Breaking News

Oil surges above $100 a barrel as US and Iran launch new attacks

NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices shot past $100 a barrel Wednesday as fighting between the U.S. and Iran escalated, threatening to increase costs for consumers and businesses worldwide. Brent crude, the international standard, climbed into triple digits for the first time since July and settled at $101.21 a barrel by the end of the day’s trading, after attacks on oil facilities and ships in the Middle East that could further debilitate an already weakened supply chain. U.S. benchmark crude was close behind, settling at $96.05 a barrel. The latest developments in the war, both prospects ...

New Apple CEO unveils latest iPhone lineup

CUPERTINO, California (AP) — Apple on Wednesday unveiled its latest generation of iPhones, including a widely anticipated foldable version called Duo. The company’s new CEO, John Ternus, who took over from Tim Cook on Sept. 1, introduced the latest lineup at the company’s Cupertino, California headquarters. After cycling through other updates to the iPhone, the Apple Watch and AirPods, Ternus told the audience inside the Steve Jobs Theater that “actually there is one more thing,” in a nod to the trademark phrase from Jobs that the company’s legendary late founder himself ...

America Makes selects $13.2M project leader

Staff report EWI, an advanced manufacturing and engineering solutions company in Columbus, has been selected by America Makes and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining to lead a $13.2 million national program. The effort is aimed at solving one of the biggest barriers to using additive manufacturing for critical defense parts: the cost and complexity of verifying part quality. The program, known as INSITE (INtegrated System for In-situ Testing and Evaluation), will run for three years. “As additive manufacturing advances toward larger, more complex ...

Public session planned for skilled trades expo

Staff report Public hours are returning to the seventh annual Mahoning Valley Skilled Trades Expo this year, giving anyone curious about a hands-on career the chance to pick up a tool, meet the pros and explore what’s possible. The community may attend from 2 to 4 p.m. Sept. 22 at the Michael Kusalaba Event Center, Building 36, Canfield Fairgrounds. Enter through Gate 9, off state Route 46. No registration is required, and admission and parking are free. More than a dozen building construction trades will be on display through hands-on exhibits and live demonstrations. ...

Pell grant expansion provides new opportunities for job training

Sydney Webb scrimped and saved to pay for an eight-week certified nursing assistant program at a North Carolina community college. On top of the $255 registration fee, the 26-year-old bartender also had to pay for a background check, scrubs, a stethoscope, special shoes and a state ...

Why bond yields are rising

WASHINGTON (AP) — Interest rates on government bonds are rising again around the world, making borrowing more expensive for consumers and businesses and heightening concerns about whether governments are issuing more debt than financial markets can handle. Rising bond yields are one of the few forces in the world strong enough to get politicians to snap to attention. They can also have a big impact on Americans’ personal finances and on the broader economy. The bond market can dictate how much ordinary people have to pay on their mortgages and car loans, as well as how much they ...