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🍼 Axios interview: New fight for maternal health Olivia Walton speaks last week at the Heartland Summit in Bentonville, Ark. Photo: Michael Connor for Heartland Forward/Heartland Summit BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Olivia Walton, who's leading a $100 million, bipartisan effort to cut the U.S. maternal mortality rate in half by 2031, tells me maternal health is a solvable problem, with state governments "in the driver's seat." "We have the medicine," Walton told me last week on the sidelines of the annual Heartland Summit of the nonprofit Heartland Forward, which promotes economic development in America's geographic middle. "We know what works. There are poorer and more rural countries around the world that are doing this better than we are. We also have pockets of what's working here in the United States." Why it matters: Walton and her husband, Tom Walton, a Walmart heir, last month announced an initial $100 million, five-year commitment to Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America (HMHBA) to fund state matching grants, partnerships and infrastructure to scale successful maternal health practices. 💰 Driving the news: At the summit, Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies announced its first state grants — $10 million each to Arkansas and Kentucky over five years "to accelerate proven approaches to maternal care." Read the announcement.

⏱️ "60 Minutes": How humans make AI smarter Mercor CEO Brendan Foody talks with "60 Minutes" correspondent Jon Wertheim. Photo: CBS News "60 Minutes" last night went inside Mercor, the fast-growing, multibillion-dollar AI data company that uses more than 100,000 freelancers to train AI models with human expertise in finance, architecture, poetry and more. Why it matters: AI models need more data than they can glean just by eating the internet. The CBS News show featured a winemaker, a music producer, and a physician who's training AI to accurately interpret lab results. "Everything that humans want AI to be able to do, we wanna teach it how to do that," Brendan Foody, Mercor's 23-year-old CEO (and a paper billionaire), told "60 Minutes" correspondent Jon Wertheim at the company's headquarters in downtown San Francisco. Mercor, with the slogan "organizing human intelligence," grew from 20 full-timers in January 2025 to 400 now. The unicorn's annualized revenue soared from $1 million to $2 billion in 24 months. Watch the segment ... Read the transcript.

U.S. evacuates bombers from Britain Plane spotters and aviation enthusiasts watch a B-1 bomber take off at RAF Fairford in March. Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images The U.S. military evacuated a dozen B-1 bombers from the RAF Fairford airbase in the U.K. over the weekend, Axios' Barak Ravid writes. Why it matters: A U.S. official said the base was under threat of attack by Iran. British security forces last week arrested several dual British-Iranian citizens suspected of planning an attack on the base. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel gave the U.K. intelligence that pointed to a threat of an Iranian attack. The Pentagon said the U.S. military bomber force, including B-1s, B-2s and B-52s, "remain ready to deliver precision global strike capabilities — including through operations that launch and recover from the continental United States." ps:So maybe this is what Iran has wanted?

💰 Trump's dilemma: Good data, bad story Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios President Trump's economic data keeps getting stronger. His economic polling keeps getting worse by the day, Axios' Ben Berkowitz writes. Why it matters: The midterms are less than a month away, and the administration is circling the drain on voters' No. 1 issue. It may be too late to change that, but it's also not clear anyone has much of a plan to try. National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett said yesterday on CNN's "State of the Union": "If I say 'Oh, people are wrong, the economy is great,' then it looks like I'm insensitive. And if I then go into why the economy is great, then it looks like I'm insensitive." "It's true that the polls ... have been saying that people are looking a little bit depressed about the economy," Hassett said. "But if you look at their actions, the actions speak way louder than words." 💸 The big picture: There's ample evidence the economy is, statistically speaking, relatively strong. Economic growth is solid and accelerating. The labor market is relatively stable. The K-shaped economy is ending as lower-end wages rise. Public and private data say consumers are spending more than ever. 👎 The other side: People feel lousy. The Conference Board's consumer confidence index is at a 12-year low. Republican sentiment in particular is eroding at its fastest rate since the Great Financial Crisis, according to University of Michigan data. 73% disapprove of President Trump's handling of the economy, according to the latest AP-NORC survey, the lowest rating he — or President Biden — ever had. Watch my interview with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent ...

Latinos swing back Latino voters, whose dramatic shift toward President Trump helped power his 2024 victory, are moving sharply back toward Democrats ahead of the midterms. Why it matters: Republicans built pieces of their 2026 strategy, including newly drawn House districts in Texas and Florida, around the assumption that Trump's historic Latino gains would endure. A reversal is complicating that bet in key races, Axios' Andrew Pantazi writes. Graphic: CBS News 📊 Trump's breakthrough with Latino men was among the clearest signs of a changing GOP coalition in 2024. Two years later, those gains look far less durable, though Democrats haven't recovered all the ground they lost in the last decade. From two polls released yesterday: An NBC News/Telemundo poll found Latino voters preferred Democratic control of Congress 59%–35% — a 24-point advantage, double the margin the same poll found in 2024. A CBS News/YouGov poll tells the same story: Hispanic likely voters favor Democratic House candidates 60%–39%. 🔎 Zoom in: Latino men have undergone a particularly strong political whiplash. Hillary Clinton won Latino men by 31 points in 2016, according to the Edison National Election Pool exit poll, and Joe Biden won them by 23 points in 2020. But in 2024, Trump won them by 10 points. NBC now finds Latino men preferring Democratic congressional control 53%–39%. Between the lines: 78% of Latinos disapprove of Trump's handling of the cost of living. 67% say Trump has gone too far on immigration enforcement, according to the NBC poll. 31% say they, or someone close to them, now carry ID because of ICE concerns. 27% know someone who has been detained or deported. 🥊 Reality check: Despite all this, Democrats haven't repaired their brand with Latino voters. Their net favorability is statistically flat vs. 2024, but the GOP's has fallen by 18 points.

> Tennessee prison chief resigns following failed execution of Christa Pike last week; Pike remains unconscious and on a ventilator (More) | Pentobarbital, the drug used in the execution, explained (More) > Parts of the US West Coast under severe heat warning through at least Thursday; downtown Los Angeles set daily record Friday, reaching 103 degrees (More) > German Chancellor Friedrich Merz makes surprise visit to Ukrainian capital of Kyiv amid Russian strikes (More) | Ukrainian operation involving robots dropped by drones behind Russian lines has retaken around 70 square miles of the Donbas region, per reports (More)

> US stock markets rise Friday (S&P 500 +0.7%, Dow +0.5%, Nasdaq +1.2%) despite a Friday report showing just 29,000 jobs added in September; Nvidia hits all-time high during intraday trading (More) | Nvidia's circular investments, in one graphic (More) > Merged Paramount-Warner Bros. company to be called Skydance; deal closes tomorrow, company will move trading to the NYSE under the ticker "SKYD" (More) > Ford narrowly retains third-place slot in US auto sales, despite sales dropping 6.6% in the third quarter; General Motors, Toyota claim top spots (More)

> White House is reportedly monitoring a suspected plague case and connected quarantines in Russia (More) | Dengue cases in Florida exceed 250 reports, likely the continental US' largest such outbreak since at least the 1940s (More) > President Donald Trump announces formation of task force focusing on the risks and opportunities of artificial intelligence, led by Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton (More) > Scientists discover covering coral with underwater shades reduces light exposure by 60%, providing temporary protection from UV damage and bleaching (More, w/photos) | How coral bleaching works (More, w/video)

> Max Verstappen wins Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia following 90-minute delay caused by rain and engine software glitches (More) | Watch the race highlights (More) > WNBA semifinals tip off with the Atlanta Dream downing the New York Liberty, and the Golden State Valkyries topping the Las Vegas Aces to grab 1-0 leads in their five-game series (More) | Learn the history of the league in 60 seconds (More via YouTube) > "Avengers: Endgame" retakes top spot as highest-grossing movie ever after theatrical rerelease nudges Marvel film's tally over "Avatar" by around $2M (More) | An exhaustive fan guide on how to watch all MCU films and shows in order (More)

Nobel Prize Week The 2026 Nobel Prize announcements began today and will encompass six awards. The first prize, for medical breakthroughs, was announced this morning at 5:30 am ET—see who won here. The prizes originated in 1895, when Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel willed a fortune equivalent to over $260M in today’s currency to establish the awards. Six years later, committees in Sweden and Norway recognized the first Nobel laureates for groundbreaking contributions to humanity across physiology or medicine, physics, chemistry, literature, and peace. Sweden’s central bank, Sveriges Riksbank, established a sixth prize for economic sciences in 1968. Honorees receive approximately $1.2M, a gold medal, and a diploma (how Nobel laureates are chosen, w/video). Previous award-winning achievements include the discoveries of X-rays and differences in brain hemispheres; play games based on those studies here. Experts say the International Space Station is a front-runner for this year’s Peace Prize, to be announced Friday morning. Nobel medicine prize goes to 3 scientists for shining light on brain activity STOCKHOLM (AP) — The Nobel Prize in medicine was awarded Monday to three scientists whose work led to a tool that uses light to help unravel how the brain works. https://apnews.com/article/nobel-prize-medicine-sweden-2efe9ee7eae9d808fd49a6da1f53ceba?

Spain’s prime minister calls snap election aiming to seize momentum over housing crisis MADRID (AP) — Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday announced an early general election, seeking to seize momentum from housing protests that have roiled the country and frame the vote around issues that are favorable to his Socialist party. https://apnews.com/article/spain-sanchez-election-housing-7d8347e35f1a9e2965ea5b0f8c012bd8?

Pure cocoa can help prevent tooth decay. Naturally occurring chemicals in cocoa beans fight harmful bacteria in the mouth. James

Bolsonaro and Lula head to a runoff in Brazil’s presidential election BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, and Brazil’s incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will face off in a runoff Oct. 25 for the top job of Latin America’s powerhouse economy after neither won a majority in Sunday’s vote. https://apnews.com/article/brazil-elections-lula-flavio-bolsonaro-laydown-c194f8965632c8af9bcc4e7a3716cd7c?

Photos show the closing ceremony of the Asian Games held in Japan The Asian Games closed in Japan after an official two-week run. These games head west to Doha, Qatar, in 2030. Read More.

Dozens detained at a rally in Moscow held by Kremlin-friendly Communist Party, party says Police in Moscow detained about 60 people at a rally Sunday held by Russia’s Kremlin-friendly Communist Party, the party said. Read More.

Trump names national intelligence director Jay Clayton to lead a new federal AI task force President Donald Trump on Sunday tapped Jay Clayton, his director of national intelligence, to lead a new government task force on artificial intelligence. Read More. White House monitoring Russia outbreak Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios The White House is monitoring reports of a suspected plague case and related quarantines in Russia, a Trump administration official told Axios' Alex Isenstadt. Russian health authorities have taken precautionary measures in response to the death of a woman who worked at an anti-plague research facility, but have not confirmed that she contracted plague. The Trump administration "is aware, monitoring the outbreak, and assessing options," the administration official said. On Sept. 25, 28-year-old Daria Shipilova, who worked at an anti-plague research institute in Russia's Irkutsk region, broke a test tube containing the pneumonic plague pathogen, local reports said. Shipilova was admitted to a hospital on Sept. 29 with symptoms of severe pneumonia and died overnight between Oct. 1 and Oct. 2. After her death, authorities imposed quarantines at several medical facilities in the region. Get the latest ...

US Air Force removes all bombers from British air base targeted by a suspected terror attack WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Air Force has brought home its bombers stationed at a U.S.-run military air base in England used to strike Iran following an investigation into a planned terror attack at the RAF Fairford base. https://apnews.com/article/bombers-raf-fairford-iran-5280111d976b89a6245f277e8b899f8f?

UAE had shared details about FlyDubai flight with Israel, including pilots’ names and nationalities Authorities in the United Arab Emirates shared with Israel a list of passengers and crew ahead of the FlyDubai flight on which a pilot attempted to seize control of the Israel-bound aircraft and crash it, regional officials said Sunday, raising new questions over how the attacker evaded detection. With the investigation underway, preliminary details about the incident have highlighted several major security lapses. Read more. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Ax-wielding FlyDubai co-pilot had been flagged over extremism concerns Who are the mystery men who stepped in to keep the FlyDubai plane from crashing? What we know and don’t know about how Iran uses asymmetric warfare Dual UK-Iranian national released on bail over suspected plot against US-run military base Israeli strike kills 1 Palestinian in Gaza, and other Mideast news UAE had shared FlyDubai flight details with Israel, including info on pilots, officials say TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Authorities in the United Arab Emirates shared with Israel a list of passengers and crew ahead of the FlyDubai flight on which a pilot attempted to seize control of the Israel-bound aircraft and crash it, regional officials said Sunday, raising new questions over how the attacker evaded detection. https://apnews.com/article/israel-flydubai-uae-oman-pilot-flight-attack-03aaa4849c590124a5fde57e92b65870?

Trump announces $90 payments for seniors on Medicare ahead of midterm elections for premium costs President Donald Trump is promising more payments to voters just ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections — this time, to more than 20 million seniors, giving them $90 each to help pay for Medicare premiums. Medicare Part B enrollees can expect to receive a one-time payment in October, the White House said. Polls show Americans increasingly blame Trump for the high cost of gasoline and groceries with just 17% approving of his handling of inflation. Trump has sought to shrug off concerns about affordability, saying the economy is booming. Read more. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Republicans move cash from purple North Carolina to red Kansas as battle for majority shifts Voters favor Democrats on key issues, lack faith in either party to fix problems: AP-NORC poll Trump names national intelligence director Jay Clayton to lead a new federal AI task force Trump defends data centers in Ohio as he rallies to boost Jon Husted in a tight Senate race Nearly 1,400 laid off at truck factory just days before Trump rally Trump posts cell phone number of Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton in fight over daylight saving time Inside the DC ‘Power to the People’ festival headlined by Bruce Springsteen Former GOP Rep. David Rivera sentenced to 10 years for secret Venezuela lobbying For more politics coverage, sign up for AP’s free Ground Game newsletter ps:So now it's $90 instead of $100??

'Jane Doe' solidarity posts flood social media after Cornell rape lawsuit A wave of solidarity has surged on social media in support of a young woman who is suing Cornell University and seven fraternity members she accuses of raping her. Countless women and some men are identifying themselves online as Jane Doe, the name the Cornell woman is using in her lawsuit. Many are sharing their own experiences of sexual abuse, reminiscent of the #MeToo movement's peak. The impetus for some is also a desire to offer the woman some protection in this digital age, in response to those wanting to identify her real name online. Read more. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Cornell president calls alleged gang rape 'deeply disturbing,' pledges greater transparency Woman told Cornell investigators she 'felt like bait' during alleged rape What to know about the investigation into Cornell gang rape allegations

FACT FOCUS: What people are alleging in a Cornell University fraternity gang rape case Allegations that a Cornell University student was gang raped by a group of men at a fraternity house in 2024 have led to widespread, online speculation about what school officials, police and prosecutors did and didn’t do, as well as biting criticism that no criminal charges were brought. https://apnews.com/article/cornell-university-fraternity-rape-allegation-1f95ea8e4d1c4963eb0863f249e8b043?

🎸 1 for the road: Old-school protest festival Photo: Alyssa Piazza/AP Above: Folk icon Joan Baez, 85, and Bruce Springsteen, 77, performed yesterday during a star-studded Power to the People protest festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Md. Organized by Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello, the festival aimed to celebrate "peace, justice, solidarity, music and community action." The Boss opened with "Streets of Minneapolis" in response to the killings by federal immigration agents. Baez and Springsteen then duetted Bob Dylan's "Chimes of Freedom," AP Music Writer Maria Sherman reports. Photo: Will Reintzell for MS NOW Above: Host Ari Melber greets fans at the MS NOW Members Lounge at the Power to the People festival, after the network launched a direct-to-consumer subscription service last month. MS NOW, which hosted its first lounge at a "Together in Texas" fan event in the Dallas area last weekend, enrolled hundreds of new members yesterday.

🤖 AI fears sink in Data: Quinnipiac. Chart: Neal Rothschild/Axios 73% of Americans say they're concerned that AI advances threaten human survival, a new Quinnipiac poll finds. Why it matters: Forecasts of cataclysmic AI doom scenarios are sinking into the national psyche. By the numbers: 34% say AI will do more good than harm in their day-to-day life. 53% say more harm than good, with the rest not giving an opinion. 24% say they have "a lot" or "some" trust in the leaders of AI companies. 74% don't trust AI leaders. Explore the results ... Methodology.

Fight for AI's soul Screenshot: @sama/X OpenAI CEO Sam Altman took a veiled shot at Anthropic and its work on the soul of AI yesterday, writing on X that he's "very uncomfortable" with attributing some kind of religious power to models. Why it matters: It's yet another point of division between Altman and his former employee Dario Amodei, whose company has reportedly pursued scholars across faiths to make the case for moral, conscious models, Axios' Ben Berkowitz reports. ⚡ The backstory: The New York Times reported that Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah has been meeting with religious leaders to consider questions of model consciousness — and how to infuse morals and moral behavior into AI. At one point, The Times reported, Olah considered the possibility of models engaging in Catholic-style confession, not just to admit their mistakes but to shape their future behavior. Keep reading.