标签： Asia

The United States Department of Homeland Security announced on Friday the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Yemeni citizens residing in the country, effective within a two-month period. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem declared the decision, asserting that continued TPS designation for Yemen contradicts national security interests and fails to meet statutory requirements for extension.

This policy shift compels approximately 1,700 Yemeni TPS beneficiaries to depart voluntarily or face potential deportation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities. The Department of Homeland Security outlined that affected individuals lacking alternative legal immigration status must arrange their departure within 60 days, utilizing the ‘CBP One’ application to coordinate travel arrangements.

The termination comes despite the State Department maintaining its most severe travel advisory for Yemen, classifying the country under ‘Level 4 – Do Not Travel’ due to extreme risks including terrorism, civil unrest, widespread crime, health hazards, kidnapping threats, and active landmines. The US embassy in Sanaa suspended operations in February 2015 amid escalating violence and has not resumed full services.

Yemen initially received TPS designation in September 2015 following the collapse of its government and the commencement of military operations by a Saudi-led coalition with US support. The program underwent regular renewals every 18 months, with extensions granted in 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023, and most recently in 2024.

The administration’s departure incentive offers $2,600 plus reimbursed airfare through the CBP One portal, mirroring programs offered to undocumented immigrants since May. However, reports indicate inconsistent payout distribution, with many applicants receiving no funds despite program promises.

Critics including Amer Ghalib, former mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan—home to a significant Yemeni-American community—denounced the decision as fundamentally contradictory. Ghalib, a Trump supporter and Yemeni immigrant, questioned the administration’s rationale: ‘If Yemen remains unsafe for American travelers, how can it be deemed safe for returning Yemenis facing potential militia persecution?’

The humanitarian crisis in Yemen persists amid ongoing conflict, with Pentagon airstrikes against Houthi targets continuing through last year and Israeli strikes killing numerous Yemeni journalists. Deportation carries a mandatory 10-year reentry ban, creating permanent separation from family members remaining in the United States.

Qatar continues to employ Global Counsel, a strategic advisory firm co-founded by disgraced former UK politician Peter Mandelson, for lobbying senior UK government officials despite recent disclosures about the company’s connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The firm remains officially registered under the UK’s Foreign Influence Registration Scheme as a Qatari government representative through August 2026.

The revelation follows major client departures from Global Counsel, including Barclays and the Premier League, after US Department of Justice files exposed extensive ties between Mandelson and Epstein. Documents indicate Mandelson sought Epstein’s business counsel even after his 2008 conviction for child sex offenses, with correspondence showing more than 800 instances of Mandelson’s Global Counsel email address in the released files.

Global Counsel’s lobbying activities for Qatar include communications with “senior UK government officials with an interest in technology and infrastructure policy” and providing guidance on “macro-economic and political trends.” The relationship predates its official December 2025 registration, with evidence of undisclosed lobbying for Qatari entities as early as 2023.

The firm underwent significant leadership changes recently, with co-founder Benjamin Wegg-Prosser resigning as CEO last week following revelations of his March 2010 meeting with Epstein. Mandelson, who stepped down from the board in 2024, only divested his shares in the company last week amid the growing scandal.

Released correspondence reveals Epstein actively advised Mandelson on business strategy, including targeting Qatari clients and recommending private equity partnerships. Additional files show Epstein facilitated high-level meetings between Qatari and Israeli officials, further complicating the geopolitical implications of these connections.

Global Counsel previously faced investigation for undeclared lobbying activities but was cleared in February 2025 due to a legal loophole permitting unregistered lobbying by overseas subsidiaries of consultancy firms. The firm has maintained a Doha office since 2021.

Bangladesh stands at a historic political crossroads as Tarique Rahman, despite never holding governmental office, is positioned to assume the role of prime minister. This development marks a dramatic reversal from just two years ago, when Sheikh Hasina secured a controversial election victory that extended her 15-year administration—a reign abruptly terminated by the 2024 “July uprising” that ousted her government.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), once considered politically marginalized, has staged a remarkable resurgence in the nation’s perpetual power alternation with Hasina’s Awami League. Rahman’s leadership represents a significant generational shift—he formally leads the party for the first time and has never previously contested an election. His political inheritance is substantial: his mother, Khaleda Zia, commanded the BNP for four decades until her death last year, while his father, Ziaur Rahman, was both BNP founder and an independence war hero.

Rahman’s ascension is not without controversy. Having returned from 17 years of self-imposed exile in London just days before his mother’s passing, he faces persistent allegations of corruption and past nepotism benefits during his mother’s tenure. Political observers note his largely untested leadership qualities, though some analysts suggest his inexperience may paradoxically serve as an advantage.

“His lack of prior experience probably works in his favor,” observes political scientist Navine Murshid. “The public is willing to embrace change and believes new, positive developments are genuinely possible. There exists substantial hope.”

The incoming administration confronts monumental challenges: restoring democratic institutions dismantled over the previous decade, addressing rampant violence that marred interim leader Mohammad Yunus’s tenure, revitalizing the economy, reducing food prices, and creating employment for Bangladesh’s substantial youth population.

This election introduced unprecedented diversity to parliament, featuring the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party securing substantial representation despite historical bans, and the National Citizens Party (NCP)—formed by student uprising leaders—claiming six seats in its electoral debut.

Sociologist Samina Luthfa emphasizes the governing inexperience affecting all parties: “We will witness parliamentarians who have never served in parliament before. NCP youth have much to learn, while seasoned politicians lack national governance experience. This will be an uphill struggle.”

Notably, all parties face criticism for inadequate female representation, with women constituting just over 4% of candidates—a particular disappointment given women’s significant participation in the 2024 uprising.

While this election differed fundamentally from previous polls under Hasina—being genuinely competitive with unpredictable results—the exclusion of the Awami League has raised credibility concerns. From exile in India, Hasina has denounced the poll as a “deceptive farce” and demanded new elections including her party. Despite current public animosity toward the Awami League, Bangladesh’s turbulent political history suggests premature to permanently dismiss the party’s future influence.