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The Americas

Back to the 1970s: Flared trousers and tank tops. Is this the result of Trump’s tariff tantrums?

There are somewhere some dreadful photographs of this author wearing what we all once thought were the height of fashion and style. Generally, that...

Doom, gloom or boom?

While it is an almost painful daily task to ascertain where the Trump administration is positioned on the question of tariff policy, and traders...

Ahead of nuclear talks, Trump administration orders new sanctions on Iran’s shadow fleet and Chinese refiners

Washington’s sanctions campaign of “maximum pressure on Iran” is intensifying, despite the start of initial discussions between the U.S. and Iran over nuclear issues...

G7 condemns China’s large-scale military drills around Taiwan

In a statement issued on April 6, 2025, the foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States...

U.S. sanctions officials for undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy

The United States has imposed new sanctions on six Hong Kong and Chinese officials to punish China for the ongoing crackdown on democracy advocates...

Ignoring Russia, latest Trump administration Iran sanctions increase pressure on an old enemy

On March 13, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned (“designated” in OFAC language) Iran’s Minister of Petroleum, Mohsen...

Swedish Foxtrot criminal network in Washington’s sanctions crosshairs

The U.S. Treasury is targeting the “Foxtrot Network,” which is one of the most notorious criminal gangs based in Sweden and has conducted shootings,...

Washington targets Houthi leaders for terrorism, Russia ties and weapons procurement

Under U.S. President Donald Trump, there is no ambivalence in Washington regarding the Houthis. Handling all of the statutory requirements required to press the...

EU leaders in Kyiv back Ukraine, but Trump won’t blame Russia

On the three-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, European leaders travelled to Kyiv to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky and to declare their...

The dance begins: Rubio and Lavrov engage (alone) on Ukraine

Clearly working overtime to move the U.S.-Russia peace effort for Ukraine forward, both countries’ foreign ministers met on February 18 in Riyadh for the...

T is for tariffs

If the quick freeze and attempted shut down of American foreign assistance through USAID was not enough, on February 10 U.S. President Donald Trump...

Trump administration unleashes first sanctions on Iranian shadow fleet

On February 6, the Department of the Treasury unleashed the first wave of the new Trump administration’s economic sanctions using the tried-and-true U.S. Government/Treasury...

Tariff Trouble in Trump Town

President Trump has had many a cartoon about him as a child throwing toys and anything to hand out of the playpen. Now, of...

Global reaction to Trump tariffs only reinforces his use of this tired and risky strategy

True to form, U.S. President Donald Trump disrupted global markets with a three-day surge of tariff announcements, border security negotiations and ultimately a 30-day...

Donald Trump is inaugurated amidst promises of security, stability and prosperity

After storming a frigid Washington D.C. during his extended inauguration festivities on January 20, Donald J Trump, America’s 47th and 45th President, launched a...

The heat is on Trump’s fossil fuel push, climate change pushback

2024 has officially been confirmed as the warmest year on record, with global temperatures surpassing the 1.5°C threshold mentioned in the Paris Agreement, Alberto...

The Biden administration’s parting gift to Russia: Still more sanctions

Clearly working overtime to underscore the Biden administration’s desire to inflict maximum economic pain on Moscow and its coterie of Ukraine invasion supporters outside...

Righteous indignation over Maduro’s inauguration unlikely to change Venezuela’s dark reality

President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela was sworn in on January 10 for his third six-year term. Promising that his third term would be one...

Stringent new energy sector sanctions on Russia announced

On January 10, the U.S. Government released a massive new listing of over 200 entities and individuals involved in Russia’s energy sector for Ukraine-related...

After Baku, Belem COP to strengthen Paris Agreement

After the controversial agreement at COP29 in Baku, NE Global sat down with Professor Gregg Walker, a COP veteran, for a close analysis of...

United States-Japan-Philippines inaugural maritime dialogue focuses on Chinese provocations

The United States, Philippines, and Japan raised “serious concerns” over China’s repeated blocking and continuing harassment of Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea...

Democrats and Republicans agree, the Athens embassy posting has become a sinecure

The Trump administration has just confirmed what some had suspected for several years now -- that the posting to Athens as U.S. Ambassador has...

Biden administration takes final steps to counter global corruption and human rights abuses

Announcing a global grab-bag of new sanctions, possibly some of its last, the Biden administration took major steps on December 9 by authorizing new...

COP29: Multilateral diplomatic stalemate circumvented

COP29 in Baku ended in the early hours of November 24, reaching a compromise deal on finance that will advance the global climate agenda...

Lula’s G20 Rio Summit: Forgettable but not inconsequential

Seen from the perspective of a week after the November 19-20 Rio de Janeiro Summit, but before the event has completely receded into the...

U.S. sanctions Russian banks, finance officials and securities registrars

The U.S. announced on November 21 new sanctions targeting Russia’s largest remaining non-designated bank (Gazprombank), as well as dozens of other financial institutions and...

Washington targets Syrian conglomerate funding Iran and Houthis

On November 14 the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned 26 companies, individuals, and vessels associated with the...

Dear Democrats, about that Harris coronation last summer….

Back in July, we took exception to the decisions by the leadership of the Democratic Party to anoint Kamala Harris to take over President...

Drone producers in China and Russia face new U.S. sanctions

In recent months, the Biden administration’s sanctions taskmasters at the State and Treasury Departments have clearly gone into overdrive, designating new targets/entities at least...

U.S. expands sanctions on Iranian petroleum sector, targeting “ghost fleet”

In the aftermath of Iran’s unprecedented October 1 ballistic missile attack against Israel, Washington made it clear that Iran would face consequences for its...

Washington orders new sanctions against Hamas’ sham fundraising network

Going after key elements of the Hamas European fundraising network on the anniversary of the Gaza war, on October 7 the U.S. Treasury Department’s...

UNGA 2024 overshadowed by Middle East turmoil

At the end of September, as usual, most of the world’s leaders converge on New York for the annual UN General Assembly (UNGA) session...

Georgian officials sanctioned for anti-democratic actions and human rights abuses

In the continuing wave of new sanctions announcements this month against actors who are seen as undermining democracy and abusing human rights, the Biden...

Venezuela’s democratic opposition leader driven out, despite probable victory

The departure on September 7 former Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez for exile in Spain likely marks the end of the latest opportunity...

Washington hits back at Russia’s covert influence activities aimed at 2024 U.S. elections

In a wide series of actions on September 4, the Biden administration froze Kremlin-run websites and charged two Russian state media employees in its...

China’s “dangerous and escalatory” activities against the Philippines in the South China Sea sparks condemnation from Washington

On August 31, the U.S. Department of State issued a strongly worded statement condemning the latest in a series of dangerous and escalatory actions...

Unified western response to Venezuela’s fraudulent election stymied

Street protests expanded on July 31 in Caracas, as thousands took action to demand that President Nicolas Maduro accept defeat in Venezuela’s July 28...

Time for Mandatory Climate Change Disclosures by GCC States?

From wildfires in New Mexico, to droughts in Vietnam, and extreme temperatures and historic flooding in China, it is clear that urgent action must...

Americans deserve far more than a coronation

After the NATO Summit in Washington on July 9-11, where Biden-watching essentially became the main focus, and the assassination attempt on former President Donald...

NATO Summit: “Trump-proofing” Ukraine support while Biden appearances under a microscope

The July 9-11 NATO Summit was originally envisioned as a celebration of the alliance’s 75th anniversary at the organization’s founding venue in Washington D.C.,...

EU strengthens energy cooperation with Chile, Argentina

This week EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson visited Chile and Argentina to step up cooperation with these two countries in the energy field, with...

G7 Summit focuses on Ukraine support and shattering Russia’s wartime economy

Despite last week’s expert punditry (itself almost indistinguishable from AI) on the latest G7 decisions as exhibited by the “instant experts” on global issues...

World Oceans Day calls for action to protect coastal communities and marine ecosystems

UN World Oceans Day, which is officially on June 8, was celebrated on June 7 at UN Headquarters in New York, focusing on protecting...

U.S.-Kazakhstan Enhanced Strategic Partnership Dialogue deepens political and economic ties

The sixth annual United States-Kazakhstan Enhanced Strategic Partnership Dialogue (ESPD) was held in Washington D.C. on May 31.The U.S.-Kazakhstan Enhanced Strategic Partnership Dialogue was...

Washington orders new sanctions against Russia’s Wagner Group in Africa

 On May 30, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ordered new sanctions measures to counter Russia’s destabilizing activities in...

Outline for Luzon Economic Corridor takes shape

While most headlines from the Indo-Pacific Business Forum held on May 21 in Taguig, just outside Manila, focused on the latest official data concerning...

New wave of U.S. sanctions target Russia’s foreign suppliers and industrial base

On May 1, the U.S. Department of State together with the U.S. Treasury Department unveiled a wide-ranging new list of anti-Russia sanctions covering an...

New U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian Issues named

Although currently traveling in China, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a reshuffling of the position of Special Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian...

G7 Italy 2024 Foreign Ministers’ Statement on Addressing Global Challenges, Fostering Partnerships

The text of the following statement was released by the G7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the...

U.S.-Ukraine Partnership Forum focuses on engaging the private sector in Ukraine’s Recovery

On April 17, in partnership with the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and USAID, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce hosted...

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