Senegal: president Faye dismisses his prime minister. A significant political upheaval has swept across Senegal following President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s decision to dismiss Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko by decree this Friday, May 22. This abrupt move concludes months of simmering internal crises, power struggles, and underlying tensions within the executive branch. It unfolded just hours after Sonko’s highly symbolic address to Parliament. During his parliamentary appearance, Ousmane Sonko openly acknowledged his disagreements with the Head of State, boldly asserting his role as a Prime Minister “who makes decisions without permission.” Sonko, a widely popular figure among Senegal’s youth, had been barred from running in the 2024 presidential election and had subsequently endorsed Bassirou Diomaye Faye to succeed him in the race.
United States: green card applicants must now apply from their home country. The Trump administration announced on Friday a new directive requiring permanent residency applicants to return to their home countries to apply for the coveted Green Card. This measure significantly complicates the most common pathway for legal immigration into the United States. Previously, individuals holding temporary stay visas could initiate their Green Card applications from within the United States through a “status adjustment” process, allowing them to remain in the country while their cases were under review. Under the updated directive from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), this option will no longer be available. Democratic representative Chuy García denounced the decision on X as “absurd and cruel,” stating it would force “thousands of LEGAL immigrants, including spouses of American citizens, to leave their homes, families, and jobs for weeks, or even months, to obtain their Green Card.”
Tulsi Gabbard, US intelligence chief, resigns. Tulsi Gabbard, who led the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and advocated for a more restrained foreign policy approach, submitted her resignation to Donald Trump on Friday. She cited her departure as a decision to support her husband, who is battling a rare form of bone cancer. Her resignation, effective June 30, marks the end of a turbulent tenure overseeing 18 U.S. intelligence agencies. During her time, Gabbard was largely excluded by the White House from critical national security matters, including military operations in Iran and Venezuela.
The EU and Mexico strengthen their trade agreement. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President António Costa met on Friday to strengthen the trade partnership between Mexico and the European Union (EU), originally established in 2000. The revised agreement aims to eliminate tariffs on nearly all Mexican food exports to Europe and enhance cooperation across security, migration, clean energy, and digital trade sectors. The European Commission highlighted that, amidst a rise in protectionist measures globally, this collaboration sends a strong signal of both partners’ continued commitment to free trade.
New hantavirus case confirmed on MV Hondius crew. A new hantavirus case linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship was confirmed on Friday in a crew member who had disembarked in Tenerife before being transferred to the Netherlands, bringing the total number of infections to twelve. The death toll remains at three, according to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO). He clarified that no new fatalities have been reported since May 2, the date the outbreak was initially reported to the WHO.
