Barely a month after granting himself new powers as China’s potential leader for life, Xi Jinping is facing a wave of public anger of the kind not seen for decades, sparked by his “zero COVID” strategy that will soon enter its fourth year. Demonstrators poured into the streets over the weekend in...
Valley Congressman’s Pursuit of Speaker’s Gavel Comes at a High Cost
Republican leader Kevin McCarthy is in the fight of his political life, grinding through the promises and proposals, cajoling and deal-making necessary to win over reluctant colleagues whose support he needs to become House speaker. Every new commitment from McCarthy can be seen as a potentially strategic move, intended to quell...
Researchers Show AI Car Features Can Ease Road Congestion
As millions of people travel the interstates over the long Thanksgiving weekend, many will encounter patches of traffic at a standstill for no apparent reason — no construction or accident. Researchers say the problem is you. Human drivers just don't do a good job of navigating dense traffic conditions, but...
Carriers Feeling Cheery About on-Time Holiday Deliveries
The nation’s major shipping companies are in the best shape to get holiday shoppers’ packages delivered on time since the start of the pandemic, suggesting a return to normalcy. Carriers like the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx and United Parcel Service project to have enough capacity after struggling under the holiday...
Once Forbidden, Gambling Now Embraced by NFL
Gambling has gone from the forbidden topic in the NFL to a key part of the league's present and future. The days of lobbying against widespread legalized sports betting, preventing broadcast partners from even discussing point spreads and even prohibiting players from holding a fantasy football convention because it was...
High Mortgage Rates Send Homebuyers Scrambling for Options
Mortgage rates are more than double what they were a year ago, so many homebuyers are looking for ways to put off some of the pain for a few years. The trend has driven adjustable-rate mortgages, or ARMs, to the highest usage in over a decade. A recent snapshot by...
Relentless Newsom Opponent Captures US House Seat in N. California
Republican Kevin Kiley, a state legislator who became a conservative favorite for his pointed and relentless criticism of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, captured a U.S. House seat Tuesday in northeastern California. With 83% of ballots counted, Kiley received nearly 53% of the votes to defeat Democrat Kermit Jones, a doctor...
Unemployment Claims Rise to 240,000, Highest Since August
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose to the highest level since August but still remains low by historic standards. The Labor Department reported Wednesday that 240,000 people applied for jobless aid last week, up by 17,000 from the week before. The four-week moving average of claims, which...
Workers Beaten Over Pay Protest at Chinese iPhone Factory
Police beat workers protesting over a pay dispute at the biggest factory for Apple's iPhone, whose new model is delayed by controls imposed as China tries to contain a surge in COVID-19 cases. Foxconn, the biggest contract assembler of smartphones and other electronics, is struggling to fill orders for the...
Walmart Manager Opens Fire in Break Room, Killing 6
A Walmart manager opened fire on fellow employees in the break room of a Virginia store, killing six people in the country’s second high-profile mass shooting in four days, police and witnesses said Wednesday. The gunman, who apparently shot himself, was dead when officers found him, police said. There was...