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Bankruptcies — Sept. 19-20

The following people have made filings in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Pittsburgh. Chapter 7 involves selling assets to pay debts. Chapter 13 is a plan to pay debts using income. Chapter 11 involves reorganization to pay off debt. Filings by county include: Blair County Teresa L. Growden. Chapter 7. Aug. 26. Michael E. Finnegan. Chapter 7. Aug. 27. Cambria County Aaron M. Brezovic. Chapter 13. Aug. 24. Bonnie J. MacEwan. Chapter 7. Aug. 24. Nicholas Maicco. Chapter 7. Aug. 24. Felise M. Robertson. Chapter 7. Aug. 25. Melissa D. and Jason M. Litzinger. Chapter 7. Aug. ...

Carney embraces proposed EU associate membership

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday embraced the prospect of his country becoming the European Union’s first associate member, saying closer ties with the continent would ensure no country could control Canada’s markets or undermine its sovereignty. Carney’s speech to the ...

Jobless claims drop to 196,000

WASHINGTON — The number of people applying for unemployment benefits dropped sharply last week, another sign that layoffs remain rare and most Americans enjoy job security. The Labor Department reported Thursday that jobless claims slid to 196,000, the fewest since mid-July and down from 206,000 the week before. The four-week average of claims, which smooths out week-to-week volatility, dropped to 203,250. Economists had expected claims to come in at 207,500, according to a survey by the data firm FactSet. Claims for jobless benefits are a proxy for layoffs, and economists watch ...

Killing endangered animals while logging a forest or building a dam would not be considered illegal unless the animals were specifically targeted, under a new interpretation of the Endangered Species Act. A directive sent to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees this week says imperiled animals or plants must be intentionally targeted for their killing to be considered illegal. That’s a sharp turnaround from past practice at the wildlife service. Historically, it’s held people liable even for accidentally harming protected species such as grizzly bears, manatees and spotted ...

Stocks dip after Fed interest rate hike

NEW YORK — U.S. stocks slipped Wednesday after the Federal Reserve hiked its main interest rate for the first time in three years and suggested more may be ahead as it tries to get the nation’s high inflation under control. The S&P 500 fell 0.4% after giving up a modest gain from earlier ...

Federal Reserve expected to raise benchmark rate

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve is widely expected to lift its short-term interest rate Wednesday for the first time in three years to fight stubbornly high inflation, a move that would put the central bank at odds with President Donald Trump’s support for a cut. A quarter-point increase ...