
Venezuela's Bolivarian regime Monday reopened the borders with Colombia and Brazil it had closed ahead of Friday's inauguration of Nicolás Maduro as President for a third consecutive six-year term. The measure had been adopted due to an alleged international conspiracy following the controversial July 28, 2024, elections the Opposition Unitarian Democratic Platform (PUD) of retired diplomat Edmundo González Urrutia also claimed to have won.

Last year was the hottest on record and it even surpassed the global warming limit, the European Union's Copernicus Earth Observation Program and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) concurred. In addition, 2023 and 2024 saw average global temperatures exceed the internationally agreed 1.5 degrees Celsius warming threshold

An explosive device went off late Saturday at Venezuela's consulate in Lisbon. Nobody was injured because at the time of the attack which local media said consisted of a Molotov cocktail, the offices were closed. “The Portuguese government strongly condemns the attack on the Venezuelan consulate in Lisbon,” Portugal's Foreign Ministry posted on X.

Presidents Emmanuel Macron of France and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil were reported Friday to have spoken on the telephone with Veenezuela's Nicolás Maduro to persuade him to resume talks with the opposition after being inaugurated for a third consecutive six-year term following the controversial July 28, 2024, elections.

The British Government Friday slapped additional sanctions on 15 members of Nicolás Maduro's regime in a move to encourage Venezuelan officials to respect democratic principles, to comply with international human rights law, and to respect human rights, the Foreign Office announced. London also denounced the Bolivarian leader's illegitimate claim to the presidency following the fraudulent July 28, 2024, elections.

Guyanese authorities expressed their regret this week that Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro intends to hold elections for the position of Governor of the disputed territory of Guyana Essequiba because the move would be in violation of what was arranged between the two countries in the Dec. 14, 2023, Argyle Agreement.

Starting Jan. 8, travelers who do not need a visa to enter post-Brexit UK for leisure will still be required to get an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) from the Foreign Office's website. This new permit allows foreign visitors to stay up to six months in the country as nonresidents (not allowed to work or study) and costs 10 pounds sterling.

With the arrival of 150 Guatemalan military police over the weekend, the United Nations (UN)-backed Multinational Security Support (MMS) force in violence-torn Haiti went up by 36.5%, now reaching 590 troops with 400 Kenyans, 8 Salvadorans, 6 Bahamians, 24 Jamaicans, and 2 Belizeans.

Brazil's government confirmed Monday that Indonesia had joined the BRICS bloc as a full member, making it the first country to do so this year, Agencia Brasil reported. The alliance now has the fourth largest population on the planet, with the new partner's 284 million inhabitants making it the 10th largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity, according to the World Bank.

Justin Trudeau announced Monday his resignation as Prime Minister of Canada after nine years in office. His stepping down would become effective once the Liberal Party finds a new leader through a competitive and rigorous process at the national level.