Costa Rica is gearing up for a festive presidential handover on May 8, when president-elect Laura Fernández will officially take office at the National Stadium. The Ministry of Culture has announced a lineup of national artists and marching bands for the celebration. While the government has declared a public holiday, private-sector employers are not obligated to give workers the day off — a distinction labor lawyers have been quick to clarify.
From unsealed documents in New York to polling crises in Lima, from AI courtrooms in San Francisco to royal commissions in Sydney, the news cycle of May 6–7, 2026, offers a striking snapshot of democracies grappling with accountability, transparency, and the limits of power — all at once.
