Energy in America

Tensions between the U.S. and the European Union over a possible automotive trade war have eased with officials agreeing to hold off on new tariffs and instead engage in talks to break down trade barriers.

The Latest on trade talks between the United States and the European Union (all times local): 8:50 a.m.

Asian shares are mostly lower after President Donald Trump agreed with the EU to hold off on new tariffs.

Authorities and the builder are investigating why a dam in southeastern Laos collapsed earlier this week, killing at least 24 people and leaving 131 missing.

Royal Dutch Shell says it plans to repurchase $25 billion of its stock over the next two years after announcing that second-quarter earnings rose 30 percent as energy prices surged.

Russian hackers who penetrated hundreds of U.S. utilities, manufacturing plants and other facilities last year gained access by using the most conventional of phishing tools, tricking staffers into entering passwords, officials say.

Ten months after Hurricane Maria, Adjuntas still loses power any time a heavy rain or wind pounds the rickety power lines feeding this town high in the central mountains of Puerto Rico.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says the country will soon have new money with five fewer zeros in a battle against runaway inflation.

The Trump administration says it will provide $12 billion in emergency relief to ease the pain of American farmers slammed by President Donald Trump's escalating trade disputes with China and other countries.

___ Trump, European Union leaders pull back from trade war WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump and European leaders pulled back from the brink of a trade war over autos Wednesday and agreed to open talks to resolve a dispute over steel and to tear down trade barriers between the United States and the European Union.

The Latest on President Donald Trump's trade policy (all times local): 7:10 a.m.

U.S. stock indexes edged mostly higher in early trading Wednesday following a mixed batch of quarterly earnings results from General Motors, Boeing, Coca-Cola and other companies.

The company that built the Dakota Access oil pipeline says its ownership of agricultural land in North Dakota doesn't violate state law, and that the law is unconstitutional anyway.

Rescuers are searching for hundreds missing in villages flooded when part of a newly built hydroelectric dam was breached in southeastern Laos.

Asian stock markets rose Wednesday after Wall Street gained on strong corporate earnings amid U.S.-Chinese trade tensions.

The Latest on the collapse of a dam that flooded villages in southeastern Laos (all times local): 1 p.m.

The acting chief of the Environmental Protection Agency says there should be a single national standard for fuel efficiency by cars and trucks, speaking out as a showdown looms with California and other states.

The board that licenses private security firms in North Dakota implored a judge on Tuesday to reconsider his decision not to ban from the state a North Carolina-based company hired by the developer of the Dakota Access oil pipeline.

___ US announces billions to help farmers hurt by Trump tariffs WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is announcing a $12 billion program to aid farmers who have been hurt by the president's trade disputes with China and other U.S. trading partners.