AnewZ Morning Brief - 23 October, 2025
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 23 October, covering the latest developments you need to know....
U.S. President Donald Trump's top diplomat, Marco Rubio, is set to travel to Israel this weekend amid rising tensions with U.S. allies in the Middle East over Israel's airstrike on Hamas leaders in Qatar and the expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank.
State Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott confirmed on Friday that Rubio will depart on Saturday for Israel before joining Trump's planned visit to Britain next week.
While in Israel, Rubio will highlight the shared objectives of the U.S. and Israel, particularly the goal of preventing Hamas from ever ruling Gaza again and securing the return of hostages taken during the 7 October, 2023, attacks, which killed 1,200 Israelis and resulted in the abduction of 251 hostages, according to Israeli officials.
Israel's nearly two-year-long military campaign in Gaza has led to over 64,000 deaths in the Palestinian enclave, according to local authorities. The campaign has also drawn accusations of genocide, including from the world’s largest group of genocide scholars this month.
On Tuesday, Israel launched an airstrike on Hamas's political leaders in Doha, a move that U.S. officials described as a unilateral escalation that did not serve either American or Israeli interests. The attack on the territory of a close U.S. ally sparked widespread condemnation from other Arab nations and derailed ceasefire and hostage negotiations mediated by Qatar.
Rubio's visit comes ahead of high-level meetings at the United Nations in New York later this month, where countries like France and Britain are expected to recognise Palestinian statehood. Washington argues that such recognition would strengthen Hamas, and Rubio has warned that it could pave the way for the annexation of the West Bank, a goal pursued by hardline members of the Israeli government.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed an agreement on Thursday to advance a settlement expansion plan that would cut across West Bank land Palestinians view as crucial for a future state. The United Arab Emirates cautioned last week that such actions would cross a red line and jeopardise the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords, which normalised UAE-Israel relations in 2020.
Rubio and Israeli leaders are expected to discuss "our commitment to fight anti-Israel actions, including unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state that rewards Hamas terrorism, and legal actions at the ICC and ICJ," Pigott stated. He was referring to the International Criminal Court, which has issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu, and the International Court of Justice, which has called on Israel to take steps to prevent acts of genocide.
"The Secretary will also meet with the families of hostages and reiterate that the return of their loved ones remains a top priority," Pigott added.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of photos and videos in its Memories feature, prompting backlash from long-time users.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 23 October, covering the latest developments you need to know.
European leaders aim to put on a show of support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Brussels on Thursday after a rollercoaster few days that saw Donald Trump announce and then back away from plans to meet Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
The Netherlands will vote on Wednesday, 29 October, after the collapse of the previous coalition, with far-right leader Geert Wilders’ Freedom Party (PVV) leading polls ahead of rivals focused on housing, healthcare and immigration.
Indonesia is aware of the repercussions of its decision to bar Israeli gymnasts from competing in a world championship event in Jakarta, Sports Minister Erick Thohir said on Thursday, stressing that the move aimed to preserve public order.
More than 100,000 New Zealand teachers, nurses, doctors, firefighters and support staff went on strike Thursday, demanding higher pay and better funding for public services, a clear sign of dissatisfaction with centre-right government.
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