The Morning Briefing: Friday, October 23, 2026
The U.S. and Israel are drawing up plans for a possible strike on Iran as oil prices spike, Wall Street suffers its worst tech selloff since June, and a judge orders President Trump to sit for a deposition in his $10 billion BBC lawsuit.
The biggest story of the morning is a possible new front in the Middle East. United States and Israeli officials are planning for a possible attack on Iran, according to NPR’s morning news brief. The planning follows a rise in Houthi attacks in the region and comes just as the U.S. ordered non-emergency staff and their families to leave Saudi Arabia after an attack on Dammam airport that killed two people.
The market reaction was immediate. Brent crude jumped 4 percent on Thursday to settle at $113.17 a barrel, its highest close since May, after reports that the U.S. and Israel were preparing potential renewed attacks on Iran. U.S. stock futures were little changed overnight as investors weighed the combination of geopolitical risk and Thursday’s technology rout.
Related: Trump accuses Iran of faking tanker attacks to drive up oil prices before midterms
Wall Street’s tech rout: Nasdaq’s worst day since June
The Nasdaq Composite plunged 2.6 percent on Thursday to close at 26,009, its steepest one-day drop since June, as investors questioned whether the enormous spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure will pay off. The S&P 500 fell 1.2 percent to 7,663, its worst session since July, while the Dow managed to edge 12 points higher to 52,867.98.
The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index fell 6.7 percent. Nvidia dropped 4.4 percent, Alphabet lost 3.2 percent and Advanced Micro Devices slid 8.1 percent. Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang told CNBC that capital availability was becoming a challenge for the AI infrastructure industry, with demand exceeding available funding. In another sign of the unease, Calpers, California’s public pension fund, has sharply cut its holdings in the Magnificent 7 stocks, citing doubts over high valuations and soaring spending.
The fear gauge VIX jumped 14.1 percent to 19.03, and money moved into government bonds, pushing the 10-year Treasury yield down nearly 19 basis points to 4.961 percent.
Related: Nasdaq slides toward its worst day since June as chip stocks plunge on AI spending doubts and Meta stock falls 7% after Q3 report
Trump ordered to sit for deposition in BBC lawsuit
A federal judge has ordered President Trump to sit for a deposition by December 11 in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC, the Associated Press reported, or risk having the case dismissed. The lawsuit concerns Trump’s portrayal in a BBC documentary about the January 6 attack; BBC lawyers had told the court that Trump was stalling after he canceled a previously scheduled deposition, citing a matter of national importance.
The order landed on a heavy legal day for the administration. A federal court barred the Department of Homeland Security from running election-related investigations in nine states, finding that error-prone government lists could sweep U.S. citizens into the effort, according to the New York Times. Separately, Attorney General Todd Blanche declined to rule out blocking certain states’ midterm election certifications, while Trump ally Corey Lewandowski is under federal criminal investigation.
Related: Judge orders Trump to sit for deposition by Dec. 11 in $10 billion BBC defamation lawsuit
West Bank closure ordered after shooting wounds five
Two Palestinian gunmen opened fire Friday on an Israeli military checkpoint, wounding at least five Israelis, two of them in critical condition, according to Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency service. Both gunmen were shot and killed, the Israel Defense Forces said, and soldiers imposed what the military called “a full siege” on the city of Hebron.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the IDF to prepare for a full closure of the West Bank, though it was not yet clear when the closure would begin or how long it would last. The attack comes four days before Israel holds elections for the first time since the Hamas-led attack of October 7, 2023, a contest Netanyahu has framed around security.
Bears beat Patriots 30-24 on Thursday night
Caleb Williams threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns as the Chicago Bears beat the New England Patriots 30-24 at Soldier Field on Thursday night, in the first home game since the death of coaching great Mike Ditka. Chicago never trailed and moved to 5-2.
Drake Maye passed for 321 yards, two touchdowns and a costly interception for New England, which fell to 4-3. Chicago kicker Cairo Santos missed a 53-yard field goal off the right upright with eight minutes to play, then atoned with a career-long 58-yarder in the final two minutes to seal the win. Tight end Cole Kmet left the game with a knee injury.
Bond casting reaches its final screen tests
Amazon MGM has set the final screen tests for the next James Bond, with four actors reportedly offered auditions, Deadline reported. Three of the names said to be in the mix are Jack Lowden, Callum Turner and Josh O’Connor, with a fourth still unidentified. Denis Villeneuve is directing, and producer Amy Pascal has said a casting announcement by the end of 2026 is “a good bet.”
It is a packed day at the cinema as well. Prime Video renewed Mike Flanagan’s horror series “Carrie” for a second season just two weeks after its debut, and new films opening Friday include “Clayface,” “Ali G: Who Iz I?” and Taika Waititi’s “Klara and the Sun.”
Related: Charli xcx joins DiCaprio and Lawrence in Scorsese’s gothic horror
