WASHINGTON — Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos is buying The Washington Post and other newspapers for $250 million.

The longtime publisher, The Washington Post Co., announced the deal Monday. Bezos is buying the paper as an individual. Amazon.com Inc. is not involved.

Washington Post chairman and CEO Donald Graham called Bezos a “uniquely good new owner.” He said the decision was made after years of newspaper industry challenges. The company, which owns the Kaplan education business and several TV stations, will change its name but didn't say what the new name will be. Bezos said in a statement that he understands the Post's “critical role” in Washington and said its values won't change.

PITTSBURGH — A Pittsburgh-based electric company wants permission from the state to raise its electricity distribution rates to more than 500,000 customers. Duquesne Light has asked the state Public Utility Commission to OK the rate increase, starting Oct. 1.The utility says the average residential customer who does not use electricity to heat their home would see their monthly bill rise about $8 to $86. Commercial customers would see their monthly bill hit about $900, an increase of about $47. The company says it needs the money to continue to upgrade its distribution infrastructure, and to start a new customer information system, improve its program to manage trees and other vegetation near its power lines.

NEW YORK — JetBlue, known for shuttling vacationers from Northeast cities to the warmth of Florida and the Caribbean, is making a play for corporate road warriors.Starting next year, the all-coach airline plans to offer 16 lie-flat seats on flights between New York and Los Angeles and San Francisco. It's the first time the carrier will have a second class of service.The transcontinental routes are the most profitable and highly contested domestic markets for airlines. Business class tickets frequently sell for $4,000 roundtrip.American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines are all in the process of putting lie-flat beds in their premium cabins on those routes. Virgin America, which also flies from coast to coast, has a traditional first class cabin with larger seats.

LOS ANGELES — Time Warner Cable CEO Glenn Britt has offered to end a four-day blackout of CBS stations, saying the cable operator would allow CBS to sell its stations' signal “a la carte” to consumers instead of being packaged with other channels.In a letter released to the media, Britt says that rather than debating the point, the method would allow “customers to decide for themselves how much value they ascribe to CBS programming.”CBS signals have been blacked out to some 3 million Time Warner Cable subscribers in New York, Los Angeles and Dallas in a dispute over how much the cable operator has to pay for CBS programming.

AMSTERDAM — European authorities have cleared US Airways Group's proposed merger with American Airlines' parent company, AMR — on the condition that they give up one slot at London's Heathrow Airport and take steps to foster competition on the London-Philadelphia route.The merger and restructuring plan, which would create the world's biggest airline, must still be approved by a U.S. federal judge before AMR can emerge from bankruptcy, with a hearing expected Aug. 15.The U.S. Department of Justice is still reviewing the deal amid complaints that it could lead to reduced competition and higher fares in the U.S.

NEW YORK — Twinkies are already back on shelves and now the new owners of Drake’s cakes say Coffee Cakes, Devil Dogs, Ring Dings and Yodels will return next month.A spokesman for McKee Foods said the company plans to bring back the snack cakes in the third week of September. The company is still deciding whether to bring back Funny Bones.McKee, which makes Little Debbie snack cakes, snapped up Drake’s cakes from rival Hostess Brands after the company went out of business last year. Twinkies, CupCakes and other snacks were purchased by a pair of investment firms, Apollo Global Management and Metropoulos & Co., which owns Pabst beer.