Stories for 2026

Friday, May 8th 2026 - 05:08 UTC
Lula and Trump declare bilateral relationship reset after three-hour meeting at the White House

The presidents of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and the United States, Donald Trump, held a meeting of close to three hours at the White House on Thursday in which both leaders declared an end to one of the most severe bilateral crises in two centuries of relations between the two largest economies in the Americas. The encounter, formalized as a working meeting, unfolded in a climate of personal fluency and allowed for the agreement to establish bilateral channels to address commercial, security, and regional cooperation matters.
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Friday, May 8th 2026 - 02:14 UTC
United States imposes new sanctions on Cuban military conglomerate GAESA amid escalating pressure

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Thursday a new package of sanctions against the Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A. (GAESA), the conglomerate linked to the Cuban Armed Forces that controls approximately 40% of the island's economy, in a fresh escalation of the economic pressure deployed by the Trump administration against the Havana regime. The measure is part of the implementation of Executive Order 14404, signed by President Donald Trump on May 1, which authorizes sanctions against those responsible for political repression and threats to US national security.
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Friday, May 8th 2026 - 01:51 UTC
First counts confirm Reform UK's advance in Labour heartlands and open the door to a leadership crisis

The first ballots counted in the local elections held on Thursday across the United Kingdom confirmed the advance of the far-right Reform UK party, led by Nigel Farage, in territories historically dominated by Labour in the north of England and triggered the first public expressions of discontent within Prime Minister Keir Starmer's own party, in what various analysts already describe as one of the most adverse electoral nights for the ruling party since taking office in July 2024. The vote, in which more than 5,000 municipal seats across 136 local authorities and the devolved parliaments of Scotland and Wales were contested, opened the door to a potential internal crisis over Starmer's leadership.
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Friday, May 8th 2026 - 01:20 UTC
Falklands brace for Middle East fallout with fuel, shipping and supply contingencies

The conflict in the Strait of Hormuz and its consequences for the global supply of oil and other derivative products have not bypassed the Falkland Islands, which, as one local lawmaker put it, sit “at the tail end of global distribution.”
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Thursday, May 7th 2026 - 15:08 UTC
Lula arrives at the White House to mend fences with Trump after a year of tariffs and disputes

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was received on Thursday by his American counterpart Donald Trump at the White House, in his first official visit to Washington since his return to power in 2023 and the second face-to-face meeting between the two leaders, following a brief 45-minute encounter on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur last October. The meeting, formalized as a working session rather than a state visit, seeks to consolidate the fragile bilateral truce reached after one of the most severe diplomatic crises in two centuries of relations between the two most populous democracies in the Americas.
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Thursday, May 7th 2026 - 14:06 UTC
United Kingdom votes in key local elections that put Starmer's leadership to the test

British voters head to the polls on Thursday, May 7, in an election that will see the renewal of more than 5,000 seats across 136 local councils in England, six directly elected mayoralties, and the devolved parliaments of Scotland and Wales, in what various analysts and pollsters describe as the toughest electoral test for Prime Minister Keir Starmer since he took office in July 2024. Polling stations opened at 7:00 a.m. local time and will close at 10:00 p.m., with most results expected by Friday afternoon.
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Thursday, May 7th 2026 - 09:31 UTC
Brazil central bank cuts Selic interest rate 25 points to 14.50%

Brazil’s Central Bank following its two days meeting 28–29 April of the Monetary Policy Committee (COPOM) announced the reduction of its SELIC rate by 25 basis points to 14.50%.
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Thursday, May 7th 2026 - 09:18 UTC
Gun salutes to mark third anniversary of King’s coronation

Regular soldiers and members of the Army Reserve have paid their respects to King Charles and Queen Camilla by firing a number of royal gun salutes on the third anniversary of their coronation.
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Thursday, May 7th 2026 - 09:06 UTC
Foreign Office statement on the Hantavirus outbreak and UKOTs under support

A statement from Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on the Hantavirus outbreak, “The outbreak of Hantavirus is very serious and deeply stressful for those affected and their families. The UK response is being led by the UK Health Security Agency working with the WHO.
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Thursday, May 7th 2026 - 08:43 UTC
Falklands, financial advance for FIMCO and calcified kelp license to improve soil for cattle forage

On 20th April the Falkland Islands’ Executive Council considered a closed paper from FIMCO, Falkland Islands Meat Company, requesting a cash advance, to be repaid by June 2027. The request is to support cash-flow challenges resulting from the recent shipping delays.
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