NEW YORK (AP) - U.S. stocks rallied to the edge of their all-time high and crude oil prices eased. The S&P 500 rose 1.2% Tuesday, bringing the index within 0.2% of its record set in January. The Dow gained 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 2%.

BRUSSELS (AP) – Rattled by U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats over Greenland, the European Union is readying countermeasures against the United States. As primarily a trading bloc, the EU’s toolkit is mostly financial instruments, from steep tariffs on U.S. goods to the so-called trade bazooka touted by French President Emmanuel Macron.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) – The woman was furious. Standing in the muddy lane sloping up the hill in one of the Afghan capital’s poorer neighborhoods, she pulled her headscarf aside to reveal thick grey-white hair. “You see this hair? Even I with my white hair, I have to carry water.”

ISLAMABAD (AP) – The standoff between the United States and Iran deepened Tuesday as the U.S. declared it had blockaded Iran’s ports, Tehran threatened to strike targets across the region, and Pakistan said it was racing to bring the sides together for more talks.

LISBON, Portugal (AP) – A record number of 11 candidates in Portugal’s upcoming presidential election kicked off their campaigns on Sunday. The official two-week campaign period preceding the Jan. 18 election will see the contenders competing to capture voters’ support.

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Iran war has stalled the world’s economic momentum this year, likely pushing growth lower compared to 2025, the International Monetary Fund warned Tuesday. The IMF downgraded its forecast for global growth to 3.1% in 2026 from the 3.3% it had forecast back in January.

CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland (AP) – Swiss investigators are probing what caused a fire in a bar at an Alpine ski resort that left around 40 people dead and another 115 injured during a New Year’s celebration.