Today, Thursday 7 May, millions of British citizens are casting their votes in some of the most significant regional elections in recent years. Local elections are taking place across England, while voters in Scotland and Wales are choosing new representatives for their national parliaments. According to the Electoral Commission, more...
Global oil reserves plunge by record 200 million barrels in April
Global commercial crude oil inventories fell by a record 200 million barrels in April amid escalating conflict in the Middle East. This poses serious risks of a sharp rise in fuel prices ahead of the summer travel season, according to S&P Global Energy. According to S&P Global Energy estimates, oil...
Norway resumes gas production at three closed fields
The Norwegian government has decided to resume operations at three previously closed gas fields. The measure is aimed at increasing energy supplies to Europe amid the continent's ongoing energy security challenges. According to Norway's Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, restarting the fields will allow for a rapid increase in natural...
German law enforcement launches large-scale operation against far-right youth groups
Germany's Federal Public Prosecutor's Office is conducting a sweeping police operation against two far-right extremist youth organizations, "Deutsche Jugend Voran" (DJV) and "Jung und Stark" (JS). Since early morning, searches have been carried out at the homes of more than 36 suspects across several federal states. The Federal Prosecutor's Office...
EU demands US fulfill trade agreement obligations by July
Brussels is urging Washington to strictly adhere to the obligations under a trade agreement reached last year, insisting that its key provisions be approved before the July deadline, Bloomberg reports. Against the backdrop of new tariff threats from the Donald Trump administration, the European Union is pushing for unconditional compliance...
London introduces new sanctions against migrant recruiters and drone component suppliers for Russia
The United Kingdom has announced a new package of sanctions targeting 35 individuals and organisations involved in recruiting vulnerable migrants to fight in Russia's war against Ukraine, as well as in supplying components to produce Russian strike drones. According to a statement published by the UK Foreign Office on 5...
Europe records sharp rise in sexual violence — Eurostat data
The number of registered cases of sexual violence and rape continues to grow across the European Union. According to fresh data from Eurostat published in late April 2026, EU police recorded 256,302 cases of sexual violence in 2024, of which 98,190 (38%) were rapes. Compared to 2023, sexual violence cases...
Portugal tightens citizenship rules
Due to the number of foreigners in Portugal reaching an unprecedented level, the country's president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, signed a law that significantly tightens naturalization requirements. The main change is a doubling of the legal residence period required to apply for citizenship. Under the new law, the standard legal...
Modern slavery in the UK growing at record pace
The United Kingdom has recorded an unprecedented number of potential modern slavery victims. According to a report by the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (IASC) Eleanor Lyons, in 2025 the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) received more than 23,000 referrals — a 22% increase on the previous year. This is the highest figure...
Spanish police seize one of the largest cocaine shipments in world history in the Atlantic
Spanish law enforcement conducted one of the largest anti-drug trafficking operations in history. A vessel carrying a record cocaine shipment, potentially reaching 40 tonnes, was intercepted in the Atlantic Ocean near the Canary Islands. This was reported by CBS News, citing sources within Spain's United Association of the Civil Guard...