Tuesday, August 18, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1872, Aaron Montgomery Ward started what would become a 113-year business with the first mail-order catalog on a single sheet of paper. In honor of this, the U.S. celebrates National Mail Order Catalog Day today.

If you’re squeezing one last trip out of the summer, good news: researchers found a short getaway can recharge you just as well as a two-week odyssey. The catch is that it only works if you do one thing right, and most of us get it wrong before we even leave the driveway. Travel Tuesday has the details.

Before you pour the coffee, go take a look at your thermostat. Do you know why it’s set to that number, or did you pick it years ago and never touch it again? You’re not alone. A federal energy survey found that only 12% of American households program their thermostats to match their actual schedules. Everyone else runs one flat number all day on the single biggest expense in their power bill. There’s a specific setting, a certain number of degrees for a certain number of hours, that unlocks real savings with no new equipment. Ayla has the numbers on today’s podcast. Tune in here!

Later today, watch for a message from our partner Fisher Investments on 13 common retirement investing mistakes that could quietly cost you over time, and how to spot them before they derail your long-term plans.

Today’s sponsor, Outskill, is helping professionals get ahead in the AI era with a free live workshop covering 15+ powerful AI tools, automations, and AI co-workers designed to save hours of work every week.

US Won’t Extend Iran Peace Window

The United States’ 60-day negotiating window with Iran expired Monday with no peace deal in sight, and President Trump said he will not extend it. “I’m not in a hurry,” he told media.

Trump also threatened Oman, which just reached an “understanding” with Iran on future shipping routes. “If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the s–t out of them,” he said.

Shipping through the strait has nearly stopped, with just three vessels crossing Sunday, down from 130 a day before the war. Oil prices ticked higher Monday.

Meanwhile, envoy Jared Kushner met for hours with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pressing him not to “create obstacles” to the Gaza peace plan, a day after meeting with Hamas leaders in Egypt.

Trump Orders Cut to South Korea Drills

President Trump ordered the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” joint military exercises with South Korea, posting Sunday that the drills are costly and send a signal that is “totally inappropriate and hostile” toward North Korea.

The order directs Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to scale back the exercises. Trump cited his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, saying North Korea has been “unthreatening and respectful” during his presidency.

He also said Seoul declined his invitation to help de-nuclearize Iran. “We can’t go around and protect all of these countries, especially when they’re not there to help us,” he told reporters.

South Korea opened the 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield drills Monday as planned, and said it will keep coordinating with Washington on defense. About 28,500 American troops are stationed in South Korea.

List: What’s Your State’s Official Animal?

Every state in America has an official animal, and some picks are stranger than others. The white-tailed deer is the runaway favorite, claimed by nearly a dozen states, while Connecticut chose the sperm whale and Massachusetts went with the Boston terrier as state dog. You can see the full state list here.

California’s pick might be the boldest of all. Its state animal is the grizzly bear, which hasn’t been seen in the state in roughly a century.

A companion list tracks the most surprising creatures actually living in each state, from Alaskan glacier worms that melt at 39 degrees to Florida monkeys descended from a 1930s escape from a tourist attraction.

And if you like your wildlife cuddly, one website mapped the cutest animal in every state. Check all three and see how your home state stacks up.

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Become an AI Expert: Master 15+ AI Tools This Weekend

If you want to win in the AI-first era, just knowing that AI tools exist will not do the job; knowing which tool to use for the right purpose will win the lottery.

There are thousands of AI tools on the internet, but how do you really know which one to use for the right use case?

Introducing the 3-Hour AI Tools Workshop that teaches you the 15 most powerful tools in 2026. Not just this. You’ll also learn how to run AI automations, build your own AI co-worker, and save up to 18 hours of time every week.

The session is led by expert mentors and includes a bonus follow-up session at no extra cost. It’s happening live this Saturday at 10 a.m. EST, usually $395, but completely free for readers. Save your seat before it fills up.

Save your free seat

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ Most Americans never program their thermostats, and it’s costing them. There’s an exact degrees-and-hours setting that can trim real money off heating and cooling costs. (Hear Setting)

➤ Newly declassified files show the FBI stumbled onto former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s affair with a suspected Chinese spy while trying to recruit her as a confidential informant. (Hear Story)

➤ A popular Maryland state park is partially closed after rabid beavers attacked two teens. Experts say there are warning signs to watch for. (Hear Warning Signs)

➤ Newly confirmed Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Justice Department believes Congress has already authorized Trump’s White House ballroom project, despite a court ruling that halted construction pending legislative approval. (More)

➤ The Supreme Court again rejected President Trump’s bid to overturn a $5 million jury verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll. (More)

➤ U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham exchanged messages with someone impersonating White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, raising concerns about a possible second hack of her phone. (More)

➤ A CBS News/YouGov poll found 58% of Democrats view socialism positively versus 32% favoring capitalism, a 26-point gap that Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., called “lunacy.” (More)

➤ Ohio State topped the first AP Top 25 of the 2026 college football season with 40 first-place votes. Oregon came in at No. 2, followed by Georgia at No. 3. (See Poll)

➤ U.S. Olympic swimmer Kate Douglass broke the world record in the 50-meter freestyle twice in one day at the Pan Pacific Championships this weekend, first clocking 23.49 seconds in prelims and then 23.19 in the final. (See Video)

➤ The Heisman Trust launched a new fan voting platform where college football fans can cast a ballot once per day throughout the season. At the end of the year, the collected data will count as an official “fan vote” for the Heisman. (More)

➤ LSU topped CBS Sports’ list of the most expensive college football rosters with close to $50 million invested into the team. Miami, Notre Dame, Oregon, Ohio State, Texas, and Texas A&M rounded out the top tier. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA | Tennis

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➤ Our favorite fall find this year? Quince’s Mongolian Cashmere Quarter Zip. We’ve been wearing ours constantly—it looks premium, feels incredibly soft, and costs far less than you’d expect for this quality. If you’re looking to refresh your fall wardrobe with one piece, we’d start here. Check it out at Quince.

Daily Market Report 08/17/2026

▼	NASDAQ National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations	26,644.91	-0.32%
▼	SPX S&P 500	7,745.06	-0.52%
▼	DJI Dow Jones Industrial Average	53,459.78	-0.51%
▲	BTC Bitcoin	$64,327.69	2.40%
▲	GOLD Per Ounce	$4,474.20	2.14%
▲	SILVER Per Ounce	$65.96	1.50%
▲	OIL West Texas Intermediate Crude	$84.73	2.83%
▼	STUB StubHub Holdings	$7.12	-11.88%

Bitcoin, gold, silver, and oil are traded 24 hours a day.

➤ Big Stock Move: StubHub stock fell nearly 12% today in the wake of a proposed class action suit over ticketing failures and delayed refunds. (More)

➤ Meta’s federal trial opens today with the company facing up to $1.4 trillion in damages from four states alleging it deliberately designed addictive features that harmed teens’ mental health. (More)

➤ Buc-ee’s opened its first Arkansas location in Benton, a 74,000-square-foot travel center featuring 120 fueling positions, bringing the Texas-based chain to 58 stores nationwide. (More)

➤ Paramount is asking the 12 state attorneys general blocking its Warner Bros. Discovery merger to post a $1.88 billion bond to cover ticking fees and other costs that will pile up as the antitrust suit delays the $110 billion deal. (More)

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Stop Guessing Which AI Tools to Use

Thousands of AI tools promise to make work easier—but finding the right ones can be overwhelming. Outskill’s free 3-Hour AI Tools Workshop shows you how to use 15+ powerful AI tools, create automations, and even build your own AI co-worker. Led by expert mentors, the live session is designed to help you save up to 18 hours each week. It’s happening this Saturday at 10 AM EST, with a bonus follow-up session included.

Save Your Free Seat >>

➤ A new website called Have I Been Flocked lets you type in your license plate to see if officials have used Flock’s national camera network to identify your car. (Check Your Plate)

➤ Japan is rolling out walk-in “human fridges” to fight summer heat that has seen 53,000 people treated for heat stroke in two months. Units sell for about $9,400 each. (See Fridge)

➤ Eating five burgers a week lowered men’s blood pressure and “bad” cholesterol in a small study, with high-fat beef performing best. The study followed just 23 men for five weeks. (See Study)

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➤ When Fiber Isn’t Working, the Type May Matter. Still dealing with bloating, constipation, or stubborn weight despite taking fiber? Not all fiber works the same way, and choosing the wrong type may leave you disappointed. Discover six reasons one unique type of fiber stands apart from typical supplements while supporting comfortable digestion and weight management. Learn More >>

Travel Tuesday is brought to you by:

➤ A short getaway can recharge you just as well as a long one, researchers say. The real key is unplugging from work completely. (See Tips)

➤ A garlic clove in the suitcase topped a new ranking of travel superstitions from around the world. Touching the plane and boarding right foot first also made the list. (See List)

➤ Speaking of superstition, have you ever wondered why your hotel jumps from floor 12 to 14? About 85% of elevator panels skip the number 13, a superstition that traces back to Norse mythology. (See Why)

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➤ Actress Hayden Panettiere, star of Heroes and Nashville, died Sunday at 36 in South Carolina. 911 audio points to cardiac arrest. (More)

➤ Monterey Car Week’s auctions closed at a record $747.9 million, up 73% from last year. A 1935 Duesenberg once owned by movie star Clark Gable won Best of Show. (See Duesenberg)

➤ A rescue pug named Jinny Lu took this year’s World’s Ugliest Dog crown, a contest that celebrates imperfections and promotes pet adoption. (Meet Jinny Lu)

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