When Costco opened its first store in China in 2019, it wasn’t just the hot rotisserie chickens and discounted Birkin bags that lured frenzied crowds. A fiery, throat-tingling liquor called Kweichow Moutai also flew off shelves. At 1,498 yuan, or $209 for a half-liter bottle, it might not sound like the kind of bargain Costco…… MORE

The National Rifle Association of America, the nation’s foremost gun lobby, has filed for voluntary bankruptcy in Texas, the organization said Friday. The group said it plans to leave New York and reincorporate as a Texas nonprofit, in an move it is calling “Project Freedom.” The NRA said it’s in its “strongest financial condition in…… MORE

The American Petroleum Institute, the nation’s largest and most powerful oil lobby, is losing one of its biggest members over a disagreement about addressing the climate crisis. France’s Total announced Friday it is quitting the API because of the lobby’s stances on regulation and carbon pricing as well as its support for politicians who oppose…… MORE

Now that Covid-19 vaccination efforts are ramping up, local health officials are on the hunt for locations that can quickly be converted into vaccination clinics, and malls across the country, battered by declines in in-person shopping, are starting to play a role. Mall operators are sitting on plenty of abandoned retail space that might be…… MORE

US lawmakers are asking for help from travel companies including bus operators, car rental companies and hotels to prevent an attack on the inauguration and investigate last week’s Capitol insurrection. Washington, DC, and states across the country are heightening security and preparing reinforcements this week ahead of potential armed protests from Saturday until at least…… MORE