Health

By JOSH BOAK – Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump launched the Paycheck Protection Program to catapult the U.S. economy into a quick recovery from the coronavirus pandemic by helping small businesses stay open and their employees working. President Joe Biden has tweaked it to try to channel more money to poorer communities … Read more

By BECKY BOHRER – Associated Press JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Authorities are investigating a natural gas leak discovered last week at a ConocoPhillips Alaska oil drilling site on Alaska’s north slope, officials said. Grace Salazar, a special assistant for the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, said Wednesday that the commission, which oversees oil and … Read more

By MARCY GORDON – AP Business Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers followed up on Wednesday by threatening to launch a criminal investigation into Amazon, asking the Justice Department to investigate whether the tech giant and senior executives obstructed Congress or broke other federal laws to testify to its competitive practices . The House Judiciary Committee … Read more

Gasoline prices are seen in front of a billboard promoting HBO’s Last Week Tonight in Los Angeles on Monday, March 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Jae C Hong) Jae C Hong WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden’s strategy in dealing with the domestic fallout of gas price hikes is for Americans to focus their anger on one man: … Read more

By FATIMA HUSSEIN – Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed an executive order on government oversight of cryptocurrency, prompting the Federal Reserve to consider whether the central bank should step in and create its own digital currency. The Biden administration views the cryptocurrency’s explosive popularity as an opportunity to examine … Read more

By ADAM BEAM and DON THOMPSON – Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed sending money back to taxpayers to offset record-high gas prices, but dismissed calls to increase oil drilling, saying he wanted the state “off the hook once and for all.” free from petro-dictators.” The average price of a … Read more

By STEVE KARNOWSKI and AMY FORLITI – Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minneapolis public school teachers picketed Tuesday demanding better wages and “safe and stable schools” as parents face an insecurity that has become all too well known during the coronavirus pandemic. Union leaders and school officials made it clear that the sides are far … Read more

The Keystone XL crude oil pipeline could be built by the first quarter of next year if the Biden administration reverses its decision to cancel the project.

By ZEKE MILLER, MIKE BALSAMO and JOSH BOAK – Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that the U.S. would ban all Russian oil imports and put a heavier burden on Russia’s economy in retaliation for invading Ukraine, but acknowledged that doing so will come at a cost to Americans, particularly at … Read more

By STEVE KARNOWSKI – Associated Press ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Teachers in the Minneapolis school district were scheduled to step down Tuesday in a dispute over wages, class sizes and mental health support for students, at least temporarily pausing classes for about 29,000 students in one of Minnesota’s largest school districts. Union members said … Read more