Morning Brief: Hurricane Melissa Slams Toward Jamaica, Venezuela Cuts Energy Ties with Trinidad, US-Japan ‘Golden Age’ Alliance

Senate Democrats have blocked a GOP stopgap spending bill, and both parties continue to blame each other for the stalemate. Union leaders and some senators from both sides are urging an immediate resolution as the economic impact and public frustration grow.   US Navy Probes Fuel Contamination as Possible Cause of Dual Aircraft Crashes from USS Nimitz The US Navy is investigating whether contaminated fuel caused two aircraft to crash from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) in the South China Sea on Sunday, President Donald Trump said Monday. An MH-60R Sea Hawk and an F/A-18F Super Hornet crashed within 30 minutes of each other, though all crew members were safely rescued. Trump told reporters that “bad fuel” was a leading theory, calling the incidents “very unusual.” ‘VERY UNUSUAL’: President Donald Trump revealed a potential cause of recent USS Nimitz aircraft crashes that took place in the South China Sea over the weekend. pic.twitter.com/NVlw1zU6N9 — Fox News (@FoxNews) October 27, 2025 Navy sources confirmed that fuel contamination is a primary focus of the inquiry but stressed the findings are preliminary. Both aircraft used JP-5 jet fuel supplied through a tightly controlled system aboard the Nimitz and replenished by Military Sealift Command oilers. A full investigation could take months.   Hurricane Melissa Slams Toward Jamaica as Record-Breaking Category 5 Storm Hurricane Melissa, a catastrophic Category 5 storm with sustained winds of 175 mph, was expected to make landfall in Jamaica early Tuesday, marking the strongest hurricane to hit the island in 174 years. Forecasters said the storm would cut diagonally across Jamaica from St. Elizabeth in the south to St. Ann in the north, bringing a storm surge up to 13 feet (4 meters), widespread flooding, and power outages. Prime Minister Andrew Holness warned of “catastrophic damage” and said recovery would be the country’s biggest challenge. The hurricane has already killed seven people across the Caribbean — three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic — and left another missing. Cuban authorities began evacuating more than 600,000 residents in advance of Melissa’s expected landfall in eastern Cuba late Tuesday. Insane footage from inside the eye of now Category 5 Hurricane Melissa, taken during one of yesterday’s recon flights by a U.S. Air Force WC-130J Weatherbird with the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron based out of Biloxi, Mississippi. pic.twitter.com/gGup2zgsdE — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 27, 2025 The storm is forecast to move toward the Bahamas by midweek.   Venezuela Cuts Energy Ties with Trinidad and Tobago over US Warship Deployment Venezuela suspended its energy agreements with Trinidad and Tobago on Monday after accusing the island nation of supporting US military operations in the Caribbean. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said Trinidad had become an “aircraft carrier of the US empire” by hosting the USS Gravely (DDG-107), a guided-missile destroyer taking part in joint naval exercises with Trinidad’s Navy. The move follows Venezuela’s condemnation of the US-led campaign targeting alleged drug-smuggling boats in the region, which has killed at least 43 people since September. Vice President and Oil Minister Delcy Rodríguez urged Maduro to cancel a 2015 joint natural gas exploration pact between the two countries. Trinidad’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar dismissed Venezuela’s concerns, saying the exercises were focused on internal security and that her country’s economic future “does not depend on Venezuela.” Venezuela may SUSPEND gas agreements with Trinidad and Tobago as US drills continue VP claims the island is siding with Washington’s WAR plans Caracas accuses it of working with the CIA on a staged provocation https://t.co/Sy87fznRBZ pic.twitter.com/3qYJNPA7bz — RT (@RT_com) October 27, 2025 The suspension deepens tensions as the US expands its military presence near Venezuela amid efforts to pressure Maduro’s government.   Russia Tests Second All-Domestic MC-21 Jet as Sanctions Pressure Its Aviation Industry Russia successfully conducted a test flight of the second MC-21 passenger jet built entirely with domestic components, the industry ministry said Tuesday. The flight, which took place at the Irkutsk aviation plant, tested Russian-made PD-14 engines and onboard systems, marking progress toward Moscow’s goal of replacing Western aircraft amid sanctions. The MC-21, designed to carry around 175 passengers, is central to Russia’s plan to phase out reliance on Airbus and Boeing jets. Второй импортозамещенный самолет МС-21 поднялся в небо, сообщает Минпромторг:https://t.co/dQ8WEYXGVj Видео: Telegram-канале Минпромторга РФ Еще больше новостей в Max: https://t.co/Rmj1dqetFa pic.twitter.com/dycUQERI7W — ТАСС (@tass_agency) October 28, 2025 Production has lagged due to sanctions and high borrowing costs, with only one of 15 aircraft planned for 2025 delivered by August. State conglomerate Rostec expects first deliveries by late 2026 and aims to produce 36 aircraft annually by 2030.   Russia Says It Downed 17 Ukrainian Drones in Second Straight Night of Strikes Near Moscow Russia said its air defenses destroyed 17 Ukrainian drones overnight Tuesday, including one flying toward Moscow, in the second consecutive night of drone attacks on the capital. Thirteen drones were intercepted over the Kaluga region, and three more were shot down over Bryansk, where one civilian was injured, officials said. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed emergency services were dispatched after debris fell near the city but reported no damage. Moscow is under drone attack, according to mayor Sobyanin. Air defense has been activated and explosions can be heard. pic.twitter.com/uOCWP6jye1 — NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) October 26, 2025 On Monday, Russia claimed it had downed 34 Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow, as cross-border attacks continue amid the ongoing war.   Israeli Forces Kill Three Palestinian Militants in West Bank Raid Israeli forces killed three Palestinian militants early Tuesday during an operation near Jenin in the northern West Bank, Israeli police and the military said. The men were shot as they emerged from a cave, which Israel later destroyed in an airstrike. The Israeli Army said the militants were involved in “terror activity” in Jenin but did not provide further details. Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz has commented on the Israeli armed raid near the occupied West Bank city of Jenin in which Israeli forces killed three Palestinian fighters, claiming they had succeeded in thwarting a serious attack. 🔴 LIVE updates: https://t.co/8KyUwGAlwy pic.twitter.com/iNS3NipkPS — Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) October 28, 2025 The raid comes amid heightened Israeli operations in the West Bank following the Hamas-led October 2023 attacks. Rights groups say civilians have also been killed and displaced in the ongoing campaign. The incident occurred as Israel and Hamas continue implementing a US-brokered Gaza ceasefire under which both sides have exchanged bodies of hostages and Palestinians killed in the conflict.   Trump and Japan’s New Prime Minister Takaichi Pledge ‘Golden Age’ in Alliance US President Donald Trump met Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo on Tuesday, pledging closer economic and security ties during his Asia trip. The leaders signed agreements reaffirming a $550 billion Japanese investment in the US and cooperation on securing critical minerals. .@POTUS and Prime Minister @takaichi_sanae sign agreements on strategic investments and critical minerals — ushering in a new Golden Age for the U.S.-Japan alliance 🇺🇸🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/ohEI9kExtt — Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 28, 2025 Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister, sought to strengthen relations with Trump through symbolic gestures, including gifts and plans to buy US Ford F-150 trucks. Trump praised her leadership and reaffirmed America’s “strongest-level” alliance with Japan. The meeting followed Trump’s visit to Malaysia, where he helped broker a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia, and came ahead of his planned talks with China’s Xi Jinping in South Korea later this week. Trump also addressed US troops aboard the USS George Washington (CVN-73) near Tokyo, emphasizing security cooperation and stability in the Indo-Pacific.   APEC Summit in South Korea Set to Test President Lee’s Diplomatic Balancing Act South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will host leaders from 20 nations at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju beginning Friday, with US President Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping expected to meet on the sidelines. The two-day summit, South Korea’s first in 20 years, comes as Lee pursues “pragmatic diplomacy” while facing strained ties with Japan, stalled outreach to North Korea, and Trump’s ongoing trade disputes. Seoul hopes to mediate between Washington and Beijing to secure a “Gyeongju Declaration” promoting free trade. Trump, who skipped most of the ASEAN Summit meetings during his first term, visited this year’s gathering, underscoring the importance of the region in Washington’s battle with China.https://t.co/K2q1F2yeXa — Nikkei Asia (@NikkeiAsia) October 28, 2025 Lee will also hold bilateral talks with Trump, Xi, and Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi. The event could enhance Lee’s global profile but may not yield lasting diplomatic breakthroughs, analysts say.   Sources: News Agencies