Robert Pattinson returns to the spotlight

Plus, Taylor Swift announces her new album; and nine Nobel Peace Prize winners unite to condemn the US TV show Stars and Stripes

Robert Pattinson. AP

Pattinson returns to the spotlight

Robert Pattinson has been out of sight since learning last month his girlfriend Kristen Stewart had an affair with a married movie director. But on Monday he was in New York for a chat with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show, where the host asked him, "What have you been up to?" and handed him ice cream. "We're just a couple o' gals talkin' ... tell me everything." Pattinson seemed uncomfortable but good-natured. "My biggest problem in life is I'm cheap and I didn't hire a publicist," joked the actor about navigating this highly publicised time – he really doesn't have a publicist. Stewart brought the conversation back to ice cream: "The last time I had a bad break-up, Ben & Jerry got me through. So I thought you and I could talk about, 'Boy, you are better off. Kick her to the curb. Whatever!'" he said, while Pattinson laughed. – AP

Taylor Swift announces new album

Taylor Swift will release her fourth album, Red, on October 22. She announced the worldwide release on Monday during a live web chat with her fans. She said she named it Red because of all the emotions she explores in the 16-track album. "Intense love, frustration, jealousy, confusion – all of that, in my mind, are 'red'. There's nothing in between. There's nothing beige about any of those feelings," said Swift, who has sold more than 22 million albums and 50 million singles throughout her career. – AP

Brandon Routh and Courtney Ford announce the birth of their son

The actors Brandon Routh and Courtney Ford welcomed their first child, Leo James, on Friday. Routh, who catapulted to fame for headlining the 2006 film Superman Returns, told People magazine: "We're in awe. We can't take our eyes off him!" Ford is known for her roles in True Blood and Parenthood. The couple got married in 2007. Routh will next be seen in the comedy series Partners, which premieres in the US next month.

Nobel laureates speak out against the US show Stars and Stripes

Nine winners of the Nobel Peace Prize, including the South African archbishop Desmond Tutu, are speaking out against the new US series Stars and Stripes. In an open letter, they say it "tries to sanitise war by likening it to an athletic competition". The show, which premiered on Monday, pairs celebrities with military personnel for simulated military challenges at a remote training facility. Celebrity participants include the boxing champion Laila Ali, the actor Dean Cain (The New Adventures of Superman), and Sarah Palin's husband, Todd Palin. NBC defended the show, saying it isn't "a glorification of war, but a glorification of service". The letter, sent on Monday to the network, said "This programme pays homage to no one anywhere", and called for NBC to stop airing the series. – AP