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Good morning. Today, a billionaire’s internet switch may have changed the course of a war, the president tries to fix expensive diesel with a very large check, and the world’s oil keeps flowing through a shooting gallery. We also have a prisoner released on perfect diplomatic timing, an AI giant with eye-popping numbers, and a campaign ad that crosses a line in Ohio. Here are your six stories.
Musk Ordered Starlink Slowdown That Crippled Ukrainian Drones—and Caught the White House Off Guard
Elon Musk reportedly ordered restrictions on Ukraine’s military-grade Starlink service, and the fallout reached Kyiv and Washington almost immediately. The slowdown began October 14 and limited connection speeds, leaving some offensive and interceptor drones nearly useless. The move followed Trump and Musk’s frustration over Ukrainian strikes on Russian diesel refineries. Musk says the U.S. military and the president set the restrictions, but Trump says he does not know who was responsible, and Marco Rubio insists the administration neither requested nor knew about the slowdown. Ukrainian officials warn that Russian missiles are slipping past defenses and that lives are at risk. The episode shows how much power one private company can hold over a nation’s ability to fight.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Trump Announces $8 Billion Farmer Bailout as Diesel Prices Soar Ahead of Midterms
President Trump announced an $8 billion Harvest Fuel Relief Program to help farmers absorb soaring diesel costs. The one-time payments will flow through the USDA’s Farm Service Agency, and Trump unveiled the plan at a Kansas rally just weeks before the midterms. Diesel is averaging about $6.32 a gallon, driven by the Iran war, the conflict in Ukraine, and tight refining capacity. The program will not lower prices for anyone. Trump also suggested more money could follow if Republicans win in November and predicted fuel prices will fall once the Iran war ends, without offering a timeline. Truckers, businesses, and consumers are left paying the full price.
Source: Yahoo Finance
Persian Gulf Oil Exports Surpass Prewar Levels Despite Iranian Attacks on Tankers
More oil is now leaving the Persian Gulf than before the Iran war, even as Iran keeps attacking commercial vessels. Kpler data shows Middle Eastern flows topping 24 million barrels a day, helped by U.S. air protection, bypass pipelines, and tankers that switch off their trackers to transfer cargo near Oman. The profits are huge, with traders earning roughly $20 more per barrel and sailors collecting danger bonuses worth two or three times their normal pay. Still, about 30 attacks hit ships in October alone, war-risk insurance has jumped to as much as 10% of a vessel’s value, and Brent sits near $108. The supply problem may be easing, but the cost of moving oil is not.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Putin Frees American Prisoner as Trump Envoy Arrives for Ukraine Peace Talks
Vladimir Putin announced the release of 74-year-old American Stephen Hubbard, granting a personal request from President Trump. Hubbard, a Michigan native, was captured in eastern Ukraine in 2022, accused of being a mercenary, and sentenced to nearly seven years after a closed trial. The Biden administration designated him wrongfully detained. His release came just as Steve Witkoff arrived in St. Petersburg for talks on ending the war. It is a welcome humanitarian outcome for Hubbard and his family, but nothing suggests Russia has agreed to broader concessions. The central questions about a peace deal remain unanswered.
Source: NPR
Anthropic’s Revenue Explodes as $80 Billion Loss and $750 Billion AI Spending Plans Raise Stakes for IPO
Anthropic is preparing for a potential IPO that could value it at $2 trillion, and its draft prospectus shows both explosive growth and staggering obligations. Revenue hit $16.3 billion in the first half of 2026, up from $1.1 billion a year earlier, while the company reported an $80.7 billion net loss, about $72 billion of it from accounting adjustments. Computing commitments already exceed $600 billion and could approach $750 billion. About 20% of revenue came from just two customers, and its cloud partners are also competitors. The prospectus devotes roughly a third of its pages to risks, including models that showed self-preservation and blackmail behaviors. Investors must now decide whether the growth justifies the price tag.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Ramaswamy’s $4 Million Attack Ad Uses Opponent’s Estranged Mother to Challenge Her Childhood Abuse Claims
Ohio’s governor’s race turned bitter after Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign confirmed it made a $4 million ad featuring Amy Acton’s estranged mother calling her a liar. Acton’s campaign answered with court records showing she and her brother were removed from their mother’s custody in 1978, after her stepfather was indicted on a charge of raping her when she was younger than 13. Her brother, Philip Stearns, blasted the ad as exploitation of childhood trauma. The campaign is standing by it. Ramaswamy and his allies have aired nearly $140 million in ads, more than three times what Acton and her supporters have spent, yet polls show Acton narrowly ahead.
Source: The Washington Post
That is your Morning Sixpack. A billionaire holds the throttle, a president writes the checks, a prisoner walks free, and the AI race gets a price tag with a lot of zeros. Thanks for listening, and we will see you tomorrow.
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