Business Top Stories from Associated Press (AP)

NEW YORK (AP) , PepsiCo is once again learning the risks of celebrity partnerships after an ad for Mountain Dew was criticized for portraying racial stereotypes and making light of violence toward women. The soda and snack food company said it immediately pulled the 60-second spot after learning that people found it offensive.

LOS ANGELES (AP) , Visa Inc. said Wednesday that its net income slipped nearly 2 percent in the first three months of this year from the year before, when the company benefited from an adjustment to its income tax provision.

DETROIT (AP) , A former General Motors engineer convicted of stealing thousands of pages of hybrid technology was sentenced Wednesday to just a year and a day in prison, far below the punishment sought by the government in a case that involved her husband and an alleged scheme to take the trade secrets to China.

WASHINGTON (AP) , The Federal Reserve cautioned America's political leaders Wednesday that their policies are hurting the economy. The Fed stood by its aggressive efforts to stimulate the economy and reduce unemployment. But it sent its clearest signal to date that tax increases and spending cuts that kicked in this year are slowing the economy.

LOS ANGELES (AP) , CBS Corp. Chief Executive Les Moonves gave an upbeat view of the health of broadcast TV Wednesday as the company reported strong results for the first three months of the year. He also dismissed startup Aereo as an "insignificant player" that was stealing CBS' signal.

LOS ANGELES (AP) , Costs tied to the long-running shutdown of California's San Onofre nuclear power plant have soared to $553 million, while the majority owner raised the possibility Tuesday of retiring the plant if it can't get one reactor running later this year.

NEW YORK (AP) , You can recycle your waste, grow your own food and drive a fuel-efficient car. But being socially responsible isn't so easy when it comes to the clothes on your back. Take Jason and Alexandra Lawrence of Lyons, Colo. The couple eat locally grown food that doesn't have to be transported from far-flung states.

BEIJING (AP) , An industry group says manufacturing growth in China slipped in April as exports continued to decline, raising questions about the strength of recovery in the world's second-biggest economy. The China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing said Wednesday that its purchasing managers' index for April declined to 50.6 points from 50.9 points in March.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) , A California woman faces attempted murder charges after police say she tried to sneak orange juice bottles spiked with a lethal amount of rubbing alcohol inside a Starbucks. San Jose Police arrested Ramineh Behbehanian, 50, late Monday.

NEW YORK (AP) , Apple Inc. sold $17 billion in bonds Tuesday in a record deal spurred by the company's plan to placate its frustrated shareholders. The Cupertino, Calif., company sold the bonds in its first debt issue since the 1990s to raise money to pass along to shareholders through dividend payments and stock buybacks.

DETROIT (AP) , Building model planes and working on real ones comprised Gary Stockdale's passion, filling the family's basement with models in his youth, jumping into aviation as a career at age 16 , and later working at two Detroit area airports. The 51-year-old Stockdale also knew the dangers of flying, his older brother told The Associated Press Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (AP) , The U.S. military's highest court has reversed a discharged Marine's criminal conviction for slitting his wrists in a case that raised questions about whether suicidal service members should be prosecuted.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) , Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer emerged as the Internet company's second highest paid executive during her first five-and-half months on the job. Regulatory documents filed Tuesday revealed that Mayer received a pay package valued at $36.6 million last year.

BERLIN (AP) , The Huffington Post is expanding further with a German language edition, putting new pressure on media companies in Europe's largest economy as they struggle with newspaper closures and try to introduce online pay walls.

NEW YORK (AP) , One World Trade Center already is New York's tallest building. And when the last pieces of its spire eventually rise to the roof, the 104-floor skyscraper that replaces the fallen twin towers will be just feet from becoming the highest in the Western Hemisphere.