Axios

Americans' credit card balances hit a record $1.29 trillion in the third quarter, according to a new report released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Why it matters: Falling behind on credit card payments can trap struggling households in a cycle of fees, damaged credit and increasingly expensive borrowing. The latest figures show that financial pain is concentrated in lower-income communities, even as delinquency rates improve nationally.

The U.S. charged three individuals in connection with alleged Iranian-linked terror plots, including a September scheme against a British Royal Air Force Base that housed U.S. military personnel and aircraft, per an indictment unsealed Tuesday.

The big picture: The indictment alleges that a leader of an Islamic terrorist group attempted to coordinate with his fellow defendants from jail by passing coded messages through third parties.

A federal judge took sharp aim at FBI Director Kash Patel on Tuesday, ruling in favor of The Atlantic and freezing most discovery in his defamation lawsuit against the publication.

Why it matters: The ruling shields The Atlantic from potentially intrusive demands for its reporting materials and confidential sources while the court weighs dismissing the case entirely.