Russell Brand testified at Southwark Crown Court that a 2023 documentary about allegations against him had a “devastating” effect on his relationships and life. He denies all seven charges against him, and the trial is continuing.
Key Facts
Brand faces three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted indecent assault.
Six women brought allegations covering the period from 1999 to 2009.
Brand answered “no” when asked whether he committed each alleged offence.
He told the jury that friends and colleagues had turned away from him after the documentary aired.
Brand said the documentary’s publication led Great Ormond Street Hospital to bar him from staying with his son during the child’s heart surgery.
Brand said he remembered meeting the first complainant at the 1999 Labour Party conference in Bournemouth and denied her rape allegation.
He told the court that consent was fundamental to him. The trial continues.
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A local ceasefire in Russian-occupied Oleshky, in southern Ukraine, held through its first 30 hours, including a day and night. Fighting between Russia and Ukraine continued elsewhere, and the truce is expected to last until Sunday.
Key Facts
The ceasefire began on Tuesday, October 27, in Oleshky.
Oleshky is a city in southern Ukraine occupied by Russia.
The truce held through its first day and night.
The ceasefire is expected to remain in place until Sunday.
Fighting between Moscow and Kyiv continued elsewhere.
The report describes Oleshky as devastated.
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With the U.S. midterm elections less than a week away, the cost of living has become a key campaign issue. In Arizona, voters are criticizing the Trump administration’s cuts to food stamps, which the report says have affected low-income people.
Key Facts
The article was issued on October 28, 2026.
The U.S. midterm elections were less than a week away when the report was published.
The cost of living has emerged as a key campaign issue.
The report focuses on food stamp cuts in Arizona.
Many Americans are criticizing the administration’s decision to cut food stamps.
The report says the cuts have had significant consequences for the poorest people.
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UK Chancellor John Healey is due to present the government’s first budget under Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Wednesday. The budget comes as inflation and borrowing rise, energy bills are expected to increase, and the government faces pressure to fund defence plans while meeting its fiscal rules.
Key Facts
Healey is scheduled to announce the budget in Parliament at 12:30 GMT on Wednesday.
The article says the UK’s total borrowing passed £3 trillion in September and that debt interest costs about £100 billion a year.
Energy bills are expected to have their largest increase in four years in January, amid conflict in the Middle East.
Burnham said the budget would explain how the government plans to fund its previously announced defence investment plan.
The defence plan, announced in June, is backed by £298 billion in investment.
The government’s stated pathway includes NATO defence spending targets of 3 percent of GDP by 2030 and 3.5 percent by 2035; current spending is about 2.6 percent.
The Guardian reported that Healey aims to address a £4.7 billion gap in defence funding, potentially through cuts to other departments.
An economist at the Resolution Foundation expects a relatively small budget, with some measures to offset living costs and larger decisions delayed until next year.
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The UK Equality and Human Rights Commission has proposed requiring employers to share information about colleagues’ pay when workers request it. It also wants employers barred from asking job applicants about their current or previous salary, saying both changes could help reduce pay discrimination.
Key Facts
Employers in the UK do not currently have to answer employees’ requests for information about colleagues’ pay.
The EHRC wants employers to provide requested information within a set timeframe.
The proposed information could include basic pay, hours worked, bonuses, overtime, shift premiums and performance-related pay.
UK employers can currently ask job applicants about their current salary, but applicants do not have to answer.
EHRC chief executive John Kirkpatrick said salary-history questions can carry past disadvantage or discrimination into future salaries.
The EHRC has previously called for employers to publish salary details in job adverts.
The Fawcett Society has said salary-history questions may perpetuate pay differences linked to gender, race and disability.
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Russell Brand testified for the defence at Southwark crown court, where he faces charges linked to allegations by six women. He denied the charges and told the court he believed he had obtained consent in an alleged 1999 encounter.
Key Facts
Brand faces three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted indecent assault.
The allegations concern events between 1999 and 2009.
Brand has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The prosecution finished presenting its case after nearly two weeks of evidence, and the defence began its case with Brand’s testimony.
Brand denied intending to carry out a non-consensual assault in an allegation involving an MTV worker in 2001.
The judge amended an indecent assault charge to attempted indecent assault, saying there was insufficient evidence to support the original charge.
Brand told police in a 2023 statement that he had never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity.
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Israeli forces continued raids in Hebron and other parts of the occupied West Bank as Hebron entered its sixth day under lockdown. UNRWA said the restrictions and incursions had displaced nearly 5,000 Palestinians in Hebron and limited access to essential services.
Key Facts
Israeli forces raided neighbourhoods in Hebron and towns across the governorate on Wednesday and tightened restrictions at city entrances.
Troops searched homes in the Fawwar refugee camp near midnight.
Israeli forces detained four Palestinians in Tulkarem, including a journalist, his two brothers, and an officer with the Palestinian General Intelligence Service, Wafa reported.
In Beita, Israeli troops fired tear gas at protesters opposing the demolition of two homes belonging to families of Palestinian prisoners.
A Palestinian man suffered hand fractures after Israeli forces beat him in Yasid, while troops raided homes in Burin and turned several into military barracks, Wafa reported.
Schools in southern Nablus were ordered to move to remote learning.
UNRWA said the Hebron lockdown had severely restricted movement and access to critical services and that nearly 5,000 Palestinians had been displaced.
The Israeli campaign followed the killing of two Israeli soldiers by Palestinian gunmen at a checkpoint; Israeli forces later killed the gunmen.
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The page links to live coverage of the Budget and carries the headline “Everyday life is now becoming expensive.” The video content is unavailable in the provided article text, so it gives no details about the Budget or the costs discussed.
Key Facts
The page says it is following live coverage of the Budget.
The headline says everyday life is becoming expensive.
The page is labeled under Politics.
The page lists HM Treasury and the UK economy among its related topics.
UK taxes and UK government spending also appear as related topics.
Cardiff appears as a related location.
The page says JavaScript must be enabled to play the video.
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A plant-based butter sold in 10 states has been recalled over concerns about yeast, mold and E. coli. The FDA assigned the product a risk level and issued a warning.
Key Facts
The recalled product is a plant-based butter.
The article describes the butter as popular.
The recall involves concerns about yeast.
The recall involves concerns about mold.
The recall involves concerns about E. coli.
The product was sold in 10 states.
The FDA assigned the product a risk level.
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Authorities found a Ford F-350 stolen after convicted murderer Jacob Morley escaped from Northwest Correctional Complex in Tennessee on October 26. The truck was located in Marion, Illinois, but Morley’s whereabouts remained unknown as of the article’s latest update on October 27.
Key Facts
Prison staff discovered Morley was missing late on October 25, and security footage showed him breach the facility’s perimeter fence.
Authorities said a white 2008 Ford F-350 was stolen from a lot near the prison after the escape.
The truck was reported seen in Hornbeak and Troy, Tennessee, before authorities found it behind a shopping center in Marion, Illinois, about 120 miles from the prison.
Tennessee authorities added Morley to the state’s Most Wanted list and said he should be considered dangerous.
Officials offered up to $2,500 for information leading to Morley’s arrest and advised people not to approach him.
Morley was convicted of first-degree murder in February 2025 for killing his co-worker Cody Wayne Birchfield and received a life sentence.
A 2023 audit found a 61 percent vacancy rate for correctional officers at Northwest Correctional Complex during that fiscal year.
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Qatari mediators delivered Iran a draft proposal to end the war on Sunday, and Tehran is considering it. Reuters reported that Iran plans to respond by the end of the week. The article also reports on the war’s estimated cost to the U.S. military and Israel’s election results, which exit polls indicated could leave both political blocs short of a majority.
Key Facts
Qatari mediators handed Iran a draft deal to end the war on Sunday, according to Reuters, citing an official briefed on the talks.
Iran is considering the proposal and is expected to respond by the end of the week, Reuters reported.
A source cited by Reuters said Tehran had concerns that Israel might resume bombing Iran this week.
U.S. Central Command estimated the war had cost the U.S. military about $47.1 billion by mid-October; the estimate excludes damage to U.S. bases in the Middle East.
About $29 billion of the estimated U.S. military cost is for replacing used munitions.
Israel’s election exit polls projected that neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor the opposition had a clear majority in the 120-seat Knesset.
Exit polls showed Netanyahu’s Likud party as the largest party, while Israel’s two Arab parties won more seats than in any previous election.
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Early election results in Israel were increasingly favorable to Benjamin Netanyahu and his bloc, but they had not secured a clear victory. Final results were expected later on October 28 or the following morning, and Netanyahu needs 61 parliamentary seats for a majority.
Key Facts
Netanyahu’s bloc appeared to be gaining ground in the early results.
Netanyahu still lacked a clear victory at the time of the report.
A majority requires 61 seats in Israel’s parliament.
Final election results were expected that night or the next morning.
Netanyahu addressed supporters at the National Congress Centre at about 3 a.m. local time.
The report was filed from Jerusalem by France 24 correspondent Clovis Casali.
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African students and professionals at Moscow’s RUDN University describe Russia as a place for education, friendships and career development. They also discuss how their studies and connections could benefit African countries, while a Sudanese lecturer notes opportunities for Russia-Africa cooperation and risks to food security from the war in Ukraine.
Key Facts
RUDN University in Moscow hosts students from across Africa and other regions, with campus events featuring national cultures and languages.
Zambian medical graduate Keturah Musonda said a Russian government scholarship enabled her studies and praised Moscow’s healthcare services, including paediatric care.
Musonda hopes African countries will invest more in specialist medicine.
Zambian medical student Chinyama Kazombo said he hopes to use his education to help address Zambia’s need for doctors and other specialists.
Sudanese lecturer Abobakr Mohamed Abbakar Khussein said Russia-Africa ties include training in fields such as medicine, agriculture, humanities and linguistics.
Khussein identified potential cooperation in mining and nuclear energy, including with Russia’s state nuclear company Rosatom.
Khussein said disruptions to Russian and Ukrainian grain and cooking-oil exports amid the war in Ukraine threaten food security.
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Tanzania has announced a natural gas discovery estimated at 223 billion cubic feet in the Mnazi Bay area, its first find in more than a decade. The Kasa-1X ST2 well is expected to begin production early next month, supplying domestic and industrial power generation and vehicles.
Key Facts
Energy Minister Juma Homera attended a ceremony marking the discovery.
The well is jointly owned by state-owned Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation and French company Maurel & Prom.
The discovery is estimated at 223 billion cubic feet, or 6.3 billion cubic metres.
Tanzania has existing natural gas reserves of 57.54 trillion cubic feet.
Natural gas accounted for nearly 80% of Tanzania's electricity generation sources in 2024, according to government statistics.
Tanzania's first natural gas discovery was made on Songo Songo Island in 1974; a second followed at Mnazi Bay in 1982.
Commercial development of the earlier discoveries began in 2004.
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Serbian police shot and killed a minor outside the Israeli embassy in Belgrade after, according to Interior Minister Ivica Dacic, the suspect attacked an officer with two knives. The officer suffered a minor facial wound, and authorities raised Serbia’s terrorism threat level to its highest setting while investigating.
Key Facts
Dacic said the suspect rushed at a police officer with two knives and shouted “Allahu Akbar.”
The officer shot the suspect and sustained a minor knife wound to the face; Dacic said the officer did not need hospital care.
Dacic said the suspect was an unidentified minor and a Serbian citizen who was monitored by security services.
Security services said the suspect had posted a picture of the Islamic State flag on Instagram.
Serbia’s interior minister raised the terrorism threat level to red alert, prompting stricter security checks and more police at key sites and crowded areas.
Israel’s foreign ministry said no embassy staff were injured and the mission was closed when the incident occurred.
In June 2024, a Serbian man shot an officer outside the same embassy with a crossbow; the officer survived and killed the attacker.
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A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted October 22–26 found Democrats ahead of Republicans nationally, while Senate races in Texas, Michigan and Kansas were close. President Donald Trump campaigned for Republicans in Texas, and Barack Obama and Kamala Harris campaigned for Democrats in Georgia.
Key Facts
The poll found 47 percent of voters supported Democrats and 36 percent supported Republicans.
After accounting for undecided voters’ leanings, Democrats led 50 percent to 41 percent.
Trump’s approval rating rose one percentage point to 32 percent, while 73 percent of U.S. adults said the cost of living was going in the wrong direction.
In Texas, Democrat James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton were virtually tied in the Senate race.
In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers were competing in a closely contested Senate race.
In Kansas, Republican incumbent Roger Marshall faced Democrat Adam Hamilton in a close Senate contest.
The Associated Press reported that parties and allied groups had committed about $71 million to advertising in the Kansas race.
At a Texas rally, Trump said a tanker was carrying one million barrels of Venezuelan oil and announced plans to roll back Biden-era methane-emissions restrictions.
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Two trains traveling in opposite directions collided in southern Spain on the route between Madrid and Seville. Local authorities confirmed at least 10 deaths; the cause of the crash remains unknown.
Key Facts
The collision happened in southern Spain.
The trains were traveling in opposite directions on the route between Madrid and Seville.
Local authorities confirmed at least 10 deaths.
Some media reports put the death toll as high as 39.
The cause of the collision was not known at the time of the report.
The article refers to a deadly train accident in Córdoba in January.
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Analilia Mejia argues that if Democrats gain power, they should respond to economic concerns with concrete action rather than return to the status quo. She calls for measures to lower household costs, raise wages, and address health care, drug prices, credit card interest, and housing affordability.
Key Facts
Mejia says voters she encountered raised economic anxiety and the cost of housing as major concerns.
She says about 90 million people did not vote in the 2024 election and argues that disengagement affected its outcome.
Mejia proposes raising the federal minimum wage to $25 an hour; the current federal minimum is $7.25.
The article cites polling that found 66 percent support a national health plan and 76 percent say health care should be guaranteed as a right.
The article reports that 75 percent of respondents worry about food affordability and 83 percent say tariffs raise prices.
Mejia cites a September Wall Street Journal poll as finding bipartisan support for caps on drug prices and credit card interest rates, and limits on institutional investors buying single-family homes.
Mejia says 136,000 people voted in her special election, which was held on a Thursday in April.
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A High Court judge is due to rule on a Portadown Orangeman’s challenge to Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant’s decision to ban the Drumcree parade. Bryant acted on security advice from PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher, after police said facilitating the procession would require a disproportionate intervention and pose risks of serious injury and disorder.
Key Facts
The challenge names Sir Chris Bryant and PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher as respondents.
Mr Justice Scoffield said he would deliver his ruling on Wednesday morning.
The chief constable told Bryant that lawful and proportionate options to facilitate the procession had been exhausted.
The court heard that dissidents may have mounted gun attacks on police if officers had cleared a route for the parade.
The Parades Commission initially barred the march, then allowed it to proceed on 27 September with restrictions after a court overturned its original decision.
Up to 1,000 people blocked the Garvaghy Road on 27 September, preventing the march from proceeding.
The ensuing stand-off between protesters and the Orange Order and its supporters lasted almost two weeks.
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A CBS News segment explains how People magazine selects its Sexiest Man Alive. Editor-in-chief Charlotte Triggs discusses the award’s history and past winners, while the hosts consider what Noah Wyle’s selection says about changing ideas of masculinity in 2026.
Key Facts
The award began in 1985, with Mel Gibson as its first winner.
People magazine Editor-in-Chief Charlotte Triggs describes how the magazine chooses the winner.
The segment discusses stories about past winners.
The hosts compare the award’s winners to James Bond, saying they reflect their eras.
The discussion considers what Noah Wyle’s selection may suggest about ideas of masculinity in 2026.
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