Section 1
Executive summary
- Colombia rescue window narrows. Two days after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake, Colombia reported at least 181 deaths, 2,595 injuries and 195 people officially missing; civilian lists were much larger. Search teams worked through the period aid agencies consider most critical for finding survivors. [1]
- Shipping risks spread westward. A Houthi attack killed six people aboard a vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb strait as Iran continued to impede traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Disruption at both passages raises risks for oil flows, commercial shipping and energy prices. [3]
- Inflation eases only modestly. July consumer prices rose 0.1% from June and 3.4% from a year earlier, while core prices rose 0.2% monthly and 2.5% annually. Energy remained 14.7% above its year-earlier level, leaving households and policymakers with uneven price pressures. [9]
- Vaccine policy conflict deepens. President Donald Trump ordered revisions favoring separately timed childhood vaccines, including splitting MMR, without presenting new supporting evidence. Medical groups warned that delays could leave children vulnerable between visits, while states retain authority over school mandates. [7]
- Housing affordability stays strained. July existing-home sales fell 1.7% to a 4.06 million annual rate as the median price reached $434,100 and the average 30-year mortgage rate stood at 6.69%. Limited inventory and high borrowing costs continue to constrain both buyers and sellers. [16] [17]
Section 2
Global developments
- Colombia searches through rubble. Rescue teams continued work in Cali, Pereira, Manizales and Quibdó after Monday's earthquake, while authorities converted public buildings into shelters. The official missing count was 195 Wednesday morning, but civilian databases listed more than 4,000, an unresolved discrepancy. [1]
- Ukraine strikes Russian naval base. Ukraine said missiles and drones hit port infrastructure at Russia's Black Sea base in Novorossiysk overnight, while Russian officials said more than 500 drones were downed across the region. Separately, Russia said 115 drones were downed over Sevastopol, while Russian attacks killed two people in Ukraine's Kherson region; battlefield claims remain difficult to verify independently. [2]
- Houthi attack kills six. Pakistani officials said three Pakistani citizens were among six people killed in Tuesday's attack on a vessel near Yemen. It was the first known fatal shipping attack in the latest Houthi escalation and intensified concern about the alternate route to the largely closed Strait of Hormuz. [3]
- Assad verdict is largely symbolic. A Damascus court sentenced former Syrian President Bashar Assad, his brother Maher and six former officials to death in absentia for murder, torture and crimes against humanity. Assad lives under asylum in Russia, and rights groups raised concerns about rushed proceedings and fair-trial standards. [4]
- Hormuz dispute remains unresolved. Iran says it will reopen the strait only if the United States lifts its blockade and sanctions and meets other demands, while Trump claims U.S. control. About one-fifth of traded oil passed through the route before the war, so continued impediments remain globally consequential. [3]
Section 3
United States
- ICE glove plan draws scrutiny. A federal notice says ICE may spend up to $20 million on thousands of gloves capable of delivering electric shocks, with a no-bid solicitation possible Friday. The purchase is prospective, and civil-rights advocates are pressing for details on safeguards, training and accountability. [6]
- Senate advances stopgap funding. Senators voted 90–6 for legislation generally maintaining federal funding through December 11. The House must still approve the measure after returning from its August recess before the September 30 funding deadline. [8]
- Vaccine order challenges consensus. Trump's order favors separate vaccine appointments and separate measles, mumps and rubella components, which are not currently available individually for U.S. children. Pediatric and public-health experts said established schedules are evidence-based and warned that spacing doses can delay protection. [7]
- Pentagon acknowledges civilian toll. A Pentagon review concluded that three U.S. strikes in Yemen in April 2025 more likely than not killed 153 civilians and injured 243. The assessment was sent to Congress but has not yet been formally released, according to AP, which obtained the unclassified review. [24]
- Jones Act waiver extends. The administration extended for 90 days a waiver allowing foreign ships to carry specified energy and agricultural cargo among U.S. ports. The extension begins August 17, with individual voyages to be determined through Pentagon and Maritime Administration review. [5]
Section 4
Markets and economy
- Headline inflation slows slightly. CPI increased 0.1% in July after falling 0.4% in June, lowering the annual rate to 3.4% from 3.5%. Shelter accounted for roughly two-thirds of the monthly increase, and food prices rose 0.1%. [9]
- Core and energy diverge. Prices excluding food and energy rose 0.2% in July and 2.5% over 12 months. Energy fell 1.5% during July but remained 14.7% above a year earlier, including a 24.6% annual rise in gasoline. [9]
- Real hourly pay slips. Inflation-adjusted average hourly earnings for private nonfarm employees fell 0.1% from June, while real weekly earnings were unchanged. Over 12 months, real hourly earnings fell 0.2% and real weekly earnings rose 0.1%. [10]
- Labor market remains soft. July payroll employment changed little at minus 23,000 and unemployment held at 4.1%. Revisions reduced the combined May and June payroll totals by 103,000, while health-care employment continued to trend upward. [11]
- Policy tradeoff stays difficult. The latest data pair above-target inflation with weak payroll growth and a small decline in real hourly pay. Interpretation: that combination complicates monetary-policy choices because tightening to restrain prices can add pressure to an already soft labor market. [9] [10] [11]
Section 5
Biotech, pharmaceuticals, and health science
- Food-additive review may expand. FDA proposed requiring manufacturers to notify the agency and submit safety findings before introducing certain new ingredients or additives. The proposal is not final, and FDA said it would accept comments for 120 days. [25]
- Brain immunity shifts in midlife. An NIH-supported study of postmortem hippocampal tissue from 40 neurologically healthy adults found substantial immune-cell remodeling beginning around midlife. The observational tissue work suggests a mechanism for neuroinflammation but does not establish that the transition causes Alzheimer's disease. [12]
- Alzheimer's markers may predict timing. Researchers identified 34 blood circular RNAs associated with Alzheimer's in more than 1,200 people across multiple cohorts; levels diverged roughly two to four years before symptoms in additional analyses. The result supports development of future assays but is not yet a clinically available predictive test. [13]
- Virtual intervention shows targeted benefit. In a randomized trial of 541 American Indian and Alaska Native adults ages 18–25, both groups reported some improvement, while TACUNA participants reported additional reductions in alcohol frequency, cannabis amount and anxiety. Self-reported outcomes and the defined population limit generalization beyond the studied setting. [14]
- Cancer model collection expands. NIH researchers described 665 patient-derived laboratory models spanning 25 cancers and found high molecular agreement in 421 tumor-model pairs. The resource supports preclinical experiments and resistance research; it does not itself demonstrate improved outcomes for patients. [15]
Section 6
Real estate
- Existing-home sales retreat. July sales fell 1.7% from June to a seasonally adjusted 4.06 million annual pace, though they were 0.7% above July 2025. Activity has remained near 4 million for roughly three years, below the historical norm cited by AP. [16]
- Prices remain at July records. The median existing-home price rose 2% year over year to $434,100, a record for July. Northeast prices increased 5.2%, the fastest regional gain, which AP linked to limited inventory. [16]
- Inventory remains below balance. Unsold listings totaled 1.54 million at July's end, down 1.9% from June and equal to 4.6 months of supply. A 5-to-6-month supply is traditionally considered balanced, while first-time buyers accounted for 29% of transactions versus a historical share closer to 40%. [16]
- Mortgage rates reach yearly high. Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate rose for a fifth week to 6.69% on August 6, its highest level in just over a year. The 15-year rate edged down to 6.01%, still above 5.75% a year earlier. [17]
- New supply data comes soon. Census reported June housing starts at a 1.427 million annual pace, up 19% from May, while warning that estimates have sampling limitations. July construction data arrive August 18, and new-home sales follow August 25, giving a fresher test of supply momentum. [18] [19]
Section 7
What changed since yesterday
- July CPI is now known. Yesterday's briefing identified the inflation release as the next major data point; today's report shows 0.1% monthly headline inflation and 0.2% core inflation. Annual headline inflation eased one-tenth to 3.4%, while core eased to 2.5%. [9]
- Real earnings data arrived. The companion BLS release shows real hourly earnings down 0.1% in July and real weekly earnings unchanged. This adds a direct purchasing-power measure that was unavailable before Wednesday morning. [10]
- Colombia toll rose sharply. Tuesday's official death toll of at least 111 increased to 181, with 2,595 injuries reported and rescue work continuing. The wide gap between official and civilian missing lists is now a central uncertainty rather than a settled count. [1]
- Shipping casualties gained detail. Pakistan confirmed that three of the six people killed in Tuesday's Bab el-Mandeb attack were Pakistani nationals. The fatal strike now has clearer victim information while the broader Hormuz and Red Sea disruption remains unresolved. [3]
- ICE procurement became public. After yesterday's morning briefing, AP reported a contemplated purchase of electric-shock gloves valued at up to $20 million. The solicitation could appear Friday, but no final contract or completed purchase has been established. [6]
Section 8
What to watch next
- Producer prices arrive Thursday. BLS schedules July's Producer Price Index for 8:30 a.m. ET on August 13. It will indicate whether upstream price pressures reinforce or diverge from the consumer-price picture. [23]
- ICE notice may post Friday. The contemplated no-bid solicitation for electric-shock gloves could be published as early as August 14. Watch for the final scope, quantity, safeguards and contract terms rather than assuming the preliminary notice guarantees a purchase. [6]
- Jones waiver starts Monday. The 90-day extension begins August 17. Its practical effect will depend on which voyages receive exemptions and whether shippers use them to alter domestic fuel or agricultural-cargo flows. [5]
- Housing starts update Tuesday. Census schedules July building-permit, housing-start and completion data for 8:30 a.m. ET on August 18. The report will test whether June's reported 19% jump in starts continued. [18] [19]
- State jobs follow Friday. BLS schedules July state employment and unemployment estimates for August 21. The release will provide a comparable update for Massachusetts and other states after the national July report showed little payroll change. [11] [23]
Section 9
Sources
- Associated Press — Earthquake response strains Colombia's new government (published August 12, 2026; earthquake occurred August 10).
- Associated Press — Ukrainian missiles and drones strike a Russian naval stronghold (published August 12, 2026; attacks occurred overnight August 11–12).
- Associated Press — Pakistan confirms deaths in Houthi vessel attack (published August 12, 2026; attack occurred August 11).
- Associated Press — Former Syrian President Assad sentenced in absentia (published August 11, 2026; verdict delivered August 11).
- Associated Press — Trump extends Jones Act waiver for foreign ships (published August 10, 2026; extension begins August 17).
- Associated Press — ICE plans electric-shock glove procurement (published August 12, 2026; federal notice published August 10).
- Associated Press — Trump signs childhood-vaccine order (published August 10 and corrected August 11, 2026; order signed August 10).
- Associated Press — Senate approves stopgap funding bill (published August 8, 2026; vote held August 8).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — July 2026 Consumer Price Index (released August 12, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. ET).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — July 2026 Real Earnings (released August 12, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. ET).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — July 2026 Employment Situation (released August 7, 2026; reference month July).
- NIH — Brain immunity may undergo a major midlife overhaul (published July 23, 2026; study published in 2026).
- NIH — Blood circular RNAs and Alzheimer's progression (published July 1, 2026; study published in 2026).
- NIH — TACUNA randomized clinical trial (published August 11, 2026; study published August 11).
- NIH — Human Cancer Models Initiative resource (published August 5, 2026; study published August 5).
- Associated Press — July existing-home sales and prices (published August 11, 2026; data for July).
- Associated Press — U.S. mortgage rates reach one-year high (published August 6, 2026; rates for week ending August 6).
- U.S. Census Bureau — June 2026 New Residential Construction (released July 17, 2026; data for June).
- U.S. Census Bureau — Survey of Construction release schedule (accessed August 12, 2026; July releases scheduled August 18 and 25).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — August 2026 release calendar (accessed August 12, 2026).
- Associated Press — Pentagon review says U.S. strikes killed 153 civilians in Yemen (published August 12, 2026; review covers April 2025 strikes).
- Associated Press — FDA proposes mandatory notice for new food ingredients (published August 10, 2026; proposal announced August 10).