In a significant shift towards modernization, the European Union (EU) has introduced the Entry, Exit System (EES) for digital border management. By April 2026, the system will be fully implemented, marking the end of the traditional passport stamping process. Instead, digital screening will take its place. Several countries, including Australia, Japan, and Canada, have already been using biometric data at their borders, while the United States has announced plans to expand its system.
In other news, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has announced that Israel has officially recognized Somalia as an independent and sovereign state. In a separate development, police have revealed that they have obtained footage from a web camera installed in a car involved in a recent investigation, which includes audio and video recordings and is considered crucial evidence.
China has imposed sanctions on 20 US defense companies and 10 individuals for selling arms to Taiwan. A bomb blast in a mosque in Syria’s Homs city during Friday prayers has killed six people and injured over 20 others. A video of Shaikh Faisal Nauman, the muezzin of the Prophet’s Mosque, who passed away last week, has gone viral on social media.
Japan’s cabinet has approved a record defense budget of $58 billion for the fiscal year 2026, amidst increasing regional tensions with China. In a related development, Nigerian authorities have stated that US airstrikes have targeted terror hotspots with high precision. A High Court in Nigeria has convicted Nijab Razak in four cases.
In the UK, a tanker’s name and nationality remain unknown as it was not disclosed by the authorities. British King Charles III has emphasized the importance of compassion, empathy, and understanding in his Christmas address, sparking hopes among royal observers that it may be a positive message for Prince Harry.
A former police chief in Afghanistan’s Takhar province, Akramuddin Rauf, was shot dead in Tehran, according to Iranian media. In Canada, a century-old law that required professionals to take an oath of loyalty to the British monarch has been repealed following a Sikh lawyer’s long-fought legal battle.
In a shocking incident in India’s Hyderabad, a man set his wife on fire in front of their children and then attempted to push their daughter into the fire as well before fleeing the scene. North Korean state media has released images of Kim Jong-un inspecting a guided missile on an underwater submarine.
Protests against the British government’s handling of the migrant crisis have been ongoing outside the Pakistani consulate in Bradford, with organizers planning to hand over a petition to the authorities. The High Commission has assured that any material related to the protests will be investigated under British law and that criminal investigations may be initiated if any lawbreaking is detected.
This article provides a comprehensive overview of current global events, including the EU’s shift towards digital border management, international relations, and ongoing protests and conflicts around the world.
