Bitcoin briefly hits an all-time high, less than two years after FTX scandal clobbered crypto

March 6, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin has hit an all-time high less than two years after the collapse of the crypto exchange FTX severely damaged faith in digital currencies and sent prices plunging. The world’s largest cryptocurrency jumped 4% this week and briefly surpassed $68,800 Tuesday, according to CoinMarketCap. That’s just above bitcoin’s previous record set in November 2021. The volatile asset soon fell some, standing at just under $62,000 as of 3 p.m. ET, but the price is still up more than 175% from one year ago. Gains in recent months have been fueled by the anticipation, ...

First over-the-counter birth control pill in U.S. begins shipping to stores

March 5, 2024

WASHINGTON (AP) — The first over-the-counter birth control pill will be available in U.S. stores later this month, allowing American women and teens to purchase contraceptive medication as easily as they buy aspirin. Manufacturer Perrigo said Monday it has begun shipping the medication, ...

Apple gets fined nearly $2B by the EU for hindering music streaming competition

March 5, 2024

LONDON (AP) — The European Union leveled its first antitrust penalty against Apple on Monday, fining the U.S. tech giant nearly $2 billion for unfairly favoring its own music streaming service by forbidding rivals like Spotify from telling users how they could pay for cheaper subscriptions ...

Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge picked up last month in sign of still-elevated prices

March 1, 2024

WASHINGTON (AP) — An inflation gauge favored by the Federal Reserve increased in January, the latest sign that the slowdown in U.S. consumer price increases is occurring unevenly from month to month. The government reported Thursday that prices rose 0.3% from December to January, up from ...

One Tech Tip: Don’t use rice for your device, here’s how to dry out your smartphone

March 1, 2024

LONDON (AP) — You were walking next to a swimming pool when you slipped and dropped your phone into the water. Or it slipped out of your hand when you were next to a filled bathtub or toilet. However your smartphone got wet, you now need to dry it. But what do you do? There’s lots of advice on the internet, some of it conflicting. Apple inserted itself into the debate recently when it put out an advisory that included a warning against using rice. Here are some things to keep in mind next time your phone has an unintended encounter with a liquid. What you should do Dry off the ...

Surge in Wendy’s complaints exposes limits to consumer tolerance of unstable prices

February 29, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — Consumers will pay more for a flight to Florida or for a hotel room during peak vacation times. They fork out more for a rush hour Uber ride, perhaps while grinding their teeth, and rely on apps like ParkWhiz or ParkMobile to book spots for their cars at premium prices. But a social media backlash this week to media reports that said fast-food chain Wendy’s had plans to increase menu prices during its busiest hours showed a limit to where, when and for what U.S. consumers will trade more cash for convenience. It looks like a Dave’s Double Combo or a Frosty won’t ...