Stories for January 2026

Friday, January 23rd 2026 - 19:29 UTC
Chavismo pushes oil-law reform to open Venezuela’s upstream to private firms

Venezuela’s National Assembly has approved, in a first reading, a reform to the country’s Hydrocarbons Law that would expand private participation in crude production and marketing—an important shift from the long-running “mixed-company” model in which the state held majority stakes. The bill still requires a second reading before it can become law, EFE reported.
Friday, January 23rd 2026 - 19:19 UTC
EU ‘ready’ to roll out Mercosur deal once South American ratifications start, von der Leyen says

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union is prepared to provisionally implement the EU–Mercosur trade agreement as soon as Mercosur countries begin completing their ratification procedures, seeking to reassure partners after a European Parliament vote injected fresh uncertainty into the bloc’s approval track.
Friday, January 23rd 2026 - 18:16 UTC
Online Casinos for Real Money: Real Money Casinos Reveals Which Platforms Pay Out Fastest

Independent review site documents which operators deliver on promises.
Friday, January 23rd 2026 - 18:08 UTC
Argentina’s tax and customs agency complaint targets national football federation over fake invoices

Argentina’s Revenue and Customs Control Agency (ARCA) has filed a fresh complaint against the Argentine Football Association (AFA), alleging undocumented outflows of money and the use of fake invoices, with a preliminary estimated tax damage of more than 375 million pesos (around USD 262,372.01), according to Argentine media reports.
Friday, January 23rd 2026 - 03:50 UTC
Venezuela frees opposition leader’s son-in-law as Caracas signals thaw with Washington

Venezuelan authorities on Thursday released Rafael Tudares, the son-in-law of opposition figure Edmundo González Urrutia, in one of the most politically charged prisoner releases since Nicolás Maduro’s ouster and the installation of an interim administration led by Delcy Rodríguez, according to agency reporting.
Thursday, January 22nd 2026 - 23:02 UTC
Argentina envoy asks French lawmakers to cover “Falklands” label on map during hearing

Argentina’s ambassador to France, Ian Sielecki, halted the start of a hearing at France’s National Assembly and refused to speak while a map behind him displayed the Falklands/Malvinas as UK territory. Proceedings resumed only after a staff member covered the islands with a sticky note.
Thursday, January 22nd 2026 - 21:58 UTC
Argentina’s Patagonia wildfires: flare-ups in Chubut spur evacuations as crews face “highly complex” blazes

Wildfires in Argentina’s Patagonia continued to pressure communities in Chubut province, with active fronts and repeated flare-ups reported around Epuyén, El Hoyo and Puerto Patriada, as heat, strong winds and very low humidity complicated containment efforts. Local coverage described preventive self-evacuations and round-the-clock watch shifts by firefighters, specialist brigades and residents trying to shield homes, livestock and productive areas.
Thursday, January 22nd 2026 - 21:51 UTC
US appoints career diplomat Laura Dogu as new mission chief for Venezuela amid thaw signals

The United States has named veteran Foreign Service officer Laura Dogu as its new mission chief for Venezuela, a step that aligns with broader signs of a tentative diplomatic reset — including discussions about reopening embassies and plans for Venezuelan acting president Delcy Rodríguez to travel to Washington, though no dates or agenda have been disclosed.
Thursday, January 22nd 2026 - 09:38 UTC
Trump says “framework” deal with NATO on Greenland is taking shape and drops tariff threat

US President Donald Trump said his administration has agreed with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on a “framework” for a potential understanding covering Greenland and the wider Arctic region, and announced he would pull back a tariff threat aimed at several European allies. Trump offered no operational detail, but framed the talks as a solution that would benefit the United States and NATO as a whole.
Thursday, January 22nd 2026 - 01:55 UTC
Falklands, Minister Doughty reaffirms support for the Islands and the Great British family

”We remain strong defenders of the Falkland Islands as part of our Great British family globally and we continue to work very closely with them on a range of trade and tariff issues, said Foreign Office minister for Overseas Territories, Stephen Doughty during a question time in Parliament.