After the “COP of Truth”: Von der Leyen Codifies the Post-Belém Sustainability Agenda

Following the conclusion of the landmark COP30 summit in Brazil last November, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has inaugurated 2026 with a resolute mandate: transforming the summit’s “Global Mutirão” (collective effort) into enforceable European law. Identifying the climate crisis as an “existential” battle for survival, von der Leyen is utilizing the momentum from […]

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“Intrusive and Dangerous”: Legal Experts Warn Ireland’s Social Media Digital ID Plan is “Clearly Illegal”

A major constitutional row is brewing in Dublin as the Irish government prepares to pilot a controversial Digital ID system for social media users. On Monday, January 5, 2026, leading digital rights expert TJ McIntyre, an associate professor of law at University College Dublin (UCD), delivered a scathing assessment of the plan, labeling it an […]

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🌐 UN Chief Warns Security Council: Uphold Charter Amid U.S. Intervention in Venezuela

Invoking one of the UN Charter’s most fundamental principles—the prohibition of force against the territorial integrity and political independence of any State—UN Secretary‑General António Guterres delivered an unambiguous message to the Security Council: the international system must hold the line. Addressing the Council through Under‑Secretary‑General Rosemary DiCarlo, Guterres said the body was meeting “at a […]

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Diplomatic Duality: Macron Condemns U.S. “Method” but Welcomes Maduro’s Exit

In a nuanced display of “En Même Temps” (at the same time) diplomacy, French President Emmanuel Macron has delivered a split verdict on the U.S. military operation that toppled the Venezuelan government.2 On Monday, January 5, 2026, Macron clarified that while France views the departure of Nicolás Maduro as “good news,” it categorically refuses to […]

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Calculated Silence/ Balancing Acts in Berlin: Germany hesitates to condemn US Venezuela Raid

As the dust settles over Caracas following the U.S. military’s extraction of Nicolás Maduro, the German government has adopted a posture of deliberate ambiguity. While the operation has drawn sharp condemnation from regional neighbors and legal scholars, Berlin’s response—characterized by Chancellor Friedrich Merz as “complex”—reflects a strategic effort to balance international law against the pragmatic […]

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“Not Straightforward”, US Should Justify Intervention: Starmer Defers to Washington Over Venezuela Military Raid

In a carefully calibrated diplomatic tightrope act, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has stated that it is for the United States to justify its military intervention in Venezuela.2 Speaking on Monday, January 5, 2026, Starmer described the capture of Nicolás Maduro and the subsequent airstrikes in Caracas as “not straightforward,” refusing to join the […]

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African Continental Brief: Regional Stability and Economic Shifts (5, January 2026)

The African continent enters 2026 amid a complex tapestry of military consolidation in the Sahel, high-stakes democratic transitions in East Africa, and a resurgence in commodity-driven economic performance. From the relocation of national capitals to historic shifts in the UN Security Council, this brief highlights the critical developments shaping the region. Geopolitics & Policy DRC […]

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“I Am Innocent”: Nicolás Maduro Pleads Not Guilty in Historic Manhattan Arraignment

In a scene once thought impossible, deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro appeared in a Manhattan federal courtroom on Monday, January 5, 2026, to plead not guilty to a litany of narco-terrorism and weapons charges.1 The arraignment comes just 48 hours after a high-stakes U.S. military operation—codenamed Absolute Resolve—extracted Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from […]

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The United Kingdom wants to see a safe and peaceful transition to a legitimate government that reflects the will of the Venezuelan people: UK statement at the UN Security Council

The Venezuelan people have suffered for years. This Council now meets at a pivotal moment for Venezuela’s future. Maduro’s actions created extreme levels of poverty, violent repression, and failing basic services.  His regime’s rule precipitated a displacement crisis affecting the whole region.  The United Kingdom has long been clear that Maduro’s claim to power was […]

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