Category: World

The European agricultural landscape reached a fever pitch this weekend as thousands of farmers across Ireland, France, Poland, and Belgium launched a wave of “tractor rallies” to protest the formal approval of the EU-Mercosur trade agreement. While the deal was cleared by a majority of EU member states on January 9, 2026, the focus has […]

January 10, 2026: The African continent is witnessing a rapid acceleration of infrastructure milestones and high-stakes diplomatic manoeuvring. From the ground-breaking of the continent’s largest aviation hub in Ethiopia to the deployment of multinational naval forces in the South Atlantic, regional powers are increasingly asserting autonomy in both trade and security. Business & Macroeconomics Ethiopia […]

In a historic move to cement its status as the continent’s primary aviation gateway, the Ethiopian government officially launched the construction of the Bishoftu International Airport (BIA) on Saturday, January 10, 2026. The $12.5 billion project, described by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed as the “largest aviation infrastructure project in Africa’s history,” marks a strategic leap […]

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 […]