Author: Rachel Maddow

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has issued a dire warning that the organisation could run out of money by July unless member countries pay their overdue contributions. Chronic delays and shortfalls are forcing the UN into hiring freezes and budget cuts, threatening its ability to operate effectively. Rising Unpaid Contributions Threaten Operations According to Guterres, some member states are not paying their mandatory dues in full or on time, creating a growing financial strain. By the end of 2025, unpaid contributions reached approximately $1.6 billion—more than double the previous year—even though over 150 countries had already paid. “The current trajectory…

Panama’s Supreme Court has invalidated a concession allowing CK Hutchison, a Hong Kong-based company, to operate ports at both ends of the Panama Canal. The decision follows an audit that raised concerns about irregularities in a 25-year extension approved in 2021, setting off strong reactions from Hong Kong and international observers. Hong Kong Condemns Ruling On Friday, Hong Kong’s government issued a forceful statement rejecting the court’s decision. It said the ruling “strongly opposes any foreign government using coercive, repressive or other unreasonable means in international economic and trade relations” and warned that such actions harm the legitimate business interests…

Postal Loopholes Let Sanctions Slip Through A German investigation has revealed that Russia is dodging EU sanctions by routing banned goods through a Berlin logistics hub and exploiting lighter controls on international mail. Test shipments equipped with GPS trackers passed undetected through a hall near Berlin Brandenburg Airport before being sent via Poland and Belarus to Moscow, according to Bild. The shipments reportedly used labels from Uzbekistan’s state postal service, which is not authorized to operate in Germany. Because international mail is processed quickly in bulk, it receives far less scrutiny than regular exports. The operation is said to be…

Economy Remains Strong The US Federal Reserve has decided to hold its key interest rate steady at about 3.6%, following three reductions last year. In its statement, the central bank noted that the job market has stabilized and economic growth is now considered “solid,” an improvement from last month’s “modest” outlook. With hiring stable and no clear signs of slowing, Fed officials see little urgency to lower rates further at this time. Inflation and Policy Debate Most Fed policymakers still expect to reduce borrowing costs later this year, but they want to see inflation move closer to the 2% target…

Lawmakers Push for Investment-Ready Regulations MEPs from the European People’s Party are calling on the EU to take nuclear fusion seriously as a viable energy source and to set out a clear regulatory framework to attract investors. In a declaration released Tuesday, lawmakers argued that Europe must move beyond viewing fusion as purely experimental and provide the legal certainty needed for private and industrial investment. “Fusion has reached a turning point. European industrial capability and private investments are converging toward deployment,” the declaration reads. Lawmakers emphasized that political support and financial mechanisms are now essential to turn fusion energy into…

Eight Countries Receive SAFE Funding The European Commission has approved national defence investment plans from Estonia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Finland under its €150 billion Security Action for Europe (SAFE) programme. These eight nations requested a total of €74 billion, with Poland alone accounting for €43.7 billion. SAFE is a key part of the EU’s Readiness 2030 plan, which aims to channel hundreds of billions of euros into European defence by the end of the decade. The initiative comes amid growing concerns from intelligence agencies that Russia could threaten another European country in the coming years. This…

The World Bank Group has officially opened its first office in Doha, marking a new chapter in its partnership with Qatar and strengthening collaboration on development, private investment, and support for fragile economies in the region. Inaugurated on Sunday, the Doha office is set to serve as a hub for cooperation between the World Bank Group and Qatari institutions, focusing on development financing, mobilising private-sector investment, and assisting countries affected by conflict and economic fragility. The office is hosted at the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) headquarters, in partnership with the Ministry of Finance. At the ceremony, World Bank Group…

Peace negotiations aimed at ending Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine are set to continue Saturday in Abu Dhabi, bringing together representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States. The discussions mark the first extended tripartite meeting in years, with focus on achieving a political solution and stabilizing the contested Donbas region. Focus on Eastern Donbas Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the talks are centering on the future of eastern Ukraine. “Ukrainian representatives report to me almost every hour — this is important because there have not been such trilateral meetings for a long time,” Zelenskyy said in a video posted…

British Forces Honoured for Front-Line Sacrifice The UK has condemned former US President Donald Trump’s remarks suggesting NATO troops “stayed a little back” in Afghanistan, calling them inaccurate and offensive. Official figures show that 457 British service members died during the conflict, with 405 killed in hostile military action, underscoring the dangers they faced on the front lines. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Their sacrifice and that of other NATO forces was made in the service of collective security and in response to an attack on our ally. We are incredibly proud of our armed forces and…

Bilateral Deal, Not NATO-Wide Spain’s Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, said a Greenland security framework negotiated by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte must be reviewed by all allies before moving forward. Speaking to Euronews at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Albares stressed that the agreement announced by US President Donald Trump is a bilateral arrangement, not a NATO decision. “This is a bilateral arrangement, not NATO. It is the Secretary General of NATO talking to one of the allies,” Albares told Euronews. He added that allied foreign ministers currently have no details beyond the public announcement, and the matter…