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October 17, 2026 Good morning. We’re all temporary citizens of makeshift communities created by happenstance, tiny disposable societies forged and dismantled in jury rooms and departure lounges. María Jesús Contreras Paper towns By Melissa Kirsch I resisted the urge to sneak a peek at the questionnaire of the man sitting beside me at jury duty a few weeks ago. He’d been totally unknown to me a half-hour before, but now, through the accident of being summoned to serve this civic duty on the same day, he was part of my world, an object of curiosity, my neighbor for the day. Who was this 30ish man in a plaid flannel who didn’t crack a smile when the hammy lawyer released a fellow juror with the quip, “Always the bridesmaid, never the bride”? Who were any of these people who, as I had, took the day off work and stepped out of the currents of their lives to enter this fluorescent-lit parallel universe of judgment and justice? Jury duty presents an acute instance of the makeshift community: strangers who come together for a short period, and in that time become their own little society with its own customs and laws, its own characters and gossip. These accidental communities happen all around us, all the time: the people sitting around you on the beach, fellow passengers on a flight, other fans who started queuing for concert tickets before dawn. Unlike when, say, staying in the same bed-and-breakfast or sharing a cubicle at work, socializing is not expected; but just by being present, you’re part of the play. How quickly people go from invisible to mattering! At jury duty, the woman who works at a nonprofit and grew up in Kansas has such thoughtful answers to the lawyers’ queries: She is the most beloved of all my new neighbors. We share a smile when we’re released for lunch, the pop-up community equivalent of best friendship. And that man in the cap watching a movie on his phone: He’s breaking the no-devices rule, and we all revile him. By afternoon, we have familiarized ourselves with routes from the metal detector to the assembly room, assembly room to bathroom: These are our neighborhood’s streets. We all know the same sleepy security guard, the no-nonsense courthouse staff; they live here too. Our outside lives become dim — do we really have jobs and spouses and full-fledged personalities? Our friends have no idea about these people to whom we’ve uttered not a word but have somehow become our confederates, no inkling of all the infrastructure we’ve erected. Then, as quickly as this society materialized, it evaporates. Those of us who have not been empaneled are abruptly dismissed at 4:30 p.m. There is no duty keeping us here, no actual ties to unravel, so we spill out the doors and stagger back to our actual friends and neighbors. We will probably not remember one another, and isn’t there a tiny bit of grief in that? How strange to periodically take up residency in these disposable towns, to participate in their bureaucracies so intensely and then never revisit them. We return home to our established relationships, the people we’ve lived beside for years, those who know us and whom we know. How wonderful to be recognized, depended upon, to contribute to the ongoing project of building a community we hope will last. THE LATEST NEWS Oregon Shooting Outside Silver Rail Elementary School yesterday. Jordan Gale for The New York Times A teacher and a father of two girls stopped the 16-year-old assailant who killed four people at an Oregon school Thursday from doing much more damage. Read how they did it. Officials believe the attacker, a former special ed student at the school, used a shotgun owned by his mother. Here’s what else we know about him. Trump Administration Katie Zacharia is out after only five days as White House press secretary. Her ouster follows a shaky first news conference and questions about whether she misrepresented herself as a lawyer. President Trump signed an executive order exempting Russia from new sanctions legislation as part of his effort to lower gas prices. The Midterms Jeremy White/The New York Times Trump has claimed that noncitizens vote en masse, but studies show that it is so rare that it has never changed the outcome of an election. Our graphics put the frequency in perspective. Our reporters talked to young voters who have given up on Trump and to residents of Republican strongholds who are struggling with drug prices. Four congressional districts in Pennsylvania exemplify the types of seats that Democrats are aiming to flip. In the video below, our national political correspondent Shane Goldmacher explains. Click to watch. The New York Times Political Spending Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York transferred $1 million to Abdul El-Sayed’s Senate campaign in Michigan. Democratic candidates have out-raised Republicans, but super PACs tied to Elon Musk and Trump have kept the G.O.P. competitive. Some $137 million has been spent in this election cycle on A.I.-generated ads. More than 80 percent of those were by or on behalf of Republican candidates. Around the World Using new drones, Russia is trying to make life in Kyiv unbearable. See what it’s like there now. Dozens of Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Times reporters witnessed the attack, in which a photojournalist from The Washington Post was among the injured. Crime plunged in Caracas after death squads killed thousands in 2018 and 2019. Now Venezuela is investigating that blood-soaked campaign. Officials in France acknowledged that they failed to keep sexual offenders from working in schools. College Safety A campaign to unmask the former Cornell student who accused seven men of sexual assault began on X. Our reporters tracked how it evolved. A 19-year-old man was charged in the rape and fentanyl death of a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Science The international authority on timekeeping voted to eliminate the leap second. The contentious measure will be replaced, a very long time from now, with a leap hour. Researchers claimed to have found the world’s oldest shipwreck. Terence Tao, one of the world’s greatest living mathematicians, is on a “war footing” about A.I. In an interview, he told us why. THE INTERVIEW Philip Montgomery for The New York Times “We pledged to each other when we were 18, 17, 16, that we would never, ever walk onto a stage without it being everything. We’ve had fistfights onstage, we’ve had them backstage, we’ve had madness, but we’ve never betrayed that.” — Bono. He and The Edge talked to David Marchese on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of U2. They also have a new album coming out. Watch or read more of their conversation here. THE WEEK IN CULTURE Film and TV Oliver Reed and Vanessa Redgrave in a scene from “Ken Russell’s The Devils.” Warner Bros. Clockwork Perhaps the most in-demand screening at the Cannes Film Festival this spring was 55 years old and hated when it came out. A new restoration makes its qualities clearer. A cringe comedian might seem an odd choice to helm a documentary about Elizabeth Holmes — until you see Nathan Fielder’s TV shows. Get caught up with our guide. Music In 2003, the Dixie Chicks took on the president. In 2006, they took on the backlash with a Grammy-winning album. Now they’re on tour celebrating that album’s 20th anniversary. Barbara Kingsolver and Yiyun Li are novelists who also play piano. Both just published novels about pianists. We talked to them about it. More Culture The act of cutting paper is one of the world’s oldest folk arts. A new generation has given it a subversive edge. Trained as a historian, the painter Nilima Sheikh portrays the fractures of modern India in massive scrolls. Our critic says that her first New York show is marvelous. Deeply reported journalism needs your support. The Times relies on subscribers to help fund our mission. Become a subscriber today. GAME OF THE WEEK Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover Jay Laprete and Vera Nieuwenhuis/Associated Press Ohio State vs. Indiana, college football: The Athletic’s Justin Williams called this “the biggest home game in the history of Indiana football,” and it’s not hard to see why. The No. 5-ranked Hoosiers, who spent much of the last 70 years as the Big Ten’s punching bag, are now riding an incredible 22-game winning streak that includes last season’s national championship. Yet they’re still considered the underdog against the No. 4-ranked Buckeyes, whose star wide receiver, Jeremiah Smith, has appeared nearly impossible to defend. Kickoff is today at noon Eastern. — Matthew Cullen REAL ESTATE Graham Dickie for The New York Times The Hunt: After years of visiting her children in New York, a Colorado sculptor decided to look for a second home near Manhattan’s galleries. What did she find? Play our game. What you get for $400,000: An Italianate brick home in Schenectady, N.Y., a bungalow in Oregon, and a farmhouse in Indiana. Which would you choose? Jewel box: For decades, the architect Bob Ray Offenhauser built mansions for his clients. Now his own home is on the market. Check it out. LIVING Andrew Lee for The New York Times More space: An artist in Atlanta built his own backyard studio using salvaged materials. Go inside. Cosmetic restoration: Mask scratches, gouges and splintering on your hardwood floors with these D.I.Y. techniques. Home gallery: Young artists in New York are using their apartments as studios to showcase and sell their work. Meet some of them. ADVICE FROM WIRECUTTER Surprising things you should refrigerate Of course, your milk and poultry need to be kept cool. But the chilly darkness of your fridge can also help many common household objects last much longer. Cold temperatures can prevent an open bottle of super glue from turning rock solid or slow the aging process of unused photo film. Same goes for expensive skin care products, like vitamin C serums. Use teeth-whitening strips? The cold helps delay the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide and other active ingredients. Just make sure any nonfood items are clearly labeled, out of sight or out of reach from anyone who might not understand that they are not safe to ingest. — Maki Yazawa NOW TIME TO PLAY Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were burping and upbringing. Take the news quiz to see how well you followed this week’s headlines. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Crossplay, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your weekend with The Times. — Melissa Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Host: Sam Sifton Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Lara McCoy, Karl Russell Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Editorial Director, Newsletters: Jodi Rudoren Deputy Editorial Director: Lauren Jackson

Brazilian Amazon deforestation falls to lowest on record as pivotal vote looms Forest clearance at smallest total since records began in 1988 in success for Lula ahead of presidential run-off https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/oct/16/brazil-amazon-deforestation-lowest-on-record-election?

India’s Cockroach Janta party leader arrested amid crackdown on protests Abhijeet Dipke was detained before planned anti-government demonstrations in Delhi https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/16/india-cockroach-janta-party-leader-detained-amid-crackdown-protests?

‘I cannot carry all of this alone’: the couples kept apart by the war in Gaza Families have been scattered, fathers separated from their children, and couples unable to reunite and marry https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/17/couples-families-separated-war-in-gaza?

Trump pauses new Russia sanctions passed by Congress amid deepening row with Ukraine President signed the legislation championed by late senator Lindsey Graham last month but has waived the restrictions as they were due to come into effect https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/17/trump-puts-new-russia-sanctions-passed-by-congress-on-hold-amid-deepening-row-with-ukraine?

Georgia firefighters help veterinarian deliver rare 15-puppy litter; one firefighter adopted a puppy for his daughter. (More, w/photos and video) Bride jokingly surprises her dad with the emergency credit card he gave her when she left for college and let her keep through wedding planning. (More) Teen triathlete raises more than $30K to distribute 400 bikes and 500 helmets to low-income families, and host dozens of bike clinics. (More) Retired firefighter and fisherman coordinate six-hour community rescue of a dolphin stuck on a sandbar. (More, w/video) Woman secretly pays off her family's more than $58K debt with careful budgeting and over $40K in donations from a supportive online community. (More, w/video) Today, we're sharing a story from reader Kati B. in Kentucky. "I was in a very long line at the grocery store. When I finally got close to the register, I realized I had forgotten something. And I guess because of the look on my face, the lady behind me knew. She just looked at me and said, 'Run!' I did! And she just moved my cart up for me. When I got back, I helped her unload her groceries, too. That’s when I looked down and saw she had a broken foot."

Ovaries remain active decades after menopause, according to landmark study. The reproductive organs undergo structural tissue changes and experience increased inflammation, with molecular patterns often associated with cancer. The finding challenges the long-held assumption that ovaries go dormant after menopause and raises questions about whether ovaries should be removed later in life to support healthy aging. (More) Separately, the nation's leading OB-GYN group issued its first updated guidance on treating common menopausal symptoms in over a decade, strongly recommending hormone replacement therapy for hot flashes and night sweats. (More)

Israeli settlers attack West Bank olive harvest, injuring American journalist. Dozens of Israeli settlers burned olive trees and threw rocks at Palestinians in an attack on a West Bank village's annual olive harvest. At least two people were wounded and taken to a nearby hospital, including a photojournalist with The Washington Post who is in stable condition. Israeli settlers have launched at least 170 attacks since the annual olive harvest began Sept. 27. (More, w/photos, warning—sensitive) ps:And where is the outrage over this from anyone????? And by the way Israeli's should not be living in the West Bank, but the PM is allowing them to move there!!!!!

CDC to send disease detective to investigate Pennsylvania measles outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is sending one of its scientists to Pennsylvania to help contain the growing measles outbreak. The state averaged more than 100 new cases weekly last month and accounts for over a quarter of the nation's more than 4,400 confirmed cases (see heat map). Fewer than 1% of Pennsylvania's cases are among those who are fully vaccinated. (More) ps:Why not wait another year or so??

The so=called lSabbth l School Qluaterly ils the published recommendation for SDA congregations to use in their Sabbath Schoool clases.. SDA Congregations are free to use other mteriL. Many do use other material, including non=SDA material.

Russia strikes 9 Ukrainian regions as a new report shows a spike in civilian casualties Russian attacks on nine regions of Ukraine knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of households and wounded at least 15 people, officials said Friday, as a new report showed that civilian casualties from Russia’s invasion have climbed steeply. Read More.

LA fire survivors are set to lose case managers as standoff between California and FEMA drags on Throughout the arduous process to rebuild the Altadena home where she lived for nearly 50 years, Mary Landau has sometimes felt like giving up. Much of what has sustained her is the encouragement she receives from her disaster case manager. Read More.

Serbian populist leader Aleksandar Vucic returns to tragedy-hit Novi Sad for preelection rally Serbia 's populist leader Aleksandar Vucic on Friday staged a preelection rally in Novi Sad, the northern city where 16 people died in a train station tragedy almost two years ago setting off a wave of mass anti-government protests. Read More.

Croatian soccer fans arrested over antisemitic slurs during match with Amsterdam team Police in the Croatian city of Split on Friday arrested at least a dozen fans of the Hajduk Split soccer team a day after unruly supporters held an antisemitic rally, clashed with officers and interrupted a match with the visiting Dutch team Ajax. Read More.

Chile's president makes first state visit to Bolivia in 71 years as region shifts right Chilean President José Antonio Kast met with his Bolivian counterpart, Rodrigo Paz, in La Paz on Friday in the first state visit by a Chilean leader in more than seven decades, as a rightward political shift in South America reshapes long-standing rivalries. Read More.

Kenya confirms third Ebola case, a relative of the first patient who died Kenya's health ministry confirmed that a third person tested positive for Ebola on Friday while in quarantine after being identified as a known contact of the first patient, who died two days after arriving from Congo. Read More.

Trump puts new Russia sanctions that he recently signed into law on hold, citing national interest WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order that puts on hold a sweeping new sanctions package targeting the Russian economy, telling Congress the pause was in the national interest. https://apnews.com/article/russia-sanctions-trump-ukraine-e50c561ab805883bb4e484c092d8fadd? ps:What a pathetic agent for russia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Trump increased investments in drugmakers that benefited from Medicare exemptions, Democrats say Investments in pharmaceutical companies made on behalf of President Donald Trump increased significantly after he returned to the White House last year, with his portfolio adding millions of dollars in stock in firms that benefited from a Republican-backed law that shields certain medications from Medicare price negotiations, according to a report from congressional Democrats. Read More.

US is reviving shuttered nuclear plants to meet growing electricity demand and to power data centers The United States is making an unprecedented attempt to revive three shuttered nuclear plants to meet rising energy demand, including from large-scale data centers. Read More.

Switching sides Whether they’re opposing the GOP’s Trump-era exploits or acting on personal motives, a growing number of prominent Republicans are endorsing Democrats. CNN’s Aaron Blake walks us through the recent phenomenon.

Environmental menace? Nearly 90% of Americans say they’re more concerned than excited about the rise of data centers, according to a CNN poll. From their seemingly insatiable demand for water and energy to the heat and noise they produce, just how bad is AI for the environment?

Welcome to hell Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photos: Kevin Dietsch and Andrew Harnik/Getty Images, and Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images Have some sympathy for Capitol Hill's leaders next year, no matter who wins in November. 😩 Why it matters: The next Congress promises a thousand different ways to be miserable. And three of the big four leaders are expected to receive a two-year contract extension, with guaranteed long nights, bad days and short tempers. The fate of the fourth — Speaker Mike Johnson — rests on the outcome of the election. 🤕 The best (and worst) news for Senate Majority Leader John Thune is that the job as party leader is likely his if he wants it, even if Republicans lose the majority. Like his first two years as leader, Thune's next two will be marked by constant second-guessing, or worse, from a president who commands his party, crushes his opponents and questions Thune's courage. Then there's the GOP base. MAGA influencers are seething over Thune's reluctance to try to nuke the filibuster and jam through a voter-ID bill. Between the lines: Four of Thune's confidants — DHS Secretary (and former senator) Markwayne Mullin and Sens. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) — have left or are leaving the building. A fresh class of House conservatives will arrive in the Senate. They're likely to want to move fast and break things. The intrigue: Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) has not announced a third attempt to lead his party, but plenty of Republicans on the Hill suspect he will. Scott notably backtracked on his support for Thune in September. But Thune doesn't have to worry about his number two. Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) — who would be the top contender if Thune stepped down — has doubled down on his support. ⚠️ Thune's relationship with Speaker Johnson has been rocky throughout the year. If Republicans lose the House majority, Thune could find himself coordinating and strategizing with a new House leader. Most of Johnson's colleagues don't expect him to stay if the House flips. However, in the campaign's final weeks, Johnson has been playing Hamlet, publicly entertaining his next moves. With or without Johnson on stage, Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) are widely viewed as top contenders. 😎 Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer appears secure in his job as Democratic leader. His longevity in the role — or the Senate — is not. He's up for reelection in 2028 and could face a primary challenge from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). Many Democrats expect him to retire. One possible result: YOLO Chuck, a 76-year-old majority leader with an angry base and ambitious colleagues, but nothing to lose. 🤬 One urgent task for Schumer is to get on the same page as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, whose progressive members have some strong feelings about Schumer and the Senate. Jeffries and Schumer took dramatically different approaches to funding the government in March 2025. These differences would be harder to manage in the majority, especially if Jeffries struggles to maintain discipline within his ranks. However, Jeffries — like Schumer and Thune — doesn't appear to have any formidable challengers for party leader. Jeffries could face many of the same headaches Johnson did — a wing of his party that ran on anti-establishment principles and whose votes cannot be counted on. What we're watching: Trump and Schumer have a complicated relationship. But the president has indicated he sees Jeffries as someone he could work with. — Stef Kight and Hans Nichols

Teen shooter who killed 4 at Oregon elementary school was a former student, police say BEND, Ore. (AP) — A teacher threw her phone at the teenage gunman who killed four people at an Oregon elementary school, then tackled and fought with him — likely saving lives before he was shot by a father who followed him into the building, police said Friday. https://apnews.com/article/oregon-school-shooting-silver-rail-elementary-989180ae6e9aa2ed6a4239c8e3423085?

GC. Sometimes it is funny to read the quarterly in a third world country. Sometimes I have to explain a story or authors expressions. In the third world, they just marvel at this. "The same as my first car" They don't even dream of a car. They ride public transportation or a scooter.

General Conference President Erton Köhler welcomes attendees and prays Annual Council will bless them and the Church. https://adventist.news/news/color-calling-and-commitment-open-the-2026-annual-council

NCAA sues Ohio governor over his executive order allowing schools to ignore new eligibility rule The NCAA sued the governor of Ohio on Friday, three days after he signed an executive order giving state universities the option of allowing athletes who graduated from high school in 2022 to play a fifth year in college in defiance of the NCAA’s new eligibility rule. https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-ohio-lawsuit-e7a9026e4f3a260ba8735de4afa65027?