THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Prime Minister Mark Rutte further eased the Netherlands’ coronavirus lockdown, allowing bars, restaurants, museums, theaters and other venues to reopen from Wednesday for the first time this year. But Rutte warned that the move wasn’t without risks. “We are taking a big step today to unlock the Netherlands while the…
Rihanna is backing her belief that climate change is a social-justice issue by pledging $15 million to the movement through her Clara Lionel Foundation. The “We Found Love” singer on Tuesday announced the donation to 18 climate justice organizations doing work in seven Caribbean nations and the United States. They include the Climate Justice Alliance,…
DENVER (AP) — The sight can be jarring during extreme drought: snowmaking guns lined up on a mountainside, blasting precious crystal flakes on a ski run while the rest of the land goes thirsty. Snowpack in the U.S. West has decreased by about 20% in the last century, making man-made snow more vital each year…
SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — U.S. consumer confidence declined this month as persistent inflation and the highly-contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus dinged the optimism of Americans. The Conference Board, a business research group, said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index — which takes into account consumers’ assessment of current conditions and the their outlook…
Credit card company American Express said Tuesday that its fourth-quarter profits rose 20% from a year earlier, as eager consumers spent record levels of money during the holiday season on the company’s namesake cards. AmEx posted a profit of $1.72 billion, or $2.18 a share, up from $1.44 billion, or $1.76 a share, a year…
Growing prescription drug and medical device sales nudged Johnson & Johnson past fourth-quarter earnings expectations, and the health care giant’s COVID-19 vaccine gained momentum as well. J&J’s one-shot vaccine rang up $1.62 billion in sales in the last quarter of 2021, or more than double what it had recorded before the quarter, as drugstores and…
An art installation inspired by Vice President Kamala Harris, The New York Times’ “The 1619 Project” and “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,” as well as charitable programs from Airbnb, Google, PayPal and the National Football League, are among the finalists for the inaugural Anthem Awards announced Tuesday. The awards — presented by The International…
ISTANBUL (AP) — Rescue crews in Istanbul and Athens dug through snow and ice Tuesday to clear paralyzed roads and rescue people stranded overnight in their cars after snowstorms and a massive cold front brought much of Turkey and Greece to a standstill. Two storm-related deaths were reported. Highways and roads in Istanbul became clogged…
TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares were mixed in muted trading Wednesday as many investors stayed on the sidelines ahead of a U.S. Federal Reserve meeting that will indicate how aggressive it will be in fighting inflation. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 slipped 0.7% in morning trading to 26,929.94. South Korea’s Kospi edged up 0.2% to 2,726.43….
BERLIN (AP) — Most countries have made little to no progress in bringing down corruption levels over the past decade, and authorities’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic in many places has weighed on accountability, a closely watched study by an anti-graft organization found Tuesday. Transparency International’s 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index, which measures the perception of…