union membership rate reached an all-time low last year. That’s despite high-profile unionization campaigns at Starbucks, Amazon and other companies. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said Thursday that union members fell to 10.1% of the overall U.S. workforce in 2022. That was down slightly from 10.3% in

By JONATHAN MATTISE Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The nation’s largest public utility has appointed an independent panel to look into power failures that spurred the decision to implement rolling blackouts during dangerously cold conditions late last year. The Tennessee Valley Authority said Thursday the panel will include American Public Power Association President Joy

By RUSS BYNUM Associated Press SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A company’s plan to mine minerals just outside the famed Okefenokee Swamp and its federally protected wildlife refuge is a big step closer to being approved by regulators in Georgia. The state’s Environmental Protection Division released a draft plan Thursday for how Twin Pines Minerals would

By FATIMA HUSSEIN Associated Press The Biden administration’s big push to engage more with Africa is underway as Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen begins a 10-day visit aimed at promoting all the economic possibilities that lie between the U.S. and the world’s second-largest continent. Yellen is starting her visit in Senegal and also will travel to

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Vice Chair Lael Brainard said Thursday that high inflation in the United States is easing and suggested it was possible that the Fed’s interest rate hikes could slow price acceleration without causing significant job losses. Speaking in Chicago, Brainard sketched out a more optimistic

By KELVIN CHAN AP Business Writer LONDON (AP) — The European Union’s digital policy chief has warned TikTok’s boss that the social media app will have to fall in line with tough new rules for online platforms set to take effect later this year. EU Commissioner Thierry Breton held a video call Thursday with TikTok’s

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles FC’s home arena is changing its name from Banc of California Stadium to BMO Stadium. LAFC has a new naming rights deal for the arena that was built five years ago by the expansion Major League Soccer Club. BMO is a Canadian financial firm moving aggressively into the U.S.

LONDON (AP) — U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has apologized for taking off his seat belt to film a social media video in a moving car. A spokesman said that Sunak made an “error of judgment” while filming a message for Instagram from the back of an official government car during a visit to northwest

By JEAN-YVES KAMALE Associated Press KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — An official in northwestern Congo says at least 145 passengers are missing and feared dead after their motorized boat capsized on a river at night. The president of civil society groups in the area where the tragedy took place blamed overloading for the boat’s demise. Authorities

BRUSSELS (AP) — Lawyers for a former European Parliament vice president at the heart of the corruption scandal rocking the European Union assembly are worried by her detention conditions. They asked for her release during a hearing at a Brussels courthouse on Thursday. Greek European lawmaker Eva Kaili was removed as vice president after she

By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer A ransomware attack forced the parent company of KFC and Taco Bell to close several hundred restaurants in the United Kingdom this week. A government filing posted Thursday says the attack impacted information technology systems. Yum Brands said the attackers took company data, but that there is no evidence

By MATT OTT AP Business Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate fell this week to its lowest level since September, a potential boost to the housing market which has been in decline for nearly a year. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the average on the benchmark 30-year rate fell

By DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Easing inflation and a cooling job market are raising hopes on Wall Street that a gentler Federal Reserve is on the way in 2023. That’s despite the central bank’s own adamance that it will keep raising rates from their current 15-year high and hold

By ALEX DANIELS of The Chronicle of Philanthropy Chronicle of Philanthropy In a rare move for philanthropy, Adam Holofcener and his family emptied their foundation’s coffers and gave $1 million — nearly all the money it had left to give — to support Lisa Snowden-McCray’s dream: a free newspaper staffed by Black editors and writers

By HALELUYA HADERO AP Business Writer Amazon is ending a charity donation program it ran for a decade in its latest cost-cutting move. In a blog post on Wednesday, the company said the program, called AmazonSmile, will shut down by February 20 because it had “not grown to create the impact” the retailer had hoped.

By MATT O’BRIEN and ARIJETA LAJKA NEW YORK (AP) — Countless artists have taken inspiration from “The Starry Night” since Vincent Van Gogh painted the swirling scene in 1889. Now artificial intelligence systems are doing the same, training themselves on a vast collection of digitized artworks to produce new images you can conjure in seconds

By KELVIN CHAN AP Business Writer LONDON (AP) — Ireland has fined WhatsApp for breaching strict European Union privacy rules by forcing users to consent to allow their personal data to be used to provide “service improvements and security.” The Data Protection Commission issued a 5.5 million euro ($5.9 million) penalty in the case on

By MATT OTT AP Business Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of people seeking unemployment benefits in the U.S. reached a four-month low last week, a sign that employers are holding on to their workers despite the Federal Reserve’s efforts to slow the economy and tamp down inflation. U.S. jobless aid applications for the week

By THOMAS ADAMSON AP Fashion Writer PARIS (AP) — Singer Rosalía stunned guests at Louis Vuitton’s menswear show in Paris with a surprise reveal in shades and hooded jacket atop a vintage 1980s yellow saloon car. The boundary-breaking Spanish star delivered an electrifying vocal performance while delving in and out of a childhood movie set

By ANDREW DALTON AP Entertainment Writer The films from 2022 that topped the AP’s inaugural Top 25 Movies poll yield a host of other numbers, facts, figures and trivia on close examination. “Top Gun: Maverick” was the biggest hit of the bunch at year’s end with a global total of $1.5 billion. “Avatar: The Way

By FABIANO MAISONNAVE, TATIANA POLLASTRI AND ERALDO PERES XAPURI, Brazil (AP) — Rubber tapper Raimundo Mendes de Barros prepares to leave his home, surrounded by rainforest, for an errand in the Brazilian Amazon city of Xapuri. He slides his long, scarred, 77-year-old feet into a pair of sneakers made by Veja, a French brand. At

By DAVID KEYTON and MASHA MACPHERSON Associated Press DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — Prominent climate activists including Greta Thunberg and Vanessa Nakate are condemning corporate VIPs and political leaders in Davos, Switzerland, for prioritizing short-term profits from fossil fuels over people affected by the climate crisis. They were joined by campaigners Helena Gualinga and Luisa Neubauer

By SALLY HO, ANGELIKI KASTANIS and LINDSEY BAHR Associated Press With hundreds of new movies released each year, many of us depend on the expertise of film critics to help curate our own watching — a thoroughly communal yet deeply personal experience. To honor the supporting role that entertainment journalism can play in this beloved

By TASSANEE VEJPONGSA and JERRY HARMER Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand is ushering in a new age of train travel with Southeast Asia’s biggest railway station. The government says the huge, modern development on the edge of central Bangkok will bolster the country’s position as a regional hub. Almost all of Thailand’s long-distance domestic

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — The new executive director of European Union border agency Frontex says he will work at ensuring illegal pushbacks of migrants trying to reach Europe don’t take place under his watch. Hans Leijtens’ promise came on Thursday. He was appointed as a replacement for Fabrice Leggeri who resigned

By RAF CASERT Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Parliament has called for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard to be put on the European Union’s terrorist list and insisted that sanctions targeting Tehran had to be expanded after the violent suppression of protests. The legislature mustered a large majority in a nonbinding resolution on Thursday to

By DANICA KIRKA Associated Press LONDON (AP) — King Charles III has asked that annual profits from a 1 billion-pound ($1.2 billion) Crown Estate windfarm deal be used for the public good rather than the royal family. The Crown Estate confirmed Thursday that it had signed lease agreements for six offshore wind projects. Such a

By DAVID KLEPPER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — New research shows climate misinformation has been flourishing on Twitter since Elon Musk bought the platform last year. Analysts at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue find searches for information about climate change turned up recommendations for content that denied the reality of climate change or made misleading

By GEIR MOULSON and JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — Germany faced mounting pressure to supply battle tanks to Kyiv and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy aired frustration about not obtaining enough weaponry as Western allies conferred Thursday on how best to support Ukraine nearly 11 months into Russia’s invasion. Since the U.K. announced last

TOKYO (AP) — Japan has reported a record-high trade deficit for 2022 of nearly 20 trillion yen, or $156 billion, as energy imports surged. The Finance Ministry reported Thursday that imports jumped almost 40% while exports grew 18% from a year earlier. It was the biggest deficit since Japan began keeping comparable records in 1979.

By TIAN MCLEOD JI, ELAINE KURTENBACH and KANIS LEUNG Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — A hoped-for boom in Chinese tourism over next week’s Lunar New Year holidays looks set to be more of a blip as most travelers opt to stay inside China if they go anywhere at all. From the beaches of Bali to

By JOE McDONALD AP Business Writer BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets rose Friday after Wall Street losses deepened as worries grow that the U.S. economy is headed for recession. Shanghai, Tokyo and Hong Kong advanced. Seoul declined. Oil prices gained. Traders worry the Federal Reserve and other central banks might be willing to tip

By JULIE CARR SMYTH Associated Press COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder goes on trial next week in a case that alleges a $60 million bribery scheme federal prosecutors call the largest corruption case in state history. Jurors must decide whether the ousted Republican lawmaker and former Ohio Republican Party chair

BEIJING (AP) — China on Thursday accused “some Western media” of bias, smears and political manipulation in their coverage of China’s abrupt ending of its strict “zero-COVID” policy, as it issued a vigorous defense of actions taken to prepare for the change of strategy. The move in December to end mass testing and quarantines led

By SYLVIE CORBET and JADE LE DELEY Associated Press PARIS (AP) — At least 1.1 million people protested on the streets of Paris and other French cities Thursday amid nationwide strikes against plans to raise the retirement age — but President Emmanuel Macron insisted he would press ahead with the proposed pension reforms. Emboldened by

By JOSH BOAK Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government bumped up against its debt limit Thursday, prompting the Treasury Department to take “extraordinary” accounting steps to avoid default — as friction between President Joe Biden and House Republicans raised concern about whether the U.S. can sidestep an economic crisis. The Treasury Department said

By KANIS LEUNG Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s leader says the city will scrap its mandatory isolation rule for people infected with COVID-19 starting Jan. 30 as part of its strategy to return to normalcy. For most of the pandemic over the last three years, Hong Kong has aligned itself with mainland

By KIM TONG-HYUNG Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea’s rubber-stamp parliament has passed a budget that sustains a high level of defense spending despite the country’s economic troubles. Leader Kim Jong Un has been pushing for an aggressive expansion of his nuclear arsenal. He apparently did not attend the assembly’s two-day session

By DAVID KOENIG AP Airlines Writer The CEO of United Airlines says it could be another rocky year for air travelers. He says plenty of airlines won’t be able to handle all the flights they plan to operate, leading to more cancellations and disruptions for travelers. Scott Kirby said Wednesday that a shortage of pilots,

The Associated Press Wall Street had its biggest pullback of the year as a January market rally sputtered. Technology stocks led the way lower, including a 1.9% drop in Microsoft after the tech titan joined others in its industry in announcing layoffs. Weak readings on retail sales and industrial production also helped keep investors in

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Wednesday: Moderna Inc., up $6.33 to $197.02. The drugmaker gave investors an encouraging update on a potential vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus. PNC Financial Services Group Inc., down $9.78 to $152.07. The bank’s fourth-quarter earnings fell short of Wall Street forecasts. Big

By ALEXANDRA OLSON AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Federal safety investigators cited three Amazon warehouses for putting workers at serious risk of injury from the bending, twisting and lifting required to rapidly move and stack packages for hours. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced citations Wednesday at warehouses in Florida, Illinois and

The Associated Press Benchmark U.S. crude oil for February delivery fell 70 cents to $79.48 a barrel Wednesday. Brent crude for March delivery fell 94 cents to $84.98 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline for February delivery fell 3 cents to $2.52 a gallon. February heating oil rose 1 cent $3.26 a gallon. February natural gas fell

By DAVID FISCHER The Associated Press MIAMI (AP) — Hip hop artist Flo Rida has been awarded $82.6 million after a South Florida jury found that Celsius energy drinks breached his contract and tried to hide money from him. Flo Rida, whose real name is Tramar Dillard, and his production company, Strong Arm Productions, had

MADRID (AP) — New data show that Spaniards spent a record high amount on private health insurance last year, amid growing discontent with the country’s once-prized public health system. Spending in 2022 hit a total $11.36 billion, an increase of 7% over 2021, Spain’s Association of Insurers said Wednesday. It added that around 12 million

MILAN (AP) — German airline Lufthansa says it has submitted an offer for a minority stake in Italy’s ITA Airways Spa, formerly Alitalia. The Italian finance ministry said in a statement that the Lufthansa offer was the only one submitted by Wednesday’s deadline. No financial terms were disclosed. Lufthansa said it would have the option

By JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — Bill Browder, a leading critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, criticized the World Economic Forum on social media for jacking up his entrance fee to the annual meeting in Davos that he has attended for the last 27 years. Browder told The Associated Press that it

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — A government spokesperson says Cyprus has stripped 222 wealthy investors and their family members of citizenship. The revocations are part of efforts to mend a reputation sullied by an investment-for-passports program that an inquiry found had unlawfully granted citizenships in hundreds of instances. The government spokesperson said Wednesday that the 222

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP Retail Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Sales growth for the holiday 2022 season slowed more than expected from its blistering pace a year ago as higher borrowing costs and higher inflation made shoppers pull back, according to the nation’s largest retail trade group. The National Retail Federation said Wednesday that holiday

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is pushing ahead with a contentious plan to remove all remaining European Union laws from Britain’s statute book by the end of the year. Critics say the move is rash and unworkable. Thousands of pieces of EU law were cut-and-pasted into U.K.

By ERIC TUCKER and JOSH BOAK Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A Russian national who founded a cryptocurrency exchange the Justice Department says evaded U.S. regulations and became a haven for proceeds of criminal activity has been arrested. Federal officials say Anatoly Legkodymov was arrested Tuesday in Miami and was due in court Wednesday on

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government is fining British airline Virgin Atlantic up to $1.05 million for flying over restricted airspace in Iraq. The U.S. says the flights violated U.S. restrictions because Virgin Atlantic was flying the planes under a so-called code-sharing deal with U.S. carrier Delta Air Lines. The U.S. Transportation Department says the

CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) — Campbell’s Soup Co. plans to spend about $50 million to upgrade of its headquarters in New Jersey as it consolidates the central offices of snacks businesses from North Carolina and Connecticut. The company announced Wednesday it will add about 330 positions at the site in Camden, bringing the total jobs there

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Growing evidence that high inflation is finally easing shows that the Federal Reserve’s sharp interest rate hikes are working as intended, says Loretta Mester, a key Fed policymaker. But further rate hikes are still needed, she says, to decisively crush the worst inflation bout in four

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP Technology Writer SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Elon Musk was depicted Wednesday as either a liar who callously jeopardized the savings of “regular people” or a well-intentioned visionary as attorneys delivered opening statements at a trial focused on a Tesla buyout that never happened. Lawyers on opposing sides drew the starkly different

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer Cal Ripken and Cooperstown are connected again. Ripken’s eponymous tournaments for youth baseball players have merged with Cooperstown All Star Village under a new agreement with the owners of the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils. Josh Harris and David Blitzer have become majority investors in the deal announced

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP Retail Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Americans cut back on spending in December, the second consecutive month they’ve done so, underscoring how inflation and the rising cost of using credit cards slowed consumer activity over the crucial holiday shopping season. Retail sales fell 1.1% in December, following a revised 1% drop

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Wholesale prices in the United States rose 6.2% in December from a year earlier, a sixth straight slowdown and a hopeful sign that inflation pressures will continue to cool. The latest year-over-year figure was down from 7.3% in November and from a recent peak of 11.7%

By SALLY FRENCH of NerdWallet Resort fees that aren’t advertised as part of the room rate of a hotel stay can surprise many travelers when they see the final price. Some hotels say the separate fees help cover the costs of valuable amenities like classes or equipment rentals. Those fees may even encourage guests to

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO and MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writers NEW YORK (AP) — Party City is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after struggling with rising prices and a pullback in customer spending. The company, which operates more than 800 company-owned and franchise stores throughout North America, has faced increased competition from Walmart and Target.

By RONALD MONTOYA Edmunds Edmunds Top Rated Awards are bestowed annually upon the best vehicles of the year. The winners aced their Edmunds track tests and distinguished themselves as class leaders in extensive real-world evaluations. Edmunds came up with six winners for best car, SUV, truck and the electric versions of each. Some vehicles are

By UPENDRA MANSINGH and ANISH BHATTARAI Associated Press POKHARA, Nepal (AP) — Grieving relatives of plane crash victims in Nepal are growing impatient as they wait for authorities to conduct autopsies and hand the bodies for cremation. The Yeti Airlines flight with 72 aboard plummeted into a gorge on Sunday while on approach to the

BERLIN (AP) — Germany-based chemicals maker BASF says it is taking some 7.3 billion euros ($7.9 billion) in write-downs related to the exit from Russia of its Wintershall Dea gas and oil subsidiary. Wintershall Dea said late Tuesday that it “intends to fully exit Russia in an orderly manner complying with all applicable laws and

By JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told political leaders at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos that supplies of Western weapons must come quicker than Russia’s attacks, urging the world to move faster because “tragedies are outpacing life; the tyranny is outpacing democracy.” Zelenskyy, speaking by video

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Thousands of nurses in Britain walked out Wednesday in a new protest over pay, with no end in sight to a wave of strikes that has piled pressure on the U.K.‘s overburdened public health system. Two 12-hour nursing strikes on Wednesday and Thursday affect about a quarter

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese court has found three former utility company executives not guilty of negligence over the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster and the subsequent deaths of more than 40 elderly residents during their forced evacuation. The Tokyo High Court upheld a 2019 lower court decision that

By DANICA KIRKA Associated Press LONDON (AP) — U.K. inflation eased for a second month in December, boosting confidence that the cost-of-living crisis has peaked. The Office for National Statistics says consumer prices rose 10.5% in the year through December, down from 10.7% the previous month. Inflation peaked at a 41-year high of 11.1% in

HONG KONG (AP) — China games company NetEase Inc. says it has rejected a proposal from World of Warcraft creator Activision Blizzard to temporarily extend its partnership while the U.S. company seeks a new partner, in an escalating public spat. Blizzard said in November that its 14-year partnership with NetEase was set to end, spelling