Today’s desk

Thursday, October 22, 2026 edition: 49 stories with labeled sources. Every brief from Thursday, October 22, 2026 · All editions · RSS feed

Top Stories

• Super Typhoon Champi, 2026's strongest storm, nears Japan's southern islands

  Super Typhoon Champi, the strongest storm on Earth this year according to The Washington Post, is heading toward Japan's Sakishima Islands, NHK reported. Japan's weather agency said it could blow down some houses there Friday and Saturday. The Washington Post said it is expected to weaken as it nears northern Taiwan.

• Putin agrees to resume Ukraine peace talks as missiles hit Kyiv

  Russia says it is ready in principle to restart three-way peace talks with Ukraine and the US, Axios and the BBC reported. A Kremlin aide said a new round could be held around November 10 in Abu Dhabi. Hours later, missiles hit Kyiv and hurt six people, the BBC reported.

• Toledo shrinks evacuation zone as chemical leak keeps venting

  Toledo cut its evacuation zone to a half mile Wednesday as a chemical kept leaking from a tank, 13abc and ABC News reported. The city also lifted an order for people to stay inside. Late Wednesday, officials said fears of a blast had eased, WDIV reported, but no return date was set.

• Van Zandt County deputy killed, Canton officer wounded while serving warrants

  A sheriff's deputy in Van Zandt County, Texas, was shot and killed Tuesday night while helping serve felony warrants at a home. A Canton police officer was also shot. The suspect was found dead inside the home, and the Texas Rangers are investigating.

• Retired NYPD detective charged with murder in George Washington Bridge shooting

  A retired New York City police detective has been charged with murder in a deadly shooting on the George Washington Bridge, police said. Koran Irvine, 46, was shot while driving Tuesday night. Police called it an apparent road rage incident after a near crash between two cars.

• US orders some staff out of Saudi Arabia after Dammam airport attack

  An attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, killed at least one person and hurt eight, the BBC and GB News reported. The US then ordered non-emergency staff and their families to leave the country. Gulf News reported that the death toll later rose to two.

Politics

• Supreme Court keeps Trump's transgender prison care policy on hold

  The Supreme Court on Wednesday would not let the Trump administration end hormone care for transgender people in federal prisons, CNN and the New York Post reported. The short order gave no reason. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito would have sided with the White House.

• Trump praises rallygoer who threw a punch at Clemson rally

  A man threw a punch toward a protester at President Donald Trump's rally on Wednesday, NBC News and the New York Post reported. Trump praised the man and compared him to boxer Evander Holyfield, who was there. The rally in South Carolina was for Senator Darline Graham, who is up for election.

• Vance's fraud task force announces SNAP charges against over 40 defendants

  Federal officials took action against more than 40 people in alleged schemes to steal food aid, according to Fox News and a Justice Department release. Vice President JD Vance announced the sweep in Ohio. The Justice Department said nearly $42 million of the alleged losses involved SNAP benefits.

• Trump administration asks Supreme Court to restart Big Bend border wall work

  The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Wednesday to let border wall work resume in and around Big Bend National Park. A federal judge in Texas blocked the work earlier this month. The government's top lawyer at the court called her order a "baseless injunction."

• Ramaswamy keeps airing Ohio ad featuring Acton's estranged mother

  Vivek Ramaswamy is sticking with an ad in which Amy Acton's estranged mother calls her a liar. The BBC says he pledged $4 million to air it. Some Republicans criticized the ad, while Acton's brother says their mother stayed married to the man who abused Acton.

Business

• eBay to cut about 1,000 jobs in second round of layoffs

  eBay will lay off about 9% of its staff, CNBC and Reuters reported, and a spokesperson told CNBC that is about 1,000 people. It is the company's second round of job cuts this year. In a memo to staff, CEO Jamie Iannone wrote, "Our strategy is working," Reuters reported.

• Meta beats revenue forecasts and plans new nonvoting shares

  Meta's sales rose 26% to $64.6 billion in the third quarter, beating forecasts, CNBC reported. The company also plans a new class of nonvoting shares, CNBC and The Verge reported. The Verge said the stock could help pay for AI, deals and staff pay.

• LSEG agrees to buy credit data firm Octus for $3.5 billion

  London Stock Exchange Group agreed on Thursday to buy credit data firm Octus for $3.535 billion in cash, according to Reuters and an LSEG announcement. It is LSEG's biggest deal since 2019. LSEG shares rose about 2% in early London trading, Reuters reported at 2:31 AM ET.

• Jio Platforms IPO subscribed 3.16 times on first day

  Investors bid for 3.16 times the Jio Platforms shares on offer on the first day of its initial public offering, according to BSE data cited by Mint. Big institutions led the demand. Retail investors had not yet filled their share of the deal.

• Carney and Ford unveil $8.7-billion plan for steel, autos and minerals

  Canada and Ontario announced an $8.7-billion plan on Wednesday to help steel, car and mining firms hurt by tariffs from the United States. Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier Doug Ford made the joint announcement. Canada also eased its car emission rules for the next few model years.

Sports

• Anthony Edwards scores 45 as Wolves spoil Giannis' Heat debut

  Anthony Edwards scored 45 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Miami Heat 131-106 on Wednesday, the AP and the Guardian reported. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 35 points in his first game for Miami. LaMelo Ball scored 21 in his Minnesota debut.

• Declan Rice's late goal earns Arsenal 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich

  Declan Rice scored in the 82nd minute to give Arsenal a 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday, the Guardian and Sky Sports reported. Harry Kane had put Bayern ahead from the penalty spot. Arsenal lost Bukayo Saka to an early injury.

• Real Madrid beat Leipzig 4-1 to stay perfect in Champions League

  Real Madrid beat RB Leipzig 4-1 at the Bernabeu on Wednesday to win their third straight Champions League game. Bernardo Silva, Arda Guler, Kylian Mbappe and Yan Diomande scored. Some home fans again whistled at winger Vinicius Junior, who was taken off in the 70th minute.

• NFL won't discipline Eagles over Hurts' blood clots, Goodell welcomes review

  The NFL will not discipline the Philadelphia Eagles over how they handled Jalen Hurts' blood clots, NBC News reported. Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league welcomes the players union's call for an investigation. Hurts is expected to miss the rest of the season.

• Warriors explore Porzingis trade as he weighs stepping away from NBA

  The Golden State Warriors have started looking at trades for center Kristaps Porzingis, ESPN reported. Porzingis is out with a long-running health issue and is seriously thinking about his future in the sport. The team said it would not comment on trade talk.

• Kvaratskhelia needs surgery after ACL tear in PSG's win over Barcelona

  Paris Saint-Germain winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia tore a key ligament in his right knee in Tuesday's win over Barcelona. The French champions said he will have surgery in the coming days and gave no return date. Ousmane Dembele and Marquinhos will also miss a few weeks.

• Dream beat Valkyries 97-71 to take 2-1 lead in WNBA Finals

  The Atlanta Dream beat the Golden State Valkyries 97-71 on Wednesday to take a 2-1 lead in the WNBA Finals, CBS Sports and Yahoo Sports reported. Angel Reese had 21 points and 12 rebounds for Atlanta, which is two wins from its first title. Game 4 is Saturday in Atlanta.

World

• Serbian students march on Belgrade for final rally before Sunday's election

  Student protesters have walked from towns across Serbia toward Belgrade for a final rally on Thursday. Their list of candidates is running against Aleksandar Vucic's ruling party in Sunday's election. The vote is seen as the biggest test yet for the party.

• Turkey plans mandate to send military personnel to Saudi Arabia under pact

  Turkey's government has asked lawmakers to approve a defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. A ruling party lawmaker said Turkey would then ask to send military staff there. The lawmaker said they would help only with defense and would not take part in attacks.

• Thousands march in Athens for school funding and cheaper housing

  Thousands of students and teachers marched in Athens on Wednesday, the AP and Euronews reported. They want more money for public schools and cheaper student housing. A Greek news site, eKathimerini, put the crowd at about 10,000 and said the march was peaceful.

• Italy to send 500 paratroopers to Milan after weekend riots

  Italy is sending 500 soldiers to Milan after cost-of-living protests turned into clashes and looting, the Guardian and ANSA reported. ANSA said the paratroopers will stay through the end of the year. More protests are planned for Saturday, the Guardian said.

• French police hold suspect longer in Limoges city hall fire

  French police extended custody by 48 hours for a man held over the fire that gutted Limoges city hall, franceinfo reported. The 34-year-old is on a French security watch list as a suspected far-left activist, franceinfo and RMC reported. He has not been charged.

Tech

• GM gives OnStar an AI assistant and plans a single new app

  General Motors is adding an AI assistant to OnStar that drivers can wake by saying "Hey OnStar." It will first come to the 2027 Cadillac Lyriq through a software update in the coming months. A new OnStar app is set to replace GM's brand apps in 2027.

• Amazon's Blink launches its first 4K security camera, the $79.99 Mini 4K+

  Amazon's Blink brand has launched five new security cameras, including its first 4K model. The Blink Mini 4K+ costs $79.99 and works indoors or outdoors. All five cameras are open for preorder in the US, but Blink has not yet said when they will start to ship.

• Walmart unveils tools to let AI agents shop for customers

  Walmart announced new tools on Wednesday that will let approved AI agents shop on behalf of its customers. Shoppers would be able to set spending limits for each agent. The move is a contrast with Amazon, which has been blocking outside shopping bots.

• Anthropic unveils Claude Duet, an AI agent that checks in before acting

  Anthropic announced Claude Duet on Wednesday, an AI agent that watches your apps and sends daily briefs. It asks for approval before big steps like making a payment. It is opening as a waitlist preview for paying Pro and Max users in the US.

• Amazon drops Loudoun data center plan and gives county 25 acres

  Amazon has dropped plans for data centers on a former George Washington University campus in Loudoun County, Virginia, WTOP and Fortune reported. It will give the county 25 acres worth about $65 million. Amazon will also put $5 million into a housing fund.

• PHP rushes out fixes for two critical flaws found with AI

  PHP put out emergency fixes for two serious flaws that could let attackers take over web servers, BleepingComputer and The Register reported. Researchers used AI tools to find the bugs. Cloudflare said it was already seeing early attacks, BleepingComputer and The Verge reported.

Entertainment

• On this day, 1926: A student punches Harry Houdini in Montreal

  On October 22, 1926, a college student punched Harry Houdini in the stomach in his dressing room in Montreal. The famous escape artist died nine days later from a burst appendix. Whether those surprise punches played any role in his death is still debated today.

• Netflix's 'New Stanford Prison Experiment' puts 30 people in a real prison

  Netflix has put out a new reality show that remakes a famous 1971 prison study, Variety and The Independent reported. Thirty people were sent into part of a real jail to play guards or prisoners. The makers say they added safety steps the first study did not have.

• Billy Crystal's '860' opens on Broadway to warm but mixed reviews

  Billy Crystal's new one-man show, "860," opened on Broadway on Wednesday. The show is named for the address of the Los Angeles home he lost in the 2025 fires. Critics praised his charm and comic timing, but some said the show wanders from story to story.

• Andrew Shue and Marilee Fiebig are engaged weeks after their exes wed

  Actor Andrew Shue and lawyer Marilee Fiebig are engaged, Shue said in a new People interview. Their former spouses, two ex-ABC News hosts, married each other privately in Arkansas in September. Shue and Fiebig became close after their exes' romance made news in 2022.

• Kid Cudi to write, direct and star in Basquiat movie

  Kid Cudi says he will write, direct and star in "Jean," a movie about the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, Deadline and Consequence reported. He shared the news on Instagram on Wednesday with photos of himself dressed as the artist. Filming is set to start in 2027, the outlets reported.

• Glee reboot set at Disney+ and Hulu, with Lea Michele reportedly back

  A reboot of the TV musical "Glee" is coming to Disney+ and Hulu, the streamers announced Wednesday, NBC News and Playbill reported. Variety reported that Lea Michele will return as Rachel Berry. Two other original stars posted hints that they are back too.

Health

• Study finds body clock type of depression in about one in four

  About one in four people with severe depression in an Australian study had a type linked to the body clock, the Guardian and ABC News reported. They may respond less well to common antidepressants. Outside experts said more research is needed before doctors use the label.

• Pennsylvania warns doctors about measles in pregnant women and newborns

  Pennsylvania issued a health alert about measles passed from mothers to babies, Ars Technica and CIDRAP reported. The state says 66 pregnant women have had measles in its outbreak, NBC News reported. At least six babies have been born with the disease, CIDRAP reported.

• Compounded tirzepatide injections recalled over sterility concerns

  A drug company in North Carolina is recalling some copies of the weight loss drug tirzepatide because it cannot be sure the shots are germ-free. Brand-name Mounjaro and Zepbound are not part of the recall. USA Today advised patients with a recalled lot to stop using it and call their doctor.

Science & Climate

• Super Typhoon Champi, 2026's strongest storm, nears Japan's southern islands

  Super Typhoon Champi, the strongest storm on Earth this year according to The Washington Post, is heading toward Japan's Sakishima Islands, NHK reported. Japan's weather agency said it could blow down some houses there Friday and Saturday. The Washington Post said it is expected to weaken as it nears northern Taiwan.

• Fingerprints suggest women and children helped build Terracotta Army

  Fingerprints on China's 2,200-year-old Terracotta Army suggest women and children worked alongside men to make it, ScienceAlert and Arkeonews reported. Researchers studied 79 prints on 36 clay warriors from one part of a pit. They said the results show who left prints, not how many workers there were.

• Lightest known pair of neutron stars passes another test of Einstein's theory

  Astronomers have found the lightest known pair of neutron stars, Live Science and Phys.org reported. The two dead stars circle each other every 2 hours and 22 minutes. Timing radio pulses from one of the stars showed that their motion matches Einstein's theory of gravity to within about 1%.

• Webb telescope finds metal-rich gas around the Milky Way's black hole

  The gas around the black hole at the center of our galaxy is rich in metals, according to Live Science. The James Webb Space Telescope spotted the gas clouds and measured what they contain. Scientists think exploding stars likely spread the metals near the black hole over time.

• Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya set records for latest 30 C day

  Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya hit 30 C (86 F) or higher on Wednesday, the latest date in the year each city has ever done so. Warm air from a Pacific high-pressure system pushed temperatures up along Japan's Pacific coast. Osaka broke a record that had stood since 1933.

Lifestyle

• Michelin's American South guide adds three new one-star restaurants

  Two Georgia restaurants and one in New Orleans won new Michelin stars in the 2026 American South guide, Atlanta Magazine reported. The new stars went to spots in Atlanta, Gay, Georgia, and New Orleans. All eight Georgia restaurants that had stars kept them, and four South Carolina spots held their stars.

• Starbucks adds Black Cat Frappuccino with chocolate cat ears

  Starbucks' Black Cat Frappuccino arrives Thursday at select US stores for a limited time, Food Network and Delish reported. The chocolate drink is topped with whipped cream and chocolate cat ears. A large Venti Black Night Cookie launches the same day.