By Tami Luhby, CNN (CNN) — Creating a flat tax. Eliminating the federal gas tax. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who are vying for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, threw out some catchy phrases about their tax plans at CNN’s debate on Wednesday. But they did not provide many
Continue ReadingBy PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Higher energy and housing prices boosted overall U.S. inflation in December, a sign that the Federal Reserve’s drive to slow inflation to its 2% target will likely remain a bumpy one. Thursday’s report from the Labor Department showed that overall prices rose 0.3% from November and
Continue ReadingBy MARC LEVY Associated Press HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Some of the Native Americans the National Park Service was supposed to consult with say moving a statue of Pennsylvania’s founder William Penn from a Philadelphia historic site isn’t a priority for them. The park service quickly reversed that plan amid a backlash, but says it
Continue ReadingBy MATT OTT AP Business Writer The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits inched down to its lowest level in nearly three months last week as the U.S. labor market continues to flex its muscle in spite of elevated interest rates. Jobless claim applications fell to 202,000 for the week ending Jan. 6, down
Continue ReadingBy DEEPTI HAJELA Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The hundreds of television series on U.S. broadcast, cable and streaming platforms, and the executive producers creating them, are the subject of a new list — one that scores them for the diversity and inclusion of the people working both on screen and behind the scenes.
Continue ReadingBy DEEPTI HAJELA Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The hundreds of television series on U.S. broadcast, cable and streaming platforms, and the executive producers creating them, are the subject of a new list — one that scores them for the diversity and inclusion of the people working both on screen and behind the scenes.
Continue ReadingKABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The United Nations mission in Afghanistan says it’s deeply concerned by recent arbitrary arrests and detentions by the Taliban government of women and girls for allegedly violating dress codes regarding the Islamic headscarf, or hijab. The mission said it was looking into claims of ill treatment of women and extortion in
Continue ReadingBy PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Higher rents and food prices boosted overall U.S. inflation in December, a sign that the Federal Reserve’s drive to slow inflation to its 2% target will likely remain a bumpy one. Thursday’s report from the Labor Department showed that overall prices rose 0.3% from November and
Continue ReadingBy MICHAEL R. SISAK and JENNIFER PELTZ Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump ’s New York civil fraud trial is back in session Thursday for closing arguments after authorities responded to a bomb threat at the home of the judge who moved this week to prevent the former president from delivering his own
Continue ReadingBy MATT OTT AP Business Writer The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits inched down to its lowest level in three months last week as the U.S. labor market continues to flex its muscle in spite of elevated interest rates. Jobless claim applications fell to 202,000 for the week ending Jan. 6, down by
Continue ReadingBy JON GAMBRELL Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s navy has seized an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman that once was at the center of a major crisis between Tehran and Washington, a seizure that further escalates tensions in the Mideast waterways. The vessel was once known as the Suez
Continue ReadingBy KEN SWEET AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly a dozen new bitcoin funds began trading in U.S. markets for the first time Thursday, providing increased access to the cryptocurrency for everyday investors. ETFs give investors a way to get in on trading in oil, gold, corporate bonds and now bitcoin without actually
Continue ReadingBy HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer NEW YORK (AP) — A memoir that Lisa Marie Presley had been working on at the time of her death will be published this fall. The book, currently untitled, was completed with the help of actor Riley Keough, the eldest of Presley’s four children. “Few people had the opportunity
Continue ReadingLONDON (AP) — Microsoft says it is upgrading its cloud computing service to let customers store all personal data within the European Union instead of having it flow to the U.S. where national privacy laws don’t exist. The Seattle-based company said Thursday that the changes apply to services including Azure, Microsoft 365, Power Platform and
Continue ReadingBy JON GAMBRELL Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran confirmed on Thursday that its forces seized an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, which was reported earlier in the day to have been boarded by armed men in military uniforms. The state-run IRNA news agency ran a brief story acknowledging the
Continue ReadingBy ABDOULIE JOHN Associated Press SERREKUNDA, Gambia (AP) — A plane carrying Gambia’s national soccer team made an emergency landing after a sudden loss of oxygen during their flight to compete in the Africa Cup of Nations tournament. Gambia’s Football Federation says a chartered flight Wednesday carrying the team returned to Gambia’s capital Banjul after
Continue ReadingNICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — A migrants’ rights organization has criticized authorities in Cyprus for failing to speak out against an explosion that damaged its offices following threats against it by what it calls far-right and extremist groups. The Movement for Equality, Support, Anti-Racism nongovernmental organization says a makeshift explosive device detonated before dawn Jan. 5
Continue ReadingBy PETER SMITH Associated Press Post-pandemic burnout is at worrying levels among Christian clergy in the U.S., prompting many to think about abandoning their jobs, according to a new nationwide survey. More than 4 in 10 of clergy surveyed in fall 2023 had seriously considered leaving their congregations at least once since 2020, when the
Continue ReadingBy YURI KAGEYAMA and MATT OTT AP Business Writers Markets were slow to gain traction before the open Thursday while waiting for the latest U.S. inflation data. Futures for the S&P 500 gained 0.2% before the bell, while futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average were unchanged. Investors are watching for a U.S. inflation report
Continue ReadingBy The Associated Press The lawyer of Sergei Udaltsov, a Russian pro-war activist, says her client is being questioned over alleged terrorism offenses. Udaltsov heads the Left Front, a group of political parties who oppose President Vladimir Putin and are affiliated with Russia’s Communist Party. He was a prominent during the 2011-12 protests, which saw
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