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Rubio heads to Central Asia as critics question his focus

Rubio's trip to Uzbekistan and then India is his thirty-first abroad as secretary of state, and some observers question whether it sidesteps the hardest issues; frequent flyer miles remain unconfirmed.

On air: Gloria Vance and Hank Ledger on Meet the Pressure
Published 10:21 AM ET, Sunday, October 18, 2026

Photo: U.S. Department of State · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

▶ As it aired · World

Watch it as it aired: Gloria Vance and Hank Ledger on this story, from Meet the Pressure at 10:21 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are Japan Today's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: U.S. Department of State · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

Photo: Marco Rubio — Photo: U.S. Department of State · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

At a glance

First reported by Japan Today: “Rubio heads to Central Asia as some wonder if he's keeping the most pressing matters at a distance”.
Covered on BBN on Sunday, October 18, 2026, at 10:21 AM ET on Meet the Pressure, by Gloria Vance and Hank Ledger.
Topics: Rubio, Asia.
BBN covered this story before: Ancient fungal family traced to Asia, eight new species named (October 17).

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

Japan TodayRubio heads to Central Asia as some wonder if he's keeping the most pressing matters at a distance

What BBN said about it

Gloria Vance · World News AnchorThis week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio begins his thirty-first trip abroad in the job, flying to Uzbekistan and then India, while critics wonder if the most pressing matters are being kept at a distance.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThirty-one trips. So the matters are pressing and he's pressing on, just in the other direction.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorDistance is a diplomatic tool, Hank. Though I'd argue that thirty-one trips might be overcompensating for something.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorRex has sports, and I'm told nobody there has left town either.

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