Policy & Unrest
For the first time, a Catholic archbishop sues Trump over access to immigrant detainees
(RNS) — The lawsuit accused the Department of Homeland Security and ICE of instituting policies that violate 'core constitutional values.'
Indicators
checked Oct 7, 6:48 PM CDT
About
Each number comes straight from its publisher, and each value links to its source. Hover a box (or a row) for a plain-language note. "Unavailable" means the source didn't answer, and we never fill in a guess. "Stale" means the latest reading is older than usual.
- Financial health
- Gold$4,139 (source: Yahoo Finance (COMEX))↓$48.40 Down −$48.40 vs Oct 6Oct 7
- 30-yr mortgage7.28% (source: Freddie Mac)↑0.25 Up +0.25 pt vs Sep 24Oct 1
- Jobless claims197K (source: DOL via FRED)↓1K Down −1,000 vs Sep 19Sep 26
- Energy
- Crude oil (WTI)$96.24 (source: EIA)↑$0.11 Up +$0.11 vs Oct 5Oct 6
- Gasoline$4.354 (source: EIA)↓11.1¢ Down −$0.111 vs Sep 28Oct 5
- Diesel$6.199 (source: EIA)↓18.3¢ Down −$0.183 vs Sep 28Oct 5
- Policy uncertainty985 (source: Baker, Bloom & Davis — policyuncertainty.com)index↑576.5 Up +576.5 vs Oct 5Oct 67-day avg 371 srcNews coverage of US policy uncertainty rose this week compared with last week. Daily readings swing a lot, so the weekly average is the better guide.
- Geopolitical risk141 (source: Caldara & Iacoviello (Federal Reserve Board))index↓4.1 Down −4.1 vs Oct 4Oct 57-day avg 178 · acts 166 · threats 166 srcNews coverage of war, threats and terrorism is lighter than a week earlier (weekly average).
- Weather alerts (US)418 (source: National Weather Service)alerts↑1 Up +1 vs previous reading Oct 7, 6:19 PM CDT6:48 PM CDTland 177 · marine 241 src418 weather alerts are active across the country, from routine advisories to local storms. Check weather.gov for your own county.
Still developing
Stories with the most headlines over the past few days · All stories
Economy
Cost of living, energy and fuel prices, and markets when they reach households
Student loan borrowers have more time to reduce interest rates. Here's what to know
The original deadline was Sept. 30, but the U.S. Department of Education extended it to give borrowers more time to enroll. The rate reduction will last through June 2028.
- Drugmakers challenge Trump admin pilot program
- Rising yields are quietly crashing the stock market’s earlier winners of 2026 Treasury yields
- Fed officials view another rate hike as 'likely,' meeting minutes show
- Depleted Global Stocks Set Higher Floor Under Oil Prices
- NJ no longer much cheaper than NYC — after cost of living skyrockets $41K
- Railcar Market: Fleet Shrinks as Demand Rises (2026 Outlook)
- Social Security ends flexible work schedules, teeing up clash with union
- Higher yields are taking their toll on all areas of the stock market, except the one that matters Treasury yields
- Bank of America: Older Americans have taken on a bigger economic role
- Jackson, Collins tangle on Canada tariffs: 'We can't eat road salt'
- Trump Says He Wanted to Privatize Social Security 'So Badly' During First Term
- Options traders are betting on a dramatic drop in interest rates
- HUD opens probe into Wells Fargo’s race-based mortgage programs
- Levi Strauss hikes profit guidance after tariff refunds, but its sales outlook is less optimistic
- Global Diesel Crunch Fuels New Wave of Energy Nationalism Diesel prices
- Red dye diesel break is being greeted with a big yawn Diesel prices
- Strange market anomaly is creating a buying opportunity in the Nasdaq 100
War & Conflict
Conflict involving the US, and wars abroad when they reach home
Military ordered to be ready for possible Iran strikes as Trump weighs timing
The Pentagon instructed U.S. Central Command several days ago to conclude preparations for resuming major combat operations in Iran, U.S. officials said. Why it matters: The directive didn't include a specific date for launching strikes, and President Trump hasn't made any final decisions. But…
- Civil war breaks out over 11 acres of stunning coastline at California beauty spot
- As Army moves to execute Fort Hood shooter, questions about procedure linger
- USS Lincoln nearly home after more than 300 days at sea
- Syria's Jolani May Send Troops To Yemen To Fight Houthis
- Army Command Holds Mercury Rising Event to Strengthen Readiness
- Hegseth Visits USS Lincoln Ahead of Homecoming After Record-Breaking Deployment
- John Mearsheimer on Yemen and Horizontal Escalation
- Pete Hegseth does two pushups, gives hero’s welcome to USS Abraham Lincoln crew: ‘Changed the arc of history’
- Supreme Court grapples with environmental challenge to Air Force’s Guam munition detonations
- More Ukrainian-Style One-Way Attack Drones Seized In Mexico
- Hegseth visits the long-deployed USS Lincoln to bestow award before ship returns home
- How The Groundwork For F-47 Flight Testing Is Being Laid
- Three years after Oct. 7, Jews are still a people who sing
- U.S. Carrier Expected to Make Port Call in Yokosuka, First in 4 Years
Accountability
Agency failures, inspector general and GAO findings, disaster response gaps and infrastructure breakdowns
FBI concerned alleged Chinese agent is serious flight risk, sources say
California realtor Wanying Zhang is facing federal prosecution for allegedly surveilling the Taiwanese president's son in Washington last year at the direction of Chinese government officials.
- Watchdog: Trump administration illegally withheld federal research funds
- No Refuge for Disaster Fraudsters: Massachusetts Man Pleaded Guilty to Wire Fraud and Fraudulent Use of Government Seals and Faces Deportation
- Trump signs Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act, targeting costly federal projects
- FEMA’s Alaska Call Center to Close for Federal Holiday
- Using holiday lights to inform hurricane recovery? Award honors ‘seemingly odd’ federally funded research that brings about groundbreaking discoveries
- Forget The Plague, CDC Reports Recent Surge In Deadly Brain Fungus Cases
- Pro-Bruce Blakeman Super PAC accuses Kathy Hochul of pay-to-play ‘corruption’ scheme in multi-million dollar ad
- No raise? No problem: House members expense DC hotels, meals on taxpayers’ dime
- Boosting public safety starts with fully funding federal prisons
- FEMA Provides Additional $3.3 Million for Disaster Case Management Services for Los Angeles Wildfires Survivors
- CDC ‘closely monitoring’ suspected Russian plague — as WHO urgently seeks info on second reported death
- Blanche Says DOJ Is Using Fraud Laws To Combat Birth Tourism
Policy & Unrest
ICE and detention, court rulings on policy and civil liberties, protests, and policy changes that divide us
'The DNC Has No Choice': Democrats Sue Trump Over Taxpayer-Funded Propaganda
The Democratic National Committee sued President Donald Trump and parts of his administration on Wednesday over a series of recent taxpayer-funded video advertisements that the complaint calls "a blatant violation of the statutory ban on the use of appropriations for 'publicity or propaganda…
- Trump 'Environmental Destruction Agency Continues Its Rampage' With Methane Pollution Rollback
- Appeals court says family cannot take the government to trial for a mistaken FBI raid
- Hospitals Warned To Avoid Deceptive Pricing Or Wind Up In Federal Court
- Trump to propose relaxing oil and gas methane rules
- Ohio political blogger to stand trial for sending GOP state senator explicit Shrek photo
- DNC sues administration over taxpayer-funded pro-Trump TV ads
- Flight attendants' union raises safety concerns over Trump's Washington arch
- Judge weighs bid to dismiss soldier’s case over Polymarket bets tied to Maduro raid
- Union demands federal prison leaders be held in contempt after agency ‘openly defies’ court order
- DNC files lawsuit alleging Trump's taxpayer-funded ads are illegal propaganda
- Government uncovers cartel plot to kidnap Border Patrol and customs officers in Texas
- Major ICE operation underway across California: ‘Go after anybody’
- DNC sues to block Trump administration from using government funds for political ads
- Documents show DHS probed nonprofits, obtained millions of records in hunt for noncitizen voters