海角大神

The House voted to overturn tariffs President Donald Trump imposed on Canada, with six Republicans joining Democrats in support of ending the national emergency he invoked to justify the levies. A similar set of measures cleared the Senate in October, underscoring growing concern over the use of emergency powers to set trade policy. Still, the resolution is expected to face a veto. It comes as the Supreme Court reviews the legality of the administration鈥檚 tariffs, and economic concerns loom ahead of the midterms.

NATO announced it is launching a new mission to beef up security in the Arctic, as Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned that 鈥渢he Russians and the Chinese are becoming more active鈥� in the region. Some analysts say the mission, dubbed Arctic Sentry, is an effort to head off tensions between the United States and the alliance, which heightened last month after the Trump administration declined to rule out military force to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark.

President Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House yesterday amid concerns over wider conflict if the U.S. follows through on threats to strike Iran. The closed-door meeting offered little clarity, though Mr. Trump said he wants negotiations with Tehran to continue. His administration is seeking a breakthrough leading to a nuclear deal, while Mr. Netanyahu insists any deal must curb Iran鈥檚 ballistic missile program after June鈥檚 12-day war, when Iran fired daily barrages at Tel Aviv.

Two hundred U.S. soldiers are set to arrive in Nigeria in the coming weeks to support its fight against Islamist extremist groups. They will not see combat but serve in an advisory role, according to The Wall Street Journal, which also reported that the Nigerian government requested the military support. President Trump has repeatedly claimed that the country has not done enough to protect 海角大神s from jihadist violence. In December, U.S. forces carried out an airstrike targeting one such group.

Applying for federal student aid is becoming smoother. Department of Education officials told a financial aid administrators鈥� conference this week that call center wait times have dropped, and satisfaction with the redesigned FAFSA form is up. More than 8 million students have already submitted applications for the 2026-27 academic year, after the form鈥檚 earliest-ever release following several years of delays. Recent legislation limited the maximum number of questions from more than 100 to a few dozen.

Ireland has made its basic income program for artists permanent, providing about $385 a week to 2,000 creatives over three years so they can focus on their work. Recipients will be chosen at random from a pool of 8,000 applicants. Unlike shorter, foundation-backed pilots in cities such as New York and San Francisco, Ireland鈥檚 nationwide plan aims to, as the culture minister put it, 鈥渟et Ireland apart鈥� in how it values 鈥渃ulture and creativity鈥� over the long term.

鈥� From Monitor writers around the globe

The release of documents surrounding sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has stirred massive media attention, but much of the evidence is inconclusive. The challenge is sifting facts from a frenzy of speculation.

With a positive January jobs report following a slow 2025, Republicans may have improved their ability to retain their slim House majority. But economists, citing uncertainty, are watching inflation and job growth closely.

Women were central to the 2024 uprising that put Bangladesh back on a path to democracy. Now, with Islamist parties on the rise and women notably absent from this week鈥檚 ballots, some worry about their role in the country鈥檚 future.聽

The 2026 Milan Cortina Games offer something the Winter Olympics haven鈥檛 had in a while: winter sports in places steeped in the culture and history of these events.

The Ogun River is a crucial waterway in southwestern Nigeria. The nonprofit Project Conserve Ogun River believes that training adults to protect it is vital, but that teaching children will yield results for generations to come.

Corruption in most countries has worsened over the past decade, according to a new survey by Transparency International. Yet last year, one region bucked the global trend, offering a few lessons in how to tap people鈥檚 propensity for honesty in public life.

Eight countries in Asia, from Sri Lanka to East Timor, have shown continued growth in anti-corruption progress, more than any other region.

If the rest of the world wants to follow one example of this Asian effort for clean governance, it can keep an eye on a Feb. 12 vote in Bangladesh.

Voters in that South Asian nation鈥檚 parliamentary elections cite corruption as their main issue (followed by inflation). They 鈥渆xpress clear expectations for leaders who demonstrate care, competence and accountability,鈥� stated a poll by two Dhaka-based think tanks.

That strong sentiment arose from the country鈥檚 dramatic break with authoritarian rule in 2024 following student-led protests over issues like political patronage. And it helped Bangladesh improve slightly in the latest global index on corruption.

It has also boosted the popularity of an Islamist political party in the largely Muslim country. Despite its anti-feminist leanings, the Jamaat-e-Islami party is widely seen among young people as the least corrupt. (About 4 in 10 voters are under 37 years of age.) Support for the party, which promises to end corruption and restore judicial independence, is high in opinion polls.

To ultimately protect people from the abuse of power, according to Transparency International鈥檚 representative in Bangladesh, requires leaders 鈥渢o demonstrate their integrity through action.鈥�

Two other South Asian countries, Nepal and Sri Lanka, offer a similar model. Both saw recent youth-led uprisings that fundamentally set each nation on a path of reform. Sri Lanka had a big jump last year in the global index, while Nepal faces a crucial election in March to cement its anti-corruption gains.

Popular demands for clean government have helped Taiwan, India, and Malaysia make some progress on that front. In Vietnam, progress against bribery and other forms of graft is due mainly to the ruling Communist Party鈥檚 desire to cling to power and ensure a flow of new foreign investment.

Last year, Asia saw a 鈥渇rustration ... at weak governance and limited accountability,鈥� stated Transparency International, resulting in 鈥渁 surge in young people taking to the streets.鈥� Most countries in the region still score low on the global index. But the few examples of 鈥渓imited" signs of progress, as the global watchdog calls it, are based on an infinite supply of demand for principled leadership.