AP National Business

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Sweden’s health authorities have recommended that the use of the country’s digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate be expanded to include restaurants, cultural activities and other venues starting next week. The move was announced Wednesday and it will take effect on Jan. 12. It is a step up from previous guidance to only

By LIUDAS DAPKUS Associated Press VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Taiwan says it’s creating an investment fund and planning other measures to help Lithuania as it faces major economic pressure from China for allowing the island to open a representative office in the European Union country. Taiwanese officials said Wednesday that the $200 million fund would

By DANICA KIRKA and MIKE CORDER Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Health authorities across the U.K. have simplified COVID-19 testing requirements in a move designed to cut isolation times for many people. It may also ease the staffing shortages that are hitting public services from hospitals to garbage collection amid an omicron-fueled surge in infections.

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus is further tightening its pandemic restrictions, reducing the number of people permitted at social gatherings and mandating virus testing for schoolteachers and all inbound travelers over 12 amid surging COVID-19 infections. Cypriot Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantela said on Wednesday that teachers, students and staff will need to produce a negative

By DAMIAN J. TROISE and ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writers More weakness in technology companies pulled most major stock indexes lower in afternoon trading on Wall Street. The S&P 500 slipped 0.4%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq pulled back 1.3%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average of 30 blue-chip companies managed a tiny gain of 0.2%, pulling

By JIM HEINTZ Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) — News reports say protesters in Kazakhstan’s largest city have stormed the presidential residence and the mayor’s office and set both buildings on fire. The demonstrations sparked by a rise in fuel prices in the Central Asian nation escalated sharply Wednesday. Police fired on some protesters at the

LONDON (AP) — Chrysler says it plans for its vehicle lineup to go all electric by 2028. It’s the latest brand to announce a major shift away from gas-powered cars amid pressure to act on climate change. The American automaker also said Wednesday that it will launch its first battery-electric vehicle by 2025. Chrysler announced

By DANICA KIRKA and MIKE CORDER Associated Press LONDON (AP) — U.K. health authorities have eased COVID-19 testing requirements in England. The move is designed to help tackle staff shortages that are hitting public services amid an omicron-fueled surge in infections. The change announced Wednesday came a day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that

LONDON (AP) — Germany’s antitrust watchdog has paved the way for extra scrutiny of Google by designating it a company of “paramount significance.” It’s the first such decision since regulators got more power to curb abusive practices by big digital companies. The regulator’s decision Wednesday comes after rules were introduced last year that allow it

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Officials in Croatia say that omicron variant of the coronavirus has fueled the highest number of daily new infections in the country since the start of the pandemic. Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said Wednesday that a total of 8,587 new cases were confirmed in the past 24 hours in a 50%

By ANNIE MILLERBERND of NerdWallet The busy season for home remodeling usually ends in late summer or early fall, but contractors say demand from the pandemic renovation rush hasn’t let up. That means homeowners could call a dozen contractors, just to get a few calls back. To grab their attention, you may need to put

By MICHAEL CANTU Edmunds The semiconductor chip shortage and supply chain disruption have forced many automakers to remove certain features from their new vehicles. Here are a few notable examples and what you need to know. 

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Sweden has created an agency to combat disinformation as the country approaches a September general election. The mission of the Swedish Psychological Defense Agency is to “defend our open and democratic society and free opinions by identifying, analyzing and responding to inappropriate influences and other misleading information directed at Sweden or

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria’s foreign minister has tested positive for the coronavirus as the European Union member country experiences a nationwide resurgence of infections. The foreign ministry’s press office said Wednesday that Teodora Genchovska tested positive from a PCR test for COVID-19 and will remain under medical supervision. The 50-year-old Genchovska is fully vaccinated.

By GEIR MOULSON Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s biggest opposition party says it will support the reelection of President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Wednesday’s move gives the incumbent a clear run to a second term. A few figures in ex-Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right Christian Democratic Union had advocated nominating a woman to run as Germany’s next

By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — World shares are mixed after heavy selling of technology shares cast a chill over the cheerful start to 2022 on Wall Street. Benchmarks rose in Paris, London and Tokyo but fell in Shanghai and Hong Kong. U.S. futures were mixed and oil prices retreated.  Added to

MOSCOW (AP) — Local news reports say demonstrators angered by rising fuel prices have stormed the mayor’s office in Kazakhstan’s largest city and attempted to break into the presidential residence. The intensifying protests led the Central Asian country’s government to reisgn. According to the reports, many of the demonstrators who converged on the mayoral office

BEIJING (AP) — A troubled Chinese real estate developer with $310 billion of debt is asking investors in one of its bonds to postpone when they will be repaid. Evergrande Group says it will conduct a three-day online vote starting Friday for holders of the 4.5 billion yuan ($700 million) bond. Evergrande is the global

By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Asian benchmarks have slipped after technology shares in the region echoed a similar drop in the sector on Wall Street. Benchmarks fell in South Korea, Australia and China, while Japanese shares were little changed. Worries continue about COVID-19, as reports of omicron keep growing in the