Asian benchmarks mostly rise despite ongoing worries about the Iran war

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares are trading higher, boosted by optimism about artificial intelligence and computer chips despite ongoing worries about the war in Iran. Benchmarks rose in early Wednesday trading in Tokyo, Sydney, Seoul, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Softbank Group Corp. issues surged in early trading. Stocks drifted lower on Wall Street as long-term Treasury yields ticked higher. The S&P 500 fell 0.2%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%. The price of Brent crude oil rose in Asian trading. Brent has been trading well above the roughly $72 it cost before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran.

From motorcycles to booze, US ban on $1 billion worth of Canadian imports goes into effect

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S.-Canada relations, already tense, are likely to deteriorate further after the United States went ahead early Tuesday with a decision to ban nearly $1 billion worth of Canadian imports, including alcoholic beverages, dairy products and motorcycles. The ban amounts to barely a ripple in $880 billion worth of a two-way annual trade between the two northern neighbors. But it marks another escalation in President Donald Trump’s second-term trade war with America’s longtime ally and trading partner.

Americans' view of the economy sinks to the lowest level since 2014, Conference Board survey says

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans’ confidence in the economy sank to the lowest level in more than a decade this month as prices remain elevated and wages stagnate amid the ongoing Iran war. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index tumbled 6.7 points to 81.9 in September, down from 88.6 in August. That’s the lowest reading in the board’s survey since April 2014 and below the lowest level reached during the pandemic. Respondents’ views of their present situation fell by 7.9 points to 109.3. Their short-term outlook also slid, falling 5.9 points to 63.6.

Trump says top tech firms have signed accord to 'self-police' AI development

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says that he and a large group of leaders of artificial intelligence companies had signed a voluntary accord that will include internal and external reviews of the technology during a meeting at the White House. Trump is promising that his government wouldn’t limit the development of artificial intelligence, even as top executives of AI firms that have called for delays convened in Washington. The AI executives had lunch with Trump at the White House on Tuesday. Trump’s confidence in AI is in sharp contrast to the alarms sounded by AI executives in recent days. On Friday, OpenAI said it would pause the training of its latest model as reports multiply of AI agents going rogue.

Altman unveils 'always-on' AI agent after OpenAI shelves model over safety concerns

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has introduced a new AI agent called Dot, described as “remarkably capable, always-on.” He unveiled this at the company's developer conference Tuesday, where he announced several product updates. Dot agents can complete complex tasks proactively, competing with Meta's popular Muse agent. Altman did not address security concerns that led to delaying a new model's release this week. He emphasized AI's role in empowering people rather than automating life. OpenAI also announced GPT-6.1 Sol and a premium speed tier. Altman's peers met with President Donald Trump to discuss AI oversight, though Altman didn't attend due to the conference.

U.S. job openings slipped to 7.1 million in August but labor market remains sturdy

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers posted fewer job openings in August,  but the American labor market remains resilient in the face of higher energy costs caused by the fighting with Iran. The Labor Department reported Tuesday that U.S. job openings slid to 7.08 million from a revised 7.34 million in July. Openings came in below the 7.2 million that forecasters had expected. The department’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) also showed that layoffs fell and the number of people quitting their jobs — a sign of confidence in their prospects — was little changed in August.

Iranians face soaring prices for medicine as the US blockade and sanctions hit hard

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Medication prices are soaring in Iran and some treatments have become hard to find, leaving patients and their families scrambling as a U.S. blockade and stepped-up sanctions squeeze the country’s pharmaceuticals industry. Some medicines have more than tripled in price, further squeezing Iranians’ finances seven months into the country’s war with the United States and Israel. Iran's pharmaceutical industry is vulnerable because it relies on imports, and many medicines are heavily subsidized. The American blockade of Iran's ports has cut off shipping, forcing importers to use more expensive air routes. Pharmacies are struggling to keep shelves stocked, and insurance companies have fallen behind on payments.

Carney accuses US steelmaker of betraying Canadian workers after layoffs tied to Trump tariffs

TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney accused the U.S. owner of steelmaker Stelco of betraying Canadian workers after it announced layoffs it attributed in part to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs — tariffs Cleveland-Cliffs’ chief executive has publicly championed. Carney also threatened legal action against Cleveland-Cliffs, saying the Ohio-based company has binding employment obligations stemming from its C$3.4 billion ($2.4 billion) takeover of Stelco in 2024. Stelco says up to 500 workers could be affected as it indefinitely idles cold-rolled and coated operations at its Hamilton, Ontario, plant and shifts production to its Lake Erie facility in Nanticoke.

This year's MacArthur 'geniuses' include a musician, painter and economist all confronting history

NEW YORK (AP) — The MacArthur Foundation announced the 20 members of its 2026 fellowship class on Tuesday. The awardees will receive $800,000 over the next five years in recognition of their “exceptional creativity.” Commonly known as “genius grants,” the no-strings-attached awards aim to provide the flexibility necessary for recipients to pursue their professional visions. This year's class shows a particular interest in history. There's a philosopher using cognitive science to investigate memory and forgiveness and a poet repurposing newspaper text to probe colonial violence and Native American resilience. Kristen Mack, the vice president of communications for fellows and partnerships at the foundation, says the fellows “show us new ways to understand the world.”

Watchdog says Trump can't cancel more than $800M in spending approved by Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is not permitted to withhold beyond the end of the fiscal year more than $800 million in spending approved by Congress. That’s according to a review from the Government Accountability Office that was sent to federal lawmakers and Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday. The president announced his intention on Friday night to impound more than $800 million from 11 appropriations accounts, canceling funding for immigrant services and diversity-focused initiatives. But the GAO said federal law provides that funds proposed for rescission must be made available unless Congress completes action on a bill that goes along with the president’s request.