The Set

NASA's Artemis II mission is set to return astronauts to the moon for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972. The mission follows decades of shifting priorities, budget constraints and program cancellations that kept crews in low Earth orbit. The four-person crew will fly around the moon without landing, a stepping stone toward future lunar surface missions under the Artemis program.

South Africa and Australia face off in a Test match in Cape Town, with the series being billed as a potential 'grand final' ahead of the World Test Championship decider. Kagiso Rabada is set to return for the Proteas and renew his rivalry with Steve Smith, though South Africa are still weighing team permutations and have suffered a significant setback with a 340-wicket bowler ruled out. Attention is also on conditions, with a grassy pitch expected and weather potentially affecting Australia's bid to avoid a clean sweep.

The International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) has decided to stop adding leap seconds to Coordinated Universal Time, ending a decades-long practice of occasionally inserting an extra second to keep atomic clocks in line with Earth's rotation. The change, set out in a resolution from the 2026 General Conference, will be welcomed by technology companies and standards bodies who have long argued that unpredictable leap seconds pose risks to computer systems and network infrastructure.

Inter Miami are set to take on Columbus in a Major League Soccer fixture, with attention focused on whether Lionel Messi plays and where fans can watch live. TV Azteca is among outlets telling viewers how to follow the match, and the club is trending in searches across Spain, Italy, France, Germany, India and the Netherlands.

Organisers of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games have opened a second wave of ticket sales following a record-breaking first release. The initial sale is reported to have set demand records for Olympic ticketing, prompting organisers to put a further allocation of tickets on offer to the public.

A large-scale analysis of 500,000 electric vehicle battery health checks has compared 20 EV models, with one car standing out for its battery condition. The findings, reported by InsideEVs, offer one of the biggest real-world data sets on how different EV batteries hold up over time, and are drawing attention from buyers weighing long-term reliability.

Delivery workers for Uber Eats in France are reportedly using multiple phones to reject low-paying orders en masse, tricking the app's algorithm into raising delivery offers to €15 or more. The tactic, shared in a widely circulated clip, has sparked debate about gig-economy pay, worker tactics and how platforms set delivery fees.

The Edmonton Oilers are set to take on the Detroit Red Wings on October 26, with attention on defenseman Evan Bouchard and whether he will score a goal in the matchup. The NHL clash is drawing interest from fans following both teams early in the season, with Bouchard's offensive output a talking point ahead of puck drop.

Canadian sports broadcaster TSN is drawing attention across multiple stories. Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment's wrestling event Northern Rising is set to air on TSN on October 21, while longtime 'Voice of the Raptors' broadcaster Jack Armstrong has announced his return to the TSN broadcast crew. The network's coverage slate comes alongside a busy week in sports talk, including NFL Week 7 picks for the Seahawks against the Chiefs, Oliver Glasner's Nottingham Forest preparations, and updates on Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov's injury status.

Jack Gosiewski, the departing Brisbane Broncos forward, is reportedly set to be offered a contract lifeline by another club after leaving the Broncos. Rugby league outlet Zero Tackle reports that a new deal could be on the table despite his exit, giving the forward a path to continue his NRL career elsewhere.

Details of the 2027 Tour de France route are emerging, with the race set to depart from the United Kingdom before heading into central France. Regional reports say stages will pass through Chambord, Blois and Bourges, while attention is also turning to the col de la Loge des Gardes in the Allier as a possible climb on the route.

Sevilla are set to host Osasuna in a Spanish La Liga fixture scheduled for 26 October 2026. Searches around the match are drawing attention, with betting odds and live coverage being followed by fans ahead of kickoff. Both clubs will be looking to pick up points as the league season progresses.

Singapore's government is set to issue formal notices to seven companies over their alleged links to fires in Indonesia, according to a minister. The move targets firms suspected of involvement in land clearing that produced haze drifting into Singapore. Residents in the region closely watch such actions, as annual Indonesian fires routinely degrade air quality across Singapore and neighbouring countries.

Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time in final practice for the United States Grand Prix in Austin, edging out championship rival Max Verstappen ahead of qualifying. With the title fight closely contested, fans are following every session in Texas to see whether Hamilton can convert his practice pace into pole position and keep pressure on his Red Bull rival.

A security team reports achieving its goal of hacking the iPhone, describing the process in a newly published write-up. The account details how the researchers went after Apple's flagship device and ultimately succeeded. The disclosure is drawing attention from the security community, with readers debating the techniques involved and what they mean for iPhone security going forward.

The Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers are set to meet in an NBA matchup, with the Sixers listing James Harden and Dwyane Wade as questionable for the first game of a back-to-back set, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia. The injury uncertainty around key players is drawing attention as fans await confirmation on availability before tip-off.

The Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets are set to meet, with the final injury report casting doubt on the availability of Stephen Curry and Cameron Johnson. Fans and analysts are closely watching whether the two players will take the floor, as their absence could significantly affect the outcome of the matchup.

Denmark's Supreme Court has ruled that child sexual abuse material generated by artificial intelligence falls under the country's child pornography laws. The judgment means that AI-created images depicting the abuse of children can be prosecuted in the same way as material involving real victims, closing what had been viewed as a potential legal grey area in Danish criminal law.

Daniil Medvedev is set to face fellow Russian Andrey Rublev in the final of the ATP Hangzhou Open 2026, drawing attention from tennis fans and bookmakers worldwide. Coverage focuses on predictions, odds and betting picks for the all-Russian showdown, while talk also turns to his Shanghai rivalry with Stefanos Tsitsipas, which has shifted from early friction to mutual respect.

The Premier League is trending worldwide, topping search rankings in Australia, the UK, Brazil and Mexico. Attention centres on Manchester City after a guilty verdict linked to financial charges, with Enzo Maresca set to speak at a news conference and Frank Lampard among those reacting. Storm Bola has also forced further match closures on Merseyside, adding to fixture disruption.

A widely read essay argues that the software industry sets its sights far too low, settling for modest tools when far more ambitious systems are achievable. The piece, by researcher Dan Luu, contends that many everyday computing problems were essentially solved decades ago and that developers should push for transformative products rather than incremental ones. Readers are debating whether the industry's conservatism stems from economic pressures, technical limits or simple lack of imagination.

The Phoenix Suns and Oklahoma City Thunder are set to meet in an NBA game on Monday, and sports outlets are publishing expert betting picks ahead of tip-off. Sports Illustrated highlighted three expert-selected wagers for the matchup, reflecting strong interest from fans and bettors as the two teams square off.

Sporting Lisboa and Académico de Viseu are drawing attention ahead of their Portuguese football fixture. The matchup pits one of Portugal's biggest clubs against a side from Viseu, and fans are searching for line-ups, kickoff details and results. Interest has been building steadily as matchday approaches, with supporters debating Sporting's expected rotation and Académico's chances of an upset.