AP National Business

Associated Press BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — U.S. officials on Thursday solicited outside help as they craft definitions of old growth and mature forests under an executive order from President Joe Biden. The U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management issued a notice seeking public input for a “universal definition framework” to identify older forests

By MUNIR AHMED Associated Press ISLAMABAD (AP) — The International Monetary Fund says it has reached a preliminary agreement on a $6 billion bailout package for Pakistan. Thursday’s announcement sets the stage for the revival of the 2019 accord with the IMF for this majority Muslim nation. Pakistan has been facing a serious economic crisis

By FRANCES D’EMILIO Associated Press ROME (AP) — Italian Premier Mario Draghi offered to step down Thursday after a populist coalition ally refused to support a key government bill, but the nation’s president rejected the resignation, telling Draghi to see if he can still find a majority in Parliament willing to support him. Draghi’s broad

By MARIA GRAZIA MURRU and HANNA ARHIROVA Associated Press VINNYTSIA, Ukraine (AP) — Russian missiles struck a city in central Ukraine on Thursday, killing at least 23 people and wounding more than 100 others far from the front lines, Ukrainian authorities said. Ukraine’s president accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilians in locations without military value.

By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway now controls nearly 20% of Occidental Petroleum’s stock after picking up another $250 million worth of shares of the oil producer this week. Berkshire has been investing heavily in Occidental this year, including buying more than $1.2 billion of the Houston-based

By MATTHEW BROWN Associated Press BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — U.S. prosecutors suspect a Wyoming company of potentially concealing problems with a pipeline that broke in 2015 and spilled tens of thousands of gallons of crude into the Yellowstone River. The spill fouled the water supply of Glendive, Montana and took months to clean up. Operator

By FRANCES D’EMILIO Associated Press ROME (AP) — Italian Premier Mario Draghi has told his Cabinet he will offer his resignation on Thursday evening to the nation’s president, following the refusal of a populist coalition ally to support a key government bill. “The majority of national unity that has sustained this government from its creation

By DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks fell broadly in afternoon trading on Wall Street Thursday and banks were among the biggest weights on the market following weak earnings and a warning from JPMorgan Chase. The S&P 500 fell 0.4% as of 2:55 p.m. Eastern. More than 75% of companies

By KRUTIKA PATHI and KRISHAN FRANCIS Associated Press COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Protesters have retreated from government buildings in Sri Lanka, restoring a tenuous calm to the economically crippled country. And the embattled president at last emailed the resignation that demonstrators have sought for months. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled a day earlier under pressure

NEW YORK (AP) — Profits at JPMorgan Chase fell by 28% in the second quarter, as the bank tries to navigate an economy that’s showing strength in many areas but losing steam as interest rates continue to rise. The nation’s largest bank by assets said Thursday that profits fell to $2.76 per share from $3.78

By KRUTIKA PATHI and KRISHAN FRANCIS Associated Press COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Protesters retreated from government buildings Thursday in Sri Lanka, restoring a tenuous calm to the economically crippled country, and the embattled president at last emailed the resignation that demonstrators have sought for months. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled a day earlier under pressure

By MARIA GRAZIA MURRU and HANNA ARHIROVA Associated Press VINNYTSIA, Ukraine (AP) — Russian missiles that struck a city in central Ukraine killed at least 22 people and wounded about more than 100 Thursday, Ukrainian authorities said. Ukraine’s president alleged the attack deliberately targeted civilians in locations without military value. Officials said Kalibr cruise missiles

By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — President Joe Biden is widely expected to name a board of arbitrators to intervene in a freight railroad contract dispute before Monday’s deadline, and that will prevent 115,000 workers from going on strike for at least 60 days. Any strike or lockout could snarl the

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Christopher Waller, a member of the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors, said Thursday that he would be open to supporting a huge 1 percentage point increase in the Fed’s key short-term interest rate later this month if upcoming economic data points to robust consumer spending. Such

LONDON (AP) — Train drivers at eight British rail companies will go on strike later this month in the second large-scale industrial action set to affect commuters in July. The Aslef train drivers’ union said Thursday members will walk out for 24 hours on July 30 over pay disputes. The disruptions are expected to affect

By KAREEM CHEHAYEB Associated Press BEIRUT (AP) — A Lebanese minister is warning that the ruins of the Beirut Port silos, destroyed in a massive explosion two years ago, may collapse because of a recently ignited fire that is still smoldering. Hundreds of tons of highly explosive material that had been improperly stored in the

By KRUTIKA PATHI and KRISHAN FRANCIS Associated Press COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lankan protesters retreated from government buildings they seized and military troops reinforced security at the Parliament on Thursday, establishing a tenuous calm in a country in both economic meltdown and political limbo. Embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled a day earlier under

By NOHA ELHENNAWY Associated Press CAIRO (AP) — The U.S. Embassy in Libya says it’s concerned over the struggle for control of Libya’s oil corporation after its chairman was sacked. The embassy said in a statement on Thursday that it’s following the standoff over the leadership of Libya’s National Oil Corporation. The Tripoli-based government of

By DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks fell broadly in afternoon trading on Wall Street Thursday after another hot reading on inflation had investors bracing for another big interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve later this month. The S&P 500 fell 0.9% as of 12:01 p.m. Eastern. More than

By FRANCES D’EMILIO Associated Press ROME (AP) — Italian Premier Mario Draghi has won a confidence vote in the Senate but the future of his government is still in doubt after the 5-Star Movement boycotted the vote, throwing his coalition into crisis. The vote Thursday was 172-39, but 5-Stars senators were absent after confirming they