A jury has been sworn in for Russell Brand’s trial on rape and sexual assault charges. The Irish Times reports that the allegations involve six women and date from 1999 to 2009. Brand has pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault, the Globe and Mail reports.
Romania resumed its search Friday for seven sailors missing from a chemical tanker hit by a drone near its Black Sea coast, according to The Straits Times. Earlier reports said seven people were missing after drone attacks on ships in the Black Sea; Al Jazeera identified two chemical tankers and said emergency teams were searching for the missing crew. This follows earlier reports that Bulgaria suspects Russia behind Black Sea strikes and NATO may redeploy anti-drone defenses, according to ABC News and Ars Technica, respectively.
The Nord Stream sabotage trial opened in Germany, where the defense sought its dismissal, Deutsche Welle reports. German prosecutors say a Ukrainian military officer led the operation that destroyed the Baltic Sea pipelines in 2022, according to the Irish Times. Other coverage identifies the accused as a Ukrainian former officer or soldier; the Financial Times reports that German prosecutors accuse Ukraine of the sabotage.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas postponed legislative elections and a vote for the presidency, with a new date set for September 2027, the Irish Times reports. Fox News says the delay extends a nearly 20-year wait for a vote, as Israel and Hamas clash over blame.
Ukraine is set to resume strikes on Russian refineries, and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has expressed anger over the US withdrawal of intelligence sharing, the Irish Times reports. NBC News reports that Zelenskyy criticized President Donald Trump over a deal for Russian diesel.
The Irish Times reports that Ukraine is bracing for its hardest winter yet as an energy ceasefire unravels, and that Ukrainians believe Trump is playing politics and business with their lives by siding with Russia. Al Jazeera reports that Ukrainians fear US intelligence cuts as Russian strikes intensify; its feed provides no further details. This follows reports of Russian strikes on Kyiv homes and power facilities, with The Hindu reporting six deaths and Euronews reporting three deaths and 22 injuries.
The trial in Germany of a former Ukrainian officer accused in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline blasts has opened. The Globe and Mail reports that the accused, identified as Serhii K., denied involvement; ABC News says his lawyers sought dismissal. The defence argued that the pipelines may have been a lawful target and that sabotage may not have been a crime, while the South China Morning Post reports that it described the pipelines as a Russian weapon.
Indian authorities released the leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party on Sunday after security forces detained thousands during anti-government demonstrations, Semafor reports. The Irish Times reports that more movement activists were detained in protests over India’s elections and that a court ordered the youth movement’s leaders released, as the group challenges Narendra Modi’s grip on power.
President Donald Trump says the U.S. is still sharing intelligence with Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv received no advance intelligence from Western partners before a Russian missile attack on Tuesday. The Globe and Mail reports that Kyiv also accused Russia of violating an energy truce and said Russian attacks came without usual warnings; Semafor later reported Trump was weighing intelligence-sharing with Ukraine.
The US Treasury said the country’s largest banks let politics influence who received banking services and discriminated on political grounds. Semafor reports that President Donald Trump ordered the inquiry last year after accusing banks of discriminating against him.
A Saudi minister said the kingdom was fearless after deadly Houthi strikes on Riyadh, which Semafor described as back-to-back attacks on the airport that threatened Saudi Arabia’s economic ambitions. Semafor also reported that several major energy CEOs cancelled travel to Saudi Arabia as the kingdom prepared conferences to court foreign investment.
Semafor reports that an OpenAI employee was arrested over office bugging, saying the episode rekindled fears over AI-powered crimes amid heightened sensitivity over tech trade secrets. This follows earlier reports that the FBI arrested an OpenAI employee accused of planting a hidden recording or listening device at the company.
Ukraine is set to restart strikes on Russian refineries, Semafor reports, after Washington pressed President Zelenskyy to curb attacks on energy facilities, linking them to rising fuel prices. This follows earlier coverage of a diesel deal involving President Trump and Russia, which was framed as benefiting Putin amid the war in Ukraine and provoking anger in Europe.
On Saturday, President Trump called for Ukraine to replace President Volodymyr Zelensky with someone willing to make a deal with Russia to end the war. The call followed Trump's announcement Friday of a diesel deal with Russia and a temporary U.S. sanctions waiver, which Zelensky criticized as unfair and a gift to Putin. Zelensky told Axios he had been blindsided and that U.S. officials had not raised the diesel deal during their talks. An unnamed U.S. official told Axios that Trump made the deal after Zelensky ignored repeated U.S. requests to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries.
U.S. inflation accelerated in September, with consumer prices rising 0.6% from August and 3.7% year over year, according to Labor Department figures reported Wednesday. Gasoline prices jumped about 9%, while core CPI rose 0.3% monthly and its annual rate increased to 2.6%. The reports also point to pressure outside energy, including rising shelter costs and airfares, raising concern that inflation may persist and increase the prospect of further Federal Reserve rate hikes.
On Tuesday, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said her office is investigating Rep. Ilhan Omar’s financial disclosures, the day after federal agents searched her Washington home in a separate immigration probe. The Justice Department confirmed to Axios that DHS agents carried out the search under a judicially authorized warrant. Omar called the search an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement.
The Guardian reports that the global fuel shortage is expected to drag into 2027 and that refineries turning crude oil into diesel stand to make record profits. It says Donald Trump’s temporary sanctions reprieve for Russian diesel was criticized as too little, too late, with high prices linked to shutdowns of war-damaged refineries in the Middle East and Russia. Axios reports that Trump claimed a deal to increase Russian diesel exports and that the Treasury Department waived sanctions to help enable it, while analysts questioned whether the promised supply would meaningfully affect prices if Russia delivers.
Christa Pike has been discharged from hospital and returned to a Tennessee prison after surviving the state's failed lethal-injection attempt. The Irish Times reports that she survived two doses of pentobarbital; Axios says her attorneys reported she was back at the prison and continuing to receive medical care there. Axios reports that the attempt took place on September 30.
The Vatican said Tuesday that Pope Leo was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma after surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung, which it said was successful. This follows earlier reports that he would undergo surgery to remove a lung nodule.
The EU and China struck a preliminary deal Friday to sharply limit Chinese hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicle exports to Europe, Axios reports, with the EU planning an initial annual cap of 350,000 that could begin as early as December. Vehicles above the quota would be blocked rather than charged additional tariffs; Axios says Chinese officials noted Monday that the deal still allows shipments to rise above last year's level. This follows earlier reports that the sides agreed to curb imports, with The Guardian putting the annual limit at 350,000 vehicles.