Morning Briefing: Inflation Data, National Security Probes, and Census Overhauls

Markets brace for wholesale inflation report

Wall Street is on edge as the first of two critical inflation reports arrives today. According to CNBC, stock futures are inching higher while traders monitor rising oil prices and the potential for a new wave of wholesale price increases that could influence the Federal Reserve's next moves.

Pentagon official interviewed in CIA officer probe

Steve Feinberg, the Pentagon's No. 2 official, has been interviewed by the FBI regarding the arrest of CIA officer David Rush, who was found with 303 gold bars. While NBC News reports that Feinberg is not currently under investigation, the probe into high-level corruption has cast an unwelcome spotlight on the Department of Defense leadership.

Missouri gerrymandering case returns to Supreme Court

A high-stakes battle over Missouri’s congressional maps is heading back to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Missouri Independent reports that Secretary of State Denny Hoskins is seeking to block a state supreme court contempt hearing, a move that could determine the balance of power in the state’s upcoming elections.

Census overhaul targets race and immigrant counts

The Trump administration has proposed a sweeping change to the 2030 Census that would eliminate most race-related questions. The Wall Street Journal reports that the plan would also exclude most immigrants from the population totals used to apportion seats in the House of Representatives, a move civil rights groups warn will disenfranchise diverse communities.

Deadly measles outbreak in Pennsylvania

Public health officials in Pennsylvania have confirmed the deaths of two infants in a growing measles outbreak. CBS News reports that neither child was old enough to receive the first dose of the vaccine, highlighting the catastrophic risks posed to the most vulnerable when community immunity levels drop.

Investigation begins into Amazon cargo plane crash

New details from the Miami cargo plane crash suggest a pilot warned the aircraft was approaching the runway too fast. According to NPR, flight records show a pilot gave repeated warnings for nearly two minutes before the Amazon-operated plane careened off the runway, raising questions about safety protocols in the logistics industry.