Author: Neal Orlando Glover

Orders of big-ticket manufactured items continued to defy expectations to rise again in May, fueled by a sharp jump in orders for transportation equipment, according to US government data released the other day. The figures underline the continued strength of some sectors of the American economy despite hikes in interest rates from the US Federal Reserve as it moves to tackle high inflation. Manufactured durable goods orders rose by 1.7 percent in May from a month earlier to $288.2 billion, the Commerce Department announced in a statement. The increase was well above the median expectation of a fall in orders…

Researchers alarmed by results of study of dogs and horses living close to Chemours factory in North Carolina Pets living near a PFAS manufacturing plant in Fayetteville, North Carolina have concerning levels of the toxic chemicals in their blood, and show evidence of health effects linked to exposure, new research finds. PFAS were present in all 32 dog and 31 horse blood samples checked, and the findings provide evidence that human and animal exposures to the chemicals impacts their bodies, said Scott Belcher, a North Carolina State University researcher and co-author. “It is just consistent with what we’ve seen over and over again, and…

A trade war between China and the United States over the future of semiconductors is escalating. Beijing hit back Monday by playing a trump card: It imposed export controls on two strategic raw materials, gallium and germanium, that are critical to the global chipmaking industry. “We see this as China’s second, and much bigger, counter measure to the tech war, and likely a response to the potential US tightening of [its] AI chip ban,” said Jefferies analysts. Sanctioning one of America’s biggest memory chipmakers, Micron Technology (MU), in May was the first, they said. Here’s what you need to know about gallium and germanium,…

A Chinese naval training ship arrived in Manila on Wednesday for a “goodwill visit,” China’s ambassador to the Philippines said, making its final stop in a tour of Southeast Asian countries amid high tensions over the South China Sea, which Beijing largely claims as its territory. The port call was the first by a Chinese naval vessel since 2019, when three ships of the People’s Liberation Army Navy Escort Task Group 539 paid a goodwill visit to the Southeast Asian country, according to the Philippine Navy. The navy said earlier this week it would host the Qi Jiguang “with the…

LOS ANGELES – Like a typical golf fan, Rory McIlroy found himself watching golf highlights on YouTube a few weeks ago. The only difference is that he was the star of this highlight reel. McIlroy watched his victory in the 2014 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, the links course that will host The Open again next month. His tee shots caught his attention as he watched the film from nearly a decade ago. Not because of the distance that so often separates him from his peers. Instead, it was the myriad of clubs he used off the tee. “I actually…

BRUSSELS — The EU has sent Ukraine 220,000 rounds of ammunition since pledging in March to get the war-stricken country 1 million shells in 12 months, putting the bloc on track to hit its target, top EU diplomat Josep Borrell said Tuesday. Yet questions remain about whether EU countries can keep up the pace. The ammunition contributed so far is being pulled from existing stockpiles, and EU countries will soon have to switch to jointly purchasing new ammo for Kyiv, while boosting the capacity of defense industries, to continue making donations — a more challenging prospect. Still, Borrell said, the current…

WASHINGTON/LONDON, May 26 (Reuters) – The dollar pared losses on Friday after a fresh readout of inflation data and was on track for a third straight weekly gain, as markets raised bets on higher-for-longer interest rates and nervously eyed last-ditch talks on the U.S. debt ceiling. U.S. consumer spending increased more than expected in April, jumping 0.8% last month, the Commerce Department said on Friday, boosting the economy’s growth prospects for the second quarter. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, rising 0.4%. The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index increased…

GREAT FALLS — Every year, the Great Falls Development Authority (GFDA) celebrates female entrepreneurs through an event called ‘The Fire Within.’ Now in its 12th year, the community nominates and votes on which women are most deserving of the award. This year, 26 winners were announced. ‘The Fire Within 2023’ is divided into two categories: GFDA Vice President Jolene Schalper explained what makes this event so important: “Thirteen years ago, we recognized that there is a disparity between female and male business owners, and so we’re looking at how we can celebrate female entrepreneurs and how we can support more…

Damage at Highland High School in an early morning fire was severe Friday, but firefighters said they were able to keep the flames contained mostly to a single building. The blaze at Highland started at around 4 a.m. Firefighters arrived and found the school’s D building covered in flames. Officials said they attacked the fire aggressively and contained it by 9 a.m. According to Pocatello Fire Department Assistant Chief Shane Grow, however, the D building was a complete loss. Its roof collapsed and it suffered severe structural damage. The building housed the band and choir rooms, cafeteria, and the school’s…

After banning facial recognition in 2020, the Oregon city is taking a much softer approach to vetting surveillance technology for potential privacy risks. As cities, and especially police, increase their use of surveillance technology, Portland, Oregon, is joining a handful of municipalities taking steps to increase transparency. A resolution passed unanimously in Portland Wednesday requires the city to assess its use of surveillance-related technologies, such as traffic-safety sensors and police license plate readers. In the making for the last two years, adoption of the policy comes as the city’s police force moves toward testing use of drones equipped with sensors and video cameras, and…