Sunday Summary - 4th January 2026

This week, we welcomed the year 2026. The New Year is mostly associated with resolutions and a fresh start; however, reality often disappoints. Some things remain the same, or make a turn for the worse. This year has begun with political events that will leave their mark in history books and may determine the course of global politics for the upcoming months. 

Trump-Netanyahu Meeting Regarding Palestine

On Monday, the 29th of December 2025, US President Donald Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida to discuss moving forward into the second phase of “the Gaza peace plan”. Again, representatives of the Palestinian state were not invited to join the discussions. Despite previous tensions regarding the execution of phase one of “the Gaza peace plan”, both leaders presented themselves in a friendly manner. President Trump even praised PM Netanyahu on his “wartime” leadership and stated he is “not concerned about anything that Israel is doing” and that “Israel has lived up to the plan, 100%”, despite multiple violations of the ceasefire by the IDF. At the same time, PM Netanyahu praised President Trump’s efforts for the Gaza ceasefire negotiations. As part of phase two, Hamas is expected to disarm, and President Trump has voiced a warning that “there will be severe consequences for lack of compliance”. 

US-Threats Towards Iran

Over the past few days, the Iranian government has been experiencing civilian protests triggered by the worsening economic situation caused by government mismanagement and international sanctions, and, consequently, the worsening quality of life for the Iranian people. Iran’s government has recently said that it is no longer enriching uranium at any site in the country. By doing so, it opened a pathway for the West to ease the economic sanctions with potential negotiations over Iran’s atomic programme. Despite that, as a response to Iran expressing its will to defend itself in case of any aggression, President Trump has warned that the US will “knock the hell” out of Iran if it sought to strengthen its nuclear or military powers. This completely overlooks the potential for negotiations and easing of political tensions to happen.

What’s new in the EU?

As of January 1st, the Eurozone has expanded with Bulgaria adopting the euro. While Bulgaria’s citizens' reactions and opinions vary, the European Central Bank (ECB) guarantees that the transition will happen as smoothly as possible by ensuring price stability. In addition, among many other benefits, the currency change is expected to stabilize the market and open up new opportunities for economic growth. The new year also saw Cyprus take over the EU Council presidency for the upcoming 6 months. Furthermore, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) entered into its “definitive regime”, meaning carbon emission tax for goods imported from non-EU countries is here to stay. 

Mexico Welcomed the New Year with an Earthquake

Not long after the New Year’s celebrations southern and central areas of Mexico were hit by a powerful earthquake of 6.5 magnitude. It is confirmed so far that the earthquake has claimed two lives and injured twelve persons in the capital, Mexico City. The areas affected by the earthquake suffered “moderate damage”. Most of the reported power outages have been restored. The majority of damage, however, is still under assessment.

Uproarious Dutch New Year’s Celebrations

The 2026 New Year’s celebrations were the last chance for those living in the Netherlands to celebrate with fireworks, as on the 1st of January 2026, the national ban on unofficial fireworks came into force. This kind of ban is supported by concerns about public safety, animal rights, environmental well-being, and the possibility of distribution of stronger, illegal fireworks, which would amplify the risks. This New Year’s Eve the Netherlands experienced an unusual intensity of firework use, with police reporting “unprecedented amount of violence” after some force members and emergency responders had fireworks aimed at them. The Dutch Pyrotechnics Association has reported a record amount of sales equating to €129 million. These “celebrations” have resulted in two fatal incidents where a 17-year-old boy from Nijmegen and a 38-year-old man from Aalsmeer have lost their lives. Multiple people were injured in firework fights, and emergency helplines were overwhelmed nationwide throughout the night. Additionally, a tower of the Neo-Gothic Vondelkerk church in Amsterdam has collapsed, possibly due to fireworks. Luckily, the tower's structure remained intact, and there were no reported casualties from the fire.

US Bombs Dropped on Venezuela

On the 3rd of January 2026, the United States of America, under the leadership of President Donald Trump, landed its first large-scale strikes on Venezuela, and has “captured” Venezuela’s leader, President Nicolas Maduro, and the First Lady Cilia Maduro, who have been transported to New York, where President Maduro will stand trial in the upcoming week. The strikes are a follow-up to months of military intensification in the region and deadly strikes on more than 30 boats that the US administration claims were carrying out drug trafficking operations. Multiple nations across South America condemn the US violence towards Venezuela, and China, Iran, and Russia have also expressed their disapproval towards the bombing, while most EU nations report to be monitoring closely. Expert opinions indicate that this attack is a violation of international law, as countries are obliged to respect another country’s sovereignty, and Claire Finkelstein, a professor of law at the University of Pennsylvania, rejects the US administration’s explanation of defence against “narco-terrorism” and its plans to take control over Venezuela.