Switzerland formally reopens diplomatic office in North Korea after its closure in 2020.
Published On 30 Oct 202630 Oct 2026
Switzerland has formally reopened its diplomatic office in North Korea as Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis held talks in Pyongyang about normalising political relations between the two countries.
On Friday Cassis wrapped up a two-day visit to North Korea – the first by a Swiss government minister in more than two decades – in which he discussed “regularising political relations and reestablishing a political dialogue”, he wrote on X.
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Cassis, who is also Switzerland’s vice president, met Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui and Jo Yong Won, a secretary of the Central Committee of the ruling Korean Workers’ Party.
“We also exchanged views on security on the Korean Peninsula and broader Eurasian security challenges,” he added on X.
After the formal reopening of the Swiss diplomatic office on Thursday, Cassis posted that he was “pleased” to mark a “new chapter” in his country’s presence in Pyongyang, hailing the office as a “concrete step towards strengthening direct dialogue” with North Korea.
The office, operational since October 19, will not have an ambassador. It reports to the Swiss embassy in Beijing, which handles diplomatic and consular relations with North Korea. The office had closed in March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This office will help to strengthen direct contacts with the authorities of the DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] and support political dialogue with them,” the Swiss Foreign Ministry said.
North Korea’s state news agency KCNA confirmed Cassis’s arrival in the country on Thursday but gave no details on the purpose of the visit. It had not been known beforehand whether he would meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and there has been no report of a meeting.
Bern said it intended to maintain its commitment to the region amid heightened tensions and limited international contact with North Korea, having been one of the few Western countries to keep up a dialogue with Pyongyang.
The last Swiss Federal Council member to visit was then-Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey, in 2003.
Cassis crossed into South Korea on Friday for the final leg of his regional trip.
According to the Swiss foreign ministry, his talks in Seoul will focus on security on the peninsula, prospects for easing regional tensions and bilateral ties.
Switzerland’s involvement on the Korean Peninsula dates back more than 70 years, including its role on the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission.
Also in South Korea, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz invoked his country’s reunification during a visit to the inter-Korean border. “Let us hope that Korea, too, will one day have the chance to regain its national unity,” he said.
Israel has displaced at least 4,969 people through its siege on Hebron, a settler opened fire on a group of children in a playground near Hebron, and Israeli forces arrested three Palestinians returning to Gaza.
IT’S now easier than ever to get to the world’s largest non-continental island.
Greenland has opened a new airport in Ilulissat – the country’s third largest town.
Greenland has opened a brand new airportCredit: AP
The country is one of the least visited in the world, only welcoming 180,000 tourists a year (for comparison, the US welcomes that many tourists per day, on average).
The airport aims to connect Greenland to the rest of the world, costing an estimated 1.77billion DKK (£197million).
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It is the third new airport to open in the country since 2024 as part of a huge project costing around £700million.
The new airport has a 2,200 metre runway which can host larger aircraft, allowing for international flights and as a result, making Greenland easier to get to.
There’s also a passenger terminal that sprawls across 5,000 square metres for departures and arrivals.
One of the airlines that operates at the airport is Air Greenland, with domestic flights between Ilulissat Airport and destinations including Nuuk, Aasiaat, Qaarsut and Upernavik.
Air Greenland also launched a direct route between Ilulissat and Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen this week, which takes around six hours.
And Icelandair will operate a seasonal service between Keflavík and Ilulissat from June 3 to October 16, 2027.
The airport is currently ramping up its operations gradually but is set to be fully operation by summer 2027.
It is the third airport to open in the country in two yearsCredit: Visit Greenland/Greenland Airports
Jens Lauridsen, CEO of Greenland Airports said: “The opening is a historic milestone for Ilulissat, for North Greenland, and for all of Greenland.
“The three new airports in Ilulissat, Nuuk, and Qaqortoq fundamentally change how the country is connected internally and how Greenland is connected to the rest of the world.”
Near to the airport is the Ilulissat Icefjord UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you can see enormous icebergs as well as the local wildlife.
“We’ll play our November shows and then take our first break in 50 years.
“Thank you for all your support!”
One fan commented: “The hardest working band in rock!”
Another said: “Take your well deserved break from touring & enjoy some free time for yourselves. You are forever MY Band.”
Taking to Instagram. the group shared a statement informing their fans of this updateCredit: Instagram/cheaptrickThe group confirmed their decision was not due to health reasonsCredit: Getty
A third wrote: “Get some great rest. Its all good.
“Hope you have a wonderful break. Take care.”
A fourth shared: “Enjoy your well deserved break and time with your families.
“Looking forward to future shows!”
Throughout Cheap Trick’s history, they have released 21 studio albums, eight live albums and 20 compilation albums.
The rock group also have four extended plays, and 66 singles to their name.
The owner of the Villa Vie Odyssey ‘never-ending cruise’ has broken his silence after passengers claimed they were ‘dumped’ in Cambodia. The round-the-world voyage came to a halt this week, with the ship now docked at the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville.
Captain Emanuele Giudice also spoke to reporters on Thursday(Image: Getty)
The boss of a ‘never-ending cruise’ has said he feels awful after passengers claimed they were ‘dumped’ in Cambodia when their round-the-world voyage came to a halt. The Villa Vie Odyssey remains moored at Sihanoukville, on the Gulf of Thailand, with no departure date confirmed by its operator.
Passengers claim they were given just seven hours’ notice to leave the ship on Tuesday and received no assistance with making alternative arrangements. Randy Cassingham, one of those on board, alleged they had been “dumped” in Cambodia. Mikael Petterson, founder and executive chairman of Villa Vie Residences, spoke to reporters the following day.
“I feel awful,” he said when contacted by phone on Wednesday, Business Insider reported. “I’m the villain in the story, but I’m doing everything I can to support the residents on a solution.” Mr Petterson described disappointing passengers as “incredibly deflating”.
He added: “Nobody that’s tried residential cruising has succeeded, and we’ve gone further than anyone else. But I think we would have been absolutely fine – and we would have seen this through – if there was no Iran war.”
On Thursday, Captain Emanuele Giudice spoke to reporters on the dock, telling them that passengers were asked to leave because the fuel situation was “critical”.
The Odyssey was promoted as a way to combine long-term living at sea with travel across all seven continents. Its operator offered to “make the Odyssey your permanent home,” with cabins available to buy for the lifetime of the vessel from around $230,000 (roughly £171,000).
According to Cambodian authorities, the ship was carrying 203 passengers, most of them American, and 156 crew members. It has room for 650 passengers. In a statement on Tuesday, Villa Vie Residences said monthly fuel costs had soared following the US and Israel invasion of Iran. The company said costs per cabin, previously averaging $1,800 (£1,340), had risen to an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 in some parts of Asia.
The operator tried to reduce fuel use by cutting back its itinerary and spending longer in port, but said those measures had not been enough to offset the rising costs. Mr Petterson told CBS News the company would “likely file for Chapter 11 here any day, right, which will put a stay on that while we go through the restructure process”.
CBS also reported claims from insiders that crew members had to buy food from local supermarkets after an unpaid supplier stopped making deliveries. A Villa Vie source told the Express that staff had occasionally used a corporate credit card to buy supplies, but said all employees had since received their wages.
For some passengers, the voyage had been intended to last for years. Paul and Lynn Montoya, a retired couple from Wyoming, told AP News they had bought a window cabin and joined the ship in Panama 17 months ago. Mr Montoya said itinerary changes, unreliable internet access and declining food standards had prompted many residents to leave in recent months.
Sisters Carol Larson, 69, and Crystal Lavering, 72, from California, had lived in separate cabins for 18 months. They described the suspension as heartbreaking but remained hopeful the cruise could resume. “I hope there is a movement for the residents to buy the ship and I am hoping that goes through because it’s a dream to live on the ship and I don’t want it to end,” Larson said.
The ship arrived in Sihanoukville last Friday and had been due to leave on Wednesday, according to Long Dimanche, deputy governor of Preah Sihanouk province. He said it was now expected to refuel and depart Cambodia on Saturday, although the operator has not publicly confirmed that date.
Built in 1993, the Odyssey sailed under several names for different cruise lines before being grounded during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Villa Vie Residences bought it in 2023. Its current voyage began in October 2024 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, following refurbishment. The journey was originally scheduled to last three and a half years, with a second cruise provisionally due to finish in August 2030.
VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV has become the first pope to vote in a U.S. general election, casting a mail-in ballot in a contest that will decide America’s future as the Trump era slowly comes to an end.
The Vatican confirmed Friday that the Chicago-born pontiff had submitted a mail-in ballot in Chicago ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, citing his long-standing belief in civic participation.
Leo, formerly Robert Prevost, “has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen” and has done so “whenever he was eligible to do so,” the Holy See press office said.
The statement said he had also voted while living in Peru whenever he was eligible. Leo lived in Peru as a missionary priest and bishop for over 20 years.
“The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes,” it added.
Leo holds U.S. and Peruvian citizenship, and is also the head of state of a foreign country, the Holy See. The city state is an absolute monarchy with no political elections.
This election, Illinois voters are deciding whether to elect Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to his third term, and they’re also filling an open U.S. Senate seat after longtime Catholic Democrat Dick Durbin’s retirement. President Donald Trump is not on the ballot but he has campaigned hard to try to preserve Republican control of the U.S. House and Senate for the final two years of his second term.
Leo’s vote was first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, which quoted the chief of staff at the Will County clerk’s office as saying the pope, registered at a New Lenox address, requested a mail-in ballot on Oct. 3.
The request was made just 10 days before Leo underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his right lung. Leo has been slowly resuming his activities at the Vatican after being released from the hospital Oct. 17.
It is unclear how Leo returned the ballot. The pope’s older brother, John Prevost, was in Rome this week accompanying parishioners from St. Jude’s, an Augustinian-run parish in New Lenox, Illinois. The elder Prevost attends Mass there, and Leo gave a talk at the parish in 2024 while still a cardinal.
Prevost’s past votes have gone Democratic and Republican
Since 2000, Robert Prevost has voted in five primary elections, requesting Democratic ballots twice and Republican ballots three times, according to records held by the Illinois State Board of Elections.
The records do not show which candidates he supported. Illinois voters must declare a party preference to receive a primary ballot. No such declaration is required in general elections.
While registered in heavily Democratic Cook County, Prevost requested Democratic primary ballots in 2008 and 2010. After moving to the more conservative suburban Will County, he requested Republican primary ballots in 2012, 2014 and 2016.
The records also show that he submitted ballots in every general election since 2000 except those in 2020 and 2022.
Clashes with Trump
Since becoming pope, Leo has drawn criticism from President Donald Trump for repeatedly condemning the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran and calling for dignified treatment of immigrants.
Earlier this year, Trump called Leo “weak” and captive to the “radical left.”
Responding to Trump’s public rebuke, Leo told reporters en route to Algeria in April: “I’m not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel, which is what the church works for.”
“I will continue to speak out strongly against war, seeking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateralism among states to find solutions to problems,” he said.
The public dispute has subsided in recent months.
A pope who follows U.S. politics closely
Leo has made clear on several occasions that he follows local and national U.S. politics closely, and is not afraid to intervene.
He has repeatedly called for reflection and humane treatment for immigrants in his native U.S. amid the Trump administration crackdown and mass deportation program.
Recently, Leo reiterated official church teaching declaring the death penalty “inadmissible.” He made the pronouncement in a social media post on the World Day Against the Death Penalty, which came as the U.S. announced plans to livestream an execution by firing squad. The plans were later scrapped.
In 2025, Leo intervened in a debate over abortion, after Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich announced plans to give a lifetime achievement award to Sen. Durbin. The plans drew objection from some conservative U.S. bishops given the powerful Democratic senator’s support for abortion rights. Leo called for respect for both sides, but he also pointed out the contradiction between people who call themselves “pro-life” but also support the death penalty.
Also in 2025, Leo said he was “very disappointed” that his home state of Illinois approved a law allowing medically assisted dying, which is condemned by the Catholic Church.
Winfield writes for the Associated Press. AP editor Holly Meyer contributed to this report from Nashville, Tenn.
Tage Thompson had three goals and two assists, Zach Benson added a goal and two assists, and the Buffalo Sabres scored six consecutive goals during a 7-6 victory over the struggling Ducks on Thursday night.
Thompson’s 10th career hat trick tied him with Alexander Mogilny and Danny Gare for the third-most in Sabres history. One night before his 29th birthday, Thompson scored twice in 15 seconds in the second period, skating around the Ducks’ inert defense for a breakaway third goal that sent a dozen hats flying onto the Honda Center ice.
Tyson Kozak, Noah Ostlund and Jack Quinn also scored and Colten Ellis made 28 saves for the Sabres, who roared back from an early two-goal deficit and then hung on to improve to 2-0-1 on their four-game trip.
Roger McQueen scored his first NHL goal and Cutter Gauthier ended his nine-game drought with two goals for the Ducks, who led 3-1 in the first period before getting blitzed 6-0 by Buffalo over the next 35 minutes.
Tristan Luneau and Beckett Sennecke scored for the Ducks (5-7-1) in the final 1:08 with Ville Husso pulled for an extra attacker, but the Sabres survived.
Captain Mikael Granlund scored and Leo Carlsson had three assists in the Ducks’ seventh loss in eight games. Husso stopped 23 shots for Anaheim, which is without injured defensemen Pavel Mintyukov and Ian Moore on its already shallow blue line.
After Granlund and Gauthier got power-play goals 57 seconds apart, McQueen put the Ducks up 3-1 with a rebound goal from the slot. The 6-foot-5 center made the Ducks’ roster out of training camp at 20 years old, but hadn’t yet scored an NHL point.
But Ostlund scored only Buffalo’s fifth power-play goal of the season midway through the first before Thompson tied it with his sixth goal. The Sabres (6-4-3) dominated the second period, and Thompson finally put them ahead with a one-timer off a faceoff win by Peyton Krebs, who had three assists.
Up next for the Ducks: vs. Ottawa at Honda Center on Sunday.
US stocks have continued to slide as concerns continue to intensify over the increasing costs of the artificial intelligence (AI) build out.
Shares in Intel continued their overnight slide into early trading on Friday, falling as much as 30% after the chip maker warned of a weaker computer market even as it plans to increase spending on AI.
Amazon shares fell as far as 6% before recovering after its reported earnings on Thursday evening fell short of investors’ expectations.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq stock exchange opened on Friday at its lowest level in more than two months, down 2.5%, as other tech stocks including Reddit and Roblox continued to fall.
The losses follow the value of Google owner Alphabet plunging by more than $500bn on Thursday after it revealed its own AI summaries were affecting its core search advertising revenue.
Alphabet stock continued to fall in early trading, down 1% after Thursday’s massive slide.
The bigger losses on Friday were elsewhere, with Intel on track to lose more than $130bn in value after its earnings update rattled investors.
On Thursday, Intel’s finance chief David Zinsner said the firm did not expect positive cash flow this year, and forecast lower-than-expected revenue for its fourth quarter.
“Looking ahead, we see the PC slowdown continuing at least through the first half of next year,” he said in the chip maker’s third quarter earnings report.
In the earnings call, he said the firm had significantly ramped up investment in equipment in the third quarter and expected that to be “even more significant” in the following three months.
Just in time for next week’s midterms, Brooklyn-based artist Phil Buehler has unveiled another one of his series of public art installations critiquing modern politics on a stretch of chain link fence between a coffee shop and a bar in Bushwick. The 50-foot-long, 10-foot-high piece, “Wall of Crazy,” features 1,516 of President Trump’s social media posts — selected from more than 70,000 — and arranged chronologically, with color-coded statement categories aligning with the American Psychiatric Assn.‘s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition.
These include: social-emotional incongruity (“Happy Thanksgiving to all including the racist and incompetent Attorney General of New York State”); divine favor/ magical thinking (an AI photo of Trump seated beside Jesus Christ in court); catastrophizing (“This miscarriage of justice will destroy America if they don’t change their absolutely insane decision”); contradictions and reversals (a 2019 post calling Atty. Gen. Bill Barr “fair and reasonable” vs. a 2023 post calling him “dumb, weak, slow moving, lethargic, gutless and lazy”); hostility, humiliation and threats (calling Tucker Carlson a “very low IQ individual. He could barely get out of college and maybe he didn’t.”); grandiosity (“I am far healthier than Clinton, Bush, Obama, Biden, but especially, Kamala”); extraordinary and implausible claims (“The U.S.A. is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran at levels of military strength and power not seen since World War II”); persecution and victimhood (“Only 25 percent want the president impeached, which is pretty low considering the volume of fake news coverage, but pretty high considering the fact that I did nothing wrong”); and conspiracy thinking (“Wayne County (Detroit) Michigan is one of the most corrupt voting areas in the United States, if not the world”).
In a recent phone interview, Buehler said he made the wall over a period of months beginning in July, using his day-job background in market research and data analysis and statistics to search for patterns in large amounts of data in order to distill it down to something simple. Buehler’s first foray into making a wall of public art came in 2020 with the “Wall of Lies,” which documented more than 20,000 false or misleading claims made by Trump.
A detail shot of the “Wall of Crazy” by Brooklyn-based artist Phil Buehler, featuring 1,516 of Donald Trump’s social media posts.
(Photo from Phil Buehler)
At that time, he said, he was struck by the massive volume of falsehoods. “I wanted to dramatize that in a way that brought the sheer scale of it to life,” he said, noting that the same objective holds true for the “Wall of Crazy.” People have known that Trump tells lies since the 2020 presidential election, Buehler said, adding that it’s a story that is continuously told and has simply become part of the daily news cycle that people move on from.
“Making something into a public artwork brings it back into that cycle because I think it comes into people’s heads in a different way,” Buehler said. Plus, because it’s sandwiched between a coffee shop and a bar, it gets both the thinking morning crowd and the more raucous and celebratory evening crowd. The piece, which is being presented by the independent community radio station Radio Free Brooklyn, has been up for about two days, but will be officially unveiled during a modest neighborhood ceremony today at noon EDT.
“The scale of it is important,” Buehler said. “By attracting your eye and attention and then allowing you to walk up to it and read … Trump’s posts.”
In photos Buehler shared, people are doing just that. Some pass by quickly, others stay immersed for quite some time.
The “Wall of Crazy” is the fifth such collaboration between Buehler and Radio Free Brooklyn. After the “Wall of Lies” came the “Wall of Liars and Deniers” (2022), “featuring 381 Republican election-denying candidates”; then the “Wall of Shame” (2025), “documenting 1,575 January 6 defendants pardoned by Trump”; and “Wall of Tears” (2026), “memorializing 18,457 children documented killed in Gaza.”
The “Wall of Lies” was extensively vandalized by Proud Boy protesters, but the others have been mostly left alone, Buehler said.
“The Wall of Crazy shows how Buehler and Radio Free Brooklyn use public art to spotlight our political climate. Calling out the inflammatory, incoherent, divisive and obscene rhetoric under this administration is critical to democracy,” said Orie Givens, president of the Radio Free Brooklyn Board, in a news release. “Like earlier walls, it captures our political culture and urges action before Election Day: voters can change the country’s direction. And it shows why we must support free media — especially independent outlets — that expose this administration’s actions and impact nationwide.”
I’m Arts editor Jessica Gelt, wishing us all a peaceful and sane midterm election and a Happy Halloween. This is your arts and culture news for the week.
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The week ahead: A curated calendar
FRIDAY
Singer Lila Downs.
(Berenice Bautista / AP Photo)
Lila Downs The singer blends Mexican tradition with jazz, cumbia, folk and contemporary rhythms in a celebration of Día de Muertos, featuring Ballet Folklórico de Los Ángeles and songs from Downs’ new album “Cambias mi Mundo.” 8 p.m. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
Hercules vs. Vampires LA Opera presents a musical reimagining of Mario Bava’s 1961 cult film “Hercules in the Haunted World,” starring Reg Park and Christopher Lee, with an original score by Patrick Morganelli, conducted by Blair Salter. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday. United Theater on Broadway, 929 S Broadway, downtown L.A. laopera.org
Kiki Smith “Untethered Journey,” the artist’s first solo show in L.A. in 30 years, includes historical and recent works. Opening reception, 6-8 p.m. Friday; exhibit continues through Jan. 23. Jeffrey Deitch, 925 N. Orange Drive. deitch.com
SATURDAY
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Organist Brett Valliant performs the score live with John S. Robertson’s 1920 silent horror film starring John Barrymore. 3 p.m. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
Día de los Muertos Forest Lawn celebrates the Mexican holiday at four of its locations, with marigolds, handcrafted Catrina and alebrijes (spirit guide) artworks and brightly colored community ofrendas (altars), plus folklorico dance and mariachi music performances, arts & crafts, face painting, food and refreshments. A free family-friendly event. Noon-3 p.m. Sunday. Forest Lawn Covina Hills, 21300 Via Verde Drive, Covina, Forest Lawn Cypress, 4471 Lincoln Ave., and Forest Lawn Glendale, 1712 S. Glendale Ave.; 5-8 p.m. Monday. Forest Lawn Cathedral City, 69855 E. Ramon Road. forestlawn.com
Harriet Sansom Harris in “Werewolf by Night.”
(Marvel Studios)
Werewolf by Night & Headless Michael Giacchino hosts an evening featuring the premiere of “Headless,” a musical by the Academy Award-winning composer and collaborators Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson, based on “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” followed by a live-to-picture screening of his 2022 film “Werewolf by Night,” with Sarah Hicks conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic. 8 p.m. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
SUNDAY
Building Bridges: The Master Chorale in Concert With the National Chorus of Korea Two world-class choral organizations team up for a cross-cultural program uniting more than 100 singers. 7 p.m. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. lamasterchorale.org
Family Fest: Día de los Muertos A free event featuring activities, festive music, dance and foods. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills. thewallis.org
TUESDAY
Singer Lyle Lovett.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Lyle Lovett and His Small Large Band The four-time Grammy-winning Texan performs his greatest hits. 8 p.m. Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, 18000 Park Plaza Drive. ccpa.cerritos.gov
WEDNESDAY
Daniel Passer direct “The Farce Awakens: Ferdeau x 2” at Odyssey Theatre Ensemble.
(Odyssey Theatre Ensemble)
The Farce Awakens: Feydeau x 2 Cirque du Soleil clown Daniel Passer directs “Going to Pot” and “Stark Naked,” two one-acts by Georges Feydeau. Through Jan. 17, 2027. Odyssey Theatre, 2055 South Sepulveda Blvd. odysseytheatre.com
The Laugh Track Playwright Wendy MacLeod’s comedy goes behind the scenes of “I Love Lucy,” the groundbreaking 1950s sitcom starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Directed by Brian Shnipper. Through Nov. 22. International City Theatre, 330 E. Seaside Way, Long Beach. ictlongbeach.org
The SoCal scene
The Endeavour shuttle is on display in launch position at the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center in Exposition Park.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
ICYMI: The best of this week’s L.A. Times arts coverage.
Artist Barry McGee poses for a portrait at Jeffrey Deitch gallery.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
San Francisco artist Barry McGee is back in L.A. after February’s wild takeover of a 99 Cents Only Store. This time he’s staging a show called “Another Round” at Jeffrey Deitch gallery on Santa Monica Boulevard.
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins poses in the press room with the award for best revival of a play for “Appropriate” during the 77th Tony Awards.
(Evan Agostini / Invision / AP)
London’s Royal Court Theatre announced that playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ 2025 Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning “Purpose,” directed by Phylicia Rashad, will launch its new season in January, marking the hugely successful Broadway show’s first staging outside of the U.S. (“Purpose” opens at Geffen Playhouse next month.)
The theft of $6.3B of assets from Binance, constituting the world’s largest crypto hack, was conducted by a North Korean cybercrime group, according to two crypto analysis firms’ assessment on Friday.
Binance also provided a further update on the amount
Steak au poivre is a bistro classic that’s as timeless as French fries or a certain Gruyère-topped onion soup. Its intense, savory flavors strike a balance of richness and heat — the ideal comforting and hearty bite on a crisp fall evening. But across Los Angeles, the peppery dish is getting a second life and its bold flavors are spicing up everything from burgers to ice cream and cocktails. And, of course, its signature sauce is still being poured over plenty of steaks too.
“Au poivre is a flavor people already know and love. It feels classic and a little indulgent, and right now people want food that’s comforting and familiar,” says chef Patrick Costa, who recently added an au poivre cheeseburger at his new restaurant Sous Sous in Silver Lake. “It’s the steakhouse nostalgia people are craving, but approachable, with no white tablecloth required.”
At Compass Rose, a cafe and bar in West Adams, beverage director Danny Rubenstein crafted a cocktail that celebrates France with au poivre flavors. “I found it a fun challenge to try to turn a creamy au poivre sauce into a cocktail,” he says. “The pepper infusion plays nicely with all the flavors, and it’s an unexpected pairing that doesn’t clash. We also sneak a little bit of lactic acid into the cocktail to mimic a creamier, rounder mouthfeel.”
While steak au poivre likely originated in 19th-century late-night bistros in Normandy, France, various Parisian restaurants have laid claim to its invention dating back to the 1920s. The classic recipe was introduced to American audiences in 1961, when Julia Child featured it in her “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” cookbook, and the dish quickly became standard on steakhouse menus. Hand-crushed peppercorns are pressed directly into a cut of boneless beef to form a flavorful crust, and then the dish is finished with a silky, rich sauce made with more peppercorns, a reduction of cognac, heavy cream, beef stock, Dijon mustard and various aromatics like shallots or thyme. It’s spicy, savory, creamy and comforting all at once.
Around L.A. lately, French bistros happen to be exploding. Over the past year, we’ve seen revamps of classics like the 40-year-old Mistral in Sherman Oaks and a menu update at Pasjoli in Santa Monica, plus debuts like Mar Vista’s Electric Bleu, Sous Sous in Silver Lake and Pico-Robertson’s Marée, all of which play around with traditional French techniques and flavors while pulling local and global influences.
Here are 12 of the most notable au poivre dishes around L.A. right now, including a few creative, non-steak items:
There has been much debate about efforts in California to tax the rich. But almost all of it centers around Proposition 40, the heavily contested billionaire tax, and two countermeasures, Propositions 41 and 42.
But there is another ballot measure that also would tax California’s wealthiest citizens that is getting far less attention — and has even garnered support from some billionaires who oppose Proposition 40.
The basics
Proposition 3 would make an expiring state income tax on high earners permanent.
The impact
Tax rates for the top 2% of earners would remain as they are. Income brackets rise with inflation, but last year the top 2% of taxpayers earned at least $371,000 for single filers and $743,000 for joint filers. Money generated by Proposition 3, like the current tax, would flow to education, with 89% going to K-12 schools and 11% to community colleges.
Dig deeper
In 2012, California voters approved a temporary increase in the income tax rate for the top 2% of California earners. In 2016, voters approved another extension through 2030. Proposition 3 would make the additional levy permanent.
Backers say the measure is crucial to maintain education funding levels and predict there would be grave problems if the measure is not approved. The state could expect to lose $5 billion to $15 billion annually in tax revenue starting in 2031, according to estimates from the Legislative Analyst’s Office.
Opponents say taxes are already too high and the state should focus on cutting waste.
Celtic still hold a four-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership, and will extend that to seven if they beat Falkirk on Sunday, with Rangers in League Cup action.
The defending champions have only lost once, at home to Rangers, in the league but have three Europa League defeats from three amid fan discontent and a boycott of some games by the Green Brigade fans group.
McGregor is not the first senior player to speak about Celtic’s lack of control in games, with defender Cameron Carter-Vickers saying after their Glasgow derby loss that the team were “too random” in their play.
O’Neill, though, says the group will improve as more players get up to speed across the course of the winter and in the meantime are doing enough in the league.
“I come in here [to the press conference] every single week and I’m most of the time pretty buoyed by things,” the Northern Irishman said.
“Don’t try and throw a lot of divides in at the end of the day, we’re doing fine.
“A lot of lads here didn’t even do pre-season with us. A number of players came in quite late on, so it will take time for us.
“So we need to hang in there, and at this minute I think we’re hanging in.”
The small-market World Series in Major League Baseball wrapped up this week, with the Milwaukee Brewers winning their first title in franchise history.
The title triumph came 44 years after Milwaukee’s only other trip to the Fall Classic, when they lost to the St Louis Cardinals in seven games in 1982.
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But beyond the memorable victory, the series’ television ratings made for underwhelming reading, raising questions about baseball’s reach and relevance in a United States sports market dominated by American football and basketball.
Al Jazeera breaks down the numbers and more:
Who played in the 2026 MLB World Series?
The World Series, the championship series of the 2026 MLB season, saw the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays and the National League champion Milwaukee Brewers compete in a best-of-seven playoff series.
At the end of the October 23-28 playoff series, Milwaukee were crowned winners, as they clinched their first World Series title.
Milwaukee’s 57-year wait for a championship ended on Wednesday after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 to wrap up the Fall Classic in five games.
Why didn’t the 2026 World Series capture TV audiences?
While the final Nielsen ratings report is still pending, estimates show an average of 11.82 million viewers tuned in for the 2026 World Series across the Fox network.
Milwaukee’s 10-1 win at Tampa in Game 3 attracted the lowest audience, 8.33 million, while Game 5, in which Milwaukee sealed the championship, drew the highest with 14.22 million viewers.
The overall average is much lower than the 2025 and 2024 World Series, which drew 15.49 million and 15.1 million viewers, respectively, as the Los Angeles Dodgers won the title both times.
This year’s World Series’ underwhelming viewership could be linked to the two teams’ relatively low payrolls and markets – the Brewers’ payroll ranks 19th in MLB ($146m), and the Rays are 28th ($95m).
The Brewers also rank as the smallest market team in MLB, generating the lowest local commercial and TV revenue, while the Rays rank squarely in the league’s middle.
Hence, when the Brewers and Rays met this year on MLB’s biggest stage, it marked the first World Series clash between two of baseball’s smallest spenders in 35 years.
On the other hand, nine-time World Series winners Dodgers, who competed in the last two World Series, boast a star-studded lineup on a hefty payroll, featuring marquee star Shohei Ohtani, former MVP Mookie Betts, 10-time All-Star Freddie Freeman and others.
Those factors keep them in the tier 1 market size category – one that represents the biggest media and population footprints in the sport.
How does the World Series compare with other US sports?
The 2026 World Series’ viewership figures also pale in comparison to those of other major US sports leagues.
Basketball’s 2026 NBA Finals, in which the New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 to end a 53-year drought, attracted a series average of 20.58 million viewers. Game 5 was the most-watched NBA Finals game 5 since 1998, averaging 24.54 million viewers and peaking at 33 million.
Elsewhere in international football, the 2026 FIFA World Cup, held in North America, also produced record numbers. Spain’s 1-0 extra-time win over Argentina delivered a combined average audience of 62.8 million across Fox and Telemundo, making it the most-watched football match ever in the United States.
American football, by far, is the most-watched sport in the US.
NBC’s presentation of Super Bowl LX ranked as the second most-watched Super Bowl in history, behind the 127.7 million viewers who watched Super Bowl LIX in 2025.
The only major American sports league that performs weakly against MLB is the National Hockey League (NHL), a professional ice hockey league in North America.
An average of 5.2 million viewers tuned in for the 2026 Stanley Cup, won by the Carolina Hurricanes, who defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2.
Why was the 2026 MLB London series cancelled?
MLB initially scheduled to host two games in London in mid-2026, with the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays pencilled in to play on June 13 and 14 at London Stadium, the home ground of English football team West Ham United.
But the plan was cancelled due to scheduling issues with the venue and baseball’s television partner.
West Ham played their 2025-26 Premier League season’s final match against Leeds United at the ground on May 24, leaving very little time to convert the field to baseball, which can take up to three weeks.
The MLB London Series match between the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets held at London Stadium in June 2024 [File: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images]
Furthermore, MLB was unable to schedule games at the same venue later in June because Fox lacked available broadcast slots as that period clashed with the FIFA World Cup.
MLB games have been played abroad on several occasions, from Japan to Australia, since it was first played in Mexico in 2000.
MLB is also working on grassroots initiatives in India, known for its affinity for cricket, and last week hosted MLBx, a fast-paced 3-on-3 baseball competition that brought together baseball and softball stars.
Are other US sports leagues also held abroad?
Yes, major US sports leagues have made strides in expanding their international footprints, regularly hosting regular-season games, exhibition matches and special events abroad.
The NFL hosts regular-season games abroad in locations including London, Munich, Madrid, Sao Paulo and Mexico City.
Last month, the league expanded its presence with games in Melbourne, and the NFL’s first game Down Under drew 100,021 fans, making it the seventh most-attended regular-season game in NFL history.
With a large portion of the league’s player base and revenue coming from outside the US, the NBA also plays regular-season and preseason games in international cities like Paris, Abu Dhabi and Mexico City.
Fans attend the NFL football game between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 11, 2026 [Morgan Hancock/Getty Images]
No injuries reported after glacial lake burst, causing a flash flood and disrupting Bhutan’s Gasa Tshachu hot springs.
Published On 30 Oct 202630 Oct 2026
A flood caused by the Shintaphu glacial lake bursting its banks has washed away infrastructure at the Gasa Tshachu natural hot springs in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan.
According to state broadcaster BBS on Friday, no injuries or loss of life had been reported from Thursday night’s flash flood.
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It added that the extent of the damage was unknown because of “darkness and the strong flow” of floodwaters.
Two Bailey bridges, which are bridges built in portable, prefabricated sections, may also have been washed away, BBS said.
According to Kuensel, Bhutan’s national newspaper, part of the road leading to the village of Laya, where the springs are located, had also been washed away, rendering it impassable. It added that the road has been closed to traffic indefinitely.
Kuensel said that as authorities assess the damage, concerns have emerged about a large artificial lake formed after the flood-affected river channels conjoined following the outburst.
Residents along the Mochhu and Punatsangchhu river valleys were also advised to remain vigilant and avoid riverbanks and flood-prone areas, the report added.
Moreover, in neighbouring India, flood warnings were issued in parts of West Bengal and Assam following the glacial lake outburst, India’s NDTV broadcaster reported.
The hot springs at Gasa Tshachu are a major tourist attraction in the northern part of Bhutan, nestled between India and China.
They were also hit by a flash flood in 2021 when the Mochhu River changed course and swept through the area.
In neighbouring Nepal, a mountainous area about 600km (380 miles) to the west, a flash flood on its border with China in August killed more than 1,500 people and left more than 5,000 missing.
Premier Inn breakfasts usually cost between £10 and £14 per person, depending on the location you are staying at.
Up to two children aged 15-years-old and under eat for free per paying adult guest.
Breakfast items typically include full cooked items such as bacon, sausages, eggs, hash browns and baked beans as well as a continental section with pastries and cereals.
A seven-part mini-series starring Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet is the ‘most addictive’ show you will watch this year, a TV critic claims. So here’s where to stream it
Kate Winslet stars in the highly-rated in mini-series (file)(Image: Home Box Office, Inc)
A TV critic has lauded a programme as the “world’s best mini-series” owing to its 95 per cent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes – urging others to binge-watch the entire production in just seven hours.
Luke Eccleston spotlighted the HBO Max series in a video, branding it the “most addictive” thing you’ll ever sit down to see. The show, which first aired in 2021, is an HBO original, featuring a stellar cast including Kate Winslet, Evan Peters and Julianne Nicholson.
“If you only watch one limited series this year, it has to be this one,” Luke declared on TikTok. “It isn’t just one of the most gripping and addictive dramas that I have seen, but it genuinely might be the best as well.
“Mare of Easttown is a seven-part limited series on HBO Max and honestly, when me and my girlfriend watched this show, we struggled to pause it.”
The drama centres on a young girl who is discovered dead in a river, setting off a murder investigation by local police.
Luke added: “This show is full of dark secrets, twists and turns. Every single episode you think you might know who did it – but genuinely, you will be guessing until the very end.”
The critic rounded off by noting that every single person he knows who has watched Mare of Easttown told him they “absolutely loved” it, adding: “It’s one of the highest-rated shows out there, so get it on your watch-list.”
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A synopsis for the mini-series reads: “A small-town police detective tries to keep her professional and personal lives separate while investigating the death of a teenage mother.
“A young woman is murdered in a small Pennsylvania town. On the case is Detective Sergeant Mare Sheehan, a highly skilled crime investigator. She has spent all of her life in Easttown and knows everybody in it. However, her life is dark and troubled, due largely to the recent death of her son.”
Kate, who is no stranger to stripping off on-screen, was adamant that her ‘normal’ body should not be edited or cut in any way as she wanted her character to look like a real middle-aged woman of today.
“Listen, I hope that in playing Mare as a middle-aged woman – I guess that’s why people have connected with this character in the way that they have done because there are clearly no filters,” the actress told the New York Times at the time of Mare of Easttown’s release.
“She’s a fully functioning, flawed woman with a body and a face that moves in a way that is synonymous with her age and her life and where she comes from. I think we’re starved of that a bit.”
Mare of Easttown also boasts an excellent rating on IMDb. There, it has achieved an impressive 8.4 out of 10 based on 230,000 reviews since its 2021 release.
One recent viewer commented: “I literally watched all 7 episodes in 1 day. Then, after it had all ended, I didn’t know what to do with my life. This series is a masterpiece! The writing is brilliant, the story is so good and the acting is second to none. This is a slow burner that will keep you captivated till the very end. Absolutely amazing.”
A second person enthused: “They never missed anything. Every single possible detail. Nothing happens without a reason. Not even a single word was wasted. Everything had a reason. In today’s world of TV (streaming) and cinema clichés, here is a story so very well told. The writing I think is pitch perfect. All the leads as well as the not-so-leads gave more than one hundred per cent.”
And a third IMDb user added: “Best series I have seen in a while! Quality quality quality from top to bottom. Kate Winslet and the rest of the cast were perfect. Directing was exceptional. The stories and all the themes presented was executed masterfully. The score was probably the weakest aspect of the whole show but still solid.
“The pilot was gripping and sucked me in with its realism. Character development and how they were being fleshed out kept me invested. Can’t believe how much was packed into just 7 episodes.”
Oct 30, 2026, 9:47 AM ETBy: Liz Kiesche, SA News Editor
AlexSecret
The Chicago PMI dipped to 55.3, missing the 56.0 consensus, from 58.8 in September, according to data released by MNI and the Chicago Institute for Supply Management on Friday.
A reading over 50 indicates economic growth. So the lower number in October suggests that growth slowed from the September pace.
The California Environmental Quality Act is one of the most consequential and controversial laws on the books.
CEQA, which dates to the 1970s, requires state and local agencies to consider the environmental effects of many proposed projects before approving them. If a project could cause significant environmental harm that can’t easily be avoided, it undergoes a more detailed environmental review to examine its potential effects and alternatives.
Backers say CEQA is a vital tool for environmental review and gives the community a voice in development. But critics say CEQA is too often used to slow down needed housing and has been exploited as a bureaucratic weapon.
Enter Proposition 45.
The basics
Proposition 45 would impose stricter deadlines on environmental reviews, permits and court challenges. Agencies would have to spell out application requirements up-front and could not make repeated requests for more information or project changes. The measure caps public comment periods, while current law only sets minimum lengths. It also limits what courts may consider in CEQA lawsuits.
The impact
The law clearly would change the CEQA process; whether that would be for better or worse is the subject of debate. Backers say it would make the process faster and easier. Critics say it would roll back important environmental protections.
Dig deeper
The fight over Proposition 45 comes as California struggles to build enough housing to meet demand, causing prices to skyrocket. Housing prices, polls show, are a major issue for California voters.
But the proposition also is touching on another hot-button issue: data centers. Supporters and foes are battling over whether the measure would make it easier to build more of those controversial facilities.
This year, the Dodgers watched the World Series from home, with the Milwaukee Brewers’ World Series victory over the Tampa Bay Rays officially ushering in a fresh slate for the Dodgers to plan their 2027 championship pursuit.
“When you take the experience and the talent of our core guys, and you look at what is coming [up through the farm system], that is what gives us a high degree of confidence about being able to sustain this,” said Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, in his end-of-season news conference, “not just in 2027, but as we look out.”
As the Dodgers attempt to strengthen their roster to climb back to the top, however, they’ll have to navigate a disjointed winter transaction window.
MLB owners are expected to impose a lockout when the collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1. If that happens, the offseason will grind to a halt, suspended indefinitely until the two sides sign a new agreement.
Will that expected shutdown spur early action in free agency?
Will the threat of a salary cap freeze the player market?
It’s unclear, but teams are readying themselves to jump into action whenever the market does move.
“There’ve been a number of things that we’ve done over the last couple of years that, in October, early-November planning we didn’t think was likely or that possible,” Friedman said. “An opportunity popped up, and we were at least prepared enough to act in the time to get something done — there’ve been trades, there’s been free-agent signings.
“So for us, it’s just about our internal meetings, getting as prepared as we can be. Because things are going to play out in ways and timing and things that we can’t anticipate, so be as prepared as we can be.”
Amid those unique circumstances, here’s a guide to the Dodgers’ offseason:
