family businesses

Democrats say they will open investigations into lucrative business deals involving Donald Trump and his family if they win control of Congress in the November midterm elections. The pledge, reported by Reuters, signals that oversight of the former president's finances would become a priority should the party take committee power, setting up potential confrontations over conflicts of interest and foreign payments.

Democrats say they will open investigations into Donald Trump's family business dealings if they win control of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections. The pledge, reported by Reuters, signals that congressional oversight of the former president's finances would become a priority should the party take a majority, sharpening a central political battle line in the United States.

Indian applicants for US visitor visas are facing long interview waits, with Hyderabad at around 12 months, Mumbai 11.5 months, New Delhi 10 months, Chennai 7.5 months and Kolkata 6.5 months. The figures are drawing attention as families planning travel for tourism, business or family visits face delays stretching close to a year before they can secure an interview appointment.

The Trump family's business empire is reportedly bracing for a wave of congressional subpoenas should Democrats retake control of Congress. According to the report, Democratic majorities would enable House committees to investigate the former president's company's finances, deals and foreign ties, opening a new legal front around the family enterprise.

Efforts to pass the Clarity Act, a bill to set clear US rules for crypto markets, have stalled amid political tensions tied to the Trump family's growing crypto ventures. Critics say the family's financial interests in digital assets have complicated negotiations, giving Democrats reason to resist and Republicans reason to defend, leaving the legislation in limbo on Capitol Hill.

Costco is passing along tariff refunds to its customers, according to a morning business report that also covers the latest inflation update and news about McDonald's Playplace. The refunds suggest companies are returning costs collected before changes to tariff policy. The report groups the stories together in a routine business roundup, with inflation figures and the fast-food chain's family play areas rounding out the morning's economic headlines.

A group including members of the Laurie family, brand executive Mark Foley, and basketball executive Bryan Colangelo is pursuing an NBA expansion franchise in Las Vegas. The bid raises questions about how it fits with Caesars Entertainment and Tilman Fertitta, the Rockets owner who recently acquired a stake connected to the city's sports landscape. Las Vegas remains a leading candidate for NBA expansion as the league weighs adding teams.

In Italy, attention is turning to business succession as new figures show family-run companies grew by 51% over five years. A gathering in Palermo is addressing the key issues around generational handover, tax planning and the transfer of family firms, a topic of growing relevance for the Italian economy as many owners reach retirement age.

JLL and GA Group have arranged a $74.7 million sale-leaseback covering a portfolio of Family Dollar retail properties. Under the deal structure, the retailer's real estate assets are sold to an investor while Family Dollar continues occupying the stores as a tenant, freeing up capital for the operator. The transaction was reported by Shopping Center Business, highlighting continued investor appetite for single-tenant net lease retail portfolios backed by established national tenants.

Richard Manoogian, who led building-products maker Masco for decades as chairman and chief executive, has died at age 90. He was also a major patron of the Detroit Institute of Arts, where his family's support helped shape the museum's collections and funding. Business and civic leaders in Michigan are remembering him as one of Detroit's most influential industrialists and philanthropists.

Jim Ukrop, the former chief executive of Richmond-area grocery chain Ukrop's Markets, has died at the age of 89. He is being remembered as a prominent business and civic leader in central Virginia, where the family-run supermarket was a local institution for decades before its sale in 2010.

Family-owned firms remain a backbone of the American economy, employing millions and contributing significantly to GDP, but many now face a major challenge: succession. As founders age, transferring leadership and ownership to the next generation is proving difficult, raising concerns about the survival of these businesses and the broader economic impact if they fail to plan ahead.

Relation Insurance Services has acquired a family-owned insurance agency in Pennsylvania, continuing the brokerage's pattern of growth through acquisitions. The deal adds the agency's book of business and local client relationships to Relation's national platform. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Industry observers track such deals closely as consolidation continues across the US insurance brokerage sector.

Jim Ukrop has died at the age of 89. He helped grow Ukrop's Super Markets into a Richmond institution that became a fixture of central Virginia life for decades. Coverage of his death is drawing reflections on the family-run grocery chain's role in the region and his place in Richmond's business community.

A new humanoid robot called Flourish One, built around the Raspberry Pi platform, has been unveiled with busy parents as its target audience. The robot is designed to help with household tasks and family life, positioning affordable consumer robotics for everyday home use. Coverage so far is limited, and details on pricing, availability and the robot's actual capabilities remain scarce, leaving observers curious about how practical it really is.

Pursuit Sports, a company owned by the Friedkin family, has signed a long-term office lease in Austin's South Congress district, according to real estate reporting. The move adds another corporate tenant to one of the Texas capital's most high-profile commercial corridors, where leasing activity is closely watched as a gauge of the city's office market recovery.