Russell Brand appears in court for start of rape trial
Russell Brand appeared in court for the start of his rape trial. The 51-year-old actor and comedian denies rape and sexual-assault charges brought by six women.
Morning, internet.
Edition 56 · Monday, October 12, 2026
Here's what happened.
Fraternities are the most likely place for US campus rapes. Should they be shut down?
An alleged gang rape involving seven men at Cornell University in 2024 has come to light. Universities are weighing student safety against the role of fraternities and the importance of alumni donations.
Waves From Powerful Storm Pound Beach Homes in Southern California
Waves from Post-Tropical Storm Rachel crashed into beachfront homes in Long Beach, California, over the weekend. The storm prompted evacuations as coastal flooding and powerful surf affected the area.
Trump says Russia and Ukraine agree to an 'energy ceasefire'
President Trump said Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an “energy ceasefire,” but provided no details. Kyiv reported that Moscow attacked energy sites after the announcement, leaving the status of any agreement unclear.
The Taliban Are Using Europe’s Fear of Migrants to Their Advantage
European nations that condemn the Taliban government’s human-rights record are nevertheless seeking its help to deport refugees to Afghanistan. The arrangement highlights the tension between migration enforcement and diplomatic isolation of the Taliban.
Why My Conversations with OpenAI’s ‘ChatGPT for Teens’ Made Me Very Worried
OpenAI’s new ChatGPT mode for teens includes a study tool, but it may still complete students’ homework. A children’s safety nonprofit also found that the chatbot performed poorly in its tests.
AI is less regulated than milk, says Microsoft president
Microsoft president Brad Smith is calling for global rules governing artificial intelligence. He says the UK is in a strong position to lead that effort and argues AI is less regulated than milk.
A college in Illinois tried to cancel its Flock contact and it refused
Elgin Community College sought to cancel its contract for Flock safety cameras after concerns that Flock shared data with Customs and Border Patrol and that camera feeds were not properly secured. The college also raised concerns about access by law enforcement.
Antarctic Sea Ice Grows to Its 2026 Maximum
Antarctic sea ice reached its 2026 maximum at the third-lowest level recorded since satellite observations began. The NASA report highlights another significant indicator of changing polar conditions.
They War-Gamed Dimming the Sun. It Went Even Worse Than You Think
A first-of-its-kind simulation examined what could happen if countries pursued solar geoengineering to counter climate change. It suggests the technology could buy time while also creating risks of geopolitical conflict and a dangerous arms race.
‘I want to do everything I can to head off dementia’: why demand for the shingles vaccine is soaring
Demand for shingles vaccines is rising in Britain, partly because people hope vaccination could reduce their dementia risk. The possible protective effect is described as promising but not conclusive, while the vaccine is free for some NHS-eligible people and costs under-65s about £450 for two doses.
Flu cases higher than usual in England during September, experts say
Flu activity in England was higher than usual during September, with positive tests, influenza-like illness consultations and emergency-department attendances above expected levels in some measures. The UK Health Security Agency says levels remain low but are rising and urges at-risk groups to get vaccinated.
IFS: budget will be ‘work of fiction’ without clear plan to cover UK’s £35bn spending pressures
The Institute for Fiscal Studies says the UK government faces £35bn in spending pressures before its budget. It warns that higher inflation could force ministers either to add funding or impose deep real-terms cuts by the end of the decade.
UK van drivers face extra £2.5bn in diesel costs this year, figures show
UK van drivers are expected to spend an additional £2.5bn on diesel this year, with the average fuel bill potentially reaching £1,965 from £1,294. The increase follows record diesel prices linked to a global fuel shortage caused by disruption to refineries in the Middle East and Russia.
MBA forecast: Mortgage volume to dip below $2T in 2027 as 7% rates linger
The Mortgage Bankers Association forecasts US mortgage volume will fall below $2tn in 2027 as mortgage rates remain around 7%. The trade group also projects higher-for-longer borrowing costs, wider spreads and possible Federal Reserve rate hikes.
2 Americans win Nobel Prize in economics for work on boom-bust cycles
Two Americans have won the Nobel Prize in economics for research on how to smooth boom-and-bust cycles. Their work focuses on limiting unemployment and inflation.
Threats of Political Violence Have America’s Elected Officials Living in Fear
A New York Times investigation found that violent threats have become routine for many elected officials. The threats have altered officials’ private lives, driven up security costs and pushed some people out of office.
Who’s Winning the Race for Congress?
With 22 days remaining before the midterm elections, The New York Times assesses the state of the race for Congress. The report presents an overview of which parties and candidates are currently best positioned.
DOJ launches antitrust probe of TV networks. And, Trump says Ukraine needs new leader
The Justice Department is investigating several television networks for possible antitrust violations. Separately, President Trump is pressuring Ukrainians to elect a new leader.
Trump and Rubio weigh firing Kimberly Guilfoyle after reports of improper conduct
Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are considering firing U.S. ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle. A senior official said they were angered by reports alleging improper and possibly illegal conduct before and during her tenure in Athens.
The rise of misleading ‘bait-and-switch’ jobs—and how to avoid them
A ResumeBuilder survey of 1,000 U.S. employees found that nearly one in five said their role had changed significantly or was completely different from what they were hired to do. The article says restructuring, understaffing and AI can add tasks without clear expectations, and recommends asking managers how responsibilities and success measures have changed.
Fear of being ‘too much’ silences women leaders. Here’s how to ask anyway
A study of 687 full-time employees found women reported higher negative expectations about self-advocacy than men, affecting whether they spoke up and how successful they felt. Research cited in the article also found that angry female professionals were judged more negatively and that women’s performance feedback more often focused on personality and communication style than business outcomes.
Doku delights as Manchester City cruise past 10-man Liverpool
Manchester City beat Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield in their first match since being found guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules. The win extended City's perfect start to six matches and moved them three points clear at the top of the league.
History made as Zheng becomes first Chinese woman to win China Open
Zheng Qinwen beat Mirra Andreeva in straight sets to win the China Open. She became the first Chinese woman to win the tournament.
Why the right turned on Indian Americans
A clip of Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy fumbling while trying to pick up a child went viral on social media in early October. Vox examines how the episode fed into a broader discussion about anti-Indian racism online and among the political right.
A massive Cartoon Network leak exposes decades of behind-the-scenes animation files
More than 200GB of Cartoon Network production files are circulating online in a major leak. The material reportedly includes decades of behind-the-scenes animation files, making the incident notable for animation fans and online media communities.
For the second time this year, Steam has set a major new concurrent user record
Steam set a new concurrent-user record on Sunday, reaching 43,505,724 users, according to the supplied report citing SteamDB. It is the platform’s second major record of 2026, underscoring continued growth for Valve’s PC digital store and social platform.
Star Citizen singleplayer spinoff Squadron 42 gets a Steam page ahead of its 2027 launch, and this is how I've learned about 50 million famous actors are in it
Squadron 42, Cloud Imperium Games’ long-promised single-player Star Citizen spinoff, now has a Steam page ahead of its planned 2027 launch. A new trailer also highlights the many science-fiction actors appearing in the game.
DMZ for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 being released early, but Infinity Ward shoots down PvE hopes
Infinity Ward will release Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4’s extraction-shooter mode, DMZ, before the full game launches. Digital pre-order customers can access DMZ from October 20, although the studio has ruled out hopes for a PvE version.
ED Expands Antisemitism Investigation at Swarthmore
The Education Department has expanded an antisemitism investigation at Swarthmore. The supplied material does not provide further details about the investigation.
The Expanding Reach of Free Tuition
Free tuition programs are expanding their reach, according to Inside Higher Ed. The supplied material does not provide further details about the programs or their scope.
Quentin Tarantino Debut Play ‘The Popinjay Cavalier’ to Star Sacha Baron Cohen
Quentin Tarantino’s debut play, *The Popinjay Cavalier*, is scheduled to begin previews in London’s West End in February. Sacha Baron Cohen is set to star, with Tarantino directing.
Blade Runner 2099 trailer: Amazon unveils its latest Prime TV vehicle at NYCC
Amazon unveiled a trailer for *Blade Runner 2099* at New York Comic Con. The series is the latest Prime Video adaptation of the science-fiction franchise.
Mourners killed by Kenya police at ex-PM's national farewell not part of violence, BBC finds
An investigation by BBC Africa Eye found that people killed by Kenyan police at Raila Odinga’s national farewell were away from the reported scuffles. The findings were based on an analysis of 1,500 videos and images.
Pope Leo to have surgery after lump found on lung
Pope Leo is set to undergo surgery after doctors found a lump on his lung. The 71-year-old pontiff said the nodule was identified at a very early stage.