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The manufacturing is doing very well and will continue to do well. Sadly, weapon systems will be the big boom era. America is the leader in AI. I am not sure that is a good thing. Things will be very different in this 4th turning.

⚙️ Manufacturing's lopsided comeback Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios American manufacturing is showing signs of revival. But the recovery is being powered by industries at the forefront of the AI and energy boom while the traditional factory sector gets left behind, Axios' Courtenay Brown reports. Why it matters: The White House is touting a revival in American manufacturing as evidence that its economic agenda is working, but a lopsided recovery raises questions about how much of the sector stands to benefit. ⚡ The split is evident in the hard employment data, according to an analysis by Gad Levanon, chief economist at the Burning Glass Institute. U.S. manufacturers added a net 40,000 jobs over the 12 months ending in September. But the gains came entirely from advanced manufacturing — even though the subset accounts for just 38% of factory employment, Levanon wrote. Those industries — including chemicals, machinery, computers and electronics and transportation equipment — added 56,000 jobs over that period. Every other manufacturing industry combined lost 16,000 jobs, offsetting part of those gains. Employment outside advanced manufacturing is barely above its 2016 level. Read on.

🚛 Can't quit diesel Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Stock: Getty Images The quickest and cheapest response to historically high diesel prices is also the simplest: Use less of it. Why it matters: That's easier said than done. Diesel is so entrenched in farming, trucking and other industries that even soaring prices aren't enough — at least not yet — to prompt a wholesale shift to alternatives like electric semi-trucks and manure-powered tractors, Axios' national energy correspondent Amy Harder reports. 🛢️ Catch up quick: Diesel averages $6.32 a gallon today, up 74% from a year ago, according to AAA. Regular gasoline averages $4.29, up 39%. The big picture: Gasoline gets the attention, but diesel is the workhorse of the American economy. It powers grocery trucks, tractors, freight trains, construction equipment, hospital backup generators and even school buses. 🍎 The price spike is hitting farmers during the fall harvest. "Farmers buy diesel by the truckload," says Curt Blades, senior vice president at the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. "So we're talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars in diesel, and when it goes up the way it has spiked, that's the difference between profit and loss in a year." President Trump announced $8 billion in one-time aid for farmers at a campaign rally in Kansas on Monday, where Republicans face a competitive Senate race. Keep reading.

Analyst Notes: Answering your questions about data centers and water How to think about these questions when there’s little data available. https://usafacts.org/articles/analyst-notes/answering-your-questions-about-data-centers-and-water/?

Gordon Pifher, former vice president for media ministries for the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists (NAD), passed to his rest early Friday morning, October 9, 2026, after a brief illness. He was 79. Pifher spent more than 50 years in ministry in the Adventist Church, serving as a pastor, youth director, and administrator before retiring in October 2021 after seven years at the NAD. “Gordon was a tremendous colleague in ministry. He was a trailblazer for the NAD in that he was the first vice president for media after closing the Adventist Media Center in Thousand Oaks, California,” said G. Alexander Bryant, NAD president. “He was not only a colleague but a friend and a true Christian leader. We will miss him and look forward to seeing him again in the heaven and earth made new.” “Gordon was an amazing person and an extraordinary leader who was passionate about his Savior Jesus and able to make his faith in God attractive to others,” said David Jamieson, president of Upper Columbia Conference. Pifher was born and raised in Paris, Ontario, Canada, and began his denominational service in 1969 as a conference-sponsored seminary student in the Maritime Conference, where he later served as a pastor and assisted with evangelism. In December 1975, he moved to Ontario Conference, where his assignments included serving as associate pastor at Oshawa College Park Church in Ontario, chaplain for Kingsway College, and lead pastor at Bowmanville Church. Pifher then worked at Ontario Conference as youth director, helping develop Pathfinder and Adventurer youth and camp ministries until 1985. From 1979 to 1985, Pifher also directed Camp Frenda, where campers knew him as “GP.” His campfire stories, sometimes unfolding over several evenings, were a memorable part of camp life. He encouraged campers and staff to dedicate their lives to serving God and others. Pifher’s connection with the camp continued into retirement: In 2025, he returned for its staff alumni weekend, sharing a Sabbath message and offering a prayer of dedication for Pifher Point, a planned lookout tower and climbing wall named in his honor. He left the Ontario Conference in October 1985, moving to the Upper Columbia Conference (UCC), headquartered in Spokane, Washington, where he served as director of youth and Camp MiVoden for the conference before moving, in 1994, to what was then Walla Walla College Church as associate pastor for youth. From 1996 to 2005, Pifher served as the vice president for administration for UCC. In 2005, he was elected president of British Columbia Conference. Under his leadership, British Columbia became one of the fastest-growing conferences in North America. In 2011, Pifher accepted an invitation from the North Pacific Union Conference to serve as director of stewardship, leadership, and innovation. He began that assignment in January 2011. In October 2014, he was elected vice president for media ministries at the North American Division. There, Pifher was responsible for developing and implementing a media ministry strategy for all such ministries across a territory that included the United States, Canada, Bermuda, Guam, and Micronesia. As part of his work as NAD vice president, he served as president of Breath of Life, Faith for Today, It Is Written, Voice of Prophecy, La Voz de la Esperanza, Jesus 101, and LifeTalk Radio. Pifher joined the division during a significant transition for its media ministries as they relocated from the Adventist Media Center in Simi Valley, California, to different locations across the division. At his retirement celebration in May 2021, colleagues recalled his optimism, willingness to listen, and ability to encourage creative thinking through the changes. “Your passion for Jesus is infectious. It makes walking with Jesus attractive,” said Richard Parker, then human resources director for the media center, during the retirement tribute. After his retirement in 2021, Pifher and his wife, Marie, returned to the Northwest to be closer to their daughter Ginger. Pifher served on several boards in Upper Columbia Conference, including Renew Spokane and Shine 104.9 FM. He was an active member at Spokane South Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church before his passing. Pifher is survived by wife Marie and daughter Ginger. A celebration of life service has been scheduled for 2 p.m. PT on November 15, 2026, at Spokane Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church in Spokane Valley, Washington. The service will be live-streamed on the church’s YouTube channel. —Article by Dustin R. Jones for the Upper Columbia Conference, with additional reporting from Ontario Conference and the North American Division Office of Communication.

I don't have a dog in this fight but can see Hanseng's point. The LCMS, in some areas, seem even more strict then what I'm used to. During the Liturgy women can and do read Sacred Scripture. The Gospel is always read by the Priest. Myself, I would be shocked & traumatized if a woman officiated as a Priest but that's just me looking at this from my faith Tradition. I have a feeling that if a woman officiated at Mass 2/3rds of the Church I attend would simply get up and walk out immediately. The notion is so completely out of the question I might vapor lock right there.

🛫 Higher fares, fewer flights Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Stock: Getty Images Soaring jet fuel prices are changing the airline industry — resulting in higher fares, more premium seats and fewer flight options, Axios' Nathan Bomey reports. Airfares rose 22% year over year in September, marking a 10th straight monthly increase in the government's airfare price index, which hit an all-time high. 👀 All the major players are feeling the pain: American Airlines reported yesterday that its fuel bill jumped nearly 70% in the third quarter from a year ago, adding $1.9 billion in costs and taking significant steam out of its strong revenue growth. Southwest and United both slashed their profit forecasts this week on higher fuel costs. Delta expects its fuel bill this year to come in $6 billion above last year's. What we're watching: To protect their bottom lines, airlines are raising fares and using premium seats to squeeze more revenue out of their flights. At Southwest, the average passenger fare rose 26.9% to $231.69 in the third quarter, compared with a year earlier — and that doesn't include fees. Delta's premium seating revenue jumped 18% in the third quarter, even though the number of premium seats rose only 6%. Keep reading.

🌊 Photo du jour Photo: Caroline Brehman/AFP via Getty Images Crews placed boulders along the coast to prevent further erosion and protect the road from collapsing into the ocean at Westward Beach Road in Malibu, Calif., yesterday. Coastal erosion from waves, storms and rising sea levels is accelerating the loss of Southern California's beaches and cliffs, threatening homes, roads and wildlife along the coast.

🗳️ Religious left's play for red-state conservatives Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Stock: Getty Images Democrats in a pair of deep-red states are testing the religious right's dominance by putting their Christian faith at the center of their campaigns — potentially creating a template for the party to compete in similar terrain, Axios' Avery Lotz and Russell Contreras write. Why it matters: Upsets by Texas' James Talarico and Kansas' Adam Hamilton would all but ensure that Democrats take the Senate. 📊 A Pew poll released last week shows both an opening and an obstacle: White evangelicals still strongly favor Republicans, while many other Christian groups lean Democratic or are more narrowly split. The big picture: Talarico, a Presbyterian seminary student, and Hamilton, a United Methodist pastor, are challenging conservatives' claim to speak for faith. Their bids come after Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), senior pastor of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, was elected in 2021. President Trump won both Texas and Kansas by double digits in 2024. Neither state has sent a Democrat to the Senate in the 21st century — the last time Kansas did was in 1932. Both races this year are considered toss-ups. ⛪ Talarico's "religiosity is a way to soften his liberalism" and potentially win over Christians turned off by his scandal-plagued opponent, says Brandon Rottinghaus, who co-hosts Houston Public Media's "Party Politics." Hamilton has presented himself as a bridge-builder, drawing on his experience leading the largest United Methodist church in the nation, says Alexandra Middlewood, the political science department chair at Wichita State University. His well-known religious background could appeal to less engaged, moderate Christians and center-right voters, she says. The other side: Ralph Reed, chair of the conservative Faith and Freedom Coalition, tells Axios he's doubtful the Democrats' effort to lean into religion will attract voters of faith. "Voters will not vote for a candidate who professes to hold to their faith, but doesn't share their values," he says. Read on.

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

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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.