Ships near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from a plane near the United Arab Emirates, July 20, 2026. Iran and Oman are close to finalizing an agreement on an acceptable route for ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman said, according to state media reports on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. (Tomas Munita/The New York Times) By YEGANEH TORBATI and SANAM MAHOOZI Iran and Oman are close to finalizing an agreement on an acceptable route for ships to

As the U.S. stock market soars to fresh record highs this week, investors say a powerful corporate profit engine, a reset in high-flying AI shares and still-reasonable valuations can further fuel the rally. The benchmark S&P 500 on Tuesday posted its first record closing high in two months. In ​between, swoons in high-flying semiconductor and other technology shares weighed down indexes, but stocks gained sharply in recent days, boosted by signs of calming U.S.-Iran tensions.

By ALEXANDRA E. PETRI Ariana Grande will curtail public appearances after her current world tour wraps up in September, citing “endless, ongoing public scrutiny” as a reason for her “much-needed break,” according to a statement issued on her behalf. Grande, 33, who is in Chicago for her Eternal Sunshine Tour, “will be taking a step back from visibility” after the tour concludes in London, a representative for the singer said Sunday. “She looks forward to finishing the tour an

Zendaya as the goddess Athena, who is Odysseus’ spiritual guide on his yearslong journey home from the Trojan War, in “The Odyssey” (2026). (Universal Pictures) By MALIA MENDEZ “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” and “The Odyssey” assembled Avengers-style to power the biggest movie weekend ever for the domestic box office. But beyond the dollar signs, do these films about an angsty superhero and a brooding Greek king have anything in common? Well, “Tomdaya,” of course. The portmantea

La educación técnica representa una excelente alternativa para quienes desean desarrollar destrezas especializadas e incorporarse al mercado laboral en un período de tiempo más corto. Huertas College continúa con su proceso de admisiones para las clases que comenzarán en septiembre de 2026, ofreciendo Programas Técnicos diseñados para preparar profesionales competentes, con una formación práctica y las destrezas necesarias para responder a las exigencias del mercado laboral a

“This column isn’t so much an argument as it is a plea: Don’t use artificial intelligence to help you write,” writes New York Times columnist Bret Stephens. (Tamara Porras/The New York Times) By BRET STEPHENS This column isn’t so much an argument as it is a plea: Don’t use artificial intelligence to help you write. Never let AI do your writing for you. Don’t use it for school papers, work briefs, letters to your in-laws, speeches at your company gathering or emails (however p

Paul Child at his home on the outskirts of Spokane, Wash., on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026. Child noticed a man lurking in the grass and called 911 after seeing smoke. The man was accused of starting one of three wildfires in the area and charged with arson. (Loren Elliott/The New York Times) By POOJA SALHOTRA and ANNA GRIFFIN Paul Child and his grandson were about half a mile from their home outside Spokane, Washington, when they spotted a man standing over a stretch of tall grass

By KATIE GLUECK, KELLEN BROWNING and SHANE GOLDMACHER Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive and a vocal critic of Israel, edged Rep. Haley Stevens, a moderate, early Wednesday to win the Michigan Senate Democratic primary, according to The Associated Press. It was a high-profile victory for the ascendant political left, though the rancorous race was ultimately far closer than polls had suggested, with El-Sayed leading by less than a percentage point Wednesday morning. He will fac

Portraits of President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance inside the employee entrance of the Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, Nov. 13, 2025. An appeals court on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, handed a victory to a group of federal grant recipients that the Trump administration has prevented from spending billions of dollars in climate funding for over a year. (Eric Lee/The New York Times) By CLAIRE BROWN An appeals court earlier this week handed a victory to a gr

A battery energy storage system plant, interior view. A $489.4 million loan awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Dominance Financing will fund 220 megawatts of battery energy storage systems in Arecibo and Santa Isabel. (Wikipedia/Enyavar) By THE STAR STAFF The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Dominance Financing has closed a $489.4 million loan to support new battery storage projects in Puerto Rico, an investment federal officials say