Iran targets busiest international airport as top UN body demands halt to attacks on Gulf neighbors
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran targeted the world’s busiest international airport Wednesday and attacked commercial ships as U.S. and Israeli strikes rocked Tehran, while the United Nations’ most powerful body demanded a halt to the Islamic Republic’s strikes on its Gulf neighbors that threaten global oil supplies. The latest attacks marked an escalation in Iran’s campaign aimed at generating enough global economic pain to pressure the United States and Israel to end the war that started 12 days ago. But there were no signs that the conflict was subsiding. On Thursday, an Iranian attack sparked a major fire on an island that's home to Bahrain’s international airport. Also, an attack on Iraq’s Basra port killed one person and forced a halt to operations at oil terminals.
Wealthy nations pledge record release of emergency oil reserves in a bid to calm surging prices
PARIS (AP) — The International Energy Agency has agreed to release the largest volume of emergency oil reserves in its history, in a bid to counter the effects on energy markets of the war in the Middle East. The Paris-based organization said Wednesday that it will make 400 million barrels of oil available from its members’ emergency reserves. It’s a larger stock than the 182.7 million barrels that were released in 2022 by the IEA’s 32 member countries in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. During a videoconference of the Group of Seven leaders Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron praised the emergency release, saying it amounts to the equivalent of 20 days of the volume normally exported through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump administration kicks off new process to try to replace tariffs struck down by Supreme Court
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is opening a new trade investigation into manufacturing in foreign countries. It’s an effort that comes after the Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s previous use of tariffs. Trump and his team have made clear that they’re seeking to replace the hundreds of billions of dollars in lost revenues by using different laws to establish new tariffs. The administration is starting investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to try to charge new import taxes. But U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told reporters that he didn’t want to prejudge the outcome of the process, even though he said that “the policy remains the same.”
Outdated intel likely led US to carry out deadly strike on Iranian elementary school, AP sources say
WASHINGTON (AP) — Outdated intelligence has likely led to the United States carrying out a deadly missile strike on an elementary school in Iran that killed over 165 people, many of them children, in the opening hours of the conflict, according to a U.S. official and a second person briefed on findings of a preliminary U.S military investigation into the incident. Now, dozens of Democratic senators are demanding answers from the Trump administration. The letter from more than 45 senators pressed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on whether the U.S. was, in fact, culpable. The senators also raised concerns about the hollowing out of a congressionally mandated office set up specifically to reduce civilian casualties.
Trump touts cutting drug prices, slams fellow Republican Rep. Massie during stops in Ohio, Kentucky
HEBRON, Ky. (AP) — President Donald Trump used a swing through Ohio and Kentucky to push an economic message and attack fellow Republican Rep. Thomas Massie — even as the conflict in Iran threatened to overshadow all else. On Wednesday, Trump talked in Ohio about pressuring drugmakers to cut prices. He acknowledged that fighting involving Iran has shaken markets, but insisted he remains confident. At a later rally in Massie’s northern Kentucky district, Trump called Massie a “nutjob” and backed primary challenger Ed Gallrein. Trump also said he plans to tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in an attempt to lower gas prices. Massie says Trump’s endorsement is all his opponent has.
US stock market remains calm, even as oil prices rise
NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market remained calm, even as the price of oil got back to rising. The S&P 500 edged down 0.1% Wednesday for a second day of modest moves following what had been a wild stretch caused by the war with Iran. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.1%. Oracle limited Wall Street’s losses after jumping following a strong profit report. Oil prices climbed even though the International Energy Agency said its members will release a record amount of crude from stockpiles set aside for emergencies. Treasury yields rose in the bond market.
Iran war has blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil choke point. Reopening it is a big challenge
PARIS (AP) — Governments are working on plans to unblock the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil choke point. The Iran war has effectively closed the waterway and pushed up gasoline prices. French President Emmanuel Macron is leading an international effort to reopen the waterway “when circumstances permit.” Retired naval officers say that using warships to escort tankers would make no sense during active combat. They say ships have little room in the waterway to evade attacks. Navies have recent escort experience in the Red Sea against Houthi drones and missiles. Experts say Hormuz poses far higher risks. Iran has missiles, drones, fast boats and naval mines. Insurers also drive decisions. Premiums for ships wanting to use the strait have surged.
FACT FOCUS: The Trump administration is falsely claiming Jimmy Carter was against mail-in voting
President Donald Trump and members of his administration are claiming that former President Jimmy Carter was against the use of mail-in and absentee ballots, citing a bipartisan 2005 report from the Commission on Federal Election Reform co-chaired by Carter and former Secretary of State James Baker. But Carter supported the use of mail-in and absentee ballots from at least 2020 and up until his death in 2024. The two decade-old report did state that mailed and absentee ballots can create opportunities for fraud, but also suggested ways to reduce that risk and recommended further research on the issue.
King penguins are the rare species benefiting from a warming world. But that could change
WASHINGTON (AP) — King penguins are adapting to climate change in a way that seems to help them breed successfully, which is unusual. Researchers tracked about 19,000 birds on a sub-Antarctic island chain and found breeding is starting 19 days earlier than in 2000. Wednesday's study links the earlier timing to a 40% jump in breeding success. That's a rarity in the natural world, where warming often means mismatches in timing for species that depend on each other, like bees and flowers. Scientists say the king penguins benefit from being flexible in diet and breeding. It's a climate change success story, but scientists caution it may only be for now.
Trey Hendrickson joins Ravens, Maxx Crosby still on Raiders and Daniel Jones re-signs with Colts
The Baltimore Ravens landed their star pass rusher in Trey Hendrickson, Maxx Crosby is back in Las Vegas for now and Daniel Jones is staying in Indianapolis as part of a busy start to the new league year. Wednesday's biggest move came when the Ravens agreed to a four-year, $112 million contract with Hendrickson, a four-time Pro Bowl defensive end. On Tuesday night, Baltimore backed out of a deal with the Raiders for Crosby over a failed physical, a person with knowledge of that deal told The Associated Press.
