Global Pulse

分类： politics

  • US Senate fails to advance funding package as partial govt shutdown looms, according to unofficial tally

    US Senate fails to advance funding package as partial govt shutdown looms, according to unofficial tally

    WASHINGTON — The United States Senate reached an impasse Thursday, failing to advance a critical government funding package and significantly escalating the threat of a partial federal shutdown. The legislative stalemate stems from deep-rooted disagreements over immigration enforcement policy, creating a political gridlock that lawmakers have thus far been unable to break.

    The procedural vote, which required 60 votes to move forward, fell short of the necessary threshold. The failure leaves a substantial portion of the federal government on the brink of a funding lapse, with key agencies set to begin shutting down operations if a resolution is not reached before the impending deadline.

    Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) addressed reporters on Capitol Hill earlier in the day, acknowledging the challenges in resolving the dispute. Lawmakers from both parties have been engaged in intense negotiations, yet fundamental differences regarding border security measures and immigration protocols have prevented a consensus. The deadlock reflects the broader, highly polarized national debate on immigration, which continues to dominate the legislative agenda and complicate budgetary processes.

    The impending shutdown would affect numerous non-essential government services and federal employees, potentially leading to furloughs and disruptions in public services. This latest standoff echoes previous government funding crises, underscoring the persistent challenges in achieving bipartisan cooperation on fiscally critical matters intertwined with contentious policy issues.

  • Trump orders re-opening of Venezuela airspace, 4 weeks post Maduro’s capture

    Trump orders re-opening of Venezuela airspace, 4 weeks post Maduro’s capture

    In a significant diplomatic development, U.S. President Donald Trump has directed the immediate reopening of Venezuelan airspace to commercial aviation, marking a pivotal step in normalizing relations following last month’s military intervention. The announcement came during a cabinet meeting on Thursday, January 29, 2026, where Trump revealed he had personally communicated with interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez regarding the policy shift.

    The presidential directive specifically tasked Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and military authorities with implementing the airspace reopening by the end of the business day. This decision effectively reverses the aviation restrictions imposed during the military operation that resulted in the capture of former leader Nicolas Maduro approximately four weeks ago.

    In response to the policy change, American Airlines has announced preparations to reinstate daily flight services to Venezuela, pending final authorization from U.S. regulatory bodies and comprehensive security evaluations. The airline’s statement emphasized that resumption of service would be contingent upon meeting all safety protocols and government approval requirements.

    The airspace reopening represents the latest development in the ongoing political transition in Venezuela, where the United States has recognized the interim government following the removal of Maduro’s administration. Aviation industry analysts note that restoring commercial air travel is crucial for reestablishing economic and diplomatic connections between the two nations.

  • How US sanctions and external threats destroyed Iran’s economy

    How US sanctions and external threats destroyed Iran’s economy

    In a stark declaration of foreign policy, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent outlined the Trump administration’s uncompromising stance towards Iran in a March 2025 address to the New York Economic Club. The stated objective, encapsulated in the phrase ‘Making Iran Broke Again,’ represents a significant escalation beyond the strategies of both previous and successive administrations, including Democrat Joe Biden’s.

    This aggressive sanctions regime, described by former US State Department sanctions official Richard Nephew as a tool to extract ‘nuclear concessions, regional proxy concessions, and missile concessions,’ has fundamentally reshaped Iran’s economic landscape. Data reveals a devastating impact: Iran’s GDP per capita plummeted from $8,000 to $5,000 between 2012 and 2024, with the economy contracting by approximately 6-7% annually following the 2018 reimposition of sanctions after the US withdrawal from the JCPOA nuclear deal.

    The human cost is profound. Sina Azodi, an assistant professor at George Washington University, detailed the consequences: ‘Unemployment has gone up. Inflation has gone up. The price of medical treatment, especially for cancer, has gone up.’ The recent collapse of a local bank and the Iranian rial hitting a historic low of 1.5 million to the US dollar have further fueled mass protests and economic instability.

    Despite this economic devastation, analysts question the efficacy of sanctions in achieving geopolitical objectives. Experts point out that Iran’s nuclear program, which officials claim is for civilian purposes but is also framed as a deterrent against Israeli attacks, has continued to advance. The policy has instead strengthened the regime’s ‘resistance economy’—a model of socialist-style basic needs provision, import substitution, and barter trade with allied nations.

    Critically, analysts argue that sanctions have had the opposite of their intended effect. Azodi states, ‘Economic sanctions make authoritarian regimes more authoritarian,’ explaining that regimes under pressure allocate more resources to security forces, viewing citizens as threats rather than assets. Furthermore, with the 2025 designation list targeting sanctions evasion networks surpassing all previous years, the cycle of economic isolation deepens. The Central Bank prints money to finance a budget crippled by a more than 60% drop in oil exports, leading to hyperinflation and a vicious cycle of currency devaluation.

    The long-term outcome remains uncertain. While the Trump administration’s goal is to force behavioral change, the decades-long application of sanctions has failed to alter Iran’s nuclear policy, regional activities, or human rights record. Instead, it has inflicted immense hardship on the Iranian populace, with experts like Nephew acknowledging that sanctions are fundamentally ‘a question of applying pain,’ though their ultimate success in achieving strategic goals is far from guaranteed.

  • Sheikh Mohamed, Putin review UAE-Russia ties, discuss key economic agreements in Moscow

    Sheikh Mohamed, Putin review UAE-Russia ties, discuss key economic agreements in Moscow

    In a significant diplomatic engagement at the Kremlin on January 29, 2026, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Russian President Vladimir Putin convened to strengthen bilateral relations and explore new cooperative frontiers. The high-level discussions centered on enhancing the strategic partnership between the two nations across multiple sectors including trade, investment, technology, space exploration, and energy security.

    The meeting, marked by formal ceremonies including an honor guard reception and military jet escort departure, underscored the importance both nations place on their relationship. President Sheikh Mohamed expressed optimism that 2026 would mark a year of substantial progress for Russia and continued advancement in UAE-Russia relations, noting the foundation of trust built over five decades of cooperation.

    A key outcome of the summit was the highlighting of two major economic agreements: the UAE-Russia Trade in Services and Investment Agreement (August 2025) and the UAE-Eurasian Economic Union Economic Partnership Agreement (June 2025). These frameworks are expected to significantly boost bilateral trade flows and investment opportunities while supporting sustainable development goals.

    The leaders also addressed critical regional and international issues, particularly emphasizing the urgent need for peace in the Middle East through a two-state solution. President Sheikh Mohamed reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to global peace and stability through dialogue and diplomatic solutions.

    Notably, President Putin expressed appreciation for the UAE’s mediation efforts in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, specifically acknowledging successful prisoner exchanges facilitated by Emirati diplomacy. The Russian leader thanked the UAE for hosting trilateral talks involving Russia, Ukraine, and the United States, highlighting the Emirates’ growing role as an international peace broker.

    The delegation included senior UAE officials including Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Managing Director of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs, signaling the comprehensive nature of the bilateral engagement.

  • UN criticizes Haiti for lack of progress on a political transition

    UN criticizes Haiti for lack of progress on a political transition

    The United Nations Security Council has unanimously approved a resolution extending its political mission in Haiti through January 2027 while issuing strong criticism of the country’s leadership for failing to advance political transition processes. The council’s decision comes as Haiti experiences unprecedented levels of gang violence that now dominates 90% of the capital city Port-au-Prince and continues spreading into rural areas.

    In the strongly-worded resolution co-sponsored by the United States and Panama, Security Council members condemned in the strongest terms the dramatic surge in criminal activities, citing extensive human rights violations including systematic sexual violence against all demographics, human trafficking, migrant smuggling, child abductions, and targeted killings by armed groups. The violence has escalated significantly since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, which created a power vacuum that criminal organizations have exploited.

    The extended UN mission, known as BINUH, will now refocus its mandate toward facilitating national dialogue and supporting electoral processes for municipal, parliamentary, and presidential elections. Additionally, the mission will collaborate with the newly authorized international security force to develop comprehensive programs for disarming and reintegrating former gang members, with particular attention to children recruited by armed groups.

    Haiti’s current transitional governance structure, established in April 2024 with Caribbean leadership support after gangs forced closure of the main international airport and critical infrastructure, has struggled to maintain stability. The council has overseen three different prime ministers despite its original mandate to dissolve by February 2025. Recent warnings from the United States against governmental changes highlight international concerns about the unelected body’s ability to transition toward democratic elections for the first time in ten years.

    The resolution emphasizes urgent security sector reform requirements and calls for enhanced coordination between the political mission and the planned 5,500-member international security force authorized in September, which remains without a definitive deployment timeline despite being hailed as offering ‘hope’ for the crisis-stricken nation.

  • Trump threatens tariffs for countries that sell oil to Cuba

    Trump threatens tariffs for countries that sell oil to Cuba

    The Trump administration has intensified its economic pressure campaign against Cuba by threatening to impose tariffs on countries that supply oil to the Caribbean nation. This latest move was formalized through an executive order, though specific tariff rates and targeted nations remain unspecified.

    The development follows President Trump’s assertion on Tuesday that Cuba’s communist government “will be falling pretty soon,” citing Venezuela’s recent cessation of oil shipments to the island nation. Previously, Venezuela had been supplying approximately 35,000 barrels of oil daily to Cuba, representing a crucial energy lifeline for the Cuban economy.

    This escalation in US policy toward Cuba gained momentum after American forces participated in the January 3rd raid in Caracas that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, a longstanding Cuban ally. The administration’s approach marks a significant hardening of stance against both communist governments in the region.

    Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez has vehemently opposed the US position, asserting Cuba’s “absolute right to import fuel” from any willing exporter without submission to “unilateral coercive measures of the United States.” This diplomatic confrontation highlights the deepening rift between the two nations and potentially signals a return to more adversarial relations.

    The proposed tariffs represent another front in the Trump administration’s broader strategy of applying maximum economic pressure on governments it considers adversarial, continuing a pattern of utilizing trade measures as foreign policy instruments.

  • US eases Venezuela sanctions after oil sector reforms

    US eases Venezuela sanctions after oil sector reforms

    In a significant shift in foreign policy, the United States has moved to ease key sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry, responding directly to sweeping legislative reforms approved by the Venezuelan parliament. The U.S. Treasury Department issued a general license authorizing a wide range of transactions involving Venezuelan-origin oil, including its extraction, export, refining, and transportation, mere moments after lawmakers in Caracas voted to dismantle state controls that had long restricted private investment.

    The sanctions relief follows intensive diplomatic engagement between Washington and the administration of Venezuela’s interim President, Delcy Rodriguez. This development marks a dramatic reversal from the longstanding U.S. policy of maximum pressure, which was instituted during the socialist rule of Nicolas Maduro. The reform fundamentally alters the nation’s hydrocarbon law, which dated to 2006 and had mandated that the state oil company, PDVSA, retain a majority stake in all joint ventures with foreign entities.

    President Donald Trump, who has publicly praised Rodriguez, framed the policy shift as a strategic victory. He asserted that Washington is now ‘in charge’ of Venezuela’s vast energy resources, the largest proven oil reserves in the world. The administration pressured Caracas to open its oil fields to U.S. investors, a condition for its support of Rodriguez’s interim government following the ouster of Maduro.

    For Venezuela, the reform is touted by its leadership as a ‘historical leap’ essential for economic recovery. Years of crippling U.S. sanctions, compounded by profound mismanagement, corruption, and underinvestment, had decimated the nation’s oil production, which plummeted to just 300,000 barrels per day in 2020. The influx of foreign capital is seen as the only path to reviving the battered economy and stabilizing the struggling national currency, the bolivar. Rodriguez has already allocated $300 million from an initial crude sale to shore up the currency.

    While the reform paves the way for the return of U.S. energy majors like Exxon Mobil and ConocoPhillips—which exited in 2007—analysts note that the state retains some discretionary power in awarding contracts. The changes offer greater guarantees to private players, relinquish state control of exploration activities, and lower taxes and royalties. The industry, though showing a slow recovery with production reaching 1.2 million barrels per day, remains a shadow of its former capacity of 3 million barrels at the start of the century.

  • Federal judge blocks Trump administration from detaining refugees in Minnesota

    Federal judge blocks Trump administration from detaining refugees in Minnesota

    A federal court in Minneapolis has delivered a significant blow to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics by issuing a temporary restraining order against the arrest of lawfully resettled refugees in Minnesota. U.S. District Judge John Tunheim ruled Wednesday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents likely violated multiple federal statutes through their targeted operations against refugees who had undergone proper admission procedures.

    Judge Tunheim’s order specifically mandates the immediate release of any refugees detained under Operation PARRIS (Post-Admission Refugee Reverification and Integrity Strengthening), a program announced by the Department of Homeland Security earlier this month that proposed reexamining thousands of refugee cases through new background checks.

    In his ruling, Tunheim emphasized that refugees possess legal rights to reside and work peacefully in the United States without facing “the terror of being arrested and detained without warrants or cause.” The judge articulated America’s historical role as “a haven of individual liberties in a world too often full of tyranny and cruelty,” warning that this ideal is abandoned “when we subject our neighbors to fear and chaos.”

    The court decision permits the administration to continue reviewing refugee status and enforcing immigration laws but prohibits the arrest and detention of lawfully admitted refugees. This nuanced approach acknowledges governmental authority while protecting individual rights.

    The ruling prompted immediate condemnation from White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, the architect behind Trump’s immigration crackdown, who denounced it as “judicial sabotage of democracy” in a social media post.

    According to court documents, refugees affected by the operations had undergone rigorous background checks, received approval from multiple federal agencies, and were awaiting adjustment to permanent resident status while following all regulations. Reports from Minnesota described violent arrests where refugees were dragged from homes and vehicles, detained locally, then transferred to Texas facilities where judges are more likely to align with administration policies.

    Sarah Kahn, senior staff attorney at the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law, welcomed the decision, stating the judge recognized that “this brutal and senseless practice is illegal” and required governmental respect for longstanding refugee protections. The case highlights Minnesota’s emergence as a focal point in Trump’s immigration enforcement, where two U.S. citizens were killed by ICE agents during observation activities.

  • Imran Khan not the only one silenced as Pakistan military stifles dissent

    Imran Khan not the only one silenced as Pakistan military stifles dissent

    Pakistan’s political landscape is witnessing an unprecedented contraction of democratic freedoms as former Prime Minister Imran Khan remains in complete isolation at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. According to his political party, Khan has been denied visitation rights for over five weeks, with his last family visit occurring more than eight weeks ago and legal consultations limited to a mere eight-minute session.

    The government attributes this isolation to Khan’s violation of prison regulations prohibiting political discussions, while his family alleges a deliberate attempt to silence his criticism of military leadership. Khan’s sister, Aleema Khanum, asserts that Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s military chief, is personally orchestrating this information blockade—an accusation the government vehemently denies.

    This suppression extends far beyond Khan’s case. Recent developments reveal a systematic crackdown on dissent across multiple sectors. Human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband received ten-year prison sentences for allegedly sharing ‘anti-state’ social media content, drawing condemnation from Amnesty International regarding Pakistan’s use of coercive tactics against human rights defenders.

    Media freedom has suffered significantly under new regulations. Television networks operate under strict directives prohibiting any coverage of Khan, including visual representations, audio recordings, or even mentioning his name. Journalists report escalating self-censorship and intimidation tactics, with even tangential coverage of military-related topics triggering warnings from unidentified callers.

    The legal framework itself has been weaponized against free expression. The 2025 amendments to Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act introduced vague definitions of ‘national interest’ and established severe penalties for criticizing state institutions. Media analyst Adnan Rehmat notes that these changes have created ‘forever shifting boundaries’ that make legitimate journalism increasingly perilous.

    Historical context reveals this repression represents both continuity and escalation. While Pakistan has experienced media restrictions under previous administrations, current measures demonstrate increased institutionalization of suppression. The military’s influence has reached new heights following constitutional amendments granting Field Marshal Munir lifetime immunity from prosecution and oversight of all defense forces.

    International observers express growing concern. Michael Kugelman of the Atlantic Council notes that ‘Pakistan is coming quite close to authoritarian rule,’ with current repression levels exceeding any previous period of civilian governance. The situation illustrates the delicate balance between state security concerns and fundamental democratic rights, with Pakistan’s authorities insisting their actions represent necessary measures against ‘digital terrorism’ rather than suppression of legitimate dissent.

  • Myanmar’s USDP wins majority of seats in Union Parliament

    Myanmar’s USDP wins majority of seats in Union Parliament

    YANGON – Myanmar’s Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has achieved a decisive parliamentary majority following the nation’s meticulously organized general election, according to official results published by the Union Election Commission (UEC) on Thursday.

    The comprehensive electoral process, conducted across three distinct phases between December 2025 and January 2026, culminated in the USDP securing 339 parliamentary seats. The party obtained 231 seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw (Lower House) and 108 seats in the Amyotha Hluttaw (Upper House), representing a commanding position within the 664-seat Union Parliament structure.

    Electoral authorities reported that 420 contested seats were available nationwide during this democratic exercise. The election administration demonstrated considerable logistical complexity, with voting occurring in 263 townships across the designated phases: December 28, 2025 (102 townships), January 11, 2026 (100 townships), and January 25, 2026 (61 townships).

    The parliamentary framework consists of a bicameral system with the 440-seat Lower House and 224-seat Upper House forming the complete legislative body. This electoral outcome positions the USDP with significant influence over Myanmar’s legislative agenda and policy direction for the forthcoming parliamentary session.