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  • A horde of golden mini-Mozarts marks 270 years since the composer’s birth in Salzburg


    SALZBURG, Austria (AP) — Visitors to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s hometown can see the composer — and his dog — in miniature as Salzburg celebrates the 270th anniversary of his birth. But they shouldn’t wait too long.

    The Mozarteum Foundation on Wednesday unveiled 300 gold-colored statuettes of Mozart, which are barely 50 centimeters (less than 20 inches) tall. They were designed by German concept artist Ottmar Hörl.

    Mozart was born on Jan. 27, 1756, in the Austrian city, where the Mozarteum Foundation offers concerts, maintains Mozart museums and supports research on him.

    “I didn’t want to do a monument of Mozart. There are already enough of these. But I wanted to show his human side, that he was a normal human being despite his genius,” Hörl told The Associated Press.

    To give the statues a human touch, Hörl depicted the composer with his favorite dog, Pimperl. Mozart and his family were known to take long walks with their dogs in the Mirabell Garden, next to where they lived.

    The mini-Mozarts populate not only the garden, but also Mozart’s former living quarters as well as several pavilions. In all, 400 statues were made, but only 300 are on display at present. The rest are being kept in reserve in case of theft.

    “Two already got stolen within the last few hours,” Linus Klumpner of the Mozarteum Foundation said. But the statues are meant to attract a broader range of visitors and get them hooked on Mozart’s Music.

    “You come here, maybe you see the small golden heads shimmering in the sun on the horizon. And people become curious,” Klumpner said. “And then a process begins which is very much in our interest. That is to bring new people in contact with Mozart.”

    For Hörl, the theft of his artworks in nothing new. At an installation in Bayreuth, Germany, a complete array of statues of Richard Wagner was stolen within 10 days.

    “That’s just the nature of public space. That means when you work as an artist in a public space you mustn’t complain about what is happening there,” Hörl said. “It ranges from destruction to theft. That’s just how it is.”

    The Mozart statues are scheduled to remain on display until Aug. 30. People who would like to own one but would prefer not to steal it can purchase one for 100 euros ($114) – while supplies last.

    Hörl is known for his sculptures made from polymer. In 2010 he displayed 10,000 plastic owls in Athens. A “Homage to Dürer” showcased oversized plastic copies of Albrecht Dürer’s hare at the Daegu art museum in South Korea.

    In 2009, German prosecutors decided against investigating Hörl over a series of golden garden gnomes doing the Hitler salute, under a law that forbids using insignia forbidden by the German constitution. Hörl himself intended the gnomes as satire against the Nazis’ ideology.


  • An empty middle seat is the latest perk United Airlines will offer on some flights


    NEW YORK (AP) — United Airlines is trying to attract flyers with another luxurious perk: an empty middle seat.

    The Chicago-based carrier announced plans this week to roll out a new row of its “Economy Plus” seats with no neighbor in the middle spot — and instead use the space for a shared table (and more elbow room) between the aisle and window travelers.

    The offering is only set to be available in one row on United’s new Airbus A321XLR aircraft, with pricing and sales expected to be disclosed later this year. But United suggested it could expand the no-middle-seat option to other planes down the road.

    The move arrives amid a broader push from airlines advertising more and more special tiers and separate add-ons to their flights — particularly when it comes to courting passengers who are willing to pay more for comfort.

    United is following the footsteps of a handful of European airlines, including Lufthansa and Finnair, already offering empty middle seats to business class passengers. And other carriers have also allowed travelers for years to pay extra or buy additional tickets to keep seats near them empty.

    United said Tuesday that it expects to be “the only U.S. airline” to have these kind of rows. The middle seat has long been bemoaned by travelers — both those in the aisle and window seats that have to share an armrest or more with whoever is occupying the middle seat, and for those passengers stuck wedged in a middle seat between two others.

    The latest no-middle-seat option also arrives just months after the airline announced the “United Relax Rows,” which, starting early next year, will allow passengers in economy class to turn a row of three seats on some wider Boeing planes into a couch they can sleep or lounge on after takeoff.

    “We’re investing nose-to-tail across our fleet,” Andrew Nocella, United’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer, said in a statement Tuesday. She said both of these new offerings give customers more “choice and value in every cabin.”

    Across carriers, passengers on the same flight can still have strikingly different travel experiences. And while there’s demand for roomier seats and other perks, some budget-conscious travelers may feel a widening gap between the back and front of the plane — or frustration over new fees for services that were once free and added tiers to juggle when comparing fares.

    A handful of big-name airlines, like Delta, have embraced strategies to provide “the best” — not the cheapest — offerings. Meanwhile, United executives have pushed back on the idea that the industry has become solely focused on chasing big spenders, maintaining that premium investments are part of a broader strategy to improve every traveler’s experience.


  • Fed chair Warsh sidesteps Senate questions on inflation, AI, contact with Trump


    WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh on Wednesday navigated a series of thorny questions from senators on issues such as the impact of AI on inflation, what contacts he has had with President Donald Trump, and how the central bank will determine the persistence of inflation, without providing many specifics.

    Warsh has said since taking office seven weeks ago that he would provide less guidance about the Fed’s next interest rate moves than his predecessors. Yet he has frustrated many Fed-watchers by largely avoiding explanations of how the central bank might respond more generally to potential economic changes.

    “I don’t view a one-time change in prices as necessarily being inflationary, because I think there’s a supply response,” he said in answer to a question on the impact of massive investment in AI infrastructure. “Will it increase measured prices over the course of the next 12 months? I suspect it will be. Whether that’s inflationary or not, that’s up to the Federal Reserve, and we’re going to have something to say about that.”

    The cost of computer memory and processing chips has soared as high-tech firms have spent hundreds of billions of dollars on data centers and computing equipment. Companies such as Apple, Microsoft, and Dell said they have had to raise prices on laptops, tablets, and video game consoles as a result.

    According to the minutes of the Fed’s last meeting June 16-17, “many” of the 19 officials on its rate-setting committee said that the “ongoing strong demand for AI infrastructure would likely sustain upward pressure on prices for technology products and electricity.” The committee has been sharply divided over whether to raise rates later this year.

    Inflation data downplayed

    In his second day of congressional testimony, Warsh also downplayed positive inflation data released Tuesday and Wednesday that could make his job as Fed chair easier. As inflation fades, it reduces pressure on the Fed to raise its key interest rate to cool borrowing and spending.

    The government said earlier Wednesday that wholesale inflation slowed in June, a day after consumer prices were reported to have fallen from May to June for the first time in six years. On a yearly basis, inflation cooled to 3.5% last month from 4.2% in May.

    “Any central banker would be happy to have data going in the right direction,” he said, but “these are all imperfect measures of the state of underlying inflation.”

    Instead, Warsh said he would look to a task force he has created to study the sources of data the Fed uses. He suggested the task force could come up with ways that government statistical agencies “could do a better job in an evolving economy.” Warsh announced the formation of five task forces last week, which will also consider the Fed’s inflation framework, the impact of AI on jobs and productivity, and the Fed’s ownership of trillions of dollars of government bonds.

    Warsh did sketch out one standard the Fed would use when evaluating whether inflation was becoming a persistent problem: It will consider whether prices are rising in more than a just a particular category, such as oil and gas, and affecting “the generalized price level.”

    Yet when asked by Sen. John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, how the Fed will determine whether inflation is “temporary or permanent,” Warsh said, “You use five task forces to get to the big and hard questions.”

    Questions about whether Warsh has spoken with Trump

    Separately, Warsh reiterated that he would act independently as Fed chair and resist any political pressure from Trump, who has often demanded lower interest rates. But he did not directly answer whether he has communicated with Trump since his appointment.

    “I don’t want to be in the business of sharing discussions that the president and I have,” Warsh said in response to a question from Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland.

    “I will tell you what I’ve said to the president repeatedly and said to the Treasury Secretary: They chose an independent guy to do the job and that’s exactly what I plan on doing,” he added.

    Trump repeatedly attacked Warsh’s predecessor, Jerome Powell, for not cutting interest rates deeply enough, and his administration even pushed an investigation into brief Senate testimony by Powell on a building renovation by the Fed, raising widespread concerns about the future of the Fed’s independence.


  • Jaxon Smith-Njigba voted the NFL’s top wide receiver by AP panel


    Jaxon Smith-Njigba won the AP Offensive Player of the Year award and the Super Bowl last season before the Seattle Seahawks gave him the biggest contract for a wide receiver in NFL history.

    No surprise he was voted the NFL’s top wideout by The Associated Press in a preseason survey.

    Smith-Njigba received four first-place votes, three thirds and a fourth from a panel of eight AP pro football writers, who ranked the top five receivers entering the 2026 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second- through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.

    Ja’Marr Chase got two firsts and Justin Jefferson and Puka Nacua each received one.

    1. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks

    The 24-year-old set a team record for yards receiving (1,793) and receptions (119) last season. He received a four-year, $168.6 million extension that averages $42.15 million annually and includes over $120 million in guaranteed money.

    Smith-Njigba, a unanimous All-Pro selection, had nine 100-yard receiving games during the regular season and was a key to Seattle winning its second Super Bowl in franchise history.

    2. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

    Chase, a unanimous All-Pro selection in 2024, tied Justin Jefferson for first place in voting last year in this survey.

    He had 125 receptions, 1,412 yards receiving and eight touchdowns last season after earning the receiving triple crown in 2024.

    Chase got two first-place votes, three seconds, two thirds and was left off one ballot.

    3. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams

    Nacua was a unanimous All-Pro selection after leading the NFL with 129 catches for 1,715 yards and 10 TDs.

    Nacua has averaged 104 catches, 1,397 yards receiving and six TDs over his three seasons in the NFL, giving Matthew Stafford a top target and the Rams an elite passing attack.

    He got one first-place vote, three seconds and appeared on seven ballots.

    4. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

    In a down season, Jefferson had 84 catches for 1,048 yards and two TDs while catching passes from three different Vikings quarterbacks.

    The two-time All-Pro has averaged 97 catches, 1,413 yards and seven TDs over his six seasons in the NFL.

    Jefferson still received one first-place vote, two seconds and appeared on seven ballots.

    5. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions

    St. Brown was a second-team All-Pro after earning first-team honors the previous two seasons.

    He had 117 receptions, 1,401 yards receiving and 11 TDs last season for the Lions. St. Brown has four straight seasons of more than 100 receptions and more than 1,100 yards receiving.

    He appeared on seven of the eight ballots.

    ___

    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl


  • Statewide Driver’s License System Outage Delays Renewals; Adams County Sheriff’s Office Urges Patience

    Statewide Driver’s License System Outage Delays Renewals; Adams County Sheriff’s Office Urges Patience

    The Adams County Sheriff’s Office is notifying the public that a statewide outage affecting the Mississippi Driver Service Bureau is preventing some motorists from renewing or updating expired driver’s licenses.

    According to the Sheriff’s Office, the Driver Service Bureau’s system has been offline since Monday and remains unavailable, impacting the processing and updating of expired driver’s licenses across Mississippi.

    Because of the outage, some drivers may be unable to renew their licenses until the system is restored. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office said deputies have been advised to use discretion during traffic stops involving expired driver’s licenses, recognizing that the expiration may be due to the statewide technical issue rather than a driver’s failure to renew.

    Officials also noted that the outage does not affect all Driver Service Bureau operations. Sex offender registration services and driver’s license reinstatement remain fully operational.

    The Mississippi Department of Public Safety is working to resolve the issue and will notify the public once the system has been restored and normal driver’s license renewal services resume.

    Motorists who are unable to renew their licenses because of the outage are encouraged to monitor updates from the Mississippi Department of Public Safety for information on when services become available again.

  • YouTube joins Meta in appealing a jury verdict that faulted them for users’ social media addiction


    LOS ANGELES (AP) — YouTube has appealed the verdict of a landmark social media addiction lawsuit in Los Angeles, seeking to challenge the jury’s determination that the company designed its platform to hook young users without concern for their well-being.

    Lawyers representing YouTube filed a notice of appeal Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, less than a week after Meta, which was also a defendant in the case, filed its own notice of appeal. The lawyers are expected to provide their arguments related to the appeal in later court filings.

    The case centered on a 20-year-old woman who said she became addicted to social media as a child and that it worsened her mental health struggles. The jury found that negligence by both Google-owned YouTube and Meta was a substantial factor in causing harm to the young woman, identified in court only by her initials, KGM, and her first name, Kaley.

    The jury awarded her $3 million in damages and recommended an additional $3 million in punitive damages. Her lead attorney, Mark Lanier, said in a statement last week following Meta’s appeal that Kaley’s legal team is expecting the appellate court to “continue the careful application of the law to this case, affirming the verdict of the trial court.”

    José Castañeda, a spokesperson for Google, said in a statement last week that YouTube was planning to appeal and that “these are standard motions for this case to move forward.”

    Meta and Google had each filed post-trial motions seeking a new trial. The trial judge, Carolyn B. Kuhl, denied those motions in early June.

    One of YouTube’s core arguments during the five-week trial was that its platform, which offers video sharing and streaming, is not a social media platform.

    Lawyers for both YouTube and Meta also consistently posed questions throughout the trial about whether the evidence and arguments encroached on legal protections for tech companies around content posted by third parties. Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act shields these companies from legal responsibility for such content. The plaintiff’s lawyers instead focused on the design features like autoplay functions that they argued could lead to more long-lasting, less intentional use of the platforms.

    Kaley’s case was a first-of-its-kind lawsuit, and the verdict could influence the outcome of thousands of similar lawsuits accusing social media companies of deliberately causing harm. TikTok and Snapchat parent company Snap Inc. were also initially named as defendants in the case, but each settled for undisclosed sums before the trial began.


  • Distance debate at this British Open is how far the golf ball goes on the ground


    SOUTHPORT, England (AP) — How far the golf ball goes has been debated for the last 20 years and distance is likely to be a big concern this week at Royal Birkdale for the British Open, with one twist.

    It’s not how far shots are going in the air. It’s what happens when they get on the ground. And with links golf, that’s not always easy to control, especially this week.

    “You can’t judge every single bounce perfectly,” Justin Rose said. “But you have to accept the nature of a links golf course. There’s going to be some good bounces, bad bounces. Just keep playing with a big of freedom and creativity, especially this week.

    “You’re going to get a few funny bounces here or there,” he said. “That’s all part of it.”

    The 154th Open begins Thursday with a mixture of excitement and curiosity. For those who love links golf, there’s no greater colors than brown and yellow that indicate crispy conditions in which the fairways can run faster than some of the greens.

    Rarely has the forecast been filled with warm sunshine — slightly cooler on the weekend — with a cloudless sky that will be a challenge for the R&A to keep the turf from getting too fast.

    Rory McIlroy came to Royal Birkdale a few weeks ago and saw what seemed to be a different course. It was greener. The rough was more lush. It’s no longer like that. Yes, it’s harder to control shots running along the fairway But the rough, while still having some thick patches in which players are up to their knees in grass, is more burned and wispy.

    “I think it’s a double-edged sword,” McIlroy said. “I think all this dry weather and sun and a little bit of wind is obviously great for the course in one way, but when I was here a couple weeks ago, the rough was a lot more penal than it’s going to be this week. It’s definitely burnt out a lot.

    “The big thing, especially off the tee here, is the fairway bunkers and avoiding those,” he said. “You might see some guys being more aggressive off the tee, taking driver, trying to take the fairway bunkers out of play. OK, it might be in the rough, but it’s not that penal, so you get a wedge in your hand and you can figure it out from there.”

    Every hole seems to have options.

    The redesigned fifth plays 321 yards and enough shrubs have been removed that it’s no longer a blind shot from the tee. What players see now is a pond — an unusual hazard for links golf, but it’s always been there — and a row of pot bunkers leading to the green.

    Marcus Plunkett, the U.S. Army veteran playing in his first British Open, arrived Thursday and smashed driver to the edge of the green. Even with that shot, he’s planning on a 7-iron off the tee.

    The wind is out of a different direction than usual, making the 393-yard 16th hole play downwind and running fast. Most players were hitting no more than 5-iron off the tee to avoid the bunkers. The other option is a driver than can get close to the green.

    It’s like that all over, and it could lead to brilliance and blunders.

    “From what I’ve learned in the past, if you start pulling out drivers in an Open Championship, you can do a good job,” Jon Rahm said. “You can maybe get away with it one round. Over four rounds, you’re going to start finding spots you don’t want to be in, and you’re going to pay the price.”

    Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion, trying to become the first repeat winner of golf’s oldest championship since Padraig Harrington won at Carnoustie and Royal Birkdale in 2007 and 2008. The world’s No. 1 player has played only five times in the Open, but he probably spoke for many when he said, “This is the first forecast I remember seeing it had no rain in it for the week.”

    “If it holds, it should continue to firm up, and we’ve got some warm weather as well,” he said.

    It’s a different Royal Birkdale from when Jordan Spieth won in 2017, particularly the new look on the fifth and the par-3 seventh, and a brand-new par 3 at the 15th (the old par-3 14th was removed). Scheffler offered a not-so-subtle jab at the chances, even though he hadn’t seen the course before.

    “The one thing I found interesting is it’s so obvious as to which holes had been redone,” he said. “They look like they’re not even on the same golf course.”

    Scheffler had to return the claret jug on Tuesday. Someone else takes possession Sunday night when he is introduced as the “Champion Golfer of the Year.” And then it’s eight-plus months until the next major at the Masters in April.

    The four majors are over quickly.

    But it’s only fitting the British Open with its unique brand of golf is the last major of the year. It’s unlike anything players see all year, especially in dry and firm and fiery conditions like this.

    “The ball is just going to run forever,” Scheffler said.

    ___

    AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf


  • Kylian Mbappé-led France falls flat in World Cup loss to Spain when hopes for a title were high


    ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Kylian Mbappé had France poised for another run to the World Cup final with a team that seemingly had the offensive firepower to solve Spain’s stout defense.

    Instead, Les Bleus had no answers in a 2-0 semifinal loss at the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday in what is presumably coach Didier Deschamps’ final appearance on soccer’s biggest stage.

    Deschamps, who has said this would be his last World Cup, won a title as a player in 1998 and again as a coach eight years ago in Russia before leading France to the final in 2022 in Qatar. Argentina won that championship in a penalty shootout.

    “I’ve been lucky as a player to enjoy happy moments,” Deschamps said through a translator, while also saying it wasn’t yet time to discuss his future. “Today is not such a moment. But I think we must accept it without forgetting everything that we’ve experienced so far. But today’s feeling is that I am not happy.”

    The disappointment reverberated from Texas across the Atlantic Ocean. A number of clashes reportedly broke out in Paris, with incidents between law enforcement and young people also reported in Lyon.

    French media lamented that their team had been unable to reproduce the exhilarating performances it had delivered while never trailing in its first six World Cup matches.

    L’Équipe, France’s leading sports newspaper, noted that Deschamps’ players had been outplayed in every aspect of the game, “unable to live up to their dreams and to the hope they had inspired.”

    Those players didn’t disagree, although Mbappé was quick to defend his coach, and said he would play hard for Deschamps in the third-place match against the Argentina-England loser on Saturday in Miami Gardens, Florida.

    “Nothing changed about what Didier means to us as a French people. As a manager, as a player, he wrote an amazing story,” said the France captain, who got a quick hug from his coach on the sideline after the final whistle. “There’s one game left for him, so we’re going to try to play the best game for him because he deserves it, and also the fans deserve to have a win and finish third in this World Cup.”

    The dangerous playmaking of Mbappé, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise never showed up in what ended up being Spain’s sixth clean sheet in seven World Cup appearances this year.

    Mbappé’s best chance came in the 67th minute when his shot deflected off Spain defender Marc Cucurella and went just wide. La Roja already had a two-goal lead at that point.

    The 27-year-old Mbappé, who entered the day level with Argentina superstar Lionel Messi for the tournament lead in goals with eight, showed some frustration with a yellow card in the 86th minute. He rushed toward Unai Simón just as the Spain goalkeeper was bending over to pick up the ball. The two collided, sending Simón to the grass.

    “In so many ways, France was missing everything today,” Rayan Cherki said through a translator. “We’ll be back in four years, and we won’t make the same mistakes.”

    ___

    Associated Press writer Samuel Petrequin in Paris contributed to this report.

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    See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here


  • Main Street Closure to Continue Following Delta Fuel Fire; Downtown Natchez Businesses Remain Open

    Main Street Closure to Continue Following Delta Fuel Fire; Downtown Natchez Businesses Remain Open

    Mayor Dan Gibson is urging residents and visitors to continue supporting Downtown Natchez businesses as a portion of Main Street remains closed following Sunday’s fire at the Delta Fuel building.

    According to the City of Natchez, engineers have evaluated the fire-damaged structure and determined it poses a collapse risk. As a result, Main Street between the intersections of Union Street and Commerce Street will remain closed to vehicle traffic until the building can be safely stabilized or demolished.

    In addition, the section of Main Street between Union Street and Locust Alley will remain closed to pedestrian traffic for public safety. City officials said there is currently no timeline for reopening the area as they continue working with Delta Fuel and structural engineers to determine the safest course of action.

    Despite the temporary closure, city leaders emphasized that Downtown Natchez remains open for business.

    Motorists traveling through downtown are being directed to turn right onto Union Street, left onto Jefferson Street, and then left onto Commerce Street to reconnect with Main Street. Pedestrians can also access the downtown business district by using Locust Alley.

    The City is encouraging residents and visitors to continue shopping, dining, and visiting downtown restaurants, retail stores, attractions, and other local businesses during the closure.

    Mayor Dan Gibson also expressed his appreciation to the many agencies and individuals who responded to Sunday’s fire, including the Natchez Fire Department, Vidalia Fire Department, Adams County, Concordia Parish, law enforcement officers, first responders, volunteers, and citizens who provided food, drinks, and other support throughout the emergency response.

    “Most importantly, we are thankful there were no injuries and no loss of life,” the City said in its update. “While this closure is an inconvenience, public safety remains our highest priority, and we appreciate everyone’s patience and continued support of our downtown community.”

  • Amazon will launch its satellite internet in South Africa, seemingly beating Musk in his homeland


    CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Amazon said Wednesday that the technology company will launch its new satellite internet service Amazon Leo in South Africa in 2027, seemingly pushing ahead of Elon Musk’s rival Starlink to win business in Africa’s most advanced economy.

    Amazon, which was founded by Jeff Bezos, said that it would partner with South African internet provider Herotel to launch a new service in the country of 62 million people. Amazon said that it was its first satellite internet agreement on the African continent.

    No financial details were initially disclosed.

    Amazon’s announcement follows Musk’s bitter criticism of the government in his country of birth. The world’s richest man has said that South African regulations have prevented him from launching Starlink there because he’s white, and has accused the government of racism.

    He was referring to South Africa’s affirmative action policies, which require foreign companies operating in the communications sector to give a minority share of their local entities to Black or other non-white owners in order to acquire a license.

    The regulations are meant to provide opportunities that were denied non-white people under the country’s previous apartheid system of white minority rule.

    The South African government has backed the Amazon deal, with Communications Minister Solly Malatsi joining Amazon and Herotel representatives to announce the agreement.

    Amazon launched its first low orbit internet satellites last year and says it has more than 390 currently operational.

    Starlink’s first operational satellites were launched in 2019 and it now has more than 10,000 in orbit. Starlink’s satellite internet has launched in around two dozen other African countries, but Musk has refused to follow South Africa’s affirmative action regulations.

    Amazon said Wednesday that the South African deal was the start of its effort to roll out across Africa, where it would also partner with Vanu Inc., a Lexington, Massachusetts-based company specializing in mobile internet in developing countries.

    There’s a large potential market for satellite internet in Africa, a continent of more than 1.5 billion people where many live in rural and other areas without fixed internet connections.

    Amazon Leo, which was previously called Project Kuiper, has already signed deals to launch in Thailand, Kazakhstan, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay, according to announcements from the company and local operators it’s teaming up with.

    Starlink, though, is well ahead and says it’s now operating in more than 160 countries.

    ___

    AP Business Writer Kelvin Chan contributed to this report from Toronto.

    ___

    AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa