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Chris Spiker

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News
$18.5M In Checks Going To Deceptive Sweepstakes Victims, FTC Says: See If You Qualify $18.5M In Checks Going To Deceptive Sweepstakes Victims, FTC Says: See If You Qualify
$18.5M In Checks Going To Deceptive Sweepstakes Victims, FTC Says: See If You Qualify More than 280,000 people will receive checks after they were targeted by misleading sweepstakes emails, federal regulators said. According to the Federal Trade Commission, more than $18.5 million in refunds will be sent to 281,724 consumers, the agency said in a news release on Wednesday, April 30. The FTC found that Publishers Clearing House misled shoppers through deceptive online marketing and emails. An FTC investigation found that PCH tricked predominantly older and lower-income people into buying products. The shoppers were given the false impression that making the pur…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Unemployment Claims Surge, GDP Shrinks As Recession Fears Rise Under Trump Unemployment Claims Surge, GDP Shrinks As Recession Fears Rise Under Trump
Unemployment Claims Surge, GDP Shrinks As Recession Fears Rise Under Trump Unemployment claims unexpectedly rose as the US economy shrank amid President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs, further escalating concerns of a coming recession. Initial unemployment claims jumped to 241,000 for the week ending Monday, April 26, according to Department of Labor data released on Thursday, May 1. That's the largest weekly number since February and 18,000 more than the prior week. The surge pushed the four-week moving average to 226,000 first unemployment claims. The 241,000 claims were also well above the Dow Jones estimate of 225,000, CNBC reported. Continued…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Most Canadians Less Likely To Visit US Under Trump, New Study Says: Here's Why Most Canadians Less Likely To Visit US Under Trump, New Study Says: Here's Why
Most Canadians Less Likely To Visit US Under Trump, New Study Says: Here's Why A growing number of Canadians are refusing to visit the US as political tensions escalate under President Donald Trump's trade war and taunts about taking over Canada. Longwoods International said 60% of Canadians are now less likely to visit the US in the next 12 months because of American politics, trade practices, and recent government statements. The travel research firm released its study on Friday, April 25. Among Canadians with travel plans, 36% said they've already canceled US trips. Another 29% have postponed them, while 27% are heading to other countries like Mexico or Europe…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
JetBlue Cancels New NYC-Area Flight As Trump's Economic Moves Hurt Travel Demand JetBlue Cancels New NYC-Area Flight As Trump's Economic Moves Hurt Travel Demand
JetBlue Cancels New Nyc-area Flight As Trump's Economic Moves Hurt Travel Demand JetBlue has scrapped two new routes from Boston, including one to Long Island, as the airline industry grapples with lower travel demand sparked by several of President Donald Trump's policies. The airline has canceled its planned summer route between Boston Logan International Airport and Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip, New York. A JetBlue spokesperson confirmed the cancellation to the Daily Voice on Wednesday, April 30. JetBlue said the route's ticket sales were underwhelming. "While we were excited to launch summer seasonal service between Islip and Boston, we are cancellin…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Amazon Won't Show Tariff Price Hikes After 'Pissed' Trump Reportedly Calls Jeff Bezos Amazon Won't Show Tariff Price Hikes After 'Pissed' Trump Reportedly Calls Jeff Bezos
Amazon Won't Show Tariff Price Hikes After 'Pissed' Trump Reportedly Calls Jeff Bezos Amazon is denying that it planned to show US tariffs on product listings, after a report sparked backlash from the White House and an angry phone call from President Donald Trump to billionaire Jeff Bezos. The online retail giant refuted a report from Punchbowl News that said Amazon would show how Trump's tariffs are raising prices on many goods. The political news website reported that Amazon would "display how much of an item’s cost is derived from tariffs – right next to the product's total listed price" at checkout. Amazon said the idea was only floated for the compa…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
US Economy Shrinks, Private Jobs Report Disappoints As Trump's Tariffs Spark Financial Slump US Economy Shrinks, Private Jobs Report Disappoints As Trump's Tariffs Spark Financial Slump
US Economy Shrinks, Private Jobs Report Disappoints As Trump's Tariffs Spark Financial Slump The US economy shrank during President Donald Trump's first three months back in office, breaking a three-year growth streak as imports surged ahead of his trade wars. Real gross domestic product fell at an annual rate of 0.3% in the first quarter of 2025, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data released on Wednesday, April 30. It marked the first quarter of negative growth since early 2022. The economic contraction is a dramatic drop from the 2.4% GDP growth the US experienced in the fourth quarter of 2024. The shrinking was largely due to a 41.3% spike in imports …

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Meta Launches AI App To Compete With ChatGPT: Here's What It Does Meta Launches AI App To Compete With ChatGPT: Here's What It Does
Meta Launches AI App To Compete With ChatGPT: Here's What It Does Meta released its first standalone artificial intelligence app that aims to compete with ChatGPT. The Meta AI app officially launched in the US and other countries on Tuesday, April 29. The app was built off the company's new Llama 4 model, giving it the ability to respond to voice or text, generate images, and remember personal details. Meta AI connects across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger. It also serves as the companion app for Meta's smart glasses. Inspired by social media, the app features a Discover feed where users can share how they're using AI and try popu…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Economic Expectations Sink To 14-Year Low As Trump's Tariffs Crush Consumer Confidence Economic Expectations Sink To 14-Year Low As Trump's Tariffs Crush Consumer Confidence
Economic Expectations Sink To 14-Year Low As Trump's Tariffs Crush Consumer Confidence Consumer confidence has continued its sharp decline in 2025 as President Donald Trump's tariffs fueled Americans' pessimism about the economy, jobs, and their own incomes. The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index dropped 7.9 points to 86.0 in April, the nonprofit said in a news release on Tuesday, April 29. This marked the fifth straight decline and the lowest reading since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Expectations Index, which tracks views of the next six months, plunged 12.5 points to 54.4 – its lowest level since October 2011. That's far b…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
UPS Slashing 20K Jobs As Amazon Deliveries Drop, Trump's Tariffs Bite UPS Slashing 20K Jobs As Amazon Deliveries Drop, Trump's Tariffs Bite
UPS Slashing 20K Jobs As Amazon Deliveries Drop, Trump's Tariffs Bite UPS will eliminate about 20,000 jobs throughout 2025 as part of a major cost-cutting plan fueled by a decline in Amazon shipments. The Atlanta-based shipping giant revealed the job cuts in a regulatory filing on Tuesday, April 29. UPS also plans to close 73 buildings by June as the company aims to save $3.5 billion by the end of 2025. CEO Carol Tomé said UPS is working to adapt to more difficult economic conditions for shippers due to President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs. "As a trusted leader in global logistics, we will leverage our integrated network and trade expertise to assi…

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by Chris Spiker
Sports
Alex Karaban Returning To UConn, Aiming For Third National Title: 'My Heart Remains In Storrs' Alex Karaban Returning To UConn, Aiming For Third National Title: 'My Heart Remains In Storrs'
Alex Karaban Returning To UConn, Aiming For Third National Title: 'My Heart Remains In Storrs' A two-time national champion and native New Englander is staying in the "Basketball Capital of the World." UConn men's basketball star Alex Karaban announced he'll return to Storrs for his final year of NCAA eligibility. The Southborough, Massachusetts, sharpshooter calmed Huskies fans' nerves with an Instagram post on Tuesday, April 29. Karaban was a key member of UConn's national title runs in 2023 and 2024. Despite the Huskies' second-round exit in a comparatively disappointing season, the 22-year-old earned second-team all-Big East honors in 2025. The power forward said he felt th…

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by Chris Spiker
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