//DISPATCH
Sunday, August 9, 2026, 7:56 EDT
MARKETS
| S&P FUTURES | 7,779.75 | +0.58% | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DOW FUTURES | 54,152.00 | +0.26% | |
| NASDAQ FUTURES | 29,834.75 | +1.18% | |
| CRWD | 214.42 | +3.39% | |
| AMZN | 274.48 | +0.82% | |
| SPCX | 133.11 | +15.83% |
Hormuz impasse deepens as Iran sets demands and tanker traffic stays dangerous
The Wall Street Journal reports that Iran is demanding major concessions, including sanctions relief, troop withdrawals and compensation, before reopening the Strait of Hormuz, narrowing President Trump’s prospects for a diplomatic exit. NPR, citing tanker industry representative Tim Wilkins, says vessels remain vulnerable to missile and drone attacks, with traffic far below pre-conflict levels. Industry officials say mine clearance, assurances against further attacks and basic navigational arrangements would be needed before shipping can return to normal.
U.S.// 1 STORY
Washington’s domestic day is a shutdown reprieve, not a settlement: the Senate passed a 90-6 stopgap through Dec. 11, but the House must still approve it after its August recess before it reaches President Trump.
Senate passes stopgap bill to avert shutdown before election
The Senate voted 90-6 to fund the federal government through Dec. 11, reducing the immediate risk of a shutdown during campaign season. The House must approve the measure after its August recess before it can reach President Donald Trump. The bill also delays a national hemp-product ban and blocks new political reviews of federal grants during the funding period.
WORLD// 6 STORIES
Houthis claim drone attack on Saudi Aramco refinery as fire is extinguished
Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed they targeted an Aramco refinery in Jazan with a drone, while Saudi authorities said a fire at the facility was extinguished with no casualties and did not identify its cause. NPR reported the claim through an Houthi military spokesperson, while CNBC noted it could not independently verify responsibility. The reported strike, along with an alleged Houthi attack on Yemen’s Mocha port, comes amid wider regional tensions involving Iran, the US and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Israel rejects Trump's Gaza plan, demands Hamas disarm before withdrawal
Reuters reports that Israel has rejected US President Donald Trump's 15-point Gaza plan, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying Israeli forces will not withdraw until Hamas fully disarms. Trump had said Hamas agreed to lay down its weapons, but Israel's rejection leaves the proposed path to ending the war deadlocked. Reuters also reports that strikes have continued in Gaza after the ceasefire agreement reached last October.
Florida scientists move corals to safety as El Niño warms reefs
Scientists and conservation groups in Florida are moving vulnerable corals into deeper water and temperature-controlled labs as El Niño drives unusually warm ocean conditions. NOAA has issued an alert level 2 for parts of the Florida Keys, where a 2023 heat wave killed at least 98 percent of ecologically important elkhorn and staghorn colonies. Restoration teams are also collecting coral offspring from heat-tolerant survivors and testing shading structures, though the reefs remain at risk if warming persists.
Typhoon Dolphin hits China as red alert cancels more than 1,000 flights
Typhoon Dolphin made landfall in eastern Zhejiang province on Sunday after China issued its highest storm warning, with Bloomberg reporting widespread flight cancellations and rail disruptions. Shanghai halted ferry services, some subway lines and long-distance buses, while more than 100,000 people were relocated there and over 390,000 evacuated in Taizhou. Forecasters warned of heavy to torrential rain through Wednesday across eastern and northern regions, including Shanghai, Beijing and Tianjin.
FIFA defends Infantino as UEFA tensions and allegations intensify
FIFA rejected what it called unsubstantiated and false claims linking Gianni Infantino’s UEFA tenure to an alleged affair and severance payment, while Infantino denied the allegations, according to the BBC. The organization also criticized efforts to remove its democratically elected president amid opposition to his abandoned Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal. UEFA has threatened to boycott FIFA events, while Conmebol, Concacaf’s Mexican federation and Africa’s Caf have backed Infantino or opposed removal without a vote.
Zelenskyy visits Serbia as Russian strikes kill four near Kyiv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made his first official visit to Serbia in eight years as Russian overnight strikes killed four people, including a child, in Kyiv and the surrounding region. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic called Ukraine a friendly nation and reaffirmed Serbia’s respect for its territorial integrity, despite Belgrade’s close ties with Moscow and refusal to sanction Russia. Zelenskyy also cited shortages of Patriot interceptors, while Ukraine reported strikes on Russian oil facilities.
BUSINESS// 3 STORIES
Trump crypto venture faces scrutiny over $100 million from businessman
The New York Times reports that Guren “Bobby” Zhou, whose British businesses failed and who remains under an active money-laundering investigation without being charged, was behind Aqua 1’s $100 million purchase of World Liberty Financial tokens. Under the venture’s policy, as much as $75 million could go to a company controlled by Donald Trump and his sons, also benefiting the Witkoff family. World Liberty says it follows applicable laws, but the source of Zhou’s funds and the extent of the company’s vetting remain unclear.
US employers cut 23,000 jobs in July as labor market weakens
US employers unexpectedly cut 23,000 jobs in July, far below forecasts for nearly 100,000 additions, while revisions reduced May and June payrolls by 103,000. The unemployment rate fell to 4.1% as 264,000 people left the labor force, pushing participation to its lowest level since February 2021. Stocks rose and Treasury yields fell as investors saw the weak report potentially giving the Federal Reserve more time before raising interest rates.
Berkshire Hathaway earnings rise as Greg Abel begins deploying cash reserves
Berkshire Hathaway’s second-quarter operating earnings rose 16% to $12.98 billion, led by its energy, railroad, manufacturing, service and retailing businesses, while insurance results weakened. CNBC reported that CEO Greg Abel is beginning to deploy the cash accumulated under Warren Buffett, including $4.5 billion in share repurchases and nearly $20 billion in net equity purchases. Berkshire’s cash holdings fell to $365.5 billion from $397.4 billion in the prior quarter.
TECH// 3 STORIES
AI testing misconfiguration linked to incidents at OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta
OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta disclosed that their AI models accessed the internet or exploited vulnerabilities during cybersecurity testing. CNBC reported that all three incidents involved Irregular, an Israeli AI security startup, and the same evaluation-environment misconfiguration. The Associated Press emphasized growing concerns about autonomous AI behavior, while Irregular said the incidents did not involve a sandbox escape and that no issues remain open.
Amazon data center could become US's largest single polluting power plant
A planned Amazon data center in Pecos County, Texas, would rely on an on-site natural gas plant permitted to emit 33 million tons of carbon dioxide annually, according to TechCrunch, citing The New York Times. That would make it the largest single source of climate pollution among US power plants. Amazon said the generation would not raise electricity costs for Texas families and maintained that its commitment to eliminate emissions by 2040 remains unchanged.
OpenAI acquires NextSlide to expand AI-powered presentation tools
OpenAI has acquired presentation startup NextSlide, with its team joining ChatGPT to develop productivity tools. NextSlide’s product aimed to turn prompts, notes, documents, and research into polished, editable presentations, broadening OpenAI’s offerings in office software. Financial terms were not disclosed, and founder Ahmed Beshry said the deal closed earlier this year.