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Fertilizer Firms See Profit Windfall as War Upends Supplies
Fertilizer makers are seeing a windfall from Iran’s war, highlighting the impact of the conflict’s upheaval on supply chains for the key crop nutrients. CF Industries Holdings Inc. and Nutrien Ltd. each reported nearly 20% jumps in sales for the …

People Moves: Novatae Names Voorhees as Managing Director of Personal Lines
Novatae Risk Group, the wholesale insurance business of World Insurance Associates, announced that Brian Voorhees will be joining the company as its new managing director of personal lines. In this role, Voorhees will lead Novatae’s personal lines with responsibility for …

US Opens Probe Into Start-Up Avride Self-Driving Crashes in Texas
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Friday it is opening an investigation in a series of crashes of start-up Avride autonomous vehicles that raised questions about the competency of the vehicles. NHTSA said the vehicles’ performance may indicate inappropriate …

Florida Governor Signs Bill Dropping Building Permits for Work Valued at $7,500 or Less
Florida’s governor has signed House Bill 803 into law, dropping building permit requirements for construction work valued at $7,500 or less. The law takes effect July 1. “A local government that issues building permits shall exempt an owner of a …

Strait of Hormuz Transits Halted Since Tuesday as US, Iran Clash
The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed to commercial shipping after the US and Iran clashed overnight near the waterway, attacking each other’s assets in the area. US forces targeted missile and drone launch sites and other military assets in …

Nissan Cancels Plan to Build Electric SUVs at Mississippi Plant
Nissan Motor Co. is canceling plans to make a pair of fully electric SUVs at a factory in the US, citing waning demand among American consumers for all-electric vehicles. The decision, which was relayed Thursday to dealers and parts suppliers …

In Florida Court, Sackler Family Member Admits Felony Tied to Her Opioid Addiction
As the Sackler family worked through a plan to pay $6.5 billion to resolve their liability over Purdue Pharma LP’s production of addictive opioids, the epidemic hit even closer to home. Joss Sackler, the wife of former Purdue board member …

Florida Contractors Sentenced in Decade-Long Scheme to Avoid Taxes, Workers’ Comp
Two Orlando contractors have been sentenced to at least two years in federal prison after orchestrating a decade-long scheme to pay workers off the books and avoid taxes and workers’ compensation insurance premium payments. Rene Maricio Escobar, 55, and Juana …

Multiple Colleges Hit by Disruptions After Canvas Service Hack
Hackers briefly took down an online portal used by thousands of colleges around the world this month, disrupting services at institutions from Harvard to Princeton. Instructure Inc., which runs the Canvas service used by students to take tests and get …

FEMA Council Backs Overhaul of Disaster Response
President Donald Trump’s task force for reforming the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Thursday recommended sweeping changes to how the federal government responds to natural disasters. The recommendations, finalized at a council meeting in Washington, include reassessing FEMA staffing, rethinking …