Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1831, the iconic early steam locomotive John Bull operated for the first time on the Camden and Amboy line in New Jersey. In 1981, 150 years later, it became the world’s oldest operable steam locomotive when the Smithsonian Institution fired it up for public display.

For the first time, we’re hearing from the airman rescued from Iran on Easter Sunday. Shot down, falling at 100 mph, he prayed: “Lord, your will be done. But if I’m getting through this, I need help.” What happened over the next 50 hours is below.

Everything costs more these days, but experts say most people are overspending without even realizing it. The ways we waste money hide in plain sight, and researchers say 10 simple fixes could put thousands back in your pocket. One could save you more than $500 a year with a single phone call. Join Ayla on The Flyover Podcast to hear the money moves most people aren’t making. Tune in here!

Today’s sponsor, American Hartford Gold, is offering a free 2026 Wealth Protection Guide for Americans looking to diversify and protect their retirement savings amid concerns about rising national debt, inflation, and market uncertainty.

SCOTUS Blocks Trump Mail Ballot Plan

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to enforce new U.S. Postal Service restrictions on mail-in ballots before the midterm elections, keeping a lower court’s nationwide injunction in place.

The blocked rule would have required states to submit voter lists and use federally reviewed barcodes on ballot envelopes. Postal workers would have only delivered ballots to voters appearing on the state-provided list.

Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented. Justice Brett Kavanaugh sided with the majority but cited the timing, less than two months before Election Day, for his decision rather than the rule’s legality.

With mail voting already underway in several states, the ruling ensures ballots will be delivered as planned this fall, with the legal fight effectively punted to 2028.

Downed US Airman Reveals Details of Rescue

An Air Force officer shot down over Iran in April described his 50-hour fight to survive in his first public interview Sunday. Identified only by his call sign, Bravo, he fell at up to 100 mph after an Iranian missile shredded his parachute.

He prayed as he fell: “Lord, your will be done. But if I’m getting through this, I need help.” Bravo broke his back, an arm, and a shoulder, then climbed a 7,000-foot ridgeline as Iranian forces came within a few hundred meters.

His rescue led to the U.S. putting more than 90 troops on the ground in Iran for the first in 46 years, aided by a CIA deception campaign. When their planes got stuck in the desert sand, the rescue force destroyed the aircraft rather than leave them behind.

Bravo was pulled out at sunrise on Easter Sunday, April 5. See declassified rescue footage here.

List: Richest Celebrity Billionaires

Steven Spielberg is the world’s richest celebrity, worth an estimated $7.1 billion, according to a new ranking of the wealthiest stars. Fellow director George Lucas, creator of Star Wars, is second at $5.2 billion.

Spielberg became entertainment’s first billionaire in 1994 after Jurassic Park, and his fortune now spans DreamWorks and royalties on Universal theme park tickets.

Michael Jordan is the richest athlete, with a net worth of $4.3 billion, built largely on Nike endorsement money. He sold his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets in 2023.

JAY-Z leads the musicians at $2.8 billion. Taylor Swift follows at $2 billion, powered by the highest-grossing tour in music history. See the full list here.

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Elon Musk has avoided two major financial crises before. He pulled Tesla and SpaceX back from the brink of collapse and built two of the most valuable companies in history.

Now, he’s sounding the alarm about America’s $39 Trillion debt time bomb that could destroy the fabric of our society.

While head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under President Trump, Musk exposed just how bad things are:

✅ Runaway government spending has pushed national debt to unsustainable levels
✅ The Federal Reserve’s rate hikes are squeezing the economy, making inflation irreversible
✅ The stock market is on shaky ground, putting traditional 401(k)s, IRAs, and TSPs at risk

That’s why financial elites aren’t waiting to react; they’re moving their wealth now.

For the everyday American who’s worked hard to build their nest egg, Trump preserved an IRS loophole that allows you to protect your retirement savings before billions in American wealth are lost.

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes.

➤ These 10 ways to save money could put thousands back in your pocket. (Hear List)

➤ Owning a car now costs thousands a year beyond the loan payment, and one expense is climbing fastest. (Hear Details)

➤ Celine Dion returned to the stage after years of silence forced by an incurable neurological disorder. (Listen Now)

➤ The EPA on Monday repealed rules limiting greenhouse gas emissions from coal and natural gas power plants, a move the agency said would help “unleash” American energy. Environmental groups vowed immediate court challenges. (More)

➤ Former CIA Director John Brennan was subpoenaed to testify Oct. 15 before a Florida grand jury probing whether officials who investigated Trump conspired to violate his civil rights. (More)

➤ President Trump blamed record U.S. diesel prices, which have risen sharply since the Iran War began, on Ukraine’s strikes against Russian oil refineries and urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop the attacks. (More)

➤ France’s United Nations mission apologized for a July post criticizing U.S. human rights, seeking to end a diplomatic row that stalled its ambassador nominee to Washington. (See Details)

➤ The Kansas City Chiefs routed the Denver Broncos 31-10 on Monday Night Football as Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III rushed for a career-high 173 yards and scored two touchdowns. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, returning from a torn ACL, threw for 184 yards. (More)

➤ Florida State fired athletic director Michael Alford on Monday amid mounting pressure over the football program’s decline, with coach Mike Norvell’s future now squarely in question. (More)

➤ Sunday’s Week 1 NFL games set an all-time scoring record, averaging 53.3 points per game, highlighted by a 59-37 Bears rout of the Panthers. (More)

➤ Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer reversed course and said he would comply with the NBA’s salary cap penalties, including a $30 million fine, one year suspension, and loss of five first-round picks. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | MLB | Soccer

Daily Market Report 09/14/2026

▼	NASDAQ National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations	26,186.41	-0.56%
▼	SPX S&P 500	7,619.98	-0.48%
▼	DJI Dow Jones Industrial Average	52,421.20	-0.29%
▲	BTC Bitcoin	$79,455.16	3.41%
▼	GOLD Per Ounce	$4,334.80	-1.68%
▼	SILVER Per Ounce	$63.69	-1.34%
▲	OIL West Texas Intermediate Crude	$101.79	1.74%
▲	ZS Zscaler Inc.	$191.73	+16.52%

Bitcoin, gold, silver, and oil are traded 24 hours a day.

➤ Big Stock Move: Zscaler stock rose over 16% on Monday after the data-protection company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter results. (More)

➤ The 10-year Treasury yield touched 5% Monday for the first time since 2023, rattling markets ahead of the Federal Reserve’s expected interest rate decision this week. (More)

➤ OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the company will not go public in 2026, citing AI safety and alignment concerns as reasons to delay the previously filed IPO. (More)

➤ Netflix, Amazon, and YouTube launched the Streaming Access and Choice Alliance, a lobbying coalition formed as regulators scrutinize live sports broadcasting rights. (More)

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➤ The moon holds too little water to support a big city, new research finds. Its polar ice could sustain a million settlers for only about a century, even with strict recycling. (See Study)

➤ Blueberries contain a compound that may help muscles burn fat instead of storing it, according to new lab research from Japan. So far, it’s only been tested on mouse cells. (See Findings)

➤ OpenAI’s chief laid out two ways AI could go “very badly” for humanity: losing control of the future to AI, or extreme concentration of power. China dismissed such warnings as “fear mongering.” (More)

Travel Tuesday is brought to you by:

➤ Paris tops a new list of travel spots with the rudest service, where locals refuse to speak English on principle. Italy, Germany, and New York also make the list. (See Rankings)

➤ You don’t need a golf club to enjoy California’s Pebble Beach, home of the 2027 U.S. Open. The scenic 17-Mile Drive, whale watching, and some 360 nearby wineries and vineyards round out the trip. (See Guide)

➤ Thinking about Hawaii? A native Hawaiian shares six things locals wish visitors knew about the islands, from real poke to the true meaning of aloha. (See Tips)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ You may have more home equity than you think. The average U.S. homeowner now sits on approximately $315,000 in equity, and most have never tapped it. Some are putting it to work: consolidating higher-rate debt, renovating, covering big summer expenses. Rates and fees vary widely by lender, so the trick is to compare before you commit. [Match with a HELOC lender in under a minute →]

➤ Bob Mackie, the “Sultan of Sequins” who dressed Cher and Carol Burnett, died Monday at 87. As a young sketch artist, he drew Marilyn Monroe’s famous “Happy Birthday” gown. (See Photos)

➤ Flash floods swamped parts of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, submerging cars and sending half-marathon runners wading through waist-deep water. Parts of Connecticut got seven inches of rain in a short span. (Watch Video)

➤ Olive Garden is America’s favorite casual dining chain for every generation except Gen Z, which narrowly picked Chili’s, according to a new survey of U.S. diners. (See Survey)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ One of our favorite fall finds proves you don’t need to spend nearly $200 for a premium sweater. It’s made from 100% organic cotton with a soft, breathable feel and a textured knit that instantly makes an outfit look more polished. This one is firmly on our short list of fall essentials. See the sweater we’re recommending.