AP National Business

By LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — A judge kept secret that two of Sam Bankman-Fried’s closest associates had turned against him so the cryptocurrency entrepreneur wouldn’t get spooked and fight extradition from the Bahamas, according to court transcripts made public Friday. U.S. prosecutors in New York waited until Bankman-Fried, the founder of

By MATT OTT AP Business Writer CEO Elon Musk says he won’t sell any more shares in Tesla for 18 months or more, likely an attempt to comfort shareholders of the electric vehicle company who have watched the stock lose nearly half of its value since Musk’s purchase of Twitter went through in October. Musk

BERLIN (AP) — The German government says it is formally suspending export credit and investment guarantees for business in Iran in the wake of authorities’ crackdown on protests. The Economy Ministry said Friday that it also has suspended other “economic formats” including a dialogue on energy issues, in view of “the very serious situation in

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A grisly pre-Christmas killings of two young men and their uncle at an early 1900s house in Mexico City is putting attention on the dark side of the capital’s booming property market. The violence is fomented by a lack of legal documents and gangs that illegally seize properties. Actor Andrés Tirado,

By PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — A measure of inflation closely watched by the Federal Reserve slowed last month, another sign that a long surge in consumer prices seems to be easing. Friday’s report from the Commerce Department showed that prices rose 5.5% in November from a year earlier, down from a

By DEREK GATOPOULOS Associated Press LYKOFI, Greece (AP) — Accompanied by a cloud of mosquitos, Police Capt. Konstantinos Tsolakidis and three other border guards set out on a boat patrol along the Evros River that forms a natural frontier between Greece and Turkey. The route takes them through a maze formed by tall reeds, past

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and JILL BLEED Associated Press MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Tens of millions of Americans endured bone-chilling temperatures, blizzard conditions, power outages and canceled holiday gatherings Friday from a winter storm that forecasters said was nearly unprecedented in its scope, exposing about 60% of the U.S. population to some sort of winter weather

By E. EDUARDO CASTILLO Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sounded another defiant note on his return to his nation’s capital following his wartime visit to the United States. He said Friday that Ukrainian forces are “working toward victory” even as Russia launched new strikes across the country. Zelenskyy posted on

LONDON (AP) — Air travelers are facing possible delays at U.K. airports as government employees who check passports go on strike. The walkout Friday is the latest in a spate of walkouts over pay amid a cost-of-living crisis. France braced for similar Christmas travel disruption, with a weekend rail strike starting to bite on Friday.

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Cabinet has approved record defense spending next year in preparation for the country deploying U.S.-made Tomahawks and other long-range cruise missiles as part of a more offensive security strategy. The budget Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s Cabinet approved Friday will surge to a record $55 billion, a

By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) — Shares rose Monday in Asia in thin post-Christmas holiday trading, with markets in Hong Kong, Sydney and several other places closed. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index gained 0.5% to 26,367.40 and the Kospi in Seoul added 0.2% to 2,317.48. The Shanghai Composite index surged 0.7% to 3,067.54

By MICHAEL REZENDES and HELEN WIEFFERING Associated Press The video of a man raping his 9-year-old daughter was discovered in New Zealand in 2016 and triggered a global search for the little girl. Investigators contacted Interpol and the pursuit eventually included the FBI, the U.S. State Department and the Department of Homeland Security. Months later,

By MICHAEL REZENDES and HELEN WIEFFERING Associated Press The video of a man raping his 9-year-old daughter was discovered in New Zealand in 2016 and triggered a global search for the little girl. Investigators contacted Interpol and the pursuit eventually included the FBI, the U.S. State Department and the Department of Homeland Security. Months later,

By SHEIKH SAALIQ Associated Press NEW DELHI (AP) — India has begun randomly testing international passengers arriving at its airports for COVID-19 after an increase in cases in neighboring China. Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced the new rule Thursday and urged state governments to increase surveillance for any new coronavirus variants and send samples of

By MATT O’BRIEN AP Technology Writer Microsoft is headed for a battle with the Federal Trade Commission over whether the U.S. will block the tech giant’s planned takeover of video game company Activision Blizzard. Microsoft on Thursday filed a formal response to the FTC lawsuit’s declaring the $68.7 billion deal an illegal acquisition that should

By SAMYA KULLAB and QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA Associated Press BAGHDAD (AP) — There are three “Starbucks” cafes in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, all serving authentic Starbucks coffee in authentic Starbucks cups. But they’re unlicensed by the international chain. Iraq has emerged as a hub for trademark violations and piracy that cuts across sectors. The Iraqi government

CAIRO (AP) — The Central Bank of Egypt has raised interest rates as the country continues to battle double-digit inflation amid a sharp currency devaluation. The bank’s monetary policy committee announced Thursday that the most basic lending rate, the overnight deposit rate, was increased from 13.25% to 16.25%. Egypt’s economy has been hit hard by

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — An explosion hit a propane gas storage unit on the Moroccan coast, sending balls of flames into the sky. No casualties were reported in the fire Thursday in Mohammedia, an Atlantic port 15 kilometers north of Casablanca. According to local authorities, five tank trucks were destroyed in the fire. An investigation

By MAYSOON KHAN Associated Press/Report for America ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Just in time for Christmas, New York legislators passed a bill in both houses on Thursday that will make them the best-paid state lawmakers in the nation. If signed by the governor, members of the state Assembly and Senate will make a base salary

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A National Labor Relations Board decision means only union members may work heavy-lift equipment at a new shipping terminal in one of the nation’s largest maritime centers. The Dec. 16 order against the Port of Charleston in South Carolina brings an end to the “hybrid” union-non-union employment model long implemented by

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — As the U.S. deals with its deadliest overdose crisis to date, a national crime-prevention group is calling on the Justice Department to clamp down on social media’s role in the spread of fentanyl, the drug largely driving a troubling spike in overdose deaths among teenagers. The National

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Thursday: CarMax Inc., down $2.17 to $57.20. The used car dealership chain’s third-quarter earnings and revenue fell short of analysts’ forecasts. Micron Technology Inc., down $1.76 to $49.43. The chipmaker gave investors a weak financial forecast and said it is reducing its

The Associated Press Stocks closed lower on Wall Street as stronger-than-expected reports on the economy caused worries to flare about interest rates staying high. The S&P 500 closed 1.4% lower after being down as much as 2.9% earlier. The Nasdaq and the Dow also fell. Employers laid off fewer workers than anticipated last week and

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Micron will reduce its workforce by 10% next year and take other cost-cutting measures as the computer memory chip maker struggles to deal with too much supply amid a drop in demand. Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra announced the restructuring during during a quarterly conference call with investors Wednesday, noting that prices

The Associated Press Benchmark U.S. crude oil for February delivery fell 80 cents to $77.49 a barrel Thursday. Brent crude for February delivery fell $1.22 to $80.98 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline for January delivery fell 1 cent to $2.25 a gallon. January heating oil fell 1 cent to $3.13 a gallon. January natural gas fell

By FATIMA HUSSEIN and MEG KINNARD Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democratic-controlled House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday voted to release former President Donald Trump’s tax returns, raising the potential of additional revelations in the coming days related to the finances of the longtime businessman who broke political norms by refusing to voluntarily

By JOHN RABY Associated Press CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A company that plans to make batteries for the U.S. energy grid will locate its first full-scale manufacturing plant in a former steel town in West Virginia. Form Energy is making a $760 million investment in the facility in Weirton. Gov. Jim Justice says the plant

By LISA MASCARO AP Congressional Correspondent WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has taken action after disclosures the IRS never fully reviewed Donald Trump’s tax returns during his presidency. The Democratic-controlled House has passed a bill that would require audits of any president’s income tax filings. The legislation would turn what had been a long-standing post-Watergate

By TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer The U.S. government’s highway safety agency said Thursday it will send teams to investigate two November crashes in California and Ohio involving Teslas that may have been operating on automated driving systems. The probes bring to 35 the number of crashes investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

By KEVIN FREKING Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed a massive $1.7 trillion spending bill Thursday that finances federal agencies through September and provides another significant round of military and economic aid to Ukraine one day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s dramatic address to a joint meeting of Congress. The bill, which runs

By ED DAVEY SAN MARTIN, Peru (AP) — Rolando Zumba, a gentle 59-year-old, wept, though the moment he described took place many years ago. Nothing has been the same since that day, when a park ranger took away his hunting rifles. Now where there was once self-sufficiency, hunger has stalked his village. Zumba’s story has

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and JILL BLEED Associated Press MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Thousands of flights were canceled and homeless shelters were overflowing Thursday amid one of the most treacherous holiday travel seasons the U.S. has seen in decades, with temperatures plummeting 50 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas and forecasters warning of an impending “bomb cyclone”

By ANDREW SELSKY Associated Press DAMASCUS, Oregon (AP) — At a woodsy retreat center in Oregon, some 30 men and women are seated or lying down, masks covering their eyes and listening to serene music. They are among the first crop of students being trained how to accompany patients tripping on psilocybin, as Oregon prepares

By MATT OTT AP Business Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Slightly more Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week as the labor market continues to show strength even as the Federal Reserve has tried for nearly a year to slow the economy by raising its main lending rate. The Labor Department reported Thursday that applications for

By SUMAN NAISHADHAM Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Forest carbon credits are promises that companies, individuals and governments can buy to counteract their emissions by paying to plant or protect trees. Trees store carbon in their tissue, which means that the taller and healthier a tree grows, the more carbon it can store. Soils and

By PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Shrugging off rampant inflation and rising interest rates, the U.S. economy grew at an unexpectedly strong 3.2% annual pace from July through September, the government reported Thursday in a healthy upgrade from its earlier estimate of third-quarter growth. The rise in gross domestic product — the

By ED DAVEY SAN MARTIN, Peru (AP) — Rolando Zumba, a gentle 59-year-old, wept, though the moment he described took place many years ago. Nothing has been the same since that day, when a park ranger took away his hunting rifles. Now where there was once self-sufficiency, hunger has stalked his village. Zumba’s story has

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria’s only nuclear plant has signed a deal with Westinghouse Electric Sweden to provide nuclear fuel for one of its reactors, in a bid to diversify its energy supplies. The Kozloduy plant currently uses nuclear fuel supplied by Russian firm Rosatom to operate the two Russian-designed VVER-1000 nuclear reactors that generate

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Court of Justice says online retail giant Amazon may be in breach of luxury shoemaker Christian Louboutin’s trademark rights over the sale of counterfeit red-soled high-heeled shoes on its platform. Third-party sellers on Amazon regularly advertise red-soled shoes, and Louboutin brought cases against Amazon in Belgium and Luxembourg arguing that

By HYUNG-JIN KIM Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s spy agency says North Korean hackers have stolen an estimated 1.5 trillion won ($1.2 billion) in cryptocurrency and other virtual assets in the past five years, more than half of it this year alone. North Korea is believed to have turned to illegal

By SABINA NIKSIC Associated Press ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — More than nine years after Croatia became the European Union’s newest member, the country is on a roll to make the most of its status as the EU member in the Balkans. Croatia is adopting the EU’s common currency, the euro, and joining the Schengen Area,

By CIARÁN GILES Associated Press MADRID (AP) — Spain kicked off the winter holidays with its huge Christmas lottery known as “El Gordo,” and an unemployed Peruvian woman was among the winners of The Fat One’s top 400,000-euro ($425,000) prize Thursday. The winning ticket number was announced in Madrid’s Teatro Real opera theater, where the

BERLIN (AP) — The German government says it has nationalized energy company Uniper after the European Union gave its blessing for it to rescue the gas supplier. The government announced its plan to nationalize Uniper in September, expanding state intervention in the energy sector to prevent a shortage resulting from Russia’s war in Ukraine. The

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japan has adopted a plan to extend the lifespan of nuclear reactors, replace the old and even build new ones. That’s a major shift in a country scarred by the Fukushima disaster that once planned to phase out atomic power. In the face of global fuel shortages,

By ELAINE KURTENBACH and MATT OTT AP Business Writers Wall Street pointed slightly higher in premarket trading Friday as investors await the government’s final inflation-related report of the year. Futures for the S&P 500 rose 0.2% and futures for the Dow Jones Industrials were up 0.3%. On tap Friday is the Commerce Department’s consumer spending

By FATIMA HUSSEIN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — An IRS policy governing the audits of tax returns filed by U.S. presidents is under new scrutiny after a report published by a congressional panel found the agency failed to perform the mandatory inspection of Donald Trump’s returns until Congress pressed for information about the process. The

By JONATHAN MATTISE Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The U.S. Senate has confirmed six long-waiting nominees by President Joe Biden to the board of the nation’s largest public utility, establishing a new majority with Biden’s picks. Tennessee Valley Authority spokesperson Ashton Davies said the Senate confirmed the six by unanimous consent Wednesday. The nine-member

The Associated Press Stocks rose on Wall Street, lifting major indexes into the green for the week as investors welcomed a report showing consumer confidence is holding up better than expected. That’s despite the Federal Reserve’s campaign to fight inflation by reining in the economy with sharp increases in interest rates. The Dow Jones Industrial

By STEPHEN GROVES Associated Press SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem says a recent review of the state’s investment portfolio found the state did not hold any direct investments in China. But South Dakota has stakes in several emerging market funds that invest in the Asian economic power. The Republican governor

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Wednesday: Nike Inc., up $12.57 to $115.78. The athletic apparel maker reported strong fiscal second-quarter financial results. FedEx Corp., up $5.64 to $169.99. The package delivery company’s fiscal second-quarter earnings beat Wall Street forecasts. Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, down $1.23 to $13.20. The

By SCOTT SONNER Associated Press RENO, Nev. (AP) — Days after U.S. wildlife officials declared a Nevada wildflower endangered at the site of a proposed lithium mine, federal land managers are initiating a review of the project plans the developer says will allow the mine and flower to co-exist. The Interior Department’s Bureau of Land

By MADDIE BURAKOFF AP Science Writer NEW YORK (AP) — An arctic blast has brought extreme cold, heavy snow and intense wind across much of the U.S. — just in time for the holidays. The weather system, dubbed a “bomb cyclone,” is disrupting travel and causing hazardous winter conditions. Where is this winter weather coming

The Associated Press Investors found few, if any, places to safely put their money in 2022, as central banks in the U.S. and around the globe raised interest rates for the first time in years to fight surging inflation, stoking fear of a global recession. Uncertainty about how far the Federal Reserve and other central

NEW YORK (AP) — The first legal dispensary for recreational marijuana in New York is set to open Dec. 29, marking a long-awaited launch of a cannabis industry that could become one of the country’s most lucrative. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday that Housing Works, a minority-controlled nonprofit in Manhattan that serves people with HIV

By ADRIANA MORGA Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The holidays are supposed to be a joyful time, but they can also be financially stressful. With gifts, social gatherings and plane tickets home, the costs can start piling up. With inflation still high, 57% of Americans say it has been harder to afford the gifts

By MEAD GRUVER Associated Press CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Software engineer Jae Yang got a lot of questions from friends when he moved from Silicon Valley with plans to launch his cryptocurrency exchange not in the up-and-coming urban crypto hubs of Miami or Austin, Texas, but the windswept plains of southeastern Wyoming. While the collapse

The Associated Press Investors found few, if any, places to safely put their money in 2022, as central banks in the U.S. and around the globe raised interest rates for the first time in years to fight surging inflation, stoking fear of a global recession. Uncertainty about how far the Federal Reserve and other central

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A group of gamers is suing to stop Microsoft from buying video game publisher Activision Blizzard, arguing that the $68.7 billion acquisition would stifle competition and reduce consumer choice. The lawsuit was filed late Tuesday in a U.S. federal court in San Francisco on behalf of 10 individual gamers who are

By JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press GENEVA (AP) — World Trade Organization arbitrators have concluded the United States violated its rules in requiring that products from Hong Kong be labeled as “Made in China.” The move was part of Washington’s response to a crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong in 2019-2020. A WTO dispute panel

By KEN SWEET, REBECCA BLACKWELL and LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Two of Sam Bankman-Fried’s top associates secretly pleaded guilty to criminal charges in the collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX and are cooperating with investigators, a federal prosecutor announced Wednesday as the digital coin entrepreneur was being flown in FBI custody

By ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes slowed for the tenth month in a row in November, constrained by a tight inventory of properties on the market and mortgage rates averaging more than double what they were a year ago. The National Association of Realtors said

BERLIN (AP) — The German government said Wednesday that it opposes bailed-out national carrier Lufthansa’s plans for bonus payments to executives. German business daily Handelsblatt reported that the airline’s board agreed to give bonuses to top managers for the years 2021 and 2022. Lufthansa declined to confirm this, but said bonus payments wouldn’t be made

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus’ energy ministry says a consortium made up of energy companies Eni of Italy and France’s Total is expediting plans to develop natural gas deposits following the discovery of a third field containing 2-3 trillion cubic feet of the hydrocarbon inside the same licensed exploration area. The ministry announced the discovery

By CLAIRE SAVAGE Associated Press/Report for America CHICAGO (AP) — As a kid, Kevin Fair would take apart his Nintendo console, troubleshoot issues and put it back together again — experiences the Black entrepreneur says represented “a life trajectory changing moment” when he realized the entertainment system was more than a toy. “I think I

By JACKIE VELING of NerdWallet If you bought an unsuccessful gift this holiday season with a “buy now, pay later” plan, you or the recipient might be wondering how to return it. Buy now, pay later returns are sometimes tricky because you’re dealing with multiple parties, including the store the gift is from and the

By RONALD MONTOYA Edmunds A number of people with convertibles or fun weekend cars will store them for the winter season. With this in mind, the experts at Edmunds have put together a list of best practices when storing your vehicle to help preserve the life of the engine and ensure that your car starts

By VANESSA GERA Associated Press WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Prices are surging in Poland, making it among the European Union nations with the highest inflation rates. The state statistics office registered inflation of 17.5% in November compared with the previous year. It is a painful situation for people in a country like Poland, which has

By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer Concerns about illness or inflation aren’t stopping Americans from hitting the roads and airports this holiday season. But a massive winter storm might. Forecasters predict an onslaught of heavy snow, ice, flooding and powerful winds from Thursday to Saturday in a broad swath of the country, from the Plains

By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Shippers are praising the proposed changes that federal regulators have approved to the system used to dispute the rates railroads charge. The rules would update the current system that is so costly and cumbersome it is little used. The new procedures the U.S. Surface Transportation

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico plans to ask U.S. President Joe Biden for as much as $48 billion in financing for solar projects. Foreign Relations Secretary Marcel Ebrard said Tuesday the request will be presented to Biden at the upcoming Jan. 9-10 meeting of U.S., Canadian and Mexican leaders in Mexico City. Mexico hopes to

By BEN FINLEY Associated Press The latest injuries from airplane turbulence were on flights to Honolulu and Houston, leading to a total of 41 people being hurt or receiving medical treatment in just two days — Sunday and Monday. Back in July, severe turbulence led to at least eight minor injuries on a flight to

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — State officials on Tuesday released a draft permit that includes tougher provisions for the U.S. government to meet if it wants to continue dumping radioactive waste from decades of nuclear research and bomb-making in the New Mexico desert. The public will have the next 60

The Associated Press Stocks closed modestly higher on Wall Street, while bond markets around the world felt pain after a surprise move from Japan’s central bank cranked the pressure even higher on the already slowing global economy. The S&P 500 closed 0.1% higher Tuesday after flipping between small losses and gains in the morning. The

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Tuesday: Blucora Inc., up $2.78 to $25.34. The wealth management company completed the sale of its TaxAct tax prep software. Wells Fargo & Co., down 84 cents to $40.98. The bank will pay $3.7 billion to settle charges that it charged illegal

The Associated Press Benchmark U.S. crude oil for January delivery rose 90 cents to $76.09 a barrel Tuesday. Brent crude for February delivery rose 19 cents to $79.99 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline for January delivery rose 4 cents to $2.22 a gallon. January heating oil rose 1 cent to $3.06 a gallon. January natural gas

By JAMES POLLARD Associated Press/Report for America COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A series of lawsuits beginning in South Carolina detail the alleged sexual abuse of at least 20 cheerleaders across six states. But the lawsuits don’t stop there. Lawyers are also pursuing the same organized crime charges recently brought against high-profile defendants like Harvey Weinstein

By MEGAN JANETSKY Associated Press HAVANA (AP) — Nonfungible tokens, or NFTs, have offered Cuban artists a lifeline during the pandemic, which wreaked havoc on the island country’s tourism industry and, subsequently, its art sales. The digital images registered on a blockchain and generally purchased with cryptocurrencies have offered them a way to profit from

By MATT OTT AP Business Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Chemical and consumer products maker 3M will phase out the manufacturing of so-called “forever chemicals” and try to get them out of all their products within two years. The announcement Tuesday comes after U.S. environmental regulators in August designated the chemicals — used in cookware, carpets