National Business

HALIFAX — Once a week, Akin Guler goes to a meeting room in his office where one of his co-workers — trained to administer rapid COVID-19 tests — inserts a small swab into his nostril.

OTTAWA — Canadian retail sales in April posted their largest drop since the start of the pandemic as governments moved to deal with its third wave. Statistics Canada said Wednesday retail sales fell 5.7 per cent to $54.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sales of new homes fell for a second month in May, dropping by a larger-than-expected 5.9%. The May sales decline pushed sales to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 769,000, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday.

CAIRO (AP) — The owners and insurers of the giant container ship that blocked the Suez Canal for nearly a week earlier this year have reached an agreement in principle over their dispute with canal authorities, representatives from both sides said We

NEW YORK (AP) — Warren Buffett is resigning as a trustee from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — An Iranian news site close to security services says that authorities have thwarted a "sabotage attack" on the country's civilian nuclear program, without providing further information.

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper will close by this weekend, its parent company said Wednesday, following last week’s arrest of five editors and executives and the freezing of $2.

HALIFAX — When word came last November that Nova Scotia's Liberal government had imposed rent control during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sarah DeWolfe was hopeful her worries over rising housing costs would be put on hold.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kobe Bryant's widow has agreed to settle a lawsuit against the pilot and owners of the helicopter that crashed last year, killing the NBA star, his daughter, Gianna, and seven others.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Amid all the back-and-forth about the feasibility of holding the Tokyo Olympics during the pandemic, there are early indications of viewer interest in the summer games. U.S.