Today: An American is released from Russia, and the Paris Agreement's 1.5C goal slides out of reach

Today as it Happened on Wednesday, October 21, 2026: A 74-year-old retired American school teacher held in Russia since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine is finally heading home. Stephen Hubbard was released from a Russian prison Wednesday after being detained since 2022, when Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. He was accused of being a mercenary for Ukraine under what his family and advocates called dubious charges. Hubbard, the only American in Russia labeled by the U.S. as "wrongfully detained," suffered brutal conditions and deteriorating health. President Trump's trade war with Canada is having a big impact (Source: Scripps News | Region: Ottawa, Canada)