Axios

An Afghan national who was the first-ever case before the federal Alien Terrorist Removal Court has been deported, the Justice Department announced Friday.

The big picture: The DOJ win before the previously dormant court could give the administration a path to remove people it links to terrorism while keeping much of its evidence secret, Axios previously reported.

Consumer prices remained elevated in August as the Iran war's energy shock fueled a fresh burst of inflation.

Why it matters: The renewed price pressures are squeezing household budgets, with signs that underlying inflation is proving stubborn across the broader economy.

• The data could strengthen the case for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates next week.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) called President Trump twice Thursday, urging him to launch strikes against the Houthis as the Iran-backed group closed in on a vital Red Sea chokepoint, two U.S. officials told Axios.

• Trump declined, and U.S. officials stressed the administration has no plans to intervene directly against the Houthis for now.

Why it matters: Oil prices surged Thursday as the Houthis seized a strategic coastal city in Yemen, pushing them closer to the Bab al-Mandab Strait — a vital artery for global trade and Saudi oil exports.

Oil prices surged and borrowing costs rose Thursday as the nervousness percolating through the global economy intensified.

Why it matters: Investors are now pricing in a higher-cost world that could test the resilience of the markets and hurt Americans' wallets.

State-run surveillance operations around the world are using Claude to streamline their operations, Anthropic said in a threat report released Thursday.

Why it matters: The barriers for governments interested in spying on dissidents, politicians, journalists and human rights activists are getting lower as AI models get more powerful.

The liberal pro-Israel group J Street is launching a $3 million offensive against five AIPAC-backed Republicans in some of the nation's most competitive midterm races, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The battle over Israel, which roiled Democratic primaries and fueled tens of millions of dollars in outside spending, is spilling into the general election and pitting two pro-Israel groups against each other.

As scientists warn about the risk of AI killing us all, the question is why governments and companies haven't done more to reduce the risk.

The big picture: The same capabilities making AI economically valuable and increasingly useful also make advanced systems harder to contain.

The Energy Department's statistics arm on Wednesday sharply raised its forecast for U.S. diesel prices next year as tight global supplies keep domestic inventories unusually low.

Why it matters: The outlook suggests Americans could face elevated fuel costs well into 2027, as President Trump acknowledged Wednesday that oil prices may not fall until after November's midterm elections.

President Trump used a call to restore German greatness Tuesday to celebrate a far-right party that others have denounced as antisemitic.

Why it matters: Trump promoting the AfD, or Alternative for Germany, comes as the nation's political mainstream has spent years keeping the party — which intelligence authorities has classified as extremist — out of power.

• The AfD won a record 44% in Saxony-Anhalt's elections, putting Germany within reach of its first far-right state government since World War II.

Major banks are upping their oil price estimates for the months and even years ahead.

Why it matters: Despite White House claims that it controls the Strait of Hormuz, the status of the vital energy chokepoint and other regional shipping could be messy for a long time.