EU Council Greenlights EU-Mercosur Trade Pact After Italy Flips
On 9 January 2026 EU ambassadors approved the long-stalled EU-Mercosur free-trade agreement by qualified majority, overruling a French-led bloc of opponents.
Business & Economics
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Trump Orders Immediate U.S. Take-Over of 30–50 Million Venezuelan Barrels After Maduro’s Capture
On 7 Jan 2026, four days after U.S. forces seized Nicolás Maduro, President Trump announced interim Venezuelan authorities will ship 30–50 million barrels of crude to the United States under his direct control for sale.
Trump Shields Venezuelan Oil Revenues After Majors Call Country ‘Uninvestable’
On 10 Jan 2026 President Trump signed an executive order ring-fencing Venezuelan oil proceeds in U.S. custody one day after oil-company chiefs demanded legal and financial guarantees to justify fresh investment in the post-Maduro sector.
EU Offers €45 Billion in Early CAP Funds to Sway Italy Ahead of Mercosur Vote
Between 6–7 January 2026, Ursula von der Leyen pledged to unlock €45 billion of the 2028-34 farm budget to placate EU agriculture ministers and secure Italy’s decisive vote at the 9 January qualified-majority ballot on the 25-year-old EU-Mercosur trade pact.
Trump Orders Immediate Transfer of 30–50 M Barrels of Venezuelan Crude to U.S. After Maduro Ouster
Days after U.S. forces captured Nicolás Maduro, President Trump announced that Venezuela’s interim government will hand over up to 50 million barrels of oil to the U.S. under his direct control.
Rio Tinto–Glencore Reopen Merger Talks in a Copper-Driven $207 Billion Play
On 9 Jan 2026 the two FTSE-100 miners confirmed preliminary, all-share talks that could see Rio Tinto buy some or all of Glencore, giving Rio a 5 Feb deadline and immediately sending Glencore stock up nearly 9% while Rio fell about 3%.
Washington Courts Big Oil for Post-Maduro Venezuela Rebuild
Within 48 hours of Nicolás Maduro’s 4 Jan 2026 capture, Energy Secretary Chris Wright scheduled 5-7 Jan meetings with Chevron, ConocoPhillips and others in Miami to hash out a U.S.–subsidised plan to pour roughly $100 billion into restarting Venezuela’s shattered oil sector.
Supreme Court Poised to Rule on Legality of Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ IEEPA Tariffs
On 9 Jan 2026 the justices may issue an expedited decision on whether President Trump’s April 2025 10–50 % blanket import tariffs, enacted under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act, were an unconstitutional overreach of executive authority.
Italy’s U-Turn Tips the Scales for EU-Mercosur Pact
Brussels secured Italy’s backing on 5 Jan 2026 by dangling extra farm funding, giving the EU the qualified-majority votes it lacked ahead of a 9 Jan ambassadors’ ballot and a planned 12 Jan signing of the 780-million-person trade deal.
EU Secures Italy’s Yes with €45 B Farm Sweetener, Clearing Path to Sign Mercosur Pact
After receiving a European Commission pledge of early access to €45 billion in farm funds, Rome switched from blocking to backing the EU-Mercosur trade agreement ahead of a decisive Council vote this Friday.
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