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Wall Street's "day after" Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Stock: Getty Images America's largest banks are working to prevent AI worst-case scenarios. But they're also preparing for the "day after" a catastrophe, Axios' Madison Mills reports. Why it matters: America's financial institutions have joined the largest AI companies in scenario-planning for disaster, a prudent but worrisome signal about the extent of the risk that major corporations see on the horizon. 👀 State of play: Banks are grappling with two distinct AI threats. They're seeing unvetted AI agent activity, primarily driven by customers providing login credentials to agents, which in some cases appear to have taken actions independent of user prompts, Axios reported yesterday. That's separate from the bigger threat — a devastating cybersecurity crisis fueled by rogue behavior like the kind involved in a summer attack on a startup called Hugging Face, where an AI agent swarm hacked a platform, triggering an industry security crisis. This fear is pushing banks to invest in prevention and to plan for the worst. Zoom in: Yesterday's Axios report on banks refers to the former — agentic AI, not frontier systems that carry broader cyber risks. The Axios report sparked calls for regulation from across the political spectrum, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.). Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff posted "Code red" on X yesterday, in response to an Anthropic security official, Jason Clinton, who wrote earlier in the day: "as bad as things have gotten in the past 4 days, they are going to get a lot worse before they get better." The other side: Former White House AI czar David Sacks said banks should support user-directed agents that allow users to "grant, limit, and revoke access," with read-only as an "interim step." Sacks said conflating "user-authorized agentic behavior and cyberattacks is irresponsible." 🦾 Flashback: The major banks were part of early testing of Anthropic's Mythos model, which unleashed unprecedented cyber capabilities. That was part of an effort from AI labs and major banks to use this technology to better understand and prepare for cyberattacks or other risks. Since then, banks have worked on plans not just to avoid AI-related issues, but also on how to protect accounts, reassure customers and keep operations running in case a large-scale attack hits. Reality check: Scenario planning is a requirement for critical infrastructure providers, including in the financial sector. Avoiding it would be malpractice. 💡 Between the lines: Banks want customers to know they haven't seen any rogue agent activity or evidence of a hack affecting customer funds or accounts. Banks strongly advise users not to provide their passwords to agents, especially since services exist or are being developed that can allow customers read-only access. The startup Plaid is one platform that can pull balances and transaction history, among other functions. "Under no circumstance should customers share passwords with any person or thing. Period," a JPMorgan spokesperson told Axios. "There exist secure open banking platforms that don't involve handing over the keys to your account. Customers are the first line of defense in protecting their accounts." JPMorgan, along with other banks, has taken steps to block agent access, although it's exploring secure ways to allow customers to connect with the services they choose.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY October 23 2002 Hostage crisis in Moscow theater Fifty Chechen rebels storm a Moscow theater, taking up to 700 people hostage during a sold-out performance of a popular musical. More than 120 ended up dying. read more 1980s 1989 Gas leak kills 23 at plastics factory Ancient Rome 42 B.C. Brutus dies by suicide Arts & Entertainment 1958 Boris Pasternak wins Nobel Prize for ‘Dr. Zhivago,’ later forced to refuse the honor Crime 1998 Doctor is killed by anti-abortion radical Inventions & Science 2001 Apple announces the first iPod Middle Eastern History 1983 Beirut barracks blown up Sports 1993 Toronto Blue Jay Joe Carter wins World Series with ninth-inning home run Women’s History 1850 The first National Women’s Rights Convention begins

> Federal officials charge 82-year-old Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas (D) and family members over alleged corruption scheme relating to marijuana business (More) > President Donald Trump must sit for deposition in his $10B lawsuit against the BBC by Dec. 11, federal judge says (More) | Watch the clip at the heart of the defamation case (More via YouTube) > France bans some protests across multiple cities after days of riots, looting (More) | See photos of unrest from across Europe (More) | ... and a map of protests across the continent (More)

> US stock markets close mixed (S&P 500 -1.2%, Dow +0.0%, Nasdaq -2.6%) as Brent crude oil prices exceed $113 per barrel, the highest price point since May (More) > Moderna shares sink 17.6% following a premature leak of trial data for its personalized cancer vaccine; while data shows the shot reduced melanoma recurrence or death by 42%, the results fell short of heightened market expectations (More) > Elon Musk reportedly invests roughly $1B in Skydance, the entertainment company that resulted from Paramount acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery (More) | How rich is Musk? (More, w/graphics)

> Physicists trap single antimatter particle for months, potentially allowing for more precise measurements of this rare form of matter, which may hold clues to the origins of our universe (More) | Antimatter 101 (More) > France confirms first-ever human case of Shamonda livestock virus in severely immunocompromised individual who died earlier this month; officials say there is no risk to the public (More) | Where did the virus come from?(More) > Expert panel recommends shortlist of lunar destinations NASA should prioritize for astronaut missions to maximize scientific return; list includes volcanically diverse region and area near Apollo 15 landing (More, w/interactive)

> Former NHL star Ron Duguay, best known for his stints with the New York Rangers and his relationship with 2008 Republican US vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, dies at age 69 due to colon cancer (More) > Rapper Eminem's former employee pleads guilty to copyright infringement charge for stealing and selling unreleased music (More) | "Looksmaxxing" influencer Clavicular pleads not guilty to rape-related charges filed last month (More) > Actor Tom Skerritt, whose notable roles included Jimmy Brock in "Picket Fences" and Commander Mike “Viper” Metcalf in "Top Gun," dies at age 93 (More) | John Anderson, who joined the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2024, dies at age 71 (More)

Israeli military says 2 soldiers were killed in West Bank attack that also left 2 gunmen dead JERUSALEM (AP) — Two Israeli soldiers were killed in an attack in the occupied West Bank that also left two suspected gunmen dead Friday morning, the military said. The violence is likely to heighten political tensions and security concerns ahead of next week’s parliamentary election. https://apnews.com/article/israel-shooting-west-bank-election-f6646718072b4ff6929cff43297edd05?

💫 Johnson's polarizing star The House Freedom Caucus is flirting with an identity crisis, including some members privately discussing whether to try booting freshman Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas), four sources familiar with the conversations tell us. At least 10 of HFC's more than two dozen members will not return next term, including some of its most prominent voices. Why it matters: Gill is a prolific fundraiser, Fox News loves him, he's launched an ambitious bid to lead Republicans on House Oversight and leadership sees him as the future. But some of his colleagues say he's using them as a stepping stone. "He's not really in the Freedom Caucus. He's just using it for conservative bona fides," one HFC member told us. The caucus is "livid" at Gill, another HFC member told us. "Congressman Gill is laser-focused on getting out the vote and ensuring Republicans hold the majority this November," a spokesperson for Gill told us in a statement. Zoom in: Members say Gill benefited from introductions to HFC donors but hasn't adequately financially supported fellow members in difficult races. "For those of us who have been in meetings, who have been in the tough votes over the last two years, he's been MIA," one HFC member said, adding he's "totally looking for the ladder climbing." Gill raised $4.7 million in the third quarter, a massive haul for a freshman member. He's in an R+11 district. Gill's office pointed out he's given to over a dozen HFC members' campaigns. What they're saying: Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris (R-Md.) accused the media of "ginning up stories about Republicans based on anonymous sources," insisting the group is "united and laser-focused" on advancing Trump's agenda. "I'm not frustrated with Brandon at all," Rep. Mark Harris (R-N.C.), also a freshman member of the caucus and no relation to Andy Harris, told us. "He comes to meetings. I don't know why they feel like he doesn't." The bottom line: "HFC is its own worst enemy sometimes," one GOP member told us. "They've managed to kick out, alienate some of their members that help them fundraise." — Kate Santaliz

😱 Nightmares turn real Majority Leader John Thune and Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer are living out their Senate nightmares — with nominees they didn't want and former colleagues they no longer control. Why it matters: Together, Schumer and Thune are stuck with five Senate races in which their party establishments thought they had a better chance of winning with someone else. 🤠 Texas: Thune's efforts to stop Ken Paxton from winning the nomination failed. Now Republicans are spending more than $329 million to defeat James Talarico— and it's still a nail-biter. 🍑 Georgia: GOP leaders couldn't convince Gov. Brian Kemp to run. The eventual nominee, Rep. Mike Collins, has struggled to keep pace with fundraising juggernaut Sen. Jon Ossoff. GOP money is in retreat. 🦞 Maine: Schumer endorsed Gov. Janet Mills, but Graham Platner's implosion left Democrats with backup Troy Jackson against Sen. Susan Collins. ⛴️ Michigan: Abdul El-Sayed defeated Rep. Haley Stevens and made a name for himself nationally. But he won by just one point even though primary polls showed him up by double digits. He's now polling within the margin of error against the GOP nominee, former Rep. Mike Rogers. 🏈 Minnesota: Peggy Flanagan ran as a progressive, said she would not support Schumer as leader and bested establishment-backed Rep. Angie Craig. But Cook Political Report moved her race against former NFL sideline reporter Michele Tafoya toward Republicans even as it shifted other races toward Democrats. To make matters worse, Thune's and Schumer's former colleagues are creating fresh headaches by boosting candidates across the aisle. Former Sen. Joe Manchin, who flipped to independent in 2024 after being elected as a Senate Democrat, is campaigning for Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), as Semafor reported. Former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who also flipped from Democrat to independent before leaving office, is boosting Republican Jay Feely in her home House district. She even voted for him in the GOP primary, as Axios scooped. Former Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) endorsed Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) in his reelection this summer. The other side: In two red states, Schumer landed arguably the best candidates he could get. Democratic former Gov. Roy Cooper has all but put North Carolina to bed, and former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown is keeping it too close for Sen. Jon Husted's comfort in Ohio. — Stef Kight

The Possibility of Escalation View in browser President Trump has been hearing lately from two trusted confidants, each promising a quick path to ending the war in Iran. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has argued that Iran is on the brink of economic collapse and that a U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, combined with sanctions, will force Tehran to capitulate at the negotiation table. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a series of calls with Trump, has offered a different route: one more round of devastating U.S. and Israeli strikes to topple the regime. Now the Trump administration appears to be considering combining the two approaches, betting that Iran is already on the verge of economic ruin and that a few more major strikes will be enough to trigger regime change. The president is considering reviving his military campaign against Iran with several days of strikes, likely just after the midterm elections, officials told us. The potential targets include Iran’s missile and drone arsenal as well as its energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities. One outside adviser told us that “the economic pressure is working, and we believe Iran is getting close to the edge.” The new strikes, the person added, “would push them over.” Experience suggests that this may be wishful thinking. Economic pressure has badly weakened Iran, but the country’s negotiating position has hardly budged. Trump has thought before that Iran was on the verge of ruin—or already past it—only to discover that he’d miscalculated. And launching more strikes could spark a regional escalation without bringing the regime any closer to surrender. Speaking at Tehran’s Holy Defence Museum earlier this week, Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi, a spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, named seven major fiber-optic cables beneath the surface of the Strait of Hormuz as potential “new targets” and teased that future attacks would feature “new weapons.” If the proposed U.S. strike plan fails to bring Iran to its knees, Tehran could emerge even less willing to make concessions. “Trump is desperate to find some options to take him out from this problematic situation,” Danny Citrinowicz, a former Israeli intelligence officer who specializes in Iran, told us. “But you cannot plan for a three-day war, because it is not a unilateral decision. You cannot control how Iran responds.” Nevertheless, the president appears intent on acting. “Something one way or another, it will happen fairly soon,” Trump told a reporter yesterday before boarding Air Force One. Despite all of the reasons resuming strikes could be a mistake, the president is tempted because he’s grown impatient waiting for the strategy of economic strangulation to work. He had originally hoped that Iran would come crawling back to the negotiations before the midterm elections, an official and another person familiar with the conversations told us under the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive conversations. That has not happened, and energy prices have stayed high—creating an awful political landscape for Republicans. Trump has toned down some of his apocalyptic rhetoric toward Tehran, but his frustration occasionally seeps through, often in late-night social-media posts. Trump has toyed with the idea of resuming hostilities before Election Day, a push championed by those in Washington who believe that a show of force could allow the president to claim some sort of October-surprise victory. Netanyahu has advocated for another round of strikes before his own election next week, a White House official confirmed to us. So far, Trump has held off on authorizing a pre-midterms strike; after we reported on the possibility earlier this month, the behind-the-scenes blowback from fellow Republicans was so intense that the president posted on Truth Social that he would not attack again before the election. U.S. officials stress that no decision has been made about whether to resume strikes post-election, although there have been very public signs of preparation. Some officials hope that uncertainty about what the United States will do—and when—will keep Tehran on edge. Earlier this week, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth traveled to Israel and met with Netanyahu to discuss Iran. The State Department said yesterday that it was evacuating nonessential personnel and their family members from Saudi Arabia because of escalating attacks from Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Real questions remain about whether the Pentagon’s munitions supplies, which were growing dangerously low at the height of the conflict, would be adequate to defend U.S. interests in the Middle East. Meanwhile, even the hint of hostilities has spooked markets; the price of oil surged and the stock market fell today as word circulated about a possible return to war and Iran hit tankers in the strait. (The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. U.S. Central Command, which leads the war in Iran, declined to comment.) The costly U.S. naval blockade, which has effectively stopped Iranian oil exports, coupled with sanctions and damage from U.S. strikes, has put Iran’s economy under severe strain. Inflation is soaring; goods are scarce. The record-low value of the rial has left Iranians struggling to pay for basic needs. Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. Central Command, said last week that the naval blockade had prevented Iran from exporting at least $25 billion worth of crude oil. The International Monetary Fund has projected that Iran’s economy will contract sharply in 2026. But while Tehran is trying to contain the damage through measures such as price controls and maintaining essential imports, there is little evidence that Iran is on the verge of imminent economic collapse. Over the summer, Bessent promised “financial violence” that would lead to Iran’s capitulation. Yesterday, the Treasury Department added sanctions targeting shipping networks and intermediaries “indirectly aiding Tehran’s ability to generate revenue to fund its military, weapons, and nuclear programs.” “I think it could be within weeks or months—and the economy doesn’t have to collapse. We just have to have the regime come to their senses,” he told reporters at an August G20 finance ministers’ meeting. But the belief that that point will come soon ignores the patterns of history: The hard-liners in Tehran have become inured to the suffering of their people over decades and have yet to capitulate. Meanwhile, Netanyahu has repeatedly urged Trump, who has endorsed the prime minister in his reelection bid, to launch strikes before Israel’s Tuesday election and the United States’ vote a week later, an Israeli television station reported last week. Netanyahu’s office has reportedly denied the claim. Regardless, the war is key to the political futures of Netanyahu and Trump. How and when it ends, however, is not entirely up to them. Related: Trump is preparing for a long war. Trump Jr. privately breaks with his dad on Iran

Washington resident charged with conspiracy in Canada school shooting pleads not guilty A Washington state resident charged with conspiracy in one of the worst school shootings in Canada’s history pleaded not guilty in federal court Thursday. Read More.

Waze rejects Malaysia’s data risks claims after civil servants barred from using the app Waze on Thursday rejected Malaysia's claims that it collects sensitive government information or allows any entity to exploit personal user data, after the government banned civil servants from using the navigation app, citing its Israeli connection. Read More.

What to know about Ebola outbreak that has spread from Congo to multiple African countries The deadly Ebola outbreak that began in Congo in May is outpacing efforts to contain it, spreading to two other regions of Africa and taking advantage of gaps in surveillance. Read More.

Movie Review: In ‘Fatherland,’ Paweł Pawlikowski’s austere portrait of a fractured Germany In 1949, Nobel laureate Thomas Mann returned to Germany after years in exile to accept dual Goethe Prizes. Frankfurt, in West Germany, was Goethe’s birthplace 200 years earlier. Weimar, in communist East Germany, was where he lived and died. Both cities felt a claim to Mann's return for the bicentennial of Goethe’s birth. And Mann, who left Germany in 1933, saw it as an opportunity to address his divided homeland. Read More.

Airbnb guests no longer have to wash the dishes or strip the beds at checkout Airbnb guests can say goodbye to checkout chores like washing dishes, stripping beds and taking out the trash under a new policy announced this week. Read More.

Argentina follows Trump lead, designates criminal and guerrilla groups as terrorist organizations Argentina has designated five Latin American criminal and guerrilla groups, including Mexico’s powerful Sinaloa cartel, as terrorist organizations, aligning itself with the security policies of the United States, a close ally. Read More.

First Ebola patients in Nigeria and Kenya might have crossed paths at Uganda airport The first Ebola patients confirmed in Kenya and Nigeria might have crossed paths at an airport in Uganda earlier this month, African health officials said Thursday as they race to trace and slow an outbreak that has spread to several African countries. Read More.

Indonesian leader rejects market downgrade warning after stock market sell-off Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto rejected a warning from Morgan Stanley Capital International that could lead to the country's stock market being downgraded, saying his country would not be pressured by external parties. Read More.

The Fourth Circuit's recent decision in John Doe v. The post Does the First Amendment’s Church Autonomy Doctrine Immunize Religious Employers from Title VII Liability When Terminating a Lay Employee for Conduct Contrary to Faith? <label class="rltv-edition-check-wrap" onclick="event.stopPropagation();" title="Add to 5-Story Mini-Newspaper"><input type="checkbox" class="rltv-story-checkbox" data-id="170511701" data-title="Does the First Amendment’s Church Autonomy Doctrine Immunize Religious Employers from Title VII Liability When Terminating a Lay Employee for Conduct Contrary to Faith?" /><span>+ Edition</span></label> appeared first on ReligiousLiberty.TV. View the full article

Powerful earthquake in China’s Tibet region collapses hundreds of homes and kills at least 16 people BEIJING (AP) — A magnitude 7 earthquake hit China’s Tibet region on Thursday evening, killing at least 16 people, injuring 54 and collapsing hundreds of homes in the northern regional city of Nagqu, official media said. https://apnews.com/article/china-earthquake-tibet-be27a2db79ada1c6309914d173b983a8?

Tom Skerritt, Star of ‘Picket Fences’ and ‘Alien,’ Dies at 93 https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/tom-skerritt-dead-picket-fences-alien-mash-1236738429/ ps:Didn't know that he was that old??

What a pair he and his wife were! Scamming people out of there money!! Only God knows if he really ever gave his life to Jesus!!! I pray that he did!!!!

🐋 1 for the road: A new hope Photo: The Center for Whale Research/NMFS/NOAA A new baby orca is making waves among the Pacific Northwest's endangered Southern Resident population, Axios Seattle's Christine Clarridge reports. The little guy is the newest offspring of orca J35, who made headlines in 2018 while carrying her dead calf on her head for 17 days. 🐳 Researchers with the Center for Whale Research spotted the newborn swimming alongside his mother Monday and again on Tuesday. He appears to be nursing, swimming and socializing well. Go deeper ...

🔓 Governments and companies worked through the night on urgent security updates after the AI-assisted discovery of major flaws in a programming language vital to 70% of global websites. Go deeper.