A former personal assistant told Southwark Crown Court that Russell Brand asked her to obtain phone numbers from female fans when she began working for him in 2006. Brand faces seven charges relating to allegations by six women between 1999 and 2009; he denies the charges, and his defence says any sexual activity was consensual.
Key Facts
Helen Berger worked closely with Brand from June 2006 to February 2007.
Berger said the request to get fans’ phone numbers made her uncomfortable, and she later told Brand she would not do it.
Berger described Brand as having a high sex drive and said women often visited his home for sex.
Berger said she never witnessed anything illegal, but felt people around Brand normalized his behaviour.
Brand is charged with three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault, and one count of indecent assault.
The allegations span 1999 to 2009 and involve six female complainants.
Brand denies the charges; his defence argues that sexual activity was consensual and that accounts were affected by a 2023 TV documentary.
The prosecution was due to finish on Tuesday morning.
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Restaurant chains are offering limited-time food deals and seasonal menu items for Halloween 2026. Promotions include themed doughnuts, discounted or free sandwiches, a spooky menu and a seasonal pizza, with availability and terms varying by location.
Key Facts
Krispy Kreme introduced a Looney Tunes Halloween doughnut collection at participating U.S. shops on October 6.
Krispy Kreme is offering a $13 dozen featuring four doughnuts inspired by Bugs Bunny, Tweety and Sylvester, Lola Bunny and Taz.
Customers in costume can get a free Original Glazed or Classic Ring doughnut at participating Krispy Kreme locations on October 30 and 31, with no purchase required.
Shake Shack's promotion offers a free Single ShackBurger from October 19 through October 31 with a qualifying order and the code SCARYGOOD.
Shake Shack's offer excludes certain locations and order types, including airports, stadiums, third-party delivery and drive-thru orders.
Buffalo Wild Wings is offering its Fright Feast Menu at participating U.S. locations from September 30 through November 9.
Papa Murphy's is selling its Halloween-themed Jack-O Pizza for $10 through October 31 at participating locations; prices vary in Alaska.
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UC Berkeley mathematics professor Richard Borcherds now gives students homework credit for turning in assignments rather than for correct answers, saying AI makes it hard to distinguish students’ work from AI-generated work. Universities are exploring other assessment methods as students adopt generative AI, while research and university reports highlight concerns about cheating and whether assessments measure what students understand.
Key Facts
Richard Borcherds, a UC Berkeley mathematics professor and 1998 Fields Medal winner, changed how he grades homework.
Borcherds gives credit for completing homework on time instead of grading answers for correctness.
He said he sees no reliable way to distinguish human-written work from AI-generated work.
A Cornell study of more than 95,000 students at 20 U.S. public research universities found 37 percent used generative AI at least monthly and 9 percent reported using it to cheat.
Cornell study co-author Rene Kizilcec said assessment reform is needed to protect the validity of assessments and the credibility of university credentials.
Some professors are using oral exams and in-person assessments to evaluate students’ understanding.
An MIT committee report said AI is prompting the university to reconsider assessment and teaching practices, and recommended preparing for an AI-aware learning environment.
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A stretch of water between Rothschild Island and Alexander Island in western Antarctica has been named the Amos Channel, after former BBC science correspondent Jonathan Amos. The UK Antarctic Place Names Committee recommended the name in recognition of Amos’s 38-year career explaining Antarctic research to the public.
Key Facts
The Amos Channel lies between Rothschild Island and Alexander Island.
The channel emerged after ice connecting the two islands disintegrated.
The UK Antarctic Place Names Committee recommended the name.
The committee cited Amos’s role in bringing Antarctic research to public attention.
Amos joined the BBC in 1986 and left in 2024.
Amos reported on topics including melting ice sheets, icebergs, penguin colonies and the discovery of the Endurance.
Amos said he has not yet visited Antarctica.
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Americans are expected to spend a record $13.5 billion on Halloween in 2026, even as candy and costume costs rise. Cocoa purchased during earlier price spikes, along with transportation and fulfillment expenses, is helping keep prices high; shoppers may save by comparing prices and ordering candy online.
Key Facts
The National Retail Federation forecasts $13.5 billion in Halloween spending this year, including $4.1 billion on candy.
PwC found that people expect to spend about $263 on average, while two-thirds of Americans surveyed by WalletHub said Halloween has become too expensive.
Chicago Costume general manager Cortland Hickey cited fuel surcharges, diesel costs, and other transportation expenses as reasons costumes cost more.
The share of consumers planning to shop online for Halloween fell to 27% this year, from 31% in 2025, according to the National Retail Federation.
The Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute expects chocolate prices to be 8% higher than last Halloween.
A 100-piece bag of assorted Halloween candy averaged $16.96 in 2026, up 3.5% from 2025 and 71% from 2021, according to FinanceBuzz.
Candy prices remain affected by earlier cocoa price spikes because manufacturers are still using cocoa bought during the 2025 surge.
The article says shoppers can look for savings by comparing prices per piece or per pound and checking online candy deals.
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CBS News says a recent poll gives one party a slight edge in the race for a House majority in the midterms. The provided article text does not identify which party or give polling figures; it says the report covers voters’ views and redistricting efforts.
Key Facts
The article describes a recent CBS News poll ahead of the midterm elections.
The headline says one party has a slight edge to win a House majority.
The provided text does not name the party with the edge.
The provided text does not include polling figures or details about the survey.
CBS News correspondent Nikole Killion reports on the poll.
Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball, joins to discuss redistricting efforts.
The report says the midterms could reshape the balance of power on Capitol Hill.
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The video explains gerrymandering, the practice of drawing election district boundaries to benefit a political party. It traces the practice’s history and says Republicans have used it more often in the modern era, while Democrats have also used it in the past decade.
Key Facts
The video was issued on October 26, 2026.
France 24 reporter Tanishk Saha explains the term and its history.
Gerrymandering involves drawing election district boundaries to influence election outcomes.
The term dates back centuries, according to the article.
The article says Republicans have used gerrymandering more often in the modern era.
The article says Democrats have also used the tactic in the past decade.
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Audi CEO Gernot Döllner faced criticism in Germany after appearing with U.S. President Donald Trump at a rally in Georgia, where they announced a planned $4 billion Audi factory. The appearance drew objections from Volkswagen employee and union leaders, while Audi said the investment reflects its long-term commitment to the U.S. market.
Key Facts
Audi plans to invest $4 billion in a factory near Macon, Georgia, and create 4,500 jobs.
The factory would produce up to 200,000 SUVs a year; construction is planned to start next year, with production beginning in the 2030s.
Döllner appeared on stage with Trump at a rally in Perry, Georgia, shortly before the U.S. midterm elections.
Volkswagen works council head Daniela Cavallo criticized Döllner’s participation and said the company had become part of Trump’s political event.
IG Metall leader Christiane Benner called the appearance politically unacceptable and said it breached Audi’s code of conduct on political neutrality before elections.
Benner said the planned investment must be considered by Volkswagen’s supervisory board, where she serves as deputy chair.
Volkswagen is weighing up to 100,000 job cuts and factory closures in Germany amid competition from Chinese carmakers, U.S. tariffs, and the costly shift to electric vehicles.
Audi’s Neckarsulm plant, which employs 15,000 people, is among four Volkswagen sites threatened with closure from the early 2030s.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine has been waiting nearly a month for U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to approve missiles for its air defense systems. He named Patriot and NASAMS systems in his remarks Monday.
Key Facts
Zelensky said Monday that Ukraine had waited nearly a month for approval.
The requested approval concerns missiles for Patriot air defense systems.
Zelensky also named NASAMS air defense systems.
Zelensky said Pete Hegseth needed to sign off on the missiles.
The article does not state whether Hegseth had approved the missiles.
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French President Emmanuel Macron said the government would announce concrete measures on October 26 in response to school students’ demands after weeks of unrest. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu was scheduled to meet student representatives later that day.
Key Facts
Macron said the government would announce measures on Monday, October 26, 2026.
The measures are intended to address demands from school students.
The announcement follows weeks of unrest in France.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu was scheduled to meet student representatives on October 26.
The article links the wider protest movement to anger over the rising cost of living.
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Officials from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye met Iranian leaders in Tehran to discuss regional security as tensions between Iran and the United States rise. The talks are also expected to address Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, though analysts quoted in the article doubt the meetings will prevent renewed US-Iran conflict or lead to military action against the Houthis.
Key Facts
Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan’s military chief Asim Munir and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
The officials were also expected to discuss security with Iranian official Mohsen Rezaei.
The three visiting countries signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, a regional defence pact.
The meetings took place amid reported US consideration of new strikes on Iran and a diplomatic deadlock between Washington and Tehran.
The talks are expected to address missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Saudi Arabia.
Analyst Ayesha Siddiqa said Turkiye and Pakistan could not afford to send ground troops to Yemen.
The United States and regional powers want shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to resume without impediments or attacks.
Washington seeks limits on Iran’s nuclear programme and international inspections of its highly enriched uranium.
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Authentic Brands Group, which owns rights to Elvis Presley’s music, has sued Anthropic, alleging the AI company used 274 songs without a licence to train its Claude model. The complaint seeks up to $41 million in damages; Anthropic says it disputes the claims and will defend itself.
Key Facts
The lawsuit was filed on Friday in court.
Authentic Brands says the songs include “All Shook Up,” “Don’t Be Cruel” and “Return To Sender.”
The complaint seeks up to $150,000 for each allegedly infringed song.
Authentic Brands alleges Claude produced unlicensed works that closely resembled copyrighted songs.
Anthropic has denied the claims and said it intends to defend the case.
The lawsuit follows other copyright cases against Anthropic brought by music rights holders Reservoir and Universal Music Group.
In 2025, Anthropic agreed to pay $1.5 billion to settle a separate lawsuit brought by authors over material used to train its AI models.
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Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won reelection in a runoff against right-wing opponent Flávio Bolsonaro, according to the article. Bolsonaro is refusing to concede defeat. Lula is described as a vocal critic of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Key Facts
Lula won a runoff election in Brazil.
The article says the victory gives Lula a fourth term as president.
Lula faced right-wing opponent Flávio Bolsonaro.
Bolsonaro is refusing to concede defeat.
The article describes Lula as a vocal critic of U.S. President Donald Trump.
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Tina Peters’ attorney, Peter Ticktin, told FOX31 he is preparing to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn her criminal convictions. The convictions stem from a 2021 breach of election equipment in Mesa County, Colorado.
Key Facts
Peter Ticktin represents Tina Peters.
Ticktin told FOX31 he is preparing a Supreme Court bid.
Peters’ criminal convictions remain in place, according to the article title.
The convictions relate to a 2021 breach of election equipment.
The equipment was in Mesa County, Colorado.
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Rohingya refugees in Indian-administered Kashmir say they are dismantling their homes after a court order, amid a threat of eviction. Many have lived there for more than a decade and fear being sent back to Myanmar, where they face persecution.
Key Facts
Rohingya refugees say they are being forced to dismantle their homes.
The homes are in Indian-administered Kashmir, a disputed region.
The reported action follows a court order.
Many of the refugees have lived in the area for more than a decade.
The refugees fear being returned to Myanmar.
The article says Rohingya face persecution in Myanmar.
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Sophia Bush discussed her memoir, “And I Will Tell You Mine: Notes from a Life in Progress,” and her experience on the television series “One Tree Hill” in an interview with CBS News. She also shared her thoughts about the possibility of a reboot.
Key Facts
Bush’s new memoir is titled “And I Will Tell You Mine: Notes from a Life in Progress.”
Bush discussed her experience working on “One Tree Hill.”
The interview covered the possibility of rebooting “One Tree Hill.”
CBS News published the segment as part of “CBS Mornings.”
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President Donald Trump said Sunday that the trade dispute with Canada would be resolved “soon.” At a rally in Port Huron, Michigan, he repeated his claim that Canada has been taking advantage of the United States for years; the dispute is also creating political challenges for Republicans ahead of the midterms.
Key Facts
Trump said the trade dispute with Canada would be over “soon.”
He made the remarks Sunday at a rally in Port Huron, Michigan.
Trump said Canada had been “ripping off” the United States for years.
The dispute has created ongoing political problems for Republicans.
The article links those political problems to the upcoming midterm elections.
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Tesla is shifting its growth strategy toward autonomous-driving software and AI services as it faces strong competition from Chinese electric-vehicle makers. Its Full Self-Driving subscriptions are growing, but the system still requires driver supervision, and regulatory approval remains a barrier to wider use.
Key Facts
Tesla’s car business accounts for 75 percent of its revenue and remains important to funding its AI investments.
Tesla delivered 1.6 million vehicles last year, and its goal of selling 5 million a year has replaced an earlier target of 20 million by 2030.
BYD took Tesla’s position as the world’s largest electric-vehicle manufacturer last year.
Tesla said its North American share of new-car sales with supervised Full Self-Driving exceeded 75 percent.
Tesla reported 1.7 million active Full Self-Driving subscriptions worldwide, up 67 percent from a year earlier.
In the United States, Full Self-Driving costs $99 per month; Tesla has not disclosed the software’s recurring revenue.
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system still requires a driver to remain attentive, and the company has not received approval for its fully autonomous version.
Tesla is seeking broader European approval for its supervised system, while competing with Volkswagen-backed Xpeng for regulatory clearance.
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The article says that Donald Trump's religious-right collaborators and enablers have damaged Christian witness. The supplied text gives no examples or further details supporting that claim.
Key Facts
The article's title is “The power of faith meets the corruption of power.”
The article focuses on Donald Trump and the religious right.
The article describes some religious-right figures as Trump's collaborators and enablers.
The article claims their actions have damaged Christian witness.
The supplied text does not identify specific people or actions.
The supplied text does not provide evidence or examples for its claim.
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