National Business

MONTREAL — Cirque du Soleil is getting back into the swing of things. The Montreal-based circus company says five live shows are being added to its schedule for the coming months as it returns from pandemic closures.

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — The government of Newfoundland and Labrador is absorbing the operations of Crown-owned Nalcor Energy, which is overseeing the troubled Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project, into the province's hydro utility.

CALGARY — WestJet plans to launch a cargo service using dedicated aircraft starting next year. The Calgary-based airline says the first of its 737-800 Boeing converted freighters are expected to be in service by the second quarter of 2022.

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.