Global Pulse

标签： North America

北美洲

  • Carney names ex-Blackrock executive as new US ambassador

    Carney names ex-Blackrock executive as new US ambassador

    Prime Minister Mark Carney has selected prominent financier Mark Wiseman, a former BlackRock executive, to serve as Canada’s ambassador to the United States during a period of crucial trade negotiations with the Trump administration. The appointment comes as Canada seeks to reset its strained bilateral relationship with its southern neighbor while preparing for a complex review of the existing free trade agreement.

    Wiseman, 55, brings substantial financial expertise to the diplomatic role, currently serving as senior advisor and chairman of Canada at Lazard financial services and as a senior advisor at Boston Consulting Group. The Yale-educated lawyer has previously worked in New York and Paris with Sullivan & Cromwell, and reportedly maintains a close personal friendship with Prime Minister Carney.

    The new ambassador’s appointment follows current ambassador Kirsten Hillman’s decision to conclude her tenure in Washington. Carney emphasized Wiseman’s “immense experience, extensive contacts and deep commitment” in a statement, noting the appointment comes at a “crucial time of transformation” for both nations. “As a core member of our negotiating team, he will help advance the interests of Canadian workers, businesses, and institutions, while building opportunities for both Canada and the United States,” Carney stated.

    Wiseman’s background includes co-founding the Century Initiative, a charitable organization advocating for increased Canadian immigration to reach 100 million people by 2100 to stimulate economic growth. This association has drawn criticism from Conservative party leader Pierre Poilievre, who accused Wiseman of promoting policies that “inflate the cost of living, take away jobs and put pressure on our health care system.”

    The diplomatic assignment presents significant challenges as Wiseman will navigate a relationship strained by Trump’s imposition of sector-specific tariffs on Canadian metals, lumber and automotive products. Tensions escalated in late October when Trump halted trade talks following an anti-tariff advertisement commissioned by Ontario province and aired in the US markets.

    A scheduled review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) is currently underway, beginning with public hearings and stakeholder consultations. The outcome could result in renewal or expiration of the trade pact that currently exempts most Canadian goods from Trump’s sweeping 35% tariff rate on all imports. Wiseman is scheduled to assume his ambassadorial responsibilities in mid-February.

  • Justice Department sues DC over block of semi-automatic guns

    Justice Department sues DC over block of semi-automatic guns

    The U.S. Department of Justice has initiated legal action against the District of Columbia concerning its prohibition on registering semi-automatic firearms, marking the latest development in the ongoing national debate over gun control measures. Filed in federal court on Monday, the lawsuit targets DC’s existing legislation that effectively bans residents from legally possessing AR-15 style rifles and other rapid-loading firearms through registration restrictions.

    Attorney General Pam Bondi characterized the district’s firearm regulations as “an unconstitutional infringement on the Second Amendment” in an official statement. The legal challenge emerges from the Justice Department’s recently established gun rights division, whose attorneys argue that current DC statutes prevent law-abiding citizens from possessing these commonly owned firearms for lawful domestic purposes.

    This litigation represents the most recent confrontation between the federally Republican administration and the predominantly Democratic district regarding firearm legislation. Washington DC’s unique status as the national capital subjects its local laws and budgetary decisions to congressional oversight, with previous Republican lawmakers having overturned several local gun control initiatives.

    Concurrent with this legal action, the Trump administration has pursued measures to relax federal firearm restrictions within the district. U.S. Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro, a former television commentator, announced earlier this summer that her office would cease pursuing felony charges against individuals found carrying rifles or shotguns.

    DC maintains comprehensive firearm regulations that permit only residents without criminal convictions to register limited numbers of firearms following mandatory safety training. The district additionally requires specific registrations for carrying weapons outside residential premises and imposes restrictions on public areas where firearms may be carried.

    The legal proceedings unfold against a backdrop of heightened security concerns following two significant shooting incidents earlier this year. In May, a shooter targeted Israeli embassy personnel near the city’s Jewish museum, while another attack last month resulted in the death of one West Virginia National Guard officer and injury to another.

    In response to these security challenges, President Trump declared a crime emergency in August, deploying National Guard troops and additional federal officers to the district. The administration has subsequently extended the Guard’s presence through at least February, with recent judicial approval allowing their continued deployment pending resolution of a separate legal challenge.

    According to Metropolitan Police Department statistics, violent crime incidents through Monday showed a 28% reduction compared to the corresponding period in 2024, with homicides decreasing by approximately one-third. The department has declined to comment on the pending litigation, as has the DC attorney general’s office when contacted by news organizations.

  • Netflix refinances part of $59 billion bridge loan tied to Warner Bros deal

    Netflix refinances part of $59 billion bridge loan tied to Warner Bros deal

    In a strategic move to solidify one of the largest media acquisitions in history, Netflix has successfully refinanced a significant portion of its $59 billion bridge loan originally secured for the Warner Bros Discovery takeover. According to Monday’s regulatory filing, the streaming pioneer has arranged a comprehensive $25 billion financing package consisting of a $5 billion revolving credit facility and two separate $10 billion delayed-draw term loans.

    The remaining $34 billion of the bridge facility will undergo syndication in the coming months. These financial instruments are specifically designated to cover the cash portion of the landmark transaction, associated fees, and various expenses. Additionally, the proceeds may be allocated toward refinancing existing obligations and general corporate purposes.

    Netflix emerged victorious from a highly competitive bidding war that included an unsolicited all-cash offer of $108.4 billion from Paramount Skydance. Despite Paramount’s proposal offering $30 per share and presenting higher immediate valuation, Warner Bros Discovery’s board maintained their endorsement of Netflix’s bid, emphasizing superior strategic alignment and financing reliability.

    The sweeping acquisition encompasses Warner Bros Discovery’s extensive portfolio, including its renowned film and television studios, streaming assets, and the prestigious HBO and HBO Max platforms. The transaction timeline anticipates finalization in the third quarter of 2026, following the planned spin-off of Warner Bros’ Global Networks unit.

    This corporate separation, announced in mid-2025, strategically isolates high-growth streaming and studio operations from legacy network assets, enabling each entity to pursue specialized business strategies and maximize shareholder value. The initial bridge loan, secured on December 4th, provided Netflix with the financial certainty required during the competitive bidding process, with bridge loans typically serving as interim financing solutions for major transactions before being replaced by more permanent debt structures.

  • Manchester City players face Christmas weigh-in as Guardiola issues ‘fatty’ warning

    Manchester City players face Christmas weigh-in as Guardiola issues ‘fatty’ warning

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has implemented stringent fitness protocols during the Premier League’s festive break, mandating weight checks for all players upon their Christmas Day return. The Spanish tactician issued a stark warning that any squad members exceeding their prescribed weight limits would be excluded from selection for the crucial December 27 fixture against Nottingham Forest.

    This development follows City’s commanding 3-0 victory over West Ham United on Saturday, which maintained pressure on league leaders Arsenal. Despite extending their winning streak to five matches, Guardiola expressed dissatisfaction with the team’s performance level, subsequently denying players’ requests for post-match rest days.

    Guardiola elaborated on his methodology: “Every player has an established weight benchmark. We will conduct measurements upon their December 25 return to assess potential weight gain. While I encourage them to enjoy festive meals, maintaining physical conditioning remains non-negotiable.”

    The multi-title-winning manager specified the consequences: “Should any player return carrying additional kilograms, particularly the three-kilo threshold, they will remain in Manchester rather than joining the squad for our Nottingham Forest encounter.”

    Acknowledging the Premier League’s demanding schedule, Guardiola emphasized the importance of strategic recovery: “Players must mentally disengage from football during this brief period. While they should cherish family time, physical preparedness cannot be compromised. Optimal conditioning ensures match-ready freshness.”

    The team’s schedule includes three days of leave followed by two intensive training sessions preceding the Forest match, reflecting Guardiola’s renowned exacting standards that have delivered six Premier League titles during his Etihad tenure.

  • Big Ticket just dropped the biggest cash prize of 2025 — Dh30 million is up for grabs

    Big Ticket just dropped the biggest cash prize of 2025 — Dh30 million is up for grabs

    As 2025 draws to a close, Big Ticket has unveiled its most substantial promotional campaign of the year, featuring an unprecedented Dh30 million cash prize—the largest sum offered throughout 2025. The grand draw, scheduled for January 3, 2026, promises to transform one fortunate winner’s financial future, providing an extraordinary start to the new year.

    Beyond the monumental jackpot, the lottery organization has designed an extensive calendar of events to maintain excitement throughout December. Weekly e-draws will distribute Dh100,000 to five winners each Thursday, broadcast live on Big Ticket’s YouTube channel at 11:00 AM. Additionally, the January 3 event will award secondary prizes of Dh50,000 to five additional participants.

    The promotional structure includes an innovative incentive: customers purchasing two or more cash tickets within a single transaction between December 1-24 will gain automatic entry into The Big Win Contest. Four selected contestants will receive invitations to attend the live January draw with guaranteed cash awards ranging from Dh50,000 to Dh150,000. Winners of this supplementary contest will be announced on Big Ticket’s official website on January 1.

    For automotive enthusiasts, Big Ticket’s Dream Car Series continues into 2026 with a BMW 430i raffle on January 3 followed by a BMW X5 drawing on February 3. The comprehensive December campaign represents Big Ticket’s most ambitious promotional effort, combining immediate weekly prizes with life-changing financial opportunities through its tiered prize structure.

  • Dubai Police answers more than 39,000 calls in 2 days amid unstable weather conditions

    Dubai Police answers more than 39,000 calls in 2 days amid unstable weather conditions

    Dubai’s emergency response systems were put to the test during severe weather conditions that struck the United Arab Emirates on December 18-19, 2025, with police authorities managing an extraordinary volume of public inquiries. The Dubai Police Command-and-Control Centre documented 39,299 incoming calls across a challenging 48-hour period as heavy rains and strong winds battered the region.

    The emergency hotline (999) received 32,391 urgent calls while the non-emergency helpline (901) handled 6,908 additional requests. Beyond traditional phone communications, the police department’s digital infrastructure processed 427 email inquiries and 1,690 live chat sessions through their official website, ensuring residents received timely guidance and support during the weather emergency.

    Police officials publicly commended the exceptional dedication demonstrated by teams operating at both the Command-and-Control Centre and the 901 Contact Centre, highlighting their professional and swift response capabilities throughout the crisis. The adverse weather conditions prompted nationwide safety alerts as authorities worked continuously to minimize public disruption and maintain traffic management systems.

    Neighboring emirate Sharjah experienced similar operational challenges, with municipal authorities responding to 522 waterlogging reports and seven incidents of fallen trees. The Sharjah 993 call center operated at maximum capacity, establishing dedicated communication channels with police departments and field teams to enhance coordination and response efficiency during the emergency situation.

  • US pauses offshore wind projects over security concerns

    US pauses offshore wind projects over security concerns

    The U.S. Department of the Interior has implemented an immediate suspension of five major offshore wind energy projects along the Atlantic coastline, citing unresolved national security concerns. This decisive action affects ongoing developments near New York, Virginia, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

    In an official statement, the Department expressed particular concern about wind turbines’ potential to interfere with radar systems, creating both ‘clutter’ that obscures genuine targets and false readings that could compromise airspace security. The announcement specifically referenced evolving adversary technologies and vulnerabilities created by large-scale energy installations near densely populated coastal areas.

    Interior Secretary Doug Burgum elaborated on these concerns during a Fox Business interview, noting the challenges of distinguishing between friendly and hostile aircraft in airspace monitored through potentially compromised systems. He referenced recent drone conflicts between Russia-Ukraine and Iran-Israel as examples of contemporary aerial threats.

    The administration’s position aligns with President Donald Trump’s longstanding skepticism toward wind energy, which he has frequently criticized for reliability issues and cost inefficiencies. This move represents the latest development in a complex regulatory battle that began when Trump issued a memorandum halting new permits on his first day in office.

    Energy companies and state officials have expressed strong opposition to the suspension. Dominion Energy, developing the Virginia Coastal Offshore Wind Project, emphasized that its operational pilot turbines have functioned for five years without security incidents. Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont condemned the decision as ‘erratic,’ warning of increased electricity prices and jeopardized clean energy jobs in the region.

    The policy shift occurs despite a recent federal court ruling that struck down the administration’s previous attempt to impose a comprehensive wind power ban, which a judge deemed ‘arbitrary and capricious.’ Seventeen states previously sued the administration, arguing that such restrictions pose an existential threat to America’s renewable energy industry.

  • Major incident declared over giant hole at canal

    Major incident declared over giant hole at canal

    A significant infrastructure failure has triggered a major emergency in Whitchurch, Shropshire, where a substantial segment of the historic Llangollen Canal collapsed early Monday morning. The incident, officially classified by engineers as an “embankment failure,” resulted in a massive cavity swallowing sections of the waterway and leaving multiple narrowboats either submerged or precariously perched on the edge of the newly formed chasm.

    The collapse occurred approximately at 04:00 GMT, with emergency services receiving the first reports around 04:20. According to Scott Hurford, Area Manager at Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, approximately fifty firefighters were deployed to the scene. Their immediate response facilitated the safe evacuation of about fifteen individuals from affected vessels, with no reported casualties according to local police authorities.

    Engineers from the Canal and River Trust, the organization responsible for maintaining the waterway, have clarified that initial characterizations of the event as a “sinkhole” were inaccurate. Mark Durham, the Trust’s Principal Engineer, explained that the failure occurred in a man-made embankment engineered over two centuries ago to elevate the canal. This structure catastrophically failed, causing water to torrent into adjacent fields and the canal bed to drop away, creating a trench estimated by witnesses to be approximately 15 feet (4 meters) deep and 150-180 feet (45-55 meters) long.

    Eyewitness accounts describe a terrifying experience. Residents aboard moored boats reported being awakened by unusual noises, violent shaking, and the sensation of their vessels being pulled by sudden currents. Lorraine Barlow, a liveaboard boater on The Singing Kettle, described feeling “something amiss” with bubbling sounds and unusual currents before her boat began tilting dangerously. Paul Storey, another resident, recounted being awoken by the crash of belongings sliding from cabinets and the tremendous roar of rushing water.

    The environmental impact was immediate and significant, with an estimated million gallons of canal water flooding into surrounding fields. Fire crews successfully installed a flood gate to prevent further water loss and potential flooding in the town, stabilizing the situation. The recovery phase, which involves salvaging the affected boats and assessing the damage, is now underway. However, the Canal and River Trust has stated it is too early to determine either the cause of the embankment failure or a timeline for the complex reconstruction project.

    Local officials expressed shock at the scale of the devastation. Whitchurch councillor Sho Abdul described the scene as “insane,” comparing the crater to something created by an explosion rather than a natural sinkhole. The community has been advised to avoid the area in Chemistry, Whitchurch, while investigations and repairs continue. The Trust has committed to supporting affected boaters and investigating its inspection protocols, with engineers confirming the embankment had recently been inspected with no signs of imminent failure detected.

  • US in ‘pursuit’ of third oil tanker in Caribbean, says official

    US in ‘pursuit’ of third oil tanker in Caribbean, says official

    The United States Coast Guard has initiated an active pursuit operation targeting a third sanctioned oil tanker in Caribbean waters, according to an official statement received by AFP on Sunday. This development represents the latest escalation in Washington’s intensified pressure campaign against Venezuela’s crucial petroleum industry.

    The vessel in question has been identified by maritime authorities as the Bella 1, an oil tanker that has been subject to American sanctions since 2024 due to its purported connections with Iran and Hezbollah. The US official, who requested anonymity, characterized the ship as operating under a false flag while being part of Venezuela’s “illegal sanctions evasion” network and subject to a judicial seizure order.

    This maritime operation follows the dramatic seizure of the Chinese-owned, Panama-flagged tanker Centuries just one day earlier. According to TankerTrackers, a specialized vessel monitoring service, the Centuries had loaded approximately 1.8 million barrels of crude oil at a Venezuelan port earlier this month before being intercepted and escorted beyond Venezuela’s exclusive economic zone on December 18.

    The current pursuit marks the third such intervention within a two-week period, demonstrating the implementation of President Donald Trump’s December 16 announcement establishing a blockade against “sanctioned oil vessels” traveling to and from Venezuela. The administration maintains that these measures are necessary to recover allegedly stolen US assets from the oil-rich South American nation.

    Meanwhile, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez addressed the situation through social media channels, highlighting that American petroleum giant Chevron had simultaneously dispatched a tanker carrying Venezuelan crude to the United States. Rodriguez emphasized that this shipment occurred “in strict adherence to regulations and in fulfillment of the commitments undertaken by our oil industry,” while notably avoiding direct commentary on the interdicted vessels.

    The geopolitical tension is further compounded by the deployment of a substantial US naval armada to the Caribbean under the stated mission of combating drug trafficking—a justification that Caracas dismisses as pretext for a campaign to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro and gain control over Venezuela’s substantial oil reserves.

    The Trump administration alleges that Venezuela utilizes its primary resource, petroleum, to finance “narcoterrorism,” prompting additional military actions including a series of airstrikes against suspected drug trafficking vessels since September. These operations, which have resulted in over 100 fatalities, have faced scrutiny regarding their legal justification under international law.

  • CBS defends pulling 60 Minutes segment about Trump deportations

    CBS defends pulling 60 Minutes segment about Trump deportations

    CBS News finds itself embroiled in significant internal conflict and external scrutiny following its controversial decision to abruptly pull a prepared segment from its flagship ’60 Minutes’ program. The report was poised to investigate the Trump administration’s deportation of approximately 250 Venezuelan men to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), where allegations of brutal and torturous conditions have been documented by multiple news organizations.

    The last-minute cancellation, ordered by newly-appointed Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss, triggered immediate backlash from within the network. Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, who led the investigative team, circulated a private memo characterizing the move as ‘political’—a document that subsequently leaked to media outlets. Alfonsi revealed that despite formal requests to the White House, State Department, and Department of Homeland Security, government officials had uniformly declined interview requests for the segment.

    In an official statement, CBS maintained the segment required ‘additional reporting,’ with Weiss emphasizing that holding stories for further context ‘happens every day in every newsroom.’ She affirmed the network’s intention to air ‘this important piece when it’s ready.’

    This controversy emerges against the backdrop of CBS’s recent corporate transformation. The network’s parent company Paramount was acquired earlier this year in a deal personally guaranteed by Larry Ellison—tech billionaire and Trump ally—whose son David Ellison now leads the media conglomerate. The Trump administration approved this takeover after Paramount settled a $16 million lawsuit regarding a previous ’60 Minutes’ interview with Kamala Harris.

    As part of regulatory approvals, David Ellison committed to installing an independent ombudsman and ensuring diverse viewpoints in programming. His October appointment of Weiss—a vocal critic of partisan media trends—signaled intended editorial shifts at CBS News. The current incident has drawn criticism from political figures including Democratic Senator Brian Schatz, who denounced the decision as ‘a terrible embarrassment’ that risks handing the administration a ‘kill switch’ for inconvenient reporting.