AP National Business

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida will start issuing $5,000 fines to businesses, schools and government agencies that require people to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill earlier this year that banned vaccine passports. The fines will start Sept. 16 if people are asked to show proof of a

The Associated Press Stocks eked out some modest gains on Wall Street Wednesday, enough to nudge the Nasdaq composite index to another all-time high. The S&P 500 gave up nearly all of a midday gain and ended barely higher. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell, while small-company stocks did better than the rest of the

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Wednesday: Campbell Soup, PVH rise; Dycom, Freeport-McMoRan fall.

By FELICIA FONSECA Associated Press FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — An Arizona newspaper publisher who repeatedly claimed that his ex-wife poisoned him has dropped lawsuits against her ahead of a trial that was scheduled to start this week. Joseph Soldwedel sued Felice Aspiranti amid a bitter divorce after police found no evidence of his claim that

The Associated Press Closing prices for crude oil, gold and other commodities, and foreign exchange levels.

By KATHY GANNON, RAHIM FAIEZ and EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The United Nations’ stockpiles of food in Afghanistan could run out this month, a senior official warned Wednesday, threatening to add a hunger crisis to the challenges facing the country’s new Taliban rulers as they try to restore stability after

NEW YORK (AP) — Authorities say a 9-year-old boy was killed and more than a dozen people were injured in a fire caused by an electric scooter that was charging overnight. New York City Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said Wednesday that firefighters worked “heroically” to remove 14 people from the Queens building where the fire

By FRANCES D’EMILIO Associated Press ROME (AP) — Police outnumbered demonstrators at several of Italy’s main train stations as COVID-19 vaccination or tests became mandatory Wednesday for long-distance travel within the country. Threats by some of the rule’s opponents to block railroad tracks apparently fizzled. On the eve of the requirement’s taking effect, Premier Mario

BERLIN (AP) — The World Health Organization on Wednesday inaugurated a new “hub” in Berlin that aims to help prepare the globe better to prevent future pandemics. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and German Chancellor Angela Merkel cut the ribbon to launch the new WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence. WHO says Germany is

By Mae Anderson AP Business Writer New York (AP) — Small businesses hit by Hurricane Ida face a slow and daunting recovery as they grapple with storm damage, a lack of power, water and internet service and limited ability to communicate with clients or customers. It’s yet another blow for business owners who have been

By TATIANA POLLASTRI and DAVID BILLER Associated Press SAO PAULO (AP) — Workers in Brazil’s biggest city unloaded an air fryer, a gaming chair and a 40-inch television from a truck and carried them into a small distribution center where they’d soon be sent to nearby homes. Their speedy dispatch would be nothing special in

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The OPEC oil producers’ cartel and allied non-member countries led by Russia signed off Wednesday on gradually increasing production as the global economy and demand for fuel continue to recover from the worst of the coronavirus pandemic. The group fended off pressure from the U.S. to move faster in restoring production

MADRID (AP) — Households and businesses in Spain will be thinking twice about using appliances and switching on lights starting Thursday when the country sees a new record for the cost of electricity. The electricity market operator for the Iberian Peninsula says customers in both Spain and Portugal will pay an average of 140 euros,

By JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press GENEVA (AP) — Switzerland’s highest court has ruled that an Indian Swiss tycoon could owe the Geneva region more than 125 million francs (about $137 million) in back taxes amid allegations that he tried to pass himself off as a resident of Monaco and falsified the value of his fortune.

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Morocco has launched a campaign to administer COVID-19 vaccines to children from 12 to 17, becoming one of the first African countries to inoculate that age group. The World Health Organization says that the North African country has already given around 33 million doses to adults this year. Now, Morocco is

By JOSEF FEDERMAN Associated Press JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s foreign minister on Wednesday played down criticism of the country’s regulation of the cyberespionage firm NSO Group but vowed to step up efforts to ensure the company’s controversial spyware doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. Speaking to foreign journalists, Yair Lapid said the government has only

By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A planned shareholder vote on Canadian National’s $33.6 billion offer has been delayed after regulators rejected a key part of the plan, so now Kansas City Southern railroad can consider all of its options, including a competing $31 billion offer from Canadian Pacific Railway. While

By JOSEPH PISANI AP Retail Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon is going on another hiring spree. The company said Wednesday that it plans to hire 55,000 people around the world, with about 40,000 of those roles in the U.S. The open roles are for tech jobs and corporate positions. While other companies laid off

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s finance minister says the country has raised 2.5 billion euros, or $3 billion, through two bond issues. He said the 5-year and 30-year bonds attracted high demand among investors on Wednesday and carried “historically low” interest rates. He said the 5-year bond had an “almost zero” rate, while the 30-year

By MARTIN CRUTSINGER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Growth in U.S. manufacturing accelerated in August despite the fact that companies were still struggling with supply chain problems. The Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing managers, said Wednesday that its index of manufacturing activity rose 0.4 percentage point in August to 59.9.