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By JOEY CAPPELLETTI, MARY CLARE JALONICK and ALAN SUDERMAN, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would regulate a form of cryptocurrency known as stablecoins, the first of what the industry hopes will be a wave of bills to bolster its legitimacy and reassure consumers.

The fast-moving legislation, which passed by a 68-30 vote and will be sent to the House for potential revisions, comes on the heels of a 2024 campaign cycle in which the crypto industry ranked among the top political spenders in the country, underscoring its growing influence in Washington and beyond.

Eighteen Democratic senators crossed the aisle to vote for the legislation on Tuesday, siding with the Republican majority in the 53-47 Senate. Republican Sens. Josh Hawley and Rand Paul were the only members of their party to oppose the measure.

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By MICHELLE CHAPMAN, AP Business Writer

Kraft Heinz will be pulling artificial dyes from its U.S. products starting in 2027 and will no longer roll out new products with the dyes.

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The move comes nearly two months after U.S. health officials said that they would urge foodmakers to phase out petroleum-based artificial colors in the nation’s food supply.

Kraft Heinz said Tuesday that almost 90% of its U.S. products already don’t contain food, drug & cosmetic colors, but that the products that do still use the dyes will have them removed by the end of 2027. FD&C colors are synthetic additives that are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in food, drugs and cosmetics. read more

Fewer public adjusters might be available to help policyholders settle claims with insurance companies if a new payout policy quietly being rolled out by Citizens Property Insurance Corp. becomes adopted across the rest of the industry, the director of the state’s public adjuster association is warning.

Like attorneys, public adjusters are hired by policyholders to represent them in determining values of insurance claims. Typically, they take over communication with insurance companies until agreements are reached and secure higher settlements than policyholders working on their own.

Adjusters in Florida say they were shocked to receive letters from state-owned Citizens Property Insurance Corp. alerting them that their names will no longer be included as co-payees on claims settlement checks sent to policyholders.

A letter from Citizens started going out to public adjusters early this month, worded as a response to requests for information about why their names were not on recently sent checks. read more

By JILL LAWLESS, Associated Press

KANANASKIS, Alberta (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday that they had signed a trade deal that will slash tariffs on U.K. auto and aerospace industry imports — but they are still discussing how to handle steel production.

The pair spoke to reporters at the Group of Seven summit in the Canadian Rockies, with Trump brandishing the pages of what he said was a long-awaited agreement. The rollout was anything but smooth, however, as Trump dropped the papers and at first said his administration had reached an agreement with the European Union when he meant the United Kingdom.

The president nonetheless insisted the pact is “a fair deal for both” and would “produce a lot of jobs, a lot of income.”

“We just signed it,” Trump said, “and it’s done.”

Starmer said it meant “a very good day for both our countries, a real sign of strength.”

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Epcot is about to say hello again to Test Track, but it’s time to say goodbye to a kid-friendly Animal Kingdom attraction, Walt Disney World announced Monday.

Reopening day for Test Track is July 22, Disney says. The ride, which debuted in 1999, has been undergoing refurbishment since June 2023. This will be the third version of the attraction. A second iteration rolled into Epcot in late 2012.  A distinguishing element of the ride has been its indoor-outdoor track, where ride vehicles notably accelerate when out in the open.

Before Test Track, the space was used for World of Motion, an original Future World attraction that closed at Epcot in 1996.

IAAPA Expo thinking bigger at convention center

The 2025 version of the ride — commonly referred to as Test Track 3.0 — will have new scenes, including one that dissects how cars now use cameras and sensors to observe their surroundings.

“Get a glimpse into the future of mobility and the cities of tomorrow before zooming off on an electrifying, high-speed race that will leave your imagination soaring,” the official Disney World website reads. The Test Track height requirement will be 40 inches. read more