Europe
Vatican: a new pope is elected
On 8 May Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago in 1955, was elected as the new head of the Catholic Church, becoming the first North American, American, and Peruvian pope.…
Ukraine: Putin announces three-day ceasefire
Vladimir Putin has announced a new three-day unilateral ceasefire, to run from 8 to 10 May, coinciding with Russia’s World War II commemorations. It follows a previous thirty-hour Easter ceasefire, which critics say…
Spain / Portugal: cause of massive power cut still not known
A widespread power cut on 28 April disrupted millions across Spain and Portugal, prompting investigations and huge public concern. Portugal’s national grid operator, REN, attributed the blackout to a rare atmospheric phenomenon which…
Türkiye: ‘treat Istanbul quake as a serious warning’
The recent 6.2 magnitude earthquake which struck Istanbul on 23 April is being seen as a serious warning rather than a release of seismic energy, according to Japanese earthquake expert Yoshinori Moriwaki. While…
Ukraine: Trump’s one-sided peace proposal
The USA has presented Ukraine with a controversial one-page peace framework, described as Donald Trump’s ‘final offer’, which would grant significant concessions to Russia, including recognition of its occupation of Crimea and of…
EU imposes fines on two US firms
The EU has fined Apple €500 million and Meta €200 million under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), its first enforcement action against Big Tech under the new law. Apple was penalised for limiting…
UK bans EU cheese and meat imports
The Government has introduced a temporary ban on travellers bringing cheese, meat, and dairy products from the EU, aiming to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease. The new rules prohibit items such as…
France: tit-for-tat expulsion of Algerian diplomats
France has announced the expulsion of twelve Algerian diplomats and recalled its ambassador from Algiers, in response to Algeria’s decision to expel twelve French consular staff. The tit-for-tat expulsions were triggered by the…
Asylum applications: EU issues list of ‘safe’ countries
The EU has proposed a new list of seven ‘safe countries of origin’ - Kosovo, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Morocco, and Tunisia - to fast-track asylum applications from citizens of those nations. The…
Spain: new emphasis on caring for geriatric animals
At Barcelona Zoo, African elephants Susi (52) and Bully (40), and other older animals at the zoo, including a 15-year-old wolf and two 17-year-old big cats, are receiving specialised geriatric care designed to…
