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🇧🇩 Bangladesh Lifts Islamist Ban

Bangladesh's Supreme Court restored registration for Jamaat-e-Islami, the country's largest Muslim party, ending a decade-long ban imposed by ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government. The decision allows the controversial party, which supported Pakistan during Bangladesh's 1971 independence war, to participate in next year's general election expected by June. The ruling came as the court also overturned a death sentence against key Jamaat leader ATM Azharul Islam for war crimes, while Hasina faces trial in absentia for her deadly crackdown on protesters that killed up to 1,400 people. More - Al Jazeera

🇲🇳 Mongolia PM Ousted

Mongolia's Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai was ousted in a confidence vote after failing to secure the required 64 lawmakers' support, getting only 44 votes amid weeks of protests sparked by social media posts showing expensive gifts to his son's girlfriend. The Mongolian People's Party will now form a new government alone after ending its coalition, though its slim legislative majority creates a fragile leadership position. The political upheaval compounds economic uncertainty as Mongolia grapples with China's weakening demand for steel-making coal and raw materials, with exports falling 18% year-over-year and the worst first-quarter growth since 2022. More - Bloomberg

Americas Stability Ratings and News Summary

More Unstable

🇦🇷 Argentina, 🇧🇧 Barbados, 🇧🇿 Belize, 🇧🇴 Bolivia, 🇧🇷 Brazil, 🇨🇦 Canada, 🇨🇱 Chile, 🇨🇴 Colombia, 🇨🇺 Cuba, 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic, 🇪🇨 Ecuador, 🇸🇻 El Salvador, 🇬🇹 Guatemala, 🇬🇾 Guyana, 🇭🇹 Haiti, 🇭🇳 Honduras, 🇯🇲 Jamaica, 🇲🇽 Mexico, 🇳🇮 Nicaragua, 🇵🇦 Panama, 🇵🇪 Peru, 🇱🇨 Saint Lucia, 🇸🇷 Suriname, 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago, 🇺🇸 United States Of America, 🇻🇪 Venezuela

More Stable

No countries were more stable over this period

Unchanged

🇦🇬 Antigua and Barbuda, 🇨🇷 Costa Rica, 🇩🇲 Dominica, 🇬🇩 Grenada, 🇵🇾 Paraguay, 🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and Nevis, 🇻🇨 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, 🇧🇸 The Bahamas, 🇺🇾 Uruguay

Regional News Summary

In recent developments across the Americas, Brazil is facing significant challenges in both its political and economic landscape. Prosecutors have filed a lawsuit against Chinese electric carmaker BYD, alleging "slave-like" working conditions at its plant, seeking damages of approximately $300 million. This legal action underscores ongoing concerns about labor practices in the region [SOURCE - The Independent].

In a troubling health trend, Brazil has reported a rise in smoking rates for the first time since 2007, prompting health experts to call for stricter regulations on tobacco products [SOURCE - Folha]. Conversely, the Brazilian government is making strides towards sustainability by expanding mining technologies in partnership with firms like Somerset and Omnipro, aiming to enhance the environmental impact of its mining sector [SOURCE - Yahoo Finance].

In the realm of international relations, Brazil has been invited to participate in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in 2025, reflecting its growing diplomatic engagement [SOURCE - Tass]. President Lula has also emphasized the transformative potential of Brazil's relationship with China, highlighting the importance of bilateral cooperation [SOURCE - Rio Times]. Additionally, Brazil has demanded that Meta compensate for fraudulent advertisements on its platform, amid a surge in scams on social media [SOURCE - Rio Times].

Meanwhile, Mexico is grappling with severe cartel violence, as evidenced by the discovery of 17 bodies in Guanajuato during a missing persons investigation [SOURCE - CBS News]. In response to this escalating violence, the Mexican government has initiated judicial reforms, including the election of judges, a move that has sparked controversy and low voter turnout [SOURCE - Foreign Policy].

On the economic front, Scotiabank's earnings report fell short of expectations due to higher provisions linked to ongoing tariff disputes, while Mexico's foreign reserves have reached a historic peak of $239.9 billion [SOURCE - Livemint] [SOURCE - The Rio Times].

In the United States, the Trump administration has made headlines with significant changes to immigration and trade policies. The Supreme Court has allowed the administration to strip legal status from over 500,000 migrants, including those from Venezuela and El Salvador, raising concerns about the implications for these communities [SOURCE - France 24]. Additionally, Trump has announced plans to double steel tariffs, a move criticized for potentially disrupting the Canadian industry [SOURCE - The Gateway Pundit].

In a notable development, the U.S. and Mexico are collaborating to combat the screwworm pest, which threatens the $3 billion cattle trade between the two nations [SOURCE - The Rio Times].Carpe tomorrow!