It’s Wednesday, September 16, and there’s plenty happening. Here’s a quick rundown of today’s top stories.
All eyes on the Fed
Today is decision day for the Federal Reserve, and markets are on edge. After a hotter-than-expected August jobs report, traders were pricing in around a 60 percent chance of a rate hike — not a cut. Inflation is still running warm: consumer prices up 3.4 percent over the past year, and 3.7 percent on the PCE gauge the Fed watches most closely. All eyes will also be on new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s press conference for any signal about where rates go from here.
Judge blocks DHS visa limits
A federal judge has blocked the Department of Homeland Security from capping how long foreign students and journalists can remain in the United States. Judge Dennis Saylor called the department’s reasoning “exceptionally weak” and said the claim that the limits were needed for national security “borders on the absurd.” Under the proposed rules, a DHS official could have cut short a student’s or journalist’s stay with no possibility of appeal. The ruling preserves the current system while the case moves forward.
Three executions in 24 hours
Three inmates were put to death across the country within a single day, the latest marker of an accelerating pace of executions. Thirty-nine executions have been carried out or scheduled so far this year across eight states. Last year’s total of 47 was the most in a single year since 2009, and Florida accounts for nearly half of all executions carried out since 2025.
Diesel hits another record
Wisconsin diesel prices broke the all-time record for the fifth straight day, reaching $6.11 a gallon. It’s a brutal combination: Russia banned diesel exports after Ukrainian strikes on its refineries, the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, and global inventories are thin. One petroleum analyst says it could be months before prices recover — if the pieces fall into place at all.
Missouri map tossed
The Supreme Court has rejected a Trump-backed congressional map for Missouri, which means the state will likely revert to its former districts for November’s midterm elections.
Quick hits
- Canelo Alvarez is skipping his traditional Cinco de Mayo fight next year and instead targeting a rematch with Terence Crawford.
- The Premier League’s VAR is under fire again after a blown offside call stood in the Manchester derby. Officiating chiefs admitted an “error in judgment.”
- Tonight: four-time F1 champ Max Verstappen takes on 100 drivers in a live go-kart race at Silverstone, streaming on Disney+ and ESPN.
That’s the rundown for today.