Maui panel passes bill to curb vacation rentals and boost housing supply

HONOLULU — Lawmakers on Maui passed legislation Thursday aimed at eliminating a large percentage of the Hawaiian island’s vacation rentals to address a housing shortage exacerbated by the wildfire that destroyed most of Lahaina two years ago. It’s the latest action by a top global tourist destination to push back against the infiltration of vacationers … Read more

Who is Erika McEntarfer, the Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner fired by Trump?

WASHINGTON — The head of the agency that compiles the closely watched monthly jobs report usually toils in obscurity, but on Friday, the current holder of that job was loudly fired by the president of the United States. Erika McEntarfer, a longtime government employee, bore the brunt of President Donald Trump’s unhappiness with Friday’s jobs … Read more

Switzerland, the land of luxury brands, could see prices skyrocket from Trump’s 39% tariffs

Prices for the eponymous Swiss watches, Swiss chocolate and Swiss cheese could skyrocket in a week as a result of U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war. Switzerland, home to some the world’s most recognizable luxury brands, now faces an upcoming 39% tariff from the U.S. Industry groups on Friday warned that both Swiss companies and … Read more

Jury orders Tesla to pay more than $200 million in Autopilot crash case

MIAMI — A Miami jury decided that Elon Musk’s car company Tesla was partly responsible for a deadly crash in Florida involving its Autopilot driver assist technology and must pay the victims more than $200 million in punitive damages. The federal jury held that Tesla bore significant responsibility because its technology failed and that not … Read more

American Eagle responds to critics over ad with Sydney Sweeney, saying it was always about the jeans

NEW YORK — Teen retailer American Eagle Outfitters has a message to its critics, who took issue over its denim ad campaign with 27-year-old actor Sydney Sweeney that sparked a debate over race and Western beauty standards. The campaign, the retailer said, was always about the jeans. In a statement posted on American Eagle’s Instagram … Read more

Profits drop at Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway as it writes down its Kraft Heinz investment

OMAHA, Neb. — OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Warren Buffett’s company reported less than half as much profit in the second quarter as it took a $3.76 billion writedown on the value of its stake in Kraft Heinz, as that iconic food producer considers largely undoing the merger that Berkshire Hathaway helped bankroll. Berkshire said it … Read more

What to know if you’re at risk of having your wages garnished over student loan debt

NEW YORK — Millions of student borrowers could begin having their wages garnished as soon as this summer, according to estimates from credit bureau TransUnion. The company predicts that by August roughly 3 million borrowers could move into default, meaning they’re 270 days past due on payments. At that point, loan holders are at risk … Read more