WASHINGTON (AP) – The American job market continues to show surprising strength – good news for President Donald Trump who has taken a beating in the polls over the surging gasoline prices that followed U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.
Philanthropist Melinda French Gates will expand her giving to improve women’s health globally, pledging another $215 million to support contraceptive access and maternal care, as well as initiatives aimed at middle-aged women, including further study of menopause.
NEW YORK (AP) – American Airlines is temporarily suspending some of its routes this summer, as steep jet fuel costs continue to strain carriers’ budgets amid the war with Iran. In a statement, American said it had adjusted service for “select routes” in August and September – and that impacted travelers would be offered alternative arrangements or refunds.
Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad:
LONDON (AP) – A British lawmaker said Thursday she is suing Elon Musk’s company xAI for invasion of privacy, alleging that fake images of her were created using the Grok chatbot. Jess Asato, a legislator with the governing Labour Party, says someone used Grok to create fake images of her in a bikini without her consent in January after she criticized the spread of deepfake pornography online.
WASHINGTON (AP) – The number of Americans filing for jobless aid hit their highest level in four months last week, but layoffs remain historically low despite ongoing economic uncertainty brought on by the war in Iran.
LONDON (AP) – China is targeting personnel linked to the English-speaking Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance – Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K and the U.S. – on job websites to get access to classified or sensitive information, the group said Wednesday. In a bulletin, the Five Eyes powers highlighted an “aggressive” online recruitment strategy where spies for Chinese military intelligence pose as workers acting on behalf of private businesses or think tanks.
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is again seeking to boost the struggling U.S. coal industry, with an announcement expected Thursday to spend nearly $700 million to support coal-fired power plants and coal exports.
The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate eased this week from its highest level in nine months, welcome relief for prospective homebuyers. The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate fell to 6.48% from 6.53% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. The average rate remains below 6.85%, where it was a year ago.