Stocks are rising on Wall Street as falling bond yields and lower oil prices help ease pressure on the market. The S&P 500 rose 0.6% on Wednesday. The index is coming off two days of declines. The Dow rose 486 points, or 0.9%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.7%. Crude oil prices fell. Brent crude dropped 3.6%, bringing it closer to where it was before the war with Iran started. Gold briefly fell below $4,000 an ounce for the first time since November. Treasury yields fell. Google parent Alphabet rose. The company will replace Verizon in the Dow next week.
The head of the U.N.’s nuclear agency signaled that Iranian nuclear enrichment sites would be visited by his inspectors, a key component in the interim U.S.-Iran deal to reach an end to the war. An Iranian diplomat instead insisted on Wednesday that any such visit would only come after a final deal. Leaders from the U.S. and Iran have repeatedly disagreed in public about what the interim deal actually means. Dueling narratives are playing out on a range of issues, including Israel’s war with Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon and how Tehran will spend billions of dollars once unfrozen. Lebanon's state-run news agency says Israel launched an airstrike that killed two people in southern Lebanon.
The Trump administration has reached a multi-state settlement with chemical giant Chemours Co. over years-long, illegal discharges of synthetic “forever chemicals” used to make products resistant to water, grease and stains. The settlement is the first by the federal government to resolve enforcement claims against a manufacturer of harmful chemicals known as PFAS. Under the agreement, Chemours will pay a civil penalty of $22.5 million for alleged violations and spend $90 million over 15 years to mitigate PFAS discharges in three states: West Virginia, North Carolina and New Jersey. The company also agreed to install PFAS pollution controls and supply clean drinking water to affected communities. Combined, the penalties and relief programs are estimated to cost $450 million.
Lebanon's state-run news agency says Israeli airstrike hits an SUV in southern Lebanon and kills 2 people.
AI "world models" are the next frontier for computer scientists who see too many limitations in the AI language models behind popular chatbots. The field is attracting top scientists like “Godmother of AI” Fei-Fei Li and Yann LeCun. They believe AI should learn the statistical structure of space and time, not just text. There’s still plenty of money to be made from AI chatbots — investors are counting on it as they commit trillions of dollars to leading developers like Anthropic and OpenAI. But a growing number of AI entrepreneurs are dedicating themselves to models that teach AI systems how to react in a physical environment.
WASHINGTON (AP) — As the world tries to curb human-caused climate change and not run dry of water, every online query is increasing our environmental footprint and exacerbating the problem.
One of the most intricately decorated parts of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, a passageway walked by popes and presidents and attributed to Renaissance master Raphael, is getting its first face-lift in 500 years. The Vatican Museums on Wednesday announced the start of a five-year, $5.5 million project to clean and restore the Raphael Loggia. The corridor is considered one of the highest expressions of Renaissance figurative art. The windowed second floor corridor is not open to the public. But lucky visitors to the pope walk along it and are treated to biblical scenes as well as botanical motifs in painting and stucco.
WASHINGTON (AP) — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani waded into Democratic U.S. House primaries to boost three progressives over establishment-backed candidates. All of them won Tuesday, defeating two incumbents and essentially ensuring that two self-described democratic socialists will be e…
Iranian diplomat rejects comments by IAEA chief on nuclear site inspections, says it would come only after a final deal.
Two new hybrid SUVs have hit the market in the last two years from brands known for their outdoorsy images: the Jeep Cherokee and the Subaru Forester. The Jeep Cherokee has been redesigned for 2026 after a three-year hiatus. Notably, every new Cherokee has a hybrid powertrain that gets more …
Archaeologists say they have discovered a huge Viking Age textile production site in Denmark that dates back more than 1,000 years and underlines the sophistication of Viking society. Experts from the Moesgaard Museum said this week that the sprawling, more than 1 million square-foot site features an area for processing flax as well as more than 80 pit houses. The semi-buried huts were used as workshops and dwellings in Viking times. A historian says goods and resources were likely brought from the countryside and settlements like this one before entering an extensive international trade network.
The Trump administration is providing $17.5 billion to speed the development of 10 new large nuclear reactors to meet the skyrocketing power demand from massive data centers. The Energy Department announced the loans Tuesday. Energy Secretary Chris Wright cited "tremendous interest" among developers of data centers, called hyperscalers, who would buy the power, as well as utilities and energy companies. The department said seven utilities and energy companies signed letters of intent that identified sites. It plans to pick five, each hosting two reactors. The financing would be used to purchase nuclear components with long lead times.
California intends to sue the Trump administration over its deal to end an offshore wind project proposed off the state's central coast. State officials said they are combating the administration's attacks on their offshore wind industry by sending a notice of their intention to sue to the Department of Interior Tuesday. Tuesday's action is focused on the administration buying back the lease for Golden State Wind, a floating offshore wind project off California's central coast. California has made a major commitment to offshore wind. President Donald Trump has said he's boosting fossil fuels to unleash America's affordable and reliable energy, and he frequently talks about his hatred of wind power.
Forty mayors from around the world have signed onto a new pact to try to shape how urban data centers are built and operated. It's their vision for how urban data center development can be done in a sustainable way, and not at the expense of their cities' natural resources, energy prices or climate targets. C40 Cities is an alliance of nearly a hundred cities seeking to impact climate change that launched the pact Tuesday during London Climate Action Week. Mayors of cities ranging from Phoenix, Arizona, to Melbourne, Australia, have led the effort.
House approves bipartisan bill aimed at lowering housing costs, sending it to President Trump.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House gave final approval Tuesday to a broad bipartisan bill aimed at lowering the cost of housing, with lawmakers in both parties eager to show progress on affordability issues ahead of this year's midterm elections.
A supercomputer in China now outranks its U.S. counterparts as the world’s most powerful, marking the first time since 2017 that a Chinese computer has topped a list sometimes viewed as a measure of a nation’s technological prowess. The previously unlisted LineShine computer in Shenzhen, China, displaced the top-ranked U.S. computer, El Capitan in California, in the latest version of the Top500 ranking announced Tuesday. The group of scientists who run the TOP500 project declared that the LineShine computer at China’s National Supercomputing Center achieved 2.198 exaflops, meaning it can perform more than 2 quintillion calculations per second.
NEW YORK (AP) — The NHL is exploring potential expansion in Texas in either Houston or Austin under an agreement with billionaire Dan Friedkin and his family, Commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday.
President Donald Trump visited a Mack Trucks facility in Pennsylvania, for a speech meant to focusing on the economy. Instead, he spent most of the time talking about himself — reliving highlights from his 2024 presidential campaign. Tuesday's visit marked Trump's first major public event outside Washington since signing an interim agreement to end the Iran war. Trump toured the facility and addressed a cheering crowd. He touched on various topics, including the economy, the U.S.-Mexico border, and prescription drugs. Trump urged support for Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie in the upcoming elections. His visit highlighted Pennsylvania's importance as a swing state, with rising prices potentially impacting voter opinions.
Pullbacks in big technology companies sent indexes lower on Wall Street. The S&P 500 fell 1.4% Tuesday. The selling was concentrated in AI-related companies that have had huge run-ups in recent months and sent the market to record after record, most recently in early June. Investors are becoming worried that the growing likelihood of interest rate hikes this year to fight inflation will weigh on economic growth. The Nasdaq fell 2.2%. The Dow, which has less weighting in tech, held up better with a drop of just 0.1%. Chip companies, which have soared in recent weeks, sank. Micron Technology lost 13.2%.
Pullbacks in big technology companies sent indexes lower on Wall Street. The S&P 500 fell 1.4% Tuesday. The selling was concentrated in AI-related companies that have had huge run-ups in recent months and sent the market to record after record, most recently in early June. Investors are becoming worried that the growing likelihood of interest rate hikes this year to fight inflation will weigh on economic growth. The Nasdaq fell 2.2%. The Dow, which has less weighting in tech, held up better with a drop of just 0.1%. Chip companies, which have soared in recent weeks, sank. Micron Technology lost 13.2%.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is providing $17.5 billion to speed the development of 10 new large nuclear reactors to meet the skyrocketing power demand from massive data centers.
The top U.S. auto regulator has opened an investigation after a Tesla using an automated driving feature slammed into a Texas home at high speed and killed a 76-year-old woman standing inside. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday it was opening a special investigation into the Tesla Model 3 crash, a significant probe since it involves technology that Elon Musk considers key to Tesla’s future. The Tesla CEO is rolling out robotaxis using automated software in several U.S. cities this year. Tesla did not reply to a request for comment, but a top official posted on X that the driver overrode the automated driving system by pressing the accelerator.
Andy Burnham is preparing for a Labour Party leadership contest that could make him Britain's prime minister within weeks. He's the strong front-runner to replace Prime Minister Keir Starmer who has announced that he will step down. Burnham is a former Cabinet minister and mayor of Greater Manchester. Burnham and Starmer met Tuesday for the first time since Burnham won a special election last week for a seat in Parliament with the aim of challenging Starmer. Nominations for Labour leadership open on July 9 and close a week later. Burnham could become prime minister by July 17 if he's the only contender. Some Labour members want a contest to scrutinize his policies which remain largely unknown.
Forty mayors from around the world have signed onto a new pact to try to shape how urban data centers are built and operated. It’s their vision for how urban data center development can be done in a sustainable way, and not at the expense of their cities’ natural resources, energy prices or climate targets. C40 Cities is an alliance of nearly a hundred cities seeking to impact climate change that launched the pact Tuesday during London Climate Action Week. Mayors of cities ranging from Phoenix, Arizona, to Melbourne, Australia, have led the effort.
DENVER (AP) — The U.S. Center for SafeSport said it reduced the time it took to complete cases it fully investigated by 9% over the past two years, a sign of progress at an agency that has been criticized for taking too long to resolve many of the thousands of complaints it has received sinc…
The Supreme Court has ruled that Exxon Mobil can sue Cuban state-owned companies in American courts over property on the island nation that was seized after Fidel Castro took power. The decision Tuesday was the second in as many months in favor of U.S. owners of Cuban property that was confiscated by the Communist government more than 65 years ago. The outcome in the two cases could be an additional lever for the Trump administration to exert pressure on Cuba, which is already being squeezed by a U.S. oil embargo.
MILAN (AP) — Giorgio Armani’s legacy lived on during a runway show at his historic headquarters and home in the heart of Milan, followed by a casual dinner in the garden attended by celebrity friends and business associates alike.
Brexit fractured the European Union, and it broke British politics. The country is about to get its seventh prime minister since the 2016 vote to leave the EU. Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Monday he will step down after two years of economic struggles and political division, partly due to Brexit. Historian Anthony Seldon says the referendum was meant to end Conservative Party arguments about Europe but failed. Brexit's legacy includes political fragmentation, economic challenges, and increased cynicism. Polls show some regret, but the path to rejoining the EU is complex and uncertain.
Ship traffic has picked up in the Strait of Hormuz since Iran and the U.S. signed an interim deal to end a war that's constricted global oil supplies. But questions surrounding control of the waterway and tolls to cross it could interfere with ongoing negotiations. Last week’s provisional agreement allows Iran to manage the strait while holding discussions with Oman and six other Gulf states on the passage's future administration. In turn, Iran agreed not to charge transiting vessels for 60 days. President Donald Trump has suggested the U.S. could impose its own tolls if a final peace deal isn't reached. Legal experts say a toll regime would upend decades of international trade precedent.
An important job in the two or so years leading up to retirement—right up there with figuring out your healthcare coverage and winding down your work activities—is building up a cash cushion. In addition to being there as a source of funding when you eventually retire, cash has the salutary …
The PWHL is expanding faster than expected, doubling its teams to 12 ahead of its fourth season. Executive Stan Kasten says the league's rapid growth is due to increased attendance, sales, and viewership, especially after the U.S. won gold at the Winter Olympics. The league has yet to turn a profit, but fan support and new investors like Ilitch Cos. and Kilmer Sports Ventures validate its business model. Observers, including NYU professor Jane McManus, support the fast growth by the top league in women's hockey.
Artificial intelligence adopters have been using the tech in varied ways to find romance. Some patronize AI matchmaking services. Others use AI tools to help build their dating profiles. But the most common way is enlisting chatbots to draft messages to potential matches and interpret messages they receive. Dating apps and AI companies are leaning into it. ChatGPT and Gemini have posted content on TikTok showcasing their chatbots’ customized, personality-laden relationship advice. “Claude is the new Cyrano,” said dating coach Carey Gaynes, referencing the 19th century French play “Cyrano de Bergerac” in which the titular character is the brains behind another man’s romantic words.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve has for decades moved steadily from a remote, opaque government agency that shared little about what it did or why to a more transparent institution willing to explain how it makes decisions and what it thinks about the economy.
MIAMI (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo traded to Miami Heat in blockbuster deal, AP source says.
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — A ransom note related to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of "Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, said the 84-year-old had died, CNN and other news organizations are reporting, citing law enforcement sources.
Firefighters are still battling a blaze at a massive frozen-food storage facility near downtown Los Angeles six days after the fire started. Smoke is pouring from the warehouse, which is heavily insulated and whose roof is covered in solar panels. The fire started Wednesday, possibly linked to work on solar panels. Fires in cold storage facilities can burn for weeks because of their construction. Air quality warnings remain in effect, and residents are concerned about the materials burning inside. Officials warned residents in Boyle Heights to stay indoors or wear masks due to smoke pollution.
The Senate has passed a bipartisan housing bill that aims to bring down home prices and increase supply. The 85-5 vote on the bill Monday represents one of the most sweeping efforts in recent decades to reduce federal regulations for housing and expand local control. The legislation bans corporate investors from buying single-family homes but doesn’t include a provision that would have required investors to sell newly constructed homes within seven years. The House is expected to give the bill final approval later this week and send it to President Donald Trump, who has signaled his support.
Senate passes bipartisan housing bill that aims to bring down prices and boost supply, sending it to the House.
Clive Davis, who rose from a job as a record company lawyer to become one of the music industry's most powerful figures, has died at the age of 94. Davis launched or resurrected the careers of countless superstars, including Janis Joplin, Whitney Houston, Carlos Santana and Alicia Keys. Unlike other record moguls whose influence waned as they got older, his might only seemed to grow over the decades in a career that spanned multiple genres and labels. Davis also signed up Billy Joel, Blood Sweat & Tears, Patti Smith, the Grateful Dead and "American Idol" winners Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson.
World Cup tickets, flights and hotel rooms are expensive. Then there’s the price of beer. And what about $75 caviar-topped tater tots or $40 empanadas weighing 5 pounds? Prices aren’t all that different from what U.S. fans would experience on NFL Sundays or college football Saturdays. But some international fans aren’t used to such pricing and are calling foul, especially over beer prices that top $20 in some cases. Europeans are used to paying a third of those prices. Offerings also vary wildly from venue to venue and reflect local traditions.
Music industry titan Clive Davis— who started as a record company lawyer and went on to launch the careers of superstars like Janis Joplin, Bruce Springsteen, Barry Manilow, Whitney Houston, and Alicia Keys— has died at 94.
NEW YORK (AP) — Linda Cohn, who has hosted more episodes of "SportsCenter" than anyone, is retiring after 34 years at ESPN.
U.S. stocks drifted through a mixed day of trading after oil prices eased and falling Big Tech stocks weighed on Wall Street. The S&P 500 slipped 0.4% Monday and pulled 1.8% below its all-time high set early this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite slumped 1.3%. Oil prices fell roughly 3% following negotiations between the United States and Iran on ending their war. But drops for giants like Alphabet and Amazon weighed on the market, which resumed trading following a three-day weekend. Rising Treasury yields in the bond market also pressured stock prices.
Former U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan has died at the age of 100. He died on Monday from complications of Parkinson's Disease. That's according to his wife of 29 years, NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell. In his 18½ years at the helm of the Fed, Greenspan presided over a sustained era of American growth and prosperity, yet one that ended with devastating consequences in 2008, two years after he had left the central bank. Greenspan was so respected during his many years as head of the world's most influential central bank that by the time he stepped down in 2006, he was widely celebrated as the "Oracle'' and "Maestro.''
U.S. stocks drifted through a mixed day of trading after oil prices eased and falling Big Tech stocks weighed on Wall Street. The S&P 500 slipped 0.4% Monday and pulled 1.8% below its all-time high set early this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite slumped 1.3%. Oil prices fell roughly 3% following negotiations between the United States and Iran on ending their war. But drops for giants like Alphabet and Amazon weighed on the market, which resumed trading following a three-day weekend. Rising Treasury yields in the bond market also pressured stock prices.
Alan Greenspan, the jazz-playing U.S. Federal Reserve chair who was celebrated for engineering a decade of prosperity but later shared the blame for a devastating financial crisis, died Monday.
Former U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan has died at the age of 100. He died on Monday from complications of Parkinson’s Disease. That's according to his wife of 29 years, NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell. In his 18½ years at the helm of the Fed, Greenspan presided over a sustained era of American growth and prosperity, yet one that ended with devastating consequences in 2008, two years after he had left the central bank. Greenspan was so respected during his many years as head of the world’s most influential central bank that by the time he stepped down in 2006, he was widely celebrated as the “Oracle’’ and “Maestro.’’
France is facing a grueling heat wave with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 Fahrenheit. The national weather service says the unrelenting heat is not expected to ease until Friday. Hundreds of schools closed on Monday, and authorities cracked down on public alcohol consumption due to health risks. The U.K. also issued an "extreme heat" warning for southern England and parts of Wales. Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent. The World Health Organization reports over 200,000 heat-related deaths in Europe over the last four years. Human-caused climate change is tied to increasing extreme weather.
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State will add alcohol sales to its concessions for football and basketball games, athletic director Jamie Pollard announced Monday.
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