The price of bitcoin continued its monthslong slide Thursday, falling another 11% to $67,000, its lowest level in 15 months. The original cryptocurrency, pitched as “digital gold,” has lost 46% of its value since Oct. 6, when it hit a record high of $126,210.50, according to crypto trading platform Coinbase. As of 10:30 a.m. EST Thursday, its price had dipped to $67,245.

The two artificial intelligence startups behind rival chatbots ChatGPT and Claude are bracing for an existential showdown this year as both need to prove they can grow a business that will make more money than they’re losing.

Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad:

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Justice Department is taking direct aim at the financial lifelines of Mexico’s most violent drug cartels, targeting money brokers who prosecutors say have adapted to intensified enforcement by increasingly routing drug profits through cryptocurrency from American cities to cartel leaders in Mexico.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) – Malaysia has announced an immediate and full ban on the importation of electronic waste, as the government vowed the country would not be a “dumping ground” for the world’s waste. All electronic waste, commonly known as e-waste, would be reclassified under the “absolute prohibition” category effective immediately.

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) – The European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged Thursday as the economy in the 21 countries that use the euro chugs past the disruption from U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs with modest yet resilient growth.

JERUSALEM (AP) – An Israeli court on Thursday indicted a brother of the chief of Israel’s security service for smuggling tens of thousands of dollars worth of cigarettes into war-ravaged Gaza Strip at a time when getting aid into the territory was difficult and many Palestinians were going hungry.

LONDON (AP) – The Bank of England kept its main interest rate unchanged at 3.75% on Thursday with U.K. inflation remaining above target and economic growth is showing signs of picking up. The decision was widely anticipated in financial markets but the split on the nine-member rate-setting panel was much closer than expected.