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DETROIT (AP) — General Motors is recalling nearly 462,000 pickup trucks and big SUVs with diesel engines because the rear wheels can lock up, increasing the risk of a crash.

The recall in the U.S. covers certain Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups from the 2020 through 2022 model years. Also included are the 2021 Cadillac Escalade, GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban.

Documents posted Wednesday on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website say a transmission control valve can wear out over time. In rare cases it can fail and lock up the rear wheels. Drivers may notice harsh shifting before any wheel problems.

GM says in documents that dealers will install new transmission control software that will monitor the valve and detect excess wear 10,000 miles before the wheels lock up. If wear is detected, the transmission will be limited to fifth gear, preventing wheel lockup, which happens when the transmission downshifts from eighth gear.

GM will provide warranty coverage to fix transmissions that have a defective control valve. read more

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER

WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation in the United States ticked up in October, driven by costlier rents, used cars and air fares, a sign that price increases might be leveling off after having slowed in September to their lowest pace since 2021.

Consumer prices rose 2.6% from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Wednesday, up from 2.4% in September. It was the first rise in annual inflation in seven months. From September to October, prices edged up 0.2%, the same as the previous month.

Excluding volatile food and energy costs, “core” prices rose 3.3% from a year earlier, just as in September. From September to October, core prices rose 0.3% for a third straight month. Over the long run, core inflation at that pace would exceed the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.

Most economists, though, think inflation will eventually resume its slowdown. Consumer inflation, which peaked at 9.1% in 2022, has since fallen steadily, though overall prices are still about 20% higher than they were three years ago. read more

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory announced Tuesday, Nov. 12, its second major round of layoff in nine months, cutting more than 300 jobs—approximately 5% of its workforce—to address budgetary constraints.

This latest round affects 325 positions across nearly all sectors, including technical, project, business and support, JPL said in a statement. Calling the cuts “painful but necessary adjustments”, JPL said the reductions are essentially to help it stay within its FY 2025 budget while continuing its work for NASA and the nation.

“Despite this being incredibly difficult for our community, this number is lower than projected a few months ago thanks in part to the hard work of so many people across JPL,” JPL Director Laurie Leshin wrote in a memo to employees early Tuesday announcing the layoffs, which will take effect Wednesday, Nov. 13.

The current cuts follows JPL’s layoff of 530 employees in February, which included 40 contractors, as part of a lab-wide cost-cutting measure. read more

By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS

NEW YORK (AP) — The Justice Department is suing to block UnitedHealth Group’s $3.3 billion purchase of Amedisys, citing concerns the combination would hinder access to home health and hospice services in the U.S.

The antitrust complaint, filed in Maryland by the Justice Department and four states’ attorneys general Tuesday, argues that a potential merger is illegal because the two companies are “such large competitors” already — and the deal would give UnitedHealth too much control in many local markets.

That would mean less choice for patients looking for affordable care, the suit alleges, as well as fewer employment options for nurses seeking competitive pay and benefits.

“American healthcare is unwell,” Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s antitrust division, said in a prepared statement. “Unless this $3.3 billion transaction is stopped, UnitedHealth Group will further extend its grip to home health and hospice care, threatening seniors, their families and nurses.” read more

TALLAHASSEE — Florida posted a record third-quarter tourism total this year, with the numbers bolstered by U.S. visitors as international travel continued to lag behind pre-pandemic levels, according to the Visit Florida tourism-marketing agency.

Despite the state taking hits from two hurricanes in August and September, Visit Florida on Monday estimated 34.61 million people traveled to Florida during the third quarter, up from 33.995 million during the same period in 2023 and 34.551 million in 2022.

“The hard work and resilience of Floridians have been instrumental in keeping our tourism industry strong, showcasing the best of what our state has to offer,” Visit Florida President and CEO Dana Young said in a prepared statement.

The report estimates that 31.758 million people from other states visited Florida from July 1 through Sept. 30. That was up from 31.2 million during the third quarter of 2023 but down from 32.022 million during the same period in 2022.

Meanwhile, Visit Florida estimated 2.27 million overseas travelers and 582,000 Canadians visited the state during the third quarter this year. That was up from 2.227 million overseas travelers and 568,000 Canadians in 2023 and 1.931 million overseas travelers and 598,000 Canadians in 2022. read more