Shares are mixed in Asia following another sell-off of artificial-intelligence stocks that dragged the U.S. market sharply lower. U.S. futures advanced. Oil prices fell, after rising earlier as the U.S. launched a second round of airstrikes against Iran. The S&P 500 dropped 1.6% Wednesday for its first back-to-back drop in three weeks. It is back to where it was in early May. The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 953 points, and the Nasdaq composite led the market lower with a 2% slide. Wall Street has been shaky since last week, when AI stocks went from roaring to records to suddenly turning lower. Among the worries is that their prices have simply shot too high, too fast.

The United States has launched a second round of airstrikes on Iran and Iran has fired back at Gulf Arab states after President Donald Trump warned that Tehran would “pay the price” for stalled negotiations. The new U.S. assault across multiple Iranian cities came on Thursday as efforts to negotiate an end the war again appeared stuck, with Iran insisting it would maintain its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, which has disrupted global energy supplies and sent oil prices higher. Iran retaliated with strikes targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, all of which host U.S. troops. Kuwait closed its airspace briefly in response.

Hostilities between the U.S. and Iran have escalated, with Iran retaliating against U.S. air and cruise missile strikes. The exchange intensified Thursday, as air defenses fired in Kuwait and Bahrain after U.S. President Donald Trump warned Tehran would "pay the price" for stalled negotiations. The U.S. launched a second round of airstrikes overnight, targeting Iranian military sites. Talks have stalled partly due to Israel's attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon. The U.S. Central Command said its latest strikes targeted Iranian military capabilities. Explosions were reported in Tehran and Bandar Abbas.

Indian shipping minister says 3 Indians killed in U.S. attack on oil tanker America accused of violating Iran blockade.

NEW YORK (AP) — What makes a memorable World Cup anthem? Is it a song that best reflects the host countries? Is it a global banger, incorporating multiple languages and genres? Or should it simply value a chant-along chorus above all?

US Embassy in Jordan warns that 'reports indicate missiles, drones or rockets are in Jordanian airspace.'

Kuwait closes its airspace over Iranian attacks.

Kuwait says its air defense systems are firing after Iran threatened retaliation for US strikes.

U.S. military's Central Command says new round of airstrikes against Iran 'completed.'

Bill Gates says he made an error in judgment by ever meeting with Jeffrey Epstein as the Microsoft co-founder faces questions behind closed doors from lawmakers about his relationship with the disgraced financier. In an opening statement provided Wednesday to The Associated Press, Gates said he should never have met with Epstein, but that he never had any indication that Epstein was engaged in criminal activity. The tech billionaire became the latest powerful figure linked to Epstein to testify before the House Oversight Committee. As Gates arrived at the Capitol, he noted that he was there voluntarily.

TORONTO (AP) — Canada introduced legislation on Wednesday that could bar children younger than 16 from having social media accounts unless the companies show they can make their platforms safe.

Bahrain sounds its missile alert sirens as Iran says it will retaliate for new US airstrikes.

David Briscoe, a journalist for The Associated Press who chronicled the collapse of dictatorship and the rebirth of democracy during a dramatic period of upheaval in the Philippines, has died, his family said. He was 82.

NEW YORK (AP) — The World Cup starts Thursday, and FIFA is charging record prices at the 11 stadiums in the United States, three in Mexico and two in Canada. FIFA is using dynamic pricing and has repeatedly raised the prices since tickets first went on sale last fall. FIFA president Gianni I…

Honda is recalling more than 800,000 vehicles because rear suspension components may fail and cause drivers to lose control, increasing the chances of a crash or injury. American Honda Motor Co. said the recall covers certain 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, 2017-2023 Ridgeline, 2019-2023 Passport and 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles. The recall includes 880,514 vehicles. Honda has had no warranty claims and no reports of an injury or death related to the problem. Honda and Acura dealers will inspect the rear subframe and install a reinforcement kit if necessary, or repair or replace the rear subframe components at no cost to vehicle owners.

Visa is embedding its payment network into ChatGPT, allowing the chatbot to shop and complete transactions for users. This collaboration enables ChatGPT to make purchases at any merchant accepting Visa, unlike previous attempts limited to specific retailers. OpenAI will provide the technology for decision-making and purchasing, while Visa ensures secure transactions. The companies haven't disclosed financial terms or fees. Concerns include potential overspending and unauthorized purchases, but Visa plans to implement safeguards like spending limits. This move could impact businesses, with AI agents authorized to procure items and handle invoicing. Mastercard is also developing AI-shopping features.

President Donald Trump has a surprising take on a new report that shows inflation spiking to its highest level in three years. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday that “I love the inflation." Ahead of the November midterm elections, voters have ranked the economy as a top concern — and have given Trump low marks on that issue. The problem has intensified as the Iran war has pushed oil prices higher. Within minutes of his on-camera comment, Democrats quickly rushed to promote it on social media. On Capitol Hill, Representative Emilia Sykes — a Democrat from Ohio — asked Energy Secretary Chris Wright if he, too, loved inflation. Wright said he'd prefer lower inflation, but praised Trump's work on curbing Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Anthropic has joined calls for the AI industry to find ways to cushion people from AI's disruptions to the workforce. The company announced a $200 million investment to research AI's economic impact. On Wednesday, CEO Dario Amodei published an essay with proposals for government support for those financially affected by AI. He warned that AI could cause significant and lasting labor market disruptions. Amodei suggested data collection, pro-employment policies, and possibly universal basic income. Anthropic plans to fund research and a fellowship program to extend AI benefits. The announcement follows similar plans by OpenAI and discussions with political leaders about public compensation.

Rising gas prices pushed inflation to its highest level in three years last month, a headache for the Federal Reserve and a potential political challenge for the Trump administration as midterm elections near. New data showed Wednesday that consumer prices rose 4.2% in May from a year earlier, the third straight monthly increase. Prices have now risen faster than wages for several months. Families are dipping into savings to maintain their spending, and more people are falling behind on their credit card bills. Large retailers say they have also noticed changes in customer behavior, like buying smaller amounts of gas during visits to the pump.

Another sell-off for artificial-intelligence stocks dragged the U.S. market sharply lower. The S&P 500 dropped 1.6% Wednesday after giving up a brief modest gain in the morning. The index had its first back-to-back drop in three weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 1.9%, and the Nasdaq composite lost 2%. Wall Street has been shaky since last week, when AI stocks went from roaring to records to suddenly turning lower. Among the worries is that their prices have simply shot too high, too fast. Oil prices rose after President Donald Trump threatened more strikes on Iran.

The court officials overseeing the NFL’s $1 billion-plus settlement fund for concussion-related injuries have barred five law firms from handling any more claims from former players, after finding that they fraudulently steered clients toward doctors willing to give them a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis whether they exhibited symptoms or not. A report filed in federal court in Philadelphia this week says the five firms represented or performed work involving 98 former players who in recent years sought payouts from the settlement for Parkinson’s disease claims. Dozens of those claims were approved to the tune of $95 million — with the share going to the attorneys totaling about $20 million.

Fans who hear the whirring sound of a drone over a stadium might see it as a nuisance but law enforcement has long viewed those aircraft as a potential weapon of mass destruction. Cheap drones are readily available and the bloodshed they have caused during the wars in Ukraine and Iran have underscored the dangers law enforcement have been increasingly worried about. Experts say a terrorist could spend a few hundred dollars on a drone, strap some explosives to it and fly it into a target like a stadium full of people. So drones won’t be tolerated over the 78 World Cup games in 11 U.S. cities.

GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) — In Brazil, home of soccer-mad fans and the five-time world champions, the only way to watch all 104 games of the World Cup will be through a streaming platform anchored by an influencer.

Even as President Donald Trump boosts coal over clean energy, solar power is hitting new milestones in the U.S. and remains the leading source of new power.

Hollywood directors have reached a four-year tentative contract agreement with studios and streaming services. The Directors Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers struck the deal Tuesday after four weeks of talks. This is the first negotiation under new DGA President Christopher Nolan. Similar four-year deals have been ratified recently by unions representing writers and actors. This agreement adds to the likelihood of long-term labor peace in Hollywood despite industry upheavals. The collective bargaining agreement must still be approved by the guild’s national board and ratified by the guild membership.

US inflation rises to highest level in three years, highlighting affordability challenge as elections nears.

If you like the idea of owning a fun-to-drive car but can’t afford a new one, this summer is an ideal time to consider buying used. Right now, quite a few performance cars that might have been out of reach for you when new can be had for less than $25,000 on the used market.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama says a controversial luxury resort development linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner will move forward despite growing protests. In an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday, Rama rejected environmental concerns as misinformation and said no formal environmental impact assessment has begun because the project remains in the planning stage. But some land is already being cleared. The proposed development includes the uninhabited island of Sazan and a protected coastal lagoon, drawing opposition from environmental groups. Rama defended Albania’s conservation record and suggested misinformation surrounding the project has been amplified from outside the country.

Kuwait says its air defenses are firing after Iran said it targeted the Mideast nation to retaliate over US airstrikes.

Iran says it launched attack targeting military base in Jordan hosting US forces; no acknowledgment from Jordan or US.

Bahrain sounds its missile alert sirens as Iran said it targeted island nation to retaliate for US strikes.

U.S. military's Central Command says it has completed its strikes on Iran.

Civil rights groups have sued on behalf of New York residents to stop Westchester County, New York, from using nearly the nearly 600 license plate readers they have installed around the county. The plaintiffs argue the system is a form of warrantless surveillance that violates the state constitution. The lawsuit claims the county never received proper authorization for the program, which has collected 1.6 billion plate scans and shared them with over 50 law enforcement agencies. The case was brought on behalf of four women who highlighted concerns about privacy and data sharing. The use of license plate readers has been controversial, with some cities and states restricting or canceling their use.

The Trump administration has warned more than 500 hospitals that they are failing to provide the public with enough information about prices. And the administration argues the lack of disclosure is keeping healthcare costs higher than they should be. The Associated Press exclusively obtained the list of hospitals that have received letters on the issue since April. Failing to comply with the warnings comes with penalties as high as $2 million a year. The letters are part of a push to do more to enforce price transparency standards that President Donald Trump established in his first term. They come as Trump is trying to show people he's addressing cost of living concerns ahead of the November midterm elections.

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge questioned a U.S. Customs and Border Protection official Tuesday about the government's process for refunding billions of dollars in tariffs that importers paid before the Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump illegally imposed higher duties on goods…

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says a new Canadian-built bridge across the Detroit River that U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to block will open soon. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Gordie Howe International Bridge is set to take place Friday while the bridge itself is expected to open to traffic later this month. Trump demanded in February that Canada turn over at least half the ownership of the bridge to the U.S. federal government and agree to other unspecified demands in his latest salvo over cross-border trade issues. The bridge connects Ontario and Michigan and would be a vital economic artery between the two countries. It had been expected to open in early 2026. Carney made his comments on Tuesday.

HONG KONG (AP) — China’s exports picked up pace in May, rising 19.4% from a year earlier, its customs agency said Tuesday, as technology-related shipments remained robust despite impacts from the Iran war.