MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A German-operated cargo ship and crew have been stuck at anchor outside the Lake Superior port of Duluth for close to a month for unspecified environmental violations, with no resolution in sight despite the upcoming closure of the St. Lawrence Seaway for winter, officials said Wednesday.
WATERFORD, N.Y. (AP) - General Electric Co. has agreed to pay a $2.25 million penalty for releasing unsafe levels of air pollution from a hazardous waste incinerator in upstate New York and submitting false pollution control records.
NEW YORK (AP) - The huge philanthropic pledge by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife - totaling perhaps $45 billion - reflects the fast-paced emergence of a new Gilded Age of giving. The changes excite many in the charity world but also raise questions about effectiveness, ethics and the impact on older charities that may not share in any windfall.
NEW YORK (AP) - The huge philanthropic pledge by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife - totaling perhaps $45 billion - reflects the fast-paced emergence of a new Gilded Age of giving. The changes excite many in the charity world, but also raise questions about effectiveness, ethics and the impact on older charities that may not share in any windfall.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Yahoo's board is considering an activist shareholder's demand to sell the Internet services the company is best known for, a maneuver that might help the company dodge a tax bill of more than $10 billion looming over its holdings in China's Alibaba Group.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A German-operated cargo ship and crew have been stuck at anchor outside the Lake Superior port of Duluth for close to a month for unspecified environmental violations and there's no resolution in sight despite the upcoming closure of the St. Lawrence Seaway for the winter, officials said Wednesday.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Heather and Bobby Hill found their pot of gold in cat poop. Sales of a litter box that automatically cleans itself have been creeping up for years but in the last two, they grew nearly 400 percent and turned December into the couple's busiest time of year instead of its slowest.
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Gov. Chris Christie signed a bill into law Wednesday that prohibits New Jersey from subsidizing developers who are in default on previous state loans.
Stocks sank Wednesday as a sharp drop in the price of oil dragged down energy companies. U.S. crude closed below $40 a barrel for the first time since August after the government reported a surprise jump in inventories, suggesting slack demand.
LE BOURGET, France (AP) - Attempts to inscribe a long-term goal to phase out carbon emissions in an envisioned global climate pact are facing pushback at U.N. talks from big developing countries including India and Brazil.
DETROIT (AP) - A heavy truck manufacturer has volunteered to recall more than 2,000 semis because they can travel at speeds greater than their tires can safely handle.
CANDIA, N.H. (AP) - A New Hampshire waterpark has been sold over the objections of its owner, who had chained himself to a slide tower to try to save the business.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said Wednesday that Republican rivals Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio would "slash" spending on projects to fix aging roads and bridges, urging Congress to pass a plan to rebuild the nation's transportation system.
WASHINGTON (AP) - A government report says U.S. health care spending last year grew at the fastest pace since President Barack Obama took office, driven by expanded coverage under his namesake law and zooming prescription drug costs.
WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. health care spending last year grew at the fastest pace since President Barack Obama took office, driven by expanded coverage under his namesake law and by zooming prescription drug costs, the government said Wednesday.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - NASA hopes to resume commercial shipments this week to the International Space Station, following months of frustrating delay.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Yahoo's board is considering an activist shareholder's demand to sell the Internet services the company is best known for, a maneuver that might help the company dodge a tax bill of more than $10 billion looming over its holdings in China's Alibaba Group.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton says Republican rivals Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio would "slash" spending on projects to fix aging roads and bridges, urging Congress to pass a plan to rebuild the nation's transportation system.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Federal Reserve says the U.S. economy grew at a modest pace this fall, lifted by higher consumer spending and more home sales and construction.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A German-operated cargo ship and crew have been stuck at anchor outside the Lake Superior port of Duluth for close to a month for unspecified environmental violations and there's no resolution in sight despite the upcoming closure of the St. Lawrence Seaway for the winter, officials said Wednesday.
Canadian Pacific expects to get a formal response soon from Norfolk Southern about whether the Virginia-based railroad wants to pursue a proposed merger.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Federal Reserve says the U.S. economy grew at a modest pace this fall, lifted by higher consumer spending and more home sales and construction.
NEW YORK (AP) - Soccer United Marketing, an affiliate of Major League Soccer, and IMG have won the bidding for commercial rights to next year's centennial Copa America.
PITTSBURGH (AP) - A man who the FBI says conned a South Korean steel company out of $375,000 by falsely claiming he could help them book a Pharrell concert has pleaded guilty to online dating scams that cost a western Pennsylvania woman and others nearly $1 million.
PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) - Welcomed by a military band and a guard of honor, Chinese President Xi Jinping began a state visit to South Africa on Wednesday, part of China's effort to strengthen economic ties with Africa.
NEW YORK (AP) - Internet company Yahoo on Wednesday released its list of the top 10 searches made on the site in 2015. Most of top searches were celebrities, including Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Aniston.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - I've been brewing beer in my kitchen and garage for a couple years, so I know how time-consuming and messy it gets. I had high hopes for a system that promises to eradicate those hassles.
IRVING, Texas (AP) - NFL owners began meeting Wednesday on potential relocation of teams to Los Angeles knowing that a vote is still a month or more away.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen on Wednesday indicated that the U.S. economy is on track for an interest rate hike this month, but she said the Fed will need to review incoming data before making a final decision.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - NASA hopes to resume commercial shipments this week to the International Space Station, following months of frustrating delay.
NEW YORK (AP) - Zafgen Inc. on Wednesday reported a second patient death in an ongoing study of its potential treatment for a rare genetic disorder linked to obesity.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen indicates that the U.S. economy is on track for an interest rate hike this month, but the Fed will need to review incoming data before making a final decision.
HELSINKI (AP) - Nokia shareholders have overwhelmingly approved the acquisition of ailing French telecom Alcatel-Lucent, removing one of the last hurdles to the 15.6 billion euro deal that will make the Finnish company a market leader in networks.
IRVING, Texas (AP) - NFL owners began meeting Wednesday on potential relocation of teams to Los Angeles knowing that a vote is still a month or more away.
WASHINGTON (AP) - It's deal-making time in Congress as lawmakers prepare to plow through a pile of must-pass legislation before heading home for the holidays.
LISBON, Portugal (AP) - Portugal's new anti-austerity prime minister said Wednesday he intends to free the country's middle-class from "suffocating taxes" as part of his plan to relaunch the economy, despite fears the belt-loosening could bring back the eurozone country's debt problems.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - I've been brewing beer in my kitchen and garage for a couple years, so I know how time-consuming and messy it gets. I had high hopes for a system that promises to eradicate those hassles.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) - A laboratory company in western Wisconsin and its owners have agreed to pay the federal government $8.5 million to settle claims it submitted false billing information to Medicare.
Throngs of Black Friday holiday shoppers and revelers provided cover for a million-dollar jewelry heist at a store at Santa Fe's scenic downtown plaza.
Toyota's 2016 Tacoma is a tough, capable pickup with new interior, more power than ever, better fuel efficiency than its predecessor and a built-in GoPro camera mount next to the rearview mirror to capture every adventure.
DOWNBEAT TREND: Small business hiring continued at a slower pace in November, with companies adding 81,000 jobs, payroll provider ADP said Wednesday, relying on data provided by its customers. Small company hiring has slowed in the second half of 2015, with an average 75,400 jobs added per month, compared to 107,000 the first six months of the year. In September, only 52,000 jobs were created.
BERLIN (AP) - A German supermarket chain's holiday TV ad has prompted floods of tears with its story about an old man whose children never visit, not even at Christmas.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court appears skeptical that state officials have the power to require health insurers to turn over reams of data revealing how much they pay for medical claims.
MOSCOW (AP) - Sharply raising the stakes in Moscow's spat with Ankara, Russia's top military brass on Wednesday accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his family of personally profiting from oil trade with Islamic State militants.
PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) - Welcomed by a military band and a guard of honor, Chinese President Xi Jinping began a state visit to South Africa on Wednesday, part of China's effort to strengthen economic ties with Africa.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Mark Zuckerberg's pledge to give away Facebook stock worth $45 billion puts him at the forefront of a philanthropic class that has promised to donate most of their fortunes.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Federal prosecutors have asked a judge to dismiss involuntary manslaughter charges against two BP supervisors worked on the rig where 11 workers died in a 2010 explosion.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Federal prosecutors have asked a judge to dismiss involuntary manslaughter charges against two BP supervisors who worked on the rig where 11 workers died in a 2010 explosion.
WASHINGTON (AP) - American businesses stepped up hiring last month, led by strong gains in retail, finance and other service industries, a private survey found.
NEW YORK (AP) - Zafgen Inc. on Wednesday reported a second patient death in an ongoing study of its potential treatment for a rare genetic disorder linked to obesity.
WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. productivity this summer grew at a faster rate than first thought, though it still lagged the pace set in the spring. Labor costs were also revised up, but the modest upward pace does not raise concerns about inflation.
WASHINGTON (AP) - American businesses stepped up hiring last month, led by strong gains in retail, finance and other service industries, a private survey found.
MOSCOW (AP) - Russia's top brass on Wednesday accused the Turkish president and his family of personally benefiting from the illegal oil trade with Islamic State militants.
ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Greek journalists are holding a 24-hour strike a day before a nationwide anti-austerity strike - the country's second in a month - that is expected to disrupt all public services.
MOSCOW (AP) - Authorities in Russia's Yakutia region in eastern Siberia say a landslide of diamond sands at a mine has blocked a road and damaged electricity pylons.
BRUSSELS (AP) - Inflation across the 19-country eurozone remained at a low annual rate of 0.1 percent in November, official figures showed Wednesday, in a development that strengthens the case for the European Central Bank to deliver a further big stimulus for the region this week.
BANGKOK (AP) - Thai officials on Wednesday acknowledged weaknesses that caused the United States to downgrade the safety rating of the country's aviation industry, saying its growth outpaced the ability of regulators to keep up.
BRUSSELS (AP) - Inflation across the 19-country eurozone held steady in November at 0.1 percent over the year, reinforcing the case for the European Central Bank to deliver a further big stimulus for the region this week.
MADRID (AP) - Official figures show the number of Spanish people registered as unemployed fell by 27,071 in November, the biggest drop on record for that month and welcome news for the conservative government ahead of Dec. 20 general elections.
WASHINGTON (AP) - It's deal-making time in Congress as lawmakers prepare to plow through a pile of must-pass legislation before heading home for the holidays.
MARYSVILLE, Wash. (AP) - Moving her finger over the laptop trackpad, 6-year-old Lauren Meek drags and drops a block of code to build a set of instructions. She clicks the "run" button and watches as the character moves through a maze. She then pumps her fist in excitement.
MARYSVILLE, Wash. (AP) - For this first time this fall, most elementary school students in the Marysville School District in Washington state are getting 40-minute weekly computer science lessons as part of their core instruction.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Environmental advocates will try to persuade the Utah Supreme Court Wednesday that the state's approval of an oil refinery expansion would add to air quality woes in northern Utah, parts of which suffer from some of the nation's worst air in winter.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Environmental advocates will try to persuade the Utah Supreme Court on Wednesday that the state's approval of expansion at the Tesoro oil refinery would add to northern Utah's air-quality woes.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - The threat of recession in Australia receded with new data on Wednesday showing the economy gathered pace in the most recent quarter as mining exports grew.
NEW YORK (AP) - A lawsuit filed in New York City claims seniors and disabled tenants are being forced out of their apartments by landlords who are increasingly converting rentals into lucrative condos and co-ops.
NEW YORK (AP) - Inspired by his own experience living in a New York City apartment building that was converted into high-priced condos, a 71-year-old former state regulator is taking on developers citywide on behalf of seniors and disabled tenants.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - The threat of recession in Australia has receded with new data showing the economy gathered pace in the most recent quarter as mining exports grew.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Asian stock markets were uneven Wednesday after weakness in U.S. economic data was tempered by an upbeat Australian growth report.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Talk about birth announcements: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife say they'll devote nearly all their wealth - roughly $45 billion - to solving the world's problems in celebration of their new baby daughter, Max.
BANGKOK (AP) - The United States has downgraded the safety rating of Thailand's aviation industry in a move that could hamper operations of Thai airlines worldwide.
BANGKOK (AP) - The Federal Aviation Administration has downgraded the safety rating of Thailand's aviation industry in a move that could hamper operations of Thai airlines worldwide.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Mark Zuckerberg's pledge to give away Facebook stock worth $45 billion puts him at the forefront of a philanthropic class that has promised to donate most of their fortunes.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The House and Senate have reached agreement on a 5-year, $281 billion transportation bill that would increase spending to address the nation's aging and congested highways and transit systems - a legislative feat that lawmakers and President Barack Obama have struggled throughout his administration to achieve.
BEIJING (AP) - A monthly survey shows that a contraction in Chinese manufacturing eased slightly in December, while service industries continued to expand.
Charitable giving is big business, and big businesses are increasingly strategic and thoughtful in how they approach their philanthropy. To examine how corporate philanthropy is changing, Columbus CEO and the Columbus Foundation teamed up to invite six local companies to discuss their approaches.
WASHINGTON (AP) - As President Barack Obama worked to hammer out a global climate agreement in Paris, Republicans in Congress moved to block his plan to force steep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. power plants.
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - The board tasked with writing rules for Alaska's recreational marijuana industry backtracked Tuesday and adopted stricter residency requirements for applicants for pot business licenses.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Google is being accused of invading the privacy of students using laptop computers powered by the Internet company's Chrome operating system.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The head of the Internal Revenue Service says agents investigating crimes won't continue using cellphone-tracking technology without seeking a warrant.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A federal judge says a minority owner of the well that spewed 130 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 must pay $159.5 million in Clean Water Act fines.
DUBLIN, Va. (AP) - Volvo Trucks will lay off 734 production workers at its plant in southwest Virginia due to a slowdown in demand, the company disclosed Tuesday.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The House and Senate have reached agreement on a 5-year, $281 billion transportation bill that would increase spending to address the nation's aging and congested highways and transit systems - a legislative feat that lawmakers and President Barack Obama have struggled throughout his administration to achieve.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - The nation's net farm income is the lowest since 2002, and with another year of low commodity prices, demand for agriculture loans is surging as farmers struggle to make ends meet.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife announced the birth of their daughter Max as well as plans to donate most of their wealth, or roughly $45 billion, to a new organization that will tackle a broad range of the world's ills.
Automakers released U.S. sales of new cars and trucks in November on Tuesday. Here are the top sellers, the number sold and the percent change from last November.
Stocks started off December on a strong note, helped by improving economic data from Japan and Europe as well as hopes that the European Central Bank will expand its stimulus program. Trading remained relatively quiet ahead of the release later this week of the U.S. government's monthly jobs survey and a Federal Reserve meeting later this month.
HAVANA (AP) - Gov. Greg Abbott enjoyed dinner and a private concert in Havana but made little progress in finding opportunities for Texas businesses on the second day of a three-day trip to Cuba.
HAVANA (AP) - Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has enjoyed dinner and a private concert in Havana but hasn't made much traction so far in finding opportunities for Texas businesses on a three-day trip to Cuba.
Puerto Rico is staggering under a $72 billion public debt load that its governor has said the U.S. territory cannot pay and must restructure. The island has missed a debt payment and its worsening economic crisis has spooked investors who fear it's headed toward default, with no options for a bailout or bankruptcy declaration. Here's a brief explanation of how Puerto Rico accumulated so much debt, how its territorial status complicates matters and how it could emerge from a nearly decade-long...
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday that it will add 2,000 jobs and invest $1.3 billion at the Kentucky Truck Plant to support production of new aluminum-body Super Duty trucks, deepening the automaker's ties to a city where it has two large production facilities.
LONDON (AP) - Five World Cup sponsors have written to FIFA's executive committee demanding "independent oversight" of the reform process in their latest intervention that highlights concerns about their links to soccer's scandal-battered governing body.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - Puerto Rico narrowly avoided a multimillion-dollar default on Tuesday by announcing a last-minute bond payment while warning that a deepening financial crisis has forced the government to divert money slated for future debt payments to avoid a shutdown of basic services.
NEW YORK (AP) - A company that makes copper-infused clothing agreed to pay $1.35 million to settle government charges that it falsely claimed that its garments could relieve pain and inflammation caused by arthritis, multiple sclerosis and other diseases.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - The nation's net farm income is the lowest since 2002, and with another year of low commodity prices, demand for agriculture loans is surging as farmers struggle to make ends meet.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - If the teasers, trailers and hints haven't sated your appetite for all things Star Wars in advance of the latest entry in the franchise, then it's time to tap into the force of fan films.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The House and Senate have reached agreement on a 5-year, $281 billion transportation bill that would increase spending to address the nation's aging and congested highways and transit systems.
NEW YORK (AP) - A company that makes copper-infused clothing will pay $1.35 million to settle government charges that it claimed falsely that its garments could relieve pain and inflammation caused by arthritis, multiple sclerosis and other diseases.
The following list represents the most viral tracks on Spotify, based on the number of people who shared it divided by the number who listened to it, from Friday Nov. 20, to Thursday, Nov. 26, via Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter and Spotify.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Jurors said Tuesday they are still deadlocked in the trial of ex-Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship, prompting a federal judge to advise them they can return a partial verdict if they agree on a portion of the charges.
The following list represents the most streamed tracks on Spotify, based on the number of people who shared it divided by the number who listened to it, from Friday Nov. 20 to Thursday, Nov. 26, via Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter and Spotify.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York regulators have proposed requiring banks to annually certify having sufficient programs to deter terrorism financing and money laundering.
UnitedHealth CEO Stephen Hemsley offered a mea culpa Tuesday for his company's decision to dive deeper into the Affordable Care Act's public insurance exchanges, a move that ultimately forced the nation's largest health insurer to cut its earnings forecast.