AP National Business

By MICHAEL BALSAMO Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Merrick Garland is directing U.S. attorneys across the nation to swiftly prioritize prosecution of federal crimes that happen on commercial flights. The directive comes as federal officials face a historic number of investigations into passenger behavior. The Federal Aviation Administration said earlier this month that

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California regulators are denying most permits for the controversial oil and gas extraction process known as fracking, years ahead of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 2024 ban. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that state oil regulators have denied 109 fracking permits in 2021, more than any prior year. Fifty of the permits were

By MARTIN CRUTSINGER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve officials in discussions earlier this month said the central bank “would not hesitate” to take appropriate actions to address inflation pressures that posed risks to the economy. In minutes released Wednesday of the Fed’s Nov. 2-3 meeting, Fed officials maintained that the spike in

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — More than 2,000 people have rallied in Belgrade against Serbian government policies that they say favor investors over the interests of the Balkan nation’s citizens and its environment. The crowd on Wednesday evening gathered outside the Serbian presidency building in central Belgrade, blocking traffic, and later marched toward the parliament and

By ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Homebuilders and other real estate companies are increasingly betting that would-be homebuyers frustrated with a shortage of homes for sale and runaway prices will settle for renting their slice of the American Dream. Homebuilders have stepped up construction this year of new houses being built

By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press ROME (AP) — The Italian government is targeting unvaccinated people in its latest effort to contain rising coronavirus infections. A government decree is excluding them from certain activities, including indoor dining and theaters over the holidays. The aim is to stave off financially crippling lockdowns just as the economy is

By TIA GOLDENBERG Associated Pres TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel’s deputy foreign minister has canceled meetings with Belgian officials after a decision by Brussels to begin labeling products made in Jewish West Bank settlements. Idan Roll said Wednesday on Twitter he was scrapping meetings with the Belgian Foreign Ministry and parliament during a visit

DENVER (AP) — A federal judge has ordered two lawyers who filed a class action lawsuit alleging the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump to pay more than $180,000 in attorney’s fees for the defendants. U.S. Magistrate Judge N. Reid Neureiter said the lawsuit was a publicity stunt to manipulate “gullible members of

By MAURICIO SAVARESE Associated Press SAO PAULO (AP) — Many Brazilians felt bearish about the new Wall Street-inspired bull sculpture outside the stock exchange, and didn’t have to wait long for it to crash: The statue has been removed a week after it was installed. The exchange had hoped to bestow the rundown city center

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish riot police have dispersed a protest in Istanbul by demonstrators denouncing the government’s economic policies and the surging cost of living. The protesters, mostly members of left-wing groups, were starting to gather in Istanbul’s Kadikoy district on Wednesday, when police intervened. The protesters were chanting slogans calling for President Recep Tayyip

LONDON (AP) — Collins Dictionary has chosen the term NFT as its word of the year after surging interest in the digital tokens that can sell for millions of dollars brought it into the mainstream.  NFT is short for non-fungible token. Collins defines it as “a unique digital certificate, registered in a blockchain, that is

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — The Slovak government has approved a two-week national lockdown amid a record surge of coronavirus infections. Prime Minister Eduard Heger said the measures that become effective on Friday will target all, both unvaccinated and vaccinated. Under the lockdown, people can leave their homes only for some specific reasons. These include buying

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Portugal is reporting its highest number of new daily COVID-19 infections since July amid a surge in cases across Europe. Hospitalizations are rising more slowly in the country where 86% of people are vaccinated. The Portuguese government is due to announce on Thursday what new pandemic restrictions it is introducing, seven

By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer Deere & Co. said its fiscal fourth-quarter profit jumped 69% on strong sales of its agricultural and construction equipment despite a monthlong strike that began near the end of the period. The Moline, Illinois-based company said Wednesday that it earned $1.28 billion, or $4.12 per share, in the quarter

By ZEKE MILLER and COLLEEN LONG Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for millions of federal workers seems to be working, with no apparent disruption to law enforcement, intelligence-gathering or holiday travel. The White House says 92% of the 3.5 million federal workers covered by Biden’s mandate reported to the government

By DANIEL NIEMANN and FRANK JORDANS Associated Press ESCHWEILER, Germany (AP) — Germany is inching toward the mark of 100,000 deaths from COVID-19. The country’s leader-in-waiting announced plans Wednesday to create an expert team at the heart of the next government to provide daily scientific advice on tackling the coronavirus pandemic. German officials including outgoing

ATLANTA (AP) — State environmental regulators are proposing a $3 million fine for the Hyundai Glovis Co. logistics and shipping firm after a cargo ship carrying vehicles capsized and polluted ocean waters off the Georgia coast. In an order posted Tuesday, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division said that pollutants, petroleum products and debris from the

By KEN SWEET AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said Friday that “he truly regrets” a quip he made this week about JPMorgan outlasting the Chinese Communist Party. Dimon was speaking at an event in Boston where he noted that both his bank and the Communist Party were celebrating

By JAN M. OLSEN Associated Press COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Magdalena Andersson has resigned as Sweden’s prime minister hours after being appointed as the country’s first female prime minister. She did so after suffering a budget defeat in parliament Wednesday and her coalition partner the Greens left the two-party minority government. The government’s own budget