Your Evening Briefing

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The potential for conflict between America and Iran has risen since  President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear accord and began tightening sanctions on Iranian oil exports. Now that a pair of tankers were attacked near the Persian Gulf and U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo blamed Iran, the danger is increasing. Pompeo gave no evidence to support his allegation, and Iran denied it. Iran suggested that its enemies may have been behind the incident. 

Here are today’s top stories

News of the crisis didn’t keep U.S. equities from halting a two-day slide on bets the Fed will cut rates. Oil prices, however, climbed.

Amazon’s share of the U.S. e-commerce market was lowered by about 9% after a key researcher incorporated some new data.

A Turkish prosecutor requested a prison term of up to five years for two Bloomberg reporters over a 2018 story about how Turkish authorities and banks were responding to the biggest currency shock there since 2001.

Trump spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders is quitting, ending an embattled tenure marked by her dissemination of false information, infrequent daily press briefings and regular attacks on journalists.

Michael R. Bloomberg writes in Bloomberg Opinion that “it was extraordinary” to hear Trump contradict the FBI director, who said candidates should report efforts by foreign agents to aid them with opposition research. Trump said he would accept such aid.

The U.S. Is purging Chinese cancer researchers from top institutions, including U.S. citizens, Bloomberg Businessweek reports.

A popular messaging app in Hong Kong said a massive cyber-attack on the service originated in China, raising questions about whether Beijing is trying to disrupt huge protests over a proposed mainland extradition law.

What’s Joe Weisenthal thinking about? The Bloomberg news director says the Beyond Meat IPO reminds him of the Krispy Kreme offering back in 2000. Coming just after the peak of the dotcom boom, investors wanted something tangible, like donuts, to bet on. Now it’s pretend meat.

What you’ll need to know tomorrow

• China’s father of electric cars says hydrogen is the future.
• Natural gas, not just oil, is at risk in the U.S.-Iran standoff.
• This top cryptocurrency is up 360%, and you’ve never heard of it.
• Airbus may make the next version of its most popular jet a hybrid.
• Republican’s wife says she’ll assist his corruption prosecution.
• Anti-abortion groups are now targeting Pinterest.
• London metal traders can’t drink during the day anymore.

What you’ll want to read tonight in Checkout

This toy store wants to babysit your kids. From its windows on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, Camp looks like a regular upscale kids’ boutique with books and stuffed animals. But behind a secret door is what owners say is the key to selling more merchandise.

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