AP National Business

By ZEN SOO Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong authorities say that they will cull some 2,000 hamsters after several of the rodents tested positive for the virus at a pet store where an infected employee was working. Officials said Tuesday they would also stop the sale and import of the rodents in

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese state media say parcels mailed from overseas may have spread the coronavirus in Beijing and elsewhere, despite doubts among overseas health experts that the virus can be transmitted via packaging. The State Post Bureau says it has ordered stronger measures to ventilate and disinfect sites where items mailed from overseas are

By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares are mostly lower while oil prices surged following an attack on an oil facility in the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Stocks fell in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul and Sydney but rose in Shanghai.  U.S. futures declined as the yield on the 2-year

By YURI KAGEYAMA Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s government is preparing social restrictions in Tokyo and other regions as the omicron variant of the coronavirus infects more people. Japan has never had a lockdown but has focused instead on asking restaurants and bars to close early. Crowds are back in many places, with people

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese state media report parcels mailed from overseas may have spread the omicron variant of the coronavirus in Beijing and elsewhere. Globally, health experts have stressed the virus mainly spreads through respiratory droplets when infected people breathe, speak, cough and sneeze. However, China has repeatedly emphasized the danger of infection from packaging

By BRADY McCOMBS and MEAD GRUVER Associated Press KEMMERER, Wyoming (AP) — A tiny Wyoming town faces transformation when a company started by Bill Gates builds a new type of nuclear power plant there. Bellevue, Washington-based TerraPower plans to launch its Natrium reactor in Kemmerer, Wyoming, in the latter part of this decade. The reactor

BANGKOK (AP) — Norwegian telecommunications company Telenor says it plans to sell its stake in the Myanmar fintech company Wave Money to its main partner in the venture, Yoma Strategic Holdings. Telenor confirmed the $53 million deal, reported earlier, in a statement on its website. Yoma was founded by Myanmar tycoon Serge Pun. The purchase

By GLENN GAMBOA AP Business Writer Bloomberg Philanthropies is supporting the innovative solutions of 15 cities to try to get others to use them as blueprints to battle the world’s urban problems. The winners of this year’s Global Mayors Challenge were announced Tuesday. They span 13 nations and will make their solutions available to cities

By YURI KAGEYAMA Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s government is preparing social restrictions in Tokyo and other regions as the omicron variant of the coronavirus infects more people. Japan has never had a lockdown but has focused instead on asking restaurants and bars to close early. Crowds are back in many places, with people

By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares are mostly higher in the absence of big market-moving news following a national holiday in the U.S. The Bank of Japan wrapped up a two-day policy meeting with no major changes. Benchmarks in Japan, China and Australia rose in early trading, but shares fell

By ROD McGUIRK Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia has reported a record high of COVID-19 deaths, and its second-largest state declared an emergency in hospitals to cope with surging patient admissions and a staffing shortage due to the coronavirus. The 74 deaths reported Tuesday exceeded the previous daily high of 59 in 2020.

By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares are mostly higher in the absence of big market-moving news following a national holiday in the U.S. The Bank of Japan wrapped up a two-day policy meeting with no major changes. Benchmarks in Japan, China and Australia rose in early trading, but shares fell

By ZEN SOO Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong police have arrested two former flight attendants for allegedly leaving their homes when they should have been in isolation for possible coronavirus infections, which were later confirmed. The government said the two who arrived from the U.S in late December “conducted unnecessary activities” while

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The family of a delivery driver who died last month when a tornado collapsed the Amazon warehouse in central Illinois where he worked has filed a wrongful death lawsuit.The Madison County action Monday on behalf of Austin McEwen, 26, claims that Amazon failed to warn employees of dangerous weather or provide

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — Singer and music producer Pharrell Williams is challenging corporate America to “do more” by supporting entrepreneurs of color and adopting economic equity measures. The Virginian-Pilot reports that in remarks Monday during the Urban League of Hampton Roads’ annual Martin Luther King Jr. awards program, Williams said big businesses need to

BRUSSELS (AP) — Eurogroup finance chiefs are engaged in a high-wire political balancing act prompted by conflicting economic forces: a weaker growth outlook and stronger inflation. Finance ministers from the 19 nations that use the shared euro currency are pledging continued budgetary stimulus for the economy amid headwinds caused by the omicron variant. At the

By LLAZAR SEMINI Associated Press TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania and Turkey have pledged to further boost their ties and increase their economic and cultural relations. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Albania on Monday to talk with Prime Minister Edi Rama on strengthening bilateral ties and also inaugurate new apartments funded by Turkey for