AP National Business

By BRIAN SLODYSKO and MARC LEVY Associated Press HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Dr. Mehmet Oz rolled onstage inside of an inflatable orb, put on a hydrating face mask and proceeded to pitch a new line of skin care products to a convention of supplement distributors at Salt Lake City’s Vivint Arena in 2018. The crowd

By CIARÁN GILES Associated Press MADRID (AP) — France, Portugal and Spain say they have agreed to substitute a proposed gas pipeline connection between Iberia and France with a “green energy corridor.” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the pipeline would connect the ports of Barcelona in Spain and Marseille in France. Sánchez made the

By ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writer Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell in September for the eighth month in a row, matching the pre-pandemic sales pace from 10 years ago, as house hunters grappled with sharply higher mortgage rates, rising home prices and a still tight supply of properties on the market. The National

By MATT OTT AP Business Reporter WASHINGTON (AP) — Average long-term U.S. mortgage rates inched up this week ahead of another expected rate increase by the Federal Reserve when it meets early next month. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the average on the key 30-year rate ticked up this week to 6.94% from

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union has slapped sanctions on Shahed Aviation Industries in Iran and three Iranian armed forces generals for helping to supply drones to Russia for use in the war against Ukraine. Russia is accused of sending waves of Iranian-made Shahed drones over Ukraine to strike power plants and other key infrastructure.

By SABRA AYRES and HANNA ARHIROVA Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian and Ukrainian troops appeared Thursday to be girding for a major battle over the strategic southern industrial port city of Kherson, in a region which Russian President Vladimir Putin has illegally annexed and subjected to martial law. Fighting and evacuations were reported

By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Union Pacific hauled in 13% more profit in the third quarter, but the railroad predicted Thursday that its customers will ship fewer items than it expected, suggesting that the economy may be slowing down. Union Pacific said it now expects the number of shipments it

By NICOLAE DUMITRACHE AND STEPHEN McGRATH Associated Press BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Several thousand protesters in Romania have joined an “anti-poverty march” in the capital of Bucharest to express dismay over the rising cost of living. The action Thursday is the latest protest in Europe over high prices and pay that workers say hasn’t kept

By MATT OTT AP Business Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week and remains historically low even as the U.S. economy slows in the midst of decades-high inflation. Jobless claims for the week ending Oct. 15 declined by 12,000 to 214,000 from 226,000 last week, the Labor

By ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — The upcoming midterm elections could give the stock market a sorely needed boost by eliminating at least some of the uncertainty that’s clouding the way for investors. Historically, the benchmark S&P 500 index has gained ground in the months following a midterm election, regardless of

By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) — Finance ministers of major Pacific Rim economies have pledged to combat inflation and seek sustainable growth at a meeting in Bangkok ahead of a summit next month. Thailand’s finance minister, the host of the meeting, acknowledged “conflicting views” among the senior officials of the Asia-Pacific Economic

By JIM GOMEZ Associated Press MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has backed a decision by his predecessor to cancel a contract to buy 16 Russian military heavy-lift helicopters and says his administration has “secured an alternative supply from the United States.” Marcos Jr. says the Philippine government would attempt to get

ZEYNEP BILGINSOY Associated Press ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey’s central bank has slashed interest rates for the third month in a row, making its biggest drop this year despite sky-high inflation that is squeezing people’s finances. The Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey on Thursday lowered the benchmark rate by 1.5 percentage points, to 10.5%.

BERLIN (AP) — The head of the United Nations’ World Food Program is renewing pressure on oil-rich Persian Gulf countries to give his agency more help to deal with mounting humanitarian crises. WFP Executive Director David Beasley’s comments on Thursday followed a meeting with the development minister of Germany. the country is the agency’s second-biggest

By CIARÁN GILES Associated Press MADRID (AP) — Households and businesses across Europe have struggled with high electricity prices for months, though they have fallen since late August peaks. Electricity costs are intrinsically linked to natural gas prices, which spiked after Russia invaded Ukraine and drastically reduced flows of the fuel used to heat homes,

BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says that Russia’s war in Ukraine must not lead to a “worldwide renaissance” for coal. His comments on Thursday come as Germany itself brings coal-fired power plants back online in an effort to prevent an energy crunch this winter. In a speech to parliament, Scholz highlighted his government’s

By DAVID SHARP Associated Press JAY, Maine (AP) — Across the U.S., families are looking to the winter with dread as energy costs soar and fuel supplies tighten. The Department of Energy is projecting sharp price increases for home heating compared with last winter and some worry whether heating assistance programs will be able to

HELSINKI (AP) — Wireless and fixed-network equipment maker Nokia has reported substantially improved third-quarter profits and higher sales on the back of strong demand for 5G technology from operators. The Finland-based company on Thursday reported net profit of 551 million euros ($539 million) for the July-September period. That’s a 19% increase from a year earlier.

By CHINEDU ASADU Associated Press ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — A major Nigerian energy company says it can’t deliver natural gas as promised in its contracts after deadly flooding hindered its operations. That’s raising concerns about whether Africa’s largest economy can meet increased local and international demands during an energy crisis provoked by Russia’s war in

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN and RAF CASERT Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders struggled to find immediate practical solutions at their summit called to grapple with the energy crisis fueled by the war in Ukraine and maintain a united front in the face of Russian President Vladimir Putin coercion. After lengthy talks in Brussels

By ROD McGUIRK Associated Press CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — A cybercriminal is holding for ransom an Australian health insurer’s customer data including diagnoses and treatments, in the nation’s second major privacy breach in a month. Trade in Medibank shares has been halted on the Australian Securities Exchange since Wednesday when police were alerted that the

By SABRA AYRES Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia has declared its intention to increase its targeting of Ukraine’s power, water and other vital infrastructure in its latest phase of the nearly 8-month-old war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that Moscow’s forces have destroyed nearly a third of the country’s power stations since Oct.

By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares were mostly lower Friday in muted trading, as investors kept an eye on inflation. Benchmarks fell in Tokyo, Seoul, Sydney and Hong Kong but rose in Shanghai and Mumbai. Japan’s core consumer prices rose 3.0% in September from a year earlier, according to government

By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Japan has marked a trade deficit for the 14th month in a row, with exports and imports ballooning to record highs as the declining value of the yen added to the soaring costs of imported energy, food and other goods. The Finance Ministry said Thursday that

By NICK PERRY Associated Press WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Farmers across New Zealand took to the streets on their tractors Thursday to protest government plans to tax cow burps and other greenhouse gas emissions, although the rallies were smaller than many had expected. Lobby group Groundswell New Zealand helped organize more than 50 protests

By KEN RITTER Associated Press LAS VEGAS (AP) — A judge has blocked Las Vegas police, prosecutors and defense attorneys from accessing a slain investigative journalist’s cellphone and electronic devices over concerns about revealing the reporter’s confidential sources and notes. The order was immediately appealed Wednesday to the Nevada Supreme Court. For now, police can’t

By TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer DETROIT (AP) — Tesla has reported that its third-quarter profit more than doubled from a year ago, fueled by higher vehicle sales. The Austin, Texas, electric vehicle and solar panel maker said it made $3.29 billion from July through September. Revenue rose 56% to a record $21.45 billion. But

The Associated Press Stocks closed lower on Wall Street, reversing course after two days of gains. Major indexes are still higher for the week despite the declines, which pulled every sector lower except energy. Treasury yields continue to climb to multiyear highs, tempting investors with higher returns on relatively low-risk investments. The yield on the

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Wednesday: Netflix Inc., up $31.52 to $272.38. The streaming entertainment giant handily beat Wall Street’s third-quarter earnings forecasts. United Airlines Holdings Inc., up $1.85 to $39.10. The airline’s third-quarter profit and revenue beat analysts’ forecasts. Intuitive Surgical Inc., up $17.41 to $211.14.

By DON BABWIN Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — With U.S. union ranks swelling as everyone from coffee shop baristas to warehouse workers seeks to organize, Illinois voters will decide next month whether to amend their state constitution to guarantee the right to bargain collectively. The fate of the Nov. 8 ballot measure is being closely

The Associated Press Benchmark U.S. crude oil for November delivery rose $2.73 to $85.55 a barrel Wednesday. Brent crude for December delivery rose $2.38 to $92.41 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline for November delivery rose 10 cents to $2.65 a gallon. November heating oil fell 9 cents to $3.90 a gallon. November natural gas fell 29

By JOSH BOAK and ZEKE MILLER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is telling voters that he hasn’t given up on lowering gasoline prices. Biden says he has ordered the release of 15 million barrels from the U.S. strategic reserve and will consider additional withdrawals this winter. It’s a message with clear political

By RODNEY MUHUMUZA Associated Press KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — A United Nations official is urging tech companies to do everything possible to stop the onslaught of hate speech fueling the war in Ethiopia’s north, where a violent war pits federal troops and their allies against Tigray’s rebellious leaders. Inflammatory language by political leaders and armed

By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Warren Buffett’s conglomerate has completed its largest acquisition in years with its $11.6 billion purchase of the Alleghany insurance conglomerate. The purchase will further expand Berkshire’s sizeable insurance operations and add a few more companies to its stable, including a steel fabricator and toy company

By MATTHEW DALY Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Wednesday awarded $2.8 billion in grants to build and expand domestic manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles in 12 states. A total of 20 companies will receive grants for projects to extract and process lithium, graphite and other battery materials, manufacture components and

By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer Starbucks is selling its Seattle’s Best Coffee brand to Nestle for an undisclosed amount. Switzerland-based Nestle has been in a partnership with Seattle-based Starbucks since 2018 and already distributes Starbucks-branded coffee in more than 80 markets worldwide. The company said acquiring Seattle’s Best will offer customers more choice. Nestle

By DAVID KOENIG and CATHY BUSSEWITZ AP Business Writers DALLAS (AP) — The Biden administration plans to release 15 million barrels of oil from the U.S. strategic reserve to counter recent production cuts announced by OPEC+ nations. President Joe Biden is expected to say Wednesday that the U.S. may draw down those reserves further this

BERLIN (AP) — Senior French and German officials have warned that new measures by the Biden administration to address climate change and boost the American economy could upend the “level playing field” on trade between the European Union and the United States. The EU has criticized legislation approved by Congress in August that includes clauses

By TOM KRISHER and JEFFREY COLLINS Associated Press GREER, S.C. (AP) — BMW will invest $1 billion in its sprawling factory near Spartanburg, South Carolina, to start producing electric vehicles and an additional $700 million to build a electric-battery plant nearby. The German automaker’s announcement reflects its commitment to transitioning to electric-vehicle production in North

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Newsroom workers at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette have gone on strike demanding that the company reinstate the terms of its previous contract and return to the bargaining table. The Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh said its members began picketing Tuesday. Guild members have been working without a contract since 2017 and Monday voted to

By FRANK JORDANS Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — The International Energy Agency said Wednesday that it expects carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels to rise again this year, but by much less than in 2021 due to the growth in renewable power and electric cars. Last year saw a strong rebound in carbon

By MATTHEW PERRONE AP Health Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — A panel of federal advisers says a pregnancy drug intended to prevent premature births should be withdrawn because it doesn’t work. Wednesday’s recommendation is non-binding, but it clears the way for the Food and Drug Administration to remove the drug from the market. The FDA deemed

By FATIMA HUSSEIN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Taxpayers will get fatter standard deductions for 2023 and all seven federal income tax bracket levels will be revised upward as the government allows people to shield more of their money from taxation because of persistently high inflation. For couples who file jointly for tax year 2023,

ATLANTA (AP) — A union says aircraft maintenance workers at Georgia-based UPS have approved a three-year contract that provides raises and pension improvements for more than 1,600 union members nationwide. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters says wage hikes of 3.3% and increases in pension benefits will begin in November 2023. The union says more than

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine officials say they have shut down at least 214 illegal Chinese offshore gambling operations and deported the first six of nearly 400 Chinese workers who have been detained under a renewed crackdown. A spate of crimes victimizing Chinese workers at illegal online gambling businesses, including kidnappings and sexual abuses, sparked

By ALEX DANIELS of The Chronicle of Philanthropy Chronicle of Philanthropy The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced Wednesday that it is making grants of more than a $1 billion as part of a sweeping national plan to improve math education over the next four years. Its goal: to help students succeed in school and

By MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writer Procter & Gamble exceeded $20 billion in sales during the fiscal first quarter but citing the strong dollar, it expects to post its first annual sales decline since 2017. U.S companies that do a lot of business overseas are getting hammered by a surge in the value of the

The Associated Press Growing Medicaid enrollment pushed one of the biggest U.S. health insurers, Elevance Health, to a better-than-expected third quarter and a higher forecast for the year. The Blue Cross-Blue Shield insurer said Wednesday that enrollment in Medicaid, a state and federally funded program for people with low incomes, climbed nearly 9% in the

By DAVID KOENIG AP Airlines Writer Spirit Airlines shareholders are approving a $3.8 billion sale of the company to JetBlue Airways. Spirit announced the results on Wednesday. JetBlue was able to drive out rival bidder Frontier Airlines after a bidding war this year. Even with Spirit shareholders accepting the buyout, the deal could face a

By SCOTT SONNER Associated Press RENO, Nev. (AP) — The unusual circumstances that led to the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on the Endangered Species Act in 1978 have not surfaced much since then. But the stage is being set in Nevada for another potentially significant test of the nation’s premier wildlife protection law in

By KIRSTEN GRIESHABER Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — Germany wants to massively expand the country’s charging network for electric cars. It plans to spend 6.3 billion euros ($6.17 billion) over the next three years as it expects more and more drivers to turn from combustion cars to more climate-friendly electric vehicles. The country’s transportation minister

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland has signed a deal to buy hundreds of South Korean multiple rocket launchers amid efforts to step up the nation’s defenses in light of the war in neighboring Ukraine. Deputy Prime Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said the K239 Chunmoo systems are comparable to the American-made HIMARS launchers, a number of which

By RODNEY MUHUMUZA Associated Press KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — A World Health Organization official says experimental Ebola vaccines will be deployed in Uganda in about “two weeks.” The East African country is carrying out tough preventive measures that include a lockdown in the Ebola-hit areas. WHO’s representative in Uganda told The Associated Press that Wednesday

By SAM KEMMIS of NerdWallet Inflation has made the cash prices of flights and hotel stays skyrocket this year, but it’s having a surprising effect on a different currency — your airline miles and hotel points. Across the board, your airline miles and hotel points are actually worth more than last year, which is unusual

By LEON YIN and AARON SANKIN/The Markup The Markup Having a fast internet connection at home has become a near-requirement for many Americans, especially with the rise of remote education and working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But an investigation by The Markup has found that internet service providers often offer drastically different

By LEON YIN and AARON SANKIN/The Markup The Markup A couple of years into the pandemic, Shirley Neville had finally had enough of her shoddy internet service. “It was just a headache,” said Neville, who lives in a middle-class neighborhood in New Orleans whose residents are almost all Black or Latino. “When I was getting

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Liz Truss described herself as “a fighter and not a quitter” Wednesday as she faced a hostile opposition and fury from her own Conservative Party over her botched economic plan. Within hours of the defiant statement, her government was teetering on the verge of

By MUNIR AHMED Associated Press ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s government says the World Bank estimates that this summer’s record-breaking floods have caused $40 billion in damages in this impoverished country. The figure is $10 billion more than the government’s earlier estimate. Pakistan was already facing a serious financial crisis before the heavy monsoon rains hit

By DANICA KIRKA and JILL LAWLESS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — British food prices rose at the fastest pace since 1980 last month, driving inflation back to a 40-year high and heaping pressure on the embattled government to balance the books without gutting help for the nation’s poorest residents. The Office for National Statistics said

By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press ROME (AP) — Italy’s presumed next premier, Giorgia Meloni, has issued a stark warning to Silvio Berlusconi that he risked losing influence in any new government over his friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Meloni was responding to comments by Berlusconi to his Forza Italia lawmakers this week that were

By KIM TONG-HYUNG Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A top executive of South Korea’s largest mobile chat app, Kakao, has resigned over a widespread service outage that triggered an outpouring of complaints in a country that is heavily reliant on such technology. Namkoong Whon, who became Kakao’s co-CEO in March, said he will

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The family of an American citizen arrested in Saudi Arabia says he was tortured and sentenced to 16 years in prison over tweets he sent while in the United States. The 72-year-old retired project manager, who was living in Florida, was arrested last November while visiting family in the

By BASSEM MROUE and KAREEM CHEHAYEB Associated Press BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s parliament has approved amendments to a banking secrecy law, a key demand of the International Monetary Fund before agreeing to a bailout program. Lebanese legislators late Tuesday approved the reiterated law with some slight changes, which legal and advocacy groups have critiqued as

By CAROLYN THOMPSON Associated Press BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Two top New York state officials are calling on lawmakers to outlaw the creation of videos of homicides. They’re citing the viral spread across the internet of footage livestreamed by the gunman during a racist mass shooting at a Buffalo supermarket. The recommendations from New York’s

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey officials have announced a lawsuit against five oil and gas companies and a petroleum trade organization alleging deception on role fossil fuels play in climate change. Attorney General Matthew Platkin and other officials accuse the firms Tuesday of trying to hide the link between their products and climate

By FRANK JORDANS Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — Insurance companies that have long said they’ll cover anything, at the right price, are increasingly ruling out fossil fuel projects because of climate change — to cheers from environmental campaigners. More than a dozen groups that track what policies insurers have on high-emissions activities say the industry

By DAVID KOENIG AP Airlines Writer United Airlines has reported a $942 million profit for the third quarter after a strong summer travel season. Chicago-based United said Tuesday that is expects to beat Wall Street forecasts for profit in the fourth quarter too. Airline executives say that concern about inflation and the economy doesn’t seem

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP Technology Writer SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Netflix reversed its recent subscriber losses with a summertime gain that management is hoping to build upon with the upcoming launch of a cheaper version of the video streaming service that will include ads for the first time. The Los Gatos, California, company disclosed Tuesday

The Associated Press Stocks rose on Wall Street, adding to weekly gains for major indexes that have been mired in a broad slump amid inflation and recession concerns. The S&P 500 rose 1.1% Tuesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq also rose. The gains tempered from an earlier jump that sent almost all

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed FedEx from a lawsuit filed by relatives of five of the eight people who were fatally shot last year at an Indianapolis warehouse by a former employee of the shipping giant. U.S. District Judge James Sweeney on Monday granted a FedEx Corp. motion to dismiss it and

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Last year was a roller coaster ride for theme parks worldwide, with U.S. water parks approaching pre-pandemic levels and parks in China struggling with lockdowns. That’s according to a new report released last Friday. Last year, U.S. theme parks recaptured only about two-thirds of their attendance from 2019. But the year

By TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer DETROIT (AP) — Eleven people were killed in U.S. crashes involving vehicles that were using automated driving systems during a four-month period earlier this year, according to newly released government data, part of an alarming pattern of incidents linked to the technology. Ten of the deaths involved vehicles made

By CORA LEWIS and ADRIANA MORGA Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness program. announced in August, will cancel up to $20,000 in debt per borrower. The application process is now open, and the administration says the forms should take five minutes to complete. Borrowers who apply before mid-November should

By CURT ANDERSON Associated Press ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A new report finds preliminary agriculture losses in Florida from Hurricane Ian’s high winds and drenching rains could reach $1.56 billion, with citrus, cattle, vegetable and melon operations hit the hardest. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences report Tuesday said there

By JOSH BOAK and ZEKE MILLER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will announce the release of 15 million barrels of oil from the U.S. strategic reserve as part of a response to recent production cuts announced by OPEC+ nations. That’s according to senior administration officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity

HELSINKI (AP) — Finland’s prime minister says she was convinced that there is a “wide support” within the Parliament to build a fence on the Nordic country’s border with Russia as proposed by the Finnish border guard officials. Prime Minister Sanna Marin told reporters Tuesday at the legislature before a meeting with parliamentary groups on

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A senior European Union official says Poland’s right-wing government needs to show that it has fulfilled all the democratic requirements before payments from the bloc’s development funds can be made. Vera Jourova said Tuesday that negotiations are still ongoing with Poland on payments of 75 billion euros from the cohesion fund

By ERIC TUCKER and BOBBY CAINA CALVAN Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — French cement company Lafarge has pleaded guilty to paying millions of dollars to the Islamic State group so a plant in Syria could remain open, a case the Justice Department describes as the first of its kind. Lafarge has agreed to pay

By JOSHUA GOODMAN Associated Press MIAMI (AP) — A small Texas seafood importer has sued the federal government for blocking a shipment of fish from protected waters near Antarctica. It’s an ocean at the center of a diplomatic feud dividing the normally allied U.S. and U.K. governments. Southern Cross Seafoods says in a complaint filed

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A pipeline operator has agreed to pay $50 million to Southern California fishermen, tourism companies and property owners who sued over an offshore oil spill last year. A proposed settlement between Houston-based Amplify Energy Corp. and the businesses was filed Monday in federal court. A judge still needs to approve