JQJO — Your world, one story at a time · Page 1263

European Union leaders failed to clinch a swift deal to fund Ukraine, deferring until December a proposal to use frozen Russian assets to back a €140 billion loan. Belgium, home to Euroclear where much of the money sits, balked at bearing disproportionate legal and financial risks, insisting they be shared. Brussels pledged to explore options for 2026–27 support while keeping the asset-backed plan on the table. Ursula von der Leyen said the 'what' is agreed, the 'how' remains. Volodymyr Zelensky called talks difficult as Ukraine’s urgent needs persist.

Outer Banks co-creator and director Jonas Pate has been accused of grabbing and shaking a young production assistant while shouting in her face. A source tells Variety that star Chase Stokes witnessed the physical and verbal aggression and immediately intervened, with Madelyn Cline stepping in afterward to help de-escalate the confrontation. The Netflix series is currently in production on its fifth and final season in Dubrovnik, Croatia; Netflix did not respond to Variety’s request for comment. The show debuted in 2020 and was renewed for its concluding season in November 2024. TMZ first reported the news.

Archbishop Stephen Wood, the highest-ranking prelate of the Anglican Church in North America, has been formally accused by former employees of sexual harassment, plagiarism and bullying, amid continuing turmoil in the small denomination. In a document submitted Monday, former staff member Claire Buxton alleges Wood gave her an "intimate" hug, tried to kiss her in his church office in April 2024, provided $3,500 in unexpected payments, used a pet name, and offered a luxury resort stay, according to The Washington Post. The presentment is not public. Wood was elected in June 2024 and remains rector and bishop.

More than 30 people, including Portland Trail Blazers coach and Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, were charged in two related federal gambling probes tied to the NBA and New York crime families. The years-long schemes allegedly netted tens of millions through insider sports betting and rigged poker games using fraudulent shufflers and x-ray tables. Prosecutors say Rozier tipped partners and a 2023 injury exit spurred $200,000 in bets; Billups is accused of aiding the poker rigging. The NBA put both on leave; Rozier’s lawyer disputed the charges.

Two jolting developments have reshaped Maine’s 2026 Democratic Senate primary: Gov. Janet Mills’ entry and a cascade of controversies around newcomer Graham Platner. Yet a University of New Hampshire poll shows Platner leading Mills 58% to 24%, with 14% undecided, surveyed Oct. 16–21 during the furor and before he said he covered up a tattoo after being told it resembled a Nazi symbol. Party leaders are split—Chuck Schumer backs Mills, while Bernie Sanders stands by Platner’s military service—most others keep their distance. Mills touts her record; Platner apologizes for past posts. The primary isn’t until June 2026.

The Trump administration announced steps to allow oil and gas drilling in Alaska, including a winter lease sale in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge’s 1.56-million-acre coastal plain and the reinstatement of seven leases canceled by the Biden administration. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the land “should and will be supporting responsible oil and gas leasing” at an “Alaska Day” event, as many Interior employees were furloughed during the government shutdown. He also finalized a deal for a gravel road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge and reaffirmed plans to greenlight an industrial road to a proposed Alaska mine.

Democrats who castigated Pete Hegseth over crusader-themed tattoos are staying quiet as Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner faces backlash for a chest tattoo resembling the Nazi Totenkopf. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Tammy Duckworth, who previously questioned Hegseth’s “Deus Vult” ink, did not respond to Fox News Digital’s inquiries about Platner. Platner, a Marine veteran backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, said he picked the design while drinking in Croatia in 2007 and later covered it. Sanders downplayed the uproar and reaffirmed his support.

As immigration enforcement intensified across Chicago, Democratic officials reported tense encounters with federal agents, including state Rep. Hoan Huynh, who says masked officers pointed a gun at him, tried to break his car window and photographed him after he honked to warn others. Ald. Mike Rodriguez said at least eight people, including four U.S. citizens and two members of his staff, were detained in Little Village and Cicero. DHS defended its operations and accused Huynh of stalking agents. City Council member Jessie Fuentes filed a federal tort claim after being handcuffed at a hospital during an earlier incident.

Harvard reported a sharp fall in Black and Hispanic first-year enrollment this fall, even as Asian American representation rose, underscoring the impact of the Supreme Court’s 2023 affirmative action ban. Black students make up 11.5% of the class, down from 14% last year and 18% in 2023; Hispanic students fell to 11% from 16%. Asian Americans rose to 41% from 37%. Princeton also saw Black enrollment slide to 5%. Harvard reinstated test-score requirements and saw fewer applicants, though levels remain 10% above pre-pandemic. Financial aid expanded; international enrollment edged down.

Microsoft’s Copilot is getting a “human-centered AI” makeover in its Fall Release, including Mico — an optional, expressive face that listens, reacts, and changes color. The company, which recently said it wanted better voice controls, is also rolling out Copilot Groups for chats of up to 32 people, new Memory & Personalization settings to carry context, and Copilot for health, grounding answers in sources like Harvard Health and helping match users with doctors. Microsoft says the updates are live in the US and will reach the UK, Canada, and beyond in the coming weeks.