Voters’ biggest midterm worry isn’t inflation

Plus: Trump cancels livestreamed execution  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Richard Hall | October 16, 2026     Hello there. It has been a dizzying few days for Ukraine following another break with the White House over a satellite system Kyiv relies on to protect itself from Russian strikes. We look today at why that technology is so vital to Ukraine’s defense, and why it was disrupted. We also have a surprising poll on voters’ biggest concerns ahead of the midterms, and a video straight out of science fiction showing a new flying car from Tesla. IN TODAY’S BRIEF Apple’s foldable iPhone tops Best Inventions Trump cancels execution livestream Sally Rooney dropped in U.K. Why Ukraine needs Starshield Corruption concerns Tesla’s backflipping Roadster         READ THIS FIRST The best inventions of 2026 Devin Oktar Yalkin for TIME Known for its innovative and meticulously designed products, Apple is spending its 50th year getting back to its roots. In October, a month after naming former hardware lead John Ternus as its new CEO, the company will debut its first foldable iPhone—using technology for which Ternus was named on the original patent filed some 15 years ago. Ternus spoke with TIME’s Andrew Chow for an exclusive first cover interview about the iPhone Duo, and how he plans to lead the iconic company into its next 50 years. The story anchors TIME’s annual Best Inventions issue, which for more than a quarter century has highlighted the most impactful new products and ideas. To compile this year's list, we solicited nominations from TIME’s editors and correspondents around the world as well as through an online application process. The result is a list of 300 groundbreaking inventions (and 100 special mentions)—ranging from the Duo to AI software that lets non-coders build websites and a breakthrough treatment for pancreatic cancer. Read the full list here.         SPONSORED REVERB Live concerts bring millions of fans together through music. Behind the scenes, REVERB channels that energy into environmental action. See how REVERB has helped eliminate 4.6 million single-use bottles and is driving an entire industry to make sustainability part of every show. Watch the episode         IN THE NEWS Trump cancels livestream of Fort Hood execution Joe Raedle/Getty Images President Donald Trump on Thursday called off plans to livestream the firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan following a wave of bipartisan backlash. In a post on Truth Social, the President said he thought streaming the execution “might have been a strong deterrent for the World to witness how America deals with Terrorists and SCUM,” but that “many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die.” The families of victims may view the execution “if they so choose,” Trump added. The execution remains scheduled for Dec. 3 and would mark the first U.S. military firing squad execution since World War II. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Oct. 8 that the execution of Hasan would be livestreamed. Vice President JD Vance said earlier this month, “I don’t know that that’s actually going to happen,” when asked about the livestream. He also said that he would not watch the livestream if it took place. —Connor Greene Read the full story here.         HAPPENING NOW Sally Rooney’s publisher halts U.K. sales over Palestine Action ties Ben Stansall—AFP/Getty Images Sally Rooney’s publisher said it will stop supplying the Irish author’s books in the U.K. after she promised to financially support a pro-Palestinian group the British government has banned. Rooney had pledged to donate royalties from her bestselling novels, which include Intermezzo and Normal People, to Palestine Action, a group that was proscribed as a terrorist organization in July 2025. Her publisher, Faber, said in a statement on Wednesday that it decided to no longer supply her work “in the U.K. in any format.” “Current legislation in the U.K. has led to circumstances where Faber cannot pass on U.K. earnings to Sally Rooney for her work. To sell a writer’s work and not be able to pass on earnings is an unconscionable situation for a publisher,” Faber said. The news has inflamed debate over the British government’s unprecedented decision to use terrorism powers to ban a group primarily known for property damage and disruption. The group describes its aim as halting the supply of weapons to Israel and ending what it describes as British complicity in Israel’s “genocide” of Palestinians. —Miranda Jeyaretnam Read the full story here.         SPONSORED SEABOUND Nearly 90% of the world’s goods travel by ship. From the food on our shelves to the packages at our doors, shipping touches nearly every part of our lives, and so does its carbon footprint. Seabound is betting on an unexpected solution: a box of rocks. By turning limestone into a sponge that captures CO₂ emissions, the company is proving that small innovations can help change the course of global shipping. Watch the episode         IN FOCUS Why Starshield is so important to Ukraine Alex Nikitenko—Global Images Ukraine/Getty Images Ukraine said Wednesday its battlefield efforts had been hampered overnight after losing some access to SpaceX’s military-grade satellite internet service, which has become a lifeline as Kyiv weathers Moscow's attacks. Starlink offers internet connectivity from satellites in low-Earth orbit. Its sister service Starshield, a military version developed for the Pentagon, relies on the Starlink network and has recently been used by Ukrainian forces to strengthen its far-reaching drone strike missions and air defenses. Serhii Beskrestnov, a military technology expert who advises Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said speed restrictions had been imposed on the "military package" of Starshield services, leading to the “failure” of several military missions. “Our defense forces have not received any warnings about this restriction,” he said. Beskrestnov claimed the restrictions, which he said applied to devices traveling over 100 miles per hour and using Starshield, were “related to the current political situation.” Tensions are high between the U.S. and Ukraine, as Zelensky has been vocal in his disapproval of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to import diesel from Russia, despite previous sanctions prohibiting it. The move has also caused a split in Trump’s own party, with several Republican lawmakers urging him to reverse course. Speaking from the U.K., Zelensky said it was a “pity” Ukrainian forces had experienced “difficulties” with Starlink services and intelligence, adding that he was surprised by the developments in Ukraine’s partnership with the U.S. In an interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored Wednesday night, Zelensky suggested he believed Starlink had been slowed down to damage him, and warned “people will die, if attacks will continue and if Starlink will not work.” Elon Musk, SpaceX’s founder and CEO, insisted that Starlink and Starshield are different. “Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the U.S. government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the U.S. military and ultimately POTUS,” he said on X. “Starlink is a commercial service owned and controlled by SpaceX. Usage of Starlink is limited to civilian or defensive activities and cannot be used for offensive military action, as doing so would be inappropriate for a commercial company.” When approached for comment, a senior U.S. official told TIME: “No such request was ever made by the President.” But Reuters, citing three U.S. officials, later reported that the decision came from inside the White House. Ukrainian Defense Ministry sources told Reuters that Starshield service had resumed on Thursday and was improving. —Tiago Ventura and Olivia-Anne Cleary Read the full story here.         ONE NUMBER 88% The top issue of concern for voters heading into the midterms is government corruption, according to a Fox News poll. Eighty-eight percent of respondents said they were extremely or very concerned about the issue, ahead of inflation and high prices at 85%. SOURCE: FOX NEWS         A VIRAL MOMENT Flying ‘car’ Tesla unveiled its new Roadster on Thursday with a demonstration in which one version of the car drove upside down, did a backflip and flew over parked cars. The latest creation is a collaboration between Tesla and SpaceX engineers, but it is unclear whether the backflipping version will make it onto the road. Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, acknowledged it was “not necessarily a safety-optimized car."         SPONSORED AMINI Across the Global South, Amini is working to ensure nations are not left out of their digital future. From climate intelligence to sovereign AI, Amini is building the infrastructure countries need to own their data, strengthen public services and create economic opportunity on their own terms. Watch the episode       Linked In this addictive word-association game, find the steps that will unite two seemingly unrelated words in just four moves. PLAY NOW       ALSO WORTH YOUR TIME IDEAS Unions Are the Key to America’s Cost of Living Crisis CLIMATE  Santa Ana Winds Trigger Wildfire Warnings in Southern California       More Newsletters from Click to sign up. D.C. BRIEF +FUTURE PROOF +HEALTH MATTERS +INSIDE TIME +IN THE LOOP +WORTH YOUR TIME + Subscribe to TIME Email us: thebrief@time.com Received this from a friend? Sign up here Connect with TIME   PRIVACY POLICY     © 2026 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved. TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508 Boone, IA 50037-0508, United States Unsubscribe