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Wednesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
$100M settlement for hundreds in Florida tobacco lawsuits
A $100 million settlement has been reached between three major tobacco companies and hundreds of people who sued them in Florida federal court. The tentative agreement announced Wednesday involves R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Philip Morris USA Inc. and Lorillard Tobacco Co. More at the AP and NBC News.
Oil boom's end threatens pain for much of Latin America
Plummeting oil prices are threatening to pull the rug out from under a decade-long economic boom in Latin America. And the region's leftist governments now find themselves in the position of having to slash budgets amid rising social tensions. More from the AP.
Expansion of casino gambling draws dire warnings, praise
If Florida increases its bet on gambling, the wager will ride on whether new casinos could become economic engines as in Baltimore, or economic vacuums as in Atlantic City. That was the central argument in a debate over gambling during a Florida Forward forum earlier this week. More at the Orlando Sentinel.
Ferry service between Florida and Cuba might be launched this year
Travel to Cuba from the United States may soon expand to sea ferry, if several Florida companies get their way. At least half a dozen Florida companies are seriously considering ferry ventures, with plans to seek licenses from the U.S. Treasury Department. More from Reuters and IJReview.
Florida among states with highest number of work-from-home listings
Florida is among the top 10 states with the most telecommuting jobs, with 5.1 percent of the state's population working from home, according to a new analysis by FlexJobs. While telecommuting is widely perceived to be geographically neutral, 96.5 percent of telecommuting jobs require the worker to live in a specific location. More at the Orlando Business Journal.
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