The Nobel Prize Committee just announced that Ales Bialiatski of Belarus, the Russian organization Memorial and the Ukrainian organization Center for Civil Liberties are the joint recipients of this year's Nobel Peace Prize for their work in human rights. Nobel prizes in a number of categories have been announced throughout the week. 

In a sick twist of fate, just hours before the Nobel Peace Prize winners were announced, President Joe Biden told a crowd at a Democratic fundraiser that he believes the risk of nuclear "Armageddon" is at the highest level since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. He said he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin is “not joking when he talks about the use of tactical nuclear weapons or biological or chemical weapons.” Russians have been leaving the country rather than get drafted into the Ukraine War and two of them reportedly landed on a remote Alaskan island and are seeking asylum.

Earlier in the day Biden took historic action to pardon thousands of people convicted of cannabis possession and review federal cannabis laws. His actions come as Democrats stare down the midterm elections while battling rising inflation and an energy crisis exacerbated by Russia’s war in Ukraine. The federal pardons will impact roughly 6,500 people. 

Speaking of the energy crisis, gasoline prices shot up 3 cents Thursday, one day after oil cartel OPEC and its allies announced a plan to cut 2 million barrels of supply per day. The decision spurred a backlash among world leaders, including Biden, who expressed "disappointment" and said the administration was looking into alternatives. It's unclear what those alternatives might be, but the U.S. continues to release oil from its strategic reserves and invest in green power options. 

CALIFORNIA FAMILY KILLED: Police now say the suspect who they believe kidnapped and killed four family members, including an 8-month-old, was a former employee who had a longtime dispute with them. Their bodies were found in a rural almond orchard in central California. The suspect was later taken into custody. The sheriff called the killings an act of "pure evil." 

THAILAND MASSACRE: In the deadliest rampage in Thailand's history, a former police officer on Thursday killed at least 36 people, including 24 children and a pregnant teacher at a daycare center. The murders took place in the city of Uthai Sawan in northeast part of the country. The attacker fled the scene and murdered his wife and child before killing himself. 

LAS VEGAS: Two people were killed and six others injured when a man started stabbing people on the Las Vegas strip. The attack began near the Wynn casino. A suspect is in custody and police are trying to determine a motive. 

The fact that rents are high in New York City is unlikely to surprise many readers, but now they're outpacing wages at the highest rate since the Great Recession. Rent increases exceeded wage growth by 23% in August, making life even harder for the nearly 50% of city residents who are already paying more than a third of their income on rent. Relatedly, a big jobs report is due out today, and economists and policymakers will be dissecting the data for signs of how jobs and wages are faring amid inflation. 

The city of Philadelphia has issued a formal apology for conducting experiments on prison inmates from the 1950s to the 1970s, including testing products such as facial creams and moisturizers. The tests exposed the inmates, many of whom were Black, to viruses, fungus, asbestos and other dangerous substances. Mayor Jim Kenney apologized to the victims for how long it took to hear these words and pointed out how the problem of racism in medicine continues to this day. 

If you like pop culture, this is going to be a big weekend for you! Marvel, DC Comics, Disney+ and so many more are in the Big Apple for New York Comic Con. Cheddar News senior reporter Michelle Castillo got an exclusive look at the floor before doors opened and she explains why so many non-comic book companies will be in the house.

SPACEY ON TRIAL: The civil suit against disgraced actor Kevin Spacey commenced Thursday with opening statements. Star Trek: Discovery star Anthony Rapp first filed the lawsuit in 2020, alleging that Spacey groped him in 1986 when he was 14 years old. Spacey is also facing a sexual assault trial in the United Kingdom, which is set to begin in 2023. 

NETFLIX IN THEATERS: Your favorite at-home streaming service is headed for the big screen. Rian Johnson’s “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” sequel to the film "Knives Out," will hit AMC, Regal and Cinemark theaters Nov. 23, a month before it begins streaming. 

SUPER MARIO BROS.: The trailer for the upcoming film "The Super Mario Bros." film is out! Chris Pratt stars as Mario. Check it out!

Despite a particularly bleak series of stories today, it's important to think about what is good. Today is World Smile Day, a celebration started by Harvey Bell who created the smiley face icon in 1963. Though the image became very commercialized, he thought people should "devote one day each year to smiles and kind acts throughout the world." We agree.

One thing we love: The smell of autumn in the air. 

One thing we hate: Five days of rain.

One thing we ate: Bagels and lox after the Yom Kippur fast. (L'shana tova to all who observe!) 

Looking for something good to stream this weekend? The Cheddar News Digital Team has you covered! One of these things is not like the other this week: a teen comedy series, a teen comedy film and Halloween terror. We recommend … you decide!