Daily Recap: Politics — 8 October 2026

Politics today turns on power over access, oversight and accountability, from immigration and media rules in Washington to courtroom scrutiny in The Hague. Governments and institutions also move to steady pressure at home and abroad, using regulation, security ties and temporary...

The International Criminal Court rules that former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is fit to stand trial on charges tied to his deadly anti-drug campaign. Judges find he can understand the case and take part in proceedings, rejecting concerns that his cognitive condition would prevent the trial from moving forward.

The Trump administration indefinitely suspends Microsoft and several other technology and IT outsourcing companies from a green-card sponsorship program for some foreign workers. The move, framed around alleged abuse of the H-1B system, blocks the affected employers from filing or backing certain employment-based permanent residency cases.

A federal judge extends an order preventing the White House from revoking access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico while he weighs a broader decision. The ruling keeps the outlets’ journalists able to enter the White House through at least Tuesday, preserving the status quo in a dispute over press access.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham meets German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin to advance a new UK-Germany security partnership. The talks focus on cooperation against hybrid threats such as sabotage and cyberattacks, underscoring a push for closer coordination on European security during Burnham’s first official visit to Germany.

The NFL asks the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the fight over who regulates prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket. In a friend-of-the-court filing, the league backs arguments for state authority, pressing the court to clarify whether these platforms fall under federal oversight or state gambling law.

Nigeria’s government unveils a 30-day petrol discount at NNPC stations for public transport operators, with the state oil company selling fuel at cost by suspending its retail margin. Officials present the measure as temporary relief to soften price volatility and ease pressure on household transport costs, subject to monthly review.

Vice President Sara Duterte’s legal team submits an affidavit to the National Bureau of Investigation in response to allegations from dismissed policeman Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. that she received cash in suitcases on several occasions. Duterte does not personally attend the NBI invitation, but her camp formally answers the claims through the filing.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio refuses to address allegations involving Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle and grows visibly irritated when pressed by reporters during an overseas trip. He declines to discuss the matter and repeatedly signals that he will not engage with questions about it.