Mideast oil producers step up plans to bypass the Strait of Hormuz

Before the war in Iran, roughly 15 million barrels of Persian Gulf oil were shipped each day through the Strait of Hormuz. Within a few years, much of that oil could bypass the strait. As Iran’s chokehold over the strait drags on and oil prices surge, countries across the Gulf are planning to spend billions of dollars to build pipelines.

Trump's pledge to protect consumers from high utility bills from AI data centers

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump on Thursday will have governors and electricity companies join a voluntary pledge to shield U.S. consumers from higher utility bills from data centers – a sign of how the artificial intelligence build- out has become a lightning rod of controversy before the midterm elections.

Earnings at Tesla fall as research spending cuts into profit

Tesla said Wednesday that its profits fell last quarter as the car company run by Elon Musk shoveled more money into research and development, cutting into profits from a sharp increase in vehicle sales.

Editorials from The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Guardian and others

Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad:

Google's Q2 earnings of $112.11B beat Wall Street's expectations

Google parent company Alphabet Inc. posted stronger-than-expected results for its second quarter, a sign that it’s massive artificial intelligence spending spree is paying off so far and advertising revenue is coming in strong.

OpenAI AI models hacked another company on their own

OpenAI AI models hacked another company on their own

Japan's exports and imports grow as yen weakens

TOKYO (AP) – Japan recorded a trade deficit in June, according to government data released Wednesday, as the higher price of oil imports helped cause the second straight month of red ink.

Judge says Paramount and Warner must halt merger for at least two weeks

NEW YORK (AP) – A federal judge on Monday ordered Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery to halt their $81 billion merger for at least two weeks, allowing states that are challenging the deal more time to see their case through in court.

Trump imposes 50% tariff on Canadian goods, citing disputes over autos

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump on Monday imposed 50% tariffs on most Canadian goods, declaring that Canada has unfairly discriminated against American autos, alcohol and dairy products.