AP National Business

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — AMC Entertainment Holdings has decided to exit Saudi Arabia’s fast-growing market amid heavy competition less than five years after the lifting of a decades-long ban on movie theaters. The world’s biggest cinema chain, which announced the decision on Tuesday, said it had always planned to eventually hand operations over

PRAGUE (AP) — Officials in the Czech Republic say the government will end checks on the country’s border with Slovakia that were renewed last year amid a new increase in migration. The government announced the move on Wednesday. The measure has been in place since Sept. 29 at 27 border crossings and was initially supposed

By WANJOHI KABUKURU Associated Press Local climate activists in Congo are hoping Pope Francis’ visit will help spur action to protect the country’s rainforest from oil and gas interests. The Pope’s call to protect Congo’s “great green lungs of the world” on Tuesday was welcomed by campaigners who see the papal visit as a fresh

BOSTON (AP) — The founder of a cryptocurrency and virtual payment services company who authorities say cheated dozens of investors and customers out of about $7.5 million has been sentenced to more than eight years in prison. My Big Coin Inc. founder Randall Crater was sentenced in federal court in Boston on Tuesday. Prosecutors say

By PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. job openings rose to 11 million in December, a sign the American labor market remains hot and a blow to the Federal Reserve’s efforts to cool it off. The Labor Department said Wednesday that openings were up from 10.4 million in November. Economists had expected

By JOSEPH WILSON Associated Press BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has traveled to Rabat along with 11 ministers before a meeting with Moroccan government officials. It’s part of the European country’s strategy to improve historically complex relations with its neighbor across the Strait of Gibraltar. The north African country is an

By THALIA BEATY Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Big Brothers Big Sisters America CEO Artis Stevens says the 119-year-old nonprofit long known for mentoring schoolchildren is now diversifying its programming. Stevens took over the organization two years ago. He said the fastest growing demand for mentoring is among young adults, ages 18-25. The organization

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — The presidents of Bulgaria and Serbia have launched the construction of the Bulgarian part of a gas link that is designed to diversify the energy supplies of a region that until recently was almost fully dependent on natural gas deliveries from Russia. The 85.5 million-euro ($93.2 million) project that got underway

By VADIM GHIRDA and STEPHEN McGRATH Associated Press BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — A Romanian court on Wednesday upheld a second 30-day detention for the divisive influencer and former professional kickboxer Andrew Tate who is held on suspicion of organized crime and human trafficking, an official said. Tate lost his appeal against a judge’s Jan. 20

By MILES BRANMAN Edmunds If you live in a colder climate, winter tires will add safety and confidence to your drives. Edmunds shares the key reasons why winter tires are worth the investment to tackle ice and snow. Winter tires give your vehicle improved traction, braking and handling in all cold-weather driving conditions compared to

By SALLY FRENCH of NerdWallet While some travelers cringe at the thought of greasy sausages and bland eggs served at the free hotel breakfast buffet, others say free breakfast ranks among their favorite aspects of travel. Hilton says “free breakfast” is the most used search filter on its website. In 2023, some hotels are revamping

LONDON (AP) — A top European Union official has told Elon Musk that Twitter needs to make progress in preparing for new digital regulations aimed at curbing hate speech, misinformation and other harmful content. EU Commissioner Thierry Breton and Musk held a video call Tuesday to assess Twitter’s readiness for the bloc’s new rules that

By KAREEM CHEHAYEB Associated Press BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s Central Bank has set a new exchange rate that effectively devalues the country’s currency by 90% but did little to bridge the gap with the soaring black market rate. Wednesday’s dramatic measure is meant to stabilize the free-falling Lebanese pound and eliminate the multiple exchange rates

NEW YORK (AP) — Hindenburg Research is a financial research firm with an explosive name and a track record of sending the stock prices of its targets tumbling. It’s back in the headlines for taking on one of the world’s richest men, Indian coal mining tycoon Gautam Adani. Last week it accused the Adani Group,

By SUSIE BLANN Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia is mustering its military might in the Luhansk region of Ukraine, officials said Wednesday, in what Kyiv suspects is preparation for an offensive as the first anniversary of Moscow’s invasion approaches. Also Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government continued its crackdown on alleged corruption with the

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — The U.K. Supreme Court has ruled that a viewing platform at London’s Tate Modern art gallery breached the privacy of residents of luxury apartments next door. The court said the scrutiny made residents feel like animals in a zoo and impeded “the ordinary use and enjoyment” of

By DAVID KLEPPER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — As if running a restaurant during a pandemic wasn’t tough enough, Christopher Wong also had to contend with a racist troll. “I will not have my dog eat in this place because they might cook him,” read the Yelp review of Wong’s eatery, the Curry Up Cafe

By FATIMA HUSSEIN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Apple and Google say they disagree with a Commerce Department report accusing them of operating mobile app stores that stifle competition. President Joe Biden is convening his competition council for an update on efforts to promote competition and lower prices. Wednesday’s Commerce Department report says the current