High gas prices are spurring states to waive taxes and regulations amid midterm election

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — State officials nationwide are focusing on rising gas and diesel prices tied to the war in Iran. They're offering gas tax holidays and other measures to ease costs as affordability remains a top voter concern in the critical midterm elections. Lawmakers in Ohio passed a 90-day state gas tax holiday with broad bipartisan support on Wednesday. Ohio is among about one-third of states that have implemented some form of fuel tax relief, with many taking action within the past week. Some states have suspended their fuel taxes. Others have temporarily reduced taxes. And still more have targeted relief only to farmers, loggers, and others who use a special type of diesel fuel.

Senate punts bill to permanently ban Chinese cars until after midterm elections

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill aiming to permanently ban the sale of Chinese vehicles in the United States stalled in the Senate as lawmakers headed for the exits until after the November midterm elections. The bipartisan bill, sponsored by Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio and Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, aims to prevent China’s auto industry from gaining a foothold in the U.S. market. It gained renewed energy last week during the summit in Washington between Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump. Slotkin and Moreno delayed the bill as they negotiated with the lone holdout, Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who argued the legislation could unfairly sweep in Mercedes-Benz.

Senate approves Trump's pick to lead the Labor Department

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has approved President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Labor. The vote was one of the final orders of business that senators worked on Wednesday before leaving Washington to focus on the midterm elections. Keith Sonderling has been serving as the acting secretary since April and has held multiple roles within the department throughout his career. He was picked for the job after the White House announced that Lori Chavez-DeRemer would be leaving her post to take a job in the private sector. Her exit followed multiple allegations that she had abused the power of her position.

Survey by Japan's central bank shows business sentiments are up for sixth straight month

TOKYO (AP) — The Bank of Japan has given a positive read on the economy in its quarterly “tankan” survey, reporting large manufacturers’ sentiment rose to 24 from 22. The report released Thursday is widely viewed as a key indicator on Japan’s economic vitality. The sentiment among large non-manufacturers fell to 35 from 37. The survey show companies foreseeing good conditions minus those feeling pessimistic. The key indicator of business sentiment has now been improving for the sixth quarter straight. The positive reading comes despite widespread challenges for Japanese society, including soaring oil prices. The Bank of Japan raised its benchmark interest rate twice this year, in June and September.

Asian shares mostly rise amid market optimism about AI, despite Iran worries

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares are mostly rising amid investor interest in technology-related issues, despite ongoing worries about the war in Iran. Benchmarks rose in early Thursday trading in Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong and Shanghai, while falling in Sydney. In Tokyo trading, issues expected to get a boost from the solid demand in computer chips and AI-related growth have been rising in recent sessions, including Advantest Corp., Tokyo Electron and SoftBank Group Corp. Most U.S. stocks fell. The S&P 500 slipped 0.3% Wednesday to close out its third losing month in the last four. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.9%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.2%.

This Head Start center teaches in two languages. A Trump overhaul would require one: English

IMMOKALEE, Fla. (AP) — Head Start preschools are bracing for changes proposed by the Trump administration that would require all education to be conducted in English. This shift could impact centers like one in Immokalee, Florida, where both English and Spanish are used daily. The administration argues English-only instruction will enhance children's future opportunities, and officials say teachers could still comfort kids in their home languages. But research shows using a child's home language during instruction helps them learn English and leads to better academic outcomes overall. The proposal also aims to eliminate a requirement for bilingual staff, potentially affecting communication with non-English-speaking families. Public comments on the proposal are due by Oct. 6.

FACT FOCUS: The poverty rate is at an all-time low, but there are other factors to consider

President Donald Trump claimed that the U.S. has the “best poverty numbers in history,” meaning less poverty now than at any other time. But while that’s consistent with 2025 Census Bureau statistics, it lacks important context. The supplemental poverty measure, which, unlike the poverty rate, accounts for factors such as non-cash benefits and expenses, was at 13.1% in 2025. It reached an all-time low of 7.7% in 2021, under former President Joe Biden. The SPM, which has been tracked by the Census Bureau since 2009, is not a replacement for the traditional poverty rate, though it is considered more accurate by experts because of the additional factors it reflects.

Senate reaches bipartisan deal on permitting bill to speed approvals of new energy projects

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators from both parties are saying they have reached a bipartisan deal on legislation aimed at speeding up permitting reviews for new energy and infrastructure projects that now face yearslong delays as lawmakers seek to meet growing demand for electricity and other forms of energy. Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, called the bill “a major step toward making it faster and more efficient and easier to build infrastructure projects” of all types. Despite that optimism, a vote on the bill will not occur until after the midterm elections. The delay reflects the fraught political reality as elections loom that could change partisan control of both chambers.

Judge approves Paramount's settlement with states over Warner buyout, allowing merger to soon close

CHICAGO (AP) — A federal judge has now granted Paramount’s settlement agreement with 12 states that sued over the company’s takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, allowing the companies to soon close their $81 billion mega merger. Paramount previously called the antitrust challenge the last hurdle ahead of closing its Warner merger, and signaled that it aims to close its Warner acquisition as soon as early October. Shortly after U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín’s ruling on Wednesday afternoon, the company announced that Ynon Kreiz — current chief executive at toy giant Mattel — will join as co-CEO alongside David Ellison of the combined company.

Inflation cooled slightly last month even as consumers stepped up spending

WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation slowed a bit last month as Americans ramped up their spending, though price gains remained elevated and are a challenge for many voters as the midterm elections approach. The Commerce Department said Wednesday that consumer prices rose 3.4% in August compared with a year earlier, below the 3.7% economists had forecast. On a monthly basis, prices climbed 0.3%, up from 0.1% in July, a sign prices that are still running hot. Excluding the volatile energy and food categories, inflation also came in lower than expectations, rising 3% in Agusut from a year ago. And from July to August, core prices rose just 0.2%, up from 0.1% the previous month.