US mortgage rates have risen back above 6% after a brief dip below this key psychological threshold. This reversal is attributed to the impact of military strikes in Iran on financial markets, causing Treasury yields to climb contrary to typical safe-haven behavior during turmoil. While this week’s increase is modest, sustained conflict and rising oil prices could disrupt the downward trend in mortgage rates, potentially hindering efforts to alleviate the housing market’s “lock-in effect” despite recent affordability gains for buyers. Nevertheless, home sales remain sluggish, with a notable decline reported in January, even as median home prices continue their upward trajectory.
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Kurdish Iranian dissident groups operating from northern Iraq are preparing for a potential cross-border military operation into Iran, a move the U.S. has reportedly encouraged Iraqi Kurds to support. These groups, considered among the most organized opposition elements, possess thousands of trained fighters and battle experience. However, Iraqi Kurdish leaders express hesitancy, fearing direct involvement could provoke a harsh Iranian response and further destabilize the region already experiencing attacks. In response to Iran’s requests, Iraq has taken measures to seal its border and prevent infiltration by opposition groups.
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Tragically, a Colorado man who tirelessly advocated for safety improvements at an intersection where his wife was killed two years prior, passed away Monday in a crash at that very same location. Gerry Goldberg had successfully campaigned for a traffic light at the intersection of East Belleview Avenue and South Franklin Street, hoping to prevent further tragedies after his wife Andie’s death in May 2024. Despite his efforts and ongoing review of proposed safety measures by the city, Goldberg himself became a victim of the dangerous intersection he fought so hard to fix.
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Emmanuel Damas, a Haitian asylum seeker detained at the Florence correctional center in Arizona, died this week after experiencing severe tooth pain for weeks without receiving timely medical attention. According to a local official, Damas’s complaints escalated to a point where he collapsed and developed sepsis from an infection, leading to his eventual transfer to a hospital where he passed away. This incident raises serious concerns about the quality of care provided to individuals in immigration custody, and an investigation has been called for. Damas’s death marks another fatality within ICE custody, a trend that has seen a significant increase in recent years.
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A judge has ruled that Camp Mystic cannot alter the property along the Guadalupe River where a tragic flood claimed the lives of 27 girls and the camp’s executive director last summer. This preservation order is in place to ensure evidence remains intact while a lawsuit filed by the parents of a missing camper proceeds. While the flood-ravaged cabins and other key areas must remain untouched, the ruling does permit the camp to potentially reopen its unaffected Cypress Lake site. Attorneys for both the parents and the camp acknowledged the judge’s decision to safeguard the evidence at the Guadalupe River location.
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A federal judge has temporarily blocked Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s executive order that designated two Muslim groups as foreign terrorist organizations. U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker ruled that the First Amendment prohibits the governor from using his executive office for political statements that infringe upon constitutional rights. The order, which targeted the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim Brotherhood, is now on hold as a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality proceeds. CAIR, a prominent Muslim civil rights group, has sued, asserting that the governor unlawfully usurped the federal government’s exclusive authority to designate terrorist organizations and that the order was motivated by anti-Muslim bias.
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Concerns surrounding a prolonged war with Iran have significantly impacted global markets. Stocks experienced a sharp decline, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing down by 785 points. Simultaneously, oil prices surged to their highest levels since mid-2024, with US crude jumping 8.5% as the Strait of Hormuz, a critical transit route for 20% of global oil, saw zero tanker traffic. This escalation in energy prices threatens to fuel inflation and complicates the outlook for the Federal Reserve.
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A suspect, Ivan Miller, 22, of Blakesburg, Iowa, has been taken into custody following the discovery of three deceased women in Wayne County, Utah. Authorities believe Miller killed an elderly woman at her residence, stole her vehicle, and then proceeded to a hiking trail where he murdered two other women before fleeing in a second stolen car. The subsequent manhunt spanned multiple counties in Utah and extended into Arizona and Colorado, where Miller was apprehended in Pagosa Springs with concealed weapons. The victims, whose identities have not been released, were reportedly in their 30s, 60s, and 80s, and investigators do not believe Miller had any prior connection to them.
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Verified footage examined by BBC Verify reveals significant destruction in rural southern Lebanon following reported Israeli strikes. In the town of Toul, at least two buildings, including a shop, sustained damage, with rubble littering the main road. Further east, in Kfar Tebnit, a video depicts a smouldering area where two former buildings, one identified as a shoe shop, were completely destroyed.
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A U.S. Marine veteran, identified as Brian McGinnis, sustained a broken arm when officers removed him from a Senate Armed Services subcommittee meeting on March 5, 2026. McGinnis was reportedly shouting “no one wants to fight for Israel” during the protest against the war in Iran. This incident occurred as officials attempted to escort him from the proceedings.
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John Q. Hosedrinker