AP National Business

By DAMIAN J. TROISE and ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writers Stock indexes edged higher in afternoon trading Wednesday as Wall Street shook off a bout of volatility driven in part by big swings in technology companies. The S&P 500 rose 0.2%. The benchmark index has risen or fallen by more than 1% the past four

By CHRISTOPHER WEBER Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles leaders have voted to enact one of the nation’s strictest vaccine mandates. The sweeping measure requires the shots for everyone entering bars, restaurants, nail salons, gyms and even a Lakers game. The City Council on Wednesday voted 11-2 in favor of the ordinance and

By MATT OTT AP Business Writer SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — Searching for flights on Google just got “greener.” The tech giant on Wednesday debuted a new tool on Google Flights that tells users which flights in a search result have lower carbon emissions. Flights with significantly lower emissions are highlighted in green indicating what

By COLLIN BINKLEY and RYAN J. FOLEY Associated Press IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A growing number of school districts in the U.S. are using federal pandemic funding on athletics projects. One school district in Iowa is spending $100,000 on a weight room renovation, while another in Wisconsin is spending $1.6 million on new synthetic

By HAVEN DALEY BENICIA, Calif. (AP) — Some residents in the drought-parched U.S. West are turning to pricey machines that developers say can produce hundreds of gallons of water a day, literally out of thin air. The air-to-water systems work like an air conditioner by using coils to chill air, then collecting drops in a

By ERIC TUCKER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is poised to sue government contractors and other companies who receive U.S. government grants if they if they fail to report breaches of their cyber systems. That’s according to the Justice Department’s No. 2 official. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said the department is

By MARIA CHENG AP Medical Writer LONDON (AP) — The World Health Organization has recommended that the world’s first malaria vaccine be given to children across Africa, in a move that officials hope will spur stalled efforts to curb the spread of the parasitic disease. The WHO’s director-general called it “a historic moment” after a

By LISA RATHKE Associated Press The receiver overseeing the Jay Peak ski area after the former owner was accused of fraud says sale discussions have been taking place with several interested parties this year. Attempts to sell the northern Vermont resort were halted at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Receiver Michael Golderg filed the

By JAN M. OLSEN Associated Press COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Scandinavian authorities have suspended or discouraged the use of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine in young people because of an increased risk of heart inflammation, a very rare side effect associated with the shot. Sweden suspended the use of Moderna for those under 30, Denmark said those

By DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks fell in afternoon trading Wednesday as Wall Street underwent a bout of volatility, driven in part by big swings in technology companies. The S&P 500 fell 0.7%. The benchmark index has risen or fallen by more than 1% the past four days. The

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Negotiating Medicare drug prices is a linchpin of President Joe Biden’s ambitious health care agenda. But Congress barred the program from negotiating with drugmakers when it created the prescription benefit. That was nearly 20 years ago, and medicines costing $100,000 a year were rare. Now Biden and

By MARIA CHENG AP Medical Writer LONDON (AP) — The World Health Organization has recommended that the world’s first malaria vaccine be given to children across Africa, in a move officials hope will spur stalled efforts to curb the spread of the parasitic disease. Following a meeting of the United Nations health agency’s vaccine advisory

By MATTHEW DALY Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is restoring federal regulations guiding environmental reviews of major infrastructure projects such as highways and pipelines. It’s the latest reversal of a Trump-era environmental rollback. The White House Council on Environmental Quality said Wednesday it will restore key provisions of the National Environmental Policy

By TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer WARREN, Mich. (AP) — General Motors plans to cash in as the world switches from combustion engines to battery power, promising to double its annual revenue by 2030. To get there it plans an array of new electric vehicles, profitable gas-powered cars and trucks, and services such as an

By TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer WARREN, Mich. (AP) — General Motors plans to cash in as the world switches from combustion engines to battery power, promising to double its annual revenue by 2030. To get there it plans an array of new electric vehicles, profitable gas-powered cars and trucks, and services such as an

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio zoo once widely admired in its industry and by the general public has lost its most important accreditation. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium said it plans to appeal the decision announced Wednesday by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The announcement came one day after the zoo announced its

By VANESSA GERA Associated Press WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s central bank has unexpectedly raised interest rates as the central European nation faces an accelerating inflation rate that is currently the highest in the European Union. The annual inflation rate registered at 5.8% in September. That’s the highest in two decades. Economists predict that it

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Britain is experiencing empty gas pumps, worker shortages and unavailable items on store shelves. None of that got a mention from Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday as he brushed off Britain’s economic bumps and said the country would emerge from Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — With three months until Christmas, toy companies are racing to get their toys onto store shelves as they face a severe supply network crunch. Toy makers are feverishly trying to find containers to ship their goods while searching for new alternative routes and ports. Some

By DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks fell in morning trading Wednesday as Wall Street undergoes a bout of volatility, driven in part by big swings in technology companies. The S&P 500 fell 0.8%. The benchmark index has risen or fallen by more than 1% the past four days. The