AP National Business

By THOMAS ADAMSON AP Fashion Writer PARIS (AP) — The name Kim Jones dominated Paris fashion for a second week running as the indefatigable Briton who designs for Dior Men’s was back on the runway to present his latest couture collection for Fendi. Following in the steps of the late Karl Lagerfeld at the Roman

By JENNIFER PELTZ Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Federal labor officials say Amazon workers have lined up enough support to vote on whether to unionize a New York City warehouse. It’s a big step forward after a setback this fall for one of the first organizing drives at the nation’s largest online retailer. The

By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer Lowe’s is betting its customers want cans of dog food as well as cans of paint. The home improvement company is teaming up with Petco to offer pet departments within its stores. The first Lowe’s with a Petco is expected to open in February in Alamo Ranch, Texas. Fourteen

By HOPE YEN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is pledging to tackle a rising U.S. epidemic of car fatalities. Buttigieg is pushing a broad-based government strategy released Thursday aimed at limiting the speed of cars, redesigning roads to better protect bicyclists and pedestrians and boosting car safety features such as automatic

By DÁNICA COTO Associated Press SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Pay raises for teachers, firefighters, corrections officers and other employees have been included in a revised fiscal plan that will serve as Puerto Rico’s economic blueprint criticized by some as it emerges from bankruptcy. A federal board that oversees the U.S. territory’s finances approved

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden says 14.5 million Americans got private health insurance for this year under the Obama-era health law, thanks to help from his administration. Biden said Thursday health care should be a right, not a privilege, and a record number of people now have coverage under

NEW YORK (AP) — Stephanie Ruhle is replacing Brian Williams on the weeknight MSNBC broadcast ‘The 11th Hour,’ and the show ‘Morning Joe’ will expand to four hours. MSNBC made the programming announcement Thursday. Ruhle, who has been at MSNBC since 2016, will continue her role as a senior business analyst for NBC News. Williams,

By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer McDonald’s ended 2021 on a high note, with U.S. customers spending more and fewer restaurant closures in Europe. The burger giant said Thursday that global same-store sales rose 12.3% for the quarter. Analysts polled by FactSet were expecting a 10.5% increase.  But McDonald’s was still stung by rising prices

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge has denied a news media coalition’s request for public access to records of court-ordered community service by one of the rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol last year. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth says Anna Morgan-Lloyd’s community service records aren’t “judicial records” subject to

By ASHOK SHARMA Associated Press NEW DELHI (AP) — India and five central Asian countries have decided to set up a joint working group for providing aid to Afghanistan to tackle the humanitarian crisis and the issue of recognition of the Taliban. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hosted a virtual summit with leaders

By DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writer Stocks rose in late morning trading on Wall Street Thursday as markets settle down following several days of whiplash moves. The S&P 500 index rose 1.2%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.4% and the Nasdaq rose 1% Investors were encouraged to see strong figures for U.S. economic

AMSTERDAM (AP) — The European Medicines Agency has recommended that Pfizer’s coronavirus antiviral drug be authorized for use in the 27-nation European Union, the first time the agency has recommended a pill for treating COVID-19. In a statement on Thursday, the EU drug regulator said giving the green light to Paxlovoid, could help people infected

By MARK STEVENSON Associated Press CHERAN, Mexico (AP) — Regular citizens have taken the fight against illegal logging into their own hands in the pine-covered mountains of western Mexico. Over the last decade they have seen illegal logging clear the hillsides for plantations of water hungry avocado trees; where there are avocados, the water dries

By MATT OTT AP Business Writer SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — Average long-term U.S. mortgage rates were essentially flat this week after jumping nearly a half percent the past two weeks in anticipation of the Federal Reserve announcement of pending rate increases. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the average rate on the 30-year

By MATTHEW PERRONE AP Health Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Altria said Thursday that its heat-not-burn cigarette, iQOS, probably won’t be back in U.S. stores for at least a year. The maker of Marlboro cigarettes updated investors on the heated tobacco device, which is a key pillar of its plan to switch its business away from

The Associated Press Stocks are off to a solid start on Wall Street Thursday as markets settle down following several days of whiplash moves both up and down. Investors were encouraged to see strong figures for U.S. economic growth, which showed the biggest climb in GDP last year since 1984. The S&P 500 was up

ROME (AP) — Lawmakers and regional representatives have failed again to find consensus on a new Italian president. That’s even after the threshold for victory passed to a simple majority for the first time. The center-right abstained outright in Thursday’s fourth round of voting. It was a tactic to maintain the bloc’s unity but it

LONDON (AP) — European Union regulators have approved Facebook parent Meta’s purchase of customer service startup Kustomer, after the social network made concessions to ease concerns the deal wouldn’t squeeze out rivals. The EU Commission’s decision Thursday following an in-depth investigation clears an obstacle for the deal, which has been facing scrutiny over fears it

By MARK STEVENSON Associated Press CHERAN, Mexico (AP) — Regular citizens have taken the fight against illegal logging into their own hands in the pine-covered mountains of western Mexico. Over the last decade they have seen illegal logging clear the hillsides for plantations of water hungry avocado trees; where there are avocados, the water dries

By PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy grew last year at the fastest pace since Ronald Reagan’s presidency, bouncing back with resilience from 2020′s brief but devastating coronavirus recession. The nation’s gross domestic product — its total output of goods and services — expanded 5.7% in 2021. It was the