European ministers call for profit caps on energy companies as Iran war drives price surge

The finance ministers of Spain and four other European countries are urging the European Union to impose a bloc-wide windfall tax on energy companies, concerned that surging oil and gas prices driven by the war in Iran will fuel inflation and strain households.

US employers added a surprisingly strong 178,000 jobs last month

WASHINGTON (AP) – American employers added a surprisingly strong 178,000 new jobs last month, rebounding from a dismal February. And the unemployment rate dipped to 4.3%. The Labor Department reported Friday that hiring marked a turnaround from the loss of 133,000 jobs in February.

Amazon slaps 3.5% surcharge as Iran war drives up fuel prices

NEW YORK (AP) – Amazon is slapping a 3.5% fuel and logistics surcharge on third-party sellers using its platform starting later this month amid a spike in fuel prices since the war in Iran started.

Editorials from The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian and others

Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad:

Why one Las Vegas newspaper just stopped printing its rival

LAS VEGAS (AP) – The Las Vegas Review-Journal announced Friday that it will no longer print its rival the Las Vegas Sun for the first time in decades, amid an ongoing legal dispute over the nation’s last joint operating agreement stemming from a 1970 law designed to preserve newspapers.

Company backed by Trump sons looks to sell drone interceptors to Gulf states

NEW YORK (AP) – A drone maker backed by President Donald Trump’s two oldest sons is trying to sell to Gulf countries while they are under attack by Iran and dependent on the U.S. military led by their father. The sales drive by Florida-based Powerus positions the company to potentially benefit from a war that their father began.

Checking a bag on United Airlines now costs $10 more as jet fuel costs soar

Most travelers flying with United Airlines will now pay $10 more to check their luggage beginning on Friday, as rising jet fuel costs driven by the war in the Middle East pushes another major U.S. carrier to increase fees.

White House scales back plan to dismantle the CFPB

NEW YORK (AP) – The Trump administration has scaled back its plans to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, laying out a plan for an agency that would be significantly smaller than it was under President Joe Biden but still bigger than the one President Donald Trump envisioned right after he took office.

Trump budget seeks $1.5T in defense spending alongside cuts in domestic programs

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump has proposed boosting defense spending to $1.5 trillion in his 2027 budget released Friday, the largest such request in decades, reflecting his emphasis on U.S. military investments over domestic programs.