Washington desk

Filed from the Washington desk — including multi-city pieces that also ran elsewhere.

Business · 7 October 2026

Borrowing Costs Hit Near‑Three‑Year Highs for Mortgages, Cars and College Loans

Helen Pell, Washington desk

Mortgage rates are at their highest in almost three years, and the surge isn’t limited to homes – car loans and student‑loan borrowing costs have climbed to similar peaks, squeezing borrowers across the board.

World · 7 October 2026

Tennessee’s Lethal Injection Fiasco Leaves Death‑Row Inmate Awake, Speaking, and Handcuffed in Hospital

June Harrow, Washington desk

Christa Pike, a 50‑year‑old death‑row inmate, survived a botched lethal injection in Tennessee, regaining consciousness and speaking while under critical medical care.

Finance · 7 October 2026

S&P 500 Hits Record High as Rising Rates and Higher Oil Prices Fuel Rally

Helen Pell, Washington desk

The S&P 500 rose 0.6% on Tuesday, surpassing its August peak and taking year‑to‑date gains above 14%, amid higher interest rates and elevated oil prices.

Technology · 7 October 2026

Google Seeks to Plug Data‑Center Gaps with a 20‑Year Nuclear Pact

Rita Knox, Washington desk

Tech giant Google inks a two‑decade deal with Constellation to revamp six existing nuclear sites, a move that keeps energy firms squeezing every last watt from aging reactors while the country waits for new plants to l…

Technology · 7 October 2026

Alexa Loses Control of Echo’s Aux Input, Leaving Old Speakers Unresponsive to Voice

Clyde Rook, Washington desk

Amazon has stopped Alexa from controlling the 3.5 mm aux input on older Echo devices, meaning voice commands to play or pause line‑in audio no longer work.

Business · 7 October 2026

Emmys Move to Prime Video, Cueing the Oscars' Streaming Cousin to Claim the Spotlight

Helen Pell, Washington desk

The Television Academy has struck a six‑year streaming deal with Amazon’s Prime Video, abandoning the traditional broadcast format. The transition follows the Oscars’ earlier move and marks a new era for televised…

Entertainment · 7 October 2026

Netflix Hires Downton Abbey, Andor, and Prime Target Stars to Tame the Jungle in ‘Feral’

Candy Voss, Washington desk

Netflix’s latest jungle‑drama, ‘Feral,’ has assembled an unlikely ensemble—Downton’s own Michelle Dockery, Star Wars‑trained Genevieve O’Reilly, and Prime Target’s Quintessa Swindell—to star opposite…

Entertainment · 7 October 2026

Skydance CEO Celebrates $111 Billion Merger, Calls Staff Rally ‘Victory Lap’

Candy Voss, Washington desk

After sealing a $111 billion merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, Skydance co‑CEOs David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz sent a memo titled “Getting Here Has Been Quite A Journey,” thanking staff and outlinin…

Entertainment · 7 October 2026

Lucy Hale Swaps Murder for Mis‑Match: ‘Scarlett Holmes’ Turns Sherlock into a Love‑Detective

Candy Voss, Washington desk

Lucy Hale will star and executive‑produce Roku’s limited‑series ‘Scarlett Holmes,’ a romantic spin on Sherlock Holmes that tackles love‑related mysteries. The show is produced by Jaggi Entertainment and will…