AP National Business

By ALAN FRAM Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Pivotal Sen. Joe Manchin has floated the broad outlines of a reconfigured social and environment package that aims half its resources at reducing federal deficits. The West Virginia Democrat described his ideas to reporters Wednesday, a day after President Joe Biden suggested refocusing his own more ambitious

By MARCY GORDON AP Business Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — State attorneys general have launched a nationwide investigation into TikTok and its possible harmful effects on young users’ mental health. It represents a widening of government scrutiny of the wildly popular video platform. The investigation was announced Wednesday by a number of states, including California, Montana,

By MARINA VILLENEUVE Associated Press New York could legalize to-go sales of cocktails, bottles of wine and other alcoholic beverages under a proposal Gov. Kathy Hochul boosted Wednesday at a wine bar in Brooklyn. State liquor regulators would have the power to limit how much wine and liquor restaurants and bars could sell in New

By DASHA LITVINOVA Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) — Ordinary Russians are feeling the painful effects of the West imposing sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, including payment systems that won’t operate, problems in being able to withdraw cash and difficulty in purchasing certain items. Dozens of foreign and international companies have pulled their

By BRIAN SLODYSKO Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A half-dozen U.S. lobbying firms have severed ties with Russian-linked businesses over the past week. It represents a dramatic pullback for an industry that typically has few qualms about representing controversial interests. Records show that firms including McLarty Associates, BGR Government Affairs and Venable LLP abruptly canceled

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP Retail Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon is closing all of its brick-and-mortar bookstores, as well as its 4-star shops and pop up locations. The closures come as the online behemoth reworks its physical footprint. The move affects 66 stores in the U.S. and two in the United Kingdom. The Seattle-based

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Wednesday: Nordstrom, Dycom rise; Abercrombie & Fitch, First Solar fall.

By MICHAEL TARM and JOHN O’CONNOR Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, for decades one of the nation’s most powerful state legislators, has been charged with racketeering and bribery. An indictment unsealed Wednesday accuses the 79-year-old Chicago Democrat of leading a criminal enterprise whose purpose was to enhance the political

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon is confirming it’s closing all of its physical bookstores as well as its 4-star shops and pop up locations as the online behemoth reworks its physical footprint. The Seattle-based company said Wednesday that the move, which affects 66 stores in the U.S. and two

By MATT OTT AP Business Writer SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — Bitcoin prices have surged as investors again appear to view the volatile cryptocurrency as a safe haven for their money and Russians and Ukrainians seek alternatives to their country’s financial institutions. After initially falling to around $34,000 following Russia’s advance into Ukraine last week,

By MICHAEL R. SISAK Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — A judge has rejected an effort by New York’s attorney general to put the National Rifle Association out of business, but will allow her lawsuit accusing top executives of illegally diverting tens of millions of dollars from the powerful gun advocacy organization to proceed. Manhattan

By GENE JOHNSON Associated Press SEATTLE (AP) — A trade group that represents some of the biggest U.S. food companies has agreed to pay $9 million for violations of Washington campaign finance laws, after the state Supreme Court upheld a penalty twice that much. The Consumer Brands Association said in January it intended to appeal

By ROB HARRIS AP Global Soccer Writer LONDON (AP) — Chelsea’s Russian owner Roman Abramovich has confirmed he is trying to sell the Premier League club he turned into an elite trophy-winning machine with his lavish investment. The speed of Abramovich’s looming exit from Chelsea is striking as he was trying to instigate a plan

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Chair Jerome Powell said he supports a traditional quarter-point increase in the Federal Reserve’s benchmark short-term interest rate when the Fed meets later this month, rather than a larger increase that some of its policymakers have proposed. But Powell did open the door to a bigger

By CATHY BUSSEWITZ AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The leaders of OPEC and its oil-producing allies are sticking with their plan to gradually increase oil production while Russia’s invasion of Ukraine rattles markets, reshapes alliances, kills civilians and sends the price of crude skyrocketing. The OPEC+ coalition of oil producers chose to increase

By MATT OTT AP Business Writer SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — Google-owned Fitbit has recalled 1 million of its Ionic smartwatches after dozens of users reported burn injuries because the battery overheated. The fitness gadget maker says consumers who bought the $299 watches with the model number FB503 should immediately stop using the product and

By DAVID PITT Associated Press DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Federal officials say bird flu has been detected in a backyard flock of chickens and ducks in western Iowa. It’s an especially troubling development for a state that is home to the nation’s largest number of egg-laying hens. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it

By GEOFF MULVIHILL and JOHN SEEWER Associated Press A judge said he is extending legal protections for members of the Sackler family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma by another three weeks to buy time to work out a new settlement to thousands of lawsuits over the opioid crisis. Also Wednesday, the mediator trying to

By TOM MURPHY AP Health Writer Pfizer’s new COVID-19 treatment came with a catch when it debuted late last year: It can take months to make the tablets. Company leaders say they have since expanded production and expect big gains in the next several months. That could help if another wave of cases develops later