Category: World

In a decisive pivot toward strategic diversification, the European Union formally approved a sweeping trade agreement with the Mercosur bloc on Friday, January 9, 2026. The deal, which has been in negotiation for over a quarter-century, will establish one of the world’s largest free-trade areas, connecting the 27-nation EU with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. […]

In a historic visit to the Syrian capital, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Friday, January 9, 2026, that the European Union will grant Syria €620 million ($722 million) to fuel post-war recovery and humanitarian efforts.1 The aid package, spanning 2026 and 2027, marks the highest-level EU diplomatic mission to the country […]

Updates to this page Published 22 January 2021 Last updated 9 January 2026 + show all updates 9 January 2026 Last updated on Friday, 9 January 2026. 26 December 2024 As requested by Consular Services, I have updated the date of publication on Thursday 26 December 2024. 9 January 2024 Yes, we are updating the […]

DUBLIN – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has issued an urgent recall for approximately 13,000 Irish passports following the discovery of a significant printing defect. The error, identified in late December 2025 and confirmed this week, affects a specific batch of documents issued over the last several weeks, potentially leaving thousands of travelers facing […]

“And when he woke up, the oil was still there…” The Dinosaur is a one-sentence story, penned in 1959 by Guatemalan author Augusto Monterroso. One of the shortest stories ever written, it likely refers to the “dinosaurs” of power, to Central America’s numerous, longstanding dictators, and to the ghosts that survive apparent changes. In the […]

President von der Leyen visited Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. In Amman, she participated to the first ever EU-Jordan Summit. In Damascus she announced EU financial support of €620 million for 2026 and 2027. Finally in Beirut she emphasised the EU and Lebanon’s strong partnership. Source link This article was originally published on https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ac_26_68. It is […]

MINNEAPOLIS – In a move that has escalated tensions between state and federal authorities, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has assumed sole jurisdiction over the investigation into the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old mother by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. The incident, which occurred on January 7, 2026, has sparked widespread protests […]

TEHRAN – Iran is currently engulfed in its most significant wave of civil unrest in years, as nationwide protests sparked by a spiraling economic crisis have morphed into a direct challenge to the clerical establishment. On Friday, January 9, 2026, the Iranian government imposed a near-total nationwide internet blackout, effectively severing the country’s 88 million […]

ADDIS ABABA – As Africa navigates the first week of 2026, the continent is witnessing a complex interplay of rapid industrial growth, shifting geopolitical alliances, and persistent humanitarian crises. From the high-stakes naval exercises in South African waters to the 1,000-day mark of the devastating conflict in Sudan, regional leaders are balancing domestic stability against […]

In a pre-dawn operation launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, U.S. forces seized the oil tanker Olina in the Caribbean Sea on Friday, January 9, 2026. This interdiction marks the fifth such seizure in recent weeks, signalling an aggressive intensification of Washington’s maritime blockade aimed at exerting total control over Venezuela’s petroleum […]