EU external relations, diplomacy, and security
Starting November 2024, the European Union will implement ETIAS pre-travel authorization for visitors from 60+ countries. The new system marks Europe’s biggest border control transformation in decades.
Brussels has decided to maintain its current oil price cap on Russian crude rather than lower it further. The move comes as the EU unveils its 16th round of sanctions against Moscow since the invasion of Ukraine began.
Spain’s second-largest city came to a standstill as Pope Leo XIV touched down in Barcelona, with thousands flooding the Gothic Quarter. The pontiff’s historic visit marks his first journey to Catalonia since his elevation to the papacy.
Award-winning Somali referee Omar Artan has been dropped from World Cup duty after being denied U.S. entry. The case highlights growing tensions between hard-line immigration policies and hosting global events.
Mexico City ground to a halt Tuesday as thousands of teachers blocked the main route to Azteca Stadium, just days before the venue hosts the 2026 World Cup opening match. President Claudia Sheinbaum called the timing a deliberate provocation.
American forces struck multiple Iranian military sites early Wednesday in retaliation for the downing of a US Army Apache helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz. The escalation marks the most serious direct military confrontation between Washington and Tehran in over a year.
Children are dying in Cuba because doctors can’t get their hands on basic medicines. That’s the stark warning from the UN’s top human rights official as he demands Washington lift decades-old sanctions.
Iran fired missiles at Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain in a dramatic escalation following US strikes on Iranian defense sites. The attacks targeted nations hosting American forces without directly hitting US installations.
European drug markets are becoming increasingly dangerous as criminal networks produce more potent substances and exploit new smuggling routes. A new EU report reveals cocaine purity at street level has nearly doubled in a decade while traffickers diversify beyond traditional corridors.
Albania’s EU membership bid faces a fresh hurdle over Jared Kushner’s $1.5 billion beach resort project. Brussels questions whether environmental rules were properly followed in approving the controversial development.
