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Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the release of Stephen Hubbard, an American taken captive by Russian forces years ago in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the release of Stephen Hubbard, an American taken captive by Russian forces years ago in Ukraine.
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<p>Russia unilaterally frees Stephen Hubbard after US request while Steve Witkoff praises Putin as a ‘humanitarian’</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/oct/21/us-russia-ukraine-putin-witkoff-zelenskyy-france-italy-protests-europe-latest-news-updates">Europe live – latest updates</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/21/donald-trump-south-carolina-data-centers-midterms-ukraine-witkoff-russia-latest-news-updates">US politics live – latest updates</a></p></li></ul><p>Vladimir Putin ordered the release of an American from a Russian jail as he met Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg on Wednesday for fresh talks on ending the war in Ukraine, amid increasingly close relations between Moscow and Washington.</p><p>Trump had previously asked Putin to free Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old former teacher who had spent more than four years in Russian jails on <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/07/russia-court-convicts-american-stephen-james-hubbard-fighting-ukraine">charges of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine</a>.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/21/putin-witkoff-russia-ukraine-trump-stephen-hubbard-release">Continue reading...</a>
<p>MPs say ‘chaos’ at Capita-run scheme could mean some claims miss tax-free time limit on lump sum payments</p><p>Bereaved families could face “unconscionable” tax bills because of “chaos” in the civil service pension scheme, the government has been warned.</p><p>Some lump sum pension payments to families are only tax-free if made within two years of a scheme being told of the member’s death.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/oct/21/bereaved-civil-service-families-tax-bills-pension-scheme-delays-capita-death-in-benefit-claims">Continue reading...</a>
A new report reveals the plight of North Korean workers at a drone factory in Russia. It also raised concerns that Pyongyang could gain hands-on knowledge of advanced weapons systems through the workers it sends there.
<p>Billionaire Michael Bloomberg is spending $80m to help Democratic candidates, while Trump has promised Republicans $400m. Plus a vital investigation into justice in Louisiana</p><p>Good morning. Vast sums of money are being <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/20/michael-bloomberg-donation-democrats-midterms">ploughed into November’s midterms</a>, with the billionaire Michael Bloomberg spending $80m to help Democratic candidates, and Donald Trump announcing he intends to spend $400m to aid Republican candidates, with $300m already disbursed.</p><p>Bloomberg made the contributions in September and October, particularly focused on Democrats running to flip the US House of Representatives. Democrats believe they are favored to take back the House, though they’ve acknowledged trailing Republicans in fundraising. Republicans are also being aided by the president’s ally Elon Musk, who has spent $366m so far.</p><p><strong>What are the main issues for voters in the midterms?</strong> In <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/oct/20/voter-issues-midterms-elections">this explainer</a>, Robert Tait looks at six key issues swaying how people might vote – the economy, Iran, immigration, Trump’s use of power, AI and datacenters and the state of democracy and voter rights in the US.</p><p><strong>What is happening between the DoJ and California over voter rolls?</strong> The justice department’s list of suspected noncitizens in California includes a “high percentage” of people born in the US, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/20/doj-non-citizens-la">Los Angeles election officials said</a>. The statement, made in court papers, raises further questions about the reliability of the list of 20,000 people the DoJ is demanding be investigated.</p><p><strong>What was strange about how the ADL reminded people about an antisemitic slur? </strong>The Anti-Defamation League ADL has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/20/trump-kansas-rally-antisemitic-slur-anti-defamation-league">denounced the use of the term “shylock”</a> as antisemitic, without explaining that the slur had been used a day earlier by Trump in a speech in Kansas.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/21/first-thing-midterms-spending-money-donations-michael-bloomberg">Continue reading...</a>