For: April 8, 2026
>>Watching Wall Street
(New York, NY) -- The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed mixed yesterday as investors kept a close eye on the situation in the Middle East. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 85 points to 46-584. The S&P 500 added 5 points to 66-16 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq rose 21 points to 22-017.
>>Gas Prices Likely To Stay High
(Undated) -- Gas prices will likely keep rising even after the Strait of Hormuz reopens. The U.S. Energy Information Administration said yesterday that restoring full flows of oil through the critical waterway will take months, keeping prices higher until output can return to normal. The agency says it expects gas averages in the U.S. to peak at at least four-dollars and 30 cents a gallon this month. Meanwhile, Triple-A puts today's nationwide average for a gallon of regular unleaded at four-16, up ten cents from a week ago.
>>Delta Air Lines Increases Checked Bag Fees
(Atlanta, GA) -- Fuel prices aren't the only thing going up -- starting today, Delta Air Lines is increasing checked bag fees. The carrier will charge 45 dollars for the first checked bag on tickets purchased from April 8th, and the price continues to rise from there. The second checked bag will now cost travelers 55 dollars, up from 45, and the third checked bag will increase from 150 to 200 dollars. Delta joins other airlines, including JetBlue and United, in raising baggage fees to address the financial impact of high fuel costs.
>>Anthropic Says New AI Is Too Powerful For Broad Release
(San Francisco, CA) -- Anthropic says its latest artificial intelligence model is too powerful for public release. The model, Claude Mythos [[ clod mith-ohs ]], proved to be extremely good at finding critical vulnerabilities in operating systems and web browsers. The company said Tuesday that it would instead use Mythos as part of a cybersecurity program with a handful of trusted partners like Google and Microsoft. The AI was apparently able to breach virtual containment on its own, showing a dangerous potential for circumventing safeguards.
>>Pershing Square Intends To Acquire UMG
(Hilversum, NL) -- Pershing Square intends to purchase Universal Music Group. CEO Bill Ackman says they're offering cash and stock worth about 64-billion-dollars. He says the merger will strengthen the weak stock price and will list on the New York Stock Exchange. The deal should close by the end of this year.
>>Deere Reaches Settlement In Class Action Lawsuit
(Moline, IL) -- Deere and Co. is agreeing to pay 99 million dollars to settle a class action lawsuit. The Moline, Illinois-based manufacturer behind the John Deere brand was accused of conspiring with authorized dealers to force farmers to use their services for repairs and limiting independent repair options. As part of the settlement, Deere will provide farmers with digital tools needed for maintenance and repair of large agricultural equipment for the next ten years. However, the settlement does require court approval, and the manufacturer is still facing a separate lawsuit from the FTC concerning similar "right to repair" issues.
