Day: January 2, 2026

Ireland Commits €100m to Overseas Development NGOs

Amid some controversy, the Irish government has announced a €100 million funding package for Irish civil society organisations working overseas and formally aimed at supporting the world’s poorest and most vulnerable regions—with projects focused on gender equality and climate action.

Ireland Commits €100m to Overseas Development NGOs

Ireland Commits €100m to Overseas Development NGOs

Amid some controversy, the Irish government has announced a €100 million funding package for Irish civil society organisations working overseas and formally aimed at supporting the world’s poorest and most vulnerable regions—with projects focused on gender equality and climate action.

January 2, 2026
Analysis: 2025 Saw Russia’s Biggest Battlefield Advances Since 2022

Analysis: 2025 Saw Russia’s Biggest Battlefield Advances Since 2022

Data from the Institute for the Study of War shows Russia expanded control over nearly 1% of Ukraine in 2025, surpassing gains from the previous two years combined.

January 2, 2026
Somali Immigrant Welfare Scams Uncovered in Minnesota–and Sweden

Somali Immigrant Welfare Scams Uncovered in Minnesota–and Sweden

The schemes of running fake daycare centers and healthcare offices to rip off taxpayers in the U.S. and Scandinavia show an eerie similarity.

January 2, 2026
Finland Questions Four Sailors Over Damage to Undersea Cable

Finland Questions Four Sailors Over Damage to Undersea Cable

Finnish telecommunications company Elisa confirmed that the subsea infrastructure disruption did not affect customers, as services were rerouted.

January 2, 2026
From ‘Returning to Europe’ to ‘Diluting Europe’: Forty Years of Spain and Portugal in the EU

From ‘Returning to Europe’ to ‘Diluting Europe’: Forty Years of Spain and Portugal in the EU

While Brussels celebrates past successes, the removal of the veto, the erosion of the Single Market, and accelerated enlargement threaten to turn the European project into something very different from what Spain and Portugal signed up to in 1986.

January 2, 2026
Macron’s Grim Wishes for a Year of Misery

Macron’s Grim Wishes for a Year of Misery

The only future the president offers the French people is death—both literally and figuratively.

January 2, 2026
‘You Shouldn’t Be Here’: Denmark Unveils Hardline Deportation Reform

‘You Shouldn’t Be Here’: Denmark Unveils Hardline Deportation Reform

The proposed overhaul would allow authorities to expel foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes even if they have long-standing ties to the country.

January 2, 2026
Belgian Court Jails Inmate Brothers for Running Prison Cannabis Ring

Belgian Court Jails Inmate Brothers for Running Prison Cannabis Ring

Authorities have recognised that drugs are entering the prison system as part of family visiting time.

January 2, 2026
Two Syrians Charged After Tram Stabbing of American in Dresden

Two Syrians Charged After Tram Stabbing of American in Dresden

The Dresden Regional Court will decide what to do with two migrant men accused of stabbing a U.S. tourist.

January 2, 2026
Drone Strike Claims Cast Shadow Over Trump’s Ukraine Peace Push

Drone Strike Claims Cast Shadow Over Trump’s Ukraine Peace Push

Kyiv and Moscow gave sharply different accounts of a New Year drone attack in Russian-occupied territory.

January 2, 2026
Norway Edges Closer to Fully Electric Car Market

Norway Edges Closer to Fully Electric Car Market

Electric vehicles accounted for 97.6% of December sales in the Scandinavian country.

January 2, 2026
ECB Chief Earns 56% More Than Her Official Salary Figure

ECB Chief Earns 56% More Than Her Official Salary Figure

Christine Lagarde’s total 2024 earnings reached approximately €726,000, around 56% above her official ECB salary of €466,000.

January 2, 2026