AP National Business

By DANICA KIRKA Associated Press LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is calling for thousands of volunteers to staff new vaccination centers in shopping areas, stadiums and racecourses as the government accelerates its booster program to combat the omicron variant of COVID-19. The drive comes two days after Johnson set a target of

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Treasury Department will release $8.7 billion to help increase lending to small and minority-owned businesses and to people living in poorer communities with limited access to banking. The funds from the Emergency Capital Investment Program will go to 186 community-based financial institutions. Vice President Kamala Harris and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Under Chair Jerome Powell, the Federal Reserve is poised this week to execute a sharp turn toward tighter interest-rate policies with inflation accelerating and unemployment falling faster than expected. The Fed will likely announce that it will reduce its monthly bond purchases at twice the rate

By ROB HARRIS AP Global Soccer Writer LONDON (AP) — Newcastle’s Saudi ownership can start signing up sponsors from the kingdom after new English Premier League rules were introduced to end the brief ban on clubs bringing in such deals. It was rushed through temporarily in October after the Saudi state’s sovereign wealth fund bought

The Associated Press Stocks are opening lower again on Wall Street Tuesday as traders took in the latest sign that inflation is still running high. The S&P 500 index gave up 0.5% in the early going. Technology companies had some of the biggest losses, which helped pull the Nasdaq down 0.8%. The Dow Jones Industrial

By MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writer Kroger, the country’s biggest traditional grocery chain, is ending some benefits for unvaccinated workers as big employers attempt to compel more to become vaccinated with cases of COVID-19 again rising. A company spokesperson said Tuesday that unvaccinated workers will no longer be eligible to receive up to two-weeks paid

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. (AP) — While many companies are offering bonuses or higher pay as a way to lure and keep workers, a central Florida business is offering a drawing for two brand new and mortgage-free houses. Mechanical One President and CEO Jason James says he’s planning to hold the drawing next December. The company

By GLENN GAMBOA AP Business Writer The Giving Pledge announced Tuesday that 14 more billionaires, including the CEOs of DoorDash and Pinterest, had promised in 2021 to donate more than half their fortunes, bringing the total to 231 philanthropists from 28 countries. Founded in 2010 by Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates and Warren Buffett, the

By FRANK JORDANS Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — Members of a new expert panel advising the German government on the coronavirus pandemic are holding their first meeting. The meeting Tuesday comes amid signs that government restrictions imposed in recent weeks are beginning to slow infection rates. Germany’s disease control agency reported 30,823 newly confirmed cases

By BARBARA ORTUTAY AP Business Writer Many couples who don’t have children expect that they’ll more or less share household duties equally should they have kids one day. But a new poll from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that 35% of

By MARTIN CRUTSINGER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Prices at the wholesale level surged by a record 9.6% in November from a year earlier, an indication of ongoing inflation pressures The Labor Department said that its producer price index, which measures inflation before it reaches consumer, rose 0.8% in November compared to October, the

By LEANNE ITALIE Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Second hand. Like new. Thrift. Buy Nothing. Gently used. There are lots of ways to describe consumption in the booming resale market. Add “Merry Christmas!” to the list. Resale has taken off among those looking to save the planet and spend less on gifts during what

By JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Martin Scorsese’s alma mater, New York University, is establishing a film institute in his name after a gift from George Lucas and Mellody Hobson. The formation of the Martin Scorsese Institute of Global Cinematic Arts was to be announced Tuesday by NYU’s Tish School of

By RAF CASERT Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union nations have set fish catch quotas for next year in an attempt to protect fragile stocks and fishing fleets at the same time, but environmentalists claim they will protect neither. The traditional year-end bartering session between EU coastal nations to secure as many catch rights

By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican’s big fraud and embezzlement trial has suffered another delay. The tribunal postponed any further decisions until prosecutors finish redoing their investigation for four of the original 10 defendants.  The delay means the trial won’t get off the ground until mid-February at the earliest. Tribunal

By ANDREW MELDRUM Associated Press JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The omicron variant is offering more hints about what it may have in store as it spreads around the globe: A highly transmissible virus that may cause less severe disease, and one that can be slowed — but not stopped — by today’s vaccines. An analysis Tuesday

By KEN SWEET AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The banking industry appears to have overdone it on overdraft fees. After decades of raking in billions of dollars from mostly poor Americans short of cash in their accounts, the biggest banks _ under pressure from lawmakers and regulators _ are slowly decreasing their reliance

By EVENS SANON Associated Press PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Officials in Haiti say a truck carrying gasoline has exploded and killed more than 50 people. Reports say that dozens of others have been injured. Prime Minister Ariel Henry said Tuesday that the explosion late Monday occurred in the northern coastal city of Cap-Haitien. No further

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — A Portuguese and a Swedish company are joining forces to build in Portugal what they say will be Europe’s largest lithium conversion plant. Portuguese energy company Galp and Swedish electric vehicle battery maker Northvolt said Tuesday that their goal is for the plant to deliver enough lithium hydroxide to provide batteries