Daily News Briefing

AI

• FT: OpenAI told investors annualized revenue is approaching $50 billionOpenAI told investors its annualized revenue was "approaching $50bn at the end of September," the Financial Times reported Thursday, according to Investing.com (single source). TechCrunch reported that the figure is about $20 billion below an earlier reported figure of "approaching $70 billion," and that it had reached out to OpenAI for comment.
  Sources: TechCrunch, Investing.com
• Anthropic launches Cyber Mission with 11 infrastructure-defense partnersAnthropic announced the Anthropic Cyber Mission on Oct. 8, starting with a Critical Infrastructure Defense Program whose 11 founding partners are Accenture, Booz Allen, CrowdStrike, Deloitte, Dragos, Hitachi, Insane Cyber, Nozomi Networks, Palo Alto Networks, PwC and Rockwell Automation. Anthropic also announced OSS Scanner, an opt-in service that gives enrolled open-source projects periodic scans free of charge; the company said the reports are "model-generated and sent without human review."
  Sources: Anthropic
• Anthropic updates usage policy on model abuse and electionsAnthropic updated its usage policy on Thursday to expressly bar prolonged verbal abuse of Claude and to add rules against deceiving voters or disrupting elections, TechCrunch reported. Anthropic said the abuse rule is "meant to apply only in extreme cases, where users repeatedly act cruelly toward our models," according to TechCrunch.
  Sources: TechCrunch
• Senators propose Pentagon reporting rules for large AI contractorsSens. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) proposed the Insider Threat Reporting and Security Guidance Act of 2026, which would require the defense secretary to issue reporting requirements within 180 days for AI contractors with Defense Department deals worth $100 million or more, DefenseScoop reported. Under the bill, national security incidents such as theft of model weights would have to be reported to the department within 72 hours of discovery, according to DefenseScoop.
  Sources: DefenseScoop
• Google Cloud unveils a universal Gemini agent for workplacesGoogle Cloud announced a universal Gemini agent at its Gemini at Work 2026 event that can run tasks lasting hours or days and can be given its own Workspace account, email address, calendar and Drive storage, VentureBeat reported. Google did not give a general-availability date or separate pricing, according to VentureBeat.
  Sources: VentureBeat

Financial

On Thursday the S&P 500 fell 36.41 points, or 0.5%, to 7,765.36, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 51.77 points, or 0.1%, to 51,231.64, and the Nasdaq composite fell 345.35 points, or 1.3%, to 27,193.34, AP reported.

Source: AP via KRMG

• US crude rises 2.8%; 10-year yield at 5.23%West Texas Intermediate crude rose 2.8% to $90.78 a barrel on Thursday and the 10-year Treasury yield fell 6 basis points to 5.23%, Bloomberg reported.
  Sources: Bloomberg via swissinfo
• PepsiCo reports third-quarter revenue of $25.27 billion, changes profit guidancePepsiCo reported third-quarter net revenue of $25,274 million, up 5.6%, and core EPS of $2.34, up 2%, for the 12 weeks ended Sept. 5, according to its Form 8-K filing made public Oct. 8. The company now guides fiscal 2026 core EPS growth of 2.5% to 3.5%, compared with its previous guidance of the low end of 5% to 7%, the filing says.
  Sources: PepsiCo 8-K via StockTitan
• Weekly jobless claims fall 2,000 to 197,000Initial claims for unemployment benefits fell 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 197,000 for the week ended Oct. 3, the U.S. Labor Department said, Reuters reported. Continued claims rose 17,000 to 1.716 million in the week ended Sept. 26, according to Reuters.
  Sources: Reuters via The Spokesman-Review

Real estate

• Freddie Mac: 30-year mortgage rate averages 7.40%The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 7.40% as of Oct. 8, up from 7.28% the prior week, and the 15-year fixed averaged 6.73%, up from 6.60%, according to Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey.
  Sources: Freddie Mac

Los Angeles

• LA speed cameras to activate Oct. 26The Los Angeles Department of Transportation said in its Oct. 8 weekly update that its Speed Safety Systems pilot activates on Oct. 26, with cameras capturing the plates of vehicles going at least 11 mph over the posted limit and tickets mailed to registered owners. Each camera location has a 60-day warning period, LADOT said.
  Sources: LADOT
• CicLAvia: Heart of LA set for Sunday, Oct. 11CicLAvia: Heart of LA on Sunday, Oct. 11, will close more than six miles of streets in Echo Park, downtown, Chinatown, Little Tokyo and Boyle Heights to car traffic, and the event is free, according to LADOT.
  Sources: LADOT
• Westwood Boulevard safety project Phase 2 open for comment through Dec. 15LADOT is proposing Class IV protected bike lanes, bus-only lanes and pedestrian safety improvements for Phase 2 of the Westwood Boulevard Safety and Mobility Project and is taking public feedback through Dec. 15, according to its Oct. 8 update.
  Sources: LADOT
• AIDS Walk Los Angeles set for Oct. 18 in West HollywoodAPLA Health's 42nd annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles is set for Oct. 18 at West Hollywood Park, 647 N. San Vicente Blvd., with the opening ceremony at 10:30 a.m., MyNewsLA reported. Michaela Jaé Rodriguez will receive the inaugural Voice of Visibility Award, presented by Joel Kim Booster, according to MyNewsLA.
  Sources: MyNewsLA

Santa Clarita

• Danny Fire burns near the 5 Freeway in GormanThe Danny Fire, a brush fire near the northbound 5 Freeway and Highway 138 in Gorman, had burned 33 acres as of 4:47 p.m. Thursday; structures were threatened as of 4:40 p.m., and all northbound lanes of the 5 at the fire were blocked for an unknown duration, KHTS reported, citing officials (single source). Evacuation warnings were issued for zones GOR-E004-A, GOR-HUNGRYVALLEY-A and GOR-HUNGRYVALLEY-B, according to KHTS.
  Sources: KHTS
• Animal Care Center hosts Trunk-or-Treat adoption event SaturdayThe Santa Clarita Valley Animal Care Center, 31044 Charlie Canyon Road in Castaic, will host a Trunk-or-Treat adoption event Saturday, Oct. 10, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with all adoption fees waived during the event, KHTS reported.
  Sources: KHTS
• Teen FanFest Friday at the Canyon Country libraryThe Santa Clarita Public Library will hold Teen FanFest, an annual gaming-themed event for teens, Friday from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Canyon Country Jo Anne Darcy Branch, 18601 Soledad Canyon Road, according to a city news release published by The Signal.
  Sources: The Signal
• College of the Canyons Fall Star Party set for Oct. 16College of the Canyons will hold its free Fall 2026 Star Party on Friday, Oct. 16, from 6 to 9:30 p.m. next to the Takeda Science Center at the Canyon Country campus, 17200 Sierra Highway, The Signal reported. Dave Margrave, chief engineer of the RS-25 Rocket Engine program at L3Harris Technologies, will give the keynote, "Artemis II and the Core Stage Rocket Engine."
  Sources: The Signal
• City's Hispanic Heritage Month art exhibit on view through Nov. 4The City of Santa Clarita's juried "Hispanic Heritage Month" art exhibition is on display at the Newhall Community Center, 22421 Market St., through Nov. 4, according to a city news release published by The Signal.
  Sources: The Signal

Pullman-Moscow

• Construction begins on new East City Park stage in MoscowConstruction is getting underway on a new stage at East City Park in Moscow under a contract the Moscow City Council approved Sept. 21, with completion expected in April 2027, Pullman Radio reported. Park pathways crossing the work zone and the park's existing restrooms will be closed during construction, with an accessible portable restroom near the park's south end, according to Pullman Radio.
  Sources: Pullman Radio
• Colton receives $3.5 million in state financing for sewer workThe Washington State Public Works Board awarded the Town of Colton a $3 million loan and a $500,000 grant for sewer system work, Pullman Radio reported.
  Sources: Pullman Radio
• Two Port of Whitman County projects nominated for Opportunity ZonesGov. Bob Ferguson included a Technology Transfer and Commercialization Facility in Pullman and the Tekoa Industrial Park project in Washington's nominations for the federal Opportunity Zones 2.0 program, Pullman Radio reported. The state submitted 99 areas to the U.S. Treasury Department, and new designations are scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2027, according to Pullman Radio.
  Sources: Pullman Radio
• UI-WSU Sheep Festival in Moscow this weekendThe University of Idaho and the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine are holding a Sheep Festival in Moscow this weekend, with a film screening Friday at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre and activities Saturday at the UI Sheep Center, 950 Farm Road, Pullman Radio reported.
  Sources: Pullman Radio
• Campfire bans at Wawawai and Kamiak Butte county parks end SaturdaySaturday is the last day of the annual federal campfire ban along the Snake River and of campfire bans at Wawawai County Park and Kamiak Butte County Park, Pullman Radio reported.
  Sources: Pullman Radio
• Race for Campus Safety set for Oct. 17 in PullmanThe Lauren McCluskey Foundation's annual Race for Campus Safety is Saturday, Oct. 17, starting at the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine parking lot on the Pullman campus, with a 1K at 10 a.m., a 10K at 10:30 a.m. and a 5K at 10:40 a.m., WSU Insider said. A free self-defense class for women and girls follows at 1 p.m. at the Marriott Residence Inn.
  Sources: WSU Insider

US politics

• Trump says US will not attack Iran before Nov. 3 midtermsPresident Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Thursday, "We will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections to be held in the United States on November 3rd," CNN reported. Trump said the blockade of Iranian ports "will remain in full force and effect," according to CNN.
  Sources: CNN via KAKE
• Treasury sanctions 17 vessels in Iran's shadow fleetThe Treasury Department on Oct. 8 sanctioned 17 vessels it described as Iranian shadow fleet vessels and designated 17 companies, according to a Treasury press release. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, "No enabler of Iranian sanctions evasion is safe from the full force of Treasury's authorities."
  Sources: U.S. Treasury

Global risks

• Ethiopian drones strike Eritrean troops inside Ethiopia, monitor saysConflict monitor ACLED said Eritrean troops crossed the border into Ethiopia at Zelambesa on Wednesday and that Ethiopian military drones targeted them at Guada, AP reported, adding that it could not independently verify the accounts; Euronews reported ACLED said "Eritrean troops and ammunition" in the Adigrat area were hit by "multiple drone strikes" overnight into Thursday. Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel accused Ethiopia's ruling party on X of promoting "a fallacious narrative of 'self-defense,'" according to AP. Ethiopia ranked 12th of 179 countries (score 98.1) in the Fund for Peace's 2024 Fragile States Index.
  Sources: AP via ClickOnDetroit, Euronews, Fragile States Index list

Catastrophic events

Good news

All editions

• Thursday, October 8, 2026, Evening edition
• Thursday, October 8, 2026, Morning edition
• Wednesday, October 7, 2026, Evening edition
• Wednesday, October 7, 2026, Morning edition