Americans bet nearly $1.5B to win record jackpot

CHICAGO (AP) — Across the country, Americans plunked down an estimated $1.5 billion on the longest of long shots: an infinitesimally small chance to win what could end up being the single biggest lottery payout the world has ever seen.

But forget about how the $640 million Mega Millions jackpot could change the life of the winner. It's a collective wager that could fund a presidential campaign several times over, make a dent in struggling state budgets or take away the gas worries and grocery bills for thousands of middle-class citizens.

And it's a cheap investment for the chance of a big reward, no matter how long the odds — 1 in 176 million.

Obama sets stage for tough new sanctions targeting Iran’s oil

President Barack Obama moved Friday to tighten the economic vise on Iran over its suspect nuclear program, taking a big step toward tough new sanctions aimed at crippling the Islamic republic's ability to export oil.

Obama announced in an official memorandum that he had determined that there is enough oil on world markets to go ahead with measures designed to push countries that buy Iranian crude—including key U.S. allies like Japan, South Korea and India—to get their petroleum elsewhere.

Stocks rise, extending best start since 1998

Rising consumer spending boosted stocks on Friday, and Wall Street closed its best first quarter since 1998.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 66.22 points to close at 13,212.04. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 5.19 points to close at 1,408.47. The Nasdaq composite barely moved, falling 3.79 points to close at 3,091.57.

For the quarter, the Dow posted an 8 percent gain and the S&P a 12 percent gain, the best for those indexes in 14 years. The gain was 19 percent for the Nasdaq, its best since 1991.

Apple pledge likely to boost China factory wages

BEIJING (AP) — Consumers probably won't have to pay more for iPads, iPhones and other popular consumer electronics despite a Chinese company's pledge to trim work hours and raise wages for its hardscrabble assembly workers.

The paychecks have already been steadily growing even before this week's pledge, and labor expenses remain a small portion of the total bill for most gadgets made in China.

Whole Foods to stop sale of unsustainable seafood

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Whole Foods Market said Friday that it will stop selling fish caught from depleted waters or through ecologically damaging methods, a move that comes as supermarkets nationwide try to make their seafood selections more sustainable.

Starting Earth Day, April 22, the natural and organic supermarket chain will no longer carry wild-caught seafood that is "red-rated," a color code that indicates it is either overfished or caught in a way that harms other species. The ratings are determined by the Blue Ocean Institute, an advocacy group, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California.

Entangled gray whale off Calif. freed after chase

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A migrating gray whale with debris wrapped around its tail was finally freed after rescuers in a small boat chased it along the Southern California coast so they could cut away the fishing traps and lines.

The whale was spotted near Redondo Beach on Thursday morning. The disentanglement team would speed up, position its boat directly behind the whale, and then try to catch the tangle with a long rod with a blade on top.