Caribbean

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio attacked the International Criminal Court in a speech to the Federalist Society in Washington on 13 Nov. He said the court would try to prosecute US officials or service members, a claim he used to justify sanctions against the ICC announced last month. Rubio said the US would not submit to what he called radical judges or soulless global bureaucrats. He argued for a muscular foreign policy and said the goal of the US-Israeli war against Iran was to prevent Tehran from building a nuclear weapon. The speech was his first prepared remarks since Republicans lost the 3 Nov midterm elections.

The US House of Representatives voted 211 to 204 to refer eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the Republican‑led Judiciary Committee, effectively halting the impeachment effort. Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky introduced the resolution. Eleven Democrats, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, abstained, allowing the motion to pass. President Donald Trump praised the outcome on social media, calling the attempt a failure. Analysts note that Democrats are expected to control both chambers of Congress starting in January.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham says Britain is open to a formal apology for its role in the transatlantic slave trade, but rejects financial reparations. In an opinion piece in The Guardian, he proposes structured dialogue with affected nations and a drive to restructure debt for the poorest Commonwealth countries, with longer repayment periods and better interest rates. The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda is scheduled for 1–4 Nov. King Charles, touring the Caribbean, says it is right to acknowledge past suffering. Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne welcomed the comments but said the region's position on reparatory justice is unchanged.