A freed American prisoner and a fresh round of Ukraine diplomacy lead a morning that also brought deadly overnight strikes in Ukraine, extended curfews in France, a tougher fight over Virginia’s biggest utility merger, a Dashain call against corruption in Kathmandu, an NBA opening night upset in New York, and a Golden Globes ruling that puts the Michael Jackson biopic in the drama race.
In This Roundup
- Russia Frees American Teacher Stephen Hubbard as Witkoff Meets Putin in St. Petersburg
- Four Killed in Overnight Russian Strikes on Energy Sites Across Ukraine
- France Extends Curfews and Promises Massive Police Deployment Ahead of Fresh Protests
- Spanberger Seeks Six-Year Rate Freeze as Dominion-NextEra Merger Faces Opposition in Virginia
- On Bijaya Dashami, Prime Minister Shah Calls on Nepalis to Unite Against Corruption
- NBA Season Tips Off With 76ers Spoiling Knicks’ Ring Night and Thunder Beating Spurs
- Golden Globes Rule ‘Michael’ Must Compete as a Drama, Not a Musical or Comedy
1 Russia Frees American Teacher Stephen Hubbard as Witkoff Meets Putin in St. Petersburg
Russia has released Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired American teacher who had been held for more than four years, after President Donald Trump pressed President Vladimir Putin for his freedom. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff announced the release on Wednesday and said Hubbard was at an airport waiting for a flight home, as Witkoff met Putin in St. Petersburg for talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
Hubbard, a Michigan native who had lived in Izyum since 2014, was seized by Russian forces in April 2022 and later sentenced to nearly seven years in prison on charges of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine. He is reported to be in poor health and, according to CBS News reporting cited in the coverage, was expected to fly to Texas for treatment at a military hospital. Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that he had been talking to Putin about Hubbard at length and had asked for his release.
I wanted to thank you very much. The president sends his thanks. Our whole nation sends its thanks.
Source: New York Post
2 Four Killed in Overnight Russian Strikes on Energy Sites Across Ukraine
Four people were killed in overnight Russian strikes on Ukraine, Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi said on Wednesday. The attacks hit energy facilities in the Kyiv, Volyn, Odesa and Mykolaiv regions, he said on Telegram, in the latest wave aimed at the power network as temperatures fall.
In a separate attack, Russian drones killed two people near Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city, Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. Eleven other people suffered stress reactions after private houses were struck, a high-rise apartment building and transport infrastructure were hit in Kyiv, and a university was struck in Kremenchuk, injuring two. The strikes came just hours before Witkoff was due to meet Putin, after what a U.S. official called constructive talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Norway on Tuesday.
Source: Reuters
3 France Extends Curfews and Promises Massive Police Deployment Ahead of Fresh Protests
France is extending overnight curfews and tightening security after days of violent unrest linked to nationwide protests over rising living costs and deteriorating school conditions. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu promised a massive police deployment ahead of fresh demonstrations scheduled for October 24.
Curfews already in place around Place de la Republique and the Les Halles district in Paris, and in Lyon and other cities, were extended after a quieter Monday night. The decision followed an admission by Interior Minister Laurent Nunez that authorities had underestimated the unrest and lost control in some cities on Saturday. More than 2,500 people had been taken into police custody by Monday evening, according to Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin, after violence that included the burning of a historic town hall in Limoges and widespread looting.
Source: LatestLY
4 Spanberger Seeks Six-Year Rate Freeze as Dominion-NextEra Merger Faces Opposition in Virginia
Governor Abigail Spanberger wants state regulators to condition the proposed Dominion Energy-NextEra merger on a six-year freeze on residential base rates, along with larger monthly credits and enforceable protections for customers and workers. State Corporation Commission staff have separately recommended denying the merger as currently proposed, citing unresolved concerns about reliable service at reasonable rates, according to WTVR reporting cited in the coverage.
Dominion and NextEra argue that their scale, financing capacity and efficiency would benefit customers. Their revised Virginia package includes four years of $10 monthly residential credits, added low-income assistance, employment commitments and a Richmond co-headquarters, and the companies expect the deal to close in the second half of 2027 if regulators approve it. Virginians can still weigh in: the commission has telephone hearings on November 5, 9 and 10, an in-person hearing in Richmond on November 5, and written comments due by November 12.
Source: The American Quorum
5 On Bijaya Dashami, Prime Minister Shah Calls on Nepalis to Unite Against Corruption
Prime Minister Balendra Shah used his Bijaya Dashami message on Wednesday to say that Dashain binds together people from every community and region of Nepal’s diverse society. In greetings to Nepalis at home and abroad, he wished happiness, peace and prosperity, and described the festival as a chance to reconnect with family and friends after long separations and to receive tika, jamara and blessings from elders.
Shah also turned the message to governing, calling for a collective effort to root out corruption, poor governance, bureaucratic delays, inequality and political disorder. Honest effort and hard work, he said, would help people feel the government is there for them, and he urged Nepalis to rise above ego, greed, jealousy, violence and discrimination and to celebrate within their means. Nepal is also preparing for a landmark prime ministerial visit to India in November, where infrastructure projects and long-standing disputes are expected to shape the next phase of relations between the two neighbours.
Source: Radio Nepal
6 NBA Season Tips Off With 76ers Spoiling Knicks’ Ring Night and Thunder Beating Spurs
The NBA season opened Tuesday night with LeBron James taking the court as a Philadelphia 76er for the first time, and Philadelphia spoiled New York’s championship ring ceremony with a 106-100 win over the Knicks. Tyrese Maxey led all scorers with 28 points, while James, starting a record 24th season, added 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in his debut, and fellow newcomer Jaylen Brown scored 19.
In San Antonio, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points as Oklahoma City beat the Spurs 116-104, with Victor Wembanyama held to 12 points on 1-of-13 shooting despite 13 rebounds and six blocks. The Thunder and Spurs had opened the day as co-favourites for the title. Attention also turned to baseball, where the get-in price for Game 1 of the World Series, with Tampa Bay visiting Milwaukee on Friday, had climbed above $3,100, close to Super Bowl levels.
Source: NPR via KVNF
7 Golden Globes Rule ‘Michael’ Must Compete as a Drama, Not a Musical or Comedy
The Golden Globes awards committee has rejected Lionsgate’s bid to enter Michael, its blockbuster Michael Jackson biopic, in the Musical or Comedy categories at the 2027 ceremony, according to Variety reporting. The film, starring Jaafar Jackson as Jackson, will instead compete as a drama, where the field is expected to include Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and Los Javis’ La Bola Negra.
The ruling does not affect stars Colman Domingo and Nia Long, because the supporting categories are not split by genre. Lionsgate can appeal before the October 31 submission deadline, under a rule that defines a musical as a comedy or drama in which songs are used alongside dialogue to advance the plot. A sequel is already in development, with Miles Teller, who played Jackson’s lawyer-manager John Branca, confirming in May that a follow-up was being planned.
Source: LatestLY
Editor’s Note: This roundup was prepared with the assistance of AI tools. Virginia Times gathered the source material from multiple sources and thoroughly reviewed the information before publication.
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