ties

This lies behind the prime minister’s decision to open the door to the argument about rejoining the EU single market – along with the freedom of movement that would bring – and even the EU altogether.

But that longer-term ambition is dividing his cabinet and his party.

Some welcome his approach, including those with formerly Brexit-backing constituencies. Angela Rayner, for example, is understood to have been pushing former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to be bolder on Brexit since at least autumn 2022.

The housing secretary is said to have been insistent that Labour needs to stick to its manifesto red lines – not to return to the EU single market, customs union, or freedom of movement – but is open minded to changing those at the next election.

Another cabinet minister said: “The best thing you can do in politics is tell the truth. And the truth is that Brexit has been hugely damaging to Britain.

“We are not leading a public conversation here, we are racing to catch up with the public.”

But others are watching nervously at a strategy one former minister described as “high risk”.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, for example, has struck a more cautious tone warning about the “costs and consequences” of rejoining the EU as well as staying out.

Jonathan Reynolds, the Business and Trade Secretary, is supportive of getting closer to the EU and discussing the UK’s long term relationship.

But he has previously warned against joining the EU’s customs union and is also unsure about the prospect of rejoining the EU, highlighting the uncertainty of what terms the UK would face, and what the bloc could look like in years to come with nationalist parties in the ascendancy in several European countries.

A voice from the past has a different set of concerns.

Lord Cameron told Bloomberg’s Mishal Husain that starting a conversation about rejoining would be “very long and painful”.

The former prime minister warned “flirting with rejoining” could also harm Burnham’s attempts to renegotiate the Conservative’s Brexit deal.

“If you start endlessly producing this idea that we’re actually on a path to rejoining, I think you’re in danger of getting a less good partnership deal because of course the EU countries will just think: ‘Well, these guys are gonna rejoin anyway, so what’s the point in giving them a good partnership deal’.”

Attitudes in Labour towards the prime minister’s approach don’t divide along predictable lines. One Scottish Labour MP, personally opposed to Brexit and with a heavily Remain-voting constituency, said it was a “real problem”.

“How can I argue to my constituents that we had a Scottish referendum in 2014 that settled independence for a generation. but then say the 2016 referendum isn’t settled? My view is you accept democracy.”

For now though, that opposition hasn’t broken out into public rebellion, although Labour MP Gareth Snell is one who has warned about reopening the debate.

The MP for Stoke-on-Trent, where the Leave vote was 69.4%, told the BBC’s Westminster Hour that doing so would “monopolise an awful lot of time inside parliament, inside government” when there are other things MPs should be doing.

Two Labour MPs among those most unhappy about Burnham’s openness to Europe insisted “there are no plans” for any organised criticism of the prime minister.

Despite their concerns, particularly about free movement, they described their current mindset as “wait and see”. That temporary truce is likely to fracture if the prime minister’s lead in the polls begins to slide.

Both sides signed a digital trade deal, as Trump’s trade threats push Washington’s allies to seek closer ties elsewhere.

The European Union and Canada have launched what they described as an Alliance for the Future, as Ottawa prepares to become the bloc’s first so-called “associate member”.

Prime Minister Mark Carney hosted the Canada-EU summit in Montreal and signed a digital trade deal, alongside other agreements. Also at the Friday summit were European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa.

The term “associate member” has no legal basis and is contested by some EU states. However, its use underscores the desire of Canada and the EU to forge closer relations, as United States President Donald Trump continues to threaten Washington’s traditional allies with trade tariffs if they do not play by his rules.

“Canada and the EU are working to establish the closest possible partnership, which will be far from full membership, but which will make Canada the first associate member of the European Union,” Carney posted on X.

“Today in Montreal, we have taken a major step forward by establishing more than twenty measures that will increase affordability, create opportunities and ensure our sovereignty on both sides of the Atlantic.”

In a joint statement following the summit, the two sides announced an agreement under which the European Investment Bank will invest in critical Canadian resources, particularly raw minerals. They also said they would advance cooperation on artificial intelligence security and safety.

“A more dangerous and divided world has fundamentally changed the requirements of sovereignty. It is no longer enough for nations to feed, fuel and defend ourselves,” the statement said.

It added that “true sovereignty” requires secure access to critical minerals, semiconductors, payment systems, energy, vaccines, space-based communications and AI.

Ukraine was also on the meeting agenda, with Carney announcing Canada’s participation in the EU’s 90 billion euro ($103bn) support loan for Kyiv. Carney said Canada would make an initial contribution of 500 million euros ($558m).

Opportunities for students in Canada and the EU were also discussed. Both sides said they would launch negotiations aimed at deepening Ottawa’s participation in Erasmus+, the EU’s flagship student exchange programme.

Carney and Trump are currently engaged in a trade dispute, with talks under way to reach a deal between the two countries.

Switzerland formally reopens diplomatic office in North Korea after its closure in 2020.

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.

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.

The “H3 Podcast” is cutting ties with host Ethan Klein after his wife and co-host, Hila Klein, accused him of having an affair for the past six months.

The crew agreed to not continue working with Ethan or profiting in any way, sharing, “We stand with Hila and will support her every step of the way,” an “H3 Podcast” Instagram post read late Thursday evening.

The podcast’s indefinite hiatus comes shortly after Hila accused her husband of infidelity on her own Instagram account late Thursday night.

“I am living in a nightmare I can’t wake up from. …,” she stated on her Instagram post. “I have been fed lie after lie for months. I am tired of lies. Here’s the truth.

“I could sense something was wrong. I tried to ask him questions and share my concerns and hurt feelings. But I was met with dismissive answers and no action. Things that bothered me continued to bother me, and he did nothing about it,” Hila wrote.

Ethan and Hila have been together for 20 years and married for 14. They met while Ethan was on a Birthright trip to Israel where Hila was doing mandatory military service in the Israel Defense Forces. They maintained regular contact via Skype before Hila moved to Ethan’s college town of Santa Cruz, according to a 2017 video uploaded by the pair to their YouTube channel, h3h3Productions.

“The betrayal I feel is immeasurable. The person I loved and trusted for 20 years evaporated overnight. He was my safe place, my partner in marriage, parenting, and business. My only family on this side of the world. How do I even begin to make sense of this?” the post continued.

Hila shared that she does not know what comes next, adding, “I’m in survival mode, trying to navigate separation, co-parenting, and unthinkable heartbreak.”

Ethan didn’t immediately respond on Friday to The Times’ request for comment. He did, however, post on social media.

”I know a lot of people are understandably looking for a comment from me,” a post to his Instagram Stories read, “but I ask that you please respect my family’s privacy and do not contact them looking for me or asking for their comments. They have nothing to do with this and share in your outrage and disappointment. Thank you.”

Hila and Ethan share three sons ages 7, 4 and 2.

“All I can do right now is focus on taking care of myself and my children, one day at a time,” Hila said. “You’re not crazy. Trust your instincts. Trust yourself. If you’re not being treated right, get up and leave.”

The couple first rose to internet fame through their popular YouTube channel h3h3Productions, which often featured Ethan and Hila in sketches and vlogs. Around 2013, the channel picked up steam as the couple began posting reaction videos to viral social media clips. As of today, they have amassed over 5 million followers.

“H3 Podcast” began in 2017 and first featured guest interviews with internet personalities such as PewDiePie and Jake Paul.

Many online sleuths were quick to pull out clips from Ethan’s past that might have foreshadowed this incident, including in Oct. 2020 when Ethan’s former “Frenemies” podcast co-host Trisha Paytas said to him: “I feel/lowkey wish you could be single while you’re famous and rich because I feel like you didn’t get that out of your system. Like knowing that every girl wants to f— you because you’re famous and rich.”

Ethan responded: “I mean, it would be fun to date, but I’m not interested in that. I’m very happily married.”

The “H3 Podcast” subseries fizzled out in 2021 due to revenue disputes. Paytas married Hila’s brother, Moses Hacmon, in 2021.

Qatar, Turkiye, Pakistan and Indonesia signed a deal on Wednesday to deepen their defence industry cooperation, reflecting a broader effort by countries in the region to widen their network of security partners amid the prolonged US-Israel war with Iran.

The four countries signed the memorandum of understanding in Doha, building on existing military projects through joint production, technology transfers and more closely integrated supply chains.

The initiative comes as the failure of the United States and Iran to reach a concrete peace agreement pushes countries in the region to diversify their defence partnerships and look beyond what experts described as an overreliance on Washington for their security. But they stress that closer cooperation does not mean abandoning long-standing alliances. Instead, the ambition is to gain greater control over their own security while strengthening pre-existing partnerships.

Arda Mevlutoglu, a defence industry analyst and managing director of Mergen Analytical Strategies, told Al Jazeera that the implications could extend well beyond the four participants.

“We may be witnessing the emergence of an interconnected network of defence and security arrangements extending from the Gulf to South and Southeast Asia, rather than a single formal alliance,” he said.

What would the agreement do?

In a statement, the Qatari Defence Ministry said the “Badr” Memorandum of Understanding “aims to foster cooperation in the field of defence manufacturing, enhance defence capabilities among the four countries, and promote collaboration in technical defence training, as well as in research and development areas, thereby contributing to the creation of solutions and industries worthy of the evolution of modern defences”.

Experts say that under the agreement, each country will bring its own resources or set of skills to the table. “Turkiye contributes technological expertise, systems integration and a mature defence industry; Pakistan and Indonesia offer manufacturing capacity, skilled workforces and sizeable domestic markets; and Qatar provides investment potential and demand,” said Mevlutoglu.

Together, the four nations could “establish integrated supply chains, allowing these countries to jointly develop, manufacture and sustain defence systems”, he told Al Jazeera.

Such arrangements could give buyers a larger role in producing and supporting their own equipment, while providing manufacturers with longer-term orders and investment. Albert Vidal, a research associate at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, told Al Jazeera that Pakistan and Indonesia were both willing to purchase Turkish weapons and locate part of their production at home.

This could bring down costs for Turkish companies and bring jobs to Pakistan and Indonesia, while Qatar brings “financial depth”, he said.

Building on existing partnerships

Turkiye, home to one of the world’s most advanced defence sectors, already has military manufacturing ties with Qatar, Pakistan and Indonesia separately. Qatar and Turkiye, for instance, signed a bilateral defence industry memorandum in October 2025.

But Vidal says that the new agreement, bringing together all four nations, points to a strategic calculation alongside an industrial one. Closer relationships could give more countries a stake in each other’s security. He pointed to Qatar’s investment in the Turkish defence industry over more than a decade and Ankara’s deployment of forces to Doha during the 2017 diplomatic crisis.

Pakistan’s existing naval manufacturing project with Turkiye, meanwhile, shows how weapons purchases can support domestic manufacturing. Of the four ships announced under the project, two are to be built in Istanbul and two at Karachi Shipyard.

Indonesia and Turkiye, meanwhile, are jointly building a tank.

“The rationale is to streamline these distinct defence export and joint production agreements under a more structured and resilient networked hub, rather than reinvent the wheel with each new defence agreement,” Burcu Ozcelik, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, told Al Jazeera.

Less dependence on Washington?

The US-Israeli war with Iran and recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia have heightened regional security concerns, analysts say, while reported US weapons shortages may be adding urgency to efforts to strengthen pre-existing partners and bolster domestic arms-building capacity.

“Diversification is a major driver, particularly as recent conflicts have exposed vulnerabilities associated with dependence on foreign suppliers, technology restrictions and supply chain disruptions,” Mevlutoglu said.

But he cautioned against interpreting the memorandum as a break with Washington. “Qatar is unlikely to abandon its strategic relationship with Washington, while Turkiye seeks greater technological independence within NATO, not autonomy from it,” he said.

According to Bader Mousa Al-Saif, an associate fellow with Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa Programme and an assistant professor at Kuwait University, the initiative reflects Gulf countries increasingly looking towards the Global South and fellow Muslim countries.

It also complements a separate effort to formalise military cooperation across the region, analysts say. Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in August, establishing a mutual defence commitment. Ankara submitted the agreement to parliament for ratification on Wednesday, although deploying Turkish troops abroad would require separate parliamentary approval.

The Doha memorandum concerns industrial cooperation rather than a mutual defence pledge, but Mevlutoglu sees a connection between the two initiatives. “While Mecca focuses on collective deterrence and military cooperation, Doha could provide the industrial and technological foundations for such partnerships,” he said.