A New Plan for Closer U.S.-Israel Military Cooperation, and the First mRNA Flu Vaccine

August 6, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

On Capitol Hill, a controversial measure is working its way through Congress that would fundamentally reshape America’s military relationship with Israel. The current deal—$3.8 billion in annual military assistance—expires in a couple of years, and lawmakers who support Israel are worried that the political appetite to renew it is vanishing. Recent Times/Siena polling found that among Republican voters aged 18 to 44, about two-thirds said the U.S. should not give more economic and military support to Israel. In the House last month, nearly half of Democrats backed a measure that would have ended U.S. aid entirely.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:43) **Plan to Overhaul U.S.-Israel Military Partnership** - A new congressional proposal would phase out annual financial aid and create a mandatory Pentagon office for defense industrial collaboration.
2 (03:07) **Contempt Vote Looms for Dr. Anthony Fauci** - The Senate Homeland Security Committee will vote today on holding Fauci in contempt after he pleaded the Fifth Amendment over a hundred times during a hearing.
3 (05:16) **FDA Approves First mRNA Flu Vaccine** - Moderna's new shot, approved for adults 50 and older, is expected to be ready for the upcoming flu season.
4 (06:53) **Malta Emerges as New Tax Haven for U.S. Companies** - Big multinationals like Victoria's Secret and Pepsi are setting up shell companies in Malta to hide profits from the IRS.
5 (09:17) **AI-Run Store Faces Real-World Problems** - An AI agent named Luna is running a San Francisco shop, but it has lost $62,000 and keeps forgetting its Instagram password.
6 Standout Quotes
7 "What sort of jaw dropping about this is that it mandates it." - Senator Chris Van Hollen, on the proposed U.S.-Israel defense partnership.

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Show Notes

Plus, what happens when you have an A.I. boss.

Here’s what we’re covering:

Why Congress Wants a Closer U.S.-Israel Defense Partnership, by Robert Jimison

Fauci Faces Contempt of Congress Vote on Thursday, by Jan Hoffman

F.D.A. Approves Moderna’s mRNA Flu Vaccine, by Christina Jewett

Crocs Has a Trick for Dodging Taxes: a Tiny Office in Malta, by Jesse Drucker and Dylan Freedman

These Employees Like Their A.I. Boss. Its Shop Is Kind of a Disaster., by Heather Knight

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