AP National Business

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A $650 million plan would give the Los Angeles Zoo a theme park-style transformation over the next 20 years. The Los Angeles Times says the city-owned zoo would get exhibit upgrades and new attractions including a 60-foot-deep canyon for rock climbing and a hilltop feature in the style of a Yosemite

By STEVE KARNOWSKI Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Biden administration has dealt a serious blow to the proposed Twin Metals copper-nickel mine on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in northeastern Minnesota. The government ordered a study Wednesday that could lead to a 20-year ban on mining upstream from the wilderness. The

NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin jumped to a record Wednesday, topping $66,000 for the first time, as it rides a wave of excitement about getting further accepted by the financial establishment. Bitcoin was trading at $66,901.30, up 7.6%, as of 10:52 a.m. Eastern time. It’s roared back after sinking below $30,000 during the summer to

By HALELUYA HADERO AP Business Writer The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation says it will spend $120 million to boost access to generic versions of drugmaker Merck’s antiviral COVID-19 pill for lower income countries, if the drug gets approved by regulators. The private foundation says it will use the funds to “support the range of

By TOM MURPHY AP Health Writer A new Alzheimer’s drug from Biogen brought in only $300,000 in sales during its first full quarter on the market. It was a continuation of a slow debut complicated by coverage questions and doctor concerns. The infused drug has been hailed as a potential breakthrough treatment for a fatal

By DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writer Stocks rose in midday trading on Wall Street Wednesday and health care companies were leading the way for the second day in a row. The S&P 500 was up 0.3%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.4% and the Nasdaq rose 0.1%. Abbott Laboratories, Biogen and Anthem

ROME (AP) — Dozens of former flight attendants from defunct Italian airline Alitalia have stripped off their uniforms, wearing only undergarments in a protest in central Rome. Long financially ailing, Italy’s decades-old airline flew its last flight on Oct. 14. A new airline, ITA, bought the Alitalia brand but is taking on fewer than 3,000

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia has introduced COVID passes for indoor venues in late evening hours following weeks of surging infections and relatively low vaccination rates. Prime Minister Ana Brnabic on Wednesday said the new measure will take effect on Saturday and will be applied from 10 p.m. in bars, restaurants, nightclubs or any other

NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin jumped to a record high Wednesday morning, topping $66,000, as it rides a wave of excitement about getting further mainstreamed by the financial establishment. Bitcoin was trading at $66,109 as of 10:04 a.m. Eastern time. It’s rallied back after sinking below $30,000 during the summer to top its prior record

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP Retail Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Companies are confronting demands by hourly workers on terms that often used to be non-negotiable: scheduling. That has meant pushing back on weekend, late night or holiday shifts. Hourly workers are taking a page from their white-collar peers who are restructuring their workdays to accommodate

By MATT O’BRIEN AP Technology Writer Walgreens will begin flying packages by drone to residents in a pair of Texas cities in partnership with Google’s drone-making affiliate, Wing. The companies said they will begin testing the service next week in the city of Frisco and neighboring Little Elm, two fast-growing communities north of Dallas where

MADRID (AP) — A Spanish court has ordered the extradition of a former Venezuelan spy chief to the United States where he is wanted on charges of drug trafficking and belonging to a terror organization. Retired Maj. Gen. Hugo Carvajal was for more than a decade a close adviser to the late Venezuelan leader Hugo

By SYLVIE CORBET The Associated Press PARIS (AP) — France says it will announce potential sanctions over energy prices and trade “by the end of the week” in its fishing dispute with the United Kingdom. France vehemently protested the decision last month by the U.K. and the Channel Island of Jersey to refuse dozens of

The Associated Press Stocks are edging higher in early trading on Wall Street Wednesday and health care companies were leading the way for the second day in a row. The S&P 500 was up 0.2% in the early going, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq were each up about 0.1%. Abbott Laboratories,

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the country’s workers to stay off work for a week starting later this month amid rising coronavirus infection and death numbers. Putin has also strongly urged reluctant citizens to get vaccinated. The government task force on Wednesday reported 1,028 coronavirus deaths

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog fined Facebook 50.5 million pounds ($69.4 million) on Wednesday for violating rules during the UK investigation into the social media giant’s purchase of Giphy. The Competition and Markets Authority said Facebook failed to provide required information during the probe. It said it gave the platform multiple warnings and “considers

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin says he supports the Cabinet’s proposal to declare a non-working week as coronavirus deaths have surged to another daily record. The government task force on Wednesday reported 1,028 coronavirus deaths over the past 24 hours, the highest number since the start of the

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — With coronavirus cases rising in Britain, the government is urging millions of people to get booster vaccine shots. But it is resisting calls from medical experts to re-impose mandatory masks and other measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. The U.K. recorded almost 50,000 new infections on

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s coronavirus deaths have surged to another daily record as soaring infections prompted the Cabinet to suggest declaring a nonworking week to stem contagion. The government task force on Wednesday reported 1,028 coronavirus deaths over the past 24 hours, the highest number since the start of the

Edmunds The Volkswagen Taos and Chevrolet Trailblazer are two of the latest in a growing crowd of extra-small crossover SUVs. These entry-level crossovers provide lots of utility in a relatively small package and offer many features found in larger SUVs. Cutting back on size doesn’t mean cutting back on convenience.  Chevrolet introduced the Trailblazer for