Barbados PM Seeks Third Term; US Debt Soars

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley is poised to secure a third term, according to forecasts, as the country heads to the polls on Wednesday, while in Bulgaria, a new interim government is being formed. Meanwhile, the United States faces significant fiscal challenges and potential policy shifts regarding climate change.

Mia Amor Mottley, a strong advocate for climate action and the country's first female leader since independence in 1966, is expected to win despite voter concerns about the cost of living and crime, according to The Guardian. In Bulgaria, President Iliana Iotova nominated Andrey Gurov, the deputy central bank governor, to serve as interim prime minister, tasked with forming a caretaker government that will oversee a new parliamentary vote, Al Jazeera reported.

The United States is also facing critical developments. The Trump administration is expected to formally eliminate the US government's role in controlling greenhouse gas pollution, revoking a 17-year-old scientific finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare, Ars Technica reported. This move would dismantle the legal basis for the Environmental Protection Agency to act on climate change under the Clean Air Act.

Adding to the complexities, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) warned that the U.S. is on an unsustainable fiscal path, with the national debt at its highest level in history. The CBO revised its cumulative deficit projection for 2026-2035 upward by $1.4 trillion compared to its forecast from a year ago, Fortune reported. "Our budget projections continue to indicate that the fiscal trajectory is not sustainable," said CBO Director Phillip Swagel.

These events highlight a complex global landscape, with nations grappling with political transitions, economic pressures, and environmental concerns.