“International Criminal Court judges on Thursday rejected a challenge to jurisdiction in the case of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who is accused of involvement in dozens of killings as part of his so-called war on drugs when in office. Defense lawyers for the 80-year old Duterte argued that because the Philippines left the court before prosecutors opened a formal investigation into the mass killings, the ICC didn’t have the authority to continue with the proceedings. A pretrial panel of judges dismissed the motion. Countries can’t ‘abuse’ their right to withdraw from the Rome Statute ‘by shielding persons from justice in relation to alleged crimes that are already under consideration,’ the 32-page decision says. Prosecutors announced in February 2018 that they would open a preliminary investigation into the violence.” (10/23/25)
“The Trump administration plans to propose opening federal waters in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to offshore drilling, two people familiar with the plan said Wednesday, a move that is likely to antagonize coastal states governors — and make a direct jab at California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Full details of the plan were not yet known, but a push to bring drilling rigs to untouched sections of the U.S. coastline brought bipartisan opposition when Trump tried to carry out a similar plan during his first administration. The proposal would be part of the Interior Department’s upcoming five-year plan on offshore oil lease sales, said the people who were granted anonymity because the plan wasn’t yet public.” (10/22/25)
“Tropical Storm Melissa is threatening the Caribbean Sea islands with dangerous landslides and life-threatening flooding, as officials urge residents of flood-prone areas to seek higher ground and shelter. … The slow-moving storm was centred about 335 miles (535km) south-southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and some 295 miles (475km) south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica. The NHC said the storm could strengthen gradually in the coming days and grow into a hurricane by Friday and a major hurricane by the late weekend. Heavy rains in the Dominican Republic have already disrupted traffic and led to the cancellation of sports events. Melissa is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, and the first named storm to form in the Caribbean this year.” (10/23/25)
“In the midst of a federal government shutdown, the U.S. government’s gross national debt surpassed $38 trillion Wednesday, a record number that highlights the accelerating accumulation of debt on America’s balance sheet. It’s also the fastest accumulation of a trillion dollars in debt outside of the COVID-19 pandemic — the U.S. hit $37 trillion in gross national debt in August this year. The $38 trillion update is found in the latest Treasury Department report, which logs the nation’s daily finances.
“The International Court of Justice said on Wednesday that Israel must allow the U.N. aid agency in Gaza, known as UNRWA, to provide humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian territory. The Hague-based court was asked last year by the U.N. General Assembly to determine Israel’s legal obligations after the country effectively banned the agency, the main provider of aid to Gaza, from operating there. Israel ‘is under the obligation to agree to and facilitate relief schemes provided by the United Nations and its entities, including UNRWA,’ ICJ President Yuji Iwasawa said. … Israel has denied it has violated international law, saying the court’s proceedings are biased, and the country didn’t attend hearings in April. However, Israel provided a 38-page written submission for the court to consider. In a written statement, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the opinion and said Israel ‘fully upholds its obligations under International Law.'” (10/22/25)
“The US has sanctioned Rosneft and Lukoil, Russia’s two largest oil companies, as the Trump administration increased pressure on the Kremlin to negotiate an end to its war against Ukraine. The sanctions were the first against Russia since Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, and were targeted to cut key revenues from oil sales that finance the Russian war machine. … [Donald] Trump, speaking in the Oval Office with the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, on Wednesday, also confirmed he had cancelled a planned summit with Putin in another sign of a breakdown in negotiations between Washington and Moscow.” (10/22/25)
“As the U.S. Supreme Court ponders whether to clear the way for the National Guard in Chicago, a federal appeals court is hearing arguments in California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s challenge to the deployment of troops in Los Angeles. Guard troops could also soon be on the ground in Portland, Oregon, pending legal developments there. … A federal judge in Chicago already blocked deployment of Guard troops to the Chicago area for two weeks. On Wednesday, Judge April Perry agreed to extend that order by 30 days. But she said each party could discuss the extension further before meeting again at 3 p.m. local time, noting they would not be able to issue another one. Still, anything she does could be moot if the U.S. Supreme Court rules in the meantime.” (10/22/25)
