October 15, 2026 - Starlink Throttled Over Ukraine

Good morning, and thank you.

Yesterday this newsletter passed a milestone: we now reach more than 150,000 subscribers every day. The better measure may be our open rate, which is more than double the industry average. You didn’t just sign up. You actually read it.

And let me say something else about those who register. You are engaged. You are educated. And you are earners. I know from your email addresses (which I will always protect) that many of you hold positions of influence.

Several years ago, a summer intern from Dartmouth named Blake McGill suggested I start a newsletter. At first I balked. Then it occurred to me that although I’m known as someone who talks for a living, I actually read for a living. How else would I know what to say when the mic is hot? And only so much of what I read can fit into a three-hour radio program. So the newsletter became a natural way to share my show prep with a wider audience: stories drawn from disparate sources. I think it matters that people get their information from a variety of outlets, not just one that reinforces what they already believe. That’s the purpose of this newsletter: media balance.

Here’s how the sausage gets made. All day long I monitor the news, and when a story catches my eye, I send it to an Excel spreadsheet through a dedicated email address. Before bed, I trim the list. When I wake in the wee hours, I check what has developed overnight and finalize the links. I also write my daily note and run it through AI for a spelling and grammar check. Then I hand everything off to Maia Baird, our managing editor. On Thursdays, like today, that role is filled by Aleko Kontos, and on weekends by Justin Chesney. But Maia is our primary overseer.

Whoever has the watch proofreads the headlines I’ve written, writes a lead for each story, and selects the images. Then they format the daily poll question I’ve drafted, add a political cartoon from one of our prized illustrators (Jack Ohman, Steve Breen, Rob Rogers and Eric Allie), and link to the Ground News Blindspot and our daily YouTube video, produced by the team at Creative Outfit and sponsored by Parx Casino. Then they hit send a few minutes before 8 a.m. ET. After dispatch, our digital editor, David Yang, monitors performance to make sure everything runs smoothly and that your poll votes are properly registered.

It’s a team effort, and all of us are passionate about this product.

We’re also grateful to our lead sponsors, Comcast and Incogni. Elyse Siegel helps me manage those relationships. Thank you to Matt Dickman and the Comcast team for your ongoing counsel on how to improve the reader experience. It was Matt who suggested I put my own imprimatur on each day’s newsletter, and initially I wasn’t sure I could take on the added responsibility. Now I look forward to offering my take on the day’s news, or, as today, explaining how the newsletter comes together.

So on behalf of the whole team, thank you for helping us reach this milestone. Please tell a friend.

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Ukraine's military faced unexpected restrictions on Starlink and Starshield satellite services, disrupting drone operations amid tensions with President Trump over Russian oil sanctions, prompting Ukrainian officials to suspect political retaliation despite the administration denying involvement and Elon Musk distinguishing control of the systems.

Axios

House Democrats are preparing an ambitious first 100-days agenda if they win November’s midterms, promising to lower living costs, restore healthcare subsidies, reverse Medicaid cuts and Trump’s tariffs, challenge the Iran war, and launch investigations into the Trump administration.

Associated Press

Americans who rely on heating oil face a costly winter, with prices driven higher by disruptions to Russian diesel supplies and the Iran war, as federal officials project a 21% increase in heating expenses and families struggle to afford warmth.

ABC News

President Trump posted an AI-generated video of himself taming a tiger shortly after sharing actual footage of 23-year-old William Chapman being fatally mauled by an Amur tiger at England's Yorkshire Wildlife Park, drawing condemnation from Chapman's grieving family and critics like Piers Morgan.

USA Today

Houthi militants in Yemen are reportedly developing advanced ballistic missiles using Chinese-supplied components, potentially reducing their dependence on Iran and producing weapons capable of striking targets up to 1,200 miles away, including across Saudi Arabia and Israel, according to a new investigation.

The Wall Street Journal

President Trump’s new press secretary, Katie Zacharia, faces scrutiny over her legal credentials after describing herself as a lawyer despite apparently never passing the bar exam, prompting a California watchdog complaint and questions about her previous legal positions in China.

The New York Times

CBS News obtained text messages between a Cornell sophomore known as Jane Doe and two Chi Phi fraternity members in which she wrote that "90% of what happened that night was not consensual" and one man apologized for being too impaired to "shut it down."

CBS News

Gallup's annual Governance poll finds trust in the executive branch (33%), legislative branch (28%), judicial branch (46%), and the federal government's ability to handle domestic and international problems (both 33%) all at or near record lows, with sharp drops tied to the Iran war and partisan divides.

Gallup

Richard Clarke argues that renewed U.S. attacks on Iran could trigger a wider regional war, threaten global energy supplies, and leave the Trump administration without a clear path to victory, making a negotiated settlement the most viable way to end the conflict.

Richard Clarke

CNN is expanding its All Access streaming service to Canada on October 20, offering live news and exclusive content for $7.99 Canadian monthly, as the network seeks new digital subscribers to offset declining cable television revenue and reach younger audiences.

The Hollywood Reporter