
United States Drops to Record Low in Global Corruption Index
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Global companies cut ties with U.S. immigration agency as backlash spreads
Several international firms have moved to distance themselves from U.S. immigration enforcement after public disclosure of a multimillion-dollar contract and mounting protests. The measures — from an announced divestiture of a U.S. subsidiary to paused property deals and public pressure on social-media vendors — reflect how rapid disclosure and political scrutiny can turn routine procurement into reputational crisis.
U.S. Withdraws from Open Government Partnership, Signaling Retreat from Global Transparency Norms
The U.S. formally left the Open Government Partnership, an initiative it helped establish, citing concerns over costs, sovereignty and ideological bias. Critics warn the move deepens a pattern of reduced government openness and risks eroding U.S. influence on international accountability standards.

Munich report warns Trump-era policies are straining the post‑1945 global order
A Munich Security Report released ahead of the conference concludes that recent US leadership choices are exerting exceptional pressure on the rules-based international system, altering alliances and norms. The report’s polling shows widespread public pessimism in major democracies and helps explain why European capitals are actively recalibrating defence and economic policy in response.
Watchdog: Trump-era EPA Sees Sharp Drop in Legal Enforcement
An analysis by the Environmental Integrity Project reports a steep fall in civil enforcement actions the EPA pursued through the Justice Department during the first year of the Trump administration, with only 16 lawsuits initiated. Financial penalties assessed by the agency also declined, and the Justice Department’s environmental division has experienced significant attorney departures that analysts say have constrained litigation capacity.
Scholars Warn U.S. Is Slipping Toward Electoral Autocracy Ahead of Midterms
Leading democracy experts argue the United States now shows key markers of an electoral autocracy, citing coordinated attacks on press freedom, legal and administrative moves that could affect voter access, and militarized rhetoric toward domestic opponents. Those scholars stress the trend is reversible but warn that the November midterms are a critical test for institutional checks and citizen safeguards.

U.S. Aftershocks: DOJ Epstein Records, Iran Diplomacy, and the Guthrie Search
The Department of Justice made a massive release of Jeffrey Epstein-related materials that has reignited questions about accountability and victim privacy. Simultaneously, U.S. envoys are reopening talks with regional partners over Iran’s nuclear program while a high-profile missing-person investigation unfolds in Arizona and a partial government shutdown continues into a fourth day.
Confidence Collapse Exposes U.S. 'K' Divide and Stability Risk
A sharp decline in U.S. consumer confidence has revealed widening behavioral and economic splits across income groups, with the expectations component falling into territory that historically precedes contractions. Without policies and financial products designed for volatile, low‑buffer households, declining sentiment may translate into reduced mobility, lower spending, and greater systemic fragility even as headline indicators remain mixed.

Majority of Canadians See US as Biggest Security Threat, Poll Finds
A national survey indicates a clear shift in Canadian perceptions: a slim majority now identifies the United States as the leading external security concern. China and Russia trail far behind in public worry, a gap that could reshape political debate and cross-border cooperation.