AP National Business

German investigators have searched offices of accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers and the homes of current and former employees in a probe of alleged tax evasion by tax advisers. Prosecutors said Tuesday that the investigation centers on an alleged scheme used between 2012 and 2017 by the suspects, ages 50 to 67, to inaccurately declare revenue from

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece says residents over 60 will have to undergo mandatory vaccinations against COVID-19 or face monthly 100-euro ($114) fine beginning next year. The country’s first general inoculation mandate was announced Tuesday in response to a surge in cases and the emergence of the new omicron variant.  Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said

By DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writer Stocks fell on Wall Street Tuesday after the head of a major vaccine maker expressed concern about how effective current jabs will be against the new variant of the coronavirus. The S&P 500 fell 0.5%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.8% and the Nasdaq was little changed.

By MARTIN CRUTSINGER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer confidence fell to a nine-month low in November, held back by rising worries about inflation and lingering concerns about the coronavirus. The Conference Board reported Tuesday that its  consumer confidence index dropped to a reading of 109.5, down from 111.6 in October. It was

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says that the appearance of a new COVID-19 variant could slow the economy and hiring. He also says it raises uncertainty about inflation. Powell says in remarks to be delivered to the Senate Banking Committee Tuesday that he recent increase in

By HALELUYA HADERO AP Business Writer As supply chain bottlenecks create shortages on many items, some charities are struggling to secure holiday gift wishes from kids in need. They’re reporting they can’t find enough items in stock, or are facing shipping delays both in receiving and distributing the gifts. The founder of the organization One

Associated Press Stocks are opening lower on Wall Street after the head of a major vaccine maker expressed concern about how effective current jabs will be against the new variant of the coronavirus. The S&P 500 gave back 0.6%, the Nasdaq slipped 0.3% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.9%. European markets were also

BERLIN (AP) — Automakers Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis have announced agreements with U.S. company Factorial Energy to help develop solid state battery technology. Mercedes-Benz, which is part of Daimler AG, said it is joining forces with Factorial to jointly develop batteries with the aim of testing prototype cells as early as next year. It said it

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union will unveil a multibillion-euro plan aimed at bolstering the 27-nation bloc’s worldwide infrastructure and influence. The program to be revealed Wednesday is expected to mobilize up to 300 billion euros in public and private funds by 2027. Although the European Commission doesn’t present the

By MATTHEW PERRONE AP Health Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health advisers are reviewing Merck’s closely watched COVID-19 pill, which could become the first easy-to-use drug for American patients. The Food and Drug Administration asked its outside experts Tuesday whether the agency should authorize the pill. They will weigh new data that the pill is

By PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. home prices rose briskly in September, another sign that the housing market is booming in the aftermath of last year’s coronavirus recession.  The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-city home price climbed 19.1% in September from a year earlier. The strong price gains marked a deceleration from

COPENHAGEN, Denmark. (AP) — Sweden’s first female prime minister has presented her one-party center-left minority government with only a few changes compared to her previous Cabinet. Magdalena Andersson had been Sweden’s finance minister and she picked Mikael Damberg, the previous home affairs minister, to replace her in that role Tuesday. Andersson is the leader of

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Residents in Greece over age 60 will be fined 100 euros a month if they fail to get vaccinated against the coronavirus under the first general COVID-19 mandate announced by the country’s government. The measure was announced in response to a surge in cases and the emergence of the omicron variant.

NEW DELHI (AP) — India has reported that its economy grew at an 8.4% annual pace in the July-September quarter in the latest sign of an economic recovery in Asia’s third-largest economy. India suffered one of the biggest setbacks among major economies this year with the pandemic. Growth in the April-June quarter jumped 20%, the

BERLIN (AP) — German investigators say 14 suspects have been arrested in an investigation of a gang accused of bringing nearly five metric tons (5.5 U.S. tons) of cocaine from South America to Germany. German police said the investigation that led to Tuesday’s arrest was triggered by the seizure in a shipping container in Santos,

By VANESSA GERA Associated Press WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland says consumer prices have risen 7.7% over the past year, the highest inflation rate in 20 years and a larger jump than economists had predicted. The November number released Tuesday is evidence that inflation is accelerating even faster than had been expected in the largest

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — An Alabama woman who says she was falsely arrested for shoplifting at a Walmart and then threatened by the company after her case was dismissed has been awarded $2.1 million in damages. A Mobile County jury on Monday ruled in favor of Lesleigh Nurse of Semmes. AL.com reports her lawsuit said

By AMRITA JAYAKUMAR of NerdWallet If your finances are in better shape this giving season, you can be more strategic with your dollars. The same causes you felt strongly about last year may not be on your priority list now. Start by writing down the top two or three issues that matter most to you

MADRID (AP) — Spanish fashion giant Inditex says the founder’s daughter has been named as the next chairperson of the company that owns Zara, Massimo Dutti and other clothing chains. Inditex said Tuesday that its board of directors named Marta Ortega to replace Pablo Isla, who has led the company since founder Amancio Ortega stepped

By DÁNICA COTO Associated Press SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Barbados has stopped pledging allegiance to Queen Elizabeth II as it shed another vestige of its colonial past and became a republic for the first time in history. Several leaders, dignitaries and artists, including Prince Charles and Rihanna, attended a ceremony that stretched into