Iran denies Trump’s ‘semi-negotiating’ claim; Netanyahu rejects Gaza peace plan
President Donald Trump says the U.S. is only “semi-negotiating” with Iran, while Tehran insists there are no talks at all and has laid out new demands before it will fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Plus, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is rejecting a key part of Trump’s Gaza peace plan, insisting Israeli forces will not withdraw until Hamas fully disarms.
And a mother and her five-month-old baby were killed when a boat capsized in New York Harbor, and now the captain is under arrest as authorities investigate how the vessel was being operated.
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Iran sets new terms for reopening Hormuz as Trump says US is ‘semi-negotiating’
The U.S. and Iran can’t agree on whether they’re negotiating, as Tehran sets out new demands to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump told Axios on Sunday the U.S. is now “low-keying” talks with Iran, saying the two sides are only “semi-negotiating.” Iran, however, said there are no formal talks, only messages being exchanged through intermediaries.
Tehran now insists that the U.S. lift its naval blockade, withdraw forces near Iran, lift sanctions, unfreeze Iranian assets and pay war damages before the Strait fully reopens. Iran has also demanded a permanent end to the war against Iran and its allies.
Vice President JD Vance said talks are underway, and the immediate focus is to get more oil and gas through Hormuz.
“Where Iran is today … is that we’re talking to the Iranians, of course,” Vance said. “We’re trying to maximize the amount of oil and gas that are coming out of the Strait of Hormuz. That’s the thing that we’re most focused on right now, and you see, I think, oil prices dipping around $80 a barrel today, sometimes a little bit lower. So, we’re just trying to make sure that we get what we need out of this particular conflict.”
Oil prices remain elevated with no deal yet to fully reopen the Strait.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, rose to more than $84 a barrel, and the U.S. benchmark topped $78.
Meanwhile, in the Red Sea, Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked the Yemeni port city of Mocha Sunday, killing at least seven people and injuring 30 others, according to Yemen’s military.
The attack used missiles and drones and hit both military and civilian sites.
Netanyahu rejects Trump’s Gaza plan, demanding Hamas fully disarm before Israel withdraws
There’s a new split between Trump and Netanyahu over the future of Gaza. The Israeli prime minister rejected a key part of Trump’s peace plan, saying Israel is not leaving Gaza until Hamas fully disarms.
Netanyahu told his cabinet Sunday that Israel will not accept Trump’s 15-point road map as it’s currently written. He said Hamas must give up its entire arsenal, not just its heavy weapons, before Israeli forces withdraw.
That puts Netanyahu at odds with the plan Trump announced last month, and with Hamas, which said it remains committed to the agreement. Hamas said Israel must first withdraw and end hostilities, with further disarmament tied to the creation of a Palestinian state.
Netanyahu said there will be no Palestinian state while he is prime minister, and his right-wing allies are pressing him not to budge.
In a post on X, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the Israeli military should not withdraw “a single millimeter” before Hamas disarms.
Netanyahu faces elections in October.
Captain arrested after boat capsizes, killing mother and 5-month-old baby
A boat captain was arrested this weekend after a mother and her five-month-old baby died when a boat overturned in New York Harbor. Police were called to the overturned boat near Liberty Island just before 11 p.m. Saturday.
Twelve people had already been rescued by the time officers arrived.
Police then pulled a 27-year-old woman and her five-month-old daughter from the water. Paramedics took both to the hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
The Coast Guard said the captain, Manuel Hernandez, 46, now faces 13 counts of reckless endangerment and is in federal custody. Authorities are also investigating whether the boat was being operated illegally as a charter.
There were reportedly 14 passengers aboard the 22-foot boat when it began taking on water near the Statue of Liberty.
Abdul el-Sayed’s victory put Democrats’ future in the spotlight. Wisconsin is next.
Democrats spent much of last week asking what Abdul el-Sayed’s win in Michigan says about the party’s direction. Now, here’s what’s coming next.
el-Sayed told NBC News on Sunday that he spoke with former President Barack Obama last week, just days after the democratic socialist defeated the more moderate, establishment-backed Democrat Haley Stevens in that Senate primary. Obama did not endorse either candidate in the primary, but el-Sayed said their conversation focused on bringing Democrats back together for the November election.
“I really enjoyed the conversation, and I was grateful for his advice,” el-Sayed said. “It was very warm, very inviting and I know that he knows the critical role that Michigan is going to play in holding Trump accountable, in winning back the Senate, and in building forward the future that we need.”
el-Sayed said he now hopes Obama will campaign with him in Michigan, where he faces Republican Mike Rogers in November.
On Tuesday, Democrats could be having a very similar conversation in another battleground state.
Wisconsin holds its Democratic primary for governor, and Democratic Socialist Francesca Hong goes into it as the front-runner. She’s built her campaign around affordability and the argument that Democratic voters want something different from the party establishment.
But Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley — backed by outgoing Gov. Tony Evers — has made the opposite case: that Hong could be too far left to win Wisconsin in November. Republican groups have even spent millions boosting Hong in the primary, believing she would be easier to beat.
As wildfires burn across the West, crews progress around hard-hit Spokane
A massive wildfire effort is underway across the West, with dozens of large fires burning across the U.S. and more than 100 active fires in British Columbia, Canada.
In Washington state, crews are finally making progress around Spokane after three fires damaged or destroyed about 920 structures. None of those fires were growing as of Sunday night, but some evacuation orders and warnings remain in place as crews work the containment lines.
In Utah, the Widemouth 2 Fire is now the largest in the state this year, burning more than 118,000 acres. Two helicopter pilots died Friday in a crash while battling that fire. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into the incident.
Across the border in British Columbia, more than 20,000 people were forced to leave communities around Okanagan Lake over the weekend. About 8,000 evacuations took place around Peachland alone.
British Columbia is now under a state of emergency, with hot, dry conditions keeping fire danger high.
McBride breaks WNBA shooting record
The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has made plenty of headlines lately for what’s happening off the court. But on Sunday, Kayla McBride made sure basketball took center stage.
The Minnesota Lynx guard hit 10 three-pointers, setting a new WNBA single-game record. McBride went 10-for-14 from beyond the arc and finished with 43 points as Minnesota beat the Dallas Wings, 103-to-90.
Kayla McBride breaks the record for most 3-PT FG in a game in WNBA history!
Made 10 threes and scored a career-high 43 PTS in the W pic.twitter.com/xlaQTorwJK
— espnW (@espnW) August 9, 2026
She did it in front of the home crowd in Minneapolis.
The five-time All-Star left the floor with just over a minute to play and received a standing ovation as she headed to the bench.
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