Worries about an AI internet takeover gain new urgency among doomsday scenarios

In a summer filled with revelations about artificial intelligence’s rapid development, researchers were especially alarmed by runaway bots finding their way onto the internet and, in at least one instance, coordinating there with one another. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said in an essay this month that AI agents could take over the internet in just six to 12 months. He's called for the industry to slow down the technology’s development. Skeptics note that what companies have described as their AI agents going rogue have involved bots working toward goals set by humans. But the idea that AI could break away and work toward its own agenda is looking increasingly plausible to other researchers and experts.

Wall Street holds near its record after Brent oil falls below $100 per barrel

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market held near its record high after oil prices eased again. The S&P 500 edged down a fraction of a point and is sitting just 0.4% below its all-time high set last month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.4%, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.5% to its own record. Stocks had been higher in the morning, when the price for a barrel of Brent crude briefly fell below $98. But oil prices later trimmed their losses, and Brent settled at $99.25 per barrel. Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market, as did stock indexes worldwide.

‘You should not be here,' Trump tells CNN at UN as standoff with media outlets persists

NEW YORK (AP) — A tense moment between President Donald Trump and CNN's Kaitlan Collins is a stark reminder of how the conflict between the administration and some news outlets has escalated in just a few days. Trump began his United Nations visit Tuesday by telling Collins: “You should not be here.” CNN is one of three outlets banned from White House grounds, but it had been admitted to the U.N. as regularly credentialed media. CNN, along with MS NOW and Politico, has filed a joint lawsuit asking a judge to find the administration’s move unconstitutional. A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

Carney says Canada and India aim to wrap up trade talks by G20 ahead of Modi visit

TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says that trade negotiations with India are making “good progress” and that the two countries are aiming to conclude talks by the G20 summit in mid-December. Carney also says India had, to his understanding, confirmed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit Canada around that time, though the precise date had not been finalized. Carney wants to  Canada’s non-U.S. trade over the next decade and has made India part of a broader effort to reduce the country’s dependence on the United States as relations deteriorate under President Donald Trump. The rapid economic rapprochement follows a deep diplomatic rupture with India over the 2023 killing of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia.

Trump and Xi see tensions flare over AI, trade and Iran but still seek stability

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump is hosting Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Washington this week as economic and tech competition escalates between the two countries. Both leaders are aiming to stabilize fragile ties, though no major agreements are expected. The meeting itself is seen as significant given the deep differences and a lack of trust between the United States and China. An accelerating artificial intelligence race is a key issue, with both countries vying for dominance despite warnings about the rapid development of the technology. Along with persistent trade issues, the two leaders also are trying to maneuver around major hot spots like Iran and Taiwan.

DoorDash to pay $131M for underpaying delivery workers in New York City

NEW YORK (AP) — DoorDash will pay $131.5 million to settle claims that it underpaid delivery workers in New York City. Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the agreement Tuesday. City Hall descibed the deal as the largest worker settlement in city history. It also requires the company to submit to a new monitoring system to ensure compliance with delivery worker pay laws in the city. In a statement, DoorDash admitted errors, saying: “Simply put, we screwed up.” Last year, the company agreed to pay almost $17 million to settle claims that it unfairly used customer tips to subsidize the wages of its delivery workers in New York.

South Korea's Lee tells AP he wants step-by-step approach to North Korea's nuclear dismantlement

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s liberal President Lee Jae Myung is calling for a practical and step-by-step approach to achieving North Korea’s nuclear dismantlement. The North has been ramping up weapons testing activities despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent push to resume diplomacy. Lee made the comments to The Associated Press in written responses to questions received Monday before he left for the U.N. General Assembly. Lee said that “to change the direction of a moving vehicle it must be brought to a halt first.” Lee said that during the U.N. General Assembly this week he would pursue “a phased and pragmatic solution to the North Korean nuclear issue and build on his vision for promoting peace on the Korean Peninsula.

California farmers are struggling to sell grapes as demand for wine drops

LODI, Calif. (AP) — It’s harvest time in California wine country, but many growers are struggling to sell their grapes as Americans cut back on drinking. Farmers are tearing out their vineyards, selling their land or planting other crops as they lose faith in the wine business. Bill Berryhill can’t find buyers for grapes grown on 200 of his 500 acres of vineyards in California’s San Joaquin Valley. The third-generation grower faces another year of losing money and wasting hundreds of tons of healthy grapes. Many California growers can’t find buyers as the industry produces more wine grapes than the market wants. Wine consumption is declining globally as people drink less.

Bill Clinton calls on leaders to fill gaps left by 'retreating governments'

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Bill Clinton opened this year’s Clinton Global Initiative conference, calling on attendees to promise to “step into the void created by retreating governments” following cuts by the United States and other nations to foreign assistance. Clinton on Tuesday emphasized the importance of cooperation over short-term wins. He urged attendees to fill gaps in foreign aid, which will require new ideas. The conference showcased new ideas like the Breast Cancer Research Foundation's launch of BCRF Ventures, a $100 million venture philanthropy fund, to fast-track research advances. Stacey Abrams announces funds to support democracy organizations. Carmen Rojas of the Marguerite Casey Foundation calls for increased donations to meet extraordinary needs.

What to know about Paramount's settlement and its impact on movies

NEW YORK (AP) — Movie studio Paramount has agreed to settle an antitrust lawsuit filed by 12 states, the last big obstacle blocking the company’s $81 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery in a deal that would transform the movie industry landscape. In the settlement, which still needs to be signed off on by a judge, Paramount agreed to terms including a five-year movie production plan and to invest $1.5 billion in domestic movies. State attorneys general say the settlement guarantees investment in domestic movie production and provides worker protection. But analysts say the deal is still likely to lead to less competition in the industry — and higher prices for consumers.