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Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Econometer: Is it worth it economically for US cities to host the World Cup?

Business / Business News /

FIFA drove a hard bargain for U.S. cities that get to host the World Cup and now some leaders and residents are wondering if it was worth the cost.

Under the agreement, FIFA gets to keep the vast majority of revenue from tickets, sponsorships, parking, concessions and media rights. Meanwhile, cities must pay for security, transportation and ...Read more

Henry Payne, The Detroit News/The Detroit News/TNS

Auto review: Struttin' the streets in the knockout Kia Telluride

Business / Business News /

DETROIT — The mainstream three-row SUV class is having a moment. Sexy family haulers? You bet. Check out the rugged Chevy Traverse ZR2, Hyundai Palisade XRT Pro and rock-scaling Honda Pilot TrailSport. Or the hot-rod Dodge Durango Hellcat, Mazda CX-90 inline-6 cylinder and Ford Explorer ST.

Now comes the knockout Kia Telluride X-Pro SX-...Read more

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images North America/TNS

Ford sues LA lemon law firm alleging 'utter fabrications' inflated fees by 7,000%

Business / Business News /

Ford Motor Co. is suing a prominent Los Angeles lemon law firm for allegedly inflating their fees by as much as 7,000%, the company’s latest attempt to crack down on California attorneys who it says are exploiting the state’s unique law to protect consumers from defective cars.

Quill & Arrow, a personal injury firm that represents drivers ...Read more

GM/GM/TNS

Truck wars: Next-gen Chevy Silverado leans into tech, V-8s

Business / Business News /

Big V-8 weapons are returning to the Detroit Truck Wars. Unshackled from government regulations, the Ram 1500 has brought back its V-8 while Ford’s F-150 is offering a 700-horsepower, supercharged V-8 on all trims.

Now it’s Chevrolet’s turn with the new, fifth-generation Silverado.

The North America-assembled truck leans into its V-8 ...Read more

Joe Raedle/Getty Images North America/TNS

US acts to speed up power grid hook-ups for AI data centers

Business / Business News /

U.S. regulators have taken their biggest step yet to speed the connection of data centers to the country’s grids while simultaneously attempting to slow surging utility bills that have angered Americans.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a series of orders Thursday tailored to the country’s power grids in a bid to remove ...Read more

Ellen M. Banner/The Seattle Times/TNS

Amazon employees say they were interrogated over data center comments

Business / Business News /

An Amazon employee advocacy group is accusing the tech giant of intimidating employees who spoke in favor of data center regulations during a recent Seattle City Council public comment session.

As the council took up a vote to set a one-year moratorium on large-scale data centers in the city, three Amazon employees gave their testimony on June ...Read more

Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times/TNS

January 2025 wildfire victims seek tougher penalties against State Farm over claims handling

Business / Business News /

A fire survivors' group announced Thursday it was seeking tougher penalties against State Farm over its handling of January 2025 wildfire claims.

The Every Fire Survivor's Network said it was petitioning to join a state enforcement action announced this year against the company to make sure the case results in meaningful changes at California'...Read more

David Tran/Dreamstime/TNS

Uber, California lawyers say deal reached to avert dueling ballot initiative showdown

Business / Business News /

The state's trial attorneys and Uber say they have reached a last-minute deal to scrap their dueling ballot measures and avert what was gearing up to be one of most expensive battles of the November election.

The deal, which comes a day after both measures qualified for the November ballot, has Uber agreeing to bulk up safety measures, while ...Read more

Ellen M. Banner/The Seattle Times/TNS

Seattle attracts tech startups amid AI boom

Business / Business News /

On the north end of Seattle's waterfront, in a building once made famous by MTV, there's a growing artificial intelligence startup.

Yoodli, which develops AI-powered speech-coaching software, could have been based in San Francisco. Its founders, Varun Puri and Esha Joshi, worked for Google in the Bay Area but instead chose Seattle. The company ...Read more

Clarence Tabb Jr./The Detroit News/TNS

UAW-endorsed candidates Benson, El-Sayed address constitutional convention

Business / Business News /

DETROIT — The United Auto Workers-endorsed Michigan candidates for governor and U.S. Senate, Jocelyn Benson and Abdul El-Sayed, emphasized the economic challenges of families in an appeal to the Detroit-based union’s delegates Thursday at the UAW's constitutional convention.

Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited, and Sen. Gary ...Read more

Clarence Tabb Jr./The Detroit News/TNS

UAW votes to divest from Israel Bonds

Business / Business News /

DETROIT — United Auto Workers delegates on Thursday voted in a narrow decision to amend their constitution prohibiting investment in Israel Bonds, a mark of a sea change in the union's politics, according to experts.

The passage is expected to result in the divestment of at least $400,000 in Israel Bonds, according to the passed resolution ...Read more

Joe Raedle/Getty Images North America/TNS

US acts to accelerate power grid hook-ups for AI data centers

Business / Business News /

U.S. regulators have taken their biggest step yet to speed the connection of data centers to the country’s grids while simultaneously attempting to slow surging utility bills that have angered Americans.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a series of orders Thursday tailored to the country’s power grids in a bid to remove ...Read more

Sebastien Bozon/Getty Images North America/TNS

Anthropic ban forces investor rethink of political risk

Business / Business News /

Investors in the ever-hotter AI stock rally must suddenly consider a risk with the potential to be even more damaging than high valuations and big spending: Politics getting in the way.

The U.S. administration’s move to block foreign nationals from accessing Anthropic PBC’s most advanced models over security fears was an unprecedented ...Read more

E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune/TNS

Illinois drivers could face higher tolls next year

Business / Business News /

The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority on Thursday proposed its first passenger toll hike since 2012. The proposal, which would increase passenger vehicle tolls by roughly 45 cents for I-Pass users, comes on the heels of the state’s landmark public transit funding bill, which called for the same toll increases. Commercial vehicle tolls ...Read more

GM Defense/TNS/TNS

GM, Ford race for spot in military industrial boom

Business / Business News /

Detroit is making moves toward reclaiming its once-prolific role supporting the U.S. military as President Donald Trump calls for more weapons and more factories to build them.

Multiple wars and Trump's dream of a manufacturing renaissance are fueling demand for the U.S. defense industry and contractors. Known as the Arsenal of Democracy for ...Read more

Real estate Q&A: Can condo board set $42K special assessment for structural repairs?

Business / Business News /

Q: We bought our condo five years ago and budgeted carefully. Last month, the board sent a letter saying we owe a $42,000 special assessment for structural repairs. We are retired and on a fixed income. Can the board really do this, and is there any way to fight it? — Diane

A: I am sorry you are facing this, and you are far from alone.

The ...Read more

Wally Skalij/Getty Images North America/TNS

Michael Hiltzik: A porn firm that a judge called a 'copyright troll' now has Meta in its sights -- and it could win

Business / Business News /

It isn't often that a lawsuit can make me smile, much less laugh out loud. The latest exception is Strike 3 Holdings vs. Meta Platforms, which is currently unfolding in San Jose federal court.

Two things are amusing about the case. One is that Meta, the giant social media company, is accused of copyright infringement for allegedly downloading 2...Read more

L.E. Baskow @Left_Eye_Images/Las Vegas Review-Journal/TNS

Rents continue their free fall in the Las Vegas Valley, report says

Business / Business News /

Rents in the Las Vegas Valley continue to decline despite most of the rest of the country starting to flatten out, according to a new study.

May’s rental report from rental marketplace Zumper shows that most all of the areas in the valley have seen declining rental rates both month over month and year over year. The biggest drop year over ...Read more

Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal/TNS

61 Allegiant routes discontinued, but airline says it is routine

Business / Business News /

Allegiant Air, the Las Vegas-based discount air carrier that is the seventh-busiest airline operating at Harry Reid International Airport, has eliminated 61 routes from its system.

“While it is accurate that Allegiant has discontinued 61 routes, it’s important to note that these changes occurred over approximately a one-year period and are ...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

US student loan defaults rise to 9.2 million amid crackdown

Business / Business News /

The number of student loan borrowers in default soared to a record 9.16 million in April after the government ended a four-year pause on collections that was instituted during the Covid pandemic, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Education.

The figure, announced by the department on Thursday, is an increase from 7.7 ...Read more