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Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Southeast Asian leaders are preparing to hold their flagship annual summit as US President Donald Trump embarks on an Asia Pacific trip that will focus attention on his upending of trade and traditional alliances.

Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are gathering in Manila, the Philippines, for a series of multilateral and bilateral meetings running from Sunday until Tuesday.

Trump is scheduled to meet Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr during a brief stop in Manila on Tuesday, before heading to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China, where he will have his fourth face-to-face meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in just over a year.

It will also be the first time that Trump, Xi and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin will meet for trilateral talks, the White House has confirmed.

Trump’s visit to Southeast Asia – his second since his return to the White House after his attendance at the 2025 ASEAN summit in Malaysia – comes after his administration announced new tariffs on dozens of trade partners, including most of the region’s economies, in July.

Trump’s administration announced the duties of between 10 and 12.5 percent after the US Supreme Court struck down his steeper “reciprocal” tariffs in February.

The Office of the US Trade Representative said it was imposing the tariffs on 60 trade partners over their alleged failure to clamp down on forced labour.

The Trump administration is also conducting trade probes over alleged national security and “excess” manufacturing concerns that could result in yet more tariffs for Southeast Asian trade partners.

Exports up – but can it last?

Southeast Asia has weathered Trump’s trade salvoes relatively unscathed until now, in part as a result of the diversion of billions of dollars of Chinese trade through the region.

US imports from ASEAN rose more than 29 percent to $453.6bn in 2025, expanding the trade deficit between the sides to $327.4bn, according to the Office of the US Trade Representative.

Deborah Elms, head of trade policy at the Hinrich Foundation in Singapore, said, however, that Southeast Asian countries cannot guarantee that their luck will continue.

“ASEAN has had mixed success in navigating US tariffs. Overall exports are up. But this is primarily driven by shipments of electronics which are largely exempt from tariffs,” Elms told Al Jazeera.

“These shipments are also strongly tied to the AI buildout. If that falters, ASEAN will feel it,” she said.

While ASEAN leaders have provided few details about the summit agenda, trade is likely to be among the main topics of discussion.

For a bloc that often faces accusations of being a talking shop, one of the most anticipated tangible outcomes is the signing of the Digital Economy Framework Agreement, a pact aimed at easing cross-border data transfers and electronic payments.

Initiated in 2023, the framework has been billed as a step towards building an ASEAN digital economy worth $2 trillion by 2030.

Waiting for Trump’s next move

Jayant Menon, a senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, said Southeast Asian leaders will be concerned about “what comes next” from Trump on trade.

“So far, the recent tariffs appear to have had a limited impact on competitiveness of ASEAN exports. But this may change in the future, with more sectoral tariffs, in particular, or other measures such as export controls,” Menon told Al Jazeera.

“Trump still retains significant autonomous authority over trade policy despite losing control of both houses, and could double down rather than back off,” Menon said, referring to the Republicans’ crushing defeat in the US midterm elections on November 3.

Boosting regional trade

Phar Kim Beng, a professor of ASEAN studies at the International Islamic University of Malaysia, said Southeast Asian leaders are likely to reiterate calls for increased trade within the region, a goal that has lagged aspirations despite decades of trade liberalisation in the bloc.

“Whether measured from 1970 or 2025, intraregional trade remains paltry at 23 percent. In contrast, the European Union can cross intraregional trade of 67 percent easily,” Phar told Al Jazeera.

Phar said he does not expect ASEAN to announce any significant measures to spur trade within the bloc, but its leaders will continue to “mouth the mantra of better and bigger” trade volumes.

“Regardless of the tariffs intended by President Donald Trump, ASEAN will continue to muddle through by speaking of the importance of trade and more trade,” he said.

Pope Leo XIV’s visit marks the first papal trip to Argentina in nearly four decades, amid tensions with the Milei government.

Argentinian President Javier Milei has welcomed the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, upon his arrival at Jorge Newbery airport near Buenos Aires.

Milei and his sister, presidential secretary Karina Milei, greeted the pope on Sunday amid tensions between the government and Argentina’s Catholic Church over austerity measures.

Prior to his arrival, the pope spent three days in Uruguay, the first stop on his tour of Latin America.

He is the first pontiff to visit Argentina in nearly four decades, since John Paul II’s trip in 1987.

“Without a doubt, it gives us great joy that this pope is visiting us,” said Jorge Silanes, religious director at the Pequeno Cottolengo Don Orione, a home for people with disabilities in the Buenos Aires province.

In Argentina, Pope Leo’s schedule includes attending a welcome ceremony at Plaza San Martin and a meeting with Milei at the Casa Rosada, the official presidential palace.

But the pontiff’s visit comes amid shrinking membership in the Catholic Church in Latin America, as well as a sometimes fractious relationship with politicians like Milei.

Catholics comprise the largest religious group in Latin America, with as many as 425 million people identifying with the church.

But their numbers have shrunk over the last decade. A Pew Research Center survey found that, in Argentina, the percentage of self-identifying Catholics slipped from 71 percent in the 2013-2014 year to 58 percent a decade later.

Milei himself has suggested he considered converting to Judaism, though he was raised in the Catholic faith.

The Catholic Church has also criticised Milei’s austerity measures, which included slashing social spending and safety-net programmes for the poor.

Milei has defended the budget cuts as necessary to bring inflation under control.

Some members of the Catholic clergy, however, have taken a visible role in the protests against Milei’s measures.

Leo, 71, the first US-born pope, will remain in Argentina until Wednesday and meet with officials, diplomats and civil society representatives.

He will also visit a prison and celebrate mass in Buenos Aires, Lujan, and the province of Cordoba, before travelling to Peru, where he spent years serving as a bishop.

The previous pope, Francis, was born in Buenos Aires in 1936 and was the first pope from the Americas, but he never visited his home country as head of the Catholic Church. Francis died in 2025.

He and Milei had a notably contentious relationship, with the Argentinian president calling the late pontiff a “communist” and an “imbecile who defends social justice”.

“Leo is going to make the visit that Francis never did,” said Reverend Lorenzo “Toto” de Vedia, who works with poor communities in a neighbourhood of Buenos Aires.

WE LOVE being by the seaside and the UK truly has some amazing coastal destinations to explore.

And now, the best seaside spots in the country have been revealed.

The Seaside Heritage Network has revealed its Bucket and Spade List of the Top Ten favourite seaside places and experiences, voted for by the public.

Here are the top 10 spots:

#10 Blackpool Colonnades (Lancashire)

Securing 10th place is the tiered structure in Blackpool known as the Blackpool Colonnades.

The Grade II-listed structure stretches 500 metres, with many locals saying it is the best spot for the sunset.

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The historic seaside structure was built between 1910 and 1925 to protect the seafront.

Even better news is that they are currently being restored, with a completion date set for 2030.

#9 Aberystwyth Cliff Railway (Ceredigion)

The Aberystwyth Cliff Railway in Wales is the longest electric cliff railway in Britain.

The lift opened back in 1896 and has a 237 metre track.

Later in November 1987, the lift received a Grade II-listed status.

At the top of Constitution Hill, there are more attractions to explore including The Camera Obscura.

#8 Harbour Bar, Scarborough (North Yorkshire)

The Harbour Bar in Scarborough, North Yorkshire is a family owned ice cream and milk bar which has stood on the seafront since 1945.

Inside the bar has a white-and-yellow 1950s/60s decor with neon lighting and even vintage counter service.

All ice cream is made on site using traditional recipes.

The joint has won awards for its sundaes such as Knickerbocker Glory.

#7 Shell Grotto, Margate (Kent)

In Margate, explore Shell Grotto which is an underground chamber full of, well, shells.

The chamber was discovered completely randomly in the 19th century and boasts 21 metres of winding passages covered in 4.6million shells.

Having recently visited, Deputy Travel Editor, Kara Godfrey said: “Discovered in 1835, the mystery of the Shell Grotto is what gives it its charm – even now, we don’t know who created it, when, or why.

“But the bizarre underground chambers are well-worth exploring and it certainly makes for an interesting visit (if you don’t mind leaving with more questions than answers…).”

#6 Volks Electric Railway, Brighton (East Sussex)

Volk’s Electric Railway in Brighton, East Sussex, is the oldest operating electric railway in the world.

Having opened in 1883, the railway stretches just over a mile along Brighton seafront.

The railway operates seasonally with a round trip taking around half an hour.

You don’t need to pre-book – you can just turn up, buy tickets at the station and then head for a ride.

#5 Weymouth Deckchairs (Dorset)

Weymouth’s Deckchairs are loved for their charming, traditional feel and came in as the fifth best seaside spot in the country.

The chairs are available each day from April through the end of September, weather permitting, and make for the ideal photo op.

Hiring a deckchair costs around £3.70 per day.

Though, if you are over 60 and live in the area you can get a free pass.

#4 Tinside Lido, Plymouth (Devon)

Fancy a dip? In fourth place is the only lido on the list – Grade II-listed Art Deco Tinside Lido in Plymouth.

After opening in 1935, the pool quickly became a popular spot and today is often ranked among the top outdoor pools in Europe.

The semi-circular pool screams of classic seaside memories and is unheated.

The pool costs £10.50 for both adults and children.

#3 Wemyss Bay Railway Station (Inverclyde)

Wemyss Bay Railway Station is a Category A-listed Edwardian railway found in the village of Wemyss Bay in Inverclyde, Scotland.

It is often dubbed one of the most beautiful train stations in the UK.

It also marks the final stop on the Inverclyde Line which connects the region to Glasgow Central.

One visitor said: “A fascinating and beautifully preserved reminder of the heyday of mass travel to the seaside – now an integral part of its local community.”

#2 North & South Marine Parks, South Shields (Tyne & Wear)

North Marine Park and South Marine Park are interconnected Victorian parks located on South Shields seafront in Tyne & Wear.

The parks sit alongside Ocean Beach Pleasure Park and boast a mixture of attractions including green spaces and even a miniature railway.

One person said: “It has everything! Miniature train, lake with boats, play area, cafe, beautiful gardens.

“The beach is over the road as well as a traditional fairground. Lots of events, music, fun and family friendly.”

#1 Herne Bay Pier (Kent)

And securing the top spot for the best seaside destination is Herne Bay Pier in Kent.

The traditional seaside attraction has loads to do from family entertainment including arcades to beach hut shops.

One person said: “I love the pier as there are so many places to eat and drink. If you have children with you there are plenty of things for them to do. Always see people crabbing off the side.

“They have dog shows too and music shows through the summer weekends. It’s so versatile and just a really enjoyable place to be.

“Fantastic variety of activities for all ages. The Pier Volunteers are a credit to the community.”

DID you know that the UK’s oldest carnival dates back nearly 180 years – and has one of Europe’s biggest float processions?

Bridgwater Carnival first started in 1847, taking place on the first Saturday of November.

The carnival – which is free to attend – is a full-day celebration starting at 10.30am with circus performances, live bands, dances and fairground rides.

These will be held at spots across the town like the High Street, Cornhill Stage and at St Mary’s Church.

This part ends at 6pm, before the two-hour long procession then start.

Down the main streets are huge parades where locals can show off their illuminated floats and there will be marching bands too.

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Afterwards, there’s a tradition called ‘squibbling’ where around 150 people line up along the roads carrying a long pole which holds a large firework.

All at once, these are set off with the fireworks lighting up the sky.

It’s expected that 150,000 people will descend on the town this year to see the celebrations.

One visitor who previously attended said: “All of the Somerset carnivals are magical, however Bridgwater is the largest and most spectacular. “

Another added: “I wish my own home town could put on such a display.”

While the event is free, it is encouraged to ask for donations as it’s run by volunteers.

The origin of the Bonfire Night celebrations in Bridgwater can be traced back to the year of the foiled Gunpowder plot in 1605.

Bridgwater celebrated heavily as most of its residents at the time were protestant.

However, it wasn’t until later on in 1847 when the celebrations turned into a carnival by the Victorians who even made their own squibs fireworks.

If you want something even grander to visit this weekend, the world’s largest bonfire night with 40,000 visitors is set to be even more popular this year and it starts tomorrow.

West Sussex’s haunted folly

A derelict, 24-metre tall redbrick and flint folly outside Chichester, Racton Monument (known locally as Racton Ruin) is said to be one of the most haunted places in Sussex and has been the site of many paranormal investigations. George Montagu Dunk, the second Earl of Halifax, commissioned the folly, but there is no conclusive account as to why he had it built. Some say it was as a summerhouse, others a viewing point to watch ships come in from the Solent. A ghostly woman walking in the grounds and eerie sounds such as sudden manic laughter are among reported spooky happenings. Now completely gutted and roofless, it’s on private land and unsafe to enter, but still easily seen from nearby footpaths.

‘The event horizon of a black hole’ in Bannau Brycheiniog

Completed in 1927, the Pontsticill reservoir in the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) national park supplies water for much of south Wales, holding up to 15.5 billion litres (3,400 million gallons). Like other reservoirs of its time, such as Ladybower in Derbyshire, Pontsticill was built with a bell-mouth spillway, which looks like an eerie giant plughole – or the event horizon of a black hole. Created by flooding a valley, ghostly remains of the submerged village, including a 15th-century church, can resurface during droughts when water levels drop. Richard Ayoade used its terrifying presence with great effect in his 2010 film, Submarine.

Shipwrecks in the Kent marshes

With place names such as Deadman’s Island, Slaughterhouse Point and Bedlam’s Bottom, Chetney Marshes needs no introduction. This forgotten, marshy outpost on the fringes of north Kent, with a limited palette of greens and greys, is home to a collection of slowly decaying, old barges and boats. Such is their level of deterioration, it can be hard to distinguish between the rotten hulks and the marsh itself. Information on the wrecked vessels is hard to come by and contradictory, with Historic England claiming they are former Thames barges. Yet on older maps, they are marked as the more tantalising Victorian prisoner transport ships. An atmospheric place for an otherworldly wander.

A nuclear bunker in Essex

Growing up on terrifying visions of nuclear war, such as 1980s films Threads and Where the Wind Blows, bunkers have always held a certain macabre mystique. Kelvedon Hatch was one such bunker, built in the early 1950s to house up to 600 military personnel and civilians, as well as the prime minister. In this worst-case scenario, it would have become the seat of power in a post-apocalyptic Britain. Above the surface, it looks like an unremarkable bungalow, but, like a Bond villain’s lair, this leads to a three-storey underground shelter equivalent in size to 25 average British homes. Today, the bunker is home to one of the world’s largest cold war museums.

A wailing, windswept tree on the Lancashire moors

On a Pennine hill overlooking Burnley, the Singing Ringing Tree is an eerie sound sculpture created by architects Mike Tonkin and Anna Liu. It is three metres tall and designed to look like a brutalist windswept tree. The sculpture comprises a series of galvanised steel pipes tuned to various pitches over a range of different octaves. On a gusty day, as the wind blows through the pipes, it creates a weird, somewhat discordant harmonic. The artwork is one of four Panopticons, but rather than embodying the original concept – a circular prison with a single guard at its centre – they are far more benign, designed to be seen by many rather than as a symbol of oppressive surveillance.

The Lake District’s ‘skull cave’

Tucked away in the Tilberthwaite valley, between Coniston and Langdale, Hodge Close is an abandoned slate quarry on National Trust land. In the right conditions, its cave tunnel openings and dark pool resemble a skull, which fans of the hit Netflix series The Witcher will recognise – though it’s much harder to see in real life than in the scenes starring Henry Cavill (Geralt of Rivia) and Kim Bodnia (Vesemir). Abandoned in the 1960s, industrial remains litter the site, giving it an edgy, post-civilisation feel.

London’s paupers’ graveyard

Crossbones graveyard, just south of the River Thames near Shakespeare’s Globe theatre and the Shard, was once outside the city’s boundaries (and laws) in an area known as “The Liberty of the Clink”. A pauper’s graveyard, it was the final resting place of medieval sex workers and souls not deemed suitable for Christian burial. More than 15,000 people are estimated to have been unceremoniously buried here. Today, it’s been reclaimed as a garden of remembrance, both mystical and macabre with its own special beauty, and is open to the public at certain times for guided walks and talks.

A smugglers’ cave in Northumberland

Hundreds of years ago, Cateran Hole was used by bandits to hide smuggled contraband. Found in the middle of Bewick Moor, about four miles north of Eglingham, it feels as far away from civilisation as you can get, and the steps leading down to its 35 metre-long, dark underground chamber are notoriously difficult to find – making it all the more thrilling when you finally do. You can walk into increasing darkness if you’re brave enough, before the tunnel tapers to a narrow point, but be cautious: there are no safety barriers, lighting or warning signs.

Stony stares from a drystone wall in Dumfries and Galloway

We all know that strange feeling of being watched – then turning round to find nobody there. If you wander just off the Old Edinburgh Road in a beautiful, isolated corner of the Galloway Hills, not far from Newton Stewart, you’ll find a whole bunch of faces staring out at you from the confines of a drystone wall. Artist Matt Baker carved Quorum – the Stone Faces in 1997 as part of a residency in the Galloway Forest. The heads have since become part of the landscape and have even formed new eyebrows out of lichen. The artwork is a stone’s throw away from another impressive piece called The Eye, a 10-metre tall cone sculpture on the banks of Black Loch.

The church ‘floating’ on Rutland Water

Arrive on a cold morning as the mist shrouds St Matthew’s church in Normanton, and it appears as if it is rising up from the depths of a lake. Normanton Church, as it is also known, stands on a small, boulder-strewn promontory on the vast expanse of Rutland Water. Built in the 1820s on the site of a medieval chapel, the church was scheduled for demolition when the man-made lake/reservoir was built in the 1970s. Thankfully, a last-minute public campaign saved it from this watery fate. Easy to view from the shoreline, it is open on scheduled days and for private events.

Dave Hamilton is the author of Weird Guide and Wild Ruins, published by Wild Things Publishing

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.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has arrived in Damascus to meet with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the first visit of an Iraqi prime minister to Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

The visit comes as the two neighbours seek to strengthen bilateral ties and boost economic and oil cooperation.

According to the official Iraqi News Agency (INA), the two leaders discussed the export of Iraqi oil through the Baniyas line, increasing the volume of trade exchange and joint work to develop the agricultural sector to achieve food and economic integration.

Iraq has recently begun exporting limited quantities of oil through Syria following the outbreak of the US-led war on Iran.

Last July, the two countries signed agreements to revive the Haditha Baniyas pipeline to transport Iraqi oil in addition to signing a memorandum of understanding with a consortium of three companies, most notably the American oil major Chevron to implement the project.

“The Iraqi and Syrian people are one people in two countries,” Zaidi said according to INA, noting that “work to develop partnership and joint cooperation in various fields especially economic and social affairs, enhance security co-operation, unify positions on regional and international issues, and work to achieve peace and stability in the region”.

For his part, the Syrian president expressed his “great appreciation for the visit of al-Zaidi and his accompanying delegation,” stressing “the depth of bilateral relations and Syria’s keenness to achieve the highest levels of cooperation between the two countries”.

Al-Sharaa and al-Zaidi had previously met last September in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, where they discussed ways to strengthen political and security coordination and expand economic and trade cooperation.

French president meets Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh to discuss energy, security, and infrastructure as cost-of-living protests rage at home.

French President Emmanuel Macron visited Riyadh on a surprise “solidarity” visit, making him the first Western leader to touch down in Saudi Arabia since the Houthis intensified their attacks this month.

The unannounced trip comes as Saudi Arabia agreed to supply extra diesel to France “for as many months as necessary”, the Elysee Palace told the AFP news agency on Wednesday.

The visit aims to “demonstrate France’s solidarity with the kingdom in the face of the attacks carried out by the Houthis against its territory, and to continue efforts undertaken on securing and diversifying hydrocarbon supplies”, the French presidency said earlier.

The diplomatic push follows days of rioting in France, fuelled by the cost of living, especially as the US-Iran war and Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have kept energy prices high.

Faced with criticism of his Gulf tour at home, Macron told reporters he was just “doing his job” in a bid to “ease tensions” over petrol prices, one of the causes of social unrest in France.

“There must be no sign of febrility,” he said. “I am fulfilling my role. I am at my post.”

Macron met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Saudi capital, and the two agreed to consult on expanding security cooperation and on infrastructure projects to bypass the blockaded strait, the palace said.

It did not say how much extra diesel Saudi Arabia would supply.

Macron’s Gulf tour

The deal follows pledges secured earlier in Macron’s Gulf tour. The presidency said on Tuesday that the United Arab Emirates had committed to about 100,000 tonnes a month, with a further 100,000 tonnes monthly to be secured in Bahrain.

Together with Saudi deliveries, France now has commitments for 295,000 tonnes a month, just more than 10 percent of its consumption, it said.

Meanwhile, France is also sending military assets to Saudi Arabia, under an earlier agreement, to help protect the Red Sea port of Yanbu, which has come under attack from the Iran-backed Houthis, an armed group also known as Ansar Allah (Arabic for Supporters of God).

The United Kingdom also announced on Tuesday that it would deploy fighter jets to help shield the kingdom. Both countries say their support is purely defensive.

Analysts say the moves protect Saudi oil exports that matter to Europe’s energy markets and bolster the Gulf alliance as the US shows reluctance to offer direct military help. They also carry risks, analysts say, potentially drawing the two European states into the protracted Saudi-Houthi conflict.

Oct. 21, 2026 4:33 AM PT

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — Russia on Wednesday released a retired American teacher who had been imprisoned on charges of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said Wednesday at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg.

The release of Stephen Hubbard had been foreshadowed a day earlier in Washington, when President Trump told reporters at the White House that he had talked with Putin “at length” about the issue and had asked him to free the Michigan man.

Hubbard is the second American detainee in just over two months to be freed by Russia, and his exit from custody occurred not only during a visit by Witkoff but also at a time when Trump has taken a series of actions meant to benefit Russia as Washington’s alliance with Ukraine shows signs of fraying.

Hubbard was sentenced after a closed trial in 2024 to nearly seven years in prison. Prosecutors said he had signed a contract with the Ukrainian military after Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, and that he fought alongside them until being captured two months later. The U.S. government under the Biden administration designated Hubbard as wrongfully detained.

Witkoff, a key Trump administration envoy who has tried without success to steer Russia and Ukraine toward a settlement to end a war that will hit the five-year mark in February, thanked Putin for releasing Hubbard, telling him, “Because of you, he’s going home to his family.” The Russian leader responded that Hubbard was at the St. Petersburg airport, Pulkovo, after the release.

The release occurred at a dynamic moment in relations between the United States, Ukraine and Russia, with the Washington-Kyiv alliance being stretched by tensions over drone support as the Trump administration advances policies that aid Putin.

Trump decided Friday, for instance, to waive sanctions on Russia in a bill that Congress overwhelmingly passed to support Ukraine. Named after late South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, the legislation targeted the flow of financial resources fueling Russia’s war.

That reversal followed Trump’s announcement of a deal to import Russian diesel fuel in a long-shot effort to curb high gas prices ahead of the U.S. midterm elections next month.

Witkoff met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Norway on Tuesday. He was expected to exchange ideas from that meeting, as well as proposals from European and American colleagues, in his talks with Russian leaders in St. Petersburg on Wednesday.

Hubbard is the second American freed by Russia in about the last two months, following the release in August of Marine veteran Robert Gilman, who had been gravely ill and was imprisoned on disputed charges of assaulting a police officer.

Some two dozen Americans remain imprisoned in Russia for various reasons, according to the Foley Foundation, a hostage advocacy organization.

Hubbard had been imprisoned since 2022 on charges that Hostage Aid Worldwide, a hostage advocacy group, has called bogus.

The organization in August posted an open letter to Trump that it said was written by Patricia Hubbard Fox, Hubbard’s sister, in which she offered praise for Trump but also said brother had been subjected to “constant beatings, torture and starvation” while in custody.

“Even so, everything that you’re doing isn’t going to matter to my kidnapped, American Veteran brother, Stephen James Hubbard (soon to be 74) if Putin won’t cave and let him come home and he dies up there in a Nazi prison (crying),” the letter said.

Litvinova and Tucker write for the Associated Press. Tucker reported from Washington.

It stopped me mid-scroll. In an Instagram reel, one DJ was mixing an upbeat track in a dark, packed room while another danced on a stage behind her, twerking perfectly on beat. Above them, a message flashed on a massive screen: “Love. Dance. And F— Ice.”

The crowd went wild, matching the energy of the two Los Angeles-based DJs who go by Mango and Ginger. The night looked so electric that I could feel the FOMO traveling through my body.

When I tapped the location tag, I assumed I was looking at an underground warehouse party in downtown L.A. or a venue in Hollywood. Instead, the party — known as If You See Me You See Me — was happening 120 miles south in San Diego. As a DJ and music lover, I knew I needed to get down there ASAP.

For many Angelenos, San Diego is the place to go for a peaceful weekend getaway — think scenic cliffs, serene beaches, fresh fish tacos and visits to Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo. But it’s easy to sleep on its vibrant nightlife scene — and I don’t just mean the bars crowding the Gaslamp Quarter. The city is home to some of the most exciting late-night spaces, from hi-fi listening lounges to a cinematic Middle Eastern restaurant that feels straight out of Disneyland.

“People just aren’t aware,” says San Diego native Mo Perez, who as DJ Dopemo regularly packs out parties at North Park’s Bluefoot Bar and Lounge. “Then they come here and they’re like, ‘Wow, San Diego is really fun.’”

This is part of the reason why Sasha Marie, a longtime DJ and former member of the Soulection music collective, decided to continue hosting her event If You See Me You See Me, in partnership with Future Is Color, in her hometown of San Diego, even amid invitations to bring it to other cities. She invites DJs from around the globe, many of whom wouldn’t typically play in San Diego, to spin at the party.

“I feel like it’s important to show that something can be successful here,” she says.

Consider this your wake-up call to tap into San Diego’s nightlife scene, whether you want to go dancing or vibe to diverse sounds or have a cocktail in a one-of-a-kind atmosphere. These nine great spots are a sampling of how the city comes alive after dark.

Hegseth has travelled to Israel to meet Netanyahu ahead of a closely contested election, Axios reported, citing sources.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an undisclosed visit to Israel, according to Axios.

The meeting between the hawkish ally of US President Donald Trump and the veteran Israeli premier facing a knife-edge election occurred on Monday, Axios reported, citing two sources with knowledge of the matter.

The Reuters news agency could not immediately confirm the visit. The Pentagon and Israel’s embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and there was no immediate indication of what they discussed.

Trump endorsement

President Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social on Sunday to endorse Netanyahu in next week’s parliamentary election, the first vote since the Hamas-led October 7 attacks in 2023 and Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza began.

Trump praised the prime minister for being an ally of the US in its war on Iran. He added that Netanyahu had his “Complete and Total Endorsement”.

“BIBI NETANYAHU WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Trump wrote.

Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist coalition is projected to lose its governing majority, although the opposition may also struggle to form a government, opinion polls suggest.

US Vice President JD Vance, however, declined to endorse Netanyahu in an interview earlier on Monday, saying he was not getting involved in Israeli elections.

“I endorse American candidates, and that’s where I’m focused on is the midterms,” Vance, who travelled to Budapest and endorsed Viktor Orban in Hungarian elections earlier this year, said in an interview with digital media outlet 2WAY.

“I’m not anti-endorsing him, but I’m not pro-endorsing him; I’m not getting involved in Israeli elections,” Vance said.

Tehran, Iran – Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is due to meet with senior Iranian officials in Tehran to discuss the war with the United States and efforts to end it.

Lavrov landed in the Iranian capital on Monday afternoon on his first visit to Iran since February 2025. Moscow said the trip was part of efforts to ease months of tension, since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran on February 28. The Russian minister is scheduled to hold talks with President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later on Monday.

On Sunday, Lavrov was in Bahrain, which was heavily targeted by Iran during the war, to participate in a strategic dialogue session between Russia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

He was urged by GCC members to use Moscow’s influence with Tehran to press for “serious dialogue” and restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been severely disrupted by attacks on commercial vessels.

GCC chief Jasem Al-Budaiwi said member states had faced more than 7,000 Iranian missiles and drones since the start of the war.

In the council’s closing statement, the six Arab countries said they wanted Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes, as well as its support for regional armed groups, to be included in future talks to end the war.

Nikita Smagin, an analyst and researcher on Iran and Russia’s role in the Middle East, said Lavrov’s trip reflects Moscow’s efforts to maintain working relations with all countries in the region.

He said Lavrov also wants to maintain Russia’s status as a mediator, despite the impact of the Ukraine war on its global reputation.

“The timing of visits to the Gulf monarchies and Iran, taking place almost simultaneously, is a deliberate signal: Moscow wants to show that it approaches relations with all these countries on broadly equal terms and is equally interested in cooperation with each of them,” Smagin said.

How does Russia fit in?

Lavrov told GCC ministers in Manama that the region was once again teetering on the brink of a full-scale war and Russia wanted to establish a regional architecture for “collective security”.

He said this could include combining initiatives from countries in the region, along with those put forward by Russia and China, with the aim of restoring maritime traffic and achieving lasting peace. The Russian foreign minister urged other regional states such as Iraq and Jordan, which have also been hit by Iranian strikes, to participate.

Lavrov expressed support for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Iran and the US in June, which later collapsed, as a framework for reducing tension.

Iran has said it wants a return to that agreement, and for Washington to honour a finalised bilateral deal between Iran and Oman to manage territorial waters in the Strait of Hormuz. This has been opposed by the US, which has established its own route in the waterway for shipping.

Intelligence reports cited by US media said that Russia and China are providing military support to Iran in the form of satellite imagery for targeting purposes and components for weapons.

But US President Donald Trump contradicted those reports last week, saying Moscow and Beijing would have “too much to lose” if they helped Iran.

Washington has also issued sanctions waivers for Russia in a bid to lower fuel prices driven up by the war against Iran.

Mixed intentions

Russia’s position on the Iran war is somewhat unusual, said Smagin. It has a partial interest in the conflict continuing, as higher oil prices and the severe restrictions on Iranian oil reaching China all benefit Moscow.

“Russia and Iran have been competing primarily for the Chinese market, so China is now effectively forced to buy Russian oil at higher prices because Iranian supplies are largely unavailable,” he said.

Smagin added that Russia does not want the conflict to escalate further, as the consequences could be unpredictable, but its leverage over either Iran or the US to influence the course of the conflict remains limited.

Russia will continue to expand relations with Tehran, Smagin said, including through Caspian Sea trade, and limited military cooperation with Iran.

“These efforts appear to be aimed less at generating economic returns than at expanding Russia’s political influence over Iran and the course of events,” he said.

Military strikes by Iran and the US to wrest control of the waterway have continued, with the US midterm elections approaching on November 3 .

In comments to the media, Trump threatened to “soon finish the job” with Iran, to which Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi replied: “We have unfinished jobs too.”

BONFIRE Night is on the horizon, and the biggest celebration in the WORLD is right here in the UK.

Lewes will hold its annual event in a matter of weeks and not only is it free to visit but it will be busier than ever.

Thousands of Brits descend on the town in East Sussex which has been holding bonfire events since 1795.

However, it isn’t the usual firework display followed by hot chocolates – this one is the world’s biggest with torchlit processions and giant effigies.

The event marks both Guy Fawkes Night and the memory of 17 martyrs from the town who were burnt at the stake.

Every year, six different bonfire societies each hold their own procession and firework displays.

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In 2024, it was recorded that 40,000 people were in attendance.

The event is predicted to be even busier this year because it falls nearer the weekend on Thursday, November 5.

The majority of the event is completely free, like the bonfire at Commercial Square – but visitors will need to pay to watch at others.

This year, the processions start at around 5pm and will arrive at the individual bonfire at around 9.45pm with fireworks displays finishing around 11pm.

Travel Writer, Hope Brotherton, who has previously attended told visitors to “be prepared”.

She said: “In the last few years, I’ve been lucky enough to attend Lewes Bonfire because a handful of my friends are from the Sussex town.”

“Because the town’s streets and alleyways are rather narrow, the High Street in Lewes is one of the best, and safest, places to watch the torch-lit procession.

“The processions can often be very loud because of the drums that accompany each of the societies. But the noise is all part of the electric atmosphere, as are the effigies.

“If you do want a drink in a pub, be sure to head there in the early afternoon. Several of the bonfire societies base themselves in local pubs too, which means they can be busier than usual.”

On the day of the event there will be limited rail services – trains will not stop at Lewes from 5pm until the start of the service the next day.

There will also be road closures around and in the town due to the procession and predicted number of attendees.

It’s so popular that those wanting to visit are encouraged to book hotels a year in advance.

On Booking.com there’s a one-night stay available from November 5-6, 2027 from £75 per night (for two people).

Unlike many other firework and bonfire events around the UK, the one in Lewes is not suitable for children or young families as officials warn it can be ‘overwhelming’.

Despite this, lots of visitors often rave about the event calling it an “amazing experience”.

One wrote on Tripadvisor: “The energy is superb, the friendliness of everyone involved, and a feeling of excitement throughout makes this such a memorable night out.

“Everyone should come to Lewes on November 5th at least once, you will never find a night like this anywhere else in the world.”

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio is to visit India in the coming week, but he will not set foot in the capital, New Delhi.

Instead, on Monday, Rubio will hold talks with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Mumbai, India’s financial hub, and then visit an oil refinery in Jamnagar in the western state of Gujarat, according to a statement from the US Department of State.

His itinerary sparked a political storm after the US ambassador to India said Washington expected Jaishankar to travel to meet Rubio, prompting opposition leaders to accuse the government of allowing India’s top diplomat to be “summoned” on home soil.

The spat comes as relations between the two countries are strained over trade, tariffs and India’s purchases of Russian oil.

So why is Rubio avoiding New Delhi, and why has it caused such upset? Here’s what you need to know:

What is Rubio doing in India?

He plans to discuss trade, energy and investment.

Rubio is arriving on Sunday from Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where he has been meeting with five Central Asian states at the C5+1 summit.

In India, he is due to meet senior officials to discuss the US-India strategic partnership and energy cooperation and hold talks with business leaders, the State Department said.

Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal appeared to confirm the agenda, stating on Friday that the Mumbai talks would cover energy, trade and investment, defence, and critical and emerging technologies.

In Jamnagar, Rubio is to visit the world’s largest single-site refinery, operated by billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries, and attend a reception hosted by the Ambani family, according to The Hindu newspaper.

Why isn’t Rubio going to New Delhi?

No official reason has been given.

Rubio was in the Indian capital in May for a meeting of foreign ministers of countries in the Quad, a group consisting of the US, India, Japan and Australia.

The State Department has framed his upcoming trip around energy and investment, and the second stop on Rubio’s India visit, Jamnagar, is one of the world’s most important energy hubs.

The visit also comes as fuel prices bite in the US before next month’s midterm elections.

Reliance, an energy, retail and telecommunications conglomerate, also sits at the centre of Washington’s wider oil diplomacy.

Business Standard, an Indian financial daily, said the Jamnagar stop was significant because Reliance is the biggest buyer of Venezuelan crude oil besides the US at a time when Washington has been urging India to buy more.

Since US forces seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January and took essential control of the country’s oil industry, the US government has marketed Venezuelan oil to buyers abroad.

Reliance is also investing in a new refinery in Texas, the first to be built in the US in 50 years, which Trump hailed as a $300bn deal when he announced it in March, Business Standard reported.

What did the US ambassador say, and why has it caused upset?

Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in New Delhi on Thursday, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said Rubio would meet Indian government officials in Mumbai, and Washington “expected” Jaishankar and others from New Delhi to travel there to see him.

Earlier in the week, however, Jaiswal had not confirmed the trip or explained why Rubio was skipping New Delhi, telling reporters the Indian government would announce it “at the appropriate time”, The Hindu newspaper reported.

Jairam Ramesh, a general secretary of the opposition Indian National Congress party, wrote on X that the ambassador’s statement was “quite extraordinary”.

Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition in parliament’s lower house, also took to X to comment, writing on Friday that Rubio had “summoned his employee to Mumbai”.

Congress MP Pawan Khera went further.

“A foreign government summoning India’s External Affairs Minister on Indian soil is a new low, even by the Modi Government’s standards,” he wrote on X, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Why are US-India relations strained?

Mainly because of Trump’s tariffs and Russian oil.

In August last year after a round of trade talks broke down, the US hit most Indian goods with a 50 percent tariff. Under a framework the two sides agreed in February, that rate fell to 18 percent, however.

Since then, negotiations have stalled.

This month, Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the talks had “plateaued”, according to The Hindu.

On Thursday, Trade Minister Piyush Goyal said the “first tranche” of a deal was in its final stages but India would not sign until its exporters had an edge over rivals such as Bangladesh, Vietnam and Indonesia, according to the Reuters news agency.

Other points of friction have emerged.

Last week, US Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling announced that his department was suspending eight companies – including the Indian IT giants Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro and HCL – from a labour certification scheme that is a key step for employers seeking green cards for their foreign staff.

Sameer Lalwani, a senior fellow in the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, wrote this week that Indian public opinion of the US has hit a record low, citing US engagement with Pakistan and the US-Israel war on Iran, which he said had pushed India back towards Russian oil.

Despite that, he argued, defence and technology cooperation has quietly deepened, and bilateral trade grew by almost 12 percent in 2025 to nearly $240bn.

In his view, “perceptions of the political relationship have deteriorated faster than its strategic foundations.”

A sanctions law had threatened to make matters worse.

Last month, Trump signed the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, which could impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on goods from the five largest importers of Russian oil or gas.

India, one of the world’s biggest buyers of Russian oil, had warned Washington that new tariffs could hurt bilateral ties. Trump signed an executive order seeking to waive the sanctions on Friday as he tries to ease high oil prices before the November 3 US elections.