Business
U.S. Government Shutdown Enters Third Week as Partisan Divide Worsens
U.S. Government Shutdown Enters Third Week as Partisan Divide Worsens
The political standoff in the United States has deepened as the government shutdown entered its third week on Monday, with Republicans and Democrats still unable to reach a compromise on a new funding bill to reopen federal operations.
The prolonged closure has left hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed, major public institutions such as the Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo closed, and key services like air traffic control under increasing strain.
Despite mounting frustration from citizens and mounting economic concerns, both parties remain entrenched in their positions, showing no immediate signs of compromise.
At the heart of the stalemate is a fierce disagreement over health care spending.
Senate Democrats have refused to support a short-term funding bill unless Republicans agree to restore subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and reverse President Donald Trump’s cuts to Medicaid.
Republicans, on the other hand, insist that the government must first reopen before any policy negotiations can take place, accusing Democrats of “holding the budget process hostage.”
The impasse underscores the deep mistrust that has defined relations between both parties — now nine months into Trump’s second term.
While recent opinion polls suggest that a majority of Americans blame Republicans for the crisis, neither side has yet to gain a clear political advantage from the standoff.
Standoffs escalated further on Friday after the Trump administration dismissed hundreds of government employees, a move widely condemned as politically motivated and unprecedented in modern U.S. governance.
The White House defended the layoffs as part of broader “efficiency measures,” but critics say it was an attempt to pressure Democrats and consolidate control over key agencies.
Several of the terminations were later reversed after widespread confusion within government departments, exposing what observers described as chaotic management inside the administration.
In a bid to control the public narrative, President Trump assured that military personnel would continue to receive pay, presenting himself as a leader defending national security in difficult times.
He accused Democrats of “holding the government hostage”, saying they were using civil servants as bargaining chips.
However, Democrats have countered that narrative, accusing Trump of politicising the civil service and inflicting avoidable hardship on working families.
“This president is trying to turn public service into a political tool,” Senator Mark Kelly said. “It’s an attack on civil servants and the very idea of an independent government.”
Within the Republican camp, signs of internal friction are beginning to show.
While House Speaker Mike Johnson and Vice President JD Vance have maintained that Democrats are to blame for prolonging the shutdown, some lawmakers — including Marjorie Taylor Greene and Kevin Kiley — have criticised their leadership’s refusal to reconvene Congress to negotiate an end to the crisis.
Party insiders warn that the shutdown could deepen divisions within the GOP ahead of next year’s midterm elections, especially if the public continues to associate the crisis with Republican inflexibility.
Across the United States, the economic toll is beginning to bite.
Local businesses dependent on federal contracts are reporting losses, tourism has slowed, and public frustration is mounting, particularly in Washington, D.C., where government operations remain partially paralysed.
Unions representing furloughed workers have staged demonstrations in several cities, demanding that both sides return to the negotiating table.
Economists estimate that the shutdown could cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars if it extends into a fourth week.
For now, the standoff shows no sign of easing. Both parties appear determined to hold their ground — each calculating that the other will bear the greater political cost of public anger.
Until one side finds more advantage in compromise than confrontation, the shutdown — and the hardship it inflicts — may continue indefinitely.
Rubio vows US will keep protecting Gulf shipping, says diplomacy with Iran still possible
By Boniface Ihiasota, Washington DC
United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio on Wednesday said Washington would continue military operations to safeguard international shipping routes from Iranian attacks while insisting that the U.S. remained open to a diplomatic resolution of the crisis.
Rubio, who spoke to journalists in Manila, accused Iran of undermining previous commitments by continuing attacks on commercial vessels transiting a key international waterway.
He said Tehran had failed to uphold an earlier understanding that called for unrestricted maritime navigation, arguing that the latest attacks demonstrated Iran was “not serious” about diplomacy.
“We remain open to diplomacy. We remain open to working it out in a negotiated way. But right now, they don’t seem to be serious about that,” Rubio said.
According to him, the U.S. military would continue targeting sites allegedly used to launch attacks against commercial shipping while protecting vessels passing through the strategic maritime corridor.
“Ships are trying to go through the straits, and they’re getting blown up. The United States is defending that shipping and degrading Iran’s ability to target global shipping,” he said.
Rubio also rejected suggestions that Washington’s objective was to force Iran into submission, arguing instead that the U.S. was determined to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
He claimed Iran had spent decades investing heavily in missiles, drones and proxy groups instead of addressing domestic economic challenges, including soaring inflation and rising food prices.
The U.S. Secretary of State urged more countries to join efforts to secure international shipping lanes, saying many nations depended more heavily on the affected maritime route than the United States.
Although Washington had not made fresh requests during meetings with Asian allies in Manila, Rubio disclosed that previous discussions had explored possible contributions, including naval mine-clearing capabilities.
He maintained that the U.S. would prefer a negotiated settlement but insisted that freedom of navigation could not be compromised.
Rubio also confirmed he would meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss the war in Ukraine, saying Washington remained willing to play a constructive role in efforts to end the conflict while pursuing cooperation with Moscow on other strategic issues.
Marketers Import Dangote-Refined Fuel Through Togo Hub
Nigerian fuel marketers are increasingly importing refined petroleum products produced by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery through an offshore trading hub in Lomé, Togo, in a development that underscores the refinery’s growing influence on fuel supply across West Africa.
The disclosure was made by Matthew Tracey-Cook of S&P Global during a webinar organised by the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria.
The webinar, themed “West Africa Pricing and Flows in the Context of the War,” examined evolving fuel supply chains and pricing trends within the region.
Speaking during the session, Tracey-Cook said refined products from the Dangote Refinery are being exported on a coastal basis to Lomé before being re-imported into Nigeria by fuel marketers.
According to him, the trend reflects the increasingly interconnected relationship between the Lagos-based refinery and the offshore ship-to-ship trading hub in Togo.
He noted that despite Dangote’s growing capacity to supply the domestic market directly, some marketers continue to source products through Lomé, a development that may be linked to pricing differences between local and international markets.
Tracey-Cook, however, stressed that the Togolese hub remains a strategic logistics centre for fuel distribution across West Africa.
According to him, the facility continues to handle significant fuel volumes and remains slightly larger than it was in 2024.
He added that volumes transacted through Lomé surged in certain periods, particularly in November and December 2025, surpassing volumes recorded on several other regional supply routes.
The S&P Global official explained that the hub plays a vital role in regional fuel distribution by receiving large medium-range tankers and transferring cargoes to smaller vessels capable of accessing ports with limited infrastructure.
Ghana eyes local takeover of Gold Fields’ Tarkwa mine
Ghana may transfer control of the Tarkwa gold mine, currently operated by Gold Fields, to local mining firms when the mine’s leases expire in April 2027, as the West African nation seeks to deepen local participation in its lucrative gold industry and maximise benefits from rising global gold prices.
According to a Bloomberg report, Ghanaian authorities are considering inviting local companies to bid for the operation of the Tarkwa mine, although discussions remain at a preliminary stage.
The government is also weighing the option of renewing the leases held by Gold Fields.
The move forms part of Ghana’s broader strategy to increase its share of mining revenues and strengthen indigenous ownership within the sector.
The country, Africa’s largest gold producer, has in recent years introduced measures aimed at boosting state earnings from mining activities, including increasing gold royalties from five per cent to as much as 12 per cent.
Should the government proceed with the plan, interested Ghanaian firms would be required to submit bids for evaluation.
Officials are expected to assess proposals based on commitments to environmental restoration, job creation, and infrastructure development in mining communities.
The potential loss of the Tarkwa mine would represent a significant setback for Gold Fields, as the operation contributed about 20 per cent of the company’s total gold production in 2025. The mine produced approximately 475,000 ounces of gold during the year.
Responding to the development, Gold Fields said it had already submitted an application for the renewal of the Tarkwa mining leases and remains engaged with the Ghanaian government.
“We have submitted an early application for the renewal of the Tarkwa mining leases. These constructive engagements are continuing,” the company stated.
Authorities believe local ownership of the mine could create more opportunities for Ghanaian engineers, contractors, suppliers and entrepreneurs, while ensuring that a greater share of mining wealth remains within the country.
Gold Fields Chief Executive Officer, Michael Fraser, had earlier disclosed that the company was developing a 20-year operational and investment plan for the Tarkwa mine.
The latest development follows the transfer of Gold Fields’ other Ghanaian asset, the Damang mine, to the state after its lease expired earlier this year.
Following a competitive tender process, the mine was awarded to Engineers and Planners Co. Ltd., a Ghanaian firm with existing mining contracts at both Tarkwa and Damang.
EDITORIAL: Tackling Poverty in Africa
Spain battles political fallout as 60,000 migrants overwhelm Ceuta border
Hamas agrees to disarm as Gaza withdrawal deal gains momentum
Pastor Jerry Eze Defends Miracles At UK Conference Amidst Criticism And Controversy
Diaspora Watch 20th Edition (October 14-20, 2024): Your Trusted Source for Global News and Insights
Tanzanian Man Reportedly Dies And Returns To Life Six Times
-
Milestone6 days agoNigerian bags HVAC Engineering degree in US, lands full-time job
-
News6 days agoCARICOM chair renews reparations demand
-
Analysis6 days agoObasanjo, Atiku and the Burden of Broken Trust, by Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
-
Analysis6 days agoLessons from the Catholic Bishops’ Visit to Tinubu, by Boniface Ihiasota
-
News6 days agoHamas agrees to disarm as Gaza withdrawal deal gains momentum
-
Opinion6 days agoEDITORIAL: Tackling Poverty in Africa