LaShawn Merritt, Portsmouth native and 15-time gold medalist, holds youth track camp in Virginia Beach

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell again last week, remaining near seven-month lows. The Labor Department reported Thursday that jobless claim applications fell by 6,000 to 213,000 for the week of Nov. 16. That’s fewer than the 220,000 analysts forecast. However, continuing claims, the total number of Americans collecting jobless benefits, rose […]

NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin topped $98,000 for the first time Thursday, extending a streak of almost daily all-time highs since the U.S. presidential election. The cryptocurrency has rocketed more than 40% in just two weeks. Now, bitcoin is at the doorstep of $100,000 and investors do not appear to be phased by gravity or […]

Wall Street is on track to open with gains following another strong earnings report from chipmaker Nvidia even if it didn’t meet the sky-high expectations of investors. Futures for the S&P 500 rose 0.2% before the bell Thursday, while futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.3%. Nvidia’s latest sales and profit report again […]

The U.S. leads the world in developing artificial intelligence technology, surpassing China in research and other important measures of AI innovation, according to a newly released Stanford University index. There’s no surefire way to rank global AI leadership but Stanford researchers have made an attempt by measuring the “vibrancy” of the AI industry across various […]

BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — In the sprawling pavilion section of the United Nations climate talks, where countries, nonprofits and tech companies use big, flashy signs to get the attention of the thousands of people walking through, small aqua and purple beverage cans sit conspicuously on a counter at the Singapore display. Those who approach learn […]

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Federal water officials made public on Wednesday what they called “necessary steps” for seven states and multiple tribes that use Colorado River water and hydropower to meet an August 2026 deadline for deciding how to manage the waterway in the future. “Today we show our collective work,” Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner […]

Mary Louis’ excitement to move into an apartment in Massachusetts in the spring of 2021 turned to dismay when Louis, a Black woman, received an email saying that a “third-party service” had denied her tenancy. That third-party service included an algorithm designed to score rental applicants, which became the subject of a class action lawsuit, […]

TORONTO (AP) — The leader of Canada’s most populous province said Wednesday that all of the country’s provincial and territorial governments want Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s federal government to negotiate a bilateral trade deal with the United States that excludes Mexico. Ontario Premier Doug Ford chaired a phone call with all 13 provincial and territorial […]

Nvidia has once again turned out quarterly results that exceeded Wall Street’s forecasts. The company has seen soaring demand for its semiconductors, which are used to power artificial intelligence applications. Revenue nearly doubled in the latest quarter from the same period a year earlier, Nvidia reported Wednesday. The company expects further revenue growth in the […]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Comcast is spinning off into a new company many of the cable television networks that were once at the entertainment giant’s heart as consumers increasingly swap out their cable TV subscriptions for streaming platforms. Those one-time stars for Comcast’s NBCUniversal cable television networks include USA, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and Golf Channel, as […]

Even though sales of electric vehicles aren’t growing as fast as in past years and President-elect Donald Trump may ditch tax credits for EV buyers, automakers are moving ahead with new models that should appeal to mainstream buyers. Family haulers are the latest to see a new entry, with Hyundai unveiling the Ioniq 9 electric […]

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Ford Motor Co. says it will reduce its workforce by 4,000 in Europe and the U.K. by the end of 2027, citing headwinds from the economy and pressure from increased competition and weaker than expected sales of electric cars. Ford said Wednesday most of the job cuts would come in Germany […]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to repeal President Joe Biden’s signature artificial intelligence policy when he returns to the White House for a second term. What that actually means for the future of AI technology remains to be seen. Among those who could use some clarity are the government scientists and […]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nvidia on Wednesday reported a surge in third-quarter profit and sales as demand for its specialized computer chips that power artificial intelligence systems remains robust. For the three months that ended Oct. 27, the tech giant based in Santa Clara, California, posted revenue of $35.08 billion, up 94% from $18.12 billion […]

NEW YORK (AP) — The founder of Archegos Capital Management, a hedge fund, was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Wednesday for securities and market manipulation fraud in a scheme that prosecutors said cost global investment banks billions of dollars. Bill Hwang was told the length of the prison term in Manhattan federal court […]

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks drifted to a mixed finish on Wednesday, though the modest moves for indexes masked some thrashing underneath the surface. Target lost more than a fifth of its value after the retailer gave a dour forecast for the holiday shopping season. The S&P 500 finished the day virtually unchanged after […]

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Workers hired for a sprawling electric vehicle battery production complex in Kentucky have launched a campaign to join the United Auto Workers as the union tries to expand its foothold in the South and among battery factories, the UAW said Wednesday. The BlueOval SK complex at Glendale is a joint venture […]

NEW YORK (AP) — Target on Wednesday reported sluggish sales and slumping profits in the fiscal third quarter as inflation-weary customers curtailed their spending on apparel and other non-essential items. The Minneapolis retailer fell short of Wall Street expectations for the quarter, and its profit and sales outlook for the final three months of the […]

The chief executive of Delta Air Lines says the incoming Trump administration will be a “breath of fresh air” for airlines after what he calls government “overreach” under President Joe Biden. The airline industry has chafed under consumer-protection regulations imposed by the Biden administration. And Delta is facing a federal investigation into its slow recovery […]