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Russia has attempted to fully block WhatsApp in the country, the company said, the latest move in an ongoing government effort to tighten control over the internet.

A WhatsApp spokesperson said late Wednesday that the Russian authorities’ action was intended to “drive users to a state-owned surveillance app,” a reference to Russia’s own state-supported MAX messaging app that’s seen by critics as a surveillance tool.

“Trying to isolate over 100 million people from private and secure communication is a backwards step and can only lead to less safety for people in Russia,” the WhatsApp spokesperson said. “We continue to do everything we can to keep people connected.”

Russia’s government has already blocked major social media like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and ramped up other online restrictions since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said WhatsApp owner Meta Platforms should comply with Russian law to see it unblocked, according to the state Tass news agency. read more

Q: I let my cousin stay with me for a couple of weeks while she was having some issues. Those couple of weeks have now turned into a couple of months, and I can’t really deal with her anymore. How do I get her out? — Sheila

A: Sometimes situations that begin with good intentions become more complicated than expected. Offering a helping hand to a loved one in need is admirable, but when a temporary arrangement extends far beyond the original timeline, it can create tension and strain.

First, communication is essential. Sit down with your cousin for an honest, direct conversation about what is happening.

Be kind but firm. This is not the time to avoid the issue.

Explain that the arrangement has gone beyond what you originally agreed to and why it is no longer sustainable for you. Set a clear deadline for when she needs to move out, and make sure she understands it is a firm boundary, not a suggestion.

It helps to put this in writing, even a follow-up text or email, so there is no confusion later. Keep a record of your conversations and any steps you take, in case you need documentation later. read more

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Activists planned protests at more than two dozen Target stores around the United States on Wednesday to pressure the discount retailer into taking a public stand against the 5-week-old immigration crackdown in its home state of Minnesota.

ICE Out Minnesota, a coalition of community groups, religious leaders, labor unions and other critics of the federal operation, called for sit-ins and other demonstrations to continue at Target locations for a full week. Target’s headquarters are located in Minneapolis, where federal officers last month killed two residents who had participated in anti-ICE protests, and its name adorns the city’s major league baseball stadium and an arena where its basketball teams plays.

“They claim to be part of the community, but they are not standing up to ICE,” said Elan Axelbank, a member of the Minnesota chapter of Socialist Alternative, which describes itself as a revolutionary political group. He organized a Wednesday protest outside a Target store in Minneapolis’ Dinkytown commercial district. read more

By DEE-ANN DURBIN, AP Business Writer

Kraft Heinz said Wednesday it’s pausing its plans to split into two companies.

Steve Cahillane, a former Kellogg Co. chief who became CEO of Kraft Heinz on Jan. 1, said he wants to ensure that all of the company’s resources are focused on profitable growth.

“I have seen that the opportunity is larger than expected and that many of our challenges are fixable and within our control,” Cahillane said in a statement.

The company’s shares were flat in morning trading Wednesday as Kraft Heinz reported lower quarterly and annual results. Investors are likely concerned that Kraft Heinz believes its businesses aren’t strong enough to stand on their own, said Robert Moskow, an analyst with TD Cowen, in a research note.

Kraft Heinz announced in September it was splitting into two companies a decade after a merger of the brands created one of the biggest food manufacturers on the planet.

One of the companies would include stronger-selling brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other would include slower-selling brands like Maxwell House, Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. read more

By STAN CHOE, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are feeling both the upside and downside Wednesday of a surprisingly strong report that said the nation’s unemployment rate improved last month.

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After initially rising toward its all-time high, the S&P 500 began flipping between gains and losses. By 12:28 p.m. Eastern time, it was up 0.2%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 19 points, or less than 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%.

Treasury yields, meanwhile, remained higher in the bond market after the Labor Department said U.S. employers added 130,000 jobs to their payrolls last month, more than the 75,000 that economists expected. That helped calm worries from a day earlier, when a discouraging report suggested spending by U.S. households, the main engine of the economy, may be stalling. read more