Good morning. In today’s edition:

• 🌏 Trump waives Russia sanctions
• 🏈 Historic, upset-filled CFB weekend
• 🏛️ WH Press Secretary exits after 5 days

…and much more.

Ready, Set, Go: Today’s news should be a ~4.47-minute read (1,189 words).

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“Freedom from desire leads to inner peace.”

–Lao Tzu (571 B.C. – 501 B.C.)

President Trump changed course on a new round of economic sanctions against Russia on Friday, signing an executive order waiving the measures just two days before they were scheduled to take effect.

Congress had passed the sanctions in September with bipartisan support, targeting Russian banks, political elites, and energy exports, along with potential tariffs on countries buying Russian oil.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday said Trump’s waiver on Russia-related sanctions and tariffs will last up to 60 days, during which the White House will assess their economic impact, while Trump said a final decision has yet to be announced.

It continues a string of US dealmaking with Russia. On October 9, Trump struck a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to temporarily ease restrictions and allow 4.8 million metric tons of Russian diesel onto global markets, in a bid to lower fuel prices.

• Days later, Trump announced an “energy ceasefire” between Russia and Ukraine, saying both countries had agreed to stop attacking each other's energy infrastructure.
• But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he hadn't received details of the arrangement, and Kyiv subsequently accused Moscow of continuing its attacks.

Meanwhile…Ukraine has reported recent restrictions on Starshield, the military version of SpaceX’s Starlink’s satellite communication system, which have disrupted some of its drone operations.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said President Trump is “ultimately” responsible for any limits on Starshield speed or usage, though Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio deny ordering the restrictions.

Why ease Russia sanctions now?

The White House is arguing that delaying new economic sanctions will prevent the penalties from disrupting US efforts to negotiate a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine. Trump on Sunday wrote that his decision-making was aimed at avoiding anything "that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the ​bargaining table."

Trump has separately argued that bringing more Russian diesel onto global markets could help lower fuel prices for American consumers, as diesel prices currently hover near all-time highs.

On the flip side: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US lawmakers from both parties say lifting the threat of new sanctions on Russia gives Putin less incentive to negotiate, especially while Russian attacks on Ukraine continue.

• Energy analysts also question the potential benefits for American consumers, noting that the Russian diesel deal covers just ~1 day of global demand and is unlikely to meaningfully lower prices.
• Zelenskyy has warned that the move could encourage Moscow to push for further sanctions relief without making concessions toward peace.

From the front lines: Both sides continued exchanging airstrikes last week as the war rages on, with an emphasis on key energy targets in both countries. Zelenskyy reported at least 76 Russian attacks on energy and oil-and-gas facilities over the past week, while Ukraine struck oil facilities in St. Petersburg on Sunday.

Looking ahead…US and Ukrainian officials have discussed a possible meeting this week to review a new potential peace proposal, though no date has been confirmed.

Last night, the WSJ reported that Putin has proposed a summit with President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month to discuss the war in Ukraine, with US officials saying Trump hasn’t agreed to attend but could be open to the idea.

📊 Flash poll: In general, do you support or oppose easing sanctions on Russian diesel and other categories in an attempt to ease prices for US consumers?

• Support
• Oppose
• Unsure/other

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BUSINESS & MARKETS

• 📉 US stocks close down across the board Friday amid a slump in stocks linked to AI (S&P: -1.1% | Dow: -0.3% | Nasdaq: -2.1%); the S&P 500 and Nasdaq both notched their worst weeks since June, at -2% and -5.5%, respectively.
• 🛢️ Crude oil prices hover near recent highs on Sunday amid recent energy strikes in Russia and Ukraine as well as more tankers coming under attack in the Persian Gulf.
• 📲 Preorders for iPhone Duo, Apple’s first foldable phone, sold out after going live on Friday, with current US shipping estimates pushed back into late January 2027; the device officially launches on Friday.

SPORTS, MEDIA, & ENTERTAINMENT

• 🏟️ CFB: Five of the top seven AP-ranked teams—#1 Georgia, #2 Notre Dame, #5 Indiana, #6 Alabama, and #7 Texas—lose on the same day in the regular season for the first time ever. | NFL: Read a full recap of Week 6 action. | MLB: Tampa Bay Rays defeat Cleveland Guardians in Games 4 and 5 to take a 3-2 series lead. | WNBA Finals: Golden State Valkyries beat Atlanta Dream 68-64 to win Game 1 on Saturday; Game 2 is tonight.
• 🍿 Box office: Street Fighter earns $30 million domestically to top the charts in its debut weekend; Nathan Fielder’s You Can See Everything places second with $15 million in the largest domestic debut on under 1,000 screens since Borat (2006).
• 💃 2026 Academy Museum Gala: Taylor Swift performed in front of an A-list crowd in the sixth annual event, which aims to advance the museum's mission to “celebrate and preserve cinema.”

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SCIENCE, SPACE, & EMERGING TECH

• 🔬 Microplastics react with water in the human body to generate highly reactive molecules that can damage cells via inflammation and oxidative stress, new Nature study finds; it’s the first research to identify exactly how microplastics contribute to known health issues like heart disease, dementia, and reproductive problems.
• 🟢 First-ever star that would appear green to human eyes is discovered by astronomers, per new study.
• 🌐 Meta announces new 4,300-mile transoceanic submarine fiber-optic cable system that’ll shuttle data between the US and France at speeds up to 1 million gigabits/second; it would mark the first ocean-spanning cable to deliver petabit speeds once operational in 2029.

US, WORLD, & POLITICS

• 🏛️ White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia steps down after just five days in the role, after President Trump says he encouraged her to do so; Zacharia had faced scrutiny over a shaky debut press conference, as well as questions over her claims of being a lawyer despite never passing the bar.
• 🙏🏫 16-year-old male opens fire at an elementary school in Bend, Oregon, on Friday, killing three children and a teacher and critically injuring two others; gunman was then shot and killed by a parent who followed him inside, with authorities also crediting a teacher who tackled the gunman with preventing additional loss of life.
• 🇫🇷🚨 France’s government holds crisis talks on Sunday following one of the most violent days of social unrest in years; widespread protests often turned violent on Saturday, leaving public buildings burned, hundreds of shops destroyed and looted, and 2,000+ people arrested in cities across the country.

☝️ Tesla officially unveiled its next-generation Roadster electric supercar at an event Thursday, where CEO Elon Musk & co. showed off the car’s rocket-style thrusters that allow limited flight capabilities, as well as the Roadster’s ability to go from 0 to 60 MPH in under 1 second. Production is slated to begin in 2028, according to Musk, with a price tag above $200,000. See the full ~23 min demo.

🤔 Did you know? Checkers has been a “solved” game for nearly 20 years. This means researchers have identified a strategy of optimal play that 100% cannot be beaten—only played to a stalemate if the opponent is also using optimal play.

📰 Worth a read: A Princeton Ph.D. applied to 2,300 jobs. He still can’t get one.

🖱️ What we’re clicking:

• 5 takeaways from the NYT’s re-examination of OJ Simpson’s case
• Always on, always listening: New AI devices push legal limits
• Real-life vampire birds hunt and drink blood in Ecuador

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On Friday, we covered how Gen Z and millennial candidates’ push to bring some younger faces to Capitol Hill hasn't gone according to plan, as overall midterm tensions continue to heat up.

❓ Our question to you: In your opinion, what will control of Congress look like following the November midterms?

• GOP-led House and Senate: 17%
• Democrat-led House and Senate: 48%
• Democrat-led House, GOP-led Senate: 24%
• GOP-led House, Democrat-led Senate: 11%

Read some of the most thoughtful longform responses.

+Note on sample size: We received 471 votes and 27 longform responses.

Monday: Monday Night Football: Commanders v. 49ers; President Trump to establish new women’s health arm of the National Institutes of Health; WNBA Finals Game 2

Tuesday: NBA regular season tips off; SpaceX reports earnings

Wednesday: WNBA Finals Game 3; Meta, Tesla report earnings

Thursday: Weekly jobless claims; National Make a Dog’s Day

Friday: DC Studios’ Clayface hits theaters; John Legend drops new album Muse, co-written and produced with Pharrell Williams

Guess the definitions of the following Greek/Latin root words:

1. Aer
2. Dorm
3. Hom
4. Mar
5. Path

(keep scrolling for the answer)

🏔️ Two veterans who each lost a leg in defense of Ukraine have climbed 21,247 feet to the summit of Nepal’s Mera Peak using prosthetics.

After more than a year of training, Roman Havryliak and Christopher John Park-Greenwood completed the challenging trek in honor of Ukraine’s fallen soldiers and those still fighting.

1. Aer = air, atmosphere (e.g., aerosol)
2. Dorm = sleep (dormitory)
3. Hom = same (homosexual)
4. Mar = sea (marine)
5. Path = feel, hurt (pathetic)

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