Things To Do In SW Florida

By YURI KAGEYAMA, Associated Press Business Writer

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota reported a 7% year-on-year drop in profit for April-September on Wednesday, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs slammed Japanese automakers.

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Net profit for the April-September period at Toyota Motor Corp. totaled 1.77 trillion yen ($11.5 billion), down from 1.9 trillion yen a year earlier.

But the maker of the Camry sedan and Lexus luxury models lifted its profit forecast for the full fiscal year ending in March 2026 to 2.93 trillion yen ($19 billion), citing better vehicle sales and cost-cutting efforts. read more

The latest quarterly injury report from Florida’s theme parks includes the September death of Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, whose autopsy pointed to “multiple blunt impact injuries” when he was found unconscious after riding Stardust Racers, a roller coaster at Epic Universe.

The Zavala case is listed, without elaboration, as the fatality of a 32-year-old man. It is one of seven injuries reported for Universal Orlando parks in the July-September period.

The state’s major theme parks self-report about visitors who are injured on rides, if they result in at least 24 hours of hospitalization. The totals are made public through an agreement with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

The reports are thin on details for the incidents. The state does not receive health updates after the initial assessments, and the names of the injured are not released.

Four other coaster-related injuries were listed for Universal, including two on the Incredible Hulk Coaster at Islands of Adventure. On July 22, a 66-year-old man had chest pain after the ride, and on Aug. 20, a 56-year-old male had a headache after riding Hulk, the report says. read more

Two-time space traveler and billionaire Jared Isaacman had been on the cusp of becoming NASA’s next administrator last May when President Donald Trump yanked his nomination.

Trump has changed his mind.

“Jared’s passion for Space, astronaut experience, and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and advancing the new Space economy, make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new Era,” Trump wrote Tuesday on a post on Truth Social announcing he was putting Isaacman back in a position to lead the agency.

Isaacman had sat through the Senate confirmation hearings in the spring and signs pointed to a bipartisan approval of his nomination to become the 15th administrator taking over the role vacated by Bill Nelson who left the position at the end of the Biden administration.

But Trump had a falling out with Elon Musk, with whom Isaacman has had a close business relationship having flown with SpaceX twice on private orbital missions. read more

By DEE-ANN DURBIN

Pizza Hut could soon be up for sale.

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Yum Brands, Pizza Hut’s parent company, said Tuesday it’s conducting a formal review of options for the brand, which has struggled to compete in a crowded pizza market.

Yum CEO Chris Turner said Pizza Hut has many strengths, including a global footprint and strong growth in many markets. Pizza Hut has nearly 20,000 stores in more than 100 countries, and its international sales were up 2% in the first nine months of this year. China is its second-largest market outside the U.S.

But Pizza Hut gets nearly half its sales from the U.S., where it has around 6,500 stores, and U.S. sales fell 7% in the same period. Pizza Hut was long saddled with large, outdated dine-in restaurants at a time when consumers wanted fast pickup and delivery. read more

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration and private investors are partnering with two rare earth startups in a $1.4 billion deal to scale up the nation’s access to materials and technology that is crucial for producing an array of high-tech goods and military equipment.

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The investment in Vulcan Elements and ReElement Technologies is the latest stake taken by the U.S. in a handful of private companies — including another rare earths company and chipmaker Intel — since President Donald Trump began his second term in January. The White House has made it a priority to bolster the nation’s supply chain in a market dominated by China. read more